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Show Wednesday, December 20, 2006 C7 Hey Kids ! Make your i own gifts this year Vernal Express By Jennifer Petty Express Writer Sometimes it is hard to come up with gifts for your mom or dad. You don't have a lot of money and it seems like they have everything. Here are some ideas of gifts they might enjoy, but that don't cost too much, just some of your time. For some of them, you may need to get help from someone else to finish up, but one of these are sure tol please. Placemats transform your art work into beautiful placemats your relatives rela-tives or parents can use. Draw pictures on large pieces of paper then get help laminating it or covering with clear contact paper. : Chocolate Melting Spoons: Dip plastic spoons into melted chocolate, then top with sprinkles. sprin-kles. Wrap together in plastic wrap and tie with a ribbon. Soap Shapes: grate one bar of soap and mix with 14 cup water and 2 drops of food coloring. color-ing. Pack mixture firmly into cookie cutters and let dry overnight. over-night. Remove soap shapes and wrap together, then tie with ribbon. rib-bon. Unique Bookmarks: Make a bookmark for the person who loves reading. Be creative, use your artwork, a piece of fabric that you decorate or even add ribbons to the end. You can laminate the bookmark or cov- IV- f I LA I I A a a v. t, V VS. 1 II 4 I I " I it er with contact paper for extra durability. Paperweight: Make a paperweight pa-perweight for mom or dad's office by decorating a rock. You can either paint the rock or glue pictures onto the rock. Brush on glue all over the top of the rock to seal on the art. Music Mix: If you play a musical instrument, tape a concert con-cert for a far away grandparent grandpar-ent or relative. You could also make a mix of favorite songs for a brother or sister. Ornaments: Giving ornaments orna-ments at Christmas is a great way to use your creativity. You can make snowmen, stars, snowflakes or anything else using us-ing things that you might have around the house. Picture frames: Parents Tis the Season Continued from C6 This has been shown to help fifty percent of sufferersreach full remission and helpHany others reduce their depressive symptoms, regain energy and restore positive moods. University Uni-versity of Vermont psychologist psycholo-gist Kelly Rohan, Ph.D. has conducted research on Cognitive Cogni-tive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for SAD, which emphasizes understanding our distorted negative thought patterns and consequently modifying such thoughts and increasing functional func-tional behaviors. Results have shown that CBT has the most lasting long-term benefits, perhaps per-haps because people who have undergone CBT learn cognitive tools and behavioral strategies they can use for the rest of their lives. , If you or someone you know suffers from depression or SAD, it is desirable to seek psychological psy-chological and medical consultation consul-tation to fully evaluate your symptoms and treatment options. op-tions. As a Health Psychologist, this author recommends that in addition to considering the aforementioned therapies, people peo-ple should develop a lifestyle that buffers them against depression, de-pression, especially during the winter months. Specific ideas include the following: Spend adequate time outside, out-side, regardless of the temperature. temper-ature. Regular short breaks while at work or home counteract counter-act the dulling effects of stuffy stale air. Open your windows periodically to let fresh air in. Increase your activity level and exercise. Remember, even brief walking and movement stimulates our metabolism. We also burn more calories while just standing versus sitting. Try standing while talking on the phone or eating. Eat regular small energy-packed energy-packed meals. Fattening food increases our blood viscosity and makes us more sluggish, especially in the afternoon. High protein with lower fat and complex carbohydrates keeps our blood glucose levels more stable, prolonging our energy. Stay hydrated! Even if you do not feel thirsty, water (not soda or caffeine containing beverages) bev-erages) helps keep us alert, concentrate con-centrate and think better, and is an important ally in weight loss and metabolic functioning. v Manage your stress. Stress depletes our energy reserves and increases depression. Do not be afraid to seek out professional pro-fessional consultation to learn strategies to deal with stress. Environmental . consider' ations include " surrounding! oneself in bright' cheerful'sur-roundings. cheerful'sur-roundings. Position your desk, workspace, or reading area as near to a window as possible. Redecorate and rearrange for a change! Go Feng-Shui if you need to. Revitalize your spiritual side, regardless of what you believe. be-lieve. Explore new opportunities opportuni-ties to foster an increased sense of purpose. Try therapy to grow as a human being and reach your capacity. Zen teachings on creativity tell us that the beginners mind is open to and full of possibilities, possibili-ties, but the supposed expert has only a few. In other words, do not be afraid to venture out of your comfort zone and challenge chal-lenge yourself to do something new, even if you have doubts in your abilities. Give yourself permission to indulge in rest, relaxation, and rejuvenating activities. If it feels a bit self-indulgent but does not harm anyone, it might just be what the doctor ordered. Remember, when you take care of yourself, you are a better mother, father, spouse, and employee. em-ployee. Pause and view the world through the lense of a child. This can profoundly shift your mind-set and help you repriori-tize repriori-tize life. Consult the child within you, go to a playground and do not be afraid to swing, run around, or just observe. Go swimming, ice-skating, whatever what-ever may evoke your playful nature! Mental and behavioral exercises ex-ercises to brighten our mood include in-clude humor and laughter. See a funny movie, read the comics, com-ics, write down jokes to retell, spend time with others who are uplifting. Pay attention to what is right in the world. We can become be-come so saturated with individual individ-ual or world problems that we lose perspective. There really is so much in life to be thankful thank-ful for, no matter the situation! It requires stepping outside of oneself to gain perspective. Remember to seek psychological psycho-logical and medical consultation consulta-tion for clearance and additional addi-tional guidance in dealing with depression and Seasonal Affective Affec-tive Disorder. Dr. Michael J. Bjornson is a Health Psychologist who practices prac-tices in Vernal Utah. 781-8989. love to put pictures around the house. Personalize an old picture pic-ture frame with small trinkets, flowers, beads, or buttons. You could also make your own natural nat-ural frame by gluing or tying sticks together. Coupons: Time is something some-thing that everyone has to give and that most people appreciate. Coupons can be given for things you will do when the recipient of the coupon turns it in. You could give a coupon that says you will make dinner, wash or clean out the car, clean something in the house, baby-sit for a night while your parents relax, or even for a one-on-one date with your mom or dad. You could go for a hike, walk, or just read a story with them. Write a book: Books don't have to be long and you don't have to be an artist to write one. Moms or dads would love a book illustrating and telling about your favorite memories with them. Relax Kit: Put rice in an ,old sockfParents can heat up the- sock in the microwave and have a relaxing neck warmer. You could volunteer to give them a foot or back massage to help them relax or tell your parents par-ents you'll take your younger siblings to the park for an hour while they relax or take a bath. Whatever you choose, parents par-ents and relatives and siblings will appreciate the effort and time you put into choosing the perfect gift for them and they will have something they can enjoy and that will remind them of you for years to come. l( v. ' Er If i k y imj i Vjbl To the very young , the not-so-young, and the young-at-heart, go our warmest wishes for a delightful holiday season. For your belief in us, we are sincerely grateful. 650 East Main Street, Vernal 435-789-4811 - -i ' $ - t i . n n QJ 4 As tUe UoUay &iJa approaUfts, Our ,U0ugUs iam rflf-Cully i iUosft wUo Usvft mA& Our c(mmx&A suicctes. possible. We, value our ivievbers t tuzlow&rs. Qwd ufeU you a Merry cUrisivas fa Uappy New year, seriy, your -Criers ai UZTku&T. ' V i '&rf - ' " $": -yi : ...'j W) COMMUNICATION) " " MM W- www.ubta-ubet.com 6225007 |