JohnstonMommies

February is Cultural Awareness Month!

noreply@blogger.com (The Mommies Network) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 16:25:00 +0000

February is Cultural Awareness Month at The Mommies Network, and we're thinking globally! Share a love for foreign language and different cultures with your child in our Multicultural Mommies forum on our National Chapter. Each week, we'll feature several languages and cultural tidbits. You may also participate and strengthen your language lingo in a special webinar. Additionally, our sponsor will provide information on how you can continue your language-learning experience after the month is over.

According to Associated Content, brain research shows that children are at an optimal age for language learning. Although language study is effective at any age, some studies suggest that the human brain is more open to learning a foreign language from birth to preadolescence. Fortunately, researchers have not found an age in which the language window closes completely, especially in the areas of grammar and vocabulary.

Take advantage of this opportunity to think globally, and join us as we learn about foreign languages and different ways of life during Cultural Awareness Month at TMN!

Wordless Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 15:00:00 +0000

Photo By: Michelle Faircloth

Upcoming in hospitality

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 15:00:00 +0000

It's hard to believe we have almost finished a whole month of the New Year! As always, with a new year comes new ideas, plans, and goals. Your Johnston Mommies Hospitality Committee is no different! We have some exciting ideas floating around and hope you will enjoy them on the boards and in person. Be on the lookout for a Meet and Greet and Mommy's Night Out each month. We also have some fun forum ideas in the works. How would you like to win a Mommy Award? Or play some fun hide and seek games? Stay tuned to the forums to find out what these are all about! As always, I encourage you to be active on the boards and attend events if at all possible. We would love to hear from you and see you! Feel free to PM me if you have any fun ideas or suggestions. Happy New Year from your Hospitality Committee!

Lori, Hospitality Committee

www.johnstonmommies.com

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:00:00 +0000

Picky Eaters

I have a huge number of friends with picky eaters. This is a situation that I did not have to deal with much in my own home. I got lucky and have kids who will eat just about anything I put on the table. In doing my research for this blog I found that some of the stuff I had done was the recommended strategy for feeding picky eaters. One of the things that helped is that my oldest could not have sugar so we never kept sweets in the house. I have been fighting with my weight for years, as a result I make healthy meal and snack choices for me and my kids.

I see the frustration and anxiety on the faces of my friends, when we talk about meal times. They express to me the battle over foods and the seemingly never ending struggle to get their child to eat a healthy meal. On such conversation put me on the path to see if I could offer any worthwhile advice. Here are some tips I found to help the parents of picky eaters.

Clear out the junk food – offering healthy choices for snacks and treats will build a lifetime of healthy eating
Water vs Juice – offer water not juice or milk off meal times. Juice and milk can decrease appetite and make your child less hungry at meal times.
Focus on the meal – Turn off the TV and sit at the table. Not only will you start good eating habits bur getting rid of distractions and commercials that often encourage the eating of sugary foods.
Dip it cover it – Use favorite sauces and dips to help introduce new foods.
Be a good example – if you are eating candy bars and fill up on mashed potatoes that is the example your setting for your child. If they see you choosing lots of vegetables and lean protein, you will be setting a much better example.
One meal – Don’t be a short order cook. You make a healthy meal, that is what is for dinner if your child refuses to eat it then they can choose to go to bed hungry. No snacks, no treats. If you’re worried about how much your child is eating keep a food log.
Small children have small tummies - a child’s stomach is about the size of his fist, giving out small portions and letting them ask for more may be a key to meal time success.
Routine – Keeping meal and snack times consistent can help your child’s system adjust to being ready to eat when you’re serving meals.

Don’t forget to make it fun. Letting your children help make meals and pick out foods at the store will get them involved. Making funny faces out of veggies or using cookie cutters to make meals entertaining can be a great way to introduce new and healthy foods to your child.

I hope the above tips help meal time become less stressful at your house. To often I think we forget that the world will not end if they refuse to eat and go to bed hungry. That just means they will eat a bigger breakfast the next morning.

For more information on this topic check out the following sites:

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/childrens-health/HQ01107

http://terrificparenting.com/picky-eaters

http://www.askdrsears.com/topics/feeding-infants-toddlers/feeding-picky-eater-17-tips

Wordless Wednesday!!

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 15:00:00 +0000

Photo by Corrie Iavarone

You are not invincible: A note to teenagers

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:00:00 +0000

As I read yet another story about a teen who drove drunk, distracted or just too fast, it breaks my heart and strikes a fear into me that goes deeper than you can imagine. As I prepare to go with my daughter to get her drivers license, I fight with wanting to keep her safe and knowing she has to have some independence. I hope that I have instilled a healthy respect for the privilege of driving. I have reminded her not to fiddle with the radio or respond to a text. Repeatedly I have admonished her to watch her speed, to be careful at night, and to make sure she slows down in the rain. When it comes time for her to get that little paper that makes her a driver, I hope that I have given her the tools to be safe.

I am careful who I let her drive with; I make sure I know the teenager. Most of her friends are good kids, but a mom can never be too careful. I am starting to sound as overprotective as she thinks I am. This I justify as my job. As they grow up this job gets harder. You can only do so much to get them ready for the time when you give them more independence.

Now she is a senior in high school. With each passing month I need to let go a little more, and it breaks my heart that one day soon she will think she does not need me anymore.

Until that time, I show her the newspaper articles about the kids who drove too fast or had a few drinks and thought they were ok. She has been touched by this twice just this year and we are only half way done. All I can hope is that all of this has the effect of allowing her to know that she is not invincible and that there are people who love her and want to see her live a long happy life.

Heather Garcia, Promotions Manager

www.johnstonmommies.com

Do You Have Flower Power?

noreply@blogger.com (The Mommies Network) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Are you looking for some curb appeal? Do you need to beautify your backyard? Spring planting season may be a few months away, but there's no better time than now to grow with JohnstonMommies! We've partnered with Flower Power to bring you a fabulous fundraiser to help you plan the garden of your dreams.

Flower Power sells quality flower bulbs with a 100 percent money-back guarantee. Gorgeous geraniums, tantalizing tiger lilies, and beautiful begonias are just a few of the many bulbs available and ready to be shipped to your door. This fundraiser runs Jan. 22–March 20, 2012, and your bulbs will arrive in April and May, just in time for beautiful summer blooms.

So save some gas and the trip to your local nursery or big-box store, and plan your perfect garden from the comfort of your computer. Visit http://www.flowerpowerfundraising.com/i/t/240208/POTYYo4de7O6 to view the enormous array of flower bulbs, and spring into Flower Power and JohnstonMommies fabulous fundraiser!

Special bonus: Spend $40 or more to receive a free bag of 10 Twilight gladiolus, a $10 value.

Grow with us!

Profits made through our fundraising link go toward our chapter's operating expenses.

Reminder: Ring in the New Year With TMN!

noreply@blogger.com (The Mommies Network) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

The New Year's parties may have ended, but our sponsorship promotion hasn't! We're still ringing in the New Year at The Mommies Network with an incredible deal that will have you reaching for your noisemakers.

Moms may have the greatest buying power, sharing business experiences and trends with one another. And since women make more than 80 percent of all purchasing decisions and control two thirds of the nation’s disposable income, targeting this group benefits your company. Resolve to reach this influenial portion of the population by taking advantage of this limited-time promotion.

With all new/renewed sponsorship agreements, your business will receive a complimentary blog feature (advertorial to include logo/product image and 500 words). Prepaid agreements receive a 5 percent discount and a complimentary two months on one sponsorship listing. Sponsors also receive 20 percent off event sponsorships. Offer expires Jan. 31, 2012.

The end of the month is just around the corner, so what are you waiting for? Celebrate with TMN by taking advantage of this amazing deal.

For more details on how your business can ring in the New Year with moms across the nation, please contact Jessica Van Dyke at Jessica.VanDyke@TheMommiesNetwork.org.

Wars and Family

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 15:00:00 +0000

A lot of you know that I have a HUGE extended family...cousins galore and they all live in Southern California. We all grew up together. And well, when you grow up together, you fight and you get sick of each other. I will be honest that I was sick of my big family when we left California. Most days, I would curse the stars at all the family drama. But after we moved to NC, almost immediately, I missed them. I still miss them a lot. I miss weird things like the noise...the noise level at some of our family gatherings was through the roof! I miss seeing them and being close to them and have come to realize how much I took them for granted. It hit me like a ton of bricks recently and it all started after walking out of a meeting. I felt intimidated, nervous and a little sick to my stomach. Did I just listen to some gory doctor’s review of an illness you ask? Nope, I just learned all the rules and expectations of selling Girl Scout cookies. The thing is, I was a Girl Scout…granted it was over 30 years ago but I still have very fond memories of earning patches, helping the community and yes even selling cookies. So when I was asked if I wanted to serve as an Assistant Leader, I thought it would be fun and a great way to interact with my daughter. But SO much has changed over those 30 years. Not only are the super cute Brownie dresses and beanie hats gone (they wear either a vest or a tunic now) but there are so many rules, forms, regulations that it is mind numbing. The worst part though is the intense competition that selling cookies now entails. The girls are required to set goals for themselves as well as an overall troop goal. When they mentioned the “recommended” goals, I literally laughed out loud. But then I learned-the hard way-and to quote our fearless leader, “you do NOT disrespect the cookie”. And while my head was still whirling, somehow the goal had been set. My daughter is expected to meet those goals. Next topic, cookie booths, this is when I should have left and never looked back. Apparently, the competition for a prime spot and time for a cookie booth is so intense that it requires our leader waking at 6 am and logging into the network so we won’t be left out. You are in no way allowed to sell at a booth without Council approval. I know it is shameful but all I could think was, well at least it’s not me that is in charge of that one. My job was to attend the cookie rally and collect the order forms so that the girls could start selling cookies FIRST thing Saturday morning before they were beat out…I managed to do that. But then Saturday morning, I woke up ill (for real this time) and stalled sipping my coffee before heading out. All of a sudden, my daughter came into the kitchen with tears streaming down her face because she had just seen another Girl Scout knocking on doors across the street. Ok, so I have to say this is not FUNdraising anymore, it is all about who can sell the most and well I apparently suck. Why do we have to turn everything into a competition? Why must it have to be a Cookie War? I was really depressed thinking, there is NO way, we are going to hit Kayla’s goal…so I reached out to my family in Cali and new family here in NC. One cousin says, “hey send me the form”, another says, “we want to buy a lot!” So I send out forms to everyone who asked and next thing I know, I have orders for 8, 10 even 48 boxes at a time—all from my family. So important lesson for me, in times of war, you really can turn to your family. We have not only met Kayla’s goal, we have surpassed it. And now instead of cursing the stars, I humbly, thank the stars for giving me such an amazing family not only in California but a new one here as well.

April Copel, Guest Blogger

www.johnstonmommies.com

TMN Weigh-In Challenge News

noreply@blogger.com (The Mommies Network) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Hello, and Happy New Year to everyone!

My name is Karen Skidmore, and I am the owner of Completely Fit, a personal training and fitness company located in Mount Airy, Md. I am a team leader for one of the groups in The Mommies Network Weigh-In Challenge.

All my team members have started off strong and are working very hard to accomplish their goals. They were asked to fill out a detailed questionnaire about their current nutritional and fitness habits, and answer questions about what changes they wanted to create. Based on that information, I have helped each person come up with a detailed action plan that will not only help to accomplish her goals, but more importantly, help to improve her lifestyle.

If you are looking to make a change in your life but are not a part of the Weigh-In Challenge, you too can do it with just a few small changes at a time.

If your nutrition is off track, start by taking away one unhealthy food once a week and replacing it with a healthy food.

If your exercise routine is off track, start by finding something you really enjoy doing — walking, biking, or swimming — and adding 10 minutes of that exercise to your day. Before you know it, exercise will have become a daily routine.

Be sure to track your results, as we do much better when we can see our progress.

I am very excited to be a part of this group and team, and I look forward to reporting our successes back to you each month. — Karen Skidmore, Completely Fit

Friday the 13th a day filled with fear

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 15:00:00 +0000

The fear of Friday the 13th is called friggatriskaidekaphobia or paraskevidekatriaphobia (Frigga being the name of the Norse goddess for whom "Friday" is named. It is estimated that $800 to $900 million is lost in business on Friday the 13th due to people who will not fly or conduct normal business. Friday the 13th is so crippling for some that there are counselors who have strategies to treat this condition.

Being a rather superstious person one would think that the prospect of Friday the 13^th would fill me with fear, however I see it as a day to watch the world being afraid of a date on the calendar. Now that is not to say I may not be a little extra cautious on this day, but hey one can’t be too careful.

Have you ever noticed that most hospitals do not have a room 13, hotels and high rises don’t have a 13^th floor? If you have 13 letters in your name it is said that you will have the devil’s luck (Jack the Ripper, Charles Manson, Jeffrey Dahmer, Theodore Bundy, and Albert De Salvo all have 13 letters in there names.

If you are unlucky enough to be the 13^th guest at a dinner party maybe you should excuse yourself, as the superstition goes if you have 13 guests to dinner one will die within the next year.

It is estimated that some 17 to 21 million people in the

United States

are affected by this phobia they have symptoms that range from mild anxiety to an all out panic attack. Some people will call into work on Friday the 13^th some people never even leave their beds.

The fear of Friday the 13^th goes back to two separate origins, the number 13 and Friday. The fear of 13 has been traced to a Norse myth about 12 gods having a dinner party at Valhalla, their heaven. In walked the uninvited 13th guest, the mischievous Loki. Once there, Loki arranged for Hoder, the blind god of darkness, to shoot Balder the Beautiful, the god of joy and gladness, with a mistletoe-tipped arrow. There is also a biblical reference to the unlucky number 13. Judas, the apostle who betrayed Jesus, was the 13th guest to the Last Supper. As for the fear of Friday it is well known among Christians that Jesus was crucified on a Friday. Some biblical scholars even believe that it was a Friday when Eve tempted Adam with the forbidden fruit. Maybe even more important is the belief that Able was slain by Cain on Friday the 13^th.

So what is one to do if they are struck by this potentially crippling phobia? Donald Dossey, founder of the Stress Management Center and Phobia Institute in Asheville, North Carolina says: “practical" cures are as simple as learning to refocus one's thoughts from negative feelings to positive. His mantra: "What you think about, you begin to feel. What you feel generates what you do. And what you do creates how you will become."

So it seems that this one is to be cured by the power of positive thinking. Focus on positive thoughts that will turn into pleasant feelings making the fear less overwhelming.

Some folklore remedies for this affliction include climbing to the top of a mountain or skyscraper and burning all the socks you own with holes in them, or standing on your head and eating a piece of gristle.

Personally I will stick with my mild fear of the day as I think my fear of heights out weighs it by quite a bit, and I just don’t want to eat gristle.

For more information check out these sites:

http://people.howstuffworks.com/friday-thirteenth1.htm

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/02/0212_040212_friday13_2.html

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1879288,00.html

http://www.history.com/news/2011/05/13/friday-the-13th-history-of-a-phobia/

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29661652/ns/technology_and_science-science/t/five-facts-about-friday-th/#.TwsQczVSRwo

Heather Garcia, Promotions Manager

www.johnstonmommies.com

Meet and Greet

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 15:00:00 +0000

Learning Together

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 15:00:00 +0000

My daughter is a senior in high school and is a pretty smart cookie. She is enrolled in a parenting and child development class as an elective. So when they were talking about pregnancy and child birth she wanted to find out more. I found some documentaries on Netflix and we watched them together. We watched “The Business of Being Born” and “Pregnancy in America” among others. I wanted her to know all the information so when she was ready (a very long time from now) to make that decision she would be informed.

I had two very sterile hospital births and I can tell you NEITHER one was a great experience. So I was thrilled that she was more interested in a natural experience. During a conversation in her class she said she wanted a natural birth and the teacher basically shut her down. I know that traditional hospital birth is popular but what business is it of this teacher to tell my daughter what kind of birth experience she should have.

The funny thing is she learned all about both procedures and came up with her opinion on her own. I would go yell at the teacher if I thought it would do any good but I have learned that they seem to get upset when you challenge their knowledge.

I am proud to have raised a child who has her own opinions and ideas about life. I love that she is willing to learn about something that interests her and come up with conclusions, that are not swayed by her peers or teachers.

Heather Garcia, Promotions Manager

www.johnstonmommies.com

Winter Weight Gain

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 15:00:00 +0000

So it begins. We have been blessed in North Carolina to have a mild winter thus far. The cold snap that has descended upon us proves our luck has run out. With the cold weather comes the urge to eat more and move less; this is not a good thing for someone who is trying to lose weight. The average American who struggles with weight issues gains an average of 7.5lbs during the winter. That's one statistic I would like to avoid at all costs.

It seems that winter is against anyone trying to lose weight. It starts at Halloween with buckets of candy, then we have Thanksgiving with it's pies, and on to Christmas cookies and New Year's munchies. Before you know it, you have added back on to the the hard earned number on the scale. As the scale goes up dispair sets in, and before you know it your in a downward spiral, you have lost motivation, and all of the hard work you have done is slowly slipping away.

When the the weather gets cold and the days get short, it is amazing how easy it can be to curl up on the sofa and read a book. Even the most avid outdoor lovers get less active. Most people don't have access to indoor activities in the winter. Showing less skin in the winter makes them less aware of body image. They bundle up in warm clothes and no one will notice a few extra pounds creeping on. Staying in and moving less not only leads to adding extra calories to the regular diet but can also lead to Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).

I am going to fight this year so I have done a little research to find out what I can do to battle back against winter weight gain:

Protein Intake – Up your protein, you will stay fuller longer. Try soups, stir-frys, and chili. Also, adding vegetables will add fiber that will help you stay full without adding fat.
Spicy foods – not only can spicy foods provide warmth, but it is said they have some antibacterial properties to help keep you healthy. Also, it is thought that spicy foods can help rev up your metabolism
Cook ahead – cooking ahead helps ensure that you have a healthy home cooked meal on the nights when making a long cooking stew is just out of the question. It keeps you from calling for pizza or picking up a fast food dinner.
Portion Control treats – don't deprive yourself of the treats that come with the winter/holiday season, just make sure that you don't go overboard. Letting yourself have that treat will keep you from binging later on, and you can be proud of yourself for just having one cookie, not eating the whole tin.

Sometimes I feel alone in my struggle to lose weight. My never ending battle with my addiction to food and lack of motivation to get up and move never leave my mind. I am more aware during the winter when taking my outdoor walks is not as easy as it is in the warmer times of the year. I have to remind myself to not have that second helping just because it's there. It is necessary to for me to fight my desire to curl up and sleep the winter away. I continue to fight for my health; I want to reach my goals. I know I am not alone. and for anyone else who is struggling to deal with the same things, I urge you to fight on. We will do this!!

For more information:

http://www.cape-coral-daily-breeze.com/page/dataFeeds_parade.display/ID/528016/PID/5/4-Ways-to-Avoid-Cold-Weather-Weight-Gain.html

http://www.greenwala.com/channels/food-healthy-living/blog/11522-Cold-Weather-Healthy-Eating-Tips

http://www.umassdining.com/home/blog/2011/03/01/how-cold-weather-affects-our-eating-habits/

http://www.smartweightgain.com/does-cold-weather-make-you-store-body-fat/

Heather Garcia, Promotions Manager

wwww.johnstonmommies.com

Meet and Greet!

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 15:00:00 +0000

Wordless Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 15:00:00 +0000

Photo by Brittany Guimond

Johnstonmommies in 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 15:00:00 +0000

Hi all, Katy here. I would like to take this moment to thank you once again for a great job in 2011. We had alot of fun and I can't wait to see what 2012 has in store. I can say that I am so proud that I decided to take on the role of Chapter Manager for JohnstonMommies this year. It hasn't been terribly difficult because of the help I get from my fellow staff members and the awesome members that we have. Our little corner of cyberspace is growing and I'm happy to say that it wouldn't have been possible without our members.

In the coming year, I have some wonderful ideas that will make our forums known to the community. I can't tell you what all of them are yet but prepare to have your socks knocked off.

To raise funds for our little site, we will be participating in some TMN led fundraisers each quarter.

In January, TMN will lead the Restaurants.com gift certificate fundraiser. We all like to eat so I figure that will draw in a little money for us as well as some food. Keep this in mind when planning MNO!
In April, we will be announcing our Flower Power fundraiser. A great spring-time fundraiser, Flower Power Fundraising lets us order their spring flowers online and ships directly to our homes.

In August, we will have Mabel's Labels

And in October, we will be invited to purchase Yankee Candle.

I am excited about these fundraisers and they are set to bring us lots of money for fun stuff.

I am also working with some local friends to set up a TOUCH-A-TRUCK fundraiser. We will have local emergency vehicles set up for our little ones to touch for a minimal admission fee.

Now onto a few personal thank yous.

First I would like to thank Heather (muirenn) our Promotions Manager. She works so hard every day to get our blog published for your reading pleasure. If you have an idea for a blog post, please PM her. I'm sure she's willing to take all the help she can get. She has a bit of help with her "Promotions Minion" Corrie (TKsMommie) but always has her door open for more "minions"

Next, I would like to thank Elizabeth (elizabeth_s). Most of the cool things on the calendar that you see, yeah that would be her. She opens up her home and plans playdates (Like our KAG) to keep our kids and the mommies, sane when there's nothing to do.

Now onto Lori (harmony1003). All those nice little welcome PM's you get when you first join. That's Lori. She works tirelessly to make sure our members feel at home and gives our community a great sense of closeness and friendship

And finally, our area and support group Moderators. Tracy (braves7477) in Smithfield, Jenny (jcholmes) for Domestic Goddesses, and Michelle (shellbell516) for Moms on the Clock. Without these ladies, there would a ton more work for me to do and I appreciate everything they do to keep JM up and running.

I hope you all know how appreciated you are.

For those of you who aren't members of our staff. We thank you, from the bottom of our hearts that you chose Johnston/Harnett counties to live in so you could be members of our awesome site. As always, if you have any ideas for ways to make JM better, please let me know. You can PM me through JM by using my screen name:aidensmom_1978 or email me at Katy.Rakow@johnstonmommies.com. We can't do anything without our members and I am always up for ideas.

Katy Rakow, Chapter Manager
www.johnstonmommies.com

What it takes to keep your resolutions

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 15:00:00 +0000

I can't tell you how many times I have made the same resolutions. Year after year I do my best to make positive changes. Most of my attempts end with me feeling like a failure. So I decided to see what could be done about keeping my resolutions this year. After taking some time and reading several different articles on the subject of keeping resolutions, I have come up with a list of things to help ensure success.

Be realistic

It's great to have a grand end goal but make sure you plan smaller more obtainable goals. Not only will this help keep you on track, it will also seem easier if you have small steps to take. As an example: if you want to get fit, don't set a goal of going to the gym for four hours a day everyday. Start simple: maybe start with 10 minute walks and work up to more. (Always seek the advice of a medical professional before starting any work out or diet program).

Don't keep your goal a secret

Telling friends and family about your resolutions will help build a support network. Blog about your progress, or keep a journal; make sure you get it out in the open. You might find a workout buddy or someone to be accountable to while working on your weight loss. Your kids can remind you that you promised to only smoke twice a day. Building a plan and having a support network is a great way to make sure to keep on track.

You will fail

You can't let a slip up set you back or make you give up. If you did not walk three times this week like you wanted to, make sure to check what the factors were that made you set it aside. Be aware of the problem and just pick it right back up.

Rewards

Remember to reward yourself for success. Plan out your smaller goals and rewards for hitting them. I walked three times a week for a whole month so I get to enjoy a pedicure. The rewards will keep you motivated and make you want to hit the next goal.

Keep at it

Even if you let the whole thing drop, you can pick right back up where you left off. There is no reason that you can't renew your resolution any time of year!

I hope the tips above help make your resolutions successful this year, I will be working on my weight loss and getting more active. I have a big goal of dropping 100lbs this year but I have set realistic smaller goals. As for getting more active, I need to up my walking to three days a week (even in bad weather) and I have a reward structure set up to help keep me motivated. As for telling people, I just posted a public blog about it.

Heather Garcia, Promotions Manager

www.johnstonmommies.com

Wordless Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 15:00:00 +0000

Photo by:

http://www.goodlightscraps.com/new-year-glitters-8.php

Year in Review. 2011: What a year it was!

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 16:00:00 +0000

January - We started off January with a kick! We started up the Book Club again, and continued wih some kid fun at the PB&J Fun Factory. We scheduled multiple playdates at indoor bouncehouses as we adjusted to the cold weather outside.

February - In February, we welcomed our awesome new Chapter Manager KATY! Our Moms On The Clock group kicked off the first of their monthly happy hours. Our younger kids had a great time meeting up at Marbles Museum in Raleigh.

March - In March, we said goodbye to our PB&J Fun Factory as it closed and moved to North Raleigh; too far away! We had another great MNO at Jenny's house!

April - We started our library storytimes with Clayton's Hocutt Library. Many story times were followed by picnic lunches in the park. We had a fantastic, wild adventure at Noah's Landing for one of our family event days! The kids got to touch, feed and pet many wild animals, like snakes, parrots, donkeys, a zebra, possums, and many others!

May - We switched up our story time to Smithfield library. Some of our kids went on a great blueberry-picking excursion at Creekside Farms

June - Our group visited Marbles Museum again! We continued having fun MNOs - Thanks to all the hosts throughout the months. As we sweated through the hot summer months, we spent a lot of lunches at indoor playhouses and restaurant playplaces :).

July - Our youngesters participated in the 4th of July parade! What fun decorating bikes and wagons with the colors!

August - JM tried its first cookie bake-off this month. Each participant left with warm, freshly-baked chocolate chip cookies and brownies!

September - Our Kids' Adventure Group was formed this month. What fun we had creating crafts, reading books, and learning some basic vocabulary and prinicples! We also scheduled a big family event - Bowling!

October - Our Kids' Adventure Group continued strong. We also started up our Walking Group, and a Zumba group each week! So many strong JMers are trying to get in better health and start off 2012 right!

November - We set up a bunch of evening playdates this month! We were so glad that lots of working mamas were able to attend. This was also the month that so many of us got out to see the holiday lights and festivities

December - The end of the year is always so hard to set up, we were thankful to be able to set up playdates, a cookie swap, and a MNO within just a few weeks.

Look to 2012 to be a continuation of the fun and excitement we've had all year long! There are so many routines and traditions that we will definitely want to extend into the New Year. Let's all give a hand to the many mamas who schedule, plan, and host ALL of our events. As always, if there's something specific you'd like to see, don't hesitate to PM a member of the management team; or don't be afraid to start a thread of your own to spark interest! Items on the 2012 agenda: Kids' Adventure Group, younger kid playdates, movie days, library story times, holiday celebrations, a book club, MOTC Happy hours, MNOs, family events. Happy holidays and a fantastic New Year to everyone!!!!

-Elizabeth Hopkins, Event Manager

No Snow, Snow kidding

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 15:00:00 +0000

After spending 19 years in California I love one good snow a year. It looks like this year we might not get any. At the very least we will not get any of the fluffy white stuff for the big Christmas holiday. Now don't get me wrong, I never wanted to live in places where blizzard conditions are the norm during the winter. I just like a good dusting once a year.

Now that we have been here in North Carolina for three years, I still am not over my love of the weather. I love the crisp cool fall and the cold winter. I adore the beauty of spring and even the heat of the summer. Maybe it is my yankee showing but I love a good snow storm. I love to watch the big fat fluffy flakes fall softly from the sky. I love to watch it pile up and start to stick to the grass.

I am aware that there are more than a few people who would like to string me up for my wishes of a white Christmas: Folks from the North who did not spend a long time in California, anyone who just does not like winter; but fuss at me if you must, I want my winter wonderland.

Heather Garcia, Promotions Manager

www.johnstonmommies.com

Wordless Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 15:00:00 +0000

Heather's Tree Photo by Stolen Moments Studios

The Christmas tree: A history

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 15:00:00 +0000

There is some dispute about the origins of the beloved “Christmas Tree”. The tree as we know it today comes from a 1,000 year old German tradition. It is said that St. Boniface came across pagans worshiping an oak tree; angry, he cut down the tree. From the roots of this tree a fir tree sprouted. The Saint took this as a sign, but it was not until the 16^th century that the trees were brought indoors.

The evergreen has been a part of celebrations around the world for a very long time. Egyptians worshiped evergreens. During the winter solstice they brought green date palm leaves into their homes as a symbol over death. Romans celebrated the solstice with a feast called Saturnalia to honor Saturn, the god of agriculture. They used evergreen boughs to decorate homes and temples. The Druids of Northern Europe also decorated their temples with evergreen as a symbol of everlasting life. Even the Vikings in Scandinavia thought evergreens were the special plant of the sun god, Baldur.

The first “Christmas Tree” traveled to England with the Georgian Kings. They were decorated with tinsels, silver wire ornaments, candles and small beads. The old custom was to have one small tree for each family member. In the United States the “Christmas Tree” goes back to the time of George Washington's defeat of the German Hessians in 1776.

From its humble beginnings, the “Christmas Tree” has come a long way. You can now find them in any shape, size, and color. You can get an easy to care for fake tree, or a real fresh evergreen. You can even buy one that you can plant after the holiday has come to an end. It does not matter if your tree has colored lights, or classic white, what matters is what that tree symbolizes for you and your family.

Happy Holidays

Heather Garcia, Promotions manager

www.johnstonmommies.com

miio.com

twitter.com

@Muirenn

@johnstonmommies

For more information check out the following sites:

http://www.christmas-tree.com/where.html

http://www.allabouthistory.org/history-of-the-christmas-tree.htm

http://www.christmastreehistory.net/

http://www.history.com/topics/history-of-christmas-trees

http://www.christmasarchives.com/trees.html

It's Time

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 15:00:00 +0000

As we reach the end of 2011 and step forward into the next year my house is working to get it's financial and physical house in order. My husband has set a goal to run a marathon in 2012 and I am continuing my weight loss journey. Our household has put in place a plan to save money in order for us to move into a home of our own in the next couple of years. All of the above require family co-operation and hard work. We need to support each other and work as a team to reach our goals.

That got me thinking, how many people spend time working on goals as a family? I am a firm believer in working together as a family makes things go smoother. We have had a rough year and we are ready to move on and start out with a fresh new calendar.

As always I am excited to make positive changes in my life. Thrilled to see the direction my family will go in the New Year. Big changes with my daughter graduating, and my son about to start sixth grade. All kinds of exciting new things are afoot this year.

I hope each of you have as much positive momentum as our family does. My wish is for each of you to have a safe and happy holiday season.

Heather Garcia, Promotions Manager

www.johnstonmommies.com

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 15:00:00 +0000

Photo by Heather Garcia