What I've Been Up To

It's been a couple of weeks since I last posted, busy and productive weeks.  Let's see if I can remember what all I've been up to.

I'm on an organizing kick.  Spring cleaning so to speak, except in the summer.  I've been getting rid of clutter and putting things in order.  I hate clutter; I avoid having things I don't need or having things in the wrong places.  But with work and home and church and everything in between, things have fallen to the wayside and been pushed back on the priority list, until one day I looked and said, "Enough is enough!!"  It started in my bedroom closet.  I'd bought some clothes and was having trouble fitting it all into my closet.  It was starting to look messy and out of control.  One day I decided to go through my clothes and pull out anything that could be donated so that my closet wouldn't feel so cramped.  That was all that was needed to get me motivated.  I not only got a donation pile going, I organized all my clothes, shoes and purses.  I decided to take any "winter" clothes out (winter clothes in South Florida means a few long sleeve shirts) which meant I had to organize some of my dresser drawers to fit them in.  When I was done I felt like a load had been lifted off my shoulders (when in fact it had been lifted out of my closet).  There's actually room to move in my closet now, and I can see the floor again!  It got my adrenaline pumping for more.

This week it's been the kitchen.  I reorganized the pantry: there are bins to put bagged items in, canisters for snacks, pastas, flours and cereals.  The slow cookers were moved to the storage cabinet in the garage to make room for food containers.

The shelves outside the pantry were organized as well.  To make it easier for us to find things, I labeled everything with chalk labels so that the information can be changed at any time.  Now we can easily see where everything is without having to move everything or having five items fall on the floor trying to reach for one item.

Today I emptied out several kitchen cabinets, then put things away so as to make the kitchen flow better.  I moved all my spices to the cabinet on the left of the stove.  This was where I used to keep my spices originally, until we remodeled the kitchen and J insisted that cabinet should have a glass door.  I didn't want to keep my spices there anymore, because I was concerned it would look messy, so I put glassware there and put my spices in the cabinet on the right of the stove.  Problem is, I was using the left side cabinet as more of a display cabinet, which ultimately meant my cabinet space was reduced.  I'd already lost cabinet space when J decided that one of my cabinets should be converted into a trash bin (why do people who never cook or spend more than 2 minutes in a kitchen think they know better than the folks who actually use the kitchen?).  My kitchen was so cramped.  I had to move so many things around just to get my spices out because of the way the cabinets were made; the right side cabinets are corner cabinets, but they were not built as corner cabinets.

The cabinet on the left goes all the way back to the wall, but the one on the right has no access to that space, so if I need something from the back of the cabinet I have to empty the entire shelf to reach it.  Many of my spices ended up back there; cooking became a hassle of moving things in and out of the cabinet, creating more of a mess.  As you can see, I took the spices out of the cabinet and put canned goods there instead.  I had some of my canned goods in my kitchen and some in the storage cabinet in the garage; again, every time I needed something I had to go out of my way to find it instead of having it nearby.  I decided to put my glasses, mugs, and all our drinking cups in the cabinet above the sink.  I've ordered a 3-tier spice shelf/rack for my spices from Amazon.  It's bamboo so it'll match the color of my cabinets, and it'll keep my spices neat so I won't worry about what my cabinet looks like.  I'll have to remember to take a picture once I've got it all done.

I also cleaned out my refrigerator and freezer.  It's amazing how many things are hidden in the back of the fridge - items that have expired but we've forgotten they're there.  I found some file folder holders at Target for $3 that work perfectly for holding onions and potatoes.  I have to keep these in the fridge because, with our heat and humidity, they would go bad in no time.  This works much better and keeps them longer.

Speaking of heat and humidity, I don't know about the rest of the country but it is H-O-T in Florida!  Granted, it isn't as hot as it was last year, but it's still sweltering, especially in the afternoons right before the thunderstorms start.  We are in the rainy season now, getting hammered with rain every afternoon for about a half hour.  I cut the grass and it grows back in no time.  Allergies are on the rampage thanks to this weather.  My boys are especially susceptible; they are sneezing all the time, and while R has the itchy, watery eyes, E has eczema.  E has an appointment to see the allergist for testing on August 3rd.  He has to be off all allergy medicines for five days before he can be tested.  I'm not looking forward to that - he's gonna be miserable.

My daughter has been busy with work and school.  She is taking online courses to get certified in pastoral counseling.  Nothing like having a child who can tell you everything that's wrong with you :P.  Actually, she's learning a lot and has a strong desire to help teenagers and young people.  Her dream is to work with the A21 Campaign, an organization that helps victims of human trafficking.  I pray God would use her to help many suffering people to know they can have hope in Christ.

Of course, I did some shopping for beauty products during Bare Escentuals' Beauty Rush sale.  I actually wasn't going to get anything, and I didn't even place my order until late that night because I kept debating whether to place an order, but ultimately I got a Complexion Superstars set containing two mineral veils (one loose and one compact), a bronzer called The High Dive which is in a compact, a gorgeous highlighter called Bare Radiance, and a blush that I've been wanting for a long time called Vintage Peach.  I like peach colors more than pinks on me, and this one is a soft peachy tone that is very feminine.  It also has a blush brush.  All for $21 - just the blush retails for $18.  I also got a brush set that contains 5 brushes (2 face and 3 eye) and a gold-toned case for $18 (original price was $49). I decided to get these because we are going to Disney World in September and I wanted makeup that would be easy to bring along.  A lot of the Bare Minerals products are loose powders which makes them a little tricky to travel with, though I still plan on taking a few items.

Those have been the highlights of the past couple of weeks.  I'm going to continue focusing on organizing and purging.  I know, I've got to blog about it!  I'll keep it in mind ;).  Have a blessed rest of your weekend.

Week...No, Wait, Month In Review

I've stayed away from my blog all this month, not by choice but by life.  It seems the minute I sit down something needs to get done, someone needs to talk, I remember something I was supposed to do...it's a never-ending cycle.

Let's get a quick recap of what's happened in May.  For one thing, my son E is almost finished with school.  He has taken 3 of his 6 finals and passed each one.  He ended up with an A in algebra (92%), an A in leadership (98%), and an A in music history (96%).  All his work has been turned in, and now he has to take his Hope, English, and Science finals so he can be done.  We are both looking forward to being done, though I suppose he's looking forward to it more.

The church where my daughter works has finally moved into their new building, which has been under construction for the past year.  There were issues these past couple of months, including a break-in to the construction site in which materials and tools were stolen.  Inspections were probably the biggest delay; they never happen when they're supposed to.  Still, God came through as He always does, and this Sunday is the grand opening celebration.  There was a soft opening last Sunday, and I was excited to go because my daughter was singing!  She has sung before, but only for children's and youth ministries.  This time she was on main stage, and yes, mama was proud!  She is also blessed to be singing tomorrow for the grand opening, which mama will not miss!

Molly is doing so much better.  It's hard to believe she is suffering from cancer; honestly, she doesn't appear to be suffering at all.  She still has a bit of a limp, though not as pronounced as it was before the surgery.  She has recovered from the surgery remarkably well.  Our Molly is acting like a puppy once again.  We hope it will last.

As for my oldest son, I don't see him much.  He's been working quite a few hours, covering for people who are out.  When he's home he's on his computer or playing a video game.  Otherwise, he's out with his friends.

I enjoyed my very simple, very quiet Mother's day, though my oldest son was gone the whole day (he forgot what day it was.  Mama was not happy).  My daughter cooked for me - shrimp and steak sandwiches, absolutely delicious!  My gift from my kids was, what else, makeup!  I got some eye makeup and a really nice brush from Bare Minerals.  My cousin came over with her 3 kids and they brought me flowers.  She isn't technically my cousin; she's J's cousin, but I've known her since she was a toddler, and I babysat her for years.  When she was older she babysat my kids, so they're like siblings more than cousins.  It was sweet of them to bring me flowers and spend some time with me.

For Mother's day I wore a beautiful dress that I got from New York and Company.  The dress is black lace, but unlike most lace dresses that have a white underlay, this one has a two-toned pink underlay.  It has stripes in light and bright pink, and the way it comes through the lace makes the dress so unique, I've gotten multiple compliments!  I felt really pretty in the dress too, which is what every woman wants.

I got a few items from that trip to NY&Co, since I had City Cash and a coupon.  I got several tops and a cardigan - I wear cardigans a lot at work.  They look professional without being heavy, which is good because it has been H-O-T here in South Florida!  Thankfully it hasn't been very humid, though we have had some rainy days, but the temps are already in the upper 80's and low 90's.  I can't imagine what our summer will be like if our spring is so hot.

I also took advantage of a Bare Minerals Beauty Rush sale and got some skincare at a super discounted price.  Cleanser, eye cream, and two anti-aging creams for $39.  Just the wrinkle repair cream is normally $50, so I got a really nice deal!  I also got some mini lip sticks and lip glosses.  All in all a nice stash of makeup.  I had to get myself another organizer because it was getting a bit out of hand - there was makeup piling up and makeup bags filling up, and I can't stand a mess.  It all looks much neater now, and my makeup is more accessible.

That's gonna be it for now.  There's plenty more I can add but laundry needs to get folded, my bed needs to get made, and my daughter wants to go to the mall later on.  Not to mention that J is coming to pick up E in a little while and I'm hoping to get some studying done before that.  Yes, plenty to do, but thankful God gives me the energy to do it!  Have a blessed weekend.

Tackling Tuesdays

As much as you want to plan your life, 

it has a way of surprising you with unexpected things

that will make you happier

than you originally planned.

That's what you call God's Will.

I'm still deciding if today's surprise is God's will or not.  If it's one of those unexpected blessings that you didn't even know you wanted or needed, but you have to trust God that it's perfect for this moment.

Back in 2008 the company I'd worked for for close to 12 years went bankrupt.  This was more than just a job; the people there were like my family.  Some of the folks had worked there since I'd been there, some for much longer, others had come and gone, but the finality was strange.  Not unexpected, at least not for me.  As the purchasing manager, I worked directly with accounts payable and knew the bills weren't being paid.  It was very sad to see a company that had been around since the early 60's go under the way it did, but it was happening to many businesses at the time.  As the warning signs grew clearer, I'd prepared myself for the worst and updated my resume.  I sent it out to every company, every ad that was in the newspaper, in Career Builder, Monster, anywhere and everywhere.  There was nothing.  Companies were getting hundreds of applications for each job they posted.  The competition was fierce, and even though I had experience and a great record, there simply weren't enough jobs to go around.  I was at peace, though.  I felt God acknowledge that I would be home with my family until He said otherwise, and that's what I've done.  It's been an exercise in faith, and I'm thankful to say that He has never let us go hungry, nor has He allowed us to get into debt, or lose our home, or go without electricity, or water, or anything else.  God has taken care of us and seen us through every difficulty we've faced.  I have seen His Hand in our lives and I'm extremely grateful for it.

I haven't looked for work since that time.  I've been a stay-at-home mom, caring for my kids and my home.  Even when my marriage crumbled, I felt that God wanted me here and would make sure I had everything I needed.  So when I got the call yesterday from my friend MM, and my daughter told me it looked like they were going to offer me a job, I was skeptical.  It wasn't expected.  I hadn't asked God for it.  But I was willing to go and see what it was all about.

My daughter was right.  My friends JM and MM offered me a job.  As a matter of fact, JM made it clear this wasn't an interview, it was an offer.  I would be working part-time, from 3:00 to 8:15 pm Monday - Thursday.  When I mentioned that Wednesdays is my Awana night at church, they said no problem, they'd be willing to accommodate me.  And I have to admit, it appears to be perfect.  Too good to be true.  I would be able to continue homeschooling my son, and since it's a tutoring school, my son would receive free tutoring if he needed it.  I would have Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays off, along with any school holidays.  The pay wouldn't be much, but it would be a little extra income coming in for extras and emergencies.  Plus, it's 10 minutes from the house on heavy traffic days.  I wouldn't be spending a lot of time stuck in traffic or a lot of money on gas.  

It sounds like a dream come true, doesn't it?  Only I wasn't dreaming about this.  It truly came out of the blue.  So my answer to them was, I need to pray about it.  I have to ask God if this is right.  And they not only understood but encouraged me to pray and speak to my family about it.  I told them I'd give them an answer on Friday, so for the next few days I will be praying.  A lot.  And asking anyone and everyone to pray alongside me.  I want clarity, and I want peace.  I'm trusting God to give me both.

What else happened today?  Oh yeah, Beauty Rush!!!  I was so excited, because I'd read somewhere that Bare Minerals has their Beauty Rush sales on the third Friday of the month, so I was expecting the next one to be on the 20th.  But here it was, a whole 10 days earlier!  I didn't want to spend a lot of money, though.  I have so much stuff as it is, that adding to my makeup collection seems frivolous.  But I decided to check it out anyway.  My main intention was to look for skincare; lotions, creams, cleansers, treatments, that sort of thing.  I didn't find any that caught my attention, but another thing did:  an eye shadow palette that I've wanted ever since I first saw it.  It's called the Ready Convertible Palette, and it comes with 12 eye shadow shades.  The palette is unique in that the eye shadows pop out and can be put in the center which is detachable, making it compact and portable.  The colors range from browns to greens to purples, all colors I love.  The problem was the price: $49.  It came out just before Christmas, and I'd already spent a lot of money on makeup and presents for myself and my daughter.  I couldn't justify getting this expensive eye palette as well, so I passed on it.  Last month I saw it on sale for $25, and I thought about getting it, but there were other things I needed to get first.  By the time I went back to check on it, it had sold out.  I was bummed, because I'd gotten a $10 off coupon from Bare Minerals and had hoped to use it to get this palette.  I figured I'd save the coupon for something else that I would want or need.  Well, last week the palette was back on the website on sale for $25.  I suspect they got returns in from the stores and wanted to get rid of them.  I thought about getting it with the $10 off; that would make it $15, a real deal.  That was a few days ago.  Today the palette was on Beauty Rush for $18.  $18 dollars ya'll!!!  I snatched it up in a heartbeat.  I thought about getting some eyeliner pencils as well, but honestly, I didn't need them.  I took the eye shadow palette, used my $10 off coupon, and with tax and shipping paid $12.80 for it.  From the original price to just under $13.  Now that's what I call a blessing from above!

That's my Tuesday.  It's been quite a day!  School went well, Beauty Rush went very well, but nothing tops the unexpected surprise of a job offer.  It's time for bed now; I've got some praying to do!  Good night ya'll.

TGIF Ya'll!

This day started off a little earlier than the past few days.  It wasn't because of me purposing to start my day early, though.  My daughter slept over at a friend's house because she's dog sitting for them, but she forgot to turn off her iHome alarm.  All of a sudden, at 6am, I was awaken by a loud buzzing sound.  Interestingly, it never wakes up the boys :P.  I went back to bed after turning it off only because it was so dark out I thought I could get another hour of shut-eye.  No such luck.

I grabbed my phone and looked at my emails, the weather (63 degrees this morning, woot!), then I went on the Bare Minerals website to see if there was anything interesting going on.  There was: Beauty Rush!!!  If I wasn't awake before, I sure was fully awake after that.  I had my prayer time, then got up and started getting ready for my day.  I knew I had to go grocery shopping, but I also knew I wanted to be home by noon.  Beauty Rush starts at 9am Pacific time, and I know that, once it starts, it gets bombarded.  I also wanted to try some of the new makeup I'd gotten yesterday, so I was gonna have to get a move on.  I had a bowl of cereal and coffee for breakfast, then started getting ready.  I used the new Stroke of Light brightener first.  Note to self: a little goes a long way.  It really did brighten up my eyes, but I think I went a little overboard.  Three dots should be sufficient.  I was able to blend it out, though, and it took a few years off, I'm not even joking.  That stuff is great!  Then I tried the Matte foundation by Bare Minerals.  I got a nice size sample of it, in the same shade as my Original foundation, and I was curious to see if it was gonna be any different.  Honestly, I didn't notice.  I needed more of the Matte to cover the redness on my cheeks than I use of the Original, but as for the actual look, I couldn't see where it looked more matte.  It still looked great, and I've noticed as the day progressed that I had less shininess come through on my forehead, so that part was nice.  Overall I think it's a good alternative, especially on days when my face seems oilier.  I did my eye makeup, then I tried the Too Faced Chocolate Soleil bronzer.  What I like most about this bronzer is the scent - it smells like chocolate!  Oh, it is scrumptious smelling!!  As far as the look of the bronzer, I do like it.  It's similar to Bare Mineral's The Skinny Dip except that it's matte.  It's a good color for me, not too dark, and again, anything that smells that good on my face is a keeper.  Next was the mascara.  I put it on more carefully today, and it didn't transfer.  More importantly, it didn't cause my eyes to itch.  That has been my problem with mascara for years: they cause my lashes to itch, and then the lashes start to fall out.  I would rarely put mascara on for that reason.  The only mascara that didn't bother me was Bare Minerals Flawless Definition, and I love it for that reason.  I can now say that Too Faced Better Than Sex mascara also makes my lashes look long and full without causing any itchy reactions.  Still don't like the name, though.  Lastly, I put on the liquid lipstick again, a bit heavier this time.  The color, Peony, is a very bright pink when first applied, but it dries matte.  My first issue with it, was that it settled into all the lines in my lips.  It made my lips look wrinkly.  Once it dried it didn't look as bad, but it was really dry.  I didn't put on any lip gloss because I wanted to see how it felt and how long it lasted, but I've determined this lipstick cannot be worn without lip gloss.  It is too drying on the lips.  The lasting power is great, though.  Once it was on it wasn't budging.  I just didn't care for the feel of it. 

I finished putting on my makeup and getting dressed, then I checked the time.  It was already 10:00 and I hadn't left the house yet!  I put on a yellow tank top under a yellow jacket that a co-worker of mine gave me years ago but I rarely wear because it's too hot out.  Today was gonna be in the 60's so I figured I would take advantage and wear this bright pretty jacket.  I was in the bathroom finishing getting ready, with my daughter chatting away.  I got some hand cream and was rubbing it on my hands when suddenly...POP!  I popped the burn blister.  The big one.  Since it didn't hurt I'd forgotten all about it, and I rubbed a bit too hard.  The nasty part was, it was full of fluid, which went all on my jacket.  The fluid was clear, which is good because that means the burn isn't infected, but I wasn't about to wear a jacket with burn ooze on it.  I had to quickly change and get a bandage on the burn, because of course now it was starting to hurt.  I finally got out of the house at 10:15.

I had already figured out my budget in my head.  To stay at the $300 mark, after having spent $122 at Winn-Dixie and calculating that I needed to spend about $91 at Costco, I made it my goal to stay at or around $87 at Walmart.  Mostly what I needed to get were staples: potatoes, carrots, onions, breakfast foods, milk, that sort of thing.  I did my best to stick to my list, and after giving the cashier my $3 off coupon for my hair colorant (yep, time to color my hair again), the total came to $88.06.  I was so happy with myself!  I then headed to Costco, again keeping in mind that I wanted to stay at or around $91.  I was super happy to see that bacon had gone down in price; the last time I'd bought bacon the 4 lb. box cost me $20.  This time the price was $14.  I'd got almost everything, and was on my way to pick up the last item on my list, when I spotted my kid's great uncle.  He's a very nice gentleman, but he's a bit of a gossip.  After having attended grandma Maria's funeral and the family pretty much ignoring me, and their dad not calling E for over a week and a half, I didn't want to have to answer any questions.  I turned around and went straight to check out.  Because of that, I was able to keep my bill to $71, so I was able to save $20.  I figured, God wanted me to keep that extra money for Beauty Rush ;-).

I got home at 12:15, and my daughter was already loading up her cart with goodies.  All I was interested in was skincare.  There were some skincare sets I was hoping would be on Beauty Rush so I could get a good deal on them.  Sure enough, I scored a full size facial cleanser, full size moisturizer and full size eye cream, all for only $28.  Just the eye cream alone sells for $32, so that price was wonderful!  I couldn't resist a beautiful set my daughter pointed out to me called Day and Play - 6 products for $18.  I tried to add them to my cart, but I kept running into transmission problems.  Ugh!  I thought it was my computer, because my daughter was on her Mac and she had no issues.  I tried logging in on her iPad but it wasn't cooperating either, so I went on my phone.  That worked fine, and boy was I glad!  There were two other sets I'd seen that I really wanted - Touch of Sun and Bare Guide To Color Warm, both neutral kits and both under $20.  My daughter decided she only wanted the Day and Play set, so I added it onto my order, that way she wouldn't have to pay shipping.  I'm glad I was finally able to get my order in, because shortly afterwards they ran out of the skincare set.  I would have cried if I'd missed that deal!  Later on I read on Bare Escentual's Facebook page that lots of people were having problems with the website crashing, so it wasn't my computer after all.  I guess I'm not the only one who thinks Beauty Rush is amazing!

By the time I'd finished placing my order and putting away the groceries, it was past lunchtime and I hadn't made anything.  What's more, E had two finals to work on and he hadn't started either one.  I put some Tyson chicken and fries in the oven (staples in my house) and got to work organizing his science notes for studying.  He asked me how many questions were on the science final, so I went to check.  I realized then that there were two exams he had to do: his unit test AND his final exam.  I thought the poor kid was gonna pass out!  We ate lunch, then sat down to study and review everything.  That took an hour.  I decided that, rather than have him get overwhelmed, he could take the unit test today and the final tomorrow.  He still had to finish part 3 of his algebra exam which was shorter, so that way he'd do two exams today and finish the semester tomorrow, hopefully more relaxed.  He went ahead and did the science exam, and to his surprise he got an 88%.  There are still 3 essay questions the teacher has to grade, so that isn't his final grade, but it's good so far.  His algebra teacher emailed him today - the question he'd gotten marked wrong was actually right.  She corrected the score, but he still ended up with a 75% on part 2 of the test.  I'm really hoping he gets 100% on part 3.  I had my son R double check his work, and R found a mistake.  He made his brother go back and review.  It was something so simple: a greater than sign where there should have been a less than sign.  If he gets a perfect score he'll end up with an 82% on his final; not the A he wanted but a B is still a very good grade.  

I'm hearing the kids in the park - it's 9:00 at night, which means there's a soccer game going on.  I think it's time for me to shower and get ready for bed.  Good night folks.  God bless. 

Monday Musings

It's the day after my birthday, and life is back to normal.  Yesterday I was a celebrity, today I'm just an ordinary mom.  Fame is so fleeting...

After eating out yesterday my stomach needed to get back to normal, too.  We don't eat out very much; Little Caesar's pizza is about the only thing we ever have, and that's maybe once a month.  Our digestive systems don't do well eating restaurant food (well, except for R.  That boy could eat rock soup and be just fine).  For breakfast I had cereal and toast along with my morning coffee.  My son E had an upset stomach last night, and today he was still not completely himself.  He ate quite a few chicken wings and drank a whole lotta Coke.  Ramen noodle soup is the remedy for that in my house; that, and a little bicarb.  My daughter was also complaining that she didn't feel well, and since they were the ones eating the chicken wings I have to suspect it was that.  We've had Buffalo Wild Wings before and been okay.  It may just be the amount they had - probably 10 wings apiece.  Lesson learned.

As I sat down to breakfast I went on the Bare Minerals website to see what was going on (my daughter says I'm obsessed).  It's a good thing I did - Beauty Rush!!!  I've explained this before, but:  Beauty Rush is when Bare Escentuals needs to clear their inventory, so they put all kinds of stuff at 50% - 70% off the regular price, and with many items this is the last chance to get them.  Beauty Rush is never pre-announced - they simply put it on their website the day of.  My daughter had already left for work when I realized Beauty Rush was going on today so I quickly texted her.  The sale started at 9 am PT (Bare Escentuals is in the San Francisco area) so I told her to be ready at noon.  No sooner had the clock chimed 12, we were on the site and texting back and forth!  We decided to combine our orders, since $50 is needed to get free shipping, and they were offering a free gift for orders over $65.  We both had just enough for free shipping but not the free gift; by combining our orders we got both.  I ordered a kit called Weekend Getaway, which includes a really nice rose gold train case, a well-rested eyeliner in Nude, a rich brown eyeliner, a plum brown lipliner, 2 lip glosses, a brightening mineral veil (which is a face powder with some highlight), all for $28. I also got the Bronze Affair Kit which is a bronzer/highlighter compact with brush for $12, a lip palette for $10, and my daughter and I each got the Natural Light Face Lifting Duo for $8 (regular price is $19!).  My daughter also got the Addicted to Peach collection for $25 - good thing she ordered early, since they actually ran out shortly after.  She also ordered an eyeshadow kit for $8 and a lip palette for $10.  We were trying not to go overboard but it was hard!!  Such great deals are hard to pass up.

School was pretty good today.  My son had 4 assignments to get done; two for today and two that are due by Wednesday.  He finished 3 of the 4 before laying down for a bit; his head was hurting because his stomach was still feeling queasy.  I figured he'd done pretty well under the circumstances so I didn't give him a hard time.

I had laundry to put away today - 5 baskets of laundry to be exact.  At 4:30 I went out and started picking up the branches and coconuts that had fallen from the trees in our backyard, and as I rolled the trash can to the curb I looked at my house with the backwards lights.  It's 10 days till Christmas and I hadn't been able to turn on my Christmas lights because I hadn't set them right.  I had to take care of that today, or I knew I'd never get it done.  My older kids were both at work, so it was me and my headachy son, but since he only had to hold the ladder steady (and call 911 if I fell off), I went to work righting the wrong.  I'm pleased to announce that we now have Christmas lights that are lit!  Now there's a feeling of satisfaction!

I hadn't heard from Ulta on my order placed a week ago, so I gave them a call.  They usually ship on time, so I knew it had to do with the Christmas rush, but I also wanted to be sure it would ship and arrive before Christmas.  My kids want to give their dad his gift on the right day.  They assured me that I should have a tracking number within the next couple of days, and that if the order does ship late they will expedite shipping at no extra charge.  Now that's good customer service!  I only have this order and one Amazon order that ships on Friday, and all my Christmas items will be under the tree.  It has taken longer this year because of shipping.  I usually have all my shopping done and all packages under the tree by mid-December.  

While my son took a break from school to rest, I went to see how much stuff was left from the Beauty Rush sale.  What I didn't know was that, as items run out, new items are put up.  There was stuff I hadn't seen before, that if I'd have known they were gonna have them I would have waited!  Order number 2 started to form as soon as I realized they had skin care products on Beauty Rush!  I found a 3 piece kit called Radiant and Glowing, which contains an eye serum, neck cream and toner wipes, all for $24.  These items all cost over $34 each on their own!  And they're full sized!  I also found a kit called Face Fashion, with 2 eyeshadows, blush, mascara and lip gloss, all for $12!!  I knew that wasn't there before because I'd have snatched it up in a hurry!  Add to that the Complexion Superstars kit, with 2 different mineral veils, blush, bronzer and highlighter, plus a brush, for $22.  Just one of the mineral veils costs that much!  Oh, how I love a sale!

I'm finishing up this post on my cellphone. For some unknown reason, my computer decided it didn't want to work anymore and went black. I shut it down 4 times. It came back up but could not find the internet. It was trying to find broadband. ?? We haven't had broadband in years. It also changed the date on the computer to 9/1/2007. My son E says it probably went to a past save or something. My son R is still at work; he's my computer genius. I'll have to wait till tomorrow to get that taken care of. It's pretty urgent - that's the computer with all my son's schoolwork. Never a dull moment is what I say. Well, goodnight y'all.