Linda @ Linda’s Lunacy

How to Find the Perfect Exercise for You!

November 11, 2020 by Linda @ Linda's Lunacy

*This perfect exercise post contains affiliate links

Exercise is so important to our health and well being. We can’t truly be healthy without exercise.

The benefits of exercise are many. It reduces the risk of illness and disease. We need weightbearing exercise for strong, healthy bones. Exercise helps with weight management. It reduces stress, and improves our mood. Just to name a few!

How to Find the Perfect Exercise for You!

1. Go see your doctor. Yes, that’s the first step to finding the perfect exercise for you. Talk to your doctor. Tell him/her that you want to start exercising and get cleared for new physical activity.

2. Decide what your health goals are. Improve your heart health? Lose weight? Stay active instead of slowing down with age? Build muscle? Increase your stamina? You have to choose the health goals that are important to you. Choosing all, or too many, will make it next to impossible for you to meet your goals. Pick one. Reach that goal or be well on your way to reaching it, before you add another one.

3. Think about the things you love to do. Did you love a certain sport when you were in school? Did you take skating/horseback riding/dance lessons? Is being out in nature your thing or do you prefer to be indoors? Once you focus on the things you love to do, you will be able to narrow down what exercise you will love. Take up those lessons again, find a sports team to play on. Go out and hike that mountain. Well, work your way up to the mountain. lol

4. Take a good look at your schedule. Committing several hours a week to a sports team/ dance lessons, etc. won’t work if your schedule is already full. No matter how hard you try, you will be setting yourself up for failure. You may need to start out smaller while you work on changing your schedule. Maybe your lunch hour is the only time you have. Take a walk instead of being on your phone or talking to others. Get them to go on a walk with you!

5. Do you like to exercise with others? Or do you prefer to be alone? if you prefer to be alone and you take a large exercise class/join a team, you aren’t going to be able to keep with it. And vice versa. Do you want/need someone with you to tell you what to do every step of the way? If you do, getting a trainer or coach will really help you. If you don’t, getting a trainer will make you miserable, and you will stop.

This is what I’ve been using for the last few months to get my exercise in. HERE I’m loving it!

Once you find what you love, that fits with your personality, and schedule, it’s time to get moving!

*This post contains affiliate links. If you click the links, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you

In the Kitchen with Linda & Dinner Menu

November 2, 2020 by Linda @ Linda's Lunacy

*This post contains affiliate links

I haven’t shared what I’ve been up to in the kitchen lately. But rest assured I have been hard at work in the kitchen. Well, some days. Some days, I choose quick and easy. lol

We cleaned our freezer out and found quite a few packages of venison left from last years hunting season. So we moved those to the top of the freezer so we could use it up. I vacuumed sealed it all, so it’s all still just like it was when I froze it last year.

I used just over two pounds to make venison jerky in the dehydrator. I sorta followed a recipe, sorta didn’t. lol All the guys liked it so I guess it was ok. I don’t usually eat jerky, but I tasted this, and I thought it was good, too. I’ll share the recipe soon.

With the 2 pounds of meat, I got a quart jar and a half, loosely packed. For longer storage, I vacuum seal it. But since I haven’t made any jerky since last year, I won’t have to worry about long term storage with this batch. lol

I had some prepared taco meat in the freezer, along with a bag of hash browns. So they became a Taco Hash Brown Casserole that my family loved! Recipe coming soon!

I played with my Sausage Pasta Skillet Dinner recipe to make the sauce separate from the pasta. It came out ok, but not just right. So I’ll try again another time. I want to perfect it as a sauce so the recipe can be made gluten free.

I made a venison stew in the pressure cooker over the weekend. It came out great! I made some homemade biscuits to go with it. The perfect dinner for a cold, windy, fall day.

In The Kitchen with Linda & Dinner Menu

Now…. to answer the question that I get asked about a hundred times a day……….What’s For Dinner?

Sunday – soup & sandwich day – Jag

Monday – chicken or turkey – Herbed chicken with potatoes and carrots

Tuesday – pizza/pasta – Cincinnati Style Chili, cornbread, green beans

Wednesday – Taco Night- Steak, rice, beets

Thursday – pork or chicken – pork roast, fried rice

Friday – Quick & Easy – leftovers

Saturday – Quick & Easy or Husbands Choice – I can’t decide! Guess I’ll let him pick that day lol

For more ideas, visit Menu Plan Monday

*This post contains affiliate links. If you click the link and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission.

Breast Health Facts

October 28, 2020 by Linda @ Linda's Lunacy

*This page contains an affiliate link

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. But we should be concerned with breast health year round, not just during October.

My mother is a breast cancer survivor. So I personally know some things about breast cancer. And I try to stay informed about new information. Here are some facts that I have learned about breast cancer.

Breast Health Facts

~Breast cancer is the number two cancer in woman in the United States. Some kinds of skin cancer comes in first.*

~There were 250,520 cases of breast cancer in the US in 2017, the last year that there is data for.*

~There are some things you can do to lower your risk of getting breast cancer, not drinking alcohol, for example.

~You need to know the breast cancer history for the women in your family. Whether you get tested for the breast cancer gene is a personal decision. But you still need to know if women in your family have gotten breast cancer. This information will help your doctor decide how often you should be screened.

~The majority of breast cancer cases are not family related.

~It has not been proven that anti-perspirants and deodorants cause breast cancer.*
If you are concerned, do some research to find one that you are comfortable using. There are many options available now.

~Breastfeeding has been shown to reduce breast cancer risk. Even if you can only breastfeed for a month or two, it’s awesome for baby, and will help lower your risk. The longer you breastfeed, the lower your risk.

~Early detection is key to improving survival rates.

~A mammogram is the standard test to check for breast cancer. There are some concerns about the radiation from mammograms. If this concerns you, talk to your doctor. Sometimes, in some cases, another test can be done with less radiation.

~We all need to be diligent in doing our monthly self breast exams. I use this to help during self exams. Right now there is a buy one, get one free sale going on. So you can share one!

~Not every lump is cancer! Please don’t avoid doing self exams, and yearly exams with your doctor. You don’t need to be afraid!

Breast cancer doesn’t just affect women. It affects men, too. Their mothers, girlfriends, wives, daughters, are getting breast cancer. Men get breast cancer, too! So ladies, make sure the men in your life know the facts about breast health!

Here are a couple of things that I made for my mother to celebrate her being a breast cancer survivor.

A pink ribbon scarf, and a ribbon grapevine wreath.

*This page contains an affiliate link. If you click the link and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission.

*I got these numbers from here and here. And info from here.

When Is It Time to Replace Your Smoke Detector?

October 23, 2020 by Linda @ Linda's Lunacy

*This smoke detector post contains affiliate links

Did you know that smoke detectors have a life span? I didn’t until last week. I read that smoke detectors have to be replaced every 10 years. That was the first I had ever heard of that. So I looked it up.

Do You Know When It’s Time to Replace Your Smoke Detector?

And it was right!

Smoke detectors do have a life span. The sensors inside stop working, even if they have never been exposed to smoke.

So….we bought this house new 21 years ago. And were still using the same smoke detectors. So now I was freaked out about whether they would actually work in the event of a fire.

I replaced the batteries twice a year, and pressed the test button. And ours were actually wired into the electric. Yes, you have to change the batteries in hard wired smoke detectors, too!

But all those things don’t have anything to do with the sensors!

So I did some research, and bought new ones. I like that it has an escape light. Especially important for the elderly and children, that can get easily confused finding their way in the dark.

I bought 2, one for outside the master bedroom, and one for outside the bedrooms at the other end of the house.

The one that I bought is not longer available. I just did some research, and I would buy this one. if I was buying them now.

Smoke Detector Do’s & Don’ts

Place smoke detectors outside all bedroom areas. Even if a bedroom is off a living room, or family room where you don’t won’t to see one. Safety first! Decor second.

Replace your smoke detector regularly. If like me, yours is older, replace now. I saw new ones for sale with a 3 or 5 year life span. Pay attention to those recommendations, and replace when needed.

Replace the batteries twice a year. Even if according to the test button the batteries still work. If your smoke detector is wired into the electric, don’t depend on just the electric. The electric could and will go out in a fire. You need the battery back up. I use changing the clocks twice a year as a reminder to replace my smoke detector batteries.

Don’t paint your smoke detector! You wouldn’t think that just putting a little paint on the outside would affect the sensors inside, but it does. Follow the manufactures recommendations and don’t paint.

*This post contains affiliate links. If you click the link and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission.

Giveaway Link Up

October 21, 2020 by Linda @ Linda's Lunacy

I love entering giveaways. And I really love hosting giveaways on Linda’s Lunacy. It’s so much fun to give stuff away! Now, with this Giveaway Link Up, you can find lots of great giveaways to enter!

While your here, enter my current giveaway!

Enter to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card! Giveaway ends 11/8 US & CAN

Have fun, and I hope you win something!

Please, only link family friendly giveaways. My kids read here, and anything not family friendly, will be promptly deleted. Sorry, but it’s for my kids. 🙂

Help spread the word! Share about the Giveaway Link Up at Linda’s Lunacy! Simply click the message below to tweet!

[Tweet “Visit the Giveaway Link Up @LindasLunacy – Find great #giveaways to enter & share your #giveaway in the #linkup, too!”]

If you are visiting, and this link up is closed, go to HERE to find the latest one.

2 Hearts Review – Inspirational Movie Based on a True Story

October 16, 2020 by Linda @ Linda's Lunacy

This summer, I was able to watch a screener for the new movie 2 Hearts to review. 2 Hearts shows us that every moment is a gift. Several themes run throughout the movie: sacrificial love, hope, family, and miracles.

For two couples the future unfolds in different decades and different places, but a hidden connection will bring them together in a way no one could have predicted. Based on an inspirational true story, 2 HEARTS is a romantic journey that celebrates life, love and generosity of spirit, and will strengthen our belief that miracles still happen.

2 Hearts Review – Inspirational Movie Based on a True Story

2 HEARTS, rated PG13, from Freestyle Releasing/ AMT Productions, stars: Jacob Elordi (Euphoria; KISSING BOOTH), Tiera Skovbye (Riverdale, THE MIRACLE SEASON), Radha Mitchell (DREAMKATCHER; THE SHACK), Adan Canto (X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST; Designated Survivor)

Fans are loving the trailer for 2 HEARTS! The trailer has 27 million views on YouTube, over 10 million views on Facebook, and nearly 60,000 views on Instagram!

Check it out!

2 Hearts in theaters October 16, 2020!

I liked this movie. No, I didn’t love it. I found it hard to follow the story line at first. It took a little bit to get to know the characters and follow the story line. Once the film got going, and I learned the characters, I enjoyed the movie.

There was some language that was unnecessary. I always find it disappointing when otherwise good movies have to use language that gets a higher rating. I suggest you follow the rating advice, or pre-watch it before sharing with your kids or teens. Overall, though, I did enjoy this movie.

Watch this exclusive clip….

2 Hearts is in theaters now!!

For more information, visit the 2 Hearts website.

And check out their social media pages:

Facebook
Instagram
Twitter

*Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” My opinions are my own.

Butterfly Box Review

October 12, 2020 by Linda @ Linda's Lunacy

I recently received a Butterfly Box to review. Never heard of a Butterfly Box? It’s a monthly subscription box just for women of faith. It was so nice to have this Butterfly Box full of faith building items delivered right to my house.

Butterfly Box’s own description:

Life is busy, and it can be hard to find the time each day to connect with Christ. Butterfly Box is here to help! We thoughtfully curate a themed box each month to help reclaim those quiet moments with God, build your intimacy with Christ, and live out your faith in the world around you!

A little about what’s included in a Butterfly Box:

~Each month’s box is designed to illustrate a biblical theme and encourage spiritual growth.

~5 to 6 items such as jewelry, artwork, books, decor, personal pampering items, faith sharing cards and other specialty items

~All items are carefully chosen and undergo a rigorous selection process

~Products are faith-based or support small Christian businesses.

The theme of this months box was Women of Prayer. It included the book, The Power of a Praying Woman, a journal, this pretty prayer bracelet, and two organic Tea Drops – to make tea to enjoy during your quiet time.

If you haven’t read this book, I highly recommend it! This version has a nice leather like cover. I think the fact that they included this instead of a paperback book speaks to the quality of the boxes.

Also included the box were these two cards. One tells about everything included in the box. The other is a Weekly Prayer Guide. This can be used over and over again. it includes daily prayer ideas for yourself, your family, your work or ministry, your community, & more.