Femme Fatales!

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

October Photoblog Challenge

I've been reading a lot of blogs lately and every single blog I follow are ones that inspire me.  For whatever reason, their style, their sense of humor or because I'm a creeper and just like looking at their pictures.  Whatever!  Don't judge!  That's how I roll.  :)  :)
I fully believe you are the company you keep, or in my case, the people you encompass.
I choose to encompass these lovely peeps because they inspire me to be a better version of myself and it doesn't hurt that they're sweet to look at  ~.^

Recently I came upon a blog, EATSHOP and one post in particular caught my eye.
October Photoblog Challenge.  Now THAT sounds like fun!  Why oh why didn't I think of that?
Seriously, check it out.
For one month you're required(if you want) to post photos, write a posting or just a few words for one month straight or longer if you want of what's happening in your life.  This Challenge happens to be for the month of October and it sounds ubber fun!  I can't wait to get started.

Visit EATSHOP for full details and join in on the fun!

Thank you Kehau for this great idea :)

So far two people I know, ok so I don't really know them, I just follow their blogs, started the Challenge.

Check out XppinkX 
and Pumpkin Spice & Everything Nice.

Be on the lookout for my first posting in regards to this Challenge, tomorrow!


XoXo,
Zxen

Spotted: Style Style Style

I found a few pictures in magazines and online that have caught my eye, pure fashionista fantabular!


Just because I'm a "Bigger Boned" woman and would be lucky if my arm were to fit in some of these fashions, ok most of them, doesn't mean I can't appreciate them.  I'm like almost every other girl out there.  I go Gaga over a cute designer bag, or shoes, or that funky scarf on the mannequin in the display window.
Let me just say tho, that if haute fashion were to come in my lovely size 18 frame, I would make that shit look good!




Strut your stuff in style with a Celine luggage bag and Mulberry moccasin booties



Trot around the globe in high style with fierce Christian Louboutin leopard booties (make em half as high and half as expensive and SOLD! :)  )



Add contrast to the military inspired look with whimsical pink and gray accessories
I'm loving this look!!!
SJP rocks it with a Burberry Prorsum jacket and skirt, Alexander McQueen bag(LOVE!)
and Nicholas Kirkwood shoes



Make the most of a Cecelia clutch by pairing it with a sparkling dress, a chic blazer or an everyday dress



Blake Lively shows off her bright blue "Leah" hobo



Ashley Greene is keeping cool with a super soft Division-E tee



A fashion forward step in Surface to Airs cube strapped sandals for Jessica Alba 




These are my fashion finds.  Though they may not fit and I may not be able to afford some, or most, they're fun to look at!

What are some fashion styles you're going Gaga over?





XoXo,
Zxen

Monday, September 27, 2010

Christmas Came Early

...Oh Yes It Did!


I know a lot of you are probably thinking..."What?"  "Christmas Already?"  "Are You Nuts?"
To answer your question, yes! Yes I am  :)

The hubby and I don't do things in the traditional sense, for our son we do because we think it's important for him to have traditions, but for us, since we deny ourselves things we want year round so Dorin can have, when we see something we've really wanted for a while and we have the spare cash to "spare", that thing we've yearned for year round becomes ours!

I've been dreaming of a new lens ever since I got my Nikon D90.  Don't get me wrong, I totally adore the 18-105mm lens it came with, but I'm not the type of girl who likes to get stuck in a rut using the same lens over and over again.  I like to switch it up once in a while, and today that dream became a reality.  Today we purchased a 55-200mm lens.
I couldn't be happier and I can hardly wait until the grey clouds part and the rainy weather clears up so I can go out and play with my new toy.





Now you're probably wondering what's the damn difference between an 18-105mm and a 55-200mm?
Put bluntly, with a 55-200mm lens you can zoom in more.  You can take sharp up close images and I find the focus is way better!

My intentions for the 55-200mm lens are to use them for portraits and use the other lens for landscape, but I might just settle on the new one for a while because that's how I roll.  Plus honestly, when I'm not out doing a shoot for my family or friends, who wants to keep switching lenses?





The next toy we got was for Jason.  Can you guess what it is?.....................




...............that's right!


an ipad!  He's been begging for one for a while and I figure he's been good this year so he deserves it.




All these goodies makes my head spin!
We both couldn't be happier!
Now don't go thinking Dorin goes without because his time comes when Santa leaves him goodies under the tree.



Just talking about Christmas gets me excited.  At our house it's not so much about the gifts, but of us being together, the traditions we make as a family, the decorating, the baking, the fun.
Ever since The Santa Claus came out, and then the second and lastly the third movie, we have a tradition that we watch those movies one a day for the three days before Christmas.  I love The Santa Claus!!

I can't wait to bring out the decorations and trim the tree.  This will be Cookies first Christmas with us and I'm excited to see what she'll do.  Last year she stayed at a home when she was just a pup because Jason flew back home so we could spend one last Christmas with our families before we moved out here.
This will be our first Christmas without our families and I'm saddened at the thought, but I know that I will see them next year so I try not to dread on it too much.


But enough about Christmas, we haven't even made it through Thanksgiving, let alone Halloween yet.

What are some traditions you have?



XoXo,
Zxen

Meals In Minutes

Beef Stir Fry
As a mother with a career and a child who partakes in extra curricular activities after school, it's hard to always be punctual with dinner.  I don't don't like the prep time to take longer than a half hour and Dorin doesn't like to wait to eat.
Rather than feeding him from a box, I like to maintain some sort of a nutritional value with my meals and this one I found quick and easy to make.
Keep in mind this is simply a guideline and you can add or remove any ingredients to your hearts desire.
We're gonna start off with some diced onions, garlic is great to mix with the onions


Pour some EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) into a wok and once it's heated fry the onions


Once we've got our onions started, in a separate skillet we're gonna cook our beef
I always use stewing beef from the grocers, it's portioned and pre-cut


Next we're gonna dice up some peppers....mmmm...yummy...smells great already!


Once the peppers are diced, throw them into the wok to steam and fry


Did you know that according to Manswers asparagus is an aphrodisiac for women?
We're gonna dice em' up...


...and throw em' in!


Broccoli is a unique package of versatile disease fighters and is abundant in numerous well known phytochemicals and antioxidants...in other words...it's good for you


We're gonna throw it in there too


Let me apologize right now for all the scrolling you've had to do to get to the end result of this recipe...you've come this far...no use turning back now :)


Say hello to four of my favorite spices.  I'd like you to meet Parsley, Garlic Plus, Steak Spice, and Sesame Seed


Combined they make a mouth watering aroma


Using Teriyaki sauce...


...we're gonna pour a generous amount into the wok


While our veggies have been cooking so should have the beef


We're gonna mix the beef with all the yummy veggies!


Now, because I'm lazy (just kidding :) I just find that Uncle Ben's Rice has much more flavor than any rice I've ever made) we're gonna steam it up following the directions on the package


Serve, and eat!


Bon Apetite!

XoXo,
Zxen 

Sunday, September 26, 2010

Ante UP!

...that is, Aunty Up!

I just wanted to mention really briefly and I should have posted this last week but work has kept me away from a lot of the things I love recently, this overdue post included, I'm an Aunt!!


Words cannot describe how happy I am to say Congratulations to my brother Calin and my darling sister-in-law Cyrill on the safe arrival of their beautiful baby boy Joren! 
<3 Joren Alexander Milea <3

Times like these remind me of the day Dorin was born.  It feels like only yesterday when I was holding my new baby boy in my arms and the doctors and nurses were shipping us on our way out the door to start a whole new life together.  Was anyone else as scared as I was?  I can remember when Jason and I got home and we put our bags down and the baby to sleep, looked at one another and asked "Now what?"
It also makes me a little sad, to realize how quickly that time has gone by and though I have thousands upon thousands of pictures of my now seven year old "Bubba" it still doesn't feel like I have enough.


My heartstrings also pull knowing that I can't be there everyday to witness my brothers little miracle growing up as he did with Dorin.
This distance barrier really sucks!!  And flying out to visit every month can get a little costly.
So I've decided that when we do go visit, we're going to be the best damn Uncle and Aunt a kid could ever have. The, "Let Aunty pinch your cheeks" "Oh no, not another knit sweater!" "Do I have to go visit Aunty over the summer?" "You're the coolest Aunt" Aunt!
I plan on making each visit count and I can't wait until I get my hands on their adorable baby!


<3 Dorin Adam Thompson <3



A baby boy was created
by the hand of God above
to give the world the sweetest touch
of tenderness and love.
With the softness of a whisper,
God made a baby's skin
and then designed two trusting eyes
to put the starlight in.
With giggles from a waterfall
and breezes passing by,
God made a baby's laughter
and a tiny, sleepy sigh.
God made the world a precious gift
more dear and pure than gold,
with little toes to play with
and tiny hands to hold
then brought into the sunshine
a precious baby boy
All wrapped up in a rainbow
of wonder, hope, and joy.
Author-Unknown


Hugs and Kisses til next time,
Zxen

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Rainforest Balance

For those of you who follow me on twitter I posted a remark letting you know as to whether or not I would recommend shampoo from The Body Shop's Rainforest line.
Let me just tell you ALL, twitter or not that yes in fact I do recommend it.

Generally I tend to wash my hair every other day, or every day depending on my needs, situation or mood. If I'm out and about for a stroll through the mall, I might skip a day, but if I'm working up a sweat during a workout, well...you do the math.

I find that most of the shampoos and conditioners available on todays market are pumped full of so many chemicals it literally weighs my hair down and leaves it a greasy oily mess, hence the necessity to wash my hair every other day/every day. By the 24th hour, gone is the bounce and softness and is instead replaced by something that looks like it'd been lost in the bush for weeks, oiliness sets in and then the itches start. Sound scary yet? It was for me.

Then I tried The Body Shop's Rainforest Balance Shampoo/Conditioner designed to restore balance to oily hair and was pleasantly surprised.
Though I'm a full believer that in order to achieve cleanliness you need a good lather, Rainforest Balance Shampoo doesn't lather as well as I would have liked, but it leaves you with an impressive squeaky clean feeling, not to mention your hair smells like an invigorating rainforest, fresh and natural. They're(shampoo and conditioner) both silicone, sulphates, parabens and colorant free. They're respectful to the aquatic environment and meet a very strict biodegradable standard, minimizing the use of non sustainable packaging resources.

With their Community Trade Aloe vera, Seaweed and Nettle extract, the program helps to sustain trading relationships with disadvantaged communities around the world providing incomes to over more than 25,000 people across the globe.

It's got my vote!

*FYI*
Keep in mind that what may work for me may not work for you and therefor provide different results.

Any views, opinions, or recommendations are based simply on the fact that I have tried said products with my needs/desires in mind. Your needs, likes or dislikes may be different. 




Look how healthy my hair looks.


The color is so rich!



And it looks great outdoors too.




Of course my day wasn't complete without taking a few fun photos of random things.

This was my shadow in the sunset.


I took a close-up while I was playing around with the settings on my camera.


I wore these cute flats because I was trekking through the bush and didn't want to break an ankle in heels.


Camera used: A Nikon D90



Peace and love until next time.

XoXo,
Zxen

Monday, September 20, 2010

Save The Ta Ta's!

There comes a point in a womans life when she's had a scare, nomatter how great or minute you might rationalize it, a bump is a bump.

I cannot stress how important it is to do a self breast check. Early detection helps save lives, not all the time, but that's better than never.
I lost Aunt's and my Mother in law to cancer and I don't want this disease to steal any of you!
Even if you feel silly "feeling yourself up" get the boyfriend or the husband to help you do it or do it for you. I for one ask my husband. And if you're not sure about how to do it, or what you're feeling, ask your doctor for advice.

There's no greater time than now to start a routine monthly check.

Here are five quick tips to help you out.
Operation save the Ta Ta's is in session.


*Steps and Photos taken from BREASTCANCER.ORG*
Step 1: Begin by looking at your breasts in the mirror with your shoulders straight and your arms on your hips.

Here's what you should look for:

  • Breasts that are their usual size, shape, and color
  • Breasts that are evenly shaped without visible distortion or swelling

If you see any of the following changes, bring them to your doctor's attention:

  • Dimpling, puckering, or bulging of the skin
  • A nipple that has changed position or an inverted nipple (pushed inward instead of sticking out)
  • Redness, soreness, rash, or swelling

Step 2: Now, raise your arms and look for the same changes.


Step 3: While you're at the mirror, look for any signs of fluid coming out of one or both nipples (this could be a watery, milky, or yellow fluid or blood).

Step 4: Next, feel your breasts while lying down, using your right hand to feel your left breast and then your left hand to feel your right breast. Use a firm, smooth touch with the first few finger pads of your hand, keeping the fingers flat and together. Use a circular motion, about the size of a quarter.

Cover the entire breast from top to bottom, side to side — from your collarbone to the top of your abdomen, and from your armpit to your cleavage.

Follow a pattern to be sure that you cover the whole breast. You can begin at the nipple, moving in larger and larger circles until you reach the outer edge of the breast. You can also move your fingers up and down vertically, in rows, as if you were mowing a lawn. This up-and-down approach seems to work best for most women. Be sure to feel all the tissue from the front to the back of your breasts: for the skin and tissue just beneath, use light pressure; use medium pressure for tissue in the middle of your breasts; use firm pressure for the deep tissue in the back. When you've reached the deep tissue, you should be able to feel down to your ribcage.



Step 5: Finally, feel your breasts while you are standing or sitting. Many women find that the easiest way to feel their breasts is when their skin is wet and slippery, so they like to do this step in the shower. Cover your entire breast, using the same hand movements described in Step



Set your silliness and awkwardness aside, swallow your pride and just do it! Your Ta Ta's will thank you!

XoXo,
Zxen

Where Does The Time Go?

With the beginning of September comes and goes the beginning of a new school year.
It's hard to believe that summer is over. Where did the time go?








My little man is starting grade 3 and some of you may just be putting your little ones into Kindergarten. It seems like just yesterday when Dorin was going to Kindergarten and again I ask where did the time go?

Every school year is a mother's new dread. Between school supplies, a new wardrobe, new friends, PTA meetings and the enrollment in extra curricular activities there comes an unstable stress level. For me, the majority of my stress is not in relation to buying him new clothes because of his sudden 2" growth spurt, or because of an endless list of school supplies but because the realization that my baby is growing up right before my eyes, hits me like a ton of bricks.

I can still remember when he was in my belly demanding his cheese obsession be satiated and bruising my ribs from his endless kicks.
How is it that we get so comfortable in our role of parenthood that we don't notice the time fly by until it hits us right between the eyes when we least expect it, like it does me on his first days of school? Perhaps my sadness comes not from the fact that he is indeed getting older and maturing before my eyes, but in the fact that I too continue to mature and get older.

You're only as old as you feel!
Stay healthy my Sweets!

XoXo,
Zxen

Sunday, September 19, 2010

Zesty Cheesy Baked Potatoes




Wondering what to make as a perfect side dish to complement your chicken, pork or beef? Try these zesty cheesy baked potatoes that will leave your guests sure to ask for seconds.

1. Wash and dice your potatoes into bite sized pieces.
2. In a roasting pan pour in about a 1/2 cup of EVOO (extra virgin olive oil).
3. Toss your potatoes in the pan coating them with the oil and sprinkle with garlic plus, steak spice and parmesan cheese.
4. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees until potatoes are tender.
5. Remove foil and sprinkle more parmesan cheese and continue to bake for an additional 15 minutes.

Quick! Easy! Delicious!
Enjoy!

XoXo,
Zxen

Fall Fashion With Forever 21/Torrid/H&M

From left to right:Forever 21, H&M, Forever 21
H&M, H&M, H&M
H&M, Torrid, Torrid


From left to right:Forever 21, Forever 21, Forever 21
Forever 21, Forever 21, H&M
H&M, H&M, H&M


Complete outfit from H&M


For those of you that love Fall, then you're just like me! Most people are in love with summer, swimsuits and a fresh wardrobe, make-up and fun summer shoes. But who says Fall can't be all that too? Nothing beats wrapping yourself up in a warm sweater on a breezy day. Make-up? No problem! Don't need to worry about sweating it off either. Autumn is the perfect season to play with and blend all those warm earthy colors.

What's got your eye this Fall season?

XoXo,
Zxen