School's in Session

My dear friends,

Yes, it is that time again. Unfortunately, college, classes, homework, projects, and papers have started up. I will be taking a break from the blog world; instead, I plan to spend the majority of my energy enjoying and completing my last year of college. I love you all, and I am excited for the time when we can rekindle our time together.


Many X's and O's.

Tea Time

Good morning, peaches! It's mid-week again and we are in the homestretch for the weekend. This morning has been a good one; I am off work today so I spent a good bit of time lounging around and reading when I woke up. Sometimes it feels positively splendid to have nothing on the schedule.

This morning, I want to talk about tea. I enjoyed a nice cup this morning and think you should too. If you are familiar with my daily routine, you know that I am an avid tea drinker. I will almost always choose tea over coffee. My parents were raised on English tea and, as could be predicted, their offspring inherited this habit. This being true of me, I take a special interest in different teas and their unique histories. So, when I spotted a quaint tea shop the other night, I all but ran to the door. Teavana. That's the name of this lovely place. Teavana specializes in high-end teas, cast iron teapots, and tea tins. The employees were friendly, helpful, and quick to give me samples of just about every tea in the store. After spending [way too much] time in this store, my interest was sparked about the health benefits of tea. Turns out, the benefits are plentiful. Here's what I found about the different categories of tea:

They have four main categories of tea: green, black, white, and oolong.

Green tea lowers cholesterol, inhibits the growth of cancer cells, and boosts the immune system.

Black tea contains useful antioxidents, boosts metabolism and fat burn, and has been know to help the aging process.

White tea lowers blood pressure, protects the heart and circulatory system, and promotes healthy teeth, gums, and skin.

Oolong tea has plenty of antioxidents, stress-fighting nutrients, and is known to be effective in improving skin vitality.

Aren't the following tea-themed pictures just the cutest? Be inspired!

Tea jewelry.

Adorable tea cups.

Teapot centerpiece.

Tea and fruit. Classic.

Teapot collection.



Patterned teacups and dishes.

Tea-time.

Tea set and cake.

Love.

Readers, I encourage you to try a few teas, iced or hot, and make tea-time part of your routine. Your body will thank you.

I appreciate you and you and you!

XO.

Weekend Recap

Happy Monday, all! We already have a full week of August under our belts. Can you believe it? I certainly can't.

How were your weekends? Mine was productive and non-stop, which is quite the opposite of what weekends stand for, but no complaints here! Productivity is always greeted and welcomed with open arms.

If you know me well, you know that I have an undying love for lists. I could make lists and schedules all day long and be severely pleased. It could be unhealthy, but hey.

So, I decided to make a list out of my weekend. A pro-con list; a like-dislike list. This is with the hope of truly reflecting on and remembering points of joy in my every day life, yet still acknowledging some of my less favorable activities. Try this out and analyze your weekend!

Like: Spending time with my Mom and Dad
Like: Watching season six of LOST with my Dad. Again.
Dislike: Packing up my apartment
Dislike: Packing tape
Dislike: Moving. There are few things I like less than hauling my belongings from one location to another. Did I mention it was 115 degrees out?
Dislike: Stressing over where to put my Fall and Winter sweatshirts and jackets while Summer is still in full swing.
Like: Pita Jungle take out food
Like: IKEA and IKEA wicker chairs

Dislike: Losing sleep due to stress caused by the thought of moving
Dislike: My cat, Jack, going to the vet
Like: The 24 hour period after Jack gets back from the vet; he is extra lovey toward his family [probably out of gratitude for bringing him back from the vet safe and sound]
Like: Crafting on Saturday mornings with cinnamon rolls
Like: Success at Goodwill
Like: Feelings of productivity and success




Overall, this weekend was great. I live such a wonderful life. The Lord is so generous in his blessings; none of which I deserve. Friends, spend a little time in reflection today. Love to you all.


XO.

Healthy Hair

Good morning, petunias. I hope your spirits are high on this lovely day. Mine are! As of late, I've been especially interested in hair. Hair cuts, hair styles, hair textures, hair health. Hair is such a pivotal part of the head and the possibilities are nearly endless. In my little hair-interest-kick, I've come across some helpful tips to improve hair health and appearance. Read and try!

 

Dampen your ends with water before an at-home color treatment.

The ends are extra porous and will absorb more pigment than the rest of the hair. Wetting the ends prevents excess damage.

Deep condition hair twice a month.

With frequent flat iron, blow dryer, and curling iron use, hair undergoes much heat stress. It’s important to counter this damage with treatments that provide your strands with extra moisture and healing ingredients.

Give your hair a break.

Every once in awhile, wear your hair in its natural state. Let your hair breathe free from gels, sprays, and serums. It also feels surprisingly refreshing to not tamper with or change my natural hair.

 

Eat the right things.

Hair is just another part of the body, and so the following applies: you are what you eat. Hair reflects the nutrients (or lack thereof) that are consumed on a daily basis. Try adding more of the following to your daily eats for improved hair health and look:

 

Fish (salmon, etc.)

The fatty acids in salmon support scalp health. A healthy scalp goes hand in hand with healthy hair.

 

Nuts (walnuts especially)

Nuts contain alpha-linolenic acids. These acids boost condition and texture of hair. Nuts also contain zinc, a mineral that helps prevent hair shedding.

 

Dark green vegetables (spinach, etc.)

Dark green vegetables contain large amounts of vitamins A and C, which are key in the production of selum. Selum is like the body's natural conditioner for hair.

 

Dairy (milk, milk!)

The calcium in dairy products is crucial in hair growth and strength.

Carrots

Carrots are great sources of vitamin A, which helps with hair shine and luminosity.

 

Followers, why not take a few minutes and give your hair a makeover? It’s at the top of my to-do list. Enjoy your weekends; I hope they are free and peaceful. 

XO.

Merry Berry Cheese Bars

Happy noon-time on this lovely Tuesday! It’s certainly a sunny one here, and I’m quite thankful that I work in an office with AC. This summer has been a scorcher! While I love summertime and all it brings, I am counting down the minutes until I can wear cardigans, hoodies, long jeans, and scarves. Only a few short months J

I hope you have a sweet tooth today because I have the recipe for a treat: Merry Berry Cheese Bars.

This recipe (including its cutsie name) is not my own; Lauren actually introduced me to it. We made these bars together and I have decided to add this one to my recipe box.

Merry Berry Cheese Bars

Ingredients:

2 cups white flour

1 ½ cups oats

¾ cup brown sugar

1 cup butter softened

8 oz cream cheese (softened)

1 can sweetened condensed milk

¼ cup lemon juice

1 can raspberry pie filling (or cherry, blueberry, strawberry, apple, etc.)

1.       Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2.       Mix flour, oats, sugar, and butter together until crumbly

3.       Set aside 1 ½ cups of this mixture

4.       Press remaining mixture into the bottom of a 13x9 pan

5.       Bake this crust for 10 minutes or until golden brown

6.       Beat cream cheese with a mixer until fluffy

7.       Gradually beat in condensed milk and lemon juice

8.       Spread this mixture over the baked crust

9.       Spread the raspberry filling over the cream cheese layer

10.   Finally, top with remaining oat mixture from steps 1 & 2

11.   Bake 45 minutes or until golden brown

12.   Let cool and cut into bars

Roses, these bars delish! Yum, yum. Make them with a friend or two. As always, thank you for reading! It is a pleasure being a part of your busy days. If you want to follow and don’t know how, just ask J

XO.

Monday Blues

Good morning, love bugs! Yes, it is Monday again. While I think Mondays can be a bit dreary, sometimes I think they are a good kind of dull, like a peaceful sense of tiredness that naturally follows an exciting weekend. I have termed it the 'Monday blues.' So, take a look at some relaxing blue hues to match the mood of today.

Blue kitchenware.

Blue vintage.

A blue wedding. What a dream.

Blue walls.

Sky blue vintage dress.

Fresh blueberry cake.

Classic blue denim.

Blue shirt, blue jeans.

Blue kitchen.

Blue nature.

Blue scarves. In preparation for the upcoming season.

Blue gate, blue doors.

Matching blue flowers.

Blue accents.

Blue birds, I hope this week starts off on the right note.

XO.