Nourish the skin you are in....

Women and beauty are inseparable subjects. Each and everyone of us has different beauty regimen we swear by. Over the years I have both failed and succeeded in finding the products that suited my skin preference. Those years of learning..tons of products..money wasted..some breakouts, I have finally found what work well with my skin type. Something I can stay committed longer than 3 months.    This is such a gentle cleanser I have used about 5-6 months. It works wonder on me (after removing makeup). Skin feels fresh and clean but not tight. I especially love that this brand is EWG certified (no harmful chemicals, some of you know my obsession with safe skincare products by now). Pricey though at $35.    Aromatica is a Korean brand. At first I didnt like the feel of this product at all. It felt a little sticky but I stay committed ($42 a bottle I better use it all up). I have used for about 5-6 months now and mainly use this in the morning before applying sunscreen. After the first month, I swear I see my skin glows and looks healthier. It becomes supple and soft. I am already on my 3rd bottle. It works great pairing with the foam I mentioned above. Love the ease of this, absorbs quick into skin, its scent is barely detectable. LOVE!!! Pricey but lasts for months.     This was first given to me by my mother in law. I read the ingredients list and totally love how natural it truly is. I have used this for 6 months also, mainly at night. My skin loves this stuff. It is so light yet moisturizes well. Much cheaper and easier to use than Creme de La Mer.     Another great Korean product, I first learned about this through Thai beauty forum. Apparently no store in the US carry this so I had to order from a seller in South Korea. This is not a BB cream (I was not very impressed with BB cream though). It is called Air Cushion Cover which works as foundation and sunscreen (how is it different from BB cream.. dont ask me...haha) but I love how it blends better with my skin and gives such beautiful dewy glow finish. I use it as foundation and like to dap some powder on top to tame the dewy effect. LOVE..LOVE..LOVE.     Totally bought these on the whim but love them a lot except the scent from blush (totally wish it has no scent, it almost makes me too dizzy). Both do their job and stay put when used with the air cushion product above. My skin is glowing and my wallet is singing. Disclaimer: I purchased these products with my own money. This is NOT a sponsored post.

Eternal Treasures.....

Not too long ago I also stumbled upon three amazing stories. First story about a girl who died from Pneumonia,  she wrote a letter to herself to be opened in the next 10 years after she graduates from high school. Unfortunately she passed away prematurely I am sure how meaningful that letter must to her grieving  parents. Then another story about a dad who has been diagnosed with cancer, he wrote messages on 600+ sticky notes for his daughter to read each day until she graduates from high school. He know he doesn't have much time remaining with her on this earth but wants to leave her a little something (so heartbreaking I cried). And last but not least a dad who lost his daughter in a car accident who finds comfort in hearing her voice. Every time he misses her, he calls her number (which he resists to cancel the phone service after she passed away).That way he can still hear her voice. These kind of stories got my eyes teary BIG time.

As time passes, I have begun to deeply realize the essence of time capsule and how much it could mean years to come to myself and my loved ones. A will helps stabilize a secured financial future but it may do nothing to comfort the soul of those who lost people they love dearly. No one lives forever and that's the fact about life.  I have lost family members over the years and I just wish I had a little something more than memories to remember about them.

I must admit that I am not good at keeping up with a diary. It is a habit that I pick up when inspired but put down due to laziness or a decline in interest (sad). I basically fail in the "dear diary" department. Good news, I compensate my failure with photo/video collection as well as keeping items and cards/letters from special occasions. In an attempt to avoid being an ultimate hoarder in town, I specifically keep key items.  In addition to that, I would like to start documenting more about significant events/lessons in life so I can pass on the notebook to my daughter in the future. These treasures are going to comfort those who we left behind.

Minimalist at Heart....

A watch used to be my arm candy/buddy up until the days of smartphone's invasion. I no longer wear my watch but relying on a phone to tell me the time instead. Back in the days, I had a fair amount of  watches in my collection and I rotated them every once in a while.
In today's world, watch becomes more of a fashion piece rather what it is originally intended to be. Out of 10 people, how many do you think actually wear a watch? I would love to bring my habit of wearing a watch back. My taste on accessories change over time and at this point I prefer a clean and sleek design. I normally have a preference for leather band rather than metal band due to light weight.
Last month I was contacted by Rosewholesale which is a leading international online fashion clothing store, focusing on the very latest in affordable fashion style, both attire and accessories located in China. Talking about trendy, cute and affordable items, this is the place for you. I was offered a $30 gift certificate to shop. Due to their low prices, I could score 3 items under $30. This watch simply answered what I was looking for so I added it to the cart and patiently waited for its arrival. It took approximately 2-3 weeks for the products to arrive from China to the US with the lowest shipping option. Upon opening the package, the face cover of this watch fell off (oooops). The design is nothing short of beautiful but quality is upsetting (what do I expect for $6.55, right?). Nevertheless, I adore the design and the rest of the body appears to be in an good condition (bummer on the cover). My wrist are very small so I wish its face is not as big (but that's my wrist's fault).
From my past experiences ordering from websites similar to RoseWholesale, the quality of items can be a hit or miss so that is something you may want to keep in mind. The other two items I received are better than expected (a bangle and a white laced top), I hope to share them in the near future.



Disclaimer: A watch is sponsored by RoseWholesale but opinions are 100% of my own.

Masquerade....

Nothing can get more mysterious and whimsical than attending a masquerade ball. I attended one loooong time ago and boy it was quite fun. While shopping at a  store this past weekend with my daughter, we couldn't help ourselves but went oooooh, aaaah and wow over the colorful and beautiful design of these masks. They also reminded me of a Madri Gras. The masks came in different varieties, I wish they had one in white. We ended up getting two so my little one and I can play dress up and do photos just for the fun of it. Very fancy, aren't they?

Baby, It is Cold (& Icy) Outside...

Well, we didn't wake up to the snow as my little one and I "secretly" hoped for but we did experience "ice" and Arctic blast weather all day long. Is that better? The temperature never rose above 32F and boy it was cold! The road was quite empty. Since most people down here don't know how to drive in this weather condition, it made great excuse not to go to work (but I went). Folks in the northern part of town did experience good amount snow last night (so jealous!). Don't call me crazy for going out in this kind of weather to take photos. It's very rare so I felt the need to document the icy moments before they melt away :) Tomorrow when the sun is up, the weather will be back in the 60F, talking about crazy weather here.

Rainbow and Sunshine, I am going to find you

I am going to throw on my raincoat.... Hmmm...I hope it's alright... Gonna go find me a rainbow... Hang it up in the sky...Blues...Pass me by... Tonight freezing rain is to be expected and winter weather warning will be in effect until about Noon tomorrow. Very rare for a temperature in this part of the country to be this low (32F). Some people including me are secretly hoping for snow when we wake up in the morning. While listening to the song (below) and looking at these pictures, it made me realize one fact about life. There are stormy and darkest days in our lives but that shouldn't stop us from seeking hope and happiness. I am not the strongest person out there and never really count how many challenges I had overcome up to this point. There were times when I couldn't seem to get over my weakness, certain thoughts/memories and confusion. There were times I dwell into my own thoughts, floated in a circle and went nowhere. Then there were times I felt  had enough and had to move past whatever that held me back or made me miserable. It took will power, it took strength. And I did just that.  Riding out the storm is scary and it may seem like eternity when we are in one but keep going, never lose hope and one day we will see the sunshine again.

Rushing through Life.....

Too often I put my life in a fast lane..... My only goal is to get things done...get to my destination.... Never feel like I have enough time in 24 hours.... Rush...rush..and rush some more..... Time passed, things got done but something is missing in life  
I miss those days when I don't have to....         Worry about how many hours I have left in a day...         Think about how productive I can be.... Plan how many things I need to get done....         Look at the clock and freak out.... I want to.... Get lost in time..... Laugh like a child.... Set myself free..... "Time is an essence but living the moment is more important" - Maysa And Sunshine(BlogSpot.com)

Brunch in a Garden (The Buffet@The Wynn)

There is nothing quite like dining in such a beautiful place and being surrounded by whimsical and lovely little flowers. Food probably tastes 10 times better in such atmosphere, right? Tonight I was browsing through old photos from our Vegas trip last year. I did a review of buffet at the Wicked Spoon (at The Cosmopolitan) but never managed to do a review of another famous buffet - The Buffet @ The Wynn. A little late but here goes.
We chose to do brunch on weekend and were totally ready to eat. The minute we walked in, we were stunned by the beauty of colorful garden in the middle of the room. It was great grand alright (you have to pay more to be seated in that area to appreciate the beauty up close and personal though - we opted to sit far away). The food stations were impressive, they offered so many varieties. Looked absolutely yummy. But....but....we were not impressed at all. Most items were cold and bland to our taste. Most likely that was our one and only time at this buffer but that will not deter us from going back to Vegas. It is such a fun, lively and vibrant city. I miss it already.

A Day in The Life of Meow Meow

This weeks started out pretty busy at work, my brain was literally fried by the end of Monday. In an attempt to make the rest of this week a little easier, I know I need a good laugh and giggles to boost my spirit. These photos totally do just that.
These two female cats are hilarious (we have three cats but a male cat is camera shy and likes to be in a hiding). This pair loves being together and each of them has such personality/attitude. They manage to give us good laughs (except when they throw up or give us yucky hairball to clean up...ewww yuck!!).

Spend Less, Enjoy More....(Two years later)

Some of you may remember I vowed to change my spending habit at my old blog about two years ago. My goal were to significantly scale down unnecessary/impulse purchases on clothes, skincare products and items for home and to become a minimalist. One year later, I am very proud to say I have successfully accomplish my goals.



Several years ago, I bought everything in sight that I liked with little or no thought whatsoever. I even bought stuff without a true need for it simply because it went on sale. I would spontaneously purchased many different makeup/skincare products at once. Didn't even bother waiting to completely use one product at a time. Not to mention handbags, shoes and accessories.  Then came that year (2011) when I became interested in high end designer bags. That year alone I spent $4,000+ on brand new: mini Chanel flap, Chanel earrings, Dior tote and Hermes scarf in a span of 2 months. Yet I wanted more but so glad didnt pull a trigger. I felt guilty spending that much money instead of saving for the whole family to enjoy although my husband totally supported my once in a lifetime splurges. It was quite a year of learning.




One day a reality hit. My house looked like crap, clutter everywhere. I had more clothes/shoes/accessories than I could wear. They were literally everywhere. How much money I had thrown away I asked. It was ridiculous. Since then I determined to change. It was not an easy transition but something had to be done. I am a mother with a child in daycare and we dont make six figured income per person so I have to think more carefully. Since then I immediately implemented some changes. Of course it took awhile to get used to not buying and you had to fight the temptation which was quite a challenge. Sometimes you fail,  next time you win but you have to keep trying.

There are some tips that work great for me personally:

1) Avoid temptation: when you look, you tend to buy so you need to stop that. That said ditching some of your favorite blogs that tempt you to buy what they wear/use/review. It is just a temporary,  when your mind is strong enough you wont even have an urge to buy. But for now, say bye bye. Then you will need to unsubscribe from mailing list/sale alert/promotion from your favorite store.



2) Look what you have most. If you mostly buy clothes then that's your weak spot. Try to go through what you currently have and make the best out of them without buying more. This can be difficult but it will be easier with time. I have been buying clothes about 3 times a year or less (total of about 500 per year) in the past two years and wait when they go on sale up to 50% off (I always buy pants from Express for work and they go on sale after Thanksgiving. Who would pay full price of $70 for work pants, not moi).



3) Find a new hobby or simply clean your house/closet: this will help distract you from wanting to shop. With the convenience of online shopping, it is so easy to spill money even in your own home.



4) Shopping ban may not be a good solution: try to analyze each purchase instead. You should try to add more steps into your thought process when buying. Sounds like a pain but it helps. Ask these question and be honest with your answers: what am I going to use it for? How often? How practical and versatile? Do I have enough cash to pay now? Do I have space to store it? Will it clutter my home more? Practice on even the smallest purchase.



5) Keep track of your spending and set a limit: A simple spreadsheet is a lifesaver. You wont realize how much money you have spent unless you put them there. Credit card statement doesnt tell much. I sort my purchases in different categories, I have one for home budget which entails monthly bills, gas, grocery, personal, home/car maintenance,  gift, medical fees and miscellaneous.  You can start out with a more simpler spreadsheet (no special knowledge of Excel, just basic function) and adjust as you go.



Since 2011, I still have the two same handbags and one of them has exceeded cost per wear since I have used it every single day. I haven't bought any (even an inexpensive one). My husband couldn't believe it, I am quite amazed at myself too. However I do believe in splurging once in awhile on things you love as long as everything else is taken care of. Life is about balance and the same goes to spending and saving.

The Art of Eating a Cupcake

Gently unwrap a paper cup.....
Strategically and carefully aim your target, don't miss it....

Open your mouth as wide as you possibly can and send that sweet piece of heaven straight to your mouth....

Chew, swallow and smile..... :)

Cat and a Hat

I wish I could dress up my cats in fun accessories but cats hate them. The longest a hat stayed on was about 5 seconds. Oh well, at least I tried. From her facial expression,  I don't think she's loving it.