A little something to brighten your day...

Sometimes, we just need to stop to enjoy the irony in life.  Let the good times continue to come, and let future generations continue to learn from us--including how to walk.

Just Try to Ignore this Gluten-Free Pancake Recipe

Take a look at the fluffy goodness that can be accomplished by using only gluten-free ingredients.  Why wouldn't you eat these delicious pancakes versus the classic wheat and sugar concoction?  Not only does almond flour have 24 oz of protein per cup, and only 24 carbs per cup, but it is also loaded with antioxidents to help your body fight free radicals.  Talk about a breakfast that multi-tasks!  So without further ado, here is that wonderful recipe:

1 cup almond flour

1 tbsp chocolate  chips (optional)

½ tsp baking soda

1 pinch salt

1 pinch ground cinnamon

1 egg

1 egg white

1 tbsp honey

2 tsp vanilla extract

¼ cup water or as needed

1. Preheat a lightly oiled griddle to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

2. Whisk almond flour, chocolate chips, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon together in a bowl. Whisk egg, egg white, honey, and vanilla extract together in a separate bowl. Stir flour mixture into egg mixture, adding enough water to reach a pancake batter consistency.

3. Drop batter by large spoonfuls onto the prepared griddle and cook until pancakes are golden brown and edges are dry, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip and cook until browned on the other side, 2 to 3 minutes. Repeat with remaining batter. Serve fresh and warm.

And there you go!  Now add some fresh bananas and raspberries and you've got yourself a breakfast that will work for you all the way to lunch time!  

Recipe and photo credit: allrecipes.com

6 Ways to Keep Your Memories and Life Lessons Alive

Is your family documenting history? We all have those wacky family members whom every story revolves around. Your family could benefit from those stories. Not only does sharing memories with loved ones connect you on a deeper level, but it also helps those young family members build a sense of self--the can identify with you: what you've achieved and what you've learning through your failures.



Here are some methods to start your sharing:

1. Write your memories down in a notebook. Journaling can be a therapeutic practice and is a huge benefit of straining your brain to recall experiences and past events. STAYING SHARP begins at birth and continues across a whole lifespan. Sharing your life stories, especially electronically, helps keep your mind sharp. As time goes on, your family can use your journals as a way to connect with you and your history.

2. Reach out to those seldom talked to friends and family to help jog your memory about those long lost relatives and colorful characters of your life. This creates even more lasting relationships, and helps expand your social network.

3. Gather and share precious photos of long ago. Digging photos out of the depths of boxes can serve multiple purposes i.e. table toppers to decorate the dinner table, photos could be a great gift item for some.

4. Consider attending scrap booking events or classes, or just trying it out for yourself.

5. Seek out an expert who can passionately write your biography and help you document your memories: Truly giving the most valuable gift you can to future generations.

6. If you have yet to embrace the electronic world of today now is the time to ensure your photos are stored electronically and consider making copies to share with loved ones.



Resources to aid in your search for family history:

If you need help completing your family history, many tidbits have been well preserved at local city halls, high schools, and colleges.

Consider locating your grandparent’s year book, which their high school may have access to online.

You may find out you are related to a U.S. President or Irish royalty if you choose to take advantage of family history resources such as ancestry.com. These resources can open your eyes to history you didn't know existed.

You may be thinking that your stories have fallen on the deaf ears of the youth I recommend trying again, as your family creates their family there will be a new found appreciation for your story.

Considering all that you have witnessed throughout the decades, now is not the time to slow down. Rather, embrace it as the time to begin weaving the decades of your life together, and reinvigorating all of your senses to live life with PURPOSE.

6 Things to Look for this Holiday Season that Indicate Your Parents Should Move into a Senior Living Community

We know the feeling: you walk into your childhood home for the holiday season, and you expect the warm welcome, the sparkling decor, and the loving hugs and kisses from your parents. What you find is a bare house, basic decorations, maybe a little messier than usual, and less joy and energy than you were expecting. You watch your parents walk towards you with smiles and open arms, but they are are pale, thin, and a little shakier that normal. You find yourself thinking, maybe my parents need more care than they’re getting. Look out for these 6 things while you’re at your parents’ house this weekend.

1. Memory Issues: We all know that Alzheimer’s and other types of Dementia can develop quickly. Watch for some of the tell-tale signs: impairments in language, reasoning, and focus; misplacing items, and issues remembering daily schedules; mood swings and apathy; being repetitive; and difficulty performing daily tasks.

2. Bruises and wounds that aren’t healing: When we age, our bodies don’t heal as quickly. If your parents’ have stopped healing, this may mean they need professional wound care.

3. Instability when standing or walking: This can be subtle, but is no less important. If your parents are unstable, they are at a higher risk for falling, and if they live alone, this can be very dangerous.

4. Severe weight gain or loss: This can be due to overeating or not eating enough because they’ve forgotten. This can also be a symptom of more severe health issues. Most of the time, meal preparation becomes too much of a chore, and your parents are going to resort to pre-made meals from the freezer isle, which contain too much sodium and sugar to be healthy. This change in diet can cause a spike to their weight.

5. Depression: Again, watch for mood swings, feelings of worthlessness and helplessness, and for extreme fatigue. These are only some of the symptoms of depression. If you are really concerned that one or both of your parents have depression, please contact their doctor immediately.

6. Worsening of chronic conditions or illnesses: If your parents have diabetes, arthritis, or any chronic illnesses, you should always be watching for changes in their symptoms or medication. These could indicate more care is needed.

If your parents are showcasing any of these symptoms, you may want to consider having a conversation with them about moving out of their big house, and moving into a senior living community where nursing and care giving professionals can keep an eye on them all the time, healthy meals will be prepared for them, and their home is cleaned regularly for them. This may be the time in your life when you must now take care of your parents, just like they took care of you and your family for so long.

Please visit our website for more information about senior living and assisted living options.