December 2021

FDA Approves Abortion Pills by Mail Nationwide

The FDA has approved abortion pills by mail for anyone in the United States, which is fantastic and long overdue. The ability to take care of one's reproductive health should be easy, affordable and accessible to every person who can get pregnant. That said, this is far from a perfect solution, especially since, as many have noted, it remains illegal in Texas and soon will likely follow suit in other states.

Butterscotch Flavor Hacks

Who doesn't love a good butterscotch flavor? Unfortunately, my favorite source for low-sugar syrups doesn't carry butterscotch. They have toffee, which is close, but it doesn't have that classic Lifesaver flavor I'm looking for in my daily coffee and mixed drinks. There are plenty of mixed drinks that come in the flavor already, but most of them aren't of the low-sugar variety, at least that I've seen.

The Best Web Comics

Many years ago, I started reading Lore Olympus. I thought the web comic was fun and enjoyed what I read, but--like I often do--I fell off the comic once I stopped where an update was coming and never returned. It could've been literally a week! My memory is that terrible sometimes. So when my sister bought the new bound book of the comic, I couldn't have been happier for the author. Way to go!

Your Weirdest Family Guy Theories

Fan theories are so much fun to explore, unless a theory or two seems so real, so plausible, that it ruins the entire show for you. What if, for example, Family Guy only exists in Stewie's head, and the entire show is just him making sense of the world in his own twisted way. And what if Stewie isn't even a baby during all of this, but a man in a coma? Fan theory possibilities are endless, which is what makes them so dangerous!

Hopeful News Among the Variants

With variants spreading and many Americans still refusing to socially distance or get vaccinated, it's a difficult holiday for many people once again. This year there's some hope on the horizon in a couple of  forms. The first is that teens are approved for booster shots, many adults are receiving them and Israel is even issuing a fourth round of protection for elderly folks and people at risk.

80s Child Actors: Where are They Now?

Child actors grew exponentially in the 80s, and much of that growth was rather unhealthy for the kids put into those positions. While some of our favorite child actors grew into adult actors, many of many beloved child stars from film and TV series that quit the business to escape some of the pain and suffering they experienced in Hollywood. Some unfortunately did not make it to adulthood.

Live, Laugh, Lose

All of those "Live, Laugh, Love" jokes are hilarious, whether they're in the form of a TikTok video, a meme or just goofy things friends say to one another to poke fun at each other. Now there's a game to celebrate these corny jokes called Live, Laugh, Lose. It's a party game for adults that will challenge you to make the most cheesy jokes you've ever made in your life!

"Hell in a Bucket"

There's something about a performance sans music. A capella choirs get teased so often but it's often some of the most beautiful music you'll hear. Without an accompaniment, audiences are able to experience the raw emotion and nuances of a vocalist's range. It's even more meaningful when the sounds come from a band that fans normally experience through rock music lots of instruments.

New Year's Eve Shopping

With New Year's Eve so close, I know I'm not going to have time to really go get items like party hats, noisemakers or activities for my family. The beautiful thing about that is that with a printer and some creativity, you can still order plenty of paper crafts to do from home if you need some activities to do with the family, kids you're babysitting or just for fun yourself.

Dips for Holiday Desserts

Finger foods and snacks are my favorite party foods, for holidays or just for at-home snacking. One of my favorites is pumpkin dip, which is so easy to make. You can serve it with graham crackers, Nilla wafers, just about anything. This year I'm going to try this cannoli dip filled with chocolate chips. We have a bunch of kids this year, so I think it would be a great crowd-pleaser just for that reason!

The Best Oatmeal

Proper Good is one of my favorite companies that sell no sugar added soups that are made out of just a few ingredients (every one of them pronounceable), and they're also known for their oatmeal. They have a new caramel pecan and date oatmeal that I would love to try! It's full of chia, flax and hemp seeds, which means it takes a lot of the steps out of my smoothie-making process, too.

Birds in the Winter Garden

Most of us know to regularly clean out our bird feeders and houses each year to ensure that our avian visitors are kept healthy and happy. And when it comes to building birdhouses, many of us go with the cheap and easy bluebird house, which is also super easy to clean up once the birds have flown the coop, so to speak. But ventilated reed grass houses are other cheap options that you can instantly hang as homes for birds.

Holiday Crafts on the Cheap

Everyone could use some extra frugal ideas, especially when it comes to doing crafts around the holidays. Luckily there are plenty of free and cheap ideas to try when you are ready to do some holiday crafting. The first one that comes to mind for me is this year's ornament we are making for ourselves, our family and friends: A vaccine! OK, we are using up all of the old little medicine droppers we've saved over the years and decorating them, complete with ribbons for hanging, and not using actual syringes, of course.

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