Living in Lustre

a life and style blog

living in lustre

Cozy Fall Days

Car Coat | Tee | Jeans | Booties

Happy Monday!  This weekend was slow and steady, and I loved every minute of it!  The plans we made didn’t happen so we took advantage of our fireplace and binge watched movies with the kids during the day, then our favorite shows after the kids went to bed – one of my favorite things to do when the leaves begin to turn and the air becomes crisp and chilly.

There is something so special about Fall in Washington and I am loving sweaters and cardigans more this year than I every have before.  Honestly, I’m not even mad about it.  This is the perfect addition to any wardrobe and comes in a few different colors – the only thing I wish it had was pockets.  That being said, it wasn’t a deal breaker when I spotted it.  Pair this beauty with a simple tee, skinny jeans (with rolled cuffs, of course), your favorite booties, and you’re good to go!

What are some of your favorite Fall staples to wear?

The Life We Bury: a book review

Back with another book review this week!  Just an FYI…I plan on reviewing new books each week since my goal is to complete at least one new book per week so hopefully you enjoy these.  Love me some thrillers and The Life We Bury did not disappoint!

The book description according to Amazon:

“College student Joe Talbert has the modest goal of completing a writing assignment for an English class. His task is to interview a stranger and write a brief biography of the person. With deadlines looming, Joe heads to a nearby nursing home to find a willing subject. There he meets Carl Iverson, and soon nothing in Joe’s life is ever the same.

Carl is a dying Vietnam veteran–and a convicted murderer. With only a few months to live, he has been medically paroled to a nursing home, after spending thirty years in prison for the crimes of rape and murder.

As Joe writes about Carl’s life, especially Carl’s valor in Vietnam, he cannot reconcile the heroism of the soldier with the despicable acts of the convict. Joe, along with his skeptical female neighbor, throws himself into uncovering the truth, but he is hamstrung in his efforts by having to deal with his dangerously dysfunctional mother, the guilt of leaving his autistic brother vulnerable, and a haunting childhood memory.

Thread by thread, Joe unravels the tapestry of Carl’s conviction. But as he and Lila dig deeper into the circumstances of the crime, the stakes grow higher. Will Joe discover the truth before it’s too late to escape the fallout?”

My personal review of The Life We Bury:

Oh.  My.  WORD!  Run out and buy it right now!  I wish that were enough to get y’all to read this book, but, here is what I really enjoyed about the book.

This book sat in my Audible wish list for a few months before I officially got to it.  After reading the description, I knew that I would love the book.  The mystery, suspense, and rave reviews for the storytelling is what sold me on it.  I don’t know about you, but, when I listen to any book on Audible the narrator can either make or break a book.  Thankfully, the narrator chosen for this book did a superb job.

This heart tugging, suspenseful book will make your blood pressure rise and fall with each new turn of events.  You will literally be on the edge the entire time.  If I had the opportunity to listen to the book in a single sitting, I would have – it’s that good!

Allen Eskens is an incredible storyteller and a natural born writer! The story flows effortlessly from Carl’s life story to Joe’s back story. They seem to not have anything in common with each other, but as they talk, their stories become intertwined. The ending is a bit of a twist and 100% gasp worthy.

Thank goodness there is a sequel to The Life We Bury called The Shadows We Hide that will be released on 11/13/2018 and I have already pre-ordered it!  Although this was his first book debut, he has since released 3 (soon to be 4) more books – all of which I will be reading for sure!

If you’ve read this book before I would love to hear your thoughts!  Comment below with what you thought about the book!

Big Lashes and Berry Lips

I have never been the type of person to follow the seasonal changes when it comes to makeup. Basically I wear what makes me happy and beautiful.  Lately I’ve been a huge fan of “simplified” makeup looks. To me, that means flawless skin, “natural” lashes, and some sort of fun neutral lip.  Nowadays the easier the makeup look, the better off I’ll be getting ready for the day.  Lord knows I never feel like myself if I’m not put together before I leave the house.

I have been using Rodan and Fields for over 4 years now…definitely my ride or die skincare routine (I’m happy to write a post about my current routine if you wish). I believe that if your skin is unhappy, there is legit no sense in trying to apply makeup to your face.  If you’re too dry, you’ll get oddball patches on your skin where makeup has clung to said dry spots.  If you suffer from acne, trying to cover up blemishes can be a nightmare and even make your condition worse.  Believe me, I did it for years until I changed up my skincare routine.  More on that later though…we’re here to talk about lashes and lips, people!

Let’s talk lashes!   A part of my daily routine is to apply Lash Boost to my lash line each night before bed and this has been a major lifesaver.  My poor lashes were pathetic after having kids and I always longed to have beautiful lashes again.  Lash Boost has helped me get them back and made it so I no longer have to wear false lashes!  OI love to accentuate my lashes with a touch of mascara, and my absolute favorite right now is the IT Cosmetics Superhero Elastic Stretch Volumizing Mascara – that’s a mouthful!  This mascara is seriously bomb [DOT] com and does not bleed onto my skin underneath my lower lash line. *raise the roof*  I love this mascara so much because I do not feel the need to apply eyeliner on the daily to accentuate my lash line.  It makes my eyes look brighter, and more awake because it lifts and separates them for a more “doll-like” effect.  I usually get mine here, but, have also found a sweet deal here – 2 for almost the price of 1!!  Go get you some!

Onto lips!  I have been seriously obsessed with the Caramel Latte LipSense by Senegence lately topped with either the Glossy Gloss, Matte Gloss, or, Golden Iris Gloss (pictured above).  On me this shade is slightly darker than my natural lip color and adds just a little something extra to my look.  By changing up the gloss that is applied, I feel like your can completely transform your look for any occasion.  The lip color really does stay all day, and makes the entire makeup application super easy since I never have to reapply the lip color throughout the day.  All I do is bring along whatever gloss I’m digging that day and apply that as needed.  Easy peasy!  Side note – I do not sell Senegence products, but, I am happy to suggest my dealer if you’re interested.  Just comment below!

What are a few of your favorite go-to makeup products to keep your day to day look simplified?

No One Knows: a book review

I have been a bookworm for as long as I can remember. I refer to myself as an “equal opportunity book lover.” If the book is well written, the genre doesn’t really matter to me. It’s not unlike me to be reading more than one book at a time. I always listen to an Audible book as I get ready each day, and have another book either in my purse, or, on my nightstand to read as I please. My goal is always to read a minimum of 1 book per week – not always successful, but, I still try because I enjoy it.

This week I am reviewing No One Knows by J.T. Ellison.

 

Here’s the description according to Amazon:

“Aubrey Hamilton has been mourning her missing husband for five years, despite being even while she was considered the prime suspect in his murder. But when he is officially declared dead, there are still more questions than answers: Why didn’t Josh show up at his friend’s bachelor party? Was he murdered, or did he run away? And who is the new, mysterious and strangely familiar figureman suddenly appearing in Aubrey’s life? And has she finally lost her mind after years of loneliness and confusion? 

No One Knows is an evocative mystery that explores the complex darkness within all of us, perfect for fans of Gillian Flynn, Liane Moriarty, and Paula Hawkins.”

Here’s my review:

First of all, I couldn’t put the book down. This is always a good sign. I loved that the book kept me on my toes all the way until the end.

Is Aubrey going crazy? Where did Josh go? Is he alive?!? What the what?!?!?

I would consider this book to be your basic thriller. There’s love, loss, death, mystery, etc. You name it, this book has all the right ingredients. Despite some of the negative reviews about the book, I really enjoyed the book…until the very end.

Don’t worry, I won’t give away major details, but, I kind of felt a little empty inside when I finished the book – definitely saying, “what the hell just happened?” During the entire book Aubrey has her own inner dialogue which is great to get to know her better. The ONLY thing I didn’t appreciate about the book is that, that inner dialogue never once revealed the truth about her involvement in her husbands disappearance. When the truth is revealed at the end, I legit said, “WHAT?!? Are you effing kidding me right now?” Which then caused my husband to give the people’s eyebrow (if you don’t know what that is, we may no longer be friends).

Here’s the deal, I totally dig J.T. Ellison’s writing style. So much so, I began reading one of her many series. She’s a great writer and really knows how to pull you into the characters lives which I appreciate. I may not have liked how the book ended, but, that’s not a dealbreaker for me. If the book doesn’t elicit some sort of emotional response (good, bad, or, otherwise), then it’s not worth reading.

Have you read No One Knows? If so, I’d love to hear your thoughts!

**This post does contain affiliate links.**

Top 5 Booties for the Fall

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

I don’t know what it is about booties that makes them so stinkin’ versatile, but, they’re my fav.  I’m pretty sure most of my shoe collection is now booties of some form or another.  I think there is something fun about a shoe that can be dressed up, down, and everything in-between.  Whether you need an easy shoe to slip on, something to add a little pizzazz to your wardrobe, or, if you plan to become a bootie hoarder (worst possible phrasing I probably could have chosen) like me then you need to invest in some awesome pairs for your collection.

Some people collect coins, I collect booties.  What can I say?

Right now I’m obsessed with the gorgeous denim blue beauties above.  They may not be perfect for snowy weather, but, the perforations really send them over the top and I love pairing them with mustard tights/leggings.

If I’m being perfectly honest with myself, I really shouldn’t purchase anymore for a very long time…

Well maybe until the next time Nordstrom drops some new releases, or, has a killer sale….

 

Ten weeks in, a lifetime to go!



Jacket | Shirt | Jeans | Booties

Over the past decade I had become lazy, complacent, and comfortable with being uncomfortable all the time. I was constantly worried about how I looked in clothes, cried when I tried to fit into an outfit that looked adorable in my mind and ultimately just didn’t work on my “body type,” constantly felt the need to suck it in, and eventually resorted myself to the fact that I was just going to “always be fat.”

I have always been a creature of habit.  Unfortunately, tons of those habits turned into bad habits.

For those of you that follow me on Instagram, you already know that I am currently 10 weeks into my health journey.

Ten weeks ago the I made the choice to put my physical and mental health first. I am determined to be healthy from the inside out for my family, and myself. Each day I feel more and more comfortable in my own skin, is excited that I am 24.5 lbs. lighter, and 19” smaller all over.

For once in my life, I am excited about shopping for clothes and can see the light at the end of this once gluttonous tunnel. Food is no longer my security blanket, it is my fuel that will propel me into the healthiest version of myself that I can be.  I am so thankful to be on this journey. It is amazing how much I have changed in the last ten weeks. I’m not done yet though!  Because of my new and improved habits I have acquired over the past 10 weeks, I will have a lifetime of health, and ultimately happiness.

The best part?  Investing in new clothes!  Because I have not hit my goal weight yet, I am not investing a ton just yet…except for a few key pieces.  Jeans are a must for me.  Although my work day involves more “office appropriate” outfits, I live in jeans on my days off.  With Fall upon us, I needed a lightweight jacket that I could work into many outfits and this utility jacket made me drool.  Clearly I had to have it.  Can we just have a moment of silence for these booties?  I don’t mean to brag, but, I’ve worn the same shoe size since the 7th grade; just saying.  I wouldn’t necessarily say that I needed the booties, but, they tie the outfit together and I wear them all.  the.  time!

I want to encourage all of you to follow along with me on my health journey and #liveoutloud.  I definitely need the accountability!  Plus sharing new outfits with you will be even more fun for me, ha!

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