HAIR COLOUR: Advise Needed

Occasionally when I am getting bored with "my look" I start to think about colouring my hair. I have even gone so far as to purchase permanent colour from the store - but have always chickened out and taken it back. I have A LOT of hair so doing permanent colour is a big commitment. I also worry about damaging my hair,making it more frizzy or having to colour the roots continuously while it grows out.

My personal solution to this dilemma is to take the semi-permanent route of Clairol Natural Instincts. I have used this colour several times over the past 5 or so years. I even used it before my wedding. I have tried various shades. Sometimes I am happy with the results and sometimes not. The thing about this hair colour system is that it has no ammonia and low peroxide - so ultimately it is supposed to be fairly gently on your hair. You can not really lighten your hair with it, but you can enhance your natural colour, go darker, or add certain hues, such as red.
I usually prefer an even colour and thus, my options are fairly limited because my hair is dark to begin with. I can not decide if my hair is medium or dark brown. I guess I try to call it medium because I have more colour options with medium. Clairol has a pretty good website that you can go to for shades and colour suggestions. I have also called the hotline many times:
1-800-252-4765

This is my hair "before". Is it medium or dark brown???

Today I am deciding on whether to go with:

#20 Hazelnut - neutral and should enhance medium brown hair
#18 Pecan - golden and should add golden tones to medium brown hair
#28 Nutmeg - neutral and should enhance dark brown hair

Any advise????

A Bright Star

A Bright Star

Keiandre Russel how sweet you are
Your Mommy and Daddy’s little shining star
As babies do you grew by the day
But on earth you were not meant to stay
Heaven had a need for your special soul
To fill a most important role
While the rest of us are trying to find our way
You’ll be up there watching day by day
And when the gentle wind blows
Or spring birds sing
When flowers bloom
When Christmas bells ring
When stars shine bright in the sky above
You’ll be remembered with pride and love
Your friends and family will be warmed in heart
To know you’re in heaven with a whole new start
So Keiandre please know this dear boy
Through years to come you will bring joy
For in just being you with all you are
You’ve touched many lives…
A shining star.

In loving memory of an angel. November 29, 2007

Toonie Tuesdays: Treasure Hunters

I have recently been feeling a little restless and have been splitting up my time between stroking off names on my Christmas list and shopping for extraordinary treasures at my favorite thrift spots. If this isn't your style, hopefully you won't think less of me - but really, how can it be a bad thing if I am able to find something like this incredibly cool castle for $1.99!?! Hours of play right here folks!!! Remember, I have two little boys. A good washing and disinfecting and suddenly it is time to play "The Green Night Vs. Tyrannosaurus Rex". I realized that with boys in the house there was no "princess" to be found, but I was able to dig up a plastic Dora that will do the trick for now. If anyone has a better substitute for us, we would gladly accept. We are going to need some female characters around or who on earth will be the "mommy"? Well, time to spend some TIME on the house cleaning.

Blessings,

Momami [Mom am I!]

A New Look for New Leaf Times

Well, I should start with a little "Note to Self"..."If you are thinking about playing around with your blog layout, make sure to save your current template on your computer's hard drive FIRST. Also, make sure you know which file you are saving it to."

I am often getting bored with my blog layout and that is usually about the time that I consider scrapping it all and starting an a new one. Today I spent a good chunk of time trying to think up new names for one of blogs. I also started playing around further with my template for New Leaf Times and could not recall if I saved my original format. I usually use the templates from Blogger, but then I customize the colours of background and text until I am happy with it. I also usually ad my own header picture. In the process of trying out a template from another provider, I got things kind of mixed up and it took me a while to get something back together that I am happy with (for now). Bare with me, I still have some page elements to straighten around.

I enjoy blogging, so I think that I will continue. If I have time, I will back track for this week and try to at least post something for Toonie Tuesdays (it is now Wednesday!).

For the moment, I have to go to attend to an infant who is just waking up and a rambunctious toddler who refused to nap and lots of extra energy - the crazy kind!

Question: Does anyone know how to add a signature to every post?

Turning Another New Leaf?

So, I am thinking about leaving NEW LEAF TIMES behind. Not sure what I will do for sure, but with my impending return to work I will have even less time for this type of stuff. What I would like to have is one blog for my own ramblings and one for family stuff. I don't think I am doing anyone any favours to continue posting about cookies and whatever else. I could just leave the blog address the same, but I am not sure that I want my new blogs to be advertised. If you have any thoughts or just want to say "farewell" to New Leaf Times, I would like to hear from you. I am also seeking input on layout. Two of my friends have blogs which I LOVE and I think the key is a simple, white background. Might make those changes also. Time will tell.

I do know that I am still very interested in expression through blogging and would especially like to document more family memories such as my annual work Christmas party and Ja1's first time on ice skates (below). He was so excited! He is two and a half years old.

Testing

http://www.finalsense.com/services/blog_templates/

The Kind of Day I Had

The kind of day I had was one where it seems like one bad thing happens after another. It started when my husband brought our youngest son into our room first thing in the am with a diaper that was too full....Ooops, a leak on our King size mattress that is only a few years old! Eak!

The next little issue that always seems bigger at the time was the fact that the boys would not go down to sleep at nap time. They fussed for a good hour before one finally dosed off and I caved with the other and put a movie on so he'd at least stay in his room for some "quiet time". Shortly thereafter I was shaking a big can of white paint so that I could touch up the train table when "cur plunk", I dropped it on the floor and it burst open! Luckily the paint was thick and most importantly, I was in the laundry room where the carpet can be thrown out!

Next, I went out to do some errands and get my husband a battery for his watch. I took the battery with me but what do you know, I lost it! Somewhere along the way I lost it! He doesn't know yet. I don't think he could handle this info at the moment.

Which leads me to the final scene - I got home a little later than I should have from my errands to find my husband battling with our oldest about getting into bed. Then he said "go look in our room". Our son had taken two different shades of marker and drew all over our exposed mattress...exposed because, if you recall, the morning accident (sheets and mattress cover are in the wash). What a day.

And now, before heading off to bed, I will thank God for each of the tribulations that I faced today. Why? Because these things are nothing, a ridiculous flash in the pan really - I mean, well, you'll understand...Prepare yourself...

Today my sister's best friends buried their infant son. He was due this week but did not make it into this world. His father carried his tiny casket and did not set it down for the entire service. I was not there but this is a visual that brings further heaviness to my sorrowful heart. I don't know why I am posting this or if I will leave it up - I do want to honour their baby boy angel. A shining star.

I wrote something for him but have not given it to them so I will not post it here. I just wanted to take time out to write because this is something that I have thought about constantly since I found out what happened, last week. It's like it is part of me. My prayers are for God's comfort for this family. My heart goes out to them...and now, probably, so does yours. I may write again, we'll see.

Prayers for comfort, strength and faith are appreciated.

MARRIAGE MONDAYS: Sin A Little

Okay, I haven't dropped off the face of the earth -- but other things have been keeping me busy and such is life in this important role as "mom of 2". I started Marriage Mondays because I wanted it to be a reminder to myself and to other parents about the importance of also keeping in touch with our partners.

There isn't any sin going on here at the moment - but I thought it was a cute title. What made me think of it was the bowl of Nestle Sundae that I was eating. Yummy and sinfully delicious! When I was at Zehrs earlier I had trouble choosing between Fudge Brownie and Caramel Pecan, so I didn't buy any...but my description of it must have been tempting because my husband went out to get it and it is yum yum in the tum. Won't last long around here.

Anyway, I'll try to post a more meaningful message for Marriage Mondays next week - so please do come back!

Until then..."LOVE THE ONE YOU'RE WITH".

Pantry Picks: Simple Pleasures

I am posting quickly today to share a new kind of cookie bar that I found at the grocery store today. I was looking for snacks for our toddler and was going to get some arrowroots or teddygrams but then I came across these:

Simple Pleasures Baked Cookie Bars (by Dare)

These are cookie bars that are sold in 228g boxes (6 bars) and are low in sodium, contain no trans fats, are made with whole grain and are low in saturated fat. They also have a Health Check symbol in the top right corner from the Heart and Stroke Foundation. Based on that and the fact that they were on sale for $1.99 plus another $1.00 off from an attached coupon,

I decided to give them a try.

I have opened an Oatmeal Cranberry cookie and they are okay. I think our son will go for them. The cookie is a large rectangle and is individually sealed. This is great for travel and at $1.00 for 6 bars,

they work for me (as long as they get eaten).

I was hoping for a softer cookie, which would be my personal complaint - but then again I was probably hoping they would taste just like the Oatmeal Raisin cookies in the bakery section. The Simple Pleasures bars contain 10g of sugar per serving (per bar). This is okay in my books. I have found that most snacks contain about 14g or more (except for cheerios and goldfish). They have 7g of fat per bar. Not great from a dieting standpoint, but they aren't for me. They do have 3g of fibre and are low in saturated fats, so that is why they get the Health Check symbol. Any little way to make healthier choices must be a good thing.

Note: The sale is on at Zehrs (Canada). Three varieties available and they are located in the cookie aisle.

Update: My toddler is eating 1/3 of the Oatmeal Cranberry bar. He doesn't have much to say about it but I think he likes it okay. We all know what would go over better, yummy-sweet treats that are just not a good option. Oh, he just asked for "more cookie bar", that's a good sign! Maybe a side of fruit to go with that?

10/26/07: Update - my son wants nothing to do with these cookies. Hopefully we'll have some company that will eat them.

MARRIAGE MONDAYS: Being Apart

The MARRIAGE MONDAYS topic today is "Being Apart". I am hoping that you will leave your comments with ideas on how you make a special connection with your partner when:
(1) They are about to go away
(2) They are away
(3) They return from being away
I am trying to post things that are relevant in my own life and marriage - and this one is TOP OF MIND today because my spouse is leaving tomorrow at 5:00am for 4 days, 3 nights away (for work). I am sorry to report that I did not act fast enough to do something really nice for him before he leaves -- we were really busy today and in retrospect, I should have taken more time. He is going away again next Monday, so perhaps I will do better then!
My suggestion for a spouse going away for just a little while or an extended period is to do something really nice before they leave so that you can both carry the positive energy from that during your time apart.
Another idea that I've had is to put a bag of their favorite treats (such as Lindt pumpkins available at Winners) in his suitcase or bag (secretly) with a loving note.
Anyway, I would not be doing what I should unless I got off the computer right now (or an hour ago) and went to spend some time with MY spouse, who is my #1 before he goes away!!!
Your comments and ideas are appreciated. Have a great week!