From Oranges 2 Peaches

Surprise! A weekend in the mountains!

2010-10-25T09:50:00.000-04:00

Don't you just love surprises?

And when that surprise is an unexpected weekend at a beautiful log cabin in the mountains...

It kicks serious boo-tay.

Hubby and I were expecting a wonderful friend of ours in town this past weekend. We were going to make martinis, cook fabulous meals, and go to the Falcons game on Sunday.

Except this friend has a very important job working for the US government.

She could tell me what she does but then she'd have to kill me.
Seriously. She would.

She is the only person I know that has a burqua hanging in her closet. That's been worn. On a trip in a certain part of the world where women wear burquas. I'll let you digest that one for a second.

Anyway, 'The Powers That Be' decided she was needed in Washington for some top secret stuff and she had to cancel her trip.

I'm still shedding tears at all those tasty martinis we missed out on.

But my husband's family was spending the weekend in the North Georgia Mountains and had a spare bedroom...

Needless to say, by noon on Friday the bags were packed. We left as soon as the kiddo got home from school.

As a born and bred Florida girl, I still get slightly giddy at the sight of a mountain. My grandmother does too so I guess it's a genetic thing.

And the fall leaves were stunning! We haven't had any rain so the trees were full of color.

Just beautiful!

But the weekend was really about relaxing and spending quality time with the family. I have 4 teenage nieces and nephews who I adore. The best part of the weekend was just hanging out with them.

Let me just say my brother and sister in law have raised 4 amazing kids. They range in age from 17 to 12 and missed work, a football game, dates and sleepovers to spend time with their family for the ENTIRE weekend.

And not one of them complained about it.
I guess miracles CAN occur! (Just teasing...they really are GREAT kids!)

The house we stayed at is in a little town called Mineral Bluff. It's just outside of Blue Ridge, GA which is kind of the biggest little town in the area.

It's just so quaint...I love it.

Saturday, we went to town looking for the Harvest Craft Festival. We stumbled on a dog parade instead. I had no idea there was such a thing!

We saw every dog breed known to man...but I had to snap a picture of this little one.

Is she not the cutest thing you've ever seen? I wanted to snatch her up and take her home with me!

We watched the parade...

Saw some beautiful fall trees...

And then headed to the craft show...

But really the whole weekend was just about being in the mountains.
And the best views were from the deck of our cabin.

Here are a few I took...

Can you believe this sunset? Incredible!

The interior of the place was charming, too.
Here's our room...with the kiddo posing on the bed...

The upstairs and loft area...and hubby's bald head...

The very cool fireplace...with football on the TV...

And my personal fave...the hot tub!

I took my book with me and got in when everyone was in town and the kiddo was napping. Heavenly.

All that was missing with a martini or a glass of wine.

The weekend was a huge success and we had a great time.
But aren't spontaneous and unexpected trips usually the best ones you ever take?

I hope your week is as great as my weekend!
Have a great Monday!

Beauty Blog! Perfume-A-Go-Go

2010-10-22T09:24:00.000-04:00

I have to be honest.

I've never been much of a perfume wearer.

Which is strange because I was born from one.

My mother loved perfume. I remember she had a big armoire in her bedroom that had at least 10 bottles of perfume on it. She always stopped at the perfume counter in the department store to smell the latest sample and then decide which one she wanted for Christmas, her birthday, Mother's Day...whatever was upcoming.

She got lots of perfume over the years.

And she always switched it up, letting her mood decide the scent. I don't think she ever left the house without it. I smell or see a bottle of Paloma Picasso or Oscar de la Renta and she comes to the forefront of my mind.

Yup. It works. Guess who I'm thinking about right now?

I also remember HER mother, my maternal grandmother, always wearing perfume. She was an Estee Lauder fan so White Linen and Beautiful remind me of her. She used to give me all her free make-up samples when she'd buy her perfume so it should come as no surprise I'm more of a make-up girl.

My sister inherited the perfume lovin' gene, too. She always has her favorite scent on. Obsession back in the day and Bijan...her eternal favorite.

Now I'm thinking about my sister!
Funny how just seeing a bottle can bring back a memory.

I still remember the first perfumes I ever owned. If you were a child or the 80's, I bet you wore this stuff, too.

Charlie

And Love's Baby Soft

Oh my...I remember dousing myself with these two. I bet if I smelled them today I'd get sick to my stomach. From both the scent and the memories they'd bring back.

My tastes grew up a little and then I fell in love with this:
CK one

Boy, just seeing the bottle reminds me of my twenties...good times!

And while we're going down the scented memory lane, who didn't date a guy who wore this stuff?

I bet we all loved a boy that loved Drakkar!

Although I love perfume, I'll never be a big time perfume wearer like the other women in my family tree.

I do like to smell nice considering the alternative's not too appealing but I usually opt for a scented bath gel or lotion. Nothing is worse than someone's who's scent is so strong, you smell them before you see them. But with that said, there are a few scents I own and do wear on a regular basis. Right now there are two I am in love with.

The first is Pink Sugar by Aqualina.

I have to thank my friend Rainey for introducing me to this one. It's sold in Sephora and Ulta stores only (no major department stores carry it) and it's heavenly. It actually smell like the name: pink sugar (think cotton candy). It smells sweet with just a hint of caramel...if you like to smell like something yummy and edible, this is the perfume for you. So if you are trying to snag a man you KNOW has a sweet tooth? Invest in a bottle. He will notice. Trust me on this.

The number 2 in my life right now is Euphoria by Calvin Klein.

About 2 years ago, I went perfume shopping. (Yes that's about how long it's been since I've invested in perfume!) I smelled this stuff and fell in love. Hubby bought me a gift set for Christmas that year and I've been wearing it ever since. It's a little stronger so I tend to wear it for special occasions or nights out to dinner. But it's awesome...if my mom were alive today, this stuff would be on that armoire. She'd love it. And that bottle? Perfection.

Now even though I don't wear perfume much, I do smell the inserts in magazines and try to stop at the perfume counter every now and then. The last time I did it, I found a new one I really love. It's on my list as the next one I'll buy...

Michael Kors Very Hollywood

First things first: can you get over how beautiful this bottle is? It's absolutely gorgeous! And it smells sooo good! If I ever walk a red carpet...or in someone's house that has red carpet, I will be wearing this stuff. It seriously rocks my socks.

So with all that said, what's your favorite scent? You know me...I am open to trying new things. Post your current or old school face in the comments section...I look forward to your suggestions!

Have a great weekend!

They just don't make em' like they used to...

2010-10-21T09:38:00.007-04:00

Is there one product you buy religiously? It can be anything...from a certain brand food or underwear to a particular type of toothpaste or beauty product.

While I am fickle about some products I buy, there are a few I just can't seem to live without. Clinique concealer and Revlon tweezers are two that come to mind.

But lately, I have noticed a decline in the quality of some products I always buy.

And frankly, it really ticks me off.

When we were kids, there were so few choices than what we have in today's market place. You needed underwear? You went to a department store. Places like Wal-Mart and Target didn't exist back then. At least they didn't in Florida.

And because you bought that stuff at a department store, the quality was usually pretty good. But that also has to do with the fact a lot of the goods we bought were made right here in the good ol' US of A.

In today's marketplace it seems like everything we buy is imported. Can you remember the last time you saw Made in The U.S.A. on the tag of a t-shirt? I went shopping at Kohl's yesterday. One I tried on was made in Jordan.

The US accounts for 50% of the world's cotton production.
And we are the number one exporter of it.

We grow more than anyone else and we import t-shirts from Jordan.
Does this make any sense to you?

My frustration made me sit and think. How many products have I seen a decline in lately? It seems like everything I buy lately has been shoddy, falls apart too soon or just crap in general. So here's my list of disappointment and shame.

1. Victoria's Secret cotton underwear

I have worn Victoria's Secret cotton bikini underwear exclusively for well over 15 years. I honestly can't remember buying my underwear anywhere else. The 5 for $25 deal is my best friend. And I get coupons every month for a free pair so this one kind of breaks my heart. Their underwear used to be awesome. A nice thick cotton, wide strip at the top...they would last forever.

Then they made the switch to imported cotton. They shrunk the band and ruined the best underwear I have ever worn. Now, I get about 5 or 6 washes and wears before little holes start to form around the sides and the crotch. Which is just what you want, right? Holy crotch underwear. NOT! After the last 5 I bought started to fall apart after about 2 months, I put my foot down.
I will never buy these panties again.

2. (Insert clothing store name here) T-Shirts

Now this one is hard to pull the 'never buy again' card on. How do you live without cotton t-shirts? And I have bought them everywhere...The Gap, Old Navy, Kohl's, Target, Wal-Mart, JC Penney, Macy's...
THEY ALL SELL IMPORTED COTTON!!! And after about 10 washes, they all start to develop little holes in the material.
I'm a Mom so a cotton T is my wardrobe staple. If you know of a brand that doesn't fall apart, please let me know. I'll love you forever.

3. Maybelline Great Last WATERPROOF Mascara

You know I HAD to list a beauty product on here...I am a make-up junkie after all! And this one sent me into a rant last night. Great Lash mascara has been around since the dawn of time. It's my go to mascara so this is not the first tube I've ever purchased. I buy the waterproof formula so it won't come off during the day. Simple right?
Wrong. I put this stuff on yesterday around 11:00am. By 5:00pm, I have black smudges under my eyes. I take a shower and wash my face and by 7:30pm, I look like a raccoon! Waterproof. Maybelline? Are you sure? Cause I think you screwed up a batch of this stuff! Refund please!

4. Bath and Body Works
This one is a little different. It's not that their product quality has declined, it's that they have gotten a little too big for their britches. Bath and Body Works bath and shower gel and body lotion have been my favorites for as long as I can remember. When they opened the first store in my hometown, I was a junkie. And it was great because you could walk in there with about 20 bucks and walk out with a least 3 products. The scents were amazing and they were always introducing something yummy and delicious.

And then they changed.
They went from this:

To This:

And from this:

To this:

From the looks of it, they upgraded the exterior of all their stores and completely revamped all their packaging and products and then turned around and passed all that cost on to YOU! If you walk into a Bath and Body Works today with 20 bucks, expect to walk out with a bottle of shower gel. That's it. The deals are few and far between now days. The only thing they sell that I still buy is their anti-bacterial line and during the holidays, their Christmas scents. Vanilla Bean Noel is an all time fave.
Other than that, forget it. They lost my business.

My last one is the big daddy...it encompasses everything I have discussed so far.

Customer Service.

What the hell has happened to customer service?

Did it start when we started shipping jobs overseas and leaving call centers looking like this?

Or did it start with the dreaded automated system? I think they are both a huge contributing factor to the problem. I have worked in 2 call centers like the one pictured above. One was for a major US bank, the other for a major US airline.

Both of those jobs still exist except they are now based in India.

Don't get me wrong. I am not knocking those folks that are handling those calls. What I'm knocking are the companies that think it's acceptable to ship our jobs out and expect their customers to be satisfied with the level of service given to them by someone who has no idea what it's like to be in their shoes. There's no empathy in customer service anymore. And that is what everyone who picks up a phone to call regarding a problem wants to hear.

Now you know I'm a 'glass is half full' kind of girl.
Where I list the bad, I have to list the good.

And I'm happy to say there are some goods that I buy which have improved drastically over the past few years. Here are a couple on the top of my list:

1. Women's Jeans

God bless the person that started adding lycra and spandex to denim. Can you even remember what jeans were like before stretch was introduced? I can't. Seriously. And now you can find jeans that make your waist look smaller, your hips thinner, you butt higher...I am so excited about all these improvements, I want to do a cartwheel! But is wonderful to know that no matter what size you wear or how much junk is in your trunk, there is the perfect pair of jeans out there for you. The new styles are figure flattering and not too tough on the budget. A total win-win.

2. Lightbulbs

This one seems a but silly but let me explain.
If you have upgraded to the new energy bulbs, have you noticed how long they last? I have some in my house I know have been in for almost a year and they are still working! That's unheard of with old florescent bulbs! Technology is amazing!

Now if they can figure out how to make an Old Navy T-shirt last as long as one of those light bulbs, my life would be made!

Have a Great Thursday everyone!

How Soon They Forget...

2010-10-20T09:32:00.000-04:00

My husband is a wonderful cook and really knows his way around the kitchen.

Or at least he used to.

When we first got married 10 years ago I hated to cook.

I mean HATED it.

Which is kind of funny considering I come from a long line of unbelievable cooks...my grandmother is the best, my mom was exceptional and my sister is traveling in their footsteps.

I just figured the culinary gene skipped right over me.

Luckily, I married a man who paid attention to his mama in the kitchen. Although he never cooked when he lived under her roof, he watched her often and learned the skills needed to create a delicious meal. My mother-in-law is a terrific Southern cook. Her cornbread and collard greens will make you want to jump up and slap your momma.

That is figure of speech. Please don't slap your mother. Please understand we say some silly things here in Georgia.

So when we were a newly wedded couple, Hubby did all the cooking.
Except for Spaghetti. I boil a mean pot of noodles. And my skills of warming up a jar of Prego are top notch.

Meat to cook? Hubby cooked it.
Frying? Hubby did it.
Grilling? Hubby was and still is the master.

We would have starved during the first 5 years of our marriage if not for him.

And then we had a son. The birth of my little boy changed everything.
Suddenly, I couldn't squelch the desire to learn everything there was to know about the art of cooking. There would be family dinners in my very near future and I was going to cook those dinners! And it wasn't going be Spaghetti every night!

So I made a few phone calls. Most of them were to my sister.

My poor sister. I drove her crazy. It was not unheard of for me to call her 6 or 7 times while preparing a meal.
"How much meat do I use to make the meatloaf again?"
"How many ounces of beer do I use to make this yellow rice?"
"How long do I leave it in the oven for?"
"How do you 'eyeball' something? I need specific measurements!"

She was patient and wonderful with all my dumb questions.

And I learned.

I can now hold my own in the kitchen. In fact, I make most of the meals for the family now. If there's something we want to grill, hubby will cook it. After all, he is the grill master and I'm not messing with a good thing. But we actually enjoy cooking together. He grills and I cook the sides...it's something fun we both love to do.

Which brings me to last night.

Hubby and I were going to cook dinner together so I was waiting till he gave me to cue to head to the kitchen to get started. I heard him fumbling around in the pantry so I make my way to join him. As I enter the kitchen, he takes out a very small bag of rice and asks if that's all we had left. I told him no, there was a much larger bag in the pantry. So he found it and for some strange reason, grabbed it from the side instead of the bottom.

Can you see where this is heading?

The bag of rice somehow became unsealed at the top and rice went everywhere.

I mean EVERYWHERE!!!

Here's my kitchen floor before the spill of the century:

Here's what it looked like after:

Now I had to zoom in to pick up the grains in this shot but you can imagine about 20 or more tiles squares COVERED in rice.

The rice I was going to be cooking.

His only responsibility was to grill the pork chops.

Needless to say, I teased him all night about the fact that he used to be the master of the kitchen and now can't even handle the rice.

It was hysterically funny. Especially after all that rice was vacuumed up.

And I thanked him for giving me the subject for Wednesday's blog post! Think twice before you let your man in the kitchen!

Have a great day everyone!

It's that time of year again...my biggest pet peeve!

2010-10-19T09:23:00.000-04:00

Ahhh...Fall is in the air.

The leaves are changing. The air is getting crisp. Each morning is a little cooler than the one before it.

Jackets are being worn and the old blue jeans have been pulled out from the back of the closet. The warm summer mornings full of bright sunshine are gone till Spring.

So parents out there reading this blog...please do me a favor...

PUT YOUR CHILDREN IN SOME CLOSED TOED SHOES!!!!!!!

I don't have many pet peeves. I'm a very relaxed go with the flow kind of Mom.
It seriously takes a lot to get me riled up.

But seeing a child wearing long pants, a sweatshirt and flip flops will do it every time.

If you are of latin descent like me (Puerto Rican, Cuban, Dominican, Italian, Spanish...heck, I'll even throw in Greek) you most likely grew up with a latin grandmother. Mine is Spanish and she is the most wonderful, caring, giving human being on the planet. She is the kind of woman that will do anything for anyone...and if that anyone is her grandchild? Forgetaboutit. I clearly remember this woman making 4 separate dinners for 4 different grandkids. Yes, she spoiled us rotten but there was also a price we paid for all that attention she gave us.

We had to obey.

My grandmother had a set of rules I call the Holy Commandments. She didn't have 10 but she had a few rules we knew we better pay close attention to.

You must never leave wet towels or clothes on the floor.
You must always (and I mean always) drink you milk.
You must never run and jump in the house.
You must always use Vicks Vapor Rub when you're sick. (I still have to obey this one)

And the cardinal rule...you must always wear socks on a cold day.

This last one always makes me laugh since I grew up in Florida. We would get about 10 cold days in an entire year. But it didn't matter...it she thought it was cold, we better keep our socks on.

Now that I live in a colder climate and have a child of my own who hates to wear socks (just like his Mama), I find myself sounding exactly like my grandmother. That rule has stuck with me to this day and I make sure my little guy has them on whether he likes it or not.

So you can imagine how I cringed yesterday when I saw a kid walking into my son's school wearing a huge bulky warm sweatshirt, jeans...and a pair of skimpy yellow flip flops.

I had to restrain myself from asking that little girl where her mommy was.
(Just kidding. I would have never done such a thing. But I did fantasize about it on the way home.)

Here's my rule of thumb. If it's below 60 degrees outside and you feel the need to cover every part of your exposed skin to the outside air...

COVER YOUR FEET!

I know sometimes it's not easy. Kids are hardheaded and don't want to listen to Mom. I get it. I have a 5 year old who lives to do the opposite of what I say. But you are the parent. You rule their world. So make them wear the socks and sneakers.

And if all else fails,

Hide the flip flops!

Have a happy Tuesday!

Beauty Blog! It's All About The Hair

2010-10-18T10:28:00.000-04:00

Even if you are not a girly girl and make-up gives you the willies...

You still have to wash your hair.

Unless you have dreadlocks and then I guess you don't. How do they keep their scalps clean anyway? I've always wondered about that.

Anyway, back to what I was saying.

Shampoo and conditioner (or creme rinse as it used to be called) have been around for a couple hundred years. When I was a kid, I remember watching commercials for Prell and Breck and my personal favorite, Gee Your Hair Smells Terrific...which is still the all time best name for a shampoo in the history of shampoo.

And it truly was all about smell. My sister and I would stand in the grocery store aisle and smell them all, always picking the one with the best sent. (Suave Strawberry was one my personal favorites...I loved the way it smelled).

Now here we are in the 21st century and women are no longer buying shampoo based on its scent. Haircare in general has undergone a huge transformation in the last 20 years. Shampoo and conditioner have gone high tech. Now we choose our shampoo based on our hair type. Straight, curly, frizzy, color-treated, split ends, fine, limp, thick, unruly...if you have a hair type, there is now a shampoo designed especially for you.

And these products make great promises. Guaranteed to reduce split ends. Guaranteed to make your hair 50 times stronger. Guaranteed you hair will remain smooth as silk even in high humidity.

(Just for the record, I haven't found any that can live up to that final promise...I live in the South where heat and humidity reside. Nothing can keep my hair from frizzing on a humid, oppressive day.)

If you have read my past beauty blogs, you know I am not loyal to one brand. I like to try different ones and pick my favorites. Haircare is no exception. I never buy the same brand twice unless I love it. And even then, I like to switch it up a bit.

Now with that said, I need to tell you what hair type I have.

It's thick. I mean super thick. My hairdresser has actually started padding in an extra 15 minutes to my appointment because it takes her so long to dry it.
And it's straight...well for the most part. It would be bone straight if I hadn't insisted on getting perms back in the 80's.

I blame it all on Jennifer Beals. I just had to have those Flashdance curls!

While my hair is mostly straight, it does have a tendency to wave and frizz. Let's just say a flat iron is my best friend.

I also color my hair...or I used to on a regular basis. I was getting highlights and lowlights put throughout my hair. However, I decided to stop...being a single income family was not allowing me to spend $125.00 every 4 months. I could stretch it out a bit between colorings because my roots never showed that bad. (I'm a natural blond & was just enhancing my color, not completely changing it) In November of last year, I had my stylist put the lowlight all over my head to tone down the light blond. She added a few highlights to the front and that's it. I haven't had any color on my hair since so this shade of blond I am currently sporting is as natural as I can get.

So you can probably guess most of the shampoos and conditioners on my list are for color-treated hair. To quote my stylist, "If you spend all that money getting professional color, you better use professional hair products. If you don't, you're wasting you money." And I totally agree. Using a salon brand shampoo and conditioner will prolong the life of your color. It won't fade and your color will stay true over a longer period of time. So with that said, let me tell you some on the ones I have used over the past couple of years.

1. Back to Basics Blue Lavender Color Protecting Shampoo and Conditioner

They sell this stuff at my salon and I really liked it. It's not cheap (the big gallon bottles will run you about $18-$20 a piece) but you can find them on sale. I bought the 2 large bottles for $24.00 total. Granted, that's a lot of money but if you are paying over $400.00 a year coloring you hair, this is a small expense.
What I liked: the scent and how my hair felt after using. The conditioner was really good on my super thick hair.
What I didn't like: I used more conditioner than shampoo. Therefore, I ran out a different times and I HATE that!

2. Redken Color Extend

Oh how I loved this stuff. I honestly don't think there wasn't anything I disliked about this product. It smelled great, left my hair like silk, and lasted forever. If there is any cons it was that Trade Secret didn't have the 2 for $24.00 special running when I ran out cause I totally would have bought this stuff again.
2 thumbs WAY UP for this stuff! Love love LOVE!

3. Paul Mitchell Color Protect

I had been a Paul Mitchell lover in the 80's and 90's when I was in High School and started taking better care of my hair so the brand was on my radar. This was the very first stuff I bought after I started coloring my hair professionally. And it was okay. I liked the shampoo much more than the conditioner. For some reason, it never made my hair smooth and silky and I hate that. If I'm paying a lot of money for the good stuff, I better be able to tell the difference. Scent was good but I wasn't impressed.

4. Biolage Color Protect

This stuff is great. It smells divine and works beautifully. And it's usually on sale which is a big bonus for me. Because it's one of the best, lots of drugstore brands try to copy it's formula (Suave being one of them in their new Professional line but I'll get to that in a bit). Biolage is great stuff...well worth the price.

5. Bed Head Dumb Blonde

Now I have to admit, I bought the stuff based on the name and color. I loved the pink shampoo...it was so pretty. And it smelled delicious. Can't say enough good things about the shampoo. It's a shame it has to be followed by the conditioner. This is easily the worst conditioner on the list. It's awful. I had to use handfuls of this stuff and still my hair was full of tangles after a shower. I was so disappointed, I never bought it again and threw it out before I emptied the bottle which this money conscious girl NEVER does.

Now that I no longer color my hair and my budget is tighter than ever, I have switched back to the drug store brands. I was surprised how good they have gotten since I last bought them. Here's my favorites.

1. Suave Professionals Color Care

Simply put, I can not believe this stuff is less than $3.00 a bottle. It's fantastic. It smells great, leaves my hair smooth and tangle free and does help prolong the highlights in my hair. It claims to be like Biolage and I agree. Even my stylist couldn't tell I was using Suave. Love it!

2. Garnier Color Protect

Now I'm going to tattle a bit...this is my husband's favorite shampoo. He loves Garnier but he uses the regular formula for healthy hair. It's smells divine and does leave your hair like silk. And the make great hair styling products, too.

3. Suave Professionals Sleek

This is my current obsession. I have never used a shampoo designed for straight hair. Since I've had my hair colored, I always used something to protect it. But now that my hair is back to its natural color, I bought this a few weeks ago. I absolutely LOVE it! It compares itself to Matrix Sleek Look which I have never used but heard great things about. But I can honestly say I have noticed a difference in my hair. It's silkier and straighter and doesn't seem as prone to frizz. Great stuff!

Some of you are probably wondering why the top selling shampoo and conditioner brand is no where on my list...Pantene. Honestly I'm not a big fan. Yes, it smells great and when you use it, your hair does seem shinier, more manageable. But for me, the improvement is short lived. Soon after using it, my hair gets dull, lifeless, faded. I'll never forget my stylist asking me what I was using on my hair about 4 years ago, before I started coloring it. I was on a Pantene kick and she said my hair was coated in gunk. She actually asked if I was using Pantene! I admitted I was and she went on to explain how it's filled with so many oils (which is why your hair looks so incredibly shiny when you start using it) that eventually will weigh you hair follicle down. She said if you use that stuff, you have to invest on a cleansing shampoo to use at least once a week (She recommended Neutrogena)to get all that oil off your hair. Needless to say, I stopped using it and have never bought Pantene again. But if you use it and see different results, please post a comment and let me know...I am always open to second chances!

Last but not least, I thought I talk briefly about the styling products I use. Since my hair is straight, I don't use much. But there are 3 products I love.

1.Garnier Sleek and Shine Smoothing Milk

This stuff works very well. It's not my absolute favorite, but if you are on a budget, it works great for straight hair.

2. Chi Silk Infusion

This stuff works great. Makes your hair silky and shiny...a great product to put on towel dried hair before blow drying. My stylist uses this and I love the way it makes my hair look.

3. Biosilk Silk Therapy

I definitely saved the best for last. Oh Biosilk how I love thee....let me count the ways!!!
Words can not describe how much I love this stuff. Whoever created it deserves a medal. It's the most incredible hair product I have ever used. You want to talk about shine? Oh my God. Forgetaboutit. Even the name is appropriate because my hair IS silk after using it. LOVE LOVE LOVE my Biosilk!

There are hundreds or hair care products on the market and I have touched on a small few. If there's a product you love and I didn't mention it here, tell me about it...I love you hear what you are using. Don't be afraid to leave me a comment!

Have a great week...here's to a week's worth of good hair days!

The Best Dip Ever!

2010-10-17T12:03:00.009-04:00

I love football.

No, I mean I LOVE LOVE LOVE football!

And although going to the games is great, the greatest thing about football is the tailgate.

If you have never tailgated, you haven't lived. Trust me on this.

And tailgating is all about being prepared. The more food you bring (and beer...of course there has to be beer! It's football for cryin' outloud!), the more successful your party.

We are season ticket holders for our local NFL team and have been tailgating with friends for years. We have eaten everything from ribs and chicken to chili and birthday cake...it's always something different and delicious.

But there is one staple that we never go without...

The greatest dip known to man: Redneck Caviar.

Yes, I know the name is silly but the taste? Holy moly.
And it's healthy...slap full of veggies!

I think it's has magical powers. Even my vegetable-hating nieces and nephews tear this stuff up.

So since today is Sunday...otherwise known as football day in my household, I figured I share this amazing recipe.

The ingredients are very simple:

1 can of black eyed peas, washed and rinsed

Make sure you use plain black eyed peas...not the one with onion & bacon added.

1 can of shoepeg corn, washed and rinsed

Now I guess you could use regular corn, but don't. The small white kernel is perfect.

1 medium white onion, finely chopped

I use a chopper...so much easier!

1 green pepper

Chop this in the choopper too...clean & toss out the seeds.

Combine all ingredients and then add this:

Any kind of Italian dressing will do...if you are going healthy, add fat free dressing. I have made it both ways and you can't taste the difference.
I usually pour in about half the bottle and then stir. If you like you dip soupy, add more. I find 2/3 of the bottle makes for the perfect consistency.

I serve with a big bag of tortilla chips and beer...nothing better in the world!

There are a lot of variations on this recipe, I've seen some add cucumber, tomato, and red, yellow, and orange peppers and all that is fine and good. You can really get as creative with it as you wish.

But I prefer the basic. Why mess with a good thing?

Happy Sunday or Happy Football Day...which ever you celebrate today!

Deja Vu

2010-10-15T13:28:00.003-04:00

It's a repeat of yesterday. Little man is home sick again.

I took him to the doctor yesterday and he has a sinus infection.

Not a huge surprise.

What was a surprise was him falling asleep last night at 6:00 and then waking up at 2 in the morning throwing up.

Yuck. Is there anything worse for a mom than a sick kid in the middle of the night?

The good thing is all that came up was mucus. He hates to blow his nose so he sucks it all back like a Hoover.

It's the grossest thing in the world.

So then all the junk just sits in his stomach. Or it did till 2am last night.

He woke up twice last night and then slept uninterrupted from 4 to 10:30 this morning.

Yay for uninterrupted sleep!

So now he's home and on his meds...I hope he gets to feeling better soon. I hate it when he's sick.

But there is a silver lining is all this yuckyness...my husband is currently at the grocery store doing my job.

Praise God!

Maybe having a sick kid at home isn't all that bad.

I was planning on another beauty blog today but with the sick kiddo, my hands are kinda full. So look forward to a hair care edition next week!

Have a great weekend!

Sick Day

2010-10-14T08:16:00.004-04:00

I had to keep my little man home from school today.

10 weeks in to the school year...there goes his perfect attendance.

Oh well. It was never going to happen anyway.

He didn't sleep well last night because he is so full of mucous and it's constantly draining down the back of this throat, making him cough...he just sounds awful.

We'll be taking a trip to the doc today. Good times.

Since I have my hands full and don't have time for a lengthy blog (he's calling me as I write this), I thought I'd post the first chapter of my book. Most of you that read this blog probably already know I recently finished writing my very first novel. It's a dream come true and I can't believe I actually finished it.

So without further ado, here it is. Chapter one of Home Sweet Home.
I hope you like it and crave for more!

CHAPTER 1

Home sweet home, Molly said to herself, a lazy smile highlighting her face as she gazed out the navy blue sedan’s passenger window. The last bridge en route to the beach community where she had spent so much of her childhood had been crossed and all the familiar sights of home lay before her. It was a beautiful morning, already warm and breezy at ten minutes after nine o’ clock, but that was typical weather for the west coast of Florida in mid-March. The sway of palm trees brought a faint smile to Molly’s lips and she knew without a doubt the outside air would smell of the sea. Long lines of fishing boats were already making their way along the Inter coastal Waterway, sailing along the small inlet which would eventually lead to the Gulf of Mexico. Molly knew her grandmother’s Ford would soon make the left turn onto Gulf Boulevard which would become Gulf Way and then she would officially be home. Home to Pass-a-Grille, a quiet community stretching twenty two blocks running along the Gulf of Mexico. It was home to one of the most beautiful beaches in Pinellas County and was considered to be an ideal place to live. There were no high rise condos or large hotel outfits; quaint inns, Bed and Breakfasts, and residential homes lined the narrow streets. Molly rolled down her window to feel the warm breeze and smell the salt in the air. She hadn’t experienced balmy temperatures in six months and longed for the feel of warmth on her skin. She glanced at her reflection in the side mirror and saw the same heart shaped face, cornflower blue eyes and wide mouth she always saw yet somehow, she looked different. Less stressed, she thought to herself. Frigid, foggy Atlanta seemed a world away. Molly felt the waves of relief wash over her as she boarded the plane that morning and city she called home for so long disappeared behind her. Her big city life was over and the beach was her home again. How much had changed since she had left Florida just ten short years before. With the ink barely dry on her degree and a great job offer in hand, she packed her things and said goodbye to her beach side home. Atlanta was close enough to please her family but still far enough away for Molly to truly feel she was on her own. She loved her job at one of the largest public relations firms in the Southeast and was very good at what she did. It fulfilled her to see her clients succeed and Molly thoroughly enjoyed the hard work it took behind the scenes to make it happen. But as much as she loved work, she enjoyed her downtime too. Molly fell in love with the big city and all it had to offer. Her small rental apartment located in Atlanta’s thriving Midtown neighborhood was within walking distance to work, not to mention the city’s finest restaurants and bars. It was the perfect place for a young single woman just starting out on her own. And it was also where she first met Jeff; the man who she thought would be the great love of her life. Molly shuddered as thoughts of him entered her memory. She shook her head as if to rid her mind of him, her long blond pony tail brushing the tops of her shoulders. She would not think of Jeff today. Today was after all, a happy day. Molly was home again and eager to reconnect with her grandmother, May.
As they drove down Gulf Way, Molly caught her first glimpse of the beach and the blue-green water of the gulf. She had missed it so much. How she had lived so far away from the beach for so long? For the first time in months, Molly felt herself relax.

“We’re here, sweetie! Welcome home”, May said as she turned into the driveway of the large pale pink beach cottage. Molly gazed up at the beautiful home, affectionately known as Shell House, as she stepped out of the car. She was comforted in an instant. No matter how long she was gone, it always looked the same. The wide front porch was like arms extended, ready to hug Molly and welcome her home. She was pleased when she noticed the shutters needed a fresh coat of paint. Fixing up Shell House would be a labor of love and Molly couldn’t wait to get started. She retrieved her bags from the car’s trunk and followed May through the side door and into the bright, sunny kitchen.
“Ok Gram! What can I do first?”
May looked at Molly with a bright smile. “Molly, dear, you just got here! What kind of grandmother would I be if I put you to work straight off an airplane?”
“Technically, you’re my boss. I expect you to put me to work.” She put her large suitcase at the foot of the stairs and went back to the kitchen. It was easily Molly’s favorite room in the house. May had it completely remodeled once she decided to turn her family’s home into a bed and breakfast. White shaker style cabinets were topped off with custom butcher block counter tops, all accented by pale yellow walls which were the color of liquid sunshine. And the appliances were a chef’s dream, all stainless steel and restaurant grade. The granite covered island was a new addition and the unofficial heart of the kitchen. Molly took a seat at one of the island’s woven sea grass bar stools. May handed her a mug filled with creamy coffee and sat next to her. “Sweetie, I’m not really your boss. We are equals running this place together. That was the deal when I offered you the job.” It had thrilled May when Molly accepted the offer: help her run the business and she’d match her salary. It was an offer Molly couldn’t refuse. And she knew the real reason behind her grandmother’s generosity. It had been almost a year since her last visit to the beach house and her grandmother had missed her tremendously. And she truly could use the extra hand…after all; Shell House was one of the most popular bed and breakfast inns in the area.
“I know, I know.” She took a sip of her coffee and smiled. “Mmmm…café con leche. I almost forgot how good Cuban coffee is.”
“That’s a sign you’ve been away too long!” May’s bright blue eyes twinkled at Molly as she teased her.
“I didn’t realize how much I missed living here till I got her this morning.” She turned her attention to the view outside the window. Seagulls flew over the sand dunes covered in sea oats, the blue waters of the Gulf of Mexico just visible beyond the dunes. “It’s so beautiful, Gram. Why did I ever want to leave?”
“Aw, come on honey. You remember why. This place was too small for you. You wanted to live that big city lifestyle, be a mover and a shaker.” May had understood then twenty-two year old Molly’s ambition and had helped her daughter and son-in-law accept their daughter’s decision to leave home.
“And I did. And look what I have to show for it.” Molly looked down at her feet and felt the sadness overcome her. She felt May’s hand on her arm.
“Sweetie, everything that happened in Atlanta made you the woman you are today. You are stronger, more independent. And I’m proud of you. You lived your dream and even though things didn’t turn out the way you planned, don’t ever regret the decision you made.”
“I guess you’re right. I did fulfill a dream. And now it’s time to fulfill another one…living and working here at Shell House full time. You know I always imagined I’d be doing this one day but I figured it would be many years from now.” She smiled and squeezed her grandmother’s hand. It felt so wonderful to be sitting with her drinking coffee in the bright kitchen.
“I know but I’m glad it’s now. We are going to make quite a team, Sweetie.”
May clinked her mug to Molly’s and drank the last bit of coffee.
Molly smiled at her, “Yes we are. To Shell House.”
“To Shell House!” She hugged her granddaughter and placed their empty mugs in the dish washer. “So what’s on your agenda for today? I’m sure you’d love to hit the beach.”
Molly laughed, “Gram! I just got here…I need to do something constructive with my day.”
“Why? There’s not much to do. The guests this week are three older couples that have been coming here together for years. They’ve been busy touring the area and I’ve hardly seen them. So there’s really no reason for you not to enjoy your first day back home.”
“But I’ll feel guilty if I just go lay around on the beach all day,” Molly pouted. “There’s got to be something I can do around here. I can paint the shutters…I noticed they looked a little worn when we drove up.” She started to move towards the door leading out to the outdoor storage shed where she knew the paint and supplies were kept. May jumped up and blocked her before she could get to the doorway.
“Molly Lauren Andrews! Don’t you even think about painting today! There will be plenty of time to do that kind of stuff. Take your bags upstairs, put on a swimsuit and go out and enjoy the day.” She cocked a silver eyebrow at Molly. “Don’t even think about fighting me on this one. You know I’ll win.”
Molly couldn’t stop the smile from slowly spreading across her face. No matter how long she was away from home, some things never changed. She glanced towards the window and saw the wide beach spread out before her. She felt the pull like she always did. There was nothing quite like the beach view offered at Shell House.
Molly bowed her head and sighed. She knew from experience there was no point in arguing and decided to throw in the towel. Besides, the thought of sinking her pink painted toes in the warm, soft sand made her heart sing. The beach at Pass-a-Grille was her favorite place in the world.
“Well, I guess I am headed upstairs and into a bikini. I know I’d be wasting my time arguing with you. I don’t think I’ve ever won a single one.” She put her head on May’s shoulder. “Arguing with you reminds me of Mom. I think I lost most of those, too, if I remember correctly.” Tears began to fill Molly’s eyes. “I still miss her, Dad too. It seems strange coming home and not driving to Tampa to see them.” It had been six years since the phone call that had delivered the horrible news. Both of her parents had been killed instantly in a car accident along Interstate 75 while on the way home from a weekend in Sarasota. Molly had been devastated. She had already been living in Atlanta for four years when the accident occurred. She dropped everything and rushed back to Tampa to see to her parent’s affairs. It had been a horrible time in her life and she never thought she could sink so low. May had been there for her then and so had Jeff. At the thought of him, she quickly shut her eyes as if to force the memory out from her mind. There was still a dull pain associated with memories of the life they shared. May reached out and wrapped her arms around her granddaughter and brought her in for a hug. “I miss them too sweetie, but only happy thoughts today okay? You’re home. Let’s focus on that for right now.” Molly clung to May, letting the soothing warmth of her grandmother’s embrace envelop her. May always knew what Molly needed at the exact time she needed it. They had a unique connection and Molly felt as long as May was at Shell House…the beach cottage would always be home.

Five minutes and one quick bikini change later, Molly sat in a blue beach chair facing the Gulf of Mexico. She had to admit to herself, it felt wonderful to be back. Molly shared May’s love for Shell House and together, they would work to make the inn the most desired place to stay in all of Pass-a-Grille. Molly’s background in public relations would be an asset to Shell House. She was full of ideas to grow the business and was eager to present them to her grandmother. Selling the Shell House and Pass-a-Grille would be a piece of cake. It was her home and she knew it like the back of her hand. After all, who wasn’t interested in visiting paradise? Molly took in the view around her and was so thankful this beautiful stretch of beach was hers. She shuffled her feet in the white sand and gazed out at the view before her. The blue green water looked so inviting but Molly knew it would still be a little cold. Most of the locals wouldn’t brave a swim until April when the water temperatures reached more comfortable levels. But with it being mid March and spring break for so many; there was a spattering of tourists wading in the gentle waves. But even at height of the busy season, the beach was relatively empty. Molly knew most of the students would have flocked to the large, developed beaches just to the north and she was thankful for it. The little strand of shoreline that sat right at the foot of Shell House always stayed quiet and peaceful. Molly closed her eyes and listened to the waves hitting the sand. She could hear the call of the seagulls flying above and allowed herself to truly relax. The realization of how exhausted she was overcame her in as she sat in the peaceful surroundings. Maybe I’ll dose off for a little nap, Molly thought to herself and was fast asleep in seconds.

“Um Miss? Hello? Are you alive? Cause if you are, you are going to need a whole lot of aloe later. Hello?” Molly slowly opened her eyes and had to instantly shield them from the bright sun. She gazed up and tried to focus on the person who interrupted her nap. She found herself staring into a pair of molten chocolate eyes. “Oh good…she lives! I was worried there for a second. You better get inside cause from the looks of it, you got way to much sun today and with it being your first day and all…you don’t want to ruin your vacation do you?” Molly was trying to wake up and focus on what he was saying. She was very groggy from her snooze on the beach. “I’m sorry, what?”
The stranger smiled and chuckled at her startled, sleepy response. “Sorry to wake you up but you’re getting a little burned and I just thought it being your first day, you’d probably want to avoid that.”
Molly’s back came up instantly. “How do you know I just got here today? Who are you?” The handsome stranger laughed again, causing Molly to decide to immediately dislike him, no matter how good looking he was. She hated feeling like a fool and even worse, she despised being caught with her guard down.
“Wow! Do you always wake up and ask so many questions? One, I know you just got here because I haven’t seen you here all week and two, I’m Jordan. I live next door to Shell House, which is where I assume you’re staying since you are laying out in front of it. I live next door at Shang-Ri-La.” The man gestured over his shoulder at the small yellow bungalow next to Shell House. Molly began to let herself relax. If this man was a neighbor, surely her grandmother must know him well. After all, Pass-a-Grille was a small, tight knit community.
“I’m not a guest at Shell House. It’s my home. I’m May’s granddaughter, Molly. I assume you know her?” She thought she saw a flicker of recognition cross his face at the sound of her name but it was gone so quickly she was sure she had imagined it. She held out her hand to him in greeting. Jordan took her hand in his. She instantly regretted touching him. He made her feel uncomfortable and all she wanted to do was run back to the security of Shell House. What was it about this guy that made her so nervous? He smiled at her and Molly felt her stomach drop. He was easily the best looking man she had ever seen in person. She felt an instant attraction and knew she would have to keep her distance from the handsome next door neighbor. The last thing she was looking for was a man. Molly looked down at her skin and realized he was right...she was already pink and if she stayed our any longer, she would be red in no time. As much as she hated to go inside, she was thankful for a reason to make a getaway. Molly stood up and began to collect her things, wrapping her beach towel around her waist. She was all too aware of Jordan’s eyes on her as she folded up her beach chair. “Well thank you very much for waking me up. I truly appreciate it or at least my skin will.” Jordan gave Molly a smile that turned her legs to jello.
“No problem. I do what I can for a neighbor. I’ll see you around, Molly.” He watched her as she walked home. Molly could feel his eyes on her as she stepped up on the porch. She turned and saw him still watching her as she stepped into the house. Molly felt her pulse race as she closed the door. She was disgusted with body’s reaction to Jordan. What was wrong with her? Men had no place on her list of priorities. She was home to work. Molly decided to do everything in her power to avoid Jordan. If she couldn’t control her body’s response to him, she’d make sure there were no opportunities to spend any time with him in the future.

Well there it is. That's the beginning.

I hope you liked it. If I get a good response, maybe I'll post more of it.
Leave a comment & let me know what you think.

Happy Thursday!
Jess

Give Me a Box, I'll Make You a Costume

2010-10-13T08:55:00.013-04:00

Every year for Halloween, my son has had a store bought costume.
And in order those costumes were: A frog, Superman, a Fireman, and Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Last year, we trick or treated with some friends of ours and their son (who's the same age as mine) was a chocolate chip cookie.

It was the most adorable costume and sooo easy to make! Here he is with Obi-Wan...

My friend took a cardboard box, cut the two large sizes into circles, attached them both to elastic which went over his shoulders. She bought tan material and covered the cardboard, stapling it to the backside. She stuffed the center with sweatshirts and other clothes to give it a lumpy, cookie like effect then glued pieces of black material on the outside for the chips. All he wore was a black sweatsuit and his cookie and he was adorable!

After hearing how simple it was to make this costume, I had an epiphany.

MY SON WILL NEVER WEAR A STORE BOUGHT COSTUME EVER AGAIN!!!

Okay that's a bit of an overstatement but seriously. Why pay 20 or even 30 dollars for a costume your kid will never wear again? My son doesn't play dress up and all the costumes I see for a 5 year old boy are for characters he doesn't even know!
(Transformers and Iron Man are not staples around my household!)

What my son does love is airplanes. He eats, sleeps and breathes airplanes.
It's probably genetic with both his daddy and I loving planes too but still...he LOVES them.

So with my new found desire to make a homemade costume and the kiddo's love of avionics, this what he's going to be this year.

I'm going to make a few changes to it (his will be a jet plane with DELTA painted on the side) but you get the idea.

When I was searching for ideas on how to make it, I could not believe how many cute costumes can be made from a simple box. So I decided to show you a few and maybe inspire you to make some creative box costumes for your little ones.

1.Rubick's Cube

Simple, creative and everyone will know exactly what you are! Cut you box into pieces and string them together, paint your squares and you're done! Great idea!

2. Etch-A-Sketch

Cute idea...don't think it's the manliest costume choice for this guy but he's rockin' it.

3. Popcorn Tub

Now this is just adorable. I love love love this one. Great idea. And the popcorn headband? Precious.

4. Bingo Card

Like this one a lot too. Cute and easy.

5. Fireman in the truck

I guess I like to save the best for last (no pun intended, Blockheads...okay maybe a little pun!)...this firetruck is just awesome. It's basically the same design as the airplane with a slight variation. What little boy wouldn't love this?

6. FOR ADULTS ONLY: D!@& in a box

You've seen the SNL skit (and you haven't run right now to youtube!) so you know how easy this one is...step one: Cut a hole in a box.
Okay, okay...not going down that road but you get the idea. A suit from the early 90's, some bad facial hair and a gold chain and you're almost there. Any Christmas box will do. You can glue it to your clothes and you're done. Not totally appropriate but hilariously funny.

Now I know I was doing Halloween box costumes but I found this infant costume and just had to post it. It's the most adorable baby costume I have seen in a long time. So it gets an honorable mention.

The Baby Sno-Cone...behold the adorableness.

Can you believe how cute this is? I saw it and fell in love. I seriously want another baby just to make them this costume.

Well that's all for today, readers. If you have an costume ideas or already know what you or your kids are going to be, leave me a comment. I love new ideas!

Have a happy Wednesday!

Beauty Blog! Today's Edition: Nail Polish

2010-10-12T08:26:00.014-04:00

I usually don't know what I'm going to blog about until I sit down at the computer to write. I guess I'm not much of a planner.

I like to fly by the seat of my pants.

But last night while changing the polish on my toes, it soon became clear what today's topic would be.

That and I checked my blog stats and Friday's make up blog got a TON of hits!
Why mess with a good thing?

Anyway, back to my toes.

I had taken off my favorite nail polish in the universe right now, Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in Commander in Chic

(oh and it's soooo chic!) I love love love this color right now and it's the BEST polish...it seriously will not chip. I had it on my toes for like 3 weeks and it was still perfect. AMAZING for drug store polish!

But again, I'm sidetracked. Back to my story.

So I took off the world's best nail polish and was craving a more Fall color...something in a pretty plum perhaps. So I dug this out of my nail bag:

Cover Girl Boundless Color in Plum Pudding.
Perfect. Exactly the shade I was after. But there was a problem...
It was the clumpiest, nastiest nail polish I had ever seen. I could not get it to go on smooth to save my life.
I was so ticked off...I usually never buy Cover Girl polish (and I never will again after this) but I was so tempted by the beautiful shade of plum.
So I got to thinking...do others buy a nail polish for the color and not look at the brand like I do?

Or are you all just a bunch of O.P.I. junkies because that's what they use at the nail salon?

I'll be honest, I like O.P.I. as much as the next girl but I have tried plenty of polishes that are a LOT cheaper that won't chip. O.P.I. chips or wears off my nails all the time. But I love the clear top coat. For some reason, that works wonders with other polish brands. Strange...

Since I am easily seduced by polish hues, I have tried just about every brand you see at the drug store. So today, I'll tell you my faves.

1. Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure.

Yes, I know I have already talked about it but I can't express to you how awesome this stuff is. The brush is a triangle shape...a little strange at first but the polish doesn't clump up on it because it runs off easily. It's great stuff. And it sells for about 6 bucks...not the cheapest on the list but certainly the best.

2. Essie

I mentioned this one on Friday's blog. I just love it. I've had a bottle of Essie Polish for a long time (as long as the Cover Girl) and it is still just as perfect on the brush as the day I bought it. It's about the same price as O.P.I. (8 bucks) but worth it since it doesn't dry out and get clumpy.

3. Revlon

We all know and love it. It's still one of the best. Yes, it will eventually clump but you will get a lot of use out of it before it does. Always a favorite. And at about 4 bucks a bottle, it should be.

4. Sally Hansen Maximum Growth And Diamond Strength Nail Polishes

Yep, I've tried them both and I love them equally so they will share equal billing here. Goes on smooth, comes in a ton of colors and looks great for days...what's not to love? They sell for about the same price (4 to 5 dollars at most drug stores).

And last but certainly not least:
5. Loreal

I love this stuff. It dries super fast and stays true for days. The fact that it's number 5 doesn't mean it's the 5th best...I rank this stuff higher than most on this list (except for the complete salon manicure line but I think you already figured that out!)...the only negative is the bottle size. It's a little small but well worth the 5 dollar price tag.

Now if you have ever bought drug store nail polish, you may have seen the super cheap stuff...you know what I'm talking about. The little bottles that sell for like 1 or 2 dollars. And you probably thought "I bet that's the crappiest nail polish ever!" Well I'm here to tell you it's not.

This summer I was after 2 shades I thought would be perfect for summer: Coral and Watermelon. No major brands had anything in those shades. But I found them in the cheapies and figured for a few dollars, if they were terrible, I'd throw them out.

Boy was I surprised when they were fantastic!
The first one: Sinful Colors

I paid $1.99 for this bottle and could not believe how well it performed. I swam in both the pool and the ocean with this on my toes and it didn't budge. And the color was beautiful...a perfect coral. 2 coats topped with O.P.I. clear and you're good to go.

The second cheap top performer is: CQ

Another $1.99 find, this didn't come off till you took it off even after swimming for days on end. And it comes in a ton of shades! Love it!

Nail polish is one of those things that all women enjoy. No matter if you are a fashionista or a prairie muffin, everyone likes to look down and see pretty toes. So next time you are at the drugstore picking out a new polish, give one of these brands a try if you haven't already. And if one of your loves wasn't mentioned, post a comment. I love to read them!

Thanks for reading and Happy Tuesday!

A Great Day for Tampa Bay!

2010-10-11T08:51:00.009-04:00

Bucs win!

Rays win!

Does it get any better for a sports fan from Tampa?

I think not.

If you're like me and you grew up in the City by the Bay, you're used to crummy sports teams. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, our NFL football franchise, had been terrible since it's inception in 1976. Yes, there was a brief bright spot in the late 70's (I was like 5 or 6 years old then) but after that, the 80's and 90's were slap full of awfulness.

Then came the 2000's...and a much needed uniform change.

They loaded up on top draft pics and went after Raiders coach Jon Gruden and lo and behold...the won the Super Bowl. 2002 was a magical year for my home team.

And then all those great players went onto somewhere else and Gruden was fired after sub-par seasons and now here we sit in 2010 with a very young, very inexperienced team and coaching staff.

But somehow, they are winning. And for that I am thankful.

The Tampa Bay Rays are an even newer franchise...introduced into Major League Baseball's American League in 1998.

And they sucked too at the beginning. But slowly, they started moving up...drafting talented ball players to wear those hideous uniforms. Thank God those uniforms were changed in 2007...they went to the World Series in 2008.

I'd say it was a change for the better!

They are in the playoffs again and were down 2 games to none, losing both games at home.
They flew out to Texas and beat the Rangers in their own park. 2 games in a row.
Awesome!!!

So tomorrow is the final game and if they win, they advance to play the Yankees.
How I loathe them.

But it was nice to see a city known for sports failures celebrate 2 hard fought victories yesterday.

Congratulations Tampa! You deserve it!

What's In My Make-Up Bag

2010-10-09T10:52:00.011-04:00

I am a self described make-up junkie and lip gloss is my drug.
I've have loved and cherished it since I was a little girl.

My Aunt Bonny lived with my grandparents when I was a kid and my grandmother picked me up from school everyday. After I finished my homework, I'd sneak back to my aunt's bathroom and play in her make-up drawer. I still remember she wore a combination of Cover Girl and Maybelline. And she wore the prettiest shade of berry lipstick. I still remember how I looked wearing it.

So my love affair with cosmetics has continued into adulthood. My sister likes to tease me because I have tried just about every product in a drugstore. And my sweet friend in Maine laughs at me because I carry a ziplock bag filled with lip gloss in my purse.

It's only because I fly so much and you have to have all those gels in a bag for the TSA. I swear that's the only reason. But it is kind of nice to have everything in one place.

Sephora is a dream come true for a make-up lover like me but my budget calls for something a little cheaper. After all, I am a stay at home mom living on a single income budget. I'm sure Dior and Chanel make-up is to die for but I have to settle for something cheaper. However with that said, there are a few things I won't skimp on. Certain things are worth the price you pay and these are my must haves.

In order for your make-up to look great, you have to have a great foundation and that starts with skin care. I am in love with Proactive. Yes, it stinks to high heaven and will ruin your dark towels (there's a lot of hydrogen peroxide in there) but it's worth the switch to white ones. My hormones are all out of whack (seriously...they are but that's for an entirely different blog entry!) so I still break out like I'm 14. It totally sucks. But Proactive keeps my skin in check. I wish this stuff existed in the late 80's...but I thank God it does now!

Next up: Mineral make-up...the greatest invention in modern history.

I love this stuff...it's like gold in my opinion. It's powder, it's foundation...frankly, I don't care what it is. My face has never looked better than when I use this. And yes, it's pricey for make-up ($25.00 for the original which is what I wear), it's worth every penny. Since I don't work outside my home, I don't wear make-up every day so a tub of this will last me a year or more. Well worth the price! If you haven't tried it yet, DO! You won't regret it.

Even though Proactive keeps me blemish free for the most part, occasionally I do still need concealer...especially for my under eye. And I have tried a bunch but I haven't found one I like as much as this one:

Clinique's line smoothing concealer. It retails for $14.00...not bad considering the job it does. And a little goes a long way so I don't have to replace this one often.

Blush is a necessity but I have to admit...I hate powder blush. It was all I used to wear until I discovered this stuff:

E.L.F. Facial Whip. And what is E.L.F. you might ask? Just my favorite new make-up line. And with the majority of their products costing a buck, what's not to love?
Yes...I said a buck. Uno Dollaro. A single. One dollar. And their products are great.
The facial whip is marketed to be the product in your make-up bag that can be used on lips, face, and eyes. And you can use it on all three. However, I find most shades that look great on your eyes are too light for your cheeks and lips and vise versa...it's it looks great on your cheeks, it's too dark for your eyes and lips. So I have 2 shades...one for my eyes and one for my cheeks. And I LOVE the one for my cheeks...it's the best blush I've used in years. And it's A BUCK!!! Awesome!

For my eyes, I do use the facial whip if I'm doing a quickie job but if I want to really play up my peeps, I use this:

Sephora brand eye shadow duos in natural brown. Yes, it's not the cheapest ($16.00) but I love it. And because I don't use it daily, it lasts me a long time.

Staying with the eyes, I go back to E.L.F,. for my eyeliner because they are the makers of these:

I've always wanted to try an eyeliner pen. But I was intimidated...what it it runs or too thick? I used pencils forever until this. And yes, these cost a dollar too. I have them in black, coffee, and plum (my fave) and they rock. They go on thin, smudge easily and are a piece of cake to control. I will never wear anything else but these. They're amazing.

And when it's time to remove all that eye make-up...use one of these:

E.L.F.'s eye make-up remover pads are fantastic. They stay moist, won't irritate your eyes and removes EVERYTHING! My favorite part is they leave no oily or greasy residue. And say it with me...they cost a dollar! (You're catching on!)

Lips are all about the E.L.F. too. Luscious Liquid lip stick isn't really a lipstick at all. It goes on like a gloss but feels thicker like a lipstick...what's not to love? And I LOVE the colors is comes in. And yes, it's a dollar too. Yee!

Nail polish is another one of my favorites. And I have tried them all. I hate chips and even the good stuff (O.P.I.) chips off my nails. But this stuff rarely does. So Essie earns my top pick for polish.

It's so small and pink and pretty. I actually own this shade and I love it!

You might notice I didn't list a favorite mascara. That's because I am currently searching for a new brand. I've recently used Clinique High Impact (nice but not enough volume) Maybelline Great Lash (I always go back because it's so cheap!) and E.L.F. (good, but it's small and dries out too quickly). I am open to all your suggestions for the best so post them in the comments section. I'll let you know who I chose sometime in the next 2 weeks.

Thanks for reading...enjoy the weekend!

One Exhausted Mom

2010-10-08T16:43:00.013-04:00

It's over.

The first field trip is in the books.

I had no idea a school bus filled with 5 and 6 year old could be so loud.

It was like being at a New Kids on the Block concert circa 1990 but with smaller people and higher pitched screams.

Yup, I popped 4 Advil as soon as I got home.

But with that said, I have to admit...I had a great time. My son's classmates are the cutest, sweetest bunch of kids you could ever meet.

And they are hilarious. I sat in the class with the other 2 mothers going on the bus and one little boy looked at us and announced to the rest of the class,
"None of those are my mom. They're just here cause none of them work."
The three of us looked at each other and cracked up. That kid had personality!

Once we boarded the bus, I got to sit with two cuties...mine and another little boy named Rickey...who fell fast asleep resting on my arm. He was precious!

My little one on the bus...with that smile again. Jeesh.

Once we arrived at the farm, we went straight to the hay ride. This was a BIG hit with the kiddos. Okay and with me too...not too many hay ride opportunities where I grew up! My little one fed cows like he'd grown up on a farm! I was shocked he wasn't even the slightest bit scared of them as they took the hay right from his little hand.

I was a proud mama!

We saw baby animals...

Ran through a hay maze...

Slid inside a tube...

And then after lunch...

We hit the corn maze.
I have decided today they are not my thing.
I do not like to get lost.
I will analyze a map before we go to a new city because I hate not knowing where I am.
Which is the whole idea of a corn maze. We were given a map which was no help at all but we thought it was hilarious there was a phone number printed on it.
It was listed as the "rescue line". Thank God we didn't have to call it but it was kinda sketchy there for a bit!

All in all, I'm glad I went. Seeing my son with interact with his peers was great.

But realizing he's one of the best behaved kids in his class was even greater!

Field Trip Tomorrow!

2010-10-07T08:30:00.004-04:00

My little kindergartner has his first field trip tomorrow.

And I signed up to be a parent helper.

And ride the bus.

With a million other 5 year old children as crazy as my son.

What the hell did I get myself info?

As crazy as I must be to volunteer for this assignment, I have to admit...I'm excited. I fondly remember my field trips when I was in grade school. The earliest on I can remember was in either Kindergarten or First Grade. I rode in the back seat of a station wagon to the big Tampa Public Library downtown to see a puppet show.

Since I went to a private school, there were no buses to take us there and back so we rode with parents. I was the only girl in my car with like 4 other boys. I still remember how upset I was and how I begged my teacher to assign me to another car. She didn't and I still have the scars of that 10 minute car ride to show for it!

Okay not really but my 6 year old self was traumatized. For at least those 10 minutes.

So now I get to be a part of my son's first field trip memories tomorrow. I'm so lucky to be able to attend. And where are we going do you ask?

Here.

Carlton Farms in Rockmart, GA. Corn mazes, petting zoo, hay rides and pumpkin patches await us!

My kid is going to love this place. I have a feeling his Mama will too.
I'm taking my camera so look forward to pictures and an update blog about our day this weekend. I'll be taking the day off tomorrow to pet baby lambs and chase a bunch of 5 year olds through a corn maze.

Wish me luck!

The Elixer of Life

2010-10-06T09:59:00.006-04:00

Beer.

How I love thee.

It's kinda funny how my love affair with beer came to pass. Most of us had our first taste in high school. Well I did too and let's say the smell alone made me gag. I would sit around that table in my old house and watch everyone playing quarters and think "Man! How can they drink that stuff! Yuck!"

When I finally reached that magic age of 21 (Ok maybe 20 with a fake ID), I'd watch those same friends buy beers for 50 cents and think, "Nasty! But oh so affordable" as I sat sipping my 4 dollar rum and coke.

Can you see where this is heading?

I started drinking beer because I was too cheap to spend my hard earned money on liquor. 20 bucks versus 5 for a night out with the girls? When there was a new shirt at The Limited I just had to have? No brainer. I joined the beer drinking club lickidy split.

And I've never looked back. While I still enjoy a good mixed drink now and then, beer has become my beverage of choice. I love it on a hot day, I love it on a cold day...especially if there is tailgating involved. Nothing goes together quite like beer and football.

My love affair with beer took a much more serious turn when I started traveling to drink it. Who knew there was such a thing in Portland, Oregon known as the Holiday Ale Fest? Christmas and Beer...together? Where do I sign up?

And Oktoberfest...at Epcot Center at Disney? Wait...beer and Mickey Mouse? Was this for real? It may look like Germany, but trust me...this is Orlando.

And then of course...the mack daddy trip. The beer fest to end all beer fests...Oktoberfest in Munich Germany.

Yup. I traveled over 3,000 miles and crossed an ocean to drink beer.

It was one of the best times I ever had in my life.

I say this not because I'm an alcoholic. In fact, before football started this Fall, I hadn't had a beer in over 6 months. (Except when I go home to Florida to visit the family...I come from a long line of beer drinkers!)

But I truly love the taste...it's an acquired one, I know and some people never get it. But there is nothing in this world that relaxes me like the sound of that top twisting off.

And if I drink that beer in a bathtub full of bubbles...
Well that's even better!

Picture Day!

2010-10-05T12:26:00.007-04:00

Today is school picture day at my son's school.

While normally I wouldn't be too worried about this, let me present a few recent pictures of my usually very photogenic son.

Let me present Exhibit A:

Notice the squinty eyes and the big toothy grin. I have no idea where he learned to do this. Or more importantly, who told him this was how to smile for a proper picture.

I swear I don't know. (And yes, my fingers are crossed behind my back right now.)
Alright I admit it. I thought it was funny at first. Until he began to smile like this every time he saw a camera.

Here's Exhibit B:

And Exhibit C:

After about a day of this 'grin', I asked him to keep his eyes open when Mommy snapped his picture.

I got this result:

Yup...I'm in trouble. Big time. My precious little boy's only school picture from Kindergarten is going to be ridiculous.

But I guess it's okay...there will be plenty more school pictures in his future. Maybe I'll get one or two decent ones before he graduates.

Or maybe I'll get lucky and he will remember how to smile. Kinda like he did in this picture I snapped after a long day on vacation with Mom and Dad.

Now that's more like it!

Fall has arrived!

2010-10-04T09:17:00.003-04:00

I love Fall.

I mean I LOVE Fall.

There is nothing like the sight of russet leaves framed against the backdrop of a deep cobalt blue sky. The sight outside my window makes me squeal with delight. The air is crisp and clean and you can just feel the holidays fast approaching.

Growing up in central Florida, I never really saw a typical change of seasons. It's one of the things I love the most about moving to Georgia. Here, we see the beauty of the Autumn leaves followed by the harshness of Winter's days of gray. (We do see snow but it's not often...which is a good thing for this Florida girl!) And Spring, with it's AWFUL pollen is still breathtaking...there is nothing more perfect than dogwoods in bloom. And finally Summer...heat and humidity a-plenty! But I love living here...even when I miss the beach so much I can't stand it, it will never have this definition of seasons like I do right here in North Georgia.

So bring on the pumpkins and the gourds...the leaves and scarecrows. And the ghosts and goblins...for Halloween will soon be here!

10 years ago today...

2010-09-30T23:34:00.003-04:00

September 30, 2000 St. Pete Beach, Florida

8:00am My mom woke me up for a massage she booked for me at the adjoining resort to where my wedding was being held. We rode over on a trolley car...it was so cute!

9:00am Hour long massage...ahhhh...bliss!

10:00am Back at the hotel and into a swimsuit...pool time!

10:30am - 1:30pm Spent the day with family and friends...we had lunch and sipped drinks while swimming and relaxing. My soon to be hubby's family spent their day on the beach...we never crossed paths all day.

1:45pm Time to head upstairs for a shower!

2:30pm Hair appointment...back to the resort next door for a trip to the salon...my hair was curled, pinned, and sprayed into a beautiful up-do and my veil attached. I'm half ready now!

3:30pm Back at the hotel. My bridesmaids started arriving with their dresses in tow.

4:00pm 1 hour till the photographer arrives...more girly getting ready time!

4:30pm Make up being applied by my very skilled mom...she did all the bridesmaids!

5:00pm Photographer arrives...and I'm not dressed! Yikes! Sent him to take the groomsmen pics first while I slip in to my big white dress.

5:30pm Photographer returns...and I'm ready. Picture taking ensues...mom, dad, bridesmaids and me :)

6:00pm My wedding gift from Wes arrives...along with a 2 page letter. Much crying follows and make up is retouched.

6:15pm Wedding planner arrives at my hotel room and tell me it's time to go! WOW! I'm about to get MARRIED! Get in the elevator for the ride down to my ceremony site.

6:30pm Everyone's in place. My mom and dad are on either side of me and the music starts. We turn the corner and I see my husband to be crying as I walk to become his wife.

6:45pm It's done...we are husband and wife! Guests are moved to a cocktail reception in the ballroom while my wedding party takes pictures with the setting sun.

7:00pm Pictures are wrapping up and the wedding party slips upstairs. Wes and I finish ours alone.

7:30pm Wedding party is introduced in the ballroom shortly followed by the new Mr. and Mrs! First dance begins, followed by Bride and her father and the Groom and his mother.

8:00pm Dinner is served!

8:30pm Let the party begin! The bar is open and the band is playing.

9:00pm Time to cut the cake. Followed by more dancing and drinking...

9:30pm Bouquet & garter toss...and the ever important dollar dance.

10:00pm - 11:30pm Dancing, drinking, toasting, conga lines...a party to remember!

11:30pm-??? Party in my parents' suite. Guests change (including the bride and groom) and everyone keeps the party going.

All of this = the best day of my life.

A lot can happen in 10 years

2010-09-29T12:27:00.003-04:00

Tomorrow I celebrate my 10 year wedding anniversary.

It's a pretty big deal to me.

As of tomorrow, my husband and I will be married longer than our parents. Mine were in the process of a divorce on their 10th anniversary and my husband's parents never made it to theirs...they were divorced after 9 years.

So many couples never make to 10 years of wedded bliss. Not to say it's been all sunshine and roses for us, believe me it hasn't. But I take pride in the fact that we've made it work. Through the ups and downs, Wes and I have never lost sight of the fact that we promised each other we'd be together forever.

Yes, there have been tough times. Losing my mom to cancer back in 2003 was one of them. I went through such a deep depression, he didn't know if I would ever come out the other side. But I did with his help and love. And when we became parents less than 2 years later in 2005, we entered another chapter of our life together. That was a rude awakening...being married and childless for 5 years was great fun but we weren't truly prepared for the shift our life took when Noah was born. But we've made it though, deciding to become a single family income so our little man wouldn't have to be in day care. Our finances are in shambles but we're confident we made the best decision for our family. The flood last year almost wiped us out financially but even that horrible event hasn't pulled us apart.

A lot has changed in 10 years. And not all for the better. I honestly never thought we'd be where we are today but I think most people aren't...and that's why so many others never reach this milestone in their marriage. But I'm proud we have. We have a lot to celebrate and be thankful for. And the most important thing is we still love each other. For better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health.

New Motivation!

2010-09-28T21:41:00.002-04:00

I can not believe I haven't blogged since Christmas.

Unacceptable.

I am rededicating myself to this blog.

Since my last blog, I have recovered from a flood, celebrated a birthday, taken a few mini vacations, saw my son graduate from Pre-K, had a litter of puppies, lost 20 pounds (gained some of that back), celebrated my son's birthday, saw him start kindergarten, and wrote a book.

Yup. I wrote a book. Now I am shopping said book and it is not easy. I have so many questions...do I get a literary agent or not? Which publisher do I send inquiries to? And of course, the biggest question : is it good enough? I have worked so hard on it...I lost count on the number of revisions months ago.

I guess I feel like I need to write. About anything. I need to keep my writing skills up to snuff and this is a perfect way to do it. And I'm going to write about anything and everything. Monday's blog may be about my son and the fact that he ALWAYS want to be naked (it's true and I don't know what his deal is) and Tuesday's may be my favorite recipe. And Wednesday's might be about what gets on my nerves...you catch my drift. I want this blog to be fun and spontaneous. Which is what I hope I am. Or what I strive to be.

The new title tells who I am...a Florida Orange who reformed to a Georgia Peach. A fruit that's a little sweet with a slight touch of sour just to make things interesting. Now that's what I call a description!

Feliz Noche Buena!

2009-12-24T17:33:00.000-05:00

As I sit here in my mother in law's living room in cold, rainy Georgia, my heart and soul are 400 miles away at a small house in East Elm Street in sunny and hot Tampa, Florida...My grandparent's house. Home of the Bernaldo family for as long as I've been alive. My father's parents, who are two of the funniest, sweetest, loving people I have ever met. I am lucky enough to call them Buelie and Papa. Buelie is a strange name to call your grandmother unless you are of latin decent like I am...then Buelie is kind of a household name. If you took Spanish in high school, you might remember Abuela means grandmother. Well my older sister had a hard time saying it when she was little and Buelie kind of stuck. Believe me, the name totally suits her. On Christmas Eve, every year, my entire family (aunts, uncles, cousins, and even family friends) gather at my grandparents house for a feast and a party. The Spanish word for Christmas Eve is Noche Buena which literally translates to "good night". And it really is...it's actually the best night of the year. Buelie starts cooking about 3 to 4 days in advance. She makes a ton of food...roast pork with mojo is the main dish. And mojo is not the junk Austin Powers lost! It's a marinade made with sour oranges, lots of garlic, onions and a bunch of spices. It's heaven, really. She makes the mojo and then soaks the pork in it. Oh my...it's soo good I could kick myself. Black beans and rice compliment along with yuca, which is a root kind of like a potato but more tasty. You soak the yuca in mojo, too. There is always a loaf of fresh Cuban bread from the bakery which just melts in your mouth. It's the meal everyone in my entire family looks forward to all year. Then after the bellies are full, my crazy music loving family moves to the living room and Buelie starts passing out the pots and pans...why you ask? Because they make wonderful instruments of course! I am serious...we play anything that makes music. My grandfather, dad and aunt play real guitars and we follow along with whatever we are given. And we sing. We sing every Christmas song we know the words to....and that's a lot! We each take a part in the 12 days of Christmas, we do the background "pums" when someone takes the lead on Little Drummer Boy. We all sing our only Spanish Christmas song "Feliz Navidad" at the tops of our voices. It's so much fun...no matter how cheesy it sounds! And after we have sung, gifts are opened, hugs and kisses and exchanged and everyone goes onto their other family members' celebrations. But nothing tops the crazy traditions and amazing food that is Christmas with the Bernaldo's. I am so lucky to be a part of my family and I will miss spending Noche Buena with them this year. But very soon they will call and the phone will be passed around to everyone. And I will feel like I'm right there, with all my family surrounding me. If only I could make a plate of food appear!

The Best Christmas Gift Ever!

2009-12-23T11:26:00.001-05:00

I know it sounds strange but today, December 23, is almost as special to me as Christmas day. For it was on this day that I received the best Christmas gift ever. Better than the Barbie Dreamhouse I got when I was 7 and even better than the promise ring I got from Wes in 1998. See, after 3 years of trying and 6 months of infertility hell on December 23, 2004, I found out I was pregnant. We had been through so much trying to start a family. I had a doctor tell me just 6 months earlier that I would never conceive. I could not accept that. How could God give me such an instinct to be a mother only to deny me the chance? My wonderful mother in law told me to see her doctor, they had a fertility specialist in their office. So I went and found the woman who would change my life. She told me at my very first appointment that she would get me pregnant and make my dream come true. After many months of different meds to regulate my body and many more drugs to help me be fertile, it finally happened. I knew something was up almost immediately. I started taking pregnancy tests and did so for about 2 weeks. Every one was negative. I hoped and prayed for a miracle, just begging for one of those many tests to be positive but no. I remember thinking "If this didn't work, I need to try again next month". I just needed an answer, one way or the other. I kept calling the doctor, "I haven't started my period yet but I keep getting negative test results. What should I do? I am ready to try again." And the answer was always the same. "Be Patient. Wait. If you don't start and you're still getting negative tests in 2 weeks from now, we'll see what we can do". I was so upset...I just wanted some answers. I'll never forget what happened December 22 and 23, 2004. I had 1 box, 2 tests left. I took one in the evening of the 22nd. Falconman was so mad at me...the doctor recommended I wait and use the first urine of the day since it would be more concentrated. But impatient me just HAD to take that test! It was negative and I was so upset. I remember crying on his shoulder that I just wanted to know one way or the other. I told myself I was going to NOT take the 2nd test, my last one, the next morning...I was going to wait and do it on Christmas Eve morning. I woke up on December 23, 2004 and decided to take the test..if I got a negative result on Christmas Eve, it would ruin my holiday. But if I took it on the 23rd and it was negative, I would not think about it fertility anything until after Christmas was over. I would enjoy my holiday and not be consumed with baby thoughts. So I got up, did the deed and set the test down on the counter and went back to bed. I just knew it was going to be negative...I was not going to sit there and watch the results. I would accept my fate, regardless of what it was. Falconman woke up as I got into bed and asked me if I had just used the last test. I confessed I had but explained to him my logic. I would be ok if it was negative. He teased me about not getting up to read the results right away. I told him "There's no need to. I'm pretty sure I know what it's going to say". He told me to get up and read it and come back to bed since we had a few hours before we had to get ready for work. When I got to the bathroom and looked at that test I could not believe my eyes. It was positive. Positive. Oh my God. It was POSITIVE!!! I actually had to get the box out of the trash and make sure I was reading it correctly! I said 'Oh my God. Oh my GOD!" Falconman said "What? Are you ok?" I screamed "IT'S POSITIVE! OH MY GOD! WE'RE PREGNANT!" I was crying and just ran to him. We hugged and cried and just held eachother. It was the single best moment of my life. Our dreams had come true...we were given a Christmas miracle. We called everyone we knew that morning...it was a wonderful memory. 9 months later in August when Ndub was born, it all came full circle and now 5 years removed from that magical morning, I still cry when I think back on it. So today on December 23, 2009, I am still thankful for my Christmas miracle. I hope all of you reading this get your very own! Merry Christmas!

A Blog Virgin No More!

2009-12-20T15:35:00.000-05:00

Well I have finally done it. Taken the plunge. Took the flying leap. Made the jump. I joined the blogging world! Yay! It's something I have been thinking about doing for a long time, I guess. I love to write, my life is crazy at times, which gives me great material...why not blog? But for some reason, I just never did it. Well that time is over. I sit on my couch in the living room with my crazy red headed 4 year old son, who is fast asleep next to me, and my Atlanta Falcons football loving husband across the room, who is watching the game, and I type away. A lazy Sunday afternoon 5 days before Christmas. Uhhh...Christmas. So glad my shopping is done but...well...here goes. Do you ever sit and think after every gift is wrapped that you should have bought better gifts that what you did? I do this every year and I hate it. It would be so nice to have a huge shopping budget so I could buy amazing gifts for my family members. But this year especially, money is tight so the gifts were very inexpensive. I always put so much thought into what I buy. And every year when every gift is unwrapped and in my niece's and nephew's case, broken, I sit and mentally kick my ass. I mean what a waste of time and energy! It's Christmas...it's the thought that counts right? Right?!? That's what they say but the pressure to buy the perfect gift is ridiculous! One year, I want to skip the gift buying. Just skip it...save that money that is basically being blown on junk that will be thrown away within 3 months and maybe do homemade gifts...something meaningful. Something thoughtful. Think of how less stressful Christmas would be without gift buying. Christmas would be about peace, family, love. We'd still bake and decorate a tree and string up lights. Families would gather and eat and sing Christmas carols. And gifts would still be exchanged...but the homemade kind that would mean so much. Think about it...how many toys do your children already have? Do they need anymore? I know my son doesn't. But this is all just a dream...my Christmas dream. One where the time spent together is more important than the quality of gifts received. A southern girl can dream can't she?