Featured Blog Posts – December 2009 Archive (21)

Hearts Wide Open

I saw a cartoon recently depicting a mom on a street corner with a sign that said “Will Worry for Food.” I know the feeling. I often wake up in the night in chest pounding worry for my children — worries about their hurt feelings, their disappointments and bad moods. And, of course, I worry most for their health and safety. One small worry can spark a blazing wildfire fueled by anything and everything that could possibly go wrong (a worrisome… Continue

Added by Janet Lansbury on December 29, 2009 at 4:00pm — 2 Comments

Lyn's Viral Video Awards 2009!

OK, so we definitely all remember the baby dancing to Beyonce’s “Single Ladies,” and of course, the clip of the Saturday Night Live skit of Justin Timberlake as a back-up dancer in the same video. Or what about “United Breaks Guitars”? You know, the guy who made a music video that went viral after he watched United baggage handlers break his guitar? Oh, and who could forget the famous “wedding video” that The Office did a rendition of in the Jim and Pam wedding episode (my personal… Continue

Added by Lyn Mettler on December 29, 2009 at 1:07pm — No Comments

The UnGreen - Confessions of an Eco Mom

In case I’ve led some of you to believe that I am the epitome of eco perfection, I’d like to set you straight. While it is my goal, it is not a reality. I wish I could just *bleep* my eco blunders from my life. But I can’t. Nobody, not even No Impact Man, can be perfectly green.

“Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” This quote from… Continue

Added by Lynn Hasselberger on December 26, 2009 at 1:23pm — 4 Comments

Honor Your Child and Your Child Will Honor You

The holiday season provides us an opportunity to examine and redefine our relationships with our family members, specifically our children. Recently, I took a moment to ask myself am I honoring my children? Am I listening to their original voices and respecting who they are? Am I learning from them what they are here to teach me?

I guess, in its simplest terms, honor is the degree of value, worth and importance you place on a relationship. It is granting another person, a position… Continue

Added by Lynne Kenney on December 24, 2009 at 7:00am — 3 Comments

A tough year for mompreneurs in 2009 might mean a fantastic 2010

I can’t believe I’m saying this, but 2009 was actually a great year at Tribe. And I’m thinking it might have been at your company too.

Of course, we did lose our largest client, due to the slump in the housing market. We had to lay off a few talented, hardworking people that we’d hire again in a heartbeat. We cut back on some perks, like having a fresh flower in everyone’s office each Monday and providing free takeout for lunch five days a week. We froze salaries for most of… Continue

Added by Elizabeth Cogswell Baskin on December 23, 2009 at 8:30am — No Comments

The Easily Forgotten Gift

I know the gift all children want most — we all want it — but it’s a hard one to remember. I’ve forgotten it for days, even weeks at a time. Sometimes it takes a desperate situation to remind me.

Once, I remembered it when my independent ten-year-old went through a phase in which she saw no reason to bathe. Days would pass. She would come up with excuses. I would let her off the hook and then forget about it. Finally, the time came… Continue

Added by Janet Lansbury on December 22, 2009 at 10:00pm — 2 Comments

Give the Gift of Time this Holiday!

The most precious gift you can give your family this holiday is the gift of time. Shift the focus of gift giving to time-sharing. This is nothing new, you've heard it before, but I hope these simple and special ideas inspire you to make it part of your Holiday celebration this year!

Instead of exchanging presents with family, friends or neighbors, make a pact to spend the day together doing something fun. Instead of racking your brain about… Continue

Added by Dawn on December 22, 2009 at 6:30am — No Comments

Holiday Booty Blaster Workout Video

Reshape Your Booty for the Holidays! All you need is a dumbbell!

IMPORTANT: These moves are intense. If you have problems with your knees, please do not attempt. As always, consult with your Dr before beginning a new workout or exercise routine. For best results follow a FULL body resistance training plan AND clean up what you eat!

These are Two of my Favorite Booty Blasting Moves… Continue

Added by Holly Rigsby on December 20, 2009 at 8:00pm — No Comments

TwitterMom of the Week: Meet Lenore Moritz!

We moms love to bond over how motherhood has irrevocably changed our lives -- mostly for the better, of course, but with some notable exceptions involving high quality sleep, a narrow waistline and the ability to accept spontaneous social invitations.

If you're a mom who also misses her art and culture (and you're just not feeling it when you schlep the kids to Disney On Ice) -- you really must check out… Continue

Added by Lea Curtes-Swenson on December 18, 2009 at 7:30pm — 4 Comments

Fit Tips for the Holiday Season

By: Beth Aldrich

Do you think you’re too busy to work out this holiday season? With all of the hustle and bustle who really has time to stop, lift weights and run a mile? A common misconception many of us have is that if you can’t dedicate a specific amount of time to your fitness routine, it isn’t worth it. Bah-Humbug…it’s not true. Scroll down and check out our list of fit tips to keep in shape throughout the holidays and… Continue

Added by beth aldrich on December 18, 2009 at 7:23am — No Comments

Flu Fending Foods

I truly thought for some strange reason that my family would be immune to the nasty flu that's going around like wildfire, but I was wrong. This past month, my son came down with a hefty dose of fever, chills, etc, which proves to me that no matter what you do, sometimes you still get sick.

It's no secret that kids don't eat a completely balanced diet like adults aim to do. You know the drill, hiding candy in their desk drawer, or throwing vitamins in the fish bowl, etc. I used to… Continue

Added by beth aldrich on December 18, 2009 at 7:19am — No Comments

Cooking with Kids

Cooking with kids requires lots and lots of patience. You have to get yourself mentally prepared:

•all will NOT go according to plan

•there will be a BIG MESS, that you yourself will be cleaning up

•the final product will not look great, but it still may taste okay

•your “helpers” may quit on you part of the way through

All of this does improve as you cook with your kids more and also find out if they like it. If you don’t think you will have the… Continue

Added by Beth Ann Bentley on December 16, 2009 at 10:05am — No Comments

"Your Baby Can Read" Costs Too Much

A mom friend told me about the “Your Baby Can Read” program and I was just wondering what you thought about it? It seems kind of sketchy to me…but at the same, I think, “Well, if I could teach my baby to read…wouldn’t that be something that would be good for her?” My daughter is 1 year old. Your candid thoughts and opinions would be appreciated. -Tina (From the Comments section of my… Continue

Added by Janet Lansbury on December 15, 2009 at 9:00am — 8 Comments

Tighten Your Tummy for the Holidays VIDEO

Be sure to add this exercise to your bag of Tummy Tightening Tricks to help you "tighten" and "tone" your tummy for the Holidays!

All you need is a stability ball!

As always, consult with your Dr before beginning a new workout or exercise routine.

Get ready to work super hard by not even Moving!

The Stability Ball Plank is a static exercise (contract and hold) that will challenge… Continue

Added by Holly Rigsby on December 13, 2009 at 7:00pm — 2 Comments

Budgeting for Better Family Balance in the New Year

This New Year Evaluate Your Budget

Let’s face it, most of us over spend at the holidays. In these difficult economic times, many of us do not have extra cash on hand so we use credit. Better to plan monthly for your spending to stay on top of your family finances.

No worries, a 30 minute planning session between you and your family members can help you get back on track for a budgeted family this year.

Look online for… Continue

Added by Lynne Kenney on December 10, 2009 at 8:00am — 1 Comment

Setting The Hanukkah Table

I love this simple and special way to set the table for each or one special night of Hanukkah. All you need are the items below and a sharp scissors to create this classic look. The image and idea came from a Swiss Site I follow, called Foodie. I have reposted their directions below, but visit the site for other ideas and recipes for Hannukah.

What you'll… Continue

Added by Dawn on December 9, 2009 at 8:30am — 5 Comments

I'm dreaming of a White Christmas Table

Going all white can really make a big impression. It’s a simple but very elegant way to dress the holiday table and puts the focus on your feast! It’s also a good way to save money, since a white tablecloth and napkins will work as a great base for your table all year.

HOW TO: Start with all white linens and white (or cream) dishes, then add a special touch and festive feel by embellishing each place setting. To stay consistent with… Continue

Added by Dawn on December 8, 2009 at 6:30pm — No Comments

The S Word (A Good Word Gone Bad?)

It is chanted on every playground and enforced at the park, parties and play dates. It is a word that has become the social mantra for parents of toddlers everywhere: Share!

We are all desperate for our children to share. Sharing is vital. The future of the world depends upon our children’s spirit of generosity. We fear that if we don’t remind our child to share, he might become a selfish, stingy outcast. Or, we worry that we will be… Continue

Added by Janet Lansbury on December 8, 2009 at 9:30am — No Comments

15 Minute At Home Winter Workout

15 Minutes is ALL You need to Burn Off Holiday Fat!

Short burst workouts are your solution to burning off Holiday Fat and Calories. High intensity exercise burns off significantly more body fat than traditional, steady-state endurance exercise.

With these full body resistance training moves, you get an intense, metabolism boosting workout… Continue

Added by Holly Rigsby on December 6, 2009 at 6:02pm — 2 Comments

Going Viral: Easier Said Than Done

Recently a journalist asked me to offer some tips for how to make a viral video, with the word viral meaning "far reaching". Well, many a company set out to create such a video only to find themselves with a dud.

So I thought I'd offer my insight on how to create and produce a video that the masses (or your audience) will enjoy and share with their friends.

1) Plan.

Plan your entire video. Envision it shot by shot and write it out. Make sure you get all the… Continue

Added by Lyn Mettler on December 1, 2009 at 1:38pm — 2 Comments