So I've decided I want to be bloggin' again, just to talk about things I feel like talking about, that maybe isn't absolutely to force upon people on a day-to-day basis; so I will write it here to get it out into the world and then people get an actual CHOICE as to if they want to hear from me or not!
It's not going to be completely au naturel -related... though parts will be! The main difference is I want to include aspects of my church, baking, and school life!
Today I donated blood, and that made me feel pretty awesome... I got to see old coworkers, AND I got to save someone's life (up to 3 someones actually). PLUS(!!!!!) I have now donated twice in a row without having a '10' called on me (aka I did not get faint, woozy, or start hyperventilating). This is a huge feat for me! I used to be so awful with needles.
I was thinking about how I find a lot of joy and peace and happiness in being quiet, and gentle-natured, and kind... qualities I do not tend to exhibit during my M-F schedule of school&homework, but that maybe I need to focus more on. Hmmm.
FOOD
I was baking tonight (this year I have become a bit of a bake-aholic in terms of using it as a stress reliever) so that I could bring treats for coffee @ church tomorrow (Asher & I are in charge of supplying treats & doling out coffee). There was a request for 'healthy' treats, so this is what I decided on!
1) My grandma Mac's family recipe for banana bread
2) This stupendous fabuloso recipe I discovered on Pinterest. It. Is. So. Freaking. Good.
obvs I can't share a top secret family recipe, but what I can share is this little gem. Try them. Now:).
Best Ever Chocolate Oatmeal No-Bake Bars
- 1 cup peanut butter
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/2 cup coconut oil (you could also substitute butter)
- 2 cups old fashioned oats
- 1 cup shredded coconut
- 1 1/4 cups chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup chopped nuts, raisins, or dried cranberries (optional)
Melt the peanut butter, honey, and coconut oil over medium-low heat in a saucepan on the stove. Remove from heat once it’s melted together and add in the oats, shredded coconut, chocolate chips, nuts/raisins, and vanilla.Pour into a greased 9×13 pan and cool in the fridge. If you’d like thicker bars, you can pour the mixture into a smaller pan.When the mixture is hardened, cut into bars and eat. Store in the refrigerator or freezer. *big thank you to moneysavingmom.com which I got this recipe from (though I altered it very slightly).
OH, NATURE!!!
Aaaaand to finish the blog off (this sure is becoming a doozy), I want to advocate for Rocky Mountain Soap Company (one of my fave natural resources) and tell you that if you are going to have one beauty product in your drawer, let it be their incredible Beech Tree Bud Eye Cream!
Aaaaand to finish the blog off (this sure is becoming a doozy), I want to advocate for Rocky Mountain Soap Company (one of my fave natural resources) and tell you that if you are going to have one beauty product in your drawer, let it be their incredible Beech Tree Bud Eye Cream!
Eye cream is not just for your mom. That delicate skin around your eyes actually starts aging in your mid-20s, so get preventing, girls.
1) Ditch those chemical-laden miracle-promising tubs & tubes which rely heavily on retinyl palmitate (vitamin a/retinol), a naturally occurring substance essential for healthy cell metabolism (sounds good so far...) which breaks down and produces toxic free radicals, DNA damage, and gene mutations upon exposure to sunlight... so unless you avoid the sunshine every day you wear eye cream, this means skin tumours & lesions, people - making the least of your worries those wrinkles you are trying to hide. {SOURCE: www.ewg.org/skindeep ingredient database.}
2) INSTEAD go get some safe, awesome RMSC eye cream which harvests an ingredient list full of natural AND chock good for you ingredients like Beech Tree Bud -"the tree of youth"-, aloe vera, shea butter, coconut oil, and a whole clan of more awesomeness.
Chat soon ;)
