Spray Tanning 101

I guess some things should be kept a secret. 

But with a 55% chance of developing melanoma or skin cancer- I should be a spokes person for SPRAY TAN!

I've considered going to Mystic Tan & other salons that charge $40/mnth but thanks to Lauren I've decided to just do it myself. And Im addicted.

I cant even tell you how many customers have asked me where I've been, if I've gone tanning, and how great I look! :D And I can't lie.

I bought this at Sally Beauty Supply for $10. Unlike other sprays that take a few hours to develop, this sprays "brown" and you instantly get the look you want. 

Besides a few minor mistakes on my hands & feet (too dark) its easy to apply & I did it all myself. I suggest wearing gloves to avoid smudging spots you dont want onto your hands. I think that because our palms are so pale, and have a softer texture than the rest of our body, they hold color faster and easier. So it is very easy to mess up! So that is the only important tip I have for you....The woman at Sally's told me that she has a dedicated customer who has her husband "spray her" and then takes a small paint roller to apply even through out her body! I didn't have a roller, so on the spots the I felt needed to be blended (wasn't much) I just took a paper towel and dabbled it. I sprayed & dabbled until I got the perfect look I wanted. I did this right in my bathroom, half way in the shower (after making the mistake of getting it all over the kitchen floor and stepping in it ha ha).

The pictures do no justice. Most spray tans give you an orange look. This is almost completely brown. It's an aerosol and from experience, it works best about 6 inches away from the body, with a constant spray / mist just slightly hitting your body.Make sure you are showered, clean, and exfoliated first for best results. I'm a larger girl so I used almost an entire can for my whole body, but now that I am dark, one more can will last about a month or two- just touching up a few times a week. Don't be alarmed when you shower and see a bit of color running down your drain- that is normal. And although the tan fades, you still look a-m-a-z-i-n-g!

Just wanted to share my experience with you & give a great review on Tanwise!

This Week, Thursday.

A short little "up to date" recap on my life, this week.

Sunday, the husband and I went out together and did laundry. Although I am a very productive house wife - and have o.c.d so everything in my house is perfectly clean and in it's place... laundry and dishes are his duties. So this was the first time, in a long time, that I had actually gone out to help him. Our apartment building does have a laundry unit that you use a sort-of prepaid debit card to do it, but my husband (who loses everything and blames it on me) has lost the card and so we had to go to a local laundromat instead. I basically didn't do anything to be honest, except sit there and look pretty while playing on my phone and reading Cosmopolitan. When we got home we spent some much needed hubby and wife time together watching movies and eating. We rented Just Go With It and I Love You, Philip Morris. I did not know that I Love You Philip Morris (with Jim Carey) was a "gay" movie, so while we were watching it I felt kind of embaressed for my husband during some of the more romantic/intimate scenes haha! Just Go With It (with Jennifer Aniston & Adam Sandler) was hilarrrrioooousss and I would watch it again tomorrow if you asked!

Monday I worked a long day at the pharmacy, it was cold and rainy, and I didn't care to be working nine hours because the weather sucked anyways. Plus, I work alongside my bff James and have some other great co-workers to shoot the shit with anyways. Tuesday, I worked all day again but was happy to get out two hours earlier than I did on Monday. So I came home and rented a few movies from the Red Box ( which is f_cking awesome.) I got Red Riding Hood (with Amanda Sigfreid - which I had seen in the theater.) My husband thought it was boring and kept falling asleep so ofcourse during exciting parts I would shout in amazement or shock and try to purposely wake him up "by accident" which worked. But once James was out of work; him, Molly, and Ryan came and picked me up. It was about 7 pm. They are from New Hampshire (and I am back in Mass now) so they are unfamiliar with places around here. I took them to Building 19 which is like a broken down department store. Where, if Im right - get their stuff from train wrecks and other various, malicious, accidents. Some stuff they have is worth buying, others not so much, but its all super cheap. It's more so just a fun place to go and look around and laugh. After shopping around in there I took them to this sub shop I used to work at next door, called DJs Roast Beef. They are known in the town for having like 20 foot subs for like $6 and they are delicious. We all put our money together and got a large italian sub, large chicken finger sub, a small pizza, and mozzarella sticks. By this time it was a little past nine and we went in sat at the stadium on the bleachers. It was dark there and kind of spooky, but with friends - its all worth it, isnt it. We had a great time!

Wednesday was nothing exciting, again, I worked all day, came home and did my little internet, dinner, clean the house, sort of thing. Today though - I had the day off. So I spent the morning lounging by the pool. I like that kids are not out of school yet, so barely anyone is there, its quiet, and its peaceful. I listened to my music on my MyTouch smart phone and took a quick dip.

When I got home from the pool - I super cleaned my house. My husband has been so lazy this week that we had three bags of trash that needed to be put togehter and tied up. I did it holding my nose and holding back the vomit. One of the bags was from Sunday after grocery shopping when I had cleaned out the fridge. The smell was horrid and there were tiny fruit flies. I wanted to kill him! 

Once my stomach came back from nausea hell, I made lunch. Let me just say that the whole point of me to start blogging again was to LOSE WEIGHT. And in the past week or two that Ive been blogging, I havent even eat that much different. Although I did cut out soda, and went a whole week just having salad for dinner, I haven't gotten to the point yet where I am making concious decisions or calorie counting. But, for the record, when my weight loss challenge starts in a few weeks I will be doing so!!!! Anyways, back to lunch. I ended up refrying some leftover hamburger which I added fresh red & green peppers (my favorite food accessory with anything and everything) and I even cut up a few hot peppers and threw them in, then melted some pepperjack cheese. When it was done - I put it ontop of some romain lettuce and rolled it all up. It was delicious, and greasy :(

Last but not least today, I gave myself a new mani and pedi. I decided to use a hot pink base with black and white zebra stripes ( kind of camo looking which I love ) and a glittery gloss to coat it. I love the way it came out and can't wait to wear a cute pink outfit and go out in public now.

Now, I have to take a quick shower and get ready. I have a Dr's appointment with my Cystic Fibrosis specialist in Boston ( a check up that I dread ) I will keep you updated. Thanks for reading <3

Fat Chic, Lil' Bikini

It's summer time. Some of us start buying swim wear before the sun even peaks out in spring time, as soon as the bikinis hit the racks. Then, the other half of us struggle to find one that fits our curves and looks appropriate enough to wear out in public.

I spent a majority of my last three years on Hampton Beach while I lived there. Before that, I would hardly ever step foot on the beach, I'd prefer a private pool to show off my cellulite thighs rather than amongst thousands of hundred pound women who have less than an inch of fat on their bones. The scrutiny that women endure while just trying to have a good time is horrible and it puts most of us in fear. I started with a pair of shorts and a tank top, then upgraded to a "tankini" with a pair of booty shorts, and I will often wear a cover up or a sun dress until I tan or swim and am comfortable enough to rip it off infront of everyone. But it's said that practice makes perfect. And after enough times out on the beach, with friends and family, and having such an accepting husband I finally feel proud enough to wear whatever I want, wherever I want without worrying or carrying what other people think when they look at me. I am who I am, accept it.

Given, every woman has body images and insecurities but plus size women have to deal with them in more of a negative light. We have all been on the beach, at the lake, or pool side when a larger woman has walked up wearing something skimpy and we "ooohed" and "ahhhhed" saying, "oh no she didnt!?" I have shaken my head at a few instances as well, and I am well over 200 lbs. But there have also been those other times that I have looked at another large woman and thought to myself, "she looks cute. And good for her for having the confidence to wear that!" It's empowering!

At what point in our society will we all finally just accept that over weight or obese women can also be beautiful? I'm not saying that it is necessarily healthy, but to each their own, right? We all have opinions and we are all going to judge one another in some form, but maybe it's best to keep those negative judgements to ourselves. It's beach time. We are going to see anorexic women, healthy women, chunky women, and obese women on the beach wearing whatever they want. My thought is that no matter what size you are, do not be embaressed. Be proud. Wear what makes you feel beautiful and sexy. Don't cover up for the sake of others. Don't put that bikini back on the rack if that is what you truly want. And I am not just saying this because I am plus size myself and expect the same type of treatment. Because my personality, and my outlook on people will never change. When I finally do lose 100 lbs I am still going to look at other women the same and root for them no matter what size they are!

I came across an artist on DeviantArt.com, his name is Lardmeister and he has some awesome work that I just wanted to share with you. Enjoy.

Beware of the Sun!

This is what I look like after 6 hours in the sun yesterday with multiple applications of SPF 70 sunblock. (Although in this picture to you I may not look so bad, you cannot tell that I am actually badly sunburned and swollen, but I am. The swelling is more of a inconvenience for me than the burn.)

And while I swam the ocean and layed out in the sun, not one symptom of a burn appeared. Not even lastnight, hours later after a shower. Only when I woke up this morning did I see my forehead, eyes, ears, and neck swollen and burnt. Not to mention the top of my forehead leaking a little bit. My skin feels tight and I look and feel like complete shit. I was told to take some Ibuprofen or Benadryl to get the swelling to go down and to apply a cold compress to my forehead, bath in cool water, and use Aloe through out the day. Sadly for me, I am carless, refuse to go out beneath the sun to walk to the store, and all I have is Aspirin & Aloe. Hopefully someone will save me from my misery and maybe even drop some icecream off aswell!

The sad part about the sun is that we just do not realize how strong it is. I remember falling asleep on the beach as a teenager, getting burnt, and having the best tan all summer long. Nothing like whats going on now a days. I did not even realize I was burning until almost 24 hours later, which is very scary. The harm that the sun can actual do to your body is hirendous and I caution everyone to be very careful when out in the sun.

In the case of sun poisoning

The reaction is a bit more severe than a "sun burn" and the symptoms may become seriously uncomfortable. A typical sunburn involves itching, redness, and peeling. Severe sunburns may also be accompanied by small blisters that may lead to infection. Symptoms of sun poisoning also tend to include nausea, fever, headache, and dizziness and may also be accompanied by fluid loss and electrolyte imbalance.

If your symptoms are limited to mild discomfort, treat your skin the way you would treat any sunburn. Stay hydrated, apply ice or cold compresses to reduce swelling or itching, and take aspirin. Apply aloe if it helps and keep out of the sun. Try taking beta-carotene supplements as they've been shown to ease inflammation. Avoid using oils or anything that contains potential irritants such as fragrances and exfoliants.

On the other hand, if the burn is more painful or you exhibit any of the systemic symptoms listed above, step up your efforts to cool down and hydrate. Drink plenty of fluids and take a bath in cool (not cold) water. Pat skin dry-don't rub-and stay in a cool environment until your symptoms ease.

And to think, I am supposed to look beautiful tomorrow and go to David's Bridal to make my final decision on a dress. To decide if I am going to pick up the one I already put on hold, or if I am going to try on 100 more and change my mind. Plus they are having an awesome sale tomorrow so I have to make it. Even if I still look like this. Ill just wear sunglasses all day!

One thing that makes me happy - I gave myself a beautifl mani - pedi lastnight. I used some light nailpolish and did the tips in silver sparkle. Looks great :)

UPDATE: Two days later after my nasty sunburn and the fluids that swelled my forehead have now swelled my left eye shut. I look horrible and can barely see. Im continuing to use benadryl and ibuprofen while frequently holding ice on my face...

Three days after and the fluids out of my upper eyelid and now just beneath my eye and throughout my nose and cheeks. I look completely different & too horrified to post pictures. Some people say to wash my face with whole milk or soaken wet warm tea bags but Im just hoping when I wake up tomorrow I will be back to normal :(

4th of July

We celebrated the 4th of July at our house. it started out at 10 am. We had hot dogs and cheeseburgers for lunch, potato salad, and pasta salad, that my sister in law Phylicia made to munch on through out the day. We ended up with roasted veggies that I made and grilled chicken for dinner, at which the propane ran out and we had to finish on the stove top! My mother in law and her husband showed up, aswell as my sister in law Jessica with her fiance (who shes marrying next month too) and their daughter Anayra. And also PJ's best friend and his family. It was a great day. We hung out on the porch, chugged wine coolers and beers, talked, laughed, reminisced, and then watched the fireworks at 10 pm. PJ had been drinking all day so was passed out by 8 pm but overall, it was the best holiday we have had in the last couple years <3

My sister in law Phylicia and her boyfriend Elvis

My husband to be, nephew Damion, and myself

Me and the love of my life

PJ and his mother, Karen

PJ, his friend Dave, and his stepfather Rob

PJ and his long time friend and "brother" Dave

 

Dave's fiance Christina & their daughter Alexis

My babe just hanging out, drinking the day away

PJ, my sister in law Jessica & her fiance Johnny

PJ and Johnny

My nephew Damion and his momma, Phylicia

Phylicia and Elvis again

My brother in law Jeremy, his wife Kristina, and my neice Sierra

PJ passed out on the couch at 8:30 PM

Hope everybody else had a great holiday weekend too :) Toodles

Baby Blues

Itchy Boobs & Cravings

The itchy boobs could have just been from the sand that may have gathered in my top this morning while I was laying out on the beach. And the cravings could just be the devil trying to torture me since I have been eating so well the last 6 weeks. But for some reason today Im just in a funk. Well, not just today. I fell asleep lastnight thinking about my precious little baby that I lost in March, merely 3 months ago. You would think that because I was only 16 weeks pregnant and its been this long, thus far, that those thoughts wouldnt cross my mind and if they did it wouldnt hurt my heart. But it's not true. I still have the image of this precious little life that PJ had to get out of the toilet & I still wish I could have wrapped her up myself and sayed goodbye. I dont know what I was thinking- we just put her in a plastic baggy and dropped her in my purse as we rushed out for the hospital. Which there she stayed for 2 hours until they took her from me. Im assuming it was a "her" I never heard anything back from the hospital. I guess we accidentally donated her to science? Since I didn't know I was pregnant for 14 weeks, any inkling of a sign now I just want to run out and get a test. All the days I suffered exhaustion, morning sickness, nausea, heartburn or cravings... I just assumed was any other reason but pregnancy. Since it did take us almost 8 years to conceive and because of my Cystic Fibrosis which tends to cause me sickness anyways. Needless to say, I am terrified of becoming pregnant again and going through the same problems and torture as I did already. But then again, I wouldnt want to live the rest of my life childless either. And PJ has already decided he wants atleast one or two more kids (to create a family of our own, since he already has 2 other children from different mothers that it didnt work out with.) Since the D & C they gave me in April (after they accidentally left the placenta in me 3 wks and I almost hemorraghed to death) I have only had one slight "period" I think. And havent bled since. Plus with itchy boobs, being a little tired lately, and just wanting to open up my fridge and stuff my face- I put these 3 coinsidences into the possibility that I may just be pregnant. With that said, I will do nothing about it cause I know Im probably wrong anyways. But if I do feel anymore exhaustion or some heartburn, and still do not get my period next month maybe then I will test myself and see what is going on. I dont want to give my hopes up anyways. Im still healing from the heartache and just want to be a mom <3 <3 <3

UPDATE - JUNE 24TH - I GOT MY PERIOD. MUST NOT BE PREGNANT :( SHUX

On another note, Local Harvest.org was a link that I found on another blog. You can find nearby Farmer's Markets, which is great because I am originally from Haverhill, Ma - and living in New Hampshire now I am still very new to the area. I shop at Market Basket every Friday and they typically dont have a great source of vegetables & fruits. Not as many as a farm would have anyways, and probably not as great prices. So here are a few in my area that I just wanted to save so I can check out sometime.

Hurd Farm

11 Old Stage Rd
Hampton, NH 03842

Hurd Farm, LLC is a small family owned farm located on the scenic Taylor River in Hampton, NH. We were a dairy farm that has transistioned to locally raised all natural meats and poultry. The Hurd family has owned and operated the farm since 1923. Today we raise all natural grass fed beef and chickens and heritage breed pigs. Our meats and poultry are fed an all-natural diet with no added antibiotics or other additives as growth stimulants. Our animals are provided access to green grass and sunshine on our farm's 160 acres.We offer the best home grown beef, pork, chicken, and eggs to our customers. Our sales are direct from the farm (by appointment) or from local farm stores and markets

Apple Crest Farm Orchard

133 Exeter Road (Rt.88)
Hampton Falls, NH 03844

Since the days nearly a century ago, when an "Apple Train" ran its route from the heart of Boston to the rolling orchards of Hampton Falls, Applecrest Farm has remained a cornerstone of the local economy and community. A 4th generation farm, Applecrest is the oldest and largest orchard on the New Hampshire Seacoast, nutured on by the Wagner family, who remain dedicated to their simple mission of sustainably growing the finest fruit and vegetables available. Visiting the farm today, one will discover a bounty of grown-on-the-farm delights, including leafy greens and summer vegetables, over 30 varities of apples, tree-ripened peaches, nectarines, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, sweet corn, pumpkins and fresh pressed all-natural cider from an on-site mill.