IDEA #11 Read a book

hee hee - this photo of my sons when they were younger makes me laugh every time I see it.  They had just climbed out of the pool and stole my chair and my magazine I had been reading!

Back to my point - a relaxing read is the idea. a full book cover to cover.
Here are the rules:  Nothing work-related, or if you're a student, nothing academic. No, this time you are going to read for the PURE ENJOYMENT of just a good read. I heard all you intellectuals and workaholics groan. What IS allowed for this challenge is the following: anything INSPIRING and or Humorous. If you prefer fiction, go for classic literature. Maybe a summer theme. ( Moby Dick, perhaps? haha)   Or if you're into non-fiction try something new to inspire you.  This is meant to take your mind on a mental vacation from stress. Refreshment for the mind and soul ;)  

IDEA #10 Start a [water] fight

Choose your target carefully, wait patiently and then BAM!  ya smoke some poor unsuspecting fool  person with a fully loaded water gun, or a hailstorm of water-balloons,.   Hopefully your victim  target has a good sense of humor.  Since this is all just in good fun anyways, in all fairness it would be good sportsmanship to give the poor soggy soul a chance to collect their wits about them before you continue. Now is your chance to run away while they dash for the garden hose..... 
  Happy splashing! 
 

IDEA #9 Sleep Under the Stars

Air out the tent and set it up in the yard.  Choose a clear night and leave the fly off the top so you can watch the stars as you drift off into dreamland under a diamond sky.  For the truly brave, skip the tent altogether and just lay there in your sleeping bag under the open sky.  As kids we used to sleep outside on my friends' large trampoline.  One had to be careful how one moved about in order to avoid mid-air collisions with other sleepers due to both bounce and slippery nylon-covered sleeping bags! 
It's an awesome experience you shouldn't miss. I would also recommend it whenever a predicted meteor shower is going to happen - try to see how many shooting stars you can wish on!   
Just don't forget to turn off the timer on your irrigation sprinklers or you'll have a rather unforgettable experience when they come on at some ungodly hour in the wee hours of the morning!   ;) 

Idea #8 - Play With Fire ....

SING IWTH ME ..."Hot Dogs .... Roasting ..... On An Open Fire ...."
 
The season is upon us! Whether it's holding roasting sticks over a  simple campfire on the beach with the kids, or a BBQ in the backyard with all your friends and neighbors, throw a smokie or two over the flames and enjoy the simplicity of easy summertime mealtime entertaining! 

Idea #7 Run Through the Sprinkler

(photo credit: from google images) 

Remember what it was like to be six years old and the irresistible urge to run through a sprinkler was just too much to bear?  You'd take off across the lawn, hardly slowing down at all to remove shoes, socks, etc as you raced to be the first one through to the other side - sometimes clothes and all. It was like a free waterpark.  Welcome to Your Friendly Neighborhood Geyser - perfectly timed streams of water shooting upward and outward - ,just minus the scalding hot water of course  ;)  You and your friends and siblings ran through until your legs ached and your lips turned purple and your shivering reached the uncontrollable stage. Or once the neighbors came out and told everyone to stop running around on their lawn! hahaha

It's one of those memories that reminds you that childhood was both fun and flleeting. One of those things that you just HAVE to do again. Relive your childhood, remember what it was like to have simple clean summer FUN and the only thing you were responsible for was to make sure you didnt track all that water into the house.  

So here's the challenge,(this coming from someone who can;t even resist driving through a good sized puddle in the road.): throw caution to the wind, and allow yourself this one tiny adventure back into childhood.  

You're older and (hopefully) wiser now,  so just don't let the neighbors catch you in their yard this time!    

( my little dudes - at an actual waterpark)

   

Idea #6 CONQUER A MOUNTAIN

(photo credit - from Google images)

I firmly believe that EVERYONE at some point in their life should experience the thrill of climbing a mountain. whether it be by lengthy painstaking hike, or the heart-pounding adrenaline rush of scaling the face of sheer drop cliffs in a harness.  Whatever your stomach can handle.  When you reach the top, sweating and gasping to catch your breath,  it immediately gets taken away again as you realize in awe the significance of your accomplishment.

 You LITEALLY just conquered the mountain in your path. The pure undiluted exhileration shoots your emotions to cloud nine and you feel like a million bucks. And why shouldn't you?   After all, you just pushed your body beyond the limits of what you thought you were capable of. When your mind wanted to quit, your indomitable spirit wouldn't let it. When your muscles ached and threatened to give up, you rebelled and pushed them harder. When you feared you just might not be able make it, you did anyways. You conquered your fears and your own prejudiced limitations and proved to yourself that you are stronger than you ever thought, both physically AND mentally.

(yep, that's my incredible husband right there folks! He makes it look easy - the sign of a pro climber!)
Sorry, I got a little distracted there ( but hey, can you blame me? Look at him!)
Back to my original point, Climbing. Conquering your limitations and fears. Accomplishing something so tangible, so simply REAL is like a jumpstart for your very  soul.
You will find yourself "standing on top of the world",  with the newfound confidence that you really can accomplish anything you set your mind to.

Gather your courage, and go get 'er done!

Idea #4 - DeClutter For a Cause



 

Admit it.

You KNOW you have to clean out your closet at some point. It's the nagging thought at the back of your mind, the permanent point on your To Do list that never seems to get crossed off,  the culprit behind the mad dash around the bedroom every morning because you can't seem to find anything suitable to wear to work. Again.

Now's the time. Those of you who fancy yourselves to be the Kings and Queens of Efficient Multitasking, listen up: on   On Saturday, May 11th^th 2013, Royal LePage offices across Canada will be transformed into an oasis for bargain hunters as we join together to host the 5^th Annual National Garage Sale for Shelter in support of the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation.

 

This annual event brings local residents together with Royal LePage Realtors® to raise much-needed funds and awareness to help break the cycle of family violence. One hundred percent of all funds raised at every Royal LePage National Garage Sale for Shelter goes to support local women’s shelter, and fund long-term solutions to end family violence.  

Take a look at these startling statistics:

 ·         Half of all women in Canada have experienced at least one incident of physical or sexual violence since the age of 16.

·         On average, every six days a woman in Canada is killed by her intimate partner.

·         360,000 children are exposed to domestic violence each year.

Since 2009, the Royal LePage National Garage Sale for Shelter has raised more than $850,000, one quarter and loonie at a time. The community is encouraged to take part by donating gently used items to our office located at your nearest Royal LePage location (call ahead for larger items) , helping us spread the word, and joining us on May 11th. With the support of local residents and the generous sponsorship of TD Canada Trust Mobile Mortgage Specialists, Atlas Van Lines Canada and Advance Commission Company of Canada, this year we’ll raise more money than ever before to help 30,000 women and children across Canada.  

 

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THE ROYAL LEPAGE SHELTER FOUNDATION:

The Royal LePage Shelter Foundation is Canada’s largest public foundation dedicated exclusively to supporting women’s shelters and ending violence against women and children. Through agent commission donations and the fundraising activities of the Royal LePage network, we have raised over $12 million to help provide a safe haven and new beginnings to more than 30,000 women and children each year. To break the cycle of violence, the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation also supports long-term violence prevention and education programs. All funds raised by Royal LePage offices remain in their local community and because Royal LePage pays any administrative costs, 100 percent of all money and

effort goes toward this important cause. For more information on the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation, visit www.royallepage.ca/shelter

 Alright! So now you have a worthy incentive.

You' can clean out your closets, storage areas and garages and donate all that good stuff that you've been hoarding away to the garage sale ( Just contact your closest Royal LePage office for drop off locations) and help a REALLY GOOD CAUSE. 

The tie has come, Procrastinators!  Roll up your sleeves, grab a box or a bag, slip into a Haz-Mat suit if need be and get cleaning. Who knew that cleaning out a closet can actually help save lives?  It can, and YOU can be part of it.

Make sure you stop by the garage sale site eon May 11th to show your support.  A lot of the events feature raffles, hot dog BBQ's and various other fundraising offers. Check it out!

 

We had an awesome sale last year, here's a few pics some of the local volunteer realtors took of the day  ;)

 

 

Hope this year is even bigger and better!

Off to go rent a Haz-Mat Suit,
-J