Oral family history at its best. While searching for November events for the Work & Family site at BellaOnline, I came across an event that is new to me but very much worthwhile. I am always careful about the events I list because some are simply self-serving.  National Day of Listening is not one of those events, instead I found it to be an important day for each of us.  National Day of Listening is the day after Thanksgiving, a time when family and friends get together to celebrate and give thanks. What better way to save and share precious memories than through oral history? What a gift to your family and yourself.

This is what the Story Corps says about themselves, “Our mission is to honor and celebrate one another’s lives through listening. Since 2003, over 50,000 people have shared life stories with family and friends through StoryCorps. Each conversation is recorded on a free CD to share, and is preserved at the Library of Congress. StoryCorps is one of the largest oral history projects of its kind, and millions listen to our broadcasts on public radio and the web.”  National Day of Listening was organized by and is an arm of Story Corp.  Visit both sites National Day of Listening and StoryCorps

I was so moved by this idea that I signed up for the newsletters. While you are here, visit me at Work & Family send me a shout out if you enjoy like the sites or plan to participate.

Last week I stopped CVS to pick up a couple of items. I noticed that they had dried prunes, apricots and cranberries on sale so bought all three for healthful snacks. The problem with healthy snacks is that they often do not satisfy hunger pangs. I happen to love prunes and am always dismayed that I can only have 4 or 5 otherwise I go overboard. You can often get past that by drinking a cup of tea along with your snack. Or drink water with a slice of lemon or lime.

Some low calorie snacks

1. Olives. A snack of 8 to 10 olives. Olives in martini’s do not count J
2.  Hummus and carrots. Four ounces of hummus and three carrot sticks
3. Pineapples and pistachios. Mix 1/2-cup of dried pineapple slices with about 25 pistachio nuts or a few walnuts.
4. Cottage cheese and apples. Sliced apple with about 1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese.
5. Baby-pizza. Slice a whole wheat pita in half. Spread a little tomato sauce on 1/2 whole wheat pita, add low-fat cheese and vegetables on top. Heat in microwave or toaster oven until cheese melts.
6. Rice cakes. Look for rice cakes made from whole-grain brown rice.
7. Water-plain. Add lemon or lime slices. Squeeze the slice then drop it in the glass, it makes a pretty and thirst-quenching drink.

Check out Diet Bites

I saw “5dollardinners” in the October issue of Woman’s Day magazine. The URL intrigued me so I looked at the site and happy that I did. There is much to be gained from making 5dollardinners.com a favorite destination. There are “how-to-do’s”, meal planning, recipes, heads up information, coupons, and more. Plus a $5 dinner challenge. Erin, The $5 Dinner Mom asks are you willing to accept the $5 dinner challenge?

For more information from site visit 5dollardinners also stop by Woman’s Day magazine.

Of course, you are always welcome and invited to  visit my A Better Cook site for recipes, magazines online, coupon sites and sales on Watkins herbs and spices.

Everyone tells you to think positive, but no one tells you how. “Positive thinking” is not always easy. Negative thoughts can creep into our mind, and jump out our mouths, when we least expect them. The trick isn’t to fight them, but to manage them so they don’t paralyze you.

1. Identify the “naysay” thought triggers. When you have a negative thought (“This will never work . . . I’m a total failure”) stop and ask yourself what’s bringing it on. You may be tired or stressed out, or worse you may be affected by someone else’s perspective. If you can locate the cause, the thought itself won’t have as much power over you.
2. Focus on the now rather than what was. You don’t have to be a philosopher to realize that worrying about the past or the future isn’t very productive. When you start chastising yourself for past mistakes, or seeing disaster around every corner, stop and take a breath and ask yourself what you can do right now to succeed. Giving yourself something to do will distract you from destructive thoughts.
3. Replace negative thoughts with a positive thought. If you find yourself plagued by a recurrent worry, train yourself to think of something else.  When you catch yourself in a negative thought, immediately with a positive thought. Say it out loud or think it to yourself and drive the negativite thought or thoughts away so you are free to move forward with a good thought.  
4. Read a book that uplifts you. I love the books that come from author Debbie Macomber. No matter how serious or somber issues are, there is always light at the end of the Macomber’s tunnel. If you have never read a Debbie Macomber novel, start with Twenty Wishes. This book part of the author’sBlossom Street series. A blurb from booklist on the Amazon site about Twenty Wishes. “…One of them brings up the idea of making a list of wishes: things they’ve secretly wanted to accomplish but never did. However hesitant they might be at first, as the women complete their lists, they begin to embrace the idea of making each wish a fact…”.

 Twenty Wishes (Blossom Street) is available from Amazon.  Visit Debbie Macomber