Thankful Volunteering for Clean Living

The holidays are quickly headed our way. The meal planning, gift buying, and holiday parties are already filling the calendar. While the cocktail parties, white elephant gift exchanges, and Christmas tree search helps keep the sanity during the holiday season why not consider throwing in some family volunteering into the mix? Often times we get so caught up that it’s easy to forget that there are so many ways that doing something fairly small in our eyes can make the biggest difference in someone else’s life. Since I know that you are busier than ever I thought I would do the legwork for you and help get you and your family started on the road to volunteering.

I would suggest that you decide what form of volunteering is most doable for your family; possibly a monthly event to the same place or more of a one-time thing to various locations. You will also want to decide what you think would be the most comfortable volunteer experience for your family especially if it’s the first time. If dogs frighten your 4 year old, you probably don’t want to clean kennels at the animal shelter.

I would suggest that you decide what form of volunteering is most doable for your family; possibly a monthly event to the same place or more of a one-time thing to various locations. You will also want to decide what you think would be the most comfortable volunteer experience for your family especially if it’s the first time. If dogs frighten your 4 year old, you probably don’t want to clean kennels at the animal shelter.

Once you’ve narrowed down the plan of action, talk to your family about it. Be sure to show the kids your enthusiasm for helping others. Trust me, if you’re giving your 4 year the chance to be a “big kid” by volunteering, they will be more than willing to lend a hand.

There are tons of things out there for y’all to do so let me just list a few below:

    Send a general or holiday themed card to a hospitalized child (http://www.cardsforhospitalizedkids.com/make-general-cards.html) (http://www.cardsforhospitalizedkids.com/make-holiday-cards2.html)

    Visit a nursing home. Many facilities will even pair you with one or two residents to visit on a regular basis.
    Donate to a local food pantry. Create flyers asking neighbors to leave non-perishable food items on their front porch or ask them to drop off at your porch by a certain date. Your kids can help pass out the flyers and of course go with you to donate.
    Look for a local walk/run that you can participate in.
    Head to a local animal shelter or your local Pet Smart. (Our local Pet Smart has volunteer groups that are always looking for help with the kitten kennels and of course to play with the animals.)
    Clean up litter. Walk the neighborhood, local park, or walking trail and have the family armed with trash bags and gloves.
    Serve at the local soup kitchen.
    Search the Hands on Network in your area. USE THIS LINK. I volunteered for years with Hands on Charlotte; they have various opportunities of all types.
    Make holiday cards for the residents at the local nursing home.
    Donate gently used DVD’s. Books, or CD’s to the local children’s hospital.
    Donate used towels, pet toys, and blankets to the local animal shelter.
    You can just Google “family volunteering” in your city or zip to find other opportunities.

We are all fortunate to be happy, healthy, and physically capable so why not give back and more importantly start your family out in the right direction for a lifetime of helping others.

The holidays are quickly headed our way. The meal planning, gift buying, and holiday parties are already filling the calendar. While the cocktail parties, white elephant gift exchanges, and Christmas tree search helps keep the sanity during the holiday season why not consider throwing in some family volunteering into the mix? Often times we get so caught up that it’s easy to forget that there are so many ways that doing something fairly small in our eyes can make the biggest difference in someone else’s life. Since I know that you are busier than ever I thought I would do the legwork for you and help get you and your family started on the road to volunteering.
I would suggest that you decide what form of volunteering is most doable for your family; possibly a monthly event to the same place or more of a one-time thing to various locations. You will also want to decide what you think would be the most comfortable volunteer experience for your family especially if it’s the first time. If dogs frighten your 4 year old, you probably don’t want to clean kennels at the animal shelter.
I would suggest that you decide what form of volunteering is most doable for your family; possibly a monthly event to the same place or more of a one-time thing to various locations. You will also want to decide what you think would be the most comfortable volunteer experience for your family especially if it’s the first time. If dogs frighten your 4 year old, you probably don’t want to clean kennels at the animal shelter.
Once you’ve narrowed down the plan of action, talk to your family about it. Be sure to show the kids your enthusiasm for helping others. Trust me, if you’re giving your 4 year the chance to be a “big kid” by volunteering, they will be more than willing to lend a hand.
There are tons of things out there for y’all to do so let me just list a few below:

1. Send a general or holiday themed card to a hospitalized child (http://www.cardsforhospitalizedkids.com/make-general-cards.html) (http://www.cardsforhospitalizedkids.com/make-holiday-cards2.html)
2. Visit a nursing home. Many facilities will even pair you with one or two residents to visit on a regular basis.
3. Donate to a local food pantry. Create flyers asking neighbors to leave non-perishable food items on their front porch or ask them to drop off at your porch by a certain date. Your kids can help pass out the flyers and of course go with you to donate.
4. Look for a local walk/run that you can participate in.
5. Head to a local animal shelter or your local Pet Smart. (Our local Pet Smart has volunteer groups that are always looking for help with the kitten kennels and of course to play with the animals.)
6. Clean up litter. Walk the neighborhood, local park, or walking trail and have the family armed with trash bags and gloves.
7. Serve at the local soup kitchen.
8. Search the Hands on Network in your area. USE THIS LINK. I volunteered for years with Hands on Charlotte; they have various opportunities of all types.
9. Make holiday cards for the residents at the local nursing home.
10. Donate gently used DVD’s. Books, or CD’s to the local children’s hospital.
11. Donate used towels, pet toys, and blankets to the local animal shelter.
12. You can just Google “family volunteering” in your city or zip to find other opportunities.

We are all fortunate to be happy, healthy, and physically capable so why not give back and more importantly start your family out in the right direction for a lifetime of helping others.
- See more at: http://www.cleaneats101.com/tag/clean-living/#sthash.8uLfIfDl.dpuf

Pumpkin Pass Under: Stand back to back with a few feet between your partner and you. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and raise your pumpkin over your head. Come down and pass the pumpkin through your legs to your partner. Pumpkin Squat: Stand with feet shoulder width apart. Raise pumpkin about your head and as you come down with the pumpkin drop into a squat. Be sure that your knees don’t go over your toes. Repeat.

Pumpkin Toss (wood chop): This is a wood chop move. Stand with feet shoulder width apart and swing from top right to bottom left while turning your leg inward and twisting your torso.

Pumpkin Plank: standard plank and try to hold for 30-60 seconds. Be sure to keep your body inline. Don’t allow your pelvis to drop.

Mountain Climbers: To add more intensity take that plank straight into mountain climbers.

Ideally you just want to get the kids moving. Your involvement will get your kids excited and they will want to be active and hopefully continue to live a healthy and active life!
- See more at: http://www.cleaneats101.com/family-friendly-fitness/#sthash.jvdr5tJI.dpuf

Pumpkin Pass Under: Stand back to back with a few feet between your partner and you. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and raise your pumpkin over your head. Come down and pass the pumpkin through your legs to your partner. Pumpkin Squat: Stand with feet shoulder width apart. Raise pumpkin about your head and as you come down with the pumpkin drop into a squat. Be sure that your knees don’t go over your toes. Repeat.

Pumpkin Toss (wood chop): This is a wood chop move. Stand with feet shoulder width apart and swing from top right to bottom left while turning your leg inward and twisting your torso.

Pumpkin Plank: standard plank and try to hold for 30-60 seconds. Be sure to keep your body inline. Don’t allow your pelvis to drop.

Mountain Climbers: To add more intensity take that plank straight into mountain climbers.

Ideally you just want to get the kids moving. Your involvement will get your kids excited and they will want to be active and hopefully continue to live a healthy and active life!
- See more at: http://www.cleaneats101.com/family-friendly-fitness/#sthash.jvdr5tJI.dpuf

Family Friendly Fitness

OCTOBER 23, 2015 | in Good Times, Program Tips

With all of the distractions in the world today it’s imperative that we start early and introduce our kids to the importance of a healthy lifestyle. While I struggle with getting my kids to eat anything green or try new foods I can get them to workout with me. Obviously they aren’t lifting barbells but they love to get out the tennis racquets and swing at balls, or challenge my husband or me to an impromptu 1 on 1 soccer game. So I thought it would be fun to get the kids involved in a fun outdoor and Halloween inspired workout.
Aim to do 15-20 reps and complete 3-5 rounds.
Pumpkin Pass : Similar to the Russian twist but pass a pumpkin to your partner.

Pumpkin Pass Under: Stand back to back with a few feet between your partner and you. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and raise your pumpkin over your head. Come down and pass the pumpkin through your legs to your partner. Pumpkin Squat: Stand with feet shoulder width apart. Raise pumpkin about your head and as you come down with the pumpkin drop into a squat. Be sure that your knees don’t go over your toes. Repeat.

Pumpkin Toss (wood chop): This is a wood chop move. Stand with feet shoulder width apart and swing from top right to bottom left while turning your leg inward and twisting your torso.

Pumpkin Plank: standard plank and try to hold for 30-60 seconds. Be sure to keep your body inline. Don’t allow your pelvis to drop.

Mountain Climbers: To add more intensity take that plank straight into mountain climbers.

Ideally you just want to get the kids moving. Your involvement will get your kids excited and they will want to be active and hopefully continue to live a healthy and active life!

- See more at: http://www.cleaneats101.com/family-friendly-fitness/#sthash.jvdr5tJI.dpuf

Family Friendly Fitness

OCTOBER 23, 2015 | in Good Times, Program Tips

With all of the distractions in the world today it’s imperative that we start early and introduce our kids to the importance of a healthy lifestyle. While I struggle with getting my kids to eat anything green or try new foods I can get them to workout with me. Obviously they aren’t lifting barbells but they love to get out the tennis racquets and swing at balls, or challenge my husband or me to an impromptu 1 on 1 soccer game. So I thought it would be fun to get the kids involved in a fun outdoor and Halloween inspired workout.
Aim to do 15-20 reps and complete 3-5 rounds.
Pumpkin Pass : Similar to the Russian twist but pass a pumpkin to your partner.

Pumpkin Pass Under: Stand back to back with a few feet between your partner and you. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and raise your pumpkin over your head. Come down and pass the pumpkin through your legs to your partner. Pumpkin Squat: Stand with feet shoulder width apart. Raise pumpkin about your head and as you come down with the pumpkin drop into a squat. Be sure that your knees don’t go over your toes. Repeat.

Pumpkin Toss (wood chop): This is a wood chop move. Stand with feet shoulder width apart and swing from top right to bottom left while turning your leg inward and twisting your torso.

Pumpkin Plank: standard plank and try to hold for 30-60 seconds. Be sure to keep your body inline. Don’t allow your pelvis to drop.

Mountain Climbers: To add more intensity take that plank straight into mountain climbers.

Ideally you just want to get the kids moving. Your involvement will get your kids excited and they will want to be active and hopefully continue to live a healthy and active life!

- See more at: http://www.cleaneats101.com/family-friendly-fitness/#sthash.jvdr5tJI.dpuf