Rekindle the light of fixing up our place..

So right now, I have sooo much work to do but I just can't get myself to do any of it. I think I have that afternoon coma, plus I'm on my second cup of coffee and I'm just exhausted. (Thanks to Trent screaming all night)

Yesterday, I was browsing the internet like I always do and I came across a home that is the identical layout of ours except it looks like a model home. It really ignited my interest in fixing up our place. It's an on again and off again idea that I've entertained but due to financial reasons and just lack of time we never get around to it. We've lived in our condo now for 3 years. We always talk about fixing it up even though it's not ours. Then it goes to this debate of, well we have no money to fix it up and secondly it's not ours. My thing is, I know it's not ours but as long as we stay here we should make it our home. It's not that I don't like our place, because I love it for now but one thing I wish we were able to do was make it newer. Do a couple updates, paint it, fix up some of the stuff..decorate. I like when you move into a new place and everything's fresh. Fresh paint, fresh carpet, clean..it feels like new. We never really got that. We just kinda moved in and settled in with whatever it is that we have. It's much harder to try and do all that when you're already moved in.

But seeing pictures of this place really gave me the mojo to fix it up. I mean, this place looks amazing and we could definitely make it look similar to that!

First off, this place had a patio cover. THAT WOULD BE AWESOME! Our place is always sunny. From sun up to sun down it's shining on some part of our place and it gets hot very quickly. I would love to be able to have a patio cover that provides some sort of shade, maybe hang some plants and some lights..

This place has brand new cabinets it seems and it really just makes the kitchen feel long and new! We have really nice granite at our place now, but our cabinets are in bad shape and it needs some new hardware and paint. These are such little things we could do that would make a huge difference! I also REALLY wanted to get a microwave for above our stove. That would be such a space saver. We use to have ours on the counter but it took up so much space. So now we have it on a kitchen cart but that takes up space in our dining area!

I love that this place has hardwood flooring..whether it's hardwood or laminate I love it. It really makes the place feel clean. Our carpet is in really bad shape no matter how we try to clean it. I keep telling Brandon we should just do laminate throughout the living room and hallways! The upside is that we actually use that extra space in the living room where they have their dining table as part of the living room. We put the kids toys there. Plus, we have a big bulky sectional. I like that their couch makes the place seem bigger, but our sectional is great for entertaining.

They have a fireplace in their place and we don't. We do however have one of those electric fireplaces in the bedroom and I told Brandon we should move it to the living room. Yes, it kind of takes up a lot of space but  I would put it right where their fireplace is. I think it would really make it homey!

Okay, here is one HUGE thing that I noticed in this place that I definitely want for ours. They have DOORS to hide the washer and dryer. I am so going to make Brandon put doors in. One, it'll shield some of the noise and two it really makes the house seem a lot neater!

They also have a hanging lamp in the kitchen and that's where we have our dining table. I think that would add a nice little flare to our dining space!

I like how they have cabinets instead on the left side of the counter. We have an empty space which is kind of nice, you can put a stool under and sit there to apply your make-up. But, we never do that and it would be nice because we already have limited cabinet space..or maybe we can have a double sink?? :) I also really like that they have sliding glass doors for the shower.

Now that I've seen how nice this place is, it revives my hope of making our place look brand new like that. I'm motivated to pick out some paint colors first. Brandon said after we paint the place we can put in doors for the washer and dryer section. Maybe we just have to actually go and start it, then it'll get the ball rolling!

Urban Decay Mini-Haul!

I've gotten these gems for a while now but I'm so busy I never get to blog about it! Eventually, it's been so long I'm over it but I ABSOLUTELY LOOOOOVE my new products so much I HAVE to rave about them!

First off, I usually never pay full price for my stuff unless it's been a part of my daily ritual. So for me to experiment on new stuff, I usually get them when they're on sale. Yes, I'm a mom on a budget

First off, I am not a person of change. I always stick with the same colors even when I try to venture. I totally took a risk this time and got colors that I would find intimidating. These blushes are my new addition. I've pretty much abandoned all of the other ones I have. I read such great reviews on these and now I know what they're talking about! They are extremely blendable and I think it leaves a very natural glow. It's so hard to explain but it's just like a blush of color. Quickie is defiitely my favorite. It's not as sheer as the other colors and it's my daily go-to. It does give you a little flushed look of after you've had a quickie ;) Bang is VERY bright red when you look at it, but when you put it on, it's more sheer and blends on easily. It really doesn't not leave a dramatic color like you would think. Greedy is sheer as well and it gives you more of a little tint. Overall, I am obsessed with these blushes and if I could I would get them all!

I saw this "De-slick in a Tube" was on sale and read really great reviews about it so I decided to try it. Lately, I feel SO GREASY by the end of the day. It's getting pretty bad. I think it's because I changed my moisturizer. The de-slick does work really well and kind of leaves a tacky type texture after put it on which causes it to see matte. But, I still find myself greasy at the end of the day just maybe not as much. They say you can wear it under your foundation or use it when you do get greasy over your foundation and it won't remove it. 

Next is another "De-Slick" product. It's a face mist that you use before and after your foundation. The thing is I don't wear foundation so I've been using it before my moisturizer and after my make-up is done as a setting mist. I don't really think it makes my face matte throughout the day. I honestly don't feel much of anything. I have to try it I guess maybe as a "later in the day" spray and see if it extracts the oil.

I got a free sample of their eyeshadow primer potion. It kind of reminds me of a face primer but for your lids. It gives you a silky feeling and it's quite nice. Less heavy and thick as the other primers which I think is key for asian eyes, especially since my eyelids tends to get oily.

 Lastly, I got the "Lip Junkie" in Runway. I've been into glosses again lately. I still hate myself after wearing it because it's so damn sticky! But, it's the only way I can get the perfect mixture of color and moisture. I do like the color a lot and I don't think it's anything special. I think almost all lipglosses are the same no matter what they say. I think I should've gone with a more daring color to feel more satisfaction but this was the only color on sale.

Here is a picture of me using the Runway gloss and the Quickie!

In this picture I'm wearing BANG! It's really hard to tell the difference to be honest. Unless you see it in person. but it does look a lot more beautiful in person.

Pityriasis Rosea

Finally, I find a minute to blog but with my luck Trent will wake up from his nap right now.

I've been having an ongoing skin issue for the last 3 weeks. It started maybe even before that with this tiny little red spot on my left knee that itched and has spread to about the size of a quarter. At first I thought nothing of it. Just maybe some dry skin and irritation got bigger and bigger. Then one day, during notary class I was just kind of scratching my back and neck..next thing you know I start seeing more little red spots on my back and neck. They started off small, maybe the size of a regular bug bite and it just becomes bigger and bigger. I went to see the doctor for a cold I had for over 2 weeks. I knew by then something was infected. Turns out I had a sinus infection..while I was there I casually asked her about this spot on my knee and told her I was starting to get little spots on my back too. She looked at it and told me it looks like ringworm, without studying the other ones and that I could get some OTC anti-fungal cream. Well I used that stuff for over 10 days and it just got worse and worse. It spread to my abdomen, neck, more of my back, armpits and I thought maybe it was just from scratching that it spread my ringworm. Even though it was something contagious, no one else in my family had gotten it and Brandon and I share towels and sheets.

I casually asked Trent's pediatrician at his 9 month check-up (I know I can't believe he's 9 months old!) and she said that doesn't look like ringworm, it wouldn't spread like that and I would've seen results by now if I've been using the cream. So finally, about a week later I brought Chase to see the doctor to make sure he didn't have an ear infection and I had the doctor examine me as well. She told me it looks like pityriasis rosea. SAY WHAT?!? She gave me this handout on it and it explained exactly what it was and my symptoms. It starts off as just one patch and it after a two weeks or so you'll see more usually on the abdomen. The rash usually lasts 6-8 weeks but it can last up to several months..

Great, at least I kind of know what the hell is wrong with me. I kept putting on anti-fungal cream and hydrocortisone and I have so much of it that I might as well wear it as a body lotion! I'm SOOOOOO itchy it's crazy. I've never been so itchy in my life and it's just everywhere. I've switched the baby wash and using Cetaphil. Nothing cures it, it resolves on its own but I guess there are ways to irritate it less. Every year I feel like I experience some type of skin issues. Ever since I got pregnant with Chase, my skin has been super sensitive. I had some sort of skin infection before and my whole body was covered with these pimple looking things and I ended up having to use some steroid cream on it because it's dangerous for pregnant women. I still don't see improvement, if anything I feel like it's still spreading. Always in summer time, how am I ever suppose to wear a bathing suit!