I have no catchy title

I'm not sure how long this will be as it's a pseduo update and rambling post.  We are back home and settled now.  We got back last week actually but in all of the confusion and emotional upheaval it didn't really seem like a good time to post.  My buddy, Baxter the pug, ran away the morning we left.  He was safely returned the night after we left but everyone was very upset in the interim.  Let me not say everyone.  The grownups were all kinds of upset.  The six and three year old were more upset that their aunt was leaving.  I really appreciated that more than they will ever know because it made me smile a lot to be with them.  However, it also made me think of some other things too.  Another birthday has passed for me.  I'm not sure if I mentioned that or not because we were busy packing, shopping, shipping and all that good stuff for my nieces.  So as of 2 weeks and 6 hours or so ago I am now another year older.  And for most of the last few years I've resigned myself to the babies were probably not on my agenda between the whole being single, taking care of mom, trying to get myself sorted out as an adult stuff I had going on.  But as I was woken up almost every morning by small faces who were just excited to see me I started second guessing that.  And as I was leaving with cranky grown ups and sad little people something hit me.  At some point they won't be little people excited to see me anymore.  I have other nieces and nephews and the I'm bored and all grown ups are stupid phase is on the horizon.  Not to mention that well before that phase their parents just may have other plans for their holidays.  So all the hugs and face crawling and giggling and playing that I get in abundance now will likely disappear sooner as opposed to later.  But I really don't want it to.  I love munchkins.  I am actually the friend that volunteers to babysit or stay home while the adults go out drinking or just seeing a movie that isn't PG4 lol.  Plus I have been well stocked in kiddie movies and books for quite some time.  After we get through the early year projects I think I am going to at least attempt to go through the training in order to either be a foster parent or adoptive parent.  There are three or four major projects ahead of that but it's mostly house stuff that would actually help that out more than not.

Ok moving on.  I need to squeeze in one more workout this month and I will have done 52 for the year.  That averages out to one a week even though I know the vast majority of them happened from mid September to now.  Regardless the Lone Star Pinup experience got me back to working out for me because I need to and the health benefits and bit of weight loss have been great.  I have been fleshing out my bucket list again.  I don't know if I readded pinup photos but I should.  I did add visiting family more and will adhere to that but I do need to work on developing my tiny branch of family because well it may just be me on some holidays and I need to not be a loser sad and mopey when or if that occurs.  So partially to escape from too much alone time with mom I ran out to take care of a few thing. I started at Midas to get the check engine light cleared up cause it was freaking me out.  Minor fix needed.  I went to the library to get a cd on hold after I went by the local Y to sign up for swimming lessons.  I haven't gone swimming since I was a child but, and you'll laugh, I've taught other people to swim since then.  I swam like a fish before my parents got divorced but something about being under the water when I knew what water could really do just messed with my head.  Well I found a class for the grown folks and will be there in a few weeks to try to get through the six week class.  I figure if nothing else I have for sure exercise for an hour once a week.  Now that isn't replacing a gym day as far as I'm concerned it will be an add to the work out weeks.  I will tell you how freaked out I get of course.  However, this is also a bucket list item and I want to be able to really enjoy any of those foreign countries I may get to with lovely sandy beaches.  Now to find a suit that doesn't make me look like Danny Devito from Batman Returns.

As for my hair, yeah I said if I didn't make it to the gym today I'd wash it but I did and now I want to get one more in and then I'll wash it and do not a whole lot else besides wash clothes and sleep until I cook on New Year's Day.  We'll be having duck and not sure yet.  I made a bunch of new salads and I grabbed a bunch of random things we can have as sides.  I will b the last day to eat any old thing and then it's back to healthier options at all times.  Not the healthiest cause seriously I don't love veggies enough to do that but I have added quite a few to my well that's tasty list over the last two years so I will keep experimenting.

I haven't made any resolutions yet and may not.  I'm in the middle of a mental overhaul about my life and what I want and that seems to be guiding me well.  Who knows?  I need to finish my good thoughts jar for the year and get ready for the next year.  I have to redo a few of them because my jar apparently got lost in the move even though I pretty much know what was on them.  Oh and because one photo is done from the shoot I will share it.

Wash Day, Exams, Tennis, Gym Time and Ex-Boyfriend Season

I'm sure you are wondering what any of those things have to do with each other but please let me enlighten you.  So last Saturday was much needed relaxer day and that warranted a cut and for several days all was well in my world.  By the end of the week of humid classes and really hard sleeping my hair was feeling kinda funky.  So instead of utilizing my normal "my hair feels great I'll wash it in two weeks" fresh relaxer pass I had to wash it today.  I prepooed for about two hours and then altered my wash routine slightly.  Instead of starting with my Organix shampoo I used the Shiny Silver shampoo I bought from Sally's the other day.  I'm sure some of you are wondering why I bought Shiny Silver shampoo but remember that some of my gray was tinting yellow which isn't attractive and since I hadn't yet decided if I wanted to see the stylist again I figured I should try to take care of it myself.  Turns out this is pretty common and there are tons of shampoos for silver and blond hair to remove "brassiness" and the unfortunate yellow tinting.  Ok moving on from the aside.  I then followed my normal wash routine and just added the Shiny Silver conditioner to the mix.  I deep conditioned twice after letting my hair air dry a bit.  I first used the protein deep conditioner from Tropic Isle Living (Coconut) and after letting that sit for 20 ish minutes I did my normal As I Am deep conditioner for about the same amount of time.  I air dried a bit again and then put on my As I Am leave in and the Great Detangler leave in.  There was surprisingly more hair than I'm used to being in my comb right after a relaxer as well so that didn't make it me happy.  I opted to wrap it since my freshly relaxed hair tends to behave in a wrap and because really I don't have to go in very long tomorrow and can get it together before or after that if I need to.

For REAL Wash Day

Hey everyone,

life has finally settled down enough that I had a full fledged mostly normal wash day.  After running around and getting my passport application done (check one more thing off the bucket list) as well as letting mom do normal mom running around, I came home and added my Strong Roots Red Pimento Oil to my scalp and the Organix conditioning masque to my length.  Time kept ticking and my lazy overwhelmed me.  I washed everything out this morning and was impressed that with a few less products my hair still felt really good and maintained some slickness longer than normal--my hair can dry out quickly.  It is MUCH more humid here than where we just moved from so I am having to get used to that and based on the amount of hair that shed this morning I think I have two weeks tops to get a relaxer on this hair or embrace going natural and chop it all off.  I'll give you a moment to stop laughing cause we all know that's not happening.

I opted for a flexi set since I've already used a heat pass for this stretch and still kinda don't know where my flat iron is because it's in a box in the room of no return--or where all the boxes are and I can't quite get to my boxes because of all of mom's boxes that are in the way.  I did find a few more products and used our shiny new washer and dryer.  It's amazing how quickly new appliances work.  Anyhoo, I probably only used about 12 flexirods and most of those are in the back of my hair because the length is the most different back there.  I feel like the routine is more stable now so I'm doing a better job of moisturizing when it feels dry and taking my vitamins when I remember--it's not back to being a habit yet which I know is bad.  My hair will have about 20 hours to get good and dry before I leave for work in the morning so I'm happy about that.  If it's not dry then I know the humidity will continue to be an issue and have to work around it.  No classes tomorrow but a few meetings and office hours for students.  I will be grading papers and looking over assignments for the week since none of that happened this weekend lol.

How is everyone doing?  Where should I go first with my first official passport?  I was on my mother's as a child because we were military and I was 2 ish so I wasn't old enough (at that time many moons ago) to have one of my own.

P.S. I made my first pseudo button.  If you ever get bored and want to see my bucket list click on the overly festive bucket and it will take you to my bucketlist.org page.

Revisiting Bucket Lists

Okay ladies (and the few gents that stop by) a few weeks ago I posted a guest blog about bucket lists.  I may or may not have mentioned that I was creating one of my own but eh it doesn't matter cause here we go with my own list.  Because I'm horrible about creating inspiration boards and lose them in random things until I'm packing to move (yes this has happened recently) I decided to see if there was a way to do this online and let me check things off from time to time.  Turns out yes there is.  There's a site called bucketlist.org that lets you create your own list, borrow things from other lists on the site, add photos, and revisit them to edit and tell the world when you have completed them.  Yeah for my lazy factor but also yeah because randomly if people add things to their own list from yours it reminds you that your list is there lol.  So here's my LIST and feel free to add your own, tell me about your updates, and share on your own sites.

Toodles!

Guest Blogger: Michelle Pino

Hey everyone.  I was recently contacted by someone interested in sharing some ideas about creating your very own bucket list with everyone here.  I figured what they hey it would give everyone something new and interesting to look at other than my babble.  And it was written by someone who is shares a few of my favorite hobbies--check her byline at the end of this piece to figure out which ones.  So without further adieu here's our very first guest piece. 

Bucket Lists: This Summer and Beyond

Remember when you were younger and the carefree summers seemed to last forever?  As we get older, it's far too easy to get bogged down by the responsibilities of everyday life-- our jobs, our kids, and our car payments. Now the summers seem to fly by; we forget to relax, take time for ourselves, and slow down to enjoy life.  But just because you're a grownup now with grownup responsibilities doesn't mean this can't be a memorable summer you'll always cherish.  Sit down, brainstorm some of those things you've always wanted to do, select the few that are actually feasible, and do them! Once you have a list created you can mark each one down as you do it. Here are a few of the things on my list and hopefully they can get you started on your own!  

Get Hooked On A New Hobby

When all your mental energy goes to the things you have to do, it can be hard to unwind in your free time. Keep in touch with yourself and your own needs by picking up an old hobby or finding a new one. Join a runner's club to get back in shape and make some new friends. If you enjoy the outdoors, find local hiking trails or start gardening. MIT offers free access to materials for many of its courses on its website now; you might try learning the basics of a new field.  Find something that you like and jump into it! Having a hobby is a great way to spend some free time and also a great outlet for energy and creativity.

Focus On Your Fitness

Maybe you were on the varsity sports team in high school. Maybe you used your bike to get around everywhere in college. Maybe you used to go on distance runs in your city's greenbelt. Remember how good it felt to go on a run back when you were in shape? If you've gotten out of the routine, it can be hard to get started again, but now's the time to get back in shape. You'll be glad you did. Keep your eyes on the reward: that exhilarating feeling of meeting a new workout goal, the rush of endorphins, and, of course, having a better body and feeling healthy.  To stay motivated, recruit a friend or family member to exercise with you-- working out can be a great way to strengthen your bond as well! Use this summer to get your fitness train rolling and by fall you won’t be able to go 3 days without exercising. Think about how far you have come since the beginning of the summer, then think about how far you can go before next summer starts. It’s all about setting goals for yourself and that starts now!

Plan A Weekend Getaway With Your Significant Other

With all of life's responsibilities, it can be easy to fill your calendar without setting aside time for yourself. Look at your day planner, find one weekend in the near future you have no commitment, and boldly write in "romantic weekend getaway" before another activity finds its way there. Research nearby resorts and reserve a room. Most modern resorts offer packages for couples that cater to both of their interests. You can lounge by the pool drinking margaritas and pamper yourself in the spa while your husband plays golf and hits the poker tables. At night you can rekindle the spark and meet up in the bar for a round of drinks and dancing. Getting away for a weekend can do wonders for your stress level and general peace of mind. With summer here now is the time to get away, YOU DESERVE IT!

Rekindle an old friendship

We form ties with hundreds of important people in a lifetime. It can be hard to set aside time for the important ones. Is there someone you used to talk to every day but nowadays only send a Christmas card to once a year?  Call them up, get coffee, and catch up. There’s a saying that old friends are the best kind of friends. I believe this to be true, you might be surprised at just how easy it is to fall into your old routine when you reconnect with someone you haven’t seen in a long time. Staying in touch with people you love is one of the best ways you can invest your time. I know for me “remember whens” are some of my favorite conversations.

The older we get the faster time seems to go, and no one is getting younger. I have my list on my mirror so it is one of the first things I see when I wake up in the morning. This way I am reminded of all the things I said I would do and cannot make excuses for not doing them. Take advantage of everything you can this summer. There is no reason you can’t look back on this summer the same way you do on those summer’s from what seems so long ago.

More information on Michelle and how to contact her if you're interested:

Michelle Pino has contributed this piece based on the knowledge she has learned while working as spa manager at Skana, one of New York’s finest spas. When Michelle isn’t working you will find her baking, crafting, reading a magazine or catching up on her favorite TV shows. If you have any questions or comments feel free to contact Michelle via email at michellepino@turningstone.com