Having fun and appreciating the moments

Some days are just good ones and you know it. Mine started a little hectic but in control. Kissed my husband goodbye at 4 am, (boys ski trip), got the lovely Miss Bear her breakfast and walk, got the kids off to school and loaded the car with goodies for The Workout Spot in Coconut Grove, where Mindful Nutrients are being displayed. Shakes, cookies (all organic delicious-more on that soon...) and fresh fruit salad. Got some exercise, gym was a lot of fun, buzz of friendly voices, kind of the feeling like the old show, Cheers, just in a gym instead of a bar. Next went to Emena Spa where Mindful also is. Beautiful organic spa and I love Christina the owner. Low key, adorable and just plain nice. I love being around other women who are also creating dreams. I wake up so excited every day thinking of how lucky I am to be living my life. I am having just so much fun!

Best part of the day though was when I took Kevin , my baby, to get his restricted drivers license. We decided 8 out of ten people who entered were sent away. The documentation needed at this point is incredible. We were one of the lucky ones and Kevin walked out with that prized possession... The Learners permit! He of course wanted to drive immediately and a few grey hairs later on a rush hour friday afternoon we are safely home. Safe til the next drive...

and yet I think I was as excited as he was, still remember the feeling of independence heading my way. To women, to passions, to learners permits, to hopefully not too many grey hairs. Have a beautiful, passionate weekend. xo ginny

alternative care

This morning I went to see Karen Levy, a homepathic doctor, who was giving a talk to Mom's, explaining her role as a homeopathic.

What she had to say made so much sense, preventative care is the way to go and she offers alternatives to antibiotics except in extreme cases such as strep. She listens to a patients' words down to asking them the sensations, locations and pain levels of a headache. She is not interested in hearing only that someone has one. A homeopathic, is trained to be an excellent listener, with the time and patience to care for each of their patients as individuals, not as an insurance number. See a homeopath, check out alternative care. It is cutting edge and the way of the future when we all understand we are our own keepers, we are the only one who can truly tune into our own systen.

For me I use a wonderful accupuncturist once a week every week for about 4 months a year. After the 2nd year, she mentioned I seem to have a disturbance in my sleep at the same time each year. She noticed from taking the time to review my chart and spending time really attentive to my words and body. At first I laughed it off. Not anymore. I learned from listening and accepting my body as a beautiful piece of machinery, that it needs tune ups and maintenance and most of all honor bestowed upon it to function optimally. My body does not make the daylight savings time change. My rhythms get off, and terrible insomnia used to set in. Before I discovered accupunture I was a miserable night owl for long periods. I started With Dr. Chen, after a visit to my internist. I explained my sleep issue and I thought made very clear I was not into sleep medications. His only offer was take them just for a few months, and out the door he walked. Guess what... I walked through that door a few minutes later and never looked back. I need someone to take the time to truly want to prevent and heal. No bandaid treatments for me. xo ginny

yoga

I am not sure why but my yoga has been off a bit lately. I have not been putting in the time it deserves. Yoga is a gift to the body but with anything else when you don't use it you lose it. I have been in the gym, spinning, running etc but a recent IT band problem is keeping me side lined on the running. I am one of those people that truly needs to exercise. Kind of lost without it. At one point for nearly 7 years I did yoga religiously from 8:30- 10 everyday. The first year and a 1/2 was magical, a deep departure from the rest of the day as a wife and mom. I was just a yogi doing her thing. It wasn't where my usual group of friends would ever be. I loved that aspect of it...it was my oasis, hideaway. It was a place where we had a pretty crazy, but brilliant guru who back then was called Hanuman. He is back to being Wayne now. He taught me two of the most valuable lessons I carry with me. Respond do not react and It's not about you. They sound so simple but when you really delve into them and start to use them and teach them to those closest to you they are a gift of wisdom you constantly reach for. I ran into Wayne on the last day of the year in the morning after not seeing him for many years, I felt it was a gift, a reminder of where I need to be. For me yoga keeps me balanced, happy, calm and strong in mind and spirit. Sunday morning found me in a most beautiful class. It was not as tough as I usually want and I embraced that instead of fighting it. I felt myself growing longer as my muscles were feeling the stretch, I felt my mind working through thoughts and being calmer as each moment passed. I felt such gratitude to be there. Thank you to my old guru for walking into my path at the correct moment. xo ginny

life is good if we live it with possibility

2010-always so exciting the start of a new year. So many possibilities...do we enter it with a plan or do we just drift through it hoping it turns out well. Or perhaps you don't give any thought to it at all? For me just like my birthday it becomes a spiritual day. I am not really concerned with the numbers thank goodness for me, I generally seriously cannot remember how old I am. I have decided to remain 34. I feel it, like the number and so there I will stay til I really have to move on. On the day of new years eve I like to go for a walk alone along the beach to end out my thoughts of one year and welcome in the goals, dreams and plans of the next. Sometimes I can fix something that I wish were different, sometimes the best path for me which is not my natural way of being is just to let things flow for a bit more. I do the same thing on my birthday. On both occasions I take out my journal for this is the time of serious life thoughts and there is nothing like putting thoughts to paper. They become so much clearer somehow. I have done all of the above.

My chicago boy is back at school, where I worry that he might freeze to death. I worry about other things too this is just the top of the list today. My oldest Scott is back from Spain and I now feel like Orlando is in my backyard. Everything is relative of course. He is moving into a new apartment, I must have polled everyone in my life... should I go to Orlando with him and his apartment mate or let them do it on his/their own. I don't know what got into me it was as if the test of motherhood was on the line. Interesting though is that the poll survey came down by gender line. All my male friends, including family, thought I was micro managing and told me to get a grip. My female friends all thought it was probably a good idea to make up the beds and set up the kitchen. I truly couldn't read what my son wanted me to do. For a couple of days there I wasn't sure where I was going when. Common wisdom came with Scott's roomate Michael. I of course polled him as soon as he drove in . His response? Mrs. Simon I am sure Scott and I can figure things out and if we can't we will find a way to. I think the last thing he wanted was a mom hanging out. Did I feel obsolete? No I was relieved my son and his roomate seemed so together. They are off on their own adventure...life is sweet and they can live on pizza for a couple of days...

Mark and Kevin are great, kev's broken thumb must just have been sprained (ski accident) Mark is waiting for his license next month I can't imagine- watch out Miami...(just kidding Mark... I think) The lovely Miss Bear has stitches from a cross country ski accident but is mending beautifully. Word seems to be out that one of my boys stabbed the other over the stealing of french fries. The stabber's identity shall remain private; til I write my book on raising 4 sons. He does seem quite embarassed. No stitches were needed on that injury. (maybe I should make them french fries once in a while so they don't kill each other over them. My husband? dreading turning older on a round birthday next month. I keep telling him he is better than ever. My kids think he has grown so much more immature the last 2 years-at times more like a kid than they are. He too is learning to let go enjoy the journey, reflect along the way. My in the guy box is growing loose and I love it. I should of course add in this newsletter, my adorable parents are still the same adorable people and have become my biggest fans. My mother says she takes her mindful nutrients at her bridge game so her friends see her and ask what she is taking. She is a great business promoter. My father is definitely Mindful's most strong advocate isn't it incredible when you get blessed with a father that thinks you are the most perfect creation walking the earth? I only hope I have given my kids half the confidence he has given me. Goodbye for tonight my friends. Thanks for letting me ramble. xo ginny

Mindful Organics my new baby still taking baby steps. Goals and dreams are in place bring on 2010. May it be filled with grace, dreams and goals. xoginny