New Year, Old Me.

2014 is drawing to an end.  Less than 12 hours to go and a new year, 2015 will be welcomed in.  New year...resolutions will be made and and few will be kept.

Like all things new it comes in a shiny package and when it is opened we see possibilities.  We forget the old things and latch on to the new.

I for one am a little sad to see this year end.  It was the most wonderful year I have spent in quite a long time.  In April we celebrated the upcoming arrival of a new baby with friends and family at a most Southern baby shower brunch and in just a few weeks she made her appearance.  My new granddaughter was born and brought joy unfathomable to me.  From the instant she appeared I was totally and hopelessly in love.  How you wonder can one little life change so many?  But she did.  In June my husband and I celebrated forty years of marriage.  I love him more now than I did the day we said I do.  We also turned sixty this year - enough said. In the middle of all this we remodeled our kitchen.  It was crazy - took way too long but so worth the insanity and months of inconvenience.  Funny how when it is done you forget how much trouble it was!

I have watched my granddaughter change from a newborn to an infant and marveled at her funny and sweet little personality.  I can see my son in her and it warms my heart.  I have the privilege of keeping her a couple of days each week.  When I first began with that I am not afraid to say I was terrified of doing something wrong.  After thirty years of not being around a baby you second guess yourself.  But we survived those first timid weeks and I would not take anything for the precious days we spend together.  We sat on the porch during the summer and I would rock her to sleep and then just watch her.  We strolled up and down my quiet street and visited some of the neighbors who wanted to see our new addition.  We have gone to the grocery store, shopped during Christmas, made a salt dough ornament with her hand print for her mama and daddy, we talk to the baby in the mirror.  I sing silly songs to her - some I sang to her daddy when he was a baby and some I make up just for her.  We takes rides in the car because she likes to ride and nap.  We play and I read to her.  Just to see her smile makes me happy.  I thank her mama and daddy for sharing her.

I have been there to celebrate her Dedication Day, witnessed her first trip to beach, been there when she visited Santa, got to enjoy her first Christmas, seen that first little tooth peek through, had sleepovers at my house.  Whether little or big events they are all a treasure.  She is sitting up now and it won't be long until she walks - better take more vitamins.

I know as 2015 comes in she will do more every day and we will celebrate her first birthday - which is coming too quickly.  But in my heart those months in 2014 will always be special to me.

So here are my 2015 "Resolutions" if you will...
1.  I will continue to live my life in a manner pleasing to my Savior.
2.  I will fall in love over and over with the same man.
3.  I will always be there for my family and friends.
4.  I will stand up for abused animals and will continue to shop cruelty free.
5.  I will support worthy causes.
6.  I will take care of my health so I can see more new years
7.  I will be one of those grandmothers people hate to see coming!  Because she is the light of my life!

For those without a voice...

It is not often I feel the need to spill my heart.  Like any other person who walks this earth, I have things that I believe in, things that I know to be right and wrong.  While I do share some of that on social media, it has never been my intention to force my beliefs or feelings on others.

This however is MY blog.  I can write what I want, and hopefully touch a heart while doing it.

Let me begin with this...

If you got up this morning and washed your hair, showered, brushed your teeth, sprayed on perfume, used deodorant, put on make up, styled your hair and perhaps washed a load of clothes you most likely contributed to the pain and suffering of animals housed in labs across this country.  Sadly most of these "experiments" are not required by law.  Cosmetic and household cleaning testing is done on innocent animals by the big name companies.  You know the ones because they are on every shelf of every grocery store and department store.

If you want long lush lashes then remember a rabbit or dog (yes a dog) had unspeakable things done to their eyes before you bought the mascara.  Your toothpaste was cause for pain to an animal.

Then there are the household cleaners.  Would you believe toxic chemicals are pumped into dogs to test the levels.  Dogs are forced to sit with masks on their faces and inhale fumes from oven cleaners until they pass out and often die.  Things you think are safe like baking soda..not so.  Arm and Hammer is one of the worse offenders in animal testing.  All the counter cosmetics at the Department stores are tested on animals.  Why would they do that?

Proctor and Gamble, Estee Lauder, Loreal, Clairol, Maybelline, Johnson&Johnson, Tide, Clorox, Cover Girl, Oil of Olay and on and on.

For years I was unaware of these things.  I did not know that right now over 70,000 BEAGLES are used in labs for this type of testing. Beagles! Unnecessary testing.  When I did learn these statistics I vowed to do something about it.

I now shop cruelty free for all my cosmetics, household cleaners, laundry detergent and hair care.  It is easier than you might think.  There are apps for your phone that will direct you as you shop.  One is www.leapingbunny.org  another is through the Beagle Freedom Project which works to free dogs from labs and find them forever homes.  It is cruelty-cutter.org.  Right now I think it is only available for iphones.  There are endless links to websites that offer information on shopping cruelty free.  You just have to care enough to look.

Some of the brands I have discovered and love are easily available at the grocery store and Target.  Seventh Generation, Method, Mrs. Meyers, Watkins are all wonderful household cleaners.  For hair care there is Pureology, Paul Mitchell, Aveda and Deep Steep.  Cosmetics try E.L.F. (Target and TJMaxx and let me say not expensive and a great line).  Burts Bees, Jason, Kiss My Face, NYX Cosmetics, Caswell Massey, Butter nail polish...on and on.  Pinterest is another great source for finding cruelty free products.

I have emailed several companies with my feelings.  I will not allow my dollars to profit the companies that needlessly torture animals - especially dogs.  Puppies are sold to labs.  Some, thanks to the hard work and dedication of people trying to put a stop to this are freed.  Others never know life outside of a cage.  http://beaglefreedomproject.org/  Check out this site for inspirational stories of their rescues and photos of the dogs they have saved.

Let me close by saying this.  One person can make a difference. I will not give up spreading the word.  I will speak for those who cannot speak.

Baby Shower, Southern Style

Months have passed since I wrote on my blog.  No reason.  Just busy with the days that turn into weeks that turn into months.  Now it is April.

When last I wrote it was New Year's Eve.  Our grandchild is still cozy in her mommy's womb as we anxiously prepare for her arrival.  There have been showers with friends and family who came to celebrate with us and brought wonderful, frilly, girly gifts.

 Two of my dear friends and I gave a Southern Brunch Baby Shower.  Planning it took months and it was so much fun!  True to the title it was S-O-U-T-H-E-R-N in every way.  Biscuits, homemade jellies, honey, chicken, ham, fresh fruit, egg casserole with sweet tea and lemonade which was served in Mason jars with straws.  Could it be any better?  We brought out the sentimental dishes given to me by family long gone, and by friends and each little dish meant something special.  The jellies were in footed bowls that once belonged to my friend's mother-in-law and they were given to me after she passed away.  The doilies that were part of our decor were made by family friends and aunts.  Tradition.  Generations.  Things that matter.

The menu for the day

The cake!  Beautiful and Delicious

Our activity for the shower was to give each person a card and have them complete it with wishes for the new arrival.  These will be placed in a cover which I made and decorated.  It will be bound with ribbons and given to the mommy-to-be.  The wishes are wonderfully cleaver and sweet.  Some are funny and some deep and thoughtful.  It will be another treasure.

The take away for our guests was a candy buffet in shades of pink (made me think of Steel Magnolias, "My colors are blush and bashful" said Shelby.  "Her colors are pink and pink" answered M'Lynn.)  Well, so were ours - pink, pink and more pink!

My sister at heart who lives in Tampa arrived on Wednesday and we hit the road.  Shopping, eating, laughing and taking care of the last minute details.  She is my son's godmother and will be this baby's "fairy godmother!"  We had planned the shower long distance and it was so good to have her here to share the final preparations.  The other friend who was hosting with us had been invaluable helping me choose the cake design and working on the menu and shower invitations.  They made it come together and the day was beyond perfect and exactly what I hoped it would be.

So now the gifts are all in their place in the nursery as we count the days until they will be used and we will be loving on this sweet little Georgia peach who already owns our hearts!