Spark!

 

Great News here at House of Views…..I am now an affiliate for a wonderful Essential oil company called, Spark Naturals.(SN)

I am beyond excited because SN is a certified Pharmagrade company at very affordable prices!

This is not an MLM company & there are no sign up fees(for you or I)! What this means is I can offer you 10% off of all your orders through Spark Naturals. AND if you order $99 worth of product(after discount) you will get free shipping too!

I will do some blogging on the blog here, but I do a lot of my daily writing on facebook at House of Views, especially when it comes to my journey with essential oils(EOs).

I am pretty new to the world of EOs, with so much to learn, but the small amount of knowledge I have right now, makes me all the more excited to learn something new everyday about them!

They really are natures pharmacy.

All I ask is that you always use coupon code(at checkout): houseofviews. This will get you your 10% and little something in return for me for referring you to this awesome company!

If you have any questions I will be happy to help, if I do not know the answer I will try my hardest to find one!

goals

 

I spoke about living my life with intention & setting mini goals for the New Year  in my last post here.

I imagine my mini goals will change and evolve throughout the year. The whole purpose of setting small, attainable goals is to make them simple enough that they are achievable but have a purpose.

 

                            

Here are my first steps to being successful in health:

#1 goal:  Drink 75 oz of filtered water a day. Purpose: staying hydrated, being more alert, flushing toxins.

#2 goal: Drink 1 green smoothie a day. Purpose: add extra nutrients to my diet & more energy to my day.

There ya have it folks, this is how I am rolling in the New Year.

What are your New Year goals?

birth

 

I sat on my couch in the very early hours of Christmas Eve Day…many thoughts were running through this brain of mine but none of them pertaining to Christmas exactly, or were they?

A hot coffee, a warm fire in the fireplace, and the Christmas tree lit with everything mostly quiet, except for the faint sound of Suzy Bogguss quietly playing in the background as the B’Dog unwound on the computer, playing Free Cell, of course

I sat there, thinking about the many blessings in our lives, but then I felt a wave of guilt, the guilt of being a fraud….mostly because I take them all for granted. All.The.Time.
My health, my good fortune, material things, friends, family…

It always seems to be this time of year when I think about how I am going to live life differently.

The New Year approaches and I ask the same questions…”What will I resolve to do?”….”Should I have a word of the year, like last year(Simplify) or should I just throw out a random goal I want to accomplish?”

I happen to come across a blog post about how we as people are too vague when it comes to setting goals. OH! That is so me. to. a . tee.
She suggested picking 2 things that would lead me to the success in what is usually a grandiose goal…losing 50 pounds, reading 100 books, exercising 7 days a week, yada yada yada. We all know the song and dance.
I am here to tell you, THOSE NEVER HAPPEN. ever.

So I am setting my goals that are small but intentional.

And there it is…my word for the year.

Live my life more intentionally.

I am not quite sure what that looks like but I am imagining it will mean I am doing things with purpose, leaving my comfort zone(OH BOY!), being extra kind to others, remembering to set a daily intention every morning, being more available as a parent, wife, and friend. I want to be more intentional with the time I spend with God, because too many times he is just an after thought. And I want to be more intentional with my health more movement, more clean eating, more stretching, and more journaling.

So along with the season of the birth of a baby Jesus, for me comes the birth of living lifeintentionally. Getting real and doing things with pure purpose and for me that takes planning. Not just winging it.

stay tuned for my mini goals….

Life View- If you are happy and you know it clap your hands (cue awkward silence here cuz I ain't clappin')

*Disclaimer...I LURVVVE Miss L, more than I have ever loved anything or anyone in the whole wide world. This post should, in no way concern anyone that I am going to leave her on the 1st street corner I see, with a "Will work for my Moms sanity....because my Mom thinks summer break is 4 weeks too long" sign around her neck. No sir-ree. Please do not turn me into social services.

Okay!.......I am keepin' it really real today.

Parents....Are ya done with summer break yet? 

I mean, really, really done with summer break?

I am.

No routine, no schedule, makes a Mama more cray-cray than normal.

It's all.... "MOM, can we go...." Mom, can you make me...."MOM, MOM, MOM"......and it's always when I am just getting into a project. It.never.fails.

These last couple weeks I've been nothing if I haven't been... touchy, crabby, impatient....and if there are any other adjectives out there to describe a part time stay at home Mom's disposition 10 weeks into summer break...I am probably that as well.

I've been on all sides of the fence as far as working full time outside of the home, full time stay at home, and now part time working outside the home kind of Mom.

As far as my sanity goes, working full time outside of the home was clearly the winner for me.

YEAH YEAH, I know, sounds like I am complaining. Yes I might be, right now. 

However, I also know how blessed I am to have the opportunity to be at, and take Miss L to, all of her activities, make her dinner, bring her to school & get her off the bus..

I know, I know, I really do! 

But mentally 10 weeks in, the blessing of it all...is a bit....out of focus. 

Want to know something that has become a bit more clear, as the blessings of summer break become a bit hazy?

If Mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy!

True Story.

For some reason, I have become the go to person for mood setting in our home.

If I am happy...everyone else seems happy, or the ones that are happy can easily overlook the "unhappy" one(s).

If I am sad...the rest of the house gets sad right along with me.

If I ain't happy...there ain't nobody happy. 

They can be happy when they walk in the door, but the minute they smack into my wall of unhappiness...BAM...they pissed...just like ME.

I don't get it. 

Why do I have to be the designated mood setter?

It's way too much pressure and guilt!

Are you the mood setter in your home too?

I assure you I am not always Ms. Crabby McCrabberston. 

Most of the time, like 3 weeks out of 4, I am a pretty happy camper. 

But a girl has her psycho moments and 10 weeks in,  my 3 good weeks have dwindled down to about 3 good days....and that might be stretching it. 

I KNOW I am not alone. 

Because all you frazzled Mamas out there have been lighting up the Social Media world with "Summer, you are dead to me" posts.

Tell me how you are coping with the last couple weeks of summer break.

I'm not counting but....22 Days until my partial sanity makes its return.

EnJoy the View~

Jenifer

Life View- Summer! It turns me upside down..summer, summer, summer..

Completely lacking in the blogging department?
Yep, that's me.

I don't know how you run your home in the summer, but apparently we fly by the seat of our pants here.
We have absolutely no structure to our summer days around this house!
It throws me for a loop most days, and I say I am going to implement some sort of schedule to the day, but it just never turns out that way.
It is a good thing I have only one child, or we would be running amuck, I tell ya!

I am curious.....Do you keep a structured summer schedule or do you wing it like us as well?

I had nothing planned for the blog this week. Again...flying by the seat of my pants.
However, we went to a fun little fair/festival/"days" type of event yesterday called Pioneer Days at the Little Log Cabin.
Most of the time it is so dang blasted hot, that I don't find it super enjoyable, even though I am fascinated by this village that has been built from old signage, buildings, cars, gardens ect.
It is ADORABLE!
BUT yesterday, it was picture perfect for this thick blooded Minnesotan.
70 degrees in July!
God must have seen my electric bill coming in the mail from last month and decided to grant us some relief.
Talk about a budget buster! I opened that baby up to a cool $270!! SAY WHAT?
How blessed am I to have A/C and stay comfortable? Completely..(trying to stay positive here folks).

Ok so anyway, I will leave you with a few pics of our day yesterday.....

No turquoise-ish toy at the flea market was safe from being photographed and oogled by Miss L and I!

(in case you didn't know, I am having a love affair with all thing turquoise-ish)

Cool vintage car signage.....

Old rail signs, depots, and a caboose....

Little blonde girls sharing root beer floats with their Grandpas.....

And bigger blonde girls sharing her Grandpa's lap...

All in all it was a great day spent with family in a quaint little man made village that gives a cozy feeling of stepping back in time....something we all know moves way to quickly.

Enjoy your View ~

Jenifer

Life View - She's got...Personality, Ya! Personality!

I ran across this "Type" or "Personality" test today via maskCARA.com
She did not create this test but she blogged about it(at her fun little blog)..... and I found it pretty fascinating.

I have taken personality type quizzes before but this one is pretty close to being right on.
For instance the trait: "being committed and faithful to my family and friends".
You could probably ask anyone who knows me and they would agree with that.
However the: "confronting danger bravely" trait....not me at all!
And again, ask most who know me, and they would enthusiastically agree with it, especially the B'DOG(my hubba hubby).

Me+Danger=PANIC ATTACK

Of course I took the "sample" test because you have to pay $10 for the full version, but you get a really good idea of your personality type with the sample test.

BTW, if you are wondering.... I tied between a 5 (The Observer/The Investigator) & 6 (The Questioner/ The Loyalist).
After reading the descriptions and traits, I am much more a 6 with some 5 tendencies.

Here is a long little blurb about a SIX according to 9types.com: 

A SIX is titled:  The Loyalist/The Questioner(I have seen it titled as both)

How to get along with me:

Be direct and clear

Don't judge me for my anxiety

Laugh and make jokes with me

Try not to overreact to my overreacting

What I like about being a six:

being commited and faithful to family and friends

being compassionate toward others

being a non conformist

What's hard about being a six:

the constant push and pull of trying to make up my mind

fear of being abandoned or being taken advantage of

exhausting myself of worrying and scanning for danger

Sixes as children often:

are friendly, likable, and dependable and/or sarcastic, bossy, and stubborn

are anxious and hypervigilant: anticipate danger

take on the fearfulness of an overly anxious parent

Sixes as parents:

are often loving, nurturing, and have a strong sense of duty

are sometimes reluctant to give their children independence

worry more than most that their children will get hurt

You can take your TEST HERE.

Then you can check out a description of your type HERE. 

Make sure to click your number at the top of the page, as this link will start with One.

Stop in at my FaceBook page House of Views, and share what personality type you are, according to the test, and let me know if you agree/disagree with the results.

Have fun with it!

I love a good personality quiz, don't you?

And if you want to check out a couple more fun follow-up links to the personality quiz, head over to visit Cara at maskCara.

Linnked up here:

Design, Dining, & Diapers

Craftberry Bush

five days five ways

Love of Family and Home

ENJOY your VIEW~

Jenifer

House View -- I'm gonna have to face it, I'm addicted to....dressers?

It has shaped up to be quite the busy summer!
As always, right?
I don't know why I am ever surprised at how fast the summers go, especially here in Minnesota.
Us North-men( & women) like to shove 9 months of outdoor activities into 12 weekends...because, well we kind of have to if we do not want frost bite!
It seems like every weekend is booked through August for our family. A good sign that we are having fun!

In between running Miss L around to all of her "social events"...I have been itching to start a new furniture project redo.
I found the perfect piece and cannot wait to get started on it.
There are so many great options & styles of "redo" out there I can't seem to decided.


Here is what the piece looks like right now minus the baseball piggy bank:

Beautiful, isn't it? 

What you cannot see real great in this picture is the beaded detail around the 2 bottom drawers. 

And what about those feet? UGH, so fabulous!

After drooling over this big wooden sweetness for a day, I set out searching high and low, like I do, on the internet and found some great inspiration!

An antiqued white finish with dark dresser knobs?

source

Aqua & white two-toned with brass knobs?

source

Distressed white with black top and black hardware?

source

Distressed bright aqua with dark stained top and copper-ish hardware?

source

 Or....classic black with a medium tone stained top and gold hardware?

source

See what I mean? 

Not an easy decision.at.all.

There are so many great ideas just on this page alone, image how many I found and had to then narrow it down?

This is where you, my lovely readers come in....tell me.....What do you think?

If you were in the market to purchase this dresser, what style would most likely seal the deal for you?

BTW, I am still loving Penelope, my 1st large furniture redo! 

If you missed that blog post, check her out here!

I am looking forward to hearing your opinions.

Until then.....

Enjoy the View

~Jenifer