Just Elizabeth Ashe

My Goals For 2017

This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure for more Info.

my goals for 2017

 

 

Well the new year has started and with it comes many new goals for 2017 that I would like to implement. Goal setting is great and its the one thing that will help to keep me accountable to myself and to the things I would like to accomplish. My goals for 2017 are not much but does help you to put things into focus and be able to visually see all that needs to completed.

My goals for 2017 are as follows:

 

Personal Goals:

Finish my Degree in Office Administration – I started my degree years ago before my kids were born and I have been taking classes every now and then for years. When you have kids its really easy to put things you started to the waist side and focus on your family first. And that is exactly what I did, but I just realized that I am only about three classes away from that goal. So I hope to have my degree sometime early in 2017.

 

Fitness – I would really love to get back into working out a ton more, I use to love to weight lift a ton before my kids were born and its something that really made me happy.  I had a ton of muscle tone in the past, and it really helped me to do a lot of physical activities without getting tired to quick. To be able to jog or just walk more and incorporate more exercise into my daily routine would really help me to get into shape and get my body ready for a possible new baby.

 

Read More Books– I love reading books, but in the year of 2016 I did not read as many books as I planned to read and actually read more ebooks than a hardback.  I would love to read one book a month this year that is not an ebook, but hardback. But If I have too I would love to invest in a kindle and read a ton of books on a  paperwhite kindle. Maybe my hubby will get me one for our wedding anniversary.

 

Home- This year I plan on really going by room to room and revamping each one really cheaply. We currently rent at the moment and would like to buy another home in the near future. Not sure If it will be this year or next, depending on a couple of other factors were working on first. Like raising my husbands and I credit score and getting rid of some debt we both have. We did own a home once before but ended up selling it during the housing market crash years back. However, our landlord is really cool and will let us make some changes to the rooms like basic stuff. It's fine because we might actually buy the home were currently living in.

 

Financial Goals/Business:

 

Blogging – This year I plan to blog more and really get involved in a lot more groups and network more within the blogging community. I have high hopes for this blog and I really want to share more of myself and my family through weekly vlogs on youtube and post more on a weekly almost daily basis.

 

Credit and Debt – My husband I are working on paying down some debt we accumulate over the years and raising our credit score by getting rid of items that should not be there. We have been using this program call Credit Secret for the past couple of months now and I have raised both our scores equally by 100 points. All without using a  creditor and doing it all ourselves.

 

Employees – We own a small car lot where we sell used cars and at the moment I am the main one that does the title work for my husband. I would love to hire and train someone to take over my role and replace me. So that I will not have to process all the extra paperwork anymore but focus more on the duties at home and growing my blog.

 

Create a Vision Board – I really want to make a vision board and give myself a visual representation of the goals I want to complete.

 

Family Goals:

 

Education – In 2017 I really plan to push my youngest son to get better at his spelling and really push his math skills. He has always struggled and picks up on things a little slower than my older kids. So I'm hoping to make some real gains before the summer time.

 

Addition to the Family – My husband and I if all goes well this year we might try to conceive another child before the end of the year.

 

I don't have a long list of goals but these goals do require some work to complete, and I'm hoping to come back and look at this list months from now to see how many of them actually get completed.

 

 

signatureImage



Natural Living

Nine Ways To Use Aromatherapy Oils: For A Tranquil Home

This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure for more Info.

I love essential oils, I use them in my homemade hair products, I buy natural bar soaps that have essential oil in them, I even use aromatherapy oils for home air fresheners in my home. They are great for so many uses!

Aromatherapy oils are oils that are created from natural elements. They’re also called essential oils. They range from lavender to grapefruit and everything in between. They offer a number of therapeutic benefits, cleaning help and even health benefits.

Here Are Nine Smart Ways of Using Aromatherapy Oils in Your Home

Want to learn more Read my Beginners Guide to Essential Oils! =======> Beginners Guide To Essential Oils!

 

how to use aromatherapy

 

#1 Water Diffuser and Room Freshener.

Add six to eight drops of your favorite scent to a bowl of water. If the water is warm, it will help spread the scent more quickly. You could place the bowl on a table or counter. If you’re really in need of a quick freshening, simply add the drops to a pan of boiling water. Choose your essential oils based on your mood or need. For example, if you want to freshen up your home lemon, verbena, orange or other light scents are ideal. If you’re looking to relax, try lavender or sandalwood.

Read more on my favorite DIY HOMEMADE AIR FRESHENER!

#2 Room and Linen Deodorizer.

Add a few drops of essential oil to water in a spray bottle. Keep a bottle in your bathroom. Spray near pet areas. Or use the spray to freshen linens. Lavender spray in your bedroom is a great way to add a relaxing scent.

#3 Sachet and Closet Freshener.

Add a few drops of essential oils to cotton balls and place in drawers or your closet. Lavender, cedar or sandalwood are nice choices.

#4 Heat Diffuser.

Place a few drops of essential oils on a cotton ball or wool ball and place inside a heating vent. When your furnace kicks on the blower will help spread the scent throughout your home.

#5 Sinus Remedy.

If you’re ill or struggling with congestion place eucalyptus oil in hot water. Consider placing the oil in a hot water vaporizer as well.

#6 Refrigerator Deodorizer.

Place several drops of orange, mint or lemon oil in a bucket of warm water. With a clean sponge, use the water to clean out your refrigerator.

#7 Counter Cleaner.

Add lemon, thyme, basil or even geranium oil to equal parts distilled white vinegar and water. Use to clean countertops in your kitchen and bathroom.

#8 Light bulb room freshener.

Place a drop of your favorite oil on your light bulbs. Make sure to add the oil when the bulbs are cold. When the light is on and the bulb heats up it will heat the oil and fill the room with scent. Consider placing lavender oil on bedroom light bulbs to relax. And invigorating grapefruit or other citrus scent in your home office.

#9 Furniture polish.

Add four to six drops of lemon essential oil to half a cup of olive oil. With a clean dry rag, use the oil to polish wood furniture.

Essential oils fill your home with fresh and natural scents. You can be sure you’re providing your loved ones with a safe environment free from harmful chemicals when you use aromatherapy oils to clean and deodorize your home.

 

Essential oils/diffuser Zevana 3 pack of oils WITH Green Air Scent Pod Portable Diffuser 100% Therapeutic Grade (Lavender, Orange, Peppermint) Perfect essential oil comboEssential oils/diffuser Zevana 3 pack of oils WITH Green Air Scent Pod Portable Diffuser 100% Therapeutic Grade (Lavender, Orange, Peppermint) Perfect essential oil comboPureSpa Essential Oil Diffuser - Compact Ultrasonic Aromatherapy Diffuser With Ionizer and Color-Changing LightPureSpa Essential Oil Diffuser – Compact Ultrasonic Aromatherapy Diffuser With Ionizer and Color-Changing LightPureSpa Deluxe Ultrasonic Aromatherapy Oil Diffuser - High Capacity Aroma Diffuser Lasts for Up to 10 Hours with Automatic Shut-Off for Home & Office SafetyPureSpa Deluxe Ultrasonic Aromatherapy Oil Diffuser – High Capacity Aroma Diffuser Lasts for Up to 10 Hours with Automatic Shut-Off for Home & Office Safety

&

 

signatureImage



Home

My Simple Shabby Chic Bedroom

This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure for more Info.

 

 

shabby-chic-bedroom-cropped

 

 

So I don't know if its been this holiday break that my kids are on, or if its just me and I'm really relaxed and want to decorate my bedroom and change some things up a bit. I love the shabby chic look, I always have. In fact, I bought my bedroom set based upon the fact that it has this romantic old world feel to it.

Something about feeling like I'm living in a castle within my own house in my own room. That really gets me going. Lol 🙂

Shabby chic bedding, shabby chic bedroom ideas is one DIY that I am always researching and looking up, sort of becoming a habit to me. I would love to have my whole house shabby chic, but I have a husband that is really into style himself and it's been a bit of a struggle, to say the least. However, I am still working on it and soon the whole house will be just like I want it, each day a little at a time, room by room is my goal.

I love the idea of affordable shabby chic furniture and vintage shabby chic bedrooms. Which took me a little bit by surprise since I never thought I would be spending a lot of time looking into how to decorate. See I'm not that great when it comes to decorating, so to find myself really liking it is really quite cool!

Check out my Simple Shabby Chic Bedroom and how I spruced it up a bit. I ended up getting some new simply shabby chic bedding with some shabby chic shams. I added a nice little shabby chic picture frame with a picture of my boys on top of some books.

Next, since the walls of my room are a light warm green,  I added two cute fake pink flowers on each night stand. I'm actually in the process of now of looking for some vintage shabby chic lamps to go with each nightstand too, one for my husband side and one for me.

These are some I found on amazon, but have not bought yet.

Set of 2 Table Lamps in Bronze and Silver FinishSet of 2 Table Lamps in Bronze and Silver FinishBohemian Clear Stacked Glass Table LampBohemian Clear Stacked Glass Table LampBeautiful and Attractive Jeweled Blossoms Champagne Glass and Metal 24-inch Table LampBeautiful and Attractive Jeweled Blossoms Champagne Glass and Metal 24-inch Table Lamp

&

The bedding that I bought from target and the green throw from Bad bath and beyond a few years back. I even went and got this cute little desk from a vintage store today to go with my room. More on that to come in the future once I finish the whole room.

 

shabby chic desk

photo/adjectives market Central Florida

I also put this clock on amazon on my wish list along with these wooden hooks to put my husband and I jackets on maybe. Maybe I'll look into those lamps too on amazon.

What do you think?

 

 

signatureImage

 

 




Foodie

La Famiglia Delgrosso Pasta Sauce

This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure for more Info.

Tonight I was super hungry and I was really craving some sort of pasta sauce with meatballs. I love making homemade meatballs myself, but tonight I was just being lazy and did not want to make my own meatballs. So I thought why not just go out and by some meatballs to make and see if the kids like them.

The only thing was that I did not want anything that has bad ingredients, or all sorts of fillers. I'm not one for pre-packaged meat, so buying the meat and cooking it is quite a stretch for me.  So if I'm going to buy some really good meatballs I want some really good sauce to go with them. A great sauce is one that is really simple and not over packed with all sorts of things that do not need to be in

A great sauce is one that is really simple and not over packed with all sorts of things that do not need to be in the jar.

One of my favorite sauce hands down is Organic Bella, but that is for another post on a different day. If you ever get a chance to try that one out you most surely should. The marinara is so delicious!

 

 

So as I was strolling the aisle in the store I saw these jars of La Famiglia Delgrosso pasta sauce. The packaging looked really old world just like I like them, and the graphics of the family on the front really caught my eye. The jar was actually quite large too, a little bit bigger than the other ones on the shelf.

So I thought, this seems to be a nice family size of pasta sauce.

I really loved how on the back of the La Famiglia Delgrosso Pasta Sauce it is made with No-GMO'S, Gluten Free, and No Sugar Added!

As you can see the only ingredients are:

  • Italian Plum Tomatoes
  • Crushed Tomatoes
  • Imported Olive Oil
  • Fresh Onions
  • Basil
  • Sea Salt
  • Garlic
  • Black Pepper
  • Bay and Crushed Pepper

 

 


 

I ended up cooking the meatballs on low to let is simmer for 35-40 minutes to really infuse the Delgrosso sauce into the meatballs. As you can see in the picture below.

meatballs simmering

 

Then I went on ahead to make the spaghetti noodles and once that was finished cooking,  I just topped the pasta sauce with a couple of meatballs and some Parmesan Reggiano.

See!

 

la famiglia delgrosso pasta sauce

 

It was actually quite good, and not that bad at all. With a great old world taste to it! This La Famiglia pasta sauce I will admit is not one of the best of I have tested. However, it is in the top 10 of bottled pasta sauce on the market today. I know it has great pasta sauce reviews on it and I really feel it is well deserved. It isn't salty at all and does not have that pre-packaged taste, but a nice smooth as if it was made right in your own home sort of taste.

Really quite good. 😉

 

This pasta sauce I will buy again, not so sure about the meatballs even though they are the best pre-packaged meatballs I've ever tasted. They were just a little bit on the salty side. However, I plan to use the leftover meatballs to make meatball subs tomorrow for the kid's lunch on some hoagies with provolone cheese.

Good Stuff!

 

What about you, have you ever tried the La Famiglia Delgrosso Pasta Sauce?

 

 

signatureImage

LA FAMIGLIA DELGROSSO SAUCE PASTA FIREWORKS, 26 OZLA FAMIGLIA DELGROSSO SAUCE PASTA FIREWORKS, 26 OZLA FAMIGLIA DELGROSSO SAUCE PASTA MARINARA, 26 OZLA FAMIGLIA DELGROSSO SAUCE PASTA MARINARA, 26 OZLa Famiglia Delgrosso Lafam Vodka Pasta Sauce 26 OZ (Pack of 6)La Famiglia Delgrosso Lafam Vodka Pasta Sauce 26 OZ (Pack of 6)LA FAMIGLIA DELGROSSO SAUCE PASTA TOMATO BASIL, 26 OZLA FAMIGLIA DELGROSSO SAUCE PASTA TOMATO BASIL, 26 OZ

&




Culture

House Of Blues Orlando, Fl

This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure for more Info.

This past weekend Hubby and I had a chance to get out and have some fun with some old friends. We ended up going to House of Blues Orlando to see one my husband's favorite male groups from the early 90's called Jodeci. It was so much fun being able to see Kc and Jojo and the other members of the group just have fun and sing their butts off.

For a minute there I thought they were not going sing live since they have had their share of issues in the past, but to my surprise they sounded great and even have new music out. It was so much fun, just to be able to hang out and let loose without having no kids around. Ryan's mom came to watch the kid's while we went out for dinner at Carraba's and then to the House of blues Orlando. They do have food there, but all though I do love bar food. I really did not feel like eating bar food this night.

They do have food there, but all though I do love bar food. I really did not feel like eating bar food this night.

At Carrabba's my hubby and I both had the Filet Steak with Blue cheese crumbles and Fettuccine for the Pasta, it was so good! In fact, if you ever wanted to find deals on places to eat in your area then check out resturants.com they have awesome deals, coupons you can download to reduce the cost of the meal.

I just thought I would throw that out there.

 

House Of Blues Orlando

 

All in all we had so much and was still not out too late since the show started at 8:30 we still had time to make it home and still get a good night sleep…..

 

I like to sleep….zzzzzzzz

 

What Venues do you like to go out too when you really want to have some fun?

signatureImage