If you are tired of sitting on the beach or going camping, you might like to escape to a vacation that you will never forget. A few years ago we took an expedition to Alaska. Words cannot describe the beauty that surrounded us. It was breathtaking to watch humpback whales feeding, taking a dingy to go Anan Creek where you not only see bears searching for salmon, but the most spectacular viewing of bald eagles. The most memorable experience was not only seeing the beautiful glaciers but also hearing the thunderous crack of ice as it falls into the sea below. It is definitely a check off my “bucket list”.

http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/united-states/alaska-guide/

I am the mother of a toddler with another little one on the way, and a full time job that I love! I also, really like to be ON TIME, but with a toddler, sometimes that is just impossible! So here are some time saving tips that can help you get out the door in the morning, on time and unflustered! I cannot guarantee you that you will always make it – I didn’t succeed yesterday – but remember every day is a new day and a new chance to make being on time for you and your little ones a great new habit!

1. Plan what you are wearing the night before – For both of you!
My three year old is much less likely to fight me on what she is wearing if SHE picked it out the night before, and I save those 5 minutes of staring at my closet, or sorting through my jewelry box, looking for the sweater I thought was clean and the earrings I know will be great, if only I can find them!

2. Food Prep Early
Have your lunches packed and in the fridge the night before. And the same goes for breakfast! Having the table set with cereal, fruit, bowls, and utensils will save you time in the morning, so all you have to do is pull the milk and your lunch from the fridge at the same time. Food is ready!

3. Build in a buffer
This morning we had a shoe melt-down. Suddenly the shoes that were approved last night, were not to be tolerated this morning! Giving yourself an extra 10 or 15 minutes will make you calmer and more able to deal with the sudden hysterics, and save you from the stress of, “Oh no, I am going to be late again!” Even 5 minutes can relieve the panic you feel coming on and you will have a much more productive day if you can start it off in the right way!

And finally, don’t sweat it if everything falls apart. Sometimes things just happen and no amount of prior planning could have prevented your awful morning. So smile and move on – things have a great chance to go better tomorrow!

Your child could be the next star of Google – that is, if he or she is a K-12 student living in the United States!

Google has announced 2012’s theme for the fifth annual Doodle 4 Google Contest The theme is “If I could travel in time, I’d visit….” Doodles can reflect traveling in the past, present or future so kids can set their imaginations free and visit any place they’d like!

There will be a winner from every state — five state finalists will be chosen and one state champ will be named. From the fifty winners, five National Finalists will be chosen leading up to the lucky National Winner. The winner will not only have their doodle appear on Google’s homepage, but also on a special edition Crayola crayon box.

Entries can be submitted from Jan. 18 to Mar. 23. Online voting will determine the finalist and the winning doodle will be displayed on Google’s homepage on May 18.

The New Year has come and gone, along with our resolutions. Making that resolution to be healthier can be a tough one to keep, especially with Valentine’s Day just a short month away. Did you know there is a common drink that can actually make you healthier with each sip?

Tea is found to be one of the healthiest drinks for you. It reduces the risk of heart disease, dementia and cancer. The healthiest of teas include black, green, oolong, and white. These types of tea consist of polyphenols that protect your cells from damage. Not only will tea keep you warm this winter, but it will keep you healthy at the same time!

Read this article to find out more! http://www.foxnews.com/health/2011/11/14/truth-about-health-benefits-tea/

DID YOU KNOW?
Renting vs Owning
Apartment or House

Benefits
Many apartment complexes have amenities that you will not have if you rent a house, such as a pool, tennis court, laundry services and even community gems. Most of these items are available to you at no extra charge. In some cases, utilities will be included in the monthly rental cost when you rent an apartment. Generally, rental apartments also provide appliances like refrigerators, stoves, dishwashers and even washers and dryers. However, rental homes may require you to supply your own, which can be expensive if you don’t already own these items.

Maximum Flexibility
Renting provides an enormous amount of flexibility. You can pack up and leave immediately at the end of your lease (which can be monthly or yearly, whatever best suits your lifestyle) – there’s no waiting to sell and no agonizing about the housing market before you move. For many people, the freedom to live where you want and when you want is a huge benefit that simply cannot be overlooked.

Minimum Risk
For homeowners, the stakes are enormously high should their finances crumble. When they can’t pay the mortgage, the lender has great leverage – the house and all the equity invested in it could be in jeopardy. That’s not to say there aren’t consequences if a tenant can’t pay the rent – but the financial devastation that comes with losing your home is far greater than being evicted from your apartment.

In addition, there are several social service programs that are run by all levels of government to help people in need pay their rent so they won’t be evicted. Are the banks as lenient or supportive when it comes time to pay the mortgage?

Ultimately, making the decision to either rent an apartment or buy a home involves much more than simply comparing rental rates, mortgage payments, lease lengths and tax breaks. It’s a combination of all of the personal circumstances happening in your life – both now and several years down the road.

Deciding on what to have for dinner is always a challenge, but finding the time to make it is yet a bigger one. Let’s face it! After a long day of work who has time to cook? These days it is becoming much easier to swing by the nearest fast food chain to pick up a quick meal, but overtime, this shortcut will cost you many hours at the gym. That is why I love my crock pot! Crock pot cooking is a simple and healthy choice for today’s busy lifestyle. In the morning, I quickly add a few ingredients to my crock pot…set the timer and Presto! A hot and delicious meal is awaiting my return.

A friend recommended a great website for crock pot recipes www.getcrocked.com. The recipes are posted by The Crock Pot Girl, she also has a Facebook page.

I would like to share one of my favorite recipes with you. It is Crock Pot Pumpkin Chili. Enjoy!

• 2 lbs. ground beef
• 32 oz. kidney beans, canned, drained
• 12 oz. can crushed tomato sauce
• 2 c. V8 juice
• 29 oz. pumpkin, canned
• Yellow & red peppers cut up
• 1 onion, chopped
• dash of cloves
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/3 c. sugar
• Dash salt
• Dash of favorite hot sauce
Brown ground beef in a skillet, drain and then set aside. Combine the remaining ingredients along with the prepared ground beef in the crock pot and mix. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.
Do you have a favorite recipe you would like to share?

Alright…how many of you out there have started your New Year’s resolution to work out? How many of you have actually stuck with it? That’s the hard part right? Staying motivated to get to the gym can be really difficult for a lot of people, including myself! Ever considered doing your work out right in your living room? I have started doing my own work outs in the comfort of my own home, and I have actually been sticking with it!

One program that I have done is P90x. I’m sure many of you have heard about this program. It is NOT an easy one, but you get results FAST! I did it for the first time last summer and I saw results in less than 30 days! Which is what most of us want to see!

The website www.beachbody.com has loads of information about not only this program, but lots of others that are less strenuous but just as effective. Check it out it’s worth it.

How do you feel about seeing a movie made from your favorite book? Here at Mt. Vernon, we really enjoyed the book “The Help” written by Katheryn Stockett, we loved the movie too, however the book is usually much better. We are looking forward to the movie release of “One For the Money” written by Janet Evanovich.

Do you have a favorite book? Did it go “Hollywood?” Did you like the movie? Let us know!

For the last several years in early January I debate with myself whether I have the drive and motivation to ride the Pan Mass Challenge. And, each year I always decide that I do.

The PMC (as it is known) is a 190 mile bike ride the first weekend of August from Sturbridge Mass. to the tip of Cape Cod in Provincetown. I will join more than 5000 other cyclists and our goal is to raise $36,000,000 for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. This unique event raised $35,000,000 last year and 100% of all our funds raised went directly to DFCI.

We have all been touched in some terrible way by this insidious disease. It must be stopped. I know I could have decided not to ride and let others do the work, but it is too important and personal not to try. With all our efforts there will be a cure. PMC here I come!

What is a New Year’s resolution you can keep?

It seems so many people make New Year’s resolutions that sound great, you share them with everyone you know, you start off full steam ahead but then eventually the commitment wears off and the resolution fizzles out. You’re left feeling like a failure and every time someone asks you, “How’s it going?” you have to explain you gave up!

How about just making a slight change that fits in to your lifestyle already?

If you already work out, make an effort to try a new style of class. If you already volunteer, try a new place for awhile.

Give yourself a chance to adjust and embrace the newness then move on to adding another change. Change is good and can be very refreshing, breathing new life and new challenges into something you may not have even realized was stale.

Enjoy your success no matter how small.

Here’s an article from <strong>WebMD</strong><em></em> that illustrates this theory. I like the quote from, Elizabeth Zelvin, LCSW, that says “‘One day at a time’ is the antithesis of making New Year’s resolutions,” she says. “It’s not saying, ‘I’m going to do this and keep it up all year,’ it’s saying, ‘What can I do today?'”

http://www.webmd.com/balance/features/new-years-resolutions-in-one-year-out-other