Heavenly Homemade Sugar Scrubs

Lets be honest moms, 5 minutes is about all the time was have to indulge, right? I take my 5 minutes in the morning and use my sugar scrub in the shower a few times a week.  

I have loved sugar scrub and sea salt scrub for years but have bought it very sparingly in the past due to the price in the stores. 

About a year ago I discovered homemade sugar scrub on Pintrest. 
I gave it a try and not only did I fall in love with it, I love it MORE than the store bought stuff. 

There are so many great things about it. 
~The ability to chose any sugar granule type and size. 
~Use any scent.
~Very inexpensive.
~Whip up a batch in a matter of minutes.
~Great as gifts for friends and family.

There is so much more but my favorite is that it leaves my skin softer than a babies bottom and I feel like i've just had a mini spa treatment!!!


Here are my 3 favorite recipes for sugar scrub. 

My favorite energizing summer scrub:

Ingredients

• 1 cup fine sea salt (course if you like a rougher scrub)
• 1 cup Sugar (raw or granulated)
• Orange essential oil or Orange extract
• 1/3 cup coconut Oil (add more or less if needed to achieve desired texture)

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl combine the sugar and salt.
2. Add Coconut Oil and orange extract.  Stir until well blended. (this will require some mushing around if the oil is in a more solid state, if you want you can slightly heat is just enough to make it runny, then it will be easier to mix. Careful, it gets hot fast!)
3. You should try for a texture similar to damp sand.
4. Store covered in a tight container. (I recommend plastic container if you are keeping it in the shower.)

Inspired by the recipe at:
http://www.deliciouslyorganized.com/2011/07/diy-summer-scrub.html

My favorite scrub to use in the fall:

Pumpkin Brown Sugar Scrub

Ingredients

• 1 cups Brown Sugar
• 1 cup White Sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/3 cup coconut Oil (add more or less if needed to achieve desired texture)

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl combine the sugars and spices.
2. Add Coconut Oil and stir until well blended. (this will require some mushing around if the oil is in a more solid state, if you want you can slightly heat is just enough to make it runny, then it will be easier to mix. Careful, it gets hot fast!)
3. You may add more if your scrub is too dry.
4. You should try for a texture similar to damp sand.
5. Cover in a tight container. (I recommend plastic container if you are keeping it in the shower.)

Adapted from the recipe at: http://www.theidearoom.net/tag/pumpkin-spice-sugar-scrubs

My favorite winter time scrub:

Peppermint Sugar Scrub

Ingredients

2 cups white sugar

1/4 cup coconut oil

Red food coloring

Peppermint extract (you can use essential oil too, found at a local craft store, but a few drops of extract do the same thing and is much less expensive!)

Directions

Mix sugar and coconut oil until it resembles the consistency of damp sand.

Separate the mixture into two bowls

In one bowl add a drop or two of red food coloring and mix throughly until it is a nice pink color.

In the other bowl add several drops of peppermint extract and mix thoroughly.

Layer pink and white layers into a plastic jar. 

If you go to the original site you can get the free labels pictured above to put on the jar!

http://www.couponsandfreebiesmom.com/2013/11/homemade-peppermint-sugar-scrub.html

Make a mommy friend and keep her…… and other advice from a great source.

A few of my friends shared the link to this post. I read over it and thought it was good, but after tonight I really realized how true #4 is.

I became friends with a woman with while we were both enrolled in the same birthing class (both of us 1st time parents) and our daughters happened to be born two just weeks apart. In the last 2 years we've reconnect and become even better friends because our daughter now attend the same school.
She called me needing a friendship moment, I meet up with her tonight and she ended up giving me just as much support as I gave her tonight.

Good mommy friends are a blessing somedays and lifesavers other days!

Worth the read for the humor but know that there is truth to all 10 of these too.

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 The following was blogged on scarymommy.com. I strongly encourage you to check out her blog. She has some humorous and great truths about parenting and mommy hood. 

The direct link to this article is http://www.scarymommy.com/ten-things-they-wont-tell-you-but-i-will/

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About the Author...

Christine Burke is a coauthor in the recently released anthology, “I Just Want To Be Alone” and blogs about her Hubby and two Fruit Loops on the blog, The Keeper of The Fruit Loops.  Find her on Twitter, Google+ and Facebook!

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http://www.scarymommy.com/

New Endless Numbers App

I posted before about the Endless Reader App. Well, the creators of that app have come out with a great number app called "Endless Numbers".

Great animation and fun interaction, all while teaching numbers and basic mathematic principles.

You can download the app for free and it comes with activities associated with numbers 1-5. The rest of the numbers are 'locked'. For $3.99 you can download numbers 6-25. Let me tell you it is worth the price! I struggled with math all during school so if I can do something that helps to start those mathematics bridges building in my daughters brain I will do it.
The animation in this are so delightful:

The 'games' are fun and delightful without being repetitive:

The only negative I have is that sound effects can be a bit much after having my daughter play it near me for more than 10 minutes...(but that is what volume control and mute are for right?)

I give this app a 5 Star review!
 

Product Review: Eye Creams

This week as I was putting on and taking off my make up I was thinking how much I love my current eye creams. My new morning eye product was recommended to me by a friend and I am so glad I took her advice. It is currently one of my favorite products!

 

Garnier Skin Renew Eye Roller

I am unfortunately one of those people that no matter how long or how well I sleep, I wake up with really puffy eyes. Makeup can cover dark circles, but no amount of makeup that I have found can cover puffy eyes. This little roller and the "magic" liquid inside bring down that puffiness to almost un-noticeable!  I use this on an almost daily basis. It feels so cool and refreshing going on and really does work wonders. Sometimes after a long day I will give myself a few extra minutes to give my face a good scrub or maybe a mask (a time and luxury that doesn't happen often) and will use this too because it just feels so great. Thumbs up and high recommendations for this. Best part off all this is available at your local store. No need to go to a specialty makeup store for this. Wal-Mart carries it for around $10. :-) 

 

 

Here are some reviews on the other eye creams I have tried:

 

Bare Minerals Firming Eye Cream

I love Bare Mineral products and have rarely been disappointed in the results. However, this is one of the few things that didn't work for me. It was a nice cream, went on smoothly, didn't' leave a greasy feel, but it didn't do anything noticeable for me. :-(

Organics GinZing Eye Cream
This one I was so psyched about. I did all the research and read tons of customer reviews. I had a gift card so I allowed  myself to splurge and spend the extra $ on this one.... Wasn't happy. After 2 months of use and being half way though the jar I saw no results. It smelled good and thats about all it had going for it in positives. If you applied it too thickly it left a chalky residue and I hadn't noticed any results. I usually use a products all the way through to give them a chance to work (unless I have a sever reaction to it).... but am tossing this one out and going back to the old stuff.  :-(

 

Bare Minerals Renew and Rehydrate Eye Cream

This is the "old stuff" I just referred to above. I tried this about 3 years ago and this is probably equal with Garnier Skin Renew eye roller. I used this on an almost nightly basis and could really see the difference. What really hit home with me was when ran out and went a week without it. Suddenly I noticed they my eyes seemed more wrinkled and puffy and all around less youthful. Using this stuff on a daily basis really did make my under-eyes look much better. From now on this stays in constant supply in my home! :-)

 

New Reading App

I'm a big fan of the Endless Alphabet App. See the write up I did about it here.

Now they have a new app!!

Endless reader is just as cute and creative as their first app. A must have for young kids. It is fun and educational.

Great animations....

Teaches through fun interactive processes…..

This app has a starter set of words and the rest of the words are available through an in app purchase ($1.99). In my opinion it is with every penny!

Gluten Free Olliebollen (a real Dutch treat)

Oliebollen is a traditional Dutch treat and one of my personal favorites! 

You will also see it spelled 'Olie-bollen'. This is a dutch pastry similar to a doughnut. It typically is a deep fried pastry filled with raisins or apples and dusted with sugar. 

However, being gluten free I have missed out on eating this treat over the years, so I decided it was time to make a GF version.

First start by mixing up a gluten free flour base. Here is my favorite standby: 

Take 4 cups of the gluten free flour mixture.

Add 1/2 cup of sugar, 

        4 tsp baking powder, 

        1 tsp salt. 

Mix together.

Add 2 eggs

        1 1/2 cups milk

         1/4 cup canola oil.

Mix together by hand. 

The dough should be sticky and thick. (This gluten free version will feel different than regular batter.)

Chop up 2 apples (the smaller you chop them the better) and add 1cup of raisins.

Fold the apples and raisins into the batter.

Heat oil to 375 degrees in a large pan.

Drop a small spoonful into oil. Make sure the balls of dough are small. (Golf ball size) if they are too big the centers will not cook. 

When the Olliebollen are cooked, 2-3 minutes, take them out with a slotted spoon and put them on a paper towel. When they are cool enough to touch roll in a cinnamon sugar mixture. Traditional Oliebollen are dusted with powdered sugar but I love the cinnamon sugar. I think it goes so much better with the apple flavor.

Now eat and enjoy. They taste best fresh and warm. 
Try not to eat them all in one sitting! 😊

Applesauce

Apples are in season! What should we do? Make applesauce.

Wash and cut the apples into quarters. With the Kitchenaid attachment you 

do not need to core or peel the apples. 

Bring the apples to a boil and cook until soft.

Meanwhile place the grinder and fruit/vegetable strainer attachments on the Kitchenaid. These attachments can be purchased online or most anywhere Kitchenaid are sold they will cost about $100 together depending on where you purchase them..

When the apples are soft pull them out of the water with a slotted spoon. (This way you can place the next batch of apples into the hot water instead of filling it and having to bring a new pot to a boil all over again.) 

While the second batch of apples are coming to a boil start feeding the cooked apples into the grinder. Push them down slowly, they are hot and you don't want hot apple squirting out at you.

As you push the apples in the applesauce will start to push through the stainer and drip out the peel, seeds, stem, and any other unusable parts will be forced out the end. 

When you are done you will have a bowl full of hot applesauce. I add a 1/2 cup sugar, a few shakes of cinnamon, and a dash of nutmeg. 

Notes: 

*The applesauce has a pink tint because you are leaving the skin on but think of all the nutrients you gain!

*I cooked up a peck of apples from the orchard and it made me 3+ quarts of applesauce. I can't give you an exact measurement because we were all eating it hot and fresh so all of it didn't make it into the containers. 

*From taking out the apples to the end of clean up it took about 3 hours (including distractions from my 4yr old.) A chunk of time but well worth it! 

*Applesauce freezes well. 

Construction Party

A friend of ours had a construction themed party for their 3 year old son. The decorations were out of this world! She said that pintrest ideas gave her some inspireation and she filled in the rest with her own ideas. 

It was sooooo cute I asked her if I could photograph some of the items to share with all of you. 

So here is a peek at a Construction Birthday Party. 

When you entered the party there was a great traffic barricade made by Michelle's father and the black tape of the sidewalk made it feel like a street. 

Inside the kitchen was construction central with construction themed signs she purchased, handmade tissue paper balls in coordinating colors, toy construction equipment, and themed food. 

All the food featured fun labels that tied it into the theme

 and the use of black polka dot ribbon made it pop.

Clementines: Boulders         Wrecking Balls: Gum balls
Lumber: wafer cookies        Nuts and Bolts: Chex mix

Below are more  examples of themed food. I love how the tortilla chips were placed in the dump truck, construction cookies (forgot to ask where they were made) and of course, cups of dirt with worms and all. 

Bottom left picture show the favor bag that was passed out. A little shovel tied inside
of a bag with Reeses Pieces and a tag that said "I Dig You".

Michelle did a great job using the traditional yellow, orange, and black construction  

colors to tie in the theme and make it bright and festive. 

Even the utensils were tied into the theme. Each set of utensils were tied together with ribbon and a little "tools" label. 

In this last picture you can see that the fun continued outdoors. A sandbox with bulldozers to play with and a cut out to take your picture in. Also in the picture you can see the little yellow hard hat on the ground. Each child that attended got a hat with their name written on it. 

Way to go Michelle. This was on the best decorated theme parties I have ever been too. I look forward to seeing more of your creative ideas! 

New Handmixer!

The motor in my old handmixer gave out on me aftermath years of frequent use. I went 6 weeks without one waiting for a coupon/sale. I finally found a good deal online and ordered it. The package just arrived and in so excited!!!!  

I went with Cusinart again because both my experience and the general consensus in my research told me its the  best. I allowed myself to spend a few extra dollars and upgrade to the higher model.

I can't wait to give it a try.  What is your favorite kitchen appliance?