Friday Favorites ~ Recipes, Cozy Feet and Pick-me-ups

It's Friday, although I just had to look at my calendar to double check.

This week has been quite the whirlwind of wind, snow, ice, wind, ice, school cancellations and lots and lots of playing outside.

We may not have had much of the accumulation variety, but it was enough to fulfill our winter storm desires!

TRUTH ~ Did you know that you can use scooters and tricycles to sled if the ice is hard enough?

I figured, since it's been kind of a crazy week, and this mama is feeling a TAAAAD bit C-R-A-Z-Y, (that and the fact that I haven't written one all week), I felt like a list of sorts was in order.

TRUTH ~ If you have been all played out from the snow and can't fathom putting your boots back on and braving the cold temps, you can get away with laying in front of the window (inside) and moving your feet in different locations on it as targets for the kids to throw snowballs at so they feel like you are still playing with them.

And since I am sitting here at 10:16pm with all 5 Colony members FINALLY in bed, and feeling VERY thankful and grateful for that fact, I thought I'd make my list about some of my favorite happy things.

1 - the afore mentioned winter weather. I do have some pics but I'm too lazy to upload them onto my computer (you did read that it is 10:16pm, right?) so they will just have to wait.

2 - my slippers, made by none other than my mom.  They make my feet happy:).  For real!  They are the only slippers I have ever owned that don't make my feet clammy or sweaty.  I Luh Them.

TRUTH ~ You can never have too much hot chocolate on hand for cold, snowy days.

3 - My new body wash that I made.  After making my homemade hand soap (2-3 Tbsp. of castile soap, 1 tsp. of Vitamin E oil and 5-6 drops of Thieves EO.  Fill rest of bottle with water and mix) I was sold on finding some more ways to implement my essential oils into other areas of my life, and the body wash was next on the list.  I combined a few recipes I saw floating around Pinterest.  The only thing I would do differently is make it with fractioned Coconut oil instead of regular Coconut oil.  But the smell is SO yummy!

1 cup Dr. Bronners plain liquid castile soap

1/2 cup of vitamin E oil

1 cup melted Coconut oil

then add:

7-8 drops of Ylang Ylang

10 drops of Grapefruit

7-8 drop of Lavender

4 - "cookie balls" - Actually Known As "Homemade Granola Energy Balls".  We make them on a weekly basis and Jude knows when I've forgotten an ingredient as he is the key chef for this recipe.  It has become a family and friend favorite:

2 cups oats

2 cups unsweetened, raw, shredded coconut

1 cup flax seed

1 cup chocolate chips

1/2 Tbsp cinnamon

1/2 Tbsp vanilla extract

1 cup raw honey

1 cup peanut/almond butter

TRUTH ~ In order to make it to our mailbox without busting your a$$ on the ice you must make sure you have appropriate shoes on, dig your heal into the ice and slowly roll your foot forward while digging the heal of your other foot into the ice.  I'm guessing it could get rather embarrassing if this technique were not mastered before heading down to check the mail during rush hour.

5 - My parents being here.  Josh is in Israel for the next week and things have been a bit difficult on the home front.  It's always nice to know that you have some extra hands, cuddles and book reading bodies to lean on (not to mention help in the kitchen)!  So thanks, ya'll, for coming.

Five happy things for Friday.

Have a great, happy weekend ya'll!