The thing I love about this brow marker is it is not a pencil.  I can never make each eyebrow look the same with a brow pencil. The Laura Geller Brow Marker is a marker with a very thin tip, which allows you to finely color in any bare spots on your eyebrows, without making it look like you did. And if you have very thin eyebrows, like me, the soft tip is thin enough to lengthen the brow without being noticeable. If you are one of those people with full, beautiful eyebrows, you would have no idea what the less fortunate ones go through. I have always had very thin brows, even when I was younger. I’ve been accused many times of plucking too much, but since my mother’s were very thin, she warned me not to over pluck. I listened, and it did absolutely no good. I still grew up with thin eyebrows. She did however, tell me to always put lotion on my elbows, and that tip worked. . .

It comes in four colors: taupe (my color), brown, dark brown, and auburn.  You can purchase from beauty.com for $23.  If you add another item worth $2 or more to the purchase and you get free shipping, and no tax. That’s where “your list” comes in handy. Beauty.com, along with its partner, drugstore.com, gives you the ability to save items you like to “your list”. It automatically ads items as you purchase them too. I can always find something I need that I have saved on my list to add to my purchase. Because no matter what I purchase, it’s something I still need, AND I get free shipping.

Exposuresonline.com is the place to go if you are looking for photo albums. They have a very large selection, and most can be personalized.

They also carry storage for photos, cards, and keepsakes.

Beautiful picture frames

Photo Christmas Cards

And really cute photo gifts

I drag out the humidifier about this time every year. I know it’s time because I start waking up every morning with a horrible headache. I have been using a humidifier for many years now and would highly recommend if you don’t already use one. In addition to keeping my nose and throat all moist and healthy, it keeps my skin from drying out.

Another benefit of a humidifier is it also helps your furniture from drying out. So there’s the benefit of not having those killer morning headaches, allergies, congestion, stuffy nose, or cold, the benefit of soft skin throughout the winter months, and your furniture not cracking in dry conditions.

I usually purchase a new humidifier every year or two. I always put a few drops in the water every time I fill it to keep the water clean and bacteria free.  Last year I purchased this humidifier from QVC because it said the water would last several days, and there was no filter that needed to be changed.  Win-win for me.

I hate the humidifier running out of water every night and having to refill it. I know, I know, most will tell you it’s better to replace the water daily but with the Air Innovations Healthy Mist Ultrasonic Humidifier you can go three or four days without having to refill it. That is probably my favorite thing about it. It is very quiet, which I also like. I read some of the reviews on QVC about this humidifier and almost didn’t recommend it to you because it got some bad reviews about leakage. I have not had that issue. It has been my favorite humidifier to date also because it is so easy to transport and fill.

I also use a water treatment each time I fill. The Vista 245 Humidifier Bacteria Water Treatment has the top rating on Amazon. It is the one I use, even though it doesn’t come with free shipping. I used to be able to find a water treatment that killed bacteria at Wal-Mart or Target but couldn’t find them last year so I ordered the Vista. Amazon also has a large selection of humidifiers to choose from. You can review all the different types and find out which one is best for you. As the winter gets dryer and dryer, you will be so happy you have this to keep your air moist.

Just in case you need further proof that you need a humidifier, here is a great article from the Mayo Clinic about the benefits of a humidifier.

When I was 23 years old, my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. I still remember everything about it. She said she discovered a lump in her breast when she was bathing one night. She was so upset she went out on the patio with a cigarette and a bottle of bourbon and cried ‘why me’. Then she realized she was smoking a cigarette and drinking bourbon, both of which could kill her. I remember the day she had her surgery. I was 23 years old. In my mind, my mother was invincible, and this brought me to my knees. She handled it all like a trooper. My mom was always big on positive thinking, and motivational sayings. She was a sales manager for a real estate company so she had that type of personality that no matter what, you would not see her feeling sorry for herself. She dusted herself off and moved on.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and I think everyone like me knows someone who has had breast cancer. I have a friend who was diagnosed with breast cancer a year ago and is thriving today. I have a friend who lost her mother to breast cancer when she was a young mother herself. Early detection is the key. I have a much higher chance of getting breast cancer since my mother had it. I had my first baseline mammogram when I was 29 years old. Since the age of 35, I have one every year, and knock on wood, no problems. I remember the year I went for my mammogram at the same age as my mother when she was first diagnosed, and how scared that was. On the advice of a doctor years ago, I started taking multiple supplements, which he said would help prevent cancer. I don’t know if he was right, but so far so good. I would urge each and every one of my female readers over the age of 40 to have a yearly mammogram. One thing I do know for sure is I don’t think I could ever be as brave as my mother was. I hope I never have to find out.