Mariposa Kisses (aka Dianne's Blog)

Relationships are tricky. We've all got those friends or family members that light us up like a fireball dropping from the sun. Now you're confused right? Like, is that a good thing or a bad thing? Well, both actually. We naturally want to be around the ones who fire us up and make us passionate about life. Those are the good fireballs. But, we're all too familiar with those people who drag us down into the pit of despair. The ones who mainly talk about how life sucks or about how someone else sucks or about how the angle of the sun today, sucks. Those are the challenging fireballs.

The reality is that we have to deal with both kinds of people because God has given us a variety of relationships. Our weekly interactions involve relatives, friends, co-workers, school acquaintances, neighbors, church members, monsters, aliens, etc. (ok, just kidding about the last two). And the way we respond to both types of fireballs is important if we want to be used for God's purposes! The key to all of this is our perspective because it dictates how we'll react to both kinds of individuals. It's generally easy to interact with the positive people in our lives. In fact, we can't wait to hang out with them. But it's another thing entirely to put up with the ones who weigh us down.

I have this friend who's been like a sister to me since junior high. Neither of us is perfect, but we just naturally extend grace to the other person. In short, we "get" each other! Even if one of us is irritable, we just brush it off cuz we realize it's nothing personal. We genuinely enjoy our time together and never have to waste time being fake. Our husbands have the same name. Our first kids were born on the exact same day. The friendship works, you know?

Then there are those relationships that just require more energy. No matter how you slice it, it's always more intense. You say one thing, but she hears another. You meant such-and-such but it got totally blown out of proportion. You know what I'm talking about! It's like right away, THAT person came to mind. And my question for the tricky relationships is, how should we react? And does our response really make a difference for eternity? Do we really have to bear all that fruit that Paul talks about in Galatians chapter five, like love, joy, peace, patience, kindness and blah, blah, blah? (I think we all know the answer to that one. The answer is YES!!!) :)

God's been faithful to show me that He has a specific plan for both the blissful and the difficult relationships in our lives. The easy ones are necessary because God knows we need that time of restoration and encouragement. You can just chill out and talk about whatever and it doesn't even matter. Even if a few euphemisms (or worse) slip out, you're not gonna feel judged. In short, you can be real! You get to ditch the pretenses and the sugar-coated explanations. That person is there to lift you up along the way. And you're there to guide and love her as well!

But don't think that God doesn't use the rough-edged relationships too. God has two main purposes for those ones: first to change us and second to minister to them. When we begin to care for the unlovable, guess what? It makes us more loving along the way. When we can't hear another thing about this or that from you-know-who, it makes us more patient (you know it's totally true). And when we accept someone's apology for the hundredth time, we learn to be more forgiving as well. During this process of loving people with Christ's compassion, we get to be the road signs that lead these people closer to heaven. They actually get to see Jesus living in us!

But sometimes we just want to quit. The difficult fireballs feel too overwhelming. He is too mean. She is too weird. That neighbor is too loud. Our flesh takes over and wants to shout back. Our tears become too heavy and we'd rather just let them go to hell instead of heaven. Why forgive when it's not even making a difference anyways? How can our listening ears actually make an ounce of change to that impossible situation? Then again, our struggle is not against flesh and blood, remember? Ephesians 6:12 says we're really dealing with "the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."

So when you encounter that acquaintance at work who makes you want to run for the EXIT door the instant you see him, try to rethink your motives. Do you think it's an accident that his cubicle sits right across from yours? You see, with God, nothing happens by coincidence. If someone's in your life, it's because the Lord put them there, not because the stars were aligned incorrectly. "Chance" is not a Christian concept, even though we sometimes wish it was (because then we would have an excuse with certain people, right?). You know that family member that you hope responds "No" to the upcoming Evite event? Maybe you could pray for them to attend the party instead of silently wishing that they'd vanish to a different planet.

When we see things through God's eyes, we achieve a really refreshing perspective! Now that doesn't always mean that we get it the first time or the hundredth time or even the thousandth time. But with God's help, we eventually see that God wants to work through all of our relationships, the easy ones and the hard ones. Three simple steps help us along that path. First, pray more! Ask for God's direction and wisdom for all of your relationships. Second, read the Bible more! God's word is there to guide us and to direct our steps. Third, let the Holy spirit work through you. As you do those first two things, God's spirit begins to take over and minister through you, helping you to bless others and to endure life's challenges.

Remember that the positive and negative fireballs are intentionally placed in your life by God. But it's all how you choose to see them. Will you allow God to minister to your friends, family members, neighbors, your spouse, or that feisty co-worker... through YOU? Ask Him what He thinks! The Holy Spirit will show you the next step if you ask Him for help along the way. God will give you rest during some simple downtime with a loved one (there's a time for that as well). But he'll also call you to some uglier, less comfortable situations too.

Fireballs are in our lives, no matter what. So let's take some time to thank God for both types this week, the good ones and the less good ones. When we lose perspective on things, we see things as good and bad. We put sparkles and fireworks around the easy stuff in our lives but paint dark black strokes around the imperfect challenges. Remember that God is present at all times and at work in all of our circumstances. He loves to work "for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28).

Labels: faith, family, friendships, God, relationships

With three sick kids home from school today and myself recovering from the flu as well, I'm feeling a little blue. Constant laundry, mopping, and sanitizing, along with incessant hand-washing that's turning my hands into lizard-skin. Plus it's hard to see your kids feel so lousy. You just want them to get better, but it takes time.

Certainly, it is that season to get sick, so it's not a surprise that it hit our whole family (minus my hubby, the lucky duck). And it reminds me to be thankful for the healthy days that we have most of the year. The ones where nothing much happens out of the ordinary.

So many days, we pine for more excitement, more of something we're not even sure of... rather than just being thankful for what's right in front of us. I'll give you a dramatic example. A friend from school recently had an affair on her husband and left him for another man... because her life seemed boring in her current situation. And I'm not making this post about judging her life and what she's gone through. Maybe her husband was a total loser. Then again, maybe he wasn't???

Sometimes, our human nature pushes us to assume there's something better around the corner, when "pretty great" stares us in the eyeballs today! When I think of this friend, it makes me reflect how thankful I am that my marriage approaches its fourteenth year... doing well, not full of back-flips, but steadily sustained... and happy. It's got areas for improvement just like everyone else's, but it makes me glad we haven't given up over the years even when times have gotten tough.

Frequently, I feel like my life is hum-drum regarding motherhood. The kids get home from school, throw their shoes and backpacks into our front walkway, and sprint out to the backyard to jump on the trampoline... making enough noise to instantly trigger one of my migraines. Or they race upstairs to play Wii or to watch a video for the hundredth time, making uncontrolled messes as they go.

In all honesty, the lunch preps, the laundry, the homework, the driving, the cleaning ... it can all start to feel so burdensome. You might relate, that your life doesn't amount to more than you'd planned up to this point as well. I'm thankful for all that I have, of course, just like you are. But my attitude often says otherwise. It's occasionally resentful and lame. The whole "poor me" routine replays its sad song like an old eighties jingle that I just can't get out of my head.

Even professionally, I thought I would have published my postmodern novel by now. It was a big 2011 goal of mine, that came and went. But I'm not giving up. I'm pressing forward because I believe it's the right thing to do. I have this strange calling to finish it and to edit the heck out of it, no matter what comes of it. Do you have any of those career goals that aren't quite where you'd expected them to be at this point? But it's okay because stuff happens. We get distracted. We run into bad luck. The stars aren't aligned for a certain editor on a particular day.

But life is life! And sometimes you see that friend who wishes she'd made the better choice... but gave up too soon. Or you're stuck at home with your kids as sick as dogs puking over the toilet or into a big yellow or turquoise bowl. Then... these experiences give us perspective (if we allow them to), even if just a few teaspoons at a time.

What about another friend of mine who has to take two months off work to be with her sick kid during his chemo treatments? I bet she'd rather be at home cleaning up his messes all day long, you know? But even then, she's so upbeat, just trusting God that things will work out.

Those boring days seem beautiful and glorious in contrast to some of the stories we hear about. And it's always about a certain mindset that gets us through those tough days or seasons in our own lives as well. Because we know that someone else has it a lot worse than we do. And we also realize that we are usually a lot stronger than we think we are. The tough times often prove how brave we actually are.

All this said, enjoy today! Whether you're home with sick kids like I am, or doing the monotonous pick-up taxi-cab routine in the next hour. Whether you're serving chicken broth and Saltines or a full-on roast with veggies and wine... take in this moment that you've been given.

And before you go making any drastic judgments about your boring life or your boring spouse or your boring kids or your less than perfect job... try to be thankful for what you've been given for this season. Sometimes stopping to reflect can be the most refreshing thing you've done all year. And since we're into 2012 now, why not take a few moments to write up a list of all the things you're thankful for?

Share your thoughts here. We'd love to hear from you. Keeping it real! :)

Labels: family, friends, motherhood

It's important to take time out for each of our kids. In the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, it's easy to forget that a little bit of one-on-one time with our children really matters. And their time in the spot-light is significant as well.

Within the past few days, I've attended three award ceremonies, one for each of our kids. A balloon was given to our bounciest middle child. Our oldest kid got a candy cane full of Reese's cups. And our little diva got a bouquet of salmon-colored carnations for her job well done.

For each assembly, my iPhone was jamming to catch pics and video clips. I was balancing my Starbucks cup and the treats for my kids, trying to catch my breath from my morning sprint, thinking "Was my van parked in the red?" You've been there before, right?

Occasionally, I ask myself, "Is it worth all the madness?" I mean, do you think they'd really care if I didn't make it to the assembly, just this once? And we all know the answer, right? OF COURSE IT MATTERS! Because when your kid sees YOUR beautiful smile staring over at them (even if they pretend like you're not there because they're playing the "too cool" routine), it makes him or her feel like a million dollars. They feel loved, cared for, valued, and IMPORTANT!

And as I chat around with other moms lately, I'm more aware than ever that we're all running on fumes and caffeine. We can barely get our kids dropped off before the bell signals its louder-than-life announcement that we're LATE!

But even amidst the psychotic rat-race that we're all in, we MUST SLOW DOWN to make our kids feel that they're calm in our embrace even in those stressful moments. It's worth the effort to park the car, run them to the gate, and to give them that big bear hug that reminds them we'll be there to pick them up at the end of the day.

They know we'll all sit down for a warm dinner (even if it's take-out, let's be honest people) together. Even when I ask each of my kids the same questions for the hundredth time, like who they sat by at lunch and what game they played at recess, they know it's because I care about the details of their day. In short, they KNOW that I love them.

And we as parents need those little smiles and hugs to keep us going as well. We get to replay those beautiful moments captured in mere minutes inside our hearts and on our smart phones throughout the day. They motivate us when we're dragging and find it difficult to picture the to-do list all checked off. Grabbing those special moments helps us to have perspective when we can't envision the end of the day arriving quickly enough.

But when life starts to feel too crowded for those precious moments, then it's time for us to cut out some of the other stuff from our busy schedules. If we don't make the time for our kids today, then no-one else will.

The truth is that they really want the winks, smiles, hugs, and words of affirmation from us more than from anyone else in the whole world. And not getting it will affect the way they view themselves and the world around them.

Even if you have a few shy kids who don't let you know how much they appreciate your attendance at their assemblies, your time volunteering in their classrooms, or your extra kisses before drop-offs, know this: IT ALL MATTERS! So don't give up moms and dads, even if your energy level is so low that you can barely reach the coffee pot each morning.

You are making a difference in your kids' lives. You are doing an amazing job of shaping the next generation because of the sacrifices you're willing to make this season. Keeping it real. Share your thoughts here. We'd love to hear from you! :)

Labels: family, kids, parents, time

You know how life just surprises you sometimes? One of those occurrences happened to me about three years ago when I said, "Oh, I'll never get into one of those silly vampire series, ever..." Shortly thereafter, I fell in love with Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series. I mean, I'm literally a junkie now and can't wait for Breaking Dawn to hit the theaters.

As moms, we're shocked by very little; so it's a good idea to limit our "I'll never..." statements. We've seen everything from poop hanging out of our kids' behinds to puke resting upon our own laps in the middle of a nice restaurant. And then we've heard every other story from fellow parents who have heard it from their friends and their friends' friends. Nothing is really that crazy anymore after three kids; so basically, I'm not easily surprised.

But a few months ago, when my middle daughter caught a lizard during our day-trip at the Botanic Gardens, I ended up with a curious surprise. It was an eventful day, truth be told. First, she warned us of a rattle snake in our path during our hike; so we backed away slowly and changed routes. Then, this same daughter discovered a hibernating tortoise after she decided to go off-roading. We thought it was dead; but given the season, we came to realize it was simply taking Mother Nature's intended nap.

Then, even though we'd seen hundreds of friendly-looking lizards, my daughter chose one particular little critter to bring home as our newest "pet." At first I was a bit apprehensive, but figured, "What the heck, why not?" I mean, life is pretty short; if a pet lizard brings joy to my daughter's six-year-old heart, then I could get over the live worms and the nasty smell coming from its cage.

So, the surprise! You're wondering what this has to do with being surprised, right? Well, the thing is that Eugene Fitzherbert (yes, from Tangled) has paved a beautiful sketch upon my heart. In fact, he is resting on top of my yellow tank top at this very moment as I type. He's become incredibly social and I am his "Grammy." Each time I hold him, I do four kissing chirps so that he knows it's me. He even gets so relaxed on my shoulder that he shuts his eyes and falls fast asleep.

Awww, he just shut his cute little black eyes a second ago. I'm literally blown away that after about three to four months, Eugene is officially a member of the Bright household. He will probably even make it into this year's Christmas photo. We'll definitely have to consider some fun backdrop colors to highlight his handsome brown skin and his animated black spots.

I never realized how long a lizard's toes and fingers were; it's super cool, by the way. And he's quite resilient. He's had a couple of close calls, falling from the Sears Tower equivalent for us; but he's fine every time. And I certainly didn't expect my daughter to wash him with hand soap about six weeks ago, but it did help with his over-all hygiene in the long-run.

Anyhoot, it's just fun being a mom and being occasionally shocked by the unexpected turns along the way. My little grand-lizard, Eugie for short, is truly a blessing in disguise. In fact, I'd be incredibly sad at this point if anything detrimental did happen to him. At first, I almost hoped he would sneak away; I barely even wanted to touch the darn thing.

But when he did escape last month, I found myself praying that I'd find him while my daughter was busy at school. There I was on my knees, calling out his name into the ominous distance, as if he'd come rushing into my arms. Good thing I caught him before our Labrador, Nugget, who wanted to cradle him with her salivating mouth.

It's a good thing I never said, "I'll never love a lizard." We recently sewed Eugene his own miniature sleeping bag and pillow, so obviously he's made it into our hearts pretty big-time. Share your thoughts about parenting surprises and pets that have touched your heart. We'd love to hear from you. :)

Labels: family, pets, surprises

Since the Wii was released on November 19th, 2006, it has been a hit with families around the globe. According to Wikipedia, the game console broke the US record for best selling console in a single month in December 2009. And as of January 2011, Nintendo's Wii remains the leader in overall sales over Sony's PlayStation 3 and Microsoft's Xbox 360.

So, why do moms love the Wii? As a mom of three and a recent Wii convert myself, it wins first place in my book. Creating the Mii characters alone provides lots of fun; from eye and hair color to height and skin color, creating your own player is a snap. You can even add a mole to your right cheek or blue eye shadow to your eye lids. Then you can pick your Mii as the character for many of the games that you play.

My son's beloved "QT2 shoes" Mii is a balding, dark-haired, tall and skinny man who wears red lipstick. The kids have even made Mii characters for everyone in our family including one for Nana and Grampy. Grampy's Mii character (in case he ever comes up to play the Wii with us) is a true likeness with gray hair around the sides of his head.

But here are the main reasons I love the Wii. There are six primary benefits of the Wii game system in our household:

First, it gets my middle daughter out of bed (Hallelujah!). Even when loud dance music jams to get the rest of us boogeying into the morning, she lies dead to the world. But as soon as I whisper, "If you get dressed, go potty, and brush your teeth, you can play a little bit of the Wii this morning," she's out of bed like a rocket headed to space.

Second, it involves the whole family. Gillian Sharp of Riverside says that her three kids "love that Mom finally plays video games!" Lisa Heying of Riverside recently purchased a Wii console for her family. She says, "It has been fun interacting as a family playing the Wii."

In our family, it's hard to steal the Wii remotes and the Nunchuks away from our kids, but when Friday night hits, Hubby and I get our game on and the kids move out of the way. My husband always slams me at tennis and I generally pummel him at bowling.

Our littlest one loves the sword fighting on Wii Sports Resort and our two school-aged kids have conquered almost every level and episode of Lego Star Wars. Hubby has been known to stay up until 3AM playing Star Wars by himself, but don't tell his boss that.

A third pro for the Wii is that it helps my shy kids to connect socially. Just ask one of my kids about their level and episode on Lego Star Wars and you might not get them to stop talking. Shy? Not anymore.

My daughter loves to be Luke Skywalker and my son loves to pick R2D2 or Darth Vader for his character. I'm sure their teachers and friends hear the full report on a daily basis, but it's great to see them so excited and engaged.

Fourth, the Wii gives moms fabulous parenting leverage. Obedience has never looked so great in my house. I can now get my kids to clean up their messes within five to ten minutes. And homework gets completed enthusiastically and speedily.

Kristin Hoerger of Beaumont says, "The Wii is definitely a great leveraging tool. When the kids don't want to do their homework, even the mention of taking away their Wii privileges sends them into productive action."

My mantra is: "No Wii unless you... (fill-in-the-blank)." It's kind of like giving treats to puppies, but hey, it works! And it can also be used as a disciplinary tool, such as, "If you don't improve your attitude toward your siblings, you lose the Wii for a week." It's amazing how fast the kids start to share their toys or help one another out.

Fifth, the Wii has lots of family friendly game titles. The Wii's standard-definition display may not compete graphically with the other game consoles, but its extensive library of hundreds of appropriate kid titles gives it a competitive edge. Nintendo intentionally targets a wider family market as opposed to the hard-core gamers, which works well for us.

As a parent of younger kids, you still have to supervise game selection on the Wii, avoiding titles like "House of the Dead" or "Call of Duty" (which exist for the other two systems as well), but you'll run into less inappropriate material in general. For example, you can't buy the notorious "Grand Theft Auto" series on the Wii. With the Wii, you will never have trouble finding a variety of fun games suitable even for young children.

The sixth prop for the Wii is that it gets your family moving. In an era where child obesity runs rampant and adults spend way too much time littering the couch with Cheetos and bean dip, the Wii provides good exercise options.

Wii Sports and Wii Sports Resort are two games that come bundled with the console. And now users can purchase Wii Fit as well, which comes with the Wii Balance Board for traditional exercise options, such as yoga, strength training, aerobics, and balance games. You can burn calories while having fun from your own home.

The Wii has been a great fit for our family. Share some thoughts about your family and the Wii. We'd love to hear from you. :)

Labels: family, game consoles, moms, Wii

This title gets you thinking about Disney's Pocahontas, right? But, this piece actually has very little to do with Disney movies at all. It is about my little four-year-old and her precious ability to say the right thing at the right time. After big-kid-drop-off today, she and I were heading home when I heard a funny noise in the backseat.

I was feeling stressed about the day ahead and trapped inside my own thoughts about a hundred different things. But when I heard her cute little noises, I paused to ask her what she was doing. She confidently replied, "Blowing kisses at the trees."

She frequently brings me back down to reality and out of life's "what-ifs" and worries with some kind of silly word or deed. A mom's day certainly gets hectic for a plethora of reasons, from health issues, to finances, to child-rearing challenges, etc. But, we should all be abundantly thankful that our kids are here to make us smile and laugh through it all.

To think that my daughter really cares for the trees that we drive by while sprinting towards a red light makes me sit back and remember that I'm not alone. No matter what challenge I face, she's there for me with sweet little hands to hold and twinkling eyes.

She's ready to give a comforting hug or a bubble gum flavored kiss. She never turns down the chance to have a refreshing tea party or to snuggle on the couch to read My Little Pony for the hundredth time.

She races up to the play-set to play tic-tac-toe at a moment's notice and feels like a true genius when I let her win. I hardly mention a soccer ball and she's ready to set the cones up in the backyard to kick the ball around with me.

Think about the little ones in your life and try to enjoy the precious minutes you have together. If your life is incredibly stressful today, then it's the perfect time to take a break and enjoy some quality time with your child(ren). Read a book together. Take a walk! Watch a Disney movie, maybe even Pocahontas.

My little princess is a true gift to me, and I'm so thankful to be her mommy. Share your thoughts about life, motherhood, and "blowing kisses at the trees." We'd love to hear from you. :)

Labels: family, kids, life, stress

The rainfall from last week leaves us all feeling a little bit chilly still. Wasn't it amazing? I knew God would never flood the earth again, but I was starting to wonder. On a positive note, my trees and plants look quite nourished, even though they sang a different whiny tune when they almost drowned from all the pools of water around them.

They got what they TRULY needed though, a refreshing dose of cold H20. They look green and vibrant today in the sunshine, almost hopeful really, which is strange to say about a plant. But, if you are a plant-lover like I am, you know what I mean.

In contrast to those healthy plants, I happened to notice two others as I walked up my driveway to the front door today. Two of my potted hanging plants look like sad members of a plant graveyard. You see, even though they were mere inches from the downpour that came with four days of non-stop rain, they couldn't benefit from the free heavenly drops.

It's ironic that those two hanging baskets missed all of those free "drinks on the house." Even the craziest part of the storm could not reach them under the eaves. So, they could hear it and long for it, but to no avail, they remained bone dry.

With three kids, one dog and a packed holiday schedule, those two plants in particular were a low priority to me; they've been on their way out for awhile, if you know what I mean. To avoid death though, all they needed was a good soaking to catch them up from their season of starvation. But I didn't stop to put those plants under the storm's path.

That's kind of how it is for people who say they just don't believe in God. They can't understand why all of those weird Christian people look so joyful and peaceful all the time. Even when Carrie-Christian gets a flat tire, she's like, "Jesus will bless this; maybe I'll get to help save a lost kitten while I'm stranded here."

It can be irritating when non-Christians simply want to moan and suffer in silence. Just when the pity party gets jamming, one of those wacky believers texts them to say, "(You) can do everything through Christ who strengthens (you)" (Philippians 4:13). But, its perfect timing does actually help to soften the blow from that recent $2000 car repair bill.

When some non-believers hear the Christian-eze around them, it just makes them want to puke. Because it simply doesn't make sense! "To gain your life you must lose it..." What is that, anyways? But the reality is that we all have to put ourselves out there, just like my sad plants... who couldn't. Lucky that we get a choice about where we stand.

When it comes to issues of faith, God certainly doesn't push, pull, or cajole anyone into His presence. If someone wants to stay a member of the "plant graveyard," he or she certainly can; it's totally their call. If a person wants to starve to death, God won't force-feed her because true love doesn't do that. If God demanded our love, would that really be love at all? More like totalitarianism, don't you think?

But He actually does have an awesome plan for each one of us. He wants to bless us and sustain us while we go through our own plethora of storms. But, if we stubbornly refuse to put ourselves under His loving presence, He won't force us. Even if we choose death and drought over serenity and satisfaction, He won't coerce us to join His feast of abundance: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22).

When I compare the watered plants out front to the two hanging ones that still need a drink so badly, the solution seems so obvious. "Drink some water, you dumb plants!" And that's all that some of us need as well, a tall glass of water. Jesus wants to give us a living source of water though, one where we will drink and never be thirsty again. It's the hope of eternal life where we begin to live and grow spiritually from this day forward.

Since the new year quickly approaches, think about which kind of plant you want to be this coming year: the healthy one or the dead one. This post might seem harsh to some of you, but this is my post-Christmas gift to you dear reader. Please accept it as a free gift of love, that cost my best friend His earthly life!

John 10:10 says, "The thief (satan) comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." Go for the full life! Live it no holds barred. That's what Jesus did and that's what we crazy Christians are called to do as well! Join the party; you are all invited!

Share your thoughts! We'd love to hear from you. Happy New Year! :)

Labels: faith, family, New Year, rainstorm

If your kids are anything like mine, they are loving the relaxation of Christmas break. And I am as well. No taxi-racing to the drop-offs and the pick-ups. No gulping down an entire cream cheese bagel in fifteen seconds flat. No panicking to find three sets of matching socks and shoes (well four if you count mine).

And on that topic, does anyone ever borrow their spouse's socks in a pinch? I've been wearing my hubby's socks with my black boots cuz I've been low on clean laundry. I've even borrowed my seven-year-old son's socks cuz his feet are starting to get as big as mine. You know you do that too, so no smirking at me!

As you can see, my coffee has kicked in and I'm writing with fervor, off topic, but energetically to say the least. So, the point of this piece... aw yes, "TV zombies." So, how are your kids doing thus far? It's day #5 but I'd already lost my mind by Monday, to be honest. So much time together. So much whining. So much noise!!! And yet, they are so darn cute and cuddly. I love letting them stay up late and allowing them to sleep in until brunch-time. Snacking all day is fun too! I'm being facetious, btw, my mind is totally intact.

In general, holiday breaks tend to bring out the glory of that amazing black box up in our bonus room, especially when we get as much rain as we've gotten lately. Isn't this weather amazing? So much for my piece last week where I critiqued the summer-like weather we'd been getting. From 85 degrees to this? I'm not sure I'm going to challenge the rain-gods again. But other than our roof leaking yesterday, it has been a total blast. I'm just praying for some lightning and thunder, but I better be careful what I ask for, right?

Since I'm one of those moms who didn't get the dvd player in my brand new swagger wagon, you can probably tell where this is going. Although I love getting a siesta by putting my kids in front of the television for an hour or so, I feel it shouldn't be used as an at-home babysitter option. It's tempting to push the "ON" button in order to catch up on the plethora of Christmas tasks vying for our attention. But try these three television-zombie-alternatives instead.

First, hit the 99 Cent Only store or the dollar bin at Target for some inexpensive treasures. Buy your kids a few coloring or doodle books, some markers, or a puzzle. My husband recently bought our kids an Indian figurine set for super cheap and all three kids have played together with it for hours this morning. I've heard very little fighting, just a little bit of arguing, and mostly lots of peaceful chitchat. I'm literally blown away that these tiny plastic figures are favored over the flat-screen upstairs.

Second, look for stuff that's already in your house. Just take your Christmas tree for example. Are there some plain ornaments that your kids could enhance? Get some puffy paints out (you can get these at a local craft store like Jo-Ann or Michaels) and let them decorate some of the drab silver balls. Encourage them to draw swirls, stars, and Christmas phrases.

Another project involves old magazines or junk mail, paper, scissors, and glue. Let your kids cut out pictures and words and paste them into a collage. You could even give them specific themes: Christmas, animals, or the great outdoors. Younger kids might need help from you with the cutting but should be able to glue the pieces on by themselves.

Third, to avoid tv-zombie-hood, read together. Gather books from around your house or stop by the library and pick up two arm-fulls. You could even play hide-and-seek in your family room where you and the kids take turns hiding the books. Once the books are found, you or the older kids can read the books out loud. Younger kids can look at their picture books to keep their attention.

If your kids are are "too cool" for this, set up a groovy reading station with snacks and fun music where they can read independently. When push comes to shove, if your kids demand television over reading, then bribe them. Tell them that if they read five books, you'll buy them some ice cream or a pack of gum later today.

Everyone's a tv-zombie sometimes, but we should aim for more over the break. One or two days of zombie-hood are acceptable, but after that, it's time to engage your kids with some brain-food. You don't want to return them to their teachers in a vegetative mental state. Let's keep them sharp over the break and enjoy the quality time together as well. Keeping it real. Share some of your kid-friendly screen-time alternatives. We'd love to hear from you. :)

Labels: Christmas break, family, kids, television

I love kids. Their perspectives are so sobering, especially when it comes to issues of faith and hope. My five-year-old daughter loves to talk about death, which might seem strange. But even that pensive topic becomes exciting because of her young and optimistic outlook.

Her plethora of questions about death, such as, "When I'm forty-seven, will you be dead?" or "When you are one-hundred-and-ten, will Grammy still be alive?" are ongoing. But her introspection always reminds me of the promise that we have in Jesus.

In my most gentle voice, I usually say, "Well, when you are that old, I will be really old..." or "... by then, Grammy will be in heaven with Jesus." AND THEN my daughter says, "Unless Jesus comes back first."

You see, she actually believes that He might come back during our lifetime. And why shouldn't she? No-one knows the day or time, remember? The Bible tells us that we should be ready at all times, but do we take that challenge seriously?

That truth means we are to live today as if He might actually come back today. Perhaps He will return tomorrow or maybe even on Christmas Day? In light of these thoughts, let's cling to the things that truly matter, like our families and friends and their walk with the Lord. Let's pray together and study His Word.

Time certainly flies by like each passing breath, but let's not fear death. It has no sting, remember? Sickness will come into your life at some point just as the storms arrive to water the earth. But, let it strengthen you as you press into His power.

Let go of old hurts as well; move on towards God's peace because He can't wait to see you face to face sometime very soon. In that moment, He will take away all of your pain. That means that you can forgive your trespassers today since His love for you is even greater than the hurt that they have caused.

So what would you do if Jesus came back today? Would you be ready to head off to heaven? Would you be done drinking your coffee, paying those bills, cleaning that tile, or wrapping those fun presents? You might have to leave that dish baking in the oven... you know... or that load of laundry turning in the washing machine.

Since Christmas is approaching, let's take a few moments to sit with the Lord, Jesus. Let's rest in His arms and rejoice for what lies ahead: a heaven where there are no tears, no suffering, and a place where every wrong will be righted.

Slow down to hear from the Savior and take a minute to sing to Him. It is His birthday after all! Share your thoughts about heaven and hope. We'd love to hear from you! Merry Christmas! :)

Labels: Christmas, faith, family, Jesus

We picture Christmas in all of its elegance with rich colors and textures. We also assume that our homes will reflect the pristine beauty from the Crate&Barrel or Pier One catalogs. And while I love the delicate ornaments flooding those stores, my tree is 80% loaded with home-made kid ornaments instead. I guess I could decorate two trees, dividing the imperfect from the flawless, but that's so not me. I prefer my kids' artistic sparkles and their excessive use of Elmer's glue.

My life is sloppy, tree and all. As I look around my house, I see my son's Santa hat on my kitchen counter from his school play yesterday. I see an adorable kid-decorated gingerbread house on my kitchen table and a delicate Santa candle out of my kids' reach next to my (not so white) toaster oven.

A few feet away from it lies one of my favorite childhood mugs that crashed to the floor earlier this week from a zealous hot cocoa drinker. I'm still optimistic that my husband can glue it back together. Crowding the fake garland up my stair-rails are fluffy red Santa hats and stockings, not exactly "hung with care." More like, "flung with flair" by my four-year-old.

I love the paper Advent chain that sits next to a pile of school papers and magazines as well. Each day (well, we usually forget and catch up every two or three days) we cut off the next green or red link in anticipation of the last yellow link which will be cut off on Christmas morning.

I could keep it out of sight because it's big and clumsy looking, but why? It makes me remember that we're actually in the Christmas season because we certainly can't tell from this beautiful weather lately. Is it December or July because I'm getting confused (not that I'm complaining, only wishing we could have ditched our school-duties and raced off to the beach instead)? Apparently we are supposed to get some rain later this week, but I'll believe it when I see it.

Christmas magazines cover my two coffee tables and catalogs arrive by the hundreds. I'm not sure I needed five catalogs from the same company within two weeks; maybe I'm just a tree-hugger though. The cute pictures of puppies and bows nestled with flannel bedding sit as "innocent" reminders of my very incomplete Christmas list. At this point, I basically can't order from the catalogs without getting penalized by the $40, 2-day shipping, so what's the point anyways?

We finally knocked out a couple of gifts this past week, but I'm so jealous of those people who are done Christmas shopping by September. Truth be told, isn't that a little bit strange? It's way too organized for me... to be honest. I like to get people gifts that are actually from the season that we're currently in... even if it's like 85 degrees out. My sister can wear the pink scarf I bought her with one of her black tank tops and like it, darn it. :)

I'm still anticipating a cookie-baking day when it cools off again sometime over the next week or so. When we do turn that oven on again, I'm certain we will have plenty of edible creations that look like footballs and clouds instead of angels or Christmas trees. But, as long as they have some yummy frosting, (time to actually get out my favorite red mixer) I'll eat whatever cookie shapes the kids make. And I'll dote on their beauty as well, especially my four-year-old's plethora of princesses and ballet slippers to come.

Remember to chill out, even in this warm weather; enjoy the season no matter what Weather.com says. If friends pop by to share some coffee or some fruitcake, don't freak like a psychotic nut-ball to make your downstairs look perfect. Chances are that theirs doesn't look any better than yours anyways. Let them see what a "real" house looks like. They'll take their shoes off, plop down on your leather couch, and actually relax with you, instead of feeling like they are visiting a museum (you know what I'm talking about).

Take time to read your favorite Christmas stories and to rent those classic holiday DVDs like "Miracle on 34th Street" and "A Christmas Story" as well. You've seen them a hundred times, but you should watch them again tonight... instead of going crazy trying to write up that lengthy Christmas letter. Just do the picture-card instead. It saves time; plus, that's what everyone really wants anyways. As a mom of three kids, I rarely have time to read all of those updates (not that I don't loooooooooove them, of course).

Before you know it, we'll be celebrating New Year's and listing out all of those beloved resolutions... yet again. So, while it's still 2010 and we have a week and a half left until Christmas, order that scrumptious peppermint mocha from Starbucks (oh my gosh... they're so good it's dangerous); and if it stays warm outside, just order it iced instead.

Remember to get lots of whipped cream too. Diets are totally illegal for the whole month of December. Didn't you read the memo at the top of your in-box earlier this morning? Eat a few extra calories now before you get all freaked out starving yourself in January. Tis the season, remember? Don't forget to get a little sloppy and save some of the serious stuff for the new year.

One of our favorite traditions is to watch a kid's movie before bed on Christmas Eve. I can't wait until my kids open up "How to Train Your Dragon" and "Despicable Me." I'm not super pumped about "Barney's A,B,Cs" but my littlest will do back-flips over it. Hopefully she'll fall asleep first, which sounds so mean, huh? Just keeping it real!

Blessings to you and your family. Share some of your favorite Christmas traditions. We'd love to hear from you. :)

Labels: Christmas, family, kids

No matter what you are going through, at least you are still alive. You might feel dead sometimes because of life's overwhelming struggles.

But, when push comes to shove, you can be thankful that you are still alive today. No-one besides God Himself knows what tomorrow holds.

So for now, let's be thankful for the day that we're in. Let's have gratitude no matter how crappy things get in this crazy world. For in this moment, we get to be a part of this day and the wonderment that it holds.

The sun rises anew today. The moon casts its cool glow upon us. The stars twinkle brightly in a song to the universe around them. The ocean's tides ebb and flow as our hearts beat to their own melodic tune.

You never know if you'll be here to complain about tomorrow because your clock might stop ticking tonight. So instead of dreading the fear of hurts and sorrows or the mysterious unknown, let's be thankful for the moment that we're in.

No matter how devastating your circumstances get, keep your eyes upon the moment that you are in, for all we have is one moment and then we are gone!

Keeping it real! Share your thoughts. We'd love to hear from you! :)

Labels: faith, family, life

As my youngest daughter and I drove away from the big-kid drop-off, she asked me a thought provoking question. She inquired, "Mommy when I grow up, will I get to be like you?"

I stopped for a second before answering...thinking to myself and then vocalizing accordingly, "Yes honey...in all the good ways." It makes me ask, "Do I really want her to become like I am?"

Isn't that the sweetest question ever? To think that my 4-year-old wants to be like I am is the most humbling compliment to my entire career as a mom.

And yet, its innocence makes me reflect upon my deficiencies as well. While most people would say that I'm a great mom, those who know me best would admit that I've got my fair share of faults as well.

All this to say, it makes me think. Sometimes we get so caught up in our daily routines of controlled chaos, racing around town like we're on the Indy 500 circuit. Many of us rarely slow down to digest this deeper thought about the kind of parent that we are.

What about you fellow parents and grandparents? Do you want your kids to be like you? How do you speak when you are angry? How do you show your kids you are proud of them? Do they know with certainty that you love them no matter how well they do in school or in sports?

Do you want your kids to emulate your lifestyle and your choices? Are you a forgiving person? Are you a relaxed parent or a total stress-case? If you're like me, you are something in-between? Do you put on the brakes to spend some quality time with your little munchkins?

I want to pause and answer these tough questions because my kids are worth it. When I think about my daughter wanting to "be me" someday, it makes me long to be a better mom today.

I want to spend more meaningful time with my kids. I also desire to focus less on the inconsequential details of life, like a perfectly clean house or an immaculate yard. I'd love to be more patient and loving with my family as well.

A simple question can act as a powerful motivator for a changed life. Hopefully this basic challenge hits home with you today as well. Share some of the attributes you'd like to improve upon. Any advice from the older moms out there? Share your thoughts. We'd love to hear from you. :)

Labels: family, kids, moms

Once upon a time, there was a dinosaur named Whiny. She whined so much that her family called her a whiny-saurus.

Whiny was four years old and she was very smart. She could color between the lines on her princess coloring pages and knew all twenty-six letters from the alphabet.

Her favorite color was pink and she loved to twirl and dance. Ballet was her favorite, of course!

She had a fabulous twinkle in her eyes and a contagious smile that made everyone around her smile back. But, when she wanted something from her mom, she always whined and cried.

One day, she demanded a snack from her mom. She whined and pleaded and begged, but never once said, "Please." And she never asked in a nice voice either.

So her mom lovingly replied, "I won't give you anything you ask for if you ask for it with a whiny voice."

So, Whiny decided to make her request with laughter instead of a complaint. She thought, "If I really want my mom to give me what I want, then I have to make her laugh."

The next day, she started laughing so hard, that boogers flew out of her nose. Tears flooded down her face as well.

Everyone around her started laughing along with her too, even her mom. But what they couldn't figure out was the hilarious joke that was making Whiny laugh so hard.

Whiny's mom asked her why she was laughing. But at this point, Whiny simply could not stop laughing. She chuckled and squealed for fourteen days until she finally fell fast asleep from exhaustion.

She snored a lot while she slept. It must have been from losing all of those boogers from all of that laughter.

When she finally woke up a few days later, she was hungrier than ever. So she asked her mother for a snack. But this time, she said, "Please" and she did not whine.

Since she had finally settled down, she told her mom the thing that had made her laugh so hard. Can you guess what it was?

Whiny had pictured her mom wearing some purple polka-dot underwear along with some fluffy giraffe slippers on her feet.

She also thought up some large green and pink striped hair clips on her head and some yellow feather sunglasses to protect her mom's eyes from the sun.

The picture in her head also dressed her mom with long blue earrings shaped like hot dogs and a white long-sleeve t-shirt with a yellow dancing rhino upon it.

Her mom smiled and hugged Whiny. She also gave her some pretzels and an apple because she had finally asked for a snack without whining.

Everyone loved the new Whiny and they even changed her name to Laughy, for all the laughter she was now bringing into their lives.

The end! :)

Labels: children's story, family, kids

It's important to laugh amongst friends. This rings especially true during challenging times. It seems that everyone I talk to lately has something crazy going on in her life. Whether it's the possibility of a job loss, a child's health issue, or a frustrating marriage, life can feel overwhelming.

Our families are on over-load in a plethora of ways. From school-work to grocery shopping, doctor's visits, or unexpected bills, we just need a break. You know how you occasionally shut down your laptop to restart the system? You need to do this for yourself as well, even when that feels like an impossible goal.

You might question the consequences of shutting down. What if I miss an important email? What if I can't get the call-back number from that life-changing phone-call? What if I can't get the kids' uniforms washed by Friday night for their Saturday games because I was out relaxing?

But, if you don't take time to restart your metaphorical computer: "YOU," then you will crash and burn. You might even have to be sent back to the manufacturer and you better hope that you're still under warranty.

God certainly does have a good sense of humor though. And He readily offers lots of second chances too. But, if you're not quite ready to meet up with Him just yet, you should consider slowing down to laugh more here in the present.

Here are three ways to laugh more. First, you have to actually connect with funny people. If you only have boring friends who never do hilarious things, then make some new friends.

Second, make time to hang out with your funny friends. Go out to breakfast at Cocoa's and order soup and salad for breakfast, just because their blue cheese dressing is so d--n tasty. While you are there, share life together; talk about your kids, your spouse, and your pets.

Third, allow yourself to be funny as well. Laugh at life instead of taking things and people so seriously. A long time ago, a good friend shared a great technique for dealing with irritating people, and it really works.

When someone acts like an idiot, she says, "Oh, it must be their first day..." My husband and I have utilized this over the years, and the chilled-out attitude makes us laugh instead of getting pissed.

The joke might even be on one of your closest friends, who happens to be having a rough day. Maybe she just needs to borrow one of Monopoly's "Get out of Jail Free" cards because she's struggling today. Give a little grace by laughing with her instead of holding a grudge over her.

Raising kids is an obvious source of laughter as well, from all the bizarre things they do on any given day. But family-life gets challenging, so that's where comical friends come in to play. Rely on them instead of going it alone. Rest your head down on their shoulder to shed some tears. And be real, so that they'll be real with you.

At a friend's party over the weekend, we sat around her kitchen table and shared stories while devouring incredibly tasty food. After most guests had left, the faithful six of us laughed so hard that tears flooded our faces.

Aside from the positive emotional effects of laughter, I also burnt some gym-equivalent calories that night from working my tummy and cheek muscles. And while I can't divulge the topic of the humor that night (totally top-secret material), I'm sure you have a few similar memories of your own to fill in the blanks.

Remember to call a good friend when life gets you down. Don't put it off; just send a quick text or email right now. Laugh therapy is what you need to get through this season's trials. Share some of your laugh-out-loud moments. We'd love to hear from you. :)

Labels: family, friends, kids, laughter, moms

As I was walking out the door to take my littlest one to gymnastics, I was struck by a thought-provoking observation. She was holding my over-sized purse and announced, "Mom, I can't carry it; it's too heavy." So, I responded, "Well, just set it down then." It hit me that as a mom, I often do the same thing; I inevitably take on more than I can carry.

At first glance, this might seem insignificant; but, for some of you, it really hits home. My daughter was trying to be sweet by helping me beyond her actual ability. And even though it was making her uncomfortable, she still wanted to lift my bag to show that she could.

As moms, we frequently say, "Sure, I can cut out those 150 cowboy paper hats for the preschool," even though we're getting buried amongst the plethora of laundry piles flooding our hallways. But, this means we don't have time for that workout at the gym.

We say, "Sure, I'll be team-mom for my son's baseball team," even though we have 100s of emails flooding our in-boxes and piles of dishes attacking our kitchen sinks. This simple "Sure..." adds tons of extra tasks to our weekly list: snacks, the team banner, snack-bar, the team party, and the achievement certificates, etc. The result is very little free-time for that overdue hair-cut or manicure!

In addition to cut-outs and team-mom duty, we volunteer once a week at the elementary school so we can show our kids that we care. It feels worthwhile because we get to interact with their friends and the teachers as well. But, when do we get to catch up on the grocery shopping or the checkbook?

Granted, it's rewarding to offer our skills, especially for those of us who work primarily out of the home. For instance, I really enjoy translating documents into Spanish for a teacher who needs to communicate with a Hispanic student's non-English-speaking parents. But, it is one more item on my list, which means I don't get to do that "something else" for myself.

When we do all of these altruistic acts in the names of love and charity, we end up depleted and totally stressed out. Well, some of us...the ones who aren't SUPER MOM! And maybe you never feel tired or strung out, but speaking for the collective "mom" community, I think most of us are running on fumes.

I'm not saying that we shouldn't commit to any of these great services; it would disappoint me to miss out on some of these amazing opportunities. But, we should prioritize by picking a few helpful projects, rather than trying to do them all at the same time.

Some people are really good at saying, "No...I'm just too busy." Others are too sweet and nice all the time; they feel an obligation to say "YES" to everything. So my advice, as on most things, is to FIND BALANCE. Agree to help with the most significant things and people; learn to turn down some of the other requests.

Give yourself permission to let someone else serve this time. You can always sign up for snack-duty the following month or cut out the Valentine's hearts in February instead of turkeys in November. You should enjoy a hot bubble bath or that fabulous novel while it's nice and chilly out, NOW! Or bake that pumpkin pie this morning because you happen to have an extra forty minutes to do so.

Enjoy the upcoming holidays with a little bit more time for yourself. Share how you've learned to carry less by saying "No" to some things. We'd love to hear from you. :)

Labels: balance, family, kids, moms

We all know the beloved classic, Corduroy, by Don Freeman. The one with the red cover with the cute little bear wearing green overalls. You've read it to your kids oodles of times; and while it teaches a poignant message, it doesn't especially touch you personally until the umpteenth time you've read it.

I'm not sure why this day's run through about the little bear made me so reflective. I guess I could say that I've felt overwhelmed as a mom lately and that it was nice to take a break and sit down to read to my kids. Or, you might say that there's so much stress lately with illness in our extended family, car problems, and too many activities to keep up with.

I resonated with Corduroy's "bright eyes" today... I could relate. I too wanted to be loved... to be accepted... to be taken home and hugged just as I was. I wanted my flaws to be over-looked. As he trotted through the department store in desperate search of a replacement button, you could tell he would do anything to repair his lost identity.

We too can feel that sense that we're flawed, unwanted, and unexceptional compared to those around us. Today, I drove my husband's used compact car since our van can't get worked on until tomorrow. As I saw all the shiny new metal drive past me with symbols of significance, I thought of how small I felt inside of my little silver Toyota.

It makes me wonder if owning a brand new Beamer, Mercedes, or Volvo would really make me feel more valuable. I think the answer is "No." But, it's one thing to grasp something cognitively and quite another to own it emotionally. So, when I got home, I took my shoes off... I listened to the rain falling down. I sat down with two of my kids and read this gentle and convicting book: Corduroy.

As a Christian, I am convinced that my value and purpose come from the Lord. He has made me in His image. My worries are His worries if only I'll hand them over to Him. He cares for me, as He cares for the flowers of the field. And though it's odd to compare Jesus to a juvenile female protagonist, the similarities are overwhelming.

Remember how she said to her mom, "Oh, Mommy!...Look! There's the very bear I've always wanted." When she was told "Not today, dear..." by her mom, she didn't give up. She simply had to return home first to collect the sufficient funds from her piggy-bank to purchase the sweet brown bear the following day. If only Corduroy had known that he was so incredibly special from the very moment they first locked eyes.

Instead, he went in search of a button to repair his overalls, so he could fit in with the rest of the toys. He felt inferior to their pristine condition and felt he had to fix himself before his worth could be restored.

In the end, the little girl bought him, fixed him, and provided him with a home that far surpassed his greatest expectations. Lisa said to him, "I like you the way you are...but you'll be more comfortable with your shoulder strap fastened." Then, she began to sew a button on his overalls.

Isn't that how the Lord works with us? He knows our every need, but sometimes we have to wait. We have to rest in His truth, even while He seems so slow to respond. We have to endure while He repairs our hurts, our weaknesses, and our inadequacies.

After reading Corduroy, I felt renewed, restored, and significant. I hope that you can slow down to take a moment with this great literary work. Though written for young ears, it might minister to your "adult" ones as well.

Share your thoughts on this beloved children's book. What's your favorite part? We'd love to hear from you. :)

Labels: childrenn's book, Corduroy, essay, family, moms

It's hard to believe that it's already mid-October and that a new year quickly approaches. Some of the good intentions of this year's New Year's resolutions have gotten lost behind all of our busy schedules and the stresses that weigh us down. Instead of getting discouraged about the ones you haven't yet accomplished, take heart and read on. My tidbit of encouragement is this: just take a few steps at a time.

Whether you have plans to improve your personal health, your budget, your organization, or a specific relationship in your life, just start small. Rather than striving for something so big that it's basically unattainable, go for a few baby steps in the right direction. Just pick two things that will get you on the right track. Then if that goes well, add a few more steps after that.

If your plan for 2010 was to improve your health, maybe you've taken huge strides toward a healthier you. And if you have, keep working it baby!!! But if you haven't gotten the amazing start you'd planned on, don't fret. Just begin today by picking two basic health goals.

Here are a few ideas to get you started. Try to drink more water by filling a 32 oz container first thing; then keep it somewhere visible so you sip it throughout the day. For some of you, a healthier step could simply be to start taking a good multi-vitamin. Another challenge could be to eat an apple instead of chips or candy as an afternoon snack. If you need more exercise, just shoot for a fifteen minute walk four times per week.

If you met most of your health goals this year, try upping your work-outs by ten minutes. Or if you don't currently lift any weights, throw in a light weight-circuit to the mix as well. You could also pick up a few more supplements other than your multi-vitamin. And you might even consider meeting with a dietitian or your personal physician to undergo some basic tests that ensure your body is getting all that it needs.

Maybe your big challenge was for a better budget. You intended to pay down those d--n credit cards, but instead, they've just gotten even bigger. So, here's how you get started on that one. Pick the card with the smallest balance on it and double the monthly payment until it's paid off. If that seems impossible right now, put the frigging thing in the freezer inside of a huge block of ice. Decide that you won't charge any more on it.

If you're trying to beef up your savings, take baby steps there as well; just add $50-$100 to your account today. You might have to dip into it before October is over, but you might not. The truth is that it's definitely already spent if you never even switch it over in the first place. Maybe next month you can put $200 into savings. If your morning latte is a must, try creating your own at home to save some green.

Even though I didn't set any official resolutions for this year, I definitely wanted to get more organized. But instead of becoming discouraged about how disorganized my house still is at times, I'm gonna focus on what I can get done before this year is over.

Two of my organizational goals deal with the garage and the clutter that floods my kitchen counters. So last week, I cleared out five items from my overcrowded garage; I'll shoot for the same goal this week as well. I reduced a large pile of papers from one of my counter-tops and cut it in half by sorting through it as well. One pile per week does wonders.

Relationships can be tricky for some people because they seem so mysterious at times. Even though you share the same oxygen with that person every day in the same house, it doesn't necessarily mean that it's easy to have a great relationship. If a dish breaks, you can glue it back together. But, if you and your spouse or significant other argue about something, that's harder to fix.

Here are two steps to make this relational goal easier as well. First, try to figure out what makes your loved one feel truly loved. Is it quality time or physical touch? Maybe it's gifts or acts of service. It could even be words of affirmation. So after you decide what his love language is, think of two ways to show him that you love him by using that love language (for more info about these, see Gary Chapman's The Five Love Languages).

For example, if it's words of affirmation, leave sticky notes on the bathroom mirror saying, "I love you" or "I think you are great." You could also pump up the text messages this week with sweet reminders of how you feel: "U r a q t pie. lv u. ttyl luv-bug :)."

While these four goals are just a few that come to me, I'm sure there are many others that fill your heart and mind. So, try to keep those simple as well. Take a few steps at a time and before you know it, you'll look back and see that you've already completed your first lap around the track.

Share some thoughts about resolutions that you've mastered or haven't quite attained throughout 2010. We'd love to hear from you. :)

Labels: family, health, moms, money, organization, relationships

This is going to be a very short post. Mainly, I just want to say, DON'T GIVE UP! Sometimes, life just feels so full of burdens. Amidst the never-ending tasks, the plethora of bills, our overloaded schedules, and a sometimes amazingly stupid line-up of arguments... we can just feel worn out.

While giving up might feel like the easiest option, DON'T DO IT! Be the strong person that you know you are... even amidst the trials. Keep working hard! Keep believing! Keep striving for greatness! And make sure to laugh more by doing silly things! Try rocking out to U2 in the middle of your kitchen when you really feel like taking a nap instead. You'll laugh if you dance like no-one's watching.

Today I let my four-year-old paint my nails again, even though she did them like five times yesterday. At least they're as strong as cement as a result... and super sparkly. As she "gooped" the polish on like it was Elmer's glue, I began to laugh like I was going to snort out juicy boogers. She got mad at me for chuckling so intensely, but I couldn't help it; tears were flooding down my face.

Even as I write this post, I have to decide to get over a frustrating argument that I just had with my spouse. Do I stay grumpy at him or do I think up a funny way to make us both laugh? When you both feel super stressed out and tired, even the littlest things can turn into unreasonable ordeals. I think I should just smash his face with a purple cupcake from my kitchen; perhaps, I'll just have to tickle him to death instead. Either way, it will end our ridiculous disagreement!

When you get through the storm, whatever yours is, you'll find the rainbow at the end. Try to remember that the sun always shines; it just gets covered up by the clouds sometimes. So, don't forget to keep things in perspective no matter what you face today. Just decide that you WON'T GIVE UP! Not today and not tomorrow and not the next day or even the day after that! Just keeping it real!

Share what makes you laugh hysterically. We'd love to hear from you. :)

Labels: endurance, faith, family, marriage

Once upon a time, there was a whale named Tiny. He was smaller than a ladybug that lands on a lemon tree. In fact, he was so small that you could hardly see him even if your eyes were wide open, staring straight at him. So, one day, he decided that he needed to get bigger. He met a krill named Bill and asked him what he should do.

Bill suggested he go in search of the Wishing Fairy. So, that's what Tiny did. He came upon a friendly dolphin, named Dolphy, who happened to hear him begging for directions. Dolphy told Tiny to head toward the big black rock closest to the shore.

Dolphy said Tiny would hear the fairy's singing and would be able to follow her voice until he found her. So, that's what Tiny did. He started to swim in search of the big black rock.

After a few minutes, Tiny came upon a young Garibaldi fish, named Gary. Tiny asked the fish if he was going the right way and Gary said that he was. They chatted about the exceptionally warm water and about sports. Then, Tiny said goodbye and continued to swim toward the black rock in search of the Wishing Fairy.

Ten more minutes passed and Tiny started to get really tired. He was extremely tiny after all. So, he decided to rest on a red-orange piece of kelp. He day-dreamed for a bit, asking himself why he was so small. He pondered why he was even called a whale in the first place. And he wondered if he was ever going to find the Wishing Fairy at all.

Maybe he was just floating inside of a gigantic dream that would never come true. But, after some rest, he awoke refreshed and renewed. He continued to swim toward the big black rock. Almost instantly, he heard the most beautiful singing he had ever heard in his entire life. He began to swim even faster.

His energy and motivation were like that of a large whale now. In a matter of seconds, he could see the giant black rock and realized that he had finally made it. Within seconds, he looked up toward the ocean's surface and locked his eyes upon her vibrant green gaze.

He had found the Wishing Fairy and she was stunning. Her hair radiated golden warmth like the sun itself and her cheeks were pink like wild roses. She knew his purpose in coming and offered him the three wishes instantly. She spoke to him with a tender voice and showed him compassion because of his pure heart and his simple faith to find her, despite his tiny size.

Wish number one was to become big like all the other whales in the ocean. Wish number two was to change his name to Big. And wish number three was to have an ocean-wide ice cream party. The wishes came true almost as quickly as he had thought them up. Now that Big was not so tiny any more, the Wishing Fairy looked deep into his large blue eyes and told him she was proud of him.

That day, the ocean was filled with every flavor of ice cream you could imagine: vanilla, chocolate, peanut butter, marshmallow, mint, strawberry, and cookie dough, just to name some of the most popular ones. There were also tons of toppings: from hot fudge to sprinkles to caramel and more cherries than you could count in ten lifetimes.

All of the creatures of the sea celebrated together with singing and dancing. Even the Wishing Fairy ate some ice cream while chatting with some old friends. After all, ice cream is the tastiest dessert of all, no matter where you live. :)

Labels: children's story, family, ocean, sea

In the rat race that we're all in, sometimes getting sick can be a blessing in disguise. I've already had two sick kids this week, which is no fun. But, while caring for my little sickies, I've found the time to be somewhat restful.

It means that my husband has to go in late to work so I can drop off two of our kids while our third is home on the couch. And, it means modified schedules and missed activities. At the same time, it translates into more hugs, more snuggles, and some mommy-daughter time.

Another thing that sickness produces is an altered menu: yummy Popsicles, Gatorade, Saltines, and apple sauce. It also allows us to stay home and think about hearty soups and calming hot teas instead of pizza and chicken nuggets.

In a way, sickness is just a way of reminding us that we all need to slow down a bit and to eat more healthily as well. It also gives us a chance to put on the brakes to spend some quality time together.

Let's read some of their favorite books to them as we rub their foreheads. Don't you just love Winnie the Pooh and The Chronicles of Narnia? If your kids are older, you might pull out that dusty old copy of The Lord of the Rings. Isn't Frodo the bravest Hobbit ever?

Our family is already speeding into the fall, tied up on multiple evenings per week with sports' practices, Boy's and Girl's Scouts, and church activities. So, taking it easy for a week is kind of a treat. I don't wish sickness upon my kids, but I'm trying to have a good attitude while its inevitable grip is upon us.

Soon, everyone will be back to normal, jumping off the walls again. So, I'm gonna enjoy the peace and quiet while it's here and also catch up on my Mt. Olympus sized pile of laundry cluttering my bedroom's tan leather chair.

The couch is looking pretty cozy up in the bonus room, so I might join my daughter in a little bit. And I'll make myself some organic mint tea before I head up that way. My Cooking Light magazine begs to be read as well, so I might just have to postpone the laundry. What's one more day anyways? :)

If you do get a cold or the flu anytime soon, we wish you a quick recovery. Remember to take lots of vitamin C and a good multivitamin as well. And if you don't like swallowing pills, I highly recommend Vitafusion's adult gummy vitamins, which are easy to chew and tasty as well.

I've been chewing two Cs every couple of hours for the past few days; this regimen has really helped because I've fought off a minor head cold in just a few days and am already feeling up to jogging again.

One last "stay healthy" tip: remember to use your hand sanitizers, especially before eating. I keep one in the car, two in my purse, and one on my kitchen counter. Just a dime-sized amount goes a long way and you can even get the moisturizing kind, so that your hands don't get dried out.

Share your thoughts on health and colds. How's your family doing so far? We'd love to hear from you. :)

Labels: colds, family, health, sickness