Letting go toxic relationships-are they worth keeping?

We all have had them at one point in our lives-toxic relationships. As you already know,I am obsessed with the reality series The Real Housewives of New Jersey. One of the girls on the show,Dina(left),decides to confront a long time drama queen named Danielle(right) to let her know that she is too toxic to be in her life,and does not want to have anything to do with her anymore(you will have to see how that all pans out by catching up with the episodes on Bravo).

Of course, we cannot all be brave like Dina,but there are times when letting go certain people in our lives that cause drama has to be done in order to live a happier life. People who bring you down and keep you in the negative is in no shape or form good for your self-esteem or emotional well-being.

Do you have someone like this in your life you want to get rid of but not sure what to do about it? Just think about this for a minute. Does this person(or persons),whether it's a relationship with a friend,significant other,or even a family member make you feel awful when they are around you? Or do they make you feel good and are a joy to be around? Does this person display a caring attitude and likes you for being you or does this person try to dominate your every move and doesn't really care to be there for you? Even worse,does this person use you and contacts you only when she/he needs something? These are just some things to think about whether or not it's worth keeping someone like this in your life.

Then of course you got the ones that don't care to pick up the phone and bother calling you or take the time to even drop an email to say hello-just drop them all together,they can be just as toxic as someone who is involved in your life on a day to day basis. We are all busy,and being "busy" is not an excuse. It takes five minutes to say hello,or drop a note. Social Media especially has made it easier now to keep in touch with everyone,so there is no excuse.

So next time you are pondering whether or not you should hold on to a toxic relationship,ask yourselves these questions mentioned above and find out if these people are really worth keeping. We must fuel our bodies with nourishment,water,and sleep,but we must also fuel our mind and spirit and keep it free of negative energy. Instead,surround yourself with positive and drama free friends and family instead,your soul will thank you.

Congrats Blackhawks!

Blackhawks Skyline...

The Skinny Italian: A recipe for looking good and eating great-who knew?

As most of us,we have one guilty pleasure(or two) that we may be embarrassed to say what it is or just laugh it off and admit it. One of mine is the Reality TV show "The Real Housewives of New Jersey". There are several shows that have this theme(such as New York,Orange County,etc) but the New Jersey series seems to be the one that interests me. I don't know why,maybe it's because my father used to live in New Jersey. Maybe it's also where my husband spent the majority of his time in the US as well. I have been to New Jersey myself since my family has friends still living there. Maybe because this Italian-American cast just reminds me so much of the big hair, big houses and drama that my ethnicity possesses as well.

 One of the girls on the show,Teresa,has made a cookbook recently called "The Skinny Italian". Teresa Giudice,is an Italian-American woman who is married to an Italian also and has four kids. She one day decided to make a cookbook out of all the recipes that she learned from her parents who are from Italy themselves. Her cookbook is not just any cookbook,but also an autobiography on how her parents immigrated to the US and kept their traditions alive,tidbits from her husband,and how to dress fabulous on a budget(Teresa was not always a housewife,she graduated from Berkley College and was a buyer for Macy's in NYC). The best part of the book is her step by step instructions on how to can and preserve tomato sauce(totally reminds me of us Macedonians and our canning of peppers for the winter months). There is also descriptions on how to choose the best olive oil,the different types of herbs,and more.

Here is the best part: The Real Housewives cast member did not know how to cook when she got married. All her recipes were learned through the phone! This is the perfect book then for you newlyweds(such as myself) who may never lifted a finger in the kitchen but has that inner housewife in them.

 The thing with this cookbook is that it is a very "busy" book with lots of pictures of not only her great slimming recipes but of her four gorgeous daughters and her fellow housewife friends. Teresa insisted that she was not going to write a cookbook that was "boring" but a cookbook that was fun to read and get a chuckle or two from it. It's an autobiography,self help book,and cookbook all in one.

"The Skinny Italian" can be purchased at Borders,Barnes and Nobles,and where I got mine at,Target. Target has the best price for this book ($15.99). Grab one today and start impressing your husband. Yes you too can be a housewife and fabulous!

Lake Michigan Waves