The new year is upon us and for many of us this means thinking about what we want to do to improve the quality of our lives. Below I took the top 5 New Year’s Resolutions and offered you a mindset twist on how to attain each of them.

1. Lose 10+ lbs. Focus on health versus weight. Tell yourself, “When I’m exercising and eating healthy I feel better, look better, and have more energy.”

2. Drink Less. Focus on healthy alternatives and how good you’ll feel from making a healthy choice. For example when you drink more water you’ll lose more weight, have nicer hair, better skin and nails. Read the rest »

I’ve found that re-connecting with the magical wonder the season brings gives true meaning to the word “joy”. Share the holiday joy through the eyes of children and take in all this season has to offer.

Lights. Have you made a trip down a lighted street? It’s so much fun to see! We visited a street called “Candy Cane Lane”. It was so neat to see the different celebrations blended together with lights. I had so much pleasure from my two boy’s reactions. We must’ve gone down the street 5 times! Read the rest »

2009 is almost here and it’s time to wipe your slate clean, start over and set goals and resolutions for the New Year. One resolution that should be at the top of everyone’s list is to save money and stick to a budget in 2009. Now that the economy is in a full-blown recession it is important to plan ahead and stay on track with your money.

CouponChief.com offers these easy tips to stay on budget in 2009:

- Write down your budget goals: It has been proven that people who write down their goals are much more likely to achieve them. Spend some time at the beginning of the year planning a monthly budget. If there is a month where you know you will spend more money, perhaps due to an important birthday or vacation, be sure to spend less in a different month. Read the rest »

Here we are at the end of our Christmas Missions. Hopefully you have found some inspiration in these missions and your Holiday season is just a tad bit less stressful! This week we will be focusing on cleaning, organizing, relaxing, and enjoying this wonderful time of the year…

Week #4: FINALE

Here we are at the end of our Christmas Missions.� Hopefully you have found some inspiration in these missions and your Holiday season is just a tad bit less stressful!� If you have not finished your shopping, hopefully your list is not too great.� If you are finished, stay away from the malls and the temptation to buy more! This week we will be focusing on cleaning, organizing, relaxing, and enjoying this wonderful time of the year! Read the rest »

When friends and family members welcome a 7 or 8 pound bundle of joy into their lives, we rush out to the retail baby mega stores for that “perfect gift.” We fill our carts with clothes, toys, books and products that claim to make baby eat, sleep and poop better. We’ll drive all over town searching for miracle blankets and twirling mobiles. Maybe we should stop and consider that sometimes the most “unique gifts” are acts of kindness. When I look back at our first days at home with our 7 pound bundle of joy, I have a hard time recalling who brought our son the lion and who sung lullabies, but I can remember clearly the faces that appeared above a steaming plate of spaghetti.

When your friends bring home a baby, they are not bringing home the bacon. (Literal translation= no one in the home has time to cook!) It’s actually very ironic: At a time when parents need the energy from a good meal, they simply don’t have the energy to prepare one. If you make a meal that can be frozen and prepared quickly and easily with little effort from the parents, you are giving a thoughtful gift in the form of an act of kindness. Show up with lasagna and a note to freeze until ready, bake at 350, you have friends for life. If you think to bring paper plates and napkins so as to avoid making dirty dishes, your friends would probably take a bullet for you. Read the rest »

Christmas falls on December 25th every year. Every single year. It never changes. Then why is it that as the date rapidly approaches dads all around the world find themselves with nary a gift? If you’re a dad and you’ve found yourself in this predicament (once again), follow this guide to getting your shopping done quickly.

First, fuel up. Put gas in the car and food in your belly. You might be in for a long day and it’s possible that you might be driving all over town today. Make sure your family knows you’ll be away from the home all day. (Be prepared for your wife’s disappointed look when you tell her it’s because you’ve waited this long to get your portion of the list crossed off.) Read the rest »

What’s in your oven? There is nothing like a batch of homemade cookies baking in the oven to invoke the holiday spirit. Spend some time in the kitchen this week and create special memories for your children and share the bounty to fill the tummies and warm the hearts of those around you….

Week #3:� WHAT’S IN YOUR OVEN?There is nothing like a batch of homemade cookies baking in the oven to invoke the holiday spirit!� If you are involved in a cookie exchange you have a whole lot of one type of cookie to make. � Resist the temptation to not want help during the baking and decorating process.� I know it would be a lot easier to bake without little hands getting in the way, but these memories will last a lifetime to the little ones in your life! Make sure you snap a few pictures, as these photos will be greatly treasured in years to come.� Read the rest »