Facecare

Tabs was a natural born optimist. He always saw the up side to everything, sought out the silver linings and took advantage of every opportunity to spread hope and joy.

That might be why he liked holidays so much — because they were an opportunity to play Santa “Claws,” so to speak, and spread good tidings to everyone.

Perhaps for the obvious reasons, St. Patrick’s Day was a fave. Obviously, with those gorgeous green eyes, he loved the color scheme.

And then, of course, the gold… He was also a big fan of that.

Rosie has her own reasons for celebrating St. Paddy’s Day. For starter’s, alchemy…

In fact, she did her PhD dissertation in turning lead into gold through targeted meows in the ultra-low frequency range, the so-called “smoker’s meow” spectrum.

Marnie, however, did not get the memo regarding St. Patrick’s Day this year.

Or rather, she did get the memo, but she didn’t read it.

Or, well, she read it… She just didn’t understand it at all.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

So…what is the Monday Poll?

Excellent question! It isn’t, contrary to its name, an actual poll, like with little clicky buttons. It’s just a list of more or less random questions I’ve been posting on this blog every Monday morning for the past quadrillion years (since 2007).

1. Which would you rather have in your makeup collection: a nail polish that never chipped, a foundation that perfectly matched your skin tone, a long-lasting mascara that was easy to remove or a lipstick that never dried out your lips?

Nail polish that never chipped! In a heartbeat.

2. How good are you at doing other people’s hair?

Not great. Actually, terrible. I realized I really need to work at it when I tried to do Connor’s hair in a french braid for a dance competition, and it looked so wonky it was laughable.

3. What do you do when you’re sitting on a flight next to a stranger: chat them up or put in your headphones and pretend they’re not there?

I’ll do a little polite chat, mostly because I know I’ll have to get up a few times to go to the bathroom, and if I have to climb over them, it’s a little less awkward.

4. What drink do you typically have with a meal?

Usually bubbly water or plain water. Sometimes I’ll have an iced tea with lunch, or a very watered down juice (like, 50% of it is water).

5. Pick one: walking or biking?

Walking! I’m less likely to crash into someone or something. Hahaha!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Here are the questions to copy/paste with your answers in a comment. Talk to ya soon.

1. Which would you rather have in your makeup collection: a nail polish that never chipped, a foundation that perfectly matched your skin tone, a long-lasting mascara that was easy to remove or a lipstick that never dried out your lips?
2. How good are you at doing other people’s hair?
3. What do you do when you’re sitting on a flight next to a stranger: chat them up or put in your headphones and pretend they’re not there?
4. What drink do you typically have with a meal?
5. Pick one: walking or biking?

So…what is the Monday Poll?

Excellent question! It isn’t, contrary to its name, an actual poll, like with little clicky buttons. It’s just a list of more or less random questions I’ve been posting on this blog every Monday morning for the past quadrillion years (since 2007).

1. Which would you rather collect: vintage clothes or vintage furniture?

I could do both, but if I could only pick one, I’d have to go with vintage clothes, mostly because I don’t have a big enough house to collect furniture pieces. Sigh! Oh, and also, I don’t want to worry about my furniture being beat up by the pets and the kids playing in my house, you know?

2. How good are you with keeping secrets?

If you tell me something in confidence, it’s going to the grave with me, babe; however, I do have an exception policy. If I believe someone’s in danger, then I’m gonna say something.

3. Who’s the coolest Jennifer: Jennifer Hudson, Jennifer Lopez, Jennifer Garner or Jennifer Coolidge?

Jennifer Coolidge, all the way.

4. What’s the nicest thing you’ve done for yourself lately?

For the last month, I’ve made it a priority to work out. It’s made such a difference in my sleep, mood and overall energy.

5. Pick one: spaghetti or lasagna?

If someone else makes it for me, then lasagna. I enjoy leftover lasagna much more than spaghetti.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Here are the questions to copy/paste with your answers in a comment. Talk to ya soon.

1. Which would you rather collect: vintage clothes or vintage furniture?
2. How good are you with keeping secrets?
3. Who’s the coolest Jennifer: Jennifer Hudson, Jennifer Lopez, Jennifer Garner or Jennifer Coolidge?
4. What’s the nicest thing you’ve done for yourself lately?
5. Pick one: spaghetti or lasagna?

That little girl in the picture above turned nine years old today.

Yup, today is Connor Claire’s ninth birthday!

Wow.

I remember that day up there like it was yesterday. Poor Tabs… He was slightly confused about the overall gist of the festivities.

I think he thought it was a get-together to celebrate him.

We didn’t want to burst his bubble, so we took a brief interlude to sing him the birthday song. “Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday, dear tabby… Happy birthday to you!”

Connor Claire didn’t mind, and there was more than enough food, fun and love for everyone.

It was kind of weird, but for the most part, Tabs wasn’t as social as he usually is. He spent most of the afternoon napping at the top of the stairs, away from the party.

I checked in on him from time to time and gave him chin scratches and whispered that I love him.

Maybe he thought that his toddler assistant deserved to be the center of attention for once. I don’t know, but I wouldn’t be surprised if that was it. After all, he was a very conscientious tabby.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Oh, and here’s Connor Claire now, a dancing nine year old.

So…what is the Monday Poll?

Excellent question! It isn’t, contrary to its name, an actual poll, like with little clicky buttons. It’s just a list of more or less random questions I’ve been posting on this blog every Monday morning for the past quadrillion years (since 2007).

1. Which would you rather have: an epic eyeshadow collection or an epic lipstick collection?

My eye makeup game has been super minimal for the past couple of years, so epic lipstick collection it is!

2. If you could only wear one type of pants for the rest of your life, which would you pick: yoga/workout leggings, jeans, chinos or overalls?

Although I like the idea of wearing pants with stretch, I do not love the idea of wearing leggings that hug my butt so closely for the rest of my life. UGH. But I guess I’d go with yoga/workout leggings, simply because I can’t imagine working out in jeans or chinos. And I guess one could dress leggings up for formal occasions?

3. What do you think would be cooler: having wings or having an impenetrable shell?

Wings, all the way. I can see why a shell would be great though, especially if one was unexpectedly under attack, or if people were getting on my nerves and/or I needed to take a nap! Just tuck into the shell and that’s it.

4. What’s for dinner?

Probably lemon pasta because we just picked off a ton of lemons from our lemon tree a few days ago, and I need to use them up. I use this recipe, by the way!

5. What’s easier to do, blending blush or blending eyeshadow?

Oh yeah, blush, for sure.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Here are the questions to copy/paste with your answers in a comment. Talk to ya soon.

1. Which would you rather have: an epic eyeshadow collection or an epic lipstick collection?
2. If you could only wear one type of pants for the rest of your life, which would you pick: yoga/workout leggings, jeans, chinos or overalls?
3. What do you think would be cooler: having wings or having an impenetrable shell?
4. What’s for dinner?
5. What’s easier to do, blending blush or blending eyeshadow?

Finally! A sunny week.

This is such a great time of year in the Bay Area. It’s still a bit wintry, but we usually get a few weeks in late February that are ridiculously perfect. Sunny and crisp with highs in the upper 60s to low 70s.

We’ve gotten more rain than usual (the new usual) for three years in a row, including this one, which is weird because we had a drought that lasted a decade!

I know it’s temporary, but for three years the weather has been, like, retro normal. Trees are healthy again, the streams and rivers are flowing — it’s bizarre!

This is the time of year one of my tabby’s favorite flowers bloomed. Tulips! He loved almost everything about them. (“Almost” because he did not like the fact that they’re toxic.)

Rosie loves this time of year too.

Not quite spring, but not quite the dead of winter either. During unseasonably warm weeks like this one, the grass starts growing, oak trees start blooming, squirrels are…squirreling, and butterflies and birds are flying.

There’s a lot of activity!

Marnie doesn’t have a super strong opinion on it either way…

Sure, she likes going outside for long walkies, but really, she fine using her treadmill too.

She isn’t very picky about her workouts.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

My sweet MBB,

Goodness gracious, you are 18 today. I can’t believe it, but yet I can. We’ve been together so long, haven’t we?

I know that this year was kind of a challenging one for us. Between me not feeling like my usual self and struggling with some health things, we haven’t been spending a lot of time together, not like we used to. I want you to know, though, that I am still here, and that I still love you very much.

I will always be so very proud of you and everything we’ve accomplished together.

What’s in store for us this next year? I don’t know, but I have a feeling that it’s going to be a year full of love, growth and adventure.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

So…what is the Monday Poll?

Excellent question! It isn’t, contrary to its name, an actual poll, like with little clicky buttons. It’s just a list of more or less random questions I’ve been posting on this blog every Monday morning for the past quadrillion years (since 2007).

1. Muumuu or tutu?

Muumuu, babe. Mrs. Roper style all the way!

2. French braid or a messy bun?

Messy bun. It’s like the default state of my hair these days, hahaha.

3. Something that reminds you of home?

The smell of wet eucalyptus leaves (it’s a very Nor Cal scent, IMHO). Seeing green rolling hills in the distance. Bridges.

4. What’s the last book you finished that you’d like to recommend to a friend (aka me, hahaha)?

I just finished reading “One Italian Summer” by Rebecca Searle, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It’s sweet and thoughtful, and I felt like I was on an Italian vacation in Positano while I was reading it.

5. Your feelings about nail art?

Besides the fact that I’m terrible at it? LOL! I love it on others. On me, not so much. I’m pretty boring; I like one solid block of color on all my nails. I can’t even handle an accent nail, man. LOL!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Here are the questions to copy/paste with your answers in a comment. Talk to ya soon.

1. Muumuu or tutu?
2. French braid or a messy bun?
3. Something that reminds you of home?
4. What’s the last book you finished that you’d like to recommend to a friend (aka me, hahaha)?
5. Your feelings about nail art?

If we could sneap a peak into Rosie’s wildest dreams, they would be dreams of crunchies falling from Heaven…

Or perhaps plump chickens spiraling within a vortex in a colorful nebula.

Tabs, on the other hand, lived his dreams in real life…

He achieved greatness in all areas.

As foretold in the prophesies, he was the chosen one…

Marnie has dreams as well…

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

So…what is the Monday Poll?

Excellent question! It isn’t, contrary to its name, an actual poll, like with little clicky buttons. It’s just a list of more or less random questions I’ve been posting on this blog every Monday morning for the past quadrillion years (since 2007).

1. Shrimp or crab?

Crab, but it can’t be imitation, and it has to be fresh.

2. Yoga or pilates?

Both are equally as challenging for this very out-of-shape lady at the moment. LOL! (Been a rough 12 months.) I’ll pick yoga; I could use a good stretch.

3. Something that makes you feel sentimental?

When my phone brings up baby photos of Connor or old photos of Tabs before he got sick. My heart swells up every single time.

4. What book are you reading at the moment?

Nothing at the moment, boo. I need a good one. Got anything to suggest? I would like something not too heavy or scary.

5. Something you wish you said no to sooner?

I wish I would’ve said no to almost everyone who asked me out when I was a teenager and in my early 20s. I realize now that when I was that age, I didn’t know how to say no to people when they asked me things which made me uncomfortable, so I often ended up in relationships which I didn’t want to be in. I was very much a people pleaser until recently. Better late than never, I guess.

6. What’s one of the first signs of spring where you live?

I know spring’s just around the corner when the white cherry blossoms in my neighborhood bloom. Can’t wait! I love spring much more than I used to when I was younger. I think it’s the sense of rebirth and the world coming to life again.

7. A gadget that you’d like?

An air fryer that doesn’t take up a lot of space on my kitchen counter that’s easy to use and not hideous to look at.

8. What liner are you wearing these days?

I bought a beautiful bronze pencil from MAC a couple weeks ago, Skip the Waitlist. It’s a twist-up gel liner, aka my favorite thing in the whole wide world.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Here are the questions to copy/paste with your answers in a comment. Talk to ya soon.

1. Shrimp or crab?
2. Yoga or pilates?
3. Something that makes you feel sentimental?
4. What book are you reading at the moment?
5. Something you wish you said no to sooner?
6. What’s one of the first signs of spring where you live?
7. A gadget that you’d like?
8. What liner are you wearing these days?