Joie de Vivre!

Well, the last time I checked my name was not: Maria Antonia Josepha Johanna. 


I don't have my own personal lady in waiting nor do I have the luxury of time or finances to go to the spa every day, all day. I totally should have been born in the 18th Century, but alas...I was not. 


I may not be Marie (phew...thankfully!) and I do not reside at Versailles, however, I am a woman. And I LOVE to be pampered. I'm always looking for affordable ways to achieve ultimate balance between mind, body and soul.  

And have I found not only one...but two that I adore!!

Once you use this sugar scrub...you'll be hooked! And it's E.A.S.Y. Try mixing different essential oils to customize your own unique flavors!

"Let them eat cake" scrub:
To make this delicious treat, you will need the following ingredients:

• 50% white cane sugar
• 50% oil such as vegetable, olive oil, almond oil, even avocado oil to moisten the sugar
• Small amounts of aloe vera gel, vitamin C crystals, or anything healing that dissolves in water
• 1 or 2 drops of essential oil such as lavendar and orange (if desired)
• Enough ground hibiscus powder for pink color (if desired)

1. Combine the ingredients in a bowl. 
2. Scoop some of the scrub onto your hand and massage gently onto your skin for a minute (the scrub will actually tighten onto your skin like a masque). 
3. Leave on for 3 to 4 minutes before rinsing.

Your skin will feel amazingly soft...like...silky and sweet as butter cream icing on velvet cake. 

If you don't like cake...try this other favorite: 

 "Go Bananas" Scrub:

This scrub will have you instantly swinging from the trees!

Whip these ingredients together and trust me...you'll be going bananas!

• 1 ripe banana
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract or your favorite essential oil (optional)

1. Mash ingredients together with a fork into a chunky paste. (Make sure to mash the banana into small pieces - don't puree or it will be too watery, but definitely mash those large pieces up! Or else the large banana chunks will slide off your skin onto the floor!) Do not overmix or it will become too watery. MomTown Tip: If you want a banana scrub for your face, reserve some of the banana and mash it separately without sugar.
2. In the shower, before turning the water on, slather the sugar mixture and gently massage over your body. For your face, gently massage plain banana there, avoiding the eye area.
3. Rinse off with warm water.

Garden of Eden Massssssssssage?

I get it. I do. 

Since the time of the Garden of Eden, Adam, Eve, the apple...snakes have gotten a bad wrap. And for most of us...that's quite alright. I see no use for creepy crawlie slithery things. However, apparently Ada Barak's farm in Northern Israel thinks quite the opposssssite. 

Deep tissue massage from poisonous snakes???? I don't think ssssss-oooooo. 

I assure you, if my father were reading this...he'd freak!! One...because there is a photo of a snake on my blog!! (We both detest snakes!) Two...that there's such a treatment that actually exists! People actually consider this a relaxation technique...and they PAY for it! 

I've heard of the healing properties of Sedona Red Clay, hot stone massage, body scrubs, Four-handed massage, and other various interesting treatments...but snakes?? For $70-$80, a handful of venomous snakes can creepy crawlie on your face and up your spine (hopefully not down your spine into the Nether region!). All I have to say is:  "Heeeeeeck no."  I first ran across the article on Care2.com while doing research on another topic, below is an excerpt. 

You read the detailssssss and decccccide. 

It sssssssssssssstopped me dead in my web tracks. Read below for the full description. I'll be right here...sssssssssssssssssssspeechless. 

"How far would you go for beauty and youthfulness? Is it worth smothering your face with bird poop or soaking your hair with bull semen? Travel along as we take you around the world to look at 10 of the most unique, bizarre, fun and strange spa treatments offered today.

Snakes that relieve tension
Just an hour north of Tel Aviv in Talmei Elazar, Israel, therapist Ada Barak offers a $70 spa treatment at her Carnivorous Plant Farm which uses six non-venomous California and Florida king snakes that slither up and down your back to help you relieve tension."  

To read the full article, click here. 

Everything Donna Makes Looks Amazing OnU.

So incredibly giddy. My favorite artist, Donna Silvestri, is going to be in the 'hood this evening. If you've never seen her pieces...you're missing out on the opportunity to own some of the most incredible Eco-chic handcrafted pieces.

So...stop reading my blog and check out her goods! Tell her I sent ya. Happy Shopping!

http://www.onujewelry.com/

Truly Blessed

Ever wonder what a typical day is like for a single mom?

Here's just a little sliver of one of the evenings I happened to be taking the girls shoe shopping. I'll slowly reveal it to you in bite-sized pieces. On this particular day, the evening started off like this:

1. Pumping gas (ugh, I HATE this chore), turn radio on for girls to listen to Princess CD. Jump back into the car, put car in gear, realize that it's not actually on, put back in Park. Try to start...nothing. Weird car issue which resulted in having my battery die. Fortunately, kind passerby offers to jump the car. Back on the road in 15.

2. Evening traffic on East bound route...huh?? 2.5 yo growing ever so restless in her carseat. Quieted possible outbreak with a pack of craisins from the bottom of the diaper bag. Arrive to mall much later than anticipated.

3. Arrive at mall to only find that I have 1 (yes, 1) pull up and the pack of wipes are frozen into a solid brick - no joke (they were in the car overnight). Say quick prayer for short trip. Load up stroller, enter mall looking like a small Gypsy caravan.

4. Trip to the mall for shoes (the girls, not me - unfortunately) ;)

5. Already frustrated that girls sizes aren't available. (Gggrrr) Only shoes left that fit my oldest are the Juicy Couture. No thank you, not spending $90 for ballerina flats...THAT she hates.

**asked if she needed a potty break.

6. My two year old finds a pair of rainboots. Yeah! They fit. (but we are shopping for shoes not boots)

7. Total melt down when Hello Kitty boots are removed, followed by immediate purchase of HK boots.

**asked if she needs a potty break.

8. Shoe shopping at Nordstrom took much longer than anticipated then add in 2.5 yo 5 minute meltdown puts us promptly into dinner time.

9. Off to Chickfila for quick meal (no time for Cheesecake Factory or Benihana with looming bedtime)

**asked if she needs a potty break.

10. Score 1 for Mom! Make your own valentine station with glitter galore and the Chickfila cow makes a debut.

11. Take girls to bathroom, place screaming toddler on potty, score! Houston we have a peepee!!

12. Desanitize entire family unit...off to try another shoe department again.

13. Score 2 for Mom! Cute patent leather flats with "sassy buckle" (her words not mine) and happy smiles for "big girl shoes".

14. As promised, play time in crazy play area in mall. (dreading the 2.5 yo departure)

15. 5 minute warning, followed by 2 minute warning, coral girls, shoes on, balloons in hand, turn focus toward new HK boots...no screams, no tears...piece a cake! Score 3 for Mom!

16. My oldest is holding hands with her baby sister as she walks next to the stroller, sharing her new Webkinz cat "Mouser" (name courtesy of Laurien!). Deep sigh...aaaaaahhhh, these are the moments, right?

And it ended like this:

Leaving Nordstrom's as Ray Lamontagne's "You are the Best Thing" is pumped throughout the store...baby girl is softly dozing off in the stroller, my daughter and I are walking hand in hand and she looks up at me and says, "Mommy, this is your favorite song isn't it?" to which I reply, "Yep, don't you like it, too?" She replies, "Yeah, it's my fav too." We groove together in the aisle as we put our coats and hats on, then she looks at me and says, "YOU're the best thing, Momma." To which I replied, "No Sweet Pea, YOU're the best thing."

Totally melts my heart, makes me weepy, and soooooo thankful God gave me 2 positively precious baby girls.

I am truly blessed.

Aaaaannnnnd...they're off!

Today's Picks: "The favorite for today is Mind that Mommy at 6-1, and the long shot Kitty Kaiti Mind Your Manners (7-1). But everyone is talking about the newcomer Pink Filly. "

And they are lining up at the posts...

Alarm clock: Beep Beep Beeeeeep. 6:15...the gates open..."Aaaaand they're off!"

"It's Mind that Mommy off to a strong start, pulling away from the pack with 3 healthy breakfasts while doling out morning snugs and kisses, 3 beds made, 2 dogs fed, scratches and walked, 1 round of StarWars Legos..."

"Pink Filly starts to make a move on the inside as Mind that Mommy has trouble with the bean grinder..." 1 pot of coffee, 1 cup of pink tea (guess who that's for?!), 1 load of dishes,

"And at the break it's Kitty Kaiti Mind Your Manners and Pink Filly, but here comes Mind that Mommy..." 3 coordinating outfits and 3 pair of shoes (may seem like a no brainer to you...but hello...we are girls. Do you know how many clothes we have to choose from? And shoes?? They are only 3 and 6 but they have a sepearate closet just for shoes!),  3 hair styles, 

" Pink Filly is really giving Mind that Mommy a run for her money, Folks!"

1 load of laundry, 3 sets of teeth brushed and flossed, "The Pink Filly is in a dead heat with last year's winner."

1 baby doll dressed in coordinating outfit, 1 pink poodle (aka. Pinky Frenchy) leashed and in her posh puppy bed, 2 lunches packed (crust trimmed sandwich and quartered into perfect squares, canteloupe specifically cut into perfect squares, wheat thins upon request...because well, they are perfect squares - can you guess what the new shape of the week is at school?!),

"And down the stretch they come!" 2 backpacks ready and waiting by the door, extra outfit and panties for school (had to repack backpack because she noticed the extra panties did not -indeed- match the outfit...who's child is this?), "Kitty Kaiti Mind Your Manners is all acey deucey with lacing her Nikes at the front door..."

"Now it's Mind that Mommy out in front!!! Send out a search party for the rest of the field!! This old Mare has it by a long shot!" 1 gym bag packed with after work run essentials, car unlocked..."Coming down the back stretch now it's Pink Filly out in front, no it's Mind that Mommy "And here comes the Closer "Kitty Kaiti Mind Your Manners" to steal the lead! Folks...it's going to be a photo finish!"