Keep Going!

Our new website launched two days ago, and we’ve received 20+ messages from our proofreading friends! Keep going! We added 94 products to our site, employing lots of copy and paste. That method often leads to mistakes, so please help us find them!

For every item you call to our attention, you’ll receive an entry into a $25 Amazon gift card drawing to be held Thursday, July 19. There’s no age limit, so feel free to make it a challenge for your kids on summer vacation!

While you’re looking for mistakes, go ahead and add a few things to your cart. Today and tomorrow, use coupon code NEW18 to save 10% on your entire order.

 

Counting down…

Our website is about to have a whole new look!
We’re counting down to Tuesday, July 10!

As soon as our new look is live, we want proofreaders everywhere to put our site to the test. If you find a misspelled word, a link that goes nowhere (or somewhere other than where it should!) or any other kind of error, email us the URL for the page with the problem and tell us what you found. For every item you help us correct, you will receive one entry into a $25 Amazon gift card drawing to be held Thursday, July 19.

And if you’re more into shopping than proofreading, use coupon code NEW18 during the first three days of our new look and save 10% on your entire order. This coupon code is an online offer only and is good Tuesday, July 10, through Friday, July 13.

5…

Helena Fireworks Shirts

Don’t you love this very Helena-esque design for our Independence Day shirts?? Available in white comfort colors and dry-fit, from Youth Small all the way to Adult 3XL. Adult shirts are $20, youth sizes $15.

You can drop by Alterations by George to get yours, or you can message us to arrange for local pick-up or delivery. Reserve your shirts by commenting on this post or by emailing us at smithfamresources@att.net.

Helena Fireworks, Tuesday, July 3, 9:00 p.m.
Sponsored by
Helena Business Association
City of Helena-Helena, Alabama
Mayer Insurance Services, LLC
Jones & Associates, LLC
SMS
Southeastern Butcher Supplies
CIS Home Loans, Clay Brunson
By George
Helena Health Club
Smith Family Resources
Jarrod Gibson State Farm
Scozzaro Law, LLC
Gretchen B Photography
Wright Construction Company of Birmingham Inc.
Bob and Diane Van Loan

Strawberry Cookies

This recipe was originally shared on http://ditchthewheat.com with the name, “Paleo Strawberry Breakfast Cookies.” But I say, why just breakfast? My family loves these cookies for breakfast, for dessert after any meal and for snacks in between!

Here’s the recipe with a few minor modifications:

Strawberry Breakfast Cookies

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp. chia seeds
• 6 Tbsp. water
• 3 cups almond flour
• 3/4 cup raw honey
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup almond butter
• 1 cup strawberries

Combine chia seeds and water and set aside for 5 minutes to form a gel.

In a separate bowl, combine the almond flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.

To the dry mixture, add the “chia eggs,” vanilla extract, almond butter, and honey. Stir to combine all.

Add the strawberries and stir to combine. Allow to sit for 2-3 minutes.

Scoop 1 Tbsp. of dough onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet and flatten the top of the dough slightly.

Bake at 375° for 13-15 minutes or until golden brown.

Allow to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Yields: 36 cookies

Foaming Hand Soap

Here’s one of my favorite DIY recipes. Spend a little for ingredients, save a lot over time!

Foaming Hand Soap

Combine the following ingredients:

• 1 cup water
• 3 Tbsp. (1.5 oz.) liquid castile soap (I buy Dr. Bronner’s Baby Unscented Pure Castile Soap purchased at Organic Harvest in Birmingham.)
• 2 Tbsp. (1 oz.) glycerin (After trying several different brands  of glycerin,
  I’ve settled on Essential Depot Greener Life Essentials Vegetable Glycerin, available on Amazon. If you opt for a different brand, you may need to add another tablespoon to reach the best consistency of soap.)
• 8 drops lemon oil
• 8 drops orange oil (I use Beeyoutiful essential oils. If you opt for another brand, be sure you choose oils that are 100% pure, preferably from a full disclosure company.)

Yields 10 oz. foaming hand soap. Store unused soap in a glass jar and add a dropperful of grapefruit seed extract to serve as a preservative if you are not going to use the soap within 3-4 weeks.

Just Keep Moving

Rating my run on a scale of 1 to 10, I’d give today’s performance a “yes.” And my average pace was a “just keep moving.” But seriously, I really did keep moving today and I set some personal records. My app tells me that it was my farthest run (6.31 miles), my longest run (1:27:11) and my fastest 10K (1:25:01).

10K?! I did NOT see a 10K in my future when I started running last year! You can probably tell by my total time that I didn’t run the entire distance. I ran the first 5K and then did the best I could for the second half. So, for real, my average pace was 13’48″/mile. It swung between 10’01” to 15’09” and ended up somewhat respectable, but I would really like to get that closer to 12 some day.

In case this sounds like bragging, let me remind you that I have gone from not being able to walk one mile without pain to running/walking 10K with NO PAIN. I am amazed and thankful- and also exhausted!

Well, we’re moving on into the weekend, and if you haven’t already used your Father’s Day coupon code, I hope you’ll move on over to our online store! Use coupon code DAD2018 and save 10% on selected products for Dad. Father’s Day is June 17, and we’ll ship directly to any dad with a US address when you shop by Saturday, June 10.

Have a great weekend!

Outside? With the mosquitoes??

It’s that time again. You know, when the weather is nice and you want to be outside but then remember that gnats and mosquitoes are outside, too? We have four products in stock that just might make that time a little more comfortable.

Geranium oil has a sweet, flowery scent, but gnats don’t seem to like it. My husband puts a few drops of it on his cap when he spends time outside. He reapplies it every hour or so, and it helps keep the gnats away, especially the pesky ones that would otherwise fly around his face while he’s working.

Bee Outside is described by Beeyoutiful as “an all-natural spray that is all about outdoors, warm summer days, dusky evenings and great times with friends and family.” My personal experience is that it’s also about preventing mosquito bites. And it’s more pleasant than other natural repellents that smell strongly of citronella. The really great thing about Bee Outside is that the ingredients are actually good for the skin- no DEET or other harmful chemicals.

If you don’t mind the strong smell of citronella, go for the essential oil big gun for repelling insects. Citronella oil is strong, so be sure to dilute it in a carrier oil and test it on a small area of skin before applying it liberally. To repel mosquitoes, you can dilute citronella oil in a little almond oil and rub it on your skin with a cotton ball. For repelling ticks, you can add a small amount of citronella oil to your lotion, sunscreen or shampoo- about 6 drops of oil per ounce of product. For a larger batch of repellent, add 3 ounces of distilled water to a fine mist spray bottle, then add 15-20 drops of citronella. Shake the spray bottle before every use to avoid burns.

And if any insect should get past your best repelling efforts, don’t forget to reach for the Miracle! Miracle Skin Salve helps to relieve the itchiness of insect bites and to soothe irritated skin.

All four of these products are on our shelves right now. Get yours today by clicking on any link in this post to shop our online store. If you’re in or near Helena, email us or message us on Facebook. We want to help you enjoy being outside!

Today’s Run

I ran alone today, but I felt like I was in good company. I was thinking of all the people who have had a part in my running progress. I pictured them out there with me, some running ahead, some beside, and others cheering me on from the sidelines.

First, Eric. Eric and I ran together when we were dating. Or rather, I ran and he literally ran in circles around me so that we could stay together! He’s the first person to ever tell me how important it was to hydrate. I didn’t listen back then, but I recognize now how important that advice was. He’s been my biggest encourager since I started running again last year. We’re running together again and I think he’s as thankful as I am that my knees don’t hurt anymore!

Kristin, my friend, my fitness coach! Kristin helped me develop an exercise plan for bone health several years ago, and she’s never stopped encouraging me to exercise. We both thought running was out of the question back then, but she pushed me to do all that I could do. Two years ago, she and I participated in a race in which she finished a 10K before I finished a 5K! I’ll never catch up with you, Kristin, but it keeps me going to think of you running ahead.

Three years of exercise had strengthened me, but I didn’t notice any real improvement in my knees until I started meeting with a health coach last June. Rebecca Mills-Anderson taught me many things, but the first major lesson I learned from her was the importance of eating plenty of fruits and vegetables. Eating better led to feeling better and to running without pain. Thanks, Rebecca!

Heidi is not a runner, but she’s miles ahead of me when it comes to nutrition. I have so much to learn, and Heidi has been a willing sounding board for me as I’ve attempted to process my thoughts about food and nutrients and vitamins and health in general. Thanks for all the healthy meal plans and snack ideas, Heidi!

My newest run-encourager is Channing who will probably be surprised to find her name here! Channing is training for her first 5K and she texted this week that she’s currently running about a 12-minute mile. Well, my pace has been in the 14-15’s lately, and Kristin has been encouraging me to aim for a faster pace. So as I ran this morning, I imagined Channing running with me. Hey, I thought! I can probably keep up with her! So, I gave it all I had and ran my first mile in 11 minutes and 54 seconds. Thanks, Channing!

And then there’s Jan. Jan quietly encourages and praises my efforts even when my finish times are laughable compared to hers! This past Saturday in the High Country 5K, she placed 1st in our age group with a time of 26:21. I placed 3rd with a time of 42:12. Picture Jan crossing the finish line and then waiting almost 16 minutes for me to make my appearance! 

Running down the trail today, I pictured Kristin and Jan running in the distance with Channing just a few steps ahead. I thought of Eric running beside me, keeping me company, even though he’s still a faster runner than I am.  In my mind’s eye, Rebecca and Heidi were sitting on a bench nearby planning a nutritious recovery snack!

In addition to my imaginary cheerleaders, there were some awesome birds on the lake today: red-winged blackbirds, belted kingfishers, purple martins, Canada geese, and a great blue heron. Here’s a little video of the great blue heron. Be sure to turn the volume up for his funny squawk at the beginning of the clip.

Thanks for letting me share my run with you!

Poison Ivy

Leaves of three, leave them be, right? But sometimes you’re standing in it before you realize it’s there. What to do?

I’ve often recommended Miracle Skin Salve for poison ivy rashes. Miracle can be applied directly to the affected skin. It helps to relieve the itchiness and it seems to slow the spread of the rash. I’ve advised people to apply it after showering any time they think they may have been exposed to poison ivy and I think that is helpful advice.

But the best advice I’ve been able to share is found in a video shared by Extreme Deer Habitat in 2014, “How to never have a serious poison ivy rash again.”

I really think you should watch all 5 minutes and 13 seconds of this video, but if you’re really pressed for time, I’ll summarize the secret: friction. Jim Brauker explains that it’s the urushiol oil in poison ivy, poison sumac, and poison oak that causes the rash. Uroshiol oil is much like motor oil in that is difficult to remove from the skin, but unlike it in that it is invisible! Showering with Dawn or applying Miracle may help, but nothing will prevent the rash if the oil is left on the skin.

If you can watch only a few seconds of this video, skip to 3:10 where Dr. Brauker demonstrates how to use friction, i.e. a washcloth, to prevent a poison ivy rash.

May you never have a poison ivy rash ever again! (But don’t forget your Miracle if you do!)

Add Some D to your Day

Add some D to your day. Vitamin D, that is.

You probably already know that Vitamin D helps regulate calcium and promotes absorption which helps with bone mineralization. Did you also know that Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to blood sugar problems, low back pain, high blood pressure, Alzheimer’s, kidney stones, psoriasis, depression, seasonal affective disorder, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome and auto-immune diseases? If you are dealing with any of these issues, consider adding Vitamin D to your day.

The most natural way to add Vitamin D is to get outside. Sunlight actually causes the body to produce Vitamin D. “If you’re going to get it from the sun, about 20 to 25 minutes of exposure is helpful,” says Stephen Honig, MD, director of the Osteoporosis Center at the Hospital for Joint Diseases, in New York City.

You can also get it from your food. Fatty fish (including salmon, trout, and tuna) and eggs are good sources of Vitamin D.

Most of us don’t get enough sunlight or foods rich in Vitamin D to provide all that we need, and that’s where supplements come in. Click here to check out more than 12 different supplements containing Vitamin D.  Talk with your healthcare provider about your specific Vitamin D requirements. Then read supplement nutrition facts to determine which of these products will best meet your needs.

Now’s a particularly good time to consider Beeyoutiful’s D3. These Vitamin D softgels are  small, they’re easy to swallow (even for those who usually have trouble swallowing pills), AND they’re on sale. For a limited time, you can purchase a 4-month supply of Vitamin D3 for about 7 cents per day!

Click here to purchase D3 softgels and make an affordable investment in your health!

Go ahead! Add some D to your day!