Author: Jen Rios

Peppermint

Today, I couldn’t resist the opportunity to try the fourth flavor of my chapstick 4 pack that I got in the mail not too long ago.

I’m not sure what I expected but I was thinking that it would be similar to the original Burts Bees chapstick. I think it has been a really long time since I had the original chapstick. I’ve been using the Grapefruit since I busted my knee because I couldn’t use the Açaí Berry one because that one is my Barwis’s chapstick. I swear I will get back there one day!

I am excited that now I have tons of choices when choosing my chapstick in the morning. What can I say?! #SimplePleasures, man!!! I do think tomorrow may be Ginger Spice because I can have the Cocoa Mint anytime during the year!

27 Days of Christmas Movies – Day 21

Day 21, Movie 21 National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation

I am 37 years old and I have never seen this movie. I didn’t know what to expect but I have always wanted Christmas lights on my house but I was aghast at how crazy it all got! I was happy that it ended well though! It feels good that I finally have watched it!

NOT So Much…

So, this video popped up in my YouTube feed last Sunday:

Anyone who knows me, knows that this one is my ULTIMATE, Christmas jam!!! I was surprised that it took so long for it to show up this year! I’ve been pretty festive this year even though I still can’t find my tree skirt and I rarely leave my house now.

When I am tired of watching TV, I jam to my, “December Faves” that I posted on my blog or Wham! from my phone. I learned something new a few days ago. Well, sadly, it is official. Even though I am by myself in my home, I can’t bring myself to belt out any of my favorite Christmas song that I’ve been listening to for the past three days.

I can’t muster up and I need strength to let any words to come out of my mouth. Because this song is my jam however, I’ve been listening to it repeatedly. It’s been three days that I listen to it multiple times in the day but I can’t sing anything. No sound will come out of my mouth. Not without a lot of pain. MS is really kicking my butt! Maybe it’s so painful because I used to be able to do it and now, I can’t.

I will let you know if mouthing the words is the same as belting them out at the top of my lungs because OF COURSE I know every single word! But for now I can tell you that yeah, not so much… 😒😒😒

Ginger Spice OR Old-Fashioned Christmas Candy

Yesterday, when I received my chapstick in the mail, it was a 4 pack and I immediately tried out the Cocoa Mint.

I tried the Ginger Spice cut this morning because it sparked my interest. After I applied it to my lips and rubbed my lips together to spread it around, I immediately thought of my Abuela and the Christmas candy she had in a jar at her house every year.

That was the candy and if I remember correctly, the jar looked similar to this:

The bottom of it was more dainty but the smell of this Chapstick reminds me of her house at Christmas.

I had my Mom smell the chapstick this morning and told I her that it reminded me of that hard Christmas candy at Abuela’s. She laughed and told me that Abuela really liked it! She told me that she thought she’s first received it from the Good-fellows at Christmas When she was young.

It is only now, as a woman and a single mother that I truly understand how extremely strong she was! You see, my Abuela had no family here in Michigan except for the man she married. I call him, “The man she married” because I never knew him.

Over the years, my Mom has told me that he left their family when my Mom was 15. He left my Abuela with nine kids (The youngest one was five) and when he left, he turned off all of the utilities and took the family car. My Mom has told me that it was through the Grace of God that she made it happen for her and all of my aunts and uncles.

My Abuela died in 1989 when I was 7 years old. I knew that all of my aunts and uncles loved and respected her! The whole neighborhood respected my Abuela!

I know firsthand how difficult it is to raise a child by yourself but I only have one instead of nine and I have the love and help from my family. I was seven when she died and she was my height.

27 Days of Christmas Movies – Day 19

Day 19, Movie 19 A Christmas Kiss

I first saw this movie about seven or eight years ago. I saw it on my newly given iPad from work. I watched it on Netflix instead of sleeping because that was the very beginning of my sleep problems.

I was going to use this picture as a picture to show the movie but it seemed a bit too dark but it showed her glittery, “Sugarplum fairy eyes”:

I found a brighter picture that also showed them in the elevator which is the whole premise of the movie:

I didn’t know the name of this movie so I google searched, “Sugarplum fairy kisses man in an elevator” and I discovered its name. It’s no longer on Netflix so I had to start a trial subscription of some channel in order to see it.

It’s kind of a cheesy movie but I dug it back then and now anyway! They discuss classic Christmas movies and they watch them together before falling asleep. I have seen all of the movies that they discussed in this movie except for one. Maybe that will be my Christmas movie choice for tomorrow.

I am watching, Love Actuallyright now but I think I may have to rewatch this one again tonight.

The BEST Christmas Present EVER!!!

I told my, “2 Sacreds” what I wanted for Christmas after having a discussion on Twitter with one of my friends. She told me about something and I told Sean and my Mom that I wanted, rather, completely had to have it for Christmas. Well, I couldn’t wait for Christmas so I ordered it for myself. I received an email today saying that it had been delivered:

I already knew what it was because I ordered it and I received an email saying it arrived today but this was a pretty big box that contained just this:

When I searched it on Target.com, it was advertised as, “The Holiday 4 Pack.” It contains; Ginger Spice. Cocoa Mint, Peppermint, and Vanilla Bean. I HAD to try out the Cocoa Mint immediately!

Sarah and Curl were dancing to Norah Jones on my TV as I applied it and it too, tasted like Christmas! I’ve already tried the Vanilla Bean but I am not sure if I will try the other ones because I have always loved me some Cocoa Mint!

Now, I say this is the best Christmas present ever but this definitely excludes all presents I have received for Christmas growing up, from my friends, homemade presents from Sean when he was small, my University of Georgia hoodie, and my Divine Child mug which I broke not too long ago. Hopefully I will get another one while I still have a Divine Child student.

*hint, hint Sean if you read this.

So, maybe this is just the best Christmas present ever that I have I given myself. What can I say? #SimplePleasures, man!!!

27 Days of Christmas Movies – Day 17

Day 17, Movie 17 Die Hard

I know there is much debate regarding this movie and whether it is a Christmas movie or not. Today was the first time I saw it and Sean saw in with me. We both were pretty hooked on this one! After we discussed it, we agreed that it IS a Christmas movie even though there is a lot of violence and killing. I think the Christmas music set in the background and the big bear made it so!

Sean told me that if I made this one one of my Christmas movies that I watched over and over, he would sit down and watch a few scenes with me. I told him, “No such luck because Love Actually already has that distinction!”