How Ya Doin'?

So how are those New Year Resolutions coming? It's only been 2 weeks you know. If you're struggling on keeping those resolutions you will be happy to know that Sunday, January 17 is Ditch New Year's Resolutions Day. Just sayin'.

That said, if you are in the 12% that actually keep your resolutions and if one of those resolutions was weight maintenance, STOP reading - this recipe is NOT for you!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge

1 lb. powdered sugar
4 tablespoons cocoa
2 sticks butter, melted
1/2 cup chocolate chips, melted
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup peanut butter

Mix all of the above ingredients well. Put into 9" square pan.

Chill and cut into squares.

Before you accuse me of eating them all before I got a picture ... I made this fudge for some teens ... Honestly ... But I may have eaten a piece or two or maybe three.

'Tis the Season to ... Walk?

According to the American Council on Exercise, time- and cost-conscious workouts are among the most popular fitness trends in 2010. Walking is one of the most popular fitness activities in the U.S. and is both time- and cost-conscious. During the winter months when walking outside is just not practical, you can still add walking into your fitness routine.

1. Use a pedometer. Pedometers measure how far you have walked in miles and also counts how many calories you have burned. They vary in price range ($5 - $219 from Walmart). Research shows that you can cover 7,499 steps a day, even without a formal sports or exercise program. Fitness experts advise to walk 10,000 steps a day. By using a pedometer, you can find out how many steps you normally walk, and then over time you can increase the amount of steps you take until you reach 10,000. This may mean, parking farther away at the grocery store, simply pacing the floors at home or walking the mall. One sure way to boost the number of your steps is to turn on peppy music. Without even thinking, you will increase the intensity of your steps and may have you walking even more!

2. Leslie Sansone's Walk at Home is the #1 indoor walk program in the world! The videos are so convenient, easy to use and are great for all types of fitness levels. Leslie Sansone also has 3 "Faith Walks" in her series. So far this year with the Walk at Home video series, I've made it ... almost 11 miles to the super Walmart! Only 4 more miles! Of course, I'll have to make it back at some point but at least there is food at Walmart. Go to www.walkathome.com and try out the 5 Minute Energy Walk (you'll walk 500 steps too!). PS: Her videos are only about $10 at Walmart!

2010 Winter Olympics

It is one month until opening day at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic Games! Today the Olympic torch will be in Prince Albert Canada. Apparently, there is also a brand of tobacco called Prince Albert and is oftentimes referenced in the form of a prank call. The prankster typically calls a store and asks if they have "Prince Albert in a can." When the unsuspecting clerk responds, "yes," the caller follows up with, "Well, you'd better let him out!"

I know, I know that joke had absolutely nothing to do with the Olympic games. The joke here is in the price of the ticket for the Olympic games. Did you know that the cheapest ticket for anything at the Olympic games this year is $22? It will get you into a Victory Ceremony. A as in one single ceremony. This is the ceremony where the athletes receive their medals. What if whoever you are wanting to win doesn't? Scalp the tickets?

The most expensive ticket is for the "A" seat tickets (as opposed to "B" "C" or "D") to the Opening Ceremony for $1,100. On average, a ticket for a "A" seat is $70 while a "B" seat is going for around $30. But that is just to one event. If you want to see multiple events, you have to buy a ticket to each event.

That doesn't sound all that bad though, right? HA! Remember it is Vancouver. Canada. In February. Mostly outside. When you have to mention a tip like the one below, you would have to pay me to go!

Keep moving. Limit the amount of time you spend sitting or standing in one place. Move around to keep your blood flowing.

What would you pay to go and watch?

• Opening Ceremony
• Victory Ceremony
• Closing Ceremony
• Alpine Skiing
• Baithlon
• Bobsleigh
• Cross-Country
• Curling
• Figure Skating
• Freestyle Skiing
• Ice Hocky
• Luge
• Nordic Combined
• Short Track
• Skeleton
• Ski Jumping
• Snowboard
• Speed Skating

"Slammin' Cookies"

According to my Chris, these cookies are "slammin'!" They have a great balance of oatmeal and cinnamon. They would also be great with dried cranberries instead of raisins for a slight variation. I did make some without the raisins, but they flattened out a bit more and were slightly drier.

The Ultimate Oatmeal Cookie

1-1/4 cups packed brown sugar

1 cup butter or margarine, softened

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

3 cups quick-cooking or old-fashioned oats

1-1/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup raisins, if desired

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Beat all ingredients except oats, flour and raisins in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon.

Stir in oats, flour and raisins.

Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.

Gobble up while warm and wash down with a glass of milk.

"Snow" Much Fun!

When the white stuff starts falling, adventure outside and have fun!

1. Ice Maker.

When the temperature drops below 32 degrees F, stay inside by the fireplace under your Snuggie blow bubbles and watch them freeze on the wand.

2. Snow Graffiti.

Give your kids spray bottles full of water that's tinted with food coloring. "Paint" pictures in the snow with the colored water. Avoid spraying each other as the food coloring will stain clothes - actually it would be their snow suits.

3. Snow Hurdles.

Pack snow up into mounds (hurdles) and build a course to jump over while playing follow the leader. Have children do this over and over until they are too tired and are begging to go inside for a nap.

4. Roll, Baby, Roll.

Pair up for a contest in which the object is to finish with the biggest snowball. The contest ends when the teams can no longer roll their snowball or they run out of snow.

5. Snow Shapes.

Use your sandbox toys, Tupperware containers, Bundt pan and other molds to make a snow castle or a snow cake.

6. The Headless Snowman.

Make your traditional snowman excluding his head. Allow children to stand behind the snowman and "be the head." Take their picture and tell them this is what they will look like in 25+ years.

7. Snow Catcher.

Give your child a piece of dark-colored construction paper and encourage them to catch and examine the snowflakes.

8. Yellow Snow.

Freeze colored water into ice cubes, then hide them around the yard for a scavenger hunt. Do not use yellow food coloring.

9. Tic-Tac-Snow (Not an original name with me - isn't it a cute name though?)

Draw a Tic-Tac-Toe board in the snow and use crisscrossed sticks and pine cones as game pieces.

10. A"mazing" fun.

Stomp out a path for the children to follow. Have it lead back inside where you can now sit by the fireplace under your Snuggie.

-www.parents.com

-www.familyfun.go.com