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Frankenstorm and Gratitude
My friend, Ann Marie over at Household 6 Diva recently posted on Facebook this epiphany: There is always, always, always, always, always,something to be thankful for. #pinterestproverb We were really walloped by Frankenstorm Sandy. Folks in my area lost power in the storm on Monday, October 29th, and finally had it restored Sunday morning, November 4th. (I’m one of the lucky few to never have lost it.) Kids were out of school for ‘inclement weather’ (to say the least) for two, three and four days. Basements were flooded. Trees were down. Roads impassable. Yet, there were SO FEW posts on Facebook from my friends that were negative. A Hurricane and Gratitude? Can it be? Keep Reading…
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Self Esteem vs Self Respect
Last weekend was cold. Cold and rainy. The kind of weather that makes you want to curl up in front of a fire with a cup of hot chocolate and a good book. Instead I was at a soccer tournament for my ten-year old. Three games over Saturday and Sunday 90 minutes from home. Three games of pure determination on our boys’ parts. Three games of ‘Go, Avon, Go!’ … Three losses. Continue Reading about how to turn the loss into a win, Self Esteem vs Self Respect But that doesn’t necessarily make this mom sad: * The relationships that those boys are making out there on the field, the friendships…
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New Friends, Motherhood and Growth
We are well into the autumn schedule. Boys are at school, my toddler and I are settling into a great routine, which includes some Disney Channel, Lego-time and lots of books. Plus lots of crock-pot time, a newly-painted bedroom and garden canning and storage for the winter months. It has been a great fall so far! But I’m taking on new adventures too. This year that includes MOMSNext. I’m a huge advocate for MOPS. That organization turned my life around from being a lonely mom with not many friends in a new area with a toddler and baby, to an involved mom part of a group; wanted, loved, befriended, needed. …
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Surviving the Storm – Hurricane Preparedness
Being prepared, it seems to be the motto of military-families worldwide. Hurricane Season is upon us and it is time to start making plans, thinking through what we need to do to be prepared. Some great tips from Hurricane Survivors include: Make sure you have lots of bottled water on hand and fill your bathtub before the storm. Tap water easily becomes contaminated and you won’t want to risk it before it’s checked. Make sure you have plenty of batteries, flashlights, candles, and nonperishable food on hand. – Cathy Keep those laptops and cell phones charged. If you have kids and have no power you’ll want to entertain them somehow.…
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Grandma’s Pot
This is my Grandma’s Pot. I like to imagine all the food she cooked in it. Soups for her family, pasta for guests, maybe mashed potatoes for a big family gathering or just a small brisket for herself and Pop. Continue Reading about my favorite pot, Grandma’s Pot My mom gave it to me a few years ago after Gram passed away and I have to admit it is my favorite pot. (Who knew anyone could love an ‘ordinary’ pot?) This summer alone I have made quarts of pasta sauce with tomatoes from my garden. I have cooked salsa to last all winter long. I have enjoyed simmering, sauteing, boiling and glazing, all…
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T-Shirt to Beach Bag
Over the years I have accumulated a few t-shirts. They are an easy souvenir, a great way to remember a great time. However, over the past 20 something years I have accumulated a drawer full of shirts I never wear. I hate the thought of parting with them. I refuse to throw them away. I know if I gave them away they would /never/ be appreciated like I appreciate them ;). So my interest was piqued when I saw this simple-idea on Pinterest, where by turning t shirts into shopping bags (great for the environment!). This is not hard and it a great re-use of shirts I never wear. I was really happy with the results and…
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Summer Camp
I had NO IDEA it would be this hard to let go. This past Sunday Hubs and I dropped *E*, 9 years old, off at his first week-long, without his Mom, Summer Camp. EGADS! (That’s me biting at my nails, my belly doing flip-flops everytime I think about what he might be doing at that very moment.) *E* was a little nervous on the way there, a three hour drive from home. But he popped in his favorite DVD and multi-tasked with a game on the iPad for the 200 miles we were on the road. It was a great attention diverter. When we got there the camp was ALIVE with youth. Youth workers…
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Who Ate My Muffin?
Yesterday started out as ‘one of those days’. I got up before the crack of dawn 8am but my boys were already up and moving. So I get up, get moving and am bombarded with requests… “Mom I need breakfast, Mom I can’t find socks, Mom my brother hit me, MOM!!!!!” All before I have wiped the sleep from my eyes.All before I have time to say “Good Morning, joys of my life.” Most importantly, all before I have had a sip of coffee. Ah the struggles of motherhood. I really had to laugh at this rendition of “If you Give a Mouse a Cookie” (shared with me by a…
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Let Them Be Little
… because they grow so very fast This past Friday my oldest son graduated from high school. How can this be? Josh was three the first time I met him and has been a piece of my heart ever since. His dad and I dated for several years and we grew closer as a unit of three until we became a family in 2001.Josh was in 1st grade when I became step-Mom. He was 8 when he became a brother(and he became a brother again and again in 2005 and 2010). He started his freshman year in high school while his dad was in Iraq. Sometimes I want moments of my day, week, month to go fast…
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Screen Time and Summer Time – Finding Balance
I am not an educator by degree but I am a mom by nature and I love to watch my boys flourish! But as a mom I grow concerned watching how much my 9 year old (in particular) /LOVES/ electronics. He could easily sit on my iPad, his DS, our computer for hours at a time playing games. I want him outside playing, splashing, running, laughing, kicking, riding, smiling, living. Making memories! I also have certain thoughts on summer-brain freeze as well as learning responsibility around the house. To keep our brains working we use Evan-Moor books titled ‘Daily Summer Activities‘. We used these workbooks last year for the first time and I highly…
