Honest. {Day 1}

I've really been struggling with how I look for about the last month. I've been working out, and eating healthy but I still feel sad with how I look. I'm going to be using this space as a daily happy log for about the next month. It will probably be superficial and narcissistic about how I look, but I want to feel happy with myself again. So here goes Day 1.



1. I'm having a great hair day. My hair is falling like Jennifer Anniston's on her final season of Friends. And I love my color. It's faded to a super warm and pretty auburn.

Today, I feel happy to have pretty hair.

Sometimes words make me feel okay.

You do not have to be good. 
You do not have to walk on your knees
For a hundred miles through the desert, repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves. 
Tell me about your despair, yours, and I will tell you mine. 
Meanwhile the world goes on.   
Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain   
are moving across the landscapes,   
over the prairies and the deep trees,   
the mountains and the rivers.   
Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air, 
are heading home again.   
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely, 
the world offers itself to your imagination, 
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting --
over and over announcing your place 
in the family of things.

-Mary Oliver

And by the way sweetcheeks, I'm real too.

10 points to whoever can name where that quote is from!!

But in all seriousness I wanted to discuss something that has been bothering me recently. I've seen it on several blogs, and it's getting my goat. (Ha! See what I did there?)

Girls are so MEAN to each other. SO mean. There are a few specific things that have been really hurtful to me recently that need to be talked about. So without further ado, here is a list of things we have to stop saying to each other.

***

She is so fake/I hate fake people. I'm sorry. Are they made of plastic or vinyl? Last time I checked, all of us have skin, organs, brains, and most importantly feelings. Just because someone doesn't feel comfortable "being real" with you, or would rather talk about cosmetics than emotional traumas doesn't make them fake.

 I am guilty of calling other girls and women fake. A lot of the time, it's because I'm jealous of a quality they have. They are beautiful, have a perfect body (according to me), understand how to take the perfect instagram picture and have a big following. I was recently accused of being fake, and it hurt. Really bad actually. But I'm in a different place now. I don't feel comfortable exposing my vulnerabilities to everyone, and light topics like exercise and hobbies are much easier to carry.


You don't breastfeed? You probably aren't trying hard enough. I'm going to start by saying that I don't have children, and therefore don't have much of an opinion on breastfeeding/formula feeding. I just think as long as you are feeding your child and keeping them healthy, that's what matters. I've had several friends who tried so hard to breastfeed. But they had babies in the NICU, were in school full time, or the baby simply couldn't latch, and had to formula feed.

First of all, formula is insanely expensive. I know a lot of women that wish they could breastfeed for budget reasons alone. Not only that, but I've had friend approached in the grocery store while buying formula, and told that their baby was going to be stupid or not as healthy. Or that they were selfish. Why is this socially acceptable? Why are Mama's not looking out for each other? It's insane to me.


Body Shaming/Having a "real" body. Body shaming makes me crazy. CRAZY. Some people are naturally skinny. And that's okay. Some people like working out and being muscle-y. That's okay. Some people love their fat curvy bodies. That's okay.

 Stop telling skinny girls to eat hamburgers. Stop telling fit girls they are working out too much and going to get injured (they know what they are doing a hell of a lot more than you do.) Stop telling fat curvy girls that they are lazy and unmotivated. Stop making the word fat derogatory.


***

Love each other. Be kind to one another. (:




All my love,


Alex


XOXO

Silver Linings.

Silver Linings Playbook is debatably in my top 5 favorite movies. I love the characters of Patrick (Bradley Cooper) and Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence) and the normalcy of craziness that the movie creates. (Because let's face it. Everybody is a little crazy.) There is a quote in the movie that continues to stick with me. "This is what I learned at the hospital. You have to do everything you can, you have to work your hardest, and if you do, if you stay positive, you have a shot at a silver lining."

I've had a weirdly hard week. I haven't had anything in particular that has been extra hard, I've just felt depressed, anxious, and so frustrated. And I don't even know why. I don't really have a good reason. Jealousy has been a feeling I've been struggling with recently. I don't know if I'm craving change, or if I fear it. It's easy to live vicariously through others with social media, and it's been fueling some negativity for me recently. So I'm going back to basics. I'm writing on my blog today, like I used to write on my old one. Where I'm honest, raw, and just myself. (I've been myself up to this point, but I avoid negative topics as much as possible.)  And right now, I just need a few reasons to be happy TODAY. I need a shot a silver lining. So I'm making one of those stupid lists. Things I'm grateful for. Things I want to accomplish. The whole bit.


I have:

-The greatest husband who is always striving to be a better person, and is so unconditional with me, that I get to love forever
-A little puppy dog named Moose who always knows when I'm sad, and snuggles me, makes me laugh, and is getting smarter each day
-My dream home. Honestly. It's every thing I've ever wanted, and then some
-A wonderful mother who is always there for me. She is my confidante, and my dearest friend
-An incredible daddy who calls me on layovers, just to see how I'm doing, and always knows a great read
-Siblings I can count on. Three of them. PJ-the best, wisest, wittiest, nicest older brother. Sara-the kindest, most sincere, funniest, prettiest, smartest older sister. And Sophie-the sweetest, most hilarious, goofy, beautiful, genuine-ist baby sister
-Suzi Crist- best friends since 4, making retarded jokes since 14
-Sariah Saili- Sweet, consistent, hilarious, beautiful, and someone that will talk to me for 3 hours just because.
-My health: It was such a struggle in 2013/early 2014. I'm getting close to celebrating a year of great health. And it feels so good
-My wonderful in-laws- we always have so much fun together
-My bed who has given me many hours of delightful sleep
-Tv-most importantly Netfix. Hours and hours of entertainment
-God. Even though I struggle, and I'm not perfect, He loves me. And that's always enough

I want to:

-Be able to climb a V4-V5 handily by April
-Lose 20-25 pounds (3 dress sizes) by April (for those of you concerned, that's 5 pounds a month, or a pound a week. Totally healthy weight loss.)
-Run a 10K
-Learn how to lead climb
-Climb outside. Lots.
-Play around in Moab with PJ and Toots
-Finish setting up my art studio, and actually start painting
-Dye my hair red, or just like Jennifer Lawrence in Silver Linings Playbook (I'm OBSESSED with her hair in that movie.)
-Pierce my nose or get a new tattoo
-Take my modeling to the next level. Maybe even sign with an agency
-Learn how to code, and make a bitchin' blog
-Take Dave to Seattle and through the Redwood Forest
-Visit Portland, OR
-Go to Las Vegas for my 21st Birthday
-Go to NC, see Suzanna for the first time in 2.5 years, and see her graduate from UNCW (and also meet her boyfriend Kevin)
-Disneyland annual passes...again.
-Go to Disneyworld
-Travel Europe-Specifically: Ireland, Scotland, England, Germany, Spain, Italy, France, Greece (Santorini), and Romania


This is making me feel a little better. Especially when I look at my goals. There is a lot I want to accomplish, and I think I'm going to add a bucket list to this blog. Give myself regular things to look forward to. The beginning of the year is always a crappy time for me, I just get bluesy and blah. So I'm ready to start looking for my silver linings.

All my love,

Alex


XOXO

Dave sent me this:
Moosie sleeping in the yard with his favorite toys...the hose, and a giant plank of wood. Hahaha.

Dog named Moose.

Name: Moose
Occupation: Dog/Brittany Spaniel
Humans: Dave and Alex
Hobbies and interest: Going for runs with Dave, snuggles, treats, playing with Jack, sleeping in awkward positions, drinking obscene amounts of water, playing with (destroying) my Tauntaun squeaky toy
Dislikes: Crate time, being alone, the grumpy bulldog on the other side of the fence

The day we picked up Moose!!!



Bringing Moose Home!!

I have been meaning to post about this for ages now. (Well, about a week to be honest.) WE HAVE A BEAUTIFUL DOG!! His name is Moose. And he gets me. He is perfect for our little family in every single way, and I truly believe it was fate that we got him when we did.

Dave and I have always known we were going to get a dog. We're both dog people. I'm that person that approaches every dog that passes me, and wants to take it home. I've grown up with dogs my entire life. I knew I wanted to raise my children around dogs. We were going to wait until spring to get a puppy. We wanted a black lab puppy, and we wanted a teeny tiny 8 week old baby to raise ourselves.


And then I met Moose.

I was driving back through Spanish Fork after finishing a root canal procedure (yuck!). I was driving down a long road, when I saw a little puppy dart across the road, narrowly missing getting hit. He was little, skinny, and sniffing around. I knew he was completely lost. I pulled over, and called him over. He would approach me, and then take off in the other direction. We played this cat/mouse game for about five minutes until he hung out by a chain link fence, looking down into the water canal. He let me approach him and pet him. He loved being pet. And he was so soft.

"You're little and lost. You're coming with me buddy!" I told him,  and scooped him into my arms, and placed him in my car. He hung out on my front seat just looking at me. I pet him, and let him know that I would be bringing him home as soon as I could. He fell asleep on the seat. I was completely in love.

With a heavy heart, I took him to the South Utah Valley Animal Shelter. I knew that if he were mine, I would come looking for him. So if he had a family, they were probably worried and would call the shelter. I filled out his intake form...and an adoption form. "If his family doesn't come for him, he is coming home with me." I told the receptionist over and over. A woman came to take Moose back to isolation. I gave him a quick pet and a kiss, and he was gone.

Later that night, I told Dave about my adventures.

"Babe, don't get attached. We're not getting that dog."

"Yes, we are." I replied.

(It's worth mentioning that he was looking up info about Moose's breed later that night.)

Dave rolled over the following morning, and asked me.

"But what if he doesn't like Burr-burr?" (Burr is our rabbit.)

I knew we were getting that dog
.







































Over the next few days I was telling everyone I knew about this little guy that I loved. I was also compulsively checking the website, to make sure he was still listed. I called the animal shelter every day to check on him, and make sure he was alright. He had to be in the animal shelter for 5 business days to allow the owners enough time to claim him.

In that five days Dave finished our fence, and closed off the back yard.

The night before we got to bring Moose home, we went out to buy food, a pillow, leash, harness, car seat cover, collar, and his little name tag. We knew his name was going to be Moose.


December 3, 2014 we finally got to bring Moose home! He was ours. And he was so happy. We filled out a ton of paperwork, and the brought him forward to meet us. He remembered me! He crawled into my arms, and insisted on belly rubs, and non stop loving!

We've only had Moose for a few weeks but he is already my baby. And Dave's baby. We love him so much! Moose has been our missing puzzle piece. And he's so smart! He is already potty trained, and he didn't have any accidents in the house. (Except for one little tinkle at my Mom's...) He learned his name in 1 day. And he is starting to sit on command. We're still working on that one. Be prepared to hear about Moose lots. He's my favorite furry guy!!!

All my love,

Alex

XOXO

Moose LOVES Uncle Jack

Just a little Conehead

He's a selfie EXPERT!

Just my Sleepy Dude

My dead Flower Blog

I'm trying to update. I really am. I have about five different posts that I'm working at simultaneously. When I've been getting home from work, I've been so exhausted. Between that, and DESPISING my computer with my whole heart (see you in hell, windows 8...) blogging only gets done when I'm feeling REAAAALLLLLLLY motivated to work past the glitchy stupid mess that is windows 8 and my laptop.


Anyway. I promise I'll get some entertaining posts up soon. You can follow me on instagram, if you really wanna stay up to date on my life.

@alexkadishuey


All my love,

Alex


XOXO

Cooking ALL THE THINGS.

*I started this post about a month ago.*

Hi. My name is Alex. I am a fast food and restaurant addict. It has been 2 days since I last ate out. Which may not seem like a big deal. But it is for me. Because I'm FINALLY cooking, and I'm actually doing it quite successfully.

It's just Dave and I right now. We don't have kids. We don't even have a dog. It's been really easy, convenient, simple, and expensive for us to eat out all the time. In the time that we lived in our apartment I probably cooked for us less than 10 times...in a year and a half!!! Why am I being so brutally honest? I'm really sick of eating out, to be honest. It isn't special and fun anymore, it's just a place to go get food. I decided that I was done. My body can't handle any more of that kind of food. Even if the stuff I make isn't necessarily low calorie, I have a little more control of what goes into it. We still maintain a date night every week, because I think it's important to keep that special. Even if it's on a Tuesday! (:

 I was at work and decided to make a menu for the week. I scoured the internet for recipes that would fit my fancy. By far, my favorite food blog is damndelicious.net. She creates delicious recipes, that ANYONE can make.

Ingredients for the Chicken and Potato Chowder!!!

Here is my menu for the week 1:

Tuesday: Chicken and Dumplings
Dave loved it. I liked it okay. I cooked the chicken in the crockpot too long. I hated the texture of the meat.

Wednesday: Chicken and Potato Chowder
This was good! A nice variation of chicken noodle soup.

Thursday: Asian Turkey Lettuce Wraps
We've made these before. They are our favorite.

Friday: Butter Chicken
I had to look all across Utah Valley to find Garum Masala, but I did find it! At the Asian Market on 500 W and Center St. in Provo! They are the greatest store ever. They have everything. This recipe was delicious. Dave and I prepared the sauce in the morning, and our house smelled like Indian the whole day. I LOVE Indian food!!!

Saturday: DATE NIGHT!!!
Chili's!!!!

Sunday: Family Dinner (Shuey Family. Cindy cooks a wonderful meal for us each sunday night.)


Week 2:
Monday: Herb Crusted Cod

I actively searched for this recipe. I had made it for my mom and me a while back when I had found it on pinterest. It was SO GOOD. (Especially if you are a fish fan like Dave and me)

Tuesday: DATE NIGHT
Chili's!!!

 

Wednesday: BBQ Chicken Cornbread Pie

This has been debatably Dave's favorite thing I have made. I LOVED it too. The cornbread is TO DIE FOR!! I licked out the bowl! Of cornbread!!! Add more cheese to the top than the recipe calls for. I promise, you won't regret it.

Thursday: Coconut Chicken Tenders

These were somewhat of a failure. I haven't done much frying in oil. The coconut wouldn't stick. Everything got dark and messy really fast. But I'm quick on my feet. The chicken was cooked to perfection, just the breading tasted funky. So I found the simplest recipe for orange chicken sauce I could, and made orange chicken and rice instead. It was awesome!!

I used the Pioneer Woman's orange chicken sauce. It was simple, and delicious.

 

Friday: Bang Bang Shrimp Pasta

This sauce melted in my mouth! It was creamy and delicious. And the shrimp was cooked to perfection. We used thin spaghetti noodles. Next time we're going to use angel hair!

Saturday: Pot Roast Sliders

Roast

Six Sisters Stuff Cook Book - page 46-
I used a different roast recipe because this roast is moist and flavorful, which is ideal for delightful sliders. I personally didn't like the horsey sauce that went with it, but I hate spices that add heat. I put a little ranch on mine, and they were great.


This week:

Monday: Honey Walnut Shrimp
These. Were. AMAZING. Holy smokes! I love honey walnut everything at Chinese restaurants, it was even better making it myself! Dave and I enjoyed the evening cooking together. Helpful hint: Don't take the walnuts out until the sugar crystalizes all over the walnuts. They are SOOOO much better that way. I also made a

Tuesday: DATE NIGHT

Chili's! We're addicted. Stop judging us!!!!

Wednesdsay: Chicken Alfredo BakeYou know those yummy chicken bakes at Costco? They are crap compared to these! And these little rolls actually refrigerate really well, and make great lunches!!! The recipe calls for 1 can of the crescent rolls. You need 2. Trust me.

 Thursday: Slow Cooker Enchiladas

I threw this all in the crocky during my lunch. It was super easy, and it smells so good. I'm excited to see how it turns out.

Friday: White Chicken Chili

I don't love chili. When I worked at Café Zupas, I loved the Chicken Tortilla Soup. It was a simple brothy soup that had a slightly spicy flavor. I'm really hoping this is similar.

Saturday: Chicken Parmesan/Marinara

I'm really excited to make this. It's super healthy! Quinoa breading!! Whaaa? PLUS homemade marinara sauce!!! I'll let you know how this goes!!!

 

 

 

That's all my recipes for now!!

 

 

All my love,

 

Alex Shuey

XOXO

 

Thankful Days 14 and 15

Nov. 14: Today is Grandpa Jim's birthday. He's been gone for 7 years, which feel significant, for some reason. I thought about him a lot. What a truly great man he was. Is. how I'm so lucky to have found a partner with similar qualities. I wonder what he would think of me now. I hope he would be proud of me. I'm thankful to know I will see him again.

Nov. 15: I'm thankful I got to spend the whole day with Dave yesterday. (Open enrollment started today, so my Friday was a pretend Saturday). I'm thankful I get to spend the evening with him too. And that we are going to have fun playing games with Brian and Kelsey!!

PSA: Home Post is Coming!!

I've been working on the post where I explain everything about how purchasing our home came to be. I am waiting until we finish putting up all the pictures so that I can do a video tour of my home.


I appreciate your patience in this matter.


XOXO,

Alex

Days 12-13

Nov. 12: I'm thankful for my car. The heater works AMAZING, and it has heated seats. I'm spoiled, to say the least. But it was 28 degrees when I left to hospital last night!! (I was dropping off Dave some dinner, just to clarify).

Nov. 13: I'm thankful I get to spend time with Dave!! Our work schedules are completely opposite on the weeks that he works. He works 6pm-6:30am. I work 9am-5:30pm. On Dave's week on, we see each other for 10 minutes before he goes to sleep, and at night we miss each other completely. Because he leaves for work before I'm even off work. (He's been visiting me on my breaks as often as he can. It's nice to even have 15 minutes to just say hi.) I'm planning on making a yummy dinner tonight, and catching up with the man I love so dearly.

Thankful Days 8-11

At least I'm trying to keep up!!!


Nov. 8: I'm thankful for my faith, and for the freedom to practice whatever faith I choose. Mass was especially wonderful, and I love my new parish!!! (For those of you that don't know, a parish is the equivalent of a ward)

Nov. 9: I'm thankful for my wonderful sister-in-law Kelsey. My niece had her primary program, and I thought I had already slept through it. Kelsey was sure to text me and let me know that I could still make it. And I'm so glad I was able to!

Nov. 10: I'm thankful that I have more than enough money to purchase whatever groceries I decide I want and need. I made a menu for the week, and I'm excited to report on each dinner!

Nov. 11: I'm thankful for ibuprofen. I woke up with a nasty headache, and was able to simply take a pill and make it go away.

I'm thankful: Days 6 and 7

I'm doing really good at this challenge. (hahaha)

Nov. 6: I'm thankful that my anxiety has been manageable recently, and that I don't feel afraid in my new home.

For those of you who don't know what having anxiety is like, this is actually a really good depiction.

Day 7: Beautiful weather. I'm a huge fan of fall. I love the cool air. I love layering on clothes, and cozying up to my husband when it's chilly at night.

I'm Thankful (Days 1-5)

Thanksgiving happens in the month of November.
November is a nice time to remember why I live such a beautiful life.

So I'm going to blog every day this month about something big things and small things that I am thankful for each day this month. I'm not currently up to speed, so I'm going to start days 1-5 here.


Nov. 1: I am thankful to have a warm comfortable bed to sleep in each night. There are so many that don't.

Nov. 2: I am thankful for all of my wonderful belongings. Unpacking all of our things this weekend made me realize how much I have. Literally!!!

Nov 3 (Dave's Birthday): I am thankful for my incredibly sweet, patient, loving, silly, funny, smart, hardworking, wonderful husband. He has made my life so happy, and has brought me so much joy. I didn't know I had the capacity to feel this much happiness until he was in my life. I love you Dave!!!!

Nov 4: I am thankful to have dental insurance. Dual coverage, actually. I had to get two root canals, and the insurance definitely allowed me to afford the procedure.

Nov 5: I am thankful for my job. It's not always my favorite, but it's good work. I know I am helping people.



What are you thankful for?





All my love,

Alex

XOXO

I'm Scared of the Dark and the Dentist.

Which is a lie. Because I'm not scared of either. In fact, I actually really like my dentist. He's the same guy I've been seeing since I was 7. He super nice, he listens to me, and he's covered by my insurance. It's winning all around.

I have been having issues with my back two teeth for a long time now. When I went in for my check up in June, I told my dentist about it, and he suspected that my teeth had fractures. There isn't much you can do for them, except let them heal on their own.

Fast forward 4 months.

I can't chew on the right side of my mouth at all. Cold zings. Crunch zings. Soft zings. Everything zings. And it zings down my jaw for a good 10 seconds. So I went in to see what was going on. My teeth were still fractured, and not healing. So he suggested getting crowns placed.

Today, I had those crowns placed. (Well the plastic ones. The real ones come in about 2 weeks). They have to wear down the enamel all the way around the teeth in order for the crowns to fit properly. So I got to have laughing gas and numbing shots. The first numbing agent made my face and mouth really numb, but I could still feel the drilling in my teeth. And it was zingy. So he gave me a few more injections of the anesthetic. Still zingy. My dentist tried a different kind of anesthetic. And even injected some into my gums. Still zingy. After a desensitizing agent was put on my teeth it wasn't so bad. I was pretty tough, and we got through the procedure.

I even went to work with a numb face.


Now the numbing agent has worn off and DEAR MOTHER THIS HURTS SO BAD. He warned me it would be super achy. He gave me a lot of shots. (He joked and told me he had given me 20 shots. I think he's lying. It feels like 200).

So now my sweet husband is bringing me a smoothie, because the idea of having to chew anything makes me want to cry. And nobody wants to see that.

But at least I'm not afraid of the dentist.

After dentist selfie. This smile felt so funny.

Dollar Tree Find

I don't usually go to dollar tree unless I'm looking for something specific. Like cheap tissue paper for gift bags.

 

Yesterday, I went to Dollar Tree looking for dish rags. They didn't have what I was looking for, so I wandered around, and found myself in the beauty aisle. I saw a package of what looked like decent nail polish, so I purchased 2 colors and left.

 

I tried them today. And OH MY GOSH! They are wonderful coverage, and pretty colors!

 

The line is called Milani. They sell between 3-7$ on Amazon. But they are at Dollar Tree. GO STOCK UP.  I know I am.

 

I purchased Chocolate Sprinkles and Instant Pearl. (But seriously, buy them at Dollar Tree.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

All my love,

 

Alex Shuey

 

XOXO

My Beauty Uniform

One of my favorite bloggers posted her beauty uniform on her blog recently. Visit her blog, if you haven't. THIS is the post where I am getting the questions.


Do you wear makeup?
Absolutely. I grew up a family where beauty and taking good care of my hair and skin was very important. I've worn make-up since I turned 12. Obviously, my routine has changed quite a bit since then.
What is your daily beauty routine?
I always wake up late. Like every single day of my life. So most of the time, my daily beauty routine has to be quick. I wash and moisturize my face most nights using Neutrogena Naturals. (Sometimes I forget, or I'm tired and lazy.) I found a foundation that is close enough to my skin color, that I can essentially use it like a concealer. I usually just dab a little under eyes to cover my dark circles, eyelids, and on my chin and around the corners of my nose, to cover any redness. I use powder finishing brush to apply my foundation. I personally hate foundation brushes. They are just too streaky. I line the tops of my eyelids with a minor cat-eye look. Then I layer on lots of mascara. I am an eyelash addict. I seriously love my eyelashes so much. I brush on a little bronzer, and maybe some chapstick.
Do you have any beauty “splurges”?
I have a few. GREAT foundation is always worth the splurge, in my opinion. There are lots of different kinds, but my absolute favorite is Teinte Idole Ultra 24 Hour Make Up by Lancôme. I am a 140 Ivory N. (The N means neutral. I don't really have pink or yellow undertones.) Since foundation is the base, and what most people put the most of on their skin, it's important to have good product. My other favorite splurge is great mascara. I love Lancôme Hypnose Drama.
My favorite knock offs are NYC High Definition Liquid Eyeliner. It's 4 bucks. And it lasts all day long. Longer than most of the high end liquid eyeliners that I've used. My other favorite knock off, and secret that I've kept for a long time is my favorite bronzer and blush. I LOVE the E.L.F Studio Contouring Blush and Bronzer. The color is pretty on everybody. And the bronzer gives a nice warm glow. It doesn't look overly shimmery or muddy. And the best part? 3 dollars. (E.L.F's brushes are great if you need a few. I like their pro series.)
Do you wear anything special on dates?
Dave and I don't have babies right now. So pretty much every night is date night. Hahaha. On nights where I have time, I like to do a smoky eye, or curl my hair. On busy days, I like to freshen up my mascara and blush.
What do you do to style and care for your hair?
My hair is naturally curly. For those of you who are blessed with wavy or straight hair, let me explain what this means. My hair is coarse. It does what it wants, how it wants, when it wants. And it is dry like a desert. But, I have spent the last few years making my hair work with me, instead of against me, and now I have a good hair routine.
I switch up my shampoo a lot. I use anything from Pantene to Redkin, but use color safe shampoo when I color my hair. My conditioner has been a toughie. Right now, my hair really likes the TIGI CatWalk Oatmeal and Honey Conditioner. I only apply it midshaft to my ends. It smells so yummy. Like fresh cookies. Our shower always smells like that for days.
I use Roman Oil after I get out of the shower. I work it into my ends. I personally use about 5 pumps. It makes my hair shiny, and I love the way it smells.
Learning how to properly blow dry my hair was a big step in my hair's health. I learned to blow dry DOWN the shaft of my hair that way I don't fry the cuticles.
I will openly admit, that I over style my hair. But I love my flat iron so much! I love curls, straight, bouncy, flirty hair. But I also like top knots on lazy days.

What do you like about your look, whether or not it's something "classically” beautiful?
I've always wished that I looked more exotic. Though I have a Lebanese heritage, most people have no idea. But, I do have dark hair, light skin, and dark blue eyes. I've always loved the way these 3 features play together. I love love love my freckles. I actually wish I had more of them. I love the way they dance across the bridge of my nose, and along my cheekbones.
What products do you pack when you travel?
What don't I pack? Hahaha. I usually pack my foundation, eyeliner and mascara, blush, and sometimes eyeshadow. I always pack my own blow dryer. Sometimes those hotel dryers get so hot. I have much more control with my own. And of course, my flat iron.
Do you have a game-changing beauty product?
I finally found the right shade of red for my skin tone. I always felt like such a clown wearing red lipstick. But this beautiful dark color brings out the natural pink in my cheeks, makes my teeth look whiter, and highlights my eyes. It's Maybelline Color Sensation in Deepest Cherry. I am in love.
Do you have a stance on bath vs. shower?
I love an occasional soak. I will sometimes put some Epsom Salt and lavender oil in if I've had a tough day. But I love HOT baths and showers. And I get more hot water taking a shower. Also-you can't really shave your legs in the bathtub, because that's kinda gross.
Do you have a signature scent?
I LOVE perfume. My mom always wore so many wonderful scents my entire life, so I have been seeking my "signature scent". I've always loved Light Blue by Dolce and Gabbana, but I haven't worn that perfume in quite some time. Body by Burberry is my favorite smell in the entire world. My mom got some for her birthday, and I steal a squirt whenever I go over to her house. (Dave will be getting me some for Christmas.)
Do you have any funny little tips you swear by?
It's totally gross, but because I fill my eyebrows using a matte eyeshadow, I will lick the brush I am using to apply the shadow. I don't know why, but spit works better than water in making it stay the entire day.
Was there a special person in your life (say, a friend or grandmother) who taught you about beauty?
My Grandma Carol and my mom. Grandma is such a beauty. She loves to try new shades of lipstick, and always wears just the right amount of blush. My mom though, is who mostly taught me what I know and view as beauty. I remember when I was little, watching my mom apply her make up, while I sat on the edge of the bathtub, simply mesmerized. She always made sure my sisters and I knew how beautiful we were.
When are times in your life that you've felt beautiful?
I feel beautiful at bizarre times. I feel really beautiful right before bed. When I'm in my jammies, and laying on the couch with Dave. (It probably has something to do with the sweet way that he looks at me). My Grandma Lynne always makes me feel like a stunner. "I could just look at you all day" she said to me recently. But I feel most beautiful when I paint. I am so in my element when I am creating art. I feel so whole.
Does Dave have a favorite look of yours? And does he ever weigh in on any other products or styles?
He likes it when I wear little to no make up. And when my hair is naturally curly. He doesn't mind when I try new things with my make up, unless I wear dark lipstick. Then it's no kisses for me!
What nail polish do you wear?
BASE COAT AND TOP COAT ARE EVERYTHING. I use the ORLY bonder, and Seche Vite. A good base and top coat pretty much allows you to use whatever nail polish you want, and have it stay. I really like the Sinful Colors line that they carry at drugstores. They are a two coat nail polish, but they have so many pretty colors, for a fraction of the price of OPI or China Glaze. The Nina Ultra Pro brand at Sally's is great too. I love the shape of the brush in their polishes.

Do you have any regrettable beauty trends you tried?
Emo Bangs. 3 inch eyeliner. So so bad. (Mother, why did you let me do this?!)

And it's no help that my sister is a total babe

Do you have any beauty pet peeves? Or is there any product or treatment you'll never use?
STOP CONTOURING YOUR FREAKING FACES. Everyone can tell. The only time I contour my face is for professional photo shoots. When make up artists are doing it for me. It looks unnatural, and everyone can tell. (And you're not one of the Kardashians...just sayin.)

Some amazing women have told us how they talk to their daughters about beauty. But I'm curious to know—what would you like your children to know?
I've always had a hard time being my own kind of beautiful, because beauty in the media seems so mainstream. But I want them to know that it's okay to be their own kind of beautiful. And that honestly, kindness and goodness gets people much further in life than pretty hair and make up ever will.
Last but certainly not least: Do you have an overall beauty philosophy?
Everyone has their own idea of what is beautiful, and what is not. Don't get caught up in it all. Find your own brand of beautiful. Don't let anyone tell you that you aren't beautiful, because you don't fit their personal standard of beauty. Also, always take really good care of your skin.


Laura at Simpleton Pleasures-I would love to hear all about your beauty uniform!!


All my love,

Alex Shuey

XOXO

3 Years.

Yesterday marked 3 years with Dave. It's weird and exciting at the same time. I feel like we've been together forever, but that time has passed so quickly. We didn't do much to celebrate. In fact, I was working. He called me on my break, and we wished each other a happy unofficial anniversary. And then we shared some Sweeto Burritos for dinner later that night while he was at work.

It was a simple, perfect way to celebrate 3 happy years.


I love you Dave!!!


Alex

XOXO

This was our first picture together. Halloween 2011

Sleepin with the Fishes.

That's where my blog would be, if it were a gold fish. It would be dead.

I promise I'll work on updating this thing tonight while Dave is at work. It will require a bit of backblogging, so please be patient with all the weird dates.



XOXO

Alex

BE WARNED

July and most of August have been INSANE. So please forgive me as I back-blog....

Savers Haul

I don't typically shop at Savers. I have to be in the right mood, and for sure have to be going on the right day. Some days I can find a lot of great stuff, some days I feel too grossed out, or just can't find a damn thing!!

This weekend I went up to the Savers in Salt Lake, and holy cow!!! I came across some amazing finds!! (Including a European designer shirt!!!) Most of the clothes I found were either brand new, or lightly used. And they looked to be mostly from boutiques.

Butterfly Shirt

Cosmos Shirt 

Flowy shirt/Kimono

Long Sleeve Pattern Shirt

Polka Dot Sweater

Red and white blouse (European Designer!!!)

Purple Sweater

Polka Dot Skirt

Yellow embroidered top

The best part of this haul....it was only 33$ for all of these clothes!!! This averages about 3$ per piece!!! I love shopping!! Especially for great deals.