A Very Happy New Year

2014 has been the most amazing year of my life. It all began with the birth of my perfect son in May and ended with me getting a new job.

I cannot wait to start new things. Change is good! I will be sad to leave the people I have worked closely with over the last few years. These people have become my friends and I know I will continue to remain close with them.

I know 2015 will be a fabulous year! So many good things to look forward to, including traveling with my little man.

Being a mom has taught me that I can be selfless instead of selfish. I want to be able to give my little boy everything his heart desires. I'm hoping this new job change will give me even more opportunities in life and teach me new things.

Personal growth is important to me. Learning new things and keeping up with the changing world is something I want to continue to do. I also want to continue writing more and sharing more of my life in this blog.

But first I just want to enjoy my holidays and New Year with my family!!

What I Want Wednesday

Been a while since I posted one of these. There are a few simple things I have been wanting and some of these I will actually be buying and one that I may be attempting as well. So here it is, my what I want list for this Wednesday.

THIS SKIRT IS A MUST!! I LOVE THE COLOR AS WELL!!

ALWAYS WANTED A FUN AND SOPHISTICATED  CAPE FOR FALL, SO I ORDERED THIS ONE!

THESE PEEP TOE BOOTIES WERE CALLING MY NAME, SO LIKE THE CAPE IT WENT FROM WISH LIST TO ORDERED!

LASTLY, I AM IN LOVE WITH THIS OMBRE HAIR COLOR!! I HAVE BEEN FEELING DARING LATELY, SO SOME FORM OF THIS MAY BE IN MY FUTURE. (I ACTUALLY HAD HOT PINK HAIR IN COLLEGE)

Fall Fun

It's been too long since I wrote anything. Life has taken over and got in the way, but it's a good thing. 

This has been a busy month with all the fall happenings. We took our little potato on his first of many apple picking adventures, followed by some pumpkin picking. We made homemade apple sauce and had some beer at an octoberfest fair. (Well not Jack, but mommy and daddy). We also went to a beautiful pumpkin display at Old Westbury Gardens.

I am still continuing on my path to a better life and have been consciously making better choices.

BEAUTY: My personal favorites

I love makeup! I love trying new products and experimenting with different looks. i have been really into retro looks lately and recreating glam for nights out! Here are some of my absolute favorite products.

The Naked palettes from Urban Decay top my list. There are so many colors that are both natural, for every day use, as well as dark and shimmery for evening looks. The shadow itself is great quality. It lasts all day without touch-ups and it goes on smooth and even. Worth every penny!! You can get it HERE

My next favorite is also from Urban Decay. The eyeshadow primer potion. This is such an important product that many people forget about. Primer fills in all those little lines and also helps the eyeshadow from gathering in the crease of your eye. I use the anti-aging formula (unfortunately I am not as young as I pretend to be, Shhhhh Don't tell) You can find this product HERE

Staying on the eyes, I bought the Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes mascara that I said I wanted one of my What I Want Wednesday blogs. So far I am in LOVE!!! It separates my lashes and no clumps!! They look longer and fabulous! So happy with this product and definitely recommend it. You can find it HERE

Another mascara that I like, mostly because it lasts even when I went swimming and doesn't smudge when I have accidentally rubbed my eyes. It is the They're Real mascara by Benefit. You can buy it HERE

Moving on to face. I am not a fan of wearing too much face makeup and cover-up, but when I want my skin to look flawless and have a nice matte finish, I prefer powder over liquid. I really like the Mineralize powder by MAC. It goes on evenly and it doesn't feel heavy. You can buy it HERE

As far as my cheeks go, I do like a nice blush that gives just enough to color to enhance your features. One that I really love is by Physician's Formula. It looks cute with all the hearts and it really is beautiful. Its called Happy Booster, Glow and Mood Blush. The name alone is fantastic! You can get it HERE

Last but not least is lips. I love bold lip color. I really think it can make your whole look. Now that it is finally Autumn, I am loving the dark wine colors. I found one by Maybelline called Deepest Cherry. It goes on smooth and has a creamy finish. It also smells nice. You can get it HERE

And we end with my everyday go to lip moisturizer by EOS. Their lip products are great! They have so many different flavors and they really keep my lips soft and smooth. Buy it HERE

What I Want Wednesday

This week I have been dreaming of going on vacation!! It has been a while since I have been able to go away, so I am longing for a nice trip somewhere heavenly! Here are some of my top picks for my next vacation. As you can see, I'm feeling quite fancy :)

MAUI, HAWAII

MALLORCA, SPAIN

FIJI

THAILAND

MYKONOS, GREECE

What I Want Wednesday

Today's post is all about cosmetics. I have been wanting to try Tarte Cosmetics for a while. They have fabulous reviews and a great variety of products, but most important is that they do not test on animals. That is something important to me as a consumer. They also use natural ingredients, no parabens, phthalates, synthetic fragrance, etc..

So here are some of the products from Tarte that I want and will soon be purchasing! (I will definitely write a review post as well)

Lipstick

Amazonian Clay

Lights, Camera, Lashes

Don't go to bed mad!

Today we lost a legend, Joan Rivers. She was such a witty, brash and no filter chick. Someone who is an inspiration to all women. It makes me realize how short life is. We can go at anytime without notice.

I think of my family and how much I love them and depend on them. And how I now have this little boy who depends on me. We need to all stop worrying about the small things and start enjoying our family and friends. Don't go to bed mad! Don't let petty things upset you!

I am very fortunate to have my 97 year old grandma still in my life. She is my best friend and I talk to her every single day and if she didn't live in Florida I would see her everyday. I know she cannot live forever so I want to make the most of my time with her and I want her to see her great-grandson as much as possible too.

My Aunt, who I was also extremely close to, was not as fortunate and passed away at a young age. She was my inspiration and my muse. She seemed to live a dream life, at least to me as a young girl. I have so many regrets when it comes to the way I was as a young girl as she always wanted to take me away to anywhere I wanted. Spain, France, Africa, the list goes on and on, but me, being a smart-ass teen, never went. I now would do anything to have had those memories with her. I cannot change the way I was, but I can change the way I will be. 

I'm not telling anyone how to live their lives. But I don't want to have any regrets in life.

Turkey Turkey Gobble Gobble

This is my recipe for turkey meatballs, which is a staple on my new diet. The recipe from The Skinny Rules was a little dry for my liking so I modified the recipe slightly. I pretty much eat these every day for lunch with different vegetable sides to change it up. They are easy to make and taste delicious.

Here are the ingredients:

I start with Jenny-O 99% fat free ground turkey breast. This brand tends to have the lowest sodium.

¼ cup shredded carrots 

¼ cup shredded zucchini.

1 egg

1/3 cup Italian whole wheat bread crumbs

Combine the ingredients all together.

Then I use about 2 tablespoons of coconut oil (yes I'm obsessed)

I roll the mixture into meatballs and brown them in the hot oil.

I then transfer then to a bigger pot (such as a sauce pan) and add in about 1 cup of low sodium chicken broth. You can use vegetable broth as well.

I then cover and let it simmer for about 10-15 mins until all the meat is cooked through.

They are now ready to serve or you can refrigerate them for a few days or freeze ten for later use.

C'est Magnifique

First Week Success!

First week of new healthy eating plan and I have to say it was a very successful week. I lost 5.5 lbs this week! I am fully determined and have not let anyone or anything get me off track. I prepared meals at the beginning of the week to get me set up and I make sure I walk for at least 15 minutes once a day.

It's been hard sometimes to stay away, but I find that when I think I want something sweet or a glass of wine, I have to breath and think of the end goal. I also have an iced coffee black no sugar. Or some green tea. It seems to take away the cravings.

The weather has been gorgeous so I've been making plans that include walking as much as possible, carrying my 13lb son around doesn't hurt either!

What I Want Wednesday!

Here is my rich bitch wish list!! All the things I hope to one day have!