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Share These 15 Quotes on Thankfulness with Your Kids

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To be thankful means to appreciate the things or people in your life, as many quotes on thankfulness explain. It also means to show a positive response when someone does something nice for you, helps you, or gives you something. Showing thankfulness does not come naturally for everyone, and it is something that has to be learned and practiced.

When it comes to your kids, it is good to remember that thankfulness is a learned trait. Children often do not understand things until they are explained and taught to them. So, while you are gaining inspiration from these quotes on thankfulness, you should share them with your kids, too.

Sharing these quotes on thankfulness with your kids will help both of you remember them better. Plus, you will be giving your kids a new perspective on thankfulness, which can help them better understand.

The next time you or one of your kids is struggling with being thankful, you can remind one another of these quotes on thankfulness. They will give inspiration and remind you of all the great things you already have in your life.

Fifteen Quotes on Thankfulness to Share with Your Kids

pop meme1. “It isn’t what you have in your pocket that makes you thankful, but what you have in your heart.” – Unknown

No matter what you have, you must have a thankful heart. Without a thankful heart, you will never be happy with what you have. With a thankful heart, however, you will be happy with anything you have, even if it is not a lot.

2. “When you arise in the morning, give thanks for the food and for the joy of living. If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies only in yourself.” – Tecumseh

There is always something in your life to be thankful for. The food you have and the blessing of waking up each day are enough.

If you cannot be thankful, remember that it is because of your heart and mind. No one and nothing else can make you happy or thankful, because it is entirely up to you.

3. “This a wonderful day. I’ve never seen this one before.” – Maya Angelou

Each new day is a blessing, as Angelou points out. It is a chance to start new, and it is a clean slate for a better day to come.

If you can think this way when you wake up, thankfulness will not be an issue. Share this quote with your kids so they know something as simple as a new day is worthy of gratitude.

4. “For me, every hour is grace. And I feel gratitude in my heart each time I can meet someone and look at his or her smile.” – Elie Wiesel

Each moment of your life is a blessing. So, be grateful for every smile you receive from a friend, loved one, or stranger. You will learn to have a thankful heart if you do this, and you will always have a reason to be happy.

5. “Silent gratitude isn’t very much use to anyone.” – Gertrude Stein

If you are grateful for someone or something, you must show it or tell them. By keeping it to yourself, no one will know that you are grateful. Make sure you show thanks and gratitude always.

6. “It’s a funny thing about life, once you begin to take note of the things you are grateful for, you begin to lose sight of the things that you lack.” – Germany Kent

When you feel your mind and heart with things you are grateful for, your life will change. You will no longer fixate on the things you do not have.

As you go through your day, notice all of the things in your life that are great. Plus, if you teach your kids this, as well, you can work together to point out things to be thankful for.

7. “Gratitude and attitude are not challenges; they are choices.” – Robert Braathe

You can be thankful and have a positive attitude no matter what you encounter. These are not problems to overcome, as Braathe explains, but instead, they are choices. If you simply choose to show gratitude, it will happen.

pop meme8. “We must find time to stop and thank the people who make a difference in our lives.” – John F. Kennedy

Telling and showing people when you are thankful for them is essential. Make sure to always make the time in your day to thank people so that they know how much they mean to you. They will feel good about it and you will, too.

9. “Be thankful for what you have, you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.” – Oprah Winfrey

When you are thankful for what you already have, you will seem to gain more. Each day, you will encounter something new to be thankful for when you live this way.

On the other hand, if you always focus on what you do not have, you will never feel satisfied. The sooner you discover this secret of life, the easier it will be to live with a grateful heart. Make sure to share this quote on thankfulness with your kids so that they can get started right away.

10. “Thanks for this day, for all birds safe in their nests, for whatever this is, for life.” – Barbara Kingsolver

You can be thankful for any part of your day, even the seemingly normal and simple things. From the birds and other animals, to simply having a new day to look forward to, you can find something. Teach your kids to find little things to show gratitude for.

11. “The heart that gives thanks is a happy one, for we cannot feel thankful and unhappy at the same time.” – Douglas Wood

Without being thankful for what you have, you will not ever be happy. If you choose to have a thankful heart, though, you will live happily. As Wood explains, you will not be unhappy if you are feeling thankful.

12. “Piglet noticed that even though he had a very small heart, it could hold a rather large amount of gratitude.” – A.A. Milne

This is one of the best quotes on thankfulness to share with your kids because it comes from a children’s book. No matter how small you feel, you can have just as much thankfulness as anyone else. If you can stop feeling like you are lacking, you will see just how much you have.

13. “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words but to live by them.” – John F. Kennedy

Simply saying that you are thankful is not enough. You also have to act on that gratitude and show people that you are grateful. Spend time with them, do kind things, and show them how you feel.

14. “Do not indulge in dreams of having what you have not, but reckon up the chief of the blessings you do possess, and then thankfully remember how you would crave for them if they were not yours.” – Marcus Aurelius

If you find yourself wishing for things you do not have, change your thinking process. Instead, think of the things you have such as the roof over your head, the food you eat, or the people in your life. Then, imagine your life without these things.

When you do this, you will see just how many great things you have in your life. It will give you an entirely new perspective. The things you would hate to not have are the things you should be most thankful for.

15. “It’s not so much what we have in this life that matters. It’s what we do with what we have.” – Fred Rogers

As Mr. Rogers explains, it does not matter how much or what you have. If you can utilize what you have and make the most of it, you will be happy. Focus only on what you have and you will never need more.

quotes on thankfulnessFinal Thoughts on Quotes on Thankfulness to Share with Your Kids

Being thankful is an important quality to have, and an important one to teach your kids. It will lead to living a happier life and will prevent you from constantly feeling like you are lacking something. You will learn to appreciate what you already have.

When you teach this quality to your kids, it will help them grow up with an appreciative mind. Plus, it will prevent them from becoming sad or envious when they see other kids with things they do not have. It will also help prevent tantrums and whining when you have to tell them ‘no’.

These quotes on thankfulness are great ones to share with your kids. It will help them understand what it means to be thankful and why it is important. These quotes on thankfulness will also help you remember to always be thankful.

10 Keto Diet Mistakes That Can Sabotage Your Weight Loss

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Many people are shocked to learn that the keto diet has been around since the 1920s. While the term keto wasn’t coined until the past decade, many low carbohydrate diet variations were used to treat epilepsy since the 20th century. People are reporting dropping weight with ease while following this eating plan, but there are some keto diet mistakes that you must be wary of.

The basic principle behind a low carbohydrate diet is that you must eat fewer complex carbs and more protein and healthy fats. The problem is that keto is much different from Atkins and other low carb plans as it’s more restrictive. Many variations have made the dieting plan more livable, such as clean and dirty varieties. However, there are many pros and cons to this eating plan.

Wanna Liv features 20 success stories of people that made the keto diet work for them. One lady, Ileka, was over 300 pounds. She had tried every diet out there, and still, her weight was at dangerous levels. When Ileka started the keto diet, she dropped 40 pounds in a couple of months, seemingly unheard of.

She went on to lose more than 120 pounds. She is just one of many fantastic weight loss stories that give people the gusto they need to start this way of living. Sadly, not everyone loses weight on this plan, as many keto diet mistakes thwart weight loss.

Keto Dieting Mistakes

The keto plan is beneficial if you follow the basic guidelines. If you’ve found that you’re not losing the weight you want, or your weight loss has stalled, then maybe you’re having issues with the most common keto diet mistakes. Here are the most common blunders that can easily be fixed to jump start your weight loss.

keto diet mistakesMistake #1 – Indulging on Too Many Sweets

Whether you love to bake keto delights or buy them in the store, you should know that they still have calories and fat in them that you must consider. Sure, the box’s front seems appealing because it states that they only have a net of 2-5 carbs, but have you looked at the calorie content on these treats?

No dieting plan will allow you to snack off and on throughout the day on sweet treats. If you have a sweet tooth, you need to get it under control. You can sabotage your diet by piling on the desserts, even if they are lower in carbs.

Mistake #2 – Not Exercising

The best way to lose weight and keep it off is not only to develop a good eating plan, but you need a good exercise plan too. There is no magic diet that will make weight melt away without any work. Exercise helps to burn calories and fat, which is why it’s essential for healthy eating.

Mistake #3 – Eating Too Many Calories

So whether you’re doing a vegan lifestyle, Mediterranean diet, or the keto plan, you must count calories. One of the biggest keto diet mistakes is that people don’t count their macronutrients. You must use an app or write down your carbs, fat, sugars, protein, and other vitamin levels. You will be surprised how much you’re eating when you really start keeping track.

Mistake #4 – Not Reading Labels

Do you always go by the net carb wording on the front of the box? You may be surprised to know that those advertising gimmicks don’t always tell the real story. Most of the keto diet bars and drinks use sugar alcohols for sweeteners.

While a little bit of these artificial sweeteners can’t hurt you, the overabundance can be too much. Additionally, those with diabetes respond differently to some of these alternative sweeteners, and it can raise your glucose levels. Always read the labels and see what is being used in the products you buy, as some of the carb counts are high if you’re not going on net carbs alone.

Mistake #5 – Snacking Constantly

If you watch the famous show My 600 Pound Life on TLC, you might have heard Dr. Nowzarden telling his patients that you need to eat a 1,200 calorie a day, low carbohydrate, high protein diet. His diet plan shows that you cannot eat whatever you want and still expect to lose weight.

Now, 1,200 calories is a bit low for someone who wants to make this a long term eating plan, but the key is that you can’t eat 3,000 calories a day and still lose weight. Plan your meals, and make sure you consider all your macronutrients. When you snack all day long, you will eat way more calories than you should for any diet plan, even if they’re keto snacks.

Mistake #6 – Neglecting Protein Intake

BRAT dietOne of the biggest keto diet mistakes is that people make it interchangeable with Atkin’s diet. While the principles are the same, the methods are different. You can’t eat as much protein as you want on the keto diet, nor can you avoid it altogether. This is certainly not a plan for those who don’t want to eat meat.

Your protein must be balanced with fats and nutrients to be successful. Eating hamburgers, bacon, pork chops, and sausage all day long is better than sweets, but the overabundance isn’t going to help with weight loss.

Mistake #7 – Not Getting Enough Fat

Your body needs healthy fats to give you energy and protect your vital organs. It’s also essential to keep your blood pressure and cholesterol checked and helped the body absorb essential nutrients.

To do the keto diet correctly, you must erase the old thought process that states fat is bad for you. Fats like coconut, olive oil, palm oil, and sunflower are right for you. Avoid fats that come in the form of vegetable or corn oil. Please stay away from saturated or trans fats as they are the ones that will clog your arteries.

Mistake #8 – Relying on Fast Food

If you’re not meal prepping, then you’re making a huge mistake. Relying on fast food for a quick keto meal only works in a pinch. You shouldn’t make fast food your eating plan because of the hidden carbs and fats.

Did you know that many of these burger joints use sugar in their burgers, chili, and other seemingly keto-friendly foods? Asking them to remove the bun is a good start, but it’s not going to take the place of eating at home. Unless the restaurant has a specific item that is keto-friendly, you need to investigate the ingredients.

Also, it’s easy to think that you can have two double cheeseburgers minus the buns and be within a safe range for your diet. However, think about all the calories you’re consuming. A double cheeseburger has around 500 calories, and two of them would be 1,000 calories.

Now, how can you eat all that and still expect to lose weight? Sometimes, taking the bun off won’t help you. Another consideration is ketchup. Did you know that ketchup has as much sugar as a donut? It’s a scary thought, but you need to watch what you’re putting on your sandwiches too.

Mistake #9 – Not Having Sufficient Water Intake

Are you drinking enough water? You still need sufficient water intake to help flush the fats from your body. If you’re not drinking at least six eight-ounce glasses each day, then you’re dehydrating your body of what it needs.

Sure, nothing tastes as good as a diet soda or that bulletproof coffee, but you need H2O to help your body’s processes. All weight loss plans and healthy living guidelines require you to drink good, cold water.

Mistake #10 – Lack of Vitamins and Minerals

You must have a colorful array of foods to help support your vitamin and minerals levels. You can’t live on meat alone as you need vegetables, fruits, and grains. Don’t get stuck on eating protein and cheese and forget about all the other things your body needs, like potassium.

While bananas are a good source, they are banned on the keto plan. However, you can get potassium from spinach, broccoli, and mushrooms. If you’re not getting the proper vitamin intake, you will experience muscle cramps and other issues. Taking a supplement may be necessary to keep things like the keto flu at bay.

keto diet mistakesFinal Thoughts on Keto Dieting Mistakes

There is no magic pill, drink, or diet that is going to make fat melt away. No matter what plan you choose, it’s going to require that you work hard. The keto diet has helped many people lose massive amounts of weight, but you must decide if this is a lifestyle that you can adhere to for the long haul.

People tend to put weight back on very quickly when adding foods back into their diet forbidden on this eating plan. Additionally, whether you use clean or dirty keto can significantly differentiate what you eat and how fast you lose. Many keto diet mistakes can stall your weight loss or tell you that this isn’t the diet for you.

Other plans are similar, allowing you a little more fruit and vegetable freedom, like the Mediterranean diet. Still, for quick weight loss, it seems keto is king.

Award Winning Artist Crafts Unique Pottery Work

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Eric Landon, known as Tortus on Instagram, makes beautiful pottery out of his very own studio in Copenhagen, Denmark. He discovered his love for making pottery by accident when he took an art elective in high school at the age of 16. “I tried out a couple of different hand building techniques – coiling, slab building – I really didn’t fall in love with the material until I threw it on a wheel,” Eric said. He continues and says that the whole process of making ceramics is magnificent and dynamic.

After watching him during the process of making pottery, we definitely agree! There’s something just mesmerizing and relaxing about watching someone creating ceramics in this way. It’s also interesting to hear how he comes up with the various shapes and designs for the pots.

Eric’s creative process

“My work process is relatively fast and intuitive. I have an idea based on my curiosity…what happens if I take one vessel I’ve already made and combine it with another one, or a surface I’ve never done and combine it with a shape I’ve never combined it with, and just make it.”

He says his pieces are simply sketches based on ideas that pop into his head. This creative process allows him to build upon old ideas and create something completely different. “One of the beautiful things about working with clay on the wheel is that it’s constantly surprising me with new possibilities. So, I’m motivated simply by the fact that I am just curious to see where these roads lead,” Eric says.

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According to him, taking it from just an idea in his head and realizing it immediately on the wheel doesn’t happen easily. He says most people probably think that pottery looks simple when they happen to see it on social media. Of course, the people creating the pottery make it look easy because of years of experience and dedicated practice. It takes a lot of discipline and drive to create the pottery we see in stores and online.

“It’s one of the reasons I started doing pottery in the first place – it’s difficult, it’s not easy,” Eric said. You can’t cut corners to get to a high skill level, and just like anything else, there’s no fast track to being proficient. After years of dedication and experience, though, Eric proves that anyone can achieve success if they have a passion for it. Perseverance, hard work, and discipline can take you far in life no matter what field you’re in.

 

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Eric on Instagram

When you watch Eric’s videos, he certainly makes it look easy, but looks can be deceiving! Who knew how much work and time goes into creating these masterpieces. Eric’s advice to anyone who wants to get started making pottery is to find a good course and instructor. Start with the basics of making pottery and learning the techniques, and later you can focus on creating beautiful pieces.

Eric is very popular on Instagram, where he has almost a million followers! He even created his own pottery school in Denmark, fittingly called The Tortus School. There, he offers professional pottery instruction and various membership options. If you’re interested in learning pottery and live in the area, make sure to check out his professional Instagram here.

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He also sells his own handmade, beautiful collection of ceramics. You can check out the various designs and sizes on his website.

How is pottery made?

There are various methods for making ceramics, but most potters today use an electric pottery wheel. A pottery wheel is basically a spinning round table where you place the clay to mold it. A splash pan goes around the wheel to catch the water and clay while it spins. There are various sizes available, depending on what kind of pots you want to make.

Professional ones can get pretty expensive, but you can find less costly ones if you want to practice. Many of them come with attached seats, so you know if you’re sitting at the right level. Pottery wheels can make bowls, flower pots, urns, and other types of ceramic pieces. You can also make porcelain pieces on the wheel, but these require special ovens called kilns to bake the porcelain.

Electric pottery wheels usually come with foot pedals, which cause the wheel to move at a certain speed depending on how much pressure you put on it. As the wheel moves, the potter molds the clay with his hands in the shape he wants to create. The wheel will keep turning as long as you put pressure on the foot pedal. The potter speeds up or slows down at certain points to create various shapes and indentations in pieces.

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As the potter centers the clay, he’ll have to turn the wheel fairly slowly. However, if he wants to make the piece taller, he speeds up the wheel. During all this, he also must sponge or wet the clay to keep it moist and durable. The potter may even be using certain tools to cut decorative lines in the piece, which the splash guard is for.

As you can see, the process is very intricate and difficult, not at all what it looks like in the videos! Now you know where all the bowls and flower pots you see in stores come from, and how they’re made. We have to say that we have a greater appreciation for the art of making pottery after watching Eric make them and learning about the process!

She Realized Her Strength After She Was Pushed Away

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Your partner had more strength than you realized–until you pushed her away.

You probably didn’t realize how much the break up would affect you. After all, you weren’t the one who got hurt; it was her. However, as you may now realize, a breakup affects both parties, even if it affects them in different ways.

The reason you’re reading this is that your ex seems to be doing fine without you while you’re sitting back, regretting your decision. You’re likely wondering why. You probably thought your ex would come back, begging to be with you again but instead, she’s thriving without you.

First, I want to commend you for taking the initiative to find out why. Doing so shows at least a little spark of humanity in you after all you’ve put your ex through.

However, you may not like what’s next. It will be harsh, but knowing this information could make you a better person for the next relationship. Consider this a reality check. Although we are speaking about “she” in this article, it’s never okay to mistreat others. This advice can apply to women or men equally.

Eight Reasons Why Your Partner Found Her Strength

strengthHere are eight reasons why your ex seems to be doing well without you.

1. She’s been dealing with heartbreak the whole time.

When people are heartbroken, it can be devastating. They’re flooded with emotions that can be hard to overcome. However, eventually, the person gets over these emotions and finds the strength they need to move on.

In your case, you’ve been breaking your ex’s heart all along. She has dealt with the pain of betrayal, the pain of being taken for granted, your abuse, your unkindness, and all the things you’ve done to her for so long. Now she is a pro at handling those emotions.

This doesn’t mean she doesn’t feel pain right now, but she is so used to feeling pain from you that it’s much easier for her to brush it off and focus on a better future.

In a sense, you’ve conditioned her to get along without you. You gave her the practice and strength she needed to walk away and not let her emotions get the best of her.

2. She realized how strong she was after she left you.

Women are powerful. They may reach a breaking point, but they bend just enough to get themselves to a new starting point instead of breaking. Your ex may not have known how strong she was at the moment she walked away, but once she was able to take that breath of fresh, single air, she realized her incredible tenacity for standing on her own two feet.

Your ex probably loves the person she is without you. She doesn’t have to endure the pain anymore. She can focus on herself without restrictions, and she can finally be genuinely happy. Everything you did to her helped her conquer her fears and build her strength, so now nothing is holding her back.

A strong woman won’t let anyone hold her down. She may have allowed you to do that for a long time, but now that she is sensing her strength, you can be sure that she will never allow you to do that to her again.

3. She cut you off.

Ouch. That probably stings but getting you out of her life was exactly what she needed to do better. She knows that, so she is completely cutting you out of her life.

It would help if you faced the fact that you and she are done. She is not coming back, and you’re lucky if she even communicates with you. In the words of R. Kelly, “when a woman’s fed up, there ain’t nothing you can do about it.”

In fact, it’s not uncommon for women to walk away and leave everything, not just you. She won’t care about furniture, cars, dogs, or anything else you’ve shared. She wants out and wants nothing to do with you anymore.

For you, this hurts. For her, it’s exactly what she needs. The longer she goes without communicating with you, the more strength she’ll find. The least you can do is respect her newfound peace. You owe her that much.

4. Your mistreatment helped her realize exactly what she wants in a partner.

Your ex now knows what not to accept in a relationship. More importantly, she knows what qualities she wants in a partner. This means that the next relationship she is in will probably be successful, and she’ll be happier than she ever could have been with you.

It may take her a while to get back into the dating scene. After all, she is human, and she may still be dealing with a few emotions from the failed relationship (not enough to come back to you, unfortunately). However, she is much better off now that you’ve taught her what a bad partner is.

strong woman5. She has no guilt because she gave it her all.

She may be a bit sad, but she can sleep at night, knowing that she did everything she could to save the relationship. But she has no guilt because she was an amazing partner. She gave you all her love, even when you didn’t deserve it.

When a person doesn’t feel guilty about leaving the relationship, they don’t have anything weighing on them. Your ex is as light as a feather and as free as a bird. She doesn’t have any unfinished business with you.

It’s too bad that you can’t say the same. That’s probably why you’re reading this – perhaps you have some guilt that is eating away at you. Guilt can keep you trapped in the past and can negatively affect your emotional strength. As much as you deserve to feel guilty, it would be best if you still let it go. You’ll need to work that out so you can move on also.

6. She neglected her goals for so long that she is ready to focus on them now.

Your ex put aside her goals and passions to be there for you. She kept giving and giving and giving in hopes that it would somehow be enough for you. She hoped that you would see how she supported you and that you would return the favor.

Now your ex sees how she has neglected what she wanted. Since her eyes are opened, there is no way she would go back to neglecting her own needs again. This is her time, and she won’t let you take that away from her ever again.

Now she is putting her goals and her future first. She should have been focusing on them the whole time, and you should have been supporting her. It’s too late for you to support her now, but it’s never too late for her to make herself a priority.

7. She recognizes her worth.

Finally, your ex-partner saw her value, which is why she finally decided to end things with you for good. She realized that she was too good to continue going through the crap you were putting her through. Eventually, she understood that she deserved better and that she was never going to get anything better from you.

She left you behind so she could seek out her value. She is now starting to build herself up, even if it’s slowly at first, and you don’t fit into the picture anymore. The two of you probably could have been gold together, but you wouldn’t hold up your end of the bargain.

She sank with you long enough. It’s her time to shine, and she deserves it. Without you weighing her down, she will rise to new heights that she never imagined before.

8. She honestly believes you don’t want her.

Your ex-partner probably heard criticism from friends and family repeatedly. They advised her that you don’t love her, and that’s why you mistreated her. She took up for you for so long, telling people who were close to her that they were wrong about you. So she made excuses for you, and even when that voice in her head told her that her friends and family were right, she ignored it and stayed with you anyway.

Then it happened.

She opened her eyes and saw things for what they were. Perhaps you do love her somewhere deep down inside, but for some reason, you were never going to show it. For some reason, you were incapable of loving her the way she needed to be loved.

She realized that you don’t truly want her, or perhaps you were simply incapable of loving her. Either way, she decided that she wasn’t going to live that way any longer. She realized that she is strong, beautiful, and has a lot of love to give to someone who would fully and unconditionally give it back.

You showed her that you didn’t want her, and she finally believed it.

strengthFinal Thoughts on Why Your Ex Found Her Strength and Left for Good

After reading these eight reasons your ex seems to be getting along fine without you, you’re probably wondering what you can do about it. The short answer is nothing. There is absolutely nothing you can do to change her mind.

The two of you have reached a point of no return. You broke her heart, and she is finding the strength to put it back together without you. You messed up, and maybe one day she will forgive you, but you must let the relationship go and move on.

Vow to do better next time. Think about all the reasons above that she is over you and never do those things again. Once you are ready to love again, learn from your mistakes, and treat your next partner with newfound respect.

Fitness Enthusiast Lost Half Her Body Weight and Became a Mother

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Katie Bolden, born and raised in Chicago, finally got her dream of having children after losing half her body weight. She says she and her husband had been trying to conceive for two years with no success, but everything changed once Katie lost all the weight. They conceived their first child after Katie lost 80 pounds, and the second one after she’d lost 150 pounds.

“They are the best things that have come from my journey, and I’m just so proud to be their mother. They’re both miracle babies,” she said. Katie said she’s dealt with weight issues most of her life and often got criticized for it growing up. She’s also had to deal with a few health scares, which prompted her to begin her health journey.

 

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A health scare for Katie

She started having arm and chest pains in her early 20s, and doctors diagnosed her with angina. They warned her that if she didn’t lose weight, she would likely have a heart attack in the near future. She had also been diagnosed with PCOS and optic neuritis, a vision disorder often associated with MS. Unfortunately, she also began experiencing other strange symptoms of MS, such as mobility and neurological issues.

Doctors haven’t been able to diagnose her, though, because they need evidence of two episodes of disease activity in the central nervous system. So far, they’ve only been able to find one area of damage. On top of all that, Katie had been battling depression and anxiety disorders for quite some time. After the MS scare, she felt like it had been a wake-up call and a sign to start living her life the way she really wanted to.

Fearing that one day in the future she might become disabled, Katie decided to start making big changes.

Taken from her website:

“MS is an unpredictable disease that I may or may not get diagnosed with. People who live with it won’t know what will be the actual outcome for them, but who knows what can be. After many health scares, I knew that I desperately needed to make a change in my life for various personal reasons and to finally do something in my life that makes me feel accomplished… I decided it was time to make a change for my health. One thing led to another, and here I am today, this fitness-loving health nut who loves all things health and fitness!”

 

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Katie took a complicated and unfortunate situation and turned it into something beautiful. She took charge of her life and health, deciding once and for all to become the best version of herself. She wasn’t going to let any diagnosis stop her from achieving her goals. After moving to Hawaii for a few years in her mid-20s, she fell in love with exercising and staying active.

“I mean, how could you live in a place like Hawaii and not be active?! I did everything from swimming laps in the ocean to hiking some of the most beautiful and difficult trails that led to some of the most beautiful places, including the infamous ‘Stairway to Heaven’ hike. It was one of the scariest, hardest, yet rewarding endeavors I put my body through besides giving birth! Being active makes me love life that much more! It’s also where I started running, and I must say that I terribly miss running on the beach in warm weather.”

 

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Fitness became Katie’s passion.

She has come a long way from the beginning of her journey, where just walking down the street or up the stairs gave her great difficulty. Now, she is a certified nutrition coach and an internationally published fitness blogger. She even competed in a bodybuilding competition! She says that running, weightlifting, and bodybuilding are some of her favorite types of workouts.

In order to lose weight, Katie said she “started eating smaller meals, and started eating a lot healthier.” She didn’t restrict her diet, though, choosing to include all foods in her meal plan. However, she limited junk foods and ate mostly healthy. She also got a lot of at-home workout ideas from Youtube, perfect for a busy mom. She said she worked out 4-5 days per week, even on the hard days when she wasn’t feeling it.

 

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“You need to build the discipline to rely on discipline more than motivation,” she said. “You’re gonna lose motivation. There’s gonna be days that you don’t want to do anything, and I have plenty of those days. But, that’s when discipline steps in and says ‘Hey, you gotta get this done. Just do it!’”

Her advice for anyone wanting to start their fitness journey is: “Don’t wait for a Monday. Don’t wait for next month, don’t wait for next year. Do it now! You’ll thank yourself.”

Katie’s inspiring story is a wonderful reminder that we can all do anything we set our minds to. Moms, college students, full-time employees, and everyone in between can commit to a healthy lifestyle. We all have the ability to get in the best shape of our lives and reach our goals as long as we stay consistent.

Remember, anything worth having takes a lot of hard work and dedication, but that’s part of the journey. If it came easily, it wouldn’t feel as good once you achieve what you set out to do, anyway.

Family Rescues Raccoon and Adopts Her Into Family

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While most people would probably never willingly own a raccoon, one family took in a stray as their own. Bethany and her husband Russ noticed a raccoon had fallen about 25 feet from a tree. It stood at the bottom screaming for its mom, who just stared back down from the branches above. They figured they would just leave the raccoon there and the mom would come to get her eventually.

“Well a couple hours went by, and now it’s late at night and June is covered in ants, leaves and mulch,” Bethany said. “And, she’s still screaming, and her mom’s not in the tree anymore.” So, they did what anyone in their position would do.

They took the helpless raccoon inside to warm her up, give her some fluids, and get her nice and clean. They made sure to get all the ants off her so she wouldn’t get bitten.

“The next day, we put her back outside, but her mom was never seen again. And that’s how we got June!”

 

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A rescue mission becomes more permanent.

They named her after the month she was found at the bottom of the tree. Not knowing what to do with her, they decided to just adopt her into the family. They couldn’t release her into the wild without her mom since June was so young. If they left her alone outside, she could have gotten attacked by another wild animal.

They decided that leaving her with them was the best option. Apparently, this had not been their first encounter with wild raccoons, either. They both have experience as wildlife rehabilitators, so they knew how to handle June properly.

“We raised June just like any of the other raccoons that we had raised before to encourage her to be wild, be free, and to release her,” Bethany said. “The raise and the rehab went really well, but the release part did not go well.”

June seemed to enjoy the comforts of human life far too much to go back to the harsh wilderness. They thought that after a while, she’d want to go back outside again and live like a normal raccoon. After four years, however, they still had the orphaned raccoon living in their house. At this point, they accepted her as a permanent member of the family.

 

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Then, they decided to add another furry friend to the family.

“We had June a little over a year and then we decided we wanted to get a dog for our family,” Bethany said. “We introduced Waffles, which is a Vizsla, to June.”

They seem to get along really well and even cuddle together for naps on the couch. They hardly even seem to notice their differences, and just act like best animal friends.

 

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“June and Waffles like to wrestle and play together – they’re always getting into mischief, and it’s really funny. They work together, and they tag team so they’re double trouble. I really think that June thinks she’s a person, and Waffles thinks she’s a raccoon,” Bethany says.

No matter how they see themselves, they love each other unconditionally and make a perfect team. They hang out all the time and never seem to want to leave one another’s side.

Of course, Bethany says that they would have preferred to release June into the wild if possible. They know that raccoons need a life in the wild to thrive, but in this case, they saw no other option.

“If she had been able to be raised with other raccoons, June would not be here now. She would be out in the wild, but that didn’t work out that way.”

 

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Raising a raccoon is not for everyone!

Bethany loves having June as a pet, but she cautions others who may want to adopt a raccoon. She says that raising a raccoon comes with a lot of challenges, and doesn’t recommend people raise them.

“I do not advocate that people have raccoons as pets unless you know what you’re doing and you have time to devote,” she says. “So just make sure you know what you’re getting into. The best option is to give it to a certified wildlife rehabilitator.”

After a few years of spreading the story about June & Waffles, Bethany and Russ wanted to make more of a difference somehow. They decided to partner with animal rescue organizations to spread the word about animal rescue. They now have a shop with mugs, shirts, and other items decorated with pictures of Waffles and June. Visit the Shop for a Cause page if you want to check out their shop and how they give back.

If you know of a shelter or organization in need, you can send them an email to nominate them for donations. Remember, every little bit counts!

Do you or someone you know have a pet raccoon? If so, we’d love to see pictures or hear more about it in the comments!

10 Ways to Decrease Neck and Shoulder Pain at Home

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Everyone experiences neck and shoulder pain once in a while. Stress, lack of exercise, and poor posture all add up, leaving you with stiff, tense muscles. Fortunately, there are things at home you can do to reduce your discomfort. Check out this list of ten simple things to help decrease your neck and shoulder pain. If these do not cease your pain you should consult a shoulder pain care specialist for additional treatment.

What is inflammation?

Inflammation is your body’s way of letting you know there is a problem. It signals your immune system that it needs to start fighting off an infection or heal an injury.  The beginning of pain is always inflammation. It doesn’t matter whether your pain is sharp, achy, dull, burning, stabbing, or tingling, all pain comes from inflammation.

The best way to reduce your neck and shoulder pain is to figure out:

  1. What’s causing the injury to your neck and shoulders
  2. How to reduce the inflammation associated with that injury

10 best ways to decrease your neck and shoulder pain at home

1 – Yoga

Yoga emphasizes relaxation techniques based on mind-body workouts. It can help ease the stress and tension in your muscles using stretching and strengthening poses. Practicing yoga is a great way to decrease your existing neck pain plus relieve the stress in your mind so you can relax.

3 – Stretching exercises

Like yoga, stretching helps ease the stiffness and pain in your neck and shoulder muscles. Stretching takes minutes, but you’ll experience the benefits last for hours. Here are three basic stretches you can do at home. Try these stretches a couple of times a day to maximize the benefits.

 Shoulder and neck rolls

Sit down on the floor with your hands on your knees. Be sure you’re sitting straight with relaxed shoulders. Lower your chin to your chest, then gently roll your head to the right until your ear is touching your shoulder. Then with one hand reach over your head and gently stretch. Then with your other hand gently push your shoulder in the other direction.

Crossbody stretch

Stand straight and gently place your arm across your body until there is gentle stretching. Use your other arm to support this arm. Hold for a minute, breathing full deep breaths and exhaling them. Then switch arms and do the same thing.

Forward bend stretch

Sit on the floor, legs stretched out straight in front of you. Slowly bend forward and fold your body toward your legs until you can hold your heels in the palm of your hand. Your chest should touch your knees or at least get pretty close. Gently lower your chin so it is tucked to your chest. Count to three and slowly move back into your original position.

3 – Rest

Rest presents a unique challenge for many people. It’s difficult to stop in the middle of your busy schedule to rest. But,  rest can be a simple, but effective way to ease your neck and shoulder pain.

Bed rest

If the pain in your neck and shoulders is unbearable, try total bed rest for a day or two. Be sure you keep the natural curve of your spin while in bed with your neck in a comfortable position. If you’re on your back, put a pillow under your knees to reduce strain off your back. Don’t watch television or read with your head propped up, instead sit up or rest on several pillows so your shoulders and neck feel relaxed.

 Daily rest

If you can’t afford the time for complete bed rest, try taking a break every afternoon from your work and other activities for a 20 minute rest time. You can sit on a sofa with your feet propped up or lay down in your bed, whichever one works best for you to just relax your neck and shoulders. Don’t answer your phone or look at emails. Just concentrate on relaxing. If it helps you, listen to quiet music or drink a cup of herbal tea. Before you know it, you’ll feel more relaxed with less pain.

4 – Ice

Icing your shoulder and neck may help relieve pain. Try icing these areas for 20 minutes every few hours during the first few days of the injury. Ice will relieve the pain plus help the muscles around the area to relax to reduce tightness.

5 – Heat

Like ice, heat is an effective natural pain reliever. The warmth stimulates blood flow and loosens your tight muscles. Try using these different heat therapies for several weeks to see if it works at relieving your neck and shoulder pain.

  • Hot towel wrapped on your neck and shoulders (be sure it’s not too hot)
  • Heating pad (place on the painful area for 20” every hour)
  • Sauna or hot tub (stay in the warmth for at least 20 minutes)
  • Warm bath with Epsom salts (Soak in the tub for 15 to 20 minutes)

6 – Anti-inflammatory diet

If you feel like you’re always fighting neck and shoulder pain, it could be that you have an inflammatory problem. Food is a powerful anti-inflammatory remedy. Studies show that eating foods like those found in a Mediterranean diet can ease the pain of rheumatoid arthritis symptoms. Eating a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, and oily fish is healthier than eating processed foods and refined grains. Even a small change to your diet helps reduce inflammation.

An anti-inflammatory diet relaxes your immune systems’ response, giving your body a break from inflammation. There are some foods that increase inflammation in your body.

Inflammatory foods to avoid:

  • Soda and sugar-based drinks (even some seltzers have sugar)
  • Fried foods
  • Refined carbohydrates like white rice and bread, and baked goods
  • Red meat and processed meats
  • Lard, shortening, and margarine
  • Gluten causes inflammation in some people
  • Alcohol

Anti-inflammatory foods to add to your diet:

  • Tomatoes: These are nightshade plants but don’t cause inflammation
  • Extra virgin olive oil: be sure to buy a good quality olive oil
  • Fatty fish: salmon, mackerel, sardines
  • Nuts and seeds
  • Blueberries
  • Oatmeal: be sure it’s raw
  • Ginger
  • Green tea
  • Dark chocolate
  • Turmeric
  • Red beets
  • Black beans

shoulder pain7 – Hydrate

Did you know that staying hydrated avoids inflammation? Drinking lots of water builds up your synovial fluid, or sometimes called joint fluid, in between your joints. The fluid in your joints cushions the ends of your bones so there is less friction. Proper hydration reduces inflammation by keeping your shock-absorber cartilage working well.

8 – Massage

Getting a massage is just what the doctor ordered for your painful muscles around your neck and shoulders. Massage is rubbing, pressing, and manipulating the muscles, tendons, and ligaments. There are different types of massage, including

  • Swedish massage: This gentle massage uses longer kneading strokes and deep circular movements to relax.
  • Deep massage: This technique is slower and more forceful to get to the deeper layers of your muscles and tissue.
  • Sports massage: Similar to a Swedish massage, but it’s used for people who are in sports to treat and prevent injuries.
  • Trigger point massage: This type of massage works on tight muscle fibers that build up in your muscles in overworked or injured areas.

Always go to a trained massage therapist. You can end up in more pain if the person isn’t trained correctly. Schedule a massage once a week until you are pain-free, then continue with maintenance massages to prevent pain from returning.

9 – Correct your posture

Your mom knew best when she told you to stand up straight. Correct posture rectifies neck and muscle pain. Slouching or bending forward puts undue strain on your neck and shoulders. Check yourself in the mirror to see if you are standing correctly. You’ll be surprised how easy it is to develop bad posture habits.  Ask your family or a friend to tell you when you slouch or ask your mom, she’ll tell you.

10 – Limit computer screen time

Get up and walk around your house for a few minutes. Do a couple of stretches or go outside for a brisk walk around the block. Breaking up your computer time gives your muscles a break so they can rest and recoup. You may need to change your workspace to find a new desk or chair. Standing desks have grown in popularity because they help alleviate shoulders and neck pain, and they’re healthier for you than sitting all day. Ergonomic desk chairs are built to reduce the strain on your neck or shoulders.

shoulder painFinal Thoughts: What if your neck and shoulder pain don’t get better?

So what happens if you try to improve your neck and shoulder pain at home with little improvement? Here are two next steps.

See a chiropractor

Chiropractors manipulate your back so your spine is in proper alignment. These manipulations stimulate blood flow and release tension in your muscles and nerve areas.  Once your spine is in alignment, it improves your body’s function and your spine’s motion. A trained chiropractor can find ways to adjust your neck and shoulders to release the pain and tension in those areas.

Physical therapist

A physical therapist will work to improve areas of weakness or stiffness around your neck and shoulders, which could be causing pain. They’ll treat the areas with low impact exercise, strengthening exercises, and pain relief exercises. They usually give you homework: exercises and stretches for you to do at home. Physical therapists’ strength is getting to the source of your pain.

Neck and shoulder pain are distractions that interrupt your life. Finding natural home remedies to prevent and treat your neck and shoulder pain is best. Hopefully, these 10 suggestions will help decrease your neck and shoulder pain to help you get back to feeling your best and being your healthiest.

15 Ways to Build Rapport and Gain Someone’s Trust

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Whether in the personal or professional world, you’re only as good as your word. People must see you as trustworthy and honest so that you create a name for yourself. If people don’t trust you, then it’s harder to get even the smallest things accomplished. But first, you must earn trust by building rapport when you meet someone new.

There are many benefits to having an excellent rapport with people. First, when you are trustworthy, you are influential. You become a person of authority who others know they can come to for advice. Since you give valuable information, your friends and colleagues can open up to you about their needs.

In the business world, people want to do their dealings with authoritative individuals in their arena. Can you imagine doing business with someone you don’t trust? Would you ever want to give them a credit card or your home address?

The benefits of trust are hard to deny, but once you build that rapport, you can use that as a foundation to build good relationships.

Fifteen Ways to Build Rapport When You Meet New People

Do you need help building rapport with people? Perhaps you struggle in the business world to make the connections you need to be successful. Whether in your personal life or your career, you need to learn effective ways to enhance your relationship with others so that you’re not only seen as trustworthy but a well-liked person. Here are 15 ways that you can build this connection.

rapport1. Listen Attentively to Others

It would help if you always listened more than you speak. To be an effective communicator, you need to make sure you catch every word from the other party. Never talk over people, cut them off in mid-sentence, or try to act like your thoughts or feelings are superior to theirs.

It’s also beneficial that you remember previous conversations as it looks good when you talk in the future. Folks like people that remember things like the names of their children or pets. When you state things talked about in previous conversations, it shows others that you were listening attentively.

2. Be Responsive to Calls, Emails, and Texts

How many times have you called or texted someone only to have your efforts ignored? When someone is trying to reach you, you should always respond within 24 hours at the most.

It’s incredibly offensive when others can see that you have read their message and haven’t taken the time to respond. Sure, you’re busy, but people make time for the things that are important to them.

3. Never Exaggerate or Embellish

There’s nothing worse than someone who exaggerates. You can use exaggerations on your wealth, knowledge, or material possessions. Have you ever been around someone that always has something better or knows more than you?

It isn’t enjoyable to deal with people who seemingly always have the upper hand. Don’t try to be something that you’re not. Be real with others, and don’t be afraid to let them have the upper hand.

An exaggeration is the same as a white lie, and people don’t like to conduct business or develop friendships with those who aren’t 100 percent truthful.

4. Transparency Is Key

There’s nothing worse than someone who isn’t transparent. Have you ever done business with a company that has tried to hide charges? Think of your last trip to a car lot to purchase a vehicle. They have all sorts of fees they add to the purchase price, which only drives up the cost.

How do you feel when you leave the office knowing that the vehicle you thought was going to cost $20,000 has now inflated to a whopping $29,000? All the service fees and taxes made the car cost quite a bit more. Now, use this analogy when it comes to your business and association with others.

Ensure everything is out in the open, and there are no hidden things you’re withholding. When it comes to relationships, make sure there’s nothing pertinent that you’re not saying. Sure, it doesn’t mean that you must tell all your secrets, but each relationship needs to have a certain amount of transparency.

5. Don’t Use A “Fake” Voice

You don’t need to be anything other than yourself to win people over. Don’t patronize them with a fakely sweet voice. Also, avoid using words like sweetie, honey, or baby either.

Have you ever talked to someone on the phone who seemed so fake because you know that they don’t speak that way? Try to use your real voice and don’t “put on the dog” when communicating with others. Sometimes, the patronizing tones or baby doll shop talk is just over the top.

6. Show Compassion

Do you see yourself as a compassionate person? If it helps you, try visualizing yourself in someone else’s shoes for a moment. If something terrible happens to a person you care about, you can better express your sympathy when you see how they view things.

An employee may not be able to make it to work because their dog died, and no policy allows for such time off. However, realize that the dog was like a child because she couldn’t have any children. When you look at things through others’ eyes, it will make you more compassionate and a better person.

7. Empathize

When you are empathetic, you take sympathy to a new level by absorbing emotions. People will trust you more and deem you a better person when you understand them and their position in life.

confident8. Don’t Be Afraid to Be Vulnerable

Did you know that when you open up to others that it builds trust? It’s okay to show your human side as it helps you to connect on a different level. Your vulnerability will be endearing to others as it shows that you’re on equal playing fields.

People don’t want to spend their time with those who always act like they’re above and beneath them.

9. Don’t Name Drop

Don’t try to build rapport by dropping names, as it will be a big turn-off to others. Some feel that using the name-dropping technique is a way to enhance your abilities. You want them to like you for who you are and not the people you know.

It doesn’t matter who you’ve met or rubbed shoulders with during your lifetime; it’s about how you act with the folks you encounter each day.

10. Own Up to Your Mistakes

Everyone makes mistakes in life, but the key is that you should learn from them to do the same thing again. Have you ever driven through a fast-food restaurant only to see that the order was wrong when you got home? If you call, do they own their mistake and replace the item, or do they try to act like the error was on you?

If the company were eager to make things right, you wouldn’t hesitate to go back again. When you admit you failed and tried to fix it, then people will trust you more.

11. Keep Secrets

If someone tells you something in confidence, do you tell others or protect their secret with your life? If you want to build rapport with people, they need to know that they can count on you. Plus, some gossip can violate both moral and ethical standards, so you want to make sure people can trust you.

12. Don’t Show Off

No one likes a showoff. Do you try to self-promote constantly? People who tend to show off often only care about their success and not those around them. Constant self-promotion will build more resentment than anything else.

13. Never Lie Or Manipulate Others

If you must lie or manipulate others to get ahead in life, you won’t build trust. You could destroy any reputation that you have. Manipulative people are selfish and only have their agenda in mind. How can you make a business or personal relationship with someone when you use such narcissistic tactics?

Plus, no one likes to be friends with a liar because you can’t trust their word. You want to be a person of integrity and openness whom all can trust.

14. Stop Trying Too Hard

People can tell when you’re not truthful to them. Have you ever talked to someone so nice that their words seemed to drip like honey from their mouth? You probably immediately picked up on their fakeness, and others will pick up when you’re fake too.

15. Consistency Is Key

Are you steadfast in your ways, or do you seem to waver with the shifting winds? People want to be associated with those that are consistent in their views. Today, your stance on certain subjects should also be your position tomorrow. Be as grounded as a tree standing by the water.

rapportFinal Thoughts On Building Rapport

Whether you are a vendor, an executive, a schoolteacher, or a parent, understanding how to build rapport is crucial to your accomplishments.

While your everyday exchanges won’t be so serious, you can use the methods to understand how to become successful in your life approach. People want to be associated with those who are trustworthy and listen to them more than talk. Building rapport is easy once you learn that it’s more about others than yourself, and you can use these skills both professionally and personally.

Chihuahua and Giant Mastiff Become the Best of Friends

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Who knew that a giant 155-pound mastiff and a tiny 7-pound chihuahua would get along so well. Huey the mastiff and Bella the chihuahua mix, both rescues, have become an inseparable brother and sister duo. Their owner, Tara Rex, says all of her dogs she’s owned have been rescues.

“We’ve had a German Shepherd in the past, a Saint Bernard in the past, a Newfoundland. So, all pretty big dogs. And then we got Huey and he was with a foster family that was in our neighborhood,” she said. “My girlfriend saw him on a post and said ‘You need to go take a look at this dog.’”

When they met him, they immediately fell in love and decided to bring him home to see how he’d fit in with the family. They decided to adopt Huey after seeing how well he got along with everyone. Now, he’s become a member of the pack, and they couldn’t imagine life without him.

An unlikely friendship

Tara says that when they go for walks, Huey loves playing in sprinklers. When he sees one, he’ll run through it and drink some of the water, “just like a kid would in the sprinklers.” Bella was a little more apprehensive at first, just watching her brother from the sidelines. Once she saw how much fun he had, though, she decided to join in too.

Tara said when they adopted Bella, she only weighed three pounds, just like a tiny baby. Being so little, they wondered how she’d get along with her much bigger brother.

“When we brought her home, Huey wasn’t quite sure what to make of this little rat-looking thing that was running around,” she said, laughing. “He was standing up, looking at her running around and just trying to put the puzzle pieces together in his mind, I think.”

Tara says she’s pleased and lucky to have such wonderful dogs and to be able to share their heartwarming story with everyone.

“Especially in times like these when people are just looking for a glimmer of good and sweetness, compassion and love. The whole story is kind of all that together,” she said.

When Bella and Huey aren’t chasing each other around the house or getting into other escapades, they like to cuddle together for naps. Huey sometimes gets annoyed at his hyper, energetic sister, but his more laid-back energy helps balance it out.

Perhaps that’s why they get along so well; not only are they polar opposites in size but in temperaments, too.

These two really are the best of pals, and their family couldn’t be happier with how close they are. If you look on their Instagram page, you can see plenty of videos of them getting into shenanigans or lounging around together. Many times, their hang out sessions look something like this, where Huey just waits for his sister to settle down:

 

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When they’ve worn themselves out after a long day of playing, you can find them cuddled up on the couch:

 

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Or, they like to play a nice, old-fashioned game of chase around the living room:

 

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They don’t just limit the chasing and running around to the living room, though. In fact, outside works much better, especially for Bella with all her pent-up energy!

 

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It’s in the DNA

In case you were wondering, Bella is a mix of Chihuahua, Pug, Bolognese, Mini Poodle, and Nordic Spitz. Tara wanted to order a dog DNA test for her and was surprised to find no beagle, basset hound, or Jack Russell terrier in the results. Either way, she’s pretty adorable, especially in this picture:

 

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Bella and Huey are the perfect examples of a beautiful story that can unfold when you decide to adopt instead of shop. Plenty of dogs out on the streets or in shelters need homes, so if you want a dog, consider adoption first. If you go to a pound, they will have all their necessary shots, so you don’t have to worry about getting them up to date. Dogs can add so much love and friendship into our lives, and they need our love, too.

If you have space and resources to adopt two rescues as Tara did, even better! Who knows, they may end up becoming the best of friends as Huey and Bella have. Of course, if you get a dog as big as Huey, you’ll want to make sure you have plenty of room (and dog food). Although giant dogs tend to act a bit lazy due to their size, so you really just need a couch or oversized bed for them.

Do you have dogs that act like best friends? If so, share pictures with us in the comments!

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