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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Five Fun Fridays: Week One (Makeup & Skincare)

Here we go! These are the items that will be given away at the end of the series, which runs today through Friday, July 28. Included are skincare, makeup & hair products, as well as some fun "extras." You'll get more details on each item throughout the series. Keep reading to find out how you can enter to win!

Okay, so this week I'm talking about skincare and makeup. Let me start by first saying that I drink plenty of water and also eat a ketogenic diet. (I'll be discussing this in further detail in the last post of this series.) Healthy skin starts on the inside, so that's my first recommendation. Next, I make sure to wash my face twice a day. No one needs to go to bed without washing off makeup! That's an unbreakable rule. Also, because I have oily skin, I also wash my face every morning prior to applying my makeup. Now, what do I use to wash my face? Well, it's not some expensive, high-end product. It's Noxzema Classic Clean! Yes, that's my secret. Also, as a redhead with sensitive skin, I have to be careful with the products that I use, and this one is tried and true. It's all I've ever used and all I ever plan to use. And, guess what? It's included in the giveaway set! But, if you're super tired at night and just don't have the energy to use a cleanser, bath cloth, and water, then, you're in luck! Also included in the giveaway is a travel-size set of makeup remover towelettes. Now, you may really be surprised to find out how I remove my eye makeup. I have to use a gentle product because my eyes are very sensitive. My eyes themselves are prone to burning and redness, and my eyelids can get itchy and peel if I use anything too harsh. My go-to product? Johnson's Baby Shampoo! It works like a charm. It even removes waterproof makeup and causes no irritation. And, it's included in the giveaway set so you can see for yourself how beautifully it performs as an eye makeup remover. Okay, so back to skincare.
Another thing that I do to take care of my skin is to exfoliate twice a week. It's important to get rid of all those dull surface cells in order to make room for radiant new ones. I use Equate Refreshing Apricot Scrub, which is also included in the giveaway items! I also make sure to keep the skin on my body hydrated by applying lotion at least once a day. I really like scented lotions, but sometimes they can irritate sensitive skin; therefore, in the giveaway set I've included a travel size of Eucerin Daily Moisturizing Creme.

Now, I'll move on to three makeup looks that I alternate through depending on my mood or outfit of choice. The face stays the same, but the eyes and lip colors change. I'll start here by telling you what I put on my face:

1. I start with a primer.
2. Then, I apply foundation. I use Neutrogena Skin Clearing Foundation in Classic Ivory. I like the skin-clearing formula because my oily skin is prone to breakouts sometimes; however, if you have extremely sensitive skin, you should choose another formula. I'm quite fair-skinned, so classic ivory is the color that best matches my skin tone.
3. Next, I apply concealer and highlighter. I use e.l.f. Under Eye Concealer & Highlighter in Light/Glow. Again, for my light complexion, this is the combination that works. If you're not sure how to use this product, here's a great tutorial.
4. Afterward, I finish up with loose powder, which is better than pressed for me due to my oily skin. I use Almay Smart Shade; I use Light (Pale) 100 because it matches my skin color.
5. Finally, I apply blush. I like e.l.f. Baked Blush in Rich Rose.

Now that my face is done, I'm ready to move on to eyes and lips. I will list the products and colors I use for each look beneath the individual pictures.

Look One: For my eyes here, I used lavender shadow from this set, which came in the June How to be a Redhead Subscription Box. My eyeliner is Almay Intense-i-Color Liquid Eye Liner in Purple Amethyst. The mascara I've been using is a sample that I got at Ulta for my birthday. It's this, and I plan to purchase a full-size bottle when it becomes available. It is phenomenal! It lengthens and darkens my lashes perfectly without any clumping at all. It is the mascara that I'm seen wearing in all the pictures in this post. Okay, moving on to lips. The cardinal rule of lips is hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! I make sure to keep lip balm handy at all times. I like Sun Bum Coconut, Maybelline Baby Lips Lip Balm, and Burt's Bees. And guess what? A tube of Burt's Bees Lip Balm is included in the giveaway! Now, on to my lips for this look. Yes, they're pink! You might have heard the rule that redheads shouldn't wear pink lipstick, but I simply don't believe that it's true. And, hey, even if it is, I've been known to say a time or two that I believe rules are made to be broken anyway! So it's quite fitting that the pink lipstick I'm wearing is "Disobedient" by Urban Decay. Also, I'll interject here that it's important to take care of your teeth, too. Then, when you smile with those gorgeous lips, those teeth will look great as well. I use Colgate Optic White Toothpaste, and a trial size is included in the giveaway for the lucky winner!

Look Two: For my eyes, I used Almay Everyday Neutrals eyeshadow. My eyeliner is Almay liquid liner in black. For my lips, I used Urban Decay Vice Lipstick in Amulet.

Look Three: My eyes are done with Almay Party Brights for Blue Eyes shadow and Almay Liquid Liner in Brown Topaz, which are both included in the giveaway! On my lips I'm wearing EZ from Urban Decay Vice.

To finish out the look, we have my toenails. I like vibrant blues, teals, and turquoises. Here I'm wearing Blue Me Away by Sally Hansen. You get to try out Wet n Wild's Be More Pacific if you win the giveaway!

There you have it. That completes my makeup look, from head to toe(nails.) Next Friday, tune in to find out about my hair: how I care for it, style it, keep my red looking vibrant, do different styles with a pixie, what products I use, and more. Also, there are lots more items included in the giveaway set, and next week I'll be telling you about the hair products that are included. You don't want to miss it! And, speaking of that giveaway, here's how YOU can *win:

Leave a comment on this blog post = One entry

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*You can try for one, two, three, or all entry types. The options will be the same each week, and you may also do this each Friday. Good luck!

Upcoming Blog Series: Five Fun Fridays

Lest you all think that I am always serious or never have any fun, allow me to introduce a new blog series: Five Fun Fridays. It will begin one week from today, on Friday, June 30, and it will end on Friday, July 28. On each of those Fridays, I will blog about something fun in my life. The categories are as follows:

1. Week One - My makeup: what I use, tips for redheads with pale skin, etc.
2. Week Two - My hair: how I keep my red hair vibrant, how I style my pixie, my hair inspirations, and more.
3. Week Three - My fashion style: brands and stores that I like, colors that pair well with red hair, and how I dress to fit my body type.
4. Week Four - My hobbies: What I like to do in my free time, which, yes, I actually do have on occasion.
5. Week Five - Little known secret facts about me: This is where I'll dish all (well, maybe NOT all) of the dirt on myself. 

Now, that's not all that's in store. There's something fun for all of you, too! At the end of the series, I'll be giving away some of my favorite things that you'll be reading about each week. Look for details each Friday to see how you can increase your chances of winning. I look forward to the fun!