Tired of being tired?
Showing posts with label Five simple things. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Five simple things. Show all posts

Five Simple Things (March 17)

 Hello.

Here are five things this week.

1. This Kitty.

Enjoying the sunshine that we've had a few days this week.

2. These Ducks.

The ducks even enjoyed the sun this week. It's nice to be able to sit outside and watch the sucks running around and just hang out with Skylar and soak in the warmth. Daily sunshine is good for mental health issues, so every little bit helps.

3. This Chocolate.


The absolute best chocolate in the world, in our opinion. If you like Snicker's, but hate the awful ingredients, try the Fran's Park Bar. If you like dark chocolate with a mix of Snicker's and Mr. Goodbar then try the Fran's Almond Gold Bar.

4. This Purchase.

Skylar and I took a quick trip up to IKEA this week to get a few things for the bus. We are slowly bringing things together on the bus. IKEA items and ideas have really helped us a great deal with making it more into an RV. It's been a lot of fun, too. Skylar and I always grab a bite to eat while we're at IKEA and this day they were serving strawberry cheesecake. And of course we had to try it.

5. This Package.

Always have enjoyed the cheerfulness of our Amazon drivers. Some of them really make my day brighter. This particular package made it that much better. Always be kind to the people that offer a service to you. That goes for delivery drivers, mail carriers, waiters/waitresses, fast food workers, checkers, etc. Kindness is free, don't be a dick.

One last thing:

Again, another moment of enjoying this week's sunny days.

Positive affirmations this week:

And, you should be proud of you, too. You can do this! 🌈

Have a nice weekend.

Five Simple Things (March 10)

 Hello.

Here are five things this week.

1. This Weather.


The above pictures all happened on March 8. We got a large amount of sleet early in the morning and it sleeted off and on until around noon, to which a rainbow appeared shortly after and the sun stayed out for another few hours. It was unusual, but it seems to be the norm in this area now. After the March 8 weather, on March 10, which is below, we had a little bit of snow in the morning and then the rest of the day we got a large amount of snow that fell in a short bursts throughout the day. 

 

 
Skylar and I love to always see the snow coming down. We are like the delightful little kids running out to play without a care in the world when the snow starts to fall. It was not only a beautiful sight, it was also neat to see it falling at random times throughout the night.

2. This Moment.

 
My humidifier created some ambiance against my vintage lamp one night this week and I just loved how it looked. I love old history, and this moment sort of made me feel like I had gone back in time for a brief moment.

3. This Kitty.


She's always up to something that makes us laugh. If it's not her laying on the television area, to sleeping, to exploring her grass/water station, she's always doing something to make us smile. We just love her so much. With having Meia gone, we are glad to have another great cat helping fill that void from time to time. Meia's absence, as well as Milo's, is always felt, but Eleven makes that hole just a bit less painful with her personality.

4. This Box.

Another great hit from Kiwi Eco Box this month. Love these colored pencils, candle, and Eco Hero Handbook. Looking forward to utilizing everything in this month's box! You can sign up for the April box here and get $5 off.

5. These Washes.

Loving these Necessaire body washes. Skylar and I absolutely love the eucalyptus scent, and the bergamot is a close second, for sure. Definitely recommend these products. Necessaire also sells body lotions with the same scents, and unscented, and they are top notch! You can try the Eucalyptus here and the Bergamot here. You'll love them!

One last thing:

Lately we have not been feeling 100%, so this week a made a homemade immunity shot and we drank one ounce of it a day all this week and we are feeling a lot better. This is something I am going to start making each Sunday, so we have a shot every day for a week, especially when the weather turns colder and more people seem to be getting sick. This season, knock on wood, we haven't had any sickness pass through us, but it's always better to be prepared. Here's how it's made.

Turmeric Immunity Shot:
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 tablespoons ginger (chopped)
  • 1 orange (chopped)
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 lemons (chopped)
  • 1 tablespoon turmeric
Pulse everything for 20-30 seconds in a food processor, or blender. I use a blender with a metal drive and it works great to grind everything up. Strain through cheese cloth and pour into individual two ounce bottles.(I use these) Store in the refrigerator for up to 10 days. Drink an ounce to two ounces a day, which is about a shot glass size. If you don't use the one ounce containers you can store all of it in a jar with a tight-fitting lid and just pour a shot glass size every day instead. 

 

Positive affirmations this week:

Unfortunately, when you start to get better, you're also going to get really sad. The hard truth of getting better means revisiting things we aren't comfortable with. During my therapy sessions there's many times I had to stop to reposition my mind in order to be able to talk about the hard things. One incident in particular took me almost three months to completely get my feelings, trauma, and emotional state out, because it was hard for me to get past the sadness. Overall, it's something that has to happen and it's the worst part of therapy. A positive with it is that once we get past the sadness you start to get better. It's true and it's such a wonderful feeling getting past that sadness. You can do this! You can get better! You are going to be okay! We are broken for a moment, but then repaired for a lifetime. Remember, you aren't your trauma. It happened to you, it doesn't define you and you are strong! ♥

Have a nice weekend.

Five Simple Things (March 3)

 Hello.

Here are five things this week.

1. This Snow.

The Willamette Valley got another light dusting of snowfall this week and the little feet prints across the lawn were just too cute not to share. From tiny Chickadee feet to large Quappy Duck feet, I just love it!


2. This Sandwich.

Shout-out to our local food co-op (First Alternative) for making the absolute best sandwiches. Nothing beats them!

3. This Before/After.

We recently downsized our main closet and ended up giving it a complete overhaul. This house is over 80 years old and a lot of the original built-ins and hardware still remain. We've tried our best to seek out period lighting, metals, and items that would have been put into homes back in that time. Unfortunately this house caught fire in the 80s, so we aren't sure exactly what was replaced during that time, but going back to when we "think" what would have been in the house during the 1930s has been a lot of fun. 

The first task was to remove everything from the closet and give it a good wash. Dust collects in this house quite easily, because the seals around the house need to be redone, but we do our best to keep the dust at bay by doing a weekly and thorough cleaning. It's become part of our weekly routine now. While cleaning out the closet, even though there's a lot of light in the area, Skylar put on a headlamp to really get into the dark corners of the closet.☺

Once everything was out and the closet was thoroughly cleaned, we began patching up holes and using plaster for other areas that haven't seen love in a very long time.


When we finished the patching and plastering, we then brainstormed what to do next. We decided to pull up the linoleum someone had laid at one point on the bottom of the closet and replace that area with clean plywood and sand it down to fit the bottom of the closet floor. We also scraped and sanded the back of the closet where the lower shelf meets the back of the closet wall. At one point someone had taken spray foam and sealed that area up. We scraped all of that away and replaced it with a bead of caulking, plaster, and a coat of primer.



We went with two different paint colors. For the back walls and the shelves we used Scandinavian Minimalist Line at Lowe's in the color of Morning Fog. For the trim, border, and surrounding walls we used the Industrial Refresh Line at Lowe's in the color of Greek Villa. We loved how it turned out and we have even incorporated the Morning Fog color, which I immediately fell in love with, throughout the rest of the house. We painted the open squares on the door leading to the room with the build-in closet, and are working on painting all the frames of the doorways with the same color. There is also a nook near the staircase that will get a fresh coat of Morning Fog, as well.

4. This Kitty.

When I lay down in the evenings and get situated, I can always count on Eleven to come and seek me out to lay down with me. She has become really attached to me since my surgery in 2020. It's odd how she didn't have much to do with me until she knew I was hurting and "sick." I love how she's opened up to me and shows her affection now. We really bonded over the almost six months it took me to recover. Now she follows me around and watches me to make sure I'm okay.

5. These Shipments.


These two shipments came this week and I always love getting mail, even as an adult. First was the Might Fix for this month. This little Fruit Buddy goes over fruits to help protect them from moisture and to help them last longer. It's the cutest thing over an avocado in the refrigerator. You can try Mighty Nest for free here. It's a great addition each month to help you switch your home to be more sustainable. 

The next box that came was our shipment from Misfits Market. We love this grocery subscription. When we are pressed for time and can't fit in a trip to the grocery store for pantry staples, it's a great way to help us out in a pinch. This month as be hectic and this week alone has been extremely busy, so this shipment has really come in handy. They have organic options that we love since going completely organic in our home. As you can see from the picture above, this haul was a good one! You can sign up here and get 10% off your first order from us.

One last thing:
With all the snow falling lately it's important to know how to make the perfect snowball, right? Per the instructions below, and the help of Elf, it's good information to have on hand. It's also the time of year where snow skiing picks up and ski etiquette is a good lesson to learn, as well. Both of these illustrations are from the ever so informative site The Art of Manliness. It's not just for men anymore


Positive affirmations this week:

Just a reminder, it's always better to check on someone than not. This is your reminder to give someone a call, or text that needs to be check up on. Always reach out to those that can't reach out for themselves. If you yourself are struggling, please reach out for help. My email address is in the "About" section on my blog. I am here, too. Let's keep each other afloat.♥

Have a nice weekend.

Five Simple Things (February 17)

 Hello.

Here are five things this week.

1. These Scissors.

 

The Mighty Fix from Mighty Nest last month was these herb scissors. I've wanted some of these for awhile now, so this Fix hits just right. We decided to have baked potatoes this week with all the fixings, including chives. I used my herb scissors to make quick work of the herb to use on our potatoes. It was the perfect cut and size. Definitely a must in any house that cooks, or like me, attempts to cook. ☺

You can sign up for the Mighty Fix from Mighty Nest here and get on the mailing list for next month.

2. These Cookies.


We tried a new festive way to dress up sugar cookies. I am not really big on icing sugar cookies, mostly because I don't want to take the time, but sprinkles I'm all about. These sprinkles are non-gmo and USDA organic and they bring such a fun addition to anything, really. We used a basic sugar cookie recipe and then shaped the cookie dough into a log and rolled in sprinkles. You can also freeze the log and then coat with a little melted butter or water and roll in sprinkles. Either way will work and still bake up the same.

The recipe we used is as follows:
  • 2 1/2 cups flour
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • 3/4 tsp. sea salt
  • 2 sticks cooled, room temperature butter
  • 1 1/4 cups sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and whisk/sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix in an electric mixer the butter and sugar and mix until fluffy. Add egg and yolk one at a time, mixing after each addition. Slowly add the flour mixture and mix until combined. Form dough into a log and roll in sprinkles. Slice into 1/4 inch cookies and bake for 12-14 minutes. Don't over bake.

3. This Box.

Kinder Beauty Box this month brought a few things that I haven't tried before. A body mud mask, flyaway hair gel, and apple cider vinegar gummies. I love having an opportunity to try different items that I have thought about, but never purchased. The body mud felt amazing and I've already started taking the apple cider vinegar gummies. I also got a chance to try the hair gel to help with baby hairs. Such great products, and I'm never disappointed in each box that comes. You can sign up here to get on the mailing list for next month.

4. This Weather.

 
We got a random sleet storm this week and it left as quickly as it came in. It lasted all of five minutes and was gone. We didn't realize what it was right away until we heard the sleet hitting the windows and had to look outside to be sure. Sometimes these freak sleet storms are cool to watch and listen to.

5. This Milk.


This milk was something new that we saw at our local food co-op and I loved the message behind it. It's a carbon-neutral milk and helps fight the damage on the climate. It's from a brand named Neutral. We purchased a half gallon of the milk to taste it and it tasted perfect to us. You can read more about their efforts here. They also create half and half and cheese products. 

One more thing:

Skylar and I have been watching the LEGO livestream this week and we are loving it! You can watch a small snippet of it above, or watch the entire two hours here.

Positive affirmations this week:

Talking more about what I struggle with has helped me a great deal. We must keep talking about mental health to destroy this stigma attached to it and those that suffer with issues get heard more. When we brush things under the carpet, so to speak, it builds up and also causes a lot of issues later. Talking and speaking about topics more helps everyone handle it better, and helps those that need it to be heard. Below is a list of 10 ways you can help reduce the stigma behind mental health issues that could very well save someone's life.

Have a nice weekend.