Thankfulness Project Monday

The Old Year has gone.  Let the dead past bury its own dead.  The New Year has taken possession of the clock of time.  All hail the duties and possibilities of the coming twelve months!  ~Edward Payson Powell

A new year is upon us, and most of us are trying to figure out (whether we make resolutions, goals, or create dreams) what we'd like this year to look like. Over the last year I have become convinced that the practice of gratitude is essential for a healthy and happy life, and I will seek to continue to implement this practice in my life. Because of that, continue expecting to see this post each Monday in 2012! It helps me to start the week on the right foot. 

Here are a few things I am grateful for on this first Monday of 2012:

• Safety: I never want to take this for granted, and I know that it can definitely be easy to forget this one. With the holidays, there are lots of people traveling, and I drove about 1,500 miles over the last two weeks. I'm thankful for safety while traveling (and that the other drivers around me were being safe as well!).
• Time with Family: This doesn't happen enough, and there are some family members I won't see for at least 5 months now. I'm grateful that my entire family made it home to my parents' house for Christmas!
• Time with Friends: I spent the last few days of 2011 and the first day of 2012 celebrating with a number of good friends whom I haven't seen in a number of months. It's hard to have friends spread out across the country, and it's always exciting to spend time with them! 
• A New Year: Sure, just because the date changes from 2011 to 2012 doesn't mean that our problems magically disappear. We wake up on January 1st in the same situation as December 31st. However, sometimes we need times that can motivate us to make a change, and for some people the start of a new year is the motivation they need to change and grow. I'm thankful for times in life that cause us to pause, think, and evaluate our lives. 
• Dreaming: It's fun to dream big dreams for our lives, and try to put practical steps in our lives to achieve those dreams. It certainly is tough work, we hit glitches, and we might want to give up. The dreams we dream can keep us going, give us motivation to endure, and create hope. Don't be afraid to dream for your life! 

Now it's your turn:

What are you feeling thankful for on this first Monday of 2012? 

Thankfulness Project Monday

Thanksgiving was never meant to be shut up in a single day.  ~Robert Caspar Lintner

While Thanksgiving has now passed, the practice of gratitude & thanksgiving doesn't have to pass! With that, here are a few things I'm thankful for at the moment:

• Safety: Especially with more wintery weather upon us, traveling can lead to many unsafe situations, especially with increased holiday traffic. I drove over 30 hours in less then a week, and I'm so thankful that I stayed safe throughout the entire drive. 
• Time With Family: I love holidays as they create a forced vacation & natural time to get together with family & friends. I had an awesome time (with some stressful moments thrown in at times). 
• DELICIOUS food: There's nothing better then wonderful home cooked foods. I enjoy prepping meals with people I care about (not having to cook on my own!) in the kitchen! This last week brought a lot of good conversations, laughter, and sharing of memories while prepping and eating food. 
• Family Workouts: From group runs, to walks, to stretching and pilates in the house, my family tries to be healthy & active during the holidays. This past week was no exception, and I'm thankful that I don't have to do it alone when I'm visiting my family. 
• Christmas Flavored Teas: YUM! There are very few words I have to explain how delicious these are. Celestial has 4 holiday teas, and Bigelow also has a few that are delicious as well! There's nothing better to keep you warm in the Christmas Season then some delicious Christmas tea! 

Now it's your turn:

What are you feeling thankful for today? How do you plan to continue a practice of gratitude after the Thanksgiving season?

Cutting Board Health & Safety

In college my roommate called me a "total nut" for engaging in this behavior (but indulged me and followed the rules), and in grad school my roommate flat out refused to follow my rules for this (yeah...we didn't last too long). Yes, I'm talking about my rules for cutting boards. If you've looked through some of my recipes, you may have noticed different cutting boards. In fact, here are my different cutting boards:

Blue: Fruits & Veggies

White: Cooked Meat

Red: Raw Meat

Why do I do this? You see, when we cut food up, we create cuts on the board that are perfect for a plethora of bacteria to hide. It's hard to clean these groves out well, which can lead to cross contamination. And let's be honest. None of us would rub raw chicken on our veggies before we eat them (at least I hope you wouldn't!). Because I don't want meat bacteria on my veggies that won't be cooked, I choose to keep those foods on separate boards. Make sense, doesn't it?

After cutting my raw meat, I don't just throw the board in the dishwasher either. In a pan I bring water up to a boil, and dump that over the board and let it soak in for a bit. This helps to kill some of the bacteria in the hard to reach places. After that I either hand wash the boards or stick them in the dishwasher. While that sounds a little tedious in the moment, I remind myself that the little bit of extra time now is better then days of feeling sick from food poisoning. 

Now it's your turn:

What are your cutting board habits? Have you ever lived with a roommate who had one set of rules, but you chose not to follow them why they weren't around?

Thankfulness Project Monday

Welcome to another Monday, which means a new edition of the Thankfulness Project. If you'd like some background on this weekly "holiday" on my blog, you can click here or here. Focusing on what we're thankful for in life has both physical and mental benefits, and I believe that this is an important component of choosing to live a healthy life.

Here are a few of the things I'm feeling thankful for this week:

• Safety! I just drive 560 miles by myself between Saturday afternoon and Sunday afternoon. Every time you travel a long distance like that, there are a number of things that could go wrong, but nothing did! And I didn't go too crazy being stuck in the car for that long either!
• The Radio: My traveling companion! Seriously, I think that driving long distances would be incredibly boring if I didn't have the radio. Music may have been my sanity on the drive. 
• My Family: I know this has been on my list the last few weeks, but it's true. I had a great couple of weeks visiting with them. My brother was on leave from the military, and it was a really fantastic time that we got to spend together. I know these times will be more and more scarce, as we're spread out across the country, and because of that I try to enjoy every minute I have with them! 
• The Treadmill: While I love running outside where there are fun and pretty things to look at, it's been HOT and I'm not a fan of the mornings, so it's been pretty difficult to run outdoors. My treadmill of choice has a TV in front of it, and 2 fans built into it. OH MY this thing is amazing. I wish I had one at my house. 
• Spinning Class: I won't have the opportunity to continue this during the fall, so I'm glad I got to take a number of spinning classes this summer! I hope to try and carry this into my own cross training throughout the fall and winter...

Alright, those are a few of the many things that I'm feeling incredibly thankful for in my life right now. 

Now it's your turn:

What are you feeling thankful for right now? Did you do anything fun this weekend?

Thankfulness Project Monday

Thank you all for your patience as I was on vacation last week! I tried to schedule some posts ahead of time, and respond to your comments as I had time. Obviously, my main purpose was to relax, engage in self care, and enjoy time with family, and in my mind, the trip was a huge success. After a pretty bad flight home (post on that coming soon), I'm happy to be getting back to my regular schedule.

And with that, here are some of the things that I am thankful for today:

• The Beach: I got to spend 8 glorious days sitting on the beach, watching the waves gently roll in, taking long walks in the surf, and bobbing on the ocean. Sounds amazing, right? I think it does wonders for ones mental health, and it was such a wonderful time! 
• Vacation: We each need time to get away from the hustle and bustle of time, be by ourselves, and get some self care! That's exactly what I did this past week, and it was wonderful! 
• Family Time! I spend the entire last week with my family, including a brother who is in the military and got 3 weeks of leave time! It's so great to be together, laughing and hanging out! I'm so thankful for them:)
• Protein Bars: Kind of funny to go on a list like this, don't you think? But seriously, I'm so thankful for protein bars. They make traveling so much easier, both because they travel well and are easy to eat on a plane or on the beach, but because they are healthy and filling as well! 
• Safety: Besides a minor foot cut from a shell, there were no injuries this week, either on the beach or in traveling! This is always a huge praise, and I'm thankful when everyone arrives safely home once again. 

Ok, I'm off to go collect my luggage. It didn't make it home with me last night (again...story will come soon), and get laundry done! 

Here's what I'd like to know:

What are you thankful for today? 

Would you rather take a trip with family or friends?

Health & Safety While Flying

Leaving on a jet plane!

In yesterday's post, I discussed post, I gave 10 tips for safety while on a driving trip. Today's blog post is dedicated to safety while flying. As you know, I love to travel, and unfortunately this means a lot of flying (can you say long lines, inappropriate touching at security, and lost baggage?). Here are a few of my tips for a safe & healthy travel experience. 

1. Hydrate on the day leading up to, as well as the day of, your flight: It's not only difficult to get enough fluid while traveling, but the airplane can be very dehydrating. Coming into the experience well hydrated will only benefit you.

2. Once again, bring lots of snacks! While a flight might only be 2-3 hours, you might get stuck waiting on a runway for 2 hours before you leave. You may arrive late, and have to skip your planned dinner during the layover you've now lost due to time. Always bring healthy snacks (protein bars are great) to hold you over...or as a substitute for a meal if necessary.

3. Bring an empty water bottle. While you can't go through security with water, if you bring an empty water bottle, you'll be able to fill it up as soon as you get into the main part of the airport. This will help you to stay hydrated. 

4. Pack a change of clothing in your carry on bag: I've lost my luggage multiple times, sometimes for a week or more. The last thing you want is to walk off the plane in dirty clothes, and have to sleep in them and wear them again the next day. If you lose your luggage, you'll be happy to have that clean shirt with you!

5. Pack all medications in your carry on bag: NEVER CHECK YOUR MEDS. Again, trust me on this one. If you lose your luggage for a week, you will be without those medications for that time. If you have prescription medications, always bring them in your carry on bag. 

6. When you fly, you are at a risk for deep vein thrombosis for a few weeks following your flight. Know the warning signs, but don't turn into a hypochondriac. 

7. Take frequent stretch breaks. This helps you decrease the chances of something like DVT. Click here for an excellent link with information & videos for stretching on the airplane. 

8. Use this if you have a cold or sinus infection. If you have a cold, the pressure in your nose and ears can feel unbearable. This is the best trick I've found (along with a decongestant) to help make your flight as painless as possible. 

9. Bring eye drops or your glasses if you wear contacts. Again, flying is dehydrating, which can irritate eyes (with or without contacts). Eye drops can be incredibly beneficial and add to your overall comfort. If you wear contacts, I'd suggest bringing your glasses, a contact case, and solution for a longer flight, just incase your eyes get too dried out. 

10. Be Prepared! While it's fun to travel in a cute blazer, dark skinny jeans, and heels, if your flight gets canceled and you have to sleep on the floor of the airport, you will not be happy with your clothing choice. Keep this in mind as you dress for your flight. Bring layers of clothes to stay warm in the airport or plane, and something to lay your head on (i.e. a backpack or hoodie) if you do end up having to sleep in the airport. 

Do you enjoy flying? What's your worst flight story?

Healthy & Safe Travel Tips (driving trip)

Summer is almost here, which means an increase in travel throughout the country. Because of this, it's important to prepare for your trip carefully, and be smart as you embark on your travels. The phrase "expect the best, prepare for the worst"definitely applies to this situation. None of us want to have problems along the way...right? By being prepared, we can hopefully avoid as many problems as possible. While I wouldn't say I'm a complete pro at giving travel tips, I've traveled enough to have collected a certain number of things that I've found helpful and important.

Time to hit the road!

1. Fill up with gas & ALWAYS check tire pressure the night before leaving: The last thing you need is to be scrambling around the day you leave (does anyone else's stress level shoot up as you're quickly packing the car and doing the final check of your house?) doing these basic chores. This has been drilled into me since I was a small child. 
2. Make sure to bring lots of fluid! Hydration is crucial for health and wellness, especially when it's hot and sunny. The last thing you need is a traffic jam or flat tire where you're stuck outside in the heat, and have nothing to drink. What would happen if, say, you got stuck in a traffic jam for 7-8 hours. Prepare for the worst, expect the best:)
3. Pack lots of snacks! This applies for the same reason as above. If you get stuck for a number of hours (and let's be honest...who wouldn't be grumpy in this situation), you'll be incredibly happy that you packed those extra protein bars or bags of cereal. 
4. Bring Lunch: There's no reason you need to be stopping for a meal on the way. It's cheaper, and often healthier, to pack lunches (or dinners) and eat at a rest area. 
5. Stop the car for regular breaks. Our concentration tends to decrease over time, so take little breathers every few hours. I know it gets really frustrating to stop, but is it worth losing 5 minutes every few hours to be healthy? Run in place, do deep breathing, and stretch a little!
6. NEVER TRY TO PUSH THROUGH TIREDNESS. No, I don't mean when you're just a little sleepy. If you are really struggling to stay awake, either switch drivers or pull over and rest for 15-20 minutes. It's not worth trying to push through and falling asleep. And coming from someone who has had someone near to them die by being hit by a driver who has fallen asleep, IT IS NOT WORTH THE RISK. Be kind to yourself and others by making smart decisions.
7. Don't just rely on gps. I am really bad at following basic directions or a map, which leads to me being completely reliant on the gps. While I think that gps is really wonderful, it can lead to problems. For example, I was driving through downtown Chicago once, and my gps popped up with a message saying "Lost Satellite." Awesome. So I was stuck praying desperately that the satellite would pop up soon. Before leaving, handwrite or print off directions so that you don't get stuck without anything.
8. Invest in AAA. I avoided it for awhile, but am SO THANKFUL that I finally jumped on the AAA bandwagon. Not only do they give you a nifty handout for any trip you're going on (with multiple routes, etc...), but they are a great safety net if something where to happen on the road. PLUS, you can get some great discounts. It's totally worth it!
9. Add some fun with itunes playlists or books on tape. This is especially helpful on long car trips. Mix it up, and the hours will fly by!
10. Wear comfortable clothing. Sure, I love looking cute when I travel, and I'm always a happy camper in heels. But the best way to travel is in comfortable clothing that can be layered (do you ever feel that no matter how high you turn the AC in the summer, if you're sitting in the sun you just can't cool down?). Loose clothing is easier to move in, and will provide the least amount of distraction and the best range of movement while driving. 

Now it's your turn! Have you ever had a road trip that has fallen apart? What are your best travel tips?

Thankfulness Project Monday

Welcome once again to my Thankfulness Project Monday post! I know it's been a few weeks, and I thank you all for your continued patience! If you are a recent reader of my blog, you can click here to read the background information on this weekly post. These last 3 weeks have been filled with an endless list of things I'm thankful for, so it's hard to get this list down to only a few things. I've felt so immeasurably blessed recently, and am so thankful for the time that I have had. That being said, here are the things I'm thankful for today:

• Travel! If you've been a reader of this blog for very long, you know that I travel quite often, and I'm a huge fan of it:) I recently had a business/pleasure trip mixed into one. During this trip, I got to stare at the view shown in the above picture quite a bit! It's beautiful, isn't it? (if you can't tell, that's the parthenon lit up at night)
• Safety: When traveling, there's always an increased risk of injury or illness. I'm so thankful that I had smooth sailing the entire time, and didn't get sick at all! 
• This beautiful weather: As I type this, I am sitting outside in the sun, looking at flowers, and hearing the sound of the fountain next to me. It's like a little slice of heaven right now. Not only is my mood so much better when it's nicer out, but the smells and sounds are spectacular. We would all do much better to spend more time outside enjoying the weather (remember: USE SUNSCREEN!).
• Mediterranean Food:  Ok, so I know I'm on a little kick with this right now, but I get really excited when I know that a mediterranean dish is coming for dinner. I'm excited about it all day. You can click here and here to see my two latest recipes. 
• The Daring Adventure: These last 2 weeks have been crazy and adventure filled. I've experienced new things, and pushed myself in different ways. We should always be doing this. Of course this doesn't require going to a different country, but it's easy to get stuck too much into a routine and forget that we can live life as a daring adventure!

Now it's your turn! What are you thankful for today? 

Thankfulness Project Monday

Wow- what a week! Today I will be taking a break from my series on grief and loss to focus on what I'm thankful for today! (you can catch up on my posts by following this link and this link- the other posts are linked to these posts!) This week has been crazy, and in many regards I feel like I haven't gotten oriented from Easter Break yet. Hopefully that will come this week as my schedule goes back to normal this week. That being said, here are some of the things I'm thankful for right now:

• Safety: I flew through the Atlanta airport only an hour and a half after the tornados hit Alabama. That being said, there was incredibly bad turbulence. I could complain about how I felt motion sick for a few days, or how I missed my connecting flight, but I'm so thankful that except for a few bruises on my arms and legs from being tossed around, I was safe!
• Getting to see someone near and dear to my heart: It's hard to be away from people we so deeply love and care about. This week was a time to reconnect and spend time with someone that I haven't had the chance to see in a few months. It was great:)
• Spring Flowers: While they make my allergies go off the charts, the flowers are absolutely beautiful, and make my morning drive to work SO MUCH better. The beautiful scents carry through the air as I do my workouts... I love them:)
• Sunrise: Just as we have hope when the seasons change, the sunrise each morning gives us hope that life continues on, and beauty can be found in the future. I got to see the sunrise above the clouds this week:) It's one of my favorite things... 
• Organization: Ok, so my life actually feels pretty unorganized right now. But I am so thankful that I can get organized pretty quickly, and that organization helps me feel mentally healthy. Time for some major organization this week!

So there are a few of the things I'm thankful for this Monday morning! Also, in light of the recent news of Osama Bin Laden, I'd like to remind everyone to send out thoughts and prayers for those affected by the events of September 11th. News like this has the potential to be triggering for the families & friends... although it's been almost 10 years, they can still use our prayers...

What are you thankful for this Monday morning? What was the highlight of your weekend?

When There's a Winter Storm

Although many universities and all schools within an hour of me were cancelled today, the University I work at decided to stay open. Normally it takes me about 25 minutes in the winter to scrape my car and drive to work. Today, I scraped for about 30 minutes, and THEN it took me 30 minutes to drive to work. And it started sleeting, so I ended up leaving at about 2:30 anyways. I tried to remind myself that scrapping my car was a great work out.
Last night I went to the grocery store, and waited in line for an hour to check out. Apparently everyone was preparing at the last minute, but this led to very little food left that didn't need to be refrigerated.
A few helpful hints for staying safe in winter storms:
1. If your power goes off, open kitchen cabinets to help keep pipes warm
2. Have a supply of batteries & candles
3. Always keep a supply of non-refrigerated foods in your house, in case you get snowed in for a few days
4. If officials make an announcement that travel is for emergencies only- YOU ARE NOT THE EXCEPTION and you put the lives of others at risk if you go out. So don't
5. Avoid downed power lines
6. Fill pitchers, bottles, and buckets with fresh water
7. If you drive somewhere, have a shovel, blankets, hat, boots, and gloves in your car

And a few pictures from the beginning of the storm:

 My Car this morning

 This took a long time to scrape off

 Sleet is flying through the screens on my window and landing next to the glass

 At least I have lactose free hot chocolate to drink!

 Not a single banana left at the grocery store

Hardly any bread either...

Ok. I don't own this picture, but I found it today and thought it was too funny to pass up sharing!

Does anyone else have pictures or storm stories to share?