How to have a healthier heart ...

I've been doing a lot of research lately on illnesses and diseases, guess that's what happens to you when you're facing an onslaught of procedures, and the other day I ran across this amazing research done by UNC (not my favorite school but they are for this research). They did a study on how to make your heart healthier and the result was HUGS!!! Many of you know, I'm a huggable person (maybe sometimes too much) and I've tried stressing the importance of hugs for me (now more so than ever when you're facing the unknown) and THANKFULLY to those Tarheels, I now have proof to illstruate why I was right!!!

Below are some bits & pieces that I found interesting in their report. Hope you find it interesting as well and put these to practice!!

> Hugs can help to lower blood pressure & reduce stress which are big causes of heart disease.
> Here's a favorite quote by relationship coach, Mihalko Baczynski, "A good hug speaks directly to your body and soul, making you feel loved and special."

How many hugs do we need? Here's what the research says:

Everyone needs at least FOUR hugs a day for healthy survival, EIGHT hugs a day for emotional strength, and TWELVE hugs a day to truly grow & be empowered.

The study concludes by telling us to ask ourselves a very important question "how often do you give or receive a hug?"

So even if you don't like it, the research now proves if you want to live a happier and healthier life, give hugs ... trust me, they really do make you feel better, happier, loved and special.

The Legend of the Purple Bird

As many of you know, on occasion, I will sport around in my rare PURPLE Pontiac Firebird (yes, that is the original color, it was actually a mistake made by Pontiac). It is hard to believe my little Firebird is going on 13 years old. Fortunately, it has been a great and fun car. I've had very little work done to it and have just within in the past year hit 100,000 miles on it.

The Firebird was a surprise for my 17th birthday. My parents picked me up from school and said we were going to a guitar shop in Fuquay-Varina to get Dad's guitar worked on and then out to dinner. But instead, we stopped by the dealership and I was handed a pair of keys and a note on Duke letterhead congratulating me on my new ride. I was floored to say the least. Driving it home, I was a nervous wreck for many reasons but mainly because it was the first time that I had EVER driven a car with my Dad as the passenger. At school, it was an immediate hit and became affectionately known as The Batmobile and everyone wanted rides.

She took me to and from home and Campbell for four years in college and so many rides around town and even down to Myrtle Beach and Wilmington (you would think she'd have 200,000 miles on it by now!)

Lately though, my little baby has been sick but yet she has been very protective of her owner. Last year, she had her first major "surgery" having the rear axle and differential replaced (she had gotten so sick, she was roaring loudly!). My mechanic told me it was a miracle I was still driving her and that the axle had not snapped. She had a few good months of driving normally but I just still haven't felt comfortable enough taking her on journeys. Today, I dropped her off at the mechanic and he called to tell me, it was a complete miracle from God that I was still alive as my right rear tire was within moments of exploding.

Isn't it amazing how close we can come to something happening to our lives but God protects us always? The other night I was out "joy-riding" with the roof off the Firebird on the interstate going close to 80mph (sssh...don't tell Sheriff Harrison) ... the car was hoping around horribly but praise the Lord the tire didn't explode or else I would have been doing a NASCAR moment on I-40. Thank the Lord for His protection even when we don't know we are in danger.

I love my baby Firebird and hope she will continue to be around for more years to come. And those five of you (including myself) who have ever gotten to drive her, you are in a rare club.

It's time to party!!

2010 has been the party year for me ...

Growing up, I always lived right behind my grandparents & my great-grandparents and my Granny and Aunt Maydelle were always catering or doing some sort of party planning. I never thought that I'd be that much involved other than the taste tester or bowl licker. My Mom later got involved at her church doing parties and such and drafted me to help. I thought I had finally escaped from all that and then 2010 rolls around. I helped with a huge wedding and reception, and less than two weeks after the wedding, had a 50th surprise party to do. Now I'm beginning to wonder whether I should have started a party planning business.



But even with a ton of work and even pulling 80 hour work weeks, both were a lot of fun and made me realize how I can do more than I even realize!

All that hard work ended up wearing me out, so on Monday, I decided to take a day trip down to the Wilmington area and the surrounding beaches. I had a lot of fun but at the same time got a lot (if not too much) sun. Needless to say, it was good to get away, relax and enjoy more of God's amazing creations.





And upon returning back home, guess what I had later this week -- another party (well sort of) ... another birthday for my big sister, Phyllis. We didn't have an "official" party for her (as we did with her husband, Dwayne on Saturday), but we did celebrate her special day. Special days are meant for special people -- so much so that I actually made her a Paula Deen pie (I tell you that I'm in party planning mode!) Happy Birthday, Sis ... hope you had a wonderful birthday!!

What a wonderful world ...

I was having a hard time coming up with a "title" for this entry and just magically "What A Wonderful World" came on my iTunes shuffle and it is fitting for this entry.

What a wonderful world we do truly live in. Sure there are problems continually ongoing, but what can we really do about them? Usually, not much of anything. BUT we have to remember where this wonderful world came from ... where did those beautiful lilacs come from? What about the pretty redbird that likes to perch in my magnolia tree? No folks, these were not man-made creations, we do not live in a man-made world. While there are beautiful things in this world that have been man-made, we live in a GOD-made world.

This past weekend, we celebrated Easter. A day that holds strong meaning for Christians. It is the day we celebrate the death & resurrection of our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ. What a sacrifice He made for the lives of anyone and everyone if they just believe and accept Him. He willingly gave His own life to be beaten and hung on an old-wooden cross; He was tormented, tempted and He suffered much persecution but He loves each and everyone so much.

We need to remember of all the beautiful things on this earth, the most beautiful sight is that of an empty tomb ... Jesus died, was buried BUT He rose again and one day He will come back -- talk about a beautiful sight!!

Just remember every time you see a beautiful bird, smell a lovely spring flower, enjoy the fresh rain, these are all gifts from God, and we need to thank Him for this wonderful world that we live in.

You better watch what you say ...

As many Mother's remind their children that they had better watch what they say, the same still goes true for adults.

Tuesday night, Phyllis & I went out shopping and decided to be adventurous. While at the mall, we decided to get photos taken in one of the photo booths. Pretty normal stuff, right? Not really ...

We had a blast picking out designs and trying to figure how to work the machine and the pictures turned out very cute. HOWEVER, what we didn't realize is that this photo booth is called a "blababooth" and that means that whatever you are doing and/or saying is being recorded. When you pick up your pictures, they give you a link to go to their website to not only see your photos BUT watch a full-stream video that was taken while you were in your photo session.

Talk about hilarious!!! Our video was too, too funny - watching ourselves primp, pose and just hearing our accents, what a trip.

So mind your Mother and watch what you say, you never know when you'll be recorded. But in the process always remember to live, laugh and love!!