#MusicMonday: When you’re in a jam, here I am

After an interesting and busy week, Mi Amor and I were chatting about how full our lives are from our friendships. We are currently working on BabyCoolJ’s guestlist for his birthday party and it became very apparent that we have some valuable people we want to celebrate with!

It wasn’t but 2 years ago that we were utterly lonely from not having friends. Sure, we knew a lot of people, but genuine friends are hard to come by. I watch kids and it is always so amazing to see how they can make friends so easily. What a blessing that is! As adults it is so much more challenging. But, when you snag a good one, it is worth cherishing.

I say it often but I can’t say it enough – since staying home with BabyCoolJ, I have been immensely blessed by new friendships. And not those catty, judgy kind everyone jokes about in mom groups. Nope, this is my mom tribe. Well, I have several! You see, I’ve always had different groups of friends-it’s probably the only child in me. I need enough activity to entertain my busy lifestyle and friends play a vital role in that. When I worked, my work friends were enough, especially after the birth of my child. Life just gets too busy, too messy and too hard to nurture friendships, especially new ones. But now that I am home, my life has made some amazing transitions.

I really fell in love with the song “Friendship” by Ray Charles – the lyrics are so funny, but I appreciate his way of sharing what a true friendship looks like. And it’s who I want to be: if you are in a jam, here I am. No matter what.

#MusicMonday: I’m not the kind of girl that gives up

Last week a girl from my church’s Bible study organized a care calendar for a family in need. Their sweet 5-year-old daughter was in and out of the hospital, and we rallied together to support the family. So, I signed up to leave dinner on Friday.

What you don’t know about me is I don’t cook. In fact, when I first met my husband I told him, “Just so you know, I went to college so I never have to cook.” Little did I know that I would eventually be home with our kiddo, slaving over a stove 3 times a day! Seriously though, it brings me joy to prepare meals for BabyCoolJ…key word: prepare. As in, toss together and heat up. I am still no cook.

My heart broke for this family, especially the mom – I can’t imagine what she’s going through or how difficult life must be. She should not have to spend any time worrying about food. So, even though I knew it would be tough, I signed up for the meal proudly. Then, Friday came.

Whoa, what had I gotten myself into! It’s funny because, while I never felt disappointed for signing up, I sure did feel anxious about getting it right. I made two batches of Million Dollar Spaghetti – easy enough, right? Well – I ran 45 minutes behind, layered the stuff incorrectly, and at one point when I was boiling, stirring and pouring 3 different items simultaneously, my toddler decided to sneeze on me…with a mouth full of crackers. That’s right – my legs and dress were full of snot and snack, while my hands were full of sauce and spaghetti. (And yes, I was in a dress because I went to a scam interview and still hadn’t changed – remember I was behind!!)

 

I didn’t get to capture my mess, so you get this cute kitchen shot instead!

 

But I didn’t give up. I wiped my legs, washed up and kept going. I made it the family’s house an hour after I said I would, but I am so glad I didn’t give up. The look on their faces…the appreciation…and their daughter’s excitement! What a blessing. They don’t even know that THEY blessed ME in this whole scenario!

And, because we all know Satan loves to attack when we’re working for Christ, I had a rough drive back, including a big truck cutting me off and making me swerve and slam on my breaks. In that moment, I prayed. I prayed instead of cursing, I thanked God that I was driving home to a happy and healthy toddler instead of hating on the truck driver. And that, my friends, is why we should never give up. Not just on a project or recipe, but on our faith.

Lisa’s Loves: what I heart in May

Y’all, what a great month! Amazing things happened in my faith, I’ve enjoyed every moment with BabyCoolJ, and we celebrated Mi Amor’s 40th birthday with a mini-getaway to San Antonio! Whew, who knew I’d be enjoying life so much just a few months ago!

I wanted to share my favorite things I tried or picked up in May. I’ve been dabbling with new makeup (moving from Sephora-only to exploring Target and ULTA options, too!). I picked up a few outfits that made my heart go pitter-patter, and I scored an awesome pair of shoes.

So, let’s get to it! Nothing below is sponsored, however, my last item is a bonus from my new business line.

Here’s what topped my list of loves this month:

L’Oreal Magic Skin Beautifier BB Cream: This is one of my favorite purchases in 2017! And it has converted me back into drugstore makeup. I picked this up not really knowing anything about it but because I like L’Oreal in general, I thought I’d give it a shot. I can’t believe how great this actually works, I’ve already gotten so many people into it including my mom! It makes my skin look flawless while still looking very natural. Being a stay-at-home mom now, I don’t want to wear a full-face most days. This does the trick to make sure that my skin looks even, while still looking very natural. I don’t want my face to look too made up when I’m in yoga pants! It lasts all day, and I highly recommend this to anyone looking for a natural look that can hide redness, uneven skin and blemishes.

Forever21+ Romper: Forever21 totally redeemed themselves in the junior plus department after I visited their store at the North Star Mall in San Antonio. The plus section is really large, which isn’t usually the case at most locations. And I picked up my very first romper (post elementary years) and it fit so well! Even though I just bought it last weekend, they don’t have them on their site so I included a link to all rompers. If you’re a plus size gal, don’t discount them just yet!

Pacifica Sea Foam Complete Face Wash and Coconut Water Micellar Cleansing Tonic: These are amazing, especially together! I’ve been using Murad for years (and DoTerra Verage for a year) but wanted to try something a little more in my budget. While I still have a heart for Murad, these products are amazing. And, the SMELL! I’m transported back to Tulum, Mexico every morning and evening. I’ve been using since early May and have noticed my skin is softer and less oily. I don’t have the best routine, but I wash my face in the evening and use the tonic in the morning. Love, love, love!

Luv Betsey by Betsey Johnson Crossbody Bag: I found this gem on a quick run to Ross, and it was exactly what I was looking for! I had seen a Kate Spade bag I was swooning over that could fit my phone and functions as a wallet, but with a nearly $200 price tag I quickly closed my browser window, deleted my history and pretended I never laid eyes on it. Then that same evening I found this! This is a great bag for my mommy-busy-life, and I can quickly stick it in BabyCoolJ’s backpack or keep it as a wallet in one of my nice (forgotten) handbags. This will definitely be used all summer, and maybe beyond!

Soda Haway shoes at Charlotte Russe: I don’t see these on their site, but I am totally in love. I scored these for $25 last week and they are my new summer go-to’s! As are most Soda shoes, they aren’t high quality or super comfortable, but for the price and how trendy they are these shoes were definitely a great score.

Also, we stopped at H&M on our way back from San Antonio, and I’ve gotta tell you I totally dig their toddler clothes! BabyCoolJ always scores when we shop.

Last but SO not least is the Ruby Ribbon Lace Full Support Cami. I’ve been using Ruby Ribbon since April 2016, but just discovered this gem in May! My mom gifted it to me in hopes that I’d host a trunk show, and it ended up being such a great event! For full disclosure, you should know I have signed on to be a stylist. But this recommendation is sincere – out of all the camis I have tried, this is by far my favorite. And I can’t help but also promote something I’ll be selling! (Check out my Facebook Group to join the fun!) I love this particular cami because it hugs a little tighter, keeps my back a little straighter and helps keep my breasts perky all day long (no bra!)!

So, there you have it! While I tried multiple products, bought a few items and really liked a lot of them, these are by far my favs!