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TheFosterFirmWins.com • 404-559-8325 • October/November 2024
CELEBRATING HALLOWEEN CREATIVITY AND THANKSGIVING TOGETHERNESS Our Family’s Holiday Favorites
Halloween has always been more than just a night of trick-or-treating at our house — it’s a chance to indulge our imaginations and create something truly memorable. I love this busy, festive time of year. Halloween kicks off the holiday season, and then you’re just on a gallop through the end of the year. With some of my favorite holidays approaching, I wanted to share my most beloved family traditions. One memorable Halloween, my son dressed up as a Native American. My kids attended a Montessori school, and he wanted to wear a headdress and costume for a history presentation. Like most busy working moms, I planned to stop by a costume shop to pick up his outfit, but the teacher said he would need to make it himself. My son was committed to this project, so I drove to Michael’s for supplies. I’m no seamstress, so we grabbed some felt, a bunch of feathers, and some fabric glue and got to work. I didn’t make the costume for him. I just painted a vision for him and let him take it from there. Making this costume showed him how he could create something independently, increasing his pride and self-esteem. When my daughter had a similar presentation on Marie Antoinette, we were already prepared to make the costume ourselves. If her big brother was making a costume for his presentation, she would do the same. I told her we had better make it
fun because this would be her Halloween costume, too. We headed to the thrift store and found a ruffled shirt and a purple felt skirt. We finished the look off with a George Washington wig. When we rang the doorbells during trick-or-treating, my daughter proudly answered when people asked who she was. My kids loved their homemade costumes, and maybe you get more candy when you show up with a creative look like that. We save the creativity for my kids, and I buy most of my own costumes. One of my favorites was when Keith and I dressed up like we were in the 1970s. I wore my hair with a little flip, bought a cute 1970s dress, and white go-go boots. I bought my husband a ’70s suit and drew big sideburns on his face. Another year, I went as a cop and he was the prisoner in black and white stripes. My favorite costume of all time is Catwoman. After Halloween, we have Thanksgiving, a time that is so warm and familiar. My 93-year-old mother lives with us now, and she doesn’t travel. So, last year, the kids and grandkids came to the house, and we all wore the same patterned pajamas. My memories of Thanksgiving growing up were always multi-generational. My father was a fantastic cook, so my parents would be in the kitchen together making up my favorites, macaroni and cheese and cornbread dressing. I always felt a sense of excitement about the family coming together to sit at the table for a traditional meal.
I’m particularly excited about this year because four generations of my family will be at the table — my niece just had a baby boy. I’m incredibly thankful for the opportunity to share Thanksgiving with my mother, family, and the next generation. I cherish these traditions that unite my family and create lasting memories. From the joy of crafting unique Halloween costumes to the warmth of a Thanksgiving table surrounded by loved ones, these moments make this time of year so special. I wish you a Halloween full of creativity and a Thanksgiving filled with love and gratitude. Happy holidays!
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STARS SHARE THEIR SLEEP ADVICE
Have you ever struggled to fall back asleep after being awoken by the incessant barking of your neighbor’s Chihuahua? How about those nights when your mind is too busy replaying every embarrassing memory of yours on a loop rather than drifting off into unconsciousness?
efficiency, and quality. You don’t need Oprah’s billions to help you sleep soundly — just fill that bathtub with warm, sudsy water!
Eva Mendes If you want to sleep like a baby — or like Eva Mendes — you might want to pick up a white noise machine. These devices help you drift to sleep on a wave of peaceful background noise. Gwyneth Paltrow We are all guilty of having a late-night snack from time to time. You know you’re in trouble when you are down to just Cap’n Crunch Oops! All Berries cereal in the pantry, and you’re still making yourself a bowl out of sleepy boredom. But that midnight munching impacts your sleep more than you may realize. That is why actress and business owner Gwyneth Paltrow has taken to eating an early dinner to prepare herself for bed. A study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health shows that eating within three hours of bedtime increases the chance you will wake up in the middle of the night by about 10%. Eating more than three hours before bedtime may be very helpful if you want uninterrupted rest.
If you sometimes find it hard to get to sleep, you are not alone. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), around 15% of adults have trouble falling asleep. Some of those adults are celebrities, and they have great tips to help us get to sleep!
Oprah Winfrey The entrepreneur and television personality Oprah Winfrey has a tried-and-tested method for ensuring a good night’s rest: a hot bath. Science agrees! According to a study published in Sleep Medicine Reviews, a warm shower or bath can improve sleep duration,
Join Our Million-Dollar Action Workshop! FROM SIDE HUSTLE TO 6 FIGURES
During the pandemic, women came out in force as business owners, but only a small percentage of them will break the $100,000 mark. Studies found that between 2019 and 2023, the number of women-owned businesses increased at double the rate of men-owned businesses. Despite the growth, only 3% of female entrepreneurs reach million-dollar revenues. As a business coach who focuses on women, I have seen how busy moms can turn their skills and passions into a career, not just a source of extra income. Many female entrepreneurs are raising babies and creating amazing things; so can you. To successfully turn your hobby into a job, you must first assess your passion for this project. You can’t stop thinking about it. You have to dream about it, envision it, and love it, as it will be a big part of your life. Understand that it will take time away from you and other things.
Next, you have to determine your goals for this business. Do you want to make extra money while working from home, or do you want this to be your sole source of income? You can go even bigger and convert part of your home into a storefront or a childcare center. Once you have clear goals, you must make decisions and set boundaries. You’ll have to consider your costs and begin to budget. As you grow, you need someone to help you with your plan to get you to the next level. Are you ready to turn your passions into a thriving business? This November, I will be hosting a Million-Dollar Action Workshop designed for women who are ready to turn their entrepreneurial dreams into a reality. With so many women launching their own businesses in recent years, I want to help you bridge the gap between launching a startup and achieving real success. Whether you’re looking to start a
side hustle or build a full-fledged business empire, this workshop is your chance to make it happen! Contact us today for more details on how you can attend our upcoming event!
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Savor the Season With Smart Eating Holiday Feasts Made Healthy
Practice portion control. Holidays are a time of celebration, so you don’t have to deny yourself all of your favorite seasonal snacks. Focus on having a balanced plate and eating reasonable portions to enjoy the meal without overpacking your tray. Try to avoid going back for seconds and take home leftovers for later. If you limit yourself to one plate at a meal, you’ll be less likely to eat more than you want to. You should also eat slowly, chew fully, and set your fork down between bites. This will help you feel full faster. As the holidays unfold this season, remember you can enjoy your favorite festive foods without
The holidays are a wonderful time to gather with loved ones, share laughter, and indulge in our favorite festive meals. But during all the joyful celebrations, it’s easy to overindulge and let our healthy eating habits slip. October is Eat Better, Eat Together Month, and as you prepare to spend quality time with family this holiday season, it’s a great chance to make mindful choices about what you’ll add to your Thanksgiving plate. Grab your fork and bring an appetite because we’re exploring the tastiest ways to eat better during this year’s celebrations! Have a plan. Whether you are the cook this holiday or a guest at someone else’s home, come to the meal with a plan. You can offer to bring a healthy dish to the party, like a salad, or make sure some dishes you serve are on the lighter side. If you know you may indulge in extra sweets or carbs, plan to balance out your plate and limit the amount of heavy
sacrificing your health! The key is balance — indulge in what you love, but also take care of your body. Here’s to a season of health, happiness, and delicious memories!
foods you will eat. Don’t skip meals.
Though your first instinct may be to skip breakfast and lunch to save room for the calories of the big feast, eating a small meal in the morning may help you have more control over your appetite. Start the day with a healthy and filling breakfast so you won’t be tempted to overeat once you arrive at dinner.
Vegan Scalloped Potatoes With Sausages
INGREDIENTS
• 2 1/2 lbs potatoes • 2 cups vegan plain yogurt or vegan sour cream • 4 slim vegan sausages
•
3 tbsp oil of choice
• 1/2 tbsp salt • 1/2 tsp pepper
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Cut potatoes into thin slices and cook them in salted water for around 30 minutes. 2. While potatoes are cooking, cut vegan sausages into small slices. In a bowl, mix together yogurt (or sour cream), oil, salt, and pepper. 3. In a glass oven dish, layer the ingredients. First, add the cream mixture, then 1 layer of potatoes, another layer of cream, 1 layer of sausages, more cream, and repeat. The last layer should be the cream mixture and a drizzle of oil on top. 4. Bake for about 1 hour or until golden brown. Let cool before serving.
SPOTLIGHT
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Spooky Crafts and Cozy Feasts page 1 Celebrity Tips for a Better Night’s Rest page 2 How Busy Moms Can Build Million-Dollar Businesses page 2 Holiday Indulgence Done Right page 3 Vegan Scalloped Potatoes With Sausages page 3 A Big Wintertime Playground page 4
The Unique Allure of Big Bend National Park
Most national parks are full of visitors from spring through fall. Big Bend National Park turns that schedule upside down. The ideal time to visit this southwest Texas wonderland of wild river canyons and stunning mountain vistas is from October through May — the offseason for most national parks. But summertime temperatures in Big Bend soar to 105 degrees F or more, too hot for safe vacationing, while wintertime is mild and usually sunny. Many tourists and vacationers have recently discovered the park, driving visitation 16% higher since 2018 to more than 511,000 people annually. Big Bend offers a diversity of sights and terrain. Elevations soar from about 1,800 feet along the Rio Grande River to almost 8,000 feet in the Chisos Mountains. Boating and rafting trips along the Rio Grande, which Congress
designated as a free-flowing Wild & Scenic River, take visitors through the spectacular Santa Elena Canyon limestone cliffs. Options range from a leisurely float lasting less than a day to a seven-day wilderness adventure down the Lower Canyons. Big Bend is also a birder’s paradise, with 450 species sighted there on various occasions. The park also offers an abundance of family- friendly activities. A legal Port of Entry enables visitors who bring their passports to cross the Rio Grande River and visit the shops and restaurants of a rural Mexican village, Boquillas del Carmen. Families also enjoy stargazing at the Sotol Vista Overlook, scrambling over the boulders on the Upper Burro Mesa, and trekking the Grapevine Hills trails to see Balanced Rock, a giant boulder seemingly teetering in midair between two smaller boulders. Kids can also see dinosaur remains at
the Fossil Discovery Exhibit or explore the ruins of a mercury-mining ghost town, Terlingua.
Five visitor centers are usually open through the winter. Construction of a new visitor lodge and water system will begin in late 2024, likely causing some disruptions. However, Big Bend has four developed campgrounds and many backcountry camping opportunities. Most campsites are filled six months in advance, so reserve a spot early for your winter camping adventure.
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