Gratitude Blog Day 2: Essential Oils

I am grateful for essential oils.

It is sad that I hadn't known about these earlier.  I LOVE THESE.  Seriously.  I use them for everything.  I buy fragrance-free Lubriderm lotion and put different oils in it (usually eucalypus and peppermint).  I use jojoba oil and a drop of citrus fresh and use it on my face.  I use coconut oil and rosemary to condition my hair.  I put a few drops of tea tree in the washing machine when I do laundry.  I diffuse different oils for scents in the house.

I love that they are natural and chemical free.  I love that I no longer feel the need to purchase bug spray or expensive lotions.

I am seriously grateful to have "discovered" the joy of essential oils.  These are my two faves.

Gratitude Blog - Take Three - Day 1

It was a busy week.  If it wasn't one thing, it was another.  BUT, thanks to my handy 3pm iPhone reminder "post gratitude blog," I did think about the things for which I am grateful  Sadly, I wasn't able to post it.  I think I need to re-think the time of the reminder.  At 3pm, almost everyday I am in traffic doing the kid pickup thing. haha.

Thus, I am restarting.  I hope to get to the point where posting my gratitude becomes a daily habit.  And so we begin....

Day 1: I am thankful for my car.

It isn't a fancy car - and to be honest, I have never really been interested in fancy cars - but it gets me from point A to B.  Living in the Bay Area almost requires residents to own a vehicle (unless one lives in SF).  Where I live, it isn't feasible to take public transportation since I need to pick up two kids from school, schools that are over 15 miles from each other - and they often get out from school at the exact same time.

So, I am very grateful for my car.

Gratitude Blog Day 6: Challenges

I am grateful for challenges.

I have to admit that I can be a pretty lazy person.  That's probably why I try to participate in challenges now - or challenge myself with specific tasks. It's the only way I'll do something.

Currently, I am participating in the Goodreads reading challenge - and am planning to read 25 books this year.  It isn't an enormous amount, but it is one that is do-able and will keep me motivated.  I hope to exceed it.  Given I am simultaneously reading (or listening to) books 11 and 12, I think I'll complete it easily.  It's not even summer yet!

I have also been known to try fitness challenges (30 Day Plank Challenge or Monthly Cardio Minutes), but at present, the only fitness challenge I am completing is one for myself: lifting at the gym 2x/week and cardio 2x/week.  Sometimes I can exceed that amount, but with the kids' schedule and my work schedule at the moment, I can't commit to more.  I also try to hit yoga once a week, but I haven't added that to my challenge list...yet.

I am grateful for challenges...because it makes me feel productive.

Gratitude Blog Day 5: Dairy Free Ice Cream

I am grateful for Dairy Free Ice Cream.

As I have gotten older, milk has unfriended me.  This is fine, given all I have heard about the evils of milk.  Whether or not studies about dairy are true, I have to admit that I don't really miss milk - except for ICE CREAM.

Enter dairy free ice cream.

My favorite?

If you are a MILK lover, you won't like it, but maaaaaaan, this one hits the spot for me.  And I will admit to eating the whole container in one sitting. 

Gratitude Blog Day 4: Hubby's cooking

I am grateful for my husband's cooking.

He cooks some yummy food and I love to eat it.

Gratitude Blog Day 3: Time with the hubby

I am grateful for the time with my husband.

Today, we walked to the gym, worked out, and then walked home. Such a simple thing, but I really enjoy the time we get to spend together on quiet weekends.

We also made it to the pool in the afternoon. Woot! Sunny skies!

Gratitude Blog Day 2: an uncluttered house

I am grateful for a clean, uncluttered house.

I admit that my house is not always clean and uncluttered, but when it is, I feel great.  It inspires me to discard (donate) and organize even more.  I appreciate the things that are in my house - the ones that make me smile - or as Marie Kondo says, "spark joy" - framed photos of cherished memories, shells collected at a beach over a decade ago, and a pretty candle.

Today my house is uncluttered and I feel I am better equipped to tackle other projects on my to-do list.  I am grateful for inspirational books and websites that motivate me to get more uncluttered.