#giveastory

Back in December I posted about Writing, Journals and Children In Need  in support of Gadanke journals and Katie and her newest Time Capsule journal for kids.  At that time, I mentioned I wasn't compensated, I just like to toot the horn of things that I love.  But I'm now part of her Ambassador team to share the message of these special journals that she sells.

I sent one of these fun journals to my niece for Christmas plus one for a child in need.  I never actually got to hold the book and really look through it until Katie sent me two books to review and share.

I love journal writing, although I'm not as good as I'd like to be.  In my defense, I kind of think of my blog as a bit of a journal, too.  But, really I just need quiet time to myself in order to feel the creative juices flowing.  What is great about this journal is that it is guided journaling.  It asks the kids to say... draw a picture of their home on one page, then to list reasons why they love their home on the opposite page or to list their favorite TV shows, or food.  It helps bypass that need for creative juices at it guides them to write down the little things that, when they are old like me, they won't remember unless they recorded it somewhere.

Isn't this a fun way to document a child's youth?  

I think this and a nice pack of colored pencils or gel pens 

would be a fun gift.

Stay tuned...I've got something fun coming up...

 

Hello Lovelies

Yes, you, I'm talking to you...How has life been treating you post holiday chaos?  Has the clutter been put away and the diets started and exercise begun?  We all do it...Are you starting to feel the effects of days just a little bit longer?  Tiny little increments of time added to each day mean that we are that much closer to summer, and I love summer.  Can I get an AMEN?  

Yeah, life can just kind of beat you up around the holidays.  My son and his wife moved back to College.  We helped them move into their apartment in 5 stinking degrees!  What kind of fool moves on January 1st?!  I mean seriously...I may or may not have fallen on the snow and ice...In 5 degrees, it just never melts.  But good news, I didn't spill the soda I was carrying.  They all thought that I was odd, but the truth is, even though I really like my coke, I just didn't want to be covered in cold wet soda in 5 stinking degrees...Do you see that picture above?  The one that says -11?  Yeah, we didn't move furniture then.  Your nose hairs freeze at -11.  They actually pretty much froze at 5 degrees, but so did my eyeballs, well pretty much my whole body.  Just sayin'

My baby has been accepted to college, she's excited but nervous about that.  Babies like their mama's...at least mine does.  Will I have to go back to college so I don't miss her too much?  I'll make a great roommate...But seriously who has time for that at my age.  I guess I'll have to cut the apron strings at some point.

KT has been a gym slave driver, but it's good for us.  It's nice to get back full force, even IF the scale doesn't budge.  At least I feel better.

What is happening in your neck of the woods?

Be Still and Know

Source

New Years and Resolutions are upon us.  You can't not see reminders of it all over the internet and social media.  Weight loss goals, financial goals, fitness goals, educational goals.  I like, everyone else, want to start fresh at the beginning of the year.  Over the past several years, I have participated in one word or one little word resolutions.  It's a much simpler way of doing things, focusing on that one word in all aspects of my life.   Words can be very powerful, especially as we ponderize and internalize.

I have chosen words that I really needed at the time and learned much from over the past years.  Some examples of words I have chosen in the past are:

Simplify
Gratitude
Brave
Loved

This year a scripture keeps resonating with me, and I can't quite keep it to one word.  Psalms 46:10

"Be still and know that I am God."  

I almost feel as if this simple scripture encapsulates every one word I have used in the past.

2016 is a year of spiritual growth for me.  While, yes, I have some fitness and weight goals, too, 'Be Still and Know that I am God" sits first and foremost in my mind and heart.

What is your one word or goal for the year?

 

Low Energy, Winter Blues or Low Vitamin D

There for a while, I felt the weight of anything extra, and I just couldn't do it.  Thoughts of Holidays, birthdays, serving someone with a meal, were just too dang overwhelming to even follow through.  I'd come home from work, tidy house, make dinner, clean it up and sit exhausted on the couch waiting for it to all begin again.  I used to love working out...but then I didn't have the energy anymore.  It was such a gradual thing, that I thought it was just a product of getting older...(although I won't share "how" old I really am.  I mean a girl has to have her secrets).  But anyway, after a routine check up, and blood work, they discovered I had extremely low levels of Vitamin D.  I'm on a mega dose to recover back to normal, but a search on symptoms of low D was very interesting.  For most of them I was nodding my head, yes, yes, yes...Here are some of the symptoms taken from DrFrankKlipman.com

What are the symptoms of vit D deficiency?

There is no clear pattern of symptoms. In fact many people remain asymptomatic despite low levels. But here are the more common symptoms

• Fatigue

• General muscle pain and weakness

• Muscle cramps

• Joint pain

• Chronic pain

• Weight gain

• High blood pressure

• Restless sleep

• Poor concentration

• Headaches

• Bladder problems

• Constipation or diarrhea

I've been taking a pretty hefty supplement under my doctors care, as well as, sitting in front of a Happy Light that I bought a few years ago.  I hope to be feeling energetic and back to normal real soon.  I share this because maybe someone else is suffering in silence the same way I was and just chalking it up to getting older, too.  Low Vitamin D can be very serious, if you find you have some of these same symptoms, why not ask to get your Vitamin D levels checked.  It can make all the difference in your quality of life.


 

Written Words of Cheer - AKA the Christmas Letter

I've sent out my Christmas cards, stamped, sealed and hopefully delivered, and I realized that I may have neglected the readers of this here blog.  And that is just plain RUDE...I mean, really!

So here here is my Christmas card to you in word form:

Salutations and Christmas Cheer!

We are writing to you a brief synopsis of our year…

In January to Vegas, Kevin did go

To visit his brothers and his dad, you know.

February brought Japan business a whole month Long

We sure did miss Kevin while he was gone.

In April Michael got married to Natalie,

Inside the beautiful LDS Temple here in Boise.

After 12 wonderful years we sold our home,

Moving is ‘Heck’ we sure did groan.

My brother and his family moved away

We were all sad and cried on that day.

Then Lisa’s parents moved to Oregon

We are beginning to think it is something we’ve done.

Tyler moved back in at twenty-three

But, he eats all our food because it is free.

He’s going to Rexburg in April, we hope,

With him gone, too…How will we cope?

Nicole is a senior and so smart

She’ll graduate High School with a college head start.

She’s been accepted to BYU – Idaho

Where she will be a Freshman-Sophomore, you know…

We are full of life changes this year and next

Why not write us, call us or text?

And with these words to you, I wish you a Merry Christmas!  Thank you for being a devoted reader.  I appreciate every one of you.  I know you come, I see my stats, but I'd love to hear from you, too, from time to time.  

Lisa Out