Really??!!

This is the view from my back door. I grew up is Rochester, NY so I am VERY familiar with snow even in October. Now I am in Northern Virginia and this seems quite surreal to me. All I can say is SNOWBALL FIGHT!!

Defrizz Hair Cocktail & Pete

Today I'm going to share a secret with you. I am completely gray. It's true. I started going gray when I was 22 years old thanks to genetics ~ dear ol' dad. I also got an analytical mind from him so its not all bad. I have friends who have that silky gray hair and have it completely natural. I envy them. I have the kinky, frizzy kind. Those that have it know exactly what I am talking about. It is not as bad as what is shown above... but pretty darn close. I color mine back to my natural color ~ the same color as my daughter's hair.

You can see in the picture above that is was before I discovered the miracle potion. With the invention of hair products that continually improve, I have perfected the defrizz hair cocktail. Seriously, I have. I have tried numerous products and several cocktails until I got it just right. Are you ready?!

addand

and you get this...

This is an exaggeration! If you have wavy hair, your hair will remain wavy just not frizzy. I have wavy hair.

Now the proportion of product is important too. Products are always telling you to use about the size of a dime. I can safely say, a dime will never cut it on this hair of mine. I started off using the recommended amounts only to have my hair laugh at me ~ which is never fun. Here's the potion...

Use the size of a large nickle or small quarter ~ equal parts of the Lanza and Bumble and Bumble Styling Lotion to fill one large nickel and then add a full nickel's worth of the Bumble and Bumble Defrizz. My hair is just below my shoulders so if you have shorter or longer hair, the amount of potion you'll need may vary. Rub all the ingredients together in your hands and then apply to ends first then work your way up to the scalp. Comb through and style. DO NOT USE A HAIR DRYER AT ALL. Let your hair dry naturally. Once your hair is dry or at least almost dry (the dryer the better), comb with a large wide tooth comb or your fingers. DO NOT BRUSH IT. It is true you will have a wet head look for a period in the morning but it doesn't look to bad. I go to my BNI at 7:30 in the morning. They have never seen me with dry hair unless I have lunch or dinner with a member.

My hair is so much healthier than when I was trying to blow it out straight AND the cocktail makes my hair soooo soft.

There you have it. Give it a try and let me know how it works for you.

On another note ~ many of you know I am a music lover and inspired by it all the time. I just heard that one of my all time favorite musicians/song writers has been nominated to the Song Writing Hall of Fame. He and his band, The Who, are already in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but Pete Townshend has been nominated for the honor of Song Writer's Hall of Fame.

I say ABSO... FREAKIN'.... LUTELY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Why?





Need I say more??!!

A Fall Day in Rochester

This weekend, we took a whirlwind trip to Upstate New York ~ Rochester to be exact. We had relatives coming in for an overnight visit from Chile, where my mom is from. The entire ride up and back were breathtaking foliage scenes.

On Saturday, the weather was gorgeous. We spent most of the time with my family. Lauren enjoyed riding the go-carts with her cousins...

and feeding the pigeons at Schoen Place.

I enjoyed seeing my family even though it was a brief trip... and I always enjoy seeing Lauren having a carefree skip in the park. A happy lark just taking in the scenery and sunshine.

Did the adults play too?
Of course! I'm pretty sure Jim won that race. I raced too. I did not win... but I sure had a lot of fun trying to :-)

What am I supporting and doing?

The Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure ~ that's what. I am participating in the walk in September in Washington, DC. A group of us are walking together as we all have been touched by breast cancer. My sister in law and close friends have had it. Fortunately they all caught it early and are now survivors. Won't you please help by sponsoring me? Any amount is just fine.

For those that would like their button/link placed under the Komen button on my sidebar, just donate $250.00 and I'll place your button proudly as a sponsor. After the walk is over, your button will remain for a full year. My thanks to you for your generous support.

Thank you so much for any amount you are able to give. Your support means the world to me. Click here to become a sponsor.

Summer Bliss

So what have I been doing this summer in addition to planning the move, working, and running Lauren here and there? Take a look...

Hanging out by the pool...

Lauren is in there somewhere....

Enjoying the July 4th celebrations...

Spending time at my beloved Wolf Trap (Mamma Mia on stage)...

Riding the bike trail with my family.

In other words ~ Summer Bliss!

Perks of Susan G. Komen Walk Training

As some of you may know, I doing the Susan G. Komen 3-day for the Cure. I haven't started following one of the prescribed training programs yet but I have been walking. Today my team mates did a 10 mile walk~ too long for me as I haven't walked more than four until today. Today I walked a little over five miles. I feel pretty good. My feet held out, which is a bit surprising. It's my lower back and hips that are a bit sore. Perhaps some of you out there have advice for me. I saunter a bit when I walk so perhaps I haven't learned the fine art of the 'marathon walk with purpose.' If you'd like to check out my walk page, here it is. Feel free to sponsor me with any amount. I will truly appreciate every penny.

I've been wondering if training alone or in a group would be better for me. I have to say that walking alone today was quite enjoyable. First of all it is a lovely day. Temperature is ~65, sunny, no humidity. I walked in my neighborhood , which is quite lovely itself. The grass is a vivid green and all the manicured homes looked splendid. The other thing is that we are in the market to move within our community to a larger home. Walking today led me to find a new house on the market in the style that I adore. I am calling our realtor to set up a tour. Here's the thing... when I was looking intently at this house and I continued to walk, the next house over offered an exquisite site ~ a rippled, shirtless 'V' landscaper with a butt as high as just done saline breasts. Oh my!!


I admit, I gawked. I may have even strained my neck as I continued walking AND my gawking. Wow! I did not get to see his face but I can fill in that blank a dozen times over sustaining my fantasies for at least a couple of months. Please don't place me in the Trump category for sexualizing. I just enjoy beauty in any form if it presents itself to me and man, what a present that was. I pictured that site several times along my walk and thought that if I walked behind him for the 3 day, I'd be wanting a fourth.

So you see the training has benefited me in more ways than one. It benefits me, it benefits others.. a win-win situation.

Tomorrow, I walk again ~ same route of course. I wonder if there was a sign in front of that house with the landscape companies name on it. I didn't see one but my eyes were occupied so maybe I just didn't notice it. Do landscape companies work on Sunday? Hmmm??!!.....

Lauren's Room Transformation Continues

This is where we started. The day the painters were scheduled to come, Lauren kissed each one of the fairies and the unicorn in her mural good-bye and hugged the castle. She was a little sad. I gave her a hug and asked, "Do you want to continue with the transformation?" "Yes Mommy, I do, I just wanted to let them know (the fairies, unicorn, and castle) that I loved having them in my room."

After the painters thoroughly discussed it, they came up with their plan of action and got started...

What a process this was! The owner asked if he could please have pictures of the room when it is complete. Of course! Did I happen to mention my daughter loves PINK??...

We added crown molding to form a distinct break between the pink walls and ceiling. Three shades of pink was used along with pin stripes in black gloss and metallic silver. Where did I get this palette from?...

Her rock star border of course!

Placed at chair rail height. I'm not much into borders but when she saw this one, Lauren said "I have to have it!" Ok my love :)

This is her drape fabric. Simple panels with black and white bobble tassel fringe on the lead edge.

When my Miss Lauren walked into the room after it was painted, her face was priceless. She looked at me and said with a big smile, eyes wide open, "I LOVE IT! Mommy, you're so awesome!" I feel the same way about you my love... every single day.

Onward...

I haven't joined the party for a while but I think this qualifies for the great start to a metamorphosis ~ BNOTP Metamorphosis Monday!

Transformation Begins...

And so the transformation begins. Here is Lauren's little girl room. From the corona hangs crocheted drapes made by Jim's grandmother. This was my favorite part of the room. I felt as if Lauren's great grandmother was embracing her each night as she slept. Her room was adorned with pictures of her family... Her grandmothers, her grandfathers, Jim and I, and all her first cousins. I used baby pictures for some. We made three boxes for items to go in ~ donation, trash, and memory... Many things went into the memory box including the beloved drapes... This morning before Lauren left for school, she literally kissed the unicorn and each fairy good-bye in her mural... Here are my painters reviewing the complex horizontal paint job before them. My painter wants pictures when all is said and done. "This one is for the books." Of course I can accommodate that request. You had a glimpse of what's to come... As we go through the process, I will fill you in. It really is going to be vastly different from the princess room it once was but as Lauren grows and wants to reflect her own sense of style and personality, the room must grow with her. I just hope I can stay with her through it all and nurture all that is to come.

Proud Mommy

This morning Jim and I attended Lauren's award ceremony. At her school, they have monthly awards for certain traits or behaviors. Students and teachers all vote. Lauren received the award this month for Fairness and Honesty.

Look at that sweet face (ok, I may be a tad bias... but....).

That's my girl!! I adore you my love :)

Have a wonderful weekend!

Sculpting Sneak Peak

Some of you have asked for a peak at what I'm sculpting right now since reading the newsletter. I am working on two actually. This one I started tonight. It's nowhere near completion but you'll get the idea...

I need to fix the arm a bit... and give her another one... and a head. I'm not sure yet if I am going to give her a head. I haven't decided. That's what I love about art ~ the evolution.

Then and Now ~

If you have been following for a while you may remember a post on my daughter and I standing the same way. It always amazes me when I see myself in my daughter ~ even when she's having a melt down, I see myself (that's when I say "Oh dear!").

Here is Lauren's pose and then mine. We have the same body type ~ long and lean...


I guess that is a bit of then and now. I must have stood the same as Lauren does now.

Here is a REAL then and now... via Facebook, I was connected to old classmates from middle school. Yes, middle school. I was able to look at folks then and now. I had a few surprises but none as much as looking at myself...

That's me ~ top right picture in the middle. It's a bit difficult to see. I am sitting but you can still get a sense of what I look like. Here I am today...

The picture of me standing at Market and this one shows me that I haven't changed all that much from middle school. Even my hair is similar. Oh boy! This is either the longest rut or a saving grace. I'll let you decide ;-)

Out and About

I am not sure if I will get use to seeing my picture in magazines (center bottom photo). This was a fun night at the Home & Design's 2011 Designers Choice Awards. My friend Karen, Julie (senior editor), and I posed for the snapshot. Bob took it. He's always at H&D events and a true pleasure to see. There is my buddy Skip Sroka too. He is a barrel of fun. The talent in the room that night was fantastic. I enjoyed soaking it all in.