Coconut Oil + Bulletproof Coffee

Lately I have been researching ways to incorporate more natural, healthful supplements into my daily life. Having trouble with dry skin, cuticles, fighting off colds, and all kinds of winter-caused maladies, I have been looking for natural ways to improve my health internally and externally without adding harmful chemicals to my body. I began to notice a trend as I did my research: no matter what health issue I was reading about, I kept coming across coconut oil in just about every article I read.

I won’t list all the benefits here. More qualified people have done so elsewhere and I gladly refer you on to them if you’d like to know more (scroll to bottom of this post for links).

However, after reading all the ways in which coconut oil can improve my life, I had to face a problem I have: I hate coconut. I don’t like coconut anything. I have tried and tried to develop a taste for it but my tastebuds have rebelled every step of the way. I just can’t like it.

But when I heard about bulletproof coffee, I knew that I had to try it. If you follow me on Instagram then you may remember this photo (below) from a couple of months ago, when My mom and I had been on a search for some bulletproof coffee to try and we finally found a place in Dallas that makes it.

Bulletproof coffee, found at last!

After tasting the fresh, frothy drink blended by an awesome barista, I decided that this was probably the only way I would ever be able to ingest coconut oil and almost like it. However, as much as I would love to support a store that makes this wonderfully healthy stuff, I a) don’t live close enough to one, and b) simply couldn’t justify the expense when I can so easily make it at home.

I decided to try Wellness Mama’s recipe and it was a success! I am sharing it below with a minor improvement (in my opinion): the increase of vanilla used and the elimination of stevia. Of course you may not be a vanilla person like me, in which case you will probably prefer the original version. Either way, if you’re ingesting coconut oil, you simply can’t go wrong.

I need to quickly add that I’ve noticed a lot of people are ranting right now over the popularity of this oil because of its high fat content. I was also skeptical at first, until I read that the fat in coconut oil is easily digested and not stored in the human body because of its ability to readily cross cell membranes and be immediately converted into energy in your liver. So please don’t let the naysayers turn you off from trying this amazing oil! (If you really can’t get over the calories/fat, then please use it anyway and try to reduce your caloric and fat intake elsewhere during the day.)

Articles on Coconut Oil:

Dr. Mercola’s Countless Uses for Coconut Oil – The Simple, the Strange, and the Downright Odd and Eat More of Coconut Oil and You Might Slim Your Waist Size in One Week

Livestrong’s Benefit of Extra Virgin Coconut Oil

Wellness Mama’s 101 Uses For Coconut Oil

Bulletproof Coffee

original recipe here

1 cup of organic coffee *

1 tablespoon coconut oil**

1 teaspoon organic butter, unsalted butter

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Put all ingredients into blender or food processor.*** Mix on high speed for 20 seconds or until mixture is completely emulsified and frothy. Drink immediately.

 

*I confess to having cheated with K-cup coffee. It isn’t preferable, but it’s better than not getting in the coconut oil

**I use organic, unrefined coconut oil

***I like to have everything ready in the blender and add the coffee last, right after brewing, so that it remains hot enough to drink when I’m done. 

 

 

Winter Neutrals + Layering Challenges

I haven’t done an outfit post in awhile so thought that I’d get back into it with this one. December is typically a whirlwind of activity, but January is always a month in which one can catch a breath and get back into normal life happenings. It is also a very cold month. I almost dread these quiet winter months when the bone-chilling air and damp gray skies linger interminably and one ends up in vast amounts of outerwear, which almost defeats the purpose of dressing creatively. Honestly, it has been so cold that I have been bundled up every day to the point that no one would know if I were in my pj’s or not beneath my coat.

But for whatever reason, I find creating winter styles fun, although challenging because of the layering issue. For warmth, one needs layers. Layers add bulk. Some of us, dear readers, don’t need bulk. We are already fixed that way, if you get my meaning.

Where was I? Oh yes. I’ve discovered that pairing short sleeve sweaters with sleek, long-sleeve tee shirts is one way to balance the layers. Also, keeping the layering shirt in the same color as your skirt allows you to add inconspicuous length to short sweaters. They can also help to elongate a short torso. Be careful though, that the shirt is not too long when wearing over a skirt, otherwise you just add even more bulk to the hips. Finally, this is an obvious and well-known fact, but it bears repeating that tights are a grand way to keep warm and help hide imperfections while adding the appearance of height (important for us shorties out there).

Obviously my coat is off for the purpose of showing my outfit in the photos, but when I’m covered up I like to be sure that my accessories stand out a little. I fell in love with this headband from Anthropologie when I bought it on super sale last month. (Oh, hey, did you see that they’re having another super sale? Right now, this minute??)

Now I’m off to gather and fellowship with a lovely group of ladies – bundled up to the max, of course…

Sweater: Zara | Skirt: JC Penney | Coat: J. Crew | Purse: Tory Burch (thrifted) | Headband: Anthropologie | Tights: DKNY | Shoes: Target (they are old closet friends, from back in the Isaac Mizrahi for Target days!)

 

 Until next time… xo

Meet Krista of Read, Write, Teach Style!

Hi everyone, I just want to introduce you to Krista of Read, Write, Teach Style. I am so honored that she agreed to write a guest post for me! We met on Instagram, where I have gleaned much from Krista’s feed of lovely, budget-friendly, modern + modest clothing. As I am also an educator, her outfits are a source of wardrobe inspiration for me. I encourage you to follow her, be inspired by her stylish feed, and come join me and hundreds of others who participate in her fabulous and fun style challenges! Thank you, Krista, for being an inspiration, and thank you for your contribution to The Nobby Life!

Hi, The Nobby Life Fans!

I am Krista, a middle school English teacher at a Catholic school in the St. Louis area. Shelbi asked me to collaborate with her and create a guest blog post about my experience shopping on a budget for modest but stylish teacher style.

Before I get into my how to list, I want to talk a little about modest style. I define modest style more loosely than some, as I wear pants and shorts as well as tanks, sleeveless, and leggings. I know that others would object, but to each their own. I find modest style to be important in my life since I interact with 11-14 year olds everyday (as well as their parents). I feel I need to set an example that modest looks can be stylish and fun. The girls I teach look up to me, and I want them to see that you can be fashion forward, have personal style, and be modest. I keep in mind as well that the boys I teach are impressionable and also should see modest style.

A few of my recent modest looks

Moving on to the budget friendly part! I have always been a sale shopper, a clearance rack searcher, and a deal hunter. My mom was a couponer before it was cool, so I come by it naturally! I find Target has great clearance sweaters and dresses. Old Navy has great sales, especially with a card, and they carry petite items online (important as I am only 5 feet tall). Kohls has fun accessories and nice sales, but I never do well with their clearance. I slowly have added many pieces I love and that remix well into the fashionable and modest style I want.

As I worked to find more pieces that fit with what I was looking for, I continued to hunt more and more. I have a co-worker who has amazing style, and she told me her secret- which I will share with you- she is a thrift shopper! Well, after seeing her looks, I had to give it a try. I like Goodwill and Savers as they have the best deals and I have had a lot of luck finding like new, name brand items at these stores. I tried Plato’s Closet, but it was too trendy; I tried ThredUp as well, but again it was not the right fit for me. I know thrifting scares some people, yet my experiences have been wonderful and worth the great items I have found.

Some of my clearance, sale, and thrifting finds

So to sum up, budget-friendly, modest, teacher styles are out there if you put a little work into checking sales, shopping, clearance ranks, and hunting the thrift stores. Come check out my shopping finds, my personal style, and my style challenges on Instagram @readwriteteachstyle.

Thank you, Krista! Until next time, everyone… xo

In and Around Waitsfield

In this post I have attempted to condense a week’s worth of vacation into a manageable (and hopefully enjoyable) narrative. Attempt, is the word I use. We shall see if I can or not! It is difficult to take a trip and unpack every day in your mind once it is over, but here are more of the activities that I enjoyed, and more about the area in which we were staying.

One week of vacation, every day of it packed with things to do and see can almost be overwhelming. In the midst of trying to get everything in while visiting a new place, I must say that making time for relaxation is a must. It’s hard for some people to do, but luckily for me, I never have a problem doing it. Sometimes it involved knitting after a long day out.

Sometimes I was content to just lounge around the house in my slippers.

But sometimes a trip down the hill and into town was also a good way to relax. For instance, there was the only bookstore in town. It was charming and quirky (an electric train runs around the ceiling perimeter randomly). The owner was friendly and knowledgable. It was just the kind of book shop one could hope to discover in such a small town.

Sometimes coffee was required for relaxing. Okay, just kidding, coffee is always required for relaxing. I only visited the Green Mountain coffee shop once, but how about that sign? It spoke to my procaffeinating heart.

Every visit into Waitsfield involved a glimpse of this delightful old covered bridge and some very enticing storefronts.

How cute is this door?

One afternoon everyone went ice skating at a nearby rink in Waterbury. It was spacious, clean, and had a snack/coffee bar inside! All were happy, the skaters and nonskaters alike.

And then there was skiing. We all went to Sugarbush for two separate days, joining the crowds whooshing down the slopes.

When one is skiing (or happily watching others ski in the cold, cold outdoors from within the warm, warm indoors), one simply must get the required fuel needed for exertion. The Skinny Pancake creperie at the Sugarbush Resort did not disappoint. Steaming, savory, crepes stuffed with delicious fillings – it was the best kind of food for warmth.

How about a view with your crepe?

Speaking of Sugarbush, may I just say that I had a very pleasant experience there? Even though there was chaos in the rental room, the staff were so friendly and helpful that I could overlook this. Then, during my lesson, there was a big misunderstanding regarding my skis. My instructor had told me to take them back inside for a binding adjustment, which I did, prompting the staff to question if I had the right pair of skis, and then more chaos ensued and I was sent back out to the slopes to wait, sans skis,(attempting to glean what I could from the ongoing lesson while standing there), as every now and then a staff member popped out of the building, ran up the slope to ask me a question, then ran back down. It was almost humorous really, but I have to say that they were pretty good-natured during the whole ordeal. In the end, I was given back the skis that I had all along and my bindings were still unadjusted. As it turned out, I missed half of my ski lesson and so dropped out for the remainder of it. Not only did Sugarbush refund the money, but they were extremely kind and apologetic throughout. In order for the day to not be entirely wasted while waiting for my group to finish, my sister (who had had to quit skiing because of foot pain) and I decided to go on a snowshoeing tour for the afternoon.

Our guides were a husband and wife team who were very informative, imparting much insight into our nature observations. They were also thoughtful of the individuals in the group, checking often on everyone and encouraging us all (most of us were first-timers) down the mountain. I fell in love with the peaceful art of snowshoeing; the gentle clamping through nature while sensorily taking in the surroundings.

Back at the house, I decided one day that I had looked at the farm that was across the road from us long enough. Its picturesque buildings and promising sign hanging near the road had caught my eye ever since arriving. Now it was time to go calling and see the inviting white home and big red barn up close. I took my little cousin with me and we walked over, stopping in at the office to see if anyone were there, and if so, to gain permission to walk through the property. We couldn’t find anyone, and on surveying the surrounding grounds, realized they were very quiet.

We walked along the drive, following it until it ended in a walking path, then we continued on for a little way until we came to this:

We went only a little farther, enough to see a lovely panoramic view, then turned back so that we wouldn’t be guilty of trespassing. But oh, how I would love to go back and explore further!

I leave you now with a parting glimpse at the Waitsfield Inn. We did not stay there, but it was a charming building that somehow called to mind many literary images every time I saw it.

 Until next time… xo

Thoughts on Winter

“I wonder if the snow loves the trees and fields, that it kisses them so gently? And then it covers them up snug, you know, with a white quilt; and perhaps it says “Go to sleep, darlings, till the summer comes again.”
Lewis Carroll, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking-Glass

Texas has become warm again (of course. It always does). Because of this, I have found myself reflecting on my winter vacation last month, thinking about snowy landscapes and brisk, cold air. As much as I enjoyed every part of my vacation (being with family, visiting a small town, meeting new people, and so on), perhaps the most enjoyable aspect of my stay in the mountains were the winter scenes that caused me to take in my breath wherever I encountered them; which, in fact, was everywhere.

It seemed that mountains and trees were welcoming me always – on a walk, snowshoeing, skiing, or even just driving into town. It’s as though nature itself knew that I was from Texas and starving for such winter scenes, and so she arrayed and presented herself in much splendor in order that she might be properly appreciated.

She would put on a show most grandiose, rolling her majestic clouds across the mountains or shooting shafts of sunbeam suddenly across the sky and through the trees.

 Or she would drop her snowflakes softly, gently, dusting the trees and causing them to lithely dance in the frozen air.

Yes, I do miss it.