The opening ceremony of the 2012 Olympics is less than a week away and will be held in London July 27th through August 12th. If you’re an Olympics enthusiast, you’ll want to keep up on the latest happenings. Check out the official London 2012 Olympics website! Everything you need to know is all in one place including the Olympics schedule, results, torch relay, sports, athletes and much more.
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Eating healthy on a budget is easy if you know how to plan ahead. It starts with knowing that healthy food doesn’t have to be expensive.
By planning ahead, you need to stock your refrigerator and food pantry with items that are quick and easy to cook. Another way to plan ahead is to cook a big meal and make extra to freeze or use later for lunches and a quick dinner.
Legumes, whether canned or dry, make nutritious, hearty soups that can be prepared in a crock pot. You can add vegetables, spices or herbs, broth and cooked brown rice. Eight hours later you have a main course with a nice fresh salad and garlic bread.
Brown rice is a great addition to grilled chicken and steamed vegetables. One might think brown rice costs more than white rice, true. But the nutritional value far exceeds the extra nickel or dime you pay per pound. Another inexpensive grain that is easy to fix is millet. You can cook it like rice or toast it. By toasting millet you can sprinkle it on other dishes – adding a lot of nutritional value.
Never discount oats. Oatmeal makes a great breakfast; especially for the kids. It’s quick to prepare and the kids can add butter, milk and brown sugar. Yum! Oatmeal stays with you all morning long; it’s very filling.
Pasta is fairly inexpensive and easy to prepare. You can add veggies, meat and cheese with an inexpensive red sauce. Then, you simply chop up a fresh salad — a complete meal.
Always keep fresh fruits and vegetables in the house for everyone to snack on between meals. Make sure you purchase enough to last three to four days in the refrigerator. Eating fruit and vegetables is by far less expensive than munching on packaged food like chips or cookies.
As you try these different ideas, you may discover your own magic formula for eating healthy on a budget. If so, you are more than welcome to share it with us.
Figuring out a suitable Valentine’s Day gift for the man in your life can prove to be a hard task. When ties and video games become too predictable there are a few things left that can bring a smile to even the toughest guys face.
While mushy gifts may be lost him, something useful could be just what he needs and wants. Here are some great gift ideas to show him some love this Valentine’s Day.
Give Him Time: For guys, a watch can say a lot about their personality. Whether he is sporty, professional or a bit eccentric, there is a watch out there for him. Peruse a site like worldofwatches.com to find the perfect accessory for him.
Go, Go Gadget: For the gadget-loving guy in your life, the options are endless. For the active man, try a water resistant iPhone case (like Pelican) or an Apple remote, both available on bestbuy.com, to control all of his electronics with the touch of a button.
A Gift He Can’t Refuse: If you have a movie buff on your hands, this gift will be a surefire hit. Head over to barnesandnoble.com and grab him the complete Godfather collection on Blu-ray/DVD. Not only will you help complete his DVD archives but you will lock in hours of quality couch and movie time with your guy.
Give him a gift that is unique and fun, just like your relationship. Happy Valentine’s Day!
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Is it possible to be to beat the common cold? Building your body’s immune system naturally is not a sure fire way to avoid catching a cold, but it sure can help speed the recovery process.
Here are some methods to help build up your immune system:
1) Apple Cider Vinegar – ACV helps keep the acidity of the body balanced before a cold can hit your body. Take a small glass of water with tone teaspoon of ACV at least once a day to prevent a cold. At first sign of symptoms double the dose and be sure to take the Special Tonic.
2) Water – Drink plenty of filtered water every day. A hydrated body can fight off the common cold better than a dehydrated body.
3) Exercise – According to several studies, exercise spikes the body’s immune system. However, it is important to avoid over exertion and rest the body.
4) Special Tonic – Another sure fire way to beat the common cold is to take a special tonic of 1 onion, 2 garlic cloves, 4 radish bulbs, 1 to 2 teaspoons of cayenne pepper and apple cider vinegar to cover. Place the ingredients in a blender and puree. The tonic needs to be stored in a tight container in a refrigerator. You can take up to a tablespoon a day – whatever amount you body can handle.
Styles change depending on the season. A silhouette can be in for spring and totally over by summer. However, there are some staples that have been able to stand the test of time. These classic pieces compliment every shape and size and can be worn time and again in a variety of ways and for a variety of occasions.
Here are some classic pieces every woman should own:
The trench coat: Typically, the trench is a khaki color but that isn’t a steadfast rule. The only real thing to know is that a trench coat will keep you stylish through the crispiness of fall and the breeziness of spring. Completely versatile, the trench works with every piece of clothing.
Ballet Flats: They worked for Audrey all those years ago and they will work for you today. Ballet flats are one shoe that will never go out of style and can be worn with literally every piece of clothing—you will never have to worry whether the heel height or the shape is in season.
The White Shirt: Timeless, tailored and versatile, the white shirt can be worn with your favorite jeans or dressed up with pearls for a night out. No matter which silhouette you choose (ruffles, tee or men’s wear inspired) the white shirt exudes a clean look mixed with a bit of chic appeal.
Black Pumps: Since the beginning of time, or at least it feels that way, one shoe has maintained its reputation as a fashion icon. Worn by everyone from Marilyn to Carrie (Bradshaw, that is), the black pump has been made, sold and worn in every shape, heel height and fabric. But the fact remains that it is the shoe to have in your wardrobe. The black pump can be serious, stylish, sexy or professional and always, always timeless.
Keep your closet stocked with these classic pieces and your wardrobe will be anything but dated and boring. Here’s to being timeless and effortlessly chic!
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With your Christmas decorations down your house may be looking a little lackluster. You’re used to seeing sparkly lights and added color to your now duller looking home. Use this as motivation to update your home décor. Here are some budget friendly tips for updating your home.
Do-it-yourself! Reupholster old chairs with new fabric to bring them back to life.
You don’t need to be an excellent sewer for this task. Simply buy enough fabric to cover the existing cushion, tuck it under (ensuring it’s smooth), and use your staple gun to affix the fabric to the bottom of the chair. Look for bright fabric or interesting patterns to liven up a room.
Treat yourself to fresh flowers to brighten-up any room. It’s amazing what a few fresh flowers and a pretty vase can do to a space.
Give old pieces a fresh look with pretty new knobs. Take a look at your hutches and armoires. Replacing old hardware with pretty or interesting knobs, like ones from World Market, 
can really change the look of the whole piece.
Flea markets are your friend! Search flea markets for vintage mirrors that you can hang on an empty wall. Cluster smaller mirrors together for an interesting look.
Organize a disheveled a bookcase into an interesting focal point of a room. Display interesting books and other 
personal effects on the bookcase to achieve the desired look.
*images from craftaholicsanonymous.net, World Market, and accidentalchic.com.
For many of us, January is a time to reflect on the things in our lives that need improving. Start the year off with a clean slate and vow to get more organized at home and at the office in 2012.
Invest in a pretty day planner and notebook. Electronic calendars are great for setting reminders but nothing 
beats a day planner that you can slip into your purse of briefcase. Carry your day planner with you at all times. You can pull it out at meetings to record important deadlines or jot down your kid’s next dentist appointment in a flash. Notebooks are also great for jotting down grocery lists, “to do” lists, and important phone numbers.
Colorful sticky notes are not only visually appealing, but also help keep you organized. Coordinate different colors for different documents, easily find your place in a stack of papers, and flag items for coworkers.
A modern filing system, like this one from OfficeMax, keeps everything in the right place and save
s on space. Place a collator or filing system on your desk for files that you reach for often. Label files so that you can quickly throw things into their corresponding category.
Keep a family calendar on the fridge or another high traffic area to keep the entire family in the loop. Leave your business arrangements off of this calendar. Stick to family appointments like the orthodontist and birthday parties.
Don’t forget your drawers! Use clear dividers to ensure that each item has its own place. 
This works for the family junk drawer and your desk drawers. Buy inexpensive boxes to store things like stationery, photographs, and old work projects so they’re easy to access but not cluttering up useful space.
If paper-free organization is your preference, there are plenty of free day planners to download from the App Store for your smartphone or tablet. Fun sites like Pugly Pixel offer plenty of freebies, from downloadable calendars to fonts and graphics for the more advanced techie.
The bottom line is, you don’t need to hire a professional or spend lots of money to see big rewards. Simple tricks that aren’t too pricey are definitely worth the investment. Getting organized will save you time in the end. With everything in its place you’ll never have to waste time searching for a misplaced document or rescheduling a missed appointment.
Want to start the New Year out right? This doesn’t have to mean you must starve yourself or sign up for an extreme fitness program. Making small changes to your diet and exercise routine can make a substantial difference. Nominal changes are preferred to major ones since you’re more likely to stick with your new healthier lifestyle.
Simple Swaps
One of the easiest ways to cut fat and calories out of your diet is to make healthier substitutions. For instance, start using skim milk or 1 percent milk in lieu of 2 percent or whole milk. Normally eat white bread for your sandwiches? Try whole-grain versions instead. Same goes for eating brown rice over white rice. Foods made from whole-grains will keep your appetite sated for longer periods of time. When shopping for salad dressings, always choose lighter and fat-free versions with fewer calories than the original varieties.
Cut the Empty Beverage Calories
Beverages can easily help you pile on the pounds. Soft drinks, coffee drinks and fruit juice contain hundreds of calories and do nothing to curb your appetite. Instead, make your primary drink water. If water isn’t your thing, consume other low-calorie options such as unsweetened iced tea, black coffee and diet soft drinks.
Add More Exercise to Day to Day Activities
To increase the number of calories you burn each day, exercise during your daily routine. For instance, ride your bicycle to work or school instead of driving. Park your car far away from entrances in parking lots. Take the stairs instead of the escalator or elevator. Walk around the neighborhood instead of sitting at your desk for your lunch hour.