the good life

when did life get so busy? lately, i feel like i'm running around from the minute i wake up to the minute i go to sleep. i have so much on my plate right now but i don't feel stressed one bit. i guess that's a good thing. i've learned to tackle one project at a time and to do my best until it's done. i've always wanted to own my own videography business. it's finally taking off and i'm feeling the pressure from it. i've got weddings to edit, documentaries and photo montages to finish, and even a two day religious thing to knock out before the 25th. i'm learning that i shouldn't take every job offered to me, even if it does mean making money. i had a gig last week that i wouldn't do again in a million years. that, my friends, was ridiculous. i don't even know where to begin with that one... 

amongst all the craziness, this is a good life i live.

ilove iphone memorial day

the boys picking the winning horses

 drew was prepared!

 birthday dinner for the birthday boy!

 

 today was a good day! tanner was finally feeling better and was able to leave the couch. the poor boy has been living on that thing. we aren't 100% sure what was wrong with him, but we think he has mono. he has never been one to sleep a lot but lately he's been sleeping 13+ hours a night. and then is sleepy all day. not like him at all but i love the extra cuddle time.

it was drew's birthday today and to celebrate he wanted to go to the horse races. the weather was awesome and there were a lot of people there. the boys put bets on the horses but they ended up losing more than they won. i guess it was to be expected since neither had ever been to a race before :)

after the races tanner and i did some shopping and got the car washed. then we picked up drew for his birthday dinner. we went back to that good bbq restaurant, mickey rays, because it felt fitting for memorial day. we had been telling drew about how good the ribs were and i was quite excited to eat them again. sadly when we were ready to order, we were told they were out of ribs. bummmmmerrrrr. of course what we ordered was still really good :)

hope you all had a great memorial day!

how does she

pop on over to howdoesshe for more of their awesome gardening posts!

Ladies, first, let's be safe and chat about what and how we can protect our skin while still staying cooled off and looking cute. Gardeners are out in the sun a lot and frankly, so are most people during the summer months. Gardeners try to cover up as much as possible without overheating and here are some techniques they use, and we can too!

1. Sheer clothing

2. White clothing

3. Sun hats

5. Bandanas

6. Sunglasses

7. Long maxi skirts/dresses

8. Scarfs (wear around your shoulders while in the sun)

9. Umbrellas

10. Tights

(I threw 8,9, and 10 in for our good measure of protecting our skin while still looking like a fashionista)

Fashion can be inspired by a lot of things. I LOVE summer fashion and the beauty that inspires it! Here are a few looks I "modified" from what a gardener would wear into everyday wear! These outfits were greatly inspired by flowers and bold vegetable colors that you get from the garden.

Sheer light clothing still lets a breeze in!

Long maxi skirts protect our legs from the sun without having sweaty jeans cling to our legs.

White and light colored shirts don't absorb the heat from the sun as much as dark colored shirts.

Sun hats keep the sun out of our face and protect our scalp.

Again, sun hats, white/light colors and sheer tops are great ways to keep protected without over heating.

Flower inspired head wear.

Flower inspired jewelry.

Many summer outfits don't require much covering up so obviously sunscreen is a must! You should even wear sunscreen when you are covered up for extra protection. After some research, these 5 sunscreens have been rated the top sunscreens for 2012.

You can read the full review here.

1. Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunblock SPF 30

Perks: protects against short and long wave UVA rays and stays on great!

2. No-Ad Sunblock Lotion SPF 45

Perks: Gives more sunscreen for the money, has aloe, and is very water resistant.

3. Blue Lizard Suncreen Sensitive SPF 30+

Perks: No fragrance and is great for sensitive skin.

4. Banana Boat Sport Performance Broad Spectrum Sunscreen SPF 100

Perks: Great for active people and doesn't run into eyes.

5. Badger SPF 30 For Face and Body

Perks: Uses organic ingredients and is great for all skin types.

***Don't forget to put sunscreen on your scalp, ears, nose, and tops of feet!***

My dad sent me this article not too long ago. Some studies have shown that sunblocks aren't good for your skin and could even be toxic. This article gives great advice about natural ways to protect your skin by taking oral antioxidants.

You can read the full review here.

1. Green Tea

Perks: Significantly protects against UVA and UVB damage and also neutralizes major free radicals in the skin.

2. Silymarin (component of milk thistle)

Perks: Provides the skin with major protection against sun damage and skin cancer.

3. Proanthocyanidins (grape seed extract and pycnogenol)

Perks: Not only prevents UV damage but also protects skins collagen and elastin, both of which retard skin aging.

4. Curcumin

Perks: Has been shown to powerfully inhibit skin cancer and lightens skin spots.

5. Rosemary

Perks: Has been proven to powerfully prevent skin cancers induced by a number of agents, including UV radiation.

6. Resveratrol (found is grape seeds)

Perks: There is evidence that it is what protects grapes from the suns harsh rays. Studies indicate that it can do the same for people when given either orally or applied topically.

7. Vitamins C, D, E

Perks: Vitamins C, E, and D have all shown protective effects. Vitamin E is one of the skins most abundant skin antioxidants.

Whew, the reason I stress the "sunscreens" is because I'm only 23 and I have already have had Melanoma removed from my leg. It's not a pleasant experience and it's so easy to prevent. You can read about my experience here. Please, be careful! If you put sunscreen on and take these things orally, then you are giving yourself some GREAT protection from the sun!

I'd love to hear of some creative ways that you protect your skin during the summer!

 

father and son's ties

how cute are these?! my friend summer is selling father and son's ties for a GREAT price! they are perfect for a father's day gift :) don't miss out on this!

father and son's ties

ilove iphone

 bike ride on the boise greenbelt

 can never go wrong with a sugar cookie

eeeeeeeeek! bugs!

 before

 after

 roses from our front yard :) i LOVE fresh flowers!

i did. i did take a mirror picture at the gym. you can make fun of me, cuz i make fun of me. i had to show my new workout pants and shoes from china :) i'm surprised at how good the quality is!

 this recipe is sooooo good! via pinterest

our yard was a beast! but no challenge for our push mower. okay actually is was.. took me over an hour to mow our patch of grass

me, myself, and i

i was supposed to save this for friday since i'm posting about it on howdoesshe.. but i like them so i posted early. stay tuned to find out what i'm chatting about :) 

tanner came out from china yesterday and i can't stress how good it is to have him back. but the poor kid has been sick. he got the flu while he was there and now he's really tired with possible strep throat. i wish i could have it instead of him. i shouldn't jinx myself since i probably will catch it sooner or later. i'm a magnet for illness. even through his sickness he still thought of me and brought be back some china goods!

you know i be high rollin in my new channel and rolex watches haha

featured blogger: leslie leavitt photography

I am so excited to be here with all you golden moment readers! Ever since I purchased my 50mm lens for my camera, it is practically the only lens I use. If you don't have one, I suggest that you get one. You won't regret it! I want to tell you about how to turn your 50mm lens into a macro lens, which can really give you some beautiful pictures. It is really simple all you have to do it turn the lens backwards.

So, you will first start out with your camera and lens. 

Take the camera lens off and turn it in reverse.  

You will have to hold the lens in place and make sure that your camera is in manual mode.  

You will have to move back and forth away from your subject to focus. The hard part is not moving your hands so that your photo is not blurry.  

This is how close I can get with the 50mm lens on normal. 

And this is with the lens backwards. We just moved to Hawaii and I am anxious to get some beautiful pictures using my 50mm as a macro. Check out more at my blog Leslie Leavitt Photography!