I’ll have a Blue Moon for New Years!

New Year’s Eve will not only be featuring champagne and noise makers, the Heavens are also putting on a New Year’s Show! Occuring ever 2.5 years, we’ll have a “blue moon!” No, not a sat moon, and no, not a BLUE moon-a Blue Moon is a “harvest moon” or a “hunter’s moon.” What does that mean? It means that we’ll have a second full moon (our first was Dec 2nd), blue moons are not blue but BRILLIANT! The moon will look large and bright in the sky. While we view the blue moon, the Eastern Hemisphere will have a partial eclipse on New Year’s Eve.

Full Moons occur every 29.5 days with an average of 12 per year, every 2.5 years there’s two full moons in a month or a “blue moon”. The last time we had a blue moon was May of 2007. Now you can dazzle everyone with your knowledge.

So as you celebrate the New Year, go out and howl at the Blue Moon, then look around and see if you find Jacob and his wolf brothers roaming the forest!

Boy you missed it!

If you didn’t make it to Girl’s Nite Out at Milner’s Southern Cusine, then you MISSED it! This was out biggest night yet, filling the parking lot to over flowing as we celebrated getting together for Forsyth Woman Magazine and getting out with friends.

If you haven’t been to Milner’s then you’re MISSING out! All all the women entered Milner’s we were amazed at how elegant yet comfortable the atmosphere was! Southern style antiques decorated the restaurant, with a beautiful large wooden bar as the centerpiece. The best part was there was plenty of room for everyone!
The girls enjoyed specialty appetizers and a menu of American Southern Comfort food with a stylish twist! The wine list was extensive and specialty cocktails were superb.

Why am I telling you this? Because if you win our Kiss and Tell Contest, a Milner’s gift certificate is yours! You and your honey get to experience all the great food and drink the girls experience at Girl’s Nite out as a intmate Valentine’s Dinner!

So write up your Kiss and Tell Story, send it to contest@forsythmags.com and win the chance to experience the unique food that is Milner’s American Southern Cuisine! For details visit our fanpage on Facebook! If you missed the last Girl’s Nite Out visit our website www.forsythwoman.com for details on the next event. Why wait? Go check out Milner’s American Southern Cuisine restaurant for yourself and find out why it’s our certificate for Kiss and Tell!

‘Tis the week before Christmas — Yikes!

‘Tis the week before Christmas . . . and my stress level is spiraling out of control. Generally, I have my Christmas shopping done the first week of December, but this year was different. I found myself, four days before Christmas, needing to make a trip to the mall.

When leaving the mall, I expected traffic to be moving slowly. Much to my surprise, however, traffic wasn’t moving at all. I spent more than an hour going from my parking place to the exit. “Merry Christmas to all…gridlock it is called!”

Seriously, though, it was interesting to observe the reactions of people during this traffic catastrophe. Some people were stressed out of their minds, while others seemed to be handling it quite well. I was one of those who was stressed out. For some strange reason, I like to sing when I am under at a lot of stress, and as the tension continued to build while I crept along, inch by inch, I started singing – and my stress level started to go down. While unorthodox, to say the least, I thought my song (or another original tune of the same genre) might help others to get through similar jams. To get the stress reducing benefits of my song (see below), begin by singing the first line as delightfully and joyfully as possible. Then, growl the second line as sarcastically and as angrily as you can. Go ahead try it.

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas,
I can’t believe I haven’t finished my Christmas shopping!

Everywhere you go!
Not another traffic jam in the mall circle! No one and I mean no one, is breaking in front of me!

Take a look in the five and ten, glistening once again;
Why didn’t they scrape these parking lots better; if I fall I’m going to sue someone!

With candy canes and silver lanes aglow.
Why did I change lanes? Now I’m in the inner belt and I’ll never get out of the mall!

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas,
If I make it out of the mall, it’s gift cards for everyone left on my list!

Toys in every store,
Why do people bring their kids out shopping . . . and why don’t parents wipe their kids’ noses!

But the prettiest sight to see is the holly that will be
Why are people blowing their horns? What is that going to accomplish?

On your own front door…
Who’s at the door now? Not someone else asking for money!

…On your own front door.
Oh, Aunt Jean, so glad you came for a visit. . . . geez I’m glad she’s gone!

Now, don’t you feel a lot better?
(How do you handle stress during the holidays?)

Yes you can go skiing in North Carolina!

2 hours West of Winston Salem are 3 area ski resorts that just received around 2 feet of snow from our “epic” snowstorm. As a result new terrain is open for the beginning to expert skier! Don’t know how to ski? There are plenty of instructors waiting to show you how to take a few turns. All the ski resorts have great skicamps for children, a fun way to learn how to ski with children their age. These camps take the children out in small groups for lessons and play on the snow. They then take them in a ski center to play as well as lunch before more time on the snow. While they play with their friends you can play on the slopes. All the ski resorts have beginner to expert (Black Diamond) slopes, not all the terrain is open yet but with these continued cold temperatures it won’t be long! If you’ve never skiied before this is the perfect time to try out the slopes, with the snow storm over the weekend all resorts are reporting POWDER! All resorts rent everything from skis to boots to snow bibs and coats! Today with the sun coming out, we plan on hitting Beech Mountain early and enjoying family time in the snow. As the snow melts in town, freezing temperatures in the High Country will keep this Winter Wonderland through the Winter break! See ya on the slopes!

Your brakes are not your friend

We are dealing with the “epic” snowstorn and wanted to share a few tips of foul weather driving from a transplated Northerner.

When I was a child, the minute they closed roads and newscasters shouted, “If you don’t have to go out-STAY IN!” My Dad would stand and shout, “Kids, get in the car!” He loved the snow more that we did as we spent several hours down in the local highschool parking lot doing doughnuts. That’s where he taught me my more important driving tip.

Your brakes are not your friend during snow or ice. If you hit your brakes your car will slide. Don’t believe me? Go over to the local highschool parking lot and try it out for yourself! If you have to stop during icy conditions, remember pump it up baby! Pump your brakes slowly and you will come to a complete stop! Of course, the cardinal rule twice the distance between you and the car ahead of you! (My nephew learned that one the hard way)

Second rule, always keep moving. If you are climbing a hill, don’t stop half way, just keep moving forward slowly and steady. Don’t worry about the idiots trying to pass you on the highway, just keep moving steady and you will get where you are going!

Be safe out there and take it slow and steady, don’t forget to stop and get a little sledding time in between! Welcome to the Winter Wonderland!

Top Ten Obsolete Gadgets…

According to Fox News (www.foxnews.com) here are the top ten gadgets about to go obsolete:

Landline phones with Telephone Answering Machine – We still have this but I can’t tell you the last time I actually checked it for messages. If anyone wants to get in touch with us they just call our cell phone, unless you are a telemarketer then feel free to call the answering machine.

Wristwatches – why have a watch when the time is posted everywhere, including your cell phone? I still wear mine; it reminds me how late I am.

Floppy disks – my boys thought these were coasters when they saw them.

Beepers – can anyone actually believe these were cool at one time? I mean how rude is it for your beeper to go off in the movie theater, almost as rude for your cell phone to go off in the movie theater!

Film Camera – gone are the days of opening the camera too early and exposing the film, but I date myself.

VHS Players – give way to the DVR and the TIVO, if you don’t know those terms then go back and continue to watch movies on your VHS.

Dial up Internet – the only person enjoying Dial Up is Rip Van Winkle, he’s used to taking long naps while waiting for a file to download, especially if it’s all those pictures of the little princess.

Walkman – no one walks anymore, we’re running everywhere. So why have a walkman when you can now load music onto your cell phone. Stay connected to the internet without dialup AND listen to music, now that’s multitasking!

Typewriters – I’ll miss the liquid paper used to cover mistakes along with the black fingers from replacing ribbons. When I pulled this one out my children asked what type of computer that was?

DVD’s – Everyone said wait a minute here, but Blue Rays are now replacing DVD’s so Walt Disney better open those vaults again because all of our collections of Snow White and Cinderella and Bambi are now obsolete.

What would you add to the list?

The Gift of Life

The decision to give The Gift Of Life is an impactful and personal decision. It costs you nothing, but the Gift Of Life impacts individuals and countless friends and families in ways beyond our comprehension.

Two months ago, Winston-Salem mourned the loss of Sergeant Mickey Hutchens. Friends, family and the entire community waited, prayed and hoped for days. Sergeant Hutchens died from the result of a gunshot received in the line of duty. When the news story broke that Sergeant Hutchens had died, they also reported that he was in surgery.  Sergeant Hutchens was an organ donor. Tears came to my eyes as I considered how Sergeant Hutchens had served people in life and, even after death, he was continuing to serve people. 

Two years ago, this December my husband received a kidney transplant because someone made the decision to give the Gift Of Life. His life, as well as our entire family, was blessed by this decision. Organ donation is as simple as letting someone know you are willing to be a donor when you get or renew your driver’s license. It is also vital to let your family know your wishes.

My husband’s family has Polycystic Kidney Disease, a hereditary disease that generally results in kidney failure around the age of 50. Currently, his brother is waiting for a kidney transplant, along with approximately 82,000 other people in this country. Last year over 4,500 people died in this country waiting for a kidney transplant.

Have you considered this decision? Are you willing to be an organ donor? Have you discussed this with your family? In this season of gift giving, consider becoming an organ donor and give the gift of life. This Gift Of Life is a costless, yet measureless gift.

North Carolina Organ Donation

National Kidney Foundation

Christmas Tree and Tubing

If you haven’t gotten your Christmas tree yet and are planning a trip to the High Country, add a day in the snow with your family! All the Christmas Tree Farms or Choose and Cut are open and waiting, all the ski resorts open this weekend including the East Coast’s largest Tubing Resort – Hawksnest!

Picture this, dress the family in warm snow clothes. Makes that 1.5 hour drive to Seven Devils, NC and take in a 1 hour 45 minute tubing session. Ride down the snow in a tube with a conveyor that takes you AND tube back to the top! Kids love this because they get their fill of sledding without worrying about the snow melting! With runs that run from 350ft to 1000ft there’s excitement for the whole family! After your tubing session gather the family for lunch and Hot Chocolate at Hawksnest restaurants. Regroup then take everyone over to the tree farm to pick out your tree!

Get into the holiday spirit with a snow day with the family then come home with a live tree and great memories! Don’t foget to tell Hawksnest you heard about this on Forsyth Magazine Blogs!

For more information or to book your tubing session in advance online, www.hawksnesttubing.com. Have a great start to your Christmas season!

Tis the season to be Jolly…

Tis the Season to be Jolly…. by Kelly Melang

My friend is an Elf in disguise; no one can decorate faster than her. I don’t know how she does it, but by December 1st she already had 5, count them, 5 Christmas trees up and decorated at her house! I’m still sitting in front of the TV set watching Martha create a masterpiece of her house while finishing the last of the Pecan Pie for breakfast (glad that’s finally gone). I ask my elf friend how she does it and she checks off a list similar to Santa’s:

1. Make sure all your ornaments are size coded so that you can put them on the trees symmetrically without thought. (Yeah, I have no idea what this means)

2. When you put your decorations away put them away in the order you will put them up next year, that way you’re not wasting time hunting for something. (Me? Still looking for the wreath hanger from 5 years ago)

3. Choose your theme at the end of season the year before so you can purchase extra decorations in that theme and be ready rather than shopping the day after Thanksgiving. (Theme? Isn’t the theme Christmas?)

4. Buy one case of Red Bull and 4 pounds of chocolate and you’ll sail right through the decorating process. (Now that’s something I can understand!)

I’m pulling musty smelling boxes of decorations out of our closet while she’s already moved onto the cookie baking, and homemade present making for everyone at her little Angel’s school. I’m looking for a good cookie exchange so I only have to bake the one recipe I really know then get everyone else’s painstaking creations to pass off as my own to friends and family. Oh, and homemade presents? Does buying them at a discount then letting them sit in your home for a month count as homemade?

So luckily, she’s planning on using her Elf Magic on my Bah Humbug house; she’s volunteered to help me make some cookies for my exchange while I put up my ONE Christmas tree. “That’s a family memory you need to make with your boys,” she says. Doesn’t she realize that the thought of trying to get ONE tree up with two small boys in the house sends me running back to couch to finish my episode of Ghost Whisperer while eating the chocolate I bought for decorating energy?

Do you have a friend like that, someone with Elf Magic? You’re afraid to go over to their house the day after Christmas because you’ll feel lame seeing everything in its place while yours is still hiding somewhere in the basement? Or are you the Elf?