Hello friends and Happy Friday.  I am back from my wonderful beach vacation to the Jersey Shore and I'm trying to get everything unpacked and all settled in.

In the meantime it's time for another Five on Friday post.

This time I decided that I would share with you five beauty items that I've been using and love.


1)  Nivea Skin Firming and Toning Gel Cream.

I love using this skin cream.  I have been using it for a few months on my neck and also under my eyes.

I know you are not supposed to use this cream for around the eye area but I'm very careful not to get it near my eyes or in them.  It is popular on the beauty YouTube videos I have been watching lately.
I figure it can't hurt using it on my neck and it will help to keep my neck firmer.




2)  Jergens Natural Glow Instant Sun.

I have a very fair skin tone and in the summer I like a light tan and so I have been using this tanning mousse.  This product comes out like a liquid and I usually just rub it on my skin after I get out of the shower.  I bought the light bronze color and it gives me a very light looking tan.  What I really like about this tanning mousse is that it doesn't have a bad smell too it.  I hate when sunless tanners smell really bad when you apply it to your skin.  I always wash my hands good after applying the mousse so that it doesn't leave a stain on my hands.




3)  COVERGIRL Mascara.

I always like to keep an extra tube of mascara in case I run out of my mascara.  I had this mascara a while ago and ran out of it but didn't replace it with a new one.  I decided I would try this one out again.  I like to use this when I am in a rush getting ready in the morning.  This mascara goes on very lightly and it makes your lashes look very natural.



I am currently using a sample size mascara from Estee Lauder that I really like and I'm using every day or for going out in the evenings.  It is called Sumptuous Extreme Lash Multiplying Volume Mascara.  This mascara is so easy to apply and it makes my lashes look really long and I don't even need to use an eyelash curler.  I will definately be buying a new tube of this to use when I am done with this sample size mascara.  I received this sample of mascara and other sample products from Estee Lauder and a bottle of perfume for Mother's Day.  :)


4)  Neutrogena Clear Face Liquid Lotion Sunscreen 30.

I have been mixing a little bit of this sunscreen in with my Keihl's Ultra Facial Cream that I like using every day.  I figure I am protecting my face from the sun and moisturizing my face at the same time.




5)  Trader Joe's Nourish Hyaluronic Moisture Boost Serum.

I have never used any beauty products from Trader Joe's.  I discovered this serum when Heather from the blog Our Life in a Click did a blog post on it HERE.

I figured I would try it out.  I usually use this at bedtime after I take off my makeup.  I then apply this serum and then after it sinks into my skin I use a moisturizer.  I like this serum a lot and my skin is really soft from using it.

Hello friends and HAPPY FRIDAY!

Hello friends and Happy Friday!  I hope you've had a good week.  :)

Hi friends, today I'm joining Amy from Love Made My Home for her Five on Friday series.


Today I'm sharing five things I would like to take the time to catch up with.

1)  MAGAZINES - I love reading magazines and I have so many that I need to catch up with.  I have been so busy these past few weeks with getting ready for the holidays and then taking down all of the Christmas decorations and packing them away.  I just have not had the time to sit and read or the ambition.  I would like to find some time to relax and do this.

2)  CROCHETING - I love crocheting, but I want to be more motivated and inspired to work on different projects and stick to it.  I sometimes start working on something and then I loose interest or get too busy or I'm just too tired to crochet.  The crochet lap blanket that I'm currently working on is half way finished.

3)  ORGANIZE - I want to focus on organizing some areas of my house.  I have a guest room that we do not use too often that needs to be organized.  I tend to use this room as a storage room, wrap Christmas presents in, and to dump everything else that I'm not using in.  I want to straighten other areas of my house too.  I think wintertime is perfect for organizing since we are not outside that much.

4)  BOOKS - I have not read a book that I have enjoyed reading in a long time.  I am happy to report that yesterday I was invited over to my friends house and she had so many mystery books for me to choose from to read.  I picked out Mean Streak by Sandra Brown and three more mystery books.  We then had tea and cake and I had a lovely afternoon.  I was so excited yesterday that I read three chapters in the book already.  I am happy to be back reading again.



 5)  MEAL PLANNING - Now, I love cooking different recipes, and I get excited when I find a new one that I like, but I'm terrible with meal planning.  I sometimes wait all the way until the late afternoon to decide what to make for dinner.  I want to try and plan a few meals to make for dinner during the week.  Then I need to make sure I have all of the ingredients to make those dishes.


Thanks for stopping by and listening to my Five on Friday.  Please visit Amy at Love Made My Home for her Five on Friday series and to see what other bloggers will be linking up.

Wising you all a wonderful day and weekend.


Click HERE to see the great parties I will be linking up to!



Julie

I am taking five minutes of my day to share five things.





1)  I like picking out the candy that I give out to the trick or treaters who come to our house.  One year I bought candy that we did not like (so that I would not cheat and eat it before Halloween) but not this year!

2)  I love eating (sneaking) some candy and chocolates while I give it out to the trick or treaters.  I've also cheated a little bit already on the candy.  Hehe.  I bought 2 large bags of candy this year.  Last year we had a lot of trick or treaters and I used up 1 large bag.  So we'll see what happens this year.

3)  I enjoy giving out the candy to the kids and looking at their cute costumes.  (I do not enjoy looking a big kids with no costumes on)!

4)  My dog Bosco has a new Halloween costume this year and will be dressed up as super dog.  He will help me give out candy to the trick or treaters.

5)  I love looking at the houses decorated for Halloween.  In our neighborhood we have some houses that are decorated with orange lights and a lot of cute and scary decorations.

Do you like Halloween?  I'd love to know!

I'm happy to be joining Amy from Love Made My Home for her Five on Friday Series.

I am taking five minutes of my day to share five things.








1)  Cooler Temperatures - After having such a hot summer here, it's such a relief to feel the cooler weather and not have to use the air conditioner every day.  I love sleeping at night with the windows open and feeling the cool breeze.

2)  Sweater Season - I love wearing my favorite sweaters and cardigans with my jeans when fall arrives.

3)  Apples - I enjoy all kinds of apple recipes, such as apple pie, apple cider, baked apples, and apple crisp.

4)  Leaves - I enjoy taking early morning walks with my dog Bosco and looking at the leaves on the trees.  I also like watching the leaves change different colors to yellow, orange, red, and brown. 

5)  Drinks - With the cooler weather comes hot drinks such as tea, pumpkin lattes, and hot chocolate.

This is just a few of the reasons I love fall.  What are yours?




Please visit Amy's Five on Friday Series at Love Made My Home.

I'm happy to be joining Amy from Love Made My Home for her Five on Friday Series.

I am taking five minutes of my day to share five things.


1)  I love getting mani/pedi's in the summertime and last week I decide to pick out the color white for my nails.  My daughter had this color on her nails and I loved the way it looked on her.  This is a very popular nail polish color to wear right now.  What I like about the color white is that it goes with everything and I think it looks nice for summer.



2)  This is the lovely view I had last week while I was walking my dog Bosco.  I love taking early morning walks with him when everything is so quiet.



3)  My family and I decided one evening to go to caffe' bene for coffee and cupcakes.  We picked out this red velvet cupcake which was just so yummy.



4)  I love the color of my peach rose that bloomed recently.


5)  I went on a trip with friends from my church to Cape May, New Jersey and part of the trip was a boat ride to see the whales and dolphins.  I was able to get this beautiful shot of the sun setting.  We did not see any whales but we saw a lot of dolphins jumping out of the water.

I am happy to be joining Amy from Love Made My Home for her Five on Friday Series. 

I'm taking five minutes of my day to share five things:

Today I'm sharing some things that I love about the summer!


1)  I love refreshing drinks during the summer such as the ice tea at Panera Bread.  It's one of my favorite ways to cool off when it's hot outside.


2)  I'm so grateful for our summer vacation I just had with my family to sunny California.  We just got back yesterday and once I'm all settled in I will be sharing with you photos and more about the vacation.

Here are two photos that I'm sharing with you from our trip.  If you follow me on INSTAGRAM then you will recognize these photos.  I hope you will join me on Instagram to follow along!


I just love California and the sunny warm weather!


3)  I love summer and grilling food and BBQ's and not having to use the oven as much when cooking dinner or entertaining friends and family.  I made grilled corn and the recipe to make it was so easy.  I will share this with you soon.


4)  I am enjoying my container gardening and growing tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, mint, basil, lavender, and edamame (they are beans in a pod) and it's my first time growing edamame beans.  I love having a small garden to tend too.


5)  My family and I are looking forward to visiting and spending time at my mothers beautiful home and beach for the summer.

I am happy to be joining Amy from Love Made My Home for her Five on Friday Series. 

I'm taking five minutes of my day to share five things:


These are some photos I took during the month of May.

I am happy to be joining Amy from Love Made My Home for her Five on Friday Series. 

I'm taking five minutes of my day to share five things:


1)  I walk my dog Bosco every morning during the week and I enjoyed watching the boats go by.  It is so pretty and peaceful in the morning.  


2)  It feels so nice to be out and see so many spring flowers blooming and I just love the colors these daffodils.  

  
3)  We enjoy eating strawberries in our family and I cut up so many that I bought from Costco. Strawberries and whipped cream are my favorite.



5)  I made buttermilk pancakes last weekend for breakfast and we enjoyed them so much!

I am happy to be joining Amy from Love Made My Home for her Five on Friday Series. 

I'm taking five minutes of my day to share five things:

1)  I am so happy and honored to have guest blogged last week for Tuula from the Thrifty Rebel at her creative blog.  I shared a Pink Spring Wreath that I made for her Think Pink Monday.  


In case you missed this blog post you can see it HERE!

2)  I had fun guest blogging this week for Sarah and her lovely food blog Sarah's Kitchen.  I shared how to make an Easy Baked Chicken recipe.


If any of you missed that blog post you can see it HERE!

3)  I'm so happy and thankful for some new followers who have joined my blog recently.  I want  to welcome and thank you all.  I also would like to thank all of my loyal readers (friends) for taking the time out of your busy days to read my blog posts and and to leave such lovely comments.  I really appreciate you all and you make my day!  You all are the best!  


5)  Here you can see Bosco is looking down the street and he is waiting patiently for me to take him for his morning walk.  I tried to get a photo of him looking at me but he wouldn't look when I kept calling his name!  That silly dog hates his photo taken but I can't help trying!