Random Tid Bits

Let's count all the ways the Apel family is busy!

1. Travis landed himself a gig at an elementary school. They wanted an artist to teach sculpture to the kids there. He had to test run some projects. He tested them out on Mica. Isaak got super jealous. We had to explain that Isaak's not the age group Travis needed to test these projects out on. They are wire on wooden blocks. You put knee highs over the wire. Then you can paint the knee highs with Gesso. It looks like a legit sculpture. Something you'd find in a gallery.


2. Travis also is wrapped up in an organization called Omaha Permaculture. They like his art. He likes them. The director of the group wants to hire him to do things from time to time. 


3. Travis has been modeling for a college class. You'd think with all these gigs we'd be rich! Nope we need health insurance that doesn't suck!


4. I had a doctor's appointment for that "thing" in my head. YAY! I'm cancer free. I didn't think it was cancer, but when the doctor pulled it out he said, "I'm glad we're sending this in to be tested. It was behind the muscle. It's a tumor too!" I actually had what's called a lipoma, which is in fact a tumor. I probably have had more of them on my scalp. They are super common. It's just fatty tissue build up. Some people get them after a major surgery, but I've had this one before my nose surgery. In my case it's more hereditary. In the next 4 weeks it will dramatically get lighter. I have to keep wearing sunscreen, otherwise it will turn pink. 





5. I've had a few interviews. I think it's safe to say that no one from my work reads this blog. Even if they do, they wouldn't blame me for looking around. Enrollment is way down. I'm highly respected, so they aren't going to fire me. I forgot how long it takes to fill out job applications, update my resume, fill out cover letters, work on design pieces for my website and so on. It sucks because I like my job that I have now overall. I really love my first year students. 


6. When I was trying to find an old employer, it brought on sadness. He was my first nice boss when I got hired on as a designer in Atlanta. Why was I sad? He's not from here. He's from Iran. Apparently he moved back to the Middle East to United Arab Emirates. I'm sad because it's hard to use him as a reference. Beside the personal part of it, I just hope the US didn't make him feel unsafe and unwelcomed. He was a super nice person and business man! I found him on facebook, and messaged him a thank you, for being you kind of message. If he would have begged me to stay before we were mostly packed up, I would have stayed. Our lives would be much different. I had 1 boss before him that was from Pakistan; he was not so nice. I was happy to have this nice boss. He was an inspiring leader. 


7. Next week is midterms. The week before midterms is always super busy too!


8. Isaak of course has been busy with basketball, Isaak will begin his Science Fair project, Mica's been busy with his project moving up in the Science Fair. We've had conferences, after school events, and birthday parties. 


9. Mica's school had a walk out. I'm ok with protesting if you know what you're protesting about. Somehow I think with middle schoolers they really don't have a clue. Travis talked with the boys for an hour about school safety, school shootings, what people are protesting for, and so on. The next day Mica's school had a verbal treat. The student that made the threat was searched by a police officer. I'm not surprised. Scary indeed. 


10. I can't forget the ice. A few ice storms last week made it difficult to get around. The car was in the shop for most of a week. What a mess that was! 

What have you been up to? Is your life super busy right now?

Seedfolks is Showing @RoseTheaterCo - Review

Our family went to watch Seedfolks at The Rose Theater. We went in not knowing what the play was about, and quickly learned that it was one of our favorites!

It's good to get to the show 20 or 30 minutes early because there is open seating.

We walked into a stage filled with 3 big screens, which graphics were on. Throughout the show the graphics changed. In some cases there was animation that was included.

About Seedfolks:

Photo Curtesy Children's Theatre Company Minneapolis, MN

The play was written off a novel. Now I so want to get the book! 

It's a "One-Woman Show" that was made for Children's Theaters. I wasn't sure if a one character play would keep children's attention. It most certainly did capture everyone's attention. 

The actor Sonja Parks plays about 22 characters in the play! She changes her voice, her accent, and her age with each character. 

Photo Curtesy Children's Theatre Company Minneapolis, MN

It starts with a young girl that wants to keep the memory of her grandfather alive by planting been seeds in a junky lot. She clears the glass and trash to plant her beans. Other neighbor's follow in her foot steps. Finally many people have different things planted in the garden. They all plant things for different reasons. Some witness segregation, while others see people coming together. Through it all there is growth in the garden, and in the community. 

We loved the message! 

Cast and Crew:

Actor: Sonja Parks 

Understudy: Joy Dolo

Director: Peter C. Brosius

Set and Projection Designer: Jorge Cousineau

Costume Designer: Sonya Berlovitz

Lighting Designer: Paul Whitaker

Composer/Recorded Music: Victor Zupanc

Sound Designer: Sean Healey

Dialect Coach: D'Arcy Smith

Dramaturg: Elissa Adams

Choreographer: Joe Chvala

Associate Lighting Designer: Craig Gottschalk

Stage Manager: Jamie J. Kranz

Tour Technicians: Kristy Haupt, TBD

Light Board Operator: Matt Benes

Run Dates:

February 23 - March 11

It's best for ages 8 and up. Guess what? The adults in our house loved it too!

Call to reserve tickets: 402.345.4849

Perks:

• They have a fun program for the kids! 
• They have merchandise sold by Oriental Trading Company. 
• They also sold the book. 
• They often have cookies you can buy to snack on. 
• If kids do get restless there's a spot for them to go. 
• They have a question and answer time after the show that we always stay for. 

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free from The Rose Theater. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

@softsurrounding Merchandise #LiveSoft Breakwater Pullover Review

My favorite color is red orange. There are not a lot of red orange shirts out there. Guess what? Soft Surrounding has one. The color is actually called Emberglow. I do feel like I'm glowing with it on. You can get their Breakwater Pullover here. 

Besides the Emberglow I Got They Have Other Colors:

Ibiza Blue (a bright blue)
Magnolia (a light grey)
Chartreuse (a lime green)
Tropical Green (a blue green)

Hands down I like the color I picked. Maybe that's just because I don't see my favorite color in a shirt very often. All the other colors are pretty too. 

Sizes:

• Misses: XS (2-4), S (6-8), M (10-12), L (14-16), and XL (18) Cost: $89.95
• Petites: PXS (2-4), PS (6-8), PM (10-12), PL (14-16), and PXL (18) Cost: $89.95
• Women: 1X (18-20), 2X (22), and 3X (24) Cost: $98.95

It was sized just right.

Dress Up or Dress Down:

I've worn this shirt to work with black pants and tan pants. It can be worn dressy.

At home I've worn it with jeans.

Either way it looks great.

Details:

I love the different buttons and the loopy colors!

I feel like I have to bring this up. My first shirt had some snags. They sent me a new shirt. I thought all was right with the world when they sent me a new shirt. It too had a yarn snag. Then I read the online reviews. Someone else got a shirt with snags too. 

Maybe I'll be able to fix it on my own. I should say that with a big question mark because I have no idea how to work with yarn. 

Care:

This is another thing that I don't know what to think. It's hand wash, and line dry. Anymore so many things are machine wash. If I'm going to spend a lot on a sweater I'd like to care for it just like my other clothing items.

What I Think:

I love the pullover color, fit, feel and unique buttons. I dislike the fact that it's unraveled, and the care that goes into it.

Follow Soft Surroundings on facebook, pinterest, twitter, YouTube, instagram, and google+.

Disclaimer: I received this pullover from Soft Surroundings in return for writing this post. I only review things that I think my family or readers will enjoy, or find useful. Soft Surroundings didn't tell me what to write. 

#Sagano Charcoal Powder Review

We love charcoal powder! 

For those that are afraid to use it, keep in mind that they've made charcoal pills for years and years. They help cleanse the stomach. Charcoal is in many tummy meds as well.

It's great for cleaning our teeth! I’ve been using it for many years, and haven’t had any cavities. It scrubs off food and plaque off your teeth. Unlike other teeth cleaners,  Sagano has a natural whitener that doesn’t strip the enamel off. It's also all natural. No aluminum, or other nasty chemicals.

Flavor:

It is a yummy mint flavor.

Just like you can pick other colors with products online, I wish they had other flavor options. Don't get me wrong, I do love mint.

Other Flavors I Think Would be Good as Well: 

• Orange
• Lemon
• Cinnamon
• Spearmint
• Peppermint 

What would be your favorite flavor? What flavor would you add?

Ingredients: 

• Coconut Shell
• Mint
• Fine Food Grade Charcoal Powder

Where to Buy Sagano Charcoal Powder:

You can get it on Amazon Prime for $15.95 http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074H1ZHPL. It lasts a long time! You just sprinkle a little bit on your toothpaste. It's a 4 to 8 month supply!

Cleaning the Sink:

It does get dark speckles on your sink. That's kind of annoying. If you think about it there's white speckles from normal toothpaste. Remember charcoal is a cleaning agent. If it gets on the sink, it helps you to clean your sink too.

IZAR Pipe & Tube Cutter Review

IZAR Pipe & Tube Cutter is small and effective. 

It's 1/2 the size of a hand.

What You Can Cut With it:

• PVC Pipe
• Copper Pipe
• Brass Pipe
• Aluminum Pipe

It cuts 1/8" to 1" pipes or tubes.

Travis had some Copper Pipe to cut.

It worked so much faster than I thought!

He put it on, twisted it around, and once it went around the pipe it cut it.

Who Can Use IZAR Pipe and Tube Cutters:

• Plumbers
• Electricians 
• Sculptors 
• HVAC

It's probably most used by plumbers. I can see Travis using it for some sculptures.

Do you do any plumbing work? I'm typically scared to do plumbing work myself, but Travis does some at times. We have hard water here, which can be hard on the pipes. A plumber told me that the best thing to do for the pipes here is to run cleaning vinegar through them. We had a squeal in our dishwasher, and vinegar did wonders to fix it.

Where to Get IZAR Pipe and Tube Cutter:

You can get it on Amazon for $15.84 - on Amazon Prime: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B076JFZ733

It comes with a spare blade. I happened to throw the blade away on accident. I thought it was just a part of the packaging. :(

Disclaimer: I got this product for review. I only review things that I think my family can use. This company in no way told me what to write for this review.

Strategies For Not Letting Your New Business Impact Your Home Life

Launching your own company is a big deal. You should be proud of your accomplishment and happy you get to work for yourself. The obstacle is not letting it consume your life and take time away from other people and activities you love. You need to create balance even though the business will try to suck you in.

You have to have a lot of self-control and put measures in place that help you not let your new business affect your home life. It’s not enough to simply wish and hope that you’ll be able to do it. Make it a priority and follow through on what you say you’re going to do.

Hire Help

Let other people in and allow them to help you. Don’t try to do it all yourself. This includes hiring employees and knowing who to call in a crisis. For example, if you lose your data don’t try to spend all night fixing it yourself. You should hire Secure Data Recovery Services to step in and retrieve your data for you. You have to know when the issue is one you can work through yourself and when you need to ask the experts for help.

Stick to A Schedule You’ll be able to manage your time better when you’re on a tight schedule. Prioritize your tasks and come up with a routine that allows you to accomplish what’s necessary each day. This will prevent you from sleeping in or staying at the office late. Be sure to include activities like working out, taking a lunch break and spending time with your kids and spouse. Without a schedule, you’ll feel lost and become disorganized.

Set Aside Time on the Weekends for Family

Use your weekends wisely when you own a business. You have the power to shut it down on these days and focus on what matters most to you, which is your family. Go for bike rides, play games and watch movies to grow your bond together. Plan your weekly tasks well in advance, so you’re not scrambling at the last minute to catch up on work projects over the weekend. If you do have to work, then block out a few hours early in the morning or late at night when your kids are sleeping.

Unplug in the Evenings

It’s important that once you walk in the front door of your home, you’re removed from your business. While you may need to respond to a client emergency here and there, don’t make it a habit. Unplug from your computer and phone and focus on the people you love. Make it easier on yourself by cooking dinner, engaging in conversation and eating together as a family. You also should unplug for you, and so you feel refreshed the next day.

Conclusion

While your new business is important, it’s even more important you don’t let the other parts of your life slip away from you. Work-life balance is extremely important in your case. Be glad there are ways for you to have a successful business and home life.

Disclaimer: This is a guest post.

Pour Painting Demo

I love learning new techniques. I watched several online Pour Painting demos with Isaak. We were hooked. We watched 10 to 15 videos that day.

Things to Use for a Pour Painting:

• A Trash Bag or Tarp
• A Stretched Canvas
• 4 or 5 Different Acrylic Paint Colors
• The Same Number of Disposable Cups as Paint Colors That You Have
• Any Kind of Liquid Dish Soap
• Liquid Silicone {Optional}
• Crackle {Optional}
• Elmer's Glue
• Popsicle Sticks for Stirring
• A Foam Roller or Paint Brush
• A Blow Dryer {Optional}

Set Up:

You'll want to prime a canvas with acrylic paint, house paint, or Gesso. You can use a stretched canvas, or a hard back canvas. Isaak painted his black. We repurposed an old canvas I had laying around. He painted it on a trash bag, so paint didn't get on the floor. A blow dryer was used, so we could move right along to the fun part.

Disposable Cups:

Isaak picked 6 colors. You can pick more or less than that. Make sure you use white for sure. Each color went into a cup with some water, a squirt of liquid dish soap, a squirt of Elmer's Glue, and crackle paint. Isaak mixed them up with a popsicle stick.

Keep all this stuff out during the process in case you have to make more.

All the colors:

We put the base of a disposable water bottle down to pour on top of. It really didn't have any effect on what was done. It just gave us a focal point to know where to pour.

Start the Pouring:

Pour more and more of the colors down.

After about the fourth color it starts to look pretty cool.

You could stop there, or continue to pour more and more paint.

Because I added the crackle in there, it dried with cracks. If silicone was added it would dry with bubbles.

End Result:

Have you ever tried or even heard of a pour painting before?

WW: Cyst or is it a Tumor? {Linky}

On Sunday we went out to a fancy place for Omaha's Art and Entertainment Awards. Travis was nominated for one of the best group shows in Omaha. He didn't win, but a super nice couple won that were sitting right next to us. They had a group show that was all based around sensory. The wife was blind, and the husband had only one working leg.

Proof that I'm pretty.

Fast forward to yesterday. I had an appointment to see a Plastic Surgeon. I've had a cyst (so I thought) on my forehead for a year or so. I've tried Apple Cider Vinegar, Tea Tree Oil, and something called Bread Poultice on my forehead to get it to go away naturally. 

I tried to go to a Dermatologist. They sent me away saying if they cut me part of my face could go paralyzed. 

Mr. Plastic Surgeon said, "Easy Peasy let's take it out." 

No wonder nothing natural would work! It was behind a muscle, and he thinks it was a tumor not a cyst. It was about the size of a pea. The tumor is off to be turned in. He doesn't think it's cancerous.

This is what I look like today:

The swelling should go down. That's from him digging around behind the muscle and the pain med. I think it looks worse than it will look like after it's healed up. 

For some dang reason I'm all emotional. Why would that happen. I've felt like crying at the drop of a hat. 

I taught today. I'm so thankful for my 1st year class. One guy said, "You actually look pretty good. Like it's better than I thought it would be." I had others ask me if I was ok, which was nice. 

Then there's my 3rd year class. I've never thought they were kind. More like a lazy class. Top that off with the fact that when they walk into the first year classroom they say, "Why is their work so much better than ours?" My answer is always, "Your work could be better. You just need to apply yourselves." They leave the classroom often, fall asleep when they shouldn't, don't get their work done, and the list goes on...

Well a third year student walks in, looks at me, giggles, and talks to a friend. Then giggles some more. I said, "What's so funny? My forehead?" They giggled and said, "Yes." It took a lot not to call them choice words. Remember I'm their teacher. Looking back I should of said, "Have a little empathy!"

I wanted to cry over the good students, and cry over the bad ones. I don't know why I'm so emotional. Could a doctor cutting into your head really set off emotions? It's so weird. 

How to be a Mindful Mommy

Becoming a parent is, of course, a huge blessing and a wonderful experience: nothing quite compares to being a mommy. It’s also true though, that since the birth of your little love, you’ve likely struggled to find much time for yourself; the morning flies by before you’ve had a chance to brush your hair and change out of your pajamas. January quickly becomes June, and other than marking the milestones in your baby’s development, life becomes a bit of a blur!

If you can relate to this feeling, then perhaps introducing some elements of mindfulness in your daily life will help you reconnect.

Make Mindful Movements

The next time you’re walking around the block, with your little one in a stroller, take a moment to really observe the space around you. Look at your neighbors’ front doors: how many different colors can you count? Getting into the practice of being alert and connected to your surroundings, rather than inside your mind with an internal monologue planning what else needs to be done in the day, will allow you to take greater ownership of your time.

Even if you’re housebound most of the day, you can make your movements more mindful when doing anything from brushing your teeth to chopping vegetables.

Use the Time You Get to Nurture Yourself

Regardless of whether your child takes long or short naps, you can steal back little portions of time and spend them on yourself. For sure, get the dishes washed and toys packed away so you’ve got space to breathe, and then sit yourself down for a short meditation practice. You can feel the benefits from even 5 minutes spent breathing mindfully; reducing stress and anxiety, especially if you’re having a stressful day.

You don’t even need to put your child down to sleep to meditate, by purchasing a baby mobile or sound machine, the little one can be simply taking their own timeout while you do the same. If you’re worried about leaving them awake and unattended, take a comfortable seat on the floor of their nursery — you never know, you might find the sound machine calming for you too! If you’re in the market for baby bedtime entertainment, an online parent guide will lead you in the right direction.

Mommy Baby Yoga

A craze that’s blowing up right now, and for good reason, is the practice of mommy-baby yoga. Whether you look for a yoga studio near you, or just find a class or tutorial online, yoga can further strengthen the wonderful bond you’ve got with your child through stroking and soothing techniques. It also won’t hurt if you want to get your pre-baby body back!

If you’ve only recently given birth, consult an expert opinion before you start any rigorous exercise though.

Mindful moms raise mindful children

As a parent, you’ll know the importance of leading by example. If you can adopt mindfulness in your everyday life — through mindful movements, short meditations or yoga — the benefits will transfer to your child too.

Disclaimer: This is a guest post.

How To Keep You & Your Family Healthy & Happy

One of your major concerns as a mother is how to keep everyone healthy and happy. It’s not an easy task when life gets busy, and everyone’s going their separate ways. That’s why it’s a good idea to have practices in place that help you achieve your family wellness goals.

Create a household that’s focused on the well-being of each family member and get everyone committed to living a healthy lifestyle. Talk about it and explain why this is a priority for you. As the parent, it’s your job to help educate your kids and get them to understand why it matters that they care about their health.

Take the Initiative to Research Health Topics

One place to start is to learn about different health ailments and proactive solutions for improving your wellness like taking vitamins. Use a site such as echiropractor.org to understand better what actions you can take today for a better tomorrow. Study and absorb this important information, so you know what to do in various situations and what’s going to allow you and your kids to feel better fast.

Embrace Physical Activity

Be that family who loves to exercise and move. Limit the kid’s video game playing and television watching time, so they’re not always sitting in front of a screen. Go for walks as a group and get the children involved in physical activities and sports teams. Set a good example by working out daily and showing your passion for staying fit. Exercise has many benefits, and your family will be that much healthier and in a better mood when working out is a priority.

Cook at Home & Eat as A Family

Get in the habit of cooking meals at home instead of eating out. While restaurant food is convenient, it’s typically distributed in larger portions than you need and is packed full of fats and unwanted calories. See if your kids want to learn how to cook and have them help you in the kitchen. Then when it’s all done, eat dinner as a family and talk about your days. This is the precious time that you won’t get back with your loved ones, so make the most of it and ask everyone to be at dinner each night.

Practice Open Communication

Being closed off and secretive will cause conflict in your home. Encourage open communication and let your kids know they can come to you with anything that’s on their minds. Everyone will be happier when there isn’t information to hide or talking behind backs. Bottling up emotions will set the stage for a big blowout later on. Avoid this scene by encouraging everyone to speak what’s on their minds and share their feelings.

Conclusion

Guide and teach your family how they can improve their wellbeing, and you’ll have a much happier home life. Set the tone by taking action and educating your family members on what healthy behaviors look like. You’ll thank yourself down the road when they grow up to be stand up adults.

Discloser: This is a guest post.