Bead Soup Blog Party

I am challenging myself as an artist this year and stumbled upon this fun blog, Bead Soup Blog Party. It's a fun design challenge and all you do is sign up to participate, but one of the rules is you need to have a blog. What a fun way for me to start blogging again, it's been over 6 months since my last one.

I will be paired up with another person that wants to participate. It could be someone here in the US, or international. The Bead Soup site gives you criteria on what type of beads to provide to your partner: focal, filler and unique clasp with some pics of examples. There are 3 reveal dates and on the one you have been assigned, you will take a pic and post it on your blog for all to see. All the blogs will be posted on the Bead Soup Blog so you can take a peek on everyone's blogs to see all the creations.

If you have a blog and would like to participate, you can sign up here

Happy Beading!

What's Weighing on Me?!

Well, since I've started back to work in February, I've gained 15 pounds, lost 10 and then gained them back again. It's been tough trying to find time to go to the gym. I get up at 4:40 Monday thru Friday, get  to the office by 7:30 and don't get home most times until close to 6. Then, I am too tired to cook so we go out to eat - our favorite is a Mexican place close by. I am too embarrassed to post my before pic, but will include it once I have an after pic to post with it so I will feel proud of myself! I can tell you though, I am at my heaviest weight (besides being pregnant) at a whopping 167.5 pounds, yuck!!! I feel lethargic and can't stand looking at myself in the mirror.

To get motivated and in gear, I have written goals for the first time in almost a year and the most important one is getting totally healthy and in shape. How am I going to do that do you ask? I am going to change my eating habits for good and follow my Isagenix 30 Day Cleansing and Fat Burning System.

Time to get all the yucky toxins out of my body and live food and nutrients into my body. The wonderful side effect is....wait for it...YOU LOSE WEIGHT!!!!  In addition, I am going to walk or get into the gym as often as I can. We are also going to start swimming again - which is terrific since it's been 90+ degrees for almost 2 weeks straight.

Soooooo, stayed tuned, there will be laughing, there will be drama, there will be tears (hopefully of joy) along my journey. And, there will be posts of my progress along with wonderful recipes I find.

Be happy and healthy!

deck the harrs wif boughs of horry

I went shopping on Friday and got a nice roast to make for Christmas dinner and Lance put away the groceries for me. Well, I went to get it out of the fridge this afternoon to prepare for the oven and it wasn't in the fridge.  No, the dogs didn't get it, but, Lance put everything away. It was a nice frozen brick. I guess you don't have to ask what we had for Christmas dinner tonight. Fa ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra.

We'll have roast tomorrow and continue the celebration.

Merry Christmas everyone!!!

Twas the Month Before Christmas

Now, it has been AGES since my last post, and I thought this would be the perfect way to launch into the Christmas season - I received this in an email from my friend, Deb. I know it's been around a while, but I had to share...


Twas the month before Christmas when all through our land,
Not a Christian was praying nor taking a stand.
See the PC police had taken away
The reason for Christmas - no one could say.
The children were told by their schools not to sing
About Shepherds and Wise Men and Angels and things.
It might hurt people's feelings, the teachers would say
December 25th is just a "Holiday".
Yet the shoppers were ready with cash, checks and credit
Pushing folds down to the floor just to get it!
CD's from Madonna, an X Box, an I-Pod
Something was changing, something quite odd!
Retailers promoted Ramadan and Kwanzaa
In hopes to sell books by Franken & Fonda.
As Targets were hanging their trees upside down
At Lowe's the word Christmas was no where to be found.
At K-Mart and Staples and Penny's and Sears
You won't hear the word Christmas; it won't touch your ears.
Inclusive, sensitive, Di-ver-si-ty
Are words that were used to intimidate me.
Nw Daschle, Now Darden, Now Sharpton, Wolf Blitzen
On Boxer, on Rather, on Kerry, on Clinton!
At the top of the Senate, there arose such a clatter
To eliminate Jesus, in all public matter.
And we spoke not a word, as they took away our faith
Forbidden to speak of salvation and grace
The true Gift of Christmas was exchanged and discarded
The reason for the season, stopped before it started.
So as you celebrate "Winter Break" under your "Dream Tree"
Sipping your Starbucks, listen to me.
Choose your words carefully, choose what you say
Shout MERRY CHRISTMAS, not Happy Holiday!
Christ is the reason for the Christ-mas Season!

Lil Spa and Relaxation - ahhhhhh

Today I learned how to do a hot towel facial - it was heavenly!!!!! I mentioned to my husband that I needed practice and of course Aiden was listening in. He said "I want a facial too.....and I wanna soak my feet!" Sooooooo........

 Here is Aiden soaking his feet in our Unwind bath salts. He first had his face cleansed with our FC5 Hydrating cleanser. He said he wanted a mask and is seen here wearing the FC5 Deep Cleansing Mask with fresh strawberry cell extracts and Matte Fresh Complex

 He is seen here relaxing with a hot cloth on his face to remove the mask - it is so cute that he was digging this!

I then applied the FC5 Nurturing Day Lotion. Do you need to ask how he felt after his pampering?

Thanks so much my little Arbonne boy! I sure do love how cute you are!!!!!

Anyone else up for a free hot towel facial, I could use more practice :O)

Winter Wonderland - enough already!!!

 Last night our sleep was interrupted by many falling branches from the ice storm.  At 5am our neighbor, who my husband drives to work every day, called to tell us a power line was blocking the street. Of course it is right before our driveway, so everyone from our house down to the cul-de-sac was to be trapped for the day. It's now 4:30pm and they just arrived to start working on the downed pole.

Earlier today we ventured out to take some pictures of all the ice...

They blocked off the road from our driveway.

It really was very beautiful with all the ice on the branches, but every time the wind blew alot more branches came down.

Our backyard was like a frozen ice skating pond. It was totally flooded from all the snow melting a couple days ago when it was almost 60 degrees out.

I have to give a shout out to our UPS guy. Here are his footprints across our neighbors yard...

He is well aware, I NEED MY ARBONNE!

My Conference in Vegas...

What a fabulous time in Vegas last week. I had my conference there with Arbonne International. It was my first time and I felt like such a country bumpkin by gawking at all the huge hotels - I cannot believe that just one takes up a city block! The conference was at the MGM, but we stayed in the cheap rooms across the street at Hooters, yes Hooters! I will definitely earn my room at MGM next year!!!

 I cannot believe how small this sign is! You can pretty much touch the bottom of it, 

it's that low to the ground

 Gail, I thought of you when I took this shot! 

We had lunch that afternoon at the outdoor cafe

Me and my girls having a Cosmo at the Cosmo - crystal chandeliers everywhere, it was beautiful!

This is the street corner Tupac got shot at - that's what Kathy's son said!

 This was inside the Bellagio - outside they had the dancing water show, 

I'm waiting for Meghan to post the video to FB to share

Again, Gail, thinking of how wonderful it will be for you to go back to Paris this June - this is the closest I've gotten - I have a feeling I will be going there soon though!