Khaleesi is a large dog (80+ lbs) and I'd started noticing her groan every time she got off her previous dog bed. On top of that, her breed (German Shepherd) is prone to hip-related issues as they age, and I'd become concerned about how stiff she seemed to be after laying on her bed. We'd always used the typical dog bed you find at TJ Maxx or Petsmart, which can be cute, but are admittedly not that supportive for a large dog.
Wanting to test out how her bed felt, I sat on it and sunk to the floor. Obviously I weigh considerably more than my dog, so I tried just placing a hand on her old dog bed and was shocked I could feel the hard wood floors underneath us. In that moment it became obvious that despite having what seemed to be an okay dog bed, my little pup was basically laying directly on the hard floor... thus, it wasn't a surprise that I was noticing her groan and become more stiff.
I started doing some research on orthopedic dog beds for larger breeds I could invest in and kept seeing reviews for Big Barker. The price was expensive compared to what we'd paid for a bed in the past, but I couldn't deny the fact she needed something better and this would be a solid investment.
The below video is a look at unboxing plus first impressions of the bed. Something particularly impressive is that the XL bed held the weight of Khaleesi, Mike and myself without sinking in! That's a whole lot of lbs on there.
If you have a large or extra large breed dog, this is the perfect dog bed for your fur baby and the only one you'll ever need!
Perks:
1) Machine washable microfiber cover
2) 10 yr warranty
3) Calibrated for Large and Extra Large breed dogs! (FYI: This bed is too hard for small dogs)
Remember back in the day when every natural hair bloggers was obsessed with doing length checks? When I was at the height of my hair blogging days (read: back when I used to be a vlogger for NaturallyCurly.com), I never really got into doing length checks. I remember debating if I should hop onto that wave (it seemed like standard natural hair content folks wanted to consume), but always felt so many of us were consumed (in an unhealthy way) with growth and yearning for our hair to reach that magical "BSL" (bra strap length) that I doubt many enjoyed the journey transitioning to natural hair and all the stages of growth.
If you went natural before 2012, think back and try to remember how many times you enjoyed the process of transitioning, doing a big chop, learning the quirks of your kinks or curls... how many can you recall? When I think about it I am flooded with memories of being a product junkie on a never-ending search to find the magic cocktail of products that would ultimately make my hair look like something other than what it actually was. So many moments of frustration, sprinkled with a few highs of nailing a style and feeling the f*ck out of myself. It all makes me chuckle now, but there was such a huge disconnect between learning to love and accept my natural, natural hair... not just idolizing some "perfect twist-out." I'm seriously a whole grown ass woman and JUST mastered a wash 'n go. Just fell DEEP in love with my natural hair in its natural state, with minimal manipulation. I'm talking about a REAL wash 'n go where you wash your hair, maybe add 1-2 products tops, shake and go!
I hope this doesn't sound like I pulled out my megaphone and high horse... but every time I rock a wash 'n go nowadays it blows my mind how adamant I was that this style was NOT for me. Never. Ever. I'd spent a lifetime not knowing my natural hair, spent all of 2 seconds with it and determined what "didn't work." Life is funny and time (and age) is a blessing.
Anyways, last month as I was getting ready in Vegas and admiring my curls, I felt inspired to film a quick video showing how I air dry my hair and use a diffuser to add volume! What makes all of this even better? The fact I've been getting curly haircuts by Alexis @ Coven Salon in the Montlake neighborhood of Seattle. Alexis is a dope chick, the co-owner of the salon and my go-to person for curly haircuts and hair color. Also - when your stylist has healthy, beautifully cut and colored curls and edges that are thriving, you trust her!
Don't know what a "curly hair cut" is? I'm sure the concept of a cutting curly hair while in its curly state has existed as long as people have had curly hair... but in terms of what's relevant to our generation, the curly haircut was coined by DevaCurl and the DevaChan salon in 1994!
What works for me may not work for you. With that said, this is what has been working for me and giving me SOLID results each time:
1) Wetting hair in shower and using a bit of Aussie Miracle Moist conditioner. to detangle/refresh curls. It has the perfect amount of thickness and slip, and my hair soaks this stuff up!
2) I usually finger detangle and if necessary use my shower comb to rake through my hair while it's under running water. This is also when I choose where I'd like my part to be (I usually rock bangs, but still choose a side to part my hair on for bangs to dry correctly). Getting the base "shape" for my hair while I'm still in the shower, with freshly detangled hair, under running water with SOAKING WET HAIR is the key for me.
3) When I get out of the shower I typically have wet hair (not soaking - I do a light wring on it) and then apply whatever product I'd like to it. Right now I'm mainly using only 1 product - DevaCurl's Super Stretch! I rake it through my hair and it's pretty amazing. If my hair is feeling a little dry (I just got fresh balayage color), I'll follow-up with a bit of Camille Rose Naturals Herbal Tea Seal & Soften. A little goes a long way.
4) Turn on a good playlist and shake, shake SHAKE my hair
5) I suggest waiting for your hair to be at least 75% dry (if not more) before using your diffuser. I extend my hair from the root, but do not disrupt the curls. I make sure the heat of the diffuser is hitting my roots and volume/lift is added at the roots.
If all of that still has your spinning, eyes rolling or you just prefer a visual, check out the video below! Also - for everyone who has said a Wash 'N Go style isn't for them... I urge you to give it another try!
What's funny is that I meant to post this on March 3rd explaining my brief blogging hiatus -- but fast forward to today, April 4th, and it's like wow! Time popped a molly. Wait, do folks still do that? I can't keep up with the latest designer drugs. Anyways...
I haven't blogged in a long time. Why? The normal stuff -- life, work, moving a million miles a minute and not making the time. Actually having the time and then realizing I don't have the energy, creative juice, or desire to put my feelings on paper. It's crazy how an overcast day in Seattle can zap you of your motivation to do anything and everything.
As I'm writing this the sun is peaking out and I'm trying to seize the moment before I once again lose an inkling of motivation to write. The vlog below is a month old, but I still wanted to share. It's kinda funny because my "NYC High" has worn off and I've realized that the city that never sleeps may just be full of assholes and jerks. I don't know if I could actually live there, be happy, and productive... or if I'd turn into an asshole/jerk/workaholic. #KanyeShrug
In other news, I still am obsessed with wand curls lol. They're the BEST go-to hairstyle if you want something guaranteed to look cute in like 15 mins.
A few months ago I decided to make my mental, emotional and physical health a real priority in my life... and I mean actually doing something... In real life... Not just talking about it lol.
In the past I've had a tendency to get an idea, get excited about it... then fast forward a few weeks (or even days) later and I'm already failing big time. This time around I wanted to approach things from a more practical standpoint, identify goals, put together a plan for success, and set monthly benchmarks to measure my progress.
Now that I have a few months of success under my belt I feel comfortable sharing my experience thus far. I'm excited and hoping to encourage others to take the time and effort to prioritize all areas of their health: mental, physical and emotional.
It's not just about looking good in clothes or hitting the gym for endorphins, but truly taking stock of your life, any residual issues you may be carrying, and saying that you'll make the investment to be the healthiest version of yourself possible.
I'm excited to share my progress and continuing journey with everyone. Remember, you don't have to wait for January 1st to roll around to make change.
When I got to the register the lady asked if I was doing holiday shopping for anyone in particular. I said yes, myself! Ha!
I might sound cynical, but I don't really believe in having to shower others with gifts during Christmas, nor do I believe in sitting back and getting showered with gifts. My rationale? We're all working adults and usually just buy for ourselves what we want. I'm also a sentimental person and don't need one day out of the year to get someone a gift. I'm more so the type to grab something randomly because I was thinking about you or I saw it and knew you'd love it.
With that said, when I got home I was still high on endorphins and decided to film a quick haul video. I don't usually do hauls, well... I don't normally ball out in stores, thus there aren't many hauls in my life in general. It's a bit lengthy, but feel free to take a look at the things I snagged.
It had been about a year since my last Brazilian Blowout treatment, and I couldn't wait to get another! Being in Seattle it took a bit of digging and research to find a salon that could do both my natural, curly hair... and the original Brazilian Blowout treatment. I struck gold when I came across multiple Yelp reviews for Vasuda Salon located in downtown Seattle. I worked with a stylist by the name of Erica, and she rocked it out with my treatment.
I'll be doing a full review with before/after pics, but in the meantime here is a quick video showing the movement of the hair. If you're interested in a consultation or learning more about the treatment with the Vasuda Salon, leave your email in the comments section! I can send you a code for 10% off!! Who doesn't love free stuff lol.
It's safe to say the world is coming to an end... I can actually say I know someone that paid for thousands of Instagram followers.
*pause*
In general, the concept of paying for followers on any social media site is nuts... completely beyond me! I mean, who wants to pay for stuff in general... let alone pretend people online. I just can't imagine doing this and find it pathetic it would ever be necessary to stoop to this level. So, have you ever known someone to pay for followers on social media sites?
Most people know that I'm a huge animal person, and anyone that followed me on social media has seen it flooded with images of my cats: Smudge and Misty. A question I've been getting a lot lately has been "Ishea, where are your cats?"
Well, this video is giving you and update on where they are! Please watch... and if you ask me about them I'll send you this link lol... and that's not shade... that's me being lazy :)
Since we've been crate training Khaleesi, we've made it a priority to get her out at least twice a day for walks. Walking a puppy can be an interesting experience - - they have to get used to their leash, collar, and/or harness. So far Khaleesi manages to tolerate her collar, loathes the harness, and treats her leash like a chew toy for the first few minutes of every walk.
Right now she's around 20 lbs and full of energy. It's great to see her playing with other dogs and for the most part being an awesome dog! However, we have to keep reminding ourselves that she's only 12 weeks (well, actually 13 weeks as of today), and is still clumsy with her hind legs and building up her confidence.
I wish Instagram would allow videos to be embedded, but I put this on YouTube of a walk we did last night.
Yeah, the title of this post is a tad bit corny lol... but I'm quickly becoming a huge fan of hiking! For the past 2 weekends we have made it a priority to get on a trail and explore our new city. This weekend we went to Discovery Park and enjoyed a 2 hour hike. Can I also say I was able to burn over 500 calories, ummm yes please!
