10 Of The Best Reasons To Try Keto

 

Three weeks ago, my husband decided to try a Keto diet. He isn't one to go into things lightly and does a lot of researching before doing anything. 

He lost 25 pounds in 10 days. That's a lot of weight. He said it was from doing Keto and I told him it was from giving up beer and chips. It could be both! I have been intermittent fasting for 2 years and while I don't feel like I've lost a lot of weight, I have a ton more energy than I used to have so I figured I'm a carnivore why not give Keto a try! 6 days in and finding it very manageable. 

Here are my 10 reasons you should give Keto a try:

1 - If you are a meat lover like me, Keto is the way to go.  Don't eat too much because too much protein can kick you out of Ketosis but you don't have to live on salad and yogurt. 

2 - You are eating mindfully. Since any diet requires you to NOT eat whatever you want and nourish your body, you need to plan more, make better choices for yourself which means no more unintentional, empty calories. 

3- Weight loss - Eating less carbs means you will find yourself less hungry which in turn equals weight loss. 

4 - As your body enters Ketosis (see the word Keto in there), your body will start using more of your fat reserves since it isn't getting the glucose or sugar it normally uses. 

5 - Hold onto your muscle. Weight loss means fat and muscle. A Keto diet helps you hold onto your muscle. 

6 - Reducing sugar means less internal inflammation. Sugar stimulates the production of fatty acids in the liver. As the body digests the fatty acids inflammation may develop. People with chronic inflammation also are at risk for Diabetes. 

7 - You will get rid of excess water weight. 

8 - Improve mental alertness. Yup. It's proven that you will have mental clarity as you reduce the Carbs which turn to glucose in your body. Thinking is a good thing people. I know these days we all wish we could do a lot less thinking but you NEED to be on top of your game in everything you do especially as you get older.

9 - Lose your belly bloat and have way less gas in your gut. Bacteria ferment in your gut from carbs, sugars, some starches and fiber that aren't digested in the small intestine. Undigested carbs pass into your large intestine creating gas. 

10 - Bacon! I can eat bacon without feeling any guilt and it is OK on Keto. So strange.   ONCE again, it is not ok to eat too much of anything on a diet or not so make sure you follow some restrictions. 

AND as with all changes to your diet, consult a doctor before starting anything. 

Journaling for All Ages - 2022 – The Year for You

 

This week I wrote about my wanting to kick up my journaling. My daughter finished her art journal/memory book and asked for a new one. I was so jealous. Look at the difference between the one she just finished and her new one. The one she uses is Speedball Travelogue. She loves the off-white paper, how nothing (ink, paint, watercolor) bleeds through and just look at that stretch! I cannot tell you how many books have lost pages as the binding got wider.  

Make the most of 2022 by giving back to yourself and cultivating some self-love with the help of a journal (and pen) from online gift emporium, Pen Heaven.

With the new year marking a time of new opportunities and fresh starts, Pen Heaven are encouraging writers of all ages to take up journaling for emotional and mental wellbeing. A traditional technique proven to help quieten the mind and align your thoughts, journaling for just a few minutes a day can help boost your energy and improve your mood. In addition, handwriting can decrease stress levels, reduce anxiety and help you sleep better!

An essential part of your daily routine, Pen Heaven impresses the importance of making time for yourself each day. From setting out personal goals and achievements to noting affirmations and giving thanks, writing in a journal is one of the easiest, yet most positive changes you can make for a calmer, happier you.

A beautiful way to reconnect with your inner-self, Pen Heaven presents these harmonious tools to ensure that YOU are your top priority for the year ahead.

Leuchtturm1917 B6+Soft Cover Notebook, £12.95 / 16 USD - ONE OF THE BEST IN MY OPINION

Get ready to embrace your inner calm and let your words flow with this Leuchtturm1917 notebook in tranquil Nordic blue.

Parker Vector XLLilac Fountain Pen, £19.00 / 23 USD

Promote your inner-wisdom, while relieving anxiety with this Parker Vector Fountain Pen in this calming lilac shade.

Moleskine Hard CoverPocket Notebook, £11.50 / 14 USD 

Known for its uplifting properties, this yellow Moleskine Pocket Notebook is excellent for staying focused and positive.

BENU TalismanFoxglove Fountain Pen, £95 / 111 USD

A colour known to inspire and enthuse, this BENU Fountain Pen is infused with dried Foxglove petals said attract good luck and protection.

Palmi Large Grained Leather Journal, £29.90 / 35 USD

Shown here in calming blue, the Palmi journal is everyone’s ally when it comes to putting your life into perspective.

Lamy AL-Star 2021 Special Edition Cosmic Fountain Pen, £25 / 30 USD

This champagne pink fountain pen from Lamy oozes kindness and promote feelings of love.

Amalfi Refillable Medium Leather Journal, £32.99 / 39 USD

Store your wildest dreams with this rich burgundy Amalfi Refillable Journal. With refillable inserts available, it’s a perfect solution for sustainable writing.

Caran d’Ache 849 ‘Pop Line’ Ballpoint Pen, £21 / 25 USD

For crystal clear thinking, this Caran d’Ache 849 design in white is your new best friend. Prompting innocence and goodness, this pen will offer pure perfection to every word written.

Bomo Art Medium Half Leather Journal, £27.50/ 32 USD

Manifest good fortune with this unique Bomo Art Journal - the perfect choice for anyone who needs to add extra power to their words.

With most items suitable for in-house engraving too, why not add a thought-provoking quote for extra inspiration.

An ideal way to prioritize you and start loving yourself, Pen Heaven offers these top tips to ensure you get the very best from your new daily journaling routine.

1. Pour your heart out, not just your mind, to help your words hold more substance.
2. Completely immerse yourself in your writing - that means taking yourself away from any distractions, such as your phone, tablet, internet…
3. Give your writing full freedom without restriction, this is your safe place after all.
4. Relax, calm your mind, then collect your thoughts on paper.
5. Forgive, forget, and let it go – that includes your own mistakes, as well as those of others.
6. Practice gratitude to help your mindset shift.
7. Indulge your dreams.

Do You Have Any Rituals To Prepare For The New Year? Here's What I Do!

While I am not sure if these things should be called a ritual, but I have been doing the same things for years.

I make a mental list that clears out the old and gets it all ready for the new.

- Clean out my dresser drawers. I am on top of this throughout the year with seasonal changes but taking every drawer out and removing all items, cleaning out the drawer with an all purpose cleaner than either folding, organizing, tossing, donating or giving away items gives me a clearer head. 

- Go through my email inbox. I use one email for all and the other back up emails are so unimportant that I don't bother. It's fairly easy since I try to stay on top of this daily but December gets a bit crazy, so I really need to clean up. I get hundreds of emails a day. 

            -This is the time of year I unsubscribe to things I am no longer interested in or thought I would be but didn't find time so why clutter the inbox. Skim to the bottom, find the unsubscribe button and it will no longer be sent to you. I also move emails that are important or need to be remembered by placing them in specific folders.  I can find them when I need to and my inbox remains uncluttered. 

- Go through my Christmas decorations. Right before we put it away, I look at everything that is out. Does it still give me joy? Did I get something better? Is this in needed of cleaning or is it broken?  Seeing everything out makes it easier than when I am going through the bins with the family as we put up the tree. Everyone is sentimental as we put up the tree. Clearer head as we get ready to take it down in another week or two.  We are not in a hurry because we love it.

- Organize my photos! This is the one that takes the most time. I take hundreds of photos a month. I through them all into my Google Drive to make room on my phone. I have folders set up on my One Drive by month and year so every few months I move the photos that matter most to my One Drive from Google. I rename them by the date they were taken so I can find them when I want them. I honestly wish I had a better system. If anyone else has one, please let me know. 

- Go through my pantry and throw out anything that is expired or use what is getting close to expiration. Clean the shelves and put everything back. 

- Clean the ceiling fans! OMG they get so gross with three cats. We do this about 4 times a year but honestly should do it more. 

-Go through my pen/pencil/paper drawer. I literally take out a piece of paper and write with each marker and pen to see if it still writes. We have an abundance of markers and pens so I love tossing anything that is no longer keeping. 

- Go through my medicine cabinet and under the sinks. I toss anything that is expired, not being used anymore or taking up space and will only forever take up space. I clean the shelves and put it all back in an organized fashion until someone messes it up again.

What do you guys do? Is there anything I should consider as part of my Start The Year Off Fresh Ritual? 

How Online Dancing Programs for Kids Boost Their Confidence

Whether or not they are taking classes, most children dream of becoming professional dancers. And while some kids may find success in the industry, it's also true that many don't. But today, there is another way for kids to get involved with dance without making the same sacrifices many professionals do. Dance programs for kids online allow children to learn and grow at their own pace and within their schedule while potentially increasing their confidence. Here are a few ways dance programs for kids directly boost this fundamental attribute:

Confidence Through Movement

These online dance programs typically pair each new move with an explanation of its purpose, what it looks like in a performance scenario and how it helps dancers express themselves creatively. For example, an online ballet curriculum will probably have a section on the tendu, explaining that it's used to shape and stretch the foot outward. Once students learn how the movement is done, they can confidently move on to more challenging ones.

Confidence Through Achievement

Dance programs for kids online use pre-determined parameters of success. For example, most online dance courses are broken down into units or parts; once children complete these small pieces, they receive an award. These virtual recognitions allow them to see their progress without feeling overwhelmed by an entire big project like a recital; instead, their achievements feel tangible and attainable.

Confidence Through Competitions

Many expert instructors run contests for their students where they can submit a video of their performances using the dance programs for kids online. Competitions give students a goal to strive toward while allowing them to show off what they've learned. Some of these contests include community-building features that allow children worldwide to interact and learn from each other, deepening their connections and social skills.

Confidence Through Individuality

Engaging online dancing programs for children emphasizes creativity and expression more than an exact replication of choreography when you incorporate engaging online dancing programs. They do this by teaching dances in different styles, such as hip-hop or ballet, rather than just one type of movement. Dance programs ask instructors to introduce new movements rather than ask them to stick within certain boundaries; this gives children room to experiment and express themselves in organic and natural ways, a process that can foster positive body images.

Dance is a great way for children to boost their confidence in terms of creativity and self-expression. In addition, it is an excellent form of cardiovascular exercise. The child's confidence grows dramatically when they have mastered a new skill or have been able to overcome a challenge.

PHOTO SOURCE

Who Is Watching Emily In Paris on Netflix?

So, who is watching Emily in Paris? I know I am late to the party but why are so many people into it? I mean I get it! I'm hooked after seeing so many of my Facebook friends talk about it but why?

The series was created by Darren Star and if that name looks familiar it is because back in the day, we saw it every Sunday on Sex And The City. So, while this is being billed as a Sex And The City in Paris I don't see it, however I am into it. 

Basically, Emily lives in Chicago and suddenly finds herself offered a lifetime opportunity to go work in Paris as a Social Media Strategist. She makes friends easily, has a wonderful job opportunity, wears adorable outfits which always seem to be trendy and expensive, meets really cute guys and has a massive social media following that grows with every post she puts up. 

While I have read a few articles about lack of diversity, I tend to just watch a show because it either appeals to me or doesn't. Is it worth my time? Does it make me laugh? Does it jump the shark? Is the premise entertaining? So far, it has been enjoyable and I'm not sure if it is because I Lily Collins is an ingenue who reminds me of Audrey Hepburn in Funny Face or if she kinda reminds me of my niece but whatever it is I am 4 episodes in and enjoy it. 

Am I in for the long haul? I don't know, we shall see. As I get older, what I spend time on has changed. I wanted it to be thoroughly enjoyable or I'm out!

Why are people into it? Are we looking for another Sex And The City? Do we all long to leave America? Is the thought of being a young influencer appeal to us? Emily, I assume is 24 but her wide eyed gaze makes her seem so much younger. In the current episode she was called "Basic" by some crusty old designer because of her purse charms. I can see that. I think most influencers on Instagram are "basic" and many of the accounts I scan past are truly basic. All the girls are dressing the same, look the same, copy the poses and posts. It is all very basic but maybe basic is okay.

I get it everyone wants to just fit in. My daughter on the other hand thinks basic is boring and doesn't understand why everyone wants to be the same nor does she care to fit in. I wish I was that girl but I'm not. Happy to have raised one but fitting in was something I wanted when I was growing up. Never felt like I did and maybe that is why I raised her to be however she wants to be. We usually watch TV together but we are not watching this show together. I don't think she would like it. I think she would find the character annoying. This weekend I am going to have her watch the first two episodes with me to see how she feels about it. 

What about you? Are you watching? 

So What Makes A Year? Toddler Lesson Plan

Today my class starts a lesson on What Makes A Year? 

It's a hard concept for children under 3 who don't understand a year, a month, a week, tomorrow or even today. We usually tell them they get to stay home for three sleeps with mommy and daddy before they return to school so how do you teach the idea of a year to toddlers?

We will start by looking at a calendar. Show them the pictures, boxes, the word at the top of the page and the numbers inside the boxes. We will try to count as high as the class can and see where we go from there. We will mention the holiday on the calendars and what months they fall in. I will point out their birthdays on each month and date. 

When my kids were in preschool they sang Days Of The Week to the tune of The Addams Family. I have been doing the same since becoming the Head Teacher of the Toddler Class. I love it! 

We will also do the song "These Are The Months of The Year".

For the activity we are going to do a Four Season Sort/Match Up from Totschooling. My daughter laminated them for me and cut them all out so that they can easily be matched up and wiped clean for the next person to try.

Hope to keep them interested! The first week of the year means kids who have been home with parents and new kids in the class. We do our best and hope for at least 15 minutes of structure. If the class is small tomorrow I can work one on one with each on the sorting activity. I hope so! 

Planning For 2022 - Journals, Planners and Pens Oh My!

 

Every year I want to journal, keep a calendar and stay on top of life. I always start out with good intentions. Never with any plan just jump in like you would anything. Or should I say like I would anything. I try not to add stress to myself by saying, you have to set up time to write, read, exercise, etcetera so when I do, I do! 

For two years I used Tools4Wisdom Planners. I liked how large the columns were because instead of just using it as a calendar I was also using it as a memory keeper. I would print out photos and movie posters from movies I watched. I used stickers to make it fun and sometimes stayed on top of it and looking back there were weeks I didn't get to for whatever reason, feeling guilty about it at the time. Now I don't have guilt just wish I had done it every day because I like the look of seeing what I was doing or how I was feeling. 

Last year I switched over to an appointment book. I had used one for years and I wanted to do something cheaper since I was spending more on stickers now. I liked it; it was smaller than the planner of the past two years so I could bring it with me everywhere. I still used it as a calendar and a memory keeper but wanted to journal more so I started a separate journal. 

I grabbed a bullet journal and used it to write, add stickers, photos and other pieces of paper. I LOVED it! 

The photos from the sticker books are fun. 

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Hopefully I can continue to do my appointment book, this year back to a large size. I got The Happy Planner in large! I have saved so many photos of what I want the book to look like on my Pinterest Journaling/Scrapbook Ideas/Bullet Journal page although I think "trying" to do any of these makes me feel inferior. These are some talented people. I am going to just do me! Whatever that is. 

I have a 5 Year One Line A Day Book that I hope to use right before I shut out my light at night, a small pocket size one to jot things down so I don't forget until I can put it in my larger one and the journal that I will write in when I can. As often as I can without stress. 

If I can keep up with the 5 Year One Line A Day Book I will be thankful although the plan as of now is to do all 3. 

If you are thinking of keeping a journal my advice to you is just start. Don't think too much about it. Grab a book even a refillable travel journal where you can switch out the insert as soon as you fill it or in a pinch a composition book you have laying around. It doesn't have to look perfect. You just have to write. 

My Suggestions:

1- Don't feel like you have to keep up with the Joneses. Make it you. It is ok to start and decide you want to try something different. If it isn't working, change it. 

2-Don't worry about aesthetics. Many of us don't try something, stop or give up because we think it doesn't have the "right" aesthetic!  Just do you. As you get more into it, keep with it, then go for it. I spent more money than I needed to when I started. I grabbed a bunch of things that other writers suggested. I wish I would have waited. 

3-Write for the memories. I LOVE looking back at my books. It is fun to go back and re-read or just flip through. Write the real you! It doesn't have to be perfect. Life isn't perfect. 

4-Don't feel as if you have to fill up every square inch of space. Blank space is ok. It makes it easier to re-read it and a cluttered page makes a cluttered mind. Simplicity is sometimes overlooked. It is okay to just journal without the bells and whistles. 

5-Spend money on your pen. I can tell you that I love writing with my Micron. It makes my writing look beautiful. It glides beautifully!

With all that said. I am going to close this post by saying. Write! Write about you. How you feel. What you are doing. Whatever. I wish my mother wrote more. I hope my daughter reads my journals when I'm gone. I wish I could find a journal every time I go to a book sale. Personal writing is important, it helps you reflect, remember or just clear you head! 

Wishing you the best year! 

This is NOT a sponsored post! I start every year with a new book and just wanted to write about it. I do have link that bring you to my Amazon page attached to my affiliate links. I make a small/tiny percent if you use the link but you do not need to. You can get any of these items at any store where these items are sold. I was only adding for convenience. 

The Salad Shouldn't Get Prepared First

Salads can sometimes lose their freshness relatively easily or quickly. The people who are planning to take these salads outdoors may need to avoid taking them outside when it's still too early. 

Fresh Salads

The salad is sometimes the very last part of a meal that people will prepare. Most salad recipes can be followed quickly. Putting together a salad will sometimes only take a few minutes. If the vegetables for the salad have already been chopped, people may only need a minute to combine everything using the salad tongs. Even cutting the vegetables might not take all that long.

Once everything else is on the table, it could be time to mix the salad and remove the vegetable ingredients from the refrigerator. The people who approach salad preparation like this will often have salads that won't start to wilt at any point during the meal. Getting rid of even one wilted lettuce leaf will also quickly improve the quality of the entire salad. 

Vegetable Choice

Lettuce tends to be a moist vegetable. Washing the lettuce long before it's used to make the salad can help people avoid issues with lettuce that is too damp. It is also possible to dry the lettuce with a paper towel, which can help reduce some external moisture without making the lettuce too dry. 

Some salad toppings may also be comparatively dry, which will make the overall salad less moist than it would be with different toppings. People who use too many of these toppings may end up with a salad that seems too dry.

However, if they add those toppings to the salad later, they might absorb less of the water from the salad's other components. Those toppings will stay dry, and the lettuce won't become less moist than most people will expect. 

Source 

I Hope You All Had An Amazing Christmas

Christmas has changed now that the kids are older. In some ways it is better and in other ways so sad. I miss the kids being small and excited about Christmas morning. 

Fortunately as a preschool teacher of toddlers I get to experience the excitement of kids just learning about the holiday. Which is fun too but seeing Christmas through a child’s eye is special. 

There are fewer gifts than the past but the kids know and understand about needs and wants and are respectful. Nothing they asked for was impossible so they got many of the things they wanted. 

My favorite part of the morning was the quest my husband created for my daughter. He had her open a box which contained a burnt scroll with a map. She had to follow the map to a “pot of silver” an ice cube holder under blue lights which contained another scroll with a map where she had to open a floor vent for her package. I love that he did it all on his own! He never does any thing for Christmas except get my gifts! 

The Best Homemade Gift I EVER Got

My daughter was asking about gifts for weeks up till Christmas. After telling her I wanted World Peace I mentioned  that her homemade gifts are my favorite. 

I love this card she created.

She always told me she doesn’t work well with watercolor but this tells me differently. 

What was your favorite gift this year?

WOW It's Been Crazy

 

The past few weeks have been insane. Actually, the past 4 months have been ridiculous.

 September my kids returned to school and everything that comes with that but as a preschool teacher, I got a few new students and that has its own learning curve but then there was no assistant in the class and still actually isn't. They sent floaters to cover the time which sometimes meant I had 4-6 different people with my class on any one day. That isn't good for me and it isn't good for toddlers who need consistency. I've had someone in my room for the past three weeks and it has really made a difference, but it came too late. I am DONE! Exhausted and WIPED!

October my family was planning for a trip to Disney. Or very first trip on a plane but with Halloween coming it meant weeks of planning for my class to have a fantastic Halloween and do a lot of arts, crafts and activities all while working with random assistants who honestly could care less.UGH!

November, we came back from Florida and before you knew it I was planning Thanksgiving for my family but also for my class. The holidays are so much fun in preschool and I love doing things with them but the days were long and sometimes I bite off way more than I can chew because I want my class to experience anything and everything. 

December is ridiculous! Thankfully I've got a really, hard working assistant at the moment. She wasn't planned or hired for my room, but I have requested to hold her until they have someone in there. She is a Godsend. I have spent the past three weeks working on the kids gifts to their families. We are doing a snowglobe and magnets kinda like last year. It takes so much time. 

So between school stuff, home stuff, holidays for my class and holidays for my family along with everything else that happens in life I am OVER it. 

I pray for the day I can handle all this and actually enjoy the holiday. You know, head out with my daughter to see the lights, Santa, town things, friends, etc. I feel like each day just flows into the next day with it all being kinda the same. 

Anyone else feeling stressed, over worked, stretched too thin and guilty for not enjoying the best part of family during the holiday time? 

The photo above is our grinch hands and our melted snowman. Working with 2-3 year olds is so much fun!

:LivBar Yummy Nutrition Bar

 

My family are loving these bars. I have taken them to lunch as a meal replacement many days. I have only a half hour and as a teacher I need my prep time. 

My husband asked for a box as his stocking stuffer! That's easy and I don't mind. I had to hide the review ones because everyone was eating them before I could try them. 

Sorry for the terrible photo. Look at all those seeds. You actually feel full afterward and instead of a soft bar you get this nice size bar that you eat slower. I LOVE IT!

 

CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD PERFORMING ARTIST

A good performing artist has put in the hard work and training necessary to succeed. True performing artists' passion for what they do will supersede their desire for money or fame, although these may also follow after increased fans. If you are looking to become a performing artist, then it does help if you have a healthy dose of the below traits:

Creativity

Creativity is among the most important traits of a good performing artist. This is because their creativity will push them to experiment and try new things to create something great; it allows them to use their imagination to develop original ideas like Dan Avidan. Without creativity, true art cannot be made.

Passion

Passion is key for any artist, performing or not. Without it, the drive to continue when times get tough will be absent, and the artist's work will suffer as a result. A performing artist must have the passion for spending countless hours rehearsing and perfecting their routine. They must also have a passion for pleasing their fans by putting on the best show possible.

Discipline

No one ever became a great artist without discipline. This quality allows artists to push themselves beyond their limits and achieve things they never thought possible. A performing artist must have the discipline to maintain their focus during long rehearsals and stay in top condition; this quality will also help them deal with any setbacks.

Imagination

Without imagination, a performing artist would be limited to what already exists and could never dream of anything new. They will rely on their imagination to create something unique, powerful, or influential. 

Charisma

A performing artist must have the charisma to engage with their audience and connect emotionally. This quality will help the artist create a rapport with the audience and feel like part of the show.

Confidence

A performing artist must be confident to put on a good show. They cannot let their nerves get the best of them, or they will stumble and fall during their performance. A performing artist must also be confident in themselves and their abilities, which will give them the drive to push themselves further.

Opinion

An artist's opinion separates them from the rest of the world. They must have an opinion on everything they do to give their work meaning and purpose; this unique opinion will define who you are as a performing artist and allow you to get noticed over other artists.

Versatility

Without versatility, a performer can only be limited to one style or theme of performing art. An artistic performer needs to perform traditional tasks easily and know when and where to try something new and innovative instead.

Vision

The performing artist's vision allows them to see beyond others' eyes and think about things differently. This trait is necessary to succeed in any field, but especially so for performing artists who need to see the potential in their work.

Work Ethic

Last but not least, a performing artist must have a good work ethic to succeed. This means that they must be willing to put in the time and effort necessary to achieve their goals. It also requires them to be professional and reliable.

Patience

Working hard, taking criticism well, and having patience are all qualities that a performing artist should have, as these allow them to stay composed during stressful or difficult situations. It also allows them to show respect toward others even if they are not treated respectfully. 

These qualities will allow performing artists to succeed at whatever they set out to do, whether it be becoming rich and famous or simply doing what they love for their reasons. While not all performing artists will have every quality listed above, having most is a good foundation for building a successful career.

The photo is owned by Maria Gagliano and may not be used without permission