Product Review: Brow Gels

I like my eyebrows.

Back in the 80's it was popular to wear eyebrows really thin.  Like, pencil thin.  Girls would pluck their eyebrows until there was nothing but a skinny line, leaving lots of room for colorful and bright eyeshadows that reached up to the hairline (okay, not that high, but pretty high).  I plucked my eyebrows but never to that extreme.  I was so afraid of messing up my brows and having to draw them in, which also scared me because, what if I accidentally rubbed my eyes and the pencil smeared?!  I was too much of a self-conscious coward to let that happen.  Hence, my brows were always groomed but on the bushy-er side.

Come to find out now, it was a good thing I didn't over-pluck!  Brows tend to thin out as we get older (like the hair on our heads), and women who over-plucked their brows are finding that the hairs don't grow back.  To make matters worse, thicker brows are what's in vogue now, so those pencil thin brows are dated and (ugh!) aging.  My brows are thinner than they were back in the day, but they are definitely not a barely-there line over my eyes.  They have a nice shape, and since they are mostly dark they don't look thin.

I say "mostly dark" because my brows are starting to rebel and turn white.  That is not cool.  At first there was one.  Then two.  When I found three white eyebrows I knew I was gonna have to take action.

Dying my brows is not one of the options I considered.  I've read that, while there are women that dye their eyebrows and even salons that do this type of service, it's actually illegal.  These products are harsh - hence why the packaging on hair dyes says to test on a small patch before actually using the product - and I don't want to put harsh chemicals on my already sensitive face.  My alternative was going to have to be makeup - but what?

I didn't want a brow pomade.  It's not that I'm knocking brow pomades.  They're great for folks that have pencil thin brows, or nonexistent brows.  It just isn't what I need.  I wanted something that would cover my white brows (albeit it temporarily) while also keeping them tame.  Yeah, that's another thing I've found out about getting older.  Eyebrows misbehave.  They become unruly.  I needed a product that would make them stay in their place like good little brows.  Enter the brow gel.

Similar to mascara but for the brows, these gels can be transparent (for women who like the color of their brows) or colored (for those of us who don't).  They can be light for blondes, or dark for brunettes.  They even come in auburn or red, though in my opinion they don't look as natural.  This sounded like something that could work for me, so I was on the hunt.

Like all other makeup, there are drugstore brands of brow gels and there are high end brands (read: cheap vs. expensive).  Before I dished out $18-$25 on a tube of brow gel, I wanted to experiment with them and see how they worked.  I turned to YouTube tutorials for inspiration and a little education.  Anastasia of Beverly Hills was clearly the high end favorite, with her brow wiz, brow pencils, brow pomades and gels.  But her tinted brow gel costs $22.  The second popular option is by Benefit.  The product is called Gimme Brow, and it's marketed as a product that not only tints and sets brows in place, it makes them look thicker, which means less work for those of us who just want to make our brows look slightly fuller without having to draw them in.  The price on this product was a more moderate $18 - still higher than I wanted to pay just to test it out.  Off to Walmart I went to see what I could find.

Side note here: I absolutely HATE shopping for makeup at my local Walmart.  Folks think all the product is there for the testing, and all I ever find are packages that have been opened.  Why must people be so disgusting?  Recently our Walmart did some remodeling and the makeup section is kind of closed off in an attempt to keep people from stealing or opening packages they don't intend to buy.  It helps - if the person at the register is actually there, which isn't always the case.  Still, I had to go to Walmart for groceries anyway, so I checked out the Revlon section.  There I found their Brow Fantasy Pencil and Gel.

    This was the best of both worlds: a brow pencil AND a gel, for $6.99.  I could give it a try and see if I liked it without breaking the bank.  I snatched it up and used it as soon as I got home.

And I liked it!  The pencil is too fat, and needs to be sharpened regularly or else it draws too thick of a line.  The gel worked really well at taming and lightening my brows (I got the light brown gel).  I totally enjoyed it - for the six weeks it lasted.  Yes, the product is nice, but there's not a whole lot of it.  Again, that's the issue I have with a lot of drugstore brands.  They appear to be more economical, but in the end they cost more because they have to be replaced so much more often.

Since the pencil on my Brow Fantasy Pencil and Gel had barely been used, I decided to try a different brow gel, one that would only have the gel.  Maybelline has a Brow Drama Sculpting Brow Mascara that has gotten some attention, so I decided to give it a go.  I usually steer away from Maybelline products because I've had allergic reactions to it in the past, but products get reformulated everyday, so I figured I'd give it a try.

I used it once, and thought I would die.  The fragrance is so strong, and so long lasting, that it gave me a headache.  I could smell it on my face for hours!  And honestly, it didn't make my brows look any better.  I could still see the white hairs because it didn't color them at all.  I knew I would not be able to use this, so I quickly returned it to Walmart.

I was tempted to just order the Gimme Brow from Ulta - suck it up and dish out the $18 instead of putting myself through all this torture!  But I did see another review for a product that was touted as a dupe for the Benefit product, one by L'Oreal called the Brow Stylist Plumper Brow Gel Mascara (quite the mouthful, I know).  I was intrigued because none of the other products had been called a dupe for the Gimme Brow.  I decided I'd give it one more try with the drugstore brand, then I'd order the Gimme Brow.  At least I felt like I'd covered all my bases.

I got the Brow Plumper at Walmart for, I believe, $7.99.  Slightly more expensive than the other drugstore brands, but then L'Oreal usually is.  I also decided to get it in medium to dark, since my other options were light to medium and transparent.  I'm not a blonde, so I didn't want to go too light.  This product is a dream!  There is no fragrance, which is great for me.  It tints my brows but not harshly, so it doesn't look like my brows are jet black.  It goes on slightly wet but dries quickly, and those brows are set in place like cement!  They are not budging!  Yet it comes off easily with cleansing wipes or my facial cleanser.  I've been using it for about a month now and I'm loving how natural yet fuller my brows look.  I can use this on its own for a quick makeup look, or, if I want something more dramatic, I can use my Revlon pencil to shape and color in my brows, then use the Brow Plumper to finish off the look.

This past weekend my daughter and I took a little trip to Ulta to get some makeup for her (more on that in another post).  I decided to take a look at the Benefit Gimme Brow to see the wand and product, so I could compare it to the L'Oreal brow gel.  As soon as I opened the tube, I was glad I hadn't ordered it.  It has fragrance!  It wasn't even a pleasant fragrance as far as I was concerned.  I had my daughter smell it, and she immediately made a face.  Proof once more that what's popular isn't what's best, at least not for everyone.

So, the winner in the brow gel contest for me is, by far, L'Oreal Brow Stylist Plumper Brow Gel Mascara with its no fragrance, full coverage formula.  I'm so glad I did my homework because this one is going to be my go-to brow product from now on!  Do you have a favorite?  Let me know what you like/dislike in the brow product category!

Product Review: Complexion Rescue

Back in February I got Bare Mineral's new product, Complexion Rescue.  It's a combination of a BB cream, a CC cream, and a tinted moisturizer.  I had tried the sample that was sent to me and I liked the feel of it, so I decided it was worth purchasing.  I've been using it for over a month now, and while it took me awhile to figure out the best way to use it, I have to say it has quickly become a favorite in my makeup collection.

The first couple of times I tried using Complexion Rescue as a tinted moisturizer on its own, I wasn't thrilled with it.  It is very hydrating, which my dry skin loves, but it left my face looking very shiny.  It also felt tacky, which isn't a good thing when you're trying to put other stuff on, like bronzer or blush.  I began using it as a primer for the Bareskin foundation instead, and I really liked it for that.  It made my liquid foundation last longer, and I could use less of it because Complexion Rescue is tinted.  But it bothered me that I couldn't use it the way I'd originally intended.  I had bought Complexion Rescue so that I could use it on days when I didn't want to wear a face full of makeup, but I also didn't want to look like I'd just rolled out of bed.  Days like when I'm running errands or going to the grocery store.  I was upset that it didn't want to work that way.

What I didn't realize, was that I was treating the product like a foundation, which it isn't.  Complexion Rescue is marketed as "a tinted hydrating gel cream."  In other words, it's a tinted moisturizer with some added bonuses, but it's still a moisturizer.  I had to treat it like a moisturizer.  When I apply moisturizer after washing my face, I always wait 20-30 minutes before applying makeup.  This is because the moisturizer needs time to absorb into the skin.  If I tried to put makeup on immediately after putting on moisturizer, I'd have a sloppy, cakey mess.  For Complexion Rescue to work, I had to do the same thing.  Once I modified my routine, I began to see the results I'd been hoping for.

This is my makeup routine when I use Complexion Rescue:  Step one, I always cleanse and moisturize my face.  No artist would think to paint a beautiful painting on a dirty canvas!  Step two, moisturize.  If I'm going to be out and about, I use a moisturizer with SPF, like Olay Complete.  Step three, let the moisturizer set for at least 20 minutes.  A moisturizer with SPF could take even longer, but since my skin is normal to dry it tends to soak up the moisturizer pretty quick.  Step four, apply Complexion Rescue.  I've tried doing it with my fingers (ended up using too much), my perfecting face brush (okay but not the best), and ultimately with my Real Techniques buffing brush (winner!).  Step five (and this one is important), wait again for at least 20 minutes so the product can be absorbed.  This step made all the difference!  After 20 minutes, my skin didn't look shiny nor did it feel tacky.  I was able to finish up my makeup in just a few minutes.

The rest of my makeup routine is simple: I put on some powder concealer (I use Bare Minerals Summer Bisque), and finish it off with mineral veil, which is Bare Minerals' finishing powder.  I feel like this is key in helping Complexion Rescue last longer.  After that I can add bronzer, blush, eye makeup, whatever I feel like wearing that day.  Or I can add nothing at all.  It leaves my skin looking and feeling so fresh and youthful, that it can stand alone.

My thoughts on Complexion Rescue:

Pros:  If you have dry skin, this product will be your best friend.  It is so hydrating!  My skin is in love with Complexion Rescue.  It goes on very smoothly, and while it isn't anywhere near full coverage (I would say light to medium at most), it does a great job of hiding my pores, which is a definite plus!  It also lasts - I used it in the morning to go to a bible study class, then came home and cleaned the yard, mowed the grass, and scrubbed the patio floor and furniture.  When I went in to take my shower, I was shocked to see how well my makeup had held up!  I've never looked so pretty while doing yardwork!  It also kept my skin protected, thanks to the SPF of 30 that it contains.

Cons:  If you have oily skin, this product may not be for you.  If you have lots of blemishes or scarring, this product might not be for you.  And, it's pricey - $29 for 1.18 fl. oz.  I waited till I had some points from Ulta so I could get it at a cheaper price, which I'd recommend.

Would I buy Complexion Rescue again?  In a heartbeat!  It's a perfect addition to my makeup routine, one that is good for my skin and makes me feel oh so pretty.  What's not to love?

Wednesday's Post, A Day Late

It's funny how yesterday was such a hectic and busy day, yet there isn't all that much to write about.  Ever have a day like that?  Wednesday was my hectic quiet day.

It started off early with school, since E had 3 live lessons to do.  He had music first, so he did the reading for that before going to class.  He is currently studying the music of the Baroque period (and if it's not Baroque, don't fix it).  After that was science, with an assignment that he finished and turned in.  Then he had algebra class.  He hasn't done that assignment because a) he didn't fully understand it, and b) he didn't have enough time.  There was a Hope assignment he had to do (he got 100% on it) and an English assignment (another 100%).  His science teacher checked his portfolio and gave him 100% on that too.  So it was a busy but very productive school day.

I got my package from Ulta yesterday, and tried out the Complexion Rescue, but I have to honestly say I didn't pay much attention to it, other than the fact that my face felt very hydrated.  I had too much other stuff to focus on.  I couldn't spend much time looking at my face.

I made my turkey and quinoa chili which we love.  After lunch I showered and did my hair and makeup.  This is the second time I use the Pretty Wild kit from Bare Minerals on a Wednesday, and the second time I get complimented on my looks.  Obviously, this choice was a hit!

Awana was great.  The boys and girls had game time together, so they were pretty riled up, but my girls were focused on getting their work done.  One of my girls had me chuckling.  She is an overachiever in every sense - she's ahead of all the girls except one, who is tied with her in her book.  The assignment was to make at least 3 drawings of 3 separate times when she was afraid, and how God helped her through it.  She got one picture done, then said she couldn't think of any others because "she's never afraid of anything".  She claims she always knows what to do so she has no reason to be afraid.  While I applaud her bravery and positive outlook, I don't believe her for a minute.  So I said we'd ask Mom to help us.  She didn't think that was even necessary because Mom wouldn't be able to think of any times either.  I asked Mom anyways.  She gave me that, "Are you kidding me?" look and said, "Don't worry, I'm sure we'll remember some episodes before we get home."  I couldn't help but laugh at my new Merida (I told her we'd have to change her name because she's so Brave).  These girls give me life, I'm not even joking.  They make me smile from the inside out.

After that we came home, and I got ready for bed.  Here I was, in my jammies, and my oldest son comes home with his best friend.  I was not about to go out into the living area in my jammies, so I stayed in my room.  My computer was in the dining room, which is why this post had to wait till today.  And now today is gonna be another busy day, so let's see if I have a chance to report today's activities tonight!  Have a blessed day ya'll.

Thoughtful Thursday

God has given me much to think about, courtesy of our women's bible study.  The book of Daniel is fascinating, but hearing it taught by Beth Moore is just plain mind-blowing!  I still have goose bumps!

My day started off slow.  My son had no live lessons today, so he was taking it nice and slow.  I had a list of things I wanted to take care of, but my focus was elsewhere.  I've got a stye on the lower lash line of my left eye, and it is driving me nuts!  It itches, but when I touch it, it hurts.  It's not extremely swollen, and since I wear glasses it isn't very noticeable.  But I notice it, because I feel it constantly, and it's annoying!  I tore the house apart looking for the ointment I'd bought awhile back, but it was nowhere to be found.  I decided, since today is Thursday, and this week is grocery shopping week, I'd just take myself over to Winn-Dixie, check out the sales, and pick up some medicine for my eye.  So that's what I did.  Thankfully, I was able to find the ointment.  Sadly, the sales weren't as easily found.  I was hoping they'd have some good meat sales, but there was nothing.  I got a large package of ground beef, then went back for a smaller one so that we could have tacos for lunch.  I did buy a few things we needed, but I'll have to figure out the menu for the next two weeks based mostly on what's in the freezer now.  That was a bummer.

E worked on music, leadership, and algebra.  We went over the algebra lesson after he watched the last two videos.  He's studying statistics now, which can be tricky.  When the teacher had taught the lesson, he was totally confused, but after hearing the videos it seemed like he was understanding the material.  I guess I was wrong.  He got a 70% on his test.  It was especially upsetting because there were only 10 questions, and he got 3 of them wrong.  All three were on the difference between the mean and the median, so that's what we're gonna have to go over again.  I'm really glad that there's online tutoring available, so he can go to the tutoring session and ask about these examples.  The resources available to homeschoolers is greater than what was available to him in public school.

My son R put the computer tower together, but for some reason it's not working.  It's off the dining room table for now, but he's gonna take it apart again and try to put it back together, which means my space will be taken over again.  He's so frustrated, because he doesn't know what he's doing wrong.  His buddy is coming over tomorrow to help him out.  I'm betting it's something really minor that he missed.  It usually works out that way.

So after school I showered and got ready for bible study.  I put on a pair of khaki green jeans, thinking it would be cold out again like it's been the past few nights, but it wasn't that cold at all.  From the forecasts it looks like our temperatures will be going up and down the next few days.  I had to be really careful with my makeup so I didn't irritate my eye more than it already is.  The ointment is helping but it's still sensitive.  All the ladies who came were on time - a pretty unusual feat!  The study today was on Daniel chapter 3, where Daniel's three friends are thrown into the fiery furnace.  When Beth Moore started comparing being thrown into the fire with our trials, and how God sometimes will deliver us from it, sometimes He'll deliver us through it, and sometimes He'll deliver us to Himself, I had to put my jacket on.  I was shivering!  At first I thought I was cold, but then I realized it was the teaching that had me trembling!  I took plenty of notes for my study this week.  At the end all we could say was, "Wow!"  Every woman there was feeling the same way.  It was a powerful study, with plenty to meditate on during the week.

What else happened today?  Oh yes - I ordered the Complexion Rescue, and the shade I settled on was...natural.  As pretty as the tan looks, it's too dark.  Not by a whole lot, but even a little bit isn't going to look right if it doesn't match the rest of me.  I ordered from Ulta with my discount coupon and reward points, so that the $29 tube ended up costing me $21.62, tax included (shipping is free for this product).  I'm really looking forward to adding this to my collection.  I love the way it looks and feels, and for a "no makeup" makeup look, it's perfect.

Well, it's just about time for bed.  I'll be praying for my poor eye to feel better tomorrow.  Have a blessed evening, and pleasant dreams.  Good night.

Finally Friday

Fridays are usually filled with activity at our house.  Whether it's school, shopping, laundry, or cleaning, something is always going on.  But not today.  Today I may as well have filmed an episode of Veggie Tales because that's all I did all day.  I vegged.

I wasn't feeling well; not sick, just yucky.  My head was achy, my back hurt, and I felt nauseous all day.  No, I'm not pregnant.  Quite the opposite.  There's certain times of the month when a girl just doesn't want to do anything but sit around.  So that's what I did.

The kid's dad came over looking for his mail.  He had the nerve to ask why the kids hadn't approached his mother at the funeral.  The same man that ignored his children the whole time we were there, wanted to know why his kids hadn't gone over to his mother, who has basically ignored us for the past 3 1/2+ years.  I told him that, and said we weren't there to make a scene, just to honor his grandmother.  He quickly changed the subject, but it irritated me even more than I already was.

Thankfully, I have my Beth Moore bible study to lift my spirits.  I'm already on week 1 day 3 and I only just started the study yesterday.  I'm certain I'll be caught up by the time Thursday rolls around if I keep up this pace.  It shouldn't be too hard - this book is almost impossible to put down!

My friend IV was extremely excited today, because she found out what artist is going to be performing at the Dade County Youth Fair this year during Christian music night.  It's Brandon Heath!  We love us some Brandon Heath!  I loathe going into Miami (the traffic is exasperating) and I'm not a fan of the fair, but I will put up with it just to go see Brandon Heath.  It was some much needed good news for the day.

Another highlight of the day: I got a 20% off coupon from Ulta.  This is great, because it means I can buy the Bare Minerals Complexion Rescue with this coupon and the $3 off I have on my membership card.  A sample is supposed to be included with the eyeliner pencil order that shipped today from Bare Escentuals, and I am really excited to try it out!  I've used a tinted moisturizer sample that I got from Ulta and it works well under my foundation; Complexion Rescue is a tinted moisturizer, but it's also a BB and CC cream, and it's supposed to be hydrating.  All the things my skin is craving!

I put a nice piece of London broil in the crock pot with some onions, carrots, and beef broth.  This is set on low to cook overnight.  It takes anywhere from 10-12 hours to cook a roast in the crock pot.  The nice thing is, when we get up in the morning, the whole house smells delicious!  Heck, it's smelling wonderful already!

That's gonna be it for today.  Hoping for a better day tomorrow; trusting God for all my needs.  Good night ya'll.

Thoroughly Thursday

"One of the most important things we adults can do for young children is to model the kind of person we would like them to be."

Carol B. Hillman

My kids aren't young anymore.  My youngest is 15, a full-fledged teenager, and the other two are adults.  Still, I think it's important that I be the person I ask them to be.  Kids can spot a hypocritical parent a mile away.

I tell my kids that I'm a morning person, but this week I've been anything but.  It has been so hard getting out of bed in the morning!  I was going to bed at about the same time, and I couldn't figure out what the problem was, till this morning.  I actually woke up at 6:00, but it was so dark out I just rolled over and dozed off again.  The mornings have been dreary, cloudy and foggy.  Who wants to get out of bed on days like that?  No one.  At least not me.  I've been dragging myself out of bed at 8:00, then wishing I'd gotten up earlier.  Maybe tomorrow I'll make a bigger effort?  Maybe.

It was cooler out today; 63 degrees when I got up in the morning, and it's supposed to follow that trend the next few days.  Yippee!  Even though it was still kind of humid, it didn't feel nearly as bad thanks to the cooler temperatures.  As I went to the cupboards looking for what I was going to make for breakfast, I remembered that I have grocery shopping to do this week and I hadn't worked on the menu.  I hadn't worked on the menu because I had no clue what I was going to make.  I had no clue what I was going to make because I couldn't find any good sales in the circulars.  Since E didn't have any live lessons to attend today, I decided he could start school in the afternoon and I'd stop by Winn-Dixie and see meats what they had.  I like going to Winn-Dixie on Thursdays for meats.  Since it's almost the weekend, they need to stock up the freezers.  They don't want anything in there that has a sell date of that weekend, so they reduce the price of meats to about half just to get them sold.  I got to the meat section just as the butcher was stamping the new prices on.  I didn't want to hover around him too much (don't want to look like a stalker) so I checked around the store for some other items I needed: canned and frozen vegetables, canned beans, Gatorade, and canned tomatoes.  When I came back I had a field day.  I found one pound packages of ground turkey, buy one get one free.  They had the same deal for chicken tenders and chicken wings, so I was set with poultry.  Then I checked out the red meat.  I got a nice piece of London broil which I like to make in the crock pot with potatoes and carrots, reduced from $12.99 to $7.21.  There were also a couple of packages of steak, big thinly sliced steaks, at $3.95 and $4.81.  The last thing I picked up was a package of boneless pork chops, 10 chops for $5.92.  I spent a total of $122.33, and saved $73.28.  Now I can prepare my menu!  There are still staples I need to pick up at Walmart and Costco, but that'll be tomorrow's adventure.  I'm very satisfied with my grocery shopping trip today!

After getting all that food, what do you think I made for lunch?  Frozen pizza and breadsticks, LOL!  They were on sale as well, and my kids like them.  I ate, then kept repeating the food over, and over, and over again.  I finally had to take a couple of Tums to try and calm my stomach because the taste of the food was not better the second time around, believe me.  

After lunch I sat down with my son to go over every review class his algebra teacher posted.  We took a million notes on every example she did, pages and pages of notes, so that he would be ready to take part 2 of his test.  He felt ready; I felt he was ready.  He took the test and got a 72%.  There are still problems the teacher has to check, but I was floored.  I was sure he would get a way better grade.  I looked over the exam, and noticed one problem that he'd done.  He'd done the math and it looked right, but it was marked wrong.  I sat there and did the math myself.  I got the answer E got, which the computer says is incorrect.  We've had the computer mark things wrong before that were right, so we emailed the teacher.  I know she probably won't answer right away, since she's grading tons of papers, but I was so upset at seeing that score because we had just spent 3 1/2 hours going over everything.  I voiced my frustration, but remembered how important it is to keep my cool.  After all, it's my responsibility to be a good role model (see quote above).

While we were studying, my Ulta order came in.  I'd ordered some primer because mine is running low, and the Stroke of Light eye brightener, which is a concealer as well.  Ulta was having some promos and I was sent some pretty nice extras.  I was most curious to see the Too Faced samples I'd received.  I was pleasantly surprised to see that two of the items were deluxe samples, and the third looks like a full sized lip product.  They call it a melted liquified long wear lipstick (though I don't think it can legitimately be called a lipstick once it's melted, but that's just me); it comes in a tube with a sponge applicator.  The color is called Peony; it's a light pink sheer color.  It's very creamy, but I didn't put enough on to determine if it's really long wearing.  I'm gonna test it tomorrow when I go finish my grocery shopping.  The two deluxe samples are a mascara and bronzer.  The mascara is called Better Than Sex; rather awkward, in my opinion.  My daughter doesn't care for the name either.  I will say this: it made my lashes really long and curly.  What I didn't like is that it transfers to my upper lid and under eye area, which my Bare Minerals Flawless Definition mascara doesn't do.  Still, I did like how my lashes curled up.  I'll have to try it with eyeshadow and see how it looks.  The last item, the bronzer, is called Chocolate Soleil Matte Bronzer and it's a light to medium shade.  I feel like it's a bit light, but I have to try it out.  I like the fact that it's matte, because along with my order I got a sample of the Bare Minerals matte foundation to try.  It's a good sized sample, too, and while I like my Original foundation for its luminosity, I'm curious to see how I look in a matte foundation.  Who knows, I might like it even better.  

I'm hearing my daughter exercise.  She's trying the Daily Burn app for a month to see if she likes it.  I believe its $13 a month and they have all kinds of daily exercises, recipes, and other stuff that she's still looking into.  Her leg is still sore at times, but she has an appointment to see a sports doctor next week to see if maybe what she has is shin splints.  In the meantime she's working her abs and upper body, and it sounds like it's quite a workout.  I can hear her huffin' and puffin'.

My son R got medicine for his pink eye, and already today the difference was noticeable.  I am so thankful for the doctor that cared enough to tell him what he needed to do and saw him the very next day.  Praise God, he is feeling much better from his cold too.  He's started purchasing components to build his own computer.  It's his new project, and he's really excited about it.

Well, that's been my day.  I'm looking forward to the end of finals tomorrow: part 3 of algebra, and science.  It's been a good semester, but I'm so glad he's got 3 days off next week.  Time to get caught up on other projects - stay tuned!  Good night and God bless.

Weekend, Day One

Something about today I wish would never end.  The weather.  Oh my word, it is such a gorgeous day!  We started off with 59 degrees and have stayed in the low 70's with the most scrumptious breeze imaginable.  The sun is shining, the sky is baby blue, the clouds are puffy white.  I'm so gonna enjoy this, because the weather forecast calls for rain for all or most of next week.  While the rain is needed and welcome, it doesn't trump a day like today.  This is the day The Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!

I didn't get out of bed till 8:30 this morning.  Yet still, I was tired.  That's because the stupid smoke alarm decided to let us know, in the middle of the night, that its battery was running low.  Not during the day, nooooo.  At night, when we're too tired to get up and go rummaging through the garage for batteries.  Of course, after we got up it quieted down for hours.  I swear, these things are programmed to only go off at night.  I was so frustrated!

I had my breakfast, an English muffin with an egg and bacon, then I got to work on the floors.  With all the schoolwork we'd been doing all week, I pretty much neglected the floors, and they were nasty.  Our dog Molly sheds enough hair to build another dog, and even though I'd Swiffer'd them they were starting to get fluffy.  Not to mention that she drools.  A lot.  There were drool marks in all the places where she huffed and puffed after going for her walks.  Then there were the blood stains.  No, not that; she's fixed.  Molly has a growth under her belly that, according to the vet, is most likely a type of blood cancer.  He didn't look much at it, didn't touch it or anything, then said to be sure what it is it'll cost about $500 - $700.  He would remove the one growth but said she was going to get more.  He also said he wanted an additional $60 to test her for anesthesia reaction.  She'd just been spayed a few months before and had been just fine, so I knew this was unnecessary.  I told the vet we'd have to decide if we could afford this amount of money, and left.  I was so upset, and my daughter A was even more so.  She was heartbroken at the thought that Molly could have cancer; I was fuming at the vet who did no type of examination, just started spewing off dollar amounts.  We discussed our options: obviously, we could go to another vet and spend another $50 - $70 on another diagnosis plus treatment.  Or, we could wait.  Truth be told, she's been normal for the most part, just as active as ever and with a healthy appetite.  If this is cancer, I would not put my dog through treatment.  That may sound cruel to some people, but to me putting a dog through chemo and radiation is even more cruel.  Dogs don't understand what is going on.  Making them sick and suffer through greater pain than they're experiencing will only make them think they're being punished, and they have no say in the matter.  It was decided then, that we would take the best care of Molly that we could, keeping her happy and comfortable if the time came when she was suffering.  That time has not come.  She doesn't complain or act any differently (though today she had an upset stomach; I suspect she found something outside and ate it.  Not the first time).  But occasionally she scratches at the growth on her belly and it bleeds, leaving blood stains on the floor.  So I got the vacuum cleaner and vacuumed up a ton of hair, then mopped and dusted and cleaned till I was even more exhausted than when I'd gotten up.  My only consolation was having the windows open and having the breeze blow inside the house.  That part was sweet.

This morning I got an email from Ulta stating that there was an online special for today only: place an order of $50 or more and get 3 free Too Faced cosmetic items.  It just happens to be that last week I got a coupon for $10 off any $50 Bare Minerals purchase, and there were a couple of things I wanted to get.  I'd told my daughter I wanted to go to Ulta to redeem the coupon so I wouldn't have to order $50 worth of stuff in order to get free shipping, but then I wouldn't get the freebies.  Or as my daughter says, they're feeding my addiction ;-).  I decided I'd just place the order online, but when I totaled up my order it was $46.  I was $4 short of the coupon AND the freebies.  Thankfully my daughter wanted some Bare Minerals concealer, so she added it to my order.  Not only did I get the $10 off and the free Too Faced cosmetics, I also got a free Bare Minerals Matte foundation deluxe sample, which was a bonus.  Since I was ordering, I went ahead and checked the Real Techniques brushes that I'd wanted to buy last month but were out of stock.  They were in stock alright, and they were BOGO: buy one, get one half off.  I decided to go with the Core Collection which was what I had intended to get in the first place, then added a powder brush as well.  I had $3 off in reward points, so the 5 brushes with case totaled $19.99.  Real Techniques brushes are great quality - I have the eye makeup brushes as well as a blush brush, and they're really soft.  The order has been placed and I hope to see it in the next week. Yay!

I'd been looking at reviews for the Bare Minerals Bareskin foundation.  I have this foundation, and I like it a lot, though not as much as my Original powder foundation.  I found that my t-zone gets a bit oily with the liquid foundation, a problem I don't have with the powder.  One reviewer complained about the same thing, saying this makeup isn't ideal for people with oily skin.  Then a Sephora employee that works at the Bare Minerals counter said the key was not to wear any primer with the Bareskin foundation.  Bareskin is not a regular liquid foundation; it's a serum foundation that contains really good stuff for the skin and no binders or fillers.  The purpose of a primer is to fill in fine lines and wrinkles, and hold on to the foundation without it getting into the skin and clogging pores.  But since Bareskin is a serum foundation, you actually do want the serum to penetrate the skin, and wearing it with primer doesn't allow it to, so the makeup just kind of sits on the skin, making it feel greasy.  I decided to put this theory to the test.  I washed and moisturized my face, then put 5 drops of Bareskin foundation on my face (2-3 drops is for light coverage, 4-6 drops is for medium coverage, and 7-8 is for full coverage).  I've been wearing it all day since 10:00 am, and I have to agree.  Except for a small amount of oiliness on my forehead which I was able to lightly dab off, my skin has been oil free.  What's more, my skin looks flawless without it looking like I have makeup on.  Bareskin looks like the name: it's so natural, it's like it's your bare skin, but without blemishes or redness or imperfections.  My daughter even asked me if I was wearing makeup because my skin looked really nice but she couldn't tell if it was because of makeup or not.  That's what I want my makeup to do.  And I don't feel it on me.  Bareskin is very light and comfortable to wear.

For my daughter, switching to Bare Minerals has been a Godsend.  Since using the makeup and moisturizer in conjunction with Michael Todd's skincare products, her rosacea has diminished considerably, and even her serbo psoriasis spots have softened.  These dry patches on her skin can be annoying, because the makeup sticks to them and enhances them.  They have become considerably less noticeable with Bare Minerals, and now that they are softening and aren't as dry as before, she can use less makeup and her skin looks impeccable.  She's happier about looking at herself in the mirror every morning.  That makes this mama's heart sing.

I took down the outdoor Christmas lights and decor, finally.  I think our house was the last one on the block with lights still hanging from the rafters.  While I was outside, I saw my neighbors from two doors down.  They were looking at the house next door, the one between theirs and ours.  My next-door neighbor is selling her house.  We are sad to see them go; this was a new development when we moved in 14 1/2 years ago, and most of the original neighbors are still here.  I do understand, though.  She and her husband divorced, and she's working pretty far from the house.  She's spending a lot of money on gas, and a lot of time away from home.  She decided it was best for her and her kids to move closer to her work.  When she mentioned that she was planning to sell, the couple next door to her decided they wanted to buy the house.  When we first moved in, they were newlyweds moving into a small house.  Now they have two small children and not enough room, but they love the neighborhood and want to stay here.  Buying the house next door would be ideal for them: it's probably about 600 square feet larger than the house they're in now, plus it has a really big yard for the kids.  And it would be the easiest move in history!  We are really hoping they buy the house.  We love our neighbors, and having familiar faces next door would be great.

Dinner was a debate.  We were all hungry, but no one could decide what to eat.  I will eat just about anything, except for Papa John's pizza or Domino's.  As far as I'm concerned, both those "pizzas" should be removed from the face of the earth.  Domino's has the worst tasting sauce (even after they "improved" the sauce), and Papa John's is just plain awful in my opinion.  I'll eat Little Caesar's because it tastes okay, and what do you expect for $5?  I think it's a decent pizza for the price.  It's what we usually have when we eat out, but my daughter said she was tired of eating the same thing and wanted something different.  And that's where the debate started.  My daughter and youngest son went back and forth for over a half hour trying to decide what to get.  Ultimately, they got two pepperoni pizzas.  From Little Caesar's.  Kids.  *rolls eyes*

After dinner we watched a DVD I got for my son R for Christmas: Weird Al's Greatest Videos.  Oh man, did that bring back memories!  I've been listening to Weird Al since the early 80's when he got started doing song parodies, and I introduced my kids to him when they were little tykes.  We are all great fans, so when I found this DVD I knew I had to get it for my oldest son, who appreciates it most.  We had a lot of laughs and totally enjoyed oldies along with newer videos.  I'm pretty sure my son is happy with that gift.

Well, that's pretty much it for today.  I washed and exfoliated and now my face feels soft, silky, and clean.  Tomorrow is a big day: Winter Jam is coming to South Florida, and we are going!  I have to admit, I'd forgotten it was tomorrow.  For some reason I thought it was next weekend.  My daughter reminded me a little while ago, and I wanted to kick myself, because I was gonna help E study for his finals but I'd decided he'd already had such a full week that I would leave it for tomorrow.  Now it's probably not gonna happen.  But hey, Skillet will be performing!  That's something to look forward to!  Good night, sleep tight, God bless.

2014 Comes To An End

It seems like this year went in a blur.  I know, everyone says that every year, but there's something about getting older that makes it more real.  My babies growing up, my hair growing whiter, my waistline growing in the wrong direction...well, at least I can work on some of those items.  One thing I can say with a big smile on my face:  I did it.  I blogged everyday this month.  I didn't think I'd do it, because I couldn't figure out what I would blog about.  In the end I decided to use my blog for what I'd originally intended it, which was a daily diary.  I would write about what went on during my day, and if it was a boring day I would write that.  Instead, I found that there was plenty to write about.  Life isn't all that boring ya'll!  There are always funny stories, mini-adventures and minor mishaps to write about, even on the quietest days.  I think I'm gonna enjoy looking back at what was going on during December 2014.

After my daughter had returned the Bare Minerals Starter Kit I'd bought her and gotten her store credit, she wondered about what she would get with the $45 left on the card (she had purchased a brush but Ulta was out of stock on almost everything because of the Christmas rush).  This morning as I was waking up and thinking about it being the last day of the year, I remembered I had reward points with Ulta which I could redeem for a $3 credit.  I know it isn't much, but they expire today (hence why I remembered them today).  I told my daughter she was welcome to use them since I wasn't going to be ordering anything from Ulta today and I didn't want the points to go to waste.  (She'd had points too, but she used them the day she bought the brush).  My daughter then went online and for the next 3 hours looked over and tried to decide what she wanted to purchase.  My daughter is a very intelligent young lady, but she doesn't do well with options.  She will second-guess herself and go back and forth trying to make a decision.  She called me over several times to look at this or find out about that.  I think by the end she was mentally exhausted, but she finally came up with a shopping bag with $58 worth of products.  As she went through the checkout process, she came to the payment section and keyed in the number on the card the store had given her.  It asked for a pin number.  We looked all over the card but there was none.  She hadn't been given one at the store either.  We both checked the website looking for where this infamous pin number was found, but to no avail.  Finally, I called Ulta's customer service number that was on the card.  It was a wrong number :P.  So I looked up the number on the website and called.  Finally I got through to a customer service rep, who explained that store credits cannot be used for online orders.  Gee, thanks for telling me.  Three hours of searching gone down the drain, along with my $3 worth of points.  Oh well.  Ce la vie.

For the last day of the year I went with a traditional meal:  roast pork.  Or as my son calls it, roast beast (a la Grinch).  It spent 3 1/2 hours in the oven.  I hope that the whole house smelled delicious.  I don't know because I woke up with a stuffed up nose.  Allergy season, ugh!!  I know several people have been complaining about the same thing.  It's not supposed to be this hot and muggy at the end of December.  It throws everything off.  The whole day was cloudy and gloomy, too.  No rain, just clouds and gloom.  It's like I'm not really in Florida.  This isn't what Florida is supposed to look like.   Anyway, getting back to the pork; let me just say the taste was off the charts!  It took me back to my childhood.  Yeah, that good.  We had the pork with white rice, pinto beans, and french fries, because I forgot to make salad or anything else.  That's what allergies do to me.  They mess up my brain.

I decided that, even though we weren't going anywhere or doing anything special, I would still fix myself up.  I showered and washed my hair, did my makeup using the Dazzle colors from my Bare Minerals kit, and blow dried my hair.  It turned out beautiful!  Why is it my hair always looks best when I have nowhere to go?!  I used the eye primer from Bare Minerals that I'd used Christmas Eve, the Gold Nugget one, but this time I used a teeny tiny amount.  It was about the size of a pinhead.  The amount was perfect.  It went on like a golden bronze color all over my lid and above the crease.  Once again I realized that when it comes to Bare Minerals, less is more.  I did a smokey eye but not a very dark one.  Getting older means smoked out eye makeup looks aging.  Along with the gold nugget, which can be used as a primer and an eye color, I used Tantalize which is sort of a charcoal brown colored powder eyeshadow.  I put it on the lid and blended it up just above the crease, then used it as a liner on my bottom lashes.  I lined my top lashes with the black eyeliner that came with the Dazzle kit.  It looks gorgeous!  I've always liked bold eye colors, but I find I'm more drawn to neutrals now.  This color is a cross between a neutral and a bold look, and I'm quite pleased with it.  I will remember 2014 as the year I was introduced to Bare Minerals and fell in love with makeup all over again.

We're staying up late to await the arrival of the new year.  We couldn't go to sleep if we wanted to; our backyard neighbor is doing some really loud fireworks in their yard.  Poor Molly is scared to death with all the noise :-(.  I guess it's not a bad thing.  I can stay up watching past episodes of the Tonight Show - that Jimmy Fallon is a funny guy!  I watched the episode with Carrie Underwood where she sang her newest hit, Something In The Water.  The lyrics to that song really touched my heart!  She's an amazing singer with incredible talent and a heart for Jesus.

That's gonna be it for 2014.  God bless our nation, my family, my friends, and you, whoever and wherever you are.  Jesus loves you.  Have a safe, happy, and blessed New Year.

The Last Sunday of the Year

Ever have a lazy day?  One where you just hang around and don't do anything but rest and get waited on the entire day?  Yeah, me neither.

I was kind of running slow this morning.  My nose was stuffy, my throat was kind of sore, and my sinuses were somewhat inflamed.  What is it about Sundays that I wake up feeling under the weather?  Speaking of which, what is up with our weather?!  Ours has been in the 80's.  I'm not even kidding.  It is winter and our temperatures get into the low 80's in the afternoon.  The humidity comes and goes, but just the other night the fog was so intense my son says he couldn't see 5 feet in front of him when he was driving home from work.  Thank The Lord he got home safe!  I think the weather has affected my allergies, because I don't feel sick like I'm getting a cold.  Whenever I cough it's because my throat feels dry or irritated, and I wake up with post nasal drip (which I HATE!).  I'm hoping we get some cooler weather in the next few days to counteract all these allergens, but gauging by the forecasts it doesn't look like that's gonna happen anytime soon.

So anyway, my morning started out sluggish.  I showered, washed my hair, then went into the kitchen to get something to eat.  Once again this week we weren't having our regular Sunday school class, instead it would be one combined class.  Again I knew I would miss it, because I wasn't feeling up to being in a large room full of people and me with my drippy nose.  I took my time getting ready, and I looked really nice if I do say so myself.  I put on my new skirt with the tank top, then went into my closet to see what I would put over it.  First off, I put on a light sweater in black that my daughter gave me because she doesn't like wearing it anymore.  I thought it looked nice, except that it's kind of long.  I asked her what she thought, and she shook her head no.  So I went back and pulled out a white sweater with green polka-dots that matched the skirt.  Again my daughter responded in the negative.  So I pulled out a short sleeved jacket that I normally wear with its matching navy blue skirt.  The blue of the jacket matched the blue of the skirt.  I figured she wouldn't like that one either but I didn't know what else to try.  The minute she saw me she said, "That's the one!"  It was my least favorite look, in my opinion, but she convinced me it looked nice so I went with it.  For makeup I did the same look I had yesterday.  I used my Pretty Wild kit from Bare Minerals which has matte eye colors in lavender and moss green, but I perked it up by using an eye primer with some shimmer to it.  It livened up the look a little without being overpowered in glitter.  I also used a new eyeliner pencil in brown, one of their Round The Clock liners.  It went on smooth as butter, and it was so velvety!  I couldn't believe how pretty it looked.  My hair also looked nice, though I knew what would happen the minute I walked out the door:  frizz city.  I put some anti-frizz serum when I styled it, and hoped for the best.

Pastor Ray continued last week's sermon on The Original Christmas based on Luke 2:10-14.  He was on fire preaching The Word today!  Whenever I hear him preach, I am challenged to give God my very best.  That's what His Word should do for all of us - give us a desire to do more and be more like Him.  Even though I didn't feel great health-wise, spiritually I felt renewed.  I had thought about staying home because I wasn't feeling my best, but I'm glad I didn't.  His Word revives me.

When I got home I felt like I wanted to eat something comforting.  I threw a frozen pizza in the oven for E and made myself a bowl of oatmeal with brown sugar and cinnamon.  That there is comfort food for me.  It warms my tummy and makes my heart smile.  Something that simple can make me feel like new.

My daughter got home early from her church.  She works at the church so she usually stays later, but the youth group didn't meet today because of the Christmas/New Year holiday, so she was able to leave earlier.  After lunch we went to Ulta to get credit for the starter kit I gave her for her birthday.  I had ordered the set online, so before leaving the house I got the packing list from the shipment and printed off the invoice so that I wouldn't have any trouble getting the credit.  Ahead of us was a lady who was trying to get credit for a cream she'd purchased, apparently she felt the price was wrong or something, but she had no receipt.  She left in a huff because they could not give her credit without the receipt.  I was kind of wondering if they'd give me a hard time too, but not at all.  When I told the lady I wanted credit because I'd ordered the wrong color and showed her my paperwork, she smiled and said, "That's everything I need."  They offered to credit my card or issue a store credit, and my daughter opted for the store credit, which was fine by me because that way she could get what she wanted and I wouldn't have to keep tabs of how much I owed her.  She quickly went through the store, but we found very little.  Turns out they were sold out on a lot of items because of Christmas, and are waiting for a stock shipment to be delivered tomorrow.  My daughter was looking for some makeup brushes but all she found was one.  Since she has the store credit I'm not concerned; she can buy something another day, or she can place an order online.

From there we went to the mall.  Her dad gave her a beautiful Michael Kors purse for her birthday, but the style isn't what she would have picked out for herself.  It's a sort of messenger bag with a drawstring at the top.  The problem is, the drawstring doesn't open completely, so it's hard to get anything inside the bag.  She wanted to see if there was any bag she could exchange it for that would work a little better.  I parked where we always park, next to Sears.  I totally forgot that Macy's is on the extreme other end of the mall :P.  That's how often I shop there (which is never).  We went to take a look at the bags to see what was available.  I was taken aback; these purses are ridiculously priced!  I mean seriously, the cheapest bag we found cost $198 ya'll!!  Her dad had some sort of coupon because he only paid $157 for the bag he got her (it has a return label that they scan and it shows the price that was paid).  Still - $157?!  It's not like the bag is gold plated!  We looked at other bags but none were in her price range, so she decided she would make this bag work.  Can't say I blame her.

Later on my kid's cousin came over with the kids, bearing gifts.  This cousin is actually my children's second cousin, and I've known her since she was 4 years old.  Now she's a mom of 3, and I got to babysit her kids over the summer.  The kids brought me a belated birthday gift, pink nail polish in a pretty set.  They also brought me electronic Yatzee, which I thought was cool since I'd taught them to play the old style Yatzee over.  We played tons of board games when I was sitting them and they learned so much, especially about good sportsmanship.  We had a nice visit, even though it went on till pretty late.

It's almost midnight now, and I'm ready to hit the sack.  Lord willing I'll post more about our visit with family.  For now, all I can say is, good night.  

Another Birthday Celebration

I think every mom remembers the day her babies were born.  God made it easy for me; He gave me 2 sweet children who share a birthday so my memories would be even more delightful.

Today my daughter A turns 25, and my son E turns 15.  I'm still having trouble wrapping my head around the fact that my baby is halfway through his teenage years, and my daughter has lived a quarter of a century.  Then again, I can't believe I've lived over half a century, but let's not focus on that.  Both of them were Christmas presents, but they are not twins.  They came 10 years apart.  I worried when my daughter was growing up that she would resent having to share her birthday with her brother, but she never did.  Her brother would tell the world the story of how he and his sister have the same birthday, so it was never an issue with him either.  I'm so glad; I didn't want my kids to be mad about having to share their birthday, and they've always been so mature and loving about it.  I really do have great kids.

I was in the dining room enjoying a cup of coffee when my son woke up.  There were birthday presents waiting for him on the kitchen counter, but he wouldn't open them until his sister and brother got up.  My daughter didn't take very long to follow.  She was a little less patient than her younger brother - she wanted to tear into her presents right away!  I had to issue a disclaimer before she opened my gift to her:  after we'd visited Ulta and I saw what makeup products she really liked, I went ahead and placed an order for them for her birthday.  I got her the Naked Eyeshadow Palette by Urban Decay and the Starter Kit by Bare Minerals in medium beige.  That was back in November.  In December, her dad took her to the mall so she could pick out her Christmas gifts because he didn't know what to get her.  He likes shopping at Macy's; she doesn't care for the clothes there, but she did know they have makeup, so she went to the Sephora section, where she asked her dad to get her the Naked 2 Basics palette.  She also got the consultant to color match her for Bare Minerals powder foundation, and asked her dad to get that for her, too.  The color the consultant matched her with was golden medium.  Her dad immediately complied, and she brought the products home for me to wrap for her.  I kept my cool and wrapped her gifts, knowing full well she would want to exchange whatever I'd gotten her that were duplicates.  The eyeshadow palette I'd bought her wasn't the same one but it was similar enough that I figured she wouldn't want it, and the Bare Minerals starter kit was definitely the wrong color so she wouldn't want to keep that either.  I thought about going to the store and exchanging it myself, but I started second guessing what she would want and if she would want to keep part of her present, so I left it alone.  I figured she could decide what she would keep and what she would exchange.  I told her as much before letting her open up her gift.  The gift bag contained several different items.  I'd gotten her some lip pencils/lip stains that came in the cutest dark purple clutch.  The colors are just what she likes, neutrals and reds.  She also found an Urban Decay eye lid primer and eye liner pencil which she loved.  Then she opened the box with the Naked palette.  Her smile went from big to gynormous.  She wanted that palette and had intended to get it for herself; now she didn't have to because Mama had gotten it for her.  Score!  Then she opened the Starter Kit.  We both agreed, there was no reason to keep it.  The products were either wrong, or she already had purchased them herself.  I told her she could take it to Ulta for an exchange, and she immediately started planning what she could get.  She also asked if we could go to the Bare Minerals store that we have locally, and I told her that we could, which made her even happier.  I felt so much better after that.

My son then opened his present from his sister:  a book with all kinds of trivia about his favorite show, Doctor Who.  He loved it!  Then he opened Mom's gift.  From the moment he knew his dad had bought him the Wii U for Christmas, all he kept asking for was the new Super Smash Brothers game.  Of course I was going to get it for him, but I also got him a Pacman game, and I wrapped both of them together, so when he picked up the package it didn't feel like a video game, it felt like a book.  He opened it and just about exploded when he saw he got the game he wanted so badly.  When R woke up he opened his gift: a set of pins based on the Pokemon video games.  What was funny, was that R put them inside a box of crackers and wrapped the box, so when E opened it he wondered why his brother was giving him crackers for his birthday!  Once he realized it couldn't be crackers, he found the pins and was absolutely surprised and excited!  His sister opened her present from R next.  It was a video game called Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box.  She likes those sorts of solving games so it was perfect.

Their dad had called the day before inviting the whole family to breakfast.  He called bright and early to wish them a happy birthday and ask where they wanted to go.  Living in the South, the answer to that is easy:  Cracker Barrel.  I don't know of any other place in our area that makes down home Southern cooking in a casual country environment.  My daughter hung up and we started getting ready.  I wasn't enthused about going, but I'll do anything for my kids, so I got dressed and was putting on my makeup when my daughter said, "Dad just called; he's already at the restaurant waiting for us, and he says it's packed."  We had to quickly get ready so we could be there and try to find parking which he said took him forever to find.  As soon as we drove up into the parking lot, two cars pulled out.  No waiting for us!  Better yet, I parked the car, we got out, and my son got a call from his dad:  they'd just seated him.  He waited 40 minutes for the table, we waited nothing.  God's gift to my children!  We sat down and their dad gave them their presents:  A got a lovely pen and a Michael Kors bag, and E got new headphones and a coin bank with over $180 in it.  They both loved their gifts!  We were so glad that the service was fast and the food delicious - we were starving!  We had a really nice, relaxing time, for which I'm very grateful.

Once we got out of the restaurant, we went to the mall for our Bare Minerals excursion.  Our Bare Minerals store is in an outlet mall that's fairly large, so the boys could go look at stuff while the girls looked at makeup.  My son E is wanting to get a longboard so his brother took him to see some.  A and I went into the Bare Minerals store and had a field day!  They were having an incredible sale!  I'm not even joking, I got stuff so cheap I'm still pinching myself to make sure I wasn't dreaming!

The first item we saw when we walked in was the Hot List.

The original price on this kit was $49, and it had been reduced to $24.50.  At half price this was a good deal.

The 5-in-1 eyeshadow primer alone costs $18.  This kit brought a bronzer, eyeshadow duo, highlighter and lipstick as well.  I was thinking about it when the sales clerk said that everything on the tables in the aisle were 50% off the last sticker price.  I was like, Excuse Me?!  That meant all these products were just $12.25!  She said yes, and I immediately grabbed one and told my daughter she needed to do the same!  I then proceeded to go kind of nuts.

The Eye Color Trio contains two high shine eyeshadows and a small eyeliner.  The eyeshadows are on sale on the website for $9.50 each.  I got this set for $9.75.

The Finishing Touches kit brings a mini mascara, mini lip gloss and mini hydrating mineral veil.  I paid $4.75.  I've been wanting a hydrating mineral veil, and the rest is just bonus.  But the best was the last item I got.

This deluxe size original foundation is twice the size of a regular jar of product.  The regular size is $27.  The deluxe is normally $39.50, but they had it for $29.50.  My main intention for going to the Bare Minerals store was to get foundation, because the one I have is getting low (it was a small trial size).  I could get the regular size for $27, or pay $2.50 more and get double the amount, which should easily last me a year.  The decision was simple - I had to have this foundation!  Everything else I got was icing on the cake, and I couldn't be happier!  I have to admit, there were more things in my basket that I eventually put back because I realized I was getting carried away.  I'm thoroughly pleased with my purchases, though.  I think I got some great items at dirt cheap prices!

From there my daughter wanted to go to Old Navy, which was right by where the boys were.  Since it was her birthday I said okay, though I'm honestly not a huge fan of Old Navy.  I've found a couple of things there but most of the clothes are, in my opinion, a bit too young for me.  That quickly changed when I saw the cutest plaid pencil skirt in hunter green and dark blue, reduced from $29 to $17.  I also found a tank top that matched the green perfectly, for $3.99.  I tried the skirt on and couldn't believe how perfectly it fit - you'd have thought I was the model they used for it!  I can't wait to wear my new outfit tomorrow for church!

We came home after that because E wanted to have some time with his best friend CS.  CS is IV's son, and the boys have been close buddies for a couple of years.  My son wanted to play Super Smash Brothers with his best friend more than anything else on his birthday, so we got home as quick as we could so they could have some time together.  They laughed so much, I couldn't help but laugh with them, even though I don't have any idea what they were laughing about!  While they had their fun, my daughter played with all her new goodies and I folded and put away laundry.  Afterwards A, R and myself played the Logo Game.  It's a funny sort of trivia game and I knew R would enjoy it.

My daughter wanted to go to Ulta today to get her starter kit exchanged, but by the time we realized it, it was almost 6:00 and we hadn't even had dinner yet.  We decided to leave it for tomorrow and went to pick up dinner, and each got to pick what they wanted:  A wanted Chipotle and E wanted KFC.  I had Chipotle as well; I like their bowls.  The meat was spicy and the food was filling.  I hadn't had anything to eat since breakfast so I was pretty hungry!

I think that's enough excitement for today.  I'm gonna get my makeup off and get my face exfoliated, then I'm gonna spend the rest of the night with my precious gifts, my kiddos.  I am so thankful to God each and every day for giving me such wonderful children.  I know I'm truly blessed.  Good night everyone.

The Countdown Is On - One Week Till Christmas!

It seems so hard to believe that we are just one week away from Christmas.  The time has flown!

I went to bed early last night; I was totally exhausted after our Awana evening.  So I was in bed by 10:30 and awake by 4:00 am.  Don't you just hate that?!  I stayed in bed, though.  If I got up I'd wake the whole house, and that certainly wouldn't be thoughtful.  I eventually dozed off (like an hour later) and woke up at 7:00 am with my stomach doing all kinds of flips.  That's what I get for eating pastries at 8:45 in the evening.  I know myself only too well, that eating at that hour of the night will give me a major stomachache and won't let me sleep.  I guess I'll know better next time.  Yeah, right.

My ancient computer has been acting up again, so I asked my son R to take a look at it.  He found a lot of junk going on in the background that needed to get deleted.  This computer was my daughter's.  She got it a year before going off to college.  She graduated in 2012.  So this computer has been with us since 2007, making it an antique.  When she gave it to me she didn't delete a bunch of school programs she'd downloaded, and they were taking up precious computer space.  Add to that the Norton Antivirus that we haven't used in like, forever, that was still running in the background, and it's no wonder my computer was slow.  He got to work on it, and I went to the grocery store.  I have to do my 2 week shopping trip this weekend, and I was trying to figure out a menu plan for the next two weeks, but it's difficult if you don't know what's on sale.  So I went to Winn-Dixie to pick up meats.  I purchased 3 packages of ground beef at $3.99/lb.  I know that last time I said I wasn't going to pay that much for ground beef when it was $3.79/lb at Costco, but the Costco ground beef was so fatty!  When I would brown the meat I'd have all this grease to get rid of.  Better to pay a bit more and get better quality beef.  I got pork chops and a pork shoulder as well, and a few staples that I knew I needed like onions, potatoes, rice, etc.  In all I spent $79 but the only meat I need to get now is the turkey for Christmas Eve.  I still have plenty of shopping to do but I'll leave that for Walmart.  Much as I hate going there, the prices on canned goods and frozen foods are cheaper for the most part.  The turkey I'll get at Publix.  Theirs is the best.

I took E to the park for his PE assignment.  He has to do several tasks to show how he has improved in his exercises since the semester started.  Well, I'm pleased to say he shaved off another 19 seconds on his mile run!  He was huffin' and puffin' but he finished in 10 min 48 sec.  This was better than the times he'd had when he had daily PE in school, so we are very happy about it.  He won't be turning in this assignment till Saturday, since he has to show 3 days of exercising, but it's okay.  The teacher says this assignment isn't due till January 18.  I'm having him do it now because he needs to finish his hours for the week, and he's done with all his other classes.  We took our time doing the science lab (translation: dragged it out as far as we could) and that got turned in today; it was the only assignment he had left to complete.  With exercising and watching documentaries on ocean life he was able to complete his hours for today, but I'm at a loss as to what we'll do tomorrow.  He has one live lesson that he has to attend, and his PE.  He'll be doing lots of reading and documentary watching I guess.

We had sandwiches for lunch and dinner today.  I kept it simple because I just didn't know what to make.  I have those days sometimes, when nothing sounds appealing.  Thankfully my kids don't make a fuss.  As long as there's food to eat they're happy.

I remembered something today:  I have some outdoor penguin decorations in the shed that hadn't been put outside!  How in the world did I forget that?!  Penguins are my favorite Christmas decoration.  I have all kinds of decor for Christmas - villages, musical and animated figurines, Santas, Nativity scenes, and enough items in storage to make the North Pole come alive in South Florida.  I could live without any of them, except for my Nativities and my penguins.  Oh, and my rabbits.  I have the Lloyd family from back when I sold House Of Lloyd, and I love them.  Anyway, after dinner and before the sun went down, I got my two penguins out of the shed.  One is made of metal and is holding a hot cup of tea, and the other is a light up cutie pie that is now on the pavers next to the front door.  Both were gifts from my dearest friend DPP.  I have to give her a call soon.  I really do miss her.  She'd moved out to Arizona at the beginning of the year, but thankfully she's back.  I don't have many friends, and she is one that I truly treasure.

Oh!  I got my Ulta order today!  The gift set I got so the kids could give to their dad...is a lot smaller than I expected.  I'm glad I got a bunch of stuff to go with it.  It was all freebies but it makes it a much nicer gift which makes my kids happy.  I also got my Bare Minerals Delight and Dazzle set that I'd ordered for myself.  The original price was $49; it was on sale for $34 and I had $8 in reward money, so I ended up paying $26 for it.  It's wonderful!  All the products are full size.  I have 2 new eyeshadows, 2 new blushes, 2 eyeliners and 2 lip glosses.  I'm debating which set I'm gonna try first!  The Delight set is for daytime, and the Dazzle set is for night.  I like that the Delight set has peachy colors.  I don't have anything in those tones so it'll be a nice change once in awhile.  

My daughter got home from work, then headed straight to the store to pick up supplies for her birthday celebration, happening tomorrow.  Her birthday is actually December 27, but since it's 2 days after Christmas and so many folks are out of town, she decided it would be best to do it 2 weeks before.  I'll have all the details to her festivities here on my blog either tomorrow or Saturday.  She did make something she calls reindeer bark, with crushed Oreos, pretzels, and more goodies, topped with melted almond bark and M&M's.  It looks pretty tasty, but it has to go into the fridge to harden.  It'll be interesting to see what everyone thinks!

I sat down to relax and watch some videos, and I kept dozing off.  I'm tired because I was awake at 4 am.  I'm gonna try to stay awake, but no guarantees.  I think I'll be snoozing before 11:00 rolls around.  Oh well.  Good night.

Tackling Tuesday

Did you ever get the feeling you were the last person to find out about something?  Like everyone is in on the secret but you?  That was me this morning.  The world is progressing forward and I'm stuck in neutral.

Last night my computer (which is pretty old, by the way) started acting up as it sometimes does.  I shut it down multiple times but for whatever reason I could not get internet access.  At all.  It wouldn't recognize our wireless network or any other wireless network in the area.  I was concerned because this is the computer my son uses for his schoolwork.  He can't get Java to work on his computer so he watches all his live lessons on mine, and today he had two. I prayed this morning that my son would be able to figure out what was wrong with the computer before 10 am when E's first lesson started.  As soon as R woke up I told him what had happened last night.  He walked over to the computer, pressed a button on the top of the keyboard, and all the wireless connections came up.  I sat there in amazement and asked what he'd done?  His matter-of-fact answer:  "I turned on the wireless."  I couldn't do anything but laugh my head off at what an idiot I was.  I must have turned the wireless off without realizing it.  Even funnier, I pointed to another button and told the boys I'd thought that was the button for the wireless.  My 14 year old said, "No Mom, that turns off the mousepad."  I shook my head and wondered when I'd left the prehistoric era and landed here in the 21st century.

Breakfast today was pretty basic:  one fried egg, 2 strips of bacon, honey wheat toast with homemade apple butter, and coffee.  Lunch will be tacos, with lettuce from my backyard.  I'd started a garden months ago but had given up on it when the caterpillars waged war and were winning.  Still, without even trying, my lettuce seeds sprang up and I have large gorgeous lettuce leaves ready for the picking.  Not only that, but I was watching our dog Molly and happened to look at my tomato plant.  There's a tomato growing!  The first one on this plant!  I stopped watering this plant because I was sure it was a dud.  It grew and grew but never gave me a single tomato.  Now it has a small tomato and 2 more little tomato buds.  Proof again that I plant, I even water, but it's God who makes things grow.

I watched Alexandrea Garza's new video this morning and had to tell my daughter about it.  She goes over her evening skin care routine, and there were some really good pointers.  For instance, why hadn't I thought of using Johnson's Baby Shampoo to remove eye makeup?!  Oh my goodness, that is genius!  It's gentle on the eyes and cleans really well, plus it's way cheaper than any makeup remover on the market!  She also had some advise for people with extra dry skin which my daughter suffers from.  Especially now that the humidity has gone down, our skin gets drier than usual, and her skin gets downright flaky.  Her regular moisturizer isn't doing a good enough job; hopefully she can find something that will work for her.  My daughter has started using Michael Todd products which are totally organic, since she has sensitive skin.  Hopefully a good moisturizer regiment will also help improve her complexion.

I thought today was gonna be another busy school day; after all, E had a couple of assignments to do, and 2 live lessons.  He went in for his first live lesson, English class.  Except it wasn't a class per se, it was review and question time for their end of semester assignment.  The class is writing a thesis on Dr. Martin Luther King's Letter from Birmingham Jail (which is an inspirational read).  They've done the thesis statement, introduction, body paragraphs, and today they were writing the conclusion.  It took all of half an hour.  So he read his book till his next live lesson, leadership.  Turns out the teacher had cancelled the class because they are just about finished with the semester.  So he did his reading for leadership, wrote his conclusion paragraph, and was done in 3 hours.  Great.  He needs 5 hours of work per day.  We went ahead and started working on his music history lab, but I don't want him getting to far ahead of himself; the rest of the week is really light, and if he does all the work today and tomorrow he'll have nothing to do the rest of the week.  I'm looking forward to Christmas break so I don't have to figure out what schoolwork to do.

While my son was listening to his English teacher review for his assignment, I took our dog Molly out for her bath.  Molly is an American bulldog mix.  She acts very much like an American bulldog, except that lately she had gotten to digging in the backyard.  She comes to the door with filthy paws.  She also has taken to rolling in the dirt, causing her to stink to high heaven.  I was dying to get her cleaned up good but it had been too chilly out - we have to bathe her outside because she absolutely HATES getting a bath and she would not stay still for a moment to get bathed inside the house.  Besides, she sheds enough to build a second dog, and I can't imagine the damage her hair would do to our plumbing.  The weather has gotten nicer the last couple of days; 50's in the morning, 70's in the afternoon, 60's in the evening.  I had to wait till the sun came out so I could give her a bath without her freezing.  Now, normally I tie Molly up to the patio furniture to get her bathed because if I don't she'll run off.  The patio furniture is light, but she wouldn't move it because the sound it made against the patio floor would scare her (she's part dog, part chicken).  Today, however, she decided she wasn't having anything to do with cleaning or water or shampoo or anything.  I brought the hose out and started getting her wet.  All of a sudden, she bolted.  And I mean she was taking everything that was in her path!  She knocked down one of the patio chairs, a large planter, the glass from the patio table she was tied to went flying and only by God's grace landed on the grass and didn't shatter, and she ended up on the other side of the house, patio table still dragging behind her, where she turned and gave me that look said, "I'm in trouble, aren't I?"  Yeah, you better believe it!  I not only had to give her a bath, I also had to put the patio back together again.  She was in the doghouse, so to speak, after that little incident.

I got the email from Ulta today:  my order has shipped :-).  I'm glad; it's one less thing I have to worry about.  The Bare Escentuals orders are also supposed to ship this week, in time to receive them for Christmas, though none of the items we ordered are actually Christmas gifts.  Of course, there might be a birthday gift for my little girl, whose birthday is two days later ;-).

Tonight was our weekly group run, and I met up with my friend DS at the corner of our block.  We live about a mile away from the meeting spot for our running group, so DS and I sometimes go there on foot.  We took my son E since he'd been cooped up at home all day.  The night was brisk - 61 degrees felt nice for our walk/jog around the neighborhood.  DS and I don't usually run like the others in the group; we either walk or jog, so we lag behind and chit-chat the whole time.  Tonight we were walking along a path that is directly behind a bunch of houses, and there is a concrete wall separating the houses from the sidewalk.  My son E was a few feet ahead of us, running.  As we walked something along the top of the wall caught my eye.  It was a possum.  Possums are nothing more than giant rats as far as I'm concerned, and anyone who knows me knows I hate rats.  I let out a scream, grabbed my friend DS, pulled her away from the wall and yelled, "Run!!"  I hit my turbo button and took off like a mad woman, DS was trying to run but didn't know what was going on, and my son turned around and wondered, "What in the world are they doing?!"  He heard laughter and thought maybe we were laughing at a joke.  Then he saw us running and thought we were racing!  It wasn't until I'd gotten far enough that I told them what I'd seen.  It was so hilarious, we couldn't stop talking about it and laughing!  Even our exercise time is an adventure!

Oh, and I did change the background on my blog today.  The background I had was pretty but it was more appropriate for spring; this background is more of a winter theme, but not too wintery - it's not like we get snow or anything.  Hope it looks appealing!  Have a good night y'all.

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. 

It's My Birthday!!

The day is here!  I awoke this morning feeling...a day older.  And another day thankful.  I have so much to be thankful for!  God has been good to me.  I'm thankful for each day, for each year, and for each moment.  Today, I praise Him for one more year of life and health.

I got up early today (as I usually do) and began to get ready for church.  My daughter was awake and packing up her car - she plays guitar with the youth ministry band and had to be at church early for practice.  She was the first to wish me a happy birthday and give me my present:  she knows how much I'd been wanting to see the Disney movie Saving Mr. Banks, and she got me the DVD.  I love Tom Hanks, he is such an amazing actor, and I saw previews of him playing Mr. Walt Disney in this movie.  He is a genius!  I can't wait to watch the movie later on.  Underneath the movie I could see a gift card, but she said it was from her little brother who was still asleep, so I decided to wait till he got up to take a look at it.  I made breakfast and got myself a cup of coffee, then woke up my youngest son.  I didn't want to wake up my oldest son R; he had pulled a double shift at work the day before and I wanted to let him sleep in.  He got up early anyway, and gave me a big birthday hug.  That made my day right there!  His younger brother finally got up and they gave me my gifts.  My son E gave me a $25 gift card from my favorite cosmetic store, Ulta.  Woohoo!! My oldest son got me a great recipe book:  Taste Of Home Christmas Recipes.  I love recipe books, and this one has lots of desserts which means lots of goodies for our tummies!  It made me so happy to see how well my babies know me :-).

I got to Sunday school before anyone else, so I started up the coffee and set everything up.  People started streaming in, and one of the ladies whom I've known for years (her daughter was my daughter's college roommate) wished me a happy birthday.  I thought that was so sweet.  Then as our teacher was taking prayer requests, she mentioned to the whole class that it was my birthday - it caught me off guard, but everyone was wishing me a happy birthday, and at the end of the class they prayed for a special blessing for me on my day.  That really made my heart sing!

The sermon on the prodigal son was on point - I left feeling so loved by my God, who loves me and calls me His own even when I try to go off on my own, thinking I know better than anyone.  Pastor Ray once again preached the word with truth and accuracy.  I'm so thankful for our pastor!

After church we came home and waited for my daughter so we could decide where to go out to eat.  We always go out either for lunch, dinner, or "linner" on my birthday, and I was trying to decide where to go.  I felt like having Mexican food, so I chose a Mexican restaurant that's in an outdoor mall just north of us.  My daughter came home and we all hopped in the car and headed over, only to find the place packed inside and out, and no parking anywhere.  That was going to be a long wait, and it was already 3:00.  We drove over to the main street and looked at different places to eat.  My son R spotted Buffalo Wild Wings, and we all perked up.  We are chicken wing lovers, no doubt about it.  I still felt like Mexican but I would happily have wings, so we turned in there.  Again, the place looked like it was packed, but they got us seated right away.  Once we were sitting, I was quickly reminded how much I hate football.  There were television screens everywhere, with multiple games going on, and everyone focused on the Dolphin game.  The noise was over-the-top, but with it being a Sunday, and a football Sunday at that, I knew if we left we'd run into the same thing no matter where we went, so we stayed.  I anticipated slow service but it was the absolute contrary.  We were seated right away, our order was taken, and the food came quickly.  I ordered - get this - fish tacos!  Yes, I wanted Mexican and I got it!  My younger kids got a big platter of wings which they shared, and R had chicken tenders with enormous onion rings.  Once it was clear that the Dolphins were gonna lose, the place quieted down and we had a really nice time.  My oldest son graciously paid for the entire meal.  I was so thankful to be able to have my babies with me to celebrate my birthday.

Coincidentally (or not), Ulta was on the same street as Buffalo Wild Wings - isn't that perfect? ;-)  And my boys didn't complain - there's a Barnes and Noble in the same shopping center, so while my daughter and I went cosmetics shopping, they went to look at and purchase books.  I already knew what I wanted from Ulta:  cosmetic brushes.  Some of my brushes I've had for years, and especially my blush brush is rough against my skin from washing it so much.  I was hoping to get the Real Techniques core collection since I've heard such great things about it and my daughter has their powder brush which she loves.  When we walked into the store, the first thing that caught my eye was a Bare Minerals blush and brush set that I'd seen advertised on a youtube video, and I ran to get it.  It's a full size loose powder blush in Strawberry Cream with a mini blush brush for $10!  The regular price for just the blush is $19, so I knew I wanted that beautiful pink blush!  My daughter was looking at the BareSkin serum foundation, trying to decide what color she wanted.  I have this foundation in Bare Natural, which is a neutral color.  She has used it before, but she mistakenly thought I had Bare Nude.  As she was picking different colors to look at, I pulled the Bare Nude and asked if she wanted to try that one.  Her answer:  "You've already seen me in the Nude."  What was even funnier was that she didn't realize what she'd said till I told her, "I haven't seen you in the nude in a long time."  We laughed so much!  After trying out different tones one of the sales ladies came over and helped her pick the right color for her:  Bare Ivory.  It matched her neck nicely, and helped cover the redness in her cheeks.  After that she went to look at hair products and I went in search of my brushes.  I was so disappointed to find they didn't have any more core collection brushes :-(.  I should mention, the store was pretty busy and there was a long line at the registers the whole time we were there, so I wasn't surprised they were running out of merchandise.  'Tis the season to be shopping :P.  I did find the eye brush set - I wanted new eye brushes as well, and it was the last one.  Since they didn't have the core collection I decided to just get the blush brush.  Yes, the blush I was purchasing had a blush brush, but it's a mini.  It's nice for travel or to have in my purse, but I like a big fluffy brush for blush, and this one was $8.99 which is a great deal.  I had gotten a 20% off coupon from Ulta in the mail, and with that and the gift card, I was able to get everything I wanted for $6.35.  Now that's what I call a great deal!

The trip home was nice, chatting and listening to the Duck Dynasty Christmas CD my kids gave me last year.  We pulled into the driveway, and I remembered we still haven't fixed our Christmas lights.  It was already dark so that wasn't going to happen today.  Hopefully I can get that done tomorrow.  Our house looks so sad and dark compared to the other houses on our block.

I'm gonna relax the rest of this evening, watch a movie, and enjoy what's left of my birthday.  I am so blessed, and have so much to be thankful for.  My life isn't perfect by any means; but I am loved by my God, by my family, and by my friends.  And if you have Jesus, you already have everything you need.  All the rest is bonus.  Have a good night.