I ♥ Juice Bar!

     If you haven't been to Juice Bar in Huntsville yet, then you don't know what you are missing!  This is a great place to go for anyone who is looking to have healthy options for juices, smoothies, vegetarian and vegan food.  Their menu offers so many wonderful, healthy choices, you are sure to find something you will love!  As for me, I think the Green Smoothie is simply awesome, but really I have so many favorites, sometimes it is hard to decide!  Another great thing about the Juice Bar is you always get service with a smile.  =D  The Juice Bar team is really the best at pleasing their customers!  So, if you haven't tried them, you need to stop in and see what they are all about.  They are located in Huntsville in the shopping center at the corner of Whitesburg Drive and Airport Road.  I think you will find the Juice Bar is a great start towards making healthy habits and don't be surprised to find out that even the kiddos will love it too!

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A Whale of a Story and Speaking Faith

I recently heard an amazingly, beautiful story of a daring rescue of a female humpback whale that had become entangled in a spider web of crab traps and line.   The story goes that the whale was weighted down by hundreds of pounds of traps that caused her to struggle to stay afloat. She also had hundreds of yards of line rope wrapped around her body, her tail, her torso, and a line tugging in her mouth.  A fisherman spotted her just east of the Faralon Islands (outside the Golden Gate) and  got on the radio to get some help. Within a few hours, a rescue team arrived and determined that she was so bad off, the only way to save her was to dive in and untangle her with their hands.  This presented a very clear and present danger to each diver since one slap of the her tail could kill them.  Looking past the danger, they worked for hours with curved knives and eventually freed her. When she was free, the divers say she swam in what seemed like joyous circles. She then came back to each and every diver, one at a time, nudged them, and pushed gently, thanking them.  Some said it was the most incredibly beautiful experience of their lives. The guy who cut the rope out of her mouth says her eye was following him the whole time, and he will never be the same.

Can you imagine being in the water with this magnificent creature and having the privilege of such an emotional connection?  One that very few in this life will ever experience!  Can you imagine how trusting that whale had to be in order to allow those divers to move around her with knives so they could free her?  Whether or not she knew or she just sensed that they were there to help her, she had to be still and have faith in those divers to be free from that tangled mess.  It reminds me of how we can get so tangled up in this world, to the point where we too, have a hard time staying afloat.  Unfortunately, I think it is very easy to do, but we, as Christians, must remember God has promised to never leave us!  We are never alone!  No matter how tangled up we get, God is there to free us!  We must only BELIEVE and HAVE FAITH. 

Mark 11:22-24 tells us, "So Jesus answered and said to them, "Have faith in God.  For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.  Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them." 

God has given us the authority to bring forth the changes we want in our lives and to bring circumstances into line with the will of God for our lives.  So if you find yourselves entangled in life to the point where you can barely breathe or stay afloat, remember the whale in this story and be still.  Trust in God and have faith that He will answer your prayers.  When you apply the principal of speaking in faith, you will release God's POWER in your life and you too, might even find yourself swimming in joyous circles! 

Andre' =D

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DIY Chai Tea Latte: Treat Yourself!

      I don't know what could taste better on a cold winter's day other than a Hot Chai Tea Latte!  From the moment you wrap your hands around the warm mug, to the first sip of this sweet yet spicy latte to the last, I savor this drink!
 
     I want to share with you a recipe that I think is one of the best recipes for a Chai Tea Latte.  If you are a fan of Starbucks original Chai Tea Latte, then I think you will really like this recipe.  I had my first Starbucks about a year ago and fell in love with it, but the cost of doing that everyday was not in my budget, so I had to get creative.  I tried several recipes I found online, and I used those as jumping points to create my own version of this delicious drink. 


Hot Chai Tea Latte Recipe

Ingredients
 
     2 Tazo organic chai tea bags
     1/4 cup of boiling water
     1/2 cup of warm organic milk
     2 tsp. of Coffee Mate Natural Bliss (vanilla flavor) creamer
     Ground cinnamon 

Instructions

     1.  Place your tea bags in a mug and add boiling water.  Steep for about 3 to 5 minutes.
     2.  Heat the milk and creamer until just warm.  Add to mug and stir.
     3.  Sprinkle ground cinnamon on top.  Serve hot and ENJOY.

*Note:  I use a microwave safe glass measuring cup to boil water in microwave (about 45 secs in 800 watt microwave).  I also use the same cup to warm milk and creamer together in microwave (about 1 minute in 800 watt microwave).

5 Ways to Add More Laughter to Your Life

 

 

 

   I have heard so many times in my life that laughter is the best medicine and the older I get, the more I believe that to be true.  As a kid, I laughed a lot more and with good reason, I didn't have any worries.  At least, not the "adult worries" we all face when we have responsibilities like paying the bills and raising the kids, but for me, having a child is what reminded me that laughter is important.  Sure there have been moments, many moments, that have tried me as a parent, but through it all, my son's laughter and comical personality have constantly reminded me of the importance of laughter in my life.  Laughter is one of the best ways to fight stress, conflict, and pain in our life. There have been so many studies done to prove that laughter is one of the best things you can do to improve your overall health.  So what are you waiting for?  Here are some great ways to add a little more humor into your life:

 

1.  Get goofy with your kids.

 

How many times have you watched your kids being silly and laughed?  Try joining in the fun the next time the moment presents itself.  You will be amazed at how good it feels to let it go and just be silly!  Not only that, but you will be strengthening your relationship with your children as well by making a memory that will create a positive bond that will last for the rest of your lives.

 

2.  Count your blessings.

 

Sit down and literally make a list of all the great and wonderful things in your life.  This simple act will begin the process of opening your mind to more positive thoughts and therefore, start you on the journey towards more joy in your life, which opens the door to more humor in your life.

 

3.  Smile.

 

A smile is the beginning of laughter.  The more you practice smiling, the more you open the door to the possibility of laughter.  Also, the act of smiling actually releases tension in your face which helps you to relax more as well. 

 

4.  Don't take yourself too seriously.

 

This is a trap I fall into every time and I am not sure why I do it, but learning to NOT take yourself so seriously in life will go a long way to opening the door to laughter.  Try looking for the humor in bad situations and keeping things in perspective.  Many things are beyond our control in this life, so it is unproductive and unhealthy to try to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders.

 

5.  Create stress free zones.

 

Stress is deadly and definitely a "deal breaker" when it comes to laughter.  I have dealt with this issue for a while in my life.  I had to work hard at creating stress free zones in my home so I could enjoy my life more.  Life is just too short for stress and sometimes we don't realize how much life stress is destroying.  Start by finding a quiet moment and reflect on things in your life.  If stress is stealing your joy, then work hard to find those things that de-stress you.  

 

   By making some changes in your life, you can begin to add more laughter in your life.  People who learn how to incorporate more laughter into their life, find their life more enjoyable and when problems arise, they are able to keep things in perspective better and find a solution much faster!  

 

 

Andre'  =D    

 

   



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Beach Me Over

   For most of my life, I have been in love with the beach.  I can't tell you exactly where that love begin, but it has become a huge part of me and my surroundings.  It has always been a dream of mine to one day live on the beach, but until that dream can happen, I have decided that it doesn't matter if I live on the beach or not, my home can still be the beach house I have dreamed about even without the beach.  Here are my tips for a Beach Me Over on a budget:

1.  Color me HAPPY.

 

 

Don't be afraid to experiment with color.  Find inspiration from your favorite picture or from a home décor item such as a pillow.  Use those colors to transform a room or tie them together throughout the whole house.  There are so many great color choices when it comes to beach colors! 


2.  Get CRAFTY.

I don't always have the money to go shopping for wall art or other home décor items, so I have to improvise on occasion.  I love to look at Pinterest along with many different magazines for different ideas.  One of my favorite crafts was making these wooden fish from picket fence pieces.  I bought the fence pieces at Lowes for under $2.00/each.  Then I made a fish pattern by free handing on one of the fence pieces.  I cut it out with a jigsaw, sanded it down, and grabbed some fun colors of paint that I had on hand.  It was a fun project and I love how it turned out!! 

3.  Bring the BEACH INDOORS.

I love sea glass and my husband knows this!  Instead of buying me flowers, he has collected pieces of sea glass from various beaches he has traveled for business.  He tells me it is his way of being close to me.  =D  I have put those pieces in a nice glass vase that I had and display them in the house to bring the beach indoors.  I also have collected seashells, starfish, and other items that I have used in our home.

4.  SHABBY BEACH.

I am not afraid to paint anything and I love to shop for bargains at antique markets.  When I find a great piece that is a style I prefer, I grab a paintbrush, some paint, and create a shabby weathered beach look.  This is a project that usually takes a little time, but I find it well worth it! 

5.  K.I.S.S (Keep It Simple Stupid)

The beach is not complicated.  To me, the beach is stress free and so, I like to create that same environment in my home.  It helps to keep me relaxed after a long day.  I try not to put too many pictures on the walls and I try to keep the space open and inviting.   


   I hope you find these tips helpful!  Just have fun with it and remember to think "stress free."



Andre'  =D
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