• Home
  • About
    • Simply… Nicole
    • Simply… Sara
  • Food
  • Family
  • Lovelies
  • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Recipe Index

doTERRA Essential Oils // Giveaway

May 13, 2014

doTERRA Essential Oils

:: dōTERRA Essential Oils // Giveaway ::

Hello, friends! Nicole and I have such a fabulous treat for you! We are sharing a guest post, written by our dear friend, Kari! She is going to fill you in on how, and why, she began using essential oils in her everyday life. In addition to her story, she is also putting on a LIVE webinar for our readers that will hopefully answer questions you have regarding use of the oils. To top it off, Kari is also hosting a GIVEAWAY on our site! One lucky person will win a dōTERRA essential oils introductory kit {lavender, peppermint, and lemon oil}! The rules to enter are simple… and are listed at the bottom of this post! The winner will be announced in our Weekend Lovelies this Saturday!

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

First and foremost I want to say THANK YOU to Sara and Nicole for featuring me on their blog. I’m so very thankful for this amazing opportunity to share with you all something that is so near and dear to me, and has changed my perspective on health and wellness. My mission began on March 3rd, 2006 the day that my first daughter was born. I, like most first time moms, had so many overwhelming emotions, so much joy and happiness, and also a little bit (or a lot-o- bit) of fear and anxiety. Is she hungry, gassy, or tired? Is she too hot, too cold? Does she have a fever? Is she getting enough milk? Does she even LIKE me? Why is she crying? How do I DO this?!?!?

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Family, Simply Obsessed

DIY Garden Boxes

June 3, 2013

 

{ DIY } Garden Boxes

Do It Yourself- {DIY} Garden Boxes, was a project that I have had on my mind since we moved into our house over two years ago.  Our home, though not large, does have a spacious backyard for our community.  It was the number one reason why we purchased this house.  I have been reading about the simplicity of garden boxes and the benefits of growing your own fruits and vegetables for some time.  I myself consume quite a bit of both and the idea of using my own tomatoes in my favorite Pasta Recipe has been a dream of mine.

We made reference to creating these raised garden boxes via Sunset Magazine and Better Homes and Gardens for the basics. Both sites give information regarding materials needed and sizing for the space you have available.  First, we asked for the help of our neighbor and “local” gardening expert, Rosa.  She visited our yard to see where the garden boxes should be placed based on the suns path. Once we found where we would place the boxes, we measured out the space. We then squared off and leveled the area.  Shane went to Home Depot to purchase the following:

* Wood planks

* Screws

* Hinges to connect the corners.

* Drip system water kit

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Family

{weekend} lovelies

March 30, 2013

 

I can honestly say that I’m in LOVE with all things posted in this edition of {weekend} lovelies!

I do always LOVE what we find & post… but this week it’s LOVE multiplied!

The video is short… & will leave you feeling revitalized!

The Scandinavian home design is minimalistic & fresh!

There are also tips for cleaning your closet & editing your wardrobe…

as well as, a healthy recipe for a Kale Market Salad!

We leave you with exciting news of our first online Trunk Show with Stella & Dot!

For those of you, like Nicole & I, that celebrate Easter….

we hope you have a blessed holiday with your cherished family & friends!

xo

 

{Did You Take a Breath Today // Yoga Smoga}

This is the most lively dance of music & words that you’ve ever seen cross your screen!

 Inspiring, refreshing, & a good reminder to just… breathe!

Yoga Smoga is a recently launched company selling yoga, running & spin clothes!

 

 

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Lovelies

Baby Week and {Giveaway}

February 18, 2013

This week Sara and I are excited to kickoff

 baby week with a fun giveaway for Moms……

My family has been blessed with the upcoming

arrival of two baby nephews

{two of my sister’s are expecting boys}.

With two new babies on the way

this means baby gifts galore!

Sara and I have had many favorite

 products amongst our 6 kids.

 We thought the timing would be perfect to

launch a week about all things BABY!

Hopefully our suggestions can help a

new mommy that is feeling

overwhelmed by the amount of items listed on

a baby registry….

or maybe you are like me and you have a

couple of baby showers to attend and you need gift ideas!

Speaking of great gift ideas…..

Who doesn’t love a

GIVEAWAY?

A few weeks ago Sara wrote about

Pilates-Infused Fitness by Erica Ziel

Erica is the amazing creator of

Knocked-Up Fitness

She is a mother of 3 and a highly sought after

pilates-infused fitness expert and personal trainer.

She shares her knowledge with new mommies who

want to stay fit and healthy during all the stages of pregnancy.

We are excited to be giving away a set of

her Knocked-UP Fitness DVD’s.

erica ziels knocked up fitness DVD's

These are perfect for any mommy during… and after pregnancy.

Here are the details to WIN…….

Please comment & subscribe to

{Simply Happenstance}

you can also earn additional entries by doing the following:

“Like Us” on Facebook

or

“Follow Us” on Pinterest.

You can earn additional entries by also liking

Erica’s Knocked-Up Fitness Facebook Page!

After you are finished {subscribing, liking or following},

simply leave a comment on this post

indicating how many entries you should have!

We will announce the winner on Friday, February 22nd.

Please spread the word to your pregnant friends & family!

Best of luck!!!

nicole signature via simply happenstance

Filed Under: Family

Small Changes Equal Big Results

January 21, 2013

“One small change can lead to another,

forming a spiral of success.”

Leo Babauta {Zen Habits}

 

I have a confession to make…

I am a chubby vegan.

Okay, just kidding!

I’m not 100% vegan anymore,

but I do try to eat as vegan as possible when home.

Who would have thought you could cut out all meat, eggs and dairy and still have weight issues?

Hmm…

guess what?

That’s me!

Yes, I LOVE vegetables…

I LOVE  lentils,

I LOVE beans…

I like fruit….

but I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE sweets!!

I LOVE Starbucks,

I LOVE cookies and cake and brownies…

Eating sweets have become my vice.

We all have one, right?!!

I have had four kids.

I have never struggled with my weight like this until after baby #4

{although mr. amazing was worth every extra pound – wink, wink}!  

Something tells me that it’s just this vicious cycle

in my life right now of being stressed out

{just like all mothers are}

and not finding enough time in the day to make myself a decent healthy meal,

but instead feeding my body with leftover bits of food on the kids plates…

or worse yet…

going through much of the day on a cup of coffee and not much else.

3 p.m. rolls around and I am ravenous…

therefore gorging on whatever food I can get my hands on

to banish the shakiness that comes from low-blood sugar.

I also tend to go to bed really late.

I love that mommy time when the kids go to bed and the house is finally quiet.

I either work on our blog,

rummage through the web,

or settle on the couch for some t.v. time that doesn’t require any mental effort.

It is on these couch nights…

{especially when Husby is at work for a few days},

that I find a large bowl of ice cream in my hands.

Without any thought I dig in,

and before long,

find myself scraping the sides of the bowl with my spoon…

finished.

It’s a dreadful cycle…

really.

One that I have known for sometime now that I needed to break.

 ***********************************

About eight months ago,

I stopped nursing Finn.

I seriously gained more than ten pounds in the two months thereafter.

I knew that I needed to pick up the exercise,

{because this had happened to me in the past},

but clearly I didn’t.

Now…

with my 35th birthday approaching,

I decided the time is now to focus on implementing some small healthy habits.

Taking the advice of some of my dearest friends,

I arranged to have a physical and have blood work done.

Honestly…

between you and me…

I was praying for a thyroid issue to explain my weight gain

{surely it wasn’t the extra coffee and sweets I had been eating!!}.

I know it’s horrible to silently pray that you have a thyroid issue…

but come on girls…

don’t we all secretly think that could be our issue and explanation for those love handles??

Well…

as you may have guessed…

it wasn’t mine

{*sigh*}.

It must be the cookies… cake… brownies… ice cream….chocolate…. and coffee.

I have 20 pounds to lose.

{perhaps I shouldn’t focus on the number}….

I have some extra heaviness to lose

{especially in my mid-section},

that’s been a bit of a struggle to deal with when doing certain yoga positions.

I don’t feel as light on my feet as I should.

I’m lacking some energy in the mid-afternoon,

and get a bit out of breath when carrying Finn up our three flights of stairs.

It’s time for a change.

Instead of doing anything too crazy drastic,

I am going to focus on a few babysteps.

I’ve always been a bit obsessed with nutrition books,

and have even spent some time with a wonderful nutritionist

who taught me lots of valuable information.

I know what works for my body,

so really it’s just making the hard commitment

and putting a little more focus and time into myself.

Small changes = Big Results {over time}…

so here is my plan for better health:

**Note: click on the bolded, all capitalized words for more detailed research/information**

 

1. Increase my water consumption

2. Work on getting more sleep

3. Incorporate stress relief

 {massage, yoga, meditation, breathing techniques}

4. Consistent exercise

 {my focus will be on hot yoga, walking/running}

5. Attempt mindful eating

6. Focus on Portion control

 

7. Incorporating low-glycemic index foods into my diet

8. Linking proteins with carbohydrates for more balanced meals

9. Adding more fiber throughout the day

10. Attempting to eliminate the white stuff in my diet

{white sugar and flour}

 

  ***********************************

“Your health is what you make of it.

Everything you do and think

either adds to

the vitality, energy and spirit you possess

or takes away from it.”

{Ann Wigmore}

 ***********************************

Although I sincerely wish I could make all of these vital changes at once,

I am trying to be realistic.

I am going to implement a few of the 10 steps I listed,

little-by-litte,

and see how it goes.

I will keep you updated along the way,

and try to point out specific things that I found to work to make these babysteps a bit easier.

I am going back to my doctor in three months for a WEIGHT CHECK!!

Seriously embarrassing,

but I am glad that he is holding me accountable.

That is about the time I will be turning 35.

Fingers crossed that I have the motivation and willpower to do this!

I am hopefully optimistic that I will have good news of a more healthful me

to share with you soon!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Lovelies

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

About

bioSara and Nicole are sorority sisters that simply “happened” to end up in the same small town. They have many things in common, which have set the tone of their blog. They hope that you will join them in their journey of motherhood, dreams that may be, the daily life, and their passion for cooking, yoga, fashion, and design!

SIgn Up For Our FREE Newsletter!

Sign up to receive email updates and to hear what's going on with Simply Happenstance!

Categories

Archives

recent pins

  • 19 Core-Strengthening Exercises | POPSUGAR Fitness
  • For rapid leg weight loss, a combination of intense cardio and targeted leg exercises is key. High-impact activities like running, cycling, or jumping rope burn calories and reduce overall body fat. Adding exercises like squats, lunges, and leg lifts tones and strengthens the leg muscles, giving them a more defined, lean look. Pairing these exercises with a healthy, balanced diet will accelerate the process.  #RapidLegWeightLoss #SexyLegs #FitnessJourney #LegToning #FatBurning #StrongLegs #CardioForLegs #HealthyLifestyle #LegDayWorkout

Copyright 2015 • Simply Happenstance • Grits Design


All personal images and videos are copyright to Simply Happenstance. All other images are copyright to their respective owners.
We would love for you to use our images, but please cite www.simplyhappenstance.com.