Five Simple Things (June 2)

 Hello.

Here are five things this week.

1. This popsicle.

We recently discovered Jonny Pops. We love rainbows in our house and these popsicles are always a treat for us. We found these at our local food co-op, but after some online sleuthing we found some different varieties and you can use their "Product Locator" to find the ones you are looking for. There are also ones that you can order online and have them shipped right to you house. Since June is Pride Month, we love the multicolored flavor this month. The best part about these popsicles, they are organic and made with delicious flavors.

2. These prints.

We just love Hardy (aka Mr. Farts). He is getting older, so we are cherishing every moment with him. He turns 16 this coming November.

3. These subscriptions.

Mighty Nest and Kiwi Eco Box sent some great items this month. I'm not too keen on the metal lint remover, but I love the wool fabric fresheners. They are easy to use and take just a drop or two of essential oil and throw right into a drawer, backpack, and even in a lunch box. With Kiwi Eco Box, I love everything this month, especially the lunch box.

4. These plants.

Some plants thrive in Oregon and some don't. I'm still on a learning curve, even though I've been here for over 10 years. Right now, though there are some thriving plants, and they are putting on their best show. The older I get the more it bothers me when plants die. I have had people make fun of me being upset when one of my plants dies, but the way I see it, how can you value life when plants don't matter? I love that I care about all living things and not just the ones I pick and choose.

5. This day.

Sum... Sum... Summer time!

One last thing:

I have been using more CBD massage oils lately and this one is great. Unfortunately, this company has stopped selling this particular oil blend, but most reputable CBD massage oil companies take pride in their products and offer good oils. The best thing to do is read the label and do research on the company before buying. Here are a list of good ones that was put out through Massage and Fitness Magazine this year and two companies on the list make great CBD products. Remember, reading and doing a bit of research on any product will help you find just the right product for you. 

Positive affirmations this week:

Hot Tip! No shame in taking a break. Never feel guilty for concentrating on you. You are what matters the most! 

You can do this! 🌈

Have a nice weekend.

End of May 2023 (1 Second Every Day)

 

Bacon Jalapeño Poppers

This recipe has pretty much become a go-to for holiday snacks in our house. We sometimes make them before we take off to go camping, or before the weekend begins. They can be made up ahead of time and placed in an airtight container in the refrigerator and popped into the microwave, air fryer, or oven for a short time to warm them back up, because they are best served hot.

• 20-30 jalapeño peppers (seeded and cut lengthwise in half) **use gloves for this**
• 3-4 (8oz) blocks of cream cheese (room temperature)
• 1 tablespoon of onion powder
• 1 teaspoon of pepper
• 1 teaspoon of salt (to taste)
• 1 tablespoon of jalapeno juice (this adds some additional spice to the mix)
• 10-12 jalapeno seeds (more or less to your own spice tolerance)
• Cooked bacon (entire package)

Mix cream cheese, onion powder, pepper, salt, and seeds together in a bowl and fill each jalapeño shell with mixture. Be sure to overfill to your desired amount. Cut bacon into small diced pieces and sprinkle on top of cream cheese mixture. 

Place on baking sheet and bake for 20-30 minutes in a 350 degree oven, or until the tops are browned and bacon becomes crispy.

Enjoy!

Five Simple Things (May 26)

 Hello.

Here are five things this week.

1. This pottery.

Skylar brought these home from his class at LBCC and I just love them. Pottery is such a fun thing and if I had my own kiln I would be making it every day.

2. These fortunes.

The best part of Chinese take out is the fortunes, right?

3. This day.

It was a good day.

4. This coop.

This duck coop has been such a great addition to us having ducks, but the time has come to replace it with something new. We loved this duck house from the moment we set it up, but unfortunately these types of coops don't last long in the elements. The sides are made from a thin wood and aren't setup to last for long periods of time. Even if this coop was out of the elements, the overall construction isn't great. We have had to fix, repair, and even reconstruct a lot of the coop over the years and every time we cleaned out one part of the coop, it seems another part would need to be repaired. We are currently looking at getting a small shed, but right now we are limping the coop by until we decide.

5. This garden.

Our garden is coming along nicely and we see plants breaking through the soil. We are anxious to see what all is successful this year and what we are going to have for a harvest. This will be the last year that our garden is in this location. We already have plans on where to move it and start with fresh new beds. We can't wait, but for now, we are expecting a good harvest from this year's garden.

One last thing:

I've been working with a dietitian on foods to help me stay at a certain weight, but also help me stay on track. I've been working with her ever since my car accident happened where I lost a lot of weight and the hospital was worried that I would go back on old habits of an eating disorder. I have to eat a weekly determined number of calories every day and sometimes I have a hard time meeting those goals. I hate cooking, so Jeff and Skylar have been keeping me with those calories so that I can meet my calorie goals. I will be honest, sometimes it's really hard, but we can all do hard things. Especially things that help us stay health. Below is a couple of food options that were on the list of calories. Rice with one tablespoon of butter, and two tablespoons of nutritional yeast. The other option was four strips of bacon cooked in the oven and four protein pancakes with one tablespoon butter, one tablespoon jelly/jam, syrup, or honey. This day's calories were hard to get through. I don't like bacon that much, so I wasn't able to eat the entire plate, but I did the best I could and that's all that matters. If you too are struggling with having a good relationship with food, it is going to be tough some days, but overall it's so rewarding to reach a goal, even if it's small. 

Positive affirmations this week:

I have started leaving my phone in the kitchen to charge on the charging strip each night and I have gotten Skylar to do the same. We noticed one important thing when we started doing this, we get so much better sleep at night. I mentioned it to Jeff to do, too, but he uses his for his alarm in the morning, so that's a no-go for him... or is it? Using you phone for your alarm clock is one of the biggest issues with people sleeping with their phones next to their heads while they sleep. But breaking that happen only takes you removing the cell phone from the room. No one says you have to use your phone for that, you are choosing to do that. There are so many different alarm clocks on the market that can help you wake up just as efficiently. The best step would be to try it out on a day that you don't have to be at work, or any appointments. Give yourself some learning curve days, too. It's hard to break a habit, but that first step is all it takes. Your sleep will be so much better.

You can do this! 🌈

Have a nice weekend.

Our First Cold Plunge Experience

 My therapist recommended giving cold plunging a try, so I got Skylar and Jeff to do it with me. It was quite an experience, but I will say, all three of us felt amazing afterward and for a few days following. We have started with a galvanized metal stock tank that is large enough for us to sit with our legs completely submerged in the water. We are going to get into a routine of cold plunging at least twice a week and also incorporate cold showers into our daily routine, so we get into a pattern of where our bodies benefit from both.  We are being consistent with it, because my knee pain is almost nonexistent and I experience less headaches, backaches, and my mental health issues seem to be less intense when I do have a panic attack. Jeff said his arthritic shoulder and injured wrist feels about 80% better, and Skylar said he experiences better mental health and helps with his endurance when running. We will see how long this setup works for our needs and we will be upgrading to one that has a regulated chilling system, so we don't have to keep using ice. There is nothing wrong with this setup, if it's something you've been wanting to try, but our feedback on this setup is the constant using of bagged ice, or frozen ice blocks you can make yourself.