Last week, the company committed to four business actions that will further contribute to the health and happiness of our communities:
-              Offer low- or no- calorie beverage options in every market
-              Provide transparent nutrition information, featuring calories on the front of all beverage packages
-              Help get people moving by supporting physical activity programs in every country where it does business
-              Market responsibly, including no advertising to children under 12 anywhere in the world

Today, building off these commitments in U.S., they have set a goal to inspire 3 million Americans to rediscover the joy of being active. Here are a few of the fun ways the “Get the Ball Rolling” will help refresh your summer with activity:

• Coca-Cola Happiness Trucks will be rolling into town and inspiring people to get on their feet and move to the beat of some of the hottest music during a series of dancing and activity events all across the country.

• Starting in June, families can support their favorite national, state or local parks by turning fitness activities into votes. The parks with the most votes will win recreation grants through the America is Your Park campaign.

• Thousands of Coca-Cola soccer balls will be given out at major events across the country and through MyCokeRewards.com, the Company’s online affinity program.

• Every summer weekend – starting June 21, the first day of summer, to Labor Day, September 2 – one Shine by MisfitT activity tracker will be distributed every hour from sunrise to sunset to a lucky individual throughMyCokeRewards.com. This stylish activity device allows users to track activities, such as swimming and biking, while syncing with their smartphones.

These are just a few of the many programs and partnerships to encourage Americans to get active. Through collaborative partnerships and programs, Coca-Cola USA is delivering more beverage choices, calorie information and physical activity opportunities than ever before. To learn more visit www.coke.com/comingtogether.

When people come together – and have fun – good things happen.

So close to Merida, we could have touched (we didn’t) and smelled (we did) the horse! Wow!

It’s hard to say who impressed me more: Princess Merida (and all 11 princesses) or Gabby Douglas and her mom!

Amazing (mom-inspired) entertainment at the Mother’s Day breakfast on Sunday morning.

More posts on the way!

• Tracy Beckerman writes the nationally syndicated humor column, Lost in Suburbia, and is an official blogger for Lifetime Television’s hit show The Balancing Act.
• Paul Lamar Hunter talks about his new book, No Love, No Charity: the Success of the 19th Child.
• Ken Guilmartin discusses how music can support all levels of learning.
• The Mom’s Roundtable discusses money saving tips for busy moms.
• Patty Lazarus, author of March into My Heart.

Listen to the podcast here or download the free Mom Talk Radio app here

Most parents now understand the value of music for the development of young children.  It is not only fun for their kids to listen, sing and dance along to, but it also helps children develop a host of important skills, such as language, concentration, social skills, confidence, and self-esteem.

According to music education expert Kenneth K. Guilmartin, Founder/Director of Music Together celebrating its 25^th anniversary this year, “All children are naturally musical.  Just as they are born with the potential to learn to speak and understand language, they have the ability from birth to learn music. And nurturing this innate talent early provides the foundation for later success with traditional music or dance lessons.”

Unfortunately, many adults feel inadequate as music-makers themselves and, as a result, fail to make music with their children in everyday life.  Parents and caregivers can contribute enormously to the enrichment of their child’s music development regardless of parents’ own music abilities. Guilmartin explains, “It is not important that you sing or move well; it is important that you model singing and moving for your child.”

Here are some tips from Music Together’s Guilmartin, to help you begin your child’s musical journey:

1. Simply sing and dance with your child. The best thing you can do to help set your child on the road to a lifelong love of music is to participate enthusiastically in music activities yourself. Have you ever noticed how instinctively children try to imitate older siblings and grownups? Imitation is an important part of how they learn. Children learn to talk this way, as well as to walk. If you read books, they’ll want to read. If you sing and dance, they will, too.  Don’t just put on a CD. Sing, bang a drum, get up and dance.  Your notes do not have to be perfect, and you may miss some words or some steps.  It is about showing your child that you enjoy the music you are making.

2. Sing a lullaby to your child before bed. Young children love to hear their grownups sing to them. The sound of your voice, even if it is not pitch-perfect, is precious to your child. A lullaby provides a time to be close to your child physically, emotionally, and musically. The lullaby can transform the bedtime hour into an oasis of loving calm. For babies and toddlers, it provides a comforting bedtime ritual. For older children, who are increasingly verbal, it is often the time they spontaneously confide their hopes and fears.

3. Take cues from your child and respond musically. If your baby or toddler “coos” on a pitch, return the sound. If your child sings in the car or when you are out walking, sing with her. If your child brings an instrument to you, try to stop what you are doing and play along.

4. Make it a family affair. Make music as a family. Have a dance party or a sing-along. Get out pots and pans and form a band. Gather around the piano. Imagine sitting around as a family and singing instead of watching TV or playing computer games. As technology increases, the importance of non-technical group interaction also increases, especially at home.  Family music-making can be a wonderful activity shared by siblings, parents, grandparents, and other members of the extended family, including nannies and babysitters.
5. Bring your child to an early childhood music program. Young children learn best in a non-formal environment free from performance pressure and undue interference with their natural sense of fun.  A good class provides children with all the ingredients for music learning. It offers them a rich musical repertoire to actively explore, along with the pleasure and support of being with loved ones in a music-making community. A music class is a fun activity that the whole family can participate in. And, attending class might just bring out your inner musician as well as your child’s.

Guilmartin adds, “All children can achieve basic music competence — which we define as the ability to sing in tune and move with accurate rhythm — provided their early environment supports such learning. It starts with parents’ and caregivers’ active and joyful participation, which is essential to a child’s musical growth. The next time your child is humming the theme to her favorite cartoon and rocking to the beat, make sure you join in and make some music together.”

About Music Together:
Celebrating its 25^th Anniversary this academic year (2012-2013), Music Together is an internationally recognized early childhood music and movement program for children birth through age seven. The Music Together curriculum, coauthored in 1987 by Kenneth K. Guilmartin (Founder/Director) and Rowan University Professor of Music Education Dr. Lili M. Levinowitz (Director of Research), is based on the recognition that all children are musical: all children can learn to sing in tune, keep a beat, and participate with confidence in the music of our culture, provided that their early environment supports such learning.

Music Together offers programs for families; schools; at-risk populations; and children with special needs, in over 2000 communities in 40 countries around the world. The company is passionately committed to bonding children and their caregivers through music and helping people discover the joy and critical educational value of early music experiences.  

Exfoliation refers to intentionally sloughing surface skin cells. The reason is to make the upper layer of skin look and feel smoother and also to stimulate the natural course of cell turn over, allowing new, plumper cells to replace those being shed away.  Another reason is to minimize the plugging of the skin’s pores also resulting in smoother skin surface.

Exfoliation is one of the most important steps in keeping the skin looking its best.  And, for most people  – especially busy moms — it is optimal to exfoliate daily and gently as your individual skin tolerates it.  Like with a fitness regimen, a little bit daily is better than overdoing it all at once.

The only thing more important than exfoliating in my opinion, is keeping the skin protected from the sun by using a moisturizing sunscreen or sunblock every day, no matter what time of year and what the weather is.

Exfoliation can be broken down into two categories: mechanical and chemical.

Mechanical “skin sloughing”: Examples are using an implement or product that by virtue of its rough texture, smoothes skin as if it were sand paper to wood. Mechanical exfoliation includes salt and sugar scrubs and other abrasive cleansers, sponges, washcloths, facial cleansing cloths, brushes, and microdermabrasion, to name a few.

Chemical exfoliators:  They slough the skin by way of an interaction a particular compound has with the epidermal surface that relies on a chemical reaction as opposed to using friction or rubbing to accomplish the goal. The most common chemical exfoliating substances usually contain some form of acid.  Glycolic acid, salicylic acid, retinoic acid, trichloracetic acid, are all examples of compounds used in cleansers, masks or peels that exfoliate the skin.

I am often asked which is “better” between chemical and mechanical exfoliation. There is no clear cut answer. Both serve the skin well in different circumstances. People with very oily skin tend to do better with chemical peels or acidic skin treatments. However, both types of exfoliation work well and are often used interchangeably.

One important step to take after exfoliation is a moisturizer application. Immediately after a skin polishing (exfoliating) face wash or peel, it is critical to seal the skin with moisturizer. If this is skipped, the skin can easily become irritated and inflamed. Exfoliation and moisturizing should always go hand in hand. This is the best way to achieve a dewy, soft and fresh skin complexion.

As busy as motherhood and juggling can be, you should never neglect the health of your skin!

Dr. Zalka is on staff at Danbury Hospital and New Milford Hospital, and is a Clinical Attending at the Yale University Department of Dermatology. In private practice since 1995, Dr. Zalka is President and Managing Partner of Dermatology Associates of Western Connecticut. She is an active member of the American Academy of Dermatology, the American Medical Association, and the Connecticut State Medical Society. She was the president of the Connecticut State Dermatology and Dermatologic Surgery Society from 2003 to 2006.  Dr. Zalka founded Surface Deep in 2012, when she saw a rapidly growing need for a bias-free voice of experience in educating and guiding consumers about caring for their skin.  (www.surface-deep.com).

I decided to create my latest Pinterest Interests post on Mother’s Day and mom-centric Pinterest boards. Check out a few of my favorites below!

1. Let Mom Shine from Zales – You’ve probably seen me mention Zales recently regarding their Friend Your Mom Movement. I decided to include their “Let Mom Shine” board in my Pinterest Interests, because I think they have some great gifts highlighted that moms will love. You can also check out their Let Mom Shine collection on their website to buy something for your mom or drop some hints around the house for what you’d like.
2. Mother’s Day from Real Simple – Real Simple is a magazine that I know a lot of moms enjoy reading. I think they have a great Pinterest account that is worth following. Their Mother’s Day board has a variety of great gifts and recipes to make Mother’s Day a sweet day for any mom.
3. Fashion for Moms from ColoradoMoms.com – Emily Vanek has curated a board full of some fun fashion for moms. Throw away the mom jeans, ladies! It’s time to get stylish! Check out Emily’s board for some fashion inspiration and don’t be afraid to buy yourself something to feel sassy in this upcoming Mother’s Day.
4. Mother’s Day Wishlist from Nicole Feliciano– Tired of getting the same old thing every Mother’s Day? Do What Nicole did and make your own Mother’s Day wish list on Pinterest! I love Nicole’s board because it’s filled with a variety of fun things from beauty products to clothes to gardening gifts. If you need some inspiration for a gift for your own mom, or haven’t even thought about what you want, I say Nicole’s board is a great place to start looking.
5. Moms Nite Out from Maria Bailey – Can I toot my own horn here and list my own Pinterest board? I think I will! National Mom’s Nite Out is the first nationally organized celebration of motherhood intended to bring together today’s moms, physically and virtually. I love pinning things to this board that would go well with Mom’s Nite Out, from cute outfits to delicious cocktails. I hope you will celebrate Mom’s Nite Out this year on Thursday, May 9^th!

Have you seen a great Mother’s Day board or have you created one of your own? Leave a link in the comments so I can check it out. Be sure to follow me on Pinterest so I can take a look at your boards and possibly feature you in an upcoming post!

All Moms need a night out – even if it takes place at home! We have your invitation to one of the most widely anticipated National Mom’s Nite Out Celebrations. Join us for an action packed National Mom’s Nite Out Twitter Party, sponsored by our friends at Restaurant.com!

National Mom’s Nite Out Twitter Party

Date: May 9, 2013 (Thursday before Mother’s Day)

Time: 8 p.m. EST

Location: #NMNO13, #DiningDeals

Host: @MomTalkRadio, @Restaurant_com

Our friends at Restaurant.com, the nation’s premier restaurant digital marketing site, are joining us in our nationwide movement to honor moms! Not only are they holding fantastic blogger-hosted events at partnering restaurants in Chicago, Indianapolis and Milwaukee, but they’re also joining us for our most exciting twitter parties of the year!

Throughout the party, you’ll have a chance to win incredible giveaways including $50 and $100 Dining Certificates from Restaurant.com. And the fun doesn’t stop there! For those of us unable to attend a Restaurant.com event in person, they are giving away 250 $50 “Rain Check” Dining Certificates, for a future night out at a Restaurant.com partner restaurant! Winners will be selected at the end of the twitter party so make sure you don’t miss a moment of the action.

As always, our #NMNO13 party will be peppered with surprises and exciting prizes from brands who want to celebrate moms like you! Don’t forget to stick around after the party for our MomTV broadcast live from Walt Disney World, hosted by Maria Bailey. Not only will you get a peek at the Disney Social Media Moms Celebration but you’ll also have a chance to win great Disney park merchandise.

MomTV.com at 10 p.m. ET:

At 10 p.m. ET, join me on MomTV.com for another online party! We’ll have another great online party with fun topics and fabulous prizes!