Red, Wine & Blue



I'm very much looking forward to the holiday weekend filled with fireworks, tubing, sun, drinks, wind in the hair, laughter and friends.  I love all holidays and what they bring so I'm cheers-ing to all the fun with a glass of wine from VINEBOX (because let's be real wine makes everything better). I'm sure you've all heard of a wine club but you probably haven't heard of a wine club like this.  After you sign up you receive 3 different glasses of wine each month.   Each bottle is perfectly measured to deliver 10cl pours.  It only takes minutes to sign up and you even get to put in your wine preferences. These are not every day wines we are talking about but exclusive wines like you would find on a road trip in Tuscany.  Over 10,000 wines have been sampled by VINEBOX's sommeliers and only 1% have made the cut.  I prefer white wines so I was thrilled to receive Cuvee Laurine, Muscadet Vieilles Vignes and Chateau de Saint-Martin.  You can find me this weekend on the water sipping a glass of wine!








This is my reaction when you are all out!
Then you remember you have two more tubes!



Items received in exchange for this post.  As always all opinions expressed are honest and my own.





Palm Dress




















It's all about prints this summer and I'm sharing another one of my favorites with you: palm!!!!  The palm print might be at the very top of my list and this dress has me giddy beyond belief.  It's whimsical yet sexy, its fun yet elegant, and it's just perfect.  It's a very light, flowy fabric which makes it perfect for the hot summer weather.  The high low cut is perfection and I feel like I can just be swept away in the dress.  Man I wish I was being swept away to somewhere tropical but I guess I'll have to wear this around my pool, lol!

There's plenty of detail and interest with the dress so the shoes, jewelry and bag are simple and minimal.

My exact dress is from a local boutique but you can shop similar looks here and my exact accessories:


Dr. Pepper Chicken





Ingredients:

Chicken Breasts
Brown Sugar
Ketchup
Barbecue Sauce
Dr. Pepper
Salt
Pepper

Directions:

Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper.  Combine brown sugar, ketchup, barbecue sauce, and Dr. Pepper (about equal parts, I eyeball the amounts based on how much chicken I'm preparing) in small bowl and drizzle over chicken breasts.  Bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes.

My Beauty Must-Have's

Once I hit my 30's I started looking for the miracle products to help prevent aging.  There are several items in my beauty routine as well as a hydra facial every two months.  I am fairly lucky in the skin department so I'm taking extra good care of my skin these days as a preventative measure.  There are some areas I'd love to improve but overall it is about prevention.  I wanted to round up some products for you that I use on my face and body.  Some are products I've used for quite awhile and others are new finds.
  Beauty Must-Haves

Morning routine:

Evening Routine:

2. Nion Beauty Opus Body
3. Opus Renew (Once a week)


I'm always looking for the next best skin care item so if you have any favorites please let me know!


Starting with a clean palette is my first tip.  Clean skin is a must!  I've switched from a Clarisonic to Nion Beauty's Opus Express; there is no comparison between the two.  Nion Beauty uses silicone with Tourmaline and silver which makes their products non-toxic, extremely durable, soft, and antibacterial.  Because they are so durable you won't ever need replacement heads; their products can last approximately 10 years.  The S-ion technology purifies the skin and boosts blood circulation which gives you a glow.  Most cleansing devices use friction which can be harmful whereas Nion Beauty uses a Kinetic Skin Cleansing system.  This system uses vibrations to loosen the dirt without stripping away naturally occurring oils.  It felt so good on my skin; it was light and gentle, like a mini tingling massage.


I think there is a huge focus on anti-aging for the face but the body is rarely mentioned.  Nion Beauty's Opus Body grants you glowing skin from head to toe.  Just like the Opus Express the Opus Body has a silicone body brush that features S-ion Technology and Kinetic Skin Cleansing design. The Opus Body not only cleans but also prevents skin's aging.  You recharge the Opus Body with a USB plug but it's shower and bathtub safe.



What mom doesn't need a little de-puffing around the eyes every morning?!?!  ImpishEyes contains caffeine, cucumber, CoQ10, peptides, and white tea to help us ladies with our dark circles and bags under our eyes.  This product I use every morning.


It's hard for me to find a good lotion.  I love a thick, creamy lotion and so many are thin and not very hydrating if you ask me.  Cheers, My Dears from Perfectly Posh does have a great consistency but the pomegranate scent wasn't my favorite.



About once a week I use Opus Renew for dark circles.  These are supercharged with negative ions and increase blood flow to treat dark circles and imperfections.  You can cut them to fit but I just figured covering more area couldn't hurt.  After use you gently wash with warm water and mild soap and store for multiple uses.  With my first use I felt like the skin tightened more than the darkness faded.


I wore lash extensions for a couple of years and was so tired of the upkeep let alone cost.  When I learned about Lash Boost from Rodan+Fields I knew I had to take the plunge and give it a try.  It was difficult to go naked but I sure don't miss the hours of application for the extensions.  I'm seeing results and as soon as I have full growth I will share the before and after photos.



I can't think of many superior ways to unwind after a long day than a bubble bath.  Like I mentioned, during my nightly routine I use the Nion Beauty Opus Express and Body both of which make me feel clean and relaxed. 




Products received in exchange for this post.  As always all opinions expressed are honest and my own.


Chicken Fajitas

Chicken Fajitas



Ingredients:

Grilled Chicken (I bbq several chicken breasts for dinner one night and then use leftovers for this.)
Two Bell Peppers (Any colors)
1/4 White Onion
Tortillas
Shredded Mexican Cheese
Sour Cream
Garlic Salt
Pepper

Directions:

Chop onion and bell peppers and grill over medium heat.  Once almost done add in sliced grilled chicken and warm, sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Warm tortillas in foil in the oven.  Once tortillas are warm spread sour cream, top with chicken mixture and shredded cheese.




Date Night with a Twist

I like comfortable as much as the next girl but honestly dressing up is my favorite!  Now don't get me wrong this is not a dressy look but it's not an everyday look either.  This is girl's night out or hot date night with the hubby.  Find me anything lace and I'll probably love it so when I saw this flirty white lace crop top and I had to give it a try.  It's a little more bold than my typical wardrobe but the lace and off the shoulder had me sold.  The details and the cut are bold enough so simple skinnies and pumps with a bit of jewelry is all I added.  To complete the look I added a pop of wine lip.

See below for a super fun date night idea below along with more of this look...


















Speaking of date nights this last weekend we were lucky enough to get a rare one in.  I tried 7 babysitters but with school out I struck out 7 times.  Voa Voa to the rescue....she offered after hearing I was giving up.  We went to one of our favorite places, Flemings and it did not disappoint. Sometimes we challenge ourselves to not talk about work and kids while on a date.  Has anyone ever tried this.... because it's freakin' hard!  To lighten things up we brought CRATED with LOVE with us. It's a monthly date night subscription box which encourages finding at least one moment each month to fall in love all over again.  As parents who both work it can feel impossible to find special moments with just the two of you.  We spend plenty of time without the kids but its usually for an event so its not one on one quality time.  I love the idea of CRATED with LOVE because it forces you to schedule the time and give you something totally different to do in order to connect.  One thing that is great about it is that you don't have to find a babysitter to make it work. Put the kids to bed and it's all things you can do from home.  Each box will be different but it's not about the items inside but instead the activities that build your relationship all while combining love and laughter.

The box Kevin and I received was all about the 80's.  I am a huge fan of the 80's, perhaps because I am a product of the 80's, so I was very excited upon opening it.  There were four challenges that kept the laughter rolling.  We quickly learned that our 80's knowledge was not as great as we thought.  We finished Challenge 1 at the restaurant and then headed home to complete the other tasks.  Laughter played a big role in the activities but there were also sentimental moments and challenges.  It was a great night out!  Thank you to Voa Voa for watching the girls and thanks to CRATED with LOVE for adding the fun to our night!





Product received in exchange for this post.  As always all opinions expressed are honest and my own.