Funny Family New Year’s Resolutions

Resolutions for pre-schoolers:

 1. It does not matter if my socks go on before my underwear. I can be flexible. I can even not have the stitch line on the top of my socks align perfectly across my foot.

2. Zits on teenagers are not to be commented on in any way, as I understand that "my time will come."

3. I need to accept that I am not the boss -- not even of me.

4. The size of Mommy's bottom is not something that should be discussed in public,   or ever.

5. I will not add my personal artistic flair to pieces of artwork already created by my six-year-old sister, even though anyone can tell it adds complexity and drama.

Resolutions for primary school age:

1. I need to recognize that when Mommy's face turns red and she starts a  sentence with "What did I just say?" that any activity I am involved in needs to cease immediately.

2. I must recognize that parents are not aware that a bouncy ball must be bounced a minimum of 1,147 times in a  row before the urge passes.

3. Calling my 12-year-old brother by his babyish nickname, "Panda Bear" for example, is both unnecessary and pain-inducing when said "bear's" friends are in his den.                                                                                                    

Resolutions for tweens:

1. If I insist on playing my AC/DC, Aerosmith or Ozzy Osbourne CD's loudly  the ‘rents are likely to sing along and play air guitar (shudder). Investing in headphones is a good use of my allowance money.

2. I need to find an alternative responses to replace the following: "whatever," "then don't look at it" and "oh, you're cool, Mom." Total silence is an option.

3. My parents think it is funny to kid me about boyfriends/girlfriends. I need to humor them, as when the day actually comes that I have one, the joke will be  on them.

Resolutions for teens:                                                                                  

1. I will try to show at least one square foot of clean carpet in my bedroom, at all times, as evidence that I am working on it.

2. Although I know everything, it is apparently increasingly annoying to my parents to point this out on a regular basis. Purported "things I don't know" are not worth knowing but comments to support this argument are best kept to myself.

3. Excessive eye rolling can be hazardous to my health. Not to my eyes per se, but to my social life and so-called "privileges." I will practice steadying my eye movement in the mirror while repeating Mom-isms in my head (for example, "I just know," "I did warn you" and "because your brother is three"). (Adopted From http://www.canadianliving.com/relationships)

Vitamins For The Mind! - 7 Strategies To Feel Good About Life!

While most of us have heard the urban phrase, "Life’s a drag and then you die", I find that most people don’t really want to believe that.

And it’s true. While off course we all have difficult times in our lives, overall life was not designed to be struggled through.

Feeling good about your life involves just two parts. One is to learn to think about yourself in healthy ways. This is a learned skill, ladies and gentlemen, not something that a lucky few were born with. If you weren’t given the gift of self confidence and self esteem as a child, it’s up to you to manufacture it as an adult. This is a skill, not a talent.

The second part of feeling good about your life involves making things happen. That the opposite of giving your life over to circumstance. If you want something, set things into motion to make it happen - from losing weight to getting the perfect job - it’s all in your hands.

Are you feeling like life’s a struggle? Try these seven tips to help you feel good about life again.

1. Never stop questioning - how can I do this better, faster, easier, simpler? Get interested and curious about yourself and about others.

2. Accept your weakness. Everybody has weaknesses. Instead of spending your time and energy trying to "overcome", accept it, don’t make excuses for it, and find ways to make it work for you.

3. Always keep learning. The brain is a muscle just like any other, and it will stagnate if you let it. Learn something new every day.

4. Expect nothing; expect the best. Paradox? No. It just means that you don’t want to miss out on what’s wonderful in your life right now, while you spending all your time peeking around the next corner.

5. Plant the "seeds" that you want to grow. Many people are (figuratively) wondering where the roses are in their life, yet they spend all their time sowing corn. You reap what you sow. That’s just the way it is.

6. Swim with the current. Accept life. There are lots of things you can’t control. Don’t waste your time complaining about what you can’t control - the weather, the economy, other people. Do accept those things and work within the circle that is within your control.

7. Don’t wimp out. When the going gets tough -- and it will -- keep your head up and keep moving. Nobody ever won a race by quitting.

Here’s my challenge to you: Take any one of these seven ideas and put it to work in your life over the next seven days. Just seven days -- you can do anything that long, right? Read it over in the morning and choose a particular way to practice it, review it at noon, recite it at dinner. Make it a part of your every minute the next seven days. You will be surprised at the difference these ideas can make in your life! (Adopted from www.allthingsfrugal.com/...)

Recipe of the Month - Sauerkraut Sausage Soup

Ingredients:

• 6 small red potatoes quartered
• 3 medium carrots, halved & cut into 1/4 inch slices
• 1 medium onion cut into thin wedges
• 1 can (14 ounces) sauerkraut, rinsed & well drained
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
• 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
• 1 pound smoked kielbasa or Polish ausage, cut into 1-inch slices
• 2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) reduce sodium chicken

Directions:

1. In a 3 or 4 quart slow cooker, combine potatoes, carrots and onion.

2. Combine the sauerkraut, brown sugar, brown mustard and caraway seeds: spoon over vegetables.

3. Top with sausage and broth.

4. Cover and cook on low for 8-9 hours or until the vegetables are tender. Yum!

Ways To Save Money Around Your Home

It is a new year and getting out of debt is always among the most popular New Year’s Resolutions. The problem with resolutions, though is too often they’re just dreams, with no action to back them up. No more? If your New Year’s resolution this year is to get out of debt and improve your financial situation, help is hear!

Let’s begin with some basic saving strategies that you can do around your home to save money. The following paragraph is chock-full of ideas that will help you do just that!

Weatherproof your home to save electricity. Line dry your clothes (not right now—but in the spring) It will lengthen the life of your clothing and save energy. Wash your laundry in cold water. Stop using phantom power by unplugging your electronics at night. Using power strips makes this easier. Get rid of cable TV or \switch to basic cable. Or use Netflix and Hulu in place of cable. Netflix is less expensive than cable, and between that and Hulu (which is free), you have a wide variety of TV shows available to watch. If you don’t want to get rid of cable, see if you can bundle it with your phone and internet service to save money. Get rid of the internet and use the library. Get rid of your landline, if you have a cell phone. Or ge rid of your cell phone. Or use a prepaid cell phone, instead of an expensive phone with an expensive contract. Set your thermostat lower in winter and higher in the summer. Use a programmable thermostat, so you never forget to adjust the temperature. Catch rainwater for watering your garden, Use pasta water for watering household plants. Turn off your water when you’re brushing your teeth, shampooing, or shaving. Recycle You’ll save on your trash bill. Compost. You save on your trash bill and help your  garden. Haul your own trash to the dump, if you have a pickup truck or trailer. Try  to do repairs yourself before hiring someone. Use free resources at Home Depot, Lowe’s and on the internet to help you. Challenge your property tax assessment, if you feel it’s too high.

What Is Your Home Worth In This Market?

Easy Clutter-Busting Tips That Will Save You Time And Money!

If you're on a tight budget, there are plenty of ways that you can economize and save. But did you realize that clearing your house of clutter might actually be the key to saving both time and money? In addition to the savings, cleaning up clutter can also help you create a serene, stress-free and more relaxing place in which to live. If you're ready to save money by getting your family's clutter under control, here are a few helpful tips that you can use to get started.

Take Inventory: If you've ever purchased an item at the store only to find that you already own the same item, you're simply wasting money. In fact, some people who have cluttered homes frequently purchase items because they just cannot find the items they own when they need to use them. Not only does buying the same item twice waste money, but these extra items will also add to your home's overall clutter content. Instead, take the time to conduct a "home inventory." Look through your cabinets, drawers and closets to find out what you really have. You might be surprised at the number of cleaning products, food supplies, clothing and other useful items that you'll find. Instead of buying these items during your next shopping trip, use up the items on your inventory list first. You'll probably find that this process can actually be a lot of fun.

Have a Garage Sale: If you have too much stuff in your home but not enough cash, why not sell some of your unneeded items? Start by cleaning your home room by room. Place any items that are still usable but which you don't really need in cardboard boxes labeled "Sell." Once you have a nice collection of items, sell them in a garage sale or on an online auction or classified ad site

Reduce Paper Clutter: Many people find that paper is their home's worst enemy when it comes to clutter. Although paper clutter can come from a wide variety of sources, the daily mail is usually a substantial contributor. Look for ways to remove your name and address from junk mailing lists. In some cases, you can even save processing fees on your utility payments and other bills if you remove yourself from their mailing list and sign up for online bill payments instead. In addition to eliminating clutter and saving money, online bill payment systems can also save you a lot of time and effort.

Stop Accumulating Clutter:  Once you've cleared the clutter from your home, vow that you won't start accumulating it again. As you've probably noticed, in most cases you spent some of your hard-earned cash for the items that are cluttering your home. Imagine how much money, time and effort you would have saved by never having bought those unnecessary items in the first place. The next time you are tempted to purchase something you don't really need, put the money you would have spent in a savings account instead. At the end of a year, you might be surprised how much money you will have saved.  (Adopted From http://www.allthingsfrugal.com)

New Year’s Resolutions To Make With Your Pet!

Could Peaches stand to drop a few pounds? Does Cali need some calisthenics? Maybe Fido needs more manners! Then why not resolve to help them as we turn the page on the calendar to a brand new year? Who knows, you might find yourself losing weight, getting fit and having a ball in the process.

Ironically, many of the resolutions experts recommend for pets are the same ones we make for ourselves -- to lose weight, exercise more and generally live a better life. Perhaps this pet and parent partnership, (should you and your pet choose to accept the challenge) will be good practice for keeping your personal New Year's Resolutions in 2013.

Lose weight in 2013

"The easiest way to help shed pounds off your pooch or kitty is to stop giving too many treats - table scraps, cookies, soft chews, etcetera. Each cookie is like giving them a chocolate bar!" Limit treats to two to three a day & to ask your veterinarian about "low-fat" treats. Also, try 'meal-feeding' versus 'buffet style' feeding. If your dog or cat does not eat their food within an hour, take it away - feed twice a day.  And if necessary, your vet may recommend placing your pet on prescription weight loss diet.

Scamper and Pounce More

Fortunately, dogs love to exercise -- err, I mean to play! Up their ante on activity by taking  an extra walk, double the length of your normal walk or find a new dog park nearby for a special outing a few times a week. Your dog will love meeting (and sniffing) new dogs and you might make a new friend or two as well. Cats can be a bit more challenging when it comes to exercise, so you'll have to be persistent and creative. Some pets embody several qualities that make them ideal exercise buddies, such as consistency of routine, scheduling flexibility & compatible fitness level. But not all pets are suited for extensive exercise. Be safe & schedule a visit with your pet's vet before embarking on a fitness routine.

Mind Their Manners

If you need to polish your pet's manners or spice up their command repertoire, talk to a trainer. Ask friends, family or your veterinarian to recommend a good one -- one that uses positive techniques and positive reinforcement. Make some rules and be consistent. Consistency is key. Don't let your dogs do something today and correct them for it tomorrow. Dogs are lifelong learners, they love learning new things and if you make it fun and learn to communicate with them on their level they can learn very quickly.

This year, make a New Year's Resolution you can keep. Help your pet live a healthier, happier life. Whether your best friend is furry, finned or feathered, this promise-pact is a win-win for you both! (Adopted From http://www.petside.com/article)