Blueberries remind me of the hubster... see his side of the family use to have a blueberry farm + I got pretty spoiled.  Each summer, there would be gallon ziplock bags of freshly picked blueberries for the taking.   DELICIOUS!!!  

And whenever we head out to a farmer's market, fresh berries are always a must (along with cut flowers).  It just reminds me of a time when we were first dating... back in college... getting free food (like the blueberries) from family members who felt pity for us broke college students.   

His family would send me home with blueberries... and my folks would send me home with a case of tuna fish (because my dad would have a SAM's club card)!  HAHAHA!  

Fish + blueberries... not a good combo, I'm not recommending it here.  

{ insert: gross face }  

Let's divert from this subject and dive a wee bit deeper into the goodness of blueberries + recipes which don't include fish!  You are welcome. 

How...

Now.  I don't like to waste bananas... for some reason, it's different than a wee bit of honey or a lemon or even an egg.  I have no idea why.  Maybe it's because a WHOLE banana is a snack for the Gillies, our 4yr old twins.  

Anywho.  Here's a recipe I found to help smooth those cracked heels... you can score more DIY beauty recipes using bananas here!

CRACKED HEEL SALVE

1. Mash up two ripe bananas then put the mashed bananas on your heels!  Make sure your feet are dry and clean first, though! 
2. Wrap your feet in socks so not to cause a mess. 
3. After 10 minutes, rinse your feet thoroughly... and add your favorite foot lotion to your feet!

Now.  Seriously... how easy was that, love?  I'd love to hear what YOUR favorite recipe is with using banana!  Jot it down below + share. 

love + gumption.

a. 

Brain + Gut Health Explorer

Honestly.  When writing this blog, I struggled with how I actually use ALMONDS for a beauty hack.   Seriously, though...  "almonds in my beauty regimen, how in the heck?"  

Buttttttttttt... then I realized, I do use almonds in my beauty regimen.  Well, it's almond oil.  That counts, right?  Almond oil is cold-pressed from the seeds of the sweet almond tree (thank you, Essential Oils book!).   Almond oil is suitable for most skin types... it's gentle enough for sensitive skin! 

Goodness of Almond Oil: 

• Natural moisturizer - helps soothe dry, irritated skin
• Gentle oils - even heard it can be used to treat diaper rash 
• Excellent make-up remover 
• Treats chapped lips

Need a few more bits about the goodness of Almond Oil, check it out here! 

Now. Here's a sweet DIY eye-makeup remover recipe I found... about a year or two ago.  BUT, it was also spotted on JH's website, so I thought... "why not give her some...

Fun factoid: About 5-15% of U.S. adults are estimated to experience beeturia following consumption of beets in everyday amounts (source).  Beeturia = the pink discoloration of one's urine due to consumption of beets.  

Maybe it's TMI but I am part of that 5-15%... and I did have a mild panic attack one day when I noticed our littles (4yr old twins) had slightly red poop!  Being a veterinarian... my mind went through a WHOLE list of differentials (or causes) of the red poop.  Seriously.  This mama bear went into PANIC MODE... until my calm and more reasonable husband pointed out, over the past few days we ate a lot of beets.  

WHEW.  

Besides the discoloration one can get on their hands (+ countertops) when handling beets... and in their voids (pending if you are a child, in the 5-15% of folks who naturally have this occur or have an underlying medical condition)... there are some amazing benefits to beets.  So. Let's dive a wee bit...

Fun factoid:  Almonds aren't actually nuts... they are called drupes (like a coconut) which are a type of fruit that has an "outer fleshy part that surrounds a pit (or stone), with a seed inside this pit."   If you are a visual person, like myself, check out these photos.  

My love for almonds has grown tremendously over the years since I have learned all the benefits these little powerhouses hold.  I use a wee bit of almond milk as a creamer for my morning cup of Joe... dab a spoonful in my daily superfoodie smoothie for a wee bit of sweetness... and even, crush them up for a nice coating on chicken.

The love-affair is a strong one... but enough about me gushing, let's get down to it!

01// SELECT YOUR ALMONDS 

• opt for raw almonds... consistency with color and none that are shriveled or discolored
• there should be a sweet nutty smell

02// STORE YOUR ALMONDS

• we keep our almonds in an airtight container (aka. mason jar) in the...

With the holidays wrapping up, I finally had time to sit... rest... and FEEL the effects of all the holiday goodies had on my body.  Seriously.  I was a wee bit cranky... and the mama-fanny pack, aka. MFP, was protruding more than I care to admit.  But, hey.  I couldn't resist some of those homemade desserts that only come out during Christmas celebrations... right?  You feel me?

Anywho. 

I figured it was the PERFECT time to do a quick "5 Day Sugar Detox"... and thankfully, some beautiful ladies in our Community were ready to link arms with me and kick the sweet cravings together!    

But... you may be wondering, "why on EARTH would I need to do a sugar detox?" Hmm... Well. Check it. 

Benefits one may see when reducing their sugar consumption, include a reduction in: 

• Acid Reflux        
• Migraines    
• Fatigue     
• Joint Pain
• Irritable Bowel     
• ...

First let me start off by saying I am not all rainbows and sunshines... but I have been asked more than once in our virtual community, "How do you stay so positive?!?".  

So.

After being asked for the second or third time, I thought... maybe I should jot these down to remind myself to DO THEM but also to inspire YOU {if you need}!  Because sometimes, life happens and you find it hard to keep riding the positivity train. 

Trust me, I get it.  Yet, if one of these tidbits HELPS you find your joy each day, then why not share it, right? 

ME LAUGHING. CAUGHT BY BETTER TOGETHER PHOTOGRAPHY

MINDSET SHIFT HACKS

1. BACKGROUND

My sisters which may be a wee bit unfair, because you didn't have them as sisters growing up. My sisters taught me the importance of finding the good in things... seeing solutions instead of obstacles... and how to laugh even when life, well, sucks at times. 

2. GRATITUDE JOURNAL 

...

One fun factoid about my hubster is his amazing ability to spit out truth bombs when you least expect it (or want to hear it!).  I bring this up because we were talking about our 2018 goals, one of which is to read more books.  Insert his truth bomb:

Love, if you want to serve others, you need to stay up on your material.  Consider reading a new book every few weeks to staying in the 'know'.  

- Hubster

{ boom }  

Right!?!  Yet he is spot on!  However, with all the items on my "Ta Da" list already, WHEN am I suppose to find time to read?  Then it hit me:  if it's important to me, I will find the time. 

Finding time = giving up on my Netflix series binge watching (most nights). 

But what TYPE of books did I want to read... business strategy? spiritual? personal development? chick lit?  documentaries?  nutritional books? cookbooks? 

I figured let's simplify things a wee bit and narrow...