Life at a "Swell's" pace

These are the Autumn "Sometimes Wants" that have caught my eye lately.

10.

Looking into getting a new planner each year and ones from the past I've always recycled after the year ends. I remove any special notes, or memorabilia before tossing, but it would be nice to have something a bit more long-term that I can look back on. This planner from Hemlock & Oak will definitely fit that plan. Love that they have it in the perfect shade of gray, too.
I am literally always looking for better ways to clean without using environmentally-damaging items, or chemicals. We recently purchased a dust mop and the head it came with is removeable and washable, but I wanted a second one to swap out when one is in the wash. I found this microfiber pad from O'Dell. It's exactly what I was looking for and it's perfect for the job. I use it to do quick once overs if someone is coming over, or use it to knock down spider webs from time to time. I also like these cleaner refills from TANIT.
Changing our food choices to more organic and being conscious of what we consume also applies to what we allow on our bodies, too. I recently donated all of my nail polishes and went on a hunt for ones less toxic and more eco-friendly. In that process I discovered Piggy Paint. This is a top coat and it's nontoxic, hardens the same as other polishes, it's also hypoallergenic, cruelty-free, and a water-based formula. You'd never know you were wearing a water-based polish once it's on. It's also kid-friendly, too!
Found the most comfortable crew socks yet. Of course, I am sort of a sock seeker, and have a lot of great brands that I love, but these are great. Made from recycled cotton and polyester, and don't make your feet sweat, or bunch up while wearing. I love the color posted here, but there are several different colors to pick through.
Always, always looking out for a well-made, comfortable bra, and this is one of them. In 2020, I had a breast reduction from having gigantomastia, the same thing Punky Brewster actress Soleil Moon Frye had, and since that time I have been looking into different bra brands. All of 2021 I was obsessed with finding all of them that I could. I looked into different ones for different reasons and the main reason was a supportive bra without underwire. Underwires dug into my scars horribly and were a no-go, but ones without an underwire sometimes fall short. Montelle Intimates is amazing and I highly recommend them. They also carry matching undies to complete the set.
We love Pact in this house and we will gladly purchase any clothing need from them above anyone else. This tank top I have in every color listed, but the Blush Heather and White are my go-to on a regular basis. Definitely a clothing company you should check out and support. They are organic, carbon-neutral, and Fair Trade. Give them and other companies that are doing their part for the planet over fast-fashion any day.
Slowly working on a zero waste journey in our house. Of course, it's impossible to completely go zero-waste, but the process has been fun and it's saved us quite a lot of money. These wipes have proved helpful in that journey. I like to use these wipes in place of paper towels, and antibacterial wipes. These wipes can even be used as baby wipes and toilet wipes, as well. Creekside Kid has so many great options for cloth items to help you make that switch. It's easy to get out of the habit of using one-time-use products, the desire to want to change has to be there, too.
If you haven't been using soap saver bags you're really missing out, and it's costing you money. A soap saver bag, like the one pictured here from Well Beings. We use one for soap and another for pieces of soaps that can't really be used efficiently once it gets too small. Inside the organic soap saver bag we are still able to use the soap up until it's completely gone.
You are never too old for a bike or skate helmet and Thousand's Heritage helmet is amazing. We've used several different brands, and all are great at protecting your noggin, but the comfort level is important. If the helmet is comfortable you're going to wear it more. Kids should always wear a helmet when on a bicycle, on a skateboard, or scooter, but a lot of adults don't follow that same rule. Helmets will and do save your life and your head from future trauma. We've had many accidents, some at other's fault and a helmet has saved our life. Check these out from Thousand, and check out their different styles and colors.
This is the time of year to revamp and rethink your exercise plans for the coming colder days and with that comes evaluating your running, hiking, walking shoes to see if they are still in great shape. In our house we replace our workout shoes every New Year and the reason is, we use them so much throughout the year that we are in need of new ones at the beginning of each year. These running shoes from Allbirds are sustainable, durable, water-repellent, and easy to clean. These are women's shoes pictured here, but the selection of men's and kids shoes are great, as well.

Happy Autumn Equinox!

Hello.

Here are five things this week.

1. These Machines.

With the wildfire smoke getting a bit thicker the last few days. we've been running our window air conditioner on air purify and also utilizing our air purifiers from IKEA. Inside our home we have taken steps to help keep the indoor air quality healthier for us and our pets. You can get the air conditioner pictured, here. And, they air purifiers pictured, here. (Don't forget the filters)

2. This Sign.

On days we have off, Skylar and I like to take short day trips along the Oregon Trail roadways and explore the back areas that pioneers took. We've pretty much covered the entire trail system since first doing these short trips a few years ago. With our most recent day trip, we came across this sign along someone's land. Being horror fans we couldn't help but stop and take a picture. We just love seeing little things like this along our road trips. It makes the trips that much more exciting for us.

3. These Blankets.

We recently took a trip to Costco to grab a few things we've been needing. We don't normally make a lot of "on a whim" purchases and we really try to stick to a list, especially in Costco, but recently we've been seeing things we actually need. These blankets being one of those things. We love Pendleton blankets, especially the wool ones, but we definitely will be utilizing these this winter. Unfortunately, the house we are in isn't well insulated and every little bit of warmth helps in the colder months ahead. Eleven has been enjoying the warm Pendleton blanket, as well.

4. This Kid.

Since starting at Auto Zone, Skylar has been learning and growing. He was even promoted to Sales Manager this week and Jeff and I couldn't be prouder. He is hoping to learn as much as he can about diesels, too, so he can be on top of anything that happens to our bus.

5. These Skies.

Although the skies here are pink in the evenings with the sunset, it can't go without notice that they are that color because of the wildfires burning around us. Pink skies and red sunsets here are becoming a norm in the summer months, but sometimes they are so bright, they are almost worth taking note of the beauty of them. We hope the wildfires get under control soon, though, no matter how beautiful the skies are.

AND, Happy Fiftieth birthday to this guy.

We love you, Jeff! Happy Birthday, Dudu!

(Everyone always wears the 45 birthday hat. It's our family's inside joke)