Thursday, March 31, 2011

Month in Review: March


March was such a FAST but FUN month for us! We did a lot which is probably why it flew by! It included a marriage conference, a trip to College Station, Supper Club, hanging with my Houston Misegades clan, a wedding reception, several patio happy hours, lots of porch time, a concert (Il Gato- my friend from LHHS), a few birthdays, a DIY project, and the most important- the birth of a beautiful and healthy baby girl! Here are a few snapshots from March. 

 Nicki and I may or may not have snuck in water bottles of Merlot into the movie theater... dont judge :)

 My Frenchy made crepes for the Doctor-to-be... Dr. Cochran that is :)

 Some live music in Downtown Bryan!

Some antique shopping w/ Nickster ... including a tour of an RV. :) What a random and fun day!

St. Patty's day on the porch... my lovely entertainment.

My finished product! Not too shabby :)

My gals had the Bachelor finale watching party! BRAD + EMILY + LIL RICKI = 4EVER :)
NORA!!! A beautiful day for a Texas wedding reception.
Moose's home in Colleyville.
Me and my buddy Seth 
 
Meeting Lola Kate (again)

Ohhhhh so cute :)

More porch time... we embrace the Spring weather... since it seems to last only a matter of weeks!



A new "do"

The death of 2 things near and dear to my heart... are you kidding?!?!?! Within 1 week of each other... not sure how I will be taking pics next month... My bday is next week- maybe I can add that to my wish list?

April is near... I see tulips :)

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Grass appears greener...



I have been thinking about this a ton lately.  Why is it so hard to be content with where we are at in life sometimes? I find myself always waiting on the next big thing and not really soaking up the present.  That sparkly ring, that new job, that pay raise, that new house, that baby, that vacation, that balance in our bank account... THEN we will have ALL our ducks in a row.  (Yeah right... there will always be something else! It's an endless cycle.)

As a result of this, we sometimes escape into other people's reality ... people that we look up to, admire, are curious about... and we wonder- what would it be like to have THEIR life instead of mine? Celebrities, friends, bloggers... I am guilty of all 3.  (Especially reality TV- I get WAY too invested in it... PS if you were wondering I am on Team Brad and Emily living happily ever after and beating the odds!)

One of my friends Erin told me (quite wisely) - the crazy thing is ... for every person that you are looking to, there is probably someone looking at YOU - YES little ol' YOU... thinking the exact same thing. Have you ever thought about that?

I am SO thankful to have the life that I have been given- my goodness I have my HOTTIE husband, my health, my family, my wonderful job, and on and on... so every once in awhile I need to step back, take a deep breath and look around me.  Take inventory of all my blessings and live in the moment.  Make the "every day" (at times mundane) mean something- or else we will miss it all by constantly wishing for the future.

We were at a marriage conference at our church recently and they told us:

"The grass may look greener, but you aren't the one getting the water bill."

Translation: You have no idea what goes on behind closed doors... so instead of being snoopy neighbor, why don't you worry about watering your own lawn. Making the life you have been given really mean something instead of constantly looking across the street.  No one is perfect. No one has a perfect life.  We are uncomfortable in this world at times because we were made for another.  There is only One thing will be able to fill that void and longing.


With that being said... go water your lawn :)

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

A Short Story...

How many pics does it take to get.... a good self portrait?!?!? Ugh, I cannot do these for the life of me!!! So many cute bloggers do them all the time and I cannot get the right mirror or angle. 


After much debate, I decided to cut my hair short again.  I wanted it short and sassy for the summer.  I love the choppy layers and my favorite... the stubby pony!!! Its always cute.  


A few decisive factors:

  • the split ends had to go
  • Kristin Cavallari has cute hair 
  • it takes 1/2 the time to dry
  • I will actually FIX my hair every day b/c its quick! (no more messy buns at work) 
  • the CHI is over and done with in 5!
  • cute pony (as mentioned previously)
  • Logan met me w/ short hair and although he covered his rear by saying he liked my hair BOTH ways, he did finally admit he preferred the short (I mean he DID have love at first sight! ha)
  • I needed a change 
So without further ado...here is my bathroom mirror fashion show.  (Probably should have Windexed my mirror beforehand- my bad!) 




And the winner!!! Oh happy good hair day :)

Monday, March 28, 2011

DIY: Cedar chest turned CUTE!

So a few weekends ago, Logan and I headed down to College Station to visit the Cochrans. Nicki and I are kindred spirits when it comes to DIY/ Canton/ and giving old stuff a face lift.  We went "treasure hunting" on Saturday and I found this adorable and legit cedar chest for a mere $25!!!! 

With limited storage in our very old duplex (I mean did ladies not have clothes back then??) we welcomed the opportunity to store our winter sweaters and warm clothes in something cute! The entire thing only took 1 beautiful Saturday afternoon.  We did it the Saturday of the St. Patty's parade on Lower Greenville and could hear the craziness from our front porch.  I find it hilarious to think if someone had told me I would prefer to stay home and re-finish furniture rather than partake in the Greenville Ave fesitivities- I would have called you CRAZY! Times have changed.  My dad told me he prefers the domestic Abby :) He worries less these days.

Before

The inside of the chest
My trusty Ryobi helped me sand it down.

I did a base coat in white since the wood was not painted.  This part didn't have to be perfect since I knew I was going to paint another layer on top in a fun color.

We went to Sherwin Williams to pick out the most perfect shade of gray.

Logan and I painted 2 coats of the gray on all sides, including the back (even though no one will see it)
The weather + our front porch + iTunes + beer = perfect Saturday!

My handsome handy man.
Its starting to look cuter!

Picking out the perfect knobs at Anthropologie. (The biggest expense but totally worth it! They were $6  each)



Logan helped me big time with this- he removed the old knobs and replaced them with the cute ones :) 

 
After the paint is 100% dry and you are 100% happy with how it looks, spread 1-2 layers of this wax all over the surface to help secure the paint job. It adds a protective layer so that if something were to spill, it can be easily wiped off!   It also gives it a slight shine as well.

I just used an old t-shirt to spread it on, but old thin rags or dish towels work best!
THE FINISHED PRODUCT!


Our room now feels complete!
I think the gray and mustard perfectly complement our bedding! 

We are really happy with how everything turned out! My little $25 treasure probably would have cost a couple hundred dollars if I bought it already refurnished. Instead I did this project (paint, gloss, knobs, etc.) for under $75!

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Happy Birthday Lola Kate Houston!

As you all know, one of my besties Annie was the first of the DREAM TEAM to get pregnant! She announced it in August, we threw her a shower in January and Lola arrived this morning at 12:59am! It felt like we were ALL having a baby... she's going to be our little mascot here in Dallas :)


This week, Logan and I set up one last rendezvous / double date with the Houstons. We were debating between Tuesday and Wednesday night...luckily we went with Tuesday,  just in case. Although Lola was due April 1st, we knew that she would probably arrive a week or so early with the Hinckley family history :) We had a GREAT time and chatted all about labor, how only 1 in 10 women's water breaks, an April Fools Day birthday, and all that baby jazz.  Well that night I had some CRAZY dreams about Lola entering the world and emailed Annie first thing yesterday morning.  The irony of the emails is too funny not to share...
_________________________________________________


Email to Annie from Abby 10:09am yesterday:

Dream #1 : For some reason you were giving birth at home and surprise... I was in the room!?!?!??! haha... and you gave birth right in front of me and it was a BOY!!!!!!!!!! We were so confused and concerned about what to name him and how quickly we could re-make the nursery for a boy....

Bathroom break... checked text messages.... I had one... did I have ESPN and Annie went into labor?!?!?!? NO...it was from Bob (Mr. Frenchy)

Then back to bed.... this time the dream was I had just come over and was hanging out w/ your mom and yes... LOLA!!! And she had your eyes and eyelashes and jonos smile... but she was like older... like a few months old, not a newborn...

So basically... I think its your due date!
We had fun w/ you guys last night... always love Houston QT :)
xo,
Me
____________________________________________________

Annie to Abby : 10:33 AM

Haha I LOVE your dreams last night, too funny!!! Although I have to say I think I like the 2nd one better than the first:). A boy would NOT like his girly nursery! Well, I would not be opposed if today was THE day. Jono is in Jacksonville, TX today, but will be back by 4:30. In the meantime, my mom, Aunt B, and my dad are all on stand-by ready to take me to the hospital should anything happen. HA! Gotta love 'em!


I did not awake with contractions in the middle of the night last night like the nights before, so I was a little disappointed, but that doesn't mean she couldn't change her mind toDAY!
And yes, we had a BLAST with you guys last night! It was so much fun!! We'll have to do it again soon, except with LOLA in tow next time:).
Annie
_______________________________________________
 
Text from Annie at 1:06pm: My water broke and I'm just arriving at the hospital! Prayers Please!!!  (I guess she was the 1 in 10! )
 
Text from Brenda at 11:39pm: Game time! She's fully dialated! Getting room ready to push!
 
Text from Brenda at 1:11am: Lola is here! Happy and healthy! 7 lbs 3 oz!
_______________________________________________
 
I literally was glued to my phone for 12 straight hours waiting for the news between tears, prayers, & goosebumps... and once I got THE text, I couldn't sleep... I kept checking FB for picture updates and my mind was swimming full of this new life that entered into the world.  Annie and Jono... the couple that introduced me and my hubby, just had a BABY.  They were parents.  And our future baby would someday be friends with this little cutie Lola.
 
Although exhausted today, meeting this little lady (and a strong Starbucks drink) got me through my morning at work.  Morgan and I went to visit her on our lunch break since we both work Downtown and I teared up and started crying when I walked into the room. We are all growing up so fast... It really does seem like yesterday that Jono and Annie got married! I held her, smelled her, and cursed my blasted iPhone for dying on such a CRUCIAL week... luckily Morgan had hers as back up.




 
I am going back tonight with my handsome hubby to visit her again... Can't get enough of her tiny self... PLUS, I have had a really cute bday gift for her since February that I cannot wait to give her. 
 
My heart is so happy and full. Miss Lola- You have been blessed with AMAZING parents.  I cannot wait to watch you grow up before my very own eyes.  We all love you so much!

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Ode to my iPhone

Dear beloved iPhone,

I don't think I fully appreciated you or treated you very nice all the time.  In fact, I dropped you often... even dropped you on purpose at times to try to turn you back on.  For that, I apologize.  I also would hit your face quite aggressively when you weren't typing fast enough for my impatient liking.

Well you have died and gone to be with the other 3Gs... and now I have an AWFUL BLUE Samsung to replace you and it is nowhere near the same.  He is SO hard to type on and only has the capability to text message and call people. (gasp!!!)


iPhone- you were my everything.  You were my GPS, my camera (and cool camera effects to where my mom thought I had become a photographer), my email, my BIBLE of all things, my Shazaam to download the latest and greatest tunes, my weather man, my MUSIC at work, my daytimer, my "notes to self" and Christmas wish lists, my Twitter, my Facebook, my lifeline... and I don't think I realized how co-dependent I was on you until you were gone. 

RIP August 2008 - March 2011.

I hope to upgrade to your better self named 4G here in the next 6-12 months... but until then, I will suffer through waiting in lines (at the pharmacy, docs office, Starbucks, elevator) with nothing to do but think of you and how good you were to me. (Although my hubby is glad to have my full attention back on him- ha!)

All my love,
AM

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Cheerful Patterns

I am finding so much inspiration through my Pinterest account... it is so refreshing to take mental breaks throughout the work day to browse and feel inspired. I am LOVING all of the bright patterns popping up everywhere... makes me so excited for Spring and Summer! Below are 3 that caught my eye.





Who wouldn't LOVE these in their living room? They are precious... I would love to have a more muted couch and spice up the room with those chairs!



Okay THIS is just FUN!!! Maybe a vacation car just to be fun and have a few cute photo opps? :)

Source: tch.net via Abby on Pinterest



I would LOVE to buy these as my everyday silverware.   These days, mismatching is the NEW matching... I love eclectic, cheerful, and bright patterns. These just make me happy.

You can view ALL of my pins HERE.

Happy HUMP day!

Friday, March 11, 2011

Happy Weekend and Happy Spring!!!




I thought this idea was ADORABLE! I found it this week and want to have it at my next house party :) 

I have also discovered some new tunes and bands that I think you will LOVE! They are all a bit chill and mellow + 2 of the songs are really great breakup songs... haha... I know that sounds weird, but after tough breakups I always found solace in GREAT music where I connected with what the artist was going through. Anywhoo- the break up days are over, but I still love the songs!  

I hope you have a great, sunny, 75 degree weekend. My friend Morgan is coming over tonight and we are going to make Sangria and refinish a new piece of furniture I got last weekend antique shopping in College Station. Can't wait to see how it turns out :)

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

What's in my bag? Makeup Edition.

What's in my makeup bag?

What's in my makeup bag? by abbymisegades on Polyvore.com

This is literally a comprehensive look at my makeup bag and I don't even have a stash of makeup left behind at home... (Appalling, I know!) I am the type of girl who would rather sleep 10 more minutes in the morning and put on my makeup as I drive to work.  I try to wait until stop lights... and then the parking garage for eyeliner and mascara! :)

I am always amazed at pictures where I've had my makeup done because I fully realize I could look a lot BETTER every day if I just took the time to learn how to do makeup and spent more time doing it, but that is where it stops.  The staples that I have found have done me well and Logan loves the fact that I don't look much different with or without makeup on b/c I keep it very minimal and natural.  

On that note here we go:
  • Chap Stick: as in the BRAND Chap Stick. I love the original. I use it every morning before my lip gloss goes on and every night before bed. I literally cannot sleep if my lips are dry. 
  • Sugar: this is also chap stick by Fresh (we sell it at Neimans)- my boss gave it to me in my Christmas gift. I love the way it smells and makes my lips feel, but I typically go for the Chap Stick to be honest. 
  • Laura Mercier Foundation Powder: I LOVE THIS STUFF!!! I have never worn foundation until 6 months ago because I don't like the idea of painting my face. However, I noticed my coworker had flawless skin and she told me about this stuff and how it goes on very lightly (like powder) but gives you FULL coverage and makes your skin look all one tone.  I decided to try it out and although it is my most expensive item in my makeup bag, it has proven to be my favorite new purchase! It really blends all of your skin tones and looks very natural (not heavy at all!)
  • Physicians formula bronzer:  I learned about this in college. I am "Snow White" most of the year...but when days roll around where I look ill and am in desperate need of color, I blend this in on top of my powder/ foundation to give myself some color.  
  • Covergirl "Shimmery Sands" eyeshadow: Don't laugh. I have used this stuff since JUNIOR HIGH!!!! AHHH... I found out last year they were going to discontinue it and almost cried.  But alas, I found it at CVS just last week.  I mostly use the middle color- I love eyelids with shimmer. (NOT to be confused with glitter)
  • Covergirl Concealer:  This stuff has been amazing! I don't like the wet paint feel on my face, so the lipstick like feel does better on my skin. (plus I feel like its thicker and give more coverage)
  • Revlon Colorstay Eyeliner crayon: I am not kidding- If i was stranded on an island with ONE makeup item in tow...it would be a toss up between my eyeliner and my concealer!  Note: Liquid eyeliner FREAKS me out, the type with the brush and powder is WAY too hard for me to do quickly and in the car, and the pencil... oh the pencil... it scratches me when it gets too dull and I am too lazy or cant find a sharpener. The crayon is awesome b/c you literally just screw the bottom and it pops up!
  • Chanel lipgloss: Ahhhhhh... my other splurge.  I do NOT do lipSTICK... I do gloss, always.   I love the shade "Imaginaire" that my friend Erin introduced me to.  It is the perfect amount of color and has some shimmer worked in as well.
  • Great Lash Mascara: Another cheapy drug store purchase that I love.  This mascara is constantly awarded by every major fashion magazine and is even used by celebrities such as my muse, Rachel Bilson.  It doesn't get much better than this!
  • Elf Blush: I have yet to find a blush that I LOVE... This is just a pretty pink shade ("tickled pink")  I found at CVS that does the trick.  I am not a huge blush girl, but I do like color on my cheeks- especially in the summer to give the illusion of being a bit sun kissed.  Any suggestions on how I can step up my blush game? 
Hannabelle- I hope I didn't disappoint.  Also- if ANYONE would like to give me a lesson on "fancy makeup" tricks... I am ALL EARS!!! 
Happy Hump Day :) 
Abby

Monday, March 7, 2011

My Beauty Regimen

My Beauty Regimen

My Beauty Regimen by abbymisegades on Polyvore.com
This post is going to be in 2 parts... one for skin care and one for makeup.


I find it highly entertaining that I am even posting about this, but I was flattered when my lifelong friend Hanna requested me to :) So Hanna- here we go!

I am pretty simple when it comes to skin care because I don't have loads of time or patience for complex multi-step solutions. Here are the products I use on a daily basis. I guess I can tell you in about 10 years or so if they worked or not ;) haha!

1. Clinique "All About Eyes"- I honestly have seen RESULTS with this. Right before my wedding, I got a facial with my mom and sister and the lady recommended I started using this eye cream. I was somewhat offended considering I thought only moms and grandmas used eye cream and I was only 25 at the time. HOWEVER, this is a great moisturizer that has caffeine in it so not only is it good for wrinkles around the eyes, but it works WONDERS on the dark under eye circles. She also said its always good to start early (mid 20's to be exact) as a preventative measure rather than trying to fix deep lines later on in life. I use this 1x in the morning and 1x at night. (Not going to lie though, I still need under eye concealer after it dries up a bit- but it has definitely improved the dark circles!)

2. Clean and Clear face wash- I have used this stuff since high school. I love that after I use it, my skin literally feels tight and tingles (I wash my face with cold water so that could have something to do with it as well). Logan always compliments how soft my skin is and I think it simply has to do with taking care of it.

3. Clean and Clear moisturizer- I use this 1x at night and 1x in the morning as well. Since the "All About Eyes" only goes under my eyes, I put this moisturizer on the rest of my face and my neck. It smells nice, its not too thick, and when I put my makeup on afterwards, it doesn't stick in certain places or get clumpy. (I hate that! I like LIGHT coverage)

4. Kiehls hand salve- I did not use Kiehls until I started working at Neimans and all the gals highly recommended it as my first purchase within the Kiehls installment. I use this either 1x at night before bed, or 1x in the morning right after my shower. At first I did not like it b/c this stuff is SO THICK... it honestly takes about 5 minutes or so for it to sink in and "dry up" if you will but it keeps my hands SO soft and it lasts all day. It doesn't really have a smell (good or bad), but it is known for working wonders with dry hands. I used it constantly during the winter and highly recommend it.

4. Noxzema face wipes- These have makeup remover, cleanser, and moisturizer ALL IN ONE WIPE! This is not the ideal solution, but its perfect for nights where you fall asleep on the couch and sleepily wander to the bathroom to force yourself to wash your face and brush your teeth. You just take out a wipe, rub it on your face, throw it away... then plop into bed and continue dreaming. Such a fast and simple fix.

I have no idea if this post was helpful or totally boring because I am the furthest from any sort of beauty expert, but I highly recommend any of these products and they are all relatively cheap! (I don't have a La Mer type budget at this point in my life- even WITH my discount haha!)

Happy Monday!

Friday, March 4, 2011

Happy Friday!!!!

This made me smile this week... makes me want to go BAKE!



We are off to College Station this weekend to celebrate NICKI COCHRAN and her belated birthday + the fact that Kent had a 4 hour Med school exam today and doesn't have to do an ounce of studying all weekend- sounds like enough reason to celebrate to me! :)

Hope you all have a great one.

xo,
me

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Katy's Golden Bday

We had a great time this weekend celebrating Katy's birthday! We went to Monicas Aca ya Alla in Deep Ellum. (Same spot as her 21st bday) so we have now decided to call it her annual "21st" birthday party ;) It never disappoints.



Monica's has a great atmosphere and a live Mariachi Band to keep everyone entertained. They even do a restaurant-wide conga line complete with tequila shots (on the house) at the end! They highly encourage crowd participation, so Katy got on stage several times to help sing and play the tambourine! You didn't have to ask her twice, she was more than willing and a hit I might add ;)



We had a GREAT turnout of 14 girls... I didn't tell Logan he was going to be the only guy b/c I didn't want him to bail on me... He was a GREAT sport and had fun keeping an eye on all us gals and chatting it up with his favorite Mariachi man Manny. They have "bromance" going on for sure! Afterwards we went dancing at Manhattan Bar and I lasted until 1:30 which is sadly a record for me here lately... Needless to say, we slept in until almost noon the next day!




Happy Birthday Sis! Hope you had a blast... I know we did :)

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