Let's All Spread a Little More Joy These Holidays - One Card At a Time!

Encouraging a child daily grows their self esteem, shows them how much you love them and can shine a light on a dull, dreary day when they need it most. I don't know about your kids, but mine start dragging about the time they have lunch at school. Which is where Lunchbox Love cards come in handy! 

*Disclaimer: I received these cards for free in exchange for my honest review. I was not paid or otherwise compensated. The opinions shared are strictly my own.* 

These cards are made by Say Please. They come in cute, little, plastic boxes that make for easy storage. Which is a huge plus for someone who tries to stay organized. As a Mom who has had quite enough of negativity in the world, I am proud to use these to spread positive words one card at a time. 

Why positive messages are so important.

Kids might have it easy in our eyes, but that doesn't mean they don't face pressure and stresses in their daily life. They need positive reinforcement to battle the negativity that we adults understand so well. We get so busy, we often just go through the motions and forget to check into what they are facing. These cards give us a conversation opener. Let the kiddos know we are thinking of them. Say Please says it best, "Words are important, especially positive words. Their energy lifts spirits and makes the world a better place the moment they are shared." Just think about the last time you heard something positive shared with you. Made you feel great, even when the day might not have been going so well, right? This is what I feel these cards can accomplish even when I'm not there.

Each card has an encouraging note on the front and trivia on the back. Plus there are 2 cards that are blank for you to write your own personalized messages on. There are 12 cards to a pack. I was sent volume 25. I absolutely love the variety! For kids, teens and loved ones. And the trivia is so much fun too. I think they make for great ways to get kids interested in researching more about topics. Like this one, "During a 24-hour period, the average adult will breathe around 23,000 times." These make great topics for our table discussions. We love talking about things that most people don't think about. 

What else do they have to offer? 

You can purchase a variety of sizes and options when it comes to the cards. You can also check out the great free printables they offer. For various occasions! 

Need a great holiday gift? 

I'm not just referring to Christmas gifts, though I would highly suggest it! They have Elf Jokes cards if you like to play with the Elf of the Shelf (something my husband and I would love to do one day)! Let your elf not only pose, but get these cards to print and set up with your Elf. Add humor in a way you never thought to before. They have cards geared for many holidays: Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and Valentine's Day. 

Let us spread some happy moments, one card at a time with the people we love and care about. Think of this as another way to Pay it Forward. When we share joy with one, they are more likely to share it with someone else. Help make the world a happier place, despite the darkness we face daily. It starts with us! 

I did! I sent one to work with my husband to surprise him on his lunch break. Just a little moment to make him smile and add some pep to his step while he works. Who knows who else will benefit from his smile tonight? 

Going Without Salt CAN Taste Great!

Going to a low sodium diet has been an eye opening experience to say the least. It was very stressful in the beginning. Looking at all the labels and trying to piece together 3 meals a day without going above 1,200 mg per person. But I think I'm getting into a groove I can follow. For the sake of my boys, I have to. I read all labels now. Every item I would normally buy, I look for a lower sodium version. I search for new recipes. So thankful for Pinterest! 

My first truly low sodium dinner was this fantastic Balsamic Chicken and Veggies meal I found. The kids complained about the asparagus, but who cares? They have to eat more veggies and this was so delicious! As I find more recipes that we love, I'm going to share them with you all. 

Balsamic Chicken and Veggies

1 lb chicken breast tenderloins

10 oz fresh asparagus

1 cup shredded carrots

1 small tomato

2 tbsp Balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp honey

1/4 cup Italian salad dressing

2 tbsp olive oil

1/8 tsp red pepper (optional)

Saute the veggies in the olive oil, together. Get them soft, but a little crisp still. Cook the chicken in the balsamic, honey and Italian dressing until completely done. Mix it all together and simmer for about 5 more minutes. Voila! Dinner is served. No salt needed. I served rice with it. Brown rice is advisable.

Low Sodium Italian Pasta Salad

I found another great recipe. Kids didn't like it much, but my husband and I did. I highly suggest eating it as soon as you cook it as it dries up a bit during being stored in the fridge. We ended up adding a little Italian dressing to moisten it up, but that adds to the sodium. 

Happy eating! 

Italian Pasta Salad

4 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 cup bell peppers
4 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar
4 tablespoons Mrs. Dash tomato basil garlic seasoning blend (I mixed my own spices)
1 package of rotini pasta
3/4 cup cherry tomatoes

Cook pasta according to package directions; rinse and drain, do not cool. Combine olive oil, vinegar and Mrs. Dash® Tomato Basil Garlic Seasoning Blend in a large bowl; mix well. Add remaining ingredients; stir in warm pasta. Cool to room temperature, serve or chill for 1-2 hours.

Getting Into the Steampunk Spirit

I've always known I was a nerd, but I didn't always know just how big a nerd I was. As I got older, I developed my tastes and interests a bit more. I branched out from Star Wars and Lord of the Rings and discovered other cool things. Cosplay and conventions and such. But my favorite being Steampunk. Where the past and future collide to create amazingly detailed designs. Victorian styled clothing with steam-driven gadgetry and plenty of gears! It is absolutely beautiful. Which is why I have decided to design and create not only a costume to cosplay in, but even a purse that I can wear around daily. I scoured the internet for ideas. Pinterest was a big help, of course. I found one pin that showed how a lady transformed a regular purse into a steampunked piece of art! Mine may not be so decorated, but it is my own work-in-progress. One that I hope to keep working on as I get the supplies.

"Everything begins with an idea." - Earl Nightingale

Step one is always to have the idea. My purse is not the first thing that I wanted to embellish for my cosplay. Originally, my husband and I wanted to give a couple Nerf guns a makeover. Which is still on the agenda. Just taking the back burner at the moment. We will also try to get some top hats to fit our characters. I've decided to go along the lines of time travel.  He's still deciding on his. Then there is the need of a bustled skirt.... Well, you get the picture. We have an idea in our head of what we want. So now for the next step.

With the vision in my head, I have started gathering pieces to bring it to life. My Mom has helped a lot. She shops at yard sales and thrift stores in St. Augustine. Plenty of older things that fit my needs there. 

Following the birth of an idea comes the path of design! 

 

Creating the designs has been the biggest reason it has taken me so long to get this much done with it. First of all, I'm not much of an artist. I hold the vision in my head, but can't seem to transfer it so easily to my hands. And then I am never truly satisfied it is done. But I look at it this way, as long as new pieces come my way, it can always be a work in progress!

I practiced with painting on paper first to make sure I was able to get the look I wanted, then I started painting the purse. Unless you have multiple purses and don't care about trashing some, I suggest you take this route too.

Then I practiced laying out the pieces I wanted on it to see where things fit best.

Not everything I originally wanted, had a proper place in my designs. No worries, I'm hanging on to them for future uses. I settled on a clock design, directional star (or compass star) and a key element.

For the most part, I love them all. The star came out a little shaky, but not too bad. As I get certain other materials, I plan to add to the purse. For now, however, it is ready to be shown off as is! 

And the fun has just begun! I am thinking that in what little free time I have, I might start working on other parts of our costumes. Not sure I'll be ready for Halloween, but eventually I'll be rocking it!

Are you a steampunk fan? I'd love to hear your ideas. Share them in the comments below!