Where do we begin? For those of you who have followed the last year or so of my health roller coaster, thank you! It’s hard enough dealing with life’s daily b.s. Added issues just make it that much worse, but having your love and support really lifts up my spirits when things start to go downhill. I have had nearly every test and scan available, and all without any answers. Well, there is one more thing added to the ever-growing list of health issues: Mild Spinal Stenosis. I won’t be seeing my neurosurgeon for a few weeks, so I have no clue how (if at all) it relates to the other problems. A question that I continually get is: How do I manage? Answer: I just do. Take one day at a time, and try not to think of the current state of things. Does the thought of another E.R. visit scare me? Yes. But, I try not to think of that. I see another specialist this week, so hopefully we will have some answers. And if this ends up being something they haven’t figured out, maybe it will be named after me. Haha. You’ve got to look on the bright side of life, eh?
#MinsGame: Three Days Left!
It’s hard to believe we started the #MinsGame nearly 31 days ago! Where has the time gone? So far, we have piled up an incredible number of “things” we have accumulated over the years. It’s easy to forget how much you have until it is all put in front of you. We are starting to run out of things to put in the pile, which is good in a way. We just have to remember not to accumulate more. I think we (the collective “we”) often gather more things after we have gone through a “spring cleaning” bout, for various reasons. In just a few days we will have a photo up of everything we will have to donate/sell/toss. Have you thought about downsizing? We’d love to know about your experience(s)!
Stay beautiful!
CLOSED: Summer Giveaway with Ethique Beauty!
Happy summer! We are doing a summer zero-waste giveaway with our friends at Ethique Beauty. They are based in New Zealand and make wonderful, effective, natural, beauty products that are packaged plastic-free. The boxes are compostable, which means they are truly zero-waste products! In case you are wondering, yes, they have vegan products but not all are vegan. Now, about the giveaway. Continue reading
Zero-Waste Beauty with Ethique
Our friends at Ethique sent us some amazing zero-waste, sustainable, eco-friendly hair and body care. Everything they offer comes in compostable/biodegradable packaging, making their products truly zero-waste! And, a portion of profits go towards charities, such as The Orangutan Project and International Animal Rescue. If only all companies were as transparent. Now, on to the review. Continue reading
Liquid-Free Travel
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Whether you are going on a road trip, or flying the “friendly skies”, the last thing you want is for your liquids to explode. Okay, maybe that’s a bit dramatic, but you know what I mean. You have everything packed, and let’s say you’re taking a flight, which can be stressful enough. You get to the screening area, and unless you have TSA Pre-Check, you will need to remove your liquids bag. Unbeknownst to you, the shampoo cap came unscrewed, leaking product all over everything. Just when things couldn’t get worse, there is a small hole in the bag, and the shampoo has leeched out into the bin. You’re out of shampoo, have to wash out the bag and wash off its contents, and now you have a bin to clean. There is a line of people behind you, and the feeling of holding people up just adds to the current stress level. Continue reading
Starbucks’ Plastic Straw Ban + Giveaway!
Starbucks announced last week that they will be removing plastic straws from their stores, completely, by 2020. It is a small step to help reduce waste and (hopefully) help save the oceans. If you have had any of their Nitro or Cold Foam beverages, you will have already experienced the new lid. That lid, which has been labeled as a “sippy cup for adults” by the online community, is set to take the place of all plastic straw-using iced drinks with the exception of the Frappuccino. Frapp purchasers will be given a straw made of sustainable material. What sustainable material? That remains to be seen. And, for those of you wondering, you may request a sustainable straw no matter which iced drink you get. Continue reading
The Mystery Continues
As many of you know I have had an array of symptoms and have taken multiple trips to the hospital. I won’t go into great detail– read more about it all here. The symptoms that began in months ago are still there, and new issues have come up. One is this burning feeling that comes and goes in my face. There are certain areas were it feels as though a match has been lit, though that feeling doesn’t last. I also have dull pain in areas, and sometimes a numbing feeling in one area of my face when I press on another. They still have no idea what the issue is, and I do have appointments with other specialists. Hopefully there are answers soon. Continue reading
#MinsGame: Day 4
We are four days into the #MinsGame, and that means we have gotten rid of 10 items! The box is beginning to fill up. This whole process is far easier than I imagined it would be. I think the difficult part will be the initial upkeep. Hopefully it won’t be a constant battle between needs and wants. But isn’t a lot of this a mindset? If I think about everything I have, I don’t really need any more, well, anything. Since I have been replacing single-use or limited-use items with products that will supposedly last years (provided I don’t break or ruin them), I won’t have a need to buy replacements for some time. You can read our other articles about those purchases here. Continue reading
No-Spend Month
In July, we will be trying out the no-spend trend. Aside from perishable food items, we are going to do our best not to spend anything during the month of July. A couple of the best ways (we have found) to realize how much you spend is to (1) keep a log and (2) try not spending anything. Whether it is a new mug, water bottle, jar, bag, candle, you name it; it all adds up. By not spending, you can see how much you are able to save and the dent your purchases have made in the past. July 1st will kick off our no-spend month, and we are interested to see what comes out of doing this. We do have some gift cards floating about, but since they were gifts, we aren’t counting those.
What are your thoughts on the “no-spend” trend? Let us know!
Do You Want to Play a Game? (#minsgame)
I don’t remember how I first read about The Minimalists. I think it was when I was researching small space organization and de-cluttering. One of the ads for their documentary video popped up, and I was intrigued. Around the time I saw them, I was also looking into the whole “Zero Waste Movement”. The two ideals seemed to coincide a bit. Minimalism isn’t just about living with less, but living with more meaningful items that you will use (the same with zero-waste), as opposed to having lots of items sitting around collecting dust. Continue reading
Darphynia's Diary 
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