HealthandHappiness

Make a resolution today to start losing weight. Don’t wait until January first. Think about how many pounds you could lose between now and then. You are sure to have a good start on your diet if you go ahead and start.

You don’t necessarily have to go full tilt ahead; just make better choices between now and the first of the year. Cut back on sugary drinks, eat less snacks, do more exercise. Little things, when done consistently, will cause weight loss.

Christmas might pose a problem. Don’t beat yourself up if you slip that day. One day will not ruin your whole diet. Just get right back on the wagon the day after.

You’ll be happy on January first when the scale is already down a few pounds. Do it for yourself, do it for your health!

My mom and I are going shopping today. She lives in Georgia, and I live in Alabama, so this is the only chance we’ll get to go Christmas shopping together. I miss our shopping trips. We used to go often when I lived in Ga.

Do you go shopping with your mom? I think it’s a great way to bond and catch up on what’s going on in each other’s lives. It’s especially fun when Christmas shopping is involved!

I hope that some deals will still be going on. I usually only buy things that are on sale. I’m too broke to spend full price! I’m sure many people will be in the same predicament this year.

I’ll try to remember and let you all know if we find any great sales!

Hope you all have a good weekend!

Do you go shopping on Black Friday? I never have and don’t have any plans to start. I can’t believe some of the things you hear about happening on that day! A woman being trampled is the worst story I’ve heard, and that’s just sad. Someone getting killed for a sale!

I know we all want to save money, but it seems there could be more order to the madness. If everyone would just use common courtesy, it would go better. Getting a good deal should never be more important than your fellow man.

If you do go shopping on Black Friday, please be careful. Watch for other shoppers, especially children. I hope most people don’t take their children, but just in case, watch out for them. Make the day good for all concerned!

I hope you all are enjoying the day. We are going to have dinner with my mom and her husband. Thanksgiving is at our house this year. It’s the first time since we moved here. When we lived in Georgia almost every holiday was at our house, but since moving we’ve travelled back home. It’s nice having the meal here again. Thanksgiving and Christmas are the only times I really love to cook…he he.

My mom and I are going shopping this weekend also. My husband doesn’t really enjoy Christmas shopping even though he will go with me. I’m sure it’s a relief knowing my mom wants us to get it over with.

There won’t be much buying this year anyway. We will buy for the kids in the family and that’s about it. Otherwise, getting together and sharing memories are our Christmas gifts to each other.

I am thankful to have my mom with me. This is my first Thanksgiving without my dad and it’s not easy. I really miss him. It makes me even more thankful for the rest of my family. Don’t take anyone you love for granted. Tell them how you feel!

Be thankful for family, love given and received, being here for one more day to enjoy loved ones, and all the other really important things in life. Be thankful for life!

The holidays are often hard on the waistline. Sticking to a diet and not gaining weight are a struggle for a good many people. It is possible to enjoy the holidays without putting on the pounds. Here are some simple tips that will help:

When asked to bring something to an event, make it a healthy dish. This way you know there will be something at the party for you to eat.

Eat before going out. The best way to avoid overeating at parties is by eating a little before you leave home. Eat something healthy and satisfying that will control hunger.

Drink diet drinks instead of regular sodas and alcoholic beverages. This will save tremendously on calories!

Get some exercise after those large holiday meals. Go for a walk, play a game of backyard football, or just run around with the kids. Anything to burn off some of the extra calories will help.

Eat food slowly. It is a prove fact that the more you chew your food, the less you’ll eat because your body will signal the stomach it is full.

These are just a few easy tips that should help. If you do happen to gain a few pounds, don’t worry overly much. A week back on plan should melt them right off! Happy Holidays!

We should all give to those less fortunate throughout the year, not just around the holidays. It seems many people only think to help others this time of year. The holidays bring home the importance of helping our fellow man. But what about those people the rest of the time? Most of them need help more than a few weeks a year.

Any time you, or your children, outgrow clothes; give them to a thrift store, the Salvation Army, Goodwill, or any other such organization. Warm, clean clothes are always welcomed for the needy.

When your children get tired of their toys, donate them! Someone else can use anything that you no longer need. Never throw away anything that is still in good condition. Someone will appreciate it!

Give of yourself and you will receive ten-fold!

Thanksgiving is almost here. Everyone is getting prepared to spend time with friends and family, enjoying a delicious meal. Are you taking time to really be thankful?

Are your children thankful for the right things? Family, love, health? Or are they thankful for material possessions?

Children have so much more these days than ever before. Sometimes the important things get lost in an overabundance of “stuff.” Don’t let this happen to your children. Teach them what they should truly be thankful for. Yes, it’s nice to have things, but they aren’t what are really important.

Talk with your children about those less fortunate, explain how they can help. Teach them ways they can help those less fortunate. It will enrich your life as well as your child’s.

Share the true meaning of Thanksgiving with your children this year!

Do you feel better when your house is clean? I sure do! It smells better, the floors look great, and everything is in its proper place. When all of this happens, I feel calmer. Having things organized helps my mind relax. I’m not worrying about things being out of place, or something getting lost. It’s so much less stressful.

Of course, I do have OCD so maybe that has something to do with it. I only have a mild case thank goodness, but it’s enough to cause problems. I try my best to leave things where my husband wants them, but it’s just not possible sometimes. I HAVE to move the object somewhere it looks better, fits better, or is out of sight. I just can’t leave it where it is. I actually feel stressed seeing it.

We have learned to work around my idiosyncrasies.

I straighten up the house almost every day, and clean thoroughly once a week. How often do you do it? Do you have OCD? Does the state of your house have any effect on your mood?

Do you carpool? You can carpool to work, school, even the grocery store. Carpooling saves money on gas and helps the environment by putting less pollution in the air.

If you aren’t carpooling, what is your reason?

My husband carpools with two guys from work. Each week a different one drives. It has saved us a lot of money on gas because my husband’s truck does not get good gas mileage. Not to mention it saves each of them wear and tear on their vehicles.

If you live close enough to friends or family, carpooling to the grocery store is a great idea. I hate going to the grocery store alone anyway, so having someone to talk with is great motivation for this environmentally friendly activity!

What all do you carpool for? Do you do it for the environment, to save gas, or just to avoid loneliness?

Domestic violence happens every day. It happens to the rich and poor, women and men. Perpetrators of domestic violence know no social or economic boundaries. It is an ugly, despicable act, committed by small-minded cowards.

We don’t always feel the effects of domestic violence. If it’s not happening in our family, we tend to tune it out somewhat. Even with all the news reports and television shows pointing it out, if it doesn’t touch your life directly, it’s easy to forget it’s happening.

Sometimes it touches your life too closely though. A few days ago, my neighbor was beaten to death by her husband. We haven’t lived here long enough to be privy to all the gossip, but according to some of the other neighbors, he’d beat her before. Who knows why she stayed with him. The reasons people stay in abusive relationships are varied. It is a very sad situation.

My mother’s first marriage was abusive. She took it for a while, and then fought back. She left him lying in a pool of blood after hitting him over the head. Sometimes enough is enough. She never again took abuse from anyone.

I hope that anyone out there who is in an abusive relationship can get help. You are not alone! There are people who care and will help. Seek them out before it’s too late.