Wash Day after Protective Styling.

Hiya!! as usual, I forgot to post that I added a video up.

This is (another) wash day video. I thought it would be fun to record one after a semi longterm protective style.
I was sent some activated charcoal shampoo and conditioner and it came at the right time as I wanted to get my hair and scalp squeaky clean after my ps.









I'd love to hear what you do to treat your hair after a protectve style.

Thanks for watching xxx

Summer Holiday Recovery and little update.

Hiiiii!!!! OH MY GOSH!! I have just started to recover from the mayhem that is Summer Holidays.

Now let it be known right from the start that I do actually love my kiddies... I love them to bits... I do.
However... Summer Holidays can put all that love to the test.
I am one of those parents who teachers look at in a mixture of surprise, approval and disbelief when I utter the words "I cant wait for the holidays" Other parents give me the side eye until they realise I actually mean it... and I do.
I enjoy having my boys home, I enjoy having days without the rush and hurry of school mornings. I still end up waking up early but I have a more leisurely start to the day (and can even have a rest in bed if the kiddies are still asleep).

With all that being said, Summer Holidays can be hectic and stressful at times and the one that just went.... crazy. The UK weather often meant that my kiddies were "stuck" inside with pent up energy. I like to have activities at hand to keep them occupied but it was tricky at times because they really just wanted to be outside.

Grocery shopping and cooking was a madness also. Bread, milk and cereal seemed to have grown wings and flew off... I couldn't keep them in the house if I tried. I did have fun experimenting with different recipes and healthy snack ideas.

Along with all the fun, I had many opportunities to exercise my referee skills.... siblings can argue over the smallest things and hot tempers can end in fisticuffs..... did I actually just say "fisticuffs"?!

This year we didn't go away over the Summer as we are planning to go away later on so there wasn't even a vacation to break up the time so it was week after week of solid.... lets go with fun for positivity sake lol.

As the Holidays came towards the end, we went into "back to school" mode and got caught up in uniform and supplies mayhem which was followed by actual school preparations and then school starting back and slightly different routines that had to be put into place.


Added to a huge change for us as a family (hopefully I'll blog about this at a later date - and no there isn't a new addition to the family lol) we definitely were in a state of upheaval but we are just about coming to a steady routine now.

It seems that it really is the season for transitions and changes.

Life Update.

I used the summer to get a grip on all the things I need to change and improve in my life and am continuing with the start in changes. I will blog more in time and document my changes. The most apparent one is my extra weight loss. I had been trying over the summer to kick my weight loss up a notch and although I deffo could have done better, I made better choices and my clothes are showing the changes in my body. My face seems smaller to me and I did a double take a couple of days ago when I caught my reflection in a store window lololololol my legs look a little smaller, I was wondering who was walking so close to me but realised it was in fact me !!! wowwww!! I had a ditzy moment for sure but it really shocked me as I don't notice day to day. That morning I was wondering why my cardigan kept hanging weirdly and the sleeves were waaayy long, my trousers kept trailing under my shoe... when I saw my reflection it dawned on me that the clothes didn't mysteriously stretch... my body is starting to shrink. Haaaaaaaa its actually making me laugh as I type as it sounds so silly but yea.... that actually happened.

I also notice people that I haven't seen for a while do a double take when they see me.... those who don;t know me very well go to walk past me or look at me with a "where do I know you from look" when I say hi and then they seem to recognise me. A few actually mention they didn't recognise me.
Those who do know me explain that it's because of the weight I have lost.
I often think they're just being polite but that reflection episode has made me start to take their comments for truth.

A family wedding was another instance where so many people were shocked..... I don't even think I have lost that much though.... hmmmmm. The mind is a strange thing sometimes. Ill just keep going and my mind will eventually catch up with my body.

I am making active changes in my emotional/mental health as well as my physical health and have been referred by my GP to get some help. It feels both weird and nice that I am finally taking the steps towards a healthier mind.



SOoooo what a mega post that turned out to be!! If you read up to here thanks so much and if you skimmed down to the end I don;t really blame you lol.

Thanks as ever for reading my little blog. It's really warming to see the stats. I know I don't get many comments - please don't be shy I love a good chat... evidently😁 - but I do appreciate all of you who take the time to visit and read. Have a great day xxx

Trying out smoothies - Getting over the texture

Hiya!! I hope you are having a great week so far, my week didn't get off to the best start but I'm determined to change the way I react to "struggles" I may not be able to control things that happen or the way people behave or what they say.... but I can control the way I react... the way I internalise things and my actions.

With all that being said, I am pushing through and getting on with things, focusing on my goals and doing better rather than focusing on the grrrr things.

For the longest of time people have been recommending smoothies to me as a way to help get healthier and even lose weight, I tried it out a couple years ago and couldn't get past the textures (bleughhh) all the bits and... (bleughhh) even the thought is making me squirm.
I couldn't bring myself to make myself anymore. I made some for the boys and hubby and they went down really well but not for me, no way.
I like some of the ready made smoothies in the shops, the Naked blue or green ones are delish but they are quite expensive and as I continued to drop certain food items and limit the intake of others they became too sweet for me anyway.

My mummy received a Nutri Ninja (one of the top models) for Christmas from her hubby (Hi both of you 😘 ) and since then has been making smoothies everyday, this from someone who didn't really eat fruits and such like that. I was tempted to try one but the thought of the bits just put me off..... I was at her home last month and she made convinced me to taste one of hers and it wasn't bad at all, it was quite smooth... still too much texture for me but promising.

Forward to last week, I found a new youtube channel with a Jamaican chef and he made 3 smoothies in his ninja.... they looked soooo good and I made up my mind to give smoothies a try as part of my weight loss refresh/ boost.

I purchased some fruit and veggies and built up the courage (it took over a week...) I picked up some fresh strawberries on Monday and yesterday was the day.


I chose Pineapple, Banana, Strawberry and Spinach, placed them in my Ninja cup, added a little Honey,  Vanilla Extract, Ice and some Coconut Dream that hubby bought me to try (thanks babe 😘)

I let the Ninja do its thing and then blended again.... and again..... and once more lol, I wanted to get it as smooth as possible.

When it was to my liking I stopped blending, added some more ice and put the lid onto the cup (I realised it was the mixing cup not the serving one but why dirty another cup lol) and popped in one of my plastic straws.

The smoothie was actually smooth!! whoooppp whoopppp!! I was pleasantly surprised. It wasn't completely smooth and I had to force the bleurgh reaction away but it was really nice. I may blend a little extra next time, I contemplated sieving the smoothie but I wanted all the goodness.
I may have put in a little too much spinach as the taste of it was very strong but as I had a lot of sweet fruits I wanted to balance it out a little.

The Coconut Dream gave it a creamy taste and also added to the flavour. I am glad I chose that instead of almond milk which I was going to use at first. All in all it was a positive experience lol.

I drank it during the day and that in itself stopped me from reaching for snacks and I was quite full all afternoon until evening.
I will definitely be having smoothies more often and incorporating them into my Healthier Lifestyle goals.


Please let me know if you have any smoothie recipes for me to try.

Weight Loss Journey - Refresh

 Hiya!! I have mentioned in the past that I am trying to loose weight and although I have lost some, its not near enough for me. At the very start of my (serious) weightloss Journey, a couple years ago, I just had a "a ha moment" something just clicked and I decided that I would make a proper try at dropping my weight for once and for all.

I knew that it would take a very long time.... very long!! At my largest I was in the danger zone.
I knew in my heart that I would have to be half my size to be in a healthy place but that is only the beginning because when I get there, I'll have to keep on losing weight so that I can be at my goal.... soooooo.... I had a long and hard task ahead of me.

I plodded on and changed so many habits. Over the year that followed I lost weight, got healthier and felt so much better.
In the next year after that, I started to be more active, walking, work outs etc. and that enabled me lose even more weight.

My decision to stop eating meat had the bonus result of weight loss and my new dairy allergy intolerance meant I had to stop eating dairy products which in itself helped too.

In my mind, at times, I feel like the same super big person.... Only pictures really allow me to see just how much weight I have actually lost. My clothes are also a good "measuring tool" I have so many clothes that are very big now that used to fit me well.

Looking back at the way I was - not only in appearance but my mindset and level of activity - It is hard to believe I am the same person and in reality I'm not really Her... She is someone that used to exist but no more, I have made great changes and it's now noticeable to others - especially when I wear more fitted clothes.

Face comparison - Then vs Now

I decided a couple weeks ago that it's time to really push my efforts and work harder. I walk soooo much more than I did and that's great, I actually cannot believe how much I walk now, but I want to do so much more. So I'm calling it a weight loss refresh.... not exactly a restart as I am doing well but a push to do more.

I have upped my water intake, for 2 weeks any time I wanted a drink I only had water. I have had a couple days where I have had other drinks and I do notice a difference so I will make an effort to drink more water again.
I have watched my portion sizes and limited the amount of many food items that I love to reat but really shouldn't.
I am going to make more of an effort to do more activities, whether a work out, dance, extra walk etc,


I don't really post much about my weight loss journey but I think it will be a nice idea to do so more, it will be motivation for my low days and also a great record for me to look back at when I reach my goal weight. I'm hoping that it will also motivate others who are on a weight loss journey too, no matter how much (or little) they may have to lose.


soooo heres to a weight loss refresh..... I cannot wait to get to goal but know it's a day at a time kind of journey for me.

Using My Stash: Curly Kids Curly Creme Conditioner.

A couple years ago I started a little challenge to use up my Hair Stash products.
I called it Product Junkie Rehab you can find the first post HERE and the used items HERE and HERE .... yes I blogged only two items.... I did use up items (obviously) from then to now but I also bought lots of stuff too.

This time around I am using my stash without buying anything else (on the whole I have been great but I must confess to buying three items since I started around March this year - quite good considering my past pj tendencies).
This is part of my general house declutter and also I plan on using all the products I have and then using more natural products especially my Kokolicious goodies.

Anywhooo..... I thought it would be great to document my stash use up for interest and added motivation but also to review the items I use. If I need to purchase an item in the future I'll be able to choose an item I know is good and works for my hair.
Hopefully the reviews will be helpful for you too :) .

Okaaaayyyyy......

The first item I'm talking about is Curly Kids Curly Creme Conditioner - (Leave in Conditioner)

I have purchased this many times in the past, in fact I had one in my "to use" pile in the posts.

 Definition from official site:

Excellent leave-in conditioner that adds vital moisture and shine. Hair will become noticeably healthier and easier to manage. Minimizes breakage and damage due to dryness.
This product does not contain petrolatum, mineral oil, sulfates or paraben!

 Ingredients (from my tub):
Water, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetereath-20, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Olea Europea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Cetrimonium Chloride, Panthenol, BIS (C13-15 Alkoxy) PG Amodimethicone, Fragrance, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Citric Acid, Tetrasodium EDTA, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Phenoxyethanol.


My Experience/Review:
As mentioned before, I have repurchased this item many times. I love the way it makes my hair feel. I use and recommend this as a cheaper (money wise) alternative to Shea Moisture's Cocout and Hibiscus curl enhancing smoothie.
The branding reminds me of Mixed Chicks.
I love that it's parben free and also no mineral oil/ petroleum


Texture:
This has a rich, creamy consistency that I love. It is thick but not too heavy and has a whipped like feel rather than a dense one.

Fragrance:
A sweet, tropical smell, Coconuts and pineapples. I really like the fragrance it doesn't smell like a fully natural smell but neither is it highly synthetic. The smell isn't sickly and it lingers on the hair long after application.


Value for Money:
Approx £3.99 for 170ml/ 6fl oz -The price is really good. It is very affordable especially for the quality




Pros:
No parabens.
No Mineral Oil.
Great Price.
Lovely fragrence.
Hair feels moisturised when using.
Has a thick and creamy consistency which really works for my hair.
Can be found in local Hair Shops I have looked in. (its in all of the ones I've looked in)



Cons:
Can cause build up if used for many days or too much.
Jar is smaller than I would prefer (although the price is so good, repurchase isn;t an issue just a little inconvenient.



Would I repurchase?
I would and have repurchased again. I would and have recommended this product to others.
My only issue would be that I looked online for ingredients (I was too lazy to get the tub and type out the ingredients) and many stores had Dimethocone and Paraffinum Liquidum (paraffin oil) listed, I knew for sure my one didn't have that so double checked my tub and they definitely are not listed on there.
The manufacturer website claims - This product does not contain petrolatum, mineral oil, sulfates or paraben!
I'm not sure why there is discreprencies there.... makes me wonder. Maybe the ingredients have changed?
I will have to check the tub if I go to purchase in the (very distant lol) future.

Curly Kids Curly Creme Conditioner -  can be found in local Hair Shops (beauty supply store)

...... All Done!!......

Whoooopppp Whooooppppp

wheeeewwww weeee and Yayyyyyyy!!

Ok, cheering over lol.

The bathroom took a little while longer than usual due to the hectic phase and busy days causing me to have a longer stretch between deep cleans but it went along well and I feel much better now it's done.

Mello was fast asleep so I tried not to make too much noise while cleaning.

Kitty came to "help" me clean  and also chase a spider lol.

My phone battery was very low so I didn't listen to any music while cleaning the bathroom but I hummed and sang as I worked.



Bathroom Cleaning Items:

Broom, Dustpan, Mop as before
Costco Cleaning spray (will add name)
Cleaning Flannel
Microfibre Cloth
Scrubbing Brush
Bath and Shower Gel - Faith Tear Tree and Lemon





















::Bathroom Hacks ::
*I use the dish scrubbing brush with the white scrubbing head to clean my shower incl the doors, sink, tiles and mirror. I fill the liquid compartment with bath and shower gel and use my spray to clean with (today I used the Costco spray)
The scrubbing brush is fabbbbb!!!
*Spirit/White vinegar is amazing in the bathroom great for the windows and mirror and freshening the plug holes/drains.



I'm having a quick break. Drinking the rest of my tea and having a little bit of day old baguette - oh the life lololol.

I'll bring the mats from the bathroom and WC to was as well as kitty's food mat, put the washed clothes to dry and fold the dried clothes......

Then it's get dinner sorted and get ready for mid week fellowship project.


Thanks for "keeping me company" during my cleaning.

Please let me know if you have any cleaning hacks or tricks and any Song suggestions to listen to while I clean. Have a great day xxx

.....Short Pit Stop :) ....

Downstairs is now done, whooo hoooo!!

I also washed kitty's food and water bowls (I must remember to wash the upstairs water bowl when I go back down), put his food mat to wash and filled the bowls.

I made a peppermint and fennel tea with a little honey to refresh me and soothe my throat (hay fever, allergies, and what feels like a summer cold is attacking) and a quick toilet break (tmi??? Probably)
And it's bathroom cleaning time!!

Poor Mello is taking another nap bless him.

Towel folding, rubbish sorting, tidying surfaces, emptying and cleaning bin, washing toothbrushes and flannels, sweeping, cleaning the shower, mopping, cleaning sink and toilet(yukkk).

My phone battery is on 10% gahhhhh