taking care of your skin

i don't know about you guys but i am always on the look out for ways to keep my skin looking youthful & healthy. i have combination skin but i am definitely more on the dry side, so finding products that deliver enough moisture without leaving too much oil on my face has been a struggle for me. i have lived in utah for 4 years now & ever since i have moved here it has felt like i just couldn't get on top of the break outs on my face. it has been driving me nuts! in high school i would get that random zit here or there but nothing extreme. i thought maybe it was hormones from birth control or my age that was causing these new acne patterns, but the more i have experimented with things the more i have realized it is the climate here that has really taken it's toll on my skin.

i've tried different face washes, gotten facials, purchased a clearasonic, done face masks, bought different lotions & i'm even guilty of falling into the trap of expensive department store products. nothing really seemed to fix what was going on, though!

a few months ago i started researching more natural products that help with dry skin and even acne. i decided to pick up a few products and try them out. why not, right? i have been beyond pleased with the results so far!

COCONUT OIL >>
this oil is so versatile. you can use it for cooking, as a hair mask, body & face moisturizer, make up remover and a face cleanser. i know the term "oil" is scary when considering applying it to your face, but i'm telling you there is nothing to be nervous about! this product works on any skin type {most youtube tutorials on this product are women who have really oily skin} and helps deliver & lock in moisture. most lotions have a lot of water in them which make you feel like you are hydrating your face, but once the water is absorbed you are left with your skin feeling dry again. coconut oil also helps draw out dirt & dead skin from your pores and also plumps up your skin leaving your face with less fine lines & wrinkles. i'm telling you, coconut oil will help you keep or get back a youthful glow to your skin. sounding too good to be true??? do some research of your own & you'll find out for yourself!

you can use coconut oil daily on your skin but right now i am using it as a face wash a few times a week if my face is feeling really dry....i am still experimenting with my routine! i also like to use it as a chap stick before bed!

// if you want to try out this product make sure you get extra virgin, organic, raw coconut oil preferably in a glass jar! you can pick this up at local health food stores like whole foods.

JOJOBA OIL >>
i honestly think this oil may be my miracle worker. jojoba oil isn't actually an oil, it is technically a wax ester from the jojoba tree. it is also the closest thing to human skin oil. so what i like to do is cleanse my face at night with my face wash or coconut oil and then put a dime size amount of face lotion in my hand with 4 or 5 drops of jojoba oil and spread it all over my face and neck. the jojoba oil will "trick" your skin into thinking it already has enough oil on it so it won't over produce the oil on your face. i think my skin may work extra hard to produce oil on my face to make up for my dryness, but applying lotion with some jojoba oil helps my skin not to freak out on me while still delivering enough moisture to my face. {i honestly probably don't need to use lotion with it, again i'm still experimenting}

// if you want to try this product make sure you get organic jojoba oil. be sure not to use too much at a time because if you have tons of excess oil on your face it can more easily attract & trap bacteria which won't be helping your skin at all. so just remember, a little goes a long way! if you feel like you may have put too much on then lightly pat your face with a clean towel.

ah i love these products!!!
do you guys have any products that are a must for you???

i'll take you to the doughnut shop

growing up in a los angeles suburb, krispy kremes were a rare treat for most people in my community. there wasn't a krispy kreme store close by, so little mom & pop doughnut shops were where we got our saturday morning doughnuts from...oh, & on the rare occasion, a quick before school treat ;) but since i've moved to utah i have found the complete opposite to be true! if i'm in the mood for a doughnut then i will typically make the 5 minute trip the the local krispy kreme store...when i first got here i loved having those melt-in-your-mouth treats so close by, but it is now 4 years later & i am kind of over krispy kreme {yes, i said it}!! i just want my NORAML doughnuts back!

so, i did a little search for local doughnut places & decided to try some out. {what a hard job, right?} these beauties are from a place called beyond glaze in draper. aren't they just the prettiest doughnuts you have ever seen???? i almost didn't want to eat them because they were so fun to look at. but that thought quickly passed & i dove in!

^^^ i was so close to getting the maple bacon but decided i would come back with mark & we could try it together ^^^

i would give this place a B+ because they cost double what normal doughnuts typically cost & i thought the they looked better than they tasted. but i only tried one...if i go back then i'll take a couple bites from a few different ones & maybe do an update if i need to :)

what are you favorite guilty pleasures?????

live it up & write it down

this cute little "j" notebook is my photography journal where i write down notes, ideas, things i learn & what not relating to photography. i love looking back at the things that i have written down & to see how far i have come in my craft. journals of any kind are such a cool thing, don't you think? they reveal so much about a person! 

as a little girl i kept a diary that i wrote in from time to time. it had a lock & key so that no one would be able to read my deepest secrets. looking back on it now, i wish i wrote down more so that i could remember the important things that were occurring in my life at the time. i love being able to remember such innocent & funny things that i deemed important enough to jot down as a 10 year old.

i like to think that this blog serves the same purpose as my personal diary did then, but i know that i don't share very intimate & personal details about my family's life on here. to me public blogs just aren't the place to completely vent about everything. maybe for some, but not me at this point in my life. but i do love that this blog is a little place to share experiences & thoughts with others, as well as a mild journal of sorts.

// i really wish i would spend a little bit of time writing in a personal journal, though.
journals are great for venting & really fun to look back on. unfortunately, for some reason i find it hard to
find time to want to sit down & write with a pen and paper these days...thanks, technology! //

how much is too much to share on your public blog? do you guys keep a journal other than your blog???
how do you stay motivated to keep writing in it?

life lately {iphone edition}

well, hello there march! 

february went by so fast! here is a little look back on some of our adventures last month. i often forget to take pictures of the day2day stuff...i will work on that! this month was full of baking, eating, hanging with friends, mark's birthday & helping with a wedding!

recipes {homemade baguettes}

any french baguette lovers out there???

when my good friend told me that she made fresh baguettes in her own kitchen i was shocked & immediately had to know how it was done! this recipe was relatively straight forward, although you do need to prepare the dough a day in advance & allow enough time to let the dough rise, etc. BUT once you taste the bread you will forget about all of the little steps & be in bread 'n' butter heaven. i am a HUGE lover of bread & this baguette recipe did not disappoint. i ended up making this for the first time last week for my husband's french inspired birthday dinner.

>> what you'll need
yields 4 loaves

5 1/2 cups unbleached bread flour {all purpose flour will work too}

1 tbsp coarse kosher salt

2 1/4 tsp instant yeast {or 1 packet of yeast}

2 cups warm water

>> directions
this is a two day process!

day one:

1. combine all ingredients in bowl of mixer, set with paddle attachment, and mix on lowest speed for one minute until well blended and smooth. {add the flour a cup at a time until you get the right consistency. i used 5 cups of flour} dough should form a coarse, shaggy ball.  let rest, uncovered for 5 minutes.  

2. switch to dough hook and mix on medium-low speed for 2 minutes. dough should be smooth, supple, and tacky but not sticky.  

3. knead dough by hand on lightly floured work surface for 1 minute, then transfer to a large clean, lightly oiled bowl. cover with plastic wrap and immediately refrigerate overnight or up to 4 days.

** dough can also be made without the use of a stand mixer. combine all the ingredients – start with a wooden spoon then switch to your hands when the flour is incorporated. lightly knead until all the ingredients are well blended. let rest for 5 minutes then knead for about 5 more minutes until dough is smooth and slightly tacky.

day two:

1. remove dough from refrigerator 2 hours prior to baking.  

2. gently transfer to lightly floured work surface, taking care to release as little gas as possible.  divide dough into four equal portions. ** i prepared two baguettes & kept the remaining two portions in the fridge to bake during the week

3. pat each individual portion of dough into a thick rectangle.

4. fold the bottom half to the center and seal the seam. fold the top half to the center and once again seal the seam.

5. roll the top half of the dough over the seam to create a new seam on the bottom of the loaf. 

6. with seam side underneath, gently rock loaf back and forth, with hands moving out toward and increasing pressure at the ends, to slightly taper the loaf until baguette is the length of baking sheet. place the formed baguettes on a baking sheet that has been oiled or covered with parchment.  mist top of dough with oil, loosely cover with plastic wrap, and proof at room temperature for about 1 1/2 hours, or until increased to 1 1/2 times its original size.

7. preheat oven to 450 degrees. place a sheet pan, which will serve as steam pan, with a 1-inch rim on shelf under which baguettes will be baked.  

8. remove plastic wrap from the dough 15 minutes prior to baking.  just prior to baking, score the dough 1/2 inch deep with a serrated knife or razor.  transfer dough to the oven, pour 1 cup hot water into the steam pan. {when you pour the water into the pan it will make a really loud noise so be aware!}

9. bake for 10-15 minutes, then rotate pan and bake for another 15-20 minutes, until the crust is rich golden brown and the loaves sound hollow when thumped. cool on wire rack before slicing or serving. 

original recipe from notwithoutsalt.com

um, yum right???

recipes {beef bourguignon}

a few weeks ago i tackled a classic recipe with an unusually scary name, beef bourguignon. this dish is a pretty simple beef stew but with an amazing depth of flavor created by the addition of red wine. we paired this stew with some fresh rolls & called it a night!

>> what you'll need
bouquet garni:
4 sprigs of fresh rosemary
4 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 tsp black peppercorns
3 bay leaves

8 ounces white pearl onions
4 tbs extra-virgin olive oil
8 oz bacon, cut into 1/4 inch dice
4 lbs boneless beef chuck, cut into 11/2 inch pieces
1 tbs kosher salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
6 cloves of garlic, minced
1 bottle (750 ml) Pinot Noir
2 cups reduced-sodium beef broth
1 tbs tomato paste
3 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch dice
4 tbs (1/2 stick) butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 lb cremini mushrooms, quartered (or button mushrooms)
chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley for garnish

>> directions
makes 8 servings.

1. position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 300 degrees.

2. to make the bouquet garni, wrap the rosemary, thyme, peppercorns and bay leaves in a cheesecloth and tie into a packet with a kitchen string.

3. bring a small saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. add the pearl onions and boil until the skins loosen, about 2 minutes. drain and rinse under cold running water. use a sharp paring knife to trim off the tops and tails; peel the onions. pierce each with the tip of the knife to help hold its shape during cooking.

4. heat 2 tbs of the oil in a large dutch oven over medium heat. add the bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 10 minutes. use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a platter, reserving the fat in the dutch oven.

5. season beef with the salt and pepper. increase the heat to medium-high. working in batches to avoid crowding, add the beef and cook, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, about 8 minutes. use the slotted spoon to transfer the beef to the platter with the bacon.

6. return the heat to medium. add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 6 minutes. stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. add the wine and bring to a boil, scraping up the browned bits in the pot bottom with a wooden spatula. stir in the broth and tomato paste and add the bouquet garni. return the beef and bacon to the pot and add the carrots. return to a boil. cover the pot with aluminum foil. and then cover with the lid.

7. bake until the meat is very tender when pierced with a fork, about 2 hours. remove from the oven and skim off any fat from the surface of the cooking liquid. discard the bouquet garni. put the dutch oven on the stove over medium-low heat.

8. melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. whisk in flour and let bubble without browning for 1 minute. remove from the heat and whisk about 11/2 cups of the cooking liquid. stir this mixture into the stew. simmer, uncovered, until the sauce thickens and no raw flour taste remains, about 15 minutes.

9. meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tbs of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until their liquid has evaporated and they are sizzling and browned, about 10 minutes. stir into the parsley.

(the stew can be cooled, covered, and refigerated, for up to 3 days, or frozen for up to 3 months. reheat over medium-low heat before serving.)

this stew can be served over rice, with some mashed potatoes or with rolls/bread to soak up all of the left over broth! trust me, you won't want to waste any of the broth! this recipe may appear complicated to make, but it really isn't that hard...and trust me, it is SO worth it!

happy monday!!

keeping a memory jar

some of you may have notice that i changed my URL & blog name to FIVE FOOT SEVEN! i thought it was about time to give this little blog a slight make over. 

i decided on the name five foot seven because it is a small piece of information about me. this is a lifestyle blog after all, so i figured making it a bit more personal wouldn't hurt! and yes, i am 5'7". :)

over the last year mark & i had a fun little idea to keep a jar full of funny memories throughout the entire year. if something silly, weird or note worthy occured we would quickly write it down and stick it in this little glass jar. our plan was to open it on new years eve and remember all the funny little things that had happened over the year. we were in seattle over new years and totally forgot all about it, but for some reason we were hanging in our office last night and mark suggested we read the notes!

there was only about 15 items but each one made us laugh and remember some of the fun times that we had during the past twelve months. i think this is an awesome tradition, one that may be hard to remember all year long, but something worth giving a shot! i also think i will save the ones from last year and make a little scrap book just for these little memories!

super bowl festivities

^^^ apparently the boys enjoyed the commercials ^^^

^^^ intense moment in the game??? nope, beyonce. ^^^

our super bowl sunday was so much fun. we kept it pretty low key with just a few friends & some delicious food. the menu consisted of chips & dip, BBQ pulled pork, homemade rolls and french fries. maryclaire worked her baking magic & pulled off some AMAZING rolls. it was also nice to have mark in the kitchen with the ladies for a bit while he made all of the fries! {yes, we have a deep frier...don't judge} we had planned on making some healthier sides to balance all of our carbs as well as a tasty dessert, but after all of the snacking we decided we were too full to do much of anything. this was kind of a big deal...skipping dessert is unheard of in this group. i'm just saying! :)

>> i would also like to point out that i realize maryclaire is in many of my posts. we are good friends {not sisters} & so are our husbands, so we get together at least once a week. i do have to say, it is so nice having a cooking buddy & a willing model whenever i want to take pictures!

a busy weekend...

...makes for lots of pictures & so much to share! 

this weekend was full of pictures!! & i have to say, i loved it! typically our weekends are pretty mellow around here, but i do have to say it is nice to mix it up & have a hectic one.

on friday i did the first half of a valentine's day inspired photo shoot for two friends of mine up in a cabin near park city. saturday i assisted alyssia from allyssiabphotography at a wedding in pleasant grove. i had a blast & it turned out her husband was an old friend of mark's from back in washington! small world. then on sunday {before the super bowl began} i went out with maryclaire & nate to finish their darling vday shoot. i love working with friends :) sunday afternoon mark & i hosted a small super bowl party with a few friends, lots of yummy food & tons of fun!

stay tuned for more upcoming pics from this weekend!!

life lately {iphone edition}

 life lately has been full of freezing temps, too much food & some new york lovin!!!

cheers to the last day of january! february, i've been waiting for you :)