we’re packing for a trip…

It is wonderful how the Lord provides a way when we think there isn’t a way! Our son is going to Bogota, Columbia (South America) and we thought we wouldn’t be able to go. Well, last Saturday morning we found tickets for about half the cost of regular tickets. So we started thinking it was possible. We talked, debated, and finally said YES, we’ll go! Still being in a crunch financially, since my husband has been ill and not working, we still had qualms about this. But while looking for my birth certificate, I found an envelope of money I had “hidden” from my self…..LOLOL Was that a miracle?? So that was our sign! We went Monday to New Orleans and stayed the day getting our passports….We shopped…We ate…We had a good time! Tiring but fun!

  

  

  

I want to take some gifts with me for the happy couple, as well as her father, mother, sister, niece and nephew…I’m at a loss on what! Any ideas? I wish I could take some of my Picante sauce I made as well, but liquids are not allowed on the plane (quart sizes???) LOL Anyway your ideas would be much appreciated!

Off to finish tasks on my To-Do list…counting down the days!

 

an excerpt…why are so many women depressed?

Another aspect of feminism that has probably contributed to many women’s unhappiness was the rejection of femininity. Feminism was more often the celebration of masculine virtues (for women only, alas) than the celebration of feminine virtues. The latter were usually dismissed as weak, passive, underachieving or even oppressive. There are scores of examples. One is the rejection of feminine dress — a girl who attends class at almost any high school or college wearing a skirt or dress is an anomaly. Another is coarse speech. A generation ago, men refrained from using curse words in front of women. Today many young women curse as readily as men (I have probably seen more women than men drivers make an obscene gesture at other drivers). Such behaviors were inconceivable when women were expected to act feminine. And, of course, the “liberated” female’s celebration of casual sex, throughout history associated with male nature, is the antithesis of femininity.

This loss of femininity may well have contributed to many women’s depression. Though in our foolish age femininity is often identified with weakness, it was in fact empowering for many women, giving them a distinct power and identity that was unavailable to men. Women are not generally happy being largely indistinguishable from men.

http://townhall.com/Columnists/DennisPrager/2008/06/24/why_are_so_many_women_depressed?page=full

 

queen bee…

Celebrate the Queen Bee in all Women

(ARA) - Although moms get their own special day of recognition every May, what about all of the other women that help make the world go ‘round?  Grandmothers, sisters and best friends all deserve to know how much they are appreciated on a daily basis.

The summer months are dotted with special days dedicated to the ladies. This summer, declare all of the women you know a queen bee and celebrate the things that make them beautiful – inside and out. Keep these dates in mind and surprise her highness with a day of pampering.

Gorgeous Grandma Day – July 23

Girlfriend’s Day – August 1

Sister’s Day – August 3

Natural beauty is easy to attain with an item you most likely already have in your kitchen cupboard – pure honey. Used by itself or with a combination of ingredients, honey can help moisturize, ward off unwanted bacteria and help give your skin an all-over natural glow.  Not only is honey a humectant, it also contains vitamins, enzymes, minerals and antimicrobial properties, making it one of the more natural ways to indulge your skin.*

Christopher Watt, Hollywood aesthetician to stars such as Halle Barry and Jennifer Lopez, has developed a database of recipes especially for the National Honey Board that focuses on natural ingredients and easy do-it-yourself directions.  

* Not a significant source of vitamins, enzymes or minerals.

 

RECIPES:

The Honey and Gold Luxe Facial

Ingredients:

1/3 cup pure honey

1/4 cup papaya, peeled, seedless (optional)

1 banana (optional)

1 Tbsp. Chamomile tea (optional)

24-karat gold leaf sheets

Treatment Instructions:

Steep 1 Chamomile tea bag for 5 minutes and set aside. Mix together honey, papaya and banana in a small bowl. Add 1 Tbsp. Chamomile tea; mix until completely blended. Apply to clean skin in circular motions. Leave on face for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove using tepid water. Apply gold leaf sheets to entire face and neck. You may need to use tweezers to handle as the gold sheets are very thin and delicate. Leave on skin for 15 to 20 minutes. Rinse with warm water, followed by a cool rinse. Skin may appear shiny after application. If desired, wash face with a gentle cleanser. Apply moisturizer.

Note: Honey may be used alone on clean, damp skin prior to the gold leaf application.

Golden Honey Body Polish

Ingredients:

1/2 cup pure honey

1/2 cup Dead Sea Salt (can substitute Epsom Salt)

2/3 cup grape seed oil

24-karat gold leaf sheets

Treatment Instructions:

Combine honey, Sea Salt (or Epsom Salt) and grape seed oil. Crush 2 to 3 sheets of 24-karat gold leaf until almost powder consistency; add to honey mixture and combine. Apply in bathtub or shower to damp skin. Work the mixture in on rough areas such as elbows, knees and the soles of your feet. Rinse with warm water. Towel dry and apply moisturizer.

Note: You may also add the crushed gold leaf to further enhance your favorite moisturizer.

Foaming Vanilla Honey Bath

Ingredients:

1 cup sweet almond oil, light olive or sesame oil may be substituted  

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup liquid soap

1 Tbsp. vanilla extract

 

Treatment Instructions:

Measure the oil into a medium bowl. Carefully stir in remaining ingredients until mixture is fully blended. Pour into a clean plastic bottle with a tight-fitting stopper or lid. Shake gently before using.  Swirl desired amount into the bathtub under running water - then step in and descend into a warm, silky escape.

For additional beauty tips and recipes using pure honey, visit www.honey.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Bee graphic courtesy: www.graphicgarden.com

 

girly things…

Tell me some things you do to feel feminine and girly?

Curl your hair?

Wear perfume?

Wear makeup?

Wear dresses and skirts?

You tell me!

I live in a house full of men….My husband, son and another son who is going to get married next month. Also their friends are here frequently…It is SO hard to keep up with “feminine” things with this kind of environment, if you know what I mean? LOL

It’s a constant battle to pamper myself, take time to do girly things, etc…. It’s so easy to just go with the flow and let myself go!

Help!! I need some inspiration!!

 

can you help me out??

Okay…silly thing I need to know. I was looking at a ladies magazine in the doctor’s office a few months ago and noticed a book in a column about new books being released/book reviews…Okay I don’t know what magazine this was, or what month either! I just know the cover of the book they were promoting was pretty art, mostly green colors, with a woman lying on a bed with long blonde hair, the best I remember….The description said it was set in the South. That is what caught my eye…But I’ve forgotten all the other details. We went back to the doctor’s office, and I looked through every mgazine and couldn’t find this. Are there any of you ladies out there that subscribe to ladies magazines that might be able to thumb through and if you find it, give me the name and author?? I would be so appreciative!

I done the same thing last year, when I seen the prettiest decorating scheme in Southern Living magazine….It had one of my favorite colors-turquoise, in all of the rooms! I should have written it all down, but didn’t, on either occasion! I thought I would remember the details, but no….

 

mama’s flowers…

  

  

Aren’t they all so pretty? HUGE flower in top middle pic of a hibiscus type flower, not sure of the real name? 

 

kitchen, tomatoes, broom trick, little dish soap apron…

   

  

• *tomatoes from the garden to make salsa
• *broom trick…my broom was warped?! so I wet it and placed this heavy pot full of water on it for a little while and now it is flattened again.
• *cute little dish soap apron I found at a flea market…actually, the label said it was a “coke apron”….I bought 2 of them. It also had a strange looking carrier type thing sewn into 3 layers with 4 ties on it, with trianglular shaped pockets between the 3 layers…Anybody know what that might be? It matched the aprons, but we couldn’t figure out what is was, and it was a bit too expensive so I didn’t buy it.
• *I’ve started gathering my blue and turquoise things for decorating the kitchen, and thought they looked cute in the kitchen window…
• *A corner in my kitchen full of my aprons, and other vintage items such as Fiesta bowls, metalware cobbler pan, yellow rack of some sort with cup hooks on it.
• *my only “tea set”…It is a “display only” set undoubtedly, as I figured this out when it started making a crackling sound when I poured hot water into it!

I’d best get busy with supper: grilled salmon, baked potaotes and salad…I’ll also start making my salsa tonight or in the morning? We’ve been at the doctor today. Our son has got thyroid problems and had some more blood tests run. This explains a lot of the problems he’s been having.