I am about the same age today, that my mom was in this picture. She had seven “good” years left before the symptoms of Lewy Body disease started to show and would slowly take her life. I've thought about this a lot lately; am I living my life in such a way, if I only had seven “good” years left, would I have no regrets? Am I focusing on the people and things that really matter? Am I expressing my gratitude each day for blessings big and small? Am I saying yes when I mean yes and no when I […]
“Life's most persistent and urgent question is, “What are you doing for others?”” — Martin Luther King, Jr. I don't know about you, but sometimes in the busyness of life, I often forget just how simple it can be to serve others. It doesn't have to take a lot of time or even money to be a difference maker in someone's life. I jotted down these 25 ideas in my journal today to keep them front and center. What would you add to the list? 1. Smile 2. Open/hold the door 3. Give a ride 4. Pay the tab 5. Be a listening ear 6. […]
I once showed up at an event in a cute and trendy maxi-dress even though I was supposed to be wearing a branded t-shirt. I hate “most” t-shirts. They are rarely flattering, especially the unisex style with a high neckline. They make busty women like me, look like we have a uni-boob. When I turned forty, I gave up my battle with clothes, making the decision to only buy/wear clothes that flattered my body type and made me feel good when I wore them. Boxy t-shirts do not make me feel good. Before the event, I wrestled with the t-shirt in […]
Lady Lumberjack Finished out our fall axe throwing season tonight with a third place win in our region and top 50 in the nation!!! Who knew I… [Continue Reading] Goin' to the Chapel Or should I say courthouse and we’re gonna get married!!! Yes, we did. Fifteen years ago, Tom Nikkola and I (without telling anyone) got married at the… [Continue Reading] Sunsets are Proof It’s been cloudy and raining pretty much every day since we moved into our new apartment. Which made last night’s sunset even more special, being… [Continue Reading] Twenty-One Months Ago On Tom’s 40th birthday, we learned of a little boy […]
Hello, I'm Vanessa I once had someone tell me they did not like my purple hair, said it was for the birds. My nickname is Birdie. Sometimes, The Bird. I am a Christ-follower, wife, mother, grandmother, business owner, city slicker, purple lover, and health nut. Learn more about me. Read My Blog I blog about healthy living; from food freedom to financial freedom and everything in between. My hope is to inspire you to live healthy, love intently, and lead purposefully. Oh yeah, and to have a little (or a lot of) fun along the way! Read my blog. Let's Be Friends […]
Hey there! Thanks so much for becoming a VIP. I am honored to be connected with you. I know you get tons of emails and your time is precious. That's why you'll only hear from me when I've got something super valuable to share. Let's stay connected on Facebook and Instagram too. In Health & With […]
How I Healed from Adrenal Fatigue Hello, I'm Vanessa. Christ-follower, wife, mother, grandmother, business owner, city slicker, purple lover, and health nut. I have two adult sons, one grandson, one furbaby, and one handsome husband. This is my story of how I healed from adrenal fatigue. My Passion is Helping Others Continually staying up-to-date with current research in nutrition, health, and wellness is my crazy obsession. For many years this passion, combined with my innate empathy and strong desire to help others, was my career. I worked as a fitness professional, coaching individuals in achieving better physical health through nutrition […]
I had these custom 5-ml essential oil bottles with amethyst gemstone roll-ons made to give as gifts to our HLWEO team members. The minimum order size was more than I needed, so I'm selling the overstock in my HLHT Shop. • Purple is Pantone 16-3817 – Rhapsody• Amethyst gemstone roll-on varies in color• Cap is a matte silver Perfect for making essential oil blends. 10% off when you buy 10 or more […]
Our (court) order includes a holiday schedule. We get our little buddy on Christmas, they get him on Christmas Eve. When you say it that way, it seems so, oh, I don’t know, legal. Which it is and it isn’t. Anyways, a few weeks before Christmas I felt it in my spirit to invite them (his other grandparents) over to open presents with us on Christmas Day. And they said yes!!! It was everything I hoped it would be. Tom and I, our two boys (one of them is the daddy), my dad, our little buddy, and his other grandparents […]
I love a good mug. Handle has to fit at least two fingers. Three is even better. Purple takes it to another level. However, what makes this mug my new favorite, besides the fact it was gifted to me by an amazing mentor and friend… Is that the purchase of this mug provides 56 meals for those who might otherwise go hungry. You see, extremely poor families in Haiti mix clay with water, oil and salt to create a clay cookie to fill stomachs of their desperately hungry children. By transforming the clay into mugs that can be sold, Haitians […]