8 Lingerie Essentials for a Romantic Valentine's Day
February 14 is near and whether you have a special someone or are flying solo, every gal deserves to look stunning on Valentine’s Day. Lingerie is all about feeling elegant and feminine while still being comfortable. Perhaps you’ve never shopped for lingerie before, or maybe you’re just looking for a wardrobe refresh. Whatever the case is, we’re here to help.
There are certain essentials that every woman should have in her lingerie drawer, as well as garments that can be pulled out on a special occasion like Valentine’s Day. Buy a few or buy them all – either way, they’re sure to make for a romantic evening.
- A lacy bra – Indulge in something extra feminine to make you feel great about yourself. There are a variety of styles, designs, and colors, no matter your size. You can choose from demi-cup, balconette, push-up, and much more. Nowadays, these bras aren’t just for frill – many can be worn again under suits, sweaters, and more…so make sure you choose one that’s comfortable. And here’s a hint…men love them in black!
- Lacy or satin panties – After you’ve chosen your bra, find the bottoms to go with it. Choose a style that fits your body type and will be comfortable to wear on an everyday occasion. There’s everything from bikini and thong to boy shorts and hip huggers. Don’t worry about your partner - find what makes you feel good.
- Babydoll – If you want something extra special, invest in one of these for your evening. A babydoll is a short negligee that has formed cups and a loose-falling skirt that lands between the hips and belly button. Many times, these come with matching panties.
- Bustier – A bustier is designed to provide support and push up a woman’s breasts. It’s similar to a corset and usually extends to the waist or base of the ribs. Some women wear it by itself on a special occasion; others use it for support under other garments.
- Teddy – A teddy is the perfect combination of a camisole and panties. It’s similar in style to a bodysuit or swimsuit, but is usually sheer and a bit looser fitting. When choosing a teddy, make sure it fits in the bust and is also the right size for your body – many women tend to buy these in a size that’s too small.
- A satin robe – Satin robes are a key piece in creating an intimate environment. After you’ve chosen your bra and panties, find a matching satin or silk robe to go over it. Just adding this one garment will create an extra level of intimacy with your partner. Satin robes are also a great addition to your wardrobe for everyday use, as you can wear it while doing your hair and makeup before a night out.
- Garter and stockings – These lovely additions to your wardrobe are among the sexiest things you can buy. Look for thigh-high stockings and a garter that fits in place comfortably. If you choose a garter belt, make sure it’s snug around your waist, or you’ll have stockings that bunch around the knees.
- Eye mask – Many women feel an eye mask is the ultimate pampering experience. Whether or not it’s Valentine’s Day, you should have an eye mask in your bedroom collection so your eyes can rest against satin or silk as you’re falling asleep.
All of these garments will make a great addition to your Valentine’s Day evening. Keep in mind that these pieces – like all lingerie – should always be hand washed and replaced every 6 to 12 months if you wear them on a regular basis.
About the Author:
Cindy Prosser modeled underwear until the baby... now she's a part time freelance writer and full time mom. When not glamorously overdressing for grocery store visits she stays busy *writing* about lingerie from Bare Necessities... Only Mr. Prosser knows if she wears it or not ;) Want to make the best decision you've made all day? Get the Bare Necessities coupon code! For all things Bare Necessities, like us on Facebook!
My Weight Loss Journey: Week 8
I got Loser of the Week for the first time today and was so excited. When asked to tell the group what I did this week it was easy, I cut back on the salt on my carrots and we started walking.
Yes, I told you last week that we're taking advantage of the walking trail in our town. The entire trail is 2100 feet and with parking about 100 feet away going around once is about 2300 feet. That's less than half a mile but when you figure I haven't done a significant amount of walking since I stopped working in 2006 and I was told by the orthopedist last month that I have end stage arthritis and I needed to decide when I wanted bilateral knee replacements walking more than 100 feet for me is progress. We do take advantage of the 3 benches around the track though.
Last week we decided since we have 3 dogs we were going to bring 1 dog with us each walk and rotate them. It went great with Stretch, the oldest but the next time we took Ellie and it didn't go too well. We had her on a leash as required and had plastic bags to clean up after her but didn't count on her having diarrhea in the middle of the blacktop walk. Poor Rascal doesn't get to come with us since we decided the dogs and walking trail isn't a good match. After the fiasco with Ellie we thought we'd try going a little farther and are now going twice around the trail. That's about 4400 feet or 880 feet less than a mile. I did tell Don that I need another month or two before we attempt 3 times around the track.
I tried something new for lunch last week, BBQ Pizza. I combined 2 recipes and made a great tasting pizza using BBQ pork. One had red sauce and the other I used BBQ sauce but both had BBQ pork. The calorie count per slice for both were the same at 202 calories. Two or three slices and you've got a filling dinner at 606 calories or two slices and a salad for a nice dinner. Plus there's a whole other pizza to freeze for another time.
Walgreens and Express Scripts Part Ways - How Does This Effect You
This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Walgreens for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.
I don't know about you but when I hear the word pharmacy or prescriptions the first name that comes to mind is Walgreens. For most consumers Walgreens is convenient and their pharmacy staff is friendly (when my dad passed away our local Walgreens sent us a sympathy card).
With health care plans dictating what doctors we can go to and where we have to go for tests one constant has always been our choice of Walgreens for our prescriptions but that's not true anymore for those that have Express Scripts managing their prescriptions.
When it came time for a new contract between Walgreens and Express Scripts there was no negotiations as Express Scripts wanted to be the one to dictate the terms. Even though Walgreens offered to maintain their rates for a new contract and did not ask for an increase Express Scripts would not agree. They wanted to dictate what does and does not constitute a brand name and generic drug in addition to cutting Walgreens reimbursement rates to levels below industry average.
What does this mean if your health insurance provider has Express Scripts managing your prescriptions. It means you will be forced to go to a different pharmacy to benefit from their in-network pharmacy benefits. This may result in you having to drive farther to an in-network pharmacy and they may have less convenient hours and no drive-thru pharmacy. They might not be a part of a nationwide network so you can't refill your prescription if you're on vacation. For all your trouble your costs will not go down.
One of Express Scripts clients is Tricare which is the plan for our military men and women. During negotiations with Express Scripts Walgreens went further by guaranteeing that their prices would match or beat the average cost of all other pharmacies in the Tricare network. They did this to prevent military personnel from being caught in the middle. Walgreens even offered to contract separately for Tricare from other Express Scripts business but again Express Scripts refused.
Walgreens has a Prescription Savings Club with the following benefits:
If this upsets you as much as it does me then contact your local media and let them know.
To show Walgreens you support them as they support our military LIKE Walgreens on Facebook and follow them Walgreens on Twitter I know I am.
I don't know about you but when I hear the word pharmacy or prescriptions the first name that comes to mind is Walgreens. For most consumers Walgreens is convenient and their pharmacy staff is friendly (when my dad passed away our local Walgreens sent us a sympathy card).
With health care plans dictating what doctors we can go to and where we have to go for tests one constant has always been our choice of Walgreens for our prescriptions but that's not true anymore for those that have Express Scripts managing their prescriptions.
When it came time for a new contract between Walgreens and Express Scripts there was no negotiations as Express Scripts wanted to be the one to dictate the terms. Even though Walgreens offered to maintain their rates for a new contract and did not ask for an increase Express Scripts would not agree. They wanted to dictate what does and does not constitute a brand name and generic drug in addition to cutting Walgreens reimbursement rates to levels below industry average.
What does this mean if your health insurance provider has Express Scripts managing your prescriptions. It means you will be forced to go to a different pharmacy to benefit from their in-network pharmacy benefits. This may result in you having to drive farther to an in-network pharmacy and they may have less convenient hours and no drive-thru pharmacy. They might not be a part of a nationwide network so you can't refill your prescription if you're on vacation. For all your trouble your costs will not go down.
One of Express Scripts clients is Tricare which is the plan for our military men and women. During negotiations with Express Scripts Walgreens went further by guaranteeing that their prices would match or beat the average cost of all other pharmacies in the Tricare network. They did this to prevent military personnel from being caught in the middle. Walgreens even offered to contract separately for Tricare from other Express Scripts business but again Express Scripts refused.
Walgreens has a Prescription Savings Club with the following benefits:
- Savings on more than 8,000 brand name and all generic medications. Walgreens has more than 400 generic's available with a three-month supply for less than $1 a week Walgreens has more than 400 generic's available with a three-month supply for less than $1 a week.
- Discounts on flu shots, pet prescriptions, nebulizers and diabetic supplies
- Bonuses when you purchase Walgreens brand products and photofinishing services
If this upsets you as much as it does me then contact your local media and let them know.
To show Walgreens you support them as they support our military LIKE Walgreens on Facebook and follow them Walgreens on Twitter I know I am.
Most Embarrassing Moment
Everyone has a "most embarrassing moment" and I know I've had my share but today is up there in the ranks but still not embarrassing enough to take 1st place.
Our town has a walking trail and in trying to get more exercise we decided to take advantage of it. They allow you to bring pets but they do have rules.
- Dogs must be kept on a leash at all times.....CHECK
- You must pick up after your dog.........CHECK, we carry plastic bags for that purpose.
I did the best I could but what was even worse, there were 2 men walking the trail and they were going to be passing us in a few minutes. We apologized and one of the men said it was no problem but I was still embarrassed and felt bad. We made the decision right then that the dogs don't go on any more walks with us. I really feel sorry for Rascal though because he's been doing so well walking on the leash in his training class, now he doesn't get to show off his stuff.
Now I'll tell you why this isn't going up to 1st place for most embarrassing.
When I was in high school I was a candy striper at the local hospital. We wore those little red and white striped pinafores with white blouses, panty hose and white Keds shoes. Two of my friends volunteered with me and we always took lunches and hung out together.
One day we were walking to lunch and guys were whistling at us but we couldn't figure out why or my friends might have known but didn't let me in on the secret. We went to the cafeteria, ate and as we were leaving we had to drop our trays off on a conveyer belt in a window leading to the kitchen. As we walked past the guys on the other side of the window were whistling. That's when a nice lady came up and whispered in my ear that my dress was up in the back.
Yes, when I went to the bathroom about 2 hours earlier the bottom of my dress got caught in the waistband of my pantyhose and my entire backside was exposed for all to see. Why nobody thought to tell me sooner is beyond me. Why my friends didn't think it was important to tell me I'll never know.
So THAT was and still remains my most embarrassing moment.
Two Versions of BBQ Pork Pizza
I first made my shredded pork but stopped just before adding the BBQ sauce (KC Masterpiece is the only brand for us). I divided the pork into 3 containers and put in the refrigerator. I then made my pizza crust and on one I put the regular onion, garlic, oregano and basil and the other I just added onion and garlic. I then baked the crusts for 10 minutes on 350. After the crusts were baked and cooled I covered with foil and put in the fridge until the next day.
On the day we were going to eat the pizza's I removed one of the containers of pork and weighed it out so I knew exactly how many calories I had. I then added BBQ sauce 1/2 cup at a time until it was just right. I had 10.5 oz of pork and it took 2 cups of sauce.
On one of the pizza crusts I spread 3 tblsp of BBQ sauce and I put 3 tblsp of Don's homemade pizza sauce on the other. The calorie count was about the same. Now came the tricky part. I had the pork in a bowl but needed to know how much I used per pizza. I weighed the entire bowl and it came to 27.1 oz. Using a fork I put BBQ pork on the pizza until it looked good. I weighed the bowl again the difference was 4.5 oz. Keeping the bowl on the scale I put 4.5 oz on the other crust.
I used pizza cheese which was a cheddar/mozzarella blend and had 2 - 2 cup bags. I measured out 1 cup but that wasn't quite enough for 1 pizza so I ended up using the entire 2 cups per pizza. At 800 calories per bag that was a LOT of calories per pizza but we don't do this that often.
After the pizza's were assembled I baked them on the pizza stone per my original recipe and sliced each pizza into 8 slices. The calorie count was 202 calories per slice.
Don said the one with the pizza sauce was better than Pizza Hut's BBQ pizza and the one that was all BBQ was very flavorful but not as good as Firestone's but he did point out they used Beef Brisket risket where I used Boston Butt.
If you plan on making both of these I suggest removing 1 piece of meat off of one of the pizza's and placing on top of the cheese in the middle to tell them apart. That's the way I knew which was which.
Be sure to check out my recipe for Easy Crockpot Pulled Pork Sandwiches for directions for the pork and Homemade Pizza for the pizza crust.
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