I-D-A-H-O

Necklace: c/o Maya Brenner Designs // Glasses: c/o Firmoo // Jacket: The North Face // Gloves: Target // Top: Express

Idaho. The Gem State. It's a good place to be. Four seasons, a desert-like climate, friendly faces, not too much traffic, great places to eat, and the valley I live in is surrounded by beautiful foothills—which are currently white with snow.

I received this necklace back in December, and I haven't wanted to take it off since. People tend to get my sister and I confused (we're only a year and six days apart), but when I visited Seattle in the beginning of January for my Farfar's remembrance, no one had to guess which sister I was—the Idaho sister. Instant win.

Idaho, I love you.

ASK

Glasses: c/o Firmoo

I'm building a FAQ page. I'm also planning another ASK vlog.

I'll try to answer all questions, whether it's posting them on my FAQ page, answering them in the vlog, or responding directly to your email (make sure your commenting profile has a connected email or leave your email in the comments).

Here's your chance... ask away!

Unbroken

I've told you about my love for mac-and-cheese, nail polish, braiding hair, and crossword puzzles. But I don't ever think I've told you how much I love to read. I'm a huge fan of murder-mysteries (Michael Connelly is my favorite), but I'll pretty much pick up anything with a cool cover and a mesmerizing description.

These days, I don't have much time to read. However, I do have a 30-minute commute to work, and I find that listening to an audio book is the best way to pass time. It keeps me entertained, and I actually look forward to driving to and from work each day. Sometimes, I'll sit in the driveway for 10-minutes before going into the house because I'm trying to finish a good chapter. It usually takes me a little over a week to finish each book.

Last week, I started the book Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand, which was recommended to me by a friend at work. The only thing about the book that made me hesitant at first is that it's a nonfiction—I've never read/listened to a nonfiction before. I have to say—I am floored by how good this book is. It's a WWII story of the trying moments, triumphs and life of Louie Zamperini. The book begins by giving a chilling picture of the stranded-at-sea story ahead. It was a phenomenal start to the book. It then tells of Louie's early life, growing toward adulthood and running in the 1936 Berlin Olympics, and then joining the Army Air Corps, where in 1943, he was on a bomber plane that crashed into the Pacific Ocean, leaving him stranded in the middle of thousands of miles of open ocean...

... And that's where I come to the point where I can't tell you any more. At the moment, I'm on disc 6 of 11, and I'm completely enthralled. The part that baffles me is that it's true. Everything I'm reading—it all happened. It's heart-breaking and inspiring. I've laughed and also had moments where my mouth is agape at the horrors being described. If you're looking for a book to read, I can't say enough about this one.

Other items I have on hold at the library include: Killing Lincoln by Bill O'Reilly, The Black Box by Michael Connelly, and Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn—another nonfiction and two more mystery fiction novels, respectively.

/ / What's on your reading list?

My Daily Hair Styling Routine

 Glasses: c/o Firmoo

Lately, I've gotten quite a few emails from ladies who want to know how I style my hair on a daily basis. Frequently asked questions include:

• What do I do with it when I sleep?
• What dry shampoo do I use?
• Do I tease it?
• Do I use hairspray?
• How do I get natural-looking waves?
• How do I style my bangs?

Today, I'm answering your questions. Here's a short video tutorial of exactly how I style my hair when I wear it down.

More details:

• Fave overnight keep-it-out-of-your-face methods: ballerina bun, French braid, or Friar Tuck (video tutorial HERE)
• Fave dry shampoo for 2nd day oil absorption & extra volume: Suave
• Fave hairspray: Lamaur Sprayage (I used Big Sexy Hair in this video)
• If I shower in the morning, I just let my hair air-dry naturally. It ends up with this same wavy texture. Once it's dry, I follow the same process.
• To keep my hair healthy, I avoid heat styling tools and I haven't colored/highlighted my hair since May, 2011.
• My bangs are longer here than usual--I'm growing them out!
• Song in the video: White Sky by Vampire Weekend

/ / Like this video? Subscribe to my channel on YouTube!

Snow & Leg Warmers

Jacket: Thrifted // Purse: Fossil // Boots: Steve Madden // Leg Warmers: c/o Younique // Tights: Burlington Coat Factory // Glasses: c/o Firmoo

The cold is finally starting to lift here in Boise. It's 28 degrees here today and—compared to the last couple weeks—it's almost balmy. Thank goodness—though, it's still not quite warm enough to toss the gloves and leg warmers.

This weekend I have reading, video editing, going to the gym, and eating plenty of delicious food on the itinerary. Care to join?

Yes To Stylista San Francisco Trip: A Video

Last week I spent time living it up in San Francisco with the Yes To Carrots Team on my Yes To Stylista trip. Photos can be found here and here.

I filmed (and edited) my first-ever video while I was down there, and today I'm happy to share it with you! Enjoy ♥

/ / To see my audition video to be their Yes To Stylista, click here! More details about this video can be found on Yes To, Inc's YouTube page here. Oh, and in case you're wondering, the song in this video is Coastal Brake by Tycho, and I'm wearing Nars Orgasm blush. 

// JANUARY GIVEAWAY

Time for the

 JANUARY GIVEAWAY!

 In the future, I may be putting the group giveaway on hold*...
one of the entries below will help me decide if we keep/disregard the big monthly giveaway.
Your input will make a difference!
*To clarify, there will still be individual giveaways for small businesses.

And now...
11 prizes.

11 winners. 
See what's up for grabs, visit some sweet blogs/shops, & enter away!

blog // facebook // twitter // instagram // shop

blog // twitter // facebook // instagram

blog // facebook // twitter // instagram // etsy

facebook // etsy → use code AUNIE for 10% off // twitter

blog // pinterest // twitter // instagram

blog // facebook // twitter // shop

blog // facebook // twitter // instagram // pinterest

blog // twitter // pinterest

blog // facebook // twitter // instagram

blog // facebook // twitter // instagram // shop

blog // facebook // twitter // etsy

Enter via Rafflecopter.

Open internationally (Tookies prize is US only).

/ / For entries that say "Follow via GFC," here's what you do: On the sidebar of their blog, find their Google Friend Connect widget. Click the blue button that says "Join this site." You may have to create an account with Google to complete this entry.

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Boise Cold

Ring: c/o The Vintage Pearl / / Blazer & Top: Thrifted / / Jeans: Silver / / Shoes: Vans

It was 5-below this morning when I woke up. It's 10 degrees at the moment. Brrrrr it's cold here. Snow on the ground, packed ice on the roads, and lots of chilly little birds huddling in the trees for warmth. Boise is no place right now for a girl in a blazer... good thing I had a warm fire to cozy up next to!

/ / My ring (handmade for me) is the epitome of "sauce," which to me, means "the little things that make life worth living." It says: love • faith • hope • laughter • family • sauce.

Proof & Pickles

Glasses: c/o Proof // Top: c/o Kintage // Bow: c/o Aidie's Hideaway // Earrings: Macy's // Necklace: Premier Design

It's Monday, and I have something to confess.

This may sound really silly, but up until yesterday, I thought pickles were their own vegetable.
I thought a pickle was a pickle. Grown on a vine, picked, preserved, and then eaten...
not a cucumber made into a "pickle" by the pickling process.
A pickled cucumber, if you will.
After 26-years, you'd think someone would have told me this valuable information [ahem, Mom & Dad], and yesterday I flushed with embarrassment at lunch when I found out that pickles were nothing more than fermented and aged cucumbers.
Daniel looked at me with a classic, "What did I get myself into?" expression, and it felt like a true Jessica Simpson "chicken of the sea" moment...
and now that I've told you, if you're new to The Sauce—please don't scatter.
I promise I'm not always this dense... or am I? Dangit.

On a completely unrelated side note, the glasses above are from a local Idaho company called Proof, and not only do they make high-quality wooden glasses, but their family business is a pretty cool one that I'd recommend to anyone.
I can't wait until the weather warms up a bit so I can rock these turquoise sunglasses around Boise! 

// Am I the only one who didn't know what pickles were? Do you pickle things? I'd love to try a deep-fried pickle! Do they even do that? ... Is your brain as scattered as mine lately? Yikes. It must be a Monday.

YES TO Day 2

This is day 2 of my trip to San Francisco as the Yes To Stylista! For day 1, click here!

Tuesday morning, my internal mountain-time clock woke me up at about 7:00 am pacific time. I didn't complain a bit! I started my morning off with a crossword (one of my favorite things to do), headed over to Starbucks to write a little post and answer some emails, and then explored the city! I didn't need to be at the Yes To office until close to noon, so I had lots of time to just hang out.

To see the rest of the photos, just click the jump below! There are captions underneath the photos so you get all the details ♥

YES TO Day 1

From Monday thru Wednesday this week, I was in San Francisco taking the dream-trip of a lifetime. Today's the day (1 of 2) when I get to fill you in on the details!

You may remember back in November when the company Yes To announced that I was the winner of their big Yes To Stylista contest. It was an online contest where you submitted a photo, had a public voting round, and then the top 10 moved on to the video round. My video was the one chosen by their panel, and I was the big winner out of hundreds of girls! The grand prize included a cash award, a trip to San Francisco to meet the team, and oodles of Yes To product. I also scored a short-term guest-blogging position with them. It's all been very surreal and a complete dream-come-true.

Now that you have a little of the background of why I got to go to San Francisco, I thought I'd show all the fun photos from Day 1 of the trip! I got in nice and early Monday morning so I had the whole day to explore the city.

Since there's a million and one photos, to see them all just click the jump below! There are captions underneath the photos so you get all the details ♥

SAN FRAN to BOI

I can't believe it's already Wednesday! I'm currently sitting in the San Francisco airport, waiting for my connecting flight to Portland. It seems like it's going to take forever to get back to Boise, but in just six hours I'll be back in Daniel's arms, and I am really looking forward to that.

Yesterday with the Yes To team was amazing. I am so blessed to have been able to experience this trip, and I can't wait to share it with you... through photos and a video! This whole thing has just been a dream-come-true.

This morning I had a couple hours before I had to head to the airport, so my friend Kelli (who just moved to San Fran from Boise a couple months ago) came over and we went to breakfast. It was great to catch up with her and hear all about the fun adventures she's having in the big city. And bonus, she also has a blog, so go say hello to her!

San Fran, it's been real. I love your little districts, your hills, your Buena Vista Irish coffees, your legendary eateries, and most of all-- your people watching. It's official--I say YES TO San Francisco.

Yes To SAN FRAN!

I'm having a blast in San Fran on my Yes To Stylista trip (part of the grand prize in the contest I won). In the photo above, I'm holding Beta the Carrot at the Yes To headquarters in San Francisco.

Yesterday was amazing, and I took tons of photos (and video) to document the experience. I'm here through tomorrow afternoon... and I can't wait to go explore more of the city. Keep up with all the action on Twitter & Instagram!

____________________________________________________________________________________

Today, I have a really fun company to introduce to you! It's the Vintage Pearl and they make beautiful hand-stamped silver jewelry.

Not only do they have gorgeous and unique necklaces, bracelets and rings, but they also feature custom baby spoons, ornaments, men's items, and this awesome ring that I'll be showing you soon. I'm head over heels for their pieces & today they're giving you a chance to win a $50 gift certificate to their store!

Oh, and they're based in Tulsa, Oklahoma but ship internationally-- so enter away!!

The Vintage Pearl Shop // Blog // Facebook

a Rafflecopter giveaway

BOI to SAN FRAN

I'm sitting in the airport as I type, getting ready to hop on the plane to San Francisco for my Yes To Carrots trip as their Yes To Stylista! This trip has a massage, a blowout, a couple meetings, delicious food, and lots of fun in store! I can't wait to share it with you!!

San Fran, here I come! Follow along with Twitter & Instagram!!

My Hairs.

I'd like to preface this post with something that isn't related to it at all—today is my mom's Birthday, so I'd just like to say "HEY, MOM! HAPPY B-DAY TO YOU! Let's run another half (or full) marathon this year, OK? Love you!"

Now—I've gotten a lot of questions since the end of Bye Bye Beehive (3-months ago today) about what I'm doing with my hair these days. Am I blow drying? Teasing? Using products? Coloring? The questions keep coming... so here's a little rundown!

Since BBB finished, I have adjusted my hair routine—somewhat. I am still washing, conditioning and deep conditioning, and I rotate every couple of days between three hair-care systems (Yes To Cucumbers, Yes to Blueberries, and Joico).  I do not wash my hair daily. After the shower, I apply a deep conditioner. My favorite is this one. Usually, I just leave my hair to air-dry at that point, except for making sure my bangs are in place and giving them a light spritz of hairspray.

About once a week or less, I use the blow dryer. I have found (after a year of not using one), that I don't really like to blow dry my hair too often. Not only do I prefer my natural and almost straight hair, but I think that blow-drying was the biggest thing that was damaging it before. Sometimes, if I let my hair air-dry overnight, I'll wake up and curl the ends in the morning, but that's only for special occasions like parties or holidays. To be honest, I'm not really into processing my hair anymore. I still love the Friar Tuck method for curling my hair, and I do that often.

I do use a dry shampoo. I love Suave's Dry Shampoo, though my sister recently introduced me to a Paul Mitchell one and I think that will be my next purchase. I also tease my bangs, and occasionally tease the crown of my hair when I'm putting it up, though I'm trying to not do that as much these days. I use a hairspray almost daily, and again, I think my sister just convinced me to switch to a Chi hairspray versus the Lamaur one I have been using since I was in high school.

Last but not least, I haven't colored my hair since May of 2011. I don't plan on changing my color anytime soon, though I know Daniel would love for me to go darker, and my Nanny would cry tears of happiness if I put blonde streaks in. But for now, I'm just doing what's easy (and natural), and that's what makes me feel best!

I also wanted to include a little growth update, since I hit the post three-month mark today. For all the past monthly updates, click here. It's not a ton of growth, but I like what I see... now I just need to get a little trim to keep it healthy and I'll be good-to-go!

Did I miss any hair questions? Leave further Q's in the comments if you have any.

And again, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOM! I love you! Love ♥ Icy

Saucy Dates

Book: c/o Datevitation → use code AUNIESAUCE for $10 off your order // Glasses: c/o Firmoo

I consider myself lucky... I'm married to a man who likes to do spontaneous things. Whether it's signing up for a swing dance class (we learned West Coast Swing), taking a helicopter ride over Boise or kayaking the Payette River—we're always doing fun things. Sometimes he thinks of the ideas, and sometimes I come up with them.

But for Valentine's Day (Daniel, if you're reading this, I apologize for the major spoiler alert), I got Daniel a little book of all his favorite date ideas, and he gets to tell me when to use them!

Coupon above inspired by my very first poem for Daniel, Bowling, in November, 2011

There are little coupons for golfing, skydiving (I've never been), dance lessons, a movie night, and a trip to the zoo (Daniel loves the zoo)! Making this creative book was more fun than anything. There were over 200 date ideas to choose from, and it was really hard narrowing it down to only 5! I actually found myself giggling while making the book, because of the funny (and some a little raunchy, read: saucy) dates you can come up with. 

If you're looking for something fun for your sweetie, your BFF, your mom—whoever—for a fun little gift, or even for the fast-approaching V-day, go have a look and have fun making an awesome book of adventures. Oh, and don't forget to use the code auniesauce for $10 off your order. With books starting as low as $20, if you use the coupon code, you can make yours for just a little over $10. Sah-weet.

And—BONUS—one person gets to win their very own book today (books ship to U.S. only). Enter below & good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sisters.

You know what's fun?
Sisters.
You know what's even better?
Sisters who are best friends.
I'd consider her my bestie, but I feel inclined to say she might give you the eye-roll if you asked her (right, Marn?).

This past weekend, I got to spend a lot of time (though still not enough) with my sister and her husband, Andy.
We went shopping, ate a little Blue C Sushi, I tried mochi for the first time, and I even made my first-ever trip to Ikea.
I bought nothing, but Marnie and Andy filled their cart with lots of home essentials, including a bright-orange umbrella.
I'm telling you, it was a must.

They just moved into a house that is literally across the street from Green Lake in Seattle.
Saturday afternoon, we crossed Green Lake Way and took the 20-second walk down to the lake.
Had it not been freezing, I may have snagged a couple decent photos.
But hey, look at that sister of mine... is she cute or what?

Love you, sister. You too, brother Andy.
We're coming back to Seattle soon, we promise. xoxo

I Heart This Heart

Today I have a special treat for you. Her name is Chloe Jacqueline... but I call her CJ... but she goes by CJVZ... and that's not confusing at all, now is it? Chloe has the beautifully designed blog, CJVZ Hearts You, and I'll be honest—I heart her right back.

I met Chloe way back in December, when she would leave the nicest comments over at Bye Bye Beehive. Let me tell you what—if you want to get a blogger to notice you, leave comments. She commented on almost every post at BBB, and then in February (when BBB slowed down), started commenting over here at Aunie Sauce. And she would comment every single day. I loved it. From there, not only did we become friends, but I also began reading her blog CJVZ Hearts You, I began following her on Twitter, and then I began getting really envious of her perfect eyebrows. Because let's face it—they're perfect.

Chloe is a lifestyle and inspiration blogger. She puts out fun vlogs, she's always posting the most gorgeous cell phone update photos—keeping us in the loop—and she's planning to write a book in 2013. I'll be the first on her waiting list to purchase that... and attend a signing!

Go check out Miss Chloe. She's a doll, and she's even giving away a $15 Starbucks giftcard, since she hearts you. Enter below (it's open internationally), and show her that you heart her back!

PS> I told you Chloe's networking secret, what's yours? Share the blogging tips!

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Ballard

This weekend in Seattle was a little bittersweet.
I had a chance to see friends and family who I hadn't seen in years,
but the occasion to bring us all together was somber.
We told stories of the good times, and I was even asked to read my post from Friday about Farfar.
It was a beautiful remembrance, and a true celebration of life with the wonderful friends and family who loved him so much.

Before our gathering, I took a moment to capture some of my favorite details of my grandma's house.
It's in Ballard, and it's a home that Farfar built from the ground up.
There are so many memories there.
I love the little Norwegian gnomes, the hand-embroidered doilies, the view going up the stairs into Farfar's room, the vintage glass, and the chest that my Farfar hand-carved for me, which is filled with gifts from my grandma and Farfar for me and my someday family.

The trip was too quick, but I'm so thankful I had the chance to go.
In the words of my sister, I "enjoyly thoroughed" it.

To everyone there this weekend, here's a Norwegian "skål" (sounds like skoll—it's Norwegian for a friendly toast) from me to you. 
And for the rest of you for being here & coming back each day, here's a skål for you, too.