September 2007

So.  I survived the last 24 hours. 

Survived meaning, I’m still living and breathing.  Which is more than I can say for my house. 

Isn’t it funny how your house can be in tip-top shape when your first guest arrives, and by the time the third guest arrives, the kitchen is a disaster.  Then by the time the first guest leaves, the whole first floor of your house is a disaster.  And by the time the last guest leaves, you wonder what on earth you were thinking when you volunteered to host a brunch for 25 women?

Naw, it really wasn’t that bad.  At least, it seems better now that I’ve had a 3-hour nap.  Yes, I said three hours. 

After my last guest left, I took a look at my disaster of a kitchen, and decided to leave it is it was and go upstairs to put the baby down for her nap.  As it turned out, she put me down for a nap.  We both slept for three hours. 

GLORIOUS.

When I got up, everything was as I had left it, but it didn’t seem so overwhelming.  With Hubby’s help, we got everything back in shape shortly.

Which leads me to the Silpada party last night. 

I just have one question.  How is it that I haven’t discovered this stuff before now?  Perhaps God was being gracious, knowing that once I saw it, I would covet EVERYTHING.

I’ve been to other jewelry shows, and I didn’t really get too excited about them.  But this Silpada thing.  I could get into this.

So much for no frivolous spending.

I couldn’t resist those.  I’ve been wanting a pair of earrings to wear when I want something funky and fun that will stand out.  I wear diamond studs all the time, and I lurv my diamonds.  But sometimes an outfit or an event just calls for something, well, BIGGER.  You know?  These Silpada beauties fit the bill.

I think I tried on every piece of jewelry she had on display, but I only allowed myself to buy one item.  And these were one of the least expensive items she had.  So I was pretty proud of myself.

I have several pieces on my Christmas wishlist. 

Like this.

Isn’t that FAB? 

FAB is my new word, by the way.  You have to write it in all caps.  Last night, everything the hostess had was SO FAB.  She was cracking me up.  No one pout on a thing that didn’t look JUST FAB.  Can you imagine?  She’s a saleswoman through and through. 

Then there was this.

It’s a choker, and the little silver bead lays right in the dent in my collar bone.  There must be a more elegant word to describe that part of one’s anatomy than a dent, but it escapes me at the moment.

Anyway, I wore that necklace around most of the night.  In fact, the hostess had to rip it off me, kicking and screaming, before she would let me leave.  It suited me perfectly, everybody said so.  I really hope she puts a bug in Hubby’s ear come Christmas time.

I would host a party (you know how they always try to suck you in with promises of free stuff), but I’m pretty sure another neighbor is going to do one, and I really don’t think our neighborhood can handle more than one Silpada party before Christmas. 

Then I thought, Hey!  What if I become a Silpada Rep?  ‘Cause, you know, I’d have to keep a well-stocked inventory to be a successful business woman.  Meaning lots of pretty jewelry for moi!  And maybe I could even earn myself a bit of extra spending money. 

But I find it hard to believe that anyone really makes anything through these home show businesses.  I wouldn’t do it just for the jewelry.  I’d only do it if I thought I could make some extra spending money.  I wouldn’t need enough to support my family.  But enough to support my handbag habit would be nice.

Does anyone have any input or advice on this? 

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Look what I came across today when I was shopping at my local grocery store!

You know I’m always on the lookout for healthy snacks, and these fit the bill.  The first ingredient is whole grain wheat flour, and they contain 12 grains, including flaxseed.  AND there are four grams of fiber per serving.

They are very tasty, and best of all, they don’t skimp on the salt.  Because I don’t know about you, but for me, a pretzel without salt is like bread without butter, Lucy without Ricky, television without Lost.  You get the idea . . .

What’s the point?

AND you don’t have to travel across state lines to find the nearest health food store.  They are carried by your local grocer.  Unless you don’t have Herr’s products where you live, in which case, you have bigger problems than finding a healthy pretzel. 

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Girlymama muses on the Qualities of a Mother.  This is a MUST READ.  Good for a laugh, but so very true.

My favorite new bloggy find, Alpha Mom has advice on Hair Mistakes You Are Probably Making.  Her blog is chock full of great beauty advice.  This is just one that pertains to my situation at the moment.

Chris on The Modern Mother.  This ain’t your mother’s motherhood.

Sari on Some Days.  I love this post.  I also love her label.

Play Deprivation?  (Hat tip to Rhen.)  This is an excellent article. 

We are so blessed to have a neighborhood full of kids for our kids to run and play with.  I do feel like they get lots of playtime.  We turn off the TV and video games and force them OUT.  They run from one house to the other without really checking with us.  I love this. 

I know not everyone lives in a situation where that kind of freedom and lack of structure is safe or practical.  But I think every parent needs to beware of over-scheduling and inundating their kids with toys that require no imagination or initiative.

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Well, I had my brief moment of introspection this morning, and now it’s back to frivolity as usual here on The Blob.

I know I promised no more hair talk.  But it just would not be right not to share with you my newfound haircare information. 

Did you know, for instance, that there is such a thing as a deep conditioner?  I’ve always made use of regular conditioner when I wash my hair.  But I never knew I was supposed to be doing something called deep conditioning.  Evidently this is a heavy cream that you apply and usually leave in your hair for several hours or even overnight.  You should do this every week or two, depending on the health of your hair.

I did not know this.

And then.  There is something else called a restructuring treatment.  Did you know about this?

Now this is not the same thing, evidently, as a deep conditioning treatment.  The deep conditioning improves hair structure.  The restructuring treatment can actually repair the hair.

Who knew!?  You can actually repair hair!  Did you know this?

Of course you did.  Evidently I’m the last person on the face of the earth to learn about such miraculous beauty treatments.

And wait.  There’s more!

When your hair starts to get weighed down by all the goop you’re putting on it, there is something called a clarifying shampoo that should get rid of all the residue and buildup left from all your newfound hair products.  This should be used about once a month.

I’ve also discovered the existence of a thermal hair protector.  This you should use before you style your hair with any heat appliance, such as a hair dryer or curling iron.

Aren’t I just brimming with helpful information this afternoon?

And why, you might ask, am I all of the sudden so interested in haircare?  Well, I’ve always had pretty healthy hair.  I haven’t had a permanent since 1989, and I’ve only used color once or twice.  So basically I’ve had healthy hair that I haven’t had to think too much about.

But now I’m 35.  And evidently, not only does your waistline begin to helplessly expand when you turn 35, but your once vibrant, sleek, and healthy hair suddenly turns dry and fuzzy.  For no apparent reason.  Or possibly due to the overuse of certain heated hair appliances.

Joy.

After several people mentioned that it looks like I’ve fried my hair, I began searching for answers.  Is it diet?  Is it my beloved ceramic flat iron?  Is it age? 

And most importantly, what can I do about it???

With the help of some good friends, we have identified my hair issues and I have been properly educated about all sorts of lovely treatments with which to repair my stressed-out hair.

I started by applying olive oil the other night and sleeping with it in my hair.  Greasy pillow, anyone?  The next day it looked and felt much nicer.  But today it’s back to it’s original frizzy state, although it still doesn’t feel as dry as it did before. 

I’m about to try the restructuring treatment next.  I also purchased new shampoo and conditioner that I’m hoping will help, as well as a thermal hair protector.  AND I’ve been laying off my ceramic styling iron, as instructed by, well, anyone who has been forced to listen to my sob story about my freaked-out hair.  Instead, I’m getting to know my big round brush a little bit better. 

Does anyone else find the big round brush intimidating?  I’m such an idiot when I get a big round brush in my hand.  There should be college courses offered on proper technique.  I’d attend.

So there.  All you ever wanted to know about haircare.  And then some.

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