Friday Favorites

     The weeks have been flying by lately. I have been reading and doing a lot of yoga recently, as will be reflected in my favorites this week!  If you missed it, you can check out my post about TriNova's Castile Soap from earlier in the week. Hope everyone has a great weekend and without further ado, here is what I have been loving this week... 

I read this e-book the other night and I really liked it. As someone who is chronically ill and spends a lot of time in bed it is nice that someone took the time to lay out a way to do yoga and receive its benefits no matter your ability or activity level. There are modifications if you can't sit up, as well. The message in the end of the book was great as well. It is currently free on amazon!

Hand Stamped Dog ID tag

     I am afraid I have developed an Etsy addiction. There are so many great and adorable things being sold on there!

Daily Walk Bible: 31 days with Jesus - I downloaded this off of Amazon for free. I believe it is still available for free. I am really enjoying it and highly recommend it. It is written in a way that is easy to understand and follow. I have experienced frustration in the past because I never fully understood what was going on. I don't have that issue with this book and I enjoy my daily reading.

Not Your Father's Ginger Ale

I am a big fan of all things ginger flavored, so I was so excited when my husband grabbed this from our local grocery store. This brand also makes a hard Root Beer as well that I am not a big fan of. I don't like the flavor of beer but I found this drink to quite tasty. It reminds me of nonalcoholic ginger beer with a beer kick at the end.

What have you been loving this week?

*Linking up with Life in Leggings*

TriNova Castile Soap

      As I continue to phase out harmful chemicals in my house, I found myself needing an all natural cleaning solution. Sure, there are many available options at your local natural grocer but they usually come with a hefty price tag and I am not always impressed with the results. Through my search I have found quite a few homemade recipes on Pinterest that use castile soap. Castile Soap is a vegetable oil based soap. It is all natural and many options are vegan. It does not suds as much as store bought soap that contains SLS since it is natural.
 

     I was lucky enough to receive a sample of TriNova's Castile Soap to test out. I like it better than the Dr Bronner Castile Soap I was previously using. The Dr Bronner soap had an odd smell to it whereas the TriNova has a much milder, natural smell to it.

    I made a homemade soft scrub to test out my castile soap. The end result was a clean bathroom, that didn't require harmful chemicals!

     Next up, I plan to try making a natural liquid laundry detergent with it!

I received this product in exchange for my honest, unbiased opinion. I received no compensation other than the product. I was under no obligation to provide positive feedback.

Friday Favorites #17

     This week was a really chill week for me. I spent a lot of time resting and catching up on TV. I hope you all had a wonderful week. Here is what I have been loving this week...

I am pretty sure I am late to the party - but I discovered this gem this week! It taste so good. I have been eating it on rice cakes lately. I plan to try it on oatmeal soon.

Source

When your TiVo box hits 99% it is time to take action. I watched about 2 weeks worth of Ellen this week. She is so funny! I love her attitude and message.

My sister in law Snapchat me a picture of the party cake Peeps, because everything cake flavored is the best. 

I don't always eat Peeps, but when I do they must be at least 24 hours old! I like them when they start to get firm on the outside. Anyone else know what I am talking about?

Franklin's Favorite

Franklin is absolutely loving this soft bone shaped stuffed toy. 

He carries it around the house with him. Uses it as a pillow when he naps. Even tried to take it on his walk with him the other day.

What have you been loving this week?

Have you had Peanut Butter and Co White Chocolate Wonderful before?

*See what others are loving @ Life in Leggings*

Friday Favorites

I am all about health, wellness, and natural products lately. I have decided to start cutting out parabens, sulfates, petrochemicals, and many more toxins.
There was a study done that estimates the average woman puts over 160 chemicals on her body daily. Some of these chemicals are known to be harmful for the body and some we don't yet know the effects they have.
As someone who already has many health issues, I know my body doesn't need any more things to be battling on a daily basis.

Here are some of the things I have been loving lately...

I received these amber bottles for testing purposes to review on Amazon. I love being a reviewer because I receive so many great things and these bottles are definitely one of those great things. The amber coloring helps protect the integrity of any oils or essential oils I add to the bottles. Recently I am using the bottles for face serums. My current combo is grapeseed oil, jojoba oil, lemongrass oil, lavender oil, and tea tree oil. This is to help clear up blemishes and acne.

I have been using my new diffuser in my home for a little over a week. The little guy is always on, during the day and at night while I sleep. I love that I have a way to clean my air and have my home smell nice without burning candles that left off chemicals and fumes into the air. 

Please note I received this product for testing purposes as well but I honestly do love it and use it all the time. I do not post products I don't truly love on my Friday Favorites posts. 

My mom sent me the link to this on Pinterest. I think this shirt is adorable! The company has many other adorable dog shirts. Each shirt you buy feeds 7 shelter dogs!!

Franklin's Favorite 

Naps!!

How can you go wrong with a good nap? :) 

To see what others are loving go check out Life in Leggings!

Friday Favorites

I'm back and it's Friday!! Which means it is time to share what I have been loving this week and find out what others are loving over at Life in Leggings!

Source

     I recently started watching this show and I am hooked. It is SO good. I tell everyone I talk to that they need to watch it! I am a little more than half way through the first season. I love how there is always two exciting plot lines going on.

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     Another show I am loving. I only got hooked on the bachelor/ette about a year ago, but boy do I love the drama! This week's episode was so good. Some girls I haven't been fans of finally went home!!

My love for guacamole is still going strong. I also received the sweet chili tortilla chips by Way Better Snacks in my recent voxbox from Influenster. The chili kick the chips have compliments the guacamole so well. I can't wait to grab more of these tortilla chips next time I go to the store.

Lastly, I am loving Franklin's new hair cut!! I was unaware how matted his coat was when I first adopted him. It has continued to get worse at the base of his fur, near his skin. I knew it couldn't be saved without lots of tugging and stress on my fur baby. My husband did some research and found a great groomer where I could stay with Franklin while he got groomed. This was very important to me because Franklin gets anxiety when he is not with me and I have heard some horror stories from dog owners who drop off their dog at a commercial groomer.  

I was so happy with the experience I had and I think Franklin looks adorable with his little fur 'booties'! 

If you are in the Phoenix Area, I recommend you check out Sherry's Spa 4 Paws Pet Grooming. Sherry is great and really cares about her fur customers! 

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Do you watch The Bachelor or Jane the Virgin?

Eucalyptus Oil by UpNature

If you follow my blog you know that I have been incorporating essential oils and other natural healing products into my routine. The most recent essential oil I have added to my routine is Eucalyptus Oil. 

 Eucalyptus oil has so many different uses and benefits. Eucalyptus is the distinct smell in Vick's Vapor Rub. Every time I smell Eucalyptus I think of slathering that vapor rub on when I catch a bug. Now, I can make my own natural vapor rub with this eucalyptus oil. I also plan to make my own shower bombs with eucalyptus oil for when my sinuses or chest are congested. 

Along with Eucalyptus oil's many health benefits due to its pain relieving, antiviral and antibacterial properties, it also has antiseptic and disinfectant properties that make it great for cleaning. I have seen people make their own bathroom or shower cleaning solution with eucalyptus oil. Eucalyptus oil has also been shown to treat lice and fleas!

I have added the eucalyptus oil to my Epsom salt baths and found it to be quite relaxing!

Eucalyptus oil has so many benefits and uses. If you are getting into essential oils and living a more natural life, I highly recommend you add eucalyptus to your collection.

I received my eucalyptus oil from UpNature to test out. I am very happy with it. It came bubble wrapped in a small box inside of a larger box. I see no way the glass bottle could have possibly been damaged in route to me. I received a 4 oz bottle, which is quite large and will last me awhile. The oil came with a dropper style lid. I love this style lid because it is easy to know exactly how many drops you are adding to your carrier oil.

Whenever I get a new essential oil, I always do the paper test. I place a drop of the oil on a white piece of paper and wait a few hours. If there is nothing on the paper it means the essential oil is 100% pure, if there is any oil ring or residue left that means the oil was most likely diluted with a cheaper carrier oil. This eucalyptus oil passed the test. I feel confident that when I use this oil I am using pure 100% eucalyptus oil.

If you are interested, you can purchase the UpNature Eucalyptus Oil here.

*Disclaimer: I received this product to test out in exchange for my honest, unbiased opinion. The above post is all my personal opinions of the product. I was in no other way compensated. I receive no percentage if you chose to purchase the product.*

Paw's Choice

I am always on the search for the best products for my little pup, Franklin. Recently, I was introduced to Paw's Choice. I have had the opportunity to try out there Tear Stain Remover as well as their Dry Dog Shampoo and I wanted to share my experience with all of my readers who have pets.

     Franklin is a poodle mix, but he is heavy on the poodle part. He comes with all the typical problems that poodles come with. He has pretty bad allergies and his eyes are constantly watering. He always has little goo balls in the corner of his eyes, getting embedded and staining his white fur.
     I jumped at the opportunity to try Paw's Choice Tear Stain Remover and put it to the test. I love it is all natural, derived from coconut. No worries that the product will be harmful. I used a cotton pad, the kind I usually use to remove my eye makeup, and soaked it in the tear stain remover. I set it gently on his eye, making sure it was closed first. After letting it sit for 15-30 seconds I gently rubbed the cotton pad for another 15-30 seconds and then tossed it in the trash. I was surprised how much junk the tear stain remover was able to remove or soften enough for me to remove with my nail. I will continue to use the tear stain remover on Franklin once to twice a week to keep the goo from forming and staining around his eyes.
     If you have a pet that's eyes water a lot or have tear staining, I recommend you try Paw's Choice Tear Stain Remover.

     Another product available through Paw's Choice is Dry Dog Shampoo. I had never heard of such a thing and I was very intrigued by the concept. The idea is to keep your dog fresh and clean in between baths. I would love to be able to bath Franklin more often but it would be too drying on his skin and it is quite a bit of work to bath a dog! Sadly, this product was not a hit for me. I think the major reason I didn't love this product is because Franklin has such thick, curly fur and I couldn't move the product through his fur to get an even application.
    I really liked the mango-pomegranate scent and the fact that it is also, all natural and derived from coconut. I think that dogs with other types of coats could benefit from this Dry Shampoo, but I wouldn't recommend it for owners with breeds similar to mine.

*Disclaimer: I received these product free of charge in exchange for my honest, unbiased opinion. I was in no other way compensated for this post. The above opinions are strictly my own, based on my experience with the product.*