Smile for the Joy of Others

Smile for the Joy of Others

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Au Natural

Several weeks ago I was wondering and searched natural/organic shampoos.  Why, you ask? I was just curious and always looking for something better.  My hair is naturally frizzy with more of a fuzz type texture when it air dries. I've researched the Brazilian Blow Out but deferred when I found out that formaldehyde is used. 

When researching natural shampoo, I read that some of the man made chemicals can actually weigh your hair down and cause build up.  I don't know how much of that is true but I like the idea of natural ingredients. I even thought about buying the ingredients to make my own shampoo but refrained for fear of running a chemistry lab in my parents house.  Instead I bought some natural/organic shampoo at a local whole foods store.  It's pricey but not a single man made ingredient.  But we all know there is a cost to beauty.

I used the shampoo and conditioner for the first time this morning.  My hair was much softer and felt cleaner.  I didn't put any straightening products in my hair but did have to use my straightener.  I'm not gonna say that I love this shampoo just yet. I'm gonna give it more time to see how my hair reacts.

It doesn't lather like commercial shampoos b/c it doesn't contain those lathering ingredients.  It's not thick like commercial shampoo instead very 'runny'.

I also bought some conditioner which is nothing like its commercial counterpart.  It's actually much thicker; more like a paste.

None of this change may not make a difference.  But if it only makes me think I'm better for it...well, that may be worth enough....give the placebo effect the credit it deserves. 

The shampoo and conditioner I am trying can be found here:
  http://www.aubrey-organics.com/ 

Until next time; this is the way we wash our hair, wash our hair, wash our hair...this is the way we wash our hair early in the morning!

Monday, September 12, 2011

Long Time, No See

As with most of blogging lately, no time...no see.  I really wish I did a better job keeping up with this blog.  Life gets so busy that I just don't feel like sitting down to record my thoughts and events of the day.  But I will try to update what is going on with us with no guarantees that there will be any immediate follow-ups.

After a 2 year stint in the MS Delta, we have transferred back to the Jackson, MS metro area.  It was a bitter sweet move as I had grown to love my life in the Delta...not necessarily loving the Delta but rather my life there.  We made some wonderful friends and the boys, too, made some special friends.  JB is still with Trustmark and has even received a title promotion with this transfer.

We still have some ties to the Delta as we are trying to sell our home.  God has blessed us with some awesome, temporary renters but we still need to get it sold so we can fully move on with our lives.  So if you are interested in or know someone who would like to live in the Delta (Greenville) give us a shout out, we'll be glad to sell you a home ;)

Meanwhile we are camping out with my parents.  Needless to say, we have stuff stored all over MS...the Delta, storage and my parents. If I recover all my stuff when we finally perch in a home..it will be a miracle to recover everything. 

We are looking at houses but with reservations.  Interests rates are at all time low which makes it even more tempting to buy a house before selling our current home.  Not to mention, crammed in here with my parents gives even more motivation.  I love my parents and I am more than grateful for their willingness to help us out at this time but 2 families living under 1 roof can be a bit stressful at times, although, it has been going much more smoothly than I anticipated.  Either my parents are just holding it in or I'm a better house guest than I thought I would be. 

We stayed in an apartment before moving in with my parents.  That stay was 3 months.  While grateful for Trustmark for the temporary housing, it did provide a pool for the boys to enjoy for the summer.

Due to the recent relocation and living situations, I have not been able to monogram/applique.  There just hasn't been any room for it.  My business literally takes up a whole room of which hasn't been available.  So I am temporarily closed until further living situations allow for it.  I have to admit that I have enjoyed the time off.  Running your own business can take over your life and become more work than enjoyment.  When I return to it, it will definitely be different than it was before.  I may not return to appliqueing rather just monogramming with limited inventory. 

Meantime, I am working part time at a local preschool.  Again admitting, I have enjoyed being back in the working world, such as it is.  Getting up and getting out has been good for me.  I've enjoyed the adult conversations and making new friends.  I'm through each day before the boys are out of school so it allows me to pick them up from school and still remain a 'stay home mom'.  The preschool holidays coincide with the boys' school so I will not be working when they are out of school.  Another blessing God provided.

The boys are repeating K5 this year at the local public school.  I was so anxious about them starting in a new, bigger school where they would most likely be put in separate classes.  They have been together since 3 yr old preschool and the 2 schools they attended while in the Delta were small and close knit.  My worries were soon eased when I learned that MS law states that schools have to place twins in the same room if requested by the parents.  The boys have done well and seem to enjoy their new school and classmates. 

While we missed our home church when living in the Delta, we have decided to visit another local church.  JB was encouraged to visit by 2 colleagues from work of whom we also share a Mississippi College alumni with.  To our pleasant surprise, we have enjoyed our visit to this church.  This past Sunday we visited a Sunday School and found it to be as pleasant as the worship service.  We continue to pray for God's guidance to lead us to church home that we can worship and serve him to the capacity he has given us.  The smaller school was apart of the life I enjoyed while in the Delta.

I had my final Dr. visit regarding my post op MRSA from this past winter.  My Dr. had considered doing a surgery to revise some scarring that was formed from but he and I both agreed to forgo this surgery.  2 months ago, I contracted MRSA again except this time it was on my chin/neck.  Via IV therapy and weeks of oral meds, it finally went away.  With the account of the 2nd MRSA ordeal, my Dr. and I both feel it's too risky to perform a procedure that it not necessary.  I obviously have issues with MRSA and seem to contract it easily.  The last thing I want during this time of transition is to deal with it again. 

This about wraps it up for me.  One thing that never changes, is that change is in evadable.  I've learned to accept it the best I can...the less I try to fight it, the better I can handle it.  Within the past 3 years our family has experienced much change but I can only pray that it's God working us into the servants he wants us to be.