No matter what time of year it is I love the morning air. It's not new but it feels new and smells new. I was curious if there were any extra benefits to getting your fresh air in the mornings, and while there were no extra benefits it IS recommended by almost every source Google pulled up that we all start out mornings with a deep inhale of the fresh morning air. So if you want to start your day fresh, follow these 3 steps: 1. Just Get Up!: When the alarm goes off, try not to think of anything. Do not give the power to those negative thoughts. Just get up no matter how it feels like. You don’t have to like, you just have to do it. 2. Wake Up Your Body: When you’re out of the bedroom, do not walk straight to the coffee machine. Stretch a bit. Move your body in some way or another before you sit down for the first time. You do know that stretching improves digestion too? 3. Breathe In Fresh Air : Go out on a balcony or open the window. Or take a short walk outside. Ju...

When your day isn't going right take a break and get some fresh air. Apparently it helps. The most obvious assist it gives us is the fresh air can clear our heads. But it does more than that - it can revive our focus and ease our anxiety. Read about all the mental health benefits fresh air gives us by clicking here . On this #FreshAirFridays get out there and breath deep - regain your focus and get the cobwebs cleared from your mind.

It turns out that fresh air really IS medicinal. Check out these health benefits for us when we take deep breaths of clean, fresh air. So why not get out there today, on #FreshAirFridays , and take some deep breaths - filling your lungs and your body with the medicine of nature.

I'm not a big fan of the outdoors - specifically during the daylight hours. If I'm going to be outside I like to be when the light is low, the insects have tucked themselves away for the day (mosquitos don't seem to like the taste of my blood, they generally leave me alone), and I don't perspire (to use the polite term for sweating) as much. Another reason I like the low light times of day better is because I feel like -whether it is true or not- the air is fresher. When it is cooler it seems better to me. In my opinion, there is nothing worse than hot air. It seems that Laura Ingalls Wilder didn't need any research to back up what she already knew about sunshine and fresh air. But sometimes we do - in this tech crazy and slightly cynical world. So in case you need some convincing here's a great post from Livestrong about  The Effects of Sunlight & Fresh Air on the Body. Now, don't misunderstand me - I know the importance of the sun and its vi...

Score free stuff through this list of the 31 best websites to get food, cleaning products, clothes, medicines, and more. Test out new brands, new foods, new activities or stock up on favorites!

Take a day trip within your state and engage in some free fun!  Here's a list that Money Magazine Online complied of the highlight each state offers for free.  I'm so curious - have you been to the highlighted spot in your state or any of the others?

Whether you are traveling or staying home check out these free attractions that each state in America offers. Yes, free! I also like this list of free things to do and see from coast to coast. Get out there! Shut down the screens and enjoy some fresh air and local culture.

I love museums. I must get it from my Dad because my Mom can't stand them! I love museums but they can be expensive. Sometimes I'm willing to shell out the money for a special exhibit but sometimes I just want to see it all darn it... and for free or cheap. *wink* Do you like museums? If so, the you are in luck. Here's a list of 50 museums (one in each state) that are free for admission or charge so little it feels free! Also, check out your local museums for their free admission dates. I would be shocked if they didn't offer one or two (or more) free days.  

Celebrate your birthday by getting free stuff from a wide assortment of food, clothing, and other places.  Here's a list of the 106 Best Birthday Freebies in 2018. 

A few years ago I watched the documentary Dive   and didn't know what to do. The amount of waste happening in America was sickening to me - mostly because I recognized I was contributing to that waste. I determined to try and reduce the waste coming from my home. But my waste isn't the biggest problem. It's the waste that grocery stores and restaurants (and other institutions that make and serve food, like Universities) have at the end of each day. The docu Dive highlighted the waste of grocery stores but not restaurants. Restaurants - specifically fast food ones - tally up a crazy amount of waste each day. Items like hamburgers can only sit for so long before they are labeled unfit for consumption. Then they are discarded of and it's illegal for people to go into the dumpsters to retrieve them. It's so frustrating. It's another sign of the broken systems we have in America. ANYWAY. Food Rescue programs are starting to pop up. Many retailers are scare...

Let's talk soup kitchens for #FeedTheHungryFriday. Soup kitchens popped up in America around 1929 when the Depression was a growing problem. They were run by charities and local churches and served soup and bread. Soup was easy and affordable to serve because water could be added to it in order to serve more people. As the Depression eased soup kitchens stayed around to help serve homeless and struggling families. ( source ) Today soup kitchens are still run by churches and charities but generally serve more than soup and bread. The menus have expanded. Because the soup kitchens are run by non-government entities they are always looking for volunteers. (hint, hint) Several years ago my family and I served at a Salvation Army shelter with a group of people we knew. Our group had complete responsibility for making the dinner meal and serving it to the residents of the shelter. It was a great experience. We did it for about 9 years. It exposed all of us to different people an...

There is a great way to help feed the hungry in your local community. Most likely you have heard of it. Food pantries. They are a rather new entry to the fight against hunger. The world's first food pantry wasn't even established until 1967 in Arizona. Since then they have spread across America and Canada and then hopped over the pond to spread in Europe. John van Hengel was serving in a soup kitchen when he got the idea to gather and distribute non-perishable food items for those who were hungry. Here's some facts about food pantries/banks that are really interesting.   So for #FeedTheHungryFriday I'm suggesting you find a local food bank and ask what their needs are and help stock their shelves. Many food pantries can be found by clicking here .  Or maybe you feel a greater pull to get involved in the hunger issue and have thought about starting your own food bank. Here's some advice on how to start one and keep it going.  

Today I would like to highlight some organizations that help to feed the hungry all over the world. There are many organizations out there dedicated to helping end hunger both on a local, national, and global level. (I always recommend you use Charity Navigator to check into the financial stability of any organization you think you want to partner with.) A few years ago my family and I got an opportunity to help feed hungry children and their families around the world. It was a super fun and impactful experience. We partnered with Feed My Starving Children  and attended a mobile pack event. What's that? It's an event where communities are invited to help feed the hungry by assembling specialized food packs that are designed to provide complete nutrition. Sterilized stations are set up that have the ingredients and measuring tools needed. On "go" teams work as fast, but as accurately, as possible to assemble a suggested number of meals in one hours time. Y...

My mouth is watering today because for #FoodieFriday I thought we could talk about compound butters. Oh me, oh my.  First of all I love butter. Everyone always gives Paula Deen grief for all the butter she uses, I cheer her on. And let me clarify - butter not margarine. People, margarine is fake, it's not butter. It's awful for you - AWFUL. Life is too short, eat real butter.     Butter is wonderful. And then it can be taken to the next level by creating a compound butter. Compound butters can be made at home or purchased commercially. A compound butter can be made by whipping additional elements, such as herbs, spices or aromatic liquids, into butter. The butter is then reformed, usually in plastic wrap or parchment paper, and chilled until it is firm enough to be sliced. These butters can be melted on top of meats and vegetables, used as a spread or used to finish various sauces. ( source ) And they can be savory or sweet.  The...

I think some of the fun of cooking is the gadgets! And I am pretty sure I am not the only foodie who loves the kitchen gadgets too. I am a kitchen gadget freak. It may or may not be a problem. *wink*  There's no way I could pick *a* favorite gadget but here are a few that I constantly use: garlic press, zester, Kitchen Aid, Crock Pot, my good set of knives, my Pampered Chef pots and pans set, Pyrex measuring cups, cookie scoops that I use for so much more than the perfect sized cookie...well I could add a few more to the list but that's sufficient. So what are the essentials? Each of us will have ones that are essential to us but here's a list of the ones everyone needs . Because of my slight obsession with kitchen gadgets going into stores such as Williams Sonoma  or Bed Bath & Beyond , or hanging around too many Pampered Chef parties is a wee bit dangerous for me. I can ALWAYS find some gadget I *need.* So how about you? What do you use to coo...

#FoodieFriday is about common cooking mistakes and how to fix them. Mistakes must be made in order to learn and create. Cooking Light pinpointed the most common cooking and baking mistakes made and gave advice on how to correct them next time. So helpful! The Most Common Cooking Mistakes Common Baking Mistakes

Sauces are part of the #FoodieFriday journey today. Sauces make me weak in the knees. I confess there are times I order or make something because of the sauce, not because of the food the sauce is on top of or mixed in to. Like Eggs Benedict - sometimes I dream about the Hollandaise.  Sauces take some patience but they are worth it. Oh so worth it.  24 Delicious DIY Sauces You'll Want To Put On Everything Sauces - so many sauces Here's a few sauces that make my mouth water immediately once I think of them, smell them, or hear them mentioned: Tzatziki Chimichurri Peanut  Hollandaise Vodka Any sweet fruit sauce Oh man, there are more but the drool is running out of my closed mouth so I'm just gonna end the list there.  Listen, sauces rock. They can elevate any dish - meat, vegetables, desserts. YUM.  One last sauce story - when my youngest was in elementary she was asked to create a recipe. When she brought home her ide...