Chocolate Walnut Clusters

Chocolate Walnut Clusters:
2 cups of semi sweet chocolate chips
14 cut up marshmellows
1 tsp butter
1/2 cup raisins
1 cup chopped walnuts
optional 1 tsp vanilla
Melt chocolate and marshmellows with the butter.  Add nuts and raisins.  Drop onto greased plate or cookie sheet.  Cool and serve.  NO baking!

Go "NUTS" For Nuts

Help yourself to some nuts this holiday season.  Regular eaters of nuts were less likely to die of cancer or heart disease-in fact, were less likely to die of any cause, during a 30-year study from Harvard.  Nuts have long been called the heart-healthy food and the study is the largest ever done on whether eating them affects mortality.  After tracking 119,000 men and women they found that those who ate nuts daily were 20% less likely to die than those who never ate nuts.  The risk of dying of heart disease dropped 29% and the risk of dying of cancer fell 11% amongst those who had nuts seven times a week versus those who never ate them.  Peanuts, walnuts, pecans, almonds, pistachios and all others were included.  A bonus:  Nut eaters stayed slimmer.  So add nuts in your cereal, your homemade fudge, your cinnamon rolls, banana bread, etc...

Start Your Own Holiday Christmas Traditions

Now is the time to start your own holiday Christmas family traditions.  Here are a few ideas that I have done over the years or that I think are great:
1.  Make your own felt Christmas stockings for each child.
2.  Set out cookies and milk for Santa on Christmas Eve.
3.  Act out the Nativity complete with baby Jesus and angels and shepherds, Mary, and Joseph.
4.  Make Christmas cookies and fudge.
5.  Decorate trees in every room.
6.  Go and see all of the Christmas lights.
7.  See the "Nutcracker" or "Christmas Carol"
8.  Read from the Bible the account of Christ's birth.
9.  Have a family talent show.
10. Sing Christmas carols around the piano.
11.  Put out your Christmas stockings on the couch or chair where you want Santa to set out your gifts.
12. Do the 12 days of Christmas to a family in need where you leave them a gift every night for 12 nights on their doorstep.
13.  Make gingerbread houses.
14.  Send out a Christmas card to all of your family and friends.
15.  Read a Christmas story/book every night.
16.  Collect children's Christmas books.
17.  Do themed Christmas trees.
18.  Go ice skating or sledding as a family
19.  Go skiing as a family.
20.  Do an appetizer night with all of your favorite appetizers.
21.  Do a white elephant gift exchange.
22.  See or collect creche sets.
23.  Go to Handel's Messiah.
24.  Read "The Christmas Carol" By Charles Dickens and "The Mansion" By Henry Van Dyke

Wear Beautiful Burgundy

This holiday season add some richness by adding beautiful burgundy.  You can wear wine lipstick.  Try a touch of burgundy in a jacket or coat.  Wear burgundy pants or shirt.  Buy a rich colored scarf. 

Five minute fudge

This is a holiday favorite!  It is yummy and rich and creamy and fast!
1 1/4 cup sugar
2/3 cup evaporated milk
3-4 tbsp butter
Melt in pot and then boil on low for 4 minutes.  Then add:
2 1/2 cups mini marshmallows
1-12 oz bag of semi sweet chocolate chips
Stir rigorously off of heat until smooth and creamy!  Pour into your favorite Christmas tin or a 8x8 buttered pan!  Cool and cut!

Do What Highly Successful People Do and Soon You Will Succeed!

I just read an interesting article about what highly successful people do on a daily basis.  Here is a sample of what their habits are:
1.  They get enough sleep and go to bed at the same time and wake up at the same time.
2.  They consistently write down their goals.  76% of those who write down their goals achieve them.
3.  They read daily for at least 15 minutes.  This expands your mind and knowledge.
4.  They read the newspaper.
5.  They reach out and serve others consistently.
6.  They find the time to exercise daily.
(I found this in the Deseret News but I accidentally threw it away)

I'm A Mormon and....

I'm a Mormon and I:
1.  Rely on the Lord for just about everything
2.  Pray daily to God
3.  Hold Family Nights every Monday night
4.  Have dinner most nights with the family
5.  Attend 3 hours of church service every Sunday
6.  Believe in a living prophet who speaks to us
7.  Worships in a holy temple at least once a month
8.  Believes in God
9.  I go visiting teaching every month where I visit three sister/ladies in our neighborhood
10. Write in my journal
11. Serve and love others
12.  Believe that families are together forever
13.  Don't swear or drink coffee or tea or smoke

Dress Like A Pro

Here are a few ideas to dress like a pro!  You will look beautiful in a few seconds:
1.  Wear super size shades and strut like a star.
2.  Flaunt your hair with a beautiful blowout for a smooth hairstyle.
3.  Wear a nice wool coat just above the knees coupled with opaque tights.
4.  Couple the tights with black boots or black shoes.
Next look:
1.  Wear dark skinny jeans.
2.  Add a power trench coat in black or color
3.  Wear a knock out blouse.
4.  Tuck your skinny jeans into some brown tall boots
5.  Wow everyone with loose, sun-kissed curls.
Next look:
1.  Wear dark jeans
2.  Put on a tunic blouse
3.  Loose curls in the hair
4.  Add a necklace

Quick Snack Picks

Snacks don't have to be high in calories.  Here is a list of easy snacks:
1. One mini whole wheat pita with 1 and a half tsp. peanut butter and 1 strawberry
2.  20 frozen grapes
3.  7 Dole Nutrition Plus Chia and fruit clusters
4.  Turkey wrap
5.  Triscuits
6.  1/2 oz dark chocolate
7.  1/2 cup fresh raspberries and 1/2 cup fresh blueberries
8.  2 tbsp red pepper humus with veggies
9.  100 calorie bag of popcorn
10.  1 cup pickled beets
11.  14 toasted almonds
12. 1/4 cup plums dried (prunes)
13.  Greek yogurt-snack size
14.  A cheese stick
15.  A crisp fresh apple
16.  A juicy orange
17.  A banana
18.  A fruit snack (I like Ocean Spray)

How To Keep Your Kids Drug Free and Alcohol Free

Studies have shown that there are certain things parents can do to prevent their children from getting on drugs and drinking.
  Preventing underage drinking is as easy as 1-2-3!  Here are the ideas:
1.  Start early and stay involved.  Monitoring your children's online activities is easiest when you establish policies and expectations early.  There is a tendency to get less involved as they become older but teens need their parent's help to stay alcohol and drug free.
2.  Develop a strong relationship with your child.  Research shows that family conflict and a weak parent/child bond increases a child's risk of drinking.  Bonding can be as simple as going out and having fun together.  Listen to your child's concerns.  Studies suggest that even making the effort to eat dinner as a family five times each week reduces the chance that a child will us alcohol or drugs by as much as 33 percent!!!  Eat dinner together.
3.  Set clear and precise boundaries.  Parent's disapproval is the number one reason why teens say they don't drink.  When parents set clear rules about not using alcohol, kids usually follow them.  Kids need to know the dangers of drinking and taking drugs.  They need to know that there are serious consequences for breaking the rules.
4.  It is important to monitor you children's friends and where-abouts.  Be involved on a daily basis.  Know what is going on in their lives.  Having friends who drink or us drugs is the single greatest risk factor for underage drinking.  As a parent, it is imperative to know whom your child is friends with!  You need to know what they are doing!  You need to be the guardian of the hearth!!!!  Make it a habit to ask questions as your child leaves the house.  You need to make it clear that if their are drugs or alcohol at a friend's party, they are to leave and come home!
5.  Make it clear that if there is alcohol or drugs at a party, LEAVE!!!!  Keep their social environment alcohol and drug free!!!!  More than 67% of young people who start drinking before the age of 15 will try an illicit drug.  Children who drink are 7.5 times more likely to use an illicit drug, 22 times more likely to use marijuana and 50 times more likely to us cocaine than children who never drink!!!
Research shows that half of Utah parents don't know that underage drinking increases the risk of alcohol-dependence.  If a child at age 13 drinks, he/she will have a 45% chance of alcohol-dependence.  If a child drinks at age 17, he/she will have a 26% chance of alcohol dependence.  If a kid drinks at age 21, he/she will have a 7% chance of alcohol dependence.
STUDIES SHOW THAT KIDS ARE MORE AT RISK FOR DRINKING ALCOHOL BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 3:00pm AND 6:00 pm WHILE PARENTS ARE STILL AT WORK.  

Change Your Hair Style Once in a While!

I hate it when women wear the same old hair style year after year!  It's like:  let's not be so boring!  I love a fresh new hair do or hair cut.  Here are some ideas to change things up a notch:
1.  Wear a low bun.
2.   Wear a high bun.
3.    Wear a pony tail.
4.    Go for the straight look.
5.    Go for the full, curled look.
6.     Do a side pony tail.
7.     Do a braid.
8.   Pull your hair half up.
9.  Switch your part.
10.  Wear a hair accessory like a head band or a bow or something exciting like a scarf.

While You Were Sleeping

While you are sleeping there are ways to style your hair!  To create waves, just sleep with damp hair in a loose braid.  Then twist the braid into a bun.  The next day your hair will be fuller and wavey. 

You can even add a dash of leave-on hair conditioner.  To boost volume, wash your hair before bed and spray with voluminzer at the roots and leave-in conditioner at the ends.  Sleep in a loose knot on top of your head.  The upward pull on your hair adds volumes in the morning.  Lastly, sleep in a satin pillow case to extend your blowout.  I always recommend velcro curlers. 

Update For Fall

Instead of:  Cropped Skinny Jeans......Try High-Rise Skinnies
Instead of Polka Dot Jeans/Pants........Try Houndstooth Pants
Instead of Mint Green Jeans................Try Hunter Green Jeans
Instead of Floral Print Jeans.................Try Brocade Pants

Outlets For Emotional Pain When Grieving

Here are some outlets for emotional pain when grieving:
(No matter what happens in life, we are all bound to experience deep pain whether it be from relationship separations, work conflicts, health related difficulties, or the death of a loved one.  No one escapes these experiences in life and the pain they bring).  The old Chinese proverb says:  "You cannot prevent the birds of sorrow from flying over your heads, but you can prevent them from building a nest in your hair."
1.  Reduce self-critical thinking.  Do not self condemn.  Sort out truth and reality.  Don't be hard on yourself, it is only self defeating.  You do not have to put yourself down for imaginary deficiencies or errors that you think you made in distressing personal circumstances.  Share your feelings with a trusted friend or counselor.
2.  Give your body a time-out.  Give your body some daily down time.  Never forget that what you think always translates into physical feelings.  Deep breathe, go for a brisk walk, read a good book...
3.  Change the scene.  Don't have constant reminders of your pain.  Cut down repetitive behaviors that keep reminding you of your loss.  Change the furniture, change your routine a bit, establish new goals.
4.  Work to change your perception of the event that is causing you grief and pain.  We all grieve in different ways and in different times, but try to get a new and fresher view of your loss.  Ask:  what new meaning can I give to this great loss?
5.  Take diversion side trips.  Become an expert in diverting painful thoughts.  Cut out magazine pictures and imagine what you DO like.  Say positive affirmations to yourself constantly like "I am good and have the ability to..."
6.  The ultimate outlet for emotional pain when grieving is accepting the loss and learn to move on.  Letting grief do its job is really about accepting what has happened and adapting to the new conditions of life.  Love never dies and nor do the memories.
7.  Feel free to talk about your loss.  Express your emotions.  Let it out.  Be good to yourself!
8.  Have HOPE and know that God has a plan for you!  He lives and loves each of us.  There is a heaven and an after-life!  Someday we will see our loved ones again!!!

How To Dress 10 Pounds Thinner

If you want to dress to look 10 pounds thinner follow these ideas:
1.  Go for monochromatic-dress in one complete shade.  Many colors break up the fluid look.
2.  You will appear smallest in blazers that fall below your hips!
3.   A strong shoulder makes your waist appear tiny!  I LOVE trench coats for this reason.
4.   Choose slim pants that have a higher waist and an ankle hem.  They elongate your legs.
5.   Choose a looser fit on clothes than a just-got-squeezed-into-this-outfit!   I think tight clothes makes you look fat!
6.  Ignore the size!  I know some women who will wear anything if it is a size 4 or 6 even though they are a size 8-10!
7.  Accentuate your waist.  This is usually the smallest part of your body.  A belt will work yes, even over a cardigan.
8. Go for the V-necklines.  When choosing a top, T-shirt, or neckline always for the V neckline rather than the scoop or rounded.  It draws the eye down and slims.
9.  Wear an A-line skirt.
10.  A pencil skirt with some stretch will hug your curves.
11.  High heels always make you look taller and thinner.
12.  Read Charla Krupp's book.
13.  Wear 3/4 sleeves or longer (hide flabby arms).