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Ways to relax during the holidays

 in General Fashion / Home  tagged holidays 2025 / outfits by
ways to relax during the holidays christmas season

wearing: sunglasses / pearl earrings / sweatshirt / holiday nail polish / turquoise mug / sweatpants / panda socks / sandals /

It’s that time of year when we find ourselves running around with extra errands, extra parties, extra events, and extra everything! This cuts into our downtime, gymtime, and overall wellness. In order to combat this, it is really important to schedule in relaxation and not lose track of our overall wellness routines.

So, without further ado, here are five ways to relax during the holiday season and not lose our minds!

  1. Schedule the gym: Don’t skip your workout for holiday errands. Block your calendar and make sure you it acts like an appointment during the day. This way you won’t skip it, and you can keep yourself from going nuts.
  2. Watch a funny holiday movie: Force yourself to relax after dinner and watch a funny movie! If there isn’t one on TV, rent one on demand or stream it. My favorite funny Christmas movie is “Elf.” I highly recommend it for overall laughs and silliness.
  3. Burn a candle: Smelling the season from a holiday scented candle can instantly create a holiday home environment and relax your mind.
  4. Enjoy a cup of tea: I love relaxing with a cup of tea in the afternoon, or after dinner, or both! Tea is not only relaxing, but an antioxidant. Love that!
  5. Turn off your phone: Or leave it in another room. We are constantly picking up our phones and reading news, checking emails, and more. If you aren’t looking at your phone, you won’t find that work email at 8pm that could wait until the morning, but you feel the urge to handle right away. You’ll be surprised at how free you feel when you leave your phone in another room for two hours.

I realize none of this is groundbreaking, but sometimes we just need to remind ourselves how to relax. The holidays can be busy and stressful, don’t forget to relax and take care of yourself. Hit the gym, eat healthy, lose yourself in a funny movie, and put the phone away!

Thanks for stopping by, and have a fabulous holiday season!

XOXO
Cathy

Create a Comfy Dorm Bed

 in College Parent Tips / Home  tagged college parent by

Create a comfy dorm bed from top left: mattress topper / twin xl sheet set / twin xl comforter set / pillow / squishie / mattress encasement /

The colleges are starting at the end of August with start dates continuing through the end of September. If your child is heading off to the dorms for the first time, this is the perfect time to make sure you have all the essentials for creating a comfortable dorm bed for your new college student!

I now have two daughters in college, living in the dorms. It is essential to create a comfy dorm bed for the kids so they have a cozy, comforting environment for sleeping and taking naps; as well as just hanging out. So, let’s start with the basics!

The mattress in your student’s dorm room will be slightly beefier than a camping cot; no joke. This means you need to add something to it in order to ensure a good night’s sleep. I highly recommend a mattress topper. This one is my favorite.

In order to keep your student’s bed clean, and ensure the mattress topper doesn’t slide around, this mattress encasement is a must-have. I recommend putting the mattress encasement on the bed, leave it unzipped, place the mattress topper on top of the bed and let it expand. Once it is done expanding, you can zip up the encasement which will keep the topper in place and make the bed easy to make.

Dorm beds are typically Twin XL, but always check with your college in order to validate the bed size. These twin xl sheet sets come in a variety of colors to suit your student’s taste. I recommend having two sets of bed sheets since your student will likely wait for their laundry to build up before doing a load.

Of course, the comforter is often the focal point of decoration in the dorm! This cozy comforter set will be soft and warm on your child’s bed. Love it!

Lastly, college kids love squishies! They are soft, huggable, comforting, and add some soft and fun decor to the room. Don’t bring too many during move in, the kids typically acquire more during the school year.

Those are the bare bones for creating a cozy and comfortable dorm bed! Remember to check your school’s rules regarding wall decor, and happy move-in!

Thanks for stopping by,

XOXO
Cathy

Summer pasta recipe

 in Entertaining / Home  tagged cathys original recipes / pasta / recipes by

Summer pasta: dinner plate / silverware / table cloth /

As the weather warms up, it is nice to lighten up our pasta sauce, and make a summer pasta for dinner! Yum! I love this light and healthy pasta which I put together on a warm day for dinner.

This is a really easy recipe to make for dinner. So, without further ado, here is what you need to make this yummy pasta dish at home.

  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes
  • 1 lb. pasta (pick your favorite shape!)
  • 1 cup fresh basil
  • 3 cloves diced or crushed garlic
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons butter or margarine
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • Shredded or grated parmesan cheese (save for after cooking)

In a large pot, boil water for your pasta. In a small sauce pan, simmer butter or margarine, olive oil, garlic, and paprika until melted and blended together. Once melted and blended, set it aside.

Wash your cherry tomatoes and fresh basil. Keep them cool and place them aside for after the pasta is done.

Once your pasta is cooked, drain it and put is back into the pot you cooked it in. Pour your sauce into the pot and stir until pasta is coated.

Serve your pasta on a dish and sprinkle basil leaves and cherry tomatoes on top of the pasta. Top with parmesan cheese.

Then, serve and enjoy! Yum!

I hope you love this summer pasta dish as much as my family does. It is light and yummy!

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO
Cathy