Sunday Morning Deep Thoughts

So, I've been reflecting a lot on my life and the mystery of it.  If you had told me this time last year where I would be right now, I may not believe you.  But life has a way of making twists and turns that we necessarily didn't see coming.

I've always marched to my own beat.  Since I was a little toddler.  If I wanted something, I went after it.  And I would never wait for anyone to help me or for them to do it.  I'd do it myself.  That hasn't changed too much in my 40 years earthside.

Turning 40 this year has given me a bit of a shift if you will.

I've certainly made some mistakes in my life or taken the road that is less sought after, but I don't regret a second of it.  I've had many unconventional relationships, had a child out of wedlock in my early 20's, eventually did get married to a man I 'thought' was my soulmate, which ultimately ended in divorce around this time last year.  I never have really considered myself a huge risk taker, but thinking about it, I truly am.  Not in the "I'm going to go skydiving or take risks that could risk my untimely death" type of risk taker, but a life risk taker.  And I create my own path.  I always have.  And now is no different.

I've done things in my life that I haven't been afraid to do or that might be outside of certain people's "approval" and received quite a bit of judgment.  I normally don't care too much what other people think of me and my decisions and that still holds true.  But I have to admit it stings sometimes.  I mean we are all human and we all seek others approval.  Some more than others.

Despite some judgments or worries from certain people in my life, I've made a pretty good life for myself.  I have a stable career, make decent money, own my own home, have a beautiful 17 year old daughter who is an amazing kid, I take care of my responsibilities and overall have a good life.  I still have goals I have set for myself that I have yet to accomplish, which I'm sure I will have until the day I leave this earth, but for 40 years old, again, I've made a decent life for myself.

I've never been very level headed when it comes to relationships.  I tend to just go with my heart on things, which in turn has caused me some heartache in the past and currently, but again, I don't regret any of it.  And I definitely take responsibility of my own willingness and actions in said relationships. I wouldn't be the person I am today without those experiences.

I've found myself lately feeling as though I have to make excuses for things or try and make others understand my decisions or to justify them.  Especially as of late.  And I don't like having to feel like I have to do that.  But I still feel as though I have to because I know I am being judged.  Family, friends, extended family, strangers, acquaintances, you name it.

But the more I think about it, why do I even bother?  If someone genuinely cares about me and loves me for who I am, they won't judge me and they will understand and stand by me no matter what without me having to explain anything.  Because THOSE are the people I want in my life.  Family or friends the same.  The reason I am now writing about all of this is that I discovered that a family member de-friended me on Facebook simply because of the fact that I am pregnant expecting a baby and not married or technically "together" with the father of the baby at the moment.  And that's fucked up.  Truly.  And I know I say I don't care, but I do because this is someone that is my family.  And it hurts that they are so judgmental and so critical of something that they have created their own judgment based on something that may not be true and they don't know the complete story...but don't even bother to ask or to understand.

Don't get me wrong, I understand my family and my friends and the father's family and friends are all worried about the situation and concerned.  But being concerned and worried is one thing but being outright hateful and judgmental is another.  Especially when it's not even your body or your relationship.  I appreciate the concern, I really do, but I don't appreciate or accept the judgment or the hatred.  Because it's not your place.  My path is part of God's plan that He has for me.  I am not in charge and neither are you.

So with all of that being said, turning 40 has made me realize that I simply do not have time for bullshit in my life regarding relationships, family or friends or anyone else who will judge me.  (I also think it's a combination of my Al-Anon program and my yoga/meditation practice that has brought me to this realization)  It's sad, but I don't and I won't spend any more time focusing on it.  I will, however, spend all of my time taking care of myself, my children and going after my own dreams because I have lots of them and no one can stand in the way of me reaching them but myself.  I am an overtly caring person and have always done for others, but I have also not included myself in that equation.  It's time I start doing that and living a life that makes ME happy as well.  And not feeling bad or guilty about doing so.

So by all means, if you want to judge me for things you honestly don't understand as opposed to loving me for who I am, don't let the door hit you in the ass because I simply no longer have time for it.

Hair Woes

Oy.

Just when I try and accomplish something LESS high maintenance, I end up unhappy and even more frustrated.

I've been thinking about for about a year now to start taking steps to let my natural grays start growing out.  But wanting to do so without the drastic and yucky "line" that would form in letting this happen with the natural progression.

Here I was assuming this may be a fairly easy practice, but much to my chagrin, not so much.  Especially when your natural hair color is dark brown.  If my hair was blonde, it would definitely be an easier process.

I admit I should have done a little more research before I tried to begin this process, but that was my mistake.  So here I am irritated and feeling defeated.

A history of my hair color - natural is dark ash brown.  I've colored my hair over the years most colors under the sun...mainly staying within the reddish tint, but I've been relatively boring the last 5ish years with my plain jane dark brown.  Because we all know that once you add any red to your hair color it's difficult to get it out in the long haul of things.  I've been going gray for a while now, but honestly, the majority of it is at my temples, not necessarily the whole top of my head quite yet.  However, the silver foxes at my temples always decide to start making an appearance pretty much the day after I would dye my roots.  Le sigh.  And I wear my hair up a lot, so there's not much hiding it...I was forced to dye my roots usually every 3-4 weeks.  And that was me being lazy.  It would be more like every 2 weeks if I were to actually stay on top of it.

Point is, I was growing tired of having to keep up with coloring my gray roots every month or so.  It may not be too often to some of you, but for me, it's just too much of a hassle and awfully high maintenance for my taste.

So I got it in my head that I'm ready to start the process a few months ago and I start researching photos.  I found a salon that appeared to have a good gallery of photos of hair color that was a little outside of the box, so I figured I would try it out.  Here are the examples I took in:

So much to my disappointment, the colorist looked at my hair and said we could definitely get it there, but it's going to take quite a few appointments.  Being human and always striving for instant gratification, I was bummed, but she did say that we could take it light enough that day to make a difference.  She showed me some colors and I specifically pointed to the brass blonde and said "I DO NOT WANT THAT!"  I told her anything as close to gray/ash tone as she could get, I would be ok with. She heard me and we got to working on it.  2 hours later, I thanked her and left astonished.  Because you know, when it comes to real life confrontation with hair stylist/colorist, I can never say if I don't particularly like something.  A Groupon of $60 + $60 on top of it, here I am.

Now I'm no brain surgeon, but this looks pretty f'ing brassy to me!  I was super upset and immediately started calling around to try and find someone to fix this horribleness.  I made an appointment with a funky salon in downtown Dallas seeing that they had a gallery of pretty extreme colorings and had great ratings, so I figured I'd give it a shot.

I went in a week after my bad experience and talked to the lady there - she totally understood my frustrations and said she was definitely right in saying it will be a process, but that doesn't mean I had to settle for brassy blonde and be unhappy with it through the process.  I was confident she would help me and she really "got" what I was wanting and showed her the photos.  So she put some demi permanent dark brown on my hair that day and sent me home with deep conditioning treatments to use 3 times before I come back in 3 weeks later.  Forked over $80 and off I went. About a week before the appointment, the demi permanent color was starting to fade and I could see a little of the brass showing through again, so I was super glad for my upcoming appointment and was really hoping that she would help me out.  4 hours at the hair salon confident that I would be happy with the babylights she had spent a couple of hours brushing in.... anddddddddddddddddddd NO.  She said "oh, it's a beautiful beige!" and "it's definitely more ashy as opposed to brassy."  All I saw was brass on the top of my head on my bangs on my forehead.  I said "wow, it's still brassy."  She saw my disappointment and showed me the back, where I will admit I could see it was a little more ash in the back and the babylights were a better effect so it wasn't so choppy throughout my hair, but I still wasn't satisfied.  I kept trying to stay optimistic.  She told me to get this purple shampoo they had and it would help with the brass until I came back for my 2nd round of operation gray highlights.  She rang me up...$215 is your total.  Excuse me, WTF?!?!  

I've been trying for 2 weeks to be ok with my hair.  I've used the purple shampoo and kept telling myself, it looks better and to try and have patience, that it will get to where I want it.

But you know what?  Fuck this.  Excuse the language, but after trying to be optimistic and have patience, I am literally sick.  I'm out over $400 and still HATE my hair.  Really hate it.  Not even remotely "ok" with it. Blonde tones and blonde hair is gorgeous on other people, but it looks terrible on me and my skin tone.  And I'm not ok with it.  I have an appointment on 4/16 for my 2nd round and I'm cancelling.  No way am I going to pay another $200 to be even unhappier and keep shelling out that amount of money for 2-3 more sets of highlights to finally get it to where I want it.  At this point, I should have just bit the bullet and had someone bleach my hair completely out and dyed it dark gray.  It would have looked better and by now, the damage to my hair is just as much that would have caused.  It looks dry and frizzy and the color is horrible.  This is today and yesterday.

I'm doing a deep condition overnight tonight, then going to Sally's and getting dark ash brown and going straight back to where it was before all of this mess over the weekend.  I'm so sick about this experience, but it was a hard lesson learned.

At this point, dying my roots every month is a much better option and letting my hair grow out and become healthy again is the route to go.  In a few more years once the grays start to infiltrate my whole head, then I will revisit this transition, but at that point, I'm going to go the 'completely bleach out, then dye my hair gray' route.  F all this other BS.

Public Service Announcement: So for any of you contemplating this same transition, do NOT attempt to do it the way I attempted to if you have dark hair.  You will just be disappointed...and out a lot of money.  :(

Fire In The Sky

I've been thinking a lot lately about violence and hatred.  It's hard not to when it's shoved down your throat every time you turn on the tv and see the news, or browse the interwebs to see the same thing, or open up your social media accounts. Or opening your eyes. It's everywhere.  Even when we try to escape it.  We can't.  It's nearly impossible at this point.

It's equally as hard to not get sucked into participation when all of us are up in arms on both sides of the political spectrum.  But what is happening right now exceeds all things political.  It's just the face of the underlying matter.

There is so much fighting on both sides.  I get it, ok.  I understand that Republicans are upset at the current situation...after all, they have been beat out twice in 2008 and again in 2012.  Completely understandable to be unhappy about the current situation and even upset.  If the tables were turned, I would feel the same way...just like I did when we had GW Bush in office for 2 consecutive terms.  And I will admit, I was outwardly upset and in fact, it caused way too much stress in my life at the time.  I've been pretty content since then because a President that I voted for twice, backed and believed in (which I still back and believe in) has been sitting in office.  I don't agree with all of his decisions, but I still stand behind him.  And he hasn't said or done anything so outright hateful or spiteful to deter me otherwise.

Which brings me to my feelings on the current situation in America.

We have taken hatred to the extreme and I'm afraid there is no turning back if we don't take some sort of stance.  On BOTH sides.

I guess what I don't understand is regardless of whatever your political beliefs, whatever your stance on current affairs, etc....  why don't we all agree on having basic respect for others?  Is that such a far stretch?  Isn't that a universal commonality that links us all?  That SHOULDN'T divide us all?  I hate to sound so simple, but can't it just be that simple after all?

In my opinion (and this is purely my opinion alone), I am pretty unsettled with all of our current political candidates this election.  I am an open liberal (and yes, I do have a good corporate job and have supported and support my family, make good money, work for my own things...you catch my drift) and I tend to side with Democrats on most issues.  Not on ALL issues.  Just because I'm a liberal, don't assume that I am a loaf and want everything given to me and think we should work hard just to give everything we have away.  Because that's not it.  I know the value of working hard and earning my own money and supporting my family and reaching my own goals on my own will.  But I'm also very open minded and believe in helping others, accepting others for who they are regardless,  and have compassion for my fellow Americans as well as any other human beings for that matter (and let's not forget about animals, because frankly I prefer hanging out with animals more than most human beings, but that's neither here nor there).  I have a bleeding heart for certain.

Personally, I think HC is untrustworthy and wish-washy just to get a vote.  I agree with BS's political stances as they mirror a lot of my beliefs, but honestly, there's something about the guy I just don't mesh with, so I'm not backing him either.  On the opposite side, TC seems snaky to me, Kasich and Rubio actually seem like they are fairly level headed (but again, I'm a liberal and I do not agree with a lot of their beliefs....but generally they seem like respectable people and handle themselves in a mature, adult manner).

So then this brings us to Trump.  For months now, I have been watching this mess unfold.  Because it is a mess.  I've honestly tried to reach out to friends and listen to their reasoning for supporting Trump.  I get the exact same answers from those I have asked and from things I've read in comments from Trump supporters.

They go something like this.

"I like what he stands for."
"I like that he says what he feels and doesn't care what anyone else thinks."
"I like that he's not your typical politician."
"I don't necessarily agree with everything he says, but I agree with what he stands for."
"He's what we need to turn around this mess that our government is in."

There are others along this same line, but I don't need to go on, you get the point.

And those arguments alone make sense to me.  I get it.  But why am I never offered anything deeper in reasoning besides the above mentioned comments?

So then there is what he says, what he does and how he acts.  All things that are just ignored by Trump supporters because here's another one "I like Trump because I hate Hillary and Bernie and I will vote for him before I ever vote for those two."

Again, simple human decency.  Isn't this something that should not divide us?

Regardless of what someone says they stand for or believe in and you agree, how can you get behind and support someone who openly has criticized the handicapped, the obese and even instigates becoming violent with anyone who doesn't agree with you?  No matter what political party you are affiliated with.  Ask yourself this question.  Seriously.

Because over the last several weeks, I have mistakenly been involved in some heated discussions regarding this same situation and I get all of the same answer, then when I ask any Trump supporter this one simple question "How can you support someone who openly has criticized the handicapped, the obese and even instigates becoming violent with anyone who doesn't agree with you?", I get crickets.  Literally.  Or they automatically turn it back on me and get mad at me and say they don't have to answer to someone who is so misinformed or my favorite "typical Liberal.  Anytime someone doesn't agree with YOUR beliefs, they are automatically idiots."

Well, no.  I don't think people that disagree with my beliefs are idiots.  I do believe that people that support and defend someone who has openly criticized the less fortunate and invokes violence openly to others...well.  Need I say more? Make sense?  There's a difference.  We are all somewhat brainwashed by simply the media alone, but this is almost cult-ish and truly not far from the Hitler reign.

But I digress.  Because I have had a bit of an epiphany if you will over the past few days as my blood pressure starts to rise as this nightmare continues to unfold that when we (as liberals and democrats) start playing into this man's game, he wins.  Because that's exactly what he wants and that's exactly what his supporters want so although they instigate it, they can turn around and say "SEE, I TOLD YOU.  TYPICAL LIBERALS...NOW WHO ARE THE VIOLENT ONES?"

So I've made a pact with myself.  Although it may in turn keep me from being informed (but really how "informed" are we with the current media), I am temporarily unfollowing all media outlets on my FB and unfollowing any FB friends that post anything encouraging hatred from EITHER party.  I will not watch the news and will refrain from participating in any discussions regarding any politics or active groups against other groups, etc.  Or any 'lives matter' groups, because ALL lives matter.  Not just one specific group.  And stop with the war on cops and the government.  Seriously.  I'm tired of diversity.  I'm tired of the current state of affairs.  And sadly it's come to this, but I am not going to involve myself anymore because my life is too precious and too important and becoming angry and hateful is NOT who I am regardless.  And I'm not going to feed into the darkness anymore.  I will spread my own love and light and share it with others.

Who knows, maybe it will also give me a break from stupid coverages of the Kardashians or any other un-newsworthy crap.

And please...any negative comments will be unread and deleted, so save your breath.  You are on my page and my blog, remember, I am not trolling on anyone else's...this is my avenue to express how I feel.

So I will wrap up this blog post by posting a song. This song keeps popping up in rotation on my ipod and I've been thinking about the lyrics and the meaning behind it intently lately.  I'm pretty sure it's my higher power giving me a sign to pay attention.  Because this song can also be interpreted metaphorically with all of the spoken violence as well.

Fire in the sky outta the blue and into the red depths,
Time for you and I to try to fall asleep in the bed they've made us,
All came crumbling down tears in our eyes as it rained confusion
The whole world has changed

But I don't understand how one can kill a man
In the name of peace, that's ridiculous

They say eye for an eye
So they fire from the sky and they come outta nowhere
Time for you and I to turn on the big screen see what's happening
And as those children die, pawns in the game of collateral damage,
The whole world goes mad.

Standing here on quick sand, the more we fight we sink
And vengeance gives us hope, at least that's what we think,
At least that's what we think.
As we make amends by getting our revenge,
We sort nothing out, just add to the doubt
With God on both sides, if death is justified
Whatever the name, then we're all to blame.

As the spirits fly,
To honor those who have passed,
We got to get along, while the time still lasts
Bury the hatchet deep, so we all can weep
And heal all this pain, so we can live again,
So we can live again

As we make amends by getting our revenge,
We sort nothing out, just add to the doubt
But with God on both sides, if death is justified
Whatever the name, then we're all to blame.
But I don't understand how one can kill a man
In the name peace, that's ridiculous
But I understand that I will defend my family, from both sides of misery.

Look Ma, There's a Bun In The Oven!

I know I haven't been the world's greatest blogger (not that I ever came close to that title), but I am still active, so there.

In other news, I am pregnant and have decided to start a pregnancy blog for all things pregnancy to document my journey.  I will still be posting here for non-pregnancy related posts, but for any of you out there that actually read this, feel free to take a peek.

Love and poopy diapers, Ciao!

Little Bebe's Journey From Wombside To Earthside

Curl Diaries and More

Just a quick update...

Getting used to the Curly Girl method.  I'm still not very happy with the length of my hair, but hopefully I will be a little more happy with it in a month or so when I get some length back in it.  As far as my curls go, I really like the way they look now and how healthy my hair feels.  Still having a bit of a challenge with getting my bangs straightened while keeping the rest of my hair curly, but I am getting a little better at it.

I'm still doing the same routine that I listed in the previous blog, but instead of the Knot Today leave-in, I have switched to the SheaMoisture Yucca & Plantain Anti-Breakage Strengthening Styling Milk as my leave-in.  It used to be the SheaMoisture Thickening Growth Milk, but they seemed to have discontinued this and replaced it with the one in the link.  It is a little heavier than the Knot Today leave-in, so I like it since it's winter and my hair needs more moisture.  It doesn't weigh my hair down, but my hair feels a little softer and more moisturized.  I will probably switch back to the Knot Today leave-in when spring comes back since it's a little lighter, but we'll see.  I've been wanting to try the Ouidad Texture Taffy, but haven't wanted to shell out the $$ to do so.  Hopefully I will grab it soon and let you guys know what I think.  The biggest thing I am getting used to is having to use soooooooo much gel in my hair.  I really can tell that it helps defining the curls and controlling the frizz, so it's a must.  And after I crunch it all out, my hair is really soft and not frizzy at all, so I know it's doing the job.

Also, I am not using the Argon oil anymore before I "pineapple" my hair for the night.  It simply makes my hair too greasy the next day.  No bueno for 2nd day hair for me.  Everyone's different, so it probably works great on some people.

Here are some photos of my hair today.

Lastly, I am now 4 yoga classes into my 30 by 40 challenge.  I'm aiming for 3 classes per week.  I hope to be able to bump up to 4 classes per week in the next few weeks or month or so. I'm taking a light beginners class on Saturday that lasts for 6 more weeks and during the week I am taking a Vinyasa class and a Dharma class.  So far, the Dharma is the one that kicks my ass the most as far as workout is concerned.

I love yoga and I'm sooooooooooo happy I am getting back into it.  My body is thanking me already.

Ciao for now!

Yogi Mandolinist

2 posts in one day!  Look out, I'm on a roll.

So in addition to the new hair change, I've also made some goals for myself.  Somewhat New Years resolutions a little early.

I think me turning 40 in 3 1/2 months is triggering a change in me.

I signed up for an 8 week beginners yoga series.  It starts this Saturday and I couldn't be more excited.  I have taken a lot of yoga classes over the years and got really into it several times, but for some reason never really stuck with it.  I aspire to be a yogi.  I want to eventually maybe become a yoga teacher.  I want to be flexible and fit and healthy.  I want to be able to master those crazy poses that look impossible to hold.

My goal is to have taken 30 yoga classes by my 40th birthday on 2/26.  Estimated at 2 per week, I should be able to get there and it's a fairly realistic goal.

Secondly, I want to start taking mandolin lessons.  It was either that or the banjo, but I chose the mandolin because it's different and I want a challenge.  I am going to try and make the lessons and purchasing a mandolin a Christmas present to myself, so I don't have too much longer to do so.

Curly Girl plus other updates

I used to be so good at blogging and not letting so much time pass between posts, but the last few years, not so much.  I know there is a time and a season for many things in your life....I guess this includes this for me.

Life has happened - a few updates....I got divorced in May 2015.  Been in an AMAZING relationship for 4 months now with a friend from my past and I couldn't be happier.  The timing couldn't have been better for both of us.

I made the decision a couple of weeks ago that I was going to experiment with letting my natural curls flow.  My hair has gone through many phases over the years (as many of us ladies' hair does).  It was straight as a board until I hit junior high and then became naturally curly.  I fought that like the dickens...straightened my hair with an iron on an ironing board and doing the stupidest thing to it like you do when you are young and don't know any better.  I would like to say in my old age (cough), I do now know better, but nope, I definitely don't.  I've gone through brief stints of wearing my hair curly, but it always looked crappy to me, so those were short lived.  The older I get, the less maintenance I wish for my appearance
.
My hair style has pretty much been the same for the last 10 years....long and I would blow dry with a round brush dryer.  I recently added bangs about a year and a half ago, but that's been the only real change.  My hairdresser rocks.  However, when I decided to do this transformation, I had an SOS hair cut need, so I went to someone else.  I shouldn't have done that and stuck with my guy, but you know....it is what it is at this point, so I gotta live with it.

My hair had become really stringy at the ends and just looked limp and dull, so I knew I wanted layers to bring life back into it a bit.  When the hairdresser looked at my hair (I ended up going to one that specializes in curly hair so I could try and get it cut in a way that my curls would look better as opposed to not so great), he noticed a lot of breakage from about my shoulders down (hence why it was looking so dingy).  We figured out it was because of the round brush dryer I have been using and it was causing breakage - due to my dumb butt for keeping it on my hair too long when drying, but I digress.

So I just said CUT IT.  Cut off all of the dead stuff and let's start from scratch again.  It's a little shorter than I had anticipated and I am not a huge fan of it yet, but once it grows out just a bit, I think I will be more than happy with it.

So this begins my Curly Girl method journey.  I did a lot of research online on routines and products, so this is what I have started with so far.

First let's post some before and after pics.

First was taken about a month ago and the 2nd was a few months ago, so you can tell the difference in the damage that I had done within that time:

These were taken yesterday - my new haircut and curls :)

Like I said, it's a little short for my taste, but once it grows out a little, I think I will be super happy with it.

Since I currently can not afford to spend bookoos of bucks on hair products at the moment, I made my list and headed to Target and Sally's for supplies.  There are tons of products for curlies out there and some more expensive than others, but since I'm on a sort-of budget, I decided to go this route.

Also, noteworthy that I went through my bathroom and got rid of ALL of my hair products containing sulfates and all that crap, which was tons of stuff.  I wanted to start with a clean slate.

The basics: SheaMoisture Raw Shea Butter Moisture Retention Shampoo & SheaMoisture Raw Shea Butter Restorative Conditioner.

Other necessities: As I Am Coconut CoWash, Kinky-Curly Knot Today Leave in Conditioner, Kinky-Curly Curl Custard Gel, Garnier Fructis Pure Clean Paste Wax, TRESemme Perfectly (un)Done Sea Salt Spray, Argan Oil, Curls Lavish Curls Moisturizer and ISO Bouncy Crème.

I also purchased a MicroFiber towel for my hair as regular towels are a big no-no for curlies.

I got my hair cut last Thursday, so I've only been doing this routine for a few days.  I'm sure I will be experimenting and switching up some of the products as time goes on, etc.

I am trying to only wash my hair 1-2 times per week with shampoo.  I washed my hair with shampoo yesterday, but on the other days, I use the As I Am CoWash.

After shampoo or CoWash in the shower I do the "squish to condish" method with the Shea Butter Conditioner.  I rinse most of it out, but leave a small amount in my hair.  I then apply the Knot Today leave in conditioner just before getting out of the shower.

Once I am ready to apply product, I use the Sea Salt Spray first - applying to my roots with my head flipped over and pull through my hair.  Then I apply a small amount of the ISO Bouncy Crème and run through my hair.  I take a good chunk of the Curl Custard Gel and run through my hair as well.  At this point I will either use the "plopping" method and wrap my hair in an old tshirt if I have about an hour or 2 to spare or I will diffuse my hair with a hair dryer (lowest heat, lowest setting) with my hair flipped over.  Be careful not to touch your curls while they are still drying because that will create frizz.

Once air dried or diffused, flip hair back over and scrunch the hair to get all of the hard gel loose and flip hair back over - whalah!

I then put in about a dime size of Pure Clean Paste Wax to set everything.

2nd day hair, spray the Curls Lavish Curls Moisturizer and re-fluff hair.  Then apply Pure Clean Paste Wax to set.  All done.

At night, I spray a small amount of argan oil in my hair before I put it up in a "pineapple" to sleep.

So far, I'm getting used to things and feeling happy with atleast the way my curls look (still getting used to the length).  My hair does feel a little greasy due to not shampooing so often anymore and I'm sure due to all the product, but I heard that gets better as time goes on.

I will try and post more the more I get used to things and post any updates if I change up any of the routine.  There are tons of YouTube videos on how to follow the Curly Girl Method, on how to "Plop" your hair and "squish to condish".  Just research and experiment to find out what works best for you.  My hair is hair type 3A the majority of the time (some days fluctuating to a 2C or 3B).

I am currently having issues with getting my bangs styled right - I don't want them too straight nor too curly, so I'm having some growing pains with this right now.

The Polished Curl has a lot of great tips and how to videos on her site...check them out!

The following pic is kind of what I am shooting for style-wise once my hair grows out just a bit.  I love this girl's hair!

Waiting For The Storm To Pass

Haven't blogged in a while. Lots of good things, a few not so good things since I've last posted.

All of us I think have the ultimate goal of living our life the best we know how and to truly experience being happy. I know happiness is not a destination, but most certainly a journey. I am by no means an expert on this subject and quite honestly it feels like a destination at times as opposed to a journey. I have had moments of extreme happiness in my life, but also big lulls of the opposite. I know life is not perfect and to expect to be happy at all times is unrealistic. However, in my quest, I would really and truly love to be happy at least 1/2 the time.
Living your life with anxiety and depression can certainly throw a wrench in things. Especially when you can't control it. And when people say , "oh, just snap out of it", that is the most infuriating. People that have never experienced it just don't get it. They don't and I accept that.
I used to have a hard time recognizing my depression. Especially in certain situations in my life. I'm getting better at acknowledging it, but it doesn't make it any less frustrating when I can't just QUIT being depressed.
I'm going through a challenging phase in my life, which includes being in the middle of a divorce that appears to be becoming more complicated than initially expected. Topped off with insane amounts of overtime with work and just not enough time in the day. Being an introvert is just the cherry on top and draining myself into a depression has not helped any. I have a lot to be grateful for and to be happy about, don't get me wrong. I have numerous blessings in my life and I thank God every day for them.
I hate feeling like this. I just want to retreat from the world, close the blinds and lay on my couch with a blanket. That's not me....but sometimes it's a part of me. Sometimes it's a part of my depression and/or my introvertism. But I don't necessarily LIKE it.
I am ready to work past this phase. I am ready to come out on the other side feeling free and rejuvenated.
I know it's a process that can't be forced. I just have to Let Go and Let God - same with every other situation in my life.
I am so grateful for a more understanding, loving and patient God that I have grown to be close to in the last year. One Day At A Time.

Oh, Paolo!

This guy. *Swoon*

So last night was an interesting experience.

A crazy storm came through the metroplex for about 10 minutes with 90 mph winds yesterday.

Some areas were hit worse than others. White Rock Lake area and East Dallas area seemed to have gotten hit the worse. Power outages, trees down, etc.

As I was driving to get to the venue last night, once I got to Mockingbird off the highway, it was very easy to see what had happened. Signal lights out, trees down everywhere. It was a mess. After finally making some headway and weaving in and out of the M streets, I finally make it to the Granada. I quickly notice that the power is out on this entire block of Greenville and notice the very long line starting to form at the venue. "This should be interesting" - I said aloud to myself in the car.

I parked in the Granada parking - there were people everywhere, but the atmosphere so bizarre with no power on the entire block. My new friend Nikki called me just as I parked and she said she asked someone what would happen if the power didn't come on...they told her that Paolo will still put on a show - it would be a candlelit acoustic set. Um, at this point I was hoping the power would stay out :)

So we made our way to the end of the ever increasing line for the show. No one was allowed in, so the amount of people in this line was crazy! It just kept winding and winding...luckily we ended up about 1/2 way in line. We stood in line for almost an hour with one guy coming around saying that a generator was on the way and they would be letting people in shortly. They finally started letting people in at 8:45. Doors were supposed to open at 7.

Immediately as you enter the Granada, the ambiance was...low and candlelit. Nikki and I went and purchased concert t-shirts and got a glass of wine, then trickled into the theater. Candles everywhere with the exception of the stage being lit up by a single generator. We pick our spot and we wait. As the people come piling in, it starts to get warm as the a/c obviously isn't working and the waft of vanilla candles starts to get a little strong. Nikki and I both found out that we have super sensitive nose powers in common last night.

Not long after, the music begins and Paolo takes the stage. The instruments are powered, the mics are powered and there are basic lights for the stage. Nothing fancy...no fancy light show. But the music was mindblowing.

I honestly am having a hard time putting this experience into words. I have seen a lot of concerts and live shows in my lifetime, and this one is definitely moved up to the top 5 list of my all time favorite shows. Paolo brought it. He did not disappoint. I was in shock and awe at how far he has come. I started listening to him when my friend Mike turned me onto him many years ago. He was just a baby. Cute, but just a baby. Loved his music.

Well, he has definitely grown into a man whose voice has matured vastly.

If you ever get a chance to check him out live, you MUST go. You will not be disappointed. His studio recordings have NOTHING on his live performance, and the studio recordings are amazing.

I talked to my friend Mike on the phone on my way to work this morning and told him about the show. He said it perfectly...."Anyone who is a true music fan would enjoy the shit out of a Paolo show. No matter what your music preference. He's the real deal".

Yes, he is.

What a memorable experience....I definitely won't be forgetting this evening anytime soon.

So, a heartfelt thank you Paolo for being a true gentleman, bearing with us and Mother Nature and delivering an unforgettable performance. You are one in a million.

Here's a small taste of part of one of his live performances:

Paolo Nutini @ Pinkpop 2014

Turning Over A New Leaf

Why?

Because it's Fall, of course :)

Happy October 1st.

I can't believe it's already October.

I've been having a feeling of a shift, if you will, happening in me the last week or so. Not sure if it's due to the changing of the seasons, as this is my favorite season of the year or if it's just time. Just time for change and for a new beginning.

I've been feeling different lately. As I stated before, my emotions have been all over the place and I was at a real anger and resentment spot this past weekend....while letting out those feelings to the one person I probably shouldn't have...I did anyway. But maybe that was it. Maybe that's what I needed to do to let it go. I apologized the following day via text and was able to tell my husband happy birthday via text yesterday without any other emotions or anything else involved. It felt good. He sent me a couple of pictures with the food his mother made him for his birthday and I responded nicely, then the last photo I caught a glimpse of "the other girl"'s legs and boots under the table in the photo. I decided not to respond after that. It stung, but I didn't obsess on it. And I let it go.

That's a big deal for me. That's how I know that I'm changing...that I'm growing in my program and as a person. That I truly am "Letting Go and Letting God"

This separation has been the hardest thing for me. And knowing that your significant other has just moved on seemingly so easily to the next relationship makes it even worse. And the part that sucks the worst is that he promised he would never leave me again for someone else because he had done it SO MANY F'ING times thoughout our relationship before we got engaged. He promised he had changed. But you know what? That was his decision. I am not perfect and I certainly am not easy to live with, but I am worthy of happiness and I know I am worthy of being loved wholly. I refuse to let anyone hurt me anymore as I allowed before and take away my joy and my serenity, because I'm ready to have that in my life again. First and foremost, I deserve to love MYSELF. I am shifting my thoughts on myself and working on my own happiness instead of worrying and obsessing over a husband that I can't control. And you know what? It's not my problem anymore. We are separated and he made a conscious decision to do something that I'm not ok with, so he has to live with that. And maybe it's what he needs. But that's not my concern anymore. My concern is ME....loving myself, guarding myself against anything that can hurt me (for now until I'm ready to make that step which will be absolutely no time soon) and moving forward with MY life. For ME...not for anyone else. And in the future, if I do find someone else, I will be the best person I can be, worthy to give and receive love and in the best place in my life

I had been contemplating a concert this week that I wanted to attend. There were actually 2 that I was bouncing between, but one on Thursday evening that I really really wanted to go to. I hadn't made any plans with anyone to go, so I was just thinking that I wouldn't go. But yesterday, a feeling came over me and I told myself, screw this...get out of your comfort zone - you want to go, so go BY YOURSELF! YES! So I posted it to Facebook. A friend that I have had on Facebook for many years whom I have never met reached out to me and said she had been wanting to go and was also contemplating going by herself as well. So it came together...we each bought a ticket and we are meeting up before the show for a drink, then will hang out at the show together. Who knows, it could be a beginning of a beautiful friendship. That's how I know that God is working in my life. And even if that hadn't been the turn of events, I was still going by myself. I had committed and bought the ticket. I'm sure this won't be the last time that I want to do something and actually decide to do it by myself, for myself.

So here's to a great rest of the week. Here's to a happy autumn season and to change. *Cheers y'all*

Anger and Resentment

I am feeling very angry and resentful today.  Towards my husband.

I mistakenly texted him these feelings which I will later owe him an amends for, but I am just so angry right now.

I am not perfect by any means nor have I ever portrayed this.

I know we are both hurting right now, but I feel as though I got the short end of the stick on this deal.

Throughout our relationship, we've tended to have more struggles than contentment.  But I have loved this man for so long and wanted nothing more than to marry him.

The addiction has hovered over our entire relationship and our marriage.  Despite it all, I have stuck by him.  I dealt with the crisis' the best I knew how.  I wasn't working a program and I didn't have the tools to help me, so my life became his.  His addictions.  Alcoholism and drug addiction is a family disease.  And when you are the wife of one, it becomes your life.

I used to blame him because I didn't understand.  I would become angry and say things I didn't mean because I didn't know any different.

I suppose what I said to him today reverted back to that old behavior, but I have made progress, not perfection.  Nor will it ever be perfection.

I took a vow to my husband and to God in front of our family and friends that I took seriously.  To this day, my husband still believes that I cheated on him and did things behind his back while he was using.

I remained 1,000% faithful to my husband.  My vows I took seriously.

He did not.  He blames me now for the way I acted and treated him while he was sick and he's justifying his new "relationship" with this 21 year old by blaming the demise of our marriage on me and my actions.

Dear God, I know I am not perfect like I said, but I am also a good person with a good heart and good morals.

Our relationship has become more toxic and more toxic.  Even in this separation I think.  I am sick to think that he's shacked up with this other girl - and yes, I say girl, because she's not a woman - she's 21 fucking years old.  The committee in my mind automatically goes there and goes to that dark place.  They spend all of their time together.  And he had the balls to tell me he thought we could be "friends".  I'm all about the peace and love ideal, but friends?!?  Seriously, right now?  All he's doing is justifying his actions by saying our marriage was over a long time ago.

I knew in my gut what was going on before we even separated.  He tried to convince me otherwise.

I feel like a fool right now.  Like I've been lied to, used and a freaking stepping stone.

The difference now is that I have a program and people I can reach out to who have been in my shoes.  Who know EXACTLY what I have been through and what I'm going through.  The difference now is that I feel these feelings, but I am able to get over it quicker.

I'm making progress.

But that doesn't mean it doesn't hurt like hell or that I don't get angry as hell like I am today.

The saddest part is that he's not even sober anymore.  I wish I could blame it on HIM, but this fucking disease is controlling his life again and leading him down  a path of these bad choices.

I probably shouldn't really be posting this to my blog...I may take it down, but for now, it's helping me.

It's helping me to type this out and to not be so angry.  To understand that the disease is back in full force again.  I feel bad for texting him out of anger now.  So be it, I will get over it and clean my side of the street when the time comes.

He's still my husband though and this fucking sucks.  I love him beyond any words can express and have stuck by him through it all and I feel like he's now thrown it away for a blonde 21 year old.  Although I know it's not the blonde 21 year old - it's the disease.  But she's still real.  And she's taken my husband and his heart.

Thanks For Sharing

So I just moved into the current age and finally got Netflix a few weeks ago.  I have seen some really great movies already that I hadn't seen or had forgotten about that I wanted to see.

I thought this one might be interesting, so I sat down to watch.  Movies written and performances such as this are phenomenal.  I tend to like the "not so well-known" movies like these.  I guess I could just call them Indie films.  I suppose that's what they are.

This movie was WOW.  I wasn't sure what it was going to be about, but I should have thought beyond the "Thanks For Sharing" title....

I will admit there were some scenes in the movie that made me a little uncomfortable, but it was also about issues that are real...and that happen in life.  That many of us are effected by in some way or another.

I don't want to give away too much in case some of my readers (that is if I have any) have not seen and would like to see it. 

If you HAVE seen it, feel free to comment and I would love to discuss the movie with you in the comments.

"I'm Not The Only One" - Sam Smith

"I'm Not The Only One"

You and me, we made a vow
For better or for worse
I can't believe you let me down
But the proof's in the way it hurts

For months on end I've had my doubts
Denying every tear
I wish this would be over now
But I know that I still need you here

[Chorus:]
You say I'm crazy
'Cause you don't think I know what you've done
But when you call me baby
I know I'm not the only one

You've been so unavailable
Now sadly I know why
Your heart is unobtainable
Even though Lord knows you kept mine

[Chorus:]
You say I'm crazy
'Cause you don't think I know what you've done
But when you call me baby
I know I'm not the only one

I have loved you for many years
Maybe I am just not enough
You've made me realize my deepest fear
By lying and tearing us up

[Chorus 2x:]
You say I'm crazy
'Cause you don't think I know what you've done
But when you call me baby
I know I'm not the only one

I know I'm not the only one
I know I'm not the only one
And I know...
I know I'm not the only one

Same Smith - "I'm Not The Only One"

Stuck In Love

I saw this movie this past weekend and can not stop thinking about it and how brilliant it was. I had never heard of it, but started watching it on Netflix. It's very rare that movies have me feeling this way - like I could watch it over and over again and not get tired of it.

I think I might have to watch it again this weekend :)

Not to mention, quite a lovely song is in the soundtrack.

Edward Sharpe And The Magnetic Zeros - "Home"

A Cup O' Courage

So I dressed like a girl today. :)

Not that I usually DON'T dress like a girl - I do wear skirts quite a bit, but I actually have on a "girly" dress today and I feel....wait for it....pretty. I can actually say that "I feel pretty." I've had a pretty low self esteem since I can remember so for me to actually feel that way and say it outloud is kind of a big deal. i also have on cute shoes - says the flip-flop wearer :)

I figured I needed a couple of photos to capture the moment.

Tonight is a big night for me. I am a very grateful member of a program (which I will never name by name due to traditions, however, I may refer to this as "the program" or "my program" as it is a huge part of my life). Tonight I am chairing my first meeting. *YIKES*

I know I will be fine, but me + public speaking do not usually mesh well. I have always had a hard time speaking to people that I don't know (social anxiety), an even worse time sharing personal experience in front of multiple people, and the worst time actually being the center of attention speaking at a meeting. Introvert + social anxiety = pretty much sums me up. I've gotten better over the years and another good thing about this program is it forces me to get out of my comfort zone and actually open up. It's scary as hell, but it's saving my life.

People can always tell how nervous I am in these situations. My face usually gets all flushed along with my chest and I have a hard time looking at anyone. It is my goal to get to a place to where I no longer feel this way. Everyone is always a little nervous - that's human nature, but with practice, I hope to in time become more relaxed and at ease in these situations. And have the confidence in myself that I know I should have.

"I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear." ~ Nelson Mandela

Insert Catchy Title Here - Hello??? *echo*

Wow, I haven't blogged in over 3 years I think?

Ok, that's not entirely true as I've had a private weight loss journal blog that I have kept for over a year, but let's be honest, it's really not the same thing. Maybe someday I will decide to share that.

I've decided to resurrect my blog.

Not sure if anyone is still out there, but I don't mind writing to the void.

So last 3 years in a nutshell....got married, life went on, problems, happiness, life went on, problems, happiness...yah yah...you get the point. Now separated from my husband since 8/5/14.

I have been a whirlwind of emotions the past couple of months to say the least. If there is an emotion to be felt, I have felt it. If not a million times over.

One thing that I always gravitate to when I am going through any sort of struggle in my life is music. It's always been my crutch and my go-to for all of life's problems.
I would consider myself an avid lover of music - of many different kinds of music and even a lot of obscure music. I would never consider myself a mainstream music listener. When things are going well in my life, I still love music and I still listen to things I enjoy. But when something has gone array in my life, it just goes deeper. I'm not sure I can put that into words, but hopefully some of you understand what I'm getting at when I say this.

I dig back into my cd collection (yes, I said cd collection) and pull out my go-to's. And I obsess on them. Some are the ones that got me through the last struggle and some are ones that got me through another tough time in my life previously.

One of these bands for me is REM. They played a HUGE role in my adolesence and shaping my music tastes. I have been listening to Automatic For The People and Out Of Time on repeat for the past 15 or so days. Did I just admit that? I mean, it's not EVERYTHING I have listened to, but I am obsessing over these albums.

I recently found out that someone that I knew a long time ago passed away a couple of years ago in a very tragic way. It got me to thinking about all of the music he turned me on to and that shaped my world at that time. These 2 albums were included in that list. You know the saying about people coming into your life for a reason and for a season - can't remember exactly how it goes...well sometimes those people that may not have been the BEST people in your life at the time leave you with something that you in-turn cherish later on in life. And for the music that he turned me onto that shaped who I am today, I truly thank him.

And I kid you not, as I type this "The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonight" is playing on the radio station I listen to - 91.7 KXT (if you don't believe me, check the playlist-http://kxt.org/playlists/ 9/24 @ 1:40pm) I guess someone knew I was thinking of them and decided to throw me a sign ;)

Anyhoo, I don't consider myself as having a very good memory, but there are things and times in my life that really stand out. One of those was seeing REM at ACL fest many years ago. It was right after Johnny Cash had died and they played "Don't Go Back To Rockville" in his honor. That night they also played "Nightswimming" and "Find A River" - 2 of my all time favorite songs....not just by the band, but favorite songs in general. I remember the joy I felt at that show - it was so moving and just felt...magical.

So here I am, today, in the now. With REM and sweet memories.

REM - "Half A World Away"

"One" by U2

Is it getting better?
Or do you feel the same?
Will it make it easier on you now?
You got someone to blame
You say
One love
One life
When it's one need
In the night
One love
We get to share it
Leaves you baby if you
Don't care for it

Did I disappoint you?
Or leave a bad taste in your mouth?
You act like you never had love
And you want me to go without
Well it's

Too late
Tonight
To drag the past out into the light
We're one, but we're not the same
We get to
carry each other
carry each other
One

Have you come here for forgiveness?
Have you come to raise the dead?
Have you come here to play Jesus?
To the lepers in your head

Did I ask too much?
More than a lot.
You gave me nothing,
Now it's all I got
We're one
But we're not the same
See we
Hurt each other
Then we do it again
You say
Love is a temple
Love a higher law
Love is a temple
Love is a higher law
You ask me to enter
But then you make me crawl
And I can't keep holding on
To what you got
When all you've got is hurt

One love
One blood
One life
You got to do what you should
One life
With each other
Sisters, brothers
One life
But we're not the same
We get to
Carry each other
Carry each other

One...
One...

~ In Stock Jewelry on Etsy ~

hey out there blogger world ~ i know i've been pretty absent lately out here ~ so much has gone on and i just don't have time to blog right now...hopefully that will change someday soon. i do love to write!

i have been making lots of jewelry and have updated my etsy shop with all of my in stock items. take a look and feel free to purchase anything you'd like :)

http://www.etsy.com/shop/sunshinebuttrflygirl

you can also find me on facebook : search "sunshine butterfly creations"

ciao for now!

~ NECKLACE SALE ~

heya blogger world ~

all of my in stock necklaces are for sale in my ebay shop. you have 3 days ~ happy bidding! :)

MY EBAY

New Necklaces

hey guys - i've been working hard on some new necklaces and now have them up for sale on Etsy....

check em out!!!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/sunshinebuttrflygirl

Diet Time Again

so i have 59 days until my wedding.

diet started again 3 days ago. i have to stick to it for the next 2 months so i can be a lovely bride.

the first 3 days of this diet makes me feel like pooooo. all the protein and raw green veggies i can eat. no carbs or sugars. bleh. body going through withdrawls and detox. not necessarily a bad thing, but feel crappy none-the-less. i lost 35 lbs on it, gained 10, lost 5 and now i'm back on full throttle, so we'll see how far i get this time. wish me luck!

ciao ~

Psycho Ramblings From The Overworked And Underpaid : Volume 8

email from work : ... "We are missing an eclectic hole puncher..."

butterfly : “eclectic”? what exactly is an ECLECTIC hole punch? Is it a little bohemian?

ivycurlz : Oh it’s a souped up version of the electric one, its all the rage!

Bridesmaids

i have been trying to decide what colors i want my bridesmaid's dresses to be. i recently saw the movie 'wedding crashers' and absolutely fell in love with the bridesmaid's dresses in this movie. i love the scarlet colored ones at the end, but this is the one i am speaking of :

i am also incorporating this color into my dress now. so it will be the green from below and this sand/nude color in the sash. i think it will be stunning.

so here's the thing. i haven't actually been to any bridal shops locally yet, but i would like the dress to be under $100 for my bridesmaids. since i am a bit granola and my dress is very eco-friendly, i would also love the bridesmaid's dresses to be as well...but if not, i can let it slide.

any ideas out there? and any links that you find, please feel free to let me know.

It's All About The Dress, Right?

so some of you out there might know how much of a non girlie-girl i am and i'm pretty simple as far as fashion/design goes. but i knew when and if i was ever getting married, i was going to have a very lovely, talented sweet mama make my dress for me. i will post who it is once i get the dress, so you'll just have to be in suspense until then. i did want to post the direction it is going in.

the above photo is the basis of the dress. it will be made from hemp silk charmeuse. (no you can not smoke my dress after the wedding, so don't even ask - i've already had plenty of requests to do so :p)
the above photo will show the color green sash that will be under the bodice of the dress. it will be this color green and my seamstress will also be incorporating another green (in place of the brown shown in the photo).
and lastly, the above photo is the rough sketch of my dress. originally we were going to go with the brown in the sash like the photo above this, but i have changed my mind and now we are incorporating 2 shades of green. obviously the colors in the sketch aren't true to actual color.

i'm so excited about my dress i can hardly see straight. anything else about the plans could fall into place by themselves for all i care. i can't wait to wear this gorgeous piece of art. :)

Is This Thing On?

howdy cyber blog world. i've been MIA for quite some time, but just had the urge to pop in and say hello.


a lot has happened since my last post.


the biggest news is i am blissfully engaged to my amazing fiance since november 7, 2010. our wedding date is set at march 26, 2011, but this is about as far as we've gotten. i am having my dress made and the lovely mama that will be stitchin it up is starting on it tomorrow :) i'm so excited. it's going to be stunning!





i am still getting used to the fact that i am engaged or hearing myself being called "fiance" or "soon to be wife", however, it didn't take long for me to get used to my ring being on my finger. i am not one that wears any jewelry with the exception of necklaces. i never have worn rings before. but i stare at it all the time. it's perfect, simple and beautiful. whenever it is off of my finger (washing dishes, washing hands, shower), i feel completely naked.


life is good!


i went through a horrible quick relationship that ended in june that i would rather not rehash. my fiance and i have been together off and on for 6 years. he came back into my life at the beginning of july and it was finally meant to be. our relationship is stronger than ever and our love for each other only grows daily. i am incredibly blessed and a very lucky woman.


and I'M GETTIN MARRIED!!!! :) :) :) :) :)


the ladybug is doing well. she's in the 6th grade (my eyes still bug out when i say or read that), learning to play the violin and making great grades. she's really excited about our engagement and the union of both of our families, which she will be getting 3 more siblings - 2 brothers and a sister. she's such a joy and such an amazing little person.


other than that, i lost a bunch of weight. 35 lbs to be exact. however, over the last 2 months, i gained 10 of it back. :\ so i'm back on my diet now and i've lost 6 of those 10 lbs already, but ultimately i'm headed for 20 more to be at my goal weight. then it will all be about maintaining.


i've also begun a life-program that is amazing. it's a process and something i will be including in my life for the remainder of my days, but i feel very positive about it. it's something that my fiance and i do together and it will be a major staple and strength in our long life together.


christmas is coming up entirely too quickly. this is my favorite time of year, but it comes and goes in the speed of light. AND i haven't gotten any christmas shopping done, so guess what we will be doing this weekend? joy. i wish i could just make everyone something, but obviously ran out of time to be able to do that too. gotta love procrastination.


work has been insanely busy and part of the reason why i haven't been posting on here at all as well.


so that's about it for now. i will try not to be such a stranger. i miss blogging. it's always a good form of therapy. ;)


hope my 2 faithful readers out there are doing wonderfully and enjoying life to the fullest.


~ much love ~