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Fashion and Fun after Fifty

Archive for August, 2016

Remember When the Summer was Longer?

Whoa, what happened to the summer of 2016?  It seems as though we were just getting ready for Memorial Day and then the 4th of July and now on Monday it will be Labor Day.

What happened to the summer of 2016?

Do you remember when it felt like summer lasted a lot longer than 93 days?  Now it seems like winter lasts longer than 180 days!  I have a Yard Sale scheduled for Saturday but because I was so busy during the season this is the only one I have planned.  Perhaps I will have an opportunity to de-clutter more of the house including my closets to have another one in the fall.

casual summer outfit

Anywho, today’s outfit is actually a throwback from two  summers ago. The Tie Dye top and Canvas Sneakers was created specifically to wear to A Radiant Orchid Summer Party, which was a blogger event sponsored by Rit Dye.  If you don’t remember the event or didn’t have an opportunity to see the post – click here to revisit it or see it for the first time.

outfit worn to a blogger party

I bought several bottles of fabric dye afterwards but never had an opportunity to create any other outfits.  I am, however, thinking about refashioning these white jeans with a bottle of black dye to wear in the winter so you may be seeing them again in a different color.

use Rit Dye to change the color of white canvas sneakers

Now that summer is fading into the background, I hope to accomplish a few more outdoor activities.  How about you, were there any summer activities that you planned but never got around to doing?

fashion after fifty

Did the summer fly by or was it just me?

Mark your calendar because there is one reason to look forward to the fall and that is my new AAU Talk Radio Program: “Social Media Sunday with the Delaware Blogger”

 

AAU Teen Talk Radio

Tune in Sundays beginning September 11th at 6:00 p.m.

Come back on Friday for the last Crock Pot meal of the summer or could it be the first Crock Pot meal of the fall – you be the judge!

 


What the fart? Why Passing Gas is Good For You! 😂

What the fart? Why passing gas is good for you! 😂

I remember when my grandmother was alive, it seemed like every time she stood up she would pass gas.  It wasn’t a stinky fart, just loud and what I thought was inappropriate.  I would give her the side eye and then moan “mom”,  she would turn and look at me like “WHAT?”.  😒

The boys were young and they would crack up laughing, but if we had visitors I never thought it was funny and would give them that “don’t you dare” look. 🙅  Years have since passed on and so has she, which by the way, she was 98 when she passed!  I have only recently learned that passing gas is actually good for the body.

farting is good for you If you have been reading my blog for a while then you know that my hubby was diagnosed with small intestinal cancer and although he never had any symptoms, he always did have gastrointestinal concerns.   So much so that he started getting colonoscopies in his early 40’s.

It was very difficult for him to eliminate waste and when he did it was oftentimes very painful!  He had used every over-the-counter and prescribed stool softener and laxative on the market but nothing helped.  💩😰💩

After each annual colonoscopy the diagnosis was the same, “you just have a slow digestive system, no blockage or reason to be concerned”.  Little did we know that cancer was growing inside his small intestines.

 

 We are not sure if the years of gastrointestinal problems caused or was a catalyst for the cancer, however, we were fortunate that his new GI specialist decided to perform an endoscopy which ultimately revealed it.

Hubby passing gas yet not being able to poop has always been a concern for him. However, walking past me and farting has always been an irritant to me.  

I am not sure what prompted him, maybe it was my nagging, but he decided to do a little research online where he found an article that stated that passing gas was actually good for the body.

passing gas is good for the body

I still give him the side eye when he does it ! 😒

According to an article in Medical Daily, farting…fluctuation…or simply passing gas can indicate healthy gut bacteria.  Farting is a natural part of the human digestive process.  A person would have to consume nothing but refined sugars to avoid passing gas and we all know that is definitely not healthy!

So are you or your spouse a farter?  If so, there is now no need to feel badly about doing it even if you never did. 😉  

Fart on my friend and stay healthy!


Sunset at Silver Lake in a 2017 Hyundai Elantra Limited

Thank you Drive Shop and Hyundai for giving me an opportunity to test drive this 2017 Elantra Limited.


You may recall last month hubby and I attended the Wilmington High School Class of 1974 White Party and you may also remember seeing these pictures either on my Facebook page or from this previous post.

hubby and I at all white party

However, what you did not see, was the “Chariot” in which we rode in to attend this gala.  It was late in the evening so I didn’t take any pictures but as you can see, it was a beautiful 2017 Hyundai Elantra Limited.  Sunday evening we decided to drive down to Silver Lake in Middletown to watch the sun set.

Sunset at Silver Lake

I have always loved the smooth ride of a Hyundai and the color Phantom Black reminded me of my own 2005 Hyundai Sonata which I still miss to this day. 

Vehicle Review

However, back then these new vehicles didn’t have a lot of bells and whistles which now come as standard features.  There were many features that I simply loved and very few which I didn’t like but below is a list of my top five favorites.

Toni’s Top 5 Favs

  1. Bluetooth Hands-free Phone System
  2. Duel Automatic Temperature Control
  3. Proximity Key with Push Button Start and Hands-free Smart Trunk
  4. Power Driver’s Seat with Lumbar Support
  5. Blind Spot Detection with Rear Cross-traffic Alert

However, there were two features that I think needed to be included :

  • Power outlets/USB Charger should be standard the rear seat console
  • Passenger Seat should be power controlled

Otherwise, with the 32 MPG fuel economy it is definitely great vehicle for my daily commute as well as for tooling around town.  The standard and added features on this model was listed at a total MSRP of $27,710.00.

Delaware Blogger and an Elantra

Both hubby and I enjoyed driving the all new Hyundai 2017 Elantra Limited around town and into the city of Wilmington. 

Also, as an “old married couple” who recently celebrated their 26th Wedding Anniversary, we also liked just sitting inside, listening to Jazz with the sunroof open watching the sun set over Silver Lake. #boomers

Hyundai Elantra and the Delaware Blogger

Take a look at this video, then leave a comment as to which which feature you liked best.


Dollar General is Heading to the Dorm

Save money by shopping Dollar General for Back to School & Dorm supplies

On Friday, Malik will be leaving to begin his 3rd year at Bowie State University, so last Saturday he and I did his annual “Back to the Dorm” shopping. 

I can still remember his first year at college and how we practically broke the bank buying supplies that he really didn’t need nor want and wasted a lot of money. 

saving money shopping at Dollar General

Last year we made sure to only purchase items that he absolutely needed or items that we didn’t already have in the linen closet.  No more new sheets and towels because we had plenty at home, “strip the bed not your savings”!

 

Dorm life is not for living in the lap of luxury, therefore, it is not necessary to purchase new dorm sheets, towels and pillow cases every year!

 

no pillows just a rug

He didn’t need pillows but does need a rug

 

Our first stop was to Dollar General where he was able to purchase most if not all of his dorm supplies.  Dollar General has a large selection of name brand items including Tide, Gain, Dove, Brut and Hanes all at everyday low prices. 

shopping for dorm supplies

toiletries from Dollar General

Malik worked hard during the summer at Amazon so he understands the value of a dollar, therefore, he was very conscience about his purchases and only put in the cart what he absolutely needed.  

However, he couldn’t pass up the automotive supplies even though his car will remain parked at home.

auto supplies

Dollar General carries a large selection of cleaning supplies, health and beauty products, toiletries, storage containers, small appliances, clothing, beverages and snacks.

detergent at Dollar General small appliances at Dollar General Red Cups cleaning supplies

clothing at Dollar General snack and beverages

 

 

Go Phones at Dollar General slippers and sweat pants

If you have a son or daughter entering college and have received a list of must needed items, make sure to scrub that list to ensure your student will actually use the items.  

Not everyone drinks coffee so pass up on that appliance!

small appliances may not be allowed in a dorm

You can save even more money by shopping at a local Dollar General to purchase the most needed items.

organization products

paper products for all ages

 
Get cash for your iPhone!

Dollar General accepts manufacturer’s’ coupons and they also have online digital coupons, just text JOIN to 34898 to sign up.

all his dorm supplies from Dollar General

Whether you have a college bound student or one that will be entering elementary or high school  I am sure Dollar General will have many of the supplies on their list.  

Start the year off right by saving on school and dorm supplies at Dollar General. 

Tip – purchase Detergent Pods as they are easier to transport to the dorm’s laundry room as opposed to large bottles of detergent and fabric softeners.

Tide Pods for better for doing laundry in the dorm

DISCLOSURE: This is not a sponsored post – just a tip from a money saving mother #msm


Women in Business on the Beach

Last Wednesday, I along with several other women traveled to Lewes Beach to attend a SWOT Analysis Workshop presented by the Women’s Business Center of Wilmington. 

Yes, you read that correctly, the SWOT Workshop was held on the beach, in the sand and by the water – it was WONDERFUL!!!   

Women in Business presented SWOT Analysis on the Beach

women in business on the beach

Fortunately, the excessive heat wave had broken and we were treated to nice breezes with temps hovering around 91 but the sand was HOT

Having lived in Delaware more than half my life, this was actually the first time that I had ever gone to Lewes Beach and it was a nice spot, especially for this type of meeting.

WBC presents SWOT on the Beach

WBC presents SWOT on the Beach

Jessica Gibson, Program Director of the Women’s Business Center has such a fun and engaging personality that it was easy for all of us to quickly connect even though there were some vastly different business niches. 

WBC presents SWOT on the Beach

Our businesses ranged from Archaeology to Zumba Instruction, from Social Media to Vegan Smoothies, yet, we all found commonalities within the SWOT analysis.

 

WBC on the beach

Ivan Thomas, owner and operator of DeTV was on hand to photograph and video some of the session which also included aerial Drone photography. 

  DETV with Delaware Blogger DETV

Jessica created her first Facebook Livestream video as we took a break to cool off in the water, which wasn’t “Caribbean Blue” but it was refreshing never-the-less.

on the beach

SWOT on the Beach

ocean breeze

If you are a small business owner then you should have a Business Plan but a SWOT Analysis is much different.  SWOT is the acronym for identifying and assessing your STRENGTHS, WEAKNESSES, OPPORTUNITIES AND THREATS.

Get cash for your iPhone!

SWOT Exercise in the sand

Not only were the businesses varied, but the locations from which some of the ladies traveled was just as diverse.  I believe the longest distance which was driven was from the DC area.  Actually, she was from Bowie, Maryland, which of course is where our son Malik will be returning to college next week.

lewes beach delaware

This was the first WBC networking event held on the beach, but I doubt it will be the last.  Just like Jessica we all loved being by the sea and under the sun for a perfect day out of the office but still getting work done!

SWOT on the Beach

Lewes Beach DE

  Delaware Blogger on the beach Delaware blogger with DETV

The next big WBC event will be held on September 29th in Wilmington, and although it won’t be on the beach, it is definitely going to be filled with smiling faces and lots of fun.  

Head over to their website and sign up for “Saddle Up for Business and Connect with Cocktails” , get your cowboy gear and we’ll see you there!

enjoying the summer at Lewes Beach

DISCLOSURE:  This post contains affiliate links of which if you click and take action, I will get a percentage of the sale – or at least enough for a cup of coffee!


Turkey Sausage Biscuits

I always look forward to having Sunday Brunch which is by far the best meal of the week.  Whether I am staying home lounging in my PJ’s or coming in from church, I always like to make something that is quick and easy yet satisfying enough to keep me full until dinner.

Thanks to Jennie-O and the fact that I am a *Switch Circle member, I can always count on having a package of Turkey Sausage on hand which is a great ingredient to have when making a quick and satisfying Brunch meal.

Sunday Brunch Recipes

 

Ingredients:

1 – 16 oz package Jennie-O Turkey Sausage

1 – 16 oz package of Jumbo Buttered Biscuits

3  Plum or Small Tomatoes – sliced

1/2 cup of Shredded Cheese – add more if you love cheese

Cooking Spray

JennieO Turkey Sausage

Instructions:

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees

Coat skillet with cooking spray and cook Turkey Sausage until done and no longer pink (approximately 15 minutes) – set aside to cool

Coat cupcake pan with Cooking Spray

Open container of Biscuits and flatten by hand before placing one into each cupcake mold – careful not to press too hard to tear biscuit

Top with a few spoonfuls of cooked Turkey Sausage

Sunday Brunch recipe

Add a slice of tomato

Top with Shredded Cheese – add more or less depending on your preference

topped with sliced tomatoes shredded cheddar cheese

Place pan into oven for approximately 25 minutes or until the Biscuits are browned and fully cooked and cheese is melted.

Serve with Fresh Berries.

JennieO5

What is your favorite meal of the week?

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*Disclosure:  I am a member of the Jennie-O Switch Circle and have received products to facilitate my reviews.  All opinions are 100% my own.


WIWW – 26th Wedding Anniversary

On Thursday, August 11th, hubby and I celebrated our 26th Wedding Anniversary. I feel so blessed to be with a man who loves, respects and still excites me.

 

Years ago we purchased a Marriott Timeshare in Orlando and as a family we would spend our Anniversary week there. However, now that the boys or should I say, “mini men” are older and are actively working it’s hard for each of us to coordinate and schedule a week off.

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We also sold the Marriott Timeshare to Lifestyles Holidays Vacation Resort so hopefully, we will head back to the DR (Dominican Republic) before the end of the year. We had a great time last year, remember this post

Sunset and Sunrise in the Dominican Republic

Anywho, hubby and I now like to have quiet dinners together and this year he made reservations at Eclipse Bistro in Wilmington. I decided to take the day off as I had an appointment with my son earlier in the day and then a scheduled mani and pedi at Sunlight Salon.

I wore this top with a pair of capri pants and just now remembered that it was exactly what I wore when we flew to the Dominican Republic last June!

fashion after fifty

I didn’t wear these sandals, but fell in love with when I saw them at the Rainbow Shops. I actually purchased a second pair in my favorite color combination black and white.

summer sandals

 

Our dinner reservations were at 7:00 so I had plenty of time to relax before heading out and this is what we decided to wear.

clothes from Burlington Coat Factory

Both hubby and I wore “Burlington Coat Factory” He found this and two other sports jackets on clearance for only $19.99 each and my dress was also on clearance for only $14.99 #winning  BTW – it’s machine washable on delicate!!!!

wedding anniversary

Dinner and the service at Eclipse Bistro was amazing and if you follow me on Instagram or Facebook you would have seen some of the delicious foodie pics.

celebrating 26 years of marriage

What do you think, we look pretty good for an old married couple!


Back to Bowie & Blogging with an HP Notebook

Disclosure: This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #BTSwithHP #CollectiveBias

 

Malik, our youngest son will be returning to Bowie State University in a few short weeks to begin his Junior year.   This summer he purchased a vehicle which hubby and I helped with, so now our money is funny.  Because of this, a new laptop, which he needs was not going to be on the list of back to school college supplies.

Our son began his college career on a “conditional” basis due to low grades in high school, but he worked hard and finished his 2nd year with a 3.00 GPA.  Therefore, he is deserving of a new computer and fortunately we found one that he loves and also fit into our budget. 

#BTSwithHP avi

The HP Notebook 15-ay039wm is lightweight at only 4.73 pounds and sized right so it will be easy for him to carry it across campus to class and back to his dorm room or library.  With up to a 6 hour battery life it’s also perfect for taking notes in lecture halls, writing reports, and printing class assignments.  The DTS Studio Sound will enhance his listening experience for music, watching videos and of course playing games during his down time.

When I received the HP Notebook 15-ay03wm which is also sold new at Walmart, he was super excited and couldn’t wait to take it to his bedroom to check out all the features.

If like us, you also have a son or daughter then you know that they can set up a new computer quick, fast and in a hurry, so I just let him handle that.

getting ready to get back to college

He wanted to review the dates and times of dorm check-in so that he could decide on when it would be best to submit his 2-week notice at work.  

He also needed to check the dates of the Fall football games as well as his new schedule so that he could mentally prepare for the new semester.

Whether your son or daughter will be an incoming Freshmen or a returning student, Colleges and Universities want to ensure that they are all well prepared.  Therefore, it is very important for the students and parents to check the website for important dates and activities a few weeks before the semester begins and definitely before they leave home.

HP Notebook 15--ay039wm

The HP Notebook is empowered to do more with dependable performance.  It has the latest Intel processor with plenty of hard drive space, which means he can multitask and store a lot more on it.

The vibrant display and crisp HD screen really makes photos, videos, and web pages pop with awesome detail.  The HP Notebook 15-ay039wm has measurable quality with outstanding performance backed by over 200 tests and best of all it’s operating system is Windows 10 Home and it comes with one year of free cloud storage!

HP Notebook is perfect for blogging

Unfortunately, my current laptop is also on it’s last legs and needs to be replaced so I took advantage of Malik being at work to use it to write a few blog posts.  

I really loved the high quality HD display and advanced HDD Storage.

new HP Notebook can be purchased at Walmart

The HP Notebook 15-ay03wm can be purchased at your local Walmart at a price that is right for most budgets.  You can tackle all your daily tasks with an affordable laptop that comes packed with the features you need. 

#BTSwithHP

 

If you like your HP computer as much as Malik and I do, head over to Walmart and let them know!

I would also like to share these 10 tips for college freshmen leaving home for the first time from an article at USA Today.

  1. KEEP AN OPEN MIND… DON’T BE QUICK TO JUDGE

  2. DON’T OVERPACK

  3. ATTEND WELCOME EVENTS

  4. GO TO THE INVOLVEMENT FAIR

  5. LET YOUR PARENTS HELP YOU

  6. DON’T FORGET WHERE YOU CAME FROM

  7. CALL HOME

  8. WORK HARD

  9. GPA ISN’T EVERYTHING

  10. DON’T BE AFRAID TO ASK FOR HELP

I wish you all a very successful school year! Be Safe!!!


Would You Wear Walmart to the White House?

A few weeks ago hubby and I went to Wally World –aka- Walmart to pick up a few groceries but of course, we each stopped in the clothing section first and yes, we both put something in the cart other than milk, bread, and eggs. 

Hubby found a few shirts for Tayair to wear to work and I found a few skirts and tops for me to wear to work!

casual clothing from Walmart

I normally wear dresses to work but their Faded Glory skirts are 95% cotton making them great for the end of the season, perfect to wear on the hottest dog days of summer. 

They were also only $6.88, so together with the top the entire outfit was less than $10 and you know that made it perfect for my wallet!

clothing from Walmart

The long necklace was purchased from Avon and it comes with matching earrings which I didn’t wear, instead am wearing a pair of small gold hoops.  

 

The clutch was purchased last season from Kohl’s and was a good way to break up the blue.  The bracelet is from Old Navy and if I am not mistaken the watch was also purchased from Avon.

fashion after fifty

Gotta love these denim wedge sandals which I think worked well with this casual outfit from Walmart.  As a matter of fact, I was going to wear this outfit on our tour of The White House but instead wore the dress. 

super comfy sandals

What do you think would wearing Walmart to The White House be appropriate?

 


What Students Should Not Take To College

In a few week’s Malik’s bags will be packed as he prepares for his return trip back to Bowie State University to begin his Junior year. While he was home we had a chance to talk about a lot of things including his father’s health and how to remain safe on campus and on the road.

This summer he again worked at Amazon and was able to make and save money for those “extradentials” .  As parents of young adults it is very important to discuss their finances before they head back to campus.

You may remember that I previously posted this article by Michelle Singletary which helps parents “have the financial talk”  with their students, but I wanted to repost it as a reminder.college students and finances

A financial suitcase for freshmen

By Michelle Singletary, Columbian business columnist

In a week or two, thousands of young adults will be heading to college for the first time and they’ll be faced with a lot of financial choices.  I wonder how prepared they will be.  It’s not enough to hope they will be ready to handle their money. As the good book says, “faith without works is dead.” Good money managers aren’t born; they’re trained.

So, as your college freshman is packing up, there’s one piece of luggage that needs to have all the right stuff: the financial suitcase. Here’s what should be inside:

college student and money

The right debit card. Before heading off to school, make sure your child has a debit card that will work well at his or her college location. That might mean opening an account with a different bank or credit union that has ATMs on or near campus to avoid an out-of-network fee. Double-check that you can easily and quickly transfer money into the account without incurring fees. For this reason, you may also want to get an account at the same financial institution.

Mobile bank alerts. If your freshman hasn’t done this already, he or she should set up alerts connected to the debit card. Alerts can be customized to report deposits, withdrawals and bill-due dates. Cardholders can also be notified when the account balance is getting low, which in turn will help avoid overdraft charges and other fees. Just be mindful of alerts received as text messages, which may incur fees from a mobile provider.

Box of envelopes: Budgeting may not be easy at first. If you know your child is challenged in this department, try the envelope money-management system. Envelopes should be labeled the following way for the four major spending categories: eating out, clothes, entertainment and transportation. Every week, two weeks or month, depending on how your child receives income or spending money, put budgeted cash for each category into the envelopes. When the money is gone from one, there’s no more spending on that category.

Commitment to save and not just spend. Yes, even students on a tight budget should save. If your student is getting a stipend or spending money from you or a job, encourage him or her to start the habit of saving something — anything — from the funds they receive not allocated for tuition, room, board and books. Suggest a “Life Happens” fund, which is different from an emergency fund. Money in this account can be used for pizza, parties, clothes, spring-break trips, concerts, etc. But when the money is taken out, your student should have a plan to replenish it.

Here are some things that students should not take to college

do not use credit cards

Credit card: I know you’ve heard that it’s important for your child to establish credit. But it’s not time for that yet. As your student gets closer to graduation and needs to build credit to get an apartment or car loan, he or she can open a credit card account. But for now, as a freshman, consider credit an unnecessary luxury. Besides, debit cards with either the MasterCard or Visa logo can be used for almost any purchase. My daughter is a junior in college and she hasn’t had a need for a credit card.

Expectation to spend excess student-loan money: Talk to your child about not accepting a student-loan refund, which is money in excess of the cost of attendance. If there is money left over, he or she may get a refund check. This is not free money. It’s a loan with interest that must be paid back.

Entitlement mentality: Leave at home the attitude of having to experience everything. Going on that spring-break trip may not be feasible, especially if your child has student loans.

As your freshman is going over the checklist of things for college, make sure his or her financial suitcase is stuffed with tools and strategies that will help to avoid any money missteps.  

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Have you had “the financial talk” with your college student?