TIDBITS, A TRIP & DRY WEATHER SKIN TIPS

I've Fallin a Little

Hello, hello, hello!  I spent three hours last night choosing, editing and loading photos.  After that I had no energy to write so here I am 24 hours later and feeling in the groove.  Except...I have had the worst sort of flu/bronchitis/asthma thing going on for almost three weeks.  In fact, all summer I was having allergy issues, sinus congestion, sore throats and then asthma.  It hit full on a few weeks ago and I've been on antibiotics, prednisone, and several over the counter meds.  I had a chest x-ray last week and it's showing some shady areas in the upper right lung lobe so I'm having a CT scan tomorrow.  My doctor said it could very well be some pneumonia settled in that area.  

In spite of feeling like my head is going to burst and my lungs sound like a bubbling brook, I have to get out of the house.  Don't get me wrong, I've spent a lot of lazy days napping and reading, and then I get spurts of energy, get myself showered, makeup and hair full on, and I feel like I'm back in the land of the living.  Sometimes its a trip to Target for Halloween candy, A grocery store stop for fresh veggies and fruit, or Home Depot (I picked up some spring bulbs for a song and actually planted them today while I wheezed and coughed.  I'll be grateful next spring).  Actually, the cold air clears out my lungs a bit.  

Cousin Love

Another fun night, I met two of my cousins for apps and drinks at a little pub near our homes.  Left to right: the three J's: Judy, Jane and Joanne.  Our fathers, now gone, were brothers.  When we were young my parents moved west to what became a Chicago suburb, and the rest of the family stayed on the Southside.  I came back when I married The Husband, as ironically, this is where he is from as well.  All of my cousins live so close, and these two, my faves, live just a few blocks each from me.  And it's also funny, the house that daughter Abby and Tom bought is diagonally across the street from the pub so we can park there and not use a valet (of course in the summer we can walk!) or look for street parking.  One of these days as the young couple get more settled in I'll see if she lets me take some pics of their home to share.  

Poppy Girl, 16 weeks

Poppy has gained five pounds since I brought her home.  And she has grown long; a long body and long legs--long and sleek like a greyhound.  And she can not only run like the wind, but she cuts sharp corners and does flying leaps over anything in her way.  Thankfully we have a really large backyard.  I'll try to get a video of her one day.  She's got that cattle dog gene, no doubt. She loves everyone, she plays with Layla in a way that Layla may have missed earlier in life.  
Milo was always more of a 'people' dog, and he just tolerated his cousins Tulo, Squall, and sister Layla.  

Lake Girl Maddy

Madelyn, her mom and daddy, as well as The Husband, went up to the lake recently to put away the outdoor furniture and such.  I was in the midst of this 'whatever-I-have sickness, and stayed home.  I started feeling a little envious when they started texting me pictures of the festivals and farms they visited, picking pumpkins, playing games, hayrides, corn mazes.  Wow, fall in the country is incredible.  The wheels in my mind are turning fast and I think we should make a good weekend out of it next year for all the kids and grands.  

Madelyn striking a pose

I had to share this second photo of Mad.  She is a true model.  I love this outfit.  Emily finds the cutest clothes on Etsy and little known shops on the Internet.  She's also in a buy/sell group on Facebook and gets bargains on some of her favorite brands.  Lately Madelyn has been sporting these pretty braids.  Em said she's been learning how to do them on You Tube.  Well this little girl loves the glam life as you can see.  Sister Lucy will be inheriting all these cute outfits, she's arriving in about three weeks.  I am beyond excited!

The beautiful rolling hills and farmland of Western Illinois

I kind of skipped over a trip The Husband and I made to Galena, Illinois in late September.  Most of you know we meet up with former blogger, Cindy, and her hubby, Dan every year for a weekend getaway.  After Cindy and I got to know each other through blogging in 2009, we just took the plunge to meet up, ironically in Galena, which is an equal three hour drive for each of us.  Other places we have met are Lake Geneva, WI., Madison, WI., Cedarburg, WI., Chicago, and our lakehouse in Michigan (a seven hour drive for them).  It's a unique and genuine friendship we have that has stood the test of time and miles.  Cindy and I pick up where we've left off as we walk, shop and talk.  We often say how we wish we lived close to each other.  She is in Western Wisconsin, not far from Minneapolis.  But we text and talk on the phone.

The Galena Renaissance Riverboat Inn

I don't know how The Husband and I got this suite, Cindy made the reservations and for a little bit less, she and Dan just got a regular room with a bath.  This was jaw dropping.  Not only did it have a spacious living room as you can see in the above photo, the bedroom was large, it had a giant whirlpool tub in its own room complete with plants and a tropical ambience, a kitchenette, and separate bathroom.

The Bedroom

Fabric, rugs, paintings and just about everything depicted lions, tigers and zebras.  The heavy drapes and over abundance of pillows made it cozy yet almost to the point of feeling suffocated.  

The Spa

This room consisted only of a gigantic whirlpool hot tub.  It was pretty opulent with the whole safari thing going on, plants and wild animals baring their fangs.  We never got around to using it.  It was situated off the hallway to the kitchenette and bathroom, and across from the bedroom.  And it had a large window in said hall looking right in.  We couldn't quite make out what it was about.  

Peek-A-Boo

It rained the entire weekend.  Even with umbrella's, it put a bit of gloom over our rare time together.  But the Zebra Suite saved us.  We saw a magician who also doubled as a comedian at a small, intimate theater Saturday evening.  The Husband and I had made an earlier trip to a nearbyWalmart and bought cheese and crackers, various other tidbits, some craft beer and wine, and we settled in our 'living room' to chat, watch CNN, and then Saturday Night Live.  We stayed out of the rain and The Zebra Room paid off!

Sooooo, now I want to head off into a different direction with the blog.  I want to take some varied ideas and format.  I'm feeling a little stagnant in simply sharing photos and snippets of my life.  I want to talk about other aspects of my life and the things I love, the trivial info I pick up in my never ending search for living my best life, doing the best with what I have, sharing thoughts and feelings on life, love and family. 

A long time ago I wrote a post about makeup products I used. I realized quite quickly it was not for the audience I had. Long story short, when I asked readers what their makeup routines were like as well as what products they used, I had a small handful that identified with me and my love of makeup and products, and a large percentage who rarely wore makeup, simply owned one lipstick, and had no desire to fuss with anything. Absolutely nothing wrong with that.  This time around I want to have more discussion.  I hope all of you ladies open up about your lives, wants and needs.  I'd like to cover subjects like self care, health issues and management, mental health, and of course, some lighter stuff...shopping habits, finding the best deals, organizing your home, thoughts on decorating and trends, what we do in our downtime to unwind...wow, I'm excited to start.  Give and take.  I hope you are up for it.  

So firstly, I'm jut going to start with some skin care products I have been using that I'm absolutely loving and feeling the changes they have made in my skin.  Please note, I am not affiliated with any of these products.   

REN Flash Hydro Boost

This product came as a sample from Sephora with a purchase.  It was a generous size and lasted for a good two weeks.  Please note, when you are browsing through Sephora, you can ask for samples of any of their products, free and unlimited.  One day I decided to try out this little tube and I was glad I read the instructions.  It's an emulsion so it needs to be mixed with water to thin out the concentrated product.  Just a pea size amount dotted on your face, some water on your fingertips and then you just gently massage it into your face.  The smell is fragrant but in a natural way, the gentle massaging makes you feel relaxed and your skin stimulated, and after...my skin felt like a baby's bottom.  It claims to plump your skin, I'm not sure if it did but I know that as I ran my fingers over my face after it felt changed, very smooth.  There is no greasy feeling, no waiting for it to settle in.  This will be my go-to for a very long time.

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Ever Calm Recovery Balm

When we sleep our skin cells are busy renewing, repairing and dividing.  And that's the best time for your skin to receive the multiple impact from the products you put on your face.  I have always felt that the heavy creams I slather on at bedtime are just rubbing off on my pillowcase, but this night balm is a whole different ballgame.  It goes on easily and you just massage a little bit in, it's very spreadable and non greasy in spite of being a balm.  In the dry weather, I feel like I wake up with more fresh and moistured skin.  This is a keeper for me.

REN also offers cleansers, treatments and products for oily skin.  The prices are on the high end so it's definitely something you have to consider.  I highly suggest you check out Sephora to get samples, and then you can find the best price either from REN, Amazon, or Sephora.  

CereVe Moisturizing Lotion

This lotion as well as the large jar of cream are long time standbys for me at good prices.  Found at just about any store, you can even go online for coupons.  The name stands for ceramides which maintain the skin's moisture barrier, and hyaluronic acid which plumps the skins cells and replenishes lipids.  I have been on the hyaluronic acid bandwagon for quite a while.  When I was having terrible eczema, which I can happily say is now in remission, I went to one of the world's top dermatologists based in Chicago.  A Harvard Medical school grad, international speaker. and author of many textbooks on dermatology, he recommended CereVe products.  You can't beat the price.  The cream is heavy, I use it on my body after a shower.  On damp skin it spreads really well if you pat it on as well as smooth it out.

 I hope this isn't too long and boring.  And jeez, it's only three products.  Sometimes I feel so strongly about something I want to emphasize why.  

So...comment on those cute little pics of Madelyn, or the odd weekend we had in Galena, but also share your skincare routine and thoughts on new products..  We'll see if my branching out of my box is going to be receptive.

If you missed my last post, I featured a lot of great recipes.  You can find it here.

See ya soon!

Jane❤️