Ava! Alan! Kathleen!

i can only say that my heart is so full and warm and fuzzy after seeing Alan and his family.  Kathleen is exactly how i expected and i knew that i would love her.  Alan is a sweet man, if you believe that men are "sweet".  He has the cutest grin and his eyes are warm like his dad's.  i did real good and didn't cry... okay, i teared up once or twice but i was a big girl.  And there's the new babygirl in my life, AVA!!!

Alan reminds of Don.  They look alike obviously but there's a warm kindness in his eyes that is just like Don's.

She gave me kisses, and we danced in our chairs together and waved "hi" to each other within the first 30 minutes.  I think she likes me!!!

She sat on my lap immediately.  well it was after she bumped her noggin on the table (i hope she doesn't get too much of a goose-egg).  we talked and smiled and giggled so much that I forgot to eat my dinner but it was soooo worth it.

and here are my handsome boys waiting for Ava's arrival.  Pookie didn't like that he could see me but those darn iron bars were keeping him away.

We had a wonderful time!  I wish it could have been longer but I am so happy that I got to see them before we left the state.  I love them very much.

And here's my Pookie in his new car seat and ready for our long haul in the big truck.   He sat in the back seat all the way to Anaheim and never made a sound, but on the way home, I couldn't resist letting him sleep on my lap.  he's so warm and cuddly when he's sleeping.

ALERT ALERT

Hair Color is not a good thing

what the hell am i going to do now?

go grey?  I don't freakin' think so

going to check the label on my hair dye RIGHT NOW!!!

Studies show that at least 75% of American women color (lighten or darken) their hair. Way more than the 7% that colored their hair in the 1950's. And it's not just women, last year men's at-home hair color sales reached over 113.5 million dollars! But what isn't being shown on any commercials for hair color is the fact that one of the main ingredients in 2/3 of hair color is hospitalizing and even killing people. The FDA does not approve it to touch your scalp...but it does and not many people know about it. AND YOU CAN HAVE A REACTION ON YOUR 1ST  HAIR COLOR APPLICATION OR YOUR 37TH!

And no the patch test will not guarantee anything- they said you can have a reaction to the PPD even after you've used the same product safely for years.

WHAT TO  LOOK OUT FOR:

The bad ingredient responsible for many people who are suffering near death experiences from hair dye is: Phenylenediamine (PPD) its present in over 2/3 of chemical hair dyes, and is known to be toxic to the immune system, skin, nervous system, respiratory system, liver and kidneys. It is the most toxic chemical in hair dyes. It is a substance used in rubber chemicals, photodeveloper, oil, gasoline, ink, textile dyes, dark cosmetics and hair dye. The European Union classifies it as a toxin and irritant that is dangerous in the environment. In Canada, its use in cosmetics is restricted and it was banned in France, Germany and Sweden. 

PPD is a neurotoxin and is even used in anti-freeze.

PPD might also be called any of these names:

Paraphenylenediamine	Para-aminoaniline (p-aminoaniline)
PPD	PPDA
1,4-Benzenediamine	Orsin™
1,4-Penylenediamine	Ursol™ D
Rodol™ D	Paradiaminobenzene

****this is not just for store bought boxed color, this is in certain salon brand hair color as well! And it causes Cancer: Laboratory experiments have shown that PPD damages the DNA of human cells. Accumulated DNA damage leads to cancer.

Monday Monday

Well 2 weeks from today we will be on our roadtrip. Hard to believe it's really happening. I guess I'm ready. Just lots of little details to wrap up. Nervous, scared, and excited all rolled into one jumbled stomach ache.

Biggest project left are ally plants and patio stuff. Waiting for the last days to do that.

I am SO happy Amy came down this past weekend. Such a heavy heart when I hugged her goodbye.

New adventures are good right? I think I'm getting too old for this.

BFF

then we had dinner at Tora's, formerly known as Onami's

very very full tummies

cleaning the bottom of your feet in six easy STEPS

1. Put shaving cream on your feet.
2. In a bucket or sink, combine equal parts warm water and Listerine.
3. Soak a small hand towel in the solution of water and Listerine.
4. While the shaving cream is still on your feet wrap the wet hand towel around your feet and let it sit for 30 minutes.
5. After 30 minutes, use the towel to rub your feet. Some of the calloused and discolored skin will rub off.
6. Apply a healthy amount of lotion to your feet.

After your foot bath, is it a good idea to spend at least 5 minutes drying your feet. You want to make sure you do not put your socks and shoes on with your feet

found here

and my next project will be....

here's a link to a video with Martha Stewart. the creator is an editorial assistant for Martha and this is her "side" job

and here is the link to her website with sooooo many different kinds of flowers, and brooches and hair pieces

LARGE crepe paper roses, and i mean large

pending projects

these are some projects i'm finishing up while i'm packing and stuff

the purple and red binders are for my new tenant

one for me and one for her

these are little pots for "anything"

i'm thinking in the bathroom

pink and metallic brown

and i couldn't resist buying this high heel tape dispenser

it's too damn cute and it was 40% off

and this is going to be a jewelry holder when i'm finished

but here's what i have to do next

it will stand on a candlestick holder

and have some sort of knob on top and yes, those are boobs.  i stole a page from Jamie's Playboy!!!!

photo to follow......

hi there

well it must be real

we rented a huge freakin' truck yesterday

Jeff's got his "to-do-before-SHE-arrives-in Wilmington" list going and actually working on some of it!  wahoo Jeffy!

Our tenant, Judy will be here monday to sign the lease and hand over a deposit check.  Then closer to when we actually leave, she'll give me first months' rent and i'll give her the keys and the cute little binder i've put together with all the "must know" stuff.

i am going to be the best landlord EVER.

stuff

i send Mom flowers every morning to her phone

and this is Don's grand daughter and her morning bed head.

isn't she the cutest??

Pookie Update

His days are, well, how should i put it..... lazy

napping with his favorite pig

watching Jme paint

another nap with his pig

more watching of the painting

this is what a dog's life is like

i am definitely doing this

and here's where you can buy it or steal it's design

gardeningwithkids

i need more scarves...........

video showing 25 ways to wear a scarf

check out this scarf tutorial. you won't believe how easy it is to wear a scarf

shemar shemar shemar

ran across these pics of "my boy" and had to share

seriously, he must be a real creep cuz he's got EVERYTHING else going on for him

and i'm always so jealous with his relationship with Kristin on Criminal Minds.

damn, every time he calls her BabyGirl, my knees give out and i get this shitty kind of grin on my face

seriously

i got this thing for arms and shoulders

and grins

and

i think i'm hormonal today 

this made me smile, so i'm sharing

birthday

if i was a young princess, i would want one of my birthday's to be filled like this:

Don

tomorrow will be six months since Don left my world.  

am i really going to feel this way every time i lose someone?

i'm going to be wiped out if i live to be real old

i want to go one day before everyone i love

so i won't have to miss them

Well

as i sit and mull over what lies ahead of me, i'm feeling a little sad

i don't want to leave

it's not that i don't want to leave the area...

it's that i don't want to leave because of the people i get to see here....... 

i'm hoping that some of you will find a cheap round trip ticket and come & sleep on my couch.

the accommodations won't be the greatest but you'll so much fun

we'll lay like lizards in the sun on the beach,  eat wonderful food every night, and dance to old school songs done by some great cover bands

now, really?  doesn't that sound like fun, even if you have to sleep on a couch?

Wilmington! Here We Come!

we have a renter!!!!!

she's a college student and going to an oriental medicine school here in san diego

originally from Boston, then Davis, CA and currently in the mountains of Palm Springs

credit and background check are good to go and i'll call her last place of residence in the morning

i feel really good about her and liked her from the beginning

she's low key and has a steady boyfriend and not a partyer

she's coming back into town next week to sign the lease and can move in the first of November

sooooo

it looks like we'll be moving by the end of the MONTH!

OMG

so many things I need to do

make lists

and

make more lists

change of address list

list of what needs to stay with us for the road

pookie's need list

list

list

list

i know there has to be more list i need to do

i did order an road atlas today; that's a start

Wrightsville Beach

anyone going to come and visit me?

Pookie Update

well he's nine months old now and he poos and pees OUTSIDE.  he was having trouble a couple weeks ago and peeing ALL OVER THE PLACE and not on his pee pad.  we think it was because of all the commotion going on in the house, i.e. repairs, furniture moving and packing.  but now we take him out and he PEES and in the morning, with Jamie, he POOS.  OMG

RENT ME

Living room

bathroom vanity

shower

kitchen

bedroom

closet

dining room

front entry and bathroom peeking out