Browsing Category: Life

Cute and Convenient Valentine’s Day Cards

4 February, 2016 Laytee Samida

One of the simplest joys you can give a person is a greeting card. No matter if it’s for a birthday, graduation, or holiday; greeting cards always seem to be appreciated or so simple to give.

Other than Christmas, one of the biggest card giving holiday’s is coming up; Valentine’s Day!

No matter how you feel about V-Day, you have to admit there are some pretty amazing, personality-filled card options out there. For me, whether I’m giving an actual gift or card, I like for the item to look and feel personable and resonates with the personality of the receiver. Unfortunately, when trying to select and buy just the right card for you Valentine in a store, it can be a little overwhelming.

Just the other day, I popped into my favorite red bulls-eye store and was immediate drawn to the card section, which was decked out in every shade of red, pink, and white imaginable. However, the greeting cards aisle was packed with various people pacing back and forth eyeing the selection to the people who pick up and read the card looking for the right caption, which is very important when selecting any greeting card.

Anyway, it’s just too much of a hassle trying to fish out the perfect card when you’re surrounded by many others on the same mission. Therefore, I prefer to shop online for greeting cards and other paper needs, such as stationary and invitations.

I was browsing around Paperless Post for some Valentine’s Day card options, because they have a wide selection of cards and other stationary needs. Plus, you can buy paper and online cards, FYI. (not sponsored, BT dubbs) I love convenience!

Anyway, I decided to share some of my favorites that are not only perfect to send to your significant other, but even your BFFs. In case you didn’t realize, Valentine’s Day isn’t exclusively for S.O.s, but everyone you love. My dad still sends my sister and I cards for Valentine’s Day.

Traditional/Romantic

Flirty/Cheeky

Never forget the importance and appreciation of cards, including sending congratulations cards, birthday invitations, and any other celebratory moment in your and others lives. Since there are countless of paperless card options out there, you should never have to worry about not sending a card, especially this Valentine’s day.

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What I Learned After Fasting for 21 Days

3 February, 2016 Laytee Samida

You might recall that I recently decided to participate in my church’s 21 Day fast and decided that I would fast off food from sunrise to sunset each of those days. However, I also to decided to completely fast off of coffee, too.

Well, my fast ended this past weekend and I decided to share my experience; highs and lows.

So, keep reading to see what I learned after fasting for 21 days.

How Did I Do?

Just like most first days of anything that you have to do (i.e. monthly visit from Aunt Flo), it was rough. Every Monday at work, the owner of the company brings tons of fresh fruit and containers of various plain, honey-roasted, salted, and even chocolate covered nuts. It’s awesome…when you’re not fasting for 8 out of the 9 hours that you’re there. On Monday morning (Day 1), I literally walked into the kitchen with all these delicious fruits and legumes being placed on one counter, while at the other counter a couple of co-workers were talking while preparing 2 fresh pots of coffee to brew. It was horrible. All I could do was give my morning pleasantries as I power walked to my desk before I got even the slightest whiff of coffee.

Now, since I was only fasting off of food from sunrise to sunset, I was still at work when the sun went down and as soon as I saw the clock at the bottom of my computer screen hit 5:09 (official sunset), I jumped out of my desk and headed straight for an apple and very small handful of chocolate peanuts. That was probably the most delicious apple and chocolate covered peanuts I ever ate or least it tasted like they were. Thirty minutes after inhaling that apple, I headed home to relax and for dinner.

I will admit that I thought that when I got home, I would pull a chair up to my fridge and pig out. Fortunately, that wasn’t the case. I’m not sure if it was the apple or the preparation for the fast I did the previous weekend (probably both), but I wasn’t that hungry and was able to prepare me a sensible dinner without snacking beforehand. *pats self on back*

It was a pretty smooth 21 days, but there were some rough moments/

Rough Moments?

Aside from Fresh Fruit Day and Donut Day at the office (Thursdays, FYI), the biggest rough spot definitely had to be the weekend, which I knew it would be. I will admit that I spend the majority of my weekend doing absolutely nothing other than maybe running an errand or two on Saturday morning and going to church on Sunday morning. Other than that, I’m usually just playing it by ear and rarely do anything.

So, I mostly just drank water and cold pressed juice to curb the desire to snack while watching TV or reading.

Major Keys.

Since I was only fasting food from sunrise to sunset, I still had the option of water, green tea (no sweetners), and fresh squeezed juice (no concentrate). Luckily, I work next to a Whole Foods and on days when I felt my hunger, I would go buy a small bottle of grapefruit juice to sip on throughout the day. I chose grapefruit juice, because it’s a great antioxidant and appetite suppressant. Grapefruit is a very tangy taste, but I like it and it worked amazingly.

Benefits.

Once of the new habits I developed was valuing my mornings and using that time wisely. I’m an early bird by nature. Unless I go to super late, 2 or 3 am, I’m up no later that 6am. Even those very rare occasions when I have stayed up super late, my body would still attempt for me to wake up, but I will just go back to sleep.

When I usually get up in the morning, I lay around in bed, scroll my social media feeds, check emails, and repeat until I have to get up and get ready for work. However, since this fast required me to not eat past sunrise (about 7am), I had to get up out of bed and make me some breakfast. For breakfast, I usually grab something on the way to work or eat what ever I can grab and go from the fridge. Not necessarily the healthiest of routines to have first thing in the morning.

My breakfast during the fast mostly consisted of an omelet filled with peppers, onions, and spinach and topped off with a tablespoon of salsa. This has easily turned into my favorite thing to eat every morning. While eating breakfast, I would sit with a glass of water and watch the news, which is something I don’t do has often as I used to, thanks to social media. Yes, I turned into one of those people who gets their news while browsing their timelines.

After this fast, I’m all about waking up, getting out of bed, and making my breakfast before the sunrise and I like it.

Results.

I value my time so much more. Although I knew I could be doing something more productive when I wake up in the morning other than scrolling timelines for an hour, now I know actually do more than that. I still scroll, but for maybe 10-15 minutes and then I get up go prepare breakfast, read my daily devotional, and journal out my plans for the day. Clarity.

In regards to health related results? I did drop a few pounds, but the most important takeaway I received was the realization and desire to eat better and treat my mind, body, and soul with more attention. I’m telling you, little steps can lead to big results.

Would and Will I Do It Again?

Definitely!

I think next time, I’m going to try juice fast when it gets a little warmer. I’ve done juice fasts in the past, but not longer than 2-3 days. So, next time, I would like to try a 1-week juice cleanse, probably this spring. Hopefully, by the time summer hits, I will be open and committed to longer fasts.

QUESTION OF THE POST: Have you fast before? If so, for how long and did you fast off anything in particular (i.e. bread, dairy)? If not, would you fast?

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Essential Kitchen Tools

26 January, 2016 Laytee Samida

Many, many years ago, when I moved into my first place, I was super excited to not only have my own place, but decorate it with furniture and home decor accents. However, like most people who move into their first place, there were a few basic things that I didn’t take into consideration, such as the forgotten basic kitchen tools.

I’m not taking about the core basics of a pot and/or pan with a couple of random cooking spoons. I’m talking about the forgotten tools that help you prepare and create meal, not just cook it. So, I’m sharing a list of basic, but essential kitchen tools that most people forget about, but everyone needs for efficient cooking.

Lemon Juicer – I use my lemon juicer more times than I think I would ever in my lifetime. I use it add splashes of lemon to chicken and fish dishes, to make fresh squeeze limeade and/or lemonade, or to simply add to tea. My personal favorite is this stainless steel citrus juicer from Norpro. I don’t know it it’s the steel weight, but this hand press juicer gets every single drop of juice out my lemons and limes and with ease.

Whisk – Although there are countless of electrical gadgets out there to meet your mixing needs, the need for a good whisk will always be there. I personally love spiral whisk, like this Rosle Stainless Steel Spiral whisk, because they can whisk batters and liquids while being flexible to fit into different size jars and containers for complete mixing.

Garlic Press – I never knew how much my I would appreciate a garlic press until I bought one. Yes you can peel your garlic cloves and mince them with a knife. However, the smell of garlic on your fingers is too not cute, plus not the easiest smell to get out of your skin. Most professional grade stainless steel garlic presses are also good for mincing other things, including ginger.

Meat Beater – I love steak! I even enjoy cooking steaks. Therefore, I value my meat beater. When buying a meat beater, I suggest you look for one that has a lot of weight to it, but not too heavy for you to swing. Also, I buy one that is double-sided steel beater. One side is flat and good for flattening thick cuts of meat like chicken breast, where as the other side is spiked for tenderizing tough meat such as thick cuts of steak.

Wooden Spoon – A wooden spoon is so basic, but overlooked for the multiple uses. It’s best to use a wooden opposed to a plastic or metal one when mixing thick batter and very unlikely to break or bend. Also, wooden spoons are soft and more gentle to use when scraping bowls and cookware and it’s also has a high heat tolerance.

Food Thermometer – No matter if you’re roasting a turkey or grilling a steak; you need to have a food thermometer on hand to ensure you don’t overcook or under cook you’re food. My personal favorite is this digital food thermometer I bought a couple of years ago, because it’s very fast and accurate. Everything you want in a food thermometer.

Grater – I bought my grater on a whim and because I was craving homemade hashbrowns, which this is perfect for creating. I prefer 4-sided fold-able graters, like this one by Joseph Jospeh, because of the multiple grating options and the compactability of folding collapsing it and sliding it in a drawer and out of the way.

Rolling Pin – The baking bug bites everyone every now and then. So, having a rolling pin in your kitchen is plus. Try this adjustable rolling pin that let’s you measure the thickness of the dough. Cool!

Cutting Board – One of my favorite purchase last year was this 4-pack of flexible cutting boards. Each board is designated for a certain types of food to avoid cross contamination. The flexibility is great for quickly transporting diced food into pots, plates, or bowls.

Cooking Spoon Holder – Okay, I’m not ashamed to say that I was a little giddy when I saw and bought this wooden cooking spoon holder this weekend, which is eventually the reason I decided to share this list of kitchen essentials. A lot of people overlook the cooking spoon holders and opt to lean them against or on top of the pot they’re cooking from or place them on a towel or plate. I love designated places, especially in the kitchen to avoid cross contamination of foods or the chance that the spoon can easily slide off the pot or plate and onto the floor. I bought this off pure aesthetic. However, I recommend a nice ceramic or cast iron, if possible.

Do you have any kitchen essentials not listed above? Please share, because you know I love learning more about your likes and suggestions.

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How To Prepare For A Fast

11 January, 2016 Laytee Samida

This is first day of my 21-day fast. Yes, I’m fasting for the next 21 days and although I’m barely a few hours in, I feel confident that I can make it to the finish line. The reason I feel confident is because unlike attempts to fast in the past, I actually prepared myself this time.

While trying to mentally prepare myself for the journey, I realized that there are quite a few things to keep in mind while you prepare for a fast and decided while I’m up and fully committed to this upcoming few weeks, that I would share just exactly how I got here. So, keep reading.

Reasons To Fast

One of the main reasons people choose to commit to a fast is for health reason, such as to lose weight and/or detoxify the body. My sister-in-law does multiple fasts throughout the year whenever she feels a negative change in her body or health. She feels it helps filter out anything unhealthy that didn’t agree with her body. Her fast range from weeks to months and I’m so envious of her dedication.

Personally, I’m fasting in part with my church’s annual corporate fast that always happens at the beginning of the year. We are called to use that time to pray and increase our hunger for God while focusing on the upcoming year and things we would like to see happen in our life.

I will be the first to admit that in the past I haven’t been very good at sticking to fasting for various reasons. However, thanks to being focused on things I want to see happen in my life this year and proper preparation, I feel confident that I can make it.

Types of Fasts

The common method and definition of fasting that most people think of is not eating anything and drink only water. I will admit, I used to think was what it meant to fast. However, over the years, I’ve learned that fasting just means giving up something you’re dependent on for a fraction of time.

There are countless types and ways you can fast, but the three popular types of fasts include:

Dry Fast – The most extreme of the types of fasting, dry fasting has spiritual roots, and consists of foregoing food and water for short periods.
Liquid Fast – Like the name suggests, you only drink liquids with this fast. You can opt to drink only water or even a juice only. Fasting with detox waters are a great option, too.

Here are some other fasting suggestions:

Daniel Fast – With this fast, you don’t eat any meat, sweets, or bread. Drink water and juice. You can only eat fruits and vegetables. Read more about the Daniel Fast here.
Full Fast – Drink only liquids (you establish the number of days).
Partial Fast – A partial fast is from 6:00 am to 3:00 pm or from sun up to sundown. You can select from three types of fasting —a Full Fast, Daniel Fast or give up at least one item of food.

You can even just fast off certain things that you are “emotionally dependant” on such as breads, dairy, and some people choose to fast social media, TV, and technology all together. It’s really up to the person on what they which fast they would like to do that they would benefit more from doing.

To really make a commitment, I’ve decided that this year I will do a partial full fast, which means that I will not eat anything from sun up to sundown and only drink water. I thought about the 6 a.m to 3 p.m, but I really wanted to challenge myself.

How I Prepared For My Fast

You would assume that once I decided that I was going to commit to fasting from sun up to sundown everyday for 21 days that I would spend the days leading up to it inhale any and every food that I can…while I can.

Although I was tempted to use that as an excuse to “carb up” this past weekend, I actually did the opposite. I only drank water and ate small ans sensible meal throughout the day. I tried to avoid anything too heavy (i.e. bread, pasta, beef) and stuck mainly to salads and lean meats.

What I Hope To Take Away From This Fast

Overall, I hope that I’m stronger in all aspects of my life, including my faith, career, and relationship. Hopefully, this will also be a jumping pad toward an healthier lifestyle, too.

If you have questions about fasting or question you would like for me to keep in mind to pass on to you after completing, please share them below, because I plan to do a follow up at the end and can any questions you might have that I can address for you. I’m in guinea pig mode.

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fasting

Hey 2016!

4 January, 2016 Laytee Samida

Happy New Year!

First thing first. Let’s go ahead and put out there that 2016 is going to be so incredibly awesome in all realms of our life; including relationships, career, and financially. Plant those seeds, nurture them, and watch them grow.

I’m fortunate and beyond blessed enough to say that I enjoyed my 2015. No awesome life changing events happened nor did I hit the lotto, despite trying on a few occasions. However, I also didn’t experience anything bad either. Well, there was my car accident that happened at the very beginning of the year, but even that wasn’t bad for a few reasons. First, I didn’t get injure and thanks to car insurance, I was able to upgrade to a “newer” car. So, in the end, I look at that as a win.

Still, I’m super excited for 2016! Towards the end of last year, I was really honing in on things I wanted to work on in 2016. When I say “things” I don’t mean internally, I mean ideas and projects I’ve been working on for the past few months and which, if any, do I want to put on the back burner for a while.

So, what’s my 2016 New Years Resolutions? Well…

2016 New Year’s Resolutions?

Nope. I don’t participate in making those. I haven’t made a “new year’s resolution” in years and haven’t stuck to one even longer than that. When I think of the words/phrases of “new years resolution” I think of the cliche’ “I’m going to lose weight” “Stop dating this person” “Stop shopping so much”. Most of these are definitely things that are worth working on, but somehow when people put that new year’s resolution tag on those proclamations, they don’t really get taken too serious for too long and ultimately fade away. Well, that’s what happened to me and I eventually got tired of this annual pinwheel of no results.

Stop Saying “Stop”

When it comes to achieving and reaching goals, I’ve learned that it’s best to cut out using negative words and proclaiming you’re going to “stop” doing something. Focus on the positives.

So, I eventually decided to do a slight re-shifting. The thing about the resolutions that people make is that they are based around cutting back on doing “negative” things such as eating too much, illicit activities, and the list goes on. Therefore, I decided that every year, I would pick three things that I would like to achieve by the end of the year and/or least try for awhile. My list of things that I would like to try can easily get limitless and fill up to 2 pages (front and back) of ideas and suggestions that I would like to try. So, I make sure to limit myself to only 3, realistic and attainable goals that make me feel happy and accomplished in the end.

I will admit that at least one of the goals is always very easy to do and achieve. For example, the year before, I vowed that I would be able to physically and financially get my nails (nails and/or feet) done every other week for the year of 2014. Well, I thought that would be easy, but there were a handful of times that I had to rearrange some things to make time to do it, but I did. I was going through a lot of family stuff with my mom and any free time I had, I devoted to my mom’s health and well-being. So, I was old enough to know that I need to devote a some relaxation time for me to be in a better space for her. Even after she passed that September, I still made sure to stick to that help put me back on course for my life. It’s crazy that something so trivial as bi-weekly manicures helped me so much mentally and emotionally.

My Goals for 2016

Back to Now

For the past few weeks, I’ve been thinking about what three things I would like to try before 2017. After creating a list of about 20 things, filtering out things that weren’t that fulfilling, and overall careful consideration I narrowed it down to 3 things:

READ ONE BOOK A MONTH….COMPLETELY
I love books. Giving me a book is a safe bet gift idea (second to gift cards). However, I’m sort of notorious for not finishing books and or taking too much time to finish a book. I have plenty of excuses, but none of them are legit. So, I vow to finish reading at least one book a month; fiction or non-fiction.
EMBRACE THE PALEO DIET (at least) ONE WEEK A MONTH
When I actually sat back and thought of my ideal meals, it consisted of just meats and veggies. Although your girl loves a good chunk of hearty lasagna followed with a bowl of ice cream for dessert, I’ve been gravitating more to healthy meals made at home with little to no carbs, salt, and sugar. So, the Paleo diet spoke to me. You read more about the paleo diet lifestyle.
JOURNAL DAILY (weekends, too)
In college, I used to journal all the time and I mean all the time, including multiple times throughout most days. I recently came across a few of my journals from that time and reading what was going on in my life back. Despite a few cringe-worthy moments and thoughts that most college students deal with, it was interesting to reflect on things that I forgot I stressed on and thought would crush my future. Thankfully, I can look back at those moments and laugh knowing that they were not as horrible as I thought. However, it has made me want to start journaling more, because writing things down that are on your mind and heart have a way of working itself out once you transfer it on paper, or at least I and 22-year-old me can attest. I’ve been journaling occasionally over the past few weeks, but I’m committing to journaling every single day in 2016.

So, there are the three things that I’m committed to try and stick to this year. Feel free to share some things that you are committed to trying this year below!

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STAINED COUTURE

For And By a Beauty & Style Addict