Zits, Stress, and Pics...

Holy crap my blog's still here!

Yep, I'm totally surprised.  I'm sure you are too.

Did you miss me?  I missed you.

We've been doing a lot, but I'll get into that in a bit.  Did I ever tell you about my quest to find skin care that worked?  This started about a year ago. I was so fed up with being 33 and still fighting zits - like worse than when I was in high school, yo!  So, I decided to bring out the big guns and try a line that was more proven than what I can get at Target.  Last winter was dry and not super cold, but cold enough.  The lady I saw at the skin care counter was very nice, but she told me I had dry skin.  I was like, you must be mistaken.  My skin is not dry - far from it.  Maybe today it's dry, but I do not fight dryness.  Oh yes, she says, it's dry.  Try the dry skin wash, toner, and moisturizer.

Well, it's not my job to know people's skin.  I really only know mine.  So, I take her advice and am doing well, but still breaking out - not as much, but still there.  I finally take a look at the moisturizer - there is OIL in it.  OIL! Uhhhh?? Did I not say ZITS?!?!

So, I took it back.  Got the oil free version.  Still breaking out.  I go back.  This time, I drag a friend and we get makeovers to boot.  I talk to a different lady and walk away with the Acne Solutions line.  And a TON of makeup - most of which is still slowly being used.

Within about a week, possibly 2, I'm back.  My face is SUPER dried out.  The foundation is way too orangey.  I buy some oil free night cream and am using that on my face as well as the normal moisturizer.  The Acne Solutions dried out too much.  Also, I learn the foundation I have is the lightest shade they have.  I am able to thin it with water, but have not bought their foundation again.  No big, right?  The whole point of this is to get my skin to a point that I don't need to wear make up all the time.

I go on.  I finally figure out the toner is causing more breakouts than it's worth.  I stop using it.  I go back to Acne Solutions Wash, Spot Treatment, Normal Moisturizer (without OIL).  Life goes on, it's summer.  It's working ok - still am unhappy with the occasional zit.

Finally, I run out of the wash and had remembered that I had gotten a sample of the oily skin wash, and toner on one of my many previous trips.  I try it.  My skin tingles.  It feels AWESOME!  I have found my wash!!!  I still get breakouts, but mostly when I don't wash my face like I should.

That's the story of my skin care journey.  I'll most likely do it again someday - only time will tell.

Oh, and the night cream?  My four year old uses it during the winter when her face dries out.  Because I don't need it.  (NOT DRY SKIN, remember?)

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Wondering what we've been up to?  

A lot of the same stuff as usual.  Working, playing, driving, busy, busy, busy.  Lately, when I should have been writing, I've been reading food blogs.  Searching out new and interesting recipes that I can lighten up and share with family and friends.  Or, as of almost a week ago, I've been eating like crazy at night.  I go through phases of this uncontrollable night eating.  In the summer, I can control it by leaving the house.  I'm too cold to do that now.  I'm not sure what to do, but I have to find a way to stop it before my weight loss turns to weight gain. 

This is one of the many beautiful sunsets/sunrises that we've been seeing around here.  Lots of pinks, and pastel colors.  I am a sucker for a sunrise or sunset and just adore staring at the colors of the clouds and how that changes so quickly and is gone when you blink.

This is the tree right outside the living room window.  It still had it's leaves on this foggy morning, the day before Thanksgiving.  I was really trying to capture the fog - it was crazy.  But, I got this beautiful tree on the last day it had leaves.  The next day, they were all on the ground.

 

Did I mention foggy?  I couldn't even see across the intersection as we drove to the grocery store.  I even missed the turn for the grocery store!  I've only been going there for 6 years, multiple times a week!  

This is what we did on the day after Thanksgiving.  You go black Friday shopping - we put on weird outfits - that were strangely similar to one another and spent the day playing the Wii and messing around.

This is Mia, entranced with the Christmas Tree. I have never seen someone that loves a tree this much.  Or the ornaments, would be putting it better.  I actually caught her eating an ornament last year.  Glass and paint in her mouth - I was in time.  No one was hurt.  But I was scared.  *Worst Mommy Moment (so far)*

And, I found a new photo editing app.  That let me take this not so awesome photo and make it a new fave. 

We hope everyone had a safe and happy Thanksgiving!

And, since it's Tuesday, and it's been awhile, I'm linking up with Gfunkified and MamaMash for iPPP.