My Whole 30 Staples

I feel like one of the best resources when planning Whole 30 was to see what other people were relying on to make it through. I wanted to share a few of my favorites in hopes that it would help someone else.

Go to recipe: Chia Pudding

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cups unsweetened almond milk
• 1 banana, well mashed
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon allspice
• dash of ground cloves
• 6 tablespoons chia seeds

Method:

• Combine milk and banana in a 4-cup mason jar and mix well
• Add spices and chia seeds and mix well
• Leave in the fridge overnight
• Enjoy with your favorite toppings!

You can use whatever spices you like, I liked my “spice cake” version. I usually mixed 3/4 cup of chia pudding with a spoonful of almond butter for extra protein. You should mix it periodically, the chia like to get stuck around the bottom edges.

 

Go-to groceries

Aldi(aside from fresh veggies/fruit):

• Frozen riced cauliflower
• Marinara sauce
• Deluxe mixed nuts
• Freeze dried strawberries
• Dried apricots
• La Croix (I like passion fruit)

Publix:

• Applegate uncured hotdogs
• Aidells chicken & apple sausage
• Greenwise sliced turkey (Not all flavors are w30, read your labels!)
• Siete Grain-Free tortilla chips

 

Let me just note that I literally did the happy dance in the grocery store upon finding chips we can eat. We LOVE chips and salsa as a snack and we desperately missed that satisfying crunch.

The World is a Mess, it’s Okay to Be Excited About Mundane Things

If you pull up basically any news website, the landing page will likely be covered in doom and gloom: hurricanes, wildfires, corrupt politicians, celebrity gossip. It seems like there’s a never ending stream of awful things happening all around us.

In this world where we’re surrounded by chaos, how do we cope? Do we have to be obsessed with every breaking news story on our Facebook timeline and Twitter feed?

The answer is no!

Self care is incredibly important, now more than ever. Whether you have to unplug your cable box, delete your accounts on social media, or avoid the subject in friendly company, do not for one second feel bad about it.

No matter what’s going on in the world, someone else’s suffering doesn’t negate your own. 

This is one of the most important lessons I’ve been taught throughout my life. When it comes to world affairs, events fall into two basic categories: things you have control over and things you have no control over.

If you have the power to elect someone new to improve the well-being of your town, state, or country, then by all means dive right in and learn as much as you can about the issues and act accordingly (vote, rally, petition, whatever).

If you have no control over the suffering of those effected by a natural disaster or the decisions of a person already in power, it’s perfectly fine to not involve yourself in it at all. There’s no reason you should torture yourself or let your mental health suffer over things that are out of your hands.

And you shouldn’t feel bad about it for one solitary second. 

This is your reminder to take care of yourself. You don’t have to “accept the things you can’t change.” because sometimes those things are extremely unacceptable. Even if some people want to say that posting/sharing information about issues all over social media is “slacktivism,” sometimes it’s all you can manage. But if you personally can’t do any more than that, you still did something. You can only do so much and you shouldn’t stretch your spoons on those things when you have your own life to worry about.

So if you want to drown out all that doom and gloom with a pumpkin spice latte, or a Netflix binge session, or internet memes, by all means do so! It’s 100% okay to like things that are seemingly meaningless– obviously it means something to you. 

The moral of the story is: do what you can. But don’t overextend yourself. Enjoy your pumpkin spiced life.

 

Sustainable Saturday 9-8-18: Up-Cycling

 

This week for Sustainable Saturday, I wanted to focus on some awesome ways to up-cycle different items around your house. We’ve talked about 3 out of 4 R’s so far: Refusing disposables, reducing waste, and reusing items.

I’m going to preface this with the fact that I’m not very crafty or handy. I really try to be, but others are way more imaginative than me. In that spirit, I’d like to make this post somewhat of a gallery of ideas from Pinterest that I really love!

I love these projects because they’re totally do-able, even if you’re not crafty, so it makes them easy for anyone. Another aspect I like is that they’re useful, not just decorative (not that decorative is bad, but I love things that are cute and useful).

First up: A upcycled mint tin.

Thanks to Giggles Galore for this one! Not only can you store your earphones and keep from getting tangled, but I could definitely use this for hair ties/pins, loose change, or a phone charger (sans wall adapter).

There are also a ton of other ways to up-cycle them, both plastic and metal. I’ve seen everything from travel spa kits, mini first aid kits, kids activity boxes, and much more!

Next: rope-wrapped cans/tins

This one comes to us from Artison, and it awesome because it’s so versatile. You could apply this to a coffee can, sauce jar, even a kitty litter container. They can be made into wastebaskets, storage, planters, or even a reusable gift container (or a gift itself!).

You do have to get a bit of rope or twine to make this one, but luckily it’s not too expensive. You could experiment with ribbon, colored or marine rope, or t-shirt yarn(yet another upcycle!).

Also: Planters

This is actually two pins, but the same purpose: plants! Pots can be expensive so these are great options for seed starters and more long-term planters.

Thanks to Thrifty Fun for this adorable kitty planter. These planters are best for larger, more established plants. You could really make them any animal you want. Don’t forget drainage holes at the bottom!

If you’re starting seeds, try this one:

 

Over at Shareably, not only can you find directions on how to turn paper rolls into seed starters, but other cool upcycles as well!

This post is pretty short and sweet, but I hope it gives you some inspiration on how you can re-purpose all kinds of things that would normally end up in the bin!

Got any other great ideas? Post in the comments!

Some Days, The Loss of a Parent Hurts Worse

Today is my mom’s birthday.

I’m not going to call her, post on her Facebook wall, or send her a card.

I lost her in March of 2012.

Losing a parent as a teenager/young adult is an absolutely surreal experience, and one that can’t be adequately described unless you’ve experienced it. It’s different than losing them as a young child, or as an older adult. It’s like a phantom limb that you keep trying to use and are reminded isn’t there. You’ll never fully be out of that grief, that alternate reality– it may not hurt like an open wound, but it will always be an underlying ache like a bruise or especially deep scar.

Sometimes you wake up after dreaming about them and it feels like you got punched in the gut. Sometimes you see their face in a sea of strangers. Sometimes you catch a passing scent and it’s exactly what they smelled like. I even see accents of her face in my own when I look in the mirror. And some days are definitely harder than others.

What I’ve found though, is that these feelings and experiences translate through and between others. When you meet others who have been through your same loss, it’s very relatable.

I’ve also realized that how others respond doesn’t change much, either. No matter how long it’s been, the default response is “oh my gosh I’m sorry” whenever I mention it. I get it, most people don’t know how to react. I understand you mean well. Unless I’m telling you in an emotionally intimate sense, though, I prefer a low-key response or no response at all. It’s nice to have sympathy at first, but after a while it’s just a grim reminder of how horrible it really is. Even just a “sorry to hear that” or “that sucks” is better; empathy can be more comforting and appropriate, especially in a more casual setting.

What is different is how each person grieves, and how long it can take for them to reach a comfortable point to talk about their experience and whether talking about it is a form of healing.

It’s been six years, and it’s still difficult to talk about. It’s still difficult to even think about. I was 17, about to graduate high school and turn 18. I feel like I lost out on a lot of important moments with her– graduating high school, moving to college, buying a house, even just introducing her to the amazing people I’ve met in my adult life.

I guess the point of all this is a bit of healing for me, and a bit of comfort for others who are in similar shoes. I’m trying to open myself up little by little in hopes that I’ll be more comfortable with my personal reality. I think the if you let a little bit of your heart show, it can help you find others who can empathize and relate with you.

 

 

 

No Spend September 2018

It’s September first! Starbucks has already released it’s Pumpkin Spice Latte, Target and Micheal’s are filling their shelves with Fall and Halloween themed goodies, and we’re only three weeks from the official start of Fall (even though in Florida that doesn’t mean much)!

So there’s no better time for a saving challenge!

I like no-spend September for a lot of reasons, the first being I love alliteration (this could have also been no-spend November, which I’m quite tempted to do). Additionally, it forces me to get crafty and use what I already have around my house to fill my time (including chores and projects I’ve been putting off since we moved into our house).

Here are the rules:

What you can buy:

• Gas
• Groceries
• Bills (obviously)
• Toiletries
• Medical supplies
• Pet supplies
• Work-related expenses

What you CAN’T buy:

• Clothes
• Shoes
• Takeout food
• Drinks from bars/restaurants (work it into your groceries and drink at home- it’s way cheaper!)
• coffee from cafes/restaurants (again, make it at home!)
• Other non-essentials

 

I’m lucky in the sense I don’t have kids, so it makes not spending a lot easier. I do have two dogs though, and I have to resist the urge to buy them anything besides food and medicine, even in a sea of adorable dog Halloween costumes.

I’m also starting the 50-20-30 budget, so I’m really hunkering down on my spending overall.

Share your experience in the comments! Are you participating or have you participated in a no spend month? Do you go by the 50-20-30 budget?