Simple Joys

Hello Darlings...

lately I have been taking joy in some things I wanted share with you...some are things that have happened, some are products, some are places...

stuff...

And at the end of the blog there is something I have never done before...I am doing a product give away!  Read on for more details...

These days I am determined to find joy even in things that I might not normally find joy in...

Like today...when I subbed for 5th grade...it was field day...

normally that would not make me joyful...and frankly I feel I still deserved hazard pay because I was standing around where 11 years olds where throwing things like footballs, basketballs, and hula hoops.

But I found joy in watching them get excited and have fun...it was fun watching the tiniest little blonde girl prove that she pretty much is the beast at sports (she never missed a basket and she beat everyone at ring toss with the hula hoop...and then some...)...I found joy in the fact that the weather was PERFECT and I didn't end up with a "farmer's tan"...it was a joyful day...and I got to spend it with some sweet kids and some amazing teachers I look up to.

I"m finding joy as I sit in on casting our shows for next year...like when the biggest kid in the room insisted he get to read for "Tiny Tim" (we are doing "Christmas Carol") or when the super quiet young man got up and had me in tears laughing...or when a child I have known since he was in kindergarten is continually surprising me with his acting...or when I got to sit next to another child I have known since she was in kindergarten and as I realized that she is a grown woman now and off to college I have had the joy of sharing this last year with her (I love you CrewBossCass).

I found joy on mother's day...not just from my children..and they were awesome (The Cutest Boy in the World cooked me breakfast and brought it to me in bed)

but from my ex-husband

um...

but not in the way most would expect (like he did something nice...)

no...it was more surprising and I'm still laughing at it...

basically...

he sent me a text meant for his girlfriend

not kidding

you read that right

he sent ME a text meant for his girlfriend

my joy came from the humor of it

and the fact that I could absolutely care less that he has a girlfriend (other than it chaps me that he found someone before I did)

I knew it because not for me because the text was NICE

not that he isn't nice to me but it was waaaay friendly than I ever get or ever got even when we were married

it was all friendly and happy and even had an exclamation point

not kidding...

once I realized it was NOT for me but rather for someone else

and I stopped laughing my @$$ off

I sent him back at text saying "I don't think you meant to send this text to me lol"

at least it wasn't a "sext"...

and for that I am truly grateful and joyful

(shudder)

I'm taking joy at making homemade goat cheese...I found a recipe and it is delicious and creamy and a bit tangy but not overly so...and you can flavor it however you like...and I use fresh lemon juice as the acid...here's a blog that explains how to do it...

http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2010/02/how-to-make-goat-cheese-recipe.html

Of course I am taking great joy in my new house...and I am almost ready to "show" it to you...but if you are looking for painters, or an electrician, or some carpenters---message me and I will pass along their names...they are awesome...

Lately I find great joy in going to the, for lack of a better term, "latino grocery store".  The one by me is called "La Michoacana" and I love shopping there.  The produce is good and cheap, I get great avocados for less than 50 cents each (sometimes as little as a quarter...they are the small ones but the perfect size), they have great fajitas, and I can get in and out in less than a quarter of the time I spend at HEB.

I am very fond of their "pollo para tacos" and "beef para tacos"...it's meat that is slivered up for you and all you do is throw it in a skillet with a little olive oil, salt and pepper and you have a "street taco" when you add a little green salsa...bueno...

and they have awesome corn tortillas and I am very fond of their La Michoacana brand of "queso quesadilla"

The Cutest Boy in the World and I have taco night almost once a week and it's a no brainer to shop for and put together...

if you want to find one near you here is their website:

http://www.lamichoacanameatmarket.com/en/

If you have any kind of ethnic market near you I urge you to go in there and explore...you might find some great food at great prices that might shake up your usual meals...

and if you want more specifics on how to do your tacos, etc just message me...

Let's see what else...

I take simple joy (actually GREAT joy) in the fact that the two top-selling NFL jerseys post-draft are Johnny Manziel's and Michael Sam's...but that deserves it's own blog...

I find simple joy in some new findings in the way of alcoholic beverages...

I picked up some peach vodka from a Texas vodka producer  (Lonespur Texas Vodka) and it's awesome...I plan to make some fun summer drinks with that one...I tried it with a little blueberry liqueur for a dessert martini...joyful...

I'm not usually a whiskey girl at all but I find that Cooper's Mark honey bourbon whiskey has a smokey, sexy, slightly sweet taste that makes for a delicious occasional nightcap...like at the end of the day when your ex-husband sends you a text meant for his paramour...

And lastly on the alcoholic beverage front I share with you a nice red wine I am enjoying:
Chateau St. Cosme "Les Deux Albion" Cotes du Rhone

yummy...

And the olive bar at Whole Foods has long been a place of simple joy for me but I recently discovered their "sweet" olive blend with almonds and raisins...and yes, it is supper yummy when chopped up and put on top of that homemade goat cheese on a crostini...

I take a lot of simple joy from my cat "Dragon"...he amuses me and is super affectionate and so very sweet...

although last night at 3am when he decided to lodge his "teaser" toy into a chair so he could play with it (it has a bell on it....arrrrgh) I was not taking ANY joy in him...

And now for my unpaid endorsements...but these are things I really love..two are beauty products and one is something my son can't live without...

The Cutest Boy in the World lives in athletic shorts...and his favorite shorts come from a company called "Streaker Sports"...what makes these shorts special is the fact that the fabric is super lightweight and dries quickly and IS NOT MESH but also because THEY HAVE POCKETS...he lives in them...check them out the company is a good old USA company and their stuff just gets better and better with each washing...he loves the t-shirts too...if you have seen my son "out and about" then you have seen him in his Streakers...

http://www.streakersports.com/

Lastly I want to share two beauty products that not only give me simple joy in making me look better but I pretty much use them every single day...

First up is Oscar Blandi Dry Teasing dust...

finally a product that gives me the big hair I love...and it stays...it's the best of the "dusts" I have tried and I am an addict

Here's a link to Sephora:

http://www.sephora.com/product/productDetail.jsp?keyword=OSCAR%20BLANDI%20Dry%20Teasing%20Dust%20P378139&skuId=1510163&productId=P378139&_requestid=137377

but you can get it other places...

My other beauty obsession is my lashes...it's all about the hair and lashes with me...and I have finally found a product that gives me the look of false eyelashes without having to put the falsies on.

It's called Younique Moonstruck 3D fiber lashes...

amazeballs...

you put on your regular mascara and then...when you want to pump up the volume...and add length...

you brush on the gel and then you comb on the fibers (I have contacts and have had no issues) and then you seal it up with the gel...

and then you get supermodel lashes

My friend Jill turned me on to them and she set up a "virtual party" where you can go and buy them...no since I don't believe in using my blog to serve myself in any way other than mental therapy I am going to GIVE AWAY a set of the fiber lashes...

that's right

I'm doing a give away...

the "party" last for 10 days so feel free to go onto the website and buy away..you will be hooked...

but if you leave a comment here on the blog or on my facebook page that you want to be in "in" on the giveaway, simple let me know and on May 25 I will put all of your names in a hat and draw one out and that person will get the lashes...I already have a set to give away...

but I really urge you to shop for yourself...you will love them!  And the price is good...

here's the link:

https://www.youniqueproducts.com/JillWatson/party/199439/view

I swear these are amazing and I get tons of compliments and the best part is I can use them to look naturally pretty or full out glamazon depending on how much I build up with the fibers.  Jill and I total believers  and addicts...you will be addicted too..

Ok so that is all for now with my simple joys...because my next simple joy is watching Gray's Anatomy and going to bed...

Inspiration Song: "Simple joys" from the musical "Pippin"...because GOTT and I are doing Pippin this year...just in case you have missed it from my facebook page..yup the next 9 months are gonna be all about "Pippin" and football and wrestling...and also in honor of the fact that an amazing young man who was in the first show I ever costumed once played "Pippin" in high school and now he is on BROADWAY in Book of Mormon...yes, I finally know someone on Broadway...I die happy....

Bye Darlings...find your simple joys...share them with me...and let me know if you want in on the drawing!