I was on vacation last week and it almost pushed me to quit blogging. It’s not even the blogging portion that I didn’t want to do anymore, in fact I actually enjoy the writing portion of blogging. I find it almost therapeutic at times. It allows me to get things off my chest in a manner that I normally wouldn’t.
What I really wanted to quit was the whole social media part. Posting to Instagram, liking and commenting on the photos, posting and sharing things on Facebook, tweeting and retweeting. I have said to others before, that keeping up my social media portion sometimes feels like another full time job. We’ve all read articles about how important it is to be engaged with your followers to gain momentum with your blog. But this week, I just wanted to enjoy my time off with my son.
He is the reason I would ever quit.
I am not going to lie, the few days leading up to my holidays I truly stressed about it. I wondered how I was going to fit in checking Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and yet not take time away from enjoying every minute with my son. The only option I could think of was quit. Give it all up, walk away, I quit. Yes, I sound a little bit dramatic about the whole situation but it seems like it is constantly drilled into our heads that in order to keep our social presence relevant, we need to be active every single day and sometimes multiple times a day.
After a few days, and some pondering and considerations, I realized that the world was not going to end if I didn’t keep up with posting. If I lost some followers, life will go on. As much as I enjoy blogging and definitely want to grow my blog, I am pretty sure isn’t something that will allow me to leave my full time job. And truth be told, I don’t know if I would want it to be. Last summer when I was very, very new to blogging, I took a social media break and lived to tell the tale so there was no reason I couldn’t do it again.
I have to say it was quite liberating. Sure, I still looked at Instagram and Facebook from time to time but as a general user, not as a blogger keeping up. But I didn’t feel any pressure to post anything blog related. Even now that I am back to work and “blogging”, I am still not keeping up like I used to. Is this going to hurt me going forward, I don’t know. But what I do know is that my time with my son is much more important to me.
I have seen other bloggers recently talking about the same thing. And I wonder, is it because it is summer and everyone just wanting to take advantage of the warm weather and not stuck to their phones? Or have bloggers in general just decided it’s too much all the time? For me, I think it is a combination of both. So for now, if I am not as active on my social media, I will deal with the ramifications of it when the time comes.
Disclosure: Although I was provided items in this post, all comments and opinions are strictly mine.
Photo Cred: @eastofsixsup
When the summer weather is upon us, there is nothing more that I want to do than get outside, have some fun and try new things. This past weekend due to last minute change in scheduling, my son and I got the opportunity to do some stand up paddle boarding thanks to East of SIX SUP. I had tried paddle boarding once before but never actually had a lesson and was thrilled to have the opportunity to get my son out on the water as well.
East of Six operates out of Pickering, Whitby, Port Perry and Toronto which is great for those of us out in the Durham region. We aren’t having to go all the way into the city and are able to enjoy the water we have right at our doorsteps. They have group lessons and paddles available but will also do all sorts of private events on request. They have morning paddles as well as Sunset paddles, which I am hoping to do later on this summer
From the minute we got to the lake I was impressed with the company. The instructor was so incredibly nice and had so much patience with us. I loved the fact that he let my son right in on the action when he was inflating the paddle boards and getting things ready. It was interesting to see that they used blow up paddle boards. Until then, I didn’t even know they existed. I just assumed they were hard plastic like a surfboard. That is what I had used previously.
And our safety was a number 1 priority with them. He made sure my son had his life jacket on properly and I had mine in place as well. They also made sure we were tethered to the board with an ankle strap. Which now that I think back to it, we didn’t have those when I had gone previously. It made me feel a lot better about it in case we were to fall off. We wouldn’t be stuck out in the lake with the board floating away from us.
After a few on land instructions and safety in check, we were ready to hit the water. I appreciated that they showed us on land first a few concepts in theory instead of on the water first so we had an idea and weren’t falling off all the time. It was a bit windy and wavy that day, so we paddled out to a cove area to try and avoid the bulk of the waves. My son struggled a little bit at the beginning just getting the hang of maneuvering the board, so the instructor tethered himself to his board and helped get him on track. This allowed my son to get used to paddling and going in the right direction with less chance for him floating off away from us. (I think this calmed my anxiety more than anything.)
Photo Cred: @eastofsixsup
Once we got to the cove area, it was only a few minutes and my son was up on the board and loving it. And before long, I was up as well. I found the wind and waves definitely made it more of a challenge to get up and stay up, but I did it. Truth be told, I did get dumped into the lake once. My biggest fear about getting dumped in was not being able to get back up on the board. With a little effort I got back up, can’t say that it was graceful, but I got back on.
Photo Cred: @eastofsixsup
Once we got our sea legs, we were able to enjoy paddling around and enjoying the lake. We were out for probably close to 2 hours and I know that by the end I knew we would both sleep well that night with all that fresh air and paddling effort. I couldn’t have asked for a friendlier, patient and kind instructor for our day. On the way home, into the evening and even the next day, my son kept going on about how much fun he had that day and how much he wanted to be able to go again.
Photo Cred: @eastofsixsup
I know several friends have asked me about paddle boarding and expressed interest in doing so. I have to say, it does take some effort but it was definitely a lot easier than I had originally anticipated and so much fun. We are planning to go again this summer and I highly suggest you book your time with East of SIX SUP soon as I know they will book up quickly.
I am co-hosting a link up party with some pretty crafty ladies and on the second Wednesday of each month we will be bringing you our latest DIY creations. This month our theme is “Thrift Store Makeover”. I don’t have a budget for home decor these days so I was ready to hop on the bandwagon and see what I could come up with what I could find at my local thrift store.
Since I moved back in February, I haven’t really done anything with my bedroom except the basic unpacking. I have decided that I am going to try and focus as many of my DIY creations on my bedroom as possible. I need to make this room my own and a reflection of who I am. So for my Thrift Store Makeover, I decided I would replace my nightstand table lamp.
The one that I currently had took up a huge amount of space on the table and left me little room for anything else.
Nightstand beforehand – no room for anything else.
So I took a quick trip over to my local Value Village to see what I could find to replace this old lamp and make some more space on my night table. There were a lot of options to choose from but I finally settled with a base and lampshade that I felt would do the trick.
Before
Luckily there was a Dollarama right next door so I headed there next to find something to cover the shade and some paint for the base of the lamp. I wasn’t sure exactly what type of material I would use for the lampshade or the exact color scheme I was going to use. I just so happen to come across this package of paper that showed right on the packaging that it could be used for lampshades and a color palette that I really liked. So now for less than $15 in total for supplies I was ready to start the transformation.
The perfect paper for my lamp shade
The first thing I did was traced the outline of the lampshade on to the back side of the paper and cut it out it out. I then used my trusty glue gun and attached the paper template on to the old shade.
Paper is attached to shade
Because I was still able to see parts of the old shade at the top and bottom, I then attached a silver ribbon on each end to cover it up.
For the base, I just gave it 2 coats of silver paint that I also picked up at my local Dollarama.
Ready to tackle the base.
I ended up using a sponge style brush as it made it much easier to get into all the little nooks and curves.
Base paint being applied
After letting the paint dry overnight, I was able to grab a light bulb and assemble the finished product. I am very happy with the outcome. It will make a great addition to my bedroom and definitely take up a lot less space on my night stand.
As I previously mentioned, I am a co-host for the Inspire My Creativity: Thrift Store Makeover and link up party. If you’d like to join us, we post the second Wednesday of each month.
I am happy to introduce Barbara Davis as a guest blogger to A Boy and His Mom:
About the author:
Barbara Davis spends most of her time writing about all significant aspects of motherhood and pregnancy. She relates both her personal and professional experiences to the kind of useful content she creates on a daily basis. Her passion towards providing practical information has encouraged her to expand her knowledge about these topics. And it’s this particular element that readers love to connect with.
How To Get Rid Of Wrinkles Under The Eyes Even At Home?
Photo credit: dailyhealthandbeautytips.com
Worrying about getting old is something that we all do. So when it comes to wrinkles, the anxiety increases further. And it’s the lines that develop under the eyes that we’re so scared of, aren’t we? So in this article, I’m going to discuss how to get rid of wrinkles under the eyes.
Now you should know that aging is a natural process. Some people get wrinkles in their 20s and the others in their 30s or even later. It depends on several factors like nutritional habits, sun exposure, skin care, etc. So first, let’s find out what the causes are before we get into the best under eye wrinkle treatment methods.
Causes of wrinkles under the eyes
Sun Exposure
Photo credit: reliantmedicalgroup.org
There’s a reason why you see people wearing sunglasses and large hats. When walking out in the sun without a hat or sunglasses, we tend to squint a little too much, don’t we?
Combine this facial movement with the sun’s harmful UV rays, and you have a recipe for developing under eye fine lines and wrinkles. So the next time you step out for a walk in the day, carry the essentials and avoid squinting. Even a sunscreen goes a long way in providing sun protection.
If you want to know how to get rid of wrinkles under the eyes, then you’ve got to stop smoking. What smoking does is constrict the blood vessels present in the skin’s outer layer. And this tends to reduce blood circulation. So your skin doesn’t receive enough nutrients and moisture.
This constitutes as another reason to stop smoking!
Aging
Photo credit: myawesomebeauty.com
As I’ve stated earlier, aging is a natural process. And eye wrinkling is a part of that. As you age, your skin becomes thinner and dryer. This makes the surface of the skin less elastic, thus encouraging the formation of fine lines and wrinkles.
Poor Skin Care
Keeping the skin moisturized is not only important but also necessary. When wrinkles are surrounded by dry skin, every movement and emotion make the skin look older whenever it shifts. This is how fine lines and wrinkles seem darker and deeper.
Nutritional Habits
Photo credit: vkool.com
Chocolate and ice cream do sound like tasty treats, but they don’t contain vitamin E, vitamin C, and antioxidants. They also don’t have Omega-3 fatty acids. Such healthy elements are only present in hearty foods like fish, vegetables, and fruits.
So your nutritional habits play a significant role in the development of wrinkles under the eyes.
Genetic Factors
Take a close look at your grandmother and mother. If they have wrinkles, then you might get them too. Maternal side DNA passes down these kinds of aging signs. But there’s nothing to worry about here as getting wrinkles is as normal a part of life as getting old. And sometimes, no matter how hard you try, you cannot slow down the process.
Now that we know why you get wrinkles under eyes when smiling, it’s time to learn how to get rid of them.
How to Get Rid of Wrinkles under the Eyes?
Fine line and wrinkles may be a natural occurrence, but you can control the process. This does not mean opting for medical or surgical procedures. Under eye wrinkle treatment is something that you can do even at home and that too with natural ingredients. So let’s find out what these methods are.
Maintain a healthy diet
Photo credit: rd.com
A proper diet is essential for a healthy body, isn’t it? This includes skin and hair. You should know that the absence of collagen in the system gives rise to wrinkles under the eyes. Collagen is responsible for filling our facial area in such a way that it makes the skin look youthful and tight.
So a hearty diet includes foods like fish, leafy vegetables, and fruits. These contain sufficient amounts of minerals, proteins, and antioxidants to keep the skin looking fresh and healthy.
Sleep well
Do you get up at night more often? Do you get enough sleep every night? These are some questions that you need to ask yourself if you’re worried about under eye wrinkles. If you want to know how to get rid of wrinkles under the eyes, then you should get at least eight hours of sleep every night.
But this might be difficult to come by if you’re a new mom. You might have to change your baby’s nighttime diaper at 2 or 4 a.m. And this can mess with your sleeping schedule. So it’s important that you make up for these hours by sleeping for a while in the day.
In fact, not just the skin, a good night’s sleep also keeps the body and mental state of mind in good condition.
Everybody know this, am I right? Our skin needs water to remain radiant-looking and healthy. So it’s important to consume plenty of water, as much as your body needs per day.
You can also make it a habit of splashing water into your eyes every morning as you wake up. This is considered to be one of the most effective treatments for dark circles and wrinkles under the eyes.
Place cucumber slices on your eyes
Photo credit: beautyglimpse.com
Cucumber does help when you put it directly on the eyes. Leave it like that for 15 minutes daily, and you’ll see a significant reduction in fine lines.
Another excellent remedy is applying cucumber juice around the eyes. Again, you can wash it off after 10-15 minutes.
Apply pineapple juice
Pineapple contains bromelain, which does a great job at reducing inflammation. The delicious yellow fruit also has alpha hydroxyl. This is an acid responsible for eliminating skin aging signs such as wrinkles. And wait, that’s not it!
There’s an astringent found in pineapple that contributes to getting rid of sensitive skin cells present under your eyes. So what you need to do is apply the juice on the entire face and leave it for not more than 20 minutes.
Don’t forget to use a thick layer under the eyes. This makes the skin soft and more elastic, thus preventing the formation of wrinkles.
Hydrate the under eye region with olive oil
Photo credit: naturalskincarejunkie.com
How to get rid of wrinkles under the eyes using olive oil? Here’s how you should make the most of olive oil for eliminating fine lines and wrinkles. Just apply some oil on the affected or sensitive zones under the eyes. Such a practice helps the skin retain its original moisture.
You can add lemon juice as well. But this part might be tricky as lemon tends to burn when it comes in contact with the eyes.
Use honey and papaya mixture
The formation of fine lines under eyes in 20s is becoming a common occurrence due to unhealthy and stressful lifestyles. So how to prevent these wrinkles and fine lines?
The answer is quite simple. You can apply papaya juice mixed with honey on your face. The paste has excellent moisturizing properties. But make it a point to concentrate more on the under eye region.
The Final Note
Everybody wants to know how to get rid of wrinkles under the eyes in the most natural manner. So if you’re getting worried about this, then you should incorporate healthy habits and a proper diet.
The goal is to provide nourishment to the skin from within as much as the outside. This means eating fresh veggies and fruits along with drinking lots of water. You can also apply fresh juices extracted from cucumber, pineapple, and papaya in the under eye region.
And if you smoke, then now is the time to quit. Because smoking tends to speed up the aging process.
Are you planning on improving the quality of your skin and life by adopting these methods? Are there any other effective remedies to treat under eye wrinkles and fine lines?
Once you see the difference in your eyes, you will not want to stop just there. One thing always leads to another. Soon you’ll be posting pictures and writing articles yourself about how to stay fit and look fresh and healthy.
So let’s make that the ultimate goal of our life!
Thank you for reading. I hope to see you again soon.
Disclosure: Although items in this post were provided to me, all comments, opinions and photos are strictly mine.
A few weeks ago, I posted a short video of me in my bathing suit whilst using a friend’s makeshift slip and slide on Instagram. It really took a lot of humming and hawing to actually post the video. I am usually very self conscious about posting any photos of myself, let alone one of me running in a bathing suit.
This year, turning 45, I decided that it was time I stopped worrying about what people thought and just doing things for myself and my own enjoyment. As I stated in a previous post and in my current mind frame, I decided to post to the video and not really care if it was out there for everyone to see.
Having a great bathing suit, like those made by Rad Swim, can really help with the self confidence. They make some of the cutest bathing suits that I have seen in a long time. The line of suits come in 1 piece or tankini styles for women, teens and young girls. The styles are super flattering so you will want to be spending your entire summer at the beach or poolside in these.
Although Rad Swim is located in the US, shipping to Canada is a breeze. Here is Canada we often see things that we want, only to find out that won’t ship to Canada or it will take forever to get here. Luckily they do ship to Canada and it came very quickly without any hassles at the border. I think from the time I ordered my suit to the day it arrived was less that a week. So there is ample time to get one for yourself this summer.
The suit that I received was the Holly and Lexi sequin one piece. I am always skeptical about bathing suits but I was so happy when I got this one. The bust area wasn’t too small and didn’t have to worry about anything spilling out. Being such a light color I was a bit worries about coverage but the fabric is thick and the suit is lined, so no issues at all. I loved the sequined detailing on the bust.
I don’t know about you, but the weather here lately has been awful. Rain every day and not the warmest. I even had troubles finding a day and time that the weather would cooperate to even get photos for this blog post. So I am hoping that now that we are into July that the weather will finally start cooperating and I can spend my summer outside and enjoying the warmth. And put on that bathing suit, enjoy life, it’s too short not to.
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