If you're like me, you're still trying to fit in a few more Christmas movies to bring in sheer delight finishing this holiday season.  This is a wonderful one that will warm your heart.

​The Montgomerys - parents Charles and Judith, and their three children, fifteen year old Alexander, fourteen year old Jennifer and adolescent Emily - are spending Christmas at a new, isolated, state-of-the-art mountain cabin built by Charles' development company in upstate New York. Outwardly Charles built it so that they can spend time there to reconnect as a family, but they all know that he really built it to support the business. They as a family have long not been happy, as workaholic Charles is always concerned the company is close to folding, especially if he doesn't keep an eye on matters, while Judith feels like he treats their entire family as second priority to the work and the associated money and material wealth. They make it to the cabin just before a major snowstorm hits the area. They receive a surprise knock on their door from the Tuckers - parents Joe and Amy, and their two children, fifteen year old Robbie and fourteen year old Lucie - who ran off the road in their van on their way to a day ski trip, they who need shelter until the storm blows over. Unlike the Montgomerys, the Tuckers are a loving, happy family, who support each other as a family unit. The Montgomerys and the Tuckers do bond during their confined time together, but the sheer presence of the Tuckers may not be enough in and of itself to demonstrate to the Montgomerys what they need to do to avert the break-up of their family. - IMBd

Coconut oil pulling is one of the best ways to remove bacteria and promote healthy teeth and gums!

It has taken quite some time, but oil pulling has finally gained some popularity in the United States.

Used primarily in Ayurvedic medicine, oil pulling is a fantastic oral detoxification procedure that is simply done by swishing a tablespoon of oil (typically coconut oil, olive or sesame oil) in your mouth for 10-20 minutes.

Oil pulling works by cleaning (detoxifying) the oral cavity in a similar way that soap cleans dirty dishes. It literally sucks the dirt (toxins) out of your mouth and creates a clean, antiseptic oral environment that contributes to the proper flow of dental liquid that is needed to prevent cavities and disease.

This unbelievably effective procedure has been used for centuries as a traditional India remedy to:

• Cures tooth decay
• Kills bad breath
• Heals bleeding gums
• Prevents heart disease
• Reduces inflammation
• Whitens teeth
• Soothes throat dryness
• Prevents cavities
• Heals cracked lips
• Boosts Immune System
• Improves acne
• Strengthens gums and jaw

Most of us cannot even imagine what life would be like without brushing and flossing our teeth everyday. However, in the scheme of things, tooth brushing is relatively, new since nylon bristle toothbrushes didn’t become part of our normal American experience until the late 1930s!

It’s important to remember that, in spite of the fact that most people in American today were all raised with toothbrushes in our mouths, our ancestors didn’t brush their teeth with toothpaste for thousands of years. And, as far as archeological evidence suggests, most people throughout history lived until a ripe old age with most of their teeth intact and in a strong, healthy state.

Wodering why their teeth didn't rot? Well, first of all, they ate real food and didn’t consume processed sugars and grains filled with phytic acid, which destroy tooth enamel. Secondly, they took care of their teeth through natural means like chew sticks that they rubbed against the teeth as has been found in Egyptian tombs dating to 3000 B.C. Third, depending on the culture and region of the world, many people also oil pulled.

By now, you’ve probably heard of the phrase “oil pulling.” Not quite a household name just yet, people in natural health circles are adopting the procedure as part of their daily regimen by the droves because of the hype that is being placed on it about it lately on the Internet.

The Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine, for example, recently highlighted a study that reviewed holistic approaches to oral health and discovered that oil pulling is one of the most effective natural health solutions known to scientists that prevent tooth decay and loss. Praised for curing more than 30 systemic diseases, the authors of this study have some profound things to say about this ancient natural healing practice:

“Oil pulling is a powerful detoxifying Ayurvedic technique that has recently become very popular as a CAM remedy for many different health ailments. Using this method, surgery or medication could be prevented for a number of chronic illnesses. The oil therapy is preventative as well as curative. The exciting aspect of this healing method is its simplicity.

Ayurveda advises oil gargling to purify the entire system; as it holds that each section of the tongue is connected to different organ such as to the kidneys, lungs, liver, heart, small intestines, stomach, colon, and spine, similarly to reflexology and TCM.”

I  suggest using coconut oil. Coconut oil has been shown to:

• Balance Hormones
• Kill Candida
• Improve Digestion
• Moisturize Skin
• Reduce Cellulite
• Decrease Wrinkles and Age Spots
• Balance Blood Sugar and Improve Energy
• Improve Alzheimer’s
• Increase HDL and Lower LDL Cholesterol
• Burn Fat

Because it is highly absorbable, you can experience many of these benefits simply by oil pulling!
Coconut Oil Pulling: 

1. Make sure to oil pull first thing in the morning right after you get out of bed before you brush your teeth or drink anything.
2. Gently swish 1 –- 2 tablespoons of coconut oil in your mouth and between your teeth for 10-20 minutes making sure that you don’t swallow any of the oil. (Do this gently so you don’t wear out your jaw and cheeks!)
3. Spit out the oil in the trash (not the sink so it doesn’t clog up the plumbing…ask me how I know) and immediately rinse your mouth out with warm water (use salt water for added antimicrobial properties).
4. Finally, brush your teeth as normal.
5. Try oil pulling during  your morning shower.

I recommend oil pulling 3-4x per week with coconut oil.

I love historical fiction movies over the holidays.  This one will keep you at the edge of your seat.

​Two families overcome prejudice and tragedy in 1888 Wyoming when a special Christmas miracle saves the life of a small boy. - IMDb

I am on a Christmas movie spree!  Look for upcoming great streaming to add some much needed rest to your day.  

Kate, a workaholic lawyer, has 12 days to get a bed and breakfast appraised, but the owner is uncooperative because he claims a spirit lives there and would not approve. As Kate's promotion may rest on accomplishing this task, she checks in and haggles with a man who suspiciously seems awfully solid for a ghost. -IMDb

Loved this one with its life lessons.  You'll embrace the Christmas spirit after watching this flick.

The Montgomerys - parents Charles and Judith, and their three children, fifteen year old Alexander, fourteen year old Jennifer and adolescent Emily - are spending Christmas at a new, isolated, state-of-the-art mountain cabin built by Charles' development company in upstate New York. Outwardly Charles built it so that they can spend time there to reconnect as a family, but they all know that he really built it to support the business. They as a family have long not been happy, as workaholic Charles is always concerned the company is close to folding, especially if he doesn't keep an eye on matters, while Judith feels like he treats their entire family as second priority to the work and the associated money and material wealth. They make it to the cabin just before a major snowstorm hits the area. They receive a surprise knock on their door from the Tuckers - parents Joe and Amy, and their two children, fifteen year old Robbie and fourteen year old Lucie - who ran off the road in their van on their way to a day ski trip, they who need shelter until the storm blows over. Unlike the Montgomerys, the Tuckers are a loving, happy family, who support each other as a family unit. The Montgomerys and the Tuckers do bond during their confined time together, but the sheer presence of the Tuckers may not be enough in and of itself to demonstrate to the Montgomerys what they need to do to avert the break-up of their family.-IMBd

Few get an exhilarating rush when seeing the words "dentist appointment" on the calendar. But when you have fibromyalgia, these visits can be more than just annoyances - they can be downright frightening, painful experiences that can cause you to shirk this important health check. "As a dentist, I find people with fibromyalgia often neglect their dental condition because of other concerns in their body," says Timothy Kosinski, DDS, an adjunct assistant professor at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry and a dentist in Bingham Farms, Mich.

Fibromyalgia pain often occurs in the face, head, and neck areas, which can make dental visits intimidating. But because dental issues are common in people with fibromyalgia, regular trips to the dentist are necessary.

Understanding and Overcoming a Dental Phobia

Living with fibromyalgia creates difficulty at the dentist for varying reasons. You may have trouble opening your mouth for long periods of time - your jaw muscles may tire quickly, which results in temporomandibular joint pain (TMJ). Also, the fibromyalgia pain in other joints can make it hard to sit comfortably in the dentist's chair for any length of time.

"Plus, because people with fibromyalgia are dealing with chronic pain, dental anxiety can be heightened for fear of making their condition worse," says Mark Schlesinger, DDS, a dentist with the Diamond-Schlesinger Group in Manhattan. Fibromyalgia symptoms may even make routine dental hygiene habits like brushing and flossing painful and unpleasant.

Despite dental fears, it's important that you see a dentist on a regular basis. The longer you go without seeing the dentist, the scarier the appointment will seem. Also, should a dental problem develop, you might become reluctant or even embarrassed to get the treatment you need.

"In addition, people with fibromyalgia often suffer from chronic head and neck muscle pain, and dental problems such as cavities or grinding the teeth can exacerbate these fibromyalgia symptoms," Dr. Schlesinger says. Another consideration, he adds, is that "fibromyalgia pain can easily be mistaken for tooth pain, so it's important that people with fibromyalgia get checked routinely to make sure it is really fibromyalgia pain they are experiencing and not an underlying dental condition that should be treated before it worsens.  

Remember that regular oral screenings, including oral cancer screenings, can be life- saving for anyone, including people with fibromyalgia, Dr. Kosinski adds.

Tips to Dampen Dental Fears

The good news if you're living with fibromyalgia is that there are many techniques that can help you manage dental phobia. The first step, Schlesinger says, is to find a dentist who understands that fibromyalgia can amplify pain, even from routine dental care such as taking X-rays or a hygiene appointment, and who takes appropriate precautions.

To make your dental experience more pleasant, ask your dentist about these approaches:

• Comforts to make you feel more relaxed in the chair, such as a massage pad, a blanket, or soothing music
• Oral medication to reduce your level of anxiety
• Intravenous medications that alter consciousness
• Complete sedation
• Kosinski says that complete sedation reduces all anxiety and may be the best option in the face of a severe dental phobia. Not every dentist is trained to perform sedation, though, so he suggests carefully checking the credentials of individual dentists to choose the right one for you.

Finding the Right Dentist for You

To find a dentist who is both sensitive to and knowledgeable about the impact of fibromyalgia pain on dental care and dental visits, ask these questions:

• Do I have the option of complete sedation?
• Do you have experience treating people with fibromyalgia?
• How do you feel fibromyalgia pain impacts dentistry?
• Do you have the latest technology, such as digital X-rays and lasers, in your office?
• Do you offer medication to reduce anxiety during my treatment?
• Do you offer any other non-drug methods of relaxation that may help ease anxiety, such as listening to soothing music?
• Are you trained, experienced, and comfortable dealing with temporomandibular disorders (TMJ), since this condition is common with fibromyalgia?

The more you discuss your concerns with the dentist before treatment, the more smoothly that treatment is likely to go.

Dealing With Fibromyalgia Pain After a Dental Treatment

A trip to the dentist can be stressful, both physically and emotionally, and may trigger a body-wide fibromyalgia flare separate from any discomfort caused by the dental procedure itself. A dentist experienced in treating people living with fibromyalgia will recognize that your pain management techniques may be more challenging than for other patients. Ask about techniques that may help control increased pain, dental or otherwise, after treatment as well. Deep-breathing or relaxation techniques may help control anxiety and prevent a post-dentist fibromyalgia flare.
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Take comfort in the fact that fibromyalgia does not have to get in the way of good dental health. "The mouth is the gateway to a healthy lifestyle, and prevention is the best approach to dental care," Kosinski says. "The best way for all people - including people with fibromyalgia - to preserve their smiles is to have frequent oral hygiene visits and thorough oral examinations." - shared from Every Day Health

There was no one simple answer to making a home a clean, organized and welcoming place. Rather, it takes a combination of techniques to achieve comfort. If I found a secret, it was to identify small practical steps I could take and then to do them one at a time.

Fibromyalgics suffer increase sensitivities to chemical nuances.  They can also suffer exhaustion from the simple act of cleaning.  One definite stock you need to invest in is the invincible microfiber cloth.  It needs little addition in the form of cleaning agents.  What you may not know is it can wipe away germs in one swipe without the addition of a disinfectant.  Life just got a whole lot easier!

Microfiber cloths are typically made of nylon or polyester fibers that are frayed into myriad microscopic strands. The tiny strands and the spaces between them are intended to lift and trap dirt and germs and absorb liquids. By contrast, chemical cleaners typically dissolve household messes and kill germs on contact.

The strands of its microfibers are 1/200th the diameter of a human hair, and cloths carry 1.6 million fibers per square inch. As those strands are wiped over a hard surface, they remove over 99% of bacteria. "These small fibers have a drawing power like a magnetic pull," says Allan Coviello, chief executive and owner of TADgreen Inc., the U.S. distributor for e-cloth, which sells for $7.99.

Cleaning with microfiber cloths took off in Scandinavia in the 1990s and soon after came to the U.S. mainly through specialty stores, direct sales and commercial-cleaning suppliers. Today, microfiber and other chemical-free cleaning tools, while still a small percentage of overall cleaning-product sales, are available widely on the cleaning-supply shelves of major retailers.

Scientists for years have studied microfibers' ability to remove germs. The findings have prompted hospitals, restaurants and other public places to incorporate them into their cleaning regimens.

"A damp microfiber cloth is a really good tool for removing microorganisms, including viruses and bacteria," says Kristen Gibson, a microbiologist at the University of Arkansas who published a study in 2012 comparing the performances of different cleaning cloths without the use of chemical cleaners on food-preparation surfaces.

The study, which was funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, found that microfiber cloth effectively removed viruses. It also outperformed terry-cloth and nonwoven cloth towels in preventing viruses from being transferred from one surface to another.

"There's no reason to use a chemical every time you clean, but there are obviously situations like handling raw meat or someone being sick that would warrant a disinfectant," says Dr. Gibson.
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Major cleaning-product makers also are offering specialized tools that can be used with plain water. Scotch-Brite, owned by 3M Co., recently introduced a line of task-specific sponges with varied scrubbing surfaces designed to remove smudges and shine stove tops, granite or stainless steel. 

If you're a Disney lover, you're going to love this story about Walt Disney.  Success never comes easy.  

Walt Before Disney is a biographical drama about the early stages of Walt Disney's career, starring Thomas Ian Nicholas (American Pie) as the legendary animator in the years before he created Mickey Mouse. There's nothing really iffy except for a fair bit of smoking, which is historically accurate given Disney's documented cigarette habit. Disney also almost gets into a fist fight with animators, and there's some flirting and a couple of kisses, but otherwise this is fine for older tweens who might be curious about the early failures of arguably the most visionary filmmaker in Hollywood history. - Common Sense

Great story that will renew your spiritual values.

​A reformed teenage gangster rescues his popular high school classmate from a fiery car wreck, and helps to restore her faith in God while contending with some former partners in crime. Brendan King (Crawford Wilson) was on the fast-track to prison when he was arrested in a federal raid at age 15. Years later, he's devoted his life to god, moved in with a foster family, and reenrolled in high school. One day, while returning home from a meeting with his Christian teen group the Seekers, Brendan happens across the scene of a devastating car accident, and sees student-council president Natalie Jenkins (Kayla Compton) trapped in the wreckage. The flames inching closer, he rushes in and sweeps her away to safety. Later, when police discover drugs in Natalie's car, she's sentenced to perform community service with the Seekers while Brendan is being hailed as a local hero. At first all Natalie wants is to get the job done and get back to her life, but the more time she spends with the Seekers, the more she begins to realize just how far she has drifted from God. With Brendan's support, Natalie confesses the secret that eroded her faith. Later, when the thugs Brendan used to run with threaten Natalie and his foster family in a bid to make him reveal the location of a drug stash hidden by their leader before he was killed, a conflict arises that could destroy the new life he's struggled so hard to build. IMDb

Believing makes it possible. Faith makes it real. - Ruth Elliott Hoovey

Life can change in an instant, and turn your whole world upside down. And that is exactly what happens to firefighter Jeff Elliott and his wife Ruth who are living their dream in the golden Midwest; high school sweethearts, married with two beautiful and healthy children, family farm, horses, sports, church groups, the whole American Dream come true. And one winter’s day, teenage son Eric Hoovey Elliott collapses at high school basketball practice is rushed to the hospital, and the doctors find a tumor the size of an orange at the base of his brain. They’re down to hours for surgery that could risk the boys ability to walk, talk, and perhaps even survive is not performed immediately; Hoovey’s young life will end before it truly even begins. In a grueling 8-hour procedure, the tumor is removed. And he survives. But for the Elliott family, life and dreams will never be the same. Hoovey has to teach himself to walk again, to read again, to even see straight with two unbalanced eyes, covered one at a time by an eye patch. Forget ever stepping on a basketball court-- the risk of receiving a fatal blow to the spot on his head is just too great. As the unpaid medical bills mount, Jeff’s firefighting salary isn’t enough, the family is swimming in crippling debt seemingly overnight, and everything he and Ruth have built in their life dream of two kids is at stake. Hoovey’s teenage sister Jen feels alone and nearly forgotten in the most important time of her life. And as Hoovey realizes his one dream in life playing this game is gone, too, he sinks into a deep sadness. This is a family at risk with no-one to turn to, but themselves and their God. HOOVEY is the true and inspiring story of the Elliott family, who refused to surrender, instead turning to one another and their faith in the worst of circumstances, to rebuild their lives, their boy, and their dreams together. Step by grueling step, with faith, love, and the tireless work of a mother and father to save their family, their farm, their dream, Hoovey learns to walk again, read again, dribble, and shoot a basketball again. -IMbD
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