It might sound a little selfish, but this holiday season I’m all about the present. Okay, not the present that comes in a pretty package—though I’m not opposed to that kind either—what I’m talking about is mindfulness, being fully present in the present. Mindfulness is simply being aware of what is happening right now without…
I’m convinced that the deceptively simple-looking coffee bean has magical powers. How else could someone born and raised in a predominantly Mormon state (where coffee drinking is taboo) fall so hopelessly, madly in love? Because of my strong affection for the magic bean, I was a little afraid to ask the question: Is coffee good…
This year’s Thanksgiving was a quiet celebration–just me and Larry–at the luxurious Grand America Hotel. We checked in the night before and were treated to this stunning sunset outside our window. Thanksgiving morning started with a light breakfast, beautifully served in our room. Then we played Yahtzee while we watched the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade…
Two months ago, I joined with a group of my blogger friends to create our fall bucket lists, with a commitment to check in every month. Well, it’s that time again, so here’s the latest progress. Health and fitness 1. Try a new workout. Mission accomplished! I tried Orangetheory Fitness and loved it. If you’re…
Doesn’t having afternoon tea sound so sophisticated? Add “at the Grand America Hotel” and it’s downright fancy. We may not normally be a fancy bunch, but that’s exactly what the daughters, granddaughters, and I did this past Sunday–afternoon tea at the Grand America Hotel and it was just as lovely as it sounds. There were…
Two months ago, I lamented on this blog that I was bored with my go-to exercise routines and wanted to mix things up. Three weeks later, I still hadn’t done anything about it, so I put “Try a new workout” on my Fall Bucket List. It would be another six weeks before I accomplished that goal,…
Here we are in the midst of November, a month traditionally dedicated to gratitude and giving thanks. In that spirit, today’s Friday Favorites are in the form of things for which I am thankful. I am thankful for Mother Nature, her beauty and her bounties. We made our final (possibly) trip of the year to…
Halloween is over. Thanksgiving is just two weeks away. We are officially in the holiday season. The season of joy and gratitude, certainly. But if we’re honest, for many of us, it is also the season of anxiety and excess. Too much activity…too much food…too much drink…too much spending…too many expectations. Just typing that paragraph…
Happy Friday! I hope you had a safe and happy Halloween. Many of my favorite moments from this week centered on the holiday. Sunday, we spent the afternoon at a family pumpkin carving/barbecue. How often do you get to combine those activities in Utah? The weather was beautiful! The jack-o-laterns were–if not beautiful–creative and fun….
I must have tempted fate last week when I wrote, “Why do I obsess about the fact that my back hurts or I have a cold when there are so many parts of my body that are functioning well? Even the fact that my body eventually heals itself of the aforementioned maladies is amazing.” At…
