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.
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.
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.
The new year hasn't really lessened the blow from the Coronavirus pandemic and it's unfortunate that people are still losing their lives. I'm just glad we have a new president in office and a lot of the stress from the past one is starting to die down. I'm not political, I just don't like all the negativity that was the result of the last one in office. It seemed to just bring out the worst in people. We live in a "blue" state here in Oregon, but we live in a very "red" county. We've seen a lot of things the last two years that were unbelievable. Being yelled at while walking into a grocery store that we are sheep for wearing a mask is just beyond ridiculous. There's people protesting over things they can't control, and then there's people holding signs that the election was stolen. It's almost too much. My anxiety has been getting better, but leaving the house is becoming more of an irritation than anything else. I've started using more online services for things just so I don't have to see these people standing around screaming. Hopefully, it all dies down sooner than later. On a positive, we saw a beautiful skyline again, and received a few of our subscription boxes, so we had a good week otherwise. I got my heart monitor removed and sent in for analyses. Looking forward to seeing the results from that soon. Here are five things this week.
1. These Lights.
An ambulance was called for a neighbor down the street, not sure why, but the lights lit up the bedroom. Jeff said that they were okay otherwise, but the lights seemed so bright in the middle of the night while they leaked through the curtains.
2. These Boxes.
I received the Laura Mercier box from Influenster to try for free. I love this brand and the blemish stick is amazing! The one to the right is from Mighty Nest and the razor was the Mighty Fix and the reusable garbage bag and sustainable toilet brush was the add on. Looking forward to changing out our long-used Preserve Razor handle for the new one. The green one we've used for about five years now. These razors last a long time and can be recycled into new razor handles after you're done with them.
Another Influenster free gift to try. We having used Velveeta in such a long time, so it was nice to receive this for free and make some cheese dip with it. I forget how great Velveeta taste and we used it for a "cheat" day meal. It was delicious!
This is the Cairn box for December. With the Coronavirus pandemic, it was backed up with shipping and we received it this week with the January box below.
This was the Mully box for January and Jeff loves this box. They really have great items in their boxes each month. If you're into golf this is definitely the box to try.
This is January's Cairn box. If you're into camping, hiking, or even just some outdoors time, give this one a go.
3. This Sunset.
Amazing sunsets this week. This one was glowing pink and red and was impossible to miss.
4. This Syrup.
It's one of my favorite things from IKEA and I love that they've gone more eco-friendly with the packaging. If you haven't tried this, you're missing out. It's delicious and it's alcohol-free.
5. This Spider.
Most people flip out over spiders in their house and most of the time we catch them and put them back outside, but this one is allowed to stay. It's has a web spun around the nightlight and I can't bring myself to destroy it. For now it can stay. Spiders don't live that long and I hope it hangs out for awhile. It's quite interesting to look at.
Our latest podcast episode is out. Check it out at the podcast page at the top of this blog. It's a good one, too!
Positive affirmations this week: I love this quote. If you bring negative energy into our home you will be asked to leave. You can pick this sign up here.
Life at a "Swell's" pace is a lifestyle and travel blog chronicling the life and travels while living in Oregon's beautiful Willamette Valley. It is mostly written by Shelly HW. Click the image to learn more»
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