Change is Coming

By: Lara Winburn

I am not sure if you have missed me, but I have been away. I have been drowning in change. Since June 1st I have:

• Resigned from a job, which felt a little like a break up since I liked my little work family. There was a lot of “it’s not you it’s me.”
• Started a new job, which is a lot like a new relationship where you want them to like you and think you are smart and funny and pretty.
• Sold a house (in one day). We were homeless for two weeks, testing not only our marriage and parenting skills but the kindness of our friends. (Thank goodness for generous friends and my cow.)
• Finally moved into our new forever house…which is currently a construction site and our house. I knew it was bad when the electrician asked, “Are you living here full time?”

Times, they are a-changing. If I find out I am pregnant anytime soon my husband’s head may explode. (NOT that I am trying to get pregnant – that would just be the change that broke the camel/husband’s back.)

The funny thing about change is the impact it has on some more than others. To be quite honest, I feel a little unaffected by change. Change is hard, but hard is not the same as bad. Maybe it’s because my life is such a mess – or what I what I would like to call “fluid and changing.” I do not ever consider myself organized enough for the change to be felt. (Translation: When you are a hot mess you do not feel the storm when it comes.)

That being said, I started talking with other people about change and there are some folks with really strong feelings about it. Take my best friend – she is very “Type A.” She is tidy, organized and keeps notepads for making lists everywhere – in the car, kitchen, next to her bed and probably the bathroom. When she mentioned she hates change, I was not surprised. Her ship is always on path, so a change in the winds would be difficult for her.

But my husband is not “Type A” at all. Let’s call him “Type Z,” or whatever the opposite of A is. He also started talking about his struggle with change. It made me wonder about the man that carries as many clothes in his car as in his closet…why does change bother him? Maybe he is not the mess I am. He has always maintained that although he may look disorganized, he knows where everything is. After 16 years, maybe I believe him.

Does change bother you? Or will someone out there just admit that they, like me, have gotten quite good at rolling with change because they always seem like they are rolling along in a pinball machine of life. One thing I hope to change is my absence from the blogging world. I have so much to tell you about, as all of these changes are also many new adventures.

Sitting Pretty

By: Mary Pat Baldauf

Since having my follow-up arteriogram in early September, I have been experiencing significant soreness in my hips, lower back and shoulders. I didn’t think that I should be sore from the procedure, so my sister and I brainstormed. Thinking back, the soreness occurred the week I went back to eight hour days at work. I thought I was sitting pretty during my staggered return to work, but Sister brought up a good point: it had been nearly six months since I’d sat at my desk for eight hours. I wasn’t sitting as I should, in addition to my body readjusting to sitting for long periods of time.

I did some online research and indeed found out that I wasn’t sitting as I should and/or taking appropriate breaks from my office chair. (From Greatist, here’s how we should be sitting at our desks.)

My biggest problem is that my short legs won’t reach the floor, so I tuck them up under my hips. Not the proper way to sit. Also, since returning to work, I’ve been working non-stop on the upcoming Green is Good for Business Conference and taking few breaks. I’ve now ordered a foot rest and back wedge, and starting the first of the week, I’m also setting an alarm for the top of every work hour to remind me to get up and move.

Here’s hoping that the next time I post, the soreness will be a thing of the past, like the aneurysm.

The Instant Pot

By: Leah Prescott

Do you often scramble for dinner ideas on the commute home from work? Do you try to plan the evening’s meal while standing in the grocery aisle at 5 PM? Do you find yourself stopping for fast food because there just isn’t time to defrost the ingredients to cook? If these scenarios sound familiar, you need to keep reading! (If I sound like a terrible infomercial, I apologize; I’m very tired.)

As I have said before, I absolutely love reading product reviews and time-saving tips and tricks. As a matter of fact, as a stay-at-home mom and homemaker, I sort of feel that reading blog posts, scouring Pinterest for recipes, and flipping through Better Homes & Gardens is just a form of continuing education or professional research….right? In the spirit of giving, when a product “lives up to the hype” I feel a moral obligation to share it with my friends. So I am happy to share a product that has transformed dinner time and taken a lot of stress off of me: the Instant Pot.

The Instant Pot performs multiple tasks and serves as a pressure cooker, slow cooker, steamer, rice cooker, sauté pan, yogurt maker and warmer. When I first got it, I immediately got rid of my rice cooker and my slow cooker, and I was already saving space. This thing does it all and it does it fast. (Please note I am just an enthusiastic consumer and am not being compensated by Instant Pot for my endorsement!)

I encourage you to read some of the many reviews online that delve into some of the nitty gritty of this appliance. For now I will just share some of the dishes we have made and loved over the last 6 weeks:

• Baked potatoes: Done in less than 30 minutes, perfectly soft and moist.
• Balsamic chicken: 5 minutes to prep, 45 minutes and done.
• Beans & Rice: From brown rice and unsoaked dry black beans to a one-dish meal in less than 45 minutes. That’s right: dry beans and rice start to finish in 45 minutes! We have already made this recipe four times!
• Mac & Cheese: This takes only about 20 minutes and is SO much better than instant.
• Rice: Comes out perfectly and no monitoring the hot stove.
• Ribs: Fast & delicious.
• Potato Salad: Crazy easy and tasty. The potatoes were the perfect consistency and the eggs cook right in the pot with them! This was my first attempt at potato salad and I am happy to have found such a simple method.
• Oatmeal: Delicious, quick and no burning the bottom of the pan while I am in the shower.

As the weather gets cooler, I will definitely be using the Instant Pot for soups and chili. The fantastic thing is that you can sauté veggies or meat right in the pot before switching it to slow-cooker mode. (That was always my gripe with my crock pot: I hated dirtying an extra pan and having that additional step.) Also, after you set the machine on, it will automatically switch to the warm setting when the cooking is complete. This thing really puts my old slow cooker to shame!

For me, the major drawback of this item was the cost. The Instant Pot retails from $150 to $260 depending on the features you select. (The newest and latest is Bluetooth enabled!) I was happy to find a deal on Amazon for an older model and now that I have used it for a few weeks I consider it money very well spent. Also, I am saving space, money, and time which is worth a lot! The Instant Pot is a game-changer for a busy family; check it out at http://instantpot.com/

The Great Tamale Project

By: Elizabeth Webber Akre

Of all the cuisines, Mexican is one of my all-time favorites. I love queso and chips as much as the next guy, but for me the ultimate Mexican dish is tamales. And they are hard to come by. Not many restaurants serve them and it’s even harder to find a person who makes them. I know. For years, I’ve wanted to learn to make them. I’ve always been told that they are soooooo hard to make. They are soooooo complicated. They are such a project that someone’s grandmother might make them for a very special occasion. So, I’ve merely dreamed and aspired to become a tamale cook for a very long time.

I came across an old 1980’s Mexican cookbook that a friend was throwing out. I scooped it up and there it was: a tamale recipe. I read it over and over again because I just couldn’t grasp what was so difficult about what I was reading. And then it happened. I bought a Boston butt and I made tamales.

I don’t know what I’ve been waiting on. I let others convince me that this was some insurmountable task. But here’s the news flash…it is not difficult to make tamales. At all. It takes some time, but it’s not hard. And, they were fabulous!

I trimmed the excess fat and cubed the meat.

Simmered on the stove with peppercorn, bay leaf & onion.

Guajillo peppers are soaked then pureed into enchilada sauce.

Look at this color! Shredded pork is mixed with the enchilada sauce. It tastes much better than canned sauce, for sure.

Instant masa is super easy to work with.

Spreading masa on the corn husk.

You just spread and pat it out with your fingers.

Top with masa with a little of the meat mixture.

Then you fold the sides over the filling and tuck under the pointed end.

Ready to spend an hour in the steamer.

Steamer is all loaded up with tamales.

My first plate of homemade tamales!

OMG! My tamales were fantastic, if I do say so myself! The sauce has out-of-this-world flavor. It’s so simple to make. You soak the chiles in hot water to soften them up, then remove seeds and purée them with the soaking liquid. Then you cook the purée with some garlic, flour, vinegar, cumin and oregano. Nothing difficult about that. The pork is stewed with some garlic, onion, bay leaf and peppercorns. After it’s cooked, you shred it, mix with sauce and refrigerate overnight. Nothing hard about that. You also save the pork broth for the masa. Refrigerate that overnight so you can skim the fat off before mixing up the masa.

The next day, you simply mix the masa with warm broth, shortening, and baking powder until it becomes a soft, wet dough. You soak your corn husks in hot water for about an hour to make them pliable. Then, it’s just a matter of spreading out some masa, add some filling and fold. They steam for about an hour and then you are ready to dig in. The masa was so soft and tender and flavorful. This is key because even in restaurants I’ve had tamales with dried out masa and it ruined the whole dish. The pork was tender and that sauce, oh the sauce!

And none of this was hard to do. It takes some time, but anything worth doing is worth the time. My parents came to dinner and we all fell in love with the tamales. So much so that later that week, I made another batch. A double batch!

Time to Get Grateful!

By: Shannon Boatwright

Ah…the grateful life!

I’ve blogged in the past about being a “Grateful Groupie”  and the importance of having a focus of gratitude in our lives. In addition to that blog entry, I’d like to provide a little more information and inspiration to this beautiful concept of being grateful. I recently came across an article called “4 Reasons to Get Grateful” in the September 2015 issue of All You magazine. The article really helped to open my eyes even more to the benefits of being a grateful human being. Upon reading the article, I immediately thought of things in my own life that totally validate their reasons for being grateful.

Reason 1 – “Being grateful can spark new friendships.”

I experience this on a daily basis with my amazing co-workers at the school where I teach. If it weren’t for the friendship and support of my fellow teachers, I think I would seriously lose my mind in this stressful, middle school environment! We have all bonded on so many levels thanks to sharing our gratefulness for each other’s company and assistance. I truly believe that when you are vocal about your gratefulness for others, it will not only spark an appreciation from those you tell, but can prompt lovely friendships too.

Reason 2 – “Being grateful might lead to fewer aches and pains.”

The article states that, “researchers suspect that those who feel grateful take better care of their bodies.” When we have a grateful outlook, I believe we engage in more positive activities and habits. When the mind and heart are in a positive, thankful state, I really think the body will respond!

Reason 3 – “Being grateful helps you heal.”

I’ve always been a believer that positive thinking leads to positive things! If I’m focused on all the negative things in my life, then YES, chances are I’m going to start physically feeling bad. It never fails with me. But if I hold my focus on the positive things in my life and the things that I am grateful for, I truly believe that positive focus leads to feeling good and even to a state of healing.

Reason 4 – “Being grateful helps you sleep better.”

In my Grateful Groupie entry I mentioned keeping a Gratitude Journal. I need to do better with this! Goodness knows, I need all the help I can get with sleeping better. Shutting off my brain seems to be an impossible task, especially now that I’m deep into the school year again. My mind and subconscious are plagued with to-do lists and worries. Even my dreams are exhausting! The article says,

“A study in the journal Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being found that writing about what you’re thankful for in a journal for 15 minutes each night might help you worry less at bedtime, as well as sleep longer.”

I really believe this to be true! I know for me, I absolutely cannot watch anything stressful on television before I go to bed. No intense dramas, no stressful news shows, NO horror stuff (EVER no matter what time of day!) – no shows remotely negative for me before bedtime! I have too vivid of an imagination. I have to watch something light and fluffy. Only happy stuff for me before bedtime because my mind and subconscious will latch onto what I see before bed and affect me to the core. I even try not to make my “To-Do” list right before I hit the sack because then my mind tends to feel overwhelmed with all that I have to get done. I’ve definitely discovered that if I allow for happy and positive things to enter my crowded mind before I go to sleep, I tend to sleep better. When I allow and remind myself to think of all the things I’m grateful for before I pass out, I go to sleep with a positive vibe instead of a heavy heart.

Let’s face it, folks….it’s time to get grateful! And let’s do it more often. There are just too many benefits to recognizing all the things we have to be thankful for.

Right now, in this moment, think of just three things you are grateful for today – no matter how big or small, deep or trivial. Repeat those three things and allow a smile to brighten your face. I bet you could name more than three things, huh? 😉 That’s the joy in life…despite all the bad nonsense that seems to surround us, there really is a whole lot of good that we should be focusing on!

I challenge you all, myself included, to dedicate more time to being grateful. It will only benefit us on some level! Let’s do it and lead happier, healthier, more fulfilled lives.

It’s Almost Fall

By: Chaunte McClure

It’s almost fall, y’all! You know, that time of year when the air is crisp, the mornings are foggy, leaves are colorful and utility bills are lower. Gah, I am looking forward to all of the above, but especially the decrease in my light bill. Can I get an amen?!

It was so refreshing to step outside the past two mornings to feel the cool air on my warm skin. Unfortunately, I didn’t spend much time savoring the fall-like temperatures, but I take pride in knowing that more mornings like those are ahead.

Spring and fall are my preferred seasons, although neither of them stick around long enough in South Carolina. Spring is a welcome change after 20 and 30 degree temps. Of course, I welcome fall after consistent 90 to 100 (plus) degree days along with the added humidity we have in Famously Hot Columbia.

The first day of autumn is just a week away and that not only means cooler weather, it’s also a sign of cool events like the South Carolina State Fair. It’s the place to go for family fun, bizarre foods, people watching and to hear the announcer say, “Meet your party at the rocket.”

Oh, and in case you haven’t heard (or seen), the rocket is standing taller. Now it’ll be easier for your son or daughter, who has to bear the embarrassment of hearing his or her name inserted before “. . . meet your mother at the rocket,” to find the iconic figure. The missile has been raised 12 feet higher, towering about 78 feet tall. The South Carolina State Fair is October 14-25. Experience it!

I’m also making plans to attend USC’s homecoming. Go Cocks! I’m excited about seeing the new alumni center and enjoying camaraderie with friends. Maybe I’ll luck up and get a picture with Cocky.

It’s been awhile, but one fall, I made a trip to the Upstate to Nivens Apple Farm where you can pick pumpkins and apples. They have a playground and pedal cars for the kids. Nivens also has hay rides, farm animals, and a corn maze. Get lost in the excitement of being on the farm. It’ll make for a fun day trip.

What fall activities do you enjoy?

Tattoos

By: Brady Evans

I am currently holding myself back from getting a tattoo.

I look around and see coworkers, strangers, and people I admire intellectually, professionally, and socially with tattoos.  I watch the news and see tatted skin.  I drive through Lexington and into Columbia and pass by at least 6 tattoo establishments.  No one talks about tattoos anymore.  When referencing someone, no one ever says, “AND he had TATTOOS!”  No doubt they are becoming more acceptable and more the norm.

I heard a story on NPR about Ice Man (by the way, I remember when he was found in 1991 – I was just in elementary school but it made a huge impact on me) and I heard that he was tattooed.  Tattoos have been present in our culture for a long time!

So, I am sitting here holding myself back from getting a tattoo.  I already have two.  This surprises most people.  These two stay hidden all of the time – one is on my ribs and the other on my shoulder.  They stay hidden because I am still not sure what people think about them.  I wanted them in a place that was covered day to day.  But then…what’s the point of a tattoo if no one sees it?  Are tattoos for the wearer or the viewer?  A part of me thinks both.

My dog died.  That’s what my new tattoo will be about.  The grief my husband and I have experienced is new to both of us and has surprised us both.  For some reason I think that tattooing her memory on my body will help.  It probably won’t.  It will, however, give me a reason to bring her up (when people ask about the tattoo – if it is not hidden).  I will see it in the mirror and be reminded of her.

What’s your opinion on tattoos?  Tacky?  Unprofessional?  Sweet?  Do you have a tattoo?  Why did you get it?

Why I Love Melissa McCarthy

By: Crissie Miller Kirby

I love Melissa McCarthy. I think she’s hysterical and extremely talented. I loved watching her in Gilmore Girls (albeit I didn’t watch it until it came on Netflix), in The Heat with Sandra Bullock and in Bridesmaids. Yes, she can be a bit vulgar and crass; but I still honestly think she’s a great actress and I can’t wait to see the Ghostbusters remake that is currently in production. But, this isn’t the main reason I love Melissa McCarthy.

Melissa McCarthy is not, if you haven’t noticed, built like most other Hollywood stars. She’s a full figured woman; what society has deemed as “plus sized”. Maybe I love her because I, too, am what society considers “plus sized”, and I think we “larger” woman should unite. In all actuality, I think that all women should unite because being a woman has never been an easy title to bear, much less one to bear with other titles and labels attached. I’ve never been what one would call a “little girl” and I’m not sure that I ever will be. I’ve shared those shopping trips where I am relegated to going to a different section of the store to buy my clothes, and, nine times out of ten, if I see something cute in the “regular” sizes, it won’t be available in the “larger” sizes. (Let me stop here and say that I completely and whole-heartedly subscribe to the idiom that just because something is made in a certain size doesn’t mean one should wear it, nor should one always think that “just because it zips, it fits.”) It would be great if clothing and department stores, along with society, would realize that “birds of a feather” don’t always flock together; women are friends with other women who may not be the exact same shape and size as themselves, and maybe, just maybe, we would like to shop together. This leads me to why I really love Melissa McCarthy . . .

As one who wanted to be a fashion designer before her acting career took off, McCarthy has now designed a line of clothing that will be available to women of almost all sizes. She has also requested that her clothing not be housed separately from other women’s clothing simply because of the size of said clothing, nor did she want it labeled “plus size”. She’s taken a very personal stand against something that many people overlook on a daily basis; that larger women are people and want to dress fashionably too. We don’t want to wear clothing that hides our size. Many of us are proud, confident, and successful women; in fact, I’d say the vast majority of us are because the average woman wears roughly a size 12-14 (14 is typically the start of the so labeled “plus sizes”). While this may seem like a very minor issue or even a non-issue, if you’ve ever been shopping and just left because your choices were pretty much limited to a muu-muu, then you understand why this is an important issue. However, every day it seems that, as a society, we talk out of both sides our mouth on the issues of size and clothing, etc. We talk about changing the perception of young girls feeling the need to be model-stick thin and to be confident in themselves, regardless of size, etc; however, on the other hand, we teach them, by simply segregating clothing sizes in stores, that being above a certain size isn’t desirable by having minuscule plus size sections with frumpy, dowdy clothing options that often tend to flow right on in to the maternity section. How can we expect our next generation of young women to feel when we send mixed signals like this? (I won’t even, right now, touch the clothing choices that are presented to our girls.)

Melissa McCarthy gets it. And that is why I love her.

Now . . . it would be great if someone could pass the word to plus size clothing manufacturers that not all plus sized women are close to six feet tall, that’d be great! Imagine being 5’ 2” and buying petite length jeans that still have to have 4-6” cut off . . . oh, but that’s a blog for another day!

Where Were You When the World Stopped Turning?

By: Katie Austin

Do you remember where you were on September 11, 2001? What you were doing at the very moment when everything changed?

I do. I will never forget that day. It’s been fourteen years and I can still see the faces of those caught right in the middle of the mayhem that day.

A day that would change everyone.

The morning of September 11, 2001 was like any day. I was working for a large utility company. I still do. The day was a typical day as my fellow co-workers and I settled into our offices, drinking coffee and working from our computers.

Then it happened.

The moment in time that will never be forgotten.

There was a buzz in the office as word spread of a plane crashing into the World Trade Center’s South Tower in New York City. We grabbed our coffee and headed into the conference room. We turned our attention to the large monitor that was showing one of the news broadcasts. It was then that we got our first glimpse of the South Tower on fire, smoke billowing from where the plane had crashed into it.

At first we thought something had gone wrong with the airplane, or maybe there was a disgruntled pilot. We were in shock. The news began reporting the FAA had banned all takeoffs of flights going to or around the city. Then shortly after 9:30 we learned that a plane had crashed into the Pentagon in Washington, D. C.

“Could this be a terrorist attack? Is our country under attack?” we wondered.

At that moment, I got up and walked back to my desk. I wanted to call family members in the Washington, D.C. area to see if they were ok. I couldn’t get through. Everyone must have been trying to call loved ones in that area.

I walked back to the conference room to see the South Tower collapsing. It was gone. The North Tower was still standing, but not for long. At exactly 10:28 a.m. the World Trade Center’s North Tower collapsed. I just sat there, watching images of those trying to outrun the dust cloud coming their way as each tower collapsed. We learned of another plane that had been hijacked and crashed into a field in Pennsylvania.

I couldn’t believe what was unfolding in New York City, in our nation.

I went back to my desk to call more family members to find that they were trying to get ahold of me. We were all in shock that this was unfolding right before our eyes.

I left work, picked up our son and met my husband at the house. The first thing we did was to turn on the television. All you could do was sit there and wonder what was next. The images were mind-blowing. I can still see the pictures of those that knew their fate and jumped from the South Tower before it collapsed. To think that they knew in that very moment that there was no way out…that this was it…

For days following the events of 9/11, time was spent closely watching the news and staying current on what was happening. It was heartbreaking to see the pictures posted in New York City of loved ones that were missing. Family members were there trying to find them. The lives of so many firefighters and police officers were lost that day as they tried to save others in the towers.

It’s hard to put into words what we felt at the time of the attacks and the days/weeks/months following. I reflect each year at this time when images appear on Facebook and I watch the documentaries.

Whether you remember that day, heard about it at school, or are just learning about the events of 9/11, this day causes all of us to pause.

I wanted to find a place to go to reflect and honor those that gave their lives that day. I found what I was looking for. The History Channel does a great job of capturing on one page exactly what I was looking for. They put together a timeline, speeches, and videos on their page. Be sure to check it out!

We will never forget that day. The stories of those that bravely tried to overtake the terrorists on the plane that crashed in Pennsylvania. The fearless firefighters and police officers who climbed so many stairs in the towers to lead people to safety. The many brave men and women who helped to rebuild our nation after the events of that day. They all gave up their own safety to save others.

Let’s take today to honor those that were lost that day. Take a minute, pause from your daily routine and share in a moment of silence.

Like Alan Jackson’s song, “Where were you when the world stopped turning?” What do you remember most about this day?

5 Minute Fall Necklace

By: Leah Prescott

I have been dying to share this easy DIY project that combines two of my favorite pastimes: thrifting and crafting! Tassel necklaces are very trendy right now and these are the perfect way to add a little splash of color to your outfit as we head into fall. All you will need are vintage beaded necklaces, embroidery thread, and lobster clasps.

You can buy inexpensive bead necklaces at Michael’s craft store, but we picked a few up from Palmetto Thrift and also used a few vintage necklaces that belonged to my grandmother. The best part about this project is that the tassels will be interchangeable, so you can change them anytime to get a different look. Both retro and handcrafted, these necklaces end up different from any you will find in a store.

To create the tassels, you will use the entire bundle of embroidery thread. Take it out of its wrapper and tie an extra piece of thread firmly around the middle of the bundle, being sure to leave some extra length. (This will be the top of the tassel). Thread a bead on to those threads and tie them firmly to a lobster clasp. (Now you can hang it anywhere).

Next, holding your tassel-in-progress by the top, fold down the bundle so that all threads are hanging together neatly. Tie another piece of embroidery thread about an inch down from the top to create the tassel. It looks best if you wrap it a few times and tie firmly. You can try to hide the ends of your knot in with the rest of the hanging ones, but good luck with that. Remember, boho style is perfect in its imperfection. At least that’s what I told myself.

Finally, trim all the threads hanging down so that they are all loose and tassel-ish! Hang from your necklace and you are all done! Isn’t that adorable?

As you can see, we went a little tassel crazy at my house. But once my twins got started making them, they just couldn’t stop. I hope you enjoy this project as much as we did. Happy Tasselling!