Our idea of "dream big".

Lately our son has been telling us that he wants to move to a small town so that he can be free to ride his bike around outside and see more nature.  Perhaps this is just a natural consequence of my husband and I dragging him out of town on rural day trips every weekend.  Spending a week at Camp Waskowitz made a huge impact on him as the natural beauty and peacefulness touched a place deep in his spirit.

This recession had an impact on us as it did many others, and it seemed to tax our psychic energy for quite a while. As time went on and things got better we realized that it has been a long time since we set goals as a family that we could get excited about.

Inexplicably we are drawn to natural beauty and quiet, open spaces.  While I love the city, in the end, as they say, "Green Acres is the place to be".  In short, our goal is to, in less than 5 years, be in a place where we can have a view something like the picture above.  I had almost forgotten how setting a goal really gets you organized, energized and motivated to get everything set in motion.  Here's to turning dreams into goals and bringing them to fruition.

Keep it simple with Matcha

Since the beginning of the year I've embarked on a mission of healthy eating and exercise. (Mind you, as I say this I am sitting at my desk eating a Pepperidge Farm Milano cookie...hey, I can't be perfect all the time!).

Along the way I've been introduced to different health shakes and beverages that are believed to make you healthier, slimmer and stronger.  I don't find that hard to believe.  But unfortunately, for me anyway, these specialty concoctions tend to cost a lot of money that I either don't have or would rather allocate to other things.  Every time I am tempted to shell out money for something like this I tell myself, "Wait - I have Matcha!".

Matcha is the all-natural, go-to tea that provides in itself a wonderful boost of nutrients.   What you see is what you get - one ingredient that you can add to a multitude of foods to make them even healthier. A little of it goes a long way, so you can put away the giant scoop and get out the teaspoon instead.  The flavor is earthy and delicious; it's no wonder that green tea is one of the most popular flavors in Asia.  It is also believed to be a weight loss booster.

So after a workout, you can add a little matcha to a banana-almond milkshake; you can even throw in a bit of protein powder to feed your muscles.  Or add some matcha to some fresh squeezed orange juice or soy milk for a quick energy shot.  My most recent favorite?  Matcha Oatmeal.  The color is divine and the flavor lends well to blueberries and some natural sweetener.

If you're on a path to wellness, find a place for matcha in your life. You will love its versatility.