Learn Or Do

Thanksgiving eating.  Mmmmm……  I bet you’re already thinking about all the great food we’ll be eating tomorrow.  Turkey?  Ham?  Green bean casserole?  Stuffing?  Pie?  All of the above?  Well, your Thanksgiving dinner can be heathy too!

Dietitians estimate some people eat thousands of calories at a single meal on Thanksgiving – so you can either accept that or make an effort to have a healthier holiday.  It doesn’t mean you can’t have turkey and trimmings, you just need to be smart about it.

Real Simple Magazine suggests this:

Start by filling half your plate with vegetables, then pile one-quarter up with turkey breast, and leave the remaining one-quarter for starchy sides. Here, some more expert-approved guidelines for keeping portions in check this Thanksgiving Day.

And don’t forget – all the snack things and drinks have calories too.  So make sure you aren’t mindlessly eating.  And a big holiday tradition for my family is a walk after a big meal.  But touch football is always an option too!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Want to know a secret?  I’m a closet addict of the Hallmark Christmas movies.  The Hallmark Channel has already gone 24/7 with Christmas movies – and I LOVE them!  They’re SOOOOOOO bad!  Seriously, if you cant figure out what the whole plot is going to be within the first 5 minutes, you are obviously wearing a blindfold and have the volume turned off.  And don’t even get me started on some of the acting.  It’s also bad – but for me, that’s part of the fun.

The plots generally involve getting Christmas spirit and of course falling in love since it is the Hallmark Channel.  Every Christmas tree is impossibly perfect, the snow is mostly oh so fake and despite how cold everyone acts, they’re not really bundled up for winter and you can’t see their breath.

But on the plus side, unlike in real life, holiday problems are solved easily and you’re likely to find out your significant other is either an angel or a resident of the North Pole.  These movies are the perfect thing to get you in the holiday mood and relieve your holiday stress.

There’s even a drinking game!

You’ll be drunk and full of the holiday spirit in no time – give it a try!

If you’re a regular reader, you probably noticed I didn’t post anything at all last week.  It was my first break since starting this blog spot last March.  It’s not that I don’t love writing – but I had a busy week at work and company last weekend so I just didn’t get it together enough to blog as well.  I took a little time out OK?

Why?  This is my busiest time of the year – not only do I work for a retail chain so the holidays are crazy to start, but I also challenge myself to see how many handmade gifts I can make every year.  So time is at a premium.

Want to know a secret about my blog?  I try to write all my posts for the week on Sunday – so if I get home late from work, I’m not scrambling to write the next day’s post.  So with company last week, that didn’t happen.  Please don’t be offended that I prioritized company over blog – I bet you would too!

So, this week I’m back on schedule – happy reading!

Late last week, we had our first snow of the season here in Chicago – and you know it won’t be the last.  So before we have deep, deep  snow, let’s review some driving tips for snowy days:

• SLOW DOWN!  You can’t see black ice on the roads that can be really dangerous.  So give yourself a few more minutes to get to your destination and make sure you’re always driving at a speed that allows you to keep control over your car.  Accelerating and braking slowly are key to keeping control of your car on ice or snow.
• Know your brakes and your tires.  You need to know how your car performs on ice and in snow – if you don’t, find yourself an empty parking lot and put your car through the paces so you know how it handles on ice or in snow.
• Leave your lights on.  Your headlights will help you see – and help others see you in heavy snow.  Just don’t use the brights OK?
• Get your car a pre-winter check.  Now is the time to know if your battery is in good shape and whether your coolant levels are ready for cold weather.  A dead battery can leave you stranded and nobody wants that!  And don’t forget your windshield wipers – now’s a good time to replace them before your windshield is frozen over!
• Put the snow brush in the car.  And don’t forget an extra pair of gloves and maybe a blanket.  Maybe you could ask Santa for one of these car kits too?
• Make sure to fill your windshield wiper solution – and gas tank – often.  When the roads are sloppy, you don’t want to be without wiper solution.  And don’t get me started on the level of your gas tank – if it’s cold and you get stuck in traffic or just stuck somewhere, you’ll want your gas tank full!
• And last but certainly not least, when your car is covered in snow, brush it all off before you put the car in gear and start driving.  You want to be able to see at all times – and if you don’t clean off the hood, the back window and the top of the vehicle, you’re going to have your vision obstructed by blowing snow.  And it’s kind to the vehicle behind you when there isn’t snow blowing off your car too!

Need more tips?  Try these from AAA – Winter Driving Tips.

And if all else fails – just stay home and build a snowman!

I like bears – and this little one doesn’t know the meaning of the word quit.  If you haven’t seen this video, it’s a real treat.  Happy Weekend everyone!

Two years ago and three years ago this week, I visited Disney World with a group of friends for RunDisney events.  The first year I didn’t run – but 2 years ago I ran the first 10K I had run in well over 20 years.  My time wasn’t great but it was respectable at 1:27 for 6.2 miles  – including selfie stops at EVERY mile marker!

RunDisney events are huge fun although you need to be prepared for expense and crowds.  But, you get to run through the Disney parks when they’re closed in the overnight hours and it’s incredible.  Want to know more about RunDisney?  Check out this link.

My Facebook memories are full of throwback pictures from Disney this week – but here’s a few of my favorites from the 2016 trip:

I always like to be early – and this year, I haven’t waited until the snow was flying to have a raging case of chapped lips.  Tis the season to carry lip balm.  But my cracked lips got me thinking – why do they chap and what can I do to stop it?

According to the internet (so it has to be true right?), most cases of chapped lips are due to dry, cold weather and/or excessive licking of the lips.  Check and check – no wonder I’m a fan of the lip balm!  Unlike most of the rest of our skin, our lips don’t have oil glands making them more prone to drying and cracking.  Who knew?

The experts also say that it only takes a few changes to your routine to prevent most cases of chapped lips:

• Use lip balm – try something that feels a bit oily rather than waxy.  My favorite is this lemon balm from Bath and Body Works.
• Drink more water.  Not only will your lips feel better, your whole body will feel better if you are properly hydrated.
• Use a humidfier when you can – again, the more moisture the better when it’s cold and dry.
• Last but not least – when it’s cold and windy outside, consider wrapping our face up with a scarf.  Just remember to leave a space so you can see!

So grab your lip balm and hold on – it’s supposed to snow here in Chicago later this week!

 

 

Let’s review my Try It Tuesday results for the last few weeks:

• Last Tuesday’s Pumpkin Chili was a hit!  I made 6 quarts of chili and it was almost gone by 11:45AM.  Of course, if you put a crock-pot full of anything that smells as good as that chili did in an office and you KNOW it’s going to go fast.
• I’ve armed myself with a tube of Lysol wipes – and the wave of sickness going around my office has subsided.  I’m going to take credit for it with my obsessive Lysol wiping.
• Still looking for a good place to buy loose leaf tea?  A friend of mine swears by www.favatea.com.  I’ve placed an order for a few ounces of a couple of black tea varieties and a citrusy green tea blend.
• I’m still not journalling – but I haven’t missed a day on this blog in months.   I still say if you’re worried about something write it out.  Puts things in perspective when you put it down in black and white.  (Or blue and white – your pen and paper colors are really up to you!)
• Have you tried the Waze app yet?  It helped me get home tonight – big crash and traffic tie up on the highway.  Thanks to Waze, I got on to the frontage road and breezed right around it!

That about covers it for my Try It Tuesday review!  Let me know if you’ve tried one of my suggestions in the comments!

I turned 18 in 1981 and voted in my first election that fall.  Since then, there are very few elections I’ve missed.   I remember skipping a primary once because in my district, all the candidates were running un-opposed.  And I remember missing one general election because I was traveling and didn’t realize I wouldn’t be home in time to get an absentee ballot – that was in the years before early in-person voting.  But I am a firm believer that as a citizen, it is my responsibility to vote.  And more than just vote – to be an informed voter.

If you don’t vote, two things happen.  First, you get the government you deserve.  If you’re disengaged and don’t hold your elected officials accountable, you shouldn’t be surprised that your government doesn’t prioritize policies that benefit the majority of our fellow citizens.  Second, if you don’t vote, you lose your right to complain about your elected officials.  End of story – you can’t sit on the sidelines and expect your complaints to carry weight.  Either you’re a part of our democracy or you aren’t.  Too many people have fought and died for our right to vote.  Tomorrow is Election Day so participate.  Go vote.

Need some help finding out what’s on the ballot or even where your polling place is located?  Check out your state’s State Board of Elections website or one of these resources:

• vote.org
• League of Women Voters
• US Election Assistance Commission

What goes better with Halloween than magic?  Here are some tricks you can try!  Happy Weekend!