EVERYTHING
FOR YOUR FAMILY
KID
QUIPS
“One night, my 3-year-old asked me if she could sleep in my bed. I told her no. She said, “That’s not fair! Why does Daddy get to sleep in your bed?” READ MORE
HipMom
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DEFINING BALANCE FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY The term "balance" is thrown around a lot these days often without a great deal of definition attached to it. Before you begin striving for balance in your family, follow this path to come up with our own personal definition. - Write a family mission statement: Have everyone in the family jot down a short sentence describing what they believe is the mission of your family. It might be to work hard together so that each family member can grow to his fullest potential, or to give back to others in celebration of your family's prosperity. Make it a family project to combine the thoughts of each member into one family mission statement and then display it prominently in your home as a daily reminder. - Adhere to a checks and balance system: Evaluate your activities to determine if they support your mission. Does attending every birthday party or every book club meeting support your goal of giving back to the community? If you find commitments that don't support your personal values then it probably shouldn't be a priority. - Draw your picture of balance: Time to take out the crayons and blank paper and get creative. Draw whatever comes to mind when you envision "balance" in your life. If you can see it, you can achieve it. To learn more about achieving family, life and self balance visit: bluesuitmom.com. LOOKING AND FEELING YOUR BEST Fitting exercise into an already packed schedule can be challenging. Ironically, exercise can actually help us deal more effectively with the physical and psychological demands of a hectic life. Aside from the obvious health benefits, here are a few more reasons to work in a workout: [1] Happy mom, happy family - Exercise is one of the best ways to enhance your energy, preserve your sanity and make you a better you. If you don't take care of yourself, you won't have the energy or patience to care for anyone else. [2] Rise and shine - Exercise in the morning and your chances of sticking to your program will increase significantly, plus your metabolism remains elevated for more than seven hours following a one-hour morning workout, so you will have more stamina to get you through your busy day. [3] Find family time with exercise - Your entire family will be healthier and more energized as a result of physical activity. Don't be a bystander at the playground; hit the hiking trails, run the bases, bike around the neighborhood, climb the jungle gym or swim in the lake. [4] Add hours to your day - Regular exercise leads to better quality sleep, which means you won't need as many hours of sleep overall. Old Things Become New Again in Spring! Check out this purse made from recycled materials that will keep you looking fashionable and eco-conscious this spring. Classic Super Cylcone Purse; $79 For other eco-conscious products, including a vintage soda cap belt, visit littlearth.com. We gotta reduce, reuse, recycle. Just as Jack Johnson proclaims on the Curious George soundtrack..."It's time to take a closer look at what we're leaving behind for future generations." Recognize Earth Day this month by checking out lowimpactliving.com for tips and an impact calculator to help you can make simple changes at home to reduce your environmental impact. MAKE SPRING CLEANING A BREEZE ONE ROOM AT A TIME Trying to master the whole house at once can be overwhelming. Break the task down into a series of mini-manageable projects. Select one room a day and divide your work into sections. Start with a portion you can complete in less than an hour so you gain the sense of accomplishment quickly. For instance, in the kitchen begin by throwing out old spices or expired dry mixes in your condiment cabinet. It's a small step toward a grander goal and you're done. - Turn trash into cash Find a drop-off service for eBay and allow them to help you sell the stuff you no longer need around the house. Don't want to give up too much commission on your sales? Find a tech-savvy teenager in the neighborhood to manage and enter your inventory for you. - Surrender, swap or save Get your children involved by making organizing a game. Stand in front of your child pointing to one piece of clothing at a time. Have your child say "surrender," "swap" or "save" to each piece as you point. Surrender means they are willing to give it up; swap means they want to donate to a younger child; and save means they want to keep it. Looking to make a comeback this spring? Mom Corps, an innovative, highly selective, professional staffing solution, places experienced talent into project, part-time and contract positions with premier U.S. corporations. Headquartered in Atlanta, Ga., Mom Corps mathes companies looking to recruit and retain top talent and experienced professionals looking for flexibility. As a Mom Corps mom, you'll enjoy meaningful work in your chosen field, while maintaining a schedule that works for you. Visit momcorps.com to find out more and to submit your resume. Health Did you know... Perhaps you call yours "The Jelly Belly" or "The Pooch;" whatever you've affectionately named the stubborn bugger, the fact remains that as women, we are designed to store fat in the abdomen. Though it's not easy to achieve a perfectly flat abdomen, working the abdominal area every other day will greatly improve your abs to suit your body type and your swimsuit! Each week you should perform a different abdominal exercise - keeping your abdominal muscles constantly challenged will speed up results. Focus on the exact area that is being worked. If you don't focus on what you're doing, it's very easy to allow other muscles, like your neck or hip flexors, to do some of the work. Improving your eating habits is just as critical to leaning up your midsection as working it. Replace sodium-, sugar- and preservative-laden foods with fresh whole unprocessed foods. And keep your diet balanced, eating a healthy ratio of carbohydrates, fats and proteins. Drink lots of water to flush away bloating. Drink ice chilled water and you'll burn a few extra calories as your body works to warm it up. Keep your abdominal muscles contracted when performing your other exercises, when sitting, standing or driving. Consciously holding them in can reduce back strain and help to flatten the area. For more information, checkout WorkoutsForWomen.com Solution of the month Good news moms: We're in the homestretch for packing those lunch boxes! Here's a way to eliminate some of the little tasks associated with this morning ritual and save time during your busy week. Create a snack basket. On Sunday, go through the cabinets and package any open boxes of treats into small Ziploc bags. Pile all the snack-size bags into a big basket or box and put it on an island or countertop. Keep it handy during the week as you toss together your child's lunch or when you need a quick snack to go! |
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