Another Zu-Li Give Away

Here is another great give away by Zu-Li Designs.  Enter to win a super cool bottle cap pendant & chain necklace-of your choice!  There are several to choose from including Hello Kitty, skulls, cherries....but my favorite is the butter fly.  Visit Zu-Li for contest details. 

Good Luck.....But Hurry!!!  The contest ends Saturday January 30 at noon.

Just Do It!

How often do you try to accomplish something? Perhaps weight loss, exercising more, getting organized, spending more time with the kids/pets, nixing the smoking habit, saving more/spending less or something business related?  Do you ever give up and walk away from the new idea saying "well at least I tried?"
I believe it is important to try new things and not avoid starting a new project or diet just because you don't want to fail. ....but here is an interesting perspective... Dr. Steven Gundry (a wellness team expert for Jillian Michaels) has made a very interesting point in his post..about Not trying.  He is discussing his ideas on becoming healthy/losing weight BUT his point could be applied to anything in your life even your business.

Want to know what it is? Check it out here!

Planning or Dreaming?

A Goal Without A Plan Is Just A Dream
(unknown author..but it says a lot)

So...are you planning or just dreaming?

If you own your own business or are thinking about it, I highly recommend a quick visit to HappyLife by Zu-Li. As a business owner myself, I took her advise and made a business 2010 goal list of 10....which spilled over to more like 14. (lol) But it felt good to get it down on paper and begin the change from dreams to planned out goals.

One goal for this year on my list is to blog more (surprise, surprise, right??). If that is on your list too, you should check out this article about 100+ blogging ideas posted by Lisa Barone.

(Credits: smallbiztrends.com and found thru NFIB SmartBrief)

Whose running the show?

Welcome to 2010! We hope every one's new year has started off great.
Are you still getting used to writing 2010 on all your paperwork or are you one of those people that will continue to absentmindedly write 2009 for the next 6 months on every check you write? I came across a great article from dollar stretcher.com about setting and achieving goals. (Perhaps the first one should be to remember that it is now 2010...lol).

Do you find yourself sitting around waiting for life to happen to you or are you planning, setting goals and heading towards the things you want to achieve in life? Whether your goals include family, financial, getting organized, traveling or millions of other ideas, a vision board may help you reach them. Need a little help getting started? Check this out: Setting Goals, Goal Setting, Achieving Goals

So what kind of cookies will Santa get to choose from this year as his treat for visiting? At our home we have chose to shorten our list of cookie baking. For our Christmas party I'll be making buckeyes, peanut butter balls and truffles of white and dark chocolate. I'll also be making fa-la-la-la's, knock you nakeds and maybe a new chocolate pie concoction that I have been eye balling a recipe for. What is on your confection list? And just as important-what's the best way to keep cookies fresh? Visit Cooks Illustrated for their take on how to store your precious Christmas Cookies after all your hard work of making them.

To all our family, friends, customers and business associates we send you warm winter wishes for the merriest Christmas ever. We hope that you are able to relax into the holiday season and enjoy it at its best. Even if only briefly we hope that your worries, troubles, grief or stress will melt away as you listen to the sounds, see the sights and smell the aroma of Christmas all around you. Merry Christmas!

Getting There

Are you getting ready yet for the holidays? We had some cooler weather in Florida and took advantage of it by bringing home and setting up the tree. It is always more enjoyable decorating when its not 90 degrees outside. lol

As you prepare your home for the holidays don't put your pets in harms way. Remember that some plants, common cleaning products or prescription medication can be poisonous to your furry friends. While things are hectic around the home and new guests may be staying with you it can be easy to overlook the dangers. Keep in mind that Christmas tree water may contain fertilizer or bacteria that can cause gastrointestinal upset. Electrical cords, batteries, glass ornaments and our own special treats need to be considered, as well as, ribbons and tinsel which can become lodged in the intestines (mostly in felines). For their sake {and your sanity!} keep a list of emergency numbers on hand...just in case. If you live in the Manatee/Sarasota, Fl. area here are some numbers.

ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center: (888) 426-4435

Sarasota Veterinary Emergency Hospital (941) 923-7260

Animal ER of University Park (941) 355-2884

Keep those 4 leggers safe while you enjoy this holiday season.