Changing Times...

Good morning.

I have decided to change the name of my blog. I am not really refinishing furniture at this time, so what I have been writing about is more of my journey towards a new lifestyle. It is a journey of trying to live simply and organically. Trying to find the joy in the little things in life. Trying to find positive and inspiring people to surround myself with. Trying to have fun and get the most out of my days. Trying to eat healthier. Trying to work my body in new ways. Trying to relax and rejuvenate. Trying new things. Trying to be joy rising.

So French Farmhouse Living doesn't fit the bill for this anymore.

I will let you know as soon as I think of the new name. Then look for me at the new blog because I won't be blogging under this one anymore.

xo

To Be... Or Not To Be...

I am 95 percent vegetarian. I do love the occasional seafood dinner though. But meats... yucko. I don't know if this started because I'm an animal lover or because I just didn't like the taste of meat anymore. 

But lately I have been thinking A LOT about going vegan. I don't think it would be that drastic of a change for me. I do think it will take a lot of work to educate myself on what foods are vegan {reading entire food labels to make sure there isn't a sneaky little animal byproduct in there.} I thought the hardest things for me to give up would be yogurt, cheese and honey.

Well, let's start with the honey. I used to put honey on everything. Raw, organic honey. But... I read that honey is actually bee vomit. If that is true, I'm ready to vomit. So I switched to agave nectar instead and I love it. Then there is yogurt... I found a yogurt that I really like that is dairy-free {made of almonds.} The last thing is cheese. I adore cheese. So yesterday I bought the vegan brand called Daiya but I haven't tried it yet. If it's gross, I might be in trouble. I guess I'll have to give my taste buds time to try something new. I'm hoping my little taste buds will adjust nicely. So far so good.

Today I ordered all new makeup from 100 % Pure. Every single item that goes on my face from mascara to lip gloss is from this wonderful company. It cost a bit, but I believe it's worth it. It's investing in yourself. That's never a bad thing, right?  

Here is a direct quote of what 100 %  Pure says about their makeup:

"The absolute most healthy, the most pure line of nourishing personal care made with the highest quality ingredients. Free of any harmful toxins that are common in other cosmetics - because our skin absorbs.

Just as birth control patches and nicotine patches deliver the medication topically, whatever we apply on our skin gets absorbed which is why all 100% Pure formulas are free of harmful toxins that are commonly in other cosmetics. 100% Pure’s mission is to create the healthiest cosmetics made with the highest quality ingredients.

100% Pure creates healthy products for our body and also for the environment. Our corporate offices are run by 100% solar energy, our company is 100% electric and our pure, biodegradable formulas are packaged with post consumer recycled plastic, glass, soda cans, paper and printed with biodegradable non toxic vegetable ink. 100% Pure loves animals - we are completely cruelty free and charitable towards animal welfare."

I'm sure it's not perfect with the ingredients it uses. But it sounds like a landslide of better ingredients than most cosmetic companies use. I'm just trying my best and that's all I can do. Educate myself and try to put my money into companies who believe in health and wellness for the consumer.

I guess it's a lifestyle.

Workout

Eat healthy

Use the healthiest products you can find {including cleaning products for your home}

Get your sleep.

Those seem to be the tricks of the trade from what I've read about health and wellness. We can all use a hand from each other with learning and sharing this information. My brother said I'm going to lose all my teeth by going vegan! Ha. He's so 2014.

Here is a picture of dinner for tonight... It may not look pretty but it tastes yummy.

Be well.

~Namaste~

xo  

You Say Hippy... I Say Boho Chic...

Does it make me a hippy that I want to make my own laundry detergent?

I'm not saying that I want to live on a compound and not shave anymore... I'm just saying that I like the idea of knowing exactly what is going into my detergent without it being toxic chemicals.

So I've been doing a bit of research on how to do it. It seems a little annoying at first, but after the batch is actually made, it seems like you can use it for a good long while.

I usually just buy all Seventh Generation products. But for some reason I'm on a kick of making my own. You know me when I get on a kick... This kick may pass and then it's on to the next item of business.

But for now my kick is DIY natural, organic laundry detergent.

If I actually do it I'll keep you posted. It saves money too which is never a bad thing in my book.

My husband laughed when I told him I wanted to make my own. He doesn't understand why I wouldn't just keep buying the all natural stuff. I don't really get it either. I just know I have a bee in my bonnet about it so I might as well give it a whirl.

See, isn't it pretty?

 

xo

pic via pinterest

The Perfect Day...

Squeeze a nap in there and I would be one happy girl.

Waking up isn't all that easy for me. I'm not exactly an early morning person. But I do have my alarm clock that wakes me with chirping birds, so I can't complain too much.

Green tea... I love my tea, especially in my new aqua tea kettle. So soothing.

Workout: I have been going to boot camp consistently twice a week and it's helping me to feel amazing. I need to keep it up {and I actually want to keep it up! I look forward to going every week.}

A warm shower to get me going in the morning is a must. Wash away the sweat of my workout! With organic peppermint soap for a little pep.

For breakfast I usually have my protein shake. It fills me up to the brim. And tastes yummy too.

Read: Give me a good book and I'm glued. Right now I'm reading Wild. I'm liking it...

I hate cleaning, but when I do clean it makes me feel calm on the inside and organized on the outside. Definitely good for my anxious mind.

Lunch is my favorite meal of the day. I go big and strong for lunch. I can eat like a man when it comes to my lunch so don't get too close to my plate or I may bite you...

Dance: I will admit to dancing in the car while I'm driving on a pretty regular basis. No shame in that!  

Laugh: If I'm not laughing, there is a problem. I laugh a lot... Usually inspired by my best friend. Tears roll down our cheeks pretty much every day. Gotta love a friendship like that.

Dinner: Meh... I'm not much of a dinner person. But if I am starving, pasta it is. {Not the healthiest choice, but sometimes a girl just needs a giant bowl of pasta, and that's that!}

I cannot go to bed without taking a hot shower. No matter what time of the night it is, I have to hop in the shower to rinse the day away. Organic lavender soap at night. It calms and warms me so I'm ready for bed! It is a must in my book.

Sleep: Ah, the best time of the day. I love my sleep, even though I wake up about 75,000 a night. I still love my sleep.

And that my friends is the perfect day of self care!  Some days need to be all about you. Don't feel guilty. Feel healthy. Feel energized. Feel like the best version of you. Your family will love you more for it because you will be happier and that happiness will trickle down to them!

xo

pic via: pinterest

Best. Salad. Ever.

Who knew there could and/or should be a recipe for a salad?! It's usually just throw in a little this and a little that and call it a day.  Or call it a salad.

Well my friends, I have discovered the most delicious salad on earth {in my opinion anyway} that I want to share with you. It is from the "Oh She Glows" website. Check out her book and facebook page too!

I changed a few small things to make it more my taste, but nothing major... Get out your pen and paper for this one. Seriously.

For the salad:
organic baby lettuce {she recommended kale}
1 organic pear, thinly sliced and chopped {she did not recommend organic, but I buy organic whenever I can find it.}
1/2 cup pomegranate arils {go to youtube to see how to open one up so easily it's silly.}
1/4 cup pepita seeds {these are the little green pumpkin seeds.}
3-4 tbsp large flake coconut
{she suggests 1-2 tbsp hemp hearts and 1-2 teaspoons of black sesame seeds, but I did not use either one.}
Sprinkle of cinnamon

For the dressing:
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp pure maple syrup
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, minced
sea salt and pepper

Directions:
Whisk together dressing ingredients.
Toss in the lettuce until it is coated.
Add the toppings.
Sprinkle with cinnamon.

Voila. Best. Salad. Ever.

Here is a pic of it after I made it. And yes, I ate the entire giant bowl of it all by myself! Yum.

xo

Adoring Dreamy Whites...

Good morning!

Do you have a favorite blog? My favorite blog is called Dreamy Whites. Her style is so farmhouse chic. I adore everything about it. Her home is decked out in multiple shades of white. Now, I love white as much as the next girl, but how on earth do you keep all that white furniture clean when you have a bunch of paws jumping around?

Well, I follow her on instagram, so I decided to ask her just that. She posted a picture of her beautiful couch all in white. The photo showed the back of the couch though so it was more focused on the room as a whole. I was more focused on how to keep that couch clean...

She answered me within about an hour which is so sweet. I thought her answer was going to be one of two things...  Either:

A: Slipcovers.

{Slipcovers are great since you can wash them, but I would be washing them every other day; not practical.}

Or

B: We don't let our dogs on the sofas.

{Again, not a practical answer for our house because the dogs jump on the sofa, like or not.}

But her answer was C: I put a vintage French sheet on the sofa so that I can wash it easier than washing slipcovers.

I actually loved that answer because it is SO practical that I can't believe I didn't think of it. People always just say wash your slipcovers. But that's a pain when you would be washing them constantly. So her suggestion is definitely a keeper.

Here is a picture of her style directly from her blog: dreamywhites.blogspot.com

Have fun looking through her beautiful home and shop. I know I do...

 

xo

Energy...

During this time of the year, I like to hibernate in a little cocoon called my bed {picture me all wrapped up like a hotdog in my puffy down comforter with my head peeking out of the top.} It feels warm and cozy. I feel like I could stay snuggled like that for days.

But... reality calls and I must unravel myself from above cocoon and face the world. Lately I have just been dragging. It's probably because of the dark, dank, cold nights.

So last night when I forced myself to go to bootcamp, it was kind of a miracle. I was grumbling the whole drive there and the entire warm up on the treadmill. Grrrr....

But then something happened midway through my workout. I actually started to have MORE energy. By the end of the workout I was actually energized! Yes, energized!!!

Now here's the funny thing... I KNOW this about exercise and about ME! I know I feel my best when I'm exercising. I know studies show exercise improves energy levels, blah, blah, blah... But getting from A to B is nearly impossible sometimes. A is my bed. B is bootcamp. Just in case you tuned me out...

So after I felt so great last night I signed back up for classes. I am determined to get back on the mojo wagon. Oh, did I ever fall off in December. But it's never too late to dive back on. I signed up for a 9 a.m. class tomorrow. Now, if I tell you I canceled tomorrow morning, kick me...

Another little thing I'm learning about is Magnesium Glycinate... It seems like a natural cure for practically anything and everything. Do a little research on it and see all that it helps with... and how most of us are missing it from our diets.

So we all need to do a lot of self care every day, and especially during these cold winter months. I know I can't be the only one feeling like this. And for my Florida peeps... get your fill of Vitamin D by sitting in the sun for 15 minutes. But you should probably wear your sunhat!

xo