Supper @ maw's.

We all gathered for supper at maw maw's last night and Roxie must have smelled the good cooking. She was outside the door looking so pitiful. She wanted in too. Maw maw has a "NO DOG" policy, but when Roxie was little she would let her in as long as we kept her off the floor. I know no one likes animal pee in the floor! Its funny when maw maw comes to the house if the dog tries to love on her, she talks to her like any other person. Maw Maw says "now you get down, I don't want nothing to do with you" My paw on the other hand would have said "NOW

GET GET GET ON OUT OF HERE" One time a dog of mine was being picked up by the pound near his yard and they asked if he knew who's do it was and he said "Nope, never seen it!" Lol- he said he was afraid they'd make him pay the bill to bail the dog! Good memories.

Have you?

Have you ever done any acne treatment reviews? I have only spent money on a few products over the counter. I've never been treated for acne from a doctor, but I've researched some of the products you see advertised on television. I use a gel right now that seem to help dry up the blemish, but doesn't prevent them. I don't know that they can be prevented! A friend of mine uses some kind of medicine, but it makes her skin so dry that it cracks and bleeds. So I'm not sure which is better! Have you ever used acne treatments before? What did you like or dislike about them?

Before Marriage

Before I married I never even knew what a hemorrhoid actually was. Even after then I wasn't for sure how it came about or where it came from! After having my first child I knew more then I ever wanted to know! I had a terrible time with hemorrhoids. After using all the basic hemorrhoid treatment ideas on the market, my doctor told me to see a surgeon. I was so nervous about it. After her exam (I will NOT go into detail about that!) She asked me if I planned on any other children. I knew we wanted more, so she said it would be best to NOT have the surgery. I was relieved and disappointed all at the same time. It was six months before things got back to 'normal' there, and then I was pregnant with my son. So everything (as the doctor predicted) was back and I was glad I didn't spend money on a surgery that would not hold! Of course after he was born I had a whole new set of issues.... but that's not for this post!

50 +

I know that once you are 50 you are suppose to have your colon cleansed. I remember telling that to my mom when she turned fifty. She was not happy about it. I can understand how it would ruin your birthday party! After many colon cleanse reviews from friends, family members and online- she finally was convinced that she needed to go. She went and said that it was not bad at all. She said that the idea of it was worse than the actual procedure! I know some people have them done before they are 50 if they have trouble with their tummies. I don't plan on it until I'm told. So I have 20 more years and 4 months to go. In case you were trying to figure it out.

The Doctor Knows Best?

I am not always sure that the doctors know best. Have you ever been to a doctor and walked out thinking that? I know that when I went to the doctor for my feet two years ago they pretty much signed it off as simple athletes foot. So he treated it and instead of getting better- it was worse! It turned into months of agony with my foot being in pain for hours at a time. I remember that same doctor saying that if you came in for acne medicine that he would just tell you to wash with soap. I would be upset if I spent money and time to go to the doctor to be told to just use soap. I'm sure that most people dealing with acne would have already tried that! Right? I learned then not to go back to him. I go to a place in Concord now. Actually almost all my doctors are there. I just need to get my two oldest kids moved over and I will feel much better about our care!

Fun Times

Yesterday my mom took off the entire day and we spent some time shopping at the local thrift stores. There was a new store that I've seen for a while but haven't had time to go to. So we checked it out! It's called "ReStore" its big. It has lots of furniture and household items. My mom so excited. They had so many things we need for our new home! I found a futon that I liked, but I didn't buy anything yet. I also found some neat patio furniture that I liked. It was made out of the rod iron in black. It would be good for our weather here. I didn't even check the price because that will be things we add to the house once we are IN it! I hope and pray we are in it before summer. We are just waiting on the bank right now. Tick Tock Tick Tock.

Never Ending

I'm sure those that are struggling with adult acne feel as if it will never end! I know of adults who deal with it and it can be overwhelming. You can try all the products in the market and still not find the right one. I know that a lot of women will try to cover it up with make up, in hopes that it will not be so noticeable. I am a person that has acne from time to time. I don't always have a blemish, but I'm never far from one. Some adults never have them after puberty, I am not that person! I hope that my kids have better skin then I do!

Marriage...

It's been almost a year since I've gone to a wedding! I know that they happen every week, if not every day, but I guess all the people in my inner circle are already married, or just out of college and not ready to date seriously. I think it would be fun to plan a wedding with someone, but I would not want to be a wedding planner. Does that make since? I like helping, but not taking full responsibility if things go wrong! I was blessed when I got married. We didn't have to spend much out of pocket. My mother and stepmother were able to get most of the work done themselves, or outsource it to someone that could. We didn't spend much on wedding accessories, in fact, I think the cake cost more than my dress! My mom is funny about cakes! I have no regrets from my wedding (especially the man I married!) But if I could change anything- I would have hired a professional photographer. I used my uncle and he was FREE, and that was great, but I didn't get a lot of the classic photos that you see other brides have. I hope to ONE day fit back into my dress and take some photos. Maybe at our 25th anniversary I can wear it and then trash it! We want to be in Scotland for that anniversary- it would be tons of fun to do a mock wedding and then trash the dress! Did you trash your dress?

BIG SCREEN

We finally got our big screen TV at work. We've been waiting to get one for months now. We were told we would have one, but we didn't believe until Monday. They rolled in a HUGE TV and so we had to switch some things around. The TV in our Teen Room was able to be moved to our kids bedroom and the TV from the living room to the teen room. Once we go back to work we will move the TV from the kids room to the kids play room. It would be nice to have the money to shop for tv stands for the TVs in our kids room and play room. That way you don't have to worry about the TV falling off of a table or desk. We will make due for now, but it doesn't hurt to start looking for TV stands that would work for our space!

Not a Fan!

I am not a fan of owning your own fitness equipment, unless you know how to use it! I am a person that enjoys going to yard sales, consignment sales, garage sales, rummage sales- you name it, if it has "sale" in it, I'm there! I've seen so many places that have used fitness equipment for sale. When we bought our first treadmill back in 2005 I made a vow to never hang clothing on it! I had a few times where I almost did it because I was doing laundry in that room, but I would say out loud "NO" because I knew that once you start you don't stop! I did enjoy that treadmill. I used it often. Once we moved to NC, we stored it in the basement, because there was not room for it upstairs. Then after 6 months of it just sitting there, I put it on craigslist and sold it. A local buyer came for it right away and paid cash for it. I was happy to have the cash, but sad to see our treadmill leave. That was a big purchase for us as young married couple! Have you ever owned any kind of fitness equipment?

"P-GPS"

Did you ever see the movie "College Road trip" It was so funny. I would like to own it some day to add to my personal movie gallery! One of my favorite parts of the movie had to be when her dad calls his gps "pgps." He said it's "Police GPS" She rolls her eyes and ask why not just say "police gps" they argue about it for a few seconds and then he continues on.

I love my GPS. We've had Tom for over a year now and boy has he came in handy! I don't find that using them for local address are always the best. Due to the fact that you know the area better then the computer. When it comes to being out of town... its a different story!I like using them for finding restaurants, shopping malls, gas stations, ATMs, and local entertainment.

I don't personally own a Garmin GPS, but I have a friend that does. They all seem close to each other in features. I guess it depends on what you are comfortable using. The same things goes with DSLR cameras. I was told to buy a Nikon, but all the pictures that I liked online were taken by a Canon. So I went with Canon.

Do you have a GPS? Do you love it? Do you use it often? I tried using it Saturday to attend a SaySo event in Greensboro and it wouldn't locate the college! I was able to get to the town and find signs to get me to the college, but the gps had no POI of that school. So you have to make sure you have a plan B or at least a phone number!

Dental Work

I have finally had all my dental work updated. I've needed some work done since 2002, but I've put it off due to the fact that I didn't have insurance. I've always been thankful that I had a great set of chompers, but there is always that fear that they will fall out be knocked out! I freak out anytime my kids run to be bleeding from the mouth, the first thing I do is check the teeth! Usually the blood is coming from the gums where they've fallen or busted a lip some how. Thankfully we've not had any chipped teeth yet. I use to work in after school child care and I've seen kids have front teeth broken out from running into playground equipment, or falling face first on a gym floor! I do know that if you loose a tooth you are suppose to put it in milk and head to the dentist. The milk keeps the tooth from drying out and becoming brittle. I know that if I ever did loose my teeth, or had damage to them, I would have to save money to be able to have cosmetic dental work done! It's amazing what they can do now to make your teeth look amazing! You can see some cool before and after photos online too. Like the work done at the Plano cosmetic dentist office of David Wilhite, DDS. Check out the smile gallery! It's outstanding! Do you think you will ever have cosmetic dental work done?

Snow

There has been lots of snow over the past month. I love it. Tiffany and I were talking today about all the killjoy's out there that are tired of the beautiful white stuff! We are not part of that group! I love spring and the warmer weather, but I sure do enjoy the snow. If it's going to be cold, then bring on the snow! Once Spring is here, then I will have to deal with allergies and then I will be searching for the best allergy relief. Lord knows I will need it! As soon as the first flower appears I will start sneezing and itching! I can't seem to adapt to the weather before it changes again. Thankfully we've had a long cold winter and so right now I've only dealt with ONE bad sinus cold and it was when I was in Mississippi!

Time is Money

As an adult I've learned that the saying Time is Money is so very true. Now that we have the Internet we are able to save time by researching before stepping out of the house. The Internet can also steal your time too, with all the wonderful social networks and games. I suppose it, just like life is a balancing act. There are times when I need to research and compare prices for airlines, or cameras, or software, even insurance! You can go to carinsurancelist.com to compare most of the national brands. You can save time and see everything right before you. I remember the days of making phone calls to several airlines to get comparative prices. Now its just a click away! I'm so thankful for the Internet!

Oh my Aching Back...

I remember when I was younger and I would complain of back pain. My mom would always remind me that I am too little to have back. Now that I'm almost thirty, I think I'm old enough to have a back! Of course my mom is in her fifty's and she says she is still to young to have a back! I don't know what age you actually earn official back pain. Maybe never in her mind. I do know that she's in much better health then I am. I am sure she could run circles around me. She also takes coffee injections. No not really- but her several cups a day help I'm sure! A few years ago she did start to have knee pain, and now she is dealing with pain in her foot. The doctors have put her on steroids as well as joint pain relief cream, and those things help her, but she still remains overly active. She doesn't know the meaning of relaxing or resting. Even on vacation she is overly busy, trying to get all her monies worth. I have much that I admire about my mother. I hope that in time, I will be able to run circles around her! Wishful thinking...

Baby it's cold outside

Yesterday I went to our local home improvement store for paint swatches. When you first walked in they had a beautiful patio display set up. It was so inviting. I wanted to sit down and relax and think of warmer days. It's so cold outside right now that it's hard to imagine buying outdoor cushions, patio furniture, grilling equipment or lawn care equipment! I know that in a few weeks we will need several of these items, but right now its too cold outside! The house we are working on has tons of trees, so I'm not sure what we will be in store for when spring and summer come! Right now we need to make sure we have the inside ready to live in, then we will work on the outside!

Research is Key

No matter what you do in life, research is key. It's so important to take advantage of all the resources out there to verify the products you will consume. I know that you can access so many websites that will help you determine the difference between human growth hormone and many other herbs and remedies. Just do your homework. There are also website that will compare products for you! I like those- they save me time. I will research things down to a science before making my decision. I want the best deal and the best quality. It takes a little time, but in the end it's always worth it!

My Dad...

I love my dad, it's been wonderful living close by the past few years. One of the things that I will hold as a fun memory was the time I had to do thirty faces in thirty days for my cosmetic line. I was allowed to use our men's line for the guys in my life and so I talked my dad into using them for a facial. It was fun. We went to his bathroom and I had three steps for him to use on his face. He enjoyed it. Then we got to talking about his blackhead problems. He let me pick on his face for a while. He has always had blackhead problems since I was a kid. I remember my mom mashing all over his face too! I think if I could find someone to treat him and he would agree to it he would be happy with the outcome. He works outside and has a lot of sun damage but the major problem is all the blackheads. Do you have blackheads? How do you treat them?

What do you use?

What is your favorite face cream? I never used moisturizer until I moved to North Carolina. I know that I should have been using it all my life as an adult, but I thought it made my face feel oily. Now I see that its like giving your face a drink of water. I love to drink water and it always makes me feel so refreshed afterwards. I'm sure that my face feels the same after using a nice face cream! I also like using extra moisturizers at night that are made for my skin type. I love to pamper my face when all possible! Pampering is always good!

Eczema

I know first hand that eczema causes pain and humiliation. I have had a severe case of eczema on my feet last summer. I am so thankful that its not been an issue this past year. I don't know if my pregnancy helped with it, but either way I'm thankful. I know that your hormones have a lot to do with the flair ups. I have become more aware of my allergies since I've aged. I don't know why my skin seems to be more sensitive as I get older. I need to go see an allergist some time so I can really pin point what I am allergic to and avoid it if possible. I itch just talking about it on here! So I shall end this post before I get to scratching!

My sweet friend Ayrika and I loaded up and headed to canvas and cocktails. We stopped by Sonic for our cocktail- I of course had the Cran-Apple Limeade, and she had a Vanilla dr. Pepper. We found the house, ate our dinner and then proceeded in. We were at the wrong house. LOL. We laughed, after we peered into this home, and realized that there was no Art Studio. So we drove down about 3 houses and found the right one! It was really nice. There were about 10 people there painting and two instructors. We had a great time. It’s always fun with Ayrika, no matter what we are doing!



Ayrika decided to do her own thing, from the beginning. I had to follow the instructor to make sure that I did mine okay. Everyone did something different, that is what made it unique, but the outside frame work was the same. They played good music and we all had fun. I’ve had a head cold all day, so besides that it was a perfect night.



My finished work…



Us together, she ended up gifting me her painting. So nice, an Ayrika Tadej original.



I came home and had a wonderful snack… no I didn’t eat the whole thing- but a good hunk of it! It’s my favorite kind of cake- a cookie cake, and best of all it’s double layered with icing in the middle! Good stuff.







Now I’m ready for some hot tea, and my pj’s. I hope all the kids sleep all through the night tonight. Tomorrow is our last day here, not sure what is in store just yet. We will leave out Wednesday morning and head back to North Carolina. We have to work on Saturday, so I need time to unpack and repack!