Yoga for FREE

Hello Loves!

This will be quick. I have decided not to return to my yoga class at the local YMCA. I just couldn't keep up and I didn't know if I was doing it right or not. Also, I wanted to practice my yoga as the sun rises and the commute to the gym just wasn't on my side. I am also not the type to enjoy exercising so yoga & weight lifting is my goal to shed some pounds, get balanced & toned.

So, I found this app..

I had been looking for a good app that would allow me to take my time and catch on while also feeling like I was doing it right. Let's just say 60 minutes in and I was soak and wet but feeling so good. My husband said he could feel the stretchiness in my legs later that night..if you know what I mean.. lol..

Sharing this app with you hoping you love it and use it just as much as I do! Enjoy!

It's called Simply Yoga and it's FREE!!

Continue Reading…

Early Morning Shot #SuperFoods

 Good Day Loves!

As requested from @Saturday_Morning_Kartoonz  here is the breakdown of our household's  morning shot a.k.a. "The Shot".

Now this morning ritual has always been one of my favorites & fortunately it has also grown on my husband and daughters. It is essential for our bodies to be given a balanced balanced diet. Sometime we are unable to always eat nutritious food while on the go so "The Shot" works for us. I'm sure you would love it too.

1. A green super-food powder with Alkalizing & Energizing, Raw Plant-Based Nutrition. We switch them up month to month depending on which one is on sale but most are from Amazing Grass. Stores: GNC, Wholefoods, Amazon or here..
2. Cold-Pressed & Unrefined Hemp Oil. Use this oil in smoothies, salads, vegetables and pasta dishes to conserve the essential fatty acids. When combined with the super food powder it's like an activation between the ingredients. Truly an amazing oil. (Secret: I even use this oil on my daughter's hair mixed in a spray bottle with water)
3. You will need a base to mix The Shot. I use orange juice in the morning with my super-food mix. My husband prefers to use Odwalla juice instead because he does not like the taste with orange juice. Sometime when I can feel my body in need of energy before I go to be I mix it with water. Orange juice is not a before bed drink.

 Check out the ingredients in "The Shot" and you will be convinced that it is a must. After you start drinking this your body will remind you to mix up "The Shot" everyday!! 

All in "The Shot":
Organic Wheat Grass, Organic Barley Grass, Organic Alfalfa, Organic Spirulina, Organic Spinach, Organic Chlorella (Cracked Cell-Wall), Organic Broccoli,Organic Yerba Mate Extract, Matcha Green Tea, Organic Acai, Organic Maca Root, Organic Carrot, Organic Beet, Raspberry, Organic Rose Hips, Organic Pineapple, Acerola Cherry, Organic Flax Seed Powder, Apple Pectin Fiber, F.O.S. (Fructooligosaccharide from Chicory Root), Lactobacillus Acidophilus, Protease (Aspergillus Oryzae), Amylase (Aspergillus Oryzae), Lipase (Aspergillus Niger), Lactase (Aspergillus Oryzae), Cellulase (Trichoderma Reesei),Natural Flavors, Citric Acid, Peppermint Leaf, Silica, Hemp Oil, and Orange Juice

"The Shot"

#LeBlu

Continue Reading…

We Walked 3.1 Miles Across Miami

Greetings Lovers,

Guess what my girls and I did. We walked 3.1 miles to "Nana's" house. I know, I know, you all are wondering why we just didn't get in the car but listen to the entire meaning of yesterday.

My daughters and myself were home with no car. Daddy had a basketball game and we were bored. The oldest asked me if we could go somewhere and I replied, "If we go anywhere it would have to be by feet because Daddy has the car", they all agreed. Yes even our 2 year old screamed, "Yes!". At that moment I was thinking about the heat outside and that far walk but then I saw the determination in their eyes and the will in their hearts.

So, I told everyone to get dressed and I packed the water and fruits for the walk and pulled out the hats. We all were excited to go on this "adventure" and I wanted to let them see that nothing can stand in front of them when there is something for them to gain.

We headed out the house like 4 ladies on an adventure looking for The Planet of the Apes lol (great movie btw). Skylar, the 2 year old was the leader at the start but the further we walked the less she wanted to walk. Our middle daughter, Brooke did not want to go any further after 20 minutes. I looked at her and said, "You agreed to this adventure, You started this adventure, Now let's finish the adventure!"

Two miles in and a hour later we had to rest. So many people were honking the horn and asking if we wanted a ride. I said loudly and proudly, "If we wanted a ride I would have drove, we are on an adventure". My girls agreed every time I shouted it. They were just as proud as I was to be doing something so daring and out of our normal. We took a 20 minute rest in the laundry mat, had a few snacks and played a few video game. We were tired but still happy.

As we started walking again, I could see that the girls wanted to give up. I reminded them that we made it more than half the way and we cannot stop until we make it all the way. Ariah said, "Trying is doing nothing at all, we have to finish it to say we did it or its like we did nothing at all." Yes, she blew me away too. She understands life more than a lot of grown folks we passed on our adventure and she makes me so proud.

The moral of the walk was to show my daughters how easy it was to get somewhere because we have the feet and heart to get there. Have you noticed how spoiled children are these days? They would miss out on the world if mommy or daddy didn't drop them off to it. Also, if my 2 year old can keep up and feel accomplished, so can your children.

How will you prepare your children for the world this summer? Share your stories

#LeBlu

Continue Reading…

My homework..check out my poem, We Love!

    My Professor sent out assignments and I completed this in less than 30 minutes. I received so many comments about the feelings my words made them feel..what do you think? No one has really read my thoughts and I am sharing them with you! (Make sure to read the poem, I wrote it a day before our 10 year/ 5 year anniversary)

Generate a list reflecting the categories with which you identify. Complete the statement: “I am a(n) ___,” rather quickly 20 times in the spaces provided below. Do not think too long about your responses as no answers are right or wrong.  
  
1. I am a(n) mother.
2. I am a(n) wife.  

3. I am a(n) great human being.  

4. I am a(n) animal lover.  

5. I am a(n) teacher

6. I am a(n) listener.  

7. I am a(n) daughter.  

8. I am a(n) independent learner.  

9. I am a(n) Rastafari. 

10. I am a(n) open mind. 

11. I am a(n) wombman. 

12. I am a(n) kind heart. 

13. I am a(n) woman of the Universe. 

14. I am a(n) aspiring writer. 

15. I am a(n) beautiful creation. 

16. I am a(n) goal achiever.           

17. I am a(n) example for society. 

18. I am a(n) giver. 

19. I am a(n) granddaughter. 

20. I am a(n) guided light. 

When you have finished, divide your responses according to the underlying categories you are able to recognize. This strategy can help you gain a picture of the image you have of yourself.       

1. Human Being

2. Lover

3. Goodness

2) Write a poem or song about your diversity and/or culture:



 There is a whisper in the wind, I can recognize a sound like mine
A tingle from within, I still recognize the sound like mine
My daughters just won’t know, until I enlighten their awareness and show,
Them the greatness within themselves, just like mine.

Clean your room and do your best in school is my favorite line,
Brush your teeth and make your bed one more time.
"I love you Honey, you being the best husband is far too kind"
The gratefulness I unleash because I know these things are far more than just mine.

And then we Love, we realize that mine is not mine but that we are we, and then we love.
Love is really all we need in this lifetime, and then we love!

Dominique Cuff-McGowan

Continue Reading…

Last Week Before Summer Begins-

Hello Lovers!!!

First let me begin by saying, "Hey Ya'll!". If you've wonder where I have been hiding, I'm here to tell you I decided to live off the grid for a few months. Sometimes there are obstacles in our life that have to be followed through and the "outside" influence does not need to be an option.

Do you realize that we posses everything within us to be everything outside of us?

There have been so many dreams and interests I wrote down to accomplish and I couldn't check them off. I know you have a checklist somewhere too. I woke up one morning and realized I was giving so much of my talent and blessing away and not spending more time receiving any blessings. Sound familiar?

Anywho.. I realized that I have the best advantage of being a mother. I can look at my children and see what can be fixed for their future, and in return I will be fixing my own loose ends at the same damn time. Summer here in Miami-Dade begins June 6th and I am ready for the challenge with my children being home. Are you ready Parents? (Get the wine now for grown up time ladies)

All this school year we have shipped our children off to learn how to be apart of society and the challenge this summer is to show our children how to be apart of life. By example of course. I have enrolled my girls in an online summer school program (email me for more info) and also they are still practicing the art of karate. I am also being more firm and rising the bar of expectations. What do you think?

Take some time and think of a few ways you can follow out with your challenge. In the comments let's share some examples of what you have planned. Also share some great summer programs for children this year. Email me because I junked my cell phone to prove to myself I am still alive without being electronically connected lol dominiqueleblu@gmail.com #Life #Music #Education #LeBlu

They are our future.

Continue Reading…

Shut Up & Just Do It!!

Let me start this blog post by saying, "If your way is not giving you the results you want, why don't you try mine?!"
A few months ago I had an epiphany. I was so comfortable in my life, I had a comfortable marriage and I was raising my children comfortably. I was happy and healthy and we had a few thousands saved up but that was too comfortable. I woke up one day and said, "I'm just damn too comfortable!"

Now many people would love to be comfortable right now. Your bills are probably over your head, your relationship is on the rocks and your children don't seem to understand life, so why not wish to be comfortable? I'll tell you why. Comfortable is the dumb feeling you get and start to like, but the truth is, by LAW being comfortable is a BIG FAT LIE! Life is either going up or down. Nothing and no one stays the same, so why would you get comfortable?

"For every action there is a reaction" so just think. If you put a little in, you get a little out. Thats a FACT! If you put a lot in you get a lot out, thats another FACT!

Stay At Home & Make Money Like I Do! - Le Blu

I'm going to get a little personal in this paragraph. You see, I've been with my husband for 9 years. Of course there are ups and downs but he has been my commitment for 9 years. The biggest and longest commitment that I've ever made. There came a time when we both didn't put into the relationship. Of course I blamed him and he blamed me but we both got comfortable. We thought that with being together long enough the relationship would just flow, oh were we wrong. What we failed to realize was, if we don't PUT IN we don't GET OUT. It took some falls in the road and a bunch of name calling and divorce paper work before it clicked. In everything, especially marriage, we have to put in something in order to get out something. We then started treating each other the way we wanted to be treated ourselves. It worked, we utilized one of those secrets in life. "Way to go Hun!" (To my hubby)

Go that extra mile with your mate so you can get an extra mile out. I won't say make an effort because then you are forcing something that is not there, but instead be more of yourself. If you want to see your significant other happy, be more of yourself for the ONEs you love. I put in parenthesis a few things we did to Be More!

 (examples: Send a loving/sexy morning/night text. Write a note. Write a poem. Rub some feet.  Fill the bathtub and light some candles. Exchange house chores)

You see now how being comfortable is not a good thing? I know, I know, most of your problems would go away if you just had money. Right?? WRONG!! 

Most of your bills might go away if you pay them when you get the money but who YOU are will still be the same. And a little secret is, when you start to fix yourSelf, you start to realize how more money will come to you. The lie is that you need money first, but I'm here to remind you that the money will come easy once you know who you are and you start applying certain secrets to your life, THINGS START TO HAPPEN! 

Don't worry, I want us all to win and I'm going to remind you every step of the way with a secret here and a secret there. Feel free to email me any questions dominiqueleblu@gmail.com you want answered and like and comment my posts and blogs so I know someone is being inspired by this. If you want to get more personal with me & my family just follow TheMcGowanGirls.blogspot.com 

Continue Reading…

2014 is here..WTF are you doing?!?

What's good??

The count down for 2014 seemed more hype than 2013 to me. People held back from posting New Year Resolutions and just got right to the point. NEW YEAR, SAME SHIT!! "Exactly!"

So the question is: WTF are you going to do this year? How much closer are you going to get to your dreams?!? And to be honest I want you all to reach your #HigherHeights and achieve everything you desire but the reality is, most of you will just fall in the trans of not doing more than you did in 2013 and that sucks. DON'T LET 2014 PASS YOU BY.. Own it and conquer your deepest desires or you can just wait for 2015.. Shrug

-Le Blu

 Www.NicoBluMiami.com 

Continue Reading…