15 St. Bridget Prayers

The 15 Prayers Jesus Gave to St. Bridget of Sweden

(June 14, 1303-July 23, 1373)

Have a Blessed Sunday

With Continued Gratitude

I would like to end this week's posts with more. I believe we can never have too much gratitude or thankfulness. So in keeping with yesterday's post, I'd like to thank everyone once again for their generosity, trust, confidence & support by their patronage of our stores.  It is because of the kindness and generosity of everyone who purchases items from our stores that together we are able to help others.  From children's charities to our wounded veterans.  From the poor and hungry to women who are struggling for economic independence, your purchases make donations and the support of these charities possible.  A heartfelt thank you to all!

Dress for Success San Diego

Wounded Warrior Project

St Jude Children's Research Hospital

Food for the Poor

No Kid Hungry

Operation Smile

Feeding America

Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation

Food Bank of Northwest Indiana

Humane Society of the Calumet Area

Our Stores Helping Others Through Your Generosity Support and Purchases

Jen Colleen Boutique ~ All things feminine & pretty. Benefiting Dress for Success San Diego

Joshua's Treasures ~ All things children.  Benefiting various children's charities.

Out of the Box ~ Vintage and unique finds. Benefiting Wounded Warrior Project and a variety of charities.

Thank you for your trust, confidence & support.

LEGOLAND And Vacation Fun

As the end of April draws near, I can't help but start thinking about the end of the school year and summer vacation fun!  Although it's not always easy to afford a nice vacation or even to do things locally whether a two-income family or one.  When finances allow, the planning and adventure begins. One place both my son and I have enjoyed visiting is LEGOLAND Discover Center.  It is amazing to see the imagination and creativity of the designers and creators of the LEGO sets and structures that have been constructed for visitors to look at, touch and feel.  For example, the Chicago Discovery Center, has a massive City of Chicago skyline with all of the detail possible to replicate the beautiful Chicago skyline.  

LEGOLAND Discovery Centers bring together 4D cinema shows, rides and LEGO Miniland. A great experience for the entire family.  Planning a trip to Boston, Atlanta, Westchester, Kansas City or Dallas/Ft. Worth?  I'm providing some links below for ease of viewing what each Discovery Center has to offer. 

LEGOLAND Discovery Centers are worldwide with locations in Germany, Turkey, United Kingdom, Japan, China and Canada. 

LEGOLAND Discovery Centers are family attractions designed for kids aged 3-10 with over 2 million LEGO bricks all under one roof!

The ultimate indoor LEGO playground!

Atlanta, GA

Westchester, NY

Kansas City, KS

Dallas/Ft. Forth

Boston, MA




Chicago, IL

A Budget And Staying Healthy

Although there are times when fiances get tight there are a few things we should never skimp on or cut.  Our health.  Without our health, we can't work and ultimately get into a better financial situation.

Can't afford a gym membership?  Don't let it stop you from exercise!  Being a single parent, I have to make sacrifices and cut where I can but I don't let it stop me from making an effort to stay healthy. Think outside of the box and find a way around it.  Exercise at home.  Walking, biking, running and even housework all provide the benefits of exercise with no cost!  I am an avid runner so in between my yoga and Tae Bo DVDs, I run.  I'm winning on both accounts.  I'm exercising and saving money. Want the equivalent of strength training?  Use your own body weight.  Push-ups, sit ups, knee bends all provide the benefits of building and maintaining muscle. Inexpensive exercise equipment like a jump rope or exercise ball or resistance bands can also be added to help with the building and maintaining of muscle.  

Overall, cooking at home is a money and calorie savor.  Opt to buy cheap but healthy foods. There is no reason to reach for the junk food just because you can't afford a lot when it comes to buying groceries.  Some of the healthiest foods that are quite affordable are beans, a low-calorie source of fiber and protein; peanuts, rich in fiber and heart-healthy fats; homemade cereal, that mix oats, grains, raisins and nuts bought in bulk; homemade drinks like brewed ice tea or fruit and veggie smoothies which are less expensive than prepared store-bought bottled drinks.  Buying frozen fruit and veggies which aren't as awesome as fresh but are still relatively cheap and still packed with vitamins and anti-oxidants. In searching online for "beans recipes" there are 20,900,000 results.

One I might suggest,
 shows results for other things besides healthy recipes such as nutrition and meal planning just to name a few.  

Never skip on medication.  It is estimated that 55% of adults fail to comply with their medication regime prescribed by their doctors. Ignoring medical problems like high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes or high cholesterol can lead to bigger problems as we all know.  Speak to your doctor if you are having trouble paying for your medications.  It is possible a generic equivalent will work just as well and cost considerably less.  There are also pharmacy discount programs which offer significant price reductions for medication.  Doing a quick search of pharmacy discount cards over 6,510,000 results appeared many of which are free to obtain and some offer cash-back or rewards points.  Look to see which one might be right for you.

Making Positive Life Changes In Simple Ways

I have always told my son you can't control others, only yourself.  With that said, our happiness is dependent upon ourselves and the choices we make and no one or nothing else.  There will always be adversity and hurdles to overcome like today for myself for example, I'm not feeling well.  I'm feeling sluggish and rundown like I'm getting sick.  It's my choice on how I will approach my "feelings" and this day.  Sure, if I'm getting sick, I'm not going to feel at the top of my game and may need to rest some but how I choose to ultimately face what I'm feeling will make all the difference.  It's the same with any situation we are faced with.  If we constantly feel like we are hitting a brick wall, then it's up to us as individuals to adjust and move in a different direction.

Some ways we may make these adjustments are very simple and can make all the difference in the world.  Surrounding ourselves with positive people who are ultimately going to bring us up as opposed to negative people who will suck the life out of us is a crucial first step in making any positive change.  When we surround ourselves with people who lift us up, we feel empowered and strong which ultimately enables us to look at life or our current situation in a new positive light and not only gives us hope but perhaps an easier way to find a solution to whatever it is we are facing.

Sometimes we need to get out of our comfort zone and try something we normally wouldn't or do something different. Continuing to "play it safe" may keep us stuck whereas taking a chance on something may actually be a ticket to success.

Prioritize by putting God first.  The only person we should be worried about pleasing is God.  If we put Him first, everything else in our lives will fall into place.

Continue your education.  Strive to learn something new everyday.  If we aren't learning, we aren't growing.  Don't ever settle.  If you don't know something, do some research to learn about it. Keeping educated will keep us sharp and ultimately help us to make good decisions in life. Additionally, being educated may actually help someone else so it's a win-win.

Seek advice.  Sometimes the answer we need will come from someone else.  Don't be afraid to ask for help or advice.  Someone else may be able to provide a new found reality to something you may be unintentionally avoiding.  Sometimes hearing it from someone else will actually help us believe it.

Take the initiate to become a leader instead of going with the flow.  When you take a backseat you aren't learning or gaining anything of value.  When you lead, you are learning as well as building confidence which will ultimately help you in the future.

With a little effort, making positive change will ultimately lead to a happier and more fulfilling life.

Joshua's Treasures Supporting Many Children's Charities

Joshua's Treasures opened online in 2009 with all sales benefiting many children's charities.

Thank you.

Immaculate Heart of Mary

Have a blessed Sunday

Out of the Box Wounded Warrior Project and Various Charities

Out of the Box opened online in July of 2015 and offers a variety of items from vintage to modern, new to used, with a sprinkling of men's clothing and accessories.  I have a love for old, vintage and unique items and wanted to share that love offering my finds in an online setting.  In the spirit of thinking of others and never knowing how someone might be feeling or what they might be searching for, I decided to offer men's clothing and accessories when I come across something in my travels that I feel is worth sharing.  In keeping with the spirit of thinking of others and giving back, a portion of every sale offered through Out of the Box is donated to a variety of charities with an emphasis on Wounded Warrior Project to remember our dear Veterans to whom we would not enjoy the freedom we do here in America.

Out of the Box, helping those in need through our customers thoughtful purchases, kindness and generosity.  Thank you.

Birkenstock, Kenkoh, Birki's, Tatami, Finn Comfort, Footprints, Papillio, Taos and Dansko

I'm writing again today about Kenkoh Massage Sandals because I'm stuck on finding some comfortable sandals that not only will be great for the summer but will help my constantly sore feet. I'm going to be purchasing some Kenkoh: The Original Japanese Massage Sandal in the near future and plan to follow up my posts with what I find.  So far, what I have read from the reviews, Happy Feet Plus: The Web's Biggest Selection of Birkenstock, Birki's, Tatami, Finn Comfort, Footprints, Papillio, Taos and Dansko footwear not only offers all the previously mentioned brands of shoes, it provides over 2300 customer reviews on the Kenkoh Massage Sandals.  I also really like the fact that they offer free shipping on all purchases.  The service and attention to the needs of their customers according to customer reviews I have read, makes Happy Feet Plus my new go to for footwear that could possibly alleviate my sore feet pain.