Beauty and the Beast
Pea Daddy and I are off to a Young Professionals Cocktail Hour put on my girlfriend’s law firm, hence the early post. There will be lots of attorneys, a few accountants, some corporate officers and me.
I’m sure I’ll fit right in.
A few little housekeeping things before today’s post:
- I’m working on bringing the reci”peas” page up-to-date with all of the recent recipe successes, so by the weekend expect a fully updated page;
- I’m so glad you have enjoyed the recent recipe makeovers, like the Cheese Stuffed Burgers and the Peas’ PB Cup Shakes. If you have favorite recipes that you’d like made-over into healthier, vegan versions, please leave me a comment and I’ll do my best to tackle your requests and make my family suffer through the test batches;
- We are taking a summer vacation in a week and a half, which means that for a five-day stretch we will be hanging with Mickey and Minnie and celebrating a certain three year-old’s birthday.
I’m leaning towards not having guest posts but just doing short, photo-heavy Postcards from the Peas during this time. If you’d prefer to have guest posts, though, let me know in the comments;
- For all of those readers/bloggers in the Anaheim/L.A area, some of you have expressed interest in a meetup while we are there. If you are interested, please leave a comment and I’ll try to coordinate something at Downtown Disney between hiding from characters and riding in teacups.
And now on with our beast of a morning…
I was up at 6. Frack.
Pea Daddy had to go into work early, which meant breakfast duties, cleanup, grooming and a workout was all done on my own. No one suffered in any of those areas but me. The girls were fed, cleaned up and braided, and as for my workout… It’s a good thing I don’t pay money for a trainer. It’d be hard to explain why I was stopping mid-bicep curl to mop up pee. Not my own. And I’d have loved to do a few more reps of skull crushers were it not for the Tofutti cream cheese face cream Lulu was testing and the big clump of strawberry jelly dangling off her fingers and threatening the carpet.
I grabbed about forty-five free seconds to brush my teeth, only to then spit out half the temporary crown that has been perched on the molar from hell. Three root canals in that same tooth the past month. I’m pretty sure my endodonist has a new car because of me. And a new affection for healthy living blogs (love ya, Doc!).
A quick phone call was met with, “Can you get here in five minutes?” I must say, there’s nothing that makes you feel more beautiful in the morning than losing part of a tooth, except for then going to get it fixed without makeup or a shower and in your “used” workout clothes. I’d have said “sweaty” workout clothes, but then I’d be a liar. A toothless liar.
An hour and a new temporary crown later, we were at swim lessons.
I didn’t care that all the working moms had on their professional outfits of pressed slacks and crisp blouses, or that the SAHMs had on their sundresses and wedges. I didn’t care if my tank top had strawberry jelly smudges on it or that I might have slept in it last night too. I had all my teeth. And today that was enough.
Because today, I’m embracing my beauty.
I’m featured on a new site called Faces of Beauty, started by fellow blogger Heather. The site allows women of all ages to celebrate their unique beauty. The concept is to have a photograph of each woman with minimal to no make-up, and a description of what that woman defines as beautiful. The hope is that by seeing real women stripped down to who they really are and embracing their natural beauty, it will inspire other women to see the beauty in themselves.
You can participate by simply visiting the site and viewing the inspiring photos and stories. Or if you are feeling brave, you can submit a photo and story of your own. Or maybe you are just curious and want to see me without makeup. I might have on the jelly tanktop.
And my left rear molar? It’s fake, and it’s spectacular.
you are BEAUTIFUL and confident and that speaks so much more than sundresses and louboutin wedges (although i wouldn’t mind having anything louboutin on my feet!) hehe.
<3 u mama!
What a lovely site! I love what you wrote for it… such beautiful words written by such a beautiful lady!!
The possible meetup sounds tempting! Don’t know if I’d be able to handle Gigi+Lulu’s cuteness in person tho, lol! And I would much rather have you post however you may be able to over vacation than have guest posts. And I bet you are more awesome than those other women, jelly-stained tank and all!
I loved your Hawaii post cards when you did them…whatever is easiest for you!
I love your posts, and think that you and your family are a great example of love and acceptance. I don’t comment often, but read your blog all the time. I think it’d be great if you had a little meetup in disney, and I’d make it a priority
let me know if you decide to! 
I think the postcard idea is great! I loved when you popped in and said hi when you guys were in Hawaii.
You know I’m all over that meet-up. I live about an hour away (without traffic) but I’d love to meet you if you have time.
Dental issues are the worst. I’m sorry!
I’ll check out faces of beauty, sounds like an awesome site!
Oh, the Faces of Beauty spot is nice.
I like the new caption underneath your blog photo. Your blog is truly amazing and so-well-built.
That vacation will be so lovely for you guys…I only wish I lived in the U.S…would love to meet up with neat bloggers and people I truly admire like you !
i’m all for postcards from the peas…that would make my heart sing
I live about an hour away from Disneyland and would love to meet up as well depending on the time/place you end up choosing. Traffic around here dictates my life unfortunately!!
I adore Heather’s new site! She is awesome.
And clearly, you will look gorgeous without makeup.
I wish I was in that area to see you. That would be fun. We could party it up momma style.
And I also would rather see “Peas Postcards” than guest posts. I want to know how you’re doing and can’t go without seeing cute Gigi and Lulu. BUT don’t post if you really don’t have the time or energy while on vacation. Do what will make you happy.
Sounds like a great site, we will have to check it out. Thank you for sharing.
And you are beautiful with and without makeup – we are still working on our courage not to wear it.
Disney World sounds exciting! Will you post food choices while in Disney? I always find vacations really challenging when away from home (especially in an amusement park!)
We’re actually going to Disneyland, but yes, there will be at least one, if not several posts about making food choices. I’m planning on packing many things with me, though…
I have GOT to check that out – thanks for linking to her blog
I think it’s a beautiful idea.
I hope you + fam are all super excited about vaca and her birthday! What a wonderful way to celebrate
Enjoy your evening Mama Pea!!
What a great post. Hey you’re a mom. Sometimes you just gotta work the Jelly stains. During nannying today we went exploring in the swamp. I ended up with burrs all over my clothes. Don’t worry. I walked the street back to the house like it was a runway
haha
And I’d rather see a huge post of pictures than a guest post.
i’ve had the same temporary crown on one of my molars since middle school. eleven years!
clearly, dentists in surreal america are better than the ones in so-lame
It’s so ironic that I just recently started reading Heather’s site and JUST TODAY I clicked over to her new site, and BAM there you were. I didnt comment, stealth reading
but I saw you!
Getting your workout in without interruptions…god, tell me about it. So I have been doing some “home gym” stuff which is basically me sweating like a pig in my garage with some free weights and balls and Skylar coming down to check on me every 17 seconds or trying to tell me something “really important”. If I could just get even 5 mins at a stretch, I’d love it! The kids club hours at my gym suck which is why many days, the home gym is my only option. Sigh.
Pea Daddy and you going to a cocktail party. Nice! Hope it’s a ball. Can’t wait to hear about it…I used to go to cocktail parties. Nightly. Meaning me ending up with a drink in my hand a party somewhere LOL
Guests posts. NO! They are far too much work, they dont get the views you ever hope they do, and it’s a coordination nightmare. Well, that’s my experience
Meetup. Disney. I am so there. Tell me the date/time. I may or may not bring my child. To Disney, I know. But if I came solo, I could be totally focused on the girl time and chat sesh! Rather than on the next ride…hah!
I have to tell you that I want you to do what YOU want to do as far as posting. If you want to drop off the planet for a week, that’s fine. It must be hard to keep up with this daily. But I will take postcards from the peas if it’s offered.
Ugh I broke my crown THREE TIMEs this summer. It’s awful.
Yay! I am excited that you posted early, what does this say abt me? Heheh!
See, isn’t it amazing how your daily experiences tie in so perfectly to these things? I’m so sorry for all your aggravation (and pain), but look at that effortless-segue payoff!
You look pretty in your no-makeup pic. I honestly can’t tell the difference.
I can’t wait to send Heather a pic, along with my love and support!
Hugs to you, my dear, and you know why. xo
i have to say, your blog brings the funny and your girls are adorable. and the recipes (recipeas i should say) are awesome, as for veganizing/healthifying something, how about pop-tarts or toaster strudels? those used to be my foods of choice as a kiddie, looking back, i now realize i was basically eating rectangular pieces of sugary, artificially flavored, laboratory made pastries.
ok I have to know – I’m getting a crown on Monday morning on top of a root canal tooth. Does it hurt? I’m slightly terrified. My root canal hurt like crazy because my tooth was so bad that the novacaine wasn’t fully working. I’ve heard that crowns aren’t that bad, but please tell me the truth…
Getting a crown is a piece of cake. I’m pretty sure you won’t even get novacaine. It was just a huge hassle for me because of having the girls with me, needing to make it to swim lessons, clean up cream “cheese,” etc. You’ll do great!
NO to the guests posts. Nope, I’d rather no posts at all than a guest post. I’m a faithful reader since pre-peas blog and the few times you’ve had guests posts, I merely skimmed the articles at best. Guest posts work well on other blogs (especially if you’re guest posting … hehehe), but for your blog, it just doesn’t work the same.
as for the veganize suggestion, have you done an alfredo sauce?
happy birthday lulu!!!
oh, and your picture looks great. absolutely beautiful.
That faces of beauty project is really inspiring. I really appreciate you posting about it – I’m checking it out right now!
Hi there,
I have been a long time reader, first time commenter. This has little to do with today’s post but as a fellow curly headed gal and someone about to go on vacation for a week I am sure you won’t mind! I got a brazilian blowout this week and love it. My hair now looks like yours does after an hour of work right when I get out of the shower. Yesterday after “blow drying” my hair at the gym with the hand dryer on the wall for two minutes i went to work with semi-wet hair for the first time ever. I got so many compliments about how great my hair looked. Check with your hair dresser to see if they do them–make sure it is not the chemical one that permantely relaxes your hair. It is supposed to last for 12-16 weeks. It is a bit spendy but if I consider the time saved so worth it. It is like lasiks for hair in fact-actually I am fine with wearing contacts forever if I can keep my hair straight!!!
Thanks for keeping us all entertained!
Wow, thanks Katie! I have had a straightening process done before (and it didn’t work, grrr…), but never the “Brazilian blowout.” That just sounds wrong. I’m so glad it’s worked for you and thanks for the tip!
Glad the molar is all fixed, and I’ve seen you without make-up before…you’re still gorgeous.
I CANNOT believe Lulu is going to turn 3! You guys are going to have so much fun at Disney…wish I could be there for the meet-up!
Hope you have a wonderful weekend Mama Pea!
Have you been peeking in my windows…?
i just love your posts! they make me smile everyday. you start my day off with a bunch of laughs and I hope I can be as gifted a writer as you are someday!
Thank you, Kalia!
Oooh-sorry about the tooth. I had a wisdom tooth pulled unexpectedly this week and I am still getting over it (physically and emotionally!). I love the Disney postcard idea!
Aww, Cristin. Hope you got some good meds.
I owe you an email…and I promise it’s coming. I’m planning on playing catch up this weekend!
reciPEAS. geeze, i get a kick out of the littlest things.
postcasrds from the peas sounds lovely, stick with that.
thanks for the link to that site, off to check it out now.
and finally.. i despise temporary crowns. actually, it is the stump underneath the crown i despise. creeps me out when i feel it with my tongue. shudder.
happy weekend, friend =)
Hi There, I would love to do a meet-up! I live in the LA area and am yet to have the opportunity to meet fellow bloggers, so this would be great.
Have a great Friday!
OMG…i can so relate to this scenario. I’m impressed that you even try to workout with the kids. Once the pups awaken, there’s no chance in you-know-what that I’m going to be left alone long enough to do anything but focus on them. HA!
Thanks for the link to the site, what a great idea. And you are beautiful inside and out, with or without makeup. Your blog always makes me smile!
Sorry about the dental drama. I am glad they could see you so quickly though!
As for blogging on vacation-do what works for you. I love reading every day, but I also imagine it can sometimes be a chore to blog when you are supposed to be relaxing on vacation.
I can’t wait to hear about the trip-either during or after–especially how you “peaified” vacation food!
Your words about beauty on Heather’s site made me tear (okay cry a bit). Your kids DO look like you- and they are beautiful!
I would be interested in meeting you! I live in L.A. and depending on what day you can do it I would love to meet other readers and bloggers. Please keep us posted!
what a morning! you must be looking forward to vacation:-)
I would love the chance to meet you, if I’m able to come. I around Disney area. Please keep me updated of the info for the meet-up.
You will have a blast at Disney, there are a few new shows this summer. There’s “GLOW” at CA Adventure, where I saw princesses teach little girls how to dance. If you guys get a chance, you should check it out.
I hope you have an awesome holiday! glad you got toothy sorted! your right some days that just IS enough!!
I’ve heard so much about your blog in the blogosphere but am only now finally getting around to checking it out! I LOVE IT! And I love that you did Faces of Beauty. What a wonderful concept. I’m eager to keep reading and seeing your beautiful face!
Thank you, Ashley! I’m so happy that you came over and checked us out!
Have fun @ Disney! I’ve been blocked out all summer with my pass, so I need to check out the World of Color show.
If you have a chance to venture out of the resort, you have to try Native Foods, my favorite restaruant & it’s all vegan!! One location is 15 minutes from the park… well, without traffic.
http://www.nativefoods.com/
Too bad about the tooth, but at least you’re going on a fun family vacation
Have a great time! And thanks for sharing the Faces of Beauty site 
Postcards, guest posts, no posts at all……..you do whatever works best for you and your family Mama Pea!
I know I already expressed interest, but yes – I’d love to come to Downtown Disney! Hopefully you can do a weekend day??
LOL! I can definitely relate to mornings like that. It’s amazing how quickly little one’s can make messes.
Have a great time at Disney. Have not been there since I went as a kid. I actually won a ticket to come back when I was going through line. They were having an anniversary celebration. I wonder if it is still good- that was in 1985! I think I have it in a scrapbook somewhere.
Makeover vegan food item- cream cheese pumpkin log.
Thanks for the suggestion about the PB Blondies, they were a HUGE hit. I knew they were good when my co-workers were all made at me because they couldn’t stop eating them
Hilarious…especially the Seinfield reference. It was SPECTACULAR!
Wow. I don’t know if I will ever be able to handle being a mom!
Sorry to hear about the crown – I had a temporary crown pop off during lunch once and my boss wouldn’t let me leave work to get some more glue at the drugstore! Having your teeth in pieces makes everything that much more stressful because the problem is literally in-your-head. And nothing wrong with the used workout clothes! My fiancee teases me by saying “you have the hygiene habits of a female engineer” lol but kudos to you for keeping up with the tweezing, makeup, hair – it’s hard enough for me to do that without kids!