1. Middle and high schoolers are wearing shorts. Who are we kidding? They didn’t stop all winter.
2. Strawberries are better in stores every week. Follow your nose…
3. Stores are featuring more shorts and capris, even if we are currently pairing them with parkas.
4. Tulips and daffodils are still making their best efforts. To be beaten out by the true first flower of spring: the dandelion.
5. Students have countdown to summer break calendars in full swing. No teachers do this, of course! (If so, hopefully it is in stealth mode at home. J)
6. Champagne mangos (the ones that change to golden yellow when ripe) are stellar!
7. Serious April showers prepping us for beautiful May flowers.
8. The thought of swimsuit shopping lures many of us back into eating and exercise routines.
9. Dr. Joel is almost out of the woods with snow day issues for the year, bylate April!
10. The weekend forecast: above 70 degrees. Yahoo! Celebrate it every way you can!

Kudos to the 2,900+ staff members completing recent EHA Health Assessments. Gift cards will be delivered as soon as I receive them, likely in mid-May. I’ll provide an update when I know more. Until then, I wish you all my best, Michelle 

When was the last time you went off track? Really off track? How did you feel when you did?

I entirely let my food freak flag fly during a trip over spring break. It was awesome and awful all at once. Yummy? Beyond yummy! But the food coma follow up and salt ridden swollen ankles reminded me of some of the many reasons this isn’t how I choose to roll most of the time. We all have times when the lure of a great food aroma or the call of a cozy couch and blanket can lead us off track.

However, it doesn’t take long for these moments of reckless abandon to lead to a longer detour away from our road to better health. Join me today in getting back on track with a “you” turn.

Make a commitment to you. It’s not about what others think you should be doing; it’s about building a solid plan for your success. Plan a “you” turn and have a great journey through the end of this school year and fantastic summer of fun.

Is laughter is the best medicine? It’s certainly my favorite kind. My funny is on the fritz this week, so I thought I’d let comedian Steven Wright’s quotes to give you a smile. For best impact, read them in his slow, deadpan rhythm…

• Everywhere is within walking distance if you have the time.
• For my birthday I got a humidifier and a dehumidifier. I put them in the same room and let them fight it out.
• I bought some batteries but they weren’t included.
• What’s another word for Thesaurus?
• I installed a skylight in my apartment. The people who live above me are furious!
• It’s a small world, but I wouldn’t want to have to paint it.
• I intend to live forever. So far, so good.

Keep looking for the fun during tough days. We all need it to support our positive spirits.

Here’s a link to a fun recipe for Curry Roasted Cauliflower, perfect for an LPS snow day or weekend. You can make it even lighter by tossing ingredients in olive oil cooking spray instead of using liquid olive oil. The recipe may sound weird, but it’s delicious! Enjoy!

http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/curry-roasted-cauliflower-90828.aspx

“Get up offa that thing, and dance ’till you feel better. Get up offa that thing, and dance ’till you, sing it now!” –James Brown

What role has dance played in your life? Your social life? Your current active lifestyle? I don’t ever remember thinking of dancing as exercise, work, or anything but fun. Students who don’t think of themselves as athletes are often still more than ready to dance. I marvel that there are people who can stay still when they hear a good song. Yeah, I would have been in the safe seat a lot as a kiddo. J Just keeping me successful, right?

Though fitness clubs are steeped in Zumba, Jazzercise and other great dance based workouts such as adult tap; all we really need to get our fitness groove on is a radio/MP3 player and the spirit of joy. Tip: ensure no video recording devices are in others hands unless wanting to become the next viral sensation.

If you have access to a gaming system at home/school, the Just Dance series of active gaming is a fantastic way to blend gaming fun and activity. A few more of these systems will be in schools soon, details to follow… Please also know that you can access some Just Dance videos via YouTube (As always, screen for your population)

If you are like me, our backsides are getting far too much chair time! It’s time to “Get up offa that thing, dance ‘til you feel better…” Have a week full of laughs, smiles and fantastic dance grooves.

We know it’s coming just by doing the math. Our class reunion year is on its way. (Insert ominous music here.)

What does this opportunity to reconnect do to us? Well for most, we start out thinking about how much we no longer look like that fresh, young teen of our high school years. Now granted, this is NOT a thought process based in reality, but it happens for each and every one of us. Be it laugh lines, less hair or more body, the threat of examining where we are now is a menacing one for many of us.

Perhaps it’s the concern about seeing past loves, bullies, corporate hot shots or rivals, but it does seem to be the ultimate head game. Even if we are a happy, satisfied, well adjusted adult in our day to day life, we may worry about measuring up to our past, or just revisiting it for that matter.

So, why even go? Well first, we have to see if these people look anything like their highly screened images on Facebook. J But second, once we get past the veneer of image (ours and theirs), we’ll find these are the same goofy people that we knew those many years ago.

Time dissolves and true friends re-emerge that really don’t care about any of that business. We might also find some classmates that we weren’t well connected with in high school to be great new friends as adults. Hey, we all survived 80’s hair together, that alone is a bond that can’t be broken!

What are we doing in our lives to shut people out that could ultimately provide us with a network of support? Can we have meaningful relationships beyond status updates? Part of being well is our deeper, social connection, which certainly needs further support in many of our lives.

So figure out whatever “snappy casual” or “summery chic” means, shake it off, and go. J You’ll be glad you did.

Walking the talk….yes, I went to my class reunion this weekend. The hair loss and extra pounds didn’t matter. It was great to see old friends!

This summer has been a creative challenge, hasn’t it? How do we keep active and the kiddos moving when it’s a blast furnace outside? I’m waiting for the day I see people in fleece jackets due to temps in the low 80s.

Here are a few examples of ways to stay entertained/entertaining while enduring the summer heat:

• Indoor active gaming and creating alternative phrases for disappointment such as “Aww pickle snaps!” when you lose. Balance games seem especially inspiring for this.
• Find ways to make going to the pool more active. Aqua socks (water shoes) protect your feet and can help you make water walking a nice workout too. Your tootsies will thank you.
• Switch arm bowling. Roll your first ball with your non-writing hand and then clean up with your writing hand. Though disastrous and comical initially, it’s surprising how you may improve. It can also prevent you from being Pop-eye on one arm, Olive Oyl on the other. Use alternative bowling names so other bowlers walking by won’t know which of you is R2D2, currently bowling a 27. Kids Bowl Free lasts until September 2^nd. Learn more at www.kidsbowlfree.com
• Trapped inside and not wanting to use the oven? What a great chance to prep your fresh fruits and veggies so they don’t go to waste! Frozen purple grapes rock! Wash. Bag. Freeze. Eat.
• Work with your kids to create song parodies about rabid squirrels or fluffy bunnies. A huge hit with elementary and middle school aged boys. I’m still a bit puzzled by this phenomenon… (My apologies to any of you that have been previously attacked by said animals.)
• Work with what life gives you. Early risers? Enjoy those cooler morning walks. Late risers? A little bug spray makes evening walks comfortable and worry-free.

Other fun ideas? Send them my way! You might just see them posted on lps.org/wellness. I’m excited to be back and looking forward to great school year!

P.S. Remember to pull yourself away from the Olympics every once in a while! Inspiration abounds!

All my best,

Michelle