|
SPRING CLEANING TIPS
What's in your space reflects what's in your head, which is why clearing it out can have such a positive impact on your outlook, life, and stress levels.
Spring is a time for renewal, and longer and warmer days. It's also a time for spring cleaning, to clear away the cobwebs that gather in our homes and in our minds. If one of your goals this season is to get organized, you're not alone: a recent survey shows that 72 percent of Americans engage in spring cleaning, and removing clutter is the number one reason.
Whether it's a closet stuffed with shoes and clothes, an email inbox with thousands of messages you'll never get to or a desk covered in papers, clutter causes stress. Here are three steps to de-stress and declutter your home:
1. Clear Your Mind
Disorganized thinking is at the root of most clutter. Try this technique to help: Imagine that all your clutter has suddenly disappeared. What negative or stressful thoughts come up? Do you feel uncertain without all your stuff around you? Are you worried that you'll need something you can't think of right now, but when you do need it, you'll miss it? These counterproductive thoughts keep us from throwing anything away.
Tune into the particular fears and worries that you have about your clutter. Ask yourself, are these thoughts really true? If not, replace each with a positive thought or affirmation. For example, "Just because I love my things, it doesn't mean I need them. Being overwhelmed by clutter is not who I want to be."
2. Tackle One Pile At A Time
Once you've given yourself some space from negative thoughts about clutter, it's time to deal with the clutter itself. But it's unrealistic to try and do the whole house in one go. Instead, set a timer and go to one area of your home that always collects clutter. Give yourself 20 minutes and keep yourself moving the whole time -- sorting the stuff into Store, Toss, and Donate piles. Don't stop until the timer rings.
3. Zero In On Your Purse Or Briefcase
A heavy bag or briefcase is not only a sign that you're hauling around way more than you need, you're also putting unnecessary strain on your neck, shoulders, and back.
To clear out the junk, find a clean spot on the table or floor and dump everything out of your purse, bag or briefcase. Anything that you don't use everyday goes into a separate pile. Put the daily items back in your bag, and then put the bag away. Nothing else is going in there! Of the pile left, throw away useless items and file receipts and business cards.
Your body and mind will feel the difference in the clutter-free spaces. But remember, lightness and clarity truly comes from getting your mental house in order. When you are clear about your thoughts and beliefs around clutter, you can enjoy feeling lighter and brighter all year long.
 Ginny First's daughter, Mackenzie & Bella sitting in her lap.
The Clingy Pet Challenge began circulating on social media a few months ago. The goal of the challenge is to show the clinginess of your pet in a photo. I got so many great entries to the contest that I could not pick just one. We will feature a new "clingy" fur baby each month.
It's not too late to feature your canine or feline kids in an upcoming edition of The Clingy Pet Challenge. To participate, please submit a good quality color picture of you or a family member with your pet via email in jpeg form.
Thank you to Ginny First for submitting a picture of her daughter, Mackenzie and her "lap" dog, Bella. What a big baby!
CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR WORK ANNIVERSARY!
Angela Webster April 7
Shalanna Taylor April 9
Tony Hyatt April 10
Norma Maddox April 20
 |
ITALIAN PASTA SALAD
Ingredients
-
1 12 oz. box tricolor rotini (or your desired pasta)
-
1 16 oz. bottle Zesty Italian Dressing
-
1 4-6 oz. package Genoa salami, quartered
-
1 red bell pepper small diced
-
1 green bell pepper small diced
-
1 yellow bell pepper small diced
-
1 cup baby carrots sliced into small pieces
-
1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes halved
-
8 oz. small-diced fresh mozzarella
-
1 cup fresh curly or flat-leaf parsley finely chopped
Instructions
-
Set a large pot of water to boil. Cook pasta according to package directions, usually 7-8 minutes for rotini. Drain and rinse under cold water. Return pasta to pot, away from heat.
-
Pour in entire bottle of zesty Italian dressing (it may seem like too much at first, but the pasta will soak up a lot of the dressing as it cools). Add remaining ingredients and toss gently to combine.
-
Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve, giving it a good stir before serving to blend ingredients and dressing thoroughly. Serve as a light and refreshing entrée or as a side dish with vegetables and chicken. Enjoy.
|
APRIL FOOL'S DAY APRIL 1
GOOD FRIDAY APRIL 2
EASTER SUNDAY APRIL 4
ADMIN. PROFESSIONALS DAY APRIL 21
EARTH SUNDAY APRIL 22
ARBOR DAY APRIL 30
Andrea Derouen April 8th
Elizabeth Alexander April 9th
Robin Engel April 14th
Kip Eatherly April 23rd
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
'WOULD YOU RATHER' QUESTIONS ARE GREAT CONVERSATION STARTERS AND JUST PLAIN FUN.
-
Would you rather be the best in the world at climbing trees or the best in the world at jumping rope?
-
Would you rather never run out of battery power for whatever phone and tablet you own or always have free Wi-Fi wherever you go?
-
Would you rather never have to clean a bathroom again or never have to do dishes again?
-
Would you rather only wear one color each day or have to wear seven colors each day?
-
Would you rather eat rice with every meal and never be able to eat bread or eat bread with every meal and never be able to eat rice?
-
Would you rather travel the world for a year all expenses paid or have $40,000 to spend on whatever you want?
-
Would you rather be able to go to any theme park in the world for free for the rest of your life or eat for free at any drive-through restaurant for the rest of your life?
-
Would you rather be the absolute best at something that no one takes seriously or be well above average but not anywhere near the best at something well respected?
-
Would you rather it be impossible for you to be woken up for 11 straight hours every day, but you wake up feeling amazing, or you can be woken up normally but never feel totally rested?
-
Would you rather have everything in your house perfectly organized by a professional or have a professional event company throw the best party you’ve ever been to, in your honor?
 Rachel's happy place. Her kitchen.
WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY?
What makes you happy? Is it a person, place or thing? A group of people, a pet, a home, a beautiful sunset, a favorite flower, favorite color, etc. What one thing never fails to put a smile on your face and happiness in your heart? What makes you feel grateful and blessed?
Cooking is
what makes
Rachel Roarx
(D21) happy.
"I love going
home at the
end of the day
and getting to
cook a meal."
"After running out of things I wanted to catch on Hulu and Netflix, I
purchased Discovery +."
"My fiancé, Derrick Davis, refers to my obsession with watching
"Rachael Ray’s 30-Minute Meals" and "Joanna Gaines’ Magnolia
Table" as my new hobby of cooking."
|
 |
|
Here are some of the
dishes in Rachel's
culinary repertoire.
|
They look scrumptious, don't they? I'm sure many of us would be glad
to volunteer to be Rachel's taste-testers when she's trying out new
recipes.
Thank you, Rachel, for sharing with The Council Chronicle 'what makes you happy'.
Newborns don’t produce tears. They make crying sounds, but the tears don’t start flowing until they are about 4-13 weeks old.
|
-
A pinhead size of DNA could store exabytes (4 billion gigabytes) of information.
-
There’s a town in North Carolina called Boogertown.
-
Only 3% of DNA codes for our genes.
-
The human brain cell can hold 5 times as much information as the Encyclopedia Britannica.
-
If all of the DNA in your body was put end to end, it would reach to the sun and back over 600 times.
-
China has banned time travel in TV, saying that it “disrespects history”.
-
When you take a step, you are using up to 200 muscles.
-
A slug’s bottom is behind its head.
Humans and chimpanzee’s
DNA are 98% similar. Human
and plants are 18% similar.
|
PRAYER FOR EQUALITY, PEACE & UNITY
I pray for equality, unity and peace in every city in our country. Equality for all people in every country. I pray for justice for all those who have lost their lives needlessly and unjustly. I pray that all people, regardless of race, religion or socioeconomic status be treated with the dignity and respect they deserve. I pray for change so that healing can begin in this country and around the world.
Amen.
|
