The Beautiful Letdown

What are you reading? I’m always looking for a good book or a good recommendation. I start lots of books, and I finish a few. I will start anything that sounds even remotely interesting. I’m not limited to a certain genre, author, or storyline. I read Christian authors and non-Christian authors. I read fiction and nonfiction. I read as much as I can. I have always loved to read. As a child, my mom says that I taught myself to read around the time I was 4. Since then, I have almost always had at least one book in the process of being read.

Right now, I don’t have a nightstand, but I do have a reading list. Some of these I just started, and some I have been working on for a while.

The Breastfeeding Answer Book - Who doesn’t love a good several hundred page, spiral bound, informational book?

Reclaiming Nick - I read this review on 5 Minutes for Books, and I thought I should start at the beginning of the series instead of at the end.

Happiness Sold Separately - I got this book off freecycle. If someone’s giving a book away, it’s worth taking a chance, right?

I’m sure there are a few others, but these are the ones that get most of my time right now. How about you?

A while ago, I wrote about our new compost bin that Jason and his dad had made. I was a little skeptical that we would be able to fill it all up. Who throws that much food? Well, it’s pretty much full. We have some of our lawn clippings in there and some food with it, too. Jason goes out once in a while, and he moves it around and turns it. I guess he waters it, too.

When we first started the project, I thought it was just something fun to do. I also thought it would be nice to eventually have the compost for our garden. I didn’t realize until today when I was reading on 5 Minutes for Going Green (a fabulous blog, by the way), that composting has another benefit. Food that is thrown away is the largest component of landfill waste. When food is thrown away, it does not become compost. The conditions in the landfill are anaerobic (oxygen-free), and instead of becoming fabulous fertilizer, it breaks down to become methane gas. Methane gas is a greenhouse gas, and it is three times more potent than carbon dioxide. In an era where global warming has become an everyday conversation, it seems like composting is one small thing that the average person can do with little extra effort and expense.

The other day I received an e-mail telling me that my blog was listed along with 99 others as one of the top 100 women’s health blogs. I haven’t had a chance to look through the entire list yet, but I know that I’m always looking for new blogs to read. The list is divided into several sections: Nutrition and Special Diets, Exercise, Infertility, Pregnancy, Childbirth and Breastfeeding, Weightloss, Health Challenges, Fit and Healthy Over 40, Physical Wellbeing, and Mental Wellbeing. Thanks for choosing me to be on this list!

Whoops! On Thursday night, Jason, the boys, and I were on our way home from a potluck to celebrate World Breastfeeding Week. As we were in the car, Jason said, “Did you post anything on your blog about World Breastfeeding Week?” Um, no, whoops! I did not post anything about it. When I thought about it, I realized the reason I didn’t is because it was such a part of my life and my daily blog reading that I assumed everyone would know. Who doesn’t know that World Breastfeeding Week is August 1-7? Then I realized that until 2 years ago I had not heard of it.

So, I guess I need to consider this my chance to spread the word. Maybe next year, I will be able to announce it earlier and invite a few of you to a world breastfeeding week event!

I decided after trying all those lipsticks that I should probably post a picture of my normal lipstick. I think that when you see it, you’ll agree it looks fine. It’s nothing super obvious or flashy. it’s fine. That’s my problem with it, though. It’s just fine. I want something a little different and more exciting. Maybe raisinberry is it. I’ll have to think about it.

My usual look

Better late than never, right?

Yuck, yuck, yuck. Let’s just say that I couldn’t find a way to make this color work for me. I didn’t wear it out of the house. Lip gloss just didn’t do it. It was very obviously not me.

Pink Melon

Today’s lipstick is okay. I don’t feel like it’s the right shade for me, but I’m not ashamed to be seen wearing it either, so I guess that’s okay, too. I would not buy it for myself though. Oh, I forgot to add that I chose this color because my blush from Merle Normal is called Dusty Rose, so I thought they might go well together. I don’t think they do though.

Dusty Rose

This is my favorite so far. It’s not quite the right shade, but it’s fun, different, and oh-so-close! I think I might need to explore some of the colors that are like this one but just a little different.

Raisinberry

I liked this lipstick a lot. In fact, I applied it once in the morning and I reapplied it later in the day because there was just enough left for a second time! Also pictured is A. He decided that he was not going to be spending any time playing on his own this morning, so now it’s a picture of mommy’s lips and A eating a plate from our kitchen set.

Amber Glow

This one was okay, too. I’m not in love with it, but it was fine. I think if I had it, I’d wear it occasionally, but I wouldn’t seek it out most likely. It was a little too brown for me. I’m too picky!

Golden