Fun Friday – 3 signs you may be tired and need to rest

You fall asleep during a doctor's visit

At the end of a hectic work day, I arrive home and press the garage door remote. The soft rumble of the door rising is music to my ears. In less than a minute I would park and relax. Park my car and park my butt on the couch.

Little did I know that rest would not come right away. I live with a teenager. Once inside the house I spotted a parade of shoes near the front door. This was followed by a jacket hanging off the arm of the couch and ankle weights in a corner.

“Somebody needs to clean the living room.” I yelled to anyone within the sound of my voice. All I heard was deafening silence. The culprit behind the cyclone left in the living room, was in his room with headphones on and playing a video game.

Too tired to get into a debate with my teen, I scribbled a note, clean the living room, and taped it to the corner of his T.V. screen. I retreated to my bedroom to relax and read, within ten minutes I was asleep. Guess I was more tired than I realized.

Below are three signs you’re tired and need to rest.

·      While eating lunch with co-workers, your eyes begin to slowly close, until both eyelids unite as one.

·       You watch an evening movie at the theater with friends, but the only thing you remember watching are the credits.

·       You take a nap during your lunch hour at work.

What would you add to the list of signs that you’re tired?

Words of Wisdom – You get what you expect

Expect greatness.

Expect your dreams to come true.

Expect a breakthrough.

You get what you expect.

Today say to yourself, “I expect good things to happen to me.”

Believe it.

Fun Friday – Air Travel – 5 things you must know

The best part about flying, is going through TSA (Transportation Security Administration) check points. Have you ever heard anyone declare this as a truth? Well, I know it to be so.

Some people dread that line that snakes back and forth around metal pole stanchions, which end with a request to view your boarding pass and photo identification. I felt the same way until…something beeped and I was asked to step to the side.

My long twists were pulled back in a ponytail with some dangling over my chest. The TSA woman pulled my hair back with her gloved hands, then gently squeezed the top of my head. Next she rubbed her hands across my shoulder and down my back.

My body almost went limp as I relaxed for just a minute. I told the kind woman, “Could you do that one more time? My shoulder is stiff on the right side.” She showed me her pearly whites and moved on to the next traveler.

I enjoyed a head and back massage and didn’t have to leave a tip. I’m not yet a seasoned air traveler, but I have learned a few things along the way. Below are five things you must know if you’re planning to travel by airplane.

1.      Wear clothing that does not require a belt – this will mean one less item to remove when going through security.

2.      Wear socks/footies – 90 % of the time you will have to remove your shoes. The other 10%, you may be lucky and receive the priority check-in.

3.      Take a neck pillow – this is convenient for you and the person seated next to you. The neck pillow could potentially prevent you from dozing off and laying your head on a strangers shoulder.

4.      Ear buds – good in the event that you want to pretend you’re listening to music or you can really listen to music.

5.      Pack your patience – don’t leave home without it. You probably already know that things don’t always go as planned. Take a book, word search puzzle, something to occupy your time in the event you experience a delay.

The next time you’re considering you flight plan, remember the must haves from the list above. What would you add to the list?

Wordless Wednesday – National Selfie Day

National Selfie Day is celebrated on June 21^st. Observe this day with a form of self-portrait…post a selfie. In fact post 3 of your favorite selfies. What memories do these photos generate?

Tell your story through a selfie.

Muffins with Mom – Days of Nostalgia

“Have you ever been to Bungalow Island?” My teen son asked.

“No, I’ve never heard of it.”

My son recanted the stories he’d heard at work that day. The older staff were talking about a place, an island, where all the teens hung out in the Detroit area.  I said, “Do you mean Belle Isle?” He tried really hard to make me understand what he was talking about.

“Nooo, it’s an island that you have to take a boat to. Teens liked to go there.”

“Hmmm….Oooo. You mean Boblo Island. Yes that was a lot of fun. The boat had three levels, there was dancing on one level, a snack bar and a gift shop.”

Boblo Island was located in Ontario, Canada. We left from a dock in Detroit and once at Boblo, there were all the traditional amusement park entertainment. Rollercoasters, the water log ride and lots of cotton candy. The boat ride was as much fun as the amusement park.

On the night ride home, the breeze was cool, but the lights around the deck provided a serene feeling. Sitting on a deck chair with a stuffed animal won from a game, not a care in the world; that was the effect of a ride on the Boblo boat.

Boblo was around from 1898 until 1993.

Boblo Boat
photo credit: Metro Times (all photos)

My son said, “Ma, how come you never told us about Boblo.”

“I guess, I hadn’t really thought about, until now.”

What events of nostalgia have you shared with your child?

Feel Good Friday – 5 Tips for celebrating Fresh Veggies Day

Sweet Corn & Black Bean Succotash
Recipe here

Treat your body right and it will treat you right. You can start by celebrating Fresh Veggies Day. This special day is celebrated on June 16^th. Have ever felt like you just don’t eat enough veggies or you eat the same veggies over and over again? Make a change today.

Summer is an ideal time of year to introduce new vegetables at mealtime. There are items you can pluck from a garden or seasonal selections to try. Select fresh veggies over frozen.

Below are three tips to start you on your way to celebrating Fresh Veggies Day.

·         Shop at a farmer’s market or other open market.

·         Serve vegetables at every meal and snack for the day.

·         Start a vegetable garden f your own.

·         Have the kids or other family member help select a new veggie recipe.

·         Make an effort to add more veggies to your daily meals.

Skillet Squash Medley

Recipe here

Cranberry Almond Broccoli Salad
Recipe here

What tips would you add to the list for celebrating Fresh Veggies Day? What is your favorite veggie recipe?

Words of Wisdom - Faith and Wealth

Need a little inspiration? Check out this video

YouTube Video Credit: Patrice Washington - Published June 23, 2017

Fitness Friday - 5 reasons to build fitness into your life

Reflection of a mother son race to the finish

Early morning before the birds chirp and the sun makes its appearance, a group of ladies show up at the women’s fitness gym. The common thread shared by all, is the goal of a healthy lifestyle.

In light of the warm weather, we begin the morning with a warm-up outside. Sprints were the flavor of the day. We lined across the empty parking lot, in a read-set position (however that looked for each person).

Fingertips on the ground, butt in the air, I was ready. The count began, 1-2…3. I took off like a race horse out of the starting gate. At least that’s how it was in my mind. When I looked around, I was at the back of the pack. And that is why you focus on YOUR personal best.

There is a reason that horses wear blinders during a race. It is to keep the focused and on course. When you establish a fitness routine, compete against yourself, not someone else. We all exercise for different reasons, but here I’ll share reasons fitness is important.

Fitness is important for Activities for Daily Living (ADL). Here are 5 reasons how...

1.      Mowing the lawn/shoveling snow – you need strength in your arms

2.      Reaching for something on a shelf – shoulder strength, arms

3.      Getting dressed – something as simple as this we take for granted, until we are impaired in some way. If you’ve ever had a broken arm, leg or shoulder pain, etc., it makes getting dressed a challenge

4.      Getting in and out of a bath tub/shower  -  you need to be able to bend, squat, lift your legs

5.      Carrying groceries – how about that 24 pack case of water you like to have on hand? You might have to carry in from the car to your kitchen.

Bonus

6.      Carrying a purse/laptop bag – you need shoulder strength

Get up, get moving, and build fitness into your life. What would you add to the list of reasons to build fitness into your life?

Words of Wisdom - Vacation Season - Make time for play

Enjoy life. It's not a sprint, it's a marathon.

My niece Norvena - celebrating her birthday.

"Always do what you are afraid to do." Ralph Waldo Emerson

"People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it." 

George Bernard Shaw 

Motivational Monday – Health, Healing and Humor – 3 ways laughter has healing power

New Hope Women's Day Prayer Breakfast

The banquet tables were set up to receive an anticipated 200 guests. Women and a few men filed into the room ready to be fed and not just because breakfast was being served. The event was a Women’s Day Prayer Breakfast.

On the menu was food, an encouraging message and humor. My role was to deliver the humor. My self-imposed goal was to demonstrate how humor can be used for healing. If one person laughed, I considered this successful (well, I wanted more than one laugh). People laughed without realizing they were experiencing healing.

In case you’re wondering, let me tell you 3 ways laughter has healing power.

1.      Humor relaxes you –laughing works against chronic stress (psychcentral.com).

2.      Humor reduces stress – researchers suggest that “anticipating a positive event can reduce stress hormones (psychcentral.com).”

3.      Humor comforts – like a bowl of chicken soup, humor can comfort. Think of it like magician or clown making a sick child laugh.

As breakfast plates were removed from tables, guests began to file out of the room. I was humbled by comments such as, “You were hilarious” and “you were funny, I could relate to what you said.”

Find a reason to laugh every day, just for the health of it. Use humor for your health and healing.

“A happy heart is good medicine” - Proverbs 17:22

Fitness Friday – 3 Tips to get your body summer ready

A-Train's Superfit Memorial Day Workout

Summer camp is not just for kids; why should they have all the fun? Get your body in shape by joining a summer boot camp. It’s not as scary as it sounds.

Our Bikini Body Fit Camp kicked off today at the women’s fitness gym. We grunted, groaned (maybe that was just me), and endured. The trainer encouraged us to work our comfort level, but also challenge ourselves. “You’re only competing against yourself. Don’t worry about what the person next to you is doing,” she said.

Sweat rolling down my face, I pushed through one more body weight squat, one more donkey kick, and one more rope slam. At the end of class, I felt energized and ready to tackle the day.

Whether you only want to show off your sexy ankles, or step out in a bikini, get your body summer ready. Below are 3 steps to get your body summer ready.

1.      Sign up for an exercise class – If you pay for a class, you’re more likely to hold yourself accountable.

2.      Give yourself a nutrition check-up – are you eating the right foods? If you don’t feel you’re eating healthy, change one thing today.

3.      Get an accountability partner – work out with a friend.

If you’re in Michigan, join us at A-Train Superfit. Bikini Body Fit Camp – Booty & Core, meets on Fridays – 20255 Rawsonville Rd., Belleville, MI 48111. Checkout the website for schedule details by clicking here.

Have you ever heard the saying, “if it was easy, everyone would be doing it?” Beginning or maintaining a fitness regime can be challenging at times, but the end result is worth it. Get up and get your body moving.