Awe and "AmazeMint"

I, Zanny, am an unapologetic lip gloss enthusiast. I'm smitten with the look of glossy, glassy, glistening, glittering, glimmering, gleaming, glorious lips. Covergirl Wetslicks AmazeMint lip gloss, from me, receives the most gladdening, glowing review on the globe.

It comes in a variety of shiny shades, from "Merry Berry" to "Plum Crazy". It's not sticky or goopy, and best of all, it contains peppermint oil to generously provide your lips with that tingly, cold, arctic, New York Peppermint Patty sensation - as though they've been blasted with a million and a half minty snow flakes. You all of a sudden become so aware of your zinging lips, that you start taking daring opportunities to purse and pout in a 1980's Christy Brinkley fashion. Yes, this enthused lip gloss enthusiast is enthusiastically sweet on the glamour of this gloss.

Be Thankful For What You Don't Have - It Could Always Be Worse

While enjoying October's bright blue weather, Jerald and I have been determined not to develop a blue mood to match. The heat went out in our house during the first snow storm of the season, leaving us with icy fingers and noses. Our water heater began leaking all over the basement carpet, causing it to smell curiously like a foul dishrag. Our one vehicle became violently ill and left us with "hospital bills" of $3000, which was more money than it was worth. So, we decided to let it pass away in peace, while scrambling to hunt down a replacement. We were forced to spend a few hundred dollars to acquire a rental car for the time being with no luck finding a good used car yet. In addition, I developed a nasty cold of gargantuan proportions accompanied by pink eye in both eyes. Boy, did I look hot. Yes, and this was ALL IN ONE WEEKEND! May the whole audience heave a collective groan/sigh. Then...just as I was beginning to see the light at the end of that mucous-lined tunnel, I came down with yet another cold! I sniffle even as I type.

One night last week, in the midst of this circus, Jerald and I were lying in bed talking about our plight. Correction - we were laughing about it (actually, I was coughing and laughing simultaneously). It's so much more fun to to giggle than groan. We knew we wouldn't let all of this get us down. Why? Because it's pure comedy! We should send this story line to NBC and retire. Besides, it could be worse. We could have been living in frigid Alaska when the heat went out. And though our abode was chilly, it gave us a good excuse to cuddle. The water heater leaked, but at least it still heated the home's water. We may not own a car at present, but we have two legs. My wheezy cold has been miserable, but at least I'm not vomitting, which to me, is the worst hell possible. I may have had pink eye, but at least I have my sight. We must search for the blessings within our trials. We must find the humor in it all. It's not easy, but it makes life more bearable and a whole lot more fun. Through the hilarity of October, Jerald and I have laughed and leaned on the Lord. And we're the happier for it.

Dial D for Dial

I interrupt your current programming to advertise my newest, bestest, most swoon-worthy product to date. It's inexpensive, which is a massive selling factor for me, yet it also happens to be the highest of the highly satisfying. It's Dial's Yogurt Vanilla Honey Nourishing Body Wash. It contains real yogurt protein and honey extract to provide for some rapturous moisture and lactic acid support and assistance. It provides never ending mountains, hills, and valleys of bubbly lather, like sweet whipped cream. If that weren't enough, it smells for all the beauty world like clover honey, vanilla ice cream, coconut cream pie, plumeria flowers, caramel corn, cotton candy, marzipan, toasted almonds, angel food cake, nutmeg, sugar cookies, baby's breath, brown sugar, fresh linen, creme brulee, cocoa butter, dryer sheets, tropical blossoms, nougat, white chocolate, pink hyacinth, and a partridge in a pear tree.
Well, if the Dial company doesn't Fed Ex me 50 free bottles of the lucious wash after that raving sales job, then you may plan to view the well-placed tear drop upon my cheek!

Recipe of Romance

Every now and then, an entree enters our lives that is so delicious, it invokes feelings of happiness and romance. This is such an entree - Makeover Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo. I found this treasure of a recipe in Taste of Home's Healthy Cooking Magazine, to which I am a faithful subscriber (along with four other cooking mags). Alfredo sauce, though delicious, is chock full of cream and butter. You may as well surgically insert it into your arteries! So, the test kitchens of Taste of Home made over the recipe to have less fat and sodium, while still maintaining the fabulousness. In my opinion, this tastes even creamier and dreamier. Now that's romantic.

Makeover Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo

1 package (16 ounces) fettuccine

1-1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut in 1-inch cubes

1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

6 garlic cloves, minced, divided

3 tablespoons reduced fat butter, divided

1/2 pound sliced fresh mushrooms

1 medium onion, chopped

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1-1/2 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

3 cups fat free milk

1 cup half-and-half cream

1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded reduced fat colby-monterey jack cheese (I used sharp cheddar)

3 plum tomatoes, chopped

1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream

1/4 cup plus 3 tbsp Parmesan cheese

1. Cook fettuccine according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium heat, cook the chicken, Italian seasoning, and 2 garlic cloves in 1 tbsp butter until chicken is no longer pink. Remove and keep warm.

2. In the same skillet, saute mushrooms and onion in remaining butter until tender. Add remaining garlic; saute 1-2 minutes longer. Stir in the flour, salt, and pepper until blended; gradually add milk and cream.

3. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Add the cheddar cheese, tomatoes, sour cream, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese and reserved chicken; cook and stir until heated through.

4. Drain fettuccine; Toss with sauce. Sprinkle each serving with 1 teaspoon of remaining Parmesan cheese.

And the Winner of Miss Personality USA is...

The winner for Miss personality USA has to be Summer Simon. She's a one woman show of all that is charming. She's smart, funny, flirtatious, and talented. Jerald and I have pinched ourselves black and blue, wondering if we dreamed up this creature of cuteness. Blessedly, she's ours to keep.

A Future Tiffany's Customer

Summer is Always Camera Ready

Summer loves to eat! She'll devour everything served to her! I must say, she's a healthy eater too. Her favorite cuisine includes: broccoli (I kid you not! Yes! She'll eat the whole bowl of broccoli on the table and beg for more!), corn, carrots, peas, apples, grapes, sharp cheddar cheese, pasta, any main dish, and of course her mommy's home baked cookies (not as healthy, but hey). Laugh if you're so inclined, but she also loves to dip her food in such condiments as honey mustard, organic ketchup, balsamic vinegar, and Italian dressing!

Here is Summer Getting a Week's Worth of Fiber in Broccoli

Every morning, Jerald cooks breakfast and Summer adores his pancakes, omelets, French toast, cream of wheat, and oatmeal. As evidenced by this picture, there's nothing more deliciously daring than pancakes and pirates!

Summer is a budding flower of a musician. She learned Mary Had a Little Lamb on the piano when she was age one! What a blessing it is to have a piano teacher for a daddy.

Summer sleeps with her army of stuffed animals every night and every nap. She calls them her "animal fliends" (notice the L in friends - that's how she pronounces it!). Anyway, the army grows every day with more animals, blankies, books, and toys. She's deeply sentimental about all of them and never fails to conduct role call as soon as she enters her crib to make sure everyone is present. She figures out pretty quickly if Creamy, Mr. Bear, Fudge, etc., is missing. There's hardly enough room for her in that bed! What a babe!

The Little Mermaid

We recently had a ward party at our local community pool. Little did we know - our daughter's a little mermaid! She gazed at the sparkling water with sparkling eyes and exclaimed, "I go in the water now. Bye!" Then she took off running for the deep end! Luckily, Jerald caught her before she plunged in. We hadn't dressed her in a suit that night because she'd never really gone swimming before and we didn't think she'd want to. Well, we swim corrected! We took off her dress and let her splash and play while still wearing her shirt. As you may witness, her diaper got a bit saggy and she was shivering with cold chills, but she didn't care!

Summer met up with two of her best friends - Abby and Sarah!

She was crestfallen when it was time to go. We told her we'd take her swimming again soon.

We are parents of our word! We had a swimming party for three a few days later!

Beauty Tip - Vote for VO5!

We all know healthy hair begins at conception. Through the course of its life, though, damage and destruction ensues. Our platform is to overturn the Split Ends v. Hair bill. I suggest an immediate withdrawal plan/exit strategy from your current shampoo, and vote for VO5 strawberries and cream shampoo and conditioner. It's less than $1 a bottle, so it greatly reduces spending, while decreasing our dependency on foreign shampoo. There's no need for off-shore drilling to locate the perfect hair product. Through tax cuts and hair cuts, everyone in the nation deserves good quality hair health care, so join the campaign and head to the store to begin immediate withdrawal of all troops of VO5 bottles from off the "raq". Together, we can win the war against hair! Don't be "conservative" in applying this product - apply "liberal"-ly and enjoy the mass increase in global heart-warming. In terms of shine, shimmer, and strawberry scent - VO5 is definitely the candidate for change.

I'm suzanne Simon and I approve this message.