Sorry for the lackluster of today and yesterday

I've been very busy yesterday and today - any neglect to the blog was unintentional. Sit back and enjoy the weekend - I'll be back tommorow!

Girly day

Hey Guys! I'm in a girly mood! CUZ' GIRLS JUST WANNA HAVE FUUUUUN!!!! :D

Erin Go Braugh!

Happy Saint Patrick's Day! Today I'm sending my friend Andrew a special birthday message. In big, green letters, what else? What are you doing today? I'm looking forward to watching "The Exorcism of Emily Rose." It looks spooky! May the leprechauns be with you!

TOO MUCH MAKEUP!

     Supposedly the beauty industry is recession-proof. Why? Because when times are tough and ladies can't afford to splurge on a new outfit, buying a tube of lipstick or a bottle of nail polish provides a cheap thrill. And we don't know about you, but it's often difficult to go into a drugstore or walk by a Sephora without purchasing a little something. Well, a new survey has revealed that all those makeup purchases add up to big bucks over time. The results claim that woman will spend, on average, $13,000 in her lifetime. Does that number shock you, or are you already feeling pangs of guilt?

Superdrug, who conducted a survey of 3000 women, found that women begin regularly buying cosmetics by the age of 16. On average, ladies shop for makeup five times a year, spending around $39.45 on each trip. When multiplied by 65 years, the average female adult life, that brings us to a whopping $13,000. As for some specifics, they tallied around $1,620 spent on a lifetime of lipstick, $2,512 on eye shadow, and $3,446 on mascara. We refuse to believe it--we're going to start keeping track.

If these results really are true, women place a great value on makeup! The study found that 70% of women won't leave the house without applying something to her face, with 68% saying cosmetics make them feel more confident. One in five women surveyed said their boyfriends have never seen them without makeup, even in bed! OK, we get it. Makeup is important to us. But perhaps some of that $13,000 could be put to better use.

(reposted from shine.yahoo.com)

Nice Things

Here's a long list of nice things: 
ENJOY!!!! =) 

coloring (yes, grown-ups can do it, too)
crisp cotton sheets
soft skin
old family recipes
the first daffodils of spring
sleeping in
an exercise endorphin high
window boxes
a perfect cup of coffee
a genuine compliment (giving or receiving)
the way babies smell
a handwritten letter
waking up in a good mood...for no real reason
singing in the shower
finding a couple forgotten dollars in your pocket
doing something nice for your neighbor
a home cooked meal
laughing
movie theater popcorn
playing hookey
a bubble bath
swimming
an afternoon nap
street musicians
your favorite song
saying thank you
helping someone in need
old fashioned photo booths
fresh whipped cream
inspiring blogs
a glass of wine
rainy afternoons
the funny things kids say
a novel you can get lost in
finding the perfect piece of clothing...on sale
clean laundry
the wind in your hair
treating the person behind you at the drive-thru
sharing an umbrella
the smell of lavender
a long walk that clears your head
a bear hug
The Beatles
smiling at a stranger
eating with chopsticks (Chinese food optional)
butterflies
staying in your pj's all day
singing along to the radio and knowing all the words
fresh herbs
ordering in pizza
happy endings...even if they're fictional
flying a kite
puppies
root beer floats
holding open the door...
...or having someone hold the door for you
fountain soda
white, fluffy towels
sunshine
spending an afternoon at a museum
really great advice
green lights all the way home
the sound of rain hitting the windows
sitting in a booth
holding hands
a great hair day with no effort
building a fort with your kids
when someone falls asleep with their head on your shoulder
fireflies
the perfect taco
geraniums on a windowsill
slow dancing
the smell of fresh-baked bread
cheesy, uplifting musicals
great stories
the smell of gasoline
the cold side of the pillow
love letters
old friends...
...new friends
a pull-through parking space
a baguette -- crisp on the outside, airy on the inside
when a dog licks your hand
sitting at the counter at an old-fashioned diner
using your favorite dishes
reading your child a bedtime story
Girl Scout Cookies
flossing
kissing someone you love
the smell of onions and garlic cooking
hot chocolate
jumping in puddles
old photographs
birds hopping on the sidewalk
Ella Fitzgerald
a spoonful of peanut butter straight from the jar
your softest t-shirt
a new magazine in the mail
fireplaces
having exact change
bacon and pancakes cooking on Saturday morning
Long lists of nice things

Cute Thing of the Week....

Today we ate chocolate rice krispies. YUMMY! Anyway, here is the cute thing of the week, a super shy bunny who totally kicks butt! Isn't he adorable? =)

THIS SAINT KICKS BUTT!!!

     My eyes droop as I glance over a list of female saints. Most of them were quiet, meek, and quite frankly, rather boring women. Most of them never even left a convent. I groan in disbelief. Choosing a patron saint would be tough. Of course I could just pick a nun-saint at random and get it over with. But I want more than that. I want somebody who did something, someone who was a hero, someone who conquered something, did something with their lives besides pray. (Not that there is anything wrong with prayer. I’d simply rather pick a more exciting saint.) A simple solution presented itself. Pick a man. A man? Once again, I groan. Who wants a man? Sure, they did cool things like save Ireland and kill dragons, but honestly, if I just gave up and chose a man, I’d be letting down every female saint in the entire history of the church. That would be like slapping woman-kind in the face, saying that they didn’t measure up with men. My search would continue! Finally my quest for an “active” female saint was rewarded. Saint Catherine of Sienna!


     Saint Catherine of Sienna was an energetic Italian saint of the 1300s. Man, that girl had attitude! I mean, c’mon, she had guts! In an era when women were disregarded, she went to the Pope and kicked his butt for being a ‘fraidy cat and leaving the Vatican in a time of crisis. She was an extremely powerful counselor, advising all of the prominent artists, architects, musicians, and church leaders at the time. She had a ton of gumption! A bit of a tom-boy, she hated wearing dresses and having her hair curled. When she was five, she had the grit to run away from home with nothing but a loaf of bread and jug of water. (She prudently returned a week later, thinking better of her impulsive decision. Smart child.) Upon returning home, she became Cinderella-Incarnate, her “evil” stepmother cutting off her hair and forcing her to be the maid. Despite her stepmom’s attempts to break her spirit, Catherine remained strong. Catherine’s dad finally persuaded her stepmom to end her cruelties to their youngest child, after he received a vision in which he learned that Catherine was holy, not a juvenile delinquent like everyone figured. Worn-out, exhausted, and understandably upset at her parents, she took a little time-out in her room. Make that a long time-out. She didn’t come out of her bedroom for three years. And you thought you knew how to give out the silent treatment! This girl didn’t speak to a human being (besides her confessor, of course) for three entire years, eating practically nothing! During this time do you think she sat around doing nothing? I don’t think so! She definitely didn’t waste her time! (Several people thought about mailing petitions to the Vatican to proclaim her the patron saint against procrastination, but for some reason, never got around to it.) This girl prayed twenty-four-seven and grew in holiness. After being caged up for 1095 days, (I did the math.) she was ready to get out there and change the world! 


     Told in a vision to “get with it and get out there,” Catherine abandoned her bedroom and entered public life. Kind of like a precursor of Mother Teresa, she cleaned and cared for the destitute and afflicted. The amazing thing is, she didn’t eat ANYTHING except Holy Communion for the REST of her life. (That means NO food except a TINY little host on Sundays!) Talk about a miracle! In this era, a tragic civil war would break out, one that, fortunately Catherine would end. Now, here is what I love about this woman: She went out there as a diplomat, (in a time when women weren’t even recognized as people) and saved her country from self destruction via civil war between church and state. She persisted in healing the wounds of her nation, despite everyone making fun of her and condemning her, eventually restoring peace to Italy. She advised popes and princes, people that even high-ranking men weren’t even allowed to talk to! Although she never picked up a weapon, she proved that women, despite the popular belief, were NOT dumb or ignorant of political matters. She proved women were as smart as their male counterparts, not to mention diplomatic. She saved her entire country, for crying out loud!
      Some saints do one great big thing (like saving their country) and end right there (via martyrdom or retirement to a monastery.) Not Catherine! She didn’t even allow the Stigmata (which she received shortly after saving her nation) to slow her down. Instead she asked God to make it invisible so people wouldn’t want to come pay money to gape at her and she could get on with her career of greatness. (God did make it invisible, by the way. All pain, no fame. Talk about humility!) Shortly afterwards, the Great Schism had broken out in the Church. From the outset Catherine enthusiastically supported Urban VI, whom she considered the true pope. By this time, Catherine’s energy was faltering. She spent what remained of her life, strenuously working to return Pope Urban to the Seat of Peter where he belonged. The reconciliation of Pope Urban VI with the Roman Republic in 1380 was her last political work, accomplished practically from her death bed. (Talk about sticking to it till the end!) In addition to saving the church and saving her country, she also wrote a book called Dialogue, over four hundred letters and a collection of prayers. Her writings which sported historical importance, spiritual fragrance and literary value made her one of the most prominent writers of her era. Catherine died on the 29th of April, in the year 1380, a life well-spent. Did her legacy end there? I don’t think so!
     She was canonized by Pope Pius II in 1461, and in 1970 became one of two women to be named Doctor of the Church. This little firebrand of a woman began receiving visions when she was only six years old and lived a life packed full of mysticism and hilarious practicality, dying exhausted at 33. She was a wit, a charmer and a holy hand of God, touching the lives of millions of people. Even today, her body remains incorrupt, as a legacy of her holiness. 
     I chose Saint Catherine of Sienna, because, unlike many other female saints, she had a spark of creativity, spunk, and of course attitude. That spark lightened up my “drooping eyes,” as I saw her list of accomplishments. Now, here was a woman who was not afraid to break rules, step over boundaries or do a man’s job. I consider Catherine of Sienna an exemplary patron saint for impulsive teenagers such as myself, as she was history’s greatest counselor. In fact, after selecting Catherine of Sienna as my patron saint, my mother confided in me that she had actually prayed to St. Catherine to help me find the perfect confirmation name, even before I announced St. Catherine as my patron! I can’t gush enough over this woman, this young, energetic girl who saved her country, her church, wrote a book and innumerable letters, received the stigmata, was incorrupt and finally became a Doctor of the Church! She accomplished it all in 33 short years of hard work and willpower. Now that’s somebody I want looking out for me! Saint Catherine of Sienna, Pray for us!

Welcome to My Blog!

Hello. Welcome to my blog. It's time to die! My name is Mary and I like nice things. My life goals include declaring chocolate a food group, achieving world domination and finding the cure for cancer. Yes, I know, I'm quite the noble lady! Here's today's random facts - www.thegluefactory.webs.com is an amazing webiste, macaroni and cheese is a Crayola color and your shoe is untied. 

CIAO! =)

P.S. I like cupcakes and my favorite color is purple