Didja See?

Yankee Candle's Scenterpiece

I just love this idea so much!

That is Yankee's new Scenterpiece system, which is a lot like Gold Canyon's meltcup system.  I had tried Gold Canyon many years ago, but didn't care for the behemoth warmer and I never really connected with the scents that I tried, which I found very "perfumey."  So, I was very excited to see Yankee come out with the idea, since there are several scents in the Yankee line that I just haven't found a dupe for in the Scentsy line.

Yankee is soooo clever.  They emailed out $20 off $45 coupons with their introduction, and that was enough to make me want to give Scenterpiece a try.  I ordered one of the smaller warmers and five different scents to try.  Gotta say I'm pleased with my purchase.  I ordered Autumn Leaves, Pink Sands, Sage & Citrus, Silver Birch, and Harvest.  The throw is very good on all of them, they seem to last much longer than the stated last time of 24 hours, and changing out the scents really is a breeze.

Scentsy needs to jump on this bandwagon!

 

New Catalog Season

In spite of my cheating ways, I'm very excited for the new Scentsy catalog season starting in September!  Lots of yummy sounding scents a'coming.  I'm really hoping they'll soothe my disappointment over some of the scent of the month offerings recently.  Out of the last six, I really only liked one and loved one.  The others were only meh, or, like Mystery Man, a downright dud in my book.

The like?  It is a surprise like, for certain....Vanilla Bean Buttercream!

When I warmed Vanilla Bean Buttercream, the Mister entered the house, sniffed the air, looked at me a little incredulously and asked, "are you baking something????" 

He shoulda known better. 

Vanilla Bean Buttercream smells exactly like you've pulled a fresh vanilla cake from the oven and slathered it high with decadent buttercream frosting.  Yummy!  This one is soooo out of my box, but I think it works for me simply due to its realism.  It is not fakey sweet smell.  It is the real deal, and while it is not a scent that I personally would go to a lot, it is worthy of a rare "10" for a bakery scent.  Throw is excellent--another 10.  Last is the same.  The reason I give a "like" a 10?  Yeah, I know.  A little cognitive dissonance there, but the reality is that, although this is the most excellent bakery scent I've ever run across, I just am not inclined to melt them all that often.  Melting this would make me want to whip up a pound of butter, throw in a pound of powdered sugar and a healthy splash of vanilla and bury my head in the bowl.  Not good.

I'm more inclined to melt something like Fuzzy Blanket.  Fuzzy Blanket is a rather weird name for what is really just a lavender/honeysuckle blend. 
Snuggle up to the soft scent of lavender, sandalwood, and sweet honeysuckle.

It is a very comforting scent, so I suppose the name does have a certain sort of sense.  This one is a very balanced blend of lavender and honeysuckle, with just enough sandalwood to give it a soothing undertone without being incensy.  I really like it, but I tend to like scents like this, so that should be no surprise.  I have had good luck with the throw and last, although others have reported it is a little light for them.  My sensitive nose doesn't like those really big scents, though, so keep that in mind if you are thinking of trying this one.  Fuzzy Blanket is the perfect transitional scent--I wouldn't be very inclined to use it in the full heat of summer, but it is a wonderful Fall/Winter/Spring scent, and I'll be stocking up on this one over the winter.  Another 10 all round.
 

 

Family Update

We have had a bit of Mr.Toad's Wild Ride here at Chez Winter this summer.  I had happily started doing just a bit of a facelift on our 20 year old home--replacing doors, doing a little painting, when I noticed that the carpet in my master bedroom closet was soaking wet.  The short of it was, shoddy construction in our master bath had led to a major leak requiring the entire---and I mean ENTIRE--bathroom to be torn out.  Poor Mister.  Underlayment and walls needed replacing, the closet floor was replaced, tile was installed in the bath.   Watching two men lug a 350 pound cast iron tub up a flight of stairs was pretty awe-inspiring (go Mister and Jacob!!)  Currently, we still have a shower surround and shower to install, cabinets to reface, and painting to be done.  It will be beautiful.  Some day.

In the meantime, a complete stairway rebuild has simulaneously commenced (it was knocked wonky in our 2001 earthquake and we've lived a little dangerously ever since).  I've done as much of the work as I can myself--including lots and lots of painting, finishing of stair retreads, and so on.  Phew.  Lots to go, but it sure will be nice when it is finished.  Two years from now. Phew.

We were blessed mid-projects with a visit from John's Mom, who, at 89, came up from California to visit us as well as three of John's siblings who also live in Washington.  Here's an adorable pic of her meeting Soren for the first time.

After Helen's visit, my parents came to town as well, although John doesn't have those pics at the ready yet.  After visiting us, they went down to Bend, OR, where, sadly, my dad was hospitalized for nine days (!!!) with pneumonia.  Currently, we have their little adorable Westie, Traveler, staying with us, along with their truck.  John and I will be taking a little trip down to Arizona to return them to their rightful owners.  Dad and Mom flew home on Monday, where Dad finally seems to be making some headway in his recovery.

 

My babies are growing oh so fast!  Soren has two teeth now, is sitting like a champ, and is very close to crawling.  He chats all the day long and is just a happy little fellow.  Here is a recent pic of the little guy with his big "sister" Miss Edie.

My angel Alice is also in an amazing stage.  She is 15 months and the very picture of curiousity and ingenuity.  She has been walking since 11 months, and knows a great many signs in American Sign Language.  She hasn't been a big talker up to this point, although just now she has really begun chatting it up verbally.  She has an amazing head of bright curls, loves her dollies, her books, and her little Soren.

Sure do love these babies lots.

Stand Up

I am Standing....

In one of my favorite movies, a senator of Rome entreats his compatriots to stand up in court in support of the heroine of the movie.  "Stand up!" he cries out to them imploringly, "Stand, or if no one will, I will stand alone."  At first, no one stands, and a horrible silence descends.  Finally, after the moment has passed, and it looks as if the judge will proceed, a lone man lifts himself from his seat.

"Minister," asks the judge, "Do you have something to say?"  The minister looks around the courtroom, and finally utters,

"I am standing."


If there is one thing I know in life, it is this, it is so hard to be the person who lifts themself from their seat and stands. 

In the wake of all the looting in Ferguson recently, there was a video of a man standing in front of a store imploring his fellowman to quit the looting.  He was standing. 

Sometimes standing is a very lonely pursuit, and yet, we must stand in order to combat the wrongs in this world.  It can be a very simple thing to stand at times---as easy as turning off the television when a smutty reality television show comes on.  Or it can be very difficult--standing against a professor who tells you that the only race capable of being racist is caucasion.  That happened to my daughter last year, and she had to stand.  For people who suffer from depression or other mental illness, standing can mean just showing up to life every day.  Or, standing can mean the ultimate sacrifice,  as Dan Foley found when he stood against ISIS.

It is an increasingly difficult world we live in, and it can be exhausting standing for all of the causes we know are right.  Sometimes we have to choose our battles, just to have enough energy to stand the next time. 

I often ask myself, am I standing when I should be, either alone, or with friends and family who need my support? Am I standing to represent right, even if it means so-called friends will desert me, or the crowd will jeer me?

Are you standing?