TRIED & TRUE â—½ TIPS

Last month wasn’t pleasant for me, it was horrendous and horrible, as I watched my husband react to a sudden illness out of the blue…and then now he’s gone. I’ve been more than devastated.
One thing I’m learning to increase, and that is my awareness and noting small things around me that bring joy, laughter, or learning. I hope you enjoy this month’s list, as I enjoy writing it so much.
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Have you tried the Siete Chips found at the grocery store? They’re tortilla chips but a healthier version for us all – and the lime chips are the best!
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On our last vacation together, we stepped inside the cutest bookstore/coffee shop ever and on the wall was a bowl full of free bookmarks. So cute, even in a kids’ bedroom near their bookshelf!
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Clean Eating Bowls is a great cookbook for making all sorts of dishes in my favorite form – a bowl meal! Try them. I’ve enjoyed so many.


A museum we visited had a whole section on the polio epidemic decades ago…and they had one of those iron lungs. Oh my gosh, have you seen one before? So glad these aren’t used any more on children.
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Pebble family art – I made one for us and it’s hanging on my wall. But look at this one we saw…they’re so easy to put together! Just pebbles, glue and a bit of creativity.
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I found this patio beaded curtain at Earthbound Trading Company and just love it. It’s so easy to hang and creates ambience that invites you to linger…



I had an olive oil bottle I wasn’t using any more, and I then realized it would make a perfect vase! Even for faux flower stems made from fabric.
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I was at the movies with a friend. She ordered nachos and I had a big bowl of popcorn. She shared her nachos and I placed a few on top of my popcorn bowl. The flavor of the nachos with the popcorn – it was delish!
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If you’re visiting a friend in the hospital, take a box of straws. That was our most used item when my husband was ill. We always lost the straws for the cups for him, and for us, so having a box was awesome.
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When’s the last time you took off your sandals and walked barefoot? I hadn’t done it in a long time, and it felt good…try it.



Paint rocks with the kids, write words of hope, leave them on trails, and brighten someone’s day. It’s easy play and oh so good to bring light into this dark, dark world.
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Never underestimate the power of a handwritten card. They are life, and such a treat, when someone is suffering in grief.
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Did you know there is Modpodge glue available at Michaels for gluing puzzles for framing? It’s easy to do and keeping a puzzle you love is easy art to then frame and hang.
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Walking is the best physical therapy for a sad heart. The sun above, the trees to see beside you, and the birds to hear. We know this, but we often stay inside when we’re sad. Outside is where the life is.

