Perfect bronzer for the fair skinned

I am very fair skinned. My family calls me snow white and I am constantly telling people I'm pale enough to be a vampire. That being said most foundations and bronzers just don't work on such a pale person. I have found a few foundations that go pale enough to match my skin tone but I would always go to do an all over bronze look or even to contour and no matter how much blending I did it was far to obvious that it was there. Until one day when browsing the makeup department I came across wet n wild color icon bronzer with spf 15. In shade c743a reserve your cabana. At first I thought it was a setting powder then I saw that it said bronzer. It is a couple shades darker then my skin but doesn't ever look like I rubbed dirt on my face. This bronzer is so much lighter then most. It is the perfect color for those who like me have fairer skin. I strongly recommend this product if you have fair skin. It is super finely milled and works well as either contour or as an all over wash of color. Try it let me know what you think!

Clump free homemade laundry soap!

I like many have tried making homemade laundry soap several times only to be disappointed in how difficult it is to use. It gels up and no matter how much shaking or stirring you do the next time you use it it is back to completely gelled on the top. So I set out to make one that doesn't gel. You will need:
1 cup of Borax
1 cup of Arm & Hammer Laundry Detergent
1 bar of Fels Naptha
1/2 cup of Oxy Clean
1/4 cup baking soda.
3-4 gallons of hot water

Optional ingredients to make an all in one product are:

1 bottle (66 oz) of color safe bleach (I use Purex 2)
1 bottle (64 oz) fabric softener.

You also need a 5 gallon bucket and a spoon for mixing.

All you have to do is shred or grate the bar of Fels Naptha into a pot. Cover it with water and bring it to a boil stirring frequently until all the soap has dissolved. Then remove that from the heat and set aside while you mix all the dry ingredients (Borax, Laundry Detergent, Oxy Clean, and baking soda) in the bucket.  If you want to use the optional ingredients add them to the bucket now. Then pour the dissolved Fels Naptha into the bucket. Then stir like crazy until the baking soda quits fizzing and everything is mixed well! Then add hot water to the bucket until it's just over half full. No more or the baking soda will fizz too much and make it overflow. Let sit overnight or at least 6 hours and then add more hot water to about an inch from the top of the bucket.

This makes so much laundry soap and it's so inexpensive. You'll find that it is also very concentrated. I use about a quarter of a cup per load or a half a cup if you have heavily soiled clothes. Please try this out and let me know how you like it! I use a funnel after it has all cooled to put it in old laundry soap bottles. I also plan to make some for my family because it's so inexpensive and easy to make but still a great soap! Hugs and best wishes! -Tuffy

Best Show EVER!!!

I know not everyone will agree with me on this but, I think that the best television show that has ever existed is, The Big Bang Theory, I adore all of the main characters. It has filled the void in my heart left by Friends. It makes me laugh everyday. I relate to all of the characters for different reasons. I honestly think every person in the world should see this show at least once. I have favorite episodes from every single season. It makes Geeky look good and I have always personally loved Geeks. Please if you haven't seen it watch an episode. I suggest the Adhesive Duck Deficiency Or The  Ornithophobia Diffusion. I watch at least one episode a day most of the time! It's a good funny show to watch and de-stress. :) Enjoy! Hugs -Tuffy

Coping

I am in general a very empathetic person. Because of this I have been having a rough week because someone I didn't know took her life. I know many people who cared about her. She was only 15. I cannot imagine what her family is going through. I have had two people close to me take their lives. The first was my adopted brother. The second was a friend and co-worker. I remember feeling like life had stopped. I felt like why is everyone just going on with their daily lives when clearly the world is broken. Death in general is hard. I'm not going to say that it's harder when it's suicide.(I have never had a harder time with anything in my life then when my gramps died of natural causes.) But it is a very different thing when a loved one chooses to take their life. I feel so much for people who have to deal with this horrible thing. They will all go through horrible grief that no matter what anyone does we can't ease there hurting. I wish so badly that I could take their pain away and I find myself saying all the things that everyone said to me like, " I'm so sorry" or "If you need anything call me." I know that I can't change anything or make their pain go away but I feel like I have to let them know that I care. With this type of situation there is almost always someone who says something horribly insensitive. Even with the best intentions there is always someone who comes along with no filter and says something awful. I wish so badly that I could prevent anyone from having to feel this. I would do anything to have taken the pain away from my mom and other brothers and friends from when we lost my brother. I wish he wouldn't have chosen to leave us. I wish I could have stopped him. It's been over a decade since I lost my brother and I always wonder what he would be like now. Would he have kids? A dog? Would he still be into the same things he was? How would I or my brothers be different if we still had him? It has gotten easier as the years passed. I never thought it would but it has. Good memories outweigh the bad. It still stings when I think about the funeral or the day we found out but I just try to refocus on good memories happy times or even when we teased each other like brothers and sisters so often do. I never thought at the time those would turn into fond memories but there was love under all of that teasing. I miss all the people I've lost in my life no matter how they went and I will pray both for this family who lost such a precious girl and for those who ever contemplate taking their lives. I hope with all my heart that they can find hope and live! Hug your loved ones. Pray for those who are filled with despair.

Certain Church That Shall Remain Nameless.

I live in an area with several small towns. One of our small towns recently lost a hero in Afghanistan. My amazing community rallied around the family to offer support in any way possible. Then we all heard that a church was going to come protest outside his funeral. This church is known to protest outside of fallen soldiers funerals. Don't worry. In this instance thousands of people from my community took the day off and went to form a human wall. So that the family wouldn't have to see or hear anyone disrespecting the amazing person that their son was and the wonderful gift he gave us all of protecting our freedoms. He gave his life for us and the family now knows how much our community values his sacrifice for us. This church wanted to come and tell us that God hates certain people because of who they love or what they do. What the church ended up doing was making us all realize what a great community we have. It showed us how much we love and respect each other even if we've never met. This church preaches nothing but hate. I feel bad for someone always living in fear. Now let me tell you what I believe. I believe God loves me. I believe that God knows I'm not perfect and loves me anyway. I think if my husband has managed to love me through my flaws then my creator has too. I think writing God hates anything on a sign is wrong. I think God is merciful and loving. But the biggest thing I believe is that it's not my place to judge how someone else lives. If they ask I share my beliefs and I will never deny my love for God or that I'm a Christian. My bible says:

 Matthew 7:1-5

“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye."

I will always respect that religion means different things to everyone. Your relationship with your creator is personal and your own unique love for your creator is beautiful. I know some don't share my beliefs and that is fine. I am always willing to learn what others believe. However I can't just sit by and watch someone tell someone else that they are not loved by our God because of the way they were born. I will always be willing to have respectful conversations about religion. I just can't believe the people in this church honestly believe they are doing the right thing. That being said I thank them for letting me see what a great place I live in and what wonderful people I am surrounded by. To end this blog on a positive note. Thank You to all the service men and women. I will forever be grateful for your service. God Bless. 

Oh and to spite that they announced they we're coming. We never saw them at his funeral. Some say they came but never got out of their cars. :)

Best friends.

I find this to be a much broader term then some people think. Like I have an all time, for life, always and forever best friend. Then I have my longtime best guy friend. Then I have my newer best guy friend. I have a newer best girl friend. I have my best friend that is a mommy and my best friend and soul mate, my husband. I consider both of my brothers to be some of my best friends because even if I didn't have to I would totally hang out with them if we weren't related. They're cool guys. My mom I talk to nearly everyday and tell her almost everything. She's absolutely one of my best friends. I have an aunt who is not much older then me and totally gets me. She was my maid of honor and totally a best friend. So I think it's great for people who have only one best friend but it's also great having many best friends! I can tell you that if you ask who my true B.F.F. is I'll tell you it's my SaraBear. But her daughter is like a daughter to me and she is no less a best friend then Sara. She's just my best friend who happens to be in elementary school. You never know when you meet someone how important they could end up becoming to you. I think that's one of the great things about life. You can meet someone and think your gonna be friends for years and then then can write you off and end the friendship on down the line. Or you could meet someone and initially think your personalities just don't match up. Then you could slowly grow fonder of them and they can become a lifelong friend. Be open to what and who God sends your way! You never know what joy they can bring to your life! And you can never have too many best friends! Hugs and blessings. -Tuffy

Super Cool?

I just got done watching a special on superheros. In that special they kept talking about how it was abnormal or uncool to like superhero's and comics up until about 10-15 years ago. I must say that if it was I was completely oblivious. I think that as with all things if you were obsessive about it then yeah you got a few sideways looks. But I gotta say I'm a very girly girl. I was the first girl born in my family. I was surrounded by all thinks girly. I liked Cabbage Patch Kids and Barbies. But I would drop those toys in a minute for He-man toys or X-men anything. Even now that I'm 30 I think one of the things my husband and I argue about most is Marvel vs. D.C. or more specifically Wolverine vs. Batman. Spoiler alert my answer is always Wolverine. No matter who he's against. I just don't see how people think negatively about someone for what they enjoy. If it's not hurting anyone then let them enjoy. I personally am not a fan of Justin Beiber or One Direction but I'll admit I like at least one song from each. But I love seeing how happy girls that do love them get because it reminds me of when I was young and crazy about Backstreet Boys and NSync. Why does our society accept teaching kids to judge each other based on what they find entertaining? I gotta say most people who know me still get surprised to find out that I can ramble about Wolverine or Jubilee forever. but thankfully they usually still like me. Who says that people who like comic books have to be "Geeks"? and since when is being a "geek" such a bad thing. I have always liked Geeks. :) Live and let live people. and hey try to understand what someone else likes and why they like it. Like I now understand why my hubby likes Batman. I still think Wolverine is better but I see why my husband feels so drawn to Batman too. Plus to all those people who teased me about loving NSync, I have 3 words for you, JUSTIN FREAKING TIMBERLAKE. :p

Argan Oil Addiction

I have come to realize in recent days that no matter how much I try to avoid the addictive personality gene that runs in my family, I have not. Granted my addiction is healthier then most but still. No matter how little splurge money I have, all a product must do to get me to buy it on impulse is contain argan oil! If it has that argan oil scent then I'm even more hooked. My top three products containing my own personal crack are:

-Suave Professional Moroccan Infusion Conditioner. This is my current favorite conditioner even above Aussie 3 minute miracle. It's that good. I put it on and even without letting it take time to soak in my hair feels instantly less frizzy and damaged! I will now be trying every product from this line! (
Update I have since tried every product from this line thank to a very sweet christmas gift and they are all great try the deep conditioning treatment 1-2 times a week
)

-I have also been loving DermOrganic Leave-In Argan Oil Treatment. This stuff is amazing. My best friend who is a hairstylist got me hooked on this 2 years ago and there was no looking back. My hair gets oily rather quickly so the thought of putting any kind of oil directly into my clean hair seemed horrific to me. However I just use the smallest amount of this on my dry split ends and it feels instantly repaired. This product doesn't have the argan oil scent in fact it smells like nothing but I love it so much anyway. I have tried several other leave-in argan oil treatments and they have all seemed thick and made my hair feel greasy afterwards. This stuff is very smooth and doesn't leave any film on your hair.

-I've saved the best for last. C. Booth Egyptian Argan Oil Body Butter. This cream contains not only argan oil but also shea and cocoa butters. It has the best scent! It is super moisturizing without the greasy feeling left on my hands from my beloved Nivea. The best part of this product is that I found it at Kmart for less then $6!!! I use it everyday and I'm less then halfway through it after 3 months. My skin thirsts for this product and I will be using it all winter to help combat the dry skin months!

If you have somehow never tried an argan oil product please try one. They smell amazing and argan oil can be used on your face, lips, hair, feet, hands, etc. Anything that needs moisturised argan oil can handle the job!

Warning: argan oil does come from a nut so please use care if you have tree nut allergies. I am allergic to tree nuts and can clearly handle contact with argan oil however I have heard of some people reacting. Be safe hugs and blessings

-Tuffy

Book recommendation!

Cabinet of Curiosities by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child.

One of my favorite things to do with my down time is read. I frequently have the T.V. on but don't pay any attention to it because I'm wrapped up in a blanket and my own little world. One of my favorite worlds to get lost in is the land of  Aloysius Pendergast. He is the main character in most of the Preston Child novels. He is mysterious and old fashioned but wonderful and thoughtful and sweet. He has a dark family history that is only touched on in this book. The Pendergast novels are just the right mix of unbelievably believable. There are the perfect amount of twists and turns. This is the third book with Agent Pendergast. I read this book first but recently reread all of the Pendergast novels in order. If you want to start from the beginning then check out Relic (don't bother with the movie it doesn't even have Pendergast.) But if you want to start with the one most likely to suck you in I suggest Cabinet of Curiosities or Brimstone! Please try these books. They are amazing! Hugs and blessings.
-Steph

Rohto Ice Astringent/Lubricant/Redness Reliever Eye Drops Review.

I recently tried some new eye drops. I must admit I was drawn in by unique packaging. The bottle is oval shaped and fits well in a purse pocket. Eye drops may be a boring subject for most of you, for me however they are very important. I have horrible allergies and until a recent trip to the optometrist I wasn't aware that my eyes do too. I have since tried expensive prescription eye drops and many over the counter drops for allergy relief. My eyes are constantly itchy which makes them swell and I have a bad habit of rubbing them which just starts the itchy back up again because I'm adding more irritants to my eyes. Nothing has ever provided relief to more then one issue. Drops tried until now would help with redness or itchiness or swelling but never all three. Until now. These drops are amazing! They have a cooling sensation which I thought sounded strange but it barely stung a little when first going in. Then all the itchiness was gone. I looked in the mirror a few minutes later and all of the redness was gone. I haven't seen my eyes look this white and healthy in years. I had no swelling anymore. My eyes felt like they were free of debris for the first time in years. They feel just amazing. Perfect mix of moisture and astringent! I can honestly say I don't think I will ever buy any other eye drops. These have even helped get rid of a stye I had. The best part of this all is that where my normal over the counter drops cost between fifteen and seventeen dollars. These bad boys cost me just over five dollars. .4 fl oz. I know I will use these faster because I keep reaching for them anytime my eyes start to itch at all. I use them 2-3 times a day! I never thought my eyes could feel so nice! I highly recommend these to anyone with eyes. Thanks for reading. Hugs and blessings! -Steph