The holidays can be challenging. If you need someone to talk to, come talk to a mentor. One Christmas, I came across an article in a local newspaper by an articulate columnist named Bill Johnson. His column was titled, "A Lesson in Catching the Christmas Spirit." Johnson began his search for the Christmas spirit at the Christmas tree lots,...

What Really Makes Us Happy

Imagine baking seventeen pies. Most families don't need seventeen pies for Christmas dinner. But the Christmas season can get hectic for everyone. It can be hard to find time to appreciate family. With one dinner after another, family can get lost in the stress of entertaining. What happens when stress overtakes the spirit of the season? Togetherness...

My early morning jog seemed colder than normal. I felt chilled to the bone, so I stayed in the hot shower a bit longer than usual.  I had almost exhausted the hot water supply when I finally turned off the taps. Through the curtains my husband handed me a towel.  As I wrapped the fresh white towel around my shivering shoulders, deep warmth wrapped...

As a nutritionist, I surprise people with my motto: if you're going to indulge, then do it right (have the full-fat version) and really enjoy it! I believe healthy eating includes food high in cream, butter, sugar or salt....just not every day and not every meal. It gets a little trickier during the holiday season with parties, potlucks and bakeoffs...

Those who've seen Jean Louis Gerome Ferris' painting commemorating the first Thanksgiving are likely to be misled by the artist's rendering. The idyllic scene belies the reality that life-threatening challenges faces the Pilgrims daily.  Even before their journey across the ocean began, travel guides to the New World cautioned, "First, make thy...

It's that time again. Time to start basting the turkey and getting ready for one of the biggest meals of the year. Why not 'Wow' them this year with a gourmet twist on the classic favorites? Try a few, or all of these holiday recipes from our friends at Recipe Du Jour. All you need to add is your favorite dessert. For those of you who will be serving...

"I look forward to the holidays - and I dread them at the same time," said my friend Peg over a cup of tea. "November and December are usually a big blur. Thanksgiving comes and goes and then it's time to prepare for Christmas. Next thing I know it's the New Year. I look back and I can hardly remember what happened or how I felt." If this sounds...