Balancing Career and Family

It's been a while since I've found the time to post here.  I made a career change that has been wonderful on one hand, but trying on the other.  Professionally I am much happier since leaving the toxic environment where I spent the last two years.  At the same time it has put my husband into more of a responsible role at home.  Giving up that control has been hard for me, and he's still struggling to figure out how a mom can accomplish so much in the limited amount of time after the regular work day.  :)  He's doing a great job, but this transition hasn't left much time for me to "play" here. 

The new job has been part of our lives for about 3 months now, and things are starting to level out.  I'm going to try and make a point to find myself time for the blog world.  I just love it, and I miss it.  I admittedly spend more time on the blogs of others than I do my own.  But I think I may have recently received an opportunity to make that change a bit.  We'll see...stay tuned!

Ah, Summer!

I am so incredibly thankful that summer is here.  As an educator I find myself completely wrapped up in work throughout the school year.  Sometimes it seems as if even my family has to take a back seat to it.  Luckily I decided to leave the job from Hell, and I am very excited to enter back into the high school classroom.  I am very optimistic that I am going to be able to get away from the toxic mind-game driven type of environment, and be able to focus on my students and family full time.  Let's hop it's going to be as good as it seems!  :)

So now that summer is here and I am officially employed for the next school year, I can finally breathe a sigh of relief and get back to what I love.  I have been enjoying so much time with my husband and kids, and now I'd like to also take some "me time" to get back to the uber-fun world of blogging.  So, let;s be real.  I'm not a blogger.  I mean, I try (a little) but I most love reading other blogs and entering contests.  So I'm getting back to that.  I'm excited to see what all of my favorite mommy bloggers have lined up for me!

I'm also working on a new lotion recipe that I am going to post soon.  I needed to make a lighter summer lotion, so I am not using the cocoa butter and beeswax.  So far it seems good, but I'd like to try making another batch before I actually post.  I think it will be worth the wait!

I Love Giveaways!

I'm a HUGE fan of blog giveaways.  Reading blogs and entering giveaways has become my little hobby.  It's so funny to think that it's only been about a year and a half since I discovered this world, quite by accident.  My now almost 2 year old was having diaper rash problems, and I tried to do some research on natural remedies.  I came across a blog (that doesn't exist anymore) and found a giveaway for Earth Mama Angel Baby balm.  I decided to enter, even though I didn't understand what most of the entries were or what they meant.  Well, I won.  Enter my new addiction/hobby.  Since then I have been fortunate enough to win quite a few giveaways.  And I have learned a lot about unique products along the way.  It definitely shaped my Christmas shopping this year!  I love the fact that the things I gave away were never duplicates and that everyone would ask where I found the gifts we gave.  Pretty cool!  So I decided I was going to start a blog and do all of the great things that these bloggers I read were doing.  Except I learned that it's hard.  I mean really hard.  It takes so much time and dedication.  I simply don't have enough of either to do it well.  So, here I am playing with my little blog and making infrequent posts.  Maybe someday it will become more...we'll see.

One of the great perks of having my little blog is that I can share about other great blogs and/or giveaways that I have found.  Lately I have been really into Scentsy.  Well, I found a Scentsy giveaway at 365 Changes of Me!  This is a new blog to me, but I'm really excited to become a more frequent reader.  This Scentsy giveaway is for  $25 gift code!  That means that the winner can choose whatever they want as their prize!  I first learned about Scentsy this time last year when my mom asked for a warmer for her birthday.  I love that the one little warmer I gave her  can essentially fragrance her whole upstairs.  I picked one up for myself and keep it in my office.  I have a more subtle scent in there, since it's a small space.  Teachers, students and parents frequently compliment the lovely smell.  I love Scentsy!  I think anyone would.  There are tons of scent choices and warmer designs.  Go check them out and enter the giveaway!

Multipurpose Baby Cream

I did it!  After a couple of experimental rounds I have finally created my own baby cream recipe!  This cream can be used as a diaper cream, dry spot/eczema treatment and/or all over moisturizer!  It's pretty thick, so how you use it would be up to you and your specific needs.  I do have to brag...little M has been using it for about a week now, plus a different variation for about two weeks before that, and (no kidding) no eczema patches are present on his skin!  His case isn't sever by any means, but he seriously has "normal" smooth and even baby skin all over since using this!

Here's the recipe:

Ingredients:

1 tbsp beeswax

1 tbsp coca butter

2 tbsp shea butter

2 tbsp water

1/2 tbsp grapefruit seed extract

2 tbsp sweet almond oil

1 tbsp jojoba oil

2 tbsp vegetable glycerine

1/8 tsp vitamin E oil

1/2 tsp calendula oil (in olive oil base)

Directions:

In a double boiler, melt together the first three ingredients.  In a second double boiler, melt together the second set of ingredients.  I don't have a double boiler, so I use 2 pots with boiling water inside and place large glass bowls over them.  It's not fancy, but it works for me!  Once each is fully melted/incorporated, pour each into one cool mixing bowl. Stir.   Add last 2 ingredients.  Continue stirring until cooled.  This step is important, as you want to make sure your liquids and solids fully combine and end up in a creamy consistency.  

It's seriously that easy!  The hardest part is finding all of the ingredients.  The startup cost seems high, but in time this will pay for itself compared to buying natural creams for my guy.  I actually like it for myself too!  It's a great intensive moisturizer for dry winter weather.  I have sensitive skin and have to stay moisturized, or else I end up itchy all over.  This even makes a great lip moisturizer...it even tasted sweet!  It smells delicious, too!  Like a subtle white chocolate and honey.  I've been experimenting with adding essential oils, but haven't yet been completely satisfied.  I guess that's my next step!

Waiting...

I love the fact that we live in a time where any little obscure thing I want is available, usually for a reasonable price, at the click of a button.  I have been particularly grateful since I have started to make my own household and body care products.  I can't imagine how much time it would take to locate some of these ingredients!  On top of that, I'm fairly confident that it would be much more expensive in stores.  The downside is the wait...I am not the most patient person when I am excited about something.  I placed an order on Tuesday from a new find of mine, Lucky Vitamin.  (This place has a great selection and awesome prices!)  Every day I'm checking my mailbox, even though I know my order was just shipped on Saturday.  But I'm so excited!  I'm planning to make bath bombs with G for his and little M's Valentines.  (An amazing pinterest idea!)  And I'm also planning to make a jasmine vanilla shea butter body lotion to give to my mom and the boys' teachers as V-Day gifts.  I will be posting the recipe, if all goes according to plan.  :)  Now I just have to wait for these last couple of ingredients...