Mint Condition Holiday Latte

 A new twist on my Holiday Latte!  This one themed after the Mint Condition.

Here is what you’ll need:

At least a 10oz or 12oz mug

1 Pack cocoa mix; Land O’Lakes Cocoa Mint is my choice for this

* Stephen’s Candycane Cocoa (Walmart), or SwissMiss Cocoa also work well.

Your choice of gourmet coffee

Reddi-wip or other canned whipped cream

2 Diced up Andes mints, and 1 whole mint

Brew your coffee as normal.  Pour some coffee into the mug to coat the bottom.

Stir in cocoa powder mix.  Add more coffee and creamer as desired.  Be sure to leave some room at the top!  It should look something like this:

Top the whole thing off with whipped cream and sprinkle on the diced up Andes mints. Stick the whole mint into the whipped cream pillow and prop against side of mug.

Enjoy!

Holiday Recap 2014

Hope everyone had a bright and Merry Christmas and happy holidays all around.

We enjoyed a nice day with family at the farm. I cooked dinner the night before to take over, since there isn’t a working full size oven at the farm and the kitchen is super tiny.

Turkey with veggie and stuffing casserole concoction of my own creation, home made cranberry sauce, and home made candied yams.

Journey and the cats helped, supervising and cheering me on as I managed to avoid any serious bodily harm in my adventure.

Raaaaiiin

Relaxing with the animals, enjoying the wonderful thunderstorm.

Sjögren's Syndrome

Good news everybody!  ::Saracasm::

I have officially been diagnosed with Sjögren's Syndrome!

 ======================

---For Those Going WTF Is That?---

Sjogren's (SHOW-grins) syndrome is a chronic autoimmune disease in which your body’s immune system attacks the moisture producing glands of the body.

Sjogren's syndrome often accompanies other immune system disorders, such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. In Sjogren's syndrome, the mucous membranes and moisture-secreting glands of your eyes and mouth are usually affected first, resulting in decreased production of tears and saliva.

The two main symptoms of Sjogren's syndrome are:

    Dry eyes. Your eyes may burn, itch or feel gritty, as if there's sand in them.

    Dry mouth. Your mouth may feel like it's full of cotton, making it difficult to swallow or speak.

Some people with Sjogren's syndrome also experience one or more of the following:

    Joint pain, swelling and stiffness

    Swollen salivary glands (particularly the set behind your jaw and in front of your ears)

   Severe dental issues

    Skin rashes or dry skin

    Vaginal dryness

    Persistent dry cough

   Chronic Bronchitis

   Dry sinuses or sinus issues

    Prolonged fatigue

  

It may affect other organs of the body, including the kidneys, blood vessels, lungs, liver, pancreas, peripheral nervous system and brain.

For more info, see:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sj%C3%B6gren%27s_syndrome

http://www.sjogrens.org

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/sjogrens-syndrome/basics/definition/con-20020275

 ======================

While it isn’t a good thing to have, it is a huge relief I finally have a doctor who is recognizing that there is more than Fibromyalgia at work and trying to help me fix it rather than just masking symptoms with medications.

As of now, I have been diagnosed with two clearly recognized autoimmune disorders occurring on top of Fibromyalgia and my Dysautonomia. Having a doctor acknowledge that is huge.  It’s only taken 10 years to get this far.

I asked him about the disability application, and he is totally 100% on board and told me how some of it would work, as far as how he’d get paperwork to fill out after I submitted my application.  He renewed my permit, so I now have a permanent disability parking permit. It actually comes with a little ID card here in Louisiana. Apparently some states use it to verify you are the tag owner.

Only thing he didn’t do, which bummed me, is he didn’t give me another shot in my wrist. He said after what happened last time ( me passing out ) he wanted to try something else. So I got a topical instead, which has to be specially compounded and sent to me. I’m hard pressed to think it will work, but I’ll try it before I knock it and beg for the injection again.

I finally have hope that things are taking a turn in the right direction with all this medical crazy I have lived with for years.

I will still need people who are willing to write on my behalf for the disability application.  If you already have ( thank you guys again SO much! ), I plan to use those.

If you are willing to write a statement, please let me know.

I’ll be starting this whole process in January, after the holidays.

Yule & Winter Solstice

Wishing everyone a bright Yule and Winter Solstice. Journey is here to share some smiles and cheer.

OMFG!!!!

BEST CHRISTMAS PRESENT EVER!!!!!  I found my dad!!!  Or, he found me! I’m too elated right now to think straight and crying happy tears.  I have been trying for YEARS to get in touch with him, I haven’t seen him since I was a little kid and lost contact years ago, and was afraid I’d never find him after Katrina since we no longer live where we used to.

I have searched online for years for him and never could find him. I even sent a letter to an address I thought he may have lived at, but it was returned to me as “undeliverable”. I was thinking just a few days ago about doing one of those things you see where people make posters and hope the internet can help find loved ones. Or asking anyone in Arizona if they could try and go to the address I had and see if it was there, sort of wishful thinking.  And he just messaged me tonight!!

Giving

Journey and I just got back from Walmart. It was a madhouse. We grabbed what we needed, expecting to be in and out, and stood in line. The lady behind us was with her daughter.  They were buying brownies for a school party tomorrow. We were chatting and they asked me about Journey. There was a delay ahead of us, and come to find out the checkout registers crashed while we were waiting in line and they could only run cash or check.  Lucky for me this was one of the only times I actually had come in intending to pay with cash!

The lady made the comment that she didn’t have any cash, only credit when the store manager started making the announcement that they couldn’t run cards. She told her daughter they’d have to put the brownies back and not get them, and the girl was obviously sad.

So I offered to pay for them!  This got a big smile from them both and the cashier too. We walked out to the parking lot together and I told them more about Journey’s job and about Ember, and it turns out the mother is a teacher at a local school and asked if I would be willing to come give a presentation to the kids if they could get the okay for it. So I gave them a card and my contact info, and we’ll see what happens.

Either way, days were made brighter. I wished them a merry Christmas and happy new year and off we went.

10 Common Problems Old Souls Experience At Least Once In Their Life

This is something I have lived with since I was a child. Always on the outside looking in, always alone even when surrounded by people. Never really being understood by anyone, because I don't think the same way humans think. I love the simple, beautiful things in life. I love the deep thinking and inspiring. I see with eyes unclouded.


===============

 

1. The inexperience of feeling truly understood.

Old souls can be seen as strange people because they often hold unconventional ideals and standards of living. They often feel a sense of separation from themselves and the “real world” because things like obtaining great wealth, owning a lot of expensive possessions, and other traits of living a materialistic lifestyle aren’t really an interest to them. In a world fueled by consumerism this can seem kind of weird to most people. Having a different set of expectations and ideas about living can make it hard to feel like anyone truly understands you and what drives you in life.

2. People don’t understand how easygoing and forgiving you can be at times.

Old souls tend to have a philosophical viewpoint about life and look at things on a larger spectrum. What does this mean? When problems arise and old souls are forced to overcome great obstacles they understand even the hardest moments in life are a chance to learn and become stronger. It’s not that the things that have happened to them haven’t affected them – they have – but they look at their struggles as just a brief moment in the overall journey of life. They can find the good in people, in life, in everyday interactions that can seem negative or monotonous to others and that’s where they focus their energy.

3. You can be inhibited by the way you view life.

As you evolve over time your self-awareness increases and you’re able to firmly identify your beliefs about life and this world. The problem with old souls is that often they can see a multitude of possibilities within the spectrum of life and instead of freeing them to create whichever destiny they believe would suit them they instead can become inhibited by the very freedom they’ve established.

4. Making decisions based off of a “feeling” can seem illogical.

Intuition is a subtle, sophisticated language and old souls actively work to become in-tune with the way their body communicates with them. The gut instinct is the most simple and basic level of physical intuition that communicates through yes/no, safe/unsafe messages. We use this the most often when trying to make decisions about people and relationships, both personal and professional. Old souls rely on their gut instinct to guide them in their decision making and other people often won’t understand the logic when you tell someone you just “have a feeling” about something or someone.

5. You can be seen as a loner.

Old souls are after long-lasting, impactful, meaningful relationships in all aspects of life. They’d rather have a few close friends than dozens of acquaintances they hardly know but this can give the impression they’re some sort of social outcast. Old souls, like introverts, would rather focus their social energy on people they can have deep conversations with and they loathe being pressured to socialize more or make more friends.

6. You’re unsure if you’ll ever find your home.

One of the most universal problems with being an old soul is the inability to ever really feel like you belong with others. Whether you travel all over or have lived in the same town your entire life it can be difficult for old souls to feel like they have a home in this world. They’re constantly seeking kindred spirits and a place where they truly belong.

7. The desire for solitude can impact your relationships.

Being an old soul can be an isolating existence at times. You need your solitude to sit and reflect on life and to recharge when you’ve completely exhausted yourself but sometimes this can be frustrating to your friends and family. They love you and they want to be around you. Unless they also draw their energy from themselves and understand the need to be alone from time to time this can create issues when they really want you to hang out with them and you’d rather be at home reading a book

8. Your idea of fun is different than others.

Old souls find simple pleasure in small moments in life, and activities that are a bit old-fashioned are what they’re naturally drawn to. Going on a weekend drive through the country, heading to the 24-hour diner at midnight on the other side of town with the best breakfast within a 50-mile radius, getting milkshakes and watching the sunset over the pier, spending the evening writing hand-written letters to your friends that live across the country – these are the kinds of things you love doing. The problem is finding other people who like to engage in the same types of old school fun.

9. You learn the brutal realities of romanticizing life and love.

Old souls have a very romantic way of seeing the world and often when the world doesn’t live up to their expectations they can be emotionally impacted by this. Although old souls are idealistic, eventually they learn to also try and see the more realistic side of things.

10. You find it hard to disengage in conversation with strangers.

Something about old souls makes other people want to come up to them and talk. It’s like you’re sitting on a train or bench somewhere, a person sits down next to you, and 20 minutes later you know their entire life story. Others are drawn to speak to you but it can be difficult to turn others away or to remove yourself from the conversation because you feel some sense of duty to be a sounding board for this stranger that felt compelled to talk to you.

===============


From:

http://thoughtcatalog.com/koty-neelis/2014/12/10-common-problems-old-souls-experience-at-least-once-in-their-life

Patreon - Signal Boost

I finally made a Patreon account, for anyone interested in sponsoring me and my artwork. Please feel free to share and help give a signal boost.

Think of Patreon as something like an ongoing online tip jar. If you like an artist's work and can't afford (or don't want to buy) their artwork regularly, but still wish to support them, then this is a great way to do it.

It's a way of saying, "I like what you do, thanks for sharing!" It's totally optional. You can stop sponsoring at any time. When you pledge to help me, you will only be charged the amount you pledge once per month.

By becoming a patron, your support gives me the opportunity to be an artist and to create freely. I value your donation in more ways than words can adequately describe. Your support inspires me to believe in myself and my dreams.

Please consider sponsoring at $1 per month. Just a small $1 pledge on your part can collectively change my life and help my dreams come true.

So what exactly will you get in return? All sorts of awesome!  For starters, you will have my undying love and gratitude. You’ll also have a chance to influence my work! You’ll be among the first to know about and see new designs and new products, before they are even made!

You will also have a chance to receive art and creative things from me, depending on your donation tiers. Sometimes I'll be giving out prints, other times - original artwork and sculptures! Why? Why not? I share the love you share with me! Knowing these things will go to homes where people will truly appreciate them is what means the most to me.

To learn more, please visit my Patreon page:

http://www.patreon.com/leopardwolf

Yes, Animals Have Feelings (Op-Ed)

I am delighted more research and attention is finally being devoted to something I have known since childhood.


http://www.livescience.com/49093-animals-have-feelings.html

Holiday Cards

It's that time of year again.  If you would like a holiday card from me, please respond here or email me at leopardwolf@gmail.com to let me know. I will need current mailing addresses.

If I have sent you something recently, you'll already be getting one from me.


My address if you'd like to send one to me:

Brittney Steptoe
PO Box 740354
New Orleans, LA 70174


Please email me if you need my personal mailing address.

Happy Birthday Journey

Today is Journey's birthday!  He is 1 year old.  Huzzah!  To celebrate, he got to pick out some new toys and treats from the store.

He went from being a tiny adorable fuzzball to a giant dork.


Journey as a tiny pup ( 4 weeks old ):

Journey at 1yr old:

Shopping And Jumping Spiders

I saved a jumping spider while out shopping. I noticed her on the floor trying to avoid getting stepped on and run over by oblivious people. I offered her a small item from my cart and she jumped right onto it. She went shopping with me for half the trip, riding in the top from a box of holiday cards.  I found her a nice tree outside, surrounded by grass, so hopefully she'll find a new home and be much happier.

The spider was a Gray Wall Jumper ( Menemerus bivittatus ).