Today, we have the first post in a new mini-series from Brynn Foster. Brynn shares her joyful heart with us, as well as her tips and tricks on being well, from Honolulu, Hawai'i. Brynn has been involved with Joyful Heart for years as a member of the Hawai'i Hearts, a group of volunteer women who raise awareness and funds for Joyful Heart's work in Hawai'i, our birthplace. Recently, Brynn shared her time and talents as a Co-Chair of Joyful Heart's inaugural Hawai'i Gala, the Joyful Mele.

In addition to sharing her fearless and unwavering support with Joyful Heart, Brynn also shares her great knowledge of and passion for nutritious, earth-friendly and local foods through her company, Voyaging Foods. But more than anything, Brynn believes that one person can make a difference, whether in her community, within her family or on this earth. It's not so different from the idea of the One Strong 'Ohana campaign to prevent child abuse and neglect?that one person's actions can make a big difference, for our homes and communities. This idea is what brought Brynn to Joyful Heart and to the blog. So today, she kicks off her new mini-series with the aim bringing our wellness practices back to basics of helping and supporting each other. Keep an eye out for her posts about once a month, through which she'll be sharing recipes, activities to do with our families, practices to care for ourselves and healthy tips for being well. Welcome, Brynn!

Summer has ended and fall is a welcome retreat. But as a mom, it's impossible to forget that Halloween is just around the corner, which means costumes, parties and trick or treating with the kids. And with school in full swing, it can be easy to forget to take a time-out for ourselves. So give this to someone you love as a thoughtful autumn treat or better yet treat yourself! It's a homemade body scrub made out of basic, all-natural ingredients that you likely have around the house already: salt, sugar, oil and warm water. Made with love, here it is:

Sugar Body Scrub Recipe

• 1 cup turbinado (raw sugar) or light brown sugar
• 1/4 cups avocado, jojoba oil, vitamin E, or coconut oil
• 1/4 cup sea salt
• Essential oil (I prefer vanilla)
• Honey for smoothing the texture

Enjoy!