MERRY CHRISTMAS

To all the readers, followers, fans, friends and subscribers of REFLEXIONS, I would like to wish you and your families a wonderful Christmas time! Hopefully you will find some time to relax! 

Enjoy this time of the year with your loved ones, with good food and peaceful moments.

Wishing you a good start into the year 2013.

Merry Christmas and a happy New Year.

Holiday Salads

Holiday Salads

Including a salad on your Holiday dinner menu offers guests a pleasant balance to some of the more traditionally heavy side dishes.  Ensure your salad pairs nicely with the rest of the feast by including traditional holiday ingredients such as dried fruits, nuts, apples, and beets.

Salads and dressings can be made ahead and refrigerated until you are ready to serve. For maximum freshness, toss the dressing into the salad just before serving (unless the recipe specifically states otherwise).

Waldorf Salad
In the 1890's, the famed Waldorf Salad was invented by the maître d'hôtel of the Waldorf Astoria in New York City. Our version includes carrots, apples and grapes making it kid-friendly.

Salad Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 cups julienne or shredded carrots
• 1 apple peeled, cored and diced
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 10-12 seedless grapes, cut in half
• ¼ cup chopped dates
• ¼ cup walnuts, chopped (optional)

Directions: Toss apple and lemon juice in a medium sized salad bowl.  Add remaining ingredients and gently toss. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

    

Waldorf Dressing

• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tsp. sugar
• 1 Tbsp lime juice
• 1 Tbsp olive oil

Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Before Serving: Drizzle dressing over salad ingredients and toss gently.

 

Broccoli Slaw

This recipe uses store-bought broccoli slaw mix and ramen noodles. It's simple and full of great flavor.

Salad Ingredients:

Directions: Crush ramen noodles.  In a skillet, heat butter, walnuts and ramen noodles over medium heat.  Stir constantly until golden brown, about 10 minutes.  Drain on paper towel and cool. Set aside at room temperature until just before serving.

Salad Ingredients:

• ¼ cup butter
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 3-oz package of ramen noodles, chicken flavored
• 1 16 oz. package shredded broccoli slaw mix
• ¼ cup thin sliced sweet onion


Dressing:

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• Chicken flavored seasoning packet from Ramen noodles
   

In saucepan, combine all ingredients over medium heat.  Stir constantly until sugar dissolves about 2 minutes.  Set aside at room temperature until just before serving.

Before Serving: Toss broccoli slaw mix and onions together in salad bowl. Toss nut mixture into salad mixture. Whisk the dressing and drizzle it over the salad ingredients and toss gently.

Spinach & Beet Salad
This colorful salad is a more traditional tossed green salad with a holiday lift.

Salad:

• 9-12 oz baby spinach, washed and dried
• ½ cup canned beets, drained, sliced or julienned
• ½ cup mandarin oranges, drained
• ¼ cup feta or blue cheese, crumbled
• ¼ cup sunflower seeds

Dressing:

• ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
• ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 1 Tbsp minced garlic
• 2 Tbsp cilantro, chopped
• Salt and Pepper, to taste

Combine all ingredients in an airtight container, cover and shake. Refrigerate until ready to use. (Dressing can be made a day ahead).

Before serving: Whisk salad dressing and toss with spinach leaves.  Spread spinach on a large platter or flat bowl.  Add beets and oranges on top of spinach. Sprinkle cheese and sun
flower seeds.  Serve.

For more information, subcribe to Fresh Baby

Festive Vegetable Side Dishes

Side dishes made with lightly cooked fresh vegetables can add rich flavor, festive color and a dose of delicious nutrition to your holiday dinner table.  Try a few of these side dish recipes:

Mashed Potatoes & Parsnips

Ingredients:

• 4 medium/large baking potatoes
• 3 medium parsnips
• 5-7 garlic cloves, peeled
• 4 cups (32 oz) Chicken broth
• 4 Tbsp butter or margarine
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions: Wash and peel the potatoes and parsnips. Cut them into 2-inch chunks and place them and the garlic cloves in a 5 qt. stockpot; add chicken broth until it covers the potatoes. Set pan over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 12-15 minutes, until a fork slides easily through the potatoes. Drain potatoes, reserving ¾ cup of the cooking liquid. Mash the potato-parsnip mixture with a potato masher until smooth and lump-free. Stir in butter or margarine. Add the reserved liquid ¼ cup at a time, until potatoes have a creamy, whipped texture. Serves 4-6.

Green Beans with Corn & Bacon

• 2 lbs green beans
• 1 ear sweet corn, kernels cut off cob
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• ¼ cup onion, diced
• 3 strips bacon
• 2 Tbsp butter
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions: Slice bacon into small (1/2 inch) pieces and fry in saucepan until crispy.  Remove from pan and drain on paper towel. Set aside.

Leave 1-2 Tablespoons of bacon grease in the pan, add garlic, onion and corn kernels. Saute about 5 minutes over medium high heat. 

Wash green beans and remove ends.  Place beans in microwave-safe dish, cover and cook on HIGH for 3-4 minutes (until bright green and crisp tender). Toss with butter and place in serving dish. Spoon the corn mixture over the green beans and sprinkle with bacon bits. Serve.

Mixed Mushroom Casserole

• 2 Tbsp of olive oil
• 1 pound mushrooms (different varieties)
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning or Herbs de Provence
• Juice of ½ lemon
• Salt & pepper, to taste
• ½ cup breadcrumbs (panko crumbs preferred)
• 1 Tbsp butter

Directions: Clean and slice mushrooms.  In large skillet heat oil over medium-high heat, add mushrooms, onion, chicken broth, seasoning and lemon juice. Bring to a boil and reduce liquid by about half. Season with salt and pepper.  Turn mixture into an oven-proof casserole dish and top with breadcrumbs and dot with butter. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. If needed, broil for 1-2 minutes to brown bread crumbs.  Serve.

Spinach and Sweet Potato Risotto

• Risotto (see recipe below)
• 1 medium sweet potato, diced
• 2 cups of fresh spinach, washed and chopped
• 3 Tbsp. olive oil
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions: Prepare risotto using recipe below. In a separate pan, sauté the diced sweet potato in the olive oil until soft and nicely browned (about 10 minutes over medium-high heat), add the chopped spinach. Toss gently and let the spinach wilt in the pan. Salt and pepper to taste. Mix sweet potato-spinach mixture with risotto. Serve.

Risotto:

• 1 ½ cups white arborio rice
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 5 cups hot chicken broth
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Directions: Heat olive oil in a heavy non-stick 2-quart pot at medium heat. Add onion and sauté for about 4-5 minutes. Add rice and stir until grains are coated with oil.  Add wine and stir constantly on medium heat until wine is absorbed. Add 1 cup hot stock or water, stirring until liquid is absorbed. Continue cooking for about 20 minutes and adding the remaining liquid 1 cup at a time. This rice will create its own creamy sauce. Remove from heat, stir in cheese. 

For more information on healthy eating, ssubscribe to Fresh Ideas

Baldor Products

My family has owned a small automotive shop for decades, and the current economy has not been kind to many small businesses. We are passionate about our business, but we knew we would have to make some changes to stay competitive.

However, there were plenty of things that we were not willing to do. We knew that we could not raise our prices very much and keep our current customers. We were definitely not willing to sacrifice the quality of service that our customers had come to expect.

Polaris RZR

I have been shopping for ATV products and accessories at Side by Side Accessories for years. I really enjoy the purchases that I have made from the website, and their prices cannot be beat in my area. I also enjoy visiting Side by Side's website because they keep me updated about the latest Polaris RZR news. I love finding out what is going on with Polaris since I own two of their vehicles. 

Welcome To The Weekend Blog Hop

Welcome to the Weekend Blog Hop where you can link up your favorite post of the week. Thank you for joining us and linking up. We are happy you are here and hope you will always come around. We have had a great week and now it's time for us to increase our followers by Blog Hopping all through the Weekend. Come and make new friends and find some interesting blogs to follow. You are free to link up to 3 different post or just your main blog. Happy Hopping.

Baby's First Holiday Dinner - (Holiday Issue)

 

Baby's First Holiday - OH WHAT FUN!! Sharing the fabulous flavors of the Holidays with your new baby is an experience you'll cherish forever.  Even though your baby may not be eating all types of table food yet, there are plenty of foods that can make a festive and delicious Holiday dinner. Socializing is part of the fun too, so reserve a seat (high chair) at or near the dining room table for baby to join in the celebration.

TIP: For Baby's holiday dinner, stick with foods that you have already introduced. Introducing new foods could cause tummy aches or an allergic reaction - neither of which you want to deal with during this fun time.

Here are a few ideas to serve up a Holiday Dinner for your baby:

Babies about 6 months:
Common first food purees with a Holiday Flavor include:

• Sweet Potatoes
• Squash (this includes pumpkin)
• Green Peas
• Apples
• Pears

Recipe: Apple or Pumpkin Cutie Pie

"Crust": combine a crushed graham cracker with oatmeal cereal and breast milk (or formula) in a small bowl

Pumpkin Cutie Pie: Mix together equal amounts Pumpkin (or Sweet Potato) and Apple Puree. Spoon this mixture over the cereal crust. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Apple Cutie Pie: Combine apple puree with a dash of cinnamon. Spoon this mixture over the cereal crust. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Advent Calender As Wall Decoration

The cup is also half full: on the lighter side

I am thankful for:

What made You Laugh today?

Have you ever noticed the power in laughter? Laughter restores, heals, rejuvenates, etc. It's so much fun to laugh and most of all, laughter is free.
Laughter is a stress reliever. We all know how good it feels when we laugh. You notice some tension peel off you when you laugh. It makes you more fun to be with (we must laugh for the right things though). Won't your partner, children, friends, family, etc. prefer you with a smile rather than a frown?

Laughter doesn't take away our challenges, but it's like a reset button to take us back to a more balanced place so we can start again with a renewed energy and a fresh spirit. When you laugh, you get more out of life.

Dr. Joanne Stern said "If you carry your burdens with you all day and hold them front and center, you don’t even notice the adorable behaviours of your kids because you’re too self-absorbed. When they say something cute and funny, it passes right over you and you miss the opportunity to connect with them in their world. They grow up so fast, and your time with them at each age and phase of their live is short. When you find the humour in their antics — whether they’re toddlers throwing their veggies on the floor or teenagers trying to manipulate you into loaning them the car — it helps melt away your frustration and see your kids for the unique and precious people they are."

I read an article about a mom who said that her favourite question to ask her kids when they come back from school is, "What made you Laugh today?". This is a very brilliant question. Thess days, I not only ask this question to my kids, but also to my husband and to myself as well. It's a very good conversation starter and it makes us dig back through our day and dig out those special things we though were great.
As we all know, laughter is very contagious, WHAT MADE YOU LAUGH TODAY? Think back and tell us your story, you could be giving another person a gift of LAUGHTER.

Kids Craft

It's Friday and I like doing something with my kiddos in order to have a fun weekend with them. This time, we are staying home because of the weather and if your kids are Auto fans like mine, here is something to try out with them. But first of all, you need to get out to pick some beautiful Fall leaves (also breathing some fresh air) and then have fun cutting out different cars from them. These look good when used to decorate their windows.

                                                       theartroomplant

Healthy Habits: Healthier Halloween

Halloween is a great kid's holiday -- good friends, creative costumes, event-filled parties -- all with a cool, spooky theme -- who could ask for more? Oh yes, one more thing, the treats -- lots of sugary candy treats!

With all the fun of this holiday come a parent's worst fears -- too many sugary treats in your kid's possession and the arguments that ensue over this treasured trove. If you don't feel like contributing to the neighborhood children's tooth decay or weight gain, consider giving treats that are healthier. 

Healthier Halloween Treats:

• Cheese and cracker packages
• Sugar-free gum
• Small bags of pretzels or popcorn
• Small packages of nuts
• Peanuts in the shell
• Fruit-Roll Ups
• Fortune cookies
• Granola bars

Go Natural: If you are not opposed to sugar, but would prefer your treats to be natural or vegan, we suggest you visit your local natural food store or go online to shop. There are a variety of natural candy companies and many of them have developed Halloween Packaging.  The one drawback to natural candies is that you can expect to pay more for these items.

Tooth Fairy-Friendly:  One product gaining popularity is xylitol products.  Xylitol is a natural sweetener that can help reduce tooth decay. Dr John's Candies (http://www.drjohns.com) is one source for Xylitol candy and with a Google search you can find others.

Homemade Treats: You could make homemade treats. Unless you are in a neighborhood with close friends, we don't suggest this approach. Most parents go through Halloween candy and throw out unopened, unwrapped or homemade treats. If you decide to make your treats, wrap your homemade item up well, and add your name and phone number to the bag with the treat. If the parent recognizes your name, it will make them feel the treat is safe.
 

Alternates to Food Treats: No one said Halloween treats have to be edible. An alternative to the junk food challenge is to offer a non-food treat. Today, many families are opting for this choice. With a little bit of thought and some clever shopping, you can find some great items for a few cents per item. Here are few ideas:

• Glow stick jewelry
• Fortune telling Fish
• Cool temporary tattoos
• Scary stickers
• Bouncy balls
• Crayons, pencils, colored chalk
• Fun erasers
• Mini containers of Play-Doh
• Rubber spiders, worms, or other creepy figures
• Spider, skull, or pumpkin plastic rings
   

Check your local dollar or craft stores for fun items or shop online to have items shipped directly to you. A quick search on Google will give you plenty of online shopping choices.
 

Halloween Day
 

Enjoy a  fa-boo-lous start to the day by serving up a warm bowl of delicious pumpkin oatmeal.
 

Pumpkin Oatmeal

• 1 cup of oatmeal
• ½ cup of pureed pumpkin
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar or maple syrup
• Chopped walnuts or pecans, optional

Prepare oatmeal according to your package directions.  When almost done add remaining ingredients.  Top with walnuts or pecans for an extra hearty breakfast!

Makes four servings.
 
 

Halloween Dinner:

Before your children venture out to trick or treat, make sure they eat a meal. Try the Incredible White Bean Pizza recipe below. It is fast and simple. With full tummies, they won't be so tempted to dig into their bag of goodies before they get back home. Limit your kids to one piece of candy while they are out.
  

Incredible Bean Pizza

• 1 can white beans, drained and rinsed 
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise 
• ¼ tsp each: Italian Seasoning, Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper  
• 1 pizza pre-cooked whole-grain crust
• Shredded Mozzarella cheese
• Chopped basil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Puree first three ingredients plus the spices in a blender. Spread the bean mixture over the pizza crust. Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella cheese and chopped basil. Bake in the oven until cheese is bubbly, about 10-12 minutes.
 

Halloween Candy Plan:

After Trick or Treating: When your children arrive back at home, don't let them take control over their bag or bucket of candy. Working with them, check the treats and keep only treats which are unopened. Be sure to inspect fruits and homemade goods for anything suspicious. While you are going through their candy, let them pick two or three treats that they can eat on this special night. Store the rest of the candy out of reach and out of sight.

Over the next few days or weeks, rationing the treats is the best approach. Allow your children to make their own selections, but tell them they can pick one large piece or two small pieces. If your children have trouble with this, do it for them (in advance). Just place small amounts of candy in bags, and let them select one of the bags.

Too much candy? If there is just too much candy, consider donating some of it to a shelter, senior care center or charity that collects donations for our Troops overseas. Another option is to take your candy to a dentist that participates in a candy buyback program.  You can learn more about this program at http://www.halloweencandybuyback.com.

  

Guide to German Foods

  

Asparagus - Asparagus grows in every region of Germany and the locals love it so much they nickname it Königsgemüse, which means "King's Vegetable" and Frühlingswonne, which means "Springtime Delight".

Kohlrabi - A kohlrabi is a cross between a cabbage and a turnip. Germany is the world's largest producer and consumer of kohlrabi. Kohlrabi taste like a broccoli stem, but sweeter. In the US, Kohlrabi is available from May to December and comes in both white (which is actually green) and purple varieties.

Sauerkraut - Sauerkraut is made by fermenting sliced green cabbage. Sauerkraut can be eaten raw or cooked. It is very high in Vitamin C and aids in digestion.

Wurst - Cold cuts and sausages are called wurst. The wurst was created as a way to preserve and store meat. There are over 1500 varieties of wurst. The most widely known are Bratwurst, Weisswurst and Frankfurter (a.k.a. hot dog).

Sauerbraten - Sauerbraten is a roast made with marinated beef or venison. The marinade is made with vinegar, wine, vegetables and spices. The meat is marinated for 3 to 4 days before cooking which makes it very tender and juicy.

Weiner Schnitzel - A Wiener Schnitzel is a pan-fried veal cutlet that has been breaded using flour, egg and bread crumbs. Fresh lemon is squeezed over the cutlet before serving. This dish can also be made using pork, turkey or chicken.

Spätzel - Spätzel is a German pasta dish made using flour, eggs, water and salt.The dough is cut or pressed to form small strips. Like pasta, it can purchased dry and is boiled to cook it.

 Strudel - Strudels are pastries filled with fruits, vegetables, or meats. The most popular strudel is Apple Strudel. The name "Strudel" means whirlpool because the rolled dough looks like a whirlpool.

 Butterbrot - Butterbrot is a slice of bread (brot) with butter. This is the basic start of many German meals. Butterbrot is topped with fruit spreads for breakfast and cheese, wurst or vegetables for snacks. Germans love their bread. In fact Germany produces more breads than any other country. The most popular varieties of German breads include rye, whole grain, multi-grain, sunflower and pumpkin.

For more information on healthy meals, visit Fresh Baby

Introduction to German Cooking

Traditionally, Germans enjoy eating hearty meals. This has a lot to do with the cool northern European climate and large supply of meat in the country. Years ago, hard-working Germans needed to eat foods high in calories and nutritients to stay warm while working outside in cold weather. This German diet is similar to the old-fashioned American "Meat and Potatoes" diet, because many German immigrants settled in colder climates of America.

Germany, like America, is working hard to combat an increasing obesity problem. Since they they don't work outside in the cold anymore (or at least, not as much). Germans are learning they can still enjoy traditional favorites only in smaller portions. Health conscious Germans also include more vegetables, fruits and whole grains in their meals.  

Like many countries, German food varies by region. The northern region's specialties include pickled, smoked, and fresh fish because they are so close to the North and Baltic seas. In the central region, you will find wild game, sausages, and a variety of vegetables because this area has fertile soil for growing crops and grazing, and forests for hunting wild game. The southern area is the home to dumplings, breads, sweets and a variety of meat dishes. The famous Bavarian pretzel comes from the southern state of Bavaria. Eating local is a way of life in Germany, the styles of cooking and preserving foods comes from using local resources wisely.

How To Get Help When Considering A Short Sale

A Short Sale is an option you may want to consider if you are facing foreclosure and can't qualify for any assistance programme. From my experience, a foreclosure is not an option most people would like to settle with. What I like is that short sale will help you avoid foreclosure if you are no longer able to remain in your home and during the process of short sale, you can sell your home and settle your mortgage debt for less than the amount you owe. But I have to advice that you get a professional help when you want to do this. There are lots of mistakes people make during the process of short sale that you can avoid by simply contacting a Real Estate firm who do nothing better than working with you to explore any option that may be available to help you stay in your home. Short Sale Las Vegas is known for offering their customers the much needed assistance they require and making sure that their assets are protected through the help of an attorney. Remember that every qualified short sale specialist must have invested significant energy, time and resource into their short sale education. Do not for any reason be subjected to get an unprofessional assistance which are at times even more expensive. Such assistance from inexperienced companies or individuals have been known and proved to get an unsuccessful short sale. The most thing I find comforting is that choosing to work with a designated short sale specialist will give you peace of mind because you know that you are working with a certified specialist who knows how to meet  your exact needs especially at the time when a professional help is needed.

Before going into this process, you have to check if you are eligible of selling your home in a short sale. These are what makes you eligible:

1. If you are owing more than your house is worth.

2. If you are in a very big financial hardship, like a job loss, medical emergency, divorce or separation, etc.

3. If you have not filed for bankruptcy. This is because negotiating a short sale is considered a collection activity and collection activities are prohibited in bankruptcies. 

4.If you are struggling to make your payment due to financial hardship. 

5. Business failure.

6. Death of a spouse.

If you are a home owner you have to be aware of predatory "Rescue" scams and short sale fraud which promises a lot of things and cost you money with no results and can even result in the loss of your home entirely. If you suspect scams at any time, do not hesitate to report them. 

Facts Of Life

How to Overcome Bankruptcy

Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organization, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor.

Bankruptcy laws help people who can no longer pay their creditors get a fresh start by liquidating their assets to pay their debts or by creating a repayment plan. Bankruptcy laws also protect troubled business and provide for orderly distributions to business creditors through reorganization or liquidation. There  are many consultant companies like the  bankruptcy attorney new orleans  who would help person with financial problems.

Josh Groban - You Raise Me Up (Musical Monday)

Hello everyone. It's Musical Monday!!! My pick for the week is 'You Raise Me Up' by Josh Groban. I always feel like I've been given a beautiful gift any time I hear this song, and that gift is what I want to share with my readers:

YOU RAISE ME UP

When I am down and, oh my soul, so weary;
When troubles come and my heart burdened be;
Then, I am still and wait here in the silence,
Until you come and sit a while with me.


You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up: To more than I can be.

PREGNANCY ( Annoying questions - smart answers)

Every Pregnant woman knows it. As soon as the joyful announcement is made to the relatives or friends, then you are always bombarded with questions. The interest of others is beautiful and probably they don't mean any harm but can be sometimes annoying.

At times, you see some strangers on the street, in the bus, etc. bombarding the expectant mom with questions. Most women (like me) gracefully answers their unending questions but some women do not have the desire to share such personal details especially with strangers.

Here are some of the most frequently asked questions:
1. Was the pregnancy planned?
Possible answers:
* No, I didn't know how it happened. Just woke up one morning and I'm pregnant.
* I didnt plan it, but I expected it.

2. How does it feel to be pregnant?
* Great. I can only recommend it.
* If I had known how great it is, I would have been forever pregnant for years.

3. Do you already have a name for the baby?
* No, we want to know what it looks like first.
* The name does not play a role since we will always call him "sweetie".
* We will call him anything but not "Enoch"

4. When are you expecting the baby?
*At the birth.
*Wait, I have to ask first.
*When he is ready.

5. Is it a boy or a girl?
* Yes
* Of course, an elephant can not fit into my belly.

6. Do you know what it will be?
* Probably a boy or a girl.
* I'm not so sure, but it's most likely to be a boy or a girl.
* Yes. A President.

7. How much kilos have you gained?
* I did not gain some kilos, I invested in my child.
* Unfortunately, my belly is too big. I cannot see the readings on the scale.
* I cannot differentiate how much I weigh from what the baby weighs.

8. Are you nervous because of the birth?
* Why? Should I?

9. What did your man say?
* I haven't told him yet. You are the first.

10.Is the baby not there yet?
* Of course, but I left him in the hospital.
* No, we are still waiting for the last person to call and ask.
* Hmm, please wait, let me check.
* No, he is still swimming.

Inspirational Quotes for Teachers and Learners

Here are some inspirational quotes for teachers who are always life learners:

” Always do what you are afraid to do.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young.” – Henry Ford

“A turtle makes progress when it sticks its neck out” – Anon

” Believe in yourself, be strong, never give up no matter what the circumstances are. You are a champion and will overcome the dreaded obstacles. Champions take failure as a learning opportunity, so take in all you can, and run with it. Be your best and don’t ever ever give up.” – Brad Gerrard

“Cherish your visions and your dreams, as they are the children of your soul, the blueprints of your ultimate achievements” – Napoleon Hill

“Did you know that the Chinese symbol for ‘crisis’ includes a symbol which means ‘opportunity’? – Jane Revell & Susan Norman

“Don’t learn to do, but learn in doing. Let your falls not be on a prepared ground, but let them be bona fide falls in the rough and tumble of the world” – Samuel Butler (1835–1902)

“Every artist was at first an amateur.” – Ralph W. Emerson
“I hear, and I forget.  I see, and I remember. I do, and I understand.” – Chinese Proverb

“If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got” – NLP adage

“If you find yourself saying ‘But I can’t speak English…’, try adding the word ‘…yet’ – Jane Revell & Susan Norman

“If what you’re doing isn’t working, try something else!” – NLP adage

“If you think education is expensive, try ignorance.” – Derek Bok

“If you know what you want, you are more likely to get it” – NLP adage

“It had long since come to my attention that people of accomplishment rarely sat back and let things happen to them. They went out and made things happen.” – Elinor Smith

“It’s not just about looking and copying, it’s about feeling too” – Paul Cezanne

“It’s ok to try things out, to ask questions, to feel unsure, to let your mind wander, to daydream, to ask for help, to experiment, to take time out, not to know, to practise, to ask for help again – and again, to make mistakes, to check your understanding” – Jane Revell & Susan Norman

“Learning is never done without errors and defeat.” – Vladimir Lenin

“Nothing we ever imagined is beyond our powers, only beyond our present self-knowledge” – Theodore Roszak

“One of the greatest discoveries a man makes, one of his great surprises, is to find he can do what he was afraid he could not do.” – Henry Ford

“One must have strategies to execute dreams.” – Azim Premji, CEO Wipro Ind
“One must learn by doing the thing; for though you think you know it, you have no certainty, until you try.” – Sophocles

“People learn more quickly by doing something or seeing something done.” – Gilbert Highet

“Success comes in cans, failure in can’ts.” -  Unknown
“The important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle.” – Pierre de Coubertin

“Teachers open the door, but you must enter by yourself.” – Chinese Proverb

“Too much credit is given to the end result. The true lesson is in the struggle that takes place between the dream and reality. That struggle is a thing called life!” – Garth Brooks

“The more I want to get something done, the less I call it work.” – Aristotle

” The only dreams impossible to reach are the ones you never pursue.” – Michael Deckman

” There are two types of people; the can do and the can’t.  Which are you?” – George R. Cabrera

“Whenever you feel like saying ‘Yes, but….`, try saying instead ‘Yes, and….’” – Jane Revell & Susan Norman

“Whether you think you can, or think you can’t…you’re right!” – Henry Ford

“Worry is misuse of the imagination” – Mary Crowley

“You haven’t failed, until you stop trying” – Unknown

“You’ve got to ac-cent-tchu-ate the positive, eliminate the negative, latch onto the affirmative, don’t mess with Mr In-between” – Popular song

Healthy Habits

Healthy Habits: Introducing Your Family to ORANGE Foods.

Brightly colored orange foods are good for your eyes, skin, immune system and heart. Orange foods contain high amounts of Carotenoids; these compounds help provide Vitamin A, or retinol, to the body. Vitamin A helps us see at night, keeps our immune system strong and keep our skin cells healthy. Orange foods are also loaded with Vitamin C. The color orange can also improve your mood and reenergize you. Be sure to brighten up your meals by eating at least one orange food a day.

Healthy orange fruit & vegetable choices include:

1. Pumpkins: Don't wait until Thanksgiving to include this excellent food in your family's meals. Add vitamin and antioxidant packed pumpkin puree to pancakes, burritos, and bread or muffin recipes. Pumpkin also makes great soup. 
2. Peaches & Nectarines: Now is the time to eat fresh peaches and nectarines. In addition to Vitamins A and C and Carotenoids, peaches and nectarines are a good source of dietary fiber. Slice a peach in half and grill for a juicy and delicious side dish.
3. Cantaloupe:This orange delight is chockfull of vitamins, antioxidants and minerals. Dice cantaloupe in fruit salads and vegetable salads. This gem also makes a very nice edible garnish. 
4. Oranges: Some say you can taste the sunshine in a glass of orange juice. Eating oranges and drinking orange juice supplies your body with a great dose of Vitamin C for healthy skin and a strong immune system. Oranges also contain folic acid for healthy development. 
5. Carrots:This sweet and crunchy super food helps to keep your eyes healthy, your skin radiant and your body cancer-free. Carrots make a great raw snack. Steamed carrots make a delicious, sweet side dish.
6. Orange Peppers: Like their Red and yellow cousins, orange peppers add great flavor and good nutrition to meals and snacks. Serve orange peppers raw as a snack and in salads, sautéed in pasta, stir fried or roasted in soups and stews.
7. Papaya:Nutritious and delicious papaya is loaded with Vitamin C, potassium, and beta-carotene. Add papaya to salads, smoothies and salsas. Or, use papaya as an edible garnish for chicken and seafood dishes.
8. Sweet Potatoes:Eat Sweet potatoes on a regular basis, not just at Thanksgiving. Fiber and Vitamin A rich sweet potatoes taste great grilled, baked, mashed, roasted or boiled. For added nutrition, add mashed sweet potato to bread and muffin recipes. 
 

 

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Talking Early to Babies Helps the Brain (Research Article)

Study Shows Speaking Words to Infants Helps the Brain Form Categories
By Jennifer Warner, WebMD Health News, Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD

Words may have special meaning for babies long before they are able to speak.A new study suggests talking to babies as young as 3 months old influences their cognitive development and helps the brain learn to form categories.
Researchers found infants who learned to associate words rather than sounds with pictures of objects were better able to perform a simple categorization task.
“These findings offer the earliest evidence to date for a link between words and object categories,” says researcher Susan Hespos, associate professor of psychology at Northwestern University, in a news release.
Researchers say the results add to growing evidence that it’s important to talk to babies from an early age to foster infant development and cognition.

In the study, published in Child Development, researchers compared the effect of words vs. sounds on infant cognition skills in a group of 46 3- to 4-month old infants.
All of the infants were shown a series of pictures, such as a fish, that were paired with either words or beeps. Infants in the word group were told things like, “Look at the toma!” — a made-up word for fish — while they viewed each picture. Infants in the other group heard a series of beeps carefully matched to the word phrases for tone and duration.

Both groups were then tested on their categorization skills by being shown a picture of a new fish and a dinosaur side by side while researchers measured how long they looked at each image. If the infants had formed a familiar category in their brain with the fish from the previous exercise, they would look at one picture longer than the other.
The results showed infants who heard words had formed the category for fish, and those who heard sounds did not.
“We suspect that human speech, and perhaps especially infant-directed speech, engenders in young infants a kind of attention to the surrounding objects that promotes categorization,” says researcher Sandra Waxman, professor of psychology at Northwestern University, in the news release. “We proposed that over time, this general attentional effect would become more refined, as infants begin to cull individual words from fluent speech, to distinguish among individual words and kinds of words, and to map those words to meaning.”

Pregnant Women are Smug by Garfunkel and Oates: The Official Video

Hello Everyone, it's Musical Monday and I want to share this video with you. 
I saw it some weeks ago from a fellow blogger and I decided to share it it my readers. 
Here is - Pregnant Women are Smug by Garfunkel and Oates:

Welcome To The Weekend Blog Hop

Welcome to the Weekend Blog Hop where you can link up your favorite post of the week. Thank you for joining us and linking up. We are happy you are here and hope you will always come around. We have had a great week and now it's time for us to increase our followers by Blog Hopping all through the Weekend. Come and make new friends and find some interesting blogs to follow. You are free to link up to 3 different post or just your main blog. Happy Hopping.