Bunches of us read Elizabeth Gilbert’s book “Eat Pray Love” when it came out, including LilSis and I. We both loved the book, and I think LilSis even read it twice.  I was a little on guard about some of the new age aspects in parts of the book, but they didn’t taint the rest of it for me.

Now, a movie based on the book is coming out in about 2 weeks on August 13th. You know how you have a mental picture of a book’s characters as you’re reading it? Well, I absolutely did not imagine Julia Roberts as the lead character in this great book. I’m actually not even planning to go see the movie because I think the casting might just ruin the whole film for me. I’m not hating on Julia; I think she was entertaining in “Pretty Woman”, but I don’t think she has the depth and the soul that this role calls for.

Am I being overly-skeptical, or do you agree with me?  Who would be a better choice for the lead role in this movie? It could be so GOOD with the right actress!  Who would you choose?

~BigSis

Today is our dad’s birthday. He would have been 75 today.

In some ways it doesn’t seem like 3-1/2 years have passed since we lost him, but at the same time it feels like forever since we’ve seen him. Our birthday celebrations are definitely not the same since he’s been gone; we always used to celebrate Bry’s, Daddy’s, and SisMama’s birthdays all at the same time since they were just days apart. And even though our dad is not with us in body, he’s with us in spirit.

We’re thinking about him today as we do every day, and just look forward to the day when we can see him again when we get to Heaven.

Happy birthday, Daddy. We love you and miss you!

~BigSis

Baby Boy Bry

Baby Boy Bry was born!

This is one of my most favorite photos, ever! It almost seems like it was yesterday… and now my baby boy is a Sailor in the U.S. Navy serving to protect our country!  We are SO proud of him!

(I could go on and on and on, but I’m a tad emotional today and I would end up being really sappy!)

Happy Birthday, Bry! We love you!

~LilSis

I don’t watch any television during the day but I really wanted to see Oprah last Friday when she interviewed Pink and I totally forgot about it. If I had even remembered what day it was on, I could have at least set the DVR to record it. I’m bummed that I missed it.

Every time I hear Pink’s ‘Glitter in the Air’ on the radio, I’m instantly reminded of her jaw-dropping performance at the Grammy’s.

I can’t say enough about how much I love this song and this performance, so if you missed it, I think it’s worth five minutes of your time to watch the video.

I remember after I first saw this on the Grammy’s, I was happy that we had recorded it so I could watch it again. It’s obvious that Pink is serious about staying in good shape and I think after seeing the Cirque de Soleil Zumanity in Vegas last year, it made me appreciate the talent and the strength it takes to perform this type of acrobatics.

I’m so glad that Pink doesn’t even think of lip syncing because her voice is absolutely amazing in this performance. And, as if singing while hanging upside down from the ceiling on a trapeze in a gorgeous, yet skimpy bodysuit isn’t enough; she decides to take it to the next level…

Stunning!

Tidbits from BigSis: Hey, LilSis, I have a few little bits of info that I can add to this. If you follow Pink’s tweets or watch the news, you know that she had an accident last week shortly before her European tour ended. She flew off the stage into the steel barricade between the stage and the concert-goers, and was taken to the hospital. She didn’t have any broken bones, miraculously, just lots of aches and pains.

Also, I heard that Dreya Webber choreographed this Grammy Award performance for Pink. If you do P90X, you know that Dreya is a dancer and aerialist in phenomenal shape, and is in several of the P90X videos.

I love this video too! Thanks for reminding me to watch it again! I just can’t believe that someone else has my favorite outfit!

~LilSis

How could I intentially inflict suffering on this adorable little thing?

When I heard the story about the 120 beagles rescued from the bankrupt animal testing lab, I was convicted to renew my commitment to banishing animal-tested products from my house.  Since then, every few minutes I think of another product I can’t buy again.  Here’s my list so far:

• Loreal Lash Out Mascara

• Loreal Voluminous Mascara

• Loreal Eye Cream

• Loreal EverPure Shampoo

• Lancome Bi-Facil Eye Make Up Remover

• Olay Regenerist Anti-Aging Undereye Roller

• Garnier Nutrisse Hair Color

• Tide

• Clorox Wipes

• Clorox Toilet Cleaner

• Aveeno Shave Cream

• Arm & Hammer Baking Soda

• Clean & Clear Blotting Papers

• Neutrogena Shampoo, Conditioner and Hair Mask

• Redken Align Hair Straightening Lotion

• Hawaiian Tropic Sunscreen

• Scrubbing Bubbles

• Glad AND Ziploc Bags

• Puffs Tissues

• Swiffer Products

• Charmin Bath Tissue

Quite a monster list already, isn’t it?  I know that list will just get longer and longer, until it probably looks like it includes everything I use.  It really makes me feel bad that I’ve been supporting animal testing by buying all this cr*p from bunches of offending companies.

It’s going to hurt to abandon products that I’ve loved and used faithfully; sometimes for decades.  I have to experiment and find new products to replace all those…products that aren’t tested on animals!

But the point is, animal testing hurts bunnies, beagles, primates, mice and rats.  A lot.  More than we can even imagine. My momentary withdrawal pains are nothing in comparison.  Suck it up, BigSis. Instead of adopting a whiney attitude of “look what I’m giving up”, I’m going to approach this as an adventurous opportunity to find some products that are even better than what I was using before.  AND, no one will have to suffer because of my purchase.

Photo credit: Best Friends

~BigSis

Got a minute?

If you’d like to feel like you’ve just had a luxurious spa manicure without spending the time or the money to go to a spa, then look no further. The answer is right inside this little jar.

Truebath and Body Works Blue Spa "Just a Minute"

When BigSis came to visit me last month, she brought me the nicest little gift and I finally took a minute to try this Truebath and Body Works Blue Spa Just a Minute 60-second Manicure Hand Scrub.

This sugar-based exfoliating scrub really does works like magic! You simply massage the scrub into wet hands for a full minute, paying special attention to nail beds and any rough areas, then rinse, and voila! You can say goodbye to dull, dry skin and dry cuticles forever! My hands haven’t felt this soft in a long time and my cuticles are noticeably in better shape. The scrub also has a very light orange-citrus scent which happens to be a real favorite of mine.

The 5 ounce jar retails for $12.00, which I think is a great bargain considering the jar will probably last for months. And, since BigSis just mentioned the big Beagle Rescue and the fact that there are still major companies performing animal testing on their products, I went to caringconsumer.com to verify that Bath and Body Works is on the list of companies that DO NOT test on animals.

So, for just a little bit of money, you can pamper your hands AND know that no animals had to suffer to bring you that product!  Score!

~LilSis

My cats have never been so beautiful! Look at this shiny coat on my Gaby:

Ashy’s coat is just as shiny.  In fact, these two are SO beautiful that I contemplated making a third cat out of the massive blob of hair that the FURminator pulled out of them!

Can you believe this?!  And this pile wasn’t even from their first session with this miracle tool; it was the second!

I’d never even heard of the FURminator before, and now I’m the biggest cheerleader for this thing.  Do you know about the FURminator?  The purple tool in the photo above is the cat version with a 1.75″ edge that literally grabs onto the undercoat and gently pulls it out.  There is also a dog FURminator with a 4″ edge.

I know what you’re thinking. “BigSis, you probably don’t brush your cats. We should probably report you to the authorities for animal neglect.  No wonder you got so much dead hair out of their coat!  And your poor cats are probably Persians that you let get matted!  Shame on you, BigSis!”

Honestly, that’s not it at all. My cats get brushed regularly with a slicker brush, and I STILL got this much hair out of them!  Plus, they’re short-haired guys, not long-haired dudes!

I’m thinking my hairball problem just got solved with the discovery of the FURminator.  Voila.  Simple as that.  I paid over $35 for mine at PetSMart, and after seeing how well it works, it’s pretty much invaluable to me.  I don’t care how much I paid for it.  If you follow the FURminator links we’ve given you though, you can get your FURminator for a whole lot less than what I paid locally!  That’s a sweet deal!

I don’t RAVE about that many products, but this thing is unbelievable.  Do yourself a favor, and FURminate the dead hair out of your animal’s coat instead of cleaning it off your carpet!

~BigSis

Rex the Beagle Learns to Run

Did you hear about the July 4th rescue of 120 beagles from a  New York testing lab that went bankrupt?  Check this video of their Independence Day!

PetsAlive in Middletown, New York rescued the beagles, and got a hand from Best Friends.  Can you imagine 120 dogs who had never been outside, walked on grass, played with a toy, chased a ball, ran, sniffed another dog, walked on a leash, and most importantly…had never been loved?  PetsAlive and Best Friends had to be sensitive to these emotional issues, and also take care of the physical needs at the same time: vet checkups, neuterings and spayings, microchipping, shots, etc.  Then they had to find homes – good homes – for all of these guys.

As of last Friday the 16th, only 15 beagle babies were still looking for their new home.  If you think you might have one of those homes, you can still go to PetsAlive and fill out an online application.

Once all 120 of these beagles are safely placed in loving homes, what else can we do?  We can make sure that we DON’T support animal testing.  If we commit to only purchasing products that are NOT animal tested, then the testing will stop.  If we’re endorsing animal testing by buying those products, then animals like these beagles will continue to suffer.

Who DOESN’T animal test?  It’s simple to find out.  Go to caringconsumer.com and search for specific companies, or click on “Companies That Don’t Test” and “Companies That Do Test” to see printable lists.

You might be surprised to see that some really large, well-respected companies still animal test: Dial, Johnson & Johnson, Loreal, Max Factor, Bic, Clorox, Clairol, Procter & Gamble, Pantene, etc.  It’s disappointing.

The good news is that there are lots of companies who do not animal test, and they aren’t a bunch of hippy-dippy companies with low-quality products: Almay, Arbonne, Aveda, Bare Escentuals, Bath & Body Works, Bobbi Brown, The Body Shop, Caldrea, Calvin Klein, Clarins, Clinique, Essie, Estee Lauder, Jolen, L’Occitane, Lush, MAC, Norelco, Ojon, OPI, Origins, Paul Mitchell, Pureology, Stila, Trader Joe’s, Urban Decay, Victoria’s Secret, Whole Foods 365 House Brand, and hundreds more.

I’m committing to research all of the things I buy, and then I’m boycotting any company still on the testing list.  How about you?  I don’t want the suffering of more beagles, primates and bunnies on my conscience.

For more information on the beagle rescue, check PetsAlive press page.

Rex’s photo courtesy of Best Friends

~BigSis

After just revealing how Gaga she is over her new Urban Decay Naked Palette, BigSis also spread the news that the palette was already sold out on the Urban Decay site.

If you were as disappointed as I was after hearing that these beautiful palettes were already sold out, then you’re going to love this news!

Urban Decay Naked Palette

We just received an email from Sephora announcing that the Urban Decay Naked Palette is now available online at Sephora even though the palette won’t be in the stores until July 29th.

And, don’t forget, the set comes with an adorable, travel size Urban Decay Primer Potion and a double ended 24/7 glide on eye pencil!

So…

If you want to get your hands on one of these gorgeous Urban Decay Naked Palette sets, you will probably want to get on the Sephora site ASAP!

~LilSis

I missed out on Urban Decay’s Alice in Wonderland kit a while back, and I’m still mad at myself for dawdling on the purchase, so when I locked eyes with their new Naked Palette, I was NOT going to disappoint myself again.  The minute I got the email from Urban Decay announcing their new fall catalog, I raced to the site and saw this palette.  The rest is history!  My credit card was snatched from my wallet so fast that it’s numbers were spinning, and within a minute – literally – my order was in.

The exterior of this Urban Decay Naked Palette would be even more beautiful without the cat hair embellishment! Just wait til you see the inside though...

The next morning, I saw a tweet from Urban Decay confirming my intuition…the Naked Palette sold out in a matter of hours, and as of today, it’s still out of stock.  The good news?  It isn’t a limited edition palette to the extent that the Alice one was, so it IS expected back in stock.  My recommendation?  Sign up for the email on UrbanDecay.com to be notified when it’s back, and then make a bee-line to get yourself one!

Why am I getting all-Lady-Gaga about this palette? Just look at it:

12 gorgeous colors AND 2 eyeliners AND a primer!

Can you believe these colors?  You get a whole wardrobe of eyeshadows in one slim package: neutrals for work, shimmer for evening (maybe shimmer for work if your workday is more sparkly than mine), and some deeps for smoky eyes.  You also get a double-ended 24/7 eyeliner pencil with Zero (black) and Whiskey (a brand new beautiful brown), and a travel-size Primer Potion.

I’ve kept my little mitts off this palette until I got a photo of it, so I haven’t tried any of the colors yet.  LilSis and I are both in love with our Summer of Love palettes though, so I know the quality of Urban Decay shadows is fabulous and I can’t wait to play with these.  I think these are incredible colors for blue eyes like LilSis and I have, but I can also see them being equally gorgeous on brown eyes, green eyes, hazel eyes, and black eyes.

I’m going to show you some swatches of these colors later on – with and without our favorite Primer Potion eyeshadow primers – so you can get an idea of what they look like.  Meanwhile though, sign up for that email and if you get the chance, buy one of these palettes! I promise I paid full price for my palette (a steal of a deal at $44) and I’m not making a dime if you buy one.  I just don’t want you to be disappointed when your friends get one, and you kick yourself for not listening to me!

~BigSis