Tis The Season

~~Stress Less This Christmas~~

 Christmas is right around the corner, and I haven’t purchased one single gift . . . not for ANYONE! I’m still busy sorting and decluttering after moving. I haven’t done any decorating. No tree, no garland, and the stockings are NOT hung by the chimney AT ALL!

 I hadn’t thought much about it until my daughter offered me a small Christmas tree that she was preparing to donate to Goodwill. Then . . . a light came on in my head . . . It’s time to decorate for Christmas! That thought, along with my already convoluted “to-do” stuff, triggered something inside me . . . STRESS!

 Since I am already coping with some level of stress, I need to do something to relieve it. I learned some time ago that effective stress-relief techniques focus on relaxing the mind and the body.

For starters, I can relieve a lot of my stress by dumping limiting beliefs. Limiting beliefs are those things I believe about myself that place limitations on my abilities.

Question: Is it possible to relieve stress?

Answer: Yes. But, before I go on if your level of stress is serious, consult your physician. But, if you think you can take charge of your stress, here are a few things that can help.

- Learn to have a sense of humor
- Try yoga: no legs behind the neck here though
- Aroma therapy works wonders
- Exercise for 30 minutes

- Take a walk in the fresh air

-Listen to some relaxing music
- Try dance and creative movement
- Eat Chocolate, eat it in moderation or open a candy bar and just smell it
- Relaxation & deep breathing exercises provide immediate relief
- Take a six minute vacation (let your mind wander freely)
- Communicate: talking with friends, family, a counselor, or a member of the clergy   about your feelings is a healthy way to relieve stress
- Set more realistic goals: for yourself and others (those close to you)
- Develop a hobby: writing, blogging, fishing, knitting, photography, woodworking, anything. Do something fun with your hands

Find your inner peace - - learn how to relieve your stress by finding what works best for you. 

Let us know your favorite ways to de-stress in the comments section

Really Now! . . . Christmas Already?!

Christmas Decorating Tips

                                                                                            My Photo-2012
Here we are, December 11^th already, and Christmas is just around the corner. I’m NOT ready! Are you? Trying to get ready and get myself in the mood, I started thinking about where to start searching for my Christmas decorations. Ummm . . . where in the middle of all this unpacked stuff, could they possibly be?!

 While thinking about it, I checked-out a blog I started and removed from public view about Christmas Decorations & Ideas. I found some fun . . .

Christmas Decorating Tips

1.   Choose simple Christmas centerpieces. They look great despite the fact they are plain. A few candles and some red bows will transform them into instantly elegant pieces.

2.   A fast and super- easy way to decorate and add a warm holiday touch is to use a small pre-lit Christmas tree that comes already decorated. Put one in the kitchen and one in the bathroom.

3.   Arrange your Christmas figurines and candles in groups for a stunning effect. Groups of 3 or 5 will make your mantel more interesting and appealing.

4.   Water your live Christmas tree daily so it won’t dry out and become a fire hazard.

5.   Don’t limit your decorations to your Christmas tree. Use some ornaments and bows to decorate other large house plants.

Hopefully, these few tips will get your inspiration juices flowing and get you in the mood for decorating your home for Christmas. 

Caregiving Sucks

 My “Survive Caregiver Burnout” . . . 

?Guide?

PRAY! Thank God for HIS many Blessings. Ask for HIS guidance on this care giving journey.

Go places . . . in my head or even online . . . that I would love to visit. Day dream for a few minutes, then come back to reality.

Leave the house (if possible) for at least 15 minutes EVERY DAY. If you can, stay away longer. JUST DO IT!

Set aside time to “do nothing”. This is time just for me.

Go for a walk, even in the rain, even if it’s simply around your cul-de-sac, just to get out of the house for a few minutes. It’s always refreshing just getting out of the house.

Sit on the front porch, on the patio, on the deck, or in the back yard…ALONE. Prop up on the bed in my room with the door closed. Sit in the back storage room, Mom’s not allowed in there.

Go sit quietly at the park. Or walk around the park. It’s refreshing just to be outside.

Read Inspirational Quotes, Poetry, Stories.

Listen to some favorite good-mood music.

PRAY! Be thankful for blessings large and small. 

Drive to the nearest Sonic Drive-in. Park under the canopy and place an order. Order a slush, a coke float, a hamburger, anything. Let someone “wait on you” for a change.  Merely being out of the house is invigorating.  .  

Stay in touch with friends and family. Try not to stay isolated too long. Contact someone every couple of weeks, or at least once a month. Just say hi and chat for a short while.

Do Mindfulness exercises like yoga, meditation and journaling, they can be soothing.

Online Puzzles, Games, and applications are good for emotional health.

Visit AgingCare.com online – Interact with others. It is great for interacting with people who are very supportive.

PRAY!   

Release Negativity

 3 Simple Steps to Renew Etc.

Here are 3 Simple Steps to Take to Renew, Revitalize, and Release Negative Thoughts, Behaviors, and Patterns:

First, think about a particularly challenging situation in your life. This could be related to family issues, professional struggles, or even a habit you’d like to change. 

Second, write it down. 

Third, try this exercise to release the negative charge of this issue, struggle or habit: 

Evoke a positive thought that you’ve never had before about the person or the situation. Choose something positive and true about them. For example, let’s say your boss drives you completely crazy! See if you can find one positive quality about him or her. 

Attach a positive emotion to that quality and focus this emotion towards the person or situation. Let’s say you have a difficult relationship with someone in your family.

Think about one positive quality about this person. How does this positive quality make you feel? Send this positive feeling and energy to this family member.

Exhibit a behavior you wish to see in this person. This is your chance to be the role model to a family member, a boss, a friend or even your child.

If you can practice these 3 simple steps, your mindset about the situation or the person will change. This challenge will no longer define your life and your experience with this person or situation will begin to shift. 

What are your thoughts on this topic? Have you ever experienced a negative situation? Have you ever been in contact with a negative person or persons? How did you handle it? Let us know in the comments section. We’d love to have your feedback.

Cell Phone DOs & DON’Ts

Some Things To Do & Some NOT To Do

A few years ago my cell phone started acting up. I could barely finish sending a text and the battery would be drained over half way. The same thing happened with regular phone calls. I could only make or receive two or three calls and the phone would beep for low battery.

I had to plug the thing in, off and on about a hundred times a day just to be able to talk on it. I completely gave up trying to text after a couple of weeks. There was so much life stuff going on, I didn’t have time to take it to the shop to have it checked out.

Finally, I did take it to my service provider and explained the problem to the salesman. He gave the phone a good going over and found nothing wrong with the phone itself.

He did find my problem to be a bad battery. He said the battery is supposed to be flat and mine was puffed, probably from too much heat. I DO keep the danged thing in my pocket all day long . . . just in case loved ones try to reach me during the day.

After several questions, the young man told me the following 3 things.

1.Don’t keep your cell phone plugged in charging all night long. It only takes an hour or two to charge.

2. Do Charge it “only” when it registers way down past half way full. Once it is fully charged, unplug it.

3. Don’t keep your cell phone in your pocket all day long. Your body heat will damage your battery.

So there you have it, some things to DO and NOT-to-DO with your cell phone.

Did you know about these DOs & DON’TS already? Have you ever had a problem with your cell phone battery? What did you do?

Click Image #1 to view source 

Calming Everyday Foods

Everyday Foods to Help Us De-Stress

 ~Energizing Snack~

When life gets stressful, there are many things we can do to help relieve the stress. We all know the most common ones. But, did you know there are foods that also help us to de-stress? Here are four foods I never thought of as stress relievers.

Cauliflower is a great and little known stress reliever. You should steam half a cup of cauliflower and mash it as you would potatoes. Add some olive oil and spices and serve it as a guilt-free side dish to basically any entrée!

Here's how I like mine: steamed about 5-10 minutes 

and served as a side with my entrée.

Cottage Cheese is a commonly used food, but did you know you can use it to de-stress? You can mix 4 ounces of cottage cheese with berries or pineapples for a satisfying meal or snack. Many of us eat it this way all the time. Did you know it is a great stress reliever?

Chicken is one of my all time favorite foods. I eat it often, and I didn’t know it could be used to de-stress. You should grill it, slice it and add it to salad for a healthy meal. We also eat this combination a lot around here, not realizing it is a food that is good for relieving stress. As with most proteins, 4 ounces per meal should do the trick.

Chicken & Baby Carrote: One of our winter favorites.

Carrots are great raw with hummus (I prefer mine with Ranch Salad Dressing). Carrots can also be steamed, sautéed, roasted and glazed. Just 4 ounces should do the trick to use as a stress reliever.

There you have it, some common everyday foods that we eat all the time that also serve as great stress relievers.

What are your thoughts on using foods to de-stress? Did you already know this? Do you know other foods that will help us to de-stress?

101 Things To Do Instead of . . .

Being Depressed, Stressed, or Alone

Doing Drugs or Drinking

Golden Time of Day - Sunset 

Watch a beautiful sunset ~ Watch a happy video ~ Smell a flower ~ Draw a picture ~ Take a bubble bath ~ Look at old photos ~ Listen to music ~ Create something new ~ Go to the zoo ~ Learn something new ~ Read a good book ~ Collect something, rocks, seashells, stamps ~ Learn the names of the stars and planets ~ Get together/ZOOM with friends ~ Play games ~ Enjoy a hobby ~ Play a sport ~ Smile ~ Make someone else smile ~

Jace smiling @ Herman Park

~Finish what you start ~ Solve a riddle ~ Jump rope ~ Gather seashells ~ Whistle a tune ~ Feed old bread crumbs to birds ~ Read a poem ~ Fly a kite ~ Do a favor ~ Surprise someone ~ Play catch ~ Join a club ~ Sing ~ Give a hug ~ Get a hug ~ Talk to friends ~ Wish on a star ~ Run through a sprinkler ~ Go camping ~ Do a jigsaw puzzle ~ Memorize a song ~ Help a friend in need ~ Build a sand castle ~ Find a home for a stray animal ~ Do good deeds ~ Have lemonade on a hot day ~ Blow bubbles ~ Dance ~ Exercise ~ Climb a tree ~ Run through a field of wild flowers ~ Volunteer ~ Tickle a baby's tummy ~ Play with your pet ~ Cheer someone up ~ Roll in the grass ~ Snuggle a stuffed animal ~ Swing on a swing ~ Eat ice cream ~ Walk barefoot in the sand ~ ~ Wade in the ocean ~

Jace wading in Galveston Bay

~Play with a little kid ~ Do Cartwheels ~ Go bird watching ~ Give a gift ~ Play some hoops ~ Kiss a parent ~ Learn how to juggle ~ Watch the clouds ~ Start a garden ~ Learn a language ~ Play an instrument ~ Go fishing ~ Make a gift ~ Hike ~ Set your goals ~ Phone a friend ~ Have a picnic ~ Think happy thoughts ~ Ride a bike ~ Write to friends ~ Do your best ~ Count your blessings ~ Make a poster ~ Make someone laugh ~ Improve your score ~ Listen to birds ~ Learn to cook ~ Skip rocks into a lake ~ Play in the park ~ Go swimming ~ Window shop online ~ Care for plants ~ Keep a promise ~ Trade cards ~ Do magic tricks ~ Make a model ~ Go Bowling ~ Keep a journal ~ 

~     ~     ~     ~     ~

 Photograph things you love ~ Do better than the last time ~ Brighten someone's day ~

What is your favorite thing to do instead of...?  

Things to do for Fun or Profit

Hobbies: 

Enjoy Your Hobby just for fun, or turn your hobby into a profitable business!

 

10 Categories of the Most Popular Hobbies  

Arts and Crafts – creating functional and decorative objects for purposes such as making candles, ceramic plates and executive toys, jewelry making, making porcelain figurines, glass sculpture, quilting

Collectibles - collecting art, paintings, antiques, beautiful dolls, memorabilia, scale model cars and trains, vintage wine, unique cars, stamps, old coins, plates

Outdoor Activities - gardening, photographing nature, bird watching, fishing, train and plane spotting, horse riding, biking, camping, diving, rafting, mountain climbing, treasure hunts, hiking

Culinary Activities - cooking, making fruit preserves, bread baking, baking and decorating cakes, making cookies, making dumplings and pasta, bar-b-queing meat

Dancing and Music - ballroom dancing, line dancing, hip hop dance, flamenco, belly dancing, tap dancing, karaoke singing, learning a musical instrument

Sports Activities - golf, martial arts, figure skating, skiing, sailing and rowing, gymnastics, darts and snooker, bowling

Indoor Activities - sewing, embroidery, knitting, quilting, painting and decorating, plumbing, reading and writing

Paper Crafts - making Paper-Mache crafts, origami folding paper crafts, making paper flowers, making paper lanterns, making boxes and folders, scrapbooking

Cultural Activities - theater, concerts, cinemas, eating out and dining, museums, festivals and fun, pub crawl

Travel - golf trips, fishing trips, Theatre breaks, city breaks, cruise packages, beach vacations, ski vacations

Photo of my "vacation in paradise" ... just a hop, skip, and jump down the road!

Many people, while enjoying their favorite hobby, have turned their hobby into a business and supplement their retirement income by writing books about their hobby or selling their products locally or on the internet. eBay is a good starting point.

For example, if you like to go golfing or on cruises you can write about your golf travels or the places you've visited during your cruise.    

You can also start your own classes to teach others the skills you learned from your favorite pastime. If you enjoy baking cakes or making fruit preserves, you can sell your products in your local markets.

This is a great way to earn additional retirement income while having fun.

Do you have a hobby? Did you have one as a kid? What is it? What is your favorite fun thing to do?

8 Quick Ways to Relieve Stress

Is It Possible to Relieve Stress? 

Yes! Before we go on, if your level of stress is serious, consult your physician. But, if you think you can take charge of your stress, here are a few things that can help.

1. Learn to have a sense of humor. Google “Funny Jokes” images

2. Take a walk in the fresh air (in your back yard or down the driveway works).

 3. Try dance, creative movement, or exercise for 15 minutes.

4. Eat Chocolate in moderation or open a candy bar and just smell it.

5. Relaxation and deep breathing exercises provide immediate relief.

6. Take a seven minute mini-vacation in your mind. Re-visit photos of fun family vacations...remember the good times!

7. Talk to friends, family, or a pastor/priest about your feelings.  

8. Aroma therapy works wonders.

Find your inner peace - - learn how to relieve your stress by finding what works best for you.

Let us know your favorite ways to de-stress in the comments section.

CRAFTS AND THINGS

Make Your Own Bath Salts Recipe

Not JUST for women. 

Guys, you can surprise your lady with the necessary ingredients and the recipe. She will love, love, love this! 

What you need:

1/4 cup Lavender

1/2 cup Epsom salt

4 - Chamomile Tea bags

1/4 cup Peaceful Orchid Moisturizing Bath Beads

1/4 cup Gentle Breeze Moisturizing Bath Beads

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Store the mixture in a jar with a tight fitting lid.

To use: 

Place 2 Tablespoons under warm running water in the tub for a soothing and relaxing bath. 


Image Source

I LOVE - K-SWISS Classic Sneakers

K-SWISS 

Women's The Classic Lite T Lace-Up Fashion Sneaker: 

A Product Review

 Sitting at the beauty shop...waiting... looking down at my feet...

  

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE these sneakers!

My grown baby son bought these sneakers for me as an “I-love-you, ma” gift several years ago. They are my "go-to" shoes for casual dress up times. They are perfect for dressing a cut above the everyday attire. I wear them whenever I want to look classy but casual.

There are so many things to love about these sneakers, I can't say it all here. Below are just a few of the things I love most.

-They are strong sturdy sneakers with a firm solid rubber sole. The description says synthetic sole, but it looks and feels like rubber to me. Anyway, I like whatever it is. 

-They don’t bend, buckle, and crinkle, they’re solid. But, they are not uncomfortable. They feel nice on your feet, unlike many other sneakers I have tried in the past.

-They are lightweight, not heavy or cumbersome at all.

-They are made of a high quality material and are well put together. After five years of use they look as good as the day I got them. There’s no reveling threads, nothing has come apart or broken loose. Like I said, they’re still in perfect condition.

-The color continues to be (almost) as blue as the day I received them. Mine are navy blue. They have not faded or lost their color, and I have washed them many times.

My photo

-They are easy to care for. I toss mine in the washer on a cold water wash. Then I set them out to air-dry. I have only dried them in the clothes dryer a time or two when I was in a hurry.     

-They are a good fit, very comfortable on your feet. I have worn these all day long many times and my feet felt fine at the end of the day, no hurting or tiredness.

-The sizing is good. I normally wear a size 8 (D) wide shoe. If a shoe does not run in WIDE, I need an 8 ½ or a 9 because of my wide foot. My K-Swiss are a size 8 ½ and the fit is perfect. My feet don’t slip or slide inside the shoe. Nor is it too tight or binding in any way.

I recommend these for looking good and for comfort.

Have you heard of K-Swiss Sneakers before? Have you ever owned K-Swiss Sneakers? Do you know anyone who has K-Sneakers? What are your thoughts about K-Swiss Sneakers? 

Found Money

I Found Money in the Parking Lot!

The parking lot at the grocery store is full, looks as if everybody and their grandma is out shopping today. If the few items I need to pick up were not extremely necessary, I would keep driving and go back home. It took a minute or two to find a good parking space but, I found one eventually. 

I opened the car door and planted my feet firmly on the ground. I looked down to make sure I wasn’t stepping in a wad of bubblegum or a puddle of transmission fluid. The coast was clear so I stepped out. That’s when I saw it…

A Penny!

My photo

I quickly whipped my camera out of my purse and took this photo instead of picking up the penny the way I had done in years gone by.

Have you ever found money on the ground? How much? Do you pick up pennies you find on the ground? Do you know anyone else who does?

Source

A Wednesday Tip

Alternate Use for an Every Day Product 

There is a whole lot to be said about Scotch-Brite Heavy Duty Scouring Pads and their cleaning capabilities. However, for this post I will (TRY to) keep it short and to the point.

For starters, these scouring pads are Awesome “Lint Removers”!  They actually clean dishes, pots and pans, and even clean glass stove tops easily. And, they don’t scratch any of these surfaces. They are long-lasting and don’t get slimy and yukky like many other scouring pads.

Surprisingly, these scouring pads have another impressive use. I found, through trial and error, that they are amazing LINT removers. They can be used to scrape lint from fabric items. And, they do not damage the fabric of the item I’m scraping the lint from.

                                        

Here is what I found out:

#1.FLEECE BLANKETS: When my grandson’s soft fluffy fleece blankets started to gather lint after several washings and dryings, he refused to use them anymore.

He HATES lint! So I tried many things to remove the lint. Nothing worked.

Out of curiosity, I scraped a section of a blanket with a Scotch-Brite Heavy Duty Scouring Pad. It removed the lint completely and did not damage the blanket in any way. It looked as good as the day we bought it.

 

  

Photos © by ~dellgirl~

I was happily amazed and thoroughly surprised. I was HOOKED!

#2.-SWEAT PANTS: Several pairs of my daily wear sweat pants (the kind made of sweat shirt material) had become so full of lint, I thought about throwing them in the garbage.

Epiphany-Light-bulb moment! 

After my enlightening experience with the fleece blankets, I tried the scouring pads on my sweat pants. It WORKED, removed every bit of lint. My sweat pants looked as good as new, not a sign of a lint pill in sight!

So there you have it, a new way to use these awesome Scotch-Brite Heavy Duty Scouring Pads.

Have you ever used these scouring pads? Did you like them? Have you ever used them in any way they were not intended for? Do you know anyone else who has? 

Click Images 1 & 2 to view Source

DISCLAIMER: I am NOT an affiliate of the sites associated with Images 1 & 2. I am simply using their photos and giving credit where credit is due.

Sunday Solutions

Rubber Bands

When all else fails, these put things into perspective.

Rubber Band Goofy Face

Rubber bands are good for millions of things. Some of you probably already know that. But, did you know rubber bands are like relationship experts? 

Traditional, inside-the-box-thinkers may not realize the similarities between rubber bands and those who are experts when it comes to relationships. 

Here are a few things to consider about rubber bands and relationship experts.

Like relationship experts, rubber bands:

-They are good at holding things together when they’re falling apart.

-They good at hanging around, waiting to help when needed.

-They hold up things that keep falling down.

-They great for bringing closure.

There you have it, just a few ways I use rubber bands.

Always keep a supply of rubber bands on hand. You never know when you might need one. You’ll be amazed at the things you can do with Rubber Bands.

What do you use rubber bands for? Tell us in the comments. We’d love to hear all about it.