I've always loved foggy mornings. I love foggy days no matter what time it is, really. The Willamette Valley gets blanketed in fog a lot, and especially in the winter season. I've taken so many pictures of foggy moments that I created an Instagram account to post them. You can see them all here.
2. This Trackable.
We received another trackable this week from Geocache and we are loving it. We activated it and added it to our own Geocache "For Whom the Bell Tolls." Can't wait to see where it ends up.
3. These Views.
I love how my eye can catch different glimpses throughout the day of different views. It's like positive messages just meant for me at that moment in time.
4. This Kitty.
It's all fun and games until you get tangled in what you're playing with.
5. This Gel.
Since my breast reduction surgery in 2020 I've been using this scar cream daily. Sometimes twice a day I will apply it and it has made such a drastic difference in the surgery scars I have. I have been photographing my chest once a month for my own purposes of seeing the healing and changes. I am quite impressed at how this scar cream and my other self-care to the area has made such a difference. It also works on old scars, too, and I highly recommend it. You can purchase it here, or pick up a container at Whole Foods, or similar stores.
One last thing:
With Twitter going through some odd changes I recently created a profile on Post.News. I post mostly environmental issues on Post, but if you'd like to follow me there you can see my link at the top of my blog with this symbol, or here.
Positive affirmations this week:
At the beginning of each month look over a new plan to start the next 30-31 days to build up a better you. Look at the positive impacts of the month before. Don't focus on the bad. Bad things happen to all of us, but look at all the positive things that happened over the bad to begin a new start. Focus on what you want to get done for the month, what manifestations you are looking for in the month to come, and don't forget self-care. Always incorporate self-care into your plans. Never neglect yourself. You can do this!
Instead of a white Christmas it seems we are having an icy holiday. The rain first came and happened to keep falling all day, but as it stopped towards the end of the evening, the temperatures dropped and dropped hard. All the rain that was on the streets immediately froze. It was almost incredible how quickly everything froze solid in a matter of two hours. We were wide awake due to hearing branches cracking and hitting our house. At around 5:00 a.m. we got into the car and decided to have a look around town. Being so early in the morning, and the weather, not a lot of people were out and about. We helped one man that was stuck against the curb, and he was grateful for the help, but other than that, most people were avoiding the roads. It was a beautiful sight.
With anxiety, comes nausea and these gummy bears have been my recent go-to to help with that. They also have helped with bloating and digestion issues, so win-win. I've been trying to use more natural and organic approaches to handling anxiety issues, so if you suffer, too, I will do my best to post what works for me and maybe they can help you, as well. You can also make your own here.
I've been slowly switching my clothing out for more sustainable, organic, and earth-friendly brands and I've also been enjoying jumpers and jumpsuits when at home. They are not only comfortable, but practical if I do need to leave the house for a quick errand.
I feel it's literally impossible to use up a bar of soap until it's totally gone without the help of one of these bags. We've been using them for awhile now and I will be honest, I feel less like I'm completely wasting the last parts of the soap with them and the bag feels nice on your skin and exfoliates in the process.
This wooden bath mat has been a great addition to our bathroom and I feel like I am not missing washing our cloth floor mats, either. It soaks up water and dries quickly, so there is no water standing on the floor, or hoovering in a cloth mat. Highly recommend switching.
On our quest to switch to less waste and more minimal options in our home, tissue was a huge problem, especially this time of year. Making a simple switch to reusable tissues, we feel we are doing one more thing to keep less waste going to the landfill. This option comes in white, gray, pink, and denim color for the dispenser box.
We are huge The Office fans in our house, I mean, HUGE, and this water bottle is definitely going to end up in someone's stocking, or gift bag this year. I will definitely purchase one for myself, as well. I mean, we have to represent Sabre and Dunder Mifflin, right? "Dunder Mifflin Is A Part Of Sabre"
I've been using reusable, cotton, makeup pads for some time now and I have recently purchased these from Paula's Choice to add to my "collection." They are super soft, absorbent for makeup remover, toner, and even sunscreen, and lotions that I put on my face. I love that they are bamboo and cotton, and sustainable to the environment. Plus, I no longer purchase disposable cotton rounds since making this switch.
If you haven't tried DAE, you're really missing out. I am absolutely in love with the Deep Conditioner and the Prickly Pear Hair Oil. There really isn't anything I have tried from DAE that I haven't loved. I use the hair wrap, brush, and leave-in conditioner after surfing and it cuts drying time literally in half and makes my hair healthier from being in salt water.
With making the changes to more reusable items, these dry dusting, fleece dusters that fit on the Swiffer duster handle works out great in our favor. I've ordered two of the five packs and when they are dirty, I just throw them in the wash. They pick up dust and work just as well as the disposable dusters, but have less of an environmental impact over time.
For cleaning, changing to more earth-friendly products has been a bit of a struggle, but slowly and surly we are doing it. One of the easiest things was the cleaning cloths, instead of paper towels, and sponges that are biodegradable over disposable. These hemp sponges are incredible, to say the least. They really are a powerhouse with dishes and I've even started using them in the bathroom.
Mighty Nest and Kinder Beauty Box came this week. I've been using it all and I'm loving everything, too. The True Moringa face oil is absolutely amazing! It hydrates my winter dry skin, but doesn't feel or even look like I'm wearing anything on my face. It is also great for sensitive skin, too, which I have! Highly recommend.
3. These Geese.
I've never seen this many Canadian Geese in one area before. I was quite fascinated with them. We had been having such a rough week, it was a nice moment to pause and reflect. Gratitude helps reprogram the brain to see the positives instead of the negatives, especially the negatives of a bad week. If you're having a bad day, or even a bad week, hopefully this moment helps you, too.
4. This Sock.
We recently got board socks for our surfboards and Skylar decided to try his out. Ho, Stevie! is such a great brand and we absolutely love their board socks. As you can see, it fit like a glove...or sock, rather. ☺ You can snag one of these board socks for your own board here.
5. This Finger.
Skylar hurt his finger this week on the job and we had to go to Urgent Care to get it looked at. He was putting a metal shelf up and it slipped and hit his finger. It wasn't stitched, but it was glued and cleaned up. It's a bit sore, but he is doing fine. We were afraid it was deeper than it was, but it should heal completely in a few weeks. Workmen's Compensation was frustrating, but eventually we got it all figured out. Wish things were easier for workplace injuries, especially young adults just entering the work force. Hopefully, things change sooner than later.
One more thing:
We enjoyed my homemade apple pie from Thanksgiving so much, I made another one, as well as some sugar cookies for Christmas. Both came out perfect and it was just another great addition to our holidays.
Positive affirmations this week:
Always remember, getting away from narcissists in your family is a step in the right direction in healing. Narcissists don't care about how you feel, or how they make you feel, so the best choice for you is to put distance between you and them. I have experienced narcissistic family members my entire life, getting away from them, never updating them on my life, and sharing few details of anything about me has helped in my healing so much. Over the years I have realized that the control of these narcissistic family members was petty and didn't serve any purpose other than for them. Breaking that control and keeping them behind a wall really does help you heal. If you are dealing with the same issue, just know, it takes some time to get your mind right from this form of abuse. Give yourself some time and patience and know that you are not what they do to you. You are worthy of love, respect, and kindness. You can do this!
Life at a "Swell's" pace is a lifestyle and travel blog chronicling the life and travels while living in Oregon's beautiful Willamette Valley. It is mostly written by Shelly HW. Click the image to learn more»