Endangered Species Day

Did you know that today is Endangered Species Day…and that each and every animal on the graphic above is endangered?  Geesh. Talk about a wakeup call! According to its website, Endangered Species Day is an opportunity for people to learn about the importance of protecting endangered species and the everyday actions that people can take to help protect disappearing wildlife. Protecting America’s wildlife and plants today is a legacy we leave to our children and grandchildren, so that all Americans can experience the rich variety of native species that help to define our nation.  Started by the United States Senate, Endangered Species Day is the third Friday in May. Every year, thousands of people throughout the country celebrate Endangered Species Day at parker, wildlife refuges, zoos, aquariums, botanical gardens, libraries, schools and community centers. You can participate in festivals, field trips, park tours, community clean-ups, and many other fun and …

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Packing Checklist Before the Voyage

Thanks to my ever-present chemo brain, I have to make loads of lists to ensure that I remember to pack and do things before a trip, especially a big one!  So, I came up with a checklist to (hopefully!) ensure that I get everything done and pack essentials (Silver Lining). Hope this is helpful for you! {oh, and if you’re ever stumped on how to make the most of a carry-on, read my post about how to pack a carry-on for a five day trip!}  

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Giving: A.B.C.

While I was in Chicago recently, I had the great good fortune of meeting Liam Krehbiel, founder of the new nonprofit, A Better Chicago.   A Better Chicago uses a venture capital approach to help low-income youth, adults and families to get the education and skills they need to stand on their own two feet. I get so excited when people truly think (& act!) outside of the box. This is exactly what Liam has done with this new model of philanthropy. It’s not the same-old, same-old which is an incredibly Silver Lined inspiration. Liam kindly took the time to answer a few questions to explain the what, why and how of A Better Chicago.  I hope that you enjoy getting to know A Better Chicago as much as I have! What is your mission? Our mission is to invest in a portfolio of high-performing nonprofit organizations that are dramatically advancing opportunities for …

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Fitness: Shanon Smith

Fitness: Shanon Smith

When I attended the super-fun girls hiking trip in Mexico earlier this year, I had the great good fortune to be introduced to Shanon Smith, the San Francisco go-to personal trainer who created a customized workout for our group. Shanon has been interested in fitness her whole life. Growing up in Colorado, she was very active…always hiking, riding bikes and playing a variety of sports.  However it wasn’t until after graduating from college and working part-time in a yoga studio that she really fell in love with the process of fitness.  It was the first time that she saw how exercise could truly affect and change her body, energy and mindset. It was at that point that she decided at to turn this love for fitness into a career. During our trip, she shared some tips that I had never heard before (and I’ve heard and learned a TON about fitness and …

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Hopeful Olympics!

Hopeful Olympics!

You know how much I love Vogue, right?  Well, how excited am I about the June feature on America’s top athletes who are preparing for the London Olympics? A Silver Lined start to the day (and will hopefully be a motivation for my upcoming hike!). Hope Solo, Soccer Ryan Lochte, Swimming Serena Williams, Tennis Ashton Eaton, Track & Field   Dwyane Wade, Basketball Jonathan Horton, Gymnastics Ryan Lochte, Swimming Bryan Brothers These are some of the most beautiful images I’ve ever seen in Vogue, just sayin’…Annie Leibovitz has outdone herself!

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Conversations!

Conversations!

Truth be told: I’m not a big TV watcher. Ask me about a reality show and I am clueless. It’s a cultural phenomenon to which I have not succombed. So, when I do find a show that I like, it’s a real Silver Lining. And here’s one that I really (really!) like:The Conversation with Amanda de Cadenet. I like it so much in fact that last night the HOTY went to bed and I stayed up (past my bedtime!) to watch it! Amanda de Cadenet has hit upon a terrific concept: embracing and sharing the universal language of women. She talks to one woman at a time in her Los Angeles living room. As they converse, they share what women do when cameras aren’t rolling; they talk about love, marriage and children. It’s just girl talk. No promoting anything (Silver Lining). I’m crazy about this show because it presents an honest, authentic …

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Saturday Sweeps: Mother’s Day!

Wishing you all a joyous Mother’s Day weekend!  Mother’s Day has come to be one of my most favorite days of the year. For me, it is the most divine day/way to celebrate my family. The HOTY and I have four incredible children who are such a gift in our lives, which to me is the ultimate Silver Lining in life! Below are some fun Mother’s Day posts from around the internet that I have enjoyed this week…and hope that you do as well! Mrs. Lilien’s What a Mom Wants The Well Daily’s Smelling Like a Rose Vogue’s Ten Wildly Extravagant or Sweetly Sentimental Gifts for Mother’s Day Camille Styles’ Mommy Dearest The City Sage’s Mother’s Day Giveaway With Style and Grace’s Waffles for Mom  Elizabeth Street’s Rosie Pope’s Mother’s Day Gift Guide Milkshake’s Do Something Different on Mother’s Day

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Sunday Sweetness #5: Flowers

My grandfather had the most exquisite flower gardens. One of my most vivid (and Silver Lined) childhood memories is of him coming in from working in his garden carrying the most beautiful bundles of not only beautiful but also fragrant flowers. On her blog, Kiss the Groom, my dear friend Elizabeth Messina takes photos of flowers that are reminiscent of the flowers that my grandfather used to grow (double Silver Lining!). My favorite, of course. Wishing you all a wonderfully Sweet Sunday!

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Saturday Sweeps: Cinco de Mayo

Happy Cinco de Mayo! In case you are wondering (as was I!), Cinco de Mayo is a celebration of the Battle of Puebla. It is not Mexico’s independence day (as is widely assumed). The Battle of Puebla took place on May 5th, 1862 when Mexico defeated France’s attempted invasion. The significance of the Battle of Puebla is that a smaller, poorly equipped army (Mexico with 4000 troops) defeated a larger, better-equipped one (France with 6500 troops). It is a real-life David and Goliath story. In this battle, the Mexican people demonstrated that they were willing and able to defend their homeland from invaders. This victory also crushed the European mystique which held that European governments and armies were, by their very nature, more powerful than smaller countries. Cinco de Mayo is celebrated with fiestas, dancing, decorations and food. Women dress in brightly colored dresses, and men wear authentic western clothing to …

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