This Week In Retrospect: Adventure on the Horizon

As I stated in my post welcoming the summer season (It's Almost Here...) I will be going on vacation for a couple of days but don't worry I'll be sure to document every fun thing that I do and everything that I experience.  This week has definitely been very exciting and equally strenuous.  I've come upon a few new endeavors and I'm definitely finding my footing as it pertains to my career/blogging/relationships.  Here's what I've learned this week thus far:

• Making time for those you love keeps you grounded and sane.
• Sometimes you just have to step back and let things run their course.  Have faith.
• Hard work pays off. even if it isn't immediately, something great is just around the corner.
• When things are not adding up, you should try subtracting. 
• No more comparisons to others and their situations, I am my own biggest competition.
• I still like Vine more than Instagram video. I'm real I don't need a filter. J/K

So with that being said this Summer seems very promising.  I hope you all have a great first day of summer and an even better weekend.  Hopefully, I'll get to film and upload some video of this vacation.  Hasta luego, amigos.  

It's Almost Here...

What's almost here you say?  Well Summer of course.  June 21 marks to first day of Summer and I could not be more excited.   I know I say this all the time but the summer season is definitely my favorite of the four seasons.  This summer is going to be spectacular.  I have made up my mind to try new things and get out a little more.

• Take a vacation.  My summer is riddled with vacations and mini-vacations.  I am marking the first day of the summer season with a trip to Florida with my significant other.  I don't care if the vacation is in Mexico, in your backyard, or downtown to the local market.  Just get out relax and have fun.
• Get on the grill.  Nothing says summer like a good old fashioned cook out.  Even if there are only 4 people in attendance.  Break out the charcoal and fire that grill up.  Oh and send me an invitation.
• Read a book or two.  Just as I posted in my Poolside Classic Reading post I plan on getting a lot of reading in.  It helps me to relax. Anything from thrillers to children's books to romance novels is good in my eyes. 
• Try a new look.  I plan to incorporate bright colors and plenty of shorts.  If you know me then you know that this is completely out of my comfort zone.  Wear what you want and be confident doing it. 
• Protect yourself.  If I have to say it in every post I promise I will.  Please pretty please wear sunscreen. I don't care what color you are, what ethnicity you are, or what you may be accustomed to doing you need to wear sunscreen.  
  
• Shop the farmers market.  Yep it is probably one of my favorite places outside of the beach.  Fresh produce, busy setting, and some of the best desserts ever.  Plus you're supporting local farmers. 
• Take a class.  A ballet class, an art class, or maybe even a swimming lesson.  Keep your mind busy.  
• Spend time with others.  Nope not just a message on Facebook, I mean genuine face to face interaction.  It is amazing how technology has linked us to places that we could only dream of but has made us so distant in regards people that live 5 minutes away.  A text will not suffice, lets take some time to get to know one  another.

I'll keep everyone updated on my adventures and I hope everyone has a great summer or at least great plans.  What are some of the things you all are doing this summer?  Drop me a line I would love to know.  

Poolside Classic Reading

One of my favorite things to do during the Spring/Summer is sit back and relax with a good book on my days off.  This year I guess I can add updating my blog to that list.   Now I love to read and when you like to read as much as me it's a little hard to find new things to read.  Fortunately, good books never lose adventure and no matter when they were written they always seem to keep that sense of adventure.  The last time I visited my parents I went rummaging through my mother's (an avid reader herself) bookshelf.  My mom for the same reason's as myself collects majority of the books that come into our home and they include the books we read as children.  So luckily for me I can always go back there to pick up a few good reads or just go online to Project Gutenberg (a very large resource for free books).  So this brings me to my point, today I'd like to share my current poolside/front porch/in the car/bored at work classic reading list.

1.  The Complete Little Women Series by Louisa M. Alcott

I will forever love these books and I do believe that Amazon has these books for Kindle and they are free. Check it out Little Women.








2.  All Quiet On The Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque
I remember reading this book in high school and being so caught up in it that I couldn't pay attention in class.  It's a somber tale but from a refreshing perspective.









3.  The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
Having read the book (and the others) before I was allowed to see the movie (thanks Mom)  I am completely enamored with the whole collection but non more so than this book.  The movie was great but the book is always better.







4.  The Complete Sherlock Holmes Collection by Arthur Conan Doyle
Who loves a good mystery?  I surely do and no mystery collection is not complete without Holmes and Watson.








5.  Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbe
This was a required reading assignment when I was in middle school and for whatever reason I never really enjoyed it, maybe I was too young to grasp the novel's full concept.  Well I read it again a few years later and I regard it as one of my favorites.

Well now that you know what I'm reading.  What are some things that you all are reading?

Gorgeous Summer Skin in 4 Steps

If you can not tell I love warm weather.  Spring and Summer are my absolute favorite seasons.  After months of layering on clothes and braving harsh cold weather we finally get to take in the warmth of the sun.  It's awesome....until our skin begins to realize what season it is.  Now it's time to rev up our summer skin care routine so that we can have flawless beautiful skin as we head to the beach.  So lovelies this is my simple summertime skin care routine.  

1.  Cleanse.

This is a step that gets beat into our minds in every skincare routine but that should tell you that it's important.  So take the time to do it.  I keep a pack of makeup removing wipes by my bed so that I can just reach over and grab one even if I'm exhausted.  You would also need to clean your skin in the mornings when you wake up and for that I like to use a sudsy cleanser, it just feels luxurious.

Personal choices:  Simple Cleansing Facial Wipes, $5; Aveeno Positively Radiant Daily Cleansing Pads, $6; 

2. Exfoliate

Now it's time to shed all of that dead old skin so that a younger more vibrant face can seen by the world, right?  Exfoliating keeps your pores from clogging and it also helps your moisturizer penetrate your skin.  Look it up if you don't believe me. Now, you probably should not do this everyday but every other day should be just fine. 

Personal Choice:  St. Ives Apricot Scrub, $4 (this stuff has been around for a while now)

3.  Moisturize

If you do it during the winter to avoid dry cracked skin why wouldn't you do it during the summer to avoid crusty ashy skin?  Please remember to moisturize on the outside as well as the inside.  Drink plenty of water it's good for your face and your skin.

Personal Choice:  Palmer's Daily Facial Lotion, $8; Water, ?

4.  Sunscreen

This is serious.  People of all skin tones are susceptible to skin cancer.  UVA and UVB rays do not discriminate.  Cancer is a very serious and unfortunate disease.  If that's not enough to make you wear sunscreen (which it seriously should be) then maybe you should wear it to avoid wrinkles and leathery skin.

Personal Choice:  Neutrogena Clear Face Sunblock, $12

There you have it...just four steps to gorgeous skin this summer.  Tested by yours truly all it takes is at most 15 minutes every morning.