Runnin’ runnin’

So this morning I ran.

It’s kind of a big deal, because the last time I went for an actual run, I think I was 14.

***

I had been inspired in gym class because I actually won a game of dodge ball — most likely because I was invisible! — and decided I was probably a really fast, awesome runner. 

I “went running” once or twice down my street, borrowed pair of silver Gap track pants from Best Friend (which I still have and still wear — sorry/thanks, Best Friend!) and went to track tryouts. 

I was the only person cut. 
Yeah, so … yeah.
I’m not a runner.

***

Anyway, I have always been that girl that WANTED to be a runner. I love reading about Molly’s adventures in running (and she used to be a total non-runner, like me, so there’s hope). I like cardio. I like moving fast. I’d much rather do 100 jumping jacks than half an hour of yoga. I’m not an athlete or an in-shape person, really, but when I do exercise, I like it BRISK!

So remember I told you about my weekly adult gymnastics class? We also have weekly homework — usually a list of conditioning exercises to do 2-3 times during the week, until our next class.

This week, our instructor told us we should do something we’ve never done before — a Zumba class, spin class, or something like that. Darling Husband’s work schedule doesn’t allow for me to dart out many evenings, so that was out.

But this morning, I woke up an hour before my alarm, and decided I would just run. I would be THAT PERSON who goes for a run early in the morning.

Before I could change my mind, I got dressed, stuffed a few handfuls of dry Quaker Oat Squares in my pie-hole, found a pair of earbuds, put on gloves, and headed outside.

I realized immediately that I’d grabbed crappy and/or broken earbuds, because the sound was REALLY off on them — like only playing the background-y parts loudly, and I could barely hear the foreground-y parts?

The second thing I realized was that I only had about a dozen songs on my iPhone (my iPod was dead), so I listened to the soundtrack of “The Book of Mormon” the whole time. Fun, but not exactly running music!

I alternated walking and running (well, jogging) up my street, along the main street, and around a loop nearby, and was back home about 25 minutes later. It wasn’t long, but I did it. I went for a run! Alone! Early in the morning!

I’m going to download some actual workout songs — Megan over at Honey We’re Healthy has some great suggestions — and try this again soon. I think I kind of like it!

I wasn’t wearing a sports bra as a top, though, so maybe I was doing it wrong? #canadianproblems

xoxo

Makeup for Mamas

When someone tells me they only wear makeup on special occasions, I kind of cock my head like a dog. Huh? What? You mean NOT EVERYDAY?
It’s not that I think they NEED to wear it everyday (uh, necessarily), but it’s just a foreign concept to me to NOT wear it everyday. It’s not about covering yourself up. It’s about enhancing what you have.
I worked as a cosmetician in high school and university (Shopper’s Drug Mart, hollaaaaa at me) and I loved it. I loved playing with makeup. I loved buying makeup. I spent far too much money on makeup. But it was good, because I also learned a LOT about makeup — and more importantly, proper skincare.
Today, as a mom of two who works from home, I could get off “not wearing makeup” (see? I even had to put it in quotes because the idea is SO RIDICULOUS) because I have little kids, I don’t see colleagues, blah blah blah.
But I wear it every day. 
Without fail. 
I recently watched a makeup tutorial video done by Jordan (the Fun Cheap or Free Queen), and I loved it, but I don’t have a video put together just yet! (Her process is way more involved than mine). 
Without further ado, here are my four steps to a five-minute face. Actually, I probably do it in about three minutes, but I adore Carmindy and think she’s the prettiest girl ever, so I’ll call it the five-minute mama face in her honour …
  1. Skin touch-ups
  2. Eyeliner and mascara
  3. Lip pencil and lipstick
  4. Blush
Andddd here’s the breakdown of what I use …
I start with this MAC Mineralize concealer. Couple of quick dabs under my eyes to attack the dark circles “dotted” on with a concealer brush, BOOM!
Then comes the powder to set the concealer, and generally just even out my skin a bit. I use this Covergirl one, because it’s inexpensive (and often on sale). DONE!
Next up is eyeliner. I’ve tried a lot of different black eyeliners, and this is my fave (it’s Little Sis’s fave, too, and she’s the one who introduced me to it). It’s Bobbi Brown’s gel eyeliner in a little pot, and you brush it on. You might think it’s hard to do, but it’s soooo easy — way easier than using a pencil. It’s awesome. GO!
Mascara is next. I know some people are picky about mascara, but I couldn’t care less what kind I buy. I *usually* buy Maybelline, because they really are the Queen of Mascaras, but it’s all about what’s on sale — again, usually Maybelline. When I need a new mascara, I go to the sale signs, grab the Blackest Black one in waterproof, and that’s it. Right now I’m using The Falsies by Maybelline, and it’s great.

Oh, and if you’re curious, I always buy waterproof because of my darn allergies — and my emotional tears! — because I’m so over those black panda crying eyes.

Lip pencil comes next. Yes, it sounds kind of old-ladyish, but I need it. My lips have no natural colour, so I need to colour them in with a pencil — Soar by MAC — to give them a boost. Otherwise my lipstick will wear off too quickly, and I’m left with blah pale lips again.
Then we move on to a quick swipe of lipstick. I have a big collection and I switch them around sometimes, but right now I’m loving MAC’s Plumful and Sweetie. With my colouring, I look best in raspberry shades, so that’s always what I keep in mind when I’m choosing a new one. When you think “raspberry,” it keeps you from choosing something that’s too red, too purple, or too pink — it’s just raspberry!

This is the final step. I may skimp on mascara and buy whatever’s on sale, but I loveeeee this blush — Orgasm by NARS — and there isn’t a cheaper substitute. It’s a healthy-looking pinky colour that makes my pale face look almost human.

 
 ***

See? That wasn’t the huge makeup routine you were probably envisioning when I told you how nutty I am for makeup! No foundation, no eye shadow, no real effort. Just hints of colour (lips and cheeks) darkness (eyes) and evening out my skin.

Do you wear makeup every day? Do you feel TOTALLY WRONG without it? Or am I just a crazy girl with an obsession with blush?

xoxo

A Tale of Two Leggings

SCENE: This morning at our house
BACK STORY: Little D (age three) attends a weekly gymnastics class for three- to five-year-olds (yes, at the same place where I put myself through gymnasticky torture of the adult variety). 
Anyway, they have a lot of rules about what the kids can’t wear — no jeans, no cords, etc. — and the little girls have no problems, because they can wear fancy little leotards or cute leggings. 
The boys all wear sweatpants or track pants, but D doesn’t own those (except one pair of too-small sweatpants for sick days). He doesn’t own them because I’m weird and I don’t like any of us to wear sweatpants in public. I KNOW, HE’S A KID, I GET IT. But he’s my kid, and he wears jeans or cords or khakis. End of story.
So after weeks of bringing D to class in a pair of black track-pantish pants that I had bought specifically for the class — like for $5 at Walmart — I wanted something better. On Halloween, the kids had to wear gym-appropriate costumes, and since he couldn’t wear his farmer costume jeans or button-up, I sent him in last year’s Sir Topham Hatt costume … with, er, C’s leggings on.
And you know what? They were freaking PERFECT for gymnastics! *evil laugh*
So the other day, when C and I were traipsing through Walmart, I MAY HAVE slipped a pair of 5T black leggings into the cart, paid for them, and brought them home.
That brings us to this morning, when I was getting D ready for gymnastics … 

ME: OK, let’s put on your SPECIAL NEW GYMNASTICS PANTS, yayyyy!

D: Yay! My new pants!

DARLING HUSBAND: What’s he wearing?

ME: Gymnastics-y sportsy pants.

DARLING HUSBAND: Did you buy those in the girls’ section?

ME: They’re 5T!

*(Not sure why I felt that was an answer to that question?)*

DARLING HUSBAND: Are they leggings?

ME: They’re SPORTY PANTS for active boys!

DARLING HUSBAND: *sigh*

***

In the end, of course, they were practical and fantastic. Go, leggings! The pants for ALL!

So … very … sore

Just a quick entry tonight, guys, because it’s late … and because my arms are too sore to hold my phone. 

I’ve been in an adult gymnastics class for about six weeks now, and it’s HELLA CHALLENGING! Especially because I’m not the exercise-y type, or the coordinated type, and I’m more of the couch-y type. 
My arms are screaming. My calves are screaming. Am I skinny yet?
Going to sleep. I am coordinated and skinny in my dreams. My hair is silky there, too. 
xoxo

Guess who’s back? Back again …

Hiiiii. Some of you may have wondered why you’re suddenly hearing much more from me — on a much more regular basis.

Maybe you’re all “Oh, I forgot Heather even blogs,” but hopefully you’re more along the lines of “Oh, it’s nice to see Heather blogging more.” Either way, yes, I am kicking it up a notch. Thanks for noticing!

It’s no secret that I’ve really, really struggled to blog regularly since having Baby #2 (the lovely Miss C) back in April of 2012. Having two kids is no joke, and working from home (during naptime and after bedtime) is no friggin’ joke, either. I should embroider that on a pillow.

But it’s NaBloPoMo (National Blog Posting Month) and I’m using it as a kick in the butt to post daily — at least this month. It’s been really nice to blog more often, and I hope I can keep it up. Otherwise I’ll look back at these hazy two-kids-three-and-under years and wonder what the heck I did with my time, and why I didn’t stop to preserve any memories in bloggy form. Or something.

If you’re a fellow blogger and you also need a kick in the butt, join BlogHer’s pledge to write daily during the month of November. Somehow, we’ll squish in a post every day, and then maybe it will become a habit. We hope!

So since you’ll be hearing from me so often this month, any suggested topics?

Here are a few things I’ll be tappity-tapping away about over the next three weeks:

  • Dramatic posts: Cloth diapering and WHY I QUIT IT (oh yes)
  • Important posts: Are we having more kids?
  • “Favourites” posts: Stuff I like! I don’t know! Stuff!
  • Funny posts: … like … something about my crazy kids? They’re funny.
  • Fail posts: I often fail at kitcheny things, so yes, probably this!

Thanks for keeping me company this month, NaBlo-hos!
xoxo