I have stood before the crosses as we laid a soldier down. They cast a simple shadow upon the upturned ground The bugler sounds taps as each cross its witness bears to the journey of a soldier released from earthly cares. I have stood before the crosses and prayed a lonely prayer, in hopes of some redemption as I struggled to compare My life of long contentment with the soldier’s hallowed call to warrant with his dying breath a better world for all. I have stood before the upturned ground and struggled to compare my courage and my character with the man or woman there. Would I have died a valiant death in a foreign land, upon a distant battlefield, to save my fellow man? I have stood before the crosses as the sun was going down, watching as the shadows faded upon the upturned ground. I have looked upon the hillside of the crosses, row on row, upon the young and brave of heart never to grow old. I have knelt before the crosses at night, before I sleep, and made upon my bended knee a covenant I keep: To live a life of service, to honor all our losses, for those who went before us, those beneath the crosses.
I would love for you to follow me on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. You can find me as Looking Joli Good on all three. I would also love to follow you on Instagram and Twitter as well, so let me know your user name in the comment section below!
July 29th is National Lipstick Day in the United States! 💄
Revlon has been making their super lustrous lipstick for what seems like a million years. These classic lipsticks are sold in several different finishes such as matte and pearl, but the crème formula is my favorite. It has a comfortable feel that doesn’t dry out the lips as some lipstick formulas can. There’s no overpowering scent either. With 87 different shades to choose from (yes, that’s correct, 87 shades!), there’s definitely a perfect shade for you! Pictured below are five of my favorite revlon lipstick shades and finishes.
While I love wearing lipstick, most days I leave the lipstick for special occasions, I can usually be found only wearing chapstick. I never leave home without a tube or two of chapstick in my pocket. While you’re at Target pick up a niveausa chapstick in the blue tube, it’s my favorite chapstick.
To celebrate National Lipstick Day Ulta Beauty has a buy one, get one 50% off of top brands such as TooFaced, Mac and Colourpop. Click HERE to take advantage of this week long sale.
What about you? What is your favorite type of lipstick? Do you love to wear different shades and finishes of lipstick or do you prefer to keep it simple and wear chapstick? Do you wear a lip mask while you sleep?
When you are shopping online, do you use Rakuten (formerly known as Ebates)? If you are not, you are missing out on free money and should sign up and start using Rakuten today!
It might seem hard to believe that giving away money for free is a real thing and not a scam. Getting paid cash back from Rakuten really is as simple as shopping online and getting paid!!
I realize that it sounds way too good to be true! I had always been a bit skeptical, but it is really a legit thing. I signed up on the recommendation of my sister, since then I have been paid more than $375 by Rakuten all while shopping for things I was already planning to buy.
I have earned $7 cash back today just from the online shopping I have done. I received 4 checks last year, and one of those “Big Fat Checks” that Rakuten sent me was for $35.
It is literally getting paid to shop online for things that I am already buying.
It is so easy! You simply go to theRakuten site, sign up with your name, email, and address, start shopping, and earning cash back! It is that simple
You can either search through their search bar for the site you want to go to, or add their cash back button to your web browser and have the cash back added automatically as you shop.
There are all kinds of sites that you can earn money from, Target, Kohl’sSephora, Ulta, Zappos, and Amazon just to name a few.
If you are interested in earning some money during your daily or holiday online shopping, take a look at Rakuten.
Here is a referral link that they gave me to share with you. I’d love for you to sign up using my referral link, because if you join and spend at least $40 on your usual online shopping we will both get a check for $40! What is better than free money?!
If you or someone you know is experiencing physical or sexual abuse, please reach out for help. There are organizations and helplines dedicated to providing support, guidance, and resources to those in need. No one should have to endure abuse, and seeking assistance is a crucial step towards safety and healing.
Resource List: No one should have to endure abuse! Seeking assistance is a crucial step towards safety and healing.
Here are a few of the most well-known organizations and helplines:
The National Sexual Assault Hotline (RAINN): 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)
The National Domestic Violence Hotline (The Hotline): 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV) 800.799.SAFE (7233)
Childhelp USA (Childhelp): 1-800-422-4453
The National Human Trafficking Hotline (NHTH): 1-888-373-7888
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC): 1-800-THE-LOST (843-5678)
If you have access to a SAFE computer:
The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV) https://www.thehotline.org/ provides information and resources on domestic violence, including a state-by-state directory of domestic violence organizations.
Internet usage can be monitored and is impossible to erase completely. If you’re concerned your internet usage might be monitored, call them at 800.799.SAFE (7233). Learn more about digital security and remember to clear your browser history after visiting their website.
The National Center for Victims of Crime (NCVC) provides information and resources on a variety of crime victim issues, including physical and sexual abuse. https://victimsofcrime.org/
The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) https://www.rainn.org/ also has a number of online resources, including a chat hotline, a library of information, and a blog.
These are just a few of the many organizations and helplines that can provide support to victims of physical and sexual abuse.
In addition to these organizations, there are also many local resources available. You can contact your local police department, hospital, or mental health clinic for more information. You can also search online for “domestic violence resources” or “sexual assault resources” in your area.
You are not alone. There are people who care about you and want to help. Please reach out for help if you are being abused.
Now that the weather’s getting warmer where I live, and I have been wearing sandals more often, I’ve been more conscious of the condition of my feet, more specifically my heels.
I have had a lifelong obsession with smooth soft skin! I own more creams, lotions and oils than any one person could ever go through. It seems as if no amount of creams or lotions or pumice stones does the trick when it comes to my heels.
Recently a friend told me about the Olive and June Heel Balm and swore that it is magical. I’ve been let down by so many “foot creams”, “heel hydration”, and “cracked heel repair” products. My hopes weren’t too high that Olive and June Heel Balm would be much different from everything else that I have tried. With her glowing magical recommendation, I figured why not give it a try.
I don’t know what the sorcery is that is in this product but it WORKED!!! (ingredients listed below) I can see why she called it magical. After only one week of consistent use I have noticed a significant difference in the condition of my heels.
Since I’m not going to share a picture of my feet on the internet (at least not for free 😉🤣), you’ll just have to take my word for it. I was shocked by how quickly my heels felt soft and smooth. Virtually no roughness left.
The Heel Balm comes in a twist up stick tube applicator. It’s a soft solid that quickly turns into an oil. If you don’t want to be sliding all around, or stain your sheets, you’ll definitely have to wear socks after applying. For an additional $6 USD, Olive and June even sells their own O&J Cozy Socks as part of their Slumber Party set. (available in s/m and m/l and pink or mint green)
Olive and June Slumber Party Set (photo credit to Olive and June website)
How to use: “Apply liberally to clean, dry feet. For maximum absorption, follow with cotton socks. For amazing results, use nightly.”
“Intensive Heel Balm formula hydrates dry, cracked skin. Sunflower and Meadowfoam moisturize and soothe. Convenient stick for super easy and totally mess-free application. Fragrance-free, Vegan, cruelty-free, and phthalate-free. Dermatologist tested”
I paid $20 USD for a 50ml / 1.8 oz tube at Target. It is also available for the same price at Olive and June’s website. I like that it is fragrance-free, Vegan, cruelty-free, and phthalate-free. You can order your own from Target by clicking HERE. Or check it out on the Olive and June website by clicking HERE.
What about you? Do your heels get dry and cracked this time of year? Have you tried out the Olive and June Heel Balm? What has your experience been? Did you love it? Hate it? What do you think about their claims about the Heel Balm? Have you notice anything different from what I found?
Have you tried any other Olive and June products? What products did you try? What results did you have? Let me know in the comment section below.
For more salon-perfect nail tips and tutorials check out Olive and June on instagram, @OLIVEANDJUNE or head over to their website OLIVEANDJUNE.COM to see what other products you might be interested in.
Enjoying what you are reading here? If so, visit my Instagram page @lookingjoligood. Generally, I post pictures of the things that are most important to me…food, plants and puppies. There are pictures of makeup and beauty products as well. Come follow Looking Joli Good on Twitter and Facebook as well.
Memorial Day is an American holiday on which those who died in active military service are remembered. It’s a day for honoring and mourning people who’ve died while fighting to keep us safe. It’s a time many visit friends and family who have made the ultimate sacrifice.
Originally known as Decoration Day, it originated in the years following the Civil War and became an official federal holiday in 1971. In 1966 the federal government declared Waterloo, New York, the official birthplace of Memorial Day. It was traditionally observed on May 30 but is now officially observed on the last Monday in May.
Florida National Cemetery where my grandfather is buried
John McCrae wrote the poem In Flanders Fields in 1915 as a memorial to those who died in a World War I battle fought in a region of Belgium known as the Ypres Salient. McCrae himself treated many of the soldiers injured in that battle and was particularly moved by the death of a close friend, Alexis Helmer. This poem helped popularize the red poppy as a symbol of remembrance.
Gone but not forgotten
In Flanders Fields
BY JOHN MCCRAE In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved and were loved, and now we lie, In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you from failing hands we throw The torch; be yours to hold it high. If ye break faith with us who die We shall not sleep, though poppies grow In Flanders fields.
Stop by and visit my Instagram page @lookingjoligood. Generally, I post the things that are most important to me such as pictures of food, plants and puppies, but there are pictures of makeup and beauty products as well. I would love for you to follow me on Twitter and Facebook. You can find me as Looking Joli Good on both. I would also love to follow you on Instagram and Twitter as well, so let me know your user name in the comment section below!
My grandmother receiving the American flag at my grandfather’s funeral 2018
Happy Mother’s Day to my Mom! I appreciate all that my mom has done for me throughout my life. Among many other things she taught me to be organized and assertive, as well as friendly and inviting to new people . She instilled in me a desire for clean hands and a clean house.😉
I never knew just how much I was loved by my mom until I became a mother myself! Being a mother has been the best and most important and rewarding thing I have ever done.
For some, like me, Mother’s day is a day of happiness and celebrations. Some of us feel surrounded by love on Mother’s Day. We have wonderful mothers and grandmothers and are blessed with great children.
That is not the case for everyone. Some people view Mother’s Day as a painful reminder of loss. Loss of a mother or grandmother, loss of a child, or loss of a relationship, loss of a dream, or loss of expectations. Seeing others celebrate might exacerbate those feelings of loss. So for today, I am saying “Happy Mother’s Day…” to those who are Mothers 💐 to those who are Mothers to be💐 to those who lost Mothers💐 to those Mothers who have lost children💐 to those women who are step-mother’s 💐 to those women who are longing to be Mothers💐 to those women with difficult Mother relationships💐 to those women with difficult child relationships💐 to those women who have chosen not to be Mothers💐 to those women who are dog and cat Mothers💐 to everyone who is celebrating their Mother💐
Stop by and visit my Instagram page as well @lookingjoligood. Generally, I post pictures of the things that are most important to me…food, plants and puppies. There are pictures of makeup and beauty products as well. I would love for you to follow me on Twitter and Facebook. You can find me as Looking Joli Good on both. I would also love to follow you on Instagram and Twitter as well, so let me know your user name in the comment section
The Yves Saint Laurent Slim Velvet RadicalMatte Lipstick is a full coverage lipstick that delivers intense and long lasting semi-matte color. It is available in 17 shades ranging from light pinks and nudes to deep vampy reds. It is $39.99 USD for net wt 0.07 oz.
YSL boasts that it’s Slim Velvet RadicalMatte Lipstick is a “comfortable and intensely pigmented semi-matte long lasting lipstick infused with silky oils for comfort and an innovative square bullet for precise application that does not bleed or crack.”💋
As always the Yves Saint Laurent packaging is beautiful and very lux feeling. The square bullet is a nice change to the traditional round bullet that most lipsticks have. The formula is smooth and creamy and comfortable to wear. There is no noticeable scent.
I did find that despite the claims, this shade tended to bleed and wander outside of my lip line. With the square bullet design and creamy formula it is easy to apply, but as with any deeper shade of lipstick it’s a good idea to wear a lip liner. I also noticed that after wearing this lipstick for an extended period of time, and as it wore off, my lips were stained. The staining was an orange shade that looked like I had been eating pasta sauce and gotten it all over my lips…not a good look 😳
Boundless Maroon is not a shade of lipstick that I would normally wear. While I don’t think the shade is a bad match for my skin tone, I do feel since it’s such a dark shade it washes me out. On the bright side, it makes my teeth look super white! If I’d chosen my own shade I would have gone with a light soft pink like 303 rose incitement or a beige nude like 301 nude pulsion.
I’m thankful to be gifted things for consideration, but in this case, it’s kind of a waste since I’m not likely to wear this lipstick very often if ever again. 💄
YSL is a luxury brand with a luxury price tag. The packaging feels lux and the branding is beautiful. To be honest, I feel as if $39 USD is just too much to be paying for a lipstick when there are so many other great lipsticks available at a third of the price.
Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick
If you are interested in other great less expensive lipstick alternatives click HERE to check out my post about the $8 USD Revlon Super Lustrous Lipsticks available in 87 shades and 4 finishes. By clicking HERE you can also read all about what I think about the Maybelline Lip Sensational Lipsticks available in 32 shades and 4 different finishes for only around $9 USD.
What about you? Have you tried any Yves Saint Laurent Slim Velvet Radical Matte Lipsticks? What has your experience been? Did you love it? Hate it? Have you notice anything different from what I found? Did you have any staining or bleeding? Let me know in the comment section below.
When you are shopping online, do you use Rakuten (formerly known as Ebates)? If you are not, you are missing out on free money and should sign up and start using Rakuten today!
It might seem hard to believe that giving away money for free is a real thing and not a scam. Getting paid cash back from Rakuten really is as simple as shopping online and getting paid!!
I realize that it sounds way too good to be true! I had always been a bit skeptical, but it is really a legit thing. I signed up on the recommendation of my sister, since then I have been paid more than $350 by Rakuten all while shopping for things I was already planning to buy.
I have earned $5 cash back today just from the online shopping I have done. I received 4 checks last year, and one of those “Big Fat Checks” that Rakuten sent me was for $65.
It is literally getting paid to shop online for things that I am already buying.
It is so easy! You simply go to theRakuten site, sign up with your name, email, and address, start shopping, and earning cash back! It is that simple
You can either search through their search bar for the site you want to go to, or add their cash back button to your web browser and have the cash back added automatically as you shop.
There are all kinds of sites that you can earn money from, Target, Kohl’sSephora, Ulta, Zappos, and Amazon just to name a few.
If you are interested in earning some money during your daily or holiday online shopping, take a look at Rakuten.
Here is a referral link that they gave me to share with you. I’d love for you to sign up using my referral link, because if you join and spend at least $30 on your usual online shopping we will both get a check for $30! What is better than free money?!
To know Tessie was to love and be loved by Tessie.
Grief…
It is a thing we all have in common, but it looks and feels different to everyone. It comes in its own time… at its own pace…different for everyone.
It’s dealt with in different ways by everyone. Some deal with it in healthy and healing ways, while others may choose ways that are hurtful, destructive, and wounding. Some might choose to bask in it, others try to ignore it and push it away.
It isn’t just death we have to grieve, it’s loss, it’s change, it’s things not going as planned, it’s life not being what was expected.
When grief hurts so much that you can’t breathe, you may wonder if you will survive. You wonder why it has to hurt so badly. But… you keep breathing, keep living, keep surviving, one breath, one hour, one day at a time. Hours turn into days, turn into weeks turn into months, you keep breathing, living, surviving, eventually thriving.
Tears may come when you least expect them. Grief might grasp ahold of you and overwhelm you out of the blue. Just when you think it’s over you might find yourself overcome once again. You might be laughing one second and crying in wracking heaves the next. You might find yourself avoiding certain places or spaces because the memories are too overwhelming.
I have learned that when the grief comes the best thing to do is to let yourself feel it. Don’t push it down or deny yourself the grief. Respect it. Let it overcome you, wash over you. Let yourself feel it fully without being wholly consumed by it. Hold on to it as long as necessary, let it go only when you are thoroughly ready.
I miss that sweet smile.
To know Tessie was to love and be loved by Tessie. She was pure love and sweetness. She was loyal, she was kind, she was sweet, good-natured, and (mostly) patient, except that is, when she wanted someone to play ball with her. Even in her final days when she was so weak, her eyes lit up whenever she saw a tennis ball.
This sweet little dog brought so much happiness to my life.
Tessie was such a large part of my life. My best friend, my ever-present companion, and sidekick. She listened intently to everything I had to say. She was never more than a foot away from me. Despite not being human, I loved her as if she was my own child.
As the years went on and she aged, I did all I could to keep her healthy. Special medicine and diets to prevent her liver disease from progressing. When she went blind I gave her eye drops perfectly on schedule. When I noticed her limping from stiff legs, I rubbed her legs. When I noticed her weight loss, I gave her more treats and added special things to her food to encourage her to eat. When she started having accidents in the house, I made excuses and cleaned them up, not caring about the mess, just happy that she was still with me. As her body started to shut down I did everything I could think of to prolong her life.
As she got older and the end grew closer, I grieved. I grieved every time she had a bad health day. I grieved when she started having seizures at 11 years old. I grieved when she went blind at 13. I grieved the potential of her death for months, even years, before she passed.
I was told many times that when it came time to say goodbye she would let me know. My overwhelming anxiety of losing her wouldn’t listen, couldn’t listen. The grief that I feared so greatly was trying to fool me into thinking that I could ignore what was obvious. I tried to fool myself into reasoning that she still wanted to play ball and she was still eating treats, she was going to bounce back as she had done so many times. But, when the time came to say goodbye, and I was finally ready to listen, she let me know it was ok.
The Vet came to our house so we could be with her as she crossed the rainbow bridge. I held her in my arms as she took her last breath and a piece of me died along with her. Despite knowing that the day was approaching and it was the right decision, I wasn’t ready… I would never be ready. How do you prepare to say goodbye to your best friend?
Gone from my life, but forever in my heart.
In his book The Smell of Rain on Dust Martin Prechtel describes grief this way
“Grief expressed out loud, whether in or out of character, unchoreographed and honest, for someone we have lost, or a country or home we have lost, is in itself the greatest praise we could ever give them. Grief is praise, because it is the natural way love honors what it misses.”
Grief for someone that’s gone isn’t grief for the dead, it’s praise for the fact that they were alive, the fact they were loved.
Saying goodbye to Tessie was a devastating transition in my life. Her absence created a huge shift in my daily life. There is an emptiness in my heart when I think about the loss of her. A part of me was missing. One of my favorite things in life was gone. My heart was broken. I know I feel this way because of the fullness and joy that Tess added to my life.
The grief still gets me sometimes. It sneaks up on me when I least expect it. I still find myself crying at random times… I’m crying now as I write this.
It took me days to recover, weeks to stop crying, months to feel normal again. One year later…
Grief…
It is a thing we all have in common, but it looks and feels different to everyone. It comes in its own time… at its own pace…different for everyone.
My best friend forever, my loyal companion. There will always be a Tessie-sized hole in my life. She will be loved forever and missed always. Tessie Mae: April 30,2006-August 11, 2020 🐼❤️
My best friend, forever in my heart.
Stop by Instagram and visit my page @lookingjoligood. We’ve got a great community of kind people over there. Generally, I post mostly pictures of food, plants, sunsets, and puppies, but there are lots of pictures of makeup and beauty products as well. 😉
I would love for you to follow me on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. You can find me as Looking Joli Good on all three. I would also love to follow you on Instagram and Twitter as well, so let me know your user name in the comment section below!
Looking Joli Good 