As we enter the holiday season, we grandparents find ourselves wondering what to get the grandkids. This year, here is a suggestion that will have a lasting impact!

Is leaving a legacy important to you? While we are struggling to find the right gift for that special little grandchild, maybe we can step back for a moment. What might really benefit them and have our grandkids remember us by well into their future?

Giving the Gift of Education with College Savings Plans

I am talking about helping them with their future educational costs by participating in a College Savings Plan or 529 investment account.

Almost every state in the United States has one or more programs that will allow you to make contributions into an investment/savings account that can grow tax free and be withdrawn tax free for college, vocational training, and graduate school.

These savings can be used for tuition, room and board, books, lab fees and other qualified expenses.

In addition, your contribution may also be tax deductible in the state in which the account is established. Each state has its own set of rules regarding the amounts that can be contributed each year and the amount that can be deducted from the state tax return (not federal tax).

There is a federal limit on the amount that can be contributed under the annual gift tax exclusion; however, there is a way to maximize the amount by taking up to a five-year advance on the annual exclusion, up to $70,000 in one year.

Pre-Paid Tuition Plan in Virginia

For example, I live in Virginia and here is how it works for me. There are several types of savings and investment plans including a “pre-paid tuition” plan.

The pre-paid tuition plan is a guaranteed plan that allows someone to pay for the cost of tuition while the child is younger and the state guarantees the cost of tuition to be paid in full if the student attends any of the state colleges or universities.

You can pay for one or more years, guaranteed regardless of the future increase in the actual tuition cost. For very young children I think this provides a base of security for the cost of higher education.

The only drawback is if the child decides to go to an out of state school. In that case, the guaranteed benefit ceases and an equivalent amount based upon the average of the state’s tuition costs is provided to the student.

College Savings Plans

However, the other savings plans under the tax code of Section 529, provides an opportunity to invest into a college savings plan that is available to cover all qualified expenses regardless of where the child goes to school.

I like doing a combination of the guaranteed pre-paid tuition and the 529 investment accounts to cover as much of the cost as possible ahead of time. This way we have an amount that has a guaranteed benefit and a portion that will be subject to the investment market ups and downs.

There are no other investment plans that can provide a state tax deduction and be tax free upon withdrawal. It’s hard to beat zero taxes!

Beneficiaries Can Be Changed

How is the money protected in the event a child does not go on to college? One additional benefit is that the monies that are “gifted” into the account are not the property of the child; the child is simply the beneficiary of the account.

The custodian is usually the donor (grandparent) and the successor custodian is the parent of the child. The beneficiary can be changed to another sibling, parent or even to a first cousin. The custodian controls the account and names the beneficiary. By having a successor custodian, the account passes to the parent without going through probate.

For my grandchildren, I am not trying to pay 100% of the cost of higher education but an amount that will help reduce their dependency upon student loans. Each grandparent needs to evaluate what amount they can afford to contribute that will not cause any financial problems for themselves.

Having done these types of savings and investment plans for my clients I have found that the children are very appreciative of having a portion of their college expenses paid and it creates a special connection with the grandparent whether they are there or not at the time the child goes off to college.

I personally cannot think of a better investment than our grandchildren’s education!

Have you considered giving your grandchild the gift of education through a college savings plan or 529 investment account? Have you looked into any of the plans I mentioned? What options exist where you live? Please join the conversation.

Do you want to feel empowered? Energetic? Self-confident? One way to do that is by trying new things and confronting your fears. When you step outside your comfort zone and challenge yourself with a new sport, a new technology, or even something easy like a new food, you’ll view yourself differently.

Once you try something new, you’ll find that you’re willing to step outside your comfort zone again and again. You’ll start looking for opportunities to say “yes” instead of “no.” Before you know it, you’ll be that adventurous and spontaneous person who’s a role model for her friends!

Do the Things That Frighten You

That’s what Ferida Wolffdid. She told her friend she was going to tour the Galápagos Islands on a small ship. And she was someone who often got seasick. Her friend pointed out that Ferida was always doing things like this – deliberately challenging herself.

Her previous trip had been to Machu Picchu in Peru, where she had ended up hugging the side of the mountain because she has a fear of heights.

When Ferida thought about it, she realized her friend was right. She’d been doing lots of exciting things that forced her to confront her fears. She had tried hot air ballooning as well – not exactly what most people choose to do when they’re afraid of heights.

Overcome Those Emotional Barricades Too

Ferida says she’s working on the emotional side of things too. It can be scary to apologize to someone, to forgive someone, or to speak up for yourself. Even sharing your opinions can be daunting, and Ferida’s been mustering her courage to do that.

She says, “Fear has become an amber caution light to me rather than a red stoplight. I look around, and if there isn’t an authentic reason to be afraid other than my own reluctance, I may go for it.”

Never Say Never

BJ Whitley is another woman who confronted her fear head on and came away with a widely expanded world. She and her boyfriend were hitting the road in a 40-foot motorhome for a big adventure.

He was selling his house, and BJ was renting out hers, and they were getting rid of 65 years of accumulated possessions. Just shedding all that stuff is an empowering, liberating experience!

But BJ’s boyfriend wanted to add one possession back into the mix – a bicycle. BJ said no way was she going to learn how to ride a bicycle at her age. She hadn’t learned as a kid because a girl from her church had a fatal accident while riding a bike. As a result, BJ’s parents wouldn’t allow her to have one.

Now her boyfriend was telling her that everyone traveled with bikes on the back of their motorhomes. That would be their transportation when they parked at campsites.

Learn a New Skill

BJ went off to Walmart to buy a bike and then, surprisingly, learned how to ride it in only 30 minutes.

She says, “Since that day more than seven years ago, I have ridden through the crowded streets of Key West and tackled bumpy, unruly trails in campgrounds throughout Texas, California, and Virginia. Bicycling has truly enhanced my retirement years, given me more self-confidence, and, more importantly, taught me that a simple courageous act knows no age.”

And of course, it’s great exercise too. My husband and I have pulled our 20-year-old bikes out of storage, and we’ve been having a great time riding them around our hilly neighborhood during the pandemic.

It makes you feel like a kid again when you get back on a bicycle, but I must admit that I was a bit nervous when I started riding again after not doing it for years.

Make “Yes” Your Go-to Word

As we age, we need to resist that natural tendency to say, “Oh no. I can’t do that.” All that does is make our world smaller. By adopting a policy of saying “yes” to new experiences we make our world larger. And that’s the direction you want your life to take when you’re over 60, because, after all, age is just a number.

Tips for Confronting Your Fears from Chicken Soup for the Soul

• Add “try something new” to your daily to-do list.
• Start small, with something as simple as a new food.
• Work your way up to the bigger, scarier activities or experiences.
• Make “yes” your default answer.
• Enjoy being an adventurous person who steps outside her comfort zone.

Do you agree it’s never too late to confront your fears and step outside your comfort zone? What new activities, sports, foods, or other things have you tried? What will you try next? Please join the conversation.

Tayshia Adams’ White Floral Print Dress on The Bachelorette

The Bachelorette Season 16 Episode 10 Fashion

Although they haven’t been able to take many literally any trips this season on The Bachelorette due to COVID-19, Tayshia Adams still looks totally vacay-ready on Monday night’s episode in this white floral print dress. Which you’ll be happy to learn we found still up for grabs, on sale and ready for you to take along on your next trip to nowhere.

Fashionably,

Faryn

Click Here to Shop Her Atelier 1756 Dress on Sale

Click Here to Shop Her Cult Gaia Sandals

The Bachelorette Airs MONDAY, DEC. 14 (8:00-10:01 p.m. EDT), on ABC. (ABC/Craig Sjodin)

Originally posted at: Tayshia Adams’ White Floral Print Dress

Do you suffer from pain in the back of the knee? One of the most common culprits is the popliteus muscle. This small, triangle shaped muscle lives just behind the knee. Every day, it helps stabilize and bend your knee. But what happens when this little bugger gets angry?

It traps your nerves in a head lock and doesn’t let go. Popliteus pain strikes the back of your knee and you scream for mercy. Uncle! Uncle!

Thankfully, a simple two-minute knee massage can help reduce the pain behind the knee and soothe the cries from the popliteus muscle.

Common Causes of Pain Behind the Knee

There are many causes of pain behind the knee including Baker’s cysts, osteoarthritis, and even meniscus tears. Massaging Mr. Pop Liteus isn’t necessarily the final answer. It’s designed to give you some relief. From my experience, 9 times out of 10, this little muscle is running a-muck behind your knee and causing pain.

But it’s a good idea to visit your primary care physician or PT to understand exactly what’s going on inside your knee. In the meantime, you can relieve some of the pain with the 2-minute popliteus massage below.

But don’t forget to include into your daily routine stretches and exercises to help reduce pain behind the knee.

4 Symptoms of Popliteus Pain in the Knee

How can you tell if your pain is from the popliteus muscle? There are four symptoms.

Pain in the Back of the Knee

This one is fairly obvious but sometimes the location of pain isn’t always the cause of pain. But pain behind the knee often points to an angry popliteus.

Swelling

Does the back of your knee feel swollen? It could be the popliteus muscle.

Pain When Straightening the Knee Fully

Remember, Mr. Pop helps bend the knee. As a result, straightening your knee can make him feel extra annoyed.

Pain Is Usually Worse When Walking Downhill, Down Stairs, or Walking Quickly

The popliteus stabilizes the knee. Thus, difficult movements like walking downhill or going down stairs makes him work harder.

Still not sure if your pain is from the popliteus? Ok, here’s a simple test.

Seated Test to Tell If the Popliteus Muscle Is Contributing to Your Knee Pain

Step 1: Sit in a Chair with Your Feet Flat on the Ground

Let’s say you have pain behind your left knee. Lift it up and cross your left ankle over your right knee. This can be hard for anyone over 60 so be careful and move slowly.

Important Tip: The popliteus muscle is deep behind the knee. So, if your muscles are tense, in order for you to keep your leg in this position, you won’t find the popliteus. Here’s a simple trick. Get another chair and place it in front of you. Instead of placing your left ankle over your right knee, place it on the chair in front of you. This will likely be easier.

Another option is to perform this test on the couch. Turn your body to the left and bend your left knee so it’s at a 90 degree angle and resting on the couch. Keep your leg muscles relaxed and resting on the couch so you can touch deep.

Step 2: Find the Edge of Your Shin Bone

Let your fingers walk up toward your knee following the shin bone. If you were Dorothy, the shin bone is your yellow brick road. It will lead you to the wonderful Popliteus of Oz.

Step 3: Go Deep When Your Shin Bone Angles Back

Eventually, your shin bone will start to angle backward when it almost gets to the knee. You have now found Mr. Pop’s house! It will likely be tender so knock on his door softly.

He will likely be angry when he answers the door. So it’s time to give him a much needed massage. Maybe a cup of herbal tea could help too.

Easy “Popliteus Massage” to Relieve Pain in the Back of the Knee

Now that you are inside Mr. Pop’s house. Here is a simple massage technique to help relieve the pain. Studies have shown massage as an effective treatment for reducing pain and muscle tension.

Begin with your thumbs in the position above. With both thumbs, use a rhythmic movement to massage deep into the area. You can massage in any of the following ways:

1. Clockwise circle
2. Counterclockwise circle
3. Back and forth
4. Side to side

Do this for 2 minutes. The pain behind the knee will likely ease up.

Pain Relief Pro Tip: Start your popliteus massage with a gentle touch. You don’t need to swan dive into the deep end. Allow the muscle to relax a bit. Then slowly go deeper. Use pain as a guide. If it’s too painful, back off. As the pain decreases, go a little bit deeper.

Additional Tips for Reducing Pain in the Back of the Knee

This 2-minute massage can decrease pain behind the knee. But you should also make sure it doesn’t come back.

1. The first step is figuring out the root cause of your pain. See your PT or doctor to help you determine why you have pain in the first place.
2. Once you have a diagnosis, you can begin the right rehab program in conjunction with using this massage technique. For instance, you can do these knee arthritis exercises, or use this guide to help relieve meniscus knee pain. Or, if you have a Baker’s Cyst in your knee, here’s a guide to help relieve pain in the back of the knee.
3. You may also want to consider wearing a knee brace during times of high activity or when you will be on your feet for longer periods of time. The brace will help provide stability for your knee.
4. Finally, you can use an ice pack if you’ve had pain for less than 2 weeks, or apply heat if you’ve had pain longer than 2 weeks.

These techniques should help reduce your pain behind your knee. Remember that pain is always a signal that something is wrong. It’s your body’s way of communicating with you.

Don’t ignore the pain behind your knee and hope it will vanish. Visit Mr. Pop often and give him the much needed care so your knees will stay healthy for years to come.

How often do you experience pain in the back of your knee? What do you do about it? Have you received a diagnosis? Does massage help relieve your pain? Please share which pain relief method has helped you the most.

Even if you’re going to be celebrating the holidays differently this year, getting dressed up should be on the agenda.

Of course, as a fashion blogger, I’m biased about how clothes make us feel one way or another. Then again, if you don’t believe me – google it!!! There have been many studies to show how our clothing impacts not only our own thinking but also how people respond to us.

Here is a fun activity to do to test out my theory. Go to your closet and try on your fanciest dress. Make sure to style it how you’d really wear it if you were going to meet your most favorite person.

Now stand back and admire your effort by looking in the mirror or better yet take a selfie. Don’t you feel more uplifted and positive? Don’t you just want to go out somewhere and strut your stuff?

In fact, if your holidays are with a limited number of family or friends, those people are even more important than strangers. Those loved ones deserve to see the best you there is. Even more important is that YOU deserve to feel fabulous.

While we can’t control some of the outside factors, the holidays are still a time to remember and celebrate. Let’s chase away the blues by doing something to make us feel marvelous.

Dressing Up

Let’s talk about what dressing up really means. Fashion and style have always been a subjective pursuit, so let’s explore how it may work for you.

And with these crazy times, I think we all should plan on taking some photos (even if they are only selfies) this holiday season to show we actually lived through it!

Make Up

Makeup may not be on your agenda during these times of masks and things. But let me remind you of the magical properties of lipstick. It has something to do with brightening our face and putting the emphasis on our smile.

So even if you aren’t ready to put on the makeup you normally wear, I hope you put on a bright lipstick along with your holiday look. Because you do have to remove your mask to indulge in the food and drink being served.

And if you hate the idea of lipstick rubbing off on your mask, then the all-day lipsticks are the way to go. I researched over 10 different products to find the best ones.

Outfit Ideas

Especially if you’ve been living in leggings or loungewear most of this year, it’s time to let the rest of your clothes get out and have fun.

If it’s hard to think about what to wear, let me suggest a few ideas.

I know that a red sweater and black pants are always a holiday favorite. The three of us on my blog have showcased ways to add a little spice to that basic look.

How to Style a Red Cardigan Outfit

Styling an Outfit with a Red Sweater for Mature Women

Styling a Red Top and Black Pants with Personality

Another idea would be to pull out any sparkle or sequins you have. Sure, it might seem silly to wear sequins during a time of isolation, but hasn’t the year been crazy? I say, all things are possible this year!!!

In fact, I would consider this time to be perfect to try out wearing items that you would normally have never thought about pairing together. Why? Because you have limited number of eyes on them, so if they aren’t a hit, then who is the wiser?

This is a great way to actually expand your closet and give it new life.

Insider tip: If it’s too hard to restyle your own items, ask a friend for help. You can video chat, and your friend can style you from your own closet. I know this sounds silly, but it was quite eye opening when the three of us styled each other.

Now when you put together an outfit, don’t forget the shoes and accessories. This puts intention into the exercise and really gives you a feeling of normalcy.

So, the question is, what are you going to wear?

Have you considered your Holiday outfit? What will it consist of? Will you need help styling it? Which of your friends will be best to help in the fashion department? Please do share!