Music on Main!

Tonight is the first Music on Main of the season and it's featuring the local band The Clintons.  The funny thing about The Clintons is that I was a fan of theirs long before moving to Bozeman.  My best friend from high school went to college at St. Olaf in Minnesota and just happened to have a roommate that was from Bozeman.  Her roommate introduced her to The Clintons and she passed it along to me.  I really liked their music, so I had been jamming to CDs of The Clintons long before I ever moved to Montana and long before I ever thought I would see them in person!  It's a small world, I tell you!

I've seen them live a few times now, and I always have fun. I really like their music and they know how to put on a good show.  They are typically the first band to perform at Music on Main every year, and although it can be a crowded mess, it's always fun to go check it out for awhile.  Unfortunately, today we are having crummy weather and it's supposed to rain so the chances of it getting cancelled are pretty good, but I guess we'll just have to wait and see!

It's not going to be a very nice day today, and really for the next few days, but I'm ready for summer and warm temperatures to finally arrive.  In anticipation of the fact that at some point this summer, we will have some warm days, I've decided that we really need a pool around here!  I think Drew would have fun splashing around, and really, who doesn't love a kiddie pool?!  I've wanted one for myself for a LONG time, and now I finally have a child to justify it! ;)  We may just have to make a trip to Target on this rainy Thursday to see what we can find!

I hope you are having better weather than we are here.  Hopefully it clears up enough for Music on Main tonight.  Happy Thursday!

Summer Days!

Happy Wednesday!!

Strainers and Sheets!

I always find it funny what Drew gets obsessed with in a day.  He's never been a "toy" kid and has always preferred to play with anything that wasn't meant for him.  I think most kids are that way.  It's way more fun to punch the buttons of the remote control or chew on mom and dad's iPhone.  Lately he's been really into opening all of the cupboards in the kitchen.  He just loves it, and he loves pulling items out and making them his own!

Yesterday he got his hands on a strainer.  He wouldn't put that dang thing down!  He chewed on it and carried it around.  He loved it!  He also always loves anything soft.  It's about the cutest thing you'll ever see.  Whenever there is something soft around, he will make a high pitched hum and put his head on it.  He loves snuggling with his blankie and his stuffed animals, really anything remotely soft will get some loving.  Yesterday, he was loving my pile of sheets.  I changed the sheets on our bed, and had a pile of the old sheets on our bedroom floor.  He made himself right at home on that pile of sheets! It was pretty cute!

Oh boy, do I love this little boy!  Here are some pictures from our fun yesterday:

Snuggling after his morning bottle.  My non-snuggler is becoming a bit of a lover and I LOVE it!

Goldie (his stuffed dog) getting some love!

The strainer!

Loving his pile of sheets!

 

Oh what fun!  I wonder what we will find to love today?!

Hello Again!

Wow, it seems like I haven't been here in forever!  Drew and I went back to Rapid for a visit last week, so I took the week off from blogging.  We had a great time and it sounded like we missed a good week back home since it rained the majority of the time we were away.

We've been busy since I wrote last.  Two Friday nights ago, we went to the first Bozeman Art Walk.  Boy did we have a good time!  It really is one of my very favorite summer events, and I enjoyed every minute of it.  Saturday morning, we woke up early and drove to Helena so that Doug could run in the Governor's Cup race.  After the race, we made our way to his family's cabin on the lake and spent the night there Saturday.  Unfortunately it rained all day, so we were pretty much stuck inside, but we found things to do.  Sunday was Father's Day, so we drove back to Bozeman and did a little hike Sunday afternoon.  We met some friends for dinner Sunday night at Bridger Brewing, Doug's choice of course since it was Father's Day!

Monday morning, Drew and I made the drive to Rapid and spent the week hanging out with my family.  We had lots of fun and really great weather!  On Friday, we drove back to Bozeman so we could meet some friends Saturday for an afternoon bike ride.  We did a tour of the town again, this time with our friends, and I think they had as much fun on our ride as we did!

Sunday, it rained all day again, so we got some chores done and I did some cooking.  It was a pretty lazy Sunday, but that's okay.  Sometimes you just need a day to relax and recharge!

Here are some pictures from our week!!

Ready for the art walk!

Family shot!

Drew loved these two girls.

 

He really liked dancing to their music!

He found a cute girl to dance with!

How adorable is that?!

   

Drew enjoying some water while we waited for dad at his race.

Drew getting brave enough to pet Boomer!

Grandpa and Drew!

The crazy boys went water skiing.  It was 50 degrees out!

Father's Day hike!

A bone we found on the trail.  Maybe an elk?

It was a gorgeous afternoon!

 

 

Family!

My hiking buddies!  Love them!

Walk around the hood on Father's Day evening!

Drew found an enormous Pooh at my parents house.  It was love at first sight!

Relaxing!

 

The first flower Drew ever gave me!

Practicing his skills!

Sweet sleepy guy!

Helping grandpa in the garden! Drew had a highly useful hair brush!

Before our ride on Saturday!

Sleeping in the Burley!

We had a fun week, but now we're back into our normal routine. It's going to be a great week!

Summer Nights!

Oh summer, how I love you!  One of my favorite things about summer is all of the outdoor activities that take place.  From farmer's market to Music on Main to art walks.  I just love them all!  Tuesday night, we went to our first farmer's market of the season. I love walking around checking out all of the vendors, not to mention all the fun food you can try.  It was a beautiful evening, and we had lots of fun walking around checking it all out.  We left with some cookies for the hubby and a new pair of earrings for me, so I'd say it was a success!

Friday night is the first art walk of the summer and I'm so excited.  I love strolling downtown, checking out art, and enjoying free wine and appetizers.  It's such a fun event, and I'm so happy they are starting soon.  It's always fun to get outside and all of the summer activities and events cater to doing just that.  I sure do love summer!

I didn't take any pictures at the farmer's market the other night, so I'll leave you with these.  I always have a cute picture of Drew on hand! ;)

Happy Thursday! Hope you're enjoying summer as much as I am!

Loving Lately - Makeup/Beauty Products

For the final installment of "Loving Lately," I'm going to focus on makeup/beauty products.  Let's be honest, I'm a little new to the whole makeup craze.  In fact, I didn't even wear makeup until I was a senior in high school.  I was very much a tomboy and didn't have time for such frilly things!  Nowadays, I've certainly become more interested in it, and I feel like I'm finally learning not only how to apply makeup, but also how to find the products that really work for me.

Here's a roundup of the makeup/beauty products that I've been using on repeat!

• Urban Decay Naked Eye Shadow Palettes - For Christmas, I got my very first Naked palette and I couldn't have been more excited!  I had heard a lot about them, but because they are a little pricey, I had never purchased one myself.  I got the Naked 3 palette, and boy am I in love!  I have to say, the higher price is definitely worth it, as I can totally tell a difference in quality between my Naked shadows and my drug store palettes.  The consistency is so much better and it truly does last all day long.  I now have the Naked 2 and 3 palettes and I have to say I love them both. I probably get a little more use out of 3 because it is the more rose-tinted neutrals which seems to go with my skin tone a little better.  Overall I love them both and will probably eventually get the original Naked palette.  In my opinion, you can throw out your other shadows because all you need are these palettes! (Note: these are the only higher end shadows I have ever used, so I cannot attest to the Urban Decay prominence over other higher end brands!)
  
• Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush - I had seen other bloggers rave about the Amazonian clay blush, and I just had to try it.  I have the shade "blissful" and I really really like it.  It's the perfect color for my skin tone and it really does last a long time.  Maybe not 12-hours, but that's probably because I give Drew so many kisses throughout the day!
  
  
  
  
• Mary-Lou Manizer Highlighter - For Christmas, my mom got me a subscription to Birchbox, and I absolutely love it.  It's so fun to get a box every month, and I've actually found quite a few products through my Birchboxes that I now use on a daily basis.  The Mary-Lou Manizer highlighter is one of those products.  I first received it in my Birchbox and after using up the sample, I had to have it.  It's a great champagne colored highlighter that I use on my cheekbones and brow bones and it really just brightens up my face.  They have since come out with a Cindy-Lou Manizer highlighter that is more of a rose-gold color that I will probably invest in as well!
  
• Benefit They're Real Mascara - I am picky about mascara.  I had the perfect mascara in CoverGirl's  VolumeExact waterproof mascara, but unfortunately, it was discontinued quite awhile ago. I think I have tried every drugstore brand and kind since then, and I just haven't been able to find a mascara that I like even close to as much as the VolumeExact formula.  I'd heard a lot about Benefit's They're Real, and so I decided to give it a try. I bought the tester size, anticipating not liking it just like all the rest.  I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was the closest that I have found to my beloved VolumeExact.  The wand is similar and it seems to give my lashes both volume and length.  I still don't think I like it as much as I liked my VolumeExact, but I guess it's the closest that I've come so far.
  
• e.l.f. Mineral Face Primer - I had never used a primer before a couple months ago.  I kept reading that it was a must if you want your makeup to last, but to be honest, they were all so expensive and I just wasn't going to pay that much for something that you couldn't even see and would just go on UNDER my makeup.  Then I found the e.l.f. Mineral Face Primer.  It's only $3, so I figured I'd give it a try.  It's great!  It goes on smooth and fills in the lines on my face to create a perfect blank canvas for my makeup.  If you want to try a primer, but aren't thrilled about the price, check out e.l.f.  In fact, they have quite a few products that are pretty good and they range in price from $1-$6.  My kind of prices!
  
• Beauty Protector Protect & Detangle Leave-in Conditioner - I have to be honest, I was skeptical when I received this product in my Birchbox.  My hair is so fine and thin that I was sure a leave-in conditioner would be too heavy for my limp hair and would just make it greasy and gross.  I didn't even really use my sample until my sister received the same sample in her box and absolutely loved it.  She bought the big version, so I figured I had to give it a shot.  And I love it!  It smells delicious and leaves my hair soft and silky smooth without weighing it down or making it greasy.  I spray it on my damp hair and then comb through, which it also helps detangle my snarly hair.  It's pretty much a miracle product. I can definitely tell a difference on the days that I'm too lazy to use it.  It's been great for my hair!
  
• Aquage Uplifting Foam - Now, if you know me, you know I love Kate from The Small Things Blog.  She's really the reason that I ever started reading blogs, and honestly, a pretty big reason why I started this blog.  I just love her!  Anyway, she loves Aquage Uplifting Foam, and the girl has spectacular hair, so I think she knows what she's talking about.  My hair is so fine and limp that I figured a little uplifting couldn't hurt.  I've been using this for a couple months now and it definitely adds volume.  Again, I can absolutely tell a difference on the days I'm too lazy to use it. It has become a daily product for me and I love that little lift that it gives me!
  
• Clarisonic Mia - I got a Clarisonic for Christmas and I have to say I really love it.  It makes me feel like I'm at a spa every time I wash my face!  It gets my face really clean and I think it also adds some luminosity.  It's nice to feel like your face is really getting a deep down clean, and the Mia does that for me!
  
  
  
  

Well, there you have it.  The makeup and beauty products that I've been loving lately.  I hope you enjoyed the "Loving Lately" series.  If there's anything else you're curious about, let me know.  If I come up with other things I've been loving lately, I'll be sure to pass them along!  Happy Hump Day!