No 'do-overs'!

Where has the past month gone? Paul works, I work, he does yard work, I do the house. Sometimes we dance the dance with our family and find time to do a little something together but, honestly, there just isn't enough time!!!!

I don't know about you, but I don't enjoy living my life by a day planner. I don't enjoy running in a wheel like a little hamster....you know, going 90 mph and never getting any where. This is not how my husband and I envisioned our retirement. So after many, many months of searching our souls we have come to some hard decisions. We are moving back to Montana.

Why, you might ask? It is not one thing. It never is. It is adding up the sum and figuring out that what you might like your life to be and the reality of it are two completely different things. Ideally, we would prefer that our work was a hobby to be enjoyed instead of expected. Ideally, we would be able to pick up the phone and get together with our family and friends and not feel like we were imposing or that they felt an obligation to squeeze us into their already hectic lives. It is no ones fault. It's just the way life is. As far as I know life is rarely ideal. You have to take what it gives you and make the best of it and so that is what we are doing.

By moving to Montana we will have more time to spend together as a loving couple and not just act as ships that pass in the night. We will be able to sit and really talk to each other again, and not just talk, but listen to what the other has to say. We will get back to the old days. Work will come second to play because by making the move, it can. Paul will be able to hunt and fish and get his passion back, and I will be able to hike, quilt and scrapbook. Oh, how we have missed those things. We will not miss the pace of life in the city or the traffic. Our lives will slow down and our life expectancy will go up! The omnipresent pressure of the demands made on us here in Phoenix will fall away and we will drink in the clean air and smile again.

Now, don't think for a minute that we won't miss things about living here in Arizona. We will desperately miss our children. We will miss our grandchildren and parents. Not just a little, but a lot. But we had to weigh how much time we actually got to spend together with everyone against all else and hope that by coming back for the winters that we can fill in the gaps spent by months of being away and enjoy the time we can actually spend together. That is our fervent hope and we will do everything in our power to make that happen.

Happiness is an elusive beast but we are trying to find a way in this economy to make the best of what life has to offer. There is always a price to pay for change but it is with my deepest conviction that this change will be the last major one for a long while. May peace come with it and understanding from all. It is with my deepest love that I send this out to you.

Hey, I'm Famous (Sort OF)!

If you get the chance, check out a LifeStyle magazine. There on page 18 you will find an article and photograph about a 53-year-old lady who feels twenty years younger. Me!!!

I truly believe that everything that happens to us during our lifetime, happens for a reason. Why was it that I had to spend so many years battling low blood sugar? Why was I always so light-headed and weak? Why did my hormones have to rage so? An why did I have arthritis that was changing every movement that I made? Why the pain? Why was it always so hard for me to control my weight?

I know why now. It was so that Reliv could come into my life. Reliv has given me my health back. I ate 'healthy' and I got a decent amount of exercise but it wasn't enough and I felt so bad that I was open-minded enough to listen to information that I would have closed my mind to earlier on. Why is it that we have to hit the bottom before we can look up?

I have the answers to many health-related questions now. I am a sponge and love learning more about how the human body works. It really is a fascinating vessel and I get so much pleasure sharing what I have learned so that others can feel as good as I do. That is the 'why'! Life is so short and we need to enjoy the ride. The ride is fantastic but especially so when we can do it in good health.

Look at your parents health history and the ailments that they have battled. More than likely you will follow their path as well, so if you could change that path, would you?

A strong and healthy body can battle genetics and when you can achieve that in such a tasty and simple way......well, you decide.

Our Children Are Our Future And That Scares Me!

Go to any public place and look around.....now, look down. Look at the children. How many do you see that are overweight? How many children get constant colds or are battling diseases that used to only affect adults even a generation ago? Things like Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and depression. How many children have trouble sitting still or concentrating in school?

By and large, we as Americans are very lucky. We have grocers who stock the shelves with every imaginable tasty delight. Foods that bring pleasure and foods that are quick and easy to prepare. But look at the labels on most of those tempting foods and you will find that they are full of empty calories and very little nutrition. We are the most overfed, undernourished people on the planet and it is totally under our own control!

It's never too late to make the changes that will affect your children for the rest of their lives. You can start slowly by encouraging your kids to get away from the computer and tv and get outside. Go 'play'! Move! Have fun!

Next, it is up to us as parents to control what our children eat. They don't buy the food and can only consume what we allow them to, so we need to do what is best and what is right for their proper development, don't we? We can be an example for them by showing them that nutritious food is something to enjoy. It helps them grow up strong and gives them energy. We can set an example for them. Your kids pay attention to you, they really do!

Teach your children that good health depends on the right balance between what they eat and how much they move. It's never to late! Small steps make a big difference.

Sharing meals is an ideal way for the family to spend time together. It is a time that your children will look back on with fond memories when they grow up. I can remember sitting down to dinner with my family and everyone talking about what went on in their day. The food was what brought us to the table but the conversations kept us in tune with each other. Those were great times.

Studies have been done that say that the tv should be shut off during meals and snack time. The reason being that you need to focus on what you eat so that you make wise choices and don't over or under-indulge. Try it and see what happens!

Also, restrict your chidrens access to the refrigerator and snack cupboard. Reward them with praise and fun activities rather than with food. Involve your kids in meal planning and preparation. They are more likely to eat what they have helped to make.

A lot of these changes require time, I know. Time to shop more effectively. Time in meal preparation and time to supervise play. But all of this time may save your children from poor scores in school, teasing from thin friends and, more importantly, save them from ailments and diseases that will affect them for the rest of their lives. Isn't it time well spent?

We all love our children and I know we all want what is best for them but sometimes there just isn't enough time to do what is right by them. You can supplement them with vitamins but only 15-30% of any tablet actually absorbs into their system and the rest gets 'flushed away'. Vitamins have a daily recommended dosage on them and those standards were set back in the 30's when ricketts was what people were most concerned about getting. Now there is so much more. The fruits and vegetables that we do eat do not hold full value in their nutritional content because of the way that they are grown. The soils are depleted and they are picked before they are ready so that they don't spoil in shipping. Our meat are full of injected hormones. What is a mom to do?

By providing your children with a tasty Reliv shake a day you can not only meet, but exceed, all of their nutritional needs. Enzymes are included that help with healthy brain development and supports cellular development for clarity, memory function, learning and cognitive function. Antioxidants protect against cell destroying free radicals and the kids love the creamy shakes that fuel their day.

I have seen children improve their performance in school, get off of medications and become happier and healthier members of their own little societies. Life is good if you have the health to enjoy it! I truly enjoy working with families to achieve their healthy goals. Can I be of help to you?

Federal Government Guidelines to Childrens Healthy Nutrition

These amounts are based on preschoolers but you can go to MyPrymid.gov and customize the profile for your childrens age....

Your little ones should have 1,800 calories per day for proper development.

Incorporate 6 oz of whole grains every day and at least half of that should be whole grain. Just because bread is brown does not mean it's whole-grain. Search the ingrediants list to make sure the first word is "whole" (like "whole wheat")

2 1/2 cups of vegetables with lots of color should be eaten by days end. Go dark green with broccoli and spinach, or try orange ones like carrots and sweet potatoes.

1 1/2 cups of fruit daily are natures treat...sweet and delicious. Go easy on juice and make sure that it's 100%

2 cups of milk is a must for the calcium to build strong bones. Look at the carton or container to make sure that your milk, yogurt or cheese is lowfat or fat-free.

5 oz of meat or beans a day is your childrens' building block. Eat lean or lowfat meat, chicken, turkey and fish. Ask for it baked, broiled or grilled. Not fried. It's nutty, but true. Nuts, seeds, peas, and beans are all great sources of protein too.

Oils are not a food group, but you need some for good health. Get it from oils from fish, nuts, and liquid oils such as corn oil, soybean oil and canola oil.

Fats and sugars---know your limits. Get your fat facts and sugar smarts from the Nutrition Facts label. Limit solid fats as well as foods that contain them. Choose food and beverages low in added sugars and other caloric sweetners.

Find your balance between food and fun. Move more. Aim for at least 60 minutes every day. Walk, dance, bike, rollerblade...it all counts. How great it that!

Keep your children strong by feeding them healthy!

Colorado or Bust!

My Toyota Camry is seven years old but she serves me well and loves the open highway. She had been to the carwash and given the deluxe treatment so, with tank filled, was ready to take me on another new adventure....

My daughter-in-law, Angela, is my newest Reliv distributor and her family lives in the quiet little town of Windsor, Colorado. Windsor was devasted by a Class IV tornado a year ago but has rebuilt herself and settled back into its normal way of life. The town is clean and wholesome and a place where people can safely and happily raise their families. We drove straight through from Phoenix to there and arrived in the wee hours to a mother who was anxiously anticipating her daughters arrival. The next day was spent in celebration of lost time, over bbq burgers and soda. Children were playing, dogs were chasing and laughter was everywhere and it made for a very good day.

We came to Windsor to share our Reliv experience and in a quaint little coffee shop we told the folks what these products have come to mean to us. Angela has gone from a greatly affected Type I diabetic to nearly normal insulin levels. From 120 units of insulin a day to 15. The neuropathy in her feet and legs is gone and she has lost 27 pounds. I have gone from low blood sugars, hot flash-hell, arthritis and 40 pounds of excess weight to someone who suffers none of those things now.

When the health conscience people of Windsor listened to our stories and read the information we had brought they accepted our offer to help them with their issues as well and it made for a very satisfying evening, knowing that we were able to address so many people. After all, that is what Reliv is all about.

We did mix business and pleasure. It was a good thing. My little Camry carried us home through wind and rain and brought us back to life in the big city. We went to sleep that night in blissful dreams knowing that all was right and lives will be changed for the better thanks to 'our two little shakes a day....' I love my Reliv!

Reaching Her Goal and Riding Along!

You know how sometimes you meet someone and after visiting with them, even for only a short while, they strike you as the kind of person who is always going to be successful? This kind of person exudes an air about them that says that they are confident and secure within themself and they aspire to do great things. Well one of these people is a member of my family, in a round about way. She is my daughter's sister-in-law, Belinda. I have known Belinda for as long as she and her husband have been married but we really haven't had any kind of prolonged conversation until just recently. After following along in my blogs and having seen each other at a recent family gathering, she and I got together over Starbucks to talk girl talk. You know, the kind of girl talk where you discuss female maladies and the dreaded weight gain that seems to just creep up on us. Well, after reading and seeing my results using Reliv, Belinda wanted to know more about it and how it worked. It is as easy as simply supplying your body with the nutrients that it needs and the body kicks in and goes to work! Nothing fancy. Just efficient.

Belinda has made a commitment to better health and has set goals for herself that include marathon's and backpacking adventures. Her spirit bursts with enthusiasm and it is going to be so much fun watching her work towards her goals. She uses her two Reliv shakes a day to fortify her body and reduce her weight and along with a healthy mealplan and exercise regime I can only foresee her reaching her goals.

I have hiking into Machu Picchu as one of the goals on my "bucket list" and so does Belinda. Wouldn't it be great if someday we were able to sit at the top of the ruin knowing that it is only one of the many things that we are able to do now thanks to good health and good nutrition...?

If you would like to follow Belinda's health and weight loss progress you may link up with her on www.belindaspassion.blogspot.com

Does anyone care?

I have been busy lately and I meet a lot of people. When I see someone that is in pain, I try to help. Sometimes it is that they have a physical need that needs to be met, but often times it is simply that they want someone to talk to. Someone to actually listen to them.

Why is it that we get so caught up in ourselves that we forget to pay attention to the signs all around us? We rush, rush, rush, everywhere we go. We hear what the people around us say, but do we truly listen?

I wonder.

You know we only get one go around in this life. Maybe we should slow down a little and access what is really important......