Five on Friday {Fancy Clothes & Forbes Article}

Hey there everyone! Happy Friday :) We have a full weekend ahead of us but I'm hoping for some down time on Sunday. Let's jump into this Five on Friday.

1- Fancy Night Out


Mark and I are going to a fancy-schmancy dinner tomorrow night so I had to find something to wear. I actually got my dress at JcPenny's and it was super on sale. It's around $75 online right now but they always have coupons. Mine doesn't have a belt, but I like it better that way.

I am obsessed with those earrings! I couldn't find them in store but I'm hoping to look again before Saturday.

These heels are pretty comfortable to wear and they look great with everything. I'm also using a clutch similar to this Rebecca Minkoff Envelope bag, but mine was way less expensive. :) I got mine several years ago at Old Navy. This bag is adorable though!

2- Nars Velvet Matte Skin Tint



I recently tried the Nars Velvet Matte Skin Tint and I've fallen in love. It wears so naturally but doesn't make me look like a grease ball. I just have a sample right now but I plan on picking up the full size asap. Has anyone else tried any great foundations lately?? 

3- Forbes Article



Some of my Rodan+ Fields team members were featured in a Forbes article this week. It's so awesome to see such a reputable publication recognize how great our company is and how much we've grown. Check it out if you're curious about what it is that I do and why I love it so much.

Also, I'm holding a sale until tomorrow (April 30th at 11:55 PST) for a free PC perks enrollment ( a $19.95 value). This gets you 10% off your products and free shipping. If you're interested or just want to hear more about our products email me at: jmbradford0211@yahoo.com



4- Spring Cleaning

Katie over at Katie Elizabeth blog posted some awesome spring cleaning tips & tricks and I'm so excited to try some of them. Wow, does that make me officially old when I say I'm excited to clean lol?? I want to try the "de-gunking" tips for the stovetop. Ours gets gross so stinkin' fast. Also, this post about how to clean your microwave without scrubbing. Our kitchen needs a major deep clean!

5- The Rosie Project



 I started reading The Rosie Project this week and I actually really like it. I've almost bought the book several times but thought it wasn't something I would be into. I'm happy to say that I was wrong. It's great! It's a super light read and isn't as heavy as some of the last books I've read. Thanks for the recommendation Tracy! 


Book Over-review: The Milliner's Secret



This was such an interesting and different book from what I've previously read. I love books set during World War II but I've never read anything remotely close to this story. The book starts in London in the late 1930's- post the first World War and on the brink of the second. Cora Mason, a poor factory girl,  won a ticket to a famous horse race and gets to venture out with a very ritzy crowd. It's on this day, that she meets a stranger who will change her life forever.

Dietrich, this stranger, is a high-ranking German who helps her escape from a seemingly small life and gives her a new identity as Coralie de Lirac.  This false identity will give her opportunities she never had in England and will provide her with the security she needs to survive the upcoming war. This will be key during the Nazi occupation of Paris, which was obviously a very dangerous time. One can argue that it is even more dangerous to be an imposter when you are surrounded by Nazis.

This truly is a love story set smack in the middle of a horrific time in history. Coralie and Dietrich's relationship seemed so passionate but yet so fragile at the same time.  I loved watching Coralie grow from this young naive girl, to a woman who will do anything to protect those she loves. She lived in a careful balance of being true to herself but also not upsetting those who can put her life in danger. You will witness this teeter-totter of emotions in Coralie and you never quite know how it will work out.

The end of this book was so intriguing and actually shocked me. This is such an important quality in a book for me. I LOVE when I don't see how the author will finish a book or how it will all come together. This is a must-read! It's LONG but not super heavy compared to The Nightingale or other books based on the Nazi occupation of Paris. Pick it up for your next plane ride or longer vacation!


buy it here

Pineapple Craze

1- Rug    2- Float   3- Towel
4- Lamp    5- Bowls    6- Tank
7- Sippy cup    8- iPhone case    9- Place Card holder


I have a serious obsession with all things pineapple. I don't know where this love came from but I just think it's so fun and summery. I've included a bunch of adorable pineapple items and I even have a few that didn't make my original list. 

I love the Sonix phone cases and I think this pineapple one is perfect for summer time. They have other variations as well but this is my fave. Plus I love how durable the Sonix cases are... they wrap around your phone and offer a protective bumper. I drop my phone at least once a day, so this is a must!

How fun is this lamp?? It's subtle enough to not scream trendy but would be super cute on an end table. Maybe when we finally buy a home I can find a spot for this little thing. :) Not sure that it's Mark's style though lol

This rug would be so cute in a kitchen. This doesn't match my kitchen at all but I love the bright colors! Also, these bowls... you can't have enough small bowls. They are perfect for serving toppings for a salad, a potato bar, tacos, chili, and the list goes on and on. 

These flip flops are perfect for the beach or a day at the pool. They are inexpensive so you don't have to worry about the sand and water ruining them. 

I love headbands especially for days when I'm running late and didn't have time to wash my hair. I feel like they draw the attention away from the greasiness lol. This cute little retro tied headband is soooo cute! 

Any cute pineapple items you're loving? 

Weekend Recap {Hiking & Bridal Shower Fun}


Happy Monday everyone! I hope you all had a great weekend! We were super busy but we had lots of fun. On Friday, we babysat for a family at my school so they could go to the Gala. We were exhausted when we got home but we had fun hanging with the little ones. 

On Saturday, Mark made protein pancakes and oh my goodness they were delicious! Then we headed out to go hiking at Cowles Mountain and to house hunt for a little while. It was a beautiful day but house hunting was a bust. Later on, we headed to Liberty Public Market to meet up with some friends. It was a great day. 






On Sunday, I headed up the coast for Corey's wedding shower. Melissa did a great job hosting and everything was adorable. Congrats girl!


2nd grade team

Beef Stroganoff :) YUM!
It was a busy weekend and we have an even busier week ahead. Yikes lol! :) Have a great day!

Friday Favorites {Link & Loves}

Happy Friday everyone! I am so glad it's almost the weekend because this week was rough. I had a really fun night last night though. It was my friend Meaghan's birthday and we ate at Fireside in Point Loma. It was super yummy!

Don't mind the weird lumpy looking part of my dress lol. I have no idea why it looks like that. :)


I bought this dress a few weeks ago and I LOVE it. I received so many compliments when wearing it this week, plus it was so comfy! :)

I have a new obsession with the show the Americans. It's so good! We recently got rid of U-Verse, so I've been looking for new shows to watch using Amazon Prime and Netflix. Anyone have any other recommendations?

I'm reading the book The Nest and I really like it so far. I find myself looking for any spare minute so I can read a few pages. It's very different from the Historical fiction I've read lately but it's a welcome change.

I am LOVING my R+F business. April was a HUGE month for me and it's not even over yet. Thank you for the constant encouragement and support... you know who you are :)

I just pre-ordered the new Elin Hilderbrand book called Here's to Us. In my opinion, her books are the perfect summer reads. I've read almost all of them so I can't wait for the new one.

If you live in San Diego, you should check out the new Public Market in Liberty Station (in Point Loma). We went there on Wednesday night after Mark came home. There are a bunch of cute little places to eat and even a Mess Hall that has Bottle Craft and a pretty large bar. Stay tuned because I'm going to write a little Culinary Curiosity post about it next week. :)

I can't wait to try this new Shrimp Thai Green Curry recipe from Juli over at PaleOMG. It looks so yummy!

These cat eye sunglasses from Forever 21 are adorable! I have huge cheeks so I'm not sure how they would look but for the $5.90 price tag they are totally worth it.

I am also loving that my hubby is home! Yay! :)



Have a great weekend! :)

Spring Plaid


Last night I was with a friend and I somehow ended up on the Old Navy website. I was blown away by all the adorable spring plaid and somehow this round-up magically happened lol. I would wear every single item on this page and I can't wait to go pick up a few. The mint green dress and the plaid romper are my personal faves though.

Right now the site is having a sale on all the dresses and you can take 30 percent off your total order. Sounds good to me :)

10 Must- Read Books


I am constantly asking for book recommendations and also giving out ideas of books to add to my friends' reading lists. So I thought I would round up some books that I've read in the last couple of years that I've absolutely LOVED. I've talked about some of these before and others are new to the list. All of them are great in their own special way. I have included a mix of historical fiction, a biography, nonfiction, and fiction. Hopefully there is something on this list that will intrigue you.

The Good Girl by Mary Kubica
Check out my book over-review here.

Cold Tangerines by Shauna Niequist
My friend Jen recommended this book to me last year and I just ate it up. I love the way Shauna writes and I've talked about that more in depth here.  It's super inspiring and just feels honest and raw. Shauna writes about how the most ordinary things in life can be extraordinary.

Secrets of a Charmed Life by Susan Meissner
Such a great book set in Europe during the London Blitz. It's heart-wrenching but sooo good! See my book over-review here.

Fearless by Eric Blehm
This is the incredible story of Adam Brown's life. I love what the Fearless website said, "This is a story of a man of extremes, whose determination was fueled by family, faith, and the love of a woman. It's about a man who waged war against his own impulses and persevered to reach the top of the U.S. military."  I feel like that really sums up his life story but the details in the book are definitely worth reading. I balled my eyes out reading this story and I already knew the outcome and most of his story. If you like military books at all, you will love this. Also, his story of his faith is pretty remarkable. It's a great reminder that God is constantly working in us even when we are at our weakest.

Unbroken by Laura Hildebrand
When I first read this book it actually happened by accident lol. I thought I was purchasing another book but once I started reading I couldn't stop. The movie has since come out but the book is a million times better. Check this one out asap!

Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah
This is one of my favorite books of all time. That's a pretty big statement right?? This book is about the rollercoaster of friendship through joy, jealousy, happiness, resentment, and many many tears. It covers a plethora of human emotions and you will find yourself identifying with their friendship and their fights. Watching their bond grow over a span of thirty years, you'll feel so connected to both Tully and Kate.  The end of the book came with me longing to read more and that's always a sign that you've read something great. There's a sequel to the book as well but the first is way better.

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
Oh man, this is sooo suspenseful and good! Read about it here.

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
I cried through most of this book but I couldn't put it down. One of my faves from last year! Read about it here.

The One & Only by Emily Giffin
I love Emily Giffin's books and I'm pretty sure I've read all of them. They are light reads but definitely page-turners. This one was a little different from her other books and I just loved it. It's a story about finding yourself in the midst of heartache and tragedy and picking up the pieces when you feel like you can't any more. This book will surprise you but also give you hope in the midst of sadness. Also, it will make you believe in second, third, and fourth chances. :)

The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
This is another tale of the book being WAY better than the movie. If you've seen the movie, do yourself a favor and read the book... you'll love it! This is an incredible love story of two people separated by time but are joined at random moments in their lives. They beat the odds and find a way to be together in a hopeless situation. This book will have you rooting for love in the most inopportune places.


I would love to hear your recommendations as well! :)

Weekend Recap {Tracy's Bridal Shower}

Happy Monday everyone! I hope you all had a great weekend, I know I did. This weekend a bunch of family was in town for my cousin Tracy's bridal shower. It was great to see everyone and to meet baby Emiko. She is so stinking adorable! The weather was gorgeous this weekend and the shower was beautiful.  Here is a little picture recap:


The sweet little Emi













Later that night we went back up to Poway to have dinner with the Wooster fam and a bunch of their family friends. It was so nice to be able to spend more time with everyone! 

On Sunday, Lauren and I headed to Seaport Village (it's her fave place) and then walked around for awhile. Such a beautiful day!



The rest of the day was spent running errands, grocery shopping, and catching up on random things around the house. It was a great weekend! :)

5 Must-Have Spring Items


Happy Friday everyone! I thought I would change it up a little bit since I have shopping on my mind!
It's looking more and more like spring outside, which makes me excited for new spring clothing. I have been super into buying dresses lately because they are just so easy to throw on and bam you have an outfit.  I recently bought this chambray dress and I LOVE the way it fits. It's loose but still has some sort of shape so it doesn't look like you're wearing a bag lol.

I posted about these sandals last month and I recently bought them. They are adorable but I bought a size 9 and wish I would have gotten an 8.5, darnit.

This bag is so cute and I love the ivory color for spring and summer. Normally, I would lean towards a more tan or cognac color but this ivory is fresh and beautiful.

Too Faced makes some of my favorite palettes. I have the Semi-sweet and original Chocolate Bar palettes and I love them both. When I saw that they were coming out with a Peach-toned palette I got so excited. I love wearing peach/ coppery eye shadows and these looks beautiful! It's sold out online but I'm hoping to find it in stores soon.

I love patterned shorts with any color solid top. It's an easy outfit that's always comfortable to wear. These twill shorts are adorable and the vertical stripes are super flattering.

I would love to hear what items you are buying for the spring season!

Goals Update {April 2016}



I wrote about my goals for 2016 at the beginning of the year. You can read about a more in depth version of my goals here.  I also chose the word: GROW, as my word of the year. I'm a teacher, so naturally I always want to grow and become a better version of me. There's always something new to learn right?? I feel like I've had the opportunity to grow in numerous ways this year but I know I have a long way to go. Here's a little update so you can see where I am now.

Do something that scares me/ buying a home. 

I have done this in two different areas. #1 I joined Rodan+ Fields and this was definitely a new scary adventure. Going out of my comfort zone is not something I do easily, but I can happily report that I have had a great experience. I love the company, the products, and the people on my team. 

#2 We started looking for a house. This scares the tar out of me! Making such a huge financial investment is something we've wanted to do for years but I haven't felt ready to make that step until now. We are pre-approved and have seen a few houses so far. I also spend most of my nights looking online and man oh man it's exhausting. Everything is either crazy expensive or is a dump lol. I am hoping to find something in our price range that doesn't totally creep me out. Hopefully it's out there lol :) I'm trying to trust in the Lord, that he will provide the right situation for us. 

Read 50 books.

I absolutely LOVE to read, if you haven't noticed from my numerous posts about books. So far this year I haven't read as many books as I'd like but that's because I keep starting a book and not finishing it. I need to hunker down and finish a few that I've started. So far I've only read 10 books and finishing The Best Yes, The Nest and Power of a Praying Wife will put me at 13. I should be at 14 by now, so I am a little behind.

Drink more water.

I go back and forth with being great at this and then terrible lol. When I'm at work I am constantly drinking water but at home I have a hard time remembering. I drink so slowly and I"m not thirsty very often so I literally have to make myself drink water constantly. Hoping to make this more of a routine!

Get more involved with the church.

Sadly, this is one goal that I have pretty much failed. I've volunteered once at church but in my defense we are constantly out of town or have people in town. I really need to make more of an effort to be involved. I'm hoping when school is over I will have more time to focus on this goal. 

Take better care of my skin.

I have been WAY better about taking care of my skin. I started using Rodan+ Fields products at the beginning of the year and I am diligent about using them regularly. This includes wearing sunscreen every single day. Previously, I was terrible at this. I feel like I am finally getting rid of some of my sun damage and I'm super excited about the results. If you want to read about my full skincare routine click here

10 Ways to Look & Feel Awake



Do you ever have those mornings when you feel like you were hit by a train and you might look like it too? That's me pretty much every. single. day lol. I have to be up by 5:30 for work and I never feel rested getting up at that time. You'd think I would adapt to being a morning person but it's just never happened. So, I have a few things that I consistently do to make sure I look and feel more awake, even though I want to crawl back into bed. 

1. Take a quick shower.

No matter how tired I am, I ALWAYS (at least) take a body shower. I just instantly feel more awake and out of my morning fog. I'm currently using the Tiki Mango Mai Tai body wash from Bath & Body Works and this helps to brighten up my morning as well! *A little helpful hint I learned from my hubby- If you wake up with a headache try alternating the water between hot and cold. It will be a shock to your body but your head will instantly feel better. 

2. Exfoliate

I use the Reverse regimen from Rodan+ Fields and the first step is an exfoliating cleanser. This helps to brighten my skin and get rid of any dull patches. Plus it smells amazing! Even before I used R+F, I always used a gentle exfoliant when I wanted to be fresh and to look more awake. 

3.  Set up your coffee maker the night before.

This is sooo helpful on those especially sleepy mornings. It's one less step to do and the aroma of coffee always lifts my mood. If coffee isn't your thing,  boil water right when you get up so you can some tea or even hot water with lemon. 

4. Start your metabolism.

It's super important to start your day off hydrated and you can't go wrong with lemon in your water. I drink a giant glass of water with a half of lemon squeezed in (almost) every morning. It jump starts my metabolism and helps me to feel more awake. I also make a protein shake to have on the way to work. I'm not big on eating breakfast right when I wake up but I also know it's important to eat within the first hour. A shake is the easiest way for me to have a filling breakfast that's quick to make. I love the Vanilla Vegan Protein with Greens from Beaming. I mix it with a little bit of almond milk. a banana, two dates, ice,  and a scoop of almond butter. YUM! 

5. Moisturize.

This step is key to helping your skin look fresh. Moisturized skin always appears more plump and dewy, which will make you appear more awake. I have oily skin so I don't want anything too heavy but I also don't want my skin to over-produce oil because my face is too dry. It's hard find that nice balance. I go through my skincare routine and then head downstairs for my coffee and to make my lunch. This gives my moisturizer time to set and really hydrate my skin before I apply any makeup. 

6. Open up those eyes.

I always feel more put-together when I have a little makeup on. There are a few things I do to make sure my makeup helps me look fresh and awake. The first is to apply a champagne eye shadow all over my lids (to my crease). It helps to open up my eyes so they appear brighter and larger. I also always make sure to put mascara on my lower lashes as well as the upper lashes. This helps to open up my eyes and balances the look of the dark mascara. I use the Clinique Bottom Lash mascara and this little tube lasts FOREVER. I love that it doesn't transfer under my eyes either. 

7. A little blush goes a long way.

I also always wear a little blush. I alternate between a rosy color from Nars called Oasis and more of a bright- toned blush from MAC called Rosy Outlook. The MAC blush is my go-to for a fresh-faced appearance. It also helps to get rid of that "dead" look that foundation can give you. 

8. Apply eye cream.

I apply eye cream in the morning and at night. This ensures that no matter how little I sleep my eyes won't look tired and puffy. The eye cream also helps to decrease puffiness, the appearance of dark circles, and it even works to diminish those pesky crow's feet. Make sure you let it soak in before you apply makeup or it won't apply evenly. 

9. Haircare bag of tricks.

I think it's important to have a few go-to hair products that you know work well with your hair texture and style. A good dry-shampoo is a must for those 2nd day hair days. Right now, I am LOVING the Living Proof dry shampoo. I also really like the Redken Quick-Tease spray. It gives my hair lots of volume, which I definitely need. On the days when I wash my hair in the morning, I always use the Living Proof Prime Extender because it hodls my curls all day and even into the 2nd day. 

10. Have a go-to outfit ready to go.

 On days, when I just feel sleepy or sluggish I try to accessorize with a pop of color. It's all in my head, I know but a good outfit always makes me feel better! I try to iron a few pairs of pants and tops at the beginning of the week so when I have those rushed mornings, I still feel pulled together and fresh. We all have those outfits that just make us feel good or that are super comfortable (but still put-together). For me, a pair of colored jeans, a flowy top, a sweater, and a long necklace are my go-to. 


Weekend Recap {Rainy Disneyland Day}


Happy Monday everyone! I hope you all had a great weekend! My weekend sure flew by and that bums me out but also means I'm that much closer to my hubby coming home. Woohoo! Not that I can't handle a few weeks, but I miss him no matter if it's three days or three months. :)

I had a busy weekend that mostly centered around DISNEYLAND! On Saturday, I went with my friend Stephanie and we had a blast. It was a little chilly and rainy for most of the day but this worked to our advantage. It kept the normal busyness of Saturday at Disneyland at bay.

We were able to go on all our favorite rides: Indiana Jones, Matterhorn, Big Thunder Mountain, Pirates, Space Mountain, and the Haunted Mansion within our first 2 hours at the park. It was amazing! The longest we waited was 35 minutes at Midway Mania (which was soooo adorable) and probably 30 minutes to get our Dole Whip. Both were totally worth the wait haha! We managed to go on almost every ride that we wanted to with the exception of Radiator Springs and Peter Pan. Radiator Springs kept closing because of the rain and Peter Pan had a crazy long wait. We even went over to Downtown Disney for a little while. The best part is that we managed to do all of this by 4:30! We normally stay for the parade/ fireworks but they don't do the normal parade on rainy days. Such a fun day in the most magical place on Earth! :)



















On Sunday, I went to church and then headed to the commissary to get some groceries. It was a crazy busy morning of driving all over the county because I had to head back up to Poway after I dropped off the groceries. Mark's uncle went to look at a few houses with me which was so nice. THANK YOU!! Sadly, one was WAY too tiny and the other one was a dump. Ugh, house hunting isn't very fun.

Dina invited me to meet Meaghan, Will's dad, and herself at Home & Away for a drink. It was nice to just relax and vent about the craziness of my day.



I ended the night with working on some business stuff and making this yummy Mexican Corn Chowder from Against All Grain. YUM!