Tweet Me girls!

I did it ... I joined Twitterland.  If you have a Twitter account,  add me so I can follow you too!

I'm @LindsLeeTHEBB or click the button below:

I hope to spend the day catching up and commenting on all of your blogs.  I'm so behind!  Have a great rest of your weekend!

Friday Confessional

I've wanted to do one of these posts for forever, and today is finally the day!  I'm linking up with Glamazon Mom and Mammarazzi for my first ever blog confessional. 

Forgive me blog world, for I have sinned ...

I confess that I know I promised you the second half of the wedding weekend recap today, but quite frankly, I'm too lazy to post that many pictures.  That will just have to wait until Monday.

I confess I was over the royal wedding before it even started.  Now that I've seen the dress and a few of the crazy hats, I'm going to need the media coverage to just stop.  And every one at work to stop talking about it.

I confess I drank too many beers at Happy Hour last night and really need some Aleve. 

I confess that sometimes I buy maternity dresses at Target if they are on sale because you really can't tell the difference if you just buy a size smaller than what you'd normally wear.  OMG, don't judge me.

I confess that I took a week hiatus from the gym this week, and I feel really guilty about it. 

I confess I lost my favorite sleep mask in Arizona and I'm very upset.  I just ordered a new replacement, but I don't know how I'm going to wait 7 days for it to be shipped to me.

I confess that I cried all the way home from work Monday and it felt good.  You know one of those days where every thing seems like it's going wrong?  Then something sends you over the edge, the tears start coming and you can't stop them?  Me.

I confess that sometimes I text and drive.  I know.  Don't even tell me.

I confess that I still haven't unpacked my suitcase.  Instead, I've just been using it as a second closet.

What do you confess?

Part 1: AZ wedding weekend extravagana

Let me just say this:  Arizona was beyond.  I'm seriously baffled that I never knew how pretty it was there.  It also didn't hurt that we stayed at The Montelucia, an award-winning luxury resort and spa.   If you ever have a chance to stay there, do it and don't even think twice. 

I remember when Christina (the bride) told me they decided on a destination wedding in AZ, I wasn't really sure what to expect.  Nothing really did justice to the resort until I actually got there and saw it in its entirety.  I mean, hello ... we literally walked into this view when we got out of the cab.  Need I say more?

More views of the resort:

One of my besties from high school and another bridesmaid, Lisa, was on the same flight as me from Dallas to Phoenix. The first thing we did upon arrival was order Mimosas, duh. Well, technically our room wasn't ready and we had to get ready for the Bridesmaids Luncheon in one of the restaurant's rest rooms, but ... mimosas were second up. Lisa may or may not have had to wash her feet in the sink.  

After we guzzled our mimosas, we headed to the luncheon, which was hosted at a restaurant in Scottsdale called Arcadia Farms. It was the perfect little girly outing – it had the cutest cottage and garden setting. The salads were to die and the dessert we all split at the end was delectable. I like that word. Delectable.

Once lunch wrapped up, we headed back to check into our room to get ready for the rehearsal. When we opened the door to our room, I believe I heard a chorus of angels singing. The shower was out of this world and I seriously want that set-up in my house when I grow up. We also had to call the front desk for a few things and the bell boys that brought stuff up were hottie mchottersons. Yes, sir. I’ll take one of you and you.

I know I already showed you the view from our room, but it's so pretty, I couldn't resist showing you again:

Lounge chair on our patio:

We had the rehearsal on the lawn overlooking Camelback Mountain. Lisa took a shot of us looking into the top of a water canister. Clearly we were playing close attention to the wedding planner.

The doors into the reception room, they were flown in from Spain!

The soon to be bride and groom's last day technically "single":

A trolley took us to the rehearsal dinner at an Italian restaurant you may know - Grimaldis. 

The bride and my BFF Liz on the trolley:

The bride and groom met and live in NYC so they wanted a piece of NY at the wedding. One of their first dates was actually at the Grimaldi’s in NY – cute, huh? The food was amaze, and there went my diet.  Bye bye … see ya later. There is a Grimaldis directly across from my office building and I had never been there. Now I know how good it is, which could pose a problem. Summer is basically here and me and a 2 piece are not getting along right now.

I loved hanging with my besties from high school at the rehearsal dinner. Some of us don’t get to see each other all the time, so it was great to catch up and reminisce about our "rebel" high school days. Our friends were the last to leave the dinner (typical), but we all went to bed at a decent hour because we had to be up and ready to go at 9 a.m. the next day for the wedding.

The "fab 5":

The groom's fave for dessert:

Tomorrow I’ll finish my Arizona wedding weekend extravaganza recap with Wedding Day festivities. Hope you enjoyed the recap so far!

What I'm Loving Wednesday

I'm back for another edition of WILW by linking up with Jamie here.  My most favorite post of the week!

1. I'm loving that while in Arizona I got to meet up with Jonalynn from Turn Up the Rad.  Her and I met in college at a Journalism leadership conference in Oregon.  She may or may not be able to tell you stories that involve me walking up and down the beach holding my box of wine as if it were my first born.  Happy to report I no longer roll with the boxed wine (not that I'm above it) and have since upgraded to the liter sized bottles.  Keepin' it classy ladies, as usual.  

We met for lunch Saturday before my flight left for Dallas.  I really wish I got spend more time with her, but some is better than nothing! (BTW - I promise I'll have the pictures posted tomorrow.)

2. I've been obsessed with this bread for a while, so I thought I'd share.  I'm always loving the 45 calorie Sara Lee 100% whole wheat bread.  So soft and only 45 cals.  Need I say more?  It's the only bread I'll buy.

3. Love, love, love Pop Chips.  Have you tried these magical, never baked, never fried, all-natural chips??  They are so good and low in cals.  The BBQ flavor is my favorite - especially because it's only 120 calories for 19 chips.  I've seen these at all the grocery stores around me, but my favorite place to buy them is Kroger because lately they've been on sale for 2 bags for $4.

4. I love that the purdy LC from Mixed With Love awarded me with the Liebster Award!  I'm so honored, I love receiving blogger awards!  Makes me feel like someone cares.  Everyone say "awwww".  Hugs LC, thank you so much! XOXO

If there is a blog with 300 followers or less,  this award is designed to bring those bloggers the recognition they deserve!  The idea with this award is that if it is awarded to you, you should link back to the person who gave it to you and then choose 3 blogs to award the Liebster Blog Award to.  I choose:

 Rachel @ California Pretty

She's gorgeous and just switched blog names to focus more on her photography.  Her photos and outfits are amazing!  Check her out.  She's so sweet too, I love her blog.


Stephanie @ Stephanie and Such

The first time I saw her blog I thought OMG, this girl is GORGE and looks like Emily Maynard's twin (Emily from the bachelor)!  I seriously want to steal Stephanie's hair, it always looks perfect in her pics.  Another must follow.  She's the best too, obvi.  

Lilly @ Lilly's Style

I'm not huge into style blogs, but there are a few I love.  Lilly's is one of them.  Her style is so cute and perfect for every day wear.  All of her outfits are very affordable and re-creatable.  Her OOTD are the best!

5. I'm loving that I'm getting a new blog design!  I got this pre-made one when I first started blogging and had no clue what I was doing.  It has served it's purpose, but it's definitely time for an upgrade.  

Guess who is redesigning me??  That lovely lady I mentioned above, Jonalynn!  She did her own blog design and it's amazing, so I'm beyond excited that she agreed to pimp my blog.  I can't wait to debut it to you ladies in a few weeks or so. 

6. And last but not least, I'm in love with "The Voice" on NBC!  It premiered last night and I lovedddd the little swivel action in the chair.  And seriously, I want to marry Blake Shelton.  I'm sorry Miranda, but he is so dreamy!  So is Adam Levine, but Blake is definitely more my type. 

If you didn't get to watch last night, do yourself a favor and watch tonight.  It was so good and my new favorite show!  One side note - what is with Cee-lo's hands?  Is it just me or do they seem too small for his body?? 

DIY Makeup Brush Cleaning

  

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Let's talk DIY makeup brush cleaner, shall we? I’m sure most of you probably already know this, but maybe not. Legit makeup brush cleaners can get pricey, and cleaning your makeup brushes frequently is a necessity. I know it’s sick, but they harbor dirt, bacteria and skin oil. Barf. If you don’t keep them clean, they can lead to break-outs and a clumpy application. I know you don’t want that. Right?

A few years ago I bought a bottle of brush cleaner from Ulta and it was over $20 (what was I thinking?), so I looked on their Web site and these days Ulta's brush cleaners range from $11 to $30. I’m pretty sure you know I’m not paying $30 when I have a DIY system that will cost you less than $4. My bargain solution? Baby shampoo.

It’s gentle and will keep your brushes lasting for years, which is a great investment if I do say so myself. Look, I’m as lazy as the next girl, but the thought of spreading bacteria all over my skin makes me shiver. Here is my easy step-by-step guide to keeping your brushes soft and squeaky clean:

1. Run your brush under warm water

2. Work a small amount of baby shampoo into a lather

3. Rinse thoroughly and repeat as needed until water runs clear from brush. Try to keep your brush pointed down during this process.

4. Reshape and allow to dry on a clean towel.

[Do this process a minimum of once a week to all your brushes. Technically any liquid make-up brushes should be cleaned every day (um, yah right) and powder brushes can go a little longer between cleaning.]

Hope this helps. If you have any questions or additional tips, I'd love to hear them in the comments!

Guest blogging over at "a little bit of this & that"!

I have to send you ladies over to read my guest post on my sweet bloggy friend Michelle's blog, a little bit of this & that.  When she contacted me about a new series she was starting called Not Another Bad Date, I was pumped. 

Every girl has had a dating horror story or two, which is precisely why I make it a habit to rarely date.  I much prefer my couch, a bottle of wine and my DVR over small talk at dinner with a freak.  Especially when that freak picks you up in an outfit not even Goodwill would take. 

I'm totally exagerrating, but it was NOT pretty ladies.  You can imagine how hard it was to conceal my look of disgust when I opened the door only to lay eyes on an oufit almost identifcal to that one below.  No, it wasn't 1992.  It was 2006.  I know.  But that's all I'm saying because you need to head over to Michelle's blog for the the full recap of my romantical evening with "Tapered".  Go check it out if you know what's good for you.

I'm baaack.

I took TONS of pics for you ladies, but that will have to wait until later this week because I'm exhausted from the wedding weekend extravaganza, and this little blondie needs to catch up on her beauty sleep! 

Just to give you an idea of how beautiful it was, here is the view from my balcony.  Amazing right?  It truly was breathtaking and I can't believe I didn't know about this hidden treasure of a state.  It was sooo gorgeous, you truly must visit Scottsdale/Phoenix if you haven't already.

I just want to do a quick post to say Happy Easter and give a HUGE thank you to Raven and Megan for holding down the fort while I was gone.  Didn't they do a fabulous job??  I loved both their posts!  Thank you so much ladies, I appreciate you two!

OK, just one more pic ... I can't resist.  Here are my best friends from high school at the Rehearsal Din Din.  Over 10 years of friendship.  Love these ladies, we are the "Fab 5".  Ha!

Megan shares how to keep your dollars out of the retailers' pockets!

Hi everyone! This is Megan from A Suitcase and Stilettos guest-blogging for Lindsey today while I’m jealous she is in Phoenix basking in the hot desert sun and enjoying wedding shenanigans. Sorry Ohio, but you just don’t measure up. I’m super excited to post for The Bargain Blonde because Lindsey keeps me well entertained every time I read her blog, without fail. I am just hoping I can keep y’all half as entertained today!

When I asked her what I should write about…she suggested bargaining. AGHHH! Me blogging about bargaining is about the equivalent of the Detroit Lions talking about their Super Bowl Rings. It just doesn’t work. Or does it? Perhaps I don’t consider myself a “bargainer” in the world of fashion, but there are some things I just won’t spend a pretty penny on.

With summer approaching, I thought I would share some of my top tips for keeping your cash OUT of the hands of the retail stores (and perhaps INTO the hands of that sexy pool bartender who makes the most fabulous Mai Tai).

Tip 1: Buy your swimsuit in the fall
If you are not one who has hundreds of dollars to spend on the latest swimsuits from season to season, don’t worry. No one really cares where your swimsuit is from and what season it is from…as long as you rock it.

I am quite sure I have NEVER purchased a swimsuit in the spring for the summer. Instead, I purchase them in the fall. They will be over 75% off. I grew up near the ocean, so it was more necessary for me to own an array of different suits so I didn’t have to wash them as often, than it was for me to own a few really nice, luxurious looking ones.

Tip 2: Make t-shirts your wardrobe staple
T-shirts virtually go with ANYTHING. I wear them with skirts, business suits (ohhh yea, that’s right…I can totally rock a B.Spears t-shirt under a suit jacket and dress pants better than anyone I know), jeans, shorts…and even to bed. You don’t need to own a ton of them either…but perhaps just a mere few. What you do with the t-shirt is what really matters anyways.

Tip 3: Cancel that gym membership…just for the summer.
Now I know some of y'all get into extensive contracts with your gym memberships, and you’re so unwilling to break your normal gym routine. But for those that do the month-to-month thing (which is becoming increasingly popular), and those that just enjoy being physical, and not so much the monotony of the treadmill, this is probably a better option for you.

Trade in your gym dates for other activities. Early morning walks (especially with your pup if you have one), swimming, bike riding, and hiking are amazing ways to stay fit and enjoy the outdoors…for free. Growing up in southeast Virginia made it difficult to do activity during daylight hours because of the extreme heat, but nothing was better than an early morning workout or workout once the sun goes down.

Tip 4: Eat fruits and vegetables that are in season
This can be very dependent on where you live. However, buying the fruits and vegetables that are in season at the time tend to be cheaper than buying foods that are not in season. For example, in the summer, the following fruits and vegetables are in season:

Peaches

Corn

Cherries

Plums

Broccoli

Tomatoes

Watermelon

For a full list, click here.

Tip 5: Go natural
This can often not be something someone likes to hear, especially if you love makeup, like me. But, there is really no reason to wear foundations and heavy makeup in the summer. The foundation I wear is over $40 (sorry bargain babes…I know you probably just gasped!), and taking a few months off from it can help me out tremendously in the summer months.

Also, try taking it natural on your hair. It’s a common trend that girls like to go blonder in the summer months. But, it can 1) tear apart your hair…especially if you let your hair be in the sun often (or in chlorine) and 2) tear apart your wallet…BEING BLONDE IS EXPENSIVE (unless you have your desirable hair color AS your natural color…which in that case, I probably hate you!)

If you tan easily, being a more natural color actually is often times much prettier than really dark skin and super light hair. I have had horrid experiences where I look at photos of myself in the summers and I feel like a bimbo, all because my hair was way too light. The sun naturally will lighten your hair. And if you’re unsatisfied with the results the sun gives, try using a lightening, or purple shampoo. This will enhance streaks and help your hair maintain a lighter shade.

I hope you found some of these tips helpful when it comes to salvaging some of your paychecks during those hot, summer months.

Do you have any tips that you use to help yourself save a few pennies? If so, PLEASE SHARE!

[Photos courtesy of 1, 2, 3, 4]

Raven reveals her bargain shimmer and shine finds for summer!

 Well hello all you gorgeous girls! This is Raven from A Momma's Desires and Pacifiers, and I was totally stoked when Lindsey asked me to guest post. See, we are totally BFF's. We talk every day (via blackberry messenger) and even though I have "known" her for a few short months, she already knows my most horrendous, most mortifying experience EVER. (You better NEVER tell Miss Lulu!) So I couldn't be more thrilled to be here and since the gorgeous Lindsey is all about getting the goods on a bargain, I thought I would share with you all my thrifty finds. And since summer is on it's way, I thought I would keep this post all about things that shimmer and shine.

{1} I love my skin to look soft and dewey, don't you? I found this awesome find one day while browsing through Victorias Secret. And get this -- it promises to make you look five times sexier. Not one, not two, but FIVE times sexier! Um, heck yes! And for just 10 bucks? Score!

Now just so you know, I would never recommend a product I haven't personally tried. I take my beauty finds/clothing style pretty serious. But this here product? Amazing. Makes my skin look divine. And if you have a base tan? (which I don't) Looks ever better. 

Here, I'll prove it to you.

See? Totally subtle, but makes a huge difference. Amazing. Go get some.

{2} A sexy, sparkly tank top. I have been on the look-out for one of these because of something huge that could possibly happen in my future where I need to look faboosh (keeping quiet for now) and one that totally caught my eye was (#1) this one. I loved it, but HELLO! Almost $900 for a tank top? Egads!

SO not gonna happen. Then I found (#2) this one at where else, but V.S. And truthfully? I like it better. Much more understated but still sexy and eye-catching. And for approx. $840 less? Holla!


(and no, that is not me modeling on the right but thanks for asking)
{3} Sexy, shimmery eye makeup. What girl doesn't want that? I do, and I'm sure the bargain blonde herself wants to play up her beautiful blue eyes. I have tried a million different products, from cheap to super expensive, and I have to say that my favorite bargain find in my 30 years (say what?) is once again, Victorias Secret eye shimmer. I love it. It's amazing. But a few others that I also love? This and this. V.S. eye shimmer is the cheapest, but everyone loves their Mac cosmetics, no?



{4} And finally, I love me some summertime flip flops. They are all I wear during the warm months. Add on some bling? Love. We all know Havaianas are awesome, but gosh darn they can be pricey! And their new limited edition of "blingy" flip-flops? Out of this world! We are talking $198 green dolla bills, for a FLIP-FLOP! Here, take a look...



Can I get a HELLZ to the NO? Thank you! Just bizarre!

My bargain solution? DIY! I personally love the flip-flops from Old Navy. They have every single color in the world and they are super cheap, we're talking two pairs for $2.50. And? They last me all summer long.



Just buy a few and then go to your local craft store and pick up some super cheap rhinestones, get some super glue and make your own blingy flips!



I personally haven't done this yet but I plan to! And let me know if it works out for you!

So that's my take on steals and deals. Hope you enjoyed having me!

What I'm Loving Wednesday

I'm linking up with Jamie at this kind of love per the usual for What I'm Loving Wednesday.

This is my last post for the week, but don't take it too hard because I've got two VERY special guest bloggers filling in for me Thursday and Friday while I'm away.  I'm excited to see what they have in store for you gals because it's still a mystery to me.  Stay tuned!

1. I'm loving my eos lip palm - smooth sphere
I know this is probably old news because I kept reading about these amazeball eggs on blogs a while back, but I finally went and purchased my own last week to see what the hype was all about. Survey says: IT'S FAB!  I love the price too, which was a lot cheaper at Target compared to Walgreens.  I got the Summer Fruit flavor which is "ehh" to me.  I'll probably try a different flavor the next time, I just liked the color of the egg best.

I decided to mix things up and do a photo shoot with my eos egg on my way to the gym at red lights.  I'm positive the people next to me thought I was a wack-a-doo. 

2. I love that Crawl for Cancer was a success this past Saturday!  I even found a pink talking stick pony to complete my cowgirl outfit. Some pictures from Saturday:

Some of the ladies before we began our crawl.

Our entire group at our third stop of the day!

I was trying to tell this little Native American what's up.  Don't mess with a cowgirl on a pink horse!

 

The spillage was not all me.  Let that be known.  The bouncer was not happy with us though.



I wish I knew what was so funny and that this pic wasn't so blurry! 


3. Loving that ALDI Grocery Stores are now in Dallas!
ALDI is a discount grocery chain that has everything from fresh meat and produce to frozen foods to dairy, bakery, canned goods, and paper products.  You can't find everything you need there, but you'd be surprised.  You could probably get at least 80 to 90 percent of your grocery needs.  They even have a Fit & Active line that has very similar healthy food products you'd find in your regular grocery store for a lot cheaper.

4. I'm loving today is "my Friday" at work because I leave for my friend Christina and Emmet's wedding in Arizona way too early tomorrow morning!  This is where I will be livin' the life, isn't the resort GORGE?

5. Loving Sliced Green Olives
Random I know, but I've been obsessed with sliced green olives on my salad lately.  I mean, I've always loved olives, but lately I've been eating them every night.  Yum!