Flashback Friday.....What do I really want for Mother's Day?

Flashback to a time when there were no cell phones, smart phones, tablets, desktop or laptop computers.....it's 1987 (the year I graduated from high school). 

If we wanted to contact someone we called them on the phone, on what is now called a "land line".
If we wanted cash we went through the bank teller drive through (what is an ATM).
If we wanted to plan a sleep over we did so over a few days time; calling on the phone, talking at school, checking with parents.
If we wanted money we did odd jobs around the house.
When our parents asked us to dust, sweep or unload the dishwasher we did so (I'm sure I grumbled but I can't imagine it was anything close to the gruff my teenagers give me, you'd think they are 4 and about to throw a temper tantrum).
We didn't watch television for hours on end.
We were outside playing, or reading a book.
We had a bedtime and no televisions, computers, tablets, cell phones anywhere near our bedrooms.
We had a separate phone "land line" for my sister and I (because my parents were tired of us tying up their phone for hours on end).  I remember many times mid-conversation it was unplugged, that meant it was 9pm and no more phone.  It's called a curfew.
We went camping on weekends, played board games together, had sleepovers, went shopping at the mall and saw many a movie.

I miss these times and the simplicity they brought. In fact when raising my kids I loved it when they came to me and said "I'm bored"....my response was always "find something to do"....be creative!

Don't get me wrong, I too have embraced the technology world.  For my job my iPhone connects me 24/7 to my work calendar, email, etc.  I Tweet, FaceBook, Tumbler, Instagram and text.  I take my laptop on family vacations (thankfully iPhone SPRINT service in Hawaii stinks so I was untethered for awhile).

As an experiment one evening I left my phone downstairs to charge (rather then by my bedside).  It was actually rather liberating.  Email wasn't the last thing I checked before bed, nor was it the first thing I checked in the morning.  The "ping" of a new Facebook message didn't wake me and random text messages didn't keep me up late.

I think what I want most for Mother's Day is a technology free day (well maybe not TV, there might be an awesome end of the world movie on).

Do you think it will happen?  I'll let you know!

going grey gracefully.....

“My Redheaded Journey to Embracing the Grey”

~Jaci Spross

My hair was the color that some could only dream of having.  I was proud of my hair and for so long it was my identity – I was “the redhead”! 

I started noticing those pesky grey hairs in my late 20’s and early 30’s.  Then started the comments “did you get your hair frosted”?  One Christmas holiday, after a few glasses of wine my mother and I decided it would be fun to cover those grey hairs with home hair color, people do it all the time, how hard could it be?  Needless to say it was a disaster that resulted in a deep plum color with darker roots and much lighter ends.  I later learned that it’s called “hot roots”, that can happen when you drink alcohol while coloring your hair.  This left me with little choice but to visit my local hairdresser for a fix.  From that moment on I joined the colored hair society.  The beautiful auburn red hair of my youth became a color I strived to achieve and had very limited success at.  For the next 10 years I colored my hair every 4-6 weeks, there were times I thought about just quitting and going grey, but everyone convinced me I was too young! 

As I matured and aged, my kids grew up (now they are teenagers) I decided I wanted something more natural.  I hated how much money I was spending trying to hold onto my youth, I was constantly fussing out over the grey roots that inevitably showed up every couple of weeks.  After much internet searching and internal contemplation I decided I could do it!  What did I have to lose?  If I hated it I could always go back to coloring.  My hopes were high though, my father went a beautiful silver grey at age 35.  So with the hopes that mine would be as beautiful as his I jumped in with both feet.

I began my journey on September 14, 2013 and while my journey has not quite ended (I still have about 3 inches of blonde color left) my internal struggle is over.  I am what I am supposed to be, I have found a freedom I never knew before, a freedom to be “me”…the real me! 

As you can see from my photo journey this process was relatively easy for me.  I am convinced that there are two important things that made my journey so simple.  1) having a very talented hairdresser and 2) beautiful hair - I am truly blessed with thick, white/silver hair – thanks Dad!

Here is my photographic journey through this process of transformation.  Not only did my looks transform, but my attitude changed as well.  I feel more grown-up, more professional, more like a mom and wife (and I’m still only 45).

September 14, 2013 I began my journey with the support of my amazingly wonderful hairdresser, Trista!  The first step was a drastic cut (from well past my shoulders to above my shoulders) and the addition of a lot of blonde highlights.

BEFORE  9/14/13

AFTER  9/14/13

October 24, 2013 my next appointment was a cut, no color or highlights, the red color from the past had faded nicely as had the blonde.

AFTER - 10/24/13

AFTER - 10/24/13

December 1, 2013 we added more blonde highlights to just the previously colored hair, not the grow-out.

DURING - 12/1/13

AFTER 12/1/13

AFTER - 12/1/13

 

January 4, 2014 Happy New Year – we started off with just a cut, no more color will be used (hopefully EVER).  

AFTER - 1/24/14

AFTER - 1/24/14

AFTER 1/24/14

February 18, 2014 – just a status update photo….fading and growing out nicely.  If you look closely you can see the grow-out line.

AFTER 2/18/14

AFTER - 2/18/14

 

AFTER - 2/18/14

April 9, 2014 my impatience is showing, I had it cut shorter than usual (the back is really, really short).  There is now about 3” of color/blonde left on my hair, the rest (including the entire back) is all natural!  

AFTER - 4/9/14

AFTER - 4/9/14

   

 

AFTER - 4/9/14

                                                                                                                                              

                                 
 STATUS AS OF MAY 1, 2014

BEGINNING - September 2013

AS OF - May 2014

 

These photos are striking to me…..what a change. 

I look at the photo on the left and I see someone I don’t “know” anymore. 

Good luck with your journey!

 

Monogram Door Decor

I decided with my new front yard we needed a new front door "wreath".  But I wanted something natural looking (to go with the new more natural landscaping and not the normal round wreath.  While searching on Pintrest (yes I'm addicted) I found the perfect monogrammed jute letter.  So after a visit to Joann's to purchase a paper mache letter "S", a roll of Jute Twine (located in the jewelry section oddly enough) and some felt for flowers I got out the hot glue gun and started wrapping.

It took about 3 hours total to wrap it all - the curves of the S were really difficult, I had to restart the last curve 3 times.  I decided to let it be and just covered it with the flowers!

Here is the final product.  I'm rather impressed with it - LOVE it!  Hopefully it will weather okay, otherwise I guess I could hang it actually on the front door behind the storm/screen door for more protection rather than on the house next to the door.

I started the S by covering the ends with individual strands of jute - using hot glue gun.The felt flowers we super easy  - there are a ton of tutorials on the web you can use. 

Beauty in Nature

We have been in our home for 12 years now and have done very little to our front yard.  We've been talking about re-doing it, however had no idea where to even begin.  I wanted something naturally occurring, that looked like it belonged, not the red/white rocks or anything fake. 

Enter "Everything Outdoors Landscape & Construction", after several emails, web research on plants suggested, quite a few tweaks we jumped in with both feet.  The dear husband was a bit nervous, not knowing if he was going to like the change.  But as you can see below the results are beautiful. 

The dry creek bed is amazing and all of the plantings are low maintenance including a drip watering system which will cut down on water usage as well.  In the next couple of years the plantings will fill in and it will be even more pretty. 

Now I want the back yard done....honey?

BEFORE

AFTER

 

Going public......

My New Year's Resolution is to keep this blog more updated.  At least weekly.  I really don't think anyone is actually reading it, but I find writing it is a type of therapy for me so I'll keep writing it.  I'm also opening it to the public....that's a big change for me.

First off my road to "going grey gracefully" is about 5 months in and I'm really enjoying it.  I found that changing my hair color so drastically I needed to change my eye makeup a bit too and I can wear colors that before I thought looked too strange - like orange!  I feel a freedom that I'm not used too.

This new year is bringing another change - we've decided to professionally landscape the front yard.  I'll post before & after photos when it's done in a couple of days. 

As well I re-arranged the front "great" room getting rid of (well it's in permanent storage at my friends house) our dining room table, the ugly one that we never used.  So we have two sitting areas now and I'm loving them.  My mom is giving us her chair & a half and I can't wait to incorporate that into our area as well!  Now to just talk the hubby into getting a TV for the area for gaming for the kids....or better yet we can use it for regular TV and the kids can use the current family room TV for gaming.

Updates coming more often I promise!

Teenage angst...

Teen angst - is that what we are calling it these days?  The life of a teenage girl (my lovely daughter is 15) is soooooo difficult.  I think it is much more difficult than when I was 15.  Let me put this in perspective:

• we didn't have instant contact with anyone via text or cell phone
• privacy was easier without Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram
• we didn't post every aspect of our lives and relationships online for all to see
• communication was done in person or over the phone or by the "old fashioned" passing a note in class
• if we totally embarrassed ourselves (falling down walking across the courtyard between classes) no one caught it for all posterity with their cell phone camera/video to then post online therefore compounding the embarrassment
• if someone wanted to know if we were in a relationship they asked, they didn't check Facebook

You could NOT PAY ME to be a teenager today.  Everyone in your business all the time, instant gratification - immediately available via text (can I spend the night with my best friend, can I go to the movies after school).  This instant gratification is going to lead us into the future that consists of a spoiled society where everyone feels entitled, I am convinced!

High School these days is much more free than I remember.  If I didn't turn in your homework on time I got a big fat ZERO, but today you can turn it in until the end of the quarter and still get a grade (and a good one too).  If I failed a test, too bad, today you can retake your test to get a better score. 

Life changes so very fast, just remember to slow down and enjoy it before it's gone........

My favorite season is here....

My favorite season is Autumn.  The colors, the smell of fresh rain in the air, snuggling in sweaters, jeans and boots, you just can't beat it.

This also means Halloween is just around the corner.  This year we are having another Halloween Party for the kids and their friends.  About 30 people will be invited (man I don't know what I'll do if they all show up......here is the way cool invitation I came up with. 

Cool huh?  Now on to the decorating phase - that's easy - cover every piece of furniture with a white sheet/plastic/cloth and light candles.  Can also put white twinkle lights (Christmas ones) under the sheets and behind stuff for additional ambiance!

Food - that's going to be FUN!  Thanks to Pintrest I have a ton of ideas on candy, healthy snacks, punch etc......Can't wait to see what everyone comes as......I'll post photos too!