Work It Wednesday: Carols Daughter Monoi Oil

Ever wish you had a magical potion to make your hair healthier, shinier & more manageable? I know I did. Of course there's no such thing as a magic potion. But there is Monoi Oil from Carols Daughter. Actually it's (Repairing) Sacred Strengthening Serum.

This serum can reverse & prevent damage from styling, coloring, chemical treating & even sun exposure. Not to mention giving you more good hair days from the improved manageability.

Sans makeup - except for my favorite gloss of course!

As you can see by the picture I forced myself to take (I'm not a fan of getting my picture taken at all), I have long hair. Which I only get cut once every year...or two. Terrible, I know. But my hair is actually pretty healthy considering. It just tends to get frizzy towards the ends & generally lacks shine. My hair in the picture is still slightly damp, but after a couple weeks of only  1-2 pumps a day of Monoi Oil, you can tell the difference. And I really do love how it brings out my waves more. 

What else is there to love? No silicones, parabens, petroleum, mineral oil, or alcohol. 

"Protect your hair from all damage. Its strengthening power comes from Monoi Oil – a sacred Tahitian blend of the Tiare Gardenia Flower and Coprah Coconut Oil. This silicone-free, restorative oil rebuilds your hair’s structure from the inside out for true repair that doesn’t wash away or weigh hair down like silicones do. It’s also blended with Mirabelle Plum Seed Oil to restore health and Kukui and Rose Hip Seed Oils to reduce frizz and boost your hair’s natural shine. Take your hair to its maximum strength and length – no matter what you do to it." 

**Disclaimer: I received this product from Klout & am simply sharing my opinion which may vary from yours. I was not compensated for this review.

Tasty Tuesday: Steak Salad

It's been 8 years since I said "I do" & so much has changed. Aside from the obvious (the kids), my hubs also asks for salads now. But not just any salad, a "man's" salad.

 

 

OK, so a Steak Salad isn't just for men, but you'd better have the appetite of one when you eat it! 

 

I should've taken a picture before the dressing so you could get the full effect. Unfortunately my taste buds were interfering with my brain waves & I was lucky my fingers were able to cooperate at all. Aside from grabbing a fork of course. (I had the total man appetite thing going on, you'll have to excuse me.)

How To:

•Start by making your salad however you like it. (Mine is lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes & red onion.)

•Top with homemade french fries (secret man ingredient), shredded cheddar cheese (or any other preferred kind) & sliced steak (cooked to desired doneness.)

•Top with dressing (I used an Asiago Peppercorn that was amazing on this salad) & a small handful of sliced green onions (if you're an onion fan, like me.)

 

This is a great way to trick any guy into eating a salad! And just so happens to be a great meal during those summer months when it's too hot to cook. 

 

Enjoy!

Messy Monday: DIY Liquid Fabric Softener

Of course after we made our DIY Laundry Detergent we had to make some liquid fabric softener too.

After scouring for a recipe to use, I decided to give a few a try. After trial & error, I found that they just weren't working for me. I prefer the baking soda & vinegar solution, but with far less baking soda. The reason being that I add my fabric softener when I add my laundry, which gives the baking soda time to settle. 

How To:

• Using a sturdy container (I use a Sunny D jug), add desired amount  of baking soda . Start small, you can always add more later if you'd like.

• Add enough hot water to almost dissolve the baking soda. Set aside 15-20 minutes.

• In batches, add vinegar & give it a good shake. You can keep the lid covered with a towel so that when you release some of the pressure it doesn't spray everywhere (been there, done that). Just be sure to leave plenty of room for the pressure to build (found that one out the hard way too).

•1/4 C. (or a little more if you'd like) per load.

*Note: You can add a bit of your favorite hair conditioner if you prefer a softener with a scent.

Sorry for the lack of measurements, but if you've been around here long enough you should know that's not really my thing. Besides the fact that everyone prefers their softener differently & this leaves (plenty) of room for adjustments. It also saves plenty of room in your wallet for all the money you'll be saving!

Simple Sunday: Beauty and the Beast

This weekend we packed up the kids & traveled across the state for an impromptu mini family reunion. We were all there to see my younger cousin play the lead role of "Beast" in his final high school performance of "Beauty and the Beast". (He was amazing by the way!)

This is my program guide & a cupcake leftover from the party my Aunt & Uncle had before we all left for the performance. (She had an awesome idea for the cupcake toppers!) So now that the excitement of a new place with a lot of people has worn off for the kids (mostly); I can sit back, read the program & enjoy my cupcake.

Snacktastic Saturday: No Bake Almond Raisin "Granola" Bars

I know it may come as a surprise, but I found a recipe on Pinterest that I just had to try. Shocking, I know. Chewy S'mores Granola Bars (no bake) sounded simple to make, & better yet, I had all of the ingredients. Not to mention how big of a hit they would be with the kiddos!

I knew they would be good when I snuck a pinch while I was packing them into the pan. No way was there going to be enough to share between us all for a few days. But that was OK, I wanted something slightly...healthier. So I started scouring the cupboards to see what I could come up with.

I didn't have quite enough of a couple ingredients to make another batch, so I made a few substitutions.

•Instead of 2 C. oats & 1 C. rice cereal, I probably used 1 1/4 C. oats & 1 3/4 C. rice cereal. As long as it equaled 3 C. I was satisfied.

•I had virtually no honey left, but I did have some Agave Nectar. The syrup just seemed like it cooked a bit faster than with the honey.

And since I wanted it a bit healthier, I added some raisins & crushed almonds into the mix. 

The end result was much better than the S'mores Bars in my opinion. I'm not sure if it was from the Agave Nectar or not, but these were definitely crunchier. The only downfall being that they were much harder to cut into uniform shapes. But I had no problem munching on the crumbs (I even saved some in a Ziploc baggie to add to my morning cereal.)

Fun Friday: Upcycled Bird Feeder

I've always thought about making an upcycled bird feeder, but today I finally followed through with it. My nephew made one at school some time ago out of a Gatorade bottle. Which probably would have worked out much better than my giant (yet flimsy) 2 liter bottle. The end result looks good, but I may need to experiment with different materials & a different way to cut the holes (I just used a sturdy steak knife).

You can get the gist of it from the picture. However, I did make the holes slightly larger by moving the spoons around once I had it hung up so that the seeds would come out a bit. I didn't want to do it before & have bird seed falling into my eye while I was balancing on the porch rail (in the wind I might add).

The best part was that the younger two kiddos had fun helping make this. Well, Hayden did get a bit upset when I wouldn't let her eat the seeds, but she got over it when I gave her the funnel we used to help fill it.

Think It Thursday: Clean Eating vs. Paleo

I've been giving some serious consideration lately to clean eating & Paleo (a.k.a. the caveman diet). Although I've seen many body transformations from a Paleo diet alone, I just don't think I could do it. My main reason being, that I like my whole grains. 

That being said, I should probably start out with a less drastic approach & ease my way into the clean eating lifestyle. I already purchase organic products, but not exclusively, which is actually a start in itself. Plus I find it a lot easier to get an abundance of organic produce during the spring & summer months in NE Ohio.

Clean Eating:

•consuming food in it's most natural state

•nothing white (flour, sugar, rice, etc.)

•no processed or refined foods

•lean proteins & healthy fats (nuts)

•lots of organic fruits & vegetables

 •no preservatives or alcohol

•no or limited dairy

Paleo:

•consuming food in it's most natural state

•nothing white (flour, sugar, rice, etc.)

•no processed or refined foods

•lots of organic & grass fed lean meats

•lots of buts & healthy fats

•lots of organic fruits & vegetables

 •no preservatives or alcohol

•no dairy

•no sugar (unless from fruit or natural sweeteners such as honey or agave nectar)

•no legumes

•no grains

•no gluten

Have you ever considered a clean eating or Paleo lifestyle?