Self TLC

Friday was rainy. Friday was long.  Friday was exhausting.  Friday was actually my “Thursday” due to working a 6-day week.  What I needed most was a cozy, restful, refreshing, peaceful Friday night. 

My plan:  Make grilled cheese and tomato soup.  Enjoy a glass of wine with dark chocolate.  Catch up on The Bachelor.  Perform a coconut oil hair treatment.  Paint my nails a sassy color.  Listen to Michael Buble in a bubble bath.  Fall asleep in fuzzy socks while listening to the rain.

 Rain makes me crave grilled cheese and tomato soup.  I make a mean grilled cheese.  These are the words of my college roommate a couple months back…“I CRAVE your grilled cheese. And it's true Parker and I have tried to recreate your most delightful ooey gooey deliciousness several times. Nothing like YOURS tho.”  I’m going to share my grilled cheese secret with y’all so that all may enjoy this rainy day special, but you must promise to share a sandwich with a friend or two.

The bread is the most important part of the sandwich; I use sourdough bread.  I’m a bit of a cheese snob, kraft singles are not allowed near my grilled cheese, I use fresh cut sharp cheddar. 

Start by buttering the outside of the bread, lightly dust the buttered half with garlic salt, then sprinkle parmesan cheese on top of the salt.  Place the buttered half down in a heated skillet on the stovetop.  Unfortunately I cannot provide you with specific instructions on how long until you must flip the bread, too many variables exist, but the best way to make sure you get the perfect “grill” is to keep an eye on it.  Once both sides have been toasted, remove from pan and serve with Trader Joe’s Organic Creamy Tomato Soup. 

This cold, dry winter weather not only dries out my skin, but wrecks havoc on my long locks!  A friend informed me that coconut oil could be used as a moisture treatment for dry brittle hair; I adore the smell of coconut, so I figured it was worth a try.  I used Trader Joe’s Organic Virgin Coconut Oil.  I applied a large handful to my hair, massaging root to ends until my hair was completely saturated, then I twisted my hair into a large bun.  Instructions found online (http://www.howdoesshe.com/coconut-oil-moisture-treatment/) read to let oil sit for a minimum of 30 minutes without heat or 15-minutes with use of a blow dryer.  I opted for the non-heat option so I could enjoy The Bachelor in peace.  After an hour I washed the oil out, it was necessary for me to shampoo my hair 3 times to remove all the oil.  This is definitely a treatment I will continue to perform, my hair was so shiny and I received compliments about my hair from every patient I treated on Saturday.

As I was about to turn out the lights the Lord blessed me with a phone call from a friend who was in desperate need of encouragement, oddly enough the words I spoke were exactly what my heart needed to hear too (more to come on this topic soon!).

O' what a sparkly night <3

xoxo