Fall! Fall is here! Its fall y'all!

Finally Mother Nature has joined the chat. She finally changed her front door wreath from summer to fall. She took the watermelon flag down and put up the one with all the pretty leaves and the pumpkin on it. I was about as sick as you could be of the hot weather and the sweating and did I mention the sweating? Yes its hot when you leave at 0450am to go to work and its already 87 degrees outside.

Fall is my favorite time of the whole year. Yeah Christmas yadda yadda. But fall! She is beautiful. The colors, the smells, the feels! It makes me want to run out into the yard and throw my hands up and sing The Hills are Alive with the Sound of Music. But that has nothing to do with fall, does it?

I love fall because: There is nothing like a crisp October day with a bright blue sky and fluffy marshmallow creme clouds and a breeze. There is nothing like a hayride and a bonfire with smores and hot chocolate. There is nothing like playing in a big pile of leaves. There is nothing like wearing big fluffy sweaters or your favorite hoodie. There is nothing like a Friday night football game with a marching band (or rather a Friday night marching band with a football game LOL). There is nothing like Thanksgiving, which is all the warm fuzzies of Christmas without the pressure of decorating and all those presents. And! There is nothing like having a birthday in November (it is 9 months from Valentines day, bow chicka wow wow)!

I just hope Mother Nature doesnt play any tricks on us and have a heat wave in October.

Whats in your purse? A post for the men!

Just so I can accomodate all genders of readers, today Im posting one that will interest all of my male readers (that would be you RevKev):

Azulene Skin Calming Oil


I read about this on another site and instantly thought of Big Daddy. He gets a lot of skin irritation on his chin and upper neck after shaving. This is an oil but it is very light and smells really good. It contains aloe and chamomile and has a light, gentle, fresh smell that is not overpowering. You just put a few tiny drops on your fingers and rub it over your skin after any kind of hair removal (shaving waxing etc). So I went and found some at Sally Beauty Supply (I did have to ask for it but it is in the skin care section) for a little over $6 for a 2oz bottle and in this case a little goes a long way, I would say his bottle lasted about 3-4 months. Big Daddy has been using it and I really can tell a difference. His skin is not as red and bumpy after he shaves. He did tell me also that he put it on his forehead on this one dry spot that he had and it went away! I also read that you can use this to soften your cuticles and keep your heels nice and soft. OH well. I might have to get my own bottle!

Whats in your purse? A reader responds!

I received this comment on my mascara post (on Facebook) from a friend/reader:
Ok...So, a couple weeks ago I read your blog titled "what's in your purse?". The mascara..AHH!!..sounded exactly like what I'd been searching for for years!! Yesterday, while at Walmart I remembered I was out of mascara but couldn't remember the brand or name of the one you posted about. I stood in the middle of cosmetics for 10 minutes while I hunted your blog on my iphone. :) I used "your" mascara today for the first time. Put it on @ 7am, did church, lunch and nap(!)....when I finally decided to wash my face I noticed there were NO dark circles or flakes under my eyes - unlike what I'd find with everything else I've ever used! Hallelujah!! Now....can you find me a shampoo and conditioner that will give my hair body but not leave it limp/flat/blah by the end of the day? Thankssomuch!!

My response:
Lol! I'm so glad I could help and I'm glad you liked the mascara! I can write about my shampoo and conditioner although it's not "in my purse" but that is only a technicality. Have you tried using a clarifying shampoo once a week? It will remove any buildup that accumulates and might contribute to flat hair syndrome. It might be as simple as using a different brand once a week if you don't want to buy a clarifying one. Thx for your sweet comments.

I know all my male readers (that would be you RevKev) probably just glaze over when they see this title. I do have a few things up my sleeve for the men, just be patient. There are beauty secrets for everyone.

Breaking news: Pale is the new tan.

Breaking news:
"Tan is the new pale. In pre-industrial Western society, paleness was a sign of status. Those who were wealthy enough could afford spending life indoors and under fancy hats and parasols, rather than laboring in the fields under the bright sun. Therefore, paleness was associated with an upper-class life of ease. However, the modern industrial period brought the advent of mass factory and mine labor, and by the 1920's tanned skin was now an indicator of wealth. In many areas of the world that are still pre-industrial, pale skin is still considered a sign of beauty." (From www.omg-facts.com)

I had a friend at work who was from England. She had a kind of off-center sense of humor, and called me "pale and interesting," meaning what was I doing in the house while everyone else was out getting a tan? Well, not wasting my time is what I was doing. Ive never been one to get tan. I just burn and peel, or get more freckles. I tried, believe me. Before the invention of SPF 100 I laid out in the sun during the summer to get a tan. With baby oil. I got some pretty bad sunburns, too, ouch. I did the tanning bed thing later on too, just approaching some shade of "normal." It was in nursing school when it dawned on me that with a family history of melanoma I really didnt have any business pursuing a tan. I was never going to be a Coppertone kid or a Bahama Mama.

So if you need me I'll be booking my plane ticket to the nearest pre-industrial country

There really is an app for that.

I just discovered what I'd been hoping for since I started blogging. Blogger and iPhone have gotten together and now there really is an app for that! It's called blogpress and it's 2.99 in the app store. I just downloaded it today and I'm testing it out. I'll let you know what I think when I figure it all out.




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Happy Labor Day

One of my favorite comic strips is Garfield. This one is an oldie but a goodie. You can tell that by the way Garfield looks. If you have been a fan of his for a while you know that his look changed over the years, kind of like Madonna.

Im celebrating Labor Day....by working. I really dont mind THAT much, I have a house full of 12 year olds sprawled out on the floor after a rowdy night of birthday slumber party antics. I went to bed at 12 and said "Dont leave the house, and dont wake me up." I dont know what time they went to bed but one of them posted on facebook around 2am.

Y'all have a great day!

So Drama Queen turned 12 yesterday. And we all know what that means.....party. Yay me. I dont know if your kid is like mine but she is planning next year's party before this year's party is over. What is up with that? And we can NEVER EVER do what anyone else has done because that is so....copying other people. Between DQ and Golden Boy we have come up with some good and not so good ideas for parties. One year when GB was about 5 we had a "backwards" party. The invitations were written backwards, everyone wore their clothes backwards, I even took their picture backwards. When you are 5 that is all quite hilarious. Not so much when you are 12.

Things kind of got out of hand after DQ's 9th birthday party with limo (it was cheaper than Pump it Up).I decided I couldnt outdo myself anymore (or my budget) so we started on the "every other year" plan for party. On your off year you can invite one friend over and do something fun and the other year you can have a party. But no bank-breakers.

I even tried to bribe her into not having a party. I promised to buy her a pair of rollerskates if she would trade in her party. I was foiled by her friend around the corner who gave DQ her old skates when she got a new pair. Dangit.

This year we finally agreed on a plan. She is inviting friends over to the house for pizza and cake and ice cream. The difference this year is that she is having boys. Boys. Over. To. The. House. The boys will go home and the girls will spend the night. I told her my job during the party is that I will have my ruler out and make sure that there is at least 12" between each boy and girl at all times. They may not look at or touch each other. Every time they did, Satan would kill a baby kitten.

So if you need me today I'll be the one running around waving my arms in the air frantically while BD watches football and the kids sleep late.

12? Really?

Happy Birthday Drama Queen! It seems like yesterday you were born. I couldnt wait for you to get here and you were taking your own sweet time. Then BANG you were here. That is so you. Then you screamed for 3 months. Every. Night. You were beautiful and cute and sweet after that. I am so happy and proud to be your mom, and I have just about caught up on my sleep.

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

I love that we can do girly stuff together like go shopping and get our nails done. I remember how you used to be afraid of Pat-the-nail-guy-who-looked-like-Charlie-Chan when he used to say "OH YOU SO PRETTY I KISS YOU." But then one day you decided it was ok and hopped up in the chair and stuck your hands out like it was nobody's business.

I love that you tell me what is going on with your life while we are driving in the car. You wont much tell me if I ask you specific questions but getting in the car is like some aerosol truth serum, you just talk and talk. About boys, about drama, about boy drama, and about the drama caused by boys. And also, about cheer.

I love that you are independent, but not too much. I can teach you to do something and you are all over it.

I love that you are a little bit like me, but not too much. You have just the right amount of spunk and personality and everyone likes being around you. Except maybe your brother but I hear that goes away after you are both adults. You pretty much tell it like it is (wonder where you get that from??).

You are blossoming (literally and figuratively)into a beautiful young woman. I love you all the way to the moon and back infinity times.

Whats In Your Purse?

Welcome to the second edition of What's In Your Purse!

Last week I showed you my solution for eye shadow that wont crease or flake off. So put that boiled egg back in your purse and get ready for another eye makeup tip.

I have short, straight, light colored stubbly eyelashes. If I dont wear mascara I look like I have beady little eyes. And I have oily skin so I have to be careful that my mascara doesnt make black circles under my eyes like a racoon by noon. Ive tried and tried different brands and formulas over the years and this is the one I found that works best for me. And its less than $10 at the drugstore.

L'Oreal Double Extend Waterproof Mascara
First off you notice that there is a tube of stuff on each end and the brush is in the middle. Obviously one is the black mascara, so whats going on over on the other end? Im going to call it a lash primer. I used a product similar to this about 15 years ago from a department store. While it worked great it was very cost prohibitive to purchase it IN ADDITION to buying mascara. So I was excited when L'Oreal came out with this two in one product. It thickens up my short stubbly little eyelashes and makes them longer. So what I do is put the white stuff on first and then put the mascara on over it. After I put on my mascara I do the rest of my makeup routine and then finish with a second coat of just the mascara. This mascara will stay on your lashes until you are ready for it to come off. You dont need a hammer and chisel to get it off, just some eyemakeup remover or soap and water. It even stays on in the pool.

I have a friend who has tried the prescription eyelash treatments but have been hesitant because of the side effects. She is happy with it, but feel free to chime in if you have used it and let me know what you think.

Asian Coleslaw

Asian Coleslaw aka Ramen Noodle Salad

1 pkg broccoli coleslaw
2 green onions
3 tablespoons butter
1 small package sliced almonds
1 package Oriental flavor Ramen noodles
1/2 cup oil (I used 1/4 cup vegetable oil 1/4 cup olive oil)
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons sugar
splash of soy sauce
juice of 1/2 lemon
salt and pepper to taste


Chop green onions and add to broccoli coleslaw in large bowl. Crush ramen noodles. Reserve noodle flavoring packet for later. Melt butter in skillet and add almonds and ramen noodles, saute a few minutes until all the butter is absorbed and the almonds look golden. Set aside to cool. In small bowl mix oil, vinegar, sugar, flavor packet from noodle package, soy, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Mix well to make dressing. Pour over coleslaw and onion mixture and stir well. Right before serving add the sauteed almonds and ramen noodles. Mix well.