Yet this weekend I kept on referring back to the words another friend of mine wrote for her own blogging reasons, “it’s a great release” and right now, I couldn’t agree more with her. 

Something really big happened this weekend; yesterday we checked my grandfather into a nursing home.  He has been suffering with what we believe to be Alzheimer’s Disease.  The neurologist has concluded that while he is mimicking Alzheimer’s symptoms, what he has is probably something related to his vascular system, which is affecting his brain in a similar way.

My mom called me on Saturday and told me she was planning a lunch for him before he left.  She was absolutely exhausted and yet she wanted to send him off properly and with a belly full of Cuban food. 

My grandparents have been living with my parents for the past 2 weeks.  It was her way of transitioning him from the home he has known since he moved to Miami and into this new strange home. 

I packed my husband, son and my organic cleaning products into the car and headed over to Miami to help my mother with anything I could.  Of course, her perfectly planned luncheon was anything but perfect.  My grandfather was running laps inside of the living room as she chased him with a plate of food.  He was not budging.  He didn’t want to eat and like a little child, he kept on shaking his head and yelling, “no, no, no.”  She then switched to a new plan and decided that he should take a shower before checking into the nursing home.  She took him into the bathroom and all I could hear was him saying “no, I don’t want to take a shower.”  She finally gave up and let him go to the nursing home sans a shower.  We managed to dress him in what we considered his Sunday Best and yet he didn’t even want to wear shoes.  It was exhausting to even get one sock on, let alone another sock and a pair of shoes.  Despite the fact that he is 83 years old, the man is solid, strong and very determined.

It suddenly hits me like a ton of bricks – the enormity of the situation.  My grandfather is going to live in a nursing home.  Probably forever.  This gorgeous, gorgeous man that once had movie star looks, was now fighting with us over wearing shoes, socks or taking a shower. 

With all of his belongings in a small duffel bag, he was off to his new home.  And even though he is 83 years old, at that moment (with his little duffel bag in tow, his shirt half tucked out and a wild looking hairdo), he looked more like a 12 year old boy running away from home. 

I decided to stay behind with my mom and let my dad, husband and son take my grandfather to the nursing home.  Yes, I was worried about my son going, but I did want him to understand that sometimes things like this happen in life.  That it doesn’t really matter how strong, smart or beautiful you are, because life sometimes has its own plans.   It doesn’t matter if you have millions or are millions in debt, when your mind goes, it’s all the same.  And most important – sometimes you have to make painful and uncomfortable decisions for the people that you love most in this world. 

My mom and I stayed at her house and cleaned 2 weeks worth of my grandfather’s new habits.  We laughed at some of the things we found (gum in certain spots, juice spilled behind the couch, dried & old food under the bed and his socks neatly tucked behind the toilet).  She was telling me that the night before, he decided to put all of the pennys in the car coin tray into his mouth (of course, my mom pulled them out and he never swallowed any coins).  We half laughed and half cried as we hugged each other and scrubbed the floors.

Fast forward to today and I can only tell you that I am possibly more hooked on www.hautelook.com than I am on www.Facebook.com (is that even possible??).

Anyway, so www.hautelook.com puts up “sales” from designers that lasts only 36 hours (or so).  I don’t know all of the details yet.  I only know how to click on the “sales” button and add items to my cart   I’m only half joking, you know…

So I was on www.Hautelook.com today and oh my god…there was the most gorgeous clutch purse that I have ever seen.  Seriously, this thing is amazingly stunning and (here is the very best part of all), it was being offered at a 50% discount.  I can’t wait until I get my paws on my new clutch and I swear it now, I will be using this thing even to go to the grocery story.  Even if I am in my now gray (they use to be black) yoga pants, my ratty, “Hog’s Breath is better than no breath at all” t-shirt and my black crocs (you know, the ones with the skull & bones AND lady bug Jibbits that I once thought were “oh so cute”)…you better bet on it – I will have my gorgeous clutch with me.  Ahhhh…..I can’t wait.

Just in case you were wondering, here is my wondrous find.  It’s a Kenneth Jay Lane (for those of you that care):

Kenneth Jay Lane Serpentine Clutch

I decided to create a category for “de todo un poco” to catch all of those odd little tidbits of information.

Ansr red & blue phototherapy laser

I know that I am not suppose to have a favorite, but….I can’t help myself!  Of course I am not talking about a favorite child.  I am referring to my new all time favorite product.  Well, in this case it is not technically a product, but instead it is a little handheld machine (get your mind out of the gutter people, or maybe it’s only my mind that just went there? maybe it’s in the gutter because this little machine hums lightly).  I am talking about the Ansr red and blue light phototherapy handheld device.

I was pretty confused and very skeptical at first, but I gotta tell you – the lights work!  And it’s the easiest thing in the world to use.  Basically you wash your face and then spend 5 minutes going over your face with the blue light and then 5 minutes with the red light.  I personally do 2 rounds of the red light, since it is suppose to help with fine lines and have anti-aging qualities.  You know how much I LOVE anything that has to do with anti-aging. 

I can’t say anything else about Ansr.  It’s easy, pretty fast and best of all – it really works.  I can tell you that I started to see a difference with my first use.  At least I started to see a decrease in the redness from my lovely rosacea.   I don’t use it every day anymore, but I use it as needed or every other (or every 2nd) day. 

I bought my Ansr on Amazon via Derma Doctor, but you can order directly on their site http://www.ansr.com/.  They have a bunch of videos and testimonials on there as well.  By the way, the product ships with it’s own set of creams (day & night) and a cleanser.  I don’t use their products…sorry Ansr. 

I personally love this darn thing and maybe you will too.  They have a very generous money back return policy, so you can’t go wrong with this purchase.

Enjoy!

Peace, love and room service!

Ok, so I admit it – I have a lot of favorite things.  Maybe it’s because I am such an optimist , or maybe I just have a flair for the dramatics (who? me?), but I often use the words, “fabu” or “fabulous” to describe things.  I’ve also been known to say, “I love it” three times in rapid succession.  It goes like this, “I love it, I love it, I love it”, usually while I am accentuating each “I love it” with my hands.  Every single car that I have ever leased has been my favorite, until the next car comes along.  It’s my thing to always think that the best is happening RIGHT NOW and at this very present moment (I guess that’s what “Right Now” means, huh?).

Anyway, as I was looking for a t-shirt the other day, I found this most amazing and fabulous tee.  You guess it…”I LOVE IT!”  I think I love it because it really sums things up for me.  The tee is very basic (black, of course) and with simple white bold letters that say, “Peace, Love and Room Service.”  Does it get any better than peace, love and room service?  I think not and therefore, this is my new favorite thing (until the next one!).

Peter Thomas Roth Acne Spot Treatment

So, the other day I woke up with the most unsightly pimples you have ever seen.  No exaggeration at all on my part.  I looked like a 13 year old teenager and I don’t mean it in a good way. 

I get pretty desperate to make sure that my skin is clear and I tend to go overboard with my efforts.  Of course I tried the good old Benzoyl peroxide, Salicylic acid, etc.  I even bought Oxy Pads, something that I have not had in my medicine cabinet since, well, since I was 13 years old!  Not that I ever had acne, but those little pads sure did work on minor breakouts.

Anyway, I ran from CVS and back to Walgreens thinking that my miracle cure would be missed if I didn’t visit both stores.  I now know that they basically carry the same exact items.  Out of options and down on my acne fighting luck, I remembered that a new beauty store opened up in my neck of the woods – Douglas Beauty.

First thing next morning I was trotting over to Douglas.  I was happy to find a very knowledgeable young lady, which had a lot of acne fighting experience.  I whined miserably to her, pointed out my zits and frowned as I threw my hands up in the air.  That is when she pulled me to the side and handed me this little bottle of goodness and grossness all wrapped up into one.  Let me explain…

Peter Thomas Roth’s Acne spot treatment is basically a sulfur based spot treatment cream.  Sulfur!!!  Do you know how nasty this stuff smells?  Well, whatever you just imagined is not enough.  I have to say that I gagged slightly when I took a good whiff of the stuff.   

Despite the nasty smell, I braved on and applied the cream to my two  nightmare spots.  I rubbed them in a little bit so that it wasn’t too goopy, kind of like you apply other acne spot creams.

Fast forward to the next morning….I was pimple free.  Well, not 100% pimple free, but 80%.  It was to the point where with my normal make-up application, you could not notice the blemish AT ALL.  Wonderful!

Now here is where I got myself in trouble and that is why I am writing this important tidbit of information.  Remember when I said that my motto in life is, “more is better?”  Well, I went ahead and applied this spot treatment to other areas of my face that looked as if they could use an extra helping of acne fighting powers.  I applied it to my chin, since you know that the chin is a troublemaker when it comes to pimples.  I am sure that a pimple was lurking there…underneath my skin and ready to make it’s debut any day now.  I was going to beat that damn pimple and zap it dead in its track.  WRONG!  I ended up peeling badly and slightly discoloring my skin. 

It has taken me a few days of extra exfoliation to finally get rid of those darker spots.  Lesson learned.  More is not better when dealing with sulfur!

Bottom-line, when used correctly (ahem), this product is great.  If you see a little blemish popping up, take your normal corrective measures and then use this little spot treatment at night.  After 1 or 2 nights, you will be perfect.  It also seems to bring down the swelling and inflammation.  If you can deal with smelling like ass for a few nights, you will be more than happy with this amazing little tube.  It will become a staple in your “emergency” bag.

Having said that, I recently purchased a product so awesome and downright amazing, that I have to post about it.  And, as if it were prophetic or meant to be, the name of the product is “Un-wrinkle Peel Pads.”  Hello…it has the word “un-wrinkle” in it.  I think I heard the angels singing a little tune.

Once again, it is from Peter Thomas Roth and it’s actually the only other product that I have from their product line.  I don’t usually buy more than 2 or 3 products from a specific product line as it is my opinion that when you do that, your skin becomes accustomed to the product and stops working.  I like to keep it fresh and therefore change often and mix products even more often.

As for the review of the product itself…these un-wrinkle pads are like little “oxy pad” looking things that you use once a day (or a few times a week).  You apply and then remove with water after 3 mins (or less – read the damn directions on the back of the container).  Of course it has acids (my favorite!), a mix of them to be exact.  They also contain vitamins A, C, D, E & F and green tea extracts.  They claim to exfoliate, resurface, clarify and firm your skin.  I can tell you that beyond a shadow of a doubt, I have seen these four “claims” come true on my face.  And to prove my point…just recently I was at a sporting event and a very attractive young man (no more than 23!) hit on me.  No, he didn’t hit me…he wanted my number.  Hells yeah (I thought quietly to myself).  I know, I know…I am married and I have a son, but come on – who doesn’t consider that a compliment?  I’m still smiling.

I have to think that my obsession with constantly trying to un-wrinkle myself has a lot to do with that somewhat embarrassing, yet so rewarding show of attention.

Back to the pads - I also use them on my neck, decollete, arms & top of my hands.  It has made my skin so smooth and soft, that I wish I could bathe in the stuff.  Yes, it’s that good.  Once again, don’t take my word for it.  Ask around and do more research.  Remember: no boo-hooing allowed here!

Bottom-line: I love ‘em.  And no, I didn’t give my number to the cutie pie guy

There are so many products out there that have this marvelous little acid in it, that it would be unfair and untrue to say that I have found the perfect one.  What I can say is that of the ones that I have tried, this is the one for me.  My one and only!

First thing first – what is glycolic acid?  Basically, it is a fruit acid and it comes from sugar cane.  I guess you can say that it is a natural product.  The great thing about glycolic acid is that it is actually pretty gentle and it does a great job exfoliating your skin.  The more you exfoliate, the brighter your skin will look and the less wrinkles.  The other wonderful thing about glycolic acid is that it can be used for BOTH wrinkles and acne prone skin.  That may be the case with all acids, I don’t know.   All I know is that me likey, likey glycolic acid.

Now for the product review part.  For me, my all time favorite is Peter Thomas Roth’s 10% Glycolic Acid Hydrating Gel.  Most of the time I use it at bedtime and let me tell you that you see the difference the very next day.  You wake up with that “freshly tossed look” – oh yeah, you know the look.  Pink cheeks, glowing skin….oh wait, wrong post – sorry!   All joking aside, it does make your skin look fabu and it also starts to clear any pimples or mild acne within a few days.

Word of caution: when you first use glycolic acid, it will “purge” your skin which will leave you looking downright ugly for a few weeks.  However, see it through to the other side because it is so worth it.  The other very important thing about glycolic acid is that you need to wear sunblock when using it.  We should all always wear sunblock, but that will be another post!

My review for this product is extremly favorable.  I go through it like a drunken sailor goes through his loot (or booty or whatever the correct pirate term is).  However, don’t take my word for it (seriously, don’t).  With any skin acid, you really need to do some testing (trial and error). 

Bottom-line: I can’t get enough of this glorious, awesome stuff.  That doesn’t mean that it will work for you, so don’t come boo-hooing to me if it doesn’t.  Check with your derm and buy the one that works for you.  God knows I had to kiss a lot of frogs before finding this prince!

Barlean's Omega Swirl

Alright, so I have a “thing” for all things Omega.  If it even sounds like Omega, I’m buying it.  I still don’t know the difference between Omega 3, 6 or 9 (is there such a thing as 9 or did I just make that one up??).

My problem with Omega is that it can taste so darn nasty.  Even when I take it as a pill, I am tasting it for hours later.  Not very attractive…

That’s where Barlean’s comes into the mix. First of all, it’s a liquid supplement. You take 1 tablespoon a day.  Of course, I take 2 because (children, repeat after me…) MORE IS BETTER.  That is my mantra and life motto.  Yes, yes, I know that more is not always better but it sure as hell seems to be better in most cases.

Anyway, back to Barlean’s.  This is the only Omega supplement thus far that I have taken that actually tastes great (and that I do not repeat for hours).  It’s like a freakin’ smoothie.  Tastes like strawberries & bananas (really).  And for all of those that know me and my dislike of sugar (more on that later), you are wondering if this contains sugar.  No, it does not have sugar.  Instead it is sweetened with some natural sweetener that actually tastes great (seriously!).  I can’t say enough great things about this product (how many times did I just use the word “great” in this paragraph??).

As for the effects of it, I am not really sure what I am suppose to feel.  As I have mentioned, I am healthy so maybe someone who has a lot of health issues would feel a more drastic effect.  I do know that the research on Omega is overwhelmingly positive and while I have not felt any major changes, I do think that it has improved my skin texture (softer skin).

Bottom-line, I love Omega and for me, there is only one: Barlean’s Omega Swirl.  How much did that just sound like an infomercial?!??