Life Yoga- How To Make the Best of What You've Got

OK, so you are all on board with the healthy, organic food train- your grocery list is made, your recipes are picked out, and then you realize you have a problem: you don't have a store that provides everything that you need (as in a Whole Foods or natural food store). What do you do at this point? This is a question that I get all of the time- especially from my mom who is limited to a few choice stores and is a dedicated gym member and healthy eater! I have been coaching her through this for a few months- so I thought I would share what I have been helping her with. And this may save you a few dollars in the meantime too!

Here are my top 10 tips for making the best of what you have:

1. Buy as many unprocessed foods as you can! Processed foods are more expensive than whole foods and if you stick to the main food categories (fruits, vegetables, dairy, and grains) you will save a lot of money and your grocery list will immediately start to eliminate all of the unhealthy items on its own.

2. Shop seasonally! Fruits and vegetables that are in season will be cheaper, fresher, and also better for your body. Plus if you eat in-season you will always be switching it up and never get stuck in a food rut! Here is a website that will help you with what is in season.http://frugalliving.about.com/od/foodsavings/tp/Cheapest_Produce.htm

3. Pick the most important fruits and vegetables to buy organic! Fruits and vegetables where you eat the skin are the most important thing you can buy organic. So if you have to make the choice choose these.According to The Environmental Working Group, this includes: peaches, apples, sweet bell peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, lettuce, imported grapes, pears, spinach, and potatoes.

4. Shake the hand that feeds you. AKA: Buy from a farmers market! This is not only the cheapest way to buy your groceries, but the most reliable way to know exactly what you are buying and eating. You will be closer to the producer of your food than ever before- which is a wonderful and empowering feeling. Most farmers market's end in the month of September but when they are accessible this is a MUST!

5. Join your local co-op. Many co-op's have programs where you sign up and each week you receive a different box of fruit and vegetables. You will receive what is in season and it will also force you to try different vegetables that you would have never bought before (once again helping you out of your food rut)! Many co-ops also offer locally produced meat! (Which means no hormones or additives AND no mistreatment of animals!)

which brings me to my next point...

6. Buy meat from a local meat market. Now- most people know that I do not eat meat- but I also realize that people do eat meat and there is a relatively humane way to eat meat- and it is from a local farmer. So find your local meat market to buy any of your meat products from now on. And cut out ALL meat from fast food chains. And from anywhere that the meat is provided by a factory farm. Period.

7. Buy frozen fruits and vegetables- not canned! If all of my other rules have failed you and you HAVE to have some blueberries (or whatever you crave) out of season (which is completely fine- I crave avocados and bananas all year round) you must buy frozen! There are so many less preservatives in frozen foods than canned- and a lot of times you can find them for the same price or even cheaper!

8. Tofu! I know that a lot of people are afraid of tofu- but don't be! It is SO delicious and SO good for your health. Tofu has more protein ounce for ounce than beef. I know that they sell tofu in every grocery store- and I have a ton of yummy tofu recipes that I will be posting soon.

9. Find a local farmer to buy eggs from. In every town there are farmers who's families depend on their crops- including their eggs. Support your local economy and find a farmer who is selling eggs from their own chickens. These chickens have been fed grain (not corn), gotten to live outside and take little dirt baths and live the life every chicken would dream of! They will taste fresher and be MUCH better for your health- and they are accessible wherever you are!

10. Grow your own! The best way to find out if something is fresh or in season is to grow it yourself! Starting a garden can be fun, educational, and delicious! This is a great activity for kids, and a way to get the whole family involved in the food that they eat. This way you have all of the vegetables that you want in your own backyard!

Hope these few tips help you to make the most out of every situation so that everyone can access the healthy, delicious foods that we all crave!

For more information about healthy lifestyles please visit our website or blog- OR become a fan on Facebook.

Hillary Wright

Life Yoga

580.304.6241

Fine Art Boudoir Photography - Rendezvous Sessions

At Fine Art Boudoir Photography, our On-Location Rendezvous Sessions are a full pampering experience! Our Rendezvous Sessions are held at a unique array of upscale boutique hotels and offer an unforgettable experience. All sessions include professional makeup services by Wild Magnolia Artistry and a unique gift bag valued at more than $50.

We are currently accepting reservations for our next On-Location Rendezvous, which will take place December 12th. This will be the last session in time for Valentine's Day, so don't delay! We look forward to seeing you there!

Want more information on our sessions? Stop by our website, blog, or Facebook page for lots of great information.

Sarah Adams
Owner - Fine Art Boudoir Photography
sarah@fineartboudoir.com

PenWeddings- Coming to a Theater Near You

One of our favorite things about doing wedding films is when a couple
decides to go beyond the basic day-of coverage. We have a lot of extras
that are so much fun, and today I'm going to focus on the trailer.

Whether in the theater, or on TV, we've all seen our fair share of movie
trailers. If I asked you what you think the goal of a trailer is, I'm
guessing most people would say, "to get me to go see the movie when it
comes out." Well, sort of. Yes, that is the end result that they hope
for. However, the goal of the trailer itself is to evoke an emotional
response, whether it makes you laugh or makes you cry. The same can be
said for wedding trailers. There you are, still riding the emotional high
from your wedding and honeymoon. What better way to top it off than with
a fabulous recap of your wedding day?

At PenWeddings we put hours upon hours upon hours of work into our wedding
films. The couples who comes to us know this, and it's precisely one of
the reasons they hire us. But if you don't want to wait two months to see
the footage from your wedding day, then a trailer is the answer. Produced
within two weeks of your wedding, the trailer is a mini-highlight reel
that we put on our blog for you to view and share with family and friends.

Whether you want something dramatic and cinematic, or fun and upbeat,
we're game!

See more of our work at www.penweddings.com and penweddings.blogspot.com.

PenWeddings

LLC's - What They Are and Why You Need One

A question that I received last week from a fellow businesswoman was “What is an LLC and do I need one?”

The short answer to this question is first, an emphatic “Yes!” The rest is a bit more technical. I will try to explain this as simply as possible (keeping in mind that I am not an attorney!)

Let’s think of it like this, you have been in business for yourself long enough that you know that your business is going to be something that will be around for long term. So now what? There are several steps to the LLC process, which I will discuss in later postings, but for now I will focus on what an LLC is and the benefits of becoming one.

First, LLC’s, or Limited Liability Companies, protect you personally; by having an LLC in place, you will protect your personal assets. How is this? When you form an LLC, all of your business dealings under the LLC are recognized as dealings by the Limited Liability Company, not as you, the individual.

Confused??? Here is an example:

Megan is a photographer and shoots an engagement session for a client. During the session, Megan has her client hang from the side of a building (which I sometimes do in my own photography!) and the client falls and breaks every bone in her body.

Second scenario: Megan shoots a wedding and her memory cards all catastrophically fail and all of the wedding images are lost (God forbid!)

Now let’s look at the consequences of Megan with an LLC and Megan without an LLC:

With an LLC, if Megan is sued by either of these clients, any damages awarded to the clients would come out of the LLC’s profits and holdings rather than Megan’s personal finances. Even better, let’s assume that as an LLC, Megan is a smart girl and has business insurance and the settlement is covered under her insurance policy. This way Megan’s personal finances are completely protected and she won’t have to worry about wiping out her kids’ college funds to pay a settlement!

Without an LLC, the clients would need to sue Megan personally and could potentially wipe out Megan’s life savings and would not only ruin her financially, but could ruin her entire business as well. As an individual you do not have the luxury of having business insurance because you are an individual, not technically a business owner.

There is so much more to this and there are many steps in the process of creating an LLC. In the future, I will blog about how the process works and show you that there really is no need to spend upwards of $600 on an attorney to put together your LLC, when you can easily put together an LLC for $200 or less.

Sarah Adams
Dandelion Network Founder

Christa Tyler- Communication Is Key

-texture - big - point cutting - shag - structured - short - high fashion - blunt - asymmetrical - side swept - graduated - long - wavy - volume - flat iron - curled - layered - straight - bob - choppy - pixie - curly -

Communication is a process of transferring information from one entity to another. Communication processes are sign-mediated interactions between at least two agents which share a repertoire of signs andsemiotic rules. Communication is commonly defined as "the imparting or interchange of thoughts, opinions, or information by speech, writing, or signs". Although there is such a thing as one-way communication, communication can be perceived better as a two-way process in which there is an exchange and progression of thoughts, feelings or ideas (energy) towards a mutually accepted goal or direction (information).

When I worked in Iowa, my boss had a sign on her station that said, "I'm a hair dresser, not a magician." It's very true. I'm also not a mind reader unfortunately, and I don't know anyone who is. I try to make everyone look their very best before leaving the salon, but sometimes what I see and picture is not the same that's in your mind.

I have to admit, though, the people that come in and say "Do what you think looks best" are probably my happiest guests overall. I take into consideration time spent on the hair, hair texture, upkeep, face shape, lifestyle, career, body shape, bone structure, and where the hair is currently at. You should take these things into consideration as well when looking for a new style and/or haircolor. Upkeep and styling time are 2 of the biggest things that people underestimate.

Short hair usually means a visit to the salon every 4-6 weeks. Medium hair is usually 6 weeks. Longer hair is 6-8.

All over color is anywhere from 3-7 weeks depending of growth rate of your hair. Foils are usually 6-8 weeks. And depending on the difference between your natural color and the haircolor chosen, the regrowth may be more/less noticeable.


So...if you want that picture that's in your head...bring along a photo to your next haircut to communicate more efficiently! Or if you'd rather just GO for it, then tell me!

~ Also, I'm doing a contest for this Holiday season. Send me your most memorable Holiday memory before December 5th and I will have a little extra "stocking stuffer" for you!

Send your pictures to: christa.michelle.stylist@gmail.com

Can't wait to see your pictures!

Christa Tyler

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Wild Magnolia Artistry- Spice Up Your Eyeliner

I know for me I seem to constantly go for a black or brown eyeliner as I am sure most women do. However, lately I have been mixing it up and using different colors of eyeshadow as a liner. All you have to do is use a eyeliner brush and get it wet. You can use any eyeshadow color that you want. Sometimes it will take a couple of applications to get the color as dark as you want it.

I personally have tried purple, navy blue, and green. Try to use a more neutral color as your base because too much color can look overdone. The possibilities are endless! This is a really fun way to spice up your makeup without having to do anything too dramatic. Plus it will save you money because you are using eyeshadow that you already have. Try it! I know you will love the results!

For more makeup tips please visit my website or become a fan on Facebook!

Thanks for reading!

Chelsea Price

Wild Magnolia Artistry

Thirty-One: Thermal Totes

Let me introduce you to one of our best selling products this year: Thermal Totes. I personally think they are amazing and use one every day.

Each tote is made with a thermal lining on the inside and wipe-able material on the outside. The thermal lining is great for keeping your drinks or snacks the perfect temperature during this winter weather.

Thermal Totes are available in two sizes. The regular Thermal Tote and a new Lunch Thermal Tote.

And, I have saved the best information for last: Each Thermal Tote is completely customizable! You are free to choose your favorite pattern and personalize each tote to fit your personality. You can also choose to customize one for a friend or even your son or daughter's favorite teacher for a great holiday gift!

For more information about Thermal Totes and other Thirty-One products please visit our website or become a fan on Facebook.

Thanks for reading!

Amanda Vines

Thirty-One Consultant