Love is in the air. I am so excited for Valentine’s day! I’ll be celebrating it with my family, friends, boyfriend, and dogs. It is Stanley and Watson’s first birthday tomorrow. They will be 1 on Valentine’s Day.  For those of you who don’t know, they are Scottish terriers and so is Findlay my 12 year old dog. Stanley is super outgoing and hyper, while Watson is scared of everything. Watson is very loving though. They have brought so much joy in my life. They may be bad sometimes but I can never stay mad at their sweet faces. To celebrate I decided to make my first ever dog birthday pupcake. It’s basically a cupcake for dogs. Stanley and Watson will of course share with Findlay because they love him. I found this recipe on Pinterest and decided to recreate it. The recipe is 100% dog friendly. It is an apple peanut butter cake with frosting. I got fancy and used a piping bag. I completed it with an oversized bone on top. My mom bought them two toys to open tomorrow and that’s when they’ll try the cake. I know they’ll love it.

 

Here’s a few plastic toothbrush facts for you to consider. Over 1 billion plastic toothbrushes end up in landfills every year in North America alone. Once used they take over 400 years to decompose. These toothbrushes also don’t always end up in the right place. You can find hundreds of thousands polluting oceans and beaches harming sea creatures! Luckily there is a solution to this problem. For Christmas I was gifted a pack of Bamboo Toothbrushes. I thought I would do a review over the product and brand I have been using for the past 2 months. The brand I use is Wowe, but there are tons of other brands out there. A five pack of Wowe toothbrushes is $8.95 on amazon. It is recommended that you change your toothbrush every 3 months, so this pack would last you over a year. The product comes in plastic free packaging. The box is made out of recycled material, and so are the smaller boxes that individually hold the toothbrushes. The handle is made out of splinter and water resistant bamboo, and the bristles are nylon. The type I have is soft bristles, but they aren’t too soft. The bristles and handle feel exactly like a plastic toothbrush would. It has held up great so far, but I have had one bristle fall out. The only negative thing I would say is during the first few brushes I could taste the bamboo. It wasn’t horrible and it eventually went away. I highly recommend bamboo toothbrushes. I intend to use them for the rest of my life. It makes me feel good when I make positive environmental choices. I suggest everyone reading should also ditch the plastic and use bamboo. I promise you won’t regret it!

Bamboo Toothbrush Amazon Link

It is freezing in Indiana! As I type it’s -12 degrees outside. I hope everyone’s staying safe and escaping the cold. I have had school off and it’s nice to relax, but not everyone can. As you may already know I love animals almost more than people, so I feel for the ones stuck outside. I hope everyone reading takes precautions and brings their beloved pets inside. If that isn’t possible I would suggest to have a heated garage for them, or take them to a house who can provide the necessary warmth. Even dogs who live inside are at risk of getting frostbite. My dogs all love the snow, but we’ve had to limit their time outside today. If you’d like to be extra safe you can even buy them a coat or boots to protect their paws. I will link some from amazon below.

Dog Coats and Dog Boots

 

As graduation approaches my future becomes more and more surreal. It is exciting and scary to leave high school, and frankly I’m not sure if I’m ready. Ready or not, to the world I go. Something exciting happened today making me a little less worried to graduate high school. I got into Ball State University! I applied a few months ago and have been awaiting a response. It was the only school I applied to so luckily I made the cut. My parents both went to Ball State, and so did my cousin. I attended a workshop for journalism at Ball State last summer and fell in love with the campus. It’s not too big or small like I wanted. I am still unsure about what I want to go to college for, but I’ll figure it out sometime. I definitely want to have a career in something I love. It is just hard to pin point what I want to spend the majority of my life doing. For now all I know is that I will be attending Ball State in the Fall, and I couldn’t be more happy about it!

I have tried eating healthy in the past and totally failed every time. This time is going to be just like the rest but why not blog about it while it lasts. Over Christmas I ate everything and anything bad for me. It didn’t help that my family needed to buy groceries either. Once all the leftovers from Christmas ran out I would just eat anything I could find. Since it is a new year I thought I should at least make an effort at eating healthy. To make the switch I have started packing lunches and breakfast for school. I thought I might share something that is super simple to make. I pack it for lunch or eat it afterschool as a snack. It’s guilt free and delicious. Basically you just throw together a few vegetables and season them. Chop all ingredients and mix it together with lemon juice, olive oil, and seasoning.

Ingredients

1 Avocado

2 roma tomatoes

½ a cucumber

¼ red onion

A little cilantro

A teaspoon of lemon juice

A teaspoon of olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

 

Happy New Year everyone! It seems as if every year goes by faster and faster as I get older. I am only eighteen so I hope it slows down sometime soon. I wanted to make a new blog post to reflect on the past year, and my hopes for 2019. 2018 was a stressful mess for me revolving school, but brought so many blessings and new experiences. So many wonderful things happened to me and I’m very grateful. I traveled around Europe, raised a butterfly, got two new puppies, started this blog, my mom has had good test results after being treated for melanoma, and I’ve just had an overall good daily life throughout the year. I try to stay positive no matter what and I hope to continue this into 2019. I’ve never been one for new year’s resolutions but I’d like to suggest that everyone reading try some of mine out. Number one thing I think everyone should do this year is recycle. My goal or resolution this year is to cut down on waste. I have a previous blog post called 5 Ways to Switch From Plastic that shares useful tips on reducing plastic waste. I am also being conscious of my food waste, because of its effects on our environment, and trying to reduce that. Hopefully this year we can all stick to our resolutions!

I have been so busy with school and finals for the last few weeks. I cannot wait for Christmas break it is long overdue, and so is another blog post. I have been posting 12 days of Christmas on my Instagram and I thought why not share it with my blog! There is no rhyme or reason for these posts, just festive things that make me happy. Click on the days an it will take you to an amazon link!

Day 1

The race to set up Christmas decorations starts soon after Thanksgiving. The holiday never seems complete without decorations galore. This year my family decorated a little sporadically throughout a number of weeks. My Mom and I are always switching up décor, but it can get pricy. Here is my suggestion for an affordable but festive outdoor decoration. I went tree shopping with my family and we found the prettiest tree! It needed some fine tuning, like trimming, but with the excess branches I thought of this idea. I found the tree trimmings for free at a Christmas tree farm, and I spray painted sticks from my woods. The ornaments have been acquired throughout the years but I will link ones like them from Amazon.

Day 2

Ho Ho Ho it’s Santa Paws. You may know I love animals. I now have three dogs Findlay, Stanley, and Watson. Pets in my home are never left out of Christmas. Stanley and Watson are new additions to our family so it’s their first Christmas. On the other hand my twelve year old dog is a pro at opening presents. I have been thinking about what to get them for Christmas. They are all obsessed with food and the puppies love toys. They are constant chewers so their toys never last more than a few days. The first gift I recommend is chew toys. We are always on the hunt for durable toys so we like the brands Kong and nylabones. A great gift is homemade dog treats. Click day 2 for the link to the perfect toy!

Day 3

The holidays are filled with many acts of kindness. It may be a neighbor shoveling snow from your driveway or a shared Christmas cookie. My favorite is giving gifts to others. This act of kindness demands to be wrapped. I love wrapping presents with my Mom while we watch Christmas movies. I started wrapping early this year and I wanted to do something extra special. I found craft paper at Dollar Tree and added paint, twine, or tree clippings to the gifts. I’ll link craft paper from Amazon so you can try it out too.

Day 4

Candles can make a house more inviting and homey, especially around the holidays. The scents fill the air inspiring cheer. I have so many memories late at night admiring my Christmas tree with a cup of hot chocolate in hand, while a candle burns in the background. Candles make great gifts for others and yourself! I buy Bath and Body Works candles most of all but I’ve found many other options. I will link the WoodWick candle!

Here are a few brands

Homesick
– This brand sells candles that smell like your home state. It’s a perfect gift for a homesick loved one. My home state Indiana smells like (popped kettle corn, hay, selvedge denim, with hints of vanilla, coconut, and white musk)
WoodWick
– This brand is convenient for anyone who doesn’t have a fireplace. It has wooden wicks that mimic the sound of a fire.
Eco Candle Co.
– This brand is awesome! It is environmentally friendly and organic. I suggest getting the pine scent if you don’t have a real Christmas tree.

Day 5

Opening my stocking is something I always look forward to on Christmas. My sister and I get Lifesaver gummies and Debrand chocolate every year followed by other goodies. I found a few items I think would make great stocking stuffers. Look for the bamboo toothbrushes under my shop it tab.

Bamboo Toothbrushes
– A lot of people get toothbrushes in their stockings every Christmas. This is a way better option compared to plastic toothbrushes because they are biodegradable. I have already put these on my Christmas list!

Conscious Step socks
– Socks are a necessity I’m always out of. This brand is devoted to donating to charity every sock bought! I would love to get these in my stocking!

Beauty items
– I would love to get chapstick, makeup, lotion, body wash, etc. I would look for items that are cruelty free! I know Burt’s Bees, Bath and Body Works, Too Faced, Urban Decay, Lush, and many more companies are.

Day 6

Christmas is a time of love and joy. For me it is easy to get caught up in the holiday and forget how blessed I truly am. I’m blessed my family can afford presents under the tree, or to have a Christmas feast. I luckily have family to share Christmas with while some are alone for the holidays. Christmas is also a time of giving. I have recently given back so people can hopefully have a merry Christmas. My club at school adopted a Christmas family. We just bought the family many gifts to open the morning of. I was also apart of a food drive. We collected hundreds of cans for our local food bank. My last deed involves my church youth group. We send boxes out called Samaritan’s Purse to countries in need. It feels great to help where you can. I suggest giving a little extra this holiday. Visit a nursing home or donate to the Salvation Army buckets. No matter how big or small anything makes a difference. No link for day 6 just love.

Day 7

Pickles not only are delicious, but a Christmas tradition for many around our country. My grandma started this tradition with our family and I can’t remember a Christmas without it. The tradition is a pickle ornament is hidden on a Christmas tree. The first person to find it wins an extra gift or is said to have good fortune in the coming year. I’ve always enjoyed hunting for the pickle with my cousins and I’m thankful my grandma keeps traditions alive. I’ll link the ornament if you’d like to carry on this tradition.

Day 8

Clothing for a cause!
We buy numerous items of clothing for others and ourselves around the holidays. I know I ask for clothes as a gift, I think everyone does. Why not put your money to good use and buy clothing from companies that give back. There are so many companies out there to choose from. A few I’ve found are Parks Project, Ten Tree, Ivory Ella, Toms, and Pura Vida Bracelets. All these companies give back to charities or causes like national parks, planting trees, endangered animals, and by providing essentials to countries in need. Every purchase can make a difference. I encourage you to look up these brands and I’ll link Toms.

Day 9

Gingerbread cookies are so delicious and one of my favorite kinds during Christmas! For gingerbread cookies I just buy the pre made dough, and cut the gingerbread men out. I found the cutest mini cookie cutter on amazon and I’m obsessed with it. I’ll make sure to link it!

Day 10

It can be hard for me to get into the Christmas spirit without snow, but seasonal movies definitely help. Some watch the hallmark channel nonstop but I like to stick to my favorites. There is some newly made movies to classics on the list. Here are 7 of my favorites but I’m totally missing some great ones I’ve never watched. Check out the shop it tab to purchase these movies on DVD.

The Santa Clause 3 – There is two before this movie but the third is my favorite. I would watch this on repeat during Christmas as a kid.

The Year Without Santa Claus
– This movie pulls on my heart strings but is a classic. I like to watch with my Mom.

Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer And The Island Of The Misfit Toys
– My sister and I would watch this during road trips to family on Christmas Eve. It’s a different story than every other movie and that’s why I like it.

How The Grinch Stole Christmas – Both the new and cartoon versions are great!

Elf – Elf is just a lighthearted Christmas movie that always puts a smile on my face.

The Mistle-tones – This movie isn’t that popular but might be my all time favorite!

The Holiday Calendar – This is a Netflix Christmas movie and I added it because all Christmas movies on Netflix are worth a watch, even if they are cheesy.

Day 11

As temperatures drop outside my room becomes freezing! I’m always in need of a cozy blanket to warm me up. These are great for just that and a perfect gift for anyone! I’ll link the fuzziest one I can find.

Day 12

I’m ending my 12 days of Christmas with a treat. I have secret Santa in one of my classes and thought I’d make something homemade. I found this recipe on Pinterest and it is delicious! All you need is puppy chow, Christmas M&Ms, mini Reese cups, and pretzels. Mix it all together and you have reindeer food! I packaged mine in mason jars with scrapbook paper and twine. Mason jars will be linked.

Plastic is something that pops up in our everyday life. 300 million tons of plastic is produced each year. Only 10% of that plastic is recycled leaving the rest of it to be littered around the earth, in our oceans, seas, or in landfills. It is estimated that 7 million tons of plastic ends up in our sea each year. Plastic waste has a growing impact on our environment, animals, and us. It saddens me to see animals trapped in plastic, or mistakenly eating it. The landfills filled to the brim with waste are unsettling. We need to help reduce plastic and waste in any way possible. I have 5 ways to do just that! Click the titles to buy the products.

Reusable Bottles

Plastic water bottles or Styrofoam coffee cups are used daily by many Americans. They are more than not thrown away instead of being recycled. Americans throw away 35 billion plastic bottles each year. Reusable bottles or cups are a great way to cut down on waste. It is also saves money in the long run. A good reusable bottle can last for years. Some are even insulated to keep liquid hot or cold for a surprisingly long period of time. Using a reusable bottle is one of the easiest to cut down your plastic waste.

Reusable Straws.

Something that goes hand in hand is straws and bottles, cups, or mugs. I almost always get offered a plastic straw when I’m out to eat or getting a drink from somewhere. The US uses about 500 million straws each day.  We don’t always think about the impact they these small objects have, but it adds up. They harm ocean wildlife, especially sea turtles, and many other animals. Not to mention they take about 200 years to degrade. Next time skip the straws or use reusable ones!

Reusable Coffee Filters

A lot of Americans, myself included, have a Keurig. Keurig’s are an easy way to make one cup of coffee, or the drink of your choosing. Every use takes a plastic K-Cup to make the drink. This adds significant plastic waste to our planet. A study found the amount of K-Cups that have been trashed in landfills could wrap around the Earth 10 times. Luckily there is an eco-friendly alternative! Reusable coffee pods can be bought online or in local stores. They work just as well as the normal K-Cup. All you need is your favorite type of coffee grounds to fill up the pod each use. This alternative could save us from a higher wrap around statistic.

Reusable Shopping Bags

Using a reusable shopping bag is a no-brainer. They are much more sturdy than plastic, so your groceries will never go flying. It is the easiest way to cut down on plastic. Plastic bags are one of the most common types of litter. They also effect animals who consume them. When in water plastic bags are commonly mistaken for jellyfish by sea animals. Using reusable bags can make a big difference. I suggest accumulating bags over the next few months and store them in the trunk of your car.

Reusable Food Wrap

I can’t even count how many plastic bags, like Ziploc baggies, I’ve used over the years. They are convenient for packing lunches or storing food, but Ziploc bags are so bad for the environment. Most of the time you have to throw out conveniency and do what is right. Reusable food wrap is right. It is usually made out of cotton and enhanced with a few other things. You can use these wraps about 150 times washing them in between uses. It would be an adjustment to get used to, but a good one.

 

Fall is the time of the year I live for. The crisp cold air, colorful leaves, pumpkins, and apple cider have become favorites of mine. Another perk of the season is a little on the spooky side… Halloween! The costumes, haunted houses, Hocus Pocus, carving pumpkins, and candy make the scary part of Halloween worth it. This October has gone by so quickly, I have been so busy I forgot to partake in some of my favorite seasonal traditions. One of them of course is carving pumpkins. I have done this every year since I was little. I remember looking for the perfect design or just carving simple triangular eyes. I have a trick for everyone in a hurry like me this Halloween. An easy and fast way to carve a perfect pumpkin is using cookie cutters. All you need is cookie cutters, a hammer, and of course a pumpkin. I would opt for Halloween inspired cookie cutters, but use whatever shape you’d like! First gut the pumpkin like you would usually do. A tip I suggest is cutting a hole in the bottom of the pumpkin instead of the top. Doing this gives room for a bigger hole, and once it’s carved you can easily set it over the candle. Take your cookie cutter of choice and lightly start hammering it into the pumpkin. There you go, a quick perfect cut out. I hope everyone has a wonderful Halloween this year, and happy carving!

 

 

Growing up in Indiana, like everyone else, I was raised eating meat. It seemed like we had to have meat for every meal or it was missing substance. I liked the taste of it most of the time so I never minded. As I became older, I developed a love for animals. Like diets, I have had many failed attempts at going pescatarian or vegetarian. It has been something I have wanted to do for a while now due to my morals. I could never fully commit because I have no self-control, and other people would deter me from the idea. It took about a year for me to cut out red meat, and ever since February of 2018 I have happily gone without it. The final straw was when I decided look up how we get our meat. I watched a few slaughterhouse videos of the beef and pork industry. The fear in the animals expressions and their attempts to escape death broke my heart. It wasn’t an easy switch but it was necessary for my clean conscience. Since February I have ate everything my family has, but without meat. Once I got use to my new diet I don’t miss, or crave pork or beef. It is easy to substitute out meat for other ingredients in recipes. I had to make a breakfast dish for my blogging class. so I decided to go for something savory and made an egg and hash brown casserole. The recipe called for bacon so I substituted it for sautéed mushrooms and onions, and it ended up just as good. I do still eat chicken and fish, but I am working my way up to becoming a full vegetarian. I am proud of myself for sticking to my beliefs and not letting temptation control me. Don’t let anyone tell you how to live your life, or make you feel foolish for the way you choose to live it.  I know me choosing to not consume these animals won’t stop them from dying, but at least their blood won’t be on my hands. I urge you to think about what you put in your mouth more carefully, think about the life these animals had, or could have had if you hadn’t taken it away.