Lost in the Feminine Products Aisle & Picking Out a Backsplash

Welcome to Oversharing Wednesday.

Just kidding. It's regular Wednesday and I need no reason to overshare.

It was such a relief to read up on ADD and find out that my being overwhelmed in stores is part of the deal. I have always HATED shopping ... even when I weighed 100 pounds and clothing was easy to find and fit, I hated the choices. I love grocery shopping at Aldi and try to avoid those sections at the beginning and end where they cram 17,000 different, new, limited-time-only products all together. My brain feels like it's on fire when I have so many choices and I get pissy or shut down.

I took this picture of my local feminine products aisle when I was standing there preparing for my monthly situation. I do this EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. (the standing there looking like a zombie)*

You would think I would write down the one that worked for me but I never do and I would lose that piece of paper anyway. Perhaps a tattoo of my pad choice is in order. On the back of my hand.

So are we talking wings or no wings? Short, medium or long? The pad that holds a trickle or the pad that holds a gallon?

All have their merits.

Here's the super overshare part. Pssst! Some women, after having a ton of kids or simply when getting older, have to also do the Skipper of the pad world DAILY. Yeah, I said that. Regular pads are the Barbies and the tiny pads are the little sister pads, the Skippers. Enjoy your new terminology.

Why am I telling you all this? Because this past week my long-suffering husband and I have been looking for BACKSPLASH (needs a new word; I'll have to work on that one ... something like KITCHEN CATCHER because it catches all the popping grease and spaghetti sauce) tile.

Gotta love the 57 trillion choices!

We went to a SMALL place to look for our housing update needs and still ... he brought a sample of what our wall looks like painted and a sample of the wood of the cabinets and a sample of the granite countertop and I have come to the conclusions that:

1. My eyes do not process color like the rest of the world.
2. Feel sorry for me because I was born without the gene that helps match things to other things. I recently realized my meager closet is basically black and white with some gray ... a couple of colorful, easy-to-wash dresses that all go with basic black shoes round it all out.

This is a few years old and now I have fewer shoes and more black outfits. I'm one of those psychos who could wear the same exact thing every day so I don't have to worry about getting dressed and matching.

*Warning: please do not speak to me about the Diva Cup. It's not going to happen. And tampons are also not happening. And they can leak so you also need the tampon's wing-man (pun intended), the mini pad. I personally like to slap on the appropriate pad and go live my life and I'm probably not going to change anytime soon.

I would like to apologize to any male who stumbled upon this post and had no idea that THIS STRUGGLE IS REAL!

Here's a post from 2012 when we were stripping 76 layers of wallpaper in the kitchen we are now overhauling so we can sell the house.

If this post did not make you vomit or throw your phone/computer, please consider signing up for an email subscription at the top of the blog. Thanks!

Tackle-It Tuesday: Meal Planning

Every Tuesday, I tackle a different project around my home that's been bugging all of us!

*Originally posted 9/18/12 but I had to pull it out of the blog vault and move it up in the lineup.

Confession: I stink at meal planning. And I hate grocery shopping. And I don't fully embrace cooking in general.

But now I have some hope!

Last week my friend brought over this lime, avocado, baby shrimp, rice salad thing with Ranch dressing. It was AMAZING. I thought, "I want to make stuff like that but don't have time to troll Pinterest and cooking sites for recipes!"

Enter Grocery Shrink Plus by Angela Coffman. Andrea told me that the recipe was from a new meal planning email dealy jobber she signed up for that is only $5 a month! I figured I could handle that financially, especially since Andrea told me some of the meals are meatless and will save my family money instantly! I signed right up!

Kitchen Remodel to Move to the Country: Pantry

Okay, so there used to be a 1966 oven in this top space of our pantry. Aron got rid of it and we put in a gas oven/stove to the right instead (where some space had been for pots and pans). The oven was so small and the range was electric so we made some changes.

Aron making his dovetail stuffs. Talented dude.

Top stuff is out and shelves are out. Ready to work on drawers to put in.

Wait! Gotta do some staining and stuff first.

Food hangs out in a storage receptacle for about a day or two

VOILA! Aron does it again! Five awesome drawers to match our five awesome kids. Not really, it just worked out that way.

On to the counters and sink!!!! If you want to follow the progress, sign up for an email subscription and you can get all the latest in your inbox.

How to Relieve Varicose Veins

Going for a walk on the beach ... or just around the neighborhood ... can stop varicose veins from ever forming.

Varicose veins are swollen, enlarged veins in the legs which usually appear a blue or purple color. They may also look bumpy, twisted or bulging. These painful and unsightly veins usually develop when small valves inside the veins cease to work properly and the blood flow begins to collect in your veins. Those suffering from varicose veins may report suffering from related symptoms such as leg muscle cramps, aching in the legs and ankles, and swelling in the legs. Thankfully, there are some useful things which you can do to either relieve or even totally get rid of varicose veins.

Adjusting Your Lifestyle

A lot of the time, varicose veins are a result of your lifestyle. For example, if you work at a job which requires you to sit or stand for extended periods of time, this can cause the valves in your veins to weaken, subsequently causing varicose veins. In order to combat this, avoid sitting or standing for long periods of time, take regular breaks at work where possible to walk around, and stretch your legs.

Elevating Your Legs

When you sit down, keeping your legs uncrossed and elevated can help to reduce the symptoms of varicose veins. Elevating your legs when you sit can help to ease the pressure on your blood vessels, whilst keeping them uncrossed reduces the pressure on your veins themselves. Placing your feet on a stool or other chair when you’re sitting down helps to improve the circulation in your legs. Occasionally, try to lift your legs so that your feet are above the level of your heart.

Adjusting Your Sleeping Position

Adjusting your sleeping position so that your legs are raised can also help to relieve varicose veins. Whilst you sleep, keep your feet placed on a pillow or two in order to keep them elevated and improve the circulation of blood around your legs whilst you sleep. Keeping your legs raised whilst you’re lay down is just as important as when you are sitting.

Loose Clothing

Loose-fitting clothing and low-heeled shoes are the best choices of garment when you want to reduce varicose veins in the legs. Low-heeled shoes or flat shoes cause your calf muscles to work more when you’re walking, which helps with the circulation of blood in your legs. You should especially avoid wearing clothes that fit tightly around the waist, groin or legs. Instead, go for clothing which does not restrict these areas in order to keep blood flow healthy.

Regular Exercise

Including regular exercise in your daily routine can improve both the circulation and the muscle tone in your legs. Exercising on a regular basis can also help you to lose weight if you need to, subsequently relieving pressure on your legs and greatly minimizing your varicose veins. Even something such as a short half an hour walk or jog each day can greatly help to improve your circulation overall. Focus on cardiovascular activities which help to get the blood pumping throughout your body.

If your varicose vein problems persist, it’s advisable to visit a specialist vascular doctor for more advice.

Teaching Kids to Respect Different Religions

Religion is as diverse as it is personal to individuals, and in order to respect different faiths and religions it is important to have a good understanding of them. Whether you class your family as being religious or not, it’s important to teach your children the importance of respecting people of all different faiths and beliefs.  Whether you have a firm belief in a religion yourself or don’t hold to any particular religious belief, educating your children about the different religions and faiths which people follow can help to instill a deeper respect for diversity in them.

Understanding Your Own Spiritual Values

Before you can start to explain the different belief systems and values of other religions it’s important to have a good understanding of your own spiritual values and that of your family. If your family has a religious background, it’s important that you realize that this is a vital part of your family history and should be explained as such to your kids, regardless of whether you yourself still practice the religion personally. Children should be encouraged to learn about and compare other religions in a respectful way. Different theologies lead to various practices and celebrations, and it’s important that these differences be approached in a respectful and courteous manner rather than saying that ‘our way is right and theirs is wrong’.

Encourage Learning

Don’t leave it to your kids to figure out different religions for themselves; instead bring up conversation and encourage your children to ask questions and learn more about diversity of religion. For example, if your child has Muslim friends at school, you could bring this up in conversation and get them talking about the religion of Islam and its different practices and traditions. It’s important to help your child to understand that no matter which religion you follow personally, all religions have good things about them and moral standards which are useful in life. Teach your child to celebrate different religions as they are part of what makes individuals who they are. This website is an excellent resource for information about all different religions and can be a great tool to help you answer any questions that your kids might have.

Incorporate New and Old Rituals

If your family has a history with a certain religion, there will no doubt be certain religious rituals and traditions which you still partake in as a family unit. Incorporating new and old rituals and traditions can help to encourage your child to respect other religions and have an open mind regarding the traditions and culture of different faiths. Religious rituals create a spiritual framework along with warm family memories, so it’s important that you observe these old traditions as well as create new ones which people of all faiths can participate in. This allows you to accommodate for any friends of your children who follow different religions and demonstrate to your children how people of all religions can respect each other’s beliefs and get along in harmony.

Can you give any more guidance to parents who are looking to encourage their children to respect other religions? Let us know in the comments.