Amish Cinnamon Bread

No kneading, you just mix it up and bake it

Batter:
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 cups buttermilk or 2 cups milk plus 2 tablespoons vinegar or lemon juice
4 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda

Cinnamon/sugar mixture:
2/3 cups sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Directions
Cream together butter, 2 cups of sugar, and eggs. Add milk, flour, and baking soda. Put 1/2 of batter (or a little less) into greased loaf pans (1/4 in each pan). Mix in separate bowl the 2/3 c sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle 3/4 of cinnamon mixture on top of the 1/2 batter in each pan. Add remaining batter to pans; sprinkle with last of cinnamon topping. Swirl with a knife. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 min. or until toothpick tester come clean.
Cool in pan for 20 minutes before removing from pan.

 — with Claudia Bittencourt.

Too Faced Better Than False Lashes review

I received a sample of Too Faced Better Than False Lashes in a Sephora collection I purchased.  It is very intriguing product.  I was expecting this to be more like Lancome Cils booster.  It was not.  Lancome's product is very creamy and smooth to put on lashes.  The Too Faced product was actual little nylon pieces.

Too Faced comes with two tubes.  One is the mascara and the other is a the tube of the nylon pieces.  You put the mascara on first and then the nylon, then another coat of the mascara.  It really does make you look like you have more lashes.  It doesn't really make them look thicker, if that is what you are wanting.  I am blonde with fine lashes, that are actually quite long.  I was initially pleased with the results, but a few hours later I was rethinking this.  I was noticing that the little nylon threads were flaking off.  I would find a bunch of these on my under eye area.  The little threads also got in my eyes and were annoying.  I would be concerned about eye damage if one of these scratched my cornea.  

So, I may use this on a special occasion.  I would not use this daily.  I would also not purchase this.  The alternative that I have gotten good results with is using Benefit's They're Real mascara and then applying Urban Decay's Cannonball Waterproof mascara on top.  I would also continue to use Lancome's Cils.

January 3rd

Sick.
Nauseated, cough, can't get warm, other lovely assorted features.
Had to take a day off.  I didn't want to.

Off to such a good start and it comes crashing down today.  Bleah.

No exercising, I have moved only from the bed to the couch.

Tomorrow is another day.  Not going to get too bent out of shape.

I did it.

I went back to work today.  Got up instead of hitting the snooze.  Gave myself a little more time to wake up.  I really dislike being in a rush in the morning.  I didn't want to commit hari kari when I saw my email.  I even remembered to do an errand today and got to the gym.  I am back on call tonight, so I am not trying to focus on that and just go with the flow if I get called out.  I am pretty pleased for my first day back in the new year. Tomorrow, it may be more likely that I wake up thinking, "Whadayamean?  I have to do this...again?  LOL

Geek alert:  My Battlestar Galactica bomber jacket is being made.

Awesome.

January 1, 2013

Today was another quiet day.  Thinking about going back to work and mentally gearing up for that.  I will be glad to get back to the routine, but I have not missed work a bit.

The Christmas tree was taken down.  I made a run to Wal-Mart (bleah) to get some items so I could repair some damage to some precious ornaments. (Festus has chewed the end of a snowwoman doll's nose.  He must have wanted some carrots. BTW...he had a horrible case of the wildbutts this morning.) My cousin Delmas had made me some wooden reindeer several years ago.  Festus had knocked one over and it's antler needed gluing.  (Yeah, he's the reason we can't have nice things.)  So both are repaired and tucked away.

I tried a couple of different makeup looks today.  Using the "no makeup" look. Yeah, I know, why not just go without makeup.  Um...no.  I've seen me. I am thinking this is a nice weekend makeup, especially when I am on call and have to get out of the house to get to the hospital.  Just enough that I look somewhat pulled together.

I've seem to have become a makeup junkie.  Not sure when that happened.

We got to have Muttley for a few hours tonight.  We ended up going to Greenville.  Jeff slipped on some ice on the drive way.  He ripped his jeans an scuffed his knee.  Funny, I didn't hear any lumberjack yell TIMBER when he fell.  Anyway, needed to go and get him some new jeans.  On the way Muttley made this huge horking sound, which always breaks me into laughter.  He's a good boy.

Dinner is made and clean up done.  (Biscuits and gravy)

Now I am just kicking back and journaling.  There is already stuff up in the stores for Valentine's Day.  Some places have Easter items out, I am told.  No down time whatsoever.  No wonder our society is one big bundle of adrenaline junkies/ADHD.  So, I guess the point of this entry is that there is joy in the mundane, the every day.

Best meme I saw today...I remember 2012 like it was yesterday.

IBS/Colitis

Today was the first day in a month an a half that I have had an attack.  I spent the morning throwing up and being very unsettled in my stomach.  I hate these days.  This evening I made myself get back in the routine by walking on my NordicTrack.  I am feeling a little better.

Jeff is busy studying for a Cisco certification.  He works very hard.  Festus has been his little study partner.

Tomorrow I will go into work late and start a new Prime program.  I very much like this program.

Bob Marley quote

Only once in your life, I truly believe, you find someone who can completely turn your world around. You tell them things that you’ve never shared with another soul and they absorb everything you say and actually want to hear more. You share hopes for the future, dreams that will never come true, goals that were never achieved and the many disappointments life has thrown at you. When something wonderful happens, you can’t wait to tell them about it, knowing they will share in your excitement. They are not embarrassed to cry with you when you are hurting or laugh with you when you make a fool of yourself. Never do they hurt your feelings or make you feel like you are not good enough, but rather they build you up and show you the things about yourself that make you special and even beautiful. There is never any pressure, jealousy or competition but only a quiet calmness when they are around. You can be yourself and not worry about what they will think of you because they love you for who you are. The things that seem insignificant to most people such as a note, song or walk become invaluable treasures kept safe in your heart to cherish forever. Memories of your childhood come back and are so clear and vivid it’s like being young again. Colours seem brighter and more brilliant. Laughter seems part of daily life where before it was infrequent or didn’t exist at all. A phone call or two during the day helps to get you through a long day’s work and always brings a smile to your face. In their presence, there’s no need for continuous conversation, but you find you’re quite content in just having them nearby. Things that never interested you before become fascinating because you know they are important to this person who is so special to you. You think of this person on every occasion and in everything you do. Simple things bring them to mind like a pale blue sky, gentle wind or even a storm cloud on the horizon. You open your heart knowing that there’s a chance it may be broken one day and in opening your heart, you experience a love and joy that you never dreamed possible. You find that being vulnerable is the only way to allow your heart to feel true pleasure that’s so real it scares you. You find strength in knowing you have a true friend and possibly a soul mate who will remain loyal to the end. Life seems completely different, exciting and worthwhile. Your only hope and security is in knowing that they are a part of your life.

— Bob Marley