Thursday, August 25

LUNCH FOR A BUNCH: Congratulations to the staff at Piedmont Airlines in Salisbury! Enjoy your lunch from DQ Grill & Chill!

Tuesday, August 23

5 Ways to Simplify School Day Mornings

The alarm clock is buzzing, and everyone is stumbling blindly into the hallway. It's the first day of school, guys! If your house becomes a chaotic place in the hours before everyone leaves for work, school, and any other stops along the way, you need a new method to your family madness.

Rather than hire a personal assistant for everyone in your household, take control of the daily goings-on between your walls. There are a few simple but very effective ways to simplify your morning routine. Avoid the early a.m. meltdowns, and give your kids a great start to their day by making these five changes:

1. Pack the Night Before

Just like you would for a flight, make sure the backpack and lunch box are ready to go before everyone gets into bed. Grab and go makes it unbelievably easy in the a.m. and eliminates the big scramble.

2. Healthy & Quick Breakfast

Have at least three go-to fast, easy, and healthy breakfast recipes on hand, with all the ingredients you need fully stocked. Three suggestions: Steel cut oatmeal, salsa baked eggs, fruit-filled yogurt & granola.

3. Get a Bathroom Routine

If mom showers first, kid #1 second, dad third, and the other one takes a bath the night before -- keep this schedule every single day. That way everyone gets into a groove and knows how much time they have before they can claim the bathroom and/or breakfast table.

4. Streamline the Commute

You may love hanging out with the kindergarten moms, and he may prefer to pick up every Thursday. But no matter who usually takes whom, map out the work and school routes and see if maybe you've been creating more drive time for yourselves by ignoring an easy commuting solution.

5. Family Board

Whether it's chalk, erasable marker, or a giant note pad, create a central writing space that everyone must consult before going to bed. This is where you'll write down any appointments, school supplies needed, or permission slip reminders for the next day. Use it, write it, read it, and don't feel the last-minute panic ever again. (thestir.cafemom.com)

Monday, August 22

-This time of year we try to fit in all sorts of appointments. I went to the doctor and discovered I had read every publication there cover to cover--including one coined WebMD: The Waiting Room Publication! Yikes! If you're fitting in physicals and dentist appointments with your kids, I feel for you!

-VW Beetle is getting a remake as it tries to overcome its reputation as a "girl car" (I guess those red ladybug cars with the black dots would do that for you!) Anyway, we should see a new sleeker, upscale model for 2012.

Thursday, August 18

-The 1980s classic film Back to the Future depicts a future with flying cars and "skyways." So when you were a kid thinking about the year "2011," what did you think we'd be doing by now that we do not have the capability to do? (By the way, the internet is way cooler than anything I did come up with when I was a kid, but I did hope we'd have flying cars!!)

-On January 1, 2011, it was announced that Nicole C. Mullen was being inducted into the Christian Music Hall of Fame. She will be formally inducted on November 5, 2011.

"Lunch for a Bunch" contest resumes next week!

Tuesday, August 16

LUNCH FOR A BUNCH

Just a notice to everyone that we won't be giving away lunch during Thursday's Midday Joy. We'll resume the contest next week, so stay tuned!

Not registered in our drawing? You can do so here.

Monday, August 15

Men's Health asked men, "What scares you most about aging?"

Feeling old physically, 32%

Declining in mental health, 15%

Outliving savings, 12%

Nothing, 11%

Closer to death, 10%

Losing looks, 8% (This one most definitely would be higher if they had asked women!)

Seeing my loved ones go before me, 8%

So, what about aging scares you?

Thursday, August 11

LUNCH FOR A BUNCH: Congratulations to the staff at Chico's in Salisbury on winning lunch from the new Georgia House!