Tag: beautiful

Devotion · family · Family Share · fatherhood · motherhood

#Devotion Sunday

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Please watch the video 🙂 

7c62b-1ababebeautyofafamilyblessing

“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭3:23‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭53:6‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” ‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭9:22‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” ‭John‬ ‭3:16‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.”
Romans‬ ‭10:9-10‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” ‭‭1 John‬ ‭1:9‬ ‭NIV‬

“I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.” John‬ ‭10:28‬ ‭NIV‬‬

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Kids 1st Day of School praying with DAD

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dad · family · fatherhood · kids · mom · motherhood

4 ways to have a Family Saturday

EllyFilhoLeave a comment

We all have busy lives. Finding time today is almost impossible

If you’re like me, you feel like there’s still stuff to do at the end of the day. Tempted to keep your computer and phone on at all times. Fighting distractions in your brain even when with your family.

You need to have priorities. In the end, our family is all that matters, so don’t push your family to the bottom of your to-do list.
If you want a stronger marriage and family, start by investing more time.

https://twitter.com/4Guys_1Girl
Family Date Night

1. Remember that “Date Night” doesn’t have to happen at night

Look for ways to connect during the day.

2. Never walk into your house while you’re on your phone

I make sure to end the call before walking through the door.

3. Have set times where everybody is unplugged

Try to shut down the electronics more often. Talking with each other is always better than texting with somebody else!

https://twitter.com/4Guys_1Girl

4. Prioritize family time AND one-on-one time

Plan activities you can all do as a family, also plan for one-on-one time with each other and with each of your kids individually. That time will be golden for your kids.

https://twitter.com/4Guys_1Girl

coupons · entertainment · family · free · Vacation

Boston Tour #MomsOnABudget

EllyFilhoLeave a comment

Sunset - Boston 18th of March 2006

There are so many great things to do in Boston that are completely free!

  1. Boston Common, Free
  • Park Street Church, Free
  • King’s Chapel & King’s Chapel Burying Ground, Free
  • Benjamin Franklin Statue & Boston Latin School, Free
  • Granary Burying Ground, Free
  • Old Corner Bookstore, Free (Note: Currently being leased by Chipotle)
  • Site of Boston Massacre, Free
  • Massachusetts State House, Free State House Tours (Weekdays 10am-4pm)
  • Faneuil Hall, Free
  • Copp’s Hill Burying Ground, Free
  • Bunker Hill Monument, Free (Suggested Donation)
  • USS Constitution, Free tours every 30 minutes of the boat (The Museum has a suggested donation of $5 for Adults, $3 for Seniors, and $2 for Children, but any amount is appreciated). *You will need proper ID and go through a security check*
  • Old North Church, Freedom Trail Drop-In (Suggested Donation of $1 per person)

Take a Freedom Tour: 

There is always something happening here > Faneuil Hall Marketplace:  live street performers, restaurants, vendors, shops, and more. Free to explore and enjoy.

Boston Common, Public Garden & Swan Boats: Enjoy the Boston Common and the Public Garden.

Take a stroll at Castle Island: Castle Island is a 22-acre park and is a great place to walk, jog, roller-blade, sunbathe, and more. Castle Island is also home to Fort Independence, which gives free guided tour daily until 3:30pm.

Star-gaze at the Coit Observatory at Boston University: The observatory is open and free to the public every Wednesday night at 8:30pm in the spring and summer and 7:30pm in the fall and winter.

Tour The Boston Public Library: The Boston Public Library offers free art & architecture tours during particular times by volunteers.

Charles River Esplanade: Great way to spend a beautiful day; During summer months enjoy free movies and music at the DCR Hatch Shell.

History at the Massachusetts Historical Society:  library founded in 1791. Free to visit.

Get on the water at Fort Point Pier: The Fort Point Pier is free to the public.

Scenic stroll on the Haborwalk: Walk alongside the waterfront with the public walkway connecting the best of Boston Harbor.

Kismet at the MIT Museum

Free Museums in Boston

Visit the Institute of Contemporary Art on Thursday Nights: The ICA is free every Thursday night from 5-9pm and free for families (up to 2 adults accompanied by children 12 and under) on the last Saturday of every month (except December).

Discover the MIT Museum: Admission is free all day the last Sunday of every month from September to June and free the first weekend of every month for Bank of America cardholders for Museums on Us.

Closed on the following holidays in 2015:

  • January 1: New Year’s Day
  • May 25: Memorial Day
  • July 4: Independence Day
  • September 7: Labor Day
  • November 26: Thanksgiving
  • December 24 & 25: Christmas Eve & Christmas Day
  • December 31: 3 p.m. closing

Head to Cambridge and explore the Harvard Museum of Natural History and Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology: Massachusetts Residents can visit free with valid ID on Sunday mornings from 9am-12pm year-round or from 3-5pm on Wednesdays from September to May. Proof of residency required. This offer is not available to commercial groups.

Visit the Museum of Fine Arts on Wednesday Nights: Admission is voluntary on Wednesday nights after 4pm and certain days of the year. Also, Bank of America cardholders can receive free admission the first weekend of every month, part of the Museums on Us program. Youth 17 and under also receive free admission daily after 3pm, weekends, and public school holidays. Otherwise admission for youths is $10 adults $25

Explore the Commonwealth Museum for free, always: The history and treasures of Massachusetts and is free to visit and park.

Devotion · Family Share · photography

Leaving a Legacy for Your Child

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Leaving a Legacy for Your Child

The space shuttle Columbia – most of us didn’t know much about the amazing crew on the ship’s last mission until they were lost in that awful re-entry tragedy.

Now, we understand what truly outstanding men and women these people were – beginning with their commander, Rick Husband. Hearing from his family and friends, it quickly became clear that he was a magnetic follower of Jesus Christ. He quoted memory verses from Joshua 1 to prepare his crew the night before the launch. He prayed with his crew just before they met the press and boarded the shuttle. He molded his diverse crew into a bonded team.

And then there was the really touching thing he did for his kids before he left. He made 17 videos for his daughter and 17 videos for his young son, each one a “devotional with Daddy” for each day he was scheduled to be gone – it was Daddy with the Word of God and Daddy praying with them. Can you imagine what a treasure that has been for them?

He left them the kind of legacy God intends for every father to leave – a contagious love for Jesus, the teaching of God’s words and God’s ways, and a consistent life of Christlike love and purity.

The answer to, “How do you know that’s what a father’s supposed to be doing?”, is found in

Ephesians 6:4. It says, “Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.”

There are men who might say, “That’s women’s work.” There are men who try to delegate to their wife the spiritual leadership for which God holds them accountable. Throughout the Bible – beginning with Adam – God makes it clear where the buck stops when it comes to spiritual leadership in a family. It stops with the man.

And that’s not supposed to be a bad thing. It means that a man can leave a legacy for his children that can literally change their lives and last forever. That’s an exciting prospect! Rick Husband modeled this God-given assignment of being your children’s spiritual coach when he left God’s Word for his children along with hearing him talk with God on their behalf.

One reason some men haven’t stepped up to building spiritual legacy could be fear of failure. We men tend to only do things where we’re pretty sure we won’t look stupid. We ask out a girl only when we’re pretty sure she won’t shoot us down. We show up for a sport where we can look reasonably coordinated. And because trying to lead our family in praying and exploring God’s Word is unsure ground, we tend to shy away from it, or we hide behind the fact that we think our wife is better at it. But God doesn’t buy any of that. There’s only one way you can be a failure in being a spiritual leader for your family – and that’s by not stepping up! Just do it – however clumsy and unsure you may be at first.

When your children remember you, will they remember a praying man, a godly man, one who loved and lived by the words of God? It’s the greatest legacy you can give them. In the words of the psalmist,

“We will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord” and will follow God’s mandate that men should “teach their children, so the next generation would know…even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children. Then they would put their trust in God…” (Psalm 78:4, 6, 7).

We never know when our own mission on earth will end. Therefore, we can’t waste another day working on our spiritual legacy. The greatest gifts you will leave your children will not be in your will – they will be in your life – as you pass onto them your living faith in your living God!

Further study

Malachi 4:5-6
Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord:
And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.

Going Deeper

One thing I need to do more of to leave a spiritual legacy with my family is…

Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord:
5And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
6And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:
7And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
8And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.
9And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.
10And it shall be, when the Lord thy God shall have brought thee into the land which he sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give thee great and goodly cities, which thou buildedst not,
11And houses full of all good things, which thou filledst not, and wells digged, which thou diggedst not, vineyards and olive trees, which thou plantedst not, when thou shalt have eaten and be full.
12Then beware lest thou forget the Lord, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.
13Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name.
14Ye shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the people which are round about you.
15(For the Lord thy God is a jealous God among you) lest the anger of the Lord thy God be kindled against thee and destroy thee from off the face of the earth.
16Ye shall not tempt the Lord your God, as ye tempted him in Massah.
17Ye shall diligently keep the commandments of the Lord your God, and his testimonies, and his statutes, which he hath commanded thee.
18And thou shalt do that which is right and good in the sight of the Lord: that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest go in and possess the good land which the Lord sware unto thy fathers,
19To cast out all thine enemies from before thee, as the Lord hath spoken.
20And when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, what mean the testimonies, and the statutes, and the judgments, which the Lord our God hath commanded you?
21Then thou shalt say unto thy son, we were Pharaoh’s bondmen in Egypt; and the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand:
22And the Lord shewed signs and wonders, great and sore, upon Egypt, upon Pharaoh, and upon all his household, before our eyes:
23And he brought us out from thence, that he might bring us in, to give us the land which he sware unto our fathers.
24And the Lord commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive, as it is at this day.
25And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before the Lord our God, as he hath commanded us. Deuteronomy 6: 4-25
Info: Bible and Daily word with Ron Hutchcraft
decoration · Depressed

Today’s Choices – Tomorrow’s Generation

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our-team

Today’s Choices – Tomorrow’s Generation

As each of our kids has fallen in love, we’ve given them what sounded like a strange piece of advice, “Make sure you make a good 200-year choice.” Our choice in a mate will have impact for a long, long time – along with a lot of other family choices.

When you’re deciding who you’re going to marry, you’re actually deciding who’s going to shape your children, who will, in turn, shape their children with what they got from you and your spouse and on and on. It’s that downstream effect of our family choices that God spells out graphically in Exodus 20:5-6.

Right in the middle of the Ten Commandments, God says, “I am the Lord your God…punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate Me but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love Me and keep My commandments.”

The consequences of a family’s unrighteous choices will be marking at least four generations. The blessings of a family’s righteous choices will be marking countless generations.

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If we could do a little “Back to the Future” time travel to see those who came before us, I think we’d understand strengths and weaknesses, blessings and struggles that are alive and well in our own family today. But that’s all history. The issue for us is what kind of heritage are we starting in motion through our choices today. Those marks – for better or worse – will be there long after we’re gone.

This generation-marking phenomenon is dramatically illustrated in a study of the descendants of two American families. Family One – which, for obvious reasons shall remain nameless – is traced back to a criminal ancestor. Out of 1200 of his descendants, 400 wrecked themselves physically through drugs, drinking, or sexual diseases; 310 were beggars; 130 convicted criminals; 60 of them were thieves; 7 were murderers; and 20 learned a trade – in prison.

A similar study was done on the family of Jonathan Edwards, the great preacher and the early president of Princeton. From him came 100 college professors, 100 ministers, 100 lawyers and judges, 60 doctors, 24 authors and editors, and 14 college presidents. Legacy – the powerful result of one generation’s family choices. It makes the choice of who you date and who you marry so critical – way too important for just your hormones or your attractions to decide. In the words of Genesis 24:44, “Let it be the one the Lord has chosen.”

and if she says to me, “Drink, and I’ll draw water for your camels too,” let her be the one the Lord has chosen for my master’s son.’ Genesis 24:44

But this legacy effect is something we have to remember in many of the choices we make. That weakness that sin that keeps flaring up and hurting the people you love – if you and Jesus don’t get it under control – will be hurting generations that follow you. If you settle for a lukewarm faith, that pale substitute for a real relationship with Jesus, that will be what you pass on. If your priorities – how you spend your time, your money, your energy – if they’re on stuff that doesn’t last, doesn’t really matter, then those dead-end streets may be where future generations waste their life, too.

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You probably have no idea of the long-range impact of your life – the 200-year-and-beyond effect of the choices you’re making now. Claim for yourself the promise of God that says, “This is My covenant with them, My Spirit who is on you. And My words that I have put in your mouth will not depart from your mouth, or from the mouths of your children, or from the mouths of their descendants from this time on and forever.” (Isaiah 59:21)

Further Study

You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments. Exodus 20:5-6

Going Deeper

One legacy I don’t want to mark future generations with is…
To keep that from happening, one thing I need to do is….

Resources: The Bible and Ron Hutchcraft
Devotion · Family Share · photography

Unfinished Business

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Unfinished Business

Therefore, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

It was a nostalgic time when we drove away the last time from our home of 24 years. We left behind a lot of memories in the walls – and a couple in the tree in the far corner of the backyard. See, when the kids were little, we wanted to build them a tree house. So, we made a plan, got some lumber, and started our little project. We laid down a couple of boards between two branches; it was the beginning of a floor for the tree house. Then we took a break. And we never went back. Oh, yes, we intended to finish that house, but right up until the day we moved out, those boards were all that ever happened.

That’s not the only house a parent intended to build and never got done. In fact, many of us Moms and Dads knew how we wanted our family to be – how we still want it to be – but somehow the home, the family we intended to build never got finished did it? Even as our children were leaving for college, we talked about how quickly the years had melted away and how we were feeling there was so much unfinished business in our kids’ lives.

Maybe you’re a mom or Dad, and you can see in your relationship with your children a lot of things you wish you had done, or a lot of things you wish you hadn’t done. Like us with our tree house…the intentions were good, but something happened along the way. Your children may still be fairly young, still at home, but already you have regrets about what has or hasn’t happened in your relationship – in their lives.

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But it isn’t over yet. In fact, the Bible offers a blueprint for hope and for healing. If you can find the courage to activate this powerful step, you may still be able to take care of some of that unfinished business. God says in James 5:16, “Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.”

Let’s apply this to a broken or strained or a hurting family relationship – a part of your home that never got finished. God is calling you to fervent prayer for that person that’s on your heart. And He is calling us to “confess our sins to each other”, too. In the case of your son or daughter, that probably means saying some of the hardest words in the English language for a parent to say, “I was wrong. Please forgive me.”

For someone you love, just your recognition that you were wrong could start a healing process in both of you. Tell them you’re sorry for any way you feel you have failed them; that you want the future to be different from the past; give them the “I love you” that they may have been waiting for a long time. Give them your blessing, your approval, your praise. They may have been starved for it for years. It’s never too late to say, “I love you.” It’s never too late to say, “I’m sorry.” It’s never too late to say, “Let’s make a new beginning.”

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Oh, it will take some humility, because it’s pride that keeps walls from coming down. It will take God’s courage, but it could heal so much in you and so much in that person you love. But the home, the family, the relationship you never finished can still be built if you can say three life-changing, life-giving words,

“I was wrong.”

Further Study

1 John 1:9

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Going Deeper

Someone I need to say, “I was wrong” to is…
One way I failed my family is…
Something I can do to resolve the conflict in my family is…

Thank You Ron Hutchcraft for the study 🙂 Resources: The Bible, images from pixabay.com
Vacation

You haven’t seen this Vacation on BuzzFeed

EllyFilhoLeave a comment

Ours of course… hahaha

My family and I go on vacation every year. We usually travel somewhere like Florida etc. This year we did it a little different, because we started our budget to pay all our debts around December of last year. So, this year Chris didn’t want to travel far or take a long vacation because it would cost an arm and a leg for all 5 of us. He decided to stay local as he says “” Stay Cation “” I’ll admit I wasn’t too happy, only because I’m a stay home mom and I never leave I wanted to travel somewhere and stay for a week… I understood what he wanted to do though. Cutting our story short we couldn’t afford it this year, so we stayed local. As #DavidRamsey says And my husband has been saying this to me all the time I try to do something out of the budget.  His been very focused on what we need to do, and best of all it’s working.  Budget-Quote

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We still had a lot of fun and enjoyed our time together. I noticed you don’t have to go far to enjoy the fun things in life with the people you love the most. Our Vacation The first place we visited was Newport RI We had a blast. We rented motor bikes and scooters to drive around town. Had some delicious food, and the kids had a fun time enjoying the outdoors and the weather. The next day we headed to New York, Cape Cod, and Salem

magiamorenas36 www.filhofamily.wordpress.com

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Family Share · photography

The things I learned in life – #MomBlogger

EllyFilhoLeave a comment

elly

The things I learned in life

I learned that no matter how much I care, some people just do not care. I learned that no matter how good a person is, that person will hurt me from time to time, but I need to forgive her for this. I learned that talking can ease my emotional pain.

I learned that it takes years to build trust and only seconds to destroy it.
I’ve learned that true friendship continues to grow, even over long distances. I learned that I could do in moments, things that I will forever regret.

I learned that what matters is not what I have in life, but who I have in life. I learned that members of my family are friends who I was not allowed to choose. I learned that I don’t have to change friends, and, yes, understand that friends change.

I learned that the people I care most in life have been taken too quickly. I learned that I always leave people who I love with loving words, it may be the last time I see them. I learned that the circumstances and the environment have an influence on me, but I am responsible for myself.

I learned that I should not compare myself to others, but do the best I can do. I learned that no matter how far I get, know where I’m going. I learned that no matter how delicate and fragile something is, there are always two sides.

I learned that It will take a long time for me to become the person I want to be. I learned that I can go further after thinking I can not. I learned that either I control my acts or they will control me.

I’ve learned that heroes are people who did what was necessary, facing the consequences. I learned that to have patience requires a lot of practice. I learned that there are people who love me, but just do not know how to show it.

I have learned that my best friend and I can do many thing, or nothing and still have a good times together. I learned that the person I expect to treat me wrong, when I’m down, is one of the few that will help me up. I learned that there are more of my parents in me than I thought.

I learned that when I’m angry I have the right to be angry, but that does not give me the right to be cruel. I learned that just because someone does not love me the way I want it does not mean that someone doesn’t love me with everything they got. I learned that maturity has more to do with the kinds of experiences I’ve had, and what I learned from them Than how many birthdays I already celebrated.

I learned that I should never tell a child that dreams are silly, or they are out of the question, because fewer things are more humiliating and would be a tragedy if she believed me. I learned it is not always enough to be forgiven by someone, I have to learn to forgive myself. I learned that no matter how many pieces my heart was broken, the world doesn’t stop for me to fix it.

Just learned, the things I learned in life!

brazilian · Depressed · Family Share · Fashion · Health · love · Mental Health · photography

7 Days #Photography challenge 

EllyFilhoLeave a comment


What’s something special you see daily, but never paid attention long enough to really appreciate what you’re looking at? In this case, it’s not my husband. It’s myself 🙂 I’ve lived a life that I know many people wouldn’t survive it. I know half would give up at the beginning. The other half would maybe try and last halfway. I’m sure there are many and many women’s out there that has suffered or is suffering all or worse than I have. I pray to God to give you strength. It’s not easy. I know!
My mother today at 68 stills has to work to take care of herself otherwise she doesn’t have the income to live on. She has 2 daughters that can’t afford to pay for her living. Sad story.
She has worked so hard her whole life ever since she was little and for what? Today she is still working and not living.  That’s why I always say live now if you can. This time will never come around again.
Today’s picture inspired me because I’ve been a fighter.

  • I’ve fought child abuse.
  • I’ve fought mentally and verbally abuse
  • I’ve fought my fears
  • I’ve fought self-esteem
  • I’ve fought depression
  • I’ve fought suicide
  • I’ve fought PTSD
  • I fought drugs
  • I fought alcohol
  • I fought an alcoholic father
  • I fought murder
  • I’ve fought adultery
  • I’ve fought unfaithfulness
  • I’ve fought being sick
  • I’ve been fighting my weight
  • I’ve been fighting my sickness
  • I’ve been fighting this world

This world will not bring us better things, from here on it will only be worst. Some of these things I’m still fighting daily like PTSD. Depression. Etc. Some stuff you can never get rid of it. It’s a constant battle.

Fashion · photography · Style

Doing My Before and After the Right Way #fblogger

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Makeup By Elly 4Guys_1Girl

Everyone that knows me knows I love makeup and fashion. Clothes, shoes, bags, and makeup are my favorites. Now you ask me you must have a lot of it then. Actually no… I have plenty, but it’s never enough. I have enough bags; some I haven’t even used yet. Shoes I don’t have many I do need to buy some cute ones, but it’s hard to find the perfect fit comfortable and that looks good. I love the looks of many brands, but they just don’t look good on my feet I don’t know why.
Clothes I’m just starting to build up my wardrobe as I’m losing weight, I didn’t want to start buying all these outfit being 50 pounds overweight, but now that I lost some I started to.


@4Guys_1Girl

Makeup I don’t buy anything too expensive Unless I really like it and it’s worth me paying that amount of money for it. Otherwise, I buy cheap makeup and I get the same results.
A lot of people doubted that I could do a cute makeup on a budget, so I proved them wrong. I got makeup from CVS pharmacy, and my brushes are from BHcosmetic and I did a before and after picture and this is my results.

Makeup By Elly 4Guys_1Girl

I wanted an opinion to see what you all think. I think it came out nice. The first photo I used bronzer and the last one I didn’t. Personally, now I will never leave the house without some bronzer I love it.

Makeup By Elly @4Guys_1Girl

Just to make sure you guys know, I am an amateur I do NOT know how to do makeup professionally I only do it on myself everything I know I learned by myself on myself … I got not courses or classes for it at all.

and that explins why it’s not perfect LOL

Makeup By Elly @4Guys_1Girl