The Upside to Jealousy: Five Ways Jealousy Can Strengthen a Relationship

Jealousy

Ten Tips for a Healthy Beautiful Smile

Next to eyes, the mouth is thought to be the most attractive part of the body. When smiles are bright and lips are soft and supple, they can truly dazzle. Here are some tips to keep your mouth healthy and beautiful.

1. Apply lip balm. Saliva dries out your lips and makes them rough and cracked. Instead of licking them, applying lip balm on a regular basis. Look for hydrating ingredients like beeswax, Shea butter, vitamin E and almond, jojoba or coconut oils. Vaseline works well too.

2. Exfoliate. Keep your lips soft and supple; brush them every time you brush your teeth. Using a soft-bristled toothbrush and a mixture of rosewater and sugar, gently scrub your lips to slough off dead skin. Lipstick and gloss will apply much more evenly for a spectacular smile.

3. Choose the right shade of lipstick. The best way to select the right color lipstick is to try it on when wearing no other makeup. This will help you pick a color that is right for your skin tone. Selecting a lipstick with blue undertones will make your teeth look whiter.

4. Plump up. To get a pretty pout, use a lip liner one shade darker than your lipstick, or the natural color of your lips – depending on the desired effect. Apply liner just outside the lip line. Dab a bit of gloss in the center of the bottom lip for a super pouty look.

5. Soften lips. To soften your lips and prevent them from drying, apply almond oil onto the lips daily. Regular applications of honey will also soften dry lips.

6. Keep cold sores at bay. Cold sores seem to attack when the body is already vulnerable. Protect your lips with a broad-spectrum sunscreen. In the winter, use medicated lip balm such as Carmex or Blistex. Maintain a healthy lifestyle and try to reduce stress. If a cold sore appears, apply a lemon balm ointment to speed healing.

7. Stay hydrated. Always keep a bottle of water on hand to stay properly hydrated. The skin on our lips is very thin and will therefore dry out quickly, leaving them cracked and sore. Dry, chapped lips can often times be avoided simply by staying hydrated.

8. Get essential vitamins. Foods high in calcium and vitamin D are an important for maintaining healthy teeth. Vitamin A is essential for the protection of the tooth enamel. A deficiency in Vitamin A can also cause overgrown gums, bleeding gums and gum disease.

9. Brush and floss. While most likely already a habit, brushing and flossing after every meal and snack will keep teeth healthy, white and free of decay causing debris. Don

Top Tips for Maintaining Bone Strength as You Age

It’s no surprise that your bone density and strength decrease with age; it’s something that’s been known for years. However, just what to do about it remains unclear. Advice has ranged from vague to risky.

Thankfully, the light is dawning on the mechanisms of bone strength and density. We are learning more about the role of diet in promoting bone strength, and the importance of exercise.

So here are some top tips for maintaining bone strength as you age.

1. Balance Acidity and Alkalinity

When the body is in a state of high acidity, your body tries to neutralize the acidic environment. It does this by leaching minerals out of your bones, weakening them and decreasing their density.

Which foods have a high alkaline or acidic effect on the body may surprise you. It’s actually not about how much acid a food contains in its uneaten state; it’s about how the food acts after digestion. To determine this, researchers burn foods and study the acidity or alkalinity of the ash residue. This has given rise to a list of acid-causing foods and alkalizing foods that are sometimes not what you think (lemons, for instance, are considered alkalizing). You can find such lists online with a simple search.

Once you see what foods have an acidifying or alkalizing effect on your body, you can put together a diet that aims for what experts recommend, which is an 80% alkaline and 20% acidic diet.

2. Calcium and Magnesium

Making sure you get adequate amounts of these minerals is crucial for maintaining bone strength. Although conventional wisdom says to take supplements in a 2 to 1 ratio of calcium to magnesium, new research suggests the reverse ratio may actually be more beneficial (2 parts magnesium to 1 part calcium). This is because magnesium increases calcium absorption so dramatically that less calcium is needed (and less calcium gets deposited where it doesn’t belong, such as in the form of kidney stones).

3. Balance Your Hormones

As the hormone estrogen decreases, your bone density tends to decrease as well. Estrogen is the guardian of bone mass in women under 35, and after age 35 is diminishes. Whether or not to take synthetic hormones (hormone replacement therapy or HRT) is a decision between you and your doctor. Just be aware that there are natural ways to bring hormones into balance through diet and/or herbal supplements.

4. Exercise

The importance of exercise in maintaining bone strength cannot be overemphasized. There are even exercises designed specifically to boost bone density, and your doctor, personal trainer, or physical therapist can help you get started on a safe exercise routine to help build and maintain your bones.

How to Choose a Good Women’s Self-Defense Class

Many women, for many reasons, want to take self-defense classes. Such classes can provide a sense of confidence and self-assurance for women, but in order to get all the benefits you need to choose a good one. Here are some tips on how to choose a good women’s self-defense class.

1. Find Out What’s Available

Before you begin choosing between classes, it’s a good idea to find out what’s available in your area. One place you could start is your local police station. Another option is to check with the YMCA/YWCA. And of course, there is always the yellow pages!

2. Visit

Once you’ve found some classes that you’re interested in, go visit one. You can call ahead or show up unannounced. If you call ahead, they can be prepared for your visit and help show you around. If you don’t call, you can walk in on the class “as is,” and you’ll be able to see things how they really are. Observing a class is important in making your decision.

3. Aggression versus Avoidance

One of the signs of an effective self-defense class is an instructor who emphasizes avoiding confrontation. There are tips and behaviors that you can use to help avoid having to use force to begin with. Use of force should be a last resort.

4. Male or Female Instructor?

Many women feel more comfortable with a female instructor, because she may be a role model you can relate to more easily. Also, a female instructor provides an environment where class members feel more comfortable discussing sensitive topics. However, a male instructor can also provide insight into danger signs and the male mind.

5. No One Way

One sign of a good self-defense course is that there are no guarantees offered. That may sound odd, but the reality is, no one technique or approach is going to work 100% of the time in every situation. A good class accepts the fact that each situation is different, and their focus is on teaching overall techniques that work most of the time. Effective instructors teach concepts that can be applied according to the situation rather than mechanical methods.

6. Realistic Approach

A class that does not sugar-coat dangerous situations is probably a good one. It can undermine students’ effectiveness and confidence if the class is taught without the very real element of psychological stress. Students need to learn how to think and act in situations where they are under duress.

Overcoming the Guilt of Single Parenting

It’s unfortunate, but sometimes guilt can be a part of single parenting. Regardless of the specifics of your circumstances, it’s only natural to feel some guilt about your situation. But most of the time, that guilt is misplaced.

Here are some tips on overcoming the guilt of single parenting.

1. Recognize Your Imperfections

It’s so important to acknowledge the fact that you are not perfect. Neither is the other parent. Many of us can accept imperfections in ourselves in other areas, but not with regards to parenting. This is probably because we love our kids so much, we can’t believe we’d make mistakes in raising them. But we all do! Give yourself some compassion and realize that, no matter how much you wish it were otherwise, you just can’t be the perfect parent.

2. You Can’t Tell the Future

Sometimes guilt comes from past decisions. Maybe those decisions didn’t play out like you hoped they would. Don’t beat yourself up; you had no way of knowing how the future would play out, and you made those decisions to the best of your ability. You did the best you could with the information you had at the time. Try to learn from this experience and move forward.

3. Don’t Compare Yourself to Others

This is so tempting as a single parent, whether you compare yourself to other single parents or married ones. Only you know your child(ren), and only you can make decisions that are right for them. Other people’s parenting advice may help or hinder, but it doesn’t need to define what you’re like as a parent. Remember, even if you can’t afford to give your child all the latest electronics and gadgets and toys like those other parents you know, your love is the best thing you can give your kids.

This also means not comparing yourself to your own parents. You may feel like you have to measure up to the parenting you received as a child, or improve on it if it was less-than-stellar; but your circumstances are just not the same as your parents’. You can create wonderful memories with your kids, too; they don’t have to be the same as the ones you experienced growing up.

4. Missed Opportunities

It can be painful if you have to refuse to let your child take advantage of an opportunity because you can’t afford it. But don’t feel guilty – after all, to afford all those lessons and activities, you’d probably have to work more hours, which would mean more time away from your kids. And on a practical note: look for financial aid for some of these extracurricular opportunities. You may be pleasantly surprised to see what help is available.

Top Four New Year’s Resolutions for Home Decorating

It’s the New Year! Have you made any resolutions? Do any of those resolutions involve home decorating?

Sometimes, the best way to get a project completed is to resolve to do it! Consider putting some home decorating goals on your list of resolutions this year.

Rather than listing the projects and vowing to get them done, you might try a slightly different approach – resolve to have a productive attitude! Also, resolving to complete small steps can help as well.

Here are four New Year’s resolutions for home decorating to help you get started.

1. Clearing Clutter Step by Step

Clearing out clutter. Isn’t that something we all wish we could do every year? And don’t we inevitably end up overwhelmed and more buried in clutter than ever? Not this year!

Resolve to clear clutter in steps. It’s indeed overwhelming to look at your whole house and imagine tackling it all at once, not stopping until it’s finished. Instead, approach it on a room-by-room basis, resolving to clear the clutter from, say, one room a month. You could even begin with corners of rooms to make it even less overwhelming – say, clear the clutter from one corner of the living room every Saturday for four weeks. Then move on to the next room or area.

2. Organize Your Stuff

You won’t be throwing away everything this year – there will be “stuff” you’ll need to organize and store in a way that’s aesthetically pleasing. Here are some suggestions.

* Baskets are definitely your friend. Baskets can be used to hold items like shoes by the front door, CDs, DVDs, remote controls, and all those adapters for cell phones and computers.

* Decorative boxes are also handy. They can be slipped onto shelves and look like decorative pieces but they’re actually holding stuff.

* If you have items to display, use simple trays or clear bowls.

3. Living Decorations – Houseplants

A good goal for this year is to bring in houseplants. They are not only beautiful; they are also gaining a reputation for detoxifying indoor air. Sources say this is even more important if you have a lot of electronics in a room.

4. Take Your Time

Rushing through something only adds stress – stress as you rush to get it done, and stress as you try to live with a job poorly done. If you’re going to go through with these resolutions (and you are!), then take your time. Don’t feel like you have to do it all at once. You have a whole year, after all!

Top Six Inspirational Books for Women

There’s nothing like a good book to provide inspiration. It’s been said that we really do feel “out of sorts” if we don’t take time to sit down and get some motivation and encouragement from others. And with pressures from home, work, and kids at an all-time high, women in particular can use some good inspirational reading!

Whether you need inspiration in the workplace, at home, in your relationships, or anywhere else, there is probably an inspirational book out there for your situation.

Here are six of some of the top inspirational books for women.

1. “I’m Too Young to Be This Old!” by Poppy Smith

Sometimes, we don’t “feel” as old as our age indicates we should! Instead of fighting the aging process, Smith takes a look at the realities of a woman’s changing life and gives positive ways to face it. There’s definitely humor in this book, but there’s also insight into some of the more personal issues, such as dealing with your aging parents.

2. “Breaking Free: Women of Spirit at Midlife and Beyond” by Marilyn Sewell

If you are inspired by hearing various points of view and personal stories, this book may be for you. The book is a compilation of essays from female writers who have written about the realities of life after menopause. It’s not said to be a “delicate” book, but its writers are often earthy and blunt. Inspiration comes as you read about the advantages and gifts that are yours with age.

3. “Excellent As You Are: A Woman’s Book of Confidence, Comfort, and Strength” by Sue Patton Thoele

The title says a lot about this one – it’s an inspirational book filled with insight and motivational quotes. This book is also richly illustrated, making it an inspiration to the eyes as well.

4. “The Next Fifty Years: A Guide for Women at Midlife and Beyond” by Pamela D. Blair

In a culture that celebrates youth, women sometimes need encouragement to feel good about themselves as they age. In this book, the author offers encouragement and understanding of some of life’s changes after menopause. There’s definitely humor here! There’s also an outline if you want to make it a group study.

5. “Healing Your Emotional Self: A Powerful Program to Help You Raise Your Self-Esteem, Quiet Your Inner Critic, and Overcome Your Shame” by Beverly Engel

This one may have the longest title, but it also gets to the heart of adult survivors of child abuse, emotional or physical. Its intent is to heal, and many women have a hard time overcoming their inner critic and raising their self-esteem. The author provides questions and exercises after chapters, making this an interactive text.

6. “Water Running Downhill!: Words of Empowerment for Women in Midlife” by Joan Gage

Clever and amusing, this book is said to be more carefully crafted than the title implies. It’s even helpful for women who are not yet at menopausal age, so it covers a broader range of women. This book is also one with a humorous approach and funny imagery.

Music and Moods: How You Can Make the Most of the Music You Listen To

Music is an ancient form of human expression. It goes pretty deep, too – music has been shown to have profound effects on the human mind and emotions. What kind of music you choose to listen to can indicate and also influence your mood. Music can even help you cope with various difficulties.

How can you make the most of the music you listen to, and what types are associated with what moods? Here is some insight into music and moods.

Classical Music

Many people thing “boring” when they think of classical music. But this genre, which is technically music composed during the Classical Period (approximately 1750-1825) and has also come to include many types of instrumental and symphonic music, has been shown in studies to be the most effective at promoting positive moods.

Empowerment, tension reduction, and enhanced creativity have all been associated with listening to classical music. Although popular belief holds that listening to classical music enhances intelligence, this is probably not the case. Instead, classical music may seem to make you more intelligent by providing an atmosphere that’s conducive to thinking.

Country Music

Interestingly enough, country music is often associated with sadness, depression, and even suicide. Studies have shown that the suicide rate is higher in urban areas where country music is played often on the radio. If you want to lift your mood, sources suggest staying away from country music!

Rap and Hip Hop

This genre has diverse results among listeners. In some people, rap and hip hop evoke angry, violent feelings, especially toward women. In others, the same music puts them in a happy mood, encouraging dancing and energetic movement. Still others find that rap and/or hip hop puts them in a relaxed mood. So if rap or hip hop makes you feel like dancing and you need a pick-me-up, go for it!

Tips for Listening to More Music

How can you get more music into your life? Here are some suggestions.

* Set your alarm in the morning to play music.
* When you take a bath or shower, see if you can play some relaxing music on a nearby CD player (just don’t get it wet!).
* Keep a radio or CD player in the bathroom and turn it on when you are getting ready in the morning.
* A radio or CD player in the kitchen is a good idea, too.
* Get ear buds for your phone or invest in an iPod, and pop the buds in whenever you can. Download a playlist that fits your mood needs.
* Go out and listen to live music whenever you can. Many communities offer free live music at various events, from fairs and festivals to parades.

How to Keep Stress from Ruining Your Relationship

Stress has such a huge impact on our lives. Not only is it damaging to our bodies, it can also annihilate a relationship. As humans, during high-stress times we tend to lash out at those around us. Unfortunately, most of the time it

Women’s Body Changes: What You Can Expect after Age 35

Whether we like it or not, after the age of 35, women’s bodies experience some changes. Understanding and recognizing that these changes are a normal part of aging can help in the transition and make such changes seem less sudden and strange. So familiarize yourself with how your body is going to be changing as you learn about women’s body changes and what you can expect after age 35.

1. Fertility

Having regular menstrual periods does not always mean you’re fertile. After the age of 35, your egg cells become less viable and they secrete less estrogen and progesterone than they used to upon ovulation. “Older” eggs are more subject to damage and genetic misinformation as well. As a consequence, fertility decreases significantly after 35 (according to sources, fertility can actually decrease earlier, near the age of 30).

2. Weight Gain and Weight Loss Difficulty

After 35, your metabolism begins to slow down. This is why you may find yourself gaining weight even though you aren’t eating more (frustratingly enough!). According to experts, your basal metabolism slows down about 5 percent and continues to decrease each decade. This translates to about 100 calories per day that you either need to burn or cut out of your diet to stay the same weight. This also accounts for why some women over the age of 35 cut back on their calories yet don’t lose weight; they just stop gaining.

3. Bone Density

Your bone density generally begins to decrease, because estrogen production also decreases after the age of 35. Estrogen protects bone mass. This decrease in density does not necessarily go into osteoporosis, especially if you adopt a healthful lifestyle and refrain from smoking, increase your calcium intake, and get plenty of exercise.

4. Gray or Thinning Hair

Hair may begin to go gray after age 35, although it can happen earlier or later. Hair also tends to get thinner.

5. Changes in the Skin

Besides just wrinkles, which may not show in your late 30s, your skin begins to lose elasticity. You may notice some droops and sags where you didn’t see them before, such as your eyelids and cheeks.

6. Pelvic Organs

The uterus and bladder may “sag” after 35, causing symptoms of uterine and/or bladder prolapse. Loss of bladder control may also occur. The muscles of the pelvic floor, like all muscles after age 35, begin to weaken, making women more prone to some of these pelvic organ difficulties.

Colorful Home – Color Tips for Various Rooms

It’s time to paint! But what colors should you choose? Should you even go with color at all? Many people are afraid of color in their homes, and simply paint all the walls white. But it’s been shown that color in the home can enhance your mood and optimize your living experience.

Not all colors, however, work in all rooms. And designers suggest subscribing to the 60%, 30%, 10% rule – 60% of the room is the dominant color (walls), 30% is the secondary color (usually furniture), and 10% is an accent color (usually found in objects like wall art, vases, and/or flower arrangements).

So bearing all that in mind, here are some color tips for various rooms in your house.

1. Bathroom

If you find yourself dragging into the bathroom every morning and having a hard time waking up, try choosing dynamic colors for your bathroom. These energizing color combos can help you shake the sleep off. Examples of a dynamic color combo include:

* Bright, lime green and electric blue
* Bright yellow, blue, and red (primary colors)
* Bright green and bright yellow
* Orange, electric blue, and bright yellow
* Lime green, fuchsia, bright blue, and yellow

2. Bedroom

Generally speaking, the bedroom should be a color that promotes relaxation and sleep. Harmonious and even monochromatic color schemes are good choices for the bedroom. Natural colors also tend to promote rest and calm. Here are some color suggestions for bedrooms.

* Monochromatic schemes in blue, green, or muted purple
* Soft pink
* “Woodsy” colors like sage or moss green and shades of brown
* Soft blue, pale yellow, and light cream – like a sunny beach

3. Kitchen

In the kitchen, you have a certain choice of as to the room’s role. For some, the kitchen is a gathering place for fun, laughter, and conversation. For others, the kitchen is more of a haven where they can be creative without distractions. Still others may find the kitchen a strictly utilitarian room – a place where tasks get done and then you get out. So here are some thoughts on kitchen colors based on the mood you want to create.

* Red is great for stimulating conversation and getting your blood pumping.
* Yellow and orange are said to promote energy and happiness.
* Stainless steel appliances, marble countertops, and neutral colors like black, gray, and white evoke a more formal, calm feeling.
* Wood grain and brown hues create a cozy, woodsy feel.

4. Living Room

Perhaps no other room in the house is subject to as much variety as the living room. It really is the room that makes the most pointed statement about your home and sets the mood for guests and family members alike.

Take natural light into account and use light colors to amplify the available light and dark colors to mute it. If you really like a bold color but don’t want to do your whole living room that way, consider an accent wall – an area or alcove that you paint with the bold color scheme that would be “too much” if done throughout the room.

For the living room, think about what you want to present.

* Blue and white makes for a formal, light, and airy look
* Neutral colors open the door for strong accent pieces that you may want to show off
* Brown, beige, and green feel cabin-like and natural
* Yellow evokes sunshine and cheer
* Purples, blues, and grays present a calm and restful look

Women’s Heart Health – What You Need to Know

Cardiovascular health, heart attacks, and so forth are considered by many to be pretty much a male problem. But numerous studies and have shown that heart health is not just a “guy thing” – women need to be concerned about their cardiovascular health as well. In fact, some sources say that heart disease is the #1 killer of women in the United States! Here are some tips and insights into women’s heart health – what you need to know.

1. Contraceptive Use

Studies have shown that the use of oral contraceptives increases the risk of heart attack and stroke. In younger women, sources say, the risk is lower than in older women. So if you are over the age of 35, you might want to look into a different form of birth control if possible.

2. Risk Factors

Who is at risk? You may think you’re not at risk because you’re not overweight, or you don’t smoke, or you exercise regularly. While having more than one risk factor certainly raises your risk, according to experts, having even one of the risk factors – such as smoking or being overweight – increases your risk of heart disease significantly. Here are some of the lifestyle choices that may raise your risk for developing heart disease:

* Smoking
* Inactivity or not enough exercise
* Poor diet, especially one high in saturated fat and low on fresh, whole foods
* Overweight
* Diabetes
* Ethnicity (African American and Hispanic women are at particular risk for heart disease, according to experts)
* High blood pressure
* High cholesterol

3. Low Vitamin D

The more this vitamin gets researched, the more important it seems. Studies have shown that women over 30 with low levels of vitamin D were 25% more likely to die from cardiovascular disease. Getting plenty of safe sun exposure through smart sunbathing boosts vitamin D levels, as does taking oral supplements.

4. Get Tested

There are some specific tests that will provide important information about your risk of heart attack. Here are some of them.

* Lipoprotein levels – When you get tested for your lipoprotein levels, it means you’re getting tested for cholesterol (both the “good” and “bad” cholesterol) and triglycerides. The levels of these substances in your blood affect your risk for heart disease.

* Blood pressure – Getting your blood pressure taken is quite easy, and it can show you not only if you have hypertension, but also if you are at risk for developing it. Sources recommend getting your blood pressure checked at least every other year.

* BMI (Body Mass Index) – A BMI test helps determine your weight in relation to your height, as well as waist measurement. Belly fat can raise your risk of heart disease, as can an imbalanced fat-to-height ratio.

Nine Simple Tips for Making Your Hands Look Softer, Healthier, Prettier…and Younger

Nails and skin are the first to show signs of vitamin and mineral deficiency. Nails start to tear more easily and hands take on a flaky, scaly, alligator skin look.

In years past, the majority of women wore hats to shade their faces from the aging effects of the sun. They wore long sleeves when gardening. Moisturizing and whitening creams were slathered on their hands and cotton gloves were worn when sleeping. Gloves were also worn during the day – not only for fashion but also to protect the hands from every day wear and tear on skin and nails, and from the harmful effects of the sun. Today, those carrying on that tradition would be considered the minority.

Women today spend hundreds of dollars on youth-enhancing facial moisturizers. They take pride in their faces and hair being beautiful. But if you look closely at their hands, you may see that those hard-working clappers have been lacking in love.

Here are some helpful and simple tips to help you wave bye-bye to those rough and ragged hands.

1. Wash your hands. It

Tips for Gorgeous Legs Year Round

Beautiful legs are an inspiration to men and women alike. Unfortunately with today

Tips for Healthy Beautiful Eyes

Eyes are one of the most important organs in the body and yet they are often times neglected and taken for granted. They are the part of the face that most people notice first. In addition, the loss of sight can be a drastic, life-altering experience. But maintaining healthy, beautiful eyes isn

Health and Beauty Tips for the Feet

Feet are our foundation. They take us everywhere we want to go. Feet are one of the most used and at the same time most neglected parts of the body.

The average person walks 10,000 steps a day. During their lifetime, our feet will have walked around the planet more than four times. Feet have approximately 250,000 sweat glands and can excrete up to half a pint of fluid a day. Here are some awesome sole-baring tips to get those tootsies back in shape.

1. Wash your feet daily and dry them thoroughly, especially between the toes. When feet are clean and dry, odor and disease-causing bacteria have little chance to grow and spread.

For a soap-free foot wash, add warm water to a plastic basin large enough to hold your feet. Then add 1 cup of lemon juice,

The History Behind Groundhog Day

Groundhog Day – it’s a somewhat obscure holiday that most of us are familiar with, but we don’t really know why we celebrate it. Have you ever wondered about where it came from? Here is a little bit of trivia and information about the history of Groundhog Day.

On February 2, everyone pretends to believe in folklore for a day. According to the legend, if a groundhog comes up from his hole on February 2 and happens to see his shadow (meaning the day is sunny), then winter will continue for six more weeks. If it happens to be cloudy and the groundhog doesn’t see his shadow, then spring is said to be “just around the corner.”

First of all, February 2 is not really that close to spring in the northern hemisphere. With the Spring Solstice arriving on March 20 or 21, it seems that winter is supposed to last six weeks past February 2 anyway. This discrepancy is probably due to the meshing of two versions of the calendar – one that has spring beginning much earlier when the days first begin to lengthen noticeably at the end of January, and the other that marks the Solstice in March.

Groundhog Day likely began as a Pennsylvania German tradition in the late 18th century. The custom is said to have originated in Europe, where a badger or bear is seen as a weather predictor. In Pennsylvania, apparently, folks were rather short on bears and badgers and turned to the more plentiful groundhog.

There was likely a Pagan influence, too. The feast of Imbolc on February 1 is the point where the Celtic calendar turns and spring is heralded.

The first actual reference to Groundhog Day as an American holiday comes to us from a diary entry dated February 4, 1841. This diary was kept by a storekeeper named James Morris. In this particular entry, James referred to the previous Tuesday which was February 2 as “Candlemas Day.” He wrote that this was the day when the Germans say the groundhog comes out of his winter burrow and if he sees his shadow, he pops back in for six more weeks of sleep. James also wrote that if the groundhog didn’t see his shadow due to cloudy weather, then the weather would be “moderate.”

Scottish and English poetry, while not making reference to any particular furry animal, does refer to the weather on Candlemas being a harbinger of spring or continual winter. A sunny Candlemas meant an extension of winter, while a cloudy one meant spring was coming soon.

Well, now you know a little something about the history of Groundhog Day!

Top Six Girlfriend Getaways

There’s nothing like a getaway with your best friend (or “BFF”). Such trips create priceless, precious memories and can bring you closer together than ever before. But where do you go? Here are six of the top girlfriend getaways for your next trip.

1.
Shopping Trip

For some best friends,
shopping is just the thing for a fun getaway. You can get packages that include a hotel stay and two days of shopping. Manhattan is a great destination for this. Check out the “Shop ’til You Drop” deal – it’s around $1000. The hotel where you stay will even ship large purchases home for you.

Philadelphia is another good one for a shopping trip. Omni Independence Park offers girlfriend getaways for less than $300 (per person), and includes a massage and a gift card to local restaurants and museums.

2. Fort Worth, Texas

For less than $500, the Doral Tesoro Hotel and Golf Club offers a night at their hotel along with line-dancing lessons, meals, and even mechanical bull riding! It’s called “This One’s for Girls,” and is usually offered at the end of December.

3. Get Your Hiking Boots

Girlfriends who like to get active might enjoy a getaway like the one offered at St George, Utah. It’s perfect for girls who like nature and physical activity. It’s around $230 per person for hotel accommodation, meals, and all-day bike-riding, hiking, fitness classes, and even cooking demos.

4. Chicago Bed and Breakfast

One of the more affordable getaways, theWit in Chicago offers a $199-per-night Bed and Breakfast package that includes a gourmet breakfast and shopping on Michigan Avenue. You can also go jogging or biking at Olympic Park, visit museums, or watch a show at the Chicago Theater. That evening, relax at theWit with cocktails and Italian food at Cibo Matto.

5. Palm Springs

Palm Springs has a reputation as a romantic getaway, but it’s great for girlfriends, too. Parker Palm Springs has a package that’s great for BFFs – it includes a stay in their posh hotel, breakfast, spa treatments, lunch, and cocktails. Enjoy dinner at your choice of restaurants, and then roast marshmallows around a classy fire pit. You can even have a pajama party in your hotel room and they will provide food, movies, and snacks.

6. Washington, DC

A girls-only trip to the nation’s capital can be a real treat. Plan shopping, museum visits, and trips to historic sites. If you’re on a budget, check out Starwood Hotels, which offers $99-dollar-per-night rates to new visitors. Lorien Hotel and Spa is also a great place for girls to get away together. You get meals and spa treatments as part of the package.