Reminder: Chic Chat Giveaway Ends Soon!

Don't forget, we are hosting an End of Summer giveaway! If you haven't already entered, go here to read how you can be a part of it! I will draw the winner Thursday, and notify them via a post on here, or a vlog. This is just one of many exciting things that we have planned for you here on Chic Chat. So stick around, and tell your friends to join us too! :)

Chat Night!!

Don't forget! Tonight, at 9PM/EST, we will be hosting Chit Chat with Chic Chat! If you have yet to join us, you're missing out on some great times and some very interesting conversations! No topic is off limits. ;)

With school starting back for most, I'm sure that some of you are really busy. So if you can't make it then we really hope to see you next time! :)

For those of you that can join us, here's how you'll find us:

The chat will be held on AOL/AIM, in a private chat room. If you do not have a screen name for AOL or AIM, it's very easy to create one. Go to www.aim.com, click on Create a Screen name in the top corner, and follow the instructions.

Our screen names for the chat are:

Stephanie: ChicChatSteph
Bernadette: ChicChatBernie
Chantelle:ChicChatChantell
Bridgett: ChicChatBoo
Cassie: ChicChatCass
Kaileigh: ChicChatKaileigh

Feel free to add us to your buddy list!

At 9, we will all be on instant messenger, and we will create a chat titled Chic Chat. To enter, simply choose "Buddy Chat" on the AIM menu, next to File. Delete the chat name/number that is next to Chat Room, and type Chic Chat. Type your own screen name where it says screen names to invite. Click "Send", and it should take you to the chat.

Hope to see you there!

Book Review: The Lovely Bones

Listal.com Review:

On her way home from school on a snowy December day in 1973, 14-year-old Susie Salmon ("like the fish") is lured into a makeshift underground den in a cornfield and brutally raped and murdered, the latest victim of a serial killer--the man she knew as her neighbor, Mr. Harvey. Alice Sebold's haunting and heartbreaking debut novel, The Lovely Bones, unfolds from heaven, where "life is a perpetual yesterday" and where Susie narrates and keeps watch over her grieving family and friends, as well as her brazen killer and the sad detective working on her case.

As Sebold fashions it, everyone has his or her own version of heaven. Susie's resembles the athletic fields and landscape of a suburban high school: a heaven of her "simplest dreams," where "there were no teachers.... We never had to go inside except for art class.... The boys did not pinch our backsides or tell us we smelled; our textbooks were Seventeen and Glamour and Vogue." The Lovely Bones works as an odd yet affecting coming-of-age story.

Susie struggles to accept her death while still clinging to the lost world of the living, following her family's dramas over the years like an episode of My So-Called Afterlife.Her family disintegrates in their grief: her father becomes determined to find her killer, her mother withdraws, her little brother Buckley attempts to make sense of the new hole in his family, and her younger sister Lindsey moves through the milestone events of her teenage and young adult years with Susie riding spiritual shotgun. Random acts and missed opportunities run throughout the book--Susie recalls her sole kiss with a boy on Earth as "like an accident--a beautiful gasoline rainbow."

Though sentimental at times, The Lovely Bones is a moving exploration of loss and mourning that ultimately puts its faith in the living and that is made even more powerful by a cast of convincing characters. Sebold orchestrates a big finish, and though things tend to wrap up a little too well for everyone in the end, one can only imagine (or hope) that heaven is indeed a place filled with such happy endings.

My review/thoughts (and some thoughts from Book Club's meeting):

This was probably my second or third time reading this book, and I was the member that nominated this book for our book club to read because of the movie coming out soon. I hadn't read this book in a few years, and also wanted to reread it, since I have a horrible memory that needed to be refreshed!

I remembered enjoying this book before, and once again, I did. I think that it is certainly a sad book, but at times can be quite bittersweet and moving. I think that for some the subject matter in the beginning of the book can certainly make it difficult to pick up, but the real story lies in what happens around Susie's death, and how it affects her family and friends, and even the little suburban neighborhood where she grew up.

I think that what our book club found most difficult to understand about the book was how the family dealt with (or rather, didn't deal with) Susie's death. I think that avoidance was a huge factor in this book; it is sadly a very realistic possibility that leaves an "open wound" in a family that won't address the tragedy, and therefore can never entirely heal, even with the remedy of time.

Well, I don't want to give away too much of the storyline, but I did want to say that I think that most of the women's book club really enjoyed this book, but to also provide caution that it can also be a very sad story, so I wouldn't consider this a light read to pick up!

I also wanted to share the trailer for the movie, which I believe comes out in December...

Women & Self Esteem

These days, is it any wonder that a good percentage of women have low self esteem? Every magazine is graced with a stick thin model. Some major department stores don't even carry designer brands in sizes larger than 10. The models in fashion catalogues look like they could float away at a slight gust of wind.

But who decides that these women are the norm? Sure, we'd all like to drop a few (or more) pounds, but don't you like to eat a burger or a big juicy piece of chicken now and then? Why has society led us to believe that if you're not thin, you're not beautiful?

I have to admit, that the face is the first thing I notice on a woman. I don't notice if she is heavy or thin, I notice her face. After all, it says a lot about her. The wrinkles by her eyes, from many sleepless nights worrying about her children and family. Maybe she was up all night rocking a crying newborn, and her eyes are red from crying silently with him/her. The lines around her mouth, from many years of laughter. The sparkle in her eyes, that shows love and life. Wisdom. These are the things that make a woman beautiful to me. A positive attitude and a kind word, are more important than a pair of size 2 jeans.

Don't get me wrong. Before I had kids, I was a size 4, and I desperately miss those days of being able to pull something off the rack and know that it would look great on me. I've never, until now, actually heard a sales lady say "That's the biggest size we sell it in". It's been a long, hard journey to love the body that I have now, and I'm still nowhere near satisfied with it.

But I know that deep down, I am still beautiful, and most importantly- no matter what happens to my body, it won't change my soul;
it won't change who I am.

Only I can control that, and each day I aspire to be a good person. Those are things that I think make a woman beautiful. What kind of person you are, after all, is what counts the most.

So when I saw this picture below, I knew I HAD to share it with you. This is an article from Glamour.com about loving who you are, being comfortable in your own skin. At first glance, I didn't understand what the big deal was. What was the big fuss about this beautiful girl, why is everyone so happy about this article? Until I saw it. Her slight stretch marks, her bigger thighs, her slightly sagging stomach, and then I realized that she was real. She really looks like that, and is quite proud of it. Why shouldn't she be? She's gorgeous! I really applaud Glamour for putting such a normal, beautiful woman in their magazine.





See, we as women do not have to look like a Victoria's Secret model to be beautiful. Our life and our accomplishments are what make us beautiful. If you have stretch marks from pregnancy, embrace them for what they are- scars from the joy of a child that you created, that you birthed. Do you have cellulite? Look around, the majority of other women do too. The sacrifices that we as women make to raise our kids, or be a wife or girlfriend or partner, or work full time, are the things that have made us who we are. And a few wrinkles and saggy skin along the way is just a way to remember our accomplishments and how far we've come.

We here at Chic Chat give 10 million stars to Glamour for featuring a real woman on the page. Am I saying that if you're naturally skinny, you aren't a real woman? Absolutely not. But it's rare that you see a woman like this in a magazine. It's nice to know that beauty is seen in someone who looks beautiful just as she is. Even people like Kelly Clarkson, who has embraced a fuller figure, are victims of airbrushing to make a cover look better (click on the link, the differences are quite obvious in her pictures!). Isn't it a sad day when a woman embraces her own body, and yet mainstream media still airbrush her, for fear of how it comes across to the viewers? When you learn to love yourself, and people still knock you down, is it any wonder women are turning to plastic surgery more and more? Anything in moderation is good, but someone with low self esteem may turn to multiple surgeries and eventually look nothing like when they started. Sometimes, it's a bad thing.

Low self esteem can lead to something known as Body Dysmorphic Disorder- an actual recognized, mental condition, in which a woman sees fat (or ugly, or other bad things) no matter what she is told, or what the scale says. This can lead to anorexia, bulimia, and a number of many other problems. BDD can be very serious if it spirals out of control, due to the impulsive behavior that it may cause.

Does it hurt, to look in the mirror everyday and tell yourself that you're beautiful? Didn't think so ;)

Embrace who you are. If you are bigger, it doesn't make you ugly. The best thing you can do for your body is to eat a healthy diet, and get regular exercise. But if you do that and you're still bigger than your friends, it doesn't make you any less of a person. If we all looked alike, what kind of planet would this be? We are all different, but we are all still beautiful (to quote one of my favorite movies, Bridget Jones' Diary)....just the way we are. :)

Would you like to share with us, what makes you love your body? What parts would you change? How do you feel about your level of self- esteem? Do skinny models on magazine covers make you more likely to buy the products, or are you just as happy with the pictures above, and models like the Dove Campaign for beauty? What makes a woman beautiful, to you?

Question of the Week: Can you quote your life's autobiography in a six word sentence?

"At home, travel, food with family. "


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"Witchy, warrior-mommy and wannabe writer."




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"Mommy, wife, determined and loving life."








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"Procrastinating worrywart, loving daughter and wife."


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Mommy, Wife, Germaphobe, shop-a-holic, Friend



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Good family, good friends, good times!

Chic Chat Giveaway: Who Wants Free Stuff?

Here at Chic Chat, everything that we do is for you. We love to write our posts, and to hear your responses, your thoughts, and your feelings. You are the reason we keep writing!

So in honor of that we ask you, our dear readers, to do us a favor. We promise that we won't ask very often ;)

Here is what we ask:

1.Be a follower of this blog.

2. Follow us on Twitter or Facebook. Or both! :) On Twitter we are CChatGirls and on Facebook we are Chic ChatGirls -- if it won't let you find us that way, then use the email of thechicchatgirlz@yahoo.com . The misspelling is intentional, it's all that was available. ;)

3. Leave us a comment here, letting us know why you like Chic Chat. Also, let us know if there's anything you would like to see us write about or do differently!

If after all that, you aren't totally sick of Chic Chat, then we will throw your name in a hat for a free drawing! The prize is a bag of samples from Sephora- my fave place. It's a mix of stuff, ranging from brow powder to moisturizer. Who doesn't like a surprise, and who doesn't like free stuff? ;) And if you're like me, you love getting any mail that isn't a bill! ;)

For each thing that you do, your name will go into the hat. So you have a chance at 4 entries! You must do at least two of the above to be eligible, with one of those being a comment, so that we know you're here ;). I don't want to draw the name of someone who may be a follower, but doesn't read anymore. I will draw the winner sometime next week, and notify them. I may even become adventurous and make that my first Chic Chat vlog! ;)

So go get busy to win some free stuff! And thanks again for being a loyal Chic Chat reader.

We wouldn't be here without you!

Chat in Review

Who danced with a garbage can at their wedding?

Who had a threesome recently?

Who can never live down a drunken karaoke performance?

Only those that were at Chit Chat With Chic Chat last night know the answers to those questions! We had a great time, as usual.

Thanks to those that were there! Meet us again next Thursday at 9pm EST.

Recipe Challenge completion

I completed a recipe challenge last night for dinner. Let me tell you it got an A FOR YUMMY AND A+++ FOR TRIPLETS LOVING IT! I made Bridgett's yummy WW potato soup and it was so good and with less fat! You can find it HERE I urge you ladies and gents to take one of our Challenges , just check in on our Recipe challenge post!

Celebrating The Good Times

At 33, I'm the oldest Chic Chat girl. Is 33 old? Of course not. But it is older than 20, 24, or even 32. And as an established thirty-something, I've found the older I get, the less I take my health for granted.

In high school and even in college, I never contemplated my routine test results coming back as anything but normal. I've been very healthy during my lifetime and for this, I'm grateful.

However, as I was driving home from my visit with the gynecologist last week, I found myself pondering how I would feel if a lump had indeed been found in my breast or if my pap smear results were to come back abnormal.

I'd be scared.

And uncertain.

And anxiety-ridden.

And out of control.

And powerless.

And I'd start wondering, 'What now? Am I going to die? Are my kids going to witness my pitiful demise?'

I'd feel as though my life would never be the same again...and in truth, it never would. I think once our 'health bubble' is burst [that insane belief we all have that nothing bad would or could ever happen to us], there is no going back.

So this led to to another thought, "What if my tests are abnormal this year? What if I'm diagnosed with cervical cancer? Why couldn't I have been happier last year when I was given a clean bill of health? Why couldn't I have been more appreciative and enjoyed this past year, not knowing I was soon to be diagnosed with cancer?"

It was a real eye-opener, thinking these thoughts.

The truth is, we don't know what the future holds for us. And putting myself in a 'bad place' in my mind really made me appreciate the 'good place' I am in my actual life.

Does that make sense?

So I decided that very day if my test results came back negative, I was going to have a celebration and remember every single day this coming year, just how fortunate I am to be alive, to have my health, and to wake up each morning to my beautiful children.

I encourage you all to do the same. As cliche as it sounds, we just don't know what tomorrow will bring.

And guess what? I just got the call.




Negative.

::cue Celebration by Kool & The Gang::

And now to lighten this entry up, here is the cheesy-ass video I made in the GYN office, just last week. Enjoy!

Teen Influences?

This day and age, our children are maturing at a lot faster rate then they used to. Our daughters are starting their periods sooner, our sons are bulding more muscle than some adults. Those things are partly due to big changes in our food habits, but our kids are also dressing in fashions that would cause our great grandparents to turn over in their graves.

So it's no surprise that in the entertainment industry, sex sells. Media and entertainment know that most Americans prefer to look at sexy people, and they use it to advertise on anything from billboards to TV, to sultry radio ads. You can't turn the TV on at any time of day without there being some kind of sex related issue- whether it's a commercial for viagara, or inappropriately placed sex jokes in TV shows.

But what about the target age? Our young ones are being targeted at a lot younger rate these days, and I personally feel that it has to do a lot with their entertainment influences. Take this for example:




My daughter loves Hannah Montana- we saw her in concert two years ago, where she played half of the show as Hannah and half as Miley. It was a very fun, upbeat, and any age appropriate show. But it would appear that Miley is now branching our from her Disney roots and moving into an early adulthood like much of her other Disney counterparts.

I can imagine that being a Disney star is a hard thing. They start as a child, but eventually they become young adults. They have to grow up and transition in the public eye, and it comes with it's fair share of scrutiny.

Do you feel that Miley's performance (above) was inappropriate? She has endured a week of bashings including being referred to as "the next Britney", which she called "the best compliment ever". Is this a bad sign?

At what point do we think it's ok for a child star to begin performing as an adult? It sends a large message of confusion when she is a very clean, age appropriate person on her TV show, but does not perform as such at an awards show. Can someone successfully market themselves as two different personas, does that make it ok?

It's only natural that a child star is going to grow up, but it seems to happen at a very fast rate. If you watch a Hananh Montana show from 3 years ago, and see her now, the change is drastic. When teens are marketed as adults, it sends a bad message to our youth. I'll admit that I totally dig some of Britney's music. But she is the same age as me. I know that I won't go out and behave like she has, but that doesn't mean that a young teen will think the same thing.

Who do you feel is responsible for the way a teen is marketed? Would you allow your child to perform like that at that age (16)? What about dressing like the majority of teen stars?

Who do you feel are ideal teen role models? One in particular that springs to mind for me is Taylor Swift. I feel like she's very genuine and very wholesome.

Other Disney stars have also gone on to more adult personas. Take the cast of High School Musical- reports and pictures surfaced last year of Vanessa Hudgens, nude, as did some less scandalous, but still not very appropriate, pictures of Miley showing her bra.

How do you feel about these teen stars? Regardless of whether you like their music or not, the truth is that some children aspire to be singers or actors when they are older, and these are the people they want to be like. Do you feel that these girls are being typical teens who are just unfortuntely in the spotlight 24/7, or have they gone too far?

Chic Chat on Twitter

Chic Chat's very own Twitter has arrived! Follow us @CChatGirls! We will be tweeting very interesting Chic Chat tweets. They will not always just be very boring advertising new posts, we promise. Us girls usually have some fun conversations!

Just When You Thought The World Couldn't Get Crazier...

One of my dear new friends, Marzel, posted this on her blog a few days ago. With her permission, I'm reposting it here. It was just too funny [and insane] to pass up. Enjoy!



1. In Lebanon, men are legally allowed to have sex with animals, but the animals must be female. Having sexual relations with a male animal is punishable by death.(Like THAT makes sense.)

2. In Bahrain, a male doctor may legally examine a woman’s genitals, but is prohibited from looking directly at them during the examination. He may only see their reflection in a mirror. (Do they look different reversed?)

3. The penalty for masturbation in Indonesia is decapitation. (…so they’ll never know they went blind?)

4. There are men in Guam whose full-time job is to travel the countryside and deflower young virgins, who pay them for the privilege of having sex for the first time…Reason: Under Guam law, it is expressly forbidden for virgins to marry.(Let’s just think for a minute; is there any job anywhere else in the world that even comes close to this?)

5. In Hong Kong, a betrayed wife is legally allowed to kill her adulterous husband, but may only do so with her bare hands. The husband’s lover, on the other hand, may be killed in any manner desired. (Now this is justice!)

6. Topless saleswomen are legal in Liverpool, England – but only in tropical fish stores. (But of course that makes complete sense!)

7. In Cali, Colombia, a woman may only have sex with her husband, and the first time this happens, her mother must be in the room to witness the act. (Makes one shudder at the thought.)

8. In Santa Cruz, Bolivia, it is illegal for a man to have sex with a woman and her daughter at the same time. (I presume this was a big enough problem that they had to pass this law?)

9. In Maryland, it is illegal to sell condoms from vending machines with one exception: Prophylactics may be dispensed from a vending machine only “in places where alcoholic beverages are sold for consumption on the premises.” (Is this a great country or what? Not as great as Guam!)



Source

Question of the Week: What is your best childhood memory?

This is a tough topic for me. The truth is, I had a very blessed childhood and the good memories easily outweigh the bad. Since I honestly don't think I could pick just one special memory, I'll give you a brief overview of my childhood...

Chasing fireflies on lazy summer nights; fishing in the creek with my dad; playing Barbies with my cousins; gathering eggs with my granddad in his hen house; making houses out of refrigerator boxes; swimming at the local pool nearly everyday; reading books way more adult that I probably should have been reading for my age; sleepovers and slumber parties; learning how to shoot a 9mm automatic, compliments of my dad; softball; basketball; practicing my clarinet [and later on, my oboe and percussion instruments]; singing to Madonna, Cyndi Lauper and Michael Jackson's Thriller album; badminton; watching movies and covering my eyes when 'naughty' parts came on the screen; making oatmeal cookies with my grandma Betty and playing Trivial Pursuit with my grandma Mary Lou; Mario Brothers, baby!; jelly bracelets and shoes; riding bicycles; crushes and heartbreaks; magical holidays seasons; shopping with mom; getting haircuts and perms from my aunt JoAnn; studying; playing Rook with my aunts and uncles; and, of course, going to church three times a week.

Okay, so that final contribution to my childhood wasn't such a happy time, but you get the gist. And the truth is, being forced to go to church three times a week...well, it was a big part of my childhood. Not necessarily a happy part, but a part nevertheless.

And, because I'm nice, I'll give you one specific memory. Here goes...

I have twin cousins, Tracy & Stacey, who are only 9 days my junior. Every summer, I spent a week with them in their hometown and in return, they'd spend a week with me in mine.

One of our favorite times at my house was in the evenings after we'd all settled inside for the night. We'd put our night gowns on and then we'd play 'Miss America' with my parents being the judges, while we portrayed the contestants. We'd tie knots in our gowns and alter them to look prettier. Ha! Then we'd go out and introduce ourselves:

"Hello! I'm Bridgett, a twenty year old from [fill in state here]."

We'd then perform our 'talent' portion of the competition.

And finally, we'd get the dreaded question from the judges. Something about capitol punishment or abortion or another political hot topic. Obviously, being tweens, we had no idea what we were talking about half the time. But we'd try and keep our poise and fake our way through it all. :)

At the end, they'd select the runner's up and the overall champion.

I don't know why, but those evenings were so much fun. :)






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Like Bridgett, I had a wonderful childhood and I had a lot of great memories. But, the ones in particular that stick out for me, are my summer vacations with my grandparents.

My dads parents took me each year to Myrtle Beach. Growing up with my dad and grandpa as preachers, I was used to hanging out with people that were.. well, old. So I was always well behaved in a crowd of older people. I would spend an entire week at the beach with my grandparents and their old friends, and it was an absolute blast! We swam in the mornings, went to the beach in the afternoons, had a semi fancy dinner (it seemed to me at the time) in the early evenings, and headed to the pavillion at night. My grandpa would let me blow lots of money on games and junk at the pavillion, and then every night at midnight my grandma would walk across the street and get me a slice of pizza. We would take midnight walks on the beach, and always wake my grandpa from his deep slumber when we came in ;) Looking back on it now, I am sure that I was a total brat when I came home to my parents, because let's face it, my grandparents waited hand and foot on me and spoiled me rotten for an entire week.

But, I don't remember a single thing that I bought while I was there. I don't remember the games that I played, or what we had at those "fancy" dinners. What I remember is that I had my grandparents all to myself for an entire week. There weren't meetings or phone calls, or church visits and funerals, it was just us having a blast. Now that I am getting older, it feels like they have aged much faster than I have, and I really cherish those times that I had with them.

My other set of grandparents, my moms parents, took me many times each summer to their cabin. It was a house in a gated development- very rustic but safe- with the bare minimuim of everything. Most people didn't even bother with hot water in their homes, they used bath houses. No phones (there were maybe 100 houses there, and 3 of them had phones- this was before the age of cell phones), no TV, minimal radio signal. Perfect making for a scene in a horror movie, no? ;)

We rode 4 wheelers from sun up until sun down, on scary trails in the woods that I am certain I wouldn't go on now. We swam in the community pool, swung on tree swings, and roasted marshmallows in the fire pit at night. We got eaten up by mosquitos without worrying about West Nile or Encephalitis, and wandered far off without worrying about someone taking us or harming us. I came in dirty and exhausted each night, and it was truly wonderful.

I am lucky enough that both sets of these grandparents are still alive, but they are definitely getting older and their health is frail. I really cherish these memories that I had with them when I was younger. They stick out far above and beyond any toy or gift that I ever had :)



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It's funny because when we decided on this Question of the Week, I scanned my memory all day and tried to compose my entry before actually sitting down; and yet I still don't know what I'm going to write.

It's so hard to pin down a certain memory, and when I think about it, it just comes to me in a big jumble of sights, sounds and smells.

The smell of chlorine, black plums, dust and horses for summer, pumpkin guts and burning fields (both intended fires and accidental fires always seem to be raging in CA) in the fall, Rain and Christmas tree and the sweet and musty smell of craft stores in the Winter.

And always the feeling of hot asphalt on bare feet, the sting of too much chlorine at local pools, the strong smell of coffee that always seems to overtake an airport, the cool air conditioning and excitement of the book store, and peeling the skin from my nose and shoulders after a bad sunburn...

I think that some of my best memories are of going to the summer camp that I absolutely loved. I loved the camp so much, that although I had always longed to be a camp counselor when I was old enough to, I eventually decided against it. I was too afraid of the magic being ruined, and that I would eventually grow tired of the place like my best friend who worked as a counselor there for a summer.

Some of my other great memories include camping with my mom and little brother in the redwood forest, and climbing inside the gigantic trees and pretending they were houses. I also loved visits to my family in San Diego, where we would go to Disneyland, or just shopping in their many malls, back when my little town back home "only" had one nearby!

One specific memory that my mom and I still laugh at is a time that I went with her on a business trip in Oregon. We sat on a bench by a pond, and fed bread crumbs to the ducks and other birds. Suddenly, we saw what we thought was a beaver heading towards us, but as it got closer, we saw that it looked like this...


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Well, when we saw its bright orange huge two front teeth (apparently normal for the critter), we of course, jumped onto the bench and screamed in fear, as the poor guy looked up with hurt feelings and a longing for a piece of stale bread.

We later found out that it was called a "Nutria", the poor thing.

This question is hard for me to narrow down as well. My childhood was great. I had Disney vacations with daddy and a very devoted mom who gave up everything for my brother and I. She made sure I had a home and my own room after she divorced. I will never be able to repay her. I liked to role play a lot and pretend, since I only had a stinky brother and seemed like none of the neighbors were girls.

Therefore, my creative imagination as a child and role play for me were some of my favorite times. As most of you know I LOVE to travel. So when we went on vacation every year I would always pretend I was a famous singer who was shooting a music videos on the beach. I remember I'd mostly do the Cherish video by Madonna. I would sometimes pretend my life was a movie and I was doing very cool things, or throwing concerts on my back deck and the bricks were audience members :). Once lost in the woods while Elijah Wood was on his way to rescue me haha. I had a vivid imagination and was never bored. I even pretended I was at work answering phone calls from customers at my computer desk (and had a ball)! If only that worked now.

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When I was a preschooler, playing in the sprinkler in my backyard, running around with all the neighborhood kids. Playing in the built-in playhouse in the basement of the house we lived in. Dressing up in crazy outfits and making everyone laugh. Going shopping with my gay uncle Bobby.

When I was 5, we moved to a new house that I lived in until I moved out with Joe. It was the perfect neighborhood. Full of other kids, everyone knew each other... we played hide and seek, with our boundaries stretching the entire street. We played at the creek behind the neighborhood, building forts and pretending we lived there. We had big games of kickball and baseball in the court in front of my house. We rode our bikes and rollerbladed almost every day. My friend and I pretended we were singers and had concerts for everyone. My cousins and I pretended we worked at a restaurant and served weird foods to my family.

My Granddaddy had owned land in the country since before I was born. Some of my best memories are from there. My cousins and I would walk through the creek, catching crawdads and frogs. We built a "club", complete with a teepee made with branches and leaves and yarn. We explored the land, making it to another farm and convinced ourselves the barn was haunted.

As I got a bit older and my brother and I were trusted to stay by ourselves at home during the summer while my parents worked, we and a few friends entertained ourselves by making weird videos and making prank calls. Mature, right? Some classics: "Hi, M' am. Are you aware that your dog is in my garden?" "Yes, I'm calling to ask you if you could tell me what time it is?" "Hello, I was wondering if you could lend me some toilet paper?" It was pretty funny at the time.

Those are just some things I can think of off the top of my head. I honestly couldn't ask for a better childhood!

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A Tragic Ending

Time for a heavier topic here at Chic Chat. Read the following at your own risk, it contains details that make my stomach turn.

On July 20, 2009 in San Antonio, Texas, a 33-year-old new mom named Otty Sanchez was hospitalized with depression. She was diagnosed with Postpartum Psychosis and Schizophrenia, and was currently refusing to take her prescription medication. She was released the following day.

On July 25, 2009, Otty and 3 1/2 week old baby Scott visited Scott's dad, Scott W. Buchholtz. Otty left in a hurry after Scott's dad requested Scott's birth documents. She ran out of the house, flung Scott in his car seat in the front passenger seat, and drove away. The police were called, and investigated it as a disturbance but made no arrest.

That same day, Otty was seen at a local medical clinic for problems she was experiencing. They quickly determined that she was having a severe mental breakdown and relocated her to a local hospital for further evaluation. She was released that same day, because the staff had determined that she was "not a threat to herself or others". According to state law, health care providers cannot detain someone without their permission even though they may appear mentally ill at the time, unless the person is considered an immediate threat to themselves or others.

The following day, July 26, 2009, around 5am, police were called to the home of Otty Sanchez. When they entered, they found Otty sitting on the couch, covered in self-inflicted stab wounds. She screamed that she had killed her baby, and that voices in her head made her do it. Baby Scott was found laying in a pool of blood on a bed, stabbed, decapitated with his face no longer recognizable, missing three toes, and part of his brain. When asked where the missing body parts were, Otty replied that she ate them. Yes, ate them. A steak knife, samurai sword, and machete were all removed from the home as evidence.

Otty was taken by police to the hospital for treatment of her wounds. At the hospital, she was charged with capital murder and is being held on $1 million bail. With the capital murder charge, Sanchez will face the death penalty. Based on similar cases such as Andrea Yates' drowning of her five children, she will most likely be not guilty by reason of insanity, and spend the rest of her life in a mental hospital.

Who failed baby Scott? In my opinion, Otty Sanchez fail him by refusing her medication and choosing to leave the hospital and care for him when she obviously was not in her right mind. Scott Bucchholtz failed him by leaving him in his mother's care when he was aware of her diagnosis'. Otty's family, who lived with Otty and baby Scott, failed him by not paying attention to warning signs and leaving Otty to care for him alone. The police failed him, by not furthering their investigation on why any mother would throw their child into a front passenger seat and drive away with him restrained properly. The hospital workers failed him by releasing Otty from the hospital the day before his murder. While we do not know details of her behavior that day, we do know of her previous diagnosis'. Any mother experiencing the mental decline that Otty was obviously experiencing should never had been released to care for her newborn alone.

Around 1/5 of new mothers suffer from Postpartum Depression. Postpartum Psychosis is far rarer, affecting one in 1000 new mothers. Women with Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder are at a much higher risk for Postpartum Psychosis, and those not taking their medication, like Otty Sanchez, are at 50% more of a risk.

Symptoms of Postpartum Depression:

• insomnia
• weepiness or sadness that persists all day
• diminished interest in almost all activities
• difficulty concentrating
• change in appetite
• anxiety
• moodiness and irritability
• excessive guilt
• panic attacks (symptoms include heart racing, dizziness, confusion, feelings of impending doom
• suicidal thoughts

Along with the above PPD symptoms, symptoms of Postpartum Psychosis include:

*hallucinations
*delusions
*agitation
*bizarre feelings
*behavior problems

This is another death of a child that could have been prevented, had those around him not been afraid to step in for his benefit. If you ever suspect that someone you know is experiencing Postpartum Depression or Psychosis, please do not be afraid to intervene. Evaluate the syptoms, and have a heart-to-heart with the mom. It is critically important to receive treatment for severe PPD or any form of PPP, so proceed carefully and take the steps needed to make sure the child is healthy, happy, and most importantly, kept safe.





P.S. On this same note, please visit my new blog, Moody Mommy, to share your own experiences with Postpartum Depression or anything similar.

Recipe Challenge Friday : Chicken Piccata

This is one of our favorite chicken recipes. Chris is not an adventurous eater and was scared of trying capers, but this quickly became his favorite meal. It's a great dish for summer eating. We always serve it with garlic and olive oil pasta, it's very easy to make both things at the same time. You can also serve it with roasted garlic & rosemary potatoes or mashed potatoes.



What you'll need:

*3 or 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
*salt and pepper for seasoning
*flour for dredging the chicken (about 1-1 1/2 cups)
*1 teaspoon dried basil
*2 tablespoons of capers, drained of liquid
*olive oil
*1/2 cup white wine or chicken stock
*2 or 3 lemons (cut a few thin slices from the middle first to garnish the chicken)
*3 cloves finely chopped garlic
*2 teaspoons "italian" herbs (oregano, basil, thyme combined)
*dried cappelini (angel hair)

What you'll have to do:

*Place the chicken breasts between two sheets of wax paper (or use press'n'seal, that's what I do..less mess) and pound them until they are about 1/2 inch thickness. I like to use a rolling pin to flatten the chicken.

*Season the chicken with salt and pepper on each side.

*Mix the flour, about a teaspoon each of salt and pepper, and the dried basil.

*Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat in a skillet, put on a pot of salted water to boil for the pasta, and turn the oven on to warm.

*Dredge the chicken in the flour (I don't use egg or milk for this, I think it's better when the coating is very light)

*Saute chicken for about 2 minutes on each side..until it starts getting golden brown, place in the warm oven to stay hot while you finish the pasta and sauce.

*Drop cappelini into boiling water, cooking for 3 minutes.

*Spoon excess oil out of skillet, leaving about 2 tablespoons of fat in the pan.
*Add white wine to skillet and cook for 1 minute over medium heat.
*Add juice from lemons and capers, heat to medium high and let reduce for about 2 minutes.

*Drain pasta
*Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pot you boiled the pasta in.
*Let the oil heat over medium and add in the chopped garlic and italian herbs. Heat until the garlic is aromatic.

*Toss pasta with the garlic and olive oil, add a little olive oil if it's too dry.
*Place chicken back into the skillet with the sauce, and let it warm for a minute or two.

*Top chicken with lemon caper sauce, garnish with lemon wheels, and serve with the pasta on the side.

There you have it! It's very quick and easy to make...and everyone seems to love it. If you try it, let us know your opinion!

Should You Toss That Lip Gloss?

Most people know that when you buy something from the grocery store, eventually it will expire. I'm very particular about expiration dates and making sure food isn't spoiled. You know, sniffing it, examining it like a crazy lady, all that good stuff. ;)

But did you know that your makeup also has an expiration date? You won't find it printed on there, because currently there are no government regulations in place that require cosmetic companies to print expiration dates on their products. The FDA does suggest expiration or "throw away" dates on products as simply a rule of thumb. How your cosmetics are stored, and how often they are used, plays a big role in their expiration.

The shelf life of eye makeup is a lot shorter than other cosmetic products due to repeated exposure to microbes in the environment, which up our risk of eye infections.

Here's a general run down of when you should toss your cosmetics:

Foundation: 3-6 months. Some places say that a water based foundation will last up to 12 months, and an oil based up to 18 months.

Concealer: Wand applicator concealers should be tossed within 6 months since they’re likely to grow bacteria. Stick, twist-up tubes, or compact concealers can last up to 12 months, especially if you use a makeup brush to apply the product. Try to avoid applying (touching) the product directly to the skin, instead use disposable makeup pads or brushes.

Pressed powder cosmetics: Facial powder, blush and eyeshadow should be thrown out after one year. If you get an eye infection, however, you’ll have to toss out any eyeshadow you’ve used, to avoid re-infecting yourself. Never share eye cosmetics!

Lip gloss and lipstick: 1 year

Mascara: You should always replace mascara after 3 months. Don't "pump" your wand into the mascara, it introduces more air than normal, and causes it to dry out faster. And toss it immediately if it becomes dry, or you develop an eye infection. Remember: Never, ever share mascara!

Eye and lip pencils: If you sharpen them every few days, makeup pencils can last a year or longer. It’s time to trash them when they become dry, crumbly, and hard to apply.

All-natural cosmetics: Because these products do not contain preservatives, they should be used or discarded within 6 months.

All sponges should be washed regularly or tossed and replaced monthly.

Nail polish is good for at least 12 months if it is of high quality.

Here are some more tips that will help you make the most of your makeup:
1. Don’t ever share cosmetics.
2. Don’t put your fingers into the product. Use the applicator
provided, or a makeup sponge.
3. Keep containers tightly closed, and store them in a cool, dry place.
4. Don’t use water or saliva to ease the application of a product. Doing so
introduces bacteria into the product, which can cause a host of problems.
5. Immediately toss the product out if there is a change of color, texture,
or consistency; if the ingredients settle or separate; or if an odor develops.
6. If you develop an infection, toss the products that have been in contact with the infected area.


A few other things to keep in mind are that if you store your makeup in a hot place- the car, in a window sill, or even in a bathroom where they are exposed to steam and heat, they will most likely expire sooner than the suggested dates. As with medication, storing makeup in a cool, dry place, will keep them from deteriorating before their time. Beware of "testers" in makeup and department stores. While you may use the disposable applicators provided, someone else may not, and bacteria may have been introduced into the product. Never use a tester product directly on your skin, and if you're trying a lipstick or something similar, take a tissue and wipe off the top layer of product before testing it on yourself or applying it to an applicator.

Also if you're someone who only wears makeup on special occasions, pay close attention to how often you toss your things. The last thing you want to see in the pictures of that big night, are your eyes that are red from infection! :(

When in doubt, throw it out!





Another problem that we face with makeup, is when makeup breaks, crumbles, cracks, etc. Have you ever went to put on your lipstick- you know, that shade that is discontinued, impossible to find, the only shade that you've ever loved, only to bump it with the lid? You watch as your beloved lipstick falls into your lap (and most likely you're wearing your favorite white pants, right? Just one of those days!). Fighting back tears, you slowly walk, head down, to the trash can, ready to throw it away.

Ok, maybe it isn't that bad, but there are ways to save that beloved beauty product that has met it's fate long before it should have.

*To fix a broken lipstick, simply put on gloves (unless you want red hands!), and roll the tube to it's maximum point. Take a lighter and melt the lipstick, using a toothpick or tiny brush to mold the stick back to the piece that it's broken from. Place it in the freezer for 10-20 minutes and it should be as good as new! If you've unfortunately broken the lipstick in full length, simply put it back into the tube, roll it all the way down, and use a lipstick brush for application.

*Fixing a broken eyeshadow or blush can bit a bit more tricky. I haven't done this personally, so I can't guarantee the results. The first option is to put your broken eyeshadow into a ziploc baggie, crush it into powder, and transfer that to a loose powder palette. From there, you can use it as a dusting eyeshadow with a brush, instead of a wand applicator. The other option is to crush the eyeshadow, and use rubbing alcohol to bond it back into a paste in it's original container. Put the broken product in a baggie and crush it into a powder. Then add just a few drops of rubbing alcohol to the dust, mixing it into a paste (this can get messy, so be sure to set a towel or tissues underneath first!). Allow about an hour for it to set up, and then use a coin wrapped in cloth and press the molded product very firmly into the original container to make sure it's firmly set. As the alcohol evaporates, the product will set up and the smell will dissipate.

*To make hair and body washes last longer, when the bottle is half way empty, fill the empty space halfway full with water. This doesn't work well with thin or milky substances, because they will be too runny to use. It does work great with thick shampoos and conditioners, sugar or salt scrubs, or thick body washes.



Share with us your tips and tricks or making beauty products last longer! Do you throw your cosmetics away when they are outdated, or hang on to them until you've used them up?




***Don't forget, tonight at 9pm/EST we will be hosting Chit Chat with Chic Chat! We had a great turn out last week, so join us, won't you? :)



Directions reminder:

At 9pm/EST, we will be on instant messenger, and we will create a chat titled Chic Chat. To enter, simply choose "Buddy Chat" on the AIM menu, next to File. Delete the chat name/number that is next to Chat Room, and type Chic Chat. Type your own screen name where it says screen names to invite. Click "Send", and it should take you to the chat.

We hope to see you there! Now, go get gorgeous dah-ling.. ;)