Author: Big Mama

The Big Boo Cast, Episode 95

This one only took use 954 tries to record. I accidentally shut my computer down and deleted the files the first time we tried.

And then we had 849 scheduling snafus that involved having teenagers and sporting events.

Yet, we found a way.

We discuss the Olympics, what we’re watching, and what Valentine’s Day looks like twenty years into marriage. Spoiler alert: True love involves a trip to Discount Tire.

You can click here to listen. Or here. You can even listen right here on the blog.

You can also listen on Stitcher or Google Play.

And if you’re on the Facebook, well, we are, too.

We’d love for you to subscribe on iTunes, and we’d be honored if you’d leave us a review.

Here’s where you can get more info on the stuff / products / places we mention:

The Cutting Edge

Ice Castles

The Good Place

Poldark

Black Panther

Three Leadership Lessons I’ve Learned from Beth Moore by Travis Cottrell

Galatians 3:2-4 ESV

1 Thessalonians 4:11

Closing Song
Fashion Friday: Edition I just got home from a track meet

This is going to be so quick because I just got home from a track meet and I am inordinately tired considering I wasn’t the one actually running in any events. But Caroline ran in the second event of the meet and the last event of the meet. That makes for a long night. It’s a good thing I stretched and hydrated.

Anyway, here are some cute things I found this week:

1. lush henley

This is just a great basic top. It’s a little bit shorter than the old version, but still comes in a bunch of great color options and it’s $39. I happen to like the charcoal gray because it will look great with white jeans.

2. old navy chambray shirt

I’m a believer in a good basic chambray shirt. You can wear it with just about everything from jeans to shorts to a skirt. You can wear it tucked or untucked. You can wear it buttoned up or open with a tank under it. The possibilities are endless.

3. free people cozy up henley

I do love a henley. And a thermal. This is all of those things, plus it’s ombre which I think is really fun.

4. old navy crinkle gauze stripe boho dress

The stripes on this are really cute and I think it would make a great dress or even a cover up.

5. steve madden jaylen wedge sandal

The sizes left are limited but these come in several colors and are on sale for $44.98.

6. free people penny pull on flare

I realize that there was a time I would’ve mocked a pull on jean that has no discernible buttons or zippers, but that time was also when I used to perm my hair so who am I to judge? These are really cute on and very comfortable and I’m long past the day when I want to tuck in a shirt so they are perfect for me. They come in several color options and are $78.

7. ruffled v-neck tee

Love this ruffled v-neck tee. It’s on sale for $49.95 plus an extra 40% off. It also comes in black, white, gold and olive.

8. adria smocked top

I tried this on in Anthropologie and nearly bought it and then felt like I didn’t really need it. But now it’s on sale for $49.95 plus an extra 40% off. It would look so great with black pants at the office and equally good with a pair of jeans.

9. janis layered y-necklace

I love these layered y necklaces. The navy is so pretty but it also comes in clear. It’s $29.95 plus an extra 40% off.

10. livia intarsia cardigan

I’ve been hoping this would go on sale because I think it is just darling. It’s $99.95 plus an extra 40%
off.

That’s it for today.

Have a good Friday.
Fashion Friday: Edition you can buy yourself an early Valentine’s Day present

So before we get to the fashion portion of the day today, I wanted to let you know about this:

I don’t want to say I basically begged Knox and Jamie to let me be their special live guest at the Popcast Live in Dallas on May 5th, but only because beg sounds desperate. But it’s true. I love listening to Knox and Jamie talk every week about all things pop culture and I cannot wait to be with them in Dallas for the live show. There are still some tickets available here, but they’re going fast so you may want to jump on it if you want to be there to hear Knox do his wheezy laugh and what Jamie has to say when she’s unedited.

Now for the cute things I found this week:

1. ribbed boat neck tunic

I featured this a few weeks ago and now it’s on sale for $49.95 plus an extra 25% off, which makes it even better. I’d already bought the silver, but I went ahead and bought the blush color as well. It serves the same function as a long sleeve t-shirt but it’s much softer and warmer, yet still feels light.

I bought the medium because I wanted it to be a little longer and looser and I can wear it with leggings. But the small would have worked if I wanted it a little more fitted. It’s personal preference.

2. fringed lace poncho

This is another piece I’ve shown before but it’s on sale for $59.95 plus an extra 25% off. I think it’s so pretty and a great transition piece for spring.

3. concentric circles necklace

I saw this in the store and loved it but didn’t want to pay full price. It’s on sale for $29.95 plus an extra 25%.

4. free people laguna thermal top

This is such a soft, comfortable top. It goes with everything from jeans to leggings and it’s 40% off and now $40.80 It also comes in gray, teal and black.

5. free people by your side sweater

This sweater is finally on sale. It also comes in cream. It’s 40% off and now $76.80. I love that it’s a cowl neck but a lighter weight than a normal sweater.

6. rainbow striped oversize sweater

I realized that my closet tends to default to either black or things with a lot of color. I realize this sweater is a little bright, but I think it is so cute.

7. bp side stripe tee

The reviews say this runs small so you may want to order up a size. I love the stripes and the tie.

8. lanna dress

I really like this. It just seems like it would be the perfect thing to wear during the spring and summer when you want to look put together but it’s also hot enough that you don’t want any fabric to touch your body. This would fall under “colorful items I am drawn to”.

9. your girl tunic

I’ve been waiting for this tunic to come back in stock and today is the day. I bought it in black this fall and love it. It’s super soft, the perfect length to wear with leggings and has the cutest cuffs on the sleeves. I adore it so much that I’m tempted to buy it in the white, also.

For sizing reference, I bought mine in the XS and prayed it would fit because that was the only size left at the time. And it turns out that XS was perfect because Free People stuff always runs large.

10. tretorn perforated platform sneakers

I am so in love with all the cute sneaker options that it’s hard to make a decision on which ones I like the best on any given day, but these platform tretorns are my fave this week. They come in several color options but I love this blue.

That’s it for today.

Have a good Friday.
For those of us who believe that there is no such thing as natural beauty

I mentioned on the latest podcast that I come from a long line of vain women. And that is true. It’s also the reason that I am always on the lookout for a new beauty product that can change my life or at least a lip color that can last throughout the day. Since this is the beginning of a new year (I know. It’s February. But, still, we are just barely into 2018) I felt like this was a good time to share some of my current favorite beauty products.

via GIPHY

Some of these are old faithfuls and some of them are new discoveries. Either way, they are tried and true and all products I’ll buy again.

1. tarte shape tape double duty concealer

This is a product that Caroline told me about because she is at the age where she is going to know about a new makeup product long before I am. And it turns out that it’s legitimate. I don’t really have a problem with dark circles, but this is a miracle worker and comes in a bunch of different shades so you can find the right one for your coloring.

It’s a great all around concealer.

2. anastasia liquid lipstick

This is another Caroline discovery. She bought a tube of this at Ulta and I tried it the other day on a whim. It lasted ALL DAY LONG. And it didn’t feel dry or flaky. It really is the best lip color I can remember trying in FOREVER.

There are a bunch of color options so it’s a win all the way around.

3. IT CC cream illumination SPF 50

I discovered this last year and haven’t looked back. It is great coverage that doesn’t feel heavy and has just a little bit of illumination to it that keeps your face from looking flat.

But I’m also hearing a lot about this IT CC cream your skin but better with bronzer and it’s next on my list. I am so diligent about my sunscreen these days because OLD AGE, but I am also so pale that Caspar the Friendly Ghost wishes he was as white as I am.

I need a little color on my face to get me through these winter months without looking like I’m in the lead in a PBS Masterpiece Theater series.

4. l’oreal voluminous lash paradise waterproof mascara

I mentioned on the podcast that I just got a lash lift and so I haven’t been wearing mascara. However, this has been a new favorite. It’s very similar to the Better Than Sex mascara but half the price and I think it’s not as clumpy.

5. anastasia brow wiz eyebrow pencil

I have tried a lot of products to fill in my brows, but I always come back to this one. I think it lasts forever and looks very natural.

6. revitabrow advanced eyebrow conditioner

So a friend of mine told me I should get the Revitabrow eyebrow conditioner instead of the one for eyelashes. This was shocking to me because I think the one for eyelashes works like a charm, but this is apparently even more effective and you can use it on your brows and lashes.

7. laura mercier caviar stick eye color in moonlight

A friend of mine had this on in the fall and I had to know what it was because it looked so good. I immediately ordered it for myself and have no regrets. It’s so easy to put on because you just draw a line across your eyelid and it lasts forever. Plus, it’s kinder to the older eye because it’s creamy and doesn’t get caught in any hypothetical eye creases or fine lines that a person may have.

I personally love the moonlight color because it’s a good neutral with a little bit of sparkle.

8. dior addict lip maximizer

This is a little pricey but it really does work. You can wear it on its own or over a good lip color. It actually plumps your lips and works as a moisturizer.

9. physicians formula eyeliner trio nude collection

So my true favorite is this stila smudge stick waterproof eyeliner because it is truly waterproof and lasts all day. But I tried this Physician’s Formula trio and it’s a good bang for the buck. It goes on really easily and smoothly without tugging on your eyelid and the colors are great neutrals.

10. physicians formula bronze booster glow boosting bronzer

This is another good product that’s inexpensive and easy to pick up at the grocery store. I know people swear by certain high end bronzers but they all kind of feel the same to me and I really like this one.

11. teddie organics rose hip oil

If you’ve listened to anything I’ve said over the last six months, then this will come as no surprise to you. I’ve been taking off my makeup with coconut oil and a warm, damp microfiber cloth. Then I put on a retinol product (I’ve recently discovered this Resurface by Shani Darden and am a fan) and then I wait about fifteen or twenty minutes and use about 6-8 drops of rose hip oil all over my face and my neck.

One thing I’ve learned: I put my hair up in a bun before I do this because otherwise your hair can get in the oil on your face and that’s not really good for anyone.

12. first aid beauty ultra repair hydra-firm sleeping cream

So my skin is really dry, especially in the winter time and especially when I’m using a retinol product. My go to moisturizer is Hummingbird Farms unscented heavy cream. My face just soaks it up and I’ve been using it morning and night after my rose hip oil soaks in. However, I just ordered this ultra repair sleeping cream and have been using that at night and the Hummingbird Farms in the morning and I really like it.

Warning: This combination only works if you have really dry skin. I’ll have to switch this up when the weather gets warmer but on these dry, cold winter days this is perfect for me and keeps me from looking like a white, pasty lizard.

I also highly recommend Hummingbird Farms trio of heavy creams if you’re looking for a good body or hand lotion because they smell divine.

So there you have it. My favorite beauty buys as of February 2018. Feel free to share any of yours that we need to know about it in the comments. Knowledge is power.
Even if you don’t hate green beans

So I’m going to tell you about a great new book by a brand new author that you need to order, but first I’m going to tell you a little story.

Many, many years ago (Gulley and I decided it goes all the way back to the days of dial-up internet), I started watching a brand new show called The Bachelor on ABC. Who could’ve imagined it would still be on television 48 years and 37 “amazing journeys” later? But I believe it was during Trista and Ryan’s season when I was pregnant with Caroline that my sweet Jen forwarded me an email, written by a girl named Lincee Ray, that was a recap of the previous week’s episode of The Bachelor. It was love at first read and, as Gulley said, we clearly loved reading it because that was back when it took a solid sixteen minutes to log on to the dial up internet just to check email.

These Bachelor email recaps became a highlight of my week and one of my secret goals in life was to meet the clearly hilarious Lincee who wrote them because I felt like we were destined to be soulmates. Not in The Bachelor sense of the word, but in that I thought she was so witty and clever. And funny has always been at the top of my friendship priority list.

Fast forward many years and seasons of The Bachelor later and Lincee Ray emailed me to let me know she’d written a review of my book Nobody’s Cuter Than You for Entertainment Weekly. My excitement level at receiving a personal email from her was somewhere in the same vicinity as if Meghan Markle were to email me asking for wedding dress advice. In other words, OFF THE CHARTS.

Thus, Lincee and I began our very own amazing journey and became real life friends. She drove to San Antonio and we met for coffee and she confessed that she’d been thinking about writing a book. I basically told her she had to do it because I needed a great book to read and I had no doubt she would write a great book.

And you know what? I was right. Her first book called I Hate Green Beans: And other confessions about relationships, reality tv, and how we see ourselves is officially out today. You are going to love it so much. It’s just like Lincee herself; warm, hilarious, endearing, honest and refreshingly normal. That’s how I always feel after being with Lincee…like she’s one of my people. She just gets it.

Here’s the official book summary that describes it better than I ever could:

“If there is one thing Lincee Ray has learned over the years, it’s that the majority of women on the planet struggle with insecurities. Our skinny jeans mock us. Our just-trying-to-help mothers are just driving us crazy. Our social media feeds taunt us with everyone else’s picture-perfect lives. It’s enough to send you on a gummy-bear bender while binge-watching Friends reruns and not showering for a week. Lincee knows. She’s been there. Right there, in fact. Gummy bears and all.

For every woman who’s ever wondered if she’s unlovable, uninteresting, or unattractive, Lincee offers her particular brand of hilarious (and hard-hitting) self-reflection. Like a true friend, she shows us that the fastest way to happiness is to embrace ourselves in all our imperfection, trust that God knew what he was doing when he made us, and maybe go buy a new tube of mascara.”

You are going to love this book filled with her hilarious and relatable stories and you’re going to love Lincee. You can order it here on Amazon, here on Barnes & Noble, and you can find her blog with her hilarious Bachelor recaps and her weekly podcast here.

Happy Tuesday!
Big Boo Cast, Episode 94

It would seem that many of you liked our thoughts on marriage from the last podcast and had a few follow up questions that we did our best to answer. Please remember that we are not marriage counselors and/or psychologists, we just play them on the podcast that we record on our computers from our respective guest bedrooms.

We also discuss aging, a fantastic new eyelash discovery I have made and other beauty products.

You can click here to listen. Or here. You can even listen right here on the blog.

You can also listen on Stitcher or Google Play (should be posted any day now).

And if you’re on the Facebook, well, we are, too.

We’d love for you to subscribe on iTunes, and we’d be honored if you’d leave us a review.

Here’s where you can get more info on the stuff / products / places we mention:

Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee with Ali Wentworth

The Antelope in the Living Room – Melanie’s book about marriage

A picture of Melanie’s eye that will hold special significance as you listen:

Kerastase Volume in Powder Backcomb Effect Finishing Spray

R + Co Badlands Dry Shampoo

Trypophobia – Sophie’s deep-seeded fear of repetitive circles (CLICK AT YOUR OWN RISK, PEOPLE)

Closing Music