For many women, their wedding day is one of the of the most important events in their life. To help with this momentous occasion FitnessMagazine.com has developed a six-week fitness boot camp perfectly timed for spring and early summer brides.

The highlights of the program are:

Bridal boot camp workout videos - everything from specific toning exercises, such as the balance arm curl, to nutrition tips. Most of them about one minute in length

Extra moves for specific dress types - targeted workouts for brides with strapless, backless, form-fitting, or short styles.

Finally, because brides tend to be extremely busy, Fitnessmagazine.com has created a 20-minute circuit workout for buff brides. Between dealing with caterers, booking the florist and attending dress fittings, now any bride will be able to fit in cardio, strength training, and interval training in just over two hours a week.

Brides-to-be may want to sign up for the bridal boot camp newsletter that includes workout routines, nutrition tips, weight-loss plans and more.

All the best in health and fitness!

- Coach Jenn

Trying to lose weight could cost you a lot of money - gym memberships, special diet foods, exercise equipment for your home or even hiring a personal trainer.

But there are ways you can lose weight without spending a lot of money. You will still need dedication, time and a willingness to make changes in your life to achieve your goal. Here are some inexpensive ways to lose weight and stay fit:

* Start a neighborhood walking club. Invite neighbors who have dogs to come along. Or join a local pick-up game of dodgeball, basketball or racquetball. At the most, you'll need the equipment for the game. Set a weekly time for games and a daily time for the walks. Having other people involved will help encourage you to continue moving and exercising.

* Add healthy ingredients that benefit your body to your daily menu. For example, relaxing with a cup of natural tea can help you reduce body fat and increase your metabolism rate. Oolong tea contains rich amino acids and cellulose, which can help lower your cholesterol levels. Green tea leaves contain vitamins C and E and a good amount of fiber. If you prefer black tea, its benefits include help with digestion.

Drinking a cup of tea (without the sugar or cream calories added) after each meal will help you slowly dissolve fat in your body. Premium tea leaves give you the best quality and best taste. Teawan (www.Teawan.com) has both quality tea and teaware products from Taiwan. You can choose tea bags or loose leaf options, depending on your preference.

* Do your own home workout. Grab a full jug of laundry detergent and use it for some lifting. If you're looking for something lighter, fill a plastic bottle with water to use as a weight. Start dancing around your house and in no time you'll break a sweat. This is great for cardiovascular exercise, and enjoyable if you can crank up your favorite tunes.

* Borrow a fitness video from the library and tone your body with the experts. Repeat the video several times and then switch it for a new one from the library. If you have cable or satellite television, tune into some of the fitness channels for different programs. You'll find styles ranging from yoga workouts to belly dancing to step aerobics. Set specific times each week to run through a 30-minute workout.

* Clean the house. Pushing a vacuum at a rapid pace is good exercise. So is scrubbing floors or bathtubs. These activities also are good for toning muscles.

Don't let money keep you from accomplishing your goal of losing weight and getting fit. If one exercise or activity gets boring, switch to another to keep your workout fresh and to target different muscles. And organize a plan with a friend or family member so you can help keep each other on task to accomplishing both of your goals.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

There is nothing more exciting than that first warm day of spring when everyone feels enlivened and refreshed. It's time to bring the renewed energy inside and give your home the boost it needs after a long and tired winter.

Once you've set aside time to spruce up your home, make sure you have resourceful products at your disposal like ARM & HAMMER Baking Soda. One box has countless uses for effective, safe, and economical cleaning and deodorizing all around your home.

"Using natural ingredients found in your kitchen allows you to turn your home into a clean and fresh living area," says lifestyle expert Jill Cordes. "And be creative. Baking soda works on everything from deodorizing carpets and cleaning patio furniture, to polishing jewelry and putting the shine back into your bathroom floor. And even better yet, it is affordable, at about a dollar a box."

Try the following tips from Cordes to have your entire home looking and smelling clean this year:

Start in the kitchen

* Grab the baking soda and sprinkle some onto a clean damp sponge or cloth to wipe down stainless steel surfaces like the kitchen sink without scratching. Rinse thoroughly.

* If you wrinkle your nose in disgust every time you open the door to your microwave, it's definitely time to deodorize. Baking soda on a damp sponge not only helps clean any dried-on food, but also keeps odors at bay. Leave a box of baking soda in the microwave when not in use for continued freshness.

Head to the bathroom

* Your shower curtain looks like it has seen better days, but you can give it a much needed refresh with a quick scrub using baking soda directly on a damp brush. Rinse clean and hang the curtain to dry.

* Bathroom floors don't have to look dingy or splotchy. If you have tile or no-wax floors, mix 1/2 cup baking soda in a bucket of warm water, mop and rinse clean. Baking soda on a sponge also helps to remove unsightly scuff marks.

Don't forget the outdoors

* You shouldn't have to drive your car around with the windows open this spring to get rid of odors. Eliminate unpleasant smells by sprinkling baking soda directly on fabric seats and carpets. Let it sit for 15 minutes and then vacuum. Everyone will love taking rides in your car again.

* Bring your patio furniture out of storage and get ready to relax in the sunshine. Take a cloth and wash off all the dirt and grime that gathered during the long winter months with a solution of 1/4 cup of baking soda in 1 quart of warm water. Rinse everything down and air dry.

Using ARM & HAMMER Baking Soda during your spring house cleaning allows you to save money with a real alternative to harsh chemicals for your furniture, kitchen surfaces, and appliances.

For many more tips and methods including hand washing dishes, tackling baked-on grill residue, cleaning toys or even giving your body a little pampering, visit www.ArmandHammer.com. And once your home is clean and fresh (without the smell of winter still lingering), sit down on your sparkling patio furniture to enjoy the spring air.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Across the country this spring, more Americans will be cutting out sections of lawn, retiring flower beds, building raised vegetable beds and turning their spare time over to gardening. Many of them will be first-timers, inspired to try their hand at tilling the soil for economic reasons as well as the many benefits gardening offers.

In addition to pruning your grocery bill, raising your own veggies offers the benefits of freshness, flavor, convenience, healthful exercise, socialization opportunities and the ability to have more control over what your family eats.

So if you're ready to try your hand at picking your own produce this year, roll up your sleeves, dig in, and arm yourself with this helpful advice from the experts at Bonnie Plants:

*Pick your plot: Most vegetables thrive when they get plenty of sun, so pick a plot that gets at least six to eight hours of direct sun every day. It's OK to plant leafy greens like lettuce and spinach in shadier spots, but get them in the ground early in the cooler part of the season. Tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and squash will do best in the hotter months.

*Think outside of the box planter: Get creative with space. You don't need a huge yard to plant a veggie patch. Try planting lettuce under tomato vines, or mix veggies into flower beds among the bright blooms.

*Give veggies a raise: Try raised beds; they're quicker than planning out a plot. Raised beds will enable you to use near-perfect soil, better organize your garden, improve drainage and provide easier access for maintenance. Time saving tip: Use transplants instead of seeds.

*Feed natural plant food: Since one of the reasons for growing your own vegetables is to control exactly what your family consumes, be sure to use all-natural, safe products in your gardens like Bonnie Plant Food which is derived from oilseed extract such as soybean seed extract. Research shows plants are healthier and more vigorous using organically based foods, rather than chemical based options.

*Water wisely: One inch of water weekly is adequate for most vegetables. Soaker hoses or drip systems deliver water efficiently and keep foliage dry, fending off leaf diseases.

Pick your produce:  Be sure to pick the right plants. To maximize your grocery savings and ensure successful gardening - choose vegetable and herb plants that are easy to grow, useful in a variety of dishes, and produce high yields throughout the season. Some sure-fire winners include:

* Tomatoes - The most popular home-garden vegetable in America, tomatoes are hard to beat in terms of taste, health benefits and versatility. Bonnie Original Tomato can easily yield 50 pounds of tomatoes.

* Yellow squash and zucchini - Although their growing season is shorter than tomatoes, squash are very productive. You'll pick them every day once the season starts.

* Lettuce - As long as the weather is mild, leaf lettuce will keep on producing. If you eat lots of salad, growing your own lettuce can save you lots of money.

* Cucumbers - Grown in a cage or on a trellis, a single cucumber plant can produce 5 to 10 cukes. You can get two or three plants on a cage that is just 18 inches in diameter and 4 feet high, so that's a yield of 15 to 30 cucumbers from a slice of ground no bigger than an end table.

* Specialty peppers - Price specialty peppers like jalapeno, or even regular chili peppers, in the grocery store and you'll be inspired to try growing your own. Hot peppers are especially high yielding and productive in areas with a long, hot summer.

* Herbs - Expensive in the grocery store, fresh herbs are easy and economical to grow. Plant one each of sage, rosemary, mint, thyme and chives, and at least three plants of basil. There are several varieties of basil.  Good choices from Bonnie Plants are Sweet, Cinnamon, Thai and Boxwood basil, each with a unique taste.

Bonnie Plants offers a wide selection of vegetables and herbs in eco-friendly, biodegradable pots; just tear off the bottom of the pot and stick it in the soil. Biodegradable pots not only protect varieties from transplant shock, they save tons of plastic pots from entering landfills. For more gardening advice and tips visit www.bonnieplants.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Do you have a budding sports fan who is always begging to go see a “real game”? If you are like me, the price of tickets to sporting events gets in the way of enjoying a good ole sporting event together. A great solution to this problem is right in your community. You probably pass by it regularly and don’t even realize that it is the answer to you sports problems…Your local High School. Yep, your local High School is a perfect source for athletic performances of many kids. From football to swimming, you can find something for each sports fan in your family.


Here are some reasons why you should take your children to a High School sporting event:

• Your kids can see a sporting event for cheap! Some events are even free and others cost a few dollars. (All of which usually goes right back into the athletic programs at the school)
• Supporting your community-The athletes you are watching live around you. They may be your neighbors down the street; have younger siblings that go to school with your kids; go to the same church. These kids don’t get paid for what they do. They go to school all day, stay after school to train, then to home to do homework. They are hard working teenagers who love what they do.
• Your kids will see real people succeeding- It is one thing to watch the elite play ball. Sure they are great because they are the pros, but watching local kids succeed in sports helps a kid see that they too can be great if they are willing to work hard!
• Concessions are so much cheaper! You go to a pro sports event and you will go broke buying a hot dog and soda. At a high school game, the concessions cost less and your money goes to a great cause. Do you see those kids selling you your hot dog and popcorn? They are probably members of an after school club, off season sports team or part of a musical group raising money to keep their programs running. They aren’t paid for the hours they are working the concession stand; they are volunteering their time so they can continue to enjoy the programs and sports in which they participate.
• It’s just plain fun! I have great memories of attending our local high school Homecoming games when I was young. We didn’t really know anyone who played on the team, but we enjoyed the feeling of community and the fun of watching a good old high school football game.

So go out there and find a high school sporting even today! You can easily find out their schedules by looking at the website for your local high school. Track and Field is in season right now, and provides lots of different events for your little sports fan (I am not even a little biased towards track having been a high school track athelete...no..not at all).

- Christine

Posted by Christine of Sticky Fingerprints

Featured weekly on Pink Lemonade Online Magazine

Many years ago, when I was young and immature, I dated a married man. It was a serious relationship that continued for a long time, and in fact we were engaged to be married at one point. In the end, what ended it between us was the fact that he was married when we got together. There were a lot of emotions involved in the situation, as as you can imagine, many of them revolved around guilt, shame, and embarrassment at the fact that we his wife was being put through this awful situation. I can look back now and see that I did learn something from that experience, and that is one thing I am grateful for, but at the same time it makes me sad to think about the pain and suffering that was caused.

He and I tried to tell ourselves that things would work out between, we thought that love alone would carry us through, but in the end there was that line we had crossed, and there was no undoing that. Because of the shameful nature of what we were doing, I didn't feel that I could share my feelings or tell anyone about what was going on. I felt doomed to deal with it on my own, without the support or advice of even my closest friends. And I know that I wasn't the only one going through this - there were certainly other women out there who shared the same shame, and dealt with it silently.

So if that was the case for women twenty years ago, that an affair would cause such a desire for secrecy and a fear of being discovered, how on earth did we get to where we are today? These days, if you have an affair with a married man, not only do you tell people, you shout it from the rooftops! In some circles, having an affair with a married man of note can even be a badge of honor of sorts. And what a truly messed up honor it is - the tabloids encourage and tempt women with ridiculous sums of cash to tell all, to humiliate and desecrate the families involved. Think about the recent Tiger Woods scandal, or what has happened with Sandra Bullock's husband. The women involved are practically tripping over each other to get to get into the newspapers. It nauseates me to think about how disgustingly trampy it is to sink that low, and what a blow to womankind it is that women can have such utter disregard for the humiliation of others and of themselves, to parade such private stories in such a public way.

Of course, we all know why these women do what they do - the want the money. And that little detail is what makes them not tramps, but prostitutes. They get paid to do what they do, rewarded for what seems like unforgivable behavior. This in itself is almost as awful as the original transgressions themselves.

I sit here and wonder what it is that would cause a women to value attention and cash over all else, to be willing to face the public embarrassment of having been a part of such a terrible string of events, all for fifteen minutes in the spotlight and a one-off paycheck. After all the strides we have taken forward, after all the years and decades and centuries that we have fought to get where we are, why would any woman go so far out of her way to flush it all down the toilet? For a few dollars? It seems unlikely that's the complete answer. Perhaps it's some kind of new social disorder, where women who have no self-esteem and can't be bothered with building a real career try to leech off the misfortune of others instead. If that's the case, we have a long way to go before the battle against this tramp/prostitute trend will be won.

- Maryanne


by Maryanne Comaroto of Maryanne Live

Featured Weekly on Pink Lemonade Online Magazine

See Maryanne discussing her personal experience in this vein, view this week's video blog:

HomeBody is a new DVD created by Fitness Instructor Jillian Hessel. It is a great beginner workout that can be done at home without purchasing expensive equipment or requiring a lot of space! This is a "no-excuses" workout because all you need are the things that are easily found around the house to serve as your workout equipment.

The workout is a hybrid of Dance, Pilates, and Yoga, it's designed to get you moving, stretching, toning, strengthening your core, and improving your posture. The workout cleverly uses common household items like food cans and water bottles to serve as hand weights. A straight-back chair is also needed for the seated exercises.

Initially, I thought some of the seated exercises were too easy, but for folks who sit at a desk all day, they are great for working the upper body and easy to incorporate into a work day to keep your upper body both strong and flexible. The neck and shoulder relaxation section is WONDERFUL. It's like giving yourself a mini-massage.

Jillian says, "I created HomeBody because I want to inspire folks to get up off the couch and start moving, dancing, and toning in the comfort and security of their own homes. Homebody is for everyone who likes to move to music, but doesn't want to spend a lot of money or time getting into shape."

The HomeBody workout is divided into four main parts (plus bonus tutorial!) that can be performed separately or in their entirety, depending on your time schedule. Special navigation buttons allow certain sections to be repeated if you want to concentrate on a particular exercise or sequence. Here is the workout summary:

Part I — Standing Dance Warm-up:
Gets the heart rate up, warms and limbers the entire body, and tones the arms using props found at home.

Part II — Chair Workout:
Chair squats, triceps dips, pelvic lifts, spine twist, a special neck & shoulder tension taming section, plus more arms work!

Part III — Mat Sequence:
Challenging Pilates floor work session. Great for the abs, back, and waist. Includes a special section focusing on toning hips & thighs.

Part IV — Rise to Standing and Finish:
Works on balance and coordination to integrate the core work from the mat sequence into your new improved standing posture.

Bonus Personal Trainer Tutorial:
A unique 12-minute add-on featuring Master Teacher Jillian Hessel offering individualized tips on posture and the exercises included in HomeBody, designed to enhance your understanding and execution of the workout.

Launched in January 2010, HomeBody is now available in Walmart Stores nationwide, on Amazon.com, and here at Jillian's website. I highly recommend this workout for beginners, but there are portions that are more intermediate. I also like that it's easy to segment into times that will work for different schedules. So, no excuses. Give this one a try!

Have you tried HomeBody? Leave a comment and let us know what you think.

This week I’m short on time and long on list of things to do. I wanted to give you a fast, simple idea in case you are a busy woman as am I but still love to make your home feel new and exciting. Going green can mean so many different things to many different people. For the sake of today’s blog, it relates to a fast easy way to green up your house and give it some life quickly and easily. People that know me know I love anything growing be it houseplants, seeds, bulbs, bushes, trees, etc. They also know if anybody can grow it or save a victim of another black thumb, it’s me. Apparently this is a trait I inherited from both of my Grandmothers.

I have had plants as long as I can remember. I have also taken care of plants as long as I could walk. My mom has always called me her “flower child” because I would pick anything pretty I could get my hands on including the neighbors’ tulips and daffodils. Plants really do not need to be intimidating. They make wonderful gifts (shhhh sometimes even better than flowers) and can freshen up a stale house quickly. They work to clean our homes of toxins (including ammonia, benzene, carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, and trichloroethylene), add humidity and oxygen to our air, add color and texture to any room while also helping to lower our blood pressure, increasing our serenity quotient, elevating mood and reducing stress. Some cultures even believe certain types of house plants can even bring money and success to your home. VOC’s have nothing on houseplants!!

A fast easy way to make a room feel alive and fresh is to add a couple of plants. I do have some of my favorites that are lower maintenance, inexpensive and a beautiful addition to any room. My personal favorites include Peace Lily, Shamrock plants, Aloe Vera, Philodendron, Christmas cactus, Spider plants, Polka dot plants, Fuchsia, Boston fern and many of them remind of people I love so I like to surround myself with them. I think a small plant is also a great Hostess gift and it’s something that will hopefully survive long after any bottle of wine has been drunk.

As I said before my love of plants extends from my Grandmas and I have plant memories of each of them which helps me to keep their memory fresh in my mind. My Paternal Grandmother had a huge Boston fern that she put on a pedestal and it flourished in her living room by the front window. Her plants were liked beloved members of the family who traveled back and forth between her two houses with her. Fuchsia plants hung all over her deck at her house on the water and each Spring as I explore the local garden center I’m always reminded of her when I see them. They were bright pops of color hung high in the air. I can remember digging in the dirt with her repotting plants and planting flowers.

My Maternal Grandmother was a green thumb in her own right. She had a 12 foot wide bow window full of Violets. I can’t walk past the plant section of the Grocery Store without thinking of my Gram when I see all the tiny pots of Violets. She was also my Grandma who made me the proud owner of a Christmas cactus that had been passed down by the women of my family for over 150 years. It had been my Great-Great Grandmother’s plant to start and now I will someday be able to pass a slip of the same plant to my daughter too.

If you’re using plants to decorate then you can place them near windows because it helps the room feel more spacious and it also helps to bring the outside in by visually extending the foliage. Hanging plants will help low ceilings feel higher and draw the eye up to other focal points in your rooms. They help absorb sound in larger rooms or ones with hard surface flooring like tile and hardwoods. House plants can help balance accent colors. They can also be an avenue for adding a bit more of the accent color and texture simply by varying the types, textures and colors of pots in which they’re planted.

Don’t be afraid you’ll kill house plants; start out slow with a couple of easy to maintain types then branch out. Get a book about plant care, go online or buy plants from a local florist who should be able to provide care instructions for your purchases. You also must promise me you will keep them dusted since it makes it difficult for them to do their jobs if covered in dust. You can buy products like leaf shine, slow release fertilizers (try organic and non-toxic if you have kids and pets) and all sorts of other fun stuff to help care for your plants. I read a time-saving article once that said to plant maintenance while you are chatting on the phone to a friend and it actually does make quick work of it!

Happy Decorating!

Mary


Posted by Mary of Illuminate, Decorate and Fascinate

Featured weekly on Pink Lemonade Online Magazine

Spring is in the air and that means our food should reflect the warmer weather and blue skies. Here are some great finds out in the blogosphere...





Happy Spring Cooking!

- Liz

Posted by Liz of Pink Lemonade

If you run a food blog and would like to have one of your creations featured in our Monday "food-scape", please email us at pinklemonadeoflife@gmail.com with your name, url of the post you would like featured - we will try to include you in our feature!

They’ve written some of the most memorable songs in Disney theme park – and motion picture – history, and on March 11, 2010, the Academy Award-winning composers of the music from “It’s a Small World” and The Enchanted Tiki Room, as well as “Mary Poppins,” will receive the highest honor that the Disneyland Resort bestows. The Sherman brothers, Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman, will receive a tribute window on Main Street, U.S.A.

Among the Shermans’ more than 150 Disney songs are such familiar Disney theme park compositions as “The Tiki Tiki Tiki Room” (theme of The Enchanted Tiki Room), “There’s a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow” (theme of Carousel of Progress) and “It’s a Small World,” one of the most translated and performed songs on Earth. All three are still performed in their attractions at Disney theme parks around the world, making the music as contemporary today as when it was composed.

“Richard and Robert Sherman’s contribution to Disney spans 50 years and has touched virtually every aspect of our company,” said Robert A. Iger, president and Chief Executive Officer, The Walt Disney Company. “By dedicating a window on Main Street, U.S.A. inside Disneyland we are pleased to recognize them with one of the highest honors our company bestows.”

“The music of the Sherman brothers has left an indelible mark on the Walt Disney Company and still resonates in Disney parks around the world,” said Tom Staggs, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts chairman. “Their songs – particularly ‘It’s a Small World’ and the score of ‘Mary Poppins’ – are not just touchstones of Disney, but of American culture as a whole. The whole world sang these songs when they were new and they still sing them today almost five decades later. Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman are honored members of the Disney family.”

The tradition of honoring individuals with a personalized decorative window was started on Main Street, U.S.A. by Walt Disney and has continued at Disney parks worldwide. A Disneyland window is considered the ultimate honor anyone can receive from “The Happiest Place on Earth.”

The careers of Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman span almost 50 years and include two Academy Awards for “Mary Poppins” – Best Score, and Best Song for “Chim Chim Cher-ee.” The Sherman brothers gained recognition in popular music with several Top Ten hits, among them “Let’s Get Together,” sung in “The Parent Trap” by Hayley Mills; “Tall Paul,” Annette Funicello’s first Top Ten single; and “You’re Sixteen,” which made the Top Ten twice: sung by Johnny Burnette in 1960 and by Ringo Starr in 1974. In 1960, they began a phenomenal 10-year association with Walt

Disney, during which time they composed more than 150 songs for Disneyland Park, other Disney parks, and Disney films and television shows. Their Disney credits include “The Jungle Book,” “Bedknobs and Broomsticks,” “The Sword in the Stone,” “The Aristocats,” “The Happiest Millionaire,” the “Winnie the Pooh” series and, of course, “Mary Poppins.” The theatrical version of
“Mary Poppins” is consistently among Broadway’s top-grossing shows and is in its fourth highly successful year at the New Amsterdam Theatre. The North America tour continues to be a hit, and the show’s popularity is growing around the globe with international productions opening in Australia and Holland later this year.

The Sherman brothers went on to compose other song scores for “Snoopy Come Home,” “Charlotte’s Web,” the Broadway musical “Over Here,” “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” (later brought to the stage in London and New York), “Tom Sawyer,” “Huckleberry Finn,” “The Slipper and the Rose,” “The Magic of Lassie” (which earned their ninth Academy Award nomination for Best Song), “The Tigger Movie,” the stage musical “Busker Alley” and “Beverly Hills Cop 3.”

Among the Sherman brothers’ honors are three Grammy Awards, 24 gold and platinum albums and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. They have also been named Disney Legends, a designation which acknowledges the many individuals whose imagination, talents and dreams have created the Disney magic.





Watch the entire Dedication:
















Part 6 is unavailable

Every mom knows that the only thing to expect in the morning is the unexpected. Between finding time for a shower, getting the kids' teeth brushed and keeping the dog from drinking out of the toilet, morning madness begins in the bathroom for many busy moms. According to a recent Scrubbing Bubbles survey, 81 percent of women begin multitasking right from the start, with eight in 10 admitting to multi-tasking more now than ever before.

"As a mom of two, I know the difficulties of trying to juggle everything in the morning," says Janice Croze, founder of 5 Minutes for Mom. "Like many women, I start my mental to-do list as soon as I step into the shower, so the last thing I want to look at is a dirty bathroom. By utilizing tools that work hard for me and employing some organizational skills, my mornings run smoother."

Croze is partnering with Scrubbing Bubbles to offer moms a few simple tips to minimize morning madness:

• Prepare in advance - Make the extra effort to prepare lunches the night before for the kids to grab on their way out the door to school. You can also use the time to start prepping something easy for breakfast, like pancake or muffin batter.


• Turn morning hassles into nighttime fun - Picking out outfits is another night-before activity that can cut down on chaos in the morning. Try making it into a ritual after homework and before bed. If your kids are budding fashionistas, let them help choose what you'll wear, too.


• Choose cleaning solutions that work overtime - Avoid looking around your house and adding cleaning to your worries by finding products that work harder for you. For example, new Scrubbing Bubbles Extend-A-Clean Power Sprayer has active cleaners that keep your bathroom surfaces clean for days. So, there's one less thing on your to-do list for the day.


• De-clutter as you go - Don't let a mess pile up in the kitchen sink after every meal. Be proactive - leave the dishwasher open and empty, directing everyone to put their dishes in when they're done eating.


• Teamwork, teamwork, teamwork - Team up with your family members to make sure that everyone has what they need as they go out the door, from completed homework and lunch bags to gym clothes and cell phones.

Making a night-before effort, finding products that work harder for you, and staying organized will cut down on unnecessary chaos in the mornings. To find more tips to help you minimize your morning madness visit www.5minutesformom.com or scrubbingbubbles.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

At some time, and at some level, we all feel a periodic need to take control, to have some power over our lives. This power is not so easy to get in a harsh economic climate, and in many ways we can feel like the stress is just too much to handle. Dealing with bills and health care and hanging on to our jobs is hard enough, and sometimes we don't always get everything right. So we shift our power struggle to the things we think we can control, no matter how insignificant they may seem on the surface. The retail experience is a good example of this. We fight through traffic, with harsh words and unkind finger gestures for anyone who behaves in a way we don't like. Getting parking space is like a battle of wills, one of the ways we try to assert our power.

Then, as bundles of pent-up frustration and negativity, we hit the stores. The sales associates have to listen to all our indignation and disgruntlement, even if they didn't have anything to do with it. We have negative feelings about ourselves, and we push them onto sales associates that we don't even treat like real people. It's an awful attitude, and it doesn't improve anyone's life or outlook.

Author Freeman Hall, who wrote Retail Hell: Confessions of a Tortured Sales Associate, gives out advice and tips on how to give yourself an attitude adjustment when you're shopping. These tips can help you be the breath of fresh air that turns around what might be an otherwise hellish experience for both you and the people you encounter when shopping.

1. Shopping is not something to squeeze into a tight schedule. You can not expect to be anything but irritated if you're running late for an appointment and traffic is impossible. Sometimes cashier lines are long, and sometimes stores are busy. Do your shopping when you're not in a hurry, and save yourself a lot of frustration and aggravation.


2. Don't go in with the attitude that you're the mighty customer, and the salesperson is your personal slave that you can treat however you want. Retail can often be a thankless job, and sales associates are often forced to deal with people's negativity even if they did nothing at all to bring it on. Sometimes stores run out of the product you want. It's not something the salesperson planned because they wanted to ruin your day. They have nothing to do with stock, and they can't control customers coming in and buying up all of the items you wanted.


3. Remember that you are polite and courteous. This is something that often goes out the window in retail situations. If you are greeted with a smile, it won't kill you to return the greeting and smile back. In fact, it will make both of you feel a lot better. Also, a smile and a kind attitude can get you all kinds of great service, whereas ignoring a greeting sends out a clear signal that you are a customer who could be a problem. Let them know right away that you're actually quite approachable, and when you need help, they won't hesitate to give it.


4. Patience is a virtue. It's very easy to get caught up in thinking that your life is just so much busier than everyone else's, or that your errands somehow take precedence over the errands of the people who are standing in line in front of you. If you let yours flare or take it out on sales associates, they'll be sure to pay you back by taking their time and getting to you as slowly as they can. Be kind and understanding, and they'll do their best to get you out of there as soon as possible.


5. If you need help, aim your questions toward the right person. Getting frustrated with the kids shoes associate because he doesn't know where the dinner plates are doesn't make any sense. Ask at the information desk if you can get some assistance in housewares instead, and get your information from the appropriate person.

To see more of Maryanne talking with hilarious Freeman Hall, check out her interview on MaryanneLive:





- Maryanne


by Maryanne Comaroto of Maryanne Live

Featured Weekly on Pink Lemonade Online Magazine

My two children are the exact opposite when it comes to their milk consumption - one will not touch it under any circumstances and the other can't get enough. The milk lover, however, will ONLY drink chocolate milk which although it's easy enough to make with a mix-in powder, it's sometimes messy for kids to make themselves (there's always that ring of chocolate powder leaving the tell-tale glass mark on the kitchen counter when they're done). The kid-friendly (and less clean-up option for mom) is to buy pre-made chocolate milk.

Horizon has just introduced it's Organic, Chocolate milk with DHA Omega-3. A yummy beverage for your kiddos that not only provides them with the goodness of milk AND great chocolate taste, plus a healthy boost of DHA!

DHA belongs to a category of healthy fatty acids known as Omega-3's. Found in high concentrations in the tissues of the brain and eye, DHA Omega-3 is thought to help support healthy function in these areas. DHA has also been shown to help support heart health.

• DHA provides a nutritional boost for children's growing minds and bodies. Children's brains grow incredibly fast. In fact, the brain nearly quadruples in the first five years of life.


• DHA is a key structural component of the brain, yet many young children don't get their recommended daily amount of DHA as it is found in a limited number of food sources.
  Horizon Organic Milk Plus DHA Omega-3 is fortified with a natural, 100 percent vegetarian and sustainable source of DHA - a safe, wholesome, delicious way to bring more of this important nutrient into your family's diet.

You can feel good about giving your family chocolate milk instead of plain because flavored milk is a nutrient-rich beverage. It provides the same nine essential nutrients as unflavored milk (calcium, potassium, phosphorous, protein, vitamins A, D, B12, Riboflavin and niacin), and can help kids meet their calcium requirements. Studies have shown that flavored milk consumers did not have higher total fat or calorie intakes than non milk consumers and most importantly... Kids Love the Taste of Flavored Milk - According to 2005 USDA data, 66% of the milk chosen by children in schools is flavored!

What better way to let your kids have the yummy taste of chocolate milk while providing them with important fatty acids their brains and bodies need? For more information, visit Horizon's Chocolate Milk with DHA Omega-3, grab some Coupons or follow Horizon on Facebook.

Check out what our Contributors had to say about Horizon Chocolate Milk with DHA Omega-3:
Jenn at Personal Fit Coach

Christine at Sticky Fingerprints

We have two coupons each good for one free half-gallon of Horizon Chocolate Milk with DHA Omega-3 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!! - Giveaways are open to those with a US shipping address ONLY.

• Leave us a comment here at Pink Lemonade - share your favorite milk flavor or your favorite snack to eat with chocolate milk.


• 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 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.


• Members of Club Pink Lemonade get an extra entry! Just leave a comment with your member name. Not a member? It's super simple to join! (Your membership must be approved before the contest deadline - finalized memberships will be approved in less than 24 hours)

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, March 24th 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

~Please note that Horizon Milk Provided Pink Lemonade with two coupons, each for a free half-gallon of Horizon Chocolate Milk with DHA Omega-3 to facilitate our review.

During a recent interview, a reporter asked Kathy Smith what her all-time favorite exercise moves were. As she started to name a few of her favorites, she realized most were about working the glutes. After all, it does feel great to have a nice rear end view in a pair of jeans. Here are 5 of Kathy's favorite moves to achieve a toned derriere!

1. Maximize a flight of stairs.

Take advantage of a flight of stairs by thinking about putting your weight in your heels as you ascend. This will engage your gluteal muscles more than just climbing alone. Walking up hills or on an inclined treadmill is also a great way to tone your glutes. Try shifting your weight to your heels as you walk and you'll get a little more toning action.

2. Squats.

Squats are an excellent glute move, and if you've done my Project: YOU™ workouts, you may already know my squat mantra. To really target your glutes in a squat, make sure you put your weight on your heels, so much that you should be able to lift your toes off the floor. In our Project: YOU test group, I went around and put my fingers under people's toes, asking that they not crush them, of course! Risky, I know, but it got the point across (and thankfully, I walked away with no bruises). By shifting your weight to your heels, not only will you challenge your glutes more (and hamstrings, or the back of your legs), you'll also take pressure off your knees.

3. Squats 101.

Still having problems with achieving proper form in a squat? Practice with a chair. Start by sitting in the chair and then standing up. Repeat this a few times. Then, squat as if you're going to sit back down, but instead of sitting down, just hover slightly above the chair and then come back up. Now, repeat the hover-squat a few times while keeping your weight on your heels as you really think about squeezing the muscles in your butt and your inner thighs.

4. Lunges.

This is another one of my favorite moves for working the glutes. Again, a slight shift in body weight during a lunge will help lift and tone the buttocks. So, when doing lunges, first make sure that you have enough distance between your front foot and your back foot so the front knee does not jut out over the front foot. In fact, the knee should be in line over the ankle when you are in the deepest part of the lunge. Then, put your weight on the heel of the front foot so that you're really working those gluteal muscles. Remember, in order to get the glutes to fire, you need to go down deep enough in the lunge. As you approach a 90-degree bend in the knee, the glutes will start to contract and be used in the exercise. If you do not go down far enough, the exercise will stay in the quads or thighs, and you will not get the benefit of working your butt.

5. Add some imbalance.

Once you've mastered basic lunges or squats, challenge yourself by placing your front foot (for a lunge) or both feet (for a squat) on an unstable surface such as a pillow to add a little instability. This advanced move will call on other muscle fibers to fire and increase muscle toning while burning a few extra calories as well.

Try some of these great moves today and incorporate them every day for a well-lifted butt by summer.

All the best in health and fitness,

Many people don’t realize how profoundly color can affect you every day. It can make you anxious, angry, antsy and uncomfortable. Certain colors can brighten your day, make you calmer and instantly feel right at home. Color can date your décor or make your home feel cutting edge trendy. I love fine design but also like having our kids, family & friends all feel like they want to snuggle down into our furniture, prop their feet up and relax in our home.

Decorating doesn’t always have to be expensive. It’s about surrounding yourself with things you love. Easy, inexpensive ways to find things you love is to shop sales or if your favorite stores have a kids store you can find similar colors and styles to what they carry in the adult versions. Find beautiful things on EBay, Craig’s List or thrift stores and refinish or repurpose them. A great custom upholsterer is almost as important as a great tailor. You make any piece look fresh and new with different fabrics and a bit of paint or finish.

If you love vibrant colors but worry it would be too bold to paint the walls orange or purple then bring it into the room with furniture, window coverings, rugs, etc. Personally, I adore drapes, slipcovers, rugs, pillows & throws as a way to change up my rooms as the seasons change. Even if you keep the same colors but get deeper, richer tones of them for winter and fall then bring in the bright, sassy colors for spring and summer. It’s an easy and often inexpensive way to make things feel fresh and new.

I also rearrange my furniture just for fun. I love to clean and make sure things are scrubbed clean and I always move furniture to clean thoroughly so I use that as my opportunity to rework my furniture arrangements. My husband loves that (especially in the dark when he stubs his toe)! I love the change of seasons because it’s time to get out the different accessories again. Everybody should have a little closet or storage area so they can tuck away all of the treasures they’re not putting out right then.

Blues & greens are considered calming, restful colors. Blue is said to promote health, lower heart rate and body temperature. Blue in your working environment makes you more productive. Yet, if you want people to rave about what a wonderful cook you are then do NOT paint your kitchen or dining room blue. Toss out those blue plates (unless you’re trying to lose weight) as well because it makes food unappetizing. I find little ways to add pops of blues in my kitchen and still keep things tasting good for all who are brave enough to sample my cooking. Green represents nature, tranquility, good luck (money is green), stress relief. Guests on Television shows are said to wait in “the green room”. The blues and greens shown here can help you see how fabrics & accessories like plush throws & plump pillows can make a space feel inviting, relaxing while also punching up a neutral backdrop.

A perfect example of how profoundly people can be affected by color is the house my older sister bought. It had blue everything, everywhere; blue shag carpets, wallpapers, paints, bath fixtures, tile from floor to ceiling it was blue! That house sat on the market for years! People looked at it, it is in a great neighborhood and the price was terrific compared to the neighbors yet it still sat. My sister has a good eye (she gets it from me ;) haha!) and she could look past the blueberry effect to see a diamond in the rough. They stole the house and immediately started renovations. It’s fabulous; a real showplace of a home and not a single thing is blue now. Just goes to show you can have too much of a good thing.

Red is a deep, strong, dramatic color that can inspire passionate and even angry responses in people. Many people don’t realize that places like Target, Walmart, McDonald’s, etc. all use splashes of red to get you in & out the door quickly. They use the red to peak your senses, increase your circulation and all of this is often times attributed to the “shopping rush”. Many people become anxious by bright splashes of red & seek to avoid it. The lesson to take from this is that if you don’t want company to over stay their welcome then add splashes of red in your guest room. My Grandma had a sign in her summer home that said fish & company stinks after 3 days.

Yellow is a happy, bright, sunshiny color that stimulates people. It can at times over-stimulate which could be why some babies cry a lot in their yellow nurseries. It’s also said that yellow can stimulate your metabolism; which may be why I’ve always been inclined to decorate my kitchen with yellows. There’s nothing I like better than a pale yellow awash with morning sunshine when I head out to start breakfast.

Orange is touted as one of the least favorite colors of the masses. It’s said to be a color of enthusiasm, warmth and energy. Orange is often seen as a young, vivacious, daring color and I say if it makes you feel happy then have it in your home. All of our outdoor cushions, decor, etc. is all different shades of orange & it blends so beautifully with everything outdoors.

Purple is a color of wealth and royalty. Purple or more importantly Lavender reminds me of my Grandma who had a beautiful lavender bedroom with lush velvets & satins. That was the “off-limits” room but now as an adult with little of her own space not invaded by children & husband I completely understand it. She had surrounded herself with things she loved, fabrics & color she loved and created her own oasis. It was her place to retreat and be herself more than any other place in her home. She wasn’t a woman of great wealth but she found things that worked for her budget and made them beautiful by adding sumptuous fabrics and beautiful live violets. The memory of my Grandma in her Lavender retreat is often a comfort as I think of how special it felt as a child to be welcomed into to her inner sanctum.

Embrace color, don’t shy away!! Take your time, try out colors and don’t stop until you find something that makes you feel passionate, perky, and productive and then layer it into your life. If it doesn’t make you feel good when you look at it then don’t use it. Have fun with color today and see how profoundly you can be affected too.

Happy Decorating!

Mary


Posted by Mary of Illuminate, Decorate and Fascinate

Featured weekly on Pink Lemonade Online Magazine

Parenting, like every other aspect of life, is filled with ups and downs. Each day can be a little bit like the movie “Groundhog Day”; we do the same things each day but how we approach them affects how we feel at the end of the say. Some mornings I wake up grumpy…and if I don’t change my attitude I will be grumpy all day. I will be grumpy when my children whine about their homework. I will be grumpy when they drag their feet doing chores. I will be grumpy when I walk into the bathroom to find that one of my boys has yet again forgotten to flush the toilet (this happens often in our home).

The biggest secret I can offer to navigate the ups and downs of parenthood (and any other aspect of life, for that matter) is to watch and make changes to your attitude. We can only do so much to change our children’s behavior, and that is a slow process. But how we approach their behavior not only affects how we feel at the end of the day, but a positive attitude helps you to keep calm and be more effective at discipline.

While being cheerful constantly can be almost impossible (at least for me, if you have figured out the secret to being cheerful all the time, please share!); recognizing the times when your attitude is making a bad situation worse can really help your day run smoothly. If you can react calmly to a crisis (aka bathroom covered in toothpaste) and discipline without losing control (aka screaming and yelling) you can more effectively teach (and model) proper behavior. I often notice my children losing patience with one another more often during times when I too lose my patience more often. (They truly are little mirrors, aren’t they?).

Navigating the ups and downs of parenthood can feel overwhelming at times, but taking the time to evaluate our attitudes and reactions can help smooth the path. While we will never be able to completely eliminate the frustrations, we can make them easier to handle.

- Christine

Posted by Christine of Sticky Fingerprints

Featured weekly on Pink Lemonade Online Magazine

Plane journeys have always been a sticking point for me. There's the worry about being late, the stress of dealing with airports, and of course the panic about the flight itself. And if the flight happens to be in the morning, as it was yesterday morning, the day can get off to a seriously bad start.

Most mornings, I wake up feeling grateful for another day, and after counting up the number of peaceful hours of sleep I've had, I spend some time contemplating my dreams, and assessing any issues I had during the night. My husband and I spend some time talking, and in general I take the opportunity to check in with myself, and with him.

But yesterday we had a flight to catch, and we had to be at the airport for an 8am check-in. I leapt out of bed just after 6, briefly asked my husband how he slept, and then went straight from there into anxiety. Looking back now, I see what went wrong, and it's no wonder how I ended up in a bad place emotionally.

I showered and thought about all the ways that weather might crash a plane. It had been raining heavily overnight, and the weather was forecast to get even more extreme soon. I pictured our plane going down in a crash of thunder and lightning.

As we boarded the plane, I tried to quell thoughts of disaster as my stressful thinking continued unabated. I told myself how unlikely it was that the plane would go down, especially with David and me on it together. I tried to convince myself that since a friend of mine had died in a plane accident, and another friend's husband also had, that it was nearly impossible for it to happen to me. But maybe, just maybe, there could be a terrorist on the plane. I checked around to see if I thought anyone looked like a terrorist.

But then I suddenly got a hold of myself, a kind but firm interruption of my paranoia. I told myself, look, Maryanne, think about it - every time you fly, you do this. Can't you see that no matter how many times you anticipate disaster on an airplane, it never happens?

That reality check already made me feel better, but my inner voice continued to drive the point home. You know, God is not an old man in the clouds, but the Divine all around you. You are here on a mission of purpose, and when your time comes, it will come. That was all I needed to hear from myself. I settled down and quietly rejoiced in the truth.

It's amazing how much progress I've made from a few years ago, when not only would I not have been able to board a plane, but I wouldn't have been able even to leave my house. Anxiety disorders ruled my life, and without medication, I struggled to find the path back to health. Today, I'm able to sit on a plane and quietly contemplate how far I've come. It's wonderful.

There's a fitting story, about an old Shaman who used to tell stories to the village children, around the time of each new moon. The stories he told were about a dark wolf and a white wolf, who were mortal enemies, and who battled incessantly. The white wolf fed on truth, integrity, love, and generosity. The dark wolf fed on dishonesty, greed, fear, and hatred. The children loved these stories of how the two wolves battled each other, and they would always ask the same question: which wolf wins in the end. "Well," the Shaman would reply, "the one you feed is the one that wins!" And this is the truth - you choose which wolf to feed.

Are you letting fear into your life? Take a minute to meditate – everyone has time if you multitask! Maryanne shows us how in this week's video blog:




- Maryanne


by Maryanne Comaroto of Maryanne Live

Featured Weekly on Pink Lemonade Online Magazine

You call them tzotchke, I call them knick knacks and others use the term bric-a-brac. Call it what you may but it still all needs to be dusted. Everyone knows somebody who has WAY TOO MANY knick knacks. You all know what it’s like to go to that person’s house and feel overwhelmed or afraid you’ll knock them over and break them. There’s that Aunt that has cat stuff everywhere or that sweet, little, old lady neighbor that has embroidered, lacy doilies under all of her teeny, little knick knacks. You find yourself looking around their houses in amazement not having realized they made all those different cat collectibles, pillows, throws, coffee mugs, sweaters or appliquéd sweatshirts. Come on you know you think it too!!

My husband and I know people who are actively trying to sell their house. I can’t believe how many different kinds of knick knacks they have everywhere in their home. No exaggeration they have crystal figures, Disney figures, horse figures, Precious Moments, Cherished Teddies, wooden figures, spoons; basically if there’s a collectible made they have it. Sadly, they don’t realize it is all of these collections everywhere along with all of the family photos and “kid stuff” that makes it difficult for people to envision themselves living in their home. I tried to put it to them delicately that all of the knick knacks were overwhelming and perhaps they should be packed up early for the move. They didn’t want to hear it!! Instead the knick knacks stay and they have reduced their price, beat up their realtor for Open Houses and they’ve reveled in their denial. House still hasn’t sold!!!

I like collectibles myself but as the mom of a busy, busy, busy Preschooler and his sister the Kindergartener; I find peace in the simplicity of leaving them packed away. Don’t feel as though you have to cover every inch of every surface with “stuff” to make your home special. If you love a specific collection then by all means display it. Then take it down, pack it away and bring it back out again in 6 months or a year to keep it feeling special. When I was younger, I too, was a victim of feeling as though I should display everything I ever received as a gift. I felt bad for getting rid of the favors from weddings of the people I love. Then I realized that people who love me give me things they think I’ll like so I can enjoy them not so I’ll have more dusting to do.  Free yourself of the knick knacks!!!

My sister has a beautiful collection of Llardo figurines given to her over the years by her loving husband who picks them up as he’s traveling with the military. Those are cherished pieces for them that hold parts of their love story and I enjoy seeing them each time we’re at my sister’s home. The decorating lesson you should take away today is that if you love a collection then display it beautifully, tastefully and intermittently. Get a curio cabinet to keep them safe, dust free and breakage free especially if my kids come to your house.


Happy Decorating!

Mary


Posted by Mary of Illuminate, Decorate and Fascinate

Featured weekly on Pink Lemonade Online Magazine

Classic Attraction Featuring Michael Jackson Now Open

“Captain EO,” the classic musical spectacular that thrilled Disneyland park guests from 1986-1997, is now open at Disneyland. The attraction’s return to Tomorrowland provides new audiences the opportunity to experience the original 3D production for the very first time, as well as a nostalgic look back for longtime fans wanting to see “The King of Pop” in a rare performance created for the big-screen.

Twenty-three years ago, at the height of his phenomenal entertainment career, Michael Jackson joined forces with Disney, producer George Lucas and director Francis Ford Coppola to create a groundbreaking 17-minute 3D film experience starring Jackson as Captain EO performing two original songs, and featuring Academy Award®-winning actress Anjelica Huston, and a cast of merry, mythical space characters with dual personalities who undergo magical transformations to become Jackson's electronic band in conquering the forces of darkness.

The colorful Disney-created characters include: Hooter, the little green elephant-like creature who sneezes wild musical notes through his flute-like trunk; Fuzzball, the orange-haired space monkey with butterfly wings; the Geex, a golden-haired, two-faced personality with two left feet, one right foot and two shaggy heads named Idy and Ody; Major Domo, whose mirrored silver costume becomes a complete set of drums, and Minor Domo with his sparkling purple torso that turns into an electronic synthesizer played by Hooter.

For all its technology, “Captain EO” is first and foremost a musical spectacular and a thrilling space-fantasy adventure. The realism of the 3D process will once again make it seem that Jackson dances right out of the screen into the theater. While it’s not possible to replicate some of the special effects elements from the original presentation, it will boast a new 70mm print of the film and sound better than ever thanks to acoustical enhancements made to the theater since the film last played there. The total effect is one of motion, color and high energy filled with Jackson’s musical brilliance and various illusions to create an exciting and realistic journey in space for the audience.

During the journey, Captain EO and his merry crew discover a colorless planet where they are confronted by the Supreme Leader (Huston) and her forces of darkness. Using the power of music, dance and light to fill the planet and the theater with all the shades of the rainbow, the EO crew turns the black and white land into a magical world of color and happiness.

“Captain EO” makes use of more famous-name talents than any other film of its length ever produced. The production called on Hollywood’s finest choreographers, set designers, costume creators and special effects artists – all of them excited by the challenge of shooting this kind of imaginative film in three dimensions.

“Captain EO” is presented multiple times daily at Disneyland.

Rain showers and blooming flowers aren't the only things that will be kind to your sense of smell this spring. It's also the time of year when you start to bake up homemade breads, cookies, and moist crumbly muffins.

This year, mix in some new recipes with some longtime family favorites. Here are some tips for making yummy treats that will have the entire neighborhood gathering outside your kitchen this spring:

* Bake quick breads in the center of the oven rack for best heat circulation.

* Use a spring-handled ice cream scoop (No. 20 or No. 24) to fill muffin cups or a melon-ball sized scoop for mini muffins.

* To tell if yeast bread is done baking in the oven, tap the crust. If the bread sounds hollow, it's finished.

* Boost the nutrition level in your cookies by using whole wheat flour. This works really well for drop cookies. Find several favorite recipes to try at www.GoldMedalWholeWheat.com.

* When making biscuits, make sure the baking powder or baking soda ingredients are fresh. Look for expiration dates on the bottom of the box or can.

* And if you're looking for an easy way to add some whole grain to your diet, whole wheat flour adds a special flavor and texture to your baked goods.

* Bread dough made with whole wheat flour will be stickier because the bran and germ in the whole grain keep the dough sticky. Don't add more flour; this will make your bread dry and heavy. Instead, try lightly oiling your hands to work with the dough.

For more tips, go to www.GoldMedalFlour.com to sign up for the Scratch Bakers' Club, an online community with recipes, message boards, how-to videos and baking advice from baking expert and author of "The Cake Bible," Rose Levy Beranbaum. Register today, and enter the Gold Medal Flour Scratch Bakers' Club Baking Contest as well.

And, to get your spring baking season started off right, try this recipe.

Springtime Slice-and-Bake Confetti Cookies

Makes about four dozen cookies


Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups sugar

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened

1/2 cup butter-flavored shortening

1 egg

2 tablespoons milk

2 teaspoons vanilla

3 1/4 cups Gold Medal all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon salt

10 drops red food coloring

16 drops yellow food coloring

9 drops green food coloring

3 tablespoons pastel-colored confetti candy sprinkles



Directions:

Heat oven to 375 F. Line bottom of a loaf pan, 9x5x3 inches, with plastic wrap. Beat sugar, butter and shortening in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed or mix with a spoon. Stir in egg, milk and vanilla. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt. Divide dough into thirds. Knead one food coloring into each dough. Press one of the colored doughs in the bottom of the pan. Top with remaining colored doughs, pressing each layer firmly to seal. Turn the pan upside down and remove the plastic wrap from the dough. Cut dough lengthwise into thirds. Cut each third crosswise into 16 slices. Place about two inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Sprinkle with candy sprinkles. Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until bottoms are a light golden brown. Cool for one minute, remove from cookie sheet and place on a wire rack.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Most of us reach for some sort of pharmaceutical when seasonal ailments strike. But most of the time, we can alleviate the symptoms of our discomforts with more something more natural, more soothing... something like tea.

Celestial Seasonings offers a full line of teas to help with many of your seasonal symptoms. Wondering exactly which Celestial Seasonings tea will work for your specific needs? Visit their Tea for All that Ails You chart - it will help you decide exactly which one will help you feel better.

Celestial Seasonings Senior Blendmaster Charlie Baden discusses the health benefits of herbs and recommends certain combinations and teas to ease seasonal cold and flu ailments:











Now that you are aware of all of the possibilities of tea, we have a great opportunity for one lucky reader!

We have one Celestial Seasonings Natural Wellness Kit which includes: Four wellness teas to ease symptoms associated with the cold and flu - Sleepytime Extra, Echinacea Complete Care and Tummy Mint. Two green teas to support a healthy immune system year round - Authentic Green Tea and Honey Lemon Ginseng Green Tea. Mug, soothing lip balm, honey sticks and Celestial Seasonings Sleepytime Bear and the book “Herbs for Health and Happiness” by Celestial Seasonings founder Mo Siegel and Nancy Burke(a $60 value) to give away to one lucky reader... But in addition to a giveaway, this one has an added catch...

The winner will be shipped their Natural Wellness Kit and then will write a review (you can post it to your blog or submit it to us at Pink Lemonade) along with a picture of you enjoying your tea!

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!! - Giveaways are open to those with a US shipping address ONLY.

• Leave us a comment here at Pink Lemonade - share with us how you have used tea to help you feel better in some way.


• 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 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.


• Members of Club Pink Lemonade get an extra entry! Just leave a comment with your member name. Not a member? It's super simple to join! (Your membership must be approved before the contest deadline - finalized memberships will be approved in less than 24 hours)

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 Sunday, March 14th 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

~Please note that Celestial Seasonings Provided Pink Lemonade with a “Natural Wellness Kit ” prize pack.