New Years Eve (the movie)

Warner Bros. Pictures is proud to announce the release of the hit romantic comedy New Year’s Eve on DVD and Blu Ray May 1st! This all-star comedy stars Ashton Kutcher, Michelle Pfeiffer, Katherine Heigl, Sofia Vergara, Hilary Swank, Sarah Jessica Parker, Zac Efron, Jon Bon Jovi, and Josh Duhamel!

April is a perfect time to think about all those resolutions you made that may have been placed on the backburner. With the New Year’s Eve Resolution Reset Blog App you can double check and make sure you are on the right path to making your resolutions come true!

Eggplant Parmesan Pizza

Here is a healthier pizza recipe, if you wanted to try it!

Eggplant Parmesan Pizza
Ingredients
1 small eggplant, (about 12 ounces)
Yellow cornmeal, for dusting
1 pound Easy Whole-Wheat Pizza Dough, or other prepared dough (recipe follows)
3/4 cup prepared marinara sauce
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 medium clove garlic, minced
 medium clove garlic, minced
3/4 cup thinly shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

and try this healthy dough recipe from she-fit.com! Yummy!

Pampering Quiz & Giveaway

Recently, my big sis has been reading a book about the principles of pampering. It's by Debrena Jackson Gandy, called Sacred Pampering Principles. One day, a group of us, family, were over at her house having a thrown together potluck, when she pulled out her book and asked if she could run through the quiz on page 101 of the book. The quiz was to help an individual assess how she was doing at handling her own emotional and physical needs.

I was interested, since I struggle in this area. Four of us were game, and so the quiz began. She told us to give ourselves a point for each of the behaviors we could assent to having done for ourselves. She read through a page and a half of 2-3 line descriptive behaviors, like get your hair done; get a manicure or pedicure; take time to do (a, b, c) that brings you pleasure. Not because the person you are with likes to do it, but specifically because it brings you pleasure.

I can tell you that I only used one hand to total up at the end of the quiz. There were several things that made me reconsider my self professed freedom. God tells us not to be entangled by bondage again, and here I am entangled in imaginary bondage. I do not do things that bring pleasure to me, but find myself still making sure that whatever the event, those around me are content, happy, fulfilled at the end of the day.

I don't take care of the small things that will make me a much better care taker in the long run, because I harbor a sense of guilt about anything that brings me pleasure. Even when nobody is watching, I feel so incredibly guilty about pleasurable activities that I would rather sit frozen, unable to act, than get my hair done, or get a massage which would help my fibromyalgia. That guilt is based in some old stuff, baggage that is not even mine, and I intend to give it back and move on.

My quiz results got me wondering how many of you neglect yourselves in this area, and how it affects you? I can see how it extends to my relationships, but that's for another time. Right now I have to go take care of some things. But I want to bless somebody through a giveaway. Maybe it will be you.

All you have to do is enter for the chance to win a copy of 

the Sacred Pampering Principles

a Rafflecopter giveaway



Debrena Gandy is a motivational author, speaker and performance coach, among many other things. Visit her on facebook  if you'd like to know more.