Tradewinds Jan 2019 Web OPT

Northeast North Carolina Family History – these are a few of my favorite (and new) things...
By: Irene Hampton - nencfamilyhistory@gmail.com
As the new year was hovering in the future I couldn’t
help but think about some of the past year’s new experiences.
Our move to Currituck provided a number of them.
Some were very recent. When our kids came home in
mid-December to celebrate Christmas early, we were able
to attend the 115th anniversary of the Wright Brothers first
flight. We had never attended as a family and it was great
to see all the information about the brothers’ family that
has been added. Our oldest son said this was his favorite
experience.
Our daughter-in-law’s favorite for this trip was seeing the
Christmas lights at the Elizabethan Gardens in Manteo.
That was a first experience for all of us. The lights in the
trees that made it seem like thousands of multi-colored fireflies
were dancing around, were admittedly pretty impressive.
There was just enough chill in the air in the evening
to make it feel very seasonal! You can still see them on
Fridays or Saturdays through January 19th, from 6 to 9 pm.
Check out their website https://www.elizabethangardens.
org/winterlights-obx
If the weather held out, I wanted to climb Jockey’s Ridge
to see the sunset, something none of us had ever done.
We were able to take a number of family pictures, get our
daily cardio in and watch the more energetic members race
each other over the dunes. It was pretty brisk so I was
surprised when our brave daughter-in-law had our son take
a video of her rolling down a very chilly dune. There were
a few other brave souls out there but everyone pretty much
had their own dune!
Two summers ago, when Shelly Island was briefly in
existence, we went there to pick up shells and I found out I
Simple health tips for busy moms
LOVE that activity. Last year our kids visited in early January
and we spent a couple of happy hours picking up shells
there on the one day it hit the 50’s. For Christmas this year
my husband bought me a bag for collecting shells - never
knew such a thing existed. With no Shelly Island, we tried
a few spots before finding quite a nice cache of shells at the
National Seashore. Back in the fall we got up early to be in
Carova at sunrise so we could be among the first looking for
shells and not a one was in sight. It seems that whenever
there is a storm that would bring lots of shells on shore we
are working and can’t get there so I was glad to find a large
collection again.
I’ve really enjoyed learning new things at work, from
learning the Ghost Tour for the summers to Christmas
traditions from the 1920’s and how they came to be for
the Candlelight Christmas tours at Whalehead. And I am
always learning new things about the area, some for fun
and some for necessity. I think our favorite food discovery
has been the pizza at Barefoot Bernie’s. I can honestly say
I have never had pizza that was as good reheated as when
it first comes out of the oven, until eating theirs. That was a
family consensus not just mine.
My top favorite thing for the year is not new - spending
time with family and friends. I listened to a Christmas special
with Hugh Bonneville, the father on Downton Abbey and
the Paddington Bear movies. A comment he made has hit
home and is something I want to remember to do. He said
that at Christmas when his family and friends get together
they “raise a glass” in memory of those who are no longer
with them and share memories about them to include them
in their holiday gathering. I’m sorry I haven’t made a habit
of this in the past, but I will do it in the future. Our kids had
already left but in phone conversations I made a point to
share some memories of my mom that they had not heard.
Our son shared that his wife’s mother had fled Nazi
Germany as a young child with her mother and siblings
after their father abandoned them. She had written her
memories and given a copy to all her grandchildren. So my
challenge to you and myself is to do better sharing memories
good and bad. Let’s keep family members alive in
more than just our hearts by sharing their stories in the new
year.
Irene Hampton earned a certificate in Genealogy
from Brigham Young University and worked as
the Genealogical/Local history Researcher for the
Pasquotank-Camden Library for over 12 years. She
has also abstracted and published “Widow’s Years
Provisions, 1881-1899, Pasquotank County, North
Carolina”; “1840 Currituck, North Carolina Federal
Census” and “Record of Marriages, Book A (1851-
1867) Currituck County, North Carolina”.
You may contact her at
nencfamilyhistory@gmail.com.
(BPT) - Mothers are the CEO of the home. Organizing
schedules, paying the bills, doing food shopping, managing
pick-ups and drop-offs, and making sure everyone is healthy
is just part of the job. Unfortunately, because they are so
busy taking care of others, many moms often put off taking
care of themselves or scheduling their own health appointments.
Making your health a priority can help you stay healthy and
keep illnesses at bay. Here are a few tips to help:
Sleep consistency
You harp on the kids about the importance of a good night’s
sleep, but when it comes to your own sleep, it’s often the
first thing that’s sacrificed. Sleep deprivation is common
among moms for a variety of reasons. Make it a priority
to get 7 or 8 hours of quality rest each night. Keeping the
bedroom quiet, cool, dark and free from the distractions of
devices such as cell phones and tablets can help you relax
and sleep.
Annual physicals
Just like with your kids, proactively seeing a doctor every
year can help you tackle health issues head on rather than
putting them off until they become a bigger problem. During
wellness visits, your doctor will use health indicators like
weight, blood pressure and heart rate to screen for common
conditions such as diabetes and heart disease. Doctors can
then recommend treatments to help you stay healthy and
feel your best.
Fill prescriptions
Your doctor’s treatment plan may include a prescription
medication. Doctors advise that it’s important to fill and use
the medication as prescribed. If you are not insured, or if
your health insurance plan doesn’t cover the medication you
were prescribed, you can check a free prescription savings
program called Inside Rx which can help save an average
of 40 percent off brand-name and 80 percent off retail on
generic medications. Eligibility requirements and a complete
list of the medications offered through the program can be
found at InsideRx.com.
Boost nutrition
You meticulously pack your kids’ lunches, but when it comes
to your own, sometimes you eat whatever you can grab.
Eating well helps fuel the body and mind, so skip the junk
and instead eat wholesome meals three times a day with
healthy snacks in between. Stock the fridge and pantry with
healthy foods that are easy to eat on the go and always
have nutrient-packed snacks, such as dried fruit or nuts.
Meal planning can help everyone enjoy healthy homemade
foods throughout the week.
These simple tips will help you prioritize health as you take
care of your family, so you can feel your best today and in
the future!
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