Last Sunday of Summer 2013

I didn't wear white often this summer, San Antonio TX 2013, I don't know why I didn't, I guess part of me finds living in the city center a bit grimy with the 3 major highways and airport all within a few miles of my front door. Plus, with the heat, I opted for a knee length skirt to keep cool. I purchased these white jeans a few years ago, after my first summer of loosing weight. I admit I don't really like them, but they are the only pair I have found so far to fit my curvy high waist and fit my price point. What would make them perfect is if they were full length. I hate carpi pants on me and this is the only pair I own.  Future: I hope to purchase a higher quality and full length white jean from the Loft or such store in 2015. The picture below is of me on my way to Bible school and then to service.
blouse white and blue stripe from old navy
white jeans, purchased years ago, nothing special.
shoes: nude wedges from target. with a back zipper, my favorite part of a sandal

Inspiration embrace your aging face, feature Gwyneth Paltrow

I enjoy seeing women my age in the media. I am so pleased to see Gwyneth Paltrow pictures that are not photo shopped to disguise her aging skin. In the following pictures, pointed detail of her wrinkle forehead, crows feet and smile lines or (marionette lines).

Wardrobe Wednesday, traveling

Windy vacation by the sea, Sunday Church

Chorpus Christi TX. Ocean Drive at the historical land mark,  First Baptist established early 1800

Dress Target with orange sea horses summer 2013

Cardigan old navy winter 2012

Gold sandals with cork wedge (gold sandals are one of the perfect accessories) 

Mr. Fancy is wearing his usual uniform

Blue Oxford or poplin starched button up

White under shirt 

Flat front black pants

Black leather belt

Black leather lace shoes

San neck tie, coastal living in 100+ temperature 

Back ground is the bay of the Gulf Coast with newly constructed North Shore sea wall in Corpus Christi TX 

Making new friends, advice for Matthew and Ashley

The challenges with moving to a new town, is making new friends. I have extended my friendship to several people and not all of them, took. 

Making new friends is sort of like dating, you don't know the person on just first impressions. I waited 3 months before I extended my time to strangers and spent some moments in time with people, just to see how we clicked together. 

Everyone has something they are interested in, or like to chat about. I do my best to avoid gossip.

My tips on making new friends:

Tip 1. Talk about current events, but instead of re-counting the event. Say how the event impacted you. Points to remember, keep your opinions simple, as much as we don’t like to think about it, our every word is being judged by the person you are talking to.

Example: This week was Shark week, and it is also the first time, I actually watched and made an event out of shark week. (How did it impact me?) I learned new facts about sharks, and that I am super scared of sharks, yes, even after all the documentaries from shark week. Talking about what I learned gives me an opening conversation starter.

Tip 2. Be open to potential friend material. Here are the (soft) rules I implemented. I asked myself, are they law abiding, do they smoke, and lastly, do they have a clean and pleasant appearance, Will I be embarrassed to be seen with them in public? (Have they bathed in the last 24 hrs, did they comb their hair and brush their teeth, regardless of how old or style of their clothes, are their clothes clean and tidy) Non-smoking is a must for me.

Tip 3. Always remember to use your manners, you know the basic never fail social rules you learned in grade school.

Tip 4. If the person you originally asked out on a “get to know me friends outing” doesn't work out, it still might result in a friendship, from the other people they know, a co-worker, relative, and or neighbor.

Last rule, I usually will not invite a stranger into my home until I have known them for about 2 years. (By choice: I live simply, and in a small space, to enter my home is truly seeing into my medicine cabinet and private space.)

The two quote pictures are from me chatting with the husband about the people who didn't turn out to be friends-material and I quoted him. 

Me at home wishing it was Friday

Wardrobe Wednesday hot summer day 2013

For Shelley on her special day

Wednesday wardrobe summer

1. Dress (target) early summer 2013

2 dress with jacket (coldwater creek) lace fall 2012

3 knotted jacket to give a waste to the dress

4 tory burch leather black flats winter 2012

Dear Matthew & Ashley this is what I wore to church this past Sunday, weather high 98F

What is the best months for moving into a nursing home?

When is the best time to electively retire to a nursing home? Answer: the summer months.  If it is time for you to go to a nursing home, the summer months are the best. Why: pleasant weather for moving, the younger family members are out of school for helping and visiting, and here is one of the most important parts. By admitting into a nursing home in the summer months, it gives the resident time to adjust, make friends with staff and other residents, all before the busy holidays start in the fall and winter months. Also it is easier to sell a property before school starts.

For the Love of Nars

Nars website

I have noticed that as I mature in my makeup junkie habits that I have been really snubbing drug store makeup. For me, it just doesn't stay on my face all day. So far the only drug store makeup I continue to purchase is mascara, but everything else, foundation, eyes shadows, eye liners, face powders, I have been gravitating to mid to high end. 

scarf with cardi

Of all places I saw this in a television commercial. It caught my eye because I liked the way they had the actress wearing a silk scarf over a cardi. I am going to copy this look this fall, it stays warm in TX almost year around so a cardi is the same as a heavy coat in winter. To me it looks polished but casual at the same time which is what I am usually striving to achieve. 

cardi= cardigan/or jacket

My mind set this month

The Four Seasons of Texas

Love of makeup - mascara

its that time of year again when I open a new tube of waterproof mascara, I like the yellow colossal cat eye, mainly because while it is wet it smells of roses, strange but kinda cool

I have long curly lashes, I never have to use a lash curler and my outer lashes are swoop up like a smile

living in Texas it is HOT, and if I am not avoiding sweating from humid air, then I am splashing around in water; either way, I am always in danger of "regular" mascara running on me. 

A personal journey of losing a 100lbs. Chapter Three, leaving the comfort zone, page one

Chapter Three: leave the comfort zone

Choosing to make healthy life style changes is going to be uncomfortable at first. It all depends on how bad you want to enjoy a healthy body. Think of making healthy life style choices as a fresh start.

 

everyone needs a fresh start, sometimes

 It might involve changing jobs, friends, and some family members. It all depends on how important it is to you to be healthy and to focus on only the actions that will lead you to a healthy body. This involves learning new food options, and portions and how to handle celebrations. This entails education on how to handle every aspect of your life when it comes to oral consumption. At first this will not be easy and it will feel uncomfortable.

starting a new way of eating can feel up hill and difficult

What is to be gained by never leaving a comfort zone?

Choosing to serve the elderly first in daily activities and later as a nursing home nurse and finally as a hospice nurse, I have seen the early results of lazy, cowardly, and low self esteem choices, and what they have done to people’s bodies. So many nursing homes are full of chronically ill people who are on Medicaid and are in their mid fifties. Scores of these illnesses were avoidable if they had simply chosen to perform healthy life styles; they dive into the comfort zone of the victim role. In the end they still lost their jobs, homes, and for the most part their self respect, plus living with the burden on being overweight and chronically ill.

lazy fat couch potato

A true story

 58 year old man who bathed in the role of being the victim. He has lost the ability to walk, he is being counseled on losing his left leg to gout and he is on numerous medications, for kidney, heart, blood pressure, gout, and diabetes. He was told to stop eating processed, salty, starchy, fatty foods. When I ran into him at the supermarket he was on the frozen food isle browsing the frozen dinners. He had borrowed the stores electric scooter and the front basket was full of food. One box of saltine white crackers, a loaf of white sliced bread, several cans of pork sausage, a couple packages of the cheapest hot dogs were all easily seen at first glance. After I asked him to look at the ingredients of his food choices; he looked up into my eyes with a sad puppy dog face and said “well, what am I going to eat, if I can’t eat this stuff?” To him not being able to eat food he considered normal was in human.  My thoughts on this poor attitude are “stop eating like a kid.” All of the food he had in his basket was elementary cafeteria food. As adults, we have to leave the comfort zone of our childhood eats and start eating like an adult. Most adults pass on dessert. Most adults avoid candy. Most adults limit portions. As a grownup we are no longer growing we are maintaining and rebuilding which takes minimal daily calories. An adult body has one choice when consuming the same foods and calories as a growing child and that is to grow outward which is fat. He was not willing to leave this comfort zone; and as a result, his body will continue to slowly deteriorate. His victim attitude cheated him out of the remaining years of his life.

 Chapter Three: leave the comfort zone, end of page 1

Summer break movie Saturday 7-13-13

I laughed out loud at least 3 times, one monster with multiple limbs was gulping huge mugs of coffee from each limb was a favorite scene as well as the Mom 's choice of car music. 

Coffee Break at North Star Mall, San Antonio TX

who knew they had "to go cups" awesome

Whats for supper? Turkey

This happened Today in San Antonio