Social Media Buttons, What Are They and Why Should I Click Them?

Throughout the years that I have been blogging, I have become more aware of the importance of having social media buttons available on my website.  I have to be completely honest it wasn't until recently that I really knew what these buttons were and how they exactly worked. I am still learning as I go.  So, what are these buttons we see adorning most web pages and why should we click on them? I will give you a little break-down of the buttons I have on my page. There are a couple sets of buttons in different areas on the page I will go over each one. Ready, here we go...

Family Home Evening on Gaining Knowledge and Improving our personal study habits. (Passes off requirement in Faith in God Booklet)

 I hope and pray that you can use these ideas as a guideline and adjust them to the needs of your own specific family.  Our prophet President Monson says, "We cannot afford to neglect this heaven-inspired program. It can bring spiritual growth to each member of the family, helping him or her to withstand the temptations which are everywhere. The lessons learned in the home are those that last the longest."  On Lds.org there are resources available in helping to make your Family Home Evenings successful, here is a link to that site on Family Home Evenings.

Tonight's Family Home Evening is on Gaining Knowledge and Improving our personal study habits.  The first Monday, of the month will be my Family Home Evening post on something in the Faith in God Booklet. Today the requirement is in the Developing Talents section: Read D&C 88:118. Discuss what is means to "seek learning, even by study and also by faith." Improve your personal study habits be doing such things as learning how to choose and read good books or being prepared for school each day. I love this topic, knowledge is such an important part of this life.  It is a part of why we are here, to gain knowledge.  When we gain knowledge we are also better able to teach others. I hope to be able to instill in my children the love for learning.  There is so many things in the world to learn about, so many hidden treasures, that we must seek out! 

Welcome everyone to Family Night

Sing: "Search, Ponder, and Pray" pg 109 Children's Songbook

Have a member of the family member say the prayer

Introduce this weeks Topic: Gaining Knowledge and Improving our personal study habits.

Discuss any family business

Follow-up with last weeks FHE.

Scripture: Read and Mark: D&C 88:118

Discuss what the scripture means. Discussion might include what kind of good books might help us to gain knowledge.  What it means to seek learning by faith. How important good study habits are to help us in learning.

Article of Faith: #2 "We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam’s transgression." Repeat this Article of Faith as a Family.  Help family members understand what the Article of Faith means. (It means we will only be held accountable for the wrong choices we make. Not Adam's. This is because of the atonement of Christ.)

Play the Video: "Focus on Education" Discuss, this video with your family.  My thoughts: My favorite quote from this video is "...the glory of God is intelligence...". That simple phrase emphasizes the importance of our life long learning.  We never stop learning, while on this earth we will never be a point where there is no more to learn.  

Play the Video: "Learning With Our Hearts" Discuss, this video with your family.  Discussion might include: the Holy Ghost is their to help us discern the truths of all things.  This can aid us as we seek knowledge.   The Holy Ghost can also help us as we are choosing the books we read.  It will help us to discern between those books that are good and those that are not so much.  

Discuss with your family the importance of good study habits.  Good study habits might include:

 o Create a good study environment.  Study in a place that is free from distractions and noise. 

 o Make a schedule.  Do homework before extra curricular activities. An example might be: When a child returns home from school, they will have a snack, then do their 20 minutes of reading. Then they will work on their math homework then their reading/vocabulary homework.  After homework is complete and chores are done then they can have free time. 

 o Take notes. Take notes about what you are reading or learning.  Then review the notes.

 o Ask Questions to yourself.  Focus on the what, why, how, when, who and where of the topic you are studying.  This will help you to recall and retain the information.

Help Family Member's fill out their Study Plan:

Free PDF Download

View this article "Successful Scripture Study" for tips for scripture study.

Challenge each family member to focus on having good study habits throughout the week.

Bear testimonies on the importance of seeking and obtaining knowledge and demonstrating good study habits.

Close with a Family Prayer.

When the word fat defined me, or did it?

Since, having my third child I have really struggled to get back to my pre-pregnancy body.  I have done extreme workout programs and followed strict diet plans and still have been unable to reach my goals.  I often joke that the scale must have broke when we made the long move from Washington to Utah.  Or that it must be the change in altitudes.  Anyways, the whole thing left me very frustrated and discouraged. So, a few months ago I rebelled.  In my head I decided that eating right and exercise must not really matter, I struggled with whether it was really worth all of the hard work and dedication.  So, I began eating the stuff I wanted and I ate whenever I craved something.  Let's just say I ate a lot of sweets! I was also not dedicated in my exercising it was more of a miss then a hit. I noticed I became more of an emotional eater and I started to loose some of my energy.  I also began to get a little bit more flabbiness. Especially, in all of my trouble areas.   I knew that I needed to get back to exercising, but I had excuses of being too tired or that I didn't have the time.  I also, knew that I needed to start eating better, but I  battled with the craving for that something sweet.

Then, one day someone mentioned the word FAT to me.  I immediately was hurt.  As soon as the word was said it was like a disease that spread throughout my mind and I started to let it define me.  I remember that same day trying to get a glimpse of myself in reflections of windows as we walked through the mall to see what my body had become.  To see what that person must see. Now let me clarify, I am not over weight,  but because of the choices I had made in regards to nutrition and exercise my body has gained around 8 pounds in three months and I am 16 lbs heavier then my pre-pregnancy weight. I am writing this because, I want to share that it does not matter whether you are 100 lbs or 16 lbs away from your ideal body weight, it is still hard mentally, emotionally and physically. I believe that most women struggle with their body image.

Even though we shouldn't, we compare ourselves with others and we do care about what other people think. It can cause a lot of emotional pain and stress. Personally, I became upset with myself.  Why had I let myself stop working hard.  All of the progress I had made was now gone.  Now, I was going to have to start all over.  I had to make a decision.  The decision I had to make was whether it was worth all of the hard work or not.  The answer is and always should be, YES!!! The answer is yes, not because I care about what someone has said or thinks about me, it is yes, because I am worth it.  My health, my energy, my happiness is all worth it.  I have wrote this before that the motivation needs to be more about health than physical results, the physical results are the bonus.

About a year ago, some of my friends had talked about getting together and exercising together, but nothing really came from it.  Recently, the ball has been set in motion to make it all happen.  I am really excited, I think when you exercise with friends it is a little bit funner and you definitely work harder.  Let's face it, no matter what size you are, exercise is difficult.  As your body gets stronger you can push yourself a little more, but it is still difficult.  What works with me is I first have to make the choice that I am going to set aside a time each day to exercise and I am going to get that exercise in. Then, I have to commit that I am going to go all out that I am going to do my best during the exercise.  Enduring the exercise is a must.  There are times during my workout that it gets really difficult, I feel as though I can not go any longer.  But if I endure until the end, then I feel the overwhelming feeling of accomplishment.  I am proud of myself and happy that I was strong enough to make it through and that I didn't give up.  So, did I let that ugly word FAT define me?  No, because fat is something that can be removed.  It defines the tissue that gives us rolls and dimples, it does not define the person. To remove the fat, it starts with making the right choice, committing to it, and enduring. So here is the plan for me and my friends:

We are going to get together twice a week and our focus is going to be cardio, abs and leg/buns. On the days we are not together we are going to workout on our own.  Here is a sample of a workout program with a spot to record progress and take any notes.  I love taking notes so I can look back and see what worked or didn't.  Also, I think it is great to make realistic goals. Set a day that you would like to accomplish your goal by and work towards it.  I find for me that short term, smaller goals work better. So, I would set a realistic goal to be accomplished in 30 days.

No matter where you live, I invite you to join our group of friends and to choose to make your life healthy, you are worth it.  You can follow along with our schedule either on your own or get a group of friends in your area and motivate and encourage each other!  Good luck and let me know how it goes.

***Disclaimer: I am not a licensed nutritionist or personal trainer.  The above methods are what I have found works best for me. We are all different, so what works for me might not work for you.  Always consult a physician before beginning any workout program.***

Organization- Be Prepared!

I believe that part of being organized is being prepared.  Both for our Physical needs and for our Spiritual needs.  Starting next Tuesday, I am going to start posting a way to prepare for physical needs, with food storage tips, 72 hour kit ideas, etc.  I am also going to be focusing on one item a week in the "Pursuit of Excellence" booklet.  This is a booklet for Relief Society Sisters to help them set personal goals.
These goals can be used for both men and women.  They are very personal goals, so you will need to decide what goals you would like to work on and what pace you need to accomplish these goals.  I will be posting what goals I will be working on and some ideas of how to accomplish them.  Isn't it a wonderful thing that we can constantly work on improving our selves.  There is no limit. If we use our Heavenly Father's guidance just think how much more we can improve.  Make sure you set, record and evaluate your goals.  If you would like to share them in the comments below, please do so!

"When performance is measured, performance improves. When performance is measured and reported, the rate of improvement accelerates" (see Thomas S. Monson, in Conference Report, Oct. 1970, 107).

Take Care Tuesday- Getting Organized Week #4: Pantry Lists

My pantry is a disaster right now.  There was a time when I had a list of everything I had.  I decided it is time to get back to those days.  So, I created "The Pantry & More" list.  See the free printable below.

Here's the Plan:

Go through the kitchen and food storage area and right down all food items, the size of the package (lbs, oz, etc), How many you estimate you use in a year, How many you currently have, and How many you need to purchase.

At the same time, clean out the old and straiten up.

I also like to write the expiration day on the top of my cans with a sharpie marker, so I can actually see when then expire.

A good tip, as things get close to there expiration date, use them or donate them to a food drive.

Shop the sales.  (I recently read an article about shopping the sales.  I wish I could remember where I saw it.  Anyways, the just of it was that most stores run sales on a particular item every 4 to 6 weeks.  So, the plan is to decide how many of that item you will use in that time frame and then when it goes on sale buy that many of the item.  Then you will have enough to get you by until the sale on that item is on again.)

Buy what you will use!!!  I hate nothing more than to go to my pantry and see things that have expired, because I do not use them.  Then I have the remorse of throwing them away and seeing my dollars go to the garbage can.

I am planning on hanging this in my pantry where I will have easy access to it.  Another thought I just had was, after I have written my food items in I think I am going to either put it in a sheet protector, frame or laminate it. Then I can use a dry erase marker for the quantities so I am not having to print a bunch of these out as numbers change.

Take Care Tuesday - Set a Little Reminder for Yourself

I was thinking what a great way would be to help myself remember how important the things I  do are.  Something that could lift me up.  That is when I decided that I would use my phone and set a reminder on there.  I have it come up every day at the same time.  It beeps just like all of my reminders and I have to check it off too.  This is the message that I put on for myself: "You are a daughter of God, a mother of princes, and a wife to a potential king.  You are smart, you are beautiful, you are important  and what you  are doing is important.  Remember to be the mom your children deserve to have."  Okay, so it is a little pep talk to myself, so when I get going through my busy day and I feel overwhelmed.  I can remember who I am and my great purpose.  Actually when I read it each day I get a little smile.  I don't know if the smile is from the words I am reading or that the smile is that I think it is funny that I set myself a reminder.  Whatever the reason, it works! I know at times I get hard on myself, I do not feel like I am the smartest or most creative. At times I  look at myself and do not think I look that beautiful.  I think as individuals, especially women we are great at pointing out all of our faults, things that others do not see.  So, for me this helps me put everything back into perspective.  That yes, I am a daughter of God and can do amazing things with his help.  I am a mom to little boys whom I am helping to follow the right path so they can reach their divine potential.  Same as with being a wife, trying to work together to achieve our divine potential.  Yes, even though I don't feel smart at times, I am.  Even though I have flaws, I am beautiful.  I am important, what I am doing to help raise my children is a very important thing.  And I do need to constantly remind myself that my children are on loan to me from my Heavenly Father, they are his spirit children.  I need to raise them, teach them and love them the way they deserve and the way my Heavenly Father would want me to.

Everyone has an important role in their lives.  Yours may differ than mine.  It is great to reflect on yourself and your role and then constantly remind yourself of your importance!  Try it...give your self a reminder.

Take Care Tuesday - Finding Motivation and Overcoming Discouragement when Exercising

I find myself at times struggling to be motivated to do exercise. Sometimes it is due to feeling I don't have the time, sometimes it is feeling to tired, and sometimes it is discouragement of not having the results I should be having.  So, how do we motivate ourselves to exercise and overcome these discouragements?

Feeling like I don't have enough time:  I have found that I am more motivated when I find a time to exercise before the day gets too busy.  It is so much harder when I know I want to workout for an hour and I look at the clock and see that lunch time is in half an hour. So, for me working out is better if done 1st thing in the morning.  I am even thinking about getting up before the kids go to school to get my exercising in, but that would also mean I would need to start getting to bed earlier. You might have a different schedule than me. You might wake up early to go to work, too early to get an exercise in.  If that is the case then pick a time that is going to work for you, it might be as soon as you get home from work you exercise.

Feeling too Tired:  Ok, sometimes I feel this way and I can either give in and go back to sleep and still be tired.  Because I find when I do this then I still don't have energy.  Or I can get up and start exercising and gain energy.  I have found that if I can just start, then pretty soon my energy starts to build and I can keep on going.  It is the starting, that is the big deal!  Also, think about how great you feel after you exercise.  I love the feeling I get when I am done.  My body is awakened and emotionally I am re-energized.  It also gives you a great feeling of accomplishment after each workout.

Feelings of Discouragement:  So, my body is not perfect! After being pregnant and having three children my body has changed.  I have also noticed that as my body gets older it doesn't seem to want to change as quickly.  So, what to do?  Acceptance... accepting the fact that it is going to take more work.  I had heard something like this somewhere, sometime: that it has taken your body (insert number) of years to get this way, why should we think that we are going to change in a day or a week or even a month. I think we need to celebrate the little changes.  I know that when I start to see or feel changes then I am definitely more motivated.  Also I think we can not compare ourselves with others!!  I am guilty of this, sometimes I look at the girls on the exercise videos and think, I am doing the program, why aren't my hips and buns as tight as hers, why isn't my stomach as tight, etc.  Well, we all have different make-ups, every ones body is different.  So, take that discouragement and change it into encouragement.  Think about how healthy your body is getting every time you exercise.  Think about how you can use it to get your emotions and frustrations out.  Stay persistent and consistent.  If you start to question if all of the hard work is worth it, remind yourself that it is! Think about if there is anything your diet that is sabotaging your results, then decide to eat more healthy.  Try to make your body the best it can be, not the same as the girl on the video.

Thrifty Thursday - 5 Inexpensive Beauty Tips

We all want to look the best we can, but don't always want to spend a fortune doing so.  Here are some expensive little beauty tips that can help us look great.

Tip 1:  Use baby oil as shaving cream.  I did this the other day and it worked great. It also left my skin so soft.  ** Caution though, it is oil so be careful getting in and out of bah or show it might be slippey** I also mix a little bit of baby oil with some shimmery lotion I have that I think is a little too shimmery.  I applied it to my legs and it maked them smooth and shimmer, but not too much.

Tip 2: Read labels.  Look at the store brand items and compare their ingredients with the name brand. If they are the same and the store brand is cheaper then why not buy it.

Tip 3: Use your make-up multiple ways.  I have a brown eye liner pencil that is also the perfect shade for my eyebrows.  Light eyeshadow could be used for highlights. You can use an old clean wand from mascara as an eye brow brush.

Tip 4: Water...is our friend.  Drink enough water each day our body craves it.  About 60 percent of an adult body is made of water. So doesn't it make sense that it is important that we get enough.

Tip 5: Baby Powder use it like dry shampoo.  What I like to do is sprinkle it in my hands and rub them together and apply to roots then brush or comb out.

Take Care Tuesday - Beauty Tips

There are so many tips out there.  We all like to look and feel the best that we can.  Here are some tips that I have found.  Some I have tried and some I have not.

This website has some fun beauty tips click here to visit! Everything, from hairs, nails, make-up and the many uses of Vaseline.

Check out the many uses of Coconut Oil over at Wikihow.  I have not tried this one yet, but I am going to try it on my hair.

Olive Oil!! It is great.  My son had these very rough dry elbow this winter so I prepared an exfoliate using lemon juice, salt and olive oil.  I applied it to his elbows in a circular motion. Then rinsed it off. Then I applied either Vaseline or bag balm and sometimes a little hydrocortizone cream.  I repeated this every night before he went to bed and his elbows were normal within just a few days.  I've heard of it's uses on skin and hair also.

Water!!! Our Body Needs it!!  Make sure you are getting enough water each day.  If you can't stand it without flavoring, then add some.  Lemons and limes are great.

Exercise- Be active!  When you exercise you have more energy, you look healthier and younger!

Sleep- Get enough sleep.  You can tell when you don't, you start to get those dark puffy circles under your eyes.

Eat Good Foods! It does matter what you eat.  There are certain foods that contain nutrients that our skin and hair and nails need to look healthy.

I would say though that inner beauty has to be the most important!  When we feel good about ourselves, who we are and what we do.  Then it shows on the outside.  Have you ever noticed that someone who smiles is much more beautiful than someone who continually looks grumpy. Set time aside to become the person you want to be.

Fabulous Find Friday - Fun Summer Hair Tutorials

I love having my hair up and away from my face during the summer.  I also love experimenting with new ways to have it up.  Here are some fun tutorials I have found out there.

There are so many amazing tutorials and websites out there!  You have to visit Cinthia over at ebeautyblog.com!  She has so many amazing tutorials

Here is a link to here site ebeautyblog.com

This girl over at Luxy Hair does some beautiful tutorials.  I love her tutorial for the 5 strand braid, so gorgeous.  Here are samples of what you'll find...

Here is a link to all of their YouTube tutorial Luxy hair.

I am going to stop here, because just in those two sites I think there are enough tutorials to keep us all busy for a while.

Wisdom Wednesday - Happy Family Helper

I came up with this idea of a reward system for my kids, to try to help them have good behavior. It is called "The Happy Family Helper", because really that is what they are doing when they have good behavior, they are helping our family be happier.  The idea is, every time they are caught doing something good, like doing all of their chores without being asked, helping one of their brothers do something that is hard for them to do, etc. then they receive a "Happy Family Helper" ticket. What are the tickets for?  Well, I've made a chart and this is where they get to make some decisions.  I have a container with some treats.  They can spend their one ticket and get a treat or... they can save their ticket and when they have two they can turn them in for a special activity...or they can put their ticket into the monthly drawing for a prize (this could be changed to a weekly drawing or twice a month drawing).  This is where a few toys or prizes are needed.  You are welcome to my free printouts or use the idea and make your own.  Let me know if you try it and what you think or if you have any other ideas you have tried.

 I also have on here, "I'm Bored Ideas", because they can have a million toys in their rooms and will still come and say that they are bored.  So my motto is..."When you're bored and don't know what to do, pick something or I'll find a chore for you!"

Take Care Tuesday - My Favorite Workouts

I have a love, hate relationship with working out!  I love the feeling I have after accomplishing a workout, I love the energy it gives me, I love pushing myself in a workout, I love the health and physical benefits of working out.  I hate when I feel too tired to workout and I hate when I feel like I don't have time,  those are the times that I have to remind myself what I love about working out.  I personally enjoy doing workout videos.  I have never really been one to enjoy going to the gym.  At home don't have to waste the time traveling and finding a babysitter.  I can just pop in a video and get the sweat on.  So, what videos have I found work the best for me?

For low impact I enjoy Turbo Jam, Hip Hop Abs, and Brazillian Butt Lift.  Notice I say low impact not low intensity.  I believe that you can push yourself in any workout and have high intensity. Low impact means that there is not as much jumping involved.  

Turbo Jam:  I love Chalene Johnson, she is so upbeat and motivating.  I love the music and I love that every video is a total body workout.  I also find the people in the workout video are inspiring, they are normal people who have done the workout and it has worked for them.  What to expect?  Turbo Jam is a kinda of dance mixed with kick boxing.  There is a lot of punching, kicking and shaking it.

Hip Hop Abs:  This is another workout that has some danciness to it.  You are working your abs the entire time you work out.  The videos are not as long, around 30 minute range.  

Brazillian Butt Lift:  This video focuses a little bit more on toning exercises of the butt and abs.  It has fun music and gives you that Latin flare.

For more high impact I love, Turbo Fire and Insanity.

Turbo Fire:  Love this workout!  Actually it is what I am currently doing.  I love the music, I love Chalene's positive attitude, I love the intensity and the total body workout.  I am pouring with sweat after every workout.  I push myself during every workout, I look at the people in the video and try to be just as intense.  It has some dance element, the music makes you want to dance anyways.  It has a lot of punching which is great from the whole upper body.  It has some kicking, running, squatting,lunging and jumping that is great for the lower body.  And really you are working and engaging your abs the entire time.  There are some fire drills involved in a lot of the workout.  When you hear the alarm you go at full intensity, pushing yourself as hard as you can four a minute.  It's great.  I love hearing the stories from some of the people on  there.  It is so motivating and helps you think if they can do it and get the amazing results I can too.

Insanity:  I like Shawn T. more in this video then I did in the Hip Hop Abs.  He is so intense and gets you to push yourself.  I would say this is a very athletic, intense workout. I always tell people that the 10 minute warm up he does is what most other workout videos whole workout is.  Each time you do it you push yourself to the max.  I think it is important to track your progress in this workout.  It helps you to push even harder.  

Between Insanity and Turbo Fire, I can't say I like one more than the other.  They are two different workouts designed by two different trainers.  Both are high intensity and high impact, both are very athletic workouts that will leave you out of breath at times and covered in sweat. 

What ever workout you chose it is important to remember that you will get out of it what you put into it.  Push your self, but also beware of your physical limitations.  If something starts to hurt ease up, you do not want to get an injury.  Check with your doctor to see if there are any limitations you may have.  Motivate your self to do it every day.  I have one day that I don't do a work out and that is Sunday. Once you start the workout then you'll enjoy it, it is just taking that first step to doing it.

Decide...Commit...Endure...Succeed!

Decide: Decide you want to be healthy, so you are going to workout and be active.

Commit:  Make a commitment to yourself that you are going to workout a certain amount of time and how many days a week.  Make a schedule of the workout that you are going to do and stick to it.

Endure:  At times you are going to feel like you are too tired to workout or that you do not have enough time.  Push through those thoughts and do the workout.  You will never regret doing the workout, but you will regret if you don't do it.

Succeed:  Get excited about your successes!  Every time you make it through a workout get excited, every time a workout gets a little easier, because you are getting stronger be excited.  Get excited as you gain more energy and as you feel and see your body getting tighter.  Every advancement is a success and you need to be excited about it and let it motivate you!

All above workouts can be found on Beach Body.

Thrifty Thursday- Inexpensive Fun Outdoor Play (Field Day)

The past two days I have been involved at the school with field day. There were so many fun games that were played and all of the kids had a blast!!  Here are some fun inexpensive outdoor games that could be played this summer:

Dip-Drip-Drop:  This is a fun game of "Duck-Duck-Goose", but with a twist.  All but one kid sits in a circle.  The kid who is not sitting is "it" The person who is "it", has a wet sponge and says "Drip" and touches the kids heads.  When he is choosing someone, then he says "Drop" and he drops the sponge, running around the circle and sitting in the spot where the kid he chose was sitting.

Pour the Cup: There need to be two equal teams.  The kids get in two single file lines.  Place a bucket at the end/back of the line of kids.  Each kid has a cup.  The first person in line scoops some water into the cup (I used a big cooler full of water). They then lift the cup over their head and try to pour into the person's cup behind them.  So, they are pouring it where they cannot see where it is going.  The person behind them needs to have their cup up and ready to catch the water.  Then that person pours it over their head into the cup behind them and so forth until it gets to the last person, who pours it into the bucket.  Then the last person runs up and becomes the new person in the front of the line.  He then scoops up water and pours it behind him and so forth.  The game continues until the first bucket is field.  The first bucket field is the team who wins.

Face Painting: This is a classic!  Kids love to get their face painted.  You can either do it the traditional way of using face paints (I like to stock up after Halloween when they are all on clearance).  Have a picture of things that the kids can choose from.  Have them sit down in front of you and ask them to hold still. Then use your creativity and paint something on their face.  You could use q-tips if your concerned with keeping things clean.  Just use them on one kid and throw away and use a new one on another.  Some classic things to paint are: hearts, sun, smile face, mustache, rainbow, star, skull, snake, spider, butterfly, flower, etc.  Another option is to use washable skin tattoos.  All you need is water to apply these.  They are usually easily washed off with baby oil or olive oil or rubbing alcohol.

Shovel & Bucket Water Relay:  Have kids separate into two equal teams.  You will need Four Buckets.  Have a bucket at the beginning of each team at the start of the race and then a bucket at each end of the race.  The first person in line scoops some water up with their sand shovel and tries to race to the other bucket, without spilling the water.  When they get to the bucket they pour it in and then run back to their line and give the shovel to the next person in line.  Who then scoops up some water and races down to the bucket and so forth.  You continue doing this until the first bucket is field.  That team is who wins.

Tug of War: You will need an inflatable kiddie pool filled with water and a long rope.  You divide the kids into two teams.  Each team gets on a side of the pool and holds onto the rope.  When you say go, the kids begin to pull.  The team to pull the other team into the kiddie pool wins.

Pillow Case Race: This is a potato sack race, but with pillow cases instead.  You could have as many kids race that you have pillow cases and room four. Mark a start line and a finish line.  We used orange cones.  Have the kids step into the pillow cases and hold the tops with their hands.  Have them line up on the start line.  When you say go, they are to hop to the finish line.  If you don't have a large area for them to hop they can hop down and turn around and hop back.  The first to cross the line wins.

Swimming pool ping pong relay: Fill a swimming pool with water and bath bubbles.  Then drop some ping-pong balls into it.  You will need two bucket to put at least 15 feet or so away from the pool.  Divide the kids into two teams.  The first person in each team searches in the pool for a ping-pong, when they find one they run down and put it in their teams bucket, then run back and the next person in line goes.  The first person to get the specified amount of ping-pongs into their teams bucket wins.

If you need any clarifications on the descriptions of these games, please leave me a comment. Happy outdoor fun!!

Mommy Mondays - Mom Chores

I am a list person.  I guess it is what motivates me. Lets face it, cleaning isn't always something we get excited to do. I like to make lists and be able to check off my accomplishments and it helps me to see what I need to get done in the day.  I have made these little cards to help me organize what chores I need to get done throughout the day and week.  I have broken the big stuff up throughout the week, so I am not just having one big clean day.  I find that this works best form me. I also , have went through each room and wrote what needs to be done in there, daily, weekly, monthly, semi-annually and yearly. Every one's house and cleaning styles are different, so feel free to alter as needed. Happy Cleaning!

Here is what I have come up with:

I printed these out on card stock, cut them out, punched two holes up at the top next to the flowers and strung wire through it and twisted.  They sit on my counter so I can easily flip through them.  

I linked this post to Skip to My Lou, love her site!

Thrifty Thursday- Make-up

I am going to let you in on a huge secret, I don't spend a lot on skin care and make-up.  What I mean is I go for the store brand skin care and for the make-up I look for the deals.  I get my skin care at Walmart.  For Skin cleansing I love:

 St. Ives Timeless skin.  It makes my skin so much smoother and clear. It also exfoliates your skin. I use this at night.

 I use Equate Firming Cream at night after I wash my Face with the St. Ives.

I use Equate Anti-Wrinkle Cream in the morning after I wipe my face with a cleansing wipe (I buy the cleansing wipes from dollar tree).  I love that it has sunscreen in it.  

So for my make-up I go cheap too, I don't notice too much difference with the stay of the make-up and it doesn't irritate my skin at all.  Everybody's skin is different though.

I buy my foundation from Walmart or Rite Aid, which ever is cheaper.  I just buy the NYC brand.  My powder I either buy their or sometimes Dollar Tree will have one that matches my skin color.  I also try to buy my eye shadow from Dollar Tree.  I think you can not spend a lot on your make-up and still have it look great. I think the key is making sure your colors match your skin tone and knowing how to apply the make-up correctly.  What colors go good together and what colors go with your coloring.

Take Care Tuesday- Nutrition

Last Tuesday's post was about fitness, so I thought today's should be nutrition since they go hand in hand.  If we were a car we would try to put good gas in our cars and replace the oil with clean oil.  So, shouldn't we also put good clean food into our bodies?

There are so many opinions out there on what diet plan is the best.  I am not a nutritionist and by no means an expert.  It is something that intrigues me so I have researched and learned about it a bit. It only makes natural sense to try to eat things as close to their natural source as possible.  So, raw fruits and vegetables of course are great for us.  What about grains?  I recently attended a class that was about this subject.  The two natural or heirloom grains are Kamut and Spelt.  From what I hear these are great grains that are also easier to digest and people who have problems with gluten, seem to be fine using these grains. What about meats?  Go lean.  I personally do not buy ground beef, I hate the texture.  Instead I buy lean ground turkey.  I use it in any dish that calls for ground beef.  I use it in my taco meat, my lasagna,  my veggie meatloaf, even my chili.  It has a much nicer texture and I think it taste just as good if not better.

Here are some tips that I go by.  I only use whole wheat breads and tortillas, if it says enriched in it I don't buy it. I don't but the extra fluff on my food, that add fat.  I don't use sour cream, if I did I would go for the non-fat.  I don't usually use butter on my veggies and such, instead I season with seasoning. I also alter my recipes to my needs.  If something calls for flour, I will usually do half wheat, half white.  I usually do not put as much sugar in my recipes as it calls for.  Instead of oil or butter in my banana bread I us applesauce  I don't drink my calories either, I drink water.

If your wondering what a typical days meals are for me, here is a sample:

Breakfast:  Thin whole wheat bun with natural peanut butter and half a banana sliced on it.

After workout meal (mid morning about 10-ish): Protein shake with water and ice and half a banana, sometimes some berries.

Lunch: Thin whole wheat bun with sliced turkey, pickle, pepper jack cheese and lettuce. Or I will do eggs on the bun with pepper jack cheese.  The pepper jack just gives me some seasoning, I don't have to put any condiments n it.  I also usually have a piece of fruit.

After-noon snack:  Protein granola type bar, or some nuts and light string cheese.

Dinner:  My dinner usually consists of lean meat, a veggie, and a side such as quinoa, brown rice or yams.

Now, I am not perfect!  Sometimes I have the sweets, sometimes I have the pizza, etc.  I think the key is to just try to do your best and be good most of the time.  Remember the goal is to help our bodies be healthy and to help fuel them for the things we have going throughout the day.  Maybe in following weeks I will post some healthy recipes.

The picture at the top comes from I found on this Site.

Take Care Tuesdays- Exercise

I decided that I am going to try to make a posts every day.   Tuesdays are: Take Care Tuesdays. so on Tuesdays posts will be dedicated to ways we can take care of ourselves.  It is so hard to find time in the day sometimes to spend some time on ourselves. Sometimes we feel guilty or selfish if we do. But it is so important that we take the time.  There is a sang that goes, "You can not lift another, unless you are standing on higher ground". 

Today's post is going to be about taking the time to exercise.  It does not need to be a dreaded word.

A great tip is to make a schedule.  Schedule how long and what time of day you are going to exercise.  Also, make a months schedule of what exercises you are going to do each day.  I have found that when I have a schedule to follow then I am more likely to stick to it.

Time:  How long to exercise.  That is for you to decide.  If you are just starting out or don't feel like you have much time, then start with 15-20 minutes and work up from there.  You will find that once you start going, then you can actually exercise for longer. Just make the time you are spending exercising count.  For general health benefits it is suggested that you work out 30-60 minutes a day for most days of the week.  For weight loss 60-90 minutes a day of moderate aerobic activity most days of the week. I try for an hour.  Sometimes my workouts are shorter, but they are more intense. And sometimes they go a little longer.  You have to see what works for you and make adjustments as needed.

What to do?  Find something that you think you will enjoy. If you like to be outside, then go for a walk or a jog or ride your bike, better yet put a little incline to it and get a little more of a workout.  If you like to swim, then swim. If you like to dance, dance.  If you find it's hard to get out of the house, then get some workout videos and workout.  There are quite a variety of videos out there for any fitness level.  That is actually what I mostly do.  I don't have any travel time or have to worry about a babysitter.  I can pop in a video and get the sweat going!  My favorite videos are ones that push me, have great music and give me a total body workout in the shortest amount of time.  I love kickboxing with a little danciness to it, because they are fun and I feel like it works my full body.  But, if you find it hard to workout at home, go to the gym.  There are some no commitment, low fee gyms out there that offer a variety of fun classes. You don't have to spend money to work out. Walking, jogging, there are many exercises that you can do with no equipment. What ever it is, do something you enjoy and stick to it.

Goal, decide on a goal.  It could be a fitness goal, it could be a measurement goal.  What ever it is find something to encourage you and find a way to record it and possibly even share your successes.  Find an online fitness community or workout with a friend.  You can leave a comment here, I would love to hear your successes and trials and be some support. It's always fun to hear what workouts are working for others.  Just don't get discouraged. It takes time for our bodies to change.  It is not something that is going to happen overnight. If you miss a workout, don't sweat it, just pick it back up the next day. If you feel uncoordinated our clumsy, just keep at it, you will get it!!  Also, don't get obsessed with the scale. The scale does not tell all.  Muscle weighs more than fat.  So, if  the scales not changing and you are working out hard and eating right, look at your body and you will notice it toning and becoming more define.  Also, notice how you feel after you workout.  You have more energy your body is getting more healthy.  That is the most important thing.

Check-up, before you begin exercising just check with your physician to make sure there are not any health concerns that you need to worry about. Also, be aware of your body and any injuries you may have.  Wear the appropriate clothing, shoes,  braces and supports.  Warm-up before you work out and always cool down and stretch at the end.  Know your limits.  If it starts to hurt, take a break.  The worst thing for an exercise program is to get injured, it just throws everything off.  So make sure you are safe.

Be Active!  Choose to have a healthy lifestyle.  Make simple changes on top of your scheduled exercising.  If I have enough time at night I get my kids and go for a walk.  It is a great time to spend together and we are getting more healthy together.  Find things that interest you.  Play some tennis, shoot some hoops, work in the yard, hike to a waterfall, just find an active hobby.

Eat Well!!! I will cover this another day.  But nutrition and fitness really go hand in hand in a having a healthy lifestyle.

Tip: Where to get books for cheap

A friend of my husbands let us in on a little secret. They purchase their reading material from Goodwill (I am sure the D.I. is the same way). So I thought I would try it out. I have had some amazing finds! I have purchased 4 Harry Potter books for $1.99 each, one was even a nice hardback. I have also been able to purchase some kids books for 79 cents each. They even have days when certain colored tag items are 50% off (unfortunately it hasn't been on the days I have gone). All the books I have purchased have been in excellent condition. So next time you are wanting some new reading material. Take a trip to your local thrift store.

House Keeping Tips

We all love to hear new ideas on our to help our homes run for efficiently. Here are some of my tips along with some from my family and friends. Please feel free to share with us any tips you my have!

Baking Soda: This is an inexpensive, non-toxic way to clean. I have used it on sinks, on counters, on floors, on walls. It is great for getting scuffs off of linoleum, or stains from counters and porcelain sinks and tubs.

Bug Repellent: This is one that my cousin gave me. She says that it works great on removing permanent marker from furniture. (Be sure to test it on a non-noticeable piece first)

Lists/Charts: Make a list or chart of what chores you are going to do each day. This helps you to know what needs to be done and spreads things out over the week. It also gives you a great sense of accomplishment when everything is complete. It has definitely made a difference in my life, my house stays clean an I amazingly feel like I have more time.

Take advantage of the great cleaning aids out there: Some that my friends have used are "Scrubbing Bubbles Flushible toilet wipes", for quick cleaning of the potties. "Mr. Clean Magic Erasers", to erase those crayon marks.

Website helps: You can find anything on the web, including help with household matters one website my mom likes is mrsfixit.com.

Multi-Task and involving kids: My sister-in-law cleans her sink and toilet while her children are taking a bath. My children love to help dust. So I give them each a rag an let them dust. Also most of my children's toys are in little containers or totes, they are able to play with two totes at a time. When they are done with a tote they need to clean it up. At the end of the day, before they go to bed all toys are picked up and put into their places. It is great to let your children have some chores and responsibilities it helps them gain a work ethic, helps you do things together and helps their confidence grow.

Happy Housekeeping!

Beauty Tips

I am going to try to put some tips with my postings. This time I choose beauty tips. Margaret Wolfe Hungerford (née Hamilton) has said, "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder..." Of course we all want to be beautiful, but to every person that might mean something totally different. So I will just say that for this, beauty is simply looking our best. So here are some of my tips along with some from my family and friends.

Tip #1

Drink plenty of water!!! Our body needs at least 8 (8oz) glasses of water a day, since 60% of our body weight is water. Some benefits of drinking enough water, besides that are body needs it, are:

-Increase in Energy
-Removal of toxin & waste from body
-Healthy, glowing skin
-Weight loss
-Help body with digestion

These are just to name a few!

Tip #2

Reduce Stress! This is a big one. Stress has so many negative effects on our body, mental, physically and emotionally. Reducing stress will not only improve our health, but improve our emotional well-being. How do we reduce stress? Meditate for at least 5 minutes before going to bed. This could be yoga, Tai-chi, prayer, etc.. Exercise, get enough sleep, and best of all find ways to avoid stress.

Tip #3
Exercise! The American Heart Association recommends that for individuals "...18-65 should be getting at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity activity five days of the week." Start out slow and then increase and intensify. Always speak with a Doctor before starting an exercise.

Tip #4
Sleep! Make sure you are receiving enough sleep for your needs. If you are having trouble going to sleep try relaxing, meditating (prayer), and avoid stimulating activity before going to sleep.

Tip #5
Eat Healthy Foods! The foods you put into your body shows on the outside! Make sure you are eating foods as close to their natural state. In other words stay away from processed foods!

Tip #6
Take care of your skin. That means exfoliate and cleanse regularly. Apply lotion liberally to rehydrate your skin. Also, remember to apply sunscreen.

Our Heavenly Father has given us our body, so we should take care of it the best we can. Please feel free to post any other tips you may have or comments!