Don’t Forget to Clean Inside

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One thing that really bothers me is breathing the fumes from cars and other vehicles. Our AC/heat system in the van has a button to push to recirculate the inside air so that outside air is not being pulled inside the van. The only thing is that the button has to be pushed each time the vehicle is used, and sometimes I forget…until I’m in a line of traffic waiting at a red light. Then I start to smell the fumes. Just think of all the toxins we get everyday from fumes, pesticides on our foods, added hormones in our meat and even the toiletries we use. Some people like to help eliminate the toxins in their body by using various methods such as a colon cleanse. Drinking lots of water every day is something we should all do to help eliminate some toxins. Eating fiber every day helps, too. We need to clean the inside of our body just like we clean the filters on our AC/heat units and the filters on our clothes dryers. If we let all that stuff collect and never clean it, then we have problems!

Be Careful Hanging Christmas Lights Outside

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Last year, I remember hearing of two or three people who died from falls while trying to hang Christmas lights. That’s so sad! According to the Home Safety Council, falls are the #1 cause of home injuries and deaths. Here are some good safety rules:

  • Never hang lights alone. Always have someone to help watch.
  • Hang lights in the daytime, not at night.
  • Make sure the ground under the ladder is level and firm.
  • The base of a straight ladder should move one foot out from the house for every four feet of ladder height. (a tilt of 75 degrees)
  • Keep your body centered on the ladder. If you need to reach areas to either side of the ladder, move the ladder rather than leaning too far.
  • Be careful of sharp bushes or trees nearby with protruding limbs.

Peanut Butter Cups – Quick & Easy

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I started making these 25 years ago, and you probably have the recipe, too. But in case you’ve forgotten about this recipe, or if you’ve never seen this recipe, here it is:

  • 1 package Reese’s Miniature Peanut Butter Cups
  • 1 roll of refrigerated peanut butter cookie dough

Using miniature muffin pans, place balls of cookie dough (each ball equivalent to one cookie) in the muffin pans. Bake according to directions but do not overbake. While the cookie dough is baking, unwrap the miniature peanut butter cups if you haven’t already done so. Just as soon as you take the pans out of the oven, place a peanut butter cup on top of each cookie and mash down. The cookie dough becomes the shell for the peanut butter cup. If you want to add a festive look, add some colored sprinkles on top.

Ways to Avoid Gaining Weight During the Holidays

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Here are some good tips I’ve read or heard about:

  • Go ahead and have small servings of things you like that are fattening…just eat in moderation!
  • Eat slowly and chew your food well.
  • Drink water with your meals (or tea) – I’ve heard to drink a glass of water before the meal.
  • Try to choose some items off fresh fruit and vegetable platters.
  • Try to choose something with fiber which will make you full faster (whole grain breads, whole grain crackers, fresh fruits and vegetables)
  • Sit farther away from a buffet table so it’s less convenient to get seconds.
  • Visit with people so you have something to take your mind off of eating.
  • At home, keep cookies, candy, and treats out of sight in a place that’s not easy to reach.
  • Go for a brisk walk – It not only helps your metabolism, but it also helps relieve stress.
  • In parking lots, park away from the store so you get in some extra walking time. (A few minutes here and there adds up.)
  • Whenever you have the chance, take the stairs instead of the elevator.
  • Get enough sleep – people have a tendency to eat more when they’re tired and stressed.

Condo Hotels

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When we’ve gone on vacations, we have never stayed in a condo but some friends of ours have. When they went skiing, they rented a condo with another family so they could share the expenses. They have done that several times and really enjoyed it. If you are planning on vacationing somewhere and renting a condo, you might want to check out Condo Hotels. They link renters with owners and also buyers with sellers.

Gift Idea: Tornado Lab

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If you’re looking for a great Christmas gift for the “scientist” at your house, check out Elizabeth’s Discovery Exclusive Tornado Lab. And for the non-scientific students, it would be so much fun that they wouldn’t know they were learning. When I used to teach first grade, we would do a science experiment with a two liter bottle and make our own twisters. Sometimes it worked and sometimes it didn’t work very well. This would have been so cool to have!

You Tube: Celine Dion sings “Oh Holy Night”

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Here’s what happened that Holy Night. I invite you to read below first and then listen to the song. Click to listen to Oh, Holy Night ~ It’s very special to me, and I would like to share it with you.

Luke 2:1-14
2:1 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled. 2 This was the first enrollment, when Quirin’i-us was governor of Syria. 3 And all went to be enrolled, each to his own city. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 6 And while they were there, the time came for her to be delivered. 7 And she gave birth to her first-born son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn..

8 And in that region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. 10 And the angel said to them, “Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people; 11 for to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

14 “Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased!”
RSV (from Biblesoft PC Study Bible, Version 3)
I like to imagine the above passage as I’m listening to this song.

Discount Hotels

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One of our favorite places to visit on a vacation is Colorado because of the beautiful mountains. When we travel, we like to get a discount on lodging wherever we are.  There are other places that have mountains that are pretty places to visit.   There are mountains not far from Las Vegas, though most people think only of going to see the shows, etc. If you happen to be going to Las Vegas, check out hotels Las Vegas for the lowest price on hotels possible.

Fruit & Pecan Cookies

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This is a delicious recipe that I started making 25 years ago. I got the recipe from a teacher friend with whom I taught school.

Cut in large pieces:

  • 2 pounds dates
  • 8 ounces candied cherries
  • 8 ounces candied pineapple
  • 16 ounces pecans (4 cups)

Sift the following ingredients and scatter over fruit & nuts:

  • 2 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Cream the following ingredients:

  • 1 cup butter
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar

Beat into the sugar mixture:

  • 2 eggs

Add the fruit and nuts to the mixture. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet at 350 for 10-13 minutes.

Having Trouble Sleeping?

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If you’re having trouble sleeping, try these suggestions in the evening:

  • eat melatonin-rich foods such as bananas, oats, rice, sweet corn, ginger
  • eat tryptophan-rich foods such as bananas, dates, figs, milk, nut butter, tuna, turkey, whole grain crackers, yogurt
  • eat grapefruit
  • Avoid caffeine past 2:00 in the afternoon
  • Avoid alcohol – disrupts deep sleep cycles later during the night
  • Avoid tobacco – nicotine is a neurostimulant and can cause sleep problems
  • Avoid eating heavy meals three hours before bedtime.
  • Avoid these foods late in the evening because they contain tyramine which increases the release of norepinephrine (a brain stimulant): bacon, cheese, chocolate, eggplant, ham, potatoes, sauerkraut, sugar, sausage, spinach, & tomatoes
  • Exercise regularly in the late afternoon or early evening but not right before bedtime. This helps you to relax and make the body more tired so that sleep comes more easily.
  • Take a hot bath an hour or two before bedtime
  • Drink a cup of Sleepytime Tea (or chamomile tea)
  • Keep the bedroom dark and the temperature cool
  • Learn to put all worries out of your mind and concentrate on something pleasant & positive

For me, I try to do the above things. I also take two calcium citrate caplets, two magnesium malate caplets, one flax oil capsule, two 5HTPs, and sometimes one melatonin tablet. Every night, I try to eat a banana right before I go to bed. And I don’t take my worries and problems to bed with me. I pray and turn them over to God. That’s what works for me.