As a stay-at-home-Mom to two busy kids, I often feel limited on time, dis-organized and burnt out!

Sound familiar?

Well on July 7th, 2011 rockstar Ember Nevill and I, held a fabulously informative call.

——–>>>> CLICK HERE <<<< ——— to listen NOW!

Ember and I are both working moms, trying to balance a business and our family. We wanted to share our best practices, tips, and tricks with you, using Social Media!

Whether you are a working mom, a stay at home mom, or dad, we have a lot of great info that will help you save time, create more peace in your day and help you continue to build on your passion (aka your business)!

This call was completely free, so have ease in knowing we have ZERO intention of selling or promoting any product or service!

Why did we do it? To help our respective teams and network of peers! It’s what we do!

So if you missed it…good news!  We RECORDED it, so —–>>> CLICK HERE <<<—– to listen as if you were right there with us!!

Your partner in health & success.

What a great success our first 14-Day Challenge period was!  I felt like a proud Mama when I checked in with our group each day and read posts of success and encouragement.

This is what it’s all about and why I LOVE doing what I do!

Check out who our first Challenge winner is:

You want to be a part of this challenge?  It’s on-going and we are always looking to have more energy and motivation from anyone that wants to take control of their health!

Here’s the information with full detail of the Rapid Results Challenge and what it took for our winner to get their hands on a new Beachbody workout program* of their choice: http://bit.ly/Shakeology14Day

Who’s next?

Your partner in health & fitness.

*Winner can select one of the following workouts: Turbo Jam, Power 90 or Master Series, Slim in 6, Hip Hop Abs or the equivalent value to contribute to their most desired program!

Who knew cucumbers were good for more things than just our health?  Yup, anything from curing a hangover, bad breath and CELLULITE??!!  Yup, this was an interesting article that was shared with me, so in turn, I had to share with you all.    I knew cucumbers were good for you, but this just takes it’s goodness to a whole new level.

I will never look at a cucumber the same again.  LISTEN UP LADIES…some great tips below.



1.   Cucumbers contain most of the vitamins you need every day, just one cucumber contains Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B5, Vitamin B6, Folic Acid, Vitamin C, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium and Zinc.

2. Feeling tired in the afternoon? put down the caffeinated soda and pick up a cucumber. Cucumbers are a good source of B Vitamins and Carbohydrates that can provide that quick pick-me-up that can last for hours.

3. Tired of your bathroom mirror fogging up after a shower? Try rubbing a cucumber slice along the mirror, it will eliminate the fog and provide a soothing, spa-like fragrance.

4. Are grubs and slugs ruining your planting beds? Place a few slices in a small pie tin and your garden will be free of pests all season long. The chemicals in the cucumber react with the aluminum to give off a scent undetectable to humans but drive garden pests crazy and make them flee the area.

5.  Looking for a fast and easy way to remove cellulite before going out or to the pool? Try rubbing a slice or two of cucumbers along your problem area for a few minutes, the phytochemicals in the cucumber cause the collagen in your skin to tighten, firming up the outer layer and reducing the visibility of cellulite. Works great on wrinkles too!!!

6. Want to avoid a hangover or terrible headache? Eat a few cucumber slices before going to bed and wake up refreshed and headache free. Cucumbers contain enough sugar, B vitamins and electrolytes to replenish essential nutrients the body lost, keeping everything in  equilibrium, avoiding both a hangover and headache!!

7. Looking to fight off that afternoon or evening snacking binge? Cucumbers have been used for centuries and often used by European trappers, traders and explores for quick meals to thwart off starvation.

8. Have an important meeting or job interview and you realize that you don’t have enough time to polish your shoes? Rub a freshly cut cucumber over the shoe, its chemicals will provide a quick and durable shine that not only looks great but also repels water.

9. Out of WD 40 and need to fix a squeaky hinge? Take a cucumber slice and rub it along the problematic hinge, and voila, the squeak is gone!

10. Stressed out and don’t have time for massage, facial or visit to the spa? Cut up an entire  cucumber and place it in a boiling pot of water, the chemicals and nutrients from the cucumber with react with the boiling water and be released in the steam, creating a soothing, relaxing aroma that has been shown the reduce stress in new mothers and college students during final exams.

11. Just finish a business lunch and realize you don’t have gum or mints? Take a slice of cucumber and press it to the roof of your mouth with your tongue for 30 seconds to eliminate bad breath, the phytochemcials will kill the bacteria in your mouth responsible for causing bad breath.

12. Looking for a ‘green’ way to clean your faucets, sinks or stainless steel? Take a slice of cucumber and rub it on the surface you want to clean, not only will it remove years of tarnish and bring back the shine, but is won’t leave streaks and won’t harm you fingers or fingernails while you clean.

13. Using a pen and made a mistake? Take the outside of the cucumber and slowly use it to erase the pen writing, also works great on crayons and markers that the kids have used to decorate the walls!!

Your partner in health & fitness.

I know this is outside of my typical blogs on health and fitness, although this was such important information as it relates to protecting ourselves, our families and our valuables.

This was an email that was sent to me.  It is so unfortunate how criminals prey on us during the holidays.  The information was collected from convicted burglars, so it’s coming straight from the source.  Please read through it, protect yourself and do share it with everyone you know.  Let’s keep them out of our homes this holiday, and EVERYDAY!!

THINGS YOUR BURGLAR WON’T TELL YOU:

1. Of course I look familiar. I was here just last week cleaning your carpets, painting your shutters, or delivering your new refrigerator.

2. Hey, thanks for letting me use the bathroom when I was working in your yard last week. While I was in there, I unlatched the back window to make my return a little easier.

3. Love those flowers. That tells me you have taste …. and taste means there are nice things inside. Those yard toys your kids leave out always make me wonder what type of gaming system they have.

4. Yes, I really do look for newspapers piled up on the driveway. And I might leave a pizza flyer in your front door to see how long it takes you to remove it.

5. If it snows while you’re out of town, get a neighbor to create car and foot tracks into the house. Virgin drifts in the driveway are a dead giveaway.

6. If decorative glass is part of your front entrance, don’t let your alarm company install the control pad where I can see if it’s set. That makes it too easy.

7. A good security company alarms the window over the sink. And the windows on the second floor, which often access the master bedroom — and your jewelry. It’s not a bad idea to put motion detectors up there too.

8. It’s raining, you’re fumbling with your umbrella, and you forget to lock your door-understandable .. But understand this: I don’t take a day off because of bad weather.

9. I always knock first. If you answer, I’ll ask for directions somewhere or offer to clean your gutters. (Don’t take me up on it.)

10. Do you really think I won’t look in your sock drawer? I always check dresser drawers, the bedside table, and the medicine cabinet.

11. Here’s a helpful hint: I almost never go into kids’ rooms.

12. You’re right: I won’t have enough time to break into that safe where you keep your valuables. But if it’s not bolted down, I’ll take it with me.

13. A loud TV or radio can be a better deterrent than the best alarm system. If you’re reluctant to leave your TV on while you’re out of town, you can buy a $35 device that works on a timer and simulates the flickering glow of a real television. (Find it at faketv.com .)

MORE THINGS A BURGLAR WON’T TELL YOU:

1. Sometimes, I carry a clipboard. Sometimes, I dress like a lawn guy and carry a rake. I do my best to never, ever look like a crook.

2. The two things I hate most: loud dogs and nosy neighbors.

3. I’ll break a window to get in, even if it makes a little noise. If your neighbor hears one loud sound, he’ll stop what he’s doing and wait to hear it again. If he doesn’t hear it again, he’ll just go back to what he
was doing.. It’s human nature.

4. I’m not complaining, but why would you pay all that money for a fancy alarm system and leave your house without setting it?

5. I love looking in your windows. I’m looking for signs that you’re home, and for flat screen TVs or gaming systems I’d like. I’ll drive or walk through your neighborhood at night, before you close the blinds, just to pick my targets.

6. Avoid announcing your vacation on your Facebook page. It’s easier than you think to look up your address.

7. To you, leaving that window open just a crack during the day is a way to let in a little fresh air. To me, it’s an invitation.

8. If you don’t answer when I knock, I try the door. Occasionally, I hit the jackpot and walk right in.

9. Don’t put a mourning wreath or some other sign of bereavement on your front door. We check obituaries and funeral times, and if something looks promising we’ll hit during the funeral. Do you really need a double tragedy?

Sources: Convicted burglars in North Carolina , Oregon , California , and Kentucky ; security consultant Chris McGoey, who runs crimedoctor. com ; and Richard T. Wright, a criminology professor at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, who interviewed 105 burglars for his book Burglars on the Job.

Well as Fall is upon us, so does the cold & flu season.  Don’t even get me started with the topic of the Swine Flu!!!  I felt my first indication of Fall with the onset of a sore throat – which was HORRIBLE timing, being that I had a full weekend of workouts to achieve my Turbo Kick™ and Hip Hop Hustle™ certifications.  I was not going to let that get in my way.

But as busy Mom’s or Dad’s (heck, anyone for that matter), no one has time or energy to have their days halted by a pesky cold & flue or sore throat.  I’ve had plenty in my past to last me a lifetime.  I’m sure I’m not alone on this one.

After much aggravation of these over the counter medications not working for me, I resorted to searching for something else.  Something more natural that I knew could be found in our kitchen cupboards.  Something that could ward off that sore throat you can just feel “itching” to make its appearance and usually accompanied by its best pal, congestion.

While I was pregnant with my 2^nd, my daughter was in a little school, therefore brought EVERYTHING home and I felt like I was sick all the time.  Well, I was!  So as most know, being pregnant, there isn’t a whole lot one can take, not to mention, if I can avoid taking over the counter medication, I will avoid it to all costs.  Never feel like it works anyway!!

I did a Google search for “natural remedies for sore throat”.  The fabulous site of Earth Clinic was the first to pop up, so naturally (no pun intended J), I clicked on it.  I will preface this with, many other sites popped up that all had Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) in the website description.  Hmm…were they on to something?  I mean, I knew I had Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar in my cupboard.  What was the remedy?  If it was to down the whole bottle, I was willing to do it, at that point.

So after reading through countless great testimonials on how ACV, with some other kitchen cupboard ingredients (cayenne pepper, honey, etc) helped cure a sore throat, strep throat the sniffles, I figured, what do I have to lose?  NOTHING!  Can’t do any more harm, than good, right?

I went for it.  Here’s the concoction I dabbled with to gargle for immediate relief:

3 TBSP of Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar

1 tsp of cayenne pepper

4 – 6 oz of warm water

Take small sips, gargle for about 5-10 secs and spit.  Repeat until glass is empty.

Now, to keep up with the ACV theme, I read there was a “tea” that others have made the helped relieve cold & flu symptoms and sore throats.  I knew you couldn’t really over do it with the ACV.  So after a bit of a break from the gargling, I would make some tea.  Here’s what was in it:

3 TBSP of Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar

1 tsp of Pure Honey (not the generic table honey – the GOOD stuff)

1 tsp of cayenne pepper

4-6 oz of hot water

I would just sip away, until it was gone.  It took a bit of getting used to, but you know what??  I came to enjoy it.  It had a little bit of sweet and a little bit of a bite.  I was starting to feel the tingle getting worked on and could feel it absorbing that bacteria and taking it away.

I knew after just hours of my sore throat and congestion dissipating, that this new ACV concoction was going to be my new BFF come Fall and Winter (ok, and Spring) months.

I hope this recipe will help others that are sick of masking it with those over the counter meds.  This WORKS and works FAST!

1. I could stare at my kids for hours and hours and hours. It amazes me that we can create such amazing little humans.
2. I feel honored to have as many wonderful friends that I do…despite getting mocked for having too many. Who can have too many friends???
3. I have a ½ sister that I tend to forget about. Likely because she doesn’t live near us and is only 6 months older than my daughter, therefore I tend to think of her as a “niece”, which would be weird!
4. I married my best friend. He makes me light up.
5. My brother is my hero.
6. My Mother has been through more life shattering obstacles and she continues to amaze me with her strength. I only wish I carry as much strength and courage she does.
7. I would love to get a part time job at Lululemon, just to get a discount on their clothes. LOVE THEM!
8. I’ve always had a secret ambition to be a back up hip hop dancer. Not for a rap star, but someone like Britney, Beyonce or Fergie.
9. I sense my Grandfather, aka “Buppy” in my son. They share many funny mannerisms.
10. I have finally found my calling, aside from motherhood – to help others find a better quality of life through fitness, nutrition and self-employment. I LOVE IT!
11. I secretly love that my son is a little Momma’s boy! 12. I’ve always wanted to travel to Australia and Barbados.
13. I have been enamored with Facebook and how many friends I’ve reconnected with.
14. I love anything SWEET!
15. Although I’m not entirely savvy with it…I love technology. Especially the latest and greatest cell phone/Blackberry.
16. I’m thinking about getting my Group Exercise certificate.
17. I have a tremendous amount of respect for the men and women that serve our country.
18. My goal is to finish my 1st marathon this summer.
19. I would do anything for my family.
20. I’m thankful to be out of Corporate America.
21. I feel badly that our dog spends more time at my in-laws, than our place. It’s for the best, but I still feel bad…and sad.
22. Shows on the WB make me cry!
23. I would love to really learn how to play golf. Then I could keep up with my husband.
24. I’m in love with snowboarding.
25. I sleep with a white noise machine every night. It’s heaven.
26. Although I complain about her bad sleeping habits, I secretly love it when my daughter gets into bed with us in the middle of the night.
27. I have a scar over both of my eyes. It’s amazing I still can see!
28. I miss my Dad terribly and saddened each day that he doesn’t get to see his grandchildren evolve into truly exceptional little beings.
29. Getting in better shape has built up my confidence.
30. I have the biggest fear of earthquakes.

A great article worth reading, if you are getting started with social networking. Learn how to protect yourself AND be successful!

1. Use caution when you click links that you receive in messages from your friends on your social Web site. Treat links in messages on these sites as you would links in e-mail messages.

2. Don’t trust that a message is really from who it says it’s from. Hackers can break into accounts and send messages that look like they’re from your friends, but aren’t. If you suspect that a message is fraudulent, use an alternate method to contact your friend to find out. This includes invitations to join new social networks.

3. To avoid giving away e-mail addresses of your friends, do not allow social networking services to scan your e-mail address book. When you join a new social network, you might receive an offer to enter your e-mail address and password to find out who else is on the network. The site might use this information to send e-mail messages to everyone in your contact list or even everyone you’ve ever sent an e-mail message to with that e-mail address. Social networking sites should explain that they’re going to do this, but some do not.

4. Type the address of your social networking site directly into your browser or use your personal bookmarks. If you click a link to your site through e-mail or another Web site, you might be entering your account name and password into a fake site where your personal information could be stolen.

5. Be selective about who you accept as a friend on a social network. Identity thieves might create fake profiles in order to get information from you. This is known as social engineering.

6. Choose your social network carefully. Evaluate the site that you plan to use and make sure you understand the privacy policy. Find out if the site monitors content that people post. You will be providing personal information to this Web site, so use the same criteria that you would to select a site where you enter your credit card.

7. Assume what you write on a social networking site is permanent. Even if you can delete your account, anyone on the Internet can easily print the information or save it to a computer.

8. Be careful about installing extras on your site. Many social networking sites allow you to download third-party applications that let you do more with your personal page. Criminals sometimes use these applications in order to steal your personal information. To download and use third-party applications safely, take the same safety precautions that you take with any other program or file you download from the Web. For more information, see Before you download files, help protect your computer.

9. Think twice before you use social networking sites at work. For more information, see Be careful with social networking sites, especially at work.

10. Talk to your kids about social networking. If you’re a parent of children who use social networking sites, see How to help your kids use social Web sites more safely.

For more information or how I can help you achieve success in your internet marketing business, email me at: taryn.perry@comcast.net