Whether traveling for work or that highly anticipated summer vacation, it’s all too easy to over-pack because “you never know what you’ll end up needing!” But with most airlines charging passengers up to $50 to check a bag, it’s essential to pack as effectively as possible. Good packing tactics can save you money, give you flexibility while traveling and add security to your belongings. Below are some tips and tricks to pack the perfect bag with all the items you need without the excess.

• Never Check a Bag – Skip the TSA counter and consider packing a carry-on instead. You’ll save time at flight check-in and won’t have to wait at the luggage carousel. With no worries about lost luggage, you can get on and off your flight quickly and will save the hassle of checked baggage fees.



• Make a List – Create a “needs” list of the items you cannot live without for a few days. This will help you pack more efficiently and the less “stuff” you pack, the less you have to carry and cram into overhead compartments.



• Shoes, Shoes, Shoes – Shoes are one of the most over-packed items – especially for women! Pick one or two pairs that are versatile, comfortable and stylish. Instead of bringing five pairs of shoes for a short trip, pack shoes like the Fedora or the Cadey from La Canadienne to take you from daytime meetings to a fun night on the town. You’ll save tons of room in your bag and won’t have to lug a heavy suitcase through the airport.



• Buy it There – Unless you’re traveling to the far ends of the Earth, you can likely buy toiletries at your destination or take advantage of hotel amenities. Save space in your bag by ditching the inexpensive items at home and purchase them when you arrive. If they don’t fit the three ounce liquid requirement, give them to someone at the hotel or city where you stayed.



• Tuck, Roll, Tissue – A well-known room-saving tactic among the well-traveled is the “tuck & roll” approach, since bags hold more when clothes are rolled rather than folded. But what people may not know is that if you roll your clothes in tissue paper, the clothes will also stay less wrinkled!



• The Perfect Bag – While it may be difficult to decide between a bag with wheels or a shoulder bag, do what you feel is most comfortable and will be easiest when navigating through busy airports. Whichever you choose, be sure the bag does not exceed the generalized dimensions, 22” X 14” X 9” for a total of 45,” which often vary by airline and shape of the bag.

It can be tough trying to balance work lives, personal lives and parenting, along with everything that comes with it such as giving back to schools. I saw on your blog that you like to post links to good online information for mothers (and fathers) and wanted to share some information with you about a Back to School Sweepstakes that your followers might be interested in.

A new sweepstakes (www.mycokerewards.com) allows families to donate classroom materials and athletic equipment simply from drinking what they love. Families can participate in My Coke Rewards and earn points which can be donated to schools and redeemed for needed classroom materials or athletic equipment. Codes can be found on more than 200 participating packages of Coca-Cola products including Sprite, Dasani and Minute Maid.

Also, just by participating, they can enter their hometown for a chance to win a free movie screening of “More Than A Game,” the story of courage and teamwork featuring NBA All Star and MVP LeBron James and his high school teammates. One winning family of four will also get the opportunity to attend the movie's premiere on Sept. 22 in New York City. All points have to be entered on MyCokeRewards.com by August 31, 2009.

All American Pet Company™, maker of super premium dog-food brands Bow Wow Breakfast™ Cereal and Grrr-nola™ Natural Dog Food, has partnered up with DOG.com, iBeatYou.com and PromotingGroup.com to present its first-ever Cutest Dog Competition.

Starting August 1, 2009, every dog owner in America will have the opportunity to submit a picture of his or her pooch to show the world how cute it is. The finalists from these submissions will be given the chance to win the grand prize of $1 million. The deadline for submissions is October 23, 2009. Dog owners who wish to submit their photos for this competition should visit: www.cutestdogcompetition.com, follow the contest entry form and upload a digital photo of their pup. The contest is eligible to residents of the fifty United States and District of Columbia who own a dog and have online photo-uploading capabilities.

The contest will be judged by online public voting from the photo entrees submitted to the contest site. Twelve weekly semi-finalists will each win $500 in cash. From those 12 weekly winners, 4 finalists will be determined by the greatest number of public votes and will each receive $5000 in cash. A panel of judges will pick the nation’s Cutest Dog and award the grand prize of $1 million on Thanksgiving Day.

The Cutest Dog Competition is an extension of the Bow Wow Million Dollar Look-a-Like Contest. Previous entries will automatically be entered for a chance to win.

For the official rules or more information, visit the All American Pet website at www.aapbrands.com/.

About All American Pet Company, Inc.
All American Pet Company produces healthy products for dogs, with the core product being super premium dog food. With the addition of chewable nutraceuticals and electrolyte and rehydration products, the core product categories are super premium dog food and pet wellness. All American Pet's products are manufactured in the U.S. under strict guidelines and contain 100% American-made ingredients. The expansion of the product offerings to include pet wellness products is targeted at taking advantage of a much wider approach to pet health trends, which are being driven by the humanization of dogs. More than just the need for good nutrition, APPT is focused on complete pet wellness.

Grilling fish doesn’t have to be intimidating if you master two basic skills: preventing the fish from sticking and knowing when it’s cooked through.

Follow these easy techniques compliments of chefs from Regal Springs Tilapia to make your grilled fish perfect each time. And keep reading for a delectable recipe for Grilled Tilapia with Fresh Tomato Relish!

Fabulous Fish Grilling Tips

The Right Cut:
Select the thickest cut you can to avoid breakage when you turn the fish. If one part of the fish is much thicker than the other, consider cutting uneven filets into two to avoid drying out the thinner portion. Cook the thicker half first, and when it’s halfway cooked, put the thinner half on.

Prevent Sticking, Part I:
Achieving a non-stick cooking surface is critical and is a two-part process: First oil the grill, then oil the fish.

Oil before you light the grill:
Spray a light coat of non-stick cooking spray on the grate or wipe a light coat of vegetable or olive oil directly on the grate with a paper towel. Never spray non-stick spray on a grate if the fire is lit.

Oil after the grill is lit:
This technique is preferred over oiling the grill before it’s lit since heating and then oiling is key to getting those spiffy grill marks seared into the fish. Start with a very hot grill. Brush briskly with a wire brush. Oil the grate by tightly folding a paper towel and dipping it in vegetable oil. Protect your hands from the heat by using tongs to grip the oiled paper towel as you rub it across the grate.

Oil the fish, too:
Lightly brush both sides of the fish with olive, vegetable or sesame oil. Take caution to not over-oil, though, which leads to flare-ups and sooty residue.

It’s All In The Presentation:
For professional-grade crosshatches, turn the fish a quarter turn after 2 minutes on the grill.

Prevent Breakage:
Do not flip the fish repeatedly, and do use a wide-headed spatula. You can tell when filets are ready to flip when edges are flaky and opaque.

Check for Doneness:
The meat is done when the meat is opaque all the way through and the juices run clear. If any part of the meat is still glossy and partially translucent, it's not done. Remember, too, that fish continues to cook a little after it's removed from the grill.





4 (6 oz.) Regal Springs tilapia filets
3 medium red onions
4 cups cherry tomatoes
2 lemons
2 cups of fresh basil
1 cup of pine nuts
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 tbsp. sweet balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper

Preheat grill to medium high heat.

Prepare the tomato relish by slicing tomatoes in half. Wash and pat dry the basil leaves and slice into 1-inch thin strips (removing tough center vein). Toss the tomatoes, 3 tbsp. of the olive oil and basil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Toss again and set aside.

Toast the pine nuts by placing in a frying pan over medium high heat and tossing until golden brown–this happens quickly so tend to them carefully. When toasted, set aside to cool.

Prepare the onions for grilling by slicing into 1 inch slices and brushing each side with olive oil, salt and pepper. Prepare the tilapia in the same way with the addition of a squeeze of lemon juice.

Place onions on the grill first and cook the slices until golden charred and soft (depending on the heat of the grill, about 8 minutes). Turn carefully so onion does not fall apart. (Onions can be cooked in tin foil as well).

Wrap tilapia filets in tin foil and seal tightly. Place on hot grill and cook 3-4 minutes each side until tender.

Arrange the grilled onions and tilapia filets on a platter–tilapia in the center and grilled onions around the edge of the platter. Pour the tomato relish over the fish. Squeeze fresh lemon and balsamic vinegar over the entire mixture and top with toasted pine nuts. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve.

Recipe courtesy of Regal Springs Tilapia

For years, parents have reported that when their children return home from camp they are more caring, understand the importance of giving, are more equipped to stand up for what they know is right, and are willing to be more responsible. This summer, millions of parents will see another positive difference that camp has made in the lives of their children – understood and practiced precautionary health and wellness habits.

Some of the most important lessons taught by camp professionals happen in simple, teachable moments. This summer, the moments may not be as simple, but they are definitely of critical importance.

Throughout the summer, counselors and staff have been working with campers to take precautionary measures to ward off influenza-like illnesses. Best practices are discussed, implemented, and encouraged on a regular basis. Campers will come away with an awareness of positive habits – which will serve them well this fall when they return to school and the traditional "flu season" arrives.

What are some of the healthy habits campers are learning and observing this summer?

• You can never have enough soap – Campers are practicing advanced and proper hand washing at camp this summer. They are learning to wash their hands in between activities, and not just before they eat. They are learning important lessons in personal sanitation. The camp experience is providing lots of practice and developing a habit of healthy hand washing.



• You can't lick your elbow, but you can sneeze in it – Camp is teaching millions of children how to practice "safe sneezing." By learning to sneeze into their sleeves, they are learning to keep germs away from their hands and out of the air. Many influenza-like illnesses are spread by contact with infected droplets. Keeping a sneeze to oneself teaches campers to avoid sharing unwanted germs with cabin-mates, classmates, and families.



• Looking for germs in all the right places – Campers are learning to think outside of the box when it comes to sanitizing and staying as germ free as possible. Some of the creative lessons learned at camp include using personal salad tongs and serving utensils and using alcohol wipes to sanitize high-contact activity areas. By identifying these "touch zones," campers are learning valuable lessons in how influenza-like illnesses spread and how they can be avoided.



• Everyone else is doing it, why can't I – Campers aren't the only ones getting an education in precautionary practices – their parents are, too. When families see the difference these health and wellness habits make, they begin to implement them as well.
  

Parents know that kids gather – it is developmental. It is better that they do so in a prepared, precautionary environment. By learning these healthy behaviors and taking them home at the end of the summer, campers are creating healthier friends and families. Healthier families create a healthier community. And healthier communities mean that everyone is in a much healthier place.

About ACA
The American Camp Association® (ACA) works to preserve, promote, and enhance the camp experience for children and adults. ACA-Accredited® camp programs ensure that children are provided with a diversity of educational and developmentally challenging learning opportunities. There are over 2,400 ACA-accredited camps that meet up to 300 health and safety standards. For more information, visit www.ACAcamps.org.

The de Young makes mid-week magical this summer with “Tut at Twilight.” On Tuesday and Wednesday evenings from 5-7:30 pm, visitors are invited to experience Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs and enjoy discounted admission, convenient parking, evening views from the de Young's observation tower, and a special prix fixe menu at the Museum Cafe. Tickets are on sale now.

WHEN:
Tuesdays and Wednesdays through September 30, 2009
5-7:30 pm; last ticket at 7:30 pm


WHERE:
de Young Museum
Golden Gate Park
50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive
San Francisco, CA 94118


WEBSITE:
www.deyoungmuseum.org/tut/twilight


TICKETS:
Discounted Tut at Twilight admission is $20 for adults, seniors, students, and groups, and $15 for youth 6–17 and FAMSF members. Special event pricing; other discounts or offers do not apply. Permanent collection galleries not open. Tickets are available through www.deyoungmuseum.org/tut/twilight


MENU:
$14, or $21 with a glass of wine.




ABOUT THE EXHIBITION:
Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs presents over 130 important objects from Egypt’s Golden Age, including 50 from the tomb of King Tut. The exhibition places Tutankhamun in a larger context through an additional 80 objects from the tombs of his ancestors, which provide insight into the daily life and royal burial practices of the 18th Dynasty. Four additional objects from Tut’s tomb add luster and intrigue to the de Young’s presentation. The exhibition runs through March 28, 2010.

The exhibition is organized by National Geographic, Arts and Exhibitions International and AEG Exhibitions, with cooperation from the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities. Northern Trust is the proud cultural partner of the exhibition, and American Airlines is the official airline. The San Francisco presentation is sponsored by the Consulate General of the Arab Republic of Egypt, Mrs. Thomas B. Crowley, Sr., and Rajnikant and Helen Desai.


TICKET INFORMATION:
Tickets are now on sale. For additional information about tickets and pricing, please visit www.deyoungmuseum.org/tut. For groups of ten or more, visitors may contact the group sales office at tutgroups@famsf.org or call 415.750.3620.


VISITING THE DE YOUNG:
The de Young, designed by Herzog & de Meuron and located in Golden Gate Park, showcases American art from the 17th through the 21st centuries, international textile arts and costumes, and art from the Americas, the Pacific, and Africa.

Address: Golden Gate Park
50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive
San Francisco, CA 94118

If your child has a reading disability, like dyslexia, if he feels defeated, hates school, and comes home sullen and miserable and angry, Dr. Richard Selznick, author of The Shut-Down Learner: Helping Your Academically Discouraged Child can be of tremendous help.

Dr. Selznick’s book can help you better understand why your child is miserable or angry. You can better understand dyslexia and its emotional effects. More importantly, he offers simple, sound, and practical advice on how to help him.

Here are a few samples:

1. Identify the “cracks in the foundation” as early as possible. Find a professional who knows the “red flags” to identify for early learning problems. So much heart-ache can be avoided if you address the skills weaknesses early.



2. If the cracks are widening, seek outside help if possible. Don’t be passive and wait for the schools to intervene. They may, but it’s often a long process. Many of the children I see are not bad enough to warrant the school’s intervention. It’s a negative snowballing effect. Use word of mouth in your community to find people who can intervene



3. Know the kind of reading problem you’re targeting. There are essentially two types. In the first type the child has trouble decoding the words and reading fluently. This type is the largest majority of the struggling kids. In the second type, the child can read fluently, but has great trouble understanding what he/she has read. Get clear on what you are targeting!!!! Don’t scattershot your remediation.



4. Take the heat out of the interaction. For most of the struggling kids, the daily ritual of yelling about school is a constant. Households are tense. Lots of blame goes around. Pecking at your child, nagging and yelling are not working. Why continue?



5. Find the child’s true strength and help kid embrace it. The shut down learners that I know do not feel very good about themselves and they do not see their strengths. Most of these kids are very solid in the visual spatial dimension of ability. This is often not valued in school. The kids need to learn to value this trait and see it as a potential.



6. Find someone to connect and mentor your child in school. If your child is older, push the kid to have one adult in the building as child’s mentor. It should be someone that your kid can form a relationship with. Too often shut-down learners go through school not bonded to anyone. This is tragic.



7. Keep your humor. Try not to let school problems become all consuming. Go out for an ice cream sundae with your kid even if he hasn’t done his homework! School problems can be so all consuming - don’t lose touch with your kid’s good qualities.
   

Fortunately, the value of The Shut-Down Learner doesn’t end with advice. Dr. Selznick shows you how to apply this advice. With great sensitivity, he writes about several of the shut-down learners he has known. He shares their conversations and insights and shows how they didn’t let their learning problems and the rigidity of schools destroy their lives.

In 160 well-written, easily understood pages, Richard Selznick has given parents of discouraged, defeated, and demoralized learners, a simple but powerful set of ideas for helping them help their children.

For more information on the Shut-Down Learner, go to www.shutdownlearner.com.

Who is Dr. Richard Selznick

Dr. Selznick is a psychologist, a nationally certified school psychologist, and a graduate school professor. He is Director of the Cooper Learning Center at Cooper University Hospital www.cooperlearningcenter.org where he oversees a program that assesses and treats a broad range of learning and behavioral problems in children and provides training to parents and teachers. A native of Staten Island, New York, Dr. Selznick lives in Haddonfield, New Jersey.

Dr. Selznick is an experienced media guest and has appeared on numerous radio and television shows to discuss a variety of children’s issues including things like whether same-sex schools were advantageous and the current trend of “redshirting” kindergarten students. You can find more information at: http://www.shutdownlearner.com

Liz Here:

Dr. Selznick was kind enough to send me a copy of his book. Although I have a special needs kiddo who probably can't be put into the "Shut Down Learner" box, she does tune everything out when a task is even the least bit challenging. Reading this book has given me lots of ideas on how to deal with these situations - which will be especially helpful since we will be transitioning from a public school to a homeschool setting in just a few weeks. I was so impressed with it that I've now passed it on to my daughters tutor.

Thank you, Dr. Selznick for your wonderful book that will help parents and educators everywhere re-think the labels that they have put upon children who learn in ways other than the "traditional" approach.

We have one (1) copy of The Shut-Down Learner: Helping Your Academically Discouraged Child to give away to one lucky reader!

There are several ways to enter - here are the rules:

Please note: Your email address MUST either be in your comment or available on your blogger profile or your entry will NOT count!! **

* Leave us a comment on any post here at Pink Lemonade (be sure to comment on this post & let us know where you commented). Feel free to leave a comment on this post telling us why you may need this book.

* Become a follower on Twitter. Leave me a comment to let me know your twitter name (if you are already a follower, leave me a comment with your twitter name).

* Become a fan on our new Facebook page. Leave me a comment to let me know your Facebook name.

* Subscribe to our RSS Feed or sign up to receive Pink Lemonade by Email. Leave me a comment to let me know you. If you are already a subscriber, leave me a comment and let me know.

* Blog about our contest on your blog. Leave me a comment with your post url.

* Place our widget on your blog (it's toward the bottom of this page in the far right column - just click "get widget" at the bottom of the widget). Leave me a comment with your site url.

* Become a member of our Social Network. Leave a comment with your username.

There you have it! Seven very simple ways to enter our contest - how easy is that? Complete rules can be found on our Contest page.

This contest ends Thursday, August 6th at 11:59pm (pdst) so don't wait - make sure you've gotten all seven entries! Please note: entries received after the cutoff time will be deleted prior to drawing a winner.

- Liz

Posted by Liz of Pink Lemonade

Thursday Morning Fun from TBS….

“You Know You’re a Parent When…”

Having kids means that you’re constantly reminded of the fact that yes, you are parent. But instead of pretending that your children aren’t the ones running around with no pants, try embracing that special badge of honor that says “what have I gotten myself into?” Relax and enjoy some unconventional parenting insight brought to you by THE BILL ENGVALL SHOW.

You Know You’re a Parent When…

Your email signature reads “Do What I Say. Not What I Do.”

You decide to trade in your convertible for a minivan and cry the whole way to the dealership.

You’ve fixed someone’s hair with spit.

You’ve paid a costumed character to show up at your house.

No one calls you by your first name anymore. Now you’re simply known as someone’s Mom.

There’s an entire box of cereal buried in the cracks between your car seats. And you’ve considered eating it while waiting in the carpool line.

Instead of goodnight kisses, you now get goodnight text messages.

At least once a week you ask yourself “Whose kids are these?”

You’ve threatened competitors at the school science fair.

You find yourself wearing your pajamas for a coffee run or to drop off the kids. It’s not like you have time to get out of the car anyway.

You’ve been to soccer practice, ballet and story time all before 11am.

Most of your advice starts with “When I was your age.”

You have to explain how math will be useful some day.

Sleeping late means 8:15 am.

You read more than one parenting blog a day.

You realize your parents only come visit to see the grandkids.

You wipe anyone’s mouth other than yours.

You’ve hosted a graduation party for an 11-year-old.

You talk about bodily functions more than most doctors.

You occasionally forget to bathe.

You want to tell your kids about the birds and the bees, but you can’t remember the last time you did it.


For more hilarious parenting moments, tune in to THE BILL ENGVALL SHOW Saturday nights at 9/8c on TBS!!

Yesterday a friend emailed me to say that after years trying to make it as a freelance writer she's admitted defeat and is now trying to find a paying job. I replied to her that she needed to drop the 'defeated' talk and instead reframe her situation more positively. That is that she enjoys freelance writing; and while she will continue to write, she is pursuing work that provides a more reliable source of income. She quickly replied that she felt far better (and I'm guessing, more powerful) putting it that way.

Never before has it been more important to be mindful of the oppressive impact of fear, vigilant of the fearful thoughts that are so quick to metastasize and discerning about which fears we pay heed to. Yes, times are tough and more people are finding themselves out of work than there have been in recent history but that doesn’t mean that they have been ‘defeated’. It’s crucial to be mindful of the language we use in describing our circumstances, not to take our setbacks too personally nor to interpret meaning into them that leaves us feeling hopeless, despairing and victimized. Put another way, we need to have our own unique Emotional Stimulus Plan that will enable us to ride out the bumps, weather the setbacks and rise to the challenges that come our way.

Right now there are millions of people having to deal with significant changes and challenges in their lives due to the economic crisis that has rippled out from the burst of the housing bubble. People are cutting back on all sorts of things they'd previously taken for granted. Suddenly their financial security isn't so secure, and their lifestyle is being 'trimmed' in ways they'd never foreseen. Without warning, they are finding themselves wrestling with an identity crisis because so much of their identity has been tied to their job, their income, their McMansion and the list goes on.

So, just as the Federal Government has taken it upon themselves to launch an Economic Stimulus Plan, so too will you benefit from creating your own plan to weather whatever storms are blowing over you. Sure, many people are suffering hardship that is beyond their control; but if you take a step back from all the fear mongering and dooms-daying and look heavenward, you will notice that the sky is not falling and that, while times are tough, times have been tough before (actually, far tougher!) and humanity has not come to a crashing halt.

The reality is that in the U.S. and other developed countries, we are living way better than any time over the course of human history. So you have to give up your spa trips or restaurant outings for awhile? Come on! Just as losing your job or downsizing your home doesn't mean you are a failure, neither does unmanicured feet render you unlovable.

Sure, it's no fun having to trim one's spending habits. At the same time, I think it's a good reminder to us to take stock about what is truly important in life and get back to basics. While money can buy a lot of fun things that add pleasure to life, it can't buy rich and rewarding relationships. Neither can it buy having a sense of purpose in life, nor can it buy us genuine security. In the end, nothing in life is permanent; and all the 'stuff' that we get so attached to is, at the end of the day, just that... 'stuff!' Of all the benefits that will ultimately come from this current crisis, I think the first will be to help people to focus in on what matters most and put first things first.

So next time you turn on the TV and hear some bloke raving on about how things are only going to get worse before they get better, just remember that you always have a choice whether to:

a) live under a dark cloud of anxiety that taints every experience and interaction you have each day and leaves you feeling hopeless, helpless and hunkering down on your couch (becoming ever more fearful with each passing news broadcast!), or

b) choosing to be optimistic that good times lie ahead, trusting in yourself that no matter what hardships come your way - no matter what work changes you have to make in order to make ends meet, no matter what 'stuff' you have to give up in the process and no matter how many times you may hear the word 'no' - you have everything, and I repeat, everything you need within you to meet your challenges head on one day at a time.

Truly! It's only in adversity that any of us can come to know just how resourceful and resilient we really are. Right now, there is an abundance of opportunity to learn and grow and evolve in who we are as human beings (individually and collectively)...IF we look for it! Are you? I can promise you one thing. That only those who refuse to succumb to fear and who choose to remain optimistic about what the future holds will be able to find opportunity in amidst the adversity and reap the rich rewards that emerge during turbulent times.



We have one (1) copy of Find Your Courage: 12 Acts for Becoming Fearless at Work and in Life to give away to one lucky reader!

There are several ways to enter - here are the rules:

Please note: Your email address MUST either be in your comment or available on your blogger profile or your entry will NOT count!! **

* Leave us a comment on any post here at Pink Lemonade (be sure to comment on this post & let us know where you commented). Feel free to leave a comment on this post telling us why you may need this book.

* Become a follower on Twitter. Leave me a comment to let me know your twitter name (if you are already a follower, leave me a comment with your twitter name).

* Become a fan on our new Facebook page. Leave me a comment to let me know your Facebook name.

* Subscribe to our RSS Feed or sign up to receive Pink Lemonade by Email. Leave me a comment to let me know you. If you are already a subscriber, leave me a comment and let me know.

* Blog about our contest on your blog. Leave me a comment with your post url.

* Place our widget on your blog (it's toward the bottom of this page in the far right column - just click "get widget" at the bottom of the widget). Leave me a comment with your site url.

* Become a member of our Social Network. Leave a comment with your username.

There you have it! Seven very simple ways to enter our contest - how easy is that? Complete rules can be found on our Contest page.

This contest ends Wednesday, August 5th at 11:59pm (pdst) so don't wait - make sure you've gotten all seven entries! Please note: entries received after the cutoff time will be deleted prior to drawing a winner.

- Liz

Posted by Liz of Pink Lemonade

This is the number one issue that I hear from moms in particular. You might think that you don't have time to workout and eat property, but you CAN find the time. Frankly, you MUST find the time for yourself! If you are not healthy and fit, your family can't count on you. Your work productivity will decrease, and you won't feel good about yourself.

Your health is too important to ignore. If you have to, work out in the morning before your family wakes up, or at night after you put the kids to bed. If you find it hard to exercise during the week, try to fit in one or two and make sure to make up for it on the weekend.

Mark workouts on your calendar. Ask friends and family to help hold you accountable. Plan rewards for reaching your goals too. Try to make these rewards non-food related. Start out slowly to truly create a lifestyle change that you will stick with. Be careful not to overdo it and don't quit. No matter your fitness level, you will see results. Give any program 6-12 weeks to see marked improvement.

As always, I'm hear to answer questions and to be your own personal fitness coach. So, what are you waiting for. Get moving!

Until next time, have a safe, healthy and happy week ahead.

Coach Jenn

of Personal Fit Coach.com

There is a new campaign to encourage greater parental involvement in education: The Great Parents Pledge being launched by GreatSchools, the national education nonprofit that 35 million people turn to in order to find the right school and support their children’s education.

Other supporters of the Great Parents Pledge include best-selling author Po Bronson; actor/comedian/former Daily Show correspondent Rob Corrdry; Debbie Phelps, mother of Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps; DonorsChoose.org CEO Charles Best; actor and CafeMom co-founder Andrew Shue; writer and education activist Sandra Tsing Loh; children’s recording artist Laurie Berkner; and Webby Awards founder Tiffany Shlain – all of whom are encouraging parents nationwide to take The Great Parents Pledge and commit to greater involvement in their kids’ education during Back to School and the coming school year.

As parents confront the most challenging economic climate in recent history – with family, state and school budgets tighter than ever – The Great Parents Pledge calls on parents to exercise their influence by committing to three free, easy and effective ways they can dramatically increase their child’s academic success:

1. Read or talk 20 minutes a day with your child

2. Partner with your child’s teacher

3. Volunteer at your child’s school

In this way, parents may well be the new economic stimulus package for education as the Great Recession persists.

The Frisky.com, the premiere web destination for women 18-34, has acquired the first 16 webisodes from the new web exclusive comedy series “Merrime.com.” Produced by Red Ladders Entertainment and starring Kaily Smith (“Forgetting Sarah Marshall”) in the title role, “Merrime.com” is the hilarious tale of a trust fund baby thrust into the 21st Century world of online dating. Smith and partner David Weidoff are the writers and creators of the series

Beginning today, The Frisky.com will debut new episodes of “Merrime.com” every Tuesday and Thursday. The same episode will then be available to watch on merrime.com the following Wednesday and Friday. Both websites will share links. Video and text interviews with Kaily Smith will be featured on The Frisky.com.

For trust fund baby Merrideth Weisman, everything seems perfect: perfect friends, perfect house, perfect Black American Express Card. However, matters take a turn for the worst when Merri’s engagement to the ‘perfect’ man ends miserably and her father (Tom Arnold) delivers an ultimatum that she has to find a job. Merri realizes that the key to her survival is not a career, but a man. And so, the race to the altar begins as she is forced to plunge headfirst into the deep end of the pool – the online dating pool, that is. In addition to Tom Arnold, the series also co-stars Jay Hayden, Andrea Syglowski, Tony Hale and Ryan Eggold as himself.

“The Frisky.com is rapidly building a strong brand identity among young women because they know it is the ultimate place on the web to find smart, funny and, most of all, relatable conversation about what really matters to them,” said Mina Lux, General Manager, The Frisky.com. “With the addition of ‘Merrime.com’ to our site – a show whose humor and irreverent point of view reflects our sensibility perfectly – we can give our growing audience even more great exclusive content to look forward to and talk about each and every week.”

About Red Ladders Entertainment

Red Ladders Entertainment is a Los Angeles based production company dedicated to developing and producing new works for Film, TV, Theatre and the Web. RLE was founded in 2006 by friends and partners, Kaily Smith and David Weidoff. Smith and Weidoff first met while attending the USC School of theater BFA Acting Program. Upon graduating in 2005, they formed a professional partnership as writers that would soon give birth to the RLE production company. In March of 2007, RLE achieved early success with the beautifully scripted Good Thing by Jessica Goldberg and directed by B. Swibel. The play garnered critical acclaim for RLE and enjoyed an extended run at the Hudson Mainstage Theatre in Hollywood. RLE has had the great pleasure of collaborating with artists and producers such as Tom Arnold, Ryan Eggold, Tia and Tamera Mowry, Tony Hale, Felicia Day, Tara Smith, B. Swibel, Diana Castle, and Tommy Dewey among many others. In 2008, Smith and Weidoff co-wrote and created the Web Series MERRIme.com.

About The Frisky.com

The Frisky (www.thefrisky.com), a unique premier online destination for women 18-34, offers smart, funny, fast-paced content and a growing community for girlfriends to speak in authentic voices about the things they really discuss. The Frisky covers celebrity news, pop culture, love, dating, relationships, fashion, beauty and anything else women talk about, obsess about, and want to know about – all with an irreverent, carefree, and most of all, honest and relatable perspective. The Frisky, which launched in March 2008, now has more than 1.4 million unique visitors per month and over 6 million pageviews. (Source: Omniture).

Last call for Lil’ Heroes! Until August 15, Nestle Drumstick Lil’ Drums is searching for ten kids across the nation who have shown outstanding acts of bravery or have made a difference in their communities. Parents, teachers and inspired adults can nominate their Lil’ Heroes, who will have a chance to win a $1,000 U.S. Savings Bond and a special delivery of enough Nestle Drumstick Lil’ Drums sundae cones to host a party for up to 50 family and friends.

Check out a couple of inspiring submissions they have received to date!

· Lou, age 11, St. Louis, MO: Lou wanted to host a big party for his birthday, but his parents were concerned about the large amount of toys he already owned. So Lou decided to ask for donations to his charity of choice in lieu of gifts, and ended up presenting Autism Speaks with a check for $800 thanks to the generosity of his friends’ parents. The charity was so impressed by his kindness, and Lou has pledged to do the same every year for his birthday. Lou says, "It makes me feel like a hero. Helping other kids gives me a great feeling. And making their parents happy is even more of a pleasure. It makes me feel like they can trust me. I want kids to get an equal amount of the life I have."


· Sadie, age 8, Wahiawa, HI: As the daughter of an officer in the Army, Sadie is constantly moving and changing schools. Upon transferring to a new school in Hawaii just weeks before her birthday, Sadie invited everyone in her class to her party. She told her mom that she thought only one kid would show because she invited the one girl that everyone told her not to invite. Sadie said it was more important to invite that one girl than to have the whole class show up. In the end, she ended up having a successful birthday and became a hero to this little girl.


Nestle Drumstick Lil’ Drums Lil’ Heroes Contest entry forms are available to download at www.drumstick.com. Submit your story (150 to 500 words), along with the completed entry form, describing why the child deserves to be Nestlé Drumstick Lil’ Drums Lil’ Hero. Adults over the age of 18 may nominate children between 6 and 13 years of age who are residents of the United States. Winning children will be notified by phone and/or mail throughout the length of the promotion, from now through September 1, 2009.

Moving is a tough transition for anyone, but kids can sometimes find it especially difficult to cope with the change. For many, a big move means leaving their favorite friends, places and activities behind. But according to the experts at RealEstate.com, there are some tried-and-true methods that will help minimize the impact of a move and make it a rewarding experience for everyone.

* Follow Established Home Routines: For all children, but especially pre-schoolers and kids in primary school, follow established home routines faithfully for the first few months after you move. This means having dinner at the same time, serving familiar foods, watching favorite TV shows, going to bed at the same time and observing the same bedtime rituals on a day-to-day basis.

* Let Your Child Decorate: Let your child pick the paint color; the fabric for curtains and bedspread and choose posters for the walls. Younger children typically resist change of any kind. If this is the case with your child, it may help to replicate the décor and furniture arrangement of his or her old room as closely as possible.

* Help Your Child Keep Up With Old Friends: Encourage your child to write and exchange photos; arrange phone calls, visits and sleepovers on a regular basis. Kids who are struggling to make new friends find it very relaxing and comforting to be with old buddies they don’t have to impress.

* Reinforce Their Confidence: For school-age children, reinforce your child’s confidence by enabling him or her to participate in extra-curricular activities. Whether it’s soccer or music lessons, continuing a favorite activity or starting a new one gives you your child feelings of competence and self-esteem that don’t depend on how well he or she is fitting into the social order at the new school.

Every child wants to be the coolest kid in class come Back-to-School season. Luckily for parents, getting their child school supplies that reflect the latest trends doesn’t have to cost a fortune. Here is Target’s list of the top five best back-to-school buys from 99 cents to $19.99.

#1 - Knock ‘em Out Backpack

Getting noticed in the hall is easy with a Simone Legno for Target backpack. For $19.99 at Target and Target.com, this bag packs a lot of graphic style and is part of an exclusive, limited-edition collection.


#2 - Eco-Friendly Pencil Case

Eco-consciousness has gone from a trend to a way of life for many students. A Terracycle pencil case made out of Chips Ahoy packaging is just $1.00 at Target and keeps pencils and pens in their place.


# 3 - 1 GB USB + MP3

This tiny gadget with an itsy bitsy price of $9.99 will help kids take digital documents to and from school and store their favorite tunes. It is available at Target stores.


#4 - Locker Decor

A kid’s locker is her home away from home. It will be the envy of all of her friends with locker décor from Target. Pick up clip magnets ($2.49), a pencil cup ($2.99), a magnetic mirror ($2.99) and photo frame ($4.99 for 3-pack) at Target and everything will be organized in its place.


#5 - A Gotta-Have-It Notebook

Students have to take notes and they might as well look great doing it. These Dror for Target doodle composition books are just 99 cents at Target and Target.com and are a fashion statement unto themselves.


Don’t forget to check out the Target weekly circular. The Sunday, July 26 circular features back-to-school deals and steals including 50 cent book covers, pens and pencil pouches and $1.00 Mead notebooks, Elmer’s Glue and Sharpies. Guests can view it online at Target.com/weeklyad.

Pop songstress Esmee Denters sat down with Kiss 100's DJ Swerve after opening up for Ne-Yo at the O2 arena. Check out the backstage footage where Esmee talks about building a base on YouTube, getting signed and meeting Justin Timberlake for the first time.

America's love affair with the almighty cheeseburger has reached new heights with the creation of the Cheese & Burger Society, a microsite featuring 30 mouth-watering, bun-busting cheeseburger inspirations, complete with the Grand Pooh-bah of all toppings, Wisconsin Cheese.

With tens of thousands of enthusiastic visitors to the site in just its first week, the Society is developing a passionate following for the ultimate of American foods, the cheeseburger. And no wonder. Visitors to the full sensory site can flip through the Rolodex™-style listing of sizzling burger photos while listening to the sonorous

tones of the cheeseburger "guide" as he introduces 30 juicy creations with quirky descriptions of the burgers and Wisconsin cheeses that—along with imaginative, over-the-top toppings—make them so special.

One amorous society member expressed cheeseburger love by proclaiming, "A burger without cheese is like a hug without a squeeze." Others are declaring their true cheeseburger affection by voting on their favorite burger, uploading photos, sharing burger experiences and more on Facebook.

To add to the party, one visitor will soon have the grilling edge by winning the one-and-only Cheeseburger Society sweepstakes, opening Aug. 1. The lucky grand prize winner will be the proud owner of a top-of-the-line gas grill and, along with 30 first-place winners, a Wisconsin artisan and specialty cheese gift box. All the details are available at www.CheeseAndBurger.com.

The Yoga Sutra of Patanjali is a classic Sanskrit treatise consisting of 195 “threads,” or aphorisms, describing the process of liberation through yoga. Although little is known about Patanjali (most scholars estimate that he lived in India circa 200–300 b.c.), his writings have long been recognized as a vital contribution to the philosophy and practice of yoga. This new, expert translation of the original Sanskrit text of Patanjali’s best-known work presents his seminal ideas and methods in accessible, plain-language English.

Patanjali organized the sutra into four parts: Samadhi (absorption), Sadhana (practice), Vibhuti (supernatural powers), and Kaivalya (liberation). Each represents a step in breaking free of our limited definition of consciousness and training the mind to achieve oneness with the universe. Geshe Michael Roach, one of the most respected teachers of Tibetan Buddhism in America and a renowned scholar of Sanskrit, provides authoritative commentary on each of the sutras. His notes and clarification are straightforward and highly readable, untainted by obscure, academic terminology or New Age jargon. The first edition of the Yoga Sutra to present a Buddhist perspective, this paperback original will be welcomed by students and spiritual seekers alike.

From the Trade Paperback edition.

Lama Christie McNally, is the co-author of The Essential Yoga Sutra: Ancient Wisdom for Your Yoga.

Quick facts:

0 She has spent 6 years of her life in silent meditation retreat.

0 She does at least 1.5 hours of physical yoga asana after her morning meditation.

0 She is changing the face of Buddhism by bringing women Lamas to the forefront (for example, recently she was the first woman to teach Buddhism publicly in Mangolia in 700 years).


The following is an excerpt from The Essential Yoga Sutra: Ancient Wisdom for Your Yoga:

I had never really thought about rebirth before, but as the
evidence of my past lives quickly started piling up in front of me, I
became a bit more interested. Who was I really? Was I just a girl from
California, or was I also some great Tibetan yogi meditator Lama?
this is not the first time for any of us-we have all been here
before and we’re all more than we seem. We have been traveling this
path together now for many lives. Things happened very quickly for
me after I met these teachings, for they say all it takes is a trigger, just
a tiny drop of water, and then all the seeds in your mind open like a
flower and you are transported to the place on your path where you
left off in your previous life. This is certainly what happened to me,
and I am hoping this book can be such a trigger for you.
In any case, just a few short years later, and I found myself
entering into one of the most rigorous practices you can do—what
they call a , where you take yourself to an isolated place
and meditate there for 3 years, 3 months, and 3 days. No talking, no
seeing anyone else, no outside communication of any kind—just a
lone explorer in the deepest oceans of the mind.
(If this sounds romantic to you, like something you’d like to try, I
would advise starting with a week. Being alone with your own mind can
be...challenging, at times.)

There were six of us, and we made our way out to a remote corner
in the Arizona desert—a place where no human had ever lived, a place
where the coyotes and mountain lions still reigned.
We ordered little round huts from Mongolia called “yurts”—
wooden poles stacked together and covered in felt and canvas, with a
glass dome at the top for light.

We have one (1) copy of The Essential Yoga Sutra: Ancient Wisdom for Your Yoga to give away to one lucky reader!

There are several ways to enter - here are the rules:

Please note: Your email address MUST either be in your comment or available on your blogger profile or your entry will NOT count!! **

* Leave us a comment on any post here at Pink Lemonade (be sure to comment on this post & let us know where you commented). Feel free to leave a comment on this post telling us why you may need this book.

* Become a follower on Twitter. Leave me a comment to let me know your twitter name (if you are already a follower, leave me a comment with your twitter name).

* Become a fan on our new Facebook page. Leave me a comment to let me know your Facebook name.

* Subscribe to our RSS Feed or sign up to receive Pink Lemonade by Email. Leave me a comment to let me know you. If you are already a subscriber, leave me a comment and let me know.

* Blog about our contest on your blog. Leave me a comment with your post url.

* Place our widget on your blog (it's toward the bottom of this page in the far right column - just click "get widget" at the bottom of the widget). Leave me a comment with your site url.

* Become a member of our Social Network. Leave a comment with your username.

There you have it! Seven very simple ways to enter our contest - how easy is that? Complete rules can be found on our Contest page.

This contest ends Tuesday, August 4th at 11:59pm (pdst) so don't wait - make sure you've gotten all seven entries! Please note: entries received after the cutoff time will be deleted prior to drawing a winner.

- Liz

Posted by Liz of Pink Lemonade

One of the most magnificent moments in a woman’s life occurs in a hospital delivery room, yet most women do not take advantage of viewing the location in advance. Many hospitals offer free tours of their labor and delivery suites, and expectant families should take full advantage of this opportunity. Most labor and delivery suites look like master bedrooms and offer LDRs (labor, delivery and recovery rooms) equipped with a birthing bed, so mothers can remain in one room during their entire hospital experience.

Dr. Linda Burke-Galloway— a board-certified ob-gyn, an advocate for quality healthcare and patient safety and author of The Smart Mother's Guide to a Better Pregnancy: How to Minimize Risks, Avoid Complications, and Have a Healthy Baby offers these SMART tips to help you obtain the most helpful information during a hospital labor and delivery tour.

S = Seek information regarding the nurse-to-patient ratio. The ideal situation is one nurse managing one laboring patient; however, a labor room nurse should never be responsible for more than two patients at one time.

M = Make certain that you visit the LDRs or birthing rooms, the operating room, the hospital registration office and the nursery. Also inquire about fetal monitors (machines that measure babies’ heartbeats and mothers’ contractions). Do they have alarm systems that alert hospital staff when a baby’s heartbeat becomes abnormal?

A = Ask what kinds of perks the hospital offers, such as a special entrance for mothers in labor, special parking areas or valet parking, rocking chairs or birthing balls in the LDR, or access to high-risk specialists in the hospital. Does it have a level 3 nursery or 24-hour anesthesia coverage? What is the visitor policy?

R = Request to see a demonstration of the nursery security policy. Most nurseries have very detailed security measures to ensure the safety of newborns. Does the hospital have a cyber-nursery with infants’ pictures on the hospital Web site? Does it offer a newborn channel with up-to-date movies on caring for newborns?

T = Take time to speak with nurses from both labor and delivery and the nursery to ask questions. In the event of unforeseen emergencies, it is always helpful to have a pediatrician readily available as opposed to having to locate one at the time of delivery.

An advance tour of the labor room not only removes the mystery of the unknown but provides a firsthand view of where your baby will make his or her grand entrance.

On average, children in the United States are only 12 when they acquire their first cell phone; in fact, two thirds of them (ages 10-19) have phones. This electronic leash may give parents a sense of relief – they can get a hold of their children whenever they need to, and kids can call home more frequently. There are, however, a plethora of dangers that present themselves with the widespread use of this technology.



There are many steps that parents can take to secure their child’s iPhone, most available through the built in restrictions under general settings. If you follow these steps, your child will enjoy a safer and more connected summer.

• Restrict opening the iPhone with a passcode lock. Use something easy for your child to remember, like the month and date of their birthday. This will prevent anyone from gaining any personal information stored on the phone if it is lost or stolen. They can even set the iPhone to delete all data after ten failed attempts.


• Right below the passcode lock there is a tab marked “Restrictions.” From there, the parent or guardian can disable certain applications with a different password that is known only to you. Here are the apps parents can disable and why they might consider doing so:
  

1. Explicit lyrics on the iPod app: disable if you are concerned about your child listening to profane or violent music, as well as podcasts and videos downloaded from iTunes.
2. Safari: Disable if you don’t want your child to have unrestricted access to the internet. You can allow your children to access the internet and still block unwanted or objectionable content by downloading Safe Eyes Mobile, which replaces the Safari browser with a custom-filtered browser set to your specifications.
3. YouTube: Disable if you are concerned with racy or pornographic content
4. iTunes: Disable if you are concerned about your child downloading music, videos, or podcasts, and running up a bill (this only works if the child has an apple store account with a valid credit card.)
5. Installing apps: Most people believe that there aren’t any racy or inappropriate apps available in the App Store due to apple’s rigorous screening process, but some racy apps have made it through, such as an app that delivers half-naked shots of women to the phone, as well as apps that have “Easter eggs,” which are a coding term for hidden features not disclosed during the approval process.
6. Camera: Sexting (the sending of pornographic images or content through text) is a growing problem in both moral and legal terms, and if you are concerned your child may be engaging in sexting, disable the camera. Doing so will at least prevent parents and their children from being held liable for images taken from their child’s iPhone.

• Have your children charge their phones in a common room away from their bedrooms, to prevent unsupervised activity at night.


• Download Safe Eyes Mobile: by using Safe Eyes Mobile, and being careful about what apps they let their children use, parents can provide all of the wonderful connectivity and functionality standard on the iPhone without the worry that comes with an Internet-enabled device.


• Talk to your kids: Parents providing their children with an advanced device like an iPhone are granting their children a great privilege. There is absolutely nothing wrong with letting the child know the iPhone is a privilege that can be taken away if it is abused. Set boundaries for using the device, talk about what is and isn’t appropriate for your child to look at (and how to deal with strangers online), as well as the many other topics covered in the InternetSafety.com gameplan. After all, it’s the same internet, just a different screen.

According to the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, more than 250,000 children are treated in emergency departments for playground injuries each year. Forty percent of these children come in with a cut or scrape. When a child receives a minor injury, such as a cut or a scrape, parents, teachers or caregivers need to determine if the child needs medical attention. Regardless of depth or severity, most wounds bleed. In the past, you were forced to wrap the wound in some sort of bandage and apply pressure for 5, 10, even 15 minutes. Now for the first time ever, there is a consumer product available that is changing the way we treat wounds, in mere seconds you can now stop bleeding on even the deepest of cuts and scrapes. This product is not just for overprotective parents, or active children, soon it will be the standard for which we treat all injuries. Parents, teacher, and Pediatricians across the nation are embracing this new product as the greatest addition to the first aid kit since the sterilization of the Band-Aid in 1939.

The same blood clotting bandages used by the U.S. Military overseas is now available to the public. Unlike regular bandages or gauze found in your doctor's office, ABC Gauze (www.abcgauze.com) is made from an all natural collagen-like substance that actually stops bleeding on the spot. Uncontrolled bleeding is the second leading cause of death in the United States, after trauma, and more than 6 million bleeding wounds are treated annually by trauma and emergency rooms in the United States.

Different than regular bandages and gauze, ABC Gauze (Advanced Bleeding Control) actually stops bleeding on the spot by converting into a "blood stopping" gel upon contact with blood. Unlike ordinary gauze and bandages that hurt when you pull them off (often ripping off the scab,) ABC Gauze is easily and painlessly washed off with sterile water. ABC Gauze is NOT like an ordinary piece of cotton gauze. It is an all natural, collagen-likesubstance created from regenerated cellulose, an effective hemostatic agent registered with the FDA to help control bleeding from wounds and in-body cavities. When it comes in contact with blood, it stops bleeding fast.

ABC Gauze is ideal for stopping bleeding in hundreds of diverse situations where bleeding can occur. It is a "must have" for bleeding that results from playground injuries, biking accidents, slipping at the pool, nose bleeds, sports injuries, ceramics accidents, skateboarding and rollerblading falls, hiking, skiing and snowboarding or just plain mishaps around the house. With ABC Gauze you can stop the bleeding and seek out medical attention as easy as A-B-C!

Unlike its competitors, there are NO known side effects from the use of ABC Gauze. This product is certainly a "must have" for every home, travel, auto and boat first aid kit. If it is good enough to save lives on battle fields around the globe, it is good enough to be in every household in America. ABC Gauze is by no means a trend in treating open wounds; it is quickly becoming the accepted standard.

In Perfect Happy World, a person would lose weight for eating red velvet cupcakes the size of their head, while sitting in a tub of crème brulee. Alas, we don’t live in that world and so here comes a new book that has the audacity to make dieting fun: Krista Vernoff (exec producer and head writer for “Grey’s Anatomy”) and Az Ferguson (Body-For-Life Million Dollar Champion) challenge people to the ultimate fitness game in The Game On! Diet.

Krista shares the game and the diet that helped her lose more than 40 lbs of post-baby weight, as well as the personal (and hilarious) journey that she took on her way to “Way Less Fat Land.” By taking the focus off the deprivation of “dieting” and putting it on the excitement of kicking your friends’ collective butts, The Game On! Diet helps people get fit in a unique way that brings people together and produces tangible results.

The Game On! Diet works like this: You play for four weeks. During those four weeks, you earn points by:

• Eating five small, balanced meals a day (30 points per day)


• Drinking three liters of water a day (10 points per day)


• Sleeping a minimum of 7 hours a night (15 points per day)


• Exercising for a minimum of 20 minutes a day (20 points per day)


• Changing an unhealthy habit into a healthy one (i.e.: giving up TV and taking up reading, or giving up computer games and taking up meditation.) (20 points per day)


• Being in contact with at one teammate and one opponent a day (5 points per day)
  

If you add up the points from a perfect day, they will equal 100 points. If you have a perfect week your score will be 7 days x 100 points = 700 points.

However, having a perfect week is something to aspire to, as you LOSE points by snacking, eating “unsanctioned foods” such as sugar and fried foods and drinking alcohol (though, you do get one full day off a week to indulge without penalty!).

If you're a true game super star, you can receive bonus points for turning your weekly scores in on time (10 extra points per week) or for losing at least 1 percent of your weekly starting body weight (extra points equal to 20 percent of your weekly score: if you have a perfect week the bonus will be 20 percent of 700 points = 140 points).

A perfect score week equals seven 100-point days + the 10-point scorekeeping bonus + the 20 percent weight loss bonus: 700 + 10 + 140 = 850

You can play by yourself, one on one, or on a team. If you're on a team, the scorekeeper tallies up the points after four weeks and divides by the number of team members.

About the authors:

Krista Vernoff (http://twitter.com/KristaVernoff) is the Emmy-nominated, Golden Globe winning head writer/executive producer of television’s number-one hit show Grey’s Anatomy, a Writer’s Guild of America Award winner, and playwright. A professional stage actor for several years prior to beginning her career as a writer, she holds a BFA from Boston University’s College of Fine Arts.

Az Ferguson (http://twitter.com/AzFerguson) is the Million Dollar Champion of Body-For-LIFE’s International Health and Fitness competition, and a regular performer on television, in commercials, and in the theater. Originally from Australia, he lives and travels throughout the United States.

When it’s the last hurrah of single life for your readers it’s no surprise that the majority of women feel a little less (ok - MUCH less) than 100% post–bachelorette party. For those who can’t muster the strength to get out of bed let alone out of the house, Delivery.com, the top site for having anything from party supplies to groceries, catering and home wear goods, is your reader’s rescue and hangover go-to as they bring all of the hangover cure-alls right to readers’ doorsteps—and this is for everyone across the country—not just NYC. Below is the Top 10 Items to Cure a Hangover from Delivery.com — for the girl who is telling herself, “I will never drink again.”

Since we are in the thick of wedding season, here are the top 10 hangover cures:


10) Cucumbers – No doubt the eyes need some major TLC to de-puff…

9) Ice pack – Applying a cold compress works wonders on a throbbing head.


8) Tomato Juice – If you can’t stomach the “hair of the dog” with a Bloody Mary, then tomato juice contains sugar to help break down the alcohol in your stomach.

7) Coffee with Lemon - Lemon juice alleviates nausea and the caffeine helps shrink blood vessels that cause that pounding headache…

6) Crackers with honey – This naturally flushes the system to rid your body of alcohol fast!

5) Peppermints – Kills two birds with one stone by freshening breath and helps stop a churning stomach …

4) Gatorade – Dehydration is a major cause of a hangover; give your system a hydrating boost and replenish electrolytes with your fav flavor…


3) Bananas or better yet, banana milkshake - Bananas helps calm the stomach and the milk soothes the stomach and re-hydrates your system.

2) Bacon, Egg and Cheese Sandwich – The greasier, the better to soak up all those celebratory tequila shots and eggs help re-hydrate…

1) Advil – make it Extra Strength – no explanation needed…


About Delivery.com:

Delivery.com provides fast and easy online food ordering from local restaurants & merchants. Since 1999, Delivery.com, formerly NYCTOGO.com, has provided both companies and consumers with the convenience of a singular destination for all of their food delivery needs. In over 65 cities nationwide…