Apex Real Estate 's

Apex Real Estate Office: (251)937-9888

www.apexalabama.com

Dear Friends,

Out with the old and in with the new! Parties galore, last minute plans springing into action

and lots, and lots of confetti! Whatever could it be? Goal setting, resolution making and

willpower getting a major work out? With all the change in the air, it must be New Years!

This month in Welcome Home magazine start the New Year off right! Take a look at why

your New Year's Resolutions always seem to wind up never resolved. Is one of your New

Year goals to stop procrastinating? Let us help you reach that goal by giving you the tools

you need to successfully break the cycle of time wasting. And did Aunt Harriet give you

something again this year that you hid in closet and wish would go away? Read all about

how to tactfully get rid of unwanted holiday gifts. This and much more awaits you in our

pages!

Please enjoy this issue of the magazine! Have an productive January, and as always,

Welcome Home!

If you have comments or suggestions please email us at welcomehome@activeezine.com,

we love to hear from you! Also if there is a subject that you would like to see covered, let us

know! We look forward to hearing from you!

Apex Real Estate www.apexalabama.com

(251)937-9888

Table of Contents

Welcome Home is for entertainment purposes only. This magazine is not

intended to solicit other brokersʼ listings. If you are currently working

with another broker, please disregard this information.

The information provided in this publication of Welcome Home or on any website maintained by U.S. Cybertek, Inc. or any of its subsidiaries, divisions, affiliates, agents, representatives, licensors, licensees or employees (collectively Publisher) is intended as a general guide illustrating common methods of common practices, and the publisher makes no warranty or guarantee whatsoever of the safety, effectiveness, or other characteristic of any methods or products described herein. Neither does the Publisher assume any liability for information published in any website or other publication to which reference may be made herein. Readers are cautioned to review and comply with all written instructions, safety bulletins, and other materials provided in connection with any of the products mentioned herein and all products used in connection with any of the methods described. Neither Published nor any of its subsidiaries, divisions, affiliates, agents, representatives, licensors, licensees or employees shall in any case be liable to you or anyone else for any loss or injury or any direct, indirect, incidental, consequential, special punitive or similar damages arising out of your use of or failure to use any of the methods and/or products described in this publication or any other publication or websites to which reference may be made herein. Publisher disclaims all warranties, and any warranty or guarantee of safety, merchantability, or fitness for any part icular purpose l ies solely with the manufacture(s) of any product described or recommended or used used in connection with any methods described or recommended.

Editor in Chief - Phly Jambor

All pictures courtesy of sxc.hu unless otherwise noted. Thanks to Wikipedia for Random Fact information and aid.

Welcome Home!

4 Recipe And Design A tasty recipe and a stylish home design how to.

5 Staying Safe and Cozy Winter storms got you worried? Check this out!

6 - 7 7 Tips To Save! Save on your Gas and Electricity whilst staying warm.

8 - 9 Unwanted Holliday Gifts How to get rid of them, without getting caught.

10 - 11 Non - Resolutions Resolve a better way this year.

12 - 15 LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION! 3 Key tips for busting the winter blues.

16 - 17 Procrastination: How to overcome this time eating habit!

18 - 19 Products To Love!

Hot trends, technological wonders of tomorrow and so much more!

20 City Spotlight Aloha! Discover the lovely island of Maui, HI.

21 Businesses That Make A Difference Tom’s Shoes, changing the world one pair of shoes at a time.

Beef Tenderloin w/ Henry Bain Sauce

Recipe and Design

Preparation:1. Process chutney in a food processor until smooth. Add

ketchup and next 4 ingredients, and process until blended. Chill sauce at least 2 hours.

2. Stir together butter, salt, and pepper; rub over tenderloin. Place on a lightly greased rack in a jellyroll pan. (Fold under narrow end of tenderloin to fit on rack.)

3. Bake at 500° for 30 to 35 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted into thickest portion of tenderloin registers 145° (medium-rare). Loosely cover tenderloin with aluminum foil, and let stand 15 minutes before serving. Serve tenderloin with sauce and dinner rolls.

Southern Living, MAY 2004

Ingredients• 1 (9-ounce) bottle chutney• 1 (14-ounce) bottle ketchup• 1 (12-ounce) bottle chili sauce• 1 (10-ounce) bottle steak sauce• 1 (10-ounce) bottle Worcestershire sauce• 1 teaspoon hot sauce• 1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened• 2 teaspoons salt• 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper• 1 (4 1/2- to 5-pound) beef tenderloin,

trimmed• Dinner rolls

Instructions:

1. Buy a Scraplight (www.scraplight.com). It comes in two different sizes so you can choose which works best for you.2. Create a design you would like to show off.3. Print the image on a transparency or sheet of vellum.4. Insert into the lamp.5. Flick the switch and your image will shine!

• Photo of your choice• A Scraplight Lamp• Transparency films or Vellum paper

Scraplight Lamp

Courtesy of Better Homes and Gardens.com

What You Need:

Make your designs shine with a personalized lamp you can change with

your mood or the season.

Nothing feels better on a cold winter’s day than peeling off frosty winter gloves, soggy socks and snuggling up to a roaring fire. But these days, the warmth of the family hearth is likely to be an electric space heater or a digital thermostat. As winter approaches, there is no better time to think about what to do when an ice storm knocks out your power.

Ice storms and improvWhen a winter storm causes an electricity outage, people improvise. They break out the flashlights and light the candles. They hook up gas space heaters and crank up kerosene stoves. And that’s when things get dangerous. Safety factors should always be considered before operating any of these home-heating appliances. While chances of freezing to death in your home are small, there's a greater risk of death by fire or carbon monoxide poisoning. So exercise caution.

Safety firstAll it takes is a little common sense. By following the safety tips outlined below, you can learn to identify potential hazards associated with the use of home-heating equipment during a power outage.

• Keep children away from portable heaters, electric or fuel-powered.• Do not burn anything larger than candles inside your home without providing good ventilation

such as open windows.• All heaters that run on fuel (natural gas, kerosene, butane, oil) should be vented. The only

exception to this rule is electric heaters.• Do not use the kitchen oven or stove top to heat your home. This can be a fire hazard as well

as a source of toxic fumes.• Space heaters need their space. Keep anything combustible at least three feet away.• When using supplemental portable electric heaters, never use an extension cord.• Before purchasing a portable heater, make sure it has "tip switches." These switches are

designed to automatically shut off the heating unit in the event it tips over.• Never refill a space heater while it is in operation or is still hot.• Only refuel heaters outdoors. Use the type of fuel recommended by the manufacturer, and

follow instructions carefully.• Glass doors or a metal screen should be placed in front of your fireplace to prevent sparks or

hot ash from igniting carpets, furniture or other combustible items.• Do not burn charcoal designed for indoor barbecues, not even in a fireplace or wood-burning

stove. It releases odorless, yet toxic, carbon monoxide fumes and can cause death.• Install smoke alarms that are equipped with a battery back-up in your home. Make sure that

smoke alarms are on every level of the home, as well as near every bedroom in the home. Test the alarms monthly, and change the batteries at least once a year.

• Purchase and install a carbon monoxide alarm for your home. Make sure it is marked with the Underwriter's Laboratory (UL) safety listing. Follow the manufacturer's recommendations for placement in your home.

Exercising caution and using common sense will keep you and your family safe––even in a storm.

Written by Artie Megibben. Courtesy of Articlesbase.com

Staying SafeCozy &

As the days get shorter and the nights get colder, summer seems like a distant memory. With winter fast approaching some of us are faced with the worry that they may not be able to afford the gas and electricity to heat their homes through the cold winter months.

But there are some tips that people can follow in order to cut on their home energy bills whilst keeping their homes toasty - without spending any extra money.

1. Dress for the winter weatherThis goes for inside your house and out. Rather than wearing a t-shirt in your house with the heating on, try adding a few extra layers for warmth.

2. Get a hot water bottleA hot water bottle can be lovely and comforting and provide warmth for hours on end for the cost of a kettle full of hot water.

3. Keep the warmth withinWhen you heat up a room, make sure you don t let the heat escape by leaving doors or windows open. Shutting the curtains as soon as it becomes dusk will also help keep the warmth within your home.

7 Tips To Save On Gas And ElectricityWhilst Staying Warm This Winter

Written by Sarah OʼDonnell. Courtesy of Articlesbase.com

4. Invite your friends overHaving several people in a room will raise the temperature through body heat. The more people in a room the warmer it will be, and you never you know might enjoy yourself at the same time!

5. Cuddle upCuddling up to your partner, children or family can help to stay warm for free. Not only will you stay warm but being physically close to others helps us to release oxytocin a feel good chemical to keep us happy.

6. Turn your thermostat downIf it is too cold to cope without the heating on, try turning your thermostat down by one degree. This has the potential to save you up to 10% of your annual heating bill.

7. Turn off the lightsThe nights are darker in winter, but you don’t need all the lights in the house on. Make sure that whenever you leave the room the lights are off to save on your gas and electricity bills.

If you have any difficulties paying your energy bills it is always worth speaking to your utilities company who should be able to help you with your payment options. The most important thing to remember is to stay warm this winter, for your health and your happiness.

Unwanted Holiday GiftsHow To Get Rid Of Them, Without Getting Caught!

The new year is here. It is time to go back to work, take down the tree, and put away all the Christmas presents. Well…maybe not all of the Christmas presents. Did Aunt Frieda give you a pair of Uncle Freddie’s unused golf ball-shaped gold cufflinks? Did Cousin Sarah knit you a pair of socks better suited to a toddler than your grown-up-sized tootsies? Did you receive a gift card to a restaurant that’s closest location is 200 miles away? What do you do with all of these unusable or undesirable gifts? You don’t want to “look a gift horse the mouth,” but you certainly want to make the best of this sad situation. Here are some tips on how to deal with those gifts you’d rather not keep.

For gifts that are not handmade or hand-me-downs, there is always the option of returning the gift to the place it was bought. You can often receive store credit or even cash if you return a gift with a gift receipt. If you don’t have a gift receipt you can usually get store credit, at least. Let’s hope you like that store. One word of caution. Some sites like Amazon.com will notify the purchaser when someone returns an item if the purchaser neglected to mark the item as a gift upon purchase. That’s a little tough to explain, especially if you feigned excitement and gratitude when you opened the gift. It’s best to call or email to ask exactly what will happen if you return an item.

If you don’t want to take the chance of the gift-giver finding out that you didn’t like their gift, you can always try to sell the item on eBay or craigslist. There is no guarantee that you’ll get a nibble, but it’s worth a try and you even have the potential of earning even more than the gift-giver paid for the item.

If the gift happens to be made out of a precious metal like gold, silver, platinum or palladium you can skip the return and trying to sell the item on eBay. There are a number of online refineries that will buy your unwanted jewelry or cufflinks (or

silverware, or anything made out of a precious metal) for far more than you would expect. Because of the terrible economic climate, precious metals are worth a lot.

One very fun way to get rid of unwanted gifts is to hold a post-holiday swap party. Invite all your friends over and have them re-wrap their unwanted gifts. Serve food and drinks and have everybody swap the gifts. Everybody ends up with everybody else’s bad gifts, but sometimes the recipient will really like the gift they end up with. If not, they can either trade with someone else at the party or they can follow another one of the tips in this article. Keep in mind that this swap party is only fun when the person who gave you the bad gift is not invited. It wouldn’t be very fun for them to see their gift to you in the mix.

Of course you can always save the bad gift until next year, when you can “regift” it, or better yet, donate it to a charity that might be able to put it to good use. Rest assured that you are never stuck with a bad gift. You have many different ways to get rid of it.

Written by EM Downing Johnson. Courtesy of Isnare.com

I’ve never liked the idea of New Year’s Resolutions. If you make them, you feel that you are somehow accountable, and what if you don’t live up? Who’s keeping score anyway? It could be the most unrelenting taskmaster of all. On a very real level, the worst person you ever want to disappoint is yourself. Maybe that is why I don’t like New Year’s Resolutions.

Despite the fact that I don’t like them and I invariably refuse to make them, the New Year is nevertheless a time to reflect, to think

about where you’ve been in the past year and to set your sights on where you’d like to go. This much self-analysis I can handle.

As the holiday festivities wind down, I enjoy curling up with a nice cup of my favorite coffee and spending some quality time with myself, thinking about what I’ve accomplished in the last year, and also thinking about things from last year’s list, uh non-list, that I really wish I had accomplished. What went wrong? How do I get back on the path I want?

Non - Resolutions

Written by Regina Pickett Garson. Courtesy of Isnare.com

I think back over the last year and I think hard. Sometimes, no matter how hard you try; life really does get in the way of itself. But you know, when I am working just as hard as I can, and things still don’t work out, I don’t have to apologize to anyone, all I have to do is remind myself to keep trying.

Keeping in mind that old adage about try, try again – sometimes it’s not that we need to try again, we’ve already been doing that -- again and again and again. Sometimes we really do need to try something else. That said, I do think hard about what I need to do to keep myself on course. Sometimes I need to stay on the same old course and try it one more time and sometimes I need to try something different. Either way, as another old saying goes, “I ain’t no quitter.”

I’m also a dreamer and after I really look hard at the things I need to keep after, the things I need to change, the things I need to fix, and the closets I need to clean out, I spend some time dreaming about the things I want to make a reality. I think about those dreams. And most definitely, I dream those dreams.

Deep down, I am a list maker, a planner and a dreamer. And just about the time I take the last sip on those reminisces and regrets about the old year, I fill my cup one more time. Now, I am thinking about the New Year, what I want to accomplish, what I need to accomplish, and what I want to do, just because I want to.

Out comes the paper and pen. Somehow, it makes it more real when you write it down. And write it down I do.

Nothing is immune from my New Year’s non-resolution list making, sometimes it’s an inch or two that must go, am I getting all the exercise I need? Other times it is that novel I meant to finish, and despite making my non-resolution list at least every other year, it will be there until I’m done. Oh, and that trip I always wanted to take! How much will I have to budget to make that one excursion happen. I can’t even remember the last time I made it to the beach. And that trail I’ve always

wanted to hike. That old friend I’ve been meaning to write, the garden I want to plant, the new recipe I want to cook – just because I know we’ll all love it. The special evening I want to spend with my honey. Nothing, absolutely nothing is immune from my list making and you can count on things being there for no other reason than that those are things I really, really would like to do. Get the idea? These are the things that make my life my own; these are the things that make life good.

Likely, as not, though, I’ll also include the next exact step I need to take to keep my career on the path I want. And, down to business, keeping my finances in order, and my house from falling in around me. I also try to take note of my friends and family: are my relationships all where they should be? Are the people who depend on me happy and are their lives heading in the direction they need to be going? If not, what can I do to help, what is in my power to do and what is realistic? This is not a nosedive into co-dependency, this is about looking at my family and friends and trying to make sure that I am doing my part. You know, the old saw about, “It takes a whole a village….” Well, it does.

Just about done now, this is not a long assignment, just a few moments with a nice cup of coffee, a pen and a piece of scratch paper. Just a little bit of thinking, a little bit of planning -- and just about done reminiscing when some unspent tears make their way to the surface. That’s okay too. Because, invariably, that too is part of my little bit of time, with my favorite cup of coffee, facing the New Year once again. Life is hard, no doubt, and I’d be lying if I said the last year hadn’t been hard. Nonetheless, in a lot of ways, it has also been a good year and I have a new one to look forward to. With that, I scribble out my last non-resolution, polish off the last drop of coffee and with bitter-sweet resolve, I am once more ready to face the New Year.

No, I’m not recommending that you make your own independent film this Winter. Stay with me here and it will all come to light!

Do you literally find yourself getting “sick and tired” at this time of year, and maybe a little depressed as well? You’re not alone! 78% of the North American population

experiences increased fatigue, stress, illness, weight change and depression during the “blues” months of November to April.

Don’t despair! There are simple, easy ways to sail through the season with more JOY, CHEER and EASE!

“LIGHTS ! CAMERA! ACTION!”3 Keys To Busting The Winter Blues

LIGHTS:

It’s no accident that the Winter holidays involve lights…,,,the Jewish Menorah, Christmas lights and candles, etc. When the days are shorter with less light, serotonin levels go down and depression levels and weight tend to go up. Studies have shown that the “winter blues” or SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) is caused by less sunlight rather than temperature changes. So what’s the solution? Here are a few.

1. Get as much real daylight as you can. If you work inside and especially under fluorescent lights, take your breaks outside. Take a quick walk outside at lunch. Park a distance from your destination. Even a few minutes of being out in the daylight can make a significant difference.

2. Use full-spectrum lighting in your home and your office. I often recommend that clients replace the fluorescent lights at work with full-spectrum bulbs whenever possible. I used to get migraines almost every year starting in early November. No more! I put daylight halogen lamps in my office, living room and bedroom and….VOILA! No more migraines. The minor cost of keeping the lights a little brighter at night and in the early morning is well worth it. Whatever you do, avoid sitting in a darkened room watching TV or at the computer. Keep the lights on.

CAMERA (not really):

Think of your mind as a camera, as your own on-going video or movie. Our subconscious and nervous systems do not distinguish between physical reality and our imaginations. So visualize, visualize, VISUALIZE!

1.Take a few minutes each day or throughout the day to close your eyes and see the entire inside of your body full of light, every cell lighting up. Any internal or external images of light will work. See yourself at your favorite beach with sunlight drenching every inch of your body. See yourself playing tennis or any other warm weather activity on a sunny, summer day. You’re the director here. You get to be anywhere you want, doing anything you love. In your mind, fill yourself and your surroundings with light. This is POWERFUL!

2. This part is so important that it gets it’s own number. When you visualize, FEEL! Feel all the physical sensations and emotions that you would if you were really in the place or situation you are imagining….the warmth, the movement, the freedom, the contentment, the DELIGHT! Using all our physical senses and emotions creates a much more powerful physiological and psychological response to mental images.

Written by Ahna Cleveland. Courtesy of Isnare.com

ACTION (really):

Even without the “blues”, our bodies and metabolisms tend to slow down in the winter months. It’s only natural. And, of course, there’s all that Holiday eating! You know that you’re going to over-indulge at this time of year. You always do (and you’re in good company – the rest of us!)

1.Be pre-emptive. Start increasing your activity now, before the major eating begins. Add 5 minutes to your treadmill time or any workout time. If you’re not exercising, start!Do some side and back leg lifts while you’re standing at the stove or waiting for the microwave. (I do this compulsively now, and my thighs and behind are very grateful.) When you come home, go up and then down and then up the stairs again…with the groceries or shopping bags. When shopping, park at the far end of the parking lot (like you have a choice!) You’ll get more exercise and daylight. Take a walk with the family or friends after that big holiday meal or party.

“When you get the chance to sit it out or dance, I hope you DANCE.”

2.Whatever you do, don’t compound the over-indulging with beating yourself upabout it. If you’re like the rest of us, you are likely to gain a few pounds over the winter. Big deal! Enjoy yourself, and just do what you can, when you can.

A quick note about that New Year’s resolution to lose the holiday weight:Winter is by far the worst time of year to try to lose weight. It goes counter to your body’s natural rhythms and tendencies. (Think hibernation!) Rather than setting yourself up for failure, do what you can to avoid the weight gain to begin with. Staying active before and during the Winter will set up your mind and metabolism to lose the weight more easily when Spring rolls around.

Keep your mind and thoughts LIGHT! ENJOY! Be of good CHEER, and when you want to bust the winter blues, remember…………

LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION!

How To Overcome It

Procrastination is unfortunately something that a lot of us suffer from regularly, whether it's just an occasional “put off til tomorrow” or a recurrent lack of drive and motivation. Procrastination can often hold us back from what we really want in life, and unfortunately, it's something that can crop up at any time of life, no matter who you are. A lot of people often assume that procrastination is simply being lazy, but this isn't always the case. Often, feelings of tiredness, hopelessness, panic or even depression can cause us to put things off and avoid reality completely.

Procrastination:

Procrastination is a trap, and once we've fallen in it can be very difficult to get back out, so why do we do it? Well for many people, procrastination is simply a way of coping with emotions and physical symptoms that often come with depression, and can be caused by panic. The unfortunate truth is that often, a ‘snowballing' effect can happen, you may be stressed and under pressure at work, then causing you to panic, which may then trigger depression which in turn can make thing very difficult for you to do. However it happened, it's important you get out of it, otherwise you may find that nothing will ever get done because you're too miserable and negative to bring yourself to do it.

There are 5 main ‘style's of procrastination, you may feel that you fall under one mains style, or a mixture.

• Organization and keeping track of things is very difficult• You fear people disapprove of you, or fear disapproval itself• Important tasks seem futile, and so overwhelming it feels stupid to even attempt them• Hostile feelings towards someone, and punishing them by putting things off• Routines and Schedules cause you to feel rebellious

These styles of procrastination can often also overlap in one of four different themes: Self Doubt, Discomfort Dodging, Guilt Driven and Habitual. Self Doubt is people who feel that there are rigid standards about how certain things need to be done and often fear they will fail, they often second guess themselves and will delay taking action against procrastinating. Discomfort dodging is when a person will avoid activities that will cause them anxiety, discomfort or even distress, however, often by dodging the activity, feelings and tension don't go away, and instead mount due to the avoidance. Guilt driven people often feel extreme guilt when tasks go done, but instead of acting on their guilt and working, they instead procrastinate, avoiding the issue and the guilt completely. And finally, Habitual people are people who have found procrastination to be an automatic response within their lives, they have put things off so often, that they feel it is just a part of them now, and there is nothing they can do to change it.

But there are things you can do to change it, and get out of your procrastination cycle once and for all. The first thing is a simple idea, but it works all the same – make a list! It sounds ridiculous, but it does actually work. Just go to your local stationary store and get yourself a large notebook, and make lists and plans for yourself to stick to, prioritize everything on your list in order of importance, and allocate times for these tasks to be done (1 hour, 2 hours etc). The key to battling procrastination is organization, by allocating specific times; you're ensuring that you have enough time to do everything and get it done! If a task is particularly big, then split it up into manageable time slots, making sure that progress is steady, and you're not giving yourself too much to do.

However, you also need to create some time for yourself, or ‘reward time'. Reward time gives you an incentive to get things done, because you know once it's done you can have a break and reward yourself for your hard work. Procrastination is a tough mountain to climb, but once you reach the top you're free to reap the rewards of an organized, healthy and happy lifestyle, as well as the true relief and satisfaction that comes with having nothing weighing you down!

Written by Diana Samalot. Courtesy of Articlesbase.com.

Products To Love In January

Over the years, Heuer's reputation for gold-standard precision earned the company the privilege of providing official timing services for a number of world-class competitive sporting events, and now you can enjoy that same precision as well with the Tag Heuer Grand Carrera Chronograph Mens Watch CAV511A.BA0902. Stainless steel case with a stainless steel bracelet.Black dial with circular guilloche dial with luminous silver-tone hands and index hour markers. Luminiscent minute markers around the outer rim. Scratch resistant sapphire crystal. Screw down fluted crown. Stainless steel case back. Hidden folding push button deployment clasp. Water resistant at 100 meters / 330 feet. Please click here for more information.

One of my all time favorite things are the ever handy and super friendly Post-It notes! But do you actually know how they came to be? The Post-it® Note was invented as a solution without a problem. In 1968 Dr. Spencer Silver, a 3M scientist, developed a unique, repositionable adhesive. As remarkable as it was, the product could not find a market. Six years later, colleague Art Fry recalled Silver's seminars promoting the light adhesive when he was daydreaming about a bookmark that would stay put in his church hymnal. The rest is history. So the next time you grab one of these amazing little reminder notes, take a second and think about it’s day dreamy origins. Please click here for more information.

Winter is here in full frozen swing and, sorry, but that sad, tattered excuse of a jacket you guys were wearing around last season won’t cut it in this year’s super frosty weather! So save your self the headache of shopping and have look at this perfect coat. This Down Quilted Parka in Navy from London Fog is sure to please both your quest for non-popsicle status and the fashion conscience lady in your life. It’s a win, win situation. Please click here for more information.

FIELD TESTED

Reviewed by Rural Jungle Testing

Products To Love In January

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change has more than 15 million copies sold. Stephen Covey, an internationally respected leadership authority, realizes that true success encompasses a balance of personal and professional effectiveness, so this book is a manual for performing better in both arenas. His anecdotes are as frequently from family situations as from business challenges. Before you can adopt the seven habits, you'll need to accomplish what Covey calls a "paradigm shift"--a change in perception and interpretation of how the world works. Covey takes you through this change, which affects how you perceive and act regarding productivity, time management, positive thinking, developing your "proactive muscles" (acting with initiative rather than reacting), and much more. Please click here for more information.

Whether you're just starting to get in shape or are a seasoned athlete, Bowflex's Treadclimber TC3000 Cardio Machine is a home fitness machine that offers an array of electronics and features to push your workout to the next level. Similar in function to a treadmill, this low-impact machine is engineered to burn fat without pounding your joints. It has unique dual treadles (rather than a single belt area surface) that rise up to cushion each step. This design eliminates the jarring impact of hard, flat surfaces and reduces the joint and muscle strain that can be part of other workout machines. Please click here for more information.

Ladies, are you sick and tired of freezing while trying to look fashionable in the winter time? Well your popsicle days are over! This ultra chic charcoal colored London Fog Active Wool coat with faux fur trim will appease both your fashion sense and you quest for warmth in the winter. Please click here for more information.

Maui has an incredible vacation landscape. People love coming to Maui because of the resort areas of Kapalua and Wailea for golf and beaches. They also like to take a drive down the Hana Highway for a romantic stay at Hotel Hana Maui.

There are three airports on Maui, Kahului Airport, Kapalua Airport, and Hana Airport, so getting there is not a problem.

Hotels: Hotel Hana-Maui does everything right to make you feel welcome, relaxed and in touch with nature. Room service was quick and efficient. Grand Wailea Resort The hotel has one of the top beaches in the world, fabulous pools, and a great golf course with spectacular views of the ocean and Mt. Haleakala. The Fairmont Kea Lani is a great place for honeymooners and family vacationers. Situated on 22 landscaped acres facing Polo Beach, The Fairmont Kea Lani is a luxury all-suite and villa resort. There are also several places that you can stay in Maui, such as vacation homes, condos and more. Accommodations are never heard to find. Most reasonably prices as well.

Activities: Taking a scenic drive is one of the more popular Maui activities. The island has an abundance of scenic views, ranging from tropical plants and waterfalls on the eastern end of Maui to desert-like landscape inside the Haleakala Crater. Maui is famous for its golf courses, which offer scenic ocean views and well-maintained fairways. Kapalua on West Maui offers three championship golf courses, including the Plantation Course where Mercedes Championships are held every year. Numerous companies based in Lahaina on West Maui offer boat tours, such as glass-bottom boat tours, whale watching, fishing and snorkeling and scuba diving. You can usually find information about these activities through your hotel once you get to Maui. On the other hand, visit the historic town of Lahaina and sign up in person in the Lahaina Harbor.

Maui offers beautiful scenery, coastal trails, and mountain hikes. You can sign up for a guided hike through your hotel, or explore the island on your own.

Maui, HI

Written by David Chandler, courtesy of Isnare.com

City Spotlight

One for One. That’s the way it works at TOMS Shoes. For every

single pair of shoes purchased another pair of shoes will be given to a child that does not have any. Amazing

and so completely simple! This brilliant idea is the brain child

of American entrepreneur Blake Mycoskie. While traveling in Argentina

in 2006 he noticed that the children he befriended did not have shoes.

Not having shoes kept many children from receiving medical care, food, water and even shelter because they

could not walk the distance needed to obtain it and their ability to attend

school is also effected, because shoes are a required part of many school’s uniform codes.

Rather than starting a charity, Mycoskie made the decision to start a

business because he believed more children could be helped that way. To date TOMS has given away more than

150,000 pairs of shoes to children in need all over the globe, including the

U.S. Their goal for this year is 300,000 pairs shoes, that TOMS volunteers in person, put on a child’s feet.

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This month's random fact is a rather chilly one. The beautiful glittering substance that coats wintertime windows and

sticks the unwary child's tongue to the flag pole, commonly known to the mostly frozen world as Frost.

Frost is the solid deposition of water vapor from saturated air. It is formed when solid surfaces are cooled to below

the dew point of the adjacent air as well as below the freezing point of water. Frost crystals' size differ depending on

time and water vapor available. Frost is also usually translucent in appearance. There are many types of frost, such

as radiation and window frost. Frost causes economic damage when it destroys plants or hanging fruits. But did you

know that frost can flower? Frost flowers occur when there is a freezing weather condition but the ground is not

already frozen. The water contained in the plant stem expands and causes long cracks along the stem. Water, via

capillary action, goes out from the cracks and freezes on contact with the air. Also the frost can literally look like a

flower, even a dead flower from the previous summer. These are rare and wonderful to see as they are very

delicate and last usually less than a day. Due to their fleeting nature, they are difficult to find to photograph and the

locations of these Frost Flowers are elusive as terrain plays a big part in their formation as well.

Frost is actually a person too! Frost is personified in Russian culture as Ded Moroz. Indigenous peoples of Russia

such as the Mordvins have their own traditions of frost deities. English folklore tradition (as well as some American

Christmas songs) holds that Jack Frost, an elfish creature, is responsible for feathery patterns of frost found on

windows on cold mornings.

But no matter how you view that beautiful, lacy and very chilly substance, I think we all have to agree that winter

would simply not be the same without the delicate and mysterious patterns of frost on the window panes and trees.

Random Facts