June 25, 2008
June 22, 2008
What have you done today to make you feel proud?
“I look into the window of my mind
Reflections of the fears I know I've left behind
I step out of the ordinary
I can feel my soul ascending
I am on my way
Can't stop me now
And you can do the same”
I wanted to share with you a little of Heather Small’s “Proud.” Everyday, we face challenges. And, everyday we have a choice - we can succumb to our fears and the labels that others try to place on us, or we can go boldly forward. There are plenty of people who are more than happy to tell us we can’t. It is up to you to decide you can!!
So I ask you, “What have you done today to make you feel proud?”
Look around. The answers are there.
- Have you decided not to let others define you?
Be proud of your convictions. - Have you decided to step off the diet rollercoaster to seek healthier, sustainable choices?
Be proud of your choices. - Have you decided to celebrate the beauty that is you?
Be proud of who you are. - Have you decided to face your fears and doubts and leave them behind?
Be proud of your strength. - Have you stopped living for tomorrow and embraced today?
Be proud of your courage.
Be proud of every step you take to decide your destiny. And embrace everyday as a chance to make yourself proud. Step out of the ordinary.
What have you done today to make you feel proud?
June 04, 2008
Tip of the Month - Kitchens: 5 Essentials + what to give away
Summer is here - a great time to declutter the kitchen!
Since more of us will be cooking outdoors this time of year - why not take a look inside your kitchen and toss or donate items you no longer use. To get you started, here are some ideas:
TOSS: chipped or broken dishes, glasses or mugs; pots & pans that are burnt or rusty; excess plastic containers missing their tops or bottoms; broken appliances; and stained cutting boards.
DONATE: duplicate sets of items - especially glasses & mugs and don't forget those ugly souvenirs!; appliances or gadgets you no longer use; pantry items you haven't used in a year; inherited items you don't use (if there is a great deal of emotional attachment, store these items far away from the kitchen); threadbare dish towels; and ugly serving pieces taking up valuable real estate in your cupboards.
BUT, don't give away these items that PHA thinks are essential for every kitchen.....
- Microplane Zester: great for grating Parmesan cheese, chocolate, ginger and nutmeg
- A Santoku knife, serrated bread/tomato knife, a good Chef's knife and a paring knife - only four knives I ever use
- Colored cutting boards - a great kitchen tool - red for meat, yellow for poultry, blue for fish and green for veggies, bread and fruit
- Immersion Blender - an easy way to make 'faux' creamy soups without any cream!
- A good stove-top grill pan - comes in mighty handy on winter or rainy days!
Happy Summer!
May 30, 2008
A NAKED BABY
Recently, I was strolling along the beach with the dog, somewhat oblivious to my surroundings – either deep in thought with regard to the meaning of life, or perhaps it was that my morning coffee hadn’t quite kicked in, yet! When all of a sudden he appeared – A NAKED BABY!
Ok, I am not really a prude, but I still somewhat taken back by nakedness. One rarely encounters nakedness accidentally. But, lo and behold this little chap (I’d say about 3 years old or so) was definitely naked! And, he couldn’t have been happier.
My new little friend was with his dad and the family dog. The dog and Jr. were frolicking at the water’s edge. Occasionally, a wave would rise up and dampen the little guy only to be met with peels of laughter. He truly didn’t have a care in the world, nor did he have any inhibitions about his nakedness. All was right with the world!
So naturally, I had to over analyze this. At what point do we become self conscious? Does it happen naturally or is it imposed upon us by society’s norms? So, I did a little research. It seems preschool age is about when children begin forming opinions about themselves and when they are influenced by the comments of parents, other significant adults (teachers) and their peers. Other studies suggest a slightly earlier age of around 3.
My guess is my little friend’s naked jaunts on the beach have a pretty short remaining shelf life. In a year or so, his own sense of self will prevent such carefree abandon. And, thus begins a path of self consciousness that will remain into his golden years. For many, this begins the path of body awareness - we will spend the rest of our lives analyzing, critiquing and fretting over our bodies.
Am I jealous of my little buddy? Absolutely! Imagine a day at the beach with out sucking in my gut or worrying about what was jiggling. A day without worry what others were thinking. A day without counting carbs. A day to shed off age-old inhibitions and just live.
Imagine for a minute, if we could just recapture that carefree abandon of running naked in the surf. When we didn’t judge our bodies, when we didn’t compare ourselves to beauty standards imposed by an industry trying to sell us perfection – if we only took this pill, wore these clothes, but this product, etc . . . Imagine how happy we could be. How we could focus on life’s important lessons. How we could learn to love one another for the beautifully unique creatures that we are.
Ok, I am not really a prude, but I still somewhat taken back by nakedness. One rarely encounters nakedness accidentally. But, lo and behold this little chap (I’d say about 3 years old or so) was definitely naked! And, he couldn’t have been happier.
My new little friend was with his dad and the family dog. The dog and Jr. were frolicking at the water’s edge. Occasionally, a wave would rise up and dampen the little guy only to be met with peels of laughter. He truly didn’t have a care in the world, nor did he have any inhibitions about his nakedness. All was right with the world!
So naturally, I had to over analyze this. At what point do we become self conscious? Does it happen naturally or is it imposed upon us by society’s norms? So, I did a little research. It seems preschool age is about when children begin forming opinions about themselves and when they are influenced by the comments of parents, other significant adults (teachers) and their peers. Other studies suggest a slightly earlier age of around 3.
My guess is my little friend’s naked jaunts on the beach have a pretty short remaining shelf life. In a year or so, his own sense of self will prevent such carefree abandon. And, thus begins a path of self consciousness that will remain into his golden years. For many, this begins the path of body awareness - we will spend the rest of our lives analyzing, critiquing and fretting over our bodies.
Am I jealous of my little buddy? Absolutely! Imagine a day at the beach with out sucking in my gut or worrying about what was jiggling. A day without worry what others were thinking. A day without counting carbs. A day to shed off age-old inhibitions and just live.
Imagine for a minute, if we could just recapture that carefree abandon of running naked in the surf. When we didn’t judge our bodies, when we didn’t compare ourselves to beauty standards imposed by an industry trying to sell us perfection – if we only took this pill, wore these clothes, but this product, etc . . . Imagine how happy we could be. How we could focus on life’s important lessons. How we could learn to love one another for the beautifully unique creatures that we are.
May 25, 2008
Ther's a bear in my tub
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Ursine friends for your rustic decor. These bears bring a little bit of the great outdoors to your rustic bath. Don't worry, they don't bite.
Bear Toilet Handle is guaranteed to will bring a smile to each of your guests. Installation hardware included. Specify side or front handle placement, as well as finish color.
Black Bear Lodge Decorate your home with these bath accessories from Bear at Home, your online source for all things bear.
The Brushwerks™ Bear for the Bath collection includes lotion dispenser, rinse cup, toothbrush holder, soap dish, paper towel holder, drawer pulls and drawer handles. The perfect addition to any bear's den.
Maskwa Ridge Bath Collection™ Maskwa is the Cree word for bear. In the Cree tradition the bear, the most intelligent and powerful of land animals, is also a symbol of healing. These are a deep brown with bear paw print impression. This collection includes lotion dispenser, toothbrush holder, soap dish, tissue cover, paper towel holder and rinse cup.
Visit our Big Sky® site for the complete collection of Bearfoots® for the Bath items and all of the rustic accessories for your bath from hardware to towels.
You will always have a bear in your rustic bath.