Gift Cards – Good vs. Bad

For years, there’s been a debate over whether gift cards gift cards are a good gift or a bad gift for the holidays or other times.  The main argument for them being a “bad gift” has been the fact that gift cards don’t have that personal touch.  I think gift cards can actually be a great gift that is very thoughtful.

Do not worry, the recipient of the gift card will most likely be thankful that they can treat themselves to an experience or something that they don’t have to pay for.  And in a year with so many supply chain shortages when it’s difficult to get an actual item, a gift card is a perfect gift!

Here are a few other reasons why gift cards are a great gift.  Did you know that in 2019, it was reported that gift cards were the most requested gift!  Restaurant gift cards were the most requested, followed by Visa/MasterCard and American Express, with department stores following right behind.

Giving gift cards doesn’t have to mean you’re giving something that’s not thoughtful.  Giving a gift card to a restaurant that you both enjoyed brings back memories of the times you shared together!  Or maybe gifting a gift card to help cover the cost of something they really wanted is a pretty special gift too!

Finally, gift cards are a great way to support local businesses! Suzy’s Swirl is offering a Holiday Gift Card Special too! It’s a Gift for You and a Gift to Share!  When You purchase a $20.00 Gift Card in return We Will Give You a $5.00 Suzy Buck!  Plus, they never expire!

Gift Cards are great gifts for teachers, bus drivers, mail delivery people, party favors or just because!  Don’t forget to stop into Suzy’s Swirl and pick up your Holiday Gift Card today!  A Gift for You and a Gift to Share!

Some gifts are big.  Others are small. But the ones that come from the heart are the best gifts of all!

Tinku Razoria

#suzysswirl

Thankful, Grateful, Blessed

This Thanksgiving I think we can all agree that we have so much to be Thankful and Grateful for and many Blessings too!  We have come a long way since Thanksgiving last year!  We can go back and rehash everything that has happened in this past year or we can stay in the present and look to the future!

There’s an analogy about the past and the future using our car, it goes like this, when you drive home today, you’ve got a big windshield on the front of your car and you’ve got a little bitty rearview mirror.  The reason the windshield is so large and the rearview mirror is so small is because what’s happened in your past (rearview mirror) is not near as important as what’s in your future(windshield).  I like this analogy because it just makes sense. 

This Thanksgiving let us give Thanks for all of those people who help us each and every day, let them know how much they mean to you!  There is always something to be Grateful for, even if it is the falling leaves. The more we focus on Gratitude it will in turn bring us more happiness and well-being.  Finally, simply counting our Blessings this Thanksgiving!  The blessings of good health, all of those recovering from all illnesses, the blessings of family and the never ending blessings of being here with each of you!

Your Thanksgiving may still look and feel different, that’s ok! Let us all do our best to find ways to be Thankful, Grateful and Blessed this Thanksgiving!

Reflect upon your present blessings, of which every man has plenty; not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some

Charles Dickens

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Holiday Magazines Galore!

I don’t know about you, but my mailbox is filled with Holiday Magazines.  Somehow, somewhere or someone has added my name to their mailing list!  Good golly this year it really seems like I am receiving holiday magazines from every company under the sun!

I must admit, I do enjoy looking through each of these magazines!  I get great ideas for home décor, food recipe ideas and fun outfit combinations!  It would be so easy to just order away and give all of these companies my business and money!  What I really like to do is take these ideas and purchase my items from local businesses!

There’s nothing like going into local shops, that aren’t chains, during the holiday season! The local bookstore, boutique, florist and restaurant is magical this time of year!  Being able to actually hold and touch books, sweaters, scarves or smell all the smells of the holidays is wonderful!  

Don’t get me wrong, being able to order everything and anything online while in my pajamas in the comfort of my home is nice!  Although, it also is a bit impersonal and cold!  So, as I continue to get magazine after magazine in the mail I am going to do my best to not order online and shop local!

This holiday season please don’t forget to shop your local stores!  They truly do have unique and one of a kind gifts for everyone on your list!  Take a break from all of that shopping to get a sweet treat at Suzy’s Swirl or your local watering hole too!

“It’s not what’s under the Christmas Tree that matters it’s who’s around it”

Unknown

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It’s Time to Fall Behind

This is the only time of the year that it is appropriate to fall behind. Day Light Saving Time - it’s time to set our clocks back (1) hour!  We gain an extra hour of sleep and rest!  Unfortunately, we also loose (1) hour of daylight too! 

This entire thing about springing ahead (1) hour in the Spring and falling behind (1) hour in the Fall is confusing.  Some say that Benjamin Franklin is the one who started all this time changing business!  The first real use of Daylight Saving Time started during World War I.

In 1916, locations within the German Empire set clocks ahead one hour in an effort to use less power for lighting and conserve fuel.  Many other countries continued this after the war was over.

In the United States of America Daylight Saving Time started in April from 1987-2006, running through the last weekend in October. In 2007, the start and end of Daylight Saving Time shifted.  That year, it began on the second Sunday in March and it ended on the first Sunday in November and is still current today!

There are pros and cons to falling behind (1) hour:

Pros – Extra hour of sleep

            Earlier Sunrises

            Dark at 7:00pm – kids to bed earlier

            Cold & Dark Skies w/ Twinkling Stars

            Our phones change time themselves

Cons – Less Daylight

             Dark Commutes Home

             Long Nights

             You have to change all of your clocks

If you are leaning more on the side of the Cons, let’s keep this in mind, on December 21st the Winter Solstice arrives.  Then the length of daytime will then begin to increase until the Summer Solstice on June 21, 2022!

As we change our clocks, try not to change your routines!  Continue to meet up with friends and family and get outside even if it’s dark out, bring a flashlight!  Enjoy and embrace this time of year!  Just a friendly reminder, there are only 126 days until March 13, 2022 when we Spring Ahead!  We can do this!

This weekend we are supposed to turn our clocks back.  Personally, I’d rather turn my scale back!

#suzysswirl

Happy Halloween! 

Halloween is a holiday that is always celebrated on October 31st.  The tradition originated with an old Celtic festival called Samhain, when people would light bonfires and dress up in costumes to ward off ghosts.  Soon after Pope Gregory III proclaimed that November 1st was a day to honor all Saints.  After that, the day before All Saints Day would be known as All Hallows Eve with the blurry idea of the one night the worlds of the living and dead would mingle.

The symbolic meaning of Halloween is linked to Christianity, century old practices and many celebrations.  Halloween symbolizes the end of the harvest and sharing what is left of your harvest with your community.  It was a time when families would go door to door actually asking for food or money that would eventually change to trick or treating for candy!  The history of Halloween has changed dramatically over the years!

Today Halloween is the day when children of all ages get dressed up and with excitement run from home to home saying the familiar jingle, “Trick or Treat?”  Did you know that one quarter of all candy sold in the USA is purchased for Halloween?   Did you also know that more people are buying costumes for their pets?  Americans spent $490 million dollars on costumes for their pets in 2019!  That is more than double then what was spent in 2010!  Let’s face it, animals dressed up in Halloween costumes just make you smile!  They’re so cute!

As we get older the idea of Halloween is just strange, at least I think so!  Dress your kids up so no one can recognize them, let them go knock on doors of strangers (people you would never let them talk to on any other day), then ask for candy!!! Yikes!!  Are you kidding me!!  That is the old me talking!  The young me says, Halloween is a fun day to see neighborhood kids you haven’t seen in a while, it’s a great community builder and its just downhome fun!  Still check all of the kids candy before the eat any, that’s just common sense!  LOL! 

My family and I have wonderful Halloween memories and I hope this year you make some new Halloween memories for you and your family!  Have fun and be safe!  Happy Halloween!

When black cats prowl and pumpkins gleam, may luck be yours on Halloween!

Unknown

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Bumping into Old Friends

For the past 17 months we have been overly cautious to not bump into anyone or anything!  We have been told to keep our distance from others and really not have any contact with others outside of our bubble!  It’s been tough and isolating! 

These past two weekends I have had the pleasure of bumping into old friends and family!  It’s been a great and unexpected gift!  Let me set the scene, you’re walking through a crowded restaurant/bar following the person in front of you, the bar is crowded because there’s a college football game playing on all of the tv’s (Iowa State), you’re trying to get to the very small women’s restroom, when out of the blue you bump into old friends that you haven’t seen in quite a while!  In the midst of the shouting and cheering, time stops and you have a few minutes to catch up!  Suddenly the moment is over, you get back to what you were doing but it was nice bumping into your old friends!

What are the odds, that you are walking down the street, you turn the corner and there sitting by the fall flowers are cousins you haven’t seen in such a long time!  You enjoy a wonderful conversation and can’t wait until the next time you bump into each other again!

These moments bring back memories of how things used to be!  We weren’t afraid or worried about crowds or bumping into friends and family!  As we move forward in our new world I hope we can become more at ease about bumping into friends and family once again!  Life is short and moving by so fast!  Keep your head up and your eyes open, you never know who you might bump into!

“Remember that the most valuable antiques are dear old friends”

H. Jackson Brown Jr.

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Founderology

Who is a Founder?  A Founder is someone who creates something out of nothing.  A Founder is creative, innovative, determined, intelligent and has a sense of fearlessness!  Founders are people who establish the company, take on the risk and reward of creating their vision. 

The ten-million-dollar question is, “How do you work with a Founder?” The answers are in an amazing book titled, The Ultimate Employee Guide FOUNDERology, Succeed with any Boss in any Workplace.   This brilliant book is authored by my amazing sister, Kathleen Wood.  Founderology is filled with real-life lessons, practical advice and success practices for you to grow and accel in a Founder-led business.

My sister wrote this book to be a guide for all of us working with a founder to find our sanity, embrace our journey and love our journey working with a founder!  If you ever have the opportunity to work directly with a founder, you know it is like a roller coaster ride!  You may not understand the reason why the business has to climb and climb up that coaster or fully grip the reasons why we have to fly down at one hundred miles an hour, the founder can understand this process 100%.  Working with a founder may not always be enjoyable, like a roller coaster ride, although, it sure is a ride that you will never forget!

How many women founders do you know?  First and foremost, Kathleen Wood, she is the founder of Kathleen Wood Partners and Suzy’s Swirl.  A few others are, Debbie Fields of Mrs. Fields Cookies, Sara Blakely of Spanx and Oprah Winfrey of The Oprah Winfrey Show. What do all of these women have in common?  They are founders who lead their companies with passion, vision and with all of the possibilities that the world can bring!  These amazing founders inspire all of those around them.

If you are an employee working with a founder this a great book for YOU!  If you are interested in purchasing Kathleen’s book, please visit her website – Kwoodpartners.com and click on the link to order your book now – you won’t be disappointed!

“Don’t ask a Unicorn to be a Horse”

Kathleen Wood

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Patience, Patience and More Patience

Patience, Patience and More Patience is what is so very much needed from customers, employees and employers!  At least 64% of all Americans have at least one Covid-19 vaccine.  This means that many more people are out and about shopping, working and eating compared to last year!  Restaurants are crowded, airplanes are packed and things seem to be getting back to a new kind of normal!  With one huge exception – not enough employees to work!

In an October 8th article published by the National Restaurant Association, 78% of restaurant operators say they are still currently understaffed!  There are still not enough employees to support existing customer demand! As a result of being understaffed, operators are having to make the difficult choice of reducing hours of operation!  This is a national crisis!

The restaurant business is not the only industry hurting!  There are shortages of people and products everywhere!  Did you know there has been a button shortage?  If you are looking for a new fall blouse or shirt, it may be difficult to find!  There’s also been a paper shortage, pumpkin shortage and the list goes on and on!  

So as we head into the holiday season, please make sure you bring plenty of Patience with you! Please know it is not the young 16-year-old server’s fault if your favorite restaurant has changed their menu and hours!  Be happy that the restaurant is still open!  Start your holiday shopping now, there are no guarantees that what you need or want will be there in a few weeks!  Living by the Golden Rule – Treating others as one wants to be Treated – is what we all need to practice today, tomorrow and the days to come!  Don’t forget your Patience too!

Patience is not simply the ability to wait – it’s how we behave while we’re waiting

Joyce Meyer

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Fall, Fall, Fall

Fall is my most favorite season of all!  I love the changing colors of the leaves, bonfires, corn mazes (not really), mums and everything pumpkin!  Most of all I love, love, love sweater and sweatshirt weather!  In my opinion it is the best time of year! 

 The colors of fall are so rich, comforting and beautiful!  Deep reds, flaming oranges, golds, rust, vibrant yellows and mix in shades of deep green and brown – perfection!  These colors are also so complimentary on most everyone in the fashion world too!  There’s nothing like a deep red chunky sweater, a pair of relaxed jeans with comfy fall boots!  

Let’s talk a minute about the flavors of Fall and all that deliciousness!  Of course it starts with everything Pumpkin!  This week I had my first Pumpkin Spice drink, it was wonderful!  I look forward to baking Pumpkin Bars, Pumpkin Bread, Pumpkin Pancakes and Pumpkin Cheesecake – everything Pumpkin!

Who doesn’t like Caramel Apples too!   Don’t get me started on soups and crock pot cooking!  The delicious smells and tastes of Fall cooking is like no other.  Except for Thanksgiving Turkey, Christmas Cookies and Easter Ham!  LOL!  Each season has a highlight of food favorites!  

Now some may say I’m all wrong on this season because we all know what comes next – Winter! UGH!  Let’s face it, each season does have its ups and downs, no season is 100% perfect!  Except for Fall, it sure is close!  LOL!

As we move into this amazing time of year, don’t forget to come into Suzy’s Swirl for a taste of fall!  We have Pumpkin Spice Yogurt and Sea Salt Caramel Pretzel and other fan favorites!  As we say at Suzy’s – “It’s always a good day to Swirl at Suzy’s!”  Grab your sweater or sweatshirt and come with Swirl with us!

Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower – Albert Calmus

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100 days until Christmas

This has been a busy week personally, professionally and in the world!  I’m sure you can all feel it too!  Then I hear there are only 100 days until Christmas!  Yikes!  You walk into Hobby Lobby, Michael’s and even Walgreens and they are all on board with Christmas being right around the corner!

Over the years I have tried to make my Christmas shopping a little bit easier!  I would like to share a few ideas that I hope make your shopping a bit less stressful:

*Think of your gift giving like it was when Jesus was born (Jesus received 3 gifts – Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh). Your kids receive 3 gifts too (something they need, something to read and something they want)

*If you still exchange gifts with Nieces and Nephews and In-laws – purchase them all the same thing.  Example – Monogrammed Blanket, Personalized Platter, Gloves-Hat-Scarf or a Back Massager.

*Who doesn’t like FOOD – especially if they are out of town family or friends!  I love O&H Bakery out of Racine, Wisconsin – the best Kringles!  Also, Wolferman’s, Portillo’s, William and Sonoma and Fruit of the Month Baskets make great gifts too!  Don’t forget about Suzy’s Swirl Gift Cards too! – the sweetest gift ever!

At the end of the day, we all know that Christmas is on December 25th – it’s been the same date forever!  Before it gets too late, take a few minutes and think of how you can take the stress out of your Christmas Gift giving!  Most importantly, let’s try to make these next 100 days joyful, peaceful and less stressful for all!

Life really is simple, but we insist on making it complicated – Confucius

#suzysswirl

Twenty Years ago

Like so many of you, I took some time yesterday to watch the many tv specials commemorating 9/11.  What struck me the most was how emotional it still made me 20 years later.  I was brought to tears so many times as I listened to the kids of 9/11, the survivors and to the families of those souls that perished that fateful day!

The morning of 9/11 I was at the Aldi’s grocery store.  All four of my kids were in school from preschool to middle school and my husband Joe, was working in downtown Chicago.  The customers at Aldi’s started talking about a plane crashing into the Twin Towers in New York and no one knew what was going to happen next.  So many of us at Aldi’s just left our shopping carts and headed home.  As soon as I got home, I turned on the tv and watched in horror as to what was happening in New York!  Here in Johnsburg the schools were on lock down and my husband was headed home!  I’m sure so many of you can recall exactly where you were when this unimaginable tragedy was taking place! 

The words that former President Bush spoke yesterday really hit home for me!  When he recalled how every person stopped to help their fellow man.  How people opened up their homes to those who could not get back to theirs.  He spoke of how the United States of America put aside Republican and Democrat and united as one for the sake of the country and the people of the USA! 

What also struck me was when the news compared a few sad differences from 9/11 to now!  When the steps of the Capitol Building a few days after 9/11 had all of the leaders singing the National Anthem compared to this past January when people were trying to break into the Capitol Building to hurt those leaders.  Another comparison was when people patiently waited to be screened to get on an airplane after 9/11 and now people are acting hysterically crazy because they need to wear a mask to keep us all safe!  

We have come a long way since 9/11, we surely still need to do a lot more!  The overwhelming support and good will that was shown after 9/11 needs to come back! Let us not forget those kind souls that simply walked into work or boarded those flights and never returned home!  Let us never forget all of those who continue to protect us since 9/11!

God Bless the United States of America!

#suzysswirl

2021 Summer Olympics

The Summer Olympics is coming to an end today!  It has been over 7000 hours of television coverage for these Olympic Games.  I think we need to salute all of the amazing Team USA athletes who participated this summer!

When I was a child, I remember watching the Olympic games with my family.  We all looked forward to watching our favorite events together.  For me, gymnastics has always been my favorite sport.  I still don’t understand how these women and men twist their bodies in midair and land on their feet! I can’t even walk and chew gum at the same time without tripping!   Then there’s soccer, swimming, diving, track and now skate boarding and canoeing!  Watching the best of the best compete at their sport is amazing!

As an adult watching the Olympic Games, I have been so moved hearing the stories of what inspired them and kept them training so hard.  From those you lost a parent at a young age, another athlete being adopted by a family from the USA, a father who is paralyzed due to a fall from a ladder and all of the emotional stress they endure, these athletes are remarkable. I’ve heard them called, “Dream Chasers” despite all of their setbacks they show up and keep fighting for those medals!  This is a very positive way of thinking for all of us!

To think that Simone Biles is the “GOAT” of the gymnastic team at the very young age of 24!  As she said “Carrying the weight of the World on her Shoulders” is a lot!  As this 2021 Olympic Game wraps up I think we should all be celebrating the many successes of their journey to get to the Olympics.  Congratulations to each and every Team USA 2021 Summer Olympic Olympian!  We are proud of all of your accomplishments!

“Don’t put a limit on anything.  The more you dream, the further you get”

Michael Phelps

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Practicing the Discipline of Thankfulness

It is hard to believe that it is July 25th!  In five short months it will be Christmas!  What!!!  Yes, Christmas is five short months away!  As I reflect on these past sixteen months from March 17th 2020 to today July 25th 2021 the word Thankful best describes how I feel!

There have been so many gut wrenching horror stories of how this pandemic tore apart families, ruined businesses and left us helpless.  I am one of those Thankful people who didn’t lose anyone to the virus, no one in my family lost their job and we have had the good fortune to once again see each other in person!

I continue to give thanks to the amazing customers, friends and family who supported Suzy’s Swirl and other local small businesses during this pandemic!  I know it feels like things are getting back to our “new normal”, however, many of us are still struggling both personally and professionally!  From crazy food shortages, parts for equipment shortages and the never ending employee shortages, many are still struggling!  To all of this, you add the personal stress this pandemic has washed over many of us and we are tired!   

Through all of this, the word Thankful comes into focus over and over again!  Thankfulness needs to flow freely from your heart to your lips, let your gratitude flow to all of those around you!  See how many times you can thank those around you and it will awaken your senses to all of the blessings around you!  We want to get back to “normal” we are not there yet.  Very much Thankful for where we are, but there is still so much work that needs to be done!

As we enter into the next five months let’s continue to be Thankful!  Thankful our kids are able to go back to school in person, Thankful we will be able to celebrate the holidays together in person and Thankful that we continue to stay healthy!  Everything may not be perfect!  If we just take a moment, take a breath, there is so much to be Thankful for!

Thank You for Your Support!

God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today.  Have You used one to say “Thank You?”

William Arthur Ward

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summer Vs Back to school

The stores are reminding us that back to school is just around the corner!  It can’t possibly be that time already!  It is the middle of July and it seems like summer is just getting into full swing! 

At Suzy’s Swirl we have a few awesome crew members who will be heading off to college soon!  They will be having their orientations, getting in touch with their new roommates and starting to pack things up! I shared the story of when my oldest son went off to college for the first time! We didn’t think about containers to transport all of his things, we had Walmart and Target bags and when we arrived at his college it was a pile of bags! I was so concerned that he had sheets, pillows and snacks that I forgot all about school supplies! College students still need notebooks, pens and pencils! Don’t forget!

I learned a lot over the years and by the time my youngest daughter entered college we had an amazing system! No more Walmart Bags – we had containers for everything!  We were organized and she had school supplies!  LOL!  She also did this amazing thing with her hanging clothes – keep the clothes on their hangers and scoop them up from the bottom with a white kitchen plastic bag – tie up the hangers with the red plastic tie at the top!  Once you get to your dorm room closet you can hang them up, untie the bag and now you have garbage bags to use!  So smart!

Even as the back to school season is trying to creep in on our Summer, let’s try to get in as much Summer time as possible!  There are still plenty of beach days, lazy days, sprinkler days and Suzy’s Swirl days left to our Summer! Summer is still going strong, we need to enjoy it and have fun each and every day of it!  

A perfect summer day is when the sun is shining, the breeze is blowing, the birds are singing and the lawn mower is broken! 

James Dent

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Happy 4th of July!

The 4th of July, also known as Independence Day, is a public holiday celebrated in the United States of America. This day commemorates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776 which declared our freedom from the British Colonies!

This day is celebrated with family, friends, hot dogs, watermelon, parades and fireworks! Wearing red, white and blue, the colors of our flag is another way we represent America. I don’t think there is any other holiday that represents down home Americana like July 4th.

This July 4th we have even more reason to celebrate! We have our independence from Covid-19! This year so many of us are free from wearing masks and are free to gather together! Even with all of that said, we still have much to do and overcome!   Just as our forefathers worked together so many years ago to insure our future, we need to continue to do the same now!

God Bless America

My Home, Sweet Home!

OH WHAT A BEAUTIFUL MORNING

There’s something beautiful about waking up to the birds chirping and the wind blowing the leaves on the trees.  It’s a gentle and peaceful way to start the day!  Oh how lucky are we to be breathing in such good clean air!

It’s these small things that I hope we don’t take for granted!  Our calendars are starting to get full once again!  Outdoor concerts, little league baseball games, car shows, airports are crowded and list goes on and on!  

Here’s the big question?  How do we keep the simplicity of a year ago?  Last year the highlight of the day was taking a walk around the block as a family!  We’d wave hello to our neighbors and keep on walking!  Simple times! 

So now we have to navigate merging those two ways of life into a new normal way of living!  Let’s try not to over schedule our kids with activities, let’s still take the time to make homemade bread with our kids, plant new flowers and herbs in our garden and still make it to those baseball games!

Oh what a beautiful morning! Enjoy the sound of the birds chirping and the wind blowing!   It sounds silly, let’s not forget to stop and smell the roses!  We’ve been given this opportunity to make changes in our lives for the better!  Life goes by so fast, let’s enjoy it one day at a time!

May your day be filled with good thoughts, kind people and happy moments.

Good Morning! 

#suzysswirl

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father’s Day to all of the Dad’s, Step Dad’s, Granddad’s, Uncles and those who fill the shoes of a Dad so well!  I hope you enjoy this poem:

 What Makes a Dad:

God took the strength of a Mountain,

The majesty of a tree,

The warmth of a summer sun,

The calm of a quiet sea,

The generous soul of nature,

The comforting arm of night,

The wisdom of the ages,

The power of the eagle’s flight,

The joy of a morning in spring,

The faith of a mustard seed,

The patience of eternity,

The depth of a family need,

Then God combined these qualities,

When there was nothing more to add,

He knew His masterpiece was complete,

And so, He called it…. Dad

Unknown Author

Happy Father’s Day!

#suzysswirl

HAPPY 7TH BIRTHDAY TO SUZY’S SWIRL

On June 4th Suzy’s Swirl quietly celebrated our 7th Birthday in Lake Bluff!  We came to Lake Bluff as an unknown new frozen yogurt place and we were quickly welcomed with open arms and spoons!  We have had the pleasure to meet so many wonderful people and have created friendships along the way! 

Through these past 7 years we gone through change, growth and now a new address (207 Waukegan Road – inside Donati’s)!  Change can be scary, make us anxious and there’s always so much unknown.  Without change we can’t move forward and that’s always a #1 goal at Suzy’s Swirl! We look forward to collaborating with Donati’s, with other local restaurants and community events!  We are always looking for new and interesting flavors and toppings!  We always appreciate your input too! 

When we started Suzy’s Swirl we made a commitment to all of our new hires, that their first job would be their best job and we would always explain the why!  Our crew is primarily High School students and they range from Lake Bluff, Lake Forest, Libertyville, Gurnee, Waukegan and North Chicago!  We have loved working with each and every one of you!  We all take pride in giving the best customer service with the best quality product! 

Finally, a huge thank you to all of you!  We could not be celebrating our 7th Birthday without the love and support of all of you!  We love celebrating the last day of school, the beginning of summer, getting vaccinated and all of the other reasons you come to Suzy’s Swirl!  We look forward to making many other memories with you in the years to come!

When we give cheerfully and accept gratefully, everyone is blessed!  - Maya Angelou

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SUMMER READING

School’s out, we are taking summer vacations, we are sitting by the pool or on the beach and it’s the perfect time to pick up a good book!  There’s just something exciting about having a nice stack of books ready to read at the beginning of the summer and just working your way through them!

My Dad was a huge reader!  He would sit in his recliner, smoke his pipe and just get lost in his book.  He always looked so relaxed and happy when he was reading.  I think his love of reading rubbed off on me.  I love to read!  When I am reading a good book I feel like I become a character in the story.  A good book takes me away from the hustle and bustle of the day and brings me to another place! 

Some of my best date nights with my husband where when we went to Barnes and Noble Book Store.  Looking through all of the travel books, cook books, self-help books, kids’ books and all of the magazines was so much fun!  Book stores are such a calming place, full of so many possibilities and adventures!  There is something special about holding a book in your hands and turning the pages.  Although, I do enjoy reading books on my I-Pad and my daughter enjoys audible books too!  No matter how you read them – it’s wonderful!

This summer I hope you and your family are able to relax and enjoy a good book!  Visit your local library, your local book store or share your books with your friends!  I will go one step further, come to Suzy’s Swirl to make a summer time cup and enjoy it while you read your summer time book! It’s a Super Sweet Treat!

You’re never alone when you’re reading a Book 

Susan Wiggs 

#suzysswirl

Keep the faith

Keep the Faith has been my Mantra for a very long time! There are some days that I am better at than others – as my family will attest to!  LOL! With all that has happened in our world and continues to happen – Keeping the Faith is one thing that we can all do together!

I don’t know about you, but I cannot believe it is the end of May. Kids are graduating from High School and College. Restaurants are opening to full capacity, stores are fully open, people are getting vaccinated and things seem to be getting back to our new version of a normal! Keeping the Faith is a critical part to getting to our new version of normal!

These past 17 months truly have been a challenge of our Faith.  Faith can have so many different definitions – religious, personal beliefs, trust and confidence are just a few.  I think Faith is a bit like a roller coaster ride – there are times when it is very high and exciting and then times when it is falling fast and you just want to throw up! 

Starting today – I am going to practice living with more Faith! Each morning I am going to wake up, give thanks and set positive intentions for the day! I am going to have Faith that no matter where the day leads me it will be a good day! I am going to treat people with kindness and understanding. Listen more and judge less! I will Keep the Faith that all will be ok!

Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase

Marin Luther King, Jr.

#Suzysswirl