tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77967915270951664532024-03-21T11:39:47.140-07:00Our HugsOur Hugs, Our FutureUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger26125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7796791527095166453.post-36401620646266410242015-09-05T20:12:00.001-07:002015-09-05T20:12:26.310-07:00NijMiller Trick Shot Pilot 9.05.15<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="344" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5KB5vsPxYCg" width="459"></iframe><br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7796791527095166453.post-18239869993709608242014-10-20T11:51:00.000-07:002014-10-20T11:51:14.362-07:00The Best 10 Year-Old Boy Birthday Party Activity!Like many of you parents out there, I am always in the market for a great kids' party idea. I have gone back to <a href="https://www.google.com/" target="_blank">Google</a> to try to find the original link I found giving me the suggestion, but now I can't find it. Though I took the idea and ran on my own with it, these people deserve some serious kudos. If I can find it again, I will definitely post it. But for now, I just have to share how successful this was!<br />
<br />HOLD AN AUCTION USING MONOPOLY MONEY. Prizes can range from a box of Mac 'n Cheese, Goldfish crackers or sugar-free gum, to a book, a killer pair of socks or a flat cap. We are also the family who likes to laugh, so a can of shaving cream, air freshener and deodorant will get them rolling! You wouldn't believe the excitement on their faces and the pride in the items they purchased. They can even trade after it's over. This had them completely engaged for a good 45+ minutes. It was priceless . . .<br />
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Some comments from mom's the next day:<br />
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"My son came home wearing his new socks that he proudly traded his Goldfish for! He's had them on for 2 days now. Ewww . . ."<br />
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"OMG, my son had so much fun, he won't stop talking. The next day, he used his deodorant twice and brought his Goldfish on our road trip!"<br />
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Other fun things they enjoyed was a ladder ball tournament and a Washeroo tournament. But the auction was so successful they never had time for the video game tournament! How great is that, that we barely needed electronics and technology for a 10 year-old birthday party!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7796791527095166453.post-66094765164750443912014-10-13T12:59:00.001-07:002014-10-13T12:59:55.928-07:00Follow Up to Making Bronze Olympic MedalsThis is a horribly shot video. I'll get it better next time :) One follow-up to my follow-up ;) I did find a bronze foam sheet at Joanne's Fabric/Craft store. It's not quite as nice of a color as how these turned out, but it would save time cutting out the painting steps.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7796791527095166453.post-63049779408811381692014-08-27T23:37:00.001-07:002014-08-27T23:37:25.123-07:00How to Make Olympic Medals for a 5th Grade ClassNow that I am officially a stay-at-home mother, I am planning to volunteer more at my kids' school. I offered to be a home helper for my 5th grade son's class. Monday morning, I received an email request from my son's teacher asking me to make gold, silver and bronze medals for their Olympic closing ceremonies (the kids have been competing in various academic and athletic events for about a week and a half). The teacher needed 15 of each color (45 medals in total) by Wednesday morning! It's pretty short notice, but I couldn't say "No," right? I did volunteer after all. Watch my video to see how I pulled it off. Let's not mention how I got it done with my daughter's karate class and soccer practice, my son's soccer practice, back-to-school night Tuesday night and my 11 month-old in tow :)<br />
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Here's a picture of the finished product:<br />
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Watch my video to see how I did it! Share your similar projects. Thanks!</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7796791527095166453.post-15932887004995222682014-08-18T22:22:00.000-07:002014-08-18T22:22:28.990-07:00Tips for Dealing with Unwanted Email AdsDo you get wayyyyy too many junk emails trying to sell you something or make you rich working from home? Do you know about the law stating that every piece of soliciting email is required to have an opt-out button you can select so you no longer receive so many annoying ads? I answered "Yes" to both of these questions, so I innocently thought that as a courtesy to these people, I would opt-out of receiving their emails before I reported them as Spam. I spent 20 minutes here and there over the course of about a week clicking on the "unsubscribe" links and waited a week or so for the junk to stop. Next thing I knew, I was receiving more messages than before! So, I found this out the hard way. Hopefully you haven't made this mistake yet and my posting some information here will prevent you from compounding your amount of junk email ads. <br />
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1) The longer you have an active email, the more junk you'll receive. Your email address has been "out there" for so long that it's inevitable that it will get sold over and over again to other people and companies buying lists.<br />
2) If you think you can just click "unsubscribe" at the bottom of these ads and that will end that, you are sadly mistaken. What really happens is that when you click the "opt-out" links and even type in your email address to confirm your removal, your email address is actually getting validated so that they know you are a real person with a working email address. In turn, your address gets filed as active and is sold over and over and over again to people and companies purchasing email addresses. Isn't that nice?<br />
3) You can try all you want to report these unwanted ads as Spam, but as long as they are following the guidelines set forth by the <a href="http://business.ftc.gov/documents/bus61-can-spam-act-compliance-guide-business" target="_blank">CAN-SPAM Act</a>, they will not ever get qualified as Spam.<br />
4) The best thing you can do, unfortunately, is simply ignore them and continue to delete them regularly. If there is never a response, or a click-through to any of their links, the best you can hope for is that you go into an inactive list, where they think your email address is dormant. Eventually, they will stop sending you messages. We hope . . .<br />
5) Basically, there's nothing you can do about it unless you are ok with starting all over again with a brand new email address. If you do decide to start over, you want to strongly consider using Gmail or Microsoft Exchange, hosting by Microsoft. They have the best anti-Spam filtering softwares. They should, right? Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7796791527095166453.post-71788537929909973342014-07-30T22:05:00.000-07:002014-07-31T22:58:19.090-07:00Top Airplane Tips for Traveling with a 5-10 Month-Old Baby<span style="font-family: inherit;">We've all seen it. Many of us have participated in it. A parent walks on an airplane with a DREADED BABY!! Passengers are rolling their eyes, trying not to make eye contact, or even worse, giving dirty looks like "How dare you bring that thing on board this peaceful flight!" Many things are running through these poor peoples' heads such as "Oh No! Don't sit by me. This is going to be the longest flight ever if I have to listen to a screaming baby." Trust me. I've been one of those people, but for the past 9-1/2 years, I have been the recipient of these petrified looks. I have also found a way to turn those expressions into joyous smiles and endearing compliments for myself and each of my 3 children at the end of these flights. I've successfully flown babies, toddlers and children on 1-1/2-hour flights to Las Vegas, 5-hour flights to Hawaii, 13-hour flights to Paris, and many more in between. I am here to share my tricks with you.</span><br />
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1) <span style="font-family: inherit;">Plan your flight around your child's feeding time, not his or her nap time (though doing both is even better :) It's much easier to deal with a tired baby on an airplane than a hungry baby. Book your flight so that your baby will be ready to nurse or bottle-feed upon takeoff. This sets a calm tone for your flight by avoiding ear-popping altitude pain in addition to bonding with your infant. Who knows? Maybe they'll even fall asleep in your arms and your first 30-60 minutes will be peaceful!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">2) Get baby out of car seat so you can check it and put her in your stroller to take to the gate. You can very easily gate-check your stroller so it will be right there ready for you as soon as you land.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">3) Check everything you possibly can so that your carry-ons are minimal. Sorry parents. You won't have time to catch up on the newspaper or read your latest book. These little guys are way too busy!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">4) Pack a carry-on solely for your baby and a couple of your own essentials (like your wallet - don't hassle with carrying your purse on board, you'll only have 1 arm for baby with blankie and 1 arm for pulling 1 carry-on). Fill it with one of baby's favorite toys, and toys that baby has never seen before. Never bring noisy toys on airplanes! A few suggestions: bath books are great. They are interesting to look at and baby can chew and slobber on them all she wants, some sort of light-up toy: a flashlight, or one of those fans that spin and light up, nesting cups or puppets. I have a couple of brightly-colored silicone cases for an iPhone and sunglasses. Those are great for baby to chew on and you can put random things (including PUFFS) inside them, open and close them, so baby sees something is in there and wants to work for it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">5) Food: your choices here depend on your baby's age. The universal greatest food invention for babies when traveling is Gerber brand PUFFS. You can buy organic if you prefer, so they have options. You may choose any flavor, just try to buy them on sale. They are pretty pricey! But seriously, they are like candy for an infant. You can feed them slowly, one at a time, as long as you'd like while you are flying. Something to note is that this really works if you rarely give your baby PUFFS to begin with. If your child is used to a certain food, there is not much novelty to a can of PUFFS if they have them all the time. The trick for the older babies particularly is to let them work for each bite. Put a few only in your hand and let them grab them and eat themselves. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">6) Get anything and everything you don't want your baby playing with out of their reach as soon as you sit down. The last thing you want is for your baby to find something of interest only to have you take it out of their hands. We all know what happens to babies who </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">are abruptly told "No," right? Screaming Fit!!!!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">All of these things combined kill time and occupy your little one like you wouldn't believe. I'd love to hear your own tricks for pleasant travel. Please share with us and happy flying!</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7796791527095166453.post-60095344814405072672014-06-13T21:11:00.002-07:002014-06-13T21:12:52.826-07:00Hug Your AmbitionsThis topic is much broader than I have room for in a single blog post, so expect to see more on this subject as we go. Since I have had children, I have been fortunate enough to find career positions with a lot of flexibility in regards to my schedule. Over the past 9-1/2 years, I have regularly struggled with whether to work in an office or stay at home. I have had several conversations with moms of all career statuses: from full-time homemaker who attended minimal college, to full-time homemaker who has a Master's Degree, to part-time career moms, to full-time career moms and so many in between. My recent "forced" change in employment has caused me to step back and really think about what I want for myself, my career and my family.<br />
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When I was in college, one of the deciding factors in choosing my major was the idea of being able to work from home when I had a family of my own. However, when actually given the opportunity and choice to do so, I couldn't pull the trigger. After all these years of planning for the day that I could realize my dreams and "have it all" as far as I was concerned, I couldn't do it. Why is that? What's wrong with me?<br />
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I have always wanted to have my own business. I have always wanted to work for myself. I have the work ethic to do so. I am resourceful enough to do so. Then what's holding me back? Fear!! Fear of the unknown. Fear of missing something important. And above all, fear of failure. Starting a new business is scary. There are not only a lot of steps involved in doing so, but there are always going to be your critics. I am not afraid of all of the steps. I am afraid of all those people who don't believe in me or my product. That's what I have to overcome. And you know what? Writing all of this down in a blog only makes me feel more confident, more motivated and less afraid to go after my dreams. </div>
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As I sit typing these words, I am thinking of the people who never ask me how my business goals are coming, or those who don't ask about the products I have spent countless hours and late nights developing. I am thinking about those people who very obviously don't think I can do it. I have to prove them wrong. But that can't be my main motivation can it? Shouldn't I just want to do it for myself because it's a lifelong dream? I say "Yes!" to both of those questions. We have to find motivation to push forward no matter where it comes from. Motivation is motivation and I'll take it from wherever I can get it; from my opponents, to my proponents, to my little driving voice inside of me. So please stay tuned, people. You can hear my journey, every step of the way, and we'll see if I can make this happen!!</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7796791527095166453.post-15463657673262131082014-06-04T23:33:00.001-07:002014-06-04T23:33:21.886-07:00A Hug for My Dog KitoI mentioned earlier that I lost my dog back in November of last year. Kito was a 13 year-old Rhodesian Ridgeback. I brought him home when he was 10 weeks old. The breeder told me he would be around 85 lbs. Those 85 lbs. lasted about 3 years. Then he was 92 lbs. Then he was 103 lbs. Then 112. At Kito's peak, he weighed a whopping 123 lbs.! That's 50% heavier than I was expecting! But he was tall, lean and very strong. He was my running partner. We'd do 7 miles roundtrip, running uphill to a mountain peak where we'd stop and rest; overlooking a beautiful hillside before continuing down to complete our exercise. And wouldn't you know it? We'd be home for about 30 minutes, Kito would get these bursts of energy and off to the dog park we'd go. That dog had more energy than he knew what to do with. He definitely kept me busy.<br />
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As a puppy, Kito was pretty typical. He destroyed several pairs of my shoes, a couple of cell. phones, patio furniture covers and even a door frame. He loved to be with me. He was the best road trip dog I've ever seen. He was crate-trained and cat-trained. He hated motorcycles, lawn mowers and electric scooters. He loved biscuits, begging and queen-sized beds. He was just the right kind of protective.<br />
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When the family would return home from a vacation, or Kito was just feeling frisky, he'd tear through the house with excitement like his bum was on fire. The kids would jump on the couch to get clear out of his path and squeal with laughter over every lap. My then 4 year-old daughter would put him on a leash and take him on walks through the house (something that never would have happened when he was younger than 10 years old - way too strong).<br />
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Kito could beg and whine like nobody's business. You could argue that those were his worst faults, though they were quite humorous when directed at particular people. My husband was one of them. The two of them would get into these staring matches where my husband usually lost. Kito just wanted to be treated like the rest of the family members. He never understood why he couldn't eat every meal identical to ours.<br />
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The day I had to say goodbye to my Kito was one of the hardest days of my life. During the week leading up to it, he gave me many signs that it was time for him to go. Still, I struggled with my decision. I asked my husband over and over again in the vet's office if I was making the right decision. I still have his collar in my bag. There are some things I still just can't completely let go of.<br />
He was my companion, my best friend and my comfort. I miss you, my Kito Dia (Precious Champion.)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7796791527095166453.post-35583332972319772452014-05-28T22:57:00.000-07:002014-06-04T21:57:44.014-07:00Get Back to Hugging!Here I go again, trying to start blogging after an entire year off! I am hopeful that I am now in a place to make this a weekly thing, finally. A heck of a lot has happened over this past year, so I will try to keep my words relatively brief. <br />
I am thrilled to say that my family of 4 turned into a family of 5 last September. I gave birth to a gorgeous baby girl. This new addition has been such a joy, yet such a massive adjustment at the same time. I am lucky, however. My children are ages 9 years, 5 years, and 9 months, so at least the older siblings can brush their own teeth and dress themselves in the morning ;) How do you moms do it with yours being 1, 2 and 3 years apart? <br />
Last November, my heart was broken when I lost my first baby, my 13 year-old Rhodesian Ridgeback, Kito. He was a beautiful and loyal hound dog. We spent a lot of time together before my husband and children came into my life, so he truly was my best friend and companion for the first 3 years of his life.<br />
I took a pretty long maternity leave from my day job during my pregnancy. I left in mid-August of last year and returned at the beginning of February, this year. I lasted 2 months and they laid me off at the end of March. A blessing in disguise it was, to say the least. Now I can focus 100% on all of the things that are important to me: my family, my friends, my home and my dream career.<br />
Well, now that all of that is off my chest, I can start some thoughtful discussions I am sure you will be interested in! Stay tuned and please join in the conversations. After all, it's not a hug if there's only 1 person involved :)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7796791527095166453.post-36826019621841231272013-05-08T23:26:00.000-07:002013-05-08T23:46:37.283-07:00Hug Your Health!I have to share with you the grand opening of Pukka Pilates & Physical Therapy by a dear friend of mine, Sharon Manzuk, MPT, PMA-CPT, CEES.<br />
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"Pukka Pilates & Physical Therapy is an innovative physical therapy & Pilates studio with a holistic rehabilitative & fitness approach to whole body health & lifelong wellness. All services are provided by physical therapists, PMA-Certified Pilates Teachers, and certified yoga instructors."<br />
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Their menu of services includes: <br />
* Physical Therapy<br />
* Pilates Rehabilitation<br />
* Pilates for Fitness<br />
* Yoga<br />
* Ergonomic Consulting<br />
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The great benefit of visiting Sharon and her well-experienced team of instructors is that they are not only certified pilates instructors, but they are also licensed physical therapists. They can work with you on rehabilitation and teach you how to exercise right; the right way for your individual body needs. I'm telling you, these women know what they're doing! I am just about 6 months pregnant and they were able to quickly and effectively modify my workout taking into consideration my body's "limitations."<br />
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Visit Sharon at <a href="http://www.pukkapilatesandpt.com/" target="_blank">Pukka Pilates & PT</a> today for a free consultation session and sign up for classes!<br />
Hug your bodies, guys & ladies both!!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7796791527095166453.post-86055301526886113752013-03-12T18:17:00.001-07:002013-03-25T16:10:00.233-07:00Movies for 8 Year-Old BoysI need some help here. it is becoming increasingly more difficult for me to find good movies for my 8-1/2 year-old son and his friends. They can't watch cartoons and animated films forever! I polled some of my co-workers and these were the suggestions they came up with. Please help me and give your input!<br />
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Appropriate (enough), entertaining, not a cartoon:<br />
ET<br />
Uncle Buck<br />
Spy Kids<br />
Goonies<br />
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory<br />
The Karate Kid (original)<br />
The Karate Kid (remake)<br />
The Sandlot<br />
Honey, I Shrunk the Kids<br />
Harry Potter<br />
Diary of a Wimpy Kid<br />
The Avengers<br />
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Not Appropriate:<br />
Austin Powers<br />
Adam Sandler (though I do love him)<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7796791527095166453.post-81623085555269433562013-03-04T22:17:00.001-08:002013-03-04T22:27:30.613-08:00Hug Our Children's Hearts & Bellies!<span style="color: #604735;">Childhood obesity used to feel
like such a foreign concept to me. I think it’s because I quite literally
(well, not quite) grew up outside. Yes, I watched a lot of TV and played a lot
of Atari when I was kid. A lot of us did. They were new technologies. However,
most of my memories growing up center around everything we did outdoors. My
brother dug a swimming pool-sized ditch in the orchard behind our house (which
today is Highway 85) and used it as an army bunker. My best friend and I later
turned it into a flower shop </span><span style="color: #604735; font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><span style="color: #604735;"> My brother pitched tents in the backyard and had
campouts during the summer months with his friends. We’d make ourselves picnic
lunches and climb our backyard tree to eat. We rode our bikes. We played
pickle. We sat around doing nothing under the neighbor’s tree. We set up
theater-style seating in our garage and watched our cat have kittens! We were
outside.</span><span style="color: #604735;"><o:p> </o:p></span><br />
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<span style="color: #604735;">With all that said, it
continually shocks me to read statistics like these from the Center for Disease
Control:</span></div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #604735; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">Childhood obesity
has more than doubled in children and tripled in adolescents in the past
30 years.<sup>1, 2</sup><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #604735; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">The percentage of
children aged 6–11 years in the United States who were obese increased
from 7% in 1980 to nearly 18% in 2010. Similarly, the percentage of
adolescents aged 12–19 years who were obese increased from 5% to 18% over
the same period.<sup>1, 2</sup> <o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #604735; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">In 2010, more than
one third of children and adolescents were overweight or obese.<sup>1</sup><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #604735; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;"><i><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">Overweight</span></i><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"> is defined as having excess body
weight for a particular height from fat, muscle, bone, water, or a
combination of these factors.<sup>3</sup> <i>Obesity</i> is defined as
having excess body fat.<sup>4</sup> <o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #604735; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">Overweight and
obesity are the result of “caloric imbalance”—too few calories expended
for the amount of calories consumed—and are affected by various genetic,
behavioral, and environmental factors.<sup>5,6</sup><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #604735; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">During the last 3
decades, the prevalence of obesity has tripled among persons aged 6–19
years. Multiple chronic disease risk factors, such as high blood pressure,
high cholesterol levels, and high blood glucose levels are related to
obesity.</span></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #604735;">It goes without saying that healthy
diets for children can be a challenge to manage successfully. However, teaching
children about the importance of exercise and healthy eating early on can prevent
most cases of obesity; as well as avoid the struggles and confrontations that
can arise when you decline the lastest request for potato chips or candy. Yes,
there are medical conditions some children deal with. We are not trivializing
those issues here by any means. But we all know of the growing trend of couch
potatoes and computer geeks . . . </span><span style="color: #604735;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #604735;">There are growing numbers of
programs in schools that address the importance of healthy eating patterns.
Inside the classroom, there is curriculum specifically focused on statistics
of<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>illness rates, allergy percentages,
etc. and how they are directly related to low test scores, irritability, and
hyperactivity.</span><span style="color: #604735;"><o:p> </o:p></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-1T9bo3jEa7SBAzzF4O0PXHWwnWgnFnrGsOHHWgyGOUnmoV3jJrhCdR7bwHkceGlEKOssEgxqPQPFUaHBYqw__X8_Guz9Mb_5XuCPUnbl_oqkAtPUGDXjyo9abtChZ231fVVDvKELVpN3/s1600/Childhood+Obesity.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-1T9bo3jEa7SBAzzF4O0PXHWwnWgnFnrGsOHHWgyGOUnmoV3jJrhCdR7bwHkceGlEKOssEgxqPQPFUaHBYqw__X8_Guz9Mb_5XuCPUnbl_oqkAtPUGDXjyo9abtChZ231fVVDvKELVpN3/s1600/Childhood+Obesity.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a></div>
</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #604735;">Television programs are even
taking part in the fight. Shows like NBC’s <a href="http://www.nbc.com/the-biggest-loser/video/lead-by-example/n32294/" target="_blank">The Biggest Loser</a> have had successful
runs at targeting America’s youth; teaching them how to eat healthy and take
care of their bodies.</span><span style="color: #604735;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #604735;">Don’t forget: You are feeding
your babies’ brains. Their ability to focus, energy levels, muscle strength,
irritability, etc. are all impacted by what they eat and how much activity they
partake in. Start them young and . . . get your kids outside! </span><span style="color: #604735;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: #604735; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family: Verdana;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN" style="color: #604735; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Ogden CL, Carroll MD, Kit BK, Flegal KM. Prevalence of
obesity and trends in body mass index among US children and adolescents,
1999-2010. </span><i><span lang="EN" style="color: #604735; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Journal
of the American Medical Association</span></i><span lang="EN" style="color: #604735; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">
2012;307(5):483-490.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: #604735; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family: Verdana;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN" style="color: #604735; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">National Center for Health Statistics. Health, United
States, 2011: With Special Features on Socioeconomic Status and Health.
Hyattsville, MD; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; 2012.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: #604735; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family: Verdana;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN" style="color: #604735; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">National Institutes of Health, National Heart, Lung, and
Blood Institute. </span><span lang="EN" style="color: #604735; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/obe/obe_whatare.html"><span style="color: #604735;">Disease and Conditions Index: What Are Overweight and
Obesity?</span></a><a href="http://www.cdc.gov/Other/disclaimer.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #604735; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.0pt; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><v:shapetype coordsize="21600,21600" filled="f" id="_x0000_t75" o:preferrelative="t" o:spt="75" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" stroked="f">
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<o:lock aspectratio="t" v:ext="edit">
</o:lock></v:path></v:stroke></v:shapetype><v:shape alt="External Web Site Icon" href="http://www.cdc.gov/Other/disclaimer.html" id="_x0000_i1025" o:button="t" style="height: 7.5pt; width: 7.5pt;" target=""_blank"" type="#_x0000_t75">
<v:imagedata o:href="http://www.cdc.gov/TemplatePackage/images/icon_out.png" src="file:///C:\Users\djenkins\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image001.png">
</v:imagedata></v:shape></span></a></span><span lang="EN" style="color: #604735; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> Bethesda, MD: National Institutes of Health; 2010. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: #604735; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family: Verdana;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN" style="color: #604735; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Krebs NF, Himes JH, Jacobson D, Nicklas TA, Guilday P,
Styne D. Assessment of child and adolescent overweight and obesity. </span><i><span lang="EN" style="color: #604735; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Pediatrics</span></i><span lang="EN" style="color: #604735; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> 2007;120:S193–S228. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: #604735; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family: Verdana;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN" style="color: #604735; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Daniels SR, Arnett DK, Eckel RH, et al. Overweight in
children and adolescents: pathophysiology, consequences, prevention, and
treatment. </span><i><span lang="EN" style="color: #604735; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Circulation</span></i><span lang="EN" style="color: #604735; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> 2005;111;1999–2002.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: #604735; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family: Verdana;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN" style="color: #604735; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Office of the Surgeon General. </span><span lang="EN" style="color: #604735; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/obesityvision/obesityvision2010.pdf" target="_blank"><span style="color: #604735;">The Surgeon General's Vision for a
Healthy and Fit Nation. </span><span style="color: #604735; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.0pt; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><v:shape alt="Adobe PDF file" id="_x0000_i1026" style="height: 12pt; width: 12pt;" type="#_x0000_t75">
<v:imagedata o:href="http://www.cdc.gov/TemplatePackage/images/icon_pdf.gif" src="file:///C:\Users\djenkins\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image003.gif">
</v:imagedata></v:shape></span><span style="color: #604735;">[pdf 840K]</span></a><a href="http://www.cdc.gov/Other/disclaimer.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #604735; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.0pt; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><v:shape alt="External Web Site Icon" href="http://www.cdc.gov/Other/disclaimer.html" id="_x0000_i1027" o:button="t" style="height: 7.5pt; width: 7.5pt;" target=""_blank"" type="#_x0000_t75">
<v:imagedata o:href="http://www.cdc.gov/TemplatePackage/images/icon_out.png" src="file:///C:\Users\djenkins\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image001.png">
</v:imagedata></v:shape></span></a></span><span lang="EN" style="color: #604735; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">. Rockville, MD, U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services; 2010. </span><span lang="EN" style="color: #604735; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in;">
<span style="color: #604735; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 8.5pt;">Other References:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in;">
<span style="color: #604735; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 8.5pt;"><a href="http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/obesity/facts.htm"><span style="color: #604735;">http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/obesity/facts.htm</span></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in;">
<span style="color: #604735; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 8.5pt;"><a href="http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/pdf/rr/rr6005.pdf"><span style="color: #604735;">http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/pdf/rr/rr6005.pdf</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7796791527095166453.post-86759347630336250762012-11-20T00:09:00.001-08:002012-11-25T00:02:18.283-08:00Thanksgiving HUGsWell, here we go again. Another year older. Another year I have signed up myself and my son for the Applied Materials Silicon Valley Turkey Trot. The only problem is that I don't exercise! There was a time (close to 10 years ago) that I ran on a regular basis. However, as so many of us mothers can attest to, my fitness level has dropped significantly since my first baby was born. After the second, it has become almost non-existent, I am embarrassed to say.<br />
<br />
Besides changing fitness routines, another thing that happens as we become parents is the always forefront consideration of how we be good, positive role models, how we teach our children the importance and significance of giving back, and the good old fashioned quest to keep our children outside, breathing fresh air and running their hearts out. Hence, here I go again with my multiple-hugging endeavors.<br />
<br />
I am being very honest when I say last year's 5K was a struggle for me. I did it. My 7 year-old son did it. But it wasn't easy. I almost skipped it this year. I had talked myself out of it. But as my son moves along in his school, I have been blessed with quite a few beautiful moms who care about their kids as much as I do. Luckily, their passions lie in teaching the importance of exercise too.<br />
<br />
So, I am thankful for new friends; for both my son and myself, who continue to inspire me to stay involved, stay healthy, and above all, to give back.<br />
<br />
Happy Thanksgiving everyone. May you all find that unexpected inspiration for your next adventure. Wish me luck!<br />
<br />
Lets get running!<br />
http://www.svturkeytrot.com<br />
<br/><br/><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgatfKDEPBvGp6Yw0hJBA2ddlcg1zm63QfTCSbnoOwouNuRKAFufoAFvGsVk-t8vsRpYFIOoIMRIfrUg5VFnzsy5VxkAH2nmCcesHBNKH80F0ffNXL5BtmpH8BGgY28_eKQ-Xrnv8I1JNRL/s640/blogger-image--74249692.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgatfKDEPBvGp6Yw0hJBA2ddlcg1zm63QfTCSbnoOwouNuRKAFufoAFvGsVk-t8vsRpYFIOoIMRIfrUg5VFnzsy5VxkAH2nmCcesHBNKH80F0ffNXL5BtmpH8BGgY28_eKQ-Xrnv8I1JNRL/s640/blogger-image--74249692.jpg" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7796791527095166453.post-67642801050952962622012-11-08T23:53:00.001-08:002012-12-05T13:33:02.150-08:00A Hug from a Moustache?<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Writing blogs can be very difficult; especially when you are
researching your topics and gathering data. You can get turned on to a subject,
only to be side-tracked by 20 other potential topics as you go. The amusing
thing is that when you have actually chosen your next greatest
discussion-starter - it’s interesting. It’s
important. It’s timely. Wait a minute. It’s not timely. Wait a minute. It is
timely! What the ??? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">How many of you know November is Men’s Health Issues Awareness Month?
How many of you know June is Men’s Health Issue Awareness Month? Which is it? Can
somebody please straighten this out for me??!!</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiK8IXB57J8zwJKTlA4RaIvqZ7GXuuwo9hgQRWmNycgHt5mXYl9p8d9BUaO2Vu8LeMGY2LDHlfJ1tO2HVPp7CqnRJsF0uaLWPQ7n_u-lvC1OVz62ABYorxBoeZHmFrsO4ghUIo_TWHpc4d/s1600/Mo&sons-Mo-Icon-thumb%2520-%2520Copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiK8IXB57J8zwJKTlA4RaIvqZ7GXuuwo9hgQRWmNycgHt5mXYl9p8d9BUaO2Vu8LeMGY2LDHlfJ1tO2HVPp7CqnRJsF0uaLWPQ7n_u-lvC1OVz62ABYorxBoeZHmFrsO4ghUIo_TWHpc4d/s1600/Mo&sons-Mo-Icon-thumb%2520-%2520Copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="77" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiK8IXB57J8zwJKTlA4RaIvqZ7GXuuwo9hgQRWmNycgHt5mXYl9p8d9BUaO2Vu8LeMGY2LDHlfJ1tO2HVPp7CqnRJsF0uaLWPQ7n_u-lvC1OVz62ABYorxBoeZHmFrsO4ghUIo_TWHpc4d/s1600/Mo&sons-Mo-Icon-thumb%2520-%2520Copy.jpg" width="200" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Regardless of which month is the “real” awareness month, I have to talk
about Movember & Sons. The
Movember movement began in Australia in 2003 and is now in over 10 countries.
Last year, their movement raised over $126 million. Throughout the month of November, men grow moustaches of all shapes and sizes as a symbol of support for men's health. What a clever and light-hearted way to remind us not to forget the special men in our lives need care and attention too! Movember & Sons is dedicated to increasing awareness of men’s
health issues; raising money for cancer research and prevention, and
educating others on lifelong healthy living practices. Please visit their website to learn more about this cause and read some inspirational stories of prevention and survival. <a href="http://us.movember.com/?home" target="_blank">Click here!!</a> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Well, whichever month it really is, Happy Growing (and
waxing, and shaping, and twirling)!</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7796791527095166453.post-19708918001607582352012-08-10T09:58:00.000-07:002012-08-15T00:35:01.891-07:00Introducing the HUG Nursing Pillow Line!!
Introducing our new line of nursing pillows for all of you nursing parents! Mothers, fathers, grandmas, grandpas, aunts, uncles, breast-feeders, bottle-feeders; our Hugs will fit you all. Not only are our Hugs uniquely soft, beautiful, and full of whimsy, but they are functional in so many ways!Let our Hugs hug you! Our handmade in the USA nursing pillows will embrace your waist, cuddle your baby and snuggle your heart. Made from high-quality, ultra-soft fabrics, you’ll feel like you’re living in the lap of luxury (pun intended;) As if you don’t already have a hard time putting your precious little bundle down, you’ll find yourself making excuse after excuse for wrapping your Hug around you.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidRG7sby66KT0H8k37uCO72Qs0ZqXzFcRLkGZGBmHa8rPimCDmXelHGRDAUfsBAibXlDk7Dix7LooO3joprdc9Diu8OmOdWtoFAwFBn3hUzK8AG2CUa1KjQM8O5cGh2knibOz3bveaHNIU/s1600/AllHUGs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="85" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidRG7sby66KT0H8k37uCO72Qs0ZqXzFcRLkGZGBmHa8rPimCDmXelHGRDAUfsBAibXlDk7Dix7LooO3joprdc9Diu8OmOdWtoFAwFBn3hUzK8AG2CUa1KjQM8O5cGh2knibOz3bveaHNIU/s400/AllHUGs.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Accessories Included:<br />
Dual-Purpose Minky Soft Companion Pillow:<br />
- A toy: Each pillow has a rattle inside for baby to shake, rattle & hold.<br />
- An ergonomic accessory: These pillows sit perfectly in your hip, under your Hug nursing pillow, to prop baby’s head just enough for an angle that supports more efficient flow of milk into the body; decreasing gas discomfort and reflux.<br />
<br />
Dual-Purpose Pillow Protector/Burp Cloth (quantity 2):<br />
Being a new parent, we need to rely on convenience. That’s why we have added pillow protectors that save your pillow from leaks and spit-ups. Simply lay the cloth over the area where baby is feeding. Once she’s finished, just move the cloth to your shoulder, give baby a few pats on her back and your done! Your pillow is just as clean as when you started! And all you have to do is throw the burp cloths in the wash!<br />
<br />
Patent Pending<br />
<br />
Give us a try today!! <a href="http://www.ourhugs.com/shop/" target="_blank">Click here to view our newly designed store</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7796791527095166453.post-67425889275905477462012-05-08T00:25:00.000-07:002012-05-08T22:48:06.393-07:00Breast CancerBreast Cancer. It doesn't matter who we are or what we do. It just seems to follow us everywhere. To be frank, I have lived my life pretty far removed from it. Truthfully, my main source of information on the subject has primarily been my mother. I am, thanks to her, diligent about my breast exams. I had my first mammogram last year (since I turned 40.) I do, however, seem to take for granted my health. Well, breast cancer officially hit my family through my aunt, and most recently, my cousin. I feel compelled to make some changes. My 42 year-old cousin passed away on Saturday, April 29, 2012. Kendra Kesselring Whittington battled the disease for 2 short years, continually beaming a bright smile throughout her journey. She lived in Illinois. I didn't know her. Yet I am extremely saddened and inspired by her and the way she chose to battle. Through Facebook, she shared her trials and tribulations, and praised her husband Scott, for being her "knight in shining armour." <a href="http://chickenranchs.blogspot.com/2012/05/goodbye-to-kendra.html" target="_blank">Click here to read a moving tribute to her.</a><br />
<br />
The American Cancer Society's most recent estimates for breast cancer in the United States are for 2012*: <br />
• About 226,870 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in women.<br />
• About 63,300 new cases of carcinoma in situ (CIS) will be diagnosed (CIS is non-invasive and is the earliest form of breast cancer). <br />
• About 39,510 women will die from breast cancer.<br />
<br />
If you read one of my blogs from last year, you may recall my girlfriend Julie and her efforts toward fighting the disease. Julie has a family history of breast cancer, so-far-benign cysts of her own, and is considered at high-risk for contracting the disease that takes thousands of beautiful women from us every year. Well, Julie's 6-year-old daughter, Olivia, will be joining her in the fight on her 7th birthday this year. Please read below. I am having my Aunt Joan and my cousin Kendra's name added to Julie's swim cap.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIWcka89jD16k94bJRSteXeH7-XDdsMxMjrf7fWpNjlXBsuNMcKM2-GXwEmeLB9tgSIEJv_BxtPX1Qk60__fHVaDOkIxumRR000j4qVcBzif9mUJa0uFts8o_bod1-5xrWf14NWrKWomkV/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIWcka89jD16k94bJRSteXeH7-XDdsMxMjrf7fWpNjlXBsuNMcKM2-GXwEmeLB9tgSIEJv_BxtPX1Qk60__fHVaDOkIxumRR000j4qVcBzif9mUJa0uFts8o_bod1-5xrWf14NWrKWomkV/s320/photo.JPG" width="238" /></a></div>
<br />
"Hello Friends & Family,<br />
<br />
One month from today, on June 2nd, Olivia's
7th birthday, she will join me in the pool to swim a "Mile for the Marys". We
will be swimming to honor the memories of both Grandma Mary Canepa & Mary
Simoni, two amazing women, who both lost their battles with cancer earlier this
year.<br />
Last year the support I received for my "Mile for Mary" campaign
was incredible and I'm still so very grateful for the generous support I
received from so many of you.<br />
There is still work to be done and a cure
for cancer must be found. Too many families, this year in particular, have been
devastated by this deadly disease. Please help me in this fight.<br />
Last
year I filled my cap with "Angels", the names provided by my generous
supporters. Olivia and I will be adorning our caps again this year with the
names of people currently battling cancer, and those that have passed. Please
let me know which angels to add to our caps after you've visited my secure
donation website*:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.active.com/donate/swim4tomorrow/JulieHerning" target="_blank">http://www.active.com/donate/swim4tomorrow/JulieHerning</a><br />
<br />
Thank
you for your support,<br />
Julie & Olivia"<br />
<br />
*<a href="http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/BreastCancer/DetailedGuide/breast-cancer-key-statistics" target="_blank">American Cancer Society > Learn About Cancer</a><br />
*donations to the Bay
Area Breast Cancer Network are tax deductibleUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7796791527095166453.post-69755371555507694462012-04-25T23:14:00.001-07:002012-04-25T23:14:48.812-07:00Dinner-Time HugsHave you ever sat down at the dinner table with your partner and children and realized you were eating in complete silence? Do the typical "How'd your day go?" questions just seem to come to an uninspired end with responses like, "Fine," or "Good," or "Nothing new?" Well, here are a few fun suggestions to liven up the table and even bring a few smiles and giggles to those faces.<br />
<br />
1) Sports Fans:<br />
My 7-1/2 year-old boy is a sports fanatic. I enjoy sports very much, but I definitely don't follow them like my husband and son. So, in effort to broaden my player vocabulary, we go around the kitchen table naming hockey players, A to Z. From Antti Niemi, to Sidney Crosby, to Jonathan Toews, I have learned more about the game of hockey from sitting at my dinner table talking to my family than watching 6 years of the San Jose Sharks'. All of us enjoy calling out a name and hearing the others surprise us with a new one. We play the same game with football players. We also quiz each other on professional players' jersey numbers!<br />
<br />
2) Together, Tell a Story:<br />
No, not Mom. No, not Dad. How about Mom, Dad, Brother, Sister and everyone else sitting around the dinner table? Turn it into a game! One person starts off the story with a "Once upon a time, there was a little boy who loved to sit in his bedroom closet," or "Once upon a time, there was a lonely princess in a castle." The next person makes up a sentence. Then, the next, and the next. Go around the table, each person adding their own idea to the story. Your children will be bright-eyed and anxiously awaiting the next detail. The only challenge you may have is that they may get too excited and have to be reminded to eat! If that's the case, guide your story toward a child who doesn't eat their dinner ;)<br />
<br />
Share with us your own stories for creating a meal-time experience that will be cherished in your and your children's hearts and minds, and carried over onto the next generation of dinner tables! <br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7796791527095166453.post-54129545462608583382012-01-26T00:18:00.000-08:002012-01-30T00:32:48.173-08:00The 40 Year-Old HugI have to say that I am still in shock over my recent weekend. It was girls' time. 6 of us left our husbands and children at home to visit our girlfriend at her home in San Diego. The 7 of us have been friends since high school and complain regularly that we don't get to see each other nearly enough. We are all turning 40 and need to celebrate! Now was the time. <br />
<br />
We are 7 women who are quite different from one another in our upbringings, our personalities and our lifestyles. But somehow, we have managed to establish an undying mutual respect for one another and the value of our relationship. We support each other. We help each other be better parents, partners and overall better human beings. <br />
<br />
I was one of only two of us who absolutely had to catch the 49er/Saints playoff game. Thank goodness I had a partner! The other 5 ladies were free to come and go as they pleased. They spent their time having pedicures, eating lunch with us and walking on the beach. Sharon and I spent our time sitting in a bar booth, beers in hand, screaming at the television and trying not to cause too much of a scene. That part didn't go over so well :)<br />
<br />
Coming down from the anxiety attacks we suffered by watching one of the best playoff games I have ever seen, Sharon and I hopped into her car to drive home and meet the other girls. We planned to get ready for a night on the town. <br />
<br />
Upon arrival, we were escorted into the kitchen by our hostess with the mostess, Sharon. To our surprise, behind the counter was the warm and welcoming Pamela Croft, Chef and Owner of <a href="http://dinnerathome-sd.com/index.html">Dinner at Home</a>. We started out with a toast of champagne, topped off with a raspberry, of course. Next came the light hors d'oeuvres of marcona almond and cream cheese on fig, and grapes covered in goat cheese and rolled in toasted pecans(absolutely to die for!) We enjoyed a first course of a sweet caramelized onion tart over a bed of mixed greens. Our second course was a light and beautiful 3-mushroom pearl risotto. A smooth chocolate torte for dessert finished us off.<br />
<br />
Throughout the meal, we enjoyed our wine & food and reminisced about our teenage years and beyond. We praised ourselves for holding on to our friendships and appreciating their value. It was a rather emotional evening, but the best kind of emotional! Life gets difficult for all of us, in so many ways. Our relationships with our girlfriends keep our heads above water; seeing us through the toughest times of our lives and celebrating the most special. <br />
<br />
We made it happen and are so happy we did. It is very important for women to hold on to their girlfriends. We rely on each other to keep our sanity! So, embrace your differences, recognize each other's strengths, appreciate each other and be forgiving. These relationships are not easy to come by. When they do find you, don't let them go. I love you girls!!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik1Nqc0kNq4STDgeT5Ud5tUqfBt2HP6RuCrHS2F7qlaZMzGQ5J1LzWHGSXTlHEmDZYwdTIz9OMpR243iMS8EMrIIXdB_q5MfSujeZUo50YfYuPI1n2R2pYCJjnxoB8GCHTKfzlS3Ov_cGQ/s1600/Girls+Relationships+Toast.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik1Nqc0kNq4STDgeT5Ud5tUqfBt2HP6RuCrHS2F7qlaZMzGQ5J1LzWHGSXTlHEmDZYwdTIz9OMpR243iMS8EMrIIXdB_q5MfSujeZUo50YfYuPI1n2R2pYCJjnxoB8GCHTKfzlS3Ov_cGQ/s320/Girls+Relationships+Toast.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTn6ZV2vgWHpBXfJ-0JPjo0aBpBsWhujq8W-qyMEog6SULF6wDK-L3nRXes0izUiPzJCsMjR3e3f9CEprrfCmCeD0RPaci35ZlGPV7jauqSYZqaK74VfBh5BQ8QLGgCFKa9DPS_etVGlS7/s1600/Girls+Relationships+Tart.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTn6ZV2vgWHpBXfJ-0JPjo0aBpBsWhujq8W-qyMEog6SULF6wDK-L3nRXes0izUiPzJCsMjR3e3f9CEprrfCmCeD0RPaci35ZlGPV7jauqSYZqaK74VfBh5BQ8QLGgCFKa9DPS_etVGlS7/s320/Girls+Relationships+Tart.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIbG2S_pJNfyxt-Q86zObgPmx-Daw8YbNhvd9EahG38MvZnsYYIz9_wtSUnARgLynG3IpJ0F4xftpxcxUXHJlJXgX04y33b8xvCAL42p0Fbs9sTYww22_-oHxCjJ09Yz10hhaW3Iy7XYwx/s1600/Girls+Relationships+Risotto.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIbG2S_pJNfyxt-Q86zObgPmx-Daw8YbNhvd9EahG38MvZnsYYIz9_wtSUnARgLynG3IpJ0F4xftpxcxUXHJlJXgX04y33b8xvCAL42p0Fbs9sTYww22_-oHxCjJ09Yz10hhaW3Iy7XYwx/s320/Girls+Relationships+Risotto.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq7gsdSLFSkcT5eCftkM_HTZTph6QV3y15JgAizUHmQKnaU9TJQQ7LMm9d-wzFGpPn6-vFn5v1Z3XpUgH-DExci-V-dKn-GQ4pfI-dvXMBKU5FEr8uCrARcndoPNXxqs46yl00EPihRr95/s1600/Girls+Relationships+Tort.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq7gsdSLFSkcT5eCftkM_HTZTph6QV3y15JgAizUHmQKnaU9TJQQ7LMm9d-wzFGpPn6-vFn5v1Z3XpUgH-DExci-V-dKn-GQ4pfI-dvXMBKU5FEr8uCrARcndoPNXxqs46yl00EPihRr95/s320/Girls+Relationships+Tort.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7796791527095166453.post-30121821762636567782011-08-21T22:17:00.000-07:002011-08-21T22:17:53.349-07:00How Can a Lunch Box Hug?I recently read an article in the newspaper about “Waste-Free Lunches.” My immediate reaction was first, “Hey! I’ve been doing this for years!” But then I realized I am not in the majority. You’d be amazed at how many people, even in our green trailblazing state of California, are still not even recycling. This conversation is always worth renewing, and renewing and renewing, until it becomes second-nature to every living human being. <br />
<br />
As a working mother, I pack my own lunch a few days a week. For years, it hasn’t crossed my mind to use anything other than plastic containers. I don’t even have to think about it anymore. I actually feel guilty for those times I do pull plastic baggies out of my drawer!<br />
<br />
I’ve been packing my son’s lunch in the same insulated lunch box for 4 years (his dad did just buy him a new one. You know how rough kids are on things ;) Inside the box, are 2 to 3 plastic containers that hold a sandwich, a fruit and crackers, or some variation thereof. His water goes in a metal water canteen that he can re-fill anytime throughout his school day. One thing you need to consider as a parent: Young children cannot open most plastic containers. If they can, it hurts their fingers or whatever’s inside goes flying as the lid pops off. The best solution I have found for this is Snapware® BPA-free airtight plastic containers. Little fingers can easily unsnap each of the 4 flaps that secure the lids to each container.<br />
<br />
My son attends an Environmental Science Magnet elementary school. They are continually moving forward in their waste-free endeavors. At their annual walk-a-thon fundraiser this past school year, they traded in their water bottle donation requests for water-station volunteers to assist kids in re-filling their reusable water canteens. We saw almost zero plastic water bottles that day. That is something to be proud of.<br />
<br />
Waste-free lunches are a perfect starting point to teaching our children to be eco-friendly. Now, I don’t ever have to ask my son to save anything from his lunch box. He just knows to. I still wash and re-use the zip-lock baggies from time to time. I know what they say about the risks of it, but busy moms have to resort to them on occasion for various reasons such as time, rushing, clean dishes, etc.!! When that’s the case, I used to ask my son to be sure to bring them home. He used to ask “Why?” He doesn’t ask anymore. He doesn’t have to be told anymore. He just knows now to do it. He usually brings everything home to be sure it can’t be saved or re-cycled. I love it.<br />
<br />
Share with us your story!<br />
<br />
The newspaper I first read the waste-free lunches article in listed some resources for waste-free containers. I’d like to direct you to them as well. Here are a few local companies who are producing all kinds of eco-friendly lunch containers:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.ecolunchboxes.com">www.ecolunchboxes.com</a><br />
<a href="http://www.laptoplunches.com">www.laptoplunches.com</a><br />
<a href="http://www.lunch-bots.com">www.lunch-bots.com</a><br />
<a href="http://www.planetbox.com
">www.planetbox.com<br />
</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7796791527095166453.post-6641647587465137422011-06-29T17:02:00.000-07:002011-06-29T17:07:03.865-07:00A Bear Hug - From Winnie the Pooh!!I can't help it. I have to talk about these books from Disney. I am specifically going to address <a type="amzn" search="Oh Bother" category="books"><b>Oh Bother! Someone's Messy</b></a>. It is a short, simple, but very endearing story about a messy little kangaroo who doesn't want to keep his (or her) room clean. His mother begins by feeling frustrated about the disorganized room and decides to back off and let Roo decide when his own room needs cleaning. Through a series of experiences, Roo learns that keeping his room clean and organized not only makes his mother feel better, but his friends and even himself as well. <br />
<br />
I think we can all relate to this. When I was a child, my mother put a door hanger on my bedroom door that said "This room is a CATastrophe!" (We are cat and dog people) And now that I am a mother myself, I am amazed at how my 6 year-old son walks into the house, sits down, takes off his shoes, leaves them exactly where they left his feet, removes his socks and literally throws them down the middle of the hallway. The first time we read Oh Bother! Someone's Messy, my son and daughter cleaned the entire playroom to the best of their abilities. I get the book out every so often to remind them of the importance of not only having a room organized, but picking up after themselves as well. It has turned into a fun activity that I can take advantage of a few times a month. They are children, after all. You know they'll get tired of it if you keep using the same 'ole trick every time! <br />
<br />
It is truly a lesson for all children, but this story touches a parent's heart and mind as well. I strongly recommend you give it a try. I am confident you'll soon be ordering more of the series, like I did. Please <a type="amzn" search="Oh Bother" category="books"><b>click here to visit Amazon.com</b></a> to browse and read about the entire collection. Have fun!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7796791527095166453.post-71862704765665788342011-05-26T22:18:00.000-07:002011-05-27T09:53:55.802-07:00A Grandmother's HugThese past several weeks have been tough. My 88 year-old grandmother passed away just over 2 weeks ago now. The good news is that she didn't suffer. The bad news is that she is not in our lives anymore. She was with us, living on her own, still managing her business and making her mark on my own children's lives up until the very end. <br />
<br />
I lived 15 minutes away from my grandmother all 39-1/2 years of my life. I was lucky enough to grow up swimming, having slumber parties, graduation parties, and celebrating all holidays at her and my grandfather's home. I even lived with them for close to a year. They took us (my mother, sister, brother, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc.) on multiple camping trips and adventures to Disneyland in a motor home people dream about. I cannot imagine how I am going to feel come July 4th, Thanksgiving, and the grand highlight of the year - Christmas.<br />
<br />
These days, not many of us are lucky enough to have our own children get to meet and enjoy knowing their great-grandparents. Though my daughter and niece are probably too young, my son and nephew will always remember learning to swim in her pool, playing pinball and pool in her basement, and tearing open presents under her tree on Christmas Eve. I knew I was lucky. I didn't think I took her for granted. But now that she's gone, I long for more time, more words, and more memories.<br />
<br />
My grandmother was not the most social woman, but her door was always open. Her home was always clean. Her cabinets were always full of every kind of food; from breakfast to dessert, to midnight snacks and a drink for everyone. Her face was always smiling with delight for her visitors; from the first step through her front door to the last wave as we drove out of sight upon departure. The example she set for me instilled a strong value of family and unconditional love that I only hope I can make far surpass my own time here on Earth. In short, Grandma, I love you. Grandma, I miss you. Grandma, thank you. Grandma, I will make you proud. Grandma, I will carry on your legacy. The profound influence you have been on me goes far beyond my ability to communicate it into words. Rest in peace and please give Grandpa a hug for me.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7796791527095166453.post-83664142331537628512011-04-06T23:47:00.000-07:002011-04-07T00:58:04.718-07:00Hugs 4 LifeI'd like to do something a little different for this post. I want to talk about a girlfriend of mine, Julie, who I have known for about 9 years. In that time, she has evolved from a gorgeous, confident, intelligent and successful single woman, to a beautiful, confident, intelligent and successful married, stay-at-home mother of 2 daughters. She is one woman who has always stood out as a role model to me no matter what phase of her life she may be in. One trait that I admire most is her committment to charity causes. When I first met her, she organized a group of more than 10 girls to volunteer at the <a href="http://www.sacredheartcs.org/">Sacred Heart</a> to prepare food boxes. We then moved on to prepare for their annual Christmas event, which included assisting families gather gifts for their loved ones. Following that experience, she went on to continue her own personal volunteering as well as work for a non-profit organization. Over the years, she has remained involved in important causes. Not only that, but she is teaching her children to do the same. They are right beside her every step of the way. They have even taught me a thing or two about Veteran's Day ;)<br />
<br />
Julie has a history of breast cancer in her family. She is diligent about her own health. With that, she has discovered a new purpose. I'd like to share with you her upcoming challenge. Please join me in supporting her as she <a href="http://ourhugs.com/Index.html">Hugs 4 Life</a>.<br />
<br />
"Dear Friends & Family,<br />
<br />
I am writing to tell you about an extraordinary event that I am participating in and to ask for your help.<br />
<br />
On Saturday, June 4th, 2010, I will join countless others in Swim 4 Tomorrow, a one-mile fundraising swim to benefit <a href="http://www.babcn.org/"><a href="http://www.babcn.org/"><b>Bay Area Breast Cancer Network's</b></a></a> work in the fight against breast cancer. This will be a powerful and inspiring day of hope in the fight against this devastating disease. <br />
<br />
I am calling my swim, "A Mile for Mary" in honor of Mary Canepa, whom my children lovingly refer to as, "Grandma Mary". Several years ago, Mary was diagnosed with breast cancer. She won that battle, as well as a few others, but is now fighting another ugly form of cancer.<br />
The money raised by Swim 4 Tomorrow supports BABCN's work of organizing and coordinating diverse efforts to prevent, combat and ultimately cure breast cancer, which threatens the life of one in eight women.<br />
<br />
This year, my goal is to raise $1,000. Please help me reach it by sponsoring me to swim in Swim 4 Tomorrow. Whatever the amount, your donation will go a long way towards providing hope for a healthier future for all women and their families.<br />
<br />
If you, or anyone you know has been touched by any form of cancer, I would gladly place your/their name on my cap, along with Mary's. The more names I have on my swim cap, the more angels will be with me in the water.<br />
<br />
Thanks so much for your support, and for joining me in the fight against this terrible epidemic.<br />
<br />
-Jules"<br />
<br />
P.S. All contributions are tax-deductible. Please make your check payable to Bay Area Breast Cancer Network and mail it to Julie (1633 Babero Ave., SJ, CA 95118) no later than May 15th.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.babcn.org/"><b>Bay Area Breast Cancer Network (BABCN)</b></a> is a non-profit, organization committed to finding the cause, prevention and cure for breast cancer through Education, Support and Advocacy. Formed by a small group of breast cancer survivors in 1990, BABCN was created to increase awareness about breast health and breast cancer, provide information and support services to women, and positively effect public policy at the State and Federal level. We are proud of the difference we are making for women and families and encourage you to take advantage of our programs and services.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7796791527095166453.post-81298041268424248842011-02-17T00:42:00.000-08:002011-02-17T00:42:26.371-08:00Hugs UnexpectedIt’s those small moments that seem to count the most with our children. I spent an hour one evening sitting with my 6 year-old, 1st grade son while he did his homework for school. He did it all by himself. I just sat next to him, watched, and stepped in when he felt stuck. At bedtime that night, I asked him what his favorite part of his day was. He replied, “Doing my homework with you.” My heart melted. I hugged my son without even realizing it.<br />
<br />
I could have been folding laundry. I could have been doing dishes. I could have been reading a magazine, working on the computer, or preparing dinner. But on this particular evening, Kyle had my completely undivided attention. Don’t get me wrong. I am all over the board with how tuned-in I am with my son when he does his homework and other activities. There are times my 2 year-old daughter is running around and has her own “homework” to do. There are times when I am scrambling to get the house clean, laundry folded, dinner prepared and pets fed all within the hour. There are times when my mind is not 100% focused on my son. Does that make me a bad mom?<br />
<br />
I don’t think the message here is that to be a good parent, you have to commit 100% of your active attention to each child every time they engage in an activity. The point I am trying to make is that giving undivided, undistracted attention to your child goes noticed, and in the most unexpected situations. It is important that we as parents look for a healthy balance between our daily practical responsibilities, our needs as adults and making our children feel like the most important things in our worlds.<br />
<br />
It’s those unexpected hugs that can be the most impactful. Please, share one of your moments with us. We all need the encouragement.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7796791527095166453.post-64444348772292046642011-01-04T00:07:00.000-08:002011-01-04T00:07:53.339-08:00Babies Love a Green HugBabies! Babies! Babies! We can hold them and hug them all day long. But what do you think is the most impactful hug we can give them? Yes! A Green Hug! There are countless ways we can get our newest angels on Earth on the Green Brick Road to conserving our planet. Let’s start this New Year out with a big, healthy commitment to educating ourselves on how we do it.<br />
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The Great Diaper Debate: Disposable, bio-degradable and cloth, Oh My! Buying your standard disposables is definitely the most expensive, long term, and least earth-friendly, but very convenient and easy to find in stores. While bio-degradable is a bit more costly at the store, tossing them into your regular landfill defeats the purpose, as decomposition requires sunlight and oxygen to effectively break down; 2 characteristics that are greatly compromised when piles upon piles of waste are thrown on top of each other. Dumps are not currently equipped to handle separation of types of trash, or compost piles, so bio-degradable need to be taken to a commercial composting site (contact your local waste management facility for help with this one). There is also the risk of contaminating ground water through soil absorption. Buying from companies who make diapers from recycled or post-consumer materials is a fantastic option. Using cloth diapers has consistently gotten easier and easier, and overall, least expensive. They’re made with Velcro® or snappy clips, eliminating the need for difficult and prickly pins. The weekly chemicals and water required to clean them properly are actually the same as running 1 to 2 loads of standard laundry per week. A good local source outside of your home is Tiny Tots Diaper service in Campbell. Their machines are more efficient and handle more than our home washers. They do use bleach but water treatment plants don’t mind a bit of this chemical to help with odor at the plant. Also available are flushable liners (but this brings us back to the bio-degradable debate) to make it even easier. These bio-degrade within approximately 8-20 days (verify your plumbing capabilities before jumping into this one - some precautions may need to be taken to prevent drain clogging, and some septic tanks can’t handle them at all). One common tip in all of this is that solid waste from any type of diaper should be flushed and not thrown in the trash. Yes, that is correct. Human and animal feces alike should not be thrown into landfills. They should be flushed down a toilet for proper sewage treatment.<br />
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Breast vs. Bottle: I am not sure I need to get into the proven medical benefits and cost-savings of using breast over formula. I'll let you decide what works best for you. I am specifically addressing the environmental impact in this post. But do I really need to? Breast feeding leaves no waste, period. There are no bottles. There are no formula cans. There are no microwave steam bags to clean all of your supplies. Just a few extra burp cloths and breast pads to assist with leakage! One side note I do have to add: I breast fed my babies as long as I could, and they are, thankfully, extremely healthy. Unfortunately, I could not satisfy their appetites on my own by the time they both were about 9 months old. And trust, me, I tried everything (especially with baby #2) to keep my milk supply up. I had to give in to their hunger, so they were completely on formula between 9-12 months of age. I do, however, want to say something about formula-fed babies. I am the very healthy result of a 100% formula feeding mother (along with my 2 older siblings) and I continue to be one of the healthiest, minimal-to-no allergy-suffering people I know. So there is definitely no judgment going on either way from this camp.<br />
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We all know how important our environment is to the future of our children, our children's children and so on. Writing about this topic in a blog can be a true challenge. There are countless topics on sustainability that I haven't even touched on yet. I will really be relying on your input to give this subject it's due attention. What other green hugs do babies love?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7796791527095166453.post-3325078682354230122010-12-16T22:11:00.000-08:002010-12-16T22:11:44.026-08:00Maximize Your HugsThe holidays are such a warm and magical time. We get to spend quality time with our loved ones, share wonderful meals, and create life-long memories . . . Are you wanting to shoot me yet? We all know the truth about holidays, specifically, Christmas. The stores are too busy, people are racing around town, honking their horns, trying to get from one place to the next. Moms are stressed out trying to teach their children about the meaning of Christmas, get their shopping done, give something meaningful to a charity, organize a holiday party, help their children buy their own gifts to give. I am not even mentioning the regular daily chores of grocery shopping, getting the kids off to school, preparing weekly meals, cleaning the house, picking up the toys, showering . . . Have I even mentioned be a wife? Or a friend?<br />
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How do we do it?<br />
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No, I am not going to give you the answer. What I am going to do is attempt to kill a few birds with one stone. My advice is to start a cookie exchange. If you've done it before, hopefully you immediately know what I am talking about. If you haven't, I think this is one of the greatest ways to spend half of one of your Saturdays in December. Organize a group of friends (and even new acquaintances) and each choose a cookie of their own to bake and bring to the exchange, as well as a snack or drink to share. Children are welcome but optional. One mom (or dad) gets tasked with preparing the home-made (of course) sugar cookie dough and frostings of different colors to bring to the exchange. Please visit<a href="http://www.tkqlhce.com/5k117kjspjr6AEFCAGB687AEED78" target="_blank"><br />
<img src="http://www.ftjcfx.com/hl101kpthnl6AEFCAGB687AEED78" alt="" border="0"/></a> for fun decorating tools and so much more for any holiday!<br />
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The beauty of this format is that you are not enduring the stress of baking every cookie together, but you are enjoying the baking and decorating experience with the sugar cookies. Creativity is fostered when you are among your trusted friends and the decorating results can range from quickly slapped on frosting, to plaid mittens, to hula-dancing gingerbread men and women. The laughs that emit from this table are aplenty.<br />
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No, the children are not involved in this part of the event. This is one of those times where we are trying to be as productive as possible in the shortest time possible. And frankly, if the kids were involved in this part, our mommy (or daddy) bonding time drastically reduces. The way it works at my house is the kids that do come entertain each other. Minimal interference is needed. And there is an understanding among the friends, and the children for the most part, that we are all our children's parents. We all look out for each other and our children.<br />
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What does doing it this way accomplish? Well, you just spent an afternoon bonding with your girlfriends, you ate delicious snacks, your kids were entertained and you (and others) baked several different kinds of holiday cookies. You now have plenty of cookies to divide up and make your own small gift plates to hand out to other friends, neighbors, work, or extended family, or anyone else you decide. You are teaching your children about everlasting friendships, old-fashioned home-cooking and good ole holiday spirit. You avoided the mall, but still prepared something of genuine meaning. You probably even saved a few bucks. This party can also come in the form of a craft party, floral decoration party, or any other group-effort gift preparation forum.<br />
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Please, share with me your stories of how you get it all done!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1