After the holiday season, with its sweets and treats, we’re probably all going to be thinking about cutting back on the calories for a while. We are, after all, going to have to fit back into our skinny jeans! We might be cutting back on sweets, but this recipe is full of flavor and is a really tasty and healthy treat.
DIY Peppermint Lip Scrub
Say goodbye to dry, cracked lips and hello to smooth, shiny, and oh so kissable lips with this simple, do it yourself peppermint Lip Scrub. With New Year’s Eve just around the corner, a few short applications will transform your smoochers just in time for this lip-smacking holiday.
When my lips are dry and cracked, the last thing I want is my lipstick looking and feeling clumpy on my lips. It doesn’t scream come and kiss me! It screams [Read more…]
Christmas Cactus Care
People often give and receive plants as holiday or hostess gifts this time of year. One of the most popular is the Christmas cactus. Normally at holiday time they are healthy and in full and beautiful bloom. This plant can live many years and bloom again seasonally with the right care.
5 Electronic Gifts Men Will Love
If you’re like me and you and your other half have spent many Christmas’ together, then you already know how hair-pullingly difficult it becomes to find gifts that won’t end up in the bottom of some drawer or at the back of the closet. When I buy gifts for my husband and all the special people in my life, I want to find something that is useful to them or something I might have heard them mention in a previous conversation. I want my gift to be meaningful. Therefore, I keep a password protected [Read more…]
5 Ways to De-Stress Your Christmas
A couple of weeks ago, I was standing in line at Publix chatting with the young cashier and bagger as they rang up my groceries. I made a comment about needing to hurry up and put up my Christmas decorations. The cashier told us that her family decorated the tree on Christmas Eve. “Decorating the tree on Christmas Eve was more traditional when I was little,” I told her.
I’d like to say that I decided right then that I would slow down the decorating process and focus on really enjoying it, not just crossing it off the list–but that’s not what happened. The truth is that I just wasn’t in the mood for rushing and stressing, so I gradually decided that I wouldn’t. As I gave up worrying about when and how fast all the Christmas preparations got done, it was easier to enjoy what I was doing and become more mindful in the process. If there’s ever a time to practice mindfulness, it’s definitely at Christmastime!
Here are five simple ways to have a more mindful Christmas:
Gifts That Give Back
Every year around this time we’re all starting on our holiday gift list. We’re trying to find that gift that means something to someone; we want to make sure it’s something they’ll like and that it’s special. A great way to make sure you find something special for everyone is to shop with a company that offers the policy of “buy one, give one.” Many companies have this great way of giving back when you purchase a gift; they give the same or equal value back to a community in need.
Below are 10 companies that you can shop with this season to make every gift count:
Revisiting Holiday Traditions
The holidays are a time when many of us honor our most heartfelt traditions. Those traditions usually revolve around our families, our spirituality, and our religion. Sometimes our traditions are deeply intimate. Sometimes they are light and fun. Whatever they are, our traditions are meant to bring us joy and satisfaction.
Decision-Making 101
We make so many decisions every day that it makes sense to have a set of guidelines to help us make them timely, confidently, and wisely.
Our decisions range from the small, seemingly inconsequential (what we’re going to wear, what we’re going to eat, where we’re going to stop for gas); to the ones that have lifelong implications (our choice of spouse or career); and those that fall in between. These days, decisions can be complicated even more because everywhere we turn there’s so much to choose from. It’s not just information or product overload…it’s everything overload! As a mom of three – (and grandmother) – and service business owner/operator for 25 years, life has been a continuum of decisions. These are some of the decision-making guidelines that help me keep my sanity:
These are some of the decision-making guidelines that help me keep my sanity:
Homemade Honey Face Masks
Honey is a perfect ingredient for homemade and natural face masks. Not only is honey an antioxidant, but it also possesses antibacterial, anti-fungal, and antimicrobial properties. Honey contains minerals, vitamins, and amino acids. These properties make honey a natural anti-aging agent. Honey is also a natural humectant—this means it attracts and retains moisture. Honey helps clarify skin by opening pores. After using any one of these natural, chemical free homemade face masks, your skin will feel incredibly soft and smooth.
Easy Semi-Sweet Apple Treat
Like many women I’m always in search of a yummy treat that satisfies my sweet tooth. Most of the time I’m an ice cream girl but every once in a while I stray from my “go to” self-indulgent snack.
During my last Pilates class all of the ladies were exchanging their favorite post work out snack and when [Read more…]