The Mighty Fix from Mighty Nest last month was these herb scissors. I've wanted some of these for awhile now, so this Fix hits just right. We decided to have baked potatoes this week with all the fixings, including chives. I used my herb scissors to make quick work of the herb to use on our potatoes. It was the perfect cut and size. Definitely a must in any house that cooks, or like me, attempts to cook. ☺
You can sign up for the Mighty Fix from Mighty Nest here and get on the mailing list for next month.
2. These Cookies.
We tried a new festive way to dress up sugar cookies. I am not really big on icing sugar cookies, mostly because I don't want to take the time, but sprinkles I'm all about. These sprinkles are non-gmo and USDA organic and they bring such a fun addition to anything, really. We used a basic sugar cookie recipe and then shaped the cookie dough into a log and rolled in sprinkles. You can also freeze the log and then coat with a little melted butter or water and roll in sprinkles. Either way will work and still bake up the same.
The recipe we used is as follows:
2 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. sea salt
2 sticks cooled, room temperature butter
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 large egg
1 egg yolk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and whisk/sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix in an electric mixer the butter and sugar and mix until fluffy. Add egg and yolk one at a time, mixing after each addition. Slowly add the flour mixture and mix until combined. Form dough into a log and roll in sprinkles. Slice into 1/4 inch cookies and bake for 12-14 minutes. Don't over bake.
3. This Box.
Kinder Beauty Box this month brought a few things that I haven't tried before. A body mud mask, flyaway hair gel, and apple cider vinegar gummies. I love having an opportunity to try different items that I have thought about, but never purchased. The body mud felt amazing and I've already started taking the apple cider vinegar gummies. I also got a chance to try the hair gel to help with baby hairs. Such great products, and I'm never disappointed in each box that comes. You can sign up here to get on the mailing list for next month.
4. This Weather.
We got a random sleet storm this week and it left as quickly as it came in. It lasted all of five minutes and was gone. We didn't realize what it was right away until we heard the sleet hitting the windows and had to look outside to be sure. Sometimes these freak sleet storms are cool to watch and listen to.
5. This Milk.
This milk was something new that we saw at our local food co-op and I loved the message behind it. It's a carbon-neutral milk and helps fight the damage on the climate. It's from a brand named Neutral. We purchased a half gallon of the milk to taste it and it tasted perfect to us. You can read more about their efforts here. They also create half and half and cheese products.
One more thing:
Skylar and I have been watching the LEGO livestream this week and we are loving it! You can watch a small snippet of it above, or watch the entire two hours here.
Positive affirmations this week:
Talking more about what I struggle with has helped me a great deal. We must keep talking about mental health to destroy this stigma attached to it and those that suffer with issues get heard more. When we brush things under the carpet, so to speak, it builds up and also causes a lot of issues later. Talking and speaking about topics more helps everyone handle it better, and helps those that need it to be heard. Below is a list of 10 ways you can help reduce the stigma behind mental health issues that could very well save someone's life.
This year for Valentine's Day I got up early and made heart-shaped waffles and heart-shaped eggs for us. The waffle maker I used is from Dash and when I saw it online I knew immediately that I had to have it. We had snow on the ground and it made the day even better having a warm themed breakfast for thing in the morning. We started the fireplace and just enjoyed the day together. Everyone loved the heart-shaped waffles, which were blueberry, and the heart-shaped eggs. I also incorporated the Love Day breakfast with fresh strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries. It was a perfect start to the day. Scroll to the end of this post to get one of these super cute waffle makers for yourself.
Rainbows have always been something we love in this house. The day after Baz passed away there was a huge, bright rainbow in the sky. We all were so heartbroken that he was no longer with us, but the rainbow helped us feel like he was telling us he was okay. We have been drawn to them ever since. Every time we see a rainbow, they seem to appear when we are having some rough days and we always yell out, "BAZ!" We feel it's his way of saying, "Hey, I'm here and it's going to be okay." There are several rainbows in this house on random items. From doormats, to neon light, to now a mug. This mug I found randomly after a horrible mental health moment and it came with perfect timing. You can get one here.
2. This View.
Saw the sun for just a moment today. The winter season is so long and can affect mental health issues a lot, but every day there's sun I try my best to soak up as much as I can.
3. This Kitty.
Eleven goes from wild kitty to comfort kitty in a matter of minutes. First she's fighting the enemy of the bathroom rug to jumping on my bed and kneading the biscuits. She's such a funny cat.
4. This Night.
This week started Skylar's college life. He had to take a test this week and he felt pretty good about it, so we'll see where that test puts him, as far as his classes.
5. This Lid.
Always.
One last thing:
We have been having a lot of fun with these Colorforms Brand mini games. We love the Monopoly's little pieces and four times in a row I beat Skylar at Battleship. ☺
Positive affirmations this week:
Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it. Keep that in mind the next time someone tries to get a rise out of you. Not everything is yours to carry and if you can, get away and stay away for those that want to cause you emotional and mental harm. You can do this!
We got in a quick surfing time this week, but only for about four hours. We have been so busy lately that we haven't had the time to get over to the coast for more than a few hours. We are on a desperate hunt for property for sale near where we surf, so we can have a week of surfing over just a couple of days here and there. This trip was a nice getaway from our schedule, though, so we can't be too upset, even if it was just for a few hours. To see more of our surfing trips click the surfboard icon on the righthand side of the blog, or check out our surfing blog at High Society Surf.
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»