Month: May 2014
Finish This Link Up: Week 20
Welcome to Week 20 of Finish This! If you’re new to these parts, welcome. This link-up is hosted by NICOLE (Three 31) LISA (Coastlined), JEN (The Arizona Russums), & me aka BECKY (The Java Mama) and we’re so glad you’re here. If you’ve joined us before, thanks for returning! Be sure to add your post to the link-up. If you don’t have a blog, don’t worry. Simply answer the prompts in a comment. Next week’s prompts are at the bottom of this post.
My favorite recipe is …In the summer it’s the recipe for Chili’s salsa. I could eat it on just about anything. Of course I love to bake even more so than cooking.The recipe is below:
Ingredients:
2 cans (14.5 oz each) whole tomatoes, drained
3-4 canned, whole jalapenos (not pickled)
1 yellow onion, quartered
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons lime juice
1 yellow onion, quartered
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons lime juice
Directions:
Place all of the ingredients together into a food processor or blender and puree until smooth. Serve with tortilla chips.
Place all of the ingredients together into a food processor or blender and puree until smooth. Serve with tortilla chips.
I believe in …
TRUE LOVE. My man candy is my Ter-Bear. We were married very young…but there is no one else I would rather spend this life journey with. I truly believe he was hand-picked by God for me 🙂
I need to set boundaries …
On my time. I have horrible time management skills and my brain is constantly running with things to do and projects I’m dreaming up. I am a creative person and I am constantly swirling around….it’s hard to stop and take a breather sometimes. Honestly, I wouldn’t have it any other way. I makes me who I am.
Although…I do need to set boundaries and say “NO” every now and then.
I began living when …
May 30, 1981
Eeek! I’ll be 33 in 9 days! Who’s counting anymore? I live each day the best I can. I can’t say I had an “Aaaahaaaa” moment at any point. I just try to live each day to the fullest and be kind to others. Set an example & live for God.
Prompts for WEEK 21 (May 28) are:
The best mistake I ever made …
From this mistake, I learned …
When I’m anxious, I tell myself …
All I really want to do is …
Simple Skin Care Routine + Win a Complete Skin Care Set!
I participated in this sponsored campaign on behalf of One2One Network. All opinions stated are my own.
As I’m getting older my skin care routine has drastically changed. Instead of worrying about acne, I’m now focused on sun protection and anti-wrinkle products. Most importantly, I want to use products that leave my skin feeling clean and healthy.
I have a birthday coming up next week (I don’t really HAVE birthdays anymore…) but ya know I’m very much mid-thirties now and my skin isn’t want it used to be. I’m noticing fine lines and keeping my skin protected from the sun is a major priority.
I recently tried a great new line of products from Simple Skin Care. They surveyed women across the top 40 cities nationwide & the results are crazy! I had to do a double-take on my own skin care routine! They discovered that women in the top 40 cities nationwide don’t realize the wear and tear their everyday lifestyle may be having on the health and appearance of their skin.
Living in a large metro area like DFW I know there are environmental factors I can’t control. When I drive home and see signs on the freeway that say “Ozone level Orange: Limit Outdoor Activity” it scares me. From grit and grime to dirt and drama, city living can make all skin sensitive. That is why Simple® Skincare, a range of facial products that is sensitive to skin’s needs, is launching “Kind to City Skin” – a global initiative designed to help women understand the impact that city living – both environmental and lifestyle-related factors – can have on their faces.
I know I can’t control everything that affects my skin, but I can do something to help prevent the effect the environment has on it.
I absolutely love these Facial Cleansing Wipes from Simple Skin Care. They are so easy to pop in a bag and contain no harsh chemicals, perfumes, or dyes.
Check out he survey results below:
Holistic Skincare Habits across the Country:
◾While most women are already aware of skin-irritating behaviors to avoid, such as excessive sun exposure or a diet rich in salty foods, a new survey* reveals a surprising truth –
◾Nearly 9 in 10 (89%) women describe their skin care habits as “healthy,” yet their actual behaviors (a snapshot below) show there is room for improvement.
◾A Surprising Cleansing Calendar – More than a quarter (27%) report that the longest they’ve gone without washing their face is at least two days. Simple® makes implementing a cleansing regimen a cinch with gentle yet effective facial cleansers and wipes to remove grime and dirt that can clog pores and cause irritation.
◾Being Attentive to the Elements – Fifty-nine percent (59%) are not actively trying to protect skin from environmental elements such as the sun or wind. Women can apply Simple® Protecting Light Moisturizer with SPF 15 to help them prevent damage from sunburn (even on cloudy days).
◾A Serving of Glowing Skin – Though half (50%) claim they’re striving for a healthy diet specifically to keep skin in good shape, thousands of women are missing out on certain foods that could work wonders on skin, such as Brussels sprouts (68%), walnuts (62%), salmon (57%) and avocados (56%).
◾The (Skin) Effects of Stress – Sixty-three percent (63%) know that their stress level affects the health of their skin, yet more than half (53%) are not actively trying to reduce it right now. Making a dedicated effort to unplug and unwind can make skin less permeable to external factors like weather and makeup.
◾The Beauty Benefits of Working Out – One in two (50%) are unaware that exercise can influence their skin’s health. Exercise increases blood flow and helps flush cellular debris out of one’s system – contributing to the overall appearance of skin.
◾Simple® also uncovered which major markets are ahead of the curve when it comes to holistic skin care habits.
◾The majority (52%) of women in San Francisco are trying to eat skin-loving food that is organic, produced locally, or farm-to-table.
◾More than 6 in 10 (63%) women in Hartford (CT) are trying to limit the amount of time they spend using electronic devices.
◾It is most common for women in Grand Rapids (33%) and Detroit (32%) to ride bikes on at least a monthly basis.
Eye makeup is my LEAST favorite thing to remove. These worked great and removed all my shadow and mascara. I have really sensitive eyes & these worked wonderfully!
ENTER TO WIN A COMPLETE SKIN CARE PACKAGE FROM SIMPLE SKIN CARE:
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(6) full-size Simple® Skincare products – ARV $53
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Simple Ultra-Light Gel Moisturizer ($10.99
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Simple Nourishing 24-Hour Day/Night Cream ($10.99)
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Simple Protecting Light Moisturizer with SPF 15 ($10.99)
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Simple Cleansing Facial Wipes ($5.99)
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Simple Eye Make-up Remover Pads ($6.99)
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Simple Foaming Facial Wash ($6.99)
ENTER USING RAFFLECOPTER BELOW:
A Little Vacation
I had a much-needed week-long vacation last week. Saturday morning Connor and I loaded up and headed for Arkansas to visit family and friends. He was SO good in the car! We only stopped once for a potty break and then the rest of the time he watched movies on the IPad. The next day we celebrated mother’s day at my Mom & Dad’s house. It was a crazy feeling to not have a computer all week, but sort of nice too 🙂
Here are the boys…they sure are growing up fast! Jarrett + Connor = BFF
Connor & I on Mother’s Day
Thursday my Mom took off work and we got mani/pedis. I haven’t had one of those in FOREVER! It was so nice & good to spend some one on one time with my Mommy. My friend Sara and I also went out to dinner one night and saw “Moms Night Out”. It was SO good! I highly recommend it! I was laughing so hard I cried.
On Friday we headed out to the farm to see Nannie and attend my cousin Lindsey’s graduation party. I can’t believe my little flower girl is graduating high school….oh how time flies!
Connor LOVES the farm and playing with Nannie’s new cat Bella.
I think all the photos do most of the talking…but isn’t the farm just a beautiful place! Next time we go those two above will be getting married next month!
Now it’s back to the daily grind…I’ve got a serious case of the Mondays. Why is it always so hard to come back to work after you’ve been gone more than a couple of days!
Hope you are all doing well…..
xo Becky
Figleaves: It’s Swimsuit Season! #MC
“I participated in an Influencer Activation on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Figleaves.com. I received product samples to facilitate my review as well as a promotional item to thank me for my participation.”
It’s officially summer time and I just got something I haven’t bought in over four years. If you do the math that is before Connor was born….sigh. It’s a swimsuit. Let’s be honest, I don’t exactly love shopping for swimsuits. Something about standing in front of the mirror with all my lovely lady lumps being accentuated isn’t fun.
I was looking for something that didn’t say “MOM” all over it. Thankfully, I found what I was looking for at Figleaves.com. I found a flattering swimsuit that I felt comfortable in and flattered my figure.
I chose this magenta and navy and white striped halter suit. I love the colors and the clean design of this suit. It’s super flattering and comfortable too.
Figleaves.com has over 200 designs of lingerie, swimwear, apparel, and sleepwear.
The most important thing to me is that I felt good in it too. Connor’s at the age now where he’s wanting to go to the pool and water parks. So, I’m excited to wear my new suit this summer and have some fun in the sun!
My favorite thing about this swimsuit is the neckline. The v-neck is very flattering and the halter design is one of my favorites.
If you’re like me & it’s been awhile since you’ve bought a swimsuit I highly recommend Figleaves.com. They have so many designs & styles to choose from. No matter what shape you are, I’m positive you’ll find something that flatters your figure. Check out more styles & deals from Figleaves.com on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.
From May 1-June 15
Save 10% on any full-priced order at Figleaves.com with code LOVE2014 at checkout.
Five on Friday
This week has been crazy busy with stuff to do…so I’m anxiously awaiting our vacation to Arkansas next week! Yay! I haven’t been home since Christmas and I’m so ready to see my family.
1. Connor’s class photo 2014
2. One of Connor’s favorite shows, Chuggington, has a traintastic new movie out called Chuggington: Explorer Koko. The latest Chuggington release from Anchor Bay Entertainment features six action-packed episodes that bring exciting adventures to young fans everywhere. Super cute movie y’all!
3. We celebrated Mother’s day a little bit early with Terence’s family last weekend. It was a beautiful windy day and all the kids had fun playing outside 🙂 We had some good food, including a Petit Jean Ham that was delicious!
4. I’ve had so much fun shooting Mommy & Me shoots this past weekend…here are a few sneak peeks I’ve posted:
5. My and my baby on a HAPPY FRIDAY #selfieaday Instagram post 🙂
Seattle’s Best Coffee WINNERS + Senior Session Photo Special
Seattle’s Best Coffee Winners:
(I’ll be emailing you or you can email me at beckylbranch@gmail.com)
Please, please, please, leave some way to contact you if you’re leaving a comment…especially if it’s for a contest or giveaway! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve chosen a winner & they left me no way to get back in touch with them.
OK——WINNERS VIA RANDOM.ORG ARE:
1. BRANDY (NO EMAIL)
2. DOLLY M. (NO EMAIL)
3. KELLY K. (NO EMAIL)
4. SARAH K. (I HAVE YOUR EMAIL!)
5. LESLIE ( NO EMAIL)
Please refer to this post to check out entries.
Also, if you are interest in Senior or family portraits I’m running a special right now! I’ll be in Arkansas next week- so Arkansas friends get in touch with me 🙂