Today is the birthday of a very good friend of mine. Of the hundred's of stellar things I could say about my friend, in particular, I love how girly she is. She masterfully balances grace, femininity, strength, and sophistication. She is a good, old-fashioned, top-notch girly-girl.

In honor of my glamorous gal, I have included the directions for 'How To Make Your Own Lip Gloss' from The Girls Book: How To Be The Best At Everything, by Juliana Foster.

1. Put a tablespoon of petroleum jelly in a microwaveable container. Heat it on low for 30 seconds to soften it.

2. Place a teaspoon of hot water into a bowl. Add some raspberry or strawberry-flavored powdered drink mix, a tiny amount at a time, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thick.

3. Add the colored water to the petroleum jelly one drop at a time, until you get the color you want.

4. Pour the mixture into a small, clean cup and allow it to cool.
*NOTE: For a clear gloss, I replace step 2 with essential oils such as rosemary, or a combination of sweet orange and a touch of peppermint.

Pucker up!

Madyson

Madyson lands next to me in her chair, breathless. The two of us are side-by-side in our child-sized chairs. Clearly this is just a pit stop on the trajectory of her day. Madyson, age eight, and I read together once a week, through Oregon's SMART program. Today we are reading, Green Eggs and Ham, the choice for which I compliment Madyson. She looks up at me, 'Why don't you paint your nails? They are short. They look like boy nails'. All this from an eight year old girl with about thirty years worth of pizazz. She dons her usual hot pink nail polish, complete with sparkly stick-on gems in the shape of a heart, and her matching pink t-shirt, emblazoned with 'L-O-V-E' in big syrupy, glittery letters. And it hits me, she's right, I need some glitter in my life, some more sparkle, pop, and shazaam!

What makes you sparkle?

When nobody is home, I like to put on a pair of my favorite dancing socks, put on my most rockin' playlist, and totally jam. It helps that I have hardwood floors, you can really twirl on those suckers. I'm not a great dancer, but with my magic socks and tunes, I am actually pretty impressed with my ability. I lose track of time and place, and I become something other, something strong, alluring, rebellious, joyful. And afterward, just a little of it stays with me, and I carry it around all day long, every day.

Put a little Madyson in your day today!