Disordered

I wrote this post a few months ago:

In the morning I listen to this radio show which is sometimes funny but I was really disturbed in regards to the disorder that I heard this morning.  The host was talking about weird natural stuff like "Where were you when you got your first period?"  I know it's a little weird but some stories were kind of funny.  So, then he talks about how he needs to change the subject because this topic was to disturbing.  Then one of the girls on the show says every girl has to go through it to make babies.  Then the radio DJ makes it about him and how he can't make babies because he takes it "#? the butt" because of his "preference of lifestyle."  He was a lot more graphic then I have been in this blog. But really?  What’s more disturbing?  Any suggestions about any other morning shows to listen to on my way to work?  I have a very long commute and I seriously can’t take hearing that kind of stuff anymore.  

I’m going to put it out there right now and I don't care what other people think but I’m just going to have to say that I pray to God that gay marriage is never legal. If it ever becomes legal comments like this will end up being more acceptable to children and society.   Don't even think that this is a odd occurrence and children won’t hear things like this on a regular basis.  I can tell you because I have seen it with my own eyes and heard it with my own ears and all the little girl could do was look at him like he just told her Santa Clause wasn't real.  Is telling your preference of lifestyle important to share with a 7 year old because she asked you who takes care of your dog? If she doesn't get it the first time there is no need to keep explaining your lifestyle untill she does.  I don't want my own children leaning about this lifestyle from you. 

Marriage is another thing.  Why do people say if you have a big wedding you want to be the center of attention?  Have you ever thought about what a wedding is truly about?  It’s not a piece of paper it’s a celebration of a new family.  No wonder why divorce is so high in this country because if I have to hear that a wedding is just a piece of paper again I’m going to go crazy. 

I’m so happy that I married a wonderful husband who doesn’t agree with these new society norms.  I’m also struggling so much because to respond to peoples comments like these with tact and not hurting their feelings is really hard because you never know where a comment like that is truly coming from.  I never can think of the right thing to say at the right moment.

Birthday Present

It was recently my birthday and of course I went a little crazy.  In Chicago when I was so close to my family your birthday was celebrated all month.  We would go out to eat with extended family, then with immediate family and then finally friends.  Now is kinda just me and John but thats what happens when you move and get older.  Im starting to forget how old I am sometimes.  It used to matter how old I was but now I forget.  Time is just going by really fast.  

For my birthday John bought me a Sautoir or a Lariat of pearls.  Which is a "Rope (Sautoir or Lariat): over 40 inches Knot it or loop it. A single rope can become a double or triple strand." At first I was like "Pearls Long strand absolutely beautiful but how do I wear them?" All I could think of to do was to wrap it around my neck a bunch of times and I wore it out and it was so hot and it looked even 

matronly in that way.  I had to take it off while we were out and John was really  disappointed.  So, the fashionestia that I am, took some time to do some research on how to wear it.  Im a firm believer that anything that is high quality never goes out of style it just needs to be worn differently though the fashion trends.  Thank God for the internet because with some research I was able to find a few images and ideas from others about how to wear a lariat of pearls.

Now, Im able to ware them just about every day.  They look good with jeans nice shirts they can go with any outfit.

Thank you for the great b-day present John. :-)

Baby stuff

Last weekend John and I got to attend a 8 hour birthing class.  In the class they went through everything you should expect to happen to you when you have a baby and all the options you have.  After all of this education I need to write up a birth plan with in the next month to share with the doctors and the nurses at the hospital.  I might not really need it because it seems like we are all on the same page with what CHW is doing.  Its just amazing what our bodies go through to have a baby but thats how we are all here.  One of the funniest things about the class was the fear that most of the men had they were affraid of how they were going to get their wives to the hospital and not get lost on the way.  I mentiond this to John on our walk on Monday he is very confident that he will not have any problems.  Then he pushed it back on me and told me that do I know how to get to every hospital on the way home from work. lol. 

I still have a bruse on my arm from blood being drawn from the gestational diabetes test.  It really was a bigger needle.  John was woundering where the bruse came from the other day and it has been about a week since the test.  My sister Tricia has a bruse from the same test.  What they did to her was worse.  They drew her blood before the test then made her sit in the office for an hour after she had the sugary drink and then took blood from the other arm.  I was in and out of my doctors office in 15 min for the same test.  Im really happy I didnt have to go through what she had too.

Brest feeding is this new thing Im getting to learn about.  There is a book Im reading called "Breastfeeding Made Simple: Seven Natural Laws for Nursing Mothers."  Has been a easy read so far and really good information.  The book seems to avoid giving you so many rules and wants you to do it more naturally.  I learned a lot in regrds to bottle feeding and how its not natural becuse babies can go into food comas and don't worry about not producing enough milk is based on supply and demand.  When you brest feed oxitocin is relased that helps the mother fight off depression and it helps with the babies imune system and makes them smarter.  Kind of a no brainer you should do it.  I am really now woundering about the whole fertility while brest feeding.  John and I are going to sign up for a NFP class right after the baby is born.  Just a little of personal information of why I'm so concerned: I was one of thoes lucky ones who got pregnant really easily and Im hoping to have some control over the baby stuff.

Yes, I miss my vino.  Im really looking forward to having that glass of red wine and enjoying it or the 4 peaks pumpkin portor that is coming out this fall.  You can drink while you brest feed in moderation but you have to still be careful and do it right.  Im also looking forward to working out again.  Right now its too hot so I have been doing some palities at home and walking at night.

We have a hospital tour this weekend at Mercy Gilbert.  Im kindof excited about it. The rooms look really nice online and I get my own room.  I also have to write up in the birth plan information about visitors.  I will be really blessed to have them but I may just want to stick with family when Im in the hospital.  Unfortunatly unlike my sister I prefer just to have John in there with the doctor durring all the excitement. I would like Michelle my other sister theres but it will probobly be to expensive to fly her out.

Cloth dipering is something Im going to do.  I am really excited about it.  We are planning on having a few kids so this would be a really great investment for us.  My friend Erica is a cloth dipering expert.  She has been doing it with her son for over a year and loves it.  Im hoping to feel the same way.  When you talk to people about it you get mixed opinions but I think it comes from not knowing.  If you not a mom your not going to do the resurch.  Lots of things have changed recently with tecnology and fabrics so Im sure its going to be great.  Also, I think disposable dipers are gross.   I still have a lot to learn about this but Im super excited.

Ok, just a lot of random thoughts this time but there is a lot to do and learn to be prepared for Baby V.  Also, thank you for your prayers Johns contract has been extended and as long as his company keeps getting projects he will have a job.  Which I have a good feeling about who he works for. Projects wont be ending anytime soon.  (I hope :-))

Shellac update and a bit of celebrity news

Update on Shellac:
If you are a nail picker and peeler this product is not for you. I would also say it stays on for about a week and it's not worth to charge a client 50% more then a regular polish.  It is definitely better and stronger than regular polish but there are some tricks to putting it on.  The other thing is I'm not so hot on is that the bottles of polish are twice as expensive as regular polish.  That is too much for the professional.  I can see a few dollars more but not twice as much. If you are a nail tech it takes a little longer to put on than regular polish because of the additional curing steps.  So, paying twice as much for the polish and it taking extra time hurts a nail techs pocket book.  I wouldn't say it lasts two weeks but I would say it lasts longer and has more shine then regular polish.

Here are a couple of big NO NO's I DISCOVERED:
- Do not touch your skin or the cuticle with Shellac.  It will peel off to quickly on its own.
- Keep the polish as thin as possible.  Even if its a little thick it will raise up on its own and peal off on its own.
- DO NOT PICK AT IT!  If you pick do not even try this product it is a waste of money for you.
- It needs to be put on by a professional.  Unless, you are really good at following instructions and having a trial period where you are going to have to find out how it works best. I say save it for an experienced nail tec.

Pro's-
- Stronger
- Last longer
- Very little damage to the natural nail (This is because you still have to use acetone on a natural nail)
- Drys fast
- More shine

Con's-
- Doesn't last two weeks
- Can be peeled off easily
- Product is more expensive and the bottles are smaller
- Extra cure time (between coats regular polish can be cured at the end for a long period of time)

Celebrity news:

This whole Ryan Dunn thing is very sad.  Whats more dangerous then being drunk?  Being drunk and brazen. When you a brazen you wont be calling a cab and you will end up driving crazy and not using good judgement.  I was reading an article about the street that Ryan was driving on and one of the locals was saying that it is a very dangerous road to be driving fast on.   I do really like those Jackass guys they're really fun to watch but I hope that they use this experience in a way to help fight against drunk driving.  911's are very fast and people who are sober can still lose control.  I remember once my Uncle Jim had a 911 and it was nice.  I had a cousin named Dan and Uncle Jim wouldn't let him leave the driveway in it but he would let him play around a bit.  Dan put the car in neutral and floored that car so hard it made the loudest noise I ever heard and the car dropped in shook like crazy I bet you that's what happened in this situation with Ryan.  If you are not holding on to that steering wheel and driving on straight solid pavement the car will take off from under you. If you are taking a lot of risks that stuff doesn't scare you anymore.

DON'T MIX WELL!

Salon I really Like

After about 5 years of being here in Phoenix, AZ I think I have found one of the best salons in the Phoenix area.  I was so impressed that I asked to meet the owner yesterday and I'm now preparing an email to her about what I really like about her salon.  I know I'm crazy but if you really like something you have to say something.  Let someone know that they are doing something right instead of wrong. 

Here is an overview of the great qualities I saw in this Salon:

- A coffee shop attached to the salon.  What better experience then to have coffee shop right there.  When I was working behind the chair my clients loved coffee especially while their color was  processing.  When I used to work as a shampoo assistant in Downtown Downers Grove at 15 years old I used to run to Starbucks and get coffee for the Hairstylists and their clients.  Let me tell you those clients we got coffee for were on cloud-9 they thought it was the nicest thing ever to be treated like the team.  I also can't think of anything else that salon owners, hairstylists and clients love more then coffee.  (Wait I just thought of one- Shoes!)

- Atmosphere. So, simple but yet clean and elegant. Ok, so its not hard to get this look but you still need a designer and a plan.  Everything flows I also think it looks better in person.  There is also a really cute chalk board outside of the door that welcomes walk-ins with walk-in specials on it.  It's so welcoming it would make me want to walk in if I was walking by for the first time.

- Web presence and ease of website.  I talked to the owner Tawni (she is really great and so nice) and she said it was going to be updated soon but it's so important to have an easy website.  Someone who knows what their doing has been working on there website I can tell.  The site is not over complicated and the pricing is available.  I can't stand it when you don't know what the prices are you need to know what you are getting your self into when you are a new client.  I understand there are some situations where pricing may be more but that should be addressed durring the counsltation with the client before the service is done.  Also, this is one of the first salons that I have ever seen that is using the internet in a really great way.  If you have hairstylists working for you you need to make it easy for them to build a clientele.  I have heard form other hairdressers that the salon invest in there web presence and it pays off.  New clients are walking in all of the time and are prepared for the experience.

Website link: http://www.alteredegosalon.com/

- Advertising. Being a new client myself I got a referral card from my hairstylist and it includes $20 off the referred clients service and $20 off for my next service.  It was so easy to give those away.  If I was the hairstylist I would be happy to get more people in my chair especially when you have a nice client I want them to send their friends.  I also like on their website that they are working together with the other businesses around them.  They also update it with specials so you keep coming back. ( So Smart!)

- Easy to find.  The salon comes up on my Android phone very easily I got a little lost yesterday.  I was able to type in "Salon in Tempe" and it came up.  I also think its really good that they have a lot of reviews.  If you are a good salon get lots of reviews and don't be afraid if you have one or two bad ones because people will pay more attention to the fact that so many people took the time to write something. 

- Great location. The building looks good the businesses next door are fun and unique.  You can't get a better location than that.  Its also right off the highway.

- Family friendly.  They came up with this new concept called "Little Egos."  If you are a client you can have your child babysat for 7 dollars an hour.  What a great idea.  It really got me thinking about our industry more and what a great idea would it be to help employees with having an on-site daycare.  I really started thinking about this more because I'm going to have a baby soon but it would be so great for our industry that is 90% women to know that this can be an option for them and their careers.  One day when I own a salon I would love to offer this to my employees. 

- Family Atmosphere. When you walk in you really get the sense of a team atmosphere between the employees.  I sensed it right away.  I never got a chance to ask Tawni if there was a type of culture she has there but I get a sense that there is something.  She did tell me that this salon was second generation and it was owned originally by her mother.  It was also much smaller but has grown a lot recently. (I can see why)

- Hairstylist are great.  I don't know if this is across the board with them but the sense I got from them is that you have to be tested in.  They start you out one day and see how you do.  There is no extensive 2 year training program where you work for $7 an hour after you attended your 1,500 hours of beauty school.  You start off building your clientele and your prices grow with you.  One of my biggest dissapointments about salons and this is only my opinion- I don't care how much I will make but start me at $7 and hour that affects my salary 5 years later.  I could have made more money somewhere else and enjoyed my job more.  We are all different if salon can find hairdressers that want to make $7 an hour after they completed their education then good for them.  They stylist that was doing my hair was also telling me how excited she was that there was an in salon Aveda class coming up.  What a great topic to talk about with clients and it's great for her to be excited about it.

- Prices are reasonable. Working up in North Scottsdale and expensive resorts I have seen some outrageous pricing from our industry.  I think that Altered Ego salons prices are right where they should be.  Just like other women you need to talk to your husband about the family budget and men will say something if they feel like you are paying to much.  There is always an exception to this if you can get clients that pay those outrageous prices go for it but no matter how much money we make that will not happen with my family. 

Thank you for reading.  

Katie Villapudua 

Why Blog

Right now I'm tiring to think of the best way to keep my family and friends updated on the baby stuff.  My sister Michelle started a blog and I really think she is better at writing on her blog about whats going on in her life then talking on the phone.  I also love to hear about my nephew Adam and to see pictures of him on the blog and facebook because I only get to see him a few times a year in person. So, I would like to do this because I think other people, my sisters and family share the same interest.  I'm probably not as good as a writer as Michelle is but if I keep working on it I will get better.

Here are a couple of interesting things:
- Work got this Shellac kit which I think is awesome.  Yesterday, I got to paint my nails and its the coolest thing ever.  I really like my natural nails so I would never want to do anything to compromise them but this stuff is awesome.  Its a soft gel that is set by a UV light that drys instantly.  The product says it wont chip or smudge or wear off at the tip because it's not paint its a soft gel that covers your nails.  It feels so natural and there is no additional plastic or unnatural material on your nail.  So, to give it a true test I painted my nails with a french manicure.  A french manicure on a natural nail only lasts a few days because the tip has white on it and it will ware and smudge off because of the oil in your nail and the natural ware and tare at the end of the nail.  Also, the best part of this product is that it drys instantly.  I'm obsessed with french manicures but I'm never able to do them because with normal polish you nails never dry but with this I was able to complete one hand and instantly switch the the other hand with out smudging or ruining what I just did.  It was really amazing. This product is still for professionals only so if you want to get it done you would have to go to a salon.  I'm also testing it out because I want John to buy it for me for my birthday.  I will keep you posted on the results.

- I just started the third trimester of my pregnancy.  So, I'm going to go into the doctor more often now.  I went in yesterday for a gestational diabetes test.  I had to drink some nasty sugary juice and get a larger then average needle stuck in my arm but luckily the nurse at Dr. Clint's office is really good at blood work.  Its nice to go in and not have to worry about the needle.  Everyone always asks about how your feeling which I don't mind their tiring to be nice but I have nothing nice to say back.  I'm not the type of person who likes to carry any extra weight or likes to deal with changes in my skin.  I normally have great skin but during the second trimester I broke out in this horrible rash and ever since I have had severely dry skin.  Is gross because I cant shower like a normal person anymore and I have to oil up every day.  Lotion doesn't do its job for me like it used too.  The other thing is everyone is like get your rest now because when the baby comes its going to be much different.  Yes, I get it.  Its funny how everyone thinks their an expert about this.   I rather take care of a baby then be pregnant.  I have done it before and I'm looking forward to a normal body and to be able to sleep like a human again after the baby is out. :-) So, we all have different experiences and different opinions on whats better.  I love it when I get "the look" from some friends who have very small families and this is the first baby that they ever have taken care of in their entire life and they act like they got all of this experience.  HA HA HA! Some times I would like to say "Shut up you don't know better"  but its not very nice so I don't say anything.  Here is some pictures of Baby V at 20 weeks.

- John keeps giving me updates on his job.  He is a contractor so he is always dealing with changes in his job and constantly having new contracts and new positions.  He is doing well with work.  He is a little nervous because his next contract is up in two weeks and he has to look for a new job.  They would like to keep him on but there is no budget at this time.  He is looking for a full time job but hasn't found one yet but if he doesn't find the right one he will keep contracting.   I'm kind of hoping that the next job he gets he will be able to work from home that way he will be able to get to spend more time with the baby.  Pray for him and I will keep you posted on this too.

I guess this is it for today.  I got to get back to work.  More blogging later.

-Katie