Rodan + Fields - life changing stuff

Sometimes something remarkable enters your life and it causes you to reflect way way back. That "something" may be a new relationship, it may be weight loss, it may be loss or gain of money/health/job, or a new baby. Whatever it is, you know that profound feeling you get when you compare then to now. As silly as it sounds, this has happened to me recently. And it involves my skin.

I know that sounds crazy, that something as simple as skin can be something so powerful to my emotions or my sense of self and self confidence. Or even how I act around others because I believe I know what they see when they look at me. But it is. For 20 years my skin has been a source of pain (figuratively and literally), a source of sadness, embarrassment, discomfort. I have dealt with acne from puberty until 4 months ago. And when I was having a "clear skin" moment, I was dealing with deep acne scars. The physical scars were one thing: I felt like I had to wear make-up everywhere (races/runs. swimming. to give birth. how ridiculous is that?), I basically lived with a Kleenex in my pocket for the typical pimple(s) that would pop or I would pick at, I carried concealer around and constantly caked it on even though I knew it wasn't concealing anything. The emotional scarring from the acne is another thing. A very deep "other" thing. I was afraid my new husband would not like the way I looked in the mornings when I had no make-up on after we married. I felt like I had everything together, but I could not get a handle on my skin. I felt like people were constantly judging me for my acne/scars. And as a teenager who also dealt with typical hormonal issues, I felt sad. Ask any of my good friends from high school: there were many times they would do something fun and silly to just cheer me up. They all knew how badly my acne affected me. And the scars that were left were deep, ugly reminders of the feelings the pimples created. Until four months ago I wanted to hug other people who were afflicted with acne/acne scars. I wanted to tell them it would be OK...no, the scarring or acne may never leave but you would learn to get over it, to deal with it, to not be so sad. You will even learn to laugh at yourself! Neck acne = "Necne."  Hahahaha (but inside I was praying it didn't look as bad to others as it did to me) Tell them they would learn to somehow not let acne define who they were, but just let that be a part of them like finger nails are a part of the hand but not the hand itself. I wanted to hug people and tell them this because I needed that hug. My acne was not going away. And if my acne wouldn't go away then how could my scarring? I was going to be 95 years old and still having to deal with acne. (and wrinkles)
For the last 20 years I have tried everything. I am not even kidding. I have done every kind of antibiotic. Then Accutane. I have tried witch hazel, even using rubbing alcohol! Popping pimples, not popping pimples. Clearasil, Neutragena, face masks, Mary Kay. Dermalogica. Going to get facials every two weeks for months ($$$$). Toothpaste on pimples. Pro-Active. Pro-Active Plus (they don't advertise this one on TV...it's a stronger version for stubborn acne!). Scalding hot water. Ice cubes. Tanning beds. You name it, I have most certainly tried it all. NOTHING HELPED.
So why am I writing this? Because I have found something that helped. And it helped quickly. And it continues to help. Yes, this is a sales pitch. (hang with me please...) But more than anything this is real life. This is MY real life. And the product I am using sells itself. And I am now selling it because I am a 100% believer in it and I am living proof that it can change lives. I am using Rodan + Fields products. And I am now a consultant for it because I am such a believer. Let me tell you, I was skeptical. I was actually scared to wash my face at the party I went to on January 2. I was amongst beautiful people with flawless skin, and they were bare faced. I sure did show up to that party with full-face on and decided to wash my face with their trial product. I was amazed at how good it felt right.then.and.there. So I purchased several products knowing there is a 60-day Empty Bottle money back guarantee, and that I would likely be returning it because as I had come to know: NOTHING HELPED.
I took two measly "before" pictures, just knowing the product wouldn't work so I wouldn't be taking after pictures. Boy what I wrong. I am four months into using R+F and I am actually in love with my skin. No, it isn't perfect and it isn't flawless. But it is the closest it has ever been in my "adult" life...since I was 12 years old. I still get an occasional pimple, but they are short-lived and contained, and I know when I am getting them (the week before my monthly cycle). And then about as quickly as I get one, it is gone. And the scarring has just about disappeared. And to top it off, my fine lines/wrinkles around my eyes have improved (after all, even though I still have acne I am 32 years old and am starting to get wrinkles!).
To put it simply, my life has changed. I actually have gotten compliments on my skin. Josh is amazed with how much it has changed and how good it looks. My friends who have watched me suffer for years have actually said something about how good my skin looks-and some didn't even know I was using anything!
I really could go on-and-on-and-on. But let me share with you my pictures, because pictures are worth a thousand words. Disclaimer: these are hands-down some of the most unflattering pictures. In part because of acne/scarring/no make-up, in part because they are unflattering poses (but they get the job done), and finally in -large- part because most are selfies! And I don't do selfies well. So focus on the skin and not on the rest of the picture :)

Me at 16 years old. Acne. Accutane. Sadness.

Me in 2010, after Keagan was just born. Check out the deep scarring on my cheeks. And the acne still present. And the general redness and poor texture of my skin.

 

2012: Right after Finley's birth (I don't allow myself to be photographed without makeup much...but these happened when the picture wasn't about me, but the baby...) Look at how red and bumpy my skin was.

 

January 2014, my measly "before" pics (remember I wasn't confident in the product so I didn't take better pictures). You can see the under-eye lines. The fine lines in my forehead. The acne still present to some degree on my chin, neck, cheeks, and above my eyebrows. But what I really see is scarring on my cheeks and poor texture to my skin.



8 weeks after using Redefine regimen and AMP MD Exfoliating roller. I still have a few pimples (I believe I was about to start my period) but the scarring has decreased significantly. The texture of my skin was incredible to me. And what has really shocked me is how quickly the fine lines in my forehead and around my eyes have softened and faded. A bonus to me!

The other day I did not wear make-up to work. Ok, I wore eye-make-up so I didn't look dead. But I did not have to wear foundation. I didn't even wear blush. Nada. I was so amazed I took this picture for this blog. I am not even calling this a selfie because it is for research purposes :)

And here are my pictures just this weekend: 16 weeks (four months) after starting my Rodan + Fields journey and 8 weeks after adding in the MACRO Exfoliator once a week. And then deciding to sell these marvelous products.

In all of the above pictures I have zero makeup on. No concealer. No photo retouching or special lighting. Nothing but me. I am simply amazed at how wonderfully this product has worked for me. And I have seen results on my friends and many others.

The best part about this whole product line, is I have only used a fraction of what is available. There are products specifically for active and severe acne. Specifically for sensitive skin. For sun spots and "damaged" skin. For wrinkles. You name it, R + F has covered it. And covered it well. Their Soothe line is not only for face skin but can help with baby eczema. Their tools have been shown to help with cellulite and stretch marks on the thighs, tummy, arms. They are well-publicized and studied. These products are created by DOCTORS.

I am a believer. I don't think you can look at these pictures and not be. Funny, I had planned this post a long time ago, when I started to see the results but before I decided to sell this. I obviously am trying to make this a business for myself, but more than anything I want everyone to experience their own life-changing results. Mine are drastic, everyone's results are different. You may just have some stubborn discoloration or sun spots on a cheek that you need to get rid of. Or large pores that you want smaller. Or blotchiness, dullness. Whatever your skin issue may be and whatever your age you can have great skin, talk to me! I would love to help you through it and find the perfect skin care regimen to meet your needs. If you know me personally send me a message on FB/text/cell/email and we can talk. If not and you are interested, shoot me a comment below and we can go from there! With technology you don't have to be my neighbor for me to help you, you can be half a world away!

Peruse my personal website for more information, talk to me, let's get you on a road to better skin!

www.jowens3.myrandf.com

 

There is a tool on there to take a quiz to learn about what product(s) are right for you! (Go to Our Products>>Get Advice>>What's Right For You?)

 

Talk to me :)

Murray Half Marathon 2014

Two weeks ago I ran in the 4th annual Murray Half Marathon. I was pretty much roped into it from an old college friend who gave me a one liner of "If I can do you it you can do it." That was back in mid-February. I had thought about running it prior to this, but when I heard that I had no choice but to suck it up and sign up. Gah. Peer pressure is painful.

 

So I signed up and trained about 8 weeks. I wish I had trained longer, and maybe trained harder, because I felt better with my runs than I have in the past 4 years! I was actually pacing myself at about an 8:45 min-mile for long training runs and felt good through them. As I neared the day of the race I decided to make a goal of finishing in 2 hours or less. At least having a race PR. But...I didn't. I finished the race in 2:08:21. And to be completely honest I am super happy with this! There were several factors that slowed me down but the biggest one was the weather. Well, the wind. It was 15-20 mph and after about mile 6 the course turned straight into it, and became very hilly. At times I felt like I was running in place. To add insult to injury, it got really hot really fast and at about mile 12 my legs cramped up pretty bad. I had to walk about 150 feet but that didn't seem to help so I powered through it and just picked my run back up. And to add even more salt in a wound, when I rounded the last corner I could see the finish line...but I had to run UP A HILL!

 

I sound like I am whining, but really it was a great run. I really enjoyed it (despite the wind and muscle cramps) and the scenery was beautiful. The first year I ran it was in 2011 with Courtney and it was about 40 degrees and windy and raining. Yuck. This year the weather was beautiful and the spirit teams were fantastic! And although I wasn't running with anyone specifically I saw a bunch of people I knew, so that was fun. 

 

I am somewhere in this crowd.

Mile 10ish - Ready to be done!

Running UPHILL to the finish. And I look like (and feel like) I am dying!

Just spotted my family at the finish!

Our friend Stephen (who pressured me into running the race!) also ran the half marathon. His wife Erika and son Anderson ran the 5K!

After the half marathon we had some friends over for supper. We let the kids have a picnic and they thoroughly enjoyed each other's company! And the cupcakes!

The Energizer (Easter) Bunny

I think every year Easter is just about as exciting for the boys as Christmas is! As it should be! Christ the Lord is Risen Today - Alleluia!  (a hymn in case you wanted to sing along with me...) But the events, egg hunts, gifts from family, and the CANDY (plus rambunctious boys) mean that the Easter Bunny has to have quite the long-lasting battery. And to get through this post (fair warning) you will need some of that energy.

 

As nearly every other family did, we kicked off our Easter celebration with dying eggs. The kids enjoyed it. Finley really enjoyed it and tends to get super excited about anything...especially if you make any bit of a production out of it! Check out Finn's funny faces.

 

The scientist comes out in Josh when dying eggs: he must add the perfect amount of color!

The next "event" was the egg hunt at our church. Always such a show and this year was no exception. I love how much time/energy/effort our church dedicates to the children's ministry. Planting such wonderful little seeds into these babies. It was a great time of fellowship for the kids, but also for me as I have a lot of friends that came. This was Finn's first genuine egg hunt, and after hurling a few eggs (he thought they were balls, I guess?) he figured out that if he put them in his basket he would get to keep them! Oh, and the word of the weekend is Egg. We talk about Eggs a lot now. :)

Unfortunately I missed Keagan picking up eggs because I went with Finn (and Josh was at work so Keagan went with some friends and their parents to the other side of the church to hunt eggs).  But he did pretty good, and then decided to get a little play time in before heading back inside!

 

Keagan had his MASSIVE Mickey Mouse basket from last year and only filled it about 1/4 full. I figured he would have it so full he would have to drag it back in! But he did win a Golden Egg ticket and got to pick out a prize! And Annie won several Golden Egg tickets and shared one of her prizes with Finley, so he wasn't left out. Such a sweet friend!

Trying to get a decent picture with my boys is impossible! Nevertheless, I love what Keagan is doing in this picture. What a nut.

That night Gama and Poppy came into town and brought their gifts for the boys. Needless to say, we have TWO GIANT buckets of candy from them, some that we had, and from Grandma and Grandpa. I love candy, the boys love candy, it would seem like a win-win situation. Except I can't stop eating it. And they don't eat enough of it!!!

Now check out this super funny video of Finley seeing what was in each egg. I took this video with the very.last.egg in the bucket. But with his excitement level (I told you he gets excited over anything!) you would think this was the first egg opened. And the funny thing is each and every egg contained the same thing. Didn't matter to him...he was just excited!





Easter Morning: the Easter Bunny brought the boys Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle shells and baskets. Oh and some Disney books and a Bible. The best part was Keagan actually questioning why he was getting all this. I never really thought about it, but he got all kinds of presents at Christmas and he had weeks to prepare and anticipate. But at Easter, it just kind of "happens" or appears. And there isn't a whole lot of notice leading up to it, so of course he would question why! I wasn't really prepared for it, but I am glad he questioned it. It gave me an opportunity to tell him that we were celebrating Jesus! I didn't go into further detail about his dying on the cross for our sins and then being resurrected. But I am excited that he knew that all this fun stuff was because of Jesus. We will tackle the bigger concepts later. First, he had to do a few trial runs in his shell and eat some Peeps before getting ready for church. :)

Still eating peeps. Breakfast of champions. Oh, and I was still trying to get a good picture with my boys. Don't think I will ever get them to cooperate!

At church Keagan performed with his Ringers and Singers group. I'd like to say that with experience and age he has matured some and is paying attention to what is going on. But I cannot say this at all. He is such a goof-off. And I really believe he thrives on the laughter of the congregation. He didn't pay attention and rang his bells the entire time (the kids are supposed to watch the leader and ring when the leader flashes a card with their color bells). At the end of the first service the bells went over his eyes for about 30 seconds. Then during the second service he "dropped" a bell down two steps because he was *surprise, surprise* goofing off! But the congregation enjoyed it and no one was injured.

In case you want to see his whole performance from the first service, I video'd it. It is only one song: a shortened version of Amazing Grace.




After church, we took the obligatory pictures-on-the-rock-under-the-canopy pictures. It started with some goofy kids:

I think I might've actually gotten a good picture with my boys this Easter. Only FINALLY!

I just love this picture:

Once home I realized the Easter Bunny had put out some eggs for the boys to hunt. I tried to make them stand still for a picture together. Ha. that didn't work well...and they're off!

Checking out the loot with Gama...

After naps and our Easter meal, we headed out to play a little. I wanted to get a picture of the boys by the tree I had planted when I was pregnant with Keagan. And grabbed a few random pictures along the way. It was such a gorgeous day.

(are you laughing yet?!! this is what happens when you have little boys!)

Easter ended kind of rough, the boys were exhausted. Mommy was exhausted. We just couldn't get to all of our Easter fun in one day...Grandma and Grandpa sent goodies to the boys and they had to wait until the next day. But that was OK because when we got home from school/work we had TWO MORE packages waiting! (these boys are so blessed)

Grandma and Grandpa sent the boys some Easter candy and window clings (their favorite!!)

Then Great Grandma Gail sent the boys a couple books and some toys! I think they are excited...what do you think?

And Josh's Aunt Sandra made the boys some shirts with Thomas the Train embroidered on them. Keagan immediately put his on! Finn kept saying "choo choo!"

It has been a fantastic Easter weekend with only one simple exception: Josh worked the entire weekend so he missed out on all the fun. But there were left-overs for him when he got home and I took lots of pictures and videos for him to see! (in case you hadn't noticed) Hope your Easter was wonderful and that you remembered that the celebration was all because of JESUS!