On Break Ups

you know I always thought that when people broke up and they all said..... it was sudden.... I didn't see it coming.... that they were just being silly how could they not see it coming how could they not realize what was going on... I didn't see it coming this for tornadoes and other natural disasters... not for relationships..... this time it was me I didn't see it coming... I didn't expect it to happen.... especially over a text message... yes that is how my relationship ended over text message.... it went from we've grown apart too we can still be friends to you deserve better than me and all of the usual cliches in between and when I finally asked the one question that had been burned back of my brain 'have met someone else?' I think I already knew the answer... we went from being in love to have nothing in common at all he had everything in common with her he could tell her things he couldn't tell me....wouldn't tell me.... experiences that he couldn't share..... and now I'm picking up the pieces... thanks to some amazing friends.. it's over....

Then you look back and you start to think, you start to wonder, and you start to regret. And regret in itself is an inner demon. One you wrestle with late at night when no one else is around but you're still awake and staring at the ceiling. Regret is a demon that takes you out dancing and drinking on Friday nights and twirls you around and around and around until up and is no longer up and down is something that you are trying desperately to escape from. Then one day you wake up and realize, that by living your life you have nothing to regret. To regret something is to wish you had never done it and by not doing it you would not know what you know now and you would not have grown as a person, an individual, a soul. Then ever so slowly you let go of regret and with each little bit you let go you gain a part of yourself back that you never even knew you had lost and with each bit of yourself that you get back you get a little bit strong. This does not happen right away though, you see, but it does happen. Eventually. 

How To Make A Coconut Oil Skin Polish...

Coconut oil + essential oils + a few more skin nourishing ingredients = fantastic natural beauty product that you’ll become addicted to.

Coconut Oil Skin Polish + Essential Oil Blends

Next to doTERRA's CPTG essential oils, I can't think of much else that's moreversatile and excellent for you than coconut oil!  Just when I think I've used it in every possible way known to mankind, I find another brilliant use for it. 

You, and your skin will L O V E this new skin polish!

In August '12, I showed you how to make a Whipped Coconut Oil Cleanser {Click Here} using EOs.  Cleansing with oil has been a defining discovery for my skin.  If you haven't tried it, it needs to go on your Beauty Bucket List this very moment!  Please refer to the Coconut Oil Cleanse post for the simply amazing details of Oil Cleansing {Click Here}.

Whipped Coconut Oil Cleanser

Let's get to the new Coconut Oil Skin Polish...Yay!   Made with much the sameorganic ingredients as the cleanser along with the addition of cornmeal, creating a very fine and gentle cleanser AND skin polish in one special product!  

What makes the skin polish even more beneficial is the addition of EOspertaining to your skin's needs!

~ Coconut Oil Skin Polish Recipe ~

2 cups organic extra virgin coconut oil
1/2 cup avocado oil (olive is nice too)
1~1/4 cup cornmeal

Soften coconut oil, whip in the avocado oil, blend in cornmeal.

Recipe fills five 4oz canning jars!  Best gifts for your family & friends EVER!

Warmed in oven to soften.

Cornmeal and oils blended together with hand mixer.

Custom blend for blemishes:

(per 4 oz jar)

10 drops Lavender EO

5 drops Melaleuca EO

Coconut oil is F A B U L O U S for problem skin because of it's anti~bacterial and anti~microbial properties!  Melaleuca for a deeper clean and Lavender to calm and soothe skin.

Custom blend for hydrating and healing:

(per 4 oz jar)

10 drops Lavender

5 drops Geranium

For my aging skin, I add anti~aging EOs:  8 drops Frankincense, 5 drops Helichrysum, 2 drops Myrrh and 2 drops Geranium per 4 oz jar.

Add the EOs of 

your choice to the 

jars BEFORE you 

add the warmed 

oils.  Once filled, 

take a small whisk 

or a tiny spoon and 

very gently stir the 

EOs to blend ALL 

of the oils.  Let sit 

for an hour until 

cool and put the lids on 

snuggly!

And there you have it, your NEW addiction!  This all natural, skin nourishingPolish might be habit forming :)

Individual Seven-Layer Dips

Source: http://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/2011/12/individual-seven-layer-dips.html

Yield: 8 cups

Ingredients

1 (16 ounce) can refried beans
1 (1 ounce) package taco seasoning
1 cup guacamole or make homemade guacamole
1 (8 ounce) container sour cream
1 cup chunky salsa or pico de gallo; or make homemade pico de gallo
1 cup shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese
2 Roma tomatoes, diced
1/2 bunch of green onions, sliced
1 (2.25 ounce) can of sliced olives, drained
8 (9 ounce) plastic tumblers
tortilla chips

Instructions

In a small bowl mix taco seasoning with refried beans. Some people prefer to mix their taco seasoning with the sour cream layer but I wanted a bright white layer so I did it with the beans.
Here's how the layers are assembled:
Layer 1: beans and taco seasoning; Layer 2: sour cream; Layer 3: guacamole; Layer 4: salsa or pico de gallo; Layer 5: cheese; Layer 6: tomatoes; Layer 7: green onions and olives
In each plastic glass, layer about 2 Tablespoons of the beans, followed by 2 Tablespoons of sour cream, 2 Tablespoons of guacamole, 2 Tablespoons of salsa or pico de gallo, and 2 Tablespoons of cheese. Make sure you drain your salsa or pico to get the excess liquid out before you pour it on. Then top with about 1-2 teaspoons of tomatoes, olives, and green onion (If making ahead of time, wait to add these toppings until shortly before serving).
Garnish with one tortilla chip. Store in the refrigerator until serving and serve with chips. Makes around 8 individual dips.

Notes

Note: All measurements are approximate. Depending on whether you want thicker or thinner layers you will need more or less.

Italian Shrimp Fettuccine

Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced
4 green onions, sliced
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
2 (14 1/2 ounce) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 cup white wine
8 ounces fettuccine
1/2 lb raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Directions
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat until hot.
Add the mushrooms, green onions, and garlic.
Saute for 1-2 min or until green onions start to soften.
Stir in the tomatoes, parsley and wine.
Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes to allow the flavors to blend.
Meanwhile, cook the fettuccine in a large pot of boiling salted water according to package directions and drain.
Add the shrimp and lemon juice to tomato mixture.
Cook for 1-2 minutes or until the shrimp turn pink.
Serve over the cooked fettuccine.
***To make this healthier serve over spaghetti squash or whole wheat Pasta

Chicken Breast Stuffed with Pepper Jack Cheese and Spinach

Perfect for low carb, pair this with a salad and your have a great low carb meal!

Ingredients

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 oz pepper jack cheese, shredded (you can use up to 6 oz)
1 c frozen spinach, thawed and drained (you can also use fresh cooked spinach)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp breadcrumbs (I use Italian style)
Sea salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Lots of toothpicks

Directions

Preheat oven to 180 (350 degreesf ).

Flatten the chicken to 1/4-inch thickness.

In a medium bowl, combine the pepper jack cheese, spinach, salt and pepper.

Combine the Cajun seasoning and breadcrumbs together in a small bowl.

Spoon about 1/4 c of the spinach mixture onto each chicken breast. Roll each chicken breast tightly and fasten the seams with several toothpicks. This part requires a tiny bit of skill and I typically use about 8 toothpicks in each roll to ensure none of the filling seeps out. Be sure to count how many total toothpicks were used!

Brush each chicken breast with the olive oil. Sprinkle the Cajun seasoning mixture evenly over all. Sprinkle any remaining spinach and cheese on top of chicken (optional).

Place the chicken seam-side up onto a tin foil-lined baking sheet (for easy cleanup). Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.

Remove the toothpicks before serving. Count to make sure you have removed every last toothpick. Serve whole or slice into medallians

Teething Cream/Toothache Pain Reliever

Ingredients:
¼ cup coconut oil
¼ cup food grade cocoa butter
12 drops clove essential oil (this is not safe during pregnancy as it causes contractions)

Add your coconut oil and cocoa butter to a small sauce pan, heat on low until they melt. Add clove oil and stir well.
Next pour mixture into a glass container, place in fridge and allow to cool completely. Once cooled, it should be in solid form. Apply a tiny amount onto baby’s gums, or to your tooth and feel the pain disappear.

17 uses for Alka-Seltzer!!

1. Safely Unclog A Drain
A great natural solution for unclogging the drain! Just drop four Alka-Seltzer tablets down the drain, followed by a cup of white vinegar and allow to stand for about ten minutes. Flush with a pot of boiling water. Doing this on a regular basis can help keep that drain clear. This also works to deodorize the drain.

2. Clean a Toilet In A Hurry
Drop two tablets in the toilet, wait 20 minutes for the citric acid to loosen the grime, scrub and flush. The bowl will be clean, shiny, and deodorized. Handy for a quick clean in case of uninvited, unannounced, surprise guests.

3. An All-Purpose Cleaner
Alka Seltzer can also be a good all around cleaner. Plop three tablets into 8 ounces of warm water. Once the fizzing stops, dip a sponge in the water (or you could fill a spray bottle) and wipe down counters, tiles and tubs. You can even place some in your sink and use as mop water. Just add five tablets to one half gallon of water.

4. Soothe Insect Bites
Drop two tablets in warm water, then soak a cotton ball in the solution. Place on the bite for 30 minutes for relief from the insect bites.

5. Catch a Fish
Fish love bubbles. Break a tablet in half and throw it out near your fishing line, or put a tablet inside your tube jig and cast off. The fish won’t be able to resist the stream of bubbles.

6. Remove Burnt On Food From Bakeware
Drop 5 tablets into a sink full of hot water and let your cookware soak for an hour or so. The burnt food will come off with ease.

7. Whiten and Brighten Your Laundry
To get rid of dingy yellow color on white cotton, soak your whites in a solution of a gallon of warm water and two Alka Seltzer tablets. Then hang your whites in the sun to dry to get rid of any lingering stains.

8. Deodorize the Fridge
For a clean, fresh smelling refrigerator, drop an Alka-Seltzer tablet in a cup of water and leave it in the refrigerator for a half hour. If there is still a smell in the refrigerator, then wash down the inside of the refrigerator with another Alka-Seltzer tablet in water.

9. Clean a Glass Jar, Flower Vase or Thermos
For those difficult to clean vessels with narrow-necks, and hard to reach places, drop two Alka-Seltzer tablets in, add hot water and swish it around until the tablets are dissolved and let it sit for an hour. Rinse, and the glass jar, vase or Thermos will be as clean as new.

10. Restore Stained Plastic Containers
Got spaghetti sauce stains on your plastic containers? Simply fill your container with warm to hot water and depending on the size drop 1-2 tablets into the water. Let sit for 30 minutes and the stains will disappear before your eyes.

11. Polish Your Jewelry
Drop two tablets in a bowl of warm water. Let your jewelry soak for about 20 minutes. It will look new again! (Note: This is not safe for pearls or opals.)

12. Build Rockets For Kids
Entertain little ones by heading outside with an empty film canister, filled halfway with warm water. Drop in half a tablet, snap on the lid and place the canister upside down on the sidewalk or driveway. Take a step back and watch your rocket blast off!

13. Clean Your Coffeemaker
Fill the water chamber of the coffeemaker and then drop in three tablets. When the Alka-Seltzer has dissolved, put the coffeemaker through a brew cycle. This will clean out all the internal components. Run through another plain water cycle before using the machine again for coffee.

14. Help For Nicotine Addiction
If you’re trying to quit smoking Alka-Seltzer can help. Take two tablets three times a day to relieve nicotine withdrawal symptoms and curb cravings.

15. Cure Urinary Tract Infections
Showing signs of a urinary infection? Take two tablets in a glass of water as soon as you notice symptoms. Results are almost immediate. Keep in mind that Aspirin is a main ingredient in Alka-Seltzer so those with Aspirin allergies shouldn’t use it.

16. Clean and Deodorize A Cooler
After an outing or trip, add about 1 inch of water to the bottom of your cooler, drop 4 tablets in, and let sit for an hour. After an hour, rinse and dry. All smells will be gone and it will be clean and ready for its next use.

17. Clean Dentures
Drop an Alka-Seltzer tablet into a glass of warm water, and then drop your dentures into the glass for about ten minutes. The citric acid and carbonation will remove the toughest stains from your dentures and other prosthetic dental work. This is an excellent substitute for more expensive denture cleanser products.

Make Up Monday!

Good morning lovely ladies, it's time for Makeup Monday!

This week we will be tweeting and posting about makeup through the ages. Today we are focusing on the 1920s.

During the 20s everything Egyptian became popular due to the opening of the tomb of Tutankhamun and the unveiling many incredible artifacts. It was learned that Tutankhamun wife, Ankhesenamun (Queen of the Eighteenth Dynasty of Egypt) wore very heavy eyeliner! This started a trend in the western world, and for the first time eyeliner was used liberally and with great purpose. Women were applying eyeliner with gusto to get the trendy Egyptian queen look. Film stars such as Louise Brooks, Clara Bow and Marion Davis were some of the first to pioneered the lined eye.

How to get that 20’s eye look! Edge the whole of the eye with our Pink Papaya Black Felt Tip eyeliner. Applying eyeliner is all about practice. Begin applying the eyeliner just next to the inside corner of your eye and almost rest the tip on the eyelashes to follow a straight line around the top of the eye. Extend the eyeliner past your eye only minimally, but generally in the direction so that if you did carry on drawing the line it would neatly meet the end of your eyebrow. On the bottom lid start lining just next to the inside corner of the eye and continue the line as close to your lashes as possible until it meets the eyeliner from the top of the eye. 

During the 1920s the grey scale eye shadows were mostly used. Using Platinum Mineral Shadow sweep it across the whole of the eyelid, finish where your eyeliner ends. Extend the shadow above the lid and closer to the brow. Smudge the edges to create a more blended, natural look. Using Cat’s Eye Quartz Mineral Shadow sweep from the midpoint of the lid outward to the corner. Blend, blend, blend! Finish the eyes by applying black mascara to both top and bottom lashes. Enjoy!

The Tower Garden

This is something that my family and I will be investing in next month. It is cost affordable and with very little effort you will be able to grow your own fruits, vegetables and herbs. It is super easy and very affordable! 

The website to learn more about the Tower Garden by Juice Plus is www.JKeller.TowerGarden.com
When you open the website, click on Learn More, then click on left Photos & Videos and watch the time lapse video of how quickly you can grow your food in just 3-4 weeks to maturity.
Tower Garden Basic Package is $499.99 and is paid for in 12 equal installments of $43/month, plus $50 to ship, interest free.
Check out the online store to see the accessories you can get for your tower. If you want to grow tomatoes, there is a tomato cage you can add. If you want to add two more canisters to add 8 more plants to the same tower, order the extension kit. The only thing you will have to buy more of after you pay it off is the Tower Tonic which costs about $3.50/month to maintain a residual garden all year round.

Either way, Tower Gardening is fascinating and you won't be able to stop talking about it with others. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask!

THE ULTIMATE DETOX BATH- Can't wait to try this one!

THE ULTIMATE DETOX BATH brought to you by: http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/2012/11/the-ultimate-detox-bath.html

A couple of nights ago I was really feeling poorly. I was worn out. Physically and mentally.

I KNOW I bring a lot of it on myself. I don’t get enough sleep a lot of the time (OK…most of the time) and I hardly ever give myself any “down” time. But I try to eat healthy and I take vitamins, etc.  I just felt like my body was trying to tell me something….but I didn’t know what.

Then I started reading about how toxins can build up in your body over time and cause a myriad of uncomfortable symptoms. For some reason this struck a chord with me…and I decided to give aDETOXIFICATION BATH a try! I mean it couldn’t HURT, right?  The worst thing that could happen would be I experienced a nice, hot bath and some rare “down” time. :-)

Toxins and chemicals are all around us, from our drinking water, to our health and beauty products, to the materials used to build and furnish our homes! They are unavoidable. There are, of course, certains things we can do to cut back on the amount of toxins in our living environment. Eating organically and using natural cleaning, laundry, and health & beauty products, are just a few!

If you are feeling lethargic or sluggish or you are just experiencing “Brain fog”, a Detox Bath is a great way to help your body get rid of toxins and ease some of these symptoms.

Most detox bath recipes I found in researching this topic contained different combinations of the same basic ingredients: Epsom Salt, Baking Soda, and Apple Cider Vinegar. A few others also added Essential Oils and Ginger. But very few contained the “secret ingredient” I’m going to share with you today….Clay!

Healing Clay has been used for centuries as a form of natural medicine. Taking a therapeutic clay bath is one of the most effective methods in existence to assist in the elimination of toxic substances which have accumulated in the body. It just so happens that my little town is home toRedmond Clay, who markets an all-natural Utah bentonite clay used by the Fremont indians thousands of years ago. (Note: I will definitely being doing a follow-up post about this amazing clay! Stay tuned.)

So here is my ULTIMATE DETOX BATH recipe:

• 2 cups Epsom Salt (or Sea Salt) - draws out toxins from your body while relieving aches and pains
• 1 cup Apple Cider Vinegar - soothes and soften dry, itchy skin while balancing the bodies and neutralizing the bodies pH.
• 1/2 cup Bentonite Clay  - stimulates the lymphatic system to deeply cleanse the body’s largest breathing organ, the skin.
• 5-10 drops of your favorite Essential Oil - lavender, geranium, sandalwood, ylang ylang and blue tansy are all known for their detoxifying properties.

Run your bath water as hot as you like. Add your “ingredients” and agitate to dissolve. Soak for 20-40 minutes. Drink a full glass of water when you’re finished.

Warning! You will be exhausted after your bath, so do this right before bed. I felt like a wrung-out dish rag afterwards, but in the morning I felt energized, refreshed, and had a whole new outlook on life! :-)

Homemade Dishwasher Detergent Cubes brought to you by: http://www.louises-country-closet.com/2013/03/homemade-dishwasher-detergent-cubes.html

Homemade Dishwasher Detergent Cubes brought to you by: http://www.louises-country-closet.com/2013/03/homemade-dishwasher-detergent-cubes.html

It's no secret that I love making things from scratch if I can. That goes for food, cleaners, toothpaste, laundry soap.. just about anything. We were recently having a lot of trouble finding a good dishwasher detergent that got our dishes clean because nothing else was working. We actually had to wash things by hand - but then, what's the point in having a dishwasher right?? 

I set out to find my own way to make some and I had a few duds before coming across this one. I tweaked it a tiny bit to fit what I was looking for and this makes a great little cube for washing! 

 

Ingredients:

1 Cup Borax

1 Cup Washing Soda

1/4 Cup Epsom Salt

Lemon Juice

First I started by mixing all the powders together. I made sure they get mixed up good because I wanted it evenly spread through all the cubes I'm going to be making. If you're not sure about the Borax, just eliminate that from the recipe, it won't harm it at all.

When everything was mixed I put a cup of the powder into a separate bowl and then poured in a little bit of lemon juice. For one cup of powder I used 4 tablespoons of lemon juice. You don't want it to be dry but you don't want it soaking wet either. 4 tablespoons made it a little wet and sticky which is exactly what I wanted.

The lemon juice will foam when it hits the powder. I mixed it all in and got it a little sticky. When I was finished with that, I started to add it to the ice cube trays. I put in a little and patted it down, then when I ran out I did another cup to mix with the lemon juice.

Now when I was all done, I set the cubes up on the window sill in the kitchen so that it would get a lot of sun and therefore dry quicker. Letting it sit overnight made it nice and hard and when I woke up in the morning I was able to flip the trays over and knock the cubs out.

Ta-Da!! Works wonders in the dishwasher! Another new thing to make myself that I can add to my list.

Make Your Own Electrolyte Energy Drink

Make Your Own Electrolyte Energy Drink as posted by http://everydayroots.com/homemade-energy-drink

Gatorade, PowerAde, electrolyte pumped-up sports drinks…they’re good for you, right? You see athletes chugging down bottles of the neon-colored liquid in every ad and real life, surely they do something, and they do. They help you maintain your body’s balance of electrolytes during or after periods of heavier exercise. But when you look closer, you’re really just paying an outrageous price for glorified, brightly colored, sugar water. An overload of processed and refined sweetener (in the case of sports drinks, high-fructose corn syrup) is never a good thing. And while artificial flavors and colors don’t technically do much to your health, a part of me just shies away from the idea of ingesting things that are “fake.”

We’ve been led to believe by certain companies that we need an extra-special drink to recover from some sweat. First of all, there is a huge difference between athletes that work out hardcore for hours, and those dedicated to fifteen minute morning workout routines. Secondly, our bodies are smart, staying well hydrated and eating healthy is usually enough to maintain a balance of electrolytes. For those times that you do have a heavier workout though, make your own sports drink. It’s easy, quick, and naturally refreshing.

Ingredients: Lemons, limes, oranges, salt, honey, water, coconut water, sugar, strawberries.

Why the ingredients: There isn’t much need to delve into why each ingredient is included. They all fall under the blanket statement of being a good source of electrolytes, tasty, or both.

Lay-Low Recipe

You will need…

-1/4 cup of freshly squeezed lime juice
-1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
-1 ½ to 2 cups fresh water, depending on how strong you want the flavor
-1/8 teaspoon of sea salt
-2 tablespoons natural sugar or honey, to taste

Directions

Toss everything into a food blender and blend until the honey is dissolved, or just use some elbow grease and blend it by hand. Pour yourself a tall glass, drop in a few ice cubes, and enjoy.

Bright ‘n Early Recipe

You will need…

-1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
-1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
-1 ½ to 2 cups of fresh water
-1/8 teaspoon of sea salt
-2 tablespoons natural sugar or honey, to taste

Directions

Same as above. You can halve or double the recipe as you need, and feel free to experiment with flavors. Keep in mind citrus fruits, especially orange, are a good source of electrolytes.

Sweet and Smooth-ie recipe

You will need…

-3 cups of coconut water
-1 cup of strawberries
-1 cup of fresh water
-1 cup of ice
-1/8 teaspoon of sea salt
-2 tablespoons natural sugar or honey, to taste

Directions

Throw into you blender and let it run until everything is thoroughly mixed together and the mixture is smooth.

What are electrolytes, and why do we need them?

Here we are making a big fuss over electrolytes, but what are they really? And why do they matter? I could write a dense (at least) six page article on electrolytes, but I’ll spare you (unless you want togo to sleep, then I can send you a copy.) There are tons of electrolytes out there, but in our bodies they are basically calcium, sodium, potassium, magnesium chloride, hydrogen phosphate (a mineral) and hydrogen carbonate (a salt.) These electrolytes are vital for survival-not only could we not function if we didn’t have them, if we dilute them too much, it can lead to death by “water poisoning.” They regulate our nerve and muscle function, our hydration, the pH of our blood, rebuilding damaged tissue, and determining blood pressure. One example of their job would be in order for a muscle to contract-from your heart to the tiniest toe muscle- it needs the electrolytes calcium, sodium, and potassium. Too little and muscles become weak, too much and they over contract.

You’ll notice that these electrolytes can easily be provided by eating a balanced diet but humans will push their bodies, and during strenuous exercise you sweat, and when you sweat you’re losing electrolytes. There are also times that diet won’t suffice; many pregnant women find they need extra means of getting electrolytes, or when you’re ill. Regardless of why you’re drinking one though, try making your own first. It may not come with a fancy marketing scheme, but your body will thank you.

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