The Winning Garden by Leann Smith is a beautiful story about the value of setting goals and working hard.

The main character, Willa, wants to compete in the Winning Garden contest.  Every year only adults have competed!  With help from Aunt Mille, flower seed packets from Professor Rosewood, and Mrs. Goodwin's seed  packets and vegetable starts Willa and her friends plant and tend a garden.  When judging day arrives, Aunt Millie encourages the children to have faith in their garden.  The beauty of a garden is much more than flowers or vegetables!

This wonderful book has beautiful pastel illustrations, a fun lop-eared bunny named Lulu, and a ladybug hidden on almost every page.  It is a joy to read!

There are also three seed packets included to start you on planting your own garden

Have Fun and Enjoy!

Measure up Monday (water)

I saw this chart and immediately thought of my coca-cola habit.  The main focus of the healthy changes I am making is to drink more water. This guide has helped me a great deal.  I have been following the advice on the chart and have been much more hydrated. I used common sense and started carrying water with me everywhere, that way I already had a drink and wasn't tempted to go get a coke.   I had caffeine headaches for a couple of days due to the lack of the cokes, but I feel much better.  I have more energy!  The benefits of drinking water are many: weight loss, more energy, prettier complexion.  These are just a few.  Water is important!  We must keep our bodies healthy, they are the only one we get.  Drink more water, you'll feel better. 

Reading, a Gift

Being able to read is a gift!  Books have the ability to transport you to places you may never have the chance to go.  Trips through time; past or future.  You can make new friends through the characters.  You can learn new things; new ideas, different ways to solve problems, an exciting way to achieve a task.  It improves your vocabulary.  Through reading you can develop or expand your creativity. But best of all it is a great form of entertainment!

I love to read and I was fortunate to be able to teach children with dyslexia how to read.  Seeing a child's face light up when the written words meant something to them was a joy.

Midway through my teaching career I had a 4th grade student who was unable to read.  He knew that he was smart. ( He could have balanced my checkbook!)  He was very angry because reading was very difficult and being able to read was something he needed to succeed in all other areas.  That spring his mother came to thank me because it was the first book fair that he had asked her for money to purchase books.  (She also complained that she couldn't get him out of the book fair)  Everytime I pick up a book to read I think back to that student!

It is always fun to share books with other people and see what they are reading.  I am reading If I Stay, by Gayle Forman.  What are you reading?

Bye y'all

The Visitor

I had a tiny little visitor come and spend the day with me.  She calls me "Nana".

My day was perfect!

Bye y'all,

Becky

What in the World is DiGize?

Hey,

Before I retired from my teaching position,  my classroom was across the hall from an awesome kindergarten teacher.  She used essential oils in her classroom and slowly but surely my interest was piqued.  I researched essential oils and decided to give them a try.  I decided on the Young Living Oils because they are therapeutic grade oils.  They also give you all the help you need.  I have learned so many things through the Oily Family Room Facebook group.  I have been able to search the archives as well as ask individual people questions.  Their tips have been great.

Last week I woke up at 1:00 in the morning with acid reflux.  I felt my my esophagus was going to burn completely through my chest.  I was burning so badly there were tears in my eyes.  I started chugging water thinking that would help, not a chance.  I was causing such a racket, with the coughing and choking, that I woke my husband.  He tried to calm me down.  He was successful in calming me enough that I remembered my oils.  I put several drops of DiGize on my stomach and massaged it around my stomach and all the way up my throat.  Within minutes the burning was gone!

If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact me.  You can leave a message through the comments or email me at garrirk29@gmail.com.

Bye y'all

* These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA.  This product is not intended to diagnose, cure, treat, or prevent any disease.

Hey,

I had to admit I was wrong!  We had an unknown plant growing in a pot in the back yard.  I was certain that it was a weed.  My husband was positive it was a flower of some type.  We had a Rose of Sharon in the pot a couple of years ago, but it had since died.  (I have a black thumb)

In December we had a very hard freeze and most of my flowers didn't come out as early as they usually do, but I was still sure that this pot had a weed in it.  I tried on several occasions to pull it out.  (I dont have a lot of patience)  Paul continued to watch the plant and nurture it along. 

On July 1, the "weed" bloomed!  Enjoy.

Measure Up Monday

Hey,

I went to my Smart Barre class 5 times last week!  I had good intentions to walk 3 miles on Saturday and again on Sunday, but those plans fell through.  I am not going to make excuses because that is what they would be, just excuses.  The same thing happened with my eating habits.  I ate healthy and drank water all week, but on Friday night good things went straight downhill.  Pizza, shrimp étouffée, fast food hamburgers, and Mexican food were consumed along with my adored coca cola and limeade Oreos.  Limeade Oreos are so good!  They taste like Key Lime Pie.Weekends make it too easy for my bad habits to resurface.  I need to stop making excuses on the weekends and work on my new habits of exercise and healthy eating.

I am enjoying my Smart Barre classes.  I call them my daily dose of torture treatment, but I actually feel better after class!  I have noticed a difference in the strength of my arms and legs.  I still have no abs!  Unhealthy eating on the weekends is not helping.  I also noticed that during the week (when I was drinking water) I stayed hydrated.  As soon as I started back with my coca cola habit I was dizzy and nauseated.  I was very thirsty, even though I had been drinking cokes all day.  I was definitely dehydrated!

These are lessons that are simple and need to be learned.  Exercise helps us have more energy and water keeps us hydrated.  These things help us to feel better!  I must remember the simple things and make NO EXCUSES for bad behavior.

This week's plan - Smart Barre classes, water, fruit and lean meat.  I still can't stand most vegetables, though.  I am going to have to work on that.  Do you have any vegetables that you like?  If you do, please share.  Thanks.

Bye y'all,
Becky