New Name, New Website, A Fresh Start

I'm very thankful to have had the opportunity to host my first blog website here.  In 2016 I started theredfoxstrikesagain and when I had my baby in June of 2017, I stopped posting regularly because, wow having a baby is hard!  Now I've decided to continue writing and start fresh.  My new blog is called RedFoxWrites.  Please follow the link and check it out now!  My goal is to post regularly again so if you've become a fan of my work, please subscribe for my new content.  Thank you to anyone who has read and shared any of my blogs.  It really means a lot!  I hope you'll follow me in this next chapter!

Buying Our First Home

February 24, 2017

It's been too long since I've posted!  Brian and I just moved into a new house, plus being pregnant has thrown me off my usual routine.  Between the move, planning for the arrival of our daughter, and doctor appointments, I've stayed pretty busy.  Things are calming down a little before our whole world is flipped upside down by the miracle of life, so I thought I'd take this time to share the story of buying our first house.  It has been a slow roller coaster, but we finally feel settled.  For the first time since we've been married, we feel like this is not a temporary living situation and there is something very peaceful and comforting about that.  It has taken a lot of praying, patience, and trust to get us here.

Brian and I lived with our parents before we got married.  A couple months before the wedding, Brian moved into a one bedroom apartment.  It was closer to his work, still close to our families, and was in a nicer part of town where things were expanding.  After the wedding, I moved in with him and we lived there for about 3 and a half years.  During that time, we decided to start looking for a house.  In early 2015, we began working with a realtor to try and find a home in an older part of town.

Prayer has always been a part of my life, especially in my marriage.  I believe God answers us, often in ways we never expected.  When Brian and I started looking for a house, we prayed for God to lead us on what to do.  After being pre-approved by the bank, we looked at several houses.  Most of them needed a lot of work, but we came across one that stood out.  It was a cute two story house with a gorgeous backyard and we really liked it.  We decided to put an offer on it and were accepted.  We signed papers with the realtor and were very excited.  Our prayer was that if this was the right house for us, everything would go smoothly, but if it wasn't, we asked God to throw in a monkey wrench.

Brian went to meet with a loan officer to begin the process while I was babysitting.  After the meeting, he called me and was trying to stay composed, but I could sense how upset he was.  Since I hadn't been at my current job for at least 2 years, we would not be approved for the loan we wanted to use.  Our only two options were to let the house go or use all our savings to get it.

We were both really disappointed because we had come so far.  Part of me wanted to just do what we had to do to get this house.  But Brian convinced me that would not be wise.  We decided to look at this as the monkey wrench we had prayed for and let the house go.  I remember feeling guilty because it was my fault it didn't work out.  But God had us the whole time.  It's times like these I'm glad I don't follow my heart.  "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked, who can know it." Jeremiah 17:9  

This is a picture I found around the time we let the house go.  It was a reminder to trust God.

After a time of sadness, we came out of this experience with a refreshed mindset.  We gave thanks to God for protecting us from making a spontaneous decision.  We realized the area we had been planning to move was becoming quite run down.  We would have been settling because we really didn't want a two story house anyway.  Looking back, we're so happy it didn't work out.

Even if we weren't going to buy a house, we still felt it was time to move out of the one bedroom apartment we had lived in since we got married.  In April 2016, we moved to another apartment down the road.  It was a newer two bedroom place and we felt good about having more space.

Around this time, my sister and her husband had also been trying to find a house.  They ended up building in a new development right across the street from the apartment complex we had just moved from.  I loved the neighborhood and location and dreamed of being able to build in a place like that.  But I felt like it wouldn't happen because of our financial situation.

Several months went by and we watched my sister's house being built.  She had been trying to convince us to at least check into the process of building there.  We started looking into to it, not too seriously, and praying about what God wanted us to do.  On July 31, 2016, we started the process of building a home in this brand new neighborhood.  I remember driving home that day talking to Brian about how this felt different.  

It took about 7 months for our dream home to be built.  It's a one story, 3 bedroom, 2 bath house and I'm extremely happy with how it turned out.  The whole process went very smoothly.  My parents ended up selling their home and building in our neighborhood as well, so now my whole family lives here.  

I can't give enough credit to God for orchestrating all this.  The main point I wanted to get across was we do not have a full picture when going through struggles.  I don't want to sound cliche, but I believe everything really does happen for a reason.  God has provided for me time and time again and He blesses those who trust Him.  Relying on our own limited understanding is not enough to navigate through this complicated life.  Peace comes when we surrender everything to Jesus and choose to trust in His plans for our lives.

Food Sensitivity: Curse or Blessing?

People are becoming aware of food allergies and sensitivities now more than ever.  There are more vegan and gluten-free options at restaurants and grocery stores and hopefully people are starting to realize what you put in your body affects every aspect of health and beauty.  

I have been sensitive to certain foods most of my life.  I was a kid the first time I realized I was limited with what I could consume.  I was at a church sleepover where sodas were being served.  My mom never kept soda in the house, so I took advantage of this new exciting drink.  My tiny body was not used to the chemicals and sugar so I had jittery, uncomfortable energy.  Once that wore off, I crashed and felt awful.  I vowed to never drink soda again.

As a young teenager, I discovered every time I drank coffee, my stomach would hurt, my heart would race, and I'd feel shaky.  I found out I'm super sensitive to caffeine and even decaf coffee would hurt my stomach.  So coffee and soda became big no nos for me.

One of the worst experiences I've ever had with a food sensitivity was with the artificial sweetener, aspartame.  It was in the gum and mints I was using at around the age of 14 and I discovered this fake sugar was causing visual migraines that terrified me.  Please read all about this in My Aspartame Horror Story and share with everyone you know.  These fake sugars are toxic and should not even be on the market.

I've also had bad experiences with processed foods.  While on my honeymoon, I noticed my husband was drinking coffee with a hazelnut creamer that looked delicious.  It was the International Delight brand.  At this point in my life, I hadn't had coffee in years and thought I'd give it another try.  I literally had 3 small sips and it wasn't long before I was on the toilet with a severe stomach ache feeling nauseous and jittery.  I believe it was the chemicals in the coffee creamer, and of course the coffee itself, that made me feel this way.  Needless to say, I plan to stay away from both for the rest of my life.

Another time, I ate dinner at a friend's house and about an hour later developed a red skin rash.  I was used to eating all the contents of the meal except the tortillas.  The only thing I can think of is there was something in that tortilla that did not agree with me.  The rash was gone the next day, but now I have to be careful to avoid processed foods.

Finally, I strongly believe dairy was a huge contributing factor to why I struggled with acne for so many years.  The dairy industry wants us to believe we need dairy to be healthy, but this is not true.  The human body is not meant to digest dairy, so it causes all sorts of problems like skin issues, low energy, and weight gain.  Since cutting dairy out of my life, I look and feel so much better, and I'd never go back.  Plus, there are so many other options like coconut and almond milk products, I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything.

Others with similar or worse dietary restrictions sometimes see these limitations as a curse because they can no longer enjoy the foods they used to.  But what if this "curse" is really a blessing in disguise?  Our body's reactions to what we eat are communicating something extremely important to us.  I tend to view my limitations as blessings, because that means I shouldn't be putting junk into my body anyways.

If you're struggling with a health or beauty issue I'd encourage you to look at what you're eating.  Research nutrition on your own and try to keep an open mind about what you discover.  The main goal of many companies is to make money and your health is not their concern.  Do what is best for your health and your body will thank you for it!

How I Survived My First Trimester

Recently, I announced my husband and I are expecting our first baby.  I'm kind of a private person so I wanted to wait until I was pretty far along before I posted it on social media.  I'm currently 5 and half months and so happy to be through with the first trimester!  Today, I wanted to share my personal experiences with being pregnant those first few months.

Brian and I have been married over four years.  Last year, we decided we were ready to have a baby.  Those first few years of marriage without kids were great and I'm glad we got to enjoy that time together.  In May of 2016, I went off birth control and it took about 5 months before we got a positive test result.

On September 25, we both stared at the result window with shock and excitement.  I remember feeling shaky and overjoyed to be carrying life inside me.  It was extremely hard, but we decided to keep this a secret from our families for a while so we could do something really special when we made our announcement.

On October 29, it had been a little over a month and we were finally going to tell our families.  I didn't want anything extravagant, but I also wanted to surprise them.  My sister and brother-in-law already found out because they accidentally saw something on Brian's phone.  They helped set up the camera so we could record reactions.  We invited both of our parents, sisters, and brothers-in-law for dinner and when everyone got there, Brian said we had an announcement. 

I made up a bogus story about how we were going to be building a vacation home in Georgia and we wanted them to help us decide on the plans.  We handed each couple an envelope with 4 pictures, the last one being the ultrasound.  My mom jumped up and hugged me so tight I couldn't breath.  Some were shocked, while others had their previous suspicions confirmed.

The picture in the top right is a reaction shot of when I told Brian to come look at the pregnancy test result.  He was testing his game camera and when we saw this, we died laughing.

I didn't show much at all in the first trimester, so I was able to wear all my normal clothes.  I used a hair tie to make my pants a little looser, and that was a great fix since I didn't want to buy maternity clothes yet.  I did have some emotional and physical symptoms.  I was nauseated almost everyday, but thank God I never threw up.  My eyes got even more sensitive to the sun, I had no energy, and I was often depressed.  Brian went on a lot of hunting trips during this time too, so I was alone more.  Usually this wouldn't bother me, but for some reason I felt more lonely.  Unfortunately, as a result of not feeling well, my family got the worst of my mood swings.

I did have a few weird cravings and got off track a little on my Beauty Detox diet, but I quickly realized I couldn't keep that up because I would feel sick after eating "cheat" foods and my skin broke out a little too.

I ended up losing some weight, which the doctor said was normal due to the nausea.  I got a few pounds under 100, but once I got past the first 3 months I got my appetite back and started gaining.  Now that I'm in my second trimester, many things have changed, which I will update on once I enter my third trimester.  I'll also be posting about my terrible experience with my former OBGYN, so look out for that soon!

I feel like my first trimester could have been better, but it could have been way worse.  I'm thankful to have such a loving family who is always there for me.  It took a lot of praying and taking it one day at a time, but I made it through.  The second trimester is definitely a lot more fun!

How to Easily Meal Plan for the Week

Part of living a healthy lifestyle is cooking at home.  I love discovering new recipes and cooking them for me and my husband.  A huge part of cooking is planning ahead so you have everything you need when you're hungry.  Many people are very busy during the week, so planning your meals from the beginning will reduce stress and prevent you from making unhealthy choices when you just want a quick meal.  Today I'm going to share the steps I take every week to keep me and my husband satisfied and nourished!

Step 1: Designate a Planning/Grocery Shopping Day For Each Week

Getting into a grocery shopping routine on a day you have some free time is key.  Every Sunday, my husband and I go grocery shopping together.  We go to Native Sun for our food and Publix for toiletries and other miscellaneous items.  It's actually become a fun tradition.  Before we go, I have everything planned so I'm not wandering the stores trying to think about what I need.

Step 2: Write Down Your Meal Plan

This step is fun because you get to discover new recipes.  Sometimes it can be frustrating, especially if you're having to plan for a lot people, but I've found this technique very helpful.  Write down each meal category like this: Breakfast, Lunches, Dinners, Snacks, Desserts.  Then under each category, write each person's initial and what they want to eat for the week.  Brian and I usually have the same thing for breakfast, so that's easy.  I always have smoothies for my snack and we try to not have a lot of desserts unless it's a special occasion, so those categories can be checked off pretty quickly.  That just leaves lunches and dinners that require a little more effort.  I either go to my Beauty Detox Books or Pinterest for recipes.  Sometimes I'm in the mood for something specific and other times I want to try something new.  Either way, these tools are lifesavers for meal planning.  You can usually find quick and easy recipes for whatever you're craving on Pinterest.

Step 3: Write Down the Ingredients You Need

Once you have all your meals planned, it's time to figure out what you need for each meal.  Go down the list starting with breakfast until you get to desserts.  If I'm using a recipe book, I'll write down the page number next to the recipe so when I go to make it, I know exactly where to go.  If I'm using Pinterest, I screenshot the recipes on my phone for the same reason.  As you're looking at each recipe, check to see if you already have any of the ingredients.  Finally, try to think of any other miscellaneous items you may need.  I use the reverse side of my meal plan list to write down the ingredients because it saves paper and it makes it easy if I need to refer back to anything while in the store.

Step 4: Go Shopping!

Now that you've got everything planned and written down, you're ready to go shopping.  Try to stick to your list if you can to prevent impulse buys and save money.  If you have a budget you need to stick to, round up prices for each item and write them down on your list as you check things off.  Then you can total everything at the end.

That's it!  Making this a weekly routine is a great way to stay healthy because you know exactly what you're putting in your body.  Planning ahead is always better than waiting until the last minute when you're starving!

Products to Ditch Today (and Awesome Alternatives!)

As a minimalist, I'm always trying to discover new ways to save space and money.  We live in a world where someone is always trying to sell us something, but the truth is, we don't need all this stuff!  I used to buy into this mentality and try new products just for something different.  But many products are not necessary, take up precious space, are full of chemicals, and cost a lot of money.  I've done a lot of research on all these topics, and I'd encourage you to do your own.  Today, I'm sharing my list of products I no longer use.  I'll also give convenient alternatives if needed.

Shaving Cream/Gel

In one of my first blogs, I discussed How I Cured Itchy Irritation From Shaving My Legs.  I discovered my skin was reacting to the shaving cream I was using.  Shaving products are often full of toxins that cause skin irritations.  You don't need to waste money on them.  I now shave with Dr. Bonner's Castile Soap, which I also use as body wash.  It's gentle on skin and I no longer suffer from irritation.  Plus, now there is one less product in my shower, so I'm happy!

Antiperspirant

Please, Please, Please, DO NOT USE ANTIPERSPIRANT!  Our bodies are supposed to sweat!  By blocking sweat glands, you are keeping toxins your body needs to get rid of inside.  Please check out my blog, The Best Chemical Free Deodorant, where I share my story about how bad I used to stink.  I share the deodorant recipe I use, requiring only 4 simple, inexpensive ingredients.  My husband and I share the deodorant and it lasts for months.  Even if we're sweating, we don't have to stink!

Dryer Sheets/Fabric Softeners 

Last year, I started hearing how dryer sheets and fabric softeners are full of chemicals and should be avoided.  I heard about alternatives, such as wool dryer balls you can add your favorite essential oils to if you want a chemical free smell on your clothes.  I had about a half a box of dryer sheets left, which I used up and have never replaced.  I don't miss them at all.  Please check out this EWG article, Don't Get Slimed: Skip the Fabric Softener, for more information about the dangers of these products and other natural alternatives.

Loofahs

At one point, I had 3 different loofahs I used in the shower.  One day, I decided I didn't need them anymore.  This turned out to be a great decision because loofahs hold a lot of bacteria.  This is another product you can ditch and not replace, thus giving you more free space.  I just wash my body with my hands now.

Chewing Gum

If you haven't checked out my blog, My Aspartame Horror Story, please do.  I discuss how I discovered the artificial sweeteners in the gum and mints I was using were causing migraines and neurological issues.  Artificial sweeteners are poison, but thankfully, there are gum and mints with natural sweeteners such as xylitol, which are safe.  I love the mints from the Spry brand and use them regularly.  Recently, I decided to give up gum.  Gum is something we don't really need and it actually tricks our bodies into thinking we need to start digesting, thus causing imbalance.  Gum can also cause bad breath.  This is one habit I sometimes miss, but I can live without.

Air Freshener Sprays/ Plug-Ins

Once again, this is another product full of chemicals.  If you actually read the ingredients in these products, it's really scary.  People spray these into the air of their homes and breathe them in all the time.  This is not only an unnecessary product, it's also harmful.  If you want your home to really smell good, invest in a diffuser and let essential oils fill your space with healthy, natural scents and ditch the fake stuff!

Kitchen Sponges

This is similar to loofahs because kitchen sponges hold a lot of bacteria as well.  You're cleaning your dishes with something that can never really be clean.  I've never liked touching a kitchen sponge, so I use a dish scrubbing brush with a handle so I don't have to feel anything nasty while washing the dishes.  This brush is under $10 at Bed Bath and Beyond and it's very easy to clean.  I throw mine in the dishwasher every time I do a load and it dries quickly.  They only need to be replaced every year or so.  Easy!

I hope this inspired you to look into the products you use and really consider making a change.  You'll be saving space, time, and money when you reduce purchases, therefore making your life more simple.  Remember, less clutter means less you have to deal with, resulting in less stress and more time for what's really important!

Pierce the Veil's Misadventures Album Review

I've been a fan of Pierce the Veil since A Flair for the Dramatic came out in 2007.  Now, almost ten years later, they're one of my favorite bands.  Every record they release is better than the last and none of the songs are throwaways.  It's obvious they spent a lot of time working on Misadventures, their latest album that came out in May of 2016.

Misadventures is a masterpiece in my opinion because it takes everything I've loved about PTV's sound and made it even catchier, more emotional, and more powerful.  My husband and I pre-ordered the vinyl without hearing any of the songs because we knew to expect greatness from this band, and they did not disappoint.

I love every song on this album, but my favorites are "Floral & Fading", "Circles", and "Today I Saw the Whole World".  I think "Floral & Fading" is the most unique song they've ever written.  It gets me every time I listen to it and it's always in my head.

Last year, I was thrilled to see PTV perform on Conan.  It's rare these kinds of bands get the recognition they deserve.  I remember watching them perform "Circles" and thinking this was the perfect song to play off the new album because it's catchy, there is a lack of screaming, and the subject matter is relevant.  "Circles" is about the Paris attacks, a current event we all remembered.

I have to mention the genius of Vic Fuentes' lyrics.  I've always felt such an emotional connection to his poetic words on every album.  He has a way of making lyrics sound so romantic and powerful.  Some of my favorite lines include "You say you wanna chase the moon like fire, well, together we can fake our own death here..." from "Floral & Fading", "Crashing once again into the center of your moonlit face..." from "Texas is Forever", and  "your undressed spine.." and "My heart is on a pendulum tonight..." from "Today I Saw the Whole World".  

For me to really love a band, I have to love the singer's voice.  Vic's voice is so dynamic and his performances always bring the unique intensity that makes this band so special.

Overall, I would give Misadventures 5 out of 5 stars.  I really think the album is perfect and wouldn't change a thing about it.  I enjoy music that you can tell the artists have put their hearts and souls into.  I believe every member of Pierce the Veil does just that when they write.  Please check out this album if you haven't already!