A Snow Day Blog

    Snow days just don’t have the same appeal as adults, but for kids they are the highlight of winter. When I was a kid, growing up in Southeast Missouri, the best snow days involved making snow cream with my mom. If you haven’t tried it, this week’s powdery snow is perfect for making this yummy treat. 

    Send the kids outside to scoop up a few bowls full, or If you have a high powered blender, you can also make your own snow by using using shaved ice. Here’s how to do it. 

Southern Snow Cream
Ingredients
8 cups fresh snow
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
Place snow or shaved ice into a large bowl. Pour condensed milk over and add vanilla. Mix to combine. Serve immediately in bowls.Top with sprinkles to add color and fun. 

Valentines Day: Don't Screw Up Again

Valentines Day has plenty of haters…

I’ve had a series of them I’d like to forget.
There was the Valentines Day in elementary school when a girl on the school bus threw up on me.
The Valentines Day in high school when a boyfriend broke up with me after I’d baked him cookies with pink and red M&Ms in them to profess my love. I never got the chance to give them to him….but they were delicious I can say since I ended up eating them myself.
I think the best Valentines Day gift I ever received was from my father, who sent me flowers to work just after a particularly bad break up.
As the dreaded-by-some day approaches and you’re wondering how to escape it without going broke, disappointing your date, or even getting dumped don’t distress. I’m here to help.
Ignore those ads for Victoria Secret and 1-800-Flowers….
here is the secret to what women really want for Valentines Day. Follow the KISS theory: Keep It Simple Stupid. Don’t go overboard to orchestrate a grand overtures, just tell her how your feel and do something sweet for her. That will mean the most.

Here are a few suggestions for how to do that:    

• Just say Thank You to her for all she does to make your life better and sincerely mean it. 

• Do the dishes! Forget Magic Mike…a man cleaning anything is sexy. Not to mention helpful. 

• If you have kids, offer to take them out for a couple hours so she can have some much needed me-time. 

• Don’t get anything that plugs into an electrical outlet or implies she has to do any work with it…like a mixer, vacuum cleaner or exercise equipment. 

• When all else fails, you can’t go wrong with chocolate.

No reason to hate a day that's all about love, just KISS. 

Arts Opportunities Abound

St. Louis may be a mid-sized city, but it has a myriad of opportunities in the arts. Last week, i attended the annual St. Louis Arts Awards for the third time since I moved here, and each year I am more amazed than the last at the breadth of talent in this town

.  Sponsored by the St. Louis Arts and Education Council, http://keeparthappening.org, and held at the Chase Park Plaza, this year’s 23rd annual awards ceremony honored a diverse group of organizations and individuals as follows: Shakespeare Festival St. Louis, Excellence in the Arts; Jim McKelvey and Doug Auer, Third Degree Glass Factory, Arts Innovators; Jill McGuire, Regional Arts Commission, Lifetime Achievement in the Arts; Warner Baxter and Tom Voss, Ameren Corporation, Corporate Leadership in the Arts; Ken and Nancy Kranzberg, Excellence in Philanthropy; and Winifred Crock, Parkway Central High School, Art Educator of the Year.

To me, what is just as amazing as the range of arts-related opportunities in St. Louis is the fact that so many of them are FREE. 

A 2015 honoree, The Shakespeare Festival, is held each summer in Forest Park, http://www.sfstl.com, and features free performances of plays you’d pay to see elsewhere. The organization will celebrate its 15th year this summer with a performances of Anthony & Cleopatra in late May and early June.

  Every third Friday, the Third Degree Glass Factory, another 2015 Arts Award recipient, located on Delmar just east of the Delmar Loop, hosts a free family-friendly event featuring glassblowing and bead-making demonstrations, music, and rotating gallery exhibits. You also have to check out the amazing glass sinks in their bathrooms! http://www.thirddegreeglassfactory.com

  The St. Louis Muny offers 1,500 free seats to each of its performances. Details here: http://www.muny.org/tickets/free-seats

One of our girls favorite free art activities is visiting the St. Louis Arts Museum for Family Sundays, when they host special activities to get children engaged in the exhibits currently on display. http://slam.org

I am sure there are many more activities I haven’t mentioned, so if you’ve got a favorite free opportunity please share it in the comments section! 

American Sniper hits the target

    Over the years I’ve done all kinds of writing on topics ranging from school board meetings to midget wrestling, but I just realized I’ve never written a movie review. So, I’m going to take a shot at it, with American Sniper.

I grew up watching war movies with my dad, a Vietnam War veteran and movie buff…or maybe movie addict is more accurate. From classics like Sergeant  York and The Bridge on the River Kwai to more contemporary movies like Memphis Belle, our basement often sounded like a battlefield when Dad was watching TV.

So blood, guts and gore doesn’t generally get to me. However, American Sniper hit me differently. It offers a glimpse of what’s going on inside a soldier’s heart and mind.

 Here’s a brief summary: American Sniper is based on the true story of a Navy SEAL sniper Chris Kyle's sharp shooting accuracy saves countless lives on the battlefield and turns him into a living legend. Back home in Texas with his wife and kids after four tours of duty, however, Chris finds that he can’t get the war out of his head.

Chris is played by Bradly Cooper….who I have to confess I typically associate with The Hangover movies or some romantic comedy….but this role gives him the opportunity to be a real actor telling a meaningful tale. Cooper’s efforts have earned him an Oscar Nomination for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role and the film also earned a Best Picture nom.

Check out more about American Sniper and find local show times here: http://www.fandango.com/americansniper_177733/movieoverview

           Have you seen American Sniper?  What did you think?  Please tell me your thoughts in the comment section

Resolutions Sometimes Come Back Around

New Years Resolutions sometimes come back around

The Timehop app reminded me the other day of the New Years resolutions I’d posted on Facebook four years ago….
If you don’t have the Timehop app, it’s a hoot and you should check it out in the App Store! It will dig through your social media posts of the past to show you daily what you shared a year ago, two years, three years, etc…

Now, back to my four-year-old New Years Resolutions……I had posted a list of three things for 2010: 

1. Order skinny lattes

1. Organize my work contacts and

1. Fall in love with a guy who isn’t a jerk. 

So, four years later now, I literally laughed out loud as I read these because my work contacts…even though I have a completely different job in a completely different city with a completely different set of people are still a hot mess. I’m doing pretty good, however, on Numbers 1 and 3. 

But why are our New Years Resolutions so hard to keep?
Sometimes, they’re simply just too lofty or unrealistic. We don’t create a plan to make them happen, or we don’t have the resources to accomplish them. I’ll blame this one on my still unorganized work contacts….with that key resource being time. I just need to carve out a chunk of time to do it. Maybe that will happen this year…
Although we’re likely to fail, the principal behind setting New Years Resolutions is a healthy one and shouldn’t deter us from trying to keep them. Who doesn’t love a fresh start, a clean slate, a new year, a chance to be a new you?

This year, instead of setting out to accomplish something new, I’m resolving to remember what I already have. I’m resolving to breathe deeper, look longer and hug tighter. Oh yeah, and get those work contacts in order. 

Whatever you’re resolving for 2015, I wish you the best in keeping it…..if nothing else, maybe you’ll get a good laugh out of it in a few years like I did. 

Winter Pet Safety Tips

Tis the season to be snowy….and cold! Chances are if it feels too cold for you outside, it’s also too cold for your pet. My dog Max, an 8-year-old Chihuahua and the love of my life, hates going out in the winter. The time it takes him to do his businesses in the back yard decreases exponentially as the temperature falls. Other dogs, such as Labrador Retrievers or Siberian Huskies, may find frolicking in a fresh snow to be a fabulous time.  Either way, here are some tips to keep your dog safe and healthy this winter.

·         Thoroughly wipe off your dog's legs and stomach when he comes in out of the sleet, snow or ice. He can ingest salt, antifreeze or other potentially dangerous chemicals while licking his paws, and his paw pads may also bleed from snow or ice.

·         Never leave your dog or cat alone in a car during cold weather. A car can act as a refrigerator in the winter, holding in the cold and causing the animal to freeze to death.

·         If Santa brought a Christmas puppy to your family, remember that puppies do not tolerate the cold as well as adult dogs, and may be difficult to housebreak during the winter. If your puppy appears to be sensitive to the weather, you may opt to paper-train him inside. I opted for this with Max, who I also got around Christmas time. I recommend using an indoor pee pad in an out of the way location in your home, especially for small dogs.

·         Be sure to keep your pet's leash on at all times when you bring him out in the first big snow of the year. He might bolt once he goes outside, especially if this is his first time playing in the snow in a while.

·         If your dog spends a lot of time doing outdoor activities, you may need to increase your dog’s food intake. Also, just because it’s cold out doesn’t mean you dog can’t get dehydrated. Have plenty of fresh water available when he comes inside.

Note: When I’m not blogging, I’m working in the corporate public relations department at Nestle Purina PetCare. Feel free to contact me with any other pet-related questions via Twitter @missyandmax and if I can't answer your question I will gladly direct you to someone who will.  

I Ran Over Santa in the Produce Aisle

I once bumped into Santa Claus while pushing a red and green shopping cart in the produce section of a grocery store called Holiday Foods. I bounced back, of course, since we all know his belly shook like a bowl full of jelly.

    Are you thinking this was just a dream I’d had after downing too much eggnog? Nope, it’s a true story.

    A few years before moving to the St. Louis area, I lived in a festive little town named Santa Claus, located in Southern Indiana. In addition to buying my groceries at Holiday Foods, my house was on December 25^th Lane in a subdivision called Christmas Lake Village.  I regularly stopped for coffee at the Silent Night Café en route to my office in the Kringle Place Shopping Center, where I worked doing public relations for the merry little town.

  

    Promoting Christmas 365 days a year was an amazing job opportunity, and every year about this time I miss the craziness that was Christmas in Santa Claus. If you’re looking for a holiday getaway, with just about a three hour drive, you can be sipping milk and munching Christmas Cookies at Santa’s Lodge or staying in a cozy cabin at Lake Rudolph. Then, you can round out your trip with a visit to Santa’s Candy Castle, The Santa Claus Museum, or the Santa Claus Christmas Store. At the Santa Claus Post Office, you can mail your holiday cards with a hand-stamped picture postmark. You might even think you’re at the North Pole….or maybe that’s just the eggnog…..

For more information holiday-themed events and attractions in Santa Claus, Ind., visit http://www.santaclausind.org/

Holiday Lights

Last year was my first trip through the blinking and twinkling display that is Celebration of Lights in O’Fallon’s Fort Zumwalt Park. The kids dressed up the dogs, one as Santa and one as an elf, and we all piled into the car to see the sparkling spectacle.    

This year, if you’re looking for someplace different to see Christmas lights, here are some more bright spots just a short drive away:

St. Louis Zoo’s Wild Lights – This display is going on through Friday through Sunday evenings through Dec. 14 and nightly Dec. 19-23, Dec. 26-30 and Jan. 2-3. The zoo boasts 500,000 lights, along with live music, craft stations and storytelling for the whole family to enjoy. Cost is$7; $6 for members; free for children under 2. For more info visit stlzoo.org

Anheuser-Busch Holiday Lights - Drive-through tours Monday through Wednesday until Dec. 31 at Busch Place and Arsenal Street. Walking tours are available Thursday through Sundaynights through Jan. 4. This is a free activity. For more info visit anheuser-busch.com.

Missouri Botanical Garden –This is the second year for the Garden Glow event transforms the space into a winter wonderland with dazzling installations amid some of the Garden's most iconic locations. Ticket prices vary. For more info visit mobot.org.

The Polar Express Holiday Dinner Adventure - You can dine from a buffet in the elaborately decorated Majestic Grand Hall at Union Station, where a light show features scenes from the movie “The Polar Express.”  Tickets are available nightly through Dec. 28, $15-$25 per person. For more info visit stlpolarexpressride.com.

Pro Tips for Black Friday Survival

Shopping is my sport....

I believe it totally counts as cardio. 

I practically grew up at the Mall. My mom was the manager of a JCPenney store so my friends and I would beg my dad to drop us off at the mall on weekends, where we would stay utill my mom closed down the store and brought us home.

So given this brief history, it should come as no surprise that I love Back Friday....the Super-Bowl of Shopping. My proudest Black Friday moment came a few years ago while working as  Business Reporter in Cape Girardeau, when I took to Twitter in the wee hours of the morning to post updates on crowds, lines and bargains all over town. I interviewed people bunded up like Eskimos who completely gave up Thanksgiving dinner to be first in line for a 60 inch TV. To me, the people I met were always the most interesting part.

In the years since, Black Friday starts have been creeping up earlier and earlier on Thanksgiving itself. While I don't stay up all night with the shoppers anymore, I do have a few tips for planning a successful Black Friday Shopping Strategy: 

Stay Connected: Social media is a great way to find out what's going to be on sale at your favorite stores. Most stores have links to their social media pages, like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Vine on their official websites. Marshalls, T.J.Maxx and HomeGoods hosted a Twitter video contest. This year, stores are even more likely to unveil Black Friday deals, contests and even ads. Last year, for example, Best Buy asked its Twitter followers to create videos of their experience in line at the electronics retailer. Shoppers sent in Vine videos using the hashtag #VineInLine, and the best ones earned a retweet. Searching #BlackFriday or #BlackFridayDeals should produce lots of results in the next couple weeks. 

Map Your Route: Visit the stores you plan to go to a few days ahead of time, so you'll know where to find the deeply discounted items you want, saving you time. 

Divide and Conquer: Bring along some buddies and compare your lists, you can split up to make it to more stores and get everything that everyone needs. 

Be Prepared: Pack your own "Black Friday Survival Kit," with anything you need to keep you going. Include snacks and a bottle of water. Personally I like to bring an heavily caffeinated beverage, some sugary candy, and protein bars to keep my energy up while waiting in those long line.

Have Fun: Don't take it too seriously.....if you don't get that deal you wanted.....there's always CyberMonday!

Tales of Commuting from St. Charles County

I was a city girl….quite content in my Washington Avenue loft in downtown St. Louis…..until I met a St. Charles County boy.  More than a year later, I split my time between Winghaven and Wash Ave. Since I love both my job downtown and my boyfriend in the county, I’ve become…reluctantly… a commuter.

Each morning after I top off my travel mug of home-brewed Starbucks, I ponder my own personal version of Russian Roulette, asking “Do I take Highway 40 or I-70?” With the recent opening of Phase 3 of the Route 364/Page Project from Route 94 at Mid Rivers to I-64 at Lake St. Louis, I’ve now got a third option to consider. It’s still too early to tell about this route, as not all roadwork is complete creating several slowdowns.

According to MoDOT, both lanes on 364 should be open within the next week or so and all ramps by the end of the month. While it’s great to have another option, it’s not saving anyone much time as long as these lane restrictions continue. Depending on weather, wrecks and what time I leave, the 35 mile trip can take from 35 minutes to an hour and a half…but there are a few things I do that make your own journey a little more enjoyable.

•  Always check the Google Maps app and plan your route to avoid the red areas. 
• When you open Google Maps, type "traffic" in the search box. Or enter a place name, for example, "traffic near St. Louis." Press Enter or click the search button

• You can also see traffic while viewing directions. Click Show traffic on the directions info card when you search for a route. 
• The colors indicate the speed of traffic on the road.
• Green means there are no traffic delays.
• Orange means there's a medium amount of traffic.
• Red means there are traffic delays. The more red, the slower the speed of traffic on the road
• Consult MoDOT’s Twitter Accounts 
• @MODOT_StLouis posts general information about ongoing road 
• @StLouisTraffic posts real time alerts for accidents, lane closures, projects,etc.
•  Listen to audio books 
• Whether it’s a suspenseful mystery a hilarious comedian’s autobiography, or something to inspire productivity at the office, audio books make the time fly by and help you make the most of what might seem like otherwise wasted time. The St. St. Charles County Library District’s Overdrive App allows you do download audio books for free to your mobile device, or check out their selection of Audio Book CDs at the Winghaven Library Express. 
• Bring along a big cup of coffee
• This one really needs no explanation….

Enjoy the ride!

Take Time to Enjoy the View

A brilliant blaze of red, orange and yellow fills our views this time of year, but have you ever wondered what trees combine to create your favorite fall foliage?

Here is a key to their colors:

 

Red Leaves:

  Some Maples

  Some Oaks (red, pin, scarlet and black)

  Some Sweetgum

  Dogwood

  Persimmon

  Sassafras

 

Yellow and Orange Leaves:

  Hickory

  Ash

  Some Maples

  Tulip trees

  Some Oaks (white, chestnut, bear)

  Beech

  Birch

  Sycamore

 

It’s a great time of year to put on some hiking boots and explore the trails at Engelmann Woods, Weldon Spring, Rockwoods, or Little Lost Creek Conservation Areas.

If you prefer to view the fall foliage from the comfort of your car window, there are scenic vistas just a short drive from St. Louis including:

·        I-55 south to Mastodon State Historic Site

·        Highway 30 southwest to Little Indian Creek Conservation Area

·        I-70 to Reifsnider State Forest, or

·        North on Highway 61 to Logan Conservation Area.

 

Enjoy the view!

Missy

Skip the Carving: 10 Pumpkin Decorating Alternatives

           As Halloween draws near, our little pumpkins are begging to carve all those pumpkins we all have perched on our porches. 

But let’s be real….pumpkin carving, while traditional, is a torturous mess to clean up. Those eewey, gooey insides with their stringy, clingy fibers and slimy seeds will inevitably end up dried up and plastered to your counters and table tops.

If you’d rather spend your time decorating pumpkins than cleaning up pumpkin guts, here are Ten Alternatives Pumpkin Decorating Ideas:

1.    Use some spooky stickers

2.    Draw a face with markers and glue yarn on the top for hair

3.    Paint your pumpkin

4.    Brush a mixture of glue & water on your pumpkin and then sprinkle it with glitter to create a sparkly coating

5.    Poke pipe cleaners into your pumpkin and bend them into fun shapes to create spider legs or bat wings for the sides or pointy devil horns for the on the top.

6.    Use thumb tacks to create designs on your pumpkin

7.    Bling it out using by gluing on sequins and rhinestones

8.    Cover your pumpkin in paper mache strips to make it look like a mummy.

9.    For smaller pumpkins, try wrapping yarn, in autumn colors, round and round them to make it look like a ball of yarn

10.  Choose some pretty leaves from your yard and create a collage of them on your pumpkin using Mod Podge

Here’s to a happy, less messy, Halloween.

Missy