Vain Roxy

It is a world-wide epidemic–anorexia and bulimia. Both genders have issues with it, and it is mainly seen and blamed on the media. Two famous models died in 2006 and one in 2007 due to malnutrition. France has decided to try and take a stand. They have proposed a bill that will prosecute media who promote “extreme thinness”. Somehow I think this might be hard to prosecute. Don’t get me wrong; I completely agree that the way the media portrays women is wrong and something should be done about it. But how will they deem if a girl is too thin? What if she isn’t sick at all, just naturally a little thinner? How will they know? If you want to read the full article, click here.

I just wish girls (I know boys are dealing with this stuff too, but girls are more common) would realize that everyone is made differently and women are SUPPOSED to have curves. Ladies, stay healthy and embrace your curves.

Dove is doing a great job promoting a woman’s natural beauty with their “campaign for real beauty“.  Go Dove!

I am completely disgusted right now. I’ve just seen some pictures of women who have had some ribs surgically removed in order to get freakishly smaller waists. Girls! It’s not worth it! You don’t look normal!

You know how you get itchy when people talk about bugs? Well, I am kind of getting the same feeling right now. When I look at these pictures, I just want to grab onto my ribs because they start to ache.

I would so rather have a huge waist than look like this!

pictures courtesy of 971zht.com

I wonder if she can walk normally? Breathe OK? Twist her torso? Bend side to side without snapping something? Do sit-ups? Doesn’t it just look painful!?

To see the rest of this lady’s pictures, click here.

Burt’s Bees Beeswax Lip Balm

Burt’s Bees chapstick is hands-down the best chapstick on the market.  And for only $3, soft, smooth, and healthy lips can be all yours.  If you haven’t tried it already, you’re missing out on some amazing peppermint tingly action.  Buy Burts here.

Tip: Use under lipstick and gloss for smooth lips.

With the constant threat of computer viruses, accidental deletion, and file corruption on PCs, remote online backup is a must! For all you savvy computer ladies, hopefully you already have a computer backup and recovery plan in place; if you don’t, now is the time to get one. Ask anyone who has important data or documents due to a computer failure, damage, or even theft.

Recently, I had a good friend whose laptop was stolen, which had all her digital photos, MP3 music files, and term papers. Needless to say, she is having a hard time recovering from it, not only because she lost all her important school work, but because years of priceless photographs and memories were lost.

Don’t let this be you! Take the necessary steps to protect yourselves, ladies!

I’ve done it; I’ve found the secret to wanting to keep working out! Buy a new swimsuit! Even though there is still snow on the ground, I bought one. What can I say, it was on sale. I was a little more adventurous this year. I usually will wear shorts over the swimsuit, or like last year, get a bottom that comes with a cute little skirt. But this year I got just regular bottoms. AHHH! Now that is scary. But I find that I definitely don’t want to miss a day of working out! I have a limited amount of time before summer hits, and I want to be ready and confident! So there you go; the amazing secret is revealed. Try it out. I bet it will work for you too!

As if I’m not stressed enough during the year, the holidays come around and amp up the pressure. Although the holidays should be a jolly time, I dread the annual Christmas shopping. I hate fighting the crowds, even if there are amazing deals the day after Thanksgiving on Black Friday.

I always worry if my hubby will like his gifts and draw complete blanks as to what presents the rest of my family will like. For instance, what am I supposed to ?@# get my new in-laws?

I’ve decided this year that I will cut back the stress. I’m doing most of my shopping online. I bought the rest of my presents on Black Friday in just a few short hours (in and out is my motto).

Although I love cooking, my annual Christmas party is going to be done by a superb Salt Lake City caterer that I used for my wedding.

And last by not least, I am sending out all my Christmas cards soon in one day, and making my husband help me do them. Luckily, we have pictures and cards already picked out and ready to go.

Anybody else have suggestions for making this year a stress-free holiday season? I’d love to hear your ideas!

Glamorous and high-priced certainly do not have to go hand-in-hand. You can keep up with all the latest styles and fashion trends without breaking the bank. Here are my favorite (inexpensive) items for the upcoming holiday season!

Sparkling Jewelry – Banana Republic is one of my favorite places to pick up chic yet modern jewelry that is perfect for the office and a night on the town. They have absolutely gorgeous pieces, most for under 50 bucks!

Dog Carrier Purse - Channel your inner celebrity and pick up one of fall’s hottest accessories…the dog purse. Perfect for your little furry friend, the purses are replete with shiny buckles, patent leather, and silver chains without the designer price tag!

Riding Boots - The fall fave is back and as hot as ever, especially paired with leggings or skinny jeans. My pick? Steve Madden’s Brown Riding boots…an inexpensive option at only $140.

Polished Nails - Nothing is more refined, sophisticated, or sexy than well-kept nails. Try a DIY manicure…it will not only save you time, but money. Keep nails trimmed, filed, and short especially if you wear dark polish. Colors to try: O.P.I.’s Midnight in Moscow and Vodka & Caviar.

Pea Coat - The pea coat is a wardrobe staple. They look great at any length and with anything…wear with a flattering pencil skirt or dark jeans. Victoria’s Secret has some of the cutest (and inexpensive) pea coats I have ever seen!

Although we haven’t addressed this on the blog before, I wanted to say a little about managing finances. Although I had the typical college overspending habits and was in debt at one time from credit cards and student loans, today I am striving to be debt-free.

The only debt I have at the moment is my mortgage. So, in accordance with my debt-free living, I’ve been trying to pay that off sooner than 30 years. Rather than trying to switch to a 15-year loan or refinance, I’ve been using the money merge account from U1st. It helps me be more disciplined and apply more of my paycheck towards the principal balance of my mortgage.

In a short time, I’ll be completely debt-free and own my house. I am excited to start investing in other things once I payoff my mortgage. That way I can retire early and enjoy the years ahead without financial worries!

As an addendum to the “Picture Perfect Photography” post, I actually recommended that Utah wedding photographer to a close friend.  She just received her engagement shots they took and she couldn’t be more happy!  So there is TWO references…do you need more?

So my one big worry for my wedding day was that I just wouldn’t look picture perfect. With my luck, I was sure a zit would pop up, my hair wouldn’t cooperate, or my makeup would look horrid. What’s a girl to do?

Well, part of the trick is finding a fabulous photographer who can work with just about anything. Lucky for me, I found the perfect Utah photographer who really gave me far more beautiful wedding photos than I thought possible (I didn’t look half bad either).

One of the most important things to note when interviewing prospective wedding photographers is there sample work. Take the time to look over samples of their work to see what their capabilities are and the quality of photographs they can provide.

All I have to say is, thank goodness for photoshop!