Isn’t Valentine’s Day a day many look forward to and some not so much? There seems to be mixed feelings of love in this month of February. While some are planning the perfect gifts, the perfect date, others are planning their dateless night. Funny memes depict the single person staying home with their pet. But, many can choose to still love the day if they think outside the chocolate box.

There are so many things to love, and it really doesn’t have to be your one and only. There are friendships, pets, your town, your favorite places, your favorite charity. I suppose many people look at only one way to love this day. Really there are many ways, and if you stop to think of what you love and who you love, it can be the best experience!

Social media is one place that is fun to see all the happy valentines shared with beautiful colors to friends and family. Let’s find the joy in others to be our joy. Isn’t that even better? Showing love to others will get, in most cases, love back. Just reach out to your friends and family too and share a sweet message of appreciation for them. After all, it is social media and isn’t that why we’re there, because we love it?

Make this day not only for yourself, but give love to a charity that warms your heart. There are charities that actually have gift cards that you can give to your recipient, and they can choose which charity to give to. Isn’t that a real “feel good” thing to give the gift of love for someone to forward love? How great is that? If you want a place to start, go to this website. https://www.sixdegrees.org/ It was actually started by actor Kevin Bacon. Who doesn’t love bacon? Their core value: Harnessing the kindness that connects us to make the greatest positive impact.

Partner with friends, family and the loves of your life to join a cause. What better way to make Valentine’s Day a day for everyone to LOVE?

You make sure to buy enough food to feed an army, because you don’t want anyone to be left hungry while you are planning your holiday family meal. There’s going to be a lot left over and if some of those family members or friends aren’t living in your house already, they may appreciate a take-home care package that they can heat up later. Everyone loves leftovers from Thanksgiving, right?

Before the big day, plan to purchase some “throw-away” containers that you don’t mind giving away. Give each guest their own containers to “stuff” as they wish from designated bowls set out after everyone has eaten. Remember to keep what you would like to keep for yourself, because you enjoy having something to re-create the next day with left-over turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, cranberries, sweet potatoes, veggies, and desserts you love!

The Food Network has many talented chefs that lend their ideas for a delicious after Thanksgiving meal you and your guests will be sure to love, so if you go to their website you can copy a couple recipes, put them on cute recipe cards that are hand written or printed and add that to your little gift package. Not only will your guests feel so wonderful with their new recipes they can add to their collection, but you’ve given them their own ideas if they want to start a new tradition of their own.

It’s the little things that warm the hearts of those we love. Share love to them, so they can share love to others.

Remember when you were little and you knew you didn’t have to worry about anything because your parents made you feel safe and taken care of? As we grow older, we get married, have children, nurture our careers and find ourselves burning our candle at both ends and in the middle. It’s then we realize that the parents that took care of us and made us feel safe, now need us to take care of them and help them feel loved, secure and safe. Sometimes they don’t think or act the same as they did when they were a few years younger, maybe they don’t drive any longer, can’t keep track of the bills or their own medication, that’s when they need us more and more. My mother has said to me a few times, “did you ever in your life think you would have to take care of me,” no I didn’t, because I never thought about my parents getting old or changing, but here we are…things are changing. How do you now find the balance in your life? Your everyday life consists of a house to take care of, a job to go to every day, laundry to do,  meals to prepare, trash to take out and your own finances to take care of. If you’re married, you have the responsibility of a relationship to nurture and maintain. If you’re not careful, you can find yourself completely burned out and overwhelmed. I don’t have all the answers, but I know that being there for your parents is the right thing to do. Even if you can’t do it all yourself, you can find outside sources of help. The one thing I can tell you is, don’t be a hero. If you are tired, burned out and can’t go on, then it’s time to seek out other ways to keep your parents happy, healthy and safe. Remember your own children will be watching you and you will become their example for how to care for someone you truly love. One day, they may be helping you take care of things in your life. Full circle we come, from parenting our children to being parented by our children and that’s what real love looks like!

-this blog written by a fellow blogger

It’s almost here again, the time of year when we take time to reflect on the past few months. Time to count our blessings and list our reasons to be thankful, but sometimes it might be difficult to find that thankful moment, times when life becomes too much to handle. That’s when the faces at the table play the most important role ever! It’s time for them to tell you why they are thankful for “you” and what a difference you make in their lives. If you know someone this year that’s struggling to find the joyful peace of thankfulness, reach out and help them to understand that even though they can’t find their “thankful” self, you will help them to understand how important they are and how much they mean to you. It’s all about family and friends and helping others to feel included, safe, loved, appreciated and yes grateful. Life can be stressful, challenging and difficult, but it can also be amazing, even in the hardest of circumstances.

This year, try something different. Share what you love most about the people who complete your life. How do they tie into your thankfulness? What makes them special and unique? It only takes a few kind and sincere words to completely change the way someone feels.  Just like harsh and unkind words can push a person deeper into despair, kindness and love can be the lifeline that pulls them out. We really do have the responsibility to lift each other up…the greatest of these is love!

Enjoy the meal, enjoy the season, enjoy each other and don’t forget to be a lifeline! We’ve only got one life on this earth; make it a beautiful, meaningful, loving and generous journey!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

It’s that time of year and we are so excited about the projects we’re handling and the ones that are ahead of us. Here a few pictures…just to give you an idea of what we’ve been up to so far this spring.

We took care of some things at The Dawes Arboretum, cleared out and cleaned up some storm damage and even found a little time to shoot a great picture of the kids, which brings me to the whole reason I do this every day…family.

Taking care of your tree needs, taking care of the business and taking care of family, that’s McCullough’s Tree Service!