BEAUTY SHOWER

I love the idea of having a beauty shower. {see marthastewart.com}

ABBY, SOPHIE and OLIVIA

Here is a picture of me with my three nieces (Kathy and Blake have the cutest kids). Abby is far left, me, Sophie, and Olivia. This photo was taken at my wedding.

Abby is 11, in the 6th grade and is a rockstar. She has done triathlons for the last 2 years; in July she won first place in her age group. She also plays soccer, jumps rope on a team, is an artist and a brainiac. Oh, and she's one of the sweetest girls I know.

Sophie is turning 8 in September. She has cute freckles on her nose and cheeks. Sophie can teach herself to do anything! She has amazing determination and is really athletic; running an 8 minute mile, youngest girl on the jump rope team. She plans to do a triathlon in the next two years.

Olivia is four. She swims and is starting preschool this year. Olivia has the cutest voice and an addictive laugh. She likes playing soccer and frisbee and can also ride horses. She also jumps rope but is too young to join the team.

I am in love with these girls.

UNCOMMON SCENTS

I love perfume. My olfactory is probably the strongest of my scenses. The right smell can make me voracious, sleepy, creative, powerful, intimate, and strong. For instance: The smell of bread makes me hungry. Lavender makes me sleepy. Gardenia makes me feel feminine. Diesel fuel and bar-b-que makes me feel like skiing. The smell of coffee makes me feel creative. Roses make me feel intimate...and the list goes on.
Here are my favorite perfume pics. Most are uncommon (this means you can't buy them at your local Meyer and Frank department store). However you come across them, just make sure you do.

Chanel Gardenia: Both vintage and modern. This perfume was introduced in 1925 and reintroduced in the late '90s. I've heard Chanel will make this scent available for a while and then take it off the market for years. So I feel priviledged to have it now.

Scent Description: A Sensual Floral Aroma With A Beautiful Blend Of Jasmine, Gardenia For Top Notes. The Middle Notes Include Clove, Sage And Pimiento. Finishing Off With This Amazing Scent Is Musk, Patchouli, Sandalwood And Vetiver.

Price Point: $55.00

Where? here




Baroque Blue: This gel perfume by Stacked Style is the perfect scent to carry in your purse. It also doubles as a shine enhancer for your hair. I like to dab some on the end of my nose and smell it all day long.

Scent Description: With a heart of Tahitian gardenia, and unexpected notes of sweet coconut, rhubarb, green grass, almond, rose, tuberose, muguet, neroli, tonka bean, amber, precious woods, musk.

Price Point: $22.50

Where? here

Kai: This is a small roll-on vial that can fit easily in your tiny clutch. More a summer scent then a winter scent, it will drum up images of lounging at the beach and hearing the waves. Very concentrated, a little goes a very long way. Created by Gaye Straza Rappaport and sold at exclusive boutiques and spas around the world.

Scent Description: Gardenia, tuberose, jasmine, and lilly. It's also now available in a spray.

Price Point: Roll-on $45, Spray $65

Where? here

Maui Girl: This perfume oil comes in the most adorable little ceramic bottle. One you'd be proud to display after the last drop of oil is dabbed on your wrist. I love that you pull off the top of the hula dancers head to gain access to the delightful scent. You can only get it by visiting Maui (the island) or ordering it from mauigirl.com. Either way you'll love it and leave everyone wondering how you managed to smell so good. You can also add this oil to a scent free lotion for a more versitile application.

Scent Description: Coconut, kukui nut, gardenia, almond and macademia nuts.

Price Point: $29.99

Where? here





Vanille Divine des Tropiques: by La Maison de la Vanille, this spray is the warmest vanilla spray you can find. I got mine as a gift from Marissa Beyers (thanks cutie!). It's soft and doesn't smell like cookies or anything necessarily edible which I find with a lot of vanilla scents. I spray this in my hair (expecially on non-wash days) and I smell like "a spring day" (actual quote by Jonathan Dorman).

Scent Description: An extravagant bouquet of tuberose, jasmine, heliotrope, hyacinth and gardenia perfectly complemented by luscious, delectable vanilla.

Price Point: $34

Where? here

ECONOMICAL VS. BEAUTY

Nate and I bought a beautiful, new 2006 VW Jetta TDI, back in May. It hugs the road and drives with incredible power. But the most impressive thing about this machine is the gas mileage. As a brand new diesel engine it already gets high 30's - low 40's per gallon. The 2000 VW Jetta TDI that I drive gets even better gas mileage. Right now we both drive a considerable distance for work and this definitely helps us economically.

Contrast this with my new favorite car. Well, it's been a journey to get here so it probably warrants an explanation. I'm a conservative hippie girl at heart. I love Zeppelin and The Doors, camping and hiking, and the smell of pachoulli. Though I've driven a 1992 Toyota Camry for the last six years, I dreamed of owning a Subaru Forester. It was the kind of car I could take off-road to get to the best and most remote camping locations. And then I married a moderate metrosexual.

Nate doesn't have a pair of zip-up ankle-boots or a skin regime, but he does have an affinity to euro-style and sleek, well designed things. When he learned of my love for the Subaru Forester he told me he couldn't support it because I'd have to be a lesbian in order to drive such a vehicle. Disinterested in exploring a new sexuality, I became open to his idea of driving the Honda Element instead. I accepted this Element idea until I passed by my new love in a parking lot at the Riverwoods Shopping Center this summer. Then everything changed.

Enter Toyota's FJ Cruiser. It's true that I love Toyota. It's true that my 1992 Camry with nearly 200,000 miles has been the BEST car one could own. So it makes perfect and natural sense that I'd gravitate to a machine with such a fine reputation. More important, however, is how beautiful it is. For a while I was afraid to do research and discover that this beauty was $50k. Until yesterday. It's totally affordable, comparable to the Element in price point. MSRP is $21,700 for the bare bones.

I'm still fundamentally torn between driving a car that is economical (but pollutes the environment) and one that will guzzle the gasoline. I'm not sure where I fit. But what I do know is if Nate and I do ever decide to purchase a bigger car for family or convenience...this is the car we will be buying. I'm putting my foot down on this one.

SPRITZ YOUR WAY TO YOUTHFUL LOOKING SKIN

I work in an office with controlled air. My skin and hair get very dry and I end up looking tired and aged by the time I leave the building. But it doesn't stop there. I live in arid climate of Utah so once I walk outside my skin is zapped yet again. Feeling helpless, I turned to Amie for advice. She recommended TwinLab Na-PCA which you can buy here. This stuff is great. It's different then spritzing your face with water because unlike water, this doesn't just evoporate.

"The skin contains natural moisturizers, the most important being Na-PCA. Old skin contains only about half the amount of Na-PCA as that found in young skin. The ability of skin to hold moisture is directly related to its Na-PCA content. It is water, and not oil, that keeps skin soft and supple. Na-PCA pulls water out of the air, moisturizing the skin, improving its appearance, and giving it a moist and youthful glow."

For $5.95 a bottle (can be purchased at Wild Oats), it's the perfect thing to sit on your desk. The misting sensation is totally relaxing and it purifies your very largest of organs...your skin!

ROPES COURSE

Last night Nate and I joined the recently married Annie and John-Paul (JP), and the soon to be married Lisa and Nate for some ropes course challenges out near Utah Lake. This was all in celebration of JP's birthday week which I think is a splendid idea for everyone to consider.

Here are a couple of photos for the zipline: My Nate, JP, Lisa, and Nate!






The first activity was the zipline (see photos left and above). For me, climbing up the tree was far more scary then jumping off the platform. Heights is my greatest fear and running a close second is sharks. Annie went up the zipline first and had the most frightening task of showing the rest of us that it was safe and fun. We all followed in her fine example and experienced the exhilaration of flying through the trees with the wind through our helmeted hair.

Next we did a couples ladder climb. Each wooden rung was about 4'5" apart and there was nothing to hang on to (legally) but the rungs and your partner. I have to give awards here. Lisa and Nate went first and to them I give the award of Most Determined. They didn't have the benefit of gaining strategy by watching someone else do it first. They made it and might I say that Lisa is one tough girl! See photo below.


Next JP and Annie took the ladder. They are both really tall so they had an advantage. The newly weds of just 3 months completed the ladder and I give them the award of Most Sexually Arousing Performance. You can't tell by the photos, but the positions they found themselves in while helping each other up the rungs was truly HOT!

Finally Nate and I climbed up the ladder. I may be biased but I think we might have given the strongest performance. However, because each one was entertaining in its own right, I give Nate and I, Best Team Work. I woke up this morning feeling every bit the 35 year old that I am. Nate was HOT and totally strong during the climb. His big strong arms would just pull me up. In return, I let him step on my thigh to get a leg up. See photo below.

So at this point I have B.O. But we press on. We all wanted a chance at what they called the trapeze. It was too dark by this point so there are no pics documenting this leg of the course. The trapeze consists of a 30' branch with a tiny platform on the top. By tiny I mean it's no bigger then a piece of paper in dimension. The object is to climb the 30' to the perch, stand a-top and then leap off in hopes of catching the trapeze that is about 7' out and a few feet higher then you are on the perch. All the guys came close, the girls...not a chance. I was the last one to climb up and by this time it was totally dark. I had to use my bat-like instincts to climb the branch and perch myself in the treetops. All was well and we all came out victorious.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY JP!

ODE TO KYM COLLINS

I first met Kym six years ago this coming January. When I met her I fell for her in an instant. It was cold and we shared a parka and huddled to keep warm. That is a bond you can't break! Soon after we met, Kym moved in as the third roommate and we continued to live together for five years.
Kym is one of those people that keeps you grounded. She asks you all the right questions and has good solid advice. How could someone so lovely to look at be also wise and insiteful? Moreover, how am I lucky enough to know her and call her my friend?

Here are some of the things I love about Kym:

• She showed pigs at the County Fair (in Vacaville, CA or "cow town").
• She was in a beauty contest and won for her talent. Singing "The Rose" by Bette Midler. If you are lucky you will hear her sing it in your life time.
• When she was a little girl she used to wear cowboy boots with shorts, just like me.
• She was homecoming queen, with feathered hair and a poofy dress.
• I love her family. When I'm around them it's the next best thing to my own.
• Her dad and my dad are very, very much alike. Love horses, big rancher hands and arms.
• Kym's resume reads like an adventure novel (sold airplane parts in South America, sold art in Florida, started Oakley online, travels all over with Novell events).
• If I need to find something on the internet, Kym ALWAYS knows where to look.
• In everyone's life, there are certain people that just help them be calm and stay focused. Kym can talk me down off nearly ANY ledge.
• She has tiny little ears.
• The man she marries will be adventurous and will love me almost as much as he loves her.
• Kym loves to laugh and she is constantly making me laugh, or worse, pee my pants.
• If no one else is on Skype but Kym, it's a glorious day.
• We've decided if we put our profiles on match.com, we'd pop up as the perfect pair.
• She is so beautiful (see photo) but she doesn't act like it. She's completely down to earth.
• EVERYONE love Kym.
• She gave me my nickname: Titty.
• Kym is very enterprising. She never accepts no for an answer and can talk her way into a crowded concert, movie, party, airplane...you name it.
• She is continuously on the hunt for the perfect pair of black pants, moisturizer, lip gloss, and foundation.
• She's such a regular at Nordstrom they actually send her thank you notes just for buying socks.
• She burns herself with the curling iron more then anyone I know. She, like me, has many clumsy, embaracing Lucille Ball moments.
• She once ate chocolate cake off an executive's plate at dinner, without asking the exective.
• One time she was teaching a sunday school class and in her handout she had typed "tits" instead of "titus". That might have been the best day of my life!
• She is go-to girl for Nate. He knows he can call her and ask her for ideas for birthday, christmas, anniversary...and no matter what Kym says, he knows I'll absolutely love it.
• Kym is one of the greatest people I know. I couldn't love her more then I do and I pray that she is always in my life and someone I can talk to every day.

WHY WATER?

As I mentioned earlier, my massage therapist Andre told me I needed to drink more water. Admittedly, I'm not responsible in this department. I do drink atleast 32oz. a day with Zipfizz, but apparently that's just not enough. This whole water exchange got me to thinking.

I read an article published in May of this year in CNN's Health Library. It basically says that the average adult male of good health should drink 3 liters per day (101 fluid oz.) and the average woman of good health should drink 2.2 liters (74 fluid oz.).

But why? What does water do for our bodies? According to the article, 60% of our body weight is water. It is essential for a healthy body for several reason, " water flushes toxins out of vital organs, carries nutrients to your cells and provides a moist environment for ear, nose and throat tissues". Not to mention, when you drink water it thins out your blood by bulking it up with lymphatic fluids. This helps your body circulate the blood and deliver nutrients to all areas of your body.

You already know all of this, right? Well, here are some things you may not know about water.
1. If you wait until you are already thirsty to intake water, you are likely already becoming dehydrated.

2. When you start to feel hungry, drink water. Not to suppress your appetite, but to give your body what it needs. Many times our body communicates hunger when it is actually just thirsty.

3. You should NEVER drink with your meals. I've heard this numerous times over the last few weeks. Let me explain. When you eat food, your stomach begins to create the perfect acidic levels to break everything down. If you drink (water or soda or anything) the acids will get diluted and make it difficult if not impossible for your stomach to digest. The best possible time to drink is approximately 2 hours after eating. By this time your stomach has digested the food and by drinking water you will healthily flush what's left into your intestines. Ahhhh, regularity.

If you are lucky enough to work somewhere with a water cooler, take advantage of it. I've decided to bring three 32 oz. Nalgene bottles to work. I will fill each of them up in the morning. Two will get zipfizz and one will be naked water. If I can drink all three during my eight hours on the job I will have consumed 96 fluid oz, way over the recommended 74 oz.


Drink up my friends. It's time to take the bull by the horns. And look at all the pretty colored bottles you can get.

ROSE GOLD BANGLES

These are the beautiful Rose Gold bangles Nate gave me for our anniversary. He is regretfully aware of my love for rose gold and very thoughtfully picked these out with the help of Kym.

For our anniversary I put together a book detailing our first year. It included
photos of us amid various adventures, lists of concerts we've been to, medications we've taken, phrases we've coined. I know what you are thinking, an album is not the best gift for a guy. But times have changed; men cry and knit and watch lifetime movies (right?) Undoubtedly we will both find joy in this book years from now when life is more complicated. It may just end up being our favorite read ever.

So back to my love of rose gold. I think one of the reasons I like it so much is because it makes a piece of jewelry look like an heirloom. I've always romanticized about having jewelry passed down to me from a grandma or great grandma. But this has never happened. So I've decided that I want to pass things down to my future children and grand children. Hopefully they will cherish what I give them.

I'm not normally one to brag, but I just have to include a picture of my wedding ring. It's white and rose gold. And in the center of the flower is a pink diamond. It's a perfect ring and someone will be very, very lucky to receive it someday. This will surely go to my favorite.
In this photo, my ring is on the right. Simon G is the designer and makes beautiful things. Everything has a hint of keepsake and makes you want to store it in a velvet pouch.

ANDRE THE MASSAGE THERAPIST

Just a quick blog about the deep tissue massage I got at the Snowbird Cliff Spa yesterday. I took the male therapist because the idea of getting massaged by a man made Nate wince. This worked to my advantage because Andre, from Russia, was one of the best therapist I've ever met.

First things first, Andre began the massage by asking me all sorts of questions about my lifestyle. This, in my opinion, is a good sign. Next, Andre started to work on my back and commented on the fact that I don't drink enough water. He could tell this because all my tissues had a thick, hard shell around them from dehydration. Eww.

Then he started massaging my hip muscles and told me I had all sorts of hip problems and they are the cause of my back pain. To make a long story short, Andre and I became fast friends and I hope I can be on his table again very soon. I'm hobbling around like an old woman today from all the knots he worked out of my muscles.

Horay for Andre!

MY FIRST ANNIVERSARY

NATE AND I CELEBRATED OUR FIRST ANNIVERSARY THIS WEEKEND. A YEAR AGO TODAY, AUGUST 27, 2005, WE TIED THE KNOT!
I LOVE HIM AND IN HIS HONOR I'M GOING TO MAKE A SHORT LIST OF THE THINGS I LOVE ABOUT HIM. REMEMBER: THIS IS THE SHORT LIST. WHEN I'M 95 AND ON MY DEATH BED I MAY BE ABLE TO COMPLETE IT. MAYBE.

_his amazing shoulder muscles. he was a swimmer in highschool. lucky me.
_his feathery blue eyes. they make me sleepy.
_his fatty lips. they were made for kissing!
_his teeth are perfect chicklets and pearly white.
_his butt is round and nothing but muscle. quite impressive.
_his nose is flawless. i hope our kids get his nose.
_his freckles. just like a little boy, he gets freckles on his nose and cheeks in the summer.
_his nutty wit. you can't ever get bored with him because he reinvents wackiness every day.
_his laugh. it's loud and joyous and makes me smile from ear to ear.
_the way he skiis. fearless. fast. uber rad!
_how he rides his motorcycle. he's just some kind of stud when he gets on that bike.
_the way he plays radiohead and beck on his guitar. sometimes he sings and that's my favorite.
_his calf muscles. they are perfect. i can't say anything more then that.
_his passion for linux. he reminds me of charlie brown. very dedicated to his cause.
_the way he sticks to it. he never gives up and that makes him really good at many things.
_his confidence. he's like a marble statue that you just look at and admire.
_his swim stroke. i can pick him out at the pool. he's fast and strong.
_the way he looks in his cycling clothes. don't get me started!
_little kids are drawn to him. he doesn't even try and they just love him more.
_he rocks in the kitchen. he loves to experiment and has mastered the art of thai food.
_his flat feet. i like the way they make him walk.
_he is so wicked smart. i'm pretty sure he might be a genius. fabulous vocabulary.
_that he wanted to be an astronaut when he was a kid.
_he does origami. on our honeymoon he caught me off guard by doing it on-the-fly.
_he rinses his dishes. thanks baby!
_he loves music and i love music. we love going to shows and rockin' out at home.
_he is just as addicted to flip flops as me.
_he's not afraid to try anything. i hope i learn this from him.
_he did a triathlon with my neice and let her beat him. it was really sweet to watch.
_he did the same race this year and rocked it hard! took 8th in his age group.
_he loves me and that might be the best feeling ever.

Okay, you may be barfing right now but I didn't do it for you. I did it for Nate. We just got home from Snowbird resort where we had fabulous massages, raced on the alpine slide (i kicked his butt), ate a marvelous buffet breakfast against a view of the mountains that was grand. October fest was going on at the resort so we also ate bratwurst with saurkrat and listenedd to polka music.
I love you baby!

MY ADDICTIONS

This blog is for all you creatures of habit! Don't be shamed; it's okay to really, really like something. In fact, I'm proud of most of my addictions. Nate get's a bit uncomfortable when I start moaning over the succulent taste of cheddar cheese gold fish crackers from Pepperidge Farms. But I know he's probably making the same sounds when he gets his VMware working on SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop from Novell. So we are even.

My most passionate addictions are Nate's big, fat lips. I love them. When he's traveling I wish I could keep his lips home to hang out with. I'd say my second addiction is a tie between lovely shoes and sephora. I just bought these shoes which had to be shipped from California and I'm anxiously awaiting a visit from UPS. Buy them here.

Another addiction is Schwarzkopf Sealed Ends. It's the best hair care product I've ever used. I get lazy about using the blow dryer on my hair and get into a rut where I let it air-dry. And if I use the Sealed Ends I actually look pretty hot. If I don't...I look like Bette Midler.

I used to be addicted to Diet Dr. Pepper. But that all changed one day when I just simply lost the taste for it. I'll sip it on occasion, but nothing like the hand-over-fist fashion in which I drank it in 2005. That being said, I also know that an aging girl of 35 needs her liquids in order to keep her skin hydrated. And that's when I found zipfizz. I love the little tubes it comes in and the way it makes my water fizz with lemony goodness. It's best when consumed icey cold. I encourage everyone to try it and use it. Sugar free, lots and lots of vitamin C and other essentials. I get mine at Costco.
My skin is picky. As an example, I tried to use the generic form of proactive. Not because I had unruly acne...but because I'm intoxicated by Jessica Simpson's skin in the commercials she does for proactive. Anyway, I used this for two days and conclude with firm indignation that it could be used to strip floors. Under my eyes became scaley, my lids flaked, and my neck broke out in a horrible rash. When I found out that Kym would be in San Francisco and just a short walk from Sephora I called in the cavalry. I'm an advocate for Juice Beauty Products. I love the way they smell. I love that they use citric juices. I love the way my skin glows when I use them. Kym got me two items which i whole-heartedly recommend. Green Apple Anti-Oxidant Moisturizer ($43) and Green Apple Cleansing Gel ($22).
Try them for yourself.

I love Mrs. Meyers Cleaning Products. Either I'm totally addicted to the geranium scent, or there is some hypnotizing powers in those bottles that make cleaning fun. I love the way my house smells on Saturday afternoon following a good scrub. I currently use (all in geranium scent): surface scrub, general purpose scrub, window cleaner, shower spray, hand soap and lotion, dish soap, ironing spray, toilet bowl cleaner, countertop spray and dryer sheets. Our little condo smells like a florist when I'm done.

The last thing I'll mention is my love for magazines. Those I adore include Martha Stewart, Oprah, Domino, Lucky, Bluprint, and US Weekly. Here is the TIP OF THE DAY: get your subscriptions on eBay. You'll end up paying a fraction of the price and the only draw-back is that you have to wait about 8-10 weeks for your subscription to kick-in. In the meantime, it's fundamentally okay to buy the issues you are missing from the newstand. Just make sure that the subscription you purchase includes shipping and handling so you don't get hung-out-to-dry. Happy shopping.

GET EVEN MORE RAD!

Well, since you are reading this blog you are undoubtedly more rad than most...but let's be honest, there's always room for improvement. Through the years I've discovered that everyone has dirty little secrets; a very common secret being, "I listen to Celine Dion".

About three years ago, long before I met Nate, I was dating someone who had much different musical taste and a low tolerance for anything else. As a result I ended up listening to the likes of Josh Grobin and The Mormon Tabernacle Choir on long road trips. After we broke up I was liberated. And now I'm here to liberate you!

I've included a photo from Coachella, which is a great indie rock show that spans two days and some of the hottest weather imaginable. This was the second year we drove down in Julie Rose's RV. Clockwise from top: Nate, Me, Tim Ricks, and Brandi Hoggan.

Here is a great protective case to put your iPod in. I have the pink one and I bought it at Circuit City. Here's what I recommend dropping on your iPod immediately.

• Ryan Adams
  
• Doves
• Johnny Cash
• The Raconteurs
• Beth Orton
• Pete Yorn
• Mason Jennings
• Wolf Parade
• The Zutons
• Clap Your Hands And Say Yeah!
• Yeah Yeah Yeahs
• The Walkmen
• Franz Ferdinand
• Dandy Warhols
• Arctic Monkeys
• The New Pornographers
• Longwave
• The Kills

GIRLS ON PLANES

Due to the strict new airline rules , Amie and I have decided it might be a good idea to fashion some kind of "flite pac" to take with us to Barcelona in October. Since we can no longer carry our moisturizers, lip glosses, tooth paste and face misters, a long over seas flight will likely result in girl melt-down. Here are some items we've decided are must haves.

• The yellow stick which can be found in any grocery store and costs about $1. The beauty of the yellow stick is that it can be used for facial moisturizing, lip balm and dry, chapped hands.
  
• Beauty wipes which can be used for cleansing face, body, clear conscience
• A good relationship with the flight attendent. This can result in a revolving door of water bottles and sanitized airline blankets.
• An entertaining book. I recommend Smart Women Finish Rich, by David Back. Amie once told me she liked Geek Love, by Katherine Dunn
• iPod with lots of good tunes. For a list of my favorites, see right navigation.

Let's all keep our fingers crossed that the rules will relax a bit before we go to Spain.