Super Healthy Kids – I love all the photos and all the creative ways she has for introducing healthier ingredients into your kids’ diets.

OrgJunkie - Without Laura’s Menu Plan Monday, I would be a total mess. Menu planning is one skill that I have learned makes all the difference in our family’s diet, budget and it cuts down on the impulse trips to take out and fast food like you would not believe. Plus it’s easy – really.

Celiac Family – So, Heather really is my sister-in-law, but she has done such an amazing job of building a real community and resource site for families who eat gluten-free whether by choice or necessity. She is an amazing cook and all of her recipes are so good – you don’t even miss the wheat/gluten.

MommaSaid.net – Jen Singer is one of the funniest yet most sane Mothers I know. Her humorous parenting books are gems and if you need a quick reality check  and a reminder that you really are a good parent – just visit her site.

ParentHacks – lots of great advice from parents with kids of all ages. This site has been around for a long time and there is always something useful!

Dr. Gwenn is In – Dr. Gwenn is a pediatrician who shares news on kids health from a doctor’s perspective.

Have a great week! If you have any favorites – please share them in the comments – I always like discovering new sites.

My 11 year old daughter and her friends have taken that whole girly activity to another level. When they get together and paint nails they go all out – coming up with intricate designs, using special nail art sets and changing out the designs every few days. Her collection of nail polish grew to the point where I had to get her a Caboodle for her birthday to hold it all.

I recently discovered Haircare Discounters – and found out that not only do they sell her favorite OPI nail polish for less than our local salons, they also have some of her favorite discontinued colors, too.  She spent hours on the site this afternoon checking out all the OPI polish colors, making her list, doing the math and eventually plunking down some cash on my desk and asking nicely if I would order her some. What she doesn’t know is that with every OPI Nail Polish purchase you get a Free Gift (Click Here for More Information). She will love the extra bonus.

The other day she went hunting all over the house for empty water bottles and soda bottles. She took all the lids up to her room and used the lip tops as practice palettes for her nail designs. I was so impressed by the creativity in what she painted.

As she remembers to photograph more of her designs, I will share them here, too.

One area I would like to work on is my own health. Over the past 12 years, my husband and I have put the schedules and needs of the three kids ahead of our own as we brought them into this world, got them through the infant and toddler years, and established our household. Now it is time to practice what we have preached to the kids!! We need to get more active, eat better and get more sleep. I don’t expect overnight results and know it won’t be easy, but I plan on doing what I can every day to move in the right direction.

Things I will do:

• Continue to drink more water! I stopped drinking soda about two months ago and really notice a difference in how I feel. You’d be amazed at how much clearer you will think.
• Make an effort to eat fewer sweets. Notice I didn’t say eliminate them. I have a sweet tooth and restricting sweets all together is pretty disastrous for me. Experience tells me this will only lead to binging. Moderation is a much better option.
• Move everyday. Whether it is 30 minutes on the stationary bike or 20 minutes playing Dance Dance Revolution or Wii with the kids, I will move. No strict routine for me – that is sure to backfire – but something active everyday.

How about you? What are your thoughts on the new year?

• Raising4Boys shares her experience with getting the right glasses prescription for her son in Glasses for a Five Year Old – Bad Doctors, Worse Prescriptions.
• Terri at The Health and Life Mixing Bowl wrote an inspirational post about Three Seashells and the Fight Against Childhood Obesity.
• Michelle at Scribbit has some very timely tips on Getting Kids to Go to Bed. These tips work! Since my youngest has started Kindergarten I have found that it is essential that I put her to bed earlier than I expect her to go to sleep – whether it is a school night or not. Like Michelle’s kids, mine can read quietly on their beds until they are able to fall asleep.

Some of my favorites include:

• Healthy and Frugal School Lunches by NatureMoms
• Kids in the Kitchen at Tyler’s Triumph
• My Kids First Taste of Independence at Mom of 3 Girls

I haven’t finished reading all of the entries yet, but I just couldn’t wait to share these with you.

Of all the posts this month, Millionaire Mommy Next Door’s post on the relationship between your credit card, fast food and your family’s waist line, is my favorite post! It is what I call a must read!

Better yet, go check out all the entries for yourself.