I’m getting my thought together…

so much to say

So much to share

The Nutrisystem deserts are very good also, I love that chocolate cake!  I also add a fruit with my deserts, strawberries have been my favorite.  Watermelon has been so good this year, I but one every time I go to market.

The lunches are good but I do prefer the bars . Especially during the week when I am at work.  Things can get hectic and the bars are good and convenient.  The Nutrisystem  diet also has a smart phone application and that makes tracking my foods uber easy!   =)    I’ve been doing more exercising too this time around.

These are my favorite lunch bars.

The breakfast meals are very good, I don’t have any pics. of them because well. . .I’ve already eaten them!!  The blueberry muffin and the banana nut muffin and the double chocolate muffin hits the spot in the morning, especially if I am running late again.  Convenience is a big “plus” for me.  There never seems to be enough time during the day to do things like I’d like to, Nutrisystem fills that need for me.  I get food that taste good and I can eat on the fly when I have to and not sacrifice taste and nutrition. 

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Skinny Water

I think I may have written about Skinny Water a few weeks back…I drink lots of water.  I buy 4 cases of Dasani weekly.  I tote them up to my apartment and then stash them, 8 at a time, in their place in the fridge.  I was at the CVS beside my office and wanted to get something different to drink. Skinny Water caught my eye.

I can’t get enough of the delicious beverage!! I went to the web site and wrote them to let them know just how much I was loving their drink.  Well they were kind enough to send me a booklet of coupons for Skinny Water!  I am into the coupon thing!!  Ever since watching those women on “Extreme Couponing” now that’s amazing…saving a dime here or there is alright with me!!

Aquarius

January 20 – February 18

Today’s powerful astral phenomena will encourage you to develop your skill as a visionary, Aquarius, no matter what you do with your day. You’re one of those rare people who can sense before anyone else the changes that will happen in the world. Let these feelings encourage you. Use them to believe in tomorrow.

this is so true!

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What Would Barbie Look Like If She Were Real?

I must say that question has never entered my mind. however I was very curious when I saw, on our local news mind you, this very question asked. Well what would she look like?? "CLICK ME" to see life size Barbie, true to size…amazing!!  I did as a youngster love playing with my Barbie.  I had the Barbie motor home,Barbie town house, Barbie wardrobe case and goodness knows Ken was there and several of Barbie’s friends. It was so fun…we’d use our imaginations and be entertained for hours on end.  I can say this, I’d never ever blame Barbie for “our” as a nation’s “body image issues”. To me Barbie…your the best!  =)    Luv Ya girl!!

Beauty Products

I bought some L’Oreal “EverStrong” sulfate free shampoo and conditioner from CVS .  I have not used “regular shampoo” for quite some time, close to 24 months.  I used to think not using "shampoo" was…crazy!  I can now say that I was crazy for using “shampoo”.  My hair is much healthier now.  I do color my hair every 8 weeks or so…sometimes I can go longer and sometimes I have to do it every 6 weeks…it just depends.  We all know how damaging hair coloring can be.  So…back to L’Oreal, I bought this product and tried it last evening.  I really am impressed. My hair felt nice after my final rinse.  I let my hair dry naturally last night and this morning it still looked good.  its soft and has good curl definition. The shampoo and conditioner have a very nice aroma.  L’Oreal has a wonderful web site, lots of info…check it out…  =)

  I will certainly use this product  again and I recommend it. I have been using L’Oreal products for a long time.  My favorite hair coloring is Feria by L’Oreal.

Argan Oil in my conditioner??

I love going on “mini” shopping sprees.  Near my office is a CVS and on my lunch hour I’ll tuck $20 and my CVS card into my pocket and have myself , what I like to call a “mini” shopping spree,  =)  its Sooo fun!!

I love Argan oil.  I use it every night as a moisturizer for my face.  I was introduced to argan oil through Megs Make-Up …beauty blog & reviews.  Meg has an awesome site and the ladies that do the reviews are fun and witty…they always make me smile, but most importantly is they keep me informed about a subject near and dear to my heart “BEAUTY”  =*  The first Argan oil I’d ever used was some that Meg sent me.  Its called Zakias.  I’d never heard of argan oil before so I did a little reading, The argan tree or Argania spinosa has grown in Africa for thousands of years, and archaeological evidence suggests that people have been extracting its oil for centuries.

Holy-Cow…that tree is covered with goats!  Tree Climbing Goats  Organix has conditioner with Argan oil!  I have not used it yet…but if it’s a wonderful as the Argan oil I use as a facial moisturizer then I may buy stock in the company!!  YES…Argan oil is that important to me.

Organic Hair Care…"Curls"

I like trying new things on a “whim”.  I was surfing the web and I came across this line of hair care, organic hair care. The first product I tried was the curls milkshake.  They came in little pod type thingy’s, each one held a single dose. I gave a few to a friend of mine to try too.  We both have very curly hair, and we both loved it! Curls has products for kids and baby’s too

My very favorite product from the Curls Line is the “Curls Goddess Glaze”, we are in the hot,humid, hair frizzing days of summer and when I use Curls Goddess Glaze I can be sure that my mane is tame…all of the curls products’ have a nice light fruity aroma.  I do not wash my hair everyday, my hair is on the dry side and daily washing just doesn’t work for me. So “Curls” has the perfect product for 2nd day curls re-fresher, it’s a moisturizer that you scrunch into your hair.  it gives your curls renewed bounce…its also got uva and uvb sunscreen to shield you hair from damaging sun.  I like using the kids de-tangling spray on my hair in the mornings, it gently helps me get the “fairy knots” out of my hair. 

My bottles are all past the half way mark…I need to order more! 

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Dog Sitting…

Boss has been quite happy!  His family will be home in 1 week.  I am going to miss the Old Boy!  I have not had a dog since our Max passed.  Anyone that has a had a beloved pet pass knows how painful it can be.

     Max loved having is photo taken.

He was a very obedient dog.

I miss you my friend!

What’s on My Kindle…?

I finished reading “Wicked”. 

Now I am reading “A Stolen Life” Jaycee Dugard biography

I am also reading “Confessions of a Video Vixen” Karrine Steffans biography,very interesting indeed!

“Heaven Is for Real”  A little boys astounding story of his trip to heaven and back.    I have yet to read this book.

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January 20 – February 18

Go for the gold, Aquarius. Don’t settle for less. There’s an expansive energy on your side urging you on to prosperity in every aspect of your life. Take control of the situation and act on your emotions. Don’t refrain from doing something because you think it’s going to hurt someone’s feelings. Other people can take care of themselves. You’re responsible for you. Do what’s best for your well-being.

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                They Call me “BOSS”  cause I am the boss!

I have been dog sitting for the past week.  My girlfriends husband is from Turkey and they’ve gone to visit family they have not seen in 20+ years.  So I get to watch over their dog.  He is an athletic dog…loves to run,swim and play soccer.  He hates birds, seriously…he goes ape-shit when a crow fly’s over head.  Boss is running and jumping in the air barking wildly. If he could just get ahold of those dam birds he’d shake the feathers off them!

The day lily’s have been blooming, they’re so pretty and the colors are so vibrant, I have been keeping an eye on the birdhouse…my neighbor said she saw a bluebird sitting on it.

 I just love looking at flowers, the colors and the aromas are so beautiful.

This hibiscus has the prettiest coral colored blossoms…I’d love to snap a picture of the hummingbirds. There is a jasmine vine near our home. That aroma makes me want to sing!  =)

January 20 – February 18

Be a pioneer in your world today, Aquarius. Go on an adventure with a courageous spirit. Your emotions are fired up and ready to go. Your instincts are ready for a new challenge. If anything slows you down today, it will be your rational thinking. Your self-protection mechanism may kick in just when things start to get exciting. Strike the right balance.

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 It’s the 4th of July “Holiday” weekend!  I have always loved this summer holiday…hot long days, swimming in the pool, neighborhood BBQ’s and watermelon! MMmm So Good!

I had to run so errands this afternoon and I was prepared for lots and lots of traffic…

I left home about noon-ish and I didn’t pass a single car on Penns Hill Rd.  I kept to the posted speed limit of 45 because the county police would be out

See…I knew that they’d be out =) 

On Rt. 6 heading to La Plata the traffic was very sparse. Only 1 truck ahead of me

Nothing behind me as far as the eye can see.

It was the same everywhere I went…NO TRAFFIC  =)

Billingsley Road was totally void of any cars.

Traffic started to pick up over near Hughesville, MD. Everyone must be hiding out down in St. Mary’s County.

Enough gab about cars and stuff….

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Make-up ,Hair Care and all that Wonderful girly Stuff

Wonderfully informative web-site for all of your cosmetic needs goes by the name of “Make-up Alley”.  I love reading product reviews from real people.  If you want to know the real deal about cosmetics then check out “Make-up Alley”.

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I have been trying to get away from certain products, like parabens and things that just aren’t good for my skin. The move to organic is everywhere and I am going to be on-board! =)  I have to share this web site with you, organic cosmetics.  Afterglow Cosmetics has a simply wonderful web-site.  Mineral cosmetics,

Lipstick that I adore!

High quality brushes

and Afterglow Cosmetics has just launched its own blog with tips and tricks for everyone…you’ve got to check this out!!

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Truth In Aging

Truth In Aging gives you~me~the consumer the honest truth about beauty and personal care products.  That’s what I want…just the truth in what’s in a cosmetic or hair care product that I am using

I hope each and every one of you have a wonderful holiday weekend!! Till next time…

January 20 – February 18

Get your favorite music out of the closet today, Aquarius. Have a dance party in your living room and liven things up with some freshly cut flowers on your table. This is a great day to direct your energies outward into the world. Go on a radical adventure that you didn’t think was possible. Plow headfirst into new projects and let your good luck carry you through. Don’t worry about the details.

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I was just reading about this on the discovery web-site,

“This may sound like late notice, but astronomers have just spotted a rather chunky asteroid heading our way, set to narrowly miss us on Monday.

In fact, it will be such a narrow miss that astronomers in the Southern Hemisphere should be able to spot the flyby with fairly modest telescopes.”

Whoa, that sounds a little scary… What with all the satellite tracking thingy-s out there in outer space they’re just now spotting it…? REALLY!  You can read more here "DOOMSDAY"

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The Results are in…”Lash-Food” does it really work?”

 I won this on "Beauty Undercover" several months ago.  I’ve been using it as the directions instructed and I am here to say I did see a difference in my lashes.  They were thicker and longer and it also seem that my mascara went on much smoother…it was not clumpy.  I’ve been using the same mascara for over 12 months, I have to give a good word to Mally Roncal, I first was her on QVC and she was showcasing her eyeliners and mascaras. I bought the volumizing mascara and its simply wonderful! So that being said ever since I began using the Lash Food my Mally mascara really is the beautifying finishing touch that my lashes deserve.

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Basket Making

I had my basket making class last Sunday, it was so fun.  Everyone made a lovely basket.

I have been using my basket daily, I carry my lunch and 3 bottles of water in it and then when I leave work and stop by the grocery store I use my basket to carry my purchases back home in.

This basket pattern was for an intermediate weaver, but Pam King, the instructor, is so good and so helpful that we ,”all beginners” got through the entire process and are all eager to tackle another basketry project!

Its been several years since I’d taken a class under Pam’s instruction, I can’t remember what life event occurred that got me waylaid fro weaving…but that’s in the past.  I have bought my supplies on line at V.I. Reed & Cane they have wonderful beginner kits and the quality is great.

My other favorite on-line basketry supply site is JB-Designs they’ve got the cutest “free” basketry patterns.

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Aquarius

January 20 – February 18

Today may start out frustrating, Aquarius. Be prepared! Some equipment might go on the blink and it could take a while to get it fixed. A temporary separation from your partner could also be disappointing. You may have a lot of physical energy for which you have little immediate outlet. Take a long walk. This would not only provide an energy outlet but also clear your head.

Well this is an interesting horoscope…as long as the “equipment failure”  isn’t the air-conditioner.  A temporary separation form my husband really isn’t such a bad thing either…  =) 

have a GREAT day!!

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Basket Weaving Class

This Sunday I am having a basket weaving class at my home. Pam King is the instructor and I have taken several basket weaving classes with her. 

this is the first basket I made. 

this is the second basket I made.

On Sunday we will be making this basket, we will have other colors to choose from when working the colored weaver and the handles of the basket.

I am so excited!  I love baskets…but I really love making them!! The cost is  $45 and includes all the supplies.  I will be providing drinks and snacks, non alcoholic drinks…=)

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Knit-Picks Neck Shawl

My shawl is knit with knit Picks "Shadow" lace yarn  the cost per skein is only $2.99.  Its 100% merino wool and it very nice against the skin. 

My head mannequin got the honors of displaying the shawl and my coveted “Pony-Tail Hat”.   You can see here that a portion of the shawls edge is in a different color…. well, this is what happened…I knit this shawl without a pattern and I had 2 skeins of the Knit Picks Shadow lace yarn in my possession So I had an idea of what I wanted to accomplish regarding the size and complexity of the lace pattern…when I got to the point where I began to work the saw-tooth edge I then discovered that I was not going to have enough yarn…I needed about 3 yds. of yarn, So I searched my stash of yarn and I did find more of the Shadow yarn but it was in a slightly different color way…

In the photos the color change is more evident but in “real-life” its much more muted…

The shawl was knit in the round and is designed to be folded in half and worn around the neck and secured with a shawl pin.

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  I got the package just Monday in the mail box.  After I’d been notified that I’d won, it was a little over a week before delivery.  I have to say also that this is a “full size” tube.  The retail cost is $90.

I read the instructions and have been following them to the “T” for the last 3 days.  I am really really hoping to see some changes in my eyelashes…I also use the product on my eyebrows.  Its non irritating to my eyes =)  I was a little worried about that…seems like anything I use near my eyes makes them water a little and since this is still allergy season for me, well you get the picture…I am excited to see how my eyelashes will have changed 2-3 weeks from now…exciting  

Beauty Undercover is a great web site.  They provide their readers with informative information on dieting, hair styles, swag alerts and the list goes on.  I give them 5 stars out of 5 stars, in others words “I Like Them a lot”

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Spiders-Spiders-Spiders

There is a tree along side the driveway that has a hole in the base of the trunk, I always stop to look at it when I walk out to check the mail.

  Well the other day I was walking past the “tree with the hole” and I saw something move…very quickly!  I suspected it was a spider.  it was pretty big  though.  So I decided that I’d always carry my camera when I go check the mail just in case what ever it was is out again sunning its self.

Behold…it was out and I had my camera!!  I have never seen a spider such as this.

  its coloring matches the bark of the beech tree, great camouflage.

   I had tarantulas’ as pets a few years back.  They were so interesting!  I learned quite a lot from them.  I had 2 spiders.

Mexican Red Knee aka The Brachypelma smithi.

  Cobalt Blue Tarantula  aka Haplopelma lividum

I have a feeling that the spider that is living in the tree is an Orb Spider, if you know what kind of spider this is then please let me know =)   The body is about the size of a quarter and the legs are quite long…4-5 inches I’d say.

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Prevention Beauty Round-up

I am very conscious about my skin, keeping it moisturized and hydrated gentle cleansers and sun block.  Well here is something I can do too foods that keep you skin looking younger  AWESOME

Do you color your hair?  I do, I’ve been coloring for many,many years.  I’ve been strawberry blonde, black, every shade of brown available in a box, I once tried to go red but whoa… bad move!  That color, in my opinion should be left up to the professionals! Now hair color fades, some shades are quicker then others.  Now I have not used “shampoo” on my hair in over a year, yes that’s right…I had read an article on  WEN hair care system, then I saw an hour long infomercial on the WEN hair care products. When it was available on my favorite T.V. shopping show, QVC, I decided to make the purchase, and am I ever glad I did!

I bought the “starter-set”, 1 of each type of cleansing conditioner.  I thought that Fig would be the one for me, but it made my hair flat.  The reason I thought it would be formulated for my hair is because it was for dry, color treated/processed hair…my hair was certainly all of those conditions!  I did like them all, but the hair “ticket” for me was the Lavender cleansing conditioner.  I use the styling crème and the root boost in the lavender line-up.

  My hair color last weeks longer then it used to, I have to color my hair now not because the color has faded away and looks dull but because my hair is growing and you can see the color line/change…LOL

I have read the reviews and as many people love it as do those that didn’t like it.  Its very different from the traditional shampoo we’ve grown up with, My suggestion is to try it…QVC will refund your money and you get a return shipping label with you purchases…I used WEN for several washes before I had a good idea if it was a keeper or not. Its been a keeper!!  I get tons of compliments about my hair.  I am now blonde, we all know how harsh coloring and bleaching can be on our tresses.  jus the fact that I get compliments from friends as well as complete strangers says it all for me, I am a WEN girl…All The Way