Good Bye Ruby Sue our Toyota FJ40 Land Cruiser

This week has been a rough week for me and Jed. We actually followed through and sold our beloved FJ40. As hard as it was, it was the right thing to do for our family. Either it was going to sit in the garage and collect dust like it has since we started having kids or we were going to sell it. Every summer when my husband takes it out of the garage is when the threats start, but he has never followed through with them until this week. He put it on Craigslist to sell or trade for a jeep, a newer model jeep. He wanted something that he wouldn't have to work on constantly and be great on the highway, not to mention safer. So someone offered us a jeep, a jeep that is brand spanking new on the inside and that has traveled all over the world. We couldn't resist. Oh and the best thing....he agreed we would have first dibs on it if he ever sells it. I dreaded Wednesday. Ruby is a reminder of our youth. A time before we had kids. We bought her a year after we got married. We took our school loan money and bought our dream vehicle. We drove her all over Arizona, hauled her up to Reno, Flagstaff, and Kingman....where she sat and collected dust. Poor Ruby. Ruby still makes heads turn and Jackson absolutely loved her so we will miss her and can't wait to see pics of the restoration. I am sure he will make her look and feel brand new again. Until then we have a 93 Jeep that we  have named Daisy. The best part about Daisy is there is a back seat and all three kids can ride with Jed. ;) Landcruiser

The one thing I will miss the most is seeing the kids playing in Ruby.

Wordless Wednesday......Adorbs!

So I washed my hair today for the first time in two months.

Crazy, huh? That is what most people think when I tell them it has been a month or two since I have washed my hair with shampoo. So let me explain....

I love infomercials. I really do. I am an easy buy, so one night last year I was watching Chaz Dean selling this amazing product called Wen. I wanted luscious hair. The next morning I still wanted luscious beautiful locks like Chaz Dean so I ordered me up some Wen.

I got my Wen in and dove into the world without shampoo. Two weeks later, my hair was lusciously greasy. I was not loving Wen. Loved the smell, the idea, I even loved my hair for those first two weeks. So I succumbed and shampooed my hair.

I was so pissed that I had wasted $70 on a crapload of product that I didn't really care for so I went and started to research and came upon Co Washing. Sweet Jesus, the answer to my prayers. Well my hair prayers that is. So what the heck is Co washing you ask? Well let me tell you...it is simply washing with conditioner. Same concept as Wen, but you find a conditioner that works with your hair. I read the cheaper the better. You don't want some super moisturizing conditioner because it will just grease up your hair. So I bought a cheap Suave conditioner for a buck and went to town and haven't looked back. I finally have beautiful locks. The frizziness is now manageable, my curls are happy, and my pocket book is elated! So what I have concluded is that Wen was just too moisturizing for my hair. I still use it about once every two weeks. It really is a fantastic product, but maybe not for everyday use. About once every other month I will shampoo my hair to get rid of any buildup of oil and dirt. My hair is gone from dull and frizzy to healthy, soft, and beautiful. It is so, so manageable now.

So what is in shampoo that makes it bad?....lauryl sulfate. It strips your hair of good oils, bad oils, and dirt. Sounds all fine, but those good oils are what makes your hair supple and healthy looking. If you are washing your hair everyday like most of us do, you are destroying your hair. With co washing you are using a product that cleans your hair by agitating.....remember back in the old days when they they cleaned clothes by rubbing them on rocks in the river? Same concept. So there you go, I hope you try it and have success. My tip is that all hair is different and that you may have to use shampoo once a week, but it is trial and error. It may take you a while to find the conditioner that works. One other tip is stay clear from protein enriched conditioners for this little experiment. It could dry out your hair and make it brittle. Stick with the cheapos. Happy Washing!

Wordless Wednesday!

Wooohoooo 100!

I finally have 100 subscribers! Thank you, thank you for following me!

Back In The Saddle

So maybe it is a fall thing, but I love crafting when the weather is blistery and cold. Ok, I live in Arizona the weather is rarely blistery and cold, but it is raining so therefore I must craft. So I decided I might list some more items on Etsy and you know the Cancer Fair is coming up, so I have Headbands now. Sweet adorable headbands for you or your little girl. I am loving them for myself. There will be more pictures to come, but here is one for now. My model was not happy about her payment of a sucker which she is also wearing, so pics are not the best. Promise to have better ones next time. :)

Homemade Coconut Oil Toothpaste

So a few months ago I started using homemade toothpaste. It took some getting used to by me and my husband, but I have to say my teeth are sparkling. I thought I would share my discovery and the recipe to all who are interested. Word to the wise for a better, deeper cleaning I would only use 2 tablespoons of coconut oil. For something that isn't as abrasive you might want to dilute it with additional coconut oil. I have read so much bad stuff on Fluoride that I thought I would give this a whirl.  We will see what my dentist says, but honestly my teeth feel like I just came from the dentist clean. Amazing!

 

 

Recipe for Homemade Toothpaste

2-3 tablespoons coconut oil
3 tablespoons baking soda
1/2 small packet of stevia powder
Peppermint Oil use whatever works...I personally use about 15 drops.

Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl and voila toothpaste!