Pottery Barn Fairy are you listening?

Oh how I love this!!! I would really cry if it mysteriously ended up on my doorstop, I am just sayin!

Oh and I want these in ivory, two of them please!!!

Cause if you are I really really really want these!!!! The "can't get them out of my mind" want them. They would be perfect on my cold leather couch for the long winter months coming up!!! Plus they would go well with my all white -ish color scheme that I am trying to pull off. I am wanting to bring a lighter feel to my dark furniture. I think these would really help. Oh and I stood in Pottery Barn the other day rubbing that blanket and, oh my, is it the softest blanket that I have ever seen (or felt)! And if I have to keep going back to get my soft blanket fix they are going to start looking at me like I am a strange PB stalker or something.

Lotions and Potions

I have been trying some new products lately and thought that I would share my new found favorites with you. I will preface all of this by saying that I am really trying to take a more natural approach with my face, body and home cleaning lately. I know the benefits for the planet are probably the reason many of these companies created their products but I am finding the benefits for my skin to be my main reason, keeping the planet beautiful is still special to me don't get me wrong! Actually my skin has become very sensitive over the past few years. And after Myah came along I realized that her skin has very different needs as well. I have been reduced to using Gold Bond Medicated Lotion Extra Strength for my skin issues(yes I smell like an old person), I have severe itching, I mean to the point where I will bleed, especially my legs. So I have spent my fair share of moola on tubs of stuff and tubes of goo that have eventually found themselves sitting on a shelf in my linen closet, just not strong enough for me to find relief. I have recently found the Lush Cosemetics line. I think I am in love. I heard about these from another blogger, I learned that the products are all freshly made and mostly all natural some even vegan. I even bought a face mask so fresh that it comes in a small pot that needs to be refrigerated and then expires in 3 weeks. I actually told my family not to eat it, it looks that yummy!!! The best part is this super funky little boutique in the mall has the most funnest ( I know it is not a word but it fits the bill) staff, who are so willing to massage your arms and hand and are very helpful. They even give me tons of freebies!!! Honestly, I told the young lady that I have had a bad week, (ok year) and she told me that I needed a bath tub cocktail. She gave me a few bath fizzies adding up to about $14!! It smells wonderful, like hot cocoa!! I also told her that I was just coming in for one specific product and didn't want to spend any more this visit than that and she cut off a sample for me to take home. They want you to feel good, not matter what!! You must go and visit, don't let it scare you!!!

I just started using this Mrs. Meyers soap to do my dishes, keeps my hand from getting irritated, the Basil scent is my favorite!

This is another new lotion that I have sampled and finally broke down and bought it after smelling my hands constantly after trying it. It is another natural product from Naked Bee, the orange blossom honey scent reminds me of sweet tarts!!

This Buff Body Butter scrubby was something that she cut me a sample of and it is amazing!!

This is my bath cocktail combo, love it!! These fizzies are so much fun.. She mixed the Floatin Island bath melt with teh Butterball bath bomb (below). How nice of her!!

Ok, this is a must used with many of their products, The ocean salt scrub, I bought the small tub to see how I like it, I will upgrade as soon as I am done with this one! It actually has some vodka in it so I could scrub and get tipsy!!!

I saved the best for last....this has saved me let me tell you, they said in the ads for this one that many people who will only use prescription strength products on their sensitive skin have found this to be the only lotion that will help. So I tried it after reading that and I agree! It is called Dream Cream. I really was skeptical but it has been wonderful for my skin!!

So that is it, hope you will try at least one of these great products!

Comfort

I am a person who loves to feel comfortable. Whether it is with my warm jammies and my fuzzy socks, or snuggled under a warm blanket sipping hot cocoa, I love to feel warm and cozy. This time of year I bring out the down comforters for our beds, adding another layer of warmth on these chilly nights. I enjoy the cooler weather, where I can turn on the furnace and hibernate during the winter months. Don't get me wrong, I love the hot weather, I was born in July, I am a summer baby, the hotter the better, but the summer months for us are just jammed packed with activities. Baseball games just about every night, boating, yard work, trips to the zoo, etc... we take advantage of every nice day around here. Sometimes I feel that at the end of summer I am ready for the winter months so that I can get caught up again on my chores indoors and veg a little bit. The kids are in school now, Dayton started high school and sweet little Myah started preschool, affording this momma a few hours to herself 3 times a week....priceless! I feel like I am getting control back into my life again. This has been a very difficult year for our family, with losing my Dad, Mark's step dad, and 2 weeks ago my beloved Grandma. Every time I think I am getting ahead around here, another crisis arises and I am needed there. I am hoping and praying that we have had our fair share for a while. With the holidays approaching I am a bit worried about how we are all going to get through them, so many changes this year. It is a new normal I guess. So you see, comfort is becoming something that I am seeking very often, whether it be a dip in my hot tub on the deck to enjoy the fall colors, sitting down to watch my favorite shows at night, or lighting a scented candles, it helps me feel better and relax. We love taking walks as a family to see the horses, just a little one on one time with my family helps me feel re-connected with them. We are all juggling so many different schedules and committments, it is nice to have a few times a week where we are all together. I am going to try very hard over the next few months to make our home a place that we can all feel comfortable, warm and welcome. I love having a clean house, I feel like we all breathe better and staying organized keeps me sane, I have been working hard the past few days to give every room its proper attention and scrub and shine every surface. I have cleaned our closets out, I don't like to have unneccesary clutter laying around and I have no problem donating things we don't use to those who need it. I am trying to better my photography skills, I love to take pictures and it is something I find enjoyable, I have some new lenses and software to play with, I have a lot to learn in that area!! I am also trying new recipes and trying to feed my family better, more nutritious meals than what I usually make because we are on the go. I have a list a mile long of things I would like to get done but I am not pressuring myself if I don't, I am taking time to just enjoy the little things in life and not stress about them. My children are growing up before my very eyes and I want them to look back on these times with fondness and I want them to feel comfortable each and every time they walk into our home. Our home is our safe haven, our place to just be us and not be judged, a place where they can put their feet up and relax away from all of the stresses of life, a place where they can laugh or cry and know that they are loved. A place where we all can be ourselves. I have been trying to make our bedrooms our own little havens, Dayton is a teenager, he is spending way more time in his room than he ever used to, he needs a certain "feel" to his room, his comfort items are his ipod, cell phone and x-box, but as his mom I know he needs a big bed ( we bought him a queen bed last year to keep up with our growing boy), warm blankets, lot of pillows, a fan for noise and I don't mind making his bed for him, something he loves, he will tell me, "mom I just love it when you make my bed". He knows how to make his own bed, but he is very busy with school and activities, I like having his room tidy for him when he gets home. Myah is the same, she likes to wear a "softie" shirt to sleep in, I don't think she had any comfort items when she lived in the orphanage so I think she rubbed her little shirt while she sucked her thumb to put herself to sleep. She loves having pictures of her friends in her room, she wants a nightlight on when it is dark and she loves having a baby doll to snuggle up to. I try to keep toys at a minimum in their rooms because they have small rooms and it just gets cluttered up very fast. In our bedroom, I have painted the walls a very warm cocoa mud color (doesn't that sound so attractive), I have lots of pillows, warms blankets, soft lighting, a big oversized chair, good books and an all white pallate on the bed to keep it simple, we also sleep with a small fan blowing, we can't sleep in complete silence and Mark is going to midnights again soon, so it helps to drown out the noise while he sleeps during the day. We also have room darkening drapes, we are masters when it comes to creating an environment for a good nights sleep.

I am not looking forward to the long winter months but I do feel a bit better about it when I am prepared. With the holidays arriving I am even thinking about putting nice heated mattress pads and flannel sheets on Santa's list. Ahhhhhhh.......