Dammit, Eat it, Pin It

5.8.13

When I woke up this morning and went to social media to have coffee with me I read what a lot of people did around here....sad news.

Dammit.

See, in this little place I live we have had three dare I say poster children for the cancer fight.  Three of them.  Two women and a boy. A lot of folks knew them and even more knew of them.  They all worked to lift up others as they fought their battles.  In the course of the last five months we lost them all.  The third one crossing over earlier today.

Dammit.

I am very sure that so many others who live here and have read about their progress, problems, and perseverance.  We have all secretly been routing for them all to make it out.  As we watched one pass into glory and then the youngest one follow - I can say that deep in our hearts we knew that we wouldn't lose the third one.  That just couldn't happen. 

Dammit.

All three are now in a place of good health, happiness, and home.  All three fought the good fought as the Good Book states.  Today I imagine they are all seated together on a golden sand beach, watching the crashing waves, beautiful sun, and birds soar.  They are talking about the good ole DC, the hard row they hoed, and they are finally living in peace - total and complete peace.

Cancer sucks folks.  Dammit.

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I'm not dwelling on sadness today.  There is no sadness when you see pain end and peace begin.  Always carry that little gem with you.

Today I am talking about some pretty smart mama advice, some good food, and something really cool from Pinterest you should make for your celebratory figure.

Lets get started.

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Last week on Farm Kings, Mama King (Lisa) showed us her smart tactic to getting her grown kids to help her out.  I loved it - so simple yet so incredibly excellent. 

She called her kids and asked them to bring things she had lent them or brought them things in claiming she needed them.  Ok no problem thought the kids!  Sneaky mommy!  So they bring the items over and BOOM they are in the trap!  They are her manual laborers to help her start setting her garden back up for Spring.

Do you have a sneaky tactic to get your kids to help you out?  No matter their age?

I have small kids so I have to use the whole "lets-make-this-a-game" method or my personal favorite - bribery!  Don't judge - you do it too!

Who are some other t.v. moms that have taught you some cool lessons in parenting?  Maybe the mom (Patricia Heaton) from The Middle (ABC, Wednesday at 8pm Eastern, oh and tonight is the Mother's Day Episode, watch and laugh your tail off) who is more normal than anyone in a lot of her situations of raising an awkward high school girl, different younger son, and typical teenage boy?  Maybe its an older show that taught you a secret lesson on parenting?  How about the classic Growing Pains and dealing with those strange times in raising kids and dealing with tough issues? 

Today it seems the moms are getting younger and the spot light is moving towards them.  Are our next generation of moms learning from reality based t.v. shows such as Teen Mom and 16 & Pregnant?  I think the goal would be to show these girls to wait until they are older, smarter, and more together but I'm not so sure that is the effect it is having.

I can say - after being a thirty-something mom who has watched those shows in their marathons - I am a better mom for seeing what situations those girls were in to get where they are now.  I am better in touch with what impressionable chicklets are filling their noodles with when there isn't anything better to do. 

It is so interesting what the entertainment world can teach you about motherhood.

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Mama is hungry.  Mama is watchin her middle.  Mama wants some....

IRWV Chicken

First off what is the deal with the acronym?  Well it is a long name so here it is in it's entirety:

Italian Red Wine Vinaigrette <sigh> Chicken

Here's the deal, I bought a bag of chicken thighs last week.  A lot of people steer away from the thighs because they don't like bones or they think it is all dark meat and offers no health value.  Wrong!  The thigh has white meat on it (along with dark), the bone adds in flavor, and generally in a bulk pack it is a smaller serving of meat.  A lot of people fry thighs but not this girl (not this time at least).  I threw four pieces in my Corning ware dish, poured a cup of red wine vinaigrette on the chicken, sprinkled with some Italian seasoning, and a dash of salt.  I let it all marinate in the fridge for a full 28 hours. 

Then we tossed it on the grill.  My husband isn't great at grilling chicken (everything but that....he's even grew on his burger skills, go him!) but after a trip in with the meat and return trip out to put it back on the grill - delicious!

I roasted some red potatoes with onions for our side.

Yummmmy!

Your mama wants you to fix this gem of an easy dish for her sometime!


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Make this cool Pin for your mom!

It is awesome and you can fill it with fresh fruit, veggies, flowers, sweets, candles, whatever!!!!  I may just make a few of these in the near future!  Mix up your embellishments and make it chic or funky.

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See ya'll tomorrow!

Be good to yourself -


Brownie

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Mother's Day will be OK!

5.7.2013

Yesterday the word was out that the secret number to insanity in the family is having three kids.  I was not shocked - that is why I stopped at two.  I felt the slight drainage of mental capacities after the second one arrived and I knew (in my common sense area of the brain) I could not handle three. 

I'm not putting down you three plus mamas. I have some friends who are in that category of having a kid or five. I'm just saying I am not judging you as you get that Rx filled or buy that extra bottle of wine!  Go on with your highly fruitful uteruses.

Did you watch Real Housewives of O.C. last night?  Lydia's mom is a nut!  Around here if you wanted to sprinkle "fairy dust" on a sales associate you may get asked to leave.  Celebrating her being pot free for a few months - may want to run a pee pee test on that one!  I must say I have a new respect for Heather.  She seems like she does do a lot with her kids.  I was impressed at the out to dinner with the kids but the kids have to do their homework while they wait on their food.  I don't know but that seemed somewhat normal to me.  I also feel like her issues with her hubby are very normal too.  What ya thinkin'?  I was totally unimpressed with Vicki having no backbone to her kids.  It comes to a point where you have to put your foot down in your own home.  Can I get an Ayyyy Men!?  Gretchen - yeah totally lost on that one.  I'm not sure what is wrong with her boy toy's son but if he's in ICU then he needs to be at the hospital not in the O.C. planning on making another baby with her.  But my friends.....that is the difference between a mom and dad sometimes.....I heard that Oh yeah!

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I get several emails a week from readers.  Some are really funny, some are sad, and some are just highly critical.  I do read the emails and it is fun to know when you relate to a post.  This morning I wasn't prepared for the email I opened from G.H. in Texas.  I wanted to keep the blog light and fun this week but I could not ignore so many people who are feeling loss at Mother's Day.

"For the first time when someone asks me what holiday I dislike the most I say Mother's Day.  I lost my mom in March to cancer.  You cannot imagine how hard it is to heal and in the midst of it all you are bombarded with Mother's Day advertisements, blog posts, magazine articles, television themed shows.  It really sucks."

I thought I'll email her back when I have the words.

Then it hit me....

She isn't the only human being in this world who is in a commercialized media focused society who has lost a parent this year, or last year, or experiencing final stages of anything with a parent.  I did send her an email and then I wrote this blog.

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Life is interesting isn't it?  Your born and the race is on.  The race to crawl, walk, run, play sports, make friends, jump from grade to grade, pass tests, drive a car, get a job, go to college, find a job, find a mate, have some kids, raise those kids, retire from that job, be apart of a group, enjoy your grand kids, pick out a casket, and die.  We are so much in a race to do things that we cannot seem to slow down at times and enjoy what we have - our blessings.  We are so focused on a goal or something other than what is right in front of us that one day we wake up and see that something is missing. Something that was right there with us - that perhaps we just took for granted - is vanished. Then we are mad.  Angry at the universe which leads to jealousy or envy over others having what we are now missing.  What we took for granted.

Sometimes we're so out of touch with the possible that we deem it impossible.  We are all to live in a fairy tale perfect life.  We are all to take dance class and be baseball pitchers who have mamas who bring the team fantastic snacks and supply the best end-of-year party at our schools that we cannot imagine it being different.

We will laugh at our moms and say cold words because we know they will brush them off and keep chugging on.  We don't expect any different.  We shouldn't - we live the untouchable life.

We will move away and live the high life only to find ourselves in that moment when we are sitting with our heads on our laps crying wishing she was there to comfort us.  Just knowing that she would do that will keep us moving on.

Work may tear us to shreds but she will call to check on us and annoyingly we will sigh - secretly thankful she called.  Secretly, feeling better when we hang up.

She will cry when we try on that white dress for the first time.  She will be strong as we say I do.  She will drink a very large glass of wine when it is all said and done.

Then the day may come that you may have a baby of your own and as you are scared and wondering how bad it will hurt and how long it will last - you'll see her and realize it is doable and you will walk away from it unharmed with a bundle of joy.  To that bundle you will be her.

That's what is destined to us all in our dream lands - in our fantasies - and in our human thought processes.

Sometimes there is another plan.  Sometimes our lives deviate from the conditioned norm we have in our brains.  Sometimes we have to accept that our experience will be different.

Sometimes we only get her for a little while and she has to go away.  Physically she returns to what she was formed out of.  She may not have a chance to zip that prom dress for us, hug us when we walk in the door on a random weekend home with a trunk of laundry.  She may not physically be there to see that veil over our eyes as we walk down an aisle.  When our boss speaks unkindly - we can't pick up the phone to get our number one cheerleader to pull us up and threaten to come down there.  When the baby is born she's not there physically to hug us and wipe those tears.

It is so critical that we accept this: just because you cannot see her anymore does not mean she is not by your side every step of the way in this world. 

Those lessons she taught you while she was here are still with you and have made you who you are. She lives in those lessons.
Those funny moments that you were given with her are never going to stop the laughter she imprinted on your heart.  She lives in those laughs and smiles.
Those hands that wiped your bottom, nose, hair from your face, and tears are now in your own hands - and if you pay the slightest bit of attention you will feel her skin on yours as you wipe those tears you shed this week away.  She lives in those hands.

Your mom may physically be off this planet but spiritually she's joining you in each day you walk this earth.  She's the favorite book from your childhood the smell that you occasionally catch that you swear is her perfume and it causes you to turn in the direction of the scent with a slight hope you see her smiling at you.  She was never taken away from your heart. 

She is with you - always and forever - until you are physically reunited once more. 

Mamas don't leave their babies - ever.

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I challenge you to celebrate your mothers this week.  Whether it is in the kitchen making her recipes, reading her favorite book, going to her favorite restaurant....do something that brings her back into the forefront of your mind this week in a positive way.  If she's still with you physically invite her along.

If you're dealing with a rough Mother's Day try writing her a letter and spilling it all on that paper or on that screen (trust me, it will cleanse your heart).

I hate to tell anyone to visit a grave.  I feel like that is just a sad place - to stand at a piece of cold granite and look at those engraved words but sometimes it has a true healing ability for us.  If you go take her favorite color of her favorite flower. 

Whatever you do - do not wallow in your loss but accept that though she cannot pick up the phone and call you at an inopportune time (it happened/happens) she is always a whisper, shout, and prayer away.

In closing today, one thing all good mamas want for their kids is for them to be smiling, happy and living this life to the fullest.  Maybe that's the best advice I can give you - live it up for your mom, when her kids are happy she is happy.

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You are loved -


Brownie

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Mother's Day Week: Food n Flowers

5.6.13

So if you are reading this you did not die from alcohol poisoning yesterday due to an abnormal amount of Mexican beer and or tequila intake.  KUDOS!

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It is a new week and that is a good thing, right?  This week we have a theme in Brownie World.  Our theme for the week is "Slap Yo Mama Good" - and you guessed it, it is in honor of Mother's Day.

Each day will be a few ideas for practical (and maybe a few not so practical) Mom's Day things.  I have recipes, crafts, and outing ideas for you.

I hope you will enjoy this week's blog.

If you have a mom who you don't celebrate with (for whatever reason, I think a lot of us have a parent we don't know or don't want to know eeek see Brownie can say it) then you can apply this to a special mom figure or a special mom friend(s) in your life. 

Of course this isn't mom only stuff.  That would be insane.

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I became a mama on 9.4.2007.  With that said I personally feel that the mama thing started once I accepted that it was REAL that there was a human being in my lower abdominal cavity.  It was probably the first time I heard a heart beat or the first flutter (or was it gas). 

This is her Janice (from the Muppets) impersonation.  In case you're going who?  Its the hippie girl in the 70's style rock band.

Last year I became a mom again 8.24.2012. 

And I also have my four legged child - he's the most well behaved of the bunch.    He's older than me so that's a bit weird (56 years old...in human years folks). 

Being a mama is the hardest job in the world.  Being a stay at home mom is a choice that should make us question our sanity but never our devotion.  And for the working moms - you made a good choice you do what you need to to be the best mama for your kids.

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Here's is an A+ recipe we had over the weekend.  This would be a terrific Mother's Day lunch or dinner if you eat pork.

Skillet Pork & Apples

Fresh Pork Chops
2-3 Granny Smith Apples
Original Mrs. Dash
EVOO

Core your apples and slice them - leave the peel on.

Evenly sprinkle your pork and apples with Mrs. Dash - you control your flavor do a little, medium, or a lot!

Pour out a tablespoon of EVOO into a saute pan over medium heat.

First go the apples.  They will need to cook for about 5 minutes.  Stir them up, don't let them sit.  You know they are ready when they are tender and the green is replaced with a yellowish brown tinge.

Remove the apples from your pan.  Add in another tablespoon of EVOO and in go the pork chops.  Cook these boys about 4 minutes per side.  You want the internal temperature to be about 140 degrees.

You know this is going to be good when a friend walks in - that is a male and says - something smells good and comes over to look at the pan!

I served this up with corn on the cob (I boil it in sea salt water with Old Bay for 20 minutes).

Delish, yum, finger lickin' good.

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Did you know 85% of Americans struggle over Mother's Day gifts more than they do Christmas gifts?  Not kidding!

I grew up in a family where a plant in a hanging basket was the way to go (or the easy way out....not sure...)

If your mom likes to garden flowers then she'll appreciate you buying her some great flowers for that flower bed she's going to work on next week or those hanging baskets she's been fixing up for the porch.

The woman did push you out of her vagina or have her guts removed so you could be cut out so the least you can do is buy her a good quality flower.

I would like to refer the flowers (annuals, perennials, shrubs and more) sold under the brand Proven Winners.  These are fantastic plants and you don't have to worry about some weird disease infesting her other flowers from these plants.  They put off a beautiful bloom and are just a lovely addition to any garden.  Go to this the website (link below) and you will find the best flowers for your mom's living area.  The site can automatically locate you and let you know what zone you live in.  I dare you to spice it up and give her something NEW this year - no more petunias!

I purchased some Lemon Slice flowers for my corner rock bed and they are stunning.  (Featured on the website this month). 

Check out their website for more information and to find a Proven Winners dealer near you.  If you are in Brownie World you can find some at Lowe's Home Improvement in town.

Here's the link:  Excellent Plants!

Fresh cut flowers or a floral arrangement from a florist are a good way to go if your mom has a brown thumb, no room for planting, or no desire to plant.  However, I challenge you to mix it up this year if you are a fresh cut/florist consumer.  Get creative with what you present the cut flowers in.  This is a great way to recycle.

If you are a jar freak like me sit down and get creative with that jar - paint, mod podge, embellishments, ribbon, etc.  You can make some amazing things if you give yourself an hour (your mom probably laid on the delivery table way longer than an hour ya know...)

Other cool ideas include cleaning wipes dispensers, plastic food (cylinder) containers (think powdered coffee creamers) and as always - glass!

If you need to save on some cash go by Sam's Club or Costco to buy your loose stems.  If live flowers aren't your thing and you want to do a piece that your mom can use check out Michael's for some great prices on silks.

Got kids? Get them involved.  Hand/foot prints, finger painting, etc is always treasured way more than anything you or me could make or the store could offer up.

Have fun!
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Be good and I'll get you some ice cream -


Brownie

Share it please hun!

Next week!

Next week Brownie World will undergo some blog changes:

More pictures
More recipes
A week long theme

I hope you enjoy it.

Thanks for your continued readership, correspondance, and feedback.

Have a terrific weekend & take care of yourself.


Brownie

Eggs n Biscuits Ole!

5.3.13

It is an egg and biscuit kinda morning - that's what is for breakfast around here.  I love my Fridays with my bambinos.  No preschool to rush to, no lets-see-what-we-can-cram-into-three-hours-before-it-is-time-to-pick-up-from-preschool rush, no worries over the baby's schedule....it is nice.

It is smooth as the butter that I use to make the scrambled eggs with.

It is light and airy as the biscuits that my child loves.

Ahhh Friday thank you.

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Biscuits are bad for you health wise.  I know.

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Today we may see something called sunshine here in North Carolina.  This used to be a common site but lately it has became endangered due to some crapola weather.  Hey here's a question - why do we blame the local weatherman when the weather is sub par?

I mean I guess we are human and have to blame someone but last I checked he or she really has no power in creating weather (unless you're that guy from the Fox channel that makes snow....)  If they did we could seriously be in a world of hurt!

Think about it - most meteorologists love some kind of "bad" weather.  Some are tornado fiends, others like really crazy snows, you've got your thunderstorm freaks, hurricane weirdos.  I really think it is a good thing that those "Let's look at the 7 day..." people are not in control of the weather...imagine if they became bored!

So I'm not blaming Lanie for this snap of dreary, cool weather.....it's ok girlfriend this too shall pass.

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Who caught Farm Kings last night?

In case you didn't the brothers began the beef side of farming.  I was laughing when they were looking at a breed of cow that isn't very "common" to America.  It made me wonder how much money these dudes actually have to spend - I don't think they are struggling.  Luckily, they settled for a few black angus.

I must admit I was a bit irritated with the whole issue of letting a brother go intern on a farm that this family wants to pattern after.  I couldn't quite wrap my brain around them not wanting to let him go.  Let's look at the reality of the situation - it is a reality show -

1.  It is a family of 10 or 11.  They all have a role that is ok and expected.  However, last season we were witness to "hired" hands.  Replacement for a brother would be a "hired hand" - correct?  Farm labor is cheap too.  Trust me, I know.

2.  This is an opportunity for hands-on experience at a farm they want to pattern after.  Why the Rhoad Island Red would you not want a family member to gain the first hand, true experience knowledge that can be gained by time spent actually working the model you want to pattern after.  Is it a jealousy issue?  A power issue?

3.  They showed where they wanted this one brother to man the pigs.  They have five pigs - seriously?  I know he does construction but to be honest on a farm all people do some construction.

4.  He's a kid - he needs to experience the world and get an opportunity to go away from PA and get a feel of the world for himself - farming or not farming.  I believe his sister agreed to this point.  I also want to remind us of the move from agri-life to industrialization - the boys were sick of the farm, they wanted something new and they went to the factory....but the most important lesson.....after a while they longed for the farm. 

5.  I still love this show.

What else went down last night....the proof that the mom is pretty smart!  She'll get a post next week in our topic of the week.  If you have ten kids then you have to be creative and totally blessed.  I loved the way she got her garden going with the help of a creative way of getting some kids together -  Remember that shirt I lent you?  I need it.  Remember that pot I cooked the stew in?  I need you to bring it over.

I will use that ammunition one day.  It is stored in my mommy brain bank.

Anyway - catch up on Farm Kings by checking your local listings for GAC (Great American Country) - if you Directv then it is channel 326.

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What's up this weekend?  It is CINCO DE MAYO!  Here's a recipe for your celebration:

1 case of Dos Equis
1 case of Corona
1 case of Tecate
3 bottles of Tequila
7 limes
1 salt shaker
Some sweet n sour mix

Drink up and use that Spanish Dora taught you the other day.  I hear if you drink enough you will naturally speak a different language.

Ok here's a real recipe:

Creamy Salsa Dip:

1 cup of Mayonnaise
1 cup chunky salsa of your choice

Combine and serve with veggies

How stinkin' easy.

Buenos dias muchachas!

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Hasta La Vista mis amigos - see ya next week!


Brownie

Its a new day!

5.2.13

Happy Thursday and second day of the fifth month of the thirteenth year of the 21st century.

I think I got that right.

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It is Demented Thursday.   I haven't seen my grandma today because my aunt took her to her usual appointment.  However, I did want to share some dementia prevention with you.  This has taken off as one of my top blog post topics for my readers - thanks for the love.  I also think it is kinda sad because it mimics a common denominator for so many of us....neurological disease.

I have had some fun telephone calls from my grandma lately.  Last week she called to tell me my mother was stealing her medications.  (Because everyone knows that Aricept has a high street value...I really don't know but I would think not --- I have heard of cinnamon abuse but not granny's Alzheimer's med abuse).  This is typical of an alz patient to think people are doing things against them constantly.  It can really make you angry but you have to remember the personality you knew for so long has well...so longed out of the picture.  Sometimes she calls and when I answer she acts like it was I who dialed her up.  Those are really fun times.  Conversations tend to go like this:

Me:  Hello?
Her:  Hello?
Me:  Hey mom-o.
Her:  Oh hey (insert wrong name here).
Me:  How are you?
Her:  Bad.  I'm just bad.  I don't feel good at all.  (Normal response)
Me:  Oh no, that's no good.  You should lay down and get some rest.  Do you need something?  I can come over.
Her:  No, oh no.  I'm fine it is just hard getting old.  I'm old you know.
Me:  Have you had a good day otherwise?
Her:  No.  I don't feel well.  How are the babies?
Me:  Good.
Her:  Well I won't keep you.  Thanks for calling.
Me:  Anytime. Call me if you need me.
Her:  Ok talk to you later.

(You forgot who called who too didn't you)

Yesterday, while we were on a dance photo adventure of sorts, she called my house and got the machine.  My husband got the message before I did and when I got home he was smiling as he said - "Listen to that message."  I immediately went to caller ID to see what to prepare myself for.  It was my grandma's name and number so I braced myself for anything.

The message was about sixty seconds of her mixing up names, forgetting briefly, coming back into play and getting mad at herself.  Sixty seconds of hearing a happy voice turn to a confused voice to an angry voice. 

Don't we all have those days?  Things just don't seem to go together or even come out the right way?  I imagine alz/dementia to be those days consecutively and progressively getting a little worse as time goes on.

I'm more focused these days on keeping my mind sharp - or at least trying to sharpen what I feel has become a little dull due to the constant use of baby talk, kindergarten and first grade skill teaching, and discussing life matters with my shihtzu old man (dogs are awesome).  You must admit that when you see someone suffer from alz/dementia you realize that the care tag on your genes must say "wash with like colors your doomed to be the same way" - - - maybe doomed is the wrong word but destined sounds like doomed with a princess dress on doesn't it?

Every day I practice these steps to help my brain stay strong -

1.  I make lists.  Check out this blog on why list making is critical.  Click Here

2.  I take a multi-vitamin.  This is so critical to me.  The importance of a once daily multi vitamin is incredible.  Since our diets tend to suck we can help ourselves out by making sure we get at least a little of what we really need each day.  For as little as $6 a bottle you can help yourself in huge ways.  That one over the counter pill is going to impact so much - your beauty, brain, and brawn are all going to experience great things from that simple multivitamin.  Yes, you need to lay off the Mickey Mac D's and you need to exercise daily but you can make an impressive small step by just taking your Flintstone, One-A-Day, Centrum, Nature's Way, Spring Valley, Equate, Target Brand, whatever multi vitamin.  However, before your start ask your M.D. - especially if you are on other medication and or you have a health issue in place.

3.  I exercise.  Here is the cool part - it doesn't matter what form of exercise you choose - you're going to benefit your brain (and butt).  Run or walk.  Zumba or yoga.  Lifting or karate.  Swimming or soccer - it doesn't matter!  Raise your heart rate, sweat, and do it to it.  Here's a link that goes a bit more in depth.

4.  Blueberries  I eat them like a mouse eats anything in front of him.  There are certain foods that have been identified to help out with mental aging and processing.  These include walnuts, blueberries, and fatty fish.  I am not a big walnut fan but I am a blueberry girl.  The coolest part is they are about to be in season in North Carolina!  They're already in your local store -devour them!  And no muffins don't count.

You ARE what you EAT!  Your cells reproduce off what we ingest and breathe.  I do not want my cells reproducing off of junk - fillers/artificial ingredients/things that make rockets shoot to Jupiter.  I want to keep myself in good health and shape and be able to remember when my babies were babies.

I love this site for info on your noggin.  Check out what they say about the nutrition and mental health link.

5.  I meditate.  This is not to be translated as me closing my eyes saying:  Dear God....  no that is prayer.  Meditation (for me) is totally leaving the thinking zone and entering a zone where I am not doing anything.  I am in pure darkness and I do not hear anything  - nothing outside of my zone can catch my attention.  My brain is cleared for ten minutes a day.  It wasn't easy to get in that true meditation zone.  I had to do it for a class a long time ago and never could seem to hit that whole zen area.  Over the past few months however I can enter the meditation zone easier, faster, and feel so much better.  Here's an example:  if I am up and out the door by 5:10am and my favorite show comes on at 10pm and I know I cannot nap I will meditate for ten minutes and I'm good to go until midnight.  That is freaky isn't it?  Ok to me it is.  Meditation is totally worth your time - all of us need to empty out the brain to refuel and refocus and reset the body.  So many of you have sent me emails giving me hints about some struggles you have - so I challenge you to start meditating and practice letting go for just a few minutes every day.  It really has helped melt stress and make me a more alert and active and better person.


#EndAlz

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I had asked in a previous post - When do you read Brownie World?

Jessica in Colorado emailed me to say she reads it when one of her coworkers gets on her nerves - she said Brownie World lets her focus elsewhere and forget the drama and not worry about losing her job.  She said her boss also liked to read my Demented Thursday posts! 

In my best SNL Miley Cyrus impersonation        Purdy Cool!

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Be good to your brainy selves -


Brownie

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Re-Model-Ing

May 1st, 2013

May is typically a home improvement month for me.  Each year I do something new to my home during this very month.  Last year I was painting a nursery and a new bedroom for my husband and I.  We had electrical work done including installing new lighting and plugs. 

Last May, we also brought this circa-1930's-home a new feature that most in America cannot seem to live without - central heating and air.

I grew up cooling off by a window a.c. unit in the balmy southern summers that typically begin in mid May and end in late October.  My body evolved to accept a small, loud, window contraption's forcing of cold air through a house for 17 years. 
I can tolerate heat extremely well thanks to that machine's distant nurturing to the sweating child's forhead, armpits, and legs. 

When I went off to college I had a window unit in my first apartment.  It didn't matter much then to me - I spent more time away from my square of a bedroom, kitchen and bathroom than actually in it.  My then boyfriend had a great little townhouse with plenty of icey cold air for when we were there. When I moved to my next apartment I was spoiled for several reasons.  1.  It was a new construction.  That meant the carpet was new.  The walls were fresh.  The central heating and air was well existant!  I must say it was very spoiling. 

After getting married it was back to a window ac unit - but it wasn't a shock to my system.  I dealt with it through a pregnancy, new baby, being heavy, being thin.  I am conditioned to tolerate humidity and heat due to my habitat and I am also conditioned to not being inside much.  I guess you call that lucky.

One May I decided to texturize my livingroom walls and paint them.  The walls in our house are plaster.  Remember this is a 1930's-construction-piece-of-art people.  Sheet rock what?  Needless to say plaster doesn't age quite as well as sheet rock and there were lots of blemishes and imperfections on the walls thanks to that witch called aging and multitudes of tennants throughout the years. 

The inspiration for texturizing came from a local winery.  They texturized with a cement style mixture.  My mom and I got creative for a couple days and got it all done.  Four years later I can say I still like it.  Yes, I like it as we start to move towards the dawn of prepping to hang sheet rock.  Oh my.

Every May (and every day) I focus outdoors.  A few years back we installed new picket fencing.  Treated wood picket fencing- and painted it white.  I will never ever do that again.  It just isn't worth it.  Next time - if ever again there is a next time - we will purchase plastic.  My fence today is faded out, stained and not bright and beautiful.  I have a feeling it will be coming down eventually....maybe next May.

This May will prove to be no different from years past.  You all know we are entering the throws of remodeling this old house - which poses the question: where is Bob Vila to do the free work when you need him?

Today, May 1st. 2013 the kitchen designer will be coming out to see the room as it is and try to get a vision of how it will be.  The estimates are piling up on the kitchen table.  The stress is starting to hit.  I ask and get no answers from people that I need to help me right now to get our part complete.  My husband, meaning no harm, only talks about the beast that is the remodel.  I have spent countless hours staring down paint, cabinets, flooring, decks, basements, layouts.  I am beginning to see that it is indeed more fun to do for others than for yourself.

I go to workout each day to let some of the stress go.  I would rather bite off the machine's computer head than my husband's or child's or a total stranger's.  I take a good eastern infused class to get re- centered and this morning I found myself not seeing my center or feeling it and instead making lists and getting irritated. 

Head down - lifeless
Breathe in - deep
Breathe out - slow
Repeat

May 2013 - you will be my month of tension - I see it now.  I just hope that you are my month of complete remodel - not just on the house but also on me.

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Find the piece that brings you peace -

Brownie

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