National Cancer Survivor Day!

Did you know that was today?  If you know someone who has had cancer, I bet you already did, but for those of you that didn't- NOW YOU KNOW!  Wanna know why I am so excited?
 BECAUSE NOW I CAN OFFICIALLY CELEBRATE IT FOR MY LAUREN!!

(catch up here)

She is now in 100% REMISSION and is getting her Stem Cell Transplant Surgery!  I knew that if anyone was going to overcome a tumor the size of a grapefruit (in her chest) it was going to be her- She is one of the strongest and most incredible people I know and through determination and love, she has overcome this beast. 

Take that Cancer!! You are NOT worthy!



I'm sorry I haven't posted as much as I would have liked this week, but don't you worry- I am going to be a blogging FOOL today!  I plan on posting a second time today and getting some started for the week!  We have some great things going on and I want to brag share them with you!

Ten Fact Tuesdays- At home Beauty

1) Bath Fun:

• Scent your bath by filling a net bag with fresh lemon skins, hang it from the spout and let the warm water flow through. The oil from the lemons are good for your skin and it will smell lemony fresh.
• Sprinkle powdered milk into running water for relaxing milk bath that will soften your skin.
• Candles are always a necessity for baths, and they are complimented well by rose petals and champagne...

2) Hair Care:

• Make your own Dry shampoo- Mix 1 tbsp salt and ½ cup cornmeal. Sprinkle on roots and brush out.  Since I have blonde hair, I just use baby powder.
• Shine up brunette or red hair by rinsing in coffee or cider vinegar before the final water rinse.
• Shine up blonde hair by pouring 1 cup boiling water over 2 tsp dried chamomile leaves or a handful of fresh ones. Let infuse, then strain and use the liquid as a rinse.
• Mayonaise is a good conditioner for dry hair.  Apply ½ cup to unwashed hair, cover with foil or plastic wrap and let sit for 15 minutes. Rinse off and then shampoo.
• Rinse very fine hair with beer to give it body.

3) Skin Care:

• Make your own skin freshener by adding equal parts rose water and witch hazel and applying with cotton ball. Contains no alcohol so won’t leave your face feeling taut.
• For dry skin, cut up unpeeled cucumber and blend with a small container of natural yogurt. Spread on face, let dry and rinse off.
• For oily skin, mix one egg white with 2 tbsp cornstarch. Spread the mixture over a clean face and leave for several min until it feels dry and tight. Brush off what you can with a dry cloth, and then rinse thoroughly with cold water.
• Apply a beaten egg to your face to tone the skin and tighten pores.
• Put toner and moisturizing cream in the fridge prior to use for more refreshment.

4) Nail Care:

• Strengthen your nails by soaking them in warm water and baking soda for 10 minutes once a week.
• Soften cuticles by dipping them in a bowl of warm olive oil. Push the cuticles back gently with a cotton swab, and use Vitamin E to coat cuticles regularly.
• Wipe nails with vinegar before you apply nail polish- this will help varnish adhere.

5) Pearly Whites:

• Brush with baking soda for white teeth. (I use Arm & Hammer)
• Remove stubborn stains from teeth (i.e coffee, tea, tobacco, etc.) by dipping toothbrush in mashed strawberries, brushing teeth thoroughly and then rinsing with a lttle salt dissolved in warm water. (Haven't tried this one, but I am quite intrigued.)

6) Eu De Toilette:

• Try a sample of a new perfume for a short time and then decide whether to buy it or not.  Not all perfume smells the same on everyone.  (Just because it smells good on Suzy, doesn't mean it will smell good on you.)
• Put Vaseline on skin before putting on perfume and the oily skin holds it better.
• Heat and sunlight deteriorates perfume. Store in cold, dark, dry area.

7) Treating Your Tools:

• Drip hot water into old mascara to revive. (Totally works!)
• To keep makeup brushes soft, wash them in conditioner occasionally.
• Put eyebrow pencils in fridge before sharpening for less breakage.
• Rub petroleum jelly in grooves of your nail polish caps before recapping the polish to keep it from sticking.

8) Makeup Tricks:

• Always start with a clean canvas and then moisturize.
• Wipe a wet sponge over face before applying liquid foundation to prevent dragging.
• Run your eyeliner pencil over a flame to make it go on like liquid liner.
• Blend eyeshadow, so that you don't end up with hard lines.
• Stroke your eyebrows with a bit of dark shadow to fill them in and add form to them.  Don't over do it, though!
• Less is more. Seriously.

9) Beauty From The Inside Out:

• Hydration is KEY.
• Eating Fresh Fruits and veggies will improve your overall skin quality.
• Fish Oil supplements help with dry skin, as a daily multi-vitamin will help with overall skin quality as well.
• De-stress your life. People can see stress in your face and it will cause wrinkles!

10) Tried and True Products:

• Noxema Triple Clean with Triclosan
• Clean & Clear Persa-Gel 10 with Benzoyl Peroxide.  When I combined the Noxzema and Persa-gel, my face totally cleared up and it looks better than ever! I wash with the Noxzema and then apply the Persa-Gel all over the face.  After it dries I add the Moisturizing gel and I'm ready for my day! I also use this at night as well.
• Clinique Moisturizing Gel is my favorite daily moisturizer
• Neutrogena’s new rapid wrinkle repair moisturizer is a daily treatment with “accelerated retinol” a new form of vitamin a that delivers results.

Hope you learned something useful!!

Remembrance and Memoriam

via

It's gotten to the point where Memorial Day stands for BBQ's and the beginning of summer, instead of the day of remembrance that it should be.  I'm sure most Americans don't even know the history of the holiday, and for any American holiday for that matter, and that's very sad to me.  You shouldn't know more about celebrities than your own country...Just Sayin'....So anyways, I did the legwork for you and for those of you that care enough to read, here is the history of Memorial Day:

Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation's service. There are many stories as to its actual beginnings, with over two dozen cities and towns laying claim to being the birthplace of Memorial Day. There is also evidence that organized women's groups in the South were decorating graves before the end of the Civil War: a hymn published in 1867, "Kneel Where Our Loves are Sleeping" by Nella L. Sweet carried the dedication "To The Ladies of the South who are Decorating the Graves of the Confederate Dead" (Source: Duke University's Historic American Sheet Music, 1850-1920). While Waterloo N.Y. was officially declared the birthplace of Memorial Day by President Lyndon Johnson in May 1966, it's difficult to prove conclusively the origins of the day. It is more likely that it had many separate beginnings; each of those towns and every planned or spontaneous gathering of people to honor the war dead in the 1860's tapped into the general human need to honor our dead, each contributed honorably to the growing movement that culminated in Gen Logan giving his official proclamation in 1868. It is not important who was the very first, what is important is that Memorial Day was established. Memorial Day is not about division. It is about reconciliation; it is about coming together to honor those who gave their all.

Memorial Day was officially proclaimed on 5 May 1868 by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, in his General Order No. 11, and was first observed on 30 May 1868, when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery. The first state to officially recognize the holiday was New York in 1873. By 1890 it was recognized by all of the northern states. The South refused to acknowledge the day, honoring their dead on separate days until after World War I (when the holiday changed from honoring just those who died fighting in the Civil War to honoring Americans who died fighting in any war). It is now celebrated in almost every State on the last Monday in May (passed by Congress with the National Holiday Act of 1971 (P.L. 90 - 363) to ensure a three day weekend for Federal holidays), though several southern states have an additional separate day for honoring the Confederate war dead: January 19 in Texas, April 26 in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi; May 10 in South Carolina; and June 3 (Jefferson Davis' birthday) in Louisiana and Tennessee.

General John A. Logan
Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, [LC-B8172- 6403 DLC (b&w film neg.)]

The "Memorial" in Memorial Day has been ignored by too many of us who are beneficiaries of those who have given the ultimate sacrifice. Often we do not observe the day as it should be, a day where we actively remember our ancestors, our family members, our loved ones, our neighbors, and our friends who have given the ultimate sacrifice:

• by visiting cemeteries and placing flags or flowers on the graves of our fallen heroes.
• by visiting memorials.
• by flying the U.S. Flag at half-staff until noon.
• by flying the 'POW/MIA Flag' as well (Section 1082 of the 1998 Defense Authorization Act).
• by participating in a "National Moment of Remembrance": at 3 p.m. to pause and think upon the true meaning of the day, and for Taps to be played.
• by renewing a pledge to aid the widows, widowers, and orphans of our falled dead, and to aid the disabled veterans.

In 1915, inspired by the poem "In Flanders Fields," Moina Michael wrote this in memoriam:

We cherish too, the Poppy red That grows on fields where valor led, It seems to signal to the skies That blood of heroes never dies.

And this is a really good day to remind people:

If you are interested in more info there are lots of sites, but I found this one and thought it most helpful!

http://www.usmemorialday.org/

The Much Anticipated- CARROT CAKE MILKSHAKE!

Recently I stumbled upon C.C.K.'s blog where I have been re-inspired to enjoy all things dessert!  I obviously fell in love with her Raw and Vegan sweets recipes, that allow you to enjoy healthy treats that are almost too good to be true, and in particular, I fell hard for her recipe for a Carrot Cake Milkshake.  Carrot Cake is one of my top dessert faves, but A) it's not exactly healthy and B) it is kind of expensive to make if you make it from scratch as I do.  That's what makes this new recipe one of my top FAVES!

You've got to think outside the box to realize that this:

Can be condensed into this:

And not only that- but it can be made HEALTHY too!

My recipe isn't as light at C.C.K.'s, but I wanted stronger flavors.  Fear not though, because I cut some calories before I added others, so it probably evens out.  She had frozen banana instead of oatmeal, but I thought the oatmeal gave it a better texture and the cinnamon in the oatmeal helped out too.  I also added a dash of nutmeg and a bit of sweetener.  Just remember that you don't need a lot of sweetener and if you add more than a dash of nutmeg- it will overpower and that's all you end up tasting.  I found all this out for myself, because I made this 4 times before I called my recipe approved... I wanted to make sure I gave you the best recipe possible, aaaaannnnnd you're welcome!

Begin by gathering/preparing your ingredients:

• 1/2 a packet of Cinnamon Oatmeal 
• 2/3 cup almond milk 
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 carrot
• dash of salt
• 1 tsp splenda
• dash nutmeg
• 1 tbs coconut butter

 Find the recipe for the coconut butter here:

You can leave out the coconut butter, but I would at least add some fresh coconut, coconut milk, coconut oil or coconut extract.  Just stay away from over-processed-sweetened coconut because that detracts from the healthiness of the shake and adds "crap". 

I prepared the oatmeal first, while steaming the carrot.  I saved half the oatmeal for my next shake or dessert and then blended the other half with all of the indredients and ice.  Just add ice until it's a good milkshake consistency, pour into cute mason jars like these and you are ready for a blissful experience!

This recipe only serves one, but if you need more just double it.  I would however, be careful with the cinnamon and nutmeg, so as not to go overboard. 

Feel free to check out C.C.K's version and definitely check out her blog- you won't be disappointed!

Happy Memorial Weekend, Y'ALL!!