Life. Love. Lipstick.

Five years ago, I was living the typical life of a single woman in her mid-twenties.  I worked a lot waiting tables, and just as quickly as I could make the money, I spent it.  I bought clothes when I wanted, got my hair cut every six weeks, and drank half my tips before I could even leave the restaurant.  When I was wasn’t working, I lived a pretty leisurely life.  I slept when I wanted, laid by the pool when I wasn’t sleeping, and went out with friends at least once a week.  My dating life wasn’t very fulfilling, but at 24, I didn’t expect it to be.  I just wanted to have fun and I was definitely doing that.

Everything changed when I met a man we’ll call Jed.  I fell for him in a haze of long shifts, late nights, Goldschlager shots, and self-worth issues.  Within a few weeks of dating, I found out I was pregnant.  It was scary and I didn’t know how to deal.  With Jed’s encouragement, I decided it was a blessing and threw myself into changing my life to suit a child.  Martinis were replaced by water, I took shorter shifts at work, and I couldn’t keep my eyes open past 11 p.m.  In a tight spot financially, Jed and I made the decision to move out of state to live with his parents for awhile.  I was reluctant to leave when I was pregnant, because I wanted to be near my mom.  However, Jed had a plan, and with our given situation, I was up for it.  I won’t get into the details of his plan, nor the details of the events that led to our split.

It turned out that his “plan” was based on a lie, and somewhere along the 9 months of pregnancy, he decided that he didn’t want to be with me.  Rather than tell me his feelings had changed, he made some really bad decisions.  In the end, we made the mutual decision to part ways.  He said he would be there for everything, for all of our son’s life.

The night Nicholas Grant came into this world, I was at peace.  I knew God had a plan and a reason for this precious child to enter the world at the a “wrong” time.  I didn’t know why, but I now have my theories.  That’s a story for another day.

I took Nick home and threw myself into being a Mama.  Jed was there for the birth, though only physically.  His mind and heart were somewhere else entirely.  He conveniently got stranded out of town the day he was to sign the birth certificate.  We’ve seen him only once since.

Nick and I became each other’s everything.  I went out with my friends occasionally, but after several mornings of having to care for him while nursing a hangover, those times became few and far between.  I lost a lot of friends when my life became so different from the lives of my friends.  I didn’t feel a loss though, because my baby became my best friend.

Fast forward four years to today.  I am with a man whose love knows no bounds.  I can’t imagine where I’d be without him.  Dustin is Daddy to Nick, Harper, and Jude.  To me, he is everything.

Motherhood has made me a better person with my priorities in the right places.  I have reignited my relationship with God, set goals for my future, and have become a kinder, gentler, more patient person.  With all the steps forward I have taken, I have also taken a few back.

I used to really take care of myself.  I ate the right things, exercised, and kept up my appearance.  Now, I am lucky if I get my hair dry before leaving the house and I only wear makeup a couple of times a week.  I exercise when I get the time.  It has been a couple of months!  Before I was a parent, I had a lot of friends and I loved to interact.  It was a huge part of me.  I took a lot of time to myself, reading, sunning, napping, baking, walking.  Now, with kids clinging to my pant legs, I read a couple of pages at a time.  During the summer, I am in the pool playing games, rather than sipping a cocktail at the side.  Napping happens in 20 minute spurts and I bake simple kid-friendly cookies rather than experiment with truffles.

Don’t get me wrong, I love the changes in my life, but somewhere along the way, I lost part of myself.  Yes, I lost the bad parts and I don’t want them back.  However, I lost my individuality, which I think is really important.  We can be better parents if we take time for ourselves and maintain the parts of us that we love.

When I made my 30 Things To Do Before 30 list, I realized that most of the things I want to do serve to reclaim ME…. the woman inside the mom.  I am so excited about this journey and I think that I will be a better mom and partner for it.  I want to look put-together, with a house that looks the same.  I want to enjoy my own company, and use some of my quiet time to connect with God.  I want to create and foster friendships.  I don’t want to be seen just as Mommy, but also as Rhonda.

[This realization that I have lost myself has led me to create a personal blog.  See it here!]

I made these videos just after turning 29.  Just realized I didn’t post them on here!

For my birthday this morning, I was greeted with a Publix cake (my favorite!) and YellowTail chardonnay (my favorite!).  I have a date night planned with Dustin tonight – dinner and a movie.  So excited and blessed!  I have a great life for a mother of three who is struggling with finances.  Our apartment is sooo full of love!

But it’s fun to dream.  Here are the top 5 birthday gifts I would like to have RIGHT NOW:

1. KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer. I feel like baking up a storm.  Just need this gem.

2.  Dyson DC24 Ball Vacuum. Or really, any vacuum at this point.  Ours has slowly died and my carpet really needs a good vac’ing!

3.  MacBook Pro. As much as I love our iMac, sometimes I just want to lie in the bed or sit on the deck and surf the web.

4.  MAC Cosmetics Gift Card. I just really need new makeup.  Hot date with Dustin tonight, and I’d love to have some pretty new color for my face.

5.  Laser eye surgery. I am just beyond ready to shed the glasses.  When I get dressed nicely to go somewhere (like on my date), I feel like my glasses ruin the whole look.

I imagine I’ll have all these things someday, but in the meantime, I’m going to get dolled up in my old makeup, put my glasses on, walk across my dirty carpet, and go out with the love of my life!

Just have to brag on our sweet little tree!

I can’t just do a Christmas wish list, because my birthday is in this month too!  Here are the top 8 things on my wish list!  You’ll see that most are super affordable.  I live a pretty simple life these days!

Tweezerman Slant Tweezers in Green Apple

I first discovered Tweezerman when I was 19.  I used the SAME PAIR of pink slant tweezers for 9 years, until I finally lost them a few months ago.  I bought a cheapie replacement and it just doesn’t compare!  Need some new ones, this time in my signature color!

New point-and-shoot camera

I certainly don’t necessarily need this particular model, just need a camera period!  Dustin’s really old one just doesn’t compare to the one I lost a couple months ago.  (Hmm, i’m sensing a pattern here…)

MomAgenda

I never thought I would want to pay so much for a planner, but this one seems so worth it!  And hey, they are on sale right now!

Hollywood Intuition Metallic Tote

I have been wanting a bag with a rocker vibe and my every day tote is worn. out (Here I am again, replacing something).  I saw this one in the store and it is a beaut!  Also on sale.  See, I’m easy!

Sharpies

I’m a huge Sharpie lover and I can never get enough.  Would love to have the fine point and ultra-fine point in EVERY color!

Vintage-Inspired Apron

I especially love this damask print apron from Etsy seller Boojiboo!

“Atticus Finch Is My Co-Pilot” Tee

Dustin and I are both huge fans of the book To Kill A Mockingbird and even named our child Harper Atticus as the ultimate tribute. Need. this. tee.

MARRIAGE!

I mean, seriously.  What the hell are we waiting for?

I don’t get a lot of time to clean my house, so when I get a few minutes, I like to make them count!  The best cleaning products are the ones that don’t require much work on my part.  When Great Cleaners approached me requesting a product review, I jumped on it.  I welcomed the chance to discover products that could make my life easier.  I discovered a lot of great ones, including one stand-out that I will use for years to come.

Great Cleaners sent their Dorm Room Cleaning Kit, and I eagerly put the products to work.

Oxi Clean is something I’ve always seen advertised and always seen in others’ homes, but never used myself.  I swear by spray ‘n wash for formula stains, so was skeptical to try any other stain remover.  I was pleased to discover that the Oxi Clean works pretty well!  I tried it as a pretreat for laundry and spot remover on carpet, as there are several uses for the product.  As a pretreat and spot remover, it worked pretty well.  However, where it really stood out was as a laundry booster.  I just add a scoop to the laundry and it visibly brightens the clothes!  Whites are whiter, colors are more vibrant.  I was really surprised by this!

Brillo Pads have been a part of my cleaning repertoire for years, so there was no need to try them out.  They are the best thing for scrubbing your non-stick pots and pans, because they will lift the crud without leaving scratches behind.

Kaboom Foam-tastic really impressed me as a bathtub cleaner.  My usual routine consists of Clorox spray and scrubbing with a brush.  With Kaboom, you just spray on the blue foam and when it turns white, you wipe and rinse.  I love that I can spray it on, then clean the rest of the bathroom before rinsing the tub.

Kaboom Scrub-Free Toilet Cleaning System was the big winner for me.  You simply set the system up in the tank of a clean toilet, drop in a couple of tabs, and let it do its job!  Love that!! There is even a demo video that is spot-on!

I will definitely use the toilet system for years to come. Why wouldn’t I?  I haven’t cleaned my toilet in two weeks and it looks great!  Definitely need to get a system for our other bathroom.

Now, the best part. One lucky reader will receive the same kit reviewed here!  It is the Dorm Room Cleaning Kit, and would definitely be great for a college student, but who couldn’t use it?

Entering is easy.

1. Comment on this post for one entry.

2. For an extra entry, follow Great Cleaners on Twitter and tweet “Win a Dorm Room Cleaning Kit http://tinyurl.com/y8gduqz @greatcleaners @lllipstick”

Tweet must match exactly.

Giveaway ends Tuesday, October 13 at Midnight, EST.  Winner will be chosen randomly.

Good luck!

Seriously. We need help.  Our kitchen table and bar are the catch-all areas for EVERYTHING!  It’s ridiculous. We clean them off and 2 days later, it looks like this.  We have a tiny apartment, so even the smallest amount of clutter presents a HUGE problem.  And, obviously, this is much more than a small amount of clutter!

What do you do to keep stuff from piling up like this?  I’m open to any suggestion at this point!!!

Ok, so I failed.  I started my 101 list, did great for, oh, 2 days…. then completely abandoned it.  I am just not cut out for it!  I am way too busy and have way too much going on.  I have now amended the list to just be a life list!  Now I can also add really big things on this and take out some other things that I honestly just put in for filler.  I will continue to edit this list as needed.

I commend anybody who can do this!

Most everyone visits someone’s home and, once in the bathroom, checks out the contents of the medicine cabinet.  I’m actually not one of those people… not because I’m not curious and nosy, but because I’m afraid they will hear it open or close!  Well, you won’t have to bother sneaking a peek into my cabinet.  I’m opening it up for you right now!

1. Clean and Clear moisturizer

2. Garnier curl gel

3. Degree

4. Store brand ibuprofen

5. Aussie shine-enhancing gel  (Dustin’s). This is actually all but empty.

6. Echinacea

7. Zinc sulfate. I don’t even know what this is or what it does.

8. Mucinex

9. Folic acid.  I took this in the beginning of my pregnancy, before I switched to a vitamin that already included it.

10. Stool softener.  Just another unfun, necessary pregnancy need.

11. Mario Badescu hyaluronic eye cream

12. Store brand acetaminophen

13. Visine

14/15. Immodium and Store brand Dramamine (used for hangovers, not motion sickness)

16 and 17. Vitamin C. Why are there two?  I just noticed this.

18. Ear drops.

19. Men’s multivitamin.  Pretty sure this is over a year old and almost full.

20. BC for arthritis.  I don’t have arthritis, but this is great for severe headaches.

21. Store brand Excedrin

22. Eyeglass cleaner spray

23. Itch relief gel, Walgreen’s brand

24. Curel lotion for stretch marks.  It doesn’t work.

25. Secret deodorant

Not sure why I posted this, but it is now serving a whole new purpose… I just realized it’s time to clean out the medicine cabinet!

Since I started my list a couple of months ago, I have reached 2 of the goals.

87. Order calling cards for my dad.

About a year ago, I saw in my dad’s car some of those little cards that go in graduation invitations, with the graduate’s name on them.  On the front was my brother’s name, in scrolly black ink… With my brother’s first name crossed out, and my dad’s handwritten in.  On the back, he listed his phone number.  He was actually giving these to people!  I knew I wanted to give him calling cards made just for him.  For Father’s Day, I had them printed up via VistaPrint and he LOVED them!

90. Buy a family vehicle.

If you had told me when I started this list that I would cross this one off so quickly, I wouldn’t have believed it.  With 3 children in child seats, we needed a lot more space than our pickup and small sedan could provide.  We just didn’t have the money to spend on a car at this time.  However, a series of unfortunate events led us down the path to buying a new car.  Love my minivan!