Hydration

My new favorite hydration bottle!

It is stainless steel (does not taste like stainless steel) & made by Thermos called Thermax, found at Target.

LOVE IT!

It keeps liquid cold for 12 hours!

And I will use it this winter for my

herbal tea keeping it toasty warm.

So how much do I drink?

To be honest, I really don't know.

However, I have this with me constantly! I drink A LOT!

I don't think we realize how thirsty our bodies really are.

I enjoyed reading this article found at the Mayo Clinic site...

Click here.

I like to think of it as this... drink 1/2 your weight in ounces.

For example for someone who weighs 150,

they'd drink 75 oz a day.

Swim Lessons

I've been checking on Adele (our adopted mother duck)each day since she took up residency in my landscaping. She is such a good mama. I think she really likes it here. Who wouldn't? For one, we've been feeding her bread & crackers & two, just imagine a bright crayon yellow canopy of lilies as the roof over your head. BEAUTIFUL!

She's been there rain or shine, patiently sitting & waiting.

Four days ago her eggs began to hatch. There they were being welcomed into this world by on-lookers of the Summers Clan. We were SO excited! Little did we know there were so many in their clan!

Two days ago (Sat.) I went to check on her. She was gone. Immediately Sophie & I grabbed our bikes & raced around the corner to the frog pond. I knew it! There she was giving each little 'ball of puff' their first swimming lesson. With the binoculars & camera in hand we sat for over an hour watching one event unfold after another!

Look how happy she is... she's so proud of her baby ducklings. (If you click on the picture it will enlarge and you can see that she is SMILING! Truly.)

Twelve baby ducks, yes count them, TWELVE!!

Funky Fusion Part 2!

Millie invited her friends from the football team to come workout with us.... I promised I'd give their daily 5 am "practice" a run for its $! And... I did just that! I loved every minute of it! Some of those guys can MOVE!! I liked their 80's workout attire the best!

Funky Fusion!

Photos: Kimberly V Photography

Mirror Mantra

"Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body."

~Joseph Addison

I've been doing a little reading lately, a fascinating book by Ernest Holmes. My favorite section of the book talked about what makes people D Y N A M I C!

(I like that word! Who doesn't want to be DYNAMIC!!!!)

DYNAMIC people send themselves positive messages.

So I chose a few.

Actually this is not a new concept to me. I've always tried to have inspirational art & quotes in my home. It stems from an experience I had when I was 5 (more on that at a later post).

So, I printed them onto smart looking cardstock, framed them, placed them strategically & then taught my girls the phrases. This is the one I've heard repeatedly out loud & they will tell you it is their favorite,

"WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL ME!"

I can't help but smile.

Encourage yourself. Remind yourself of what an amazing and dynamic person you are, especially if there is something you are trying to overcome.

A good place to start your Daily Mantra is in the morning while getting ready for the day in front of the mirror.

As you are doing your hair, brushing your teeth or putting on your make-up...

say them over & over ("insert your own mantra here").

It works.

Believe in yourself first and others will follow.