curious birds: it's about to get personal

sketch comedy stylings of two birds, part deux.

cue scene
megan is dressed like a gangsta mosquito. nora is dressed like a hoochie ladybug. megan is acting cool as a cucumber and nora is droppin' in like it's hott.
bass line kicks in.
sexy fireflies, butterflies and spiders are dancing like crazy.
bass gets louder.
suddenly sir bites a lot (megan) jumps out into the middle of the dancing buglets singing, "i bite big butts and i cannot lie..."

ok, still not funny. i am well aware. try not sleeping for 24 straight hours and read this again. i can almost guarantee you that it will be funny then!

speaking of big butts (ya see how i did that?? clever!)...i have a curious birds question for you all that is a little more personal than other questions we have asked. it's all about the undergarments...

you see, i'm all about comfort. sure, i want my undies to be sexy, but given the choice between sexy and comfy, i choose comfy. sorry chris...but you think i'm sexy no matter what, right? (right?) my issue is that i have a big round booty. i love it, don't get me wrong, but it's hard to dress. either i get grammies that make me look like a sumo wrestler, or i get a thong. cause no way do i want to have vpl. and to be honest, i hate thongs. hate.them. for some reason (sorry for the tmi), once when i was training for a marathon, i ran 17 miles in a thong. never.do.that. i gave up on them after that day. i just couldn't bare to look them in the eye after what they did to me.

i did find some undies at kohls once that i wear every day that i have tight pants on. i like to think they show no panty line. maybe someone behind me would tell me differently. the thing about them, though, is that they are not cute, and if i don't wear them with tight pants, then they turn into snuggie gremlins, just wanting to crawl higher and higher (i told you it would get personal).

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so what i'm looking for, in my eyes, is the impossible. i want a pair of undies (does anyone else think the word panties sounds pervy?) that have the following criteria:

~shows no visible pantyline
~isn't a thong
~is comfy
~doesn't get all snuggie on you
~is somewhat sexy
~doesn't cost an arm and a leg

i'm on the hunt...and here's why (stop reading now if you don't want to hear a hilarious, but somewhat personal story)...i have my nighttime undies...you know the ones. they feel like a big chenille bathrobe wrapped around you, mixed with a tall glass of red wine and maybe a little, cuddly teddy bear, all in one. they are plain comfortable...but u.g.l.y. (you ain't got no alibi). i realized one morning the reason why they are so comfortable. you see, i woke up and they were around my ankles. apparently i wear loose undies to bed, and apparently that night, i was moving around a lot in a deep sleep...and apparently, unlike most of my "daytime" underwear, these ones wanted to have nothing to do with my butt. so they slid down...all the way down to my ankles. and that is how i woke up.

so i need your recommendations, what is a decent pair of underwear? don't be shy!!

xoxo,
megan bird

curious birds: gray skies are gonna clear up

i was in a mood yesterday. it was mainly that hormone-based craze that i get into at least once a month. i get grumpy and moody and short with people. and the most annoying question i get (from chris) is, "are you grumpy for some reason?" i don't know why that bothers me so much. maybe because i can't explain my mood, or maybe because all i really want is for him to know i'm in a bad mood for no reason whatsoever and to take care of me and tell me everything's going to be ok. that's not so much to ask for, is it? a little tlc. instead last night, i sent this email to my sisters. i laugh at it this morning because i'm in a better mood...

"if you break a glass in the bathroom, throw it away. don't leave it on the shelf. if you take a shower, use a bath mat and dry yourself off. don't walk all over the house dripping wet. if i make dinner, even if I'm not home to eat with you, clean up. don't take the time to move all the dishes from the table to the sink and not into the dishwasher. and wipe the table off. bbq sauce is a lot easier to clean wet than it is dry. vent over." ( i feel like this is the part of the post where i need to tell you that chris really does a ton around the house. he just didn't last night.)

i got lucky last night, i happened to have a haircut appointment. happened to. (my hair stylist had just gotten back from maternity leave...yep, it's been a good 25 weeks since i've had my hair cut!) normally on these kinds of days, i try cutting my own bangs, or i color my hair some weird color. i'm an odd duck. apparently making myself look worse makes me feel better. who knew? usually it's these days where i end up calling zoe to see if she has any openings, like, right now, which she never does because she's awesome and books up for weeks ahead of time. so the haircut helped...last night.

but this got me to thinking, what do i do to make myself feel better? zoe can't be there for me all the time (i wish). and i only have so many bangs to cut and so many boxes of hair color to go through. so what else do i do? i have narrowed it down to a few things.

1. shopping
shopping pretty much always make me feel better. the only time it doesn't make me feel better is when it makes me feel worse. you know those days...when nothing fits and everything makes you look worse. most days, though, i can at least find a loosey goosey dress that is cute and comfy. job well done.
2. exercise
a nice long run, some meditative yoga, or a punching bag can always make me feel better. sometimes i need to throw a picture of someone on the punching bag, but that's normal, right?
3. wine
or beer, or a margarita. you get the idea. i'm not talking binge drinking, i'm talking a glass of wine and a good book sort of night.
4. a girly movie
any sappy movie will do. sometimes when i'm in a bad mood for no reason, i just need a reason to cry. i can pop in "p.s. i love you" and i will literally cry for the whole movie. and then for about 45 minutes after it's over. but then i am ok. i cried all the bad away, and it feels great.
5. law & order marathons
i don't know why this makes me feel better, but it does. it's indulgent and lazy, but a few hours of this show makes my mood brighten. plus, you can pretty much watch law & order any time of the day. true story.

these things will almost always make me feel better. i'm pretty easy, it doesn't take much. but if for some reason, they don't work, i can always count on these munchkins.

instant happiness

so today's question for you is, what pulls you out of a rut? what makes your gray skies clear up? i could use a few new ideas that don't involve money, booze or boxed hair dye!

i hope that today's mood is happy!

in the mean time, i will leave you with a song from p.s. i love you that always makes me do a happy dance.

xoxo,

megan bird

curious birds: raise your hand, raise your hands if you're sure

you thought this would be a post about deodorant, didn't you? you're singing that song in your head now, aren't you? what's that you say? you don't know that little ditty? ok, i admit, i am probably older than most of you. this commercial song was stuck in my head through much of the 80s...i would call that brilliant advertising! confidence, confidence dry and secure!

anyways, what i am posting about today takes a little break from our normal curious birds. now i'm not trying to get all think-y on you, but i think this is an important topic, very close to a fashion blogger's heart....my question for today is, where do you get your confidence from?

i started thinking about this because my son had a soccer practice/game on monday night. as i was driving him there, thinking we were going to be late, he said to me, "mama, it's ok if we're late for the practice part, because i'm really good at soccer." of course i confirmed this, and added a comment that even if you're good, you still need to practice. to which he replied, "no mama, i am really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really good!" this comment made me happy because he has confidence. it also made me realize that very soon, i will have to find that fine line of teaching our kids the difference between confidence and cockiness. for some reason, i think it will be harder with my daughter. i think there is a real social expectation for girls to not be too confident. i'm not saying i agree with this expectation, but i don't want her to not make friends because people think she's stuck up. right now it's cute of her to say things like, "mama, don't i look beautiful?" and "i know you think i am the prettiest four-year old you know.", but that won't always be the case. however, i truly wish that every four-, thirteen-, sixteen- and twenty-year old woman would think that about herself every.single.day. wouldn't that make life so much easier??

i have not always had the best confidence. it really took me until my 30s – having kids and settling into my life – to find my true confidence. and even now i have crappy days where i feel fat, frizzy and frumpy. there are days when i look at pictures of myself on the blog, compared to nora, and think...what am i doing putting side-to-side pictures of myself next to her??? 

but that's not every day. most days, i look in the mirror and think that i am beautiful. and even if i don't look beautiful that day, i still think i am beautiful. i am what i am and that's all that i am ~ah-kuh-kuh-kuh-kuh~. (that's popeye laughing) (what? too young for that, too?) while beauty does come from within, let's admit it, it doesn't hurt to look like a supermodel some days. sometimes good hair or feeling skinny can make your whole day. sometimes finishing a crossword puzzle can make your whole day. and sometimes an ice cream cone can make your whole day. (am i right?)

i hope i'm getting my point across here. i don't want to convey that looks are more important than anything else. but they do have a place in our lives, in our confidence. i don't base my self worth on my looks. i have way more going for me than just my looks. i'm smart and funny (super funny) and i can sing the kenny rogers part of 'islands in the stream' like nobody's business (nora is the dolly to my kenny). having said that, sometimes my confidence can be ruined by a pair of tight jeans. so i'm asking all of you...people who on a daily basis, post photos of yourselves in different outfits. people who share your poems, your thoughts and your fears on an open forum...where does your confidence come from?

did your parents tell you how smart and beautiful you were every day?

(this is me many, many years ago!)

does your husband or wife tell you how wonderful you are?

do your children tell you that they are so lucky to have you in their lives?

does your dog wag his tail every time you walk in the door? (even if you've only been gone for two minutes?)

did you get that promotion that you asked for?

do you just naturally have confidence, knowing how wonderful you are? or, are you faking it, hoping that no one notices? i would love to hear your thoughts.

in the meantime, raise your hands if you're sure!!!

xoxo,
megan bird

curious birds: pretty pretty polish

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as you may or may not have noticed in my outfit photos (probably not, but you never know), i either have no nail polish on or it is completely chipped away. seriously, the other night jim and i were sitting in our basement watching a movie and i decided to paint my nails. i applied about three coats to each finger and let it dry completely. it looked great. literally, about 10 minutes later i look down and it is already chipping. so frustrating! whenever i get a manicure (which is, like, hardly ever) i love how long it lasts! i just don't know what i am doing wrong. okay, maybe i do. perhaps i don't ever spend more than $3 on a bottle of nail polish. i know, i know! but it just seems so silly to me to spend a lot. but when i paint my nails and it only lasts 10 minutes...perhaps it is time to invest a bit more. or perhaps not? maybe you have some suggestions of some inexpensive polishes that don't chip right away? or techniques you use to make your manicure last?

i don't want to spend this much...

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seriously, you guys? this nail polish goes for $130,000. not kidding. it has a yellow gold and diamond encrusted lid. why. would. you. ever. spend. your. money. on. that.

however, i have always been curious about the chanel brand of nail polish.

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i especially love their beige colors and have never been able to find colors like them elsewhere. i just don't know if it is worth it...

so, i am looking for suggestions. what is your favorite nail polish? what do you do to make your manicures last? help me! it is up to you, and you alone, to make my nails beautiful! like this...

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xoxo, nora bird

curious birds: look mom, dry hands

i have the worst hands. they are always dry, there is always a cuticle or two that could stand to be tweaked, my nails are never painted...they are just plain gross. and i am that person that always looks at people's hands. you can tell true age by looking at hands. people can have as much plastic surgery on their face as they want, but dollars to donuts their hands are still wrinkly! 

(i had to at least put on a fancy ring if i was going to take a picture of my ratty hands!)

 i am a lotion junkie, too. i love different scents, different purposes (e.g., anti-aging, pro-cuticle, etc.) and i will buying many a lotions for my hands. my favorite right now is trader joe's spa hand & body lotion in lavender. it smells like a field of lavender, and it's the perfect silky, yet non-greasy consistency. but i know it takes more work than just lotion. i know it takes time and effort to make a beautiful hand. i just never think to spend even an hour a week on mine. i bet they would look so much nicer if i just took the time.

so i'm calling out to all of you...what can i do that is fairly easy and not hugely expensive, to make my hands beautiful? or, does anyone want to come over once a week and give me a manicure? that would be terrific! ; )

xoxo,

megan bird

curious birds:summer reading

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i love to read. my whole family does. my mom has a library of hundreds and hundreds ( i was going to say thousands, but my husband is always telling me that i exaggerate) of books and it just keeps growing. every time she visits a thrift store, garage sale, rummage sale or half price book store, her collection gets bigger. in fact, my sisters and i rarely need to buy a book or visit the library...if we are looking for something to read my mom has usually got it. it is not unusual for us to leave our parent's house after a family dinner with a big bag of leftovers and a big bag of books. and nothing says summer more than laying on the beach (or, in minnesota, on the dock or hammock at the cabin) and digging in to a great novel. 

my husband just finished The Hunger Games series and really enjoyed it. he really wants me to read them now and told me i could likely finish them each in a day or two. so, those are on my summer reading list.

 megan also just lent me The Blessings of the Animals, which she just finished and really enjoyed.

 so, i have a few books to get me through at least the first few days of summer! but i need more! more, i say! which is why my curious birds question to you today has absolutely nothing to do with fashion or beauty or any of that...i want to know what you are reading/have read/are hoping to read this summer. i will be taking all of your suggestions and searching my mom's stacks of books to make up the best summer reading list of all time!!! (no exaggeration, people. this is where it's at).

xoxo, nora bird

curious birds: your go-to hair product

i have been having one of those bad hair weeks. i think it's a mixture of hormones and 'that place in time where you are growing your bangs out and it's all you can do to not cut them' feeling. and for some reason, it's affecting my whole week. i am aware that long bangs are a very minor problem...it really shouldn't affect my whole week, but did i mention hormones? here's the deal, i don't have great hair. i always joke that in my family of five sisters, i am the runt. my parents are beautiful people, don't get me wrong...but if you can find any flaws in them, you can bet they passed them down to me, and only me. ok, that's being a little extreme *hormones*. i did however, get the runt genes for hair. my four sisters have the most beautiful thick and naturally curly hair. you have seen nora...did you know that she just lets her hair air dry? that's all, and it look so beautiful every day. me, i got the thin, fine, half straight/half curly hair. don't get me wrong, when i actually do style my hair, i love it. it is naturally shiny and it always looks healthy. i think my problem is that i don't actually style my hair. does anyone want to come over every morning and do my hair? i sure would appreciate it, and i'd be willing to pay you in lemon ricotta pancakes. every morning.

my troubles started this week when i tried to bike to work on monday. normally, i wash my hair, leave it wet to bike to work and then dry it/style it at the gym at work. i was on my merry way to work when my bike tire decided to pop – in a gunshot sound sort of way. so i was stuck walking home, lame bike in tow. by the time i got home, my hair was half dry and frizzy, and i had no time to do anything about it because i was already late for work. i felt icky all day, which led me to my shopping spree on monday night.

i have been hearing about moroccan oil all over the place. how wonderful it is, how amazing it works...like it's some sort of wonder oil. i am a sucker for beauty products...if you tell me this will get rid of my wrinkles, i'll buy it. if you tell me some fancy exotic oil will make my hair look like one of the kardashian sisters, i'll buy it. which is exactly what i did. i went straight to the store and bought this oil. ok, i went straight to three stores until i finally found a version of what i was looking for.  i have heard that the "true" moroccan oil is the best. but i couldn't find it anywhere and i didn't have time to keep looking. so when i got to sally beauty supply and found this stuff, i snatched it up. it's called one 'n only argan oil. yes, it's a silicone-based product, but so it the real moroccan oil. i can't compare it to the real moroccan oil, because i've never tried it. i can say, however, that i love this stuff. i wish i would have taken a before picture (ok, that's a lie) because my hair looked truly atrocious before i put the oil in it. here is the after picture. it was after work, after working out, after shopping and stopping everywhere trying to find this oil. most importantly, it was after the bad air-dried, frizz walk home with the bad bike...

see – shiny, not frizzy...i even look happy!

the next day, i decided to wash and dry my hair straight and use the oil to see how it works. still loved it. and this morning, i went for a run, didn't wash my hair, added a titch more oil, and voila..still looks good. somehow this oil does not make your hair greasy or heavy. rather, it makes your hair soft and shiny. i honestly have been petting my hair every five minutes at work. ok, that sounds creepy. but you get the idea.

so, since i'm a sucker for products, and i don't have the best hair in the world, i want your advice. what is your go-to hair product? what do you love love love and use every day? i can't wait to hear your answers....and yes, i will most likely be back at sally beauty supply tonight!

xoxo,

megan bird

curious birds: spring and summertime fragrances

i am a huge olfactory person. i have just started to bike to work again and i can spend the whole half hour it takes to get to work just trying to identify smells. some are great, some are not so great. last summer, there was a constant smell of banana laffy taffy pretty much every day on my way home. that is way better than the monday morning smell of the garbage collector, but not quite as good as the scent of laundry being cleaned! my favorite is a fleeting perfume that only lasts a few weeks around here – the apple blossoms. not only are the trees beautiful, but they smell absolutely delicious. i probably look like a complete nut, but when i pass a blossoming apple tree, i always take a huge deep yoga breath. they smell so good...i wish i could capture that scent! here's a beauty just down the block from our house...

at home, i have a huge collection of perfume. like i said, olfactory person. my baby sister used to work at l'occitane, and i got a ton of perfumes from her that i love. my two favorites are "linden" which smells like honeysuckle, and "magnolia" which smells like...magnolia! i also have a few essential oils that i use for perfume. my all-time favorite is egyptian musk. it works for any season of the year...it's a mix between a sexy musk and clean linens. i love it! i also adore the smell of lavender and have a handful of linen sprays, essential oils and lotions that smell of it. 

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my absolute favorite perfume is now discontinued. if any of you ever see it (aside from the ebay sellers who are trying to sell half-full bottles for $200), please let me know where. i would honestly buy as much as i can just to have it in stock. it's called bcbgirls metro. it is more of a winter scent, but i love it regardless of the time of year. it's a perfect mix of florals – like lilies of the valley, magnolia and gardenia – and sandalwood. i have a half a bottle left and trust me, i use it sparingly. these are just a few of my favorite scents, but i am always on the lookout for new ones...which leads me to today's curious birds question: what is your favorite perfume? i would love to hear all of your answers, and you can guarantee that i will be at the department store sniffing away at each and every recommendation!

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sniff it to me..(ba doom ching!)

xoxo,

megan bird

curious birds: online shopping

i love shopping. i love physically going to a brick and mortar store and pawing through racks and racks of clothing, shoes and accessories. i will walk through a store, pick out a good 20 things, try them on...and then i will walk through the store a second time to make sure i didn't miss anything. but let's get real, i don't have that kind of time. sure, there are days when i pick my kids up from school, with a portable dinner in tow so that we can all go to the local thrift store (yes, i have taught my kids to love thrift stores, garage and rummage sales). but i like to go to most retail stores sans the kids. the blaring music and huge crowds of forever 21 just isn't conducive to bringing your kids. maybe some day...but then probably that day, i shouldn't be shopping at forever 21 anymore.

so when i can't get to a store, online shopping is key. cause ya know, i have to shop (my mom literally thinks i have an addiction)! which leads me to today's question: where is your favorite place to shop online?

i have a few favorites, but i'd have to say forever 21 is my go-to online shopping store. i know that i can get a full outfit, including jewelry and a purse, if i really need/want to. they typically have free shipping on orders over $50, and let's face it, you can get a ton of stuff for $50 there. i know what sizes i am there, and i have tried on enough of their clothes that i know (for the most part) what will look good on me and what won't. i have no idea how their online returns work because there is an actual forever 21 within a few miles of my house, so if by chance i don't like something, i usually just end up returning it to the store.

as for shoes, i love urban original. they have super cute and super cheap shoes. i typically don't buy leather, so i usually end up buying cheap shoes, which suits my pocket book just fine. i like urban original because you can shop by style, size, price range and color; with such options to choose from like "party shoes", "wedges" and "open-toe heels". again, they typically have free shipping over $50. their return policy doesn't look fabulous, as they charge a restocking fee on free shipping orders...but again, i have never actually had to return a pair!

those are my faves, but i would love to hear your thoughts. i am always looking for new affordable places to shop (or even unaffordable places to "window" shop) online. so where do you online shop? what do you typically like to buy online?

whole outfit ~ forever 21

shoes ~ urban original

xoxo,

megan bird

curious birds: the perfect tan

hey everyone! first off i would like to give megan bird a giant virtual hug and a huge thank you for taking over the blog entirely while i was gone. she is amazing and she did such a fabulous job. she is seriously a super woman. i don't know how she does it all! wonderful mom, fantastic wife, career woman, awesome sister, super blogger...just to name a few of the things she does on a daily basis. thank you, megan bird! i couldn't do any of this without you!

i missed you all while i was gone. i must say i am very happy to be back and blogging again! i was nervous i wouldn't be able to post today as this morning before i left for the gym my internet died. but, thankfully, it was back on when i got home! i also want to apologize for the late post...my daughter is still on california time. she was up late and slept in a bit this morning. we are working hard on getting her back on schedule but i think it might be a couple more days...

anyway, enough about me...

for today's curious birds post i would like to know what you think of self tanning lotions. 

do you use them? do you have a favorite brand? have you found one that has a nice scent rather than that yucky self tanner smell? i am still trying to find the perfect one. as we all know, i am extremely pale. as evidenced by my sad, translucent legs in this photo...

 although, when i try, i can get quite a nice tan. the problem is, i don't lay out in the sun anymore (covered in baby oil and lemon juice! gasp!) like i used to in my teens and twenties. and when i am in the sun i am usually covered in sunscreen. i am also fearful of the mystic tan. i fear my skin would turn orange, and orange is just not my best color! so, if i want a nice, natural glow (YES, PLEASE!!!) i look to the self tanning lotions.

so far i have found the jergens natural glow brand to be the best for me. it is in my price point (although i could be talked into spending a bit more) and it has an okay scent. not great, but not horrible. also, they have a number of different options to choose from. you can get one for pale skin (hello???), medium tones and darker skin. they also have lotions with firming action, ones that claim to revitalize skin, lotions with shimmer, lotions for your face...i could go on. but i won't. i promise. i am willing and ready to try another brand if you have one to suggest. i am dreaming of that perfect tan for this spring and summer (if the spring and summer ever decides to happen here in minnesota). if any of you have any brands you use and love, please tell me! i will likely go right out and buy each and every one!

i hope you are all having a great thursday. i am really looking forward to the weekend! we have a lot of fun family plans! i love weekends filled with fun and family. what could be better??? well, perhaps fun and family and a really nice tan!!!


xoxo, nora bird

curious birds: favorite jeans

i have a lot of questions for which i would love a multitude of answers. and the few times that i have thrown one out in the blogosphere, i have found an answer that works for me. so nora and i figured, why not make a post out of it and make it a regular weekly thing. we share with you our favorite something...hair product, makeup, online store, item of clothing...you get the idea, and you tell us your favorites. that way we can all maybe get a few ideas on some of the good stuff that is floating around out there. what do you say, are you in? cause i sure could use your advice!

i thought i'd start out with the bane of my existence (ok, that's a titch dramatic)...jeans. it is rare that i find a pair of jeans that i love. i can find some that are super comfortable, but then there's a 99% chance that they won't look good one me. or i can find a pair that makes my legs look long and lean, but then they are too tight around the waist...stuff like that. 

let me tell you a little something about my body. i have had two children, and i have a stomach and hips to prove it. i was born blessed with what my mom likes to call "child-bearing hips". i always hated them, until i had kids. do you know how much easier it is to carry a child (both internally and externally) when you have hips? i was a pro at hoisting a baby and a sack of groceries at the same time...i just rested one of each on my hips. they were like little shelves to put things on. so, great for carrying things, horrible for fitting into jeans. and it's not just that i have big hips, it's that they are not proportionate to my waist. i have a 25" waist and 35" hips (red beans and rice didn't miss her) (yes i just referenced a sir mix a lot song). finding jeans to fit my butt, my hips, and my waist is oftentimes hard. oh, and did i mention that i hate the muffin-top effect? i refuse to wear jeans that are too tight around my waist. i need to be able to pull them over the little leftover from having babies. moms, do you know the belly skin that i am talking about? no? just me? i hope not! even as cheap frugal as i am, if i found a perfect pair of jeans for $200, i just might buy them...that's how desperate i am. me, the woman who shops almost exclusively at thrift stores.

these are my favorite jeans, and yes, i got them at a thrift store. i love them because they are a size or two too big, but you can't really tell. they are so soft and light weight; not a thick denim, but rather an almost flannel-sheet sort of denim. i could wear them to bed (but i wouldn't). they also have big belt loops and a tailored hem and pockets, so they look a little fancier than some jeans. i don't love the wide leg on me (they tend to hang off the biggest part of your body – in my case my hips), but i will wear them anyways...with heels of course! i didn't know the brand, had never heard of them. they are called see thru soul (so deep, jeans) and they are fabulous. i googled them, and it appears that they are normally about $70 on average...so i got a pretty good deal for $3 at the thrift store! of course, they are 98% cotton and 2% spandex...i would honestly never wear a pair of jeans without stretch anymore.

so those are my faves, for now. but i would love.love.love to hear what your favorites are. i will take each comment and rush to the store to try every suggested pair on. seriously...i am on a quest for the perfect jean. oh, did i mention, the perfect jean makes me look like eva mendes. can you help me?

so what is your favorite pair of jeans? and what makes a perfect pair of jeans in your eyes? we'd love to hear your thoughts!

xoxo,

megan bird