Aris Whittier

Coffee Body Scrub

noreply@blogger.com (Aris Whittier) — Wed, 22 May 2013 13:39:00 +0000

(REPOST)

Summer is fast approaching and the thought of getting into a swimsuit makes me cringe. So in my efforts to try and get my “winter body” even remotely close to being a “summer body” I have decided the neglect must stop. It’s crunch time!

I read in Cosmo (I LOVE that Maag ;o) ) awhile back that coffee can help reduce cellulite if it is scrubbed on the body. Now, I LOVE coffee and the thought of rubbing it all over my body sounded pretty damn good to me. So off I went into the kitchen to make my own coffee scrub.

This scrub is wonderful! I am addicted to this stuff. I LOVE the way it makes my skin feel and the way it smells. I should point out, the first time I used it, I crawled into bed and my hubby turned to me and glanced at my nightstand…seeing nothing he glanced back to me and looked at me curiously, “Did you make coffee?” he had asked. I’m not kidding…you’ll smell like a pot of freshly brewed coffee after you use this scrub so please be aware of that. Also, this stuff is seriously rough…I wouldn’t recommend using it on your face. I make a batch and store it in a canning jar and keep it in my shower all the time.

The jury is out whether it reduces cellulite simply because I haven’t used it that long.

Brown Sugar Coffee Body Scrub

2 cups of coarsely ground coffee (buy the super cheap stuff just make sure it’s caffeinated)

1/2 cup raw sugar (I’ve tossed in a little brown sugar too)

2/3 tablespoon of olive oil

1 teaspoon almond (or vanilla) extract

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and then transfer and store in a tightly sealed container. I use a mason jar.

Use scrub in shower on damp skin!

~type you soon~

noreply@blogger.com (Aris Whittier) — Tue, 14 May 2013 23:21:00 +0000

As you can tell I haven’t been blogging in a while. I love to blog and share things with you however life has gotten very busy (I’m finishing up another book) and I just can’t find the time. However, I am on Facebook ,Twitter and Pinterest so stop in and see me (see why I don't have time...LOL).

I am hoping this summer, when the book is finished, I’ll have more time and I can post again. We will see how it goes. I will keep you updated. Please feel free to leave comments on any of the posts-no matter how old. I have them sent to my email so I'll get them and I'll be sure to reply to them.

A big Thank You to everyone who emailed me to “check in” and see how I was doing. I am so blessed to have friends and readers like you!!!!!

Lot’s of Love!

~type you soon~

Snowflake Project for Newtown, Connecticut

noreply@blogger.com (Aris Whittier) — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 12:30:00 +0000

My daughter and I are making snowflakes for the children at Sandy Hook Elementary. The old school will no longer be used so the students will attend a new school. The teachers of the area are asking people to make and decorate snowflakes that will then be hung in the hallways of the new school. They do not want any words on the snowflakes, and are hoping for cheerful, happy (glitter & sparkle) snowflakes for the students to see when they enter their new building. When sending your snowflakes, please include a note about where they are from (school, class, town, state) to display along with your snowflakes. Hopefully we can bring a smile to the faces of these students!

Please send snowflakes to:

Connecticut PTSA
60 Connolly Parkway, Building 12, Suite 103
Hamden, CT 06514

Snowflakes will be accepted until January 12, 2013

~type you soon~

Merry Chirstmas!

noreply@blogger.com (Aris Whittier) — Thu, 27 Dec 2012 16:50:00 +0000

Wow! That was an amazing Christmas. I hope all of you have an amazing time too. I can’t believe it’s over. I have Christmas music playing as I write this…I’m not ready for it to end just yet.

Before Christmas, I spent several days in Southern California. I took my daughter to Data Point Harbor where they have a Christmas Parade with the boats.

On the long drive back home we wrote a book together…well she actually told me I need to write her a book (because she knows the only book she can read, that I’ve written, is ACROSS ETERNITY- which she loved! But the others are for adults.) So with pen and notebook in hand and a half a day’s drive, she plotted her dream story. She’s very creative and clever. It was a lot of fun and I’ve already written the first 2 chapters. I’m not sure if it will ever become a book, but I’m having a great time doing this with her.

Christmas morning was amazing. It was just my hubby and two kids (1 dog and 3 cats—yes they sit right in the middle of it all). I LOVE turning on Christmas music and watching my family open presents…get excited…laugh…hug & kiss…get excited again…laugh some more…lots more hugs, kisses, and thank-yous…doesn’t get any better than that.

My son bought my daughter JUST DANCE for the Xbox 360 Kinect. All I have to say is I “Just Danced” my butt off for an hour Christmas day. I am the undefeated champion…apparently I have moves like Jagger…and the following morning I rolled out of bed (I mean that seriously). I felt like I was ran over by a truck…my spine refused to straighten, my legs refused to carry my weight…that game kicked my butt! My hubby and kids laughed at me as I tried to make my way to the Keurig…

Timber, our beloved Catahoula Leopard, who is our faithful companion and protector was an angel all year. She got lots of goodies in her stocking too. She even got a new sweater to keep her warm (Catahoula’s are single haired so they get cold easy). Her new outfit has peace signs because she keeps the peace…She’s the Sherriff of the house!

Timber waited until the day after Christmas to misbehave. Here is her “Dog Shaming” picture…

(if you can't read her letter of apology click on the picture so it will get bigger)

~type you soon~

Oranges and Cloves

noreply@blogger.com (Aris Whittier) — Sat, 15 Dec 2012 22:36:00 +0000

I love the combination of oranges and clove. Something about the fragrance reminds me of Christmas!

~type you soon~

This Warmed My heart! ~Tom Shadyac's Students Give Back~

noreply@blogger.com (Aris Whittier) — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 16:22:00 +0000

Hi everyone....it’s been a busy busy week. This is a short post but one I wanted to share with all my friends.

May generosity and love spread through this holiday season and beyond…

I hope everyone makes today ridiculously amazing!

~type you soon~

Homemade Almond Roca!

noreply@blogger.com (Aris Whittier) — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 12:36:00 +0000

I post this recipe last year, but since I have gotten 3 emails this week requesting the recipe I thought I’d post it again.

My family LOVES Almond Roca. I’m not the best candy maker so when I found this super easy recipe I was so excited. This doesn’t take that long to make and is so yummy.

Super Easy Almond Roca

1/2 cup dry roasted almonds chopped (from Costco)

1 cup butter (2 sticks)

1 cup white sugar

3 tablespoons boiling water

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

Rubbed a little melted butter all over an 11-in. x 7-in. x 1-in. baking pan. Evenly sprinkle chopped almonds in the bottom of the greased baking pan. Set aside.

In a saucepan over low heat, cook butter and sugar for a few minutes. You want the butter to melt and the sugar to dissolve and become bubbly. Add water and corn syrup. Bring to a boil over medium heat. As you cook you’ll want to stir often—scraping the bottom of the pan and around the sides too.

Cook until a candy thermometer reads 300 degrees F (hard-crack stage).

Quickly pour over almonds. Wait about a minute or so then sprinkle chocolate chips on top. Let the chips stand for 1-2 minutes and then spread and swirl chocolate over candy with a spatula. I chop some more almonds and sprinkle them over the top (just so it looks pretty). Let the Almond Roca cool completely and then break into pieces.

A few side notes: I love to give this as a hostess gift. Just put the Roca in a zip lock bag and then put it in a cute holiday container.

If you are a little short on time and you need the Roca to cool quickly just pop the pan in the refrigerator so it’ll cool faster.

Since I’m not the best candy maker I find if I heat the Roca to the 300 degrees slowly I don’t burn the sugar.

If you want thinner Roca used a bigger pan. If you want thicker Roca use a smaller pan.

Enjoy!

~type you soon~

The Perfect Wrapping for the Perfect Present

noreply@blogger.com (Aris Whittier) — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 21:53:00 +0000

I love to wrap the presents I buy. To me, a beautifully wrapped gift is just as important as what is inside. I usually set a day aside and turn on the Christmas music, brew a cup of coffee, and enjoy the activity.

( Perfect for the gentlemen )

(Can you tell why I like this one? Look closely )

~type you soon~

Tracking Santa Claus

noreply@blogger.com (Aris Whittier) — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 15:22:00 +0000

It’s December 1st! Little ones everywhere are anxiously awaiting the arrival of the big guy in the sleigh. You’ll know exactly where he is thanks to NORAD(the North American Aerospace Defense Command).

There is also a Santa's Countdown Calendar. It’s very interactive so the little ones will love it.

(click on picture to see the calendar)

They have apps so you can track him on your iPad, phone, or pc.

Here is a little history on NORAD…

For more than 50 years, NORAD and its predecessor, the Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD) have tracked Santa's flight.

The tradition began in 1955 after a Colorado Springs-based Sears Roebuck & Co. advertisement misprinted the telephone number for children to call Santa. Instead of reaching Santa, the phone number put kids through to the CONAD Commander-in-Chief's operations "hotline." The Director of Operations at the time, Colonel Harry Shoup, had his staff check the radar for indications of Santa making his way south from the North Pole. Children who called were given updates on his location, and a tradition was born.

Don’t forget your Advent Calendars. My kids LOVE them. It’s a fun way to keep track of the big day…and who doesn’t like to wake up to a piece a chocolate first thing in the morning. I blogged about them here

My readers are the BEST!!! Thanks to all of you, Across Eternity came in 2nd place in the cover contest! I’m having a giveaway over at GoodReads so if you are a member please enter. If you aren’t a member don’t fret I’m also giving away a copy here; all you have to do is leave a comment.

~type you soon~

A Little Front Door Christmas Inspiration

noreply@blogger.com (Aris Whittier) — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 15:54:00 +0000

Hi there! I have been so busy I haven’t had time to post. I suspect it’s only going to get busier since Christmas is nipping at our heels.

I love beautifully decorated front doors—what better way to welcome guests. Whether they are traditional, rustic, simplistic, or romantic, they make me feel nostalgic.

~type you soon~

Across Eternity ~Cover Contest~ Vote Now!

noreply@blogger.com (Aris Whittier) — Fri, 23 Nov 2012 19:18:00 +0000

*UPDATE: Across Eternity is in 2nd place!!*

Hi all, Across Eternity is nominated for favorite cover for November 2012! I’d be forever grateful if you voted for Across Eternity!

This cover is very special to me. Many years ago when my Grandmother passed away (my mom’s mom), my Grandpa called their best friend, Donald Ramsey, who lived in Canada to tell him the bad news. Feeling sad for the lost of such a good friend Donald decided to go for a walk. This is the photo he snapped as he walked through a local park. He liked it so much and thought it expressed what he was feeling that he had it framed and sent to my Grandpa. It now hangs on my wall. I believe it represents Logan and Amber’s story so well.

Unfortunately, Donald Ramsey just passed away this year. However, he was able to see the book cover and read the story and he thought both did his photo justice. I think it would be great if his photo could win this cover contest.

Please go vote now! Across Eternity is #7 on the list. The last day is November 27th so hurry!

http://yougottaread.com/vote-now-for-the-november-2012-cover-contest/

~type you soon~

Happy Thanksgiving

noreply@blogger.com (Aris Whittier) — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 23:16:00 +0000

Whatever you do, I hope that each of you has a blessed, safe and Happy Thanksgiving. I am thankful for so much! My family, friends, and readers are among those that I am most thankful for. Enjoy tomorrow with your friends, family and loved ones.

Looking for a quick and super yummy dessert, try this Checkeredboard Mousse Cake. It’s not too sweet. I love that the outside has a delicious rich dark chocolate flavor and the inside is so smooth and fluffy. I just picked one up the other night when we went to a friends house for dinner and everyone loved it.

~type you soon~

Gross & Disgusting!!

noreply@blogger.com (Aris Whittier) — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 21:14:00 +0000

These are my outdoor shoes that I workout in. A little dirty but comfy and they get the job done.

After a long workout, a trip to the market and the post office I came home. At the front door I slip out of my shoes and notice something slightly brown on the heel.

Upon further inspection I am horrified when I realize that it looks like a corpse of some sort. Finding a handy-dandy stick—because there is no way I’m touching it—I pry out what looks to be a dead frog.

I believe it was all cozy in my shoe when I jammed my foot in it and took off for my workout…I won’t show you what my sock looked like…but let me tell you I tugged it off my foot and threw it across the yard in record time. I’m completely bothered by the fact that I didn’t feel a thing when it first happened or even throughout the day.

I am now freaked out and heading to the shoe store for a new pair of shoes.

~type you soon~

Gluten Free Pumpkin Doughnuts

noreply@blogger.com (Aris Whittier) — Sat, 20 Oct 2012 19:36:00 +0000

The cool morning inspired me to make something with all the fall spices that I love— cinnamon, nutmeg, & ginger. These yummy doughnuts are super moist, full of flavor, and the best part is they are baked!

Pre heat oven to 350

Place the following in a mixing bowl and mix together

½ cup vegetable oil

3 large eggs

1 ½ cups granulated sugar

1 can pumpkin purée (15 oz size)

1 ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1 ½ teaspoons salt

Beat everything together until smooth and then add

2 cups of Pamela’s Baking & Pancake mix

Blend until smooth.

Grease doughnut pan (I used a spray) and fill about ¾ full. Cook for about 15-18 minutes.

They are very delicate so gently turn them out onto a cooling rack.

I let them cool for about 5 minutes then I put them in a bag of cinnamon and sugar.

~type you soon~

Natural Pools

noreply@blogger.com (Aris Whittier) — Sat, 06 Oct 2012 14:16:00 +0000

I would love to have a salt water or a natural pool (no chlorine). I’m not a fan of the big blue pools because they stick out like a sore thumb. Check out how beautiful these natural pools are.

~type you soon~

~Antique Hunting~

noreply@blogger.com (Aris Whittier) — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 16:43:00 +0000

I spent Saturday with my son visiting local antique and secondhand stores. We usually make a day of it by getting up early and heading out to favorite café for coffee.

We had a great day and found some great treasures too.

The best deal we found was a Christian Dior Blazer / Coat. It’s a custom made piece, made for Mr. B’s. My son’s first name starts with a B so we decided it was sign. The buttons are my favorite. There are two lions surrounding a royal crest. It has the words, Je Maintiendrai. The French translation is “I will maintain”.

Ready for the price....drum roll... $7.00

I adore this cat print and I might just have to go back and get it (maybe a Christmas gift for my daughter…shhh don’t tell). He has such attitude and I know I’d smile every time I walked past him!

I couldn’t believe it when I rounded the corner and saw all these boots. All of these are second hand. I love cowboy boots…I’ll be wearing a pair in a few weeks at the Carrie Underwood concert ;o)

Love this desk.

Huge collection of old spice cans.

~type you soon~

Repurposed Wine Bottles

noreply@blogger.com (Aris Whittier) — Sat, 29 Sep 2012 15:29:00 +0000

Repurposing is so big right now. Personally I love the idea and I love to see how creative people can be when they repurpose an item.

Currently our recycle bin is filled with wine bottles. Each is so different and visually appealing—it seemed ashamed to just toss them. This got me thinking…

Check out some of these great ideas for repurposing them.

~type you soon~

Busy, Busy, Busy...

noreply@blogger.com (Aris Whittier) — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 22:35:00 +0000

I noticed today that I haven't done a post in forever. Yikes! I’ve been slaving over the stove making an ungodly amount of applesauce. I also had a dinner party last week so that kept me busy too.

I’m so excited, my daughter and I are going to see Carrie Underwood in concert! I am so ready to dance and hear her amazing voice in person!! It should be a blast!!

My new addiction right now is pico de gallo. I’m making a ton of it because I have three tomatoes plants that refuse to believe that fall is coming and they should no longer be producing. They have convinced two jalapeños peppers that the growing season isn’t over too. The thought of letting veggies that I’ve grown go to waste makes me cringe so I harvest and make pico de gallo. I’ve been putting it on everything—on tacos, on a bed of cabbage or lettuces, and of course eating it with organic corn chips. It’s very versatile.

Here is my recipe.

Juice of 1 lime

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

2 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes

2 to 3 jalapeños, chopped

1 medium onion, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp. salt

Mix all ingredients in bowl. Stir well to evenly distribute all flavors and then enjoy. I find the longer it sits the better it is.

I just ran across this picture of me when I was one. My curly hair has always been an issue!!! LOL!

~type you soon~

Apple Harvest

noreply@blogger.com (Aris Whittier) — Sun, 16 Sep 2012 13:48:00 +0000

Where we live apples grow well and are plentiful—and we’ve always taken advantage of that. We usually get boxes full and I spend an entire weekend making tons of applesauce (the kids eat it as fast as I can make it), apple bread, and then slicing the rest and vacuum sealing them so they will keep in the freezer all winter. I have always had a interest in making apple butter but I have yet to try it—maybe this year I will!

My secret ingredient to making applesauce it to use Trader Joe’s Spiced Cider as the base.

Here is the recipe I loosely follow—I say loosely because the apples we get are from old homesteads and sometime they aren’t super juicy (add more liquid) or they are very tart (add more sugar) so I just doctor it up according to taste. The house smells so good when you are cook this!

Spiced Cider Applesauce

10 apples - peeled, cored and chopped

2 cups of spiced cider

¼ cup white sugar

¼ cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

In a saucepan, combine apples, cider, sugar, and cinnamon. Cover, and cook over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes, or until apples are soft. Allow to cool and mash. I freeze the leftovers in freezer bags (lay them flat and stack them on top of each other).

Here is a new recipe that I want to try.

Spiked Apple Cider

¼ gallon apple cider

½ cup dark rum

½ cup cinnamon schnapps

Mix together the cider, rum, and schnapps in a large pitcher. Pour the spiked cider into glasses filled with ice and serve. This can also be served warm.

I love this presentation...

~type you soon~

Autumn...it's coming!

noreply@blogger.com (Aris Whittier) — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 22:36:00 +0000

Can you feel it? The irresistible tug of autumn is in the air. The morning is cool and the days are getting shorter. I’m so ready for the changing of the seasons.

I’m ready to change out my wardrobe...

sit down to a warm bowl of soup...

enjoy the leaves changing...

appreciate the holidays...

and I shall try and accomplish as many of these as possible…

~type you soon~

~Random Pictures~

noreply@blogger.com (Aris Whittier) — Sun, 02 Sep 2012 15:19:00 +0000

I have five million (that might be a little excessive) pictures on my camera—I will snap a picture of anything. So I thought I’d go through them and clean them up. Here are some random pics I forgot I’d taken.

Watermelon Message: At the beginning of summer I distinctly remember asking my daughter if she could cut me a piece of watermelon when she was getting some for herself. When she walked past me nibbling on a juicy wedge I asked her. “Where’s mine?” She replied, “In the kitchen.”

She’s a crafty one ;o)

Brave Waves: My daughter and I went to see the movie Brave and we loved Merida’s curls.

My daughter found a way to get Merida’s curls with a sock. Here it is on Pinterest. Her curls came out so awesome I just had to take a few pictures!!! Love her red hair…and no it’s not dyed…we get asked that all the time.

Bored While Driving: I traveled a lot this summer—all by myself so I got very lonely. I totally forgot I took these pictures and not even sure why I took them.

When the traffic wasn’t that busy I actually wrote on one of my books. With a pencil and a pad.

This was my fuel…those almonds are my favorite snack.

Not sure why I took this…I believe I was stuck in traffic for a long time and felt like I5 was taking a piece of my soul…

~type you soon~

~Smoke From The Wildfires~

noreply@blogger.com (Aris Whittier) — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 15:52:00 +0000

Because of all the wildfires it has been so smoky here. I just walked outside and took these pictures. This is the sun. Can you believe it!

It’s like it’s a thick fog. It’s impossible to do much outside.

And last week it was so thick it set my smoke alarms off in my house! That’s too much smoke.

We need rain!

~type you soon~

Taylor Swift’s $4.9 Million Cape Cod Beach House

noreply@blogger.com (Aris Whittier) — Sat, 18 Aug 2012 15:36:00 +0000

22 year old Taylor Swift just bought a Cape Cod home so she could be near her boyfriend, Connor Kennedy (Robert F Kennedy’s son).

The house was built in 1928 and has 4,400 square feet. It has 7 bedroom and 5.5 baths. It’s amazing! I love everything but the kitchen.

~type you soon~

SECRETS is the Indie Book of the Day!

noreply@blogger.com (Aris Whittier) — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 17:21:00 +0000

A double post today!!
I'm excited to share that SECRETS is the Indie Book of the Day! How cool is that!

Hop on over and check it out!

http://indiebookoftheday.com/

Here it is in Kindle and Nook

~type you soon~

Woke Up To A Little Black Box!

noreply@blogger.com (Aris Whittier) — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 16:06:00 +0000

I know that we girls are princesses and shame on any man that tries to convince us different. Since my name is Aris (pronounced heiress) I’ve been trying to convince my hubby that I am entitle to a crown and I’ll take it in the form of jewelry. I love this ring and this necklace…so far I’ve gotten nothing.

Aris, heiress, princess…it makes no difference. He’s just not a believer that I warrant such a title. He always says something to the effect, “when you show me what you are an heiress to then I will consider the notion.” Since there is no great wealth to which I stand to inherit…well you can see our struggle.

I’m here to say there is hope—kinda, sotra, maybe. On this ordinary day, with no special occasion, I woke up to a little black box.

So what spurred this unexpected gift? Could it be he’s conceded to the fact that I am a princess…not likely.

Here’s the story:

At the beginning of summer I was doing a lot of gardening. I don’t wear my wedding ring when I garden because I’m terrified that the diamond will fall out (I’ve actually had nightmares about this…upon waking I’ve rushed to the jewelers to have the prongs checked). Anyway, I took the ring off and apparently didn’t wear it for a week. This my hubby noticed.

Conversation with my hubby about two months ago when we were out having dinner.

“Where’s your ring?”

“In my jewelry box.”

“Why aren’t you wearing it?”

“Because I’ve been working in the yard. You know I take it off when I work outside.”

“You haven’t worn it in over a week. Have you been working in the yard all week?”

“I guess I just forgot to put it back on.” Not the thing to say. So I backpedaled. “I’m afraid of bumping it and having the diamond fall out. I’d rather have it in the jewelry box where I know it’s safe.”

Feeling guilty and a little embarrassed that I had forgotten to slip my ring back on my finger for “date night” I steer the conversation in another direction. After that night I hadn’t heard any more about it so I thought that was the end of it…

Conversation this morning when he hands me the little black box.

“Now you have a ring with no stones in it. Wear it when you take your wedding ring off. You can garden in it, bump it,— it can take a beating so keep it on.”

To tell you the truth I feel like I’ve been slightly reprimanded…but who cares! I have a Tiffany ring. Isn’t it lovely? Here it is with my wedding ring.

For those of you that do want stones in it here it is at Tiffany & Co.

I have the best hubby in the world…BTW he said the X’s reminded him of the x’s and o’s I sign my cards and letters with….awwww how sweet. My left ring finger shall never be bare ;o)

xoxoxoxox honey!

~type you soon~