Remember Jumping Rope as a Child?

If you want a great workout, just pull out the old jumprope.

No need for fancy expensive equipment.

Just start jumping.

Think of all the jumprope games you played as a child and have fun as you gain endurance, strength and burn tons of calories.

Remember Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, turn around?

I am going to go get a few more jumpropes.

A long one so I can play all those games again with my own kids,

And a few kids size ones for my different age children.

I am telling you, it is a GREAT workout!

1. You can start by trying to jump 100 times. It is ok if you miss just jump until you reach 100.

2. Then put the jumprope down and do 10 push-ups, 10 squats and 10 lunges (10 on the right leg, 10 on the left leg)

3. Then jump again until you reach 100.

4. REPEAT the push-ups, squats and lunges.

5. Now you can add in kickboxing moves; punching and kicking.

6. Go back to jumping rope for 100 times and continue with this circuit for 20-30 minutes.

7. If you want to add more intense training, run up and down your stairs 5-10 times in the middle of it all!

PHEW! WHAT A WORKOUT!

If you want a little inspiration, just watch a group of children jumping rope.

Or you can watch this youtube clip of the boxer Floyd Mayweather dancing with his jumprope.

It is amazing! I am SO INSPIRED!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2B2Vrg1Y25c

Bless Our Happy Home

The snow is falling, falling, falling!

It is so beautiful!

I feel quite blessed to be able to have all of my children home today, even my big 19 year old!

We are all safe and sound and do not have to rush about.

Dear dad had to venture to work so prayers are with him for a safe journey.

Oh, the snow! From the inside looking out it is so beautiful and peaceful!

It seems to bring peace into my heart, also!

I am suddenly reminded of a time when I was a little girl reciting a poem for my Grandma and Grandpa Storm.

I guess this peaceful morning turned my thoughts to peaceful and happy times and the gift of remembering my dear grandparents who have long gone to their Heavenly home.

See how God gives gifts even when we do not look for them?

So here is the poem I remember memorizing and reciting for Grandma and Grandpa when I was about 8 years old.

The Little Doll by Charles Kingsley-1800's

I once had a sweet little doll, dears,

The prettiest doll in the world;

Her cheeks were so red and so white, dears,

And her hair was so charmingly curled.

But I lost my poor little doll, dears,

As I played in the heath one day;

And I cried for her more than a week, dears;

But I never could find where she lay.

I found my poor little doll, dears,

As I played in the heath one day:

Folks say she is terribly changed, dears,

For her paint is all washed away,

And her arm trodden off by the cows, dears,

And her hair not the least bit curled:

Yet for old sakes' sake she is still, dears,

The prettiest doll in the world.

~May you all find little gifts in your day today!

~And may God bless all of you!

~Love, Laura

Secret Face Potion

Recently, my dear hubby said my skin is looking really good and that it's really soft.

I thought, 'how sweet!'

Hmm.

I would've thought he was up to something if I didn't actually notice a difference in my skin myself.

But I have been trying out a new trick.

Do you want in on the secret?

It is super easy!

It is all-natural!

It has only one ingredient!

It has multi-functions! Not just a super-duper, make-your-face-look years-younger quality!

Do you really want to know what it is?

It's...

Lavendar essential oil!

2 drops on your fingers.

Apply to face.

Gently rub in an outward circular motion, avoiding the eye area.

Do this little trick for 2 weeks, though I noticed a wonderful difference in a week.

My skin looks younger, smoother and fresh!

If you do this before bed, the lavendar will help lull you to sleep.

Unless your hubby notices how great you look and then decides he wants to be up to something!

Hmm.

Skinny Monday

Move over, Fat Tuesday! We are armed and dangerous!

It's Skinny Monday!

We don't need a one-thousand calorie doughnut to make us happy.

We feel the happiest when we feel skinny!

Yes or yes?

Of course, yes!

Here is a plan to keep us eating clean and feeling skinny.

First, we want to keep our daily exercise going, whatever you decided you need to do. If you do not already have a plan, you need to get one! You can visit my post: Holiday Health Maintenance Plan from November.

Next, we need a good eating plan.
So after gathering up all the info from the experts and trying them myself, I will give a few sample days of good clean-eating.

Don't forget to drink your water, too!


Monday:

Upon waking: Hot lemon water, green or herbal tea

Breakfast:
Hot oatmeal with blueberries
2-6 scrambled egg-whites
1 slice of whole-grain toast

Snack:
apple slices with 2 tsp of natural nut butter

Lunch:
large veggie salad
grilled chicken breast
drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil &
Apple cider vinegar

Snack:
veggies
hummus

Dinner:
Grilled salmon
steamed veggies
tossed salad with lemon and pepper

Snack or dessert:
Plain yogurt with a drizzle of honey
fresh or thawed frozen berries
top with a bit of granola

Optional: warm water or herbal tea before bed

Tuesday:

Upon waking: warm lemon water, herbal or green tea

Breakfast:
Oatmeal pancakes
plain yogurt with a dab of honey and fruit for topping

Snack:
1/2 cup cottage cheese with berries

Lunch:
Homemade chili
1 slice of whole-grain bread
piece of fruit

Snack:
1/4 cup almonds, seeds and raisins

Dinner:
Grilled chicken or bison
Steamed veggies
brown rice

Snack:
1/2 banana with a dab of peanut butter


If you are tempted to buy those big fat doughnuts tomorrow, just read the ingredients and the fat and calorie content and guaranteed you will pass them up!

I think a beautiful yogurt parfait in a tall stemmed glass sounds like a wonderful alternative, don't you? You can even shave a bit of dark chocolate on top!

What one expert says:

"What you eat today, walk and talks tomorrow!"

Are we armed and dangerous?

Yes!

Are we feeling skinny?

Yes!

Are we happy!

Yes, and yes!

Love

Since Valentine's Day is just around the bend, I thought a little bit of 'Love' could be the perfect antidote for a cold, snowy day!

Love is the greatest thing in the world!

"And now abideth faith, hope, charity (love), these three; but the greatest of these is charity (love). I Corinthians 13:13

Love Inspires Love!

"We love him because he first loved us." 1 John 4:19

The Assurance of Love:

"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28

Love Sacrifices!

"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." John 15:13

~Earthly love is a beautiful thing and it brings us much joy! It also brings much sorrow and sadness!

Earthly love will never be enough! We will never able to love enough as long as we rely on our own ability to give that love.

Oh, we want so badly to fill the needs of others with our love, to take away the sorrows of loved ones, to be everything to our spouses and children, or even to be loved the way we feel we need to be while we are here on this earth.

And as much as we want to be everything to those we love,

we can't.

The only love great enough is the love of Jesus!

He is perfect love!

In Him, all our hopes, dreams and longings will come true!

His love is our love and His joy is our joy and He will continue to give of His love so that we can continue to give love on this earth, though imperfect it will be!

We do not have to fret or worry about our imperfect love for He is always there filling us with His love so that we can give that love to others!

Someday, we will know perfect love~face to face~ and all our dreams will come true!

Until then, we need only accept His love into our hearts knowing that our imperfectness is made whole through Him, that He loves us unconditionally and with the most PERFECT love.

~Recently, I have had to learn this very important lesson. I understand now.

I pray that the love of Jesus will always be with us all, for He is guiding us and filling our days with gladness right this very minute.

We only need to accept it and be glad!

Four Things

Four things to think about this month:

1. Replace every negative thought with a positive thought.

Example: I never have time to exercise, eat right, etc.
New thought: I have all the time in the world to do everything I want.
I am always tired. New thought: I have boundless energy!
I am never going to lose this weight! New thought: I am losing the weight easily and effortlessly!
Mind over matter really works! Just keep working on the positve thoughts!


2. Be consistent.
Just 10 minutes a day is all you need to be consistent with whatever you are working on. No need to get hung up about it. There is no pressure. Just take a few minutes each and every day!

~Exercise: jump rope, walk up and down your driveway, run up and down your stairs.

~Healthy meal planning: think of 5 healthy meals and put the ingredients on your shopping list.

Example: Chicken chili-chicken, beans, salsa & cumin, or roast chicken and vegetables-chicken, potatoes, carrots, onion, etc.

~Reading with the children: sit down and read just a few pages everyday and have them read to you.


3. Cut out the sugar! If you want to lose weight, have clear skin, a strong immune system, more energy and just a better outlook on life you have to cut out the sugar!

White, refined sugar is poison (and so is fake sugar so please do not think you are doing yourself a favor by drinking and eating aspartame, Splenda and sucralose-YOU ARE SLOWLY POISONING YOUR BODY, TOO!) and I am not making this up! Every single health expert will tell you that but most of us are NOT LISTENING! It is slowly killing us!

You can replace white, refined sugar with natural, good-for-you products!
Fruit is the best dessert and sweetener, full of vitamins, nutrients and essential fiber, but there are other options, too, for sweeteners.

One of the best is agave nectar or agave syrup (Costco is selling it right now at an awesome price!), which comes from a cactus plant and has a very low glycemic index which rates how quickly the food turns itself into sugar in the body.

Another is Sucanat, which is natural sugar cane found at the health food sections of many stores. It is like a coarse brown sugar with many nutrients and is a bit less sweeter than a more refined natural sugar.

Brown rice syrup, unpastuerized local honey, unsulphured molasses and maple syrup are great natural sweeteners, too.

You NEVER have to use white sugar again! Get it out of the house NOW, along with all of the products that list it in their ingredients! It will say sucrose, fructose, corn syrup etc.
It really is killing us!


4. Last but definitely the most powerful thing we can do: say 'thank you'!
Your life will change dramatically! You will become a more peaceful, happier person! Doors and windows that you never thought possible will open up for you! All of your dreams will begin to come true!

Say it over and over and over again!

You will see, feel and just know your life has changed immediately!


Just 4 things I am working on and thought you could, too!

Thinking of you with thankfulness,
Laura

Happy Monday Mantra

The alarm goes off.

Is it morning already?

Am I ready to face the day?

YES!

"This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will REJOICE and BE GLAD in it!" (Psalm 118:24)

This is the day the Lord HAS MADE!

I will rejoice and be GLAD in it!

We have a choice!

Be Glad or

Be Mad!

I am going to be glad! I am going to be GLAD!
I AM GOING TO BE GLAD!


I know! I know! It is not always easy to be glad!

But why isn't it?

Hmmm.

I don't know! I guess it is just as easy as it is hard!

I just have to make a choice!

So I am going to say my Happy Monday Mantra all day.

~When I have to wake the kids up 5 times: This is the day the Lord has made! I will rejoice and be glad in it!

~When I trip over stuff left on the stairs: This is the day the Lord has made! I will REJOICE and be glad in it!

~When I spend 30 minutes having to clean the kitchen eventhough it was clean when I went to bed: This is the day the Lord has made! I will rejoice and be GLAD in it!

~When the first child comes down the stairs and says in a sweet, sleepy voice: "Good Morning, Mama!":

Thank you, God, for this day you have made! I am so glad!

I am going to post it on my fridge, the bathroom mirror, near the kitchen sink and in the laundry!

The car would be a good spot, too, as crazy drivers and slow traffic have a tendency to make me forget that I am HAPPY TODAY!

I will go to bed tonight and dream of my GLAD DAY so I can have the same rejoiceful, glad day tomorrow!

Happy Monday!

And Tuesday!

And Wednesday!

And Everyday!