Weekend Recap Part 1: Planning for July 4th

What a weekend!

I have a weekend recap for you all, plus 3 tips for staying hydrated during next weekend's Independence Day festivities.

Saturday started with a car wash!  If my car could talk, it would say, "Finally!  Thank you for cleaning me up!".  I got the outside of the car nice and shiny, and vacuumed the inside as well.

Then, Andrew and I headed to The Grove for their Heritage Festival.  Many people know of this place because they had a field trip here in elementary school!  It even has a beautiful space called The Redfield Estate in which you can hold events such as weddings and dinner parties!  I can do a whole post on just the wedding planning at this place!  Let me know if this is something you are interested in by leaving a comment below!

While at The Grove, there were volunteers dressed up in mid-18th century clothing and doing reenacting of what it was like to live at this home in its prime.  Below is a man acting as a school teacher.  He asked all of the young boys and girls to behave and even taught them how to bow and courtesy! School was so different back then! (Note the chalk board and iron stove!)

 This is the school house from the outside.  An exact replica, built in 1982 that could have up to 33 children from grades 1 through 8 learning at the same time!

The day started to get very warm, so Andrew and I decided to cool off with a snack of fresh juicy watermelon under the shade of a tree.  Delish!  Note the multiple napkins...I still had loads of watermelon juice all over my face!

While at The Grove, we learned to march Civil War-style, dipped candles, saw how to make linen from flax, and simply walked the grounds enjoying the sun.  Whether or not you have kids, if you enjoy history and learning, this place is for you!  I really wish I would have made a candle, but there were too many kids at the time and I've made my own taper candle before...

To keep this post form getting too long, I will stop here.  Be on the look out for part 2 coming soon!

 

25 Days of Blogging- Day 19: Guide to Not Getting Sick

Hi friends!

Today's post is all about combating a cold.  Do you want to know the best way to stop a cold?...

Prevent one!!

All joking aside, this truly is the best way to stop a cold.  During the winter months, colds are more prevalent mostly due to people being in closer proximity to one another for longer periods of time...unlike in the summer when we can get more fresh air and sunshine!!

One of the best way to prevent a cold, besides eating healthy fruits and vegetables (as I mention regularly on this blog...) is...Water!

A river from the forest preserve by my parent's house!  Taken by yours truly!

Proper hydration any time of year is a key to health.  In the winter, we tend to feel as though we do not need to drink as much because we are not sweating from the heat.  As a matter of fact, we may sweat more than we think!  Heating in our cars, homes, and offices dries out the skin, which in turn, leads to dehydration!  

By drinking more water (or at least getting half of your weight (in pounds) in ounces of water per day), your skin will stay hydrated and soft and your immune system will stay strong.  Being well hydrated keeps all systems moving, making you healthier.

Vitamins and Minerals.  We all know that eating more fruits and vegetables is good for us, but do you know why? One of the many reasons plant foods are good for you is because they are a dense source of vitamins and minerals.  These nutrients are essential to health and play a role in practically every aspect of living; including metabolism, brain function, skin elasticity, and more!  All vitamins and minerals will help keep you healthy, but one to keep in mind when it comes to the common cold is zinc.

Zinc plays a large role in immune function.  Between reducing stress on the immune system as well as being a component of antioxidants found in the body, zinc is crucial to health.  Good sources of zinc include whole grains, nuts, and seeds.  Examples include pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, brown rice, and more!

There are so many more aspects that go hand in hand with a healthy immune system; like proper sleep and exercise, but let's save that for a later post, shall we?  I don't want to make these posts too lengthy, unless of course that is what you'd like to see!  Let me know in the comments!

25 Days of Blogging- Day 17: Where's Your Spirit?!

Hi Friends!

I hope you are enjoying this festive season.  I can't believe there are less than 10 days left of this daily blogging challenge!  I am really enjoying writing to you every day, so we will see what happens after December 25th.

Whether you celebrate Christmas, or Hanukkah, or any of the other festivals I mentioned in my last posts, there is something about this time of year that makes everyone just a bit more happy.  Have you noticed it?  People seem to have an extra sparkle in their eye due to all of the festivities.  Maybe its because they get to see their friends and family that they may not always get to see...maybe it's all the festive food and drink...maybe they just love the cold weather (nah, that can't be it! ha!)

Either way, people are happy and that is what makes this world a better place to live. 

I do believe that this time of year also brings out the kid in all of us cranky adults (the world can do that to you...) We remember what it was like to go sledding, we drink hot chocolate with marshmallows, we hug more, we sing songs, and just feel like a kid!  One of the best ways to feel like a kid is to play!

It's a blurry picture, but I'm sure you get the point.  This is me having a blast with my hubby and friends!!

If you take a step back and watch the kids in your life, notice that they don't care about fitting in their exercise regime, they don't stress about what foods they should eat; they simply live and play!  So, I challenge you to get outside with friends and family, young and old, and PLAY!  It doesn't have to be anything crazy strenuous or physically challenging.  Throw a ball, play tag, dance in the living room with holiday music (I do this one all the time :)  Just find an excuse to have fun let your inner child shine though. 

What do you do to let your inner child out?  Let me know in the comments!

25 Days of blogging- Day 16: A Toast to Health

Hi Friends!   

Today’s post is both a recipe and a bit of history!  I am really excited about this because I had heard about this recipe years ago, but never really knew if it were as beneficial and delicious as I had heard about.   

Well, I am here today to share with you this delicious and healthy tea that you can make out of something in your own back yard! Unless you live in a warm climate, then it may be a bit more difficult for you…  Prepare this tea with caution though.  As with all herbal remedies and teas, be sure to check with your doctor or dietitian (I would love to help!) to make sure that this tea is safe for you to consume (I am referring to interactions with medications you may be taking or if you are pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant).

Now, there are many claims out there saying Pine Needle tea can cure basically anything, but one thing is for certain; pine needle tea is very high in vitamin C!  This is great news because during the winter months in the north, fresh produce (where an abundance of vit. C lives) is not so good.  Research on vitamin C is still on the fence about whether or not this vitamin plays a role in preventing colds, but it is for certain that vitamin C plays a role collagen formation (meaning healthy skin and tissues) as well as protein metabolism and a strong antioxidant.  If you don’t already know, antioxidants are what protect us from things like pollution and boosts our immune system.

Pine needles have been consumed in native cultures for thousands of years, making it quite difficult to spot the fact from the fiction in terms of health claims.  Either way, this is quite a tasty and comforting cup of tea; making it perfect for winter time and holidays!  Check out this article for more information.

Now on to the recipe!