And I'm back...and sitting pretty in pink, no less

Yep, prodigal blogger finally back.  I was sorta taking a Spring Break break - trying to trim the electronics especially over the long Easter weekend when we went away to the River for a few days.  Wonderful time, didn't have to work too much, and the weather was fantastic.  And things have just been so busy between work, sick kids, sick me.  I've kept a semi-conscious state on Polyvore, but that's really about it.

I did have to kick my own butt to get back on here (with some help from a little nudge from Anon & casual-crew - thanks!) because I think I've just been kinda in the blahs lately.  Honestly, the holidays didn't do me in - it was the 2 back to back blizzards and 7 pounds.  Thanks, Mother Nature.  Yes, I know, it really is my fault - declining activity, increasing amounts of (let's be honest) crap eaten and where does that get us?  You don't have to be a rocket scientist to realize it's going to add a few pounds.  Maybe I should be grateful it was only 7 accumulated over the past couple of months?

And then my Lenten plan. First of all, the distracted driving part - getting rid of that - was fantastic.  A true eye-opener.  And I'm so glad I did it. The reigning in clutter part?  Just didn't happen - work was just way too crazy.  And to go back to the previous thought yeah, wellness just did not figure into the equation as I'd planned.

But spring is a time for rebirth and renewal, right?  It's funny - while we were at the river, I helped my mom go through her closets - which I LOVE to do (always easier to go through someone else's, right?).  And it made me realize that I just really really REALLY need to go through mine.  With what time?  Oh yeah, that...  well the upside to the crazy hours is that there are only so many hours in a contract and it has to slow down sometime...which is now.  Leaving me a bit more time for the things that I really need and want to do.  Like blog.  Like go through my closets.  Like get back to walking Lucy as much as I should.  Speaking of Lucy, here's the latest photo from Spring Break:

Is that a happy dog or what?

So the pink part...I need to get into a whole discussion on foundation later, but I was at the Nordstrom Bobbi Brown counter on Friday, and what did I spy with my little eye?  New lip product...Treatment Lip Shine SPF 15.  I got Pink Glisten 4.

No link there because it's not even out on the Bobbi Brown website or the Nordstrom website, but they had gotten it in the day before.  Gorgeous colors.  SPF 15 - always important in the summer.  Feels great - perfect texture for me (not matte, not goopy).  And a bit sheer so the color isn't too crazy on the lips.  Below I have some on my hand next to the lippie.

It's so pretty.  Just so so so pretty.  Not sure when the official release will be.  I haven't gotten it in my regular BB emails.  And the SA told me it's flying off the shelves.  They only got 6 of each color to start, and I got the 5th tube of my shade.  So if you must have it now, get thee to Nordies.  Or wait for the full release...I'm sure Bobbi will have some kind of fun offer.

And I must have really been in a pink mood because after the mall, I hit Target to get a few birthday presents and other odds & ends. I just happened to be strolling down the cosmetic aisle, and just had to pick up some polish.  It started when the BB SA and I were talking about the polish on her thumb which was the new Chanel Riviera color - a warm peony pink.  Trouble is that it's really pretty sheer.  So with my new bright pink lippie in hand, I really was craving a fun pink polish.  I've been wanting to try the new Sally Hansen all in one salon treatment polish, but they didn't have the right kind of pink. (You know I'm not a brights girl when it comes to polish, so I'm kinda picky about my pinks.)  Then I saw this lovely little shade..for about $2.  It's by NYC or New York Color - In a New York Minute Quick Dry Nail Polish, in 242B - Uptown.  Not sure how the wear will be, but I'm never in the mood to keep on pinks for too long so it doesn't really matter.  I will say that the brush is somewhat similar to the regular OPI brush and is kinda flat - love that - it's so much easier to control.  And it really is a perfect match for my new lippie.

In other pink polish news...below are pics of OPI's Panda-monium Pink polish from this Spring's Hong Kong collection.  It really is a dead ringer for Essie Neo-Whimsical - and being OPI, is SO much easier to apply.  So if you're craving a lavender-pink for spring, I highly recommend the OPI.  

Lots more to discuss in upcoming posts, but hubby's out for hockey game watching/beer drinking/maybe some poker playing....kids are headed to bed...and I'm trying to decide whether to color my hair, go through my closet, or just chill out and catch up Glee & Project Runway from this week. Blogging's not the only thing I've lapsed on.  And to all my dear blogging friends, I'll be trying to catch up on my blog reading - I've missed you and can't wait to see what you all have been up to!!

Toodles for now...

No Shopping Ban for Lent? Seriously??

Today is Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. I had said before that I was going to do what I did last year for Lent, which was to give up unnecessary shopping. And then hubby said "I thought we'd been doing that since January." Bah dum bum. Oh yeah, right. So I thought about about it and realized that yes, I had been really good about it. My purchases have been well thought out, practical - many replacing current clothing that was due to go. Yes, I ordered 3 dresses with the latest 20% off but (1) 2 of them are online only and I haven't seen the 3rd in store, and (2) I am most likely returning some/all of them. The nice thing is that I reordered the Tall Minnies, the Long Beach Cardi, and the Pearl Jackie to get the 20% off - and that more than offsets the shipping, so even if I return all the dresses, I'm still way ahead. Nice to have a B&M so close by, but I won't rub it in.

So that left me with what to do for Lent. First of all, Lent is a special time of self-examination and penitence. Lent is a time for concentration on fundamental values and priorities, and is not a time for self punishment. (Thank you, Father Ken, since I just borrowed your excellent wording from your Invitation to a Holy Lent.) I've had some vague ideas swirling around.

Recently I heard on the radio, because I'm not a regular Oprah watcher, about her plea for the no-phone-zone when driving. No calling, texting, etc. DISTRACTED DRIVING = BAD. No other way to say it. But it's more than just the cell phone. How many times have your been out driving and seen other drivers eating, drinking, smoking, applying makeup, reading, shaving, writing, looking anywhere but straight ahead. I guess this is really driven home right now because of the huge snow mounds we have everywhere in the DC area which make driving even more hazardous than usual.

What intrigued me most was my initial reaction to the radio ad when I thought "No way can I do that." That, dear friends, is what gave me pause - to have such an immediate reaction. Red flag much? Um, yeah, clearly this is an area to explore. If you want to sign Oprah's online pledge, here's the link to it. I think I'm more beholden by putting out here on my blog, but I will go ahead and sign online.

This morning, dropping the kids off at a friends', since I had an early meeting, I had to remind myself to call Nancy to ask her to open the garage before we left our garage, wait to drink my tea until I was parked at school, take a phone call while I was parked at the grocery store, not put on lipstick or check messages until I was stopped at a light. We are so accustomed to multi-tasking while driving - we don't even think about it anymore. All of this yields more focus on driving, more quiet, more time for reflection. All of which are good things. But it takes work.

And it's more than just driving. On Monday, I cleared out my work email inbox and my personal email inboxes (I have one for regular and one for the blog). What a sense of relief and accomplishment. I idly thought "that's what I should be doing for Lent, cleaning out my email on a daily basis so that it doesn't get cluttered and distracting." Distraction = less focus. Clutter, whether physical or electronic or mental = distraction. Isn't all the multi-tasking while driving really another form of clutter? Cluttering up our time?

And think about how good it feels to clean out the closet, the utility drawer, the pantry, the linen closet, under the sink, etc. It's cathartic. It's good for the soul. All the clutter just weighs us down in so many ways. And when you think about it, this really does align with a shopping diet or shopping ban. You're not bringing in more cr@p you don't really need

So here's my final decision. My Lenten practice will be No Distracted Driving - under the overall theme of Disengage the Distractions and Clear the Clutter.

And I've decided and declared just in time to head off to church for the 12 noon service.

Other ideas for Lent...or just living better and gaining a new perspective, outside of the usual giving up meat, sugar, etc.:

My mom gave up saying anything bad about someone for Lent last year. She felt better about herself by giving up the negativity and tried to continue it when Lent was over. I think it's a great idea. And she's really not a negative person anyway, but we all are guilty.

Another idea is a Lenten Carbon Fast. I found this fascinating - it was put out by the Archdiocese of Washington. A daily calendar for Lent of something different to do each day to improve our/your environment. Lots of great suggestions on daily living anyway. (No, I'm not Catholic, but that is irrelevant. If it's a good idea, it's a good idea.)

And here's the most intriguing new idea I've heard, which one of our Seminarians related to me. The idea is living simply and in solidarity with people who have suffered losses are living with very little (i.e., Haiti) - pack 1 bag. It can be any bag, it can even be a big bag. But pack 1 bag and live out of that for 40 days. We are so used to all of our "stuff". Would you be able to live out of just 1 bag for that time? Clothes, toiletries, accessories.... I guess I'd have to pack my laptop and phone? Lots to think on here.

So do you observe Lent? What are you doing this year? Thoughts on the above?