June Favorites

Hey lovely! 

Summer is officially upon us, can you feel it? We have sun, rain, and everything in between with the unpredictability of the weather. So many wonderful things this month, so let's get started!

Favorite combination of moments: 


Here we go folks: On June 21, 2015 we have Father's Day, the first official day of summer, and the summer solstice (in the northern hemisphere) which creates the longest day of the year because the sun is at its highest northernmost point in the sky. The solstice marks the onset of summer, and basically it means the "midnight sun"; that is, the sun is able to shine on earth all day (at noon the sun appears to be at its highest elevation or altitude above the horizon, occurring at the moment the earth’s tilt toward the sun is at a maximum).* This noontime position changes very minimally for the days directly preceding and following the summer solstice. I think it was the latest sunset of summer, at around 9pm: fun in the sun all day, literally! Solstice means "sun stands still", so we here on earth feel as though we are a bit woozy (reminisce if you were feeling drunk Father's Day weekend without any alcohol in your system!)

 
* http://www.srh.noaa.gov/abq/?n=clifeatures_summersolstice

Favorite song(s): 

This one is great and inspired all by my amazingly musical loving dad (which works great, since it's Father's Day as well!) First off I gotta say YouTube is totally awesome. Once you finish listening to a particular song, YouTube follows it up automatically with a similarly themed song that was previously played. Highly sensitive and specific, it really is superb. The first song that I am in love with is called: "Torneró"(1974) by the Italian group I Santo California . The second song is "Ti amo" (1977) by Italian singer Umberto Tozzi. The third is: "Mamma Maria" (1982) by Ricchi e Poveri. I see there is an Italian theme going on. Take a listen to these and let me know what you think.

Favorite tea: Lemon ginger tea has been a great tea to drink in the summertime. It tastes a bit bitter in the best possible way! If you have a sore throat, or if you just love the combination of tangy flavors, your best bet is lemon ginger tea!

Favorite movie:

How to steal a million (1966) is such a refreshingly smart comedic movie without too much unneeded drama and emotional tension like today's movies possess. Such a lovely movie with Audrey Hepburn and Peter O'Toole partnering up in crime and in love. Gather your family and friends and make a night of it.

Favorite quote:

 "We interrupted each other to say the same thing"  

Don't you love being on the same page with someone to the point where you both want to literally interrupt each other to say the exact same thing! So hilariously funny, this quote was coined in the moment of true friendship bonding.

Have a great summer y'all! 

XOXO- Lusciously Levi  

Style your Success Contributor

Hi lovely!

Happy Monday! I want to share my new articles with you all that I am currently writing for "Style your Success" so I will be posting the links below as soon as they are officially published. This is a great site that welcomes success as confidence, positivity, and gratitude. Enjoy and let me know if you want me to write about something different as well!

My first article was inspired by Valentine's Day. On this particular day many people begin to feel uptight and tense about the whole idea of love. Rest assured, "love day" is occurring every single day, so this article will help you understand love in a more realistic manner--> How to Live with Love

My second article is about incorporating some healthy and tasty smoothies into your daily lifestyle. Check out these amazingly delicious recipes--> 3 Super Smoothies







XOXO-Lusciously Levi

July joy with nature, desserts, family, and fun

Welcome July! It is warm, humid, and sunny. While we typically expect the sun to be shining all month long, we have been experiencing some cloudiness and thunderstorms occasionally. Still, we should enjoy it because some seasons are lacking in rain.While the rain is commencing fairly often, the weather in terms of temperature is great. It mostly stays in the upper 80's and even enters the 90's, so that is not so bad.
 

 Let's not forget one of the most important things in July, Independence Day. July 4th is a day that celebrates America as a nation, with liberty. This freedom must be celebrated respectfully with our friends and family. It is a great thing to be able to appreciate each other and our nation as united as can be. We struggle with this daily, within our community and within our friends. Let us take this time to just love one another and form stronger bonds to maintain peace and serenity.

The lovely July brings upon some nature for us all to enjoy. Seriously, everywhere you turn try to find some flowers or trees. They will be there, full of luscious scents that brighten up your day. The flowers that I took pictures of consisted of a mixture of red, yellow, orange, and pink. They were just gorgeous!

As the flowers are continuing to bloom vivaciously in July, and the showers soon followed within the same month, it is diverging from the traditional idea that (from the famous Al Jolson's song) "April showers bring the flowers that bloom in May". The sky does some magical things as the sunset lingers above us post rainstorm. First of all, the clouds seem so puffy and fluffy like silk clouds filled with cotton balls that are ever so light to the touch. Looks like you can easily float on top of it.

 Here are two pictures that I took right before the storm. You can see the sky appears to be under some pressure from the dark and heavy filled clouds.
When the weather takes a break from the rain and thunder, it is always fun to get together with your friends and have a girls night. It is a time to celebrate yourself with your girlfriends. It is a time to reflect on the week, how hard you worked, and how you deserve to enjoy yourself. Pamper yourself generally to boost your self esteem and love yourself.

Spend some time putting on face masks that act as a pore cleaner. Pick some cute nail polish and listen to music that lifts your spirits. Have a ball and enjoy all that you are ladies! It is always wise to use the products that are high quality in health. Try not to use any artificial ingredients as those products will ruin your pores and overall health. Look for organic when possible.

When we get down to it, food is good! It tastes even better in the summertime doesn't it? So, here is a bit of the food that I compiled from my home. Here we all eat and enjoy the food and are blessed to have food on our table every day. The people in our house are very creative when it comes to food and cooking. Once person will make a yummy chicken salad and chicken cutlets, while the other will want the french fries and peaches.

Another great meal would be one of the flavors from the great Chobani Greek yogurts and apples or eggs with a slice of bread with butter. Coconut oil is great for everyone. You can take one tablespoon of it daily and use it on your skin before you go out into the bright sun.

Either way you look at it, there's lots of yummy and healthy food to go around. 
When Grandpa comes over on typical Sundays, we also celebrate in style.

We get some great chocolate desserts and freeze then right before serving them. We also make a big Russian salad that is traditional for a family dinner.










Grandpa's Birthday!
Grandpa's birthday is in July so we got him a nice present with Russian chocolates and a nice handwritten card.
We always try and do nice things for birthdays especially for our close family. It is a celebration of life, love, family, and peace. In addition the whole "its the thought that counts" scenario, we try and get presents that can be used on a daily basis. Otherwise what really is the reason to get someone presents that you know and they know that they simply will not use? So, my mom's idea was to get a nice Italian black shirt and a pedometer, which basically collects calories as you walk throughout the day.

It's really great for everyone, especially my grandpa, because he loves to walk and this is an added bonus to having his long and consistent walks.Gives an extra motivation factor, if you will. Plus, it is light, little, and simple. So I would suggest you get this kind of present for someone who is actively fit and working out or exercising. Its a great asset to anyone.

Part of Grandpa's birthday means eating desserts. He loves it and enjoys a piece of sugar every now and again. 
Working out for the Body and Soul

Speaking of working out, everyone should definitely invest in some dumbbells and a trampoline. These things are ideal for any workout and ultimately, you can adjust it to any level you are currently at.

What I have learned that any age you are, there is something for you to do. Jump on the trampoline either like a jump rope with two feet or one after the other. You can go as fast or as slow as you wish. You make the rules. Grab your dumbbells and alter the weights every few exercises you do so that you train your body. Do a few reps of different forms of exercises and rest until you feel the burn.

Ear Candles could be useful if you have trouble hearing, or you want to remove excess toxins.