Okay....
We all know that water is good for us, right? We all have heard about the "8 glasses of day" that we are apparently supposed to have each day.
If you are anything like me (and I hope that you are), you will find it a little hard to consume that much water. I am a flavor kinda gal, so I have found some simple ways to make water more enjoyable.
Here are some "flavor" ideas that are chemical-free to help you get your 8 glasses a day!
*Please keep in mind that the longer a fresh veggie/fruit/herb is soaking in the water, the more you will taste it. My own perference is to set water aside into a sport bottle in the fridge with flavor additive soaking in it overnight!*
1. Mint. Light, and refeshing, mint can sure brighten up a day! In this case, you can use either fresh mint leaves or mint extract. Yum!
2. Lemon. It is like a healthier version of lemonade! It's all of the lemon, and none of the sugar! My tip is to use squeezed lemon juice.
3. Berries. Fresh berries make an awesome addition to water. For best results, squeeze fresh berries into your water.Mmmm.
There are plenty of other things you can add to your water! Be creative! I have been known to mix a few flavors in my day!
Naturally Yours,
Joyful
Monday, March 25, 2013
Sunday, March 17, 2013
See Ya, Stress!
Hello to all of my lovely readers!
I apologize for leaving you all for so long. I have been thinking about how I want this blog to go! I am going to push more of the "natural" side of me on this, and you can read my "parenting" side of me through my www.parentsociety.com articles.
That being said, thank you thank you and THANK YOU for coming here and reading this today. I hope that I can brighten up your day!
So, sticking with the natural side of things....what is a quick and natural way to get some of that stress gone after a long day? Tax season is still among us (just a few more weeks left), so anything to get rid of stress is beneficial!
My answer is easy. A bath with essential oils! I adore essential oils, and I am NOT afraid to say it! But seriously, just a few ( like between 2-5) small drops of essential oil in the bathtub is all it takes to help ease the stress of a long day!
Here are my suggestions for scent:
Lavender: VERY calming. If you are looking to become stress free fast, this is the way to go. Make sure not too add too many drops or it will become overpowering (just ask my husband....). I even put a few drops into a spray bottle and added water and I spray my bed with it an hour or two before I sleep to help me drift off into sleep.
Lemon: Not so calming, but definitley comforting if you love the clean, yummy smell of lemons (like me). The number of drops depend on just how much you enjoy the smell.
Mint: Now, mint is a scent not really aimed at "soothing," but it still makes me feel good after a long day. Maybe it's because I like mint, or maybe it's because it seems to have the power of getting rid of stuffy noses! Either way, it is awesome!
Those are the ones that I have tried so far. I still have more scents to go, so stay tuned ;)
I apologize for leaving you all for so long. I have been thinking about how I want this blog to go! I am going to push more of the "natural" side of me on this, and you can read my "parenting" side of me through my www.parentsociety.com articles.
That being said, thank you thank you and THANK YOU for coming here and reading this today. I hope that I can brighten up your day!
So, sticking with the natural side of things....what is a quick and natural way to get some of that stress gone after a long day? Tax season is still among us (just a few more weeks left), so anything to get rid of stress is beneficial!
My answer is easy. A bath with essential oils! I adore essential oils, and I am NOT afraid to say it! But seriously, just a few ( like between 2-5) small drops of essential oil in the bathtub is all it takes to help ease the stress of a long day!
Here are my suggestions for scent:
Lavender: VERY calming. If you are looking to become stress free fast, this is the way to go. Make sure not too add too many drops or it will become overpowering (just ask my husband....). I even put a few drops into a spray bottle and added water and I spray my bed with it an hour or two before I sleep to help me drift off into sleep.
Lemon: Not so calming, but definitley comforting if you love the clean, yummy smell of lemons (like me). The number of drops depend on just how much you enjoy the smell.
Mint: Now, mint is a scent not really aimed at "soothing," but it still makes me feel good after a long day. Maybe it's because I like mint, or maybe it's because it seems to have the power of getting rid of stuffy noses! Either way, it is awesome!
Those are the ones that I have tried so far. I still have more scents to go, so stay tuned ;)
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
A Nice Piece of Glass ;)
Plain drinking glasses are boring! However, they are also CHEAP (dollar store, anyone?!)! So, I wanted to add some sass to my glass (es). Here's how you can, too :)
A plain drinking glassMod Podge (mine has silver glitter)
A sponge for applying
There isn't much left to do but create! I monogrammed mine with a "S" for my last name and some glittery polka dots ;) Don't be afraid to be creative. Just be careful after its dry. NO dishwasher and NO abrasive scrubbers while washing (ouch!)
Front
Back
Have fun ;)
Naturally,
Joyful <3
A sponge for applying
There isn't much left to do but create! I monogrammed mine with a "S" for my last name and some glittery polka dots ;) Don't be afraid to be creative. Just be careful after its dry. NO dishwasher and NO abrasive scrubbers while washing (ouch!)
Have fun ;)
Naturally,
Joyful <3
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Quick, Yet Messy, Art Time!
My kids love painting. It makes them happy, it keeps them busy, and they simply love it.
But, painting can get a little....tired. So, here is a way to slick up your painting time.
What you will need:
Ice Tray (Yes, you read that right)
water (for the ice tray)
food coloring
baby spoons/Popsicle sticks/toothpicks (you pick!)
paper towels (let's keep it as clean as possible)
paper (thick paper works best!)
As you can see, I used our Superman-themed ice tray (tee hee!) and baby spoons.
Let's get started!
1) Fill the ice tray with water (NOT to the tippy top, you do not want it to spill over)
2) Put drops of food coloring into the tray. One color per cube space.
3) Put your toothpicks/baby spoons/Popsicle sticks into the cubes. I used baby spoons. Next time, however, I will use Popsicle sticks. I think that toothpicks may be too small, and will result in more mess.
4) Stick ice tray into the freezer- BE CAREFUL!
5) Once, frozen, start painting
RECOMMENDED: For either outside, or a table where messes will not be an issue! "Paint" will melt! Wear clothing that you would not mind getting messy!
But, painting can get a little....tired. So, here is a way to slick up your painting time.
What you will need:
Ice Tray (Yes, you read that right)
water (for the ice tray)
food coloring
baby spoons/Popsicle sticks/toothpicks (you pick!)
paper towels (let's keep it as clean as possible)
paper (thick paper works best!)
As you can see, I used our Superman-themed ice tray (tee hee!) and baby spoons.
Let's get started!
1) Fill the ice tray with water (NOT to the tippy top, you do not want it to spill over)
2) Put drops of food coloring into the tray. One color per cube space.
5) Once, frozen, start painting
RECOMMENDED: For either outside, or a table where messes will not be an issue! "Paint" will melt! Wear clothing that you would not mind getting messy!
All in all....have fun!
Naturally,
Joyful <3
Monday, August 27, 2012
Don't Be Such an Itch!
Ah, Summer. Sun, fun, vacations, pool time....and mosquitoes.
They sure do know how to ruin the fun! I hate to see my poor toddler with his leg full of "boo boo" bites suffer through the itch. I was desperate for a remedy that was fast and easy.
I tried 2 options today to see which would work best. Unfortunately, he was scratching last night, and the bites are "open."
First, I tried putting toothpaste on them, and letting it dry. His reaction? I did not see him scratch it at all! That being said, he is a toddler, and he was soon playing on the couch/ground and that resulted in tiny little fuzzies that found their way stuck to his legs. Oops. Time for Mommy to wash that off.
I wanted to try baking soda and water for another remedy. A simple paste of water and baking soda is supposed to help the itch, as well. Yeah....that would be for bites that your toddler did NOT scratch open. I had the paste on for 2 seconds until my son started crying that it hurt. Mommy fail....but lesson learned.
If he ever gets bitten again like this, I will either stick with the toothpaste, or try other remedies (BEFORE he scratches them!) that I already have such as deodorant, mouthwash (definitely only if it is not scratched open), vinegar, tea tree oil, or essential oil (I have lavender).
This gives me a great idea! My next entry will be a HOMEMADE mosquito repellent!
Have you ever tried a homemade itch reliever?
Naturally Yours,
Joyful
They sure do know how to ruin the fun! I hate to see my poor toddler with his leg full of "boo boo" bites suffer through the itch. I was desperate for a remedy that was fast and easy.
I tried 2 options today to see which would work best. Unfortunately, he was scratching last night, and the bites are "open."
I wanted to try baking soda and water for another remedy. A simple paste of water and baking soda is supposed to help the itch, as well. Yeah....that would be for bites that your toddler did NOT scratch open. I had the paste on for 2 seconds until my son started crying that it hurt. Mommy fail....but lesson learned.
If he ever gets bitten again like this, I will either stick with the toothpaste, or try other remedies (BEFORE he scratches them!) that I already have such as deodorant, mouthwash (definitely only if it is not scratched open), vinegar, tea tree oil, or essential oil (I have lavender).
This gives me a great idea! My next entry will be a HOMEMADE mosquito repellent!
Have you ever tried a homemade itch reliever?
Naturally Yours,
Joyful
Saturday, August 11, 2012
Broken Crayons, No Problem!
Got kids? Then you probably have broken crayons! But wait, don't toss those crayon pieces away- save them! I put them into a small container until I have a good amount, and then I make bigger crayons out of them!
When you are ready to create, make sure you have:
vegetable spray (such as Pam)
non-stick muffin pan.
plenty of crayons with NO WRAPPERS on them
*You can trim down the crayons even more, if you desire*
1) Pre-heat oven to 275 degrees Fahrenheit
2) Spray the pan with the vegetable spray
4) Place the crayons into the pan
5) Place in the oven
6) Cook for 7 minutes or until completely melted
7) Remove from oven
8) Set aside (or stick it in the freezer) until completely cooled
9) Remove from pan (I look it upside down and banged on the back with my hand until they fell out onto the counter)
10) ENJOY!
Naturally Yours,
Joyful
When you are ready to create, make sure you have:
vegetable spray (such as Pam)
non-stick muffin pan.
plenty of crayons with NO WRAPPERS on them
*You can trim down the crayons even more, if you desire*
1) Pre-heat oven to 275 degrees Fahrenheit
2) Spray the pan with the vegetable spray
4) Place the crayons into the pan
5) Place in the oven
6) Cook for 7 minutes or until completely melted
7) Remove from oven
8) Set aside (or stick it in the freezer) until completely cooled
9) Remove from pan (I look it upside down and banged on the back with my hand until they fell out onto the counter)
10) ENJOY!
Let me know how it works for you! The more crayons that you add to each hole, the thicker the crayon! Experiment and enjoy!Naturally Yours,
Joyful
Thursday, August 9, 2012
An Easy Way to Help the Planet
Dryer sheets.
We all need them, right? They get rid of static and make clothes soft.That is all well and dandy.Here is some sad news about it: they also fill out landfills AND contain chemicals.
I am not going to get all tree-hugger-preachy, but if you think about how many dryer sheets you go through a year, it actually is a lot. Also, what exactly is IN them? Hmmmm.
Plus, how much money does it cost you? Even buying them at the local dollar store can become costly from buying them so often.
Well, I have found a solution. They are called dryer balls. You buy them once, and use them every time you put your clothes into the dryer. Think about it. Buy it ONCE use it FOREVER. Cool, right?
I got mine on etsy, but you can also make your own if you have wool around (I don't).
We all need them, right? They get rid of static and make clothes soft.That is all well and dandy.Here is some sad news about it: they also fill out landfills AND contain chemicals.
I am not going to get all tree-hugger-preachy, but if you think about how many dryer sheets you go through a year, it actually is a lot. Also, what exactly is IN them? Hmmmm.
Plus, how much money does it cost you? Even buying them at the local dollar store can become costly from buying them so often.
Well, I have found a solution. They are called dryer balls. You buy them once, and use them every time you put your clothes into the dryer. Think about it. Buy it ONCE use it FOREVER. Cool, right?
I got mine on etsy, but you can also make your own if you have wool around (I don't).
So there you go. Just throw 1 or 2 into the dryer, and you are good to go. It is quick, it is easy, and it helps the environment.
Enjoy!
Naturally Yours,
Joyful
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