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5 summer survival tips

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Summer Survival Tip #1

how to Stay safe in the sun

The two most important things to have when spending a day out in the sun are sunscreen and sunglasses!

Sunscreen is important so you protect your skin from skin cancer, but wait 15 minutes after being in the sun to put it on so you can get vitamin D. Most people don’t get enough vitamin D, and our bodies make it when exposed to sunlight. It only takes 15 minutes in the sun to get your daily dose! (Sun Bum sunscreen is my favorite. It’s non-toxic and I never get burned when I use it.)

Sunglasses are important to protect your eyes from the sun. They protect from UV light, cataracts, macular degeneration, reduce headaches & migraines, and from outdoor debris. (Make sure your sunglasses say they protect against UV rays.)

Summer Survival Tip #2

Hydration 101

Follow these helpful hints when temperatures are high or you’re very active:

Drink half to one ounce of water for each pound that you weigh (sports drinks can be part of this)
Stay inside when it’s too hot
Don’t wait until your thirsty to drink something
Dress for the weather
Flavor your water

Signs of dehydration:

Darker than usual urine
Drowsiness
Irritability
Fever or chills
Fast heartbeat
Craving sweets
Bad breath
Dry mouth
Muscle cramps

Hydration is extremely important for your health. When you are working, exercising, or having fun out in the heat, it should be a top priority!

Summer Survival tip #3

super easy beach hacks

Make a beach lei out of sponges. Buy some big sponges, cut them up and thread them to make a necklace. When you get to the beach or pool and get it wet the evaporation will help keep you cool.

Use a fitted sheet to keep your blanket sand free. Turn the fitted sheet fitted side up and then put bags, coolers and such in the corners. Voila, keeps the sand and the wind to a minimum!

Use a sled with a long handle to put all your beach stuff on and then drag it across the sand.

Summer Survival Tip #4

how to keep Mosquitos away Naturally

Buy a couple of limes, cut them in half, and then stick cloves in each of the halves. Put these around your outdoor area.
Mix up one-third cup 3% hydrogen peroxide and two-thirds cup water and spray around the perimeter of where you’ll be spending time outside.
Mosquitos hate lavender. Put a few drops of lavender oil on your hands and rub in before you go outside.
Mix 1 TBSP. pure vanilla extract with 1 TBSP. water and apply to your skin with a cotton ball.

summer survival Tip #5

Unique Cookout Party hacks

Put all your condiments in a muffin pan. It will take up less room at your table and it will be easier for your guests.

Create an instant snack bowl with any bag of chips. It’s simple, looks cool and it makes it a lot easier to eat the chips. Just fold the top part of the bag inward a couple of times and then roll up from the bottom- instant bowl!

Rub half an onion over your grill to make it non-stick. It also adds flavor!

I hope that you learned some new tips! Some of these are new to me too and I’m excited to try them out. Take care and keep cool!

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5 of my favorite things that I hope you’ll love too

Audra McDonie / Just For Fun / Leave a Comment

I thought the first of the year would be a great time to share some of my favorite things. I hope that you can find a thing or two here that may become a favorite of yours too!

1. alba Even and bright moisturizer

This is the best moisturizer I have ever used and I have tried a lot of different ones! It isn’t specifically for anti-aging, but it hydrates my skin better than any anti-aging moisturizer I have ever used. It also has an anti-oxidant-rich Swiss Alpine complex, is hypoallergenic and dermatologist recommended. As well as having no parabens, 100% vegetarian ingredients, and being cruelty-free certified.

I use a small amount under my make-up in the morning and then after cleansing at night I apply a lot to my face and neck. It feels a little heavy at first, but this goes away once it absorbs into your skin. I also love that it doesn’t clog your pores. The best part? It costs less than $10! I can’t say enough about this product – I love it!

2. zum Mist Lavender Room and Body Mist

I adore this room and body mist. I have been using it for years. I spritz it around the house for a fresh relaxing smell. I also recently started using it at night. I spray myself right before I go to bed and I have been sleeping like a baby. It has an incredible natural lavender smell. I also like that it is plant-based, cruelty-free, and has no added chemical emulsifiers. It is a much better choice than the fragrance sprays that are full of chemicals and who knows what else!

3. fresh flowers

I started getting bouquets of fresh flowers for my home about six months ago. Looking at the flowers in the middle of my kitchen table every day gives me a lot of joy and is definitely one of my favorite things. I get the flowers at my grocery store, they cost between $10-$20, and last around two weeks!

4. Favorite Songs

I am listening to these songs all the time! I love them and I had to include them in my list of favorite things!

5. soothing Touch Lip Balm

This is an amazing lip balm. It is 85% organic and it is also vegan. As well as being 100% natural and gluten-free. It tastes amazing and it moisturizes your lips like no other lip balm I have used. This will forever and always be my favorite lip balm!

I love all of these things and they truly are some of my favorites. I hope that you find something here that will become a new favorite of yours!

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how to keep your new year’s resolutions

Audra McDonie / Just For Fun / Leave a Comment

I have never had much luck keeping my new year’s resolutions. By the time February rolls around they have become a distant memory. I have decided that this year is going to be different and I am on a mission to successfully achieve every resolution I make for 2023! So let’s get to it!

A resolution is defined as a firm decision to do or not do something. So keeping this in mind, it’s seems the best way to make a resolution list is to think about things you can add to your life that will make it better. Conversely, think about the things you do that are harmful to you and decide which ones you are going to give up this year.

hints for making resolutions

Try to keep your number of resolutions to no more than four. Make two resolutions that add something positive to make your life better and then make two resolutions that require you to stop doing something that is affecting your life negatively.

Ex. of adding a positive: Walking every night for 20 minutes and reading 30 minutes per day. Ex. of stopping something negative: Stop eating junk food during the week and limiting your screen time per day.

Write down clear action steps of how you intend to achieve the goals that you set for the year. Don’t just say I want to lose weight. How much weight do you want to lose? What steps are you going to do to get you there? The more detailed you can be with your plan, the better chance you have of achieving your goal.

Remove temptations that will throw you off your game. If you want to lose weight, get rid of all the junk food in your house. If you want to spend less money, don’t take your credit cards to the store with you. Instead, just bring the amount of cash you have budgeted for what you want to buy.

Learn to be comfortable with feeling uncomfortable. You’re going to feel bad and uncomfortable for a while when you give up a bad habit. Realize this before you start and when you start to feel bad know that this is normal and embrace it.

If discipline was easy everyone in the world would have killer abs! Train your brain to know that pain is not the enemy. It is the secret to boosting self-control. Ever hear the saying “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger?”

Remember why you started. When temptation hits and you feel like you want to give up remember why you made the resolution in the first place. Visualize yourself already achieving your goal or write down all the wonderful things you will gain when you achieve your goal. Check out my visualization blog.

Don’t give up if you have a slip or a few setbacks. This is normal when trying to achieve goals. Strive for progress rather than perfection.

Common New Year’s Resolutions

Exercise more
Lose weight
Get organized
Learn a new skill or hobby
Save money and or spend less money
Read more
Travel more
Quit smoking
Spend more time with family and friends

Hopefully, the above list gives you some inspiration for your resolution list for 2022. It is always a good time to try and better yourself. If you find that you didn’t get the chance to get your list done by January 1st or if February or March roll around and you haven’t kept every resolution, keep going.

January 1st doesn’t have to be the only time you set goals and resolutions for yourself. You can wake up any morning of the year and make a list. That being said, the beginning of the year is also a marvelous time for a fresh start and a great time to begin a journey of self-improvement!

My closet Looks amazing thanks to the magic of tidying up

Audra McDonie / Just For Fun / Leave a Comment

“Putting your house in order is fun! The process of assessing how you feel about the things you own, identifying those that have fulfilled their purposes, expressing your gratitude, and bidding them farewell, is really about examining your inner self, a rite of passage to a new life.”
Marie Kondo

I read Marie Kondo’s book “the life changing magic of tidying up” a few years back. I have tried her method on a couple of closets in my house, but I have done it half-heartedly. My bedroom closet was a complete disaster and organizing it had been on my to-do list for ever. So I decided to commit one hundred percent and use Marie Kondo’s KonMari Method to declutter and organize my closet!

1. put all clothes in one pile

Gather all your clothes together and put them on the floor or the bed. It is important that you handle each piece of clothing. It is easier to begin with off season clothes. Marie Kondo recommends asking yourself these questions: “Do I want to see this outfit again next time it’s in season?” or “Would I want to wear this right away if the temperature suddenly changed? When going through all your clothes the most important question to ask is does this article of clothing spark joy in me? If you answer no to any of these questions, then throw it in the donate or discard pile.

You may worry that you’ll have no clothes left when you finish the process, but as long as you’re choosing clothes that actually give you pleasure, you’ll end up with the right amount. After off season clothes you can do this same process with all your categories of clothes; tops, shirts, clothes that should be hung, socks, underwear, bags, accessories, swimsuits, shoes.

Note: Marie Kondo frowns upon downgrading clothes to loungewear. I have been guilty of this when cleaning out my closet in the past. This time I donated anything that didn’t spark joy.

2. how to store and fold clothes

“By neatly folding your clothes, you can solve almost every problem related to storage.” Marie Kondo

I spent some time learning to do the KonMari fold. Below are two of Marie Kondo’s videos. She shows how to fold every piece of clothing. I was amazed at how much more space I had when I folded my clothes this way!

3. How to arrange clothes

The KonMari Method says to arrange your clothes so that they rise to the right, which means hang heavy items on the left side of the closet and light items on the right. By category, coats should be on the far left, then dresses, jackets, pants, skirt and blouses.

I hope that I have inspired you try Marie Kondo’s magic of tidying up on your own closet! I am unbelievably happy with the way my closet looks and feels now. It is an absolute joy to only have clothes and accessories that spark joy within me! I would love to hear your comments and experience with the KonMari Method. Please let me know at the comment tab at the top of this blog!

5 fun Activities to do at home on valentine’s day (with or without a date)!

Audra McDonie / Just For Fun / 2 Comments

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner! This day can be especially hard if you’re single. You may feel like you are the only person on earth who’s not in a relationship. Well, you’ll be glad to know you can relax, because 50.2% of adults in the United States are single. So you are definitely not alone, and you should make Valentine’s Day special for yourself! Plan a solo night, or invite a friend or family member over. Valentine’s Day is all about love. Romantic love is great, but love for yourself, friends and family is just as important!

If you have a special romantic someone, there is pressure to decide what to do together on this special day. It is even more challenging this year because there isn’t as much to do. I have found some different and fun things to do at home, which hopefully will make this Valentine’s Day one to remember, no matter what your relationship status!

Light all the candles in your house, turn off all electronics and listen to music. This is my favorite! This activity can be romantic, but it can also be just kicking back with your favorite beverage by yourself or with a friend listening to your favorite music.

2. Bake a cake or cupcakes! Make your favorite flavor cake/cupcakes then decorate with every pink, purple and red sprinkle you can find. Proceed to eat it without an ounce of guilt! You deserve it!

3. Watch a Stand-up Comedy Show. This is a very underrated activity. I recently started watching stand-up comedy shows. There are many to choose from on Netflix. One of my favorites is John Mulaney, Kid Gorgeous at Radio City. He is an absolutely brilliant and hilarious comedian. Laughing is one of the best things you can do for your mental and physical health. So on this day of love, give yourself the gift of a good hearty belly laugh!

4. Research a City You Want to Visit. This is especially relevant this year because we are not able to travel as easily. If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go? Pretend you’re actually planning a trip to this place and make a board on Pinterest where you store all your info! Include your hotel, the best places to eat, hot tourist spots, museums, galleries, shops and anything else you would like to do or see while you are there. If you can dream it, you can achieve it, so go wild and plan your absolute fantasy trip! Hopefully, it won’t be long and you’ll be on your way for real!

5. Do An Online Dance Class. This is new to me. I really had no idea that online dance classes existed. This is another fun Valentine’s Day venture to do solo or with someone else. They have everything from ballet to cardio intensive. It not only gets you active, but it also teaches you a new skill! DancePlug.com offers dance classes in every type. Also, ObeFitness.com offers cardio intensive type dance classes. They offer a free trial period or a free class, so you can try it out before you commit financially. These are only two of the many that are available. An internet search for virtual dance classes will give you many different options. Go and get your groove on this Valentine’s Day!

I hope you like some of these Valentine’s Day activity ideas and that you give one or two a try! Take care and have an amazing day!

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The best Poppy seed bread recipe

Audra McDonie / Just For Fun / Leave a Comment

This is a family recipe that I have had in my recipe box for years, but have never made. It comes from a very special cousin of my Dad’s who was an amazing baker and cook.

I have been making her Pumpkin Cookie recipe for Thanksgiving and Christmas for years. I will share that in a month or two when we get closer to the holiday season! I made the poppy seed bread this morning and it was absolutely delicious! Below is the recipe, I hope you try it and enjoy it as much as my family did!

INGREDIENTS:

3 C Flour
2 1/4 C Sugar
1 Tablespoon Poppy Seeds
1 1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
3 Eggs
1 1/2 C Milk
1 C Oil
1 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 1/2 Almond Extract
1 1/2 Butter Extract

Blend dry ingredients together in a bowl, then put wet ingredients in a separate bowl.

Put the dry ingredients in the bowl with the wet ingredients and mix altogether with an electric mixer for one minute.

Pour into six small loaf pans and bake at 350 degrees for 35 min. to 1 hr. (you’ll know they are done when they are lightly browned on the top and a toothpick comes out clean.)

GLAZE RECIPE:

1/4 C Orange Juice Concentrate
3/4 C Confectioner Sugar

Beat 1 minute and spoon over the hot bread!

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