Five ridiculous things!

In substitution of my Favorite Stuff Friday, we have Five ridiculous things I would probably buy if I won the lottery since I would totally be able to afford it Friday. It's nice to dream, and since $640mm is letting me dream bigger and better than ever before, I thought I would share with you the most ridiculous things I would purchase.

1) A date with Jude Law.
Everyone has a price, and I am willing to bet, I could match or exceed his.So dreamy. So English. So mine for a friday night at Chapeau! if I win that lotto.


2) A stylist for Ms. Britney Spears
You would think that with all that money, she would have hired one by now, but apparently, this is not the case. What's that saying...something about taking the trash out of trailer...


3)Coachella Valley Music and Arts Annual Festival.
The whole damn thing. It would be mine. And I would get a ticket (or 30) every year. None of this sit on the internet for 3 hrs trying to get tickets, b.s.


4) Pay Pitbull to stop singing/rapping/entertaining...whatever it is that he does.
No words can express just how ridiculous this man is. He is so lame, I'm not even posting a picture of him on my blog. And I'm going to stop typing about him right now. He doesn't deserve my words.

5)The Perfect Brownie Maker
If you know me-and you don't even have to know me that well-you know that I LOVE brownies; yet every year, every birthday, Christmas, mother's day, Cesar Chavez day...etc, this amazing invention never finds it's way into my arms. Do I really have to buy it myself, people!?!?!

Just what I needed

Stumbled upon this, this morning. It was like a fresh cup of french vanilla creamer with a splash of hot coffee.

When you hold resentment toward another, you are bound to that person or condition by an emotional link that is stronger than steel. Forgiveness is the only way to dissolve that link and get free.
Catherine Ponder

Stuck on a plane (In Sepia)

Dear Bryan,

Thank you for being the kind of husband that lets his wife fly off  for a weekend to San Francisco. I love you for many reasons (your lack of ambition to cut your hair regularly, not being one of them...and that's a story for another blog post), but this is one of my favorites!

Love ya,

Crystal

Leaving

Tomorrow, I will leave the house before my children wake up and I will board a plane to San Francisco straight after work. I won't see my children for almost 96 hours, and I'm okay with that. Here are two reasons why I can enjoy myself, sans children, for the weekend:

1)My husband is amazing. He really is. Bryan can cook, do laundry (albeit, much differently than I do it), handle time outs, dirty diapers, bath time, play time and everything in between; all without breaking a sweat and whilst studying for Organic Chemistry. Am I bragging a little? You betcha! Out of all the married woman with children that I know, I am one of the only ones that not only trusts my children with my husband while I run errands, get a pedicure or visit family; I have a husband that actually enjoys watching his children. Does he enjoy every minute of it? I would assume he does not; and, come 8:30pm, I'm sure he's happy to to have the boys retire to their beds for the night so that he can finally rest and catch up on some Top Gear; but I can rest assured knowing the hubby has everything under control.

2) I'm still Crystal. Just like the Crystal without children, mommy-of-three-Crystal  likes going dancing, shopping for new shoes, eating at nice restaurants and getting pedicures. All things I would rather not do with children-mine, or otherwise. I know that my children need to feel like they are my number one priority, so I'm not talking about doing these fun things every day (or even, every weekend), but I do know that in order to be responsive, active and fun while with my children, I need to charge my "mommy batteries" by doing something for me. Just because I have three children with needs to be met, does not mean that I have to ignore all of my own wants and needs. I can make time to take a bubble bath, read a good book (preferably uninterrupted) or spend a weekend with my best friend in San Francisco. Taking the time to do these things-and enjoy them-will make me a better mommy when I reunite with my children.

I really do miss the snot out of my children and my husband when I'm not with them. And, sometimes-like when I catch myself having a little too much fun, or a nice big laugh-I find myself looking for them and thinking "Why aren't my boys here with me?" and I let myself be sad for a minute, before I go back to enjoying myself.

Someone's got a case of the Mondays...

Well, I did. Until Bryan and Matt made me this...

Rainy Weekend (In Sepia)

They grow up so fast!

It seems like only yesterday he started Kindergarten.

Favorite Stuff Friday!

A couple of days ago, my friend Remeny, who rides the afternoon train with me, remarked "Girl, you certainly do love products!" It's true. I have a thing for pretty packaging and any kind of girlie product for hair, face, or skin. And it doesn't help that I have now subscribed to Birchbox, which is sure to keep that  fire for all things girlie, a burnin'. Speaking of Birchbox, it's my #1.

1.) Birchbox

Here's the deal (which is kind of hard to grasp from their website alone): When you visit birchbox.com, you will need to fill out a beauty profile, so the Birchbox team knows what kind of products you're into i.e. face, hair, skin. Fill out your credit card info and for $10 a month (or $110 up front for the whole year) and you get a beauty box on or around the 10th of each month (if you live on the west coast, expect it around the 15th). It comes filled with 4-5 goodies, individually wrapped, like they packaged this box just for you. Most of the items are sample size, with one or two items being full size. Received a product you absolutely adore? You can visit their website to review the product or order a full size version of the product. I am going to start reviewing my boxes each month, but for now, you'll just have to believe me when I say that if you're a woman that enjoys the latest in trendy beauty products, you'll thoroughly enjoy receiving one of these cute pink boxes in the mail each month.

2) OPI Avoplex Cuticle Oil to Go

The most annoying thing in the world, is the word "moist", but a close second (in my book) is dry hands or cuticles. For all things skin related, my go-to products are usually Burt's Bees, but every now and then I will test new products just to confirm how wonderful Burt's Bees really is. When JC Penney was having their month-long sale in February, I picked up this on a whim because the weather here in So-Cal this year has been awful on my skin (and hair!). I have been using this for about three weeks and I am pleasantly surprised. It's convenient, compact and the best of all, does not require that your hands get all goopie during application. I hate that! Please tell me, what do you ladies do after sticking your hand in a tub of lip balm or cuticle cream, when you're not conveniently located near a sink? The cuticle oil doesn't last ALL day, but if applied once in the morning and once at night, will keep your cuticles looking fresh.

3) OPI-Kiss me on my tulips

This color is fun. Like, Barbie fun.

Kids are cool....

They prompt texts like the one I received from Bryan this morning:

     "This mornings been a little wild. I've cleaned up puke, tears, blood and poop."

Is that awesome, or is that awesome?

Dear Owen and Oliver,

It’s like your father and I took all the serious bits of ourselves and put them into one human being named Owen. And - because all the seriousness was taken- 15 months later, Oliver got all the fun. Together, you guys make a great team. You complement one another, terrifically. Interconnected and interdependent, one is Yin and the other, Yang. Realize the strengths each one of you possess and use them together for greatness. Hold the other one up, where he would otherwise fall. Help each other. Teach each other. Depend on each other. Love each other. Above all, love each other. Never ever stop.

Love,

Momma

Between you and me...

I only use the toilet seat covers at work because I'm afraid that if the lady in the next stall doesn't hear me take one out of the dispenser, she'll tell everyone at work how disgusting I am-even though, I KNOW the chances of contracting some disease from a toilet seat are pretty miniscule and all I'm really doing is increasing my carbon footprint.

A sunny afternoon (In Sepia)

Quotes from the Mister

"If a song puts a smile on your face, it's working" -BMC

Dear Owen,

I love that you enjoy mathematics. I can tell that it is your favorite subject in school. You bring home "Outstandings" and "Very goods" like you get paid to do math. You tell me stories about how other kids in class "just didn't get it", but you do. You always get it. You have no idea how happy that makes me. You have no idea that your mom used to be one of the kids that "just didn't get it" and how happy she is that you're not one of them.

Love,

Momma

Favorite Stuff Friday (but, really, Saturday)

Warby Parker

This lovely site took two Jack Kerouac characters, squished their names together and created an adorable place to shop for  vintage inspired eyewear; but it’s not the name that I am in love with, it’s the Home Try On feature. Simply pick your top five frames and register your credit card (note: It cannot be a debit card). They send you the glasses to try on in the comfort of your own home and give you five days to make your decision. You let them know which ones you like best, fill out your prescription information, and you’ll have stylish eyewear for less than $100.00

Redken Body Full

This shampoo was suggested by the the creator of this blog. Her hair ALWAYS look amazing, so I ran out and grabbed a bottle and once I got over the sticker shock ($14 a bottle!), decided I was in love with my new shampoo. I don’t know if it’s because I decided to also grab some Kenra Volumizing spray #13 and  paired that with blow drying my hair upside down , or if it’s just the shampoo, but my hair is full of volume.

HoboJazz

Have you heard of this band from Redlands? I think they sound like  Jack Johnson meets the Soggy Bottom Boys.Charlie recommends “I ain't gonna give nobody”, and you know that kid has great taste in music.

Girl Gone Child

 Besides stories of her adventures with four kids, she offers up great fashion and makeup tips, has wonderful taste in music and serves up alternative, healthy ways to cook food. Her mom guests blogs occasionally, which I think is super sweet. Her kids have the most adorable names to match their equally adorable faces and I never tire of looking at them in the endless amounts of photos this busy mom manages to take each week. Here is just a sample of what she had to say last week:

           My mother tells me we all have an age inside of us. Some of us are born with little old men in    our souls or little old women or infants or toddlers. Archer was born one hundred and two but I am thirteen. I turned thirteen and seventeen years later, here I am: confused by the appearance of my face without braces, my bedstand without Sassy magazine. There is a strange man in my bed and a sound machine in a bedroom full of babies. And they're all real. They're real and I don't remember how any of it happened.

                               Sometimes.

                              I still call myself a girl. I'm thirty years old and I have four children and one of them is going to be seven in two months and I'm only six year older than he is. I still think about what I want to be when I grow up and I still wear the same hoodie I wore in High School school and even though the wrists are all stretched out, it still makes me feel cool because I got it from the skate shop where I worked for two summers. All the cute boys used to hang out there and we'd all pile in my Cabriolet after work and get burritos and eat them on the beach.

Olay Total Effects 7 in 1  Anti Aging Eye Cream

 I put this on at night and before work every day, and if I don't- the little lines that are starting to creep up around my eyes, make an appearance.  I'm sure any anti-wrinkle cream would work, but this just happens to be $8 and works well enough to make me happy about my aging face.

Evening Walk (in Sepia)

Dear Charlie,

Don’t tell your brothers, but I’m a much better mommy now than I was when they were your age. Maybe it’s because I know deep down you’re my last baby (and just typing that almost made me cry) or maybe it’s because I had you in my late twenties? It could be because I've done all this twice before and I know what to expect-whatever the case- I’m more patient, more involved, more loving and more in tune this time around. We have this connection that no other two people share and when I look into your beautiful and serious blue eyes, I can see I mean the world to you. That I am your world. I hope you can see that when you look into mine.

Being me, sucks...

The oreo cookie will win. Every. Single. Time.

Quotes from the Mister

"Any day you can have a cupcake, is a darn good day!" -BMC

Conversations with kids

Owen: I’m hungry, too.

Me: Eat that graham cracker.

Owen: Mom! I don’t want to eat after Charlie. He’s a super germ Do you know what that is?

Me: No, what is it?

Owen: It’s. A. Germ.

Me: ….That’s super?

Owen: Duh!!

Karma...

Comes back around in the form of a big nasty pimple, on the bridge of your nose, the size of an IHOP pancake.

And all you can do, is laugh about it.

   Or, get some awesome glasses to cover it up!

Owen!

Seven years ago today, they placed an 8lb 9oz newborn baby boy on my chest. As I looked at you for the first time; a tear rolled down my cheek and I thought "What the hell did I get myself into, now?"

Kids are cool

This is a zombie. His name is Oliver, too. Just like the artist's. 

Favorite Stuff Friday!

For shame! A whole week has passed, and I only manged to post once. And it was about effing donoughts. This. Blog. Is. Epic. 

       Anyhow, it's time for Favorite Stuff Friday. Who's excited? ...Well, I am. Let's do this thang!. That's right, I said "thang". I'm one quarter hood-rat; it's totally acceptable.

1) The Small Things Blog

I love to read. I love to read blogs. I love to read blogs about hair and jewelry and clothes. Lucky for me, this chick writes about all those things! Bonus! She even has great hair tutorials. If you are stuck in a hair rut-or, even if you're not-try one of her cute hairdos. You'll be getting compliments on your hair all day!

2) OPI's Tickle my France-y

It's no secret. I am a total weenie when it comes to nail color. I stick to the creams, blushes, nudes and the occasional soft grey (if I'm feeling frisky). I picked this color out at the most adorable nail salon in San Rafael three weeks ago, and I've received at least one compliment on my nail color, daily. Yeah, it's kinda boring; but any nail color that procures more than three compliments is a keeper in my book.

3) My husband introduced me to this cover. It's amazing. Your ears will thank me.

4) If you liked that, you'll most definitely get a kick out of this:

5) Anxiously awaiting the 23rd, so that I can see the Hunger Games. If you haven't read this trilogy, you must have been living under a rock for the last six months. What are you waiting for? Go buy this book now!!! Why are you still reading this when you could be reading fictional gold? Pure Fictional Gold, people!!

Being me, sucks...

I ate a whole package of mini chocolate glazed donoughts two hours ago, and I still feel guilty about it.