Caribou Coffee and Extra Virgin Coconut Oil

I haven't shared any favorites for awhile, so here are a couple of the latest. 

The first comes by way of K's new mother-in-law.  When K married, she inherited a MIL who is all things healthy, organic, and preventative.  She passes a lot of that information on to K and CT, who either use it or ignore it--whichever strikes their fancy.  (I'm not sure her organic apple cider vinegar use is ever going to catch on.)

I've been complaining that as I have lost weight, my skin has been missing that extra layer of fat that kept it plumped up.  My arms and neck looked like crepey chicken skin.  (OK.  That might be an exaggeration, but you get the picture.)  K said something to her MIL, and she recommended using Extra Virgin Coconut Oil. I purchased a bottle from her last weekend and began using it.

The MIL said to put it on the floor of the shower so that the water would warm the bottle and melt the solid to a liquid.  (A microwave damages the product.)  While my skin is still damp, I use the oil in place of my regular lotion. 

I can't believe the difference it has made in just a week!  My skin has changed appearance and isn't nearly as wrinkled.  I use it on my feet, calloused from running, and they are softer and smoother, too. 

The only disclaimer I have to give is that I can't use it on my face in the morning.  When I do, it melts the makeup right off my face!  Lipstick and mascara vanish.  I guess it is a makeup remover, too.

I wish I had been using this from my 20's.  I'm pretty sure my face would have fewer lines and wrinkles.  L and I both suffer from little red bumps on the back of our arms.  The dermatologist has a name for it, and for the life of me I can't remember it.  He said there was no help for the condition, and that a lot of people have them.  In one week, the bumps are almost gone.  Yeah, I could teach that dermatologist a thing or two.

So right now, Extra Virgin Coconut Oil is high on my list of favorites.  And by the way, that jar pictured costs about $16.  I have a feeling it will last for months, and that I won't be buying body lotion or my regular foot cream again. 

So there is your "miracle" for today!

The only other thing I'm sharing today is Caribou Coffee. 

I love coffee.  I love advice that makes my life a bit better.  And I love optimistic people.  The Caribou Coffee franchise has taken all the things I love and combined them in one little coffee shop.

These are their coffee cups.  They have sticky notes for patrons to leave their own bits of advice on their front counter. Even their napkins have sayings all over them.
The one saying that appears everywhere is:

 "Life is short.  Stay awake for it." 

You can read the advice on the cups in the picture, so I'll leave you with the advice that appeared on my coffee cup yesterday:

*Smile first.  Ask questions second.
*Continue more conversations offline.
*Walk don't drive.  Skip don't walk.
*Listen first.  Talk second.
*Start right now.
*Thank a teacher.
*Take all of your vacation days.  (Are you listening, Mr?)
*Adopt an animal.
*Follow your heart.
*Make time for silly.
*Be a HERO, minus the dorky cape.
*Laugh so hard you cry.
*Make today special.
*Compliment a stranger.
*Do it for love, not profit.

Yep.  All that and great coffee, too! Caribou Coffee always puts a smile on my face.