Monday's Motivation #2

I've always referred to the struggles in my life as 

Character Building.

What do you call your life struggles?

July's Julibox Collection 11

July's Julibox Collection was created by Paul Sevigny.

Focusing on clean simple flavors that are tried and true traditions to summer sipping.

July's collection highlights how the same simple flavors and ingredients can come to life in very different ways based on the spirit you use.

Cocktail 01 is CAIPIRINHA

Sweet. Tart. Delicious. The Caipirinha is a Brazilian mainstay; quick, easy and readily enjoyed with a squeeze of lime and a locally made sugar cane based rum, called Cachaca. There is no where to hide with this drink, so a quality cachaca is imperative.    The Caipirinha is the signature drink featuring LEBLON Cachaca, lime and sugar.

Toast ~ "Don't die of love; in Heaven above Or hell, they'll not endure you; Why look so glum when Doctor Rum is waiting for to cure you?"

Sitting on the porch with my love, sipping this light refreshing drink I am reminded of an era where a wife met her husband at the door and handed him a cocktail.  It felt nice to share this beverage as we relaxed after a long hot day.




Cocktail 02 is MAYAN SUNSET

A fresh rendition of a margarita, featuring the clean citrus notes of orange and lime, paired with a well-aged HERRADURAS ANJEO TEQUILA and the deep, lush orange flavor and complexity of GRAND MARNIER.


Toast ~ "May your heart be light and happy, May your smile be big and wide, And may your pockets always have a coin or two inside."

This is not your typical sour mix, tequila and lime juice margarita.
With fresh squeezed juice from an orange and lime this cocktail takes me back to sitting on the beach watching the sun go down.  It's a lively combination of flavors meant to enjoy.  I will be buying more of the ingredients to make this delightful beverage.



Read on to find out more about Julibox and how you can join the monthly club to receive your cocktails.

Please enter my name in the - Where did you hear about us? - section.  Barbara A Young




   WHAT IS JULIBOX?

Julibox is your passport to cocktail discovery.  Each month, you will discover two great cocktails, curated by our world class mixologists and designed especially for easy home preparation. You'll get enough ingredients to make two of each cocktail; four cocktails in sum.  And you get all of the spirits and mixers you'll need to make 'em.

WHAT WILL I GET?

Immediate gratification and pure pleasure. Each Julibox features two cocktail recipes that have been hand selected by our curators for your enjoyment. You will receive all of the spirits and mixers required to make two of each said cocktail. Before your Julibox ships, we'll send you an email notifying you of any additional items you may need, typically lemons or limes. That way you can enjoy your cocktails as soon as you get your box.  And if you’re more of a visual person, you can watch the how to video on our website.

HOW IT WORKS

All you need to do to start receiving your monthly Julibox is sign up. Select your monthly subscription style and prepare to enjoy. Every month, you will receive a specially curated Julibox filled with new cocktail delights uniquely designed for your personal pleasure and adventurous spirit. When you find something you like, come back and order the full size at the Julibox store (coming soon).

Bloggers Wanted ~ What's On Your Wish List Event

What's On Your Wish List Event

Organized by: Mom Powered Media

Prizes: $1,000 {visa gift card, amazon gift certificate or select your favorite store}

Event dates: 11/1 - 12/1

Open Worldwide

Referral prize: $50 Amazon E-Code or Paypal Cash

Requirement to join:

* No more than 2 blogs per person allowed

* Agree to post the giveaway html on the date the event begins and promote at least 3x a week

Bloggers: Sign Up HERE

If you are interested in taking advantage of this wonderful opportunity, please click above and mention that you heard about it from me in the referral section...Thank you...

all my lives now

Wednesday's Window

A peek into what my world looks like today.

These are rain drops as they splash on the pool's surface.

I love the sound of rain when I'm home and able to enjoy it.  

Something about the constant stream and beads of water as they hit the earth is soothing to me.  

I'm enjoying a glass of wine with my love as we sit on the porch and relax to the sounds of a perfect rain...

Monday's Motivation #1

Beginning today I'd like to take a moment to post an inspirational quote that will set the tone for the week ahead.  

I especially adore the line...

"And believe that everything happens for a reason..."

If you know me, you know this is a phrase I've been saying my entire life.

What is your Monday Motivation?

Enjoy your week.

Fab Finds Under $30

I love reading fashion magazines and just skimming through all the pictures making a mental checklist of all the clothes, makeup and accessories I would buy if I were wealthy.  So many of the items are so far out of reach for most of us it's a sin to print them.  I'll admit I am envious and jealous.

After giving it much thought I realized there are options available to us, the everyday women of this world.  I only needed to put some thought into it and do a bit of research.

This is the first of what I'll call:

Fab Finds Under $30 by allmylivesnow featuring a stretch bracelet

You can find all these fashion items at WallisFashion.com.  

Wednesday's Window

A peek into what my world looks like today.

LuLu Belle relaxing in the shade.

Let me introduce LuLu Belle.  She adopted us about 5 years ago.  One day while we were sitting on the porch after work she appeared, out of nowhere.  She was very skittish at first and wary of us.  She would creep up to the porch daily, spot us and run away.  Slowly after about 1 week of this she decided that she could trust us, also I think the smell of the cat food enticed her.  On closer inspection we realized she is blind in one eye and had a long scar running along the top of her head.  Immediately, I thought, someone is looking for her.  Who would spend so much money on surgery and then let this beautiful cat run free?  I posted ads in a few local online sites and no one responded.

A big stretch, relaxing is tough work.

After that she became ours.  She has a bed and toys.  She stays outside, it's how she likes it, and comes in when the storms and rain come and also when it gets too cold.  But once everything settles she is itching to go back outside.  She has a very nice life now and we love her.

Sadie May sitting pretty for her picture.

Sadie and LuLu Belle have learned how to respect each other's space, which is why I don't have a picture of the two of them together.

Old School Blogging: The Crazy Five Edition

Five Things I Have A Passion For

1. Family
2. Happiness
3. Reading
4. Eating
5. Planning...anything

Five Things I Would Like To Do Before I Die

1. Sell my house, buy an RV and travel this wonderful, beautiful, amazing United States we are fortunate enough to call home.
2. Plan a family reunion for the entire extended family, either here or in Italy or England.  
3. See my two boys, their wives to be and grandson live to their full potential and experience all the joy and happiness life can bring.
4. Write and publish a book.  
5. Finally lose the extra 25 pounds I've been carrying for far too long.

Five Things I Say A Lot

1. I love you too, honey.
2. I'll be right with you.
3. For goodness sake.
4. What did you say?
5. Alright...

Five Books And/Or Magazines I Have Read Lately

1. Bag of Bones  ~ Stephen King
2. O Magazine
3. Lucky Magazine
4. Still Alice  ~ Lisa Genova
5. The Killing Kind  ~ John Connolly

Five Favorite Movies (Maybe You've Seen Them Five Times?)

1. Edward Scissorhands
2. Grease (couldn't get enough of it, back in the day)
3. Some Like it Hot
4. Over the Edge
5. The Shawshank Redemption

Five Places  I Would Love To Travel To

1. Italy, again, but this time as an adult.
2. Ireland.
3. Washington D.C.
4. England.
5. Oregon.

Five People I Invite To Do This Meme

1. Ellen  ~ Badwordmama
2. Kathy  ~ Glassorocks
3. ?
4. ?
5. ?

I had fun creating my lists of Five for this Old School Blogging Post.  

The perfect skin is a dream for all of us, right? And sometimes, the cost for achieving that dream could be expensive for your wallet and also for your skin in terms of the chemicals to which it gets exposed to in the process.

But does that mean, the solution to this problem or the means to achieve this dream does not exist? No! The wait is over and say Hello to Dermagist, a revolution in the area of skin care technology ranging from help with Acne to Anti-aging perks and from brightening of the skin to daily beauty maintenance in an all natural way.

A Momless Mom got an opportunity to test the Hydrating Spa System, which also happens to be the newest product line from Dermagist and she was totally impressed with the results that it yielded for her skin.

The Spa System comes with three different types of lotions- body lotion, hand cream and foot and heal cream. To know more about these products, read A Momless Mom's reviewhere.

*****I am honored to be hosting this give away with A Momless Mom************

The Giveaway

The giveaway is open to US and Canada for ages 13+ and it ends on August 1st, 2013.

Good Luck to all participants!

Entry-Form

Hydrating Spa System Giveaway

Options

Begins: 7/11/2013 9:00 AM EST

This giveaway will begin soon.

Disclosure: A Momless Mom received this product free in exchange of her honest review. All opinions expressed in the review are hers and it is 100% honest. A Momless Mom and All my lives now is not responsible for sponsorship prize fulfillment. Winners from any previous Dermagist giveaways would not qualify to win from this giveaway and this is a direct sponsor requirement.

Five Sentence Fiction - Flight

Flight of Fancy

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Like clockwork the annual sweepstakes entry arrived today.

Chock full of hopes and dreams achievable with one lucky draw.

I've seen the commercials.

The prize patrol arrives knocking on your door delivering a rose and balloon bouquet along with your     over-sized check for millions of dollars.

No purchase necessary.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

What it’s all about: Five Sentence Fiction is about packing a powerful punch in a tiny fist. Each week I will post a one word inspiration, then anyone wishing to participate will write a five sentence story based on the prompt word. The word does not have to appear in your five sentences, just use it for direction.

This week: FLIGHT

Caftans, Not Muu Muus

Caftans, not Muu Muus

Caftans - a long, full, usually collarless robe with wide sleeves that is worn at home for lounging or entertaining or at the beach as a cover-up.

"Caftans are just the perfect solution to what to wear at home." Says Mad Men's Christina Hendricks in an interview by Sarah Miller in Lucky magazine's June/July issue.

This statement gave me pause.  I immediately googled caftans and realized these are not your Mothers over-sized shapeless shifts.  No muu muus here.  

Instead you will find sexy, low-cut styles in fabulous colors with varying lengths to suit all body types.  

No more sweats and t's for me.  Now you'll find me clothed in a vibrant caftan and feeling brilliant and comfortable.  

My love approves!

What do you think?  Is this a style you would be willing to try?  

Caftans by allmylivesnow featuring a v neck dress

This is a copy of a guest post I wrote for myfashionforwardblog.com

Pop over to see the many tips Leslie shares on her blog.

Thursday's Window

Happy Independence Day!!!

What does the 4th of July mean to you?


Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain. Independence Day is commonly associated with fireworks, parades,barbecues, carnivals, fairs, picnics, concerts, baseball games, family reunions, and political speeches and ceremonies, in addition to various other public and private events celebrating the history, government, and traditions of the United States. Independence Day is the National Day of the United States.


Remember the reason we are able to celebrate with our family and friends.  As usual there was a war and fighting involved.  So as we have fun and enjoy a paid day off let's offer a moment of silence to those who made this possible.





This flag is made from a scrap piece of metal roofing painted by my love as a token to our American Flag.