Try a new recipe for dinner tonight

I love to read cooking magazines and cookbooks and often clip recipes out , which I place in a file to try at a later date.  Now that the weather is changing I sorted through a pile of recipes and selected a few that I will create over the coming cooler months.  For some easy but delicious recipe ideas check out my other blog
http://dining-with-diana.blogspot.com/
Bon appetite!

Exercise

I just signed up to participate in a half marathon--now before you stop reading let me remind you that I've never RUN more than a 5 K (3.2 miles) so this is a huge undertaking for me.  Nor do I plan on running 13.1 miles-I only plan on FINISHING 13.1 miles (using a combination of running and walking).  As my pals have encouraged me "It's not about the LENGTH of TIME it takes to finish...and you can't finish what you don't start!"  SO...on 11-12 I will do a 13.1 (get it...11.12.13.1)

If you'd like to add exercise to your day here are some suggestions

Needless to say, don't begin any exercise plan with out the express consent of your health care professional

 

Make a list of activities you enjoy doing-

Walking, dancing, an exercise class, mowing the lawn, walking the dog, swimming, ballet, gardening etc.

Any activity that gets you off the couch is likely to be some form of exercise.

Sustainable activity must be enjoyable.

 

Get exercise by doing the things you are already doing-

Be more active during the day. Take the stairs instead of the elevator.

Park in the back of the parking lot

Carry in your own groceries

Ask a friend to exercise with you or join an exercise class. This will  help to keep you accountable-

We'd jump in the pool at the end of a hot day
Eat a cold, sweet (low calorie) Popsicle
Take a warm (not hot) bubble bath and pamper your muscles 
I also sleep better on the days I was active

Good Luck, Get Going!  Exercise leads to weight loss, but don’t reward yourself after a good workout with food-

We invite other parents to walk with us at practice and even maintained summer sessions.  We remained active during the heat of the summer, when we didn't feel like it, because we knew people were depending on us to be there! 

We jumped in the pool to cool off or rewarded ourselves with a Popsicle (sweet, refreshing and low calorie)

Want to walk?

But unable to walk continuously for 30 minutes, try 15 minutes of walking in the morning and 15 minutes on your lunch break. Start slowly and work yourself up to your goal.

Want to Run?

Set your eye on a goal (mine is the half marathon in October.  I doubt I'll be ready to run 13.1 miles...but I practice each week with that goal in mind.

Invest in some good shoes, you'll be glad you did!

Aim to exercise at least 30 minutes a day, five times a week-
Put it on the calendar
Incorporate it with other activities, such as your child's sports practice.
But don't beat yourself up when family obligations prevent you from getting in a workout

See you at the finish line!

Have a Safe Halloween Celebration

Keeping Kids Safe

• make sure children can walk easily in costumes
• be careful of flowing costumes that could catch fire if they come in contact with a glowing pumpkin
• avoid masks, use face paint instead
• accompany children on their rounds
• stay on the road and sidewalks to avoid an unwanted fall, doggie doo-doo, etc.
• only approach homes that have "left the light on"
• don't eat any candy until you get home
• don't eat unwrapped candy, candy that is discolored or has tears in the wrappers or has been hand wrapped
• remove small items that could pose a choking hazard from small children
• feed your children before trick-or-treating so they won't be tempted to snack on their loot
• have kids brush their teeth after consuming Halloween candy

Throwing a party

• Keep food refrigerated until serving time
• throw food away that has been out of the refrigerator for 2 hours or more
• don't serve raw cookie dough or cake batter
• if bobbing for apples, wash the apples before consuming
• make sure apple cider has been pasteurized to remove bacteria

Plan your Halloween Costume

I love costume parties, but it can be a challenge coming up with an inexpensive costume that will weather the weather!
Here are some ideas I've used in the past

Dice--paint a large box white, attach dots, cut out arm and head holes, wear black pants/turtleneck
Bubble bath--large tub, attached with suspenders, filled with balloons, don a shower cap and Viola!
Spaghetti--wear red, use a colander as a hat, mop hair to which you've attached LARGE brown pom-pom "meatballs)
Artist and still life--Artist wears a beret and a fake mustache, carries an artist palate and paintbrush and speaks in a french accent.  Still life holds a picture frame in front of their face. 
Turn a hooded sweatsuit and a dismantled umbrella into a bat costume
Skeleton-black sweatsuit to which you've affixed bones cut from white fabric (time consuming but worth it)

Headbands make a great accessory for animal ears (cat, dog, devil), paried with a painted sweatshirt-quick, easy and cheap!

Organizing the Linen Closet

I cleaned the DDs linen closet (and bathroom) last week because I just couldn't take the mess any longer.
My linen closet is small so it is easily cluttered.
I first removed the items from the shelves and removed those items that were too work or frayed and placed them in the rag bag
Then, I refolded everything.  Bath towels, hand towels and washcloths were arranged neatly on shelves.
Sheets were folded and placed inside the corresponding pillow case to keep them neat and together. 
My linen closet also houses blankets, afghans and decorative seasonal pillows.  These were placed in blanket bags and stacked on the floor of the closet. 

Closet Cleaning-Day 6--all that other stuff

I have hats, belts, scarves and jewelry as well as electronic devices in my walk in closet.  I corral these items in various baskets, tubs and bins.  Not doing so apparently causes them to breed and create a tangled mess!  LOL
Speciality hangers can be found at your local super store or bath shop and I use them extensively for organization.  I have a hanger that has holes in it especially for my scarves, a belt hanger for belts, a tie hanger for ties (DH).

I use hardware containers and craft boxes for costume jewelry, bins from the dollar store for hats and mittens as well as the digital camera and the like.  Decorative photo boxes and something that looks like a little suitcase can be purchased at your local craft store and give a beautiful style to your organizing if you want to spend the extra dough! 

Viola!  Your closet is organized.  Don't you feel better?

Closet Cleaning-Day 5-Shoes

Now it's time to really get down to business and tackle the shoesI personally don't own as many shoes as the normal woman...but I still have a lot of shoes, flip-flops, boots and running shoes and they can create Closet Chaos!

Pull out all the shoes, boxes and all
Line them up and sort by color and style (all black flats together, all black heels together, etc)
This will help you see what you have and what you can get rid of

Start by keeping one of each style/season (this equals 6 pairs of shoes!)
For example you will keep one pair of black sandals, one pair of black flip-flops, one pair of black flats, one pair of black winter (suede), one pair of black pumps and one pair of black dressy.
Now repeat with other colors

Next you need to polish and clean any remaining pairs of shoes.  Vaseline works well as a cleaner on patent leather,  Replace frayed and dingy laces on your running shoes.  Any shoes that need to be re-heeled should be set aside and taken to the shoe repair place. 

I store my shoes in a cardboard shoe box that displays 9-12 pairs of shoes.  I keep dressy shoes that only see irregular use (the pink satin 3 inch heels for example) In their original boxes.