A whole new life...

Since my last post I've gone through a lot of ups and downs with my emotions. I still have my difficult days but I have taken so many steps toward improving my life that it's hard not to feel the happiness eeking out of me a little bit lately.

I am a full-time student in college now and working toward a new career. I attend church regularly and have even volunteered some of my time with a local homeless shelter, having gone through my adviser at school. I have been seeing a counselor, who has helped me deal with things immensely. I can't even put words to how much this woman has helped me... with EVERYthing. I have established much closer relationships with my kids through all of this - they are what matters most to me after all. All in all I feel really good lately. Like I said, I have difficult days every now and again but I am finding it much easier to pull myself out of it lately. Life is good!

So, even though I am really busy lately, I am going to try and get back to regular art journaling and blogging as well. It won't be every day but it also won't go by the wayside for so long again. At least I hope not!

I have still been art journaling when I have time. I just haven't been getting photos of everything and sharing. A lot of it has been very dark and personal, having gone through all of this mess the past six months. Not really something I want to share much of. But that is all going to change soon!

I think that Rhomany meant this for vlogging... not really something I want to do right now. But I thought it might be fun to fill out this little blog meme for the holiday season.

❄ Top 2 Winter Beauty Essentials
    I'm not really huge into beauty supplies lately but for winter I definitely have to have a good lip moisturizer - Carmex or Vaseline to keep it simple and they both work wonders on dry, chapped lips. Also, I tend to get a dry scalp during the winter months so I don't really have a favorite right now but trying different dry scalp shampoo formulas to see what helps. Any suggestions would be appreciated!

❄ Top 2 Winter Fashion Essentials
    LOVE scarves. I knit and crochet so we always have an over-abundance of them here, but lately I love the fashion scarves as well. My daughter wears them ALL the time and I never thought I would but lately I do love them. I get too hot for hats, but I recently bought my first pair of boots in ages and I LOVE them. Not so much for warmth as they are cute... a black pair of slouchy boots and I wear them all the time already! I want a brown pair as well!

❄ What shoes do you tend to wear the most in the winter?
    In the past I have to admit to mostly wearing a cozy pair of sweats and hoodies along with warm fuzzy slippers because I never had to leave my house in the winter as a homemaker. All that has changed so I guess I need to figure it all out, huh?  I still wear the cozies at home but I'm trying to do something a little more presentable when I'm out and about now.

❄ Favorite Winter Accessory
    Once again... scarves... of all kinds now.

❄ Favorite Winter Nail Polish
    I definitely go for the darker reds for winter. Love the darker reds with a little hint of sparkle in them.

❄ Hot Cocoa or Apple Cider?
    Hot cocoa for sure but there's usually a bit of coffee in mine as well.

❄ Favorite Winter Candle?
    Most anything bakey or cozy smelling. I especially love the scent Hot Buttered Rum by Evan's Scent. Heavenly!

❄ Snowboarding or Skiing?
    I prefer not to move at a ridiculous rate of speed going downhill. I'm more of a ski-lodge snowbunny type. I love to watch though!

❄ Have you ever gone Ice Skating? Are you any good or do you FAIL miserably?
    I used to LOVE to ice skate! I went ALL the time when I was a kid. And I used to be really good at it too. Sadly though, I haven't gone for many years. I should remedy that soon :)

❄ Does it snow where you live?
    Yes... but not enough the past several years. I love the winter months. I don't care to drive in it much and I do have to drive more these days... but I love the snow. It makes for those awesome cozy nights at home with a big handmade quilt and a hot mug of something.

❄ Have you ever made a snowman?
    Absolutely! I went outside at 10pm last winter when we had the first major snow that stuck. I didn't care what kind of fool I looked like!

❄ What holiday do you celebrate?
    All! I am a new Christian so I'll definitely be celebrating the birth of Jesus this year but I am just a holiday kind of girl and I don't exclude any of them. I just love the whole Christmas season.

❄ Favorite Christmas/Holiday song?
    I have always loved the song O Holy Night. Especially when seeing it sung live at the holiday concerts we've gone to at the kids' school. Oh when they hit that high note... *sigh*

❄ Favorite Christmas/Holiday movie?
    Elf!!!

❄ What is your favorite winter treat? (candy cane, gingerbread, etc…)
    My mother's recipe that I still make every year - double layer fudge (chocolate and peanut butter). Yum!

❄ If you were to ask Santa for one thing and you were guaranteed to get it, what would it be? (even if you don’t celebrate christmas)
    A decent job and a new home. That's the hardest part of my situation right now is living in limbo until I find those two things.

❄ Do you have anything fun planned for this winter?
    Nothing planned really. Right now I am just taking one day at a time and living with what it brings me. I just hope I get to spend a lot of time with my kids and grandbabies. We've all been SO busy lately that there hasn't been a lot of time for just enjoying each other. That's what I want more than anything.