In the winter in Wisconsin some days it seems like a struggle to just get out of bed. It's dark and cold. Hitting snooze and rolling over to catch an extra hour of warm, snuggly sleep seems much more appealing than getting up and heading to the gym.According to Professor David C. Nieman of Appalachian State University, regular exercise can lessen the duration and severity of colds by boosting the body's immune system.
The American College of Sports Medicine has conducted studies that show that exercise:
I don't know about you, but that is pretty good added motivation for me! So don't just sit there...turn off the computer and go for a walk, hit the gym, play an active Wii game with your kids. The benefits are worth it.
Treasure Chest Pets are the first and only organizers that make putting things away fun and a great way for kids to keep their special things safe. Designed to look like cuddly stuffed animals, each TC Pet has a magnetic, detachable, pillowy stuffed animal head and stuffed animal bodies that contain external and internal compartments for organizing and storing children’s (and grownups!) treasures. Treasure Chest Pets are a great way for kids to keep their special things safe. Six different stuffed animal designs to choose from in 3 three different styles - Accessory Chest Dog and Accessory Chest Pig have a hidden drawer and two secret pockets on the outside, along with secret pockets in both ears. Treasure Chest Monkey and Treasure Chest Cow have one gigantic pocket inside that opens like a treasure chest. Media Chest Bear and Media Chest Horse have a secret pocket inside the head and 3 compartments in the body to store CDs, DVDs, speakers/cables, MP3 player and more. $19.99 http://www.mytcpets.com/
The My Royal Heinie Daypack is the best combination of affordability, functionality and style in a diaper bag. It is also the only diaper bag fully equipped with a built-in Smart Wipes Dispenser on the market. Just load a stack of wet wipes right into the heat-sealed pocket in the front of the bag and quickly access wipes with one hand when diaper duty calls! My Royal Heinie Daypacks can be personalized with a name or monogram. $34.99, www.myroyalheinie.com
My Plate-Mate is a unique, mom-invented product for toddlers geared to make meal times easier for families. My Plate-Mate is a spill-guard that attaches to the rim of any standard plate. Great for promoting independent self feeding while minimizing messy spills and clean up for parents whether you're at home or on the go out at restaurants or grandma's house. As a spill guard, it creates a bumper to prevent food from falling off the plate while a child eats. Also, My Plate-Mate's innovative design provides a curved wall that helps children scoop food onto their utensil with ease, giving them independence and confidence in self-feeding. Made in the USA, using only FDA-approved plastic (no lead, phthalates, bisphenol-a, polycarbonates or PVC). Dishwasher-safe and conveniently portable so that children and families can enjoy their meals anywhere. Retails for $7.95, can be purchased online at MyPlate-Mate.com, via phone at 925-272-0745 and at retailers throughout North America. http://www.myplate-mate.com/ 
Tilty is a revolutionary training cup that makes learning to drink easier. Through its internal angled wall design, the Tilty forces the fluid to the spout and allows the child to easily drink with minimal effort and head tilt, just like they would drink out of a regular cup or glass. The Tilty not only helps infants transition to using a regular cup quickly, it also improves gross motor skills and provides a better alternative to bottles and sippy cups, which, because of the sucking and posture required to drink out them, are associated with higher rates of poor dental development and ear infections. At the same time, the Tilty's standard lid controls the speed of the liquid flow to avoid major spills. Also available is a smoothie lid for serving baby food, yogurt or thick drinks, as well as a leak-proof travel lid. Each Tilty can contain 7 ounces and is BPA, dye and phthalate free. For children 9 months and up. http://www.tiltycup.com/, $5.99/2 pack.
NeckSaver is the most versatile head and neck support for babies, ergonomically designed to reduce strain on the neck and cradle a baby's head, keeping it from slumping or flopping while the baby sleeps. A baby spends on average more than 6 hours a day in his car seat, high chair, swing and stroller, often asleep with head slumped over. This leads to soreness and can even damage a baby's postural development. Proper neck support is crucial to young babies as their skeletal structures undergo the greatest development in the early months. With good neck support, babies can develop better postures, are more comfortable, rest better, and wake up happier. The NeckSaver provides this support and enables baby to rest more comfortably anywhere he might be - car seat, high chair, swing, stroller, bouncer etc. Also great for keeping baby's head stable while strolling on uneven ground or stroller jogging. Made of soft, hypoallergenic material designed to absorb moisture, the NeckSaver is comfortable for baby year-round. Comes in 10 different colors to match any stroller, car seat or baby outfit. $12, http://www.baberoo.com/.
BabyBriefcase is a document organizer designed specifically for parents and their babies and toddlers, particularly useful and important for health-related documents. Stylish and charming, the mom-invented BabyBriefcase stores all the documents and information relating to a new baby in a way that makes everything easily accessible whether at a hospital, doctor's office, on vacation or anywhere else. Every document that deals with the new baby has a special place for it in the BabyBriefcase so that if an emergency arises, parents don't have to sort through to find what they need. $29.95, http://www.babybriefcase.com/
NeckSaver is the most versatile head and neck support for babies, ergonomically designed to reduce strain on the neck and cradle a baby's head, keeping it from slumping or flopping while the baby sleeps. A baby spends on average more than 6 hours a day in his car seat, high chair, swing and stroller, often asleep with head slumped over. This leads to soreness and can even damage a baby's postural development.
Tilty is a revolutionary training cup that makes learning to drink easier. Through its internal angled wall design, the Tilty forces the fluid to the spout and allows the child to easily drink with minimal effort and head tilt, just like they would drink out of a regular cup or glass.
My Plate-Mate is a unique, mom-invented product for toddlers geared to make meal times easier for families. My Plate-Mate is a spill-guard that attaches to the rim of any standard plate. Great for promoting independent self feeding while minimizing messy spills and clean up for parents whether you're at home or on the go out at restaurants or grandma's house. As a spill guard, it creates a bumper to prevent food from falling off the plate while a child eats. Also, My Plate-Mate's innovative design provides a curved wall that helps children scoop food onto their utensil with ease, giving them independence and confidence in self-feeding. Made in the USA, using only FDA-approved plastic (no lead, phthalates, bisphenol-a, polycarbonates or PVC). Dishwasher-safe and conveniently portable so that children and families can enjoy their meals anywhere. Retails for $7.95, can be purchased online at MyPlate-Mate.com, via phone at 925-272-0745 and at retailers throughout North America. http://www.myplate-mate.com/
Treasure Chest Pets are the first and only organizers that make putting things away fun and a great way for kids to keep their special things safe. Designed to look like cuddly stuffed animals, each TC Pet has a magnetic, detachable, pillowy stuffed animal head and stuffed animal bodies that contain external and internal compartments for organizing and storing children’s (and grownups!) treasures. Treasure Chest Pets are a great way for kids to keep their special things safe. Six different stuffed animal designs to choose from in 3 three different styles - Accessory Chest Dog and Accessory Chest Pig have a hidden drawer and two secret pockets on the outside, along with secret pockets in both ears. Treasure Chest Monkey and Treasure Chest Cow have one gigantic pocket inside that opens like a treasure chest. Media Chest Bear and Media Chest Horse have a secret pocket inside the head and 3 compartments in the body to store CDs, DVDs, speakers/cables, MP3 player and more. $19.99 http://www.mytcpets.com/ 
I've always been a reader. From the time I learned how to read, you could often find me with my nose buried in a book. I've always loved getting completely lost in a story. As I've gotten older, I've had less time to read books than I used to. Now, often when I find myself with a few minutes to sit down and read, I wind up needing to read something for work (not the same!!!).
Winter never makes me feel like a good mother. With all of the time spent inside, I feel like all of my conversations with LJ start with don't.
