Say What?: Nails

So I have really been wanting to start doing a medical fact post each week, mainly because there are so many crazy new health facts that come out in the news that are important to be aware of as they aren't normally something your doctor tells you about. And as someone in the health field, they are completely fascinating. So I decided that I want to start doing this each week. You of course can avoid them, but I intend for the information to be important new findings that really do impact your health, and especially directed towards women since well that's mostly who I feel reads this blog (but no offense to the male population who do as well, we love to have you visit as well). So here goes.

"UV nail dryers are most often used to 'cure' gel nails, but they're also used to harden some acrylic nails and traditional polishes", which can lead to, "women ha[ving] cancer on the backs of their fingers".

source

Earlier this week quickly announced on the radio, was this study which discussed the link between women who frequent the nail salon, and skin cancer. The last thing that I'd ever think of when going to get a set of fake nails would be skin cancer. Damaging my nails, yes. But cancer? No. It actually rather scared me. After doing some research into it, I got even more scared about going to get my nails done when I read this article regarding skin cancer on your cuticles. "Getting a manicure can harm it [matrix] if the equipment isn't sterilized. And when a drill is inserted under the cuticle to smooth it, the matrix cells can be ground up so badly that they cannot regenerate. Nail sculpture chemicals can also drip down into the matrix, causing damage.  'When the matrix cells are damaged, they may never grow properly again, and the nail will always be deformed'", which ultimately, can lead to skin cancer as well.

source

Um hi, who knew that getting fake nails could be so risky? So yes, you can skip the UV hardeners at the end of your manicure or pedicure, but what about when they grind down your nails, which can permanently deform your nails? That's not the first thing your doctor warns you about if he sees you have fake nails on.

So obviously, not everyone is going to get skin cancer from the UV lights, and its probably really rare to have your nails permanently damaged from one trip to the nail salon, but what if that is your way to pamper yourself? If you go every month? What about twice a month? Every week? I will openly admit I love getting my nails done, along with almost all other women. Maybe in a year I go three or four times, in comparison to some sweet ladies I know who go almost 24 times a year. And I rarely use those UV dryers, but what if it only takes one time to damage your nails permanently?

Is it worth it? That's up to you, but read these articles fully to educate yourself so you can pick wisely who will do your nails if you want them done. And skip the UV dryers at the end of your nail visit. They just aren't worth it!

p.s. along with the increasing possibility of skin cancer from using the UV lights, and permanently damaging your nails, you can also get fungal infections from unsterilized equipment, and it takes months to grow out your nails after fake nails. To me, that really tips the scale to doing my own nails at home. Plus its a whole bunch cheaper.

p.p.s. the whole segment of Fighting Skin Cancer that was on Good Morning America is online here.

-M



I hope you'll let me know what you think of this all, and if you like this new weekly occurance.

mental health day

Since muzzle loader elk or deer or moose (whatever) started Wednesday and the hubby was going to be gone for four+ days, we decided to take tuesday off from work and school to spend time together. Which was divine, since it indcluded going to the park with Adi, stopping off at Nordstroms, and eating yummy Greek Slouvaki.

And multitasking a manicure and a tan at the pool for a good couple of hours. I love our mental health days, I always feel so pampered on those days because I get my honey all to myself, and we get to do whatever we feel like.

I can't believe that its already starting to become fall, where did the summer go? Christmas is right around the corner, which is insane! But wonderful as we will be spending it in Honolulu, HI. Any must do things, or places to eat on Oahu let us know. We're open to any suggestions!

Hope everyone's having a great week!

p.s. whoever thought of getting groups of men together to go hike in the mountains after large stupid animals is not my favorite person right now. But at least it gives me an opportunity to finish home-making our apartment. (Is that even a word?) I will put up pictures of everything polished and pretty + my remaining DIY projects I've done in the past little while.



Our unexpected expensive trip to Petco

As it is one of Adi's favorite places to go not only for all the delicious smells (which we often buy) and the cute kids walking around she can lick half to death, but also because its the only place where she can go into a store and beg mom to get her new toys. And I don't really dislike it either. Its always a fun adventure and way to spend time when we head down to the local Petco.

But this time when I walked in, something other than dog toys and treats caught my eye.

Welcome to our family Danger!
Isn't that an awesome name for a little fishy?

Adi gave me a cute little queer look like, 'what in goodness sakes are we going to do with him?'

Well, he's already found a nice home on our kitchen counter. And to think I swore I'd never get a fish. We'll see how it goes. Does anybody know if beta fish smell really bad like goldfish do? That's why I didn't chose a goldfish. And beta fish just look plain cooler. 

Happy Saturday!

p.s. check out the most adorable hot dog ever!

I thought it'd be the most perfect halloween costume ever, but it was a little pricey!

when it all gets too much

when school+work+marriage+being an adult becomes overwhelming, I log onto pinterest and search inspirational quotes. This is my favorite one so far. Puts it all in perspective. 

Happy Friday Friends!

awkward vs awesome

which rules out?

awkward for the day: trying to inconspicuously write this post while the MDT and young ambassadors dance and sing and act and talk in obnoxious accents all around me. Quite literally over me too. I was climbed over at least three times. By guys. In ballet tights. If you don't know what MDT or young ambassadors are...think funny, hilarious, and obnoxious all at the same time. And yet they are so fun to be around.

awesome for the day: I was told I look like a dark beauty with my newly dyed hair. Thank you, I rather like it myself!

and yes, these occurred within five minutes of each other.

p.s. I shall be posting pics of my new hair-do tomorrow...after I take pictures. You'll be so impressed, hubby did it all himself as I bent over the kitchen sink. Go hubby!

Wall Decor

As in both of our other apartments, it was only right to continue this fun wall mural I've assembled of our wedding pictures, and now add in our family pictures as well. I think it turned out spectacular!

You may be wondering how to make one of these wall murals yourselves. You can find great tips and how to's on a couple of websites here, here, and here. Personally, I like to just lay all of them out on the floor, reorganize, and then work from one end to the other hanging them up.

I love having this wall in our apartment, it creates a great dynamic and adds color and character to the room and overall feel of our apartment. Maybe you should consider doing this in your house. It draws comments from every single person who sees it. I'm very happy with it.

 

p.s. don't mind my nasty post dance clothes self

Kohls:Lauren Conrad blouse

You know what is better than finding a great cute shirt that you can picture yourself wearing with a lot of different outfits? 

Finding a CHEAP one! 

Originally $45, on sale for $36, plus back to school 20% off, plus a 20% off coupon, plus a $10 off coupon, makes this shirt even cuter than it already is!

It sounds like I coupon. I promise, I don't.

That's one thing I LOOOOVE about Kohls. You can walk in find something, and walk out with it for only a fraction of the cost. LOVE.

p.s. can you figure out how much I paid for this shirt? I can tell you it was less than 1000 pennies. 

Amazing eh?!

Double do-do

Ever since becoming engaged, and then married I was always concerned about loosing any of the smaller diamonds from my ring or band. I habitually check them not only to straighten them, but also to ensure that nothing has gone missing. And I do this often; primarily to help raise my chances of being able to retrace my steps if a stone does go missing.

Well the fact of a busy day in addition to a very off or poor luck day hasn't helped anything at all. Quite down to earth it has been a bad hair day, a running late kind of day, and a bad traffic kind of day. And a busy one too.

Between going to class, stopping off at work in Provo, and then coming home to do dishes, laundry, wash the floor, pick up and organize, and lastly to give Adi a bath I feel like I've been everywhere. And with little time to check my rings.

So of course you can understand why in horror I found that one of the diamonds from my wedding band is MISSING!!! Sad day. What to do what to do.

As many friends have pointed out, I should take it to our Jewelers and they'll replace it if its under warranty. But unfortunately we used a personal jeweler, and we didn't insure it either. Understandably I'm at a loss of what to do until we can save up the money to replace the small diamond.

Any votes on if replacing the small stone with a CZ diamond temporarily is a bad idea?

-M

p.s. whoever can name that movie from which my title comes from is basically awesome.

non malicious sprain

So tomorrow I get to take this bad boy off,

after wearing it ALL weekend, and today at school.

Trust me, it was an absolute joy to walk in around campus. Especially since my classes are on opposite sides of campus. And I didn't draw to much attention to myself thank goodness. (can you sense my sarcasim?)

Except at a family dinner/bday party Sunday night where everyone got a good laugh out of how I sprained two toes Friday night. 

And I know everyone wants to laugh today, so here goes. 

Friday night when I got home from work at ten thirty, Jer and I took Adi out to run around and burn off some energy. So we commenced in baiting her to come to one of us then the other would run, and she would turn and chase. It actually was a genius idea because she was WORN OUT afterwards. Except for that last run down of me where she literally, ran me down. 

Well specifically she jumped at me as I was trying to make a turn, knocking my feet out from underneath me; which I then landed rather badly on. 

After a day of contemplating and a great deal of whining (on my part) about the pain, Jer finally suggested insisted I head to the local Instacare Saturday night. An hour later I walked out with the foot brace on, a diagnosis of only sprained toes, and a badly bruised ego.

The woeful foot. It's the left one if you can't tell. See how its all swollen on the inside of my foot?

Ok, well it isn't super obvious via this picture. But it was. I promise. 

The doctor got quite a kick out of my trying to make the whole experience seem like it was all my fault and that my dog wasn't malicious. She just suggested I try to not have my dog chase me. Or teach her not to jump. Which we're working on. It's just not really sinking in quite yet.

So, did I learn my lesson? No, not really.

Just today I ran and had Adi chase me in my boot and all. I'm sure it was quite a sight.

Happy Monday

-M

Always Remember

This weekend is a special one. Specifically tomorrow, is a hard memory and a day to remember those who have gone before us without cause or reason. Tomorrow is a day to find a way to serve others in honor of those whose lives were cut short.

It's the tenth anniversary of 9/11. 

What will you do to honor your fellow Americans who lost their lives that day?

-Melissa

My brain fart day this week

My sweetheart came done to p-town today to bring sweet Adi to see the vet (she licked the stitches to much to where her insicion was starting to open). In addition to being worried about that, today has been an interesting and cynical (on my part) day.


The awkward:

I discovered this morning one of my favorite perfumes smells like it's rotten. Sad.
I forgot to shave my legs this weekend. Sorry to the guy in modern dance who had to support my nasty hairy leg today.
As I was sneaking my shorts down to cover my unders while walking to my first class, I outright ripped my pocket seam...oops. So now I have a gapping hole in my pantalones.
Lipgloss exploded onto the kid next to me in my religion class as I was trying to apply it...how do you possibly clean that up with only one tissue?
Sorry to the guy who gave me car advice and then I called my dad to ask the exact same question. It's not that I don't trust your opinion...its just that a girl needs to call her dad first.

And the epitome of awkward today, I had an awful time balancing while changing for dance in the bathroom stall and therefore was banging quite a bit on the walls...and someone banged back from the other side of the stall. What do you say after that, hello or sorry?


The awesome:

On a whim I suggested we watch an episode of 24 last night since I'd heard it was good...and now we're addicted. Already six episodes down, only 196 left.
I listened to Sara Bareilles the entire drive down to school this morning. I love her. She makes me happy.
My english professor completed her email today in ergophobically yours. How freaking awesome is that? I love english professors.
I found this drink called Muscle Milk in Macey's grocery and LOVE it! Plus it gives you 25% of every vitamin or mineral for your daily need.

And finally, I got another pair of TOMS today. They are so comfy! I think they kind of look like elf shoes, but they are so stinking comfy. When will my obsession end you ask? I don't know.

Overall, a great and awful day all at the same time. I just have felt...off. Oh well.

Happy Wednesday!

-M

p.s. I LOVE it when everyone updates their blogs. 

...so update!

Cone of Shame

The end of August marked Adi's six month mark which meant time for her to get her little women organs taken out. Sadly Jared had to work the morning of her appointment, which meant it was left up to me to take her and pick her up.

We were lucky enough to find the Orem County Spay and Neuter Clinic, who for the month of August had a special of only $40 for lab mixes to be fixed. This really was an amazing help to us because a normally vet would have charged around $200, which we couldn't really afford at all.

I had to drop her off by seven in the morning which was hard for me to get her there on time and then I had to wait around until one to pick her up. I spent the entire day worrying about if she'd be ok, but of course everything turned out perfectly. Well as perfectly as it could have gone.

I brought home a very sore, scared, and tired little puppy. The general anesthesia wore off by the next morning and she started eating then as well. But unfrotuantely as she woke up, she started becoming aware of her stitches, and liking them.

The bad thing about it all is that the stitches are water soluble. So slobber and her stitches were a bad combination. So I had to stop by Petco and get her this little decoration...

...and she hates hates HATES it. So we've restricted to only making her wear it when we're not home and during the night when we can't stop her from licking it.

I'll be glad when her wound is completely healed up by next friday.

Happy Friday!

-M

p.s. she's super clumsy with it on...and we can't help but laugh. How mean is that?