Now I Can Say I've Tried It

To make our trip to Hawaii as relaxing as possible, Emily and I decided to get eyelash extension.  The plan was to look amazing at all times, without having to put makeup on or worry about waterproof mascara and those sorts of things.  Plus, it was a good excuse to try eyelash extensions.  We got a groupon- don't worry I would never spend $200 for eyelashes.

So, Friday was the big day.  

This is what I knew or had heard going into the experience:

It would take 2 hours

It would be in a private room

It would be relaxing and people have even fallen asleep during it

I would need to keep my eyes closed for 2 hours straight (this made me a teense nervous)

It would be worth it

This is what really happened:

It took three hours (3 HOURS!)!!!

I had a new "technician" which I didn't figure out until about halfway through the process.

It took her two hours to do 1 eye!  At which point she realized she was going too slow and then rushed the other eye.

She dripped glue into my eyes which caused them to burn and caused me to say a few silent prayers that I wouldn't go blind.

The salon chair was uncomfortable and gave me a major backache.

I had the beginnings of a panic attack in the chair because I couldn't open my eyes and I was in pain due to the pads she used being applied into my eyeballs instead of just below them!

It was very claustrophobic for me- the whole thing.

I may have prayed a few times that it could end soon because I thought I was going to die if I had to lay in that chair for one more minute.

She glued my lashes to the lower pad at one point.

I will never do it again.

Sure, now that the lashes are on it's pretty awesome not to have to wear any eye make up. 

BUT I am at a point in my life where going through any amount of discomfort or pain voluntarily is not worth it.  No thank you.

I will enjoy my lashes in Hawaii but will never do this again.  

However, I have realized since having them that extra-long, curled lashes make a big difference!  I wake up in the morning and don't look so much like death.  Well, maybe I look like death with lashes, but I feel like I look more awake and the amount of time I spend doing makeup has decreased by half at least- so that is seriously awesome.  My real lashes are pretty long, but I would love them thicker and darker. I may look into trying something else in the future like latice or perm and tint... but you will never again find me in a chair for three hours with a glue gun dripping into my eyeball!

I survived, and here is the before and after: 

 In the "before" picture I do have a little eyeliner on, but no mascara.  I should have done no makeup at all so it would be more dramatic but whatever.  

Have you done eyelash extensions and did you have a better experience than me?  What about other eyelash treatments?  What should I try next?

I Might Be Warming Up to the Whole Camping Thing...

So.  A few months ago Brett planned a family camping trip.  I said yes for the kids sake.  I don't love camping.  But Brett convinced us it was a great camping spot and everyone else was going (except Abilla's obviously because they're in Tennessee now) so we went too.  It was a lot of fun!  Yes, I just admitted that sleeping in a tent surrounded by filthy children was fun!  The fun started after the first night.  The first night was pure torture.  Let me tell you:

Mack got woken up and wouldn't go back to sleep.  He was crying and waking up everyone within a 5 mile radius I'm sure, so the only option was for him to come into my bed with me.  After a few hours of being kicked, sat on, nose pinched over and over, my adam's apple grabbed repeatedly (even though I don't have an adam's apple- who knows what he was trying to grab), my eyes poked, face and head slapped, mouth covered, etc etc. I started bawling.  It was like trying to sleep with a wild piglet and obviously I was not sleeping.  I don't do well without sleep.  It was like 3am and I hadn't slept at all!  Dave heard my sobs and took the baby even though he did NOT want to be taken.  Dave put him back in his crib and told him to go to sleep.  He continued to cry and then Macey started crying and dramatically yelling at us "how can you just let him cry like that?!?!"  Anyway, long story short Dave held him and bounced him for a loooong time and he finally went back to sleep.  

We were all up bright and early the next morning where I was greeted with a delicious piece of french toast with a birthday candle in it (thanks mom!) and a fun birthday banner (thanks Em!) and some treats from my kids and nephews.  The rest of the day was awesome.  We sat on a gorgeous beach and watched the kids play in the water, swam, canoed, rafted, played bocce ball, ate and chatted with some of my favorite people.  Oh and I even got a nap on the blanket with the sun warming me... I was miraculously left alone for at least 30 minutes.  It was a wonderful day.  That night we went to a super yummy pizza place for my birthday dinner and then walked along the water for awhile.  Seriously I don't know what I would have done here for my bdaythat would have been better (maybe would have gotten a shower) but it was a great day!

Now onto a small sample of pictures from the trip (haha):

We also celebrated my dad's 60TH BIRTHDAY!  We all chipped in and got him a range finder (some golf gadget that I don't understand).  Then we all took pictures with him.  Here he is with just the in-laws- so random and funny.

Here he is with his childrens (minus Angie and Kaley).

Bennett and Wyatt being silly.

Mack and Miles being buddies.

My most favorite part of camping was watching Mack wander around the wilderness.  He was so quiet and content to wander and gather sticks.  Occasionally he would touch a tree and say "woooow."  Or crouch and play with dirt.  But he loved being in the forest and I loved watching him roam.

In this photo above, he spotted me spying on him from behind a tree.  He promptly held his stick up and made a shooting noise.  He shot me.  His own mother.  With a smile on his face.  Boys.

Another highlight was obvs smores.  Who doesn't love all you can eat smores?!?!

Our tent.  

Mack sleeping in the tent.  Please notice the cot on the left.  That is my bed.  Dave borrowed a super sweet cot for me to sleep on- it was amazing.  I will never camp again without a cot.

Who hung their underwear up in the middle of camp?  Sheesh.

The adults.  Julie and I have matchy shirts!

The kids spent a lot of time carving sticks into weapons.

Mack just digging in the dirt!  This was taken the first day- when he was still relatively clean.

The babies.  Who are now not really babies anymore (SOB)

cousins!

This is where I wish we had stayed- how gorgeous is this home right on the lake!  My dream!

Tahoe is so pretty it's just crazy.  I could sit and stare at it all day long.

My boyfriend.

Emily and her boyfriend.

Mr Coops!

Lexi loves Grandma and Grandpa

Mace and Wyatt swimming!

Baby boys- both with an adorable space in their front teeth.

Miss Mace

Macky and Grandpa

Me and Dave, my love.  Here I am officially 34.

Walking and running along the water.

Love Mack's cankles and Miles with his 90's jeans laughing so hard!

Mack LOVES his uncle Dustin so much- it's adorable.

Me and my girlfriends.  Where was Logan?  Just off in the woods the whole time.

Me and my Dad's birthday banner- thanks Em!  

Macky also LOVES his uncle Landon.  It melts me.

oh, just gatherin' some sticks and dirt!  Don't mind me!

Pure Beauty.

Babies in a boat

Julie and Miles playing in the sand.

Hotness.

The men canoeing.  Did they kick Landon out for some reason?!

My birthday celebration.

Lexi asked my mom to help her make me an apron for my birthday.  They worked so hard on it and I love it- it was so sweet of her to want to make me something.  And so nice of my mom to help her!  Thanks you two!

My delicious birthday dinner.  I could go for some more right now.

My birthday date.

Me and my sisters (missed you Ang and Kays!)

And that is the end.  If I never print these pictures at least they're here on my blog and let's just hope this blog lasts forever!

Also, someday I want to buy a house in Tahoe.  I'm going to start saving right now.