Well, I have finished my 48 hour Master Cleanse. It was a great experience and surprised me in so many ways.

Who would think that you could actually enjoy not eating much but some steamed veggies once or twice a day for two straight days and just drink tea or water, lemon, cayenne pepper and maple syrup?  Well I did and it was very therapeutic. 

Now that it is over, I am going slow reintroducing foods and eating less than I did before the cleanse. Gradual reentry is good. 

The official day to start is tomorrow and some of you have let me know that you will be doing it next week. The ODA trip this weekend has affected some plans.

If anyone is doing it this weekend and wants some support, please let me know!

Love to hear from you and how you are doing!

It is fun to share your journey!

 

Take Care and Be Well!

Mary Anne

 

Hi to tour Group!

I am on day 2 of the modified Master Cleanse.

This morning my alarm was not necessary.  I was up and out before it went off!

The dry brushing was really helpful and the hot shower felt great.

Journaling is good because a lot is coming up that certainly hasn't had the time or space to come up before.

My days are busier than I would like but the thermos is filled with the cleanse and my mind feels super sharp!

 

The hunger comes and goes so riding that wave is interesting. No specific food cravings at this time.

 

Hopefully some of you are going to do the cleanse and if you can't this weekend, let me know and I will be happy to coach you through at a later date.

 

For me, it has already had so many benefits, it will become a regular routine to my seasons changing.

 

Take Care and be well!

Mary Anne

 

We are going to start a Detox as a group on Friday.  We have choices to make about which one suits us best.

I have chosen The Master Cleanse by Paul Pitchford because I want to try something new that I have done before. So far, so good. In order to lead the group, I wanted to start a little earlier and give you the highlights of what comes up and how to move through it.

There are  brief moments of hunger but they have passed quickly. Also a good reminder to drink the cleanse of spring water, lemon, cayenne pepper and Grade B Organic Maple Syrup. I get busy and forget to drink more!

It does not help to drive by any food stores or restaurants! That increased the challenge!  When feelings of being cool or empty come up, warm herbal tea has hit the spot!  It is interesting to ride the waves and see what your body is telling you.

Also remember that you will be running to the bathroom a lot so book that into your schedule!

Looking forward to getting your feedback when you start on Friday!

 

 

Dear Detox101 Friends!

I wanted to touch base with you as we are now getting closer to our date of starting the Detox Program. This morning I made a green smoothie in an effort to get in my antioxidants with Sun is Shining, a green superfood supplement. This smoothie supports your immune system on a snowy grey day. It provides all the nutrients of a green food which is rich in probiotics and it enhances your digestion as well as your nutrient absorption.

I will share with you what I put into my VitaMix.

Mary Anne's Mid-February Green Pick-me-up

Half of a banana

A few chunks of pineapple

1 teaspoon of Organic Coconut Oil

1 cup of water mixed with coconut water

Dash of cinnamon

1 teaspoon of Camu Powder

1 teaspoon of Lacuma Powder

Ice cubes

Voila! A gorgeous green refresher and great way to start your day.  To add protein to this morning elixir, I am having a Chia Seed, Buckwheat and Hemp Cereal that has 6g of protein, 4g of fiber and 2,2g of ALA Omega 3's.

A Powerhouse Breakfast!

Brooksfield Montessori School, located near Arlington, Virginia, on five wooded acres, not only offers a truly incredible Montessori program for preschool, kindergarten and elementary children, but a wonderfully rich after-care program as well. Brooksfield's Extended Day program is led by two experienced, well-trained teachers who design activities that are age-appropriate and fun for the children in each age group. The afternoon includes arts and crafts, cooking and special snacks, stories, games, free-play, outdoor play, indoor field trips, computer time, songs and games, to name a few.  Sometimes, they even have a silly hair day or a cozy pajama day.  And, now Extended Day will be offered during Brooksfield's Summer Camp  ,as well.  And, Brooksfield now has a beautiful new bus for field trips. Awesome!

For more information about Brooksfield Montessori's After School Program, please visit www.brooksfieldschool.org

Brooksfield Montessori School which is located outside of Reston, Virginia, not only offers preschool and kindergarten Montessori programs (including full-day Kindergarten), but also an outstanding elementary Montessori program as well. Brooksfield's elementary students experience a well-rounded, exciting, experiential, highly academic program that is taught by warm, experienced, Montessori trained teachers who guide their students into becoming thinkers and problem solvers with a thirst for learning.  If you haven't had a tour of Brooksfield Montessori school yet...check out this video..and then call the office for a visit!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7y7YXr_eB0

Children from all over the DC metropolitan area come to tour Brooksfield private Montessori school, which is located in McLean, VA.  What they find is a warm, happy, industrious atmosphere where children and parents alike are welcomed with friendly greetings and the happy sounds of children.  They peek into classrooms in the lower school to see children in the Montessori preschool program and the Montessori Kindergarten program spooning lentils, counting objects, washing windows, having snack, painting, doing multiplication with beads, learning to read using the movable alphabet, writing creative stories, classifying living and non-living objects, studying the continents of the world, for example.  Or, they pop into the Montessori Elementary program to find students labeling parts of speech, working on "infinity street," writing poetry and studying iambic pentameter, studying respected artists, or making human element chains while learning the periodic table, for instance.   Touring parents are able to see the magic and artistry that makes Brooksfield Montessori school one of the most respected private schools in the area, something you have to see to believe.

For a tour of Brooksfield School or for more information, please contact Sarah, in the admissions office- www.brooksfieldschool.org

Brooksfield Montessori School in Northern Virginia, offers a wonderful full-day Kindergarten program. The program is largely Montessori based, of course, but it also incorporates a few main-stream activities, such as small and large group lessons and some work in workbooks.  The children are mixed with the preschool Montessori children in the morning and then split into an all Kindergarten group while the little ones rest or nap. Further, the Kindergarten children have opportunities to work with the elementary program students during a program Brooksfield calls "buddy reading," where Kindergarten children read with Upper School children. And, Kindergartners are invited to join Brooksfield Players, the school's theatre group that is comprised of children ages five through ten.  Brooksfield's comprehensive program also includes formal lessons in art, music, movement, Spanish and Outdoor Adventures, to name a few. 

For more information on Brooksfield private School, please visit www.brooksfieldschool.org

Brooksfield School is a private school in Northern Virginia that educates children in the preschool through 4th grade age range.  Brooksfield's program is a highly regarded, highly academic program...with a twist.  The twist is that creating an atmosphere of love, acceptance and nurture in each classroom is the underpinning of their educational philosophy. Children in the Montessori preschool and Montessori elementary programs are taught HOW to think, not WHAT to think. They are guided and challenged through discovery, exciting activities, and individual and group lessons from highly trained, experienced teachers.  Walking into a Brooksfield classroom, you instantly feel the energy and natural excitement for learning. The rooms are alive with industry and the children are focused and engaged but also free to social and move and just be children.

If you have not yet witnessed this stunning school, which incidentally sits on 5 gorgeous acres (facilitating a lot of wonderful outdoor learning!), please make an appointment to visit this private school's preschool and elementary programs.  Once you do, you will never look at education the same way again.

For more information on Brooksfield school or to apply,  please visit http://www.brooksfieldschool.org/procedures-sustainable-montessori-school and schedule your tour today!

Brooksfield Montessori School, located near Arlington, Virginia, on five wooded acres, not only offers a truly incredible Montessori program for preschool, kindergarten and elementary children, but a wonderfully rich after-care program as well. Brooksfield's Extended Day program is led by two experienced, well-trained teachers who design activities that are age-appropriate and fun for the children in each age group. The afternoon includes arts and crafts, cooking and special snacks, stories, games, free-play, outdoor play, indoor field trips, computer time, songs and games, to name a few.  Sometimes, they even have a silly hair day or a cozy pajama day.  And, now Extended Day will be offered during Brooksfield's Summer Camp  ,as well.  And, Brooksfield now has a beautiful new bus for field trips. Awesome!

For more information about Brooksfield Montessori's After School Program, please visit www.brooksfieldschool.org

Brooksfield Montessori School's summer camp, which is open to children ages 3-9, is located on the private school's gorgeous 5 acre lot in McLean, just a few miles from Reston, VA.  The grounds include a beautiful playground, a field for sports and field games and a sprawling wooded area that is perfect for nature walks.  Brooksfield school's camp includes swimming lessons, outdoor adventures, arts and crafts, water play, playground time, stories, cooking, dancing, singing, friendship, field trips and a boatload of summer FUN!  Children in both the primary Montessori program and the Elementary Montessori program are invited to attend as well as neighborhood children and children from other area schools.  Spaces are limited, so apply early! 

For more information about Brooksfield Summer Camp which is located in McLean, Virginia, please visit www.brooksfieldschoo.org

Children from all over the DC metropolitan area come to tour Brooksfield private Montessori school, which is located in McLean, VA, not far from Oakton, Virginia.  What they find is a warm, happy, industrious atmosphere where children and parents alike are welcomed with friendly greetings and the happy sounds of children.  They peek into classrooms in the lower school to see children in the Montessori preschool program and the Montessori Kindergarten program spooning lentils, counting objects, washing windows, having snack, painting, doing multiplication with beads, learning to read using the movable alphabet, writing creative stories, classifying living and non-living objects, studying the continents of the world, for example.  Or, they pop into the Montessori Elementary program to find students labeling parts of speech, working on "infinity street," writing poetry and studying iambic pentameter, studying respected artists, or making human element chains while learning the periodic table, for instance.   Touring parents are able to see the magic and artistry that makes Brooksfield Montessori school one of the most respected private schools in the area, something you have to see to believe.

For a tour of Brooksfield School or for more information, please contact Sarah, in the admissions office- www.brooksfieldschool.org

Brooksfield Montessori School which is located in McLean, Virginia, not only offers preschool and kindergarten Montessori programs (including full-day Kindergarten), but also an outstanding elementary Montessori program as well. Brooksfield's elementary students experience a well-rounded, exciting, experiential, highly academic program that is taught by warm, experienced, Montessori trained teachers who guide their students into becoming thinkers and problem solvers with a thirst for learning.  And, Brooksfield School now has their own shiny new school bus for field trips!  If you haven't had a tour of Brooksfield Montessori school yet...call the office for a visit!

 

For more information or to schedule a tour, please visit www.brooksfieldschool.org 

At the end of the month, Brooksfield School located in McLean, Virginia will now have it's very own bus!  Look for the bus around town as we take it on local field trips around Northern Virginia!

Since I have the organizing gene, anytime I can improve a system or process
or use something in a new way that saves time or somehow is better, it is always something to celebrate.  I have been singing the praises of my new found treasure, the App, CardStar.

My purse got about 5 pounds lighter thanks to an organizing friend who
introduced me to it.   CardStar holds digitally all of the plastic cards and key
tabs that many stores and restaurants entice us with to get discounts.   Viola,
my wallet is not overstuffed and my three key rings (yes, I have three) can now just hold keys because all of the plastic cards and key tags can be left home! 

In addition to the convenience of not having to carry all of the extra plastic,
CardStar saves us time too as it organizes the cards alphabetically so there is
no more hunting for the right loyalty card - as they are all available, in alpha
order, in the same place, once you put them on your phone.   Every person I have shared the App with has the same excited reaction I did because anything to lighten our wallets and purses is something to cheer about.

Over spring break my kids and I biked into Old Town from the Belle Haven
Marina heading to Ben & Jerry's for "Free Cone Day".   I realize the cone
negated the exercise!  After ordering our cones, my son picked up the new Belly card, which apparently many merchants are going to start offering.     Belly is a type of loyalty card that is tied into points and of course more points,
equals more saving and in the case of Ben & Jerry's incentives to buy more
cones.   Normally, I would have to be sold on its value, since I knew nothing
about it, but I knew with my CardStar App, I could just scan it and be done with it.

I think we all download popular Apps and we use them a few times and then
they sit on our phones.  This is not one of those Apps, trust me you will be
using it regularly and you'll be spreading the word too.

Okay, now my mission is to learn about Evernote and how to use it.  More on
that later....

 

 

Mary Anne with National Bestselling Author, Richard Louv. Louv is best known for his book, "Last Child in the Woods". He has just published,"The Nature Principle" which addresses reconnecting with life in a virtual age.
We have an autographed copy in the office for parents to borrow. Louv's urge to us at Brooksfield is to keep up our good work AND to not only support sustainability but to also CREATE MORE NATURE.  Join us in brainstorming on this topic!

 

 

It has been really hard for me as the resident "neat freak" in our house to have cluttered kitchen counters these last few weeks.  My daughter has been working on her 1st grade assignment to create a leprechaun trap since the assignment was given a few weeks back.  Her quite large creation has been residing on our kitchen counter as she finessed it.  Today was the day that her project was due so I excitedly helped her transport it to school! 

She also had a birthday party at the end of February so we have been working on her thank you notes at the kitchen table.   Of course an active 7 year old can only do a few at a time, so the box of notes has remained on the counter to be available when inspiration struck.  We finally sat down this weekend and she did a great job finishing them all.  The box of notes is now put away!

Other paper on the counter are current work and personal projects of mine that instead of being in my office, on another level of my home, are on the counter as I now tend to use my laptop instead of the desktop in my office.  I went to the Container Store last week and got a small desktop file that holds all of my current files.  I repositioned some kitchen serving bowls to another area so that I could hide my new kitchen file.  And now, no more papers on the counter.

Speaking of papers, awhile back I wrote about the paper reduction service, Catalog Choice (see my January 1st blog).  Apparently now the company has an app now only available for the iphone which enables the user to take a picture of the unwanted mail and then request Catalog Choice to get them off of the mailing list.    You may want to check this out and let me know what you think.

So my paper is now tamed and off the counters, and I swear it has given me such a boost.  Here's to a great productive week.

Every Friday is Spirit Day at Brooksfield Montessori School, a private school located in McLean, Virginia, a few miles outside of Reston.  On Fridays, the children in the kindergarten Montessori, preschool Montessori and elementary Montessori programs, along with the teachers, show their school spirit by sporting Brooksfield tee shirts and sweatshirts. What a fun way to show their school pride. Go team Brooksfield!

To purchase your Brooksfield gear from the school office, please visit www.brooksfieldschool.org and contact the office via e-mail or phone.

Brooksfield Montessori School , which is conveniently located in the Washington metro area, offers a full day Kindergarten that is well rounded, adding both academic subjects and the arts to the curriculum.  The kindergarten children in this private Montessori program use hands-on materials and experiential activities to learn and master concepts.  For instance, the children may visit an aquarium when studying marine life or an art museum when learning about a particular artist.  In addition, the children are surrounded by warm, loving teachers who are experienced and extremely well-trained.  Now THAT'S something to shout about!

For more information on Brooksfield's Full Day Kindergarten program, please visit www.brooksfieldschool.org