FAQ: My Career History // Part 1

New video for you today. Throughout the time I've had this blog, I've had many people ask me about what I used to do for employment. I thought it'd be a good topic for a quick video. I ran out of space on my phone before I finished adding in everything about my freelance years (2012 - present), so I figured I'd have a part 2 another day.

Here's my career history from graduating college in 2005 through November 2011.


The short of it is that I've done several marketing-related jobs. Then I worked in libraries. I actually worked at the Ithaca College library most of the years I was in college (including full time my freshman summer through graduation!). I love books and information, so I could see myself returning to that area someday.

I'm now in a place where I am happy working from home. I feel very fortunate to have the background that allows me to do it, but I'll get to the unique challenges in my next post. Working from home with just one child was relatively easy. Especially in recent years. Adding another baby to the mix has been interesting with regard to finding time without possibly hiring someone to babysit on occasion.

What do you do? I realized that I have "known" so many of you guys for ages, but I don't know what you spend much of your time doing for a job. Stay at home mom is certainly a job, too. (Boy, is it!) So, don't shy for sharing anything. Or maybe what would be more interesting is to share what you would love to do more than anything.

Happy Tuesday! And if you like this video, be sure to check out more on my YouTube channel. I'm hoping to start uploading one per week. It's a modest goal, right?

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10 Things You Didn't Know About Me

Thank you for all your kind words and shared experiences related to Losing Scully. It's been a weird week. But I think we are feeling more at peace with our decision. I found a stray dark cat hair on myself earlier today, and it is still a strange feeling. Over time, though, I know it will get better. But thanks again for sharing your stories with us.

Today I thought I'd post a video. It's been a while, but I really want to keep up with my YouTube channel. This is a video I've seen going around for a while with 10 things you didn't know about me. I tried choosing things I don't think I've covered on the blog. They're not all terribly interesting -- but you get the idea!



This month really got away with me between taxes, Scully, Stephen's track schedule, and spring break. I'm hoping to get into a better groove from today forward. So, I'll be back on here soon with another post.

Happy Monday!

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Watch Me Get Ready! 5-Minute SAHM Makeup

Quick post for your Friday. Get ready with me! Here's my everyday makeup routine. It's very basic, it takes me just five minutes to complete. And when I'm done, I look natural -- just a bit more polished. Many of the products I use are from the corner drug store, though I do splurge on a few items, like my brow pencil.

Here we go!




Like I said in the video, I'm not (and don't pretend to be) a makeup expert. This is just the routine that works for me and fits into my schedule. When I go out, I may take some more time to do eye shadow, etc. -- but, I generally don't do anything more than this simple routine.

My hair, on the other hand, could use some help! I am considering getting it cut again. Not sure yet. I just hate the stage when it's too short to pull up but too long to look good by doing nothing to it. And I also haven't decided if I'll continue with blonde or go back to more of my natural shade.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed watching me get ready for the day. Now I'm off to visit a friend. Eloise's naps are definitely funky today, so wish me luck that she won't have a meltdown.

Hope you all have a great weekend!

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Vegetarian Meal Plan // What's In My Fridge + Pantry

It's that time again -- MEAL PLANNING time. Yup. Today is March 1, so that mean we are getting more cash out of the bank to do the envelope system. And along with getting cash, I'm going grocery shopping for the entire month. Doing both of these things helped tremendously with our budget, and I plan to write a lot more about each.

Today, let's take a look into what food we are starting the month with:

DINNER PLANNING

This month's meals are split into the following categories:

• 20 weeknight meals
• 4 Friday pizza nights
• 4 Saturday sandwich nights
• 4 meals using up what we have

From there, I came up with what we'll eat:

• Veggie Bean Burgers FREEZER x 4 nights 
• Chickpea Curry DUMP x 2 nights 
• Pasta w/ tofu meatballs x 2 nights 
• Veggie-Loaded Quesadillas x 3 nights 
• Sloppy Lentil Sandwich DUMP x 2 nights 
• Breakfast for dinner x 3 nights 
• Ethiopian Slow Cooker Peanut Stew DUMP x 2 nights  
• Udon Noodle Tofu Stir-Fry w/ Frozen veggies x 2 nights

DUMP means that I plan to put all ingredients in a freezer bag, label it, and then pull it out + cook it the day we're eating it. I find when I cook ahead and then freeze, I never want to eat the meals. So, I'm thinking if it's made the day of, that might improve.

SHOPPING LIST

And for those of you who are interested, this is how my shopping list is shaping up. This isn't absolutely everything, but it accounts for everything we'll need to make the dinners above (along with a few other staples for the month).

• 3, 5-pound bags carrots
• 1 large head cauliflower
• 6 large sweet potatoes 
• 2 packages celery 
• 2 tubs baby spinach
• Garlic 
• Bag onions
• Pizza sauce x 2 
• Pasta sauce x 2  
• Olives x 3
• 4 cans black beans
• 12 cans chickpeas
• 4 28-ounce diced tomatoes
• 2 cans coconut milk 
• 1 can tomato sauce
• 2 large peanut butters
• 2 jelly (grape, strawberry) 
• Tortillas x 2 
• Hot sauce  
• Udon noodles x 2 
• Asian freezer veggies x 2 
• Tofu x 1 three pack 
• Large bag walnuts
• Quality bread flour
• Sugar
• Chocolate chips
• Package bread crumbs 
• Large container Goldfish
• Bag lentils      
• Curry powder
• Garam masala  
• Mustard powder
• 4 assorted non-dairy milks
• 6 tubs Greek yogurt 
• 4 packages sliced cheese
• 4 blocks cheese  
• Large pack cheese sticks
• 4 loaves seed bread
• 1 tub of oats
• 6 dozen eggs    

I am shopping at Aldi and Wegmans this month, and I'll be sure to share how I fare with the budget getting all this stuff. I'll also be back soon talking about the other meals we'll be eating this month (breakfasts, lunches, etc.), as well as some handy tips to make school lunches really fast + cheap.

PS: Don't forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel!

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Five Year Age Gap // Video

I had some time yesterday to sit down and share some thoughts on what it's like to have two kids who are nearly 5 years apart in age. Well, they're actually 4 years and 7 months apart almost to the day. It's a question we actually get quite often when we're out and about. I don't really feel like it's a gigantic gap, but it seems to rouse some commentary.

Anyway, here's the video!



Larger age gap benefits:

• Older kid is independent
• Older kid can help with a lot
• Both children get lots of one-on-one time (yay naps!)
• One child is at school, so it's easier to work from home
• Only one in diapers
• No need for double gear

Larger age gap disadvantages:

• Not at same stage, different areas of needs
• Out of  practice with baby stuff
• Hard to return to sleepless nights
• Two sets of toys for different ages (small pieces! EEK!)
• Need to respond to needs of little sometimes before helping bigger kid
• Some items like car seats are expired and can't be reused

I probably missed some stuff. But that's the gist. I hope this is helpful whether you're considering a larger age gap between your kids or simply finding yourself in this spot due to stuff you cannot control. We're thrilled to have both of our girls -- no matter their ages. And if we do choose to have another kid (I chat about that in the video -- we are still undecided, just trying on the idea!), we'll be happy whenever he or she comes.

By the way, I am working on getting my videos to be better quality. I think I finally achieved the best I can do with my iPhone. Be sure to check out my YouTube channel to subscribe if you like these videos. And if there's anything you'd like to see me chat about, also let me know in the comments or maybe on Instagram.

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Minimalist Kids Room Tour

Happy Wednesday, friends! I've been meaning to do a new + improved full house tour for over a year. (Here's the latest one from two years ago. And our first house tour, if you're interested.) We have definitely pared down and taken on a more minimalistic approach in most every room (the old living room shocks me!). But with different house projects we're doing, walls that are still only 3/4 painted, etc., it's been hard for me to go through the entire space.

I figured maybe doing a room-by-room tour would be the way to go. And what better place to start than the room that started a lot of my desire to be more minimal -- Ada's bedroom. Yup. Ada had probably more clothes than everyone else in the house combined. It was taking so much energy and time to put everything away. Same with stuffed animals, toys, and general clutter.

Here's the tour:




And here are some photos if you can't view the tour until later.

For reference, here's Ada's room before we leaned it out. It looks deceivingly organized and clean. But having the bed at a loft invited all kinds of clutter. She had tons of clothes in the closet that often sat in heaps on the floor waiting to be put away.

You may be asking: "Well, doesn't she need a desk?" and "What about toys?" Totally understand. In our old house, we wouldn't have been able to keep her bedroom quite this clear. We have most of the toys -- including her art desk -- in the basement. But that's a tour for another day. I wanted to keep the bedroom space mostly for sleeping. I think creating calm helps children feel safe and sleep better

Anyway, I hope to write another post in the future with some tips I can share about paring down your kid's wardrobe. It's been the biggest help in this space. It has also helped the morning routine incredibly by cutting a lot of time out (clothing decisions are serious business here!).

Pssst: Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE to my YouTube channel to see these types of videos before they hit the blog!

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In the Kitchen // Vegan Protein Waffles

Hey, friends! So, here's that waffle recipe I've been promising for a few days. I've written about my love for Kodiak Protein Waffle mix, but the $5 price tag (about 50 cents per waffle)? I didn't love that so much.With our new budget stuff on the horizon, I figured I should figure out something homemade.

But how to get 14 grams of protein into delicious waffles?

Well, you can see how I figured it out -- in a vegan recipe with no protein powder!

 

INSTRUCTIONS 

To make 4 waffles . . . 

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup white flour
• 1/2 cup peanut butter powder
• 1 tablespoon coconut sugar (or plain sugar)
• 1 tablespoon cacao powder (or cocoa powder)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Whisk all ingredients together in an airtight container for storage.  

You can easily double this recipe to make 8 waffles.

And all you need to do to make the waffles is combine a half cup of mix with a half cup of either soy milk or water -- whisking works best. Then fire up your waffle maker* on its higher setting, spritz with just a little cooking spray, cook, and you're done. That's all.

* I have a ceramic Oster Belgian waffle maker -- it was less than $25 and I end up using it daily either for waffles or pressed sandwiches (grilled cheese!). You definitely don't need to go fancy with this appliance. And when you're cooking these waffles, even if the green light turns on indicating it's "done" cooking, I like to wait another full minute to get it a bit crisper.

BTW: These waffles end up being 7 Weight Watchers points if you use unsweetened soy milk. (You can also use water if you don't care as much about hitting 14.5 grams -- the mix alone has 11-ish grams.)

And I broke out how much these waffles cost each and it's about 40 cents. No, that's not a HUGE savings on the Kodiak mix (and the cost would be lower if I used plain sugar and cocoa powder), but if you consider I eat one of these waffles almost daily, that's 10 cents a day or the potential savings of $36 a year.

That's a month of internet (at least after yesterday's switch).

Every little bit counts!

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More Thoughts on the More Kids Question

I feel like I JUST wrote a post all about how we're not ready to think about having more kids. (Oh, I did. It's right here.) And -- really -- it isn't like we've made any decisions. We aren't trying anytime soon or closing up shop. I still haven't gotten my cycle back after Eloise, for example. We only recently started sleeping through (a good part of) the night.

Still, this question has been coming up more more. This time, it isn't from other people. It's in my own head. So, I thought I'd share my current thoughts on the matter.

As confusing as they may be:



Also! I know some of you cannot watch videos (while you're checking blogs at work, etc.) or would prefer to not watch videos. I'm not planning to share them quite this frequently (I've been doing two a week) forever and ever. Instead, I'm trying to create a habit. Vlogging is something I like doing, but it takes a lot more foresight and work. Thanks for your patience!

And if you like the videos -- great! That makes me happy. What else would you like to see? I did an Overtone hair color conditioner review a while back that seems to be sort of popular. People also seemed to like when I did a cooking video in my kitchen. Let me know! I'm going to also do more written content over here, including more recipes and the like.

Anyway, I'd love to know how you approached the more kids or done-having-kids thing in your own family. There are days when I feel like YES, we DEFINITELY would want to have another one. And then others -- like today, when Eloise will not nap for anything -- where I question my sanity and think #NOPENOPENOPE.

Hard to believe this was ME last year at 16 weeks pregnant!

We are both so incredible thankful for the two beautiful girls we already have as well.


It's just a complicated beast of a family decision, is it not? And, as I mention in the video, sometimes it isn't a decision at all. It can just happen or, on the flip side, not happen. Ah, life.

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Leaf Nature Review + Why I'm Returning

Hopping on to give you guys that review on the Bellabeat Leaf Nature (I have the Rose Gold edition) fitness tracking device. I had very high hopes for this gorgeous piece of smart jewelry. I've wanted it for a few years and -- yes -- I bought it with my own money. So, this review is unbiased.

You can wear it as a necklace, bracelet, clip it on to your clothing, etc. I even bought some cute accessories for it on Etsy!

But here's the deal.

And why -- sadly -- I am returning it:



PROS 

• It's beautiful
• You can wear it many different ways
• It tracks you steps, sleep, breathing, menstrual cycle, etc.
• Its app is relatively user-friendly 
• Did I mention how pretty it is?!

CONS 

• Leaf Nature cannot get wet. (The Leaf Urban can, however.) 
• Doesn't allow you to override for running steps (see video for explanation)
• Has issues with tracking sleep
• Breathing tracking can be random
• Clunky in that you have to always mark in app how you're wearing it
• Customer service is just OK, not great

WHY I'M RETURNING

Ultimately, I decided to return this tracker because there are others out there that do more for a similar price point. If the Leaf's app gave me the ability to override steps to account for the miles I've run in a day, I may have kept it. But it doesn't. Instead, I spend my days frustrated that I cannot meet my step goal on the screen when I've obviously already met it in real life. And customer service is vague about when developments will be made.

In the end, the Leaf Nature is a nice fitness tracker that looks gorgeous . . . but it just doesn't have enough power for me.

Do you have the Leaf? I'm majorly sad to return!

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January Foods + Carrot Boost Soup

If you click over to the website, you'll see that I'm playing around with some new design. I also want to make things easier to find. With limited time, this might be a long process. So, please be patient! If there's a feature you'd like to see on neverhomemaker, let me know! If there's something that isn't working for you, please let me know that as well.

Let's jump in with my favorite foods for January. I'm hoping to make this a monthly video feature where I rummage through my cupboards and refrigerator and share with you the stuff I'm loving to eat that particular month. As mentioned yesterday, I'm doing Weight Watchers -- so some of these foods are particularly friendly for that program.

JANUARY FAVE FOODS

// If you aren't watching the video: PB2 Premium Chocolate, Kodiak Cakes in PB Protein, Grillo's Pickles, Republic of Tea Gingerbread, carrot soup (below), and Poor Gal's Kombucha.

Our family has r.e.a.l.l.y taken to this carrot soup. It's full of immune-boosting ingredients. Stephen has been making a carrot soup for quite some time, actually. In a way, this is his recipe. Ada and I keep getting sick. And I decided I wanted to see what I could add to the mix that might help matters.


Immunity-boosting ingredients, according to Healthline:

• Ginger
• Garlic
• Lemon
• Turmeric  

We actually made a TRIPLE batch of this soup recently. Feel free to play with the recipe and make more if you want to stock up. Though I'm still new at it, I'm thinking this soup has only 1 point for WW people who are tracking. We ate the first bit for dinner and then packed the rest for lunches. It's easy to sip down soup even when you have a Velcro-baby.

See?

CARROT BOOST SOUP

What you'll need . . . 

• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 pounds organic carrots, scrubbed and chopped into 1-inch coins
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 large cloves garlic, chopped
• 1-2 inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 5-6 cups water, depending on how runny you like your soup
• Juice of one lemon 
• Pinch salt and pepper

Method . . . 

1. Heat oil in a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Add in onions and cook until softened.
2. Add in the garlic, ginger, and spices. Cook for a minute or so. 
3. Then add your carrots and water. Increase heat and bring to a boil.
4. Lower to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes. 
5. Then let cool for a little while before blending until smooth. Feel free to add more water, if necessary.
6. Return to stove to season with the salt and pepper + stir in lemon juice.

Enjoy!

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Weight Watchers + Other Goals

Here's that video I promised you! It's sort of dark because, well, it's raining and very cave-like in our area in January. But I'll chat first and then write a bit more down below.

Hello!

WW

So, yes. Weight Watchers. I don't really know why I decided to sign up. I think I should first mention that this post is in no way sponsored or affiliated with the program. I joined on my own. Actually, come to think of it -- I think I saw that Oprah recently lost weight and I went to read an article about it and ended up looking into the program.

Why did I sign up? I've done calorie counting with sites like MyFitnessPal and the like. But counting calories really tips my eating disorder stuff. Obviously, I know you're counting something different -- points -- with Weight Watchers. But something about it is better for me. The points are based on the nutritional value or food. It's not a perfect plan, and I'm still getting the hang of it. Like I mention in the video, I've only been on it for four days or so . . . I'll save a review for a month from now.

I actually started loosely following the WW app in the days after Christmas. I have lost two pounds already. My goal is 15 total. I can chat more about why I am looking at the scale another time. I know weight isn't everything. 

Half Marathon

I've done lots of half marathons. Nothing new or exciting there. But I'm hoping to get back into working out more regularly now that Eloise SEEMS to be sleeping better. We hit a rough patch after the initial newborn phase. I mean, in the summer? I was killing my workouts and feeling great. Then I didn't sleep for several months and, you know.

My only time goal is to finish in under two hours. But training for a specific pace might be too lofty for now. We'll see. There's actually a half marathon + 5K at the race I'm eyeing, so I may even try to go for that and run 16.2. I have another month to decide before the registration rates go up.

Meditation

Or spirituality. Or something. I don't know. I haven't been a regular church-goer since my teens. I haven't regularly practiced yoga since my twenties. These two things aren't the same -- I get it. But there's a certain sense of calm and serenity that can go with each of them. I'm not sure how I feel about church . . . but I definitely feel there's something more in this world. I'm figuring it out even at the ripe age of 33.

Regardless, centering myself is something I neglect. I get all up on my energy and nervousness. Taking even 10 minutes to sit and breathe (prompted by my Leaf tracker) has been helpful -- especially before bed. I don't really know what to say about this goal right now. I'm still learning what exactly it means for me.

Those are some of my goals for this year. I'll be back with a soup recipe tomorrow AND my favorite foods for the month (another video!). You can actually check out that video now on my YouTube channel. Be sure to subscribe if you want to see more updates as they are posted over there. I'm thinking I'll do a makeup routine one next. That is, if I can figure out better lighting!

What's on your goal list this year?

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Henna Hair Color // Before + After (Video)

I'm thinking of doing henna on my hair again -- and then I looked for my post on how to do it. It was on my old family blog. So! I'm posting it here again. Also because it was one of the most requested posts on that site, so I don't want to cut off access. Enjoy!

I've been coloring my hair since I was 12 years old. That's 18 21 years! The last time I used my favorite box dye, my scalp felt disgusting and the color washed out super fast. Frustrated, I searched around and decided to give henna a try. I love the idea of a natural, chemical-free "formula" -- all with the added benefit of stronger hair and longer lasting color.

So, I ordered some Lush Caca Rouge red henna color, and I waited through two snowstorms + various shipping delays for it to arrive.

And here's my coloring experience:


// SCENES


Cutting + mixing together the henna wasn't nearly as difficult as I had assumed. It probably took 10 minutes to achieve the "brownie batter" consistency described in the instructions. Slathering it on wasn't terribly different from using my regular hair color, except as the henna dried, it did tend to crumble a bit. I covered everything with a nice layer of plastic wrap and let sit for 2-1/2 hours.

Washing it out had sort of scared me, as other reviewers said it either took out their hair or stained everything, but I didn't have either issue. Overall, I'd say my coloring experience was really positive -- I just didn't like having to wait that long for the color to take hold. I think it's worth it, though, because I'd rather wait than use dangerous chemical developers.

// RESULT


The red color is subtle, yet definitely vibrant, shiny, and noticeable. I'm really happy with how it looks. Not shocking, but certainly a change. My hair feels well conditioned versus dry or broken or just weird. My scalp isn't tingly or injured like it becomes when I use box dye.

In short: I love it!

// WHERE TO GET

I definitely think I'll be sticking to henna from now on, despite the time commitment. I used to think you could only dye your hair red with henna, but LUSH makes several different colors. I know there are cheaper henna dyes out there, but LUSH gets their red henna from a source that has less orange and more true red tones. Very important!

Here's the whole line:

• LUSH Caca Rouge (Red)
• LUSH Caca Marron (Dark Red/Brown)
• LUSH Caca Brun (Brown)
• LUSH Caca Noir (Black)

Note: These bars went up in price considerably on Amazon since I first shared this post. Go check them out on the links, but I suggest buying at Lush stores directly.

// QUESTIONS?

If you guys have any questions, I'd be happy to answer them. Obviously, I'm not an expert, though I think after going through the process once, it's pretty easy to catch on. My color is still deepening and becoming richer even hours after, so I'll be interested to see in a week what it looks like!

Mostly, if you regularly color your hair -- either at the salon or at home -- I think it's worth giving more natural colors/methods a try. I'm always trying to make an effort to purge out those nasty chemicals from my life with what I eat, the products I use to clean my house and body, etc. So, I'm surprised it took me so long to try this whole thing out!

Do you dye your hair? How long have you been doing it?

Like what you just read? Browse more of our posts + recipes on Pinterest. Chat with us on Twitter or Facebook. And you can always email us with your questions and comments.

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First Day

Ada's on the bus. She's officially in school. Tears. Hugs to all the first-time school mamas out there.

These next eight hours are going to be lonely!

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Crock Pot French Onion Soup // Video

A recipe! Better yet, a slow cooker recipe! This is a soup that we make relatively frequently. You know, when we get sick of all the Pumpkin Chili and Miso Split Pea Soup. It’s really simple. Really satisfying. Really tasty. And picky kids will give it a try if you pretend the onions are noodles. I share this tip from my own experience -- it works!

Yum.

Would make a great Super Bowl dish, don’t you think? (And I'm not trying to be cute. I genuinely, positively have NO IDEA who is playing this year. Guess I should quickly figure out my team allegiance before the kickoff.)

Here’s a video, and there’s a brief recipe below with some notes on bread baking, etc.



BTW: I am going to do a whole review on my Aroma Rice Cooker (plus it's a steamer AND slow cooker -- all in one!). I love it. I LOVE IT.

CROCK POT FRENCH ONION SOUP

What you’ll need . . . 

• 3 large onions, cut into circles
• 1/4 cup Earth Balance or butter (or some oil)
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 cup Fre alcohol-removed champagne (or cooking wine, beer, etc.)
• 8 cups vegetable stock
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Method . . . 

1. Combine onions with Earth Balance, sugar, and balsamic vinegar. Cook on high for one hour, stirring occasionally.
2. Then add in the flour and garlic powder. Let soak in a few minutes.
3. Add in the champagne, stock, salt, and pepper. Then cook for 6 hours on low. More if you have the time. (Note: I cooked mine between 4 and 6 hours on my Aroma cooker’s slow cook setting, which I assume is high -- worked really well).

My soup recipe is mostly riffed off Tyler Florence's French Onion Soup. Just lazier and vegan (yeah -- the soup itself is vegan, so you can try to top it with vegan cheese if you like!). Then all you need to do is make yourself some easy French Bread (I used THIS recipe), cut into smallish pieces, and plop it into the bowl.


Top everything with Swiss or Gruyere cheese.

Broil until browned and bubbly.


Enjoy!

Like what you just read? You can subscribe to the feed of these posts or follow us on Twitter or Facebook to be the first to know what the (never home)makers are up to. And we’ll love you forever!

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3-Ingredient DIY Face Scrub Vlog

Happy Friday, friends! Here’s a weekend project you can knock out in only a couple minutes, but the reward will last much, much longer. I love exfoliating scrubs for my face. My combination skin requires both gentle and more powerful cleansers, though. Since a lot of scrubs on the market contain those plastic microbeads, I started making my own at home.

This recipe is safe for pregnancy, contains just three ingredients, and will last a good month or more in an airtight container. Don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube Channel to get more fun videos like these! (Oh, and don’t mind my wicked-awful roots. Going blonde before pregnancy wasn’t the smartest idea, right?)

BASIC DIY FACE SCRUB

You’ll need . . . 

• 1/2 cup baking soda
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup unrefined coconut oil

TO MAKE: Just mix together everything in a food processor, pour into an airtight container, and love your skin! For best results, use only once a day (or less frequently) and scrub gently.




Here’s some facial scrub inspiration:

• Lemon + Sugar Body/Face Scrub
• Baking Soda Exfoliator
• Tea Tree Coconut Oil Face Scrub

* One thing I forgot to mention in the video is that the feel of the scrub, especially after rinsing your face, does take some adjustment. It initially leaves an oily residue that comes off 90% when you towel dry. The hint of oil left behind provides some nice moisturize -- especially this time of year.


More homemade beauty products, etc.:

• DIY Natural Lotion Cubes
• 5-minute Homemade Deodorant
• No More Shampoo, Really!
• Homesteading // Cleaning with Baking Soda

Like what you just read? You can subscribe to the feed of these posts or follow us on Twitter or Facebook to be the first to know what the (never home)makers are up to. And we’ll love you forever!

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Vlog + Weekend Things

Happy Friday!

My first vlog of the year finally uploaded on my new YouTube Channel (definitely subscribe if you believe I’ll keep up my end of the goal!). I’d love to make this a weekly thing. Possibly on Fridays. But at the same time, I have a bunch of ideas of vlogs -- some casual like this one and others, like tutorials, that might fit into specific posts.

Also: Thanks for bearing with me while I figure out how to take better video. This one’s a little overexposed.



Here’s a few things I found interesting this week:

// I send my toddler to school outside. You should, too. (via High Country News)

// Teeny house, big lie: Why many are upsizing. (via Globe and Mail)

// Have you guys seen the Instant Pot 7-in-1 programmable electric pressure cooker?! I’m obsessed after my friend shared that she cooked a chili dinner in hers in less than 45 minutes. I might be kicking my old slow cooker to the curb this weekend.

// 5 reasons to leave lettuce out of your salad (via The Kitchn)

// FDA warns against 3-D “keepsake” ultrasounds (via CBS News)

// Here’s an amazing deal on a JA Henckles knife set. 12 pieces for just $96 -- that’s 63% off. We switched to this brand of knives long ago and haven’t looked back.

// Converting regular recipes to vegan recipes (via Mother Earth News)

// Does anyone else have a salt lamp (I have this one)? I use mine almost daily when I do yoga or just need to relax. I can’t describe how that amber glow just melts my worries away. I’m a bit skeptical on the whole air purification part of it, though. Thoughts?


Need to catch up on this week’s posts?

• My Goals for 2016
• On Planning Meals (Again)
• Pregnancy: Week 15 Update
• New Year: Looking Forward, Not Behind

And I remembered one thing I left off our Aldi shopping list for this week. We got 4 avocados with all that food, too. Here’s an older post, but a goodie: What $77 Looks Like at Aldi.

Have a great weekend!

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6/52: Day In The Life

Happy early Valentine’s Day! Stephen is off from work -- again -- today due to the wind chills. I guess they’ll dip as low as 40 degrees below zero between now and Monday. I don’t know. I like winter, but this is getting a bit much. And we signed Ada up for three mornings a week at preschool back in December . . . but I swear they’ve only had a week or two when school wasn’t canceled for some reason.

Anyway, we skipped the photo project last week, but I actually caught a great snapshot over on my Instagram account. This week, I took a different approach and filmed a day in the life piece for you guys. I love watching videos like these! It’s been a really long time since I’ve shared what we do on a daily basis, and I worked hard to edit this down to the right size for uploading, so some stuff is missing.

Does this look like your day?



Stay safe and warm, friends. And if you live where it’s warm, enjoy. I’m still kicking this cold, but I have a ton of stuff planned for next week. I may hop on here tomorrow with the Weekend Things post, since I meant to do that one today (this video was slated for yesterday -- but it wouldn’t upload!).

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L'il Critters™ Fruit and Veggie Gummy Bears: Vegetarian Formula

I can't believe it's school time again. As many of you know, Stephen is a high school English teacher, so he's already into his school year. But he's not the only member of our family headed back. Our little Ada started her very first year at preschool in a 3-year-old program right down the street. We're so excited for this big milestone, but I can't help feeling a little nervous.

I'm a work-at-home-mom, so I've been at home most days with Ada since she was born. It's sort of crazy to think about how many meals I've served her, even since before she was eating real, solid food. In fact, I've been making the vast majority of Ada's nutritional choices, but now that she's gaining more autonomy, she'll start making some decisions all on her own. And when it comes to food, she doesn't always like what's on the plate.

What toddler does?


We started giving Ada a vitamin D supplement during her first year of life at our pediatrician’s suggestion because our area gets little sunlight during the winter months. Later, we began the adventure of trying to find a multivitamin she might take reliably for some extra nutritional insurance. For us, a multi is important because we're raising Ada vegetarian, but she doesn't always like eating fruits and vegetables despite our urgings. We've been through a variety, settling on gummies because they're the type she seems to like the most for taste and texture.

The problem is: A lot of gummy vitamins contain gelatin (including some that I take myself), which we all know isn't vegetarian. The solution? Well, when I found out that L'il Critters™ offers a vegetarian formula gummy, I jumped on the opportunity to give it a try in our home.


The L'il Critters™ Fruit and Veggie Gummy Bears contain a blend of 15 different fruits and vegetables with Antioxidant Vitamins C and E. They're made with naturally sourced flavors. And they're shaped like cute bears, which is just for fun.

Better yet? They are made in the USA!

Ada looks forward to taking her gummy vitamins each day. She even asks for her "bite-amins" after breakfast, which is great because I don't even need to remember to give them to her. And that's the key, right? Healthy habits should be enjoyable so that you’ll keep on doing them -- this rule applies to adults and toddlers alike. So, while there are certainly days when our little girl eats like a champ, I don't need to worry as much on the other days when she'd rather play and push everything around on her plate.

You can find L'il Critters™ Fruit and Veggie Gummy Bears online and at Trader Joe's. You can find more information on these vitamins and others from L'il Critters™ and vitafusion™ adults gummy vitamins here.

How do you keep your kids healthy? Leave an answer in the comments below and you will be entered for a chance to win a $100 Visa gift card!

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
I received free product and payment for this sponsored post. All opinions are 100% mine.

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This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. The notification email will come directly from BlogHer via the sweeps@blogher email address. You will have 72 hours to respond; otherwise a new winner will be selected.
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5-Minute Whole Wheat Naan // Cooking Video

Hey, guys! Another cooking video today -- this time I'm making a variation for one of our more popular recipes, stove-top naan. Or I guess I should write "naan" because it's not traditional by any means, but it's a great, quick flatbread recipe that is tasty, easy, and inexpensive.

I made this particular batch with whole wheat flour and Greek yogurt. It's my favorite mix yet. I'd say we eat this simple bread every week, at least one night if not two. It goes great with Curried Chickpea Mash, Chana Masala, or even just some homemade hummus.

WHOLE WHEAT NAAN

What you'll need . . . 

• 1-1/2 cups whole wheat flour (I used King Arthur)
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
• 1/4-1/2 cup water
• Pinch salt

Method . . .

I hope this video is helpful with the process of putting this recipe together! Please let me know if you have any questions. I'm obviously still working on technique, so I appreciate your understanding!

* Also note that after I turn up the heat ALL THE WAY on the pan, I do usually end up turning it down to medium, as I use the largest burner on my oven. You need the pan hot, but adjust accordingly depending on how dark you want your naan.





Tomorrow I'll be back with a super slow cooker recipe made entirely from my frugal Aldi foods!

Have you tried any of our "naan" recipes? What's your favorite pairing?

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Pesto + Avocado Sauce // Cooking Video

Sauces can make or break a dish, am I right? For example, we've been making a lot of quesadillas with beans, peppers, onions, zucchini, etc. -- but without the salsa and Greek yogurt (which we use instead of buying additional sour cream to save $), it's just not as interesting.

I think you've gathered by now that pesto is my all-time favorite spread. Plus, it's so easy to make. I used to go with more complicated recipes, but over the years, I've discovered that the simpler the better.

I gave you guys a similar recipe for pesto in our Lentil + Quinoa Burgers post, except that time I had used baby kale versus spinach. Today I wanted to simplify it even more -- seriously, this recipe takes just 5 minutes to mix together and will spice up a variety of meals from burgers to pizza to pasta.

Here's how it's made -- no cooking or roasting, just blending:


// 5-MINUTE SPINACH PESTO

Combine the following ingredients in your food processor until smooth.

• 2 (heaping) handfuls fresh spinach
• 1/4 cup almond meal
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast
• 2 large cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1-2 tablespoons water
• salt + pepper, to taste

// CREAMY AVOCADO PESTO SAUCE

Then I took half of that pesto and blended it even more with the flesh of one avocado and a few more tablespoons water until I made this creamy, alfredo-like sauce. It's great spread onto some toast or on the side with homemade quesadillas (I literally just licked some off my fingers before typing this post).

Or you can just coat a bit of pasta in it.

Maybe serve with a fried egg.

Definitely some salsa.

And Sriracha?


// GREEN PASTA WITH EGG

• Cook pasta to the package directions. These shells boiled for 30 minutes. Then I drained and rinsed them so they cooled off a bit.
• Then scoop a couple tablespoons of your green sauce onto them and mix around until well coated.
• Fry an egg (or make it any style you like best) and place atop the pasta.
• Top with salsa and Sriracha sauce, or whatever other condiments you want on there.
• Enjoy!

Basically, this Avocado + Pesto mix is your new favorite sauce.

Period.

If you'd like to make the pesto first -- I'd even freeze half of it (so 1/2 cup of pesto for later use) by either placing it in a plastic bag and freezing flat or even putting it in an ice cube tray for smaller chunks.

OTHER PESTO RECIPES

Pumpkin Pesto Rolls
Garlic Scape + Swiss Chard Pesto, 2 Ways
Steamed Pesto Dumplings
Pesto Pizza Dough
Baby Kale Pesto
Walnut Basil Pesto
Basil-Pesto French Toast
Pesto French Toast, II -- with Avocado Butter
Pesto Quiche with Oatmeal Crust
Pesto Garlic Knots
Pesto Portabella Sandwiches
(Pesto) Smothered Mother

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