Checkerboard Bread Box

First, I have to apologize to all the English Majors out there that might be critiquing the spelling here. Is it two words for both "checkerboard" and "bread box"? I figured one for the word "checkerboard" because it describes a pattern, and two words for the box as Bread describes the box. LOL! Whatev...

It is that time of year where as a mom, you have spent a lot of time focusing on your children and other people. Christmas decorating, shopping, and the regular stuff we do. If you are like me, you are craving to do something for you or your home but cannot put a lot of time and effort into it. So I bring you this very small Breadbox redo.

Navigating the Negativity

Image Source

When I posted my most recent post about my Acceptance Letter and new About Me page, it was with a huge internal battle, and a lot of prompting from trusted friends. I knew that if I chose to go down that road there were going to be a lot of haters out there. There would be people to judge me for talking openly about my story. These people would range from those I thought to be friends, or women in my situation that choose to just accept their spouses activities, people that are ignorant to the life of a partner of an addict, and finally either addicts themselves. Let's face it, the guilty take the truth to be hard. The question for myself and one I had for others was how do I get through this part of telling my story and not let it affect me?

Table Redo Part 1

So I know for the last year in my Coming Up section has been some info about redoing my current table. The day I sprayed that first chair, it snowed later that night. Ugh... Total frustration! It put a damper on getting anything else on it done. I do believe now it was divine intervention as my life has so drastically changed that if I would have redone that table, it would have been for nothing...

Keep Moving

So this post has been in the works for months!! Like, for a lot of months. And I don't know what to name it, and I don't know how to start it. All I know is the jist of what I want to say. But even that seems to have me pressing my back space in frustration too often. See, in the world of social media and Internet, it is still all in text and what one may or may not say is left open to interpretation as there is no tone of voice, intonation, or inflection...leaving a reader to wonder the intent behind some words.

Halloween Scary Garden

If you have not caught on yet that I love Fairy Gardens, you should know...I love Fairy Gardens! I have 2 posts on them, both here and here. When I was a wee child, I remember adoring all things tiny- to the point I may or may not have a vague memory of a doctors' visit removing a miniature baby bottle from a nasal cavity. So of course with #Halloween being the absolute best holiday of the year, hands down, there definitely needs to be some sort of miniature garden for the spooky season. One completely dedicated to ghosts, goblins, zombies, spiders, tombstones, etc. and the list goes on. I live in Utah y'all, so having actual live plants with it had to be negotiable.

Simplify Your Calendar: Repeating Appointments

It is that back to school time of year, and I have already failed almost every one of my "New School Year" resolutions. If you are like me, you think the kids are going back to school and you will be the perfect you again. Oh contraire... I don't know why I do this to myself, but I do... Every. Single. Year. I was reading the other day on Momastery her September Scandal. I laughed so hard, and then cried because I do this too. After reading it, I grabbed my big girl panties, and decided I am going to take it one day at a time...but for real. The emotional burnout I went through a while ago has been slowing down, and I feel like I am healing from that chaos. I also realize I am my own nemesis, as I seem to create too much for myself frequently. Which brings me to this post... Simplifying what you see on your calendar to create a less overwhelming sight!

Skin Care: Moisturizing

So, we are finally at the end of our skin care series... because only here doe it take months to post 5 posts about skin care. Thank you to those who have been so patient. For those of you tuning in when this is all finished, well- you are the lucky ones. :)

Here are the quick links to the rest of the series:

1. Exfoliation
2. Cleansing
3. Toner & Astringents
4. Moisturizing- this is where we are today.

Skin Care: Toner & Astringent

Finally, we are nearing the end of our skin care series. I am sorry for the long delay. I have had some personal stuff going on, a sick little one, a fractured arm for my #3 child, and newborn baby bunnies being fed by a dropper! Yes, I am feeling like I am running from one moment of chaos to another moment of chaos. So picking up where we left off- here is a quick recap with some quick links, this is where we have been and where we are today.

Skin Care: Cleansing

I would like to apologize for not having this out sooner. As part of my therapy for my knee is to begin activity, but slowly. A little cardio seemed in order. Apparently 15 minutes of kickboxing was not slow enough! The next day, the muscles in my hands were so tight I could barely open them and then typing was almost impossible! 

I have been talking about my Skin Care routines as of late. I have people asking me about it all the time. I don't think I am spectacular or anything, I get asked a lot, and so I am sharing what I do and what I use and have used. This is where we are right now:

Skin Care: Exfoliation | Scrubs: Sugar vs Salt?

I hope ya'll got a chance to read about Skin Care: The Basics. If not, now might be a good time to catch up. This is a second post in the skin care series. I am a practicing Licensed Massage Therapist that knows about the anatomy of the skin, it's function, metabolism, etc, and I have learned my fair share regarding skin care. I am licensed in doing body mud and seaweed wraps, and salt and sugar scrubs. But most of what I offer today is based off of my own experiences creating the knowledge I have. 

Long before my success in making some DIY Whipped Body Butter and Homemade Lotion, I was using a DIY body and face scrub. If there is one thing I feel I am pretty serious about, it is skin care. Not just care of the face, but actually all the skin: arms, hands, elbows, knees, legs... I kind of feel like since it's the only skin I've been given, I need to take care of it.

Skin Care: The Basics

I think for where I am in my life, my skin looks pretty good. At 37 years old, I don't have major signs of skin aging. I have been able to control breakouts and acne even though I have some hardcore PCOS. My children have not yet told me I look "old". In fact, I usually get compliments from complete strangers about my skin and complexion? (Not friends so much-what's up with that? Lol!) In fact, when I am in the makeup aisle of any local Walgreen's, Target, or Wal-Mart, I usually have a lady ask me what I use. So, I guess it is time for a post about what I do and my thoughts and feelings towards skin care.

Are You In The Club?

Are you in "The Club"? I know this is a really cryptic title, and it is supposed to be- an attention grabber is what I am hoping for. Something that at fills you with curiosity so you have to read on to find out what I am talking about? Is it working? :) In all seriousness, I have a desire this post will reach a lot of people as I believe so many are affected by this theory of mine and do not exactly know how to put this into words-both sides of the "club line". Trust me, I am going to explain.

My Room With a View...To the Blessings of Heaven

On February 19 I had another knee surgery. Yes, I did just have one 11 months ago. And yes, it is on the same knee. That makes this the 4th one on good ol' lefty. Two of these four were done more than 16 years ago, and I hadn't had any problems since. But I think I am just beginning to live the life I was meant to live.

Self Care: Not Just a Simple Concept

In the last few months I have been on a journey and it has taken me places I never knew possible. It started in September with my first panic attack, and I wrote my post about Emotional and Mental Burnout. It has been a very personal journey, but has also given me insight and perspective into, and for, the way most of us live our lives.

Homemade Lotion {Bars}

A few of my kiddos have skin issues in the colder months. When Bradley was little he would get these dark red patches in his elbows, behind his knees- and as he has gotten older, his hands crack open and bleed on his knuckles, poor kid. Megan does too. I was grateful for a practical doctor that just had us mix Aquaphor and a tube of Hydrocortisone Cream together and that was as good as any prescription we tried, and that did the trick. But honestly- hydrocortisone is a steroid. Do I really want to put that on their skin for 5 straight months? Not really....

Organizing Little Important {Annoying} Extras

This post is just going to be keeping it real. The pictures are kind of lame, and there is not a ton of fluff to add. It is what it is: I am okay with it. I just want it known though... :)
A while ago my friend stopped to pick something up. And while she was here she said something like "Hey, do you have those papers we talked about a few weeks ago?" I grabbed the box I had them in and proceeded to give her what we had discussed. The next day she called and told me I really needed to blog about my "box". I had never really thought of it as anything spectacular but the more I thought about it, I thought maybe there are like 3 whole people looking for this solution. I know I never have found one.

Happy 2014: A Year for Self Care

I hope you all had a wonderful Holiday season (all 2 of my readers, lol!) I did, and just like everyone else, I am transitioning to the holiday let down. I have a love/hate relationship with this time of year. I love the newness of the year, a fresh start, and the opportunity to set some self improvement goals. But here in UT, it is cold, the snow is dirty, and inversion starts to really kick in, this is the hate part!

I am one of those sick tickets that love New Year's Resulotions.