Karen

Happy Saturday, friend!

Going to be a short hi this morning because we’re, well, how do I say this? We’re taking Connor to go meet a puppy. Whether or not she’ll be joining our family is still very much up in the air. I’m kind of in this weird state of in-between because we’ve been talking about it for a while, and it’s all been very theoretical, but today it could actually happen.

A little backstory. Connor’s getting a little older, and El Hub and I have talked at length about how now would be the right time for a dog to join our family.

Previous to Tabs, both El Hub and I were solidly dog people. When we first got together, we both envisioned having a dog in our fam-bam, but then we met Tabs who was such a dog-like cat; he changed everything for us.

We both have dog experience so we know what we’re getting into, and we know it’ll be a big life change. Part of me feels like I’m not ready for it, but part of me also knows that I’m never going to feel fully ready, so why not now?

The puppy is a sweet Aussie rescue who’s 8 months old, so she’s a high energy working dog. She’s apparently very smart, too, and we were told that she’d be a good candidate for agility classes and nosework.

We’ve also talked at length with her handlers about how to do a slow intro with Rosie, who, by the way, lived with four big dogs at her previous foster home. We’ve also had dogs over at our current house, and Rosie acts like she’s the boss whenever they’re around.

Did I mention that I really don’t know how this is going to play out?

Honestly, right now I’m leaning towards no because as a working mom, I feel like I’m always doing something for someone else and having another animal up in the mix to take care of would just be more work for me.

We’ve had lengthy family conversations about me not taking on more, though, and how if we added a dog to our family, El Hub and Connor would take point. We’ll see.

Anyway, El Hub and I met her yesterday, and the next step is to have Connor meet her today.

I’ll let you know what happens!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

I was thinking about the beautiful striped powder blushes that Cargo used to make (remember them?) and fell into a rabbit hole of reminiscing about long-lost beauty products that I used to wear and love, le sigh! Anywho, Cargo was around until recently, it seems, but their Instagram stopped updating circa 2021, and they don’t seem to have an official presence online. I wonder what happened to them?

As much as I enjoyed wearing Cargo, though, I would probably bring back a different brand. Remember Becca? I used to really love them. I know that technically they still exist as a sub-brand under Smashbox, but they only have a few products available, and they’re not super exciting. I’d take it back to the time when they were doing collections like Lost Weekend and Halcyon Days.

Take me back!

How about you? If you could bring back one beauty brand and restore it to its glory, which one would you choose?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Happy Friday! I hope you felt some happiness this week. 🙂 We’ve got the weekend to look forward to, yay!

If you’re looking for a fun way to spend a Saturday and learn a lot about science, you’ve gotta visit the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco in Golden Gate Park! If you drive in early like we did, you can get good parking and make an entire day out of it.

Connor, El Hub and I enjoyed the rainforest dome and the Philippine Coral Reef so much. We spent most of our time observing and enjoying the displays.

We ended up purchasing a membership which allows you to come back as much as you want! Connor’s science teacher told me that one thing that encouraged her love for science at an early age was visiting the Cal Academy when she was young; their family had a membership and brought her there whenever she wanted to go. I’m hoping that we’ll make it back at least once a month. If she falls in love with science, that would be nice too!

Next time you’re in the Bay Area, make plans to stop by. 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

So…what is the Monday Poll?

Excellent question! It isn’t, contrary to its name, an actual poll, like with little clicky buttons. It’s just a list of more or less random questions I’ve been posting on this blog every Monday morning for the past quadrillion years (since 2007).

1. What’s the thing you always end up picking out of your salad?

Raw onions. No thank you! They taste too strong for me.

2. Gummi bears or M&M’s?

Gummi bears please, but only if they’re Albanese Gummi Bears.

3. Did you spend any time outside over the weekend?

Just a little bit. It was sunny and warm here in the Bay Area but my allergies have been on fire lately, so I mostly stayed indoors.

4. Something you’re working on?

LOL, don’t laugh, but I’m getting better about my poker face at work! I’ve been working really hard at keeping a neutral face and tone of voice when I’m feeling, um, heated.

5. What’s hitting the spot in terms of your makeup lately?

I’ve really been enjoying Westman Atelier Baby Cheeks Lip + Blush Stick in Poppet. I feel like a bright pop of pink on my lips and cheeks does a lot of heavy lifting. Plus, it’s easy to use.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Here are the questions to copy/paste with your answers in a comment. Talk to ya soon.

1. What’s the thing you always end up picking out of your salad?
2. Gummi bears or M&M’s?
3. Did you spend any time outside over the weekend?
4. Something you’re working on?
5. What’s hitting the spot in terms of your makeup lately?

Good morning, my friend. I hope your Caturday is off to a peaceful, joyful start.

It’s been a week since I started doing the three small things I learned in this podcast for better mornings, and overall, my mornings are a little smoother, and I feel less tired in the afternoons.

Oh, and in case you missed it, the three things are:

1. Wake up right away instead of hitting the snooze button;
2. Get natural light outside before artificial light to support your circadian rhythm; and
3. Drink a glass of water first thing and delay having your coffee or tea.

Side note, I can’t believe I’m writing this without a drop of caffeine in my system. So crazy!

Anywho, I’m going to keep at it for at least another week. The true test will be when I have a few nights of insomnia, which happens sometimes. If I can stick to it even when I’m feeling terrible in the morning, then I’m going to keep doing it.

Oh, and I realize this will be so much harder when it’s cold and rainy outside again. I’m hoping that starting it now will get me to the point when it’s so second nature when fall and winter come back around.

How was your week? I hope that you got a lot done and that you felt good about it. Did anything good happen to you?

This week’s reading

• Charlotte Tilbury has a new line of mood-boosting perfumes.
• Do you see any of your favorites on this list of ’90s perfumes?
• Apparently we all need a body routine!
• These are supposed to be the best skincare products for kids and babies right now.
• Oh, and side note, here are some recommendations for skincare if you’re pregnant.

I need some transformation

Smokey

Wish we were here

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Oh my goodness, seeing how we have two gals with long hair in our household, it’s definitely hair products. We go through a lot of conditioner! Skin care is a close second; I’m forever buying sunscreen, lotion and body wash.

I wish I could say that I spent more on fun things like perfume and expensive lipstick! Maybe that’ll be my next beauty budget phase in life? 🙂

How about you? What takes up the biggest part of your beauty budget?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Happy Friday! It’s been a week filled with so much learning on this end. I just found out that there’s a whole genre of videos online where you can watch birds building nests, LOL! Don’t ask me why, but I find this relaxing and fascinating.