Happy Birthday Tony!

Today is my baby brother's birthday. Anyone who knows me knows that my brother is like my favoritest person in the world. Yes, I know I am married and I love the hubs dearly, but the bond I have with my brother is very special. In the 23 years of his life, he have never had a real fight. Don't get me wrong through the years he has gotten on my nerves and I know I have gotten on his, but no fights. Even in our adult age we still act like little kids when we are around each other. We do all the things we did when we were kids; we wrestle, and tease, and act as stupid as we possibly can.

This makes we think about relationships between all siblings. I know people that cannot stand their siblings. This always makes me sad. I could not imagine not being crazy about my brother. I can't think of anything that would make me not talk to him. And everyday I thank God that we have the relationship we have. I remember when we were young and my mom would tell people about how we get along, they would always say that we were weird. But why are we the ones that are weird. Why isn't it normal to have a wonderful relationship with your siblings. I know my mom gets along with hers. She talks to one of her sisters everyday, probably more than once. Don't people want to have this kind of relationship with their family?

So anyway, to my brother Tony, Happy 23rd Birthday! Have a Wonderful Day! Be Safe. From your favoritest person in the world. Your Big Sis.

My Favorite Things Edition 1

Soooo.... I am no Oprah or anything, but to let you get to know me a little I thought I would let you all in blog world know some of my favorite things of 2009. Here is my list.

Favorite

1. Summer Accessory - Cole Haan Genevieve Small Triangle bag





This was a gift from the Hubs. He gave it to me in the winter and i had been waiting to pull it out. Now I carry it everywhere and in my eyes it goes with everything. I took it everywhere on our wedding and honeymoon. I love it and I love him for buying it.



2. Electronic - Amazon Kindle 2





This was my wedding gift from my parents. I love to read. That is a lie, I am obsessed with it. I think I have already read over 10 books this Summer alone and it is only July. I mean this gadget isn't perfect; there are some things I can think of to improve it. But to have a portable and you can really read anywhere. I know it is the nerd in me that loves this, but to be able to travel and throw this device in my fav summer accessory and keep going.



3. Favorite Books - Temperance Brennan Series



From my fav above, I love reading. Beyond that I love reading a series. My Summer series of 2009 has been the Temperance Brennan novels by Kathy Reichs. She does the character Bones on Fox, but even though the character has the same name it is not the same. Anywho, because of my love of forensics, I am obsessed with these books. I probably read one every 3 days. I am almost done the series and hope there are more to follow.


4. Favorite Hair product - Shea butter





I have natural hair (no relaxer). Some of you may not understand that, but in the black community it is a big thing. For some it defines you. It is not always accepted in the corporate world and you always get looks and stares from people who either love that you are natural or hate it. I try not to get into all of that. But, I have been natural since 2003. It is kinda sad, but I have just started to really pay attention to my hair and try to make it as healthy as possible. So in my search for healthy hair I have found Pure, Unrefined Shea Butter. It is the best. I make so many concoctions with it and my hair loves it. I use it every day in something.

RIP MJ

So today Michael Jackson was laid to rest. Despite people views of him no one can take away the impact he had on millions of people across the world. No matter how you feel you have to admit that was one of the best memorials for a person. Everyone will remember where they were and what they were doing the day MJ died. His music will live on forever. So to the man...the legend...RIP...finally.

August 29, 1958 - June 25, 2009

Gone too Soon.

Homemade Elderflower Skin Toning Lotion

This Elderflower skin toning lotion is suitable for all skin types and is both healing and soothing to the skin.

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons dried elderflowers
1 ¼ cups (300 ml) cider vinegar
1 ¼ cups (300 ml) distilled water

How to Prepare Elderflower Skin Toning Lotion:
Put the herbs in a wide-mouthed glass jar. Mix together the cider vinegar and distilled water and heat to just below boiling point. Pour the liquid over the herbs, cover tightly with plastic wrap and leave to steep for 12 hours. Strain and dilute with a further 2/3 cup (150 ml) of distilled water and bottle for future use.

How to Use this Elderflower Skin Toning Lotion:
To use the toning lotion, pour a small amount on to slightly damp cotton-wool, and gently apply to face and neck using an outward and upward movement.

How Sunscreen Works?

Sunscreen is one of the most important ways to maintain a youthful appearance. The earlier in life you start using a daily sunscreen, or moisturizer that has a sunscreen in it, the less wrinkled and healthier your skin will look when you are older. Like your daily vitamins, sunscreen is preventative medicine to keep you healthy because it prevents the sun's harmful rays from damaging your skin.

The chemicals in sunscreen agents either interact with skin to prevent the sun from burning it, or physically block the sun, much the way a glove protects your hand from the sun. Blocking agents are less common than chemical sunscreens. Chemical sunscreens contain ingre­dients that are quickly absorbed by the skin, so you don't even know they are working. They can also be waterproof as well as sweatproof. There are two different types: those with ultraviolet B ray protection only, and those that additionally provide protection against ultraviolet A rays. (Ultraviolet B rays are the burning rays of the sun, but both Ultraviolet B and A rays contribute to skin cancer, wrinkles, and other indicators of sun damage.) The higher the SPF number is on the sunscreen label, the more pro­tection you have against the burning ultraviolet B 'rays of the sun. In general, the best protection is found in a waterproof chemical sunscreen that is labeled with an SPF greater than 30 and also indicates that it offers protection against ultraviolet A rays.

Physical-blocking sunscreens, like body armor, protect the skin by blocking the sun's rays from ever reaching the skin's surface. Originally, sun-blocking agents, made from zinc oxide, were white pastes that were visible on your skin. Remember a lifeguard with a white paste on his nose? During the last ten years, advances in microtechnology have allowed these zinc oxide preparations and their counter­parts, titanium dioxide creams, to be rubbed into the skin. These high-tech physical blocking sunscreens can also be quite water resistant, but not as waterproof and sweatproof as chemical sunscreens can be. Because of their function as an armor, physical sunscreens block all of the sun's rays, whether they are ultraviolet A or B. Physical blocking sun­screens are most effective when the ingredient silicone is added to them.

Any sunscreen should be applied for at least thirty min­utes before you go out in the sun, and reapplied every few hours while you are outside. Use sunscreen liberally on your skin, or it won't provide sufficient protection. For example, you need between one-half and one teaspoon to cover your face, one teaspoon on each limb, and up to two teaspoons each on the front and back of your trunk.

How To Get Rid Of Sun Freckles?

Also called "liver spots," sun freckles are the brown, irregular stains that occur on the parts of the body exposed to the sun, such as the face, arms, and hands. They are not usually considered dangerous, but on very rare occasions can become cancerous. There are several approaches to removing sun freckles, including freezing with a very cold spray, using kogic acid, lasers, or bleaching creams. The anti-wrinkle cream Renova may also help reduce sun freckles. None of these methods guarantee complete removal of the freckles, and each method occasionally leaves the spot either darker or too white. Your dermatologist can help you determine which treatment method is best for you.

Welcome!

Welcome to my blog! This is definitely not something that I ever thought i would do. I am normally a very private person. But here I am, really loving my life, and wanting to remember these moments. I am not really a picture taker so here is my way of capturing the moments. So when I am old hopefully I will have this to look back on. I don't know how often I will post, or what I will post about, but here it goes. And so the journey begins....