Fall Back Fashion

Welp, the Cubs won a World Series, and I'm finally getting around to blogging again so Hell must have frozen over. I kid, I kid. Actually I just used that extra hour last night to blog, so you're welcome.  I am well aware that I am about 2 months overdue to share the goods from my Vegas market trip.  The good news is Anna and I tore up the town and picked up all the latest trends for Fall 2016.  The better news is, Fall isn't quite over yet it's not too late for you to Fall back into some killer fashion.

So what are the trends?!  Well bust out those bodysuits and tie a flannel around your waist because the 90's are back in the most badass of ways.  I hope you saved those chokers and your doc martins cause I'm about to get "my so called life" on your ass.

Chokers.  Love 'em or hate 'em but they are BAAAAACK.  Lace chokers, leather chokers, even those awful plastic chokers that look like a bad barbed wire tattoo.  All of them are back.   The new twist is a layered look with a long wrap choker. 

If Jared Leto can make a choker look this hot, you can too, my friend, you can too. 

Bodysuits.  No joke. Snap that b#tch under your hoooha and suck it in.   The tighter the better.   The lower the cut, the better.  No modesty here, ladies.  If you can pull this off, do it!  I mean this trend only comes around every 15 years!  Who knows what your body is going to look like the next time these puppies come back in style.   Just don't wear them under your Starter Jersey, we're not quite there yet, kay?

Crushed Velvet.   I'm crushing hard on this velvet jacket which just arrived in Fira this week!   I feel like Rickey Vasquez would approve.  Plus It makes me want to put on some Prince and dance around my house. Purple rain, purple rain.  RIP. 

I'm also swooning over this velvet dress with the v cut out detail.  It's all in the details ladies. 

Flannels.  Plaid flannels in every shape and size.   Yes! My obsession with starring in a Guns N Roses can now be played out on a daily basis.  

This Fall isn't just about buffalo plaid, any plaid goes.   Strap on that body suit, wrap a flannel around your waist and call it a comeback... a 90's comeback.    

Double Buckle Western Belts.  I'm not talking about your size of Texas cowboy buckle but you'll make an even bigger statement with a Western inspired double buckle belt.   Wear with a great pair of high waisted jeans and BAM! You'll be feeling like a rockstar (or a roadie) in no time. 

Floor length cardigans and kimonos.  I don't know what it is but something about a floor length sweater makes me feel like a superhero. I scored one from Forever 21 (ya I still shop there at 29...errr 30 something) and wore it to work with a crop top.   Just kidding, while the crop top is making a comeback, I wore my floor length cardigan with a tank dress and I felt like I could conquer the world.  I even had a random guy in the elevator tell me "I like your... *pause*..." pointing to my sweater.  Ya, he didn't know what to call it either but I call it just plain rad. 

Laces Out.   Lace ups are trending everywhere from shirts, bodysuits, and even Denim.   Fira has plenty of these gems to choose from. 

So there you go.  A look into a few of my favorite finds at market for Fall.  I'll leave you with this last My So Called Life quote "Sometimes it seems like we're all living in some kind of prison. And the crime is how much we hate ourselves. It's good to get really dressed up once in a while. And admit the truth: that when you really look closely? People are so strange and so complicated that they're actually... beautiful. Possibly even me."

Until next time friends, stay beautiful.  xoxo

Like these looks? Check out www.firaboutique.com or shop these styles below.

Date Your Husband

When's the last time you and your hubs went out on a date?   I'm not talking about taking the kids out to dinner, or hanging with a group of friends.  I'm talking some one on one, kid free, friend free, quality husband and wife time.  You are probably thinking to yourself, too DAMN long.

In June, Ken and I had a long overdue staycation.   24 kid free, glorious hours, all to ourselves.   It was a chance for us to relax, unwind and get to know each other again.    It may sound silly but I swear there are days we are so busy we barely have time to talk to each other.

When you have 2 kids under 4 your day probably sounds like this:

6:00 am - (if you are lucky) - oldest child bursts through your bedroom door begging to go downstairs for milk and cartoons.  Little brother isn't too far behind.  You proceed to get both boys fed and dressed, break up about a million fights while changing the TV channel about 100 times because oldest child 'doesn't like that show.'    You throw yourself together and *maybe* make it out of the door on time for work.   Work a full day.  Sit in traffic FOREVER.  Walk through the door at 6:00pm, if you are lucky.  Eat dinner, feed kids, bathe kids, read books.  Start bed time at 7:30. Says prayers 10 times because you didn't say it right the first through 9th time.  Walk oldest child back to his bed 100 times.   If you are lucky, both kids are actually asleep by 8:30.  Then you shower, brush your teeth and collapse on the couch for *maybe* an hour of silence before you get up and do it all over again. Sometimes you have to plug back in for work, or maybe sometimes you actually sit down and write your blog.  Rewind. Repeat. Over and over again until you finally make it to the weekend. Maybe then you will find time to actually talk to your spouse.

11 years ago we chose to start our lives in California.  While I love where we have laid our roots, it also means having Grandma stop by to watch the kids on short notice for a spontaneous date night, is not an option.  We are lucky enough to have grandparents that love to visit, but when they are here, we want to spend time with them too, not just ditch our kids with grandma and grandpa and peace out.  Bottom line is, date nights for us have to be planned way in advance to secure a sitter.

We also have a great group of friends.  Talk about #squadgoals.  Our crew here is tight.   We are so lucky that they are all in the same stages of our life: buying our first house, building careers, and starting families.  They are also a super fun crew so it's a no brainer that we want to hang out with them all the time.  It's especially nice to have an adult conversation over an adult beverage without little children interrupting you.  I started to realize that while we weren't going out very often, we were only getting a sitter to go out with our friends.  It's like we needed an excuse to get a sitter: it's so-and-so's birthday or Cody's playing tonight at Saddlebar. Trust me those nights are so fun (and needed), but it usually ends up like a Junior High dance.  Girls on one side, boys on the other.  But instead of talking about which hottie standing on the other side of the gym we wanted to kiss, we are talking about potty training and preschool.  By the end of the night I'd realize again, I had barely spoken to my own husband.   It was a fun night out, but we weren't getting much one on one, Kate and Ken time.  

That's when we realized we needed to make an effort to feed our own relationship - not wait for a reason to go out, but make a reason.  So we pulled the trigger on a last minute, for no reason night away.  It was 100% amazing.   We got massages. We laid by the pool. We lunched. We drank. We took a 2 hour nap.  We pushed back our dinner reservations, twice.  We slept in.  Went for a run on the beach.  We had a long breakfast.  We shopped around Del Mar like tourists.  The whole time, we talked.  We talked about the life we had built.  How far we had come since we started dating 13 years ago.   We talked about our kids, our jobs.   We talked about our dreams, how we wanted to raise our kids, vacations we wanted to plan, rental properties we wanted to buy.  We aligned on our goals for the next stages of our life.  After another long walk along the beach we hopped in the car and drove home.  We left rested, refreshed and ready to tackle 2 kids and the next stage of life.

Hello Staycation!

Plenty of pool time!

Morning walk on the beach

Saki House Sushi

This is how we roll to GNR

Guns N Roses!

GNR BABY

I'll never forget on our 15 minute drive home, Ken turned to me and said, "I really enjoyed getting to know you again this weekend."   I just smiled and said "ditto"   It really felt like I was dating my husband all over again, in a good way.  It was a great chance for us to remember why we fell in love in the first place.  And after 2 kids and 9 years of marriage, we still were just two college kids who genuinely enjoyed each others company.  After we got home that day, I noticed we were a bit nicer to each other.  There were a few more "honeys" and sweet glances across the room.   There was a lot more patience in the house that following week.  I'm not saying our marriage is perfect.  In fact, it's not.  But I will say we get out what we put in.  Sometimes in the choas of raising two littles and managing 2 careers, we lose track of ourselves and our relationship.   That weekend away reminded us how important it is to feed our relationship.  Ever since that weekend we've made an effort once a month to get out and do something, just the two of us.  While we can't afford a 24 hour getaway every month, we make it a priority to go out and do something fun.  You know like a Guns n' Roses concert or a night out for the best sushi in town.  Just remember you get out what you put in.  

In celebration of our 9th anniversary today, we booked our 10 year anniversary trip to Italy.  The trip we planned on our staycation.  Happy Anniversary, Ken.  It looks like you're stuck with me for at least another year. 

Braids for daysssss

If you follow me on instagram (@shelovesthefword) then you know that I spent this week in Vegas at the Women's Wear Daily show.   My girl Anna and I snatched ALL THE BEST Fall fashions for @firaboutique   I'll post more on the hottest Fall trends later but for now, I want to tell you about the best hair trends we saw at the show that are too good to ignore.  I hope you remember how to braid because this Fall is all about BRAIDS, BRAIDS, and more BRAIDS.   I love this trend because it takes me back to my high school days of braiding hair on the bus on our way to dominate another school in volleyball.  I had mad french braid skills, yo.  Just ask my teammates.   So dust those braids off and step up your look this Fall by adding a braid to your basic do.  Below are my favorite braids with a twist. 

Topknot French Braid-  Ya'll know I love a good top knot, especially a half top knot.   Well,  take that top knot to the next level by adding in a braid.   I rocked this look for a night out in Vegas, obviously.

Inside out and upside down braid - Say that 3 times fast.   For this look flip your head over and start an inside out (or Dutch) braid from the bottom of your neckline.   Gather the rest of the your hair on top of your head and pull it together in a messy bun.   I pulled this look together in less than 5 mins.  It's a great post workout, don't have time to wash my hair, look.  Trust me. 

Waterfall braid- This is my absolute favorite!  This loose braid adds such a fun twist on any casual outfit.  I saw several girls rocking this look at the show and I can't wait to master this look.  I've included an easy 'how to' that I found on pinterest so you can start practicing NOW!   

Double French Braids - I've been seeing a lot of celebs rocking this look -  Fergie, the Kardashian clan, you know all the best role models.    I think it looks best on girls with long hair but I'm loving this messy double dutch braid look for short haired ladies. 

Half French Braid with a Ponytail - Jessica Simpson is rocking this look for her new active wear line.  I think she looks like a real badass with this look.  It's so simple- a half french braid in the front and then pull the rest into a messy ponytail.  The messier the pony, the better here. 

There's more to come on Fall fashion soon but until then, braid on my friends, braid on. 

Lasagna Tastes Better in a Boat

Hi friends, remember me?   It's been a while, I know.  I have SO MANY good things I want to share with you: makeup tips, the 411 on the best under garments in town, Sunday meal planning secrets, my favorite new workouts, and the importance of dating your spouse.  The bad news (for you) is I'm busy having too much fun this Summer to sit down and give you all the deets.  Because I'm not the type of girl to leave you hanging, I wanted to give you a quick post on my new obsession.  Veggie boats!   For some reason, I'm on a hell of a boat kick.   Seriously, WHY does everything tastes better in a boat??   I'm talking pizza boats, zucchini boats, taco boats and now I'm totally crushing on these lasagna boats.  I saw this recipe on cooking light and quickly adapted it to make it 21 day fix friendly.  YUMMMMMMMM.

Lasagna Tastes Better in a Boat:

• 2 small spaghetti squash (about 1½ pounds each)
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves (chopped) divided
• 1 (8-ounce) package fresh baby spinach
• ½ cup part-skim ricotta cheese
• ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
• Pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
• 1 lb 93% lean ground turkey
• 1 Jar low-sodium/low sugar marinara sauce (such as Cucina Antica)
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided

1.  Preheat oven to 425°.
2. Using a fork, poke holes all over the squash.  Place whole squash in the microwave.  Heat 3-4 minutes on each side for a total of 6-8 minutes.  Set aside to cool (about 10 minutes).  DISCLAIMER Don't overheat or your squash will explode like mine, which is why I have some odd shaped 'shells' in my photos.  But what the hell, even master food preppers F#ck up. :-)
3. Once cooled, cut in half and scoop out seeds - throw out seeds.  Scrape inside of squash with a fork to remove spaghetti-like strands. Place strands into a bowl.
4. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to coat the pan. Add 2 cloves of garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add spinach, cooking until spinach wilts (about 1 minute). Remove from heat. Combine spinach mixture, squash strands, ricotta cheese, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, half of the mozzarella cheese and half of the Parmesan cheese in a medium bowl.
5. Return skillet to medium-high heat. Add turkey and the last 2 cloves of garlic to pan; cook 4 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble. Add marinara sauce.  Reduce heat to medium, cover and simmer 4 minutes. Remove from heat.
6. Spoon sauce evenly into the bottom of each squash half. Top evenly with squash mixture. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese. Bake at 425° for 20 minutes.
7. Switch oven to Broil.  Broil squash 1 to 2 minutes or until cheese is golden brown and bubbly. Remove from oven. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

For 21 day fixers - I'd count 1 small shell as 1 green, 1 red, 1 blue

BONUS TIP: To make Pizza boats just switch up the marinara for a 'clean' pizza sauce and swap the ground turkey for turkey sausage and top with your favorite veggies or turkey pepperoni. 

I PROMISE I will get around to giving you all the good stuff mentioned above but for now I'm enjoying long days at the beach with my boys, late Summer nights in the backyard and one (or two) too many white wine spritzers.   Sorry I'm not sorry.

Paleo Thai Bowls

I don't know about you but I can dominate some Thai food.   Seriously, what is it about Thai food that makes me want to eat it so fast that I forget to come up for air?  Over the past year, I have been able to modify most of my favorite Italian and Mexican recipes to be 'clean' but I haven't had much luck with modifying Asian food until now.  I was STOKED when I came across this Paleo friendly Thai bowl on PaleOMG.    Juli has yet to let me down, so I knew this recipe would not disappoint.  Boy, was I right.  The first time I made this recipe was for a Sunday dinner when my in-laws were in town.   They LOVE Thai food but have been trying to eat clean as well so I thought trying this recipe was worth a shot. If it sucked balls, then I'd just order the real deal.  They wouldn't judge if it was a fail, cause they're cool like that.  Whelp, OMG doesn't even begin to justify how good this recipe is!  It is now a staple in my weekly meal prep and I always share it with my 21 day fix challenge groups.  Hands down this and my  pizza bake are always my challengers favorite dishes.  So instead of keeping this gem to myself, I just had to share with ya'll.  You're welcome!

This recipe uses "Zoodles" (spiral sliced zucchini) instead of your typical Thai Noodle.  I used my Veggetti to spiral my zucchini.  Personally, I think the name 'veggetti' sounds like a venereal disease but I love this little tool so much I don't care.   You can use zoodles to replace noodles in almost any recipe.  It's so easy to use. Just wash your zucchini, slice off both ends, place in the Veggetti and spiral away.   I usually like to pat the zoodles dry with a paper towel to absorb the excess water before cooking. I also give them a rough chop to cut up any of the really long zoodles. Zoodles cook very quickly in a pan (3-5 minutes) so I always throw them in last for whatever recipe I'm using them in (Spaghetti, Lo Mein, etc).  No need to boil these noodles!  #winning

The other 'clean' swap in this recipe is liquid amino acids or coconut amino acids instead of soy sauce.    Never heard of amino acids for cooking?  It's a great gluten-free alternative to soy sauce because of its salty umami flavor but it is salt free and preservative free.  Coconut aminos are another great option to swap for traditional soy sauce.  This is a dark sauce made from coconut sap that is salty and slightly sweet.   It is the perfect replacement for those avoiding soy and gluten. Coconut aminos are low GI and packed with minerals, vitamin C, and B vitamins.  I use it as a replacement for soy sauce in all my recipes (and for sushi)! You can usually find aminos in the soy sauce aisle or on amazon I buy braggs or these coconut aminos. 

The recipe itself is pretty simple so I'll just jump right down to the nitty gritty but I wanted to leave you with one last tip.  Make sure you are using the regular coconut milk (in a can).  I tried this with the lite coconut milk and the sauce was too thin.   You need the fat in the coconut meat to thicken this sauce properly.    For my 21 day fixers, I would count this recipe as 1 red, 1 green, 1/2 yellow and 2 teaspoons.  Enjoy and don't forget to breathe when you inhale this delicious recipe.  

Paleo Thai Bowls

• 1 pound ground pork
• ½ small yellow onion, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 3-4 medium zucchinis, spiral sliced into zoodles
• 1 (14 ounce) can coconut milk
• ½ cup peanut butter
• ¼ cup coconut aminos (or liquid aminos)
• 3 tablespoons chili garlic sauce (or sriracha)
• juice of ½ a lime
• ½ tablespoon red pepper flakes, divided
• salt and pepper, to taste
• fresh cilantro for garnish
• cashews for garnish

Instructions

1. In a large pan add add ground pork, onion, red bell pepper and garlic cloves.  Cook on medium-high heat.
2. Stir occasionally to break up meat and cook down. Add a touch of salt and pepper along ¼ tablespoon of red pepper flakes. Mix well and cook until no pink remains in the meat.
3. Once meat is cooked through, add zoodles to the meat and cook on low for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
4. In a small saucepan add coconut milk, peanut butter, coconut aminos, chili sauce, lime juice, ¼ tablespoon red pepper flakes, and a bit of salt and pepper. Cook on medium heat while whisking to combine until smooth.
5. Once sauce is smooth, reduce heat to low and let thicken for about 5 minutes.  DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP or you will have runny sauce! 
6. After sauce has thickened, pour sauce on noodle and pork mixture and mix well to combine.  I usually only use about 3/4ths of the sauce as sometimes the size of my zucchini vary.  If you need more sauce you can always add more.  I find that it varies each time I make it.  
7. Garnish zoodle bowls with fresh cilantro and cashews on top.

I Scream, You Scream!

We all scream for ice cream!   3 cheers for Summer.  In honor of the first full week of Summer,  I'm posting one of my family's favorite Summertime treats, S'more ice cream sandwiches.      

I got the idea for these gems after visiting the San Diego County fair several years ago.  The fair is famous for ridiculous food combos including deep fried Oreos and Krispy Kreme cheese burgers. I saw this ice cream sandwich at a stand and had to have it.   It was so mind blowingly good that I knew I had to run home and recreate it. Now it's a Summertime staple in the Law house.  It's only 4 ingredients and it's pretty much impossible to screw up so what are you waiting for?  Get these 4 ingredients and GO:  

1. Graham Crackers
2. Chocolate Chips
3. Mini Marshmallows
4. your favorite ice cream

Start by melting chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl.  Heat 30 seconds at a time stirring in between until the chips are smooth.  Be careful not to over heat.  

Break graham crackers in half and place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. 

Spread melted chocolate onto top half of a graham cracker with a knife. Place flat in the freezer until chocolate hardens (about 10 mins).   

Try to keep curious toddler hands away from these chocolaty treats. 

Pull your favorite ice cream out of the freezer to soften for a few minutes.   This week I used peanut butter chocolate because why the hell not!?  I like the slow churned ice cream because it is softer and easier to scoop out.   Also I'm not mad about saving a few calories here and there, ya feel me?  

Next tear off a few 12x6 inch pieces of aluminum foil.  You'll need one piece of foil for every ice cream sandwich you are making.  The key is to have these all torn and prepped before you get into the ice cream part because once you start scoping ice cream, you'll need to move quickly to avoid a melty mess.       

Scoop one full scoop of softened  ice cream onto the non chocolate side of one graham cracker. Top the ice cream with a few mini marshmallows. Resist the urge to get cray cray with the marshmallows.  You will need some ice cream exposed to help "glue" the top graham cracker in place.   

Place the top cracker on top of the ice cream with the chocolate side facing out. Add a few additional mini marshmallows to the sides of the sandwich.   

 Wrap each sandwich in tin foil and return to the freezer to harden.  

Remove from the freezer and enjoy!!!

I promise I'll be back with some healthy, 21 day fix approved recipes next but until then, I'm just going to sit here and shove my face in this chocolatey goodness.   

Summa style

Okay okay!  I owe you a fashion post, I get it.  The truth is, it's much easier to take photos of the bomb.com food I make than to get in front of a camera myself.   However, this blog has always been about the real, unedited Kate Law so I decided to post some real life, unedited photos of my every day style.  

Remember that magical week in February when I got to attend the WWD Magic show??  Remember all those insanely cute Spring and Summer fashion trends?!!     Well, here's a few snapshots of how I incorporated these trends into my day to day looks.   

COLD SHOULDER.   There is nothing cold about this look.   Confession: I've been struggling to get on board with this trend.  I want to like it.  I like it on the hanger.  I like it on other people but every time I put something with a cold shoulder on,  I think to myself, Self, where would I wear this?   It's not really work appropriate and I don't know if it's age appropriate.  BUT when I put this dress on I literally gave zero f#cks about what anyone thought.   I loved it and I rocked it.  

We went to the San Diego Fair this weekend and this dress was just perf for the occasion.   Within minutes of walking in, a crowd of high school girls came up to me and where like "Oh My God Becky look at her butt"  no for real though they were all " OMG I love your dress!!!"   As I walked away pushing my double bob I thought to myself HELL YA this mom's still got it going on.  That or I'm dressing completely inappropriate for my age.... but you know what?  ZERO F#CKS.    BTW did you SEE that top knot?  Yup.  It's my new fave Summer 'do.  My boss jokes I look like I dream of Jeanie (in a good way) when I wear this look.  Mostly I wear it because I need to wash my hair.  #truth

OFF THE SHOULDER.  Again, another trend I struggled to fit into my wardrobe.  I bought an OTS dress from OLD Navy.  It was chambray and darling but it was too tight on my shoulders and it made me feel like my head was about to pop off my shoulders.  CONFESSION: I can't even take credit for this shirt.  My friend Shannon gave it to me and it fit like a glove, or a loose flowy shirt.  Whatevs. Thanks Shan!   Anyway, this Chic Wish shirt was a perfect pairing with my flying monkey bell bottoms.   Its such an easy and effortless look just slap on some wedges and off you go. DOWNSIDE: I did have to constantly pull this shirt back down off my shoulders as it did rise up throughout the night.  Probably not the best choice if you're going to be chasing around toddlers all night, but PERF for a casual date night.  Somehow I did manage to avoid any red wine or dirty toddler fingerprints on this precious white top #winning

DISTRESSED DENIM.  A few weeks ago I took a random Friday off to take my boys to Legoland and the opening of the new Ninjago ride.  It was a T-shirt and jean kinda day for the whole fam dam.  I rocked this pocket T by Slate 61 and my new Blank NYC distressed jeans - THE jeans from my market trip with Anna (yup they lived up to their hype).  This is literally my weekend uniform. In fact, I'm wearing this shirt right now with pajama pants.  It's so damn comfy.  I sleep in it, shop in it and then throw on a necklace and BAM! You can't even tell I've been wearing this shirt for 24 hours straight.  Maybe I should just buy it in a few more colors.   CONFESSION:  I didn't buy this shirt either.  My mom sent it out for my birthday (with help from Anna of course).  At first I didn't think this shirt was anything special.  Boy was I wrong. So wrong.  Turns out mom's do know best!  

LOVELY LACE.  This is THE dress I saw at market.  From the moment I saw it I knew I HAD to have it for the Art Alive Bloom Bash!   Art Alive is my all time favorite event in San Diego, when the Museum of Art invites designers to come create a floral arrangement inspired by a piece of art in the museum.  I've designed a piece for several years but my favorite part is the opening night Bloom Bash, hands down.  The museum throws a kick a#s party with great food, live music, drinks, and everyone dresses up in their favorite funky floral frocks. Say that 5 times fast. This dress definitely rose to the occasion.  I had the dress taken in at the shoulders as well as stitched slightly higher in the V of the "neck" because well, I am somebody's mother after all.    A little (lot) of fashion tape and BAM! we're off to opening night!  CONFESSION: The floral crown was a last minute addition to cover a GIANT zit on my forehead.  Like, I came home from work and my husband asked me if I hit my head kind of zit.  Luckily, my girl Nikki  who is the queen of flower crowns, whipped this up for me.  I'm so glad she did because I think it made my outfit and the other guests were none the wiser that Mt Vesuvius was hiding under that glorious floral crown.   Besides that floral crown I also picked up some stunning accessories from Stella and Dot.   I was struggling with how to accessorize this gorgeous dress and didn't want to take away from the lovely lace pattern so I reach out to my Stella and Dot stylist, Katy Behnke.   I sent her a picture of the dress and she recommended this killer lace cuff and I paired it with this stunning totem necklace.    I have worn both pieces so many times, dressed them up and down.   I've already gotten my money's worth out of them. 

Considering I spend the majority of my time in workout gear and sweat pants, I think these looks should hold me over a while.  At least until I'm back at the WWD Magic show in August.... Fall trends, I'm coming for ya.  

Chocolate Chip Blondies - Paleo Edition

Summer!!!!  I love you!   Where have you been all my life?!!   You know what, I'm not even mad, let's just get busy making up for lost time.  Bring on the BBQ's, bleach blonde hair, bikinis oh and let's kick it off with a 3 day weekend.  HOLLER!!   While I'm all for a splurge here and there - don't let all the partyin' and good times crash the progress you're making on your bikini bod.  After all, you still have the whole Summer ahead of you.

That's why I got your back with a paleo friendly dessert that will bring all the boys to the yard.    My girl Jill introduced me to this recipe on her blog Glitter Grace & Thyme.  When she was going through in vitro she had to have a very strict paleo diet.  Let me tell you, this girl knows her way around a paleo kitchen!  Since I'm not *exactly* 100% paleo, I've made a few tweaks but for all intents and purposes this is still a paleo friendly recipe.   Either way you stack, it you have yourself a healthy(ish) dessert.   

In honor of those summer time highlights I can't wait to have, I present you my Paleo Chocolate Chip Blondies. 

First start blending a can of chickpeas in a food processor.  If you have a bad #ss kitchen aid mixer, that will work too.  After the chickpeas are smooth, add the PB, vanilla extract, coconut sugar, maple syrup, baking soda, baking powder, sea salt, mix until smooth.  Hand mix in 3/4 cup of chocolate chips. 

Spread mixture into a parchment paper lined pan and then sprinkle on top the remaining 1/4 cup of chocolate chips. 

Bake at 350 for 40- 50 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. 

Remove - let cool then cut that sh#t up and dive in!

Chocolate Chip Paleo Blondies:

• 1 can of chickpeas, drained (16oz)
•  3/4 cup of natural peanut butter
•  2 tsp of vanilla extract
•  1/2 cup of coconut sugar
•  1/4 cup pure maple syrup
•  1/2 tsp of sea salt
•  1/2 tsp of baking soda
•  1/2 tsp of baking powder
•  1 cup of chocolate chips,  (use the dairy free chips to make it 100% paleo)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 8x11 pan with parchment paper, coat the parchment paper and sides of the pan with coconut oil.

Place all ingredients except chocolate chips in a food processor or a kitchen aid and mix until smooth. Add 3/4 of the chocolate chips to the batter and mix

Pour the batter into the pan and sprinkle with the remaining chocolate chips. Bake for 40-50 minutes make sure to do the toothpick test at 40 - it's easy to over cook these.
Remove from oven and let cool.

This recipe is proof, blondes really do have more fun!

What's in my bag

In honor of Mother's Day this past weekend, I thought I'd give a shout out to all the Moms walking around with a purse full of toys, snacks and wet ones.  Gone are the days of walking out the door with a cute little clutch.   Instead, just finding a simple lipstick in my bag is worse than finding a needle in a haystack.

A few weeks back, my friend Natalie was visiting.  As per usual, I had my hands full so Nat picked up my purse to try and help me juggle my load and was like "WHAT THE HECK IS IN HERE?  IT WEIGHS A TON!"   I started cracking up because to be honest, I didn't even know what was in there.  I proceeded to pull out no less than 5 PEZ dispensers and a full size pair of scissors.  WTF?!  #momproblems.   We joked that my next blog should be a 'What's in my bag' - Kate Law edition.   So here it is people.  Much less glamorous than the US Weekly version but it's about to get real.  There's no shame in my game. If you're stranded on a desert island, you want me and my purse with you.  Just sayin' 

At first glance my bag looks pretty ordinary.  This is my favorite Kate Spade bag I scored at half price (YAAAASS!) at the outlets several years ago when Natalie was in town and we went on a birthday shopping spree.  It's classic, nylon and clearly fits a lot of sh#t.  I love how durable this bag is.  My kids are spilling crap on it all the time.  I just wipe it off with a wet one and off we go.    

Now on to the good stuff.  The really random like WTF stuff.  4 Pez dispensers: 1 Yoda, 1 Storm Trooper, 1 Darth Vader and 1 Nemo, plus 2 packages of Pez.    Both my boys are obsessed with Pez and I'm not too proud to admit I bribe my kids from time to time.  You'd be surprised how easily a $1 Pez can buy you a few extra moments in the grocery store.  I buy them in bulk on Amazon and stash them around the house, and clearly in my purse.    I also had 5, count them FIVE toy cars.    I'm constantly grabbing toys on the go and throwing them in my purse so we have distractions for the boys when we go out to dinner or are riding in the car.  I always have to have AT LEAST 2 because if one boy has one, sure as sh#t the other kid wants one too.   5 is a bit extreme but every time I'm walking out the door with kids, I grab a toy and throw it in my purse because I never know what exactly I have in my bag.

Funny story.   A few weeks ago I met some girlfriends for drinks after work.  The dads all decided to get together and take the kids to pizza while the moms were out.    My friend, Kelley, had to stop by the pizza place on the way to meet us for drinks.   She walked into the pizza joint and my husband immediately said, "Kelley, help, I forgot to bring toys for the kids!"   Rookie mistake.  Kelley calmly dug in her purse and pulled out two cars for my boys.  #boymomforthewin    Apparently, I'm not the only mom with a sh#t ton of toys in her purse.  I also have a Star Wars Lego watch and some crayons in my purse.  You can never be too prepared, or I just haven't cleaned out my purse in a while.  You be the judge.

On a similar note, I also found 5 (FIVE!)  granola bars, 3 fruit snacks, a Plum pouch, a bag of goldfish and 2 Kind Bars in my purse.   WOAH.  I don't know about you but I feel like my kids are CONSTANTLY eating.  For real, where does it all go?  Kam would down all 5 granola bars in one sitting if I let him.   Still not an excuse to carry THAT many snacks in your purse at one time.  GET IT TOGETHER, KATE.

Most Friday nights we try to meet up with our friends and their kids for dinner.  Although we usually have it down to a science (get seated, order drinks, appetizers and the kids meals immediately) sometimes the food takes a little longer than usual.  It's moments like that when FIVE granola bars come in handy.  If you give it to one kid, they all want it.   I've been reading more and more about how awful fruit snacks are for kids, so I've switched to the organic Annies fruit snacks.  They are at least free of all those crazy dyes and artificial flavors.  My kids still eat plenty of crap but I'm gradually trying to wean them off of the really bad stuff.  The Kind Bars are for me.  They are such a good, clean snack on the go.  If you are a 21 day fixer, they count as one blue and one teaspoon.   If I'm out running errands this is a great option rather than snacking on the bag of goldfish in my purse.     I won't name names, but I had a fellow mom admit to me last week that while she was out running errands she ate a pouch and a bag of fruit snacks she had stashed in her purse.   Glad I'm not the only one. 

The other key mom essentials in my bag are antibacterial wipes, foaming hand sanitizer, Kleenex, sunscreen, and diapers.  No explanation needed. 

Now on to the "me" part of my bag.  I have this Kate Spade wallet which I take everywhere with me.  Great for all my cash, and cards including my Costco and AAA membership, plus the 100 different passes for my kids to the zoo, Legoland and botanical gardens.  And last but not least, every mom needs a good pair of sunnies to hide those dark circles under her eyes.   These Tiffany shades never let me down.  When in doubt, black it out.    I always stash a few of my favorite lipsticks from Clinique, Makeup Forever, Esos & Honest Company lip balm and my long lasting lip wear for those special occasions.  A little lipstick and a good pair of sunnies and you can always appear like you have it together.

I also carry a bottle of extra strength Tylenol (mostly for work days), gum (post coffee, please), L'Occitane hand cream (the best), dental floss, and some eye drops.  Apparently 5 is the magic number because I had FIVE bottles of eye drops in my purse.   

About 6 months ago I had an unfortunate run in with a toddler finger to my right eye.  Ever since, I've had a series of eye problems that require eye drops constantly, so apparently I just keep dropping bottle after bottle in my purse.   I'm blaming all this junk in my purse on being a mom, but maybe I'm just secretly a hoarder.

I also usually have an accessory or two in my purse at all times.  Sometimes you just need to accessorize those yoga pants, ya hear me?     I kid, I kid.   The jewelry is usually tossed in there when I change to go to the gym and gets left in there until I'm looking for that once bracelet.  Where the f#ck is it?   Oh hello, there it is at the bottom of my purse.

I also love to have this cordless phone charger in my purse.  My phone is always dying on me so I like having the option this My Charge to charge it on the go.  As long as I can remember to charge the charger.  If I forget to do that, then the whole plan is f#cked.

So there it is folks, my mom bag in all it's glory.     And for a good chuckle here is was is in the very bottom of my bag.  A hair tie, a lone soldier lipstick with no cover, a set of headphones, some change, a few random receipts and lots of crushed up goldfish and cheerios. Sigh. #momlife On the bright side, writing this blog forced me to clean out my purse.  So I've got that going for me.   Until next time friends, keep it clean!

Snag my favorite mom splurges here! /p>!-- SHOPSTYLE COLLECTIVE WIDGET CODE START -->

3 day refresh

I don't know about you guys but March sure did come in like a lion for the Laws.   It started with a family vacation in Hawaii,  a quick trip to Spring training in Arizona and ended with celebrations for my birthday and a promotion.  I felt like we had plenty of reasons to celebrate this past month.  With celebration and vacation comes a lot of drinking, good food, and cake... lots of cake.  Ken and I ended the month with full hearts and full bellies. 

I'm pretty bad at cutting things completely out of my diet but I strive to eat clean.  I try not to deprive myself of any particular food group, but to keep everything in moderation.  However, all that celebration left my 80/20 rule (80% clean, 20% cheat) a bit lopsided.   Ken and I were both ready to get back on track with our health and fitness goals.  We wanted to rid our bodies of all that sodium, sugar and booze, so we decided to try Beachbody's 3 day refresh.  First of all, let me tell you I have never tried anything like this before.  I don't believe in cleanses or detoxes.  Mostly because my friend, Dr. Nicholson, (oh ya, I dropped the Dr in there) sent me this fascinating article which provides a great deal of background on why cleanses are a sham and that the only people who medically need detox are those who have high levels of drugs, alcohol or poisons in their bodies. 

While all that sugar and sodium in my body did feel like poison, I knew I wasn't a candidate for detox.  I am really bad at depriving myself of certain foods but I did feel like I was getting addicted to sodium and sugar.  I was craving all the crap I had cut out of my body 9 months ago when I started eating clean.   I knew I had to give it all up, cold turkey.   The 3 day refresh is a strict vegan and shake based diet.  It's not juicing and it does allow some food, mostly veggies and some fruits.  But you cut out all other food: meat, dairy, sugar, etc.    Here is what the Beachbody website claims about the 3 day refresh:

"In just 3 short days, you can get your health, energy, and vitality back on track—all without starving. You'll conquer your cravings. Get a flatter belly. Feel lighter and more energized. And your clothes will fit better. The Complete Kit comes with 3 packets of Shakeology, 6 packets of Vanilla Fresh (high-protein shake), 3 packets of Fiber Sweep (digestive health drink), and 1 Program Guide."

Sounds perfect, right?   Let me first tell you, it works.    If you stick to the plan you will lose weight.  I lost 3.5 lbs in 3 days and Ken lost 6.5 lbs in 3 days.  But let me get real with you, real quick.   I was hungry.  Real hungry.   Fregging HANGRY.  Like I'm going to have to shut my office door and not talk to anyone because I might say something to get myself fired, hungry.   If I wasn't doing this with Ken, I probably would have quit.  We talked each other off the ledge several times, but we kept telling ourselves its only 3 days.  Which is true, you can pretty much do anything for 3 days.  

For those of you still curious, let me walk you through a day in the life of a 3 day refresher.

Morning: wake up and drink 8 oz of water.   While they recommend you cut out coffee if you can, you are allowed some but it must be black.   I had coffee, black.  Ken did not.   He is a better Refresher than me. 

Breakfast: Shakeology blended with 10 oz of water and you can have 1 serving of fruit.   You can either blend this with your shake or eat it separate.   I choose to have it separate a little bit later in the morning because I just needed to EAT something.  Oh and by "1 serving" of fruit this is what they mean:  1/2 a medium apple, 1/2 a medium banana, or 2/3 cup blueberries, etc.  The portions are stingy. 

Optional: Morning tea - 8 oz of unsweetened herbal or green tea, at least 1 hour after breakfast.  Not only did I do this, but I literally drank tea all DAMN day.  Added bonus - I found out I really enjoyed mint tea. I'm actually drinking some right now. 

Mid-Morning - Fiber Sweep mixed with 8 oz of water.   I'm not going to lie: the fiber sweep pack tastes like Sh#t.  I would literally mix as little water as possible and gag it down as fast as I could.  Just awful. I imagine this is what Metamucil tastes like but honestly, I've never tried it.   Ken said it wasn't THAT bad.

Lunch - Vanilla Fresh Shake mixed with 10 oz of water.   I actually didn't mind this shake.  I liked the taste and I would mix it with ice, water, cinnamon and pure almond extract (these "guilt free" flavorings are allowed).   Plus you get 1 serving of fruit, 1 serving of vegetable, and 1 healthy fat.    Examples of 1 serving of vegetable are:  12 green beans, 1 small red pepper, or 5 baby carrots.  5 f#cking baby carrots, are you kidding me?   After day 1, I started opting for the fruit and veggies that gave me the most bang for the buck.   One whole red pepper it is.    My healthy fat was 2 tbsp of hummus or avocado.

Afternoon snack: 1 serving vegetable, 1 serving healthy fat. Same stingy portions apply.

Optional:  Afternoon tea.  YES PLEASE.   Realistically I'm probably on cup 4 now. 

Dinner:  Vanilla Fresh Shake mixed with 10 oz water, plus one serving from the dinner recipes.   Most of the recipes were small portions of steamed veggies with coconut oil, or ginger and garlic.   I found myself really looking forward to a hot meal at dinner so I would try to eat the dinner recipes slowly and savor every last bite.   You can also add 1 cup of vegetable broth for dinner, which is optional.  Obviously we both added this at dinner and mixed chopped cilantro to the broth as well.  Surprisingly good.  I guess depriving your body of food will make you like anything warm.  That's my theory at least. 

Optional: Evening tea.    Again, optional is not even a word in my vocabulary at this point.     If they are allowing me to eat ANYTHING, I will willingly take it.  Normally at night after we get the kids down I look forward to coming downstairs, sitting on the couch and having a snack.   Now I only had my tea to look forward to.  Again, I drank it reaaaallllly slow.

You are supposed to drink plenty of water throughout the day as well, at least half your body weight in ounces. 

Ken and I found ourselves going to bed earlier than normal.  Maybe it's because we were hungry.  Maybe it's because we were too weak to stay up later but the whole claim of having more energy on this refresh was a crock of sh#t for us. 

The program recommends only a light to moderate workout.  I ended up doing my normal 21 day fix extreme and 22 min hard corps workouts.  Mostly because I needed a distraction in the afternoon from my starvation.   I actually had the energy to do the workouts.  Ken worked out the first 2 days but did not workout on day 3.  He was too sore from day 2.  His theory is he didn't have enough food to help his body recover.

So I know you are thinking okay so did you sh#t your brains out or what?   The answer is surprisingly, no.  Really, you pee about a million times a day from all the water, tea, shakes but other than that, we had no terrifying bodily side effects... so that's a plus. 

Overall, I give this program a B-    You do get to eat food, unlike juice cleanses.  But by my calculation, you still are only eating about 900 calories a day.  Day 1 was pure torture.  Ken and I both were starving all day.  Day 2 was much easier but by day 3 I was dreaming of all the things I was going to eat on day 4 when this program was over!     We were both worried that we would erase all our progress the day after the refresh was over because we were going to be so hungry that we'd eat everything in sight.  I had planned ahead to have some clean, 21 day fix friendly prepped for day 4.    While neither one of us was specifically doing this to lose weight, we both lost weight.  So I can't say it doesn't work.   Everyone that I know that has done it has lost weight.   I had 2 girlfriends do it in the last month they lost 3 and 4 lbs each.     Below are my before and after pictures.  Again, I was really doing this to lose weight, I really just wanted to reset my diet.  Ken refused to let me publish his before and after but for the record he did take the photos. :-)

The catch is you have to keep it off.   Unless you keep your body filled with clean portioned controlled food, chances are you are going to gain it back.  I think the best use of this program is as a kickstart to a clean diet.   When you really want to cleanse your palette of sweet and salty food, use this for the first 3 days and then continue on a clean eating program like 21 day fix or whole 30.    I will say on day 4 I had to do a taste test for chocolate truffles at work (ya, rough, I know right?)  I had a few small nibbles of 4 different truffles and my stomach hurt after eating them.   It was like a sugar shock to my body. That's enough motivation to keep it clean.  

This was not easy and it was definitely not fun but it did what I wanted it to, kickstart healthier choices.   It's not right for everyone, but hey I'll try anything once if it's going make me look younger, thinner, or prettier. 

Holler at me if you are crazy enough to try the 3 day refresh or have interest in clean eating.  I'm happy to share the "real deal" with anyone who is interested.  Until next time, I'll just be sitting here enjoying my mint tea. 

She maka the meatballs...

If y'all are like me you probably over indulged this Easter weekend.  I'm talking mimosas, entire blocks of brie and jelly beans galore.   I don't know about you, but I'm ready for a junk food detox.   If you feel me, then you should definitely try my zucchini turkey meatballs this week.   My husband calls these "Tricky Meatballs" because it's one of ways I hide veggies from my kiddos!  Granted, I literally have to grate all the veggies into the tiniest, most minuscule pieces so Kam can't detect them, but Hey, desperate times call for desperate measures.  This recipe is delicious served over spaghetti squash and topped with tomato sauce or even on top of a salad.  However you choose to serve them, I promise they will not disappoint. 

First you will want to grate your zucchini and squeeze out excess water.

Next, mix zucchini, chopped onion, basil, garlic, Italian seasoning, Parmesan,  chopped sun-dried tomatoes (optional), nutmeg, salt, pepper, and bread crumbs.  Lately, I've been swapping the bread crumbs for cooked quinoa and I actually like it better. Plus, it's a good way to sneak in some extra protein and super foods.  See - they really are tricky meatballs!  

Mix in ground turkey meat and egg.  With your hands roll the mixture into individual balls.  I like to make a lot of small meatballs, about one inch each, but feel free to make them as big or small as you like.    

Place meatballs on a parchment paper lined baking sheet about 2 inches apart.  Bake for 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees, rotating the meatballs halfway through.

Remove and enjoy!

Tricky Turkey Meatballs

• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1 egg
• 1 cup zucchini, shredded and squeeze out any excess water
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1/3 cup bread crumbs or cooked quinoa (add more if too moist)
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
• 1/3 cup shredded Italian cheese (optional if a whole 30 follower)
• Basil (3-4 leaves)
• Salt and Pepper
• A pinch of nutmeg
• handful of chopped sun dried tomatoes (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large mixing bowl add all the ingredients and mix with hands until combined. Form into desired sized meatballs and place on a baking sheet about 2 inches apart from each other.  Bake for about 15-20 minutes depending on size of meatballs.  I like to rotate my meatballs about half way through.
3. Remove from oven and serve with spaghetti squash or noodles and top with your favorite sauce. 

If I have time, I like to make up a big batch of this sauce and freeze it.  But if I'm in a pinch, I've found this great clean tomato sauce, Cucina Antica Marinara.    It's low sodium, low sugar, and made only will fresh ingredients!

Clean Marinara

Meatball recipe inspired by Kim's Healthy Eats

What happens in Vegas...

A few weeks ago I had the privilege to attend the WWD Magic trade show with my dear friend Anna.   She owns a fabulous boutique and online store, Fira, and I simply adore her style.  For those of you who aren't familiar, WWD Magic is THE trade show to attend if you are a buyer for women's fashion.   It has all the latest trends, most wanted brands and must see fashion. With my background in merchandising and love for fashion, Anna and I had always talked about joining forces for one wicked fun buying trip.  Well this year the stars aligned and I was able to join her for her Spring and Summer buying.  Let me tell you it was like all my wildest dreams came true! I shopped til I dropped with a great friend, spent *her* money and stocked her store will my favorite fashions.  Add in good food, a few *ahem* drinks and the Vegas night life and BAM! BEST TRIP EVER!!

Okay so you missed out on the drinks and the nightlife, but lucky for you what happens in Vegas doesn't stay in Vegas... this time.   I'm highlighting the top Spring and Summer trends from the show AND even better, the trends we bought in Vegas are starting to trickle in at FIRA this week!

GRAPHIC TEES

If you've followed my blog for long you know I'm OBSESSED with my Pour the Pinot Noir Tee from Tiff + Jen.   I dress it up with a fringe skirt or down with a pair of distressed jeans.  It's literally my favorite white Tee.  I actually got Anna the same Tee for Christmas and had mentioned T+J might be at WWD Magic.  Lady luck was on our side as we stumbled on to their booth the first morning we were walking the show.  We met two of the super fabulous ladies of T+J (pictured below) and bloggers I follow on the reg: Tiffany @tiffanyish and Brittany @thefbombs.  Let me tell you, these ladies are absolute dolls!  They are just as fabulous as their designs.  Anna practically picked up their entire line.  The cheeky Tees and statement necklaces are already starting to roll into the Fira site and store.  Their new relaxed fit,  Pop the Champagne Tee, my personal fave Pour the Pinot Noir and the tongue-in-cheek Shut the Front Dior Tees are all up with more fab Tees on their way.  

OFF THE SHOULDER

The cold shoulder never looked so good!!  You girls better start doing shoulder presses as I type because this Summer, it is all about the shoulders.  Off the shoulder and cut-aways are everywhere in women's fashion so be prepared to show some shoulder. 

I posted this off the shoulder striped dress to Instagram from the show and even Farrah Abraham 'liked' it.  HA!  The fitted body offset with the wide bell sleeves makes this dress too good to pass up.  It too will be live on the site this week! 

Take casual up a notch by adding a cold shoulder to your basic Tee.   I love this lightweight waffle thermal that is currently in the store in Grey and Black.  Don't fret if you aren't in the Chambana area, they both will be live next week on the site. 

We picked up this charming off the shoulder linen dress and it is already in store and online.  It is the perfect throw on and go Summer dress!

I already called DIBS on both these Everly dresses.  The cold shoulder one on the right is too cute to handle but I'm dreaming of the day that peach maxi lands in my closet.   Summer staple, for sure!

LOVELY LACE

Lace has been a hot trend for a bit, but was still all over the show in bold colors.  In tops, dresses, and even rompers.  I am absolutely GUSHING over this long lace dress.   I made Anna double up on this stunning mustard yellow and snag it in solid black as well.  I already have my pre-order in for the one I'm wearing.  It is the PERFECT dress to wear to Summer weddings.  I don't care how much duct tape I need to use to stay in it, it will be worth it!  It should be in store and online by April.  I'm sure Anna would let you put your DIBS now if you wanted to pre-order.   I'm wearing a small in case you need a size reference. 

FRINGE FOR DAYS...

Ya'll already know how I feel about my fringe bag...  GUSH.  I'm happy to say fringe is here to stay in a BIG way.  From purses, to jackets and tops fringe is making a fierce appearance this Summer.   Fira picked up every bag in the shot below!   I'm totally digging the olive fringe cross-body bag.  It's perf for Summer festivals! 

This top has it all going on, fringe, a 'lace' vibe and the cold shoulder.  It's like the epitome of Summer fashion in one single piece.   

ROCK OUT

Rock band Tees with distressed denim should be your Summer uniform. We picked up these 4 Chaser brand band inspired Tees.  I'm dying for the ACDC tank and crushing on the cold shoulder of the Tom Petty Tee.  Pure perfection.    

DISTRESSED DENIM

Damaged denim is back with a vengeance.   I still remember my dad visiting me for Dad's weekend in college.   We went shopping and I convinced him to buy me a pair of super distressed Abercrombie and Fitch jeans.  (Don't judge. You know A+F was in your wardrobe too)  I can still hear him now "Why in the HELL am I paying this much F#cking money for a pair of torn up jeans?! I could do that myself!"  Well 15 years later, distressed denim is back and more distressed than ever.  The more tears, rips, and fray, the better.    Anna has been stalking this jean brand called BLANK NYC.  Every blogger we follow is always talking about how great these jeans feel, fit, and their washes are always on point.  Even better, they are super affordable (under $90).   When we hit up their booth, we were gushing over their display.   Fira picked up several styles of jeans and cut-offs.  They will be in store next week!  I for sure will be purchasing the 4 styles shown below. 

I'm gaga over these grey cutoffs.   I think I'll lunge my way into Summer just so my legs will be ready for these bad boys. 

HALF TOP KNOT

The half top knot is all the rage!  A good way to know what's going to be trendy is to pay attention to what other buyers are wearing.   Well every girl we saw at the show was rocking this adorable half top knot.   It's a fun new twist on the tried and true top knot and it's a style us thin haired girls can finally get behind.   AMEN! Anna rocked this new style on day 3 and she looks pretty damn fabulous, if I do say so myself. 

This was a quick trip to Vegas but it is one I will never forget.  Anna and I were the perfect shopping buddies at the show.  We have two totally different styles, she's all bohemian fabulous and loves layering delicate accessories, and I'm more of a fitted, cinch at the waist with a statement necklace kind of gal.  All around we scored some killer pieces for Fira that will be sure to fit everyone's unique style.  After all, Fira is boutique so you stay unique!   

If you live in the Champaign/Urbana area you must stop by to check out Anna's store and meet the sweetest peach around.   Anna's likely to be there when you drop in, and I promise you will feel like you just stepped into her home.  She'll offer you a water when you walk in.  Give your kids popcorn and be your personal shopper as you peruse her racks of fabulous clothes and accessories.   It truly is a top notch shopping experience.    We may live 2,000 miles apart but Fira online keeps me stocked with all my favorite, unique pieces. 

PS. Be sure to follow Fira on Instagram @firaboutique for sneak peaks on all of Fira's newest arrivals.   I'll be sure to keep this blog updated with clickable links when the items I mentioned above go live.  

PPS.  In case you missed my insta post I wore this gem of a dress in Vegas and it's back in stock at Fira

#BOYMOM

Last weekend I found myself at Children's hospital in the ER and unfortunately, this was not my first rodeo.    As a mom of 2 wild boys, I've come to accept I will probably end up in the ER more frequently than I would like.  I've also come to realize that no matter how I try to tame the beasts, boys truly will be boys.  Boy Moms - I know you feel me.  If you aren't a mother of a boy then let me give you the 101 on living with little boys.   

Little boys think burps and farts are funny.

Not just funny; hilarious.  My 17 month old cracks up anytime he hears a fart or burp.  He can hear them from a mile away.  How does he even know what a fart is?   That little stinker won't say "mama" but he knows what a fart is!?  He will try to push out a fart until his face turns red just to make his brother laugh.  My 3 year old?  Same thing.  He walks around rubbing his butt on you, then says "toot" and will die laughing about it.  It does not matter how many times I say "that's not funny" or "I don't like that word, it's not polite" those two turds still walk around burping and farting like it's their business.  Kam once tried to toot so hard he actually sharted.   I kid you not.   His face was priceless.  "Mom, what's that in my pants?!"   "I don't know Kam, what is it?"   He pulls down his pants and sure as sh#t, there was a turd.   For real!?  Not exactly how I envisioned motherhood.  I was more picturing tea parties and spa days with princesses, not turd dropping fart machines!

Ain't no mountain high enough - boys are fearless.

Seriously, no one told me that boys literally climb the walls.  It's like they see everything as a challenge.  If I could read their minds I'm sure they'd be saying something like "I bet I could climb that mountain over there"   My oldest climbed out of his crib at 20 months... 20 freaking months!  Oh, and he broke his arm doing it.  Hence my first trip to the ER.   Have you ever seen a 20 month old with a cast?   Well, here you go. 

It makes you feel like a real a$shole parent when you take them out in public.  The looks, stares and questions are enough to make your skin crawl until you see another boy mom, then you just connect eyes and give that 'I feel ya' look.  We had to transition Kam to a big boy bed right away because even with a cast on his little arm, he was still trying to climb out of the crib.  It didn't slow him down one bit.  He was hanging off the monkey bars cast and all.  A few months later, Kam busted his front tooth in a freak accident by falling into Max's baby swing.  No big deal though, because he will get another one.... IN FIVE YEARS!!!   Sigh.   

My second kid is even worse.  He watches everything his brother does and thinks he can do it better. Max was jumping off the couch as soon as he could walk.  He can scale a bar stool to climb on top of our hip-high kitchen table in 2.2 seconds.  Max started going head first down the tallest slide at the park at 12 months. He can even ride his brother's scooter.   Have you ever seen a 17 month old ride a scooter?  It's wild... like circus show crazy.  I also have to admit, it's pretty damn cute.  

The point is, boys are born without fear, at least mine were.   My friends who have little girls are so careful and cautious.  They delicately step off the curb carefully holding their mommy's hands while my boys are launching off the sidewalk into on coming traffic.  Lord help me.  

Little boys have no manners, I mean NO manners.

When Kam walks into the house he kicks his shoes off, flinging them against the wall as hard as he can.  Then he leaves them where they land and plops his butt down on the couch.  His little friend Mila carefully unbuckles her shoes and neatly places them in their proper spot by our front door.  When my boys eat, their food ends up on the ceiling.  Miss Mila, is prim and proper.  She uses her fork and spoon like a normal person.  If by some chance she spills on her clothes, she freaks out.  If my boys don't spill on themselves at a meal, it's a freaking miracle!  I used to totally judge those parents at the stores who's kids were a hot mess with crusty shirts and chocolate on their faces.  Now I am one of those moms who unapologetically takes her crusty faced kid in public because you know what, no matter how many times I wipe their faces off as soon as I turn around, there is sh#t on it again.  So guess what, I give up.  Judge away.  The other day I caught Kam picking his nose on the couch.  I told him to stop and I would get a Kleenex.  By the time I got back to the couch with a tissue Kam told me he didn't need a tissue any more.   I asked here where the booger was.  He simply said "I don't know but I didn't fling it, Mom"    Disgusting. 

Boys will pee anywhere. I mean anywhere.  I've watched Kam whip it out on the tree at a park, drop his pants and pee into a wave at the beach, and even pee on my bushes outside our front door.  I mean the house is RIGHT THERE.   You literally have to walk 10 more feet and you can pee in a toilet like a normal person.  

My boys have also taught me a thing or two along the way.  I now know that mouths and ears bleed the most.  Bruce Banner, Tony Stark and Peter Parker are no longer strangers but regular topics of our dinner conversation.  I've had to create a mnemonic device to remember the teenage mutant ninja turtles by color.   Oroku Saki is Shredder's real name.  I've never seen a Star Wars movie but I can have a light saber fight with the best of them.  I now know the difference between a loader, a dozer and a backhoe and that Monster Jam is really THE JAM. We took the boys to their first Monster truck rally last month and it was literally one of the best nights we've ever had as a family.  Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would be whooping it up over some big, loud trucks jumping over large piles of dirt, but let me tell you something...  it was RAD and so are little boys.

The bottom line is, I'm trying people, I really am.   I believe all little boys should grow up to be gentlemen.   I still have hope that someday they will.   They certainly have their moments.  Like when I walk down the stairs before work and Kam looks up at me and says "Mommy you look pretty, is that a new dress?" or the moments when Max looks up at me with mac n cheese on his face and wants to give me a big sloppy kiss.  It's those moments that melt my heart, and give me hope.  Hope that they won't always be fart obsessed little boys.  

She Loves Pizza!

Given that my last recipe post was an over the top indulgence, I figured I'd better quickly follow up with a healthy post.  Plus, I'm sure most of you will be nursing a Super Bowl hangover tomorrow and ready to start fresh after the 6,000 calories you consumed today.  So you're welcome.

I love pizza and my family loves pizza but it's far from 21 day fix approved.   This is the new recipe I use for our family's pizza night.  It's what I like to call a Spaghetti Squash Pizza Bake.  It's easy, delicious and 100% 21 day fix approved.   Plus it's pretty much one of the few ways I can get Kam to eat veggies! #winning.  I usually whip this up on Sundays and reheat later in the week for a quick and healthy weeknight dinner.

Start by cooking your spaghetti squash.  If you have time, I recommend baking it (following my directions in the recipe down below).   I like the flavor of it baked better.  However, if you are in a pinch for time, I have a trick for cooking the squash quickly.   And let's be honest, I always need the shortcut.  Poke holes all over the squash with a fork then place the whole squash in the microwave.  Heat on high for 5 minutes.   Flip over and heat again for 5 minutes.   Remove from the microwave with oven mitts - that sh#t's hot.  Let cool then cut in half.  Scoop out all of the seeds with a spoon.  Then use a fork to scrape out the 'noodles' from the squash until only the skin remains.  

Place the "noodles" in a greased baking dish and set aside. 

Remove your sausage from the casing and place in a pan.  Heat the turkey Italian sausage, onions, garlic, tomatoes and any other veggies you want to add.

Add in fresh or dried basil, pizza sauce, salt and pepper to taste.

Pour sausage and sauce mixture over the 'noodles' and mix together in the greased baking dish with tongs. 

After all ingredients are thoroughly mixed together pour the egg whites over the entire pan.  Mix together until you can no longer see the egg whites. 

Sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top and bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 1 hour.  

Let sit for 5 minutes then portion out and serve!

Spaghetti Squash Pizza Bake

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 1 large spaghetti squash
• 1 pound Italian turkey sausage
• 1/2 yellow onion - diced
• 2 cloves garlic - minced
• 1/2 cup chopped cherry tomatoes
• 1 cup pizza sauce (no sugar added, low sodium)
• 1 teaspoon basil (I used fresh but dried will work too)
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 4 egg whites
•  1/4 cup shredded mozzarella
• Optional: add anything you like on your pizza: other veggies, more meat, even more cheese if your feeling wild!

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise. Place spaghetti squash cut side down on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes.
3. Once squash is done cooking, remove 'noodles' and place in an 9x13 greased baking dish.
4. Reduce oven heat to 350 degrees.
5. Place a large pan over medium heat.  Remove Italian sausage from skin and place in the pan.  Add onion and garlic. Cook until no pink remains in the sausage and it is broken up into pieces.
6. Add pizza sauce, basil and salt and pepper to the pan and mix well.
7. Add sausage mixture to the 9x13 dish and mix well with spaghetti squash 'noodles'.
8. Lastly, add egg whites to the baking dish and mix everything together until you can no longer see the eggs.
9. Place in oven and bake for 1 hour or until the top of the mixture forms a slight crust.
10. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

***21 day fixers - 1 serving counts as 1 Green, 1 Red, and 1/2 Blue (depending on how much cheese you use)***

Recipe adapted from OMG Paleo

Meet My Dad

Meet my dad, Gerald Paul Rodeen, or "Rodie" as so many lovingly called him.  He was a genuine bada#s.  A real cool motha f#cker.  An avid hunter.  A self built businessman.  A small town lawyer with a reputation as a pit bull in the courtroom.  He lit up a room with his boisterous laugh.  He told the best dirty jokes.   He busted his a#s to build a better life for his family.  He sat on many community boards.  He never took no for an answer.  He coached little league, even if that meant telling a bunch of 12 year girls to "play like they had something between their legs."   He worked long hours but always made it to every single sporting event my brother and I had.  He may have showed up straight from court in a full suit with a pheasant feather in his hat, but he was there, yelling in the stands for me to "box out" and "get my a#s on that girl"  He'd always pick up the phone in the middle of the night. Whether it was come to pick you up from the bar or bail your friend out of jail, you could always count on Rodie to be there.  He was a proud father and grandfather.  He gave the best advice no matter the situation.  When he'd pull you in real close and quietly say, "listen here mother f#cker" you knew he meant business.

When he spoke, people listened.  There are far too many "Rodie" stories to retell in one blog post, but if you're lucky, you'll catch one of his old high school buddies after a few beers and they'll tell you about the time he was arrested in the middle of pitching a high school baseball game or how he rode his motorcycle in the rain all the way back to Indiana University to beg his way back into college after he flunked out.  He lived life balls to the wall, with no regrets.  That Rodie, he was one of a kind.  He was fearless.  He was my father. 

Five year ago today, he left this heavenly life.   There hasn't been day since then that I haven't thought about him and missed him dearly.

Losing a parent is hard.  Losing a parent in your 20's is heart wrenching.  Losing a parent unexpectedly is torture.  I never got to say goodbye.  I can't remember the last conversation I had with him.  Not because we didn't talk, probably because I was too busy multitasking to be focused on the moment.  I most definitely took for granted that I could just pick up the phone and call him, ask for his advice, or tell him about how much a#s I just kicked at my work presentation.  I'm sure the last words I said to him were "I love you" because I always ended my conversations like that.  But what we discussed last totally flees me.  Five years later, I still can't retrieve that memory. 

A lot has changed in 5 years...

Three more grand-babies, two of them mine. Two of them with his namesake and the wild hair in their a#s to prove it.   I used to keep this picture up on my fridge.  It's my dad with Johnny on the day he was born, the first and only grandchild my father ever got a chance to meet.  This was quite possibly the proudest I've ever seen my father.  I had to take that picture down because it was just to painful to think that I will never have a picture like that with my kids.   My sons will never know the firecracker that was their grandfather.  But every day when I look at them, I see pieces of him.  Kam has one of his dimples and Max has his fine hair.  Both have his fearless personality and are ornery as hell.  As I'm hollering at Kam to quit jumping from the top of the stairs or pulling my giggling toddler down from the top of our ottoman, I can't help but laugh.  Yup, that's Rodie's rowdiness.

More than just grandbabies has changed in the last 5 years.  Ken and I bought a house, our first home. My mom had a knee replacement. My brother went through a heart wrenching divorce. We lost our Grandfather, my dad's dad.  I had major career milestones: promotions, TV appearances, I launched a blog.  Ken went to work for my dad's best friend.  Over the past 5 years, every event both big and small, I wished I could pick up the phone and call him.  Ask for his advice.  Share my good news.

I could look at all these milestones and be sad he's not there.  I am sad. I miss him and if I think about it too long I could cry.  I do cry.  But then I think about how my father lived his life, with no regrets.   And I should do more of that; live in the moment.   I should be thankful for what I do have.  I have an insanely supportive family.  A family that is tighter than ever before.  A family that would make him proud.  A family that has lived through darkness and risen above.   My husband, my brother, my mom, aunts, uncles, cousins, we have grown closer than ever before.  Sure we still fight, but don't you dare test that bond.  You'll lose, every time.  My brother once referred to my grandfather as the tent pole in the Rodeen family circus.  I've watched my brother gracefully step up into that position.  He's a caring son, a loving father, and the best big brother around.  How proud my father must be.  

I have memories.  I have crazy stories about the legend that was Gerry Rodeen that will make you laugh until you will cry.  Five years later and I'm still hearing stories about my father that I've never heard before.  Each time I hear a new Rodie story I can't help but smile.  I can only hope that I live my life with no regrets as he did.   That man literally gave zero f#cks about what everyone else thought.   He just lived in the moment. 

I have so many of his traits: his work ethic, his mouth, and his drive.  His love for sports and competition and, I am certain, Ken would tell you I inherited my dad's stubbornness.  

I also always have him with me.  Physically, I have his watch. I wear it every day.  When I'm being challenged at work I look down at it and think "what would Rodie do?"  And then I think, he would get up and kick some a#s.  So I do, I get up and kick a#s every damn day.    When I'm with my kids and Kam is jumping off the couch and Max is screaming at me for more fruit snacks, I look down at my watch to find out how many more hours until bed time and I think of my dad.  Thanks Dad for the wild genes.

Then I have wonderful moments when I can truly feel his presence.  On Christmas Eve this year, Ken and I were having a quiet evening with the kids making cookies.  Ken had picked up a bottle of my dad's favorite wine, Pouilly-Fuissé, and we were enjoying a glass while Kam and Max frosted cookies. I had been begging Kam all week to say "Merry Christmas" to anyone we met.  In true Rodeen form, he had refused every single time.  As I was sitting quietly enjoying my wine, thinking about my father and watching Max down an entire bottle of sprinkles, Kam looked up at me, and with a twinkle in his eye, he said "Merry Christmas, Mommy!"  Right there, in that moment I knew he was with me.    With tears in my eyes and Pouilly-Fuisse in my hand I raised a glass in Rodie's honor.  

Whether you knew him or not, I hope you raise a glass in his honor tonight.  I know I will be. 

I'm ZaZa over this LBD

Recently I got my hands on this gem of a dress by ZaZa Couture.  ZaZa has some adorable little tyke clothing but this was the first I had come across their women's line, Pour la Femme.  It's a super feminine line that mixes and matches funky textures and patterns to create some one-of-a-kind pieces.  This is NOT your average Little Black Dress.  I was crushing on this LBD because it combines a few of my favorite things: polka dots and metallics, both of which are oh so trendy at the moment. 

Even though this piece is unique, it's super versatile.  I've already worn it on several occasion, whether it's to work or dinner and drinks with the girls.  Mixing, matching, and layering accessories will really change the looks of this outfit.   Accessories matter people! 

Below are a few of my favorite ways to style this dress.

Work appropriate wear

Key accessories:  spanx tights (YES I said Spanx tights, if you haven't tried them yet, GO. BUY. NOW.  They will change your life), grey booties, bangles and, of course, a statement necklace.   And for those of you noticing, YES, those are "THE" glasses I wanted for Christmas.  Sometimes you just got to treat yo'self.  #sorryimnotsorry I also love my bright red work bag that I snagged at Target several years ago.  It's a nice pop of color as your trying to drag yo' a#s to work on Monday morning.

Even my little man is like "DAMN that dress is fly, Mom!"

A night on the town

Drinks with the girls call for red lips, over the knee boots and your best faux fur vest.   Don't forget your statement necklace and bangles, but since you're going out with the girls, feel free to glam it up with some rhinestones and pearls.   A high pony tail always makes me feel extra sassy on a Friday night.  Watch out world, this mom of two is on the loose. 

The moral of the story is, you need this dress and accessories matter, people!

You can snag my Pour la Femme dress online here at Cocobella Boutique.   By the way I'm totally gushing over several of the jumpsuits at Cocobella. GAHH!  Maybe that will be my next review *wink wink*

Until then, I am SO excited to be able to giveaway a #zazacouture dress to one of you lovely loyal readers!!!! Below are the deets on how to enter:

1. Follow @shelovesthefword and @zazacouture on instagram

2. Tag a friend...or two...or three, or four....

3. Be sure to checkout one of my favorite ZaZA retailers @cocobellaboutique and follow them too

4. Ends Wednesday at 9pm PST

*To enter you must be 18yrs or older and have a U.S. Shipping address. This giveaway is not sponsored, administered or endorsed by Instagram.

Good luck my Glam followers!

Shop similar accessories from my looks above in the links below

It's always sunny in the Law house

Gosh, these shades make me look like a genuine bada#s, don't they?  Well, I have a confession to make.   I didn't pick them out. My husband did.  He gave them to me for Christmas.  Not only did I not pick them out, I didn't even like them..... at first.   I secretly was a little disappointed when I opened them. What a b#tch. 

You see, I had mentioned I needed a new pair of sunglasses.  I even hinted around the exact pair I wanted. Come on girls, you know sometimes we need to guide our men to the gifts we really want, no matter how many years we've been married.   

A few days before Christmas our 3 year old blew my gift by saying "Mommy, daddy got you new glasses!!" My heart smiled. I couldn't wait for Christmas morning to open up my new sunnies and rock them for our Mexico trip in a few weeks.    

So Christmas morning came and I watched my kids joyfully rip through gift after gift.  I sat and blissfully enjoyed the moment.  Secretly, I couldn't wait to rip open my own gift and put those gorgeous sunnies straight on my face.   The Tiffany blue and black shades were going to be just perfect against my platinum hair.   After the excitement of Christmas morning with the kids died down, I quietly opened my gift.      

Ummm, what the f#ck is this?  These are NOT the sunnies I hinted at.   "Do you like them?" My husband asks.   "Yah" I quickly replied. He could sense my disappointment.  "You're always borrowing my Ray Bans and I thought the lenses on these were really cool."    He was right.  I was always stealing his Ray Bans and the mirrored lenses were pretty cool.   I'd seen them all over Instagram.   It seemed like every fashion blogger I follow had been rocking some sort of mirrored sunglasses recently. It's just that they weren't 'the ones' I'd been hoping for.  But they were pretty cool.   "You can exchange them at Nordstrom if you don't like them" my sweet husband said.  I felt like a complete jerk now.  He put a lot of thought into picking out these glasses.

The truth was I wasn't sure if I liked them or not.    They were kind of cool.  But where they too cool?  Too wild?  They just weren't what I was expecting.  Maybe that was okay.   Maybe my husband was actually cooler than me?   Over the weekend I tried the shades on several times and they started to grow on me.  I waited until Monday morning and I tried them on for my younger, hipper friend Al.   She loved them.   That sealed the deal.  The tags were off and I never looked back.  I'm so glad I didn't because now I'm OBSESSED with them. 

Moral of the story... sometimes your husband is cooler than you.  Sometimes he knows you better than you know yourself.   Sometimes you just need a younger, hipper friend to agree with him.

Shop my favorite mirrored shades plus 'the ones' that got away below.

The World's Best Turkey Burgers

Happy New Year Ya'll!   The new year brings new goals and a fresh start.   Raise your hand if your 2016 resolution is to eat healthier.   If your hand is up, you are not alone.  Staying healthy isn't easy. Sometimes you just need a good burger,  ya feel me? 

Have no fear, I have the World's Best Turkey Burger recipe to help you ease your way into a healthier lifestyle.   It's delicious, hearty, healthy and most importantly it leaves me feeling full and satisfied. This recipe is 21 day fix approved and as an added bonus, it's a great way to sneak in extra veggies for your kiddos.   F YA!  

These turkey burgers are a real crowd pleaser.  I could literally eat them every day and never get sick of them.  I make this recipe once a week for my family, no joke.  All my friends make this recipe for their families as well.   Our husbands joke they that they thought the 21 day fix program was just this recipe because we eat it so often.  They are that damn good.   I eat them on a whole wheat bun, without a bun, over a salad, with tzatziki and cucumbers, with ketchup or mustard, you name it, it still tastes delicious.      

Go ahead try it.  I dare you not to like it.  

Ingredients

• 1 lb. ground turkey
• 6 halves sun dried tomatoes (chopped)
• 1/2 medium red onion
• 1 cup of fresh spinach
• ¼ cup crumbled feta
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• ½ tsp minced garlic
• ⅓ cup wheat bread crumbs
• 1 egg white
• sea salt and pepper to taste
• ½ chopped red pepper
• Option to add ½ cup grated and squeezed zucchini

Instructions:
Roughly chop the spinach, sun dried tomatoes, onion, and red pepper. 
Grate zucchini in a bowl.  Squeeze out all excess moister from zucchini.  In a bowl combine the ground turkey with the zucchini spinach, sun dried tomatoes, red onion, feta, ½ tsp minced garlic, dried oregano, egg whites, bread crumbs, ½ tsp of sea salt and some freshly ground pepper. Stir everything until it is evenly combined. Shape the mixture into six patties.
Cook the burgers on a counter top grill, a non-stick skillet or over open flame.    Serve with Tzatziki and cucumber or any toppings you desire.

For 21 day Fixers I count 1 patty as 1 Red, 1/4 Green, 1/2 blue
 
- Some images and this recipe were adapted from holymolymeohmy.com

A Picture Perfect Holiday

The holidays are always crazy hectic and the family pictures are galore.  You want to look your best even if behind these scenes you're a hot mess.  Here are my 4 tips for keeping your hair, nails, lips and legs on point this season.

LIPS

The holidays are the perfect time for the quintessential red lip.   Nothing's worse than a messy red lip that won't stay in place or needs reapplied all night.  I love Covergirl's Outlast All Day Lipcolor in Ever Red (507).   It's a two step process that makes your perfect red lip last all night.   I'm talking wake up in the morning and your lips are STILL red, kinda long lasting. 

NAILS

No time for a manicure?  No problem.  Grab Seche Vita Dry Fast base and top coat and your nails will be looking pretty in no time flat.   These quick drying polishes dry faster than ANYTHING I've ever used before.  I'm talking slather on 4 layers, one after the other and go to bed minutes later, fast.  This season I'm pairing them with OPI's color Mrs O'Leary's BBQ to keep my nails in the holiday spirit.

LEGS

Between my toddler kicking me in the shin and my constant fights with our stroller, my legs look like I moonlight as a cage fighter.  I'm obsessed with Sally Hansen's Airburshed Legs.    It's basically makeup for your legs.  It covers all bruises, dark veins (thank you 2 kids), or just plain pasty white legs.  It's water resistant and once it dries it won't rub off on your clothing. It leaves you with a flawless leg that will make you feel like you just stepped off the cover of a Victoria's Secret catalog.

HAIR

This is my favorite cheat ever.   Probably because I have to use it more than I'd like to admit. Before I had kids I would get my hair done every 4-5 weeks.  Nowadays I'm lucky to get in to the salon every 8-10 weeks.  SIGH.   If you feel me, then these 2 items will change your life: dry shampoo and Color WOW!  

If you aren't using dry shampoo already, what the F#ck are you waiting for?  I use dry shampoo every day.  By Friday my hair is 80% dry shampoo and I'm not mad about it.   Not only does it buy me a few extra days of not having to wash my hair, but it also provides extra volume and helps hide my hideous roots. 

My favorite dry shampoo is Batiste.    It's old school, cheap and gets the job done.   I legitimately buy this in a 6 pack from Amazon and it's on auto subscribe.  I buy the 'clean and classic', which sprays on white.  It's perfect for blondes but they also make it in other shades including light blonde, medium and dark brown. 

Color WOW is basically like eye shadow for your hair.  It comes in 7 different shades and it camouflages grey roots instantly and even covers dark regrowth in lightened hair.  Best of all, it lasts until your next real shampoo!  I use the color platinum.

The 2 Minute Root Touch Up

1. Apply dry shampoo to the roots of dry hair
2. Brush dry shampoo through hair to blend
3. If you have highlights, this is where the Color Wow comes into play.  Pull your hair taut at the root with one hand. Using your free hand, dab the the the small end of the brush in the Color Wow powder.  Wherever highlights have grown out, apply powder, joining it to the existing highlight.

To cover roots or grey hair use a similar technique.  Dab on visible roots, starting from the scalp and working outward. Repeat as necessary until roots disappear and color looks like new.

Because you probably still have 100 presents to wrap, cookies to bake, and Christmas cards to address, I made it super easy for you to add the items mentioned above straight to your Amazon cart.   Just think of it as my Christmas present to you.   Enjoy and hope you have yourself a Merry little Christmas. 

Picture perfect red lips all day everyday

Never leave the house with wet nails again

Game changing dry shampoo

Airbrushed looking legs in minutes

The key to your 2 minute root touch up.