New Year - New Attitude towards goals......

So January 12th already right? Geez wasn't I just getting the Christmas tree decorated and the house just right for the Holidays? Seems to me that time just coninues to move at amazing speeds! And over the last few days of the New Year I have been thinking a lot about 2010. How had I faired with the goals I had set for myself for 2010. Were the goals that I had set for myself even attainable to begin with? Were they clear or was I simply setting myself up for failure and defeat (neither of which are feelings I am particularly fond of). So as I started to think about goals for 2011 I starting looking at helpful hints on writing my goals. For those of you like me, that write goals for the year whether they be for your personal care / well being, your family, your career etc I thought that I might share some of these tips so that we can all set ourselves up for success in the New Year!

1. Not only think about what you want to accomplish but visualize the desired outcome, what it looks like, feels like etc the more you connect to the goals the closer you will be to achieving them.

2. One by one write your goals - make them clear and tangible. For example - I am going to lose weight, is a nice goal but how do you know when you have reached it? I suppose if you lose 1 lb. you can consider your self successful, however a better goal may be - I am going to lose 10 lbs.

3. Once the goals are written down set a time to accomplish each goal and be sure to be realistic losing 10 lbs. in 3 days may not be realistic or healthy! However, I am going to lose 10 lbs. by June sets a realistic goal.

4. (and here is the step that sometimes with my personal goals I seem to be lacking) Write down specifically what steps you are going to take in order to achieve the goals. Give up sweets, join a gym, do 30 minutes of exercise 4 days a week are all great specific steps geared at achieving the goal.

5. Print them out and have them visible.

6. As you accomplish your goals, be proud and be sure to mark it DONE or move to the successes list - this will help you keep moving forward!

I wish you all a happy and healthy 2011! And with a little time and effort may you fill your DONE column!

Resources :

Ezine Articles

MSN

eHow

First Day of School!

For some of you the first day of school has already come and gone. And for some of you it is just around the corner. And if you are like me you have one child bursting at the seams to get back to school (and marched right up to her new teacher to shake hands!) and another that is a bit more apprehensive. So, after all the school supplies are bought, open houses are attended, orientation meetings are out of the way, what do you do to help your child get ready for their first day of school?

No matter what age your child or children are many kids feel some sort of anxiety when going back to school. Not knowing who will be in their class and will they fit in with this new group of students are of course more the concerns of older children but concerns none the less. For those new kindergartners however this is a whole new experience for them! Here are some helpful tips that can help make this transition easier and more fun.............

1. Pack an extra set of season appropriate clothing for your child to put in their locker just in case. Many kids are concerned about getting to the bathroom and where it is. By keeping an extra set of clothing in your child's locker and making sure that they are aware "accidents" are commonplace you can help them understand there is nothing to be worried about.

2. Explain lunch and snack time to them. And be sure to tell them how fun it is to buy lunch from the cafeteria. Or if they are brown bagging it be sure to let them help plan their lunch and pack it too. Be sure to go through the school lunch menu together and review the items before the week so your child knows what they are having each day.

3. Empathize with your child regarding fears of kids not liking them. It helpful to remember that all kids are going through the same thing your child is. Helping them understand that all of their fellow students are new to this situation can be helpful. While most kids have worries about this they are quickly forgotten when they realize how nice and friendly the kids are.

4. Visit the school beforehand. I mentioned open houses earlier and I know that most schools do offer them and I recommend taking full advantage of them. Going to the school and getting the lay of the land can really help your child feel more confident on that first day of school. Knowing how to get to their classroom in the morning, where the bathrooms are, the library, the nurses office and even the Principal's office can help your child.

In all take the time for some additional planning, sitting down and discussing any questions or concerns your child has will go a long way in getting them more comfortable with what lies ahead. And always remember that their teacher and everyone that works at the school are professionals they have been through this before - ask questions and know that your child is in good hands.

By the end of the year your child will be a pro!

To block or not to block?

So you have a family reunion coming up. You know you have people coming from out of town that will need accommodations, and since you can't host all 15 of your closest family members in your house you start to look at hotels in the area. Not ever working with a hotel before you really don't know what to ask, do I have enough rooms to get a block? A special rate? How does blocking rooms work anyway!?

Sound familiar? Well fear not my reservation making friends! Blocking rooms is a painless process and one that can make things much easier for you, the family appointed event planner. Hotels may vary in the number of rooms that they require before a block can be created and potential discounted rates can be offered, however for the most part the overall process is similar from one property to the next. Below are some questions that you should consider asking when blocking rooms for your next event.........

1. How many rooms can I block?
2. What kind of discounted rate might be available?
3. What is the cancellation policy? (for both the entire block and also individual reservations)
4. Are deposits required?
5. What is the cut off date (the last date in which the hotel will accept reservations at the group discounted rate)
6. What fee if any is there for unreserved rooms?

What you do with this information is up to you, however including it with the invitations and letting your guests know what the group rate is and the date in which they need to reserve their room can help take some stress off your shoulders and place the responsibility with your brother in Michigan for example!

Whether you decide to block rooms or let your family fend for the themselves is up to you. However, should you decide that blocking rooms might be in your best interest, knowing the answers to the above questions will help you best manage this block and the folks you have coming in to town.

Summer Vacation = Road trip for many!

Summer is quickly approaching and soon kids will be out of school and parents will be ready to hit the open road with the whole family for their annual vacation. While many choose to fly to various destinations it is still very popular and quite cost effective in comparison to plan a family road trip.

And while planning and packing for this road trip can seem to be quite a daunting task with a little preparation and some helpful tips your family can all enjoy a wonderful vacation together. After all that is really the point right?

Following are some great tips that I found recently and thought I would share.

1. Rent. That's right, instead of packing up everything you own to make every child happy consider renting items once you reach your destination. Often hotels will have Pack 'n Plays and cribs and while there may be a charge for these items it is better than filling your car to the brim with your toddlers entire bedroom contents. In addition many areas have business dedicated to renting out items for vacationing families check with your hotel for some help in locating one near them!

2. Leave the kitchen sink at home. Not every toy and gadget your child owns in necessary on your trip. Kids are easily entertained in new environments and can be kept quite happy for long periods of time simply in a place they have never been, so leave the giant bag of toys at home.

3. Go with the flow. You are not at home, you are on a road trip, vacation even so enjoy it! don't be afraid to let routines slip a bit Or even create a new routine for vacations that offer the same kind of predictability without being quite so strict. After all kids that have been on the go much of the day generally fall asleep as soon as the head hits the pillow!

4. Have Fun. Your kids will remember these vacations much like you remember the vacations of your childhood. You and your family will talk about these events for years to come.


source: www.parentdish.com

Why the Easter Bunny?

Ever wonder why Easter has come to be represented by a fluffy bunny who lays colored eggs? The Easter Bunny is actually a very well known figure around the world, however the true origins remain a mystery.

The first known mention of the actual Easter Bunny comes from Germany in the 1600's where the little guy was known as the Osterhase. As German immigrants came to America they brought with them a tradition in which kids would build nests around the house, and if they were good Osterhase would leave bright colored eggs in the nests. The tradition grew and eventually the Osterhase became the Easter Bunny and also added chocolate and candy to the eggs that were being delivered.

Easter is still a celebrated major holiday around the globe, however the true meaning of this holiday is sometimes lost behind the visions of bunnies and candy, however now you know where this bunny came from. Here is hoping that each of you have a very Happy Easter!

p.s. Q: How do you know carots are good for your eyes?

A: Have you ever seen a rabbit wearing glasses?

What the heck is an Opaque site?

For some using on line tools to book all of your travel, rental cars and hotels is nothing new. And for some this is simply not something you're comfortable with because there are so many sites out there that guarantee the best rates and it can get awfully confusing. How do these sites work and am I really getting the best deal?

Well we are here to clear up some of these items, today we are tackling Opaque sites. The sites we are talking about are Priceline and Hotwire, how do they work and how do they differ? First up Priceline. This site allows you to name your own price or how much you are willing to pay. Priceline then responds as to whether or not your "bid" has been accepted. The tricky part is that you do not know the supplier until you have completed your transaction. Hotwire is a bit less opaque than Priceline, you can see the price that you will pay, but again you do not see the supplier or hotel until after the purchase is complete. In simple terms Hotwire works with a fixed rate model instead of a bidding model like Priceline. However both of these sites keep the consumer from seeing who the supplier is until the purchase is complete. Thus making it opaque.
In either case there are things to be cautious of when booking with these opaque sites. Purchases made on these opaque sites are nonrefundable and also non reusable - there is no money back in the case of a cancellation.

Opaque sites can be a great source of savings on travel (did you know that 30-60% savings are typical for hotels?). As with most great things simply being armed with as much information as possible is the key. For those of you already using these tools - keep clicking, and for those of you not quite ready I hope that some of this information has helped clear up some questions you had!

Valentine's Day is just around the corner!

Are you ready!? Have you decided on the most romantic gift? Or planned the perfect evening for you and that special someone? If not, might I recommend a Romance Package from the Country Inn & Suites Brookfield?

But, let's get back to Valentine's, and how it became the holiday with conversation hearts. I know that many people feel that Valentine's Day is just another holiday created by the card companies but that simply is not the case. Did you know that Valentine's Day, the very holiday that we celebrate every February 14th, is celebrated throughout the world? And did you know that the holiday was named for two of the numerous Early Christian martyrs named Valentine? The two Valentine's honored are Valentine of Rome and and Valentine of Terni. The day became associated with romantic love in the High Middle Ages, when the tradition of courting began!

And while it may not be a "card company" holiday the US Greeting Card Association estimates that approximately one billion valentines are sent each year worldwide, making the day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year, behind Christmas. And lucky for us gals this same association estimates that, in the US, men spend on average twice as much money as women. Interesting!!!!!!

So now that you know the history of Valentine's Day I hope that you all take some time and find just that perfect gift for your sweetie! And again, Romance Packages from the Country Inn & Suites never disappoint!