Blog Posts

Slow Down in Puyallup, WA

Take a break and slow down this month using our tips. We hope that you get the chance to take a deep breath, let go of your worries, and relax this month! The Willow Hill Blog is featuring tips and tricks to help you let go of the stresses of daily life. Make your Puyallup, WA a stress-free zone in June. Relaxing Scents Sometimes creating a relaxing environment is as easy as changing up the scent of your apartment. The National Sleep Foundation has an article on The Best Scents for Relaxation and Sleep . One scent that’s sure to have you feeling calm and relaxed? Vanilla. Sleep.org writes, “This fragrance is famous for being a potent relaxer. In fact, people who smelled vanilla while completing a stress test had more stable heart rates and better blood pressure readings than those who took the stress test in an unscented room.” Click the link for information on other relaxing scents and smells. Calming Colors Surround yourself with calming colors! You may not be able to paint your Willow Hill apartment, but you can surround yourself with colorful furniture and decor! House Beautiful has an article on 16 Paint Colors That Give a Room a Relaxing Vibe . Buy some blue curtains, a lavender coffee table, or a grey throw pillow this month. Soothing Spa Make your own spa night! Basin is a one-stop shop for bath bombs, milk baths, natural facials, body scrubs, and more. We recommend trying their apricot chamomile bath bomb for a calming and soothing bath. We recommend trying their sun kissed facial to help combat any sun damage. Always remember to check the ingredients and any allergy warnings before use. Yoga Yoga is a great way to get your daily exercise in, stretch, and relax. Yoga Journal has a guide to different yoga poses for relieving stress. Buy your own yoga mat, take a few deep breaths, and use yoga to become a more calm and collected person. What’s your favorite way to relax after a long day of work? Let us know in the comments. Thanks for reading our post!

The Joys of Reading

Studies have shown that reading is good for our bodies and minds. In today’s blog post, we take a look at the joys of reading. Author Kathleen Norris once said, “The knowledge that a good book is awaiting one at the end of a long day makes that day happier.” We agree, and we’ve put together a list of books for our residents at Willow Hill that we think fill the bill for being a “good book” based on reviews from Goodreads.com. Happy reading everyone! To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee The unforgettable novel of a childhood in a sleepy Southern town and the crisis of conscience that rocked it, To Kill A Mockingbird became both an instant bestseller and a critical success when it was first published in 1960. It went on to win the Pulitzer Prize in 1961 and was later made into an Academy Award-winning film, also a classic. The Hunt for Red October by Tom Clancy This book is the runaway bestseller that launched Tom Clancy's phenomenal career. A military thriller so gripping in its action and so convincing in its accuracy that the author was rumored to have been debriefed by the White House. Its theme: the greatest espionage coup in history. Its story: the chase for a top secret Russian missile sub. Lauded by the Washington Post as "breathlessly exciting." The Hunt for Red October remains a masterpiece of military fiction by one of the world's most popular authors, a man whose shockingly realistic scenarios continue to hold us in thrall. Call the Midwife by Jennifer Worth The first of three books in a series, it recounts the experiences Jenny Lee, a twenty-two-year-old with a comfortable middle-class upbringing has while working as a midwife in the East End of London post-WWII. A reviewer wrote of it: “The late Worth has penned some marvellous works that has a way of bringing history and its inhabitants to vibrant life.” Anne of Green Gables by LM Montgomery Everyone's favorite redhead, the spunky Anne Shirley, begins her adventures at Green Gables, a farm outside Avonlea, Prince Edward Island. When the freckled girl realizes that the elderly Cuthberts wanted to adopt a boy instead, she begins to try to win them and, consequently, the reader, over. Head on over to the Puyallup Public Library in Puyallup, WA and check out one of these books soon. What are your favorite books? Please with us share in the comments.

Try These Treats

Welcome back to the Willow Hill blog. We’re excited to share a recipe for a new twist on a classic treat. Even if you’re not an expert baker, we’ve got some treat ideas that anyone can make. Baking is a relaxing activity that results in the best finished product! Take some time out of your day and try one of these yummy recipes. Your Willow Hill kitchen is the perfect place to whip up something delicious. Remember those little desserts you used to tuck into your lunch box? Today we’re revisiting those! We love the classic Rice Krispie Treat, of course, but this new twist is a must for us. At Sweet C Designs, they traded the rice cereal for Lucky Charms in their Homemade Lucky Charms recipe. INGREDIENTS 3 cups marshmallows (if using jumbo, make them heaping cups) 4 cups Lucky Charms ¼ cup butter, salted INSTRUCTIONS In a large pot, add butter and begin to melt on medium. Add marshmallows and stir constantly until mallows melt. You may see slight browning- if your mallows aren't fully melted as the sugar browns, pull them off the stove and continue stirring. They should melt from the heat. Add lucky charms to a pan and stir well to combine. Pour mixture into well greased casserole dish and let cool. When set, cut and enjoy! Another treat we all love is that typical chocolate chip cookie! This one is a little thicker and chewier than something you may be used to. We think it will slowly become one of your favorites. The recipe comes from Sally’s Baking Addiction . They are described as “An easy, no-mixer required recipe for super chewy, soft, and perfect chocolate chip cookies.” We hope you love this new recipe and reminiscing on the good old lunch room days! Thanks for reading Willow Hill’s blog. Check back next month for more great content like this.

Hosting Friends

Here at Willow Hill, we love giving advice and tips on apartment living. One aspect of having your own place is sometimes hosting out of town guests. After a long car trip or busy flight, being greeted by a gracious host and a few thoughtful surprises starts a vacation off on a cheerful note. These tips are some options for preparing for your guests: 1) Comfy bedding. Add some extra blankets and pillows within easy reach of the bed. That way, your guests can choose the pillow that is most comfortable for them, and add a blanket or two if they take a chill. 2) Place a lamp on the bedside table and add some books or magazines for some nighttime reading. A good reading light and ready access to books or magazines helps guests have something to do should they have trouble falling asleep. 3) Water and a little “welcome” treat on the nightstand are a nice touch. Either bottled water or simply a carafe of water and a glass on the nightstand near the bed is convenient. There’s nothing worse than stumbling around in the dark in unfamiliar surroundings trying to find your water when you are thirsty! Definitely feel free to adapt these tips for your guests. Don’t forget to provide wi-fi passwords and a spare charger for their devices. Consider providing some travel-sized shampoos or soaps or even a fluffy bathrobe to make their stay a little more luxurious. Take into account how long they will be staying, what their preferences are, what your means are, and everything can go really smoothly! We hope these tips help you create an inviting space for your out-of-town guests. In the end, remember to relax and enjoy your guests’ presence. Check back next time for another post just like this one. Thanks for reading Willow Hill’s blog!

Our On-Site Fitness Center

Our fitness center here at Willow Hill has everything you’ll need to reach your goals. If you’re unsure where to start or need to mix up your workout, this post is just for you. We found some great workout tips that we can’t wait to share. This article from Women’s Health Magazine gives a step by step workout you can try today! Just be sure to consult a doctor before beginning any workout routine. The article mentions, “I decided to focus on strength training because it was a workout that I had never given enough attention to before that point. To ramp up my fitness level, I created a routine composed of four strength workouts and four cardio workouts a week.” If you’re looking for some fitness motivation, be sure to set a goal! You’ll have something to work for and benchmarks to measure your progress against. Figure out what time of day works best for you to attend the gym. For some people, it’s first thing in the morning, so they can check it off their list. For others, it’s at the end of the day so you can shower and head to bed clean. Whenever you do it, set aside time beforehand to get all gym-related items together. Put shoes by the door and find your headphones and gym clothes. Doing so can make it easier to get out the door. You don’t want to make it a chore or you’ll never want to go! A reusable water-bottle will keep you hydrated, and you can also measure your water intake this way! A healthy diet coupled with regular exercise can help improve your mood and your lifestyle — and it can put you in the mood for getting out of your apartment and exercising. Set healthy eating and workout goals for yourself. Working out with a friend can add an extra degree of motivation to your daily workouts. It also gives you a sense of accountability if you have someone to bring along!

Design Trends

Welcome to the Willow Hill blog. In our last post we shared our top picks for local hotspots. We found a great list of 2017 interior design trends from Domain . We’ve interpreted these just for you so you can incorporate them into your Little Elm home! Here are few items from their list: Cork Remember that cork board from your third grade classroom? This is exactly what we’re talking about! Head to a local office supply store and purchase a few squares of cork (you can even find it in rolls, too!) and hang them up on your wall. This is a great way to display photos, recipes, or your grocery list. Domain mentions, “Not only is cork a stylish material idea that adds warmth and texture to spaces, it’s also ideal for absorbing noise in our increasingly large, open plan homes.” Tip: Purchase a dollar store frame for your cork to add an instant touch of style. Jewel Tones Domain says, “While pastel shades of pink and blue are currently having their day in the sun, they will soon be overtaken by jewel tones inspired by metals, space, stars, clouds and the cosmos.” We are smitten by this beautiful velvet quilt from West Elm. What better way to incorporate luxe fabrics and deep jewel tones than in a blanket you can cozy up with? Terracotta Yes, this trend makes use of the colors and usefulness of those flowerpots or your childhood. Domain says, “Warm materials such as terracotta tiles will replace currently popular cool and white tones.” Incorporate terracotta tile as coasters on your living room coffee table to add a trendy touch. This rug perfectly emulates the warmth and orange tones of terracotta without being too bold, perfect for your home! Have fun trying out these new trends in your home. Thanks for reading!