The Days are not Mine

Well, today I had a day off from my job.  Every time I get a day off, I fill with joy.  I begin dreaming of what I will do with my day.  I think I will rise early and jump into my car and go, free to do as I please.  However, lately it has not been working out as I imagine.  A lot of times, I get my best sleep on nights I know I don't have to work so I end up sleeping in.  Then I usually relax sipping a cup of coffee or tea.  I catch up with friends on email, do some planning and/or finish up some housework left undone.

Well today I did relax in the morning, sipping a cup of coffee.  And I did get to some unfinished housework.  Then I went out to do some shopping.  Since I have gained weight, some of my pants have gotten a bit too tight.  I was wearing size 2 to 4 for a long time.  Some of the size 4's still fit, but the size 2's are definitely out.  Anyway, I went out and did some shopping.  I had fun looking through the sale racks and admiring all the cute clothes, trying some on.  But in the end I only purchased a pair of winter gloves that are cell phone friendly (on clearance for $1.29).

While I was out I received a call from my daughter in-law asking if I could watch my grandson because she needed to take my son to the doctor.  He needed treatment for a golf ball sized cyst.  So I finished up my business and headed for home. As I was driving home I realized that my days are not my own, they in reality belong to my Lord.  I had dreamed of driving into the next city over to go to a little furniture shop owned by a woman who buys used furniture and refinishes it into lovely new pieces.  Anyway, I did not get there, instead I felt lead to shop close to home.  God had other plans for my day and what a blessing it was!  What a joy to see my grandson, to see his face light up when he saw me.  To have him want me to hold him, to listen to him babble and to have him kiss me.

Health & Stuff

Well, I am happy to report that I am finally able to gain weight.  Ever since my October 2008 surgery to take down the colostomy, I had issues with pain.  So much so that I was not really able to eat much.  I went on like that until my surgery in April 2013.  After a year of recovery I am finally able to eat normally and I have gained weight.  For the first time in 5 years I have to watch my weight.

One of the ways I am trying to cut calories is to cut back on sugar.  I have been reading a lot about sugar and how unhealthy it is.  However, I have a sweet tooth, so I thought I better cut back slowly.  One of the ways I am trying to cut back is through the use of an alternative sweetener in my tea & coffee...which is Stevia.

Here are a couple of bottles of liquid stevia (NOW brand) that I am using.  One is plain and the other is French vanilla flavored.  It is taking a bit of adjustment, but I just keep thinking about the calories I am saving not to mention the health benefit.  Did you know that too much sugar can be a culprit to higher cholesterol (amongst other things)?

Here is my tea station.  My current favorite teas are the Numi Chocolate Pu-reh, Tazo Chai and Oregon Chai's Dreamscape Herbal Chai, which is made with Rooibos.  However, my ultimate favorite tea is Peppermint.  You know in Germany when I asked for peppermint tea I was given a glass of hot water with fresh peppermint in it and a small bowl of rock sugar.  It was so delicious.  At home I just use peppermint teabags.

By the way, I just recently looked up the benefits of Rooibos tea and was amazed.  Supposedly Rooibos can help relax the body for sleep amongst other claims.  Here is a link to a tea website to check out what your favorite tea can do for you:  http://www.theteatalk.com

This is a picture of my side of the end table in our living room.  I made the knitted coaster for Valentine's Day.  I also painted the cup and the little bowl beside the cup.  I like to do seasonal decor, it keeps things interesting at home.

Behind the glass in the corner of the picture you can see a little tray with bottles.  That is my tray of health goodies for the cold season.  I have it loaded up with things like Olive Leaf and an Olive Leaf throat spray by Barlean's (it works wonders), Mucinex, Advil and a saline nasal spray.  I also have a bottle of Sovereign Silver nasal spray, which I have been using Sovereign Silver for years and I haven't turned blue.  Next to the tray I have a box of tissues, can't be without tissues when a cold hits.

So here's to health!  Hope you all are staying well, but if not, make yourself a little wellness station to pamper yourself while your body works at getting itself back to normal.  Take good care and God bless you!

Happy 1st Birthday!

My grandson is one year old today!  We got to celebrate with him the day before his birthday.  It was a very small party, but very sweet.  Here we are opening presents.  I am with my two favorite little boys (Everett my grandson on my lap and Isaac playing with ribbon).  Both boys 1 year old now.

Here below is Everett having a chocolate birthday cupcake.  That messy face is so adorable!

HAPPY 1st BIRTHDAY EVERETT!

with lots of love

BUS Update

Its been a long time since I've done a Back-Up Storage (BUS) update.  I have new pictures to share.  Here below is my BUS.

 Here I have a shampoo & conditioner.  I used some of the Andalou shampoo (lavender scent).  I really like it.  Will be getting these out of BUS soon as I am almost done with my current shampoo & conditioner which is by Kiss My Face (which I really like and will repurchase when I can). 

Here is my new rose collection.  I just got the body lotion out of BUS.

This is my previous rose collection.  I am currently using the body wash and I have used up the body lotion and I am nearly done with the rosewater body spray.  I am really enjoying using these rose products.

 

This is my lemon collection.  It is the same except for the addition of the Out of Africa hand lotion in lemon verbena (really good stuff).

This is my lavender collection.

This is my Sea Salt collection.

This is my Hawaiian collection.

Honeysuckle 

Floral for Spring

Winter scents

And a mint body lotion that smells like Chocolate Mint.

So that is my BUS.  I have lots to use up.  Certainly, I don't need to buy anymore soap or lotion as I have plenty.  Most of the items I got at a discount or on sale.  However, I am really enjoying the rose products that I am using right now.  So much so that I am thinking that once I use up these products above, I am going to make rose my signature scent.  Plus, rose has so many benefits for the skin, not to mention its aroma therapy benefit.  It truly uplifts my mood and makes me feel pretty. 

Happy Hearts

Hello friends!  Can you believe it is nearly Valentine's Day?  Pictured above is some of my Valentine dishes.  I got them out of storage and washed them up.  I thought they looked pretty drying in the dish strainer, so I snapped a picture.

So far 2015 is going by quickly for me.  Last time I wrote I was sick.  Well, I got very sick.  It has been over 2 weeks now and I am still trying to get over it.  I am better, but I am left with some  congestion in my head.  Mostly I just feel weak and I am praying I get my strength back.

I have been taking care of little Isaac through this illness.  I got the nasty cold virus from him.  So the two sickies have been hanging together.  Isaac is 1 year old now and full of energy.  I can hardly believe how fast he is growing up.  He is almost walking!  Today I was blessed to be able to share his first attempts at walking.

My grandson, Everett, will be 1 year old on Valentine's Day.  I got to spend time with him last Friday.  I had not seen him since the first weekend in January.  He had grown so much in that time!  He still remembered his Grandma though, he had a big smile for me and was eager to get out of his car seat.

Well, this is all for now.  Hope this post finds all of you healthy and happy and enjoying your February.

Our Date

As I type this I am parked on the couch enduring a stuffy nose, sore throat, and body aches...Boo-hoo!  We planned a date for ourselves this Saturday morning.  We bought tickets ahead of time for the Cartier exhibit at the Denver Art Museum (DAM) called Brilliant.  We have started a tradition of getting Mark some culture at the beginning of the year.  Our little joke.  It also seems to be a tradition for me to get sick when I go to the museum.  Last year we attended the exhibit called Passport to Paris with gorgeous paintings by Monet, Renoir, etc. and I was sick then too.  Humpf!  Anyway, I was not too awful in the morning so we kept our date.  First, we went to breakfast at a cute little French cafe.  Yum!  Then we headed over to the museum.  Being around all those exquisite jewels made me forget about my cold for awhile.  Except for my low back pain flared...sigh.  Anyway, Mark and I could not believe the amount of wealth in the exhibit.  We saw jewels from India, Persia, America, China and jewels of famous icons such as Wallis Simpson, Elizabeth Taylor and Grace Kelly.  All the jewels were absolutely stunning!  We enjoyed it tremendously.  Afterward, we found our way back over to the French cafe to have dessert.  Oh my, what a delight!  I was feeling worse by then, but the cherry-almond tart I had was delicious.  Mark had something with chocolate ganache which looked decadent.  After that we went on home, with me falling asleep in the car.

Huge emerald set in platinum and surrounded by white diamonds.

The audio tour said that stones as big as these are living organisms.

Happy 2015?

Hello friends, welcome to 2015!  Another year of adventure.  The future awaits us!  Last year I had many exciting things to look forward to.  This year I don't have that.  Instead this year looks cloudy with a chance of meatballs.  The few things that are coming up are not things I am looking forward to.  And because my year started out on a bit of a bad note, well, I made a couple resolutions based on what went down.  I won't say what the resolutions are, but its all about boundaries and spending more time with people who build me up so I am fueled to do God's work.

Anyway, let me rewind a bit and let you in on how my Christmas went down.  We scored a Christmas tree the week before Christmas.  All the lots were pretty much cleaned out, but thankfully we scored a tree, and it was discounted.  The Monday before Christmas I came down with a tummy bug.  Thankfully I had all my Christmas shopping done.  Oh my goodness was this bug nasty!  Vomiting at my age is a terrible thing.  Talk about major workout and possible injury.  And, I was supposed to work the two days before Christmas, but that did not happen.  My little charge came down with the nasty bug also, so he needed to stay home.  Thankfully the worst was over in 24 hours, but other symptoms lingered.  Even so, I was able to sort of get Christmas together.  My Christmas dinner was not the best, as it was created with mostly instant stuff since I was not up to being a chef.

Son #1 and his wife spent Christmas with her family.  So that meant I did not get to be with my grandson for Christmas.  But I was hopeful I would see him for New Years.  Son #2 and his wife spent Christmas with us.  We celebrated his birthday Christmas Eve and then spent Christmas day with them.  Besides overlooking a few rules of the house, everything went well and we had a good time.  On New Year's Eve Son #2 invited us over to his place as a last minute sort of thing.  We went and enjoyed our time with him & his wife.

Son #1 was supposed to spend New Year's Eve with us, but flaked out.  He and his family were supposed to come on New Years day instead, but that did not happen either.  Instead we found out that he spent more time with his in-laws.  Naturally, I was quite miffed.  Finally, yesterday, we got to spend time with our grandson and a little bit of time with Son #1 & wife.

There is other drama going on that I won't go into detail about, but my two sons are still not speaking to one another.  When Son #1 came over the other day I told him that he really needs to swallow his pride and start talking to his brother.  There is some matter of business between them that needs to be resolved where the law is involved.

Well, stayed tuned for the next episode in "As the World Turns, Days of our Lives and Search for Tomorrow".  All I can say is it is going to be an interesting season/year.