Once Upon a Time & Happily Ever After - Rediscovering Life after Retirement

Visiting with Anne from Anne’s Adoorables & Giveaway

09/21/16

Girls, do I have a treat for YOU! Get on in here quick cause we are going to do a little shopping together today. Grab your debit card and away we go.

If you have been hangin’ out with me for a bit, you may remember a couple of posts about dates my PC and I have had based on the book 52 Uncommon Dates by Randy Southern. I had a giveaway for a copy of the book and my sweet, faithful reader Anne Green won. She and her Prince went on one of the dates from the book and shared pics and deets with us, here.

Since then, Anne and I have become Facebook buds and have kind of kept up with each other through social media. I feel like we are friends. So when Anne announced the opening of her store, Anne’s Adoorables, I could not get over to Etsy fast enough. I oohed and ahhed over her “adoorable wreaths with a southern flair”. And then I asked Anne if I could share them with you.

Let me start by showing you the beautiful wreath I purchased.

It was lovingly packed with the sweetest note from Anne. Fluffed up the ribbon and burlap just a bit and then wandered around the house trying to find the perfect place for my wreath. May eventually put it out on my front door but for now I want to enjoy looking at the wreath myself!! So I hung it in the dining room.

Anne has so many unique pieces to choose from but I fell instantly in love with this mix of textures – the lacy burlap, the glittery tinsel and golden polka dots and THAT COTTON. I was so proud that I posted a pic on my FB page and immediately friends began to comment on how the wreath spoke to them.

My friend Dolores reminisced “When my dad was young their parents would take the kids to the fields to pick cotton. 8 kids in the family! Brought back good memories of my dad and what a hard worker he was all his life. Your wreath is gorgeous!”

And I replied “Cotton reminds me of growing up in the mid-south. I remember going for rides and seeing cotton. Getting out of the car and picking it for fun. And then imagining having to pick cotton, day in and day out, from dawn to dusk.”

Here are some closeup pictures of this special wreath.

Isn’t it luscious? Here’s where I have hung it. By all of the family wedding photos on my dining room buffet.

Ironically? Interestingly? Insanely? I used to pretend I was a runaway slave boy when I was in fourth grade. Probably another reason why this wreath spoke to me.

So, I asked Anne if I could introduce her to you all through an interview of sorts here on the blog and she graciously agreed. Gang meet Anne.

How did you get started making creative things?

My grandmother was a school teacher, but an artist in her spare time. Her home was filled with treasures she created including paintings, pottery and needlepoint. My mom (also a retired school teacher) loves arts & crafts and passed that onto me and my older sister. Attending craft shows has been a family tradition. My mom, sister and I attended craft shows together when I was younger, and we would get ideas to create things at home. As a young mother, I would take my children to local craft shows as well. I also have fond memories of attending craft classes with my grandmother-in-law which we both enjoyed so much.

Where do you find inspiration for the things you make?

I get ideas from many places such as Pinterest, craft stores, catalogs and other crafters. My favorite way to find inspiration is to simply go to craft stores and spark my own creativity through searching materials that they offer. I’ve never seen a craft store I didn’t like! (me either!)

When did you open your Etsy store?

I only recently opened my Etsy store. I have had the desire to turn my hobby into a business for the past year or so. After lots of contemplation, a few prayers, and the support of my family I decided to go for it. And I’m so glad I did! I’m wondering why I even hesitated because the response has been very positive.

What plans do you have for future projects and pretties to sell?

Holiday decor is what I am working on currently. I am preparing for a local craft show in September and for a big weekend craft show in late October. I will continue to grow my Etsy business and offering a larger selection of lantern swags and wreaths, but I am keeping an open mind for the future.

Anne included a few photos from her home to share with you.

Can you tell which state Anne lives in by the wreath on her door? And isn’t that a lovely wreath hung at her window?

How about this adoorable lantern swag?

I love it! I need it. Time to place another order.

Would like to invite you to visit Anne’s Adoorables by clicking right here. Be prepared to be wooed. And tell Anne that Leslie sent you. But before you run off to shop, take a moment to enter our giveaway for a lantern swag of your choice from Anne’s shop.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

My last interview question for Anne was:

How did you come across my blog?

Gosh, I have been reading your blog about two years now. I remember coming across your blog from another blog, Two Teens and Their Mama (written by my friend Lana). I have been a loyal reader and enjoy the books you showcase, plus many other posts you have written. Your blog is unique (I LOVE THAT PART) and I consider you a friend (LOVE THAT EVEN MORE) because we have been able to connect with each other even though we have never met in person.

Thank you, Anne, for this sweet answer, for being a reader and being my friend.

Now, gals, I’ll race you over to Anne’s. On your mark, get set… already gone!

Hugs and kisses,

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My Little Miracles 9.18.16: Monday Moments in Gratitude Link-up

09/19/16

Welcome dear friends-o-mine, so glad to spend a little time with you today. Linking-up again with my buddy Shaunacey for another of her “Monday Moments of Gratitude” posts. It has been a month since I blogged about the little miracles in my life. But I assure you, my life is sprinkled with blessings every day.

Here are some of my favorite special moments lately:

Let’s start with finding lost things. Seems like I am always looking for something. Most of the time it is my mind that I have lost. And that probably contributes to losing other things. The domino effect.

One time when I visited New Orleans with the girls, we bought these little cards with a painting of St. Anthony on one side and a prayer asking his intervention in finding lost items on the other side.

Little Miracles, 9.19.2016

I feel guilty praying for insignificant things like a lost earring, or a receipt, or my mind. But it is comforting to know St. Anthony can be invoked to come to my rescue. Anyway, all of this to say, I lost and found two things in the past few days. So, you know I wrote about my fall bucket list and goals, here. And one of my goals is to swim once a month. I have a gym bag I take and at times need a lock for the lockers at a couple of the pools. This is the lock I had been using when I was swimming on a regular basis a couple of years ago. Guess what I lost?

Yup, the combo. I knew that PC has come up with an acronym (to help me remember the combo) but I couldn’t remember the acronym either. Yeah, it’s pretty sad over here. I did remember it started with the letter I.

Well, all of a sudden, in the midst of going into the theater to watch “Ben Hur”, I remembered the acronym and combination (of course). It-Does-Not-Compute (Will Robinson). You know, from “Lost in Space”, the ’60’s TV show?

Did that jog you memory? So, I don’t have to buy a new lock. Yay!

The other lost and found item were two metal rods that go to the Pack-n-Play I bought for Cady’s visits when she was teensy. And now I have set up for Lucia. I have the nicest bag to store everything in.

Yeah, but it was empty. The little bed wasn’t even in there. It was closed up and rolled under the guest bed. But the rods weren’t with the bed. In fact, I didn’t realize I was missing the rods – had forgotten all about them – until I couldn’t figure out why the mattress wasn’t very flat.

Then bam…St. Anthony suggested I check under the other guest bed. Obvious to you, maybe. But I thought I had all of the baby stuff shoved, make that stored under one bed. Apparently not.

Both rods. Lost and found. Pack-n-play stabilized and mattress flat. Little miracles like these make me smile.

Next moment of gratitude isn’t actually a singular moment. I am grateful to be working again. To have the opportunity to substitute in another library. The library where I first started my career 27 years ago. And so glad to be working with these two sweet gals.

Lorena, in the photo on the left, was my assistant at Moye Elementary, where I worked before I retired. She and I are splitting the substitute job at Jefferson while one of the librarians is out on maternity leave. Priscilla, in the photo on the left, is my daughter Lauren’s bff from high school and is the other librarian at Jeff. It is such a blessing to be working, and working at Jeff with these two dear ones.

My third little miracle might not be miraculous for those of you who can boil water and chew gum at the same time. If that’s you, feel free to skip ahead here. But trying to perfect the boiled egg has eluded me for…58 years. Enter Priscilla. Yes, the same Priscilla from the paragraph above. She introduced me to the handy, dandy Dash Go Rapid Egg Cooker, in black. And presto…

I give you the perfect boiled egg. Even peels easily. The 21 Day Fix and Weight Watchers programs both like boiled eggs. And now I can eat them. Grateful that there was some gadget inventor somewhere in the world who struggled to boil an egg like I did. Here’s a pic of that little miracle worker. So grateful that there are people in this world who see a need and do something about it for those of us who can’t.

My Little Miracles, 9.19.16

That’s this week’s lunch in there.

Another of the items on my bucket list is to go hiking. And we did yesterday. More about the hike soon. But I was reminded of the beauty in our rugged west Texas landscape. Over and over I saw plants growing and thriving under the most unfavorable circumstances. But with our little bit of rain lately, the desert was green and alive.

That little guy was growing between two rocks (and a hard place?). I am reminded of an expression I have always liked.

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I know that isn’t always possible. To flourish where we’re planted. But I like to think of this little cactus and this dandelion as reminders that there is beauty and goodness everywhere. For that, I am thankful to God.

I am blessed by my loving family. Still basking in the glow from this little girl’s recent visit. Does my heart good seeing my Prince snuggling this princess.

And we received great news about Lucia from her doctor. This new pediatrician in Albuquerque has agreed with her doctor in Houston, that baby girl’s torticollis has been resolved.

Which means she is going to start day care tomorrow so her mommy can work. The daycare was originally a little reticent to accept Lucia with some of her health issues but she has been approved and will start tomorrow. Babies with torticollis can be delayed so we are hopeful that Lucia will start knocking those milestones – sitting up, rolling over, crawling – out of the ball park. Thank You, God, for this miracle.

Goodness, I love that baby.

It is a blessing the way this little one, my Cady Coo, sends me the sweetest messages on her Pink (iPad).

Felt like a mean ole Mimi last week. Had told Cady that I would Facetime with her on Monday morning and T-totally forgot all about it. Brennyn said that angel was waiting for me, smiling into the screen of her Pink, ready for my call. But we did Facetime on Wednesday morning before school.

My last blessing comes as a form of a realization and apology. You might remember all that blubbering and whining and complaining I did recently over my haircut. I wrote a post full of grumbling and few suggestions for how to handle (not well apparently) a bad haircut, take a peek here. I decided to take some of my own advice, and tried on a hat. More for fun than anything.

But when I looked at my photo, I was ashamed of myself. Appalled that I made such a huge deal about a haircut. Because when I look at this picture, I am reminded that I could be dealing with hairlessness due to illness or chemotherapy. I might have to wear a hat to cover a bald head or hair that is slipping away in patches. I am blessed with good health. And a questionable haircut. I have absolutely nothing to complain about. I am so grateful for all of the goodness in my life and I apologize for being a big old baby. You won’t have to deal with my blubbering again.

Finally, I am grateful to Shaunacey, who hosts this link-up every week. Thank you, sweet friend, for helping me to see the many, many blessings and little miracles in my life. Love you!

And I consider each of you a blessing. Thank you for giving me someone to write to! Thank you for leaving me an occasional comment. Or following me on Pinterest or Instagram. Thank you for giving me a reason to write.

Have a blessed week.

Hugs and kisses,

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What I Wore: Week 2

09/14/16

Lovely fashionistas, how the heck are ya? Glad to have you join me for the second week of The Blended Blog “What I Wore” series. This month’s style posts are anything goes…no theme, just a glance at what we genuinely wore over the past few days.

I got a wild hair late last week and had my hairs cut. Every single one of them. And boy, did I. You can read more about that, here. I need to say that I realize how blessed I am to have my health and wonderful life and many blessings. I realize how insignificant a bad haircut is in the grand scheme of things. But I just don’t feel or look like me.

Since the haircut, I have tried to dress up a bit more than usual for work to kind of compensate for the hair. But this first look was BHC – before-haircut.

Oh, I miss my hair. Never thought I would say that but there it is. Need to snap out of it, though. Goodness, gracious. I am wearing Wit & Wisdom bootcut jeans, Loft Outlet lace cardi and Loft Outlet blue tee, floral Payless pumps and a twist of “pearls” from Charming Charlie. I felt like a fancy lady in this simple outfit.

I gathered a few similar pieces here. Check out the cute floral shoes!

These next outfits were after-haircut or AHC. Try to look beyond the pixie cut to the clothes below.

Loft Outlet flare tweed skirt, Loft Outlet lace tee, Payless pumps, crystal children necklace (one charm for each of my daughters), spangly earrings from Charming Charlie.

Today I wore an oldie but goodie, an outfit so bold that no one would even notice I have a head, much less a haircut. PC calls these my jester pants. Or my cornucopia pants. Whatever you call them, these pants are busy and bright.

Apparently from this angle, I have a little cleavage going on…but I assure you, from straight on everything was tucked safely out of sight. Loft paisley cropped pants in Julie fit, Old Navy tank top, Loft cardigan, Charming Charlie necklace and earrings, peep-toe pumps from DSW.

Here’s a collection of paisleys for your consideration. Yes, you, too, can sport some jester pants of your very own.

So there you have it. What I Wore, Week 2. I am only working two days one week, three days the next. The rest of the time you will find me home in workout wear or out running errands in jeans, a tee and converse or sandals.

What are you wearing during this transition period between summer and fall? Have the temps begun dipping in your area? What signs of autumn’s approach are you seeing?

If you have a look to share, please link up with us below.

Or use #theblendedblogstyle when you post pics on Instagram and Twitter. And then come on back next Wednesday to see if my hair has grown out any.

Happy hUmP dAy, girls!

Hugs and kisses,

16 Activities on My Autumn Bucket List

09/13/16

My Autumn Bucket List

Hey Dolls!

So glad you are here. I have spent the last couple of days brainstorming the different activities I want to do this fall. Kept a running list on my phone as I thought of things. Then consulted our monthly “El Paso Scene” for cultural events. Here is my list of sweet 16 suggestions for having more fun this fall. My autumn bucket list:

Decorate inside the house and out. Have this well underway as of the first day of September. At least I waited til then! Will add a few Halloween touches then trade them out for Thanksgiving as those holidays approach. Here’s a sneak peek of what I’ve done in the kitchen so far.

Make a garland for the mantel. Last year, PC and I were in Kentucky and Ohio in November, and I collected some leaves from the fall foliage. I hope to use them to make my garland.

Find an old wheelbarrow to use in the yard. My BFF Sharon has the cutest yard decor that often incorporates a rusty, dusty vintage wheelbarrow. Take a peek at Sharon’s clever Christmas display in a post from last December, here. I want to hit some of the junque stores around town in search for my own wheelbarrow.
Make a scarecrow for my front porch. I always had scarecrows in the fall at my little house when the girls were growing up. Then I began building one each year at school. I want to recreate one this year.
Decorate pumpkins. Self-explanatory. Click here, to see the little lacy punkies I decorated last year.
Fantasy football draft. Done. Drafted both teams. “Los Chicharones” and “The Pale Pink Pigskins”. Now to remember to set up my teams each week. And WIN!
Attend a University of Texas, El Paso (UTEP) football game. We have only been to one or two but I really enjoyed going. The Sun Bowl is a super stadium tucked into the Franklin Mountains. PC usually has an opportunity for discounted tickets so we need to take advantage of that perk.

Go on at least one hike. We used to hike quite a bit. I would love to do more of that this year. There is a hike up to Mount Cristo Rey on Saturday, October 8. I hope to do that.

My Autumn Bucket List

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Visit food truck rodeo and wine fest. (Added the wine fest part just now cause we already did that and it was on my phone list). These pictures were taken at “Corks and Kegs” in Las Cruces a couple of weekends ago. They had several vineyards participating that were new to us.

Run/walk the “Groove and Glow 5K”. I have wanted to do another 5K for a long time. I created a team, “The Golden Girls”, in hopes that some of my friends will join me for this.

My Autumn Bucket List

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Have a fire in the fire pit. ‘Nuff said.
Visit farmer’s market and have breakfast out.

My Autumn Bucket List

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Seasonal painting at “I Painted That”. I love the Mexican holiday Dias de los Muertos the last days of October and the first days of November. I would love to paint the skeletons associated with this holiday or even some fall foliage.

My Autumn Bucket List

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Attend a play at the El Paso Playhouse. Looks like a great season.

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Donate craft items to the El Paso Children’s Hospital. I have loads of scrapbook paper and stickers to share with the children there.
Donate canned food at church.

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Now to see how I fare on completing this autumn bucket list. And while I am dreaming…here are my fall goals.

The board says “September Goals” but I am thinking I will carry these through the fall, so the same ten goals for September, October and November. We are almost to mid-September and I have a lot of work to do. We’ll just leave it at that.

Do you have goals for this month? Or maybe an autumn bucket list for your family? If so, please tell me about it in a comment below. What’s something you would really like to do this fall that might be out of your normal routine?

One last thing. This week we are celebrating our one year blogiversary on The Blended Blog. Whitney at Whitney a la Mode came up with this fabulous scavenger hunt for our readers and we are sponsoring a give-away for a $150 gift card to the winner’s store of choice. You just have to run over there, quick!

And be sure to join us for our September style link-up on “What I Wore” on Wednesdays. The link-up is on Wednesdays but you can link-up an outfit from any day of the week! Ha!

That, my sweet friends, is all I have for you today. Makes me exhausted looking at my goals and realizing that I have my work cut out for me the next 18 days of September and beyond.

Off to bed! There’s always tomorrow.

Hugs and kisses,

Scissor-Me-Timbers: Surviving a Bad Haircut

09/10/16

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Dear Ones,

It is Friday night and I had not planned to blog tonight but I need to vent. I had my hairs cut today…all of them. I have come home and washed it and now I am Googling ‘how to deal with a bad haircut’. If that tells you anything. So I am going to pour myself a glass of wine and pour my heart out here. And then maybe I will feel better and look better in the morning.

In mid-June, I cut my hair. I went from this…

to this…

with a few snips of the stylist’s scissors. I wanted it short for summer. And messy because I am no good with hair. And I don’t have a whole lot of hair to be good with anyway.

I look a little like a chihuahua. But not in a good way.

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See the resemblance? Would be exact if I had brown eyes.

I washed my hair and ‘styled’ it in the very loosest sense of the word. And here I am the next day.

Ever so much better. Not. But I kind of liked the change. For some reason.

Over the next few weeks, it began to grow as hair does. Even mine.

Evidently I lost an earring in the picture on the right. Or it just got lost in all that hair. I am such a fashionista.

In early August, I decided it was time for a trim. This time the difference wasn’t quite as drastic.

Or maybe I was just getting used to it.

Not bad.

And then today, I got a wild hair. In more ways than one. I decided it was time for a haircut.

I took this picture from early August into the salon and asked that my hair be trimmed and shaped up to look like this again.

I told her that I like to be able to wear it tucked behind my ears with that little flip on either side. And I like the bangs here. Maybe a tad short but I like them angled like that.

I should have known I was in trouble when the stylist said she was going to use a razor to clean up the back. A number 8 blade. I have never had the back cleaned up with a number 8 or any other number razor blade ever. But I thought, hey, this might be what’s been missing all these years!

Then hair started falling all around me. And to use one of my mother’s favorite expressions…she was going at (my hair) like she was killing snakes. Chop, chop, chop. Three inch pieces cascading to the ground. Then snip, snip, snip little wisps of hair floating behind the larger pieces.

When she showed me my cut, the hair was wet and unstyled. She twirled the chair around and handed me the mirror to check out the back. I couldn’t really tell much other than it was quite a bit shorter.

I came home and didn’t want to get out of the car to show PC. In the pics above, I am trying to tell Brennyn about my haircut in the photo on the left. My PC took the photo on the right. See how … what’s the word … jacked up the back is, too? I have no hair left.

I ask you, does this look like the picture I showed her? In anyway?

I have since washed it and it doesn’t look any better. If anything, it looks like it shrunk some more in the shower.

Ugh.

I guess there is a teeny tiny little flip behind my right ear. Get out your magnifying glass. And what are those tits of hair hanging down in the back? And why do I look as broad as a linebacker? Ok, can’t blame that on the haircut, I guess.

So, what do I do with this mess until it grows out some. For starters, pray that it does grow out. FAST. But here are some other suggestions I found through my panicked Google search.

Everything I read says bobby pins are my new best friend. But with no hair, I am not sure what I am supposed to do with said bobby pins. Cosmo recommends “Twist a few sections away from your face and secure it with a pin to create a quasi-updo”. Is a quasi-updo anything like quasimodo?
According to All Womens Talk, volumizing will help my short bangs. “Style them using a hairdryer and a round brush in case you want to wear them down but have no desire to look like Ugly Betty or tease and hairspray them well and through and put up in a pompadour! Even the shortest of bangs can be pinned up or fluffed to look good if volumized properly so give it a go and do share your results!” Pompadour, not feeling that. And there’s that mention of pins again.
An article on Bustle suggests wearing hats more. Or at least wide head bands. “Big headbands look great on everyone and can cover up those annoying short layers that simply won’t reach all the way to your bun.” What bun? No bun is going to be happening here in the next six months.
The bottom line comes from the folks at Her Campus. “Nature has to do its thing. Hair grows from between a fourth to a half an inch a month, but it depends on the person.” Stylist Benjamin Manistta at Dino Palmieri Salon in Cleveland, Ohio offers “Try to forget about it—chances are you don’t actually look like Peter Pan with the pixie cut! You may learn to live with your new style, or you may forever hate it, but in any case, you’ll see length in about a month to six weeks.” I’m thinking Peter Pan is a pretty darn good description of what I have going on.

I can try bobby pins, hats and headbands over the next few weeks and stay in a lot. And then maybe my hair will grow out to look the way I wanted it to look after my cut.

Alison Luterman has written a humorous article entitled “10 Ways of Looking at a Bad Haircut” for Salon.com. I was able to forget my misery for a few moments as I read it. But now I am sad and depressed again. Think I will go hide under the covers for a few weeks.

See you in October.

Hugs and kisses,

Read, Watch, Listen, Follow, 9.8.16

09/09/16

Hello, sweet friends!

I am participating in a new series hosted by my friend Sheila at Making the Most of Every Day. “Read, Watch, Listen and Follow” is something like the “Currently” posts I have shared but with a little narrower focus. Let’s get right to it.

Read: You might recall this post I shared recently with the books I am reading. You might also recall that I am a slow reader. So guess what? I am still reading but have almost finished Gone in a Heartbeat by Neil Spector, M.D. Less than 50 pages to go.

I am also reading on Giddy Up, Eunice by Sophie Hudson, an inspirational and encouraging book about friendship among women and Eleanor’s Story by Eleanor Ramrath Garner, children’s fiction about an American family in Germany during World War II. And there’s that short stack (mmm, pancakes!) of books on how to write children’s books that I am hoping to begin reading next week. And applying toward writing my own book.

And this postcard came in the mail yesterday.

Such a beautiful message from my daughter Brennyn. I think this is something I will be rereading for sometime to come.

Watch: Our TV is on at night but I don’t watch it much. It serves as background noise more than anything. When I am home, I go almost all day without turning the TV on. But my PC loves TV and movies. Right now we are “watching” the Denver Colts-Carolina Panthers football game on NBC.

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I have two fantasy football teams. Los Chicharones and the Pale Pink Porkbellies. Will be watching football all fall. Missing my man Peyton this year. He was always my first round draft pick.

This Tuesday I finished up “Bachelor in Paradise”. And this coming Monday I will start watching “Dances with the Wolves”. Oh my, did I really type that there. Pardon me, that’s what we call it in the privacy of our own home. I meant to say “Dancing with the Stars”.

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And best of all, this weekend I will be watching this little girl.

Lucia, Lauren and Francisco are coming down from Albuquerque for the weekend. I. Can’t. Wait.

Listen: I am listening to The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkes in an audio book…so much easier for me than reading-reading.

I am aware I am that last woman on earth to read this book. That and What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty, which I also have on audio book but haven’t begun yet.

In preparation for the kids’ visit, I am, of course, cleaning house. Which means I am listening to my records. You read that right. Records. Vinyl. The original format for listening to music. About ten years ago, Lauren gave me a record player for my birthday. I love to listen to my oldies but goodies when I clean.

One of my all-time favs is John Denver’s “Back Home Again”.

There’s a great song called “Grandma’s Feather Bed” on this album. Reminds me of nights when my girls and my dogs and my kitties would all pile in bed with me.

Follow: This prompt was tricky for me. What or whom do I follow? Hmm. I follow a number of bloggers including all of The Blended Blog gals (Deena, Shaunacey, Katie, Lana, Carrie, Whitney, Lisa, Alison, Andrea, Sarah, Abbie, Christy, Nicole, Sheila), individually and collectively.

I follow the word of God through my devotion. Right now I am completing Mary Clewley’s workbook Victorious Living: 101 Prayers and Praises.

It is perfect for a beginner at this devotion business like I am. We are asked to read three verses from the Bible, reflect on them in our own lives and write a prayer for each day’s theme. I have no experience writing or even speaking prayers…mine are always silent and private. The prayer-writing is a wonderful exercise.

I follow Fox News. And our local K-FOX. I follow a number of family and friends on Facebook. Family, friends and strangers alike on Instagram and Pinterest.

Most of all, though, I listen to my guy, not guy – GUT, gut instincts. I think about things as logically as an illogical kinda gal can. But when all is said and done…

It has misled me a time or two but all in all, I usually come out ok.

What are you reading, watching, listening to and following? Please share in a comment below.

Have a restful weekend, dear ones. Come back again, soon!

Hugs and kisses,

Valentia Pure Glow Brightening Moisturizer: A Glowing Review

09/07/16

Beautiful friends,

I am pleased to have been given an opportunity through a BrandBacker’s campaign to sample and review Valentia Pure Glow Brightening Moisturizer. I received a free sample of the moisturizer in exchange for my honest powered by BrandBacker review.

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So many things about the Valentia Skin Care products resonated with me. The company is named for the Roman goddess Valentia, who “used berries, herbs, barks and other natural ingredients” to heal the sun-damaged skin of the citizens of the Umbria region of Italy. This line of natural products has an organic base that is registered with the Vegan Society and is animal cruelty-free. Plus, they are made right here in the U.S. of A. using sustainable energy. What’s not to love!?

The product I was invited to try is Valentia’s Pure Glow Brightening Moisturizer. Described as “a lightweight fast absorbing cream that illuminates skin while providing all-day hydration”. [source]

This Brightening Moisturizer promised to:
– Lighten dark spots
– Restore skin radiance
– Even skin tone
– Diminish fine lines
– Provide all-day hydration

And it did!

I have used Pure Glow Brightening Moisturizer for ten days and am very happy with the results. As a baby boomer who spent summers as a teenager slathered in baby oil mixed with iodine, laying out in my parents’ backyard on a reflective ‘aluminum foil’ tanning blanket, my complexion has significant sun damage. I followed that up with a six-year stint in the Central American country of Panama, where I spent nearly every weekend sun worshiping at the beach. Not only did I not use sun screen but I used sun tan oil to further fry my skin.

I have tried to pass off my sunspots as freckles for years. But rather than having a splash of them across my nose, my face has turned into one giant freckle. I couldn’t wait to try this product!

The moisturizer is light-weight and fragrance-free. It is easy to apply, goes on smoothly and evenly. A dime-sized dollop was enough to cover my face. I applied it in the morning under my foundation on week/work days when I generally wear more make-up. On weekends, I wore the moisturizer with just a little blush on my cheeks.

Here are a couple of photos taken before I started using the Pure Glow Brightening Moisturizer. In the picture on the left, I am not wearing any make-up other than a little lip gloss Scary, I know. On the right, I believe I have on foundation over my faux Oil of Olay moisturizer from Walmart, eye make-up and lipstick, too.

I look like the grandma I am. Yikes! Wish I had taken these in the same light but either way, it is easy to see my polka-dots and uneven skin tone. Or lack of tone! And my complexion looks dull.

This next photo was taken after I had been using the Valentia moisturizer for a week.

I think my complexion is more radiant and my skin looks firmer, especially in my cheeks. (Wonder if I could apply this to my thighs?) I snapped these next pictures over this past week.

I look a little like a line backer in the pic on the far right. True I was at fantasy football draft and wearing a Peyton Manning jersey. But I wasn’t trying to look like a player myself. Not a flattering photo. But hey, my skin looks more even, I think. And that day was without foundation. That neck, though. Ugh.

So that brings us to today. I am writing this on Sunday, September 4. I have been using the Valentia moisturizer for ten days. My Prince and I went to a “Corks and Kegs” festival where they had craft vendors, food trucks, live music in addition to local vineyards and breweries selling their wares.

PC had gone to fetch us some lunch and I was just enjoying laying on the grass in the shade. When I took this picture, I never planned to use it here but I kinda like it. And my PC just remarked as I uploaded this picture that I look young here! No foundation on in this photo, just the moisturizer, a little blush and some eyeliner.

One last shot. Try to disregard my neck…I have had two cervical spinal surgeries where they had to go in through the front of my neck to replace my C5 and C6 vertebra and disks with a metal cage and mesh. My poor neck. But how ’bout that face?

Upright again and still at the “Corks and Kegs” fest with my Prince Charming at my side. I am very happy with the improvement in my complexion. I think my skin is more taut, has a radiance to it and is more even-toned after ten days. And PC just commented right this second that my complexion looks brighter. Totally unsolicited. He looked over from his “Tankville” (it is really called “World of Tanks”) computer game and said that. True story.

So what’s in this Pure Glow Brightening Moisturizer by Valentia?

– Botanical Hyaluronic Acid: Floods skin with moisture, supports skin elasticity, and plumps skin from within.

– Kojic Acid: Controls melanin production and prevents dark spots.

– Ginseng: Boosts skin firming collagen, fights wrinkles, and gives the skin a brighter and more energized look.

– Safflower Oil: Repairs skin’s natural moisture barrier and provide superior skin protection.

– Shea Butter: Infuses skin with a myriad of vitamins and nutrients for superior skin hydration and nourishment.

That’s some good stuff, I tell you what. And Valentia has a whole line of other products including serums, toners, masks and scrubs. Check them out at http://valentia.com or by clicking here. You can also purchase the moisturizer through Amazon, here and get free shipping with your Prime membership. And Valentia has provided my readers with this coupon code for a discount on your purchase of any Valentia products. Just use MTSHAYSV for your a 20% discount throughout the month of September.

Finally, please join me in following Valentia on Facebook www.facebook.com/valentiabeauty and on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/valentianatural/. I am hoping to be one of the ‘future features’ on their social media outlets. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

What moisturizer are you currently using? Please leave me a comment to let me know.

Thank you for stopping by and spending some of your day with me. And thank you, Valentia, for this opportunity.

Hugs and kisses,

What’s in my…Kitchen: a TBB Series

09/06/16

What's in My Kitchen

Hello my loveliest of ladies!

I am teaming up today with some of The Blended Blog–gers girls for some fun in our kitchens. Lest you think I am cooking, let me straighten that out from the start. This isn’t a recipe exchange post…although we are going to be doing this fall, so stay tuned. Today we are checking out what’s in my…

kitchen! Welcome. I have always liked the quote below and I would say it is true of our house.

[source]

I am not a fancy cook and usually follow a recipe only once, then kind of wing it from then on. But I try to love my family through the meals I prepare, however simple.

Let me show you around a bit. I thought you might be coming, so I cleaned up a little. Actually, the tidying was just part of my spring cleaning that ran all the way through July. I had to do it in fits and starts. Cleaned the outside of the cabinets with Murphy Oil Soap and water, then shined ’em up with Pledge. Actually, my builder said Endust is the best furniture polish to use in the kitchen but I keep forgetting that when I grocery shop. Just the way I roll.

Then I cleaned out the insides of the cabinets, and it is a good thing I did! This is the cabinet where I keep cake mixes and ingredients I use for baking.

See all of those boxes lined up on the counter? Take a closer look.

Can you read those expiration dates? No. Here, let me help you.

Yup, you are reading right. That box of Betty Crocker banana nut muffin mix was/would have been better if it was used by 27 July 2010. The Pillsbury Moist Supreme sugar free, devil’s food chocolate cake mix was better any time before July 03 2013. Oh, it hurt me to read those ‘better if used by’ dates and then carry all of these mixes out to the trash. Like throwing away a $15 bill. If there was such a thing.

But here’s the deal. It isn’t that I haven’t cleaned my cabinets in 3-6 years. It’s just that I didn’t realize a cake mix or muffin mix would expire. And we have been on a perpetual diet of some sort since spring of 2010. So I kept waiting til I got skinny to bake.

Here’s that same cabinet after I tossed those mixes. And went grocery shopping to buy “fresh” replacements.

See that Lucky Leaf apple pie filling on the bottom right shelf? I am going to use that tomorrow to make a cobbler. To heck with dieting.

So, we’ve seen the sweets cabinet. This is the salty cabinet. Snacks, chips, nuts, crackers. Before spring cleaning on the left and after spring cleaning on the right. Not much difference…just filled it with more. More snacks, chips, nuts and crackers. To heck with dieting.

Moving right along, I give you the pantry. Before:

My Prince sometimes grumbles that we have enough food in the pantry to sustain us for months (he doesn’t know about the expiration date fiasco on the baking mixes). I know we do have plenty of food – expired or otherwise. But I was raised by a mother who had what she called “the grocery store” in a spare bedroom of our house. Flats of canned goods and dozens of boxes of toothpaste (does it expire?) and packages of toilet paper, bottle of soda. On every can of soup or veggies, she would write in permanent marker the date it was purchased. And she used everything accordingly.

She was a child of the depression, though. I’m not. But I did live in Panama for six years. We were never sure what would be available at the commissary. Often depressing.

I am pleased to report that I didn’t find too many expired surprises in the pantry. A few packages of water-packed tuna in crazy flavors. No doubt a staple for one of my diets. Artichoke hearts in a jar. We don’t eat artichoke hearts in or out of a jar. Not sure where they came from. Here’s the after-summer-cleaning pantry pic.

About the same. Minus the mysterious tuna and artichokes and Purrsnickitty. You will be relieved to know that Snick hasn’t expired.

The spice drawer is my pride and joy. Some of my best OCD-inspired organization.

I saw this idea on Pinterest and loved it. Alphabetizing one’s spices makes it so much easier to find the one one wants and to see which ones one might be running low on. That’s a lot of ones.

From Adobo to thyme.

My cookbooks are in a cabinet above my frig. I rarely get them down. I usually put them up there and forget them.

Oh, look. There’s a Weight Watcher’s cookbook up there. Hmm. That has been the diet of choice for the last two weeks. Might need to get that one back out. Or not.

And that’s my kitchen. With the exception of the inside of the oven, micro and dishwasher. None very impressive and all three free of expired food.

So is the refrigerator. I clean it more than once a year during spring/summer cleaning. Probably because I am more aware of expired food in the frig. It is much easier to tell when a bag of grapes is beyond its prime. Or when a package of ground beef is graying and old and ready to be retired.

See those stripy things? Those are el cheapo plastic place mats that I use on the refrigerator shelves. If, no, make that when…WHEN there is an accidental spill, those place mats really make clean up a breeze.

So there you have it. The good, the bad and the expired of my kitchen.

Waaaaay back in July, some of the TBB-ers blogged about their junk drawers. I was just jumping into summer cleaning mode and could barely get my junk drawer open. Well, I am happy to report that I did get it tidied up. In fact, I tidied so well that what was two big junk drawers is now a large junk drawer for general…junk…and a smaller drawer for tools, batteries, hardware we need in the house on a regular basis. I used the second big junk drawer for place mats. The ones that I use on the table. Not in the frig.

Now to keep everything neat, clean and not past its expiration date.

Would love to have you share pics of your kitchen, pantry, spice rack/drawer. Won’t you join us? You can link up below or share pics on social media using #TBBWhatsInMy.

Hope you will hop over to the blogs of my friends Katie at The Mishaps and Mayhem of a Solitary Life , Sheila at Making the Most of Every Day, to check out their kitchens. I’m heading over there, too. Follow me!

Hugs and kisses,

What I Wore Style Series: Wednesdays in September

09/04/16

Fashionistas,

Excuse me for interrupting your Sunday just a moment. I just want to take a sec real quick to introduce The Blended Blog’s September style series “What I Wore”. We will be linking up over at TBB on Wednesdays to show off the outfits that we put together and wore earlier in the week.

Now, this is my kind of challenge because anything goes. Give us your best pattern-mixing or great summer-to-fall transition pieces. Show us your statement necklaces and new booties. Bring on the mixed-media and monochromatic.

Whatever you’re wearing, we want to know. And see. So team up with us, Wednesdays in September for “What I Wore”. And be sure to tag your photos with #theblendedblogstyle on Instagram and Twitter.

Can’t wait to see what you gals put together.

Feel free to return now to your regularly scheduled Sunday activities.

Hugs and kisses,

My Summer Book Shelf, 8.2016

09/02/16

Dear Readers,

Thanks for joining us for the final edition of “My Summer Book Shelf”. While summer may be coming to an end, I think the gals and I will probably continue reading. Probably right through autumn and very possibly on into winter. And we will probably continue sharing what we read right here with you. We might have to come up with a different name though. Maybe something catchy like “My Fall Book Shelf”? Like that?

Moving right along…I have a revelation to share before I talk about the books that I didn’t read this month. Quick, gather ’round. Ready for this? I think I have figured out why I read so slowly. And I figured it out by reading. See this little guy?

[source]

This, my friends, is a tick. But you probably knew that. Looking at this photo it is easy to see where the expression ‘full as a tick’ originated. Can you say over-eater?

What does that have to do with the reason why I am a slow reader? Kind of a round-about story. In August 1998, I found a tick in my head on the drive back to El Paso from Tennessee. It was the middle of the night, we were in the car and I felt a lump in my hair. I couldn’t tell what it was, so we turned on the car light and my daughter Lauren plucked an inflated tick from my head. We rolled down the window and tossed it to the winds and didn’t think about it again. Until three or four days later, when I started feeling sick. Like the flu on steroids.

After several doctors appointments and no relief, I remembered the tick. I was tested for Lyme and tested negative for recent contraction but “suggestive of infection at some undetermined time or maybe indicative of past infection or early current response to infection”.

I was treated with a month-long course of oral antibiotics and still felt miserable. So I was referred to an infectious disease specialist. Dr. Lam determined that I had all of the symptoms of Lyme but it was as if I had contracted the infection some time earlier. And then I remembered a trip to Colorado with my family in 1991.

I was so sick on the last day of the trip that my parents drove my car from Colorado to Albuquerque and my then boyfriend (I was divorced!) flew up to ABQ to drive the girls and me home to El Paso. I think that’s when I contracted the disease but it went untreated until seven years later when we discovered the tick in my head.

So, that brings me back to the purpose of this post. I haven’t completely lost track. My sister, Valerie, recently watched an interview with a doctor who contracted Lyme disease that went untreated for years. He has written a book…I know, finally getting to the books…about his experiences with Lyme. And guess what I am reading?

[source]

Gone in a Heartbeat: A Physician’s Search for True Healing is written by Dr. Neil Spector. This oncologist-turned-author contracted Lyme disease that went undiagnosed for years while his body became increasingly more debilitated. Spector lived for years with ten percent heart function due to untreated Lyme until he received the heart transplant that restored his life.

This book resonates with me because of the diagnosis Spector and I have in common. But it is an uplifting, inspirational read for anyone struggling with a chronic health condition. Spector encourages readers to take charge of their health or lack of. To ask questions, to trust their instincts when something tells them things are ‘not quite right’ with their body, their health.

As a medical professional Dr. Spector was not a particularly religious man. It wasn’t until he realized that a heart transplant was the only hope for saving his life, that the doctor surrendered his health and life to a Higher Power.

And that is as far as I have gotten in the book. Page 188. Out of 254 pages. The end of chapter 33, which happens to be my favorite number (totally off subject). I do know that Dr. Spector survives the surgery and his health is restored because I found this video of his interview on Fox News.

But I am reading as quickly as I can to discover how the doctor’s Lyme disease was treated. I was given a fourteen day intravenous course of doxycycline, the drug of choice for treating Lyme infection. And the same drug Dr. Spector was given for a mysterious bout of arthritis he had before being diagnosed with Lyme. Once the damage is done by years of undiagnosed infection it is not easily reversed or remedied.

And that brings me back to the books I didn’t read this month. I didn’t read them because I am a slow reader. And I am a slow reader who has trouble staying focused, difficulty concentrating and absorbing information. Symptoms of this disease identified by Dr. Joseph Burrascano, a pioneer in treating chronic Lyme. [source] These symptoms don’t trouble me all the time but mostly when I have a Lyme disease flare up, which tend to occur about this time every year. My flare-ups can be almost unnoticeable some years – I am naturally a little ADD – but this year, I seem to be having a number of symptoms.

All of this to say, I recommend Gone in a Heartbeat for anyone dealing with a chronic health condition. It will give those readers hope.

As for the other books I had hoped to read this month…

slow and steady wins the race. Hopefully, I can report back to you on these next month.

I am thankful that my sister heard Dr. Spector’s interview and shared the title of his book with me. I am grateful to be reminded of my diagnosis as I have developed several health issues out of the clear blue that may be attributed to Lyme. Apparently, the good doctor and I are in good company. Check out this list of celebrities who have been diagnosed with Lyme. Some of them are well-know authors. I want to be an author. Maybe something good can come of this.

Here I am holding my jumbo bundle of health records and the folders I have for each specialist.

Just so you know, I am looking into listening to books to speed up the process of reading. I hope I can surprise you next month by the number of books I have to share with you.

Was this a summer of reading for you? If so, won’t you share the books you enjoyed in a comment below? Then be sure to run by the blogs of Sheila at Making the Most of Every Day, Michael Ann at Out and Back, Christy at r Squared, Katie at The Mishaps and Mayhem of a Solitary Life and Joy at Quilty Joy Joy.

Thank you for “listening” to my long-winded book review? Enjoy a restful, re-energizing long weekend. Please come back to see me again soon.

Hugs and kisses,