Post Birthday Update

Today I am back at work. 

But yesterday and Tuesday, I was off and for good reason.

It was not only my 29th birthday but also Andy's 29th birthday AND our 8 year wedding anniversary.

Yeah, three events within 2 days time.

If you read my past post you'll know how all that works out to be together they way they are.

Anywho, to my dismay, Andy was not able to get off either of those days because of the time he took off for us to go to Florida. (Working on your birthday???? I know, absolutely ludicrous!)

I still took my days off.

Hey, they were paid days off that I'd have to use between now and mid June (when I start my permanent maternity leave) and I don't foresee any other events happening within that time to save these hours for.

So basically I had 2 days off to celebrate our birthdays and anniversary. And I basically either spent it alone or with people other than Andy! 

ha

Pretty much the story of my life.

I still went and got my prenatal massage that was scheduled and since Andy couldn't make it and it was too late to re-schedule, I decided to bring my mom along to take Andy's place.

'How mean!!!' you say.

Umm, not really.

Andy knew the massages were scheduled and non-refundable.

Not my fault.

Moving on...

So then after the massags we decided to keep the good detox going and went to this place in San Juan Capistrano called The Hot Lunch Lady.

'The hot lunch lady? Geez, she better be a stunna to choose a name as bold as that!'

But it's actually The HOT LUNCH lady. Meaning she serves hot lunches, not that she considers herself to be above the typical school cafeteria lunch lady most adolescent boys drool over.

Staying on track: The food was reallly good! Very light and fresh but filling. Yum!

ABOVE: Apple Cranberry Salad with half a California wrap

 

And obviously we didn't go with any hot items, it just wasn't the time for that. 

For the rest of Andy's birthday/Our wedding anniversary I spent relaxing at home. I thought we were going to head over to Downtown Disney to use up a Groupon voucher to Johnny Rockets and walk around but Andy was really stressed and tired from work so we just stayed home.

Poor me Andy.

So the following day (MY birthday - woop woop!) I once again had the day to myself.

This time my friend since elementary school texted me and asked if we could meet up for lunch to celebrate my birthday. 

Of course I obliged my busy birthday day to fit her in (pff, yeah right) and we met up at P.F.Chang's in the Irvine Spectrum.

ABOVE: My preggo self with my friend, Mistica, whom I've known since 3rd grade(!) and her adorable daughter, Priscilla.

It was really nice catching up with her.

After departing ways with her I then proceeded to debate whether I should head to Sephora and redeem a free birthday gift that looks promising but decided that I wasn't in the mood to peruse for high end makeup. (what??? I know) 

I just wasn't in the mood to stare at all the high end prices that come with that kind of makeup.

So back home I went to wait for Andy.

Thankfully, he came home in a lighter mood and wanted to go eat at - where else folks? - The Boiling Crab!!!

So off we went and, never one to disappoint, the Boiling Crab was delish!

And that, my little friends, is the summary of my uber exciting 2 days off.

Not exactly what I had in mind, as I LOVE birthdays, but it'll have to do.

And we did go to Florida less than a month ago, so I really cannot complain.

Life could be worse.

They could've closed down the Boiling Crab!!! (horror movie scream)

Until next time...

Plans for my birthday...

Technically, it's both Andy and my birthday this week as well as our wedding anniversary

BUT

Andy has to work...

I already have the days off from work, so I'm going to stick with my plan and make the best of it.

I have a prenatal massage scheduled, so I'm definitely keeping that appointment!

Then I figure I'll probably head on over to Ulta and make use of the weekly coupon and discounts and treat myself to some makeup.

Then head home and film some YouTube videos. That's always fun. Seriously.

And hopefully, when Andy gets off work, we shall head over to the Boiling Crab (yup, THAT place again)!

That should be it for tomorrow and then hopefully Andy will be able to take off work for my birthday the following day or else I have to go at it again on my own. (sigh)

Totally not how I planned to spend this week.But I wont let that ruin my days off!!! No sir-ree!


Oh and another thing to look forward to this week...


A package full of goodies from a fellow YouTuber lisettesbeaute.


No, I didn't just magically score some free loot from a random person, but I was actually contacted by Emily (lisettesbeaute), asking if I'd be interested in doing a "beauty swap".


A beauty, what?


A beauty swap!!! Basically, we each have a  dollar amount to spend and buy each other beauty products that we like. Then we mail them to each other and once we receive the package we then film a video on it.


Pretty cool, huh?


In general, I loooove getting packages in the mail, it always feels like Christmas to me (for reals) so to get something in the mail that I know will be makeup but not exactly what kind of makeup, gets me excited!!!


Especially knowing that someone picked it out with me in mind.


And of course it's just as fun buying makeup for someone too!

Well, unless she doesn't end up liking some of the things I bought...


Then we might have an issue.


Hmmm. (thinking and nervously biting nails)


Well, I guess only time will tell!!!


Until next time...

It's always planning season around here...

I have been in a frenzie this past month. A planning frenzie.

And I love it.

First, I planned for the Mini Me (gender revealing) party - CHECK

Then, I planned for our vacation to Florida - CHECK

This week I've been planning for our upcoming birthdays and wedding anniversary next week- HALF CHECK

Next week, Andy and I are both turning 29. His birthday is on April 3rd and my birthday is the following day on the 4th.

"Of the same year?", you ask... Yup! He is only 1 day older than me! 
What are the odds, right?

And to add to it, we got married on his birthday in 2004. 

Totally his idea, as I'm sure you can probably guess, only a guy would think of combining a butt load of special days.

"Then why did you let him?"

Well, I'll say it was love. When he proposed the idea of getting married on his birthday and therefore we'd be celebrating our honeymoon on my birthday, I couldn't burst his bubble and tell him that that was a horrible idea for future years to come...

...because only guys think of the now and girls think of the now, tomorrow and FOREVER aspect of things.

(sigh)

Anywho, it happened, and now next week we are celebrating our 29th birthdays and our 8 year wedding anniversary.

So, to celebrate, we are getting a couples massage (We are both getting a prenatal massage but SHH don't tell Andy that! LOL Totally kidding...or am I...)

Afterwards we are going to see about Andy getting a tattoo.

(sorry mom! but it's our bodies and we are adults now)

I would get one too, but I have to think of little Blissy Boo.

 After that, I guess it's just a free for all kind of day. Hence my HALF CHECK on this planning. So unlike me, I know.

 Also on my list of planning to do's:

~ My family's annual camping trip (this year it's Big Bear).

~ My younger sister, Angelina's, baby shower in June. (Mine is in May).

~ My nesting period (aka cleaning and organizing our place) before the delivery of Baby Bliss.

How I thrive for times like these...

Do you get overwhelmed or excited when you have a calender full of events to attend/plan?

Until next time...

 

Flo-Rida Baby!!!

I just came back from a quite relaxing vacation.

I bet you're jeal.

And you should be. But only to a certain extent.

It's the last one we are taking before our little Baby Bliss arrives.

Oh yeah, I probably forgot to mention that we found out a few weeks ago that we are having a girl!

I put an exclamation after that because it definitely holds all the emotions that come with using an exclamation in a sentence.

Joy. Excitement. Disbelief.

Andy and I were both pretty sure we were going to have a boy so once the doctor announced it was a girl, we both got those wide disbelieving eyes with mouths gaping wide open.

But after the initial shock and prodding of the doctor to go over the ultrasound one more time for an extra confirmation, we woke up the next morning super ecstatic.

Don't get me wrong. I want a girl. I just honestly didn't think I would have a girl before having a boy. That's all. So don't judge.

Now we are all "Blissy Boo" this and "Blissy Boo" that. (It's our nickname for her while in the womb).

And, yes, we are naming her Bliss. I got it from a book I read. Surprised?

You shouldn't be if you read my blog.

Anywho, I'm sure I'll be blogging more and more about her and my pregnancy, so I think it's time we moved on to the main reason of this post.

Florida.

Andy and I set out to use the last 2 airline tickets I acquired while working for an interior design firm that had me traveling like a socialite. 

Naturally, I am adamant about using anything free to it's fullest potential. And since my older brother, Adam, lives in Clearwater, Florida, what better excuse to go on vacation when you have free airline tickets and free lodging???

And it just so happens that my doctor said this month would be a perfect time to take a "babymoon", since I will be feeling at my best during this month in particular. And he couldn't be more right. I feel as close to normal as I've ever been since being pregnant.

So off we went!!!

ABOVE: (Andy is so not going to be happy with this photo but I figure we are both laughing, and this IS my blog, hee hee)

ABOVE: A little airport food, which was pretty good!!!

ABOVE: Took a road trip to the Everglades and of course we had to stop for our car staple: Starbucks!!!

 

P.S. I have a video on my personal YouTube channel showing the airboat tour we took in the Everglades, if you are interested in seeing more than these pictures...

 ABOVE: A photo of my brother, Adam, and his girlfriend, Sylvia, walking to the Florida Strawberry Festival

ABOVE: Dinner at Smokey Bones Restaurant after the festival. Some delicious food!!!!!!!

 ABOVE: My brother being ridiculous saying he's giving Sylvia his "metro" pose.

ABOVE: We were at a Spring Training Game for the Philadelphia Phillies in Clearwater. It was hot but worth the time and memories. 

 ABOVE: We decided to cool off after the game at a less populated beach, Indian Rocks Beach.

 ABOVE: It looked like a storm was coming our way but it was actually just passing over the ocean only, which was a pretty cool view for us.

 ABOVE: Andy captured a glimpse of my 5 1/2 month baby bump.

ABOVE: Getting our lovin' on... : )

 ABOVE: Headed to eat dinner at Palm Pavilion on Clearwater Beach. Good fish & chips!

 ABOVE: On our last day in Florida we ate at Anna Stella's Cajun Bistro in St. Petersburg Pier. This was by far the best food I ate on the entire trip! Shrimp Po'Boy and some French Beignets...Yum!

ABOVE: The four of us relaxing

 

 ABOVE: Us being silly at the airport waiting for our luggage.

And so that is it folks!!! The weather was really nice, ( high 70's to low 80's), hardly any humidity, no bugs and no rain.

The next thing we'll probably be going on before Bliss arrives is a camping trip to Big Bear. I'll be about 7 months at that point, so we'll see how that goes!!!

Until next time...

Food to DIE for...

As my appetite has been increasing these days, I've been trying to pace myself in regards to food places that I've been dying to eat at.

I mean, I remember clearly how it felt to only take a bite or two of something only to force myself to stop right after bite #3 lest I get super bloated and nauseous the rest of the night...

Great times I had in my first trimester.

So needless to say, eating was not only non-enjoyable but also saddening. I had to watch Andy scarf down awesome food masterpieces while I could only nibble on it and then tell myself "NO MAS".

But I have to admit there was a very good thing about that whole first trimester scenario:

While a few other girls I know, who are pregnant like me, gained weight immediately and excessively, I LOST weight. (And don't worry, my doctor monitored my weight loss and assured me that this didn't have an effect on the baby's growth - trust me, I made sure).

To make myself feel better -besides the fact that I was buying jeans a size SMALLER while others were already buying maternity jeans (HOLLA!!!), I decided to make a running list of places I'd eat at once my appetite came back.

And one of those places is The Boiling Crab in Garden Grove. If you didn't  know about this place before...

NOW YA KNOW

This place is sooooo ridiculously delish, my mouth waters every time I think about it. And I'm not the only one. Every single person we've ever introduced to this place, has then turned around and brought their families and friends here.

Mmmhhhmmm, it's THAT good!

If you don't believe me, go there on a Tuesday or Wednesday night (when you'd think no one thinks about going out to a restaurant) and you'll have at least an hour wait. Yeah, I know.

It's always a guarantee that we'll be waiting for some period of time but it's sooo worth it!

Anywho, Andy and I were supposed to meet up with his mom and sisters (since they too are fans of this joint) but they ended up canceling on us. Obviously, this post isn't going to stop here... Andy and I decided to mosey on down there ourselves and enjoy what they missed out on.

So what makes this place so bomb-diggity???

Well, besides the perfectly seasoned Lousiana style seafood menu, this place boasts a very poppin' atmosphere. Flat screen tv's are everywhere playing sports for your viewing enjoyment. Music is blaring and the servers never disappoint in good, fast service.

Oh yeah, and did I mention there are no eating utensils or plates???

Yup, as you'll see below, everyone wears bibs and you eat with your hands. Since you can't drink your beverage without a cup, they do provide those and also napkins but that pretty much stops there.

This is how a typical meal happens at this place:
You sit down.
Your table is covered with white paper and on goes the bibs.
Then a server comes with a stainless steel tub filled with sliced limes and lemons and dumps a butt load of them directly on the paper covered table and gives every person their own condiment cupp that's filled with salt and pepper.

Now this is IMPORTANT:

When you get your cups with salt and pepper and the limes/lemons, you squeeze the lime/lemon juice into the salt and pepper cups to make your "dipping sauce". This is what will make this place go from awesome to spectacular.

Should you order fries, they bring those in a basket and give you a bottle of ketchup. You would then proceed to squeeze ketchup straight onto the table and dip away until your main food comes.

When your food arrives, everything comes in clear plastic bags. They repeat your order for accuracy and then drop the bag on your table and walk away...

Then it's just dig in time... peel the shrimp, crack those crab legs, dip in your "sauce" and you have now entered food heaven!!!

Truly a dining experience worth sharing and repeating!!!

SOOOO... Should you ever decide to go there yourself and test my food preferences, here's what we usually order. I guarantee you won't go wrong with these guys...

~ Ragin' Cajun Shrimp (MILD)
(you can only order by the pound so we usually order a pound per person and always have leftovers - which are just as delish the next day)
~ Corn on the Cob (it goes in the bag of shrimp)
~ Potatoes (also goes in the bag of shrimp)
~ Cajun Seasoned Fries (MILD)
(we order about 1 basket for every 2 people - they are that good)


We've also tried the King Crab legs and oysters but one thing to ALWAYS get is the shrimp.

I DIE.

Deliciousness is back in my vocabulary. But I promised I'd pace myself on that running list.

(Lest I catch up to all those other pregnant girls in maternity pants).

Until my next foodie conquest...

Romantic Valentine's Day Look

Hey all!!!

So Valentine's Day is 2 days away.

But who's counting.

I mean, who validates their loved ones devotion and care by what they get on Valentine's Day???

Certainly not me.

UNLESS Andy forgets the chocolate covered strawberries that he's been giving me since we were dating.

Then I think I'd create a little havoc. On Valentine's Day. The day of love.

Hey, he's the one that got me all expecting those retched things every February 14th!

Since 1999 people!!!

You'd be twisting your chonies in a bunch, too, if your honey did the same to you.

I mean, a tradition is nice and all, but if you break tradition... I don't know! I think I'd climb to the top of my roof and scream out the lyrics to Fiddler On The Roof's main theme song: "TRADITION".

(And yes, I would be fist pumping and shaking my mini baby bump while I sang the song).

Gosh, this blog kind of went from Romantic Inspired Makeup look to I'll-hit-you-so-hard-your-brother-will-feel-it nonsense...

Ahem. Excuse my violent reaction... Wow.

SO moving on to the makeup look that I created to evoke romantic thoughts on a romantic night...

Very soft looking makeup, yes, but that's why it's called romantic and not sassy.

If you watched my YouTube video on this look, you'll probably hear me mention that I've come to notice that men in general tend to prefer softer, more natural looks than the bold sassy ones we tend to apply on special occasions.

So that is what inspired me to go this route. And I decided to use just one palette - from Wet N' Wild - called Sweet as Candy (how appropriate, right?). And, convenient, if I don't say so myself.

Enjoy!

Until next time...

New York Giants Inspired Look

I decided to post some pictures of a recent makeup look I filmed for my YouTube channel that was inspired by the Super Bowl that just recently aired.

If you watched the game, you know that the New York Giants won. And although I am not a big fan of the quarter back, Eli Manning, I am a HUGE fan of New York in general, so I was rooting for them.

If only I had the notion to bet with Andy, I would've been happily shopping for a much needed makeup haul this weekend.

(sigh)

Anywho, so since I uploaded the New York Giants Inspired makeup look and I also have been taking still shots of my makeup looks, I decided I might as well start putting up those photos here on my blog. Just in case you lovely devoted YouTube subbies might want to see still photos.

And since my lap top sucks and I don't have ANY video editing software that would allow me to insert something as simple as a photo within my videos.... I'm stuck being medieval and posting photos here.

I'm so annoyed with my lap top but that is a whole 'nother blog.

So as I type/you read simultaneously (crazy how that can happen, right?), I am uploading a Romantic Valentine's Day look to YouTube.

So more than likely I'll be posting some pictures of that look in an upcoming blog as well.

The reason I thought to do this (besides having no editing software) is because I know in this day and age almost everyone has a smart phone. And what do we do with smart phones?

Hopefully not stupid things.

If you are smart, like moi, you use the phone to make your glamorous life easy. In other words, you store pictures of makeup looks and fashion outfits to your photo albums and thus have inspiration at your finger tips when you are shopping or when you are getting ready to go out. 

And how can you save makeup looks from a YouTube video? By watching smart people like me who post still photos of the makeup looks to a blog where you can upload and save to your smart phone for future references!!!

See, I told you I was smart! And now so are you for following my smart advice. 

Win.Win.

Until next time...

New England Patirots Inspired Look

So here are a few pictures from a makeup look I posted recently on my YouTube beauty channel for a makeup look that was inspired by the New England Patriots.

If you live in the USA then you know that the Super Bowl is coming up this Sunday, February 5th. And if you know that, then you probably also know that the New England Patriots are playing against the New York Giants.

Well, unfortunately for me, what was a super fun tutorial, turned out to be a tutorial that didn't have the greatest lighting and thus the most important aspect of my makeup look was very hard to be seen.

(sigh) The life of a beauty blogger.

I guess I should have reviewed my video before letting the day pass me by. But I assumed the video was awesome, I had fun doing it, and all would be well.

Now I have to post on my video for y'all to come on over here (not that that's a bad thing) and take a look at the still photos I fortunately took.

Lesson learned. Moving on...

So as you can kind of tell there is some red wings going on in the picture below...

(sigh) I really wish I would've known I would need better close up pictures but I guess this is the best it's gonna get. Sorry peeps!

Hopefully your imagination and my explanation of the look will give you a great idea of the look I was going for!

Until next time...