Sinus Bomb...

This spring has been hard on my sinuses.  The weather has been up and down and with it I ended up with a lot of pain and pressure in my sinuses. I used this sinus bomb several times a day to help open up my nasal passages and keep me draining.  Give it a try the next time you have sinus pressure and pain.

Eyelash Serum...

Are your lashes short?  Are they looking a little thin?  Breaking?  This eyelash serum is just what you need.  It nourishes your lashes while you sleep at night.  This serum is a blend of lemon, lavender, and fractionated coconut oil.  The fractionated coconut oil stimulates new growth.  It is also nourishing and moisturizing to your lashes. Lemon oil cleanses and stimulates the lashes. The lavender provides nourishment to your lashes and follicles. I apply this nightly after removing my makeup.  It didn't take long after I first started using it for me to notice a difference in my lashes.  They are longer and much healthier now.

Friday Favorites.....

Happy Friday!!  I am linking up with Erika, Narci, and Andrea for my Friday Favorites.

{ONE}  School is OUT!! We are officially done school!! Summer is here. We wrapped up testing last week and celebrated during the holiday weekend.

{TWO}  I was able to go home and attend the graduation of a girl whom I used to babysit.  Man, I this really makes me feel old.  I was in high school when she was born and I can't believe she is graduating.

{THREE}  The Bachelorette is in full swing.  Do you watch??  What do you think of the season this far? Are you happy with who the guys picked? I have to say, I am happy Kaitlyn is the bachelorette.  I didn't care for Britt on Chris's season.

{FOUR}  It is pool season!!  We made it to our pool for the first time yesterday!  The water was refreshing and my girls had a blast playing.  Looking forward to many more pools days this summer!

{FIVE}  These yummy Vanilla Granola Bars I made this week.  I've been slowly working to come up with the perfect recipe.

I hope everyone has an amazing weekend!  Take some time and do something fun with your family.

Vanilla Granola Bars

I love granola bars.  They are great to keep on hand for a busy day and a quick snack.  However, finding one that isn't full of preservatives and sugar is really hard.  It is even harder finding a recipe that doesn't contain sugar or flour.  I decided to put together a simple granola bar that I could quickly whip up to have on hand.  

Vanilla Granola Bars

2/3 c All-natural peanut butter

2/3 c raw honey

1 tsp vanilla

1 scoop vanilla protein powder

3 cups oats

1/4 c unsweetened coconut

1/4 c raisins

Combine peanut butter and vanilla in a pan over low heat until combined.  Remove from heat and add vanilla and protein powder.  Add in remaining ingredients.  Spread in an 8x8 pan.  Place in fridge until set.  Cut and enjoy.  Store in the refrigerator.

Top 5 Nutrition Tips.....

Nutrition is something I think most of us struggle with daily.  We have good intentions, but then life gets in the way and we get off track quickly.  I started a 12-week fitness and nutrition challenge Monday called TERRAfit.  Leading up to this week, I have been slowly finding replacements for things like my coffee and finding more nutritional snacks.  Our family has slowly been making changes over the last few years.  It is easier to make one or two changes at a time verses 20.  We get overwhelmed when we try to do too much at once and end up quitting.  My biggest challenge this time is eliminating sugar.  Sugar has such a strong hold on so many of us, I am excited to finally break-up with sugar!  While eliminating sugar may not be something you are ready to do, try a few of my nutrition tips.

1.  Stay Hydrated.  Drink at least half your weight in water every day with a maximum of one gallon a day.  It can be hard to drink water so try spicing it up.  Add a drop or two of citrus essential oil (make sure it is pure) for example lemon, lime or grapefruit to your water.  Cut up fruit slices and add to your water.  Boosting your water intake can boost your energy levels, aid in digestion, and it's good for your skin.

2. Take a multivitamin and fish oil.  I believe food is the best place for us to get our nutrition, however, it is extremely hard to give our body all the nutrients we need through food daily.  While supplements are not a replacement for good nutrition, they play a big role in our overall health and prevention. Choose a high quality vitamin supplement and fish oil.  Research and make sure there are no additives added to the vitamins.

3.  Eat more vegetables.  Vegetables are loaded with antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals.   Add some spinach to your smoothie.  Branch out and start trying new veggies, you might be surprised and like one or two!

4.  Choose healthy fats.  Avocado, seeds, and nuts are all healthy fats.  Cook with healthy fats such as coconut oil, olive oil, and avocado oil or even REAL butter.  Our body needs fat, we just need to make sure we are eating healthy fats.

5.  Read ingredients.  If it didn't come from the ground, a tree or an animal, don't eat it.  If you can't pronounce it, then you probably shouldn't eat it.  I know this is a big one and can be an adjustment, but your body will thank you for it.  Our body relies on us for nutrition and we need to feed it real food.

We often get busy with life and let our nutrition go.  Plan ahead.  When you come home from the grocery store, wash all your vegetables and fruit.  Cut up your veggies and store them in easy grab and go baggies for a quick snack.  Enlist the help of your family.  My kids love to help in the kitchen and will happily volunteer to cut up veggies or make a healthy snack.

Friday Favorites....

I am so glad the temps are starting to stay above freezing!  I am so ready for spring and warmer weather.  Here are a couple favorites from the last few weeks.

{ONE}  Baby Showers.  I knitted this blanket for a friend.  The pattern is now a favorite of mine and I will definitely be using it again.  Oh, and check out the cool cake!  I loved the book theme.

{TWO}  I love pulling out my diffuser every morning and putting in a blend of essential oils that just lifts my mood and gets me moving for the day!

{THREE}  Time with friends.  It has been so wonderful to spend time with amazing friends.

I hope you have a fabulous weekend!!

Broccoli and Cheese Soup...

It's been a couple weeks since I posted.  We've had way too many snow days and below average cold temps.  I am thrilled it is March and looking forward to spring fast approaching.  I thought I would share a couple of my time saving kitchen tips and a soup.

When it comes to meal time, it can be so hard to find the time to prepare a meal, especially if you are a working mom or a mom to young kids.  So I want to share a couple tricks that I have used over the years to make meal time much less stressful and easier.

1.  When preparing a casserole or soup, make double and freeze the extra.  This gives you a quick meal to pull out on a busy night.
2.  I buy a huge package of chicken and break it down into individual meals.  If I am using a marinade, I add it to the bag.  I throw it in the freezer.  I just pull it out that morning and as it thaws, it is marinating all day.
3.  Prepare meat in advance.  I will brown a bunch of ground beef (or turkey) and separate into individual servings for tacos or spaghetti.  I will also cook a bunch of chicken and shred it for casseroles or soups and freeze in individual servings.  This way my meat is all prepared and I just have to throw it all together.
4.  Simplify.  At least once a week we have a meatless meal.  Usually it is salad and baked potatoes, but sometimes it is something different and quick and easy.  We also clean out our fridge and have a leftover night.  If we did not eat the leftovers for lunches, I will forgo a planned meal and we will clean out the fridge.
5.  Frozen veggies are always great to have on hand and can quickly be turned into something as easy as stir fry on a busy night.
6.  Meal prep on the weekend.  Spend an hour or two on Saturday or Sunday prepping for the week.  Cut up all your fresh veggies when you bring them home from the store so they are ready for the week ahead.

These are just a couple tips of mine to help simplify a busy week night.  I used to have a freezer full of meals when my kids were younger.  I would always double what I was making or split it in half and freeze part.  I would then be able to pull a meal out of the freezer one or two nights a week.

I picked this recipe up a couple years ago.  I have changed it to make it gluten free for me, but you can still make it the original way.  My family loves this soup and requests it frequently.

Broccoli and Cheese Soup

5 cups broccoli florets (I use frozen)

6 cups chicken broth

1-1/2 cup milk or half and half (half and half will be creamier)

1/4 cup cornstarch (or 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour)

3 cups grated cheddar cheese (we prefer sharp)

Steam the broccoli till tender.  Chop and set aside.  Combine milk and cornstarch and whisk until combined.  In saucepan, combine broth and milk.  (If using flour combine broth and milk, then slowly whisk in flour).  Cook over medium heat stirring occasionally.  Cook until it starts to thicken, not too thick.  Add chopped broccoli.  Reduce heat to medium-low.  Cook about 5 minutes.  Add cheese, stir until it is completely melted.  Serve and enjoy!  

Just a few pictures of our last few weeks.

Have a great Monday!