Five Simple Things (March 7)

 Hello.

Here are five things this week.

1. This sky.

The clouds will never stop impressing me here on the west coast.

2. These finds.

We checked out a few estate sales this week and I found some cute items. The flower frog is definitely going to be put to use soon.

3. This map.

At that same estate sale Skylar found this topographic map of The Island of Maui. He loves geology and this map being part of the U.S. Department of the Interior Geological Survey makes it that much better. Now, where to hang it?

4. This purse.

Another estate sale item. I'm not sure if I want to hang it in the bathroom with some items in it, or use it in the kitchen, or maybe even the bus... Decisions, decisions...

5. This night.

We participated in the IKEA After Dark Sleep Trivia Night, and some of the trivia questions stumped us, but we pulled it out in the end and won. We also participated in the selfie challenge through the store, as well. We ended up winning some great items from the night, spent some time around the store looking for anything we needed at home, and had a great time. One of the things we love about IKEA in Portland is how many great family events they have throughout the year. We are definitely going to be participating in this one in the future.

One last thing:

 

These Midnight Flora and Fauna Spiral Notebooks and these Honey Bees Short Juice Glasses are now in the shop. The notebook is 160 pages spiral-bound in this nature-lovers notebook. Great for school, journaling, or officer notes. I am still an avid list maker and I love jotting down brain dumps, or daily tasks in spiral-bound notebooks. These honey bees juice glasses caught my eye immediately when looking for kitchen goods for the shop. I love honey bees and these have the perfect, hand-painted bees to grace your breakfast table or to just grab a glass of water. They are delicate honey bee paintings, so be sure to hand wash these cute glasses. You can check out the rest of the Five Simple Things shop here.

Positive affirmations this week:

The truth behind this is sad but real. There are many people who are labeled as sensitive and deal with numerous quiet, unresolved situations that they try to keep in their own hearts and minds. It's a difficult place to be in, in some situations. Often, sensitive people are labeled incorrectly; they are thought of as rude, antisocial, dramatic, or even callous. The truth is, there's a great deal of hurt involved in being a sensitive person, especially when someone does or says something that they know is wrong to say or do, yet blames the sensitive person for it. To add more hurt on top of that, they tell the sensitive person they hurt that they are being too sensitive. It's a tactic that allows bullying behavior to get a free pass at the sensitive person's expense. If you are one of the sensitive types, just know that it is not your fault. There are a lot of people in the world who cannot handle someone actually being kind to them, or, on the opposite end, dismiss them completely when the sensitive person calls out betrayal or repeated disrespect. It is not your job to coddle the betrayer or the person disrespecting you at your expense. As for the hurt, therapy can be a great way to navigate through the pain that we carry. Being sensitive is a superpower, not a flaw. Just know that. Those who use it against you are often people who need a different kind of therapy themselves. And those are their issues to bear, not yours.

You can do this!🌈

Have a nice weekend.

Five Simple Things (February 28)

 Hello.

Here are five things this week.

1. This box.

Kiwi Eco Box came this week and I love these cloth pads. I've used this for years and they help keep waste to a minimum when my cycle hits. On light days, I definitely reach for one of these over a single-use cotton pad. On heavy days, I use organic cotton Rael pads.

2. This hook.

We love our Rain Valley Red Snails Little Free Library dog hook. We dedicated it to our beloved Baz who passed away in 2017. He was a good boy, and now Hardy gets to use the hook, and other dogs that visit our little library box. Good boys deserve good walks, too.🐾

3. This egg.

Mali has started laying her eggs for the season. This was the first one she laid and she was so proud of it. We just love her!

4. This breakfast.

Sunday mornings are always the best breakfast mornings in our house. On the back of the oven is homemade bread dough proofing. 

5. These flowers.

Little flowers in our own backyard help bring the fresh flower feeling to the house, too.

One last thing:

This popcorn popper has been getting a work out lately. We have been watching movies and TV series lately and munching our way through the popcorn kernels. No regrets!

Positive affirmations this week:
Anxiety is hard to navigate life with, and at times it almost takes over your mental process. Therapy has helped me with different ways to control what anxiety I am feeling at what times. Anxiety disorders are mental health conditions characterized by excessive, uncontrollable fear or worry that disrupts daily life. The most common types are, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), panic disorder, social anxiety disorder (social phobia), Agoraphobia, separation anxiety disorder, and selective mutism. All of these are forms of anxiety that can affect even the most simple tasks. Those that don't have these anxiety issues, it's hard to describe to them just how much it affects you. But, small changes in how we think about these situations, as well as medication and therapy, we can help live a better life. There is no shame in any mental health issue, or mental illness. It is brave to reach out for help, and it's even braver to talk about it. The more we speak about mental health issue and end the stigma, the more comfortable people can feel about reach out for help.
You can do this!🌈

Have a nice weekend.

Five Simple Things (February 21)

 Hello.

Here are five things this week.

1. This bell.

This week our custom brass bell came for my mom and dad. They have been married for 50 years and that needed to be marked with something they could enjoy for years to come. I went on a hunt to find something that they would enjoy and would be a conversation piece for visitors, too. We went with Brass Bell. They were great to work with on this gift, and also made us feel important. I wanted to have it shipped to our house first, so I could put a card in with the gift. I can not wait until they open it and see this beautiful bell commemorating their 50 years together.

2. This box.

Birch Box came this week. My favorite thing in this shipment is the Séxūal Noir Parfum by Michel Germain. I love that it's in roller form and the smell is subtle and nice. I am fragrance sensitive, but this one was perfect for me.

3. This rain.

We were hoping for snow, but the rain came instead.

4. This puzzle.

Another week of working on the Alice in Wonderland puzzle. Slowly, we are putting the little pieces together one by one.

5. These flowers.

Still keeping fresh flowers each week.

One last thing:

These Mystical Fortune Teller Pencils are now in the shop. They are the coolest thing. They come in a set of 10 pencils. Heat from your hand and rubbing friction produces the color change message. Each pencil reveals a different answer in the box of 10. They are super fun for kids, and honestly adults, too. They are priced in the shop right now for $12.99 for a set of 10. Thy also come in the cool box posted here. You can check out the rest of the Five Simple Things shop here.

Positive affirmations this week:

Let them sense when you aren't afraid of them anymore. Let them stress about that feeling for a change. Setting boundaries is a form of self love. Keep setting them and keeping distance from those that don't respect them.
You can do this!🌈

Have a nice weekend.