Listen...you might just learn...

The final day of LEAP YEAR February... I started with something I'm listening to (like the 'rules' says)  which was the ever popular YO GABBA GABBA in my house :D

But that quickly changed to:

The news of Davy Jones passing away at the age of 66, is still, somewhat, hard for me to grasp.  It's not like I KNEW the guy, but I grew up adoring The Monkees - all 4 of them.  Yes, I'm only in my mid 30's, but I have been a HUGE Monkee fan since I was probably like 7 or 8 :)  It's kind of like my Elvis :(  RIP Davy...may the music live on!!

One more heart tip: Take a hike. Because it's leap year, you get an extra day to work on your heart's health! Go for a walk today--even if you only have 10 minutes. Short bursts of light activity strengthen your heart, just like longer, intense workouts do. Take advantage of this extra day and your heart will thank you!  Please try to keep this up for the whole year/the rest of your life :)   We enjoy you reading our blog, we enjoy you in our lives and we want you around for many, Many, MANY years to come ;D  

"Those who haven't loved somebody else, more than they love themselves haven't even begun to live" ~ Source Unknown

I want money...

Or at least that's what the picture Day 28 is saying ;-)

Heart tip of the day: It's never too late to start a healthy lifestyle. By implementing small lifestyle changes like these each day, you can improve your heart health and quality of life. The important thing is to stick with it.  That's exactly what we're working on this year (and hopefully FOREVER) in our house!  We want to be around for many more years to come - we have two small kids that need us, a grown son-who soon enough-will have his only family that we want to be a part of, and many years of living ahead of us!!!

"I laugh, I love, I hope, I try I hurt, I need, I fear, I cry. And I know you do the same things too, So we're really not that different, me and you." ~ Colin Raye

You can have your cake....

And I ate it too :)  Day 27 is something I ate.  It was my wonderful husband's birthday, so the kids and I made him brownies!  They were SO excited to bring him home from dinner to the presents and brownies :D  They get so excited for the little things and it's so refreshing to look at life through their eyes!

Tip for heart health: Go fish. Fish like salmon, tuna and halibut are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, which promote heart health. Six to eight ounces of baked or broiled fish each week will do your body good!  We LOVE fish and we probably have it two or three times a week!  Not always the kinds listed, but still fish (Tilapia, walleye, etc) Also, just read that it stops the signs of aging (wrinkles, gray hair, etc...) MAYBE I should have started eating it more regularly a few years ago ;-)  HA!!

"When we extend ourselves to another human being in any way at all, when we positively touch the life of one person, we benefit the whole of humanity." ~ Gail Pursell Elliott

The night belongs....

To day 26 :)  Our moon - at least we could see it!!

Healthy heart:  Breathe. Slow, deep breaths can help conquer stress and lower blood pressure. With your eyes closed, practice inhaling deeply into the belly and exhaling slowly. Try this several times a day.  This works wonders for A LOT of things...wanting to pull your hair out, wanting to cry because of stress, JUST BREATHE!!!! :D

"True love is knowing a person's faults, and loving them even more for them." ~ Mandy Hampton

Green is the color of ....

My downstairs bathroom floor (rugs) :)

Heart healthy tip:  Move more. Every bit of activity you do can help you strengthen your heart and maintain your weight. Find opportunities for fitness by taking the stairs, parking further away, doing yard work and more.  This really isn't hard, just takes some 'thinking' about, especially in some cold air, and the 'easy' way we like to do things these days.

"You don't need to be on the save wavelength to succeed in marriage. You just need to be able to ride each other's waves." ~ Toni Sciarra Poynter

If the shoe fits....

Today was your shoes... but my wonderful 4 year old likes to 'line up all our shoes'.... she's so funny!!!

Heart healthy tip:  Know your family history. Certain health risks are partly genetic. For example, if your father had a heart attack at a young age, you should start preventive care and screenings sooner yourself.  SO TRUE...for any medical history!  It sucks to think about, but wouldn't you rather know early enough to maybe prevent something terrible from happening?!

"Love is the great miracle cure. Loving ourselves works miracles in our lives." ~ Louise Hay

Operator...

(I think I have it figured out - I fall behind on the weekends :D, which is just fine with me because it means we're BUSY!!!)
The next topic for pictures was PHONE.  This is a sample of them in our house :)

Heart healthy tip: Crack up! Recent studies are showing that laughing may protect your heart by improving circulation and blood flow. Tell a joke, watch a comedy, or just laugh out loud. After all, heart health is serious business! Please, if you don't laugh at SOMETHING everyday, what kind of person are you anyway?!?  Or, if you need something, I can always add my kids' stories of the day ;-)  They crack us up daily!!!

"I can think of no better way of redeeming this tragic world today than love and laughter. Too many of the young have forgotten how to laugh, and too many of the elders have forgotten how to love. Would not our lives be lightened if only we could all learn to laugh more easily at ourselves and to love one another." ~ Theodore M. Hesburgh

AH......

Don't judge....it's a downstairs closet that we haven't gotten to yet... but of course, they want a picture of YOUR closet...  ;-)

Heart friendly tip:  Consider aspirin therapy. Taking baby aspirin (81 mg) can help reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke by preventing blood clots. Since it's not safe for everyone, talk to your doctor first.  I'm on the fence with this advice.  I don't feel like it's necessary, BUT I do a few people that have suffered heart attacks/strokes and it's been prescribed (OTC) by their doctor and they've seen drastic changes in their hearts.  My grandmother was recently told to cut her dose of aspirin each day because her heart looks great (she's never suffered, it was just recommended because of age and family history)

"When you plant lettuce, if it does not grow well, you don't blame the lettuce. You look for reasons it is not doing well. It may need fertilizer, or more water, or less sun. You never blame the lettuce. Yet if we have problems with our friends or our family, we blame the other person. But if we know how to take care of them, they will grow well, like the lettuce. Blaming has no positive effect at all, nor does trying to persuade using reason and argument. That is my experience. If you understand, and you show that you understand, you can love, and the situation will change" ~ Ven. Thich Nhat Hanh

If it makes you happy....

These two make my world go 'round...along with their daddy and big brother!! LOVE.LOVE.LOVE!

The quick tip of the day for a healthy heart:  Sip green tea. Iced or hot green tea is packed with antioxidants that prevent plaque from forming on artery walls, relax the blood vessels, and reduce the risk of heart disease. Brew and enjoy 1-2 cups each day.  I have ALMOST gotten rid of my dependency on caffeine because of green tea!  I brew a warm cup in the morning and most days try for a second after lunch (during quiet time!)  In the summer months, I HOPE I like chilled/iced green tea, but if I don't....I'll continue to brew myself a cup or two a day of warm tea :D

"The love of our neighbor in all its fullness simply means being able to say, What are you going through?" ~ Simone Weil  (PS -  I LOVE my neighbors!! :D)

This is me...

Self portrait time - not a huge fan, but here's those are the rules ;D

Heart healthy and happy tip:  Lose weight. ONLY IF YOU'RE OVERWEIGHT by a few pounds or more!! Dropping just 10% of your body weight (if you are overweight) can significantly improve your blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and overall heart health. Again, I'm sorry for stuffing it down your throats, but we are currently working on our weight loss goals in our house too.  We would like to lose 10% of our weights by summer.  Right now, it's a challenge for each of us, but we're doing little things to help each other out!!

"Love was as subtly caught, as a disease; But being got it is a treasure sweet, which to defend is harder than to get: And ought not be profaned on either part, for though 'Tis got by chance, 'Tis kept by art." ~ John Donne

The window to the world is your own...

FRONT DOOR!!

It's kind of boring right now... no decorations! :(  I should have been on the ball for Valentine's Day!! BAD ME!


The Heart tip: Avoid trans fats. Consuming even a tiny amount of trans fat can greatly increase your risk of heart disease. Found in foods that contain "partially hydrogenated" oil as an ingredient, trans fat is the world's unhealthiest fat!  This is yet another thing we're working on in our house.  It's been a challenge, but we're starting to get the hang of it.  A lot of reading, watching how we cook, where we choose to eat, all of it... baby steps!! :D

"That is the true season of love; when we believe that we alone can love, that no one could ever have loved as much before, and that no one will ever love in the same way again." ~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Picture challenge today...

A BUTTON.. HA!  I went several directions with this one... but this is the one I decided to put on here!

Healthy Heart Tip: Go nuts! Almonds, cashews, flax-seeds, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, peanuts, pistachios, sesame seeds, and walnuts all contain healthy fats. Enjoy a handful 3-5 times a week for a healthier heart. They help with 'the munchies' phase of the day too :)  We need to start having them around more, as we like the nut family!!

"When I say, "I love you," it's not because I want you or because I can't have you. It has nothing to do with me. I love what you are, what you do, how you try. I've seen your kindness and your strength. I've seen the best and the worst of you. And I understand with perfect clarity exactly what you are. You're a hell of a woman." ~ Joss Whedon

Day 5 of challenge

And it's getting challenging :)  HA!  Actually, I moved past yesterday's picture (Stranger) and have been happily caught up since, but just not able to post them (I'm OCD about being in order, I guess!)
Today is 10am!

Because I'm OLD school ;-)  hahaha...Actually, this is one of the few things of my dad's that I staked claim to ALONG time ago!  I still think he bought for me, but just never got a chance to actually give it to me ;D  He has never been a Stewart fan, so why would he buy a Tony Stewart wall clock?!?!!? :D

Heart tip: Boost your HDL. You want these "healthy" cholesterol levels to be high--at least 60 mg/dL--to protect your heart. Do this by exercising regularly and enjoying healthy fats found in nuts, olive oil, fish and flaxseed. We have started eating healthier fish at least once a week, we now use olive oil in place of 99% of the other 'oils' and dressings....we're working on it :D

"Love is like a friendship caught on fire. In the beginning a flame, very pretty, often hot and fierce, but still only light and flickering. As love grows older, our hearts mature and our love becomes as coals, deep-burning and unquenchable." ~ Bruce Lee

Another day is paradise!!

The picture of the day is to be words... hmmmm....

Our days are filled with words :)  This is just an example of the words we see/hear/read everyday :)


Heart tip of the day:  Don't smoke. Smoking damages more than your lungs. It hardens the arteries, raises blood pressure, and causes an irregular heartbeat. Find a smoking cessation program in your area to kick the habit.
(No Kidding!  I'm happy to say that probably only 4 of my 'friends' smoke anymore.  I know a few others, but it seems like everyone is getting on board -SMOKING is bad for you (not to mention your family and friends!!) So proud of every single person that has kicked the habit!!!

"You come to love not by finding the perfect person, but by learning to see an imperfect person perfectly."  - Sam Keen

February...

Another new month.  Another list of things to accomplish :)   Bring it!! HA!!

Two main goals this month on here.  1) Picture a day 2) Sharing love and hope...it does a heart good!!

February's picture of the day 'challenge'....

My view from yesterday...

Don't be jealous...it was laundry day :D  ha!!!!

"I believe that everything happens for a reason. People change so that you can learn to let go. Things go wrong so that you appreciate them when they're right. You believe lies so you eventually learn to trust no one but yourself, and sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together." - Marilyn Monroe


It's also National Heart month! Get a checkup. Your doctor doesn't just treat disease. They also offer screenings and preventive care. Knowing your health status (and risk) will help make lifestyle changes in areas that need improvement.