Five Question Friday for July 29

I’m working on a post (which may have to become more than one in an effort to not bore you all to tears!) about our Florida trip that came right on the heels of our Virginia trip, but it’s not done. So, today I thought I’d hook up with the lovely Mama M. and play along with:

If you’ve never participated in 5QF before (or if it’s just been a while!), there are a few rules, but they’re easy! Copy the questions, answer them, and then link up at Mama’s! Be sure to include a link back to her in your post so that your readers can find more 5QF posts, and have fun!

1. Vow renewal ceremonies-yea or nay?

Eh. Do I think it's nice to review those vows with your love? Yup. It's a good reminder. In the ins and outs of the every day, couples can get into a rut and forget to still be a couple. They're busy being mom's and dad's, employees, coaches, volunteers, friends, etc, and being a pair sometimes gets lost in the shuffle. Does there need to be a new big white dress and big ceremony? Nope. My husband and I were lucky enough to get to join my bestie when she got married in Hawai'i. There was just the four of us, and they had a beautiful, quiet beach ceremony. That same week, my husband and I, together, just the two of us, stood on the lanai overlooking Hanalei Bay and said our vows again. It was perfect, and personal, and if you're gonna do it, that's how *I* think it should be!

2. What sound/s annoy you the most?

Can I just tell you how much I dislike the sounds made when eating? Isn't that awful? I cannot STAND to listen to people eat! All that lip-smacking and slurping and just eww.

3. If you had to pick, would you have only all boys, or only all girls for kids?

Boys. Hands down. I was terrified I was going to have a bunch of girls. Well, I was afraid I'd have a bunch of GIRLIE girls. See, I don't wear make up much, my hair is usually in a pony tail (no braids, certainly not french braids and such. Can't do those.) I prefer jeans and t-shirts to about anything. If I had a daughter who wanted her hair done, and to wear dresses, and to be all girlie? I wouldn't know how! My girl is a reasonable blend, and we do ok, but boys just always felt like they'd be easier for me.

4. Do you believe in alternative medicine?

I think it certainly has it's place. I also think it's been dubbed "alternative" by the pharmaceutical companies so that we are less likely to turn to that which has been documented to work for hundreds of years and costs $1.63 as opposed to their new super drug that will run you $347. The reality is that most of today's medicines are well rooted in and derivatives of ancient methods of healing. Are there advances that have a real positive in modern medicine? Sure! But I don't think one should completely ignore where it all stemmed from to begin with.

5. Would you take a family member's children and raise them if they needed it?

In a heartbeat. Certainly over having that child(ren), my family, end up in the system, passed around like an old toy. Unless they, in some way, posed a physical threat to my own kids, they'd be welcome in our home.

So there you have it! Wanna link up? Pop on over to Mama M’s, check out other’s who have posted, and share your post!

Made Up

Some of the best conversations start out under 140 characters.

Recently, I saw this tweet flash into my timeline :

Question for y'all why do some ladies cake on the make up? Most of the time they look better without 18 coats

I replied with: Because somewhere along the way, someone made them feel bad about the way they looked. Tell them they're beautiful!

I was having this conversation with men, but it made me think about how we impact our daughters, how our husbands impact us, and how we as women impact one another.

We’ve all had these thoughts before, it’s not like I have something new or brilliant to say on the topic, but the reality is, we need to hear that we’re beautiful. It’s easy for our hearts to fall prey to the opposite – we hear that we’re unattractive, and we believe it, but tell us we’re beautiful and we’ll call you a liar.

Lots of people will blame the media. Movies, magazines, television – there are women used in those venues who are, in the minds of many, beautiful. They become the image, the icon, of what other women want to appear to be. Women want to be voluptuous, but not heavy. They want to have fabulous hair, great skin, long, strong fingernails. Women with curly hair want straight, and those with straight hair get perms. We buy hair color, nail polish, foundations, eye shadows, mascaras – for heavens sake, even our eyelashes fall short!

Here’s the thing, though – this isn’t new. This same phenomenon has been going on for centuries. Images from ancient Egypt show eyes lined with kohl, other cultures around the world have used cosmetics in some form or another to “improve” their appearance.

I’m not adverse to makeup. I sell cosmetics and skin care products via Avon. I use foundations, lipsticks, mascaras, etc on my own face, albeit not every day. Not even most days. But that’s a function of my own laziness, not some aversion to the products or their purpose. But I have to wonder if, by using them at all, I’m in some way reinforcing a negative in my own daughter.

What are your thoughts on this? How do you feel about makeup – are you a daily wearer, a “special occasion” girl, or never ever? What age do you think is appropriate for younger girls to start wearing any, and what would you start with? And how do you reinforce the concept of personal beauty without makeup for your little ladies?