Sunday Funday with Mid-High Choir Tour

As I said in my last post, I will be spending this week with our church's middle school choir and handbells players. I'm used to being with little 4 & 5 year old so this is definitely a change of pace for me. I'm enjoying it so far. 

Tonight's devotion was led by our assistant music director, who was also my high school choir teacher my senior year. She spoke about, Psalm 43, about  God's new song for our lives-about being brave enough and strong enough to listen to the new song God has given us and to trust that God will be faithful to fulfill that song. 

My new song is obviously my upcoming marriage and move to a totally new place. I'm excited for this new song, but also a bit terrified. I'm not afraid of being married, I'm actually overcome with joy and excitement to finally be with my man and not be long distance. 

My fear comes with being so far from my family. And from not knowing. 

I'm a planner. But in this move, I won't know what my next job will be. I won't know what the future holds for Brian and I as he continues his Air Force career. I won't know how to drive in the snow. And I won't know....anyone. My entire family and all of my friends {with the exception of Brian} will be no where near me. I'll have to make a new set of friends, and that's scary to me. I'll have to find a new church-one that is completely unrelated to my dad. 

My fear comes in not knowing. And in Kansas I will know nothing. 

But I'm trying to walk in faith. 

This is my new song. I'm learning to trust and life faithfully. 

Today on the tour bus, we also watched Facing the Giants. It's only the second time I've seen it, but the line that has spoken to me today is...

"When we win, we'll praise Him. 

And when we lose, we'll praise Him"

So no matter how this new song plays out for me, I'm ready to trust and love faithfully. I'm ready to praise God and live to glorify God regardless of the outcome of the game. 

And that's my post today. Maybe it wasn't your favorite and it wasn't for you, but it's the lyrics and verses to a new song that's stuck in my head.

**typed using the Blogger iPhone app so please excuse typos! :) **

Memorial Day

Okay, today is the end of the wimpy blogs. I'm so sorry that the past few have been short, or GIF filled,  or one liners. The summer is here, so things are on track to change and be a bit more interesting since i'll have time to sit down and really write. 

Of course, the obvious topic for this weekend is Memorial Day, a day where most Americans purchase red, white, and blue plastic ware, grill out, and enjoy the first official weekend of the summer. But this U.S. federal holiday is not just for a good family backyard BBQ. It's a time to remember the great men and women who died while serving in the various branches of the U.S. Armed Forces. 

We don't really have any family members who have passed away during their service to our country. I'm extremely lucky that my fiance, in the US Air Force, is coming up on two years as an Airman and has yet to be deployed to a war zone, or anywhere he could be in any sort of danger. I'm so incredibly thankful for that. 

 But there are countless men and women who have lost their lives during their time of service. However, it is a great time to get together with your family, because that is what freedom is all about. We are all so fortunate to live in a place where our families can get together, without fear of persecution for our race or religion. 

As a woman, I feel that I am fortunate to live in a place where women can be represented in our armed forces, and represented in business, media, and families. Of course, if you know me, you know that I feel that,  even though women are represented in these various facets of our culture, we still have a long way to go before we reach complete equality. Some

 people believe that our society can never and will never be perfectly equal. But we are much, much closer than other countries around the world.

I am thankful to have been born in the USA, but I am also thankful for the opportunities provided to me just because of where I was born. Because of being born to an American family, I've been able to live relatively near to my extended family, go to college with the help of loans from the government {a blessing and a curse, I suppose}, and I've been able to voice my opinion freely on Facebook, twitter, and this very blog! Many countries don't even allow their citizens the right to a Facebook page or the internet!-which is something we take for granted all the time. It seems little and frivolous but its a place where anyone can say anything and basically, all they risk is a possible un-friending from friends and family. 

The bottom line of this post is to be thankful. Let's be thankful for silly things like Facebook, and lets be thankful for huge things like family and freedom. 

For Memorial day, I will not be BBQing or swimming in the pool, I will be chaperoning

my church's Mid High Choir Tour.  Though I won't be eating on a plate patterned like Old Glory, I will be traveling through central Florida, listening to middle schoolers sing about the love of Christ and playing hand bell music with some really cool young teens. I'm thankful to be able to travel with them and get to know them. I'm thankful for that freedom-and for the freedom to make mistakes, the freedom to voice your opinion, and the freedom to be who you are. For me, that personal freedom comes from God and in a lot of ways, from the nation I live in. 

Have a safe and wonderful Memorial Day weekend, everyone! 

** This is an actual situation that happened in my class today. **

Little Girl: "Be careful! That will burn you"

Little Boy: "I'm a man. Nothing can burn me."

Busy Day in Pre-K Today!

We had a little water day for our kids today, as their end of the year party. Two parents brought water balloons and made water bombs from sponges and we just had a grand old time. The kids threw them at each other, but mostly at us! 

It was a great stress reliever. After doing it once, I wish we had done it all year. It really strengthened the teacher/student bonds, I think, for them to see us running around with them and playing. 

They got me good. One little gal squeezed her sponge water bomb right on my bum. I have so much fun with my kiddos, especially on days like today! 

Short blog today! Looking forward to the summer where I can really

 crank out some great and lengthy blog posts! 

Are You a Dog Person or a Cat Person?

Ah the classic debate,

the deal breaker, 

the million dollar question...

"Are you a dog person or a cat person?"

I have always answered that question with "I'm just an animal person", 

but inside, I knew I was a dog person. 

First of all, I have really only had dogs my whole life. Sure, we had the occasional outside cat, who just suddenly appeared in our garage so we fed it. But we never had a cat that lived indoors, and we definitely never had a litter box in the house.

Second, I just LOVE dogs. I've said in a previous post that I think dogs are just the best. They are always happy to see you, they poop outside, and they are cuddlers. I never met a cat who could fit all of those criteria. My sister has a cat, but she's generally unfriendly, doesn't like to be touched, and she doesn't really like people 

{she's actually my sister in cat form}. 

When my fiance was in tech school, I felt the urge to have yet another thing to care for. It was almost like baby fever but it was kitten fever. I wanted one so badly. I decided that if I were to get one, he must be long haired, free to adopt, and must be a boy. 

Through a friend, I came upon Einstein. 

Einstein is a white, flame-point Ragdoll cat. 

Ragdoll cats are large, long-haired cats who usually have blue eyes, and are known for being extremely docile and affectionate. They were named the Ragdoll because when you pick them up, they tend to go limp, and hang in your arms. They're so smooshable and really floppy when you hold them. I can't speak for all Ragdolls, but Einstein very rarely fights being held, which is rare for most any other breed of cat. 

Einstein lived with two dogs for the first two months of his life with me. He knew how to stand up for himself around them, he would do a sort of meow-bark, and there were even a few times where the two dogs and little Einstein lined up to potty outside. Even as he has grown up, he is very vocal, and he is always happy to see you when you get home. I took him on a car trip recently and he looked out the window and sat on the center console to look out of the front window. He, like my dog, has a twinge of separation anxiety. When I leave, he cries at the backdoor until I come back. 

This is why I have found the perfect cat. 

My cat thinks he's a dog. 

It's really the best of both worlds. 

I don't know that after Einstein I will ever own another cat. Every time I have to clean out that blasted litter box, I tell myself over and over that this is it. I also tell myself how I am going to teach Einstein to do his business in the toilet-but I think that whole concept is just crossing the anthropomorphic line for me. 

I do really love my cat though. He's a good little fella. 

So now when people ask me "Are you a dog person or a cat person?", 

I answer "Well I'm a dog person. I am only a cat person for my cat."

Yes, yes I did just write a whole blog post about my cat. 

Whirlwind Wedding Weekend {with GIFs!}

Happy Monday, all! 

This weekend, I did not blog, due to a weekend filled with friends and fun! 

My best friend from college, and bridesmaid, Cheyenne came on the midnight train from DC to Jacksonville. I picked her up Friday morning, we had lunch with my matron of honor and flower girl, did some shopping, and then drove back to my house. 

Cheyenne, my sister, and I spent a night on the town at a swanky southern food restaurant in the downtown area that is one of my favorites. 

On Saturday, after a walk around the neighborhood, we went to the bridal salon for my first consultation with the seamstress who is altering my wedding dress. It was so exciting to put on my dress again. It's a pain to get into but once I get it on, it's worth it. I'm so excited to wear it on my wedding day. We are making a few small changes to it to make it reflect my style even more. 

{The rest of the bridal salon story will be acted out in GIFs because it's the only way you can really tell how I reacted. Thanks, Reaction GIFS!}

During our meeting with the seamstress, there were some pageant girls trying on pageant dresses with their mothers. I noticed one of these mothers, with perfectly coiffed long red curly hair, flawless skin, and bright pink lipstick staring at me, with a smile on her face while I was being fitted. I thought nothing of it really, mostly because I was too tickled to be in my dress again. Later, I overheard her talking to Cheyenne and my sister. When I walked up she started to tell me how great I looked in the dress. 

With a thick southern accent she said

"You just look so Victorian, just the complete opposite of what you see in bridal magazines...

...And when you pulled a little bit of your hair back I was just like YESSSSSSSSS...."

...you just look so ecleptic!"

I just took the compliment and said a million Rachel Berry-style "thank you"s. 

What else could we do? I knew she meant eclectic. But you better believe we used that made up word over and over all weekend. 

Saturday evening, Cheyenne helped me finish addressing ALL of the Save The Dates. Every one! It was so nice to cross it off the list,

 especially knowing how long that would have taken me to do on my own. 

Sunday afternoon was a bunch of fun. After church, we went to brunch at a place in town and it was so scrumptious. I can wait to go back again. Then we got Cheyenne all packed up and we headed back to Jacksonville so that she could catch her train. It ended up being two+ hours late so we ate a good dinner, did some shopping, and got our nails done. 

It was so great to get to see her 

and even get some extra time with her before she returned to DC. 

You really can't put into words what a weekend with your best friend can do for your soul. 

This is the last week of school! Hooray! 

Beauty Bests {Makeup}

Here is my frequently mentioned, but not yet written, post on my makeup favorites. 

Disclaimer: I am not a trained makeup artist, but I have watched hours upon hours of You Tube videos on makeup "how-tos". I'm also addicted to lots of beauty blogs like Maskcara. 

These are not the opinions of an expert, 

these are the experiences and opinions of just a regular old gal. 

For me, the foundation for a great face of makeup is hydration. Drink lots of water all the time. I am going through some intense acne treatments right now {saving that for another blog} so my skin is incredibly dry. I use three moisturizers, which I combine together. 

1. CeraVe Sunscreen-I use SPF 30 and this can be found at your dermatologists or in your local pharmacy. This is not exactly a chemical free deal, just in full disclosure. 

2. Olay Moisturizer-I use just run of the mill Olay moisturizer because it's essentially cold cream. I hate the smell of it, which is why I rarely use it alone, 

but it hydrates well and is very cheap. 

3. Simply Sheer Sunscreen-This is something I purchase directly from my dermatologist. You can check with yours, they may sell a great brand or recommend something that you can find at a drug store.

Next, I spray my face well with Victoria's Secret Make It Last Supermodel Prime & Set Makeup Spray. This is great and can also be sprayed on after to further set your look. I will tell you...it STINKS. Works well, but smells awful. When this bottle is out, I'm definitely going back to my old faithful primer mentioned below. They don't sell this in the stores anymore, but it can be found in various nooks & crannies around the internet. 

A primer I MUCH prefer to the VS spray is not even a primer--Monistat Chafing Gel. Don't be scared of the name. It's the same ingredients as a high cost primer gel for about $5 at your drug store. This little beauty "hack" works SO well. 

And for the final priming step, I slather some Sephora Eye Primer on my eyelids. I've always had trouble keeping eye shadow on my eyes. This has helped with that. It seems to last throughout the day pretty well. 

I always start with my eyes, that way if I have trouble, I can start over or clean it up without having to worry about messing up my foundation. 

I have been really loving my Sephora Part of Your World Eye Shadow Palette. It is inspired by The Little Mermaid and has four amazing colors, especially if you're a green eyed girl like myself. The colors in the palette are "Who's-It" {matte clay grey}, "What's-It" {glittery white}, "Dinglehopper" {iridescent light teal}, and "Snarfblat" {iridescent violet}. I have completely used up "Who's-It" and "Snarfblat" is perfect for the creases of my eye lids to bring out my green eyes. 

It was a limited edition run, which means it can no longer be found online or in stores. If you're dying for it, there are lots on eBay. It was $30, which I would normally never spend on just a palette but I had a gift card from Christmas. 

After I apply my eye shadow, I like to add a touch of Mary Kay Cream Eye Color in Apricot Twist in the inside corner of my eye. As an alternative, if you don't wear a lot of eye shadow, keep it simple by adding a little of this cream eye shadow on the outside corner of your eyes for a fun, summery look! I learned that trick from Nikki, my matron of honor. 

I recently lost my favorite eye liner pencil. It was the Kajal Eye Glider from Julep, and it was double sided. I used the brown side for everyday and the black for evening. It glides on really well and I love that it's two in one. It also comes with the BEST pencil sharpener I've ever used. It's on sale right now for $10! 

However, my new favorite eye liner is Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Eye Pencil. I wear it in mushroom, but my next purchase will be empire, which is a purple. I adore purple eyeliners. So fun but not too wild to wear every day. But it comes in a trillion different colors. 

For mascara, I like CoverGirl LashBlast Clump Crusher. 

It really makes clumping a non-issue. 

Mascara tips: 

-Use brown for every day and black only for nights out or photos. 

-Make sure you wiggle the wand as you apply

-If you're finding your mascara isn't quite as thick as you'd like or doesn't have staying power, you can apply a layer of waterproof and then a layer of regular mascara. 

-If you're running low, or like to get the most bang for your buck, put a few drops of contact solution in your mascara tube and wiggle your wand {NEVER pump} to mix it. 

Another fantastic mascara is Mary Kay's Lash Love. It's still new to me but I really like it so far. If I purchase this product, I would get it in brown so I could get more wear out of it. It defines my lashes really well and adds volume. 

A third favorite mascara of mine is Physician's Formula Organic Wear Fake Out Mascara. This product really extends your lashes and gives you that Kardashian eye lash look without having to name your child a ridiculous name or be told what to do by your momager. Never doubt the organic brands, man! 

For under eye issues, try CoverGirl + Olay Eye Rehab Concealer. It's a little more than I like to spend on such a small amount of product but I caught it on a great sale and it works well enough that it's worth it. 

I have problems with redness on my face. To combat this, I use a green stick. Think of the color wheel from art in elementary school. Green and red are across from each other, so it will cancel out the redness on your face. I use this cheapy Maybelline Cover Stick. 

Almay Smart Shade Mousse Makeup is perfect for days where you need some makeup, but don't want to cake it on or cover too much up. I've always had problem skin, so wearing something without a ton of coverage is new to me. This product is low on the coverage scale but it's really a great product if you aren't looking for the coverage factor. It's kind of greyish, which will probably catch you off guard at first. It is part of Almay's Smart Shade brand, so it fits to your skin color. This would be great for those of you who's skin actually changes to a color other than red when you've been out in the sun because it matches to your skin color. It's really amazing. Like magic, every time I apply my makeup. 

If you are looking for more coverage or if you are going to be in a lot of pictures for some reason {family photos, engagement photos, graduation, etc}, I would recommend Revlon Photo Ready Makeup. It's awesome. It's about as close as you can get to airbrush makeup that you can buy in the store. It covered up my problem skin for our engagement photos recently, and made my skin look so clear! It is a bit heavy though, so if that's not your schtick, even for special occasions, this isn't for you.

 

Blush! One of my favorite parts of doing my makeup because it requires me to smile! 

I love Mary Kay Mineral Cheek Color in Shy Blush. It is the slightest bit iridescent, making it the perfect cheek color for summer. 

Another year round alternative is the Revlon Blush shade called Wine With Everything. Wine shades really work well for me and I love this one. Sorry for the lack of link, I couldn't find it anywhere! But I know it is still in stores. 

Eyebrows are one of my newest additions to my makeup routine. I love the Wet & Wild eyebrow pencil the best, but can't find it anywhere online. Another really great one from a really quality drug store brand is NYX Auto Eyebrow Pencil. You don't have to sharpen it! 

With all of the funky colors of eye shadow I like to try and the heaps of mascara I apply, I have to have a great eye makeup remover like Sephora Eye Makeup Remover Gel. It's in a handy little pump, and it's not oily like what you probably think of when you think of eye makeup remover. I use it with a cotton ball or toilet tissue. 

Most every makeup brush I use is E.L.F. brand. They can be found at Target and work really well. They are also really inexpensive. You've got to love high quality and low price. 

I use an Eco Tools Custom Coverage Buffing Brush to apply any and all things to my actual face-primer, lotion, foundation, etc. It's the best. Work in the product in a circular motion. I learned this tip from a professional makeup artist. 

A great brush for the Mary Kay Cream Eye Shadow mentioned above is the

  Mary Kay Cream Eye Color/Concealer Brush. 

I also use the Mary Kay Cheek Brush, but it's so big and fluffy that I use it all over my face to blend my makeup once I'm done.

 

That's it...all of my "secrets"! I know this is a long post, but I tried to make it fun with lots of pictures, and easy for you with lots of happy links to the products. 

Hope you enjoyed this extensive peek into my makeup bag! 

I received all of the Mary Kay products featured in this post 

complementary for testing purposes from Influenster. 

A Year without a Dear Friend

Yesterday, May 13, marked one year since my family had to put down our dog, Diesel. 

Diesel was the best dog. He was calm, well-mannered, and the quintessential idea of what a dog should be. He was the first dog that we owned for a really long period of time. We got him from a friend of a friend in 2003. When we got Diesel, I already had Hercules, so Diesel was truly my sister's dog. But he was such a sweet boy, and we were both young, so he was also regarded as another family dog. 

Brian and Diesel, one the road, when my family moved to a new home in 2011

Our family had never had a dog put down before. We usually would re-home them when we were moving and couldn't have a pet, or when they truly were not a good fit for our family situation. But we have never been through the death of a pet as a family. 

I remember so many of the details of that day. Only Daddy and I were home; Momma and my sister were still on their commute home from school. 

Diesel's health had been declining for quite some time now. The vet told us months before his death that he had liver cancer, but was happy and not in any pain. His happy demeanor and his joyful trot did not change one bit. He was always bee-bopping around the house, happy to see you. But he was rail thin, barely eating, and having accidents all the time. 

We had never really known just how old he was, but his nose and eyes had greyed rather rapidly over the last year.  

On this day, Daddy and I noticed Diesel trying to drink water from his bowl in the kitchen but he couldn't stand up. He kept pushing his nose into the wall and sliding down it. It was the most horrible thing I had ever seen. 

Daddy called our family vet to tell him the symptoms. He stepped out of the kitchen and into the dining room, and then left the dining room for solitude on the front porch. When he returned to the kitchen, his eyes were filled with tears and he took several deep breaths before he spoke. After his pause, he told me that the vet told him to bring him in, that his time was coming. He took Diesel in his arms, hugged him, and quietly cried. 

Daddy called my momma and sister to have them meet him at the vet's office. I was getting ready to go to my second job, so I could not go with him. He left, with Diesel in his arms, through the garage door. 

My dog, Hercules, Diesel's lifelong playmate and friend, 

laid at the back door for days after that, whining and crying, 

wondering why his friend never came back through the garage door. 

It was just as hard to reconcile Diesel being gone as it was to see my little pup mourn the loss of his best friend. When he finally moved away from the door, he only moved to the living room, still keeping his eye on the the last place he saw Diesel. 

Diesel lived a full, great life. He got to run on the beach and swim in the ocean, he got lots of wet food from my momma, and he slept in the bed with my sister most every night. But that doesn't make things easier, because I am a human and I am selfish. I miss him. We miss him.

Animal-human bonds are strong. Research has shown that the death of a companion animal can be equally as devastating as the loss of a human significant other. 

Anyone who has lost a pet knows that the worst thing in the entire world that a person can say to to another who has just lost a pet is "Well it's just a dog", usually followed by "now you can get a new puppy!". 

That's when you have to resist the urge to punch people right in the face. 

Many people feel like the loss of a pet is not as worthy of acknowledgement as the death of a human. This can lead the person dealing with the loss to repress their sorrow and cause them to never fully grieve the loss of the pet. That's why it always still stings a little when you talk about losing your family pet. 

Animals, especially dogs, are so unlike humans. They are constant companions. They are non-judgmental, great listeners, and always happy to see you. A dog does not care how many days you've been without showering, how sick you are with the flu, or how many episodes of your favorite show you watch on Netflix in one sitting. A dog loves unconditionally. A dog is always there for you when you need him or her the most.  

We still miss you every day, sweet boy. 

To close, here's a great story I'm sure you've all read before. 

Children always just "get it", don't they? 

Much of the information about losing a pet in this blog post  can be found in this Washington Post article.

Thoughts on a Tuesday

Mondays are the first day of the week. 

Wednesdays are "hump day", when you know you've made it half way through the week. 

Thursday is one more day until Friday. 

Friday is...well we all know how fantastic Friday is. 

Saturday is the day off for many of us. 

Sunday is church day for some and a second Saturday for others. 

But...what is Tuesday? 

Tuesday was named after the the Norse god of single combat, victory, and glory.

Tuesday has the lowest percent of absenteeism at work and school at 11%.

According to a study done in 2005, Tuesday is the most productive day of the work week. I wonder if that's because they're aren't thinking about how terrible the day is like they are on Monday, or how antsy they are to get out of the office on Thursday and Friday. 

Me? Well I despise Tuesdays, for the very reasons listed above. It's just usually a "blah" day for me. Not good, not bad, just a day. 

Today, I'm headed home from work to whip up some cookie bars for the bake sale our school is having to raise money for a child who has liver cancer and is in need of a transplant. The school has been holding several fundraisers and have raised over $3,000! It's so amazing to see our school rally together to raise money for such a sweet child who is in such dire straits. Cancer {and anything or anyone else that could attack a child} is such an ugly, evil thing. 

Cancer is sad. So here's some sunny citrus fruit...

Here is a random, unrelated photo of oranges, taken at Jennings Citrus Stand in Florida. That orange juice is what they serve for breakfast in heaven. ALWAYS stop for citrus in Florida.

It's a full moon this week. In a school system, that means you're just trying to make it through the week. Kids are horribly effected by a full moon. The best children in the class who are usually calm and quiet are even wild and crazy. I'm really glad we did this craft the week before the full moon.  

This was our Mother's Day craft. So cute, and pretty easy to do! I always love hand crafts. I could imagine as a mother, it would be so precious to have their little tiny hands preserved forever!

I really love having such little kids in my class. I love Pre-K. If  I am able to stay in education when I move to Kansas, I would really like to find a place in Pre-K. They're so much fun, so innocent, and just so loving. I try to remind myself daily to see the beauty and the love in their faces. I'm not always good at it, sometimes my patience wears thin. But I love their little souls.

Sometimes I feel as if my lead teacher and I are the only ones who see the beauty in Pre-K. It seems like we are either an afterthought at our school, or we are despised. I hate that, because I think this is such an incredibly valuable program. It would be fantastic for every one of them to be able to stay home with their mommies until Kindergarten but that's not always realistic. In fact, it usually isn't. But also hate that people "don't get" Pre-K because these are my babies! I want everyone in our school to see their light the same way that I am able to see it everyday.
Here is a little thought on that for Tuesday.

 

Well there's a short, random post for you. I'm thinking tomorrow or Thursday, I will continue with my recommendations for beauty products. Comment and tell me if you would rather hear about my makeup and face faves or body & misc beauty faves!