I love you!

What a beautiful idea to share love with others! I love how symbolic this photo is.



Give love, get love.

Already-Been-Chewed Cookie Cutters

Can be found at http://www.worldwidefred.com/home.htm
You HAVE to go look at the funny things this site carries.

Actual children’s answers to the question “what is love

“When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouth.” - Billy, age 4

“Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other.” - Karl, age 5

“Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs.” - Chrissy, age 6

“Love is what makes you smile when you’re tired.” - Terri, age 4

“Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK.” - Danny, age 7

“Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more. My Mommy and Daddy are like that. They look gross when they kiss.” - Emily, age 8

“Love is what’s in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen.” - Bobby, age 7

“If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate,” - Nikka, age 6

“Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday.” - Noelle, age 7

“Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well.” - Tommy, age 6

“During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling. He was the only one doing that. I wasn’t scared anymore.” - Cindy, age 8

“My mommy loves me more than anybody. You don’t see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night.” - Clare, age 6

“Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken.” - Elaine, age 5

“Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Brad Pitt.” - Chris, age 7

“Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day.” - Mary Ann, age 4

“I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones.” - Lauren, age 4

“When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn’t bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That’s love.” - Rebecca, age 8

“When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you.” - Karen, age 7

“You really shouldn’t say ‘I love you’ unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget.” - Jessica, age 8

Ten Ways to Improve People’s Lives

Ten Ways to Improve People’s Lives

When you make people feel good, you enhance their self-image and give them energy, hope, and confidence. Below are ten simple ways you can make people feel good.

1. Encourage. What sunshine and rain do for flowers, encouragement does for humanity. Regardless of one’s position in life, everyone needs to hear words of encouragement.
“Three billion people on the face of the earth go to bed hungry every night, but four billion people go to bed every night hungry for a simple word of encouragement and recognition.”    — Robert Cavett

2. Compliment Sincerely. You can compliment someone for a job well done or on an admirable characteristic you have noticed. If you can’t do it in person, don’t hesitate to use another means like a card, thoughtful email, or text message.

3. Praise Publicly. Boost someone’s confidence by commending their efforts in front of others, either verbally or in writing. You can also do this with people who serve you, such as a store clerk, waitress, or receptionist who has gone the extra mile to assist you.

4. Listen Thoughtfully. Focus on listening, not just hearing. When you are an attentive listener, people sense your care and concern and are comforted that their feelings and experiences are validated.

5. Serve Willingly. The next time you notice that a co-worker is under the gun and needs a hand, volunteer to help. Or offer to assist someone who has a task to do that they don’t want to do.  In doing so, you will help them see themselves as worthy of your efforts and attention.

6. Show Genuine Interest. Ask about something important to them and concentrate on what they have to say. Remembering and commenting on their hobbies, sports, vacations, or family at a later date will prove that you have a sincere interest in their lives.

7. Express Love Unselfishly.  Every person has a primary love language that dictates the ways they prefer to be loved. When we understand and love people the way they need to be loved (not just the way that satisfies our needs), it draws them closer to us and us to them. 

8. Make a Friendly Call. It doesn’t have to be important or a special day, just call to let a friend or family member know you are thinking of them.  Asking how someone is doing is always appreciated.
“The deepest principle of human nature is a craving to be appreciated.”   —William James

9. Give a Gift. It doesn’t need to be expensive. It can be a small bouquet of flowers or a card. In this department, it’s most definitely the thought that counts. Hallmark has captured the essence in their advertisement: You cared enough to send. . .”

10. Smile Often. A sincere smile never goes out of style; it can mean different things to different people. A smile can brighten people’s day in an instant, and they’ll appreciate that you made the effort to acknowledge them.

Jessica's "Daily Affirmation"

WHY MEN ARE NEVER DEPRESSED:

Men Are Just Happier People-- What do you expect from such simple creatures. Your last name stays put. The garage is all yours. Wedding plans take care of themselves. Chocolate is just another snack. You can be President. You can never be pregnant. You can wear a white T-shirt to a water park. You can wear NO shirt to a water park. Car mechanics tell you the truth. The world is your urinal. You never have to drive to another gas station restroom because this one is just too icky. You don't have to stop and think of which way to turn a nut on a bolt. Same work, more pay. Wrinkles add character. Wedding dress $5000. Tux rental-$100. People never stare at your chest when you're talking to them. New shoes don't cut, blister, or mangle your feet.

One mood all the time.

Phone conversations are over in 30 seconds flat. You know stuff about tanks. A five-day vacation requires only one suitcase. You can open all your own jars. You get extra credit for the slightest act of thoughtfulness. If someone forgets to invite you, he or she can still be your friend.

Your underwear is $8.95 for a three-pack. Three pairs of shoes are more than enough. You almost never have strap problems in public. You are unable to see wrinkles in your clothes. Everything on your face stays its original color. The same hairstyle lasts for years, maybe decades. You only have to shave your face and neck.

You can play with toys all your life. One wallet and one pair of shoes -- one color for all seasons. You can wear shorts no matter how your legs look. You can 'do' your nails with a pocket knife. You have freedom of choice concerning growing a mustache.

You can do Christmas shopping for 25 relatives on December 24 in 25 minutes.

No wonder men are happier.

Fresh Pineapple Has Many Benefits

The pineapple is a member of the bromeliad family. It is
extremely rare that bromeliads produce edible fruit.
The pineapple is the only available edible bromeliad today.
It is a multiple fruit. One pineapple is actually
made up of dozens of individual flowerets that grow together
to form the  entire fruit. Each scale on a
pineapple is evidence of a separate flower.

Pineapples stop ripening the minute they are picked. No
special way of storing them will help ripen
them further.

Color is relatively unimportant in determining ripeness.
Choose your pineapple by smell. If it smells fresh,
tropical and sweet, it will be a good fruit. The more scales
on the pineapple, the sweeter and juicier the taste
After you cut off the top, you can plant it. It should grow
much like a sweet potato will. This delicious
fruit is not only sweet and tropical, it also offers many
benefits to our health.

Pineapple is a remarkable fruit. We find it enjoyable
because of its lush, sweet and exotic flavor, but it may
be one of the most healthful foods available today. If we
take a more detailed look at it, we will find that
pineapple is valuable for easing indigestion, arthritis or
sinusitis. The juice has an anthelmintic effect; it helps
get rid of intestinal worms.  Let's look at how pineapple
affects other conditions.

Pineapple is high in manganese, a mineral that is critical
to development of strong bones and connective tissue.
A cup of fresh pineapple will give you nearly 75% of the
recommended daily amount. It is particularly  helpful to
older adults, whose bones tend to become brittle with age.

Bromelain, a proteolytic enzyme, is the key to pineapple's
value.  Proteolytic means "breaks down protein",
which is why pineapple is known to be a digestive aid. It
helps the body digest proteins more efficiently.

Bromelain is also considered an effective anti-inflammatory.
Regular ingestion of at least one half cup of fresh
pineapple daily is purported to relieve painful joints
common to osteoarthritis. It produces mild pain relief.
In Germany , bromelain is approved as a post-injury
medication because it is thought to reduce inflammation
and swelling.

Orange juice is a popular liquid for those suffering from a
cold because it is high in Vitamin C. Fresh pineapple
is not only high in this vitamin, but because of the
bromelain, it has the ability to reduce mucus in the throat.
If you have a cold with a productive cough, add pineapple to
your diet. It is commonly used in Europe as a
post-operative measure to cut mucus after certain sinus and
throat operations. Those individuals who eat
fresh pineapple daily report fewer sinus problems related to
allergies. In and of itself, pineapple has a very low
risk for allergies.

Pineapple is also known to discourage blood clot
development.  This makes it a valuable dietary addition for
frequent fliers and others who may be at risk for blood
clots.

An old folk remedy for morning sickness is fresh pineapple
juice. It really works! Fresh juice and some nuts first
thing in the morning often makes a difference. It's also
good for a healthier mouth. The fresh juice discourages
plaque growth.

The Perfect wife

The perfect wife knows how to provide the harmonic balance within the family unit. She knows how to balance career, domestic chores, taking care of the children and support her husband emotionally. The perfect wife has many roles to fulfill and finds it both a challenge and rewarding. Not every woman wants to be the perfect wife. Many women will purposely try to be something different to establish their independence. Even those women that rebuff the idea of a perfect wife, read on. There are many deep emotional rewards for striving to be the perfect wife.

The perfect wife knows how to smile at those jokes that aren’t really that funny. She manages a small laugh and doesn’t remind her husband that he has told that joke before repeatedly. Without her husband knowing it, the perfect wife embraces these age old jokes over and over as if they were brand new. The perfect wife will know that one day her husband might be in a nursing home not able to even recognize who she is. It will be that day that these old jokes will be a memory that keeps her going daily to visit her wonderful husband.

The perfect wife finds the energy to pick up the piles of clothes, socks strewn about and the glasses that never make it back to the sink. Instead of clearing up after everyone and feeling like a maid, the perfect wife is proud of her home. It will drive her nuts to have the little messes here and there. She cleans up without a second thought as to who did it last time or why everyone around her can’t seem to walk to the kitchen sink. She knows that one day the house will be childless and there won’t be laughter as everyone is gathered around the TV watching a movie and forgetting their dishes. The perfect wife covets the memories that are being made in the household from an active family life.

The perfect wife wakes in the middle of the night to toss the covers back onto her husband because she wants him to stay warm. She doesn’t sit up and wonder why she had to marry someone that thrashes about and snores so loudly. The perfect wife cherishes the quiet moments when she can watch her husband sleeping peacefully. Deep down she knows that one day her bed will be empty because she has become a widower.

The perfect wife learns how to cook the dishes that are her husband’s favorite to eat. Eventually, she even learns to like some of these dishes herself. When he calls her telling her that he will be late getting home for dinner, the perfect wife smiles and puts the meal on warm. She knows that it is a blessing that she has a man that is willing to work very hard to financially provide for the family. At least her husband is out working late and not at the local bar picking up women or ending up in jail. There will be a day that the only food her husband might be able to eat is puree meals from a straw.

The perfect wife does not look at just today. The perfect wife does not keep score as to who has contributed the most or contributed what to a relationship. She values her marriage and embraces her friendship with her husband. When faced with multi-tasking and keeping the family balance, the perfect wife focuses on enjoying each moment for she is wise and knows that the precious moments of today are not forever. It is from the perfect wife that many of us could learn to cherish today and let yesterday’s problems stay in the past. By: Joyce Priddy