Five Little Things

With winter in full swing- and in Chicago it has gone past that to absurd- I have become extremely thankful for the simple things that allow life to be a little easier. And my number one stop for ease when shopping / preparing food is Trader Joes. We have one pretty close, it has a parking lot, and I can get a weeks worth of groceries for about $50. This past pay schedule I didn't recieve a pay check so cash was a little tight and I had to budget more than normal. This week we lived off of Chili and veggie burgers, oatmeal, and peanut butter balls / cookies.

The temperatures have been dancing around 0 to -20 this week, so as expected our heater is working hard and the air is dry. I am loving this humidifier- the one night we forgot to turn it on before falling asleep I got a bloody nose.

Numero 3- a broom! I know this sounds like a silly thing to be thankful for but you learn to appriciate these things when you don't have one. After we first moved into this apt. I asked the Mr. to pick up a broom for me during his trip to Ace. He came home with a hand broom because it was cheaper--requiring crawling on the floor while cleaning it. Ugh.  I almost bought a full sized one last summer until I remembered I was on my bike. Biking in Chicago can be scary enough without doing so with a broom. I purchased a cute little one at Marshall's a month ago and our floors look fabulous. I love my full sized broom it's so easy.

Pan Away and Peppermint Oil were my home made Icy Hot this past weekend. I slept funky and woke up with a sore neck on Sunday, layering on these two oils led to some relief.

My Eddie Bauer Parka- this thing is serious. My body is never cold- even while walking into 40mph wind gusts that provide a balmy -30' sensation. I need to buy down gloves and boots and I will be set. Also- they restuff the fluff for their coats- Life Time Guarantee! 

Five Little Thinkgs by cloch1 on Polyvore

Friday Five: five little things I am grateful for

Friday Five: five little things I am grateful for by cloch1 featuring Primitives By Kathy

Five things I am grateful for this week

1. Candles- I have been lighting my candles more now that it is dark outside by what seems like noon. I love using candles to set the mood of a personal practice, meditation, or a bath. Fire is so cool :).

2. Girl scouts- This past Friday I was taught yoga at Family Fitness Night, a project for my cousin's girl scout troop. Besides the amazing cookies that my husband asks about all year long, "When are girl scout cookies?"- as if it's a holiday, as a brownie I attended summer camp, sock hops,  and partook in many projects. I really appreciate all the memories and opportunities that organization provided.

3. A washer and dryer- I don't think we are thankful enough for these first world luxuries, period. I know I complain about not having washer-in-unit, however, I should just be thankful that I have access to one- the a large number of the women in the world do not. I am super thankful that my mama lets us come out and use hers. If you have one in unit, take a hot moment and appreciate it! 

4. My food processor- it is used to make so many delicious things, and I use it all the time. If I had to grab one kitchen appliance in a fire, this would be it.

5. Yoga blocks- Post training, I have become a prop junkie. They just make it all feel soo good. I did  a great home practice Thursday and the block made it that much better. Not to mention Natural Fitness, shown above, is an earth friendly, Chicago based company.
Five things I am grateful for this week by cloch1 featuring white home decor

Friday (Sunday): Five little things I was grateful for this past week

This past weekend was busy- and I am thankful for that in and of itself. I was able to hangout with some amazing people, teach a great yoga class full of friends and new students, and celebrate the 30th birthday of one of my dear friends, but I did run out of time to post this--so it is a little late.

1. Fall leaves- although here in Chicago the weather is insanely inconsistent the beautiful fall leaves help to deal with the late 80' weather followed immediately by snow flurries the next week. When the sky is blue and sunny the red, gold, and orange leaves are so beautiful and the gradient of the trees themselves is worth stopping to appreciate.

2. The National Museum of Mexican Art- Chicago has great museums and for an extra credit opportunity our 101 students were able to attend the Día de los Muertos community night at this museum. Fellow graduate students and myself attending taking full advantage of the crafts, photo booth, snacks, and enjoying the colorful artwork of Mexican artists--- not to mention we had an amazing dinner following. How can you go to Pilsen and not get Mexican food. I am so grateful for the culture and museums Chicago has.

3. Hunter Boots- see point 1--rain, cold, snow etc. these things make it easier for me to galavant all over the city and stay dry.

4. Shutter Fly Photo Books- Theses are great gifts and they always are offering coupons. For my friends 30th, her husband created a book that all family and friends could log onto and edit--I dug up some winners of awkward middle school years and really enjoyed going through the old pictures. I think we all enjoyed her gift as much as she did.

5. Alternate Nostril Breathing-- so thankful I have this tool to use. For some reason in my class Wednesday night I just felt a wave of anxiety and a shortness of breath, hoping my classmates wouldn't notice too much ( I mean we were all really watching the Filipino hip hop group getting down outside the windows of our classroom), I subtly started using this breath to calm myself down. After a few rounds I began to feel better.

I am super thankful for my friends that attending my class Saturday morning--hope you enjoyed it as much as I did!!

Friday (Sunday): Five little things I was grateful for this past week by cloch1 featuring fall home decor

Friday 5: five little things I am loving and grateful for this week

It's that time of year when the weather is changing, clothes in the closet are being swapped from summer dresses to big chuncky sweaters, and new catalogs with Holiday goodies start arriving in the mail. It's super easy to feel like what we have isn't right and that we need new this or that or we drool over the new boots in the window of the store on the way to yoga--living in a big city and constantly passing store fronts on my way to and from wherever I decide to go makes it easy to get caught up in the game of wanting what I don't have and not appreciating the things I do. These Friday posts are to help remind me that I have fabulous things and to appriciate all that I have- I am a LUCKY, BLESSED person and I find happiness from within myself not from the items I don't own.

1. Slippers--- paired with a cup of tea, fleece pants, and a bowl of popcorn and you have me! Slippers make the middle of the night and early morning bathroom trips easier and if my feet are warm I am generally warmer all over.

2. Knitting- I have only knit a handful of times before, but for some reason I was called back to it a week ago, it helps with my anxiety, keeps my hands busy and my mind focused, and I can create warm goodies for all. See no. 3

3. Wrist warmers- I am a cold person, I often times see my fingernails turning a lovely shade of periwinkle when it gets cold outside. My office tends to be either freezing or hot and wrist warmers--knit by yours truely-- are the perfect answer to typing in the tundra that can be the grad. student office

4. Puffy Vest- my godfather is amazing and has gifted me some super warm puffy vests, they are perfect to put over a fleece and still have arm mobility. Not to mention they make a great pillow--I took a nap on mine the other day while reading.

5. My Mala- I really love the one above and can't wait till I get a really beautiful one, but for now I just whipped one up on my own from beads I had in a drawer- it ain't pretty but the other day when I felt an anxiety attack coming on I grabbed my beads, sat on my poof, and let a Ganesha mantra take over. I got up about 15 minutes later feeling a whole lot better and in control of my emotions.

Friday 5: five little things I am loving and grateful for this week by cloch1 featuring a down vest

5 things to help you fall asleep and sleep deeper

I have always had the great talent of being able to fall asleep almost anywhere. I was always the first one asleep at sleep overs and I rarely make it through a movie that starts after 7 pm-- always have been this way and probably always will. Staying asleep or going back to sleep is a whole other ball game- once I am up, I'm up.

Over the last year or two I have found myself waking up in the middle of the night with a racing heart and not being able to slow my mind down enough to fall back asleep. At some point last year, grad schools started to affect my ability to fall asleep- NOT OKAY WITH ME!

These five things help me fall asleep-- and I truly believe help me sleep deeper. I use one or multiple combinations of these tools every night depending on time available and my resting heart rate.

1. Lavender Oil- I rub a few drops of lavender oil on my feet (then rub my hands on my sheets and or temples). The lavender oil helps to calm the nervous system (aromatherapy) and it is believed that if you rub essential oils on the soles of your feet they will get carried throughout the body to where they are most needed. Plus your sheets smell amazing.

2. Bath- I love a good, long, hot bath. I will add some epsom salts and essential oils depending on what time of year it is or how I'm feeling. Bubbles are always beautiful and luxurious as well. To me there is something calming about the water and not doing anything else. Light a candle- it's all about a calming, soothing environment.

3. Meditation- The whole point is to calm the mind and to release tension. It is recommended to shut down all electronics and screen interaction about a half hour before trying to fall asleep in order to begin quieting the mind. Meditation is a great way to spend that time- start with just ten minutes.

4. Chamomile steamer (or other variation)- Any sleepy-time or chamomile tea will do. Steam a glass of milk or even just heat it up in the microwave, steep tea bag in the hot milk, add a small bit of honey and enjoy (maybe in the tub).

5.  Breathing-  no you don't need a mask but I liked the visual. A good calming breath that I use to fall asleep begins with a regular inhale and then I slowly work to extend my exhale so that eventually it is twice as long as the inhale. It is recommended to do this through your nose but I am an open mouth sleeper so I do this with my mouth instead of nose. The focus on your breath helps to calm the mind and the extended exhale is soothing to the body. I use this one every night at some point- especially if I wake up in the middle of the night.

Hope this helps some of you find some deeper quality sleep or find sleep a little sooner.

Good Night

ZZZ...


5 things to help you fall asleep and sleep deeper by cloch1 featuring tea cups

Friday Five: little things I am grateful for this week

1. Quinoa- I love this grain/protein combination. This week I added it to my veg. chili and it fives it a similar texture to using ground beef.

2. My wool fuzzy socks- they are so warm, since temperatures at night and early morning are in the low 50's I really enjoy tucking my toes into these warm little suckers.

3. Our Variegated Rubber Tree- The beautiful colored leaves are so fun to look at and we have done a great job of growing it, watching it survive makes me proud.

4. Poncho- I scored an amazing poncho at a resale store, it is gray, comfy, and warm. I just find there is something elegant yet cozy about a well done poncho. Pair with skinny jeans, flats, bag, and a hot cup of coffee and I am set.

5. Steamers- Two weekends ago I decided to iron and starch all my husbands shirts while watching a show (it was an attempt at validating watching TV instead of reading by making the TV watching productive--yes I am slightly ashamed of my motives). I sometimes think I was meant to be a 1940's-60's housewife baking, crafting, decorating, and playing bridge with the ladies but every time I try to iron I am reminded that I wouldn't hack it and that my husband would always have to go to work with wrinkly shirts--unless we had a maid to iron which I am not against. I am also super thankful that we have a steamer and that C is an enthusiast steamer and does it each morning while I lay in bed getting those last ten minutes of yummy, cozy sleep.

Friday Five: little things I am grateful for this week by cloch1 featuring thick wool socks

Friday Five: five little things I am grateful for (a day late)

1. Walls: I love the various ways to use walls during yoga class.
2. Baking Soda: One of the best home made cleaning product ingredients- pair it with vinegar and it's cleaning gold.
3.  Baskets:  Although the majority of mine are plastic, baskets help make organizing  easy and fridges/closets/shelves look prettier.
4. Mint.com: A financial planning website, was introduced to me by my friend Lauren who's husband is an accountant, and it is great for helping set budgets, goals, and know where my money goes (which is mostly my stomach).
5.  Popcorn:  Some people might call it an obsession or addiction and I wouldn't disagree. I have a massive popcorn problem and watching terrible old Spanish plays via dvd is made more enjoyable by my fluffy, salty friend. There are worse things I could be snacking on, but I probably should eat less of it in one sitting.


Friday Five: five little things I am grateful for (a day late) by cloch1 featuring a sunbeam air popper

Swedese home decor, $1,190 / Framed chalkboard / Sunbeam air popper / Baskets - Living Room - Danmark, $31

Friday Five: five little things I am grateful for

1. Netflix- After a lot of reading and critical thinking and planning throughout the week sometimes there is nothing like a great marathon- this week it was season two of Scandal, I just couldn't stop and was thankful the next one was readily available.
2. Microfiber cloths- instead of constantly replacing swiffer duster pads or floor dusters I just use the wand and replace it with a microfiber cloth then wash it. They pick up so much.
3. Q-tips- handy little suckers! I love using them to clean little crevices and remove nail polish I get all over my finger tips 
4. Sensational Bites- it is a great little bakery just down the street from me and it has become my Wednesday morning ritual. They always have a great vegan c.c. cookie and spotlight other vegan treats- currently it is a delicious pumpkin, c.c. cupcake with a brown sugar icing on top. They also have the best iced coffee and hot coffee I have found in the city, I am proud and sad to say that they know my order when I walk in.
5. Dyson Vacuum and Help- the Dyson website is one of the most user friendly websites I have ever used and they can totally make you feel like the handiest person in town. It was super easy to follow various steps to clean the vaccum.




Friday Five: five little things I am grateful for by cloch1 featuring Dyson

Dyson / AmazonBasics Microfiber Cleaning Cloth, (Pack of 24) Amazon.com

Friday Five: five little things I am grateful for

 1. Spotify- I love, and am thankful, that they allow you to make great playlists from their enormous music library, I think my yoga students are grateful too because if not they would be listening to my tiny, weird, outdated iTunes library.
2.Spaghetti Squash- I have an enormous fear of doing massive damage to one of my hands while preparing the SS, but it makes such a great pasta re-placer for nights I am longing for the warm comfort food.
3. My students- This week seemed to be the week they finally came out of their shells in my afternoon class, I recieved some bad news in the middle of class but they totally made me forget about it and had me laughing via their self descriptions with limited Spanish. Some included- my hands are long, my arms are long, my nose is long
4. Rain Boots- Earlier this week it was pouring cats and dogs, I despise wet pants and my knee high hunters and a good long trench coat keep me dry and happy. I happily walk or skip through the puddles.
5. The Skimm- If you haven't checked out this company you definitely should. It is a daily email update of the world's news in about five paragraphs. It is written in an easy to understand, fun to read, kinda like gossip about Syria and the possible government shutdown with an old girlfriend over coffee. They keep me up to date on world happenings where ever I am  and I can read it on the bus ride in the morning.



Friday Five: five little things I am grateful for by cloch1 featuring Hunter shoes

Hunter shoes, $145

Friday Five: five little things I am grateful for this week

1. Elastic hair ties- These don't leave a crease in hair, which is great when I have to pull up my freshly dried hair because of the Chicago wind.
2. Iced Coffee- the taste, the ritual, the smell. It comforts me and helps me make it through long days and long articles.
3. Skype- Last night I was able to Skype a yoga class to a dear friend in Baton Rouge!
4. Pretty Paper Clips- make me smile while getting work done.
5. Epsom salts infused with lavender oil- I tend to make my own,  and these feel so great in a hot bath after a long, windy bike ride. 
Friday Five: five little things I am grateful for this week by cloch1 featuring stretchy headbands

Stretchy headband / Beauty product / Luigi Bormioli Glassware, Set of 2 Duos Coffee Mugs

Friday Five: Thankful for...

1. Google Maps Bicycle and Public Transportation Option: The ability to use the little bike icon or the public transportation icon on Google Maps makes my life easier on a daily basis.

2. Waterfalls: They are so beautiful and this past Monday my cousin and I passed so many beautiful falls while heading to our final destination of Triple Falls in the Columbia George area of Oregon. We don't have many big waterfalls in IL, there is just something some magical about them.

3. Swings: I had a lot of fun playing on the swings this last week, I hadn't pumped that high in a long time, not to mention the joy that underdogs bring to all.

4. My uncle's bike: he let me borrow it to get around the Portland and go to yoga. I love that it acts as a form of transportation as well as a great way to see a city while getting some physical activity in- man Portland's hilly.

5. Small airports and airlines- A lot of my travel is done in large, overcrowded airports, there is this great energy to the tiny airports of Montana. The same person who checks you in will later be driving the baggage trolley to the plane, or taking your ticket at the gate. There are no lines, people are happier and you don't feel like if you can't get your shoes off, your clear bag out of your carry-on, and all your stuff on the belt in record time. Not to mention that Alaskan Air still gives you a complimentary snack and glass of local beer or wine!!! I feel like that is similar to what flying back in the day was like but without the smoking on the plane and the adorable flight attendant outfits.



gratitude 2 by cloch1 featuring hammocks & swings

Hammocks swing / Hermès Bicycle

Kombucha

Kombucha by cloch1 on Polyvore

Patterns / frame square / How to Make Kombucha An Illustrated Mother/Daughter Tale / How to Make Kombucha An Illustrated Mother/Daughter Tale / How to Make Kombucha An Illustrated Mother/Daughter Tale / How to Make Kombucha An Illustrated Mother/Daughter Tale / kombucha_before.jpeg (JPEG-Grafik, 550 × 550 Pixel) / Kombucha / Brew Dr. Kombucha

I LOVE kombucha tea, I started drinking it a little over a year ago and every time I go to the grocery store or on a little trip I treat myself to one. While I know there are more expensive and worse vices to have, my bank account (and therefore probably my husband) would prefer if I could resist the beautiful little glass bottles of culture at $3-$4 a pop. Solution: BREW my own kombucha. Most of my guy friends have gotten into brewing their own beer and I am going to join this brewing movement--just via tea.
 A little over a year ago my mom bought a self brew kit from OK Oregon Kombucha and it has sat in a cabinet since then. This weekend I decided I was going to give this a whirl, the best by date read some time about six months ago ;/. I was a little bummed out, but then my dad said pointed out it said "best by" not "bad by", so I figured if it didn't turn out then I would be down a gallon of water and some suger--BUT if it worked I may be able to save $4 here and there, and enjoy kombucha way more frequently = WIN WIN.
 If this works I am excited to keep brewing with my scoby and pass on a part of it to a friend- the guy working at the Ace down the street explained to me that out west people pass on pieces of their scoby as a sign of friendship and respect.
So here is my journey to my Blueberry Black Tea Kombucha

 1. open up the package
2.  boil one pot of water
3. put in the tea bag (black tea 4 mins, other 2-3)
4. add 1 cup sugar and let it dissolve
5. let the mixture cool and place in the appropriate container (food grade plastic, glass, or ceramic container with a wide mouth)
6. once the tea is at room temperature...still waiting for this,  add the culture packet included
7. cover with cloth and secure the cloth with a string or rubberband
8. place in a warm darkish place (I think I will do our back storage space), the tea brews best at 85' degrees.
9. Wait it out and taste after seven days, let it keep growing until it reaches a taste you enjoy.

 I am glad I will be leaving town for a little bit so that I am forced to be more patient! I will post some finished reviews.