Five Simple Things (February 12)

Hello.

We went from just rain to sleet and more rain, and then it all froze. Shortly after it froze freezing rain fell and covered everything in a shell of ice. It looked as though everything, literally everything, was incased in ice. The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) was on top of it and laid a layer of lava rock on the highways and roads. Traction wasn't an issue once daylight came, but before that it was slick. Jeff leaves for work at around 4:30-5:00 a.m. and he said he expected it to be slick, but it wasn't as bad as he feared. Of course, he did say that ODOT was working away to keep everything safe. With this weather we didn't do much this week, so we focused on getting a few rooms cleaned. Skylar worked on his school work for the year and I gave the bathroom and kitchen a good scrub down. With the Coronavirus pandemic and us shopping outside the home, I like to stay on top of cleaning and keeping germs at bay. I found some germicidal bleach before the pandemic hit to use while recovering from my surgery and I'm glad I did. I've been using a small amount to clean the floors, doors, walls, and even sinks and anything that gets touched frequently. Here are five things this week.

1. These Blackboards.

Going through things in our house we found these blackboard signs we used for the cotton candy during Halloween. These were part of the Brit Kit co-op I participated in several years ago, and I was happy they reappeared. They are pretty cool and I plan on using them for random things in the future.

2. This CBD.

CBD has become a staple in our house. This tincture does wonders on aches and pains, and actually helps with sleep and anxiety, too. It's organic and tastes like a candy cane. You can pick some up here. You can learn more about the benefits of CBD here.

3. This Tree.

These trees are at Jeff's work and cast the best shadows during his lunch break. Skylar and I drove out to have lunch with him this week and enjoyed the sun finally out and had a nice day.

4. These Boxes.

Mully Box used my picture for their ad on Instagram and I was extremely honored. You can follow them on Instagram here, or follow me on Instagram here.

A few of the subscription boxes that came this week were Yogi Surprise, Mully, and Mighty Nest. Of course Yogi Surprise is ending soon, so it won't be available to subscribe, but Mully and Mighty Nest are awesome. You can sign up for Mully here, and Might Nest here.

5. This Episode.

Our latest episode of the podcast is up and live now. It's an episode of a man that was considered a genius, but lacked a lot of abilities to be a decent human being. You can listen to this episode here.

Positive affirmations this week:

Have a nice weekend.

Five Simple Things (February 5)

Hello.

This week we did a bit of "ad" spot with the Velveeta Fresh Packs I received a few weeks ago from Influenster. We created some dishes with the packs and enjoyed them during our game night. We also had some storms roll through. As much as I get tired of the rain this season it was welcomed because of how rough last summer was for us all here. The storm clouds were actually a pretty sight and after the rain moved through a huge complete rainbow came. We did a bit of baking and also took two loads of clothing donations to the clothing bins. We are slowly seeing the light at the end of the tunnel with our minimizing and downsizing. I am pleased with where we are right now, but honestly, keeping things in check is an ongoing process. Not bringing in things and keeping a constant eye on when things start getting out of hand. Minimalism is something that isn't just a one time thing, it's literally you being on your toes and being fully aware of the items that don't earn their place in your house anymore, and preventing new items from coming through the door. I actually feel happier and sleep better without all the things taking up space. Here are five things this week.

1. This Sky.

Sometimes the rain is a good thing and you can't get rainbows without rain.

Jeff sent me this view of the rainbow today from his work parking lot. It seems all of us got a dose of good today.

2. This Eagle.

Eagles tend to frequent the Valley recently. I don't remember them being as prominent when I first moved here, but the last few years they have populated the Valley floor. It's interesting to see them around, and one thing I didn't realize is how big their wingspan is when they take flight. This eagle was seen near Halsey, Oregon. I got as close as I could, but he definitely was watching me the whole time. I got the pictures I wanted and left without disturbing him. My anxiety was pretty high the entire time because it was scary to some degree being this close to an amazing bird of prey.

3. This Bread.

Made some banana bread this week and we enjoyed it literally every day for breakfast all week. I use a basic banana recipe and sometimes I use pureed pumpkin to make the same recipe. Both are delicious!

4. These Boys.

They were loading the back of the car while I was watching on the reverse camera and caught them at just the right moment.

5. This Ad.

I was sent a full sized Velveeta Fresh Packs to try out in my own home and create something delicious with. I'm not the greatest cook, but I whipped up a cheese dip worthy of praise. Jeff and Skylar enjoyed it during our game night this week and they loved my version of it. I used two of the Velveeta Fresh Packs, one can of green chilies, and two tomatoes diced. I added a bit of cayenne pepper to give it a little kick. And, although we don't purchase Velveeta products frequently, this dip was amazing! I've linked all of the products I used in this recipe, so you can create it yourself! I received this as part of an influencer campaign with Influenster and Velveeta. 

Positive affirmations this week:

Have a nice weekend.

End of January 2021 (1 Second Every Day)

 

Five Simple Things (January 29)

Hello.

Wow, January went by rather quickly, it seems. We've been focusing on our homeschool classroom and getting things back in order to start a new year. I can't believe Skylar is going to be in the eleventh grade this year. Next year he will be a senior and I am sad about that. We've had a good eight years of homeschool and I've really enjoyed teaching him. We've both learned a lot through this process, but we have a solid two years left to pack in as much as we can. Skylar told us that he wants to go to medical school. I expected him to go to college, but never did I expect him to go to medical school. Of course, we will do everything in our means to make that happen for him and support him in whatever he decides to do with his life. We also went to the bay front this week to have dinner. Newport, Oregon, just has a different feel to it at night. I love how quiet it is there when the sun goes down. Here are five things this week.

1. This Gate.

This was a gate we saw near Salem, Oregon. I've looked online, but can not find any information as to what this is, or what it means, but the fact that an actual crow was sitting on the gate, made my day!

2. This Doggy.

Such a good boy. He turned 12 recently and is still as spunky as he was when we adopted him from the Humane Society. 

3. This Evening.

Dinner in Newport, Oregon, this week was magical. It was calm and quiet and gave us a moment to enjoy the bay front in a different way. Fisherman were hard at work, though, pulling in and cleaning their catch from the day. It was a nice evening.

4. These Boxes.

These two subscription boxes came this week. The one on the left is the Cairn box and the one on the right is Kiwi Eco Box for January. We love these boxes, but have decided to cancel the Cairn box soon. We have loved everything that's come in the boxes each month, but we are focused on a more eco-friendly lifestyle and downsizing more, so it doesn't suit our needs anymore. The Kiwi Eco Box, however we will be continuing and I highly recommend this box if you are looking to change your lifestyle like we are. You can sign up for next month's box here.

5. These Edibles.

Finding these edibles have been great this week. I got a few of them to last me a few months. They are 50mg doses and I cut them into 5mg doses. These edibles are actually taffy and are real fruit with THC oils added. They are perfect for now and the 5mg actually takes the edge off from my anxiety. I cut them up and place them in an air tight container until needed. 

Our latest podcast episode is out. Check it out at the podcast link above.

Positive affirmations this week: 

Have a nice weekend.

Five Simple Things (January 22)

Hello.

We are feeling a bit less of the stress from the nation as a whole now it seems. Thank god, right? Hopefully things will start to improve slowly with the new president in office now. I am just looking forward to seeing less crazy actions from people and more calm. Unfortunately, the pandemic hasn't really made things "go back to normal," but at least we are seeing a little light at the end of the tunnel. My heart monitor checkup is this coming week, so hopefully I get some answers there, too. I am anxious about finding out about my anxiety. Odd how that works. Overall, I am starting to remain calm and focus on myself more, and as Jeff puts it, telling everyone else "NO." Which, I have a hard time doing, but am working on it slowly. Overall, it's been a nice week, so I hope it lasts. Here are five things this week.

1. This Easel. 

We couldn't find a decently made, or decently priced easel online, or in stores, so we made our own. It's a roughly made easel, but it works great for our homeschool classroom. We are really enjoying it. You can see more about it here.

2. These Signs.

I love black and white road signs. And, I am really enjoying the street names on these streets in Monmouth, Oregon. 

3. This Kid.

I love his creativity.

4. These Lights.

I bought these fairy lights to liven up my room and to bring a bit of light in the evenings to boost my mood. I really like them so far.

5. This Game.

I love CLUE and this past Christmas I received the Downtown Abbey CLUE game. We've played it a few times already and I love it!

Did you catch the first quarter moon on January 20?

Our latest podcast episode is out, and you can check it out at the podcast link above on this blog.

Also, I got a yearly wrap up from Spotify of all the songs I jammed to over the 2020 year. It's interesting to see which songs I enjoyed most of the time over others. I plan on using this wrap up to organize my playlists better for the 2021 year.

Positive affirmations this week: 

Have a nice weekend.