Self-Care That's Not So Fun

As promised in my previous post, I am now going to talk about self-care that's not so much fun. This kind of self-care involves things we know we NEED to do in order to take care of our bodies and minds, yet often we don't WANT to do them. This kind of self-care encompasses healthy habits and coping skills. It's not as easy as some may think. For those of us with depression, falling into old, negative habits and unhealthy coping mechanisms is rather tempting, and sometimes we give in to that temptation. (This from the girl who stayed up until 1:00 this morning scrolling through Facebook and Instagram.)  So, what are these not-so-fun self-care things we should be doing? And is it possible to make them more fun, or at least bearable? Let's talk about it.

• Eat healthy foods. I'm going to admit I have not been doing this the past couple of months. I can feel it, too, in both body and mind. I've been busy, stressed, and overwhelmed. I haven't felt like menu planning or cooking. My teens have been busy. One is working long hours. The other will be looking for a job soon. They don't alternate cooking with me too often these days. I have a daughter with significant special needs who is home for the summer. I have major depressive disorder and some days it really kicks my ass. We are on a TIGHT budget. I've had so many excuses or reasons or whatever you want to call them, but I'm menu planning TODAY. I will be putting healthy food on that menu. I have done it before and stayed within the budget, and I can do it again. My fellow depression warriors, listen to me. I know it's hard. There are days I likely wouldn't get out of bed if I didn't have to take care of my daughter with special needs. Depression is like that. (And, yes, I'm on antidepressants and have a therapist, too.) But we have to take care of our bodies. We make things much worse on ourselves if we don't. I have been doing this lately, but I refuse to feel guilt over it (another lovely feeling depression likes to pummel us with.) Start small. Have fruit for dessert rather than something not so healthy. Add more vegetables at dinner and cut the bread. Eat more fresh food and less processed food. Make small changes. We can do this.
• Move your body. This is another thing that often feels impossible for those of us who have depression. There are days when I sit in a chair or on the couch, moving only when absolutely necessary. It's like I'm weighted down. It feels almost painful to have to get up and do anything. I am numb. I'm sure my readers with depression know what I'm talking about. Some are probably wondering how in the hell they're supposed to get up and exercise on days like that?!? Relax. I didn't say the word exercise. I just said move. Sometimes that might mean walking to another room. It might mean getting out of bed. Again - small steps. You might open your door and step outside. Eventually, you might decide to take a walk. I've had seasons where taking a shower was my accomplishment for the day, and then I've had seasons where I exercised 45 minutes a day 4-5 days a week. Depression is not predictable. Healing is not linear. Do what you can when you can. Movement helps; it truly does. Maybe it's not so fun, but it's self-care that we need. And, let's face it. We've made it through much harder things.
• Get adequate sleep. Yeah, okay, I failed at that last night. I'm feeling it today. I'm pumping myself full of coffee, Coke Zero (which I don't regularly drink), and likely I'll be bouncing off the walls soon. In my defense, though, I typically go to bed around 10:30 and get up around 6:30, so I'm practicing what I preach (usually.) Now, since Depression decided to bring a little friend with him named Anxiety when he came to live in my brain, I got a bonus of racing thoughts and issues with insomnia to go along with my melancholia. Nice. Well, because of this, I have to take a prescription at night so I can sleep. If you need medication, there is no shame in that. You must have sleep in order to manage and cope with your depression. Other than medication, some other things I do to help me prepare for sleep are to drink (caffeine free, of course) chamomile tea with lavender before bed and burn lavender incense (BEFORE I fall asleep.) I also turn off bright, overhead lights and read by lamplight. Create a soothing nighttime ritual that you can stick with. 
• Make and keep appointments. I am not the best at making appointments, other than to see my psychiatrist and therapist. I know I do not need to miss scheduling or attending those. But other appointments? I'm overdue for my mammogram, my eye exam, and I'm sure something else, too. I will make those appointments this week. I promise. You all can hold me accountable. But back to the psychiatry and therapy appointments. My followers with depression, please make these appointments and then show up for them. And when you're there, be honest about what you're feeling. If you're struggling, say so. If you're having suicidal thoughts, tell your doctor or therapist or both. If you keep quiet or lie on the questionnaire, you are hurting yourself and possibly those you love. If you're afraid telling the truth is going to get you put in inpatient again, that's a good sign that you probably need to go back to inpatient. Look, I know how miserable it is in there. I've been there, done that. But if it keeps you safe, you need to do what you've got to do. Maybe it's not fun, but there are worse things. You feeling me?
• Take your medications. Finally, if you're on antidepressants, take them as your doctor prescribed. They are not medications that you can stop taking when you feel better. I've actually known people who did this. The result was not pretty. Antidepressants do NOT work that way. Don't change the dose yourself. Don't try to wean yourself off. Don't add more. Just follow your doctor's instructions. I care about you. I don't want to see you do anything to harm yourself. *On a side note, some people see taking medication, especially for depression and other mental illnesses, as weak, but many people, myself included, need medication in order to be able to function. That's just the way it is. If you have any questions or comments about mental illness and antidepressants and weakness, contact a psychiatrist. They are doctors; likely you are not.* Okay, back to my strong and brave fellow depression warriors. If you need medication, take it as prescribed. Doing so is an important part of self-care. 

*Note for ignorant, pill-shaming individuals*

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

Call 1-800-273-8255

Available 24 hours Every Day

Fun Self-Care, Self-Love, and What the Hell is Going On?!?

Gandalf, My Hero

I'm still here. I know it's been a while since I posted. We've had a busy season of life lately. My older daughter graduated from high school. It's hard for me to grasp that fact. She's been homeschooled throughout her entire educational career, so while I'm excited for her, there is also a part of me that grieves a little for the loss of that era. It is certainly an adjustment. In addition to this, my younger daughter moved up from fifth grade and is now in middle school. My son will be a junior, so we have only two years left to do school together. Lots of letting go around here! To add to this bit of emotional unrest, I am also in the throes of perimenopause, which let me just bluntly say is hell. Plus, finally, as most of my readers know, I was diagnosed with major depressive disorder two years ago. I'll tell you right here and right now that this past May was likely one of the most stressful months I've ever had in my life. I was glad to switch my calendar to June today. I'm saying it now. I'm speaking it into existence. I'm willing it. June will be a GOOD month. There may  will be stressors. I will lose my crap sometimes. My husband and my kids will lose their crap sometimes. My house will be messy. My laundry will be clean, but it might be stacked somewhere outside closets and drawers. I do NOT care. I'm just trying to survive. It's summer in the south and it is HOT. And HUMID. My sweet daughter with special needs is home all day for the entire summer. I love her, but it is quite challenging to care for her due to the nature of her needs. Then, there's the perimenopause beast. When I go three months without a period and then, suddenly, BOOM!!! Guess who? And it's like a murder scene in the bathroom. What the hell?!? I wasn't prepared for this. And the cramps, oh, they are back - back with a vengeance! It's like I'm giving birth to that alien in the infamous Alien scene. Then there's the crying. Then I'm laughing. Then I'm furious. Then I'm crying again. All of this is affecting my depression, which is to be expected. I am working hard to practice my healthy coping skills, but sometimes I fall into unhealthy coping mechanisms. When I'm overwhelmed, it's just so easy to do things that feel good at the moment but aren't healthy in the long run; I admit to doing this a few times over the past month. I've been making a conscious effort to practice healthy self-care and self-love lately. In spite of that, I am still struggling with stress. Yes, I'm still seeing my psychiatrist. Yes, I'm still taking my antidepressants. But, I still parent a child with significant special needs. And I have a husband who works a lot of the time. Oh, and I have lavender essential oil and CBD oil and even rose quartz. I even have lavender soap and lavender fabric softener and lavender dryer sheets and I burn lavender incense. My entire house is made out of lavender. My daughter has medication for her anxiety. She sees a neurologist every few months. So, trust me, we're all medicated as prescribed and oiled and mineraled and scented here, too. We get plenty of time outdoors as well as lots of exercise. My stress level is still high. No amount of any of these things will make it go away. They just help me to manage it better. Here are some of the things I do for fun. In my next post, I'm going to talk about what's known as "boring" self-care.

Being creative helps me by taking my mind off the stress for a while. I made this suncatcher. I also like to color, sketch, paint, and write.

Sometimes I spend a day alone. It is fabulous. I eat lunch at my favorite restaurant, go shopping, go to the bookstore, take a walk in nature, or do whatever I feel like. It's MY day! This is my ultimate act of self-love.

I take an (almost) daily morning walk. I am surrounded by lovely trees, flowers, birds, squirrels, and so many other beautiful sights. I get exercise while soaking in some sunshine, too. This is a great way to practice self-care. 

I go on date nights with this sexy guy! We laugh, we eat, we shop, we go to Walmart (inside joke.) Then we...well, none of your business!

I light candles, burn incense, meditate, go barefoot in the grass. 

I love being outside at night. We light the citronella candle and sit near the citronella plant to (hopefully) keep the mosquitoes away. Some nights I drink a mug of chamomile tea. 

And here I am with my rescue baby: Gandalf. I'm not sure who actually rescued whom. Look at his sweet face. He is my heart. He jumps up and "hugs" me. When we sit in the chair together, he has to wrap his legs around mine.

Be Free

Be Free

Be free. Be truly, unabashedly, honestly free. Just be you. Unapologetically YOU.  Never let an ideology or belief system - I don't care what it is or who taught it to you or how long you've believed it - stifle you or harm you or tell you that something is right or logical when you know that it is NOT. If you are being taught that you are less than, inferior to, must be submissive to, must be led by...then GET OUT. You have a brain. You have a personality. You have a life. Go live it. Be free.

School Days, Patience, and Special Needs

This picture captures a moment between my two youngest children. My teen, who is homeschooled, was still working when his little sister got home from public school. She gravitates toward him, and this day was no different. He has so much patience with her and so much love for her. I love to watch the two of them together. Being a special needs family is difficult much of the time, but moments like these remind me of how much we all learn about love, patience, gentleness, and the beauty of life. 

This or That? Travel Edition

I'll go first.

1. Nature
2. Airbnb
3. Train
4. History
5. Adventure
6. Beach
7. Alone
8. Plan it
9. Suitcase
10. Resort
11. Sightseeing
12. Party trip
13. Hidden gems

Okay, your turn!

Book Release: Mountains and Melancholy

I'm excited to announce that my book, Mountains and Melancholy: A Collection of Poetry About Life With Depression, is available now. It can be purchased from Amazon in both paperback and Kindle formats. Order yours today. When you're done reading it, please take the time to leave a review on Amazon. I appreciate your support and encouragement as I've worked toward and reached this goal. I am now working on my second poetry book and am also writing my first novel. I look forward to sharing them with you as well. Thank you all again!

2018-2019 Homeschool Year

We started back on August 13; however, I am just now finding the time to write about our curriculum and schedule for this year. It has been that hectic. With one senior and one sophomore, the workload is heavier -for them and for me- and also increasingly challenging. To add a little more stress  excitement, my senior is also working part-time. Plus, I still have my writing, which sometimes means early mornings and late nights to ensure that I meet deadlines. On a side note, look for exciting news about my writing coming soon. For now, though, let's continue with the homeschool discussion. We typically school five days a week, Monday through Friday, although we've already had to do some school on a couple of Saturdays in order to make up for missing some school time due to issues that arose during the week. Since I have high schoolers, most of their work is done independently. I check over it, and then we go over any corrections that need to be made. Some subjects, such as Literature, History, and the Sciences, are interactive in our home. We discuss ideas and themes, events and people, and do labs together. I'm also available to facilitate in other subjects as needed. I believe in teaching students to learn independently, and I've been fostering that type of environment since we started our homeschool journey in 2006.

I use a mix of different curricula. I choose based on the learning style of each child and also what fits my teaching style; it's important that you take both into consideration. Also, one other piece of advice before I share what we're using this year: be prepared. Plan, plan, plan. I spend around two months each summer planning our homeschool year. I block out around one-two hours 3-4 days a week over that time period and research options, buy materials, familiarize myself with the materials, see how many days/weeks it will take to finish each subject, and then loosely plan the year. That works for me. Find your style and then make planning work for you.

*My Senior's Curriculum
Psychology and You
Forensic Science Fundamentals and Investigations
American Government Balancing Democracy and Rights
Fundamentals of Economics
Math-U-See Pre-Cal & Trig
Memoria Press The Iliad & The Odyssey Set
Art Appreciation
Word: The Poet's Voice

*My Sophomore's Curriculum
First Form Greek
Art Appreciation
Word: The Poet's Voice
Math-U-See Geometry Set
History Odyssey Ancients Level 3
Ancient Literature
High School Chemistry in Your Home
Analytical Grammar

*Don't freak out too much at the prices. I didn't buy all of these new. Some I borrowed from friends and many I found on Paperback Swap and Thrift Books.

If you have any questions, please ask. Also, I'd love to hear about the materials that you're using and about how you plan and schedule your homeschool year. Let me hear from you soon!

Be You, Be Beautiful

"But I see your true colors
Shining through
I see your true colors
And that's why I love you
So don't be afraid to let them show
Your true colors
True colors are beautiful
Like a rainbow"
                                                      -Cyndi Lauper


"You've changed." 
Oh, my, how I've heard these words recently! This statement has ranged in meaning from my views to my depression and almost everything in between the two. It's been spoken like it's an accusation. It's been said with irritation. These words have even been spoken as a reason that I'm harder to love or as something that makes it too difficult to keep me as a friend. 

But, you know what? This is who I am. I have depression. I will not apologize for that. It's part of me. My views? Yes, they've evolved. I've become more informed. I don't want to stay the same, anyway. I find that quite undesirable. I do not want to be stagnant. I choose to be a lifelong learner. Plus, in many ways I'm still the same:
kind, loving, compassionate, giving, bookish, feisty, wine-drinking, Netflix-watching, writer. If people would spend some time with me, they would see this; however, it's not my problem if they choose not to do so. I'm content with the people who are currently in my life and with the friends that I believe I will make in the future.

The older I get, the more comfortable I am with me. I love who I am. I want to surround myself with people who also love me for me. I won't simply be "tolerated." I expect to be loved, appreciated, and celebrated. It's taken me a long time to arrive at this place, and I won't allow anyone to take it away from me. It's an especially hard-won battle for someone with depression, but I've earned this victory and have the scars to prove it.

I feel beautiful in my own skin. I will continue to be true to who I am. For the ones who truly love me, I love you, too, and you all are wonderful examples of being real. To everyone, never be afraid to show your true colors. Your real life - and your real friends - are out there waiting!

Compassion

I've noticed that there is a disturbing lack of compassion in the world today. One look at Facebook and it's obvious. So many people are not willing to put themselves in others' places and imagine what it might feel like to be in a different place in life. I cannot understand this. In this day and time, there is no excuse for ignorance. Through the internet and global news, it is quite simple for us to be aware of the plight and struggles of others. It's not for lack of information that people are ignorant; it is by choice.

Furthermore, I cannot fathom the hate that spews out of the mouths of some people. Aren't we to love? Aren't we to reach out to other humans, regardless of race, religious or non-religious beliefs, or sexual orientation? So many problems could be solved if people were willing to truly love one another - unconditionally and without judgment. Trust me, it's possible - even rewarding - to love someone who is different from you.

All I know to do is to spread love and compassion everywhere I go. That is what I try to do. I cannot change the whole world in one broad sweep, but I can change my own outlook and give of myself in the best way I know how. That is my goal for this year and for the rest of my life. My hope is that one day soon the rest of the world will join me.

Poe Party

I'd been missing the early days of our homeschooling years, when my children were "little," and school was fun. I longed for the excitement of activities we all looked forward to doing and the memory-making times of the past. Well, thankfully, I discovered that homeschooling high school can also be fun! I want to give a huge thank you and a shoutout to fellow homeschool high school blogger, Nerdy Little Birdie, for inspiring me. She shared a wonderful idea for a poetry party, and it sparked a fire in me. So, I took that desire and combined it with my love for Edgar Allan Poe. We studied his life and poetry throughout the month of October, and then we culminated our studies by having a Poe Party. Here are some of the highlights I'd like to share with you.

I printed out quotes, framed them, and placed them in various places in the dining room. I purchased the candleholders and raven on the pumpkin decor from Target.

We decorated coffee mugs with black Sharpies and then baked them in the oven to set the designs. Here you see the famous 'Nevermore' quote from Poe's well-known poem "The Raven."

And here, obviously, is a raven.

Another raven.

'Nevermore'

The 11th grader painted this to represent the last stanza of Poe's poem "Annabel Lee."

The 9th grader sketched this and then colored only the couple to convey artistically the meaning of the second stanza of "Annabel Lee."

We had a delicious apple crisp dessert while we took turns reading and discussing quotes of Poe's.

We wore these "masques" so we could be like the revelers in "The Masque of the Red Death." Well, not EXACTLY like them. We're still alive, thankfully!

We had a simple dinner: veggie nuggets, vegetables & ranch, & wine-for those 21 and over only!

More decor on the piano.

Vegetables and ranch for the party.

Cheese & crackers for an appetizer.

Tabletop decor - all purchased at Target.

More decor, printed by me or purchased at Target.

Finally, a coffee mug with the first stanza of "The Raven" printed on it.

A Bitter Truth

Most of us eventually reach a certain place that will never allow us to go back to the place we used to be. We know too much. Our eyes have seen far too many things. Our hearts have been asked to bear more pain than any one human should have to stand. The answers we thought we had suddenly blow up in our faces, leaving us wounded and gasping for air. We look for new answers, but can find none that satisfy.

It's as if a hole has been ripped through our chests. The sorrow is tangible; we feel it in every painful breath we draw and every morning when we open our eyes. We long for our younger days - the days when we thought we knew the answers and could wrap difficult concepts up in neat little packages. But we got older, and the hard things got harder. There is no explanation now. We don't have one. Nobody has one. We're forced into this enigma of pain and cynicism, and there is no escape.

We are locked in this world where so many things don't make sense. This is hard for me to accept, and the older I get, the harder I gets. I can't imagine that it will ever get better. This is where I am now, and I can never go back.

A Legacy of Love and Faith

This year I've had to bid farewell to the last of my grandparents - my father's mother and father. While I'm sad to see them go, I know that I will one day see them again in my eternal home in Heaven, where they are already rejoicing together. This knowledge brings me both peace and joy.

My grandparents celebrated their 75th wedding anniversary just a few months before my grandfather passed away this past March. How amazing is that? 75 years of love and faithfulness, which included three children, my grandfather's service in World War II, the path to my grandfather's recovery after his stroke, and the countless misadventures that my granddaddy always managed to have. He was stubborn and quite a handful, but my grandmother loved him deeply, just as he loved her. 

Once my grandfather was gone, my grandmother was lost without him. He was truly the light of her life and her best friend. She thrived on the act of taking care of him. It was how she showed love. She served, whether it be through her delicious cooking or through her prayers for her family. She was a strong woman; saying goodbye to her this week was hard, yet we smile at the precious memories that will sustain us as the years go by.

They leave me with big shoes to fill. A marriage like theirs doesn't come along every day. It doesn't just happen. It takes work. It requires endurance. It needs faith. It calls for sacrifice. My grandparents are examples of all of that. Their faith is a testimony to the love and goodness of God. Throughout their lives - in times of joy and sorrow - they clung faithfully to the Father. I am inspired to walk in faith as they did. My grandfather said many things while he was alive, but two things that I will always remember and strive to live in light of are the following:

"If you want to know how much God has blessed me, just go outside and look at the stars at night. That's how many blessings God has given me."

"I know the reason that I made it back safely from the war. It's because Lucille [my grandmother] was on her knees every day praying for me."

This is their legacy. I have been blessed.

Beauty Giveaway Winner: Five Fun Fridays Series

Congratulations to Lorna! She is the randomly selected winner of the beauty giveaway. I really enjoyed this blogging series. Be on the lookout for another series soon! Happy weekend to all!

Five Fun Fridays: Week Five (My Secrets)

It's hard to believe we've reached the final Friday of this series, yet here we are! I hope you've had as much fun as I have. This week I promised to dish out some of my secrets. So, without further hesitation, here we go.

1 What time did you get up this morning? I woke up around 7:30 this morning.

2. What is your favorite wine? White - Pinot Grigio; Red - Cabernet Sauvignon

3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? Guardians of the Galaxy 2

4. What is your favorite TV show? The Walking Dead, The Office, Forensic Files, Once Upon A Time, Impractical Jokers

5. If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be? Washington State

6. What did you have for breakfast today? Smoothie (ketogenic and vegan)

7. What is your favorite cuisine? Mexican

8. What foods do you dislike? Beets

9. Favorite Place to Eat? Local favorites, not the standard chain restaurants

10. Favorite salad dressing? Homemade dairy free ranch

11.What kind of vehicle do you drive? Dodge Caravan (And, yes, I rock that minivan!)

12. What are your favorite clothes? Yoga pants

13. Where would you visit if you had the chance? Ireland

14. Cup 1/2 empty or 1/2 full? 1/2 empty

15. Where would you want to retire? Washington State

16. Favorite time of day? Mid-morning

17. Where were you born? Jackson, MS

18. What is your favorite sport to watch? Football.

22. Bird watcher? Yes. Watching birds is peaceful and calming for me.

23. Are you a morning person or a night person? Neither. I don't like waking up too early, and I don't enjoy staying up too late. I like mid-mornings, so I suppose you could call me a mid-morning person.

24. Do you have any pets? Yes, one dog.

25. Do you have any children? Yes, four.

26. What did you want to be when you were little? A singer. (Sadly, my voice had other plans.)

27. What is your best childhood memory? Playing with my younger sister, Christmas, church

28. Are you a cat or dog person? Dog, but cats are cool, too.

29. Are you married? Yes. This December will make 20 years. ❤️

30. Always wear your seat belt? Yes.

31. Secret talent? Yes. I can recite the alphabet backwards.

32. Any pet peeves? Arrogance, racism, sexism, basically people who think they're better than other people, unsolicited advice, platitudes

33. Favorite Pizza Topping? spinach, mushrooms, black olives

34. Favorite Flower? Roses, because I always hope to get some on Valentine's Day.

35. Favorite song? "Thunder Road" by Bruce Springsteen

36. Favorite movie? Grease

37. Celebrity Crush? Jason Momoa, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Henry Cavill, Adam Levine

38. From whom did you get your last email? Etsy

39. Which store would you choose to max out your card? Ulta

40. Do anything spontaneous lately? Yes, every day. I'm keeping some secrets, though, so I'm not answering this one any further.

41. Like your job? Usually.

42. Broccoli? Yes, especially sauteed in coconut oil and seasoned with garlic, pink sea salt, and pepper.

43. What was your favorite vacation? Hawaii

44. Last person you went out to dinner with? My family.

45. What are you listening to right now? The Twilight Movie Soundtrack

46. What is your favorite color? Green

47. How many tattoos do you have? Five

48. How many piercings? Three: both ears, daith

49. Favorite book? To Kill A Mockingbird

50. Coffee drinker? Decaf

So, there you have it! Those are some of my hidden secrets. Is there anything else you'd like to know? Just ask in the comments. I'd also love to see your answers to these questions. Let me know if you decide to do a "Top Secret" post on your blog. Now, on to the final week of the giveaway. It will end one week from today - on Friday, August 4. Want to see what's included in this giveaway? Head on over to the other posts in this series and check out all the wonderful items that are included. For your chance to win, do one or any combination of the following:

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Five Fun Fridays: Week Three (Fashion)

I hope you're as excited as I am about Week Three in this series. This week, I'll be blogging about my fashion and style sense. If you missed the first two weeks of the series, you can read about my makeup and skincare routine here and my hair (care, cut, color, style, products, etc.) here. You'll also get a glimpse in those posts of some of the incredible items that I'll be giving away at the end of this series. Keep reading to find out how you can enter to win! Now, on to one of my favorite subjects: clothes! In the above picture, I'm wearing a black shirt, a printed maxi skirt, and black flats. I completed the look with a denim jacket. This is nice enough for church, yet also casual enough for a day spent shopping.

As you can tell, I like skirts. This one is shorter, so I wear it on date nights or when going out with friends. I pair it with a colorful shirt and comfy flip-flops, which are a must when the temperature and the humidity start rising during summers on the Gulf Coast.

I wanted to give you guys an up-close photo of these super-cute shoes. I found them at that large, well-known chain store that has pretty much taken over the world. I fell in love with these shoes the minute I laid eyes on them! I already had this shirt, so this was a match made in heaven. Yes, when I'm feeling a bit wild and daring, I like to wear my animal prints. I pair this shirt with black shorts (as seen in this picture) or black leggings.

If you haven't already figured out this little piece of information, I am, indeed, a "Free Spirit," just as this shirt reads. I pair this shirt with white shorts and gray and white tennis shoes. I usually wear outfits like this if I'm headed to a casual lunch or coffee date with a friend. (And, yes, I am AWARE of how white my legs are. I'm redheaded, and I'm fair-skinned. Guess what? I like it that way.)

We were headed to my husband's grandfather's birthday party when we took this picture. "Paw Paw" celebrated his 89th birthday this year! Wow, what a blessing! I chose to wear a white tunic and printed leggings of varying shades of blue. Again, my footwear is a pair of flip-flops, this time in white. For parties, I often choose a flowy tunic or dress and a pair of leggings.

This is the outfit I wore to my therapy session this past week. I also did some shopping after my appointment was done. I chose something that is both cute and comfortable: a short-sleeved black shirt with a red spaghetti-strap shirt over it, black leggings, the beloved flip-flops, and a favorite bracelet in black and silver.

I suppose my summer look is feminine and comfy, with a bit of casual thrown in there, too. I plan to do another Fashion Post in the autumn/winter. My look is a little different when the weather is cooler. Meanwhile, I'd love to hear about your favorite styles. Post a comment and let me know what kinds of clothes you like. Are you more dressy? Casual? Somewhere in between? Also, don't forget; the more you post and share, the greater your chance of winning the giveaway. For a list of some of the items featured in the giveaway, see Weeks One and Two of this series. Ready to enter? Just follow these instructions:

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Five Fun Fridays: Week Two (Hair)

Thank you to all who joined me for Week One! If you missed that post in which I discussed my makeup and skincare routine, you can catch up here. Okay, so, this week I'm talking (or I guess I should say writing) about hair. Let me start by directing you to a tutorial that I wrote recently. Here I give details about how I style and care for my pixie, and I also discuss which products I use. Go there first; then come back here.

Now that you're back, we'll get into some more details. As I'm getting older, I am starting to deal with some white hairs appearing every now and then. Say what?!?! Well, I'm not quite ready for that to happen, so I'm dealing with it by coloring my hair. I do it myself. I use a variety of brands, but my favorites are Madison Reed, L'Oreal Superior Preference, and this, which is included in the giveaway! So, yes, if  you win, you get a chance to try out being an auburn-haired beauty. FIRST, though, you MUST be sure to perform the allergy test! That's very important. The directions are included in the box. Read everything COMPLETELY AND CAREFULLY, and then follow ALL instructions exactly as written.

Now, moving on. In addition to the shampoo & conditioner that I mentioned in my tutorial -which, by the way, are included in the giveaway- I also use a color-depositing shampoo & conditioner set sometimes as well. I like this brand. My red hair stays vibrant longer with these products, so I don't have to color as often, which is nice. That takes care of color, so let's go on to my cut & style.

You may suffer from the delusion that a pixie cut is boring. Well, let me put that misconception to rest. There are so many different ways to wear a pixie cut. You can find some inspiration here, or you can just keep reading to see some of the different things that I do with my pixie.

The three above pictures feature my pixie in a slightly messy style.

The two above pictures feature my pixie in a wavy, wild style.

Sometimes I accessorize with a hat.

Beaded black headbands are fun.

A flower adds a pretty, feminine touch.

Lacy headbands are delicate and flirty, and there are two in the giveaway set!!! 

As I mentioned in the tutorial, I use some volumizing products for my hair, and a travel-sized mousse and volumizing foam from Nexxus is included as part of the giveaway! It's just one of many truly awesome products that I am giving away. You don't want to miss a minute of this series! Come back next Friday to read about my preferences in fashion and my style and to increase your chances of winning the giveaway. The more you comment and share, the greater your chances are of winning! In order to win, you can do any one or combination of the following:

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