When thinking of traditions, most of us will go this time of year. The holidays bring cozy thoughts of food, music, or countless things you do with friends and family.
Traditions are made doing simple things with extraordinary people.
All year, I seek making traditions and it's ironic because it usually involves food, music and things I do with friends and family (just like the holidays). It defines my mantra of less stuff, more life. I surround myself with extraordinary people to help me find the joy in ordinary things throughout the year. Instead of packing as much as possible in this time of year, how can you spread it out? How can you create a tradition on a Sunday in March or a Thursday in May like I did with this great group of extraordinary nutrition communicators?
Traditions are not only for certain times of the year, they should be made all year round.
Nosh Two. Weekly Conversation.
My conversation today is with a new friend who feels like an old friend and registered dietitian, Crystal Wilson.
Last spring, I was fortunate enough to travel to Boise, Idaho and be with the members of the Idaho Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. In preparation for my trip, I was excited to meet different dietitians from other states and wanted to schedule a podcast with a dietitian from Idaho. Crystal so graciously volunteered her time to stay after the annual meeting and have a conversation with me. We had the best conversation, that even brought tears to my eyes because of her passion to being a lifelong learner and impeccable leader. Crystal embodies what I want to be when I grow up, not only as an outstanding dietitian but a mentor who is one of the genuine people I have met along the way.
Connect with Crystal: cwilson@dairywest.com
Nosh Three. Week In Review.
I am pretty excited to share some of my favorite #DairyTraditions this week on my Instagram and Twitter accounts. Don't forget to join me in the photo challenge by Midwest Dairy Association because you can win a years worth a cheesecake and I will be very jealous of your winnings. I am giving you a sneak preview of my posts for the week and hope they inspire you to share your own.
December 11th, I am sharing my photo of dairy gifts and decor. I love being a nutrition communicator for Midwest Dairy. I get so many learning opportunities about dairy foods, farmers and farms as well as cutting edge nutrition and research. They are also will surprise us throughout the year with fun goodies and I was thrilled to receive this goodie basket to celebrate the photo challenge and will be using a few of them to make my holiday more dairy delicious.
December 12th I am sharing my favorite milk pairing on a cold morning winter morning in Iowa: cranberry cinnamon rolls with cream cheese icing. I make the dough in my breadmaker, roll out the dough, spread on butter and sprinkle with cinnamon and dried cranberries. I will make extra and then freeze them, so I can bake a couple to eat while watching Sunday Morning in bed with an ice cold glass of milk.
December 13th will feature some pretty snazzy sugar cookies I am gifting to my family and my family deserves only the best: butter. And they won't even think it is weird because all of them lived on farms with cows and have even milked cows. I think this cookie cutter was such a great gift and will be something I will use throughout the year (I was thinking cow cheese slices and crackers?).
December 14th for #TBT Family Fun, I am sharing a photo of my Dairy Nutrition Communicator family. It has been 4 years this family has been together and I am lucky to be a part of this tradition. Every year we come together, I am grateful for what I learn and whom I learn from. It is one of the most supportive groups of professionals I have been a part of and I hope it continues for many more to come.
December 15th I am sharing how I like to spend my Friday nights with MOOvie night. Hot chocolate is one of my favorite drinks and I like to make it with creamy whole milk and real dark chocolate. I warm up my milk and then melt in chunks of 70% dark chocolate, it is dreamy. Then I pop my favorite Simply Popped Popcorn, start up a movie and settle in for the night. Have you ever dipped your popcorn in hot chocolate? You miggghhhhtttt want to try it. Just saying.
Nosh Four. Workout Playlist of the Week.
Traditions can start in the gym or at home or outside on the pavement, wherever you like to move your body. Feel the flow and find this weeks playlist on Spotify and Apple Music (#5 and #9 are my favorites!)
Nosh Five. What I Love Right Now.
Crystal, my podcast guest this week, gifted me this AWESOME book and pretty pens when we met for HER birthday on October (enter tears in my eyes). It was one of the most thoughtful things anyone has ever done for me and it has been a gift of growth. Where Will You Be Five Years From Today? 5 years can be life changing or it can just be another 5 years. This book is exactly what I needed at this moment in my life: to create a life of choose to's and can't wait to do's. After reading the first page, I was hooked. "This is your life, your one and only life. You determine what's possible. Make choices, ask questions, take steps. Today is the day." Thank you Crystal for this guide to help me craft a life of purpose and make it all possible.
~AE
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