Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden SPRING IS HERE!

I have spent more time at the Cincinnati Zoo then any other attraction in the area. Since I was little I remember packing up and heading out with my Dad’s camera in tow, ready to watch the animals (and of course take a lot of great pictures).

gorilla

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The gorilla’s have ALWAYS been a family favorite – not only are they fascinating to watch, but entertaining as well! Something new and exciting is always happening there and this year is no different. The Cincinnati Zoo welcomed baby gorilla Gladys Stones!

elephants

 

My daughter’s favorite animal has always been the elephant! The elephant exhibit has both indoor and outdoor viewing areas, and when it’s HOT the Zookeepers hose them down, which makes for some funny elephant watching!

gators lizard

 

The Renovated Reptile House is now open for your viewing pleasure! Many days Zoo staff have snakes, lizards and more out of their cages and available for you to touch or hold. Remember if you have any questions, the Zoo Staff is very knowledgeable and can answer any question you may have about the reptiles.

zootrain

Whenever my family heads to the Zoo, we never miss the opportunity to ride the Zoo Safari Train! The train which takes you around the park gives you a different view of the animals  and the other attractions, it even takes you around the lake!

You can get your Family Zoo Membership now, which for as little as $94 gives you fun for an entire year! The basic membership gives you and your family members free admission to the Zoo all year long! You can upgrade to a Gold membership for only $189. This is a great value as it includes FREE parking, 1 free guest per visit, Unlimited Rides on the Zoo Train and Carousel and this year they added 4 FREE 4-D Theater tickets!

The Zoo isn’t only great to enjoy in the Spring & Summer, but some of the best adventures we’ve had is at the famous Festival of Lights!

festival of lights festivaloflights2

 

 

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With over 2 million lights to see the Zoo is a Winter Wonderland! Visit Santa, try some apple cider, holiday cookies, or our favorite roasted cinnamon & sugar almonds! (well, the kids really enjoy the Gingerbread Men!

festival of lights5

 

The Zoo is a hoot! Make sure to plan your visit today!

owl

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3 Tips for Stay-at-Home Moms

Stay-at-home moms are the hardest working women in the world. Taking care of kids is a full-time job in itself, not to mention the housework, errands, and other assorted tasks that come along with being responsible for a household. If you find being a full-time stay-at-home mom to be exhausting or overwhelming, you aren’t alone; more than half of stay-at-home parents report feeling burnt out at higher rates than those who work full-time jobs outside the house. If you fall into this category, don’t fear! Here are a few tips to help you succeed.

 

1. Learn to Rely on a To-Do List

Instead of trying to remember everything that you have on your plate, write it down. This will not only make the prospect of everything you have to do seem less daunting but will help ensure that you don’t forget anything important and can help you prioritize certain tasks and create an efficient schedule accordingly. To help you out even further, get into the habit of making your to-do list for the following day before bed each night. This will help o clear your mind and alleviate stress before bed and will get the following day started right when you know exactly what you need to do starting the moment you wake up.

2. Get Out of the House

Getting out of the house and enjoying a change of scenery as often as possible can help to break up the monotony of everyday life and keep you from feeling bored or restless. Try to get out of the house for at least an hour each day, and try to spend at least a small amount of time doing something enjoyable just for you; this can be as small as driving to Starbucks to grab a coffee or going to Target to browse the skincare aisle in between other household errands or after taking the kids to school.

 

3. Ask for Help When You Need It

As a stay-at-home mom, you are your own boss. This can be good, as it allows you to work on your own terms and make your own schedule for each day; however, this also means that you might struggle with knowing who to go to should you need help. Those who work in traditional offices can reach out to their boss when they are struggling in their personal or professional lives, or attend training programs from companies like hsi.com when things need to be improved in the workplace. When you are a stay-at-home parent, you do not have an immediate guaranteed support system like that outside of your immediate family. When you are struggling, do not hesitate to reach out to your friends or a professional. Many stay at home moms find that seeing a therapist once a week is a great way to work through stress, and can be an excuse to get out of the house and take time for yourself every week.

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Healthcare Professionals To Visit For Optimal Wellness

The current health crisis has encouraged many people to take a positive approach towards improving their well-being. The fact that you could contract a virus that causes significant long-term health problems and even death was alarming. Although getting vaccinated would help reduce the risks, it’s not a foolproof solution. Ultimately, individuals without existing health issues and strong immune systems had fewer risks of contracting the virus and suffering from ongoing complications. 

 

Steps Towards Change

 

Anxious to reclaim their lives, people prioritized their health by incorporating better habits into their daily routines. They got active and exercised, replaced unhealthy food choices with more nutrient-rich options, and indulged in healthy self-care practices to enhance their well-being. Although these moves are a step in the right direction, a key component missing from most people’s health and wellness journeys was healthcare services and appointments. 

 

Healthcare Services Overlooked

 

Making healthy lifestyle changes is necessary, but it’s not all a person must do to achieve optimal health and wellness. Ultimately, knowing your medical history, status, and potential risks is essential to developing a personalized approach to enhanced living. That’s why having a good relationship with healthcare professionals is a must. 

 

Primary Care Physicians

 

At the forefront of your health and wellness is a primary care physician. They are medical experts specializing in preventing, diagnosing, and treating various health issues ranging from the common cold to diabetes. Patients should regularly visit their primary care physician for annual checkups, blood work, and screenings. Individuals with existing medical conditions or illnesses should visit for diagnosis, treatment, medications, surgeries, and referrals. 

 

A primary care physician can help you learn about familial medical history, potential health risks, and existing issues. They can suggest lifestyle changes, prescribe medications, or recommend therapies, surgeries, and other treatments for improved wellness. 

 

General Dentists

 

Oral health and hygiene are often overlooked but significantly impact your well-being. When you don’t take proper care of your teeth and gums, it can lead to everything from cavities and tooth loss to diabetes and heart disease. While brushing your teeth and flossing are part of the equation, visiting a general dentist is equally important. 

 

Like a primary care physician, a general dentist is educated and trained to prevent, diagnose, and treat dental issues ranging from sensitive gums to tooth loss. While each dental practice varies, a general dentist provides cleanings, X-rays, fillings, root canals, crowns, bridges, and veneers. If more significant problems are discovered, general dentists offer referrals to specialists for extensive treatment and care. 

 

Eye Doctors

 

Vision is a gift that most people neglect until they have a problem. However, compromised vision makes completing everyday tasks, accomplishing goals, and living life challenging. That’s why you must visit the eye doctor or optometrist. An optometrist is a medical expert that provides primary care for vision. They provide screenings, vision tests, diagnose significant issues, and write prescriptions for medications, contact lenses, and glasses. They’re also trained to perform general procedures for improved eye health. 

 

Therapists

 

How you manage your emotions, traumatic experiences, and navigate everyday challenges, plays a significant role in your quality of life. Your mental state can alter how you think, function, and experience. While having moments of anger, sadness, fear, anxiety, stress, and even depression are common; when it persists for weeks, months, or years, it can have adverse consequences. Some people turn to addictions and then try to learn how to detox from dr

 

Therapists are mental health experts who help patients develop cognitive, emotional, and coping skills that help them navigate everyday life and overcome traumatic experiences. They can also diagnose and treat mental illness.  

 

Rehab Centers

 

While you don’t need to see these health and wellness experts regularly, many people overlook the importance of turning to rehab facilities when they’re in need. If you’ve developed a dependency or addiction to certain substances or activities, you shouldn’t hesitate to get assistance. 

 

Trying to research how to detox from drugs at home or other self-help topics may not be enough to get you through your struggles. Rehab professionals have the necessary experience to help you detox from substances and learn healthier coping mechanisms that lead to a better quality of life. 

 

Although it may have taken a years-long battle with a virus to get people to realize the importance of prioritizing their health, it’s a step in the right direction. As you start incorporating healthy lifestyle practices in your life, don’t forget to include regular visits (in-person or online) to the essential healthcare professionals listed above for optimal results. 

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Keto Copycat Chick-Fil-A Nuggets

So Chick-Fil-A has been amazing at making some low carb options for their customers. Grilled nuggets, kale salad, no sugar lemonade, sugar free iced tea, and the list goes on. And as great as these items are, I still kinda miss that breaded chicken nugget!  So I decided to take a crack at these Keto Copycat Chick-Fil-A nuggets.

So here’s how you start, it does have a bit of prep time (the marinade) marinate the chicken in pickle juice for approx 2 hours.

Now the first time I made this I didn’t do exact measurements, so I would just mix to taste on the seasonings.

keto copycat chick-fil-A nuggets

Ingredients needed:
Chicken breast
Mayo
Egg
Crushed BBQ pork rinds
Parmesan cheese (freshly grated)
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Salt and pepper
sugar free ketchup (optional) or sugar free bbq sauce

Directions: 

Cut chicken breasts into chunks

Mix egg and mayo together, and coat chicken chunks

For the breading mix equal parts pork rinds and Parmesan cheese
and season generously with garlic powder, onion powder, and salt and pepper

Cook in air fryer at 400 degrees for 15 minutes

Serve, and enjoy!

 

                               Did you like our Keto Copycat Chick-Fil-A nuggets? Be sure to check out our other Keto/Low Carb Recipes!

 

keto copycat chick-fil-A nuggets

Keto Copycat Chick-Fil-A Nuggets

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lbs chicken breast
  • 1 cup mayo
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 cups crushed bbq pork rinds
  • 2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 tbsp garlic powder
  • 2 tbsp onion powder
  • salt & pepper to taste I would prob use 1 tbsp of each

Instructions
 

  • Cut chicken breasts into chunks
  • Mix egg and mayo together, and coat chicken chunks
  • For the breading mix equal parts pork rinds and Parmesan cheese and season generously with garlic powder, onion powder, and salt and pepper
  • Cook in air fryer at 400 degrees for 15 minutes
  • Serve, and enjoy!
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The Best Food Options to Make Your Super Bowl Party a Touchdown

The Best Food Options to Make Your Superbowl Party a Touchdown

Work: we all do it. Maybe you do construction work for ten hours a day, or perhaps you’re a physician that performs minimally invasive surgeries like the kind found at thebunioncure.com. You might even be a stay-at-home parent that works tirelessly to keep your house clean, the family fed, and your sanity intact. That is all well and good, but you can throw it all out the window come Superbowl Sunday.

 

We wait each year to get together with friends and family as our favorite NFL teams compete to win it all. But it’s not just about the game, it’s also about the amazing food! An abysmal selection of snacks to munch on throughout the game can really kill the vibe of the party, but having great food to stuff our faces with for a few hours can elevate a small gathering into an event. Here are some of the best food options for your Superbowl party that are sure to have guests lining up at your door.

 

Smoked Wings

 

Wings on game day? Count us in! You can make these yourself or order them with a variety of different options. You can get boned or boneless, dry rub or doused in sauce, toppings, and dipping sauces on the side. There’s just something about leaving a pile of saucy bones on your plate that really brings out your primal nature on game day.

 

Piping Hot Pizza

 

Do you think people will actually show up if you don’t even have pizza? There is an endless number of different pizza joint options to order from, but the real challenge is choosing your toppings: pepperoni, sausage, beef, ham, mushrooms, pineapple, olives, onions; the list goes on and on. It’s best to play it safe and order several large pizzas with a variety of toppings—if you’re lucky you may even get a slice yourself before they’re all gone.

 

Hero Subs

 

There’s something about a sub on game day that puts a smile on our faces and fills our bellies. You can opt to make a bunch of your own, or go out and purchase some from your favorite sub shop. Some establishments even have specials around the Superbowl where they offer giant subs that can be several yards long! That should be plenty enough to share.

 

Chips and Dips

 

No Superbowl would be complete without chips and dips; they’re a sporting event staple at this point. This is also easy, as you just need to go to your local store and pick up a handful of different flavors, like tortilla chips, barbecue, sour cream and onion, cheddar cheese, and, of course, classic. For dips, you can whip up a spinach artichoke dip, buffalo dip, blue cheese dip, sour cream, queso, and pretty much anything else you can think of! Just don’t forget to grab a bag of Doritos to go with it all.

 

Finger Food

 

There are no better food options for a party than finger food. It allows guests to try a little bit of everything on the table! Plus, there is a large selection of different foods to choose from: little smokies, meatballs, an assortment of cheese and crackers with slices of meat, and loads more. It’s probably a good idea to include some fruits and veggies for those healthy people, too—just so long as there’s ranch around for everyone else.

 

Something to Wash it All Down

 

You don’t expect your guests to drink tap water on game day, do you? It’s appropriate to have your fridge stocked with an assortment of drink options to accommodate everyone’s personal preferences. Drinks like punch, soda, tea, lemonade, are popular and easy to get in large quantities. Oh, and there are bound to be some beer drinkers, so kindly have a bottle opener at the ready.

 

Game Time!

 

You can’t go wrong with preparing any of these delicious dishes come Superbowl Sunday. Regardless of whichever ones you decide to make, they’ll all leave your guests happy, full, and rooting for their favorite team with a wing in their hand.

 

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