Funny Temper Tantrums

Greetings all!

Kids can be so dramatic! Little do they know how much their little dramas can brighten our days! Here are some pictures that made me laugh!

See more at https://www.sunnyskyz.com/blog/119/36-Reasons-My-Kid-Is-Crying-Temper-Tantrums-You-Can-t-Help-But-Laugh-At (however, the credit links are not working).

What did you think? Drop me a line! My favorite was the rubber ducky one!

Calm and Headspace Meditation Apps

Greetings all! 

You all probably know about the benefits of meditation but do you meditate consistently? And if you do, do you prefer someone to guide you through the practice? 

There are a lot of meditation apps, and I decided to try Calm and Headspace. I really liked them both and highly recommend you try them - both offer a lot of options for meditation, breathing, sleep, focus, relaxation, inspiration, and movement, as well as soothing music, landscapes, and content for children. 

Both apps are easy to use and have a free trial period after which you can either stay with a free basic version or continue into a subscription ($70/year but search for new member offers for discounts!). See Sources below for more details on the free versions.

Here is my experience with some of the features of these two apps! 

HEADSPACE: 

I started (and stayed) with the free version of Headspace that offers 10 basic sessions and a few other meditations. I definitely liked the home page message: 

https://www.headspace.com/ 

The app is divided into several sections. On some courses, you can choose from several teachers to see which one you like better. 

The “Meditate” section has numerous 3-20 minute courses (several sessions under one topic) and singles on pretty much anything you can think of, such as Acceptance, Creativity, Fear of the Future, Sport Motivation, etc. If you want something shorter, you can choose from several 3-minute SOS sessions (for times when you really need a break, e.g., Feeling Overwhelmed or Losing Your Temper).

There are guided and unguided meditations where you can set the time to 5-120 minutes. And there are also very short 1-minute techniques to help you with your practice (e.g., Focused Attention, Impatience, Itching, etc.). 

The “Sleep” section has Sleepcasts, Wind downs, Nighttime SOS, Sleep Music, Soundscapes, and Sleep Radio. 

The “Move” and “Focus” sections offer mindful cardio and feel-good yoga sessions, as well as BBC Earth Immersive experiences. Some of these are included in the free version.

Overall, I really enjoy the free version with Andy as the teacher. He has a very pleasant voice and I find his sessions very calming. Even though I do the same 10 basic sessions, I don’t get bored and I like limiting my choices! 

CALM:

I then tried (and also stayed with) the full paid version of Calm. I now have many more choices, and sometimes it is really difficult to choose, especially when there are new options added often! After I explored the app, I chose several sections that I use consistently and then on occasion I venture into other options! 

https://www.calm.com/ 

There are “Sleep,” “Meditate,” “Music”, and “More” sections with guided meditations, music, sleep stories, and masterclasses with mindfulness experts.

Also, you can listen to multiple “scenes” that play nature sounds – some examples are “Evening Crickets”, “Celestial White Noise,” and “Thunderstorm” - and set these as the background for your sessions.

One of the Calm features that I love is the Daily Calm, which is a 10-minute “inspirational guided mini meditation that explores the landscape of your mind from new perspectives.” Tamara guides these sessions, and her voice is incredibly soothing. The topics change daily and I always find them thought-provoking. 

I also really enjoy “The Spark” in the “More” section with inspirational interviews that really make you think. The recent topics were “Building Your Inner Peace,”, “Trusting Your Gut,” and “Cosmic Perspective.” 

My verdict? I am staying with both apps! I think both Headspace and Calm are great and offer fantastic resources to be calm and mindful. The challenge is to be consistent and make time to meditate and breathe. 

Sources: 

• https://www.headspace.com/
• Headspace free version details: https://help.headspace.com/hc/en-us/articles/115008192928-What-s-included-for-free-
• https://www.calm.com/
• Calm free version details: https://support.calm.com/hc/en-us/articles/360008536834-What-is-included-in-the-free-version-of-the-app-What-is-included-in-Calm-Premium-

What did you think? Drop me a line!

Thought of the week - Change

Greetings all!

Here is an inspiring thought for the upcoming week (from http://www.deeshan.com). 

Have a great week!

March 8 – International Women’s Day: A Word to Husbands

Image by Alberto H. Fabregas from Pixabay   https://pixabay.com/illustrations/international-women-s-day-4887650/

 

A Word to Husbands

 

To keep your marriage brimming

With love in the loving cup,

Whenever you’re wrong, admit it;

Whenever you’re right, shut up.

 

 ~ by Ogden Nash (1902-1971)

 
Source: https://www.familyfriendpoems.com/poem/a-word-to-husbands-by-ogden-nash

P.S. I think this is good advice for everyone!

Lahanorizo - Greek Cabbage with Rice

Greetings all!

Who knew cabbage could be so tasty!! If you are trying to eat healthier or just looking for new recipes, I highly recommend Lahanorizo - Greek cabbage with rice! It was delicious, filling, and easy to make. And healthy too!

Image and recipe from

https://www.olivetomato.com/spiced-greek-cabbage-with-rice-lahanorizo/

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 55 minutes
• Servings: 2 or 4 sides

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 medium onion diced (about 1 cup or 4 oz or 115 grams)
• ½ of a small cabbage (about 10 oz or 300 grams sliced (not too thin)
• ½ tablespoon tomato paste
• salt/pepper
• About ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ½ cup medium grain rice (uncooked)
• Lemon and parsley for serving

Instructions:

1. Heat olive oil in a medium pot
2. Add the onion and sauté until soft about 5-7 minutes
3. Add the cabbage and mix until cabbage is coated with the olive oil. Heat for 2-3 minutes (stirring) until cabbage has wilted somewhat.
4. Add about 1 cup hot water hot water and simmer for 20-30 minutes until cabbage is soft. Add more water if needed.
5. Once cabbage is soft add the tomato paste that has been dissolved in 2-3 tablespoons of water, and ½ teaspoon salt, freshly ground pepper and cayenne pepper and mix.
6. Add ½ cup (uncooked) medium grain rice, stir so that rice is coated with the oil.
7. Add 1 ¼ cup hot water and simmer until rice is almost cooked (about 15 minutes). Add more hot water in small amount if needed. Once rice is ready, but there is still a bit of water left in the pot, remove from heat and keep covered until rest of water is absorbed. Rice should be somewhat creamy.
8. Serve with plenty of lemon and sprinkle with parsley.

For more delicious and healthy recipes, visit https://www.olivetomato.com/.

Bon Appetit! Let me know how you like it!