Along with all of the things you can do, you connect with friends that will add to your bucks total when they view and comment on your things. Sidetick even gives you an easy 1000 tickbucks each day for about 3 minutes of effort which is the equivalent of 50 cents. Sidetick is proven to pay and they are always adding neat new features.

Give Sidetick a try; you have nothing to lose and some money to gain!

Click here to get started…………..

As some of you may or may not know, I have struggled with my weight for my entire life. It wasn’t fun, but as a child it could be absolutely horrendous and now I watch one of my nephews beginning the struggle with the same exact issues. He is a good boy and he is fun, but he is struggling. Maybe Jamie Oliver will come to his school and help out, but if not, it is up to the rest of us to show kids the right way.

The show is on ABC on Friday nights at 8pm EST and I would suggest you watch it with your entire family. I think it will start some great discussions and there is nowhere better to start than in your own home.

If at this time, you feel inclined to give something to help put Haiti back together again, then I would recommend visiting the site sponsored by Bill Clinton and George W. Bush at http://www.clintonbushhaitifund.org/

This will at least give you a starting place to give where the funds are most needed. Make God bless you all and especially the Hatian people as they struggle through these challenges.

On the first weekly weigh in (January 8th), I was down to 256# which was impressive even though I know in my mind that much of it was probably water weight. A loss is a loss and I will take it. Then, on Monday, January 11th we started a BIggest Loser type contest at work with weigh-ins on Friday. I signed up and on the 15th was my 1st weigh-in for the contest. I was happy to see that I was down to 255# which isn’t a huge loss, but still a loss.

This weekend was nothing short of me going overboard. I got some good news and then hubby and I decided to take off for an overnight at the casino. I ate terribly. Oh well, we all have those moments and I am not going to dwell on it. Today, I am back on track with a nice 3 mile walk at the gym and tracking all my foods yet again.

We shall see what the scale is on Friday. Have you began your journey yet? I would love to know how you are doing. Let’s get there together!

So, I watched the Biggest Loser and it was actually an episode that made me tear up a few times. I mean the largest man to ever be on the show was there as well as a set of twins that weigh almost 1000 pounds combined. I think the saddest thing about the twins was that one of them got voted off. They REALLY need to be on the show.

On another note, my first weigh-in since New Year’s Day is on Friday morning. I will update you here with both the starting weight and the new number which I sure the heck hope is lower. How are things going for you in the New Year? I hope that whatever goals you set, you are well on your way to success.

One thing I have to say about the gym is that I would not be there at all if it weren’t for the constant encouragement and insistence of my husband. My father developed Alzheimer’s very young and all research shows that being active and healthy can help. Alas, my husband seems to want me around and in good health for awhile longer so he pays the membership and when I get off track for a bit, he drags me back!

Got a local YMCA in your area? I reccomend checking it out. It isn’t nearly as bad as I thought and I have 100 pounds to lose!

So, beginning on January 1st, I will devote a separate category to weightloss. I would love to have all of your support, tips, encouragement, and even failures to help me along the way. Let’s make 2010 the year to remember for all of us. Isn’t it about time?

Save a few minutes every day to do something you enjoy such as reading a good book, playing on your favorite website or indulging in your favorite television show. Also, don’t stop exercising and eating right. It’s okay to indulge in those holiday treats, but take some time out and continue your healthy habits. This will give you the energy you need and the attitude others like to be around.

The holidays are not just for everyone else. They are for you too. So, relax and enjoy them by taking a moment or two out for you. Make it your very own special gift. Happy Holidays!

I will be writing a Christmas post very soon and also have some new ideas for the coming New Year. Stay tuned and enjoy the days ahead.

The first thing I noticed about this book was that it was colorful and fun looking. My niece was immediately drawn to the colors and pictures on the cover. So, we decided to explore it together. The first few pages are full of ideas and thoughts for parents and ‘kudos’ to the author as she also remembered to write a letter to the kids. My niece loved me reading the letter directly to her and we hadn’t even gotten to the fun part yet.

Once you get into the book itself, it has pages and pages of activities geared toward self expression for children. Each pages has a topic and then there is lots of room for the child to draw or write whatever it is they feel about that topic. I was curious to see what my niece thought about bedtime because unlike her teenage brother who loves to sleep, putting this 6 year old to bed is nothing short of a miracle. So, we turned to that page and I read the title, “Bedtime”. I told her to write or draw whatever she wanted and at first she was hesitant, so I acted busy doing something else and she began. She colored and drew for a good 15 minutes before showing me the picture of a “playground” of all things. It gave me a great place to ask, “Why?”  She explained to me that every night when she goes to bed she is mad because she has to stop playing. She wants to play and not sleep so much. Can you imagine the discussion from this one simple activity?

It got me excited because some of the pages could really allow a child to express themselves and give their parent/teacher/counselor a jumping point for discussion. My niece and I were both very impressed by the book. We decided we would do one activity a day, but I can also see that it could be used on an as needed basis or any way that someone felt it would fit their situation.

So, if you have an opportunity to buy one fun, but useful book for your child, I would without hesitation recommend that you check out, “The Daily Doodle” written by Janet Lee or check out her webpage for other books at www.drjanetlee.com or on Amazon.com