Avon Calling…
The APS Foundation of America, Inc. (APSFA) is having an Avon Pamper Yourself Fundraiser Party!!
20% of all sales from March 18th – April 14th go to the APSFA. If you love Avon like I do, then now is a great time to make your purchase and donate to a good cause at the same time.
Founded in 2005, the APS Foundation of America, Inc. is the leading United States nonprofit health agency dedicated to bringing national awareness to Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome (APS), the major cause of multiple miscarriages, thrombosis, young strokes and heart attacks. The APSFA is a volunteer run, community based 501(c)3 non-profit Public Charity organization and is dedicated to fostering and facilitating joint efforts in the areas of education, support, public awareness, research and patient services. The APSFA’s Medical Advisory Team includes nationally & internationally recognized experts on Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome. For more info: http://www.apsfa.org
Many women (and men) take wonderful care of their families and think nothing of sacrificing to pamper others. But when it come to ourselves we often never get around to the same nice treatment.
So much of our life is spent working or managing day to day responsibilities. Often the technology in our life means that we are always plugged into more information about things to do or things happening in the world that are distressing.
Take Care of Your Body
We even abuse ourselves by working too long, not relaxing when our body says so, sitting at the computer for too many hours. Eventually we start to feel the pain of all of this abuse especially with chronic illness, like APS.
We aren’t happy anymore and it’s confusing because we seem to be doing so much. The reason is this: we long to be cared for – but we wait for someone else to care for us.
It’s time to stop that kind of thinking and realize that we can give ourselves all the pampering we need and want.
The first step to pampering is to take care of your body.
And who doesn’t love Avon??
I use the GLIMMERSTICKS Diamonds Eyeliner every day! I love the glitter in them and they don’t bother my sensitive skin and eyes.
I also have bought different fragrances in the past as well as their nail polish. One of my favorite nail polishes is a purple matte polish they had available early last year.
Did you know Avon sells more than just make-up and lotions? They have a lot of different items including seasonal decorations, clothing, shoes, handbags, fine and costume jewelry, and even items for children! They also have kitchen gadgets and other fun household things that I always drool over.
So, if you’re a fan of Avon and want to give to a good cause, please consider buying something during the APSFA’s Avon Pamper Yourself Party!!
Take some time for you for a change!
Photos via: Avon
The Perfect Disney Bag
My family is going to Disney World at the end of this year so I’m starting to think about what is needed for the trip.
Every time we go to Disney there is a hunt for the “perfect” Disney bag.
This bag must have the following elements:
- Crossbody with a large enough strap to fit comfortably
- Not too feminine so the husband will also carry it
- Large enough to carry what is needed, however, small enough to not be a burden
Because I am a larger gal, the bag needs to have a long strap. And this time, I’d really like it to be large enough to put my DSLR camera in it as I plan on taking it with me most days.
Last time we went I used a Baggallini bag most days and a hobo type bag a friend in Canada sent me that she had added a larger strap to. I appreciate the bag from my friend but it is too large I think and will be too burdensome for an every day type Disney bag.
My initial thought was to use my Vera Bradley wristlet and just attach it to my pants and carry my camera. We don’t have kids so I don’t really need to carry a bag that can hold a lot of things and I used to carry a smallish drawstring backpack that I actually got at the Mexico Pavilion in EPCOT. It was similar to this bag on Etsy.
Now I am thinking that I want to carry my DSLR camera more days than not and carry a bag that is big enough to do so.
So now I have the “perfect Disney bag” dilemma. I’ve added a number of bags to a board on Pinterest and am still adding to it as I search out the best bag for the trip. Problem is, though, that I would probably need to adjust the strap (I had added something to extend the strap a little bit on the Baggallini bag for it to be comfortable).
So far there are a few that I think will work:
This bag is from an Etsy store and is fully padded. Each bag is hand-crafted so I convo’d the owner and asked if I could get a larger strap. I am still waiting for her answer. This was the first bag I saw and said to myself, “that is a perfect bag!” Not sure about the strap length and actually the width of the strap may be an issue as well. Still though, it’s one of my favorites and definitely a possibility.
From the seller’s Etsy page:
Photographers are some of the most creative artists around, so why then, do we carry the same bulky, black cases?! That is where I come in…my name is Lucienne and I was born and raised in Lima, Peru. Not too long ago I realized there was a need for stylish, easy-to-carry camera cases, so I began to design and make my own bags in Peru and I began calling my mini-company, Lu100 (the number 100 is pronounced cien in Spanish).
**I heard back from this shop owner and she cannot make the strap longer…it’s too bad because I really liked this little bag!!**
This bag is called The Sneak Case by Timbuk2. I found it on Zappos first, so that is where I have linked it from. It looks small enough, yet large enough to hold everything. I don’t use multiple lenses, so I really just need something I can put my camera in when I am eating dinner, enjoying a ride, or riding the Disney bus to and from the parks. The bag isn’t too expensive and although it is more of a traditional looking camera bag I think this would really work as well. The strap may be an issue on this one as well, but that could probably be adjusted easy enough.
I am sure it’s obvious why I like this case…PURPLE!! It’s the only one I found that was purple and small enough looking to work. This bag is called 3 Million Dollar Home by Crumpler. It’s a little more money than the others, however, I don’t mind spending the money to have a bag I will use for a while. I could use this as my regular DSLR case also. Again, the strap is something that I would probably have to fix so that it’s long enough to be comfortable.
And finally:
This final option (so far) is one of those traditional drawstring type backpacks. This is another Etsy find (LOVE Etsy!) and it can come in a number of colors (thinking Maroon or Navy) and can be personalized. Not sure that I would personalize it though. I like this one because it is a bit larger than others on Etsy and I convo’d the store owner to see if the straps could be made a bit longer.
My husband or I could carry this and it is Disney themed, which is cool too! I could even get some pins for it. This bag is the cheapest option but, of course, in order to protect my camera I would need to also buy a padded insert like this one or even this one. Something like this would work well also.
Another issue that comes up is that the larger the bag, the more you end up carrying. I don’t want to be weighed down by some large bag full of stuff I don’t need to be carrying around all day! However, I do need to carry the essentials.
So…the search for the perfect Disney bag continues!
For people who are Disney travellers…what type of bags do you carry while there? Any recommendations, thoughts, or ideas? Please leave me a comment!!
Thanks for reading!
~ Heidi
A Work in Progress…
The title is in reference to the blog, the job, the home, the health…the life. Everything. Everything needs a overhaul – a fresh start.
The blog – I don’t know how people design their blogs and then just leave them alone. Little things always bother me. A color is off or something isn’t centered right. I’m going to ignore the fact that I am one of the worst bloggers ever and never update. We just won’t mention it again. I also won’t make empty promises to try harder because, seriously, I have a full time job and, well, life is really unpredictable and I want to live it.
I actually don’t even know if anyone out there is reading my blog. I hope they are, but even if I am talking to myself then that is ok. Writing is therapeutic really, so I’m good with that. I’m not trying to make blogging my day job. Not that there is anything wrong with that, either! Kudos to people who can make that work…right now that would take more effort than I am willing to put in.
May sound bad, but it’s real.
The job – 
In the beginning of October I got a shock on the job front. In a nutshell we had a meeting and major changes were coming. I had a choice: sit in limbo and wait for something that was ultimately inevitable, or get the heck outta Dodge. Sink or swim…I chose to swim. So after 16 years of working in the same department with many of the same people, I said “goodbye” and took a different position within the company. A totally different position, like, a position I never, in LIFE, thought I’d take.
Everything changed: location, job function, type of work, hours – E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G.
And I don’t do well with change. It has been an adjustment to say the least. It’s not easy to go from being a seasoned person to a newbie who is just learning the job. It’s also really difficult to forget what you know to make room for new policies and new ways of doing things.
The training was long and so.much.to.learn but that part is over and we are in our department now. We’ve been there for 3 weeks and every day gets a little easier. I’m adjusting…slowly, but surely.
I miss my old department and work family though…every single day. 
The home - I am making a conscious effort to keep up with housework. I absolutely HATE doing housework. But we need to make some changes in that area. My kitchen is the pit of despair right now (per the usual) but the other rooms are fairly clean. It’s a start. I have some plans for things when spring comes and it gets a bit warmer out. We had a garage sale a couple years ago and need to clear the stuff that didn’t sell out of the garage and donated. We also have some furniture out there that I’d like to bring in here to put in the dining room and the bedroom.
We’re like borderline hoarders, really, and we need to get our acts together. Period.
The health – No worries…all is well. I just need to eat better and get everything under control there as well. I did well for a long time and then went back to many of my old habits. It’s so easy to fall off the wagon and go back to things that comfort you. Especially in stressful situations…which is basically been my life for a while now, but I’m working it out. I’ve been trying to bring my lunch and get off the pop lately. Even diet pop, I just need to stop drinking the stuff. So we’ve been trying to save money by making dinners at home and I’ve been bringing my lunch for the past couple weeks and plan on continuing to do so more often than not. And if, for some reason, I do buy my lunch, I would like to make more healthy choices.
The life – Seems as though Change is my word for 2013. I hate it, I really do. I feel that strongly about change. I am resistant towards it and it stresses me out. I want comfortable, I like comfortable…well that’s not always good for you.
So Change it is, I guess. I will learn to like it…life will beat that into me. lol By the time I am 40 yrs old (2014 btw!) I will be BFFs with change. Ha…yeah, I don’t believe it either. But…what do they say? “The only constant in life is change.” Yep…time to learn it, embrace it, love it.
I always try to pick a relative photo from Flickr that corresponds with whatever I am writing about. I picked that beautiful rainbow over the Renaissance Center in Detroit because I was thinking about another saying by Dolly Parton,
“The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain.”
Ain’t that the truth? And I’m getting there…it’s been pouring for a while, but it’s starting to clear up a little. I may even go out and play in the puddles for a while.
~Heidi
Choose my own Adventure
I learned something about myself this past week:
When confronted with a difficult, sudden, life-altering situation, I will, and probably will always, take the road that puts me back in charge of my own destiny.
Sometimes like throws us curveballs that we cannot dodge and we just need to go with the flow…ride them out until everything is good again.
But sometimes, sometimes we have a choice.
And as much as I HATE (with an ever burning passion) HATE change. I will still make that choice.
It may seem rushed, and maybe it is. But I am not letting decisions that affect my life be made for me.
My future. My choice. My way. I decide.
If the ship goes down, I will jump. If I still die then I die trying.
It’s all cryptic, I know. I am sorry for that. A lot has been going on, obviously.
But I think I will wind up writing about it because this past year has been hell.
Last year, in the month of October, I found out I had cancer and needed surgery. Surgery was in November. Radiation in January.
In July, my husband almost died. He spent a week in the hospital – 4 days in ICU – for what should have been a routine wrist surgery.
And now…well, I can’t say yet…but I will soon.
Thanks for reading.
My Idea of a Romance Novel
Yeah, so I jumped on the “Fifty Shades” bandwagon. So what?
Sometimes a girl enjoys a little steamy romance novel with a little pain to it.
I actually listened to the books and sometimes it was awkward and yeah, I did totally blush sitting at my desk at work. (What is it with the men in these types of novels liking a woman’s blush? I don’t get that…being a white girl it happens. A.lot.)
I went a little bit beyond Fifty Shades and have actually read and listened to about 7 or so other similar books. Very similar. I’m pretty much done now, thankyouverymuch.
And I’m convinced that the type of people in these books don’t really exist in the real world. Yeah, yeah, it’s a book…fiction..fantasy. I get it. I am not knocking it, I am just tired of it. Do those people really exist? In real, live, life?
So I’m writing my own juicy novel about real people. Not real people I know just “real” people. Not perfect people with perfect hair and perfect lives and perfect relationships. Real people. The messy, the sloppy, the real.
The hero of the book will be some regular old Joe Shmoe from anywhereville. In fact his name may really be just Joe. Nothing fancy, no Christian or Gideon…plain old Joe. Not even Joseph. Joe.
Joe is going to have a beer belly, he will be totally 100% average in every other way. Average height, not muscular or cut just average. He doesn’t need to have man boobs or anything he just needs to be an average Joe. (heh, get it?) He could be hairy and maybe he works as a tradesman…an electrician or a welder…a plumber even. LOL (my dad is a plumber) Yeah, I’ll give him plumber crack. Joe the plumber. That’s it.
I picture him and his lady meeting in a bar or a coney island place with their eyes meeting when she walks in the room.
“He looked up from his chili cheese fries and their eyes met. He took a swig of his domestic bottled beer and gave her a slight nod and a wicked smile.”
The girl is going to be completely average as well. Normal sized breasts (maybe even one slightly larger than the other. She can feel self conscious about it). Average height, slightly overweight, some rolls, some soft spots. Mousy brown hair and eyes that aren’t brilliant blue or chocolate brown. Maybe hazel eyes. What color is hazel anyways?
Ok a name…girl needs a name…Jane! LOL hah. How about Sara. So, Joe and Sara.
“She noticed him right away. It was almost like the people in the room had parted just so her eyes could lock on him. He was average, nothing special really, but for some reason she was drawn to him and she couldn’t explain why.”
They are going to meet and start dating. Maybe it won’t be hot and steamy right away but it will be real. And their first time will be awkward like sex can be and there will be funny noises and maybe rolls will get in the way and they will need to decide what needs to be moved where to get things to work correctly. You know…it’s not all “he made love to me the first time so sweetly and I melted into his arms and never wanted to leave again.” Uh, yeah…it’s not always like that.
I’m not hating on the romance novels. I just am tired of them I guess. I want something real…characters I can relate to. Give me a larger couple attempting to have sex for the first time. Or a chubby chaser and his woman. Give me that story!
Where are THOSE romance novels?
“His t-shirt was stretched taught over his small beer belly. She wondered why he didn’t just buy a bigger shirt. For some reason it didn’t repulse her. She actually thought that is suited him. On another guy it would have been wrong, but on him? Perfect. She gave him a shy smile back.”
Would anyone else read this too? It would definitely be a humorous book with some real life steamy romance built in. I would think people could relate to it. How many of us are married to or dating the Christian Grey or Gideon Cross types? Shit, not me!
But how many if us are married to or dating real men with flaws or who are completely average and we love them just as they are? <raises hand> me!
“He saw her immediately when she walked in the room. She had on a pair of well worn jeans, tennis shoes, and a hoodie. Her hair was mousy, a shade between blonde and brown and was cut long with a slight wave to it. When she turned he could see that her breasts were average sized, a C cup he’d guess and she wasn’t thin. Her un-tucked t-shirt hid a paunch that she probably hated but he wanted to sink his face into. She met his eyes and when she did a slight double take he gave her a nod and a grin while he contemplated getting up to go talk to her.”
LOL oh this is SO happening.
Welcome!!!
Thank you for visiting my blog. My name is Heidi and the handsome boy I am holding is my nephew (who is a triplet!). I write about the things I love in my life and may use my blog as a venting ground from time to time. Thanks for reading, and if you want to know more about me, please click the About Me link above!
Awareness Matters!!
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Percentage of proceeds donated to Canine Epilepsy research
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