Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween from all of us at Simply Femme! Please email us your Halloween pics of you or your goblin kiddies. We will post them next week. Be Safe !

Question Of The Week: What Is A Fashion "Do Not" In Your Book?

Question Of The Week: What Is A Fashion "Do Not" In Your Book?

What is a trend that you have seen lately that you could just do without? (No offense meant by any of our authors here if you own/wear any of these! We love all of our readers no matter what their fashion sense is ;) )
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I saw this coat on the Newport News website- it looks to me, like it could go straight from street to shower!(The full size picture gives a better idea). So my fashion no-no is going to be coats that look like bath robes. A big "do not"! ;)



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One of my biggest don'ts is buying clothes that don't fit you right (either way too tight, or way too loose). Quite simply, it doesn't flatter anyone!!

This poor girl in the pic above was everywhere when I searched for images (I think it's from a Glamour "Don't"), and really, she's not AT ALL a big girl, just chose bad fitting clothes!

If it's too tight, buy the next size up. You're the only one who knows what size it is, and if it bothers you, cut off the tag. I honestly know women who will buy the smaller size because they can technically get into it, but really, the next size up would be much more flattering.

**And one more thing... I love leggings and tights. Love them, and wear them myself.

But they are NOT pants. Enough said.

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Call me shallow or what you will, and YES we do have triplets so its hard getting ready all the time; but I despise wearing (gymshoes/sneakers/running shoes whatever you call it in you area) and sweats when my purpose is something besides A LOT of walking/running or going to the gym. There are WAY to many cute shoes in the world, even with my sweats. They are meant for this :

Not this:

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Over-accessorizing with brand names. I see these women in their Juicy sweats, with their Luis Vuitton purse, their Gucci wallet, their Chanel sunglasses, and their Baby Phat jewel-encrusted cell phones.... all at once. Tacky!

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Just Sharing...

Nicholas Sparks books and movies are one of my personal guilty pleasures (yes, they're a little predictable, but I still love them). Also, every woman I know has a soft spot for them so I thought I'd share this trailer of "Dear John" with you all!

Enjoy! :)

Question Of The Week: If You Could Go Back And Change Any Day In Your Life, What Day Would It Be? What Would You Change?

Question of the Week: If you could go back and change any day in your life, what day would it be? What would you change?

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Cassie is on vacation in Key West this week, so she won't be joining this time. Enjoy your week doll!


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If I'm going to be completely honest in answering this question, then my day to change would be my wedding day. I wouldn't have done the whole thing to begin with. I was young, I was 8 months pregnant, and I just did it because I felt like it was the "right" thing to do. Even though I have 2 pastors in my family who were telling me that I didn't have to do it, I did. I wanted to make a normal family for my daughter, a home with all of us together, etc. I now realize that what I thought was normal, was just how I was raised to view normal, and that normal actually comes in many different forms. But now at 27 years old, I feel like there are other things that I should have done with my life first. I find myself feeling very,very antsy, and though I may be married, I feel alone more often than not. Of course only I can take this matter into my own hands and change it, but many circumstances complicate it. I have a really good life and lots to be thankful for. I'm not mistreated physically or anything, just most likely married to the wrong person. Now that we're all bummed out at my Debbie Downer attitude, let's move on to someone else's answer! ;)



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I honestly don't really know which day I'd change... it's not that I regret so many, it's just that in hindsight, I realize that things always happen the way they are meant to.

I too would change my "wedding" day, because I didn't have one. I regret that I don't have a single picture that I can comfortably show my future children (or any family member) of our marriage day. I hate that I wore an old, non-white dress (black... BLACK!), because it was all I had. I know though that this was absolutely all my husband and I could do at the time, and that's okay... we truly hope to do something for a vow renewal whenever we are able to financially do so...

A more simple day that I would change is the day we bought our car. It's not that I don't like the car (it's the nicest car either of us have ever had), but it was too much money for us to be paying then, and it sure as hell is too much money now that I'm back in school!!

Recipe Challenge: Black Bean Soup

If you're anything like me, you love to eat soup more than anything during this time of year. One of my favorites to make is black bean soup. We always eat all of it in one sitting and wish we had more. I highly encourage doubling this recipe!

Black Bean Soup

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, sliced (I use 3 or 4)
  
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1/2 a green pepper, chopped
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 4 cups chicken broth (I use reduced sodium)
  
• 15 or 16 oz can black beans (1-1/2 cups cooked beans) (I use 2 cans)
  
• Dash of pepper

Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion, carrots, celery, green pepper and garlic. Saute until the vegetables become somewhat tender and very fragrant, about 5 minutes or so. Add the chicken broth and black beans. Stir the soup and let it simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. If you want to make the consistency a bit thicker, which I highly recommend, get out your potato masher. Mash the soup in the pan with the potato masher until it thickens slightly and the vegetables are mostly squishy. Serve the soup with some nice warm bread.

Bonus recipe: Chive Butter

I love to serve warm rolls with chive butter when we have Black Bean Soup.

You need your rolls, as much butter as desired, and fresh chives. Warm butter up until it's soft but not melted. Stir it to make it a creamy consistency. Chop chives into tiny pieces. You be the judge of how many you use, it depends on how much butter. Stir chives into the bowl with the soft butter. Spread onto warm rolls and enjoy!

Femme Forum Reminder

Reminder! Join us at the Femme Forum tonight at 10pm EST. Grab a drink and settle down for a night with the girls. We always have tons of fun, so don't miss it!

To join in, sign on your AIM or AOL messenger with your screen name, and then find the buddy chat room option, enter your screen name to invite, and the title "Femme Forum", and it should take you there. If you have trouble, or need instructions on how to download AIM, contact one of us on Facebook, comment on this post with your e-mail address, or IM me at SimplyStephanie6.

Talk to you all later!

Product Review: For Curly, or Straight!

I've recently been able to try a couple of new products through a friend who is staying with us...

Today I will be reviewing two hair products, one for curling, and one for straightening or smoothing (though it could certainly be used for curly hair too).

First up is Paul Mitchell's "Round Trip"
As a naturally curly/wavy haired gal, I am always looking for a product that promises smooth, soft, and frizz-free curls. I think that this product worked moderately well, though I think I still prefer Bed Head's "Curls Rock". I would consider buying this as an alternative to "Curls Rock" once I run out, since I do believe it is a little cheaper, and comes with a bit more product. This product I believe also claims to dry hair faster, which I did notice while air drying.

Verdict: I am still looking for something that creates perfect curls!


Next, I tried Chi's "Silk Infusion" silk reconstructing complex. I liked this product a lot more than the "Round Trip". I think that this had a noticeable result on my hair, and it looked and felt silkier and less damaged. I think that the results were surprising, because when I first put the product in my hair, it felt a little gooey, and not at all promising. Yet when I dried it, it was anything but sticky, and once fully dry, felt positively smooth.

Verdict: If the price is reasonable, this may be a definite purchase for me in the future!

What's In Your Makeup?

As I was driving home the other day, I did something that I rarely get to do- I listened to the radio. Since I have two young children, my days in the car are spent mostly listening to what ever movie they choose at that moment. Driving from Point A to Point B, and occupying them with said movie, is sometimes my only 15 minutes of sanity for the day ;)

On this rare occasion though, I was able to listen to the radio. Of course, nothing good was on, and so I spent my 15 minutes scanning from channel to channel. I don't know how I ended up on a talk radio station, but I did (note to self: renew satellite radio subscription).

What they had to say really interested me though. Our girls are wearing makeup at a much younger age than they used to. We're not talking a little bit of lip gloss, we're talking about the whole works- mascara, eye shadow, lip gloss, etc. At any given time, they could be wearing as many as 10 or more different products on their faces.

Of course we as women do the same thing (or most of us do). American women spend millions of dollars each year on products that give us fuller lashes, smoother complexions, and fuller lips.

What most of us probably don't consider, is that many of these products are not tested, nor even really deemed safe to wear.

Suddenly talk radio wasn't so boring anymore, when they turned me onto this website.

Cosmetics Database

This website has done a study on our teen girls, and found that 13 out of 20 girls that were tested had hormone-altering chemicals in their bodies, that were directly related to using cosmetics.

That's a scary thought.

According to this site, the average woman uses 12 products per day, while the average teen uses 17. Adolescents are particularly more vulnerable to the effects of the toxins in makeup, while their bodies are still developing, and hormone levels are nowhere near stable. In the study of 14-19 year olds, almost all of them had some type of chemical found through blood and urine tests. Chemicals which could cause harm later in life.

Even worse? The contaminants are in the bath products that we are using on our children and babies:

"The report found that Baby Magic “Soft Baby Scent” Lotion contained the highest levels of formaldehyde. After analyzing two samples of the products, the researchers found they contained 570 and 610 parts per million (ppm) of the chemical. In Europe, products containing above 500 ppm would require a warning label.

Highest level of 1,4-dioxane was found in several samples of “American Girl” shower products, sold by Bath & Body Works.

Johnson’s Baby Shampoo, Sesame Street Bubble Bath, Grins & Giggles Milk & Honey Baby Wash and Huggies Naturally Refreshing Cucumber & Green Tea
Baby Wash were among best-selling products found to contain both chemical contaminants."


So what can be done? After all of the recent scares with BPA in baby bottles, and plastic wear, it's become clearly evident that there are a lot more UNsafe products, than safe ones. A good example? Here's a take on what one of my favorite mascaras, Dior Show, contains in it.

Ingredients in this product are linked to:
(yes) Cancer
(yes) Developmental/reproductive toxicity
(yes) Violations, restrictions & warnings
(yes) Allergies/immunotoxicity
(yes) Other concerns for ingredients used in this product:
Neurotoxicity, Endocrine disruption, Persistence and bioaccumulation, Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), Multiple, additive exposure sources, Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs), Contamination concerns, Occupational hazards, Biochemical or cellular level changes


Pretty scary, huh?


I could go on for days about the things I've learned since hearing this spot on the radio. I'm thankful that I did, because if for nothing else, it will definitely impact me when I make decisions about allowing my daughter to wear makeup. I will also be tossing her "play" makeup as soon as I can sneak it away from her.

What else can we really do? Beyond wearing no makeup (and you totally do not want me to do that), it seems that no matter how much I searched, the majority of my products were at least a "5" out of 10 on the toxicity scale. Cosmetic companies have pretty much NO restrictions on what they put into your products. Many mascaras contain mercury, and many beauty products contain placenta- which has been shown to cause breast development in toddlers! If at all possible, we can limit our teen and adolescent exposure to makeup. The site that I mentioned above is helpful in that you can search your beauty products and see what they have found to be in them. Not all products have been researched and listed, but there are a good bit. Of the 6 beauty products that I use on my face daily (yeah, I'm lazy like that), I found that:

*2 were unlisted- Benefit Cosmetics products- some were listed, but not the ones in particular that I use.

*2 of them were rated a 5, which were both brands of mascara that I have- Dior Show, and Bare Escentuals.

*My moisturizer, that I just started using, which is Aveeno- ranked at only a 2 on the scale. Which is a good thing. I've been really lazy about caring for my face, and now that I've finally started, I was about to be really pissed if it was contaminated ;)
(Bonus:Aveeno Baby lotion also only ranked a 2. I will definitely be switching back to that.)

*Neutrogena? Many products ranked horribly, which really surprised me.

*Sweet Spot labs (wash for your nether regions) ranked a 5 out of 10,and the wipes ranked a 7!! ridiculous!

*My favorite EVER body wash- The Body Shop Satsuma wash? An 8!!! What's worse is that they have signed the act to be compliant with production of safe products, yet they are not in accordance with it. :(

*Lastly, my eyeshadow and eyeliner, Bobbi Brown, ranked a 4. Which isn't great, but it's a heck of a lot less harmful than some of the things I saw on that site. Each item that comes up when you search will also let you know if they are compliant in the safe cosmetics act, and if they test on animals. Many companies also choose not to provide that.

I'll leave you with that information- because I don't want to bore you all to tears. I urge you to take a look at the site and see what your cosmetics contain. Tell us what you use on a regular basis, and what you find out about them. I know it was an eye opener for me, and once I get the chance, I will definitely be re-evaluating which brands of makeup I use, and which things I use on my kids.


Coming soon: What Can You Use Instead?

QOTW: If you could look like any celebrity, besides Megan Fox, who would you choose and why?

Since Megan Fox is off the table (because we knew nearly everybody would pick her...LOL), I have a very close second place. I think Gwen Stefani is GORGEOUS. She's 40 years old, has had two children, and still has a rockin' body too. And...I simply love her music, both solo, and with No Doubt.

Well, I wouldn't have picked Megan Fox. ;) and Gwen Stefani would definitely be my first choice...how I love what that woman wears. A close second would be Reese Witherspoon, not only do I think that she looks fantastic but I think she's a great woman. I love that she holds true to her morals and modesty and still dresses in fine style.

Kate Beckinsale. She has that very sexy yet classy look going for her. She is a great actress, sexy killer Vampires in Underworld and Vanhelsing plus a very gracious leading lady in Pearl Harbor. She also has that killer English accent ( with good teeth!)
I think she is very gorgeous and low key. You never hear about her that much in the press, unless she is movie promoting, which means she probably still has good values. One of her quotes:
"Apparently I get facials and manicures all the time. I read this and think "Oh I wish I did that!" I don't think I've had a facial since I was 19. When I shave my legs I use my child's shampoo and a razor- if I can find one. If I did everything they say I did, I'd never see Lily (her daughter)."

If this question were asked a few years ago (or around the time "Mean Girls" came out), I would have, without a doubt, chosen Lindsay Lohan.

BUT, since seeing this picture...

YIKES is right. (Though those are Perez Hilton's words on the pic, not mine).

It's really sad to say, I am really beginning to believe that the gorgeous and curvy Lindsay from "Mean Girls" is never coming back... :( Or at least not any time soon.

SO, instead I pick...


Rachel McAdams :) I think she has a sweet and beautiful "girl next door" look. Plus, what guy (or girl, for that matter) could resist her dimples when she smiles? She looks lovely in every movie & hair color she is in, which I love.

For me, an obvious choice is Brooke Burke. She is gorgeous, naturally tanned, has long dark hair, perfect proportions and great features, and she has THAT body after FOUR KIDS!!







I'm going to go with Jessica Biel. I think she's gorgeous, without even trying!
She has a great body, great smile, and she's just hot! ;)

Review: Beatles Rock Band

Beatles Rock band

Need: Xbox, Rock band gear, Beatles Rock band game

Review from Xbox: Experience The Beatles' music and legacy like never before, utilizing the core Rock Band game play inThe Beatles™: Rock Band™. Follow the legendary career of The Beatles from Liverpool to Shea Stadium to Abbey Road. Play drums, lead guitar, and bass guitar, and sing three-part harmony with up to three microphones. Feel what it's like to perform The Beatles' classic songs, on stage and in the studio. In addition, The Beatles: Rock Band will offer a limited number of new hardware offerings modeled after instruments used by John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr throughout their career.

My take: Loved this game! It was something my man and I could do together that was at home and a lot of fun. It also helped that I am a Beatles fan. I was a little iffy about it though, not sure if I'd be able to do it. They have an awesome teaching/introduction for beginners before you even start playing the songs. It was very beneficial for me.

This game was neat all together, from the graphics to the music. I never played Rock band before and I was able to pick up the guitar right away, (which means anyone can), we ended up playing for 2 1/2hrs till our eyes couldn't take anymore! They also played at different venues that were true to the bands career. 

You really get into it once you have the hang of it. I highly suggest this game to anyone who likes music! Check out the preview for this game below:

Book Review: The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

"'Do you believe in ghosts, Miss Lea?' she had asked me. 'I am going to tell you a ghost story.'"

Just in time for Fall, and the spookiness of Halloween, a review of The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield.

Suite 101 Review: Original found HERE.

This rich, multi-layered Gothic tale, in the tradition of Daphne DuMaurier and the Bronte sisters, grabs the reader from the first pages and doesn't let go.

"Do You Intend to Tell Me the Truth?"

The Thirteenth Tale is the story of Vida Winter, a best-selling British writer nearing the end of her life, and Margaret Lea, the youngish apprentice bookseller and part-time biographer, whom Ms. Winter has chosen to write her life story. The problem is that Ms. Winter has spent her life telling stories -- including 19 different ones about her background and childhood. Will she be able to tell the truth this time?

The Thirteenth Tale

The Thirteenth Tale is, of course, Ms. Winter's final tale. As it unfolds, the reader meets a troubled family, right out of the pages of Jane Eyre or Wuthering Heights, and a crumbling Gothic mansion called Angelfield. There is a secret garden, confused identities, and tragedy, all in the Gothic tradition. But, although this novel pays homage to those great novels that came before, it stands well on its own. To add another layer, Margaret has ghosts of her own, ghosts that are awakened as she hears Ms. Winter's story.

My Review:

When bookish and quiet Margaret Lea receives a letter from one of world's most acclaimed authors asking for her to come and write her life's story (of which she has provided multiple variations of throughout the years), Margaret is instantly confused and apprehensive, and yet at the same time, absolutely captivated. Margaret then embarks on a journey during which she not only uncovers the ghosts of Vida Winter's past, but also brings to light the skeletons in her own closet.

The Thirteenth Tale is a novel that I have read before, and have turned to once again to fulfill a craving for all things eerie and "gothic" that frequently arises this time of year. Once again, this story did not disappoint.

The Thirteenth Tale is full of creepiness and disturbed beings, as well as lovable, yet dark and brooding characters. Time seems to be a mystery in this story, and I often found myself imagining that this book was set in a time period closer to that of books such as Bronte's Jane Eyre (which gets frequent and adoring mention in this novel). However, mentions of modern items and aspects also threw me off track. The result seems to make the novel even more romantic and simultaneously eerie.

I would absolutely recommend this novel if you like a good spooky, and somewhat twisted tale. I can imagine this book as being perfect to read in a comfortable chair in front of a dying fire, while sipping hot cocoa (Margaret's favorite) on a cool October or November night. Of course, that's just me being overly romantic, but that's just why I loved this book so much. :)

So if you have a craving for all things mysterious, spooky and Gothic around this time of year, I would suggest picking this one up.

"Tell me this, do you believe in ghosts?"

QOTW: Body Image

While we like to encourage our fellow women to accept themselves, flaws and all, we know that it's in our nature to compare ourselves to others and pull and poke and push while we look in the mirror. This week, we want to know what part of your body you love, and what part you hate. Be honest!

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I love.... this is harder than I thought it would be. I love my mouth. I am lucky not to have those thin lips that some women have. I don't need to sit and dream of Restaline injections or spending tons of money on the next lip plumping product. They are fine just the way they are.

It would be easy to say I hate my stomach... it's flubbery and wrinkly and full of stretchmarks. But I don't. It's my battle scar. A really large, flubbery, wrinkly battle scar, from carrying two babies. What I really hate is my legs. I have the SKINNIEST legs. So skinny that it's embarassing to wear shorts. I have no calves, and the smallest ankles. I have a feeling that no amount of excersise will ever give me the muscle definition that most people are born with.

I love...my legs. They're definitely my favorite part of my body...until you get to the feet ;) I was quite athletic as a teen and worked really hard to mold my body into what it needed to do, and having strong legs was a big part of that. I love that even after 10+ years and 2 kids, my legs still look fab.
:::I JUST read Steph's answer::: now I feel like smacking myself.

I hate...my nose, but like Steph it's a love-hate relationship. I hate it because it's large, pointy and crooked...but I love that every time I look in the mirror I see my dad's nose looking back. So I'll just leave it alone. I really hate my smile...too much coffee and smoking, and we won't even get into the disaster that is my childhood dentist. Even though everywhere you turn there's a Rembrandt smile to remind you, it's fixable so I try not to dwell on it.





I love my lips. I don't know how/why I was blessed with these full gorgeous lips, but I'll keep them. (After reading that it sounded cocky but hey all of us should be cocky about something on our bod!)
I hate my constant battle with my hips/thighs. I have to watch everything I eat or it goes straight there, leaving my arms and legs skinny minnie.Why can't it just spread the love? I try to run and tone but of course that area is also the LAST to tone/lose.




Honestly, this is hard for me. I could write page after page of things I dislike about my body. Things I like? Not so much. But, I'll give it a go.

I like my hair. It's thick, rich, luxurious, and will do just about anything. It looks good straight, wavey, or curly. But since I'm not sure hair counts as a body part, I'll go with my lips instead. I was blessed with very full, very seductive, very pouty, very 'sex-kitten' type lips. You know, the kind of lips guys notice and want wrapped around their c*#ks. :D

[If I believed in Hell, I'd sooo think I was going there. Muahahahaha.]

I really dislike my legs. I have cellulite. I have ugly knees. I inherited big, ugly ankle bones. And, if my mother and grandmother are any indication, I'll have varicose veins one day too. Indeed, from crotch to toe, I'm a raging mess. I won't even wear shorts anymore. I simply can't do that to the viewing public. They're innocents and don't deserve to see the spectacle that is my legs.




Ugh. Much harder for me to write what I don't like, instead of what I do like ;) I'm going to go with the general neck-to-butt region for what I dislike. No stretch marks or anything, I just desperately need to drop about 15 pounds and tone up BIG time.

For what I like, I like my eyes, hair, and my face in general. Most days, I don't think I'm too shabby LOL.

Like some of the other ladies, it's harder for me to write about what I do like... honestly, what first comes to mind is my eyelashes. They are really long (I know that can't really be seen in pictures on here), and I think they add something to my entire face, which I'm not always too crazy about. I know that probably sounds really silly to choose eyelashes (& also not sure they are a body part), but I think it's probably my most complimented feature, and the eyes they are attached to I guess ;). Aside from that, I'd say that I have decent legs compared to the rest of my body, LOL. They need a little work (particularly on the inner thigh area), but I've been blessed on my mother's side to not have much, if any, cellulite. Neither my mom or grandma have it, even in their 40's and 60's, I really hope I follow this trend!

My least favorite is absolutely my stomach area. It is absolutely detestable to me, so much so that I don't even want to get into much detail, LOL.

Recipe Challenge: Chocolate Chip Pumpkin bread

Since it is the beginning of October why not start the months Recipe Challenge with some delicious Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread? I've made this the past two years and it is a big hit. It is very moist, great as a gift and can even be frozen.

The ingredients you will need:

1 3/4 cup pureed pumpkin

1 1/2 brown sugar

1/2 cup (1 stick) soften butter

3 eggs

1 cup of veg oil

3-4 cups all-purpose unbleached flour (I use whole wheat)

2 tbl spoon of baking powder

1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 cups chopped walnuts or chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350

Combine pumpkin,brown sugar, eggs, butter and oil, mix till creamy.

In a separate bowl you will mix all of your dry ingredients except for the chocolate chips. Mix 3 cups of the dry ingredients into your wet ingredients, then some of the 4th cup as necessary to achieve correct consistency (moist but think enough to spoon in). Finally, add the nuts or chocolate chips.

Pour or spoon the batter into a greased bread pan or muffin tins. Bake at 350. Large loaf for 50 min- 1 hour, muffins 20-35 min, small loaf 25-30, on the center rack until a toothpick poked into the center comes out dry.

I used a large loaf so I baked an hour. It made my house smell like a yummy pumpkin cinnamon candle :)

YUM can't wait for us to try! They say its better the next day if you can wait....I hope you take this challenge, let us know!