Serving our Girls

My hope for the wellness treats I gave to the girls in my Girl Scout Troop is for them to take some time for over the break to renew and restore themselves. We have served others alot this fall and now it is time to  serve our own souls and spirits. It starts with us, the moms and dads. Let's make an effort to be an example for them. Let's teach them how to take care if their well-being. Let's help them on their journey of wellness and wholeness.

Be in the Moment

STOP! Take in the moment, right now. Don't think, just BE:)
It's almost Christmas and it is now time to "smell the roses".  You have done your part during this season for everyone else... now, it's time for you.
Be intentional from here on out with your time and attention. If you don't mean yes, then don't commit. Say NO when truly warranted; that way when you say YES, it is heart felt.

My December Ipsy Glam Bag Review

So, I just received my December Ipsy glam bag and I have to say, that when I see these bright pink shipping envelopes, I get super!!! excited.
Ipsy, is a monthly cosmetics membership program that allows members to receive rather generous sized samples of beauty and skin care products from various beauty and skincare lines to try for $10.00 a month.
You create an account and enter in your personal skincare and beauty preferences and every month receive products based on your preferences.
All these items arrive in a different cosmetic and glam bag each month. I use my glam bags to store and organize my handbag and other household items.

I can be a bit conservative in my makeup and beauty routine, but since signing up for ipsy, I step out of my comfort zone and try products that bring out my fun dude more.
This month, I received a matte orange/red lip stain by Half Baked, Lip Fondant in Power Trip...a little goes a long way. It also stays a while on the lips. The dark nail polish in I Kaled it, by Trust Fund Beauty is very different for me. I am a nude or red nail polish kind of gal. I will try it and show you in a later post. The brow gel by Benefit in #5  is right up my ally with creating and maintaining sleek and sophisticated brows. The Cake, heavy cream in Vanilla Shea butter, body balm is great to keep in your handbag for those cold drying days of winter. The Balm, Bootylicious eyeshadow will be my seasons nude go to for day beauty. Last but not least, the Farah brush #35 is wonderful for application and blending.

Get more details about my bag

Happy Beauty to you.😊

Elevating your scarf style

Being stylish doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg, as you already know.
I believe that these stylish, simple and sophisticated scarves are more about the looks... not the label.
All three of these chic scarves are from Target.
They are multi functional and can be paired with jeans and a dress and day to night.

Women's Faux Fur Neckerchief - Universal Thread™ Brown

Women's Faux fur Mini Pull through Stole Scarf - A New Day™

Women's Ribbed Faux Fur Snood Scarf - Estee & Lilly

Boots... a real shoe in to the season

Stepping out in boots that keep you warm and stylish as you work the seasons looks.

Cato Fashions are my go to for the best prices and stylish looks for boots this season.

Shop the boot collection at Cato Fashion: https://bit.ly/2QbU5dl

De-clutter & Revitalize Your Home

Toss out empty containers and old items

Why do we hold on to used and old items. Do we think that they will somehow sprout new legs and arms and replenish themselves and take on a new life. It tends to be difficult to part with incomplete items, especially when we invested in them financially and emotionally, however the fact of the matter is these items don't keep going forever. They go bad and run out of their usefulness. Contingent upon the item their shelf life is limited.So restock and get rid of the old.

Redesign your everyday use things

Are your everyday use items in an inconvenient place in your home?  Are your toiletries and beauty tools in a cumbersome spot in your bureau? Intermittently we endure little, day by day bothers for far longer than we should. Determine which items you utilize daily, and which are used not so often, and reorganize them so that their daily use are front and center.

The same should be done to your night time routine as well. Place daily evening items ( meds, lotion, water bottles etc) in a nightstand drawer or organize things in a caddy and place next to your bed.

It's a little change that can have a gigantic effect in surged mornings or depleted nights.

Void out & clean out the junk drawer

Handling your whole kitchen or restroom can overpower you before you even start; rather, pick one cabinet to discharge and sort out. When you encounter the rapture of living with this efficient cabinet, you may discover the vitality you have to proceed onward to the following one. What I have decided to do this year is add small organizing containers to organize my junk drawer.

Survey your linen closet circumstance

The linen closet can be a source of stress for me. We do not have a lot of space in our apartment; so, the linen closet tends to be used for storage. Ugh!!! I have made a decision to survey the situation and toss out stained and torn sheets and towels that no longer serve a functional purpose in our home. This will free up space and allow us to have the needed space for items that we actually use regularly.

Take out the gift pack

On the off chance that you have a give heap or pack in your storeroom that you've been adding to consistently or late months, make the following stride of moving it out of the house for good. Along these lines, you're more averse to reach back in and take things out later.

We have a place in the bathroom that is an ugly spot, that is just killing my eyesight.  My daughter has placed it there to share with her friends; however, they have not gone through it as yet. They are over everyday and never go through it. So, I have decided for them. It has  to GO!

My Favorite Holiday Movies To Watch

While others attend social affairs and Christmas shop; take a break and settle in to a comfy sofa this week end, and cover up with throws that hug you and watch some of my favorite movies below. My ideal Holiday break consists of throws, PJ's, snacks, a warm beverage (s) and planting myself for the duration of the weekend in my sleeping clothes. My goal for the weekend is to watch as many of the movies as I possibly can stay awake for. My most favorite is #2. Which one would you say you are most anticipating watching this Christmas season? Did I overlook any must-sees that I have to add to my synopsis?

The Family Stone, 2005

Home Alone, 1990

Love Actually, 2003

The Holiday, 2006

It’s A Wonderful Life, 1946

This Christmas, 2007

Do a Wellness Check for Yourself During the Holidays Season

We're knee deep into the Christmas and Holiday season of December and the jetting from one soiree to another is in full bloom.Some of us feel like the month among Thanksgiving and Christmas is a brute run? Between managing potential issues at work, setting aside two or three minutes to see accomplices, remaining over exercises, flying into the standard occasion social affairs and parties, and wrapping up all EOY items, I'm reliably to an incredible degree tired once January arrives, 

On the off chance that one thing 2018 showed me, it's that I can't do everything — and to be thoroughly immediate, I would support not to do everything. So this year, I'm moving my necessities around, building up some exceptional individual cutoff focuses, and endeavoring to leave somewhat more space on my date-book for some quality R&R.

First: make movement a priority

This one is a non-far from being obviously true. Before any social affair or gathering hits my timetable, I put aside a couple of minutes and space for step by step improvement. Alongside the unquestionable medicinal focal points, rehearsing step by step truly improves me feel, strong, and places me in such a remarkable tendency. 

I've been using Sundays to plot my activity week and make a point to book classes early so I'm set and arranged to go. My master tip is to book early morning classes — I like to get my improvement unexpected and take into consideration no specific reason during the evening. Booking early usually ensures I have an early night and don't make a decent attempt on the event blended beverages or chomps, also. It's my sure fire way to deal with set myself up for advancement.

Ask Yourself?: “How do I want to feel?” 

This one is critical estimation out of the Christmas season. Tune in, I'll be the first to surrender that once in a while my energized personality prompts over submitting and overbooking myself. I revere being a dash of the fun and love celebrating even the most moment of occasions. In any case, I really need to conduct a self wellness check up before I  commit and say yes, rapidly and think about how I'll feel the day or two after that responsibility. I've found that taking multi day or two to consider the event before responding is critical. Most invites things don't require a prompt response, so a better than typical couple of days than genuinely investigate my necessities and responsibilities is beneficial. 

Make a point to ask yourself "By what means may I have to feel" when you do RSVP and go to the event. It's an amazing thing to get some information about what to eat and drink, and what you have made the next day.

Baby Steps = Big Steps

We should make one thing straight: you can't do everything. It's physically hard to do everything. However, there are two or three little flags you can do that are correspondingly as huge. This is what I mean: if you can't make an event dinner party, OK have the capacity to make an outing for a refreshment and cheers the host? In case you can't make a birthday party, OK have the capacity to mail a card or present to their home or work? There's continually another way to deal with exhibit someone that you're thankful to be fused, paying little mind to whether you can't make it — and what a remarkable strategy to get inventive and redo the movement. I've been using the application in-lieu recently to provide for a charity in light of a legitimate concern for a sidekick. It's a wonderful technique to not have to give a physical gift that they may not using any and all means like, and reinforce a reason that is valuable to them. In addition, don't worry over consuming money in case you basically don't have it — a composed by hand card or well altogether considered email goes far.

If you don’t want to go...

Let me get a show of hands for the general population who just go to an occasion since they have a tendency that they need to? I get it totally. There are a few occasions where it may be seen as inconsiderate or essentially only odd in the event that you weren't there. Utilize your best judgment here, at any rate I'd will wager that for 90% of those occasions, it isn't impolite — it's fundamentally the record in your mind. I like to consider what will feel much upgraded: saying no quickly and expelling time for rest which leaves me feeling good, or setting out to an occasion that I truly don't have a craving for visiting, having a horrendous time, by then losing quality rest and individual time. To a great degree essential choice when I lay it ardent. 

Eventually, I'm not saying you have to trap a companion or host to lessen a welcome. Keep in mind, you can't do everything — except for is there something in this occasion you can do, that will forsake you feeling better? 

A major, "Thank you such a phenomenal total for the welcome, sadly I can't make it. I trust it goes well, and wish you an unprecedented Christmas season!" is clear, real, and kind. In the event that you feel so slanted to send along a blessing, or effect a gift, to do hence — at any rate it's exorbitant.

Block out the first week of of the New Year

Regardless of whether I stay on track and don't overcommit, the principal week back to work is dependably an intense one for me. My inbox is regularly flooding and simply getting once again into the score feels like a moderate movement. So I keep the principal seven day stretch of January completely passed out for any sort of gatherings, occasions, or even catch ups with companions and utilize that opportunity to move again into my every day schedule. What's more, regardless of whether you did overcommit (hello, you're just human), having the primary week closed off is a pleasant time to get up to speed with life as a rule. 

I genuinely trust every one of you have a great Christmas season loaded up with the correct blend of adoration, fun, rest, and reflection. It's been an extraordinary year — and I'm so grateful to have had you curious to see what happens. See you in 2019!

Girl Scout Cookies and Wine Pairings

                          

                                         Kelsey Stoskopf for OOLA

Leading up to Girl Scout cookie sales, I want you all to know that your purchase of cookies does so much more than satisfy your cravings and break your New Year's resolution to be healthier. Money  from those sales come back to my Girl Scouts and they do amazing things with that money. What will our girls be doing? To name just a few, they will use the money earned from the sale of their cookies to provide

  *Animal shelters with their needs
  *Senior /Retirement home gifts for Bingo winnings
  *Blankets for Homeless
  *Fans for summer heatwave
  *Fun trip/ activity for their hard work.

I encourage you to ask each scout you buy from what she will be doing with her money.

THIN MINTS

One of the original Girl Scout Cookies, Thin Mints are a definite classic. The chocolatey mint flavor is to die for, especially when the cookies are frozen. To match the minty flavor of these cookies, you need a full-bodied, dry wine. A glass of merlot will go very well with your Thin Mints.

DO-SI-DOS

Do-Si-Dos are a popular Girl Scout Cookie because of the oatmeal cookie outside and creamy peanut butter inside. To create the perfect combination of flavors, try a Zweigelt wine with the Do-Si-Dos. A Zweigelt wine is light and fruity making for the ultimate, adult-ified peanut butter and jelly treat.

SAVANNAH SMILES

These lemon flavored, powdered sugar-covered cookies are sure to melt in your mouth the second you take your very first bite. To pair with the tart lemon flavor of the cookie you want a wine that is on the drier side and not so tart in itself. The perfect wine pairing for the Savannah Smiles is a Rielsling-Kabinett. This off-dry, high-acid white wine goes well with the distinct flavors of the cookie.

TREFOILS

Trefoils, also known as the shortbread cookie, have a buttery richness to them that we can't help but love. This simple cookie needs a just as simple counterpart. Pair Trefoils with a sparkling wine for a great combination of cookie and wine. The flavors of the cookie pair well with the liveliness that comes from the sparkling wine.

SAMOAS

Samoas are a staple when it comes to ordering Girl Scout Cookies, well, for us anyways. Next time you open up a box of Samoas, try the cookies with a bottle of Tawny Port. Port wine is typically served as a dessert wine, so this sweet, red wine will fit right in with your Samoas.  The subtle coconut and caramel flavors pair well with this sweeter wine. 

TAGALONGS

Tagalongs are one of our favorites. The chocolatey coating gives way to a mouth-watering peanut butter center that's to die for. This savory, chocolate and peanut butter combination needs a wine that's sweet.

TOFFEE-TASTIC

Toffee-Tastic cookies are sweet, buttery cookies filled with tiny pieces of toffee crunch. This toffee flavored cookie needs a light, bubbly wine to match. Try a fine glass of champagne when indulging in a Toffee-Tastic.

3 Simple Holiday Survival Tips

1. Don't take it all so serious

2. Sit alone with your Tree, have a beverage and take in the moment

3. Have Fun

Merry Christmas

from our Family

to your Family

How to have a better Conversation

Nativity Magic

Africa

Games and Toys

Selfie and Pop Culture

I had the pleasure of visiting a multicultural, multi generational, pop culture Nativity event at the Church of Jesus Christ Church of Latter-Day Saints.

There are Nativity scenes from all over the world. It is very interesting to witness other cultures view on the Nativity.

There were also some pop culture Nativities, such as Charlie Brown, Legos, Jenga, Rubber Ducks and many more.

The event was held at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Carrollton off of Nazarene.

I was a bit overwhelmed by it all and want to attend again to take my time and really see all of the beautiful works of art; however, Sunday, December 2 is the last day.

I was also equally proud as a Girl Scout Leader to have one of my girls to portray the live version of Mary in event.

Happy Nativity to you.