ANTI-PROCRASTINATION

Anti-Procrastination Update {9-18-18}

In this space of Anti-Procrastination Updates, I will periodically share with you all the things–things that are important to me, things I want to get to, and things that help make life purposeful and meaningful.

I will share items I love that I would share in a conversation with my sisters or a close friend, and give a brief update on life and speak whatever is on my heart and in my head at the moment.

THIS ONE LIFE I GET TO LIVE

It is getting close to fall season and I am giddy about it! I’ve been delighting in looking up during my daily walks as yellow, orange and red leaves fall from the sky like floating confetti.

ANTI-PROCRASTINATION

Anti-Procrastination Weekly Update and Goals

{follow me on Instagram}

Weekly Update

We have really embraced the goal of eating high nutrient food in our household lately, and it has been quite fun!

My Todd and I are reading Dr. Fuhrman’s Super Immunity book–meaning we both are reading on our own Kindles, viewing each other’s highlighted text and discussing as we go.

High nutrient foods include lots of veggies in lots of different bright colors, and my trusty spiralizer has been dusted off and used like crazy this week! Why have I not been using this thing on a regular basis?

Just look at those beautiful ribbons or cucumber in the above photo! It is so easy to use and can prep veggies to eat in just seconds.

I will have some posts coming up to show you how we have been sprializing, using and eating a rainbow of veg! In the meantime, follow along on Instagram, and check out my ‘food prep’ highlights. You will see examples of me sprializing away, and see how pretty it all looks stored in jars in my refrigerator.

Anti-Procrastination Free Printable

A Visual Encouragement to Reach Your Goals

{want this FREE printable? keep scrolling}

Weekly Goals

MEAL PLAN — grocery list +5 meals

DATES — my Todd, my girls, one close friend

DO A PIN — Chocolate Chia Cake

Daily Personal Health Goals

SPIRITUAL — journal, Scripture, pray, meditate

MOVE BODY — walk/jog; yoga or strength training; Abs, Core & Pelvic Floor

HYDRATE & NUTRIENTS — water (80 oz a day); leafy greens & berries, vitamins, powdered greens, seeds

READING — Eat To Live Cookbook by Dr. Fuhrman; Chia: The Complete Guide to the Ultimate Superfood

HOME GOALS — everyday home chore systems to keep my home clean in minutes a day.

Weekly Verse

Favorite Things

Ecco Eggs Natural Coloring Kit

I love that my girls are not too old to color eggs, and this kit is non-toxic and uses coloring dyes are made with natural and organic fruit, plant and vegetable extracts. It is also a grass growing kit. So cute.

Vitamix Professional Series Brushed Silver

We use this amazing kitchen appliance several times a day. It one of my most favorite things for years. Our whole family uses it!

I keep Ziplock Smoothie Packs in the freezer, so my girls can help themselves whip them up in seconds using our Vitamix. Today I will be making homemade almond butter, which tastes divine!

Recipes Goals

Recipes I Want To Make This Week

{watch my Instagram Stories to see some of these recipes. I often capture my cooking process!}

Cashew Chicken

Easy French Lentil Soup

Spaghetti with Zoodles

3 Ingredient Healthy Peanut Butter Dip

4 Ingredient Homemade Protein Bars

Garlic Noodles

Seasoned Lentils

Chickpea Cookie Dough

Essential Oil Recipe of The Week

Rocky Mountain Oils are my oils of choice. I just love them–their scent is so pure and I really appreciate the free shipping!

Spring Rain

4 drops Lavender

4 drops Cedarwood

4 drops Grapefruit

Basil is a herbal aroma, perfect for spring! Peppermint helps awaken and energize. Lime is a mood uplifter the scent is invigorating. Diffuse away!

Need a diffuser? This is my fav essential oils diffuser!

Weekly/Bi-Weekly Staple Recipes

Instant Pot Yogurt

Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats

Instant Pot Quinoa

Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs

Instant Pot Black Beans

Restaurant Style Salsa

Stove Top Granola

Homemade Almond Butter

WHAT ABOUT YOU?

What are you wanting to get done this week?

What recipes are you planning on making?

Are you on Pinterest? Share a favorite pin you want to accomplish.

DIY/Crafts/ Frugal/ FUN/DIY/ HEALTH/ HOME/ Homemaking/ How-Tos/ Natural Products/ RECIPES

DIY Daily Sink Scrub

This DIY Daily Sink Scrub could easily be called twice a day sink scrub because I use it at least twice a day— if not every chance I get! I can’t tell you the satisfaction I feel making such a simple, inexpensive but effective DIY cleaning product. Yes, satisfaction, and JOY!

I know, it is a stretch to use the word joy with a cleaning product but this sink scrub makes me so happy. I’ve learned that scent is a very powerful way to experience emotions, especially when the scent is essential oil –pure and from nature!

DIY DAILY SINK SCRUB – JUST TWO INGREDIENTS

DIY Daily Sink Scrub has just two ingredients—baking soda and essential oil. The essential oil not only makes it a powerhouse when it comes to disinfecting and cleaning your sink but can also be a powerhouse when it comes to affecting your mood!

Christmas/ Holidays/Parties/ HOME/ Simplifying

How to Slow Down & Cozy Up While Online Shopping

I have a cozy chair in my bedroom that I have found myself sitting in quite a bit lately. It is a new experience to be sitting so much during gift-giving season, but online shopping has given me the gift of slowing down and cozying up in my chair, while buying for those I love. It has been so wonderful!

You would grin at all the things I surround myself and my chair with while I shop. The chair is up in our bedroom and my Todd will peek his head in and just smile at me sitting comfy in my chair surrounded by all the things I love. He knows I am all about marinating in good atmosphere!

{view from my cozy bedroom chair}

Ways I Slow Down & Get Cozy While Online Shopping

~comfy chair (of course) with feet up

~twinkle lights hung on our bedroom window, lights low so they can show off

~a small table next to my chair to hold all- the- things within arms reach

~a bluetooth speaker for ambient Christmas music

~a warm drink by my side, always!

~an electric mug warmer to keep my drink warm – a birthday gift from my Avery and I love it!

~ journal & favorite sharpie pen to jot down notes & check my Christmas list

~my laptop

~ phone close and on the charger, to keep the world at my fingertips

~ a soft, fuzzy blanket & fuzzy socks on my feet!

~my favorite new diffuser from Frankie & Myrrh to bring a calm scent to the room.

Online Shopping with Frankie & Myrrh

I generally buy gifts for others while online shopping, but I did find just a couple for myself along the way! One of my favorite purchases was from a little shop called Frankie & Myrrh. How great is that for a shop name?

They are a small business who is known for ‘aromatherapy made fun.’ Yes, they know fun and showed on their website, in their products and in the packaging. I am just now getting into aromatherapy, so I just couldn’t resist making a purchase for myself.

a·ro·ma·ther·a·py | əˌrōməˈTHerəpē | noun. The use of essential oils and natural plant essences to achieve balance, harmony, and psychological and physical well-being.

Products

I bought their Bamboo Diffuser and 3 Essential Oils –Cinnamon, Serenity Now Blend, and Frankincense.

I sprinkled some of the cinnamon essential oil on pinecones in our enclosed porch, to welcome my holiday guests. It smells so festive! ‘Serenity Now’ is a calming blend that has spruce, orange, and frankincense is amazing when diffused my new Bamboo Diffuser and makes our home smell like Christmas! I’ve been mixing the Frankincense oil with some grapeseed oil and using it on my face as a moisturizer. I love it!

Frankie & Myrrh have what they call ‘rollies’ (essential oil mixed with a carrier oil and in a small glass jar with a roller–so convenient to just roll on!

They also have aromatherapy sprays with really witty names like:

“Serenity Now” with frankincense, spruce and orange for silent, restful bliss

“Study Buddy” a peppermint and rosemary spray for mental focus

“Hello Sunshine” a citrus and rose -a feel good spray

Their shop name and fun product names and offerings had me, but when the box came in the mail the packaging make me fall for them even harder. This is something I love about a small business shopping. Their attention to detail and their appreciation for each and every costumer really is priceless. This sure was the case with Frankie & Myrrh.

{HOW DID THEY KNOW?! (snicker)}

Packaging

I opened the box and the sticker on the bubble wrap made me laugh. It said “Reduce Your Stress, POP ME!” I then saw a note that was signed by hand. While I was admiring the note, a wonderful scent hit me. I pulled a little sachet full of dried lavender out of the package, a free added touch that made me so happy! Everything in the box was packaged carefully and cute; it just felt so personal. The labels on each essential oil made me smile, as did the witty little suggestion on their bubble wrap. All of these touches made me eager to send an order from Frankie & Myrrh to one of my friends so they could experience all of these touches, too.

PayPal

Frankie & Myrrh made it super easy to shop them. One thing I’m always looking for when online shopping is PayPal paying option, and of course, Frankie & Myrrh had it. They seem to think of everything! When I’m online shipping, the last thing I want to do is get up and get my wallet or credit card, so I especially love it when small businesses offer PayPal.

PayPal has an option called One Touch that allows you to pay for items in your shopping basket without having to enter credit card or billing details. Do what I did, and activate it here, then you won’t have to get off the couch, out of bed or out of your own comfy chair to find your wallet!

My Todd and I have been using PayPal for years now. It is easy to use, fast, painless and has always been a safe way for us to shop online, send money and receive money. We love it! PayPal always goes the extra mile–example? This holiday season, PayPal is offering free return shipping called Return Shipping On Us on its up to $30 for up to 11 purchases. So convenient!

How About You?

Did you do your Christmas shopping online? Do you have any small businesses that your love to support? Did you buy anything for yourself? Have you tried aromatherapy? Are you a PayPal fan?

Share with me in the comments!

{FOR YOUR PINNING PLEASURE!}

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

HEALTH/ Natural Products

6 Tried & True Natural Beauty Treatments To Do At Home

These are my top 6 natural and homemade beauty products shared here at New Nostalgia. They are easy to make, healthy for the skin, and they WORK!

1. 2 Ingredient Homemade Lemon Face Scrub

I’d say this is my favorite of the bunch. Who knew lemon and sugar could make the skin feel so, so wonderful. I use this scrub every other week. There is always a bit of leftover, and when I tell my 3 lovelies that I made it, they all come running. You know it works wonderfully if teenage girls are willing to ~~fight over~~ use it!

2. Homemade & Healthy Lavender Lime Body Spray

There is something wonderfully satisfying in making your own beauty products. Especially when something like this spray would cost a pretty penny at the store. I love the scent of lavender and lime together, but if you don’t, you can use any essential oil as fragrance in this spray.

3. Coconut Lime Sugar Body Scrub

This scrub is simply divine. It smells so good, and leaves my legs feeling amazing, especially when I use it after shaving them. No need for body lotion when you use this scrub. Just rinse off, towel off, and enjoy the softness!

4. 2 Ingredient Organic Eye Makeup Remover

I’ve seen homemade eye makeup remover recipes online that are way too complicated and use way too many ingredients. This one uses just two, and is another simple recipe that works and that my girls have bought into. I just love the money I save, as having 3 girls, two of which now wear makeup, can get expensive!

5. Lemon Sugar Hand Scrub

This is a newer recipe in our household. I keep it at the kitchen sink and just love it. It is great anytime you want soft hands, but especially great after handling onions and garlic. This not only scrubs the hands, but leaves them so nice and soft. After drying, just gently rub your hands together to distribute the little bit of oil left on them as the perfect moisturizer.

6. Detox Bath

This is a beauty treatment that not only beautifies the outside by making the skin soft, but also helps your insides by giving you a nice dose of magnesium. It is so very relaxing and calming, you will come out rested and glowing.

——–

Have you ever made your own beauty products? Please share.

Featured/ Homemade Gifts

Lemon Sugar Hand Scrub

I recently was part of a planning team for a local IF: Conference. I had the fun job of decorating. I got to create an atmosphere where the women who came felt comfortable, loved on and cared for.

Lemon Sugar Hand Scrub was a small touch, both for beauty and for pampering, that I put in the restroom. It got rave reviews from the women who used it. I personally love this recipe, and was delighted when it was so well received. I even got sweet comments on my Facebook page that evening– women asking for the recipe.

{photo from conference via Lelia Chealey}

This Lemon Sugar Hand Scrub is quick to throw together and leaves the hands so very refreshed and soft. Just take a small spoonful, rub into hands, then a quick warm water rinse and a blot dry. This will leave you with a slight bitof moisture that can be rubbed into your hands. It is a cleanser, scrub and moisturizer in one!

Don’t forget to rub the scrub into those cuticles. Winter can wreak havoc on cuticles and dry them out. When rubbing the scrub into your hands, gently massage into the cuticles, too. Then rinse. Then massage the leftover oil into your cuticles. My cuticles have never looked better after using this scrub!

It is addicting and amazing.

I keep a jar at all times at my kitchen sink. It sits on my kitchen sill in a cute little mason jar & has a fun, tiny little spoon with it.

I also have made a batch for the shower and used as a full body scrub. It is amazing stuff!

I highly recommend adding lemon essential oil to this recipe. It makes the world of difference in how your hands smell after using the scrub, and adds great cleansing and even lightening properties for those pesky age spots we get on the back of our hands. It truly is divine!

Lemon Sugar Scrub

{via I Heart Naptime}

2 1/2 cups sugar, divided

1/4 cup coconut oil, melted (almond or jojoba oils works well, too)

1 lemon

5-7 drops lemon essential oil (optional, but not really!)

~Put sugar in a large bowl. Set aside. Measure out 1/4 cup of coconut oil and place it in a microwave safe bowl. Heat coconut oil in the microwave for about 30 seconds, or until the oil is melted. Add 5-7 drops lemon essential oil & stir. Pour oil over sugar and mix to combine.

~Using a zester or small rater, zest the rind of 1 lemon. Then, cut tested lemon in half and, using a juicer or a fork, juice the lemon. Remove any seeds from lemon juice. Add lemon juice and zest to the sugar mixture and stir to combine.

~If sugar scrub is still too “wet”, add up to 1/2 cup more sugar until desired consistency is reached.

~Store in a cute little jar, with a cute little spoon.

~Add a free printable label courtesy of I Heart Naptime.

Keep for yourself or give away as a sweet and meaningful gift. Enjoy!

HEALTH/ HOME/ Homemaking

My Slow & Steady Approach To Essential Oils

I am slowly but surely getting super addicted to essential oils. I know I’m a bit late to the game, but I was skeptical and just didn’t want one more thing to have to spend money on.

But then I started talking to women.

Women who were raving about replacing items in their medicine cabinet with oils, who were adding it to their homemade cleaners to KILL mold & mildew, & who were diffusing it into their homes to create an atmosphere and actually CHANGE the mood of their homes, and who were rubbing them on husbands sore ankles for instant pain relief!

These were women, friends & even family members that I trust…so I started listening!

Slow & Steady Approach to Essential Oils

My approach to essential oils is slow & steady. The buying a lot of high-quality oils at once is inexpensive, so I have decided to go slow and do it in an affordable way.

I’m excited to slowly but surely share with you my journey.

So far, I have bought and used Tea Tree Oil, Lemon Oil, & Lavender Oil.

I use Tea Tree Oil in my Epsom salt mix to take detox baths.

I also have also used lemon essential oil in my homemade glass cleaner which gives it a lovely cheerful scent and influences my mood while I clean.

My Favorite Essential Oil Diffuser

My favorite and most recent purchase for essential oils was an AromaSoft Ultra Sonic Essential Oil Diffuser. This diffuser is budget friendly and after trying several different brands and types, this is the one I love.It is awesome!

An oil diffuser is a wonderful way to get the therapeutic scent of oil into a larger space. This one fills up my whole living room and dining room.

You fill the diffuser with water, add a few drops of your favorite essential oil or blend a few scents together (so fun…I love Peppermint and Lemon together!) and enjoy the scent in your home.

It is so great to know the scent is healthy and good for my family to breathe…unlike many scented candles out there that are full of chemicals and allergens!

So far my favorite oils are citrus essential oils —Lemon, Grapefruit & Lime— as they are great for uplifting the mood and good for any season.

With 4 females in the house and 3 of them being teens and preteens, a good mood lifter is always appreciated!

I am now researching an oil to diffuse for dry membranes. I am on a new medication that causes my sinuses to become so dry!

The dry winter air of the Midwest sure does not help.

I am looking into some Peppermint Oil and Oregano Oil to put onto cotton balls into a mason jar and inhale to soothe. This will be a fun mixture to attack my poor sinuses. I will let you know how that goes.

What Brand Of Essential Oils Do I Use?

As far as what brand I decided to go with…well…that was a big and long and drawn out decision.

I did a bunch of reading and got more and more discouraged with the competitiveness of the different oil companies.

Many comments I have read about different companies from one company representative to another were just plain not nice!

I believe there are numerous good companies out there selling oils, large and small, but I personally prefer to go with a company that is smaller & does not rely on pyramid- type sales.

This is a very personal decision, and it truly is an individual decision. If you use a larger company, please know that is fine too & that I am just happy that everyone is pursuing health in alternative and healthful ways.

Despite the numerous great companies out there, there ARE companies out there with very cheaply made, diluted and impure oils, and I did not want to be throwing my money away!

It was important to me to choose a brand I can be confident in and believe in.

Rocky Mountain Oils Essential Oils It is!

Rocky Mountian Oils is the company I decided to go with. Their offer oils that are all organic & pesticide-free, wild-crafted (if available), a wonderful company with great smelling oils for really reasonable prices.

They source their essential oils from reputable distillers that they know personally and trust.

They also allow me to link their products here, and if you make a purchase after clicking through to their site to mine, I will earn a commission, but your price remains the same.

If you are an essential oils lover or just intrigued by them and want to support New Nostalgia in this way, please know I am so very appreciative of your support and the funds will go back into New Nostalgia to make it an even better place for us all.

Want to try a sampler kit?

………………..

Update:

I now have the BEST tool for those just starting out–25 Essential Oil Blends Recipe Cards are formula cards to keep right at your fingertips and use over and over again.

With this set, you will receive 25 different essential oil blend formulas, all that are made from just 10 different affordable oils, 4 of which are the most common oils that most people have on hand – lemon, peppermint, lavender, and tea tree.

Examples of blends: Clean Air, Relaxation, Focus, Wake, Good Day, Sinus Relief & more.

Buy them here at New Nostalgia Shop.

How about you?

Have you tried essential oils? Do you want to?

If so, what is your favorite way to use them?

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