800 South Washington St., Afton, WY 83110 (307) 885-4337 | www.drlivingstondds.com
November 2018
Life With Livingston Dental
e G e n
The Almost-Botched Pumpkin Pie
A Disaster Diverted
“You don’t follow the directions on the can. You need to use three-quarters of a cup of brown sugar!” Jeanelle said. I’d almost forgotten the most important ingredient. Without that molasses from the brown sugar, you don’t get the deep, caramel flavor that everyone loves in Jeanelle’s pies. It was an important adaptation to the recipe that Jeanelle’s mother had passed on to Jeanelle, and I’d almost forgotten it! I almost botched the whole pie. I learned an important lesson that day that is key to our family’s happiness. Of course, the holiday isn’t only about food. We have a tradition where we sit around the Thanksgiving table and share one physical and one nonphysical blessing we have in our lives. It’s a chance to reflect on the last year. Afterward, we play board games together — Clue is a favorite, as are Rook and Settlers of Catan. We avoid Monopoly since we don’t play that one so well together. Over the weekend, we get outside to admire the colorful leaves and sometimes shoot clay pigeons. Some of my favorite memories are of those Thanksgiving holidays, both here in the U.S. and in Canada. As long as I don’t forget the brown sugar, I know we’ll have a great day.
grandkid time was evenly shared among our in-laws. We’d celebrate Thanksgiving in the U.S. and Christmas in Canada, then switch places each year. It was fun to have everyone at home when it was our year to host. We’d take orders for pies from everyone. Pumpkin pie was always the winner, followed by lemon meringue, then apple. It’s no wonder the orders were always so big, because Jeanelle’s pies put Marie Callender’s to shame. I usually help Jeanelle with Thanksgiving dinner, but pie-making is her area of expertise. One particular Thanksgiving, about 12 years ago, I got up early and thought I would help out with some of the meal preparation. I got the turkeys in the oven and looked for what I could
Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. My childhood memories of it unite two different countries and my life before and after marriage. Growing up, I enjoyed Thanksgiving in Canada with my family, albeit a month earlier than we celebrate it here in the U.S. Canadian Thanksgiving is always on a Monday and falls earlier in the year because of the shorter growing season there. You plant crops later and harvest them earlier compared to a climate south of the border. Other than the date, we had similar Thanksgiving traditions to what we practice in the U.S. — we ate turkey, gravy, and pumpkin pie. I enjoyed stuffing, but I detested cranberries when I was growing up. I still can’t eat a piece of turkey with cranberry. After Jeanelle and I got married, we would alternate the holidays with our families. When we had kids, this ensured that
do next. “How can I help?” I asked Jeanelle. “Why don’t you make the pumpkin pie mix?” she suggested.
I’d never done it before, but the recipe was straightforward enough. How hard could it be? I mixed in the cinnamon and other spices and added the eggs and evaporated milk. “I’ve got this,” I said, or so I thought. I was measuring out a cup and a half of white sugar when Jeanelle happened to look over.
“What are you doing?” she said.
“I’m following the directions,” I replied.
1 Livingston Dental
An Attitude of Gratitude Taking the time to acknowledge who and what you’re grateful for is a Thanksgiving tradition far more important than turkey or football.
Should Last Beyond Thanksgiving
benefits. Adults who keep gratitude journals on a regular basis exercise more regularly, report fewer illness symptoms, feel better about their lives as a whole, and are more optimistic about the future.” HOW TO PRACTICE GRATITUDE In the above quotation from Dr. Emmons, he mentions the practice of keeping a gratitude journal. This activity is a great way to start seeing the world with a more positive, appreciative eye. As often as you can, take a few minutes to write down the acts, people, and moments that you’re grateful for. Some will be big, others small — but all will have an impact on your mood and bring a smile to your face. Before you know it, you’ll have an entire book full of good memories and warm feelings. While keeping a journal is great, there are other ways to go about cultivating and expressing gratitude. The easiest one is simply to say “Thanks” whenever you can. It may seem insignificant, but you’d be surprised what a difference it makes. When you approach the world with the perspective that every day is Thanksgiving, it’s only natural to be grateful. We all have moments when we want to curse the world, especially as we get older, and those experiences are perfectly normal. Just as frequently, though, we have moments that are worth celebrating, often with people who are worth appreciating. Which will you think about more?
It’s the cornerstone of the holiday and the reason we feast together in the first place. But when you really think about it, should expressing our gratitude and appreciation for others be limited to one day every year? Of course not!
WHY GRATITUDE MATTERS As we get older, it’s easy to succumb to negativity and pessimism — “Kids these days,” “The world isn’t what it used to be,” etc. The crabby grandparent and angry old neighbor are archetypal depictions of later life. But these fictions don’t have to be your reality. Recognizing and acknowledging gratitude will help you take stock of the positive aspects of your life and dwell less on unhappy thoughts. Being grateful has also been linked to significant health benefits. According to gratitude expert and author Dr. Robert A. Emmons, “Preliminary findings suggest that those who regularly practice grateful thinking do reap emotional, physical, and interpersonal Giving Thanks In his book called “A Simple Act of Gratitude” author John Kralik shares the story of how he set out to write 365 thank-you letters in the course of a year. Kralik was at a very low point in his life when he made this resolution. Reflecting on everything that was going wrong, he went for a hike in the foothills and had a realization: “I needed to learn to be grateful for the things I had, rather than to focus on the things I wanted or the many things I felt I had lost.” He made the resolution then and there and began handwriting thank-you notes to people in his life, including random strangers. The experience of practicing gratitude changed his life. We were inspired by Kralik’s message, and we wanted to say thank you to you, our community, and our patients for being the reason we love what we do. Since joining the Star Valley community, it’s been our joy to serve your dental needs. Seeing your smiles every day is what keeps us inspired and motivated. It means so much to us that we get to bring even more smiles to Star Valley by improving the dental health of people here. We’re also grateful to all our patients who’ve shared their great experience at Livingston Dental with their friends and family. To Our Community
We love your referrals! They help us grow and treat others who benefit from dental care.
You mean a lot to us, and events like the Patient Appreciation Party are opportunities for us to show our thanks. We’re excited to continue doing fun activities and events like this in the coming year to celebrate our patients.
Thank you for being part of this journey with us, and have a happy Thanksgiving!
DENTAL BENEFITS REMINDER:
As we get close to the end of the year, time is running out to use your 2018 dental benefits. Here’s a friendly reminder to not let your insurance benefits go to waste. If you have any unused dental benefits, use them now before they run out. Get your appointment scheduled for your cleaning, filling, or any other service that you need. Don’t put it off any longer — our schedule is filling up fast! Call us today to schedule your appointment. We look forward to seeing you!
2 (307) 885-4337 | www.drlivingstondds.com
Should Parents Help Pull Loose Baby Teeth? Losing baby teeth is a rite of passage for children. It’s a sign that they are growing up! Many parents are
they’re worried the tooth will get swallowed by accident. If this happens, you don’t have to be alarmed. A baby tooth is not a choking hazard and a swallowed tooth will pass through your child’s body without
excited to be part of this experience and re- enact the traditions of their childhood. How many of you remember a parent tying one end of a string to your tooth and the other to a doorknob, helping the tooth come out with a single slam? This “trick” for getting out a loose tooth is a time-honored tradition — and it’s also one of the worst ways to handle a loose baby tooth! You should never force a tooth to come out before it’s ready. If a tooth is yanked out before the root is fully dissolved, the root can break and cause a great deal of pain. Forcing a tooth out can also damage gum tissue or the surrounding teeth, leading to infection.
any trouble. At most, you may have to help your child write a letter to the tooth fairy explaining what happened. If your child is begging you to take out their loose tooth, don’t go searching for the string. Instead, take a tissue and gently apply pressure on the tooth with two fingers. The tooth should pop right out. However, if the tooth resists or your child complains about any pain, leave the tooth alone a little longer. The best way to deal with a loose tooth is to have patience and let your child wiggle their tooth until it falls out on its own. Loose teeth will fall out when the time is right.
Some parents want to get loose teeth out of their child’s mouth as soon as possible because
Puzzle Time! Jeanelle’s Homemade Pumpkin Pie Ingredients
Adapted from Libby’s Pumpkin Pie Mix recipe
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves • 2 large eggs • 1 can Carnation evaporated milk • 1 premade pie shell • Whipped cream (optional) continue baking for 40–50 minutes or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean. 4. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours and enjoy with your loved ones. Best served with plenty of whipped cream.
Directions • 2 cans Libby’s 100 percent pure pumpkin • 3/4 cup granulated sugar • 3/4 cup brown sugar • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon • 1/2 teaspoon salt 1. Heat oven to 425 F. Mix all ingredients together except evaporated milk. 2. Stir in evaporated milk. Pour mix into premade pie shell and bake for 15 minutes. 3. After 15 minutes, reduce temperature to 350 F and
Thankful Thanksgiving Tradition Turkey
Gobble Grateful Gravy Potatoes
Black Friday Colonies Feast Football
3 Livingston Dental
PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
on being named Top Dentist of Wyoming 2018!
800 South Washington St., Afton, WY 83110 (307) 885-4337 | www.drlivingstondds.com
Inside
A Thanksgiving Miracle
How to Give Thanks Year-Round A Thank-You Letter
The Right Way to Handle Loose Baby Teeth Jeanelle’s Homemade Pumpkin Pie
Tales of Winter Wildlife
Winter Wildlife in the Star Valley
What Are the Animals Up To?
Binoculars are a great way to watch your furry, feathered, or scaly friends from a safe distance. You can also view them from your backyard or window. In the spring, keep an eye out for these animals as they come out of hibernation.
species of hares, like the snowshoe hare, turn white; this trick lets them blend into their snowy background and makes it harder for predators to see them. Weasels and mice create a world of their own in tunnels beneath the snow’s surface — the snowy layer acts like a blanket and protects them from the cold. What do you do if you see an animal hibernating? Animals usually find dens or caves to hibernate in, so you usually won’t see them around, but if you do, do what you usually do when you see an animal — leave them alone! They’re just trying to survive and should be given plenty of space. It can be dangerous to get too close — because bears only lower their body temperature by 12 degrees, they can wake up from hibernation very quickly.
Did you know that some animals hibernate for 11 months? Others can go for 10 minutes without breathing when they’re in hibernation mode! Come wintertime, many of our furry friends crawl into caves or underground to conserve energy when food is scarce. The wildlife we usually see around Wyoming in the spring and summer, like bears, marmots, chipmunks, and even frogs, slow their heart rates and breathing and hibernate when the cold months arrive. They’ll remain in their cozy homes until the weather is warm enough for them to reemerge. Not all animals hibernate, though. Some have alternative ways of surviving the winter. Elk and deer move to a lower elevation where there is more plant life for them to eat. Our winged friends usually fly south to where there’s more food. Some
4 (307) 885-4337 | www.drlivingstondds.com
Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker