Movie Mom

I can hear the discussions going on now…”Mom, can I please go see New Moon?”  A blockbuster for teens is out today from the Twilight Series, “New Moon”.  Yes, it’s a movie about Vampires, it’s based on a book series written by a mom who wanted a romance novel for teens that did not include pre-marital sex.   Movie Mom recommends it for teens 14 and up.  For more details to help you decide if it’s appropriate for your kids check out Movie Mom’s Blog.

Another big film that’s getting lots of buzz this weekend is “The Blind Side”.  A true story starring Sandra Bullock about how one mom puts her faith in action and “adopts” an at-risk teen who ends up becoming an NFL player. Movie Mom loves this film for it’s practical depiction of a family living out their faith.

Click here to listen to Movie Mom’s review.

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Geek Dad Gift Guide

My Geeky and frugal husband, Greg, always says that my gift to him is “not spending any money”.  But that’s not fun!  A friend of mine sent me this fun list of geek dad gift ideas from www.wired.com. So fun!  I have to admit even I’m a little excited about the vintage Laser Tag set!

Positive Thoughts

If you want to be happy focus on your blessings not your burdens.

The world doesn’t care what you know until they know that you care.

As far as the east is from the west, so far has God removed our sins from us

Set your goals high, and don’t stop till you get there.

Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom

Fear is faith that it won’t work out.

7 Ways to Prevent Turkey Day Weight Gain

From MSN Health and Fitness

We’re not suggesting that you diet on turkey day, but Thanksgiving doesn’t have to send your health spiraling down and your weight soaring up for the rest of the holidays, either. Here’s how to indulge in every course without breaking the 1,000-calorie barrier.

1. Go for light, white meat.
This part is easy. Turkey breast is already super lean: just 44 calories, 1 gram of fat and no saturated fat per skinless ounce. Plus, the big bird is a great source of iron, zinc, potassium and B vitamins. Eliminate drumstick temptation by serving a breast ready for slicing. Or, if you do cook a whole turkey, roast or bake it—don’t even go near a deep fryer.

2. Add gravy that has more flavor than fat.
Use low-fat, low-sodium broth rather than drippings from the roasting pan. If drippings are a family requirement, stick them in the freezer for about 15 minutes. Chilling makes it easier to skim off fat before using the juices to make gravy.

3. Stuff your bird with whole grains.
Bake the stuffing separately so it doesn’t soak up grease from the bird (safer, too, says the bacteria police—it ensures that the stuff gets cooked all the way through). Instead of boring white bread crumbs, wow your guests with a whole-grain mixture. Try the slightly nutty flavor of quinoa or rice pilaf. You won’t save calories, but you’ll gain oodles of antioxidants plus fiber, iron, magnesium, selenium, B vitamins.

4.  Add a touch of green
Cut calories in half by shelving the green bean casserole this year and boiling fresh beans until just tender.  Then season them just a touch of olive oil, sea salt, and black pepper.  Sounds simple, but the flavor’s amazing.  And you’ll get fiber, protein, calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium, and vitamins A, C, K, and B6.

5.  Don’t forget the superberries
Cranberries contain a powerful group of free-radical demolishers. But skip the canned sauces, which are jammed with added sugar (about 44 grams and 170 calories per inch-thick slice). Instead, type “cranberry sauce recipes” into Bing and pick one of the recipes that’s sweetened with fruit—pears, currents, apples, raisins (and maybe walnuts, too). Then use half the sugar called for. You’ll be amazed. So will your guests.

6. Slim the spuds.
We learned this trick from our friends at EatingWell: simmer your spuds with some garlic to create robust flavor—then mash them with parsley and buttermilk instead of cream. The flavor’s great and despite its name, buttermilk has almost no fat. If you want to top it with a pat of butter just before serving, no one will ever know that’s all there is. Neither will their waistlines.

7. Oh my, don’t skip the pie.
Trim more than 100 calories and 7 grams of fat from a (sane, not supersized) slice of pie just by forgoing the crust.

New Mammogram Guidelines Controversial

By JOCELYN NOVECK
AP National Writer

NEW YORK (AP) – For many women, getting a mammogram is already one of life’s more stressful experiences.  Now, women in their 40s have the added anxiety of trying to figure out if they should even be getting one at all.

A government task force said Monday that most women don’t need mammograms in their 40s and should get one every two years starting at 50 _ a stunning reversal and a break with the American Cancer Society’s long-standing position. What’s more, the panel said breast self-exams do no good, and women shouldn’t be taught to do them.

The news seemed destined to leave many deeply confused about whose advice to follow.

“I’ve never had a scare, but isn’t it better to be safe than sorry?” asked Beth Rosenthal, 41, sitting in a San Francisco cafe on Monday afternoon with her friend and their small children. “I’ve heard of a lot of women in their 40s, and even 30s, who’ve gotten breast cancer. It just doesn’t seem right to wait until 50.”

Her friend agreed. “I don’t think I’ll wait,” said Leslie David-Jones, also 41, shaking her head.

For most of the past two decades, the American Cancer Society has been recommending annual mammograms beginning at 40, and it reiterated that position on Monday. “This is one screening test I recommend unequivocally, and would recommend to any woman 40 and over,” the society’s chief medical officer, Dr. Otis Brawley, said in a statement.

But the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, a government panel of doctors and scientists, concluded that such early and frequent screenings often lead to false alarms and unneeded biopsies, without substantially improving women’s odds of survival.

“The benefits are less and the harms are greater when screening starts in the 40s,” said Dr. Diana Petitti, vice chair of the panel.

Breast cancer survivors who were diagnosed at a young age were among the more vocal critics of the new guidelines.

Creative Way to tell Hubby You’re Expecting

SAN DIEGO – LaDainian Tomlinson’s blessings simply flowed on Sunday. Two hours before his San Diego Chargers claimed a share of first place in the AFC West with a 31-23 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles, the NFL’s  No. 3 all-time touchdown king received a gift from his wife, LaTorsha.

Tomlinson found it in front of his locker at Qualcomm Stadium, a decorative purple bag — “TCU colors,” he explained later — tied with a bow. The attached note implored “Please Open Immediately – LaTorsha.” Inside was a box, and what it contained was a pregnancy test. A positive test.

“My wife is pregnant,” an emotional Tomlinson announced on a day when one of the NFL’s greatest running backs reached two significant milestones: His season-high 96 yards on 24 carries pushed him past Thurman Thomas and Franco Harris for 12th place on the NFL’s all-time rushing list with 12,145 yards.

Positive Thoughts

Give without remembering and receive without forgetting.

Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you;  he will never let the righteous fall.

Wisdom is the reward you get for a lifetime of listening when you’d have preferred to talk.

A good teacher must be able to put himself in the place of those who find learning hard.

Whoever is happy will make others happy, too.

The solution to adult problems tomorrow depends on large measure upon how our children grow up today.

Have a Little Faith

Today we had the pleasure of speaking with author Mitch Albom who wrote the best selling book “Tuesdays with Morrie” has a new book about Faith.  We talked to him about his faith and how faith is growing during tough economic times.

Listen to the full interview here:  11-13_mitch albom interview have a little faith

Get the full interview and more with the WGTS 91.9 Morning Show podcast here on iTunes!

Information on the book from the official website: http://mitchalbom.com/books/node/5515

“Albom’s first nonfiction book since Tuesdays with Morrie, Have A Little Faith begins with an unusual request: an 82-year-old rabbi from Albom’s old hometown asks him to deliver his eulogy.

Feeling unworthy, Albom insists on understanding the man better, which throws him back into a world of faith he’d left years ago. Meanwhile, closer to his current home, Albom becomes involved with a Detroit pastor – a reformed drug dealer and convict – who preaches to the poor and homeless in a decaying church with a hole in its roof.

Moving between their worlds, Christian and Jewish, African-American and white, impoverished and well-to-do, Mitch observes how these very different men employ faith similarly in fighting for survival: the older, suburban rabbi, embracing it as death approaches; the younger, inner-city pastor relying on it to keep himself and his church afloat.

As America struggles with hard times and people turn more to their beliefs, Mitch and the two men of God explore issues that perplex modern man: how to endure when difficult things happen; what heaven is; intermarriage; forgiveness; doubting God; and the importance of faith in trying times. Although the texts, prayers and histories are different, Albom begins to realize a striking unity between the two worlds – and indeed, between beliefs everywhere.

In the end, as the rabbi nears death and a harsh winter threatens the pastor’s wobbly church, Albom sadly fulfills the last request and writes the eulogy. And he finally understands what both men had been teaching all along: the profound comfort of believing in something bigger than yourself.

Have a Little Faith is a book about a life’s purpose; about losing belief and finding it again; about the divine spark inside us all. It is one man’s journey, but it is everyone’s story.”

Weird Pumpkin Recipes

Pumpkin isn’t just for pies anymore!  Looking for a unique recipe for Thanksgiving?  How about some of these!  It would certainly be a conversation starter!

Get all the recipes by clicking on the link below:

http://www.delish.com/recipes/cooking-recipes/weirdest-pumpkin-recipes?gt1=47001

Steven Curtis Chapman Coping with Daughter’s Death

I don’t know about you, but one of my biggest fears is loosing a child.  I can’t imagine how one goes on after dealing with something like that.

The Chapman family is now trying to do just that.  With his 19th album, ’Beauty Will Rise.’

The album is his personal testament to Maria’s life and the overwhelming belief that they will be together again one day, he said.

Read the full article here

Smithsonian American History Museum Opens Christmas Exhibit

One of my favorite parts of Thanksgiving is the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade.  Amanda’s dream job is to be the emcee for the parade one day!  Watch out Diane Sawyer.

If you’re a fan too, check out the newest exhibit at the Smithsonian featuring iconic commercial art and images from Christmas seasons past – including holiday parade memorabilia and window displays from such department stores as Marshall Field and John Wanamaker’s.  It focuses on displays from the 1920s to the 1960s.

Visit the Online Exhibition Here!

Dark Chocolate and Stress

From Web MD:  ”Those Stress-induced chocolate cravings may be justified after all.  A new study shows that eating dark chocolate may lower levels of stress hormones in people feeling stressed out.”

But, what do you do about the stress and guilt from eating too much chocolate over the holidays?  Why, eat more of course!

Full Article here:

Today’s Positive Thoughts

The character of your kids tomorrow depends on what you put in their hearts today.

No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Each tree is recognized by it’s own fruit.

Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress.

Working together is success

A boat doesn’t go forward if each one is rowing their own way.

I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.

Teacher appreciation makes the world of education go around.

Where the Wild Things Are

“The night max wore his wolf suit and made mischief of one kind,  his mother called him wild thing…”  It’s only 10 sentences long, and today it’s released in theaters as a full length film, “Where the Wild Things Are” is out today.  Known as one of the most loved children books of all time by Maurice Sendak.

Movie Mom says the film, “is a beautiful poetic meditation on childhood and growing up.”   She recommends it for ages 8 and up and says younger children might get fidgety because there’s not alot of bright colors and jokes like in “Cloudy with a Chance for Meatballs”.

Movie Mom says the film has a good lesson.  Each “Wild Thing” represents an emotion or feeling that Max has.  At the end he realizes what it is to have to take care of people and what it is that his mother does for him.

For more movie reviews from a parent’s perspective check out her blog here:

www.MovieMom.com

H1N1 in PG County

The Prince George’s County Health Department will offer the H1N1 vaccine to adults during today’s Health and Wellness Fair.  Those eligible to receive the vaccine include pregnant women, folks between the ages of 18 and 24, people who live with or care for infants younger than six months, and people between the ages of 25 and 64 with certain underlying medical conditions.

The fair will be held from noon to 4 p.m. at Springhill Lake Elementary School on Springhill Drive in Greenbelt.  Elementary school children will receive the intranasal vaccine at their school beginning next week.  And starting a week from today, and every Thursday thereafter, the vaccine will be made available to the general public at the Prince George’s County Health Department Immunization Clinic at the Cheverly Health Center.

Positive Thoughts

To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe.

Leaders aren’t born they are made

Hard work is the price we must pay for success.

Only when we are no longer afraid do we begin to live.

Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.

Humor is a universal language.

Where to get an H1N1 Vaccine

Starting today the Montgomery County Health Department is starting H1N1 vaccine clinics on Wednesdays.  Right now it’s for priority groups, including pregnant women, caretakers and health care workers.

In Virginia, the vaccinations are not yet available to the public.  Check this website for updates and schedules:  Virginia Department of Health

Maryland Locations:

Dennis Avenue Health Center
2000 Dennis Ave., Silver Spring, Md.

Piccard Drive Health Center
1335 Piccard Dr., Rockville, Md.

Starting Oct. 28, the county will hold four clinics after school at three high schools — Northwood High, Northwest High and Rockville High for kids from 6 months to 24 years old.

Clinics will be held from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Oct. 28, Nov. 4, Nov. 11 and Nov. 18.

The Wedding

The WeddingWe loved this line from The Office Wedding last night…”A lot of people told me I was crazy to wait this long for a date with a girl I worked with, but I think even then I knew, I was waiting for my wife.” — Jim. When did you know you had met “the one”?

Katina Missions

John Katina, from the Christian group, “The Katinas” spoke with us this morning about the bands efforts in rebuilding American Samoa and Samoa after the Tsunami that hit last week.

You can make a donation from their website and help to purchase a “Tool Kit” for affected families.  They cost $90 each and include the tools and supplies a family needs to start rebuilding their homes.

The Katinas are also planning a Mission Trip to the islands to help. “If you want to come, the more the merrier.  We know the beauty of the body of Christ.  Some of us are hands.  Some of us are feet.”  Let them know what you can do and how you want to help here on their website and they will try their best to match you up with someone that has that need.

Craz-E-burger

A cheeseburger served on Krispy Kreme doughnuts has gone on sale in America, packing a massive 1,500-calories.

The glazed Krispy Kreme beef, bacon and cheese burger has already proved a huge hit at the Big E fair in Massachusetts where 17,000 of them were eaten.

The ‘recipe’ for the burger is said to have come from a bar owner in Decatur, Georgia who ran out of burger buns and started using doughnuts instead.

A spokesperson for the event said: “No single ingredient dominates the burger, they all complement each other. “The glaze smoothes over the burger and oozes into a foreign but delicious combination with the crisp of the bacon.  ”The donut is butter grilled and quite a change from the burger roll you are accustomed to. It transforms the ordinary into the delicious.”

The Wedding

We loved this line from The Office Wedding last night…”A lot of people told me I was crazy to wait this long for a date with a girl I worked with, but I think even then I knew, I was waiting for my wife.” — Jim. When did you know you had met “the one”?

Movie Mom

Movie Reviewer and Blogger, Nell Minow, checks in on Friday’s to help us make the right picks for our families at the movie theater.  She loved “Good Hair” by Chris Rock and says stay far far away from “Couples Retreat”.

Out on video this weekend, “Snow White” 70th Anniversary Special Edition!  Also “Imagine That” a sweet film with Eddie Murphy about a little girl who has an imaginary friend that can predict the future.

Coming next week “Where the Wild Things Are!”  based on the popular children’s book.

Movie Mom Blog

Positive Thoughts

What you see depends on what you’re looking for.

Without hard work, nothing grows but weeds.

You may only be someone in the world, but to someone else, you may be the world

The steeper the mountain the harder the climb the better the view from the finishing line

Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.

Be a good listener. Your ears will never get you in trouble

Tell us about Your Heroes

It’s been 8 years since the war began in Afghanistan.

The anniversary has been marked by lots of news on what has gone wrong.

Today, we changed the focus with your stories of Heroes!

Listen to your stories here

10 Most Dangerous Foods

(CBS) Foodborne illness affects an estimated 76 million people each year in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Among those cases, 325,000 people are hospitalized each year, and 5,000 die — just from what they ate.

So, which foods have the highest risk of contamination?

The Center for Science in the Public Interest issued a list Tuesday of the top ten foods that can make you sick (pdf file).

CBS News medical correspondent Dr. Jennifer Ashton explained why certain ones ended up on the list, and what you can do to eat more safely.

1. Leafy Greens
2. Eggs
3. Tuna
4. Oysters
5. Potatoes
6. Cheese
7. Ice Cream
8. Tomatoes
9. Sprouts
10. Berries

Ashton said the No. 1 item, lettuce, can be highly contaminated with bacteria.

Ashton recalled the 2006 outbreak with bagged spinach. Several people died, she said, and many were hospitalized. The greens, Ashton said, can be contaminated by the very common strains of E.Colia and/or Salmonella causing large outbreaks of disease. Often the greens become infected on the farm through contact with wild animals, manure and contaminated water, and then the germs follow the product through the whole distribution system.

Salmonella, Ashton said, is what poisons eggs.

“That’s why you can’t eat raw eggs in a Caesar’s salad,” she explained.

Outbreaks, Ashton added, can also happen from an infected person to a food product, and thus may indicate improper food handling during preparation.

Most of foodborne illnesses, Ashton said, are mild and are not treated. You can get a stomach ache, cramps, or diarrhea. But, in more severe cases, she said, food poisoning can turn into kidney failure, paralysis and even death.

However, Ashton said, people shouldn’t avoid many of these healthy foods. They should just take steps to make sure steps are taken to make sure food is prepared well.

FDA list of Top 10 most dangerous foods

To avoid food borne illness, Ashton recommended washing fruits and vegetables well. When cooking, Ashton added, you should also bring meat to about 160 degrees. Freezing, she added, can also kill bacteria. But, if you’re at a salad bar, for instance, and you don’t have a choice, Ashton said you should go for foods further back to avoid foods that may be contaminated in the front.

Sick Days and Swine Flu Vaccines

Are you getting the flu vaccine?  Are you vaccinating the kids.  That’s the big question on our minds right now as Swine Flu or H1N1 vaccines are beginning to arrive in states today.  They will go to health care workers first, than the most at risk (pregnant women and young children). Last night on CNN Dr. Oz says it will probably be 3 weeks before the bulk of the population is able to get one.  If you’re still trying to decide whether or not it’s the right thing to do this interview might help.

Watch the Video Here

Dr. Oz says alot of people are still split on whether or not to get the h1n1 vaccine. Don’t believe the hype?  Dr. Oz says it’s just like the government warning us about an oncoming hurricane.  Sometimes it misses, sometimes it hits, but you have to warn people and people have to prepare for the worst.  He says it’s possible that half of all Americans will get the Swine Flu.  A recent poll found that 40% of adults in America plan to get the vaccine.   Dr. Oz says that pregnant women are the most at risk. They have a 6 times greater risk of dying from swine flu.

If you want to get the Swine Flu Vaccination the best way to find one is to go online to your doctor’s website.  Here are some more sites that will help:

www.flu.gov

Adventist Health Care

Find a location near you, and call ahead of time to make sure they have the shots and will be giving them to the public.