Life at a "Swell's" pace

Five Simple Things (January 19)

Hello.

Here are five things this week.

1. This "watcher."

She's keeping a neighbor hood watch look out for us all.

2. This candling.

We aren't sure how we feel about ear candling, but it was a cool experience.

3. This view.

Snow and ice everywhere this week.

4. These boxes.

A lot of great packages came this week and I loved everything that came. First was Kiwi Eco Box, and my favorite item in this box this month is the tea strainer. I'm always making large amounts of tea and drink on it all day, so this will definitely be used. The second was Kinder Beauty and my favorite thing in this box is the PURE'AM - Korean Toner. I'm a super fan of PURE'AM Amino Acid Facial Cleanser, so of course I love the toner. It's is great for dry skin and contains hyaluronic acid and works well with my sensitive skin. Third was a product that was sent to me to try for free. It is the L'Oréal Excellence Creme hair color in Naural Soft Black. Although, I don't use box color, I gave this a try. I had my hair stylist help me get that perfect shade. We only used a touch on my roots, but it definitely did the job. It wasn't drying, and my hair has a fresh root touch-up. If you are a box-color users, I do recommend this brand. (This product was sent to me for free from L'Oréal for testing purposes. All views and testing results are my own). Lastly, Mighty Nest Mighty Fix came this week. I love this subscription and I look forward to it each month. This month was the

5. This doggy.

Always the good boy sticking by my side when I'm working, sick, hurting, or when I'm needing comfort.♥

One last thing:

A new leaf on the cat palm made an appearance this week. It was also visited by some cute bugs that seemed like they were having a meeting on top of the new leaf. Skylar and I caught them and helped them outside. Best of luck to you, little bugs, and thanks for attending the coming out party for the new leaf.

Positive affirmations this week:

Be sure to always protect your peace, and most importantly, take care of yourself.

You can do this!🌈

Have a nice weekend.

Five Simple Things (January 12)

Hello.

Here are five things this week.

1. These noisemakers.

I found these noisemakers at an antique store and we were able to use them for New Years. All three of them make a different sound and I love how the tin sounds for each one. These are definitely toys we plan on keeping and passing down. These were from a local store here in the Valley, but here are some similar.

2. This craft.

I found this homemade desk organizer Skylar made for me when he was eight. When we were learning cool things in our homeschool classroom (Rain Valley Red Snails) one of the things we enjoyed twice a month was educational boxes from KiwiCo. We learned about pinball machines, pullies, sea life, computers, space, claw machines, marble runs, you name it, we learned it. It's a great STEM learning tool for kids of all ages, and even adults. Check it out here!

3. These phones.

Skylar and I got new cell phones this week. It's been a long time coming. We aren't Apple users and definitely Samsung users all the way. These two phones are upgrades from our old phones, so we are looking forward to getting to know all of the ins and outs of these new phones.

4. This kid.

We just love him so much! His personality is the best!♥

5. These tunes.

Nothing beats finding great tunes on vinyl.

One last thing:

Homemade soup on repeat right now. This is homemade chicken noodle soup.

Positive affirmations this week:

Always.

If you aren't currently living within your means, take the time to reevaluate where your time, money, and goals are. Write down where everything goes and mark off things you can cut. If it's credit debt, most financial planners will tell you to start with the largest one first and work your way to the smaller one. But what I find helpful is still working on the largest one, but also work on the smallest one, too. Once you pay off the smallest one, work on the next smallest, while still working on the larger one. Paying on smaller ones at the same time makes you feel like you are getting closer to that light at the end of the tunnel. If time is what's causing you not to live within your means, then do the same. Write down where you time is going and mark off things you can do without. And remember, telling people "NO" is not something you should feel guilty about. If it makes your mental health worse being part of something, then that's a red flag. Stop going. Every three months, or as the seasons change, reevaluate your goals, money, and time. If you need help, reach out to a trained financial adviser, life coach, or counselor. You can do this!

You can do this!🌈

Have a nice weekend.

Five Simple Things (January 5)

Hello.

Here are five things this week.

1. These decorations.

When the sun goes down, it all lights up for the holidays.

2. This pie.

Since my homemade apple pie was a hit I decided to make another one for New Years. Another hit to bring in the new year with.

3. This woodpecker.

We went to leave on Wednesday this week and there was a woodpecker having his breakfast in one of the Hawthorn Trees in front of our house. He let us watch him for about 10 minutes and then he went on his way.

4. This fog.

Another week of fog here. Winters on the west coast are starting to get to me mentally, and physically. We have been wanting to move out of the city for awhile, but we may even most out of the area completely. It's still on the table, so we'll see.

5. These antiques.