Rest and Renew Rendezvous

For the Relief Society women's activity for the month of November, we wanted to focus on relaxing before the holidays/taking care of yourself. Thus...Rest and Renew Rendezvous. I just love me some rhyming/alliteration. : ) The point was to give just a few tips on at-home beauty remedies and relaxation ideas. We just wanted to give the women a chance to get away from the worries of life for a couple of hours. We had four presentations: hair-care, facial-care, nail-care, and some basic yoga. Each station gave a 5-10 min. presentation and then we moved on to the next. After all four presented, we set the women free! We let them go to whatever station they wanted and really do whatever they wanted to do for the remainder of the time. We also had a reading nook and a scrumptious hot cocoa bar. So, most women had their nails done, did a sugar scrub on their hands, a few got facials, a few read in the book nook, and we all just had fun chatting and laughing while sipping our cocoa. Sadly, there were a lot of things going on for many of the families in our ward that night, so we didn't have a super good turn out number-wise. Nevertheless, we still enjoyed our relaxing night together as sisters and friends! : )

This was my hair-care station. I am not a professional, but I found lots of ideas online about at-home hair remedies, tips for healthier hair, how to style, ect.



The reading nook.



The hot cocoa bar. We had the DELICIOUS gourmet hot cocoa from Sam's, whipped cream, bittersweet chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, different kinds of marshmellows, candy canes, toffee bits, chocolate sprinkles, whipped cream, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice coffee creamer, vanilla, and pirouette cookies. We had hot water in the little contraption at the back of the table. We also had cucumber water to go along with the "spa" theme I was going for with the decorations.

 

My sister in law Stacy who is awesome at nails!!



She had us do a sugar scrub on our hands while she spoke to us.

Another fantastic sis-in-law of mine (Irina) helping out by doing the facial station! I finally figured out why she has such beautiful skin!!! She had lots of fabulous ideas for at-home facials.



She found lots of ideas online using things from your kitchen to help your skin be radiant!



Yoga station by Janine! She is super athletic, so she had some great yoga poses for relaxation! She brought a yoga dvd for people to do after we were done with all of the presentations.

Some of the ladies getting their nails did! : )

Fernanda and I with our crazy milk, honey, and nutmeg masks! : ) Who would have thought those things combined could be good for your skin?

Thanks ladies for a fun night full of pampering and relaxation!! : )

Bugs

We have bugs. Lots and lots of fun sick bugs and injuries going around up in hurr. We are injured. We are sick. We are tired. We are sick and tired and ready for Thanksgiving break!


Victim #1: Mackenzie-Cold which led to Double ear infection. On antibiotics for 10 days.



Victim #2: Tucker- Cold and double eye infection. Eye drops 4 times a day for 10 days. You better believe Ryan and I both have to hold him down to get them in. So sad.



Victim #3: Cole- Cold which lead to an ear infection which led to a ruptured ear drum. Antibiotics for 10 days and ear drops for 10 days.


My hunk of hubby- Victim #4: Ryan- Dropped a manhole cover on his foot at work and exploded his big toe. Awesome. He thankfully and miraculously didn't break any bone in his toe. Rest and elevate, ibuprofin, and bandage and dress it. Who knows how long it will take to heal completely. It is pretty messed up. My sister in law likened it unto jerky tonight. Not a pretty sight.

**If you don't know what a manhole cover is... think Ninja turtles...


Victim #5: Me (*I don't have just a normal picture of just me, so just go along with the creepy- excited-for-pizza face) -Cold and Eczema patches flaring up all over my face. I have not been too sick, so I am thankful for that so I could take care of everyone else!.



Something I am sooo thankful for during this season of gratitude, is my husband's wonderful family. We live VERY close to several siblings and his parents. And let me tell you, I have been EXTREMELY blessed with amazing in-laws. Priesthood blessing (Ryan was in the Netherlands for work while the kids were at their worst, otherwise he would have done it), babysitting, dishwashing, driving, taking kids to appointments, feeding us, you name it- my in-laws did it for me over the last few weeks. I could not have survived without any of them

Ryan's Beautiful Family (minus the 5 babies of 2011)

Well, so  here is to a healthy Thanksgiving since most of us will be all hyped up on antibiotics! : ) I am so excited to spend Thanksgiving with my family in the mountains in Utah!!! We fly there on Saturday!!!!!!! YAY!!!

My siblings, parents, and me.

Mi familia- minus 4 babies and my sis-in law