Miss Oops Blog

Recently I did an interview with Thrive, a parenting magazine based in Dallas.  We discussed my business, my two sweet boys, but the primary focus was on my oldest son, Jack.  He’s 10 years old and has Asperger Syndrome (similar to high-functioning autism).  I just read the article and looked at the picture of Jack.  I totally remember the day my ex-husband and I first heard the terms “autism” and “Jack” used in the same sentence.  My mind raced toscenes from the movie, Rain Man.  At the time, Brendan (my ex) and I were terrified, and uniformed.  As it turned out, Jack was diagnosed with Asperger’s and is extremely high-functioning.  He is very, very bright.  He can grasp really complicated concepts and enjoys math.  He’s told us he will use his skills wisely:  he’ll either be 1.  A professional football player, most likely for the Cowboys, 2.  Work for the C.I.A., or 3.  Work at the Googleplex.  The one thing Jack lacks is ambition:).  (kidding, of course).  I look at him now and there’s no way to express how grateful I am for him.  When he couldn’t speak and we struggled to communicate, I had no idea what was in his mind, how he viewed the world, and I feared the worst for him.  Little did I know.  His mind is explosive and determination admirable.  Honestly what has seemed to be the darkest moments in my life have ended up being the brightest spots.  I’m thankful for them all.  Be sure to check out the article at http://www.dfwthrivemagazine.com/issuelist.asp

This is completely random and has nothing to do with beauty.  I found a worksheet my 10 year old son was working on in Faith Formation this weekend.  He wrote, “thall shall not steal unless I’m in the C.I.A. and its my job.”  I like that he’s up front about it.

The other day a friend of mine & her daughter joined me & my boys at the movies.  Diary of a Wimpy Kid, btw.  Cute movie…one adults can endure.  Afterwards I took Claudia (5 years old) & my sons (Jack-10 years, Sam-8 years) to look around while my friend ran some errands.  When we were passing by Claire’s, Claudia lit up and was in a complete trance.  My boys meanwhile, looked on with horror and then continued to Game Stop.  Claudia & I walked inside the girly-girl store (which I love).  Filled with make up, hair accessories, scarves, jewelry, and whatnots, this was Claudia’s utopia.  Watching her I realized, this is when it starts.  The beginning of a girl’s long, loving, sometimes frustrating and definitely expensive relationship with beauty.  The world of beauty for young girls is so different than when I was five years old.  I don’t remember cool stores like Claire’s.  The idea is genius.  Get ‘em hooked when their young.  Just kidding.  But I really do love the idea.  I remember going to department stores with my mom where she bought all her Elizabeth Arden products.  The counters to me, at that age, were so intimidating.  I think it’s fantastic girls have so many stores like Claire’s today where they can explore beauty, try different things, build their confidence, and then eventually graduate to Sephora and/or Ulta in adulthood.

I’m in New York, one of my favorite cities.  Last night I was putting on  eyeshadow before going to dinner.  The problem I have with eyeshadow flakes is they fall underneath my eyes creating raccoon eyes.  Also, the sparkles settle into the fine lines beneath my eyes screaming, “Look!  She’s getting older!”   So I decided to try Shadow Shields as a solution.  Love them!  Just place them underneath your eye before applying shadow.  The backing has an adhesive that adheres to your skin.  My only caution is the adhesive is a bit too strong.  But as my sweet grandmother in Alabama always says, “you have to suffer to be beautiful.”  Always the optimist in my family:).  You can check out Shadow Shields for yourself at www.MissOops.com.

I spent my Sunday afternoon…and my money at Sephora.  My mom & I went there just to pick up a couple of things.  It never ends like that.  We end up playing with all the makeup, skincare products, perfume, beauty tools, etc.  I literally told myself before walking through the door, “Self, you are here to get toner, and toner only.”  I did get my toner.  And DiorShow mascara.  And Givenchy Phenomen’s Eyes mascara.  And fRxtion by Tarte.  Blotting Sheets, Shadow Shields, etc, etc….you see where this is going.  My mom is also an addict.  She starts off buying a mask and says “that’s it.”  And that was it.  Along with her Givenchy Phenomen’s Eyes mascara, Nars lipgloss, and a new Tweezer.  Pitiful…both of us:).  Sephora is like Target for me.  I can’t get out of either stores without spending less than $100.   But both are fun shopping experiences so I keep returning:).

That’s the word on the street.  Check out the link below:

http://ezinearticles.com/?Drinking-Red-Wine-Could-Be-Good-For-Acne&id=2926991

Just in case you need another reason/excuse to drink red wine:)

For skin care and other anti-aging products, friends often ask me if I prefer organic or synethic products.  I prefer what works.  While I like the idea of using natural products, sometimes there are synthetics that work better for me. 

Having said that, I would like to share with you one of my favorite natural ways for treating dark circles around the eyes (aka Raccoon Eyes).  I have deep set eyes and the shadow cast below them is partly due to the crevice and partly due to hereditery.  I’ve tried thousands of products over the year.  But one of the best remedies I’ve used sucessfully is almond oil.  I use it around the skin around my eyes morning and night when the circles are particulary dark.  Of course, nothing works better than sleep.  But as a mother of two, that’s not always an option.  So almond oil is my secret weapon.

Almonds are natural moisturizers since they contain high dosage of Vitamin E.  Oil extracted from almonds is not only great for dark circles but for excessively dry skin.  Packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber, you can’t go wrong with this snack.  Unless you have a peanut allergy. 

To find out more about the awesome benefits of almonds, check out the link below.

http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/12-20-2004-63236.asp

Great ways to protect your color-treated hair from fading start with the right shampoo.  Then after drying and styling, lightly spray your hair with Miss Oops Block Your Locks SPF 30 Finishing Spray.  Protects against both UVA & UVB rays!  Find more tips on protecting hair color at: http://www.cosmopolitan.com/hairstyles-beauty/beauty-blog/hair-color-fading

Went to the Faith Hill concert last night with some friends.  Her skin is absolutely flawless!  So is her voice.  So much fun.  Great time with friends:)

I have two young boys who I love and adore….and at times, envy, because of their beautiful skin.  My neices and nephews, same thing.   Their skin is flawless and so youthful.  They’re also all under the age of 12.  In hindsight, I wish I would have listened to my mother on this one.  I’m fair-skinned and she always cautioned me to wear sunscreen.  Instead, I went to the beach with my friends, sizzled in the sun in hopes of getting a killer tan.  Instead, I got a painful sunburn…and now sun spots.  My sister-in-law makes sure her kids wear sunscreen everyday.  I have followed suit and am finally following my mother’s advice…on this one.�