November update: Pumpkin patches, wellness tips and my vegan pie recipe for holidays

I never understood No Shave November.

Why does it only apply to men? What's the appeal of looking like a lumberjack for a month and carousing one's face.... or legs? Just asking for a friend.

No, seriously though. Beyond extraordinarily hairy faces, November is a great month! It's socially acceptable to start playing Christmas music, bake a little more, stay home diffusing oils (okay, I do this 365 days a year), and cozying up with a good book near the fire. Can I get an amen?

This month, our family seems to be all over the place. I work out of town five days a week, I am a small business owner, my husband is transitioning in his role at work, he started a band, and our son is talking. You read that right: Ezra is using big boy words! I can't. I just can't. That and potty training a 19 month old just about does it for me.

To make the most of this moment, we decided to take a trip to a local pumpkin patch. A dear friend of ours captured the most wonderful snippets of our family. Be sure to check her work out.

This time of year seems to have us running away from all things YUCKY. Ain't nobody got time for that! To combat, I make wellness rollers and leave one in every bedroom of our home, plus one I take one with me to work in my purse. I notice a huge difference in our immune response. Here is the recipe to make your own:

Wellness Roller Recipe:

Young Living Thieves essential oil blend - 10 drops
Young Living Lemon essential oil - 5 drops
Young Living Oregano essential oil - 5 drops
Fractionated coconut oil
Glass roller bottle with top

Another favorite recipe of mine is my vegan pumpkin pie. It's so easy it's almost embarrassing to post it. Plus, it reminds me of Christmas!

Vegan Pumpkin Pie:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Filling serves roughly 2 pies.

Vegan crust recipe (or gluten free frozen pie shells for us basic moms)
2 cans of organic pumpkin puree
1 can of organic coconut milk
3 tsp of pumpkin pie spice (blend of cinnamon, ginger, cloves and nutmeg)
1/3 cup of brown sugar
3 tsp of vegan melted butter

Instructions:

Make your pie crust or pull out frozen pie shells from freezer and let thaw ahead of time.
Mix all ingredients. Voila!
Pour into pie shells.
Sprinkle pumpkin pie spice on top.
Bake for 35 minutes at 400 degrees.
Let cool or refrigerate overnight.

Enjoy!

XO,

Tina

Comments

Progress over perfection

Some days are tough, aren’t they? In a society that judges our every move - from our career choices, to how we discipline our children, to what constitutes as a healthy diet, our social media presence or whether we employ a housekeeper - it often feels like we have to have it all together and promote a false state of perfection. While we know that perfect isn’t reality, why do we work and strive towards a completely unrealistic, unsatisfied lifestyle? I am sure you can relate. Let me explain. Throughout the week, I work as a public relations specialist for a government agency. I conduct lots of communication and content planning meetings related to specific projects or campaigns. Sometimes through discourse, we disagree on the right approach to tackle a particularly complex issue like safety. Some teams think it should be data-driven and scientific in presentation while others think a strategy should have a more human element, with additional public engagement and an op...

Welcoming Fall

Well Friday officially meant Fall had arrived! I had every intention of following through with my resolution of FINALLY starting my lifestyle and motherhood blog on the first day of the new season, but a nasty cold hit through the Werner House like a pile of bricks and let's just say mopping up my four month old son's vomit off our bedroom floor and consuming nothing but throat coat tea and cough drops for the last 48 hours was ALL my body could take. Thus, I resume. I am a late 20 something momma based out of the Pacific Northwest with my husband and son. I am a full time Marketing and Development Director at a local YMCA where I get to use my passion and skill sets to impact the community I live in on a regular basis. At times, life on social media often appears to be free from relationship struggles, financial hardship, emotional turbulence, under eye circles, and carbs. My goal is to try and share portions of my life through what drives me the most: cooking, crafting, ...

Healing your heart: A fresh start to spring with chicken soup

Spring is here and that means freshly planted annuals, barbecues and glorious sunshine on my face. We are in the beginning phase of a few home improvement projects this summer and I have gone full blown Joanna Gaines: farmhouse, shiplap and white-shaker everything. My husband loves me, I swear. And not just this time of year (although it comes in a strong tie with fall and my obscure love for pumpkins and spiced chais), spring signifies new beginnings, second chances and a fresh start. I am so grateful for a fresh start each spring. The crisp aroma of the outdoors after the dead of winter and new life growing on the ground encourage me that better days are ahead. I am so ready for the birth of new relationships, trust, empathy and forgiveness this year. Like you, people have disappointed me. Our role models have disappointed us. But disappointment doesn't have to leave us paralyzed. We are all human and mess up daily. I need the correction of the Holy Spirit and His daily mea...

Take It From Tina

Search This Blog