Class of 2013

For the third summer in a row, we have had a graduation in our family.  This time, the celebration was for my nephew, Austin, who graduated from high school.  I cannot express how proud of him I am.  Since he has been old enough to work, he has worked (often 30+ hours a week), and still maintained the grades to graduate with honors.  He is one of the most unique young men I have ever known.  From an early age, Austin knew that music was his greatest love, so he has spent 7 years playing drums, 4 years playing guitar, and the last 2 years he has played bass for a local band.  That is some dedication and motivation, all exhibited by a teenager!

We all were able to travel home to celebrate Austin's graduation, which was extra special because he graduated from the same high school that my siblings and I did.  Well, let me clarify; the actual school building we attended was torn down, and Austin attended the new updated building.  But BHS is more than just a building, it is a way of life.  That is what it is like growing up in a small town I guess!  The graduation ceremony was really nice, I particularly liked that the recognized the kids who were joining the military.  At the end of the ceremony, we all rose to sing the Alma Mater, and I was amazed that after 17 years, I still remembered all the words!

The day after the ceremony, my sister and brother in law threw a great graduation party at their home.  It was so nice to see so many of my family members and friends of our family (some I had not seen since my wedding!).  It was also great that I finally got to meet Austin's girlfriend, Alexis, who is adorable.  I have never seen my nephew as happy as he has been in the past few months.

His hard work is far from over.  Just a few days after he graduated, he got a great new job, and in the fall he will be starting college.  In fact, he has already tested out of one of his intro classes.  Clearly, he is one smart kid.  What can I say, it runs in the family.

Congratulations, Ozzy.  Aunt Nini is so proud of you!

You can see all the graduation photos here!

Influenster Review: Radiant With AVEENO Positively Radiant Intensive Night Cream

You know how there are brands out there that you just know are high quality?  You know that you can trust their products, and they never let you down?  Well, for me, one of those brands is AVEENO.  Because I have skin that is really sensitive, I have used various AVEENO products over the years.  Body bars, oatmeal baths, cleansers, moisturizers, you name it.  When I found out I had a chance to try a new AVEENO product, I was really excited.

 

As part of the Influenster program, I was selected to try the AVEENO Positively Radiant Intensive Night Cream.  I am a big fan of night creams for several reasons.  First off it forces me to take off my make up.  I have a terrible habit of sleeping in my make up, which is terrible for my skin.  In order to moisturize, I first must cleanse.  So, the whole process is making my skin healthier.  Secondly, night moisturizer helps keep my skin soft and smooth.  I moisturise during the day after I cleanse, and doing the same thing at night just makes sure my skin remains clean and nourished as I sleep.

Some of the amazing things about AVEENO Positively Radiant Intensive Night Cream include the fact that it is oil free, which means my face left moist but not greasy; it contains B3 and soy complex to help nourish my skin; it helps even my skin tone and reduce blotchiness, which is problematic for me; it works at night, so I am getting real beauty sleep!

In terms of products, AVEENO is a brand I consider to be cost effective.  Priced moderately and available in most drug stores and departmental retailers, AVEENO Positively Radiant is available to a lot of women.

I am really pleased with the results so far, and I know the more I use the Intensive Night Cream, the better the results will be.  I use the Positively Radiant at night, and still look radiant in the morning.

Maybe this cream will inspire my unconscious and motivate me to pursue a radiant dream.  My radiant dream? To finally write a book.  What would your radiant dream be?

Disclosure Statement:  I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes.   

35 Day Project: Gifts for you

I have been putting off writing about the final day of the 35 Day project, even though it was nearly two weeks ago.  Part of the reason is I ended up getting the flu on my birthday (yuck), and another part of it was, by writing about it, I was admitting that the project was over.  I really did not want it to end, but it must, like all good things.

The final day of the project was my birthday, and it was bittersweet.  Hubby and I decided to go out to lunch, and mill around a nearby town, which presented the perfect opportunity to pull off my final act for the project.  Even though it was my birthday, I was going to be giving some presents.  To total strangers.

I have a stash of small things to use for acts of kindness, so I dug into the stash, and wrapped up a couple of sets of stationery and matching magnets.  I then wrote small notes explaining that it was my birthday, and that I was celebrating by giving these gifts to people and telling them I appreciated them.  We left them at a couple of places during the day, including the restaurant where we ate lunch.

Since the project has ended, I have found myself missing the camaraderie that had been created through the Facebook group.  A few people have told me that they missed the daily posts.  And I have seen more posts about kindness than I have ever seen before on my Facebook and Twitter feeds.  I learned so much about myself, and about the amazing people in my life.  So, I am officially declaring this project a smashing success.

35 Day Project: Secret Revealed

Do you remember way back near the beginning of the project, I told you that I performed an act that remained a secret?  Well now I get to spill the beans!!

One of my fellow Pittsburgh bloggers told me about this awesome group on Facebook called the Art Ambush Project.  This group consists of a collection of artists who strive to make the world a better place through the gift of art.  The way the project works is people like you and me nominate others to receive a gift of art.  The nomination process includes telling a little about the nominee, their story, their sorrows, their joys, and talking about why you think they deserve this gift.  If the nomination is accepted, it gets assigned to an artist in the group, and then the artist has the freedom to create the perfect gift.

I chose to nominate my brother and his partner.  They are two of the most incredible people I know.  While they are quite different from each other in personality and style, they complement each other and create a perfect team.  Nearly two years ago now, my brother Dennis became a nurse practitioner, and Paul is an artist.  They recently bought a house as well.  I wanted to show them how proud I am, not only for all their accomplishments, but simply for who they are as people.  So, this nomination was my way of showing my love and admiration.

When I contacted the group, a funny thing happened.  I began talking to one of the founders, Lisa.  When I explained in depth who the nomination was for, she shared with me that she was familiar with Paul as an artist, because they live in the same state.  She said being asked to create work for him was like telling someone to send their crayon drawing to Picasso.  I thought that was such a cool "what a small world" moment!

Lisa kept me updated on the process, and the beautiful work she and her mom were creating.  Finally, the big day arrived, and the package was delivered.  It included a beautiful mosaic created by Lisa.  It was a yin yang, the perfect symbol for Dennis and Paul.  Lisa's mother also made them some beautiful soaps in the shape of yin yang.  The guys absolutely loved their art ambush!

Photo courtesy of Paul Richmond

This was an amazing experience.  This group is doing something spectacular.  I really encourage you to check them out, and consider nominated someone for the gift of art!

35 Day Project: Oakmont Bakery

I love the Oakmont Bakery.  I was a little late to the party, for sure, having just visited it for the first time last year, but none the less, I fell in love.  I like just going in there and looking at all the goodies, it is so fun.  Sadly, I can no longer partake of their delicious treats, due to gluten intolerance, but I can still show them plenty of love.

Which is exactly what I did on Friday, by voting for them as America's Best Bakery. I would love to see this local bakery win this contest, they certainly deserve it!

35 Day Project: Support Local Tech

It comes as no surprise that I am a techie person.  I like gadgets, and apps, and innovation in general.  And I love Pittsburgh with all my heart.  So, Pittsburgh based technological innovation?  Well that just about makes me swoon.

So, when I learned that the Pittsburgh Tech Council was accepting votes for their 2013 Data Awards, I KNEW this was a perfect chance to show some love and kindness to some great organizations and businesses in the burgh.

I used this as my kindness act for last Thursday, and took the time to cast votes in every category.

Sometimes, it just feels good to show the burgh some love.

35 Day Project: All the small things

On Wednesday of last week, I found myself presented with opportunities to do a lot of small acts of kindness.

I had gone to breakfast with my friend and her son.  As we left the restaurant, I help the door open for an older couple who were walking in.  Their entire faces lit up, just because I held the door.

While driving, I took a moment to let someone out ahead of me.

At an appointment, the receptionist was looking up my information, and her phone kept ringing.  She was clearly getting flustered, and felt bad for making me wait.  I simply smiled, and told her to take her time.

In the afternoon, I took a walk in my community.  A man was out with his dog.  I stopped and chatted with him about how adorable the dog was.

Sometimes, the little things all add up to make a big difference.