Sunday 11.22.15

in just four days, we all will begin our family traditions for celebrating Thanksgiving.  It is a time of inward reflection for all the blessings that have been bestowed upon us over the past year.

My blessings-
My faith in God-for he is at the helm
My health-fourteen years cancer free
My family-including the addition of baby puppy Snickers and grand puppy Jules
My friends each one blessing my life with their personalities and love
My career-provides me with peace and security
My home - provides a place of tranquility and safety
My freedoms-that so many still serve to protect

Take a few moments to reflect over your own personal bounty!

Sunday 10.18.15

Blessings on everyone this crisp Autumn Sunday!  The air is a little "crisper" in the Midwest these days.  I was forced to bring inside my outdoor fern.

The excitement in these parts is the KC Royal standings in the ALCS!!  Baseball has been an American past time since the 18th century, as the game evokes nostalgia since many people played the sport growing up.  It is a lesser contact sport than football, and involves specific skill of hitting, throwing and catching the baseball.  Once has to think about the strategy of the play for placement of the ball to achieve an out of the opposing team. It's a fun spectator sport!

Enjoy your Sunday Fun day with your family and friends!!  I am headed out to a festival at a local vineyard with friends!

Sunday 10.11.15

Wishing autumn happiness to everyone on this second Sunday in October.  The air is crisper, the sky clearer and each colorful leaf is like a flower.  In our region of the country there are lots of fall festivals – Apple Fest, Cider Fest, Art Fair, Renaissance Fest, Pumpkin Fest, Barbeque Fest and Hot Air Balloon Fest!  And lots of activities at local wineries.  Be sure to enjoy the sights and smells of the season!  As for me, I am beginning my morning with pumpkin coffee with pumpkin cream and a pumpkin bagel while sitting on my patio.

Links I enjoy:

1.  How to Lose Weight Without Really Trying

2.  Decadent Pumpkin Recipes to Keep You Happy This Fall

3.  Jewelry That Sparkles

4.  Six Mars Water Products

5.  Awesome Apple Cider Cocktails for Autumn

 

Cooking with Quinoa

High in protein and fiber, quinoa [KEEN-wah] is versatile and has a nice crunch.  It is a rain grown primarily for its edible seeds.  It originated in the Andean region of Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador and Colombia.

The nutrient value is comparable to common cereal grains.  The seeds contain essential amino acids and acceptable quantities of calcium, phosphorus and iron.

Black Bean and Quinoa Salad:

12 oz can black bean, drained and rinsed   

Salt

1 C quinoa, rinsed                                            6 scallions thinly sliced

3T sherry vinegar                                             1 small red onion, finely diced

1T soy sauce                                                       1 yellow bell pepper, finely diced

1T fresh lime juice                                           1/4C chopped cilantro

1 chipotle in adobo, minced                        1/4C + 2T EV olive oil

1.  In medium saucepan, combine the quinoa with 2C of water and pinch of salt.  Bring to a boil.  Cover the saucepan and simmer the quinoa over lo heat until the water has been absorbed (about 15 minutes).

2.  In a large bowl, whisk the vinegar, soy sauce, lime juice and chipotle.  Add olive oil in a thin stream, whisking until blended.  Add the black beans, quinoa, scallions, red onion, yellow pepper and cilantro.  Season the salad with salt, toss to combine and serve.

Make Ahead

The black bean–and–quinoa salad can be refrigerated overnight.

 

Laughter

Laughter is wonderful and powerful.  It has the ability to change the atmosphere, bring people together and help us connect with others.  A good laugh or giggle with family and friends has health benefits.

You should laugh more because:

1.  It is a great cardio workout because it gets your heart pumping and exercises your face muscles.

2.  Laughing reduces blood pressure which reduces the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

3.  Increases general sense of well-being and produces a general sense of contentment leading to a longer and enjoyable life.

4.  Laughter triggers the release of endorphins which reduce chronic pain and produce a feeling of wellness.

5.  Lowers stress hormone levels which decrease the anxiety you feel and results in a better performance of your immune system.

6.  Tones your abdomen by expanding and contracting muscles.

7.  Gives a boost to your T cells helping your body to battle sickness.

Isn’t it good to see the reasons that laughter is good for your soul?  Do you laugh enough?

Sunday 09.20.15

Happy Sunday!  Change is in the air!  The days are ending earlier, the summer heat is dying down and autumn season officially starts Wednesday, September 23rd.  The fall equinox is one of the two days out of the year that night and day are equal in length, which signifies that the balance between light and dark is shifting. 

As the weather cools and we move from shorts to sweaters, we should be mindful of this and take time to reflect on them.

Below are five ways to celebrate the equinox:

1.  Let Nature Inspire You
Bring nature into your home with fall decorations and sit outside reading or strolling through the leaves.

2.  Listen to Yourself
Understand what it is you need instinctively for yourself to prepare for the winter months.

3.  Reflect On Your Progress
The equinox is a perfect time for a progress check on your personal goal you have set for yourself earlier in the year.

4.  Make a Plan
Plan for the winter - decide now your holiday plans so that you are not caught up in the stress; plan your winter vacation.  Then come knee-deep in the snow you can refer back to your plan.

5.  Relax & Actually Look Forward to Winter
The harsh winter weather is a time of socializing, relaxing and making things.  You can have a more balanced life by taking time to rest and play.

Happy Autumn!

EUA

Oh the pain of dating someone who is emotionally unavailable.  They are evasive, make excuses, or are just plain inept when it comes to talking about feelings or the relationship.  The confusing part of being attracted to unavailable, commitment-phobic people is that the emotional or sexual chemistry can feel so strong that you accept behavior you would never tolerate in friends.  The person can be charming, thoughtful and caring…yet seems more than a little emotionally unavailable.

Here are 6 signs of the emotionally unavailable:

1.       EXCUSES, EXCUSES

 A solid sign that the person you are dating is emotionally unavailable is having an excuse for everything.  There is always an explanation for not doing something that could even be remotely considered intimate, as in adding you as a friend on Facebook.

2.       Where For Art Thou Boy/Girl Friend?

 Another sign that the person you are dating is unavailable is their lack of availability – text you  instead of calling, calls and never leaves a voicemail, or disappears for days or weeks with no excuse other than they were “busy” to explain away the Houdini act.  You should take this as a huge red flag!

3.       Person of Mystery

Have you been dating for a few months and STILL don’t know many intimate details of their life?  This means that they have no interest in being close to you.  If this sounds all too familiar, run don’t walk to the nearest exit.

4.       ME, ME, ME

When you manage to be with your date – is it always on their terms and is it usually to serve their basic primal needs.  Are you given just enough to make sure that you can be called up and ordered like take-out Thai food.  If the other person sets the tone and pace of the relationship then you are dating someone who isn’t there emotionally. They are the driver and you are the passenger.  Find a different mode of emotional transportation.

5.       They are weird about you staying over

Whenever you hang out, is it always at your house?  Mine brought his overnight necessities and then at the last minute remembered he forgot his sleeping medicine….This is an indication that they can leave whenever they want – talk about emotionally unavailable. 

6.       What Friends?

Finally you have caught on after months of dating that you are NOT going to meet his friends, nor is he going to meet your friends.  Mine told me he had better things to do than to hang out with me and my friends.  WOW – now that is unavailability at its finest.

Often people who find themselves caught up in a relationship with an emotionally unavailable person have low self-esteem, believing that they are not deserving of someone who is emotionally vested in the relationship.  Don’t be willing to ‘settle’ when you are dating, but be firm in your values and needs.  Remember that you teach others what is acceptable behavior for them to be honored with your presence and essence.