Spring cleaning

Why do we as humans feel we need so much stuff. I am constantly cleaning and sending stuff to goodwill. But even still I am doing a huge spring clean right now and I was able to get 2 huge garbage bags for good will and 2 for garbage and recycling and I'm not even done yet. It's just crazy how much stuff we collect or feel like we need. Growing up in a house that was so full it easily could house 3 houses and did when my parents split up they both had enough for their houses and didn't need to buy much if anything and we still took van loads to the good will. Growing up in a house like that made me not want to save things and live with walls made of Rubbermaid bins of stuff we think we need to save. What good is it doing us? It makes me feel panicked when things are over crowded. We have storage we haven't even started to use in our house and when people see or hear that they are shocked. It bothers me to think of all they money wasted buying things even small things like $2 here $5 it adds up fast. And it seems like so many of us send so much of it to the dump or good will. I am trying to be more concise as a consumer and buying more of what I need and less of what I think I need and just really want. I'm not saying treating your self to something is bad. But every time we are out do we need to buy that magazine or coffee? Do we need that 8th black shirt? I think more of us need to think before we spend.

March reads

Stories from candy land  by Candy Spelling
Stories from Arron Spelling and Tori Spellings mother. It was interesting to get her perspective since I have read most of Tori's books.

Harry Potter and the chamber of secrets by JK Rowling
The second book in the series has Harry and his friends trying to find out who is the heir to slytherin as they are the person who has opened the chamber of secrets putting all students who are part muggle in danger.

Harry Potter and the prisoner of azkaban by JK Rowling
Harry is on lock down at hogwarts because someone is after him who escaped from wizards jail. But why are they after him?

Harry Potter and the goblet of fire by JK Rowling
It's Harry's 4 th year and hogwarts is having the tri wizard tournament. He is also having dreams about he who shall not be named. Is Harry's life in danger yet again?

Harry Potter and the order of the Phoenix by JK Rowling
Harry hasn't heard much from anyone all summer and when he hears they just write they are super busy. With everyone being secretive and Harry worrying about he who shall not be named he is on edge.

I am really enjoying re reading Harry Potter I have been meaning to for ages specially since I  never finished the last 2 books so I am taking this as my chance. This world is written so lovely i feel like I am at hogwarts with them and I just can't put these books down! Are you a Harry Potter fan ? Have you re read the books? What's your favourite series to re read?

Quick update on L'Oreal hydra 5

I have been using this line for about a month. I have notices some of my scars and red spots have started to evened out. I am still only using the scrub and toner because the other 2 made me break out. My skin is so sensitive that something in it like the sun screen just didn't agree with it. I could imagine if you were able to use all four products you would have even better results. I am very pleased with the products that I can use. And am great guy to influencer for the chance to try them.
Although I received these free for review all my opinions are my own honest thoughts on the product. Just because something worked for me or didn't work doesn't mean it won't for someone else. I have very sensitive skin and react very easily to things.

journey into fermented foods and drinks

While I start my seeds and wait for the snow to melt so I can get out in the garden I have been doing a lot of reading on fermented food and the benefits of them. As someone who suffers from multiple digestion issues and diseases probiotics  and digestive enzymes are a must. They help but I still have a lot of issues even with taking them. In finding out fermented foods are good for digestion, healing the gut and are loaded with probiotics  it only seemed natural that I gave them a try. I love sauerkraut So I figured I would start there. I read up on it and realise how easy it was to do I don't know why didn't I try this sooner! So I went to work chopping cabbage and making my sauerkraut. It's now sitting fermenting on my counter. Next batch I wanna add carrots, beets and possibly apple and fennel. The possibilities are end less with fermented veggies specially once it's farmers market season and my garden starts producing. As long as moxxi doesn't eat all my crops and all the blossoms like last year!

Next I am thinking of either making kimchi and or kombucha. They both interest me. I bought what I need to make the scoby to for kombucha. So I might do that this week. Have any of you had experience with fermented food or beverages? If so what? Do you have a recipe you like the best? What other things do you like you do and make around the house?

A week in Hawaii

we were lucky enough to have a chance to go to Hawaii with muffins whole family. There were 12 of us that went his mother, sister, hubby and 2 kids, brother, wife and 3 kids and muffin and my self. This whole trip was a dream vacation all happened because my mother in law wine some money on the extra. I couldn't think of a better person to win money on the lotto. It made it possible for her to make one of her dreams come true. Her dream was to go to Hawaii and being able to take all her kids and grand kids was obviously an added bonus. It was so generous of her and was a true bonding experience with so many memories made.
I was worried about the travel with my health issues. It wasn't as bad as I thought. Although the 13 hours flying was difficult I made sure to rest before, take extra meds and bring my neck pillow. The kids all did great flying. We arrived in Honolulu  around midnight. Grabbed the rental car and headed to the house. Since it was dark we didn't get to see our beautiful view tell the morning. Once we took in our surroundings and the house we made our way to Walmart and Costco to buy some food for the week. I had some amazing food truck tacos out side Costco. We relaxed around the house and took in the yard and pool. Before dinner a few of us went with the older kids to the dole plantation. It rained pretty good while we were there but I still took in the shops and we made the last train of the plantation. Home for dinner and early to bed.
The next day started at 4 am as most of the week did between the time change and chickens waking me up. Kirk and I went early to the sea life park to see as much as we could. The rest of the family caught up with us later. I got yo feed the sea lions there lunch as well as feed some Dolphins. It was a great day with such a beautiful view. We took the scenic ride home and stopped at a set of food trucks where we got some BBQ meat with rice.

The next day I went to Pearl Harbour  with muffin and his brother it was a gold 8 hour day. Really up our ally we all enjoyed it. But after we got there we did the sub and then went to the Arizona. We were on the boat ready to leave to go back to shore when a helicopter crashed into the dock we were suppose to dock at. They are lucky they hit the water which was my 8 feet deep. If they would have hit the land it would have been so much worse and there were 100s of people 15 feet from where they crashed. Sandy the 15 year old boy was trapped underwater for over a min and needed cpr we found out he passed away a week later in the hospital.
The next morning we hung out at the house and checked out a near by town and then muffin and I took off to the Polynesian cultural centre when it opened at noon. We walked and went to all the islands and learnt a lot and saw a lot of different shows and exhibits. I found this so interesting and it really helped with understanding the luau and big show we went to. My 2 sister in laws and mother in law met up with us girls the luau and show. The highlight for me was the 8 year old fire knife danced. The food was good I made a effort to try everything that I could including all the raw fish which is their specialty. It was a very long day  and we were all very tired when we got home.
We woke up early and muffin and I went to the zoo which was right on Waikiki we stopped at a Hawaiian fast food place called zippy then relaxed around the house swam in the pool and early to bed.
Then it was a beach day we lazed around the house in the and then took a walk to the beach. Later my sister in law and muffin walked to the grocery store and stopped at the food trucks to get some food and shave ice. Relaxing day and then back to the beach before dinner.
We woke up and packed and cleaned the house a bit. Muffin his mom and my self walked to the beach. The beach was gone the water had come in so far that the steps leading down to the beach were gone and the waves were coming up on to the road area. They were 30+ feet. We went back and left for the air port. Good thing we did the waves got to 60+ feet and  they closed the highway as they were crashing over the highway. People lost stone fences and damaged their houses and the roads from the waves. They were big enough that 2 days later they had the Eddie. A big surf companion that has only happened 9 times in 31 years and the last time it happened was 9 years ago. It's really to bad we missed it  it would have been neat to have been there and seen it. It happened right on the beach we were minutes away from.
The trip home was broken up which made it better. The kids did really great both ways. The flight was kinda rough on the way back. We were dropping a good 30-50 feet. I have been through a lot of rough flights but this was the worst. It was also bad because of my vertigo. We got to Vancouver and wouldn't you know it they had made us check our carry on the last min and I didn't take my meds out and they lost the bag. They handled it great. And the bag actually beat us home but flying with out my meds was bad and I was having chills and sweats from not having them as well as vertigo and nausea. But not even that could take away from how amazing the trip was. I feel truly blessed to have had this opportunity and to have gotten to build so a,my memories with such a great family who I am lucky to be a part of.

Dealing with set backs

it's hard to realize hey I'm 30 something and I can't do everything my mind wants to or even what people 20+ years older then me are able to. Going out for dinner or to an appointment can put me in bed for days. I have to be really careful cause my immune system is low so I get sick almost every time I am around young kids or someone who is sick. It's easy to beset back and not be able to keep up with my daily routine.  A day like today is gonna be killer. I have a massage, dr appointment and then have to pick up my prescriptions. That there is enough to send me into a flair and need days of rest. But everyone is going out to watch the boys at bowling. I wanna go. It's what I have to do if I wanna have any sort of social life. I need to rest before hand and to rest for days after. I often will be exhausted and sore, dizzy, brain fog, my voice will even often be gone. These are just a few of the symptoms not even close to all of them. It's best explained as feeling like I have been hit by a truck and like being hungover and having the flu at the same time. This is my reality most days. Even just doing to many of my exercises, or doing the laundry or dishes can put me into a flair. It's just how my life is now pacing  is a must. Limiting what I do and especially stress is key. It's hard to find that medium ground where you  can be physically and do things but don't end up in a flair. Something like being on a trip can set me back weeks. I have been trying to get back into my routine but it is like starting from scratch. I was up to walking 49 min every day and I'm down to 15-25 min again. It's all about finding a balance between what you can do and your body can handle. I know my body can't handle as much as most people so I just have to deal with that.