42,038 Memories: Ode to our Beau – Part III of Beau’s journey

42,038 Memories: Ode to our Beau - Part III of Beau’s journey To read part 2 of the Beau Series: Sleeping with Darth Vader, click here Beau was our full-blooded Boxer however, we never had him registered.  We didn’t care about paperwork or someone telling us he was special.  Beau was the king in our castle and in our hearts.  My son (10 years old at the time) dubbed him his full-unregistered name as Beauregard Stormy Doughnut Schnautz. Beau lived approximately 12.5 years, which equates to almost 91 in human years so he had an exceptionally long and quality life for a boxer. Working through the tears and collecting all…

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Dr. Bonnie’s 2012 Reflections

Dr. Bonnie's Reflections of 2012 This spring we experienced a beautiful week in Avon/Outer Banks, NC with our three grown children. For those who have grown children, you know how precious this is getting everyone together. We had a home on the beach and watched the sun set and rise against the ocean with all its glory. We played in the water, made smores in the firepit and played cards and games galore. Our oldest daughter even caught a baby shark on our fishing excursion. It was a place that we all agreed we would want to revisit soon. The next milestone was my son deciding to enlist in the Army/ROTC. He left for…

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All Dogs Go to Heaven

All Dogs Go to Heaven
Beau and Alvin

Do you ever ask or wonder if all dogs go to heaven? I asked God to give me a sign that I would know without a doubt that it was time. The element of time means that it was time for Beau to go to heaven. Part of me prayed that he would pass on his own so that no one had to make the decision.  But as we know, life doesn't happen the easy way or the way we want it. After the second day of Beau refusing to eat his favorite foods like sardines or Hormel (hormone, antibiotic and nitrate-free) meat, I sensed it was close.…

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All Dogs Go to Heaven: Goodbye Sweet Beau.

All Dogs Go to Heaven: Goodbye Sweet Beau. I asked God to give me a sign that I would know without a doubt that it was time. The element of time meaning that it was time for Beau to go to heaven. Part of me prayed that he would pass on his own so that no one had to make the decision.  But as we know, life doesn't happen the easy way or the way we want it. After the second day of Beau refusing to eat his favorite foods like sardines or Hormel (hormone, antibiotic and nitrate free) meat, I sensed it was close. The next sign…

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Smoothie Recipes

Smoothie Recipes

The simplest and most delicious way to add more plants to your diet is through easy smoothie recipes. Consuming plants add more fiber and antioxidants to your diet. Plants are the key to reduce disease and inflammation plus maintain a healthy pH for proper digestion. Protein Options If you need a clean, tasty plant-based protein powder that is also delicious, try PowerMeal which is what I use and recommend. This link will save you 20%. Smoothie Recipes Here are a few recipes I love: Cherry Pie Smoothie 1/2 cup frozen organic cherries 1/2 cup organic vanilla plant-based yogurt 1 cup water or coconut milk 1/3-1/2  frozen banana 1…

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Whole Food Nutrition Smoothie & Shake Recipes using Juice Plus+ Complete

Whole Food Nutrition Smoothies & Shakes using Juice Plus+ Complete This post is for all my JuicePlus+ customers out there enjoying the wonderful (and DELICIOUS) Complete Meal Replacement Shakes.  These shakes are plant-based, gluten-free and nonGMO. Not familiar with JuicePlus+ yet? It is the next best thing to eating whole foods plus comes in capsules (17 fruits, veggies, grains & herbs) or a convenient shake that is a Complete Meal Replacement. Good nutrition takes time and planning. Clinically proven Juice Plus+® helps you bridge the gap between the 7 to 13 servings of fruits and vegetables recommended by The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the nutrition you…

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How to Keep Your Dog Healthy

How to Keep Your Dog Healthy
Beau loved the Aflac duck or any toy that made noise.

I wish someone would have shared how to keep your dog healthy long before he was diagnosed with cancer. Along with the information on which dog breeds are genetically more susceptible to disease and cancer. Providing your pets the safest and cleanest products and environment available is an absolute must, especially if they are more susceptible to disease or cancer.  Most products we use for our baby (an 80-pound Boxer) are human grade as the standards are much higher. You can read more about Beau's story here if you haven't been following it. Beau, our 13 year old Boxer, was first diagnosed with a mast cell tumor when he was around 5…

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How to Keep Your Boxer Healthy (or any dog)

Did you know many dog breeds are genetically more susceptible to disease and cancer? Providing your pets the safest and cleanest products and environment available is an absolute must, especially if they are more susceptible to disease or cancer like some are.  Most products we use for our baby (an 80 pound Boxer) are human grade as the standards are much higher. You can read more about Beau's story here if you haven't been following it. Beau, 13 year old Boxer, was first diagnosed with a mast cell tumor when he was around 5 years old.  Boxers have a strong predisposition for cancer which I didn’t realize until he was diagnosed. …

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Sleeping with Darth Vader – Part II of Beau’s Journey

Sleeping with Darth Vader – Part II of Beau’s journey  You can ready Part 1 of the journey here if you've missed it. It's Monday, December 3, 2012 and I'm awakened at 3:30 a.m.  Yesterday, it was 2:30 a.m. so I'm grateful for an extra hour of sleep.  I awake to what sounds like Darth Vader sleeping next to me.  It is the deep raspy gurgling breathing of our boxer, Beau. He has a history of snoring but typically only when he sleeps on a pillow (so we usually didn't allow him to have one). However, for the past couple days, it's much louder and constant.  His struggle…

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A Mom and Her Dog – Part I of Beau’s Journey

They steal our hearts with their unconditional love.  You can leave the house for five minutes and they greet you with such excitement that you'd think you had been away for days, weeks or months. They create habits and lifestyle that we condone or become enslaved to.  I'm not referring to our children; however, they could fall into this same category. I am referring to our four-legged children. Beau is our four-legged child/twelve-year-old boxer. Beau came into our lives when my son was 10 years old.  He and my husband wanted a dog and I swore we wouldn't have one of those little creatures in my home! (Never,…

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