You can always find nice things at Brighton. My 10 year old gave this key chain to me for Christmas, he picked it out himself. The other side has the words teacher, chef, coach, nurse, counselor, gardener, driver, decorator,…

Today marks the 62nd Annual National Day of Prayer. This year’s theme is, “Pray For America.” Millions all over the nation will gather to pray for our great country. In the wake of all the tragedies that…

Our trash bin is rarely full but our recycle bin is busting at the seams nearly every week. I’m always asking my neighbor if I can put our overflow of recyclables in his bin. Most people don’t realize that lots of stuff that we toss in the garbage can be …

Keep the community of Newtown in your heart

I still get intensely sad when I think about the horrific tragedy in Newtown, CT last December. In an effort to honor the lives lost and help the community heal, members of the Newtown community have formed a nonprofit grassroots organization called Sandy Hook Promise. Their mission is to come together and…

Sore throat, coughing, sneezing, aches… it’s already happening… your co-worker, your kid, your neighbor, everyone around you is sick. The cold and flu season has started early. Those in the medical profession say that influenza A aka H3N2 is spreading fast and early. We haven’t seen it since the 2003/2004 season which was a particularly bad flu season.

We’re most contagious the first few days we have symptoms, however, we can even be…

2012 was a difficult year for many people. It seems nearly everyone I know was touched by some type of loss or illness. We unfortunately suffered a tragic loss in our family. I haven’t yet written about it but the last few months of 2012 were not easy. A devastating accident took the life of my beautiful mother-in-law, Diane Bonanno.

Diane Valerie Bonanno

September 11, 1938 – November 19,…

I am a shampoo junky. I like to mix it up and have several different shampoos in the rotation. I know some say this doesn’t make your hair ‘perform’ better but I happen to think it does. Plus, I like variety. My hair is long, thick and healthy but fine. It’s not frizzy but my ends can get frayed so it doesn’t always lay well. Thaaattt being said, I don’t always have to deal with serums and straighteners to get my hair to behave. Believe me, I am grateful. However, I do know my shampoo and…

I salute our veterans and thank them for their service. Our country owes these brave men and women a debt of gratitude. I would especially like to honor my father, Jake Harper, a true American hero who served in World War II for nearly 3 years. He was in the 121st Engineer Combat Battalion of the United States Army and battled in 3 major special series combat campaigns including D-day. He received 3 Bronze Stars and a special medal for fighting on D-day. Read entire article at…

• European immigrants brought Halloween to North America, they would celebrate the harvest by singing, dancing and telling ghost stories around a bonfire
• The tradition of wearing masks and costumes was started by the ancient Celts who wore them to avoid being recognized by ghosts and spirits that they believed roamed the countryside on Halloween
• The first Jack o’ lanterns started as hollowed out turnips. They originated in Ireland where candles were placed inside to…

Jeff Rossen did a very important investigation for the Today Show recently. I was surprised by his findings. Fire alarms that are typically used in most homes do not always work. The most popular type of smoke alarm uses ionization technology, 90% of the homes in America have them. The ionization technology works well in a fire with fast flames but they don't always sound fast enough in a fire that starts with smoldery smoke. These types of fires can fill your home with toxic gases…

I'm excited to co-host the Empowered Living Blog Hop with Empowered Momma Jesse!  Please join us and link up your favorite workout of the week, recipe, a motivational message or lesson, even…

September is here, it's back to early schedules, packing lunches, driving carpool, checking homework, manning play dates...  yep, the new school year has begun. You've no doubt sent your kids off with all of their necessary supplies, but have you ever stopped to think what thosesupplies might be made…

Yoga is more popular than ever, with nearly 11 million Americans practicing. I have been an avid yogini on and off for more than 15 years. I see and feel a clear difference in both the way I look and feel when yoga is a regular part of my fitness routine. A good yoga session leaves you with an inner peace that stays with you throughout the day. The mind body experience of yoga has benefits that go beyond leaner muscles and a more zen state of being. No chanting necessary, so roll out…

Great news! Thanks to the impressive efforts of The Campaign For Safe Cosmetics, Johnson & Johnson has announced that they have will phase out the use of toxic chemicals. This is huge, Johnson & Johnson is one of the largest…

Moving is like child birth, you forget how hard it is until you do it again…

Do you know which item of clothing is donated the least but needed the most? Bras. It doesn’t occur to most of us to donate our bras because we think ‘who would want a used bra?’ But the reality is that there are thousands of women in need who could use a few good over the shoulder boulder holders so it’s time to clean out your lingerie drawer ladies... Read entire post at…

Whether you live by the beach or are planning a seaside summer vacation, these tips are good reminders. There are few things as fun and relaxing as a day at the beach. Living here in sunny Southern California, we are fortunate to be able to head to the beach for a day of sand and surf anytime. Boogie boarding, building sand castles, playing frisbee, surfing, soaking in the sun… there’s an endless amount of fun to be had at the beach but there are a few things that can put…

Singer songwriter Rebecca Sullivan has been very busy since the release of her first CD back in March when we did our interview. She has recently released a video for her song Chocolate. Rebecca's career is taking off and she has some very exciting news. She has received two nominations for... Read entire article at Savvy Suburban.