It’s My Imagination

Insomnia

I had been doing really well, I’d actually been sleeping, for the most part.  This week, unfortunately, has been a different story.  I think it stems from the fact that I’ve been unusually busy and there are so many upcoming events that are stressing me out.  If you’re not interested, you may want to skip ahead, but I thought if I were to write a list, to organize my thoughts, perhaps it would enable me to relax a bit and be able to sleep.  I’m so tired right now that my imagination is running on empty.

Here’s my list, in chronological order.

• Clean house in preparation for daughter’s sleepover party
• Make restaurant reservations for tomorrow night’s birthday celebration
• Saturday - spend the day at the mall with daughter and her friends as part of her birthday party
• Saturday night - sleepover party (hoping to lock myself away in my room)
• Sunday - take girls to IHOP for breakfast (late)
• Create embroidery design for Destination Imagination team shirts
• Create team shirts by next Friday (one week)
• Monday - Meet with guitar instructor about job, hopefully set a schedule
• Monday - DI meeting
• Tuesday - guitar lesson and probably do some work while we’re there
• Tuesday - daughter’s actual birthday so we will go out to dinner at the restaurant of her choice
• Wednesday -work at guitar studio (A.M.), DI meeting, (afternoon), software class (evening)
• Thursday - work at guitar studio (A.M) DI meeting (afternoon)
• Friday - possible DI meeting
• Saturday - Destination Imagination Regional Tournament (all day and into the evening)
• Sunday - stay in pajamas all day (I wish) or, if team does well enough to be selected to go to State, attend State meeting in the afternoon
• Monday - work at guitar studio, DI meeting, softball practice
• etc., etc., etc.,

This list could keep going and these are only the major things.  This is not my to do list which is quite full at the moment.  I need my husband to go to work and my daughter to go to school just so I can get busy!

Naked

Naked Naturals that is! What did you think you were going to find here?

I love getting free samples and yesterday I received a free sample of naked naturals in the mail. I was a bit leery of this sample for a couple of reasons. First of all, I’m somewhat particular about what products I use on my hair, too many products lead to dry hair and bad hair days for me. The second reason I was leery was that it said it was Awapuhi & Lavender. I’m just not a big fan of Lavender fragrance, especially in personal care products.

While I was a bit leery, I decided to try it this morning when I washed my hair. The sample was for Color-Treated hair, which mine is and it uses many natural ingredients. I was mostly afraid of it having a strong fragrance, but it didn’t; in fact, it uses no synthetic fragrance, so it was a mild, natural scent. The shampoo lathered up very nicely and I felt that my hair was clean after using it just once. The instructions on the conditioner said to leave it on my hair for 1-5 minutes. I massaged it into my hair and then went on with the rest of my shower. After leaving it in for about 4-5 minutes, I rinsed my hair. I then blow dried and styled my hair as I do every morning and I have to say, I’m more than satisfied.

• No Lauryl or Laureth Sulfates
• No DEA or TEA
• No Animal By-products
• No Artificial Colors
• No Harsh Chemicals
• PH-Balanced
• Not Tested on Animals

The sample came with a $1 off coupon which I’ll be using when I buy both the shampoo & conditioner today. Check out their website to find stores selling this product.

What Kind of Sports Car are You?

I’m a Lotus Elise!

You believe in maximum performance and minimum baggage. You like to travel light and fast, hit the corners hard, and dance like there’s no tomorrow.

“Take the Which Sports Car Are You? quiz.

This quiz was really funny for me. When I told my husband that I’m a Lotus, he said, “small and under powered”. I’m hoping he was talking about the car (he’s a Porsche fan), I think I’d be insulted if he were talking about me, I’m not sure!

What kind of sports car are you? Take the quiz and come back and let me know.

I’ve Got a New Job

I really wasn’t wanting to find a job outside the home and I wasn’t looking for one, but it’s happened, I’ve got a new job.

My daughter’s guitar teacher needed an assistant to do his office work. He previously had one of his high school age students working for him, but the kid quit last week. We sort of discussed it that very day, but I wanted to give the instructor time to really think about who he wanted working for me. Plus, I didn’t know if the kid had just had a bad day and would be coming back, or if he’d decided to go out and get a job in trucking or something else.

When I took my daughter in for her lesson yesterday, he asked me again, this time with a real seriousness. We decided to try to get together when he didn’t have a student and talk about the possibility. My biggest issue is that I have mornings available, but, as an artist, his day usually doesn’t start until 1:00 P.M. My afternoons get really busy from the time I pick my daughter up from school until we go to bed. So we have a bit of a conflicting schedule.

I did meet with him today and he basically put me to work. He really just wants me to work up to 20 hours per week, Monday - Thursday. I think he finally understood how busy my afternoons are though and as I was running out the door to go to my Destination Imagination meeting, he commented that perhaps, once I get the hang of things, I could do my work in the mornings. For the most part we don’t have to be in the studio at the same time.

This could turn out to be the perfect job for me! The job is mine if I want it, I just have to let him know.

Texas Weather

Here we go again!  Yesterday was an incredibly beautiful 78 degrees.  Most of the neighborhood was outside in the afternoon doing yard work!  I saw lawn crews mowing, weeds being pulled and hedges being trimmed.

Then, things began to change.  Last night it became really windy.  The wind was blowing so strongly that the windows were rattling.  The temperature began to drop.  This morning, when we got up, it was 36 degrees!  The wind was still blowing so I’m not sure what the wind chill temperature was.

We moved here from The Windy City and have never experienced the winds that we have here in North Texas.  I am so tired of the wind and the havoc it plays on my sinuses!

What kind of winter are you having?

Medical Issues

I just got off the phone with my mom. She and her sister, my aunt, are driving to Long Beach, CA right now to get on a cruise ship. I’m so jealous! I’m not a big fan of cruises, but I could sure use a good vacation!

Like I said, she’s traveling with my aunt. My aunt is not the easiest person to travel with because she has difficulty walking. As a girl, she suffered from polio and was left with damage in her knees. She’s had a difficult time getting around as she’s gotten older, her knees have become more and more painful and stiff. Whenever I see how difficult walking is for her, I wonder if it wouldn’t be possible for her to have knee replacement surgery. For her, it may not be as beneficial now as it would had she done it when she was younger.

Younger patients with advanced osteoarthritis can receive a total knee resurfacing system and can regain full motion in their knee. I really wish this less invasive technology had been around when my aunt was younger, maybe she wouldn’t have put off having the surgery until it was too late.

Orthodontics

We did it, we finally found an orthodontist and my daughter had her first appointment last week. It was a consult and we don’t plan to start the actual procedure until April, but I wanted to get all the financial information set up. Let me just say, braces are expensive!

We do have dental insurance and it will cover $1500. That leaves us with a balance of almost $4800. I know it’s well worth it, but shew, that’s a lot of money. I was able to finish our annual benefits enrollment yesterday and will put the money into a Health Savings Account, so at least we’ll be paying it with pre-tax money.

After getting her braces on, she’ll be wearing them for 15-18 months. She’ll have them off before she starts high school. I think she’s anxious to get started, she doesn’t like having crooked teeth.

Have you had to pay for orthodontia?

Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend

I don’t believe it’s just my imagination that in recent years there seems to have been a trend towards other stones, besides diamonds, as engagement and wedding rings. I am so glad that trend was not around when I was getting engaged. Trust me, diamonds really are a girl’s best friend.

When my husband and I first became engaged, he purchased a beautiful solitaire diamond ring for me. I cherished that ring until one day, I slammed my finger in a file cabinet drawer, hard. The only thing that saved my finger was my diamond ring, it took the full force of the impact. That’s also when I learned that the diamond apparently had a very small flaw in it and when the drawer hit it with such force, it actually chipped the stone. It was a super tiny chip, it was very difficult to see, but I knew it was there.

There really wasn’t anything we could do, I wore that ring for over 15 years. On our 15th wedding anniversary, my husband took me to look at new diamond engagement rings because he wanted me to have a perfect stone, no chip. It was so sweet and touching. I did end up getting a new ring (a bigger stone!) and I had my old stone remounted into a pendant which I wear almost every day.

We’ve now been married for over 21 years and I’m seeing my nieces and nephews getting engaged. I want to tell them to make sure they look for quality in the rings and diamonds they purchase for each other. They really should check out Diamonds-USA Diamond-Engagement-Rings for quality and craftsmanship. This is not just jewelry we’re talking about, but something that will be worn every single day of the rest of their lives.

Breast Cancer Site

Please tell ten friends to tell ten today! The Breast Cancer site is having trouble getting enough people to click on their site daily to meet their quota of donating at least one free mammogram a day to an underprivileged woman. It takes less than a minute to go to their site and click on ‘donating a mammogram’ for free (pink window in the middle).
This doesn’t cost you a thing. Their corporate sponsors/advertisers use the number of daily visits to donate mammogram in exchange for advertising.

A very dear friend of mine who has been battling breast cancer sent me this email. This is such an important cause and I continue to support it. I have this button in my sidebar, but I am placing it here today to make it easier, please click it.

Living Abroad

As my recent posts have been telling you, my imagination has been traveling quite frequently abroad to such places as Spain, France and Italy. All of this imaginary traveling got me to thinking, wouldn’t it be amazing to actually own property in any of these beautiful locations?

I was curious and began looking online at Spanish property with a view of the Mediterranean or located near fabulous markets, or both! Wouldn’t it be wonderful to spend summers, not just a few days, in such a wonderful, exotic local? To break the language barrier, I found this website that has over 7,000 property listings in Spain, France, Italy and Cyprus. All of the listings can be translated in 7 different languages.