dyeing your hair recharges your batteries.

In addition to making you look younger, coloring your hair makes you feel more energized. British researchers who measured how women felt before and after a dye job (even just to cover a few stray grays) discovered that 100% of the women experienced a surge in energy and confidence!

Changing your hair is the easiest way to transform yourself and replenish your zest for life, says Charla Krupp, author os How Not to Look Old.

~Woman’s World Magazine

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So what’s a “Cheater” recipe?  It’s a way to end up with a delicious home cooked meal, side dish or dessert without spending lots of  time to get there.

This recipe was sent to us by Coffee Break reader, Susan Stephens. I (Kate) decided to give the Cheater Chicken Parmesan recipe a try this week to see if the family would like it.  I took some pics to show you just how yummy it looked.

Cheater Chicken Parmesan

28-oz. jar spaghetti sauce

1/4 cup red or white wine or water

4 to 6 Tyson fully cooked frozen breaded chicken patties

4 to 6 slices provolone cheese

2 to 4 tablespoons Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spray a 13×9 pan with cooking spray.  Spread the spaghetti sauce in the pan.  Pour the wine or water over the sauce and stir.  Arrange the frozen chicken patties on top.  Place a slice of provolone on top of each patty; sprinkle with the Parmesan.  Cover the pan with foil and bake for 20 minutes.  Uncover and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.  Serve over cooked spaghetti.

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The Verdict: Everyone LOVED it!!!

A big Coffee Break thanks to reader, Susan Stephens, who submitted this great recipe. If you have a cheater recipe you’d like to share with us and our readers, please send it to lizandkate@live.com.

Sometimes, I wonder why I put myself through it. Because, quite frankly, there is no perfect planner out there.

Oh, sure, I’m a big fan of Franklin Covey, but at the beginning of every year, no matter how many planners I look at, I still come away somehow unsatisfied.

I know I’m not alone, based on the number of customers in the store, in the same aisle, staring at the same planners, and reacting as I was:

Pick one up, look through it. Put it down, pick up another one.

And so it continued. Not only at one office supply store, but at every one I visited over the course of a week or so. I suspect I wasn’t the only one who left empty-handed. OK – so I watched everyone else, and know I wasn’t the only one.

I think the main problem with these yearly planners is that we secretly count on them to do much more than keep track of our appointments and to-do lists.

We tend to look at these planners as a cure-all.

We wonder which planner will make our lives better. Which one will actually improve our quality of life.

We wonder which one will represent total transformation – turning the unorganized into the organized, or the less-than-successful into the total successes.

We ponder what format serves us best – daily? weekly? monthly? Daily on one side with the month on the other side of the page? Weekly on one page (with great big squares for each day, so every second of the day can be planned) with another page of blank space for everything that didn’t fit into the little weekly square? Or maybe a giant notebook would work best, sans calendar or any form of dates, filled with grocery lists, store errands, hockey practice and Operation Athlete info?

I think it was at store 7, where I turned to look at one of the guys who’d been in that aisle before I arrived. I asked him his opinion:

“Why is this so difficult?” Nothing like a rhetorical question. Especially when the questionee drew a blank equal to that of the  questioner.

“I don’t know,” he’d said. “All I know is I have 15 minutes to make this decision, and wish I had all day.”

It occurred to me that perhaps I should employ his technique and put a time limit on my decision.

I came back to my senses in relatively short order, though. Because somewhere out there are planning pages with my name on them. And when I find them, this year, I may take things one step further and actually write on them.

-Liz

Stop for a moment and try to imagine what the holidays would be like without Christmas music. So many of our traditions and memories are tied to the music of the season.

With that in mind, we’ll be featuring a few of our all-time favorites, in no particular order, today through Christmas. And we are probably gonna think of another 3,000 favorites as soon as we post these. Nevertheless, here are a few of our “never get tired of” tunes that seem to get us through the season.

Meanwhile on to the music:

“Baby It’s Cold Outside” by Zooey Deschanel and Leon RedBone

“Oh Holy Night” by Celine Dion

” Celebrate Me Home” by Kenny Loggins

“God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen” by Mannheim Steamrollers

“Song for a Winter’s Night” by Sarah Mclachlan

So there are a few to get you started. Be sure to drop us a line and let us know some of your favorites, too! And tune in again tomorrow for more of our favorite Christmas music!

But that’s really another story. Because when I am writing about them, I am in my element. And today, I am going to rant. Not about that experience – because it was grand beyond words. I’m going to rant about the trip back. And for any of you who’ve ever taken a road trip, maybe  you’ll concur with this scenario.

The trip back actually began on Friday, in the middle of the night, when my daughter woke up sicker than a dog, throwing up every ounce of food she’d ingested for the last month, I suspected. And that’s when the plan to leave on Saturday morning and make a drive from the Gulf Coast to the Bluegrass State in one day flew out the window, as it were. In fact, it crossed my mind to stay in Gulfport, MS for one more day and night. But in the back of my mind, I feared she would get sicker and we would be stuck.

So at some point very late in the morning on Saturday (which was already early afternoon on the east coast after the time change) we finally left. Colton and I had had the best of the motel’s continental breakfast, while Hannah was able to choke down some Fruit Loops and yogurt. Oh, sure. Maybe that hadn’t been the best for her, but that was what she deemed appropriate to stomach, if you will.

Five hours later, no one had asked for food, we stopped for gas, got a few snacks and continued our way north. And Hannah’s status deteriorated. Not to the point of really bad, but to the point of “I really just want a warm bed and a cold pillow.”

We fought on, though, and made it within three hours of home, when we’d all had enough. The temperature had dropped about 30 degrees. And instead of seeing palm trees, we were seeing snow flakes  – and signs for motel rooms.

We opted for an exit that promised a plethora of hotels. I was looking for a cheap-with-standard-perks room, determined not to pay $100 for a place to sleep for a few hours.

Which is when we saw the sign: Continental Breakfast. Free High-Speed Internet. Lowest Rates.

And the rates were cheap enough, on the face. So we checked in, the kids got comfy, and I went to McDonald’s for a Happy Meal for Colton and a small box of Fruit Loops for Ms. Sick, who also requested a small milkshake.

I returned to discover that McDonald’s hadn’t included the ketchup packets I’d requested. Drama One.

And I noticed that this large hotel room lacked a coffee pot. Drama Two. I’d have to awake and walk into the continental breakfast room looking like a haint in order to wake up.

I wondered what would be next, as I grabbed the ice bucket and headed to the ice machine, which was (wait for it….) frozen.Yep, that’s right. The ice machine was frozen. As in not working. I should add that the nice lady at the front desk granted me admittance to the refrigerator where I could get ice from ice trays. I should also add that she asked me to limit my share to one tray… Drama 3.

I guess it will come as no surprise that the high speed internet wasn’t high speed. It wasn’t even working. Drama.

The sheets on the beds seemed fine at first glance, although I quickly discovered that the bottom sheet wasn’t even fitted.

HOW CAN THAT BE??? WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE WHO RUN THIS HOTEL??? Drama.

Granted, these thoughts came in the middle of the night and I was too tired to act on them.

When the sun finally rose, I did what I knew I would do: threw on some jeans, grabbed my coat looking like something out of a B Horror movie and headed for the Continential Breakfast room  (the same place I’d cracked the ice tray only hours earlier).  As I pulled out the cofffee cup, I thought of my measuring cups at home. I wondered how these people had found a way to purchase bathroom-sized dixie cups in styrofoam.

I got two cups, while noting the sign:

“If you plan to fill large cups or a thermos, please ask front desk attendant first.”

Yep – my caffeine was gonna be rationed just like my ice.

I made three trips back to the breakfast room – with those two cups in hand, for a total of eight ounces of coffee, best case scenario.

Nevertheless, Hannah was awake and feeling like a new person. We were three hours from home,  Cracker Barrel restaurants are never more than a couple exits away, and a night in my own bed would come on this day.

And it occured to me that eight hours away, men and women were hopping flights on C-130s to cross the pond to Iraq.

In truth, I had no dramas.

-Liz

OK, just in case you haven’t figured this one out yet, Jan. 24 is National Compliment Day – a day when you would be well-served to say something nice to the people around you. Go ahead and give it a try. I think you’ll be pleased with the results.

Ah, but there’s a kicker on this one. The 24th is also Opposite Day – a day so popular that SpongeBob Squarepants devoted an episode to it. Unfortunately, I can’t link you to a snippet of that episode, because everything I found was either riddled with profanity or otherwise edited. You’re just gonna have to take my word on this one.

Regardless, I think you can see once again how some of these holidays tend to work in tandem.

Moving right along, we have Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day on Jan. 25. This one always falls on the last Monday of January. I’m sure I don’t need to tell you that bubble wrap has earned this honor. But the excitement doesn’t end there! This is bubble wrap’s 50th birthday, so let the party begin!

Seriously, can you think of any other product that has this many uses? Oh, sure. It does a splendid job as a packing material, but the fun doesn’t end there.

Perhaps one of its finest qualities is that it’s a fabulous stress reducer. We both know that if you’ve got a sheet of that clear plastic in your hands, you’re gonna start popping those bubbles – regardless of their size.

But how will you pop them? Believe it or not, your popping method reveals a lot about who you are. Not convinced? See for yourself with this personality test. It may come as no surprise that I am a “Twist and Shout” popper.

What else can this product be used for? Well, the list is as far-reaching as your imagination.

How about using it to make a formal dress or purse? Or make your own calendar – or a chart for kids to keep up with their chores.

You can use it as a can or bottle hugger, a seat cushion. You can use it as a welcome mat or placemats. The official Bubble Wrap – A Sealed Air Brand, boasts of 1,001 uses for the air-filled plastic.

There’s even a Bubble Wrap Competition for Young Inventors, with quite impressive prizes.

And if you’re feeling a little spunky, you can always use bubble wrap to entertain your friends:

Yep, bubble wrap has earned this day on our calendars. And I mean that as a compliment.

Until next week, get your party on!

*Just add a comment to this post, or any other post for that matter, and be automatically entered in this week’s giveaway.

-Liz

What is this thing that is so dreaded that I am putting so much energy into NOT doing it? This chore that I’m working so hard at forgetting?

I’m talking about taking down the Christmas decorations, of course. Sure, they are all fun and exciting and sparkly in November, when I just can’t wait to crack open the red and green storage tubs to see my holiday treasures that have been hidden away for almost a year. But by the time the first week of January hits, those very same precious  snowmen, Santas and ornaments have become dusty, commonplace and overlooked. Suddenly they have evolved into one of my least favorite household duties.

Every day for  the past week and a half, I have successfully distracted myself with other projects, pastimes, and activities. But today I could no longer put it off. I was expecting some neighbors over at three and I had to get those decorations put away and the house back into pre-holiday order. I felt sure I was the only slacker who had not un-decorated. No problem I thought. Plenty of time.

It was at this point that I posted this confession as my Facebook status,

“Kate is done procrastinating about taking down the Christmas decorations. Company coming in 3 hours. (I know…it’s well beyond the socially acceptable time to still have Christmas decorations up. Perhaps I LIKE being socially unacceptable. Ever think of that??)”

(Note the tone of defiance at the end of the confession, practically daring anyone judge me on my holiday clean-up dawdling.)

I left FB up and went to work. I started off with the fragile nativity sets, carefully wrapping each piece in newspaper. Not so bad. Then I moved on to clear off the fireplace mantel, the shelves and the top of the piano. Still making good time.

Checked in with FB. Four comments: three also confessing to having their decorations up, one saying her tree had been taken down “forever ago”.  Moved on to unwrap the pictures on the walls that I had so excitedly wrapped 4 weeks ago. Next project – to put away the unwrapped presents that were still under the tree that had yet to find proper homes in the house.

Back to check into FB. Three more comments all admitting to having their Christmas decorations still up. I was NOT alone. There were others out there like me. I was feeling pretty good. That is until I noticed what time it was. My neighbors were due over in less than an hour, and I still had my tree to take down and my regular decorations to put back up.

I rushed into supermom mode, quickly getting all the ornaments off the tree (only breaking one!), and untangling  the lights and garland which had been woven so lovingly through the tree branches.. Then the big debate in my mind…how to best get the tree out of the house all by myself. Preferably without sloshing water on the floor, and with as little needle loss as possible. I decided to slowly drag the tree, still in the tree stand, across the living room floor, through the entryway, out the front door and down the outside steps. Let me tell you that this was probably NOT the wisest method of tree removal. I DID slosh water all over the floor, and I did get pine needles EVERYWHERE.

And now I only had 20 minutes until the arrival of the expected company. Twenty minutes…and a wet floor, fallen needles in every nook and cranny, boxes of decorations filling the entryway and of course, no make-up on and unfixed hair. (Who had time to get ready with all that un-decorating to accomplish?)

So I did the only thing I could do…I called the expected guests and told them we would have to reschedule our visit.  That I had an unexpected “appointment” and wouldn’t be available…Well, I did! It was unexpected and it was an “appointment”. I just didn’t tell them it was an appointment with cleaning up the disaster I created. (Come on. Don’t judge me. It’s merely semantics.)

I now have 14 comments on that FB status. Overwhelming support for my procrastination. Thanks for the validation, friends. (FB is great therapy.) Here’s a few excerpts:

• “You know, when my tree is up this long its as if my tree is a little person talking to me everyday saying things like “take me down, think how long its going to take to put away these ornaments, don’t you want to have this over and done with?” Very similar to how I used to feel having an English paper hanging over my head.”
• “One year I left my decorations up until March, just because I could.”
• “I haven’t even toyed with the idea of taking my tree down. I enjoy it more after the holidays than during them…less pressure.”
• “You mean you’re not supposed to just leave them up all year? Sure saves a lot of time….”

~Kate

this tip for reversing winter weight gain. Trade in those sweats for your jeans. Many of us pull out our warmest sweats when the temps drop, but research shows loose -fitting clothes can contribute to weight gain because they don’t give you any warning that you’ve overindulged. Keep the extra weight off by wearing a pair of jeans that fits your waist.

~Woman’s World

*Leave a comment on this, or any, post and be automatically entered in this week’s giveaway.

this trick to make children, co-workers and spouses nicer and more agreeable. All it takes is a spritz of lemon-scented air freshener. In  recent series of Brigham Young University experiments, catching a whif of lemon-scented Windex made people more generous, altruistic and keen to volunteer! Why? “We subconsciously associate clean scents with good behavior, which is why they bring out the best in people,” explains Katie Liljenquist, M.S., lead author of the study. “This is a very simple way to promote better behavior at home and at work.”  The opposite is true, too:”There’s a link between bad smells and aggressive behavior,” Liljenquist reveals.

~Woman’s World Magazine

what this one of a kind cloth is made of!

This rare cloth, on display at the American Museum of Natural History in New Your City,  is made from the silk of more than a million wild spiders.

According to Wired Science, “To produce this unique golden cloth, 70 people spent four years collecting golden orb spiders from telephone poles in Madagascar, while another dozen workers carefully extracted about 80 feet of silk filament from each of the arachnids. The resulting 11-foot by 4-foot textile is the only large piece of cloth made from natural spider silk existing in the world today.” Want to know more?   Click here.

*Leave a comment on this, or any, post and be automatically entered in this week’s giveaway.

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