Happy 236th Birthday America!!!

Happy Birthday America!!!

Everyone have a safe and happy holiday! I'll be back tomorrow!!

I'm Going To Be An Aunt!!!!!

I am so excited to announce that my sister and brother-in-law (Talitha and Michael) are going to have a baby!! I am so excited, I can't even begin to explain how happy and over the moon my family and I are. This will be the first grand-child on our side, so needless to say this child will be SPOILED!!! We are not for sure what "sprout" is it, but as long as it is healthy we don't really care! Even though I really, really want it to be a boy!!!! I will keep you all updated on the progress and birth of "sprout," he or she will make their arrival in early 2013!

The Cost of Kate Middleton's Beauty Routine

If you're envious of Kate Middleton's shiny, perfectly curled hair, you can take solace in the fact that flawless grooming doesn't come cheap. According to US Weekly, The Duchess goes to her favorite salon, Richard Ward Hair and Metrospa in London, three times a week for $75 blowouts. A source told US, "She loves her time there and she has known everyone there for years so it's really relaxing for her." Hair salon visits at least 156 times a year?! Must be nice.

When you're a member of the royal family, appearance is everything. Middleton, who is constantly photographed, must constantly uphold an image of elegance and class, so naturally her skin, makeup, nails, and hair must all be impeccable. We dug a little deeper into Middleton's beauty routine to see how much she spends on grooming. We've rounded up her favorite products and estimated her yearly beauty budget based on reported sources, general habits, and cosmetic expiration dates. Let's see how it all adds up.

Hair
-Blowouts at Richard Ward's salon are $75. Three times a week would cost $11,732 a year.
-ELLE UK says Middleton gets $11 Keratin Infusion treatments with each blow dry. Three times a week would cost $1,720 a year.
-Haircuts are $242 a pop. Every six weeks would cost $2,000 a year.
-Richard Ward told the Daily Mail he dyes Middleton's hair with L'Oreal Symbio and Fuente Organic colour. A full head of lowlights at his salon costs $376. Every six weeks would cost $3,008
-BellaSugar, who provided extensive coverage of Middleton's grooming routine, says the Duchess likes the Kérastase conditioning treatments, which cost $20 to $30. Spending $25 once a month would cost $300 a year.

Makeup
Middleton did her own wedding makeup, though she did take lessons. Here are the products she's purchased and used:
-YSL's Touche Eclat Radiant Touch, $40
-Lancome Hypnose mascara, $26
-Lancome Hydra Zen Neurocalm, $60
-Laura Mercier Oil-Free Tinted Moisturizer SPF 20, $42
-Bobbi Brown foundation, $46
-Bobbi Brown Pale Pink blush, $24
-Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick Compact, $39
-Bobbi Brown eye shadow in Ivory, Slate, and Rock Star, $21 each
-Bobbi Brown Black Ink Long Wear Gel Eyeliner, $22
-Bobbi Brown Sandwash Pink lipstick, $23
-Bobbi Brown Crystal Lip gloss, $17
If she bought all these three times a year her makeup would cost $1,206. Skin care
-A product loyalist, Middleton loves Swiss brand Karin Herzog's skin care items. The company's managing director told Style.com her favorite items are the $50 Professional Cleanser, the $76 Vita-A-Kombi 1, the $32 Vita-A-Kombi 3 Spot Zapper, and $54 the Oxygen Face Cream. Restocking these items every three months would cost $848 a year.
-The Daily Mail says Mother-in-law Duchess Camilla convinced Middleton to try a $260 Bee Sting Facial from Deborah Mitchell, and now she's hooked. Monthly facials would cost $3,120 a year.
-According to the Telegraph, Middleton was spotted buying Nivea Visage Pure & Natural Moisturising Day Cream at Boots for about $8. Every three months would cost $32 a year.

Nails
Before the royal wedding, Camilla took Middleton to get her nails done by Marina Sandoval at the Jo Hansford Salon. They used Essie's Allure nail polish. BellaSugar says manicures there are $58, and pedicures are $76. Bi-weekly mani/pedis would cost $3,484 a year.

Tan
Kate Middleton and her sister both love spray tans, and BellaSugar claims their regular salon charges $118. If she went bi-weekly it would cost $2,832 a year.

Fragrance
Middleton wore Illuminum White Gardenia Petals perfume on her wedding day. It costs $150 a bottle, so buying two a year would cost $300.

Teeth
According to the Daily Mail, Middleton went to orthodontist Dr. Didier Fillion who closed the gap between her two front teeth with lingual braces using 3D technology. She had a $157 consultation and the treatment may have cost around $7,000. That's $7,157 total.

Kate Middleton's yearly beautifying total: $37,728. But we think she'd look gorgeous on any budget.

Have A Great Weekend Ya'll!!

Ya'll sit back and relax, and have a great weekend!!

What A Womans House Says About Her

Have you ever wandered what your room/home says about you and your personality?  

Books: Books tell you a lot about a person. First of all, the fact that she has books is a sign that she's quite smart, many people these days do not read at all. Now ask yourself, are these serious work related books suggesting she's career driven, Harry Potter, she has a childish side that believes in magic still, factual and scientific or historical she may have a nerd streak, religious, telling you what her beliefs are, Austen she has a sense of romance and isn't ashamed of it, poetry, she's artistic and in touch with her emotions, action she might be a Tom Boy or something else.  At the same time you can learn something from her reading level.

Products: Women tend to use a wide range of products. Check to see what specific products she has too. This can help you out if you want to buy her some perfume or candles etc. 

Music: If eyes are the windows to the soul, then music may well be the door and finding someone with the same music taste as you is often a very good sign (though of course not crucial). Now if you are like me I love every type of music; modern pop, club music, mellow, and even opera. This means I am open to new things in life. 

Shoes: Women love shoes, so a huge collection of shoes is not unusual. Look to see if the shoes have lots of heels which makes us feel sexy, or are there mostly flats. Which mean she is practical and likely sensible, but also has style.

Tidiness: Women are as a rule tidier than men, but this isn't always the case. A messy room suggests someone who is either very laid back or very busy, or both. A tidy room, may mean that she is particular about how her life is ran, which can be a good and bad thing all at the same time.

Photographs: If a woman has a lot of photos of friends and family up then you again know that she's very sentimental. If she has lots of photos of herself then this might mean that she is quite vein, or it might just mean she likes herself. Pay attention also to what she's doing in the photos, does she seem to go out a lot? Go on lots of vacations? Does she have lots of male friends? If the latter is true then this might suggest an outgoing tom-boy-like personality but may be threatening for you as well. Does one person appear a lot in all the photos? Who is this?

Color scheme and decor: If the room is pink then you're looking at someone very feminine and perhaps a little young at heart. If the room is a more visually assaulting purple then she might still be quite young but perhaps a little 'cooler' in the traditional sense. More subtle colors are more mature and tell you less about her personality.

How To Decorate Your Vanity

A vanity is a very sacred place for a woman. This is where we brush our hair out at night, and apply our make up in the morning. It is where we look at ourselves and admire what God has given us. On my vanity I have some of my favorite creams, nail polishes, and perfumes set neatly along with some red roses to give it a little more class. Here are some tips on how to decorate your very own vanity at home! 

Place a piece of vintage fabric or a scarf on top of the vanity table, which will add interest while protecting the surface. Pick a cloth made of a machine-washable fabric, such as cotton, in case make-up or lotion drips onto it. Choose a cloth featuring a featuring a feminine color like pastel pink or lavender and a floral-patterned design for a charming look.

Arrange eye-catching perfume bottles, such as cut-glass versions, on a tray and set it on the table. Choose a silver or gold tray featuring a mirrored base for an elegant style.

Place beauty essentials, such as cotton swabs and balls, tweezer and combs in vintage crystal canisters as a handy and decorative touch. Choose hand-painted ceramic canisters instead to give the space an artistic flair.

Decorate the table with a vase of flowers to infuse the room with color and natural fragrance. Fill a crystal or milk glass vase with pink roses or hydrangeas for a vintage-inspired look. Place red roses or yellow tulips in a sleek black glass vase for contemporary style.

How To Make Introductions

Have you noticed that many young people do not make introductions anymore? I thought this was common curtsey, where have our manners gone? If you are out with someone in public and you run into an acquaintance, you should always introduce the person you are with to the other person. Unless they are already know each other that you know of. Every greeting and introduction is a chance to show your respect for others and to create a favorable impression of yourself. So the most important thing is to do it-make a conscious effort to say "hello" even when you feel a bit grumpy or shy, and make introductions even if you aren't quite sure of the finer points of who is introduced to whom.    

 Tips for Making a Great Introduction

• Look at the person you are speaking to first, then turn to the other person as you complete the introduction.
• Speak clearly. Mumbling defeats the purpose of the introduction.
• Use courteous language. “I’d like to introduce…,” “May I introduce…,” “I’d like you to meet…” are all good options. “May I present…” is the formal version.
• Use preferred names and titles. 
  • In more formal situations, or when there’s an obvious age difference, it’s best to use courtesy titles and last names: “Mrs. Samson, I’d like you to meet Mr. Jacobs.” This lets Mrs. Sampson invite Mr. Jacobs to use her first name, or not.
  • Even in informal situations or with contemporaries, it’s helpful to use first and last names: “Judy, this is Sam Jacobs. Sam, this is Judy Samson.” You can use a nickname if you know the person prefers it.

• Teach children to use adults’ titles, unless an adult specifically requests using his or her first name: “Mrs. Samson, this is my nephew, Benji Rose. Benji, this is Mrs. Samson.”
• It’s fine to skip last names when introducing your spouse and children, unless they have a different last name than yours.
• Introduce other family members by their full names, unless they request otherwise. It’s also a good idea to mention the family relationship: “Uncle Arthur, may I introduce Mark Weston. Mark, this is my great-uncle, Arthur Pearson.”
  
  
• When introducing someone to a small group, it’s practical to name the group members first, primarily to get their attention: “Sara, Kathy, Dan, I’d like to introduce Curtis Tyler. Curtis, I’d like you to meet Sara Rocher, Kathy Henley, and Dan Quinn.”

• Start a conversation.  Try to find some topic the two people have in common: “Sam, I think you and Jake share a passion for Italian wine. Jake might enjoy hearing about your wine tour in northern Italy.”

 

Here’s a handy chart of who might come first:

Speak to this person FIRST…	…and this person SECOND
Social Situations
Your grandparents, parents, or anyone older than you	Your contemporary (or younger)
Your friend	Another family member
An adult	A child
A woman	A man
Someone with a title: Senator, Mayor, Judge, Colonel, nobility, Bishop, Reverend, Professor, Doctor; anyone senior in rank to you (boss, CEO)	Your contemporary (or younger)
Your guest of honor	Others attending the event
Business Situations
A client	Anyone in your company, including your CEO
Your boss, or a higher-up	A person of lower rank in the company