Author: Big Mama

This week has been a little bit busy between running Caroline around to all her various engagements, coming down with some sort of virus and staying up until way too late to watch election returns. But here are some things I thought I’d share with you:

1. l’oreal voluminous feline noir mascara

I decided about a year ago that L’Oreal Voluminous mascara was about the best mascara on the market for the money. And if you’ve been reading here for any length of time, then you know I’m not afraid to spend money for some long lashes. I’ve tried just about every mascara out there, both drugstore and fancy department store brands.

Then someone mentioned this one to me a few weeks ago and so I bought a tube of it at HEB and – oh my word – I am in love. The brush is really the game changer here. It evenly distributes to each and every lash and doesn’t clump at all. This is my new favorite.

2. fruit of the loom beyond soft bikini panties

I spent about two years in a sad underwear desert. And, let’s be honest, nothing about that sentence sounds appealing.

But it’s true. I had switched from Victoria’s Secret underwear to Gap underwear about six years ago, but then Gap had to go and change their basic cotton underwear configuration and they no longer worked for me. So I ended up with a collection of various underwear from Macy’s, Dillards, Target, and Nordstrom.

Then, out of sheer desperation, I picked up these Fruit Of the Loom Beyond Soft bikinis at Target one day about two months ago and they are my new favorite. I know what you’re thinking, how come I’m so fancy with my six pack of Fruit of the Loom underwear for under $10? It’s just how I live.

All I know is they aren’t going to win any awards for beauty and maybe you need something a little spicier, but if you’re looking for just some good, basic cotton underwear then I think these are hard to beat.

3. thredup.com

Do you know about this? I feel like I’m the last person on the planet to know about it, but maybe it’s because I’ve been too busy on my quest for the best cotton underwear.

Thredup.com is an online resale shop. You can create an account and shop by brand, size, color, category, etc. And you can even send in your clothes for them to list. I haven’t bought anything from them yet, but I love the concept and it’s a great way to find cute things that you may not want to pay full-price for.

4. knit pompom beanie

Apparently pink is the color for fall because there are cute pink things everywhere. I love this beanie, but I also love these vans pink old skool sneakers

And these pink new balance sneakers

5. The Crown on Netflix

I knew that this show was going to suck me in when I first heard about it. And, sure enough, I watched the first two episodes on Tuesday because I was home and didn’t feel great. You know what helps a virus? British accents, royal drama and opulent settings.

This is the perfect show to binge watch, especially if you miss Downton Abbey. And who doesn’t?

That’s it for today.

Happy Thursday.

Well. You win some and you lose some. And sometimes you lose some when you had a brief, shining moment when you were the number four team in the college playoff rankings.

Oh Aggie football. At least you are consistent in the way you break my heart year after year. And this year we rode that wave of optimism all the way until November so maybe that’s progress? I’m not sure.

I thought instead of a weekend recap, I’d just give you the high and low points.

Here are the highs:

1. We gained an hour. Daylight Saving Time, I hate you in the spring but I love you in the fall.

2. I spoke at my last event of the fall on Friday. I purposely kept my fall speaking schedule a little lighter than normal and my 2016 fall self loves my 2016 spring self for being smart about that and giving myself a little break so I can work on some other projects that have deadlines that are approaching quickly.

3. Caroline’s team won their last soccer game of the fall season and finished in second place in the league.

4. I took a nap on Sunday afternoon that was delightful and much needed.

5. It’s currently raining outside and cooler weather really is on the way this week.

6. We picked up Mexican food on Saturday night and I made chocolate chip cookies on Sunday afternoon to help drown my sorrows over the Aggies. So, basically, thanks for that extra five pounds, Aggie football.

Here are the lows:

1. We drove to Austin and watched Caroline play soccer in the pouring down rain on Saturday morning. We totally forgot to pack towels, plastic bags, umbrellas, a dry change of clothes and our soccer chairs because we are super prepared like that.

2. I followed the football game on the radio and Twitter and there generally aren’t enough expletives for all the things I felt. What even happened?

3. Truthfully, I blame myself because I forgot to put out my Aggie flag on Saturday morning and I also didn’t wear the Aggie t-shirt I’ve worn all season that I believe has brought us success.*

*(With the exception of the Alabama game, but that’s different because Alabama is like The Terminator and cannot be stopped. They are a heartless killing machine.)

4. We stopped at Cabela’s on the way home from Austin and didn’t even get kettle corn and it’s essentially an hour of my life I’ll never get back.

5. After Cabela’s we drove through Chick-Fil-A because we hadn’t eaten lunch. We were eating as we drove down I-35 and P had to slam on the brakes because traffic came to a screeching halt and an entire thing of ketchup flew onto my new tennis shoes.

This was right after the Aggie defense allowed Mississippi State to go back down the field and score another touchdown after we’d just managed to make it a one score game. P looked at me and asked, “Are you crying?” And maybe I was but, whatever, ketchup on my shoes and Aggie football are sometimes more than one girl’s fragile emotions can take.

6. When we got home, I was excited because I’d ordered this sweater online that I thought would be the best thing ever and it was itchy and huge and made me look like a yeti. (Not as in the cup or cooler, but as in the legendary Big Foot.)

That’s our weekend in a few quick bullet points. The good news is the Presidential election is tomorrow and it should totally come without any drama or hand-wringing or general proclamations about the world coming to an end and so that’s something to look forward to.

Hope you had a good one.

It’s true. Winds are allegedly going to be out of the north today. And the high temp on Saturday is a mere 77 degrees. In other words, time to make s’mores by the camp fire while drinking hot chocolate while wrapped in a blanket.

Or, you know, just not sweating profusely while Caroline plays soccer on Saturday.

Here are some cute things I found this week:

1. starland pullover

This is a little pricey but I love the stars and the color. It would look equally great dressed down with jeans or dressed up with some faux leather leggings.

2. bp v-neck long sleeve sweater

I really like this sweater because it’s lightweight and a v-neck. So easy to throw on. It also comes in black, gray, olive and red cordovan.

3. free people say you love me minidress

I’d just thought to myself that maybe I was over Free People and then I saw this. In no universe is this a dress on a regular person, but it would be really great with leggings. I’m in love with the color.

4. gap denim western shirt

I’ve featured this shirt before but I truly believe it is the best of all the denim shirts out there. I personally ordered mine in a tall size because I like it just a little bit longer.

5. texture knit tunic

I love that this is simple but has some texture. It also comes in black, gray, navy, and light teal.

6. j.crew factory plaid ruffle shirt

How cute would this shirt be for the holidays with jeans and boots? Or dressed up with black pants?

7. mohair hinged cuff

I love these mohair cuffs and they’d also make a great Christmas present. They come in several different animal prints and some solid colors.

8. traveler cargos

These are unbelievably soft and so cute on. I’ve been waiting for them to go on sale and that day is finally here. They also come in light blue, gray and pink.

9. nike air zoom pegasus

I’ve been on the hunt for a good pair of running shoes for approximately forever. Or maybe just six months. I bought these last week and they are so comfortable. Also, I do not plan to actually run in them unless something chases me.

10. halogen cashmere poncho

I have this poncho and it is so soft and I totally plan to wear it if the weather ever dips even as low as the 60s. It’s now 40% off and also comes in black, gray and camel.

That’s it for today.

Have a good Friday.

Well it’s November. And I’ve basically become convinced that fall and winter aren’t going to happen this year. Remember that old Christmas special, A Year Without Santa Claus? That’s what’s happening here except it’s the year without cool weather and sweaters. Also known as ALL THE SADNESS AND BOOTS NOT WORN.

We’ll just wake up one morning next April and think, “well it must be summer again because it’s 95 instead of 85.” And we won’t have to get out our shorts because we never put them up in the first place. I hope I’m wrong about this and if this ends up being the year of ARCTIC BLAST 2017 then you can mock me and my unbelief in winter.

Here are a few things I thought I’d share with you along with my dire weather predictions:

1. All Things New Bible Study by Kelly Minter

My friend Kelly Minter has a brand new Bible study that just released yesterday. If you are looking for a great Bible study, I promise you will love this study of 2 Corinthians.

Here’s the description:

“Over 8 sessions, Kelly Minter will lead you through the Letter of 2 Corinthians, exploring the anchoring truths of bearing treasures in jars of clay, meeting Christ through a pressing thorn, opening wide your heart in the midst of hurtful relationships, and what it means to embrace the lost and lonely as ministers of the new covenant. Each of us has a message to proclaim and live by: Because of Jesus the old has gone, the new has come.”

And here’s maybe the best part for those of you with teen girls in your life, there’s a version of All Things New that’s specifically for teen girls. Because I know Kelly in real life and have seen how much Caroline adores her, I am so excited that this is an option for our girls.

2. The Thrill of Hope by Christy Nockels

I couldn’t have been happier when I found out that Christy Nockels was recording a Christmas album because I knew it was going to be my new favorite. As it is, I listen to her version of O Come, O Come Emmanuel year round (It’s on Chris Tomlin’s Christmas album) so it felt like more than time to have an entire album of her Christmas music available.

It’s called The Thrill of Hope and I can tell you that it is going to be on constant repeat in my house all Christmas season long. You can pre-order it for just $7.99 this week only and even get an instant download of Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas.

And, let’s be honest, if it’s going to be 92 degrees this Christmas, we will need all the good music we can handle to endure the travesty of it all.

3. Gap fair isle sweater leggings

I saw these in Gap yesterday and am a little bit in love with them. I’m sure they’ll be 40% off sometime soon because Gap is constantly offering 40% off.

4. Texas A&M Football

You know why I put this #4? Because that’s where the Aggies are ranked in the first college playoff rankings of the season.

If you’re not an Aggie fan, you may not care about these videos but I thought they were hilarious.

Who says that Special Teams are just a joke??

Tune in on 4th downs and touchdowns for
"Special Teams Matter" ??@TAMUSpecialists @jbsttamu pic.twitter.com/Htlf41GnO8

— Cold Chedda (@ColdCheddaa) October 30, 2016

They're more than just a crew, they're a family.

The Wrecking Crew is back after 20 years, and they're becoming better than ever.
??? pic.twitter.com/bQj4wtBH7I

— Cold Chedda (@ColdCheddaa) October 30, 2016

Happy Wednesday!

That title doesn’t even apply but it made me laugh and so I’m keeping it there. It’s almost midnight on Halloween and my brain is a little overloaded from the combination of Reese’s peanut butter cups and general merriment.

But before I crawl into bed, let me show you the difference between having a Kindergartner and a teenager.

Kindergartner: Wants to dress as Wonder Woman. You spend all week looking for something to serve as a lasso and spray painting a pair of old black boots red in the hopes that they will suffice.

Eighth Grader: Wants to dress in a prison uniform. You order it from HalloweenCostumes.com and spend five minutes giving your precious baby a neck tattoo.

It’s really almost exactly the same experience.

In lieu of any actual paragraphs and/or sentence formation, here are six things that I thought I’d share today.

1. Gilmore Girls trailer

This trailer was all over the internet yesterday and it hit me square in my feelings. Once upon a time, I would watch Gilmore Girls every single week and dream that maybe one day I would have a daughter of my own. (True story, I actually had Lorelai on my list of baby girl names but P nixed it because he said that was the character on the show where everyone talked so fast about nothing and WHATEVER some people don’t appreciate art.)

Then I did have a daughter and have been waiting for her to be old enough to appreciate the wonder that is Lorelei and Rory Gilmore and that day is finally here. And in a total bonus, there are four new episodes on Netflix beginning November 25th. I cannot wait.

2. Old Navy waffle knit leggings

I ran in Old Navy yesterday and saw these and fell in love because I love plaid and I love waffle knit and I love leggings.

3. OPI Malaga Wine nail color

So I voted yesterday, hence the sticker. Then I posted the above picture on Instagram and what everyone noticed was my nail polish. The lesson here is that sometimes a good nail polish color is the real winner.

And the funny thing is I used to never get manicures before the dawn of the shellac manicure because I have a terrible habit of biting my nails and using my hands like a multi-tool and it always seemed like a waste. But when I started doing book signings and things, I decided maybe my nails should look like that of a grown woman as opposed to a third grader and now I’m a big fan of the shellac manicure. I even go to the same person every time because she does such a great job and is the one who encouraged me to “pick a good color that’s not that same boring light pink” when I saw her earlier this week.

I thought yesterday that it’s funny how I keep adding little things to my beauty regimen, but decided it’s the same reason the musicians kept playing as the Titanic went down. Sometimes you just have to make the best of a sinking ship.

4. stila smudge stick waterproof eyeliner

Speaking of beauty, I have been on a search for a good eyeliner. I wanted something that went on easily because I have the steady hands of a cat who has had too much to drink and needed something that would last. This Stila smudge stick is both of those things. It goes on so easily, you can smudge it if you want a softer line and it stays on until I take it off.

5. The Broken Way by Ann Voskamp

Ann Voskamp’s new book, The Broken Way, released yesterday and it is every bit as beautiful and honest as One Thousand Gifts. I brought it to soccer practice to read last night and it became quickly evident that it’s not a book to be read in between watching corner kicks, but rather a book to be read slowly so you don’t miss a word.

6. Cycle Hub

If you’ve read here for any length of time, then you know I have a love/hate relationship with exercise. Actually, it’s more of a hate/hate relationship, but see the reference to Titanic above and that’s why I’m trying to stay committed to working out more. I also think that losing Jen and seeing her so weak in the last few months had an effect on me because she always loved nothing more than a good workout and it was so hard when she realized that her body couldn’t do what it did before she got sick. And so I feel like part of me works out for Jen if that makes any sense at all. The irony is she used to love to tease me about how much I hated to exercise and eat healthy.

Anyway, I’ve become a big fan of spin class. I mean, sure, the first few times I thought people were big liars when they said you never forget how to ride a bike and I hated every minute of it. But then I realized I could burn about 500 calories in thirty minutes and that’s two glasses of wine, otherwise known as one hour of Caroline doing Algebra homework. All that to say, if you’re looking for something new to try and don’t mind feeling like you might pass out for thirty minutes to an hour while loud music plays, then maybe you should visit a spin class near you.

Have a great Wednesday.