How I Paint My Toenails

Last Thursday night after I finished mowing the lawn and cleaned myself up, I decided to paint my toenails. I realize this isn't ground breaking news by any stretch of the imagination, but painting my toenails always makes me chuckle and also makes me think about my college roomie, Melissa who (I'm pretty sure it's you Melissa) laughs every time she thinks about me painting my toenails. So, I decided I would post about it and hopefully she and you will get a good laugh out of it. Have I peaked your curiosity yet?

You see, I don't paint my toenails like the average girl. I would assume the average girl tries to stay "inside the lines" if you will. In other words, the average girl probably does her very best to make sure the polish doesn't spill over to the skin/out of the nail bed. The average girl probably tries her very best to insure that the toenail looks perfect before calling it quits and putting the polish away for the night. I, however, am not your average girl.

I, you see, don't care if I stay "in the lines", if the polish spills over on to my skin or out of the nail bed. In fact, that's the key to my polished toenail success. I developed this method when I was in college, undoubtedly by accident, and have stuck with it ever since because I'm cool like that. When I paint my toenails, I do so with wild abandon. I polish on the nail and the surrounding skin, and if I get it on the skin around the nail, so be it, it's not that big of a deal. No, I don't go back and take it off with polish remover. What do I do, you may ask? I wear shoes and socks. Huh? Here's how it goes...

I paint my toenails and toes, first with a base cost and then a couple of coats of color. Then, I let it dry the rest of the evening. The next day, I wear socks and shoes, no sandals. My feet sweat quite a bit - I don't know if this is the key to polished toenail success or not, but I'm sure it doesn't hurt. I wear the socks and shoes throughout the course of the day after the toenail painting. Then, that evening, or the next morning, whenever it is that I pull off those socks, I am not kidding when I say all the polish that was on the skin has flaked off of the skin and the toenails look perfect. I am not even kidding. There may be a random flake or two you may have to get off yourself, but it will come off in the shower or bath when you wash your feet. Here, let me show you...

Before

Before

After

After

So you see, if you paint your nails outside the lines, it's really not that big of a deal because nature will take it's course and the dried polish will come off on it own. Clearly, this is not a good method if you are needing painted toenails to look good in a pair of sandals the same or the next day, but if you can plan a day of socks and shoes, then the night before is prime time for painting.

Now the next time you see my perfectly painted toenails, you too can have a chuckle. Happy painting!

And The Winner Is...

Congratulations to Erika, winner of a copy of My Big Bottom Blessing by Teasi Cannon. You finally won something! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Book Review: A Heart Like His

I've got another book review for you this week. This one does not, unfortunately come with a giveaway, but there's still time (until 9:00 p.m. Central on Friday night) to enter the book giveaway I announced last week; just go here.

This week's book review is of Beth Moore's A Heart Like His. I was contacted by the publisher's of the book and ask to review it for my blog and so here we are. I'm sure most of you are familiar with Beth Moore as she has written numerous books and Bible studies all of which I have heard wonderful things about. Here is an excerpt from her bio for those of you who may not be familiar with her work:"Beth Moore is a writer and teacher of best-selling books and Bible studies whose public speaking engagements carry her all over United States."

I reviewed a daily devotional study by Moore on the blog once before and you can find that review here if you are interested. A Heart Like His was originally published in 2003 but is now available for the first time in trade paperback which is what prompted the publishers to contact me. The trade paperback also includes a sample of Moore's study, David: Seeking a Heart Like His, which looks very interesting and is something I will probably purchase soon. I have not actually done one of Moore's studies before, but like I said have always heard people speak very highly of her studies.

A Heart Like His is an in-depth look at the life of David, who just happens to be one of my favorite Bible characters. Most people probably know David as the runt kid who picked three stones from the babbling brook and killed Goliath with one of them, launching it from his slingshot. In fact, there is a lot more to David than his being just a shepherd boy. Did you know that God chose David to be king of Israel? In fact, in I Samuel 13:14 it says, "...the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him ruler of his people..." The title of the book obviously refers to this verse as David was in fact a man after God's own heart. When the Lord sent Samuel to Jesse's house to anoint the future king, he told Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. the Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." I Samuel 16:7.

Moore's book takes a look at the life of David from the time he was a young boy through the end of his life and everything in between. The book looks at the slaying of Goliath, his relationship with Jonathon, the turmoil when Saul was trying to kill him, his adulterous relationship with Bathsheba, the death of his son Absolom, and so much more. David was such an interesting man and dealt with so many trial and tribulations, heartaches, tragedies, and yes, even some happiness. His life was not all that different from the lives we lead today, well, with the exception of the fact that he was a king. As far as the problems he faced in life though, I think a lot of us can relate to being hated, having a good friend, losing a child, coveting our neighbor's property, the list goes on. I'm quite sure there is one circumstance if not more than one that each person can relate to. Moore's book puts David's life into perspective for us, showing us how, like David, we can have a heart like God's which will help enable us to deal with whatever circumstance we face in life.

I found the book to be very insightful and also quite an interesting look at David's life. It will allow you to walk away with a greater understanding of David's life and all that he dealt with and how by relying on God he was able to weather all the storms of his life. If you only knew a little about David before reading the book, you will definitely know a lot more after reading it and hopefully will find that you also have a heart like his.

Moore's book is available at Amazon and Barnes and Noble if you are interested in purchasing. Prices range from $12- $15.

Movie Experience and Review - Snow White and The Huntsman

I haven't written a recap of the weekend because quite frankly there isn't much to write about. It was quiet and low-key and at times boring but I loved it. I managed to venture out Saturday afternoon for a showing of Snow White and The Huntsman and I'm so glad I did. It was a really great movie and I enjoyed every minute of it.

I went to the 4:00 showing and arrived at the theater about 3:45ish. I got my medium popcorn and found a seat. Thankfully no one sat beside me this time. In fact, for the second time in a row nothing crazy happened - no one hit me with a scarf or smacked their gum or kicked my chair. It was so lovely.

The movie is based on the Grimm Brother's fairy tale of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, but this Snow White is unlike any you've ever seen. In other words, she doesn't stand by the well singing and wishing for her prince to come. She can take care of herself thank you very much. Now, I have never read the Grimm brothers version of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs so I don't know how gruesome it is or isn't, but from what I've heard this darker version is more like the Grimm Brother's version than the beloved Disney version we saw as children, though both movies follow the same basic storyline.

As I'm sure you know by now, Snow White's mother, the queen, dies and soon after her father marries an evil woman who kills him and takes control of the kingdom. She holds Snow White prisoner for many years and one day, Snow White is able to escape. The evil queen then "hires" a huntsman to find Snow White who has fled to the evil forest and instead of killing her, he ends up helping her escape the queen's clutches. The remainder of the movie is spent watching Snow White and the huntsman get themselves into and out of a series of precarious situations. Yes, there are dwarfs - what Snow White rendition would be complete without the dwarfs? Yes, there is a scene with an apple where Snow White falls into a deep sleep. However, true love's kiss may be surprising to some. I figured it out because I'm cool like that. Will they eventually overthrow the queen? I'm sure you know, but if not, I'll let the movie be the story teller. I will say this, at the end, I was expecting and actually rooting for (so unlike me) a big sloppy kiss and it didn't come! Kudos to the director for that unpredictable surprise.

Overall, I thought the movie was really good. I was on the edge of my seat many times and the two hours and seven minutes went by really quickly for me. Charlize Theron does an amazing job as the evil queen - she is really believable and super evil! The Huntsman is played by the ever-handsome Chris Hemsworth who is also quite good and even if he wasn't he's nice to look at folks! My only problem was with Kristen Stewart because let's face it folks, will she ever be anyone but Bella? Um, no, I don't  think so. No matter how hard she tries to break free of being Bella, for me anyway, it's just not happening. she did a good job but she also brought a Bella-ness to the role. Seriously, she has the same facial expressions and movements in everything I've seen her in. I'm not sure she can play anything but the timid heroine lovesick type of person. The only difference here was that the man across from her (Hemsworth) is a lot hotter than Robert Pattinson. If anyone else has seen this, I'd like to know what you think in that regard - will Kristen Stweart ever be anyone but Bella in your eyes? Poor girl, I feel kind of bad for her.

I really liked the movie and would definitely watch it again; but I love fantasy movies and you may not. It had quite the medieval feel to it which I also really enjoy so those two elements together was a real hit in my book. Check it out this weekend if you have a chance.

I Thought of Something Else

So, when I posted about some of my recent favorite things yesterday, I completely forgot about something that I really love. I probably didn't think about it since I'm "done with dairy" for a little while. Since this product has dairy, sadly, I am not partaking of it at the moment; but, that doesn't mean you can't enjoy it! The product is International Delight Iced Coffee and it is delightful!

I saw a coupon for this in the Sunday circulars and decided right then and there that I must try this product. It took me a long time to find it anywhere and finally had to search the International Delight web site to see where it was sold. It was sold here at Wal-Mart and Kroger, two stores which I do not frequent. One afternoon on the way home from work though, I did manage to stop by Wal-Mart and pick up a carton of the Mocha flavored and loved it from first taste! This is now carried at my Publix too which was nice for the one time I bought it there before going dairy-free.

If you like iced coffee then you will most likely enjoy this product. It comes in three flavors, vanilla, mocha and plain ole coffee. I've only tried the mocha and really enjoyed it. It comes in half gallon cartons and the price is either $2.98 or $3.98, I honestly cannot remember since I haven't bought it in a couple of weeks. I am terrible at brewing coffee for some strange reason and might brew a cup once every six months and that's only because I need some for a recipe of some sort. So, I found this iced coffee to be very convenient as all I had to do was pour it out of the container. I actually prefer iced coffee over hot coffee. Coffee sometimes upsets my stomach but I've never had the same problem with iced coffees probably because they have so much milk cutting down on the acidity of the actual coffee.

Check it out the next time you are at the store. In fact, thanks to a program I participate in called Vocalpoint, I have about four coupons for 75 cents off a half gallon. They expire later this month; so, if you want one, leave a comment and I'll get one to you. This applies to the first four people only since I only have four coupons. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

These are a Few of My Favorite Things

It's been a while since I've given you all a list of some of my favorite things - probably because there's not much out there right now that really makes my skirt fly up. I did want to tell you all about a product I love though and thought I would just turn it into a favorite things post because surely I can pull some other favorite out of the proverbial hat. Here we go -

Road ID - LOVE this product! This is a great product for the loved one in your family who lives and active lifestyle or any lifestyle for that matter. Road ID was designed for runners and cyclists who use the roads. It's a bracelet that has a silver plate which has identification information. Living in Huntsville, it seems like there is a cyclist vs. car  accident on a monthly basis and a Road ID is a necessity in my opinion if you are cycling or running on the road. There are two different kinds of Road ID - a basic and an interactive. I actually have one of both. With the basic band, you can put as much information as will fit on the plate. Mine for example has my name, hometown, blood type, medicine allergies and two numbers to contact in case of emergency.

The interactive ID is really awesome. I just recently bought one of these. Because my original ID has Tony's number on it, I decided to get a new plate, but since the plates were almost the same price as a new bracelet, I just got a new bracelet instead and opted for the interactive ID. My interactive ID has my name and then a number to call or web site to look at in case of emergency. On the back side of my plate is a serial number an a pin number for emergency responders to use in case of emergency. Once they call or log on to the web site, they are privy to  a plethora of information about yours truly, including insurance information, emergency contact lists, a list of medications I take, my address, instructions for someone to look after The Tide if I am injured, etc. The first year or interactive ID is free and then the charge is only $9.99 each year after that. For less than $1 a month, I can be satisfied knowing that if I am injured doctors and nurses will immediately have access to all the information they need to treat me.

Road ID comes in various shapes and sizes. They have a pouch you can put on your running shoes, a Velcro (original) bracelet (which is the first one I received), an ID tag and an ID slim (that's the kind I purchased most recently and I wear it every day all day). They also have Road ID for pets in the form of collars. These are great for young children too. I've seen many recounts on Twitter of people whose children had wandered off and parent and child were reunited thanks to the help of Road ID.

Hopefully I've adequately described the product. If you want more information, please visit their web site here. This really is the perfect gift for the runner or cyclist in your life or even a loved one who has a medical condition. It looks a lot cooler than those med alerts, that's for sure.

Right now, in honor of Father's Day, you can receive 15% any order by using the code: pcDadRocks

Silk Fruit and Protein - I'm currently steering clear of dairy products. Yes, you read that correctly. Yes, I may have lost my mind, be in temporarily or permanently is yet to be determined. Long story short, I know more than one person who has managed to drop some weight by cutting out dairy and by George, I thought I would give it a try despite my unyielding love of all things cheese and cheese substitute (I'm talking to you concession stand nacho cheese). So, unable to drink a gallon of milk a week (wipes a tear from her eye) I've had to find something else to satisfy my craving for smooth dairy in the morning. I actually had tried this before my "Done with Dairy" campaign, but have come to rely on it since milk has been banned from my fridge. There are three flavors, but I've only managed to find two  - Mango Peach and Mixed Berries. I have not yet found the Strawberry Banana. It's made with soy and fruit juices and is a great source of calcium and vitamin D which is something we all need in our diet. If you're looking for something new to drink on in the mornings or even in the afternoons, then check it out. You can often find coupons on the web site here.

Well, just when I think I will be able to come up with quite a few favorites, I can't. That's how it goes I guess. Mainly I just wanted to tell you about Road ID because I think it is a really great product and I've never mentioned it before. I hope you'll take the time to look around on their site and don't forget the coupon code if you decide to order something.

It Was Fun While It Lasted

I know you are just sitting on the edge of your seat wondering how things are going with my workouts at D1 and I'm here to tell you that it's going absolutely nowhere. Try not to be too disappointed. Actually, it's okay if you are because I am and misery loves company or something like that. I've tried to spare you all the details of my attempting to rehab my shin splits because a rotating routine of icing down my shins, wearing sexy compression sleeves and massaging BioFreeze on the sore area of my legs does not make for good reading material.

As you may recall, I bought the Groupon for one month of workouts at D1 and had every intention of going as many days as my schedule would allow. I had grand plans of five days a week workouts and looking super toned at the end of one month and then the shin splints came. I don't know why it is but every time I've been cursed with shin splints, it has taken a sweet forever for them to heal. The last time I had them I ended up at the orthopedic doctor because I was in so much pain I thought I might have a stress fracture. He prescribed what was basically a strong form of Advil and told to stay away from running for a month until they healed - advice I suppose I should be following now as well.

I tried to push through the pain in week two at D1 but it just wasn't possible. Each time I did a jumping jack and landed on my feet it was like electrical needles were pricking the front of my legs. Running was completely out of the question and running is what takes place about 50% and sometimes more of each session. So, while all the others were running drills and having a grand time, I was stuck on the sidelines on the elliptical watching - it was my own personal TO moment. (You know, TO, Terrell Owens - when he was injured and would be on the sidelines riding the stationary bicycle during the game? No, you have no idea what I'm talking about? OK, then, never mind).

I stayed away from physical activity the latter part of what was week two at D1 and then did the Cotton Row on the following Monday. Since I walked, I didn't have much pain in my shins and I iced them down afterwards and tucked my lower legs away in compression sleeves the rest of the day. I thought I would be okay to return to D1 on Thursday, the last day of May. I had ordered some new shoes (old shoes can be a contributing factor to shin splints) and had compression sleeves on and went outside for a practice run before I headed over to D1 to make a fool of myself and sit out another session. Much to my disappointment, the feeling of electrical needles pricking the front of my legs came charging back as soon as I took my first running step in the yard. I wanted to run in the yard since there is turf at D1 and the yard is more comparable to the turf than the road. I was crushed. It is obviously going to take much longer for my shins to heal than I expected and I was suddenly made aware of why I gave up running for the bicycle - I don't have to deal with injuries like this.

To top things off, I asked about what the price would be after my one month Groupon expires - it's $180 a month! Call me crazy, but that's a little steep. The girl I talked with said she could let me pay $160 a month - um, still steep. Look, I know a personal trainer runs around $50 an hour and in a sense you are getting the benefit of a personal trainer but in a group setting, which I happen to like better because all the focus isn't on me. When you break it down, it doesn't seem as bad. After all, if you went to four classes a week it would end up being around $10 a class each month, which isn't too bad, especially if you think of it like getting a $40 per hour discount on a personal trainer. If I made enough money to comfortably afford the $160 a month then I would absolutely do it; but I don't really have the privilege of spending that much money when I already have a membership at another gym. I think it would be well worth the cost and I would love to do it, but I'm having a hard time justifying the expense - especially when I think that if I set that money aside for just two months, I could buy a pair of duo boots that would actually zip up around my 19.5 inch calves! Yes, you read that right, 19.5 inches! Not to mention that if I stay injured half the time then it would be like throwing money away.

The gym I have been going to for the past few years actually has some group sessions that are similar to D1 but probably not as intense and definitely do not include running because there's no where to run. So, I think I will inquire as to the cost and might join one of those groups. In the meantime, I'll be returning to my normal routine of multiple spin classes each week and hopefully I will have enough discipline to add in some walking/jogging as well as some much needed core work. Needless to say, I'm disappointed that this little venture of mine did not go as planned; but, that's life. What's important is that I'm healthy despite having a large derriere (thanks a lot maternal DNA!). Any thoughts?