Hilary

S.U.Y.K.F

Hilary With One L and Rediscover the Kiss

are excited to announce

the RTK Show Us Your Kiss Face Giveaway!

Do you give good kiss face?
Well, we wanna see it!
If it’s as awesome as you think, you can win some very cool stuff.

RTK? Cool stuff?” you ask. “Whatchu talking about?”

Rediscover The Kiss , All Natural Lip Care and Lip Wear, is a hot new brand of premium personal care and apparel products inspired by the fun, passion, and romance of the Kiss! The current line features lip balms, graphic tees, and women’s boy shorts.

Hilary with One L and RTK are partnering up to bring this new coolness to you first! The winner of the S.U.Y.K.F contest will receive a FREE Rediscover The Kiss signature t-shirt — your choice of Long Kiss Goodnight, New York, New York, or the RTK Logo shirt as well as an RTK Kiss Kit 3-pack of lip balm.

This deal is so sweet, I’m getting cavities.

Want a little more sugar? How about every entrant will receive 10% OFF at the RTK online store that they can share with up to 10 friends.

How about a cherry on top? All entrants will automatically be entered into the RTK Fanbase so that when new product is available, you’ll be among the very first to know!

So what do you have to do?

It’s really simple, actually — Submit a picture of your kiss face to the RTK Creative Team at creative@rtkfeelsgood.com (creative [at] rtkfeelsgood[dot] com). That’s it!

Of course, there is a bit of fine print (i.e. rules and regs), but nothing you can’t handle. Adhere to the following, and you’ll be good to go.

1. All entrants must be at least 18 years old and followers of this blog – -www.hilarywithonel.blogspot.com — via Google Friends Connect.

2. All photo entries must be accompanied by your name and a valid email address.

3. All entrants must share this awesomeness with all of their friends!

So, go forth! Pucker up and have a little fun – no, have a LOT of fun. Be silly, be sexy, be yourself.

This contest will end on October 31st, 2010 @ 8:00 PM EST. The winner will be revealed on www.hilarywithonel.blogspot.com

IN: ON: September 30, 2010 TAGS: contest, give away BY: Hilary

Word of the Day

Morgan has a cold, so she came home early and spent the remainder of the day lounging on the couch in her pajamas, sipping tea, and thumbing through books. The child simply refused to nap. I figured that when bed time came, I’d draw her a nice warm bath, fill her up with some warm milk, top her off with some ‘tussin and tuck her in tight.

Our after-bath routine consisted of slicking her and Coever down with some lotion, followed by a healthy slathering of Vick’s VapoRub on their chests and soles of their feet. FYI — apparently, putting the vapo on the the bottoms of your feet and covering them with socks helps reduce, if not eliminate, coughing during the night. I’d have to say the success rate on that is about 60-40, but we keep trying.

I get Morgan squared away and turn my attention to Coever, who is happily dancing naked on her bed. I stick my fingers in the Vapo and begin to apply it to her little bird chest, when she declares, “It smells vagina-mated!” She twists up her face as I rub circles into her skin.

“What?”

“Vagina-mated!” she says again, and her tone is a chock full of “duh”!

“Um,” Am I really going down this road? Yep. “Coever, what does that mean?” I ask, slipping her night shirt over her head.

“It means your hands smell!” And she and Morgan break out into peals of laughter so rollicking, I really think I’ve walked into a set-up.

I’m just counting my lucky stars that she stopped with the word “smell” and left off any type of examples. I don’t think my heart could take it.

IN: ON: September 27, 2010 TAGS: funny stuff, my girls BY: Hilary

Falling into Fall

The oven is on, the cookie sheet is out, so as far as I’m concerned, fall has fallen. Truthfully, the temperatures are starting to dip, albeit very slightly, but fall is right around the corner. I absolutely love fall.

I love the leaves starting to blush into shimmering crimsons and startling ochres. I love the slight bite in the air that makes you dig your hands into your pockets on the walk to school. Soccer games, football games, hearing the ODU marching band practice as the sun dips below the neighboring houses. Loving it! Crunching fallen leaves underfoot, smelling that woodsy, smoky sky — for many, this signifies the end of things. No more summer. No more long, languid days under the sun. The pool has closed, the beach is just a fond memory. For me, though, I’m just getting started.

Even though the days are shorter and the mornings are darker, I love opening the door for an early morning run and stepping fully into the crispness of a cool, calm daybreak. I don’t consider myself a nature girl, or outdoorsy by any stretch, but I really crave being outside. I’m a New Englander by birth, so I guess it’s in my blood.

This time last fall found me dutifully studying body systems and the like. I remember taking study breaks at the kitchen table while the girls napped. The sun was starting to fade, the colors of outdoors were sharp with slight softness around the edges. The neighborhood kids would be coming down the sidewalk, hooting and calling to each other as school closed up for another day. I had the windows open, but the slight chill was more like familiar fingers skipping across my arms and back of my neck. The shadows played tag across the walls, stretched lazily over the floor before disappearing altogether. I gave myself 20 minutes for throwing myself back into my work, but for those 20 minutes, I lost myself in the Norman Rockwell-esque feeling of it all.

I look forward to packing up the strappy sandals, floaty maxi dresses and piles of shorts. Opening the closet to pull out stacks of sweaters, unrolling corduroys, and polishing off boots can be a chore. Still, finding that forgotten about sweater, is like opening that last present tucked way back behind the the tree, the one just peeking out from under the Christmas skirt. “What’s this? Awww, yeah– cowl neck sweater!

The past few years, the turn of the season has found me in the kitchen, baking and using kitchen tools that I keep forgetting I have (hello, crockpot). I have a long standing love affair with
pumpkin — bread, cookies, pie — which I plan to rekindle. I got the ingredients for Rice Krispie Treats and presented those bricks of ooey, gooey goodness to the girls for snack yesterday afternoon. Sidenote: for a long time, I was under the impression that these were really hard to make. I mean, why else would my mom only reserve them for bi-annual bake sales? Surprisingly easily, as delicious as I remember, I will definitely be making these again.

I have been pulling recipes for chili, one-pot suppers, and things that involve butter, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. I culled pages out of my recipe stuffed filo-fax and actually went to the grocery store with concrete dinner ideas in mind. We eat a lot of beef, probably more than we should, but I’m finicky and it tastes good. Real Simple magazine (LOVE IT) has been running a series of recipes called “10 Recipes Ideas for (insert pantry/refrigerator staple)”, which I have dutifully ripped out month after month. Seriously –who can’t use a new take on chicken cutlets, ground beef, or Italian sausage?

So yesterday, I tackled a major (overdue) grocery shopping, got my supplies and whipped up this:

(photo credit: www.realsimple.com, but maybe one day, I’ll be a food photog).

Mmmm, spinach stuffed steak roulades. The recipe is here. I subbed pesto instead of olive tapenade, but really? I think it was more flavorful. It was considerably easy and super tasty. I felt very Top Chef as I filled, rolled and tied off my flank steak pinwheels. I was so determined to make this dinner, I did all my prep in the morning, fired them off on the grill before taking the girls to swimming lessons and then finished them with a quick blast in the oven when we got home. Added a nice salad of mixed field greens and some rice? Delish! I almost licked the plate.

I will definitely be going back to the well of “10 Recipe Ideas”. Next up, ravioli with grape tomatoes and wine.

(photo credit: www.realsimple.com).

Mmmm. . .wine. . . .

Anyway, the Rice Krispie treats weren’t the dessert that I had initially planned to serve up with this meal, but I was pressed for time and these pies-in-a-jar that I read about over at another awesome blogger, Gibson King, required ingredients that (for some reason) my grocer was completely lacking. Who doesn’t have pie filling? But I digress. How flippin’ cute are these things?

These definitely going into the rotation. I may invest in a special pie-in-a-jar spoon to just eat them with.

So, I am officially declaring the season of fall open to enjoy for all the goodness that it brings. We’re kicking things off with Morgan’s very first soccer game tomorrow morning — Go Larchmont Mermaids! It may be too soon to break out my Danskos and my vest– they’re talking temps in the upper 70s after all. Still, you can bet that when I lace up my sneakers for my miles through the neighborhood, I’ll take a deep breath to absorb the autumn breeze and let it fuel me in the days ahead.

IN: ON: September 17, 2010 TAGS: cooking, fall, feel good, food BY: Hilary

Behind the Scenes with RTK

Here’s a sneak peek from the first RTK Feel Good photo shoot. More to follow!

Our cover girl giving us coy and shy, her pucker courtesy of RTK’s Sweet Vanilla Lip Balm.

The Only Thing Between Me and My Lover is RTK.

Getting ready to bring the fire!

Latoya wears the “Long Kiss Goodnight” tee, while Brandon tries to get closer to that Sweet Vanilla Lip Balm.

The Only Thing Between Me and My Lover is RTK.

IN: ON: September 16, 2010 TAGS: feel good BY: Hilary

Snacky Bites

So this afternoon, I’m going through Morgan’s bookbag, pulling out reams of paper that need signatures, initials, thumbprints, wax seals and the like. I find a sheet that has designated who in the class will be responsible for bringing in snacks and when. Blessedly, our day isn’t until next week, but the planner that I am, I’m probably going to get something sooner rather than later.

I see that particular emphasis has been put on a line on the sheet stating that the snacks must be store bought. Guess I won’t be making banana nut muffins after all. I don’t think it has to do with allergies, though that might be part of it. I heard from another elementary school mom something along the lines of “not everyone has the same sanitary upkeep as everyone else”. Let’s just say, mother’s milk isn’t the milk that should be used when making baked goods for the kindergarten class. **shudder**

Anyway, I asked Morgan what kind of snack would she like for me to bring in to class.

“Potato chips,” she says, firing off a shot at me with her little hand cocked like a mini Beretta.

“Um, how about something a little bit more healthy than that,” I suggest.

“Cheetos.” She fires off another shot at me, throwing in a wink this time.

I see that we are actually moving backwards on the healthy snack scale here. Granted, we didn’t start particularly high, but chips to Cheetos is an epic fall.

I’m thinking we’ll be bringing the pre-school gold standard of snacks — Goldfish, pre-packaged, individually wrapped (and breast-milk free).

IN: ON: September 13, 2010 TAGS: my girls, school BY: Hilary

Behind the Lens

DH and I have been busy, very busy. We have developed an all natural lip care product and a coordinating line of t-shirts that are inspired by the act of and the passion surrounding kissing. We’re called Rediscover the Kiss. Check us out on Twitter (@rtkfeelsgood) and on Facebook (RTKFeelsGood).

After an extensive model search, we had our first photo shoot for our products and apparel this past week-end in New York.

Although my modeling days are behind me, the camera and I were still very much involved.

I was the photographer.

It went really well considering this is my first foray behind the lens. I did some homework before hand, picking the brains of various photogs that I know. I read some books, and drew upon my own knowledge from my stint at a model. There is still so much to learn, but it’s fun and I’m off to a great start. I think of the 624 shots — yes! — we certainly got some good stuff, and the editing I will do can help where we’re lacking. I’ve got some work ahead of me, but I will definitely post them when I’m done.

You know, my big hair is what got me into modeling, what kept the bookings coming, and since I’ve cut it, I haven’t heard much. At first, I was kind of ticked, but now I’m getting all Zen. What if my modeling experience was just the first step towards where I am now, behind the lens? What if that experience then, that experience yesterday is lining me up for where I’m going next? I don’t know where that will be, just as I didn’t know where the modeling was going to take me. Still, I’m going, one foot in front of the other, camera in hand.

IN: ON: September 5, 2010 TAGS: feel good, life, week-end BY: Hilary

People Have No Sense

So, I was out today, running some errands, per usual. The girls were with my parents as I had gone to get a haircut earlier in the day. I had to make a quick detour to get some milk for my parents on my way to their house, so I pulled into the Food Lion up the street from them. Say what you will about Food Lion — yes, it’s step up from Bottom Dollar *shudder* and a step down from everything else, but the one near my folks is more decent than most. For those of you who aren’t from this region, the Food Lion is a grocery store probably on par with your more mediocre groceries. Think one step up from Shopper’s Food Warehouse, equal with Acme or Shop Rite, something like that.

Anyway, I maneuver the car into a spot, and careful not to door ding the car next to me when I get out. I was a little closer than I would have liked, but so long as I didn’t fling the door open, I’d be alright. I get out of the car, lock it, and just double check that I didn’t inadvertently ding this little car — a nice BMW coupe — when I realize that the car is in fact running. I peek inside, and being closer to the back of the car, I notice an infant carrier with a sleeping cherub strapped in. I peek to the front, ostensibly to smile at the driver, who was probably looking me look at the baby, and to my surprise, guess what I saw?

No one in the driver’s seat.
No one in the passenger’s seat.
No one in the car.
Except the baby in the infant carrier.

Really? In 2010, this is acceptable? Now, before I get on my soapbox, I will cough up a few mea culpeas, as I have left the girls in the car unattended once or twice. Granted, I was always within eyesight, windows down, and never for more than the time it takes to get out of the car, and drop an envelope in a mailbox in front of the post office. Does that make it right? No. Will I do it again? Not a chance.

I debated about whether or not to call 911 or to just go in the store and talk to customer service. I figured that by the time I called 911 and gave the make, model, and license plate number, the person would be back out in the parking lot. I really didn’t want to have a tête–à–tête with the driver. In my mind’s eye, I saw some woman getting up in my face wanting to take me to task about putting my nose in where it didn’t belong.

Yeah, I didn’t feel like being a lead for a local news story, so I ended up going with the latter, flagging down the first Food Lion employee I could find. She, in turn, directed me to customer service. I went right up to the front, interrupting the transaction that was taking place to inform them of what was going on. The customer service rep said, “Oh dear.” and then finished her transaction.

Now, I’m not one to make a scene. I feel like here is where my act of being a good Samaritan ended. But, seriously! Hello!? I mean, didn’t y’all see that episode of CSI where the dad left the baby in the car by mistake and it got like 350 Kelvin in there? I waited a few beats and said to myself, “Okay, I’m only in here for some milk. When I’m done, if that car is still there, then I guess I’mma have to get brolic.”

Thankfully, it didn’t come to that. By the time I checked out, the first clerk that I had spoken to told me that the woman actually checked out in her line, then just moseyed out to her car and drove off. The customer service person came over and echoed that statement, adding, “Yeah, she weren’t too worried about it.” (yes, she said ‘were’n’t).

All I could do was shake my head. The cashier continued to talk about it, saying she felt that people should have to have a license to have children. After instances like this, that’s a petition I’d sign.

IN: ON: September 2, 2010 TAGS: venting BY: Hilary

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