City Girl Secret #2- Sunless Tanner

God made me redheaded and pasty. Supposedly, that was "beautiful" but as a teen I just felt like a sheep in a herd of cattle. Texas women are supposed to be tan, with big hair and lots of make-up, right? Not really :) But you get what I am saying! When I was 14, my mom introduced me to sunless tanning creme. Even though I immediately turned streaked orange and smelled a mix of sunscreen and cheap perfume, I was hooked! Looking back I was not fooling anybody, but in my head I had finally joined the club. Unfortunately for my poor friends and family, I stayed in this smelly, streaky, orange state until my late teens. Randomly, my senior year of high school I started tanning for real and my angel kisses (freckles) disappeared... I didn't question it, I just reveled in my new bronze color and layed out whenever I could! Well, thank goodness I have the pictures to prove it because about a year or two ago the glory days ended. I am back looking like my old teenage Scandinavian self- white, freckled and staring skin cancer in the face if I try to fight it. But after an 8 or 9 year hiatus, I was thrilled to find ... there are some really amazing sunless tanners that actually turn you TAN!

My mommy lola always says, "A good tan is the quickest way to lose 10 pounds!"

Sign me up, right?!?!... here are my faves:

1. My all time fave- airbrush tanning that a stylist actually hand sprays on you with something resembling a gardening hose! Beautiful, perfectly tailored and even. A yummy splurge for a big event or a confidence boost during one of those yucky weeks.
Works: Immediately! But can't shower for 8-10 hours
Cost: $30-75 depending on retailer (*tip- the people you find on Internet or yellow pages will be cheaper than ones you find at department store or spa)
Lasts: 1-2 weeks
Con: Have to have an appt and takes about 30-45 minutes start to finish. You will get addicted!

2. Versa Spa- the updated "Mystic Tan" (at most larger tanning salons). Looks very natural, not streaky. Only takes 5 minutes if there is no wait at the tanning salon. A great cheaper alternative!
Works: If you choose the (more expensive) bronzer solution it activates within four hours but this can rub off and ruin your clothes. The clear solution that I have gotten activates in about 12-16 hours, but you can shower after 6.
Cost: $10-20 depending on the shade you choose (the bronzer solution is $20-30- unless you are on a time crunch I would rather pay the extra $ and get an airbrush)
Lasts: 1-2 weeks
Con: Only you will able to tell, but it is not quite as even. Not good for a pool party, comes off in chlorinated water. Also, make sure you wipe down your palms and nails so it does not turn them orange.

3. Jergens Natural Glow- A cheap, great alternative if you have a lot of time. Skin gets super soft and smells good.
Works: Over 2-4 weeks with regular application. Also, a great way to extend a spray tan.
Cost: $6 tube for body lotion, $10 for face lotion
Lasts: Hard to say for sure, maybe a few days once you have reached the color you want if you do not continue application.
Con: Takes dedication (daily application) to reach the color you want, but easy to maintain once you get there. MUST wash hands after application or your knuckles and palms will color orange.

There are so many products on the market, it is a little overwhelming to try and figure out what actually works without having to pay the price of walking around like an "umpa lumpa". This is only what I have tried with success.

Will you tell me what you know?

Change

My Mom always reminds me the twenties are all about change. If you are in them I don't have to explain that to you. New relationships, new jobs, new towns... it goes on and on. I came across this adorable shadow box in the blogosphere and had to share it! I wish I had thought of this for my first paycheck, my first apartment out of college or the first place Clay and I lived. Maybe someday I will do this when we get our first house. But I thought it was so sweet. I am so guilty of worrying and stressing over the little things and forgeting to be present and thankful for all the blessings of today. Click on the image above to take you to this easy keepsake and the adorable blog Young House Love.

Some quotes I h.e.a.r.t. on change:

In the name of God, stop a moment, cease your work, look around you.

Leo Tolstoy

 If you spend your whole life waiting for the storm, you'll never enjoy the sunshine.

Morris West

The best thing about the future is that it comes only one day at a time.

Abraham Lincoln

The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.

Chinese Proverb 

What t.h.e. b.i.b.l.e. says about being "present":

Matthew 6:34 (The Message)

³⁴"Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.

Whose bed have your boots been under?

My sweet Molly chewing on one of my favs- thanks!

Love, love, love Shania Twain... I have got to add her to my playlist... "and who's heart did you steal I wonder, this time it feels like thunder baby, and who did you run to..." But sadly she is actually not on my mind right now- just the song BECAUSE I have had boots on my mind! I love my family, my dogs, my pictures- they are precious to me!

But in a fire, assuming the before-mentioned things are safe- I am going for my one-of-a-kind, irreplaceable BOOTS!

To some this may sound silly, but to me they are defining- as defining as my red hair. City/ country, single/ married, skinny/ over-weight, wealthy/ poor, casual/ the country club/ many, many parties/ my debutante balls/ the bar/ the ranch- my boots have been with me and are irreplaceable. And even more than that, they are actually irreplaceable because they ARE (often old) and USED.

Every pair of boots I have purchased since I can remember is used, has their own story, history, long before I ever placed them on my feet.

I like to make up stories in my head about who might have worn them- cowboys, movie stars, politicians- highly unlikely at a cost of less than $30, but a girl can dream. Nonetheless, I hold them close to my heart. At any given time I have owned as many as 25 pairs or as few as 5 picked from various flea markets (Canton's First Monday is my favorite), eBay, antique stores, vintage clothes stores, goodwill... you would never believe the cool boots you can find! I have given them as gifts, shared with my mom and sister and traded with friends. I actually went to a true boot outfitter recently with Clay at his urging to see if I would like to get something- heck NO! I am totally spoiled... basic Justin or Ariat boots are nice but there is no creativity to their look, nothing vintage, nothing unique- all the boots that I even kinda liked were over $300! Maybe someday I will buckle down and get something when the teasing gets to be too much, but until then my charge to you- don't settle! Take pride in your boots, enjoy the hunt, have something re-soled, get the leather treated if it's amazing. But most of all don't pay $200 for average boots. Your clothes will show their age at some point, random jewelry can get boring, average shoes will go out of style/ fall apart, but boots get more comfortable with age and even when they do they tell your own little story.

I still have the boots I got engaged in, debuted in, sported all through college, play at the ranch in, and have my first boots as a toddler...

maybe it's an ode to my mother and our special 'boot hunts' or my fierce love for my state and everything it represents or a foreshadowing my life to come. But no matter, next time you see a really cool pair of vintage boots I hope you will stop and take a closer look.

Were in Texas... Let's talk beef...

God definitely has a sense of humor...
Remember when McDonald's was 'the place' to have your birthday party? Yes, Dallas, circa 1988 Mickey D's was cool. Happy Meals, some poor teen in a Ronald McDonald costume, play gym, cupcakes... can you see it? Well, I think between 4-6 I went to a dozen McDonald's birthday parties. Let's just say each time my mother reached the mailbox to find that her darling daughter was once again included in one of these posh affairs she was probably crying inside. But like the wonderful mom she was she packed me up, present (with bright curly ribbon) in tow- for me to go have yet another temper tantrum in the middle of the restaurant. I'm sure my words between the tears were something like:

gross, you know I hate hamburgers, why are you forcing me to eat this again, this is not a HAPPY meal!

While I did learn some manners with age... I was just really more a chicken girl (and a cheese, mustard, pickle girl when necessary). Then I met dreamy, tall cowboy. He is not the fake cowboy... his family really has cows, in fact beef is their whole business and they eat it... daily! And even without his family he eats it... daily... with potatoes. And if your excuse is not wanting to eat "potatoes" again, he will offer to cook the potatoes in new, different ways for you... and call his mom or grandmas for recipes.... he will even go buy the ingredients to show you how these potatoes will change your whole view of the "potato"- lovely. Well after a year or two of this, even starting to plan a life with this carnivorous, potato-loving (but oh-so-dreamy) thing, I started to think if you can't beat 'em join em right? (Part of my motto in my new country club cowgirl life). Five years into it I have discovered, thank you Jesus, that God really did make some yummy-ooey-gooey-feel-it-in-your-core (in more ways than one) BEEF! From a former temper tantrum-er and currently very spoiled daughter-in-law, my advice:

start with the tenderloin!

Tips for novice beef connoisseur (well, my experience):

• If you are if-y about beef don't try the ribeye to start- very tough, often fatty.
• If you ever get filet mignon or tenderloin (short loin) be sure to specify how you want it cooked, they should be asking you if you are paying that much for a steak BUT just in case you want it MEDIUM WELL or WELL DONE... some people think it tastes great all chewy and bleeding... not novices, yuck!
• SAY NO to calf fries... trust me.
• "Pure Angus" or "100% Angus" beef is a rip-off, it is no better than any other type of beef. Angus is a type of cow and it is a marketing ploy. What makes beef more valuable is the cut (where it came from the cow, see above) and the marbling (is the fat clustered? or are there just a lot of tiny white lines throughout? better)
• Short loin most valuable... least is debateable.
• Grass-fed beef and veal are less fatty/ greasy and sooo good.
• You can mask most not-so-good-steak with a good horseradish sauce, but when in doubt... sit next to the dog.