Another Reason to Love Coach

Today whilst shopping at the mall for Vivian's upcoming birthday, Ms. Coach and I just HAD to stop in her mother store. I wanted to see if they had their new fragrance in yet, which of course they did. And of course, I love it. Ooooh, it has such a nice spring scent! It actually sort of reminds me of a more springy version of my beloved Juicy Couture scent. (which I have yet to buy...so far I've been living on 2 different samples. nice.) And of course it has amber in it, which is a note that seems to be included in every perfume a like. (but not Juicy, interestingly enough...)

After spraying it on, I asked if by any chance they had a sample for me to bring home. They gave me two. Total class! Reminds me of Nordstrom, when I went in there asking for a sample of the Juicy perfume I mentioned above. Where as the woman at the Macy's counter just shrugged and said "I'm sorry" when they ran out, the woman at Nordstrom just made me one by filling up a little blank sample bottle. Again, class! Those little things make a big difference when you are looking at quality service, no?

Make-Up Bondage

So I go into Macy*s yesterday to replace my almost-empty (at least I think it's almost empty...those damn flesh colored pump bottles make it impossible to tell, I just kind of guessed by the fact it was feeling light and it farted at me last time I squirted a little on the back of my hand...) HG (holy grail) of foundations, the Lancome Renergie Lift Make-Up, and I am pleasantly surprised with being greeted by a 'Free Gift' display at the counter. Nice. Rarely am I lucky enough to run out of something just at the right Free Gift time--it normally pops up right AFTER I've been there.

The Gift is quite generous--my choice of 3 different little make-up bags, all filled with the same stuff. An eyeshadow 'quad' (which I have to say looks amazingly like the last Free Gift quad that was given out sometime over the summer), a mascara, a lipstick that I'll actually use, (although it does have a bit of that old-lady lipstick smell. One of the reasons I buy most of my lipsticks at Mac.) an eyelash curler that I probably will never use, some eye make-up remover, and a small jar of moisturizing cream.

I was curious about that cream. I've come a long way with my facial accoutrements, spent a lot of time trying this and that and getting it just right, that I don't try new skin-care things lightly. It smelled good, I liked the consistency. I decided to look it up on line to find out just what I was supposed to do with the stuff and what exactly it's supposed to do for me. Let's see here...oooh! It: "...fights visible effects of age and hormonal changes." Right on, I'm there. "...skin regains youthful substance, firmness, and radiance – as if signs of aging are visibly repaired." Bring it on! "Visible Repair: Wrinkles appear reduced. 85% experience improved elasticity and firmness. Intense Moisture: 91% feel skin is nurtured. Re-plumped with life. Clarity: A radiant, even skin tone is revealed." Dang, this stuff even has wild yam in it. (the sweet potatoes...!) And it's only....wha?? $108.00??!! That's almost as much as the latest Coach spring/summer bag I have my eye on, and they want me to use this on my face every day? Grief.

I never used to care much about make-up. (check out that hair-do!) Back in the day I never would have dreamed about using foundation--it didn't fit the whole rock and roll death look I was going for. A little powder, absolutely NO blush (again, too life-like for rock and roll) tons of black eye liner and the finishing touch of some bright red or purple lipstick. I splurged on lipstick from Aveda, but everything else could be bought at your local Walgreens. Of course back then youth didn't come from a bottle, and I WANTED to look made up. (there's Lori and I back in the day-ha!) Now I'm spending out the wazoo to give the illusion that I don't have much on. Oh, the irony. And it's all so addicting! What starts as a Free Gift here and there becomes an obsession for that beautiful sparkly eyeshadow that looks almost identical to the one you just thew away because you found you never used it. Craziness I tell you, craziness!

I can only hope I don't end up liking this moisturizer. So does my husband, I'm sure. You men out there, you're so damn lucky!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Is an image of two skeletons in a loving embrace a Metal way to wish someone a Happy Love day, or what?!

Ahhh, Valentine's Day. The holiday that either makes you feel elated or like doo doo, depending on where you are in your life. Of course since I have a loving husband and children, Valentine's Day around here is pretty darn nice. I understand the mixed feelings with it, though. The expectations that come with the holiday of love are grand--even Sullivan told Dad that they needed to go to Zales for me. (this comes from catching a commercial whilst watching the History Channel.) But even a small gesture can be grand, I certainly don't need diamonds (or Coach purses!) to understand that I am loved. Check out this lovely display that I woke up to this morning! Chocolate and sweet cards from my family--the kids spent a lot of time and thought picking them out and decorating the envelopes. They may not be blue patent leather, but does it get any more valuable than that???

So I hope all of you out there feel the love today baby, feel the love. Even if you don't have one specific admirer at this time, somebody out there loves the one and only you. You gotta love that!!!

Kim and Ms. Coach

Kim came over yesterday afternoon--not for a cup of coffee, mind you, but a cup of her own Chai Tea complete with Chai flavored Coffee Mate that she herself brought over. (have Cream Crap, will travel...!) I have to say, it was a lovely way to spend a quiet, dreary afternoon.

Here she is sporting Ms. Coach. As soon as she whipped it over her shoulder she proceeded to strut around my living room with it on. I made her stop mid-strut for this photo. I'm glad she's not jealous about my new best friend. But we ladies have to all stick together, right?!

I have absolutely no New Year's plans, and you know, that's just fine. Just hanging out here with my family and Ms. Coach works for me. That's where the 'Metal' part of Metal Mommy definitely loses out to the 'Mommy' part--I can barely stay up until midnight any more. Pathetic! I mean, a cozy evening with friends is definitely a great thing, but being out at a crazy party with people drinking, acting stupid and puking just to say, "hooray!" when the clock strikes midnight is not my idea of a good time. Does anything special ever happen at midnight?! No. It's just another day. I will reflect on the old year in my own quiet way...by waking up on January 1st 2007 with no hangover, just a cup of coffee and high hopes that this new year will be just as great to me as 2006 has been.

Grown Up Shopping With Ms. Coach

I dropped the kids off at Vicky's today and Ms. Coach and I hit a couple of malls for some pure unadulterated after-Christmas shopping. What a thrill! I have to say I felt damn spunky showing my purse off. Not that anyone probably noticed, and of course it's oh so vulgar, but hey. A Metal Mommy has to get her jollies somehow.

I was In Search Of once more...looking for some funky yet sophisticated clothes to bring to Washington, D.C. Yes, you read right, I will be visiting the one and only state capitol in about a month with the fam. All thanks to Vivian, who quite unexpectantly landed a commercial job that will bring us all there. That's about all I can say about it right now--everything about it is very hush-hush at this point, and it's killing me. A mother wants to brag about her children, but I have to reel it all in. In the meantime, I can shop. I just needed (or, wanted?!) a couple of 'bottom' pieces that weren't jeans to dress things up just a bit. Ann Taylor Loft turned out to be a good place to go, as I ended up with a skirt and some cool dress-shorts there! Believe it or not, this Metal Mommy loves Ann Taylor. When I want to pretend to be sophisticated, that's where I go. Their clothes fit me so well and they have many nice alternatives to skull t-shirts when I want to look a bit more like a grown-up.

I also shimmied myself into the Guess store to look at wallets....I love the whole Guess purse thing, in fact, the purse I was using all the time before Ms. Coach took over was a Guess. I got a great deal on a wallet that actually matches that old girl. Now maybe she won't feel too left out, and know that I still love her. I'll pull her out again eventually, of course, but for now I'm too infactuated with my blue patent leather. It still gives me butterflies when I catch sight of it from across the way...! Oh dear, maybe my purse and I need to get a room?! Ha!

Speaking of shopping/fashion/fads, I'll leave you with this photo of me with an upside-down Christmas tree, which I guess was the new decorating thing this holiday season. Personally, I don't get it. But hey, I guess they have to keep thinking of ways to shake it up!