The Results: Homemade Toothpaste & Mouthwash

About a month ago, I decided to test out two recipes for homemade toothpaste and mouthwash. The recipes were very simple and could be made within minutes for just pennies. So I put them to the test. I have to be honest with you, I had my doubts on how effective these remedies would be. Let's face it, these are items that are instinctively purchased regardless if it's at the grocery or health food store.

Before I go any further...here are the recipes:

Toothpaste


The ingredients are Baking Soda, Coconut oil, Stevia and Peppermint oil.

1. Coconut oil: 3 Tablespoons
2. Baking Soda: 4 Tablespoons
3. Peppermint Oil: 20-25 drops
4. Stevia: 3 to 6 packets (I used 6)

Mix until blended and store in a container with a closed lid. You could also substitute the peppermint oil with Cinnamon oil, but I recommend adding a few drops at a time until you get the right flavor - it's strong.

Mouthwash


1. 500 ml Distilled water
2. 15 drops Tea Tree Oil
3. 15 drops Peppermint Oil

Shake in a glass bottle before each use.
Results
I used both the toothpaste and mouthwash twice a day along with dental floss (sorry, not going to cheap out on that item). The toothpaste took a little getting used to, as it doesn't foam. It also doesn't taste like traditional toothpaste. Once I got over that, I have to say that I really liked how it performed. My teeth are really clean. Now that it's been over a month, I have also noticed that my tooth sensitivity has almost completely gone away. My teeth are so sensitive, that I have had treatments at the Dentist for this problem along with religiously using a toothpaste designed for sensitivity...so it does make you wonder how this simple remedy can work so well.
The mouthwash is surprisingly strong and it works amazingly well. Only a little is needed. For pennies, it does the job just as well as the store brands.
Overall, I really like the results of both the toothpaste and mouthwash. As stated earlier, my tooth sensitivity has almost gone away so that is an added bonus. For now, I will continue to use these remedies.

For anyone interested in trying these remedies out, I encourage you to do so. It's not expensive to make, so it's worth a try. My experience was a positive one, so for that I'm happy.

All the best,

Marnie
http://www.whatsupwithred.blogspot.com/

I have a Dream...

'Inspire & Dream'

mixed media 

by sweetmango

I have a Dream...
by sweetmango.

As I write this, I am sitting at my large desk in the corner of the room that is used to create my art, paintings in both acrylic and oil, mixed media, photography, in fact anything that I can lay my hands on.  Except, aside from the small space that I have cleared for my laptop and an even smaller space for my coffee, there is no space on this desk.  This desk over the past few weeks has become the dumping ground for 'things' as I have made my way through the house organising, sorting, and generally re-designing my life through my surroundings.

I sit here, full of hope, new paths laid out before me, I am surrounded by choices and I continue to make what appears to be the right choice each and every time I see a crossroads before me.  This desk is right at this moment complete and utter chaos, yet every other room in the house is clean, re-designed, organised and it feels like the future I see before me, so I have in essence begun to create in the present moment the dream of my future.  This desk though, represents the part of me that can overwhelm some people, it overwhelms me too, but not for long and not very often, but sometimes, everything piles upon my shoulders and weighs me down in the most crippling of ways. Fear.

As of February this year I became a single mum of 3 kids.  I have a son, who on Halloween, will turn 8, he is one special kid, raising him is like raising the likes of the Dalai Lama, no really, that is what it feels like sometimes.  He is so wise and compassionate that sometimes I have no words.  Like the time when he was around 3 and I was getting into the car with him, I put my bag in and turned to him and told him to jump in the car... he stood there transfixed, deep within himself a million miles away from me.  The late summer sun shone brightly upon us and I once again a little louder asked him to jump in the car, slowly he turned his head as though he was moving through molasses.  His eyes came to rest upon me and he asked me, " Mama, do you think that God gave us a shadow so that we could see the reflection of our soul and know that we are never really alone?" So, yeah, like I said, sometimes raising my eldest son is a gift beyond words.  The next two, a red haired girl with hazel/brown/green eyes and olive skin and blond haired boy with the bluest pair of eyes you ever saw are unlikely yet perfectly suited twins.  Yes twins! So many people have said to me, "I just dont know how you do it, raise twins?" to which I always reply, with a laugh, "Well it is not like I can say that it is too tough a job for me and hand one of them back is it??!!  You do what you have to do, and when you finish doing that you begin the next job, that is how you raise twins".  I must be doing ok because they will turn 5 a week before Christmas.

Now, I digress, what I was trying to point out is this....I AM TIRED. really really tired.  I am worn out after 7 and a bit months of doing this solo, which I must point out was my choice, I was the one that ended the relationship.  I honestly feel like Cinderella, I dont stop, last night I was ironing at midnight and I had been doing it for over 2 hours!!  When did my life become this? This is not part of my grand plan, my new direction. Sigh.  But, you know what? Right now, right at this very moment it is what it is, it is part of my journey.  Yes I am overwhelmed, yes I am swamped but right now I am doing the best that I can.   Let me say it again for all of you who are feeling the same way WE ARE DOING THE BEST WE CAN.

So there

My house reflects my current situation, 90% is going with the flow, handling it and looking good on the inside and the outside, but 10% is a mess, 10% is so overwhelmed with everything that some mornings, some nights it is too much to contemplate.  But I have figured something out...I just need to tackle it all one thing at a time. Now I know this sounds obvious but sometimes we need to be reminded of these simple reciepes for creating a better life.

One thing at a time.

Sometimes we get so caught up in the whole picture that we are left reeling with no idea how to reach our goals, so the answer is to break it down sisters, break it down. Choose one big-ish job each day and take it on, do not look up and do not focus on anything else just this one task assigned for the day.

Today my task is this desk, and I am rewarding myself when I accomplish this task because this last area has been haunting me, teasing me, because you see, the thing is that so much of my future relies upon this desk, in fact everything i want relies upoon this desk. Next week I begin full time studies in Interior Design and Decor specialising in Advanced Design.  It is my dream, it is my future and it assures the future of my children.  My dreams revolve around this desk.  I think that is why this last area has become such an issue, deep down I am scared.

What am I scared of? Failing? The responsibility of this whole endevour? Not being able to find the time to fullfill my roles as student, mother, lover and the role of being me, Mango?

Yes I am scared of all of those things, but what scares me the most is being successful... true. I am scared of succeeding of doing it all and more and being even bigger and better than I am now. Why, you ask? Because I have become accustomed to living on next to nothing, of stuggle, of finding happiness when there is no money, finding happiness when there is no food, finding happiness when there would appear to be nothing .... I am scared of having it all.

See, even I laugh when I write that, I really do. What a crazy thing to be scared of, but crazy or not, it is a truth.  So now it is out there, it is not so bad as it feels inside of me all alone, now I have shared it with all of you it is far less a potent force upon my sub-concious and I am now able to face it and challenge its ridiculous notions.  Because that fear is like my messy crazy desk, it is only 10% of my thoughts, 10% of who I am, and it is a minority, so I am having a coup, i am overthrowing the dictator of my mind that says I am not worthy of success.  I elect to have my thinking done by the 90% of my brain that knows I am more than capable of the job description that is my current life and future dreams.

As for the desk, well after I finish writing this and drink the last of my coffee, I will do the dishes, put on a load of washing then complete the re-designing of my desk, everything will have its place and it will remain there, because over the last few years I became confused as to who I was, but now, now I know who I am, I have a strong idea of who I want to be and who I am becoming and now that the 10% minority dictator has been disposed it is time for celebration.  A celebration of the soul, of life and of being 100% authentically me.

oh and in case you are wondering, my reward that I am giving myself the minute this desk is completed?

A dress and a skirt, yes *insert smile* a dress and a skirt that I love, two pieces of clothing that are me.  That is my reward because we all need to reward ourselves for the big milestones dont we? and what better way to reward ourselves than with things that makes us feel on the outside the way we feel on the inside...I feel free, I feel flowing and I feel feminine!

 

How is your desk looking?

sincerely

Mango

Always view the world with Love and Compassion.

my blog

Welcome Tish from the Philippines!

NAME: Tish

LOCATION: Manila, Philippines

AGE:  22

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN BLOGGING FOR:

I’ve had quite a handful of blogs in the past but was never able to keep at least one for more than one year. The trend is that when I lie low from blogging for a short while for whatever reason, I eventually lose my momentum to continue writing. Hopefully this won’t be the case with Practical Vanity, a beauty blog that I have been struggling to keep since the start of the year. So far I’m doing okay with regard to keeping up with posting, but nothing I’m too proud of at the moment.

WHAT IS THE BIGGEST MISCONCEPTION THE MEDIA GIVES OF WOMEN:

I don’t know much about how it’s like in other countries (well, aside from the idea that women have to be pin-thin to be called “beautiful”) but in the Philippines, women are fed the image of the Caucasian beauty --- fair skin, sharp nose, waif-like figure, among others --- instead of complimented for whatever their skin color is. We are daily bombarded with unhealthy images of women with enviable porcelain skin drenched in all their skinny glory. Such drive both men and women to scour the metro for the best and most effective whitening products available to help them achieve that fairer skin they’ve always dreamed of having. They would most willingly donate their savings account to cosmetic surgeons just to have a reconstructed face and/or body that they hope would make them look an inch close to looking like Jessica Simpson or whoever they deem as beautiful. It’s a sickening and insulting notion, I’d have to say. It makes me wonder why people, regardless of gender, just can’t love the skin that they’re in. I hope there’s a cure to this disease.

WHAT INSPIRES YOU THE MOST:

I draw inspiration from the simplest things I see or from the most insignificant events I witness. The air that I breathe is more than enough inspiration for me to keep reaching for what’s ahead.

WHAT DO YOU ENJOY DOING IN YOUR SPARE TIME:

Since I always have my hands full with more stuff than I can handle at one time, I usually spend my time relaxing, burying my nose in some good material, blogging, shopping, sleeping (it’s a luxury!) or de-stressing with my beloved.

WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO CONTRIBUTE TO THIS BLOG:

The simple fact that women from all over the world gather to lift up one another in their own simple ways is one of those things that drove me to write a yes-I’d-love-to-be-part-of-it-email to Carly. More so, I believe that this is a place where everyone is welcome, regardless of age, race, religion, or whatever it is that divides most people. Here at World Women’s Magazine, you have a voice, whoever you may be.

DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE DISH:

 If there’s one dish I wouldn’t mind eating until my last minute, I’d have to say pasta at a drop of hat. I know that sounds somewhat strange coming from someone from the east where rice is considered as the “staple food,” but really, I just have no fondness for rice (not even when I eat Japanese food). Oh, do ice cream, vegetables and fruits count?

YOUR FAVORITE PLACE TO SPEND TIME:

 There are only two places where I love to spend some time at. The first would have to be nature. I feel at peace when I’m surrounded by beautiful flowers, sky high trees, chirping birds, calm waters, or anything that has to do with nature. The other place I love to be at would be wherever my beloved is.

WHAT MAKES YOU PROUD TO BE A WOMAN:

I have every reason to be a proud woman. Every conceivable thought is a reason to be a proud woman. Everything that I am is enough reason to make me a proud woman. Most of all, I have a God that made me how I should be and that makes me more than proud to be a woman.

BEST PIECE OF ADVICE YOU EVER RECEIVED WAS:

 I’m not the most optimistic person you’ll meet, but if there’s one advice that I’d pass on to other people, that would be for us to be thankful for everything regardless of what life throws us. You may not look like Sophia Loren or Audrey Hepburn but you can still be thankful for having two complete set of limbs, eyes that see, ears that hear, etc. You may not have as much dime as Bill Gates has but you can still be thankful for having enough to get you through each day. You may not live in a mansion like Hugh Hefner’s but you can still be thankful for that house you live in, be it a simple “nipa hut” or a studio type apartment You may not have the most beautiful clothes to adorn yourself with like every Hollywood celebrity has but you can still be thankful for the clothes you wear, no matter how worn out they may appear to be. A thankful spirit makes the world a much better placed to live in. If you know how to be thankful for the littlest things that you have in your possession, then you will learn to appreciate life more and the beauty that it brings. Remember that appreciation comes only after we learn to be thankful for the things that we have and don’t have.

My Part of the World

This month our lovely editor Carly has asked Womans World contributors to talk about what's happening in their part of the world.

I live in Melbourne, Australia and two days ago we started daylight savings. We turn our clocks forward an hour which means more daylight at the end of the day instead of at the begining. I LOVE daylight savings, but I hate this transition period.

It's kinda cold here in Melbourne still, even though we keep getting little teasers of warm spring weather, most days are a little drizzly, a lot windy, and cold enough to keep me from wearing my pretty summer dresses and open toe sandals.

I've diligently set my alarm at 6am both yesterday and today in the hopes of getting up early enough to do some pre-work exercise. But the dark mornings, and the drizzle, and the cold are keeping me in bed.

But there's an energy in the air at this time of year, things are gearing up and it's exciting. The days are getting longer and warmer, summer is on the way, and the holiday season too (not to mention my birthday). I've booked my leave with work and have many things to look forward to. I love summer.

Do you have daylight savings where you live? How do you cope with the transition period? Are you a summer girl or a winter girl?

What's happening in your part of the world?

ABB x

Introducing Katherine Jenkins-A New Contributor On Womans World Magazine

NAME: Katherine Jenkins


LOCATION: Current location is Seattle, Washington, but I lived in Asia (Korea and Japan) for over 10 years.

AGE: I feel young, but I’m going to be the big 4-0 this year…this month!!!!


HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN BLOGGING FOR: I’ve been officially blogging since January 2009, but I’ve been writing forever. I have journals for almost every year of my life starting from when I received my first diary for Christmas when I was 10 years old. I still have that diary!!


WHAT IS THE BIGGEST MISCONCEPTION THE MEDIA GIVES OF WOMEN: That beauty is an outside thing. Women are always trying to show they are beautiful….but if they are not taking care of their inside, it shows! You can do everything to hide what is really inside, but it doesn’t help. If you are not taking care of your inside, IT SHOWS! Beauty starts from the inside and radiates out!


WHAT INSPIRES YOU THE MOST: Inspiring people….Inspiration itself! My husband, who was formally a Korean Buddhist monk, told me recently that inspiration means ‘In Spirit’. If we are following the flow of life, we are ‘in spirit’ and we are inspiring to other people. Inspiration is a collective energy that everyone contributes to.


WHAT DO YOU ENJOY DOING IN YOUR SPARE TIME: Meditation, yoga, writing and, of course, blogging. Right now I spend almost all my spare time writing, blogging, and doing work for my editor. I’m working on a book that documents my 13-year journey with my husband, a former Korean Buddhist monk. Chapters of my book appear on my blog: http://www.lessonsfromthemonkimarried.blogspot.com/

The book is also entitled ‘Lessons from the Monk I Married’.


WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO CONTRIBUTE TO THIS BLOG: Carly found my blog and commented. She asked me to be a contributor. I’m honored to contribute to a blog which showcases women’s REAL stories. There’s so much MUCK in the media!!


DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE DISH: I love food from around the world. Korean food is a favorite because my husband is Korean and I lived there for 8 years. Recently we found a wonderful Ethiopian restaurant near our house in Seattle, it’s divine!!


YOUR FAVORITE PLACE TO SPEND TIME: Walking in the woods with my husband …there’s a canopy of giant maples, cedar, and pine overhead in Llandover Woods near our house. Seattle, Washington is known for it’s trees….we talk about our dreams in those woods and contemplate life. I feel renewed every time I visit that place.

WHAT MAKES YOU PROUD TO BE A WOMAN: This distinction between women and men seems to fade the more I meditate. I feel more of a universal sense of myself as I go deeper.


BEST PIECE OF ADVICE YOU EVER RECEIVED WAS: I asked my meditation teacher, SN Goenka from India, “How can I let other people know about meditation?” He said, “You have to make yourself strong, you have to practice…everything else will happen naturally.” I have been following those words and now I see that everything is unfolding now. I don’t need to control the wheel of life. If I create space within me, life will flow through me. That’s what is happening to me and has been happening to me.

Broken Open

My desire is to live a real life. My aspiration is to live with my heart wide open. My resolve is that both can be painful.

My BIG “broken open” experienced happened 10 years ago with the death of my father. I could have never understood, then, what would prove to be the beginning of a new way of life for me. My dad and I had a....tough relationship, that unfortunately never got resolved before his passing of cancer. You know those happy endings that you see on the television or in movies??? the ones where love is professed from the death bed and the goodbyes are handled so eloquently? Well that was not so for me and my dad when he past.

In fact I have to tell you for about a year I could not watch those scenes without leaving the room. I would think, through hot tears,”what a load of #%*@, that is not how it happens! there are not always happy endings!”.....well not the way you envision happy endings to be anyways.

As painful as this time was, it would prove to be the beginning of the rest of my life. Looking back I can see that for me it was a time of painful rebirth, a time of being broken open. I had measured myself by how I thought my dad seen me and now with him gone I would have to be stripped down of those thoughts and open up to new possibilities of who I really was and more importantly, who I wanted to be.

Thus my “broken open “ process began and the layers began to slowly get peeled back. Sometime this was a conscious process and sometimes, by the grace of God, things were put in my path to help me along the way. It only is now that I recognize the magnitude of all that has brought me to this place of freedom. And in freedom I do not mean a life of pain free, struggle free, problem free living. What I mean is living in the freedom of my Creators love, living in the freedom of realizing that life is so much more than what we see and what we are shown.

 Living in the freedom of knowing that what we do here matters, and love is really all we need. These thing were written on my heart when I was created, they were sewn into my DNA, stitched into my thoughts and woven into my soul. I just had to bring them to life. I had to be awaken to the truth that was already inside of me.

When I was broken open I heard God’s voice for the first time. He/She told me, “Everything is going to be alright, I am going to take care of everything. You don’t have to do anything, anymore.”

I always thought that I had to fix things. I always thought that I was fully responsible for everything. I was a child when I began to think these things and they followed me into my “adult” life. Well how can anyone be responsible for all things???!!! Now I see the ...well...lets be honest, the craziness of that way of thinking. Now I understand the burden I felt, most of my life...whoa!

But when I decided to allow myself to start a new journey, a new life old ways started to slowly be replaced with new thoughts and new truths. I began to recognize the lys that were in my life and see them in a way of not blaming anyone for them, but just seeing them for what they were...lys that were blocking my view, lys that were stealing my joy, lys that where holding me back from living a full life.

I remember when I was a few years into this journey. We were camping and I was starting a stage of looking to literature for guidance and truth. I was reading a book called “Captivating” at the time. A book about unveiling the secrets of a woman's soul.....

I had a dream in which I was hanging in the sky with God and one of my close girlfriends.

We were over the ocean looking down on a small forested island. There was a great peace and calmness as we looked down. When I looked up at God and my girlfriend my chest began to hurt and I clutched at it, saying to God,” My heart, it hurts so much.” and God said to me, “That’s because I am pealing back the layers.” When I woke up my chest still hurt.

Thinking about that still brings up such emotions. I am moved deeply by the changes that have happened in my life. I realize now, that it is a choice. My spiritual belief challenges me to choose a life of freedom that has been given to me freely, and then bought for me to prove the love of a Creator who wants nothing more than to have a relationship with me.

I am no different then anyone else. I have nothing special that makes me stronger or more capable.

We were all marked by God’s love when we were created, the choice is ours whether we are going to trust that love.

Having a spiritual life, having God , a higher power, Allah, whatever you want to call it, guiding you, being your beacon in what can be a dark world; does not mean that there is no longer dark times, or sadness and hardship. What it does mean, however, is that you have somewhere to go, you do not do it along, there are possibilities and there are answers.

I now look at life in a way were I am not always trying to avoid troubles. I now put my energy in the now and say, “Ok life, what do you have for me today? How are you going to grow me today?”

So today life grew me with an email. An email that was sent to my niece in Alberta, (another province) via Facebook from a friend of The Rock Star (my 15 year old son). He had sent it to her because she was the only on Rock Star’s face book page that had the last name as him. He wanted her to know that the Rock Star was hanging around with kids that were questionable and doing questionable things.

This friend was concerned and had tried to talk to The Rock Star but felt that he had not heard so he was wondering if my niece would kindly pass this info on to the Rock Stars parents so they could deal with the situation....

(I am changing my view of Facebook...though that was not the life lesson here....lol)

So my niece in turn told her dad, my brother, who in turn gave us a call yesterday. Lots of emotion goes through a mothers body in these moments.....and as those emotions were going through my body I told myself, “ You are living a real life.”

This one email brought so many opportunities of love, open hearts, and community..things that are key to a spiritual life. Immediately this brought The Horticulturalist and me together. How are we going to deal with this, what do we know about The Rock Star, how does this make us feel, where is God in all this....then I have the heart to heart with my brother, he gives great big brother guidance and advice, we talk to our neighbors “Can you watch The Scientist while we deal with this?” “Of course, we love The Rock Star, here are our prayers, here is our guidance...please be there for us when we are at this stage...” Tears are shed, I love the Rock star, we love the Rock Star...who DOESN’T love The Rock Star????

The Rock Star comes home from school....open conversation, teaching, realizing, frustration, love concern, doubt, lys, half truths, the truth, prayer, getting the the heart of the matter, anger, disappointment, unconditional love, acceptance, confusion, embarrassment, wonder.....

These are some of the things that can come out of that sort of situation...a real life situation.

And what about that friend, caring so much to go and take the time to do that... The Rock Star was touched by that. Lots to learn in the teenage world, lots to learn in the parents of the teenage world...it’s all real life, in a real world , with real problems and above all REAL LOVE!

Things are okay here.

Like I said to The Rock Star, “Someone/Something above is looking out for you...someone is trying to keep you safe...now it is your choice as to what you are going to do with all you have learnt today.”

This is one of many bumps in the road, but for now, in this moment I am peace filled in the knowledge that we did not face this alone.

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers. they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fires, you will not be burned; the flames will not send you ablaze.” Isaiah 43:2&3...love notes from God via The Bible (thanks Dee)

"Find comfort in pain." -James Blunt messages from God via main-stream music

My Ode to Bellies, Boobies and Butts

I just want to say thank you to Dove, Glamour Magazine , Drop Dead Diva and pop media (collectively) for making it ok to eat again. The average American woman is a size 14. We have bellies, boobies and butts. Size 0 is not average and may not even be healthy.



Originally Jamie Lee Curtis tried to give real women a dose of self esteem by allowing herself to be photographed without make-up or touch-ups. She's amazing. The idea just kind of died off for a few years though.

Dove recently jump-started it all again with its Real Beauty campaign. Pop media hosts like Tyra, Oprah and many others are great at the self empowerment issues and really understand the plight of us who used to be thin but just can't go there anymore.

Drop Dead Diva is awesome. The main character carries herself with grace and dresses herself with style while maintaining an amazing intellect and beautiful outlook on life. She makes me feel that its ok to eat a donut now and again.

I especially love the recent spread in Glamour Magazine. If only I could find some decent clothes to put over the underwear I would be happy. I had to do the happy-feet dance when I spotted a real belly.

Its ok to be average. Well I guess technically average is plus size. But really....its ok now. All the media is telling us so but.....

All the really good clothing is only made for size 12 and under. When I shop at most department stores I sift through clothes that even my Grandmother would not have worn. The few clothes I find in my size are made for high-school girls going through the supposed *fat* stage. Not for a grown-up to wear to the office, or a single but respectable mother to wear on a date. I pretty much live in separates. I have over 20 different styles of black slacks/jeans/skirts.


This picture of me is about a year old....maybe a year and a half. I am 5' 4 1/2" tall and I wear a size 14. I am 47 years old. I now represent the REAL American woman.

I'm not going to lie. I'd love to be a size 8 again . But I am not willing to be. I would have to work out 4 hours a day and starve myself. I would wake up from hunger pangs in the middle of the night. I would feel guilt every time I ate a donut. That magical size 8 supposedly reflects the best BMI for me, but its not going to happen. I enjoy those donuts too much now, its a quality of life issue.

All I'm working on now is toning it up. Accepting what is left. Trying to feel good about myself. I am average, a word I hate. I am not an average kind of person, I'm just thick around the middle. I have a belly, boobies and a butt.

Can't we just call this normal instead?

October...

is breast cancer awareness month.
And the first thing to do is self breast exams.
yep. that's right ladies. YOU have to do those self-breast exams.
Please check this site out on how to do self-breast exams. It may lead to nothing - but it can save your life!

Take care,
S.

http://www.ourperspective.net/Home/Cats_Blog/Entries/2009/9/29_I_DO_GOT_ME_SOME_AWARDS!!!!!.html


Thank you Cat!


 =)

Today's the Day of Autumnal Giggling!

It's one of those mornings.

No, not the kind where your alarm mysteriously takes a vacation when you're sure you set it and the water in the shower is perpetually cold and traffic is miserable.

Not one of those mornings.

This is the exact opposite.

This is even more rare.

I woke up this morning and the covers were the exact temperature they should be. The bed was supporting my body everywhere it needed to be supported. Sure, it was raining outside (again....welcome to Southeast Alaska!), but the raindrops actually sounded kind of cool outside the window. My usually-grumpy-in-the-morning husband was actually chipper this morning--perhaps a sign that I should be on the lookout for the four horsemen of the Apocalypse, but I'll think about that later--and went off to work almost on time.

And me?

I'm sitting here, still under the covers (still the perfect temperature) and feeling mischievous.

What should I do today, on this first day of October? I'll admit, I think what's got me in this mood is the fact that it is fall. Delicious, beautiful, amazing fall. It's a time for apple cider, falling leaves, and the cutest wardrobe of the entire year.

What do I want to wear today?

Something that will make me giggle in self-satisfaction at work when customers aren't looking, definitely.

What do I want to do today?

Something that will make me giggle in child-like joy, definitely.

Oh yes, today is a day to giggle. Not in a teenage, "I-just-saw-my-favorite-teen-heartthrob" kind of way, but in an adult, "I-just-did-something-that-polite-society-would-consider-immature-and-I-loved-it" kind of way.

And so I challenge you, lovely ladies of Woman's World Magazine,

to make today your own Autumnal Giggling Day!

Since we're all reading this from around the world, I know it won't be autumnal for all of you, but perhaps the first of October is the best day of Spring where you are!

Here's what you need to do:

1. No matter what hemisphere you're in, play this at some point in the day, preferably at the beginning.

2. Go to your closet, pick out the thing that you think is prettiest, and wear it. Love it. Enjoy it. Chances are it's a twirly skirt. Twirl as much as physically possible today.

3. Smile at at least one person you don't know. For optimal effect, do it on a public transit system right as you sit down. It will leave them wondering during the whole ride.

4. Also, pick out a piece of jewelry you own that means something to you. Maybe it's the bracelet your grandmother gave you. Or the macaroni necklace your child made for you. Or the first piece of jewelry your significant other ever gave you. Or a big splurge purchase you made for yourself with a particularly awesome paycheck. Don't wear it. Put it in your pocket. Or, wear it, but wear it in a way that no one will see, like under a bulky sweater. Pick it up at random points throughout the day and smile at the memories it contains as well as the fact that no one else around you even knows it's there.

5. If possible, dance down a hallway to Madonna's "Material Girl", either playing in your head or on a real sound system.

Have fun, ladies!

And let me know how it goes.

:)

Blessings,

Cindy

http://wherescindynow.blogspot.com/