Friday, October 31, 2008



Downtown Chicago

Tonight we hopped the train and went downtown! I love the city! It's so vibrant and full of excitment!

My MIL is visiting from Florida so we took her to a Italian restaraunt and then we went to the John Handcock building...the 96th floor! They have a lounge up there with an incredible view.

I think Chicago should be a must see on everyones "places to visit" list!!!!Can't you hear Frank Sinatra sing "This is my KIND of town....CHICAGO, is"...Every once in awhile I play that song..heehee.


Monday, October 27, 2008

SNOW!!!!!

I'm so excited!!!!!!!!!!!!! We had our first snowfall today!!!!!!! it was coming down at a sweet pace....nice large flakes!!!! it's going to make for a cozy evening!

Toight for dinner we'll have ratatouille, brown rice and poached salmon with pumpkin pie for desert....YUMMY!!! The house smells so good!

Sunday, October 26, 2008

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Something to Think About

The Most Dangerous Word By Tom Ziglar

I think the most dangerous word right now is tolerance. Not because the true definition of the word is bad, but because our culture is redefining the word. In fact, tolerance is the new love. It is much more acceptable to be considered tolerant than it is to be considered loving. Our culture says we should tolerate others “no matter what.” This is actually a very selfish position because it means you have no risk of rejection with anyone doing anything crazy (go ahead and do that if you want to because I am tolerant). Love, on the other hand, is a very risky thing because when you love someone you are willing to risk the relationship by telling them they are on a dangerous course. Here is how you can test this out: Should you tolerate your child, or should you love them?Should you tolerate your spouse, or should you love them?Should you tolerate your friend, or should you love them?Should you tolerate your neighbor, or should you love them? Tolerance taken to the end means that you look the other way when a friend does drugs. Love means you risk a relationship in order to warn them about the danger of drugs. True love loves the unlovely (think Mother Teresa).People who make tolerance their guiding value can not tolerate those who are intolerant to their views (think anyone who calls you intolerant for not accepting their view yet claims everyone’s own view is true to them and should be accepted). Bottom line, we should tolerate people with different views, but it shouldn’t stop us from disagreeing with them or trying to win them over to our view, or loving them enough to warn them. Tolerance taken too far gives us permission not to care what happens to them.
Tom Ziglar is the proud son of Zig Ziglar and CEO of Ziglar. This article was taken from his blog, www.tomziglar.com.

Sunday, October 5, 2008

Bringing Mindfulness to the Table

The hectic pace of everyday life often leads us to gobble down our food mindlessly. But this kind of eating isn't really satisfying; in fact, it can lead to overeating and digestive problems. By incorporating mindfulness — that is, full awareness of your present moment, without judgment or reflection — into your eating, you can stem this tide and treat yourself to a more enjoyable dining experience.
Today's small change is to bring mindfulness to your meals — in other words, to slow down and be more present in the experience of eating. To do this, try a classic meditation exercise that involves slowly eating a raisin. Take one raisin and concentrate on the experience of eating it, from first enjoying its texture and aroma to gradually chewing and savoring the taste. When they stop to focus on this exercise, people are amazed at how much flavor is contained in one tiny fruit. To introduce yourself to the idea of mindful eating, this may be a good exercise for you to start with.
Here are a few other exercises you can try — encourage your family and friends to participate, too!
Say grace. Offering thanks for the delicious food and abundance you enjoy calms you and focuses your mind on the meal ahead.
Consider the food. Take a moment to enjoy the smell and look of the food before grabbing your fork.
Eat slowly. Savor each bite, chewing slowly, so you can experience the food's subtle flavors.
Pay attention. Even when eating on the go, you'll feel more satisfied if you concentrate on your food instead of trying to work, read, or watch TV while you eat.