10 Ways to Look 10 Years Younger

So much of looking younger is thinking and feeling younger. Our faces, bodies and attitudes are what create a total, youthful package.

I recently saw Iron Lady with Meryl Streep. I think she is an absolutely a fabulous actor and watching her on screen as she depicts Margaret Thatcher, was a marvel. I watched the way she walked, her posture, to say nothing of her incredible makeup and saw how she carried herself as a young, confident Thatcher and as the older Thatcher. It’s an insightful look at youth and age in one film.

English: Margaret Thatcher, former UK PM. Fran...

Margaret Thatcher Image via Wikipedia

Here were my thoughts on looking younger as I viewed the film:

  1. Posture: The way you carry yourself tells a lot about your persona, age and attitude. Holding your head high and your back straight goes a long way toward looking and feeling younger.
  2. Dress: A youthful look dresses to body shape, emphasizing the best features and curves. The difference in her dress as a young Prime Minister compared to her later wardrobe was a great example of this.
  3. Makekup: As so graphically shown in the picture, makeup can transform your looks. That being said, I notice that heavy, thick foundations, don’t hide wrinkles. When you look at the makeup on Streep as the old Thatcher, you immediately see that there’s no way makeup could hide all the wrinkles and lines. The lesson here is to ignore the lines and work on the best features.
  4. Choosing Your Basic Makeup Go for sheer foundations that even out skin tone. Use concealer subtly and in the same color as your skin. Bright spots covering dark ones only shout SPOT! SPOT! SPOT! As we get older, our skin loses some of its color, but go lightly on blush and stay away from  purple or orange blush. Purple blush can look like you’re bruised and orange or coral blushes scream FAKE! FAKE! FAKE!
  5. Skin: A good moisturizer and sunscreen are your best allies. Dried up skin is not youthful.
  6. Lipstick: Yes, I know bright red is the new retro color. I think we’re retro enough already, so stick to the rosy ones but do wear something even if it’s a light gloss.
  7. Teeth: Healthy teeth and gums create lovely smiles, your biggest asset. Smiles and laughter are youth enhancing. Smiles can change your entire demeanor and leave a delightful impression, often enough that age is not even an issue.
  8. Hair: Ah…my nemesis! This would take an hour to write about but for now, just make sure it’s shiny and clean and has a flattering cut. Color and style again is something that news headlines are made of. The different ways Streep’s hair was styled for the different ages was brilliant and interesting to observe.
  9. Voice: Work on keeping it strong and clear. Sing even if it’s off key (in your car or shower, please:) and breathe deeply.
  10. Move Your Body: Sometimes feet, arms, legs ache. The key here is to find out what that’s about and then find good therapy for that. For a while my legs and back ached and it was sometimes hard to walk. A few trips to a physical therapist took care of that in a very short time.

Let me know if you have any other tips or if you have comments on anti-aging ideas. And if you enjoyed this article, I would LOVE it if you would “like” and” tweet” me. Simply click the icons below this blog.

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Happy Holidays!

It’s also a time when there’s a lot of creativity in making others feel in a holiday mood. Here in Alameda, CA, although it’s a small town, Christmas Tree Lane is always popular and fun to walk up and down. My favorite is the parents trying to answer the endless questions the little ones have. Click on either photo and it will take you to another version where if you click again, you can see a larger photo.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was so impressed with the following creative Christmas lights display found on UTube, in case you haven’t seen this.

From what I understand, the creator of this display is a computer genius as well as a fabulous designer. Open the link and see if you agree:

Best Christmas Lights Display

Then there’s the husband who is in a hurry to play golf and is definitely not a designer (yes, honey..I did hang the lights)…

A wad of Xmas lights hanging from roof

That's one item off my Honey-Do list!

One of the highlights of this season is the shopping trip with my grandsons (twins 14 and their little brother 10). While shopping for their dad, they really thought I should have this piece of furniture. (It’s bigger than my living room).

Three boys after shopping for Dad

This is an awesome piece of furniture

Whatever you’re doing, wherever you are, I hope you will savor each moment of the rest of the year and that the coming year will filled with joy, love and abundance.

With love and good wishes,

Dolores

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Don’t Let the Holidays Add Clutter: Here’s How

Photo of attic clutter

Gift Clutter

Seems that clutter is an inevitable part of simply being alive. It’s that part that nags at you in the background as “Should do”, ” Hate to think about it”, and “Why am I feeling like I’m always running behind?”

As we prepare for the holiday season, (yikes…it’s here again), we know what that means: lots of celebrations, too much food, lots of gift-giving and gift-getting and the ever-constant, “What shall I wear?”

Now that it’s all ahead of you, it’s time to start planning. Who hasn’t realized, after it’s all over, that many of the “gifts” are a waste of money, time and effort. And you also know that shopping, looking in store windows, listening to the holiday music will propel you into the spirit of it all (especially for the merchants) disguised as joy.

Don’t get me wrong. It’s fun to have a package or two to open during Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and other celebratory days. Now, the other side of the coin is a depleted bank balance, exhaustion, worry about what to buy, confusion, and, of course, where do we store these newly acquired items.

It’s interesting that all of these traditional celebrations started with honoring a spiritual or religious event but now have become so commercialized that the endless holiday music and “buy, buy, buy” commercials start even before Halloween.

But, getting back to gifts, shopping, etc.

Truth be told, many of us are downsizing and are trying hard to eliminate the clutter in our homes. How to celebrate without going broke is a major concern for  many who have no jobs or are on a limited income.

In thinking about how to prepare and celebrate the holidays, here are some ideas that can help eliminate clutter and allow celebration and fun in the coming months.

  • Give yourself the gift of clearing clutter from closets, cupboards and bathroom cubbyholes and cabinets (making room for what may come);
  • Gift others with items you no longer want or need by donating them to a local charity;
  • Start your gift-thinking now. What do your loved ones truly enjoy?
  • Purchase a pre-loaded credit card with what you’ve budgeted to spend. When the card runs out, so do the purchased gifts. Bonus: No extra bills to pay.
  • Keep your eye on the future: One friend has given her grandchildren savings bonds for every birthday and holiday, not the most popular thing with them when they were younger, but now that they’re heading off to college, they are extremely grateful. Truth be told, most children receive so many things they may play with for a few days and then lose interest.
  • Last year my grandson lit up when I suggested we buy some chickens for a farmer so that the farmer could start a poultry business. There are many places where help is needed and children seem to gravitate toward anything having to do with animals and people who don’t have enough to eat.One of my favorite charities is World Vision Gifts, where I can give the gift of an animal. There are others: Heifer.org, Gifts for Life,  Samaritan’s Purse, for example.
  • Small gift ideas for friends: Your favorite recipe attached to a box or jar of the ingredients (my favorites are a yummy hot fudge sauce and homemade granola); A framed photograph of something that includes that friend; a beautiful journal; a gift certificate to a favorite coffee house; homemade jam; etc. Nothing has to be grandiose, just thoughtful. One of my friends picks up small things throughout the year then packs four or five of them in a beautiful gift bag. None are expensive but opening each one is delightful (a refrigerator magnet like a miniature violin, a bag of raw almonds, jar of honey from her friend’s hive, a bookmark).

The hardest for me is shopping for someone who has or can buy anything they want. The most appreciated gift for the men in my life (sons and best friend), is a gift card from me offering to fix their favorite dinner at a time of their choosing.

There’s something about planning ahead that adds to the enjoyment of the season. The idea is to keep the list small, keep it fun, use your creativity and the holidays can truly be a celebration.

Have any great tips? Please share.

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You Are What You Leave Behind

Have you ever thought about how you might be remembered? I sometimes wonder if I will be remembered!

Recently I attended a memorial service for a dear friend. As always, there’s a sadness at a memorial service, despite the full church, the beautiful tributes, the outstanding reception…all things he would have loved. All were a tribute to him, only he wasn’t physically there. Yet I could see that his legacy of openness, warmth and his welcoming spirit were very much there, reflected in his family. He left behind a beautiful, loving family and a legacy of trust, generosity and kindness, which were part of what he was.

What struck me once again is how important family is, how fragile life is, and how strong love is.

It brought home many thoughts about life in general and left me wondering who would remember me. And were I to be remembered, what about me would they remember? What we leave behind is something most of us don’t like to think about, me included, but it’s not too late to do something about we want to leave behind. It’s important and has an impact on how we live our lives today.

As I looked around, I thought, “Look at what he left behind.” In the recesses of my mind I remembered a quote I had once read…I believe it was by the famous psychologist, Eric Ericson, that said, “You are what you leave behind.”

I’m sure you all have lost someone you loved or cared about at some time in your life. No doubt their passing left a vacant spot in your heart, a spot that now can only be filled with memories.

Although they’re no longer physically available, interesting things can happen with memories. If you extract the lessons learned from that person through your memories you will find gifts that are yours for the taking.

I’ll give you a couple of examples:

Photo of young woman

Mom in 1930

My Mom would have been 100 years old this month. Mothers are our first teachers. They help form our personalities and the way we are to a great extent. In the end, she left behind who she was…the mother of five children, many grandchildren and great-grandchildren…all the results of the 92 years of her life. Her legacy? A sense of fun and a great sense of humor. All five of us took that as our special gift.

My Best Friend for many years. I still think about her every time I go to one of the many neighborhoods where we lived in San Francisco as young, single 20-year olds. I don’t think I ever heard her criticize anyone in all the time I knew her. I always smile when I think of her and her down-to-earth way of seeing the best in people. I’m still working on that and sometimes ask myself, “Now what would she have done?”

I invite you to think about three persons you have lost, what your memories are about that person, and write down what gifts they left behind for you? When I did this, I felt a sense of gratitude and wondered what I would leave behind for my sons and grandchildren. What kind of an example or impact will I have in their lives? What lessons and gifts will I leave behind?

Usually we’re not aware of the impact we have on others, whether it’s positive or negative. The great news is that with understanding that who you are is what you leave behind, there’s time to make sure that what you leave behind is a rich legacy filled with love.

Sociologist Anthony Campolo tells about a study in which 50 people over the age of 95 were asked one question:  “If you could live your life over again, what would you do differently?”  Three things consistently emerged:
• Reflect more
• Risk more
• Do more things that would live on after I am dead.

If you want to create an intentional legacy, you need to rethink your priorities.”

And we can start today!

 

 

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A Call to Fearlessness: Discover Your Leadership Voice..

I haven’t forgotten you. I think about you more often than you would believe.

I’ve been working on a very special event that will take place in Oakland, CA on October 22, 2011. We will host Margaret Wheatley, author, speaker, thinker, in an exciting one-day event. Joining us will be community leaders, human resource managers and coaches…maybe you?

photo of Margaret Wheatley

Margaret Wheatley

In preparation for what to expect from this dynamic speaker, I picked up two of Margaret (Meg) Wheatley’s books, Walk Out Walk On, co-authored by Deborah Frieze, and Perseverance.

Walk Out Walk On takes us on a journey with people who have decided to walk out of one way of living and walk on to a life with a greater purpose. Perseverance is one of those small books you can dip in and out of when you’re feeling stuck or overwhelmed. I find it to be a positive way to start the day with an inspirational or fresh insight before life gets in the way of all I have planned for the day..

Meg has written six books, including Leadership and the New Science. This last book was on loan to me by a friend who told me it was required reading during her doctoral program. As I read the book, I came to understand why it was required reading. Her views and examples of leadership in communities shows her as one of the most paradigm-changing, thought-provoking leaders of our time.

Picture of McAfee singing

Barbara McAfee

Barbara McAfee, who will accompany Meg, is an organizational singer, musician and voice coach. She contributes an element of fun and high energy as she brings home Meg’s messages through song and voice. She was recently  interviewed about what she does on a webcast. In a highly interactive call, she gave us “voice lessons” as she demonstrates the different voices people can use to communicate more effectively.

After hearing her on the call, I can understand why she also is in great demand at conventions and other large events.

To request a link to her free webcast, go here and scroll down to about the middle of the page to the “request a link” button. To learn more about the event, go to this link which will take you to the details. On the website, you can explore the opportunities available for the event.

If you can’t attend in person, a simulcast you can watch in the comfort of your own home is available that day and for four weeks following the event.

Will you be there? If you are, make sure you tap me on the shoulder and let me know you’re Sixty and Sensational!

Use this special code and receive a 10% discount: SIXTYTEN

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Seniors and Politics:

If you’ve been watching the news and observing the posturing and rhetoric of our political parties, you may have felt dismayed, disgusted, frustrated or perhaps fearful. I have felt all those things along with helplessness. The stubborn beliefs, true and false accusations and opinions from self-appointed “experts” have left me confused about what purpose is being served.

Seems that every time there is an election on the horizon, deficit spending (the big culprit) is given a new definition (depending on which party is in power, of course) and there is an immediate attack on Social Security and Medicare Benefits. Talking on both sides of the mouth is the common form of debate. An example is how dirty the word “entitlement” has become. Ironically, it’s used only for Social Security, Medicare and unemployment benefits. Never mind that many of us have paid into Social Security for years, employers have paid for unemployment benefits, are  taxed on these “entitlements,” and recipients still pay taxes on benefits they’ve already paid for.

So what do we call the pensions to which lawmakers and politicians are “entitled?” Would they be willing to cut their entitlements? After all, their pensions and tax breaks are also entitlements. So far there is no evidence that any of them would give up their benefits. Why is this glossed over?

Robbing senior citizens of income they depend on could result in a sad, growing majority population of homeless senior citizens, the very population that has supported these politicians. This is also the most unemployable population. Because it’s a growing population there are quick accusations of how these seniors will rob future generations of their “entitlements.” No matter what seniors do, we seem to carry the brunt of the ills of the country. It’s ludicrous to what extent some politicians will go to be in the spotlight and comments, such as Rick Perry’s “Social Security is a Ponzi scheme,” will (sadly) appeal to a few misguided youth.

It would be nothing short of miraculous if these “leaders” actually spent more time doing something that would truly benefit our citizens. And miracle of miracles, what would happen if the person we’ve chosen to be our leader was actually supported rather than being fought at every turn? Obviously, people wanted change and now we’re back to fighting every change proposed, mainly for political gain.

So what can we do? Sophomoric though it may seem, I’d say to pay attention to what the many candidate say in the news, debates, ads, let go of preconceived political beliefs, and ask yourself:

“How will this really benefit our country?”

“How will will this benefit my family, my community, our children’s education and everyone else, including seniors?”

“Am I following political rhetoric or beliefs I picked up from parents, religious gurus, and other people who hold themselves as authorities, or is this truly what’s in my heart?”

I’m not an expert on politics and don’t even like writing about politics but these last few weeks have left me questioning my own beliefs.

 

 

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The Bombing in Norway

Memorial scene in Bergen Oslo

Memorial in Bergen

Hello Again!

Of all places one would never expect to hear about acts of terrorism, Norway would be at the bottom of the list.

Yet I was in the beautiful city of Bergen headed toward Oslo, Norway, when the bombing of a government building and massacre of 69 teens at a youth camp took place. One of their own citizens, a right-wing extremist, was responsible for this act of terrorism. For Norway, these acts of violence are unthinkable.

Actually, it was one of their own citizens, Anders Behring Breivika,a right-wing extremist who didn’t like how the government was being run and decided to make a statement against the labor party in the hopes of leading other extremists to start a revolution.

According to some of the news media, he copied the Oklahoma bomber’s recipe for making a bomb using fertilizer and other materials. Breivika is a farmer who had no trouble buying huge amounts of fertilizer from a local supplier. It seems he was a farmer with a double life – a respected citizen, and an underground political fanatic with terrorist tendencies.

Interesting that the first speculation was that it may have been an Islamic or Jihadist terrorist. In a way, it was a relief that he was caught so quickly and Norway was not being invaded by a foreign source. These assumptions as well as Breivika’s actions, make me think that extreme, fanatical beliefs can lead to violence and hate when they’re not tempered with reason.

Harmful beliefs are legion and people will follow extremists who bring promises of salvation, wealth, love, a better economy, etc. Beliefs such as being “saved” if you belong to a religious cult (remember Jim Jones?), that only people with certain beliefs serve God (suicide bombers, religious prejudice), and other persecution-type beliefs make no sense and, as we see over and over again, can cause immense damage.

I don’t know what we can do about this on a grand scale but we can certainly take small steps to create a more peaceful world. It would be wonderful if we, individually, could save the world, but that’s impossible. It can only start with each individual.

So today, would you join me in taking stock of some of the beliefs you hold that could be harmful either to others or to yourself? These could be political, religious, or self-esteem beliefs.

The litmus test for checking a belief: Does this belief exclude or would it harm people who don’t believe as I do? Maybe it’s time to take a close look at our own beliefs and question their validity.

By the way, I took the photo of the memorial which took place right outside the hotel where I was staying in Bergen. It happened the day after the tragedy and it was inspiring to see so many people gathering around the area, placing flowers and candles quietly and with great reverence.

 

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Summer Skin Care Tips


Picture of sunbathers at the beach

Baking in the Sun

Ready for some fun in the sun?

With the rain and cloudy skies this month, true summer hasn’t shown its sunny side yet. While walking by the water a couple of days ago, I realized that even though the sun isn’t showing its full force yet. it can still do some skin damage. I was glad that I routinely apply sunscreen the way I apply my moisturizer, all the time.

Here’s why. After years of ignoring the warnings, I noticed brown spots, bigger than freckles, slowly appearing on my face. They were more the size of almonds and I got concerned about what they were. A trip to the dermatologist who burned them off with liquid nitrogen made me get religion!. I had the mistaken belief that because I have olive skin, I wouldn’t have a problem with a lot of exposure to the sun. I also didn’t realize that sun damage to your skin is cumulative. The skin on my face still reflects the carelessness of my younger days.

Sad but true, as we get older our skin becomes dryer, more fragile, and is more easily burned in the sun. It’s still a shock to me how many women boast that they do nothing yet complain about or ignore the lines, spots and wrinkles that inevitably show up.

Now I’m a believer! The two best anti-aging skin care products are a good sunscreen and a daily moisturizer. If you simply make a habit of using sunscreen under your makeup, or even without makeup, you will go a long way to keep the sun from damaging your skin.

We sometimes take our skin for granted and forget that we have only one face and and our skin reflects the care we give it. After all, we want to look youthful for as long as possible. More than that, it’s a way help prevent skin cancer.

FIVE TIPS TO PROTECT YOUR SKIN FROM SUN DAMAGE

  1. Some makeup boasts sunscreen at 15, 20 or even 30. That’s not enough to protect your skin because ideally, makeup should be applied very lightly.
  2. Check the ingredients and AVOID: oxybenzone or vitamin A. Neither are healthy for your skin and could cause more damage.
  3. Don’t trust the SPF that’s too high (the number is length of minutes you can spend in the sun before reapplying) and make sure it has UVA protection. Regardless of the SPF, being in the direct sun for 70 minutes can still do harm to your skin.
  4. If you’re going to be in the direct sun, wear a hat that will give the biggest amount of shade possible.
  5. During the summer weather, if it’s hot and humid, you may not need a moisturizer as well as a sunscreen. Wearing both, unless your skin is extremely dry, can clog the pores on your skin.

Three listed below have no harmful ingredients as rated by EWG…the Environmental Working Group that researches chemicals in consumer products.  Their site is: http://www.ewg.org/

  1. Kiss My Face All-Natural Sun Sticks, SPF 30
  2. Tropical Sands All-Natural SPF 30
  3. Badger Sunscreen and Baby Sunscreen SPF 30+

Take a look at their website article that lists questionable or worst offenders. It has great information and ratings on the safety of chemicals used in products consumers buy.

___________________________

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Bored? 5 Ways To Leave The Bored Room

When life becomes boring, what do you do? When a job or task becomes boring, what do you do?

Boredom, and its close cousin, comfort, can be debilitating.

Where does boredom come from?

Many places. Lack of sleep, lack of goals, and absence of challenges, loneliness, maybe even a poor diet! I believe that the absence of challenges in your life will quickly turn into boredom, loneliness and low energy. It can also take on the mantle of depression.

We spend a lot of energy trying to get to a “comfortable” place. What drives us is the search for comfort is part of the human condition. We work all our lives to get there. When we feel successful at overcoming obstacles to get to a level of comfort, we forget that it’s the search that keeps the juices flowing whether we succeed or fail.

I’m not talking about physical comfort, such as climbing into your own bed after a hard day. What I’m addressing here is that boredom that leaves you saying, “Is that all there is?” or that feeling of “I hate what I’m doing,” or “I don’t have the energy to do this.” It’s that listlessness that we see in teens when their chief occupation is watching TV or texting. There is no real connection to another except for the electronic relationship. Personal connection with others is so very important in keeping boredom at bay.

The cocoon

It’s easy to settle into a cozy cocoon and stay there. I find myself slipping into that spot quite often. It’s nice. It feels good. If I stay in there too long I find myself gaining weight, looking awful and not moving very much. The parts of my body that are already going south take a fast trip to the bottom. To quote Alan Caruba, who once created a media spoof called The Boring Institute,  “Boredom is your mind demanding to be “fed”, “stimulated”, fulfilled in the same way the body must be fed and for the same reason we explore different foods as opposed to eating the same thing every day.”

So if you’re bored or your life has become boring, here are some suggestions based on what has helped me, of course.

What to do

  • Create a master list of all the things you want to do to and tackle them one at a time. Idle time is greatly overrated.
  • Start something new. Have you wanted to learn a foreign language, or learn pottery, or do some other craft?
  • Join a group where people have similar interests to yours, such as book groups, writers groups, artists gatherings, etc. Take a leadership role or become truly eng
  • If you have those boxes of pictures you haven’t opened for years, start with one box and start getting rid of duplicates, people you no longer remember, and divide them up to send to friends or relatives who might want them. Another option is to have them scanned into CD’s for easier storage.
  • Use your creative juices to turn a favorite, not so healthy recipe, into a healthy one.

The most important thing about all of this is to put your own self into it. If I’m doing something because I think it will please people, I do what I think they want and I’m left out of the loop. But that’s another article, and one I’m qualified to write because I’m a people-pleaser in recovery.

Till next time…be sensational!

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What to do When Time Flies?

A young patriot salutes heroes at the 2009 Nat...

Young child celebrates Memorial Day

Does time fly by for you? As a child, I couldn’t understand what adults meant by this. To me, time was an endless waiting game…for school to be out, for school to start, for Christmas, for Halloween, etc.

Now it seems that life literally whizzes by.

Was it only a few days ago that my twin grandsons were born? Now they’re almost 14.  I had almost given up hope of ever having grandchildren when they were born. Then two years ago I was thrilled to welcome twin granddaughters.

Even though I only see the babies every six weeks or so, I’ve watched them grow through personal visits and through my daughter-in-law’s generous use of Flip Videos, those amazing short videos that get sent through the Internet.

Watching their antics through the videos, I wish they’d never change. On the other hand, each new exploration and sign of growth is a delight.

Was it Barney Google who used to say, “Time’s a wastin’?” Even though “time” is just a marker of activities and change, we often do waste what we do with it. We all need times of quiet, contemplation and just being with ourselves. But time’s-a-wastin’ when we don’t move out of our contemplative state, memories of the past and possible dread of changes in the future.

So tomorrow we celebrate Memorial Day, designated as a time for reflection and remembering those who contributed so much to our country. Memorial Day also marks the end of one season and the beginning of another.

That means another summer, another graduation, and another celebration. We start planning vacations, attending graduations and changing our wardrobes from warm clothes to lighter summer wear.

What can you do to end the spring season with joy and move into summer with excitement and anticipation of what the next season will bring?

It’s not the big things that eat away at our energy. We plan for the big things. It’s the little things that nag at our energy and that keep us stuck. Here are some thoughts on little things that seem insignificant but will give you more “time” to enjoy the summer.

  • If you didn’t do your “Spring Cleaning,” start the summer with a declutter project.
  • Clean out sock and underwear drawers, clean and store sweaters, heavy coats and scarves.
  • Take an inventory of your makeup drawers and bins. Mascara, eyeliner and toothbrushes should be replaced every three months.
  • Create or look up new menus and take advantage of all the wonderful summer vegetables now coming into season, such as this recipe for chicken with spring vegetables from the Food Network.
  • Resolve to make this a healthy summer full of fun and appreciation for the life we have been given.

Yes, “time” really does fly. As changes take place, it’s a perfect opportunity to stop, reflect and be grateful, so take the day to honor the men and women who served our country as well as loved ones who contributed to our joy or who gave us life.

Then…get ready to enjoy your time this summer!

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