Happy Monday my shimmering friends!

I was thinking recently about how in life, we all have crosses to bear. We all have challenges, sadness and hard times. Its part of the of being a living human being.

I'll be the first to admit it does seem as if some folks get FAR more than their share of hard times and not nearly as much joy and happiness as they should have.
There is a man I have known for years. He lost both of his children, two beautiful sons. Through no fault of his or their own. Both were cases of auto accidents. It is plain awful, how is there any explanation for that?
On the flip side, we all know people who live what appears to be charmed lives. They seem to be free of loss and stress. Folks that have never buried a loved one, folks who have never had any serious financial issues. Its easy to envy them. It is easy to think how unfair it is. Particularly , if you are in the midst of a hard time of your own.

Several years ago, I worked with a woman like this.  She truly had a wonderful life. She, had never known disappointment . When she was 12 she had tried out for the soccer team and didn't make it. Instead of having to accept not making the cut, her father would drive her 40 minutes each way to a soccer team miles away. That team's coach was a business associate of her father. Who walked her right onto the team.
She had both parents and all four grandparents alive and well. She had a beautiful, healthy four year old son. She had an adoring husband whom she married the week after they graduated college.
When she graduated college , she couldn't bear the thought of going to work for someone else. So, her parents bought her a company of her own. She made this company very successful.
It might seem easy to be jaded toward this woman. However, she was a warm , loving person. Always kind, always supportive, always generous. She had the love and respect of those who surrounded her.
She and her husband were trying for another baby. One beautiful, sunny autumn day,she announced to the entire company that she was pregnant!!!!  Not a dry eye could be found in the room! We were all SO happy.
Then...it happened. Autumn became winter. We were smack dab in the holiday season. Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukah and New Years were all the focus.
On the first day of her 10th week of pregnancy, she miscarried.  Devastation. WHY? HOW? She literally did everything "right". It was horrific.  There had been sonogram pictures all over our office. We all were in love with that little, growing life. WHY DID THIS HAPPEN?
Now, we all knew that she would need to take some serious time to grieve. Obviously.
Then, we found out from her husband that she had breakdown. She had been hospitalized. I stayed at the company another 6 months. She never came back. I don't even know when she was released from the hospital that was helping her with her mental health issues. Her family closed her off to everyone. We couldn't give a phone call, pay a visit, send flowers. Nothing.
Now, I am the first to admit, I'm not yet a parent. I have never experienced anything like this, thanks to God.
I cannot but help to think that she had been failed somehow. Her entire life she had been shielded from any struggles, hardship, loss, pain etc. Then , suddenly she found herself as a 35 year old woman who was dealt a devastating loss and she didn't have a single tool as to how to cope with it.
She didn't have any experience to draw from. She didn't have the knowing that she had survived past heartache.
So maybe , as hard as it might be we should embrace our trials as much as we do our joys? I know its SO MUCH EASIER SAID THAN DONE.
However, that unexpected $900 auto repair, the jerk who left you for the girl at his office, the not landing that dream job might be things to be thankful for in the long run. Perhaps, its these things that by overcoming them have given us the strength we need to deal with the truly awful things when they happen?
Anyhow, all I can say is to be so thankful and appreciative when things ARE going well.

Hello my shimmering friends!
Happy Friday!
I had an idea today. Since I spend a good chunk of my disposable income on hair/ beauty , it might be beneficial if I shared some of my findings.
If I can help just one of you from wasting $$ on a bummer of a product, its worth it.
I'd like to kick this whole idea off by talking about something I NEVER thought that I would like.
Are you ready for it.... cleansing oils for the face. Yup, the idea horrified my at first. I was sure this would do nothing other than turn my face into a greasy,  broken out mess.
Come to find out, nothing could be further from the truth. My skin has always been combination. Dry cheeks and forehead , oily on the nose and chin. Now, my skin has all evened out. No more dry spots, no more oily spots.
I've always been one to put the time and money into my skin. My routine used to be eye make up remover, cleansing with my Clarisonic brush, toner, moisturizer then wrinkle prevention.
Washing with oil has changed it up completly. The oil takes the place of the eye makeup remover and cleanser. At first, I was still attempting to tone afterwards. I realized though that the cotton balls were wiping clean from the get go. Using the cleansing oil , literally removes ALL of your make up...nothing  at all left behind. Not using the toner has eliminated the need for moisturizer. What was a 5 step process, is now a 2 step process!
So far, I have used 2 different oils. I started with a drug store brand. I didn't want to shell out big bucks until I knew it would be a good thing.
The one I bought was by Garnier.

Hello from snowy Plymouth, MA.
Its frigid here today. We are getting ocean effect snow as I type this.  Lord knows, I DETEST snow.
Urggh... So, in order to keep from losing it..I want to think happy thoughts...dogs, vacation, hugs,good wine etc.
One thing that always makes me happy is anything related to beauty. I'm a self proclaimed hair and make up junkie.
My hair is naturally a mousy, dirty dishwater blonde. I highlight it to keep it the color I was in childhood.
A few years ago, I got the bright idea that I could highlight it myself. Now mind you, I have 0 professional training in that area. None.  Surprisingly enough, for the first few months it went pretty well. I smugly thought that I found a way to "beat the system." No more having to wait for salon appointments or shell out beacoup bucks for me! I was going to Sally Beauty supply and buying 30 volume developer and bleach. Then one day I messed up majorly. I hadn't mixed it to a thick enough consistency . The mixture ran on to hair that had previously been bleached. My hair started breaking off in uneven clumps.
I tucked my tail between my legs and went back to my stylist. What had been bra strap length hair had to be cut into a bob that came just below my ear lobes.
Since then, I've stopped screwing around and am adament about taking care of my hair. I've so drastically limited my flat iron usage. I deep condition regularly and leave all coloring and cutting to a trained professional.
One thing that I am now VERY excited about is my new hair dryer.