Life at a "Swell's" pace: September 2023

Five Simple Things (September 29)

Hello.

Here are five things this week.

1. This Moment.

Skylar and I always love doing fun, little coloring, or painting things together. Sometimes I find cute coloring pages, or activity books at the checkout lane while waiting. A lot of the ones I find are less than $10 and they are always fun to sit and do together. This one brought back some memories for me. Water color pages with the paint dots already where the color will go. We also found one recently that was a paint by number. It's fun to sit and do together and laugh, and just enjoy the moment with my boy. No matter how old he gets, we will always enjoy spending these moments together creating memories and connection.

2. This Sky.

Summer skies and sunshine always brighten the mood. I've been enjoying the amount of sun I am able to get lately. Hoping I can ride this sunny feeling into the darker days of winter soon to come.

3. This Ride.

Yes, we are those people that always have to ride the kiddie rides when going to the mall. I mean come on, who wouldn't want to ride a rocket in a circle around the middle of the mall?☺

4. These Ducks.

Sweet, little duckies. Mallie (on the right) is sitting on fake eggs, but it makes her feel like she's being a good mommy. And Quappy (on the left) loves to snuggle and hug. Not pictured is Fern. They all three have their different personalities and we love them so much. Ducks make great pets, but they are a lot of work. The work doesn't take away from the fun, though.

5. This Kitty.

There is only one or one hundred with her. Never an in-between. When she is calm and collected she is such a loving kitty, but when she's at 100...wow! It sounds like a heard of elephants running up and down the stairs. Positive is, I guess she's getting her exercise.☺

One last thing:

A panoramic view of the old mill site that used to be home to Willamette Industries. The college (Western University of Health Sciences) recently purchased the land and we are eager to see what comes of this old historic site.

Positive Affirmations This Week:

Print this off, write them down, remind yourself every day of how important you are.

You can do this!🌈

Have a nice weekend.

Sometimes Wants (Autumn 2023)

These are the autumn time, "Sometimes Wants," that have caught my eye lately.

10.

1. We have been giving instant coffee a go, well Jeff has, but it was hard to find an organic instant coffee until I found Anthony's Instant Coffee. I use their turmeric, but finding instant coffee in a trusted brand is great. We hunted for instant coffee to use on trips in the bus, or for camping because it's a heck of a lot easier to pack than an entire coffee setup.

2. I have loved watching birds, even when I was little. The birds that visit our yard come because of the ducks and their food they scatter, and we have had some amazing birds come visit. Chickadees and Starlings are the most popular, but every once in awhile we will get a visit from wild ducks, owls, Robins, Blue Jays, Crows, Ravens, and an incredible mix of smaller birds. I've been placing feeders around our yard to encourage more birds to visit us and I love this Bird Silo. It's set up like a grain silo where you place the seed in the top and it filters down. The little birds love it filled with thistle seed. It's made of 100% recycled plastic, so it gives comfort knowing you aren't using virgin materials, which the planet has enough of.

3. Well, everything from Moon Juice is incredible, but I have started taking SuperBeauty capsules every day for the last six months and honestly, they do a lot more than labeled (this is my own opinion). I have seen increased energy, less stress lines around my eyes (mostly crying when my mental health hits hard), my mood is better when my monthly cycle hits, when I keep with my regular sleep schedule it is a great companion to give me the extra boost I need. I also love the Sex Dust for boosting my libido as I get older, and hormonal balance. All of the "dusts" from Moon Juice are great.

4. If you're still using regular plastic can liners for anything, what are you doing? Plastic is not for the environment, so make a change, especially with what is going to end up in the landfill anyway. If you must use some sort of "plastic-type" liner in your cans, try using ones that compost, like these, but more importantly it is best to switch from single-use bags to reusable ones you can wash once a week. These from Teamoy are the exact same ones we use in our cans and we love them. When our garbage goes out once a week on Tuesday, we toss them in the next load of laundry.

5. This scarf has been great for the past week when the winds picked up here in the Valley. It is 100% wool, comfortable, sustainable, and the color is a minimal coloring that works with my wardrobe. And Ten Tree is such a great brand. I can not wait to use it every day once the weather gets colder here. Oregon winters are harder each year, but at least I am learning what clothes and coverups work for me. I highly recommend this wool scarf, you won't regret it.

6. Along the same lines of the weather changing, my skin gets incredibly dry this time of year. As the winter weather hits it gets even drier. I have always had oily skin from my teens and into my thirties, but once I hit my forties, especially 45, my skin took a 360 degree turn and I had to develop and all new regimen. Using face oils and lotions have been my go-to salvation. The entire line of sensitive skincare from Wildcraft is great, but I love their Refine Face Serum the most.

7. Season changes are a great time to replace your toothbrush, refill you dental floss container, sanitize your tongue scraper, and restock your toothpaste. We have been using tooth tablets for the past few years and we love them. The ones we use are from Refinement House and we use the fluoride-free ones. I love this toothcare kit they carry and it's a great way to get started in rethinking your entire mouth care routine. We order three kits with different toothbrush ends on them and it allows us to have our own products and another toothbrush at the beginning of the winter season, too.

8. I actually bought this Plant Life Support automatic watering system as a gift for someone to add to their housewarming basket, but when it came I loved it and kept it. I ended up getting them something else to fill the space. I loved this so much that I ordered two more. They are so convenient for plants that need less water than most. I fill them up, place them in the plant pots and I don't have to fill them up again until a week later.

9. Beeswax food wraps are my go-to for storing and covering bowls, food items, and even wrapping sandwiches, or bagels. They come in different sizes and can be used for literally anything. Instead of using plastic zipper bags that are thrown away so quickly without thinking about it, these beeswax wraps are just as good, and can compost when they are done with their usage. Compostable sandwich bags are another option when you need several for snacks for a team, or a work function, but for everyday use and packing your lunch, definitely love Abeego's Beeswax Wraps.

10. Lotion bars don't get enough attention. I started using lotion bars after I got a sample of one from a subscription box two years ago. I used it after we got done surfing and my skin has never felt so good. Salt water can really tear up your skin if you don't rinse and moisturize a lot, especially your hair. Once my sample was gone I did some research and found the lavender lotion bar from Moon Valley Organics. They have several different scents, but I love the lavender one the best. I use this lotion bar on my body, feet, and even in my hair and it is amazing. And the best part, it's organic.

Happy Autumn Solstice!

Five Simple Things (September 22)

Hello.

Here are five things this week.

1. This Apple.

I learned this week that September 15 each year is International Dot Day. It started when Terry Shay introduced his Iowa classroom to Peter H. Reynolds’ book The Dot on September 15, 2009. He started Dot Day to celebrate everyone's creativity, individuality, and art. This apple is my contribution.

In memory of Terry Shay (August 6,1964 - September 28, 2023)

[edited to add Terry Shay's date of death]

2. These Gifts.

We celebrated Jeff's birthday this week on Saturday the sixteenth. He turned 51 and we surprised him with cupcakes, gifts and cards. He had a good day.

3. This Kitty.

Always watching...♥

4. This Window.

I love waking up and seeing the sun. Lately my mental health issues have caused my depression to peak, but having the sun out and going outside to sit in the sun, helps a lot. Just sitting and soaking in some sunshine keeps my depression and PTSD at bay just a little bit, so anytime the sun is out, I try to get at least 30 minutes to an hour of sunshine on my face and body.

5. This Doggie.

He hasn't been feeling his best, but we are giving him all the loves. He turns 15 this year, so we are hoping he gets to feeling better and back to his hyper self. Hardy is a great dog and although we hate that he was abused before us, we are giving him the best life he could have.♥

One last thing:

A quick map key to where foods come from. As you can see from the map, the United States depends a lot on other countries to provide us with the fruits and vegetables we eat daily. Something to think about next November when you cast your vote.

Positive affirmations this week:

The saying stands true, "If it's something that you can't control, don't let it consume you." Things you can't control would include, how other people act, what other people do with their time, how much people make, what people think about you, what others say, etc. If any of those examples bother you, reach out and speak to someone about it. Work on not letting what other people are doing, saying, or feeling affect your day to day life. And also, it is not your job, or your requirement to get people to love you. All your job is, is to put yourself into the world and those that are meant to be for you will find you, and they will absolutely love you for you. But don't forget, to love yourself first.

You can do this! 🌈

Have a nice weekend.

Tomato Cucumber Salad

With the end of the summer season coming to a close, it's about the time of year where I figure out how to use the remaining tomatoes and cucumbers from the garden. One of the quick and easy recipes I've come up with the last two years is a tomato and cucumber salad. It's a delicious and healthy way to incorporate a few vegetables, especially if you're needing to use several at once that could possibly go bad before using them for individual dishes. The best part of having a garden in your own backyard is being able to walk outside and get whatever you need for a certain dish.

This year's garden we grew tomatoes (cherry, Roma, and beefsteak), cucumbers, nasturtium, pumpkins, zucchini, yellow squash, onion (red and yellow), watermelon, butter lettuce, cabbage, and peas. We had good results from a few crops, but others not-so-much. We have come to the conclusion that they aren't getting enough sun each summer. So, we are going to move some things around next growing season.

Our tomatoes and cucumbers did well and with that overabundance, I created this summery dish. Here's how it's made.

Four to five medium to large tomatoes (any kind), diced into bite-sized pieces
Four to five small to medium cucumbers, sliced and then cut in half
Black olives, whole, cut in half
Three to four pickles, diced small
Four to five tablespoons olive oil
Splash of vinegar, to taste
Two tablespoons Italian seasoning
Salt and Pepper, to taste

Add everything to a large dish and toss. Refrigerate for up to 30 minutes before serving. Eat right away, or store for up to three days in an air-tight container. It's delicious the following day, too!

Five Simple Things (September 15)

Hello.

Here are five things this week.

1. This Store.

Found a new antique/vintage store to swoon over. Just look at all of the great finds.

2. This Goodbye.

Another day of classes. His future looks so bright from my point of view.

3. These Items.

I received several packages in the mail this week. The first was the Scrub Daddy Halloween-themed scrub sponges. Looking forward to testing these guys out. I prefer the eco-friendly line from Scrub Daddy, but the Halloween ones are super cute. Next was the dry cat food. It's the Wellness brand and Eleven loved it. We have always used the Wellness wet food, but the dry was new to us. She knocked the bag over and started right in, so definitely going to give the dry food a chance. Mighty Nest sent their Mighty Fix for the month this week, too. The Reel toilet paper is a go in our house after this. The spray is unscented and we are using it in the bathroom on the bus now. Both are great products. The last was parfum Intense and elixir de parfum of the Guilty line from Gucci. Liked them both, but enjoyed the elixir more.

Disclaimer: (Some of these products were sent to me for free testing for my honest feedback)

4. This CBD.

I've been trying different CBD products lately and came across these CBD honey sticks. The CBD content is very low for my tolerance, but the honey was great!☺

5. This Kid.