The sunlight glistened and sparkled on the snow, sprinkling it with every color of the rainbow.
The air was warm; the snow, cold. Giggles, mrows, tweets, and squee beamed the happiness of the day!
The Bog bustled with delight and frivolity as Kat, Bear, and Wogs swished and shimmied into the chilly, white fluff making the best-est snow angles, ever!
Kat (giggling with delight): I’m my own angel!
Wogs (thrilled about the deep, fluffy snow): This is so fun!
Bear (swish-swashing his tail making the best snowcat angel ever, felt contentment and love): Mrow!
Happy New Year!
We are surrounded by angels. They come in every size, shape, and disposition. Each with their own gifts to share.
We can be our own angel, and we can surround ourselves with angels who brighten our lives.
We wish you a 2021 surrounded by only the best-est of goodness, especially love, happiness, healthiness, wellness, kindness, gratitude, and so much laughter as to lift your heart into the pinkest of bliss!
As my recent round of students are finding their way from my coaching into their new academic and life futures, I created a list of life nuggets I’ve gained to hopefully help guide them as they navigate life.
They loved what I shared so much and suggested I pass it on, just in case it helps more than just them. So by request, here are some of my meaningful nuggets. I hope they find you with the love, peace, calm, wellness, happiness, and goodness in my heart and with the positivity of intent I hope for. Hugging you so big, and loving you even bigger!!!
Always make sure your car has good hiking boots! Good treads saves lives, people!!!
Protect your Love: do a project with your proposed human. Learn how you think and process information differently. Learn how you communicate. Learn what your strengths and weaknesses are while working together to achieve a shared goal. This knowledge and insight will help you direct your growth together, and it will help you understand each other as you take on the shared goal of living a life together [one of the biggest projects out there!].
Choose to grow your wellness by focusing on anti-inflammatory foods and activities. (Vegan and vegetarian diets have been linked to harder peri-menopause and menopause experiences. Which doesn’t mean go hog wild eating meats all the time. Eat high quality, nutritious foods, hydrate, rest, get movement into your body, and make time to rest and recuperate.)
Calorie and iron load the week before your monster. Your body is about to perform surgery on itself without your permission and without caring about all the stuff on your list of things to do. NOURISH big time. Prepare. Help your body cope and heal. Give yourself what you need to navigate the biological upheaval known as your “period.”
Be kind to yourself – self-care. The lists, the to-do’s, … we’re industrious, productive, multi-tasking, trying-to-get-the-most-outta-life women. Everything we have to do will be there, always, for as long as you keep adding to the list. But remember, you’ll only get as far as your body will take you, and although it may feel like you can keep pushing yourself without a break, your body is keeping score towards your depletion, and your body will drop your ass without asking and without apology. The thing is, when this happens, you then have to heal and recuperate, and who knows how long that will take. But it will take long enough to mess up your plans, lists, and to-do’s. So learn to be kind to you. To self-care. To value you. To care about you and what your body, mind, and soul needs to keep being your awesome self. To live your life in a more loving, caring, nurturing way. And build this into your life. Because you are important. Because you are worthy.
Make friends with loving, supportive, caring people and invest in these relationships. Your life will be the richest it possibly can be when it is filled with the love and goodness of good people being there for you, sharing time with you, witnessing you!
Consider “unity” seating instead of a bride and groom side. After all, your guests have come to support you as a couple, not to take sides.
Consider only inviting people you know in your heart will be in your life 10 years from now. After all, your wedding is a day/moment to celebrate the joining of 2 people and 2 lives into 1 couple sharing a life together. If a potential guest won’t be in your lives 10 years from now, why is it important for them to be there to witness and celebrate your union?
Consider your wedding day for what it is, a celebration of you and your love muffin joining together, committing to each other, and choosing to undertake the big ol’ project of living life together, no matter what happens, no matter how hard it gets, sharing in the absolute joys of good times, and holding each other especially tight in the challenging times. Your wedding day is not a party for other people. It’s not a reason to drink to excess. It’s a celebration of your love and your commitments to each other. It is the very definition of joy, happiness, love, and goodness. It’s VERY personal. You should only be surrounded by love, light, support, and happiness!
Consider ensuring your shared day reflects each of you equally. Imagine what that looks like and plan for that. Have conversations. Be together. Start off in equality, and live in it for life!
Reflection with attention to your lessons learned, values, self-knowledge, and the “why’s” of reason beyond simple answers is the key to your forward growth and happy, healthy future. If you allow your past to be an unchecked compass for your future, you’ll very likely find yourself unfulfilled, unhappy, … waiting.
Choose you and be your own best friend, for there is no one you will ever spend more time with in your life!
Know that wellness, peace, calm, happiness, kindness, gratitude, love, and light are yours for the creating … if you are willing to value you, love you, be kind to you, and have patience with yourself!
Live a meaningful life … meaning … let it mean something to you. Envision you in your future and look back … what have you accomplished, grown, achieved, become that makes you feel good and worthy? Whatever that is, it’s your meaningful life, and it’s waiting for you. (psst … also, um, quick note … as you live and grow and learn, this idea, this notion, this “what it takes to live a meaningful life” can and will likely change. It’s okay. You’ll adapt and adjust and keep on growing, learning, and living. You’ve got this! In short:
Find you. Live life. Gain experiences. Grow. Learn. Find you. Rinse and repeat. You will not be the same person you are today, not even a week from now. Not tomorrow. Not years from now. Life grows you and changes you … true … but the cool part is … if you navigate your life with reflection (see earlier point), you’ll grow yourself right on into the person you love … into being your own best friend!
However, it’s also not the norm. Bat shit crazy terrible awful doesn’t happen all of the time.
Notice how uncertainty got immediately lumped into bat shit crazy terrible awful? We’re funny like that. Probably cuz we don’t mind the happy uncertainty. If someone showed up at your door telling you you’ve won the thing you want to the most, you’d be all like, SQUEE, this is awesome! Not scared of it. Uncertainty is lumped with negativity, cuz it’s only the unexpected bad stuff that traumatizes us. Scares us. Teaches us to be afraid of uncertainty.
If living without being afraid of life is important to you, find a way to live in peace with the uncertainty, knowing that pretty much on a regular basis, you got this. In all of the other times, lean back, lean on, share the burden and the weight with your loved ones, your support group, your peeps … the ones who mean the world to you, and you mean the world to them.
And one final note … I am finding that if each day you live the goodness in your heart, be you, do you … then no matter what happens … you will live the life you should be living, your most meaningful life!
Honestly … the short of it is …
Seek an anti-inflammatory way of life … this means wellness for you physically, mentally, and emotionally (ditch the peeps who bring shiz into your life) … Live with gratitude, love, laughter, kindness, light, hugs, … goodness. Choose you.
May giving of your heart fill you with abundance beyond your dreams!
Kat(waving love and light to you): Hugging you So BIG!
Wogs(waving love and light to you): Hugging you So BIG!
Bear(flicker-waving love and light to you from the tip of his tail): Mrow! (…which of course means he is hugging you So BIG!)
Loving and Hugging you So BIG! Surrounding you with my light and love! Giving gratitude for this time we are sharing together!
Be well, stay safe, and know that I am here with you!
The Bog sounded of love, delighted and squee-filled cheer, and loud congratulatory applause!
After an exciting and suspense-ish-filled day of votes rolling in, the Bog Community has spoken and our Sunny Snow Day Competition has a clear winner!
With a seesaw of ups and downs as the votes were tabulated Team Snowhuman and Team Snowcat bustled to be heard.
At first Team Snowhuman came in with a slim lead. Then Team Snowcat rallied. And on and on throughout the day. Up and down. Who would come out shining the brightest?
In the end, your voices have been heard and your votes tallied. By a narrow, but firm lead,
Before returning to his comfy Bog-side perch, Squeech presents the 1st Place Gold Ribbon to Bear!
Kat(Clapping with squeetastic giddiness): Woohoo, Bear! Your snowcat is super cute!
Wogs(Clapping big time, whistles with cheer and excitement!): Way to go, Bear! Your snowcat is SO COOL!
Bear(Triumphantly singing “I am the Champion … of the world” in his head steps up to receive his gold ribbon. Flicker-waving the tip of his tail in tell tale thanks to his team, he blinks with cool gratitude and simply states): Mrow!
Wishing you cheerful merriment as our holidays continue. Loving you SO BIG and Hugging you SQUEEZY TIGHT!
Kat: Cold out.
Wogs / Bear: Yep. / Mrow.
Kat: But the fire’s nice.
Wogs / Bear: Yep. / Mrow.
Kat: And the hot cocoa is delicious!
Wogs / Bear: Yep. / Mrow.
Kat: Being here with you is the BEST-est!
Wogs / Bear (looks at Kat & smiles warmly): Yep. / Mrow.
Brighten your life with shared experiences … even if across the virtual airwaves. Be there for each other. Hug each other. Love each other.
Be well and safe!
May you be surrounded by light, love, and laughter!
Here with you! Loving you SO MUCH! Giving you Big Hugs and Holding You Tight!
Here it is! My recipe for Cherry Dessert Danish, as promised! This is one of Pauli’s favorite desserts, and every person I’ve ever made it for giddy claps for it again and again, so I hope you love it!!!
I’ll walk you through this easy peasy, uber yummy for your taste buds and tummy dessert … with pictures the whole way through.
Overall, you’ll need 4 main parts to bring your dessert Danish together:
1 tube of Crescent Rolls (Yep, I cheat on this one, lol. But we still buy organic to make these fully organic for Pauli.)
Ooey Gooey Cherry Filling
Yummy Tummy Streusel Topping
Sweet Kiss Glaze
First up. The Ooey Gooey Cherry Filling.
Ooey Gooey Cherry Filling:
1 bag of frozen dark sweet cherries
2 tsp of cornstarch
small sauce pan
spoon
measuring spoon
cutting board and knife (optional)
Now, of course, you could use any ol’ can of cherry pie filling you want if you want … but really, this is fast and easy, and way better scratch-made!
I personally like to cut up my cherries into small little bits (thus, cutting board and knife), but I’ll leave that up to you and your preference. You don’t have to cut them up. I just do it because I like the bite sizeyness of it!
So I cut up my cherries into lil bits, and add them to my sauce pan. Add in 2 tsp of cornstarch, and start stirring over medium heat until the cherries thaw, heat up, and the cornstarch thickens the juice into a pie filling like thickness. (You do not need to add any water, as the cherries will thaw and juice naturally.) (Also, you could add sugar if you want – like a can of store bought cherry pie filling. But honestly, you don’t need it. The cherries are already sweet and yummy all on their own. And it’s a place you can omit the sugar, and you won’t miss it. Your body will thank you!!!)
Heat up bag of frozen cherries with 2 tsp of cornstarch over medium heat until thickened … about 5-ish minutes.
Here’s what your cherries look like when they are all yummy gooey’d up!
Next up, Yummy Tummy Streusel Topping :
½ cup flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
¼ cup softened butter
Small bowl
Spoon
In small bowl combine 1/2 cup flour, 1/3 cup brown sugar, 1 tsp of cinnamon, and 1/4 cup butter.
Here’s what the crumble topping looks like all mixed up: flour, sugar, cinnamon, softened butter.
And last to premix/premake before assembly, let’s make the, Sweet Kiss Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
2-3 tbsp of milk
½ – 1 tsp of vanilla to taste
Small bowl
Spoon
In small bowl, mix together 1 cup of powdered sugar, 2-3 tbsp of milk (enough to get drizzle consistency for the glaze), 1/2 – 1 tsp of vanilla (to taste). Yep, it’s that easy. (Sorry, I forgot to take a picture of the glaze mixing step. Just mix until smooth and drizzle-worthy.)
Assembly Time!!!! PREHEAT OVEN TO 375 degrees F!
Pop open your can of crescent rolls and separate into 2 “columns” of dough on your baking sheet. (I recommend lining your baking sheet with baking paper for easier cleanup as this assembly will get a little, but happily, messy.) The crescent triangles might try to separate a bit; if so, just gently smoosh ’em back together.
Using either a knife or a pizza cutter, cut the dough with matching slices on each side of the column. You’ll be folding them over after you put the cherry filling in.
What your crescent roll dough should look like after you cut it. When you are making the cuts, just make sure NOT to cut all the way through to the other side. You want fold-able flaps, not strips.
Next, spoon about half of the cherry filling down the center of each Danish column.
Adding the cherry filling down the center of the Danish dough columns.
Now you can fold the dough flaps up and over the cherry filling. The flaps can touch, but they don’t have to, and most likely won’t for the whole Danish strip. It’s okay. It’s how it works!
Fold-able flaps can touch or not. You don’t have to feel like you need to stretch them or anything. Just gently lay them across the cherry filling.
Now the excitement starts to kick in … you can start to see how the Danishes are coming together when you sprinkle the crumble streusel topping on. Simply, gently spoon on the crumble streusel topping (roughly half for each Danish). It’s okay if the topping crumbles off to the sides a little bit. You can try scooping it back on, but sometimes it just wants to fall onto the pan. Let it go. It’s okay.
What your unbaked Danishes look like after you spoon on the crumble streusel topping.
Time to Bake, and then Glaze!
Now, it’s time to bake these tummy yummy Danishes. Bake the Danishes at 375 degrees F for 11 – 14 minutes until the dough looks lightly golden brown.
You don’t have to wait, but I encourage you to let the Danishes cool for about 10 minutes, or even more, … so that when you drizzle on the glaze it doesn’t completely melt away.
Once your Danishes have cooled a little bit, using your spoon, drizzle on your glaze. I do crisscross back-n-forth motions up and down each Danish until I’ve used up all of the glaze. Pauli’s mouth waters the whole time, while he has to wait. Once we get to this stage, he starts pouring his very large glass of milk! LOL, but for realz!
From here, you can slice your Danishes into whatever serving size calls your taste buds, tummy, and heart. Pauli like 3 1/2 – 4″ wide slices. Once the Danishes are fully cooled, we freeze whatever he doesn’t eat the first night. That way, he has snacks on demand whenever he wants.
Danishes complete! YUMMY!!!! Gobble to your heart’s content!!!
And that, my sweet lovely honeybuns, is how you make Pauli’s Cherry Dessert Danishes! So easy! Soooooooooooooo YUMMY!!! If I could still eat gluten, I would gobble these up, and Pauli and I would race to eat the most! LOL. As it is, those days are in the past for me. Awww, boo face. But it’s okay. If you missed my Cherry Crumble a la mode recipe, that’s how I get my gluten-free fix now – and it’s truly delicious as well!
Pauli and I hope you enjoy your Cherry Dessert Danishes to the yummy in your tummy max!!!
Until next week …
Loving you Big Time and Hugging you Tightly!!! Would love to see a pic of you gobbling up your new dessert!!! Feel free to write me at marykate at loveandbighugs.com.
Love and Big Hugs,
More Happiness from Mary Kate
Find more happiness, love, big hugs, support, gratitude, POSitude, and Self-Care in these POSitude cards!
Needing some self-care, love and support? Wanting hugs? Treat yourself or someone you love to these Big Loving, Big Hugging daily inspirational, motivational, and empowering POSitude cards! They really can make a big difference in your day!!!
Get Your POSitude On!
Feel happier! Supported! Loved! Hugged!
Bring brightness and goodness into your day, and into your life!
What beautiful souls like you think about their POSitude cards!
These cards are colorful and cheerful! They stay on my desk at work and have made for great conversation with colleagues. I look forward to choosing my daily pick me up. I reflect on my current mood or what inspiration I need for the day. I do have a few favorites that I’ve used more than once or have displayed longer than just a day.
These cards remind me to stay positive and believe in myself!
Stephanie Shay, 4th grade teacher
I love my POSitude cards! I pick one to display on my refrigerator for the week. Reading the card makes me happy and gives me a variety of ways to stay positive in my daily life. It has also become a conversation piece for all who enter my kitchen.
Karen Henry, Retired 4th Grade Teacher, Personal Assistant
The Positude
cards have
made a difference for setting the
tone during meetings. I have set them in the middle of
the meeting table and while we are settling in, people pick them up and read
them. This small gesture makes a huge difference in the
quality of the conversations we have during our 1:1 meetings.
Mary Freer, University Research Department Administrator
I love my POSitude cards! They are so cute, and the messages are very uplifting and inspiring!
Mary McMurtry, Retired Bookkeeper, Mom, Grandmom
Get inspired every day with a deck of my new POSitude cards! Each deck has 35 different full-color, fun, happy POSitudes (36 cards total, with one card sharing suggestions on how to get the most out your POSitudes.) Available in my Etsy shop. Check them out and learn more, now!
You can find these POSitude cards in my new ETSY shop!!!
Looking for self-care to share love and big hugs for all ages?
Lub’s Very Happy Day! is filled with delightful brightness and big huggy smiles!
Lub is the happiest, PINKest, most love-filled monster, Ever! Her big, PINK heart is always with her, and it beams brightly in everything she does!
Lub loves you!
Join Lub as she shares with you her love and very happy, monster-ifically delightful day! Feel playful and bright, smile big, and be happy! Have fun and be cheerful!
You can find copies of Lub’s Very Happy Day! to adopt at Amazon!
If repetition is key, then tell yourself how much you love you. Tell yourself kind things. Tell yourself supportive things. Give yourself positive reaffirmation every day. Self-Love and Self-Care with Positive Reaffirmation is POWERFUL!!!
We are constantly bombarded with so much negativity and drama, every single day. It’s in our news, our social media, and our entertainment. It’s in our daily lives. Depression and anxiety rates are up. And for anyone who has ever been in an abusive relationship, one of the first truths that holds is “if you hear it long enough, you begin to believe it.”
This is a form of reaffirmation. And reaffirmation is POWERFUL. When subjected to it negatively, it diminishes and disempowers us. It brings our lives and our mental and emotional well-being down, which in turn impact our physical well-being negatively.
BUT, when practiced POSITIVELY, reaffirmation can powerfully change your life for the better. So MUCH BETTER!
So let’s use this POSITIVE REAFFIRMATION POWER for AWESOME Transformation in our lives!!!
Repetition Is Key! Repeat goodness to yourself every day!
Self-Love and Self-Care yourself with Positive Reaffirmation to transform you and put that smile on your face and the glow in your heart!
I talk about my POSitudes … a POSitude to me is a positive statement of love, reaffirmation, support, self-care, kindness, gratitude, and giant PINK & LOVE filled hugs! POSitudes are gentle reminders and guidance I use daily to support myself and that I share with you to help you live a happier and healthier life.
For me, my POSitudes and POSitude cards are vital and amazing and wonderful! I keep my cards on my desk and near me all the times. And for today, I want to focus on some of the positive reaffirmations that are incredibly meaningful to me. I encourage you, please, if repetition is key, then tell yourself how much you love you. Be kind to you. Tell yourself supportive and nice things. Tell yourself these things:
I am loved!
I am irreplaceable!
I am wonderfully unique with a light that only shines when I am in the room … the world needs my light!
I am enough!
I am needed!
My heart is big and beautiful!
I can do this!
Every little bit I do is better than not doing anything at all!
It’s Valentine’s, and I love any day dedicated to love. Especially now more than ever when there seems to be so much negativity in the world. So for this month of love, take that first step … self-love and self-care yourself with positive reaffirmations. Use the POWERFUL tool of transformation to enlighten and empower you! Be kind to you. Say nice things to yourself. Think of something you like about yourself and remind yourself of it daily. Tell yourself supporting things. Hug yourself! Big Time!!! Put the smile on your face and the glow in your heart for your happiness and healthiness! Love you!
Until next week …
Keep telling yourself positive, happy things about you! Self-love and self-care yourself with POSitive Reaffirmations!!! Give yourself the power you need to transform you and your life into the happiness and healthiness you want for you!
Be my Valentine! I love you with my big, happy, PINK heart, and I’m hugging you so SQUEEtastically tight!
Love and Big Hugs,
More Happiness from Mary Kate
Find more happiness, love, big hugs, support, gratitude, POSitude, and Self-Care in these POSitude cards!
Needing some self-care, love and support? Wanting hugs? Treat yourself or someone you love to these Big Loving, Big Hugging daily inspirational, motivational, and empowering POSitude cards! They really can make a big difference in your day!!!
Get Your POSitude On!
Feel happier! Supported! Loved! Hugged!
Bring brightness and goodness into your day, and into your life!
What beautiful souls like you think about their POSitude cards!
These cards are colorful and cheerful! They stay on my desk at work and have made for great conversation with colleagues. I look forward to choosing my daily pick me up. I reflect on my current mood or what inspiration I need for the day. I do have a few favorites that I’ve used more than once or have displayed longer than just a day.
These cards remind me to stay positive and believe in myself!
Stephanie Shay, 4th grade teacher
I love my POSitude cards! I pick one to display on my refrigerator for the week. Reading the card makes me happy and gives me a variety of ways to stay positive in my daily life. It has also become a conversation piece for all who enter my kitchen.
Karen Henry, Retired 4th Grade Teacher, Personal Assistant
The Positude
cards have
made a difference for setting the
tone during meetings. I have set them in the middle of
the meeting table and while we are settling in, people pick them up and read
them. This small gesture makes a huge difference in the
quality of the conversations we have during our 1:1 meetings.
Mary Freer, University Research Department Administrator
I love my POSitude cards! They are so cute, and the messages are very uplifting and inspiring!
Mary McMurtry, Retired Bookkeeper, Mom, Grandmom
Get inspired every day with a deck of my new POSitude cards! Each deck has 35 different full-color, fun, happy POSitudes (36 cards total, with one card sharing suggestions on how to get the most out your POSitudes.) Available in my Etsy shop. Check them out and learn more, now!
You can find these POSitude cards in my new ETSY shop!!!
Looking for self-care to share love and big hugs for all ages?
Lub’s Very Happy Day! is filled with delightful brightness and big huggy smiles!
Lub is the happiest, PINKest, most love-filled monster, Ever! Her big, PINK heart is always with her, and it beams brightly in everything she does!
Lub loves you!
Join Lub as she shares with you her love and very happy, monster-ifically delightful day! Feel playful and bright, smile big, and be happy! Have fun and be cheerful!
You can find copies of Lub’s Very Happy Day! to adopt at Amazon!
I’m a week late and a cherry dessert Danish recipe shy, but
my dad died last week, and between coping with his loss, family drama and
trauma, and my chronic fatigue, I find I’m struggling. So for now, let’s talk about the message that
beats loudest in my heart, body, and soul:
Be Love.
I promise I’ll get you
that recipe, but for today, in this month of love, let’s talk love.
To me, there are 3 big hearts in Being Love:
Surround yourself with love
Share your love with others
Love yourself
Surround yourself with love
There’s a saying out there that says you are the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with. It’s an interesting idea, and one I believe in. People who stand by you and bring you up help you be your best self; whereas people who do the opposite, make it so much harder for you to be your best self. Living in POSitivity, happiness, love, kindness, and support is heartwarming, smile making, and energizing; whereas, dealing with criticism, angst, sadness, frustration, and drama drags us down and saps us of our energy. So pick your people well.
Find people who love you and who you love. Create your world of love and support by filling it with people who care about you and love you!
Share your love with others
Be it friends. Family. Your special human. Fur babies. All of these.Grow your love by giving it to others and sharing it. Build on commonalities. Experience new things together. Strengthen your relationships with POSitivity and acts of kindness. Be thoughtful and learn more about each other.
And in this month of love, I challenge you to grow your love even more by giving of yourself to someone in need.Make someone’s day. Pick any person who you feel needs a little extra love, help, kindness, and be an expression of love for them. Brighten their day. It doesn’t have to cost money. Just do something that is thoughtful for them. Something that lets them know they are not alone. That someone cares about them. That they are worthy. Quite simply, the difference we need to make in the world starts with each of us.
Imagine how much happiness we can make by being thoughtful for someone in need, giving him or her some love, kindness, and attention. It’s a beautiful thing!
Love yourself
This is the one I think is hardest for most. We’ve been taught to be self-critical to succeed and excel in a competitive world. I feel like we’ve learned not to be patient with ourselves. We’ve learned to be excessively critical and unforgiving. We say mean things to ourselves. Undermining untruths. Have you ever said to yourself things like: I’m so fat. I’m not pretty enough. I’m not that smart. Or maybe you’re a little craftier about it and less direct. Perhaps you say things like: She’s so thin. She’s so pretty. She’s so smart, … all the while using those statements as quiet comparisons to judge yourself by.
It’s amazing and daunting how automatic we can be in self-degradation.And the thing is, in actuality, it’s self-abuse. There’s a destructive effect that comes with constantly telling ourselves negative things about ourselves. If we tell ourselves these negative things long enough, we can start to believe them. It works the same as if someone else is saying negative things to us.
We haven’t really been taught to approach ourselves with kindness, love, and patience. We could instead say things like, “I’m going to find ways to eat and live healthier,” if we feel we are overweight. Or, “I am going to find a haircut that highlights my striking cheekbones, or brightens my eyes,” if we don’t feel confident about the way we look. Or even, “I’m going to learn and experience something new to grow my knowledge-base,” if we feel we could know more.
If repetition breeds belief, then start telling yourself positive things. Good things for you to know and believe about yourself. Reaffirmation is POWERFUL!!! Use it to grow your self-love and self-confidence. And in the areas where you feel you need growth and improvement – give yourself the patience and time you need to grow and learn new things. To become the reality of yourself you want to become. Love yourself!
So in this month of love, I challenge you to tell yourself something positive about yourself each day, even if it is the same thing every day, all month long.Find something you like/love about yourself and tell yourself out loud every day this wonderful thing. It can be something you’re good at like, “I am kind kind to others!” Or it can be something about you physically like, “I have a bright smile!” Or even something emotional/mental like, “I am resilient!” Pick anything – one thing or even many things – and keep reminding yourself every day of the goodness in you. Reaffirm yourself. Love yourself, even if one little bit at a time … because I promise you, you are worth your love!
Until next week …
Loving you Big Time and Hugging you Tightly!!! Remember, surround yourself with love, share your love with others, and love yourself. Together we will make life a happier place to be!
Love and Big Hugs,
More Happiness from Mary Kate
Find more happiness, love, big hugs, support, gratitude, POSitude, and Self-Care in these POSitude cards!
Needing some self-care, love and support? Wanting hugs? Treat yourself or someone you love to these Big Loving, Big Hugging daily inspirational, motivational, and empowering POSitude cards! They really can make a big difference in your day!!!
Get Your POSitude On!
Feel happier! Supported! Loved! Hugged!
Bring brightness and goodness into your day, and into your life!
What beautiful souls like you think about their POSitude cards!
These cards are colorful and cheerful! They stay on my desk at work and have made for great conversation with colleagues. I look forward to choosing my daily pick me up. I reflect on my current mood or what inspiration I need for the day. I do have a few favorites that I’ve used more than once or have displayed longer than just a day.
These cards remind me to stay positive and believe in myself!
Stephanie Shay, 4th grade teacher
I love my POSitude cards! I pick one to display on my refrigerator for the week. Reading the card makes me happy and gives me a variety of ways to stay positive in my daily life. It has also become a conversation piece for all who enter my kitchen.
Karen Henry, Retired 4th Grade Teacher, Personal Assistant
The Positude
cards have
made a difference for setting the
tone during meetings. I have set them in the middle of
the meeting table and while we are settling in, people pick them up and read
them. This small gesture makes a huge difference in the
quality of the conversations we have during our 1:1 meetings.
Mary Freer, University Research Department Administrator
I love my POSitude cards! They are so cute, and the messages are very uplifting and inspiring!
Mary McMurtry, Retired Bookkeeper, Mom, Grandmom
Get inspired every day with a deck of my new POSitude cards! Each deck has 35 different full-color, fun, happy POSitudes (36 cards total, with one card sharing suggestions on how to get the most out your POSitudes.) Available in my Etsy shop. Check them out and learn more, now!
You can find these POSitude cards in my new ETSY shop!!!
Looking for self-care to share love and big hugs for all ages?
Lub’s Very Happy Day! is filled with delightful brightness and big huggy smiles!
Lub is the happiest, PINKest, most love-filled monster, Ever! Her big, PINK heart is always with her, and it beams brightly in everything she does!
Lub loves you!
Join Lub as she shares with you her love and very happy, monster-ifically delightful day! Feel playful and bright, smile big, and be happy! Have fun and be cheerful!
You can find copies of Lub’s Very Happy Day! to adopt at Amazon!
It’s almost Valentine’s Day, and I’ve got a recipe for you! It’s my Cherry Crumble a la mode, a happy, healthier, gluten-free bowl of big grinning goodness for you!!!
I’m gonna walk you through, step-by-step for this super easy, super yummy dessert … and I’m going to do it with pictures the whole way through!
So let’s hit the basics. What you are going to need:
OK … now that you’ve got all your goodie making items gathered … let’s do this! It’s so easy and so good, you’ll be making this All. The. Time!
First up. The Ooey Gooey Cherry Filling.
Now, of course, you could use any ol’ can of cherry pie filling you want if you don’t need gluten-free, or if you are in a rush … but really, this is fast and easy, and way better scratch-made!
I personally like to cut up my cherries into small little bits (thus, cutting board and knife), but I’ll leave that up to you and your preference. You don’t have to cut them up. I just do it because I like the bite sizeyness of it!
So I cut up my cherries into lil bits, and add them to my sauce pan. Add in 2 tsp of gluten-free cornstarch, and start stirring over medium heat until the cherries thaw, heat up, and the cornstarch thickens the juice into a pie filling like thickness. (You do not need to add any water, as the cherries will thaw and juice naturally.) (Also, you could add sugar if you want – like a can of store bought cherry pie filling. But honestly, you don’t need it. The cherries are already sweet and yummy all on their own. And it’s a place you can omit the sugar, and you won’t miss it. Your body will thank you!!!)
Heat up bag of frozen cherries with 2 tsp of gluten-free cornstarch over medium heat until thickened … about 5-ish minutes.
Here’s what your cherries look like when they are all yummy gooey’d up!
Next up, the Lip Biting Crumble Topping.
I make my own gluten-free oat flour, but feel free to buy yours pre-made. If you want to make your own, all you have to do is put gluten-free rolled oats into your food processor and pulse until you achieve a fine-ish/coarse flour. And voila! … easy made oat flour.
Once you have oat flour, add 1/2 cup of oat flour + 1 tbsp of sugar (your choice) + 1 tsp of cinnamon + 1/4 cup of melted butter and mix together. I then let mine sit or a moment, cuz this cool thing happens … the butter will kind of harden up a bit, turning your crumble into a solid-ish blob. I then break it up into crumbles with my spoon to add on top of the Ooey Gooey Cherry Filling.
(Actually, letting the crumble harden wasn’t something I originally set out to do. It just happened while I was spooning the cherries into my baking bowl, and I ended up loving the effect. Of course, you don’t have to wait. If you’ve got your cherries already in the baking bowl, spread out your crumble any ol’ way you want … it’s your happy dessert!)
Here’s what the crumble topping looks like all mixed up: oatmeal flour, sugar, cinnamon, melted butter.
Once you have your Ooey Gooey Cherry Filling and Lip Biting Crumble Topping all ready to go, grab your baking bowl. Scoop in all of your cherry filling first. Then crumble on your topping. Check out the pictures … I’ve shown you from the top, and from the side for perspective.
All ready for the oven. Your cherry crumble assembled and ready for baking goodness!
Pre-oven, side perspective shot – here’s what it your assembled cherry crumble looks like from the side!
All you have to do now is bake your Cherry Crumble in a 350 degree F oven for 20 minutes …
And wait patiently … which is way harder than it sounds. Cuz it smells good baking!!!
tick tock … tick tock … come on buzzer!!!!
Ding! Fantastic!!! Grab your oven mitts and let’s get your cherry crumble out of the oven! The topping should be all golden brown, and the cherries will be bubbling hot!
Oh my!!! It’s tempting to just start scooping it into bowls and gobbling it … but if you do, it will melt your ice cream something fierce. So … my sweet love muffin … patience. It’s only going to be a few more minutes … and then you can gobble up all of this goodness!!!!
Piping hot out of the oven … yummy, crumbly cherry goodness … all you have to do from here is wait for it to cool a lil bit … then gobble it up!!!
Once you’ve waited for your Cherry Crumble to cool for a lil bit … think warm to hot-ish warm (not hot-ish) for your desired serving temp. Once your cherry crumble cools to Ooey Gooey Gobbly Warm … scoop some out into your gobble bowl, add a scoop of your favorite gluten-free vanilla ice cream, and dig in!!!!
The cherries and the ice cream are a total dream together, and the crumble topping adds a tasty slightly crunchy texture that just adds the wallop of goodness to make this one of my favorite go-to’s for dessert!
Plus, in case you didn’t notice, we only added a tbsp of sugar to the whole dessert, so besides what is in your ice cream, this is a low added sugar dessert! And I love that!!!!
I hope you love, love, love this dessert as much as I do! Ever since I had to cut gluten from my diet for health reasons, I’ve been struggling to build up my menu options for yummy nummies … and anything with bread, cake, cookie, crumble parts is a real trick for making new goodnesses that are just as tasty as anything you remember from when you could eat gluten. And this dessert is SO GOOD!!! You will not miss the gluten, nor the extra added sugar!
I hope you’ll give this Cherry Crumble a la mode a try, especially for Valentine’s Month! It’s always good to treat yourself and those you love to healthier yummy nummies for your tummy tummy … and your face will be so happy, too!
Time to go “a la mode”!!! Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream and try not to inhale it … lol!!! Yeah, it’s that gobbley good!
Next week, I’m going to give you another delicious cherry dessert to plan for. It’s not gluten-free (so I can’t eat it), but Pauli LOOOOOOOOVVVVVVVVES this dessert, and he puts in eager requests for it all of the time. He says you absolutely need to know … so I will share my recipe for Pauli’s Favorite Cherry Dessert Danish with you!!!
Until next week …
Loving you Big Time and Hugging you Tightly!!! Would love to see a pic of you gobbling up your new dessert!!! Feel free to write me at marykate at loveandbighugs.com.
Love and Big Hugs,
More Happiness from Mary Kate
Find more happiness, love, big hugs, support, gratitude, POSitude, and Self-Care in these POSitude cards!
Needing some self-care, love and support? Wanting hugs? Treat yourself or someone you love to these Big Loving, Big Hugging daily inspirational, motivational, and empowering POSitude cards! They really can make a big difference in your day!!!
Get Your POSitude On!
Feel happier! Supported! Loved! Hugged!
Bring brightness and goodness into your day, and into your life!
What beautiful souls like you think about their POSitude cards!
These cards are colorful and cheerful! They stay on my desk at work and have made for great conversation with colleagues. I look forward to choosing my daily pick me up. I reflect on my current mood or what inspiration I need for the day. I do have a few favorites that I’ve used more than once or have displayed longer than just a day.
These cards remind me to stay positive and believe in myself!
Stephanie Shay, 4th grade teacher
I love my POSitude cards! I pick one to display on my refrigerator for the week. Reading the card makes me happy and gives me a variety of ways to stay positive in my daily life. It has also become a conversation piece for all who enter my kitchen.
Karen Henry, Retired 4th Grade Teacher, Personal Assistant
The Positude
cards have
made a difference for setting the
tone during meetings. I have set them in the middle of
the meeting table and while we are settling in, people pick them up and read
them. This small gesture makes a huge difference in the
quality of the conversations we have during our 1:1 meetings.
Mary Freer, University Research Department Administrator
I love my POSitude cards! They are so cute, and the messages are very uplifting and inspiring!
Mary McMurtry, Retired Bookkeeper, Mom, Grandmom
Get inspired every day with a deck of my new POSitude cards! Each deck has 35 different full-color, fun, happy POSitudes (36 cards total, with one card sharing suggestions on how to get the most out your POSitudes.) Available in my Etsy shop. Check them out and learn more, now!
You can find these POSitude cards in my new ETSY shop!!!
Looking for self-care to share love and big hugs for all ages?
Lub’s Very Happy Day! is filled with delightful brightness and big huggy smiles!
Lub is the happiest, PINKest, most love-filled monster, Ever! Her big, PINK heart is always with her, and it beams brightly in everything she does!
Lub loves you!
Join Lub as she shares with you her love and very happy, monster-ifically delightful day! Feel playful and bright, smile big, and be happy! Have fun and be cheerful!
You can find copies of Lub’s Very Happy Day! to adopt at Amazon!
Kat: Cold out.
Wogs / Bear: Yep. / Mrow.
Kat: But the fire’s nice.
Wogs / Bear: Yep. / Mrow.
Kat: And the hot cocoa is delicious!
Wogs / Bear: Yep. / Mrow.
Kat: Being here with you is the BEST-est!
Wogs / Bear (looks at Kat & smiles warmly): Yep. / Mrow.
