Have a Better Year in 2011 With Simple Changes

Sometime it feels like if only EVERYTHING would change life would be better, but most of the time it is just simple, little things that need to change. i believe that by making simple changes, and staying consistent with them, life can get remarkably better! Yes, there are also times when big changes need to be made, but for the most part those BIG changes can be broken into simple, small steps.
One of the most important of the changes that I am making to have a better, healthier 2011 is being better hydrated. By drinking the recommended amounts of water each day, I feel better and have more energy, have healthier skin and hair, and don't want to eat as much! I have also started drinking more juices and less soda. I prefer juices that are 100% juice with no added sugar -- I find that they are sweet enough on their own!! By paying attention to the juices that I am drinking, I am also being more aware of my vitamin intake. For instance, orange, apple, and grape juice are some of the juices that we drink a lot of that each contain 120% daily value of Vitamin C! This is one of my simple changes.
Another change that will undoubtedly lead to a better 2011 is to make sure that you are getting enough sleep. Remember when you were a child and your mom and dad used to make you go to bed at 8:30 so that you'd get plenty of sleep? Well, now we do not need quite so much sleep, but getting eight hours a night makes a difference. I know that for some of us, maybe because of a baby, toddler, or some other reason, it is almost impossible to get eight hours of sleep every night. If that is the case for you, I bet you will begin noticing that you feel better even if you can even increase the amount of sleep that you get by 30 minutes!
A simple way to feel better, have more energy, and maybe even lose a few pounds is to add exercise to your daily routine. It may be as simple as walking to the mailbox or around the block, or it might be a gym membership or Wii fit. =) I enjoy walking when the weather permits, the fresh air tends to give my attitude a boost too!
One of the most important things, for me, is to try and smile and find something good out of every situation. When you are looking for good, you find a lot more of it than when you allow the negative aspects of any given situation to demand all of your attention. One of the ways that I like to do this is by reading the Bible and praying! All of us will go through trying times in 2011, it's life, but when we (look for and) find the positive in our situations, it will seem better!
I hope that some of the simple changes that I am making to have a better 2011 work for you as well. I would love to hear some of your ideas or more suggestions of simple changes for a better year too! Please comment and share your thoughts!!

I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Simply Orange® blogging program. If I am one of the first 65 blogs received by SocialsMoms, I will receive a $25 Target gift card and a gift pack that includes a Simply Orange® cooler bag and logoed fleece

How Sweet it is Blog Hop turned out to be a scam -- sorry readers!

The How Sweet it Is Blog Hop that was to be hosted by Gina Parker (Parker PR) and A Pocket Full of Buttons ended up being a big scam.
There were over 300 bloggers/etsy shop owners/twiiter accounts/FB pages/ etc that entered and paid a fee to be part of the hop -- myself included. Gina Parker (The Mrs./Parker PR) waited until all entries were paid and deleted all of her accounts, and kept all the entry fees.
I appologize to any of you who got really exciteed about what seemed to be an amazing giveaway. I hope that you stay followers of this blog, and I look forward to reading your comments and check ing out your own thoughts on your pages.

Would you like to win your entire Babies R Us Baby Registry?

This post is for those of you who are pregnant or know somebody who is!

Who wouldn't want to get EVERYTHING on their baby registry...for FREE?!? Nobody I could think of either! ;) Baby Brezza is sponsoring a Baby's R Us Sweepstakes where one lucky person will win their entire contents of their baby registry, up to $3,500!!!

To be entered to win, all you/they have to do is add the Baby Brezza One Step Baby Food Maker to their registry. What a great way to enter, since it is such an amazing product anyway!!

With the Baby Brezza One Step Baby Food Maker, making baby food is a breeze! Simply add the food, add water, set the timer and that is it! The food is steamed and then pureed automatically. Who wouldn't want one of these?!

The sweepstakes is from January 13th to February 13th. So, if you are pregnant be sure to add the Baby Brezza to your registry. Make sure you let all of your pregnant friends know too!More information can be found here!

Disclosure: I was entered for a chance to win a gift card and Baby Brezza One Step Baby Food Maker in exchange for this post. No monetary exchange took place.

Safeway & Betty Crocker Holiday Cookies {{Review & Giveaway}}

I love to bake, especially when it is something that my girls can help with!

We have a ton of cookie cutters and have wanted to be able to use them. Unfortunately, I have not had much success with sugar cookie recipes.

I was sent a holiday cookie exchange package from My Blog Spark which included Betty Crocker Sugar Cookie mix, a set of Glad deep dish containers, and a $25 Safeway gift card. I was pretty excited to try the sugar cookie mix! After some discussion, my daughters decided that we should make thumbprint cookies with the mix -- the recipe/directions are on the package.

It was so easy and so much fun. This was definitely something that we could all do together (myself, a 4 year old and a 2 year old) each step of the way. The cookies turned out great and it was so simple!
I haven't used a mix in a long time to make cookies, but using the Betty Crocker sugar cookie mix eliminated all of the measuring and a lot of the mess that comes with baking without taking the fun away. Now that we have made the thumbprint cookies, and had a good time (and built up a little trust with Betty Crocker mixes, lol) we will be going back to Safeway with our gift card to purchase another pack and try our luck with the cookie cutters!! The gladware is perfect for storing the cookies, as it holds a lot and is air tight.

Everything that you need to have a fun baking day can be found at Safeway!! And My Blog Spark, Betty Crocker, Gladware, and Safeway have graciously offered to give one lucky reader the same package that I received!!

This giveaway will close on Jan 28, 2011 - just in time for some Valentine's Day baking! Open to legal residents of the USA who are 18+ years old!

To be entered to win you must follow this blog publicly through GFC - you can do that on the right sidebar!

Mandatory Entry: leave one comment with this entry

Tell me for what occasion do you enjoy baking.

Extra Entries: leave one comment per entry

**Subscribe to my blog by email, only confirmed subscriptions count! (Right side bar)

**"like" my blog page on facebook (you can do this on the right side bar)

**like Betty Crocker on facebook

**like Safeway on facebook

**like Glad's Glad to Give page on facebook

**Follow me on twitter AND tweet about this giveaway including a link. Here is a sample tweet you may use: #Win a @BettyCrocker cookie mix #giveaway w/ $25 @Safeway GC from @tinymansmom & #MyBlogSpark ends 1/28 http://tiny.cc/bettycrocker

**Share this giveaway anywhere else, and leave a link to it. If you are sharing by email cc tinymansmom@sbcglobal.net when you send the email.

GOOD LUCK!!

Disclosure: The information, prize pack and giveaway have all been provided by Safeway, Betty Crocker and Gladware through MyBlogSpark. The opinions expressed are my own and are honest.

Wordless Wednesday -- Our Only Boy, hehe!

This is Tiny Man. He's our only boy, lol. We have had him since June 2006, when we were under the impression we were getting a miniature pincher ... not quite, but he's perfect for us.

If you have a Wordless Wednesday, or a Wordfull Wednesday, that you would like to share, please link up below.

Have a Blessed Day!

Top 10 Predictions for 2011

Top 10 Predictions for 2011




1.The Bible will still have all the answers.

2.Prayer will still be the most powerful thing on Earth.

3.The Holy Spirit will still move.

4.God will still honor the praises of His people.

5.There will still be God-anointed preaching.

6.There will still be singing of praise to God.

7.God will still pour out blessings upon His people.

8.There will still be room at the Cross.

9.God will still love you.

10.God will still save the lost when they come to Him.



I am not sure who wrote this originally, I received it in a Martha Pullen newsletter. Every one of those is true!!
I hope that you and your family has a very blessed New Year and that you would make God the focus of it everyday!