Five Simple Things (December 2)

 Hello.

Here are five things this week.

1. This Animals.

Hardy is getting older, but still that spunky, little fun dog he has always been. I like when he cuddles, though. He is such a great little doggy. And, Eleven is turning five in nine days, but she's still in kitten mode and sprints around the house and up and down the stairs at all hours of the day. Yet, she sleeps about 12 of those hours, so it all equals out.☺

2. This Game.

This game is a lot of fun and very similar to Dungeons & Dragons. We have now been playing it for about a week and it will continue for a few more weeks, at least. Definitely an adventurous game and we are enjoying it a lot, because it reminds us of so many places we have been here in Oregon. One being Haystack Rock below. It's cook to play a game and know exactly where they are referencing. You can get this game for yourself here.

3. These Grapes.

Not sure how the red grape got into the bunch, but it was sweetest of the whole group.

4. This Grinch.

 

Lots of Christmas decorations are going up and this one caught my eye this week. I added a dangling ornament to his hand when I posted it on my Instagram story. We have plans to create a fun Christmas display in our yard this year, I look forward to sharing that on here soon.

Here's another one that is clever. When you don't know what to do with your Halloween decorations, throw a Christmas hat on it. Ha!

5. This Sign.

Burger King has had this message on their sign for awhile now and it's always nice to see. Positive messages on fast food signs should be the norm, in my opinion.

One more thing: 

 

Goodbyes are always hard. He has been around me all of his life, and we are very close, so saying goodbye is never easy for either one of us. 

One last thing:

Recently found these cookie cutters and rolling pin at Target and I can't wait to use them soon.

Positive affirmations this week:

Since we are coming off the week of Thanksgiving, what is one thing that you are truly grateful for today that you didn't have a year ago, or even something you are grateful for that you didn't have even a month ago. Showing and having gratitude weekly, daily, or even yearly, shows us how much we really have that we don't see change on a daily basis. Being grateful makes you a better person in seeing the good over the bad. Practice it yourself, or make the change to find something to be grateful for each day in the coming year. You can do this!

Have a nice weekend.

Five Simple Things (November 25)

 Hello.

Here are five things this week.

1. This Fog.

The fog this week was amazing. I was able to get a few great shots for my Fog Pictures Instagram.

2. This View.

Vigo the Carpathian is now standing at the entrance to our house to judge you as you enter.

3. This Box.

Kiwi Eco Box this month had a sweet note from the creators in it. I really appreciate the personalize notes inside each box and the pumpkin spice soap smells amazing!

4. This Lamp.

Found this lamp at a small local store here in the city. The first one I brought home the base was broken, but I was able to grab a replacement with no questions asked. Which is a good thing, because they only had one left. It now has a home in my office and I just love it. I can't find this exact one, but here is one similar.

5. This Massager.

I picked this up recently to use on the back of my calves after running, and when our backs are tight, but honestly, I'm not sure how I feel about this thing. We've used all the attachments on the correct areas, but the vibrations are too aggressive. I will continue to use it to see if things improve with it, but as of right now, I'm just not sure. It's a great machine, so I don't want to knock it too much, and it definitely works in certain areas, but using caution is something that should be expressed for people similar to me that have sensitive skin and sensitive muscles. You can get one of these here, if you want to try it out for yourself.

One more thing.

Both of these iconic houses have gone in the market. The one on the left is from "The Goonies" and is located in Astoria, Oregon, and listed for $1,650,000. And, the one on the right is from "A Christmas Story," and it's located in Cleveland, Ohio.

Positive affirmations this week:

Hear, hear!

Have a nice weekend.

Five Simple Things (November 18)

 Hello.

Here are five things this week.

1. These Cups.

Besides all drinks being in holiday cups this time of year, yesterday was Starbuck's Red Cup Day and we were able to get three of them with our holiday drinks. They have Red Cup Day every year and mostly falls sometime in November when they release their holiday cups for that year.

2. These Box.

 

Lots of great items this week, with Kinder Beauty Box for October and November (I forgot to post last month). From top to bottom and left to right, Kinder Beauty Box-November, Kiwi Eco Box, Kinder Beauty Box-October, and Mighty Nest Mightyfix, and the video of how I used my fruit fly trap instead.

3. These Skies.

Beautiful skies all this week from fog, to sunsets, it was such a lovely week.

4. This Snack.

These have been our go-to snacks lately and we just can't get enough of them. Once we get tired of them, we want them again. These were a hot mess, but oh so delicious. You can follow my own recipe here and make them for yourself.

5. These Products.

New products we've been loving lately. Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day seasonal hand soaps in Apple Cider and Acorn Spice. And, FINALLY I found organic multivitamins for us all. These brand is Fruily and we are liking them a lot. Fruily also has other gummies that we are going to give a go, Vitamin C, Apple Cider Vinegar, Elderberry Immune Support, Biotin Support for Hair, Skin, and Nails. 

One more thing:

We are totally into the new season if Stranger Things. We are trying not to binge-watch the whole thing, but it's hard not to, though. This series is such a nostalgic show for me, and Skylar is loving the 80s vibe it gives. From the mall scenes, to the music, to the clothing, we love it all.

Positive affirmations this week:

Always invest in yourself. This is only one life and it's yours. Don't let others take that away from you. You deserve a life that is happy, content, and fulfilled. You are worthy of it all! You can do this!

Have a nice weekend.

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Five Simple Things (November 11)

 Hello.

Here are five things this week.

1. These Brushes.

I've been dry brushing now for about three weeks and I am definitely seeing a difference in my skin. I am hoping to build a routine of it and highly recommend you starting. It's not so much a rough brushes, but a light skin exfoliation before your shower. I like to do my workout in the morning, dry brush, then shower, and finish my routine with my skincare and body care creams and serums. It's been such a nice self-care addition that I am fully enjoying. The ones pictured here are what I use and you can pick them up here.

2. This Cleanser.

I've been really enjoying this brand W3ll People, and I am totally into their charcoal face wash right now. On my path to change all of my face care and skin care products to ones that are better for me and the planet, W3ll People definitely hits that mark. You can check out their products here.

3. This Sponge.

Skylar was stocking the shelves at Autozone this week and saw this shark car cleaning sponge and immediately thought of me. It's sold mostly for washing your car, but I added it to my surf bag and am going to use it as a body sponge after surfing. A few rounds in the washing machine and I think it's perfect. And, I love that he thought of me in such a great way. 

4. This Eclipse.

 

Did you catch the full lunar eclipse this week? It happened for us here on the west coast on Tuesday morning, about 4:00 a.m. We made sure to wake up a few minutes before totality to see it and it was well worth it. I make sure to tell Skylar how important events like this are and how sometimes they are once in a lifetime. We are hoping to head down south to watch the next total solar eclipse in April 2024.

5. These Flurries.

 

We had a bit of snow flurries this week. I always love when it snows here, even if it isn't a lot. Once it sticks and covers the city everything looks so clean, white, and pretty. These flurries didn't last long, but they were a nice change from all the rain lately.

One last thing:

A few measures I've been keeping an eye on with this year's midterm elections. Oddly, I've never been invested in keeping track of anything political until recently. I do not claim to pick a side, I just follow what I think is important and decide accordingly to what will have an impact for future generations. I feel that short-term gains are a long-term loss when it comes to elections. And, with many being so focused on the now and how it impacts them currently, or take thing personal, the long-term should be the main focus for everyone. Anyone that reads this that disagrees, that's okay. The best part of living the United States of America is how diverse we are and how different views and opinions shape our land. With that said, here are the measures I feel will impact all of us and future generations in the long-term.

I am glad this finally got the votes to pass. Although it will be held up in the courts for awhile, I am still glad it passed with most of the state agreeing that this measure will help. I made some comments about this measure before and during the midterm and you can read that here.

This measure not passing is unfortunate for those that struggle and have a safe alternative to heavy medication. Hopefully, it will be brought to vote again and will pass.

This measure did pass after all votes were counted.

Positive affirmations this week:

If you're struggling with coming to terms with your body and losing weight, here are things that helped me.

1. Wake up and get on the scale every day. Weight yourself every morning and write it down.
2. Drink at least 16 ounces (2 cups) of water right when you wake up. After that, try to aim to drink half your weight in ounces of water a day.
3. Eat at least two cups of vegetables by 2:00 p.m. and again by 6:00 p.m.
4. Stop eating anything that doesn't taste good, or isn't filling, especially bad foods that lose their appeal after the first few bites.
5. Chew gum to keep your mouth distracted from wanting to eat out of boredom.
6. Write down your feelings when you feel they are tempting you to eat. Emotional eating is a habit and it not normal. Finding triggers that makes you learn towards food is the best way to break that habit.
7. Set reasonable weight loss goals. Example: Eight pounds in a month, or 30 pounds in four months, etc.
8. Exercising is always optional. You can either exercise and help your weight loss, or you don't. You always have a choice, but exercise in the long run will definitely be to your best benefit. Remember what I said, you always have a choice.
9. Stop the excuses. It's either now, or later, and the sooner you do it the better you will feel.
10. Keep reminding yourself that you are worthy of this and you CAN do this. Say it every day, every moment you have doubt, and every time you feel like you aren't doing enough. Progress, not perfection.

You can do this!