Products I Love: Post 2

This week I want to share with you some older products that I have come to love over the years and have become a staple to my life. I also want to share a new product that I think everyone will love:

• Oil of Olay Lotions
• Johnson & Johnson Baby Lotion
• Bed Bath & Beyond's Mineral Oil



5 stars! $9.47

Growing up my daddy used Olay lotion every morning on his face after he would shave. I love this lotion. Not only does certain kinds of some of their lotions have sunscreen protectors in it (which Aubree tends to like more) but it is so soft and will NOT leave your skin sticky! I like the orginal lotion the most but use the one with the sunscreen in it while living here in Hawaii. I love the smell of it each morning because it reminds me of when dad woutld put it on his face early in the mornings.



 5 stars! $18.97

I received this type of Olay lotion last year for Christmas. It truly is amazing. It doesn't sting around your eyes and when you sweat, it does not leave you feeling sticky or nasty. I also like this product because it doesn't really have a frangrance so it won't give you headaches. This Olay total effects also comes with SPF 15 and hydrates your skin while curing sun damage. It contains antioxidants and moisturizers.


$8

 I love baby lotion. I love how it is smells so wonderful. I love that it reminds me of little Brock. I don't know, there is just something about this lotion that just relaxes you without leaving you sticky, nasty feeling, and with a headache. Each morning and night I put it on and just feel 10x better afterwards. This is most def. one of my top favorite products. I would chose this lotion over Bath and Body Works any day!

I have only had this product for 1 day and I already love it. Jacque was so kind and bought Jake and I this at Bed Bath and Beyond because I was looking for some here for our cutting board. I rubbed down our board last night with this oil and this morning it looks like a brand new beautiful board! For the first week you are supposed to use it every day and then limit it to once a week then once a month for the year. I love it.

Spinach Lasagna Rolls

Spinach Lasagna Rolls-Skinnytaste.com 

Yummmmm.......

 I love this recipe.
I love that it is only 4 points per roll.
I love how my husband loves this recipe.
I love how this recipe is simple, healthy, and affordable.



 

Your Gonna Need:

9 lasagna noodles, cooked

10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and completely drained

15 oz fat free ricotta cheese (I like Polly-o)

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 egg

salt and fresh pepper

32 oz tomato sauce

9 tbsp (about 3 oz) part skim mozzarella cheese, shredded

 *Preheat Oven to 350 degrees

 

Cook your 9 lasagna noodles and lay them out on a piece of wax paper to dry off.

  

Combine spinach, ricotta, Parmesan, egg, salt and pepper in a medium bowl.



 

Take 1/3 cup of ricotta mixture and spread evenly over noodle.


 

   

Roll carefully and place seam side down onto the baking dish. Repeat with remaining noodles.

 

Ladle sauce over the noodles in the baking dish


 

and top with about 1 T of mozzarella cheese ( or more....)
 Put foil over baking dish and bake for 40 minutes, or until cheese melts. Makes 9 rolls.

 

And Enjoy a wonderful dinner that was simple, affordable, healthy, and DELICIOUS



Products I Love: Post 1

Every-so-often I find a product that I absolutley love thanks to my mom buying the product and us testing it out or just taking a chance on a product. This week my favorite products are :

• Aveeno Shaving Gel
• Gain Detergent and Fabric Softener
• Yankee Candle: Home Sweet Home



Positively Smooth $3.99

I can't even over exaggerate how much I love this shave gel. I have to shave my legs daily because of the lovely dark hair and stubby legs I was fortunatley blessed with ( I don't know if the length of your legs has anything to do with it but I'm sure it does somewhere along the way). We would usually use the popular shave creams such as Skintimate ($3.29) or PureSilk (around $2) but they would sometimes leave my legs dry and then I would have little bumps later on in the day. However, with this Aveeno Shave gel you are immediatly relaxed by the aroma; as well as, the feeling it leaves on your legs. Another problem with the other shave cans is that they would sometimes rust. Aveeno comes in a non-rust can and doesn't leave circles around your tub. Jake LOVES shaving in the mornings with this gel over his higher priced shave gels because he, and I quote, "loves the smell and feel."

Gain laundry detergent is expensive. I'm just going to go right out and say it. Here, it is around $11 dollard for the normal size tub. BUT, I have used Purex for awhile trying to save money. I even tried Wisk and Tide but they don't even compare to the smell it leaves on your clothes! Especially the lavender smell. Wisk doesn't even have a smell. I might be partial because this is what we use at home and it smells like home during each load but when you use it with the Gain Fabric Softener, it even makes a Marines Cami's and Blouses come out soft and fresh! I went months sacrificing with the quality of our detergent but when I went home and smelt and felt my clothes after each wash, I didn't want to sacrifice any longer! I love the smell of Lavender on all my clothes. Jake loves when I use this on his work clothes because he loves, and I quote, "the softness" it leaves on our clothing. Jake never comments on anything so when I get comments out of him about household items, they MUST be making an impression on him.





Yankee Candle's Home Sweet Home $25



Growing up my family would always have to be careful about the types of candles we placed around the house because my dad is overly 'sensitive' to certain smells. We couldn't even wear lotion. I inherited that awful 'disease.' BUT when it comes to Christmas or Thanksgiving I don't care. I want everything around me smelling of Christmas, Pumpkin, Vanilla, Spice, Cinnamon, and goodness. But when we go to the Yankee part of the store in Bed Bath and Beyond, my husband gets 'sick'. We only buy Yankee candles with our coupons we recieve so we only go about once every few months. Jake wants to buy the candles that hardly have a smell. I'm thinking, I don't want to spend $25 on a candle thats not going to fragrance my entire house! However, we when came across Home Sweet Home....omyword....I can't even describe. When you move away from everything you know and get used to the smell of salt water and sunscreen and walk into a store, open a glass bottle and smell 'home' you've gotta buy whatever it is! And to top it all of, it doesn't make Jake or myself sick with headaches! 

 
I understand everyone is different in their tastes but if you are searching for that perfect shave gel, detergents, or frangrance, you should really give these products a run for their money!

Whats in your Grocery Cart?

Remember my post awhile back ago where I said that my goal each week is to strive to be under $100 when I go to the grocery store? Well I should have realized that is not possible. To give myself some credit, I do add cleaning supplies, toiletries, detergents and soaps, and other house hold items to that purchase each week so I am trying to tell myself that that is ok. I am realizing that while we are trying to live healthier lifestyles by the things we eat, we have to sacrifice in the money we spend. I want to do a segment on what is in my grocery cart each week that stands out the most (things I usually never buy and should I have bought them this wee?) I have already put all my grocery items away today or I would have put a picture up. This week my main items that I purchased that I usually never purchase includes-a package of greek yogurt, 2 packs of blueberries (they were on sale :) ), panko crumbs, and goat cheese. Now, this may be utterly boring to you all but I want to really keep a record of things I choose to buy. You will NEVER find soda, cookies, really yummy snacks, chips, debbie cakes, alcohol,or candy in our grocery cart. Why? First of all, that is too much money to spend on that stuff. Second of all, we don't need it. Since January, I have made a commitment not to have that stuff in our house. It is not good for us and we will not eat it. Jake wishes we would have some kind of snack sometimes but after he eats it he says, "Emily, don't buy this or I will eat it all." We have chosen to live a different life I guess from the majority of the people. Anywase, sometimes I see something I think, "Hey, that looks great! We should try that!" Spend a lot of money on it and then don't eat it. Like...extra apples, salad, toritilla chips, cream, etc. Notice, none of that stuff is necessarily bad for you. I just buy it then we don't eat it!
I guess I am just writing out what is on my mind.
Jake is gone so I am aloud to do this because I am bored.
I have had a friend over today and am cooking dinner for her tonight. My house smells SO GOOD because I have a weight watchers vanilla pound cake baking in the oven and am about to pop in some coconut chicken for our salad later. There is a precious little girl curled up in a quilt sleeping on our couch while her momma is at the doctor and I am sitting here thinking, "I want to have babies!!" I would love to start trying next year but really am not wanting to have children unless I am near my momma. Not across the Pacific.
Jake is leaving pretty soon for 10 AWFUL DAYS so my mom is sending me crafts to keep me busy. I have found a couple of signs I want to make for the holidays coming up:


isn't that cute!
Or maybe something like this:


I also love this one with the wooden letter on it and just glued on and painted over:





I have 3 canvas'. I love this Christmas Canvas on Pinterest with the lights behind it:


Anywho, I think I hear someone waking up in the next room. I'll will write soon! Hope everyone has been having a great first day of school....UGhhhh

Saturday in the Park...

Today has been so incredibly wonderful. I want everyone to know that I have such an amazing husband. He is so kind to me all the time. Yesterday he had to go get two fillings in his mouth and during his busy morning he had the idea of wanting to get me a standmixer. Even though I decided I didn't really 'need' one at this exact moment he was thinking about me. He went to go pick up flowers with me to replant our little garden and he is so full of compliments. I wonder if he realizes how wonderful he is.
First off I planted the new flowers we got yesterday and made the yard look nice and fresh. We gathered some of our wedding giftcards and headed out to Walmart this afternoon. We picked up a wreath to decorate for the Fall season (even tho Hawaii has only 2 seasons-wet and dry-), some Paula Dean cooking utensils, a zester, and a beautiful blender! We then went to Red Lobster because we had a couple of gift cards and wanted to go out for a treat and had a wonderful crab feast!
Jake leaves tomorrow for a couple of days to go off for some training so I will be alone. I am going to try to find some new recipes to try out. I have been watching so much of FoodNetwork I am inspired. I love Giada At Home and Paula Dean. I wish there was a strict health show, there probley is but I am just now getting used to the tv show times.
I have fallen in love with this amazing yogurt I believe everyone should try:

mmmmm this is so creamy and full of goodness!
I also received some amazing care packages last week from Aubree and my momma. I got some new canvas' that I am trying to find some ideas to do with for the upcoming holidays or for just some decor. Aubree and Chase sent me the Lord of the Rings Trilogy on BLUE RAY! Yes this is amazing! Thanks momma for the pinto beans, paint and craft supplies, and goodies! Thanks Chase for the fire starter :)

Sorry for the short post but I am enjoying a night of movies with my handsome HUSBAND!

Hi Ya

 

Hello Everyone! First off, I wanted to show everyone Aubree's own variation of the Ribbon Wreath. She used block lettering and a wood plank instead of canvas. I think its really cute.

Its been a little exciting in our little part of the world. I seem to be making some friends! Slowly but surely. The other week it felt like I hit an all time low and was so home sick I was literally sick. I seemed to just cry throughout the day and have myself a pity party in our closet on one afternoon. Anywase, I was so frustrated that I just cried out to God and asked him a HUGE favor, "Please, Lord send me just one person. One person I will be able to call a friend!" Well I want everyone to know that not only was Jake and I invited out to dinner last friday but I was invited to the beach with the Pantling family one morning, got to keep jake all last week, and had coffee and breakfast with one of my neighbors another morning! I also got to spend the day with the little girl I babysit sometimes and spend a little time with her mom that afternoon. I want everyone to know that this to me is a HUGE blessing. My week was so great. Jake and I had the absolute best time Friday. The couple we went with and their friends and family quoted the movie Hot Rod half of the night with Jake and Surfs Up also! Jake loves spending his evenings with friends quoating movies. Its just something that makes him happy. I got to share my faith again to my neighbor and explain to her why we don't drink. haha.

I loved spending my entire week with jake -the gorgeous lab-

Today I went to this beautiful beach on the base and spent a complete 45 minutes having it all to myself...

I'm SOO excited for Sarah because she just got a job a Pier 1! I'm so happy for her. So far she loves it and I really can't wait to see her, and Aubree, and momma, and daddy in October.

I absolutly HATE that school is starting Monday. I keep telling myself that its only 2 more classes then I will finally be done with my Bachelor's Degree PRAISE THE LORD. Jake leaves for a PTA Pre-Training Monday and then leaves again for a couple of weeks in September on his birthday which is really awful. This will be the 3rd birthday in the last 4 years he has spent his birthday alone. I hate that I will be here by myself again but hopefully I can spend time making friendships!

Jake and I are still praying about some future decisions. One of them includes buying a car. I want to wait until we can pay for the car almost in full (like Dave Ramsey recommends) but I also hate spending hundreds and hundreds of dollars fixing up our car. Kinda in a bind. Some days we are wanting to re-enlist, other days we are wanting to go home. We are really wanting to follow God's Plan because that would be the better option. haha

I wanted to end with the funniest picture I have seen in a long time. While Aubree was on Pinterest today, little Linus was up to no good in the front room....

Awww..look at that face!
Hope everyone has checked out my family page today to join in on some of my memories. They sure are good :)

Ribbon Wreath Tutorial!!!!

I finished my Razorback Ribbon Wreath today and I hope everyone likes it! It was really easy to make but took effort, patience, and time. I went into this project thinking I was going to save so much money compared to the one for sale on Etsy for $65 plus $12 shipping. Well, lets just say this is a pretty pricey project (haha). BUT, I did save and I have the pride of knowing I made this cute wreath now hanging on our door.




Supplies:
About 7-8 ribbon spools
paint
scissors
greening pins/super glue
paint brushes
Wreath (I Strongly recommend anything other than hay!)haha
small canvas board
spray paint (optional)




Cut your ribbon pieces about 4-5in in length




One box of these won't be enough. I would say about 4 50 count boxes.




fold your ribbon piece into a hoop




Stick the pin where the ribbon overlaps into the wreath





I randomly placed the ribbon hoops that way they weren't clustered





Cut some more ribbon and make some piles




Be sure not to leave any spaces in between. You could spray paint your wreath before-hand a color that would blend in with the ribbons if you wanted to.




Again, randomly place the hooped ribbons around the wreath body




After awhile, the pins were bruising my thumbs because they would not stick into the hay wreath. So I began using the hot glue. Glue one end of the strip of ribbon




Bring the other end and overlap the glued end




Don't do this...



At this point, your going to start getting excited because the end is in the near future!




This is me making my own sign. I used just a piece of canvas and stenciled the lettering. I hot glued a ribbon on the back of the canvas and hooked it onto the wreath.





I love the ribbon pieces!




I'm pretty sure I have the cutest door on the street now! Have fun with this project!



Lanikai Hill and Cinnamons

Today was absolutly wonderful. It began around 5:15 when I rolled over and saw that Jake was already awake and reading something on CNN. We got up and got ready for our sunrise/morning/refreshing hike up Lanikai. While driving to the hike everything felt so much like it does early in the morning in Greenwood. Well, maybe not this 'particular' summer, but most other summers. I usually am not outside that early so I take the beauty for granted each day. Jake sees it 5/7 days a week so it probley doesn't excite him as much. We got there and began the journey. This hike overlooks Kailua and Lanikai and has 2 WWll bunkers that you hike up to. 

If you look real good you can see the tiny building at the top. The hike was a bit scary for me because on each side every so often was a drop off but we made it! When we got to the top bunker, we sat on the top of it and just watched the rain fall on the ocean. We sat there and watched the rain come towards us and so we stayed in the bunker until it stopped. It was SO COOL imagining what used to be happening in that bunker and Jake would point at where the men would keep watch and where things would have been in the inside such as the cannon or communication set-up. He got upset with me because I could not get over my fear of climbing down the ladder so I kinda just squirmed in through one of the windows. Haha. The hike continued on around the top of the mountains but we decided to head on back down because it was getting pretty hot. God even blessed the morning with a beautiful rainbow!



Look at that rain coming in...




The water is so blue!



Inside the bunker watching the rain




This is my honey




He was still kinda making fun of me over the ladder incident



Kailua and MCBH Kanoehe a.k.a home



A Beautiful Promise

 When we got back to the car we drove down into Kailua and went to this little resturant out by the antique store I go to. The place is called Cinnamons and they are known for their red velvet pancakes!

They were filled with cream cheese people! I of course couldn't order them (stupid diet) but Jake let me try his and they would have made me SICK! I had some egg beaters and one of their buttermilk pancakes and it was just as fantastic! We then came home (around 9! haha) and got back into our comfy clothes and began our all day marathon of Top Shot. This show is so good! We LOVE having tv. They did put this beautiful huge white dish in our front yard with a lovely black tarp under it that matches everything so well *sarcasm* but we are thankful!

Later on we went to Ross's which is 'kinda' like TJ Max (but not) and got couple of things for the kitchen. I have been wanting to make some type of Razorback wreaths for the front door and saw that my mom pinned a CUTE one from Etsy on her Pinterest board, hopefully mine will look just as cute as this one and I will post about it!

Anywase, hope everyone has enjoyed their Saturday and I will hopefully be posting soon on this new craft project. I also made this amazing WW stew and will post the recipe as well!