Five Simple Things (June 6)

 Hello.

Here are five things this week.

1. This doggy.

The best doggy!

2. These bags.

Getting our garden going. I am trying out of plan that my dad mentioned. It seems to be working well so far.

3. This breakfast.

Not feeling that great this week, so meals in bed it is for a bit. Hopefully, it passes soon. I am immunocompromised, so when people don't cover their coughs or sneezes, and don't wash their hands, it affects people like me. Just a quick reminder, wash you hands frequently and stop coughing and sneezing on people.

4. These stickers.

With a new laptop comes stickers on the cover. Here is the lineup I plan on using. One of the fun things about stickers is, you're never too old to use them. Life is short, display what you love.

5. This kitty.

She always stays with me when I am not feeling well. Maybe she was a nurse or doctor in a past life. She watches over me and follows me to the bathroom. Her bedside manner is perfect!

One last thing:

This week was the last week for this cool kid. He is going through finals and I have high hopes for him to pass them all with great marks! Paint me proud!

Positive affirmations this week:

I saw this message this week and it really hit me. Children are not given a chance to be themselves and allowed to feel their own feelings. I think a lot of the older generation, as they were growing up, weren't allowed to feel things. So, as they got older they didn't know how to regulate their emotions in a healthy way and that reflected onto their own kids, and then on their grandkids. The disfunction continued until one generation finally said, "enough!" Allowing ourselves and our children to be more human and feel what they feel allows them and us to regulate them when the time comes that they are spiked. Punishing kids, and ourselves for having feelings is a horrible way to process them. It's okay to be sad, it's okay to be mad, and it's okay to feel anything. A lot of times I see the older generations even get upset at their grandchildren for being happy at times they don't think they should be happy. To me, that is disfunction to the very core of their existence. We, as parents, can do better and not allow past disfunction to dictate our feelings. Feel what you feel and allow those around you to feel what they feel, too.

You can do this!🌈

Have a nice weekend.

Five Simple Things (May 30)

 Hello.

Here are five things this week.

1. These items.

Kiwi Eco Box came this week and it was packed with good things, as always. The Triloka incense cones with the glass burner was a nice surprise. I also love the canvas and mesh bags. Kiwi Eco Box is owned by Ukrainian sisters, and each month I love that I can support them, and Ukraine.

2. This sticker.

This sensory sticker was part of Skylar's swag bag from Spring Fest at Linn Benton Community College. I love how simple, yet beneficial it is. Skylar let me have it and I have is stuck near my laptop keyboard to remind me to breathe and relax from time to time. Having anxiety in many forms, breathing helps in tough situations. Here are similar ones here.

3. This kid.

More days of seeing Skylar off to class. I just love these days!♥

4. This pizza.

We tried the Costco pizza this week. It was decent. We had to season ours with some Italian Seasoning, but overall, it is alright, especially for the price.

5. This swag.

This swag was from Spring Fest at Linn Benton Community College that Skylar went to this week. Spring Fest at LBCC is an event, sort of like a welcome event, but they hold it in spring to welcome new students to the campus. Skylar being part of the Commuter Magazine for the college, he attended to promote the Commuter. He stood at the Commuter table and passed out information on students wanting to get involved with the Commuter. This was all of his swag he picked up that day. One of the items being the sensory sticker I mentioned above.

One last thing:

I love Starbuck's Cheese Danishes, but I wanted to see if I could duplicate that same taste quickly at home. Starbuck's is a wonderful place to go from time to time, but it does add up in price. My go-to is the Vanilla Chai Latte and the warmed Cheese Danish, but let's make it healthier. I experimented a little bit before getting it right. We did still eat the mistakes, but this the the recipe that works for us. You can tweak it a bit to suit your taste, however.

Quick Cheese Danish

8 oz. cream cheese, softened [I used Organic Valley]

1/2 cup sugar [I used organic granulated sugar]

2 teaspoon lemon juice [I used organic Santa Cruz]

3/4 teaspoons vanilla paste [I used Simply Organic]

2 cans crescent rolls [I used Immaculate]

Preheat your oven to the temperature that the crescent roll container states. If you are using the Immaculate brand, it is 375 degrees. Pop your crescent rolls, and lay them flat. Attach two triangles to make a square. Smash them together, but not too flat. Use a rolling pin if needed. Lay them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and set aside. In a stand mixer mix cream cheese, sugar, lemon juice, and paste together until smooth. Taste to make sure it suits your taste. I always use a bit more lemon juice, almost two tablespoons, but start with two teaspoons and work up to make sure you don't get it too sour for your taste. The mixture will lose a bit of the sour taste as it bakes, so play around with what works for you and your pallet. 

Spread the mixture over the crescent rolls and leave a bit of space on the edges. I like to fold up the edges just a bit to hold the mixture in the middle, but you don't have to do that part. I also do not make a glaze to go on top, but that is a personal choice, as well. Spread evenly across the crescent roll top. Bake for 11 to 14 minutes, or until the edges of the Danishes turn a golden brown. Allow to cool a bit before serving. They are delicious hot.

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Positive affirmations this week:
Maybe you need this reminder, maybe not, but life isn't a race. You aren't too old, you aren't running out of time, and you aren't in a race. The only person you should be competing with every day is yourself. A lot of people lost sight on what's important and appreciating where you are in life's journey is the most important thing in life. Even if you want to be somewhere else in your path, give it time and get there with a smile, rather than a frown. You are exactly where you are supposed to be. Let it come to you in time. You are going to change the world!
You can do this!🌈

Have a nice weekend.

Five Simple Things (May 23)

 Hello.

Here are five things this week.

1. These tulips.

Tulips always lift my mood and they never let me down.

2. This box.

Birchbox came this week and I cannot wait to use the Palmer's Coconut Oil Deep Conditioner and the Acure Under Eye Hydrogels. This entire box was a hit for me.

3. These fans.

These have saved us on many occasions and they got a workout this week. We have been spending a lot more time outside and keeping the flying bugs away has previously been a challenge. These bug repelling fans came in clutch all week. By the way, having breakfast outside in the morning is something I highly recommend. We found these two at Costco, but I also ordered these this week, so that we will have four total. 

4. This setup.

I purchased a new laptop this week. I went with the 17 inch HP touchscreen. My other one, after seven years, finally gave out. I normally keep things for a long time before I replace them. We live in such a throw-away society that replacing electronics seems silly to me. If more people stopped keeping up with trends and just used what they had, there would be less waste in the world, and the price of things would come down. Manufacturers are only keeping up with demand. Making the demand less, causes a lot more good in the long run than people realize. I look forward to learning how this new laptop works and transferring all of my information over. It's a learning process for me, because it has been seven years. 

5. This machine.

Every time we shop at Costco we always get water bottles from the machine. We love getting cold water before leaving the store and the Kirkland's brand isn't bad water. But mostly, we enjoy watching the machine dispense the bottles. When the door opens, Skylar likes to pretend he has Jedi powers. Plus, the water machine is one place that there aren't any people at most of the time, too. ☺

One last thing:

This Brass Dragonfly desk ornament and these Brass Dice, which are a set of two, are now in the shop. Both are made of solid brass and make a great addition to a desk or bookshelf display. The dice have the same configuration of numbers as regular dice and can actually be used to place games that require rolling of dice. The brass dragonfly has legs that it can sit on, or even hang if needed to display. Both of these items are under $15 in the shop right now and make great officer gifts for coworkers, or for yourself. You can check out the rest of the Five Simple Things shop here.

Positive affirmations this week:

Sometimes, adults forget their role in treating others with respect and kindness. Mean girls appear to turn into mean women. It took me many years to realize that the way others treated me had nothing to do with me. I sincerely feel sorry for them. I removed myself from these situations to avoid subjecting myself to their self-sabotage, yet I still wonder if they are happy, or if they are still treating someone else the same way. Unfortunately, many of these people never change. They go through life feeling sad, pathetic, and jealous, and often on the brink of failure. If you are experiencing behavior from people that fall into this category, you are not alone. Kindness within these people is a choice, but so is meanness. They are making a poor choice by treating people unkindly because they do not even have kindness for themselves. This treatment isn't your fault; it's all theirs. Keep reminding yourself of these things each and every time they cause you to second-guess yourself or wonder why they are acting that way. Being a mean girl after high school is a deplorable trait. Let's hope that one day they see how self-destructive it really is to themselves.

You can do this!🌈

Have a nice weekend.

Five Simple Things (May 16)

 Hello.

Here are five things this week.

1. These products.

We ordered the new Cherry Blossom Dr. Bronner's seasonal castile soap scent this week. We also added a few others favorites into the cart. Dr. Bronner's will never stop being a go-to for us when it comes to health and beauty products. I love all of these products and the soaps are perfect when we are camping or traveling on the bus. The Cherry Blossom scent is light and reminds me of Mr. Bubble that I grew up with as a kid.

2. This kid.

My favorite part of the day each week.

3. These miles.

A little more distance every time.

4. This moment.

I rode in the backseat and stayed there while Skylar was in class this week. I wanted to finish reading a book I've been lost in for a few days. I was in the car for almost two hours, so I was able to finish it. It will soon be added to the Read with Me page on my blog. It was a rainy day, so it wasn't too hot sitting back there, but I did look across the parking lot and see another Veloster. It wasn't a Turbo like ours, but it was still cool seeing one the same color not far from ours.

5. This milestone.

Jeff has been with Selmet for 25 years, as of this week. They honored him with a card and a bonus. The company has seen a lot of change since he started 25 years ago. The original owner left and passed away, the company swapped hands with some investors, and went through a few more people back and forth. Jeff has seen all of those changes, and with the new owners now, it's changed so much. We used to be able to go to holiday parties and when large prizes, family day that would give tours of the facilities, and many other aspects. Now, they give employees a pie and a small bonus. We miss the old Selmet and the fun we used to have with the company. After 25 years, Jeff is considering retirement. Right now, we will celebrate his 25 year commitment to a company that really doesn't know what they have in him.

One last thing:

 

These Miniature Telescope Keychain and this Wanderer's Compass are now in the shop. The Miniature Telescope Keychain really works and will help you see from the top of a mountain, or even your own backyard. It's made of solid brass and comes with a carabiner to attach to a hiking pouch or backpack. The Wander's Compass should be part of your backpacking necessities no matter what. It's made of brass and comes in the leather pouch to help keep it secure. Both of these items are under $30 right now, and both would be a great addition to your walking, hiking, or exploring needs. You can check out the rest of the Five Simple Things shop here.

I love getting homemade cards, especially on Mother's Day. These were perfect from Skylar and Jeff.

Positive affirmations this week:

Hurting others will not heal your pain. Be kind to those that have been through the fire and came out kind on the other end. They deserve a lot more than this life and others give them. If you are one of those kind souls, never let the world change you. You are what keeps the rest of the world on track.

You can do this!🌈

Have a nice weekend.