May 6, 2013 I have always been a huge advocate of blood donation. Once I turned 18, I was adamant about not only donating blood, but donating consistently. I donated whole blood every 56 days at my local nonprofit blood collection agency – Oklahoma Blood Institute. I felt good knowing that my blood was going…
May 10, 2013 As the weather warms up, we tend to think about adding more fresh fruits and vegetables to our meals. With the rising cost of living it can be tough to incorporate fresh produce into your budget, and it’s even harder to purchase organic items. A good way to save money is to…
May 3, 2013 Cinco de Mayo is celebrated on May 5th. The holiday commemorates the Mexican army’s 1862 victory over France at the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War. If you are looking for a fun and easy dish to get your family in the mood for Cinco de Mayo, definitely try these Easy…
May 2, 2013 With the traditional school year ending soon, your kids are probably ready to take a break from schoolwork for the summer. Actually, the summer can be the perfect time to brush up on some skills or let your child grow in subjects they are particularly interested in learning more about. Families can…
May 3, 2013 With Mother’s Day coming up, I’d like to give a shout out to all the mother’s in the world. It’s the hardest job, but the most rewarding. Take the day and simply enjoy it with your children – doing whatever you like to do with the family. If you (or your children or significant other)…
May 1, 2013 Everyone knows America is getting fatter. The obesity problem in our country has grown so much that many are calling it an epidemic. Diets are notorious for not working – we don’t lose much, begin to eat normally again, and wham – we gain MORE weight. What can we do to win…
May 2, 2013 It might have been the aqua pants combined with a crisp white shirt and white patent leather ballet flats … but regardless of which item it was, a recent visit with a friend had me craving summer colors for my own daily looks. Colors that invoke fresh flowers and beach locales can…
April 30, 2013 They say you need to eat a rainbow in order to get your daily dose of fruits and vegetables. Eating all those ½ and 1 cup servings can seem hard to fit into your meal planning. There is an easy solution to this colorful problem. It comes in the form of the…
April 29, 2013 Mother’s Day is a day to truly enjoy your children and celebrate your family. Unfortunately (like many holidays) Mother’s Day has become incredibly commercialized. From television commercials touting the best Mother’s Day cuisine, to full displays of flowers and cards at your local grocery store, you have probably already been inundated with…
August 16, 2013 I’m not a super chocolate lover, but I do love brownies. I like them crisp on the edges and chewy inside. There are so many recipes out there and I’m sure you have your favorite. Even the boxed brownie mixes are good. Sam’s Club sells Ghiradelli Ultimate Chocolate Brownie Mix (4 packages to…
April 29, 2013 It happens every year. Flowers, candies, cards, pedicures and brunches, Mother’s Day is supposed to be a day when the matriarch in a family is pampered, spoiled and recognized for everything that she does for us every day. It’s tough, therefore, for those of us who have lost a mother, are feuding…
May 13, 2013 When Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth announced their engagement, it came as a surprise to almost everyone. People speculated almost immediately the relationship would fall apart before it even got started. Many skeptics pointed to their young age as a reason why the pair should slow things down – but then there…
May 7, 2013 In the past 24 hours, it feels like the entire world has been talking about the new “sex superbug” originally reported to have been found in Hawaii. Of course, this caused some mild panic – since it really is a serious public health issue. But some of the original stories contained some…
May 6, 2013 People joke about it. You leave work, see a coworker swerving on the road as they were answering a text, and tease them about it the next day. Unfortunately, this problem isn’t funny. A few years ago, you only had to worry about people under the influence of drugs and alcohol having…
May 2, 2013 It’s a sad day for the music industry. Chris Kelly, who was one half of the rap duo, Kris Kross, has died of a possible drug overdose according to CNN. The 34-year-old was found unresponsive in his Atlanta home yesterday, and was later pronounced dead around 5pm that evening. Authorities are investigating…
May 16, 2013 Disagreements are an unavoidable part of life. No matter how much we try, we just can’t get along with everyone all the time. What we can do, however, is change our reactions and our approach to navigating these difficult moments. Naturally, how we fight with our spouse will differ from how we…
April 26, 2013 All around the world, fans wait outside movie premieres, restaurants and hotels just to catch a glimpse of their favorite celebrity. It’s always heartwarming to hear stories about a star who is “down-to-earth” and, despite their fame, able to relate to everyday people. Unfortunately, for every one of those feel-good stories, there…
April 25, 2013 When it comes to vacationing, many people head south to take advantage of the warm weather and sunny beaches. Why not look toward the northern skies? There’s an equally close destination – Canada! The country itself is quite large and the population is modest, giving the North American nation vast areas of…
April 24, 2013 There’s a recent new trend that has really caught my interest. A number of communities are gaining popularity with the concept of “growing food not lawns”. I absolutely love this concept and think the grassroots approach to promoting gardening is refreshing. Many of you probably think you don’t have enough space to…
April 23, 2013 With Spring well underway you are probably considering, if you haven’t already, breaking out the grill. There is nothing that solidifies the beautiful weather more than a freshly grilled meal. But that doesn’t mean you have to stick to hamburgers, hot dogs, or steaks. In fact, there are a number of fantastic…
April 26, 2013 Morning time is busy time at my home. It’s difficult enough to get my kids out the door with their teeth brushed, shoes tied, and lunches packed – it’s rare that they get a healthy, balanced breakfast. They’re known to devour a frozen waffle as we carpool to school. That’s why I’m…
April 26, 2013 You’ve heard it before – it’s healthier to enjoy smaller meals, more frequently throughout the day. Its important that you select healthy snacks like fruits, veggies, yogurt, protein bars and nuts (pistachios have the fewest amount of calories). But after a while, we all crave something more, especially the kids. So how do you add…
April 19, 2013 At our rural Vermont home we raise ducks and chickens. When spring and summer hits, the birds start laying eggs again. We always end up having way too many eggs on hand, so when we’re invited to cookouts or holiday events, I almost always choose to bring deviled eggs@ The traditional deviled…
April 19, 2013 We all want to unleash our inner culinary goddess but life is busy and keeping track of cookbooks, ingredient lists and meal planners can be a real hassle. Many of us use our smart phones to stay organized so why not use them as a kitchen helper too? There are an abundance…
April 19, 2013 One of my favorite styles for spring and summer is eyelet. At first, you may think it’s too delicate of a fabric, or that it makes you look like you walked out of an Easter parade. But eyelet can be worn a variety of ways, from soft and sweet to edgy. It…
April 17, 2013 One undeniable truth is that we all get a bit older each day. The same is true of our pets. Sadly, their life expectancy isn’t nearly as long as ours and we lose them to the inevitable. Cats seemingly never age – they always appear athletic, always seem able to leap onto…
May 7, 2013 Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day. Nothing would make me happier than waking up to a buffet of omelets, pancakes, cereal, fruit, coffee, and juices. But what if there was a healthier drink alternative – one that provided protein, calcium and Vitamin D? That’s where Silk® Fruit & Protein comes in. Silk…
April 16, 2013 Mothers are usually grateful for the efforts their kids put into finding a Mother’s Day gift. However, there are some gifts that should never be given to mom. If you want to improve your chances of getting a tech gift that you can actually use, try placing this article where your gift-givers…
April 19, 2013 Having just returned from Mexico with my family, I thought I would go with a Mexican theme this week. And then lo and behold, one of my favorite food websites, OurBestBites, posted a simple carne asada recipe. It seems really easy and you can freeze the leftovers (if there are any) and make…
April 26, 2013 Worried about plastic and chemicals leaching into your skin and body? You’re not alone. There is a lot of controversy surrounding hormone disruptors – those chemicals found in skin products, soaps, make-up, water bottles, and cans lined with BPA. They are suspected to affect or harm our health in several ways, especially…
April 16, 2013 Your head is pounding, but you’re not sure what it is or how to treat it. It could be a tension headache, a migraine, or even allergies. Find out the symptoms of each type of headache and the best way to deal with them … now and forever. Tension Headache Probably the…
April 11, 2013 A trip to our nation’s capital is a must-do for every family looking for a vacation that’s both fun and educational. History will come alive before your eyes as you stroll up the steps of the Capitol, catch a glimpse of the Wright 1903 Flyer, and pledge allegiance to the original Star-Spangled Banner. Here are…
April 12, 2013 I am a popcorn fanatic. So much so, that I have it approximately four times a week for breakfast/lunch. Yeah, I know, not a very healthy diet. But there are so many flavors to add to your meal! There is a store, Uncle Bob’s Popcorn, in Tucson, Arizona, that has the best…
April 10, 2013 While having business savvy is important for experiencing success in a home business, your personality is really the foundation that your entire business rests on. It is your personality that will make the difference in whether you get traffic, generate contacts, retain readers, entice joint venture (JV) partners or build a successful…
April 9, 2013 The Pantone color report for Summer Fashion 2013 has been released and the colors are absolutely amazing. From coral and teal, to yellow and purple – these are the colors you should be looking for when you shop for those new summer ensembles. The great thing about these colors is you can wear them alone or…
April 10, 2013 April is the prime time to start your spring gardening. In fact, April is the official National Garden Month. Depending on where you live in the country, your tasks for April may be different. Here is a brief overview of some of the prime April gardening tasks by region. The Pacific Northwest…
April 4, 2013 With the busy schedules of celebrities, it’s easy to understand how it might be hard to find the perfect person to settle down with. But some starts seem to struggle with commitment issues – rather than a lack of opportunity. Let’s take a look at some of Hollywood’s most relationship-phobic leading men….
April 11, 2013 Reality television has become a staple in our viewing diet but is it coming at a price? It seems like every day, a new tragedy is reminding us of the cost of living life under a microscope. Of course, we’ve rolled our eyes at the misfortunes of the Jersey Shore cast – but…
April 8, 2013 According to the National Pecan Shellers Association, April is National Pecan Month – a time to celebrate the “All American Nut” for its delicious taste and numerous health benefits. Pecans are the only tree nut indigenous to North America, and they have quite a history on this continent. On April 6, 2001, the goodness and wholesome of pecans was…
February 27, 2020 With the new year came resolutions. And, for many people, this involves decluttering and organizing. People want to declutter their closets, their homes, their garages, and their appointment calendar. But, have you thought about how to declutter your digital life? There are very few times that I’m far from my phone. It’s…
February 14, 2020 Every year, February rolls around and we hear about Black History Month. It’s an important recognition of people left out of the mainstream narrative because of the color of their skin. We hear inspiring stories and see pictures of major event, but I always am left with a strange feeling of incompletion….
February 4, 2020 Did you watch the Super Bowl on Sunday? Congratulations to the Kansas City Chiefs! Of course, the big day isn’t complete without people talking about the commercials or the halftime show the next day. Last year, everyone complained that Maroon 5 was boring and “a dud,” but almost no one made a…
February 28, 2020 If you’re lucky enough to be getting a tax refund this year, put it to good use! There are many choices we can make with this extra lump sum of money. Choosing a few wise investments are always recommended by experts. Consider one of these! Pay down, or pay off a credit…
February 11, 2020 It’s February! The month is known for being the shortest (except we get an extra day in 2020 for leap year!), and the entire first half is devoted to Valentine’s Day. You can’t even go to a pharmacy without getting hit by candy hearts and decorations. It’s not all about romance, though….
March 13, 2020 Shopping is great! Shopping is fun. Shopping is a chore. Shopping is exhausting. Shopping is expensive. Whatever your thoughts on shopping, it’s something we all must do. Some of us have a strict budget, while others don’t. If we add up what we spend weekly, or monthly, it can be shocking. What?…