New Year - New You

New Year - New You: How to Stay Motivated and Focused as WAHM

The new year is a great time for work at home moms (WAHM) to reaffirm their goals and boost their motivation. It's a great time to review the last year and to plan for the new year.
In fact, the new year can be the perfect time to reinvent yourself, your schedule and your business's systems. It's the perfect time to start anew.

Here's how to stay motivated and focused as a work at home mom this new year's.

==> Review the Past Year: Passion & Results

There are two things about the past year that need reviewing.
First of all, take a look at your results. Did you meet the goals you set for yourself over the last year?
How much did you earn? How are the other metrics in your business doing - things like traffic, number of paying clients, number of subscribers and so on.
Celebrate the successes and look for lessons in the places where you fell short.
The other area to review is your own personal passions. Over the last year, chances are you've experimented with a number of different things in your online business.
What did you find you particularly enjoyed? Were there things you did that you didn't particularly enjoy? What would increase your quality of life if you did it all the time; and what would you rather not have to do this new year?
Business isn't just about profit; it's about doing what you love as well.

==> Starting the New Year with a Burst of Motivation

Start this new year by writing out a number of goals that are both exciting and within reach. Make it a stretch, but make it also a reasonable goal.
Write out most of your goals in a tangible, measurable manner. For example, you want to be earning X dollars a month by the end of the year or you want to have Y amount of traffic.
However, you'll also want to have a few goals that aren't metrics-based. For example, you might want to get healthier and more energetic by doing yoga and changing your diet. You might want to spend more time with your kids.
Once you've written all your goals down, put your paper down and take a moment to visualize yourself one year from now. Imagine this person having achieved all their goals. Feel what it's like to be that person. Step into that person.
Take that feeling and bring it back to today. Are you ready to create that life for yourself? If so, reaffirm to yourself that you're going to hit all the goals you laid out for the year. Use this motivation to move forward as your launching pad into the new yea

New Year's Eve Party Ideas

 New Year's Eve Party Ideas for the Whole Family

It’s not unusual for adults to celebrate New Year’s Eve by staying up to welcome in the New Year.  This year, however, why not try one of these New Year’s Eve party ideas for the whole family to celebrate together? 

Invite some friends with children to join you for a New Year’s Eve party the entire family can enjoy.  Start early enough so that the youngest children will be able to have fun before they get too sleepy.  You may want to plan on having a big slumber party since everyone will want to stay up to welcome in the New Year.  This way, if someone isn’t able to remain awake, they don’t have to worry about falling asleep on the trip home.

Stock up on plenty of snacks for the evening or ask each family to chip in by bringing something to share.  If you’re having a themed party, try to have food that will work well with your theme.  Since there will be children present, you may want to serve only non-alcoholic drinks.

You may want to have games planned for children, teens, and adults if there will guests from each age group.  Of course, the teenagers may decide to play the adult games if the adults agree.  For those people that aren’t interested in playing games, have several family-friendly movies available.

When you send out invitations to the party, why not include a request that everyone bring along an item to put into a time capsule.  The items should be small but meaningful to the person bringing them.  (Provide labels and a pen so everyone can identify their own items when the time capsule is opened at some point in the future.)  Bury or hide the time capsule so that it will remain untouched until a designated time, possibly in one or two years on New Year’s Eve.

Be sure to have several disposable cameras handy or ask your friends to bring their own cameras.  With all the fun that’s sure to be had you’ll want to get pictures of the festivities.  After the New Year has started, you may want to get together and create scrapbooks of the evening. 

Since the parents are going to be at the party with their children, see if they would be willing to allow the children to try to stay up and welcome in the New Year.  It’s not often that children stay up until midnight, and they probably won’t be able to stay awake that long, but let them try.

It’s a great idea to use these New Year’s party ideas for the whole family to enjoy.  Invite friends with children and you’ll double or triple the amount of fun your family would have on their own.  Remember that New Year’s Eve only comes around once a year, so be sure to enjoy yourselves and create precious memories for one and all.

Green Christmas Presents Also Mean Green Wrapping and Green Cards

Green Christmas Presents

Also Mean Green Wrapping and Green Cards

 

Green Christmas presents aren't just about what you choose to give as a gift - it's also important to think about wrapping paper and even the greetings cards you're sending out. Christmas cards are a fantastic way to get in touch with people who you may not have spoken to for a while, and are perfect for sending good wishes to family and friends. However, the numbers quickly add up, and most of us will end up using huge amounts of card for these yearly greetings. There are ways in which you can minimize the environmental impact of the cards you send.

Make Your Own Cards

If you're really feeling creative then why not try making your own cards from recycled materials? You can use parts of old greetings cards, or scraps of card, to put together cards that are personal and fun. This is an especially good idea if you've got kids who enjoy arts and crafts!

 You can also go digital and design your own cards on the computer. This can be another fun project for you or the kids and is an easy way to send out cards without wasting any paper at all! Save the paper cards for only your closest friends and family and you'll be helping to save a lot of trees this Christmas.

Wrapping Gifts

A lot of gift wrap is difficult to recycle, especially since it gets torn up and thrown out with other trash! Try not to add to this waste by using recycled materials to wrap your green Christmas presents, such as old newspapers, magazines, old brown paper bags, or wrapping that you've salvaged from previous years. Most people won't mind you wrapping in this way - in fact, you can usually make it look unique and creative with a little effort! If you still want to buy wrapping paper, many stores now sell recycled options.

After Christmas

Once Christmas is over you'll likely be left with a huge number of Christmas cards that no longer have any use. It's important that you recycle cards as much as possible - whether this means re-using them for your kids' craft projects, or dropping them off at local stores who include a Christmas card recycling point.

Although these are easier to recycle, you should also try to save as many envelopes as you can when receiving cards. When it comes time to send cards again, you can reuse the better quality envelopes by using special “reuse labels” to cover up old details. This is a habit you can continue throughout the year, too!

 You can also recycle holiday gift wrap. When unwrapping gifts, try to do it carefully rather than tearing it all and you can use it as is. This is the perfect way to turn the presents you receive into more green Christmas presents!

Snowmen Treats

These are too cute for words!! Nutterbutter Snowmen Treats!! I'm guessing it's just white chocolate coating, but I am sure you can use any white candy coating or yogurt coating ;)

Avoid the Stressful Christmas Shopping Rush

How to Avoid the Stressful Christmas Shopping Rush.

The Christmas rush happens when you are so busy creating shopping lists, organizing Christmas dinner, and preparing Christmas cards, in addition to your normal busy schedule, that time slips by too quickly. You are soon left with one week left before Christmas, and your list of things to do is nowhere near complete. Not to mention the fact that you don't have time to enjoy what the season is really about!

You can avoid the Christmas rush and reap its benefits with some simple tips.

Plan Your Christmas List Early
Start planning your Christmas list as early as spring, if possible. With a planned list, you will know well in advance who you want to purchase gifts for and can add to this list as you remember more names. This also helps to stop you from overspending, as so many of us do each year.

Each year, if you keep track of your gift-giving list, you can just readjust the list if you need to, and have a sure direction of your purchasing plans. There are many applications available on smartphones that can keep track of these lists for you, and remind you of what you bought a particular person last year so you don’t end up buying them the same gift each year.

Shop Early

Once you have your planned Christmas list, the shopping becomes much easier. When you start your list early, your shopping can start early as well. You'll avoid the Christmas crowds and help to reduce stress as you get everything you need. You'll also be in a better position to shop around for bargains. And, the closer to Christmas it gets, the more you can sit back and enjoy it, knowing you've already gotten the shopping out of the way.

Purchase Meaningful Gifts

When you plan and shop early, you will most likely be able to purchase gifts that have special meaning for your family and friends. You won't be purchasing gifts for the sake of it just because you're in a rush. Putting thought into the gifts you buy in this way makes them more meaningful, and brings you closer to the true spirit of the season, rather than just spending money thoughtlessly.

Spend Less
When you take the time to plan, you can adjust your Christmas list according to a budget. With a clear idea of who you will be purchasing gifts for, you can always take advantage of special sales. Many department stores hold sales during other holidays, such as Labor Day, giving you more opportunities to save money.

Many of the sales held during the Christmas season are on the same items, which many have already marked up. The chances of getting a unique gift decreases as more Christmas shoppers are also looking for the sales.

Taking the time to plan and anticipate the season of Christmas before it arrives will allow you more time to spend with family and friends, viewing Christmas lights, and maybe even taking the children to see Santa Clause at the Mall. Why waste time rushing to buy gifts, when you can relax and enjoy this special season and all it has to offer?

Tips for a Deep, Rejuvenating Sleep

Want deep rejuvenating sleep? We have 6 Tips for a deep rejuvenating sleep night.

Over the years, we’ve seen a change in the recommended minimum number of sleep hours a body needs. Where once it was suggested a full 8 hours was necessary, we now recognize that every person is different and our needs may change from time to time.
Regardless of the actual number, there is strong evidence that shows that a shortened or disturbed sleep process can compromise one’s mood, alertness and performance. If you’re having problems sleeping, try these six tips for a deep, rejuvenating sleep.

1. Schedule your day to allow for “downtime” before bedtime. In other words, don’t stay busy right up until it’s time for lights out. Give yourself a chance to relax for at least an hour before you go to bed. This means turning off the television and listening to soothing music instead. It may include taking a luxurious warm bath to ease the tension in your muscles, reading a book or simply doing some deep breathing exercises.

2. Eat earlier in the evening. Some people are so busy they don’t get to eat until right before bed. When you eat so late, it makes it difficult for the body to begin digesting the food before its time to sleep. If possible, try to avoid eating anything at least three hours before you plan to go to bed. Avoiding caffeine, chocolate, pork, potatoes, tomatoes and cheese is also a good idea since these foods inhibit the production of the chemicals which help you sleep.

3. Make sure your sleeping environment is peaceful, quiet and dark. Even if you feel that you’re tired enough you could fall asleep standing in a corner, it is a good idea to make your bedroom someplace that is relaxing and quiet. Lower your shade and pull your curtains to so no outside light keeps you awake. Playing soft music or nature sounds can also be helpful in reaching deep, restful sleep.

4. Add sleep-inducing herbs to your nightly routine. Passion flower, chamomile, lemon balm and valerian are common herbs that will calm and relax you so you can fall asleep. These can be enjoyed as a hot cup of tea each night before you go to bed or you can take them as capsules, whichever you prefer.

5. Plan to exercise each day.  Being active each day really does help you sleep at night. Of course, it’s important not to exercise too close to bedtime, but exercising earlier in the day can do wonders for healthy sleep. 

6. Go to bed and get up at the same time each day, even on the weekends. Your body has its own rhythm – circadian rhythm or internal clock – so having a set time to go to bed and get up each day will help set this internal clock.
It is possible to get deep, rejuvenating sleep each night. You can use any or all of these tips to help you achieve peaceful sleep. However, if you work with your body to give it the rest you need, and you’ll find sleep problems are soon a thing of the past.

Handmade Christmas Gifts

Get Creative with Handmade Christmas Gifts

Don’t let your budget deter you from having an enjoyable Christmas season. This is a time to remember, and it's not all about the expense of a gift, but the thought that you put into the gift. Yes, there are those who may feel different, but for the people who are close to you in your life, they are more likely to be appreciative of the time and care you put into the gift than how much money you spent on it. People love being recognized and thought of, and managing your budget with handmade Christmas gifts is a wonderful opportunity to show how much you care.

Here are some ideas to get you going:

Dessert Baking Jar

 

This is a cute idea to share one of your favorite dessert recipes, such as cookies or a special bread (like banana bread or cranberry bread). First, use your creativity and computer skills and type up your recipe on fancy Christmas stationary. You can either glue it to a medium sized jar or tie it with a ribbon to the top of the jar.

Your recipe should state what needs to be added to the dry ingredients. Also include what type of baking pan to use, oven heat, cooking time, and any other specifics to make this recipe special.

Fill the jar with all the dry ingredients for the recipe. Be sure to add the ingredients one at a time to the jar, so it creates a nice pattern. Decorate the lid in Christmas paper and tie ribbon around the top of the jar to give it that original Christmas look.

Recipe Gift Basket
Creating a gift basket of your favorite dinner recipe, or a favorite of the recipient, makes a unique and special Christmas gift. If you collect baskets during the year from gifts you received, you can save time and money by recycling one of those.

First, fill the basket with all the non-perishable ingredients needed for the dinner meal. For example, if the recipient of your gift loves pasta, you can purchase two different types of pasta, pasta sauce, special spices, and maybe even a bottle of wine that goes with the dish. Decorate the basket with Christmas ribbon and don’t forget to include a recipe if it requires special preparation.

Mini Scrap Book

 

Grandparents and those relatives that live far away from you will enjoy and cherish this gift idea. Gather pictures of your children, or you and your significant other, or even just of you doing different things during the year.

Purchase an inexpensive plain drawing journal with no lines so you can paste your pictures and write a little blurb about the significance of the picture. If you have children, you can also include milestones in their life, which will be heartwarming to grandparents who adore their grandchildren. Wrap it with some fancy ribbon and you got a special gift that mainly only cost your time.

Personalized Notecards
  Everyone loves blank notecards that they can use for any occasion. If you know what your friend or family member loves, you can create personalized notecards at a minimal cost. Purchase blank envelopes and cardstock white paper. Cut the cardstock paper in half along its width, then fold in half to create a notecard. Now decorate with ribbon, stationary, material, stickers, etc., that represent the recipient.