Ellie@Home by Nicole Kapise-Perkins

It's that time of year again, when you and everyone else in the world is prone to sneezes, snuffles, and worse. (My household has already been hit a couple times now.) If you're reluctant to pour DayQuil into everyone, try these helpful tips from Michelle Schoffro Cook instead: 6 Potent Healing Herbs for Cold and Flu                                  283 tweet 80 12                      By: Michelle Schoffro Cook December 25, 2016                        Follow Michelle at @ mschoffrocook ‘Tis the season of comfort and joy as the carol remind us, but it is also the season of socializing and with that comes the spread of cold and flu viruses. Fortunately, you don’t just have to suffer. There are many great herbs for colds and flu—both to keep your immune system strong to prevent these nasty infections or to help your body fight them off. Here are some excellent choices: Echinacea —Who

Never mind giving these as gifts; I want to make a bunch for myself! However, the wonderful people I work with will definitely enjoy these.   11 Homemade Beauty Gifts For Everyone On Your List December 3, 2016 by Daria Patrunjel It’s the season for giving and, as always, we’re all about taking the homemade route. There’s so much joy and care in making your own gifts, plus you get to save some dollars and your own sanity (who wants to go to the crowded malls this time of the year? not me!). Give the gift of homemade beauty with these 11 ideas: 1. Rosemary & Eucalyptus Soap can be made in big batches in no time with this easy melt-and pour-technique. Bundle two or three together for a lovely stocking stuffer. 2. Sandalwood Vanilla Solid Perfume  works for everyone and it’s easy to customize the containers with a pretty, seasonal label. 3. Creamy DIY Lip and Cheek Stain is the perfect multitasking beauty product to give your BFF! You can p

This information comes a bit late for me, as I am on day 2 of Rest At Home following the sinus infection from Hell. (I'm going back to work tomorrow, no matter what it takes!) Still, a little second-hand info isn't all bad; it may help keep me from a second bout of the plague. And if you haven't been struck down yet, here's some advice on how to avoid becoming so: How to Avoid Getting Sick When Everyone Around You Already Is By: Zoe Eisenberg November 16, 2016 It happens every year. The holidays approach, the weather cools, and just as the season really begin to get busy, you begin to feel sick. We all know the feeling: fatigue, headache, sore throat, low energy. Why does the winter seem to be married to illness? The answer, according to Dr. Anthony Lyon with the Ash Center in New York, is a combination of overtiring our bodies at the exact time we ask them to battle the cold weather. And when you add the element of enclosure—more people are cooped up

   Those of you that have been reading steadily will know that my family is of Swedish and German heritage, and my husband is of Finnish and Polish descent (among other things). As a result, we have learned about various traditions from these countries, and by far our children's favorite is of course St. Nicholas Eve, which was last night, December 5. Our little boys set their boots by the door and left a carrot for Santa's pony, then we read a story I wrote (which I will not post here, but you can find it at Goodreads.com if you are interested: https://www.goodreads.com/story/show/515087-santa-s-pony-a-tale-of-st-nicholas-eve )      Santa doesn't leave many things when he stops by on St. Nicholas Eve, just a few trinkets to let good children know how much he appreciates their efforts at being good. Today each of the boys found a small hand-sized ball, a pair of holiday-stripey socks, a wooden car and a small package of gingerbread cookies. Nothing fancy. Nothing electron

6 Comforting Squash Recipes For Any Fall Day By: Katie Medlock October 31, 2016 Follow Katie at @ offbeatherbivor Fall might be all about the Halloween candy for some, but this time of year also brings with it a bountiful harvest of winter squash. If the most squash you consume during the season comes via pumpkin spice latte, it’s time to expand your culinary repertoire to include a variety of these nutrient-packed veggies. Squash is packed with vitamins and minerals , including beta carotene from its bright orange hue, and has a mild and sweet flavor. Some varieties are perfect for sweet dishes and others pair perfectly with savory ingredients, making them an easy and delicious way to boost your vegetable intake during chilly, comfort food-laden months. Add a few of these recipes into your seasonal rotation and you will be a squash afic

5 Healthier Ways to Deal with Stress & Anxiety  By: Jordyn Cormier November 8, 2016 Everyone experiences stress from time to time. Stress and anxiety can feel like a heavy, suffocating weight, and many of us unfortunately don’t have sustainable methods of managing it. Instead of letting your mental anguish overtake you, here are some healthier suggestions to help you better manage those moments of crisis and turn that stress into productive energy. Instead of:  dwelling on the negative. Try:  engaging your brain. If you’re feeling upset about political results, remember that change does not stop on Election Day. There are many ways to turn frustration into productive progress . If you cannot think about politics, try knitting, rock climbing or even doodling to help stop the carousel of negative thoughts. You may not feel like doing the activity at first, but, once you get into it

(From Brightly.com) There are more quality chapter books for boys in existence now than ever before. If you’re wondering where to get started, check out these ten titles. The Notebook of Doom series by Troy Cummings This series is perfect for boys who like things a little bit creepy and a lot action-packed. Each book features a new mystery, new monsters, and new problems for Alexander and his friends to solve. *Note from Nicole: My seven year old LOVES this series, and it was so much fun to sit down and read these ones with him! Completely wacky, but with subtle messages like believing in yourself and being brave, they really are a hit in our house :) Alien in My Pocket series by Nate Ball, illustrated by Macky Pamintuan They may be small, but these aliens are determined to take over the earth! It’s up to Zack, Alice, and

I don't care who, I don't care why, but please, please go exercise your right and vote!! Too many people in this world don't have the freedoms we do. Go protect those freedoms today. Vote.

5 Ways to Clear and Bless Your Home this November   In the Northern Hemisphere, the beginning of November is SO PERFECT for clearing and blessing. Summer is certainly gone, and fall is inching toward winter as many of the flowers disappear and the trees surrender the last of their leaves. Samhain is passed, but the holiday season has not quite begun. There is a singular stillness: a clean energy filled with clarity and peace. Plus, the wheel of the harvest year has reached its end, so a new cycle has begun.  Like I said: perfect time for clearing and blessing. Not sure where to start? I've got you covered with these 5 simple ideas. Do one or do them all. Or riff on them and make them your own. 1. Burn white sage. Oh I know it's the old standby. But sweet and simple are perfect for this time of year. You know: no frills.  2. Tie a bundle of fresh rosemary with blue ribbon and hang it over your front door. This brings fres

   This is the first year in many that I will be hosting Thanksgiving, and in typical Cole fashion, I am browsing 'simple Thanksgiving table' images on Google rather than reading 'How to Read the Akashic Records' in preparation for my class on Sunday. (I did mention this is fairly typical for me, correct?) Part of me is wondering if I should even have people over for the holiday, as I don't have much space, and what space I do have is crammed with bookshelves (my fault), toys (not my fault), and various exercise equipment and laundry baskets (mostly my fault). Will a good vacuuming and dusting make this place presentable enough? Will everyone be squashed together like sardines? Only six people are invited, but add myself and my husband, and three of our six children (for dinner; two more may show up after the fact: one for pie, the other for a second dinner...and pie. Honestly, I have no idea where he puts it all. Yes, he is a 21 year old young man. Yes, he is a Sas

How Does Daylight Savings Impact Your Health?                                  35 tweet 1 2   By: Zoe Eisenberg November 2, 2016                        Follow Zoe at @ ZoEisenberg For many, daylight savings means nothing more than setting your clocks back, and perhaps waking up in the dark for that pre-work yoga class. But it turns out daylight savings can impact much more than your gym schedule. “Moving the clocks back an hour is an artificial change in our routine and can upset our circadian rhythm,” says Dr. Wayne Scott Andersen, Co-Founder of Take Shape For Life. Andersen explains that before we invented clocks, we relied on our pineal gland, a light-sensitive pea-sized organ that secretes melatonin to help us know when to fall asleep. The gradual shift in day-length from summer to winter gives the pineal gland time to adjust. An overnight changing of the clocks does not. But what does it l

A Soul's Companion : I grew up in a house surrounded by trees. The backyard maple was a favorite perch for reading the afternoon away when I was a child. Before I climbed I was careful to loop a rope around the branch above me so I could pull a basket of apples and books up after me. The willow tree often found me seeking faeries among her branches, and later, after I ...

It's 39 degrees in my little Massachusetts town: a beautiful crisp, sunny October morning. The trees are glowing in shades of flame and gold, and mist is rising off the river like wraiths. There is no place like New England in the fall. And nothing says 'cozy' like coming in at the end of the day to a warm home smelling of baking bread and hot soup. Thus, while my family is away at work and school, I'm prepping dinner in the slow cooker: Crockpot Barley Vegetable Soup   Ingredients 1 cup medium pearl barley 1 bay leaf 1/2 tsp. fennel seed 3 carrots, peeled and sliced 1 onion, chopped 2 stalks celery, chopped 3 garlic cloves, minced 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped 2 cups frozen corn 2 cups frozen green beans 1/4 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. pepper 3 (14 oz). cans vegetable broth 4 cups water 14-oz. can diced tomatoes with herbs, undrained 2 cups baby spinach   Preparation 1. Place all ingredients except the can of d