Remember back to the days when we were kids. School was out for the summer and all we had was months of fun ahead. I grew up in a rural area. I remember evenings where the cornfield was just lit up with lightning bugs. It was like my very own fireworks display. Like Christmas lights in summer. We would play flashlight tag. Camp in the backyard. Play kickball all afternoon. Swim and play all summer long in the pool or run through the sprinkler. My aunt would take us to the beach for the day. We would have boogie boards and rafts in hand and have a grand old time all day in the waves. I actually had a tan then.
 
We didn’t have central air. If it was too, too hot, my parents would have one window unit in the dining room and one window unit in their bedroom. We had a small ranch home so a couple strategically placed fans would keep the house comfortable. And on beautiful evenings, the windows would be open and the sounds of the peepers and crickets would lull you to sleep. They were a regular symphony.
 
My grandparents were farmers. I would sit on the porch with my grandmother and snap beans and shell peas fresh from the field for dinner. Not to mention the other yummy eats. Who doesn’t love some strawberry shortcake? Corn on the cob. BLTs are amazing this time of year. Cucumber salad. A bushel of crabs.
 

By September, we had our back-to-school supplies and new clothes. We were sad to see summer end, but we were recharged and ready for the school year.

I find myself saying ,“I miss summers as a kid.”

Why do I miss it?
​
Answer: Because I am not present for the memories being made today. I don’t make time to share those memories of the past and relive them with this generation. I don’t often aspire to find my inner child and play.
These are all important to keep us recharged.
*Destress.
*Support our immune systems.
*Be more productive.
*Disconnect from the work/school world and play.
 
So, rolling into August with a month or so of official summer still ahead, what are you doing to maximize the summer you have left? Find time to smell the roses while they are still in bloom. Put your toes in the sand or hike that mountain trail. Make time with friends. Enjoy the sunshine and increase your Vitamin D. Ocean or lake. Have fun!

Stacy Ford, ATC, LMT is Co-Founder of Complete Wellness. An athletic trainer and a licensed massage therapist.  Her passion is to help people feel and function better. She is available by appointment only Monday-Friday at Complete Wellness, Quakertown.  
To schedule with Stacy or any other CW Practitioner Text/Call 267-509-7717

 Hi!  Lisa Franklin here, aromatherapist and owner of Alchemy Massage and Bodyworks and Alchemy Crystals and Aromatherapy.  I have been fascinated with herbs since my teens and when I discovered essential oils in my twenties, it was love at first sight!  Small, portable, powerful concentrates of all the plants I didn’t have room for in my garden!  After 40+ years of studying herbs, plants and essential oils, I finally took the time to take a 750 hour aromatherapy course to be recognized officially as an aromatherapist. 
Some of you may know me from previous partnerships with Complete Wellness, others of you I have not had the pleasure of meeting – yet.
Currently my line of essential oils is available at Complete Wellness.  There is a wide variety of 19 different essential oils for sale at reasonable prices.  Each variety comes in a 10 ml bottle, double the industry standard of 5ml.  All essential oils are researched, sourced, purchased, bottled and labeled by me…well, to be honest, my husband does the labeling sometimes – he loved to label my various products…and who am I turn thwart someone’s desire to label bottles???  He is a huge help, much neater and tidier than I am in getting them placed properly on each bottle.
Each essential oil is chosen for its’ efficacy, fragrance, and purity.  I do not do the distillation process as I am not trained nor skilled in that process.  Instead, I look for reputable sources to purchase quantities of essential oils.  I want the essential oils to be of the best quality I can buy and keep at an affordable price for my customers.  If I can purchase organic and/or pesticide free, I happily do so.  Not all essential oils are grown, harvested and processed the same.  It varies based on the plant, the grower, the country and the supplier.  It’s quite a maze to navigate sometimes.  With the current state of manufacturing and distribution it makes it difficult to order things regularly. 
With each newsletter I hope to provide you with a short description of an essential oil and a recipe of some sort to share with you.  So, stay tuned and check the next newsletter!
 
Also, I will be teaching essential oil classes at Complete Wellness through the end of the year. 
Click this link (Essential Oils: Summer Skin Solutions) to learn more about the next upcoming class.