The Week In Review

It's Friday, once again.  I take it slower on Fridays, since it's my day off from work.  I've been doing my grocery shopping every other week (because I hate going to Walmart) and this week I'm off from that as well.  Perfect time for a blog post.

I was off this Monday for July 4th weekend.  Most companies give their employees the Friday off when the holiday lands on Saturday; since we don't work Fridays our bosses decided to give us Monday instead.  My daughter still had to work at the church, and my son had to work at the store.  I waited for my daughter to come home, and we went to see Disney/Pixar's new movie Inside Out.  I don't want to give anything away, but once again Pixar hit it out of the park.  This movie is wonderful!  The story is beautiful and well developed, with its funny moments thrown into the deeper message.  But to be perfectly honest, my favorite part of the movie was the short cartoon at the beginning, called Lava.  The story of two volcanoes that fall in love was the most romantic cartoon I've ever seen - even my 15 year old son got teary-eyed!  While this movie doesn't knock The Incredibles from the top spot of my list, it's definitely in the top 5.  I recommend everyone see it at least once.

Our weather has been slightly milder than last summer.  Last year was killer; it rained almost every single day - at least 5 times a week - so that the humidity levels were off the charts.  This year has been drier, with rain a couple of times a week, or just in the afternoons for about a half hour.  There have been thunderstorms but they've been quick to pass by.  It's actually been pleasant in the shade, with warm breezes blowing.  Once you step out into the sun, though, it's like being in an oven.  I've thought that I would melt on several occasions.

I finally got the chance to use my new weed eater last weekend.  It's lightweight, so it wasn't a hassle carrying it around as I trimmed all the edges around our house and fences.  It's also fairly quiet.  I'm glad I charged both batteries, since the first one went dead with a quarter of my yard left to do.  I was really satisfied with how the yard looked; my arms, however, were not as happy.  The vibration of the weed eater is something I'm not used to, so by the time I was finished I felt like my arms were going to fall off.  It was a weird sensation that lasted several hours.  Yesterday I mowed the grass in the backyard again (that's the problem with summer, the grass kicks into high gear) but the sun was blaring on me by the time I finished so I didn't do any trim work.  Instead I pulled out the blower, and found that it too does a good job at cleaning up.  My favorite part is that they are both very light to carry around, even with the battery put in.  Assembly was easy too: for the blower I just had to attach the tube portion to the motor.  There was a small hole that I figured needed to be screwed in, but I couldn't find one in the box.  I thought, "Hmm, looks like I'm missing a screw," - then I chuckled at myself.  I figured out that the holes were just for lining up the two parts and no additional hardware was needed.  For under $120 I got a good buy, which makes me happy.

I've come to the sad realization that one of my makeup products is making me break out.  I'd purchased the Mac Face and Body foundation a couple of months ago, and was really liking it - the color match is spot on, it gives good coverage without feeling heavy, and I could use it on its own or over my Complexion Rescue.  I had noticed, however, that a couple of times after I'd used it I was broken out.  I have occasional breakouts from acne, thanks to hormones and such.  Pre-menopause = Puberty, The Sequel.  But this wasn't pimples; I was breaking out in a rash.  I tried to attribute it to other things: food allergy, hormonal acne, weather changes.  But yesterday, after cutting the grass, washing and drying my hair, and making lunch, I was running late, so I decided on using the Mac product for a quick makeup look.  Sure enough, when I got home and took off my makeup, my cheeks and chin were red and blotchy.  This morning it was no better.  Even my oldest son, who typically doesn't notice things like that, asked me what was going on with my face this morning.  The only thing different was the Mac Face and Body.  My daughter won't mind getting my almost full bottle - it works wonderfully for her.  I'm going back to my trusty mineral powder foundation.  Just not today.  Today I'm gonna run over to CVS and see if I can't find something for my blemishes.

What else is on the agenda for today?  For one thing, laundry.  Lots of laundry.  I also have to put gas in my car.  It's so great to work just three minutes from my house.  I literally put gas in my car once a month.  That saves me a ton of money.  I've also got to vacuum, and I'm hoping to take a trip to Target today.  They have shorts on sale, buy one get one 50% off.  Shorts this year are much shorter than anything I care to wear - let's face it, mini shorts don't look attractive on me anymore.  They have Bermuda shorts on sale, though, and I want to stock up for our upcoming trip to Disney World - yay!   So that's it for now.  Hope everyone has a beautiful and blessed day.

Product Review: Bare Minerals Purifying Facial Cleanser

What is the most important ingredient to having a great makeup look?  Is it the foundation? The brand of makeup? Having all the right tools?  While some of these are good and/or necessary, they pale in comparison to proper skincare.  What good is it to spend hundreds of dollars on makeup and not have a skincare routine to keep the skin in its best condition?  That would be like a painter spending tons of money on the best quality paints and brushes, only to paint on an oily old rag.  It would be pointless.

When you have dry, sensitive skin like I do, skincare becomes a bigger challenge.  There are many good products on the market that I cannot use because they are heavily fragranced or have harsh chemicals in them that cause me to break out.  So when I find something that works and is gentle on my skin, it makes my heart happy.

I began using Olay's Age Defying Classic Cleanser because I needed something that would exfoliate after removing my makeup.  It's gentle even though it has micro-beads; they're barely noticeable when I wash my face but I can tell the difference in how clean my face is.  Then in February I got my order from Bare Minerals that included a bottle of their Purifying Facial Cleanser.  The first time I tried it I used two pumps of cleanser and it was too much.  The next time I used just one pump, and it left my face clean and fresh, without any irritation.  This stuff is gold!  I literally used it to wash the makeup off my eyes, and my eyes didn't get irritated from it.  It was a dream come true!

Probably my one issue with this product is the price.  Since I got it as part of a set I did save money, but the regular price for 6 fl. oz. of product is $20.  That's a lot to dish out for a facial cleanser.  But here's the thing: I got this bottle on February 19.  I use it everyday at least once a day, and it's still over a quarter of the bottle full.  Since that time I've repurchased the Olay Age Defying Classic Cleanser twice, even though I use it less than the Purifying Facial Cleanser (I only use it when I'm exfoliating; if I don't wear makeup one day I don't need to exfoliate), and it brings 6.78 fl. oz., more than the Bare Minerals product.  At almost $5 a bottle, the Olay is definitely cheaper to purchase, but when you see how fast it's used up and how far the Bare Minerals product goes, it's easy to see that the Purifying Facial Cleanser is a better buy.  It's what I've learned with some of the drugstore brands versus the high-end products: since you use less of the high-end brands, they're often not as expensive as they seem.  And if the product works really well for your skin, it's probably worth the splurge.  In my case, spending a little more on cleanser is absolutely worth it.

So, here are my pros and cons for the Purifying Facial Cleanser.  Pros: cleans well without any irritation, takes off makeup and dirt without leaving skin feeling stripped, a little goes a long way.  Cons: the initial price to purchase is high, but the product is cost effective since it lasts so long.  Would I buy it again?  I already have - Bare Escentuals had a skincare sale and I snatched up another bottle.  This has become a standard for me!

What about the Olay Age Defying Classic Cleanser?  It also does a good job of cleaning my face without causing irritation.  It does leave my skin feeling very dry; since I have dry skin my face always feels dry after I wash it, but some cleansers make it feel more so.  This is one of them.  And while the initial price of the product is very inexpensive, it has to be repurchased more frequently because it runs out so fast.  I've continued to purchase this because it does exfoliate well, but if I had to choose only one, it would be the Purifying Facial Cleanser.  It just can't be beat.

Have you tried either cleanser?  What are your thoughts?  I'd love to know!

Another Month In Review

I'm kind of embarrassed at the fact that another month has gone by and I haven't put up a blog post.  I've thought about it several times, but always had something that needed to get done first.  Isn't life funny like that?

Let me see, what has happened in June?  For starters, my son E finished ninth grade with straight A's.  There are no words to describe how happy I am with how well he did.  I quickly signed him up for tenth grade and all the classes he'd need to take in August.  About a week after he'd finished, I got a call from the Florida Virtual School office saying that they aren't doing full-time online school anymore.  I felt my heart hit the floor.  No, don't do this!  Then the woman explained that I had to sign up for part-time homeschooling, which in essence is the same as full-time virtual school, except that I set the schedule instead of the online school.  I had to re-register him, which took a while but I was able to finish it.  We won't be using the same program as we did for ninth grade, which is kind of sad since my son enjoyed it.  But I'm relieved that we will still be doing homeschool.  My son did so much better and learned so much this year; I don't want him to have to go back to a school system he hated.

A week after E finished school, I had a week off from work.  Well, almost a week off.  My boss MM had explained that, while the tutors would have the week off, we would still have to come in and set up for summer tutoring.  I didn't mind, but she did.  She wanted a week off as much as the teachers.  So, we got to work early the previous week and did all the paperwork for the new session.  The only thing that couldn't be done was reminders - calls to the parents to remind them when their kids would start the summer session.  My bosses went out of town for the week, so I was "nominated" to make the calls.  I figured it would take me a couple of hours at most.  It took almost four hours, but it was one day and I rested that week, so I can't complain.

The following week, however, was pure insanity.  I signed up to serve at our church's vacation bible school (or VBS) in the mornings.  I had to be at the church before 8:30 in the morning to help with registration and sign ins, then I was off to the snack room, where I helped prepare snacks and clean up for the four age groups.  I was on my feet from 9am till noon.  Then I ran home, changed my clothes, ate quickly, prepared my dinner, and went to work from 1:30 till 7:30.  I'd get home, prepare the crockpot for the next day, go to bed and start the whole thing all over again the next day.  Add to that the fact that my monthly friend paid a visit on Thursday morning, and you can well imagine what my week was like.  I was thankful that I don't work Fridays, but we had our women's bible group prayer night that night.  It was close to home, which is great, but I was exhausted.  I'm surprised I didn't fall asleep during prayer time!  Actually, it was beautiful, such a lovely time with these wonderful women, and I wouldn't have missed it for the world.  In fact, if I had to do it again, I would do it all in a heartbeat.  Serving the kids was the highlight of my day, and I'm thankful I have the health and energy to still get it all done.

I went to NY & Co for some shopping because I had some City Cash that was about to expire.  It allowed me to get a couple of pretty necklaces that were on sale.  The original price was $25 for each; they had a buy one get one for $5 deal going on, and with my $20 in City Cash I spent $10 for the two.  I also picked up some pants for work.  I'd wanted to get some jeans but all they had was bootcut and I prefer straight leg jeans.  I also got some purses at Target.  One purse, in a pretty mint color, was $29.99; more than I usually pay for a purse but it's a lovely color and the perfect size for my wallet, umbrella, and bible.  I used it today for church and it's so springtime, I just love it.  Then my daughter and I went to Target today to return some makeup she'd bought that she didn't like, and I found a couple of purses on clearance.  One is black, the other is light green, and they were $7.48 each, reduced from $24.99.  Yeah, more my style!  I got a couple of tank tops too, at $6 each.  I like wearing a tank top with a cardigan for work because it's professional but still light.  One tank top is red and the other is purple.  I think I'll save the red one for July 4th, which is just a few days away.  Wow, the year is halfway gone!  Can you believe it?!

I also purchased some stuff from Bare Escentuals during their Friends and Family sale.  I had a $20 off coupon and they were offering 20% off and free shipping.  Works for me!  I got a cream concealer which I'd been wanting to get, a neutral eye kit with a 5 in 1 cream eye shadow primer, an eye shadow duo in brown and champagne (love!!) and a brown eye liner pencil (double love!!), and a sample Mineralixers kit.  Mineralixers is Bare Escentuals oil skincare line.  This kit brings the oil based cleanser, an eye balm and the 5 in 1 oil/moisturizer.  The 5 in 1 is my favorite; my dry skin appreciates it greatly.  It's not a greasy oil by any means.  I can use it in place of my moisturizer and it leaves my skin feeling smooth and silky.  The cleanser is good as a makeup remover - it melts the makeup off my face - but I don't feel like my skin is completely cleaned after I use it.  The eye balm is very nourishing to the delicate skin under my eyes, but so is their eye cream.  I'm not sure I like the balm more than the cream.  I'm glad I got the kit, though.  I've used it and my skin has responded well to it, which is good considering I'm struggling with adult acne.  It comes and goes; I can have days when my skin is perfectly clear, then all of a sudden I start breaking out.  It might be hormonal.  It might be my age.  Or... It might be that I've been having chocolate, which has always made me break out.  Which is terribly unfair.

I've been watching Poirot on Netflix.  A few seasons that hadn't been on Netflix before are on now, and I have been enjoying my favorite Agatha Christie sleuth.  I try to watch one episode a day.  It's about all I have time for.  It's a struggle not to fall asleep because it's late at night when I finally can sit down to watch.

Oh!  One more thing!  I've booked our hotel for our mini vacation in September!  We will be going to Night of Joy again this year, my son E, my daughter A and myself.  My oldest son R has to work, so he stays behind and takes care of Molly.  We will be staying at the Pop Century resort at Disney World, which is so cool because we've never stayed there before!  We got a great deal, $108 a night, which for Disney is a steal.  Just 2 days after I'd booked the room the prices had gone up to $114, so I'm glad I got it when I did.  We are soooo looking forward to Night of Joy - Skillet will be performing again, along with several bands we're eager to see.  I'm so excited!!

I think that's all the updates for this month.  I could say that I'm going to post more often, but...I'll say that I will try.  I really do enjoy recording our days and weeks.  I have to make an effort to keep my blog up to date.  Here's to hoping!  God bless.

Week...No, Wait, Month In Review

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Monday, Monday

How quickly our time off ends, how slowly our work week progresses...

It's back to school today, and no, my son isn't looking forward to it.  While he much prefers homeschooling, he hates the fact that his friends are off from school this week for spring break.  I'm sure it won't be as bad as he thinks; thanks to technology, he's able to play games and chat with his buddies without having to leave the house.  Boy, it sure was different when I was growing up!  The most I could do was talk on the phone, and since there was only one line (no call waiting back then) my dad would get mad if we were on the phone more than 10 minutes.  His logic was, phones should only be used in emergencies.  If you want to talk to people, go see them in person.  I don't think my dad would approve of the texting generation.

My face was still broken out on Saturday despite taking Benadryl the night before, which was weird, but it wasn't spreading or getting worse, so I did my normal morning routine.  The only thing I left out was the Mineralixer oil from Bare Minerals I've been trying out; I figured it was the newest thing I'd added to my skincare regimen so I should leave it out.

I woke up with a ton of energy.  I started cleaning the hallway bathroom and looked at the walls.  When we remodeled the bathrooms back in 2009, I'd painted the hall bathroom in an olive-y kind of green.  I love color, and I'm not afraid to use darker tones on the walls.  It looked pretty when I first did it, but after 6 years the paint was looking dull and dirty.  Add to that the fact that this is the room where my daughter does her makeup, and she complains that there isn't enough light in the bathroom.  I tried doing my makeup in there, and I had to agree.  So I looked through the paints I had in the garage, and found some leftover tan color paint from my bedroom.  It's a color I like to call "cafe con leche" (coffee with milk).  While it isn't necessarily a light color, it is lighter than the green, and any amount of lightness would help.  It's a tiny bathroom, so it neither needed much paint nor time, but it's hard to paint because it is so small a space.  Getting the ladder around was tricky, and the paint tray had to stay in the hallway because it wouldn't fit in the bathroom.  Still, it got done in about an hour, and it looks nice and clean.  The color isn't bold like the green was, but I think my daughter will appreciate the brightness a lighter color brings.

I got both bathrooms cleaned, then went back to Pep Boys to get my tires balanced.  I'd gotten new tires last Sunday, and when I got on the expressway Thursday for my hair appointment, the car was shaking like there was an earthquake.  Scared me a bit, I've got to say.  So I had that taken care of, then headed over to Payless Shoe Source.  I had a 15% off coupon so I figured it wouldn't hurt to see what they had.  Lately I'd been disappointed with the selection at Payless; the shoes were overpriced knock-offs that weren't comfortable or even pretty.  This time I had a much better experience.  They've got their summer sandals and shoes, and I found two pairs of wedges that are not only cute but very comfy to walk around in!  The selection at this particular Payless was slim - I don't know if they haven't received the newer stock or if they sold out - but I got a pair in black with brown straps and a pair in a nice cream color with espadrille heels.

  
I especially love the black ones!  I wore them to church yesterday and they are super comfortable to walk in!

Sunday morning, very first thing in the morning, I got a visit from my monthly friend.  There went my energy level, down the drain.  I was dragging my feet all day yesterday.  My stomach felt like it had rocks in it, my back was achy and I sat around doing nothing - well no, not exactly nothing; I did a bunch of laundry.  I still have to fold it, though.  But at least the day wasn't a total waste.

One thing I did notice this morning - the breakout on my face has almost completely disappeared, which means it wasn't an allergy like I'd thought.  It was purely hormonal.  It's rough being a girl, let me tell you.

It's just about time to start school, so I say farewell for now, and to all, have a blessed week.

My Week In Review

It was my intention to post more frequently this week, since it was spring break for my son.  So much for good intentions...

For some reason (that no one seems to understand), schools in South Florida all have different weeks for their Spring Break.  Homeschool students were off this past week, while public school students are off next week.  Since many students have dual enrollment, taking certain honors classes online while still attending traditional school, I have to wonder why they couldn't come together and agree on having Spring Break at the same time?  While it's true that homeschooling is flexible, Florida Virtual School has changes to the curriculum that often don't happen till the day before an assignment is due, or at the beginning of the school week.  Trying to get ahead can be tricky; an assignment might be cancelled or an alternate given, in which case the student would have worked for nothing.  I just think it would have made more sense to have both take their breaks at the same time.

Now add to that the fact that private schools don't have the same Spring Break as public schools.  Some private schools will be closed next week, same as public schools, but Catholic schools are off the week after Holy Week.  That's another change I don't understand; traditionally, Catholic schools were closed during Holy Week.  Anyway, our tutoring center decided to close during the time the Catholic schools close since we have so many students from Catholic schools, and because some of the Protestant private schools will be open but the kids will be taking their SAT's so they won't be coming to tutoring.  That would have meant way too many absences, so it's better to close.

This week I spent a good amount of time adjusting next week's schedule.  With public schools being closed next week, we've had dozens of parents calling in to let us know their kids won't be coming to tutoring because they're going out of town for Spring Break.  Unfortunately it's not possible for the center to be closed for two separate weeks, so we'll be open next week even though it might resemble a bit of a ghost town.

I've also been doing a lot of work on my own.  Tuesday marked my one month anniversary working at the center, but I've already been left to take care of the front desk by myself twice.  I've come to the realization that my boss, MM, is burned out.  She and her husband have owned the tutoring center for over 11 years, and in that time she's take one break.  She's run the front desk on her own for a long time; she's had people working there with her, but they've been tutors, who have to leave as soon as their students arrive.  I think she wants to be able to take some time off once in awhile, without worrying about whether everything is being taken care of.  She wants to walk away and spend time with her kids, with her mom who is getting up in years, with friends she doesn't see too often.  I totally get it, and I'm honored that she trusts me enough to leave me in charge, though I know she's a bit of a control freak and won't let go completely.  She still looks over my shoulders a lot, which I have to get used to.

One thing that unnerved me this week, though, was having to tutor a couple of kids.  There's a stomach flu going around, and one of our teachers had to go to the hospital because she became so sick.  She had some students that needed homework help, and there was no one else available to tutor them.  I was "volunteered", which I didn't mind since they were both elementary school students.  What upset me was that I was pretty much thrown to the lions, so to speak: I received no training on any of the programs, no instruction on what to do, and I had no clue what I was supposed to be doing.  Thankfully the first student was eager to explain everything his teacher does with him, and another teacher (who is an absolute doll) showed me where the material was, and I was able to work with the two boys.  They assigned another teacher (she's a wonderful young lady as well) to train me, but that wasn't until the next day.  I think in their minds tutoring would be a no-brainer for a homeschooling mom.  I had to explain what the big difference is: when I homeschool, it's my kid.  If I mess up I don't have to answer to anyone, I just have to fix it.  The kids that come to the tutoring center are paying customers.  Their parents expect a certain level of instruction that I am not qualified to give.  I'm all about being a team player and helping out whenever I'm needed, so long as I'm properly prepared to do the task.  I didn't feel that I was at that time, and it made me feel uncomfortable, which I let them know.

The rest of the week went smoother.  Since I didn't have to homeschool, I polished some of the floors that had gotten dulled from moving furniture boxes around.  Thursday I got a haircut - I went back to the short bob I'd gotten back in October.  My hair had been chin length at that time, and it had grown past my shoulders.  I debated whether to cut it short or not, but since my hair grows so much as so quickly, I decided to go for it and had it cut chin length again.  This way all the dull and damaged ends are gone, and I'm left with healthier hair to grow out.        

I've been having some breakouts this week.  I hadn't had pimples like this in ages, but Wednesday I had three - THREE! - on my face, two of them plainly on my chin.  I scrubbed them good, and two of them actually popped.  Then yesterday after lunch I started noticing a different kind of breakout.  I have several spots on my face that are not zits.  These look like hives, like when I have allergies.  My allergies have been running rampant lately thanks to the warmer weather, but I suspect this may have been from the fish I had for lunch yesterday.  I made it myself, and I've had tilapia before, but reactions can happen at any time.  I took a Benadryl last night but this morning they're still there.  At least there aren't more, nor has it spread to any other part of my body.  Not that I like having them on my face :P.  Yesterday they were a bit itchy; that isn't the case today.

That was my week, in a nutshell.  I'm off to clean bathrooms now - thrilling, huh?  Have a blessed weekend everyone!

Thoughtful Thursday

What a week it has been!  I didn't realize how "out of it" I was in respect to being in the work force.  So much I've forgotten, so much I need to relearn!

I began working again this week after 6 1/2 years of being a stay-at-home mom.  I knew it would be different, but I didn't realize how different.  I felt a little like a fish out of water, even though my bosses are dear friends of mine who love the Lord and have great patience and understanding.  I had to admit to MM today that I had to get used to the phone.  I haven't had a land line in 3 years.  I haven't answered a work phone in twice that.  So the phone rings, and I honestly don't hear it!  I try to pay attention to it, but I get busy doing something and my mind blocks out all other sounds.  I have to make a conscious effort to listen for the phone so I can help get it answered.

It's also a very different industry than anything I've worked in.  For my last two jobs, in which I worked a total of 20 years, I worked in manufacturing.  I was a purchasing manager for 10 of those years.  Yes, it was office work, but extremely different from the service-type of industry I'm in now.  I didn't have to deal with customers.  I was the customer.  People came to me offering me products and prices, and I got to shop and get paid for it (every woman's dream job).  Now I have to work with the public, learning the names of the teachers and the students, their curriculum and needs, and it's gonna take me a while to get everything straight!  I pray each day that I would please my Heavenly Father by doing the best job I can while treating others the way I'd like to be treated.

The perks of this job are simple: I work 4 days a week, Monday through Thursday.  I work from 3:00 to 8:15, which gives me plenty of time to homeschool, take care of the house, and make food.  I've timed my drive to work:  3 minutes, unless I get caught by the traffic light, in which case it takes 4 minutes.  All the teachers have been super nice to me - they all like my daughter, so it's easy to see why they'd be that way, but I do believe they're just all really nice.  Most of the teachers are college students, though one is in high school and another is an older guy that's been there for years.  They're very professional and polite.  It's a great environment to work in.

Of course I've had to really buckle down and keep my commitment to managing my time efficiently.  It hasn't been nearly as difficult as I thought it would be, though.  In the mornings I make breakfast, then I have my bible study time while eating.  I make sure E gets up early as well; no more starting school at 10 am I'm afraid!  We start school at 9:00 and go straight till either noon or 1:00, depending on what classes he has.  I've used the crock pot to help me, so I don't have to stop and cook, though I have done that as well.  Today for instance, I made meatloaf and mashed potatoes.  Meatloaf is a quick prep, then it goes in the oven.  The potatoes take longer because I make them from scratch, but I didn't make a huge batch so I was able to get them in the pot fairly quickly.  Recipes that are quick and simple are my go-to's now (think: 30 minute meals).  After lunch I get dressed and put on my makeup, so that we can get some more schoolwork done before I have to leave.  While E is doing an online class, I'm doing laundry, preparing the meal, sweeping up dog hair, whatever needs to get done.  After work I come home and finish anything that didn't get done earlier, including any pending schoolwork.  All in all it has worked out quite smoothly, I'm glad to say.  I think I can relax a bit now.

I got a couple of shipments in from Bare Escentuals this week.  The palette arrived yesterday and I immediately started to use it.  I'm in love!  The palette has 4 color groups: pinks, plums, golds and greens.  The pinks are a nice neutral, with a brown shade that is really pretty.  I used that one yesterday, and the plum colors today.  They go on smoothly, blend really well, and last the whole time I'm wearing them.  I'm dying to try the greens!

I also received my skincare order, with the Active Cell Renewal Night Serum.  I'd used several samples the company had sent me on previous orders, and I could clearly see and feel a difference in my skin.  I've also been using the Purifying Facial Cleanser which is gentle on my sensitive skin, and the moisturizer that accompanies it.  I love the mild smell; I can't use products with fragrances because they make me break out.  This moisturizer doesn't irritate my skin at all.  It's been nice using products that are helping my skin rather than harming it.

Of course my weekend won't be very relaxed.  My best friend IV got us tickets to see Chris Tomlin in concert tomorrow - it was her Christmas present to us.  Our church is having its annual carnival starting tonight, though we passed on it.  Our temperatures have taken a bit of a nosedive.  It was 50 degrees this morning when I got up, but thanks to the wind chill factor it felt like 43.  Tonight the temps are going into the 30's.  It was already cold and windy out there when I got off work, and I knew it wasn't going to get any better, so we chose to stay home.  Tomorrow my son and his best friend will go to the carnival while the ladies go to the concert.  I don't like going without him, but he wants to hang out with his friends, which I totally understand.  Saturday will probably be more carnival time, then Sunday we have tickets to see Tim Hawkins, my all-time favorite comedian!  My daughter got to see him live years ago, but I wasn't able to go.  I'm so excited to see him this year!  

That's my wrap up for the work week.  I'll do my best to get a post up before the weekend is over.  It's gonna be a busy one!  God bless and good night.

And The Answer Is...

Yes.  The answer is yes.  I prayed about it, I have peace about it, and I can move forward in confidence.  A new season is starting.  A busy one, but I believe a happy, healthy, and productive one.

Back on Tuesday I posted about a job offer I received out of the blue.  My daughter's bosses, who are friends of mine, offered me an office assistant position at their tutoring school.  It was so unexpected that it caught me unprepared, and I told JM and MM that I needed time to pray and be sure that this was God's will for me.  That's what I've been doing, and what others have been doing for me as well.
I talked it over with my kids, breaking down the pros and cons of going back to work, even if it is part time.  To be completely honest, I was having trouble coming up with cons.  After all, the hours are from 3:00 - 8:15 pm, and since the school is 10 minutes from my house, I could leave at 2:45 and be there early. This would allow me to continue homeschooling my son E without any interruption.  The work week is Monday - Thursday, with all school holidays off.  I'd be working with my daughter and with people I've known for years and have always been close to.  They are devout Christians who don't just talk the talk, they walk the walk.  And let's face it, a little extra money coming in always helps :-).

The cons?  1) Having to learn time management all over again.  That shouldn't be a problem.  Truthfully speaking, I've become very comfortable (read: lazy).  I get up later and start school later because I can, not because I have to.  There's no reason why I can't get my butt in gear and get organized. 2) Leaving my son E at home while I go to work for 5 hours.  Okay, even I laughed at that one.  I used to leave my two older kids alone when they were 13 years old and I was gone from 7:45 am to 5:20 pm.  E is 15 years old, and he'd be alone for far less time: not only because I'd only be gone for 5 hours, but also his brother is here part of the time, either before he goes to work or after he comes back.  And again, he's 15!!  I can't treat him like a baby just because he's the youngest.  We all need to get over that.  This is probably the best way.

What ultimately convinced me that this was coming from God was a conversation MM had with my daughter A.  She told A that for months she's been praying about needing an assistant, and each time God brought me to her mind.  She started hearing people call out my name in stores and restaurants, and let's face it, Arlene is not a common name.  She didn't say anything for a long time because, as she said to me, "I wanted a sign.  A big bright neon sign from God telling me this was what He wanted."  When she finally told her husband what she was considering and praying about, he immediately said, "Let's call her and see if she'll take the position!"  I knew God wouldn't dangle a dream job in front of me, and put this so plainly in MM's heart, if He didn't mean it.  He isn't going to play games with us.  I felt sure that God's hands were all over this, and He gave me peace about it, so I called MM today and told her yes, I wanted to give this a go.  She was so thrilled she couldn't stop talking, which is very unlike her!  She kept telling me how she'd prayed and prayed and this was an answer to prayer.  It brought joy to my heart.

A little while later I went to Winn Dixie to pick up some groceries, since this is grocery week.  I found some great deals on meats, and was picking up some canned goods, when who do I run into but MM!  I know she lives close by, but I've never, and I mean never run into her at the grocery store, even though I've lived in the neighborhood almost 15 years and they've been here even longer.  When she saw me she couldn't stop laughing, and we hugged because we both felt it was confirmation from the Lord.  She even looked up and said, "Okay, Lord, I get it, I hear you!"  We feel so blessed, and I'm looking forward to what else God has in store for me.  

Let's see, what else has been going on?  Oh, this weekend Bare Escentuals has free shipping on all orders, and 25% off their Last Chance products (items that are on clearance).  I took a quick look and about jumped out of my chair.  A skincare set I'd been eyeing for months was on the Last Chance section: a kit containing their Purifying Facial Cleanser (which I use and is phenomenal), the Purely Nourishing Moisturizer for combination skin (also a great product that doesn't cause me to break out or itch), and what I wanted most of all, their Active Cell Renewal Night Serum.  I've used this several times when I've received samples, and I could see the difference in the texture of my skin.  This product is the best I've tried, but 1 ounce of it costs $50.  Ouch!  I had seen the skincare kit and was tempted to buy it: all three products together for $58 is an incredible deal, since the facial cleanser alone is $20 and the moisturizer is $28.  I kept putting it off in favor of other deals, but today I couldn't say no anymore.  With the 25% off I was getting the kit for $43.50!  I'm so glad I waited and didn't pay the full price for the kit.

A few days ago I went to Target with my daughter and picked up some nail polishes that were on clearance.  They're Revlon Perfumerie, and it claimed the nail polishes were scented.  I sniffed one in the store; to me it just smelled like nail polish, but the colors were so pretty, and they were $3.77 each, about half the regular price, so I got 3 of them, two for myself and a deep purple one for my daughter.  She did her nails the next day, and told me that once it started to dry it definitely had a really pretty scent.  I went ahead and gave myself a mani-pedi today using the color Moonlit Woods.  It's a purple with blue undertones, almost like a dark lavender blue.  Sure enough, as I was painting my nails I started to smell the perfume.  It's actually a lovely scent.  If you like perfume scents.  My nose doesn't.  I'm so upset, because I love the color, and I really do like the smell, but it's making my nose sore.  I hate that I have these stupid allergies to perfumes.  It's so not fair.

Wednesday night was movie night at Awana.  Pastor G brought the movie The Perfect Game, a true story set in the 1950's about racial discrimination.  Pastor said the movie was an hour and 17 minutes long, which was perfect.  We sat the kids down, gave them chips and Capri Suns, and sat down to watch the movie with them.  We were all getting into the story (once all the adults got over the fact that Cheech Marin plays a priest in the film), when parents started coming in to pick up the kids.  I was surprised; it was obvious the movie was not finishing any time soon.  Then we looked at the movie sleeve: the movie length was 117 minutes, not an hour and 17 minutes!  We all had a good laugh, even though we felt bad for the kids.  They didn't get to see the ending.  Sorry kids.  Just for reference: the Mexican kids won!

I want to say that yes, I kept away from my blog for the past few days as I meditated and prayed and waited on God's answer.  It was the right thing to do, but I do hope to continue updating my blog as this new adventure starts.  It's gonna be hectic at first, I'm sure, but I'm really looking forward to it.  And guess what?  My first day is Tuesday, because Monday is President's Day which is a school holiday!  It doesn't get much better than that!  Good night ya'll, and God bless.

How Quickly Things Change

Hello, and welcome to another installment of, "Where the heck am I?!"  Yesterday temperatures were in the low 80's, and I had the air conditioning on because it was so stuffy and humid out.  Today the morning started out cloudy; not just regular clouds, but big, ominous clouds that threatened rain, and lots of it.  I checked the weather channel, and sure enough, they promised lots of rain and thunderstorms.  We braced ourselves for what was to come.  It didn't.  We got a drizzle, with no thunder whatsoever, no even in the distance.  Then the temperatures started to drop.  The humidity was replaced by a chilly breeze.  Right now it's in the low 60's, and we might get into the upper 40's by tomorrow morning.  My kids say that Florida is the Bi-Polar State.  It can be hot and sunny one minute, cold and rainy the next.  It's amazing how quickly things can change.

Take me, for instance.  I felt awful yesterday; I spent the day doing absolutely nothing.  I had no energy and no desire to do a single thing.  This morning I got up feeling way better.  So much so, that I dusted the furniture, vacuumed and mopped the floors in the family room, dining room and kitchen.  I was on a roll!  It was like my battery had been recharged, and I could keep going, and going, and going...till my kid's father came over.  It's amazing how that man can drain all the happiness out of whatever place he steps into.  He was bringing some papers over, and I thought he was picking up E to spend the afternoon with him, but he about a half hour later.  I think he was wanting me to feed him, since he got here as I was whipping up some mashed potatoes.  Yeah, that wasn't going to happen.  It's like he still doesn't get it; we've been separated for 3+ years, and it hasn't been pleasant.  To this day he has not admitted that he's done anything wrong, or that he is sorry.  I'm not going to pretend it's okay, like his family has done.  What's wrong is wrong, and he's gonna have to face that reality, here on earth or before the Judgment throne.  For his sake, I hope he does it here.

I finished week one of my Beth Moore study, so now I'm kind of caught up with the class.  This study is different than any other video bible study I've done.  Usually we study the material, then watch the corresponding video and discuss it that week.  With the Daniel study, we watch the video first, then do the daily workbook assignments.  Since I'd missed the first week I had to get caught up.  I was there for week two's video, so now I can start doing the homework for it.  I have Sunday - Thursday to work on it, but Monday starts a new school semester, and Wednesday we have Awana, so I'm going to have to take that into account and make sure I do my workbook assignments in the mornings.  It's a really interesting study; I won't have any problem picking up the book and getting into it.

It's my turn to bring breakfast for my Sunday school class tomorrow, so I decided to bake a cake.  It's an applesauce spice cake, one of my favorites.  The house smells of cinnamon and nutmeg and absolute yumminess.  I won't frost it till tomorrow morning, but I did my hair today because I won't have time to do it in the morning.  Sunday mornings are busy enough; I don't want to have to get up at 5am just to blow dry my hair.  I'll still have to stop off at Winn-Dixie to buy rolls and probably some ham spread, so we can have a complete breakfast.  What, you don't consider rolls and cake to be a complete breakfast?  Don't worry, there'll be coffee too ;-).

It's Saturday, so I'm going to go exfoliate and moisturize my face so it's squeaky clean and beautiful for church tomorrow.  I like looking my best for worshiping my King.  Oh, I should mention, I've continued with my water drinking experiment.  My skin is most definitely more hydrated; I've always suffered from dry skin, but now I notice it's become more normal to dry.  Actually, my t-zone has become slightly oily, an oddity now that the humidity has gone down.  It might be hormonal, of course.  I'm going to keep drinking and increasing my water intake to see how my skin is affected.  Obviously I don't want oily skin either; no one wants break-outs at my age.  But it sure is nice not to have skin as dry as the desert either.  This is one change I'm enjoying.

So, that's it for today.  I'm hoping this change in the weather will last.  I'm hoping the change in my skin will be for the better.  Mostly, I hope the changes in my life will only improve me daily.  Good night folks.

Satisfaction Saturday

Don't you love those days when you get to scratch stuff off your to-do list?  When everything you had planned actually gets done?  Those are satisfying days.  Today was one of those days for me.

I got up early but decided there was no need to rush.  The room felt chilly - it was 55 degrees and the breezes were keeping the house nice and cool, even with the windows closed.  I got up and started in the kitchen by taking some pork chops out, then making breakfast.  My son left for work before I got to the kitchen, and my daughter got home from dog-sitting shortly thereafter.  Once breakfast was done I called my youngest son, E.  Today was gonna be the day he finished the semester.  We had reviewed his science notes the day before, checked and double-checked, so I knew he was ready.  He wasn't so sure; just the thought of taking a test that was 1 1/2 - 2 hours long was enough to get his head spinning.  I encouraged him and reminded him he wasn't being timed, he didn't need to rush, and we had reviewed so he should be okay.  It took an hour and a half, just as the teacher said, and so far he has an 85%.  There are 3 essay questions that the teacher has to grade, but I think he did well.  Finally, he has turned in all his semester work and we can both enjoy the rest of this three day weekend.  Hallelujah!

Once he'd finished I started vacuuming the floors.  Two girls from church were coming over to practice for tomorrow's youth group worship, and once again my floors looked like they were growing fur.  I got the floors cleaned, then changed the bedding on all the beds.  With my son R having had pink eye, it was imperative that his bedding be washed, so I went ahead and did all the bedding.  Then I made pork chops, sauteed in tomato sauce with mixed veggies, along with white rice, black beans, and fries.  After having eaten pizza or Tyson chicken for the past couple of days, I was looking forward to real food :-).  My kids even complimented the meal.  I haven't made pork chops this way in a long time, and they were happy to have it again.

After lunch it was time to color my hair.  My roots were starting to take over.  Every time I look at my roots I'm astounded at how many grays I have towards the crown of my head.   I bought the same hair colorant I'd purchased last time, Clairol Age Defy, because I did notice that it covered my grays really well, and the color lasted for over a month without looking dull.  I think it also has to do with the fact that I'm using a shampoo that has no sulfates, but I still loved the way the color turned out the last time.  I'd been using 6R which is a medium auburn, recommended by my hair stylist, but when I bought my hair color the last time they only had 5R which is dark auburn.  Now when I went to Walmart to pick up my hair color, I noticed they had the 6R, but I chose to stick with the darker shade of auburn.  I love the way it looks, the way it covers my grays, and how it works with my skin tone.  From the moment I start mixing the color till it's time to wash it out takes just over an hour.  The box says to leave the hair color on for 35 minutes: 30 for the roots and 5 for the rest of the hair.  My stylist recommended I leave it on for 45-50 minutes on my roots and another 10-15 minutes on the rest of my hair.  This is because my grays weren't being completely covered when I left the color on for less time.  So for me, it's a mission getting my hair colored, washed, and styled, but I was determined to do it today and not go to church looking like a skunk head.  It turned out beautiful, and it was another item taken care of.

I decided to play with my makeup a little, too.  I have lots of eye shadows, and I wanted to try using a couple of them to see how they worked together.  The first combo I didn't like; there was too much shimmer going on and it was overwhelming.  The second one looked much nicer.  I used lavender with shimmer on my lid up to the crease, then a matte brown shade above the crease.  I lined my lash line with a purple liner, and it looked soft and pretty.  I didn't have anywhere to go, but I still enjoyed being able to do something just for myself.

We had dinner, then I decided I wanted to watch a movie.  I'd gotten three DVD's over Christmas and my birthday, but I'd only gotten to see one because, now that both my sons have Wii U's, they are on them every chance they get.  Tonight, it was my turn.  My daughter was on her Wii in the living room, and E was on his computer playing a game with his friend.  R wasn't home yet, so the family room television was free :D.  I grabbed the movie Mom's Night Out, a hilarious comedy, and proceeded to laugh my little heart out.  That felt so good!  I'd been wanting to sit down and watch this movie for a while, and I'm glad I finally got that done.

I couldn't believe the time when I finished watching the movie: it was just 7:30!  It was so dark outside I was sure it was after 9:00.  That's the problem with wintertime: short days.  I went ahead and cleaned up the kitchen.  My son went out with his friends, so the food I'd saved for him got put away in the fridge.  I'm sure he'll appreciate the leftovers for work tomorrow.

On a very positive note: I've been drinking lots more water everyday for just over a week, and I have to say I'm noticing a difference in my skin.  It's not as dry as it was before.  It's not greasy either, but it is glowy.  I'm sure my skin regiment is helping as well, but I changed my skin care regiment back in November.  Yes, I've seen improvement, but since drinking more water it's like my skin was bumped up a notch.  I'm liking this quite a bit!  I plan to continue with this little experiment and see how my skin looks at the end of the month.

I have to go do my microdermabrasion now, so I think I'll say goodnight, sleep tight, and don't let the bed bugs bite.  God bless.

TGIF Ya'll!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

Thoughtful Thursday - Is It Winter Yet?

We woke up to a chilly 55 degrees this morning.  Considering that our temperatures have been in the low 80's for the past couple of weeks, this is cold.  Compared to the rest of Florida, however, this is a heatwave.  Temperatures in the 30's and 40's for Central and North Florida, and we're only in the 50's?  That's kind of weird.  Or, as my kids would say, unfair.  My windows have been open all day and a cool breeze has made our home pleasant, except for the allergies.  My youngest son was sneezing up a storm this morning.  He's doing better now, praise the Lord, but I almost wondered if we'd be able to get any schoolwork done.

We actually accomplished a good chunk of work, meaning algebra.  That's what we worked on most of the day, reviewing and completing his unit 5 exam which was in 2 parts.  He actually did really well on the multiple choice: he has a 91% so far, and there's one answer the teacher has to check which could potentially give him a slightly higher grade.  Part 2 was emailed to the teacher so he's gonna have to wait till she grades it, but I think he did well on that too.  The only other thing he worked on was studying for his Hope DBA.  Hope is his physical education class; DBA's are discussion based assessments.  It's where the teacher calls him directly and asks him questions about what he's learned during the course.  He called in and left his teacher a message, but she didn't call back, probably because there are so many kids calling in for their DBA's.  I had him send an email with his phone number as well, in case she didn't understand his phone message since he tends to mumble (all my kids do; wonder where they got that from?).  He has his online Hope lesson tomorrow, plus he has to finish his English thesis and send it in.  It's actually complete, but he's waiting for his sister to review it and make any recommendations before he submits it.  It's one of the perks of having a sister who's an English tutor :-).

I took out some country-style ribs last night and put them in the crock pot this morning.  In case I've never mentioned it before, the crock pot is my favorite appliance of life.  Whoever came up with the crock pot is an absolute genius and should be president.  I mean, can it get any easier and more cost efficient?  I fill up my crock pot in the morning with most or all of the ingredients for the meal we're gonna eat in no more than 15 minutes.  I then set it, and walk away.  I can do whatever else needs to get done, even leave the house to run errands, and be assured that our meal will be perfect every time.  I've even set it at night (like a pot roast for instance) and in the morning the house smells divine.  And how much electricity does a crock pot use?  About the same as a standard light bulb.  I guarantee the oven isn't that energy efficient.  I've made chicken, turkey, beef, and pork in my crock pot, but it isn't just for meats and stews.  We made apple butter in the crock pot and it turned out amazing.  We also used it for hot chocolate on my daughter's birthday; it stayed warm all night and everyone enjoyed going back to it.  Country style ribs are so incredibly easy it's almost embarrassing.  Take 4 - 6 pounds of country style ribs (with or without bone, either works).  Salt and pepper them liberally, and place them in the crock pot.  Then in a bowl combine 1 bottle of chili sauce (I like Heinz but any will do; the bottle is about 12 ounces), 1 cup packed light brown sugar, 2 tablespoons of white vinegar, 2 tablespoons of Worchestershire sauce and half a cup of water.  Mix well and pour over the ribs.  Set it on low for 5-6 hours, then prepare yourself for tender deliciousness.  I served these with roasted potatoes and carrots.  They disappeared pretty quickly.

My son woke up feeling a bit better today.  I think he has a sinus cold because he says his chest isn't congested, just his head and nose.  Tylenol Sinus seems to be working for him, and I'm glad.  He's working from 5:00 till midnight tonight and there's nothing worse than working when you're sick.  

My daughter shared a story she read online.  She found it on Facebook.  Granted, it's from The Daily Mail, a tabloid from the UK that's notorious for printing not-so-true stories, but I think the information is pretty spot on.  I'd mentioned how I was trying different moisturizers because my skin is dry and the wrinkles under and around my eyes have been more pronounced lately.  Yes, I'm 51 years old and I should expect it.  But hey, I can also try to prevent it, right?  Well, the story is about a 42 year old woman who went to see her doctor about headaches and poor digestion.  Both her neurologist and nutritionist recommended the same thing:  drink more water.  According to the article, she started drinking 3 liters of water per day, and in 4 weeks she not only felt physically better (no more headaches and better digestion), but her wrinkles were gone, as were the dark circles under her eyes.  The pictures show a dramatic difference that could easily be photo-shopped, but the article does make sense.  All too often women think about moisturizing to hydrate the skin from the outside, but what about hydrating from the inside?  I have to admit, I don't drink nearly as much water as I should.  It's not that I don't like water; as a matter of fact it's my drink of choice.  I have one cup of coffee in the morning with my breakfast, then drink water anytime I'm thirsty.  Even when we go out to eat I have water with my meal instead of soda (though I do occasionally indulge in my favorite sugary drink, sweet tea).  My problem is the amount of water I drink, which usually is about 32 ounces a day.  That's half of what is recommended, and frankly, the recommendation falls short.  Why don't I drink more water?  I forget.  Plain and simple, I forget to drink water.  That's a lame excuse, I know.  So I've made it a point to keep a cup with me and try to drink 48 ounces in the morning and another 48 ounces at night.  I started building up my water intake a couple of days ago and already I'm seeing the effects:  I spend more time eliminating toxins from my body (read: I'm peeing more).  I do feel like my skin feels somewhat more hydrated but it's too soon to say how much.  I don't expect the results the woman in the Daily Mail article claims, but if I do get them that would be awesome!

At 5:00 I remembered that tomorrow is trash day, and there was lots of debris in the yard that needed to be picked up - specifically, palm fronds.  We have lots of palm trees in our yard.  Too many, in my opinion.  I like palm trees, they're beautiful and all, but the branches are enormous and have to be cut down to fit them into the trash can.  When I had the SUV I could pack them into the trunk and take them to the dump myself, but there's no way I'm gonna fill up my sedan with branches, twigs and dried up coconuts.  So I grabbed my gloves, my machete and the trash can and went to work cutting up and throwing away about 5 branches.  There's still 7 in the yard that didn't fit.  As I was working my son R came out to tell me he was leaving for work, and that E was on the phone with his teacher!  She'd called him just minutes after I went outside.  He says he did well, was able to answer the questions she asked, and that she didn't even ask all of the questions on the questionnaire, meaning he answered satisfactorily.  I was so glad that he could cross that off his list!  He'll be able to relax the rest of this week, but next week...that's a different story.  He's got semester finals for 5 classes next week, and no, he's not looking forward to them.  We'll probably be studying over the weekend to be sure he's up to speed on everything.  The good thing is, after next week he'll be off the 19th, 22nd and 23rd, so he'll have time to recuperate before the new semester starts on the 26th.  Mom will get some rest too.

I'm going to assume that's all the excitement for today (at least I hope it is!).  I'm gonna snack on some chocolate covered cookies, then shower and relax before bed.  Good night and God bless.

It's Just 5 Days Till Christmas...

...and all through the house, no more creatures were stirring, 'cause they left last night at 11:00 after having a great time of food and fellowship.  I'm so grateful to God for the wonderful people He has placed in our lives.

Yesterday when I left off I was leaving to get pizzas.  I picked them up quickly - it was Little Caesar's pizza, and we'd called ahead to let them know we needed 3 pepperoni and 2 cheese pizzas.  My daughter had picked up her birthday cake, an exquisite creation by a lady at church whom we call the Real Cake Boss.  It was a square cake made to look like a Christmas present, covered in white frosting with a snowflake design, and a green velvet ribbon made of fondant.  The cake itself was red velvet with a cookie dough filling and covered in a chocolate ganache.  It was truly a piece of art.   Along with that there was the Christmas bark and reindeer chow (think Chex Mix but covered in powdered and peppermint sugar), a hot buffalo chicken dip with tortilla chips, and a hot chocolate bar.   It was 7:00, the guests were to arrive at 7:30, and we were ready for them.

My daughter was starting to get nervous when a few people called or texted saying they weren't going to be able to make it, or might not get here till late.  Thankfully people started arriving at 7:40 and we had a steady flow of folks coming in till 9:00.  Everyone went absolutely bonkers over her buffalo chicken dip!  I kind of laughed at the fact that everyone was congregated around the crock pot sneaking more and more of it!  Her friend bought a huge tray of sugar cookies shaped like snowflakes that were beautiful as well as delicious.  Everyone loved the idea of the hot chocolate bar, even though we associate hot chocolate with cold weather, and our weather the last 3 days has been anything but cold.  Our temps have gotten close to the 80 degree mark, and while the humidity has still been low, the sky has been cloudless and the sun makes the day feel nice and toasty.  Still, it was so yummy, and who can resist hot chocolate at Christmastime?  A few even went back for seconds!  My daughter had planned on having food, cake, and board games, but everyone was chatting and laughing, and before we knew it folks were leaving because it was 11:00 at night.  Many of her friends are couples with young children, and Mama and Daddy had to go home.  Everyone had a really good time, and I'm so thankful that they showered my little girl with love and affection.  God was glorified as we thanked Him for her life and her example in the lives of others.

So, on to today.  I got up feeling more tired than usual.  I figured it was because we went to bed so late, after having to clean up and put things away.  My son R left for work, A went to get her hair cut, and I had a small breakfast.  I needed to get ready for grocery shopping day, and I wasn't looking forward to it.  It's 5 days till Christmas, and I knew Walmart would most likely be a mad house.  I hate crowded stores, and I felt drained just thinking about it.  A got back before I was ready and volunteered to go with me, which was good because I didn't feel like going alone.  E stayed at home; he hates shopping anytime, even if it's for himself.  We went to Walmart and yes, it was pretty packed.  Since I had my list we went down the aisles getting everything we needed.  We were almost done - I just needed to get my shampoo and some ice cream, which I always leave for last so it doesn't melt in the shopping cart.  A told me she needed to use the rest room, so I went to get my shampoo.  I was looking for a specific one, the Argan Oil and Shea Butter shampoo by OGX which doesn't contain sulfates.  I like that fact, because sulfates tend to dull colored hair.  This one is especially good for hair that gets straightened a lot because it's hydrating.  Well, of course they only had the conditioner, which I didn't need :P.  I settled instead for the Moroccan Argan Creme shampoo which is similar, and I was about to head on over to the ice cream, when my daughter called me on my cell phone.  "Come over to aisle 20 quick, there's no one on line!"  I was ready to run everyone over just to get there!  One gentleman was ahead of me with 2 items, that was it.  At Walmart during Christmas, that's unheard of!  My daughter went to get the ice cream and we got out of there in no time.  God certainly favored me because He knew I wanted to be there as much as I could ever want a toothache!

From there we headed to Costco to pick up a few things and to get gas.  I was shocked to see gas prices have gone down to $2.39/gallon.  I can't remember when it was that low!  It was costing me an average of $55 to fill up my tank; today I paid less that $40.  Praise The Lord!!  Costco was also packed to the gills, but they always have plenty of workers helping folks so we didn't take very long.  I still had to go to Publix for the turkey, but we decided to go home and eat first.  I felt weak, and since all I'd eaten for breakfast were 2 slices of wheat toast with apple butter I thought for sure I was just hungry.  We came home and I ate a couple of slices of cheese pizza from last night, but I still felt tired.  My head was also hurting a bit.  It was hurting at Walmart but I'd imagined it was from being in the packed store, except I was sneezing more than usual.  I finally had to accept that I'm coming down with something.  My throat is kind of scratchy, my sinuses are a bit inflamed, and of course my daughter is feeling the same way.  Whether she picked it up at her tutoring job and brought it home, or someone from the party last night did, we can't say.  All I know is, I've gotta bump up my vitamin C intake because no one wants to be sick Christmas week.

While I was getting my lunch, my daughter suggested we watch a Christmas movie.  Her suggestion:  Elf.  Now I'll be the first to tell you, I don't care for Will Farrell as an actor.  I find his roles to be either corny or downright stupid.  But I have to admit, Elf really is a cute movie.  Maybe because it's a Christmas flick, and that's my favorite movie genre.  I was only too happy to accept her suggestion, and sit down for a while before continuing with my day.

There was one thing left to do before I left for Publix, and that was wash all the bedding.  My daughter helped me get all the dirty bedding off and all the new bedding on all the beds, and I threw that in the wash before leaving.  A wanted to go with me again, so we went and picked up a 13 pound turkey, some cake mixes and hummus that was on sale.  My daughter went ahead and paid for it (yay!), so my total food bill for this week's shopping trips was $311.01.  That doesn't include yesterday's pizzas, since that was a gift to my daughter.  I try to stay around $300 for my food bill every 2 weeks, but since I went under budget during my last shopping trip I feel like I did pretty good.  It also helps that my gas bill was lower than usual.  All in all a good shopping trip.

Dinner tonight:  yep, you got it, leftover pizza.  I'm really not feeling my best, and I had no desire to be in the kitchen making anything.  Thankfully my kids can eat pizza 24/7/365 and not get tired of it.  I did my mani-pedi today, which I desperately needed.  Keeping with the Christmas theme, I did my nails in a bright candy-apple red, except for my ring fingers which are gold with some shimmer.  I feel like my nails look festive!  It was also exfoliation day, and I was really excited to get my face super cleaned so I could use my new Bare Minerals products.  I did use them yesterday; I'm not gonna lie, I couldn't wait.  The eye reviver isn't an eye cream, it's an eye powder that gets patted under the eye to brighten.  It can be used at any time of the day, but since it's a small tube I decided I'd only use it with my evening routine.  The glow pads really do give my face a healthy glow.  I used one before the extra firming neck cream, which I also used on my face.  After using these products last night I wondered if my face would be greasy in the morning, since the extra firming neck cream is pretty thick.  I was very pleasantly surprised to see that my skin looked firmer and the lines on my forehead seemed to have disappeared!  That's why I was so excited to use these skin treatments again on my exfoliated skin.  Oh!  I have to mention that I got more samples of the Active Cell Renewal Night Serum.  This stuff is fabulous!  I put it on under my moisturizer at night and in the morning my face feels so soft.  I'm glad they sent the samples, because the actual serum is $50 for 1 fl. oz.  While I'm sure many could argue it's worth the price, I just can't be spending that kind of money right now.

My son got home from work at 6:30, changed out of his work clothes and headed out the door again.  My daughter is at her 2nd job's Christmas party.  My youngest son is in the shower getting ready for bed, and I think I'll be headed in that direction too.  I took my vitamin C, and I think what my body needs now is rest.  I'll be praying I don't get sick.  I had bronchitis just last September, and I don't want that to happen again.  The countdown continues!  Good night.