Cafe Update

My Gingerbread Chocolate Latte is almost empty.  Even with my growing before-I-fly-home-for-Christmas-to-do-list, I find myself at the local cafe we don't have internet at the apartment yet giving a little update on my little home on the web.

It's been almost three months since I packed my car to the brim and headed east.  The quiet trust and confidence that God is leading has sustained my heart. 

I have to admit, it still feels like a dream.  This beautiful country is so very different than my Nebraska.  The people, the talk, my job, the bills, my friends... it's all new, exciting and overwhelming.

I love creating, sewing, altering, fitting... everything that comes with the theater costume world.  Yes, I am a seamstress and every morning I take my seat at my sewing station.

Sight and Sound is my new workplace.  Pinch me, is this really my life?

There has been challenges around every corner, and joy around every bend.  And believe me when I tell you, PA is full of curvy roads. :)

It's my intent to record what I learn and what I love about my new life... but we'll see if all my thoughts actually make it here. keep your fingers crossed

But until that happens... have a very Merry Christmas!

xoxo

Sight and Sound
#livingmyadventure

Living My Adventure

I take a deep breath before I start typing.  Big news.  Crazy news.  Life-changing news.

For twenty-three years I called Omaha my home, Nebraska my state.  My schedule was unpredictable, but local.  Travels took me all around the US, but I always booked my flight from Omaha Eppley Airfield.  It was all I ever knew.

My fingers click on my familiar MacBook, but now in an unfamiliar room.  Not Omaha, not Nebraksa.

Strasburg, PA.

I moved, far away.

17 hours away from family.  1155 miles from the big house I still call home.

This life I call my own... it's a big adventure.  And I'm living it.  Every single day.

Follow my new life on Instagram.  I promise my Instaluv is more frequent then this little place.
#livingmyadventure

#luvher

We laughed, blew bubbles and enjoyed being together.  

#fathersday

#mydadmakesmelaugh

#theseboysaremyfav

Disc golf, croquet, hamburgers on the grill and family; my dads Father's Day request. 

Done. 

And these pictures are from my Instagram feed. :) 

Giveaway!

Head on over to Caravan Sonnet to enter this fabulous giveaway!

Yes, the Arbonne contibution is from yours truly... so if you want to have a chance to experience the beauty of Arbonne for FREE now is your chance!

The lucky winner receives;

$25 Visa Giftcard
$10 Starbucks Giftcard
1 Beautiful Handcrafted Pair of Earrings from Always, Katie
1 Free Make up primer or mascara from Arbonne
35% off first order from Arbonne through Anna
3 Jodi Picult Books
1 Six Month Membership to the Parcel Post Tribe

Here's a sample from Caravan Sonnet, by my lovely friend, Rebecca!

Happy Tuesday y'all! I am so excited to team up with these lovely ladies to offer one lucky winner a variety of prizes!

The wonderful thing about this giveaway is that there are multiple prizes! Are you still looking for a graduation gift? A wedding gift? You could win it here! Looking to try out Arboone? Looking for a fun summer book? These prizes will give you some options! Or win a Starbucks or Visa gift card for you or a friend! All you have to do is enter via the rafflecopter below! 


Good Luck y'all and Happy Summer!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A fresh perspective

Slathering your skin with lotion.  Powdering your nose with makeup.  Smearing on lipstick.  Washing hands, feet and face.  Let's face it, skincare products are in every household.

Ever thought about what's IN these daily used, much need essentials?

I hadn't either.  I mean goodness, everyone has been hearing about the dangers of American/processed food - GMOs, preservatives, and a whole list of non-organic stuff that is currently being shoveled into our diet.  But what about the lotions, lipstick, soap, shampoo, foundation, mascara, etc?

First off, don't think I'm the expert.  I'm not, nor claim to be.  I just look, read and research (sources listed below).  Don't take my word for it, research it yourself, analize ingredient lists, read articles and take an honest approach to skincare.

----

Arbonne - Pure. Safe. Benefical.

Yes, Arbonne is concerned about what is in their products, but they are also strict about what is not included in their products.


Beautiful Switzerland

Did you know; American FDA has banned only 10 ingredients from skincare products.  European Health Union has banned over 1300 ingredients.  (did your mouth drop open?  mine too.)

Interesting to note the FDA does not have the authority to test chemicals, require safety testing or recll harmful products.  Cosmetic companies are wholly responsible to adhere to the correct guidelines themselves.  The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) is responsible for chemical and skincare testing.  CIR is funded by Personal Care Products Counsel which is made up of over 600 personal care companies.  A bit biased?  You be the judge.

On the other side, Euoropean Union Cosmetic Directives (EUCO) mandates that cosmetics "must not cause damage to human health when applied under normal or reasonably foreseeable conditions of use." EUCD also has each state member regulate products under their jurisdiction.

Arbonne adheres to to the Swiss/Euro standards.


Two "P's" left out

Parabens are a common preservative found on the shelves of your local department and beauty stores. Mascara, shampoos, deodorant, lotions and moisturizers... that's just a few.  Parabens are absorbed directly into the bloodstream, can cause hormonal disruption and are linked to breast cancer.

Phthalates are common in perfumes and fragrances (not Arbonne!).  These harmful chemicals are used to strengthen plastics and longevity.  Banned from children's toys, yet slathered on our skin.

Arbonne excludes both of these.

Mineral Oil (petroleum)

"Oil refineries pump out heating oil, automobile fuel, chemical feed and... mascara ingredients."  Isn't that comforting.  Mineral Oil is derived from petroleum, or gasoline. Commonly found in eye shadow, lotions, creams, foundation, makeup... you get the idea. 

Why?  If it's so unhealthy, why?  $$$  Understand now?  Mineral Oil is inexpensive and leaves the skin feeling moisturized.  In reality the moisture is eliminated from the skin, leaving it drier than it was before. Mineral Oil acts as a barrier, preventing the skin from absorbing nutrients. 

Premature aging, stirring up acne, preventing toxins from being released, drying out your skin, as well as being linked to cancer are a couple things Mineral Oil excells in - that and mechanical lubricating.

Arbonne cares for your skin, not your car - excluding Mineral Oil.

Get Rid of Animals (in your skincare)

An animal breathes its last breath; whether by natural causes or rushing traffic.  Put in a big pot (at a rendering plant), all said creatures are boiled down.   A thick frothy white substance rises to the top.  This layer is scraped off and sold.  The #1 buyer of said furry beasts and cute critters - US Cosmetics.

That's all I have to say on that issue.

Support the Acid Mantle

Say what? My friend Kori explained it well.  I'll just summerize her findings.

The pH scale goes from 0-14. 1-7 is acidic, 7-14 is alkaline and 0 is neutral. Our skin has a slightly acidic pH. This Acid Mantle is our body’s first defense when we come in contact with bacteria. 

A correct Acid Mantle” helps our skin fight off bacteria! 

Typical skincare products actually have an alkaline pH, which breaks down the good acid causing skin issues and weakens our defense of bacteria.  Interesting to note; a child's skin is usually more alkaline.  The Acid Mantle does not develop until puberty, thus resulting in more sickness and viral infections.

Arbonne products are all pH correct - supporting the Acid Mantle and strengthing your skin.

Are you still with me?  

Arbonne is devoid of (just to name a few);

Mineral Oil, parabens, phthalates, animal by-products, gluten, soy, dyes, fragrances and more.

Whew!  Go ahead, dance a jig that all such harmful ingredients can be avoided.

Wanna give these lavish and healthy products a try?  Stay tuned...

Sources

http://healthyliving.msn.com/health-wellness/12-cosmetic-ingredients-legal-in-the-us-but-banned-elsewhere

http://www.divinecaroline.com/beauty/makeup/american-beauty-why-europe-bans-cosmetics-america-won’t

http://www.livestrong.com/article/185370-why-is-mineral-oil-bad-for-your-skin/

http://www.caravansonnet.com/2014/05/thursday-health-thoughts-arbonne.html

Utah - life elevated

Five people in a GMC Jimmy packed to the very brim, excitement spilling over, acticipation going bonkers - with the compass pointed due west.  Utah, you better be ready...

With our new view looking nothing like home, we all piled out of the Jimmy to stretch our legs, breathe in the fresh desert air and admire the view.  After 5 days the view still made my heart gasp in awe.

Supper was prepard, tents were assembled, sleeping bags were laid out and we were finally off to Arches National Park.

Hiking 1 1/2-2 miles was nothing for our traveling jitters.  John and Stephen ran around in circles, climbed over every rock and peppered Josh with questions.  Hiking up large rock and enjoying each others company... we rounded the bend and there stood the Delicate Arch.

Hiding from view till the last second, and shimmering in the receding suns glory was the first sandstone arch I had ever seen in person.  I couldn't help but marvel.  You couldn't have planned it better.  

We serve an awesome God

Day #2 - Off roading/arch exploring

I'll let the pictures do the talking.  Except to explain that the picture below does in no way give you a peek at what that poor Jimmy endured.  This mild bit of sand was easy compared to the large rocks, steep inclines, daunting boudlers, deep sand... several times I thought we were stranded.  And as I walked behind the vehicle and watch the wheels bounce and tip... all I could do was pray that we wouldn't be stranded in the middle of no where with a broken vehicle.

Some of my favorite people right here folks!

Whale's Eye Arch

Climbing and wishing sandstone wasn't quite so brittle.

Matching!

All of creation gives testimony to the Creator.

Yes, we are in ^ the picture.  Look hard.

Classic side-of-the-road eating/truck repair/river wading/relaxing.

Day #3 - Slot Canyons (my favorite!!)

Love this picture!  This was one of my first views of a canyon.

Words cannot describe how COLD this water was.  Imagine to coldest water you have ever experienced - times that by 100.

I felt so hikerish as I walked with my shoe strings tied around my neck.  And I was ever so grateful for my new quick-dry shorts!

xoxo

COLD.

This kid ^ was crazy limber and flexible.

This time around we literally had to swim through this water.  This was the reason I came on this trip.  I wanted to swim through freezing water and shimmy through slot canyons and come back home with great stories.  Check. check. and check.

It was cold.

And I screamed.  Very loud.  The breath was seriously sucked straight from my lungs.  It was invigorating.  And scary.

Stephen was the brave soul who stayed back with Emily.  And surprised us as we started to pick our things.

Yes.  I felt like we just have been on some cool movie or something. (yah, it wasn't crazy impressive, but don't rob my glory moment.)

Love these two ^^ people.

Day #4 - Mountains

We couldn't drive through CO without a quick climb up a mountain.

It wasn't really a "summit", but it was the highest the younger boys had ever climbed.  And it was cold, so that counts too.

We were rained on and snowed on in our little tent homes.  Thankfully for Josh we had nice gear, sleeping bags and tents.  Safe, dry and happy we hunkered down for a blissful nights sleep.

We drove through a snow storm, rain storm and dust storm all in one day.  

Scampering over sandstone, hiking through canyons, swimming in FREEZING water, climbing mountains, sleeping in tents, eating out of canyons and.... 

When can we do it again?!?

A fresh opportunity

I was slightly interested, but not really.  A coffee date just to talk about how I could start an in-home business didn't appeal to my crowded schedule.  I had heard of this company, yes, but like I said, my schedule was full.  I almost told my friend "no, thanks!"

Good thing I didn't.

A week later I found myself sipping a hazlenut mocha blended drink, peering at charts, expanding my mind to skincare products, chatting with two friends and dreaming of a white Mercedes.  True story.

My eyes were opened.

Thoughts of "what animal did I rub into my skin this morning?" and "I had no idea that sweet smelling lotion was full of not-so-sweet ingredients" and "wow, America really doesn't know a thing about healthy skincare products... I'm moving to Switzerland!"

Turns out I don't have to move to Switzerland (unfortunately), I can know what I'm putting on my skin and roadkill doesn't need to find its miserable self on my valuable skin.

Thank you, Arbonne!

I cannot wait to unfold the specifics of what I just mentioned.  Blow-your-mind incredible.  At least I thought so, and I've a hunch you'll agree.

The Arbonne that's now in my home, it can be in your home too.  Actually it'll be in your cabinents, by your sinks, in cupboards, bedrooms, kitchens, purses and of course - on your skin.

The long and short - I've the joined the Arbonne Team and cannot be more excited.

Check back soon for a fresh perspecitive on skincare and a full disclosure of the above statements (including the white Mercedes. Yep, I knew you were still a little confused... haha!)

My Boots

After spending five straight days with a companion who exemplifies the list below, here's a word to the "future boyfriend."

BE...

Dependable
Comfortable to be around
Good looking
Supportive
With me whenever I go
Not afraid to get dirty
Walks with me
Adventure companion
Keeps me going forward
Secure and stable
Somewhat expensive, but worth the wait

Just love me like my boots do.
#singlegirlprobs

Just got back from a 5-day camping/hiking/totallyawesome stint in Utah with my siblings.

Take me down south!

Just take me back.

I can feel the taste of that Frappe, sense the rush of coolness and sweet.  Nevermind that it plunges into my body to wreck havoc and destroy my life.  Focus on the positive - it's yummy.

I arrived in Orlando crazy late Wednesday night.  From freezing temps to bright sunny skies the next morning.  It's like magic. Florida is my fairyland.

The Linds and I sipping sweetness

Shopping and Starbucks go hand-in-hand.

Creating our *fan-girl* signs

Some people bring out the silly.  Linds and I laughed and laughed and then laughed some more.

We took personality surveys and assesments one evening and determined that we were very, very, similar!  Linds was a bit more on the merciful/compassionate side than me, but everything else we were buddy-buddy.

Late night quick picture

The pretty lady in the middle... she loves a Boy and has a ring to prove it.  Flipping through magazines, purusing Pinterest, we had fun talking wedding plans - and I even got to meet the lucky Joshua!

Best fast-food breakfast ever.

My trip to Florida must include a breakfast trip to Chick-fil-a for chicken biscuits.  Talk about yummy. 

And...

Birthday GIRL!

...a trip to Strabucks!

Yes, weird lighting.  But this place was seriously amazing.  All us girls pooled together and got our nails done - prepping us for island adventures and sandy beaches.  

First time get my toes done and this place spoiled me.  

Pretty nails!

The group of us "girls".  The moms opted to just take the picture.

Florida is my magic.  Nebraks is my home.

Thank you, Johnstons from the bottom of my heart!