Guess Who Played Hookey today...

After dropping Samme off at pre-school Will & I decided to play hookey and go climb Engineer Mountain, a 13,000 foot peak that looms near our house in Durango (that we have always marveled at but never climbed)! It was beautiful and fun - we need to do that more often AND so do YOU!

10 Tips for maintaining a healthy brain...

These tips are for real. Met Life Insurance Company typed up these tips for a healthy brain!

DO Good Thursday...

We all know how important it is to give back....And here's a worthy cause - AnySoldier.com

Despite my personal feelings about the war in Iraq, my support and admiration for the soldiers in the Middle East has never waived. Here's a great and EASY way to send them your support either via a letter or a care package. It's simple, you browse through the list of soldiers and their needs, select one and the website administrator will email you their mailing address (through an APO Box on either coast). You can put stuff in a flat rate box (you don't have to pay international shipping rates), take it to the post office, fill out the customs form and you are good to go. I'm going to aim to send one care package a month until this war is OVER!

10 Ways to Dodge Stress...

Here are some Tips from Gabby Reece's Yahoo Health Blog.

1. Drink only water.

2. Limit the coffee to just in the A.M. (Don't be sipping java at 4 in the afternoon).

3. Exercise at least 3 to 4 times a week for 20 minutes. Just get started.

4. Try to eat real food. Nothing from a bag, freezer, microwave, or drive-through. Do the best you can.

5. Don't use food to relieve stress. Call a friend or go for a walk.

6. Limit the amount of time you sit in front of the idiot box (TV or computer). All the bad news out there only makes us more bummed and sucks the energy out of us. Turn it off.

7. Get some sleep. Talk about a life saver? Sleep.

8. Have some fun. Laugh with your friends and family every day. The first time you see your kids in the morning, throw them a big fat smile. See what happens.

9. Take a deep breath. When you're just about to freak, take a deep gulp of air and on the exhale, ask yourself "Is it really worth it?"

10. Keep reminding yourself what's positive in your life.

DO something each day...

A great reminder from Fit Sugar to do something each day - even if it is just a 20 minute walk with your dogs. Aim for at least 30 minutes of exercise each day. Here's how Fit Sugar fits it into her day.

MomME planner featured in RedBook Magazine!!

Check it out here or pick up a copy of the September Issue of RedBook Magazine.

Healthy Homemade Baby Food How To...

Watch as Mom Made founder whips up some healthy, homemade baby food here.

Try Something New...

Try new things. Take up something different (a sport, hobby, language, adventure). We don't have to just stay the way we know ourselves to be. Why can't a grownup of 20, 30, 40, or 80 pick up something new? We only limit ourselves.

Look at your schedule this week...Where can you add something new in? A new workout class at the gym? A new hiking trail? A new restaurant? A new running route?

Back To School...

Samme started pre-school this morning! SO darn cute!

Here are some tips to get all of you out the door in the morning, calmly and sanely:

1. Prepare everything the night before - get children bathed; have them pick out clothes for the next day and lay them all out (including shoes & jackets); filled h20 bottle, musical instruments and after-school activity clothes put in bag by front door.

2. Lay out lunch box and prepare anything ahead of time you can (chop veggies, cut fruit, make sandwiches, etc. the night before).

3. Get sleep. It is recommended that children aged 2-4 get 12+ hours a night; and children 4-8 have 10+ hours per night. Plus mommy's need 7-8!

4. ME TIME. This is crucial (and challenging at the same time). Get up BEFORE your children!!! Do 10-15 minutes of yoga or meditation to get grounded in your day. Get showered, have a cup of tea, respond to critical emails and begin preparing breakfast.

5. Make time for a healthy breakfast everyday. It is the MOST important meal of the day.

6. Don't turn the TV on...how do you expect your 6 year old to tear himself away from Noggin to get in the car for school when a house fire couldn't get you to walk away from Grey's Anatomy?

7. Get a morning groove going. Aim to keep the same routine each morning.

8. SMILE. Remember, every day with our kids is precious.

39 ways to slow down and savor the rest of summer...

Since summer is almost over, here are some ways to savor the last of it.

1. Start the day with an early, energizing walk.

2. Sleep under the stars.
3. Turn your cell phone off on the evenings and weekends.
4. Find water and sit by it. (It’s that simple.)
5. Dine outside at the local eatery.
6. Walk barefoot in the grass.

Click here for more tips.

TGIF...

It's Friday and you all could probably use a little relaxation and rejuvintation. Take 20 minutes tonight and do this.

Wedding bells? Birthday wishes?

Whatever your invite needs are, Handmaiden Paperterie will work with you to create a one of a kind invitation.

Alli prints all of her work on an antique letter press in her studio in the mountains of Lyons, Colorado. To view more images of her work, click here.

Happy Meals...

We are conditioned to believe that eating healthy requires deprivation. But you can eat healthfull; fuel your body and enjoy it.

Here's a healthy recipe to try:

Quinoa Salad (pronounced keen-WAH)

1 cup quinoa

1 bunch fresh parsley

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1 cucumber, peeled & chopped

4 plum tomatoes, diced

2 TBSP extra virgin oilve oil

juice from one lemon

black pepper to taste

Prepare quinoa according to package directions. Then let cool for 30 minutes. Toss all ingredients into a bowl. Enjoy!

Go To Gabby.

Some tips from Gabby Reece, volleyball champ, model & mother:

On exercise: "Even when I'm tired, exercise it like laundry - I have to get it done." Schedule your workout the same way you schedule everything else in your life - take the option and emotion out of it."

On nutrition: Gabby is careful to check nutrition labels - she only buys things in which she recognizes the ingredients. Some of her meal ideas.

Bfast - Oatmeal with almond butter for protein and maple syrup to satisfy her sweet tooth.

Lunch - Big Salad with fish or chicken

Dinner - Lean meat with veggies and a sweet potato or brown rice.

Caffeine Boost - Green tea with ice & honey

Overall Tips - Eat 3 meals a day; don't skip breakfast; and avoid processed foods, wheat, sugar and ingredients you can't pronounce and you'll have more energy.

For more tips from Gabby visit her awesome website.

Simple & Sweet...

Came across these adorable notecards this morning. They are from ShorthandPress.

I'm Baaaccckkk....

So sorry for the lack of posts while I was away but it was a crazy trip...1 day travel to Salt Lake City with a pit stop in Moab for some meetings; 2 days in SLC at the Outdoor Retailer tradeshow; 1/2 day in Park City for meetings; red-eye flight to Anchorage - a few hours sleep in Achorage; a 4 hour drive to Clam Gulch, Alaska on the Kenai Peninsula - 4 days on non-stop adventures; 4 hour drive back to Anchorage and a visit to the 4th largest indoor waterpark in the world; red-eye flight back to SLC; drive to Ogden, Utah for the Xterra Triathlon Championships; drive back to Moab; then back to Durango last night. ALL with a 3 1/2 year old in tow. As you can imagine my PackME lists came in handy!

We had a great time with Sam - we saw tons of amazing wildlfie, glaciers, and beautiful scenary abounds. NONE of the things I wanted to get done got done but oh well. I did practice yoga each day - didn't run much in Alaska because of the remote area we were in and I really didn't think toned legs were worth getting eaten by a grizzly bear.

More pictures to come.

Global Warming...

We are having an amazing time up in Alaska...It is gorgeous beyond words. Yesterday we took a tour to Holgate Glacier and actually say CHUNKS of it caving off and water streaming off of it. It really puts the whole global warming issue front and center when you see these large glaciers losing FEET of ice everyday. To learn more about global warming and actions you can take to halt it visit this site.

A weird twist of fate...

My momME planner fell into the Cook Inlet in Alaska...It is probably at the bottom of the Bering Sea now. No kidding. I think "someone" up there was trying to tell me to NOT work, plan and just relax and BE while on vacation up here in Alaska. I mourned it but luckily I have a life-time supply of them back home. But until then, no planning for ME.

Headed West...

So, I'm away from the office for about 2 weeks - part play, part work and lots of time in the car & on planes with our 3 1/2 year old (wish us luck). We are off to the Outdoor Retailer Show in Salt Lake City and then are flying to Alaska to visit Will's family, then back to Utah for the Xterra Traithlon. I'm really going to try and RELAX in Alaska and enjoy myself. Here are some things I would like to accomplish during my RELAXING vacation with the in-laws (I know, I know...Accomplish & Relax are in the same sentence!)

create - 2008 lobotoME notepads

plan - 2008 schedule (GPS events; LobotoME tradeshows; raft trip; travel and more FUN!)

chill - relax, sleep, read, journal & spend quality time with Will & Sam

fitness - yoga, meditation, hiking, running and hopefully kayaking in Alaska

Feed ME in Florida...

The FeedME pad was featured in the Miami Herald today.

Thought you might like...

I just picked up a copy of this book the other day by Julia Hunt.

Inspiration mingles with real, simple, catch-me-as-you-can life lessons in this girl power adventure book.

Shout From The Rooftop In Your Stilettos is full of inspiring quick reads, exploratory exercises, quick healing strategies, grounding rituals, inspirational quotes and adventurous stories.

A bit of a welcome respite from the other book I've been reading about Darfur (more on this book at a later date - also a must read).

Organic...Kid Tested MomME Approved

Check out this video from one of my fav sites - Sprig.com - they served up various "kid" favorites - mac & cheese, grape juice, etc...and put the organic ones to test.

Got Brain Fog?

You know those days when it takes you twice as long to do everything at work? According to a recent Penn State study, your lack of focus may be due to an insufficient amount of iron in your diet. An iron deficency may disrupt brain processes that affect our mental abilities, say experts. Be sure to get the recommended 18 milligrams of iron a day from foods like lean meat, poultry and seafood.

MTB 100

We put on our annual 100 mile mountain bike race in Durango, CO at Purgatory Ski Area this past weekend. These guys & gals are tough and dirty.

Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy...It's Friday!

“Be Guided By Goodness • Fuel Your Life And Your Work With Fun • Passion Is Empty Without Compassion • Profit From Your Mistakes • Beating Yourself Up Reinforces Errors You Want To Avoid • Drive Discipline With Desire • Make Decisions Not Judgments • Schedule Your Time Not Your Tasks • Be Driven By Desire NOT Duress • See Obstacles NOT Problems • Focus On How You Want To Feel • Touch Each Person You Meet With A Positive Spirit • Love Propels Happiness ”

From Michele Moore - author of How To Live A Happy Life -101 Ways To Be Happier http://HappinessHabit.com

Soda Pop = Heart Disease

America's love affair with soft drinks may be getting a reality check. A new study links soft drinks to risk factors for heart disease.

So, I love Diet Coke and Coca Cola and have been working really hard at getting OFF of the stuff...it's my one evil vice in the world and it is addictive. This new study just made it easier for me to give it up. Are you done drinking it too?

Slump Day Smiles...

This will cheer all of you up on slump day!

My Samme...

Introducing a new must have mag...

Organize Magazine - A new magazine all about organizing your home & life. Organize Magazine is the first magazine dedicated solely to helping people tackle their organization needs. As such, we will help our readers learn how to get organized in all areas of their lives: Home, Work, Time and Leisure.

Available at these stores or subscribe here.

Borders

Barnes & Noble

Ralphs

Meijer

Get Your Soul In Shape...

Great Soulful tips from the Ririan Project blog. For more info on each of these items click on the link.

1. Learn to quiet your mind.

2. Develop the happiness habit.

3. Just lighten up.

4. Hang up your troubles.

5. Develop tolerance, patience, tact and consideration for others.

6. Soulful housekeeping.
7. Conjuring everyday bliss.
8. Unwrap the present.

9. Pray for someone you hate.

10. Love.

11. Pool your tears.