jayesel

snow: burns like fire or fun family playtime? experiment number two

January 17th, 2012 in life / photos

Maggie didn’t make it out into the snow until she was almost two. Between the timing of her birthday and sicknesses and when the snow came that following winter, it just never worked out before then. But it was completely worth it, because I got what is probably Top 5 Favorite Pictures Ever As A Parent.

I mean, really. DRAMA. QUEEN.

She wasn’t a fan of the snow… and to be honest, three years later, she’s still not a fanatic about sled riding or throwing snowballs or building a snowman. I mean, she’ll do it, but she lasts about 30 minutes and then she’s done. Ready to go inside. The end.

She’s kind of a girly girl.

Anyway, so this weekend we finally had enough snow to make it worthwhile bundling everybody up and heading outside. It was Audrey’s first time playing in the snow (I don’t count last year when we took her outside for 5 minutes in her adorable but not really practical snowsuit for babies.) so I really wasn’t sure what to expect. We already know that Audrey is More Insane And Crazy than Maggie was at this age, but still: snow is cold and wet and might be kind of overwhelming for a 16 month old.

Sadly, I did not get any screamy-baby pictures of Audrey. Because she was pretty much digging it.

(and yes, that’s the same hat Maggie wore. aw.)

She was a little bit unsure about walking in it, but she didn’t cry or act like we were burning her with fire or anything (I’M LOOKIN’ AT YOU, TODDLER-MAGGIE)

Although she was Zen Baby when it came to sled riding, which cracks me up. She looks so confused.

WHY ARE WE OUT HERE? THE SUN IS TOO BRIGHT. MY HAT IS ITCHY. WHY ARE YOU ‘WHEEEEEEING’ AT ME? GET ME A SNACK, WOMAN.

Maggie dumped Audrey into the snow face-first about a minute after I took this picture. She definitely wasn’t a fan of that.

But she sure looked cute in her little hat.

Maggie, I’m happy to report, no longer screams in the snow. There is whining (because when you’re four, there is ALWAYS WHINING.) but overall, much fun was had.

And this last picture made me wheeze-laugh because: REALLY MAGGIE? The hill is about 4 feet long and you could see the grass. That level of excitement is probably a little bit much.

So! We got our snow fix. We’re done. WHEN IS SPRING?

cousins

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Maggie, Wednesday night at dinner: “Mommy, do you have any plans on Saturday?”

(Um. When did she turn twelve? All proper and fancy with her speaking. Geez.)

When I told her no, we didn’t have any major plans, she immediately sprung her brilliant plan on us: a playdate with her cousin! Yes! Mom! Please!

A few texts and a phone call later, and Madison was coming over to play.

Madison is my cousin’s daughter, only eleven months older than Maggie. Maddy and Maggie been in daycare/preschool together since they were both babies. She’s in kindergarten now but still comes to daycare a few afternoons a week, so they still see each other quite a bit. And apparently cooked up this playdate idea all on their own last week. LOVE IT.

There was much giggling and squealing and about six outfit changes each and Audrey followed them around for about three hours. They sat, huddled together over a My Little Pony Nintendo DS game.

I gotta say- it was VERY NICE to have someone entertaining Maggie for the afternoon. SHE GETS BORED OF US AND EVERYTHING AND HER TOYS AND LIFE. Suddenly with Madison around, her old boring toys (that she got 3 weeks ago at Christmas) were Super Awesome Things again. And you know, it was nice to sit on the couch for a little while and do nothing while Audrey napped and the girls played. AAAAAAAHHH.

They colored in Maggie’s new Barbie fashion stencil book. Very Important Decisions about colors and patterns and outfits.

Some of my favorite memories growing up are with my own cousins- Madison’s mom included!- so I am thrilled that Maggie has such a close friend who is also family. As I watched them play and listened to them giggling and whispering over who-knows-what, I imagined what they might be like in another ten years. Still friends? Still whispering secrets and giggling? Still bugging my cousin and me for a playdate?

I kind of really hope so.

just a Thursday

January 12th, 2012 in Audrey Lynn / Margaret Elise / motherhood / photos

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My lovely friend Keli inspired me to get my camera out today. I have been less-than-motivated to take pictures lately, mostly because OMGTHEBUSY! and a lot of days I’m just lucky to snap a few shots on my cellphone. But she posted some gorgeous photos of her girls earlier this week so I decided to follow the girls around for a bit today with my camera. Thursdays are the only day through the week when we are HOME! ALL DAY! HOORAY! No work! No daycare! No preschool! No errands!

It was fun. And it felt really good to take pictures.

(Any other moms feel like ALL YOU DO IS FEED PEOPLE ALL THE LIVELONG DAY???! heh)

favortweets, round #22

January 9th, 2012 in favortweets

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Anytime I need a pick-me-up, I go read through my favorited Tweets on Twitter. I love you guys. Seriously.

TwoAdults: Saw a NYT article about men/women sexting immediately after sending my husband this: I wouldn’t mind a cheeseburger and some cake. Tonight.

AllisonB: There is not enough patience in this world to have to sit quietly and watch a three-year-old button up his five-button pajamas. “Watch me!”

dashoff: Those first two newborn weeks are a thing of nearly effortless glory, aren’t they? Then the Actual Baby shows up.

BackpackingDad: Why are kids so fast when they’re knocking full cups off the table, but so slow to put their fucking shoes on?

narmalie: Not correcting Adele’s pronunciation of “wicked snackmother.” Ever.

AndreAnnaRose: “I GOIN’ ‘MANDO, DADDY! DAT MEANS I HAVE NOFFING ON MAH WIENER!!” (This is what happens when you haven’t done laundry all week.)

playgroupie: I have a new job! I’m responsible for making the cock a doodle sounds for waking up A’s My Little ponies and Zoobles. The pay is terrible.

TristinaWright: So. Half my big toenail ripped off. The baby has already stepped on it 3 times. This morning is brought to you by the letters M and F.

foldinglaundry: I’m about to complete Day 1 of the Car to Baskin Robbins Milkshake Program. (c2brmp)

Sundry: On a scale of Practical Chic to Britney Spears Yelling for Cheetos While Taking a Dump, how would you rate wearing yoga pants on a flight?

AndreAnnaRose: Dear bat who flew too close to my head at 5 am this morning, I will eff your winged shit up. In theory. In reality, I think I peed a little.

MeganBoley: I never put batteries in B’s toys. I did this morning and now he is in baby Vegas.

woycheck: MTV clearly has a branding problem, but “Decline and Fall of Western Civilization Television” doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue.

Sundry: “PSHEW PSHEW I NEED MILK PEW OW STOP IT MOMMM HE TOOK MY POW KABOOM WIPE MY BUTT!” — soundtrack for my How to Work from Home video.

LizScott: Just sternly rebuked s/daughter for laziness. Teenagers, right?! She is just going to WATCH commercials when the TiVO remote is RIGHT THERE

metalia: Passing a boat named “Cornucopia Majesty” has inspired my new game, “Boat, Toddlers & Tiaras Contestant, Whore, or My Little Pony.”

mindbling: Dear teenage girls in short shorts, Enjoy it now. I’ve seen your future. And it has a lotta capris.

melissity: patients think we don’t read their info sheets. for the question “are you pregnant?” an 81yo man answered “no, but we’re trying.”

TemerityJane: So crotchless panties are sexy, but my @PumpEase pumping bra with the nipple slits isn’t? I’ll never understand men.

samanthajcampen: Theo kissed my leg then quickly slapped his hands over his mouth and yelled: “Your leg STABBED me! Go in the shower and SHAVE!”

yankeedrawl: 4 yr old running around house sing-yelling “Cotton balls, cotton balls.” I’ll leave your imagination to guess what the adults keep hearing.

CranberryPerson: To get pumped for the week my wife and I have without kids, I’m watching old Vince Lombardi speeches and pretending they’re about doing it.

TemerityJane: One of the current great joys in my life: waiting for Phil to stub his toe and then helpfully suggesting he just breathe through the pain.

dashoff: I’m just saying, I wouldn’t necessarily MIND if the sea witch stole my daughter’s voice for a little while.

melissity: O: “My tummy doesn’t feel good.” Me: “Do you need to poop?” …3 min later… O: “Mommy, you earned a STAR STICKER for solving the problem.”

Sundry: Neighbor kid is over. If this is what it’s like to have three kids I know what I’m having for dinner tonight: a bucket of Ortho-Cyclen.

shelikespurple: “Babe, what’s this green binder?” “That’s our home organizational folder.” “……..it’s empty.” #babysteps

SarahLena: I literally just almost choked to death on a cashew alone in a conference room and thought I CAN’T DIE WITH THIS HAIRCUT.

hollyburns: Nothing will make you feel older than looking on Facebook for the kids you used to babysit. And then finding them. Drinking.

ismile4jc: Hate when I’m in my coffee zone and all “yep, maybe, sounds good” to the kids and Ash goes YAAAY and I have no idea what I just agreed to.

TristinaWright: Elmo still wants to know MORE about world domination! How can Elmo find out MORE?

samanthajcampen: Was eating brownie over sink, a chunk fell & seriously, you would have thought I was trying to save the Hope Diamond w/my flailing about.

torrie: The consequences of having a girly big sister- I found a sparkle on my son’s scrotum.

dashoff: Rewriting Katy Perry’s “Friday Night” song to include prepping diapers, watching Scrubs, and eating oatmeal.

shelikespurple: Kyle just sang our grocery list throughout Walmart. Unfortunately that made the lyrics: “Vitamins and beer! Vitamins and beer!”

notthatyouasked: Today at the zoo, Lucy was making tortoise noises. Unfortunately, the tortoise she was imitating was, uh, mounting another tortoise.

kirida: picture day today! which means he’ll wear the opposite of what I want and his hair will look like I combed his hair with a shoe.

notthatyouasked: “Haven’t seen my husband in a week” translates roughly to “wow, I have a lot of shaving to do.”

CranberryPerson: So, parents who model appropriate behavior for their kids, is that, like, in ADDITION TO or INSTEAD OF screaming at them to just be good?

SarahLena: As I hobble around tonight, wondering what Katniss would do if this happened to her, it’s evident that, YES, she would eat 4 sugar cookies.

Sundry: My husband made a clock out of two potatoes and some wire. BURN HIM HE’S A WITCH

mooshinindy: Asparagus pee is your body’s way of saying “You ate something healthy today, please help yourself to another mini Twix.”

TemerityJane: Penny is all kinds of fussy. Me: Do you want me to put her to sleep? Phil: Well, no, I think THAT’S a little drastic.

AndreAnnaRose: It is wrong to ask the hot guy at the coffee shop who can’t find a seat if he wants to sit on my lap. It is wrong to ask the hot guy at….

DonnaMcKee: Why are we not using raw jalapeno juice in chemical warfare?

JanePitt: Today my husband wore black shoes and white socks to church. I prayed for him.

narmalie: Shrieks come from the girls’ room; I investigate. “We’re playing bus, and Adele is the kid who didn’t pay attention and got RUN OVER.”

metalia: Phone just autocorrected “parent-teacher confs” to “parent-teacher congas,” which, HOW FUN WOULD THAT BE?

samanthajcampen: “Thanks for my cereal mom! You’re like a SERVANT!” Truer words have never been spoken. Fact.

TemerityJane: CVS Earplugs Saved my Marriage: The Temerity Jane Story.

ChristinaRTS: Everytime there is a crash somewhere in the house and I’m on the computer my head goes to “tonight at 11, child dies while mother tweets!”

LittleLeafAsh: Me: “Gabe, you’re so much more fun this year than you were last year. ” Mike: “Yeah, you totally sucked last year.”

alldressedup: Maddie: Mom, I wiped my heinie this morning. It was HORRIFYING.

asouers: OH at Mac Experience: “What’s the difference between WiFi and 3G?” Sir, you are not allowed to buy that iPad.

Sundry: I literally can’t talk to my kids for like an hour after I clean their toilet.

TwoAdults: Sometimes being an adult blows (see: bills, pinchy pants) and sometimes it is okay (see: giving someone the finger in the car, M&Ms in bed).

AndreAnnaRose: Um, how do you get silly putty off a couch? And please, skip the step about killing the kid that kid it. I’m on that part right now.

shelikespurple: “Mommy, hand me my juice, please.” “You can reach it, buds.” “But, I’m siiiiiiiiick.” Yep, I totally gave birth to my husband.

BackpackingDad: What do you mean “IEIEEEE” isn’t a word? Stupid wwf.

bearca: Suspicious: when you ask a 3 yo after a long silence in the other room what she’s doing and she says brightly, “I love you mommy!!”

TwoAdults: Eating a steak and watching “Top Gear.” I may also be growing a penis.

tooptumber: Watching a show about leopards with A. There’s a gazelle running from a leopard WHILE GIVING BIRTH. We humans are WIMPS.

Audrey snippets

January 7th, 2012 in Audrey Lynn / motherhood / photos / videos

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Audrey is at that magical age of toddlerhood. She’s currently straddling the fence between baby and kid, where she completely understands everything we say, but can’t really communicate yet, and still needs just about everything done for her, but she is running around the house like a banshee at full speed from the minute she wakes up every day. She loves life! She loves you! She loves this toy! LOOK AT IT! SCREECHES! GIGGLES!

I love this age. It’s my favorite.

She truly does understand what we’re saying, all the time. If we give her something and ask her to throw it away, she takes it to the garbage can. She was fussing for Maggie one day, and when we told her she was at Grandma’s house, she ran over to the door and tried to open it. If I ask her “Did you poop?”, she runs to the gate at the bottom of the stairs and tries to open it (her diapers are up in her room). She does the same thing at bedtime- give her a bottle and ask her if she wants to go ‘night night’, she stands at the bottom of the steps, waiting for one of us to take her up. And 99% of the time, she goes right to sleep and YOU GUYS, BABIES ACTUALLY DO THAT???!! WE DID NOT KNOW. IT’S AMAZING.

She can show us her belly, and wiggles her fingers on it and says ‘ticka ticka!’ Then she tries to lift up my shirt and tickle my belly. She also shows us her nose, her hair, her hands, her feet, and her boogies. (I taught her that last one. I’m such a good mom.)

She thinks popcorn is HILARIOUS.

She knows what a dog says (‘fffff’) and a cow (‘boooooo!’) and a duck (‘cack cack!’) And according to her, a bunny chatters his teeth together.

She loves to read books. LOVES. And she will drag a book over to you, say ‘ap!’ and back her little bum onto your lap. Then you’d better read to her.

She still hates her carseat, I think, and she’s really not happy about this new wearing a winter coat thing. But she’s dealing with it. Grumpily.

She recently learned how to climb up onto the couches by herself. It’s mostly okay, except for the few times that she’s tumbled off onto her HEAD. (But seriously, what are you supposed to do, as a parent? She can get up there on her own and I think we just have to… let her figure it out? That you can get up there and stand on the edge and expect NOT to fall off? Life lessons, kid! Nice bruise on your forehead!) She knows she’s not allowed to stand, because I’ll be in the kitchen and hear giggling. I’ll look over and see her little Pebbles ponytail sticking up and then there comes her face! SQUEALING! Audrey, sit down on your bum! GIGGLES! Then she disappears again. Little stinker.

On Thursday, I thought I caught her saying Maggie’s name a few times, but I couldn’t be sure. She babbles constantly and it’s all gibberish. (She sounds like a very serious, very old Chinese man. It’s adorable.) Then yesterday morning, as I carried her around the corner into the kitchen and she saw Maggie eating breakfast, Audrey burst out: “AGGGGGGIEEEE!”

My heart exploded. This is why people have more than one kid.

2012: the year of awesomeness and some goals

January 5th, 2012 in life

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I don’t really make resolutions each new year, mostly because I don’t really have any bad habits I’d like to break (Not that I don’t HAVE any bad habits. It’s just that I want to keep them. And I will never, ever give up chocolate so you can just shut it. ha.) But I do like to think about my goals for upcoming year and what we have planned and what I’d like to do. I’ve been compiling a list in my head during this past week of All The Fun And New And Exciting Things That Will Happen In 2012.

1. Lose 15 pounds and run a race. Yeah, pretty standard for the beginning of the year, right? LOSE WEIGHT! EXERCISE MORE! I’ve actually been doing pretty well with the exercise thing since September when I started running and I’m really proud of myself for sticking with it for so long. I don’t usually do that- I get a bug up my butt about exercising and it lasts about 2 weeks and then I get sick or see something shiny and POOF. DONE. I haven’t run since Thanksgiving because the weather has been craptastic and I just have zero desire to run in the cold. Plus, even with running 2-3 times a week for 30 minutes, I was seeing no weight loss. I know I was gaining benefits in other areas for sure (cardio health, building muscle) but DUDE. I WANT THE SCALE TO MOVE. So I’m switching it up for the winter and doing some inside workouts- 30 Day Shred, yoga, etc. I went to my first hot yoga class last night and WOOBOY it was intense. I really liked it though, so I’d like to mix that in once a week or so. And if we get a random warm-ish day here and there and I can get outside, I will run. I would really really like to run a race in the spring (nothing crazy- just a 5k!), but after taking a long break from running, I’ll probably have to train a little bit first. But that’s my goal. That and fitting into some old pants and shirts.

2. Travel! We are going on our 10th anniversary cruise in February! Cococay Bahamas, St Thomas, and St Maarten. SUPER EXCITED!! Neither of us have ever been on a cruise and this is the longest alone trip we’ve had since we went to Italy before we had Maggie. Our anniversary isn’t until June but we really really wanted to get the heck out of Pennsylvania in the winter and go somewhere sunny and warm. My mom is generously watching the girls for us for EIGHT WHOLE DAYS AND NIGHTS. We haven’t left either of them for that long before, and I’m a little nervous. But they love Grandma and PapPap so I know they will have a blast. And honestly, Dan and I need a break, away, together because !!!!! Later in the spring or summer, we’ll probably take another weekend trip somewhere with the girls, and in November, I’ll be going to The Blathering again, this time in New Orleans, a city I’ve never visited! So it should be a pretty fun year, travel-wise.

3. Our House. We moved in here two years ago, and almost immediately I became pregnant with Audrey. So any grand plans I had to redo rooms and paint and stuff kinda got put on hold. We did a few things- painted the living room and kitchen (I actually finished this a week after I found out I was pregnant with Audrey- I was RACING to beat the onset of pregnancy nausea!) Then this past year I painted the dining room (I STILL HAVE PTSD FROM THE RED PAINT.) and we put up molding and a chair rail, and I redid our office.

But I HAVE BIGGER PLANS for this year. First on the list is Maggie’s room. It was painted pink pink pink when we moved in, and for a 2-and-a-half year old girl, it was PERFECT. But now her crib is gone and she has big girl furniture and big girl tastes, so it’s time to make a change. She picked out this bedding (we had a different one picked out that Santa was going to bring her, but, um, Santa procrastinated and then it was out of stock. CRAPSTICKS.) and we’re going to use those colors to fill the room. There’s been talk of polka dots on the walls and a curtain for a dress-up area… lots of fun ideas. I’m looking forward to getting started!

After Maggie’s room, I’d like to tackle our downstairs bathroom/powder room- mainly just paint and a new sink-top and new mirror. And finally, after all of that and if we have the funds, we’d like to fix our deck. Right now it’s more of a balcony than a deck- small with no steps to the yard. Now that the girls are getting older and Maggie can play outside for a little bit on her own (I can see the swingset from our kitchen window!) it would be SO NICE to have steps right there for easy access to the yard.

4. Organization. I guess this kind of goes along with house projects, but it doesn’t really require paint or a saw or anything. I found this de-clutter calendar on Pinterest and I’m going to try to do it. I already got a head start on a few things this year- I saved up and bought some handy kitchen organization drawers and racks (HOW LAME AM I? I have a KITCHEN ORGANIZATION BUDGET. Dork.) But I have an entire house full of drawers and closets that need FIXIN’. So it’s on.

5. Work. I survived my first year of parenting two kids and running my business. And I had a very successful year (relatively-speaking for me, at least!) with my work-life. But, I have more goals for this year- and not just financial ones. I’m always looking to learn new things and I love when a new project comes along that will challenge me to expand my knowledge and skills. So I’m hoping this upcoming year is a good one for me!

6. Finding and going regularly to a church. This is a more serious, personal goal for us this year. I grew up in a wonderful Presbyterian church and was very active in the youth group while I was in high school. I made some really great friends while I was there and those memories are precious to me. I was at the church two or three times a week! And you know- let’s face it, if there’s ever a good place for a teenager, it’s at church. Kept me (mostly) out of trouble!

But then I graduated from high school, went to college, got a job, got married and… got lazy. Sundays were for SLEEPING IN! Catching up on housework! Dan and I got out of the habit of regular church. I often use the excuse ‘God knows I need my sleep!’ but really… I’m a grown up. That’s a lame excuse. When I got pregnant with Maggie, we started going to church again because having a kid makes you Think About Important Things And Stuff, but we lived far away from my old church so we hopped around to a few different places but never found one we loved. So the laziness set in again. Then we’d go a few more times… then Maggie would get sick so we’d miss a week and then we’d have plans and then hey, lazy again! Rinse, repeat.

I think part of our lazy attitude about going to church is that we haven’t found a place we’re excited about visiting. So! Our mission (no pun intended, ha) is to find a church we love that has great stuff for kids- young and high school aged. I would love for my girls to have the church family I did growing up. I have already started a spreadsheet (OF COURSE I DID.) of local churches that we’d like to try. We’re going to start visiting each one a few times and ‘make the rounds’ so to speak. And hey- if anyone nearby has a church they love, let me know! I grew up Presbyterian but honestly, I just want to find a place that has God-loving people that makes us feel welcome :)

7. Finish converting videos. I have a pile of VHS tapes I took from my mom’s house last year for the purpose of converting them to digital video on my computer. I bought the software and it came with the proper equipment and all of that, and I made it through a few tapes! But then I ran out of steam (hi, Newborn Baby!) and there they still sit in the bin in the office closet. I NEED TO FINISH THIS PROJECT. It’s not a hard one- it just requires setting up the VCR (yup, we still have one!) and my computer and babysitting it for a little while. Because seriously, how else am I going to be able to share gems like this one? ME. CHEERLEADING COMPETITION. SIXTH GRADE. (That’s me on the back left with the chicken legs and gigantic glasses.)

8. A baby? And somewhere, Dan just got REALLY EXCITED. But he’d better calm down… I have a GIGANTIC QUESTION MARK next to this one, because truthfully, I’m pretty sure it’s not going to be A Thing. I wrote about all my complicated feelings on the subject recently, and they haven’t changed. But either way, in 2012, it will be decided: we will remain a family of four or make plans to become a family of five. (GAAAAAAH.)

So! What are YOUR grand and exciting plans for 2012???

Mission: No More Moustache, Please.

January 3rd, 2012 in giveaways / reviews

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My Teenage Self would be horrified to know I now have to concern myself with FACIAL HAIR, but it’s true. Getting older, hormones, having children-my body has changed, that’s a fact. I mean, I don’t have a full-on beard or anything, but I do have some unsightly hair on my upper lip from time to time. While it’s not particularly noticeable to most people, *I* notice it, and it makes me a bit self-conscious, especially in the sunlight. EEK!

Every couple of months, I’ll schedule an appointment to have it waxed. I tried waxing it once myself, and it was not very successful. I ended up with a still hairy, red upper lip, and I maybe cried a little bit because OUCH. So now I pay someone to rip my upper lip hair out by the roots with hot wax. Sounds fun, right? Being a lady is SO GLAMOROUS, you guys.

I had a chance this week to try a new product, thanks to Olay Skin Care and BlogHer.

New Olay Smooth Finish Facial Hair Removal Duo is a uniquely formulated two-step system designed to gently, yet effectively remove unwanted facial hair, leaving skin smooth, conditioned, and visibly hair free. This gentle hair removal system contains a Skin Guarding Balm, applied before the removal cream, that hydrates the skin to minimize irritation, redness, and other tell-tale signs associated with hair removal creams.

I was very excited at the prospect of finding an alternative to waxing because, let’s face it, it hurts. And if I can do it at home in less than ten minutes? Even better; with two small children, a busy husband, and a business to run, it’s not always easy for me to find the time to hit the salon.

The verdict based on my experience? You guys, it’s LOVELY! The product is easy to use. Two simple steps: apply the balm, then apply the removal cream. Wait a bit (check Twitter, read Facebook!) then wipe it off. It doesn’t have a strong odor like a lot of other hair removal products, just a light, pleasant smell like hand lotion. And it worked!

I had quite a bit of hair on my upper lip, and when I wiped off the removal cream, the hair went with it. There were a few stray hairs left behind, but I think that’s because I erred on the side of caution and stopped after 6 minutes, when the recommended time is 6-8 minutes. I was worried that since I’d never tried it before, it might irritate my skin if I went too long. But I had absolutely no redness or sensitivity, so I’d be comfortable leaving it on a minute or so longer next time.

So! No more moustache! Hooray for that! I feel SO much better having the hair gone, and it didn’t cost me a trip to the salon and the pain of waxing. Fabulous.

To make things even more awesome, one of my readers will be receiving a $50 gift card from the folks at BlogHer and Olay!

To enter, leave a comment on this post telling me about what inspires you to express your inner beauty and how do you express it?

Rules:

This sweepstakes runs from 1/3/2012 – 2/3/2012

No duplicate comments.

You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post

b) Tweet about this promotion and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post

c) Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post

d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older.

Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail.

You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.

The Official Rules are available here.

Be sure to visit the Promotions & Prizes page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ reviews and find more chances to win!

Comments will be closed on 2/3/2012

While we’re on the subject of looking good, you might want to check out the “Looking Your Best” posts in the Life Well Lived section of BlogHer.com. There are some great tips and expert posts!

Disclaimer: I was compensated for my time in researching and preparing for this post. But my opinions are my own, and I would never recommend a product I wouldn’t purchase with my own money.