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Start 2009 with Journey Into Healing with Deepak Chopra in Palm Harbor, Florida

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Suzette Boyette
on January 3, 2009
in Uncategorized
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It is already DAY 2 of 2009! Have you thought about what you changes you are going to make with your life… your health… your daily routine… What are your intentions? Have you thought about starting meditation? Or what about yoga? Are you intrigued with becoming more holistic?! Come join us for an amazing event, Journey Into Healing on February 3-7, 2009 here in Palm Harbor, Florida at the glorious Innisbrook Resort. For Parents Everywhere Guests, there is a $475 discount until Jan. 8, 2009. Call Gabrielle Forleo at 760-494-1696 and mention Parents Everywhere. Sign up NOW!!!

Dr. Deepak Chopra and Dr. David Simon will guide us during this wonderful Journey Into Healing 4 day workshop. “This signature Chopra Center workshop is based on the 5,000-year-old practice of Ayurveda, the complementary system of healing which originated in ancient India. In this workshop Drs. Chopra and Simon de-mystify the ancient healing arts, and teach practical tools and techniques that are easy to integrate into everyday life.”

You maybe have wondered about mediation; how Yoga works; and possibly how both integrate into your life and benefits your overall health. So, who should go? Anyone who is interested in learning the tools of Ayurveda for your everyday life; integrating preventative health care for both personal and professional life; learning about natural herbs and “your innerpharmacy”; and learning about the connection with the environment, physiology and emotions.

This four-day workshop begins at 7am with Yoga instruction and meditation. Then, the co-founders of the Chopra Center– Dr. Deepak Chopra and Dr. David Simon– guide you through natural healing, from nutrition to emotions, with the goal of finding daily balance. Each day, you will nourish your body with delicious optional vegetarian Ayurvedic lunches designed from the Chopra Center cookbook.

In the afternoon, Deepak and David lead sessions that include immersion into the ancient healing system known as Ayurveda, intimate interactive exchanges, meditation, and a more complete understanding of a healthful and balanced mind and body. Then, your day ends with beginner and advanced Seven Spiritual Laws of Yoga instruction. Each evening is filled with the chance to share experiences with others in your group or join in the evening’s activity.

The first day, Feb. 3, 2009 starts at 2 pm with a Primordial Sound Meditation Class where you will learn your own mantra and this healing practice for your own life. So, you actually get an additional day for your 4-day workshop price.

Physicians, Registered Nurses and Acupunturists get CEU’s and CME’s as well. Nurses get up to 13.5 credits and Physicians and Acupuncturists each get up to 18.75 total credits.

This is the perfect time for your to take time for yourself… This is literally an investment in YOU! You are taking the steps for a healthier you, a more vibrant you, the REAL you for 2009. This is the YEAR where you will achieve your dreams in every aspect of your life.

I will definitely be there and I hope to speak with you to learn how Feb. 3- 7, 2009 marked the beginning of the rest of your life! 2009 here we come!!!

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Start 2009 off with peace of mind (should something happen to you…)

Published
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Suzette Boyette
on December 30, 2008
in Uncategorized
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I’m sitting here on my driveway on this beautiful December afternoon… 72 degrees and the sound of my children’s laughter echoing in the distance. Then the thought of , “Who would watch my children if something happened to my husband and myself?” I know I’ve been putting it off for years and don’t even want to think about it, but this afternoon, I FINALLY did something.

The Kids Protection Plan by an incredibly talented lawyer/woman/mom, Alexis Martin Neely whom I had the privilege of interviewing months ago on the Moms Everywhere Show 006. She has an online legal program that only takes a few minutes (approximately 7 minutes for me…) where you answer a few questions and oila! You have a legal document that is sent to your email address and all you have to do is print it out and have two people over the age of 18 years of age sign it and it’s done! No questions asked. No questions on who will legally take care of your children.

I know it’s a morbid thought, but it is something I needed to stop procrastinating about. And as I am writing this post, I just received an email sending me my documents that I just filled out. Talk about customer service. Ms. Neely has numerous services and legal expertise to help ease your mind regarding your family and financial matters. Please check out all that she has to offer.

So, before 2009 officially begins, I did the one thing I really needed to do as a parent. It is an issue that we don’t like to even linger upon for a millisecond, but if we truly love our children, we owe it to them to give them the best life possible…. especially if something were to happen to us… I now have peace of mind.

Ronald McDonald House: A Great Family Activity for the Holidays & Always…

Published
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Suzette Boyette
on December 1, 2008
in Uncategorized
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The children are all in bed, the laundry is in the dryer, and I’m finally able to sit in peace after this Thanksgiving weekend has once again passed. I’m finally able to share with you our experience at the Ronald McDonald House Charities this past week! Have you heard of the Ronald McDonald House? There are over 280 Ronald McDonald Houses all over the world. And they provide more than just a place for families to stay…

What I wanted to do this year was to start a tradition with our family. I’ve always wanted to take the children to feed the hungy or go to a soup kitchen of some sort. But, my youngest is only 4, so I had to reconsider a place where he would also feel comfortable and also help out. So, after some research, the Ronald McDonald House’s Share-A-Meal program was the perfect solution. We would feed the families there while we feed our own family’s “souls”. Each year, I’ve wrestled with the idea of wanting to increase the awareness of the children that there is more to the holiday season than receiving gifts. I wanted them to learn how to “think outside the box” and see what else is going on in the world.

The Share-A-Meal program is where a family, several families, any group really makes a meal for the families who are staying at the house. The house we chose was located on 2201 Alden Rd. nearby Florida Children’s Hospital on the corner of Princeton St. and Alden Rd. The other is located on the Arnold Palmer Medical Center campus on Kuhl Avenue. The Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) purpose is “to provide a home away from home for families with seriously ill, critically injured or chronically ill children who are being treated at local hospitals and medical facilities. ”

2201 Alden Rd. is an incredible Ronald McDonald House Charities home! It is a beautiful yellow with three stories and a wrap around porch on two levels. Of course, there is a Christmas tree out in the front lawn next to the sign. Inside it is even more impressive. There are 22 rooms that are each decorated with a theme donated by businesses, patrons, families throughout Central Florida. For example, there is an Orlando Magic Room and a Jungle themed room. Everything inside has a light, joyful feeling attached to it to help with the healing process. The laundry room, the playroom, the reading room, everything was just gorgeous and had an inviting homelike feeling! The reading room had shelves of books donated by Borders and the aquarium was donated by Sea World. Absolutely beautiful!!!

We spent most of our time in the huge kitchen. ( This is the kitchen of any gourmet cook’s dreams!) It had three stoves, two ovens, two sinks, a gigantic island, seating for about 30 in the dining area, and two huge refrigerators. Out in the hall were more refrigerators (one was marked “Breastmilk ONLY”) and a pantry for cans and other items. (My son said the kitchen was like the kitchen you see in Food Network.) There are 22 rooms in this house, so about 40 people or so would be full capacity. On one of the walls were pictures of the infants (as little as 2.0 pounds) and children who had stayed at the house.

I asked my friend, Karen Rupert and her family to come help feed the families and she readily agreed! So, she, her two children and her parents from Michigan were with the five of us ready to cook. We decided to serve chicken ( all premarinated in three different marinades-barbecue, cajun, and sesame ginger), rice, salad, and for dessert, yummy Rice Krispie Treats!!! By the way, just an FYI, to feed 40 people with two pieces of chicken apiece, we estimated purchasing about 12 pounds of chicken each. That’s a lot of chicken! :)

But, the most incredible part were the families we met! There were two families from Italy! Both of their sons coincidently were receiving therapy at Florida Hospital. One of the boys slowly made his way onto Troy’s lap while we were cooking in the kitchen. It was in a matter of minutes that the aroma of dinner was wafting into the halls. By the time the 6:30 pm dinner announcement was made, several families were already there!

Dinner was served buffet style and we were able to “Share-A-Meal” with them and eat with them. We were told that the families who stayed normally stayed at the house for an average of two weeks. Some stay as long as 6-8 months! All they ask is a $15 donation /night/family. However, if that is a financial hardship, they are still allowed to stay.. free of charge.

The assistant manager, Suzanne Cain told us that 80% of the Ronald McDonald House Charities homes’ expenses are paid purely by donations by businesses, families, patrons. Everything they need… laundry detergent, toilet paper, plates, dishwashing liquid, you name it… it’s been donated. We were happy to hear the other 20% of their expenses are provided by the the local McDonald’s restaurants profits. So, if you are looking to find a place to donate much needed items or just to volunteer your time, this is the place to be! Marsha was the volunteer who was there that night and she said she loves it! All they ask is for you to volunteer 2 two-hour shifts/month. All you do is stuff you’d normally do at your own home. It truly is like a family away from home.

It did take quite a bit of planning to coordinate the food, transporting it, what to cook ahead of time and what to cook there, explaining to the children what the Ronald McDonald House Charities was and what they may see/experience there. Would we do it again? You betcha! Being there really made our own families meet other children who are ill, in a wheelchair, or have an oxygen tank. This is a great opportunity to discuss topics you otherwise may never have a chance to.

It also taught them that be thankful for what they have and for something we all take for granted until it is taken away or there is an issue… our health. They learned to think about others and how to take care of others with something as simple as Rice Krispie Treats!

I strongly encourage you to look in your own ciites. If cooking for an entire house of 40-60 people may be daunting for you, you can bake cookies or banana bread. Bake 2 or 3 dozen or a couple of loaves of bread. They will welcome it wholeheartedly as it sits on the counter for anyone in the house to eat. Or, when you go to the grocery store, pick up a couple of extra bottles of dishwashing liquid and paper towel rolls and drop them by with the children.

Gather up your family members, church group, girls scout troops, or any group you can think of to come help not only during this holiday season, but throughout the entire year. These families need YOU during their time of need. What an incredible way to help another family with something as simple as soap or your time. This is a fantastic tradition to start in your own homes…

Thanks to all those who volunteer at all the Ronald McDonald Houses! And all our blessings to the families and children who stay warm in each of the Ronald McDonald Houses throughout the world. You are in our prayers always.

How families can stay positive and succeed in a negative economy

Published
by
Troy Boyette
on November 10, 2008
in Uncategorized
. 0 Comments
Jon Gordon

Jon Gordon

Hey Parents!

There is an upcoming half-day seminar with international bestselling author Jon Gordon on December 5th in Orlando at the Marriott World Center.

Drawing upon his work with Fortune 500 companies, NFL teams, schools, and world class sales organizations, Jon will share inspirational stories, innovative ideas and practical strategies to boost your people and families. A few key points Jon will touch on are:

  • Strategies to stay positive and succeed in a negative economy.
  • How families can stay positive and engaging with each other
  • Healthy habits families can develop to enhance their relationships
  • Success principles to create a thriving business regardless of market conditions.
  • What the best of the best do better than everyone else.
  • How to build a purpose driven, winning team.
  • The No Complaining Rule and other positive ways to deal with negativity at work and in your families

The Energy Bus

The No Complaining Rule

We are able to let people who register from Parents Everywhere receive a 30% DISCOUNT from the normal ticket price for each ticket that you buy. Simply go to www.JonGordonLIVE.com, order and enter the promo code JIMPROMO at checkout.

Hope to see you there!

The morning after Election Day 2008…. through the eyes of my 9 year old.

Published
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Suzette Boyette
on November 6, 2008
in Uncategorized
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Our nine year old, Justin reluctantly went to bed on the evening of Election Day. He was so excited to see who would be the 44th President of the United States. When I woke him up the following morning, I asked him, “Guess who’s the next president of the United States?” He looked puzzled as he asked me, ” Why are you talking like it’s Christmas?!” I laughed and asked him again. His eyes shined as if he was opening a gift from Santa as he exclaimed, ” Mr. Obama!” He wasn’t cheering for a Wii or a new skateboard, but the new President to be. Who would have ever guessed a nine year old would react this way?

How wonderful it is to look to our future with hope, excitement and wonder of what is to come!!! He was not worried about the economy, increased taxes, the war in Iraq, or the costs of health care. He was in the moment… in pure, untainted innocence of what people of all walks of life can do when they use their voice… their minds… their spirit. He will always remember this day and how the human spirit still shines in the midst of doubt and fear. His joy was authentic and magnified with each cheer as it became louder and louder within seconds. All this at 7 am in the morning while he was still in his mismatched pajamas and tousled hair. “Woo-hoo!” he yelped at the top of his lungs, giggling on the floor. As his mom, this is one moment I will too not forget- my son literally shining more brightly than the sun that morning.

I still hear on the radio, on television, and even in line at the grocery store, the doubt in my neighbors’ voices… “What is going to happen with X, Y, Z? ” So much skepticism and it’s not even Day 2! Regardless of who you wanted to be elected as President, we now have a new one. Change is inevitable and change is frightening. Focusing on fear and doubt will only get you more fear and doubt. It’s the not knowing that is causing us this incredible stress. But, that is also the excitement, the anticipation, the wonder- if we allow ourselves to look at change in a positive light, just as we did when we were little at things that were new.

We need to get past the fear, doubt, worry about what these next four years will bring. We have to remember that our children watch and soak up everything we do, what we say, how we act, and how we think. They are so easily influenced by even our littlest gestures and words. All of this is conveniently stored away in our children’s subconscious and begins to slowly influence their behavior as they grow.

One of Ghandi’s most famous and now commonly used quotes is, “We must be the change we see in the world. ” ( This is my all time favorite one. ) We MUST be the example for our children. Be INTEGRITY. Be HONESTY. Be FAITH. Be OPEN-MINDED. Be GENEROUS. Be KIND. Be JOY. Be STRENGTH. Be LOVE. This is what we want for our children so they may hopefully be leaders of our future, right? We MUST BE THIS and MORE for our children.

So, please remember during this historic era we are indeed entering, Henry David Thoreau’s succinct and insightful message “Things do not change. We change.”


Pumpkin Carving Tips

Published
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Troy Boyette
on October 31, 2008
in Uncategorized
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Hey everyone.  Troy here with our Halloween update.

Our family had a great time last night preparing for Halloween.  This year we bought two pumpkins for carving for all the trick-o-treaters to enjoy.  “Why two?” you ask.  Simple, more roasted pumpkin seeds.  Yummy goodness all the way around.

This was the first year I got a little more creative with the pumpkin carving.  I asked my followers on Twitter for a place to find some great pumpkin templates.  We found some Pumpkin Carving Stencils at Hershey’s trickortreats.com site that were free, looked awesome and best of all seemed like a they required only moderate skill and simple planning to create the perfect jack-o-lantern.  The kids picked the ideas and I got to work creating my masterpieces!

Since these designs were not your traditional scary face that can be both planned and carved at the same time, a little design and planning were required.  Which I think you’ll agree was well worth the extra 10 minutes.

I did learn a couple of things about carving intricate patterns on live vegetables.

Pumpkin Carving Steps and Tips

1.  Draw out or print out the design and make sure it’s full size.

2.  Tape the stencil to the pumpkin.  This is harder than it seems at first because the stencil is flat and the pumpkin is rounded which causes the picture to fold in on itself slightly at various points around the edge.

3.  Use a pencil to poke holes to outline the drawing.

4.  Carve using a sharp knife.  I used a paring knife which was perfect for the whole project.

5.  Carve slowly starting with the middle of the design and work your way outward.  I started carving the tree on the edge and left the face until last.  But this made that part a MUCH more delicate procedure because by then all the parts I had already removed made the whole structure weaker.

6.  Carve the small intricate parts before carving out the huge chunks for the same reason as listed in number 5.

Of course we roasted and enjoyed the seeds that night.  We don’t make pumpkin pie, but all the pumpkin innards and scraps will be put to good use feeding the worms to make our organic compost.  Gotta love being green.

We wish all of you a fun and safe Halloween.  Remember to check out the two shows we posted on about what you need to know about Halloween.

The Real Parenting Show, Episode 007: Halloween Tips

Moms Everywhere Show 015: What you NEED to know about Halloween Candy

Parents, are you doing Christmas different this year? We need your stories!

Published
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Suzette Boyette
on October 23, 2008
in Uncategorized
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Parents, are you doing something different this year for Christmas? Are you and your spouse not planning to exchange gifts in order to give your children a great Christmas? If you’ve been affected by this economy, what are you planning to do this year so your family will still be able to have a wonderful and loving holiday?

A friend of mine , Linda Shrieves is a writer for the Orlando Sentinel and is going to be writing a story about this. She needs your help!  She will also want to interview several moms as well. So, if you are interested, please email her directly at lshrieves@orlandosentinel.com and she will contact you immediately. Share this will all your family and friends so they may contact Linda as well.

I have thought about this topic myself.  I have considered not receiving a “gift” this year and just get for the children. Also, I have thought about getting a combined gift for the children such as those combination tables that has ping pong, pool, air hockey, etc. Do  you know what I’m talking about? But, my dilemma is how is this going to work with Santa? They ALL have to ask for the same thing?!? Any suggestions on this one?

Or how about a family gift that is something we ALL DO, instead of a material thing? Movie tickets, a family membership to the Orlando Science Center, museusms, history center, etc? One year we got Circus tickets from my sister and we had a ball. The children still talk about it and it was YEARS ago!

Or, what about making gifts for one another? Remember when?

So, whatever you are doing this year for Christmas that is different due to the present economic situation, please email Linda with your stories! She would appreciate it!

Thanks!

Halloween Costume Suggestions for your children

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Suzette Boyette
on October 19, 2008
in Uncategorized
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Here’s a guest blog post for any questions about Halloween costumes or maybe where to get them for your children other than the local stores in your area. Let us know what you think! Enjoy!

From HollywoodToysandCostumes.com http://www.hollywoodtoysandcostumes.com/ Your eGuide to Costumes and online source for Halloween fun! Visit our blog for tips on the holidays, http://blog.hollywoodtoysandcostumes.com/ for more informative Halloween costume articles.

When you’re dressing up in costume for a celebration, whether Halloween, birthdays or any other festive occasion, you don’t want to have to explain your outfit to every curious individual. Not only is it profoundly irritating to have to repeat yourself over and over, but if you’re not dressed as anything particularly outrageous, you’re bound to see some disappointed faces upon giving your answer.

Avoid that potential embarrassment with a sure bet, movie character costumes. By dressing up as a film icon that everybody recognizes, you can avoid the third degree from imperceptive or critical individuals while looking like you truly took the time to choose a great outfit.

Some movie characters are better than others, however. Dressing up as Chester Greenburg from Dude, Where’s My Car? isn’t going to get you rave reviews. So we suggest one of many heroic figures listed below. These movie character costumes are easily recognizable and guaranteed to impress the crowds wherever you’re partying.

1. The Hulk – Dressing yourself in all green, padding yourself with a great deal of extra “muscle” and the ability to yell “Hulk Smash!” whenever someone makes a joke at your expense during the party are all the reasons that dressing as the Hulk is a great way to stand out and draw some attention. It may take some time to get into the outfit, but the character is easily recognizable and visually impressive, two major plusses for any costume.

2. Optimus Prime – Another example of a visually dazzling costume, most everyone knows about the Transformers and their leader Optimus Prime. There is no way that you will not get a lot of positive feedback if you dress up as the powerful truck that’s “More Than Meets the Eye.”

3. The Incredibles – Any character from the Disney/Pixar movie The Incredibles is a good choice. With matching red outfits and a lightning bolt across the chest, it’s highly likely you’ll draw a chuckle from the other costume party guests.

4. Indiana Jones – With Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull hitting it big at the box office, the Indiana Jones character has once again become topical and is still just as recognizable. Additionally, an Indiana Jones costume is likely the most comfortable of the movie character costumes so far, since he is essentially dressed in tan colored street clothes. Also, you get to carry a whip in the event you have to swing across chasms and avoid poison darts.

5. Iron Man – If you want to dress as Iron Man, you are either going to have to spring for an expensive plastic and metal costume or wear a softer, cushioned costume made from fabric. Either way, this costume is full-bodied and colored yellow and red, making it eye catching.

6. Yoda – Not all Star Wars characters are still in fashion, but Yoda is a beloved classic whose popularity will never die. This Jedi costume is especially hilarious if worn by an individual over 3 feet tall.

7. Nacho Libre – This costume has three distinct advantages. First, you get to be a character played by Jack Black, a true comedic talent. Second, you get to dress as a Mexican wrestler. Third, you get to wear Spandex. Clearly there is no downside to this character’s costume.

As for your other choices, when choosing a heroic movie character costume not from this list, try to either pick a movie that has been released recently or an old classic that is rarely used. It’s possible that certain movie character costume ideas can get old, so the best way to pull it off is to either remain current or bring back a nostalgic character look. If you put forth a little effort and creativity, rather than going with the easiest outfit to locate, you’re sure to defeat the arch-nemesis of any disguise party: the boring costume.