DOUBLE YOUR DONATION IMPACT!

We all have an incredible opportunity to impact Special Olympics by donating before December 31st. Donations made with the link above before the end of the year will be matched 100% by Special Olympics Board Members, so your donation of $100 becomes $200, $500 becomes $1000 and so forth. With a minimum as low as $5, everyone can afford to help. Challenge yourself, your family, your co-workers, and your friends to make a donation now! This is a great holiday gift to give a very worthwhile cause. When you go online to donate, you even have an opportunity to direct the use of funds to your state program! Please don't wait.

Healthy Indulgence

It's easy to overindulge in treats during the holidays, but making healthy choices doesn't mean turning to lifeless dull snacks. Take time to stock up on health conscious indulgences that will keep you on track in making life long positive changes to your food choices.

1. Lovin' Scoopful is a "good for your soul" gourmet light ice cream exploding with flavor. It has half the fat and a third fewer calories when compared to regular gourmet ice cream and it packs an added punch. With every container of ice cream you buy, 25% of profits go to Special Olympics. Several flavors have about the same number of calories as a Red Delicious Apple and will satisfy your sweet tooth.

2. Speaking of Red Delicious, stock up on fruit! Starting the day off with a piece of fruit will jump start your digestive system and give you an instant burst of energy. Having a basket of "ready to go" fruit handy (preferably organic) gives you quick options for a healthy snack you can grab on your way out the door.

3. Go nuts! Seriously. Nuts can have a bad rap because of fat content, but a handful of nuts each day can help lower cholesterol and because it takes longer to digest nuts, the energy from them sticks with you and can help curb cravings.

How to pull it all together for delicious food all day long:

Start your day off with an apple (or fruit of your choice) early in the morning. Two hours later eat a high fiber hot breakfast cereal (I like a 7 grain). To make it extra tasty top it with a tablespoon of chopped pecans, a few dried cranberries, and a smidgen of honey (or stevia) for taste. For lunch start with fresh baby spinach. Spinach is rich in vitamins and nutrients with few calories. Instead of using a salad dressing, top it with sliced strawberries, blueberries, and a tablespoon of sliced almonds. Limit the almonds, but for the rest of the salad ingredients you can eat your heart's desire. Fill up on it! Wrap up your day with a wrap, but eat early. The later you eat, the harder it is to burn those calories before you go to bed. A good way to store fat is to eat and go right to bed. Avoid it! Starting with a low fat flour tortilla pile it high with fresh (uncooked) spinach from lunch. Rather than topping with fruit and nuts, top it with 3-4 ounces of grilled meat (trim any fat) and a thin slice of avocado. In all cases, eat slowly and savor your food. Chewing improves digestion and helps you get the most of the nutrients in your food. After dinner, serve yourself a 1/2 cup serving of your favorite Lovin' Scoopful Ice Cream. With the dinner wrap above, try Rockin' Raspberry Cheesecake. The tangy raspberry works great with the wrap.

Start making healthy choices now and reap the rewards in 2011. Happy Holidays!

Helping Others

With Christmas upon us, I wanted to share something with you that changed my view of life this holiday season. I hope it helps you put things in perspective as well. This is the story of two anonymous families that came together to enrich each others lives this holiday season.

I get caught up in the trappings of Christmas. I admit it. I buy into the whole thing hook line and sinker (or should I say tree, garland, and trinkets)! This year I was busy figuring out how to afford to get the toys the kids wanted and cover bills at the same time. It was 5am and I was curled up with a cup of coffee, a wish list from the kids, a budget, and a pencil. Finally I had it all figured out. I was going to be able to just make it work. About that time it was almost as if someone whispered in my ear, "What will the the Smith Family do?". The Smith family came into our lives this year and they've had one hardship after another. Bills were hard for them to pay and I figured gifts for the kids was out of the question. I picked up my cell phone and sent a quick text. "Would you please allow us to take care of Christmas for the boys this year?" I asked. Little did I know that my new friend was also up and she was in tears not knowing how she would explain to her 5 and 13 year old sons that their baby niece (newborn) was the family's "gift" this year.

It was easy to rearrange my priorities. By making some adjustments, both of our families are about to enjoy a wonderful cluster of gifts that covers all needs and many wants. Not only has helping the Smiths brought me so much joy, but my heart melted when my own 13 year old son brought me $100 he received early for Christmas. He wanted to add it to what we were spending on the Smiths. I never asked him to contribute. His willingness to give away what he had just received meant so much to me. He has been saving for his own laptop for months and he had no concern for the setback this might cause.

It's so easy to overlook the opportunities to help others that arise on a daily basis. Please take a moment and open your eyes to the chances that present themselves. Purchase products that support a good cause, send in that donation check you've procrastinated, buy a bag of groceries for the family down the street that is dealing with a job loss. I truly believe that the good we do is returned to us many times over. Happy Holidays!

Lovin's here for you Dalton!

As most of you know, Lovin' Scoopful isn't just a delicious gourmet light ice cream; we're ice cream with real heart. We are in business to serve as an ongoing source of revenue for Special Olympics and to support athletes like Dalton at Special Olympics Oregon.

Dalton (pictured right) has been a part of Special Olympics Oregon for 6 years. He loves to play softball and basketball. The pure joy he's sharing in celebration of his gold medal win is a testament to his courage, determination, and hard work. For Dalton and 8,000 other participants, the life-changing programs at Special Olympics Oregon represents a critical basic need.

With athletes like Dalton around the world, Special Olympics fills a unique critical need. This holiday we are asking that you consider donating to the state Special Olympics office where you live and buy products like Lovin' Scoopful that donates 25% of profits to Special Olympics. Ask for us at Fred Meyer or your favorite local grocer. For a list of grocery locations that currently stock Lovin' Scoopful, go to www.LovinScoopful.com/findastore.aspx.