Soto Law Group - December 2021

Soto Law Group - December 2021

December 2021 Soto’s Chronicles

DeDe Soto

Protecting your most valuable asset — your family

Holi-Flops 3 Bad Christmas Movies You Have to Watch

FROM THE DESK OF

DeDe Soto December Holidays

December 1 - Eat a Red Apple Day December 2 - National Fritters Day December 3 - National Roof Over Your Head Day December 4 - Santa’s List Day December 5 - Repeal Day

December 6 - St. Nicholas Day December 7 - Pearl Harbor Day

December 8 - National Brownie Day December 9 - Christmas Card Day December 10 - Nobel Prize Day December 11 - National Noodle Ring Day

Holiday movies are a time-honored tradition stemming back decades. From the classics, like the 1964 stop-motion animated TV special “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” to recent favorites, such as Tim Allen’s interpretation of Santa Claus in “The Santa Clause,” there’s no shortage of movies to get you in the holiday spirit this season. (I’m also willing to bet a few of my readers love to binge Lifetime holiday movies! They are so comforting.) These movies have become ingrained in our culture and traditions, but after two years of pandemic-inspired holiday restrictions, I would like to propose a new movie tradition: bad Christmas movies. In a genre that’s overdone, overplayed, and always feel-good, there are bound to be a few duds. So, I’ve put together a list of some of the worst holiday movies available. I encourage you to pop the popcorn, gather the family around the tree, and watch (read: suffer through) the following movies this year.

December 12 - Poinsettia Day December 13 - Ice Cream Day

December 14 - Roast Chestnuts Day December 15 - Bill of Rights Day December 16 - National Chocolate Covered Anything Day December 17 - National Maple Syrup Day December 18 - Bake Cookies Day December 19 - Look for an Evergreen Day December 20 - Go Caroling Day December 21 - Winter Solstice December 22 - Crossword Puzzle Day December 23 - National Egg Nog Day

(I won’t judge you if you actually like the movies. We all have our guilty pleasures!)

December 24 - Christmas Eve December 25 - Christmas Day

‘I’ll Be Home for Christmas’

December 26 - National Candy Cane Day December 27 - National Fruitcake Day December 28 - Boxing Day December 29 - Make Cut Out Snowflakes Day December 30 - Bacon Day December 31 - New Year’s Eve

Calling all ‘90s teens! With a cast that includes Jonathan Taylor Thomas from “Home Improvement” and Jessica Biel from “7th Heaven,” this movie is a must-watch for the actors alone. Through it all, you’ll find yourself laughing at the very improbable plot. It starts when Thomas’ character, Jake, receives a warning from his father. Jake has to return home by Christmas to receive a classic Porsche as a gift. But on the way,

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he’s left in the desert by the football team, and his girlfriend (played by Biel) thinks he abandoned her! What is a Porsche- seeking, love-sick college kid to do? Find out when you watch “I’ll Be Home for Christmas.”

once again, so his brother punishes him by sending him to the North Pole to make toys. Ultimately, Fred and Nicholas find a way to work together despite their differences, upgrading the Christmas operation to a well-oiled machine. Unfortunately, critics say the humor of “Fred Claus” fails to land with any crowd. Watch it for yourself and see what you think!

‘Silent Night, Deadly Night’

This one is for the horror fans (and for parents after the kids have gone to sleep). After witnessing the death of his parents at the hands of Santa around Christmas, Billy grows up to eventually become a Santa Claus killer himself. Despite the darkly humorous and odd premise of the movie, “Silent Night, Deadly Night” has amassed a huge cult following. It’s become so well-known that multiple sequels were made, and talk around Hollywood suggests a remake is coming in 2022. If you’re a fan of bad movies that are actually kind of good, check out “Silent Night, Deadly Night.”

If you get a chance to watch these too-terrible- to-be-bad movies, I would love to hear your take, and if you’re looking for more holiday movie flops, check out the list put out by Rotten Tomatoes at RottenTomatoes.com.

‘Fred Claus’

For a more modern tale, check out this movie starring Vince Vaughn and Paul Giamatti. The “Fred Claus” plot theorizes that St. Nick wasn’t the only Claus, and that his brother, Fred, is likely the opposite of him in every way. Fred gets into legal trouble

Happy Holidays!

The Benefits of Reading to Your Children

Even at a young age, reading to your children is an important tool to help them grow and learn while sparking their creativity. Your child will help develop their early literacy skills and ability to focus, plus increase their social skills and communication skills. When you begin reading to your child, they gain a greater understanding of the world, which allows them to make sense of the things they see, hear, and react to in their daily lives. But the benefits of reading don’t stop there. Improving Language Skills Reading to your child when they are an infant can help strengthen their language acquisition skills. If you continue reading as they get older, these skills will only grow. They begin

to latch on to spoken communication. Improving their vocabulary and grammar skills through hearing the written word is even more effective than what they gain from everyday conversation. Why? Because the human brain comprehends written communication differently than spoken communication. Preparing for Success in School According to a study by the American Academy of Pediatrics, more than 1 in 3 American children enter kindergarten without the necessary reading skills to succeed in school. But if you read to your children, you expose them to new words and help develop their listening skills as they listen to you read. You can also ask questions about their reading comprehension along the way to ensure they understand what is happening in the story. These skills are vital to academic success. Improving Your Relationship The best way to create a special bond with your little ones is simply by spending time with them, and reading to your child on a routine basis is a great way to do that. Plus, reading stories provides a positive and educational experience where they can talk to you and vice versa. This will help you learn more about your child’s developing interests so you can find new ways to encourage them to learn and explore their passions. No matter which way you look at it, reading to your children provides a positive experience that will help them grow.

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Why Does Your Stomach Hurt While Traveling? Quick Gut Health Tips for Travelers

Picture this: You’re flying for a holiday reunion with your family. By the time you leave the airport after arriving at your destination, your stomach is already doing flips, and you haven’t even dug into your favorite family dishes yet. If this situation sounds familiar, here’s how you can keep your gut healthy, no matter where you are this winter. Traveling is stressful — even for your gut. Dr. Shilpa Ravella, a gastroenterologist at NewYork- Presbyterian and Columbia University Medical Center, told Healthline, “Travel can be a hectic time … You may be eating out more and eating new foods in new locations, including more processed foods, and it’s easy to overeat in this setting, placing more stress on your digestive system than at home.” The best solution is to take things slow to avoid overeating. Not only does overeating stretch your stomach, but also “research has found that people who overeat are 10 times more likely to need emergency medical attention for food obstruction,” Dr. Ravella says. Also, even if you wake up at 4 a.m. for your first flight, don’t gulp down coffee all morning. Overconsumption Take a Break!

of beverages with lots of sugar, caffeine, or alcohol can irritate your gastrointestinal system, especially if you already have a sensitive stomach. Instead, drink plenty of water, which can help alleviate constipation. If that’s your main concern, keep in mind that Dr. Ravella says a lack of fiber is the main reason for constipation while traveling. An easy way to avoid this is to eat whole-plant foods, even at restaurants.

Follow these tips when you need help fast. Dr. Ravella says that over-the-counter

medications, such as antacids, can help your heartburn. If you struggle with mild traveler’s diarrhea, try to keep bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto- Bismol) and loperamide (Imodium) in your carry-on, ready at all times. If your symptoms worsen into fever, bloody diarrhea, bloody vomiting, or severe abdominal pain, see a health care provider right away. Lastly, if you really want to be comfortable while traveling, it might be worth trying a magnesium (magnesium bisglycinate chelate) supplement, which has been shown to improve jet lag and promote relaxation and sleep while traveling. Best of luck!

Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

Inspired by DreenaBurton.com

Ingredients

• 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour • 1 tsp baking powder • 1/2 tsp baking soda • 1/4 cup sugar • 1/4 tsp salt

• 1/3 cup maple syrup • 1/4 tsp molasses • 1 tsp vanilla extract • 1/4 cup olive oil • 1/3 cup vegan chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. 2. In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt. 3. In a smaller bowl, combine maple syrup, molasses, vanilla, and oil. 4. Mix the wet ingredients with the dry mixture. Mix in chocolate chips. 5. Place large spoonfuls of dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 11 minutes.

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE From the Desk of DeDe PAGE 1 3 Bad Christmas Movies You Have to Watch PAGE 1 Reading to Your Children Reaps Benefits Galore! PAGE 2 Worried About Your Gut Health While Traveling? PAGE 3 Take a Break PAGE 3 Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies PAGE 3 Embrace Being Wrong With Adam Grant’s Help PAGE 4

Think Better With Adam Grant’s ‘Think Again’

A BETTER MINDSET FOR GROWTH

Think about the sting you feel when you are proven wrong. It hurts, doesn’t it?

Grant challenges readers to stand in the discomfort of being wrong, celebrate that there is something new to learn, and challenge themselves to interact with those who propose a new way of thinking. By doing so, Grant asserts that we can speak and argue with conviction while actually engaging and listening to arguments as if we are wrong. This allows us to learn, engage, and grow.

But what if it didn’t have to? Better yet, what if it shouldn’t?

Regardless of our attempts at humility, humans’ egos have inflated, and we are all conditioned to believe that being wrong somehow equates to being a bad person. However, renowned author and psychologist Adam Grant challenges this notion in his New York Times bestseller, “Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know.” With today’s divisive climate, Grant argues that we hold our beliefs up like a badge, illuminating them so brightly that we become blind to other truths or realities. Far too often, our mindsets focus on what is black and white, rather than understanding the gray nuances found in between. In “Think Again,” Grant’s third book, he argues that as rapidly as we get information in today’s digital world, we cannot be expected to fully know all of it. Being wrong is part of human nature, but as we gain more accessibility to information, we must be willing to do two things: rethink and unlearn.

In “Think Again,” Grant asks readers to consider better ways to approach their steadfast beliefs. Readers will find amusement

in Grant’s real-world examples of turning skeptics into believers within a variety of topics. And, through these examples, readers will discover new ways to listen so they can gain a greater understanding of the world around them. You can pick up your copy of “Think Again” and other books by Grant from an independent book retailer or by visiting Amazon.com.

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