Catching up

June 21, 2019

It's been a long time, friends. I've missed you.

I celebrated a birthday this week.



My daughter and I went to The Cheesecake Factory for my birthday lunch. We had the baby with us so didn't stay for cheesecake because he was getting restless. But the waitress ran this little treat over to our table before we left. (Later, with baby snug and sleeping in his stroller, we got cupcakes!)

Got some new makeup to play with. Too Faced Natural Face palette, a MAC Ignite Wonder Face Palette (gorgeous packaging!), and a Tarte Tartlette in Bloom eyeshadow palette.





Got a perfume sampler from Tocca, with three fragrances, including Florence, Stella, and Cleopatra. I'm glad I didn't spring for a whole bottle because the quiz online suggested that I would like Florence best. It's a little too floral for me. My favorite of the three is the Cleopatra.



 I also found two travel-sized bottles of Jo Malone fragrances at Sephora, Peony and Blush Suede and Wood Sage and Sea Salt. They can be worn separately or together. The Peony and Blush Suede is a little on the sweet side for me, and the Wood Sage and Sea Salt seems to be missing something. Not enough oompf. Together, though, they make a lovely combination.


 My favorite, all-time perfume, however, still is Angel by Thierry Mugler.


Our youngest son was in town for a few days. Good excuse to make some treats.



Last Sunday, our grandson was dedicated at church. He's already six months old. We had a celebratory dinner afterwards at his other grandparents' home. I made rolls.
 

I'm still figuring out whether I want to post pics of him online. He is so adorable I'd love to share some. His dad posts pics of him on FB and IG, but I feel protective of him on social media. Anyone else feel this way about their children or grandchildren?

 Some extra blueberry muffins from a batch I made for my niece. She just had twin girls! So exciting.


We got back last week from an over 3,300-mile road trip out to Denver via South Dakota and the Badlands, and back home through Des Moines where our youngest lives. I was surprised how much I loved the wide, rolling prairies of South Dakota. So clean and open and uncluttered.

Really made me think about how I've been making space in my own life, both physically through decluttering, and mentally and emotionally (also decluttering). I'll share my thoughts on that soon.

(Apologies for the photo quality here. PicMonkey, the photo editing service I use, has completely changed in the three months since I've used it, and I'm going to have to take some time to figure it all out.)

19 comments

  1. Dearest Deborah,
    You have had a busy spring so far and some lovely occasions to celebrate in family style!
    Our German daughter in law is also over the moon with Angel by Thierry Mugler!
    We both are catching up slowly and regaining our strength after coming home from the Danube.
    Unfortunately we caught a nasty bronchitis that is still lingering and drains all our strength. Lost about 6 pounds...
    Got to be with Dad for our final Father's Day with him.
    Hugs,
    Mariette

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  2. So glad to see you back. I did share photos of my Grandchildren as they were always closely monitored and with an adult. Now that they are a little older and wander although still not on their own, I have chosen not to share photos of them anymore, thinking of their safety. Belated Birthday wishes.

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  3. Happy birthday and welcome home! Sounds like an amazing trip. I've been slowly decluttering my inner life a bit too, trying to weed out the stress, esp. online stress. I miss the old days when technology didn't seem to rule our lives. I used to use Picmonkey for my blog banners when it was free, but no more. I take my photos on my phone, and it's connected directly to blogger (somehow) so I can upload directly to my blog post from my phone. Quite handy!

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  4. Dear Deborah ~ Belated Happy Birthday. It looks and sounds like you had a lovely celebration. Your perfumes sound wonderful also and your new makeup looks pretty.

    Glad to see you back. Happy Summer ~ FlowerLady

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  5. Happy Birthday Deborah. It sounds like you had a wonderful birthday! I love the makeup and the perfume. It was so nice to hear that you are doing well and thanks for the update. Happy first day of summer. Enjoy the weekend.
    Julie

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  6. Your makeup looks amazing! It’s been so long since I bought pretty eye pallets. The perfume sounds delightful! There again, I have not splurged on any new scents. Guess I’m in a rut.
    Happy birthday! Ginny

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  7. Happy Birthday! Your celebration for it sounds delightful, full of feminine pretties and delicious treats. I've already been craving chocolate covered strawberries after seeing some friend Doreen made this week. Your road trip must have been very special, it's wonderful to see parts of our big country that we've never visited in extensively. Always something left to explore!

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  8. I so love hearing from you and getting caught up, Deborah! I have been away almost the entire time since your grandson was born, downsizing. I couldn't agree more with you on the space and decluttering comments! We are in our new space now, but I have boxes and boxes of things which I DID keep but haven't put out. I'm letting the space breathe, and so am I.

    Happy Birthday to you. Your gifts of personal care all look intriguing (and pretty!). I think I'll go online with Sephora and read about your fragrances. They sound appealing!

    I wholeheartedly can see your point on putting your grandson online. My family is huge, and I see a mix of how they share. I have a grand niece who just delivered a preemie at 26wks (!!, momma had severe preeclampsia) this past week, and they are sharing extraordinarily so. Of course, family wants to see how momma and baby are doing (baby is strong at just under 2#, momma's getting a little better each day). It's a very personal choice in how much to share.

    Your road trip sounds much like what we did in 2016! We loved it! We would do it again, but think we would fly somewhere and rent a car to see our sights the next time. How'd you like that speed of 80 mph in SD? Oh my! And all those crazy road signs for Wall Drug, etc. just to keep you engaged along the highway, I suppose? We laugh every time we think of that now.
    Again, good to hear from you! Happy weekend.

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  9. Happy birthday, Deborah! How fun to celebrate at The Cheesecake Factory with your daughter. I recently took a friend there to celebrate her 70th...we got that same little sundae as well.

    I think sharing photos of your children on Facebook and Instagram is fine...provided you have your settings set for "only friends" to view. That way, you know exactly who is looking at your photos. Blogs, though, you can't control, so you have no idea who might be looking.

    A few years ago, we took a cross-country road trip, and much of that was on I-80, right through those "heartland" states of Wyoming, Nebraska, and Iowa. I was totally smitten by Nebraska; in fact, I told my husband that I wanted to move there. So, I get how you feel about South Dakota.

    Those strawberries look totally delish!

    I have so missed blogging and am considering getting back to it.

    Love,
    Patti

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  10. Happy Birthday! What a great time celebrating! Love the makeup!!!

    Cottage Blessings,
    Rebecca

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  11. So glad to see a post from you! I know you are enjoying that grandbaby for sure and I for one would love to see his adorable face! Your trip out west sounded like so much fun...I have never been in that part of the country and I know I would love those wide open spaces of the prairie. I fell in love with in my mind as I read Laura Ingalls Wilder's books! I have not gotten into the new Picmonkey but you have the option of using the old version when you open it up...I'm still using it! Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

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  12. Belated Happy Birthday, Deborah!

    I don't have kids (but I do have a godchild), but I understand your ambivalence about posting pics of your grandson online. On the rare occasions that I post personal photos of myself, I don't use full names. Here's an interesting article about the generation of kids whose lives were documented online (without their consent) by their parents:
    https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2019/02/when-kids-realize-their-whole-life-already-online/582916/

    Looking forward to your post on decluttering. Had to do some decluttering at the office and I FINALLY got rid of boxes (for computers, etc.) that I've been hoarding for YEARS!

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  13. All your baked goodies look delicious! It sounds like you had a nice birthday treat with your daughter. I know you what you mean about pics of the grandchildren on social media. I am so hesitant but often the parents aren't. LOL this post reminded me we have a gift card to the cheesecake factory we should be using!

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  14. Wow! that's a whole otta miles but I know it was such fun. I'm so sorry that my youngest brother just moved from Des Moines to Ora Valley, Arizona. He retired (at the ripe old age of 53) last Oct. and wanted a warmer climate with NO snow. Guess he'll get that for sure.

    My DIL will not allow pics of our Granddaughters on social media. That's why I always put a heart or something over their faces.

    I've been on a cookie baking binge and have a freezer full. I love cookies and love having a stash.

    Love those cute little bottles of perfume but, like you, Angel is one of my most favorite.

    Have a great week, always fun to stop by. Hugs!

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  15. Welcome back! Sounds like you have been very busy but also having lots of fun. I too have been trying to declutter more...I do this often but then decide I need to do more! I'll look forward to reading more of your posts.

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  16. Good to catch up with you too Deborah! What a lovely celebration at the Cheesecake Factory, and so sweet of the waitress to bring you a dessert! Perfume is hard for me to decide too. Sometimes it smells good in the bottle, but not on. Such a wonderful trip to have taken to see your family and the countryside too! I don't do personal pictures for the most part on social media, just a personal preference really. It's a tough decision.

    Good to see your post... I need to get one up soon, June has been a busy month with lots of company, good times :) Blessings!

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  17. A very belated Happy Birthday, Deborah. It looks like you celebrated well. I have a new grandbaby, too, just three weeks old and I want to share photos, but am careful. As the grandchildren get older I find I share fewer photos than I used to. I want to be respectful of their wishes, too.
    Now that school is over I'm hoping to spend a little more time catching up on blogging. I've missed the people I've gotten to know.

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  18. So, so nice to hear from you again. Lovely post. Lovely to catch up on this and that in your life. Loved the photos (picmonkey perfect or not) -- friends never mind, we just love catching glimpses of the fun and interesting and yummy food moments you share.

    Happy day...
    Brenda xox



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  19. Lovely to read you again. It's so special being a grandparent, I just don't think that words can describe it.

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