| Week of September 28 UPGRADE With the brush of fall’s first crisp breezes ushering in the season, you and your family are, no doubt, adjusting to the once and former hectic pace of life. With all that you’ve got brewing, it’s difficult to find time—good, quality time, that is—for each other. That’s why you’ve got to stop trying to find time and actually make it. Try weekly togetherness boosters like Thursday afternoon baking parties, complete with a new fun recipe each week; Sunday morning drives to the country for freshly baked croissants and a whole lot of scenery; or Friday night game time, featuring a different game each week and a snack or two prepared by the whole gang. Heck, you could even start a tradition of your very own, like the first inaugural Fall in the Family Day for your brood and a few of your friends. Any excuse to take a well-deserved time-out from the daily hullabaloo and hang as a family is a reason to celebrate.  |
| Week of September 21 UPGRADE With the change of the seasons official, there’s no time like the present to create a better you. Share more. Love more. Listen more. Revisit your once and former goals—have you achieved them? If so, then raise the bar on what you want for yourself. If not, then recommit to what your heart desires, knowing that you are fully capable of accomplishing anything you put your mind to. It’s time to challenge yourself more, to dig down deeper, to push yourself harder to realize the truth about yourself and your life. It’s time to step out of your comfort zone and reach again. It’s time for an upgrade. |
| Week of September 14 SHOP SMART Save big while scooping up the best that fall has to offer. From hot mama clothes to baby gifts, kiddie gear, home décor, nursery necessities, organic beauty, party favors, stationery and so much more, we’ve got the best deals this side of Labor Day. Click here to check out the coupons! Happy saving! |
| Week of September 7 GET BACK TO WHERE YOU ONCE BELONGED With the crazy pace of the summer soon to be nothing more than a fond memory, now is the time to get back to your routine. As you settle into the season, carve a little time out of your schedule for yourself. Make an appointment for some weekly or daily, if you can, you time. Take a solo 20-minute drive, put the windows down and let the now-cooler breeze blow in your hair as you sneak a peek at the changing foliage. Or take a cleansing apple cider vinegar bath lit by pumpkin spice candles. Whatever you do, take some time to fall into autumn with the luster and spark of your once and former self. |
| Week of August 31 A TOAST We raise our glasses to the hard-working mamas and papas who read our groovy magazine. We thank you for your support, enthusiasm and total mega-coolness. We’re blessed to be on this wild ride, aka parenthood, with you. Cheers to you! |
| Week of August 24 BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE August 25 to August 31 is Be Kind to Humankind Week: Seven days of good, old fashioned kindness! Seriously, folks, it's time to pay it forward. This week is more than a period of time to be nice; it's a movement; it's an idea whose time has come; it's a way to save the world. People from all across the world have adopted this celebration of human potential—and now it's your turn Click here to read about what you should be doing each day: http://www.bk2hk.org/week/ You can also check out the Happy News (www.happynews.com) for more on this life-changing event. |
| Week of August 17 CLEAN UP YOUR ACT What garbage are you covering up? Just because you’re numbing your issues with work, food, alcohol, anger or fill-in-the-blank, that doesn’t you can be rid of it is to deal with it head on. |
| Week of August 10 HOLD THE WHEAT While whole-wheat and multigrain bread is good for your little ones, it’s not optimal for you, dear weight-watching parents. Even the littlest bites can cause immediate bloating. Many of us actually have mild to moderate wheat Go for good grains like quinoa and spelt. Cure carb cravings with nutrient-rich whole foods like sweet |
| Week of August 3 DRINK RESPONSIBLY There may be water, water everywhere, but it’s getting more difficult to find a suitable drop to drink. And, by the way, you're supposed to be drinking a lot of it. Just how much, you ask? Take your body weight, divide it in half, and drink that many ounces a day. So, skip the plastic bottled water and choose a filter instead. Install one in your kitchen, shower and bath. The filter will reduce your exposure to chemicals like chlorine found in municipal water while saving the environment from the plight of billions and billions of improperly disposed plastic bottles yearly. |
| Week of July 27 THE REST OF IT How many hours of sleep do you get at night? According to the Centers for Disease Control, adults need an average of seven to nine hours of sleep each night. We all know how important diet and exercise are, but we often neglect the value of a proper night’s sleep. Sleep is crucial to your overall health and well-being. Too little of it will leave you cranky, forgetful and sluggish, while massive sleep deprivation can lead to depression, weight gain and sickness. So do whatever it takes to get your sleep on for that must-do seven to nine hours each and every night. When you commit to taking care of yourself, your whole life will change for the better. Sweet dreams! |
| Week of July 20 THE WORLD OF THE WORDS Too hot to play outside? Day-trip it on over to the library or the bookstore. Fostering your kids’ appreciation for books breeds a lifelong love affair with the written word and the vast worlds it creates. You have to read it to believe it. |
| Week of July 13 SUNNY AND SHARE What if your season in the sun never ended? No, we’re not talking about moving to Miami; we’re talking about living in the warm glow of sharing. Sharing means different things to different people. For some, it’s giving of time to help a friend in need. For some, it’s flashing a smile to a stranger. For others, it’s taking a minute to appreciate the beauty of their garden or the bounty on their plates. For many, it’s all of the above and more. Whatever sharing means to you, know that true sharing is a one-way street; you must do it expecting nothing in return. True sharing is done for sharing’s sake alone. The act itself is the reward. |
| Week of July 6 DON'T STUFF IT Got a grudge? Holding on to anger? Let it go! Carrying around anger and resentment is akin to spiritual death—not to mention what it does to your mental, emotional and physical states. Whether you realize it or not, holding grudges takes its toll on you and is tremendously labor-intensive. This week, focus on forgiveness. Every time you find yourself having a vengeful thought, take a deep breath and let it go. If you’re really up to the task, you could even combat the feeling by sending that person some white light and/or praying for him or her. It’s not easy, but once you get into the habit of forgiveness, your whole life will change for the better. |
| Week of June 29 LET FREEDOM RING This week is the perfect time to think about freedom. What is it? Are you free? From what? How could you be more free? What enslaved you today? Take some time this week to think about what freedom means to you on all levels. Talk to your kids about freedom; talk to your friends and family members about it, too. Be sure to devote some of that free talk to feeling grateful for the personal freedoms and liberties we have in this country. Happy Independence Day! May your freedom ring. |
| Week of June 22 THE SUMMER WINDS CAME BLOWING IN With summer officially here, there’s no time like the present to get this party started right! Your schedule’s not going to slow down anytime soon, so just forget about sensibly carving out time to play and instead throw caution to the wind à la an impromptu late afternoon shindig chez vous. Serve up pitchers of strawberry margaritas for the adults and nutritious fruit smoothies for the wee ones. Spark up the barbecue or pick up some platters from your favorite local eatery and voilà! Insta-party. Don’t worry about cleaning the house or getting everything in its place. Just call up a few best pals and tell them to swing on by. Good food, good drinks, great friends and warm summer eves. Can’t beat that with a stick! |
| Week of June 15 A TRANS-FAT BY ANY OTHER NAME Trans-fats, those ultimate heart-unsmart health hinderers, have been outed in recent years as the evil doers they are—or so we thought. There’s a new enemy on the food scene called interesterified oil. Research has shown this trans-fat substitute to be just as bad as its predecessor (read: raising bad cholesterol and lowering insulin levels). While the data is not 100 percent conclusive, we say that nteresterified is not very interesting. Stick to the natural oils like almond, olive and avocado. |
| Week of June 8 WHO'S YOUR DADDY? Stop what you’re doing (well, after you read this) and call up your papa. Tell him you love him and thank him for being the man he is. For better or for worse, your dad has, in large part, made you the person you are today. |
| Week of June 1 PRESENT AND ACCOUNTED FOR This week, practice accountability. Have you been accountable for your actions and words lately? The easiest way to be aware of your role in the constant cause and effect of your day-to-day life is by living in the now, in the moment, in the present. Pay close attention to the intentions behind and integrity of your words. By living in the present, you’ll be more aware of what you say and how you say it, and you’ll be better equipped to make good on your words. |
| Week of May 25 COME ON BABY, LIGHT MY FIRE It’s easy to fulfill your own needs, but what about the needs of others? Real fulfillment comes from fulfilling the needs of others. You can wrap yourself up in a coat of positive feelings and spirituality, keeping yourself warm and safe, or you can blanket the world with the kindness, consideration and love that comes from the true and unselfish giving of yourself to others. This week, work on not keeping your fire—your light—all to yourself. Open it up to the world around you—your family, your friends, the stranger you brush by in aisle five at the supermarket, the cable representative on the phone who you’ve called to sort out your bill, the gas station attendant and so on. When you shine your light on others, real growth and happiness ensue. |
| Week of May 18 RELAX TO THE MAX Feeling a bit tense lately—uh, we mean always? Up your calm with a good rub down. A massage is not only vitally integral to the overall health of your mind, body and soul, but it will truly and instantly leave you feeling better. So call up your local spa or favorite freelance masseuse and get ready for one hour of sheer bliss—you deserve it. Not sure where to chill? Click here for a list of some primo spas. |
| Week of May 11 WORD TO YOUR MOTHER When's the last time you gave big ups to your mama? This week, right down ten things that you love, respect and/or admire about her. Does she know how you feel? Whatever your answer, tell her how you feel—even if it's way out of your comfort zone to do so. For better or for worse—or for both—we are our mother's daughters and sons. When you acknowledge allthat she has intentionally and unintentionally taught you and given you, you instantly become a better parent. Gratitude is the glue that holds together the path of happiness. Happy Mother's Day! |
| Week of May 4 GET IT OFF YOUR PLATE What have you been putting off? Folding the laundry? Going to the gym? Calling back your aunt? Stop procrastinating and start doing. Whatever comes your way today—and everyday—should be dealt with immediately. You won't believe how accomplished you'll feel when you are empowered to get things done versus just adding them to that ever-present and oh-so-nagging to-do list. Trust us, a stitch in time saves nine. |
| Week of April 27 HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL Given up on something lately? Why? Do you wish you hadn't let it go? If no is your answer, then take a moment to feel the exhilaration of making a good, proactive choice for yourself. If a yes is in your mind—or heart—then make a clear and certain decision to recommit to that once and former something. It's never too late to accomplish your goals. |
| Week of April 20 IMAGINE WHIRLED PEAS Eat more vegetables! That's it. That's all we have to say. It's time to start eating more vegetables. |
| Week of April 13 PEACES OF ME If you really want world peace, you must start by creating peace within yourself. Banish chaos in any and all forms (negative thoughts, toxic relationships, broken promises to yourself and others) and start focusing on the calm, cool and collected. While you're at it, see what you can do to create calm and joy for others, too. Just the sheer act of giving— of your time, your smile, your kind words—instantly lifts your own spirits and creates a chain of positivity that ultimately affects the world-at-large. |
| Week of April 6 SLOUGH IT OFF Want healthy, glowing skin? Exfoliate! Yes, shedding that old, dead, dull dermis is the quickest way to restore your once and former luster. Want to really shine? Click here for spring's most skin-sational tips from a leading dermatologist. |
