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Showing posts from February 9, 2017

What I’m Loving Lately 77

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Good morning and very happy FRIDAY to you! We got quite the snow storm in southern Massachusetts yesterday. We even had “ thundersnow ” at times, which I didn’t realized was a thing until it happened, and it was actually kind of unsettling. I thought I was hearing snow plows coming through our neighborhood until I realized the sound was not stopping and just getting louder. Whoa. It was not at all what I was expecting  and definitely a first for me! Anyway, we have quite a lot of snow to dig out from this morning, and I hope everyone in the area and surrounding areas is staying safe and warm. Ok, enough weather talk. Here’s the next edition of What I’m Loving Lately ! First things first:  Zella Flash High Waist Leggings + Mindful High Waist Midi Leggings   –   Oh my gosh, I love both of these leggings so much. Super cute. And you can never have too many pairs of black leggings, right?! Also, lovvvving these  Steve Madden ‘Ecentrcq’ Slip-On Sneakers – I absolutely need them in m

Humor for Health: What Modern Science and our Evolutionary Story Teach Us about Lightening Up

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I’ve always believed you could tell a lot about a person based on when they laugh. Or if they laugh at all. Laughter provides a brief but in-depth window into arguably the most enigmatic organ in the body—as well as the idiosyncrasies at work for that individual. I’ve suggested before that we adults take life way too seriously. Compared to the average child, who belts out around 400 laughs a day, we summon a measly 15-18 per day. Somehow I think we’re missing out with all that seriousness—mentally and maybe even physically. Just think for a minute about how you feel when you DO laugh. (Can you remember the last time you did?) The almost involuntary force moving up the chest and out, the streaming eyes, shaking body, overall brightness, heady elation, the complete loss of anything even remotely resembling stress or worry. There you go. Laughter is infectious, and there’s a reason for that. It heals the body, lifts the spirit, and elevates mood like nothing else can. It eases tension

Exercise May Not Only Make You Fitter, But Happier Too

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Those of us who (try to) exercise regularly often do so with our weight or overall health in mind. Both great reasons, obviously. But there’s another benefit to staying active: It could make you a happier person. “Exercise on a regular basis can keep your mood elevated,” says Ramona Braganza , a fitness expert and celebrity trainer whose clients have included, among others, Jessica Alba, Halle Berry, Scarlett Johansson, Zac Efron and Ryan Reynolds. “Mood swings don’t occur as much, and overall wellness is achieved when balance takes place in the body.” Exercise’s mood-boosting benefits were recently underscored by researchers at the University of Cambridge in England, who asked more than 10,000 study participants to track their happiness and physical activity using a specially developed smartphone app. The participants’ self-reported activity data (the researchers asked them what activities they were engaged in the last 15 minutes) was then tracked against information collected dir

Sandals St. Lucia Trip – Part I

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As many of you saw on Instagram , Thomas and I took a trip to St. Lucia last week. It was a wonderful, warm, beautiful, romantic, fun getaway, and we had such an amazing time! Our travels took us to the Sandals Regency La Toc in Castries, St. Lucia. Mazen’s teacher from last year, Rhonda, who is a travel agent , helped me choose a resort, and she recommended La Toc for its dramatic cliffs, stunning views and exotic atmosphere. We loved it!  We got up at 3am to catch a flight from Richmond, traveled through Atlanta, and finally touched down in 82 degrees late that afternoon. After a one-hour bus ride, we were finally there and ready to relax. Our room was stunning – it was a one-bedroom suite with sweeping views of the ocean high up on Sunset Bluff. We even had a ‘Tranquility tub’ on our balcony, a rain shower, and beautiful modern decor. I was very impressed!! I loved that they provided full-size beauty products in the rooms, and they smelled amazing! Like passion fruit! Th

Clean Eating Coconut Hot Chocolate Recipe

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I should warn you, this is like drinking pure, creamy, melted chocolate. It’s thick, rich, waaaaaaayyyy creamy, and will definitely satisfy any craving you could ever have for chocolate. Recently, I… Read more → from The Gracious Pantry http://ift.tt/2lrxTbY