Taking time out for yourself can be a great reward for being a hardworking wife and mother. With weekends packed with family and home activities, you may never get a chance to see your girlfriends! Give yourself (and your girls) a midweek break by planning a ladies' night out. Even a once-a-month standing date with your girlfriends can boost your mood and give you much-needed "me" time you deserve.
Here are 5 surprisingly different ladies' night out ideas:
1. Take a workout class together
Too often friendships revolve around heavy dinners or brunches - why not lighten things up and try a group workout together instead? Yoga is a perfect way to relax and tone your muscles. Yoga studios are popping up on every corner; most have drop-in class rates. Try a heated yoga class if you're looking to sweat a little, too. Make sure you leave time for a 15-minute chat with your friends before or after class. Or, take a nice, long walk around a park so you can really catch up on life!
2. Dig in
As a stay-at-home mom of two children, it would be easy for me to just wear sweats all day long and eat junk food. However, I enjoy being healthy and fashionable. This type of lifestyle makes me content. When I am happy, the entire family benefits because I am joyful and fun. Here are ten habits of happy, chic moms.
1. "Me time"
Since I am the main childcare provider for my children, I spend an average of 12 hours a day with my kids. Thus, when I am given the chance, I take some "me time." Time away from the kids and the household chores is refreshing. This might mean I go run some errands by myself or take a kick boxing class. The time away allows me to recharge my batteries.
2. Exercise
Exercise is essential for anyone's health. I try to walk to the park several times a week. Kickboxing, running and hiking are other forms of exercise I enjoy. Exercise releases feel-good endorphins that make me happy. After having two kids, a flat stomach is great for my self-esteem.
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By Anderson Team | Author Blog Posts – Tue, Mar 19, 2013 5:34 PM EDT
Snooki, from "Jersey Shore" and "Snooki & JWoww," visited "Anderson Live," where she talked about how she lost 42 pounds and about how many kids she wants to have.How Michelle Duggar Keeps Her Kids Happy While Traveling
By Parentables | Author Blog Posts – Mon, Mar 18, 2013 3:19 PM EDT
Photo credit: DCLTravel question from a "19 Kids and Counting" fan: How do you keep all of your children entertained and happy on a long plane trip?
One of our favorite travel activities is reading. We always have our reading book bag with all of our favorites in it. The kids usually team up as reading buddies. My readers that are still learning team up with an older child to practice: Johannah, who's 7 years old, teams up with Jennifer, who's a bit younger and still learning her phonics; and Jordan loves to read out loud to the little ones.
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In addition to the buddy reading, the younger ones get coloring books with crayons and blank paper so that they can make pictures, cards, notes, and things like that. They have their backpacks packed with those kinds of activities to keep their little hands and heads busy.
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The older ones also have card games in their packs. We don't
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By Anderson Team | Author Blog Posts – Mon, Mar 18, 2013 3:16 PM EDT
Was that picture of Miss America in a bikini "unflattering"... or just real?How to Teach Our Kids About the Perils of Lying
By Intent.com | Author Blog Posts – Mon, Mar 18, 2013 3:00 PM EDT
cwBy The Chopra Well
This week's episode of "Perfectly Imperfect Parents" on The Chopra Well is all about lying and how parents handle it with their kids. Deepak Chopra makes a guest appearance to discuss the grey areas, but one voice remains adamant that lying is never okay: Dr. Cara Natterson is a pediatrician and author of The Care and Keeping of You. We interviewed her on her firm stance against lying and how parents can model the merits of honesty to their kids.
The Chopra Well: What's your view on kids lying - sometimes okay, never okay?
Dr. Cara Natterson: The best advice I ever got, ever in my whole life I think, was this:
Never tell a lie and then you won't have to remember what you said.
As a pediatrician and as a mom, my rule is that lying is never okay. This is a boundary - and an important one at that - because it keeps kids safe. I don't really care what my kids might be lying about. For me, there are no gradations here. A lie is a lie, and teaching the
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By L’Oreal Paris | Author Blog Posts – Mon, Mar 18, 2013 11:38 AM EDT
Even extremely overworked and unmanageable hair can become smooth and shiny with the right hair care routine.Smooth, shiny, and glossy hair can be yours with the right hair care regimen! If you're tired of dealing with frizzy hair and uncontrollable strands, you'll need to start using a set of targeted hair care products and tweak your daily routine. Keratin-infused products are especially beneficial for maintaining that ultra-polished look, and for keeping frizz at bay. Even extremely overworked and unmanageable hair can become smooth and shiny with the right hair care routine.
Use these six steps to smooth your locks and maintain soft and shiny hair:
Step 1: Use a protein-infused shampoo and conditioner. You'll need to strengthen your strands with a protein-infused shampoo and conditioner so make sure you're using a formulation that contains protein and natural oils. An oil and protein formula can be especially powerful because it helps to smooth out broken or rough strands, and also softens the hair. Use these products regularly to maintain super-smooth locks.
Step 2: Air dry
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By Gretchen Rubin | Author Blog Posts – Fri, Mar 15, 2013 10:51 AM EDT
Happiness interview: Christine Koh and Asha Dornfest.
Two friends of mine have just come out with a terrific book, Minimalist Parenting: Enjoy Modern Family Life More by Doing Less. It's particularly thrilling for me to hold this book in my hands, because I remember talking to them about it when it was still just the beginning of an idea they were playing with. And here it is, out in the world.
It's a great guide for anyone who wants to have a happy home life, by keeping things simple, calm, and in tune with family values.
Asha is the force behind the terrific site Parent Hacks - "forehead-smackingly smart tips that help you simplify family life, save money, and have fun." Christine is the founder and editor of Boston Mamas - "a lifestyle portal for families in Boston and beyond."
I wanted to ask them both about their thoughts on happiness.
Gretchen: What's a simple activity that consistently makes you happier?
Christine: Running or some kind of physical
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