Miscellany Monday

Here are my randoms for Miscellany Monday!

1.) Today is my day off. Woo hoo! How you ask? I work 9 hour days so that I can have every other Monday off. It makes my weekends SO much nicer...especially Sunday. I can actually relax and do whatever I want without having to worry about going back to work the next day. What's even better: I get to miss the most hectic day of the work week. Who hates Monday mornings? ME!

2.) Josh left to go back to work this morning. Lame. Since I have every other Monday off, he tries to get his schedule to line up with having Mondays off too. But this month it just didn't happen. So...he left for work early this morning and I won't see him again until Thursday evening. I'm sad =(

3.) My awesome boss is retiring. Friday is his last day and I'm super bummed about it! It's pretty rare to work for a great supervisor these days. They've decided to test out our 2 Team Leads for the position. Each Team Lead will get to be the big shot for 4 months. Whoever does better will probably get the job. Hmmm...this should spark some interesting competition.

4.) I want these shoes! But for $75 bucks?...I dont know. What are your thoughts?

5.) The VMA's. Yea, that was interesting...as usual. Beyonce is finally pregnant! As she was performing, I even thought to myself that she better jump on that train pretty soon. And then boom, preggo belly! Gaga was a man and stayed in character for the entire show. What's really funny is that was probably the longest she's ever gone without having a wardrobe change. And then how AWKWARD was it when Britney came onstage to accept her award, but then basically just had to introduce Beyonce?! Eh..at least I was entertained for 2 hours.

So those are my randoms for the day. Go link-up at lowercase letters and join the fun ;-)

Love,

Top 5 Beauty Products

Hey there! I hope everyone had a fun & safe (from Irene) weekend.

Since I love reading about other people's favorite beauty products, I thought I'd share my top 5 favs with you all =)

1. Purity

This is a facial cleanser by Philosophy and it is fabulous! It's so smooth on my skin and always removes my make-up. I wear a lot of eyeliner/mascara and I never have to use a separate eye make-up remover. It's definitely on the expensive side for a face wash, but it's great for my skin and saves me time.

2. Revlon Colorstay Foundation

This is a great foundation that's easy on my wallet. I've tried many other expensive foundations such as Makeup Forever, Estee Lauder, Nars, Clinique...but this one has been the best so far! I have very oily skin, so I love how it comes in two formulations- Combination/Oily or Normal/Dry. I have to admit, I would really like to try Laura Mercier's Silk Creme foundation, but I just can't justify spending almost $40 dollars for a small tube. So for now, I'm definitely happy with this.

3. Too Faced Natural Eye Palette

My best friend Abby gave this to me for Christmas last year and I am so happy she did! The eye shadows on this palette are very high quality with great pigmentation. I barely have to run my brush over the shadow to pick up the color. Since there are 9 shades, it's very easy to create many different looks. I use it almost every day and my eye looks are always changing!

4. Clarisonic Mia

Ok, so I kind of splurged on this one. Buttttt, I waited until I had a 20% off coupon, free shipping and a QVC gift card. This lovely little device is around $150. I know, I know - that sounds crazy. But after reading so many wonderful reviews on this thing, I just HAD to try it. And I must say, I have no regrets! I use it on my face twice a day, morning & night, with my Purity cleanser. Not only does it make my face feel incredibly smooth, but it improves the look of my foundation/blush and allows my skin products to absorb easier. Overall - definitely worth the money.

5. St. Tropez Bronzing Mousse

I absolutely love being tan, but a few years ago, my dad developed skin cancer on his face. It was removed and he's fine now, but I've been terrified to go tanning ever since. Fortunately, I discovered this product and now I don't have to look so pale! It is by far, the best self-tanner I've ever used. It never makes me look orange or splotchy and since it's a dark mousse, it "shows wear it goes." It's so easy to apply! I usually only use it in the summer, but it's still great to have on hand if I ever need a little extra color!

What are your favorite beauty products?? If you have any suggestions, please leave them in the comments - I'd love to hear about them! =)

Fill in the Blank Friday!

Today I'm linking-up with Lauren for Fill in the Blank Friday!

1. One of life's most simple pleasures is going outside and taking a deep breath of fresh air.

2. Hearing people use bad grammar makes me want to punch someone.

3. I like my husband because, he is so nice to me.

4. Elbow is a funny word.

5. If I had to choose one beauty product to use for the rest of eternity it would be Purity face wash. A-mazing!!

6. I'm happy that I have a good job, but NEVER have to deal with rush-hour traffic. (I just got home from DC and it made me extremely thankful for my easy commute!)

7. I would never use a Ouija board. That stuff is evil and FREAKS me out!

Happy Friday, everyone!

Love,

Earthquake!

Today has been an interesting day to say the least. If you happened to read my last post, you'd know that I traveled to Washington DC yesterday for training this week. And what happens on the very first day?

A freaking earthquake.

How lovely.

I'm sure some of you felt it as well, but in case you are interested, here's my story:

Shortly after returning from lunch, we were just sitting in class and honestly, I was pretty bored. Usually the first day is bland simply because the instructor is still going over the basics/objectives of the class. As we were in the middle of a discussion, the room started to shake a little...

My first thought was the air conditioning unit was kicking on and it was shaking the ceiling. But it kept going and I even said out-loud, "Is this an earthquake?!" But I was totally joking! It paused for about 2 seconds and my brain was still processing everything. And then the building started really shaking and I FREAKED OUT!

Everybody started screaming and sprinting out the doors. As I was running, I realized I had completely forgotten my purse. Hey, when you think you might die, who cares if you lose your wallet! But of course, I still turned around and debated what to do and fortunately, my co-worker was smart enough to have grabbed it for me! She must think quick on her feet!!

At this point, the shaking had stopped and everyone was evacuating the buildings. There must have been thousands of people in the streets. I figured it was an earthquake, but the rumbling was so loud that it almost seemed like we were being bombed! After all, I was in the nation's capital...a prime spot for attacks. That probably sounds dumb, but my mind just wasn't thinking clearly.

We all stood in the streets for probably a half hour-45 minutes until they started letting people back into the buildings. After being told class was canceled for the rest of the day, we went back to the hotel to cool-down for awhile. Perhaps I'm just a worrier, but I was still scared to be in my hotel building. My room is on the 4th floor...and hasn't anyone heard of after shocks?!

Even though all of the museums/monuments were closed because of the earthquake, we still met in the evening to go sight-seeing. I've been to DC many times, but I still love visiting everything! Here are just a few pictures I took with my iPhone...

In front of the White House


Vietnam Veteran's Memorial Wall


And lastly, the Washington Monument...with a helicopter.

It was flying SO close up, down, and all around the monument for at least a half hour looking for damage. Apparently there are now cracks at the very top. Crazy!!

So that was my day in a nut-shell...not quite what I was expecting. I can officially cross "experience an earthquake" off my bucket list. (Not that it was ever on there!) I'll take a boring day in class any day over that! Throughout the day, my mind kept thinking about those who were killed, missing, or affected by the recent Japan earthquake...I just can't even imagine.

I hope to have a less exciting/more boring day tomorrow!
Lots of love to you all,

Weekend Routines

The weekend started with our guilty pleasure... eating at Chili's. Josh and I are borderline obsessed! The chips & salsa are just sooo tasty, along with almost every other dish we've ever ordered. It's slowly becoming a fun Friday night routine! However, I think we're over-doing it because the waitress totally guessed our orders this time...like exactly. She knew Josh wanted a wheat bun for his burger, avocado slices, and no bacon. I was slightly embarrassed to say the least!

Saturday morning we got up bright & early for yet another weekend tradition. However, this one is so much cooler because we've actually given it a name. Pancake Saturday. Every Saturday morning we make a nice big batch of Pancakes, a pot of coffee, and spend time discussing our plans for the day. So much fun!


After the conclusion of Pancake Saturday, we actually raced to get everything set up for our garage sale that day. Every summer our neighborhood puts together a community garage sale and this year, they must have advertised it really well because there were so. many. people! The big items we sold were 2 old TV's, table & chairs, and my grandmothers organ (I was shocked that actually sold!). We sold lots of other miscellaneous items as well...so overall, I think it was pretty successful.

Now it's already Sunday evening and we're about to do Josh's usual pre-trip packing routine. This includes laundry, ironing uniform, packing clothes, and cooking food for him to take/eat for the week. But this Sunday is a little different since I actually get to pack for myself as well! I'm leaving for DC tomorrow afternoon to take a training class for work. The title of the course is "Federal Pay Setting." Sounds exciting, huh? I already know how to set Federal pay...but I'm assuming this will involve more complicated situations. I'm sure I'll learn something new =)

I'm taking my lap-top with me this week, so I'm sure you'll hear from me soon! Enjoy your Sunday!

My Pilot

I’d like to introduce you all to my hunky husband, Josh.

We’ve been together for almost 6 years now! We met freshman year of college and have been inseparable ever since. One of the very first things he ever told me about himself was that he could fly planes. I remember very distinctly saying, “Wait what?! YOU’RE a PILOT and can fly a plane?…like by yourself?!”

He received his Private Pilot’s license when he was 18 and then went to college to double major in Aviation and Business Administration. Throughout college, he was constantly at the nearby flight school gaining hours and going to ground schools (flight lessons not in an airplane). He worked his butt off and by our junior year, he received his CFI (Certified Flight Instructor) certificate. He was then hired by the flight school and began teaching students how to fly. Cue our celebration #1

He worked as a flight instructor until the beginning of 2010 when he was offered a First Officer position with a regional airline. Before he even left for the interview, I knew he’d get the job. His talent and love for flying is just so apparent. Sure enough, he out-shined his competition. Aviation celebration #2.

I’m hoping celebration #3 is right around the corner, which will be when he upgrades to Captain. Although this will mean getting worse schedules for awhile and me being an especially lonely girl –his salary will double and he’ll gain vital experience. His ultimate goal as a Pilot is to get into the major airlines. This will happen – the real question is whether he’ll be offered a job where he actually wants to go. (AKA: Delta or Southwest)

Throughout his entire journey, I have been so impressed with his hard work and determination. He actually followed his dream…something not many people do.

So Josh, if you’re ever reading this – I love you and am so PROUD to call you my husband. You’ve achieved so much already and it’s only the beginning!

He’ll be home from his trip in less than an hour…woo hoo!! Thanks for stopping by =)

wilw

I'm linking up with Jamie @ This Kind of Love for What I'm Loving Wednesday. I've always wanted to do this one!

I'm loving...that tomorrow is Thursday which means Josh comes home from his trip! And by trip, I mean job. He's gone each week for about 3-5 days depending on his schedule that month. I've actually been quite fortunate as a pilot wife because he's been getting weekends off consistently for about a year now. Unfortunately, that will probably go down the drain once he upgrades to Captain.

I'm loving...my ELF foundation brush. Have any of you heard of this make-up company? The products are extremely cheap, like really cheap ($1-$3 per item). The make-up is okay, but wow, I am totally impressed with using this brush to apply my liquid foundation. For only 3 bucks, you should try it out!

I'm loving...that it's my mom's birthday & we went out to celebrate tonight! Happy Birthday, Mom

I'm loving...my blog design! Brea over at Utterly Chaotic Designs designed it for me and I LOVE it. If you're interested in a blog make-over, she does excellent work and her prices are fantastic. Thanks again Brea! I couldn't have asked for anything better =)



I'm loving...that I get to travel next week for work. I'll be going to DC with a co-worker for some training. I love going on work trips...we always have so much fun. Perhaps the whole sleeping in an extra 2 hours each morning might have something to do with it, too.

I'm loving...the cooler temperatures. I absolutely love summer, but surprisingly, I am so excited for fall. Apple cider, leather boots, sweaters, carving pumpkins...yes, please!!

And finally, I'm loving...the blogging world! I've only just started, but its so fun & I'm already making friends! Kelly over at Kelly Lately gave me a shout-out today on her blog. I was so shocked to see my name written on the screen, I had to do a double take.

Hope you guys are having a wonderful Wednesday!
With love,

getting to know me

Since this is a brand new blog, I thought it might be fun to get to know me a little better. If you want to learn more of the typical “about me” info, I promise the page above will be quite helpful! But, I thought some random/fun facts about myself might be more entertaining.

So let’s see here…

1. I can juggle and I’m pretty darn good at it. I practiced for 2 days straight with apples. Applesauce anyone?

2. I’m obsessed with reality tv. AKA: Teen Mom, The Bachelor/Bachelorette/Bachelor Pad, Real Housewives of Whatever County, Big Brother etc. Ugh, I need a life.

3. If any of my friends are reading this, just skip to the next number because this is old news. I LOVE The Beatles! Yes, I am 24. I don’t care. Best music ever.

4. My biggest fear? Take a wild guess…you’ll never get it. No, not bugs…I hate them (especially spiders or those long creepy things with a million legs), but that’s not it. I am terrified of having my blood pressure taken! I know, I’m crazy. Every freaking doctor thinks I have high blood pressure because the second they walk into the room with that stupid cuff, my heart starts beating a mile a minute. And Ta Da=Instant high blood pressure. Sooo…they made me buy my own blood pressure monitor to do at home because I insisted I was fine. Sure enough, excellent blood pressure. What the heck am I going to do if I ever get pregnant?!??

5. I want to be best friends with Taylor Swift.

6. Unfortunately, I’m a fairly shy person. If I could change one thing about myself, it would probably be to have more confidence.

7. I love learning & reading about natural health. (Vitamins, Supplements, Remedies, Exercise, etc.) I know I’ll go into it more for a post sometime, but I have some nifty tricks up my sleeve. I don’t remember the last time I’ve had a cold for more than 1-2 days!

8. I am so NOT a morning person. But I get up for work at 4:15am every day. Yea, talk about sucky. But there’s a shuttle that meets right down the road from me that can take me to/from work each day for free. The catch? It meets at 5:15am. So, I continue to use it, dread every single weekday morning, not pay for gas, and save money. Which brings me to my next fact…

9. Saving money is like a game for me. Fortunately, my husband and I are very similar when it comes to finances, which makes it much easier. I think we lead a pretty good life and do spend extra in certain areas. However, we love saving money and are certainly not blowing money & racking up credit card debt. That’s bad, bad, bad!

10. Yay! I reached number 10. I couldn’t possibly end at number 9.

I'll leave you with a fun picture from several years ago. My very first follower Erin loves this picture. Thought you might get a chuckle too!

Have a lovely night!

welcome!

My name is Shea (pronounced Shay) and welcome to my first blog EVER! I’m constantly sitting in front of my computer reading other people’s blogs, so I figured it was time to finally start my own.

Since my husband Josh is an airline pilot, I lead a somewhat unusual lifestyle compared to other wives. Therefore, this will probably be the primary focus of my blog, along with my other interests such as travel, health, beauty and financial smarts!

I have so many topics and posts floating around in my head, so I can’t wait to officially get started. To get to know me a little better, please head over to the “About Me” section above.

Thank you so much for stopping by and I look forward to sharing a little of my life with you!