Five Simple Things (July 12)

 Hello.

Here are five things this week.

1. This moment.

Skylar got back his pictures from our trip back in April. He shot a lot of pictures on his film camera, which was Jeff and my first film camera we bought to document Skylar's birth and growing up. Watching him look through them with a smile on his face made my day. I am so happy that old Minolta film camera is getting new life.

2. This garden.

 

I just love our little garden every season. It's small, but it's worth it.

3. These boxes.

Misfits Market and Mighty Nest came this week. We all loved the mango bites in this shipment. They will definitely be something we add to our future orders. And the Mighty Nest Mighty Fix this month was perfect. Sunblock is always a plus, and the Sun Bum brand is one of our favorites. The smell alone reminds me of summer time.

4. This rainbow.

Always seeking out the rainbows during or after the rain.

5. These pancakes.

Delicious pancakes with a tiny doggie that would like proof of that deliciousness.

One last thing:

Keep this list in mind when shopping for in-season produce. It's important to avoid unnecessary additives in what you eat. This list could have more added to it over the years as large amounts of pesticidal residue continues to show up in commercial farming. The best way to avoid exposure is to look for produce that doesn't use as much pesticides. Even organic produce uses a form of pesticides, but the exposure has been reported to be lower. The Dirty Dozen doesn't make the list for overall exposure to pesticides, they make the list because of the amount. 

Positive affirmations this week:

You aren't alone. There are others dealing with anxiety and depression every day just like you do. You aren't weak. You aren't weird. You aren't alone. If anyone makes you feel like you aren't allowed to feel your feelings, they aren't people that you should allow to be part of your good days. A lot of people will try to tell you that your mental health issues are a weakness. What's weak is, not reaching out, or relying on your people that actually do support you 100% when you have bad days. If your bad days are really bad, reach out to someone more qualified to help you get through those days; be it a hospital emergency room, or calling 988. You are enough and please remember, these days are only temporary.

You can do this!🌈

Have a nice weekend.

Five Simple Things (July 5)

 Hello.

Here are five things this week.

1. These fruits.

Garden treasures are the best treasures.

2. These cookies.

They looked cuter than they tasted, but they sure are cute.

3. This bag.

Our local co-op is always so thoughtful with their sandwich making. We love supporting them and giving back the community.

4. This shelf.

Hoping this shelf works for what we need in the laundry room.

5. This cookie.

This cookie from Hapy Kitchen helps with the pain in my knee currently, especially at night.

One last thing:

Be sure to write to Smokey the Bear. He does write back.

Positive affirmations this week:

Yoga, even basic yoga moves, help release tension and can help with anxiety and depression. You can start out with small, shorter periods, and work you're way into more complicated poses. The best thing about yoga is the fact that you can do it anywhere, and whenever you feel you need it. Healthline has a great article on this and offers poses that are easy, and helpful in whatever capacity you are needing. Remember, there is no shame in having mental health issues and there is no shame in admitting you need help.

You can do this!🌈

Have a nice weekend.

Five Simple Things (June 28)

 Hello.

Here are five things this week.

1. This chocolate.

Dr. Bronner's chocolate bars are my new obsession lately, especially the Cool Peppermint Cream. I've been breaking off pieces of this one through the week for a sweet treat when I'm craving chocolate. The dark chocolate and peppermint combination is perfect.

2. These boxes.

This week Kiwi Eco Box and Misfit's Market came. My favorite thing in the Kiwi Eco Box is the Lavender Body Bar. With the Misfit's Market haul this week we were able to snag some great organic products. The red potatoes and the steaks were definitely a score and we saved so much by going through Misfit's. You can get 10% off your first order here.

3. This THC.

I picked up a some THC indica products at the dispensary this week. I always get a big purchase to supplement me through the month. A few tried and true favorites and some new ones to try. Hopefully, I won't need them much, but just in case, it's nice to have a few options on hand. Anxiety sometimes causes the brain to go into a mode of shutdown, so these always help to get that back on track for sleep, or calming the mind. Indica is always helpful in helping calm and ease anxiety and helping with sleep.

(I am not a health physician and this post is not to encourage THC use. If you have similar issues with anxiety and sleep, please speak with your primary care doctor, if you are concerned about those issues, or the affects of THC on your body.)

4. This dessert.

It is my go-to right now. The older I get the less my body can handle dairy. Finding this ice cream has been a great replacement for dairy ice cream. The best part, you can't even tell it is non-dairy.

5. These hangers.

Everything we bring into our space now has to earn its place, but I've been on a hunt for these hangers for months, maybe even years, honestly. I took a trip this week to Goodwill and there they were. Three of them and for the price of $3 each. I love how these help conserve space in our closets. They were all three in great shape, so I was happy bringing this new purchase into the house.

One last thing:

These three items are such a cool gift to give young teens, or even some adults. The Bigfoot flags, and the Bigfoot dress-up clings are perfect for people fascinated with the Bigfoot tall tells. And, anyone that is a Stranger Things fan will love this Mad Libs. We are fans of both, so I can vouch that these would be perfect gifts. You can pick one, or all of them up at the links below.

      Bigfoot Research Kit        Bigfoot Vinyl Dress-up Kit       Netflix Stranger Things Mad Libs

Positive affirmations this week:

The better we take care of ourselves the longer and happier life we can live. Below is some tips to add to your life that could help you live just a bit longer.

•Eating more nuts.

•Staying physically active.

•Avoiding stress.

•Eating plenty of plant foods.

•Refrain from smoking.

•Having a healthy social circle.

You can do this! 🌈

Have a nice weekend.

Five Simple Things (June 21)

 Hello.

Here are five things this week.

1. This popsicle.

Because we are collecting the sticks for prizes from Jonny Pops, and we are almost there. If you're looking for organic options in frozen treats, these are our absolute favorite.

2. These boxes.

This week Might Nest, Kiwi Eco Box, and Misfits Market came all in one day. I love this Caldrea spray a lot. I've used Caldrea before, but I've never used the room spray. My favorite product from Kiwi Eco Box is the Dish Block. We have been getting better at cutting our plastic use and this definitely helps with that mission. Misfits Market haul this week was a hit. We ordered random things, nothing too needed, but with their 10% off, we couldn't pass up the order. You can get 10% off with your first order, too. Check them out here.

3. This suncatcher.

Skylar and got two of these glass drip suncatchers the last time we were at the coast. There's a lot of glass works shops alone the coastline and all of them are unique. We also picked up some small fishing floats to put on our bookshelves. But these suncatchers were our favorites. I got a clear one and Skylar picked up a red one.

4. This kitty.

She is always such a pretty kitty. I love how much she loves us.

5. This day.

Father's Day we celebrated Jeff and all of the great things he does for our family. He works so hard to provide of good, safe, and loving environment for all three of us. He told us the day before Father's Day that he has never felt so loved in his whole life. That he can be himself, without judgement, and he will always do what he can to give that back to Skylar and me. It meant a lot to hear that, especially with everything we have been through in our 24 years of knowing each other. Jeff asked for noise-canceling headphones, so we got him the same ones that I have been using for years. They are from Raycon and they are the best ones we have found to help with noise overstimulation. I always found these Fourth of July shirts for the boys and got them matching ones. I think they both look handsome. Happy Father's Day, Jeff!

One last thing:

Hardy is always watching out for me. He has gotten more protective of me since my surgery in 2020. I love how loving and loyal he is. He loves all of us and we love him so much.

Positive affirmations this week:

Keep this in mind when you first wake up. A good habit to get into is to use an actual alarm clock and not your phone, and keep your phone in another room to charge at night. It is hard at first, because you built a habit around your phone daily, but over time it gets easier. Make a point not to look at your phone for the first hour when you wake up. If emergencies are an issue, have the volume for calls up on your phone at night, so you can hear it, but mute everything else.

Have a nice weekend.

Five Simple Things (June 14)

 Hello.

Here are five things this week.

1. This project.

I bought this at the Grand Canyon gift shop when we were on our road trip in April. I still haven't painted it. I think I am holding onto it for the memories of our trip. I will paint it eventually, but for right now I like that I still have it unpainted.

2. This book.

Sunshine and a book makes for a good day.

3. This food.

I made kraut and kielbasa, as well as something my family calls, "Elizabeth Salad." It's named after my great great grandmother and it's a family secret. It's delicious! Interestingly enough, a tiny heart appeared on my spoon as I was eating it. (A little tip: A grapefruit spoon works best in breaking through the frozen surface.)

4. These goggles.

I'm not sure what I am going to do with them long term, but I thought they were cute. I will keep them in my surf bag for now.

5. These cards.

And old, but small collection from the 90s. I still don't know what I want to do with them, but for now I will keep them.

One last thing:

My neighbor gave me these to try. I had mentioned to her that I wish I could find a lemon flavored tea similar to Theraflu, but without the medicine in it. These for close, but they are still missing something. I will figure it out eventually, even if I have to create my own blend.

Positive affirmations this week:

Get better at saying, "It's fine."

You can do this!🌈

Have a nice weekend.