0 Hello Dolls

Welcome to my blurbs (basically random thoughts of a modern mom) about anything and everything that I am passionate about.

Random Thoughts of a Modern Mom is basically a redesigned Real Simple Healthy Living for You which was created and founded as a resource for others who are looking to simplify their lives to create a harmonious and peaceful way of living through the physical, emotional, and spiritual plane of existence.

Random Thoughts of a Modern Mom and Real Simple Healthy Living for You is dedicated to raising the awareness of nutrition, fitness, illness, health, and wellness issues for improving your mind, body, spirit, as I have seen the improvement in my own life on my mind, body, and spirit.

Random Thoughts of a Modern Mom and Real Simple Healthy Living for You is also dedicated to the physical, emotional, and spiritual health to maintain your sense of you.

• I believe if we live real, it keeps us grounded.
• I believe if we live simple, we have less clutter in our lives.
• I believe if we live healthy, we ultimately feel great.
• I believe if you live for you, you are finally putting yourself first. 

I started this site simply for the reason that my own health is poor and as I am slowly working towards a healthier lifestyle; I decided to start sharing it with the world with the hopes of inspiring someone else's life in a positive way; through living a real, simple, and healthy lifestyle but ultimately living for you.

Having learned from my mistakes and realizing the impact it has had on my emotional, physical and spiritual health; it was time to make a change and so Real Simple Healthy Living for You was born.

My site is based on the belief that people's health is of the utmost importance in today's world. I am committed to meeting these needs in the best way possible by sharing information regarding health, nutrition, fitness, wellness, illness, recipes, relationships, parenting and life in general.

Now the latest and greatest news is:

I started adding organizing tips to Real Simple Healthy Living for You simply to teach and inspire others on how to go from chaos to organization in their personal and professional lives. I teach by example as my own life in the home and office is efficienct, organized and simplified.

I hope Real Simple Healthy Living for You blog inspires you to look around and discover fun and interesting ideas to help you in simplifying your life and to follow your passion so you can be thriving and having fun too.

As I have broadened my horizons, I have now started doing book and product reviews, so my dears, please read on:

Before you email me with a product pitch, please take a moment or two to familiarize yourself with my blog and my family. My son is age 16 and I have two Persian cats. I am very much into healthy living, as you can see for yourself by my articles found on this blog.

I will only post reviews of products or books I have personally tested or read.

In addition, my receiving a product, even if I asked you in an email to send me a sample, does not guarantee coverage on Real Simple Healthy Living for You. Please do not ask me to post press releases or ask if I want to interview experts, I don’t have time to do either of those.

All products sent must be non-returnable unless you want them back covered in cat hair! :)

The best way to get my honest opinion of your business, website or brand and its products is to sponsor a product review. Let me choose a few items from your site so that I can see how the ordering process works, how the items are packaged, and the quality of the items you carry.

I find that being able to see products and or books for myself helps me write a much more thorough and honest opinion. I want to help you spread the word about your business, site and the products you carry!

Thank you so much for taking the time out of your precious day and visiting Real Simple Healthy Living for You, an everyday lifesytle resource that celebrates people, creativity, simplicity and diversity.

Blessings always and forever,

Annie

0 My New Passion - Running

A little over a month ago I decided to start running again after many years. Life has just been too busy so to speak being that I am a single parent, working and so on, these things took priority over taking care of myself.

Pretty sad isn't it?

However, due to recent health issues and weight gain after a hysterectomy maintaining a reasonable weight has been difficult, no ovaries no estrogen, no more cancer, endometriosis or andomyosis, though the seizure disorder is much better. With any type of surgery there are going to be "consequences" in the body. Controlling weight, sweating, night sweats, yeast infections all started after my hysterectomy...oh what fun it is!

Please do not get me wrong, I am glad to be alive, but I am not happy with my body and am depressed by how I look, so since I no longer have a gym membership due to financial reasons, that was let go so I started thinking about how I can exercise from home, very low cost and get fit at the same time. Talk about having my work cut out for me!

So I started doing basic stretching exercises to start, and walking, then I started wanting to jog and so it has begun. It is a slow process but remembering when I used to run it is better to start slow and work your way up. I am slowly starting to feel better even though I am tired all the time. You would think exercise would help but my seizure medicine makes me sleepy and can not go without it, no choice in the matter. So I do the best I can.

I love the thrill of walking and then starting slowly into the jog, my heart rate increasing, my breathing fresh air in and then I am off. Alone and free all thoughts gone from my mind, away from the stresses of life. It is awesome. Runners and cyclists understand this philosophy very well as I am a cyclist too.

I am so happy to be exercising and pushing myself to get fit and toned. I want to live a long life and feel that God has given me a second chance in life and I am taking it. Will the weight come off quickly, honestly no but in time it will and I have noticed some weight loss, my cholesterol levels have gone down and no need to take meds for controlling it, no diabetes to boot and my doctor and I are both happy with the results so far.

So I encourage you all if you can, start an exercise program, get moving, get fit, just do it. Your body and your mind will thank you someday for it.

0 The Perfect Gift

Many of us all have in our minds what the perfect gift is. However when you really think about that perfect gift do you think of it as God’s Love?


This morning the day after Christmas I had gone to sleep early on Christmas and woke up and was channel surfing and stumbled upon a station that was dealing with the “Christmas” issue that is happening in our day and time. I was hooked as I lay in my bed watching and listening while tears were streaming down my face as it touched at the very core of my beliefs.

The story began with a young church pastor who was part of a church that had lost the reason why it was there. Along comes this drifter named Jes who is a carpenter by trade and starts the building of the nativity. Then a committee had informed the young pastor that since the rezoning of the city ordinance, the church could not display the nativity scene as it was within the 5 mile rule. So it was taken down.

Later on that night, people of the community gathered and rebuilt the nativity. There were children there and so was Jes, the children showed Jes the book Twas the night before Christmas and asked if he would read it to them. He started to, but then chose to tell a different story the story of Jesus’ birth (his story).

In summary the nativity stood and the council withdrew their petition to have it destroyed after the citizens of the community started giving money to pay the fine of $5000 for a display on the church’s property. All in all the money ended up being donated to a homeless shelter and the girl involved in the story learning all about Christmas from Jes, figured out he was Jesus when she gave him a birthday card with the symbol of a Candy Cane on the front.

The inside said Happy Birthday Jesus!

It is so true how God’s love is the perfect gift other than my precious son and two cats. However in retrospect through everything God is always there even when we do not feel like he is. He has the whole world that he loves, he wants us to not be afraid to celebrate his birth, his teachings, his glorious love, and he wants us to proclaim it for the world to hear.

Christmas is Christ.

Just think about it for a minute if you will the symbols that are displayed every Christmas. How many of us really stop to see the symbolism behind the Christmas décor?

For example the list below lists the meanings behind things we see displayed every year at Christmas such as:



• The wreath which is in the form of a circle that represents Christ and his love as eternal.


• Evergreens represent the new and eternal life Christ brings to the world.


• Laurel is the symbol of victory over affliction and persecution.


• Holly represents the immortality of Christ.


• Cedar symbolizes strength.


• Candles represent Christ as light of the world.


• Candy canes symbolize the shepherd’s staff.


• The red of the candy cane represents Jesus’ blood.


• The white of the candy cane represents purity and virgin birth.






Thought provoking is it not?

So please let us all remember just because we are a diverse nation under God does not mean that we have to be “politically correct” when celebrating the birth of Jesus. Each and every one of us has the right to celebrate according to our beliefs.

Happy Birthday, Jesus.

My perfect gift is the unconditional, eternal and pure love of Jesus. How could anyone want anything else?


Merry Christmas!


Annie

0 Are you feeling the loneliness of being a single?

As a single person, you may have doubts and uncertainties with your future love life. This is only natural.



I have been there before and I am here once again since my marriage ended several years ago. Of course I am sure many of you have been there too at some point in your life. When you are single, it is only natural that you long for the day when you are finally with someone or have someone to spend the holidays and everyday with for all eternity.


But... perhaps it is better to stand on your own two feet than to be with someone who devalues you as a human being and partner.


Remember it is also healing to understand that you have the power within you to transform your love life. How? It lies in how you think and attract love.


May this poem encourage and comfort you!

Thanksgiving come and gone

The sounds and smells of Christmas just begun

Lights glowing ever so brightly and beautiful

The tree and decorations are up

Festivities and parties galore

As the holiday season starts

Joy you should feel in your heart

But you don’t as you remember a time long ago

When someone laughed with you, loved you and shared your soul,

But lo and behold it was soon through

And now comes Christmas with sadness and tears

With a deep everlasting yearning for love, hope and peace

That shall not be denied

When lo and behold

Silent Night is playing

It was then I realized

That all is calm and bright

For unto me is born

This Christmas Day

My savior a wee babe

Wrapped in swaddling clothes

Layed in a manger

With a star shining ever so brightly

And angels loudly proclaiming

The birth of Christ the King

Remembering that I am loved

Unconditionally by Christ

My Lord, Savior, and King

Brings me to tears

With the hope of love, joy and peace

For the New Year and forever always

Believing in the blessing that has come

May we all be truly blessed

In this season of love

Merry Christmas to all!

0 Christmas 2011

"For unto you is born this day in the city of David a saviour, which is Christ the Lord." Luke 2:11

Believe in the blessing that came on that night, the star that we followed, shining so bright, leading us all to a love that will bring Joy to all people, the birth of our King.

May you all be truly blessed in this season of love.

Merry Christmas!

0 Aunt Fannie's Famous Squash Casserole

3 lbs. fresh yellow squash 1 medium onion, chopped



1 Tbsp. sugar 1 tsp. salt


½ tsp. pepper 2 eggs, slightly beaten


1 stick margarine, melted 1 cup cracker meal



Place sliced squash in saucepan and stew until tender. Drain, then mash. Stir in onion, salt, pepper, sugar, eggs, 1/2 cup cracker meal and half of the butter. Place squash mixture into 1 1/2 quart casserole. Pour remaining butter on top. Sprinkle with remaining cracker meal. Bake at 350o until browned on top, about 35 - 40 minutes. 6 servings.






Note: I usually substitute crushed Ritz-type crackers for the cracker meal.

0 Healthy Eating

One or two meals a week, substitute beans or legumes for meat in salads, soups, or in the main dish.


Eat several small meals each day instead of three big meals. Your metabolism will stay high and burn more fat.

Cook with canola oil or other healthy vegetable oils. Avoid processed polyunsaturated and hydrogenated oils.

When grilling bacon or sausage, allow the fat to drain away by placing it on a wire rack during cooking.

Read the label on "fat-free" foods carefully. Often the fat has been replaced by sugar - which makes you fat!

0 When life does not goes as planned

Many of us are all too familiar with how life does not always go as planned. Believe me I have had my fair share of it and still do to this very day. I remember how frustrated I would get and how much it angered me.

Did it solve it?

No, unfortunately not.

There will always be plans, it is important to make plans but to remember that plans can change and often do. I have learned over the years of planning, that my plans did not quite work out and I thought to myself what is the point of making plans when things do not work out that way?

I gave much thought and prayer regarding this.

My answer:

Is sometimes in life the greatest plans are waylaid for a reason, whether it be illness, children, scheduling conflict, cancellations, unexpected circumstances and so on. Look at the bigger picture, did God have his hand in this? Did this waylaid plan prevent a disaster of another sort?

I look over my life, time and time again everything has happened for a reason. It was in God's hands all along, it was never in my hands. I just did not see it as it was not time for me to see what God would eventually show me.

Is life perfect?

No.

Is planning perfect?

No.

Will any of my plans work out?

One never knows.

So what does one do?

Answer:

Breathe, Adapt, Evolve, Pray with these 4 things you can handle any waylaid plan, even if angry for a moment or two. Sometimes you just have to let go and let god, that my dear folks is a very hard thing to do, but you know what?

It can be done, I have done it, I have lived and thankful for my life lessons and God's unconditional love and grace.

0 Please God I'm Only 17

Now that I am a parent of a teen driver, I am reminded of a poem: "Dear God, I'm Only 17" that appeared in Dear Abby's column when I was a teenager. This poem was written by John Berrio in 1967 after a friend's son died in a car accident.

I read this poem and actually cut it out and always kept it back in my mind and now is stored in my cedar chest, remembering being a teen myself at one point I know that teenagers will think like teenagers and not like adults, this is totally normal.

Now that my son, Michael is driving at the ripe "old age" of 16 (scary), it is time to post the poem for all who are parents of teenage drivers, not to scare anyone, just to remind them that goofing off, texting and driving, talking on cell while driving are dangers and if an accident occurs and the consequences are dreadful, there is no turning back if a person dies.

Parents I ask you to print this out, give it to your teenage driver(s) to put in their wallet or purse, hang on the fridge as a constant reminder, that you only have one life, do not screw it up, be wise, be smart, be responible, drive safely and by all means Thank God everyday for the life you do have as it can be gone in an instant.

Now the poem:

Agony claws my mind. I am a statistic. When I first got here I felt very much alone. I was overwhelmed by grief, and I expected to find sympathy.

I found no sympathy. I saw thousands of others whose bodies were just as mangled as mine. I was given a number and placed in a category. The category was called "Traffic Fatalities."

The day I died was an ordinary school day. How I wish I had taken the bus! But I was too cool for the bus. I remember how I wheedled the car out of Mom. "Special favor," I pleaded. "All the kids drive."

When the 2:50 bell rang, I threw all my books in the locker. I was free until 8:40 tomorrow morning! I ran to the parking lot, excited at the thought of driving a car and being my own boss. Free!


It doesn't matter how the accident happened. I was goofing off -- going too fast -- taking crazy chances. But I was enjoying my freedom and having fun. The last thing I remember was passing an old lady who seemed to be going awfully slow. I heard the deafening crash and felt a terrible jolt. Glass and steel flew everywhere. My whole body seemed to be turning inside out. I heard myself scream.

Suddenly I awakened; it was very quiet. A police officer was standing over me. Then I saw a doctor. My body was mangled. I was saturated with blood. Pieces of jagged glass were sticking out all over. Strange that I couldn't feel anything.

Hey, don't pull that sheet over my head! I can't be dead. I'm only 17. I've got a date tonight. I'm supposed to grow up and have a wonderful life. I haven't lived yet. I can't be dead!


Later I was placed in a drawer. My folks had to identify me. Why did they have to see me like this? Why did I have to look at Mom's eyes when she faced the most terrible ordeal of her life? Dad suddenly looked like an old man. He told the man in charge, "Yes, he is my son."

The funeral was a weird experience. I saw all my relatives and friends walk toward the casket. They passed by, one by one, and looked at me with the saddest eyes I've ever seen. Some of my buddies were crying. A few of the girls touched my hand and sobbed as they walked away.


Please -- somebody -- wake me up! Get me out of here! I can't bear to see my mom and dad so broken up. My grandparents are so racked with grief they can hardly walk. My brothers and sisters are like zombies. They move like robots. In a daze, everybody. No one can believe this. And I can't believe it, either.


Please don't bury me! I'm not dead! I have a lot of living to do! I want to laugh and run again. I want to sing and dance. Please don't put me in the ground. I promise if you give me one more chance, God, I'll be the most careful driver in the whole world. All I want is one more chance!

Please, God, I'm only 17!

P.S. My son Michael is driving, and riding with him at first was scary, though I would have to say he is doing pretty good for just starting, however, I have noticed on occassions and he hates being told as the response replied to me when I correct him is "I know this already", but as a parent, it is a parent's job to tell their teens even if they do know, it is just sometimes their minds are elsewhere at the moment. He still has much to learn, and is getting plenty of practice. I always tell Michael that he has the rest of his life to drive and not to be in a hurry to get his permanent license. Take your time, learn, practice and then when the time is right, you will know.
 
Blessings and Prayers for all Parents of Teens Driving,
 
Annie

0 The Mom Pledge

I am a proud to be a mom. I will conduct myself with integrity in all my online activities. I can lead by example.


I pledge to treat my fellow moms with respect. I will acknowledge that there is no one, "right" way to be a good Mom. Each woman makes the choices best for her family.

I believe a healthy dialogue on important issues is a good thing. I will welcome differing opinions when offered in a respectful, non-judgmental manner. And will treat those who do so in kind.

I stand up against cyber bullying. My online space reflects who I am and what I believe in. I will not tolerate comments that are rude, condescending or disrespectful.

I refuse to give those who attack a platform. I will remove their remarks with no mention or response. I can take control.


I want to see moms work together to build one another up, not tear each other down. Words can be used as weapons. I will not engage in that behavior.


I affirm that we are a community. As a member, I will strive to foster goodwill among moms. Together, we can make a difference.