What I'm Loving

I've always been a product junkie,
but recently I've turned into QUITE the make-up addict.

I've started trying new brands,

and have discovered a few things that I just love and can't seem to put down.

I'm about to share with ya'll some things that have

CHANGED MY LIFE.

Or....just made it a little more fun. ;)

#1 - Smashbox foundation primer.

I LOVE this stuff.

It was a little pricey ($32) but well worth it.

I even got my little sister hooked!

However, next time I think I may try something different.

Perhaps....a little cheaper.

We shall see.

#2 - Benefit boi-ing/eye bright duo. I found this at Ulta for $12, and it's aaaaaaamazing!

*cue angels singing*

Before, I had some brightener and eye primer made by NYC,that came in a eyeshadow palette thing from them. FYI -- it works great.But this? Beats it out of the park. (Also? The shimmering stuff by ELF for $1works just as good as the stuff by NYC. Actually...I still use the ELF stuff every once in a while.)

#3 - Elf lipstick in Natural Nymph. This is SO great. It's a creamy nude color. I like to put light pink gloss over it, or even use it as a base for other lipstick. It was $5 or $6, and honestly?
I'm really happy & surprised with Elf lipsticks. I just ordered another one this week. I hope it's just as good!

#4 - the Colossal Volume Express mascara

by Maybelline

This stuff is so great. I like it even better than

the Falsies mascara I used for FOREVER.

It does hold a close second to that mascara

that comes in the pink & green tube....LOVE that stuff!

#5 - Neutrogena make-up remover towels

Love this stuff. I have skin that irritates easily

and these work great.

One towel will take off all my make-up.

One thing that I AM looking for, is a good night cream.

Ya know....gotta start preventing those wrinkles sometime.

Anyone have any good recommendations

that are in a decent price range?

Right now I'm using some Oil of Olay stuff

er....actually it's the Wal-Mart version of it.

And something I'm coveting....these jumbo hot rollers! I want these sooo bad...but I'm not giving in.

However, should my husband and/or mama see this...

it WOULD make a pretty awesome birthday gift next month!

Just sayin'....

What I'm Playing Thursdsay

Earlier this week, I discovered this lovely blog.

I don't even know how I found it. Those are the best kind!

Anyway, she, along with a friend, host

"What I'm Playing Thursday"

which I think is awesome.

So I'm joining in this week -- 'cause I love music!

#1 - I literally can NOT stop listening to this song!

I looooove Jason Aldean, and Kelly sounds good with him.

#2 - "Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not?" by Thompson Square

#3 - "Colder Weather" by Zac Brown Band

This is pretty much the song I listen to if I'm feeling down.

#4 - "Who Are You When I'm Not Looking?" by Blake Shelton

Blake Shelton is my man. Move on over, Miranda!

My little sister loves him, too. Cute story: When she was

about 9, she went to his concert on her birthday.

The guards saw her with her little

"I LOVE YOU, BLAKE! IT'S MY BIRTHDAY!" sign

and they let her up to the bottom of the stage.

He saw her and said,

"Happy Birthday baby girl!"

Well, she pretty much floated back up the stairs.

She STILL talks about that, and she's almost 20 now!

#5 - "A Little Bit Stronger" by Sara Evans

#6 - "Felt Good on My Lips" by Tim McGraw

This makes me want summer even more!

Sooo....this is what I'm listening to these days!

What are YOU listening to?

I'm always up for good stuff!

Technical difficulties

I fixed all the pictures in the previous posts that weren't showing up.

Sorry about that!

Local Restaurant Recommendation

On Valentine's night, my cousin & I went out to eat.

Mike & I had celebrated over the weekend,

and I was visiting my other cousin in the hospital.

Anyway.

This restaurant is AMAZING. Seriously -- if you live ANYWHERE

near Opelika, AL.....you must try this restaurant.

It's called Cock of the Walk

and it is some good southern cookin', for sure!

image found via Google

I love the atmosphere. When you first drive up,

you'll probably think you're headed to somebody's house.

They have a fish pond on the property,

which I'm 99% sure they raise their own catfish from.

The staff were really nice...it looked as if the owners were management

(again, I'm assuming)

and they talked to us as if they'd known us our whole lives!

I love that about the South.

image found via Google

I'm a sucker for appearances...

they brought our sweet tea out in little (ice-cold) tin cups.

We ate on tin plates.

It was AWESOME, have I said that yet?

The cole slaw was to die for

& I don't even LIKE cole slaw!!

It was unlike any I've ever tasted before.

It had this sauce that was a little spicy, NOT sweet

but not very bitter, either.

They bring it out to your table along with

cornbread and pickled onions

(which, I thought was going to be nasty...but NO!)

I got the catfish, crab claws, and mustard greens

and we got fried pickles as a starter.

Big portions....aaaaaaamazing food!

So if you're in the east-central Alabama area...

please go to this restaurant.

It will not disappoint.

(FYI -- this restaurant has not paid me to promote them

and they probably don't even remember me

and definitely do not even know I have a blog.

I really do just love them THAT much!)

Answered prayers

Nine months ago,

our little June Claire came 13 weeks early.

When she was a week old,

they told us she had something called an IVH

or Intra-Ventricular Hemorrhage.

A brain bleed. Grade III.

I will never forget those few moments.

Dr. Lugo came in, talked to us for a few seconds,

then shut the door to her room.

Her nurse, Carrie (our favorite) blinked back tears.

I remember feeling so shocked.

I knew he was about to tell us something bad.

My brain started going crazy with all the possibilities

of what he was possibly about to tell us.

In my head, I started praying and repeating Scripture.

I'm glad no one could hear it,

because I'm not sure I finished one thought before I began the next.

As he explained her situation and everything that entailed,

the tears started to come.

I never felt angry.

I felt so very sad for my precious baby,

because having such brain trauma and damage

can leave breathtakingly painful scars

on such a beautiful life.

About five minutes in,

I decided I wasn't going to feel sorry for her...

OR for us.

God had made her perfectly in His sight

and whatever He planned was mighty fine with me.

For the past 9 months

we have went to hundreds of therapy appointments,

had countless brain scans,

tried oh-so-hard not to bounce her too hard,

and I have prayed almost every single time

I've gotten in a car that we would NOT have a car accident.

I would have nightmares about getting slightly rear-ended

and how that would effect her little brain.

Well, friends.

My God is a God that answers prayer.

On Friday, February 4th, at a routine doctors appointment

the doctor told us she was concerned.

June's head had grown a great deal

and she was worried that her IVH was becoming active again.

We started to pray.

My mind went crazy again, as is natural.

But still, we prayed.

And so did a LOT of other people we know.

And even some we DON'T know.

On Monday, February 7th, we had another brain scan.

On Tuesday, February 8th, June's doctor called.

June's bleed has resolved itself

and there is NO need for future follow-up!

Honestly, my entire family has been on cloud 9 for the past week!

There is no news like good news, and that was the BEST news

I could have asked for!

Thank you ALL so much for your thoughts and prayers

for us on this journey.

They've surrounded us and kept us steady

when we would have been weak and unsure.

May God bless you all!

Summer vacay, baby!

Last night, my family booked accomodations here:

I am SOOOOO THRILLED to be headed south again to Destin, Florida!

Destin is one of my FAVORITE vacation spots, EVER.

(I'm pretty sure Charleston will beat it by a landslide...

...if we can ever make it there!)

My WHOLE family on my dads side is going.

Our last (and our first, actually...) family vaca was

in May of 2008, right after my middle sisters

high school graduation.

Ummm....nearly two years is a LONG time!

Not to mention my brother-in-law was deployed

& couldn't even join in the fun.

13 people will be staying in 2 different condos.

Thirteen!

There's a large possibility we may have lost our minds.

Things we love to do in Destin include

-- deep sea fishing

(the guys have planned to go every day!)

-- eating at The Back Porch

image found via Google

-- shopping at the outlets

(hello outlet Coach store....I have missed you WAY too much!)

-- eating super yummy ice cream at Shake's

-- doing all the touristy things like miniature golf, go-kart racing, bumper cars

-- last, but DEFINITELY not least we ALL enjoy

being out in the hot sunshine, playing in the beach!

and laying in said sunshine to get as dark as possible!

I am way excited and I don't know how we

will ever possibly wait until AUGUST.

So....if you've ever been to Destin, where is your favorite spot?

Where is your favorite spot to vacation, period?

Birthdays, fishing, & fried chicken

I'm still here, still alive.

Still taking a lot of time off of the Internet

to spend with my family.

Shamefully, not taking a whole lot of pictures.

The weekend before last, my mom & nephew

came up for a few days.

It's always such a joy to have an older kid in our house

...even if sometimes I really REALLY

wanted to play the "quiet mouse, still mouse" game.

Last weekend we went down to my hometown

and enjoyed a few days there.

It was Bubba's birthday, so we made a family favorite -- dinner in the skillet.

It's my grandma's recipe,

and I suspect it comes from the Depression era

because it only contains ground beef, pasta, tomato sauce,

bell pepper, onion, and cheese.

Ground beef, bell pepper, tomato sauce & onion

they would have grown themselves,

pasta was cheap (and probably made herself),

and cheese was fairly inexpensive.

Every time we eat it, I think of Grandma.

I can SMELL it & think of her.

Bubba blew out 39 candles on a homemade birthday cake

with the BEST frosting I've ever put in my mouth.

(And I've put a LOT of frosting in my mouth over the years!)

The boys enjoyed an afternoon of fishing....

the last few times they've went fishing,

they've thrown it all back & came home empty handed!

This time, I made SURE they knew they better

NOT throw the fish back.

I'm ready for a fish fry!

Thankfully for them, they came back with about 10 fish.

That's a good start to the 50+ it will take to feed our extended family. ;)

We also had supper over with my sisters & dad.

Sara always loves a chance to play with her cousins,

and ya'll know I can't turn down an invitation to fried chicken!

And nope, not ONE single picture of either weekend!

Right now, miss Sara is sick AGAIN.

I am SO ready for sunshine & hot weather!

Bring on the shorts, t-shirts, & beach/pool/lake/pond/creek!