Tinted Eyebrows

I had a moment very much like poor Jack.

One of my favorite episodes of Will & Grace is when Jack was wearing an eye patch because he lost his eyebrow. When he revealed the truth behind the patch, it was so extreme that I burst out laughing and Grace on the show had to cover her mouth (not in the script) because she couldn't say her lines for laughing. 

It was all things ridiculous and it took nearly a 1/2 minute for them to collect themselves to finish the episode. A classic!

There I am finally making time (I am over six months due for this) to get my eyebrows threaded to find out the Indian woman who is an absolute perfectionist that I love so much relocated. 

I find another lady, not sure of her nationality but I was a bit nervous by the look of her eyebrows. So, I was specifically very detailed in what I wanted. 

Voila! She did well threading. Not the perfectionist of my Indian woman, but good in a pinch. 

She asked if I wanted my eyebrows tinted, explained the process and said it only lasts two weeks.

I agree to give it a shot, whats two weeks? [You know where this is going.]

Looking at her eyebrows, so I certainly do NOT look like her, I was very, very, specific in how I wanted them done. She lays me back in the chair and paints on the tint. I've never seen this process and as I laid there for seven minutes for the paint to fully absorb I peaked up for a look in the mirror.

This is not me, but this is nearly how I looked. My brain exploded in panic and terror. Imagine these garish looking eyebrows darker and wet in black paint. That is exactly how the process is. Who knew?

At this point, I had to be very specific informing her this is exactly the look I didn't want. "I said ..."

She is using something to soften these harsh lines on this nasty looking box-shaped brow and my mind was racing through thoughts of two weeks! Of course she would do this to me, look at her! Why on earth! OMGosh, Jack McFarland!

Eyebrows are supposed to look natural. Not skinny pencil-shaped, not painted, not box-shaped caterpillar. Natural. 

This won't happen again and I am finding my bossy, opinionated Indian woman who won't keep her comments to herself, because she is the ultimate perfectionist and at the end of the process that is what I want. Perfection. 

Blueberry Banana Smoothie, Oh My!

Wonderful is the moment when you realize you have forgotten about rewards points and suddenly it feels like Christmas!

It was time for a new blender, I use mine nearly every day and only days after my rewards gift cards arrived in the mail my little blender that could, couldn't.

Perfect timing. I don't believe in coincidences. Little blessings don't go unnoticed.

Chocolate protein shakes, homemade milk shakes, and this morning a coconut milk blueberry banana smoothie ... oh my!

Happy Monday, cheers!

Simple Pleasures

When I needed Saturday, I got Sunday, too.

A day of needed balance and being refreshed trickled into today and I am so grateful. Grateful for my new home church that has me so impressed and learning so much each Sunday. Grateful for the sunshine and it being warm enough for a walk today. Grateful for Brooke & Alex celebrating their 4 year anniversary today, they've really come into their own growing up together. Grateful for a clean and quiet home that provided two days of rest, relaxation, favorite shows, and comfort.

Simple pleasures.

It had me thinking a lot today. What simple pleasures bring me ultimate joy? My Sofia. When her sleepy eyes open and she breaks into the most beautiful gummy smile happy to see me. Her laughter, her warm snugly & chubby body, and sweet kisses. The warmth of the sunshine. Being by water, the ocean, a lake, or river. Gliding across the water on a paddle board on a peaceful lake. A good book I am caught up in that I don't want to put down. Driving through the mountains and countryside with my grandmother and stopping to pick berries and flowers in the sunshine. The moment I sit on the seat of my bike with a bike ride ahead of me. Being in nature with the sights, the sounds, the scents, and an un-rushed afternoon. When you slide your hand into another's and its completeness is more than enough. Moments in life when you know you don't want to be anywhere else. When you have everything in front of you and nothing else matters. The moments in life when your soul sings and you simply say, "Thank you, Lord."

Those moments are the prize. Know their value, because their value is priceless.

Life provides a smorgasbord of opportunities, but I've never been a buffet kind of girl. I don't want countless opportunities, I want the simple pleasures in life that make me happy.

What moments make your heart genuinely happy and at peace? Fill your life with those things, they matter.

Subtle and Understated

It's far more than evil in the news that shocks us, we measure our sin against them.

Earthquakes, fires, and natural disasters, we've been warned. 

Perhaps, its the deception of subtle and understated sins. 

   Subtle ...

        Understated ... 

              It was never the plan or even the intention ...

                     But look where we are ...

Perhaps the greatest deception of sin is the rationalization to justify our actions.

Lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud/pride, abusive, ungrateful, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, conceited, lovers of pleasure ... empty.

Imagine being unhappily caught up in this. Fleeting moments of satisfaction and a smile, but the satisfaction doesn't last. It never does.

God is missing, happiness is missing, love is missing.

You cannot change anything yesterday and years before, but you can turn that slow moving ship today and ultimately your future by making a conscious effort to change what you know needs to be changed in your life.

There will be terrible times in the last days ... 2 Timothy 3:1-4

Oh, Saturday!

Oh, Saturday! What a blessing you are! 

It was a very good week. A very busy week. A too busy week. But, it's Saturday.

Saturday is when one wakes up in their own pace. For me, it's a pot of coffee on and in my favorite coffee mug, the Today Show (volume low to mute) so I can glance at the television, Brooke still asleep, and an unrushed nine hours in front of me before date night with Sofia. 

It's date night because I don't babysit my granddaughter. Our time together is not work, it's always special. 

Nine beautiful hours. 

I have put up walls of protection that no one can penetrate. Today is my relax and rejuvenate day. 

A sweet morning phone call, I hit on my topics of brief conversation, I am not the lingering chatty cathy on the phone like he is when he says, "I can sense you are jumping off the phone." [Smile] "My coffee is ready ..." I offer as a justifiable excuse. He knows I don't linger and it's Saturday.

Oh, Saturday! 

After confessions of his heart and intentions with me this week, asking me about vacation, and wanting me to come to his home, I am holding on for dear life to my plan. You know, the one where Brooke graduates, I sell my home and get a totally new place cat-free with a spare bedroom for just Sofia?! That plan.

I haven't been to his home, because it is brand-new and I don't want to see it. I don't want to like it and add another layer of goodness to him. I am in the 11th hour with only 2 minutes left until another milestone change with graduation and a move. 

I never play with healthy and available men, they are emotionally open and want a real relationship. It feels very consuming as if I will lose the life I know so well. This is where I pull back and try to find what I don't like about him, I know I do this (he has no idea). 

My inner gazelle is sensing danger and I promise you, it is very real. 

Looking down the road what is going to suffocate me? He is consuming me, I can see it and feel it. Heart and soul he is all in and this is where I pull back so I don't hurt him or I must free-fall into something that will be bigger than me. 

See? I need Saturday. 

Oh, sweet Saturday. xo

Girls Night!

What a night! I bought us tickets to see Girls Night The Musical with expectations of an enjoyable evening with just my daughters and me. Sushi and a musical.

It was over the top FABULOUS!

The story line was four best friends (the 5th was an angel who had died years early, but they didn't know she was present the whole evening) out for girls night as the play took us on a journey into the lives of a group of friends. They visit the past, celebrate the present, and look to the future on a wild and hilarious night out. Each friend was unique and completely different. Each life was completely unique and different from the others.

Just like in real life.

The music, sensational.

Girlfriends are an absolute blessing in life and I've always told my girls the critical role girlfriends play throughout your whole life. Sharing this with my girls, just the 3 of us, was perfect.

To sit with my adult daughters is unreal to me at times. It catches me off guard they are 18 and 22 years old. Beautiful young ladies that I am so proud of. It makes me realize sometimes more than others they are not little girls and I am not in my 30's anymore, which I feel like.

We've entered a completely new season in life and life is good.

Valentine's Day 2018

Chocolates, flowers, gifts, sweets and affections, everything Valentine's Day is made of. 

But, this year it was the most special.  Enter true love ...

*Outfit complements from me.

Grandmomma + Sofia <3

Snuggles, lots of kisses, silly faces, playtime, books, cartoons, hugs and her sweet little head on my shoulder, we danced to my favorite Valentine song.