Another DIY beauty fix....

Uh-Huh.

I tried to make homemade Biore strips.

I don't know why. I haven't used them since I was a teen... maybe early twenties. (so, like a year ago... ahem...)

I thought... yeah. Those are totally cool. You peel them off and see a bunch of munchy gunk that was in your face.

Who wouldn't want a chance to do THAT again with a practically free homemade recipe???  :) haha

The story began on Pinterest. I saw this lady with a recipe -and it 'only' had two ingredients in it! boo-yah. I'm sold. Milk - any kind, and plain gelatin. (NOT lime Jello people. Knox gelatin. This is an important step to pay attention to.)

So you mix a Tablespoon of gelatin with just over a Tablespoon of milk. Then you heat it in the microwave for 10 seconds, then stir again, and then slap the goo on your face and wait for it to become so hard that if you smile it might crack. Then you peel it off and have amazing beautiful skin. Waa-lah!

We don't have a microwave. Let's just say my problems started there.

So I think... do you really HAVE to heat it???

The answer is yes. Yes you do.
I had a pile of goopy-goop on my face. That doesn't work. It looks like you have gorilla vomit on your face. Like you walked under a bird, and said, 'yeah, sure, poop on my face'.

Oh. I'd like to add something here. DON'T - for the love of LOVE... don't put it even if ever so accidentally - on your eyelids. That is not, is not a pleasant experience. Just take my word on it. And.. if some should get on your hair - hair that fell onto your face from your head, or on to your eyebrows. Lord a mercy. Don't pull it off. You will be bald. Just get the other stuff off first and then wash the 'hair' part off with warm water.

So I tried again this week. (first experiment was a week ago.) I tried again last night because apparently the first time caused all the 'reasonable thinking' brain cells to be plucked from my head.

This time I heated the mixture on the stove for a few seconds. MUCH better. Then, I also applied Vveeerryyyy carefully.

I applied it too thick. You want this sucker on thin. Thin. If it is too thick it doesn't dry and you just have goop on your face for the second time. Most of mine did dry though.

I don't know how helpful this whole process is. I ripped every single fine baby hair off my face that I wasn't even aware was there. I don't really have acne. So, I don't know if it helps that. (I thought for some reason this process would just be....fun???) But... today I seem to have an entire face breakout - the irony. ;)
Maybe I can blame the gelatin????

Anyway. Ripping it off. It compares to having ...I don't know. Maybe...slamming your hand in a door. It hurts. Much more than I remember Biore hurting. Maybe I'm just 'old' and not willing to have pain for beauty. If you decide to try this, there are two things:

1. Tell me how it goes.
2. Seek medical help. There is obviously something wrong in your head.

Juuuuuust.... take my advice on this one

Okay. So I had slightly greasy hair yesterday.

Okay, okay. It was an oil slick. I needed to wash it before our date night out. (I was told I smelled good, by the way, so my hair was dirty, but I wasn't stinkin up the place!)

I didn't have time to wash it in the afternoon as the day slipped away from me. As less than half an hour stood between me and my date time, I decided to just throw in some 'dry shampoo'. 

Except I don't own any dry shampoo, so I figured flour would work.

White, all purpose, kitchen flour. (it's all purpose for a reason, right folks??)

So I throw about, I don't know... a teaspoon amount into my hair. I have a ton TON of hair. It is thick and coarse, and I just kept tossing the flour up there until the locks fell pretty, and non-greasy like. Seemed to work. And, I have (again) recently lightened my hair so you really couldn't see the flour in the brassy blond I have. I should be good.to.go.

This morning I took a shower.

This is where the story takes a negative turn.

Have you ever mixed flour and (hot) water? Even cold water and flour - it makes a paste. A full on head paste was happening on my scalp. Sooooo not cool.

It took me about three good hefty shampooings and a good load of conditioner to un-flour my head. I don't care what they say about do it yourself home remedies. I, personally, do not recommend this route for you. And if you do decide to do this, by all means, use discretion. Don't toss enough to make a cake up there. Just a small smidgen of a pinch. Yes, that is my recommendation if you must do this.

PS: the flour head did work. I think I pulled off "cute" and not "nasty head" for the date. My date seemed to like the way I looked, so I think not all was lost here. ;)

Why I don't exercise at a gym

Because I have four children. If I wanted to break a sweat and work my bum off, I would just stay home and clean my house.
...or chase my children around.

When I have the opportunity to drop all four children off (at the childcare area of the gym) the LAST thing I want to do is more work.

I want to relax.

I want to take a shower completely alone. At long as I want. With no one coming in with news of tears and bloodshed. Without being interrupted because the phone rang. Because I don't want an audience while I shampoo my hair. (ahem... Talia....) And I can use all the hot water I want and not worry.

I can just sit in the locker room, or the lobby and read a book in silence and peace while the children play.

I can blow dry my hair and/or put on makeup without 15 distractions in that 5 minute span of time.

In the summer, I would rather lay out by the pool with a magazine anyday, than stay inside on those sweaty machines that make me realize how out of shape I am.

In the winter, I would rather sit in the steam room anyday, than work out on those sweaty machines that make me realize how out of shape I am.

Am I forgetting anything? I don't know. I haven't been to the gym in awhile and haven't had that peace and quiet to gather my thoughts!

Date a girl who reads...

I cannot even begin to express how much I love this:

Especially the last line. This was written in my love language!

Agirlyoushoulddate

I have a few more things to add:
The entire piece is true. But, if she also likes non-fiction she will know how to do things; practical things, beautiful things.
She will understand history, current times, and maybe even what's to come.
She will always have something to talk about, and I'd bet it's interesting.
She will surprise you with what she knows. Car engines? Farming? Political history? Medicinal information? You never can tell....
She is less likely to be swayed to and fro. She is more likely to be steady. ...Even if she does get emotional about a book or chapter or two.

I hope to impart a love of reading to ALL my kids - the three girls and my boy. Cause frankly, I wouldn't want to be with an unread man, and someday, neither will his future girlfriend.

I pray rap, yo

I don't know where you are in your belief system on this, but I believe in speaking in tongues - or what I call my 'prayer language'.

This is in fact, in the Bible. It is real. And it is powerful. It is a way for us to pray to God when we don't have the English words. A sweet communion with Him. A perfect prayer.

Here's the thing. I only like to use it in three situations.
1. An emergency. When I'm freaking out. When I have nothing else in my head but "Help God!" It helps me pray through it.

2. In the shower. I don't know why.

3. Listening to music. (mostly in the car)

So I will pray this way (if you don't know what I'm talking about - my prayer language is nonsense, just short sounds - like an African baby/toddler.) haha!~ I mean no irreverance, but I don't know how to describe it to you. It's not something you make up - it is something God gives you. Some people sound so melodic when they pray this way. I wouldn't say I do though.

I mean, I pray this way listening to all kinds of music in the car. Classical. Christian. Pop. Country.

Two days ago I 'borrowed' a LeCrae album Rebel. It is hardcore Christian rap.

OH MY GOSH.

I pray RAP! My prayer language is rap!! Can you believe it???!?!? :)
This little white girl can't even TALK that fast. I have some rhythm, but I can't pull off rap - that is, not until I start praying in tongues, yo!!!

I throw the music on and it all just comes flowing out. Beat bop beepin' -it just flows. God has a sense of humor.

He doesn't change

God that is. He doesn't change. And I love that about Him.

It makes reading the Bible that much more exciting. He sent an angel to people - like literally - they saw and talked to angels. He can do that still.

He made a donkey talk. You think He can't do that nowadays? ;) Yeah, right.  Keep your eyes and ears open!

He healed people. HE STILL DOES THIS! Did you know I had a chronic disease as a child that was crippling me? I don't have it anymore! God did that. It was only He who could save me and He did!!

God used imperfect people. A prostitute. A shepherd. A widow. People who weren't anything amazing in and of themselves. And I like that. He still does that too, just in case you were wondering.

And, my current favorite:

Dreams. God gave dreams to people. God gives me dreams too. Not, like, visions for your future that you 'think' of when you are awake. No, I mean, actual while-you-were-sleeping dreams.

There are several instances of people who have had dreams from God in the Bible. To warn them, to inform them, or prepare them. Whatever.

I have been spoken to in dreams. I can definitely tell a difference from one of these dreams and just regular sleep dreams. God still speaks in dreams! What a cool God we serve!! I love how consistent He is, yet, so... unpredictable. It is a fascinating and intoxicating combination! You just never know what God is up to. You never know what He will pull out for you next. It may knock you off your socks in a good way, or throw you for a loop. But in all things God works for the good of those who love Him.

This fall I had a series of dreams that confused me. I was sure they were dreams from Him. They were, right??  I began to doubt. Was I making this up? Am I crazy? Losing my mind? Are these from God? If so, why? What is He trying to say?

Reading the Bible this week in Matthew and Luke about Jesus' birth, I was struck by two things. The recurring theme of believing, and that God spoke in dreams in that story too. My heart was touched. I just need to believe. Trust. Go along for the ride. Treasure what's in my heart, store it up and wait for the appropriate time for it to come to pass or be revealed.

Trust God in your life today. Believe. Believe that God is working on your behalf. That He is still doing crazy unpredictable things with your good in mind! Trust that He will use you - the average person! And keep your eyes open for something crazy to happen - that is just soooo like Him! ;)

There's a first time for everything

I wasn't kidding when I said I lived in the 18th century.  This is the first time I have ever done this:

(hanging laundry out in the snow)

But you have to admit, it sure does look extra Christmasy - green sheets, red towels, and the snow. It isn't a horrible thing to see outside. But my neighbors probably think I'm nuts!!! (If they only knew!)

Our house was the first house built in the division, and though there are other older homes with quirks of their own, some houses are just recently built. I can't help it that I have to do laundry the way I do. ;)