Colgate® Optic White (A Review)

I want to start out saying I received this product for free from Influenster in their Sugar N'Spice Voxbox. These are my actual opinions of the product. If I hate the product I will say so if I like it I will say so if I think it's just meh I will say so.

Now according to Colgate's website

USE TOGETHER FOR WHITER TEETH IN 5 DAYS*
Colgate^® Optic White^™ has a high impact formula to make it easier to whiten as you brush your teeth. No wonder everyone is talking. For best results use as directed.  *vs. brushing with ordinary toothpaste alone.

Now for my opinions..

I received the Optic White Toothpaste, the Optic White Mouthwash, and an Optic White Toothbrush. I love my sonic care toothbrush so I didn't really use the toothbrush more then twice. So I am not going to say much on it.  I liked the toothpaste though, it tasted better then a lot of toothpastes I have tried. My teeth are a little whiter don't worry I won't traumatize you or me with before and after pictures. As for the mouthwash I would say it does it job but I am not a big fan of the taste. If you are looking for a product to help keep your teeth white without the sensitivity issues that some other whiten products have then I would recommend Colgate Optic white.


*These are my own personal opinions that I am sharing for others and I am not compensated in anyway to write reviews about any product.
*Disclaimer: I received these complimentary products for testing purposes from Influenster.

NECTRESSE™ Natural No Calorie Sweetener (a review)

I want to start out saying I received this product for free from Influenster in their Sugar N'Spice Voxbox. These are my actual opinions of the product. If I hate the product I will say so if I like it I will say so if I think it's just meh I will say so.

Now according to Nectresse's website. 

"NECTRESSE™ Sweetener tastes like sugar and is naturally 
zero calories per serving. How? We started with the deliciously
sweet extract of monk fruit and combined it with the perfect
blend of other natural sweeteners. It's 100% natural with
nothing artificial. You're going to love the way it tastes".

Nectresse is a natural no calorie sweetener from the makers of Splenda. This sweetener comes from monk fruit and this box contains 40 packets. One packet is the equivalent of two teaspoons of sugar. 


Now on to my opinon.  Mainly I've used it in tea. The sweetness is very light and isn't overpowering or fake tasting. I definitely like that it comes from a natural source and isn't a manufactured fake sweetener.  I also used it to make a cake. I can honestly say I prefer real sugar in baked goods. So I probably won't make any other baked goods with it. I do like it in my tea. I like that it is in packet form and doesn't have that funky aftertaste that most "fake sugars" have. I will probably buy more when my free sample runs out to keep at the office for my afternoon teas. I vote yes for coffee and tea drinks but meh for baked goods. 


*These are my own personal opinions that I am sharing for others and I am not compensated in anyway to write reviews about any product.
*Disclaimer: I received this complimentary product for testing purposes from Influenster.

Kiss® Nail Dress (Review)

I received Kiss Nail Dress in my Holiday VoxBox 2012 from Influenster complementary for testing purposes.

Now for my take on them

1.) The glue on the back of the nail sticker smells super terrible and strong! It's worse than nail polish remover.
2.) I wouldn't pick the one they sent to me. It was fine to use as an accent nail (imo).
3.) They are not nail polish they are stickers.
4.) They were easy to apply.
5.) This product is very simple and easy to use with no drying time .

I don't know if the smell applies to all their NailDress items or just these ones.  It was horrid. It did fade after a little while. They do come in a bunch of other styles and I would be willing to try a different style to see if it didn't smell as bad. They are a great product if you don't want wait for nail polish to dry and you don't want to take the time to do the design on your nails. It is cheaper then a salon. They say it lasts for a week. It hasn't been a week so I can not weigh in on that one way or another. Over all I have mixed feelings on this product. I would be willing to give it another go though.

*These are my own personal opinions that I am sharing for others and I am not compensated in anyway to write reviews about any product.
*Disclaimer: I received this complimentary product for testing purposes from Influenster.

NYC New York Color Liquid Lipshine (Review)

I like lip glosses, they are better then lipstick in my world. Well most of the time that is. Sometimes you just need a good lipstick. Anyways in my Influenster Holiday VoxBox '12 they were kind enough to send me a NYC New York Color Liquid Lipshine in 'Nude York City'.  My first thought when I saw this product was that it wasn't a color I would EVER want to wear but it was just because of the way it looked in the tube. Out of the tube it's prettier.

source

I tried it out and while out of the tube I thought it was prettier, when I put it on I liked it even more. Like all NYC New York Color products in my opinion it is affordable. It smells amazing (like vanilla almost) and the applicator isn't stiff; both pluses in my world. I am really picky about the lip glosses I use, I am anti-sticky lip gloss. So I must be honest while this product is slightly sticky it isn't really sticky enough to be bothersome. NYC New York Color doesn't have a lot of color selection in their Liquid Lipshine line; I will be keeping an eye out for if the add new colors and won't like the way the color looks in the tube deter me. 

Please ignore my awful roots. The photo is to show the lip gloss on. I am considering moving away from red hair and their for haven't fixed my roots yet. (I know shame shame on me.) :)

*These are my own personal opinions that I am sharing for others and I am not compensated in anyway to write reviews about any product.
*Disclaimer: I have received this complimentary product for testing purposes from Influenster.

Simply Stacie

You should check out SimplyStacie. Check out her blog and her Chromebook Giveaway (WW).

EBOOST (a review)

As I said in my earlier post I received the Influenster Holiday 2012 Voxbox and I was going to do reviews on some of the items I have received from Influenster.  Today I am going to do a review on EBOOST. I received the acai pomegranate flavor to try out. 

Photo from 

First I will give you some background on what I know about EBOOST from what it lists on the Influenster's site for them.The Natural Energy Booster with a tangy citrus burst and a lasting natural energy boost! This EBOOST formula is loaded with green tea, vitamins and super nutrients like Vitamin C, Vitamin D and B-12 in an easy to mix effervescent packet. It's low calorie and sweetened with Stevia too!
That doesn't sound too bad to me. Now for my review.

Let's start with the pros:

1. It's in individual packet, easy for on the go. 
2. It's all natural.
3. It's loaded with vitamins.

The cons:

1. While it tastes okay at first, it's after taste leaves much to be desired in my opinion. 

Over all it does what you want it to (again imo). So if you can overlook the aftertaste by all means this might be the product for you.

*These are my own personal opinions that I am sharing for others and I am not compensated in anyway to write reviews about any product.
*Disclaimer: I received this complimentary product for testing purposes from Influenster.

Sneakpeeq

Get $10 when you sign up for sneakpeeq - Discover emerging designers, artists and food makers!

Goody QuikStyle Beauty Review

Hi everybody! I know it's been a long time since I posted anything; so who knows who will actually be reading this.

Goody came out with a hairbrush that actually dries your hair while you comb with it.

I received the Influenster Holiday 2012 Voxbox.  I thought I would post some of my opinions from what I received. Haven't heard of Influesnter before? Go check it out.  Do it now, you know you want to. :) Can you guess what one of the items I received was? That's right the Good QuikStyle hairbrush. I am going to be completely honest with you, when I saw it I thought I won't really use that item. But I figured what the heck I will give it a whirl. 

Now on the Influenster product page for this item it says "The GOODY® QUIKSTYLE™ Paddle brush works like a towel and brush in one. The super absorbent (and antimicrobial) microfiber removes 30% of water from wet hair to help speed your drying time! You can effortlessly detangle right out of the shower and continue using it while you blow dry!"

Now for what I think of those claims. I did towel dry my hair but that is more because I don't wring my hair out, so slightly toweled dried it (think not really dripping anymore). I do not like to blow dry my hair I figure I do enough damage to it by dying, straighten, curling, etc. I do admit on occasion when I am in a hurry and want to do my hair I do blow dry it. Though 90-95% of the time I am a towel dry/air dry type of girl when it comes to my hair. So I do think that it did speed up my drying time. I didn't scientifically document anything so I don't know if 30% is accurate but it didn't seem too far off in my opinion. I didn't have much difficulty removing any tangles from my hair and I do get tangles. I have fine hair and lots of it; if my hair was thicker I would have to have it thinned at the salon. The longer my hair gets the more tangles I get. Right now my hair is shoulder length and this product work just as well on my wet hair for tangles as a regular brush works on my dry hair. I am a little concerned this will damage my hair removing tangles this way but I think even when it's dry and I brush it it damages my hair (where tangles are an issue).  If I grow my hair out longer I will probably use this product on a regular basis (I am taking 5 days a week when I go to work basis) but at shoulder length and shorter I think I will only use it when I want to style my hair sooner.   I will say it did seem to get my hair more volume and if I decide to grow out my hair I would like to see if it does the same when it's longer. 


*These are my own personal opinions that I am sharing for others and I am not compensated in anyway to write reviews about any product.
*Disclaimer: I received this complimentary product for testing purposes from Influenster.

Updating

So far this month I have had surgery on my left arm, releasing my ulnar nerve and carpal nerve in three places and the stitches have been removed. I still cannot get the incisions wet (after the 24th in theory I will be able to) and I still have to do most things one handed. The one handed thing drives me absolutely batty. I never realized how much I use my left hand for. It is frustrating. I start physical therapy here shortly and will slowly be able to use my left hand and arm more. Its not that my left hand and arm aren't functioning I am just on doctors orders to not use it. My wonderful SIL came and stayed with us the first week after my surgery to help and all that fun stuff. It was pleasant, we made some Reese's cupcakes and since I am one handed for the time she did most of the making.

Yummy deliciousness

         I also went to the eye doctor and got new glasses.. I don't have horrible eyesight by any means I am farsighted in my left eye but not even enough so that I would be able to use the +1 glasses or whatever they sale at the store, my prescription is lower and only for my left eye. The optometrist said I could probably go without glasses all the time if I wanted but since I am prone to migraines he gave me a prescription to use while I am reading or working on the computer or that I could wear all the time if I do so choose.  I got glasses even though my prescription didn't change from the last time but I got the anti-glare coating on these ones (which are not on my other ones) so if I forget my glasses at work (which has been known to happen) I can still wear my other pair at home when I need. I personally think my new glasses are adorable.

Adorable glasses if I say so myself

          I got rid of my red hair awhile back (I have had pretty consistently red/auburn hair since I was 17) and went back towards my natural dark blonde hair. This lasted oh all of a few months, I don't know why but I just do not really care for my natural hair color, I always like the way I look with red hair (much like my aunts hair when they were younger but theirs came naturally). DH has been pushing for my hair to be black which I am still against so at the moment I would say it's a medium to darkish brown color as a compromise. We will see if it grows on me so to speak but odds are I will be going back to that auburn that I just prefer, I mean I have been choosing it rather steadily for around a decade now (wow that sentence makes me feel old).

          We will be spending Thanksgiving this years with my in-laws, this is a first for me. We spend a lot of other holidays with them, Thanksgiving has always been with my family. I am kind of sadden that this year won't be with my family but alas it just isn't meant to be I guess. My sister is stationed overseas and unable to make it back this year, my brother made other plans, my father has to work and DH has to work that evening and I just cannot cook and prepare a Thanksgiving meal by myself one handed for the boys and me, my dad would come before or after work depending on when we did it but that would be it. My dad has been invited to spend it with my aunt and cousins and such, so he won't be alone. The boys and I were invited to join our in-laws so that is what we will be doing this year but next year we will be spending it with my family, I will be able to use both hands at that time. I have completed about 80% of my Christmas shopping, thank goodness. I am ending this now because it takes me ten times longer (it feels like a thousand times longer) to type this with one hand instead of two. I hope that all of you out there are well and life is treating you and yours good.

Stir Crazy

     I am going stir crazy and its only Thursday.. I had surgery to have two nerves released in three spots on my left arm on Monday, I took what I hope will be the last pain pill I will need to take on Tuesday (I loathe how I will on pain pills). It takes me I swear 5 times longer to type with my right hand which is all I can use right now. My left arm is wrapped and in a sling immobile for who knows how long. It makes sleeping difficult, I can't knit or crochet or sew for that matter. I can't do anything for very long besides watch TV which isn't how I want to spend my time. I don't need to gain weight. I need to figure out exercises I can do that will not jar my left arm, its pretty chilly out so i can only go for walks for so long before my nose feels like its going to fall off. I am open to any suggestions from anybody. Guess I will go nap they say you heal faster when you sleep.

Update October

              I know I know I am horrible at the blogging thing, I keep hoping to get better at it but I am failing miserably at it. So as we all know Halloween is coming up and as a parent to two little boys that means at least two costumes.  

              I let them pick out their costumes. DS1 is going to be a ninja and he is quite excited about it. I did end up purchasing this online since it was the best deal I could find and he was quite specific on wanting to be a black and red ninja. 




              DS2 wanted to be a ninja turtle, he didn't care which ninja turtle as long as he got to be a ninja turtle. A friend of ours son was a ninja turtle a few years ago, gave use their costume to use for Halloween.  So now our youngest is excited

to wear his ninja turtle costume and has been telling everybody he sees how he is going to be a ninja turtle for Halloween.


DH doesn't have any desire to dress up this year, we are going to a costume party the Friday before Halloween but as he will be coming after he gets of work he is insisting his work clothes will be sufficient. I on the other hand am trying to come up with a costume I can wear to this party and to work on Halloween (we dress up at work).  I do not feel like spending 40$ or more to purchase a costume that is cheaply made. So I am trying to work with what I already have or I can purchase at a craft or thrift store and make into a costume. I am considering gypsy, steam punk, pirate or something like red riding hood.  The only reason steam punk is even being considered is because I am also invited to a steam punk themed party but it sees to be expensive coming up with a steam punk costume even if you buy thrift do to the accessories. My sewing machine is still broken so it puts a snag in making a costume. Any suggestions anybody?


              Things are slowing down at work as we get closer and closer to the winter months, which is good. Classes this term seem to be going well, thus far I have A's in all my classes which makes me happy (am just nerdy like that). Whether it stays that way or not we will see. I have yet to get anything besides an A from any college course I have taken but there is always a first time for everything. I am scheduled for surgery on my left arm on the 7th of November. On top of that I have jury duty for the month of November. For some crazy reason they actually expect me to remember to call every night for the month of November starting Oct 31st to see if I have jury duty the next day and at which location. I am getting waived for the time I have to be out for surgery but since I do not need use of my arm to attend jury duty and it's day surgery it is only being waived the day of surgery and for pre-op. 


              I have begun my Christmas shopping, just this last weekend actually. I hope to be done before black Friday.  Wish me luck. I hope all of you out there are doing well and enjoying your fall season.

Day 10012?

           I need a theme to my blog I think. Okay maybe theme is the wrong word. All the blogs I follow all seem to have a common thread in their blog. Craftiness or about reaching some goal or whatever. I have nothing like that it is all random. I like crafts and stuff I just don't feel like I have the time to craft all the time little lone take the pictures and create the posts.. maybe one day some day.. I have goals but I don't know how interesting it would be for anybody to read my weight loss progress. I have read a lot of blogs about getting out of debt, but I am not going to blog about that for a couple reasons. Such as DH would be unhappy with me posting our finances on the internet and besides our small mortgage on the house we remodeled and are in the processing of selling we don't really have much other debt (IE car payment). Of course it would be better if we have zero debt but DH is okay with having certain debt (such as a mortgage). I am greedy and want no debt and to save a bunch of money. So where does that leave me in finding something to blog about on a regular basis?? Right back at where I started.. I guess I will just keep thinking on it. If you have suggestion feel free to share. Well, I just thought I would post and say that we are all alive and well here, just a little boring.  We have spent our summer working and spending time at the ocean and in the mountains with my wonderful SIL and her adorable kids. 

Hello

            As I might have mentioned in my last post, we have finally finished our house remodel and listed to sale. It is kind of sad to finish and then sale just to buy another one to remodel. This time we will complete the remodel before moving in. I was originally planning on going to visit my SIL this weekend but I decided to do a 5K instead. Wish me luck, I am so not the marathon type. I figured it might be fun and well I got talked into it. The race is at 8am so it should only be around 80 degrees at most at that time. It's crazy to think just a couple days ago it was unseasonable cool here and raining (which it rarely does we normally have 300 days of sunshine) and now its in the 90's by the time I go to work in the mornings.

        If I survive the 5k. :) Then the plans are to hang out with my best friend, DS1 and DS2 and go to a locally festival/celebration. Then after DH gets off from work BBQ and take the kids to go see the fireworks. All and all it should be a decent weekend. Next weekend is the 4th of July weekend, my SIL and the girls might come visit for the weekend. If they do I want to do a family BBQ with my in-laws and do some festive decorations. I am thinking I might take some ideas from the wonderful blog of The Hostess {with the mostess} 4th of July Pinwheel Party post. If you haven't seen her blog, I would recommend checking it out. I hope that you all are well and having an awesome Thursday! I bid you all adieu until next time. 

Today will mark day 9968

                It has been awhile since I last blogged. Laziness on my part, I know. We decided to lay wood floors in the back room and the utility room. It ended up looking really nice. Probably much better then the tile would have considering the rest of the house has wood floors. We have managed to put up the trim throughout the entire house and do all the painting. I think the house is now officially completely remodeled. I also realize that depending on how long we are here DH will undoubtedly find something else to remodel. I accept that about him and choose to find it endearing. :) We should have taken before and after pictures of the remodel but alas we didn't. Oh well we can always do it next time. Yeah I already agreed to purchase another house for remodel. I must be insane. But at least we won't be living in this house during the remodel. 
                  Today is Sushi tonight. I am not super big on Sushi, I will eat it but I don't love it like DH and some of my friends. On another note we are doing a weight loss competition at work. It is based on percentage lost instead of lbs lost to make it fairer for all the participants. So wish me luck, it would be great to lose some weight and wear a size closer to my pre-babies size. 

Day 9930

                 Sorry it has been so long since my last post, my laptop charger just up and died on we randomly. I ordered a new one but when I received it, it didn't work either. So after contacting the company I am awaiting my new new charger and hopefully it will work right. Currently at this exact moment I am borrowing a charger for a little bit to charge my battery and make this post. I have been busy, I have made a few aprons for my nieces, which I think turned out stinking cute. I am in the middle of making a baby blanket for my friend, who's baby shower is the 21st, so I really need to finish it. It is such a pretty green. I have a house guest, a friend who I became friends with in Kindergarten. She is moving back to the area and her and her kids are staying in our guest room for at least the rest of this week. So the house is crazy hectic but that's okay. It does make it harder to stay on top of the cleaning so tonight I will have to really get on it. Along with finishing my dress.  What dress you may ask.

                  Well, I am making a dress for a murder mystery dinner party this weekend, this Saturday at 4 to be exact. The time is 1928 and I am a reporter. DH's outfit is all ready to go. In fact I made sure he had a couple options to chose from. The main part of my dress is complete but I have a sheer overlay I want to put on the top part down to the drop waist but not covering the handkerchief skit. It would be much easier if I had a pattern but I am kind of making it up as I go along. So if for some reason I don't complete this overlay, I am sure I could just wear it as is. Along with my t-strap shoes, cloche hat, my 3 "pearl" necklaces (2 I made, 1 that is a real pearl necklace I inherited) and be good to go.Well and I need to go pick up some stockings to wear. Since I am growing my hair out it's longer then really appropriate for the time period, I considered getting a wig but decided pin curls and the cloche hat should be fine.
                      Last weekend I went out to 80's night locally, had a blast dancing to 80's music all night. Though if I ever go again it will not be in stiletto heels, my feet were sore after 4 1/2 hrs of dancing in high heels. Like my friend said it is kind of scary I had so much clothes on hand to dress 80's. I found out about an hour before we left and I wore stilettos, leggings, legwarmers, a short petticoat under a short black skirt, a tank top with another shirt over it that hung off from one shoulder, giant hoops, long multiple layered chain and cross necklace and big hair. It was lots of fun and it is looking like a pattern here last Saturday the 1980's and this Saturday 1920's what about next Saturday?? Hmmm maybe I can find something to do that would involve dressing the 1940's or the 1950's... Probably not.
                 I will leave you with Happy Cinco De Mayo! That is right I'm not above using obscure Mexican battles to bake and celebrate.

Day 9920

           I hope you all had an enjoyable Easter and weekend. Saturdays and Sundays are my normal days off (except for having to go into work a few hours on some Sundays that is, like this Sunday). We had a crazy hectic weekend crammed full of stuff, I feel like I didn't get any rest but DS1 and DS2 had a blast so it was all worth it. Friday night DH and I took DS1 & DS2 to the flashlight Easter egg hunt that our town puts on. They separate the kids into age groups to make it more "fair". DS1 got one egg since he would give/let the little girls have all the other eggs he found. DS2 got two eggs and lost a shoe (which we found later) but he got ran over by some other kids (he was the youngest in this age group and it was the group with the widest age span); luckily he wasn't hurt. So the boys got candy in their little plastic eggs and a pool pass. They insisted they had fun but I am not sure we will be doing it again next year. 
          Saturday we spent the day cleaning the cars and the house, dying the eggs that were hard boiled (plastic tablecloth and all on the table), having dinner at a friend's house and the regular Saturday stuff like laundry. Of course I was up late making the cake for Easter dinner with the in-laws. Sunday was even more crammed full of stuff, DH had to work so it was just DS1 & DS2 and I until 4. We got up early, had breakfast, got ready for church, went to the church's Easter egg hunt (which was an hour before church service and lasted maybe 10 minutes) then the boys went to their Sunday school class room to play with the other kids. I socialized with some friends who go to the Church and then we enjoyed a nice church service. After that it was home to make lunch and change and then off to a family friend's house to socialize and find plastic Easter eggs. After we were there for a few hours I had to go by work for a little bit then we had to drive to the in laws for Easter dinner and the family Easter celebration. Also to hide eggs over and over again for the boys to find. If you ask the boys what Easter is about they say Jesus which I am glad to hear instead of egg hunting or something. After that we came home got ready for bed and helped the boys say their nightly prayers. All and all it was a good weekend, even if it was a busy one. I will leave you with a picture of the boys bounty of plastic eggs from the Easter egg hunt at a family friends. Have a great week everybody!

Happy Easter!

              That's right I have been lazy on my blogging. Busy in life though. Enjoyed a lovely two week vacation the first two weeks of April. Went to Sunny California for two weeks. Visited Disneyland, California Adventure, Universal Studios, Sea World and the San Diego Zoo. Stay at a couple resorts and had a blast. Maybe I will blog more about that another time. Now onto the rest of my post.
              Where I leave it's not officially Easter Sunday for like 8 minutes but I will just steadily ignore that detail. The only reason I am up is I finished making the cake for Easter dinner with my in-laws. I was assigned the dessert. I was shocked. Not because I can't bake, I think I bake rather well and J'adore baking. It's my understanding other people like my baking too. The thing is DH Aunt is a baker, an amazing baker and she always makes the desserts. Do to a sad twist of fate in the form of an illness said Aunt is cooking most of the rest of Easter dinner. So Aunt asked DH is I could make the dessert. (So I wasn't really assigned it but its not like DH asked me before he said yes) I am thrilled to make the dessert like I said I LOVE baking. So I made this chocolate buttermilk cake, yum with these amazing chocolate cream cheese frosting double yum. So so amazing. I got the frosting recipe from the Cupcake Project's blog. If you have the time you should check it out and if you don't have the time check it out later.  So the cake well let me tell you about it then so you a completed picture. Yes there's more details!

                 So, I contemplated making a cake in the shape of a lamb or a chick and just couldn't talk myself into it. So I went easy. I thought it turned out cute. It's a peeps sunflower cake I saw it on some website (don't remember which one) and decided to make it. I think they used a white or yellow cake or something.  But not me I went chocolate all the way.

                    I think it turned out pretty well. I was going to set the chips all nice and neat but I am getting tired so I just tossed them on. The peeps seem to be bailing off the cake but I still think it's cute. Once again HAPPY EASTER!

          

One Week

         Last Tuesday was the last day I had coffee. Oh how I miss it. Today will mark a week in which I have been coffee less. I know it is self inflicted for Lent but still oh how I miss it. It's not just the caffeine of it all because I can have caffeine in other forms but it is the taste and since I drink it breve (with half and half) it is nice and smooth (not to mention fattening). I will move on past my thoughts of coffee now or I will just wax on about it's wonderfulness and miss all that much more. Sigh.
        DH got his new shift bid today, they change something like every six months, boo. He will be moving from swing shift Thursday Friday off to day shift Monday Tuesday off, yay! More family time as a family unit. Yay! Kind of causing chaos for a vacation plans, boo. It will be okay, we will figure it out and make it work. I hope all of you are have a decent week thus far. I bid you adieu and leave you with a picture of what our sunrises here look like (because I think it's pretty).

Happy Fat Tuesday!



                             It's Fat Tuesday!! Laissez le Bon temp rouler!! (lay-zay lay bon ton role-ay)

Let the good times roll!! Happy Mardi Gras everybody! I hope you enjoy your last day of the Festival of Carnival. As I am sure you all know the Festival of Carnival celebrates the ending of winter and the coming of spring and that Mardi Gras is only one day of the Festival of Carnival; that's right Fat Tuesday; today. Unfortunately I am still sick with the flu or something (no fun) so I haven't done any feasting this Carnival and I don't see that changing tonight.
 

                        Tomorrow as any catholic out there know is Ash Wednesday and therefore the first day of Lent. For anybody who might not know Lent is a time of sacrifice for Jesus. The traditional purpose of Lent is the preparation of the believer through prayer, penitence, almsgiving and self-denial. Lent last for about 46 days from Ash Wednesday (tomorrow) until the Holy Saturday (also known as the Saturday before Easter).
 

                      While I am not a strong catholic by any stretch or the imagination I do celebrate (can I call it celebrating???) Lent every year. I do not go all vegetarian for Lent. Nor am I giving up chocolate or something I don't really eat anyways. This year I am giving up coffee for Lent. Scary? Yes I know it is. I have a strong relationship with my coffee I love my coffee but in the true spirit of self-denial I will be giving up coffee for 46 days this year. Wish me luck and strength in this endeavor. One more look at the lovely wonderful thing I will be giving up.



                              On another note I believe I might make benyas for tomorrow if I am feeling better. My coworker suggested I make some, she said it was too much of a fuss for her to make some. So I if I am feeling better tonight I will mix up some benyas and put them into the fridge to chill over night and be fried up and drenched in powder sugar in the morning.. Yummy yummy benyas. If you haven't ever had some benyas I really do recommend them. And I disagree that they are a fuss to make.

Day 9869

                I have be officially told to stay out of the laundry room and the family room until it is finished. No I didn't do anything to mess anything up. DH decided he didn't need or want my help. Which I am not going to complain about. All the new drywall is up and taped (yay!) or so I am told since I haven't ventured back there (see I can follow directions). So I am guessing but next he will mud sand and all that fun stuff. Then spray texture, primer and paint. After that he will tile (because I refuse to let him tile then paint) and put in the cabinets. Originally this was all going to be completed by the end of this weekend but DH and DS1 woke up sick this morning. Hopefully it is only a 24hr bug but I guess we will see tomorrow. This does mean the two rooms won't be done until next weekend. DH has Thursdays and Fridays off. Since he doesn't want my help it will just sit there until he feels well enough to finish it. Don't worry DH isn't doing it all alone, my FIL will help him if he needs/wants it. I think he wants me me to be amazed by how great it looks completed. I am just looking forward to decorating it. :)
                I hope you all have a fantastic weekend and that nobody in your homes are ill.