At Home With Valerie

(Family Features) While traveling more, losing weight and quitting bad habits are annually among some of the most popular New Year’s resolutions, the turn of the calendar does represent a perfect opportunity to better yourself in multiple ways. The impact of taking steps toward a healthier lifestyle – from committing to eating well, sleeping better, drinking cleaner water or boosting your nutrient intake – can be far-reaching, but also overwhelming. Gradually incorporating the health-focused habits you hope to make permanent fixtures in your life can help ensure the process isn’t overly taxing, and some products can help ease the transition as well. Find more tips to help keep you on the right path toward reaching your wellness goals at eLivingtoday.com . New Year, Cleaner Water When adopting health-focused resolutions like staying hydrated, it’s also an opportunity to commit to drinking cleaner water. The easy-to-install PUR Advanced Faucet Filtration System makes it simpl...

(Family Features) Each new year gives you the chance to reset and start new routines. When you’re considering new approaches to healthy living – whether eliminating or adding habits to improve your daily life – beginning with your home is an optimal choice. Your living environment has a strong influence on your life, and it’s worth evaluating how you can make updates that create a positive space for you and all that the new year will bring. Consider these ideas to refresh your home and simplify your housecleaning routine so you can spend more time focusing on your goals this year. Start by Decluttering It’s practically impossible to get excited about a fresh start when you’re surrounding by last year’s junk. Make decluttering and purging unnecessary items a top priority for your refresh. Clear counters and tables to create more inviting surfaces and force yourself to assess which items are worth keeping. Get rid of items you don’t need by donating, selling or disposing them...

May the Christmas season fill your home with joy, your heart with love and your life with laughter. Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and all the best in 2020. Sincerely, Valerie McConville

(BPT) - Planning and food prep for the holidays are underway so you're probably creating grocery store lists and considering which favorite family recipes to cook this year. No matter what you're serving, there's one thing that can elevate foods from good to great: a delicious gravy. Making gravy doesn't have to be complicated and time-consuming. You can get the best turkey gravy in 5 minutes using two simple steps. The trick is to use a gravy mix because it provides a fool-proof, deliciously smooth gravy without worry. Here's how to do it: Perfect turkey gravy Makes 15 servings Ingredients: 2 packages McCormick® Turkey Gravy Mix1/4 cup flour3 cups water1 cup turkey pan drippings or turkey broth1 cup chopped cooked turkey giblets (optional)Instructions: Step 1: Mix Gravy Mix and flour in large saucepan. Gradually stir in water and turkey drippings or turkey broth with wire whisk until smooth. Stir in chopped turkey giblets, if desired. Step 2: Stirring freque...

(BPT) - The holidays are full of family, friends - and lots and lots of food. And while we love getting together with all our loved ones, the thought of coming up with a meal that pleases everyone can be a bit frightful. But with a little prep work, planning, and new healthy takes on cooking and baking staples, making meals that satisfy everyone is now joyfully easier. Make Everyone Happy The not-so-secret ingredient that brings a rich, creamy taste to any dish - is butter, of course. But when your not-eating-dairy-this-week cousin and more-butter-the-better sister are both coming to dinner, you need to come up with the one dish that makes them both happy. Give yourself a gift by swapping out dairy butter for Country Crock® Plant Butter. It tastes like butter, but is dairy-free, plant-based and has less saturated fat than dairy butter. Now everyone's happy - including you! Twist-up A Classic Mashed potatoes without heaps of butter? Never! Here's to holiday indulgenc...

(BPT) - Are you looking for fun ways to spend time with loved ones this holiday season? Crafting DIY decorations is a perfect way to do so, providing an opportunity for you to get creative and make cheerful and festive pieces you'll cherish all season long. Another perk of making delightful holiday creations is making memories - which is what the season is really about. So, fill your mugs with cider or hot cocoa and get ready for some holiday happiness with these three easy DIY decor projects the whole family will enjoy! Project 1: PEEPS® Marshmallow Trees Centerpiece Pro DIY tip: PEEPS® Marshmallow candies aren't only a tasty treat, but they're also an adorable addition to crafts and recipes! With seasonal marshmallow shapes such as Snowmen, Trees, Reindeer and Gingerbread Men, the opportunities to craft are endless.  This fun and festive centerpiece will adorn your table and be enjoyed by all of your guests this holiday season. Items needed: * 6x6...

(BPT) - According to the National Retail Federation, 41.4 million people shopped exclusively online from Thanksgiving Day to Cyber Monday in 2018. As the holidays approach, online shopping will continue to grow in popularity, helping families spend more time celebrating the season and less time struggling through long disorganized lines, fighting massive crowds of frantic shoppers, and worrying about whether that must-have gift will still be on shelves at the mall. While online shopping offers up a convenient way to purchase holiday gifts, many consumers are concerned about their delivered packages going missing. Ensuring your online holiday purchases are securely delivered can make your cyber shopping experience even more rewarding and stress free. Here are five tips that will keep your packages safe and your holidays happy. 1. Get deliveries straight to your garage with Key by Amazon Online retailers such as Amazon serve as a popular holiday shopping destination. This season you...

(BPT) - The holiday season is full of celebration, social activities and spreading good cheer by exchanging gifts. The problem is gift giving can get expensive if you're not making a plan and monitoring your spending. A happy holiday doesn't have to mean stressing about finances or going into debt. You can enjoy the holidays and save money with some smart strategies for gift giving on a budget. Create a gift list: Are you feeling pressure to get gifts for everyone? Thoughtfully consider who's on your list this year. While a gift may be appropriate for some people, others might simply prefer to spend some time together rather than exchanging gifts. Perhaps invite someone over for lunch or plan a cookie exchange with friends. Make a budget early: Deciding on budget limits for your holiday gifts will help guide your spending. You might have an overall holiday budget and then a specific budget to target for each person on your list. Then, with your gift list in hand and b...

(BPT) - No matter what holiday shoppers are looking for this season, there are two things on everyone’s list: saving time and saving money . Whether you’re making memories with friends and family, or enjoying some JOMO ( joy of missing out ) cozied up with a holiday flick and treat, we all wish we had more time over the holidays. Picking out the perfect gift for everyone on your list can also be a drain on your free time — and your wallet — with The National Retail Federation predicting that holiday spending will increase approximately 4% this year. This holiday season, simplify your shopping with these six easy tips so you can save both time and money and get back to enjoying “the most wonderful time of the year” with family and friends.   1. Set a budget — and stick to it. With shoppers expected to spend more this year, setting a budget will be as important as ever, and a great first step in managing holiday spending. Sticking to your budget can be difficult, but ther...