How to Make Father's Day Special

Hello!

Are you trying to decide what gift will be better than last year’s? Or is this the first Father’s Day for someone you love and cannot decide what to get? Here are a few no-nos:

  1. Gift Cards. These are the easiest and safest gifts, but most people get this when they do not know what to get. If you must, put a good chunk of change in it and gift it. If it is what Dad asked for, go for it!

  2. Neck Ties. Does anyone wear ties today? If someone wears a tie for work, I will say they have all the colors they like, and another tie on Father’s Day is ok, to add to the collection. If it does not have something special- kids’ names embroidered, handmade by the kids, etc. please do not get this.

  3. Golf clubs. Do they play golf? Do they need another golf club? Think about this! If it is not signed by Tiger Woods, Rory Mcllroy, Lydia Ko, or someone famous- no!

  4. Toolboxes. Is there something special in the toolbox that you are about to get that is not in the toolbox they already have? Look for a different item if you do not mind seeing what you spent good money on in the corner.

  5. Gadgets- these are cool, but are they practical? Most men want something practical, so cool is good but get a practical gift.

With a list like this, you might think, this makes it difficult to get a gift. I will say, you know this person, get them something they will like. In case you do not know what to get, here are some tips:

  1. Get an annual subscription to an event they love to participate in or something they love to watch. If they love sports, you can get an annual subscription to the sport they love to watch- these days, Paramount Plus, Peacock TV, and Amazon Prime can get you the sports shows they like.

  2. Get Experience gifts- I know a colleague who told me they were going to a special location with their dad, and he gets to spend time with his kids and grandkids in one location.

  3. Gifts to show that you know him- I saw a show on YouTube (@Deep pocket monster) where this guy customized a Pokemon card for a friend who loved Pokemon. I thought that was so awesome!

  4. Make something! My kids and I stumbled upon soapmaking and made a mustache soap for Dad! See it below

  5. Send money- if they live overseas, send them money to spend on themselves. In some countries, currency exchanges make some currencies more valuable, and a monetary gift goes a long way.

  6. If you must get a tie, try something different: go for a bow tie. Here is a link to one of my new favorite shopping sites to get bow ties.

And I will say, sometimes; it is the thought that counts. My dad passed away when I was a toddler, and I never got to celebrate him.

Enjoy your time with your dad, and hope this helps!

Always,

E!

Mustache Soap

Healthcare Opportunities Today!

Have you thought about why you should work in a hospital but did not know where to look? Or what opportunities were out there?

First let me tell you 3 reasons why you should:

  1. Great Healthcare insurance

  2. Tuition waiver possibly for you and family

  3. Making a difference in someone’s life.

So if I have convinced you and you’re wondering what is out there here are some specific areas to look at; surgical techs, medical technologists, chemists, histotechs, lab assistants, transporters, cafeteria, receiving , EVS personnel, human resources; pathology assistants, phlebotomists, radiology tech, cytotech, transcriptionists, parhologist assistants and IT to name a few.

There are so many opportunities and you might be one of the people who can fill that need. Check out the hospitals or healthcare organizations in your city for employee opportunities.

If you have questions and if this has helped you please email me at theizorapodcast@gmail.com

I’d love to hear from you.

Have a great week!

The Myth Called Work-Life Balance

In the words of Mr. Miyagi: Better learn balance. Balance is key

As moms, we think about work life, home life, family, marriage, friendships... need I say more?

No such thing as work-life balance, every family is different- Gary Vee

When we are strong in your family or work and then the other part is weak, you're not balanced

Myth is defined in Merriam Webster's dictionary as a traditional story of ostensibly historical events that serves to unfold part of the world view of a people or explain a practice, belief, or natural phenomenon. I googled work-life balance and I stuck with this compilation of work-life balance quotes I found on realwealth.com by Jessica Willens.

Here are some quotes that I'd share with you:

1. Either you run the day, or the day runs you- Jim Rohn

2. Balance is not better time management, but better boundary management. Balance means making choices and enjoying those Choices- Betsy Jacobson

3. Never get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life - Dolly Parton

4. When in doubt, choose the kids. There will be plenty of time later to choose work - Anna Quindlen

5. Time is really the only capital that any human being has, and the only thing he can't afford to lose - Thomas Edison

6. Don't forget to breathe- Mr. Miyagi.

7. Boundaries help create mutual balance instead of split balance - the book Boundaries by Dr's. Henry Cloud and John Townshend.

Proverbs 31.org has an article about boundaries

We can choose to wait and see how things fall in place because we do not want to envy others or keep up with the Jones’ but see Ecclesiastes 4:5-6 read it here

We can say we don’t want to work too hard because we are trying to achieve balance but see Proverbs 6:10:

A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest….

Luke 10: 38-42:

The story is about two sisters, Mary and Martha

When Jesus came to visit them: Mary sat down to listen to Jesus but Martha got busy serving Jesus and the guests. Martha asked Jesus to tell Mary to help her but Jesus reminded her Mary chose the right thing and it would not be taken from her.

So we choose; we redefine our boundaries and that with prayers we can achieve or accomplish this myth called work-life balance!

Traveling with kids for the Holidays

This is the most wonderful time of the year and at this time, we make plans to travel for the holidays and or stay home and have family, friends or loved ones visit us. However, if you plan on traveling, and if you have kids; I will share a few pointers for how to enjoy your trip at this time of the year!

When traveling with kids;

  1. Get them excited about the trip. I think if they know what to expect, it makes it easier, and also the anticipation sometimes gets them rewarded. Knowing they are going on a trip, they would make sure to help make sure it is successful.

  2. Utilize their sleep or nap times- book a flight during those hours and they would sleep the duration of the trip at those times.

  3. Take their special stuffed toys, books, and snacks.

  4. Do remember their tablets/ iPads etc. And make sure to bring their batteries or chargers with you. You do not want to be that parent we see on TV commercials whose kid is about to throw a fit because their devices might have run out of juice- the devices can help distract the kiddos if their naps are shorter than planned.

  5. Bring extra clothes in case they get car sick and make sure to dress them comfortably. If you are leaving a warm city for a cold one, take clothes for the cold weather and vice versa. This will save you money.

  6. Most importantly; take masks and sanitizing wipes. We are still in a pandemic with the Covid-19 Variants or non-variants out there.

I am thankful for vaccines and with them, we are able to have a resemblance of what we have had pre-Covid. If you have to travel, do stay safe, wear your masks and obey state laws or city laws wherever you are going. The tips I have shared here are for road trips- if you must fly, experts are saying to pick a shorter flight and limit the length of time you are in the airports.

Even though airlines are doing their best to keep travelers safe by using HEPA filters, electrostatic sprays, etc, you can play a part too by wearing your mask even though vaccinated.

These tips will help you even if you choose to travel by air or by road. If you have any to add, would you share some with me? You can find me on Instagram and I will be glad to hear from you!

That Winning Feeling!

Sometimes, I think the hardest task is being a parent. One of my biggest worries is that my picky eater might not be getting all the nutrients he needs, seeing that he gives mostly green veggies the side eye!

Being a picky eater too, my other worry is if I get caught telling him to eat something I don’t like to eat and would I have a good reason to explain why I say he should eat what I would not eat?

Sigh!

After my most recent birthday, I told myself i’d eat the rainbow, less refined flour in dishes and less processed foods.

Earlier this week, I had got some zucchini and told myself I’d eat some zucchini. The only way I know how- no choose- to eat zucchini is by baking it. I got a recipe from my favorite baking site Sally’s Baking addiction and tweaked it a bit. Instead of using flour only like in the recipe, I used a cup of oats and 3/4 cup of flour. I also added wheat germ to the mix.

I got my little one to help mix the batter with the hopes that he would eat the bread when done. I had asked how he would prefer it, muffin style or as a loaf- and he chose muffin style and we got to work!

It turned out delicious. I won this round- my kiddo loved the muffin and also ate zucchini without making any sad faces!

Here are some pictures. How do you like or make your zucchini?


Zucchini muffins

Zucchini muffins

I got a smile with each bite 😋