And the winner is...

Congrats, Aly! You will LOVE your mug. I hope it leads you to many nights of perfect sleep. Let me know when you get it, and let me know if you find any great loose leaf teas. I'm always on the hunt for something delicious to drink!

I can't, of course, end a giveaway without thanking the great company behind it. So, thank you Libre Tea for sending me yet another fantastic way to enjoy my tea. Now that we've gotten our first official snowfall of the season, temperatures sure are chilly and I'll need those warm beverages to keep me from freezing.

Speaking of freezing, I got the opportunity to enjoy some cold winter sports last night. We drove down to South Bend to finish up our Christmas shopping. A "cold winter sport" in its own right, for sure, but not the one I'm talking about...my Dad is a big hockey fan and has season tickets to Notre Dame's home games. They happened to play my husband's alma mater, Ferris State University, last night so we popped in for some puck action:

It's hard to take pictures at a hockey game! And then they fight, which you don't want to witness through a camera. Laughing...

Things move too fast. The players move too fast, and it's all because...well, not ALL  because...but partly because they've got some great leg and hip muscles. Partly because they've mastered the art of staying afoot on two thin blades, too. Always a challenge.

If you want to work your hips in a way that mimics the art of skating, ask someone at your gym if there are any slide boards around. Here's a picture I found on Google Images:

Slide lightly at first, of course, until you get used to the slippery surface. Moving side to side in this way really works your hip add and abductors. Smaller muscles that don't get as engaged in squats and lunges. Oh, and it works your heart and lungs, too. A little cardio never hurt anyone, right?

You can also find a stretchy band of sorts, tie it around your calf muscles with about a foot of space in between each leg, and then step sideways, forwards and backwards. NOT on the slide board, of course. That would be disastrous.

Whatever you use, make sure to target those hip muscles specifically at least once a week. Even if you don't skate, it'll help with your balance and movement.

In case you're wondering, Notre Dame won the match with four goals to Ferris' one. That makes up for the previous night's game in which Ferris won four to one. Even stevens, I suppose.

Question: Do you like to skate? What's your favorite winter sport?