Big Wet Snow

This is a picture of my backyard with a foot and a half of snow.  It is so odd that the day before this picture was taken I was sitting in one of these chairs enjoying the warmth of the sunshine as Everett happily played in the yard.  Believe it or not, there is green grass under that snow.

In the far corner of the backyard is our pine tree bent over with the heaviness of snow. Everett and I had played around that tree in the sunshine.  Hoping the tree bounces back after the snow melts from its branches.

This is a view from the front yard.  Snow everywhere!  The main streets were clear, if you could get to them.

We are expected to get even more snow Friday night and into Saturday.  Can't imagine anymore snow than this.  Its going to be a wintery Easter.

Nightly Face Care Routine for Older Gals

I thought I would post my very simple nightly face care routine.  I am in my 50's and prone to eczema.  It took me awhile to discover products that work well for my stage in life.  I've been using these same three products for quite awhile now and thought I'd share them.

Step one is cleansing the skin.  This Cetaphil soap is great!  I've been using it since 2014 and it is very gentle and never dries my face out.  I only wash my face once a day and when I do I use this soap. 

Second step is moisturizing, which is a two step process for me.  Pictured above is the first step in my moisturizing process.  It's like a fat chapstick, so it is very easy to apply where I need it.  I use this on my eyelids and underneath my eyes.  I also apply it around my mouth, around my nose area and upper lip and the bottom of my chin. I used to get dry patches in these areas, but since using this very convenient stick everything has cleared up and is staying that way.  I also use this stick on my chapped lips and it works wonders.

This is the second step in my moisturizing process.  Out of Africa Shea Butter Hand Lotion has been a blessing.  From the first time I used it I fell in love.  I use it all over my face after applying the Emu oil stick.  In the couple of years that I have been using this lotion I have not had any negative reaction and my skin has stayed nicely moisturized.  Oh, yes, it works well on hands too. LOL  Anyway, I highly recommend it.

So these are the three products I use in my nightly face routine.  Its a very simple and low maintenance skin care routine that has kept my skin healthy for a few years now.  I hope this helps.  Take good care & God bless!  
 

Updates

This is going to be a general update and a "Use It Up" update combined.

General Update
I have been busy taking care of my new daycare client.  Its been an adjustment getting used to the hours.  I've been working 9 1/2 hours 2 to 4 days a week. The parents are very nice people, however, their little girl is a challenge for me thus far.  She is an only child and doted on so that may explain some of her behavior.  My grandson is 6 months younger than her and he has been great about sharing his toys and playing with her.  He's had times where he has needed correction, but that comes with any child.  However, this little girl seems to have a different dimension.  The first day she played with my grandson she punched him two times and bit his finger.  Her parents had a talk with her and she was better for a bit.  Then one day out of the blue she hit my grandson upside the head.  Today my grandson was sitting on the sofa reading a book and she pushed him off the edge.  None of these things were provoked by my grandson.  All I can say is that I have to keep it in prayer.  I know kids do these things, but I don't want to have my grandson picked on just so I can earn a few dollars.

Use It Up
Well, I don't think there has been much progress.  I did use up all of my Moisture Max Sugar Plum lotion.  As pictured below.

I went to Whole Foods to purchase some more Moisture Max lotion, but for some reason decided against it.  I think because I had just purchased two tubes of A La Maison brand lotion for $4.99 a tube at Marshall's.  I found Sea Salt & Coconut scents and I have the soaps in those scents in my storage.

And I also purchased more of the Renpur Co-wash which has been working really well for my hair.  I did purchased a deep hair conditioner by Shea Moisture prior, but it leaves my hair too greasy.  So no more Shea Moisture products for my hair, they just don't work for me, going to stick with Renpur.

I got bored of the Philosophy body wash in my shower.  I was hunting around in my cupboards and came across my EO Rose scented body wash (as pictured below).  Completely forgot I had it in there!

I also found a new Andalou 1000 Roses body lotion in my cupboard too (pictured below).  So using that and the Rose Petals Rosewater spray also.  Still using the Rose scented bar soap as decoration in my bathroom.

So there you go, that is my update.  Thanks for stopping by and catching up with me.  God bless!

Use it Up Update

Well, it has been exactly a month since I last posted.  I really don't have much to report in the way of "using it up" because I have not used anything up.  For the month of February I usually use anything rose, but this year I am not doing that.  The Andalou "Aloe Mint" shower gel and lotion have a little bit more to go, but I got bored with them and put them away.  In my shower, I've been using a body wash by Philosophy that I got from a friend a couple Christmas' ago.  It is in the scent "Peace on Earth", which has sort of an orchid scent. In my tub, I am using a bar of Philosophy bar soap in the scent "Grace" which I got as a gift more than a couple years ago.  Usually, I am a stickler for matching my scents (soap & lotion), but this month I am not doing that. I've been using that "Moisture Max" lotion in Sugar Plum that I picked up last month.  I have been enjoying that lotion a lot and I am planning on purchasing the plain scent of it when I am done with the "Sugar Plum".  I think I am starting to move away from the matching thing.

This month I got hired to take care of a little girl who is 6 months older than my grandson, Everett.  I don't get paid to watch my grandson, so it will be nice to earn some cash again.  I don't know what it is about having people come to the house, but it always motivates me to start cleaning out the clutter.  Since I gained weight from being able to eat again, I had to revamp my wardrobe.  I went from XS to S/M.  I've had two storage boxes sitting in the baby room filled with my clothing that doesn't quite fit right anymore.  Well, with having a 2nd child around I thought it was time to go through those clothes.  So I went to town on it and eliminated one whole box of clothes.  I tried to sell some of my clothing at a consignment shop.  Ugh!  I am SO done with consignment shops!  For some women those shops work well, but for me, NO!  So my clothing will be going to benefit charities from now on.  They need it more anyway and it is better to help the needy than the "in need of nothing" crew.

Use It Up Update

It is time for the "Use It Up" Update.  First, I will report on items I bought this month. I bought a new lotion.  It was 50% off, so I could not resist.  Besides, the type of lotion (Maximum Moisture/Whole Foods brand) is great for winter.  It is thick and rich and really helps with that winter itch.  Here is a picture of the lotion from the internet.

The scent I picked is Sugar Plum and it smells delightful. 

As for using my supply up.  I did use up a bar of peppermint soap (pictured below in the glass soap dish).  I got that bar of soap as a birthday gift. 

The next items that are close to being used up are pictured below.

Andalou Aloe Mint shower gel is halfway gone, and the lotion is nearly gone.  Maybe by the end of the month both will be all gone.

Remember the pump on the above pictured soap broke?  Well, I put the soap into a different bottle and have been using it in my kitchen.  I just poured the last of it into the new bottle, so it is on its way to being used up.  Hopefully by the end of this month.

Oh, I have forgotten to mention, another thing I purchased this month, pictured above.  This is a perfume I use.  Kuumba fragrance oils are all natural, very fragrant and long lasting.  A little goes a long way.  I get many compliments, so if you want to try them I recommend it.  I get mine at Whole Foods Market.  I have been using this one little bottle of Arabian Rose for about a year or more and it is finally gone.  I bought a new bottle in the scent Lavender Lace (hubby approved).

So that is my update for this month.  I hope that I have inspired you and that you are using up what you have.  But most of all that you are enjoying what you have.

Where has the beauty of life gone?

"And who is the greatest liar?  The one who says that Jesus Christ is not Christ.  Such a person is antichrist, for he does not believe in God the Father and in his Son."  1 John 2:22.

There seems to be a gloom that has taken over the earth.  Have you noticed?  I can hardly describe it, but to say it seems something out of a book written by C.S. Lewis titled, The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe.  He wrote about a country called Narnia, where winter had taken over and would not leave.  And I suppose that is what has happened in our world for it seems the hearts of men have grown cold in this day in age.  Many people have chosen to believe a lie and in that lie is darkness.  Thus as the world grows darker it also grows cold.  But the good news of the story is that there is a hero named Aslan, a mighty lion.  In the story, Aslan's servants are waiting for him to return.  When he does, winter melts away.  So in real life those of us who have a renewed heart wait for our King, Jesus, who will burn away all the darkness.

Right now though, we weep for the beauty of life that has faded away. Many of our Christian brothers & sisters are suffering or have passed away.  This breaks our hearts, but the happiness is that the Lord adds to His church daily.  Many are yet being saved!  And still yet, as the gloom grows deeper and tension grows tight, it is our time to shine.  We are salt, the city set on a hill, a light reflecting His glory.  We are ever His servant, ready to do whatever He places before us.  And we can be sure that He will provide whatever we need to shine His light.  And we can also be sure that He is with us always, even to the end of the world.  (Matthew 28:20)

Beloved, it appears, our redemption is drawing nearer than ever before, so look up.  Look for our bridegroom, for in Him there is salvation, strength, wisdom, love and peace.  Everything of beauty is with Him and this is where the beauty of life resides. 

Happy 2016!

I hope you are enjoying the first day of 2016.  Mark and I are just relaxing and enjoying eating.  We have been sick for weeks, especially me.  Mark took 3 weeks of vacation and we had plans to have fun, but that got dashed.  First our grandson came down with Hand, Foot & Mouth disease.  He got sores in his throat and on his body.  Mark was not affected by the HFM, but it did affect me in that I got white blisters in the back of my throat.  That lowered my immune system enough that I then came down with a bad cold and was very sick on Christmas Eve & Christmas Day.  A week later I am still feeling weak, blowing my nose and coughing.  Our grandson has recovered from the Hand, Foot & Mouth, but now has a bad cold.  We took him to the doctor and the doctor said the cold does not have anything to do with HFM.

Anyway, I was thankful I got my Christmas shopping done before I was so ill.  I was scheduled to meet with a couple friends and go to a Christmas party, but had to cancel all.  Instead I stayed home for days working on getting well.  We had to reschedule Christmas with Everett due to being so ill.

Okay, back to the new year!  Here we are at the beginning of 2016 a whole year of wonder ahead.  A new calendar on the wall, a new date book to fill up.  I wonder what this year has in store?  As I look forward, I know where my strength comes from.  It comes from the one who I have given my heart to...Jesus.  Without Him there is no meaning, no joy & no strength to carry on.  So with that, I wish each and every person who visits my blog a blessed 2016.