Food for Thought

Happy evening.

Ever craved something and could not find it at the store? For me that item is Cuties Clementines. I asked for them the other day at the store, and came to find them today. Much to my chagrin they did not have them. Even though I have been CRAVING Cuties for 2 weeks now, I realized that sometimes I have to accept that I cannot always have what I want. So instead of Cuties, I decided on some deliciously plump blackberries. They are not Cuties but they are still good. I will continue waiting on my quest for Cuties.

Just a bit ago I was reading a free local magazine "Natural Awakenings" and came across an article titled "Foods that Fight Pain: A Tasty, Colorful Banquet". It left me feeling a little better about my early purchase of blackberries. Here is why:

Cherries, Blackberries, Raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries. These fruits contain compound which works an anti-inflammatory and is 10 times more effective than aspirin according to Michigan State University Researchers.

For more information on pain fighting foods check out the rest of the article here:

http://www.naturalawakeningsmag.com/Natural-Awakenings/January-2011/Foods-that-Fight-Pain/

Cheers to pain free with fruit
!Eliza!

Also a special thanks to http://www.cutiescitrus.com/ for the deliciousness, please get them to a store near me before I lose my mind!

Disney's Enchanted - "Happy Working Song" (Actual Footage)

Good evening or good early morning

As usual i start out my day by making a to do list. Todays list included a LOT of cleaning! For the most part, I got everything done that I set out to do. And it was such a feeling of accomplishment!

On top of that my apartment is now clean and the positive (if i have feng shuied properly) can flow. I even cleaned the bathroom sink.

I encourage you to tidy up your bedroom or clean up all the dishes tomorrow before you go to bed. When you wake up in the morning, it will be a nice fresh start without the extra clutter.

I am going to include a list I found on Woman's Day to help with cleaning;

Pare down countertop clutter to what you use every single day, and store—or get rid of—the rest. “Most of us use only 20 percent of our kitchen products 80 percent of the time,” says Julie Edelman, author of The Ultimate Accidental Housewife: Your Guide to a Clean-Enough House.

Save elbow grease “Disinfectant cleaners need to sit on wet countertops for five minutes to sufficiently get rid of foodborne germs and bacteria,” says Linda Cobb, author of Talking Dirty with the Queen of Clean.

Employ lidded baskets to hide toys, magazines and other items.

Flip couch cushions over and give throw pillows a fluff for an instantly tidier-looking sofa.

The shower curtain can be cleaned by wiping them down with hot water and bleach

Wipe down the bathroom mirror every time you step out of the shower, while the glass is steamy. And do the same to shower walls.

Replace bar soap with liquid soap displayed in a refillable, decorative dispenser.

Scrubbin Bubbles has wonderful products to clean the toilet: cleaning gels and the toilet brush make for a mess free touch up

Use plastic bins or crates to corral detergents, dryer sheets, softeners and other essentials.

Keep a plastic bag–lined trash bin in the room to toss lint from the dryer trap and other debris.

For the clean of bleach without the smell you can purchase scented bleach like fresh meadow and lemon that are not as harsh and work well for people who have a breathing problems

And for a bonus, cut up and old t-shirt or use old socks instead of paper towels. They are reusable and will save you a lot of money in the long term from not having to buy paper towels.

If you have young children who you would like to get to help, try motivating with this song from Enchanted: Happy Working Song by Amy Adams.

Happy cleaning,

~Eliza~

achy abs

Hello how has your evening been?

Mine has been slow. After playing games online for what must have been hours I finally coaxed myself out of the chair (with chocolate as motivation) and into my yoga clothes. Grudgingly I laid out my yoga mat and turned on one of my many dvds. I am not as flexible as I was during the height of my yoganess. Back then I could make it though about 10 minutes of this particular dvd. Tonight I didn't quite make it that far, but that is okay.

It has always been my opinion that the first time you do something is always that hardest. So although I didn't quite make it to the 1o minute mark it's okay, because I put forth the effort and took the first step back into staying fit. I am thankful that my foot has finally healed enough that I am able to work out once again.

Blessings,

~E~

Goals

Good Afternoon fellow bloggers.

Do any of you make lists of goals? Kind of like new years resolutions but nothing too strict. I usually make lists of my goals twice a year-once around new years and once at the end of summer. Just some things I'd like to work on. When I make my list or lists (short and long term) I like to share it with someone, that way I might be held better accountable and have a better chance of achieving my goals. So this goal writing session, I would like to share my goals with you.

1. Do something intellectual with my time.

2. Improve my GRE scores to 1100.

3. Improve my posture. (I am going to try and set alarms on my cell phone as reminders).

4. Try to say more positive things.

5. Actively seek a job (devote some time every day to the job hunt).

6. Actively search for grad school (email and try to contact professors, make visits).

7. Make it to New Orleans for Mardi Gras.

8. Get my foot healed (2x daily exercises for it).

9. Volunteer or get an aquarium job.

10. Get into a set daily schedule.

Do you have any goals or resolutions? Let me know if I can help you with it, please ask how mine are going!

Cheers,

~e~

Lazy Day Delight

Good evening.

I don't know about you but I am one of those people who has a hard time relaxing when there is an opportunity for a lazy day. I typically find myself being restless and annoyed that I haven't done anything with my day and am usually unable to just sit and do nothing. Today most of the town was closed due to inclement weather, SC was declared to be in a state of emergency. It was windy, rainy, cold, and icy. Today was the perfect opportunity to have a lazy day.

Today I had a lazy day, and enjoyed spending time with my boyfriend. I was, for the most part (I made breakfast for us), able to just lay in bed relaxing, talking, and watching a movie. Now I'm sitting here watching the BCS game and playing on the computer. It's almost midnight and I really haven't accomplished anything with my day...and I am 100% okay with that.

I hope that each of you, if you have the opportunity, are able to have a completely relaxing lazy day. :)

~eliZa~

End of the Day Relaxation

I was reading the magazine "All You" and found an article about how to relax at the end of the day. Here are a few of the things readers wrote sent it:

"I grab myself a cup of hot tea, grab the mail and disappear into the bathroom for 10 minutes or so...after a challenging day at work" ~ Elaine Golden

"At the end of a long ..day all I want to do is let myself go. On my drive home I crank one of my favorite tunes and take a deep breath, then slowly exhale, leaving all the anxiety behind"

~Paige Carter

"I clear off my desk before I go home. It's a visual and mental indication that I'm done. When I come back the next morning, I don't feel overwhelmed by a messy work space" ~Tammie Sayre

"As a personal trainer, I make sure to take the time every night to do some stretching and breathing exercises. It releases my tension and is really good for me." ~Julee Daniels

What kind of things do you do to relax?

~eliza~

Family

Hello and good evening.

Today was my last day visiting my family. Although I saw her yesterday, my mom, dad, and myself went over and spent time with my grandma. As I live away now and only come to visit during the holidays its easier to notice changes that have been gradually been taking place. My grandma is in her 80's and this visit I really have been aware of how age is taking its toll. I makes me sad to see her struggling with her arthritis, and hearing her forget the simple words in a sentence while knowing that she realizes and is embarrassed by these simple mistakes she is making.

I almost spent my last day in town catching up with an old friend, but instead decided to spend some more time with my grandma. I am glad I did. Life is too short to take things for granted....too short to take for granted that she will be here next time I come home in another 6 months. Until I see her next time I will have happy the memory of cooking a dinner for her that she enjoyed(she is a VERY picky eater so this means a lot).

Tell your family that you love them; you never know what tomorrow will bring.

~eliza~