It didn't start out that way.  It started snowing mid day on Christmas.  We got six inches of white powdery snow!  So we played!  Bryan played with his new snowblower (purchased at an estate sale this past summer).  We went sledding at the local park.  C kept saying "Again.  Again."  

A play day was the perfect way to end a very busy holiday!  We spent a lot of time in the car from house to house to celebrate with family.  My brother and his family were in town.  It was the first Christmas that C has celebrated with her cousins.  She was exhausted by Sunday.  We were all exhausted by Sunday.

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday with the people you love!

It's Wednesday again and that means it is time for the weekly yarn along.  I am joining with Ginny and everyone to share yarn and books.  I did finish the Optimistic Mitts I was working on for Teacher Vanessa's gift bag.  I'm not super pleased with how they turned out.  What has me worried is that when I tried them on they were really big on me and that was after I had gone down a needle size.  I have small hands and wrists so I've got my fingers crossed that they actually fit her.  It was a super easy knit and one I'd do again, but I would make them smaller.

* I quite possibly have found the perfect chocolate chip cookie. I'm not even sure how I first stumbled across this recipe, but it's a keeper in my book. A little crisp in the outside. A little soft and chewy in the middle.  Fab.U.Lous!  I've also made a recent discovery...Nestle makes a chocolate covered filled chip. Hello chocolate and peanut butter. 


* Am I the only one who stresses over the holidays?  It seems like everyone gets so excited by the crafting and cooking and family.  I find it all a bit overwhelming.  I worry about gift giving, the time and money it takes and family.  Ugh.

Happy Thursday my friends!

I just finished reading Purgatory Ridge by William Kent Krueger.  It is the third in the Cork O'Connor  Series.  I'm waiting for the fourth book so in the mean time I just started Night of the White Buffalo by Margaret Coel.  She writes a series of books about the Wind River Indian Reservation in Wyoming.

Happy Yarn Along Wednesday!

I thought I would share a little bit about the Plexus products that I have used so far (I'm slowly getting to know the whole line of products).  I'm going to start with the Detox line- ProBio 5 and Bio Cleanse.  ProBio5 is quite possibly my favorite product so far!  

This would be the best description of the two products- ProBio5 is the "toilet bowl scrubber" of the intestines and BioCleanse is the "flusher" (so to speak).  There is a lot going on in the intestines and some of it is not good.  Have you ever heard of leaky gut?  I hadn't either.   
So many health issues arise from the gut: 

• 9 Signs You Have a Leaky Gut*
• 1. Digestive issues such as gas, bloating, diarrhea or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). 
• 2. Seasonal allergies or asthma. 
• 3. Hormonal imbalances such as PMS or PCOS. 
• 4. Diagnosis of an autoimmune disease such as rheumatoid arthritis, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, lupus, psoriasis, or celiac disease. 
• 5. Diagnosis of chronic fatigue or fibromyalgia. 
• 6. Mood and mind issues such as depression, anxiety, ADD or ADHD. 
• 7. Skin issues such as acne, rosacea, or eczema. 
• 8. Diagnosis of candida overgrowth. 
• 9. Food allergies or food intolerances

Leaky gut is basically broken joints in the gut allowing undigested food, toxins, microbes and other nastiness to leak from intestines into your bloodstream.  One of the common causes of leaky gut is candida.  What is Candida?  Candida (technically called Candida albicans) is a microorganism in the category of yeast, fungi, and mold. It is normal for it to live in small amounts in the digestive system and on other body surfaces.  We all have Candida in our systems. It is helpful, and assists with digestion and nutrient absorption. It is usually kept in balance by “good” bacteria and digestive enzymes. However, under certain circumstances, it can overgrow and throw the balance in our bodies off. Then the Candida can invade the “good” bacteria and create a whole set of not-so-nice symptoms for us.  It will invade into deeper tissues and organs where it doesn’t belong, such as the liver and kidneys, and become very abundant.  Once it gets that far, it entrenches itself as fungi do (think of how hard it can be to get rid of athlete’s foot or a fungal toenail). The yeast produces certain chemicals and affects cell functions in ways that create many symptoms, some of which can become serious.  The term “Candida” refers to the general overgrowth of various fungi and yeasts in the body, which flourish under certain circumstances to the point of causing illness.  Candida has become a very common and often serious disease in our modern world.  
-sugar cravings
-inexplicable fatigue
-bloating
-anxiety
-brain “fog”
-skin and nail issues such as eczema, psoriasis, hives, rashes, athlete’s foot
-digestive issues such as bloating, constipation, diarrhea
-irritability, mood swings, anxiety, depression
-recurrent vaginal infections or UTI
-severe allergies
The Plexus ProBio5 is a great way to tackle this Candida overgrowth! ProBio5 contains five awesome probiotics, Lactobacillus Sporogenes, L. Acidophilus, L. Planterum, B. Longum, and S. Boulardi. ProBio5 also has an enzyme that is efficient and effective in destroying the yeast and fungi. 
The combination of the probiotics and enzymes in ProBio5 are a great way to support the body’s need for a balance in the digestive tract.
The probiotics and enzymes in ProBio5 are assisted by the addition of B6 and Grape Seed Extract. B6 increases the amount of oxygen in the blood, so in turn our bodies are more oxygenated and resistant to yeast and fungi. Grape Seed extract is a powerful antioxidant that has anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties.  

ProBio5 is a wonderful product that will keep your digestive system running smoothly. It can block the growth of harmful bacteria and boost the immune system, and leave you feeling your best!  

BioCleanse is not a cleanse in the way we normally associate a cleanse to be.  You don't drink some crazy concoction and starve to death to clean up the intestines.  BioCleanse helps to oxygenate, energize and detoxify the body.  Why do we need to oxygenate our bodies?  We need oxygen for energy and optimal health.  Oxygen rich blood cells help burn up some of the toxins in our bodies.  We all need energy to function both physically and mentally.  Taken together with ProBio5, BioCleanse will help flush the intestines and stomach of the toxins that have taken hold there.  It also helps relieve constipation and irregularity.  (remember I said BioCleanse was the "flusher").  

I started taking ProBio5 in September and within two weeks notices that I wasn't craving sugar like I used to because I wasn't feeding the candida with junk food/sugar cravings.  I added BioCleanse is October.  I have also been sleeping better.  I used to only take a probiotic if I was taking antibiotics but  will continue to take ProBio5 for immune health.  ProBio5 and BioCleanse are part of Triplex with Plexus Slim (which I'll cover later).  

*The above information was referenced from available Plexus file sharing.  

Disclaimer- I am an ambassador for Plexus Worldwide.  If you want more information on any of the products or becoming an ambassador please visit www.plexusslim.com/jenfeymiller.    

I don't normally share our weekends.  Mostly because our weekends are spent at work.  This weekend was full on busy pack full of goodness.

Friday was the first ski lesson of the new ski year.
 Not a whole lot of snow up top.  The lodge we are sitting in is at 11,000 feet and the peak is 12,000.  You can still see a lot of rocks and small trees.  Come on snow!

Saturday was spent running errands and Mama got an afternoon alone!  First as a family we went to purchase a limited edition charity CD that we get every year.  With the exception of last year- because it was -10 outside- this was the first year we didn't get up super early and wait in line with all the other crazy people to purchase our CD as soon as it went on sale.  We drove to the store, walked in, bought our CD's and walked out!  CRAZY!

Then Mama spent an afternoon with my Plexus peeps at an opportunity meeting.  The speaker at our meeting is one of 40 Diamond Ambassadors (the highest level of ambassador) and she was inspiring. Plus we heard testimonials from others who have been using the products.  Nothing short of amazing!
From the  Plexus meeting I went to a food swap and hung out with my foodie friends.  I made four mini apple pies and took some jarred hot pepper relish.  I came home with some apple strudel bread, some oatmeal cardamom bread, cupcakes, peach sirracha jam, and some gumbo!

Sunday was C's social day.  She was invited to two birthday parties.  The first was for a one year old and the second was for a classmate.  She was so excited for cake and then didn't eat either piece.  I've had a glimpse of how it will be going forward...mama's chauffeur service!

Have a great week my friends.