Unique Tree Toppers

The other day we went to the Festival of Trees. It's an amazing festival of, well, trees. Christmas trees, that is. Christmas trees, wreaths, centerpieces, pop-up boutiques where you can buy the cutest gifts and treats, and of course an opportunity to visit Santa! Everything is for charity, too. Which is amazing.

We love it.

As we were walking around, I noticed how many unique ideas people came up with for tree toppers. It was hard to get a good picture with the angle and lights and the fact that I am not a photographer. However, the following toppers are worth sharing. Even if the picture I took was sub-par :) Hopefully the following will help you find the perfect unique tree topper!



The Glove Topper:

There were a few trees with gloves on them. Mainly sports gloves like this #1 glove. But I was thinking you could also use an oven mitt for a cooking theme.

The Pinata Topper:

As far as I could tell, this topper was made from a piñata. How clever is that?! This "Boom" piñata was used for a superhero tree, but you could find whatever kind of piñata you want to fit whatever kind of theme you want.

The hat topper:

The above tree toppers are some of the examples I found of using hats to top the tree. What a great, easy to find idea! If there is a hat to match your interests, use it to top your tree!

The pool noodle topper:

This cut up and twisted pool noodle was one of the most creative and whimsical toppers I saw that night!

The Bird Topper:

I couldn't believe how many trees had birds on the top!

The Doll Topper:

This tree was covered with dolls, so of course there had to be a doll on the top!

The Letter Topper:

This Letter topper was very classy. Simple, yet perfect. Whatever letter your last name starts with, put it up on your tree!

Do you have another unique tree topper idea? Share it in the comments!

DIY Pool Noodle Horse

So we needed a horse for a costume and we needed one quick.

Of course I went straight to the internet to see if I could find some do it yourself awesomeness that could help us whip up a horse.

What I found were the cutest pool noodle horses. And everyone was making them differently. Some were using hot glue, some were tying the mane on in more of a weave style. Everyone had their own flare to add.

Not having much time, I grabbed a pool noodle that we already had and did the following:

1) I cut 3 pieces of  ribbon and a square of felt.

• The first piece of ribbon was to tie the "snout" down to the body of the horse. I didn't glue this down or anything, and it hardly budged. However you could secure the ribbon down if you wanted to.
• The second piece of ribbon was to tie the square of felt down to the body to create a saddle. Again, I didn't glue this down, though you definitely could if you wanted to.
• The third piece of ribbon was to tie around the neck (over the first ribbon) to help create the reigns.

2) I cut a large piece of a different color of ribbon.

• This ribbon will be the "mane," so you need to make it however long you want the mane to be. To create the mane I simply used it to tie a knot on the top of the horse's head and then created loops with the rest of the ribbon, knotting each loop. The result was a cascade of knots down the back of the neck, with a loop attached to each one.

3) I glued two googly eyes onto the horse.

• This is the only thing I glued onto the horse, which meant that I could take the horse apart easily. If you make this horse and want to secure the ribbons down, let me know how it goes!

We got so many compliments on this horse. And it had plenty of use! It was ridden all over the Halloween celebrations and trick-or-treating.

The Ultimate Halloween Soundtrack!

This would be, in my opinion, the ultimate Halloween Soundtrack! What songs would you add?

I included the whole Boingo CD because this CD alone could be your only Halloween CD and you'd be set. "Dead Man's Party," "Weird Science," "Flesh 'N Blood," "No One Lives Forever," etc. (Note: we don't endorse every song on this CD, pick and choose what you want.)

Or really any show where the music was written by Danny Elfman (Who also did Boingo)

Such as . . .

or . . .

or . . .

We consider Harry Potter both a Halloween and Christmas appropriate show. So, you can re-use this one in a couple of months!

What else would you include?

Review: "Fast Metabolism Quick and Easy Desert and Snack Mix" Chocolate Pudding

We found the recipe for this chocolate pudding on the back of the "Fast Metabolism Quick and Easy Desert and Snack Mix." You can also find the recipe (and purchase the mix) on hayliepomroy.com .

This was the second time we'd used this snack mix. We were so excited because it works for phase 2. If you've ever done this program then you know that you can't find enough yummy favorites for phase 2!

By the way, most of the things we make don't use Haylie Pomroy brand mixes. We like to be able to stick to the program without having to buy anything special. However, we thought we'd try some of her brand mixes and let you know how it went.

We loved this recipe. It was really easy to make. We just used an electric hand mixer until the pudding was the consistency of a mousse. And a small bowl satisfies a need for desert. One of us didn't add any sweetener, the other added a touch of liquid Stevia. It just depends on how sweet you want it.

Warning: This bottle squirts a lot at one time

Then we decided to put in a little bit of Pure Mint Extract. Oh my gosh! It was so good. Like, we may make this every phase 2 kind of good. We want to try it frozen, we want to try it with Cocao nibs. Yum! Yum! Yum! In all honesty, We're not sure if this extract is compliant. But . . . what can we say? It was a yummy addition.

Have you tried this recipe? What did you think?



If you want to know more about this program, check out our post here, and also check out the Fast Metabolism Diet book:

We are not experts on this plan, this is simply a review of our own experience and opinion.



Chic Pumpkin Design

Looking for a chic, easy pumpkin design for your decorative gourds this year?

To make this pumpkin, all I had to do was paint the pumpkin pink, make decorative swirls and a leaf at the top with black paint, and paint the stem black.

Then, last but not least, I picked a sentence or two out of a classic book (Pride and Prejudice, I believe. Then I painted the words around the pumpkin. Next time I might try using a sharpie, but this look turned out nicely too.

Some people do this same thing with white and black colors, which also looks really nice. This type of design gives your Halloween an elegant twist.

What book would you quote on your pumpkin?

The Fast Metabolism Diet: Our Experience

I am so excited to tell you about the Fast Metabolism Diet (FMD)!

Let me tell you one of the main reasons we started this program in the first place: Stress. When you have stress in your life, it can be so hard to lose weight. Is this the same for you?

Well this is the first diet we'd come across that addresses the stress issue. So I was very excited, hoping it might actually work. And guess what? It does!

First, let me tell you the basics.

Haylie Pomroy developed the Fast Metabolism Diet. You can check out her website at https://hayliepomroy.com/ .  She is pretty much a health superhero. Seriously, amazing!

The diet is supposed to help your metabolism heal and get going. Weight loss is one of the great side effects of this program, but there are so many other great side effects. We have more energy, we feel better, we are definitely detoxing, etc.

Personally, I have never been a runner. But just yesterday I raced someone and wasn't insanely tired afterward. Which has NEVER happened.

Seriously, the side effects are great!

So what is the program?

One round of the program is 28 days. You have 3 "phases" of eating throughout your week. Phase 1 is 2 days and is meant to "unwind stress" by eating lots of fruits and carbs. Phase 2 is 2 days and is meant to "unlock fats" with lots of vegetables and proteins. Phase 3 is 3 days and is meant to "unleash your metabolism" with added oils and healthy fats. And then you repeat that pattern the next week.

For a description of the science behind the program, visit: https://hayliepomroy.com/books/the-fast-metabolism-diet/science-behind-the-diet/  . Or read her book and prepare to be amazed!

There is a list of foods in her book and in her app that will tell you what different things you can eat on each phase and how much of it to eat. The app is great. I highly recommend you get the app. It helps us track our water, look up phase compliant foods, find out serving sizes, track weight loss, etc.

And seriously, you eat a ton of food on this plan! The first time we sat down to a meal in this program (Breakfast on phase 1), we were amazed at the amount of food. This is the complete opposite of a program that has you starve yourself. With the FMD you are eating plenty of yummy, healthy foods.

There are some things that you can't eat, things that will slow down your metabolism.

But the list of things you can eat will have your mouth watering. One of my favorite phase 1 meals is spaghetti with brown rice noodles. What other diet has you loosing weight on spaghetti?!

On phase 2 I like to eat chicken and lettuce wraps, meatloaf, saucy chicken, and meringues.

On phase 3 . . . the AMAZING phase 3 . . . I love to eat French toast with blueberries and a nut butter. That's right, nut butters! My favorite is the cashew butter. I also love eating guacamole, fried sweet potatoes (I crave these), artichokes with a mayo dipping sauce (we actually make this mayo ourselves), and I have a new favorite: "cheesy" Reuben Sandwiches (with roast beef). Yum! Yum! Yum!!!!

We will have to do some recipe reviews for you.

So now that I've told you the basics, let me tell you about our results over a 5 week period (one week over the 28 days). Together we lost over 26 pounds. One of us lost 12 and the other just under 15.


How amazing is that?!

All while eating plenty of yummy foods.

And of course we have those days where we accidently skip a snack. And I have to keep up on my water better. But then we keep going and the results are amazing. Like I said before, we feel healthier, have more energy, we are just healthier in general. It is great!

Buy her book and her cookbook and you'll be sold!

Let us know how it goes for you!






We are not experts on this plan, this is simply a review of our own experience and opinion.

Easy, Cheap Costumes for Girls with Doll

Halloween is right around the corner! If you are looking for an easy, cheap costume for a little girl, then look no further! It's exciting for the little girl because she also gets to carry around her doll!

Chances are you may have an old baby costume (or you could probably easily borrow one) from years ago when your children were tiny tots.

If you have one of these costumes and a doll that will fit inside of it, then great! Take, for example, this doll in a baby pumpkin costume.

Then, depending on what the doll's costume is, match the child's costume to fit. 

We found ourselves in  need of a quick, last minute pumpkin costume. So we had the above "pumpkin baby" and then made the child's costume into the rest of the pumpkin patch. Green and brown clothes clothes (we also used a white tutu for sparkle) worked perfectly.

Then we made this pumpkin vine "apron" by painting strips of cardboard in different shades of green and adding painted construction paper leaves and tissue paper yellow flowers. We then threaded the cardboard onto a shoe string to tie around the child's waist.

It worked pretty well, except that we lost a few vines in the couple hours it was worn. Plus, keep the apron to the front of the child or else it is hard to sit down. If you didn't make this, just wearing something green would work.

For a final touch we put this cloth pumpkin that we already had on a couple of hairbands that we already had. 

It was a fun costume, primarily because a doll was involved. And our pumpkin theme was aced!

If you have a baby ladybug costume, consider making a cardboard leaf for the child to wear. Or if the baby costume is an animal, have the child be a zoo-keeper, vet, or dog-walker. You get the idea. The possibilities are endless!

Oil Pulling

Ever heard of oil pulling? 

It'll sound kind of gross as I describe it to you, but the benefits are great! 

This is the oil I am currently using.

Oil pulling is basically the act of swishing oil around your mouth, "pulling" it between your teeth. The oil will help get rid of bacteria and detoxify your mouth. Most instructions you'll find on the good ol' internet say to use coconut oil, sesame oil, or sunflower oil. Personally, I like to use the coconut oil for reasons I will list below. I use the pure, un-refined oil.

One source says to use a tablespoon, another says a teaspoon, and another a couple of teaspoons. Personally, I probably use about a tablespoon, maybe less. It's enough to really swish around my mouth but not make me feel like I am going to swallow it every time I swish.

Then, before breakfast (while I am getting ready for the day or whatever) I swish the oil around my mouth for 20 minutes. After which, the oil has turned a milky-white color and I spit the oil into a plastic sandwich bag, twist seal the top, and put it in the garbage.

Last but not least I rinse my mouth out and brush my teeth.

Tip: When spit this into your drain!!! Oil can clog your drains.

Tip: Don't swallow. The oil is helping to get rid of toxins and other gross things in your mouth. If you swallow the oil then you are just swallowing all those gross things. Yuck! And bad for you!

Tip: Start slow. As you are starting out and not used to this, use less oil. The coconut oil is great, but it starts out as a solid. Putting solid oil in your mouth is . . . less than appealing. Using smaller amounts of oil as you begin this process will help you learn how to get through without gagging (I put the oil in my cheek while it melts).

So now that I've made this sound absolutely disgusting, why do I do it? The sources below will give you other unseen benefits, but I'll just stick to what I have personally witnessed from oil pulling. I've been oil pulling on and off for a couple of years now. Read: When it suits me.

My results:

1) Less sensitive teeth.

If I feel like a tooth is giving me some pain, I'll oil pull for a couple of days. Now, nothing beats a dentist. So make sure you don't skip the dentist just to oil pull.

2) Jaw pain from clenching my teeth.

Sometimes I'll suddenly realize, due to a specific kind of pain in my jaw, that I have been clenching my teeth. Ow! So I oil pull for a couple of days and the pain is gone. Now, if I had a repeatedly clenched my teeth this wouldn't work. I also actively stop clenching my teeth!

3) Whiter teeth

When I oil pull for longer periods of time, my teeth become noticeably whiter. But only if I am using coconut oil! I tried sunflower oil to pull once and I felt like it actually yellowed my teeth a little. So I am now forever a coconut oil gal.

4) My mouth feels cleaner

I love how my mouth feels after pulling oil and then brushing my teeth!

The following is a link to Amazon where you can purchase a massive bottle of this stuff. You'll be set for a while.

Want to look into this some more? Check out the following links:

Webmd

Wellness Mama

Haylie Pomroy

What about you? Has this worked for you?

How to block people who are just "following" you on Facebook

Did you know that there are people, not on your friends list, who are just "following" you on Facebook?

This might not seem like a big deal to you. After all, anyone can just go and look at what you label "public" posts. Or this might wig you out. Why is someone following me but not caring to request being my friend. Sounds a little creepy.

If you want to block these people, here's how to do it:


Step 1: Log into your Facebook account.

Step 2: Go to "Settings." (It's under the little arrow in the upper right hand corner)

Step 3: Click on "Blocking" on the left.

Step 4: In the "Block Users" section, type in the phrase "follow me"

Step 5: A list of people who are simply following you will pop up and you can select to "block" them.

Step 6: After you block them, their name will show up on a list under where you had previously entered "follow me."



So that is how you block those users who are just following you.


We each only had 1 person randomly following us. How many did you have?

How To: Laser Obstacle Course

We've all seen the movies where the spy or thief has to navigate a field of lasers without touching any of them for fear of being caught by security.

Well if you are looking for a fun, easy obstacle course for your outdoor party, then you should definitely consider making one of these. I put this together for a backyard party we had a while back and the kids loved it, even the older ones. Not only was it fun, but getting through the course was a challenge for them. Each kid wanted to be the one to get through without hitting a "laser."

What you need:

• 8 tall tomato stakes (add more for a larger course and use less for a smaller one)
• A large roll of red yard
• A pack of craft bells with loops at the top
• Strong tape

Directions:

1. First you take your tomato stakes and put them in the ground about a yard apart from each other so that you have two rows of four.
2. Take the red yarn and tie it to one of the poles at the short end of your two rows. Reinforce your knot with tape, wrapping it around the yarn so that it doesn't slide down the pole.
3. String a craft bell onto the yarn and then stretch the yarn across to the opposite pole, wrapping it around that pole a couple of times and reinforcing the wrap with tape. Move the bell so that it is hanging right in the middle between the two poles.

1. Keep wrapping your string around and between all of the poles, threading bells and reinforcing with tape as you go. The point is to make it complex and random so that the kids have to figure out a way through the course without hitting the yarn and setting off a bell. Make sure to leave spaces big enough so that the kids can fit through them.

This worked super well for us, and the kids had so much fun. 

The Pros:

• The older kids enjoyed this too because it presented them with a challenge. Granted, the bigger kids you get, the bigger poles you need to use.
• This was really cheep as far as obstacle courses go. We bought a massive pack of bamboo tomato poles, so they weren't too pricey. And the tape was just the masking tape that we already had at home.
• It was different. How many home parties offer a "laser" course? Not many, my friend.

The Cons:

• The bells aren't super loud. But even if we couldn't hear the bell we could see the yarn move. So in the end it worked anyway.
• This wasn't easy on our grass. As the kids crawled and worked their way around the poles it matted it down. Thankfully it popped right back up soon after the party.

Would I make this again? Yes, Definitely!

Need inspiration for your laser obstacle course? Check out this scene from Oceans Twelve!

Easy Homemade Butter

Every year on pioneer day we make our own homemade butter. All it takes is one ingredient and a little bit of muscle. In no time you'll be feeling like a regular Laura Ingalls.

Ingredients: 

• Heavy Whipping Cream

Yep, that's it! At least for the basic butter. After the butter is done you can then add salt or garlic bread seasoning or sugar with cinnamon or honey or whatever your taste buds desire. But for now, all you need is heavy whipping cream.

Directions:

1. Place whipping cream in tight container. 

This year we used washed out peanut butter jars. We once went to an activity where they gave all of the kids their own film canister-sized container filled with cream. Which was the perfect size to butter one or two rolls. It was a very cute idea!

Don't forget to tightly seal the jars!

2. Shake. 

The more cream you have, the longer it will take.

3. Continue to shake.

Part of the way through you will think you are done, but you won't be. When you first hear the shaking sound stop, you will have whipped cream. Which, while cool, is not butter. Keep going! Eventually the shaking sounds will come back.



4. Separate the butter from the buttermilk.

Once your butter is done, it will be sitting in a liquid called buttermilk. You need to separate the butter from the buttermilk. We poured the butter into a strainer and voila! Separation Complete!

5. Now you have butter! And Buttermilk! Congratulations!