It's tax time...

I bet you can't guess my favorite time of year.  It's not Christmas, not spring, not Halloween, not Thanksgiving.... it's TAX TIME!  I love that the government "generously" gives me some of my hard earned cash back.  And it seems like every year my hubby and I decide to take a vacation around the same time.  Tonight we're going to get our taxes done so we can get that money and plan our last minute trip to Florida.  Some people like to pay bills off and such, but we like to visit his family.  That's all for today... it's Monday after all.  There is a big snow storm headed our way so it's likely I'll be working from home tomorrow and Wednesday... but we'll see what mother nature decided to dump on us.  Happy Monday!

Sunday Funday!

Today was a lot of fun.  I cleaned the house, got ready and then went shopping with my mom.  Afterwards we went to see Black Swan with my sister.  I'm just sitting down to some ramen noodles and wanted to get my blog done for the day.  So, that's it.  Have a great week!

Book on the Nook!

Picture this, if you will:

It's Christmas morning, 8am.  I have a cup of hot cocoa in hand and my sister and I have passed out all the presents to their designated owners.  Just one month earlier I had given my list out and it was mostly make-up items, a scarf, some gloves, and a few gift cards.  I was so excited for the gift opening that was about to ensue.  My hubby and I had gotten my sister new car speakers and she had no idea - I couldn't wait to see her face!  We had gotten my mom a gift card to her favorite spa for a facial and we'd collaborated with my sister and got my dad a new car stereo.  No one had a clue what we'd gotten them and that makes the face of the gift opener that much more special.  


My sister had the best reaction of everyone... it was sheer surprise, jaw to the floor, wide eyed.  She had absolutely no idea and was so grateful to have the new speakers!  But she knew what I was getting and insisted I open a long rectangular package first.  I opened it up and inside was a NOOK!  I had to think about it for a second because it was not something I had asked for and was not expecting it.  Below are pics from Christmas morn and me reading my Nook.  I absolutely love it!


For those of you that aren't familiar, it's an electronic reader.  It's about the width of my iPhone and it's about as big as a larger greeting card.  There were a few book options already loaded in and it's Wifi ready so you can purchase other books directly to the Nook.  It took me a few times to get used to all the settings and options, but it's a really great gift.  Plus you can connect to the web were there's Wifi so I can go on facebook or check my email too!  Right now I'm readying The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, Pretty Little Liars - book 2, and I read US Weekly... and can't wait to read more!

Photo Friday...

Oh geez... I missed a blog post yesterday!  I actually felt guilty about it - even though I don't have very many readers.  It was my personal goal to post a blog a day.  It was such a busy day.  I had an early morning start at work because I had an eye appointment on my lunch which turned into me being gone for 2.5 hours.  Then I had dinner with my dad and we watched Idol and by the time I got home, I was so tired I fell right asleep.  It's been a great week though... lots of yummy meals from my Biggest Loser cookbook, great week at work, new contacts, getting to see my god daughter, and tomorrow is the hubby's company party at the Crowne Plaza.  Good Times!

1/22 - Tired after a long day of cleaning, shopping, and ear piercing

1/23 - Taken by my hubby on Packer Sunday Funday

1/24 - Successful shopping spree @ Fashion Bug!

1/25 - Yummy... shrimp quesadillas

1/26 - Snuggled in bed with my hubby

1/27 - New contacts... in this weird new case with some special solution for better cleaning

1/28 - Playing with my god-daughter

A yummy post... Shrimp Quesadillas

I have been making more and more meals from my Biggest Loser Cookbook that I got for Christmas.  I've made Hula Pizza, Tarragon Chicken with Goat Cheese (and sweet potatoes), and yesterday I made Shrimp Quesadillas.  They were delicious and I wanted to share the recipe with everyone.


SHRIMP QUESADILLAS

• 2 tsp Cocktail Sauce
• 2 tsp fat-free sour cream
• Olive Oil Spray
• 3 ounces cooked peeled bay shrimp (about 1/2 cup); drained -> I used frozen shrimp and followed the thawing instructions in the morning
• 1 - 7.5 inch multigrain or whole wheat tortilla
• 1/3 cup Light Cheddar Cheese 
• Optional: chopped cilantro

In a small bowl, mix the cocktail sauce and sour cream.  

Place a small nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  When hot, spray with the Olive Oil Spray and add the shrimp.  Cook for 1-2 minutes just to remove the excess moisture and heat the shrimp.

Place a large nonstick skill, large enough for the tortilla, over medium heat and add the tortilla.  Sprinkle about the half the cheese over the tortilla and add the cilantro.  Put the shrimp on half the tortilla and top with the remaining cheese.  Fold the bare half over the shrimp and cook for 1-2 minutes.  Carefully turn over and cook on the other side for 1-2 minutes.  Please the quesadilla on a plate and cut in half.  Top with the cocktail sauce made earlier.  This makes 1 serving.  ENJOY!

About ready to flip

Yummy... all set to eat

Close up... see all that yummy cheese, shrimp, and cilantro?

Make-Up Collection...This is not hoarding - Part 2

Now for... the make-up.  I was always a bareMinerals user, like I've said, but I'm trying new things lately.  I went to a CCO (Cosmetics Company Store) and purchased a MAC eye shadow and Paint Pot and loved them.  So, I branched out and purchased more items.  I regularly use my Painterly Paint Pot and All That Glitters eye shadow.  Here are some pictures and info.

All my make-up (except lip products) fits into this one carry case.  It's a Sonia Kashuk, from Target.

The top portion holds a pencils and misc items

The bottom portion is my other face and eye items

Here's what was in the top part:  Old Sonia Kashuk compact that I use as a mirror, Tweezerman Tweezers, Brow Brush, Wet N' Wild eye shadow palette, Urban Decay 24/7 Liner Pencils (Electric, Underground, and Zero), NYX Liner Pencil (White Pearl), and NYX Jumbo Eye Shadow Pencils (Cottage Cheese, Iced Mocha, and Pots & Pans) 

Inside the case are my face products.  I have Revlon Foundation, a Too Faced concealer, some bareMinerals face products, Maybelline Dream Mousse Blush, MAC Cream Blush, ELF Blush, bareMinerals Busom Lashline, and some ELF all over face products

My eye products

MAC Paint Pot (Painterly), Benefit Cream Shadow (Birthday Suit), BM Liner Shadow in Soft Black, BM in Chenille, BM in Cultured Pearl, BM in Vanilla Sugar

BM in Nude Beach, BM in Rose Petal, BM in Pebble, BM in Passionate Plum, BM in Red Velvet, BM in Tiramisu, and BM in Chocolate Fondue

LEFT: ELF Blush in Candid Coral; MIDDLE: Top - BM Warmth, BM Clear Radiance, Middle - BM Compatibles in Joyous Jennifer & Sorbet, BM Blush in Giddy Pink, and Bottom - BM samples in Beauty and Golden Gate; RIGHT: MAC Cream Blush in Sweet William, Maybelline Dream Mousse Blush in Peach Sation

MAC Shadow Palette: TOP - Scene, Brule, All That Glitters; BOTTOM - Knight, Woodwinked, Sable

All my lip products - I'm not going to list all of them, but the glass jar is a MAC Paint Pot in Girl Friendly (I love the color tapped on my lips lightly).  On top is a Wet N' Wild lipstick and a Sephora one, 2 ELF lip stains, 3 Menthol lip glosses from B&BW, a Kat Von D gloss, MAC glass, 2 BM Buxom glosses, a Smashbox gloss, and Urban Decay lip stain, and then a Maybellone gloss and 2 small Tarte glosses

Make-up Collection... This is not hoarding - Part 1

Late last night, I couldn't sleep because I was too excited about the PACKERS GOING TO THE SUPERBOWL.  So, I thought I would start a make-up mini series.  My husband, my mom, and my sister think I have "an addiction" but I have to disagree.  I think it's normal for a women to have the amount of make-up and coordinating brushes as I do.  I'm now posting my make-up collection to see what other women think... and I'm doing this in 2 parts (brushes and make-up).


My collection started about 7 years ago when I began wearing bareMinerals.  I honestly can't even remember what I did before bareMinerals.  In the last year, I have been watching a lot more beauty guru videos on Youtube and that has contributed to my collection as well.  There is a use for every brush in my collection.  Ok, maybe not every one.  Some of them I like to have and find a use for.  


My brushes are mostly bareMinerals and the rest are ELF.  I'm saving up for a Sigma brush set right now.  I want to replace my brushes that have begun shedding and also since I'm wearing liquid foundation now, I would like to have a Duo Fiber brush for giving the foundation an airbrushed look.  Anyways... here we go!

This is my little section of our dresser.  My brushes were in a bag but I just cleaned them and moved them to these glasses for now.

The taller brushes are in the larger glass and the smaller brushes and items I reach for most are in the smaller glass.

A view of my brushes from the top

Close up

I'm not going to list every brush, but the top row are face brushes and Sonia Kashuk Eye Lash Curler, the bottom row are eye brushes and the items on the end are my quick grabs

Eye Lash Curler and Quick Grabs (Revlon Age Defying Concealer, Revlon Colorstay Lip Liner in Natural, MAC Lipstick in Myth, and MAC Dazzleglass in Local Colour)