kiddos favorite apps

I have a tablet for work purposes that the kiddos can use occasionally, I don't think we will ever buy them their own tablet just for playing games, that's just not how we do. I have taught them that playing games on my work tablet is a privilege, it is not something that they get to do whenever they feel like it, and that this tablet is to be treated properly, they need to be calm, patient, and respectful with others peoples things. That's how it should be, don't ya think??

Time on the tablet is a once in awhile thing, just like having a chocolate chip cookie once in awhile is fine. Would you eat a chocolate chip cookie everyday and expect to be healthy? No! So take that same way of thinking and apply it to tablet time. It's really that simple.

Over the years we have found some fun apps, some not so great apps, and others that were a one time to check it out and it ended up being a dud. They are now 6 and 4 and I think we have a pretty great selection of fun AND educational apps for them to play on. I stress educational because I want them to learn to use technology as one of the educational tools in their belt. I believe that technology is good and can be a great learning tool but it needs to be incorporated with other learning tools, it is not the end all be all of our lives! It is not the only thing that you should concern yourself with and it makes me sick when I hear our older nephews only talk about video games!! I don't care if it's a computer game, XBox, or Nintendo Switch, if that is the only thing a kid talks about, there is something wrong and I think a major break from technology is needed!! No more, "well they are teenagers" or "that's what kids are into these days". I call bullshit!

My first and foremost favorite app we found for the kiddos is the PBS Parents Play app, it has games with letters, numbers, shapes, problem solving in a variety of ways ... it is all around fantastic! To piggy back on that the Cookie Monster Alphabet Kitchen if great too! They also like a character that is near and dear to my heart, and the artwork is spot on, The Very Hungry Caterpillar app by Story Toys is cute and the kids get to help the caterpillar along his adventure. I mention the app creator because there are a few different ones with that character.

There are a couple racing games that S likes, but he is really into Hot Wheels Race Off and he cars in the game are the ones that are sold in stores, so we have a few of the cars! He gets so excited when a car that he has pops up in the game, which is great because he then goes and gets that car and starts building tracks to race in the playroom! Sometimes its disappointing when he doesn't have the same moving parts or explosions like the game does {LOL!} but whatcha gonna do about that ... a teaching moment about real life versus pretend like movies, tv shows, and games I guess! Another one that he wants to play all the time is Lep's World, a knock off of Super Mario Bros with a leprechaun. It's so funny how much like Mario this one is, same imagery, same concept of things to maneuver through, same fun feeling when you accomplish a level! 

Both of my kids like the building games that I found, one is Thomas the Train. Even though we never watched the show, the idea of building your own little town with tracks and passages is great! A few tasks and challenges are thrown in to unlock different things and they really enjoy it. Another favorite along that line is Love Balls, a game designed to bring two spheres together by drawing lines in which they can roll down toward each other and each level is more difficult. There are a handful of games along this line, but the rolling balls are my kiddos favorite!

Tetris, Block! Hexa, and Flow are all shape fitting and sorting games that are a bit more difficult but fun none the less! The spacial thinking really gets them involved and I can see the wheels turning in their little heads trying to find the solution!

One of Z's favorite is Bubble Witch, where the different colored ball form together and she has to aim and shoot to pop the same color in time so they don't reach the bottom. She also likes Robots by iAbu22, it's one we stumbled upon somehow and its pretty cute! She gets to create her own robot and it flies thru a maze to find it's friend and she catches stars in the process!

A few calming, just let the mind wander apps we like are Glow Draw, Magic Fluids, and Particle Flow. I found these on Andriod after my sister showed me iZen. They are all just cool colors flowing on the screen and you can swipe in any direction to move the mass, just a vegging-out kinda thing!

Last but not least is one we all like to play and it really does do your brain some good, Luminosity. It's designed by scientists and designers, which features games to improve your memory, cognitive abilities, and problem-solving skills, through a daily mental training program. The kiddos love it, I love it, it trips us up and keeps us sharp! It's really fun and I highly recommend it!

I DON'T GET OLDER, I LEVEL UP

xo

party on!

We have birthdays in two seasons of the year, my birthday and my son's is in the summer and my husband's and my daughter's is in the winter. I'm holding true to "winter" because in St. Louis, March is still a ridiculousness of cold-just at freezing-temps a fair amount of the month! So I have two drastic styles of party planning when it comes to the kiddos and with them still little, it's pretty easy going.

We are still throwing family only parties for them, and this is just direct family, not all my husband's aunts and uncles and each of their groups of kids and grand kids, the house would burst at the seams if we did that! And it's great because all the cousins get along and fit in the playroom and there is just enough snacks and cake that we don't spend another high dollar grocery run on it. I'm offered a pot luck style gathering every time and that just doesn't work for me because then the kitchen is full of people and extra pots and the majority of the time when a pot luck is held at another family gathering, there is always one person who needs the oven or stove to cook their item instead of just bringing it already prepared! UGH! The only food requirements are gluten-free {which is easier than people think} and making sure nobody dips a chip and contaminates it for her, but usually she brings a few things for herself and I get her a pint of coconut milk or avocado based ice cream, which both are really tasty so don't knock it til you try it!

Summer parties are so much easier to host and I'm glad to have everyone over! Make outside a lovely shaded oasis, get the sprinklers and bubbles out, BBQ some meats, everyone stays outside for awhile and it works out great! We decorate the patio with lights to indicate that is where the party is, roll out the ice chest with drinks and the kids all run around until gift opening and they go home ... fantastic! Both parties, I have managed over the years, to find universal decorations and paper goods, Joe makes a great cake and we decorate that with homemade banners and other cuteness. So here are my tips and tricks for a great kids birthday party!

Keep it Simple! So simple, by starting with the character or theme the kid likes

and get basic colors of that character. Sonic the Hedgehog -- blue and red balloons, maybe go to Party City for a mylar balloon. Super Hero Girls -- purple, red, pink, yellow cake decoration cutouts that sat POW, ZAP, BOOM taped on toothpicks and stick in cake with her super hero dolls surrounding the cake. Very Hungry Caterpillar -- green and red plates and cups that I picked up at Dollar Tree or 5 Below.

Basic Kid Food! Pizza, hot dogs, and burgers are the best. You can find a lot of varieties of take and bake or just order from the place up the street. Burgers can be made ahead of time, buns are pretty inexpensive and so are condiments. Sandwhich fixings are a no brainer, place everything out, DIY so everyone gets what they like, it all tastes great and the kids will eat dinner among the chaos!

Veggie Trays are the Best! I always have a couple dips and a couple veggies cut up with a bag or two of chips and it always goes over well with guest. The kids eat it too! At times I've made a fruit platter but that usually goes into the freezer for smoothies after the party since nobody likes the texture of soggy fruit bowl for breakfast. 

Crockpot! We have done spinach dip in the crockpot a few times for our winter birthday parties and it is a hit! Anything you can toss in a crockpot and leave it to the side while the rest of the party gets fixed up is the best!  If you have someone with a bulk grocer card like Costco or Sam's Club, ask if you can go with them on the next trip to pick up any large bags of ingredients needed, it will really help you in the long run. Also, in the summer the crockpot doesn't give off heat like firing up the oven does!

Invites! I've made some pretty neat invitations on Publisher, already on my computer, with clipart or personal photos in the past, some have been an actual cut down to size card and others have been a flyer style, but I have to say the easiest and cheapest (FREE!) have been using Punchbowl. You can pay for upgraded invites, but I always find great free ones, and you can customize a bit with comments, potluck list, rsvp list, and reminders!

Don't Go Overboard! All the matching streamers, balloons, plates, invitations, labels for water bottles ... what!?! Why would I waste my time on labeling bottles that will be tossed in the recycling bin?! It's so much work! Yeah it have an impact on the whole "look" of the party maybe, but is there a magazine coming to photo this party for the cover or the feature article?? No! So don't bother with it. The amount of fun, the gifts, and the cool cake are the top three memory makers for any little kid, you know it is.

I always ask the kiddos what they want to do for their parties months ahead of time so if they change their mind (which has happened recently!) I'm not scrambling at the last minute! They kiddos always have ideas that I figured would manifest into a party for them, but it's recipes and other party foods that I want to take a peek at, see what is something different I can do this time. So then I head on over to my trusty idea board on PINTEREST to look up a few ideas, especially for cake decorating. Some are so elaborate ans crazy, I wish we could pull it off but there is usually a lower level back up to the professionals! I tell ya, we don't make super-delicious-its-so-fantastic cakes, but Joe really knows how to decorate a birthday cake, he's amazing at it!
In the end, it doesn't cost us as much as our wedding reception, and everyone has a great time, and that's what matters most! As they get older, I'm sure things will change, and venues will be needed, or they will develop expensive tastes, but I hope their memories of their younger birthday parties will stick with them forever!

TODAY I EAT CAKE

xo

my favorite apps

I have a lot of apps on my phone. Most I use, some are useless but were recommended, and others I'm hoping to get to someday soon! I have them organized by how often I use them and in each category they fall into like for the kiddos school, the teacher is on Remind which is great for last minute notices, and I also have the school district app which has proven to be useless for anything I need to know, not even the event calendar is correct or has proper description of what a event is! I have a new one for my son's baseball team Team Snap, which is working out great, and of course, I have my local weather and Pollen allergy alert nicely organized as well as my reporting app and Maps for my job as a merchandiser, it all works well and I have what I need at my fingertips.

But some favorites are the most time sucking ... Pinterest, Mercari, Poshmark, Instagram, Facebook, Play Music! Guilty! But I make money with the two selling apps, and I use Play music instead of the car radio most the time, so they redeem themselves in that aspect, right?!

We don't have such a busy schedule that I need multiple calendars for, but I'm making life easy with Your Closet and Task. Both are lists and calendars that I use for daily reminders to keep me on track! One is a photo closet that you catalog all your clothes into {which only took me an afternoon to do} and then you create outfits and place them on the calendar. I found this one last year and have been using it ever since! I wanted to see what I was using in my closet so I could sell off some things (thank you Mercari and Poshmark for some bonus cash every month!) and in doing that I was able to get it together every morning and not waste time figuring out what to wear. I'm not lookin' to be the best dressed at school drop off, but I would like to utilize my closet and look decent in the morning! The other is a checklist that I have for everyday to remind myself what projects need to be looked at, for example, writing this blog once a week, or posting new items for my Etsy Shop every week, It's also great to stop and remember did I take medication, workout my neck traction, take time to read instead of getting sucked into Facebook {don't judge, we've all been there!}, and doesn't clog up our regular calendar that has the important communal stuff on it.































Essential Oils and More, is where I get my quick info for essential oils both at home use and to post diffuser combos and product information to my essential oils site. Sometimes when my days are tough due to a kiddo being sick or just woke up on the wrong side of the bed, we take time to Stop Breathe Think, a meditation app that has instructed meditation for whatever you are feeling! You add how physically and mentally you are doing that day by adding emotions and the app comes up with a handful  of recommended exercises or you can opt for a specif timed exercise. It's great and helps out a lot!  Another essential is our banking app, its so easy! Capital One is great and we really like the set up and how it works for us, I would recommend it as a banking institution for anyone!  

I've touched on all my fitness apps in a post awhile back but I've found a few new ones that are great at keeping track and getting in a really great workout! No workout is complete with out a podcast and music list, but I'll save those for another post, right now I want to talk about BodBot which gives me my personalized workout for the day with consideration to how I feel that day and my stats I put in when setting up the app. I can also update weight and activity level which then updates the exercises that it generates for me! Pilates is another step by step routine that I like, I can do some or all of the exercises as a beginner, best, and max level. This app coupled with Swrokit Stretching I really get a great Pilates workout or a really nice stretch session! I recently found a Tabata and Full Body Barre app that I've been meaning to toss into the routine, I can't wait to start those two different workouts, I hear great things about each! 
A friend of mine was nice enough to give me her FitBit One and I really love it! I'm not into the latest gadget and I'm not a big fan of the watches so this little divide is perfect and has just what I need ... step counter, activity reminder, water intake counter, and weight graph. I love seeing my progress over the last couple months and the app is so straight forward! Along with Charity Miles, I can see what I've done and how I can do more over the week to increase give back to the organization of my choosing! Last but not least, I've said it once and I'll say it again, Diet Bet is an app everyone should have! Get paid to loose weight, yes please! The app keeps you on track when you are part of a challenge and the community with each challenge you sign up for is pretty great!I've been able to win each one I enter, not mass amounts of money, but enough for a nice date night with Joe, and that is good enough for me!

Now, let's talk about shopping! These apps will help you save money and earn real savings for your next shopping trip! Ibotta lets you shop all kinds of stores and send off your receipt for certain brands or items they have up for cash back, once you hit $20 you get actual cash deposited to your bank account! It's awesome and if you shop at any store or online, you should have this app! I have the Joann Fabric app because when I do have time to be crafty, I'm going to use a coupon, for sure! Target Cartwheel because, let's be honest, you are a fool if you don't have it! We have T-Mobile for our phones and they have a few deals every Tuesday, like free Redbox rentals, I said FREE people, get yourself the app if you phones are through T-Mobile! Not only that, Redbox app has been hitting me up with rent one get one coupons, now we can get ourselves a movie whenever we rent one for the kids! If you are in the St. Louis area a must is the Quik Trip and Schnucks app, both have specials, points to rack up and redeem, and daily deals! I also use Think Dirty when shopping, in an effort to be more green and natural, I want to see what products follow guideline when it comes to parapheen free or animal cruelty practices, and Think Dirty helps with their ratings system. One last one that I have been meaning to use and really hope its as great as they say, is Instacart. You pick your store, add to your cart and send off your order to someone who is in the area to shop for you! This would help if I'm in a pinch and can't be in two places at once! They even have Costco on the list of stores! I'd like to do price checking to see what the up charge is, if any, but the convenience of having someone run a quick errand to the grocery store is probably worth it!

LIFE HACKS FOR EVERYONE!

xo

making friends

Now that S has started school, he has made a few new friends! Some live right up the street from us and others live a bit farther out, and he is having trouble understanding that not everyone can just walk on over to our house to play. It's cute but kind of sad when he gets upset that the only time he sees a few of them are during the week! They are becoming buddies and I'm glad to have them over but I never see any other these parents!

I've tried texting a few with no response and calling others with an awkward exchange. I want to invite the kids with the parents over, not a drop off play date, I'm not free babysitting, give me a break! So that got me thinking if the rest of his school years would be like that -- parents not interested in forming a relationship with other parents while the kids play together. Is that like a thing of the past? Is it going to be just as hard finding mom friends as it night be form my kid to make friends at school?

I was really looking forward to meeting new friends that we had our kids in common since the current mom friends I have live far away (23-25 miles west or east of us!) and have kiddos older or babies (seriously not one is the age of S or Z and for a while it was fine and worked but now its just not a great fit)! Not to mention they all work nearly 40 hours a week and their weekends are always booked (always! like I need to pencil in something a month in advance to hang out with them!). It was great to meet a few good moms while Z was at gymnastic lessons and S was going to preschool, but all those contacts have faded away, and believe me I have contacted those parents again and again to get together so the kids can play and we can get to know some new people, but every time I reach out I get nothing back! I get nothing back and it makes me sad for the kids more than anything!

It's hard making friends as a grown up! A lot harder than I thought it was going to be!

So what's a mom to do, how do you meet new friends as a grown up? Or the new trending term "tribe". I'm just a girl, looking for a tribe to call on for some adult conversation while the kids play and a couple or two for backyard hangouts so we don't have to spend money on a babysitter.
Well I came up with a few ideas, and found a couple others in my search!

Reconnect with old friends - Well I've been doing that with no avail so I'm not sure how that one works for other, but I'll keep it in my back pocket.

Connect with co-workers - Ok, that could work, most of my husbands are older with no kids, but it's possible. As for me, i work contract jobs and I don't even know who is in my area, it's like we are all mystery co-workers, I hear about them but have never met them!

Connections from social media - Hmmm, not sure about this, maybe a meetup dot com group is what this example is leaning toward? Local facebook page groups, that makes more sense, it's the same basic idea of chatting with a stranger at the playground or bar.

Volunteer - Yes, this is a great example that when the kids are old enough we will definitely utilize!

Take a class - That is on my goal list and I'm trying but between class times and budgets, it's another save for another time idea.

MOMS Club or MOPS - Yea, that worked great when S was born and I did make a few great people, but we were on the outskirts of the groups "area" so a bit much to drive toward Forest Park every other day for a play date and nobody came "all the way out" to our house for play dates which was very disappointing. Not to mention as soon as those kids hit 2 years old they were all in preschool/dayschool and S was left with the infants to play with! It works for awhile but not long term.

Your kids sports team - Yes, between swim lessons and baseball both coming up, these are two opportunities to reach out to other parents sitting and watching their kids to strike up something and over the weeks get together, for sure!

Patience. Not everyone is do gung-ho about making friends or new people in general. Stay connected but not clingy. Some might come around, some old friends might resurface, but remember this is the phase you are in right now. It might be for awhile but you still have your family unit, so just be patient.

I'D RATHER HAVE 4 QUARTERS THAN 100 PENNIES

xo

cozy restaurants around town

Today in St. Louis it was rainy and gusting winds. The raindrops hit your face like a pin speeding through the air, the rain seemed to let up, then down poured as soon as you stepped out of the car. And on top of all that, I had to do the grocery shopping with my 4 year old in tow!

As soon as we got home I made hot chocolate, we ate graham crackers, and snuggled under three blankets as we watched her favorite show. Now that is a much better way to spend this kind of day!
Then I starting thinking about what I was going to cook for dinner. Something cozy and comforting and I hoped that this weather would subside this weekend, because Joe and I have a date night! We still haven't figured out where we want to go for dinner or if we want to check out what events are happening around town, but the more I talk about it, just staying at one nice little cozy restaurant with a fabulous meal and a few wonderful drinks, sounds so relaxing! Just talk and share a meal in a corner to ourselves ... away from everyday life ... aahhh! Ok, I'm sold, where is this gem of a place!!

~The Schlafly Tap Room, opened in 1991, was the first brewery to open in Missouri since Prohibition, paving the way for more breweries in St. Louis. There are generally around 16-18 hand-crafted beers available on tap in the historic building. Live music can be heard on the weekends and the restaurant regularly hosts events, such as the Belgian Beer and Mussel Festival, Oyster Fest and various beer tastings!

~Dressel's, it's a St. Louis institution, one of the very best spots in town for a pint of good beer and cultured conversation. Without robbing Dressel’s of any of its charms, its food is one of the best in town. The dishes are elegant and deeply flavored, and with tree fireplaces throughout the pub, you can find a cozy corner for a great night out!

~Blondie's, has some of life's best comforts -- coffee, wine and dessert -- at this cute downtown cafe. After a meal on Washington Ave. you can enjoy your indulgences fireside for an extra dose of awesome!

~Chava's, this Mexican restaurant rose from the ruins of perennial Soulard dive, but it wasn't a bad trade-off at all. Chava's menu keeps things short and to the point: tacos, a fajita platter, a burrito, an enchilada, a tostada, etc. and along with their great chips and salsa, is an excellent night of Dos Equis Amber and conversation!

~SqWires, built into part of the renovated Western Wire Products factory in Lafayette Square, they focus on simple, spirited food. The happy hour is pretty solid with above average drink offerings group-friendly food like plates are easy to share, and each offers something for someone. SqWires'  is an American restaurant is a great place for food, cocktails and live music -- all while enjoying the huge modern fireplace that fits in beautifully against the historic backdrop!

~Tapped, is the first self-pour bar in the St. Louis area, offering not only 39 beers and eight wines, but even one tap of cold-pressed coffee. Upon arrival, you check in at the hostess stand and open a tab. You then get a bracelet, simply by tapping it on the tablet screen behind each tap, you're accessing your account and allowing the system to monitor your pour. You can draw exactly as much as you want, a full glass, a few swigs, even just a sip or two, and you'll be charged by the ounce. Tasting notes are included on each screen for those who like to educate themselves and those who'd rather talk their way through a decision can ask the staff! 

~Fox & Hound Tavern, located in the Cheshire Inn, this English-style pub is the place to kick back with some good friends and good drinks. Relax with some whisky or scotch by the fire, and let the evening melt away!

~Rosalita's, they offer a signature table-side guacamole made right in front of you or a piled high nachos and a full array of classic Mexican dishes and more modern specialties. The house margaritas are the best in town, and the gorgeous interior with hanging lanterns and covered booths make for a hide-a-way among the crowd on a Saturday night!

~Hendrick's, It feels odd to call a cuisine as essentially American as barbecue not merely trendy, but hot right now! Yet if you have any doubts, Hendricks BBQ provides the proof! This massive place sits down from the rest of St. Charles Main Street but is an awesome find with great ambiance, loft seating, huge skylight and a tucked away space for live music! You could spend time in here bouncing from one section of the restaurant to another and have a cozy evening together!

EAT, DRINK & BE COZY

xo

so many books!

I have been a lot better about finding time to read over the last couple years than I ever have before! I don't know why, but after high school I never went to the library to check out the latest book from anyone's top best books of the month/year/decade whatever. I read from time to time in college but I never got into a certain genera or had a favorite theme I really got immersed in. I never felt left out of a conversation because I didn't read non-fiction on a regular basis, even through all the Harry Potter mania, and I never had the urge to go check out what all the fuss was about. I did enjoy the movies and hearing about how parts were different from the books and I do go see movies that are from books, but never find myself wanting to read the book first before ever seeing the film version.

I don't know, I guess I like informative articles from a magazine or the newspaper instead!

But I've been able to find some really great deals on books, which I prefer since it takes me months to get trough one book, as well as the library for sale cart and other used book fairs around town. My favorite is Thiftbooks.com, they have great prices as well as HalfPriceBooks.com and HPB has two locations in my area on days I can be by myself to browse! Another place I go for books is Savers. If you do not have one near you or you just haven't stopped in, you are missing out!

This year in St. Louis County, all the libraries have been remodeled! Some have a much better atmosphere than what was, others look awful compared to how they were and that is disappointing! Still most have added space to the existing building including an interactive kids area that is half playground, BUT you still need to use an inside voice ... library rules still apply! Speaking of, people don't understand that and still talk so loud on their phones and don't give a rats ass!! That might have to be another topic for another post!

So my 2019 book list, and i hope I can get through the majority of these titles this year, are as follows ...

Witness by Ruth Gruber. I caught the last part of a documentary on PBS about her and had to find out more! With her perfect memory (and plenty of zip), ninety-five-year-old Ruth Gruber—adventurer, international correspondent, photographer, maker of (and witness to) history, responsible for rescuing hundreds of thousands of Jewish refugees during World War II and after—tells her story in her own words and photographs.
Gruber’s life has been extraordinary and extraordinarily heroic. She received a B.A. from New York University in three years, a master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin a year later, and a Ph.D. from the University of Cologne (magna cum laude) one year after that, becoming at age twenty the youngest Ph.D. in the world (it made headlines in The New York Times; the subject of her thesis: the then little-known Virginia Woolf).

In Witness, Gruber writes about what she saw and shows us, through her haunting and life-affirming photographs–taken on each of her assignments– the worlds, the people, the landscapes, the courage, the hope, the life she witnessed up close and firsthand: the Siberian gulag of the 1930s and the new cities being built there (Gruber, then untrained as a photographer, brought her first Rolleicord with her) . . . the Alaska highway of 1943, built by 11,000 soldiers, mostly black men from the South (the highway went from Dawson Creek, British Columbia, 1,500 miles to Fairbanks) . . . her thirteen-day voyage on the army-troop transport Henry Gibbins with refugees and wounded American soldiers, escorting and then photographing the refugees as they arrived in Oswego, New York (they arrived in upstate New York as Adolf Eichmann was sending 750,000 Jews from Hungary to Auschwitz).

A Wrinkle In Time by Madeleine L'Engle. I surprisingly never read this one in school! Winner of the Newbery Medal in 1963, is the story of the adventures in space and time of Meg, Charles Wallace, and Calvin O'Keefe (athlete, student, and one of the most popular boys in high school). They are in search of Meg's father, a scientist who disappeared while engaged in secret work for the government on the tesseract problem.

Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson. I was looking for a humorous story about everyday life to relate to and found this! In Furiously Happy, a humor memoir tinged with just enough tragedy and pathos to make it worthwhile, Jenny Lawson examines her own experience with severe depression and a host of other conditions, and explains how it has led her to live life to the fullest:

"I've often thought that people with severe depression have developed such a well for experiencing extreme emotion that they might be able to experience extreme joy in a way that ‘normal people' also might never understand. And that's what Furiously Happy is all about."

You Are Here by Thich Nhat Hanh. A friend of mine talked about this book and I thought I would see what it was all about! In this book Thich Nhat Hanh, the renowned Zen monk, author, and meditation master, distills the essence of Buddhist thought and practice, emphasizing the power of mindfulness to transform our lives. “Mindfulness is not an evasion or an escape,” he explains. “It means being here, present, and totally alive. It is true freedom—and without this freedom, there is no happiness.” Based on a retreat that Thich Nhat Hanh led for Westerners, this book offers a range of simple, effective practices for cultivating mindfulness, including awareness of breathing and walking, deep listening, and skillful speech. You Are Here also offers guidance on healing emotional pain and manifesting real love and compassion in our relationships with others.

Wildflower by Drew Barrymore. I love Drew, what can I say! Wildflower is a portrait of Drew's life in stories as she looks back on the adventures, challenges, and incredible experiences she’s had throughout her life. It includes tales of living in her first apartment as a teenager (and how laundry may have saved her life), getting stuck under a gas station overhang on a cross-country road trip, saying good-bye to her father in a way only he could have understood, and many more journeys and lessons that have led her to the successful, happy, and healthy place she is today.

The Awakened Family by Shefali Tsabary. I needed a parenting book that wasn't a typical parenting book and came across this which made me happy there are alternative and empowering parenting books out there! We all have the capacity to raise children who are highly resilient and emotionally connected. However, many of us are unable to because we are blinded by modern misconceptions of parenting and our own inner limitations. In The Awakened Family, I show you how you can cultivate a relationship with your children so they can thrive; moreover, you can be transformed to a state of greater calm, compassion and wisdom as well. This book will take you on a journey to transcending your fears and illusions around parenting and help you become the parent you always wanted to be: fully present and conscious. It will arm you with practical, hands-on strategies and real-life examples from my experience as a parent and clinical psychologist that show the extraordinary power of being a conscious parent. 

The Paris Wife by Paula Mclain. I really like this era in thw world and I saw this on a book list awhile back, so finally, I picked it up! Chicago, 1920: Hadley Richardson is a quiet twenty-eight-year-old who has all but given up on love and happiness—until she meets Ernest Hemingway. Following a whirlwind courtship and wedding, the pair set sail for Paris, where they become the golden couple in a lively and volatile group—the fabled “Lost Generation”—that includes Gertrude Stein, Ezra Pound, and F. Scott Fitzgerald. Though deeply in love, the Hemingways are ill prepared for the hard-drinking, fast-living, and free-loving life of Jazz Age Paris. As Ernest struggles to find the voice that will earn him a place in history and pours himself into the novel that will become The Sun Also Rises, Hadley strives to hold on to her sense of self as her roles as wife, friend, and muse become more challenging. Eventually they find themselves facing the ultimate crisis of their marriage—a deception that will lead to the unraveling of everything they’ve fought so hard for. A heartbreaking portrayal of love and torn loyalty, The Paris Wife is all the more poignant because we know that, in the end, Hemingway wrote that he would rather have died than fallen in love with anyone but Hadley.

And before New Years Eve festivities came to, I finish Crash Test Girl by Kari Byron, so awesome and funny! I love Mythbusters, always have, and she was amazing to see along with the M5 Industries crew testing all sorts of fun stuff! Happy reading in 2019 everyone!

BOOKS ARE UNIQUELY PORTABLE MAGIC

xo

oily lady

I love essential oils! Have I mentioned that before ?! {lol} 

This year I have really tried to switch over so much of our household to essential oils instead of buying things like a veggie wash, hand soap, and dryer sheets, and I think I've kept up pretty well too!

My new favorite that I really like, is making hand soap. You don't need anything special, the pump from the old bottle or snagging a glass bottle with pump top from Amazon, castile soap from Target and boiled water from the kettle. Why do I have a kettle if I'm not a tea drinker you ask ... french press, of course! Fill up the dispenser 3/4 with castile soap the rest with water, add Lavender, or Thieves, or Tea Tree EO along with vitamin E oil and there you have it! Super simple and my hands are clean and moisturized!

So my veggie cleaner is another super simple recipe and I feel much better about slicing up some peppers and broccoli to feed the kids then I ever have before! All I do is fill a bowl or sink basin with cool water, add 2 drops of Thieves EO along with a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, add the fruit and veggies and swirl around before letting them sit for about 5 minutes. Then I take each one out to pat dry and let sit on a towel on the counter if it needs extra drying time. I usually do this right when I get home from grocery shopping, I make a pile of produce as I go through the bags putting everything else away and then they are all right there to clean!

Then I have my counter cleaner that is really great for any surface ... fridge shelves, fridge door, stove top, dining table. Again a glass bottle, this time with a spray top, from Amazon along with Young Living Thieves Cleaner and I follow the directions on the back of that for potency, which is usually half cleaner and half water. There is no grimy residue and the kitchen smells so fresh with out a gross chemical smell that I'm afraid to put said produce in a pile on!

Two of my most favorite ways to use essential oils for cleaning is in the laundry and for the carpet!
Get a pack of wool dryer balls and ditch the dryer sheets because there are so many great combos of scent you can add to those dryer balls any day of the week!

~Purification

~Orange & Joy
~Stress Away & Lime
~Lavender & Citrus Fresh
~Rosemary & Lavender
~Lemon & Basil

The list goes on! And these EO scents can be used in a carpet cleaner of borax and baking soda mixed together. Shake on the carpet (I save parmesan cheese shaker containers for this) and let sit for 30 minutes then vacuum up! 

Check out my Pinterest page for lots more ideas on using essential oils for your home and if you are interested in ordering, click here!

But if you are still skeptical about all the essential oils hype and why so many people are using them, I have a couple of great reads, a guide about how they work that I think you should check out.

THERE'S AN OIL FOR THAT!

xo