I Tried a Holistic Remedy for a Urinary Tract Infection and It Worked

I'm so excited to share this...

The end of last week I had that familiar terrible sensation

that you get when you have a urinary tract infection coming on...

Usually I'd call the doctor...

go to the doctor and spend countless hours in the waiting room...

and then wait some more in the exam room...

he'd come in...

you tell your symptoms...

yep...uti...here's your prescription...

take it to Target or where ever...

wait some more for it to be filled...

blah, blah...

I decided to take a different approach this time...

I hopped online and googled holistic remedy for a urinary tract infection...

Yep...I've seriously lost it...

So I started going through the sites I'm familiar with...

Of course the number one remedy was cranberry...

and then quite a few talked about baking soda...

baking soda?

Apparently it makes the bladder environment more alkaline 

which doesn't allow bacteria to multiply...who knew?!

(most of our bodies are acidic from all the crap we put in it 

which allows bad bacteria to take over)

1/2 teaspoon to 1 teaspoon mixed with 8 ounces of water...

I went in the kitchen and whipped it up...

I gave it the taste test...not very appealing...

what's the worst thing that could happen...

it doesn't cure the problem and I go to the doctor...

I decided the best method was just to slam it...

so down the hatch it went...

Afterwards, I headed to the grocery for cranberry...

I had heard about cranberry tablets...

I was all for that but the ones I found all contained soy

(which is one of the most genetically modified crops out there)

so I headed to the juice aisle where I bought organic pressed cranberry juice...

I got home and took a swig of that...

yuck! 

(definitely not the kind you find in your favorite fruity cocktail)

When it doesn't have all the sugar, it is pretty potent and not at all tasty...

I poured some in a dixie cup and slammed that...

I then diluted the rest with water and sipped on it through the day...

I have to say, it all helped...

(probably because it was in a monogrammed glass)

It definitely wasn't any worse...

The next day...

I started my day with the baking soda cocktail and followed with the cranberry...

I did this for a few days and lo and behold it went away...

no doctor's office...no antibiotic...no copay...

just the cost of the juice...

(I already had the baking soda at home)

Will this work for everyone?

I have no idea but it's worth a try...

the worst thing that happens is, it doesn't and you go to the doctor...

On a side note...

I went to multiple drug stores, GNC & grocery stores 

and could not find any organic cranberry tablets...

I finally went on Amazon and ordered some off there...

I'm going to take one (they are seriously larger than horse pills) a few times a week 

to, hopefully, prevent any reoccurrences...

Breast Cancer Awareness Cookies and Diet

The month of October is known for many things...

Breast Cancer Awareness being one of them...

I'm sure we all can think of at least one person 

who has been affected by this awful disease...

As I mentioned yesterday...

I've become slightly obsessed with food ingredients...

Seriously, you need like a doctorate in bio-chemical engineering

to decipher what is in the food we eat...

I never really thought much about it...

It's in there because it has to be...right?

WRONG!  

Most packaged food 

(you know...the inside aisles of the grocery...the ones they tell you to avoid...)

is laden with chemicals that are toxic and genetically modified (GMO's)...

The more I read the more I can't believe...

Did you know that the american staple, macaroni & cheese

is required to have a warning label in England that says

"consuming this may cause ADHD in children"...

Many pesticides and chemical ingredients that the United States allows to go in/on our food is banned by most European countries because of it being harmful...

Can all this be a cause of cancer?

Absolutely...

We are all familiar with the adage "You are what you eat"...

It's true...

We can even take it a step further...

"You are what you eat eats"

How's that for a mind boggler?

Really, I think we all know the above to be true...

It's common sense...

Eat organic fruits, veges & meats...

Is it easy?

Nope...not when you have things like Oreos staring you in the face...

Am I perfect?

Nope...I wish!

I struggle every single day with this...

I thought I'd share my breakfast (and many times lunch too)...

A green smoothie...

Start with...are you ready...

(all organic and/or non GMO)

spinach, kale, strawberries, banana, avocado, apple, almond butter, almond milk, pumpkin puree, white sweet potato (from the night before), apple cider vinegar...

I change this up depending upon what I have...

sometimes no sweet potato...sometimes add carrots...etc.

Throw it all in to the blender in no particular order...

(I can't wait to get a new blender)...

And mix it up...

My little blender is old & cheap 

so sometimes I have to help it by stirring with a spoon while it's on...

When it's all combined, pour it into your favorite cup...

Get a spoonful of Chia Seeds and eat them (yes I eat them plain like this)...

washing them down with the smoothie...

Then I get 2 spoonfuls of ground Flax and do the same...

Note...I only eat the flax & chia at breakfast...

And voila'...breakfast and lunch of champions...

Filling and extremely good for you...

What do you think?

Pink & Green Elephant Cookies and A More Organic Way Of Thinking

I've taken a sort of hiatus from blogging lately...
I guess you could say I've had some changes in thinking...
My family jokingly says I'm teetering on the radical side...
They say I just need to start wearing Birkenstocks, 
move to the Washington/Oregon area and throw on a tree hugger t-shirt...
I can't help it...
I've tried to become organic in more ways than one...

I have become radical in the area of food...
I don't even know how it happened...
One post got me clicking to another and then I'm ordering books and doing research...
When I spout off a fact, Goosie Girl asks if I got that from Suzy Q on the internet...
haha sassy girl...
I wouldn't say any of it is rocket science...
more like common sense...
just not what we are conditioned to think like...
I've come to the conclusion that I don't need to think like the masses...
So I've decided to take a more organic approach to blogging 
where I can still share pretties but infuse some other insight as well...
I hope you'll continue to join me for more of life's pretty and delicious with a slight twist...

Monogrammed LL Bean Tote Bags

I recently ordered these tote bags from LL Bean for my family...

One is the extra large size and the other large...

They are seriously the best bags ever!

I hate when you can't fill bags up because you are scared the handles will rip...

No worries with these babies...

load um up to the rim...

They are extremely affordable and you gotta love the free shipping...

You can order them with or without a monogram...

I ordered without and then did it myself...

They will come in handy as we head to the beach next week...

So what are you waiting for...

Go order!

You'll be so happy you did!

Bulldozer Construction Cookies

I decided it was time to clear the path in relation to eating healthy and exercise...

I saw a before/after photo on instagram that peaked my interest...

perhaps it was because the girl looked similar to me...

I read her story and it gave me inspiration...

I started at that point to try and eat clean...

No thinking about it...

No planning for it...

I just started...

This thought process for me kind of goes along with the book I'm reading, Love Does...

How many times do we want to do something...

but instead of actually doing it...

we think/plan/research/prepare/and never do...

Am I doing everything correctly with this whole clean eating?

Nope...

Is it hard?

Yep...

Does it take a lot of time & energy?

Yep...

But I'm actually taking steps...

They may be small steps but they are steps...

If you keep doing the same thing...

You'll always get the same result...

I don't want the same result this time...

It definitely way easier to eat crap and not exercise...

It's all about progress not perfection!

Personalized Turtle & Octopus Cookies

Sometimes it's hard to just keep swimming isn't it?

Giving up is definitely the easier option...

I guess it comes down to how bad you want to get to the place your going...

Remember that baby steps are better than no steps...

So just keep swimming!  

You'll be so glad you did!

Lilly Pulitzer Shift Dress Cookies and The Masters

The Masters...

The most coveted golf tournament...

Steeped in tradition...beautiful scenery...pimento cheese sandwiches...

Just a few things that I'm going to indulge in...

I'm so excited to be heading up to Augusta today...

I worked hard to get Sweet Goosie Girl things done...

so I can enjoy and not be completely overwhelmed when I get back...

Lilly would be the perfect attire to wear...

However, I'm going to opt for sleeves this time...

Maybe a green jacket?

Train Cookies

Well hello Friday!

How did you get here so fast?

The hubs is playing in a member/guest golf tournament with his dad...

Goosie Girl and I will be heading over tomorrow

to join in the festivities...

I'm excited to wear the new outfit I purchased at Ann Taylor...

I will get a lot of use out of it and it fits with my motto "quality not quantity"...

I can dress it up or down...a perfect addition to the wardrobe...

(since I purged everything after reading "Lessons from Madame Chic")

It will also be accompanying me on my field trip to Washington DC...

with middle schoolers...

You'll hear about that next week...

Have a great weekend!

Personalized Anchor Cookies

Anchors were the first cookies I ever sold on Etsy...

I sure have learned a lot since then...

Last year's motto ended up being "fly by the seat of your pants"...

I didn't set out to choose this...

it just kind of happened...

This year as I'm trying to be more intentional & focused...

(DEFINITELY a work in progress...two steps forward...one step back)

I'm ready to become better...

Last year was hurry up and get it done...

This year I'm trying to really do my best when I decorate...

I want to get back to learning new techniques...

That went by the wayside...

I want to improve upon what I already know how to do...

I don't want to become stagnant...

As Ina Garten says "I'm going to turn up the volume"...

God blessed me with a talent and I need to use it to bring glory to him...

Slow & steady AND progress not perfection!

Have a great day!

Blue Whales and Single Letter Monogram Cookies

Didn't I just say I was leaving for a cruise?

And I'm already back?

How is that possible?

I was really hoping to get shipwrecked on Castaway Cay...

and forced to a life of laying in a hammock...

Obviously that didn't happen...

but these fit right in to my dream...

of being stranded and forced to succumb to island life...

and with a little sense of humor added in...

Under the Sea Cookies

Well these little guys are quite appropriate for today...

The family and I are off heading off on a Disney Cruise...

We love to take one this time of year...

after the holidays...

when you can truly relax and enjoy...

No internet connections...no phone service...

I think they secretly do this to force you to disconnect...

Whatever!  Works for me...

Remember, vacations are important to recharge!

I hope everyone has a fabulous weekend!

Crab Cookies

I made these for a Lemon & Lime Event baby shower...

They are amazing event planners in the Maryland area...

and I always love to see their eyecandy...

It's funny when I hear people say that social media sites like Facebook & Instagram 

are toxic, full of drama & fake...

They must follow the wrong people!

I'm inspired daily, in all areas of life, whenever I visit those sites...

I get to interact and collaborate with like minded people...

It challenges me...not because I feel like I have to keep up with them...

but because I want to be better than I was yesterday...

I learn from people, see ideas, ways of doing things that I hadn't thought of 

and just good ole fashion life...

What's wrong with that?

It's how I met Katey from Lemon & Lime Events!

I'm blessed to have inspiration galore at the tip of my fingers!

Happy Tuesday!

The New Year and Martini Cocktail Cookies

Well hello 2014!

How did you get here so fast?

I haven't even had time to sit down and do my Goal Setting 2014 with Lara Casey...

I do know my word that I will be focusing on this year...

Intention...

I'm so tired of just surviving and flying by the seat of my pants...

I don't operate well that way...

The teacher in me likes to have lesson plans 

detailing all the events that need to be covered...

having all the copies made, cut out, etc.

I've realized it's the same thing with a business...

You don't have to be crazy all the time...

It definitely takes work to make those lesson plans...

But once their done, the week goes so much smoother...

You actually end up having more time because you're not scrambling...

It's all a work in progress...

But remember changing or tweaking what you don't want/like requires action...

not talking about it...not thinking about it...not praying about it...

it requires doing...just start somewhere!

Cheers to 2014 and doing things with intention!

Mockingjay Catching Fire Cookies

Are you a fan of the Hunger Games series?

I am...

When I was teaching I did a novel study with my classes on the book...

After reading it in depth 8 times...

I am pretty familiar with it...

So it's no surprise that I'm excited for the movie Catching Fire...

Unfortunately I'm not going to the premiere tonight...

(I'll have you know that I did go to the midnight showing for Hunger Games...

of course I had to take a nap before we left)

But Goosie Girl is...

(lucky duck)

So as a thank you to her friend who invited her... 

(along with her parents)

I made some Mockingjay pin cookies for them to enjoy...

I'm popping them in the cookie gift box...

and viola'...a fun & festive gift...

NEW! Sweet Goosie Girl Cookie Gift Box

Have you ever wanted to give someone a little gift...

maybe for their birthday...to wish them luck...to say "hope you feel better" or thank you...

that was unique, personalized and inexpensive?

Yeah...me too!

Well...after much thought and many attempts of different ideas...

I have come up with a perfectly packaged cookie gift box...

4 pretty & delicious Sweet Goosie Girl cookies...

all wrapped up and ready to give...

It couldn't be any easier...

or sweeter!

This set is actually being mailed to a reporter for the lovely article she wrote

about Sweet Goosie Girl being in the Emmys Swag Bag...

Since we are approaching Thanksgiving...

I included 2 pink pumpkins with gold stems and 2 "Thankful"

with a note letting her know that I was truly thankful for her writing such a nice article.

Did I mention that they can be shipped straight to the recipient?

What a nice surprise that they can enjoy...

for whatever reason!

Order yours today!

Pop, Fizz, Clink Champagne Celebration Cookies

Tis the season for popping, fizzing and clinking as the champagne flows freely...

Why not add these festive pretties, blinged out in silver & gold,

 to your holiday tablescape...

Or give them, as a gift, to your favorite hostess 

to enjoy after the party with a glass of milk...

They'd also be perfect for nibbling on as you watch the ball drop on New Year's Eve...

See...The possibilities are endless...

Enjoy!

Preppy Pumpkin Cookies

I am SO glad that it is Friday!

It's been a tough week with the newest puppy addition to our family...

Potty training...constant supervision...I'm exhausted!

I did have time to take some pictures of these preppy halloween pretties...

These would be the perfect personalized addition to any Halloween party!

Preppy Pink and Green Octopus Cookies

I know I haven't shared all the things I've learned from my big Emmys job...

It's coming...

These little guys, however, are simple, sweet and super cute...

and even have a little message...

It definitely takes time and discipline to make things happen...

There is no easy solution or shortcut...

Having 8 arms/legs may help but you have to go and do...

Not sit, plan & think...

Going and doing requires energy and hard work...

Dreaming doesn't get you to your end goal...

I think I'm talking more to myself...

I'm constantly having to have that reminder...

(Okay...so there is something that resonated with me during the Emmys process)...

These little pretties would say just START swimming...

Emmy Awards Details Part 2 - Chugging Along

I finally finished up my existing orders for the week...

and have been able to start on The Emmy cookies...

(Thanks to my parents who are my bakers)

I posted a question to instagram...

asking what colors I should use...

All said Sweet Goosie Girl colors...

So pink and blue it is...

I'm keeping it simple (you know that's my motto)

with the words "The Emmys" in navy with a pink beaded border (I will post pics soon)...

I really like how they are turning out...

When you are only doing one design...

it's amazing how fast you can crank them out...

Today (in addition to cookies) I need to work on my marketing materials...

and call the various media outlets...

So far so good (except for the fact that my arm is already tired)...

Thanks again for everyone's support and well wishes!

Emmy Awards Details - Part 1

First off, let me start by saying thank you SO much for all your cheers and congratulations!

It truly has meant a lot!

I'm letting you know, right off, that this might be quite a lengthy post...

I truly think this is a blessing tied in with a test from God...

I can do all things through Him who strengthens me...right?!

With 800 cookies having to be made within a week in a half...

I definitely can't do this on my own...

When I first received the email from Val Wilson, Producer of the Emmys...

I was sitting in the car waiting to pick Goosie Girl up from the bus stop...

I read it and thought...okay... I definitely need to reread that again...

News & Documentary?  What it that?

That just means...Diane Sawyer...Barbara Walters...Hoda Kotb...

It ended up being the real deal...
insert heart racing...

Of course I responded but then didn't hear back for over a week 

so I thought it was a dead deal...
insert a touch of relief but excited to be asked...

Then I heard back and they truly did say they wanted Sweet Goosie Girl to be amongst the 30 businesses that will be in the Swag bags...

Honor, excitement, surreal are just a few words that came to mind...

As exciting as it was, it would have been a whole lot easier to say no...

it's quite scary to leave your comfort zone...

After much prayer, God gave me clear clarification that I needed to obey...

not just think and pray about it...

that I needed to get out of my comfort zone...

that I needed to do it...

His words were scary clear through Bible verses I was reading...

to Instagram...

and to Facebook...

WOW!  God... I always said I needed the burning bush and you gave it to me...

(God is everywhere...I just didn't know He was on Instagram and Pinterest)...

I don't know what all this is going to bring...

but I'm trusting God because he created me for great things...

It sure is scary to to not be in control but God's plan is so much better than mine...

So here we go on my journey...

top image via Etsy