Hostess with the Mostess

I'm preparing to go visit my grandparents in Michigan and it makes me think obviously of my grandmother. She is literally the quint essential hostess. She has the old school conservative mindset. She still calls a purse a pocketbook and a couch a davenport. True story. I love my grandma but she always kicks it into high gear when guests are coming over. She taught my mom a lot of great tricks who then taught me, and now ... I pass them on to you! Now I admit, my grandma, if she ever read this, would say I'm not doing hostessing justice. But the reality is, we all can't keep house like she can. When was the last time we scrubbed baseboards? But there are a few things to make having people over more of a joy than a chore.
First of all, if you're anything like me you HATE cleaning and put it off til well ... forever. But when people are over we want them to feel comfortable and people don't feel comfortable around dustballs and clutter. Just being honest here. So this is what I've learned er well rather TRAINED myself to do. I schedule events as far out as possible. That way I know the week before the event I need to start cleaning or about 5 days ahead of time. This sounds ridiculous but bare with me! I start with the bigger things like tidying the guest room. Most of us have them and we usually use them for junk storage. I have a teeny tiny house, so when I have people over I am prepared to use every square inch of my 1,400 sq ft! Plus, my guest room has the only other bathroom in the house ... so you know ... that factors in. I pick up and put anyway anything out of order in there. Then I move on to our room - put away clothes and shoes, bags, things that have been strewn about carelessly. I hit up my daughters room tidy what I can and call it a day. The next day, I do the same thing with the basement, finish any laundry, put that away, fold blankets etc. Day 3, I'm onto the harder things, cleaning the kitchen well. Getting caught up on any stacks of dishes, wiping down the counters very well (especially under that dang microwave!). I also clean out the fridge to make room. Day 4, I'm onto dusting, cleaning the office, emptying trash bins etc. I try to clean the bathrooms this day as well. Sometimes I don't make it til the day of. I'm also usually making my final trips to the store(s). Picking up the last minute things I forgot or didn't know I needed on my first 4 trips. Then day 5 (which I always want to be the day before the party but is usually the day of!) I finish things like, the dishes that accumulated in the kitchen, vacuuming, and putting away every day things - toys, dog stuff etc. I usually save mopping for last, because unless it's REALLY bad, no one will notice and guests come in with their shoes on anyway. I must note that there are many many other things that need to be done, however these are the basics! Not to mention the day to day activities it takes to run this ship. So basically, when you break down all your tasks, it typically seems easier, less stressful and gets done faster than when you save them all up for the day before.
When your guests arrive. Don't feel bad if you're still running around filling ice, grabbing chairs or doing what some people might think are crazy things. There honestly is no way to be a "good host" and take it easy. Well ... at least not if your my mom - who always eats when everyone else is ready for dessert. But preparedness can help. Getting the most amount done ahead of time saves hassle and headache. But the bottomline is, if you still have last minute things to be done while guests are arriving, no need to apologize. Greet them, then say excuse me I have a few things to finish up. They'll make themselves comfortable, and if you have a significant other, a child, pet, or all three, they'll have their own entertainment!
Try to plan on having some fingery food out for when your guests arrive, or shortly there after. People come to parties hungry, it's just what we do. Have your beverages ready too! Things like crackers or chips can be displayed easily and beautifully. Open chips from the bottom - yeah you heard me, the bottom of the bag! That way when you dump them into their bowl, all the crums are on the bottom and your chips look like a commercial! It's not a big thing, but people will pry notice even if they don't say anything. Crackers same rule applies, unless they are accompanied by cheese and or meat, in which case they look the best on a plate. It won't take long to scatter some neat Triscuit or wheat things next to cubes of cheese. Looks lovely and delicious. (Look for more AWESOME easy party recipes in a later issue!) If you are serving a meal, wait until you feel most of your guests have arrived and are comfortable, then start the main meal. Depending on what you are having service of the food should correspond. If you have a large home and a small party, eat around a table(s), big party and smaller home, set up "eating stations." Place TV trays (or snack stands) periodically throughout your house, and use card tables where applicable. People feel most comfortable eating at a table. If that much room isn't available, you may want to serve foods that are easy to eat. That way if people can't get to a table, they can still figure out how to down that dog.
And finally, remember to have fun with your guests! If they never see you or get to talk to you at your own party, it won't be as much fun! PS Clean up can happen when all your guests leave. Tend to them first, worry about your house later!
Have fun and enjoy your next gathering! (Look for a second edition with more details on how to WOW your friends!)

Intro to Fitness

So if you become a regular reader of this blog, you'll come to learn I'm going to talk A LOT about fitness. Childhood obesity is up 200% since the 1970's. This is completely unacceptable to me. With the information we have, there is no way kids should be fat. There are several reasons kids are heavier today (most of which I'm sure you can guess). First of all it's the age of the geek! Technology runs our lives. Kids are learning to use smart phones and computers earlier and earlier. Heck, my 15 month old can unlock my phone and play games! So with video games and computer games becoming more widely available and more fun to play, kids are staying in and sitting rather than out and running. Back when I was a kid, which doesn't feel like all that long ago, during the summer months we wouldn't come in til dinner and our feet were black as tar because we ran around all day long - mostly with no shoes on - til our parents said enough. Kids don't do that anymore, they're easily bored and lacking in imagination because technology, TV and movies have taken that away. You don't need to think about how something looks, it's already there. Every book is now made into a movie ... what's the point in reading if you can watch it in a fraction of the time?! The next factor in plump kiddies is the incredibly easy access to fast food. It's everywhere, it's easy and it's cheap. Parent's who don't like to cook, don't want to cook or feel they don't have time to cook, hop in the car take the kids to McDonald's and with happy meals all around everyone's happy. But kids who don't play outside or engage in sports and eat this several times a week are doomed to be hefty. Now, in all seriousness you have to know that I do not condone all fast food. I eat it and I love it - really who doesn't? But there's such a thing as MODERATION. Special circumstances once twice a month maybe, isn't going to throw you or your kid into obesity oblivion. But so many people think that it's so easy and it's what they like ... I can't help it! Reality check! Yes you can. It's cheaper to buy a loaf of bread and a jar of peanut butter than it is to get a happy meal a day for a week. Peanut butter is packed with protein and it tastes AMAZING! Plus if you get your kids hooked on wheat bread, you lower the sugar intake and pump up the nutritional value!
The last, and most important reason for this trend is ... you guessed it ... the parents. If we as parents fail to set a good example to our kids, how can we expect them to take a different course. My dad told me recently that he used to choke down certain vegetables when we were kids so that my brothers and I would think if he likes them so will I. Musta worked because my oldest brother just recently found out my dad doesn't like peas. It's something we all must do. A sacrifice for the good of our children. My dad HATES peas, but he ate them early on so we would. I don't mind peas, so I think I ate enough of them early on that I can still eat them today. The point is, take your kids for bike rides, stock pile your garage with balls, sign them up for little league and teach them the goods and bads of eating! Please know that not every child is athletically inclined. It happens and it's totally fine. So what if they don't play basketball? That's no reason to not encourage them to be active! In fact there are many activities that are recently being considered sports. Rock climbing, skate boarding, even trampoline is an Olympic sport! If your kids struggle with stepping away from the computer or TV set time limits. Let them know they can only play for so long in a day. Trap them outside (with supervision of course) Tell them if they play outside for an hour they can come in and play a game for 30 minutes. I grew up playing basketball, softball, swimming and soccer every year. It became a part of my life! I'm definitely going to encourage my baby to get involved in sports for an active healthy lifestyle! And with the addition of adult leagues EVERYWHERE, it's easier for us to stay active and motivated.
So all those amazing women out there who are moms! The first step to having a healthy lifestyle is you ... set a good example and your kids will follow!

Tis the season for summer!

Tis the season for summer and the phrase that makes me shudder ... "Bathing Suit Season! Get that body beach ready!" ... ugh ... my body hasn't been "Beach ready" since I was 10. Now that body is buried under layers of stress and life. Here's the thing ... I don't think you have to look like a Kardashian to sport a suit in the summer. It makes us feel  better sure, but honestly, there are a lot easier ways to look AND feel good. Lesson number 1 ... Don't be afraid of the 1 piece! Since becoming a mother and my eternal battle with stretch marks (which came out of no where during my pregnancy and did the spider web effect ... my stomach looks like shattered glass) I'm  into wearing a 1 piece. At first it wasn't my cup of tea, I've always liked being able to bear a little belly and get my tan on! But now, it's not as bad as I first feared! First of all, I have a super cute 1 piece from years ago, not sure how or when I even acquired it but I was able to locate it stashed away from years of unuse. I really enjoy wearing it now because it's comfortable, it's pretty flattering and most importantly, it covers the mid section! I first donned this ensemble in the back yard playing with my sweet cakes in our "kiddie" pool. Then I took it to Vegas where I gained more confidence, and have been wearing it ever since. There are many places that still sell super cute 1 piece suits - not the types that our moms wore with the ruffle skirt either! There are some suits that come with cute shorts if you're like me who also have stretch marks on the upper thigh. There are suits that look like tennis outfits too! Just keep your eyes peeled. Plus here's another bonus! Some stores are ramping up for back to school so if you wait til the end of July or August, you can get great suits for next year on super sale! Please remember that if you are a fuller body woman, that is completely happy with they way you are - that is great! But it is not appropriate to be sporting a skimpier suit than some super models. Get out, have fun, but cover your body appropriately. No one is perfect, especially myself, but I recognize and dress appropriately! You should too.
Lesson number 2, sunscreen is in! I grew up HATING sunscreen. Ask my mom I never wore it - refused. I ended up with some real humdingers for sun burns! I even had sun poisoning once and still have the freckles to prove it. The fact of the matter remains that skin cancer is on the rise. Mostly due to 2 factors, first the fact that we are ignoring our planet and not doing our part of the green initiative. (More on this in a later issue!) This pollution has caused our ozone to dwindle down to nothing. I'm not on the global warming bandwagon per se, but you have to be a fool not to recognize that we have not been having normal weather since El Nino (For those of us advanced in age old enough to remember that!) Summers are getting hotter and sunnier. There's no reason to stay in the shade, and I'm also not completely on board with the 4 S's - slip on a t-shirt, slap on sunglasses, slop on sunscreen and seek shade. First of all, if it's 80 or above, t-shirts are really uncomfortable. Period. And sometimes shade is appropriate and welcomed, but I also don't think you need to be a shady lady - badumbum! Pun intended! The sun has many beneficial qualities! For example, cabin fever stems from the fact that people are low on vitamin D which the sun richly provides! Since we can't get outside as much in the winter and experience many overcast days, people tend to have higher depression rates and some experience extreme depression and mood alteration to the point that they need to relocate to a sunny state during winter months. If that doesn't do it for you consider this, plants NEED sunlight to grow. Plants are living things and so are we, getting a few rays does a body good! The danger comes when we aren't careful and get burnt. Most medical professionals will tell you that you need SPF 50 at LEAST. I say use whatever works. Just remember to reapply often. If you're like me and like some color, use 15-30 SPF and apply hourly or every 90 minutes. This should help give you a "glow" but prevent the damage burns cause. Which is the number 2 reason why skin cancer is on the rise. We women seeking beautification during the summer ... It's nice to be tan, but too tan comes with a price! I have since learned to be more appreciative of sunscreen and have even had a cancer screening. Even if your dermatologist says it's too early, GO ANYWAY! There have been MANY recent cases of young adults getting late stage skin cancer. Better to go than be sorry!
So whatever you do this summer and next, be happy and be careful. Looking good and feeling good should go hand in hand! So get out there "Kim", sport that suit and strut your stuff! Keep that screen on hand and have an fabulous summer!

Intro

Wow ... I made a blog. Look at that! The things you can do while your baby naps! My name is Christie and I'm a 27 year old woman. I like to be athletic and I'm not what you'd call "hip." I don't do the fashion trends, unless sweats and t-shirts are making a come back?? No ... okay. I don't like to spend a lot of time doing things I feel are unnecessary, or hard. Hair, make up, home making, fitness ... so much to do so little time. And most of it seems so daunting we don't even want to try! (Like the smokey eye! C'mon get real, my eye just looks like I got punched!) Well ... dadadaDA! Have no fear help is here! I have been thinking about starting a blog for some time, filled with actually useful information to help improve our lives. This information either comes from first hand living (the best kind of learning) or things I have researched or studied in school. I'm going to try to post new things daily, some posts longer than others, but with a 15 month old, well ... who knows! I hope you find the information in here helpful. Weather you are trying to lose a few pounds (or a lot like myself) or having people over and aren't sure where to start ... I'm your girl. Because when it comes to wanting things to look nice but not actually have to do a lot of work ... yeah ... I'm all over it!

Please note, I understand Pinterest is an awesome and addictive site, but this Blog is more along the lines of SUPER easy things you can do right now - not complicated do dads that look amazing, but really, when will you ever make a paper mache life sized swan floating on a river of creatively cut post its? Me ... never.

Have a fantastically lovely day, and come back soon for more posts to make your life EASY!

xoxo
Christie