I love Fall because...

Listen. If there's one thing you need to know about me, especially this time of year, it's that I love fall.
No. I LOVE fall... I really really really LOVE fall.
Just talking about it makes me anxious, because it's the kind of love that I really can't put into words. (see also: the way you feel about your significant other... so, i don't know, maybe we're like soul mates? Me and fall...)
So since today is OFFICIALLY the first day of fall (insert angels singing... confetti everywhere.. world peace.. etc.) I figured I would dedicate my post today to the reasons why I LOVE FALL (in case you've already forgotten...)
...Well, a few reasons, that is, because we'd be here until the world was no more if I named them all...

Were you aware that fall actually has a smell? Neither was I until I discovered Bath and Body Works fall candles.  Listen, there's candles, and then there's fall candles. Yeah, candles make your house/ office smell nice and yummy, but fall candles smell nice and make you feel all cozy and warm inside (or is that just me?). It's magic in a melted down form! Bath and Body Works candles are like the Wardrobe in C.S. Lewis' The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.  Just light one of these babies up, and even in 110 degree weather, suddenly you're in an alternate universe that is all fall, all the time..  Here are my personal favorites that they've got out right now...

                                
My most favorite one is the Pumpkin Caramel Latte candle. So, so, so yummy!  My husband (yes, he goes candle shopping with me..) is loving the Vanilla Pumpkin Marshmallow, which is new!  Honestly, you can't go wrong with ANY OF THEM.  Bath and Body Works does this super awesome candle sale a few times a season where they mark all of their candles down to half off (yes, you read that correctly).  Currently, well, you've got bad luck and the sale ended SUNDAY but I'm sure it'll be back soon.
If you just can't wait until then, and you aren't really wanting to spend 20 bucks on a candle, you could always turn to mine and Emily M's secret weapon...

Walmart's Mulled Cider candle. It's just.. so good (and not to mention it's $5).  I practically stock up on them because I know by the end of the season my husband I'll be tired of paying 20 bucks for candles but still don't want to sacrifice fall smelling goodness in my home.

These might be fighting words, but fall food kicks any other season's foods rear in my opinion.  Aside from the obvious fact that PSL's are back (psst.. have you seen our PSL print?), what's better (and EASIER) than coming home to a house filled with smells of yummy soups in the crock pot (your answer should resemble something along the lines of NOTHING)?  Here's one of my most favorite fall recipes that is a STAPLE at our house  (read that like:  I make it almost once a week, because, why not..) So, so, so easy to prepare!

Psst.. I call it 'the winning' white chicken chili because this bad boy won my Chili cook off at the office!

This goes without saying, but it is one of my many reasons why I'm fall crazed.  I just love layering and, well, fall is the signature season for layering.  I just feel like an outfit looks more complete when there's more dimensions to it.  Here's a few layering looks that i'm currently craving...

         

    

                                                            

.

And that is the closest thing to heaven as we're going to get down here.  Listen, as much as I love fall, I'd have to say I love football as much if not more.  Nearly every Friday night I'm at my  alma mater's football games (in my defense, my brother-in-law is the Defensive Coordinator) and every Saturday you can find me in front of the television (or in very close proximity to one) from 10 am to about 11 pm.  Sunday-Thursday you ask?  Why, that's what ESPN is for! I just have and always will love the game of football. Period. As a little sixth grade girl who made the middle school cheerleading squad, my Dad started making me watch football games with him.  His motto? How can I cheer on a team when I don't know what the heck is going on?  He taught me every position, every play, all of the terminology. Ever since then I grew to love the game. I love the connection it's given me with my Dad and I just love what it's all about. Grant it I'd love to always be watching my Gators play (while simultaneously memorizing their depth chart.. Do not judge me...), football is football, and football is GLORIOUS.

Yes I'm the obnoxious fan that speaks about her football team as those I suited up every Saturday with them ("We're really gonna miss him after that injury..." "We've got to get more momentum coming into the second half...")

Yes, I'm the obnoxious fan that yells at the TV and nearly pulls every strand of hair out whilst going into DOUBLE OVERTIME AGAINST KENTUCKY (Because, Really? Kentucky? #theyshouldhaveputmein)

Yes I can hardly eat dinner after losing and I allow it to effect the rest of my day when we do (FOOD?! AT A TIME LIKE THIS??).

But I love it.

I got married in the fall. One day I plan on sharing how it is that a 20 year-old gal wound up standing at an alter on October 24, 2010, but for now I'll just say: God.  It only made sense that I would get married in the season that I love so so stinking much, and by the grace of God, that's how it worked out! October 24, 2010 is my most favorite day in the history of time.

What are some of the reasons that you like fall? I'd love to hear about them in the comments section!

Keep Celebrating,

Fab Friday Freebie: Why Are We Blogging?

We have always been fond of this word.  In our opinion, it isn't used enough in today's society.  

Instead, we say things like "s'cute," "totes adorbs," or "presh."  Maybe it's the writers in us, or maybe it's just the fact that we're old souls at heart, but the words begin to lose meaning.  They become superficial.

Look at what guys say about girls:  "oh, she's hot!" or "nice pull." What does that even mean?  We're a temperature?  And "nice pull," really?  I'm out of his league is basically what you're saying, so what's the opposite of that?  Nice push?

What happened to gorgeous, beautiful, pretty.... lovely?

As women, we especially crave to be told that we are beautiful.  For a lot of us, that is where we believe our worth comes from.  If I could only look like her, if I could only just lose a few more pounds, if I could just get rid of my acne or birthmark, then I'd be happy.

But what happens once we've achieved these goals?  Are we really that much happier?  Do we really feel like we're worth more or do we just become more discouraged when the feeling we hoped for or the attention we longed for didn't happen.

We're still incomplete. After all we've done, the world still tells us we're not good enough.

Take comfort in this, ladies:  Our Maker, the Creator of all things, views us as so much more.

You.  Yes, you. Are altogether lovely.

Through Christ alone, we are complete.  There is no one in this universe that we need to please other than Him.  We are beautifully and wonderfully made by His hands, and He does not create ugly or incomplete things.  We are precious to Him.

We are altogether lovely.

When we focus on Him, our surroundings begin to look different.  We see more of the good in the day and how He is working in our lives even in the darkest of times.  

We see that every day is worth celebrating.

We begin to see the beauty in others because we look to their hearts as He does, instead of their outward appearance as the world does. 

"Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy- think about such things."  Philippians 4:8

When our hearts change, so do our thoughts, and only then can we really see how lovely the world is around us. 

This is it. This is why we're here.  This is why we're blogging. This is our "mission statement", if you will.  We believe in what the Bible says.  We believe that we are all  altogether lovely.

We want all of our readers to feel lovely, and know that they're loved when they come here. 

We want to make each day just a little more lovelier for you.

Beginning next month from then on, we'll be featuring an Altogether Lovely Lady.

If you know of someone who has shown you just how lovely she really is, we'd love for you to email us your story of her, as well as a picture so that she can be featured here!

So if you haven't guessed it already...

Our Fab Friday Freebie printable is our new 

Altogether Lovely

prints.

They're dainty and just lovely if we do say so ourselves.

Snag one for you to put on your desk in your office, or on your mirror for that early morning encouragement, or someone who might need that extra reminder that she is altogether lovely.

How it Works

We keep all of our printables stored in Google Docs.  When clicking on the printable, you will be redirected to our Google Docs site.  After clicking on your printable, you will click the download button (be sure to do this! Files print more clearly when they're fully downloaded!). Then, print to your hearts desire!

Suggestions

When printing, click "actual size"  to get the true size of the printable (these are 5x7s, but if you'd like a different size- we'll be happy to make adjustments!).  We also recommend printing on cardstock to get the highest quality.  If you have any questions or problems while printing or downloading, feel free to contact us!

 Share the Love

We'd love nothing more than if you shared our printable via social media!  We'd love to see what creative ways you use them!  Please be sure to mention us (@emilyyycain @emilyruth_mak) and use our hashtags: #emvitation #theemilyspost

Be Sweet!

These printables were made by The Emilys Post as a FREE gift to you, because, well, we like you!  Please do not alter these images in any way or exclude our logo.  We'll keep being sweet if you keep being sweet!

Keep Celebrating!

Favorite Beauty Buys

We both think that it is very important to take care of our bodies, so today on the blog we are sharing a few of our favorite beauty products.

With summer coming to an end and winter quickly approaching, we thought we’d focus on our favorite skin products since that seems to take the biggest beating with the changing seasons.

          

1. Clarisonic. I got a Clarisonic for Christmas last year and it has been a game changer. If you already pay to have microdermabrasion done by an esthetician, I would go ahead and invest in one of these. It is like having a mini microderm every time I use it and has made a tremendous difference on my skin!
2. Tree Hut Shea Sugar Scrub.If your skin is starting to look ashy, fear no more! Scrub this stuff on in the shower (especially your elbows and knees), and slather on some lotion afterwards and problem solved. This scrub is also perfect to use before applying sunless tanner or getting a spray tan (and not to mention cost effective! You can find this stuff at Wal-mart!).
3. Amazing Grace Lotion by Philosophy. I LOVE this stuff! Not only is this a great moisturizer, which is crucial during the winter months, but it also smells absolutely amazing! I will literally cover myself in this and not even bother putting perfume on because the scent lasts so long. Trust me, use this stuff and you’ll get compliments every time you wear it!
4. Jergen’s Glow Lightweight Foaming Moisturizer. I am a huge advocate of protecting your skin from the sun (uhhhmmm and tanning beds), but that doesn’t mean I’m all for being pasty either. Hey, I get it. I am probably the fairest of them all (My ancestors are from Poland for goodness sakes! They probably lived in cold dark caves and rarely saw sunshine), but the aftermath of fake baking during the winter months can have horrible consequences on your skin, like more freckles, moles, wrinkles, age spots, and not to mention cancer! So skip the UV coffin, and use sunless tanner instead. The Jergen’s foam has been my favorite product to keep the appearance of a sun kissed glow!  It applies evenly and doesn’t give you an orange tint (plus, it doesn’t really have that nasty sunless tanner smell either!). It’s a win, win.
5. Make Up Remover Wipes.  Skin Tip #1: Never. Ever. Never. Sleep in your make up. I know it happens to the best of us, you come home from a late night or just end up crashing while watching a movie, but sleeping in your make up is one of the worst things you can do. How can sleeping in a little war paint be so harmful you ask?  It dries out your skin, reduces the production of collagen (WRINKLES!), clogs your pores, and sleeping in eye makeup can cause eye infections. If you only do one thing before falling asleep, let it be wiping off your make up.
6. Coppertone Sheer Faces Sunscreen. I put this stuff on every day! Even if I’m not going to be outside that long, my face is still exposed to the sun through the windows at work, so always try to find a lotion or make up with SPF. This sunscreen is lightweight, doesn’t clog pores, and is great under make up. Did I mention it also smells like coconut lime verbenea? Talk about a little reminder of the beach even if it is 10 below outside.
7. Clinique 3 Step System. Ok, so I used this skin care line in high school, wandered away from it for a couple of years, then came back to it like the prodigal son. I haven’t been able to find anything else that tops it yet. I switch back and forth between the moisturizer, opting for the lotion during the winter months and then the gel during the summer when my skin is less dry, but other than that I’m pretty consistent with this stuff. Wash, tone, and moisturize. It’s second nature to me now.
8. Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment. Cold winds cause chapped lips, and there is almost nothing worse than having your lips look like two dried up gummy bears. Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment is the best way to prevent that from happening. It leaves your lips super soft and has SPF in it (remember how I told you how important SPF is?! This applies to your lips as well)! They also come in multiple tints if you want to make your lips look a tad bit rosier. It runs a little pricey so I try to use it sparingly and reach for my Burt’s Bees Lip Balm when my lips aren’t too dried out.
9. Essie Nail Polish. We like our pinkies and piggies painted at all times. It just makes us feel a little bit more girly and is an easy way to make a fashion statement without the commitment. Essie nail polish is our most popular go to (just like Kate the Great! And if it’s good enough for her, it’s good enough for us!). We especially love “Go Ginza” and “Mademoiselle.” 

Keep Celebrating.

Fab Friday Freebie: I Love You More Than Pumpkin Spice Lattes

This week's Fab Friday Freebie is going to ask you to do a little bit of soul searching...

(click image for print!)

Listen.  The Emilys know all about the unique bond that is between a girl and her PSL.

                                                                                                                                                         

                                                                                                                                                                

It's a special long distance relationship that we sit around so patiently for until we are finally reunited for ONLY 3 months out of the year.
That is dedication.  You go girl! You deserve to hold your head up high! Waiting that long is tough!

So this print is for those girls in said relationship.
For the hopeless romantic,if you will.

The girls that are brave enough to boldly confess what some might call a sin.

(Because really?  Is there any greater love than that of a girl and her PSL? Blasphemy.)

Before you take this print and hang in somewhere sweet and special in your humble abode.
 Ask yourself...
Are you sure? No. Like, are you really sure? Sure that you want to commit to this life altering confession?

If you're one of those girls. Congratulations to you!
If not, then, well, at least you're asking said person that you "love more than pumpkin spice lattes" not to make you prove it ;)

How it Works

We keep all of our printables stored in Google Docs.  When clicking on the printable, you will be redirected to our Google Docs site.  After clicking on your printable, you will click the download button (be sure to do this! Files print more clearly when they're fully downloaded!). Then, print to your hearts desire!

Suggestions

When printing, click "fit to printer margins" or "fit page" to make sure your printable is not cut off or off centered.  We also recommend printing on cardstock to get the highest quality.  If you have any questions or problems while printing or downloading, feel free to contact us!

 Share the Love

We'd love nothing more than if you shared our printable via social media!  We'd love to see what creative ways you use them!  Please be sure to mention us (@emilyyycain @emilyruth_mak) and use our hashtags: #emvitation #theemilyspost

Be Sweet!

These printables were made by The Emilys Post as a FREE gift to you, because, well, we like you!  Please do not alter these images in any way or exclude our logo.  We'll keep being sweet if you keep being sweet!

Be sure to stop by each Friday for a fab Friday Freebie.

We hope everyone has a wonderful weekend. We'll see you on Monday!

Until then, Keep Celebrating!

Celebrate YOU: Feeding your Soul

Today we’re picking up in our Celebrate YOU series and talking about ‘feeding your soul’.  I’m sure you’ve heard the term ‘quiet time’ thrown around in one way or another.  In my opinion, this is the most vital step in celebrating YOURSELF.  Giving yourself some time alone with your maker each morning is just good for you. It kicks off your day on the right foot, and I don’t know about you, but whenever I have quiet time I just feel better.

Listen, I am almost constantly talking to God. Constantly.  Whether I’m driving down the road or asking for patience while my three year old is screaming because he refuses to eat his dinner.  I just have to. It keeps me sane.  I know that I’m completely far from perfect (because if I was, I wouldn't need quiet time!), and that I need to pray.

But I do think it’s important to set aside some time, an hour, a minute, whatever you can, to spend some time completely devoted to the Lord.  So here’s what my quiet time looks like…

I pray.

Where I come from, prayer is not something that has to be perfect.  There’s no right prayer or wrong prayer.  There’s no magical words that I have to say to ensure that God is listening.  It’s just talking.  Telling Him what’s on my heart.  Tell him my concerns and my desires.  Just pouring everything I have on to him.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Philippians 4:6

“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” Colossians 4:2

“Pray continually;” 1 Thessalonians 5:17

That last one is my favorite.  “Pray continually”. That’s it.  It doesn’t say how to pray, it doesn’t say what to pray, it just says to pray and pray continually.

I really really encourage you to pray!

I journal.

I have 2 journals.  One is just notes that I take from what I’ve read or what verse is speaking to my heart.  Sometimes it’s scribbled and a mess of thoughts, and sometimes it looks like this…

I’m always so intrigued by the thoughts that enter my head when I’m trying to make a perfect ‘L’ with a pretty colored pen.  It’s said that we should meditate on scripture, and I’ve found that this is a good way for me to meditate on each word.  My thoughts slow down, and I am concentrating on what I’m writing.  Things seem to pop in my head that I didn’t know were there. I know it sounds silly, but it works for me! 

My other journal is a simple legal pad that I call my ‘thankful’ journal. Each day I make myself write down 5 things that I’m currently thankful for and 5 things that are on my heart (prayers).  Notice I said make.  Sometimes it’s just one of those doom and gloom days, and I don’t feel like being thankful for anything.  I’ve realized that if I can just start my day off by looking at the bigger picture, it tends to bring me up on those down days.

You always have somethingS to be thankful for.  Always, always, always.

Sometimes my ‘I am thankful for’s are big.  Like good doctor’s visits, and a sorority sister getting her new pair of long awaited lungs.  And sometimes they’re just really simple things.  Like nice people to work with, or a great conversation with a friend.

There’s always something to be thankful for.

“O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!” Psalm 118:1

Then there’s my 5 prayers.  Sometimes those prayers are deep, and urgent, and somewhat scary.  And sometimes they’re just prayers that my son has a good day at preschool, or that I have a safe road trip out of town.

There’s always something or someone to pray for.

The coolest part is looking back on this journal and seeing what I had prayed for, and how God answered my prayer. 

Remember:  God will ALWAYS answer your prayers.  They just might not be the answer you were wanting.

I read the Bible and books by Christian authors.

Usually I do this simultaneously.  I’ll start out by reading my book or devotion and then study the scriptures that were used in my readings.  

Currently I am reading Crazy Love by Francis Chan and His Princess by Sheri Rose.  I’ve got my eye on ‘Bringing Up Boys’ by Dr. James Dobson and plan to read that next. I really encourage you to find a devotion or book.  

These books are definitely not a substitute for the Bible, but it is nice to read others Christian perspectives on what life can throw at you.

Here are a few devotions that we have read or are currently reading that we think you might enjoy…

1. His Princess:  Love Letters from your King by Sheri Rose

2. Crazy Love by Francis Chan

3. My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers

4.  Jesus Calling by Sarah Young

I really really encourage you to take some time for YOU for your SOUL, the most important part of you, and start your day off with the Lord.  Whether it be an hour or a few minutes, just kick off your day by spending time with God.  It will start your day off on the right foot and your time with the Lord will last throughout the day.

“Abide in me, and I in you.  As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.  I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me, and I in him, he is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:4-5

Psst… Both of the 5x7 printables can be found on our google docs site, in case you’re interested ;) just click on the prints to be redirected.

Keep Celebrating,

I'm Bananas For You

I would like to consider myself a “glass half full” kind of girl. I always try to see the positive side of things and I always try to make sure that my perspective is in check, so when I saw that the bananas I bought were starting to go brown I got a tad bit upset. (Disclaimer: I am one of those strange people who are extremely picky about my bananas. If they aren’t a tad bit green at the top, I don’t like them; so you can only imagine my distraught to see brown spots.)

But before throwing out my three browning bananas, it dawned on me, BANANA BREAD! You have to have browning bananas to make banana bread!

New mantra everybody, “When life gives you browning bananas, make banana bread.”

So I went to my recipe box and pulled the recipe out. (Hey, what do you know? It calls for three bananas. This must have been fate, right?)  I quickly realized that I could make quite a bit of banana bread, so why not give some away to my friends and neighbors while I was at it? Turns out a few browning bananas can feed a small village or an apartment complex in my case.

Want to make some of your own now? Already ahead of you friends!

(click on the recipe card to be redirected to Google Docs for a printable version of the recipe!)

EASY PEASY!

If you want to send them out as gifts like I did, bake them in mini loaf pans. (Just make sure you adjust the cooking time! Otherwise, you’ll end up with bricks for your next home renovation.) And to make things even easier on y’all, we've made some gift tags that you can download and use yourself! Just buy some plastic gift bags and wrap them up!  

(click on the picture to be redirected to Google Docs for downloads!)

Because, let’s be honest, who doesn’t find banana bread “a-peel-ing?”

 Keep Celebrating!

Celebrate YOU: Having 'You Time'

Around here, we like to celebrate.  Birthdays, holidays, engagements, 'Hey! You woke up today and put two feet on the floor' days... Every day, to us, is a day to celebrate because everyday is a gift from the Lord, and, well, gifts are worth celebrating!

But one thing I think we as women forget to do from time to time is to take a step back and just celebrate OURSELVES. 

Let's face it, I'm sure the last thing on your mind as you're crawling into bed at night is 'Did I take care of myself today?' 

It's only natural that in whatever walk of life that you're in right now, whether it be a new mom, new wife, college student, or a newbie at your job, that we think of others.  We're women, that's what we do... We like to nurture others (Which the Bible totally says we should do, so hey, we are AWESOME! Give yourself a pat on the back!). 

Sometimes it takes everything I have to remember to take some time for myself that day.  But one thing I've noticed since starting to do so is how much more put together I feel throughout the day. How much more I can hear my own thoughts.  

That's what 'Celebrate You' is about.  In the next few weeks, we'll unpack the idea of what it takes to actually celebrate yourself.  We'll talk about...

1.  Having 'You Time'

Setting time aside each day to devote to spending time with yourself and no one else.

2.  Feeding Your Soul

Having quiet time for prayer and devotion

3.  Pampering Yourself

Investing time into things that you enjoy

These are the three things that I, personally, have found that helps me really channel my inner "me".  Sometimes I think we're all so busy in life getting to know our surroundings as well as other people that we forget that we actually need to get to know ourselves!
So let's jump right in, shall we?  Let's talk about

You time, in my opinion, is a completely essential part in taking care of yourself.  It keeps us focused and, well, sane.  And by taking care of yourself I don't mean your health or your appearance..

 I mean taking.care.of.yourself.

Look at it this way.

I have a 3 year old.  I take care of him.  Yes, I make sure I take him to doctor's appointments and give him baths every night, but I also spend time getting to know him (he changes EVERY DAY!), learning what interests him, and genuinely LOVING him.  I take care of him by meeting both his physical needs as well as his emotional needs

Are you treating yourself the same way I treat my son?  Do you actually take time to get to know yourself?  Do you spend time doing things that genuinely interest you?  Do you love on yourself?

I know I'm guilty of putting myself last on the list.

So 'You Time'... What does that look like?

Here are three characteristics that I believe your 'You Time' should possess...

1. You time = ALONE time

I hope this one goes without saying but it's kind of hard to be focusing on yourself with other people around.  Pick a time or place during the day that you know you can be in peace.  A great example of this is my mom's 'you time'.  Every Saturday and Sunday my mom sits out on her back porch (given the weather's nice enough) and has her coffee and breakfast.  My dad is a HUGE landscaping guru and my mom always says that she enjoys this time to herself in the mornings to observe her backyard and all of the hard work my dad's put into it.  She says this is a great way for her to remind herself of her blessings.

2.  'You Time' is enjoyable

Also, hopefully, another given, but you should always enjoy what you're doing during your 'You Time'.  One thing that comes to mind that I personally don't think is a great idea to spend your deemed 'You Time' is hitting the gym.  Remember what we're doing here.  We're CELEBRATING ourselves.  I don't know about you, but when I'm at the gym, I'm doing anything but celebrating.  This is a time to take a load off and relax! 

One person that I know for an absolute fact that enjoys his 'You Time' is my daddy.  Like I said earlier, that man has a green thumb.  He could probably make a silk plant come to life if he really wanted to.  He just loves to be outside and messing around in his yard. Like l.o.v.e.s. it. Ever heard of seasonal depression? You can thank my dad for that.  He invented it.  If it's too cold to be outside with his plants (and trust me, that's got to be pretty darn cold) he is just not a happy camper.  He'd probably never tell me this, but I think him being in the yard is a sort of therapy for him, and that's really what this is all about.

3.  You time is consistent

This one's the kicker, my friend.  'You Time' should be consistent.  Make it a point to schedule your 'You Time'.  Not down to the minute but at least set aside either an hour each day, or each week to have your 'You Time'. Why?  Because it's going to give you something to look forward to.

Listen, my 'You Time' is always in the evenings before I go to bed.  About an hour before I call it a night, I wash my face, get in my pjs, and do a bedtime yoga sequence via Youtube (you can find the sequence HERE and thank me later!).  I am the type of person that goes to bed at 10 only to have my mind start to slow down at 12:30, but ever since I incorporated my 'You Time' bedtime yoga, it has helped TREMENDOUSLY!

Trust me, when all I can hear is my 3-year-old screaming for french fries and Sesame Street, knowing that in just about an hour I'm going to 'check out' to the rest of the world keeps me going.  There are days that I'm wishing for it at 8 am and days I'm wishing for it at 8 pm, and then there's extra special days when it just sneaks up on me like a pleasant surprise, but regardless it's something I can anchor to.

When Emily M. and I lived together in college, I always noticed Emily would go for a walk around the same time each day (given the weather permitted it).  I never outright asked her why she was taking those walks until one day she mentioned that she walked so that she could clear her mind.

Don't we all need that?
To just let go of what's going on?  Just for an hour?
That's what YOU TIME is for!

 I really hope you'll start brainstorming and getting in the mind set of how you can start giving yourself some 'You Time'.  Already have a 'You Time'?  We'd love to hear it.. It might just be what someone else needs to hear!

Keep Celebrating!