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Merry Christmas 

Posted on December 25, 2016 by Georgia's Pampering

Merry Christmas to all of those who celebrate and my best wishes to everyone!  I wanted to write a quick little post to share that Santa brought me a diagnosis of hyperplastic polyps instead of stomach cancer, so I’m one happy gal!  🙂 The polyps are benign and none of the others will be removed. We are back to the starting point for figuring out what’s causing my symptoms, but at least it’s not the big C. Thank you so very much to those that gave such incredible support during a tough time and I promise to personally write each of you. It took a bit to process things and then time got away from me. Each of you mean so much to me and are a blessing to have in my life. 

Before I get all mushy, I hope you all have a safe and healthy Christmas!  Don’t forget to pamper yourself a bit once all of the guests go home. 😉

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A Scary Time

Posted on December 4, 2016 by Georgia's Pampering

I’ve debated about writing this post for probably close to two weeks now.  It’s quite simply been a scary time for me and I didn’t know if I wanted to put that vulnerability out there, but as I was saying my daily prayer, which includes a prayer to expand my opportunities and benefit to others, and it dawned on me that this post might help someone out there who is looking up these tags.  Therefore, I’m laying it all out.

 

I have a new doctor that is systematically trying to go through each medication and condition that I have, and trying to find out if I have other underlying conditions that are being masked by these medications or have gone undiagnosed.  After a 20+ year history of taking antacids and preventatives for reflux, which finally got diagnosed as GERD about 5 years ago, she decided to change my preventative, which no other doctor has done since I was diagnosed with an Esophageal Ulcer in my teens (without a GI consult, mind you).  I have just taken whatever works until it doesn’t and then switch, and my long list of doctors couldn’t have cared less as long as I kept them informed as to which medication was currently keeping the reflux, vomiting, and nausea at a liveable level.  She also took me off of my Marinol (synthetic THC), which brought back a fair portion of the nausea and vomiting.  The reflux medication she prescribed didn’t work, just like I told her it wouldn’t, sit I’d tried it 15 years ago, so she changed it to a prescription strength of one that usually works for me and then said there was something else going on that needs to be investigated to be causing this.  Keep in mind she believes in Fibro, treats it, and everything, so she knows it can happen it Fibro, but doesn’t believe it should be so uncontrolled that I need Marinol to keep my symptoms at bay.  She has scheduled me for an endoscopy of the esophagus and stomach.  “We need to figure out what is going on.”  So me being the nerd that I am, especially with the medical background, started researching EGD (the procedure) and then found a lot of articles from reputable sites (as in, the ones that the neuro office used when I worked there) about the causes of symptoms that lead to this procedure.  It turns out I have a lot of risk factors on board and a lot of my unexplained symptoms that the other doctors never paid attention to when I mentioned them were all red flags saying I needed this scope.  Long story short, due to all of my medical history and complications, I have around an 80% chance of having stomach cancer that has gone undiagnosed for at least a little while, if not quite some time.  It could actually explain why my Fibro has progressed so intensely while I was still young and why it is so debilitating now.  It could explain this continual cycle I’m in right now of getting really sick, then seeming to recover, and then starting back over.

 

I don’t react to things like a normal person, I’m the first person to admit that.  There was a reason that I was awesome as a Risk Analyst for HIPAA at the office.  I am that worst scenario kind of girl that usually has pretty bad luck, so I tend to prepare for the worst.  It prevents me from shattering in front of others when I don’t want to (what can I say, I’m an introvert, so I’d rather keep that to myself or apparently share it in writing for the world to see *small laugh*).  Also, if things turn out to be just a little bad, then it’s a big relief and things will be a lot easier to handle.  I HATE being unprepared for anything, but most especially my health, since there are so many parts that, excuse the wording, makes life kind of shitty sometimes, most especially if it’s a new diagnosis that I was blind sided by.  So I’m looking at that 80% chance right now and going off of that.  I did a cross research of survivability of stomach cancer with all of my health issues, which didn’t come up exactly, but came up with enough that left me without a lot of hope honestly.  And before you say it I know there’s at least a 20% chance that it’s something small and fixable, I KNOW, but I’m that other kind of person that prepares for the 80% with 100% failure later.  I’ve kind of distanced myself from it and am just analytical about most of it.  I have a to do list of things that must be done in case I die and I’m working on it.  Some think it’s morbid and it’s hard for others to even imagine doing such a thing, but I’ve had 2 friends die from health issues all ready that were younger than me and let’s face it, my health pretty much sucks.  I don’t try to seem morbid; I’m literally just focused on what I need to do, how to handle things, and it’s my way of coping.  It’s the only thing I’m actually in control of now, if you really think about it.  So I’m working on getting my car title changed to my married name so that my husband won’t have to fight probate for it, I’m working on an instruction manual for the household appliances and cleaning that he has never done, and I’m working on making these the best holidays ever.

 

I want togetherness and happiness, just in case this is my last one.  Hang every ornament while remembering how it came into our family.  Have a deliberate reason behind each gift instead of it just being about commercialism.  Our Christmas tree stays lit almost around the clock because of my love of Christmas lights and we even got a strobe of snowflakes that should be outside, but he kept it inside so I can sit and watch those lights too, and try not to miss too many chances to bask in the comfort of those lights.  This year it’s all about the love of our tiny family.  By Christmas Day I should have my results, since my test is just under two weeks away, but until then, I’m going to keep coping.  I’m also going to keep cherishing every moment with my family, my loving and insane fur babies, and enjoy every little ounce of Christmas cheer that I can.  Maybe we should always act like it’s our last one, since anything can happen.  I know that as soon as I started treating it as such my heart seemed to overflow, feeling too big for my body or soul.  I count my blessings and stop to see the beauty all around me.  And maybe this is the impact that I can share.  While a little bit of my heart is tearing itself apart over the thought of losing those I love, my little life, and the moments I might miss, the rest stays focused and works on my end of life goals because of the love in my life.  I want to protect them if I’m unable to handle these things later.  I love them too much to leave it unresolved and in their lap.  So if you’re going through a really tough time too, focus on the love and let it guide you.  And cope however you need to no matter what anyone else says!  You do YOU and just try to get through this however you can.  And if you feel alone, just reach out.  It can be a relative, a counselor, or even to me.  For me, though, I’m going to do my to do list and then make sure everything is easy peasy for Christmas Day so we can just spend time together and have our grinchy hearts grow two sizes too big from all of the love.  🙂

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Cyber Monday 2016

Posted on November 28, 2016 by Georgia's Pampering
Cyber Monday 2016

 

Sale tags clipart

Cyber Monday 11/28/2016

In honor of Cyber Monday, 11/28/2016, I am offering 20% off purchases (excluding shipping) today. 

As you can tell from the following picture I have been busy for weeks working on soaps to post today.  Please check out my Soaps page on the website!  I did quite a variety from an “Undead Collection” to Snowflakes to Maple Bacon Bars, and many others in between, so there should be something for everyone.  This picture was taken just after unmolding several batches of soaps, and before I got a few batches finished, but it gives you a good idea of how hard I’ve been working.  Ignore my Thanksgiving list in the background please.  *laugh*

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I hope you have a wonderful day and I hope to start blogging regularly very soon.  In the meantime, help someone pamper themselves today.  🙂

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Better Days Ahead

Posted on September 27, 2016 by Georgia's Pampering

Hi there!  First, I want to apologize for being away for so long.  I had to take a break from blogging because when I first started this blog I meant for it to always be a fun, uplifting little blog that gave a look behind the scenes of the sometimes crazy bath and body product creative process.  I was in a dark place though and knew that anything I wrote would reflect that, and I didn’t want to spread that.  So I just slipped away for a while.

 

Things got really bad for a few months.  As in, I even considered committing suicide when all of the medical stuff got overwhelming and some personal emotions caused it all to topple over.  Thankfully I was cognizant enough to call my mom and when I said I needed her she was here within minutes and I took some clonazepam to help tame the emotional side.  Between a mother’s love and hugs, and a great sedative, I was able to get through the night and we made some plans for dealing with everything.

 

I was able to track down my former psychiatrist at her new business and was able to get an appointment really quickly.  Within the first few minutes she saw that my medical team had really let me down and took over until I could find some new doctors.  It turns out that I had been diagnosed with hypothyroidism over a year ago and not a single doctor had treated it or even notified me of it.  I actually found it by reviewing my records so that I could provide her with any records that might help her.  She was shocked that no one had treated the condition and immediately prescribed something to help, and it turns out that my Fibro had supposedly gotten so debilitating because I actually had a whole other condition attacking my body!  Basically hypothyroidism means that the thyroid isn’t working right, so it’s not handling the metabolism, hormones, etc., correctly.  Untreated I was gaining weight even when I was unable to eat and was unable to function, since I had no nourishment and my body was in such turmoil.

 

Unfortunately I found a great doctor to add to my team, but he was unable to treat me due to bureaucratic red tape, but confirmed all of my conditions including the IBSD and Hypothyroidism on top of my Fibro, CFS, GERD, and a few others, which is ironic because officially no doctor had told me they diagnosed the IBSD or Hypothyroidism.  Thankfully he sent his recommendation to remain on my pain management system to the upcoming new PCP (primary care) and sent these confirmed diagnoses to them.  So when I went to the new PCP she agreed to prescribe my pain medications, which I was having trouble with my regular medical team refilling and was about to land into the hospital in withdrawals, and that took a huge fear and weight off of my shoulders.  She added a few other medications and agreed with the psychiatrist’s course of treatment.  In a month we will run labs to see how my levels are now doing and will even see about finally getting a referral to an ENT.  I’m actually in a good place with my medical treatment and am doing much better.  Since the thyroid has started to be treated I have actually had energy to do some restorative yoga and household chores that I haven’t gotten done in years!  I had forgotten what it felt like to have energy.  It’s so easy for people to take that for granted, but I’m able to recognize the blessing.  Instead of having one or two good days a month I now have about a week of bad days with the rest of the month being good days!  I still have a lot of problems eating and sleeping, and at times I get wildly hyper.  *laugh*  Thankfully I have also had time to come up with some great business ideas that I’m excited about and will actually have the energy to make some of the ideas!

 

First off, I can’t wait to make chocolate scented brain soaps with strawberry jam drizzled “blood” for the gore and TWD fans, and think they’ll make fun stocking stuffers come Christmas.  I also bought some luster glitters that I can’t wait to try in some soaps and go in the opposite direction to delicate, pretty soaps.  I got a Maple Bacon FO that I am so excited to make in so many molds, including the brains.  *grin*  Don’t you think that brains would smell enticing to zombies?  So why not make some that smell awesome to us too?  Mawahahaha.

 

Anyway, I just wanted to get back into the swing of blogging and wanted to beg your pardon for being away for so long.  By the way, I got an amazing pressure cooker while I was away, too, and since I’ve often posted recipes I considered including my favorite pressure cooker recipes.  If any of you are interested in my posting some of these specialty recipes, please comment so that I know there’s some interest.  In the meantime, I hope you have a wonderful day and look forward to sharing some new product info soon!

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My Favorite Things, Part 2

Posted on February 18, 2016 by Georgia's Pampering

Today’s post is going to get somewhat nerdy, so push the glasses into place and get prepared for some electronics.  *grin* I can’t help it; if I’m going to talk about my favorite things, there must be some tech toys!  I promise that all of mine are in the affordable range though, so they truly are favorite things, instead of things I daydream of.  😉

 

 I have several different fans to help cool my heavy duty gaming laptop and I really love my Opolar LC05 Laptop Cooler with Vacuum Fan.  It has several different silicone shrouds for best fit over the exhaust vent, a neat little set up for attaching the unit to the laptop, and boy does it work!  Even at just the second wind speed (out of 13) it will take my laptop from being a bit scalding to the palm to almost cool, in a mere minute! At $25.99 on Amazon Prime it’s a pretty cost effective cooling option, especially for people that need a second (technically third, if you count the on board, of course) source of cooling for gaming laptops.

Opolar

Hold onto your hat, because this next one will probably really surprise you…Tracey Mallett’s The Booty Barre Beginners & Beyond DVD is my next favorite thing.  Despite the belief that people with disabling chronic illnesses just want to lay around, most of us spend a lot of time (plus effort, energy, and money!) trying to find exercises and stretches that work with our limitations.  It’s super easy to get discouraged when five minutes on an exercise bike causes you to be in massive pain and unable to walk for the next 6 days, or ten minutes of learning tai chi causes your muscles to give out and you fall to the floor (let’s not discuss how many injuries one can get from such a small fall! *shaking head*), or a ton of other similar scenarios.  We really miss being able to do things, and (really, really, really) want to lose the weight our medications and limited activity has caused us to gain, but it’s difficult.  I found Tracey Mallett’s work out techniques completely by accident.  She was featured on Hallmark’s Home & Family Show and what was so impressive is that she talked about adjustments that can be made for people that aren’t able to do the regular moves.  She created workouts that she had previously incorporated the Ballet Barre for and made them doable for the home user, but then also gave options such as doing leg exercises from the floor on your hands-and-knees instead of trying to balance on one leg while exercising the other.  Those with limitations really need to utilize the ole timer method when starting this though, because it is so easy to get caught up in the routine and overdo it.  (It’s recommended that we set timers so that we stop our activity and rest, so that we don’t cause damage or extra pain, and we’re supposed to rest for an equal amount of time as the exercise, then.)  Ms. Mallett is encouraging, yet not all excessively excited like most exercise hosts.  Those chirpy folks make me want to strangle them and say very unladylike things to the television.  *laugh* The DVD mentioned is only $16.99 on Amazon, but she also currently has some free examples on YouTube.  It’s definitely worth a shot, especially if you are looking for exercises and stretches that allow accommodations.  And especially if you dream of a little less jiggle when you wiggle.  *wink*

booty barre

These two items are grouped together since they are both Amazon products.  Thankfully I bought both on sale, but they were both worth the investments for me.  First, I have a lot of fun with my Amazon Echo.  We wanted a Bluetooth speaker since I listen to a lot of music and books, plus I stream a lot of programs on my devices, and after a lot of research and discussion we decided that a multiuse workhorse like the Echo was the perfect choice for me.  Yeah, I wrote us first, but realistically, she’s my gadget.  *grin* I love the different skills that are always improving, it’s super handy to have a voice activated device that can give me measurement conversions and timers when my hands are busy or covered in product when I’m making soaps and lotions, and she is actually a really great Bluetooth speaker.  I can move her all over the house easily and it’s a breeze to sync her with nearly every device I own.  I don’t really care for having her wake name being set as “Alexa”, but they’re supposed to do an update  someday that allows people to change the name.  She incorrectly hears activation every few days from other words that have an “x” in them and I really hate that the television commercial for the product  can activate her (especially when they had all of the Baldwin commercials for the product leading up to the Super Bowl), so suddenly I’m startled by some disembodied voice right beside me saying that she doesn’t understand what I’m asking.  Meh.  She’s a bit expensive at the current price of $179.99, but most of the decent to good Bluetooth speakers are just as expensive if not way higher.  Moving on, I also got an Amazon Fire e-reader/tablet.  For being so light it has a great processor, a lot of storage (and can be expanded via microSD), and so many freebies compatible with it!  I was a loyal Nook user, with multiple versions of Nooks, until this little guy came into my life at Christmas, and I find that I seldom ever pick up my Nook anymore unless it’s to read a book I have on it all ready.  Everything new is being loaded onto the Fire and there are way more books available for free for Amazon than the Nook, at least in the genres I’m interested in.  The picture is so gorgeous that I love to play games on it when it’s too painful to have my laptop rest on my legs and boy howdy can it access the library’s e-books fast!  I actually did a comparison between it and my newest Nook, and I was all ready reading a book’s description on the Fire before my Nook was able to finish logging me in.  I am still very fond of my Nook, so please don’t take this little status change as a total desertion from the brand.  *smile* I’m just really impressed with this little tablet, especially if you can catch it when it’s on sale!  And I must mention, if you’re a Prime member you even get to select a book for a group of new titles that haven’t even hit the market yet.   It’s a great way to get introduced to new-t0-you authors and some great possible future bestsellers without the bigger cost of a new release or bestseller. 

 

Tying in with the Fire and Nook I’d like to mention a service that I really love called BookBub.  It’s a free service that you can sign up for where you mark what types of books you enjoy and which reading platforms you have, and every day you get an email with a list of books ranging from free to $1.99 in the categories you specified (I believe you can even change it to once weekly, but I’m not positive and I’m not going to hit change to see, since I love my daily setting *grin*).  My TBR list is so long I can get bored scrolling and I have found some new incredible favorite authors, since many authors offer their first book in a series for free.  They even added another service recently that will send you notifications when favorite authors have new releases or sales.  I may have one email every two weeks where it’s all misses, but there’s an average of about three books a day from my list that I’m interested in.  If you love to read, this saves you time from trolling websites or the digital bookstore to see what free books are currently available, so you have more time to actually read.  It’s such an awesome service and by the way, if you love to hoard cookbooks like me, they can even be added to the service’s list!  *happy dance!

 

This part is going to be about a couple of television shows.  I have a lot of options for watching videos (extended satellite, Amazon Video streaming, Netflix, YouTube, and Roku channels), so I don’t buy DVDs very often, but I bought these in box sets.  There are a couple of sets of older television shows that I’d like to recommend for you to look into, if you haven’t had the chance to experience them yet.  The Vicar of Dibley is an English comedy that we thoroughly love and actually watch certain episodes several times a year.  Sadly many of the episodes have been pulled from Netflix and it’s getting harder and harder to find some of the episodes (and it’s not available on Acorn TV’s streaming service either), so the box set had to be in my life.  Another show that is slowly slipping away is Eureka.  Granted, I think the last two seasons aren’t nearly as awesome as the earlier ones, but it’s still one of my favorite shows, and I got several season box sets for Christmas since I’m so obsessed with the series.  (Yep, I had an incredible, tech filled Christmas this past year!! *grin*) Larry is more of a good ol’ country boy instead of a nerd, yet I got him into the series, so that should give an extra vote for the series!  I also got him into Scorpion and The Big Bang Theory.  We finally stopped collecting box sets on TBBT, but we have the first few and still crack up at those early episodes.  Scorpion is definitely a darker themed drama, but there is enough action and MacGyver-like moments to keep him interested, and enough intellectual and personality highlights to make me love the show enough to watch episodes repeatedly, despite having so many other new videos available to me.  Despite everything that’s available, these two are my favorites.  I even have the Eureka ringtone.  I’m that girl.  *laugh*

 

The last item I want to mention is an online 3D virtual world called Second Life (SL).  In the simplest of descriptions, it’s like online chat and the Sims game joined together.  It’s an interactive world that is created by the users, so most interests are represented and you can always find something interesting to do or explore if you are willing to try.  You can shop to improve your avatar or SL home, you can hunt for free gifts from designers, you can go listen to music and hang out at a club, or you can hang out at your home with a few friends and play board games together.  There are so many fascinating places that users have created!  I’ve parachuted off of the Eiffel Tower, gone to a formal dance on a replica of the Titanic, participated in support group meetings for my illness, floated on a star in space, explored beautiful recreations of castles in Scotland, and even explored the incredibly creepy halls of a haunted insane asylum.  The possibilities and the creativity are endless.  I have gone to a variety of conventions, several memorials, and even went to a few RP sims (where I learned that I am just not that good at creating a fake persona for myself *laugh*).  On the usual night I’ll visit a few of my favorite shopping spots to watch for good deals or freebies, then join my roommates/friends at our house to play some games together while chatting.  I even have some virtual cats to play with, some crafting furniture to represent my real life (RL) interests, and I even have a library!  *grin* I love to decorate our little home (okay, I went a little nuts and splurged on a mansion I found, but it is SO amazing that I couldn’t resist, and it has the perfect living room with overlooking sitting room for displaying a Christmas tree with lights and presents that I did!  *shakes head and realizes I’m seriously fangirling my SL home* Anyway…) It’s a fun and interesting online world, but it’s also a great resource for disabled people or even people that need some socialization but aren’t able to in regular life.  There are support groups for most any ailment, there are sims that provide information about resources available, and there are even volunteers at some places that are happy to just emotionally supportive for you if you’re struggling.  I’ve met so many people in my years on SL who also have invisible diseases and it brings me to tears sometimes to see, and experience, the incredible support we all give one another, and this awesome resource that allows the homebound to just be normal for a bit.  I like to think that my avatar is the representation of the inner me.  She’s a lot skinnier, with a much better wardrobe and better hair, but she’s not a movie star clone.  She’s more like the girl next door and more often than not she’s sporting a very nerdy t shirt or smexy Tetris nail polish.  My second life is part of my real life and I’m actually a happier person for it, because it has truly helped me to cope while also giving me a creative outlet that helps to distract me from my issues, as well.  I met some of my best friends in SL and would never have had the chance to meet in RL, so I’ll always be thankful for having my second life.  I hope you’ll take a look at their site if this sounds like a good fit for you and if you decide to join, please don’t hesitate to send me an email or text, and I’ll happily share my SL name with you so I can help you get acquainted with, and enjoy, your second life.  🙂

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My Favorite Things Part 1

Posted on February 16, 2016 by Georgia's Pampering

Hi there!  I have been coping with some emotional and medical issues, and honestly tend to become even more introverted when dealing with things, so I tend to opt for things that distract me, and blogging makes me WAY too reflective to be considered a distraction.  *grin* I’m doing a little better today, so I wanted to take this opportunity to write.  J  In light of everything I thought I’d keep things light today and wanted to share some of my favorite things.  I don’t believe I’ve ever done that, other than recipes, so prepare yourself for an eclectic collection of items. I added the links to Amazon for what items that I could, in case you’d like to check them out, so just click the hyperlink and it should give you a new window with Amazon instead of steering you away from the post.  (I divided this into two posts with home and organizing being first and next with be electronics and entertainment.)

 

First up, I’m absolutely obsessed with all things Command related.  Hooks, bins, and picture frame strips; you name it, I have them all!  *grin* I especially love the cord hooks, wire hooks, and the all-purpose 3 lb. hooks.  I have a hanging shoe organizer on a door with all of my extra cords, label maker, candle melts, and other knickknacks, but dedicated an entire row to command products so that I always have a variety on hand when I spontaneously decide to organize things. I even have one of the bins on the wall beside the couch holding both of my e-readers in easy reach, yet safe from the animals, and still able to charge.  I’m tickled by the simplest things sometimes.  *laugh*

 

Second, although there are a few features that are definitely missed, I love the performance of my Shark Navigator Deluxe Vacuum.  It auto adjusts to carpet pile, which is my favorite feature, and picks up kitty litter really well, which is actually very rare.  I wish it had a light, a spot for all of the tools to attach, and an edger, but it’s a powerful workhorse at just $123.99.  It is super light and moves so easily, which means I can vacuum without causing myself more pain.  (Seriously, it is so effortless that people will keep vacuuming when I have them test it out, instead of doing just a push or two!)  Despite missing a few features that I like, I honestly wouldn’t trade this for a different brand.

 

shark

My absolute favorite kitchen gadget, which I have even given as gifts because I love it so much, is the simplest piece of plastic that is seriously handy.  The Jokari Baggy Rack Storage Bag Opener and Holder quite simply has clips that hold your zip bag open so both hands are free for filling the bag.  I know that you’re probably thinking I am the laziest person in the world to need and love this little device, but think of how many times a zip bag has folded in on itself as you tried to put leftovers or some meat in?  Or what about when you try to pour something with some sauce on it?  Or had it fold as you were trying to spoon corn into the bag with one hand and holding your pot in the other, and those evil little kernels of deliciousness found their way under the edge of the cabinet, under your mixer, or made a wet path across the counter?  I especially love it for when I’m doing meat prep, like chicken strips, and then I can even pour marinade in without worry (my wild, unexpected movements cause enough messes, so I need every bit of help available *laugh*).  The holder works really well when pouring bagged ingredients in, too, like making your own trail mix.  At $6.78 for a single unit and $10 for two, it’s a very cost effective gift that will be priceless for the recipient for years to come.

baggy holder

We bought a gas meat smoker and have been learning different techniques, etc., which brought on our first attempt to spatchcock poultry.  Prior to this we always bought broke down birds and we figured I should use what little energy I have on other tasks instead of trying to break down whole birds.  No shortcuts are allowed when smoking a whole turkey, though, so we did our research and bought the OXO Good Grips Spring-Loaded Poultry Shears (at an investment of $24.95).  According to the “Man of the Smoker” (yep, that’s my nickname for him when he messes with the smoker) it’s pretty easy to spatchcock a thawed turkey with these shears, although it would be a little more difficult for someone with less hand strength (like me).  They work so well in most food prep, though!  They cut chicken into pieces easy enough that I prep a lot more chicken than ever before, they make short prep work when used on vegetables such as broccoli, and can even cut hunks of clingy fat that some of my knives have trouble with.  The best part (for the one that has to do the dishes *laugh*) is that they come apart and are a breeze to completely clean. 

Shears

Another often used kitchen gadget is my professional SaladShooter.  I bought this through Walmart’s website years ago, so I have no idea what I paid back then, but I found one that looks almost identical to my unit and attachments here for $44.66.  We mainly use it for cheeses, since we’re kind of obsessed with cheese and it’s a lot cheaper to buy a block at Sam’s Club.  We had a lot of problems with packaged shredded cheese molding quickly too, especially during our humid, hot summers, but only shredding a few cups at a time when we want it on hand, and covering up the rest of the block until the next time, has massively cut down on waste.  To top it all off it is running perfectly over 5 years later!  If you buy one, make sure to keep an old toothbrush (dedicated to this task) with your kitchen washing items, since that’s the most effective way to get the cheese grime off of the grids and out of the grater holes. 

saladshooter

 

Lastly, I thought I’d throw in one of my favorite desserts.  The best part is that it’s a diet ice cream that tastes and feels just like the real deal in our opinion.  Edy’s Slow Churned Ice Cream has several flavors with that awesome slow churned texture, yet they have half the fat and a third of the calories of regular ice cream (depending on what you eat, of course).  I actually prefer this ice cream over regular ice cream, now!  It can sometimes be difficult to find some of the flavors in the Midwest, but even plain ole vanilla floats my boat.  *grin*  I am a big sucker for the Mint Chocolate Chip though and it helps cool down my GERD, too, so I almost always have a legitimate excuse to eat ice cream whenever I’m wanting it without anyone making me feel like I’m just being a pig.  *biiiiig grin* Yeah, I’m shameless sometimes. 

edys

Tune in tomorrow for the other half, when I totally get my nerd flag flying.  Until then, happy pampering!

 

 

 

 

 

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Cyber Monday

Posted on November 30, 2015 by Georgia's Pampering

Hi there!!  I hope you had a wonderful holiday, if you celebrate it!

 

I wanted to drop a note that the website itself has been updated with some new products, updated scents, a few updated pictures, and even some corrections!  While adding the new products I discovered that some of the pages weren’t showing to the public, so this has been fixed.  I’m SO sorry if you tried to access a page and couldn’t find it!  All of the scent pages have been fixed, along with the About pages.  Yikes!  Before I show the two new soaps I want to mention that I’m celebrating Cyber Monday by taking off 20% off all orders (before shipping is calculated)!!  This sale is in effect an extra day, since I hate one day sales myself, until 12:01 AM Central on Wednesday, December 2nd, 2015.  So if you want some stocking stuffers or full sized gifts, this is the time to get hold of me.  *smile*

 

On to the exciting new soaps!  These are Star Wars inspired and there are a couple of more soaps that are in the works now, but haven’t made it to a sellable state yet.  First up is The Good Guys Soap.  I love this one and it’s a great size, too!

IMG_5677

The Good Guys Soap

Second is the Dark One Soap, featuring that main man that is so tragic and awful.  He’s a little soap and the price reflects it.

IMG_5674

Dark One Soap

 

I also want to mention that I recently purchased some new FOs, so I’ll be working with those once I get the other “inspired” soaps finished.

 

And just to remind you of my best sellers here are pictures of my top male-friendly products and a couple of the best selling goat’s milk lotions.  *grin*  You know, just in case you haven’t found gifts for everyone on your list.  I’m just trying to help.  *laugh*

Winter Woods Scrub, Luffa Soap, Mechanic Soap
Goat’s Milk Lotions

Have a safe and fun Cyber Monday! 🙂

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Paper Hearts

Posted on June 30, 2015 by Georgia's Pampering

First off I want to say a heartfelt thank you for everyone that took part in the Invisible Diseases Awareness campaign and I am so tickled that some of the information I provided has helped some readers.  That was an uplifting blessing that I was really needing and I am so happy I was able to help!  I’ve been struggling with some issues due to treatments not working so well for me lately, so I haven’t been posting, but I have had a lifted heart following the awesome feedback from the Awareness post.

Today I thought I’d share a little concept that I think is absolutely brilliant, yet is so simple and versatile that I think it could be useful to almost everyone.  I was reading something from Pinterest, which had a link to this site, which had a link to that site, and then I was down the Internet’s rabbit hole until I somehow landed on the Creative with Kids blog.  Her post (I put the direct link to what I’m referencing for her blog URL) was about better communication and less anger with/between her kids (I’ll wait here while you go read the post….welcome back! *grin*).  She described how she used little paper hearts as a visual cue to remind them and herself to speak and behave with more respect, etc.  For some reason the concept stuck in the back of my mind over several bouts of insomnia and it hit me that the concept could be used in my marriage.

Paper Hearts

Paper Hearts

Larry and I have developed a really bad habit of putting ourselves down and focusing on our perceived negatives instead of our blessings and good traits, and I had been trying to find tips for changing this behavior for quite a while before I ran across the Creative With Kids post.  Although Larry will listen to my ideas or research for improving things he’s not usually overly active with the standard therapy techniques, so I knew I had to use something that would stand out and would force him to take action, so that it would become a new learned behavior.  Having to hand out and receive paper hearts would get annoying for us pretty quickly, which meant it was the perfect way to quickly ingrain the new behavior.  It also had the additional benefit of being a visual cue, which is helpful to adults too since we have so many distractions and responsibilities that makes it easy to forget little projects, so we had a frequent reminder to be mindful of what we say.  I used a few new disposable leftover containers and cut out a bunch of construction paper red and blue hearts.  I set a container with the applicable hearts on the tables beside each of our usual resting spots, plus a collection container across the room so we could track progress (although we really sucked at that part honestly lol).  When I said something negative about myself Larry would hand me a red heart or say “here’s a heart” as a verbal reminder, and he received the blue hearts.  The act of taking the heart and then having to change what was being said to be more positive made a nearly immediate impact.  The best part is that we can be out shopping or at the doctor’s office and can give the verbal reminder without calling attention to ourselves, yet still continue to improve no matter where we are.  We still struggle with it and probably always will since we are both very self-conscious people, but it’s a LOT less often.   What is even better is that we’re not focusing so much on our appearance and instead focus a lot more on being better people in our hearts.  It’s incredibly liberating to release yourself from critiquing yourself, too.  When you become accountable for what you say about yourself to others you suddenly see just how emotionally crippling negative comments about yourself can be.

I hope this handy little concept might help a few of you as well.  I’ve thought about changing our use to instead improving our communication with one another, so when we feel that the other person is speaking to them in a hurtful or less respectful manner we are forced to address the issue and modify our behavior accordingly.  We are both non confrontational and have a habit of keeping quiet when the other person hurts our feelings, etc.  I think it will be quite eye opening to find out how often we communicate in less than a loving and beneficial way and addressing immediately will probably prevent some of those festering arguments with built up emotions becoming suddenly explosive.  As you can see there are a lot of ways to utilize the concept.  The Creative With Kids post has some absolutely brilliant ways of applying the concept with children, but since it’s such a versatile concept I thought I’d share our uses too.  The next post will feature some new soaps I’ve been working on and I’m really excited to finally share them with you.  Until then I hope you have a happy Tuesday! 🙂

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National Fibromyalgia Awareness Day

Posted on May 12, 2015 by Georgia's Pampering
National Fibromyalgia Awareness Day

Today, May 12th, has been selected for National Fibromyalgia Awareness Day. There are several disabilities that don’t have any visible signs and a lot of sufferers tend to hide from others when the symptoms are really bad. In light of this, please take a moment to learn a little about any of the “Invisible Diseases” or take a moment to just show a sufferer that you’re there for them. Just a note to say you’re thinking of them, offer to do something that would help them (believe me the smallest thing to you can be incredibly hard for disabled people sometimes, so you don’t have to bend over backward to make their day), or even just tell them that you’re there for them if they would like to talk about what they’re going through. Illnesses can be very alienating, so every little effort means the world. 

If you’d like to learn more, I’m including a few trusted links. First is the Fibromyalgia Network, which has a lot less medical jargon, so it’s an easier starting point to learn the basics about Fibro. Second is a really awesome letter to “normals” from a Fibro sufferer’s point of view, which may give you a better insight into what we may be going through and how you can help, which is also on a post at the FM Network, here.   Third in line is a post explaining how Invisible Diseases can be a disability and be disabling, which is over at Invisible Disabilities.   Just having someone that understands the struggles a sufferer is facing can literally stop suicide ideation even, so the few minutes you spend reading is an awesome gift.  

I saved the one that I think says it best for last and wanted to put it all by itself. It explains the “Spoon Theory”, which applies to any chronic illness, and is one of the best ways to depict and explain the daily struggle of living with a chronic illness. It is absolutely amazing and eye opening. Even if you don’t do anything else, please read this brief post. I think it is a phenomenal way to raise awareness. You can read it here. 

Thank you for reading this and participating in today’s event in whatever way you do. It means so much to all of us when someone tries to understand or tries to help. It means more than I could ever express that you all show support and encouragement during my journey, and I thank you wholeheartedly. 
  

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Spring Cleaning

Posted on May 9, 2015 by Georgia's Pampering

I’ve been in a stupid and totally self inflicted cycle of Spring Cleaning, paying the price for so much activity, recovering, and then doing another cleaning project to start it all over again.  *laugh*  My latest medication system has helped me to get a lot more done than I’ve been able to do for several years now, but it does take a few days to recover from each project.  Since I want to utilize what energy and ability I have I am all about cleaning hacks.  I found two that are super handy, so I decided to share their links with you and I really hope that you’ll check them out (and try them if you’re in the midst of cleaning!).

The first is for cleaning the inside of the microwave.  I never used to mind cleaning a microwave, but in this house our microwave is mounted under our top cabinets right above our stove, so fun sized me has a lot more problems seeing into it let alone cleaning it.  As a result it got messy and once I finally got onto a medication that made me stable enough to be able to stand on a chair for a bit to reach inside (and see lol) some stuff got cooked in.  I hit Pinterest to see what hacks were out there and here’s the one at Practically Functional that really worked well for me (just click the name since I embedded the link there).  Basically you fill a microwave safe bowl with the recommended liquids and steam lose everything.  I went ahead and dropped a toothpick in my water and that turned out so well, because you can use that moist toothpick to get into the nooks and seams.  I also dipped my cleaning rag into that solution after I finished steaming and it worked perfectly for the spots that were really stubborn despite the steam.

With the microwave above the stove, and a lot of frying done on said stove, the outside of the microwave had some horrific and thoroughly embarrassing (I can’t believe I’m actually admitting to this since it’s so embarrassing for me) grease spots and finger prints.  Over at One Good Thing by Jillee there is a life altering post about removing grease.  I have so many sensitivities to cleaning supplies that I am tickled to have found an easy method that I can actually tolerate!  I’ll wait while you go and read the post (it’s not long, so really, you should go read it really quick and come back…).  I used vegetable oil since I had it on hand, along with several paper towels, both of my cleaning rags, and quite a few toothpicks, but the outside of the microwave is now cleaner than when we moved in!  It seems counter intuitive, but it cut the cleaning down to one session instead of working on this for days.

Next is to work on the filters and stove hood, but I gave that job to Larry since it involves a big pot and boiling liquids.  I may be more stable since I started the Marinol, however I still have enough bruises at any given time that I don’t trust myself with that project.  If you’d like to try out that hack it’s over here at One Good Thing by Jillee again and a lot of people say it works.  Everything I’ve ever tried from her blog has worked so well that I tend to trust her posts.  While he does that I’ll probably bite the bullet and do a thorough cleaning of the bathroom.  It’s amazing how such a tiny bathroom can get out of hand.  *laugh*  Oh, and in case you’re scratching your head and saying Spring is pretty close to being over so why am I just now doing “Spring Cleaning”, well, I’m not setting a time limit on this year’s cleaning.  My brilliant friend Leah asked me why I was pushing myself so hard to try to get all of this cleaning done quickly when I started planning out my plan of attack, especially since I haven’t been able to clean thoroughly for the past few years, and that question really gave me a lot to think about.  As long as I’m finally able to get things done who cares how long it takes?!  It’s also a handy perspective when it’s taking an average of at least four days of recovery per project.  *grin*  I have completely redone my home office, organized two shelving units (and corresponding rooms) that Larry assembled for me, redone about three-quarters of my kitchen, cleaned and organized the refrigerator, and cleaned and organized the storage room.  I’m pretty proud of myself honestly.

Anyway, I hope you find these cleaning hacks helpful too and have a great weekend!  I’ve been experimenting with a soothing bath blend while trying to ease the pain from cleaning and hope I can share a new successful product with you soon.  Once I get this blend just right you’ll truly have some happy pampering ahead of you if you try it.  *grin*

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