Clean Eating Meal Plan - Happy Fit Friday!

Breakfast

Banana and Almond Smoothie

- 1  frozen banana, chopped

- 2 medjool dates, pitted and chopped

- 1/4 cup of roasted and salted almonds

- 1 cup of unsweetened organic almond milk

Blend til' smooth.

 

Old Friend (Fashion Blog Post)

Do you have a lot of friends?

I bet you do. You have probably always been popular.

I don't have a lot of friends.

I intend not to. I have a lot of acquaintances, but only a handful of people, outside of family, that I can completely trust and call real friends.

Quality over quantity--to me that's important.

Smart Skin Care - My Diamond Microdermabrasion Facial at SkinSpirit Skincare Clinic & Spa (Skin Care Blog Post)

The modern woman wants more than just a facial.

She wants luxurious experience, individualized attention, and most of all, knowledge. She doesn't want someone just cleaning and picking her face; instead, she wants an expert, with credible background and advanced tools, to care for her skin.

The whisper on the street is that women are technically-challenged.

Do you think it's true?

I'm gonna stay out of this argument today, and let the gung-ho feminists handle it. However, I do think that when it comes to their skin, women get extremely technical, as long as there's genuine interest.

And because women get technical about their skin...

SkinSpirit Skincare Clinic & Spa was founded on the winning idea of combining "cutting-edge technology and a luxurious spa-like setting." Owned and supervised by Stanford-trained, board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. M. Dean Vistnes, SkinSpirit Skincare Clinic & Spa not only offers aesthetically-pleasing results, but also industry leaders' knowledge base and modern procedures. It's run by experts in skin care who truly care about their craft -- and that's what sets SkinSpirit above the rest.

I never thought my blog was good enough to be noticed by businesses around Seattle.

Buy Shoes Online (Fashion Blog Post)

I like buying shoes online.

I like it better than buying clothes online. Different brands of clothes have different sizing. Shoes are almost always sized the same. 

Another reason why I like buying shoes online is because it saves time. Nowadays, with two little ones, I have no spare time to fight traffic, drive to the stores, and shop around for bargains. Online shopping enables me to browse around, find the best deals and make a purchase with no effort what-so-ever.

If you buy shoes online, Peltz Shoes is a good store to try. It carries some of the top brands today, like Aerosoles, CL by Chinese Laundry, Crocs and Clarks, and offers competitive prices. (Start with the "sales" tab, and you'll find appealing choices.) Also, all orders over $69.99 get free shipping.

The store offers shoes for men, kids and toddlers. It's a family-friendly place.

One of the features I like about this site is that it allows you to search by size, color and even width. If you have wide feet like me, you understand my dilemma: even if shoes are of the right size, they still feel uncomfortably snug.  

At last, a few of what I recommend from Peltz Shoes. Please tell me that they are absolutely adorable!

 Women's Madden Girl Getta Pump

Everyone needs a pair of cute pumps - for work or play.

 Women's Sperry Slip On

How cute is the nautical print! I'll be wearing these everyday in the summer.

Sketcher's Heart Bob Slip On's

Looks comfy. Sketchers are the best. Plus, the chevron print is so in right now.

 

Sam Edelman Penrose Ankle Boot

How cool are these booties! Love the tough-looking buckles in the back, as well as the ever-so-stylish camo print.

 

Vibram Five Fingers KSO EVO Training Shoes

I've heard so much about these, and can't wait to try them. Supposedly, they are great for running.

 

My favorite are probably the short booties.

What's yours?

Thanks for visiting.

Happy Easter!

The 30-Something Body - Changes You Should Know About (Fashion Blog Post)

No one likes skinny b*tches who complain about their weight.

So if your BMI is at the mid to lower spectrum of the chart, you should probably get off of the subject of weight all-together.

I learned the hard way: used to always ask my husband if I was fat. (You are a smart girl. You know the drill. You're only 20% self-conscious, and 80% fishing for compliments. It's all fun and game.) One day though, our daughter, at the time two, asked me, "mommy am I fat?"

SHAME ON MOMMY!

Since then, all talks about fat, skinny, weight loss, etc ceased. Healthy is the focus now.

Mommy runs because cardiovascular exercise benefits the heart. Mommy eats chicken because lean protein makes muscles big and strong.

This sets a much better example for the little ones, don't you think?

So let me declare the purpose of this fashion blog post before you continue.

Weekend Recommend - Beauty, Skin Care and Hair (Beauty and Skincare Blog Post)

Hana Organic Skin Care - a Seattle Pride!

 

Hana Organic Skin Care is made on Bainbridge Island, right across the Pudget Sound from Seattle, by certified herbalist Karen Ries, who suffered sensitive skin, and never found relief in commercial products.

One day, Ries decided to create her own skincare, straight out of her kitchen, and found that not only does using natural ingredients help sensitive skin, it helps the environment as well.

To keep high standards and excellence in quality, Ries makes HANA Skin Care in small batches. All products use the purest ingredients and contain zero toxic.

Plus, they smell earthy and fantastic! I was excited to try them -- especially after learning that they are locally-made -- and I was pleased with HANA products' gentle formula, and how well they worked. My favorite is the Lavender Grains lotion, because not only did it quench dry skin, it softened skin's texture too.

Click here to see the ingredients list for HANA Skin Care, and visit the company's web site at this link to learn more. 

How to feel empowered! (Fashion Blog Post)

 

"You look good. Now get away from that mirror, and make something of yourself."

My mom said to me. She got sick of seeing a perfectly capable young woman waste valuable time on a worthless reflection.

As a 15-year-old teen, feeling down about being chubby and having trouble being accepted in American high school, I spent way too long in front of the mirror that day, trying various outfits and makeup to look better.

Rolling my eyes at mom would have been the natural reaction.

Hormonal teenage girls are supposed to behave disrespectfully toward authority. But I didn't -- not because I was well-behaved, but because I knew she was right. And I took her advice obediently.

I got good grades that year. I'm not the brightest person, but worked my (chubby) behind off, and made straight A's at an academically-driven high school. Till this day I cannot shake the happiness I felt when I peeled the report card open. No amount of cute outfits, makeup or time in front of the mirror can make me feel as empowered.

 

Perhaps looking good empowers you? (It's okay to be vain.) But it doesn't empower you as much as the list below.

Outfitting all feet in the family for the lowest cost

Spring is a great time to be sure that all members of your family are wearing new, supportive footwear that will acclimate to the rigors of whatever the wearer puts them through. This may entail school or work, or maybe hunting for Easter eggs or jumping in mud-puddles. Whatever spring means to you, there are some great fashionable looks in footwear coming to stores near you, or that can be easily found and purchased from distinctive online retail venues. 

Clean Eating Meal Plan - Happy Fit Friday!

Breakfast

Blueberries, banana slices and all-natural peanut butter over whole wheat toast.