Friday's Five

My five favorites this week...

 

 

 

#1 - How amazing was this hop hop dance by Witney on SYTYCD?! And Twitch? Incredible.

 

 

#2 - My duo-colored mani is so bright & cheery :)

 

 

 

#3 - This week was the series finale of Teen Mom. I am really going to miss Bentley and his sweet, little country twang. :)

 

 

#4 - We were pretty blessed to not have much damage (if at all) from Tropical Storm Isaac (before it became Hurricane Isaac)....this was the calm before the 'storm'

 

 

 

#5 - Another SYTYCD moment...Cyrus. Animation. How does his body do this?!?!

 

Handy Dandy: Buttons + Earrings

Lots of loose earrings in your collection?

 

Reuse those extra buttons you have lying around to keep your earrings together in pairs - just slip each individual earring into the hole and voila! Each earring is now connected with it's mate until the next use!

 

 

 

*Photo via Elle.com

Rain, Rain Go Away

 

  

 

All the rain from Tropical Storm Isaac had me thinking of chic outerwear.

Maison Scotch cotton jacket, $130 / Marni wrap coat, $455 / Burberry trench coat / Lipsy coat, $125 / rag & bone rain coat / Hunter shine shoes / Dolce&Gabbana leopard boots, $220 / Rubber-boots / Tory Burch wellies boots / Burberry tall boots / Clear umbrella / Dorothy Perkins black umbrella / Zara umbrella / Fulton umbrella / Garance Dore Umbrella

 

Family Fun in O-Town

We have been trapped inside our house this weekend due to Tropical Storm Isaac. Yesterday, the hubs and I were completely stir crazy - we literally watched like four Lifetime movies in a row. Today is no different, but I am hoping we find other things to do while the rain keeps us locked indoors.

 

 

 

 

 

The weekend before last, my family and I headed up to Orlando to visit with my brother and his wife. Our plans were to partake in a lot of Disney activities (water parks and such), but rain haunted us that weekend too! Seriously, you would think that living in the 'Sunshine State' would bring more sun than rain!

Here are some snapshots of our weekend away.

 Ryan goofing off in Downtown Disney ;)

 

 

 

 

 As part of our DVC membership, we booked our stay at the Saratoga Springs resort - their lobby looked like a little carousel. I love the little touch of Disney they leave in the room. How can you not be happy here?!

 

 

  

 This was our gloomy view for the majority of the trip - we were at the pool for only 45 minutes before having to make a mad dash inside.

 

 

 

We did head out for a fun dinner at 'Latin Quarter' at Universal's City Walk. That's me with my sister in law, Rene (and my brother next to her).

 

 

 

Dinner & dessert = churrasco skirt steak and vanilla creme brulee topped with caramelized bananas. It was one of the best desserts EVER.

 

 

My parents and us outside House of Blues.

 

 

You can see more photos from my trip on Instagram!

 

 

For all my fellow Floridians and those within the path of Isaac, stay safe! xo

Friday's Five

My five favorites this week...

 

 

 

#1 - Hair bow tutorial by ...love Maegan

 

 

 

#2 - This Greek yogurt is my latest addiction. Vanilla & chocolate = YUM.

And it doesn't matter to me that it's made for kids!

*Hint - the Very Berry flavor is yummy too!

 

 

 

#3 - How adorable is this family portrait?!

 

 

 

#4 - 98 Degrees back together again! Swoon.

Check out their performance on The Today Show here.

 

 

 

#5 - The NYC lip gloss that I received in my Influenster Vox-Box has been 'gloss of the week' - I cannot resist it's sparkly nude color...and it kind of tastes like a vanilla cupcake! 

 

 

 

Skinnygirl Daily

Today marks day 4 of the Skinnygirl Daily Cleanse & Restore system. This cleanse is designed to...well...cleanse and restore! A few of my coworkers and I started this cleanse on Monday and so far, so good. The flavor is marked as green lemonade but I wouldn't say that is really accurate. It kinda tastes like a bunch of veggies liquefied. It's not disgusting though. This isn't advertised as a weight-loss cleanse, but rather as a 30-day detox cleanse. I drink this down right before I leave for work and then try to eat well throughout the day. Having my coworkers around helps us all stay accountable when we want to scarf down birthday cupcakes and such that seem to take up residence in our office. We each have been bringing in plenty of fruits & veggies to help us stay on track.

Have any of you tried out this cleanse? I'd love to hear what your thoughts are on it!

You can get the Skinnygirl Daily Cleanse & Restore here!

Handy Dandy: Brown Sugar Lip Scrub

With the summer heat and humidity affluent during this time of year, it's super important to keep our lips hydrated and free from cracks. Who doesn't love a smooth and soft pout?

There are so many lip scrubs and polishes out in the market (I have been dying to try this one & this one for awhile now!) but you can save some dollars by pulling together some ingredients that can be found right in your kitchen!

Check out this recipe for an easy, homemade brown sugar lip scrub!

*Photo via.

WWID?

I have been thinking about my dreams lately - the dreams that I regret not pursuing and the dreams that I still hold dear in hopes of pursuing. But then I wonder if those present dreams will become ones of the past because I never did anything about them. There are a few different reasons for not chasing my dreams - not enough time, not enough money, not enough freedom. Or maybe it's really not enough belief in myself or my dreams. Even when it comes to blogging, I begin to wonder why I continue doing it when I compare myself to others and feel like I don't even match up to 'their level.' So maybe Eleanor Roosevelt's words are meant to be more than just a 'feel good' esteem boost, but rather a reflection of what I should be doing. Every single thing I think I cannot do.

What would I do?

1 - Move to New York City.

2 - Open my own boutique.

3 - Travel to Europe.

4 - Speak up for myself more often.

5 - Blog more outfit posts & feel confident about them.

6 - Accept my imperfections.

7 - Be my own motivation for anything.

What would you do?

Luxe for Less - Tiffany & Co. Paloma Picasso Love Pendant

Today's "Luxe for Less" post is dedicated to the Tiffany & Co. Paloma Picasso Love Pendant.

This gorgeous pendant features the word love in Paloma's own handwriting. It comes in 18k gold for $650 and sterling silver for $200.

The Love Script necklace by Erica Anenberg comes in at $130 for 22k gold. I personally love it and I own it! It's worn in heavy rotation.

(*Hint - I got it for much less on Hautelook! Her designs are featured there often.)

The most affordable option featured here is this Gold Love Necklace by T+J Designs. I am a huge fan of this jewelry line (and it's founders, sisters Tiffany & Jennifer). Their option is just $28 and comes in 14k gold plated with crystals to make it even dressier!

So what's your pick?

Tiffany & Co., Erica Anenberg or T+J Designs?

Friday's Five

My five favorites this week....

#1 - The Summer Olympics closed out this past weekend and the Closing Ceremony brought me back to high school with the reunion of The Spice Girls. Loved it!

#2 - Another Olympic tribute - this mani featured by Elle & Blair.

#3 - Dancing with the Stars announced their All-Stars lineup. I'm rooting for some of my favorites - Apolo, Gilles, Drew & Melissa.

But tell me...why wasn't The Situation invited back?

#4 - I was featured on my company's corporate website - pretty exciting stuff! You can check out the article here. :)

#5 - Family time in Disney World this weekend...enough said. :)

Enjoy your weekend! xo

Getting Away

This morning my family and I are hitting the road for a weekend getaway to Orlando. We are going to spend some time with my brother and his wife and just have some quality family time! We will be staying at Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort....I am really excited to experience some Disney magic all weekend long!

Have a great day!

Handy Dandy: Homemade Hair Mask

Hydrating Avocado Hair Mask:

Ingredients

• 1 ripe avocado (no skin)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon of honey
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon of aloe gel (this is optional, but you should add it if you have it)

Instructions

1. In a medium sized bowl, mash the avocado up like your making guacamole (a ripe avocado and a fork are ideal).
2. Combine the rest of the ingredients into the mashed up avocado and mix until it forms a thick paste.
3. Apply mixture directly from bowl onto dry hair as you would normal conditioner and let is set for 30 minutes and then rinse.

*Hair mask found here.

Latina Beauty Vox-Box by Influenster

My second Vox-Box from Influenster was the Latina Beauty (you can check out my first Vox-Box experience here). Influenster determines when you receive a box and what theme you will receive. This box was geared towards Latina Beauty...although I am not sure I 'get it' in regards to the products received this time....

My Vox-Box included:

VEET Ready to Use Wax Strips, Leg & Body

Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration Lotion Sunscreen

Bath & Body Works Shea-Enriched Signature Collection Shower Gel in 'Twilight Woods'

Always Tampax Radiant Collection

Always Radiant Infinity Pads

NYC New York Color Liquid Lipshine in 'Nude York City'

Right off hand, I thought "What about these products says 'Latina'?!"

I still don't see it, but in any case, this Vox-Box included some great products. They are all items that I have used before or have considered using. The only 'iffy' thing is the VEET Wax Strips - I have really sensitive skin, so I am not sure if this would be doable. But maybe I can try it on a small patch of skin first to test the skin irritant factor. I do like the NYC lip gloss - the scent makes me think of a vanilla cupcake. Although my husband thought it smelled like coconuts. The color is a really pretty nude with hints of sparkle.

As for the other products, I think they speak for themselves.

Disclaimer: I received each product complimentary for testing purposes from Influenster. 

Hello Again!

I cannot believe it has been almost three weeks since my last post! My computer has had some serious issues and it took some time to have it checked out. Bottom line is that we probably need to invest in either heavy duty maintenance or just buy a new one altogether. Both of which do not fit into our current budget. So it's temporarily fixed...enough to the point where I can probably keep up with regular posting until something else happens!

Anyways, I thought I would share some of what has happened in that time through my glorious Instagram photos - follow @theprettyfactor

Polka-dot Converse for casual Fridays at work

Mint (Avon's 'Jade') & gold (Julep's 'Oscar')  mani

First lobster roll at Bonefish Grill

Made my first trip to Ulta...and now I know what Tiffany is talking about when it comes to their noisy shopping bags!

I ditched the highlights and went back to a pretty shade of red.

Celebrated the Hubs birthday at Tijuana Flats with tacos

My favorite Disney coffee mug ;)

J. Crew stripes and Kristin Hassan's golden bow

Long overdue mani & pedi sesh with Essie's 'Jumpin Junkanoo'

To see other snapshots of my life, check out Instagram and follow me - @theprettyfactor

I hope this computer doesn't abandon me anytime soon so I can continue to post and stay connected to you all! What have I missed in the past three weeks?