Almost Gone Girl

I've been a bad little blogger.  I've become so wrapped up in my own little universe that I became too busy to share.  Bad, bad blogger! 
But recently I've been thinking more and more about the content that I'd want to share in this blog with you guys.  The honest truth of my daily goings on have been so immersed in the caring for my children.  Children is a relative word as my eldest is a senior in High School this year, preparing to spread her wings and leave the safety net of our little nest in about 7 months time.  WOW.  Those few little words just sent my heart skyward into my throat.  7 months time.
My children are my everything.  They are my joy, my frustrations, my hope, my heart.  It's hard to think of her not being here, in her room, playing her music too loud for my taste, leaving trails of dirty clothes on the floor for me to trip over.  Dare I say, her room will be too clean.  Without my girl here it will be lonely but I take heart in the fact that we have Apple iChat technology which I plan to take advantage of ad nauseam!    
When it's time for little ones to go off out into big bad world on their own, you start to hope and pray that you've adequately prepared them for any toil or trouble that may cross their paths!  You look for signs that lessons have been learned; for reassurance that you've done your job as a parent and that they'll be OK when they are no longer under your protective wing. 
I truly think she's ready. It will be an adventure, for sure, but my girl is a good girl (thank goodness) with a steely moral compass.  She's learned to appreciate the fruits of hard work~IE good grades, college acceptance letters, etc.  So please keep her in your prayers, my friends!! As they say, it takes a village! And I'll be sending love and light your way for God's grace over your brightest blessings as well!! Big Kiss~~~~~

K9 Angels ~ Fostering Our Furry Friends

I mentioned in a recent post that our family has taken on a new charity of love by fostering homeless dogs through a local no kill adoption center in our hometown. K9 Angels Dog Rescue saves dogs from being euthanized at county shelters and cares for them until their forever families show up. My youngest daughter and I began working as dog walkers for the adoption center a few months ago and quickly fell in love with each little sweet, stinky, stray dog in the place. Each one has a story, most of which we may never know. Some have been abused, some abandoned because their humans moved or had a baby and no longer wanted them. They were found on the sides of roads hungry and desperate. K9 gives them a second chance at finding humans who will take them in and love them as they should be.
The adoption center is open on Saturdays and Sundays but Mon -Fri the animals need a home to hang at or they go to a kennel. This is where fostering comes in. Foster families take home a dog just for the week and love on them, play with them, get to know their mannerisms, and try to restore their faith in humans so they will show well on the weekends.
We were blessed this summer with 3 precious dogs~~none of which would ever had been a breed we would have looked at for adopting but ultimately fell in love with as we cared for them.
The first was Brenda the Pit Bull Puppy. I've always heard scary hings about Pits but this little brindle girl was an angel. All kisses and goofy frolicking in the monkey grass. She found a family and is happily now with them and we hope to visit her soon!!
Next came little fragile Karrie. Karrie is two years old and came to us so depressed and sick that it took several days of love and nurturing to get her to eat. Within a week she sounded off her first bark as she played with my daughter in the backyard. We got it on video!
Then there was Smudge. Smudge is a Sharpei/German Shepherd mix who breaks hearts everywhere he goes. Smudge is now the family pet of some of our friends who adopted him after losing their own beloved family dog a few weeks before they responded to my outcry for a home for Smudge on my Facebook page. We're going to visit him later today!
And just this morning Karrie found her forever family! A sweet family saw that video we took of her running in our yard on Petfinder and fell in love with her. They'll be getting her on Monday!!
So on goes the story of how fostering can be such a gift~~not only to the dogs in need of shelter but also to the people who are able to open their homes to them.
If you're interested in fostering, I'm sure there are many dog adoption centers near you. Call them and see if they have any dogs who need a place to hang their collars while they wait.

Karrie

Brenda

Brenda with my daughter

Brenda with my daughter in our backyard

I Love You So Much

Recently I was on a road trip with my girls to Austin, Texas and we stopped for a photo op at this famous graffiti wall. I realize lately that the clock is ticking faster and faster as this is my baby's senior year in high school. So I guess I just want to say to stop and grab those photo ops. Take the time to make those memories. Hug your kids and make today fabulous!!! xoxo

Truffle Mania

Since my days in Paris, I've had a long love affair with truffles! They have such a distinct, rich flavor but I've never had much of a chance to indulge in them until recently. They're historically the fare you find at a more lofty eatery than I usually go to on a daily basis.  But I'm about to let you in on a secret love I've discovered popping up on local menus.  Have you tried~~drum roll~~Truffle Mac n Cheese?! Honey...HUSH!! It's crazy good.  Here's how it all began~~I was at Eddy V's with my husband the first time I noticed it on the menu, and let me just say, I fell HARD! It's not something I can have often~It's creamy and gooey and oh so buttery~QUITE the carb loading experience, actually, I've only allowed myself to order it 3 times and each time I split it with a friend at the table but I'm just telling you, you NEED to check your local Eddy V's or Yard House. (They have it as well.) The other night, my daughter and I were both sick with some evil virus. (The kind that gives you those mean body aches) We'd been locked up in the house all day, were stir crazy and decided to make a break for it and go out for some fro-yo. (Frozen yogurt~love) We saw The Yard House, which I've heard has AWESOME truffle Mac n Cheese, so we stopped in for a quick snack. It must of been HEAVEN because I swear I heard angels sing!!! (Insert music with angels singing here :)  Its super rich and creamy, quite a lot of butter so go slow. And to add Dangerousness to the Deliciousness, we also ordered the Truffle fries and DUMPED them in WITH the mac n cheese!  I know!! I'm a wild and crazy kinda gal!!  It was insane and JUST the comfort food that the Doctor didn't order.  We shared half of the plate and took the rest home for a snack the next day.  Perfection.  So go ahead~~Hit the Elliptical first but Live A Little!!  Order up some Truffle Mac n Cheese!!  You'll hate me!
I'll add photos for you!
So spill it~~What's your favorite indulgence these day? Do you know of something SO delish that we're missing out on?? Do tell! Enquiring minds want to know!!  XOXO

Smudge Love

I haven't blogged in way too long! I'm sorry you guys! It's been a roller coaster of events around here including the culmination of my eldests junior year in high school and the new found interest and work at a local dog shelter for my youngest daughter and I. For the past few months we've been volunteering every weekend and fostering dogs during the weekdays. It's been very rewarding. Our first dog was a Pit puppy named Brenda. She was adorable and we had her for 2 week until she found a loving family and was adopted. Next we took in Karrie, a chihuahua mix, who we still have today. But in the midst of those two precious pooches we also too in an adorable Sharpei/German Shepherd puppy named Smudge. Smudge captured our hearts very fast with his goofy clumsiness and beautiful puppy ways. I could not part with him but I also knew I couldn't keep him. We already have 5 pets and I want to stand firm as my oldest daughter is about to graduate next year and it feels like time to simplify our lives. So I was blessed to find Smudge a home with friends who live nearby so we can go visit him!
It really is the best of the situation!! Although we miss Smudge, we're so happy he's still in our lives!! I hope you're all having a great summer so far! I'll try to start posting more for you guys!

Books~~Hunger Games

I'm not sure if you've heard all the hoopla surrounding these books by Suzanne Collins, but I have a teenager that keeps me up to par on all the hot books and movies, so I just had to read these books so I would know what all the excitement is about! The books have been made into a movie, which is being released in just a few weeks, and there seems to be Twilight~like anticipation revolving the release of this movie! The premise of the story is super disturbing, but I decided to dive in anyway and would love to know what you all think of this series. Not to give too much away, the story revolves around a young girl named Katniss Everdeen. She lives in a futuristic Dystopian society, where the earth's population has been divided into "Districts" following a huge uprising against a cruel and unusual government. (SUPER CRUEL and UNUSUAL) To punish the people of the Districts for the uprising, the government holds yearly "Hunger Games" where each District has to choose a boy and girl, starting at the age of 12, to fight the other district's children to the death. It's really sick. But let me tell you, these books are white HOT. Teens and kids are reading them like crazy. Even my 12 year old wants to read them because everyone in her 6th grade class is carrying around the books like some badge of honor. I've so far been able to steer her away from them because, in my opinion, these books are NOT for middle schoolers. They are graphic and the content is just so sad and disturbing. I've just finished book two, Catching Fire, which ends with a HUGE cliffhanger. I have to say, I do like that the lead character is a super strong, smart female! That part rocks. And I will go see the movie, as I don't want to be the only one not able to talk about the hottest movie to pass through in months! It should be good but I'm sure as heck going to take along some Kleenex! (I'm a crier.) So have you all read these books? What do you think? Let me know your thoughts. Or what you're reading now. I need my next book to get me through my insomniac nights~~~ XOXO

Polish Of The Day~~Chanel 525 Quartz

It's a little hilarious that I love nail polish so much. The reason being is that I have probably the worst nails of anyone I know. Always have, always will. I think it's an unfortunate hereditary trait or something, because my nails are so thin and weak. It's really quite a bummer. I've done the whole solar tips thing but it's just so time consuming that I really don't have patience for it. I also do hold out hope that if I keep polishing them that eventually they'll grow and get strong like they have, oh, twice in my life. I have no idea how it happened but twice in my life they just got real strong, shot out and looked gorgeous for a few weeks only to then peel across right at the base again.

But I will not let that stop me from having a blast painting my little baby talons! We will paint and primp and face the day as if we are unchallenged nail girls! (I don't know why I'm using "we" here...LOL)

And I don't believe that you all shouldn't get the benefits of my nail polish purchasing habit just because my nails are handicapped. So I'm going to start putting up more Nail Polish Of The Day posts for you. I hope you enjoy!

So the color De Jour is Chanel's 525 Quartz. It's a beautiful soft smokey mink brown color with a hint of champagne. Stunning. Very elegant. Good for just about any occasion. Chanel nail polishes are expensive at about $25 per bottle and generally they have a bit of a reputation for peeling off too quickly, but I just can't keep myself from buying them when I get too close to the Chanel counter. It's a sickness. :) I do like the little brush that Chanel polishes have...they make for a lovely application. Very smooth and even, so that's a plus.

Oh, and for more really fabulous photos of nail polish, in case you just can't wait for my next POD post~~check out my Pinterest. I have a bulletin board FULL of gorgeous nail colors. Like I said~~it's a sickness! You can just click on the Texskiss Pinterest link on the top right corner of this blog page and then when you get to my Pinterest page, scroll down to the Bulletin Board titled "I'm Kinda Addicted To Nail Polish." XO

High Low Bath Products That Smell Like Oven Baked Heaven!

Softsoap Mega Moisture Heavenly Vanilla Body Butter Body Wash

Philosophy Cinnamon Buns

I LOVE products that smell like yummy things baking, hot in the oven! Candles, body scrubs, perfumes, etc. Years ago, I ran across a body wash by Philosophy that smelled just like Cinnamon Buns!! It's also actually is a fabulous product to have when you travel because it works as shampoo, shower gel & bubble bath! Personally, I'd never use it as bubble bath because pouring it into a large tub would seem just a bit too extravagant and I like using each and every drop of it as shower gel, but I DO take it along on trips to use as a shampoo and it works really well!

You can purchase it online at the Philosophy.com website or at any high end department store that sells Philosophy products, like Nordstroms. It comes in a 16 oz size for $16 or a 32 oz size for $25. I always keep 3 large bottles in stock so I never run out, but recently came across a really wonderful body wash option at Walgreens that costs WAY WAY less and smells just as yummy! It's the Softsoap Mega Moisture Heavenly Vanilla Body Butter Body Wash! This product doesn't work as a shampoo, but if you're looking for something in the shower or bath that will smell oh so scrumptious that it just makes you feel good all over, then this is your best lower priced option! 15 oz is just under $4.00! Crazy Good Dealio!

So there you have two fabulous options to take a regular bathing experience into something that feels more luxurious! Because, hey, we deserve it! :)

Let me know if you have a favorite body wash! I'd love to check it out~~

Pur Mineral Foundation

This is one of my favorite products. It's not as heavy as a lot of mineral products. It goes on smooth and covers imperfections like you've just had a session of micro-dermabrasion. It's also actually good for your skin! I usually purchase mine once a year at Ulta when they have a BOGO special in the summer months. I'll keep an eye out for it and let you know when it is in case you want to stock up. Otherwise you can just pay full price which is , I believe, $27. Totally worth it. It lasts a long time and makes your skin look young and natural.

Here's looking at you!

What's Your Agenda?!

Happy New Year Friends!!! Please excuse my absence~~camera broke, microwave broke, oven broke...LOL I'm not kidding. During Christmas for crying out loud!! But all is well in Texskiss land now~the kids are tucked back into school, kicking and screaming the whole way. (Me, not them, I hate school. I hated it when I was a kid and I hate it now. I miss my babies!!) So I ran out yesterday, vowing to be "more organized" this year so I picked up a new Agenda! I looked online for options of styles and decided since I will be shoving it into my purse most days, that I'd purchase a middle of the roader...the MomAgenda. It's hot pink and kinda cute. It should be a welcome "perk me up" on dreary days. It was between the hot pink or a shiny grayish silver. The pink was cute and the silver was sophisticated. But the silver agenda was not a MomAgenda and didn't have the same cool sections to jot things down in, such as "Kids Medication" etc. So the hot pink won. If I can keep this one relatively nice and pretty then maybe next year I'll treat myself to a real nice grown up agenda such as the Gucci or Smythson! They're GORGEOUS!! Here are the agenda's that I came across on the Internet that I thought all made good options. Here's to a very organized and productive 2012! XOXO

This is the Smythson. It's just so elegant.

http://www.smythson.com/diaries.html

Here we have the lovely Gump's Agenda.

Pretty isn't she?

http://www.gumps.com/p/gump-s-monogrammed-desk-diary?CatalogCategoryID=DDPrNyNfKAZYpVeCgSnXxSQoKX

And then there's always the Queen Bee~~Gucci!

She'd last forever and dress you up in elegance in a very big way.

http://www.gucci.com/us/styles/115241A0V1G2019 And here's my choice for the New Year~~The MomAgenda. Sounds a little "soccer mom"~ I know, but it's really quite pretty. http://www.momagenda.com/

Very useful. Should keep this old girl organized!

Here's hoping!!

:)

Anita Renfroe | William Tell Momisms | Official Version

NYC Bronzer in Sunny~~Rave!

As we head into the winter months pretty full swing, I thought I'd do a little rave about this new inexpensive bronzer I've come across. It's by that little company that you see at the drugstore but always walk past because you're not sure what they have that might be any good. It's called NYC and the bronzer in Sunny is pretty fab. I've used bronzers from all lines from the top department store brands to drug store brands and I'm happy to say that this lovely matte bronzer holds it's own with the big boys. It's a soft touch of color that adds just a hint of color to your pale indoor winter complexion. It says "Yes, I'm still alive!" You can find it probably at any drugstore that sells NYS such as Walgreens , Ulta, or CVS. It's less than $3, I think, so go ahead and buy 2. One for home and one for your on the go makeup bag. Things are staring to look a lot more sunny!!

Broken Holidays~~

I know that sounds like a REALLY bad title but it's not all so desperate. Just wanted to explain why I haven't had any photos up lately~~I dropped my camera and broke my fabulous Nikon lens! :( I didn't drop it hard, just a little slip and tap and boom....the zoom and focus are broken. I'm waiting to find out where to take it to have it fixed before Christmas. I really wanted to take photos of my decorations for you all. But at least I'm pretty sure that will be the last in a long string of bad luck lately. Let's see...first our air conditioning broke a few months ago (when it was still VERY hot here in Texas), then our Thermador oven broke, then my television bulb busted, and now my camera! LOL Well, it's really no laughing matter but what's a girl gonna do? It tis vat it tis!

So I'll try to keep you all occupied with lots of reviews and raves until I get my camera back up and running or maybe I'll try out the little pocket camera I bought my daughter for her youth group trip a few months ago!! I'm also toying with the idea of putting on vlogs...video blog posts....what do you think? Yeah~~that's the ticket!

Another Reason To Love The Season!!

We love the Christmas season here at my house! We've just spent all day getting the house all decorated and ready for a dreamy month of festivities celebrating our Lord's birth! One more little reason we love this time of year is that our FAVORITE shake comes out for a limited time at Chic Fil A!! Now, let me stress to you that this is NOT very healthy so don't overdo it but after you've done your cardio and eaten your veggies, treat yourself to one of these DELICIOUS Peppermint Chocolate Shakes!!! Go ahead!! They are AMAZING! I'm not kidding. Go get one while you're shopping at the mall and let me know what you think. Oh and I ask for mine without the whipped cream and I order a small size but I ALWAYS wish I had gotten a large because they're THAT good! Enjoy!! XOXO

Help Me Be Good!

A few weeks ago, I was laying in bed with my 17 year old daughter, and she jokingly said, "Mom, before you die, you have to tell me what you did to raise me, because I'm so awesome!" We laughed hysterically! Then after a few minutes she said, "No, really. What did you do?" We laughed some more. Apparently, she wasn't very fond of my strict ways while she was growing up, but now that she's old enough to realize that her morals and values are starting to serve her really well when she's faced with situations where she has to decide what to do on her own more and more, she's appreciative of the way we've raised her. She's able to be with her peers and love them, and understand them, and not judge them, but not feel compelled to join along with them if they partake in things that just don't feel right to her. I couldn't be more thankful.

One the tools that helped me with growing Godly girls are these "Help Me Be Good Books." I know it sounds silly but my girls LOVED these books when they were little. They'd beg me to read them over and over and over again. They touch on so many subjects such as Being Greedy, Cheating, Lying, Stealing, Being Messy (Come to think if it, that one didn't work so well. Maybe I should get it back out!) etc. I really suggest getting these books if you have little ones. They're fun yet powerful at the same time!!

http://store.joyberrybooks.com/index.cfm/product/22/help-me-be-good-series-box-set.cfm

Happy Thanksgiving!

For each new morning with its light, For rest and shelter of the night, For health and food, For love and friends, For everything Thy goodness sends. -Ralph Waldo Emerson Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I'm thankful for each and every one of my blog friends who I've so enjoyed getting to share and know through this wonderful process! I wish you all a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving! XOXO

Candy Cookies~~Does It Get Any Better Than This? :)

I've been making these for a few years and they are always a hit so I thought I'd share. They are SUPER easy to make (just a little slicing of cookie dough and a little peeling of candy wrappers and you're good to go!)

Start with a bowl of candy~~you can use any kind but I really like

candy kisses and small Reese's cups!

Peel them! Get several kids of cookie dough~~peanut butter, sugar, even the brownie dough is good! Cut them into slices and then halves. Place the halves into miniature cupcake pans. Now cook them as you normally would small cookies. Keep an eye on them and don't let them over cook. Usually between 6-8 minutes is plenty.

Now as soon as you take them out push the candies into the center! YUM!!!

Deliciousness!

And there you go! I made 2 batches the other night for my daughter's basketball team dinner and they were just about all gone by the time the girls all left!

Easy and yummy!!

Enjoy!

Bruins surprise parents with son home from Afghanistan 11/12/11

Just to make you smile today~~I can never get enough of these wonderful reunions! God Bless our soldiers and their families!

John Frieda Go Blonder Review

As winter has been approaching I thought I'd try this new product to see if I could stretch my sessions to get highlights just a little bit further in these months when I'm not outdoors as much. I had heard of this John Freida product called John Frieda Sheer Blonde Go Blonder Collection. It's supposed to lighten your hair with time as you use it to shampoo and condition your hair. So here's my review~~Save your money! This product made my hair look TERRIBLE! I never noticed any change in the color (and I used 2 bottles) and during the day my hair looked limp and lifeless with fly aways...it was a mess. I've since chucked what was left in my trash and gone back to using Kerastase. I'm on the lookout for a new shampoo that will make my hair look full of body!! I'm next going to try the Bumble & Bumble Shampoo so I'll get you a review of that right away!

No Chicken Noodle Soup!

This past week my little girl came down with a nasty tummy virus. She had a fever and just a really bad case of the yuckies! On the way home from the doctor I stopped off real quick at Wholefoods and got the goods to rehydrate her and make her my homemade no-chicken noodle soup. We're vegetarians but still love the flavor and feel of a big bowl of steaming soup when we're sick. I thought I'd share my recipe in case you ever have a vegetarian friend in need of a good soup when they're sick!! You'd be a rock star to show up with this!!

I gather all the usual suspects for chicken noodles soup: garlic, frozen stew vegetables (makes cooking soup really fast and easy when you've been up all night with a sick child!) veggie bouillon, vegetable soup stock, sea salt, egg noodles, and spices. Instead of the chicken, I add Morning Stars Vegetarian "chicken strips." Even my meat eating husband loved this soup!

Boil the noodles first and drain the water.

Keep the noodles in the colander to be added at the end when the soup is all ready so they don't over cook and get mushy.

Throw all the ingredients into the pot and boil 'er up!

I added 2 boxes of the vegetable broth. 1 wasn't enough.

And because I like my soup really flavorful I add more bouillon cubes to make it stronger. Add cubes to your taste!

Then add back the noodles and voila!!! It was easy and delicious for the whole family!!! Bon Appetit!