Mythical Monday - The Wrinkle Report

Welcome to the newest feature of the Scribbling Through Time blog...Mythical Monday! If you have an idea for a myth you'd like me to ramble on about - feel free to contact me and let me know!

Today's myth: Preventing Wrinkles

I'm getting to that age when the wrinkles I'm most worried about are NOT the ones that can be taken care of by dragging out the iron. At least when it comes to my clothes I have options like:
(1) drag out the iron and heat the wrinkles in my shirt into submission, last I checked ironing my face wasn't recommended by the manufacturer. (2) put that shirt back in the closet and wear something else, which is my usual answer to things I don't want to do...hide them.
Or my newest favorite option (3) don't buy anything that isn't wrinkle-free!

It just seems that when I look in the mirror these days, I see more lines than I used to, and I guess it's not fair to blame them entirely on my three kids...but it's also not fair that my options are a lot less limited than my wrinkled clothes! I can't simply choose not to buy skin that doesn't wrinkle. Wouldn't that be fabulous!

In the wrinkle fighting game, I've learned a few things and learned a few things that just aren't true (aka a myth!):

(1) Sleeping on your back helps prevent wrinkles

TRUE

As we age, our skin thins. Sleeping with your face mushed against a pillow for 6-8 hours a night can contribute to an increase in facial lines. If you wake up with "sheet marks" on your face, it might be time to spend a little more time on your back and let gravity help you out while your getting your beauty sleep!

(2) Ignoring the need for glasses can cause wrinkles.

TRUE

If you spending much of day squinting to read, you've got no one to blame but yourself when those under-eye wrinkles become even more pronounced. Go ahead, look in the mirror and then squint...not pretty is it? Remember your mother telling you to "stop making those faces or your face will freeze like that?" Well, she was on to something! Again, as we age our skin thins making it less resilient...meaning it doesn't bounce back from squinting like it did when we were younger. So hop on down to the drugstore and invest in those reading glasses!

(3) Drinking 8 glasses of water prevent wrinkles.

TRUE AND FALSE

Drinking water is important for your whole body, it keeps all your organs going and hydration is important for everything to run right. Staying hydrated should be an important part of our beauty regime, healthy skin is hydrated skin, it helps keep skin plump and fresh looking. But at best, keeping your body and skin well hydrated by drinking all that water isn't going to prevent wrinkles, but it can help minimize the appearance of them. (Drinking water is a win/win)

(4) Doing facial exercises will prevent future wrinkles.

FALSE

All those facial movements contribute to wrinkles as we age, but we can't stop moving our faces - can we? So we just have to live with the fact that as we age...most of us are going to get some wrinkles. Some of us more than others, some of it's just the luck of the draw. Get over it!

Ultimately, wrinkles are a natural part of aging and we all age differently. So, I say smile more and frown less, so at least the lines of your face will be the result of a happy life!

Go make some happy lines this week!

Fall Favorite - A New Wreath

Here in the Northeast the fall weather has been nipping at our heels over the past week. A little cooler in the morning, a lot cooler at night - perfect sleeping weather and I LOVE IT.

Fall is my favorite time of year - by far! (Even when I lived in California, I made a point to get back home to NY in the Fall...there's just something about the way the air smells, about the colors and the crispness in the morning breezes...awwww, heaven for me.

Over the years, I found that the quickest way to decorate the house for a season or a holiday is to put up a new wreath on the front door. And this year, I'm in luck - my sister-in-law has started up a little wreath-making business and she's been busy at all the local craft fairs. So, with my sister-in-law keeping me well stocked on gorgeous wreaths, I think I might have the best dressed door in my neighborhood.

(And since I AM just a little competitive by nature...I do check out all the neighbors and see what they've got on their front doors - so far, my little owl puts me over the top on uniqueness!)

Is it common where you live to decorate your front door? What's your favorite way to dress your door for Fall?

What's Cooking? Crock-Pot Chicken Corn Chowder

Fall officially arrives on Saturday, but that hasn't stopped me from getting out my favorite kitchen appliance - the crock-pot!

A crock-pot has been in my kitchen since I received my first as a wedding shower gift 26 years ago. We've gone through quite a few models (one was recalled for going on fire - not exactly a good thing when this appliance is DESIGNED to be used when you're not home!)

We've had smaller ones, but with a family of five, the large one in the picture is what we've been using for years.

Today the weather is windy and rainy and I'm thinking it's the perfect day for some crock-pot soup!

This recipe comes from the Gooseberry Patch Slow-Cooker Recipes Cookbook for the Nook! (and right now it's FREE!)

CHICKEN CORN CHOWDER

3 Cups cooked chicken, diced

2 Cups carrots, peeled and sliced

2 12 oz. cans sweet corn & diced peppers

2 10 3/4 oz. cans cream of potato soup

4 Cups milk

2 Chicken bouillon cubes

1/2 Teaspoon celery seed

salt & pepper to taste

1 8 oz. pkg shredded Mexican-blend cheese

Combine all the ingredients EXCEPT the cheese in the slow cooker. Stir it up, cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours. Stir in the cheese just before serving.
Makes 8 to 10 servings

Enjoy!

Do you make soup in your Crock-pot?

Prayers on Patriot Day

Today is one of those days I will forever "remember" where I was and what I was doing when the first plane hit Tower One. My stomach still clenches in disgust and heartbreak when I remember as the plane hit Tower Two,and along with every New Yorker and every American, KNEW we'd been attacked.

Today is not about what religion you are, if you believe in God or not, but today is about offering a moment of silence for those lost. Today is for saying a prayer for the families that have struggled without their loved ones, it's for remembering that our courageous firemen and policemen close to Ground Zero still carry memories of that day - of the people they could save and the lives they couldn't.

Today deserves a moment to reflect on how far we've come and how as Americans our resolve was tested that day.

Today is a day to be proud of who we are.

God Bless America.

Morning routines

Fall is just around the corner, the kids have started back into their own school routines and I'm back to my own early morning wake-up calls, yikes! I've never been a morning person, and getting older and more set in my ways certainly hasn't done anything to change that.

This year though, I am really trying to be at least be more productive with my AM hours - hell, I'm up, right? So, yes, I have signed up for yet another workshop on time management and "getting more books written in a shorter amount of time!" (Oh yeah, baby...this is just what I need!)

The first lesson had me digging deep into my morning routine and coming face to face with all the time I really do waste staring into my coffee cup - like those words are just going to magically fly through the coffee vapors to my computer? Hmm, probably not.

Maybe my little voodoo priestess could whip those words into submission? Hmm, I don't think that's happening either.

So, it's up to me to make my mornings work FOR ME and not against me.

I started my new-improved writing routine this morning, and while the Keurig was humming to life on my counter and spewing out my first cup of motivation...I got down to business and wrote for 15 minutes. Then the morning routine of getting the kids up, starting laundry, and making lunches, fell into place.

Bottom line - want to get something done? Make it a priority on your list. Add it to your daily schedule. No excuses. It doesn't matter what that task may be - for me it's making sure I get that writing time in, maybe for you it's exercising or finishing a project. The point is, you have to commit to it, own it!

How do you start your day?

Purple Bags and Pumpkins

The kids went back to school this week  - which meant a new book bag for my daughter and new bag for me! One of my favorite things about back-to-school shopping has always been picking out a new bag.

I had to carry this one around the Coach Outlet Store for close to 40 minutes before I would commit, it's a little on the small side for me and I'm not usually a fan of the hobo style. It does have the requisite pockets on the inside for the cell phone and a large zippered pocket on the outside, so I can pretend I am somewhat organized.

But...the color is awesome and look how cute my voodoo princess looks hanging off the side!

If I'm being totally honest, I spotted this bag from the doorway and pretty much knew it would be mine, but I didn't want the hubby to think I was being hasty - especially since most bag choices take me hours to make, I had to put on a good show to warrant to 30 minute drive to the outlets and the 15 minutes wait on line outside the store!

Now that the new fall bag is filled and being used, I can turn my attention back to my fledgling pumpkin patch growing by leaps and bounds every day.

See my baby pumpkins!

Looks like I am really going need some good pumpkin recipes - after we carve up at least one for Halloween.

What's your favorite way to cook fresh pumpkin?