Hello Friends! Here is another catch up day for Blogtober. The past two weeks have been full of sleepless nights. My toddler is not sleeping well at night and when you throw in night terrors then this Mama is not getting any sleep. When Mama doesn't get any sleep then this blog suffers.
I hope that this is the last time that I have to play catch up.
Enjoy the posts! Have a great day!!
Blogtober 2017- Day #12- Favorite Fall Scent
Welcome to Day #12 of Blotober! Today's post is all about my favorite fall scent. This is the one that I get every singe fall. I love it!
Spiced Pumpkin Cider
What is your favorite fall scent?
Blogotber 2017- Day #13- Fun Facts about Fall
Happy Fall Lovelies!
It's finally time to pull out
the sweaters and watch the leaves morph into various shades of yellow
and orange. Fall can be a gorgeous time of year, but do you know the
history behind it? Well, my friends, I have compiled a list some fun
fall facts to celebrate this time wonderful time of year! Enjoy!
Fun Facts about Fall:
Fact #1: Americans
typically refer to this time of year as “fall,” while the British use
the word “autumn.” Both terms date back to the 16th century but before
that it was called “harvest.
Fact #2:
Fall was called “harvest” because of the “harvest moon” that occurs
when the full moon is closest to the autumn equinox. Before man-made
lighting, this moonlight was essential to a prosperous harvest.
Fact #3: Weight gain
around this time of year may not only be due to comforting fall foods
like pumpkin pie and cider, researchers have found that lack of vitamin D
reduces fat breakdown and triggers fat storage.
Fact #4: According to The Weather Channel,
pumpkins are the most craved food during the fall. Although, if you’ve
left the house anytime recently, this may not come as a surprise to you.
Fact #5: The
yellow and orange colors you see actually always exist in leaves but
they are overpowered by the abundance of green from chlorophyll. The
amount of chlorophyll starts to decrease as the sun weakens and the days
grow shorter.
Fact #6:
Red and purple leaves are only that color because of the presence of
sugars and sap that are trapped within the leaves. These sugars provide
plants with the energy they need to survive.
Fact #7:
Many birds will prepare for their winter migration during the fall.
The distance they can travel is impressive; the Arctic Tern travels
11,000 miles each way for it’s annual migration. That’s no small feat.
Fact #8:
Evergreen trees such as pines, cedars, and spruces stay green because
their leaves (needles) are covered with thick wax and they contain
materials that prevent freezing when it gets cold.
Fact #9:
Men and women experience high levels of testosterone during the fall.
This makes sense because more babies are conceived during the fall and
winter. The cause is unknown but it could be due to lack of sunlight or
even go back to ancient mating rituals.
Fact #10:
We can’t forget Halloween! Halloween takes place in the fall and comes
from ancient Celtic tradition. They believed that ghosts roamed on
Halloween and people would wear disguises in order to hide from these
spirits.
Blogtober 2017- Day #14- 5 Common Meal Planning Mistakes
Meal planning can be overwhelming. The trick is to just get started.
But before we talk about meal planning, let's first talk about some
common mistakes that most people make when meal planning.
5 Common Meal Planning Mistakes:
Mistake #1-- Not making a menu at all
I'll
be the first to admit that there are plenty of weeks when I don't have a
meal plan in place because of not knowing exactly how our week is going
to plan out. But, you know what? When 4pm rolls around, I always regret
not having a meal plan to rely on.
Even a simple meal plan that you have to change it better than not having one at all.
Mistake #2-- Thinking you have to plan out every single detail.
Guess
what? If you are making the meal plan, you are the boss and you get to
make the decision on how much you plan out and how much you want to
"wing it". I usually plan the main dish with a side. When it's time to
cook, first I check the fridge to see what produce needs to be used up
and then I make a decision based on that.
If you are only planning one item per meal, then meal planning goes alot quicker.
Mistake #3-- Thinking you have be extra creative when meal planning.
There
is no planning rule that say you have to plan something amazing for
each meal. My breakfast menu is very simple and consists of cereal, eggs
and toast, poptarts, and toaster strudel.
It's perfectly fine to add simple item to your meal plan-- you will be prepared while still having the ingredients on hand.
Mistake #4-- Thinking you cannot change the menu plan.
You
are in control of the meal plan, the meal plan is not in control of
you. If the time comes and find out that you do not have the time to
make what is planned that day, then swap for something easier.
Do not avoid menu planning because you feel it's too limiting.
Mistake #5-- Being to ambitious in your meal choices.
The opposite of mistake #4 is to be too ambitious while you are meal planning
I try to learn from my mistakes and plan accordingly the next time.
What types of mistakes have you made while meal planning?
Blogtober 2017- Day #15- Six Ways to Relax Before Bed
Every body craves sleep. So why do most people struggle with it
periodically? You've tried to do it the right way--- you skip the late
night caffeine, you don't eat a heavy meal right before bed, you make
sure the lights are off and you follow a consistent bedtime schedule
each night. However, as you lay in bed tossing and turning, frustration
begins to creep in and none of this seems to matter. When insomina hits
you ultimately spend hours stressing instead of doing a few easy things
to gently slip into a peaceful sleep.
Difficulty
falling asleep and staying asleep is a common problem, and it is a
valuable commidity. Here are a few steps to follow every night that will
encourage a more rapid appearance by Mr. Sandman.
1. Soak in the tub
Relax
in the bathtub. This soothes both mind and body. Adding some sleep
inducing scents such as lavendar oil which helps calm the mind and body,
A word of warning though, don't take a shower as this can awaken your
body, instead opt for a warm bath.
2. The old wives tale work
Have
a glass of warn milk. Trust me from experience, it works wonders. If
you can't stand the idea of warm milk try some chamomile tea. It works
the same way as the warm milk and it does make you sleepy.
3. Find an activity
Do
something that relaxes you right before bed. Try reading, watching
something boring on television. You could even sew, scrapbook, or even
write a letter. This activity should be easy and it should be nothing
that will key your nerves back up. Once your eyes get droopy, it's time
to hit the sack.
4. De-stress
One
of the worst things that you can do is lay in bed and think about what
you didn't get done that day, and all of the work waiting for you
tomorrow. Worrying about it won't get it done. What I do is make a to do
list and then I forget about it. I have found that this relieves so
much of my stress at the end of the day.
5. Add some noise
What
i mean by this is white noise. Adding white noise can help you sleep.
Another thing you could do is add a fan because a cool bedroom can also
help with sleep.
6. Listen to your body
Is
your body to tense to sleep? Try a relaxation tape that guides you
through loosening up and relaxing each muscle group. Work on some deep
breathing exercises which mimic your respiration pattern while you
sleep.
Make going to bed a routine. Around the same
time every night, even on weekends, start your routine. This could mean
taking a bath and some light reading. It could also mean changing into
your pajamas and brushing your teeth. Do something consistently so that
your body will learn the signals to settle down for th enight and to
wake up refreshed the next day.
What are some that you relax before bed?
Blogtober 2107- Day #16- How to Implement a Morning Routine
Hi Lovelies!
I
hope everyone had a wonderful and relaxing weekend! We just hung out at
home, played outside (when it wasn't raining), fixed some yummy meals
and snacks and just had a good time. This weekend I decided to
implement a morning rountine and it seemed to help quite a bit. I
noticed that my mornings were not as rushed and I was much more
relaxed.
So, today's blog post is all about how to set up a morning routine that works for you.
Morning Routine:
(1) Wake up
Take 15 -30 minutes to wake up, enjoy your coffee, check out the news, or read.
(2) Review your daily tasks (to do list)
Review
your to-do list for things that have to be done that day. I usually
spend 1-2 minutes reviewing my list in the morning to metally prepare me
for the day and to adjust my schedule if needed. I also prepare my
to-do list the night before as part of my night time routine ( I also
use as sort of a "brain dump").
(3) Make your bed
Beds
take up alot of space and when they aren't made they tend to look like a
whole lot clutter. Here's a simple solution: take 5 minutes to make
your bed and I promise that your room will look cleaner and you will
feel more relaxed.
(4) Prepare for dinner
Make sure all of your food items are defrosted and that you have all the
necessary ingredients for the evening’s dinner. Also you should consider how long
it will take for you to make dinner and adjust your schedule if need
be. I usually take this opportunity to refer to my meal plan
for the following night to see if I need to take anything out of the
freezer to defrost or if I’ll need to stop at the grocery store. This
is also a good time to prepare your crockpot meal which is another easy way to
streamline your dinner prep.
(5) Empty dishwasher or dish drainer
Put
your dishes away first thing in the morning so that you and your
family can fill it up after breakfast and throughout the day instead of
waiting to do all of it after dinner. This is another task that takes
all of 5 minutes to complete, and when it's done, you will feel better.
(6) Workout, shower, and dress
After you shower and get dressed be sure to put dirty clothes in the
laundry, put away your toiletries and makeup, wipe down the sinks and
hang up your towel.
(7) Make breakfast and clean up afterwards
Return all food items in the fridge, pantry or cupboards. Scrape
leftover food in the trash and put your dishes in the sink or
dishwasher. Wipe down all of the counters, sink, stove and microwave.
Like your bed, the kitchen has a lot of counter space and when one
counter is cluttered the whole kitchen looks messy. Take just a couple
of minutes everyday to wipe down those counters and appliances…you’ll be
amazed at how refreshing it is to come home to a clean kitchen after a
busy day at work.
(8) Get on with your day
Now that you’ve got your morning routine complete you can head off to
work (on time of course), or to your home office if you work from home,
spend time with your kids or take care of your priority tasks and
errands.
So, my question is, do you have a morning routine? And how is it working for you?
Have a wonderful Monday Lovelies!!
Blogtober 2107- Day #17- 7 Things To Do on a Sunday to Make Your Week More Productive
Hi Lovelies!
Imagine if you will.... it's Monday
morning and you can barely drag yourself out of bed. You're exhausted
and you are getting ready for work barely making it out of the door on
time. You forgot to pack your lunch so you will have to grab some fast
food on your lunch hour. Your desk is a mess and your email box is full.
It's going to be a long day. This sounds familiar, doesn't it? We have
all been there, but it doesn't have to be that way. If you take
advantage of your Sundays to prepare for the week, Mondays can be a lot
easier! Here are seven things you can do on Sunday for a more productive
week:
1.
For thing's first.... think of Sunday as the first day of the week
instead of the last. Most people tend to think of Sunday as a day of
rest, instead think of Sunday as the first chance to prepare yourself
for the week, This one simple little thought will make Monday seem less
overwhelming.
2. Clean out your email inbox. If you
work a typical 9 to 5 job, chances are most of the emails you receive
Friday night through Sunday are personal and junk mail as opposed to
work email. Clean these out on Sunday night. By doing this it will help
you jump into the work week more quickly.
3. Write a to do list for the week and then begin to tackle it.
4.
If you work from home clean off your desk on Sunday so you start the
week off with a clean desk. Put anything you will need for Monday's
projects front and center.
5. If you are a blogger,
schedule your social media posts for the week. Now, I haven't started
this yet mainly because I'm still finding the best free social media
scheduler. I hope to start this sometime next week.
6.
Clean the house. There's is nothing worse that starting the week with a
messy house. I don't know about anyone else, but I am much more relaxed
when my house is clean.
7. Meal plan and meal prep for
the week. I tend to one big shopping trip at the beginning of the month.
So, I usually have a detailed menu plan for the month. I still shop at
least once a week for the essentials like milk, bread, and eggs and some
fruits and veggies. It make all the difference when it comes to meal
times.
What do you do on Sundays to have a more productive week?
Have a great day!!
