DiscoveryDiva

Faces

2008-02-16T10:00:00.002-05:00

Is everyone unhappy? I was people watching in Wal Mart recently and noticed no one looked happy. Or contented. Some faces were tired, some strained, some stressed, many looked worried. A lot of people were obviously impatient, in a hurry.
The worst faces looked numb. Blank. Like they weren't feeling anything. Hopeless.
Ok. I know that's only one store. But there were a lot of people there - and no laughter, no smiles.

At this store, we have a greeter who always says" have fun" as we get our carts. It doesn't look like anyone does.

I wonder if all those people hate shopping or just don't like WalMart. Do they morph into cheerful, relaxed people when they escape the most famous 'box store'? Or do they carry that discontented aura home along with their purchases, and live with it always?

I should mention that this store is in a fairly decent area. Most people own their own homes, there isn't much crime, the parking lot is full of new or not very old cars. We are supposed to be the lucky ones, living the American Dream.

What do you think? Have you noticed this? Do you feel the stress while shopping or do you enjoy the WalMart experience?

I'm back and just fine

2008-02-14T09:02:00.003-05:00

I have fibromyalgia and had a flare up. I used Magnesium and a homeopathic remedy called Muscular Tissue I - works like a charm and very quickly. As I understand it, this remedy delivers oxygen to the muscles, which is in short supply with Fibro and causes the pain, numbness, etc. I was actually fine the next day but had a serious power outage - then went on to some other problems I had to deal with. Life is never boring. Aggravating, but never boring.

No Posts For Awhile

2008-02-09T10:27:00.000-05:00

I'm having a lot of trouble (and pain ) with my hand and wrist, unfortunately it looks like I will not be able to post for awhile. Be back when I can.
Gilly

Herbs For Your Winter Kitchen

2008-02-07T12:37:00.000-05:00

One way to brighten our spirits during the long winter is to grow herbs in our kitchen. There are a lot to choose from, but Chives are one of my favorites. It's super easy to grow and doesn't require any special care. This one will grow where the light isn't ideal. At least it does for me. It's a great addition to stews, salads, soups, or fish. The mild, oniony flavor also makes it a perfect garnish for pototoes and souffles.

Mint is another favorite, easy to grow herb that doesn't require a lot of light. Great for adding as a garnish, with your vegatables, lamb, or making your own tea. The minty smell is refreshing and in the depths of winter doubly enjoyable.
Mints like a lot of water but don't let them stand in it. Keep the saucer under your pot dry.

In my opinion, herbs on the windowsill make a kitchen feel homey and cozy. It will also make you feel like a gourmet cook and will impress your friends.

Feel like sharing? A small sprig put into water will quickly grow roots and then can be planted to become gifts for your friends.

Anxiety! Panic! Depression! Helping Yourself Part 4

2008-02-05T11:22:00.000-05:00

If you have a nervous disorder it's hard to know where to turn to for help. What I found was that I needed to learn ways to help myself. This post is about things that helped me - and other people - to feel better.
The first important thing I learned was that taking my mind off my symptoms of anxiety or panic was a huge help. When concentrating on something that I enjoyed, I felt better, and the symptoms were diminished, or non existent, at least for awhile.

Taking up a new hobby was a huge help for me. You need to be involved in something you enjoy. Learning about something new, working on something new, shopping for supplies for your new hobby, reading about it, thinking about it; this replaces the time spent fearing a possible panic attack or constantly monitoring your anxiety symptoms. It's also great for depression. I found that hours could go by when working on a craft project without a hint of anxiety or panic. I also didn't feel depressed.

Movies were, and continue to be, helpful also. I have never had a Panic Attack while watching a good movie. My anxiety levels go way down, too.

Relaxation is vital. Try Meditation, or relaxation tapes. Read. Listen to a soothing tape of the ocean while reading. Watching a fish tank has been proven to lower your blood pressure. Why? Because it is relaxing. Sitting before a fire will relax you, too.

Try Reiki! A Reiki treatment is very relaxing and not too expensive. You can get distance treatments at Ebay for $20 or less. Easy! All you have to do is make the appointment for the specified time and lie down in the privacy of your own home. The practioner connects with you no matter how far away you live. Yes, it really works.
You might consider getting an attunement after a few treatments. This can also be done through the internet and can cost $15 or less. There is nothing to study, just a small manual to read, and the attunement won't really be any different than a treatment is. After the attunement, you can not only give yourself treatments to relax daily, you will be also able to give hands on treatments to others. You will be considered a practioner. You won't, however, be able to give long distance treatments.
My first Reiki teacher told me that she had suffered from anxiety and panic disorders and that focusing on Reiki saved her.

Exercise! This helps a lot as it releases endorphins in your brain that make you feel good. Walking, jogging, going to the gym, using a treadmill, taking up Yoga - whatever appeals to you.

Try to include as many of these things into your life as possible; the more you can do for yourself the better you will feel.
Was this article helpful to you? Please comment.

Anxiety! Panic! Depression! Part 3 Helping Yourself

2008-02-03T08:56:00.000-05:00

As I said yesterday, there are a lot of things available to help you recover. One of those things is Homeopathy. It has been around for almost 200 years so it has stood the test of time.
Homeopathy means:
A safe and effective system of medicine with no side effects, that assists the body's efforts to heal itself physically, mentally and emotionally.

What I like about this is, it is so safe. There are no interactions with any drugs you may be taking! Isn't that incredible? You also can't overdose with it; no more worrying that you might have accidently double dosed. When you are in a state of panic, very high anxiety, or very depressed it is easy to get confused and do that. I have. Or thought I had, which was enough to bring on a major panic attack and worrying for hours that I was going to die.

Another frightening thing about taking pharmaceutical medicines for these conditions ,was having to take things that are addictive, and strong enough that they want you to be monitored with regular check ups. The anti depressants that they give you have a lot of side effects and most people find that they don't help enough. Getting off them, if you find they aren't helping or you can't tolerate the side effects is Hell. I'll have more to say on that later, along with some links that will give you current important information you should have before making any decision to take the popular remedies from doctors.

Another point I want to make is that these prescriptions for the so popular Xanax and Anti Depressants are not cheap. Even with good health insurance they are fairly expensive. I was paying $30 a month for Xanax some years ago and I'm sure it is more now. If you don't have insurance it was $100 a month. At least. A lot of people simply can't afford that. Most homepathic remedies are $7.95 for a bottle of 500 tablets. Quite a difference.

Last but not least; homeopathic remedies do not leave you feeling as if you are drugged. No 'medicine head' double vision, grogginess, being unable to drive, etc. In fact, you will not feel as if you took anything at all, except that you will feel better, in a natural, gentle way.

The 2 most readily available homeopathic remedies are to be found in large drugstores, health food stores, and, of course, Wal Mart.

Nerve Tonic

Calms Forte

These are under $5 at Wal Mart and you get less pills . * The Nerve Tonic is 32 caplets. It is supposed to be taken before each meal and at bedtime. This was my introduction to Homeopathy and a lifesaver. Thanks to my husband who found them. It might not stop a panic attack in it's tracks but it will gradually soothe your nervous system. Most people find it helps a lot and you can take this with Magnesium and Vitamins. The more things you can do to help yourself, the faster you will feel better. *Calms Forte is 100 tablets and is sold as a sleep aid. Insomnia is very common with nerve problems. It is also used, and I am reading this from the box, as a relaxant, 1 or 2 tablets with water 3 times a day. The Calms Forte is probably stronger.It also helps anxiety and panic syndromes if you get a good nights sleep. It gives your system time to relax and heal.

Homeopathy also has quite a few different remedies for anxiety, and depression but you can only find them in a large health food store - if you're lucky - or online - or through a Homeopathic doctor. The health food store might be willing to order them for you if they don't carry them. I don't have a Homeopathic doctor in my area and the health food store isn't nearby so I order online and will give a link to my online store at the end of this article.

I occasionally use :

Anxiety - Luyties #320

Anxiety/Depression #304

1-800 Homeopathy Find Homeopathic Remedies Search: Anxiety

1-800 Homeopathy Find Homeopathic Remedies L304 - Anxiety/Depression #304

The link to the following didn't work so I just pasted this:

from Cathleen Henning Fenton - I've never been against the use of medications to treat panic disorder, although I do believe they should be part of a comprehensive treatment plan that includes therapy. It's frustrating, though, to hear from so many people who, not only are not being helped by their medications, but also are experiencing frustrating side effects. Although I continue to believe that the right drug can help a person with panic disorder get better, I'm not sure how many "right drugs" are out there. And with a couple of new reports that have come out (below), I can't say that I trust the motivations of the major drug companies anymore.

Not All Antidepressant Studies Published

That concludes the things you can take information. Next will be things you can do.

Anxiety! Panic! Depression! Part 2

2008-02-02T09:52:00.000-05:00

The first thing you need to know about helping yourself to get better is to stay away from caffeine! Your nervous system is already over stimulated and caffeine will increase the stimulation, raising your anxiety levels and actually causing panic attacks.
Caffeine means coffee, tea, soda,and chocolate.
Sugar is another enemy of anxiety and panic. It, too, over stimulates your nervous system.
Most people put sugar in their coffe or tea. Chocolate and soda both have lots of sugar . Soda has TWELVE spoons of sugar in each can! That's a Panic Attack waiting to happen!! We also have to remember that a LOT of things have sugar in them! Cake, pie, ice cream, pudding, that innocent looking jello, etc. Watch what you eat, it could be loaded with sugar. I know how hard it is to give up such things. It was almost impossible for me. So, I came up with alternatives.

Decaf Coffee
Sugar free, non chocolate, desserts & snacks
Herbal Teas
Water

It can take some getting used to but it's worth it and it isn't forever. I am now able to eat regular desserts, half caffeine coffee, (the regular coffee drinkers don't notice the difference) and an occasional soda. I no longer care much for soda. I prefer water.

There are lots of things that helped me and I'm sure they can help you too. I thought I would start with the quickest, easiest ones.

Magnesium - good for depression and anxiety
Lavender - good for depression and anxiety
Chamomile Tea - good for anxiety
Vitamin B6 - creates serotonin - good for depression and anxiety

All of these things will calm you somewhat and that helps you to avoid panic attacks. It can take some time; there is no magic pill that will instantly do away with panic or depression. Getting better is a process not an event. I recommend using all of the above. Some important warnings!Magnesium and Vitamin B6 are to be taken with CAUTION! Do not exceed the dosage given on the bottle!! You CAN overdo a good thing with these. With the B6 start with 50 mg once a day. Do NOT go over 100 mg a day. EVER! Too little of these two things can can cause you trouble but too much can make you sick! Magnesium is usually 400 mg seperated into 3 pills which you take : one pill at a time, three times a day, with meals.

Both, along with Chamomile tea are available at drugstores and supermarkets, as well as WalMart. A few dollars each. Lavender might be found at health food stores or online.

That's it for today, much more tomorrow. Stay tuned.

Anxiety! Panic! Depression!

2008-02-01T09:37:00.000-05:00

I've struggled with all three for most of my life, and so have an incredible number of other people. Not everyone has all of these, but a lot of us do. There is no cure for any of these conditions, but they can be controlled. You can get to the point that you don't feel that you have a problem with any of these anymore. That's the good news. The bad news is that they can, and usually do, come back. I was repeatedly told that "they were just lurking around the corner waiting for a chance to reappear". Unfortunately, I've found that to be true. High stress situations, pregnancy, or menopause, can start the whole nightmare again. So can not taking care of yourself.

What causes Anxiety Disorder, Panic Attacks, or Depression to appear in your life? There is not a simple answer to this. One thing that they have found is that it usually runs in families. If any of your older family members have had a nervous breakdown, episodes with depression, anxiety, or seemed to be given to hysteria (probably panic) you are at risk. These conditions are passed on genetically.

Severe and prolonged stress can also cause it. With or without the genetic pre-dispositon.

I have also noticed that most of the people with these illnesses have had unhappy lives -usually, but not always, starting in their childhood.

There is a lot of talk about Serotonin. Some doctors are saying that the Serotonin levels in the brains of people with anxiety, panic, or depression, are lower than in people without these problems.

There is also a lot of talk about the Adrenal glands. Once they are subjected to a great deal of stress they can become depleted and cause trouble.

One other thing I have noticed is that highly sensitive people seem more prone to develop any, or all, of these conditions.

None of them can be controlled by will power. There are a lot of people who think you should just 'get a grip' on yourself. That you are weak, and lacking backbone. I even had a friend of many, many years ask me why I just didn't use will power? I did and it doesn't work.

Once we get to the point that we have Anxiety Disorder, Panic Attacks, and/or Depression; our nervous system is a mess, and we need a lot more than will power to help ourselves.

Fortunately, there are many things that we can do that will help us to feel better.

Tomorrow I will get into that and in the meantime I would appreciate some feedback. If you have any methods that work for you please let me know. If you are interested in learning more about this please tell me, so that I am encouraged to go on. If you are suffering with any of these conditions say so, please. I want to help.

You may leave comments anonomously or email me at: http://www.discoverydiva@gmail.com/

Things to come

2008-01-31T11:35:00.000-05:00

In the coming days and weeks I will be writing about :
~More fast meals
~Anxiety
~ Panic Attacks
~Depression
~Homeopathy
Stay Tuned

Tired Of Cooking?

2008-01-31T10:56:00.000-05:00

I don't blame you; I am too. We all have those days when we are too busy, or too tired ,or just need some free time for ourselves. Of course there is always take out, or having dinner out, but that can get expensive and sometimes we just want to stay home.
I have learned to keep emergency dinners on hand. Fast, inexpensive, & quick clean up are my three rules for 'those' days.
My first meal - one that has become a favorite around here is one that I served one day for lunch to my daughter-in-law. She raved about all the trouble I went to and how delicious it was. I finally had to tell her the truth; that pot roast and mashed potatoes took me nine minutes in the microwave.
I used Tyson Beef Pot Roast in Gravy from Wal Mart - price just under $5 and 5 minutes in the microwave. Add Simply Potatoes - $2.49. and 3 minutes of microwaving. Add a can of vegatables - and some biscuits to pop into the oven and presto! You have dinner in about 10 minutes for $9. This will feed 3 people.
My daughter-in-law liked this so much that when we went to Wal Mart, she made me show her exactly where it could be found. She served it to her daughter, who also loved it and was impressed. Her daughter doesn't cook, so this was one meal she could serve her boyfriend.
These two products honestly taste like home cooking, and are a life saver on those days when you just don't want to spend a lot of time cooking, and cleaning pots and pans.

Clothing BARGAINS Right Now

2008-01-30T11:20:00.000-05:00

This is the time of year to buy your winter clothing. Everything is discounted, there are huge bargains out there and let's face it - a little retail therapy can cheer us up at this time of the year.
I went yesterday to a store called Label Shopper and bought half a dozen items, for only $25.
The best part is that are quality clothing, with designer labels such as Liz Claiborne, Briggs, Denim & Co. and loads more.
These stores are out there, possibly with different names but they don't advertise and are usually in small strip malls that might be overlooked. Check your phone books ladies and hopefully you will discover one of these stores in your area.
They are large, clean, sell clothing for men and women in all sizes, have a huge plus size area, dressing rooms, great selection of both sportswear and dressy styles. Great work clothes for the office too.
I'm going back Friday with my daughter-in-law and after that I will be very well dressed for the rest of this winter and all set for next year too. At a fraction of what everyone else will be spending next fall. Slacks and jeans for $3 - $5! Sweaters and blouses the same. Even fleece hoodies, and a nice selection of jackets were mostly $5!
Discover how to be thrifty and have fun!

Muscle Spasms? Try Magnesium

2008-01-29T09:33:00.000-05:00

I started having muscle spasms in my legs when I was pregnant with my first child. My Mother told me it was just a normal part of pregnancy so I didn't worry about it. They continued over the years but, though extremely painful, they didn't last long ,and didn't happen too often, so I still didn't worry about it.
At some point the spasms moved to the bottoms of my feet and seemed to be more frequent, but I was used to it by then, and thought nothing of it. Then one day I was walking out of a meeting and chatting with someone, when a really intense spasm left me unable to walk and lasted much longer than usual. The woman with me told me to drink milk. This was my first clue that my body was lacking something that I needed. I tried Calcium and it helped a bit, but it wasn't until I heard that Magnesium should be taken with Calcium and tried it, that I discovered it was wonderful for eliminating those muscle spasms.
Magnesium is a mineral which we would normally expect to be supplied by our diet. Today, though, such deficiencies are common as our eating habits have changed. The use of processed food seems to be the culprit here.

Odor Control with Vanilla

2008-01-27T10:18:00.000-05:00

This is the time of year, at least here in the northern U.S. , that our closed up homes can get - well- smelly. Fresh air is great for keeping our homes smelling nice and clean but that isn't an option in January.
Those cooking, pets, smoke, and musty odors can become a problem. Commercial air fresheners are usually overpowering and only mask the odors. I think they just add to the problem.
My easy, thrifty, solution is Vanilla. I discovered this by accident and am so pleased with it that I had to share it. Vanilla just seems to devour odors and leaves us with a nice, gentle, natural scent instead.
I had vague memories of people using small bowls of Vanilla extract to eliminate odors and experimented with it and it does work. Then I tried scented candles and they work too. Vanilla sprays were my favorite for awhile but now they are hard to find.
One thing that is easily found at the Dollar Store is Carpet Fresh which is available in many scents but trust me, stick with the Vanilla. It is also made with baking soda which is another great product for eliminating odors.
This rug and room deodorizer also works great for kitty litter boxes, cars, basements, diaper pails, garbage pails, and upholstery. Also can help with musty closets, the hamper, etc.
See what other uses you can come up with.
If you enjoy this post or find it useful please leave a comment. Or Fave me with Technorati.

Acne? Pimples? Try This Easy Method

2008-01-25T09:41:00.000-05:00

After washing and drying your face put a drop of Lavender Oil on a Q -Tip and gently rub on each spot at bedtime. It is best to use a fresh Q-Tip with each spot.
The anti-inflammatory and antiseptic qualities of Lavender Oil will work while you sleep.
Repeat every other night until your skin is clear.

Staying Sane On Insane Days

2008-01-23T08:59:00.000-05:00

Stress! We all experience it. Lots of it. Kids, bosses, sick relatives, too much to do - too little time to do it, too many demands, things going wrong, noise, unexpected interruptions, problem after problem.
How to cope? We all want to feel better and we all have our own ways of coping. I have what I call my "Sanity Kit"; the things I discovered over the years that help me make it through those bad days.

~A fresh air break will help. Just a few minutes outside can relieve stress. Even in cold, snowy,weather; when I am busy at home I enjoy going outside to feed the birds and squirrels or take a walk to get the mail. How can you get outside ?

~Small treats sprinkled throughout a hectic day is nice too. Coffee, a cold drink, a few grapes or some chocolate.

~Take a few minutes to stretch. You can do this even if you are tied to your desk. Stretch those back muscles, legs, arms, roll your neck, wiggle your fingers and toes. This releases stress from your body.

~Lavender - relieves stress, is calming, helps or prevents headaches. There are a lot of ways to use Lavender but the easiest one that will work no matter what situation you are in is to keep a bottle of Lavender Essential Oil handy along with either tissues or some cotton balls.
A few drops of the oil on your tissue - then simply inhale the scent for a few seconds while concentrating on it should make you feel better and you can do this as often as you need to. It isn't very noticeable if you are discreet. The scent will be thought to be your cologne.

~Positive Self Talk! This is the most important one of all and easily forgotten when we are in the middle of a bad day. To get the most benefit from this we need to train ourselves to make this a habit. Since we are always talking to ourselves we might as well tell ourselves things that will make us feel better. Statements such as I can't stand this will make us feel worse. Instead,try
telling yourself something positive: I'll get through this, things will get better, I can handle this ,will work for you instead of against you. Try taking deep breaths while thinking your positive thoughts.

~Give yourself something to look forward to. It doesn't have to be something incredible. What would you like to do at the end of the day? A bubble bath, good book, movie, a nap,your favorite T.V. show or a great dinner? It doesn't matter as long as it is something you enjoy and can remember is waiting for you.

~Remember, the day or situation will come to an end. Relief is on the way and will arrive sooner or later. (Let's hope for sooner)
Written for: http://Carnival of Patience Therapy A great Carnival! Check it out.

Peppermint Tea: Aid For Stomach Problems

2008-01-22T09:58:00.000-05:00

Yes, Peppermint tea! That little box of tea bags that you can buy at your supermarket can really help if you suffer with any of these problems:

stomach cramps
gas
flatulence
indigestion
heartburn
diarrhea
bloating

Peppermint Tea is great if you feel that you ate too much or ate something that disagrees with you. It is best if used at the first sign of discomfort. An even better way to use this tea is to drink a cup before eating. If your symptoms are severe you might need two cups.
Relief is usually very quick but does seem to depend on how long you were suffering before drinking it.
It works well for IBS - Irritable Bowel Syndrome - but people with GERD will worsen their problems with this.
It is advised that pregnant or nursing mothers use it with moderation.
This is another one of those things that I make sure I always keep in the house. It seems to work better than the usual over the counter products from the drug store and is natural, safe, and has no side effects.
Peppermint Tea is made from the herb Peppermint and smells minty and refreshing. I'm sure you've encountered Peppermint at Christmas time ,or in your toothpaste :so you are familiar with the taste and don't need to be hesitant to try the tea.

Scented Fire

2008-01-20T10:18:00.001-05:00

It's a beautiful winter day here today; a peaceful , gentle, snowfall is creating a quiet and serene feeling as it blankets the surrounding woods. A perfect day for the beef stew bubbling in the crock pot.
All that's needed now is a fire in the fireplace. One of my favorite things in the winter is a scented fire. Easy to do; just two drops of Lavender Oil on some pine cones, toss them into your fire and discover how enjoyable it is to relax with the scent of Lavender drifting through your home. Doubles the pleasure.

Discover Pain Relief For Almost Everything :Arnica

2008-01-19T08:38:00.000-05:00

Arnica is a fantastic Homeopathic remedy that I thankfully discovered a few years ago. It is so great that it is one of those things I wish everyone knew about. Some of the things it helps with:

Muscle soreness and aches
Sprains
Back aches
Bruises caused by falls, blows, or bumps
Joint pain
Shock
Trauma
Injuries
Childbirth

This is one of the best things you can keep on hand in your First Aid Kit for emergencies. It minimizes shock and trauma if someone has an accident and it is safe for children. And you. As this is a homeopathic remedy there are no side effects to worry about and no drug interactions either.
People use this before and after surgery and dental work and report speedy recoveries and no post operative pain. There are also many reports of pain relief and easier, faster than normal recoveries from fractures, sprains, etc.
I have, of course, used it for the usual things and was pleased at the results:

*Huge bruise on my husbands hip after a bad fall on the deck
*Back aches
*My bad knee - arthritis
*Headaches
*Sore muscles after gardening
*A sore wrist on my daughter-in-law caused by working on the computer 10 hours a day
*She was amazed at the instant results one quick spray of Arnica gave her
*A bump on my head after tripping and hitting a door frame.

The wonderful thing about Arnica is that it works in many more ways than advertised! I have used it for many things that the makers haven't even thought of. Such as:

*An ingrown toenail - very painful - swelling and pain soon gone and was able to cut out the embedded nail
*Bad burn on the palm of my hand - instant relief of pain AND it didn't recur
*A badly dislocated elbow bone that was extremely painful after hitting it on the edge of a door (tripped over the dog) It kept the pain away during the healing process
* Currently using it for the muscle and joint aches caused as a side effect of my husband's Chemo
( with impressive success)

Arnica is available in:
Spray
Ointment
Massage Oil
Pills
Bumpstick
Pills

I personally use all of them and always carry some whenever I leave the house.

Upcoming Posts

2008-01-17T10:38:00.000-05:00

I will be writing about a variety of things in the future including :

A fantastic pain reliever
Help for indigestion, heartburn, etc.
Help for anemia
Help for IBS
How to eliminate those annoying odors
And more!

If this interests you come back often or subscribe easily - by pushing the red button Subscribe.
Please let me know what articles interest you the most. It would help me to know what to focus my writing on.
I write in several different areas that interest me and there is no way here to put them into separated categories so please browse - and feel free to ask questions.
Blessings, Gilly

A Little More On Lavender Healing

2008-01-17T06:59:00.000-05:00

Lavender is very popular around here and we keep finding more ways it can help.

Recently one son complained of his elbows and the surrounding area on his arms feeling sore. When I looked they were very red and irritated. We couldn't figure out what caused it but I handed him a tube of Lavender Cream and he said it felt better after one use. I told him to keep the tube and use it every day and see what happened. He reported back that it gradually faded away.

Another son had a bad cold; the kind where your nose just won't stop running and becomes so sore, tender, (and red) that you don't want to even touch it with a tissue anymore . I handed him a tube of Lavender Cream and he gratefully put it on and found quick relief. His nose looked normal when I saw him the next day.

There are several articles in the archives on Lavender.

Blessings, Gilly

A Couple of Funny Pregnancy Memories

2008-01-15T10:18:00.000-05:00

This is not the usual sort of thing I write about but my friend Melissa, at http://patiencetherapy.com/ is soon to give birth and has asked for some funny stories about pregnancy for her Patience Therapy Carnival this week so here goes:

I was trying to think of something funny about my pregnancies but lets face it; there isn't too much humour in all those symptoms we endure for nine months. The only funny thing I remember happening during a pregnancy is with my first one when I was about four or five months pregnant.

I answered the door to be greeted by a salesman who asked me if my Mother was home. I was young enough to be upset at being taken for a "kid" when I was so obviously grown up. I always looked young for my age and was tired of the teasing, and constant incidents such as being asked to wear make up at work to make me look older. Being married, living in our own apartment and noticeably pregnant; I thought I finally qualified as a bona fide adult and had assumed I now looked it. Needless to say, he made no sale.

I didn't think it was at all funny, but my husband, who was unfortunately home at the time, had a very good laugh and never let me forget that incident.

I think this qualifies as an embarrassing memory more than a funny one, but maybe it will give you a laugh.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

OK, I guess I also have a funny ( I hope) story about my second pregnancy.

My husband and I had left our three year old son with his doting grandparents and having a rare day to ourselves. It was the sixteenth of December and although I had an appointment with my doctor for a check up ; we decided to go Christmas shopping for awhile first. Then, after the doctor we would go out to eat, (a rare treat at the time) and then more shopping.

My due date was not until the second of January and I felt fine so my doctor and I were both pretty surprised when the examination turned up a little fact I was unaware of. I was in labor! Advanced enough that my doctor insisted I was to go straight to the hospital!

Frankly I was really ticked off. It ruined my lovely dinner and shopping plans which would have been much more fun than giving birth. Don't get me wrong; I wanted the baby, was looking forward to having it, but not when I was in shopping mode for goodness sakes! Couldn't this kid get the dates right? Or at least wait until tomorrow after mommy had had some fun and finished Christmas shopping?

My doctor and husband weren't at all cooperative with my plans, so I soon found myself in the hospital , without my dinner, without Christmas presents, but also without any pain. Imagine that! I had a totally pain free labor and delivery! I never felt a thing. The doctor had no explanation for this but I understood. My baby was making it up to me for ruining my shopping trip. Or maybe he (it was a boy) just didn't want to take a chance on irritating me any further. After all; it's important to start such a close relationship off on good terms and he might have been afraid I would hold a grudge.

Discover How To Make Dry Cleaning A Bargain

2008-01-14T10:08:00.000-05:00

Are you sick of expensive dry cleaning bills? You can now do your own dry cleaning at home much cheaper and very easily in your own dryer. Dryel offers a kit that can do 10 items for the price of one done professionally; and just think of not having to run around dropping things off, picking them up, and waiting days for them to be ready.
Just go to www.Dryel.com and get a coupon for $4.00 off your own dry cleaning kit.
Order on line and receive an instant coupon and free shipping or have them mail your coupon and buy your kit at Wal-Mart.
This nice company also sends a couple of other coupons, $1.50 for Dryel Starch and $2.00 for Ivory Snow - great for those delicate garments.
They know how to make us gals happy! Saving us money and time; two very important things.
Enjoy! Blessings, Gilly

Discovering An Easier Way To Have Healthy Water

2008-01-11T10:17:00.000-05:00

Water is my preferred drink. It's healthy and has no calories so what more could I want? Well, water that tastes good. Water in my area is now so heavily chlorinated that it tastes and smells like my pool. No one wants to drink it. So, I started buying the bottled water, quickly finding that the large bottles were not only annoying to deal with; I never seemed to have enough water no matter how many I bought. I decided to buy the individual bottles by the case. The largest case I could find.

The downside is that water is heavy. Lugging home those cases of 24 bottles every week is not fun. Even the young, healthy, checkout gals grunt a bit when they have to heave it across the counter. It also takes up too much room in the shopping cart, and too much precious storage room at home. All those empties are a nuisance too; my recycle bin runneth over, and I still was constantly running out of water.

Years ago we had one of those faucet things that filtered water; we weren't too pleased with it. You had to turn a little thing on the faucet when you wanted filtered water and it came out in an extremely slow trickle. Took forever to fill a glass and didn't taste good. Then we tried one of the pitchers to filter our water; that, too,was incredibly slow, and the water still tasted awful.

Determined to have clean, healthy, drinkable water I did some research and found that during the years I was lugging home all that bottled water wonderful things were happening with Brita.

They now have a water dispenser that fits neatly into the fridge and provides 18 glasses of great tasting, safe water (8 oz.) from it's own easy to use faucet, which quickly fills your glass.

I'm not only impressed with this product; I was impressed with the price. It was under $30 and the filters are only $15 for a package of 3. Considering they say you need to change the filter every 40 gallons or 2 months for the average family that breaks down to only $2.50 a month! This is much less expensive than buying bottled water at $20 to $25 a month!

My other issue was the ease of using bottles whenever I went outside or traveling around, but they have insulated cups with lids and sports bottles also insulated that will actually keep the water cold and are inexpensive.

So, this is my tip for simplifying life and saving money at the same time. Blessings, Gilly

Please leave comments. They make my day.

Life Today

2008-01-09T08:45:00.000-05:00

I don't have the title for this but like it enough to post it anyway. I don't have any idea who originally wrote it but if you do I'd appreciate your letting me know.
I found this thought provoking piece at life and love and Joy has generously given her permission for me to use it.

"We have taller buildings, but shorter tempers;wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints;we spend more, but have less;we buy more, but enjoy less.We have bigger houses and smaller families;more conveniences, but less time;we have more degrees, but less common sense;more knowledge, but less judgement;more experts, but more problems;more medicine, but less wellness.We spend too recklessly, laugh to little;drive too fast, get too angry too quickly;stay up too late, get up too tired;read too seldom, watch TV too much;and pray too seldom.We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values;we talk too much, love too seldom and lie too often;we've learned how to make a living, but not a life;we've added years to life, but not life to years;we've been all the way to the moon and back,but have trouble crossing the street to meet the new neighbour.We've conquered outer space, but not inner space;we've done larger things, but not better things;we've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul;we've split the atom, but not our prejudice;we write more, but learn less;plan more, accomplish less.We've learned to rush, but not to wait;we have higher incomes, but lower morals;more food but less appeasement;more acquaintances, but fewer friends;more effort but less success.We build more computers to hold more information;produce more copies than ever, but have less communication;we've become long on quantity, but short on quality.These are the times of fast food and slow digestions;tall men and short character;steep profits and shallow relationships.These are the times of world peace, but domestic warfare;more leisure and less fun;more kinds of food, but less nutrition.These are the days of two incomes, but more divorce;of fancier houses, but broken homes.These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers;throw away morality, one night stands,overweight bodies and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill.It is a time when there is much in the show window, and nothing in the stock room."By Anonymous.

Lavender Therapy For Frazzled Parents & Cranky Kids

2008-01-03T09:14:00.000-05:00

I was a frazzled parent for many years. I kept giving birth to babies that for some reason just wouldn't sleep through the night. I don't mean just the first month or so, I mean years. Any mother knows that babies or toddlers that just won't stop crying and just won't sleep will equal one exhausted, stressed out mother. Sometimes rocking, singing, or walking the floor with them just doesn't work.
What does work is Lavender, a lovely smelling herb that is safe and calms and relaxes even the crankiest of little ones. There is a great product by Breck called Lavender Bedtime Baby Cream that promises to help soothe and calm baby right to sleep. It is also a wonderful moisturizer for their skin. (And yours.)
A gentle massage with this will likely help your little one forget the tears, calm down, and - finally - sleep. A little on the tummy might also be a good idea as a lot of the crying might be caused by a touch of indigestion. A bit more on the forehead would be a help - I swear all that crying must give babies a headache. I know it gave me quite a few.
Lavender can also help tired, stressed mommies to relax and get a good nights sleep. And those headaches? I use it for mine all the time.
Lavender has become an important staple in our home; the variety of ailments it can help with are incredible. It is a great thing to keep on hand as it works for everything from bee stings to burns.
This is posted in the Blog carnival at Having Patience » Blog Archive » Patience Therapy - A Carnival for Frazzled Parents
Blessings, Gilly

Why It Can Be Hard To Be Positive.

2007-12-31T10:41:00.000-05:00

Negativity is the enemy of positive thinking and can defeat us before we even notice it. Sadly,we are accustomed to it as it is the norm in our society. Most of us have to deal with many negative people on a daily basis, perhaps even at home, and very likely at work. Well meaning friends and neighbors unknowingly beam their negative energy at us when they are having a bad day.

Thoughts are energy, and when spoken they are shared energy. People around us complaining can drain our positive feelings very quickly.

Energy is contagious! Good or bad, it has a strong effect on us.

Think of the last time you were with someone in a bad mood. If you were feeling good, happy, positive, I'll bet it didn't last. Negative emotions are like a black cloud that can smother our positive emotions.

How can we deal with this?

Begin every day with the intention of being happy and having your day go well.

Reinforce this constantly throughout the day.

When possible, avoid people that are always negative.

A great method of protection against the negative energy of others is to use shields, mentally constructed bubbles of protection that surround us. You will still notice and identify all the negativity around you but it won't leave you feeling drained. Most of it will just slide off your bubble. The more you use this the better it will work for you.
it's best to be as positive as possible when you do these exercises. You don't want to close your own negative feelings into your bubble.

Grounding yourself also helps to keep you centered in your own energy when you encounter any negativity. Just close your eyes, take a few deep breaths and imagine you have strong roots coming from the bottom of your feet going deep into the earth and closing firmly around a giant rock.

The Magic of A New Year's Wish List

2007-12-30T10:08:00.000-05:00

I don't make New Year's Resolutions. It's a nice idea but it hardly ever works does it? I prefer to make wish lists. Why? Because they really do get results. I can't remember where or when I first learned about this but it is amazingly easy to do and the results are equally amazing.
Actually, you can start this anytime, but ending or beginning the year with this seems ideal.

On New Year's Eve or New Year's Day get a little notebook and put the date at the top and make a list of things you want. There is no set number - if you come up with nine or fourteen that's fine. Do whatever feels right .

What kind of wishes are appropriate? It can be things you want to happen or things you want to own. It can even be things you want to understand or feel differently about. Anything that is important to you. Small wishes or large, even improbable ones go on your list. I have put things on my lists that seemed impossible, even ridiculous, yet they came true. Some quickly, some not so quickly, and some did take quite a while.

Next step is to forget about it for one month. No peeking at your list, or wondering when it is coming true. No obsessing about it because that cancels it out. If you find yourself thinking about it just shrug it off and think about other things. Seriously, you must have the discipline to leave it alone for the rest of the month or you might as well not bother to do it.

When the month is over, read your list, cross out the wishes that came true, and make another page for the next month carrying over the things that you are still wishing for and adding any new ones. Continue this every month for the next year and next New Year's you will enjoy browsing through your notebook and seeing how many wishes came true for you.
Blessings, Gilly

P.S. Please let me know your results. A happiness shared is doubled.

Help The Enviroronment and Yourself With Gift Bags

2007-12-28T11:34:00.000-05:00

This Holiday season I was really busier than usual and as a result had less time and energy for my usual gift wrapping extravaganza. I resorted to gift bags, feeling guilty, but not letting that stop me.
The twenty something bags under the tree did not look as pretty as my usual carefully wrapped and bowed packages but time had run out. I did add little ornaments with candy inside them that I picked up for a dollar each at Wal Mart but the dazzle factor was definitely gone.
The other thing I noticed was that I spent a lot more on bags than I would have on wrapping paper. That , however, was worth it to me as I considered it a gift of time and less stress for myself.
So, Christmas came and I was hoping no one would be disappointed or wonder why I had changed my long standing tradition of making each present look fantastic.
No one noticed! No one commented! No one cared!
The presents given and received were enjoyed as usual. The really important things were still there: love, sharing, caring, laughter, and being together.
The next day my youngest son mentioned that it was a lot easier to clean up without all that darn wrapping paper! Duh! I hadn't even thought of or noticed that but he was right. It is a lot of work to gather all those gift boxes and tons of torn up paper,hoping that no small gifts accidentally get thrown out. It does make one heck of a mess. We had always filled two large trash bags with all that Christmas paper, etc.
It dawned on me at last that all of that discarded wrapping paper is not good for the environment! I can't even imagine how many tons of extra garbage we, as a society, generate each holiday season. For me it has always been such an ingrained part of the holidays that the downside of using all that paper was just invisible.
Will I ever again wrap, coordinate colors, make fantastic bows, use colored lace, ribbon, flowers and so on to give a gift? Well, I have finally learned that men don't care a bit about such things though most women do. I will definitely restrict my fancy presents for women only. My new guilt over our stressed environment will keep me from being a major wrapping paper maniac.
Oh, and those gift bags? More paper. I am saving them to use again next year.
So, this effort to help my overwhelmed, stressed out self has expanded to also caring more about the needs of our planet.
I would love to hear about your efforts to lessen your stress and/or ideas that are good for our environment.
Blessings, Gilly

Help For Putting Away Christmas

2007-12-28T10:51:00.000-05:00

Last year my daughter in law found a great product called SNAPWARE. She was so excited about it I figured it had to be good and it is.
Basically it is three plastic boxes that snap together - on top of each other - building a small tower. Then the top box has a top with a handle. Each box has dividers so you can tuck away each treasure separately, but also has the option of not using them in order to enable you to pack away larger items. Except for the top the whole unit is see -through which makes it easy to see/find what you have.
Last year after Christmas I packed away my tree ornaments in the first SnapWare and was pleased at the ease of putting it away. When it was time to trim the tree this year I was more than pleased. No carrying a huge, awkward box up the stairs and finding everything jumbled together! Lightweight, carry it by the handle, and easy to find which box I want.
Another feature I really love is that you can add on extra boxes from another unit, enabling you to keep all related items conveniently together.
During this past year I have found these units perfect for storing my spools of ribbon, craft pieces for my floral hobby, ( all those little birds, hearts, wire, picks, etc. etc.) my collection of lace, sequins, and so on for my clothing embellishment hobby, and last but not least for storing my collection of vintage doilies and dresser scarves. (minus the dividers)
The convenience of being able to quickly find what I want and the absolute relief of being able to store a great deal of 'stuff ' in a small amount of space makes the price of these well worth it.
(You can stack these units as high as you like )
The price is - on sale - about $10 and this is the time of year they are usually on sale. Linen n' Things and Target carry them.
What other creative uses for them can you find?

Alternative for Expensive Christmas Ornaments

2007-12-20T08:33:00.000-05:00

I have a lot of interests and hobbies so there are a lot of things I spend money on. This could become expensive if I wasn't thrifty, so finding bargains has become another hobby. One that has turned out to be fun and gives me a sense of triumph when I succeed.
If you have ever admired Christmas trees lavish with beautiful hand painted, blown glass ornaments and thought you would enjoy collecting them but can't afford it here's an alternative.
Several years ago I started collecting those adorable glass angels, Santa's, penguins, rocking horses, etc. when I noticed them in the Dollar Store. Every year I have the fun of finding new ones and adding to my collection. Those beautiful, vivid colors are, according to the box, hand painted on hand blown glass. There is a huge variety, with lots of new ones every year.
My daughter in law, who has long been a collector of those expensive, big name, ornaments examined my dollar ones and was surprised at the quality. These are beautifully made, perfectly painted, etc. Later she checked her far more expensive ones and was surprised to find hers were made in China. Just like mine. LOL
Here's to enjoying life while being thrifty.

Gratitude Can Improve Your Life And Hopefully Mine

2007-12-19T10:40:00.000-05:00

You can read about my being challenged to be grateful further down in this post. But first:
Gratitude is a wonderful tool that really can improve our lives if we use it on a daily basis. First, while we are thinking about what we are grateful for we will feel good. Seriously, it puts us into a good mood.
The best part though is being grateful actually brings more things for us to be grateful for. This works quickly too. My favorite method is to write down 10 things that happened during the day that I am grateful for. This might seem difficult at first, especially if you had a bad day. That's when we really need to think about the good things we have in our lives. Friends, family, a job, an income, a place to live. There's five and here's five more. A favorite program, the music you love, a good movie, that great cup of coffee after dinner, a good meal.
If you don't have some of those things then think about what you do have.
Think about those little things that happen during the day, someone smiling at you, holding a door, giving you a compliment.

If you want more good things to happen in your life - the secret is to appreciate everything.

I had planned yesterday to write about gratitude today but I admit I wasn't feeling very grateful this morning. Our mailbox was destroyed by the plows yesterday - no big deal; we've lived here for over 30 years and this is the first time it happened. My son has had it happen twice in less than a year so I guess I'm grateful it hasn't happened before. Then last night I found our basement flooded! Ack! It seems there is a block in the pipe to our septic system. OK, this a tough one and it did slow me up but I know I cannot afford to give in to self pity, the why me?, why right before the holiday when I have a lot to do and a lot of people coming?

Thoughts like that will only make me feel worse and attract more negative events into my life.

Why make a bad situation worse? So, I am grateful that my son is working on the problem, and I know that sooner or later it will be fixed. (Sooner I hope!) I am grateful for my son being willing to deal with it and knowing how. I am grateful he could take the time off work to do this and I am VERY grateful I am a woman and don't have to do it. LOL

In the meantime if anyone wants to send me some positive energy I will be very GRATEFUL!

Blessings, Gilly
PS Thinking about all I have to be grateful for has honestly made me feel better.

EMail

2007-12-19T10:37:00.000-05:00

Just to let you know - you can e-mail me at: DiscoveryDiva@gmail.com

Gratitude! Thank You Everybody

2007-12-18T09:01:00.000-05:00

Today I am grateful for BlogCatalog approving me, All Women Blogging Carnival accepting my submission, and Blog Carnivals featuring my blog on their website.
Since I am new to blogging and wasn't sure anyone was even reading my blog, or liking it if they did, I am ecstatically happy to have acceptance from my peers. I am also encouraged to continue writing. So, a big Thank You to everyone.
Please leave comments, it makes my day, and I would like to know what you think, if you have anything to add to what I have written, if it is helpful to you in any way.
Blessings, Gilly

Christmas Spirit

2007-12-16T09:53:00.000-05:00

I love Christmas even though it gets more commercial every year. It's a shame that all the required gift giving and shopping has turned it into a stressful season for so many people because it is supposed to be about spirituality. Whether or not you are religious it is a time to be heart centered. Love, kindness, caring, giving, and sharing are what the Christmas spirit is meant to be.

Giving is a wonderful thing; I enjoy it, and I hope all those harried shoppers do too. It is sad, though, to think of so many people spending money they don't have, getting into debt for gifts that will be forgotten before they are paid for.

Christmas should come from the heart, not the wallet. It should also be fun, not exhausting and stressful. How can we give without draining our spirit and our credit cards? I think by changing our attitudes. We don't have to give to impress. We don't have to give and do more than we can comfortably manage. The Christmas machine is out of control and only we can fix it, one person at a time, each in our own way.

Some of the ways I have tamed the commercial aspects of Christmas giving:

I realized that giving a fancy gift that was basically useless was downright crazy. I now take the time to find out what people really need or enjoy. Much better to give a gift that will be used even if it seems somewhat dull. If we don't know people well enough to know what they like and need maybe we shouldn't be exchanging gifts with them. A gift certificate to their favorite restaurant might be unimaginative, not visually as exciting as a big, colorfully wrapped present but it won't clutter their home or go unused. It is also easier to give and no wrapping time involved.

If I notice a family member hasn't replaced their ragged, falling apart wallet that's one gift I will be giving to them. Not an unusual gift but they will appreciate it.

We make a habit of giving a donation to the Humane Society every Christmas, a $50 donation entitles us to the Family Plan and we receive a newsletter that keeps us up to date on what's going on.

That is one of our yearly gifts and we enjoy it all year round.

I save change all year and then empty the whole thing into a Salvation Army kettle. This will help someone that really needs it rather than spending it on a frivoulous, expensive gift that someone probably doesn't even want.

Putting the emphasis on giving is wonderful but it doesn't have to be something we buy. Making sure that people you care about are not alone during the holiday is a nice family tradition. One I always keep.

Giving your talent and caring won't cost much. Giving a Reiki treatment to someone who is going through a bad time is a lovely present . Doing a bit of research on your computer for someone who hasn't the time will be appreciated. Visiting a shut in with a gift of a book, or some little fun holiday decoration that you can make together will have more value than an expensive doo dad.

Gifting from the heart is what Christmas should be, and it just takes a bit of thinking. I hope I have inspired you to add more enjoyment and ease to your holidays and those of all your loved ones.
Blessings, Gilly

Who Took The Pink Out Of Christmas?

2007-12-15T10:20:00.000-05:00

I'm a pink person, always have been. As a child my father always painted my room pink, as a bride my new husband painted our first kitchen pink. Through the years he refused to sleep in a pink bedroom but kept on painting each new kitchen pink while I continued to wear pink, and plant pink roses, and be attracted to most things pink.

Pink was considered a color for little girls for the most part, and not truly acceptable for the home. I was pushing it with my pink kitchen but treasured every bit of pink I could manage to sneak into my life. For decades I had to make do with pink in my kitchen and garden; it was out of favor and almost impossible to find even knick knacks in my favorite color.

Then along came Shabby Chic! Quickly followed by Romantic Homes! I was in Pink Heaven. Suddenly I was able to find the things I had always longed for, slipcovers and comforters bloomed with pink roses, pink lace trimmed pillows were everywhere, along with little pink lamps, dishes, and anything else I could think of.

Christmas came and I was delighted to find a vast variety of pink holiday decorations. After all, they were perfect for my pink littered living room. Since I love crafts and do a fair amount of them, every year I bought pink silk poinsettias which I used lavishly. I put them on my tree and garlands and made floral arrangements and had a happy pink Christmas.

A few weeks ago I went shopping for this years pink poinsettias with wonderful plans and ideas for a lovely arrangement in a large shabby chic pressed tin cone. Ack! None in the dollar store! None in the craft stores, or Wal Marts or Rite Aid. We tried one last craft store, a very large one, and here was purple, lavender, blue, gold, copper, peach, red, white, but NO PINK! I knew I was in trouble. As I stood there helpless and hopeless, I watched my daughter in law buying some white poinsettias and FLASH! I remembered that I had a can of floral spray. PINK floral spray that I had never used. I quickly grabbed bunches of white poinsettias and with renewed hope for a pink Christmas headed home.

The next day I spread out plastic garbage bags on a table in my back room and started spraying my flowers. It worked, those white poinsettias turned pink. Sort of a pink miracle happening right in front of me. The only downside was that the paint smelled HORRIBLE! And though I had closed the door to the rest of the house that smell traveled everywhere, all through the downstairs, upstairs, and even the basement reeked. I found my husband watching the news with a handkerchief over his nose and mouth and he wanted to know " what did you do?" Fortunately, the smell dissipated in about 20 minutes. A LONG twenty minutes. And the flowers look lovely. And my big beautiful pressed tin cone has a gorgeous PINK Poinsettia floral arrangement. But, what will I do next year?

Christmas Gifts For Senior Parents

2007-12-12T11:08:00.000-05:00

Ever ask your over 60 parents what they want for Christmas? Chances are they will tell you they don't want anything, leaving you feeling frustrated or annoyed. Why is it so hard to think of great presents for our senior parents? Why do they say they don't want anything? Because they probably already have everything they want and a lot they don't want. By the time we reach 60 most of us have far too much 'stuff' and have lost interest in acquiring any more of it. The more we have, the more we have to take care of. All those lovely presents need to be dusted, cleaned, or worse yet, we have to figure out how to use the darn things. Also they take up room, which some seniors may not have to spare.
Being over 60 myself, I know what I , and most other seniors, really feel about Christmas gifts. It's not that we don't want anything! We just want more practical things. We seldom want clothing, jewelry, gadgets, more appliances, or decorative items. We certainly don't want anything that requires maintenance. One thing most of us do want is Help!
Most of us would be very grateful to have some of the burden of maintaining our homes lifted. Find out what is most difficult for them, is it snow removal, washing windows, does their house need to be painted? Is something just becoming an eyesore? Or crying out for repairs? I can promise you that they will appreciate your help where it is really needed, whether you do it yourself or hire someone to do it.
Are your parents still healthy and active and easily managing their home but retired? Then they probably have a lot more time and a lot less money. This means that they might be bored . Here is a list of things that your parents might enjoy receiving as gifts:
NetFlix
Dinner Certificate
Gas Cards
Local Coupon Books ******
The Coupon Books are my favorite! This is a gift that keeps giving all year. Your parents can go out to lunch or dinner as often as they wish, and the variety of restaurants offering buy one /get one free is amazing. All price ranges are covered, starting with Burger King and going up to moderate priced to higher priced. Most coupon books also offer bargains on car washes, doughnuts, (get half dozen free when buying half dozen) ice cream places, (they'll enjoy going out for ice cream next summer) and much, much more. These usually cost about $20 - $25.
If you usually spend more for their gifts then get NetFlix too.
OK, I know you probably aren't comfortable handing your parents a small book or envelope with a certificate. Just doesn't seem like a gift. So, get creative. Your parents love movies, so you decided to get them NetFlix. Get a basket and fill it with popcorn or snacks you know they like to go with those movies. Pop the NetFlix certificate in that basket. Note: This is only for parents that have a computer.
Coupon Book - Wrap it attractively - put it in a gift bag along with an inexpensive, disposable camera and new photo album, ready for those pictures they will take while visiting the places in the coupon book. If you still feel the presentation of your gift isn't up to par keep adding things. Framed snapshots of your family, chocolates, fancy cookies, a toy or two for their pets. Most of these things are available at the dollar store so you can probably afford to easily stuff their gift bag to bursting. They will think it's fun and appreciate it if they are on a budget.
Think about what they really need and like. Listen to what they say and you will find yourself giving from the heart not the ego and that will ensure your parents the very best present possible.
Blessings, Gilly

Tips for Bargain Holiday Crafting/Decorating

2007-12-12T07:57:00.000-05:00

An easy, inexpensive way to make decorations for the holidays is to use what you already have! You might be surprised at what treasures you can find in your own closets.
Most of us tend to pick up bargains at sales during the year with the intention of making things - then life happens, we are busy with one thing and another and forget what we planned to make and what we have. And let's not forget those little impulse buys, those little things we just can't resist that are so darned cheap we don't see why we should even try.
I recently bought an adorable, nice sized flannel snowman at the dollar store and a package of cute little drums on impulse. I was supposed to be buying cards and gift bags but - well - you know - it's fun to browse around and that's when we make a few impulse buys. So, big deal, I spent two dollars on something I didn't really need or have any use for.
However, those two little impulse buys inspired me!
The next day as I was finishing a floral arrangement of Poinsettias I noticed my little impulses
sitting nearby and thought that snowman would be cute as a centerpiece for a wreath. I was sure that I must have one I could use in the house, at least a used one I could recycle. I rummaged around in a closet and voila! - a brand new pocket wall basket totally forgotten! I thought the snowman was perfect for the centerpiece in this. Then I needed greenery, so I looked through my floral supplies but didn't find anything suitable. I wanted something Christmasy so went into my Christmas decorations from previous years and finally found a pine garland that was never used. I simply twisted it into loops that looked like branches and stuffed it into the basket, then added Mr. Snowman. Browsing through the floral supplies again, I spotted a small bunch of leftover red Poinsettias, a couple of branches of Statice, and one long spray of red berries! Further browsing provided a couple of small pieces of Statice, several small bunches of red berries, and plenty of leftover red and green plaid ribbon.
I couldn't have made a cuter arrangement if I had deliberately planned and bought everything.
And those little impulsively bought drums were such a nice finishing touch that my son even remarked that they were cute. Amazing! The male population in this household doesn't normally notice my decorating efforts. If you live with men you probably know what I mean.
Discover what treasure you already have tucked away and save money while having fun.
Blessings, Gilly

Crafty? Gifty? Thrifty?

2007-12-06T09:16:00.000-05:00

If you're feeling the need to be thrifty with your gift giving and crafting for this Christmas season go to the Dollar Store. It amazes me how many people never think of using the local Dollar Store for gifts or craft projects when money is in short supply.
Last Christmas I made lovely gift baskets for several women on my 'must give a present to' list and they were a big hit. My theme was simple and practical , pamper yourself and relax with a lovely bubble bath. One thing most women need, especially during and after the holidays, is to escape from stress.
A lovely bubble bath with candles, soap, body lotion, and bath powder, all Lavender scented, with a bath pillow for comfort would make any women feel pampered. There are various other scents available, such as Vanilla, Lime, Raspberry; but Lavender has the bonus of being very relaxing and a wonderful sleep aid. ( see my archives for articles on all that Lavender can do for you.)
Yes, the baskets, colorful tissue paper, special bags to put the basket full of goodies into, and Christmas ribbon to finish it all off with a lovely big bow are all available at the Dollar Store and shouldn't cost more than seven to ten dollars per gift. If you are doing more than one it will be even less as the tissue paper ( a filler for the bottom which makes it look nicer too, and ribbon will be enough to share for two or three gifts. Thrifty? Yes! But also thoughtful, useful, and a very pretty gift.
For those crafty urges, how about a nice little set of pine window wreaths, decorated with red silk poinsettias and a red bow?Or little Santa's and a bow? (Can you tell I like bows?) Depending on your choices of ornaments, and there are many; this will probably only cost you around five dollars and would make a nice gift, especially for someone having their first Christmas in their own apartment.
Very thrifty. But something that would be appreciated. And used.
Discover the Dollar Store!

Help For Colds and Flu

2007-12-02T15:19:00.000-05:00

This seems an appropriate time to share with you my favorite remedies for colds and flu as it is December and everyone, including myself, seems to be suffering with colds or the flu.
A year and a half ago, on a summer day I was wandering around a health food store when I spotted a little box that said - quite simply - FLU. It was made by Hyland's and I had had excellent results with their products so I decided to buy it so I would be prepared whenever any of the family had the flu.
Fast forward to Thanksgiving! You guessed it; I woke up sick; company was coming for a dinner I was supposed to cook and I didn't know what to do. Rummaging in my remedies cupboard I spotted the little FLU box and took the required 3 pills, laid down for an hour and happily realized I felt about 80% better. You are supposed to take it every 4 hours and shortly after my second dose the flu just seemed to disappear! Didn't reappear either.
I've used it ever since and it always works quickly, not just on myself but on husband, sons, and friends.
I also use Lemon Essential Oil for colds and flu. This kills germs , which means the rest of the family doesn't catch that miserable cold, and , whoever is sick gets well faster. I use the lemon oil in a potpourri burner, the electric kind, as it's the most convenient for me, but you can use the oil in a vaporizer, aroma lamp, or the potpourri burners that use the little candles.
I read somewhere that Lemon Oil is used in hospitals in England to kill germs. With very good results.
Blessings, Gilly

Lavender & Arnica For Healing Burns

2007-11-26T17:37:00.001-05:00

I have a smooth top stove and one Sunday morning last summer, while making brunch for a family gathering I absent mindedly put my hand on a still HOT burner and burned my hand badly enough that I wanted to scream from the sudden, intense pain.
I immediately put ice on it and this helped the pain but as the ice quickly melted the pain immediately became unbearable again. Remembering that Lavender is said to be a wonderful healing agent for burns, I put some Lavender Essential Oil on my hand and waited hopefully to see what happened but as the oil dried into my skin the intense pain didn't let up at all.
Desperate to relieve the pain, I turned to Arnica, a homeopathic remedy that I had used many times for a variety of painful conditions with great success. (The Arnica that I used was a salve although it comes in other forms.) I slathered it all over my hand and the pain was better in a few minutes and disappeared entirely in a very short time. Of course I was glad, but also surprised, as Arnica has never - to my knowledge - been mentioned as useful for painful burns.
I kept a thick coating of the Arnica salve on my hand until the next day although the pain did not return and I was able to use my hand as I normally would. I will be writing more about Arnica in the future but for now let's get back to the results of the Lavender.
The next day when I washed the last of the Arnica off I was amazed that there was no sign of my hand having been burned. Incredibly, my skin looked completely normal! No blisters, no redness, no hint of the burn that had been bad enough to hurt very badly!
Lavender heals burns; Arnica vanishes pain. What a great combination.
Love that Lavender. Love that Arnica.
Blessings, Gilly

Happy Thanksgiving

2007-11-21T08:53:00.000-05:00

Just wanted to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving! I'll be back after the holiday with an interesting Lavender experience that just might help you as much as it helped me.
Blessings, Gilly

Lavender For Wrinkles and Dry Skin

2007-11-20T10:59:00.000-05:00

Yes, really, it works great! I have been plagued with extremely dry skin all summer and was trying all kinds of products with little success. My hands were so dry that they had big, deep, wrinkles and looked and felt horrible. I had a tube of Lavender cream and finally started trying that and was amazed at the results. The wrinkles were better from the first application and just continued to improve every day. My hands now feel soft and look so much better it is hard to believe.
When I realized how great it was doing on my hands I started using it on my face and I am very pleased with my diminishing wrinkles, the skin tone, softness, and healthy glow. I can't say that it will make all of your wrinkles disappear - it depends on the amount of wrinkling, your age, etc. but you will definitely see improvements. I did and I am 64.
The funny thing is I have tried a lot of different skin care creams over the years , some quite expensive, and the results with this inexpensive tube of Lavender cream are the best I have experienced. I wish I had found this 20 years ago.
I would appreciate comments and am open to questions.
Blessings, Gilly

Lavender For Bad Hair Days

2007-11-20T10:30:00.000-05:00

Sometimes a bit of a disaster turns into a great new discovery. Recently I had a bad hair day and I mean A BAD HAIR DAY! I washed my hair and for some reason my hair just decided it was going to give me a hard time. Actually it's been doing a lot of that lately. I have fine, totally straight hair and on that particular day it was dry, dull,unmanageable, fly away, and completely flat with no life to it at all. I also looked like I had a head full of split ends that had just appeared out of nowhere. I was going out that day and since I didn't want to scare people I started feeling a bit frantic . So I tried some mousse, brushing, hair spray etc. etc. and nothing helped.By now I was running late and getting desperate and had no clue what the heck to do with my hair disaster when my eyes fell on my tube of Lavender cream. Since at that point I had nothing to lose I put a small amount on my palm, rubbed my hands together and ran them over my hair. Instant Miracle!My hair was shining, the split ends were invisible, it had bounce, life, volume and was totally manageable! I was amazed and grateful and even more pleased that it stayed that way all day.
Just make sure you only use a little bit as too much will make your hair greasy. You can always add more but the only way too deal with too much is to wash it out.
Blessings, Gilly

I'm Back!

2007-11-17T12:59:00.000-05:00

Hi, it's been a long month full of family disasters, illness, hospitals etc. for me but things are - finally - looking up. I can return to my blog and I am more excited about Lavender than ever as I discovered a couple of new and wonderful ways to use it. I will be putting this information in a separate post just to make it more convenient for you.
Blessings, Gilly

Apology

2007-10-17T09:07:00.000-04:00

For anyone reading this blog, I am sorry I've been unable to post as often as I intended. A family crisis has been keeping me too busy and too tired to even think. I will continue the lavender info as soon as I possibly can.
Blessings, Gilly

Lavender Treatment For Bee & Wasp Stings

2007-10-07T11:23:00.000-04:00

Years ago my son stepped on a ground nest of bees while mowing the lawn, something we had never even heard of, so we were completely unprepared to deal with this. The angry bees attacked my son and repeatedly stung him, even managing to get under his shirt & pant legs. Since he had numerous stings all over there was quite a bit of pain and he was also feeling shocked and nervous. None of the things we tried seemed to help so eventually we took him to the emergency room at our nearest hospital.
That was not one of the best experiences we ever had! First there was a fairly long drive to the hospital, then we had to wait for quite a while for someone to see us. Not fun for someone who was in pain, and , by then, in a state of panic. After all this all they only spent a few minutes with him and gave him a pill to calm him down and help him sleep.
HOW I WISH I HAD KNOWN ABOUT LAVENDER THEN. Putting some Lavender Essential Oil directly on the stings would have not only calmed him down quickly, but soothed the pain away while actually healing the stings. AND there would not have been the time wasted driving to a hospital or waiting for someone to treat him. Although in my opinion there wasn't much treatment involved. There was however quite a large bill. It would have been so much cheaper to have bought a bottle of the essential oil if only I had known.
Now, of course, I always keep a bottle of it in the house for emergencies, and every so often I, or someone in my family has one of those emergencies ( don't we all?) and am grateful that I have my helpful little bottle of Lavender oil. My next post will be about an emergency where I DID have the Lavender oil and how it helped.
Blessings, Gilly

Let Lavender Help - an introduction to The Lavender Series

2007-09-29T13:45:00.000-04:00

Lavender is a wonderful herb with an incredible ability to help in an emergency, such as a serious burn, or with just the aggravations of everyday life such as mosquito bites, headaches, or sinus problems as well as a huge variety of other problems. It can save you a trip to the Emergency Room in some situations, or just help you to relax.
Lavender is also inexpensive, works quickly, and has a wonderful scent. This truly diverse, wonderful herb is available in many easy to use products such as us:
Lavender Soap
Lavender Creams
Lavender Lotions
Lavender Essential Oil
Lavender Dried Herbs.
What could be easier than using soap? Or a cream or lotion? That's how easy it can be to get started using lavender. It's also very easy to find these Lavender based products; most of them are probably in the stores you already shop at. Supermarkets, drug stores, department stores, discount stores, and even your local dollar store will usually have at least one of these lavender based products. What you can't find locally will be easily found online.
My Lavender Series will be covering some of the many ways that lavender can help you and your family to make life easier and more pleasant in simple, inexpensive ways.
Most of the series will be based on my own personal experiences and discoveries of what works for me and what didn't.

Relief For Mouth Pain After Dental Work

2007-09-22T11:08:00.000-04:00

Years ago I had a lot of dental work done and was told by my dentist , who was a very kind, down to earth man, to use a tea bag for pain relief when the novocaine wore off.
At home a few hours later, the pain became intense, motivating me to try it. It worked, and quickly, and though it wasn't fun to stuff a tea bag into my mouth - well, the pain was even less fun, so the tea bag won.
Here's what to do : make a cup of tea, let it steep till it looks strong enough, then let it cool, you don't want to burn your mouth; if you are doing this you already have enough pain. Put the tea bag into your mouth in the area where the pain is.
Since it tended to gag me I also tried sloshing sips of the tea on the sore side of my mouth and
holding it as long as I could. This also helped but not as much as the whole tea bag.
That's it. Short and simple.

Dealing With Restless Leg Syndrome

2007-09-19T10:49:00.000-04:00

This is an awful thing to have , of course if you have it you already know this. There are just such unbearable, weird feelings in your legs (and possibly your feet) that are indescribable. It is impossible to relax, let alone sleep, and there is an uncontrollable, constant urge to keep moving your legs.
When you have to suffer through this night after night you begin to dread bedtime because it signals the beginning of your nightly torture and it seems that nothing helps. A warm bath, massaging your legs, aromatherapy lotions that are supposed to relax you; I tried them all and found little, if any, relief. The next logical step is a visit to your doctor. There must be some cure for this, right? Well, there is a drug routinely prescribed for this but it has some side effects. If you think the symptoms in your legs are weird just imagine what living with the "possible" side effects of this drug would be like. Are you ready for this? Uncontrollable sexual urges which may lead to sexual promiscuity, and /or an uncontrollable urge to gamble among other things. I'm not making this up. A commercial for this drug, which, for obvious reasons, I won't name, is aired regularly on TV. I personally find it incredible that a drug like this is allowed on the market and that they actually expect to sell it to people. It has been my experience that when any particular drug is said to have specific "possible" side effects you can probably count on experiencing one or more of them. Do we really want to chance taking taking this? Not me.
Fortunately, I heard about using Ivory soap. You are supposed to put a bar of Ivory in your sheets. Many people have found this worked for them. Naturally I immediately tried it. It didn't work. I don't know why it does for some people but didn't for me. I thought maybe it takes time, tried it again the next night, and the next. A week later , desperate for relief it occurred to me to rub the soap directly onto my skin.I grabbed the Ivory and went over every inch of my legs, feet,and toes. Back, front, sides. I didn't miss an inch. Miracle! The unbearable discomfort was gone and didn't return all night. I was able to relax and sleep.
The next night it all returned, but a few minutes with my new best friend, ( Ivory soap) again brought instant relief. It became a part of my nightly routine and never failed me. OK, it doesn't seem to be a cure, at least nor for me, but it does quickly, easily, safely, and inexpensively bring relief every night. With NO SIDE EFFECTS!
Later on I found that taking a bath before bedtime with Ivory Soap had the same results. I know some women have the symptoms in the daytime, I never did, but I assume the Ivory would work for this too. We're all different so I can't guarantee that my method will work for you if you have this problem but I think it is worth a try.
Thanks To:
E3 Success Blog » Blog Archive » E-3 Carnival of Health and Wellness - January 11, 2008
for including this article in their Carnival.
AND :http://www.allforwomen.com.au/women-blogging/
Blessings, Gilly