Be grateful on Wednesdays

Today's Quote.......... 

                      Advice from a Tree

                       Stand tall and proud 

                           Go out on a limb

                       Remember your roots

                       Drink plenty of water    

           Be content with your natural beauty

                            Enjoy the view

                                                 Unknown

Today be grateful for everything you have. If you are having trouble thinking of things think general stuff.... a roof over your head, food on the table, clean air to breath. If you really start to think about it you can probably come up with lots and if you aren't in a good head space then think general. 

If you have a sense of humor that is amazing!!!! That can get you through a lot of tough spots. 

            

Compliment on Monday

Today's quote.....Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echos are truly endless.                                      

                                                                                                        Mother Teresa

Today whenever you think a negative thought about someone or something try to switch that thought and find something positive about the situation. Give out compliments today. 

Sunday's challenge for the coming week.

Today's quote...Fit is not a destination it's a way of life.

                                                                                Unknown

Sunday challenge.....

• Do some form of exercise at least 3 days this week for at least 15 minutes.
• yoga
• walking
• gardening
• wii fit
• exercise video
• etc

If you don't know any exercises to do you can alway google... yoga, cardio exercises, weights, etc and get some ideas.

Hope you all have a great week.

Happy Saturday. Grocery shopping this weekend????

Chocolate for the weekend (Rest, recreation,relaxation)

Today's quote....Turn having fun into a daily habit.

                                                                             Unknown

This weekend focus on fun....Watch an old movie that will make laugh, play a childhood game you haven't played forever, call up and old friend and laugh about some of the crazy things you've done, play hide and seek with your kids.

Now to the grocery shopping comment..... According to Andreas Moritz in his book Timeless Secrets of Health and Rejuvenation  Nature has some great healing secrets. You may want to add them to your grocery list.

Cabbage The Romans' felt that cabbage was a cancer cure. Today we know it has many anti-cancer and antioxidant compounds. It speeds up estrogen metabolism, which is thought to help block cancer and suppress growth of polyps, a preclude to colon cancer. As little as two daily tablespoons of cooked cabbage protected subjects against stomach cancer.  It even has anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties. Red cabbage has twice the fiber as white cabbage. It is also known for its balancing effects on blood cholesterol. 

Cauliflower and Brussel sprouts have similar benefits. 

Bok Choy, which is brimming with minerals, has been found to lower high blood pressure by 30 points or more. 

Add these goodies to your next grocery list. 

If I want a quick supper, a stir fry is always on my list. All these vegetables can be cut up and thrown into a stir fry. Enjoy!!!!

 

Forgive on Friday.

Quote for today..... Every grudge you carry takes time and energy that you could be using on something or someone you love.   

                                                                                                      Unknown

Think of someone you may be holding a grudge against and choose to either keep the fire flaming or snuff it out. If it is someone you can talk or write to... why not contact then. If it is someone you have lost contact with but still think about the event that causes you to hold a grudge try writing down how upset you are with them then take that paper you have written on, light it on fire, outside, and let the ashes blow into the wind!!!!!! You may want to do this even if you have contact with the person but are a little embarrassed to let them know you are still holding a grudge. I would suggest though that if this grudge is against someone you are close to (like maybe lives in the same house!!!) Talk it out. You may be surprised at the result. You do have to go into the conversation with a positive attitude and an attitude of forgiveness,though, or you might as well not even bring it up. You aren't ready. You have a little work to do to. If you don't hold grudges but talk it out at the time, pat yourself on the back!!!

So we're heading into the Weekend. I remember loving Fridays, when the boys were in school  Out of normal routine for 2 days, no lunches to make and I could relax on the homework nagging a bit. I always found it funny when the boys were young that it was hard to get the up and moving on school days but when the weekends came they were up at the crack of dawn to watch cartoons!!!!! I remember lying on the couch in the TV room to try and catch a few more zzzz's while still keeping half an ear open for mischievous behaviour!!!!! If you're going through that stage now.....this too shall pass!!! If you have adult children, like I do. Take a moment to sit and remember some of those fun weekends. 

HAPPY FRIDAY

Be kind on Thursdays

Quote for today...... Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if we can't help them, at least don't hurt them.

Dali Lama

Well I told you yesterday that I would tell you why I needed a massage table. The reason I need one is because I am going to start to do cupping therapy for people and I will come to you so need a table for customers to lie on. I also told you I would tell you what cupping therapy is...... so the following explains it. Any other questions let me know.

Do a random act of kindness today.  

• Hold a door or the elevator for someone.
• Give someone a compliment 
• Buy someone a coffee or tea.

If you have any ideas for acts of kindness feel free to share.

WHAT IS CUPPING THERAPY??

The following information is excerpts from The book Cupping by Dr.Wen Shu Teng.

Cupping is used to cause local congestion. An ancient method, a partial vacuum is created in cups placed on the skin either by means of heat or suction. ( The method I use is heat)  

This draws up the underlying tissues. When the cup is left in place on the skin for a few minutes, blood stasis is formed and localized and healing takes place.

Cupping is considered to be a form of acupuncture, a form of medicine that has been practiced as a form of medicine for over 3500 years. Historically cupping has also been practiced in the Middle East, Greece and Russia.

During Cupping Therapy a mild vacuum is created indie glass ‘cups’, which are then placed on the skin to provide gentle suction. The vacuum effect of the cups creates suction that softens tissues and increases the circulation of Qi, blood and fluids. By stimulating the skin and underlying muscles, it help release area-specific toxins that have accumulated and encourages circulation of blood and lymph vessels.

Cupping can be used on the neck, shoulders, back, sacral area, hip,abdomen, thigh, upper arms, calves and in some cases even the forehead or soles of the feet, depending on the condition. What occurs is that cupping releases rigid soft tissue and stubborn knots. Contracted, tense and painful muscle tissue will soften quickly with just few minutes of cupping.

Cupping, simply put, is akin to receiving a few of the deepest massages you’ve ever had, but done more gracefully, and in 2-7 minutes during a single treatment.

Cupping has also been found to affect the body up to four inches deep into the tissues of the body, causing the tissues to release toxins, activate the lymphatic system, and clear colon blockages.

Theory of Cupping Therapy

Cupping works by stimulating your skin and the underlying muscles. This encourages the discharge of toxins that are built up in some areas, which increases blood circulation and the lymph vessels to those areas.

This method also enhances the organ associated reflex zones in your skin, promoting the functioning of inner organs such as liver, stomach, intestines and kidneys, etc

Benefits

• Clears stagnation
• Drains and moves fluids
• Relieves inflammation
• Nervous System Sedation
• Expels Congestion
• Stretches muscle and connective tissue
• Loosens adhesions
• Nourishing blood supply to the skin

Be grateful on Wednesdays

Today's quote.
True gratitude works like a magnifying glass. The more you feel grateful for what you have, the better you can see all your blessings. 
                                                                                                 Unknown


Well I just got called in to work so this will be short and sweet. I am grateful for the shift, as I had no plans for this evening and was just looking at portable massage tables last night so now with the pay from this shift I can justify buying one.  (More about why I need it tomorrow)
I am very lucky that I love my job so never regret going in. Always look forward to the challenge, fun, good chats or whatever comes my way.

Today think of something in your life that you are grateful for. Write it down and put it in a prominent place that you will always see. When you aren't feeling so grateful you will see this note and it will turn your thoughts more positive.

Tuesday....... let's be flexible!!!!!!!

Quote for today

The greatest challenge in life is discovering who you are.... The second greatest is being happy with what you find.                                                                                                                                                                                                   Unknown

Hopefully we can all disregard  people telling us how we should act or look. 

Thankfully we are not cookie cutters and don't all have the same body type or personality. Be who you are comfortable being. If you are living your life or changing your body to please others it is never going to make you happy. We are unique beings, let yourself be who you were made to be. It is never too late. The real Marlene Morrow didn't stand up and be herself until 40 years old and it's been getting better ever since. 

Be flexible today..... Try a new food, or change up the way you prepare a long loved food.

Monday Compliments. Also a memory from my boys childhood.

"If you want your chidren to improve, let them overhear the nice things you say about them to others"                                                                             Haim Ginott


Well the last of the sap is boiling. The spiles and buckets are off the trees and cleaned. This ends another season but it also means for me that summer is around the corner. I love summer being able to spend more time outside. Having morning tea and reading on the deck is probably one of my favorite things. 
Summer was always a fun time with my boys also. We had a pool so spent lots of time with neighbours and friends in our back yard. The boys and I would often head down to my parents place in Dalesville Quebec for the day. It was close enough for a day trip. The boys could go swimming in the pond, go fishing with Papa, catch frogs...... Which brings me to a funny story..... One day we were at Mom and Dad's and Nick, who was about two at the time, was out in the yard with 'Papa' and Mom and I were in the living room with Ryan. Nick came in very excited as he had caught a frog and had it in a container of some kind. After looking at it I, of course, told him to go and show it to Ryan. Ryan looked in the container and in the flash of an eye, picked up the frog and (as is very common for 10-11 month olds) promptly put it in his mouth. Isn't that where everything goes. We were all a little shocked to say the least!!!!!! Mom was yelling and "AHHHH get it out, get it out." There had always been my intent!!!! but glad she told me. Anyway the little frogs feet were sticking out of Ryan's mouth so I pulled on them and just like a well oiled machine as I pulled the mouth opened simultaneously and out came the frog to return to the container. This all happened much quicker than it has taken me to write this or you to read it. I have always loved this story and liked to tell it, as I thought it was pretty cute. Ryan, on the other hand didn't like the story so much. When he was old enough talk and heard me telling the story he would stop me and often say it didn't happen!!!! When he was older though I guess he was able to see the humour in it and didn't mind it being told. 
Wanted to share that little memory with you. Hope it made you smile and giggle. Stay tuned for more stories of all sorts. 

Happy Easter Week-end

Weekend is Chocolate , as the symbolic antidote for restoring joy, leisure,pleasure and sweetness to life. 

I have chosen to be happy because it's good for my health.
                                                                                    Voltaire

Well getting this post is coming at the end of the week end but it has been a busy one. We had a great day with the kids on Friday. On Saturday I took a cupping course all day at Oriental Medical Care in Alexandria.
It was a great learning day!!! Not only did I learn how to do cupping (if you aren't sure what it is I will explain more later this week) but I learned a few health tips from Dr. Wen Shu Teng as well. 
One tip that was particularly interesting was that in the Spring we should be moving slowly to gradually get ourselves out of winter mode. We have a tendency to want to get out there and move and do things we haven't done all winter because it feels so good to be out. We need to learn from nature though. Nature says we should hibernate in the winter. Therefore in winter we should rest more and try to slow down our pace, unfortunately we can't just hibernate. When spring comes the flowers and buds very slowly push their way into bloom stretching and pushing to get to the flower or leaf stage. We also should be doing a lot of stretching before we to outside to go for a walk, run, do yard work, etc. Our bodies are not used to using some of these muscles for awhile so stretch them out before using them so as to not damage them and feel stiff and sore the next day. 
Hope you all had a great Easter Week-end with family and/or friends. 
Remember the sweets won't run away so don't eat them all too quickly. Sugar makes you crave sugar!!!!

Your Sunday Challenge
Smile and say Hi to at least one stranger every day this week.

Friday is forgiveness

It is easier to forgive an enemy than a friend.
                          Madame Dorothee Deluzy

My thought on this quote is because we don't expect a friend to do anything that needs forgiveness. We can often put pretty high expectations on friends. Your thoughts???

Just gearing up to have the kids all over for Good Friday Brunch. The Easter bunny has done his thing, the fruit is cut up for the fruit salad, yogurt and granola toppings are ready, the French toast mixture is made, the homemade maple syrup is waiting, the sausage, bacon and ham are being cooked. We are looking forward to a good time. Always lots of laughing.
Hope everyone has a great day.

Thursday is for focusing on kindness.

Thursday is Kindness

A man is called selfish not for pursuing his own good, but for neglecting his neighbour's.                                                                             Richard Whately

So get your groove on and do something nice for someone. It doesn't have to be earth shattering. Something small for you may mean the world to someone else. A kind word or a smile can make someones day. Tell someone they did a good job. 

Be kind to your body and give it some exercise!!!! Don't expect your butt to support you all day. Get up and walk around. Stretch your back and legs. A good yoga pose for that is...
Sit on the floor. A yoga mat or towel will make it a bit more comfy. Stretch your legs out in front of you. Raise your arms up in the air and then bend to touch your toes, or whatever body part you can reach. It may just be your knees or calves. Stay in the position for about 3 minutes and your back and legs will thank you for the kind deed. Continue to gradually stretch a bit farther. I do this pose first thing in the morning if I wake up with a sore lower back. Better than popping Advil which is what I used to do. 

Wednesday is Gratitude

Each day comes bearing its own gifts. Untie the ribbons
                                                                    Ruth Ann Schabacker

Always keep your eyes open for gifts that are waiting for you.

• Waking up, some people didn't get a chance to wake up this morning
• Someone smiling at you
• Being given a compliment
• Hearing someone laughing and putting a smile on your face
• Having the elevator held for you
• Lots more be aware!!!!!
• 
  

Introduction to Good Hearted Living

A little background info.

1 and a half years ago I took a Laughter Therapy course and became a Certified  Laughter Leader. I have not done much with this and not really sure why. I just couldn't get my groove on!!! 

I do plan, in the near future, to start Healthy living classes and these will incorporate some Laughter exercises.

One of the things that is promoted in Laughter Therapy is Good Hearted Living.

This is to 'prevent hardening of the attitudes.'

I really liked this feature as, if you follow it, it forces you to think and do positive things each day. 

There are 6 practices. One for each day of the week and one for the weekend.

I am starting of on Tuesday to share this but that's just how it is. You'll get Monday on the 21st.

So each day I will remind you of what the practice is for that day and give you a quote pertaining to it.

TUESDAYS ARE FOR FLEXIBILITY

According to Steve Wilson, the the founder of World Laughter Tour, this is the antidote to attitudes that take laughter away.

Flexibility, as an antidote to rigid, narrow-minded ways of thinking, and habits that turn into ruts. 

Today try to practice being more flexible.  Make one small change. Sit in a different chair to relax this evening!!!!

The flexibility quote for today is

"The measure of intelligence is the ablilty to change"

                                                             Albert Einstein.

I was flexible.... Started on Tuesday!!!!!

Please share what you have done in the past to show your flexibility.

Long time friends a special.

Just finalized plans with 3 long time (29 years) friends to go out for lunch today. As I mentioned in my profile I was a stay at home mom for 12 years and lived in, honestly, the best neighbourhood ever. There were 3 of us that were full time stay at home moms and one part time. We developed fast friendships and our 11 boys and 1 girl developed brother sister type friendships. My boys spent lots of time outside, in the local park, on bikes, skateboards or roller blades. They were involved in a neighbourhood t-ball and soccer leagues. They played road hockey, or in the winter, ice hockey at the local outdoor rink. Some days I would have a bunch of boys at my house for lunch but then may not feed my boys lunch for a few days, as they were at friends house. They went down the road to a swampy area and caught frogs and snakes. They went fishing at Petrie Island. On the first day of Summer vacation we always had a big picnic together to celebrate summer. We had the swimming pool in the neighbourhood so there were always lots of kids and mom's around. The mom's would visit in the backyard while the kids had fun in the pool. They were babysat by neighbour boys who were like big brothers to them.
Now doesn't that sound like a great childhood.
This was due to the friendships that were developed.
The four mom's have moved on to working more, I moved out of the neighbourhood when I divorced, but we still get together every few months to catch up. We realize the value of friendship.
Long lasting friendships are priceless.
My Challenge for you this Sunday is........ ( Every Sunday I will give you  a goal  for the coming week) Contact a long time friend that you have not seen or talked to for awhile and share a memory with them. The contact could be through Facebook, email, Canada Post, a visit or phone call but make that contact!!!!
You and she/he will feel better after sharing memories and probably a laugh or too.

Quote for today
Yes'm, old friends is always best, 'less you can catch a new one that fits to make and old one out of.
                             Sarah Orne Jewett

First post

Hi guys this is my first post.
As I am still under construction I am just going to share a quote with you....
Sexiness wears thin after a while and beauty fades but to  be married to a man who makes you laugh every day, ah, now that's a real treat.
                                                            Joanne Woodward
I am privileged to have a husband like this. We do a lot of laughing at our house!