Product Review: Kinky-Curly Curling Custard

I am obsessed with these hair products.

Period.

Every naturally curly haired girl prays for a "holy grail" hair product.  A product that will transform their frizzy hair into tamed, smoothed, bouncy curls. These products do just that for me.

Once my hair has been washed, conditioned, and detangled, I apply Kinky-Curly Knot Today leave in conditioner generously to soaking wet hair.  I like to section my hair to ensure each strand is getting a proper drink of this sweet nectar. After I have applied a generous amount of Knot Today, I take my hair in small pieces and apply Kinky-Curly Curling Custard from root to tip.  I smooth each small piece with the custard until a uniform curl has formed, then I repeat with the next small piece.  

Pros: Too many to list! It makes my frizzy curls uniform and smooth. It does not dry my hair or create the hard crunch that many other gels do; it creates soft, moveable curls but with the hold of a super hard gel. It smells amazing and washes out very easily.  Best of all it is available at Target, however, the big tub of Curling Custard I still have only been able to find at Whole Foods here in Utah.

Cons: It takes a very long time for my hair to dry when using this product. Also, I wish the Knot Today came in a larger container; the current size only lasts me about two weeks and at around $12 per bottle, it can become pricey.  The large tub of Kinky Curly costs around $30, however, it usually lasts me roughly 4 months. Even though these products are on the pricey side I feel they are well worth the money!

Here is a picture of my hair after applying Kinky Curly and allowing it to dry.

I would recommend this product to curlies with very tight spirals or frizzy hair.  I would not recommend this product to anyone with wavy hair or slightly curly hair; this is a very heavy gel made to help weigh your curls down. This is also not a good product for anyone who is transitioning. 

Balsamic Salmon and Roasted Broccoli

Please excuse this horrible picture. I took it with my phone and posted it on Instagram and since then have been asked repeatedly for this recipe. I'm on a diet plan where I am unable to eat carbs. BOO! Big, huge, loud BOOOO! I love carbs. I love bread, potatoes, pasta...mmmm good.  That being said I've got baby weight to lose so diet I must.  I whipped up this salmon and broccoli Monday night and it was mmm mmm good. When I took this photo I cooked the salmon using my George Foreman Grill, and poured the sauce directly over the salmon. Slightly sweet and tangy, it elevated the salmon and made me forget I was eating diet food.  I can also say the same thing for this broccoli! I know what you are thinking, yummy broccoli is an oxymoron.  Trust me and try it!! I found a version of the broccoli recipe pinned to a friends board on pinterest about a year ago and decided to try it. Ever since then it has been a staple at our dinner table and is the only vegetable my kids will ask for seconds!! Even my husband who hates broccoli loves it!!

Balsamic Glaze for Salmon

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons honey

2 teaspoons dijon mustard

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 teaspoon oregano

salt and pepper to taste 

4 salmon fillets

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and set aside. Lightly season salmon fillets with salt and pepper and place on baking sheet. Spray a medium sized skillet with cooking spray over medium heat. Add minced garlic and stir continuously for 1 minute-do not let the garlic burn! Add remaining ingredients and stir continuously until well combined and thickened, about 3 minutes. Pour glaze over prepared salmon. Place salmon in oven for 10-14 minutes, until fish flakes very easily.

Roasted Broccoli

*This recipe is not an exact recipe. You can change it and add things to your taste!!

2-3 heads of broccoli-chopped into individual "trees" (thats what my girls call them)

Kosher Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

3 cloves of garlic, peeled and smashed with a knife

1/4  cup grated Parmesan cheese

Olive oil

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.  Place desired amount of broccoli on a baking sheet. Sprinkle broccoli with a small amount of olive oil, you want each tree to have some oil on it but not too much. Sprinkle broccoli generously with kosher salt and pepper and toss.  Place smashed garlic on the baking pan in between the chopped broccoli. Place broccoli in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, until the tips of the broccoli are brown and crispy-the crispy tips are what makes this broccoli delicious! After the broccoli is finished cooking, remove from the oven and sprinkle with a little bit more olive oil, salt, pepper and Parmesan cheese. Take the garlic out of the pan and discard.  You can also add toasted pine nuts to the broccoli after they are done cooking for an extra yummy treat!! 

Crockpot Chicken Taco Soup

It's fall! That familiar chill in the air first thing in the morning signals that cold, snowy Utah winters are rapidly approaching.  As much as I hate cold weather, snow and wind, I love that soup season is here! A good hearty soup is one of my favorite things to cozy up with.  I love the feeling of warm soup gliding down your throat and instantly warming you from the inside out.  I easily have 30 favorite soup recipes, and that is not an exaggeration. Some take lots of effort and others are "dump and go" style.  This taco soup is easy, easy, easy.  Made from ingredients that you most likely already have in your pantry, this soup comes together in a flash and the crockpot does all the work. I am a crockpot LOVER in the fall and winter, so if you are too, let me know and I will keep the crockpot recipes coming!

Crockpot Chicken Taco Soup

*Adapted from All Recipes

1 medium onion, chopped

1 (16 ounce) can chili beans OR kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 (16 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained

1 (8 ounce) tomato sauce

1 cup chicken broth

2 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained

2 small cans diced green chilies (if you want to add more spice substitute a small can of salsa verde!)

1 (1.25 ounce) package taco seasoning

3 boneless chicken breasts

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 teaspoon red cayenne pepper (optional)

Sour Cream (optional)

Shredded Cheese (optional)

Crushed tortilla chips (optional)

Diced green onion (optional)

Placed chopped onion, beans, corn, tomato sauce, chicken broth, diced tomatoes, and green chilies in the crockpot. Sprinkle taco seasoning, salt and pepper (and cayenne pepper) over tomato mixture and stir until combined.  Place chicken breasts in the crockpot and press down until the tomato mixture just covers the chicken.  Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours.  Remove chicken from soup and shred. Place chicken back into soup and stir to combine.  Serve soup topped with sour cream, shredded cheese, crushed tortilla chips and green onions. Enjoy!

Easy Chicken Hoagies and Baked Sweet Potato Fries

My weeknights are beyond hectic. Between the kids homework, their activity schedule and prepping for school the next day, its bedtime before I know it.  That being said I try and scour the internet for meals that are tasty and come together quickly.  This meal is just that. Again, not the fanciest ingredients, but it came together in a flash and best of all my kids ate every bite with zero complaints. That for me is a win win situation!!

Easy Chicken Hoagies

Adapted from Aaron Mc Cargo Jr

*This recipe calls for you to place the chicken breasts in the freezer for 30 minutes while they are soaking in the marinade.  This is so the chicken will slightly freeze, allowing the chicken to be sliced super thin. You do not have to do this step or you can do it for less time (depending on how chaotic your night is), however, just know that the chicken will slice oh so easily if its extremely cold. The thinner the slice, the faster it cooks as well. I also recommend using a serrated edge knife to slice the chicken; this type of knife cuts through chicken with more ease than a typical chefs knife.

-2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

-1/2 cup olive oil, plus 2 tablespoons

-1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

-1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

-1 teaspoon paprika

-1 teaspoon kosher salt

-1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

-3 chicken breasts (if they are thick breasts slice them in half horizontally to make them into thin cutlets)

-1 onion

-3 garlic cloves, minced

-6 slices Provolone cheese

-4 hoagie rolls, split and toasted (I didn't toast mine-time constraints- and it was still super yummy)

*Optional- hot cherry pepper spread (I found a brand called Wickles at Walmart that is really tasty!)

In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, 1/2 cup olive oil, mustard, Italian seasoning, paprika, salt and pepper. Dip the chicken in the bowl and apply sauce liberally. Place the chicken on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper; cover with plastic wrap and freeze for 30 minutes. Remove from the freezer and with a sharp knife, slice the chicken as thin as possible.

In a large saute pan, add remaining two tablespoons of oil over medium high heat. Add the onion and cook until slightly brown, about 2 minutes.  Add garlic, stirring constantly, and cook for 1 minute. Then add chicken and cook until cooked through, about 5 minutes (depending on the thickness of your slices). When chicken is cooked through, turn off the heat and place the sliced provolone on top of the chicken. Cover the pan and let cheese melt.  Scoop melted cheese and chicken into hoagie rolls. Add cherry pepper spread to the sandwich and enjoy!

Baked Sweet Potato Fries

*Adapted from Mels Kitchen Cafe

*My kids love these fries. Many mornings I have seen them eating the cold leftover fries straight from the fridge! I hope your family loves them as much as we do!!

-3 large sweet potatoes or yams, peeled and sliced into 1/4 to 1/2 inch strips or wedges (try and make them all the same size)

-3 tablespoons olive oil

-1 tablespoon sugar

-1 tablespoon kosher salt

-1 teaspoon paprika

-1 teaspoon chili powder

-1 teaspoon garlic powder

-1 teaspoon cumin

-1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place two large baking sheets in the oven while it heats up; the purpose of this is to help the fries cook more quickly and get crispy. In a large bowl, toss the sweet potatoes, oil and spices together until all the fries have an even coating. Very carefully, remove the hot baking sheets from the oven and place the fries on them in an even, single layer. Make sure the potatoes do not touch, so air can circulate between them. Try and leave as much of the remaining oil in the bowl as you can; you don't want the fries too greasy. 

Bake the fries for 12-15 minutes, tossing halfway through if desired, until they are tender and well browned. 

 

Do you love Twitter?

Are you on Twitter?

Do you love it?

I hear so many people saying how they love Twitter. Every show on TV has a hashtag so you can tweet your thoughts as you watch. It seems like everyone has a Twitter account with loads of followers. Kim Kardashian has over 16 million Twitter followers.  President Barack Obama has over 19 million Twitter followers. Justin Bieber has over 28 million Twitter followers hanging on his every 140 character or less thought.

I'm trying to get into Twitter and see the appeal.  Facebook I understand; it gives you an opportunity to connect with family, old friends, new friends and acquaintances alike.  I love Facebook because I live 2000 miles from most of my family, but through the magic of Facebook they are able to watch my girls grow online. I am able to see my high school friends grow their families from a distance, without being intrusive.  It allows me to keep in contact with people I would normally never speak to on a regular basis. Twitter I am struggling with.  Everyone keeps saying it's so great, but I am having a hard time getting into it.

If you are on Twitter and you love it let me know why! Please explain the appeal of 140 character conversations because I don't get it.

Help me along in my Twitter journey! Follow me @BrwnGrl_inUT.

Amazingly Easy Crock Pot Chicken

I love cooking.

It calms and soothes my soul.

I get giddy just thinking about Thanksgiving dinner and the Christmas feast I cook every year.

That being said, some nights I just do not have time to slave over a hot stove.

Enter this chicken recipe.

No it does not have glamorous ingredients. However, it meets all three of my weeknight criteria: quick, easy and delicious!

I found this recipe somewhere on pinterest last year.  I have slightly tweaked it to more match our families taste buds.  Use this chicken in tacos, burritos, taco salad or enchiladas.  The best part of this recipe is it freezes beautifully!!! So make a double batch and throw half of it in the freezer for a hectic night when dinner is never going to happen.

Amazingly Easy Crock Pot Chicken

4 chicken breasts (I usually just throw 4 frozen chicken breasts right in he crockpot)
1/2 a small bottle of Zesty Italian Dressing
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 packet ranch dressing mix (mixed with 1/2 cup of water)
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
salt and pepper to taste

Place all ingredients in crockpot and cook for 4-6 hours on high or 8 hours on low. Shred with fork and enjoy!!!

 

Octomom says doing porn is liberating

This post is going to offend some of you.

When I came across this Huffington Post article about the Octomom buying a home with the money she earned from doing a pornographic film I was shocked.  I, like many of you, watched the interview she did with Oprah in 2010, where in no uncertain terms said that she would never do pornography as a means to feeding her children.  For those of you who did not see that Oprah show, I found the interview on Oprah.com. Here is the transcript specifically discussing Nadya Suleman (Octomom) not doing porn:


Oprah: I heard you were offered an opportunity to do a porn film too.

Nadya: Oh, my goodness. Again, another outlet trying to steal a piece of the situation. I feel as though exploiting me, disrespecting me, that, in turn, disrespects and exploits my children. I personally perceive that to be a publicity stunt. I mean, they have started from the very beginning. Right after I had the babies they were offering that. Really? I mean, I would obviously need the money if I did something like that to move my family to a deserted island far, far, far away from civilization. That is completely unfathomable, obviously.

Oprah: Let's just be clear about this. So you were offered money to do a porn film, and you have turned them down.

Nadya: They have offered this probably three weeks subsequent to the birth of the babies. Maybe at least three times. And I feel as though it's completely, utterly disrespectful to a mother, to anyone who is just trying to survive. I was just catapulted, again, as I mentioned, into this unfamiliar life as a carnival attraction. I never imagined it would end up being like this.

Oprah: Nadya, tell me this: Do you think that you could ever be in the situation where you have 14 hungry mouths to feed and you'd ever have to resort to doing a porn film? Would you do that if you had to feed your children? 

Nadya: If they offered $100 million I would never, never, never resort to something like that. It stems now to boundaries. I'm teaching my children to have healthy boundaries, and there are ways. There are other ways that are much more obviously more respectable.

Now I am not going to pretend that I have never done something I swore I would never do. I can imagine it must have been difficult to decide to do porn after previously saying it was disrespectful to her and her children.  What I find disturbing and shocking is when recently she spoke to Dr. Drew on HLN about the "film", she said that doing porn was "the most empowering and liberating thing I have ever done".  LIBERATING AND EMPOWERING! This is what she considers to be the most empowering thing she has ever done? She later goes on to say "I take full accountability and am proud of it".  PROUD OF IT? This is the example she wants to set for her14 children? She wants her daughters to feel like their bodies are for sale as long as the price is right? She wants her sons to feel like it is ok to objectify woman? She wants her children to be proud of the fact that she is selling her body to strangers? And furthermore it makes her feel liberated?

Is this what our world has come to? A world where taking off your clothes and doing porn empowers women? Where prostituting oneself is considered a liberating act? There is nothing liberating about selling your body for money.  What happened to "teaching my children healthy boundaries"? Did all of her boundaries disappear when someone threw a large sum of money her way? What about the "obviously more respectable" ways of producing income?

As you know I have 3 daughters, and I do not want any of them to think for one minute that I find any type of pornographic activity to be liberating.  If this world is telling them that taking off your clothes is empowering, I am raising them to know that your body as a woman is sacred.  Your body as a woman produces life. As a woman you are able to grow life within yourself and bring it forth into the world. As a woman you are responsible for the nurturing and caring of your family, children and loved ones. It's our honor as women to be able to hold the heart of the family in our hands. Why would we want our daughters to think that empowerment comes from taking off your clothes on camera? We need to raise a generation of women that value their worth. Women are able to do and be anything they want, the sky is the limit in this day and age.  With so many examples of strong, smart, poised and clothed woman around, I hope Nadya Suleman's children can find another empowering role model to look up to.

Stepping off the soapbox for now... 

Take Time to Pause

Have you taken a moment to pause today?

When was the last time you had a moment to just be still and breathe?

These questions forced me to think about the necessity of taking time to pause. Was that something I really needed to do? Why is taking a moment to be still so important to my daily life? If you are anything like me, your last moment of peace is probably a distant memory. As if I don't already have enough to do, now I needed to try and find a moment to sit and be still each day? Not going to happen. I'm way to busy today, tomorrow and next week. Taking a moment to pause would be on my to-do list right between organizing my old photos and learning to sew.

That's how I felt until last week when my baby turned 1. Everyone I knew, myself included, couldn't believe that the 4 pound newborn I brought home from the hospital was already 1 year old. Surely it was just yesterday that she was born! Then it struck me that my first baby, Kelsey, is going to be turning 10 years old in a matter of weeks.  How is it that cute little smarty pants toddler is now a pre-teen? When did the years start flying by like days? I realized in that instant I had not taken enough moments to pause over the last decade of my life. I spend each day rushing kids to school, activities and dentist appointments.  Always racing to the next dance practice or school program. Trying to be there for everyone's next life event but really not being present for any them.

The question is how do you find a moment to pause when all of your time is already taken? I feel like I am already trying to balance Thanksgiving dinner on a salad plate; there is only so much time in the day and as woman our needs are like the dessert after a large meal. It sounds so good but we just don't have room for it. We do so much for our friends, family members and community, why is it we cannot justify taking a moment of pause and peaceful quiet for ourselves each day? If a family member calls who is in trouble we will drop everything to be there to help. If a girlfriend calls crying we stop what we are doing to be that comforting ear to listen.  However, if we do not find peace and quiet in our life we are disregarding our own soul.  We are ignoring our inner need to rest, regroup and re energize our mind with a quiet moment of stillness.  Just to be able to sit, breathe deeply, and be alone with our thoughts will bring a moments peace and tranquility that can carry us through the rest of the chaotic over scheduled day.

As women, let's put ourselves back on our own to do list. Let's prioritize our own well being. We need to make time for us. The first step is taking a moment each day to pause and be still. Block out the world for one minute and connect with your own soul. Breathe. Enjoy the quiet. Take a moment to appreciate life and your blessings. I believe this is the first step in beginning to finding inner peace.  Let's start the journey together. I am willing to put myself back on my own list of priorities. Are you?

Is natural hair being commercialized?

I love my natural hair.

After two years of transitioning and one year of buying and trying every product on the market, we finally have achieved a relationship where my hair and I are both happy and healthy.  It was a long journey filled with tears, triumph and lots of money spent on products that were crap, but it was worth it.  I won't ever go back to being addicted to the creamy crack relaxer.

Having said all of that I feel like there is an untruth not being said about natural hair.  Look at the recent advertising that use black models.  The majority of them use models with so called "natural hair". Their hair is curly, but is it really natural? 

 Is this an effort to try and tell woman who wear their hair natural what is an acceptable natural style?  Is this a ploy to get woman to try to obtain a look that is really unattainable for most? Think about your local beauty supply store.  Shelves and shelves devoted to hair products that promise to turn your curls into luscious, soft spirals that don't frizz.  However if you have coarse, tight curls no amount of product is going to change that.  I have spent hundreds of dollars on hair products trying to get my hair to look like the models above.  In the end I discovered that my curls were NEVER going to look like that no matter what I purchased.  I accepted my curls for what they were and ended the search to find a miracle hair product. 

In this months Essence magazine, Jill Scott will be wearing her natural TWA (teeny weeny afro) on the cover.  There have been published reports that she had to demand to be able to wear her natural hair during the shoot. When Viola Davis wore her natural hair to the Oscars many people thought she did not look formal enough. Why do we think that flowing hair (be it curly or straight) equals formality? Is it because we have been flooded with images from advertisers, tv shows and movies that subliminally tell us what acceptable natural hair looks like?  When will we reach the point where an afro on a woman is acceptable in a formal setting and does not raise any eyebrows?

This is what we are lead to believe natural hair should look like.  Uniform curls that are tamed and in their place.  And while for a small portion of the natural community (and Beyonce is not one of them lets be honest) they may wake up looking like this.  That may be the reality of their natural hair.  However if the reality of your natural hair is something closer to Miss Viola's you should be able to wear your hair without feeling any less formal or looked down upon.

We need to stop trying to conform to the world's standard of beauty. Natural hair is so unique. Each persons curl pattern is different. Unlike straight hair, which is...well its just straight, naturally curly hair looks and feels different on everyone. So whether you rock a TWA, you have long spirals, or you are somewhere in between, wear it proudly!! Embrace what God has blessed you with and show it off!! Let's not let the outside world commercialize our hair and tell us what it should look like!

Frozen Banana Split

I went in search of a quick, easy, crowd pleasing dessert to serve at a family party this weekend.

This frozen banana split was exactly that.

Super easy to make and everyone loved it. The next time you have to bring dessert to a party give this a try!!

Frozen Banana Split
Adapted from Paula Deen


24 ice cream sandwiches (I used 12 vanilla and 12 Neapolitan)
5 medium bananas thinly sliced
1-2 cups sliced strawberries
4-5 tablespoons hot fudge topping
4-5 tablespoons caramel topping
2 HEATH bars chopped
1 (8 oz) container of frozen non dairy whipped topping, thawed

Place half of ice cream sandwiches in the bottom of a 9x13 pan, cutting the sandwiches if necessary to fit. Top evenly with bananas. Pour hot fudge over bananas. Top with strawberries and half of the chopped HEATH bars, then pour the caramel over it. Layer with remaining ice cream sandwiches and top with non dairy whipped topping. Sprinkle with the remaining HEATH bars.

Cover and freeze for 4 hours.  Remove from the freezer 10 minutes prior to serving. Cut into squares and serve immediately.

Is family vacation worth the effort?

Let's call a spade a spade here.

Family vacation is just your regular life in a different location.

That's all.

Family vacation gives you the opportunity to change diapers, break up fights, argue over restaurants, toys, activities, and movies outside of the comfort of your own home.

Or maybe your kids are better behaved than mine.

I just returned from a week long "vacation" with my family in San Diego.  Before we left I had visions of sitting on the beach, with the sun shining warmly on my skin, the breeze gently cooling me off, the palm trees ever so slightly blowing in the wind, while I read my book and watched my children play and laugh.  The weather was even better than I imagined. However the rest of my vision did not come to pass...

My dear children fought over everything from who got the purple sand shovel, to who got to go boogie boarding first, to what beach towel they wanted.  Every meal was wrought with "I don't like this restaurant" or my personal favorite "why can't we just stay at the hotel and go swimming??".  Um excuse me? We brought you all the way to San Diego and you want to spend your day at the hotel pool??

All of this quality family time forced me to ask myself this question: Is family vacation worth the effort? Now stay with me while I explain myself.  While I do feel that children need to see and experience different cultures, places and environments to help them be a more well rounded person, I also struggle with the reality of bringing them on "vacation". Children have schedules. They need naps. They get grumpy. If you have a baby/toddler you are dealing with diapers, strollers, bottles, sippy cups, and picky eaters. You can almost guarantee they will not sleep through the night in the pack n play. When the vacation is over you will most certainly need a vacation from your vacation, not to mention the mountain of stinky, sweaty, dirty laundry that awaits you in your luggage.

So why take on the challenge of bringing kids on vacation with you?

Why not just call your in-laws, drop the kids off to them, and go have a real vacation?

You know the kind where you sleep until noon, order room service, take naps in cabanas, and actually read your book.

Why bring your kids and ruin YOUR vacation?

Well because you don't get smiles like these staying home.

And for that reason and that reason only, I will subject myself to family torture...err vacation...again.

My 2 cents about breastfeeding

Is this

more offensive than this

This article is just the latest story to be released about a breastfeeding mother being asked to remove themselves from a public place because they were nursing.

I have had it so back on the soapbox I go. 

In the aforementioned article, the woman was asked to leave a public kiddie pool because she was nursing her baby. This woman is at a pool, where I am almost positive there were multiple woman, cellulite and all, showing way more than this woman would be by breastfeeding her baby. Why do people go crazy when they see a woman nursing?? Do you know WHY woman have breasts? It is to feed babies!! That is what our breasts are intended to do! Now whether or not you choose to breastfeed is a personal decision. I am not saying that every woman must nurse their baby until they are old enough to ask for a sippy cup. However, I am asking that people stop being so judgmental when you see a woman nursing. There is nothing provocative about it. They are feeding their child. PERIOD. 

Would you like it if while you were eating your sandwich someone shoved a blanket over your head so no one would see you? Or better yet banished you to the car or bathroom so the sight of you eating wouldn't offend anyone? Well that is what you are telling a nursing woman by asking her to leave in order to breastfeed her child.  Never mind the fact that it is a legal right to breastfeed in public, it is just plain rude to tell a woman who is trying to feed her young one to leave because you cannot stand the sight of the top half of her breast.  I see woman with more cleavage hanging out in Target than I ever show while nursing!! I don't see anyone telling the girl with the super low cut v neck tight shirt on to leave. Or worse, the mom with the string bikini and 4 kids at the pool with all of her goodies hanging out. No one is asking her to go anywhere even though she has left nothing to the imagination.

So the next time you see a woman nursing her baby take it for what it is, nourishment!  She is providing her little baby with love, food and comfort. We should all be so lucky!

Stepping off the soapbox...for now.

Product Review: 409 Stone and Steel Cleaner

I know what you are thinking.

Is she really blogging about a cleaner??

And the answer is Yes I am.

Few things drive me more insane than streaks.  Streaks on the mirror. Streaks on the glass. And especially streaks on granite and stainless steel.  It drives me freaking insane.

I have tried every tip, trick and product out there but I have never found a 2 in 1 product I can use daily and love.

Enter 409 Stone & Steel cleaner. 

It actually does what it promises. Cleans granite, marble and stainless steel and leaves a streak free shine.  The best part is I only paid $4.99 for it!! I picked this up at Smiths, but it is available at stores everywhere.

Give this a try!! And if you have a cleaner you think I should try, let me know!!!

Sunday Brownies

Let the mouth watering begin.

As many of you know I LOVE cooking. It is my single favorite past time.  I am always researching new recipes and rarely make the same recipe twice.  So if I have a recipe I repeat more than once you know I really like it.  And if I tell you I make these brownies at least 2 Sunday's a month, it's safe for you to assume I am borderline obsessed with them.

These brownies are more of a cakey consistency as opposed to a fudgey consistency. I am usually a fudgey brownie gal, but I take exception for these gems. This recipe is fast, easy and I usually have all the ingredients on hand which is a major plus. 

So this Sunday give them a try!! I hope you love them as much as I do!

Sunday Brownies
Recipe from Mels Kitchen Cafe

1 12 ounce bag of chocolate chips (any kind you like-I usually use semi sweet or milk chocolate)
1 cup butter (2 sticks)
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 large eggs at room temperature
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large saucepan over low heat, melt butter and chocolate chips. Stir constantly and remove from heat when chips are fully melted. In the same pot, blend in the sugar and vanilla. Then add eggs, one at a time, blending well after each egg is added. Add flour and salt and beat until air bubbles form in the batter. Pour into a greased 9x13 inch pan. Bake for 20 minutes. Turn down the heat to 325 degrees and bake for 10 more minutes.

Who are you?

Who am I?

This question is very haunting if you think about it. I mean really think about it.

Who am I?

Well, I am a wife, a mother, a stay at home mom, a sister, a daughter, a friend. However none of those things are WHO I am.  Those are just roles I play in life; that is WHAT I am, not WHO I am.

Who am I? What defines me as a person and makes me special and unique? What are the talents I have been blessed with? What is my purpose in this life?

Overwhelmed yet. Yeah me too.

I really do believe that each and everyone of us has a purpose. The question is how do we find our true purpose so we can go about doing whatever it is we were created to do? I don't know the answer to that question.  In fact I'm not even close to knowing how to answer that question.

If you asked me to describe myself in one sentence it would go something like this:

I am a kind hearted, loving, outspoken, woman who loves traveling, the beach, my family, is obsessed with cooking, hair products, and loves American Idol.

Hmmmm. Not exactly life affirming but I did only give myself one sentence.

My new goal, in addition to my 1, 2, 3, 4 challenge, is to do some deep soul searching and pondering to try and find my life's purpose. Life is short. I want to go to my grave knowing I gave everything I could to this world and hopefully someone's life was a little bit better by knowing me.

I end this post with a quote from my sometimes funny and very witty husband, "Always remember you are special. Just like everyone else."

Product Review: Moraccan Oil

If I were going to be stuck on a desert island for 1 year and I could only bring 5 things with me, this would be 1 of the 5 items.  Actually I would bring 2 bottles so it would be 2 of the 5 items...

This is what I like to call a "holy grail" product.  Something I cannot live without and cannot be replaced. I have tried other "Moroccan oil" products or Argon oil products and they do not hold a candle to this.  

What is so fabulous about this oil?? Well for starters:

-It is an amazing detangler

-It is a heat protectant when I am straightening my hair

-It is a straightening oil to make my hair super straight

-It moisturizes my hair without being greasy or oily

-It easily absorbs into my hair and does not leave a residue

-It smells amazing

I could go on forever. Not only do I love this product for my hair, but it works amazingly well in my bi-racial daughters hair.  If their hair is really tangled, I smooth on a small drop of this and the tangles melt away.  If I am curling their hair I put a little of this oil on before curling; it helps the curls hold longer and gives their hair incredible shine. 

The only negative about this product is it is not readily available.  In Utah they sell it at Peerless Beauty Supply but you have to have a cosmetology/hair stylist license in order to purchase it. I have seen it for purchase in a few salons and there are multiple websites online you can purchase it from online including amazon.com.  It costs about $42.99 (depending on where you purchase it) for the large bottle. The large bottle will last me about 4 months depending on how often I straighten my hair. A little bit goes a long way so you the bottle really does last a while. It is a little bit expensive but you get what you pay for!! 

I highly recommend you trying this product if you have hair that easily tangles!! This product is good for all types of hair so give it a try no matter what kind of hair you have!

4 Things You Should Do Every Morning

Last month I was listening to an inspirational church talk given by a woman named Sister Julie B. Beck.  Her talk was mainly centered around how to be more Christlike, but the part that struck me the most was a list of 4 simple things she does every morning to start her day off on the right foot. I was amazed at the simplicity of these 4 things, yet the profoundness of them as well. So I started doing her list of 1, 2, 3, 4 and guess what?  My days went a lot smoother. I was a lot calmer with my children.  I smiled more and didn't get so agitated with everything.  After a couple of weeks, I got lazy. I stopped doing the list of 1, 2, 3, 4 and guess what? I' m back to being my easily irritable and agitated self.  So as I try and re-institute this counsel, I ask that you do it with me!! It's free, easy to do, and most importantly changes your outlook on life!!

Sister Beck's List of 1, 2, 3, 4

1. PRAY
Let's start with the basics. You opened your eyes, which means you are alive, you are breathing clean air in and out of your lungs, and your family/friends are also alive and breathing.  That right there is enough to be thankful for.  Take a moment and reflect on your blessings (no matter how big or small) and feel grateful for being given the gift of another day of life. Start your day with a prayer of heartfelt gratitude for everything and everyone in your life.  


2. SPEND TIME IN THE SCRIPTURES
The Bible isn't just for Sunday people. We live in a country where we have freedom of religion and as such we can read whatever religious text we choose without fear of persecution.  Take a moment and read a couple of passages from the scriptures. You may just read something that will inspire you or better yet provide you with the knowledge to provide inspiration to others!

3. MAKE YOUR BED
Sister Beck said, "an unmade bed is an invitation to give up on the day".  Hello!!! How many times have I said, "oh I'm so over today I just want to crawl in bed and start again tomorrow." Making your bed is a small gesture that says I am taking on today and I am not crawling back in this bed until the day is over. Plus a made bed instantly makes your room look clean!

4. GET DRESSED
If you live in my neighborhood you have no doubt seen me in my bright pink bathrobe.  I love it and it loves me. I am ashamed to admit that there are multiple days a week where the morning turns to afternoon and the bathrobe and I are still cozily going about our day. Getting dressed in the morning is another way to show the world (and yourself) that you are ready for anything the day may bring on.  You have metaphorically put on your armor and you are ready for whatever battles may come your way.

Sounds easy right?? Well then why is it I am struggling to do this consistently? I am committing to myself to do 1,2,3,4 for the next 30 days. I love the idea of starting your day with taking a moment to say thank you for all the blessings you have. When you think about it most of us are rich with blessings. We are healthy, we have people who we love and they actually love us back, we have a roof over our head and food to eat. These are all blessings we should give thanks for and not take for granted.

So let's do 1, 2, 3, 4 together!!! I am committing to it. Will you?

Pretty vs. Smart

I had an interesting conversation with my brother in law this 4th of July regarding the old pretty vs. smart debate.  By now most people have read the How To Talk to Little Girls article that was released last July. The writer of this article basically says when we speak to little girls we should generate intelligent conversation that respects their brains, focusing more on thought provoking conversation about books and world events rather than their beauty.  Instead of starting a conversation with "Oh Sara you look gorgeous today!" we should try and say "Sara how is school going? Have you read any interesting books lately?"  

I understand the point this writer was trying to get across.  We live in a celebrity driven, botox injecting, gym rat society where most woman are consumed with how they look.  According to a study conducted last year by the New York Daily News, the average woman will spend approximately $180 per year on make-up which translates into about $13,000 a lifetime.  Now lets be honest, if you are buying MAC or Sephora products that $180 needs to be tripled. With statistics like these its no wonder this woman wants us to focus on the intellect of our young girls and not their beauty right?? Well in my opinion, wrong. While I agree that we need to fully nurture our girls brains and raise them to be highly intelligent and capable woman, we certainly cannot ignore the fact that they need to have a solid self image as well.  If you spend all of your time telling your daughter, you are smart, you are intelligent, you have an amazing brain, the first 15 year old boy that tells her she is beautiful is going to have his way with her.  We need to stop the pretty girl vs. smart girl inner battle. Girls need to have a firm foundation, knowing whole heartedly that they are beautiful, smart and kind. We need to raise a generation of girls that are confident in who they are, where they came from and what they believe in. I want my girls to know without a shadow of a doubt that they are gorgeous, highly intelligent, compassionate and capable of doing anything they want.  I need them to know this in their core.  I want them to have the highest self esteem possible!! They need to 100% believe in themselves and there capabilities.  

My goal is to raise STRONG girls:

S-smart

T-truthful

R-respecatble

O-obedient

N-nurturing

G-gorgeous 

In today's society we need STRONG girls so we will have incredible woman ready to rule this world!!

Product Review: EOS Lip Balm

Do you know what this is?

Well neither did I until last week.

And now I am obsessed.

Last week while in St. George visiting with my incredible family, I saw my sister Rae pull out an egg shaped colorful tube and rub it on her lips.  I quickly asked her what the heck she was doing and she said, "Oh you don't know about the most amazing lip balm out there??"  Um no. No one told me the world's most amazing lip balm had:

A: Been discovered

B: Is at my local Target

C: Is only $2.99!!!

So of course, being the product junkie I am, we immediately hopped in the car and went to Target so I could see what all the fuss was about.  Sure enough, there it was. And just like everyone else in the world I have fallen in love.  This lip balm is amazing for so many different reasons! Let me share just a few with you:

1. Its organic. We all know how I love an all natural product.

2. It glides on like a gloss but doesn't have that overwhelming shiny look.

3. I love the little tube it comes in!! My sister has had this balm for 6 months and it still has kept its dome shape.

4. Big bonus for me-its big enough that I won't leave it in my jean pockets. I may have a slight issue with forgetting my chapstick in my pockets and then washing/drying said clothing with the chapstick....and ruining my clothes...

So the next time you are at Target (and they also sell it at Ulta) I highly suggest you pick up one or two of these little gems!! My favorite is the mint you see pictured above, but all the scents are great!!

If you love this product as well let me know!!! The first person to leave me a comment will receive a free EOS lip balm! 

Are you a Snotsucker?

Now before you start passing judgment here me out.  

This is the NoseFrida.

Better known as the Snotsucker.

And if you have a baby or toddler I suggest you buy one...immediately.  

Because this thing is archaic.

The Nosefrida is a plastic syringe you place gently just inside your child's nostril.  Attached to the syringe is a tube with a replacable filter.  You suck the tube and all of the mucus from your child's nose shoots into the syringe.

Yes its gross.

Yes you look like a freak while doing it.

But it WORKS!! And if you are like me you will do anything to unplug your babies nose when they have a cold.  They can't breathe, which means you can't sleep and its all a vicious cycle. So at 2 am when your poor stuffy 6 month old is up crying because they are congested do what I do:

1. Drop two drops of Little Noses (or pediatric saline drops) into one nostril.

2. Place nosefrida against that nostril

3. SUCK SUCK SUCK
4. Repeat on other nostril

5. Clean Nosefrida and change filter

6. Smile because your baby can breathe

7. Go back to sleep

The Nosefrida is available online and in Utah you can buy it at Funfinity and Buy Buy Baby for $15.99.

I am a Snotsucker and proud of it.

Are you?

Product Review: Organix Moroccan Argon Oil Conditioner

Time for another product review!  This week I went in search of a new conditioner that would detangle my mess of curls.  You already know about my love for Herbal Essence Hello Hydration conditioner. The downside to that conditioner is that it is not a sulfate free conditioner.  I only use sulfate free shampoo because it does not dry out your hair. Sulfate free conditioner is also less drying, but in my experience does not work as well as traditional conditioners.  It usually does not give your hair the slip you need for the comb to gently glide through your hair during the detangling process.

Back to the product review.  After doing some research online, this conditioner got rave reviews and was available at my local Target for $7.99! Sounded like a win win solution to me so I purchased it with haste.  After shampooing my hair with Giovinni 50/50 Balanced Hydrating shampoo (MY FAVORITE!!) I sectioned my hair into 4 clips and slathered it on. The directions said to leave the conditioner on your hair for 3-5 minutes before rinsing. I left it on for 10 minutes because I have extremely thick hair and wanted to give it plenty of time to work its magic.  After 10 minutes I started the detangling process...and this is where my disappointment began. Let me start by saying my hair was extremely tangled so I knew I was in for a fight. However if you are going to be my go to conditioner you need to be with me at my worst.  This conditioner did not work for me at all.  While it is a thick conditioner and glides on easily it has no slip at all.  After applying more than half of the bottle to only 2 sections of my hair I was still fighting with tangles.  For the remaining two sections I ended up rinsing out the Organix conditioner and applying my trusty Hello Hydration and the detangling process was MUCH easier.  While I do not like this product for a detangling conditioner, I think it may have some promise as a deep conditioner.  Next week I am going to deep condition with this product and my heat cap to see if it can redeem itself. If that fails too, I'm giving it to Kelsey. 

So for right now this guy does not get the Brown Girl seal of approval.  Boo. I was really hopeful!!  If you have had success with this product please let me know! Or if you try it let me know your experience! 

TURN OFF SOCIALCAM SHARING

"Mom eats 3-week old son, says she didn't mean to"

"Man eats half of other mans face"

"Hidden Camera Girlfriend Swap"

Really people. Look its America I get it. You have the right to watch whatever vulgar, disgusting smut you want for your entertaining pleasure. But for the love of all things holy, turn off the sharing to Facebook in the Socialcam app!  I really don't want to know that you are watching a drunk girls gone wild video or worst a video of a cannibalistic man. If you want to fill your mind with that garbage you go right ahead but why should my timeline be clogged up with your vulgarity??

Watch whatever you want to. Watch it as many times as you want to. All I am asking is that you follow these simple steps to keep what you watch private. Or if you want to explain to Aunt Lucy why you like watching half naked woman wrestle you go right ahead and keep sharing.

Instructions to Turn off Socialcam Sharing:
*provided by Becky Worley*

Go to Facebook and on the left hand column under apps double-click Socialcam

Once in the Socialcam app itself, in the upper right hand corner, choose Settings.

Then in Settings, scroll down to "Auto Sharing" and unclick both the Facebook options. Scroll down again and hit SAVE.

Now save yourself some embarrassment and stop sharing your socialcam videos.

Please and thank you. 

Baby soft hands and feet

My favorite comment ever is when someone tells me I have soft hands.

I am obsessed with soft skin.

I love the look of it.

I love the feel of it.

My husband thinks my soft skin is pretty great too...

However baby soft skin only seems to only come naturally to babies.  Yes there are a few of you lucky people walking around with soft supple skin that you have to do nothing to achieve.  For the rest of us, soft skin is something we have to work on.

Dried out hands and feet is always a battle for me.  In the winter my hands are extremely dry from the cold and in the summer the bottoms of my feet are extremely dry from wearing sandals constantly.  And living in this desert climate certainly does not help. Never fear though, I have found 2 simple solutions that eradicate dry hands and feet!

Awww the magic combination. When my hands are feeling extra dry, I slather on 100% natural shea butter before bed and then put on my moisturizing gloves. When I wake up in the morning my hands feel smoother and softer than my 9 month old baby!! I purchased the gloves from the dollar store but I have seen them everywhere. They are extremely inexpensive so I recommend grabbing a few pair.  The shea butter I purchased at Good Earth, however they also sell it at Whole foods.  Beware you want to purchase 100% natural shea butter; it has a sand like consistency initially but as you work it into your hands it turns into an oily texture.  This same trick works for your feet using shea butter, vaseline or heavy hand cream/lotion and white socks.  Slather up your feet, put on the white socks and drift off to sleep. In the morning your feet will be soft and smooth.  If you have extremely dry and cracked feet, you may need to do this several nights in a row before your feet are crack free.  Once they are soft and smooth, doing the sock trick once a week will maintain your new baby soft look.

If you do not have moisturizing gloves you can use white socks on your hands!  I do the hand trick at least once a week in the winter to help prevent dry hands and combat any cracks I may get do to excessive hand washing.  Also, if you do not have shea butter, you can substitute cocoa butter, vaseline, any heavy hand cream, or lotion/body butter.  I prefer the thick stuff (shea butter or vaseline) but I think the key is keeping them covered all night to let the moisture slowly soak in.

I hope this trick helps you as much as it has helped me! Let me know if it works for you!!

Should the First Lady go natural?

I came across this picture today on Google and nearly lost my mind.

Michelle Obama rockin natural hair?! Could it be so???

Apparently not.

The image was photo shopped back in March and the Twitterverse and blogs were all a-buzz.  I of course missed it because I had a 6 month old at the time. Oh the joys of life with an infant...

Even though it was discovered that this picture was nothing more than a photoshop image, it still gave me a moment of pause.  Why won't Michelle Obama wear her natural hair?  For every black person you see with long, silky, shiny, straight hair, there are countless hours of blowdrying, flat ironing, beauty shop sitting, or weave sew ins that you don't see.  Why the fuss? Why not embrace what is naturally yours?

I struggle with this issue.  I love my naturally curly hair but I still feel most "beautiful" when I take the time to straighten it.  Since childhood, we are subconsciously taught that straight hair equals beautiful hair? How are we taught this? Every TV show, commercial, magazine cover, and advertisement has a beautiful thin woman with straight hair smiling at us. Most of the prominent black woman in our society will not wear their hair in a natural state. Is it because they too want to fit into traditional beauty standards?

I would love to see Michelle Obama where her hair in its natural state. I think it would empower black/brown woman and girls everywhere to embrace what the Lord has given us and be proud of our hair whether its curly, kinky, straight, or somewhere in between.  I'm not going to hold my breath though. The only curls we will ever see on the First Lady's head will come from a CHI curling iron.

Yes black people get sunburned.

This is Kelsey.

She is my 9 year old, smarty pants, cheerleader, dancer, funny girl.

Love her little guts.

Today while Kelsey was at cheer, a few of the girls were all talking about how sun burned they got this weekend in St. George.  Kelsey said, "I was in St. George all weekend and I didn't get burned."  Kelsey's cheerleading coach said, "well that's because you are black." Um hello ignorant. Let's clear up some facts shall we?

Fact number one: Kelsey is bi-racial not black.  Much like our President (love him or hate him) who is bi-racial, and not black.  Just because they both are brown does not exclude the fact that they both have a parent who is white.  

Fact number two: Black/Brown people can and do get sunburned.  So please protect your darker skinned children the same way you would protect your fair skinned children, by applying sunblock.

Fact number three: Kelsey did not avoid sun burn because she is bi-racial (black per her coach). She avoided sun burn because she has a mother who puts sunscreen on her!

While I realize that people with darker skin tone do not burn as easily or quickly as our fair skinned friends, it is still possible for us as a brown community to burn. More importantly we are not immune to the harmful UV rays that cause skin cancer.  

So yes black people can get sunburned. And yes it hurts and yes it peels.

Any more questions?

Once again, stepping off my soapbox....

Product Review: Yes to Carrots Nourishing Body Butter

Last week I purchased this Yes to Carrots Nourishing body butter.  You already know about my loving adoration for The Body Shop Body Butter, but since the closest Body Shop location is 30 minutes from my house I am always looking for another option that is readily available at a local Target or Walmart.  I picked this up from Target for $12.99.  Judging by the size of the jar and the amount I used everyday (about a palm sized amount for my entire body) I would say this product would last me approximately 3-4 months.  Yes to Carrots is a 98% natural product and is paraban free so it is totally safe to use on children.

Positives: It is reasonably priced as far as good quality bod butter goes. Again I realize a large bottle of Suave body lotion costs $5.99 but if you are a fellow person of color you need something with more staying power. It glides onto your skin very easily and is quickly absorbed.  You don't feel greasy or oily after and you are thorougly moisturized all day long.

Negatives: I am not a fan of the scent.  It sort has an almost baby powder aroma to it. The consistency is more lotion-y and less butter-y, know what I mean? Well in case you don't, some body butters are very firm in their consistency, almost like semi softened butter.  I enjoy that consistency far more than a more lotion-y type of consistency.  And finally this body butter does not leave my skin glowing.  My sister once told me that my legs are a shiny as a video vixen (hot girl on a music video wearing very little except a bikini) after applying my trusty Body Shop Almond Body Butter. While I am very far from a video vixen, I do like to have shiny legs.

Bottom Line: I will definitely keep this in the arsenal.  I would buy this product if a trip to the Body Shop was not in my near future and I would definitely recommend it to a friend!!

Congratulations to Melanie Brough who is the winner of a Yes to Carrots body butter! Let me know how you like it Melanie!!