Homemade Recipes for Pampering

The best gift you can give to yourself is pampering your own overworked, stressed, and desperate-for-rest self. Every single day you wake up earlier than everyone else does to make sure the kids do not skip breakfast and that they catch the school bus on time. Your day doesn’t even end upon reaching home from work, blame it on dinner preparations, helping your kids with their science projects, and catching up with your better half, which is probably the first and last time you talk to each other during an entire hectic day. To top everything off, you sleep later than everyone as you ensure that nothing is missed as you try your damn best to run a perfect household.

At the end of the day, you too need to be cared for. The idea of pampering may bring you to imagine petals on a tub with warm water, candles, and soothing aromas at spas, and a sky-rocketing credit card bill at month’s end, which is most likely the reason why you’ve been denying yourself of such a need.

Here’s what: pampering doesn’t have to be expensive. Take on some ideas to indulge in spa-like treatments that will invigorate your senses and give you a well-deserved time to feel good in your very own home.

Yogurt and Honey for a Glowing Face

Your face alone can say how much stress you are in, so don’t give anyone that benefit of easily reading about your troubles through your face.

Benefits: Yogurt contains lactic acid that can help in exfoliation to soothe and soften the skin. It also has probiotics that fight acne and antioxidant properties, which act as skin protection and clears away blemishes and dark spots.

Meanwhile, stimulation of both collagen and hydrogen peroxide production, and attraction and retention of moisture are properties all found in honey, which makes it very ideal to fight pimples, clean clogged pores, improve skin elasticity to fight aging marks, and keep the skin well-hydrated.

Application: Mix a teaspoon of yogurt and a teaspoon of honey together then apply to your face. Let it stay for 10-15 minutes then wipe off with a warm washcloth.

Precautions: Not everybody can tolerate yogurt. Make sure you aren’t allergic to it or any related products.

Avocado, Almonds, and Oatmeal for a Polished Body

Feel good all over by treating yourself with a full body scrub packed with healthy ingredients.

Benefits: A combination of avocado, almonds, and oatmeal is perfect for a vitamin-rich, exfoliating, and skin softening scrub.

Application: Mix 1 mashed avocado with 2 tablespoons of ground almonds and a cup of oatmeal. Spread the mixture all over your body, massage in circular motions, then rinse off with warm water. You may finish off with your own scrub and don’t forget to moisturize afterwards.

Precautions: Don’t attempt to perform scrubs more than twice a week to prevent dryness and skin damage.

Seaweed, Sea Salt, and Clay for a Relaxing Wrap

Enjoy the perks of detoxification, visible cellulite reduction, and loss of inches all under one body wrap.

Benefits: Wrapping yourself with mineral and nutrient-rich ingredients stimulates heat and metabolism that allows you to sweat out toxins stored in fat cells and helps you eliminate excess water from your body.

Application: Prepare 8 cups of water, 1 cup of powdered seaweed, such as kelp or dulse, 1 cup of sea salt, and 2 cups of clay (yellow kaolin). Bring the water into a boil, dissolve the sea salt in it, and then add the rest of the ingredients. You may go for a quick warm shower to open up your pores to facilitate the entry of nutrients and exit of toxins from your skin. You can also measure up yourself before starting if shedding of inches is your target.

Once the mixture has cooled, rub it over your skin. You can choose to do a full-body wrap from your torso down to your feet, or you can choose a certain body part depending on the need. Apply thin towels or plastic cling wraps over your preferred areas just like the way you apply a bandage, lay down for 45 minutes, and then rinse off with lukewarm water. Measure yourself again to see how much you’ve trimmed down.

Precautions: Drink water regularly during and after the process to prevent dehydration from sweating. You may also find it hard to apply the wrap by yourself, so be ready to have someone assist you.

Rewarding yourself from time to time isn’t bad and is in fact, important. In order for you to effectively reach out to others, the first thing you have to do is to simply love yourself.

Ella Simpson is a nutritional researcher and an avid herbal body wrap fan. She has spent years experimenting with natural ingredients to formulate spa quality body wrap products for home use which she now sells at her website Wrap Yourself Slim for a fraction of the cost of spa treatment.

Fall Fashion Event

We're having a Fall Fashions Event on this blog for the entire months of September, October, and November!!! We will be featuring really great items to include: Fall clothing for men, women, and children, shoes, boots, outerwear, gloves, hats, cosmetics, hair care for fall, events, etc. It's going to be fantastic! If any sponsors want to get involved, email me callansparents@yahoo.com. Also if anyone wants to team up and do this event on your blog, let me know! Wanna write a guest post for this event? We can do that too! Contact me! This is going to be a really great. Stay tuned!!! Spread the word!!!

 

Broken Women - God's Grace

Today I thought I would post a poem I wrote almost 20 years ago after spending a weekend retreat with the women in my then Sunday School class. This was a class of women only - some married, some not. What they all had in common was they were either married to a spouse who did not or would not attend church with them or they had been single for quite sometime praying for God’s choice for them. This retreat was a chance for me to get to know these women who had opened up their arms to me with much love. The evening program would consist of testimonials and when I heard some of them I saw how God had taken them from the deep pits of tragic painful lives to women who were seeking God with all their hearts - including myself. After I got home from that weekend I was compelled to write this poem.

God’s Grace

As I looked around the room at the many faces

I caught a glimpse of God’s many graces.

The events in their lives they all would tell

might sound like a movie made in hell.

It did not matter if they were young or old

they all shared some pain in their lives as told.

But how could they sit there and laugh in spite

of life’s hard knocks and awful bites?

The love of Jesus was in that place.

You could see His hands upon their face.

The love of Jesus had created a tie,

That all these women could not deny.

For it matters not how many the years.

And it matters not how many the tears.

God’s love enabled these women to survive.

For it’s by His grace they are alive.

Thanks to Hayley for allowing me to post this. - Charmaine Huey www.charread09.wordpress.com 

Summer's End

It hardly seems possible that the sunny days, beach sand and BBQ season is nearing its end. Yet the wind in Maine says it's true! I will miss the sand beneath my feet, the sun warming my skin - providing a free tan, and the smell of a BBQ on a hot summer day! This Texas girl will always love the sunshine and heat - the beauty of summer days. This will always be my favorite season. The Maine wife in me though has come to enjoy and look forward to the days of fall. It almost seems as though it is against everything that I am to say this, yet it is true. Life seems to slow down after the crazy days of summer, the coolness in the air is invigorating, the color found in the leaves - inspiring! Taking a moment to think about what our world would be like without the change of season....how boring that would be! If we always had heat.....well I don't know that I would be unhappy, but I realize many more would hate it, than love it. Farmer's crops do not grow well, sunburns abound, and the greenery would be missed. If fall is all we knew.....the sunlight would be missed, the freshly cut grass would not be felt beneath our toes, the newness of floral life wouldn't be within our sight! Without winter's cold blistering wind and freshly fallen snow, snowmen and blades upon the ice....the warmth provided by a cup of hot chocolate would not be needed! Springs newness of life enlivens the soul and inspires the upcoming year! Each season brings its own joy.....and sadness too. With each new day, may we be ever grateful for the days gone by and the days ahead! Beauty lies within every season, every passing moment! So long beautiful summer!

Hello dear crisp fall!

About The Author: I am a stay at home, homeschooling, crunchy, Christian wife, and mother of two wonderful blessings. My hubby is a self employed fisherman, and a Mainah through and through, thus we live in Maine. You can find me blogging about faith, family and life experiences at Simply Helping Him.
 

Can You Get Life Insurance If You Are in the Military?

Members of the military are eligible for Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance (SGLI). This group life insurance is open to members on active duty, National Guard members, and ready reservists. Cadets and midshipmen in the service academies and Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) members are also eligible.

SGLI has low premiums

SGLI coverage is available up to a maximum of $400,000. It comes in increments of $50,000. Monthly premiums are the same regardless of age. At this writing, monthly premiums cost six and a half cents per $1000 of coverage plus one dollar for mandatory Traumatic Injury Protection coverage (TSGLI). TSGLI is a dollar regardless of the level of coverage. So the maximum $400,000 would have monthly premiums of $27.

If a servicemember wants more coverage than the maximum offered by SGLI, they can apply for a life insurance policy from a commercial insurance company. However, private companies often do not cover death as a result of military action.

Family members may also be covered

Spouses of servicemembers covered under SGLI are eligible for Family Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance (FSGLI). Coverage is offered up to $100,000 for spouses. If a spouse is also a servicemember, you and your spouse will be eligible for both SGLI and FSGLI for a maximum of $500,000 for each of you. FSGLI premiums are based on the age of the spouse.

Dependent children of servicemembers with SGLI automatically get coverage of $10,000 each.

When servicemembers are released from service, they have the option of converting their fulltime SGLI coverage to Veterans' Group Life Insurance (VGLI) or to a permanent plan from a commercial insurance company.

If converting to VGLI, the initial coverage amount cannot be higher than the final amount of SGLI coverage. Servicemembers under the age of 60 may purchase up to an additional $25,000 of VGLI coverage on each five-year anniversary of the start of their VGLI coverage as long as they are under the $400,000 maximum. The additional coverage does not require medical underwriting.

VGLI premiums are based on the age of the servicemember.

Converting SGLI to private insurance

If a servicemember wants to convert to a permanent plan from commercial insurance company, they must do so within 120 days of their separation from service. They need to confirm that the company is participating, since not all of them do so. The conversion must to be a permanent policy, such as whole life. The conversion is generally at standard premium rates. Servicemembers generally do not need to provide proof that they are in good health.

Ben Hargrove writes for a variety of blogs, including Best Life Insurance Deals.

Decorate Your Home on a Budget

You don’t need to spend a small fortune to have a home that you’re proud of. Having a home that’s perfect for a design magazine is possible with a little thought, and creativity. If you have a limited decorating budget help is here. Regardless of your style, it’s easy to add elegance or flair to your home’s décor. Below are some tips and ideas that will turn you into your own interior decorator and help improve your home’s interior design. More importantly, these ideas will help keep your bank account in the black.

When you’re starting to redecorate, remember to give yourself enough time to select the right materials and to complete the project(s). Start with developing a list of the areas in your home that need the most amount of attention and develop a timeline and budget. This will help to reduce your stress levels, workload and avoid unnecessary debt.

Accessories

Accessories go a long way in personalizing a space and make it memorable. Keep an eye out for unique artwork, vases, and throw rugs. Check out your local thrift store, garage sales, and retailers, see what inexpensive accessories are available, and repurpose them. Reuse existing items you already have – mason jars make great candle holders and silver platters make great centerpieces.

Artwork

Artwork defines and demonstrates your design style. Be creative and try your hand at painting then proudly display your artwork. Frame pieces of wallpaper, kid’s artwork, a collage of family photo’s – whatever supplies you have laying around. Most of all, be inventive.

Paint

Painting is the fastest and easiest way to change the look and feel of any room or space. If time is a factor then instead of repainting the entire room, paint one wall and make it an accent wall to give your room some depth. A few tips when selecting paint: for areas of your home that are high-traffic, use a high-gloss paint because they provide a tough, washable finish that is also resistant to water and grease. These types of paint are great on kitchen walls, kitchen cabinets, bathroom walls, banisters, trim, furniture, and windowsills. When selecting a paint color, look at it in natural and artificial light – they will influence how the color will look when applied.

Lighting

Lighting is often an overlooked way to transform a space. It can help create the right mood One way to change your lighting is by adding dimmer switches. They let you control the amount of light and help to create a relaxing mood. Another suggestion is to rearrange your floor lamps – this is great for turning a cold room into a warm, comfortable space. And don’t forget about updating existing lamps – spray paint them or add a new lampshade for a completely new look.

Fabrics

Fabrics add color, texture, patterns, and contrast to boring spaces. You’re only limited by your imagination. Save money by sewing your own pillows, bedding, and window treatments. Use what fabrics you already have in your home such as old clothes, linens, napkins, dresses. Simply mix and match to these items to create a unique and stylish look.

Furniture

Making your own slipcovers is a great and cost effective way to update your room’s style without the need to replace any furniture. All that’s required is imagination, some fabric and the ability to sew. If you want to change your room’s furniture then visit your local thrift store and give a second hand piece of furniture a new home. Add some paint, fabric and hardware to give it a new look and feel. You can also make your own furniture by recycling old pieces of wood and make your own original furniture piece(s).

Thank you to Hayley for allowing me to contribute this article! Jeremy works as a Community Coordinator at EasyApplianceParts. They are an online resource committed helping homeowners with every step of a repair and retailer of appliance replacement parts.
 

Do It Yourself Spa Night

Since the baby will be here soon, I figure if any pampering is going to be done, it better be done now. I said to the kids, why don’t we have a spa night? Of course, they thought it was a neat idea and were totally on board. Dad decided to pass on this one.

I happen to have a Dr. Scholl’s Foot Spa similar to this >>> Dr. Scholl’s Foot Bath Plus with Acupressure Massage Center that I received a few years back as a gift, so I got that out, and white towels, foot pampering stuff, lit a candle, and I set up a station for us to relax.

Each one of us took a turn soaking our feet in the warm water. I scrubbed the kiddos feet, and they played in the water and used the scrubbers on their feet as well. They both wanted to work on my feet, and so I let them take turns. Of course, I had to do the real work when they were finished.

Afterward, my daughter and I painted our toe nails. This was such fun activity, and definitely cheaper to do at home versus going to a salon.

Have you done anything similar to this at your own home before? If so, was there anything special you would recommend for the next time?

frugalandfunmom.com is authored by Carlee Colonneso. She is a stay at home mom, true Florida Native, and a Graduate of the University of South Florida. She is the mother of two children with another on the way, and wife to an awesome husband! Frugal and Fun Mom is the Place for Family Fun! Check out her Posts on Product Reviews, Giveaways,  Kid’s Activities, and Fun Frugal Living! Check out the original post HERE.