October 21, 2010

a day of nostalgia

Every once in a while I get completely nostalgic. When this happens I tend to think about days when I was younger, when life was simple and things were always OK so long as you got tucked in at night. Maybe it's due to the fact that PMS is rearing it's ugly head, or maybe it's just all the fond memories I have of growing up and this time of year when the holidays are growing closer  - whatever it is I've been in the mood to flood these nostalgic thoughts with comfort. They say the best trigger for memories is your sense of smell and I couldn't agree with this more.

Last night I took a chance and grabbed myself a huge tub of Noxzema. My skin has been less than attractive lately and with all the different lotions and potions a girl could go broke. I used this stuff every, single, day when I was growing up and I always had the best skin. Granted I'm not longer the 12 year old that I once was and my skin certainly doesn't have that youthful glow of 14, but at first whiff of the container I was transported back to my childhood home and the thoughts of using the amazing eucalyptus scented face wash.


I have to say I really like the label redo it made me feel a bit less "old fashioned" purchasing a soap I used when I was a teen. Like I said I had great skin as a teenager. I get more zits now than I did back then. This my be due to the fact that I wear more make-up now, I was bare faced through most of my pre-teen and teen years, or it could just be age, I'm not sure. Either way I scrubbed my face with this magic scrub this morning and my day instantly felt brighter than the others this week. Fingers crossed this will do the trick for my skin. I've tried a ton of different things and nothing seems to work for me lately. I'm over buying cover-up in bulk.

Anypizzaface, for the past few weeks I've been trying to stop myself from purchasing more shampoo. I tend to over buy in this department and have told myself I need to finish and entire bottle before purchasing more conditioner and shampoo. Our shower seriously can't hold that many products, mine greatly out weight Mike's. I hate that he's able to condense his shampoo, condition and body wash into ONE single product! My hair would NEVER have that. I say I've been trying to stop myself from purchasing new shampoo because the other week when browsing through the drug store I came across a product that I thought for sure no longer existed. It hadn't dawned on me to look for this shampoo line in ages because I haven't used it since I was in high school.

via finesse

Like the tagline implies Finesse got a make-over with a new look. The store I was in had the shampoo on sale in a huge display but I told myself not to spend the money. That doesn't mean I couldn't enjoy it for what I truly wanted it for right then and there - and that was the scent. I opened a bottle and took a huge sniff and immediately I was transported back to summers spent with my family in North Carolina on the shore. I used this shampoo day in and day out and loved every time I used it. It also made me recall the times I'd get sunburned and use the Noxzema to cure the burn. I will warn you though that while it makes the pain go away... a day to two days later you will be peeling wherever you put the Noxzema, your face, your arms, your legs everywhere - it sucks so I wouldn't recommend it. Get yourself some aloe instead. Finesse was always my go to hair line. I had long, huge, naturally (I wish, read: permed to death) curly hair. The entire line tamed my mane from the soft touch hair spray to the soft feel gel my hair was fabulous. I wonder if it would still do the trick on my now naturally wavy (and I do mean natural, I have no idea where it came from) hair.

Since I've been feeling particularly nostalgic and maybe a bit homesick in the past few days I thought it was time for some good old fashioned comfort food. I'm currently between workout dvds (ordering my next set today) and while I could consider this a cheat meal I really wanted to just have something that reminded me of home without busting my pants wide open or blowing my hard work.

As a kid my mother always made the best dinners. Some from scratch some from the can and some from the box.

Jiffy Muffins have always been and always will be my favorite all time box mix Blueberry Muffins! My mother made them often and it wasn't until I moved to Alabama, lived on my own and started cooking that I realized how much I missed eating these. I haven't made them often because I can polish off an entire box all by myself but in making my choice to have a comfort food meal, I knew these had to be a back up to my main course.

It's not often that I crave fried chicken... but I have been for a few days now.  And when I get something like that in my brain, I can't shake it until I eat the food I want. Instead of trying to fry it up, which I've done before, got great results and then immediately felt guilty for making and eating it... I decided I would try one of the many oven baked recipes I've seen all over the place. I decided to go with my trusted and true Paula Deen for her Oven Fried Chicken recipe.

via google • I love this woman!

I mean really other than 500 lbs. of butter how can you ever say Mrs. Deen is wrong? When I was younger my mother always made fried chicken wings, naked and fried until super crispy in her skillet, most likely with tons of butter, but they were AWESOME! We always had blue berry muffins with this meal so its a win/win for me. I figured to feel less guilty about my meal I'm preparing I will add in some fresh steamed veggies on the side and call it a night.

Add to the comfort food dinner some great Thursday night entertainment and a warm blanket for the couch and I'm good to go! I could go on and on about all the things that make me feel warm and fuzzy, comforted and nostalgic but I am wondering from all of you...

When you feel like you need a little comfort - what does the trick for you? What is your favorite comfort food, or favorite comforting smell?

P.S. I made myself a Pumpkin Pie Protein Shake for breakfast today and it was heavenly! I will share the recipe soon! In even better Pumpkin Obsession news Wally World FINALLY got on the ball and I was able to purchase my Pumpkin Spice Creamer yesterday! The best part is I brought it to work to ensure I wouldn't drink the entire bottle alone. I have my every changing and shrinking figure to worry about here people I'm not crazy!

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16 comments:

Laura said...

I love this post and thinking about the things that comfort you. One of the things that comfort me is the memories of the summers spent in the mountains of North Carolina and my parents home their now.

Macaroni noodles with butter was a comfort food growing up. So is apple juice. I was raised to believe consuming large amounts of apple juice will fix any cold.

I never had the Jiffy Blueberry Muffins but I do love their corn bread!

Bobbie said...

Okay. Here goes. Not too many people know this so... shh.... baby's plastic pants. You could always find me in the baby section of any store savoring the smell of the plastic baby pants. Plastic pants had a strong baby fresh scent and I love the smell of babies!! Ok, so we have the plastic pants, the babies that smell like Johnson's baby lotion AND the new baby doll that I'd get every Christmas that smelled like the plastic baby pants. Hey, you asked =)

Kelly @ turned UP to ELEVEN! said...

Blue I LOVE that!!!! So cute and SO FUN!

Wonderland - Try the blue berry muffins. They can be a bit dry but SO tasty. I adore Jiffy's Cornbread Muffin mix my boyfriend and I eat it up whenever I make it!

Candice said...

I buy WAY too much shampoo and conditioner and I also LOVE Jiffy products. Especially the cornbread. Yum!

Shandal said...

The smell of Cabbage Patch dolls take me back. As well as music. Like Weezer... It magically brings me back to high school. Love it!

Anonymous said...

My skin has been acting up lately too. I had great skin as a teenager, so what gives?! This isnt fair at alllll. Think I might try the Noxema!

Crazy Shenanigans-JMO said...

Anytime I need a comfort food, I hit up some good ol' potatoes.

I tend to over buy hair products too!

Dezzy Lou Where Are You said...

peanut butter and jelly sandwich

Anonymous said...

OMG! I used Finesse all through high school. I haven't used it in a long while. I may have to pick some up the next time I need shampoo and conditioner.

I've always been a Clearasil girl, but used Noxzema a time or two.

Allyson said...

Hahahaha!!! NOXZEMA! That stuff used to actually make me break out more, but I remember just loving the Noxzema girl and wishing more than anything I could look EXACTLY like her. And then she started popping up in all kinds of random places.

And I used to make these Jiffy muffins for the soldiers in the Lexington unit whenever they had drill weekend. Truly they are a beautiful thing.

And I love all things Paula Deen. Shall we send you pics next weekend? :) Is that cruel? xoxo

You HAVE to share that pumpkin shake recipe! I'm back on the Weight Watchers bandwagon and just made a potato, egg, and cheese casserole that, shockingly, was only like 4 points. Although I washed it down with my coffee which had a generous serving of peppermint mocha creamer. I REALLY wanted pumpkin spice but stupid Warner Robins Kroger was all sold out. And they wonder why people go postal....

I can tell you're missing your mama! I hope she pays you a visit soon. I always feel better after a nice long sleep with Shep and my grandparents!!
xoxo

Dr. Cynicism said...

Oh how the shades of 16 and 17 lurk around the dark corners of our mind. For me, hearing an old song from my youth does the trick... which usually instigates fumbling through my old tapes and CDs.

Confessions of a Mother, Lawyer & Crazy Woman said...

I LOVE FINESSE! Ok, lots of caps. Reading this post made me instantly recall the scent and made me happy that it still exists. Thanks for the smile!

Kelly @ turned UP to ELEVEN! said...

Dr. Cynicism - do you still have a tape player? I realized the other day I still have a ton of tapes at my father's house and thankfully a working tape player to enjoy them!!!

Allyson - YES PICTURES YES A MILLION TIMES OVER! ANd you're right I am missing her a lot right about now.

You're welcome Mom/Lawyer/Crazy woman! ox

Unknown said...

I LOVE Noxema and still use it every day! I feel like a silly 13 year old every time I pop open that jar and wash my face. I swear by it and rarely break out. Do you remember the Noxema girl? I think she is married to McSteamy on Greys now. Or maybe it's a different girl... anyway I totally wanted to look like her as a teenager!

Lora said...

I love that Finesse and Noxema still smell the same. But I HATE package re-do's and don't buy Noxema any more since they changed it. I want the whole shebang. Make things look, feel, and smell the way they did when I had less problems, thank you.

Jiffy is good for that!

Also, I'm not above jamming my finger in a tub of Noxema just for that feeling. you know, that feeling? I can't even describe it. But it's bliss.

Kelly @ turned UP to ELEVEN! said...

I know EXACTLY the feeling you speak of Lora. It's so worth it! That is why I don't want to buy the other items in tubes it needs to bet he huge tub/jar of Nox to make my day.

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