Today is “decorate for Christmas day” in our house! We are heading over to the barn to pick up our Christmas totes, then home to put up the tree and get ready for my favorite holiday! The Christmas music is playing, the house smells like cinnamon and we are all excited to get the house ready! In years past, I have always put the tree up well before Thanksgiving to stretch out the fun but this year I have been so busy that it is now “late” for me! lol. My late best friend and I used to compete to see who would put the tree up first! (I always won!)
Today, if you celebrate Christmas, get the house ready, put up the tree, play Christmas music, sip hot chocolate, have fun with loved ones and Live Inspired Now!


Heather Paris inspires people all over the world to create happier lives through talks, workshops, blog posts, and her book, Live Inspired Now; A Field Guide For Happiness. For more information about transforming your relationship, family, or your life, contact Heather today!

The “Friends of the Ithaca Youth Bureau” board that I serve on has a table at this years alternative gift fair here in Ithaca, NY. I had never heard of an alternative gift fair until this year but what an awesome idea! The concept is that you go and make donations and you get a card to give to someone to show that you made a donation in their name as a gift. What a great idea! I think it is nicer than exchanging gift cards, or evenly exchanging money. My parents always give us a gift card each year and we always give them one for the same amount to a different store. Rather than exchanging money, why not donate in someones name! Many of us don’t really need or even want anything for Christmas so why not donate to a person, program or non-profit and let that gift serve someone less fortunate. Even if you don’t have an alternative gift fair in your area, you can still donate in other peoples names! Check out your favorite charity, many of them will send a nice card to the person who’s name the donation was made in. So today…. “black Friday,” think outside the gift-box, give a gift that helps others and Live Inspired Now!

Ithaca area friends, stop by and say hello at the gift fair: http://www.ithacaaltgiftfair.org/


Heather Paris inspires people all over the world to create happier lives through talks, workshops, blog posts, and her book, Live Inspired Now; A Field Guide For Happiness. For more information about transforming your relationship, family, or your life, contact Heather today!

I am so excited! I LOVE Thanksgiving; I love sharing the day with friends and family, I love yummy vegetarian food (yep, we eat tofurky instead of turkey. lol), I love pumpkin pies, I love playing Christmas music, I love the smell of my house, I love the kids running around and driving me crazy, I love all the texts, emails, facebook messages and tweets with Happy Thanksgiving messages, I love knowing that much of our country is celebrating together, visiting family and taking a day to remember all we have to be thankful for! Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Enjoy the day, eat too much, tell your family you love them and Live Inspired Now!!!


Heather Paris inspires people all over the world to create happier lives through talks, workshops, blog posts, and her book, Live Inspired Now; A Field Guide For Happiness. For more information about transforming your relationship, family, or your life, contact Heather today!

I’m at the barber shop with my boys getting their hair cut for Thanksgiving. (Posting this from my iPhone today) There is an elderly man in the barbers chair just smiling so bright… He is delighted to be here. From what I can tell, he seems very happy to just be out. His son and daughter in law brought him here, they have to help him because he’s on a walker. This man looks like he just won the lottery! How sweet it is to see someone so happy and appreciative to get something so small. Today, remember your elderly people… Grandparents, parents, neighbors or friends. Our elderly people who can’t get out by themselves count on us to remember them! So visit an elderly person, show them you care and Live Inspired Now! 

Heather Paris inspires people all over the world to create happier lives through talks, workshops, blog posts, and her book, Live Inspired Now; A Field Guide For Happiness. For more information about transforming your relationship, family, or your life, contact Heather today!

We are sending cards again to our military men and women to show our appreciation and support! I love making homemade cards and sending them to service members. Watch the video and you can see how much they appreciate getting them! Get the kids involved too! Some of the soldiers say they love the kids cards the best! The Red Cross does have a few card guidelines which I have posted below. So today, gather the entire family, make some cards together (purchased cards are good also) to show your love and support for our military and Live Inspired Now! (Video link: http://youtu.be/HPD1quy5mIw)

Every card received will be screened for hazardous materials by Pitney Bowes and then reviewed by Red Cross volunteers working around the country. Please observe the following guidelines to ensure a quick reviewing process:

-Ensure that all cards are signed.
-Use generic salutations such as “Dear Service Member.”  Cards addressed to specific individuals can not be delivered through this program.
-Only cards are being accepted. Do not send or include letters.
-Do not include email or home addresses on the cards: the program is not meant to foster pen pal relationships.
-Do not include inserts of any kind, including photos: these items will be removed during the reviewing process.
-Please refrain from choosing cards with glitter or using loose glitter as it can aggravate health issues of ill and injured warriors.
-If you are mailing a large quantity of cards, please bundle them and place them in large mailing envelopes or flat rate postal shipping boxes. Each card does not need its own envelope, as envelopes will be removed from all cards before distribution.

    All holiday greetings should be addressed and sent to:

    Holiday Mail for Heroes
    P.O. Box 5456
    Capitol Heights, MD 20791-5456

    The deadline for having cards to the P.O. Box is Friday, December 7th.
    Holiday cards received after this date cannot be guaranteed delivery.

    LOCAL ITHACA NY AREA FRIENDS: I will be mailing out a box of cards, feel free to get them to me by this date and I will include them with mine so you don’t have to pay for postage!


    Heather Paris inspires people all over the world to create happier lives through talks, workshops, blog posts, and her book, Live Inspired Now; A Field Guide For Happiness. For more information about transforming your relationship, family, or your life, contact Heather today!