magic time galore.

ultimate magic time 12:34

I don't know about you...but we have magic time at our house many times an hour...and what seems like 100 times a day.

If you haven't heard of or don't know about magic time...here's the breakdown...

Look at your clock.  Any time your clock's numbers run consecutively...it's magic time.  For example 4:56 or 1:23.  The supremely ultimate magic time is 12:34.

It can also be magic time if your clock's number are an equation.  For example 3:36 or 4:48 or 2:35.  See what I mean?  The possibilities for magic time at your house have just gone up exponentially!

I love hearing my kids yell out from where ever they are, whatever they are doing...driving to a horse lesson, arriving at ballet, making dinner, playing business, riding bikes, reading a book, walking out the door to a football game, talking at the table, picking pumpkins, lounging on the couch, doing an art project, getting ready for school..."It's magic time!!!!"

It's magic time...

Because really...it is.  I don't know if they've caught the double meaning in that but to me it's more than consecutive numbers on the clock, more than math equations, more than an awesome math and science teacher.   It's a reminder 100 times a day that THIS is THE magic time.  This  moment.  This mundane thing I'm doing right now...it's the magic time.

I love magic time...

So...we're going to have a little fun with magic time...this is some seriously silly fun...so you know you have to join in! 

The person that sends me the longest list of magic time (interpret that however you want...actual moment, math, consecutive numbers or whatever other interpretation you want to make of it) either here in the comments or to davina at davinafear dot com and you will win a stop watch.  Send them in before Friday ends...this magic time is 11:59pm ET.

"What?  A stopwatch?!?"  (I heard you say that...)

"Yes.  A stopwatch."

This isn't just any stopwatch though!  This...is a magic stopwatch. 

It can time all kinds of things...not just how long it took you to do a sprint.  It can time how long it takes a person to balance a feather duster on their finger...3.45 minutes.  It can time how long it takes to drink an 8 oz. glass of milk...4.56 seconds.  It can time how long kids can entertain themselves playing businesses...2.34 hours.  It can time how long it takes for a kid to get off the bus, run down the cul de sac and bust in the front door...35.8 seconds.  It can time how long the hug lasts after busting in the door...15.6 seconds.  It can time how long it takes to pee when your bladder is going to bust...30.3 seconds (you know you've wondered).  It can time how long you can bounce a ball before it bounces out of your hands...10.01 minutes.  It can time how long you sit at dinner and listen to best and worst for the day...22.04 mintues.  It can tell you how long it takes to talk to your sister on the phone...1.23 hours.  It can time a good kiss with your lover...12.03 seconds. And...we'll stop there...

You get the idea...

See what I mean? Time. This stopwatch...it's magic...if you know how to use it...

magic. LIFE.

laughter.

The stress management benefits of laughter...I know I usually feel better after laughing at a difficult situation or finding a way to see the silly in an otherwise too serious circumstance.  I wondered about the health benefits of laughter and found a wide array of information here on the internet.  I discovered that you can go to a laughter yoga class...you can hire a laughter coach...and there are personal laughter advocates...

This is my favorite article on laughter, good humor, health.

I just want to laugh.  I like laughing...it's more fun to laugh when I'm with my kids and my husband...it's also easier.  Laughing at my ridiculous mistakes also feels better than completely stressing out over them.  Take the last couple of days for instance....

I say the wrong things at the wrong times...it's easier to laugh about that and it makes me feel more human.  Today I received an order that I had been waiting to receive of some envelopes that I wanted for a project I'm working on...I ordered cardstock by accident?  Who does that?!?  Apparently, I do.  After talking about it on the phone with my wonderful studio manager, Jessica, we had a good laugh about it, a little brainstorm, and everything will be just fine.  Laughing at myself helps the stress level to be sure.  I always need more laughing...it's a fun way to get fit! :)

The following comes from about.com.

• Hormones: Laughter reduces the level of stress hormones like cortisol, epinephrine (adrenaline), dopamine and growth hormone. It also increases the level of health-enhancing hormones like endorphins, and neurotransmitters. Laughter increases the number of antibody-producing cells and enhances the effectiveness of T cells. All this means a stronger immune system, as well as fewer physical effects of stress.

   

• Physical Release: Have you ever felt like you "have to laugh or I'll cry"? Have you experienced the cleansed feeling after a good laugh? Laughter provides a physical and emotional release.

   

• Internal Workout: A good belly laugh exercises the diaphragm, contracts the abs and even works out the shoulders, leaving muscles more relaxed afterward. It even provides a good workout for the heart.

   

• Distraction: Laughter brings the focus away from anger, guilt, stress and negative emotions in a more beneficial way than other mere distractions.

   

• Perspective: Studies show that our response to stressful events can be altered by whether we view something as a 'threat' or a 'challenge'. Humor can give us a more lighthearted perspective and help us view events as 'challenges', thereby making them less threatening and more positive.

   

• Social Benefits of Laughter: Laughter connects us with others. Also, laughter is contagious, so if you bring more laughter into your life, you can most likely help others around you to laugh more, and realize these benefits as well. By elevating the mood of those around you, you can reduce their stress levels, and perhaps improve the quality of social interaction you experience with them, reducing your stress level even more!

   

How To Use Laughter:

Laughter is one of my all-time favorite stress management strategies because it's free, convenient, and beneficial in so many ways. You can get more laughter in your life with the following strategies:

• T.V. and Movies: There's no shortage of laughter opportunities from the entertainment, both at the theater and in the aisles of the video stores, as well as at home with T.V. comedies. While wasting your time watching something marginally funny may actually frustrate you, watching truly hilarious movies and shows is an easy way to get laughter into your life whenever you need it.

   

• Laugh With Friends: Going to a movie or comedy club with friends is a great way to get more laughter in your life. The contagious effects of laughter may mean you'll laugh more than you otherwise would have during the show, plus you'll have jokes to reference at later times. Having friends over for a party or game night is also a great setup for laughter and other good feelings.

   

• Find Humor In Your Life: Instead of complaining about life's frustrations, try to laugh about them. If something is so frustrating or depressing it's ridiculous, realize that you could 'look back on it and laugh.' Think of how it will sound as a story you could tell to your friends, and then see if you can laugh about it now. With this attitude, you may also find yourself being more lighthearted and silly, giving yourself and those around you more to laugh about. Approach life in a more mirthful way and you'll find you're less stressed about negative events, and you'll achieve the health benefits of laughter. (See this article on maintaining a sense of humor.

   

• 'Fake It Until You Make It': Just as studies show the positive effects of smiling occur whether the smile is fake or real, faked laughter also provides the benefits mentioned above. So smile more, and fake laughter; you'll still achieve positive effects, and the fake merriment may lead to real smiles and laughter.

   

• More on Having Fun: See these additional suggestions on laughing more and having fun in your life.

 Sorry about the title of this video...it really is hilarious...

winners.

Hello Friends...can we say it's still Tuesday...in California?

The winners of this month's contest are:

1st: Laura Stiller with 71 miles for the month. Awesome! Way to go, girl!

2nd: Karen

3rd: Michelle Sides

4th: Laura C.

All of these ladies each get a $30 gift certificate to their favorite place to shop.  Contact me and I'll get your gift cards sent out!  Congratulations!

NEW CONTEST:

We're almost to the end of the year and some of you have been faithful all year long to getting more fit and healthy.  I'm so impressed.  You have kept me motivated on many occassions.  Thank you!

This month, do something that keeps you fit every day.  Come to the Move it Monday blog post for the week every day and tell us what you did.  The person that posts the most days is the winner of a...you guessed it...$50 gift card.  Let the games begin.

Remember, there's a yearly contest for the Move it Monday friends...check it out here.

healthy. LIFE.

contest.

Hello Move it Monday friends...

We're having a very rainy day here...hope you're having sunshine!

I'm going to post our September winner and our new contest Tomorrow. 

I have some things that I'm trying to get out the door today here at the studio and I'll be back with fun new info.

Have a happy Monday!

good. LIFE.

new floor.

Some of you have seen my facebook status saying that I'm trying to put new floors into my studio.  Once we got past the complications of putting the flooring in around the door we've gotten a little more momentum going.  Hopefully, we'll be finishing tonight.  I'll give you a bit of peek at what we've finished and show you how much Gracie is loving the new floor...

I'm very excited and now that I've moved everything out of my studio and I'm seeing this super cool white Ikea Tundra floor going in, I've got ideas...thoughts rolling around inside my head.  I'm posting a couple of pictures from magazines to show you some things I love.  I'm trying to put my thoughts together of what I'd like my studio to look like now.  I don't know that I'll be making any major changes yet but they'll be coming!

I love this room (magazine tear out below), except with a white floor.  As I look through magazines and tear things out, I'm leaning toward an Ikea/West Elm meets Anthropologie/Etsy kind of look... 

What do you think?  Do you have pictures, inspiration, fun stuff that you think I'd love?  Send it to me at davina at davinafear dot com  I'd love your thoughts and ideas!!

new. LIFE.