Tuesday, June 21, 2011

A Dose of Inspiration: Before It's Too Late...

I had a math teacher in middle school that left a big impact on me. I seemed to know there was wisdom behind her seemingly unrelated words. As I've grown older and wiser in the years since, I've heard her words repeat themselves more times than I can count, "Keep the scale balanced."

I pulled my yearbook off the shelf this week after she'd been on my mind so much. A part of her inscription, "Always live up to your potential" and a drawing of a scale in balance, have meant a great deal to me over the years. 

I tried looking up Ms. Morris online. No luck, so I called the school to begin tracking her down, and received the sad news that she'd died just a few months ago from a brain tumor. How I wish I could have had the opportunity to let her know what an impact she'd made on me with those two simple sentences. 

In memory of Ms. Morris, please get over your qualms and take the time to find the people who've made a difference in YOUR life and tell them. Do it before it's too late.

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Product & Service Spotlight: Aloe Facial Cleanser & Mini-Facials

Aloe Facial Cleanser
Rich, Moisturizing Lotion for Normal & Dry Skin
Like no other cleanser -- this product contains no soap! Cleaning is done with active enzymes (naturally present in aloe vera) that penetrate into pores to wash away dirt, makeup and excess oil.

Moisten face with Aloe Misting Spray or water, apply a small amount of the lotion cleanser, massage lightly and remove with a towel. You can actually clean without water -- so convenient (think camping!).

Lecithin in the cleanser will emulsify the oils to be cleansed from deep pores. This vegetable lecithin adds collagen and elastin for better skin tone.

The calming and anti-inflammatory properties of chamomile will soothe irritation and reduce puffiness making it excellent on areas of eczema and psoriasis too. Enjoy the smooth and never-dry feeling after you remove this lotion cleanser.

Available in sample size $1 each, 4oz $11, 8oz $18. 


Mini-Facial 
Cleanse--using either the Aloe Facial Cleanser described above or Aloe Enzyme Cleanser for oily skin or a deeper cleansing for normal-dry skin, pH toner, skin firming mask, and moisturizer--using Aloe Milk Moisture, Aloe Moisture Cream, or Day-Night Emollients, depending on your skin's needs.

This is, as the name implies, a Mini-Facial. It won't be the extensive facial you'd get from an esthetician, but is a wonderful way to extend your relaxation time during a massage. Usually, I will do the Mini-Facial at the end of the massage and incorporate more facial massage as well. When adding on to your massage, just let me know before we get started that you'd like to do the Mini-Facial also, to be sure I'll have time and finish preparing for this service.

Available as an Add-On for $15 or a la carte for $30.

Friday, June 10, 2011

Recipe of the Month: Tomato Basil Pasta Salad PLUS a Bonus Pasta Salad Recipe

My sister found this recipe last summer and kindly passed it on to us. It's become a favorite for sure.


Tomato Basil Pasta Salad

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups grape/cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1/3 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp dried oregano
12 oz. your favorite pasta, we usually use wheat rotelle
1 cup fresh basil leaves, cut into thin strips

Directions

  1. Put tomatoes, onions, olive oil, vinegar, garlic, salt, pepper and oregano in a large bowl; toss. Let stand at room temperature at least 30 minutes or until tomatoes release their juices, tossing occasionally.
  2. Cook pasta. Drain and add to bowl with tomatoes; lightly toss. Let come to room temperature. Add basil; toss. Serve at room temperature up to one day.

Bonus Pasta Salad Recipe

This recipe doesn't actually have a name. It's a sauce recipe (French Dressing?) that I got from one of the girls I went to massage school with. I hadn't made it in YEARS and suddenly a couple weeks ago, I HAD to have it, and searched through my stockpile of cookbooks, recipe clippings, online, etc. Finally found it, and love it as much as ever. The quantities for sugar and oil seemed a bit excessive to me (at 1 cup for each!), so you may want to play around with how much works for you. Enjoy!

Ingredients

1/2-2/3 cup sugar
1/2 tbsp paprika
1 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tbsp salt
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/2-2/3 cup salad oil, olive oil works well

Optional add-ins: 1-2 cans tuna, sliced olives, onion, etc.

Directions
  1. Mix all ingredients well in large bowl.
  2. Cook your favorite pasta, our's is medium-size wheat shells. Drain. Mix with sauce. 
The sauce won't appear to be that much in the bowl, but it really coats a lot of pasta. Be prepared to have a large, very full bowl of pasta when you make this, or consider halving the sauce recipe.

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Upcoming Events: Welcome June and Sunshine!

Welcome June, and your long lost friend Sunshine!! 

Who do you know that's graduating this month? What an exciting time in life, closing one chapter and bursting with energy to move on to the next. Show them you care and wish them well as they follow their journey in life. I have special "Congratulations" gift certificates, if you find that helpful. 

Father's Day is coming up June 19, and while I do prefer to work with women's bodies as opposed to men's, your husbands, dads, sons, and brothers are welcome--gift certificates are available if he's like MY dad, that is impossible to shop for otherwise.

This month, I decided Summer Thunder would be our tunes to relax to. This CD is fairly quiet--one track in particular, so enjoy the added moments of peace between the piano, rain and thunder--on the CD, hopefully not so much outside! ;)

So the weathermen say we'll be seeing sunshine and warmer temps this weekend--let's keep our fingers crossed! Supposing the weather follows suit, I expect the weekend warriors will be out in their yards, out at the park with the kids and dog, or otherwise overdoing themselves in true Oregonian form. I also expect that'll bring some sore bodies come next week. Good news for you--my schedule has some play in it this month. If you find yourself a stiff pile of sore muscles, be sure to seek relief for it, so you can be ready to get back out there when the sun strikes us again. 

Remember to put on sunscreen before you head out, and drive safely. Keep aware of "the other driver." As you may or may not know already, I do insurance billing for clients who've been in car accidents. More often than not, my clients are the people who were rear-ended, not the people who rear-ended someone else. In either case, I'm here to help you recover if you find yourself in such a situation. The 4 clients I've been working with over the past several months have improved dramatically, resulting in my schedule now being more open and able to accommodate a new set of these clients. While I don't wish the trauma of a car accident upon anyone, please keep me in mind if you find yourself or someone you know in that situation.

Recent feedback has been helpful and is appreciated. In the next week, I will be adding a "Share" menu button to my website (like the one below), making it easier for you to send others to check out my website. Follow me on Facebook to get more frequent notifications of changes I'm making, and get involved.