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.Tuesday, December 28, 2010
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.
Monday, December 27, 2010
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!
Friday, December 24, 2010
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!
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!
Friday, December 17, 2010
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.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Lovin' the Holidays!
Make this a Lovin' Holiday by making mindful Lovin' choices every day. Our holiday season began with the celebration of Thanksgiving. Now, we mark the eight days of Hanukkah which begins tomorrow. Soon Christmas will be upon us. As we gather and celebrate life's miracles, let's celebrate the wonders in our daily lives. Think about all the things you can do to bring joy to others with small gestures of kindness.
Over the next 8 days I challenge you to an unexpected act of kindness each day. Hold a door for someone. Stop and listen to a friend that you can tell has something on his/her mind. Spend time with someone you know is lonely. These daily acts of kindness can change your life. We would love to hear about these kind acts, so let us know about them in the comment section below!
In addition to that, think about the products you purchase every week at the grocery store. There are dozens of products that donate to special causes every time you purchase. For a list of some of these products, go to www.lovinscoopful.com/documents/LovinScoopful-ShoppinWithLovin.pdf. Lovin' Scoopful donates 25% of post tax profits to Special Olympics. We believe that it's important to highlight other socio-friendly products so that you can easily find products that help you bring more love and light to the world. Show some love by sharin' some Lovin' this holiday season.
Happy Hanukkah, Season's Greetings, and Merry Christmas!
Over the next 8 days I challenge you to an unexpected act of kindness each day. Hold a door for someone. Stop and listen to a friend that you can tell has something on his/her mind. Spend time with someone you know is lonely. These daily acts of kindness can change your life. We would love to hear about these kind acts, so let us know about them in the comment section below!
In addition to that, think about the products you purchase every week at the grocery store. There are dozens of products that donate to special causes every time you purchase. For a list of some of these products, go to www.lovinscoopful.com/documents/LovinScoopful-ShoppinWithLovin.pdf. Lovin' Scoopful donates 25% of post tax profits to Special Olympics. We believe that it's important to highlight other socio-friendly products so that you can easily find products that help you bring more love and light to the world. Show some love by sharin' some Lovin' this holiday season.
Happy Hanukkah, Season's Greetings, and Merry Christmas!
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Livin' a Lovin' Lifestyle
Lovin' Scoopful Ice Cream is a delicious gourmet light ice cream and we very much want you to give it a try. Today, however, this blog is about a Lovin' Lifestyle. Our product was created to help empower the human spirit and I hope for this blog to do the same.
From some aspects it's been a tough year and now the holidays are upon us. Money's tight, tensions are high, guests are in, the house is a mess, and we just don't know WHERE to pull the money from to budget for Christmas gifts. If this has been your year, take a deep breath, close your eyes for a moment, and know that you're not alone. First, I've found that it takes effort to change your mindset so that you think of positive things before negative. Here are some things I've found that have helped raise my spirits over the long run. These have changed my life.
1) Live in the moment. When you're feeling horribly stressed and the world is crashing in, I ask myself "Am I OK right now?". Forget about what happened yesterday, last week, last month. At this moment am I OK? Forget about tomorrow, next week, next month. Right at this very moment I know that I'm OK. Love the moment that you're in. If you can love the moment that you're in, you'll find you can be happy most of the time.
2) Do what you can. We often spread ourselves too thin financially and let guilt drive us to buy more than we intended. Buying gifts on a tight budget is so difficult. Here are some things I've found to help ease the burden.
* Draw names rather than buying everyone a gift.
* Re-gift or give gifts you spend little or no money on. Now before you throw this one out completely, this has worked wonderfully in our family. If everyone agrees to do it, it's works like a charm. Rather than going and buying more stuff when we all have so much more than we need already, walk thru your own home and shop for others from what you have. This can be even more of a sacrifice than pulling out a credit card and spending money you don't really have. Do you have something of your Grandmother's that your sister always wanted? Do you have a talent you can share? If you're a great cook, gift catering a dinner for someone who likes to entertain. Can you babysit? Give 12 certificates for babysitting to allow a friend or family member some time out on their own. You get the idea. Shop from your own possessions and talents. You'd be amazed at what wonderful gifts you can come up with.
* Agree to exchange ornaments.
* Give each other time and attention. This can even work with the kids. It can be taking them to the park or skate park even and watching them play. Maybe you can even join them!
*Give lessons. Can you teach someone one of your talents?
* Barter! Trade some of your free gifts with others to expand what you have to give! Want to give your niece piano lessons but you can't teach? Is there a piano teacher in your life that you can barter with in order to take care of those lessons?
* Do a "Toy Exchange" with the kids. Within the family pair up the kids with similar interests and have them exchange a box full of toys that are in good working order. It's not about having something brand new. It's just fun to have different toys to play with.
* Do a "Movie and Game" exchange between the families. You can label them if you want to exchange back in a few months.
* If you can't afford to donate to the charity or non-profit that you support every year, consider volunteering your time instead. This is especially beneficial if you've lost your job. It's amazing how many potential job leads you can find, too, when you're out in a crowd and you're open to the possibility that you may meet someone who can change your life situation. Another good way to help non-profits is to buy products that support those organizations, especially if they give a percentage of sales or profits. At Lovin' Scoopful, we donate 25% of our post tax profits (a minimum of $50K annually) to Special Olympics.
3) Appreciate what you have. Look around you and see the good. Acknowledge it verbally. A positive attitude is contagious and most people enjoy being around others with a positive attitude. Do you usually call your friends when something bad happens to vent? Call them today. Wish them Happy Thanksgiving and tell them how grateful you are to have them as a friend. Be happy for your job, your home, your family, and each breath that you take. We are all very fortunate.
I hope you've found an idea or two that is helpful. Please comment if you have other ideas for Livin' a Lovin' Lifestyle and I'll include those in future posts. Now step away from the computer, go hug a family member (or pet) and have a very happy Thanksgiving.
From some aspects it's been a tough year and now the holidays are upon us. Money's tight, tensions are high, guests are in, the house is a mess, and we just don't know WHERE to pull the money from to budget for Christmas gifts. If this has been your year, take a deep breath, close your eyes for a moment, and know that you're not alone. First, I've found that it takes effort to change your mindset so that you think of positive things before negative. Here are some things I've found that have helped raise my spirits over the long run. These have changed my life.
1) Live in the moment. When you're feeling horribly stressed and the world is crashing in, I ask myself "Am I OK right now?". Forget about what happened yesterday, last week, last month. At this moment am I OK? Forget about tomorrow, next week, next month. Right at this very moment I know that I'm OK. Love the moment that you're in. If you can love the moment that you're in, you'll find you can be happy most of the time.
2) Do what you can. We often spread ourselves too thin financially and let guilt drive us to buy more than we intended. Buying gifts on a tight budget is so difficult. Here are some things I've found to help ease the burden.
* Draw names rather than buying everyone a gift.
* Re-gift or give gifts you spend little or no money on. Now before you throw this one out completely, this has worked wonderfully in our family. If everyone agrees to do it, it's works like a charm. Rather than going and buying more stuff when we all have so much more than we need already, walk thru your own home and shop for others from what you have. This can be even more of a sacrifice than pulling out a credit card and spending money you don't really have. Do you have something of your Grandmother's that your sister always wanted? Do you have a talent you can share? If you're a great cook, gift catering a dinner for someone who likes to entertain. Can you babysit? Give 12 certificates for babysitting to allow a friend or family member some time out on their own. You get the idea. Shop from your own possessions and talents. You'd be amazed at what wonderful gifts you can come up with.
* Agree to exchange ornaments.
* Give each other time and attention. This can even work with the kids. It can be taking them to the park or skate park even and watching them play. Maybe you can even join them!
*Give lessons. Can you teach someone one of your talents?
* Barter! Trade some of your free gifts with others to expand what you have to give! Want to give your niece piano lessons but you can't teach? Is there a piano teacher in your life that you can barter with in order to take care of those lessons?
* Do a "Toy Exchange" with the kids. Within the family pair up the kids with similar interests and have them exchange a box full of toys that are in good working order. It's not about having something brand new. It's just fun to have different toys to play with.
* Do a "Movie and Game" exchange between the families. You can label them if you want to exchange back in a few months.
* If you can't afford to donate to the charity or non-profit that you support every year, consider volunteering your time instead. This is especially beneficial if you've lost your job. It's amazing how many potential job leads you can find, too, when you're out in a crowd and you're open to the possibility that you may meet someone who can change your life situation. Another good way to help non-profits is to buy products that support those organizations, especially if they give a percentage of sales or profits. At Lovin' Scoopful, we donate 25% of our post tax profits (a minimum of $50K annually) to Special Olympics.
3) Appreciate what you have. Look around you and see the good. Acknowledge it verbally. A positive attitude is contagious and most people enjoy being around others with a positive attitude. Do you usually call your friends when something bad happens to vent? Call them today. Wish them Happy Thanksgiving and tell them how grateful you are to have them as a friend. Be happy for your job, your home, your family, and each breath that you take. We are all very fortunate.
I hope you've found an idea or two that is helpful. Please comment if you have other ideas for Livin' a Lovin' Lifestyle and I'll include those in future posts. Now step away from the computer, go hug a family member (or pet) and have a very happy Thanksgiving.
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Have a Lovin' Thanksgivin' !
We're dashing thru the house
Thanksgiving's just a day away
We've got so much to do
Both families come to stay
The beds are all full up
So will our bellies be
Black Friday afternoon
The kids are sitting on Santa's knee
Thanksgivin' Time, It's Lovin' Time
Stock up the freezer now
Ralphs has Lovin' two for $7
Bi-Lo has BOGO, WOW!
Thanksgivin' Time, It's Lovin' Time
Stock up the freezer now
Ice Cream pies light up their eyes
Lovin' 'll always please the crowd!
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!
Tip: For a simple ice cream pie, spoon your favorite flavor of Lovin' into a graham cracker (regular or chocolate) pie crust and top with whipped cream or your favorite whipped topping.
There are now about 1500 stores across the US that sell Lovin' Scoopful. You can find the one closest to you by going to www.lovinscoopful.com/findastore.aspx. Watch on Twitter and Facebook for more money saving offers.
25% of Lovin' Scoopful's post tax profits go to Special Olympics, so buying and serving up some Lovin' this holiday is one great way to show thanks to the people who donate so much of their time and effort to support that wonderful cause. You can also make direct contributions to Special Olympics by going to http://www.specialolympics.org/ and click on "Make a Difference"(on the right side of the screen).
Thanksgiving's just a day away
We've got so much to do
Both families come to stay
The beds are all full up
So will our bellies be
Black Friday afternoon
The kids are sitting on Santa's knee
Thanksgivin' Time, It's Lovin' Time
Stock up the freezer now
Ralphs has Lovin' two for $7
Bi-Lo has BOGO, WOW!
Thanksgivin' Time, It's Lovin' Time
Stock up the freezer now
Ice Cream pies light up their eyes
Lovin' 'll always please the crowd!
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!
Tip: For a simple ice cream pie, spoon your favorite flavor of Lovin' into a graham cracker (regular or chocolate) pie crust and top with whipped cream or your favorite whipped topping.
There are now about 1500 stores across the US that sell Lovin' Scoopful. You can find the one closest to you by going to www.lovinscoopful.com/findastore.aspx. Watch on Twitter and Facebook for more money saving offers.
25% of Lovin' Scoopful's post tax profits go to Special Olympics, so buying and serving up some Lovin' this holiday is one great way to show thanks to the people who donate so much of their time and effort to support that wonderful cause. You can also make direct contributions to Special Olympics by going to http://www.specialolympics.org/ and click on "Make a Difference"(on the right side of the screen).
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