Self Care at Christmas

The hustle and bustle of Christmas can be wonderful. I love planning gifts for loved ones, seeing decorations up through town, and spending time with family.

However, I do NOT love the stress of making sure every gift is wrapped, that all the gifts we are taking with us actually make it to the car before we leave for the long-distance family, children with cabin fever who won't quit bickering, and constantly being surrounded by people.  This introvert needs a few minutes alone!

Chances are, this season has YOU in need of some self-care, too!  Read on for 9 easy ways to take care of yourself this month.

1. Get enough sleep.

I'm serious!  Quit staying up late for just one more thing.  Go to bed. (This is the hardest one for me to do!)

2. Play holiday music and drive around.

Alone. Or with the family if they can keep their act together. If not, the "family drive" will have to happen another time.  For self-care, play the music you like and drive through some neighborhoods to look at lights.  Bonus points if you bring hot chocolate to sip as you go!

3. Take a hot bath.

One of my favorite forms of self-care!  A nice hot bath with the door closed.  A few candles lit, bath salts, and maybe a book if I dare.  But, uh, good luck.

4. Order takeout.

Give yourself permission to grab takeout if you are overwhelmed.  Sure, it's not usually very healthy. But you know what? Gigantic amounts of stress aren't healthy either. Zip through the Arby's window and call it a day.  No one is judging you---we're all in line right behind you!  Save me some curly fries.

5. Tune in to your faith.

Attend your religious service, read from the Bible, pray, meditate.  

6. Flip through a magazine.

I love to read but we don't always have time for an entire book. If a whole book or chapter feels daunting to you this season, that is okay!  Sit back with a magazine and read an article or two. If you don't have any unread magazines at home, stop by your local library and give yourself a half hour to browse and read their magazine selection.  PLUS, the library is quiet.

7. Schedule a massage.

Many places offer half-hour massages or chair massages that can be quite affordable.  If possible, try to schedule one for yourself.  Or splurge for the entire hour or a mani/pedi!  If spending money on a massage isn't an option right now, try watching a YouTube video on self-massage techniques for the feet and hands and do your own massage!

8. Make your house smell great.

Stovetop simmers, candles, wax melts, or wall plug ins.  Choose a method and treat your senses to a pleasant smell.  Self-care should involve all of our senses: smell included!  Kohls had great wax melts called Caramel Toffee that they don't seem to have right now but they do have a candle version.  Any time of year, but especially fall/winter, I love to have deep cinnamony/caramely fragrances. My absolute favorite wax melt though is this one from Swan Creek. HOLY COW. 

Right now they are under $8 and well worth it!  I get compliments every time I have these melting in my house.  It's also a much larger package of wax melts than the standard ones you get for $3-5 at Target/Walmart.   

9. Get your endorphins flowing.

I'd like to think that running store to store for all the last minute things I forget counts as "running" but something tells me that my doctor would disagree. Exercise, even brief bits of it, can help release endorphins and make us feel better.  Try yoga in the morning, or a short walk on your lunch break. If you're into it, take a class at the gym or do some weight lifting.  Or just crank up some happy music and have a dance party with your family!

The Best Christmas Calendars for Kids

I don't recall this being a big thing when I was a kid although my husband grew up with a Christmas countdown stocking and a mouse that moved from day to day. It was a big deal in their house and each kid had a turn getting to move the mouse. If the wrong kid moved the mouse that day, mouse had to be put back so that the correct child could move him.  It was a Big Deal in their kid world.

All kids love traditions, it helps them make connections with their family and builds a feeling of safety and unity.  One thing that we've added to holiday family traditions in the last few years is doing an advent calendar.  One year we DIY'd Lego advent calendars.  Numbered 25 envelopes from 1-25, bought a mini Lego set, and put in a few pieces into each day's envelope.  Sounds easy.

It wasn't.

We had to go through the instruction manual and make sure we were putting the right pieces in order. We didn't want our kid to open the last possible piece to the Lego set on day 4 when he couldn't use it and would have nothing to do.

We've also bought commercial sets.  They cost more but save time.  If you don't want to go the DIY route *shudders*, here are some pre-made countdowns that your children will love!

#1, 2, & 3. Playmobil Advent Calendars: $22.20 - 24.99

Our house is a big fan of Playmobil toys. They allow open-ended imagination and the toys are well made. In addition to Santa's Workshop they also have Construction Site Rescue and Horse Farm!

#4. Crayola Christmas Countdown: $19.49

This looks super cute for any kid who likes to color, draw, and doodle!

#5. The Wonder of the Greatest Gift: $24.48

This set from Ann Voskamp has very high ratings: 90% of reviewers gave it 4 stars or higher! I like that this one is a focus on the faith foundation of Christmas and also seems to have a very positive message of Jesus' love.

#6. Melissa and Doug Magnetic Countdown: $14.99

Melissa and Doug products are always good!  The advantage of this advent calendar is that it can be reused year after year!

#7. Christmas Stable Sticker Advent Calendar: $5.95

I love this cute sticker scene as a Christmas countdown!  Affordable and faith-based!

#8. O Christmas Tree Treasure Box: $19.95

The O Christmas Tree Treasure box combines the best of both style of advent calendars! It is both reusable AND able to offer a treat each day.  The boxes are empty, it's up to you to fill them!  Put in a piece of candy, a small toy, a little note/coupon ("Redeem for a cup of hot chocolate!"), etc.  It is up to you!  The versatility of this one makes it a top contender for our advent calendar this year.

#9. Lego City Advent Calendar: $23.99

We've had Lego advent calendars before and the kids always loved them!  Each day you get another little Lego piece that goes with the set.

#10. Hatchimals Advent Calendar: $19.99

While my kids are not much into Hatchimals, this calendar looks adorable if you have a Hatchimals fan at home!  83% of reviewers gave it 4 stars or higher.  It comes with 10 figurines and then the child also gets to craft the winter scene.  Not going to lie: my adult self would think this was great!

Do you have a favorite that I missed?  Let me know!  

Friday Funnies

I'm back this week with 3 more funny pictures for you!  Which one can you most relate to?

What's in my bathroom drawers?

Are you the type of person that opens people's bathroom cabinets when you're visiting?  I mean, I hope not, because that's kind of weird.  BUT if you are that type of person, you're going to love today's post.  Here's my current fave beauty and skincare products (that you'd see if you opened my cabinets. But don't because, and I can't stress this enough, that is weird.)

Skincare:

It's a never-ending search for perfection but here are my current front runners.

Neutrogena Hydrogel Moisturizer (This should be $20 or less at your local drugstore, Target, etc. Of course Amazon also carries it.  The price seems to go up from time to time as people discover this great moisturizer!)

Hada Labo Foaming Cleanser.  This gently cleanses without being harsh. Plus, it's under ten bucks. Win/win.

Biore Watery Essence. This has a sunscreen.  My generation doesn't seem to be very big on sunscreen and avoiding sun exposure but I try to be!  Under $20. This goes on before your makeup.

Murad Intensive C-Radiance Peel.  I use this about 2ce a week to help my getting-older-skin regenerate and look fresh.  This runs close to $60 and is the most expensive facial care product I use.

Makeup:

Jane Iredale primer.  I'm not sold on this being perfect so I probably won't re-purchase when the tube runs out but darn it smells amazing. I'll miss the scent!

For coverage I rotate between Jane Iredale Glow Time BB Cream or Cover Girl true match foundation or MakeupForEver foundation (yes that's a wide range of price points).  I've not found the "holy grail" item here yet.  I've used mineral makeup like Laura Mercier and Bare Minerals but the powder just doesn't quite do it for me.  If you have a foundation recommendation, please share!

Benefit Brow Zings.  I'm not a fan of the tiny thin brows OR the overly drawn and monochromatic ones.  I just like to add a little filler in sparse spots to define my face.  The brow zings do a good job.  Sephora doesn't seem to carry the one I still have but Macy's does.  It's listed at $32. I must have gotten mine as a sample or something because I don't love my brows enough to pay thirty bucks.

Burt's Bees Ultra Conditioning.  Just got this at Ulta a few weeks ago. I always suffer from chapped lips and this is the best balm I've tried so far (and I've tried nearly all!). I paid a little over $4 for my tube but you can get 2 tubes for less than that on Amazon!

Nars Blush. This one is my favorite! The color is just perfection on me and no others quite live up to it.  This is pricey but does seem to last a long time (6 mos-a year).

Bronzer. I first got a Hoola bronzer as a free sample and loved it so much I bought another little one.  I do not do a heavy contour...just a bit of cheek and forehead definition.  So my little bitty bronzers have lasted a long time!

Hair Care

AG Hair The Oil.  My hair stylist uses this (Ulta Link) when she does my hair and it comes out amazing. I use it and "meh."  I'm not sure I'd re-purchase it because I like the following oil better.

Moroccan Oil Treatment.  An old stylist gave me a little free sample of this. When I'm out of hair oil, I will purchase more of this one!  The website sells it for around $15 although I'm pretty sure I've seen smaller bottles for around $3 at Kroger in the hair section.  So that's a great option if you want to try it a few times before committing to spending $15.

Hairspray.  I bought a trial size of a more expensive brand and hated it.  Zero hold. So back to my trust Garnier I go!  $3 a bottle and it holds better than that high end brand! 

Rusk Thermal Serum.  This purports to help protect your hair from heat damage.  I do like how it feels and Rusk is a well-known brand. I found mine at TJ Max.  I've only used it a few times and will have to use it consistently for awhile to see if I want to buy it again.

Miscellaneous:

Who are we kidding?  My bathroom cabinets also have assorted eyeshadow (none that I adore right now), random hair pins and ties, and a few other lipsticks.  

DIY Self-Care Gift Set (on a budget!)

Tis the season to be....stressed out! Fa la la la la, la la la la!

Self-care is the practice of taking care of one's self physically, mentally, and spiritually.  Like the old saying goes, "You can't pour from an empty cup."  I'm trying to be better at caring for myself in ways like getting to bed on time, getting semi-regular massages, staying connected with my faith, etc.

As a teacher, I happen to know that the rest of the staff at the school is just as busy as I am!  Though we all have different roles, everyone is giving it their all.  Sometimes we need encouraged to recharge.  Our family tries to do a gift to all of the office staff each year at Christmas.  This year's gift is a self-care kit.  

I've been gathering things for several months in preparation.  Not only is a self-care kit a great gift but you can also do it within a reasonable budget.

Here is the breakdown of what is in each kit (and what it cost):

• wax melts  These were from Kohl's and were $5 each.  I bought 6 but used Kohls Cash and a promo code.  Total cost: $0.
  
• face masks  These are also from Kohl's and were $3 each.  I bought 6 but like above, used Kohl's Cash and and a promo.  Total cost: $0.  Amazon has the Earth Therapeutics masks right now ($13 for 5 masks).  A fair price if you're out of Kohl's Cash!
  
• candles  These were from Kirkland's and I had paid $3 for an entire container of 20 candles. Total cost: $3.
• mini notebooks     These are from a recent trip to Dollar Tree. Total cost: $6.
  
• candy   I used 2 bags of Dove Promises and 1 bag of Hershey Kisses. I bought 3 packs from Dollar Tree and divided it up. Total cost: $3.
• magnets I only had 4 of these so the 4 office workers will get one but the 2 specials teachers will be out of luck (I don't think they'll mind).  These were list price $6 but on clearance at Barnes and Noble.  Total cost: $1.50.
  
• tea  It turns out that the sampler box of tea has easily gift-able packets inside. There are 5 flavors, so 5 packets. You can't open them up to further divide because the tea  bags themselves are not marked/labeled (learned that the hard way).  So again our office staff gets tea and the specials teachers will not.  Total cost: $2. 
• cellophane bags  These are from Dollar Tree. Total cost: $1
• ribbon I will add wide ribbon around each one before gifting them.  The ribbon will come from Dollar Tree. Total cost: $1.
• gift tag I used Canva to make a label with a little poem I wrote.  Canva has a free and a paid version. Of course I use the free one. ;)  If you're crafty you could make your own tag. Bottom line: the gift tag is free. Total cost: $0.
  

Grand Total: The kits have a value of $11.50 each but with sales and coupons I spent just $17.50 for all 6 self-care kits!  That means just $2.92 spent to give a gift worth over $11!  Not only did these turn out super affordable (less than the cost of a $5 gift card) but also they are promoting care and compassion to their recipients.  I can't wait to give these little self-care kits out next month!

Of course we are giving these to school staff but the little DIY kits also make great gifts for: teachers, tutors, coaches, Sunday School teachers, nurses, secret pals, moms group friends, neighbors, coworkers, and stylists!

Need an easy to follow/remember guide for making a self-care kit?  I've got you covered!  Check out the infographic below:

Amazon links may be affiliate links. See full disclosure here.

4 Things I Regret Buying

Do you ever buy something and then think it was a waste?  There are 4 really specific things I regret spending money on.  Hopefully my list will spare you!

1. A Juicer.  

I fell prey to those late night/early morning Jack Lalane infomercials. In my defense, I didn't actually buy a new one.  We bought a used one from Craigslist for around $45.  Guess what? Drinking celery juice tastes EXACTLY like drinking a stalk of celery.  Blech.  After a couple months we listed it on Craigslist ourselves and the circle of life for that juicer continued. The funny thing is my father-in-law must not have learned from our mistake because word on the street is that he has just purchased a juicer.  I give it 6 months before he puts that bad boy on Craigslist and the circle of life will go 'round again.

2. WEN haircare. 

Granted, I had a Swagbucks promo so I ended up not being out any money (the cost of the WEN was credited back to me in Swagbucks points).  All the before/after photos look so convincing and I have a friend who uses WEN.  Seemed like a good idea; until it made me start losing hair more than normal so I quickly abandoned it. 

3. That ticket for a hot air balloon ride. 

I thought it would be fun. Wrong.  Panicked. Had to have the conductor (driver? pilot? man who held my life in his hands?) bring the balloon down early.  The other paying customers got to go back up for a longer ride while I hyperventilated on a nearby bench. 0/10. Do not recommend.

4. Kicking Horse coffee.  

My husband picked this out and we bought it month after month on autoship from Amazon.  Just one problem. We discovered that this stout coffee is far too strong and harsh for our stomachs.  It gives us both unbearable indigestion.  For all you sadists out there, here's the link to Kicking Horse coffee on Amazon.  Maybe your gut can handle it.  My family is going to take a pass on that.  We've gone back to lighter roasts. 

Links may be affiliate links. Full disclosure here.

Friday Funnies: Friends

Todays' funnies are all from the tv show "Friends". We've already established that I love "Friends" reruns !  Today's funnies are all from Friends, specifically Joey Tribbiani!  Enjoy and have a great weekend!

Shows to Stream with Your Spouse

A house divided.  That's us. My husband has very picky tv preferences and I don't.  For example, I have watched Grey's Anatomy since it's first episode over a decade ago.  My husband won't watch Grey's unless he's walking through the room mocking me.

Nevertheless, we have found several streaming shows that we both agree on!

Older Shows

Friends

"Your job's a joke, you're broke, your love life's DOA......I'll be there for youuuuuu"

Chandler, Ross, Rachel, Joey, Monica, Phoebe.  This show is always good for a laugh!  We like to watch episodes (on Netflix for now!) when we need a short show that's going to be funny and not too serious.

The Office

We were late adopters to The Office fandom.  Regardless, we made our way into loving the show and have seen every episode.  Be sure to watch "The Injury" when Michael Scott accidentally George Forman's his foot.  It's my favorite.

Parks & Rec

Leslie Knope for the win!  We love Parks & Rec reruns. Enough said. Currently Netflix is streaming Parks and Recreation! 

Andy Griffith

A classic!  Surely everyone has seen this show, right?  Our entire family enjoys watching episodes together. It's a nice calm, humorous half hour show. You can buy the Andy Griffith Seasons on dvds on Amazon or stream on Netflix! 

Packed to the Rafters

This show is now off the air but the 6 seasons are available on Hulu.  It was from the 2000s so while it is not a totally current show, it is still pretty modern.  The premise is that an empty-nester couple soon become NOT empty nesters as various members move back in.  It's Australian too so you get the benefit of those cute accents.  Episodes are around 40 minutes and a mix of comedy/drama.

Current Shows

Jack Ryan

This AmazonPrime show is based on the Tom Clancy books and stars John Krasinski (the guy from The Office). My husband and I both really enjoyed this show. It is action packed and you will have to pay attention! Don't try to watch this while also budgeting or doing housework. You've gotta focus here. Currently there is only a season 1 which consists of 8 episodes. Watch "Jack Ryan" now so you will be caught up for season 2!

The Handmaid's Tale

Do you live under a rock? No.  Okay so you've definitely heard of this hit Hulu show based on Margaret Atwood's book of the same name.  We found the most recent season to have some slow moving spots and the constantly dark scenes are hard to see and get annoying.  But yet we love the show and it's depiction of a fictional dystopian society that is yet based in reality. Atwood has said that she made Gilead by using true things that had really happened around the world. Gilead itself is fiction but it is made up of pieces of very real things.

Perfect Harmony

Bradley Whitford (who you may know from The Handmaid's Tale referenced above!) stars in this brand new NBC comedy!  There have only been 3 episodes so far but we enjoyed them.  Whitford plays Arthur Cochran, a professor who tries to turn a church choir into singing competition winners.  Whitford's dry delivery of his lines make Perfect Harmony an easy-to-watch show that my husband and I both are liking!  We stream this on Hulu but if you want to catch it live, it is on Thursdays on NBC at 8:30 EST.

*links may be affiliate links. full disclosure here.*

How to Give More to Charity {without spending more}

Do you ever feel like there is so much need in the world, it's overwhelming?  Me too.  Natural disasters abroad, local people in need, hungry children, financially strapped elderly people, refugees starting over from scratch, and shelters with empty shelves. I want to help everyone, want everyone to have enough food, everyone to have their healthcare needs met, everyone to have a blanket and soap.  Sometimes the sheer volume of need can be sweltering. But where to start? We're not billionaires, we are not trust-fund-babies, we are not powerful politicians.

To paraphrase Teddy Rosevelt: I have to do what I can, with what I have.

When budgeting, we have line items for the mortgage, gas, etc.  As Christians my husband and I believe that we also need to have a tithe to our local church as part of our regular giving. (Malachi 3:10 ; Leviticus 27:30)  But that doesn't always seem like enough.  Enter my new plan:

I have long posted about how I make extra money online. Rakuten (ebates), Swagbucks, Microsoft, and Ibotta are my favorite money-makers. {Read: 4 Easy Ways to Make Money Online for the details}

Instead of using that extra money for things like Sephora and Amazon treats for ourselves, we decided to use the extra money towards increasing our giving.  We still do our regular tithe off our income but also are taking extra money we earn / come across to boost organizations that are in need.

I earned a bonus at work and bought feminine hygiene products off our local shelter's "most urgent" wishlist.  We used Amazon charity lists to send Spanish books and word searches to a group that provides Hispanic Senior Citizen programming.  We gave financial contributes to Raices, a group that helps provide legal assistance for refugees and immigrants.  I sent a bullhorn to Faith in Texas from their Amazon Charity List so that they can continue their public demonstrations calling for social justice in the name of Jesus.

I can't 'save' everyone but right now there are some senior citizens enjoying their day with a book we provided.  

There are women at a shelter who don't have to worry about their next cycle because the shelter has plenty of hygiene items. 

Somewhere in America is an immigrant who now has access to legal services to help them navigate tricky paperwork. 

Yes, this is just a drop in the bucket. But if we all add drops to the bucket, do you know what happens?  The bucket fills up!  

If you use ebates/amazon/ibotta/etc, will you consider committing to donate your earnings (or part of them) to those in need?

One more thing:

One super easy way you can make a difference is by shopping with Amazon Smile.  Simply go to smile.amazon and select which charity you want to benefit. Each time you shop on Amazon you go to smile.amazon and the charity you selected will receive a tiny % of what you spend. It's not much. But every little bit helps!

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Related Post: How I Made $334 With Swagbucks

Labor Day: Celebrating Workers

Source

Happy Labor Day!  More than just a day off work (yay!!), parades and picnics, Labor Day is a day to honor our progress as a country towards fair & safe working conditions.  We also honor those who fought to bring us these labor rights, some of whom lost their lives in doing so.  Here are 3 short blurbs from various websites to provide a little background for Labor Day.

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"In the late 1800s, at the height of the Industrial Revolution in the United States, the average American worked 12-hour days and seven-day weeks in order to eke out a basic living. Despite restrictions in some states, children as young as 5 or 6 toiled in mills, factories and mines across the country, earning a fraction of their adult counterparts’ wages."
https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/labor-day-1 

"Only in the 1930s did the tide turn for workers. With Franklin D. Roosevelt in the White House, allies in Congress, and the first female cabinet member in Secretary of Labor Frances Perkins, a series of reforms were implemented. In 1938, Congress passed the Fair Labor Standards Act that established the eight-hour day and five-day week for wage-workers. But don’t solely thank the politicians." https://time.com/5663465/labor-day-union-history/


[Martin Luther King, Jr's statement] “'There is nothing but a lack of social vision to prevent us from paying an adequate wage to every American whether he [or she] is a hospital worker, laundry worker, maid, or day laborer,' said King."
https://www.commondreams.org/views/2016/09/05/labor-day-remember-martin-luther-kings-last-campaign-was-workers-rights

Friday Funnies

Friday Funnies are here!!  See which one you most relate to:

4 Easy Ways to Make Money Online

There are oodles of ways to make a little extra money online.  I've written about several of them before but thought it would be helpful to compile it all into ONE post.  Here are some of my favorite ways to get a little extra money in my wallet:

This used to be called eBates. Which makes sense because it sounds like "rebates"--you know, cash back?  But then they inexplicably changed the name to this Rakuten nonsense.  Goofy unrelated name? Yes.  But, then again, I'm the idiot who named this blog Zucchini Summer when it has nothing to do with zucchini, nor summer.  So.  I guess we'll call it even.

At any rate, Rakuten/Ebates is a legit way to get some cash back if you are shopping online.  They do have a shop-in-person way to earn as well but I have not tried it and therefore cannot vouch for it.  The online is legit though.  You simply go to the ebates site, click the link to the store you want to shop at, and boom. A % cash back will be credited to your account.  This is CRUCIAL if you are Black Friday/Cyber Monday shopping!  Around that time of year you can often get 10-50% cash back!  The rest of the year tends to run 2-8% depending on the store.  Ebates/Ratuken will pay you quarterly via PayPal or check.  You can even earn cash back by using the ebates Ratuken link to Turbo Tax when you file your taxes!

Join and they will give you a bonus $10 after your first eligible online shopping trip!  Here's my referral link.

You're sick of me talking about this, aren't you?  Swagbucks was my first "money online" venture and it really does work. It's free to join and use.  You earn points called "SB" and then can cash them in for gift cards (Sephora, Kohls, GameStop, Best Buy, Starbucks, etc) or PayPal cash.   I've earned the equivalent of $1,700 doing Swagbucks.  I average about $300 a year though some users get much more.  You earn those points by searching the internet, answering a survey, doing the daily poll, and so on.  Most recently I cashed in points for a $25 PayPal payment that I am donating to charity*.  

Again this one changed names.  It used to be called Bing Rewards but now is just Microsoft. You click the search links and earn on your desktop. I actually love the daily "trending" scroll. I click and get the main headlines for the day AND some points.  I earn $5-10 a month using this. No referral links but you can try this to see if you can get an account up and running. You can redeem points for Hulu, Starbucks, Sephora, Xbox credits, and more.

This app sounds like you are saying "I bought a..." really fast. My friend told me about it and I've been using it for a little over a year now.  When you shop at a store (Walgreens, CVS, Walmart, Target, etc) you upload your receipt and get $$ credited to your account.  You can often get .20 for any item and then larger rewards on other things.  For example today I got $2 back when I bought a Neutrogena face wash that my dermatologist recommended.  It sounds small but it all adds up!  I've earned over $100 in the past year.  Be careful to only buy products you were going to buy anyway, or that end up being cheaper than store brand after the discount....otherwise you may wind up spending more than you're saving!

If you would like to join, you can get a $3 bonus by using my referral code: fnupyjf.  

*Raices!  Help those seeking asylum in the United States, including children and families.