Words of Wisdom

Parenting: Funny

2010-07-18T01:24:00.001-07:00

I could go all serious on you and post some self help article on how we can all be better parents or I could just share this! LOL I am choosing humor today. We can all improve and next time I will find something helpful even if it is just to me but for now.....................ENJOY!!

The Dad Life and Mommy Rhapsody. You will find SOMETHING that will make you laugh in both for sure!

Frugal Living: Changing your own oil etc.

2010-07-15T23:42:00.001-07:00

Maybe to some, this is something that you already do and have been doing for years! For us, this was our first time.T has changed the brake pads before and other simple fixes to the car. One thing that I love about T is that he is willing to try. He didn't come from a home where they fixed things themselves. Not all together wrong, just personal opinion. Not only because I love being frugal but just because why pay someone to do something that you can do for yourself. It feels so good. Don't get me wrong though. Some days it's just easier to pay to have something done, depending on what it is.
A couple of weeks ago, T purchased THESE for $34 and changed the oil as shown HERE. There are other videos about the other processes there. You will have to just check them out. We paid for the ramps but after a couple of oil changes these babies will save us some money. Every little bit helps right?! I look forward to learning how to save more money in car repairs by just learning to do the things that we can. By doing so, we save money for other things we can fix etc. Although, there are sooooooooooooo many things that you can make or buy cheaply and even free. It just takes alittle more thought.

So, what car repairs do you know how to do or what would you like to try?

Food Storage,Gardening and Preparedness: 72 Hour Kits

2010-07-14T23:42:00.000-07:00

We need to re-vamp our whole 72 hour kit. I also would like to get shelfs for the basement so I can re-do our food storage. Can you believe that we lived mostly on our food storage the whole time that T was unemployed?! Ya way! It was so good that we had some things already in place. Bad thing (sorta not really) is that we only took our wheat with us on our move. We didn't have alot left and I didn't know when we were going to find housing, storage etc. Not to brag but what I did was just share it with others. It felt really good to know that I was helping someone else. My motto is what comes around-goes around. Not that I am hoping for blessings. I just know when you do what is right, it works out EVEN IF YOU DON'T see it right away. Ok back to the subject! I talk to much hugh! :-)
So, since we are saving for a few other things that are more important than shelving. I thought a way to still be working toward the BIG picture is to re-vamp our 72 Hr Kits. It is embarresing that we hadn't in a year! I went to one of my favorite Food Storage websites FOOD STORAGE MADE EASY. They have printable shopping list HERE and a content list HERE

You can then watch THIS video they made on how to put it all together and VOILA you have a 72 Hr Kit!

Always adjust the contents to what YOUR family likes and needs.
They also have another GREAT tool. It is a Emergency Preparedness Checklist. It includes lots of other NON FOOD items etc. Check it out HERE

So you have no excuse! Either start one now or brush off the dust of the other one and change things up. You NEVER know when a disaster will hit. For us, it wasn't one that a 72 HR KIT could completely solve but could help.

IF YOU ARE PREPARED, YOU SHALL NOT FEAR!!

Nutrition and Weight Loss/Maintenance: Super Foods and Eating a Raw Diet Continued

2010-07-12T22:41:00.000-07:00

Well, since I am starting to venture into eating even MORE of a raw diet, I thought I would share. I got alot of good stuff today but ended it with some pizza. Ya, not so raw but I will get there. It's just getting EVERYONE to be on board. For me it still is moderation in all things. I think for ME and our family, I want to eat more of a WOW diet so to speak. In Mormon terms, that WOW is referred to the Word of Wisdom. Go and check it out HERE, it is an amazing revalation to Joseph Smith (Mormon Prophet) about a health code so to speak that we are asked to follow. To me it just makes complete sense and I can see that by following it we can be blessed in the ways God told him we would.

Ok, back to eating RAW. I have been on a weight loss journey. I haven't lost much but I have lost. I have for quite some time felt very drawn to taking care of our bodies naturally etc. Part of that I believe needs to include eating primarily a PLANT based diet. There are so many health benefits it's amazing. It is hard I believe to really switch over but in the end will be about great health. I want to do this because not only to encourage my weight loss but to do all I can to elongate my life and the life of my family. I want to have more energy. I want to enhance my immune system etc. Like I said, I think for us it will be to shift even more to eating a plant centered diet. The meat we will buy I would love to get to the point where we could buy organic. Right now though, I think we will stick to very little chicken and turkey but have MOSTLY fruits and veggies. Two really good sites are here:

THIS is one that I stumbled across several years ago, telling us what the SUPERFOODS are.
THIS one I stumble across tonight before I made this post. It is a great RAW FOOD website with ideas etc.

Enjoy!

Nutrition and Weight Loss/Maintenance: Eating a Raw Diet

2010-06-28T23:07:00.000-07:00

Ok, so this is a topic I talk about alot but don't do it all the time. We eat as a family WAY more fruits and veggies than we did several years ago. My kids for the most part really enjoy fruits and veggies. In our church we have what is called: The Word of Wisdom. A health code for us to follow that will bless our lives physically and spiritually. I read an old book a few years back written by and LDS author about the Word of Wisdom and it's health benefits etc. I wholeheartedly agree! If we follow this health code we will be blessed. It may not cure you but it can't hurt either. I think by following it's guidelines, one would have more of a chance of it helping!!
So, on my other blog, I started telling about my exercise and weightloss journey. Well, I have lost 22 lbs. total since the end of March. Now, that is 22 less than what I was before. That is great! The thing that is hard is that I have WAY more than 22 lbs to lose and I need to step up the cardio and step down even more what goes into my body. My doctors have always stated how healthy I am considering my weight.
I am about to take this to a whole other level now. I want to eat even more of a plant centered diet and VERY VERY little meat.
If you have any links etc about living and eating a more RAW diet, let me know. There are many that I do already.

Fit Friday: Couch to 5K

2010-06-25T18:31:00.000-07:00

I have started back to running. I have been doing it since late March. I have lost 20 lbs. Now I wish it was more but there has been better eating in there but still not what I would really like. I did pack my house, moved clear across the country and unpacked that house in the last month though so I haven't been as good. Not an excuse though. This week I have been back on the plan. Daily I do struggle with not eating and then eating alot. Since I got back on the running plan. Next week, it's gotta be game on for eating too!! We are "wogging" another 5K in a few days. In no way am I fast at all and sometimes I still hurt alittle. By signing up for these though it keeps me motivated. I didn't find out about couch to 5K until after I had started to run. I essentially just did that anyway except I didn't get to where I can consistently run 5K. I can wog about 1 1/2 mile-2 ok with an occassional mini breather. Whatever I don't wog, I walk. So I try to get in at least 3 miles. Well, this is more of a ramble than a informative blog post on couch to 5K. Check Couch to 5K out. It gives you a training plan etc and in no time you will be able to do a 5K. It starts out easy and progressively gets more challenging. Do what you can and don't give up! If I can do this YOU CAN TOO!! Here's to hoping that I get in at least 3 miles tonight!!

Frugal Living: The Importance of being a Provident Provider continued

2010-06-24T21:21:00.001-07:00

This is such a good article. It follows last weeks post so well.

Food Storage,Gardening and Preparedness: Canning Part I

2010-06-23T13:05:00.000-07:00

I had heard the horror stories too of pressure canners. I had however watched and helped my mother do this as a young child. She never had a problem. Once I did it last year, it was so easy!!! It was fun and quite addicting! I had to leave my garden this year but I am already planning next years. I plan on buying fruits and veggies in bulk and doing some canning still.

If you are interested, I will be featuring for the next few weeks,some videos that talk about the process of canning etc. Enjoy!

Emotional Health: Positive Self Talk

2010-06-23T00:08:00.000-07:00

I have always been taught about the power of words. I have been taught that what you think about you bring about. I have known that when you are positive with yourself, it makes the trials in your life seem more bearable. Those of you that know, know that for the last several years, we have had many trials. In a nutshell, I think the whole reason why I was able to come through these things is because of the power of positive thinking. I had many moments when I got too discouraged and didn't use the powerful mind I had to change my attitude. Even if our world didn't really change, at least I could just try to smile through it. I think many people would have been the same and that is alright. Again, because of my knowledge of how powerful this tool is, it can help you through MANY things in your life....even if they aren't what you consider really hard or tragic. We ALL need to love ourselves more! If there is a great tool that I would suggest is using DAILY positive affirmations. If that doesn't help your life in some way I would be utterly suprised. Here is a video I found. My challenge from me to you (and to myself) is to start today and be positive with yourself!

Nutrition and Weight Loss/Maintainance: Getting Healthy, Staying Healthy, Being Healthy The Mormon Way

2010-06-21T09:06:00.000-07:00

I am putting myself out there but I truly feel like our LDS doctrine of The Word Of Wisdom really is the BEST diet. Now there are some foods that people are allergic to etc but bottom line if you eat right, exercise etc you will be blessed. Although I know there are people out there that have ate wonderful all their lives and still had to bear health problems here on earth. Although they don't happen too often at all!! Early to bed and Early to rise, make a man healthy and wealthy and wise as well as eating a mostly plant based diet will be super beneficial to you inside and out. Here is a good article about The Word of Wisdom and it's benefits.

Happy Healthy Eating etc!

Natural Remedies: Essential Oils

2010-06-20T22:42:00.000-07:00

I first heard about Essential Oils back in 2002. I learned even more when I started learning about natural childbirth, teaching childbirth classes and being a doula. It mostly was a knowledge of a few very relaxing scents for use during childbirth. Then I was intrigued. Shocking I know! I learned about the MANY uses of essential oils. I still don't use them every day etc. But I have a few that I am very fond of and always have one hand.

I love the booklet I recieved from a class I took about Essential Oils. It gives me the exact blend and/or recipes for different ailments etc.

Click HERE to find a list of essential oils and their health benefits. If you have any specific question(s) let me know and I will do my best to help you.

Maybe some think this is too much effort or too expensive but I would have to disagree for my own self. I believe that we were BLESSED to have these plants and oils TO heal our bodies. It is a gift that if we use it can truly help us. With essential oils, I just have my standard ones like I said that I have lying around that have a wide range of uses and I have seen good results with. I would be spending that money on doctor's visits, prescriptions and over the counter medicines too. I think they BOTH have their place!!! When I can, I try to approach our health more holistically.

Young Living is the brand I use. There is also lots of helpful information about EO's on that site as well.

Becoming Provident Providers

2010-06-16T21:15:00.000-07:00

I think this just about covers me for Wednesday's AND Thursday's theme!!

We become self-reliant,” explains Julie Beck, president of the Church’s organization for women, “through obtaining sufficient knowledge, education, and literacy; by managing money and resources wisely, being spiritually strong, preparing for emergencies and eventualities; and by having physical health and social and emotional well-being.”

Church leader Elder Robert D. Hales outlines ways we can become self-reliant:

•Be ready for rainy-day emergencies
•Avoid excessive debt; be content with what we have
•Use the resources of the earth wisely; don´t be wasteful
•Prepare for the future by making spending and savings plans
•Keep a family or personal budget
•Teach children wise spending habits and help them save for the future
•Obtain an education or vocational training
•Find gainful employment

As we become self-reliant, we will be prepared to face challenges with confidence and peace of mind.

Frugal Living

2010-06-10T10:11:00.000-07:00

I would say that I have always been more of the"frugal" one in the family. I also though like certain "stuff". Since T was out of work for a year, we got creative in alot of ways. We learned to really live without the "stuff". We did ALOT of FREE things. My kids will always associate their momma with the word FREE! My ears perk up......like most everyone else. Then there is cheap. Still, I would hear my mother in my head saying, "No deal is a good deal if you aint got money!" LOL. Making the best of what you have and just being smart about it. I just LOVE deals though! I don know that some people just love getting a deal though that really end up spending more money in the name of "deals".

We have had a budget before but now the game is on. It is even better. I even agreed to taking the primary responsibility of the family finances. I may have to buy stock in Pepto Bismal to get through it though! LOL I love being frugal but I dislike dealing with money things. I will do this though and I will learn to LOVE it! Is there such a thing? Even if I had a million dollars, I would still cringe paying bills! LOL

Well, I just wanted to share a few links that I just looked up that will help us be more frugal. Tune in to next Thursday for another frugal living tip!

http://www.dealstomeals.com/

http://www.utahdealdiva.com/

http://www.thenewfrugalmom.com/

http://www.frugalmom.net/blog/

These are just a few. I am on a mission. Help me find some more. I know there are more. In fact if I look into my archives, I know I posted some in the past when I was posting about being frugal! LOL I know they are more out there. In advance, sorry to all those coupon lovin' people. I find that I don't use all those products. A fair amount of them are packaged foods etc that we don't use. I am would love to find the best coupons for the staples ie paper products, laundry soap, trash bags, butter, juice etc. etc. The best use of my time is looking for store deals. If you can convert me to your couponing ways, feel free to share how it works for you!

Frugally Yours,

A Far Cry From Normal Momma

Food Storage, Gardening and Preparedness

2010-06-09T22:59:00.001-07:00

I HEART Food Storage. To make a LONG story short, when we were hit by the economy and suffered job losses. We had to use ALOT of what we had bought for our food storage. End of story! You NEVER know when you will need it, so get up and DO IT!!!

I have been following Food Storage Made Easy for quite some time. I love ALL the resources they have on there and really how they have made food storage EASY!!

Another post was made and who doesn't like a giveaway.......ME! I saw that they have a link about a Bosch Giveaway at Deals To Meals! Check them out! One of the first things I noticed is for $4.95 a month they will take all the busy work from you and send you a list of the current sales etc for the store(s) that you choose. There is so much more. I am gonna check them out and so should you! YOU COULD BEAT ME IN WINNING THE BOSCH..........GAME ON everyone!!! Now go........ enter to win this fabulous mixer!!

Happy Food Storag'ing! LOL

Emotional Health: How sharing our feelings effect our health and how to share our feelings

2010-06-08T23:24:00.000-07:00

The ability to recognize, accept, and manage our feelings play an integral role in our emotional development. How we manage our feelings may affect our health. In the book To Your Health: Gospel Perspectives on Nurturing the Mind, Body, and Spirit, by Brent Q. Hafen et al, it is said "the mind and the spirit . . . contribute to physical fitness, but can also play a part in illness . . . a large percentage of all physical problems have emotional roots. Some researchers believe that as many as half of all patients who visit physicians have physical symptoms that are directly caused by emotions; others think the figure is as high as 90 to 95 percent. Mounting scientific evidence indicates that virtually every illness may be influenced for good or bad by our emotions and attitudes that include factors such as faith and hope."

It continues "emotional stress doesn't cause disease . . . (it's an) important factor that can make us more susceptible to disease. And there is a physiological reason why: the brain controls both specific emotions and specific hormone patterns, and our hormones affect our health."

Our emotions can be divided into two types: negative and positive emotions. Our negative emotions, such as anger and frustration, increase heart rate and constrict the arteries, putting extra strain on the cardiovascular system. Our positive emotions, such as happiness and hope, stimulate the nervous system which protects the heart and reduces blood pressure.

If we are in touch with our emotions, we reduce any health risks we may face in our lives.

Here are some suggestions on how to deal with our feelings and share them more effectively:

1. Accept the concept that feelings are honorable. We don’t need to feel guilty about having feelings.

2. Learn to identify them properly and express them appropriately. We need to let our rational selves mediate so that we aren’t unleashing our emotions in an immature way. Thinking also helps us identify which emotions we should share openly in a healthy way and which ones we should handle privately.

3. Express emotions by describing them. For example: “Right now I’m feeling frustrated about my problems at work” or “I feel so discouraged about the way the children have been acting lately; I would really like to talk to you about it” or “I feel so much more relaxed about the way I’m handling my Sunday School class now.”

If you haven’t been used to doing this, it might be helpful to follow a simple model: When _____ happens, I feel _____ because _____. For example, if a husband neglects to call his wife when he is going to be late getting home, his wife will probably be upset. She could focus those feelings of anger outwards: “You’re the most inconsiderate person I know! The least you could do is call!” Or she could describe her feelings: “When you don’t call if you’re going to be late, I feel anxious and frightened because I’m worried something may have happened to you.”

4. Treat negative feelings respectfully, not guiltily. I’ve always been impressed with how open the Savior was about his negative feelings. In only one example, in 3 Nephi, we read that he is “troubled” because of Israel’s wickedness; but just a few verses later, he is saying, “My joy is full” because of the faithfulness of the people. (3 Ne. 17:14, 20.)

Many people feel that negative feelings are wrong, so they try to act as if they feel something else. The result is a double message, for it is simply impossible to express spontaneous love—or any other kind of positive emotion—under those circumstances. If the family rules allow the open and respectful expression of negative feelings (“When you did that, I felt hurt because …”), then positive feelings would flow more freely too.

Another temptation when you have negative feelings is to “let it all hang out.” Usually, this philosophy is actually a license to hurt. When the Apostle Paul told us to “speak … the truth in love” (Eph. 4:15), I think he was telling us that we must share negative feelings in sensitive, non-threatening ways, being honest but in a way that will not make others feel defensive or put down. Sharing feelings is not an excuse to punish, blame, or insult.

5. Don’t criticize the other person’s feelings or try to change them. Only the person who has the feelings can change them. We can help most by listening and empathizing, but we may only make our mates feel worse if we say, “You shouldn’t feel that way,” or “I can’t imagine why you feel that way.” They may decide to stop talking to us since we only make them feel worse.

We can show empathy by supportive listening—eye contact, nods, pats, or hugs. We can also reflect our mate’s feelings by saying things such as, “It sounds as if you’re really worn out” or “You seem really happy with the way things have turned out.” Receiving our mate’s self-revelations without judgments, criticism, or rejection is so important that I wish I could think of a stronger way to say it. I think the main reason so many couples never achieve intimacy is that they can’t create a climate for real sharing by being warm and understanding when they listen. Too many of us react defensively when we hear our mate express feelings.

6. Keep in touch. Sharing feelings isn’t just for marathon sessions or crisis times. My wife and I have found it useful to get in touch with each other’s feelings each morning by asking, “How are you feeling?” or “How are you doing?” or by saying, “Today I’m feeling. …” It only takes a few moments but we know where the other person stands, physically, emotionally, spiritually, and in other ways. We have a sense of oneness and really feel motivated to be supportive and understanding. On days when we’ve neglected this “getting in touch,” I can tell the difference in just one day; and frequently the difference shows up in how effectively we relate with each other and with our children. It’s so important to keep in touch that if I leave before she wakes up in the morning, we touch base on the phone during the day.

Nutrition and Weight Loss Management

2010-06-07T23:29:00.000-07:00

Before I start, I have to bring up a story about a friend. She is on a journey of sorts to figure out whether or not to cut out sugar, count calories and exercise. She is in my thoughts a pretty average sized lady. She is not super skinny or heavy at all.

Many of us wonder if it is important to do all the effort to just pull off that 5-10 extra pounds. I have lots more than that, so it is a different story for my.

My own thoughts are this: It is important overall to do what we can to keep our body healthy. We have been so blessed with this body, that we should respect it and feed and take care of it as we would our own child etc. I could point out all the benefits of cutting out sugar, I could point out why milk really isn't as healthy as I once thought, I could point out my views on the "organic" food movement etc.

I could drive myself batty with all this. I take from it all again though, the basic need to care for our body! This means again, to feed it what will be the best and the occasionally not so healthy treat should be just that......occasionally!

Again EAT MOSTLY PLANTS, VERY LITTLE MEAT and even less SUGAR! That is my goal!

When I started my weight lost journey a few months ago, I started to track my calories etc here on: www.sparkpeople.com

I want to get back on that again. Although I am doing pretty good, I think by accounting for it all, keeps me honest about what really goes in!

I also have started a more intense workout routine. I run, walk, cycle and do weights. I log alot of that at: www.dailymile.com You can also log fitness minutes etc on SparkPeople if you want to do that. Since I am running, it is nice that I can use the map feature to map my routes. I get a more accurate # then.

Going Green......smoothie that is!

2010-06-06T16:17:00.000-07:00

One of my MANY health goals is getting to so we have a green smoothie at least 3 days a week. So, I wish I had a great blender like Green Smoothie Girl here or the coveted BlendTec Blender! Soon my friends, soon. When did I turn into the girl that enjoys Kitchen appliances! LOL I just think that eating a more raw and homemade lifestyle can help so much in our health. Anymore there are fast food restraunts every where! Now, every once in awhile I personally don't think is HUGE but the saying, "You are what you eat" is so true. We can heal our bodies through the right foods and the right amounts.

Green smoothies are a wonderful alternative, as opposed to juices, of absorbing the full potential by retaining the entire whole form of the fruit/vegetable, thus receiving all the fiber. They can assist in boosting energy, building your immune system, detoxing impurities, and loosing weight. Greens are rich in magnesium and alkaline minerals like calcium and are superb in their Omega-3 unsaturated fat content. Believe it or not, greens are one of the richest sources of protein.

The best combination is a balance of 40% greens to 60% fruits. Keep the greens varied as well. Spinach is our favorite, in addition to kale. Other options include: celery, chard, romaine, alfalfa, parsley, beet greens, and collard greens.

I have found you can make a green smoothie out of pretty much any fruit and greens combination!

Here is a simple recipe:

1 1/2 cups of liquids (I usually use a combination of water or kefir)
3 oz or more fresh greens, which is approximately half a bag or 3 large handfuls (spinach or kale are best!) -start with smaller quantities and work you way up!
2-3 Tbsp orange juice concentrate, optional (this is a more frugal alternative than using pre-mixed juices – it stretches the juice further)

After these ingredients are thoroughly blended, you can add an assortment of fruit.

Here are our favorite additions:

1/2-1 cup Frozen strawberries or raspberries
1 Banana
1/2 cup Frozen Blueberries
1/4 cup Frozen Pineapple
2-3 Frozen Peach slices

I have also used canned pears on occasion as well.

Blend and add a little stevia or honey to sweeten and any additional boosters.

Additional boosters:

Ground flax seeds
Ground pumpkin seeds

Here is a video on how to make Green Smoothie Girls Green Smoothie

Please share with me your favorite Green Smoothie! Happy Healthy Eating!!

Fit Friday

2010-01-01T22:24:00.000-08:00

Since this is one of my new year's goals for 201o. I thought it was short and simple.

Make exercise a part of your day. Take the steps instead of the elevator, walk to the grocery store, or bike to work. Every little bit counts, and baby steps add up to be giant leaps.

NIKE SAID IT BEST.................................. JUST DO IT!

Gonna start this again in 2010

2010-01-01T22:22:00.000-08:00

I may not write every day. But I will follow my schedule. So since today is Friday.... I give you Fit Friday tip #1

Food Storage,Gardening and Preparedness: Food Storage Recipes

2009-07-08T23:47:00.000-07:00

If you haven't been here you are missing out! Ok, so at least I think so! Since I have found her site. Not only was I even more motivated to get my food storage but to find fun, easy and good recipes all using your food storage.

I have only had one of hers not turn out as good as what she claims! :-)

For the 4th of July I made Red,White and Blue Whole Wheat Pancakes found here. They were DELICIOUS and AMAZINGLY scrumptious!!

Here it is from her website:

(*Disclaimer* it has been brought to my attention that I say baking soda in the video and I mean baking POWDER…the recipe below is correct.

Blender Wheat Pancakes

1 Cup Milk (translation for powdered milk is 3 T. Milk and 1 C. Water)
1 Cup Wheat Kernels, whole & uncooked
2 Eggs (2 T. powdered eggs 1/4 C. Water)
2 tsp Baking Powder
1-1/2 tsp Salt
2 Tbs. Oil
2 Tbs. Honey or Sugar

Put milk and wheat kernels in blender.Blend on highest speed for 4 or 5 minutes or until batter is smooth. Add eggs, oil, baking powder, salt and honey or sugar to above batter. Blend on low. Pour out batter into pancakes from the actual blender jar (only one thing to wash!) onto a hot greased or Pam prepared griddle or large frying pan.Cook; flipping pancakes when bubbles pop and create holes.

Berry Syrup

2 C. Mixed Berries (Raspberries, Blueberries, & Marionberries or any mix that are red and blue
3 T. Sugar

Mix together and let stand for 10-15 minutes before serving.

** On her website she has a you tube posted on how-to **

Enjoy!!

Enjoy!!

I have been touched today and I thought I would share

2009-07-08T23:35:00.001-07:00

This is also on my other blog here but in case you are not a follower there, Here is a video that one of my facebook friends posted today that sang to my heart and warmed my soul. Any of you that know me, or have read any of my posts in the last few years know that we have had many challenges. It has at times really challenged my faith. Not that I doubted in the reality of God and Jesus Christ. Not in the truth of the gospel but in the reality that they knew me and knew the pain that I had felt. When I ponder these things and think deeply, I know that they know me and know our situation VERY WELL! They know us perfectly. Things can't always be the way we want them to be or how we see others have. We have our own plan and it is up to us to have faith and endure. So, when I don't have my own faith, I can "borrow his". I love Greg Olson's artwork and I have found a new love in Bebo Norman. It is just the kind of music that speaks to my soul! I hope they both speak to you!

Have a GREAT DAY!!!

BORROW MINE
Lyrics

Take my hand and walk with me a while
Cause it seems your smile has left you
And don't give in, when you fall apart
And your broken heart has failed you
I'll set a light up
On a hilltop
To show you my love
For this world to see

You can borrow mine
When your hope is gone
Borrow mine
When you can't go on
'Cause the world will not defeat you
When we're side by side
When your faith is hard to find
You can borrow mine

Take my love when all that you can see
Is the raging sea all around us
And don't give up 'cause I'm not letting go
And the God we know will not fail us
We'll lay it all down
As we call out
Sweet Savior
help our unbelief

You can borrow mine
When your hope is gone
Borrow mine
When you can't go on
'Cause the world will not defeat you
When we're side by side
When your faith is hard to find
You can borrow mine

When you are weak
Unable to speak
You are not alone
The God who has saved us
Will never forsake us
he's coming to take us
Take us to our home

You can borrow mine
When your hope is gone
Borrow mine
When you can't go on
'Cause the world will not defeat you
When we're side by side
When your faith is hard to find
When your faith is hard to find
You can borrow mine

Nutrition and Weight Loss Management: 8 week program "stolen" from: Simple, Healthy and Tasty

2009-07-06T23:26:00.000-07:00

Affectionately stolen from here. :-)

Starting with week 1 and continuing through the 8 weeks and hopefully longer. All you need to do is......

DRINK WATER

Yep that's it! You do not need to worry about doing ANYTHING else this week just drink water! You can still drink your soda and juice and whatever else you normally drink but this does NOT count toward your water intake! I personally would really try to cut this out of your system. One hurdle at a time though. You can do it!! You should be drinking 1 ounce of water daily for every 2 pounds of your body weight. So a 150 pound person would need to drink 75 ounces of water a day. There are 8 ounces in a cup so this person would need to drink about 9 1/2 cups of water a day. How much are you drinking?

Most people do not drink enough water! It is so important! I cannot stress it enough! I know we have all heard that we could go for weeks without food but you can only live for a few days without water! I won't go into any more detail here but if you would like to learn more about the importance of water may I suggest this book.

To pep or jazz it up for you alittle add a little lemon or lime to the water it will help clean it a little and it's also quite cleansing and very good for you and most people really like the the taste! Now there you have it...........

DRINK WATER!

Frugal Living: The 3 R's craft projects

2009-07-01T23:26:00.001-07:00

I am sure that if I looked I could find lots of things I could make out of fabric I have tucked in my sewing bins. I am sure that if I looked around I could make a bunch of COOL new things with the old things that I have or find for cheap. What I like about this is it is unique!

Here is a blog that you can make your kids BANDANNA PANTS!

Here is a cute Recycled Message Board

Some more creative home decor ideas here.

Here is a cute idea for bookends using old license plates. Ok so this website has SOOOOOOOOOOOOO many FUN ideas you have to just look HERE and see them ALL!! Beware you could be there for a LONG time! :-)

I found some more but I will leave you wanting to come back for more! :-)

Enjoy and feel free to pass any that you have found along as well!

Food Storage,Gardening and Preparedness: Frugal & Green Gardening Ideas.

2009-07-01T22:36:00.000-07:00

( This ISN'T what ours looks like. This is the idea I have for next time I plant alot of tomatoes)
I will post pictures if and when I can get them off my phone. Tahee! I should say this post should ALSO cover tomorrows subject of frugality! I guess we will label this post as FRUGAL gardening! LOL

Me and my sister decided to take on the bulk responsibility to do a garden this year. We chose plants primarily that would produce alot and that we could can. Well......... our attempt at beans for whatever reason didn't work out. We saw early on that they weren't going to make it. I don't know for sure why but with Illinois weather, it is just hard. This years weather has been especially unpredictable too. We had planted 20 tomato plants, a whole row of onions (although we learned that when we individual ever do onions again, we know that we can space them closer together) broccoli and cauliflower. We learned from those that we could use that many plants for each of us individually and not collectively. I learned about tying up the leaves for the cauliflower to blanch it to be more white. I didn't find that out soon enough though but storing it in my garden portion of my brain. As a whole we also learned that we really made our rows to far apart. Not horrible but we could get more out of the space. Oh and if we had a million extra dollars we would purchase ourselves our very own tiller! I am a dreaming! Maybe one day. LIVE AND LEARN though and best of all we are grateful for the experience!

So onto the reason for my post.

Above mentioned, we have 20 tomato plants ( maybe more that were planted later but don't know if they will actually survive) We planted more and then the very next day Illinois weather decided to share a HEAT wave with them. I don't think they thought too kindly of this amount of sun without proper warning!

I had 2 people share their tomato cages which were a total of 10 I think. I planned on just purchasing more for the remainder of the tomato plants. Off I went thinking it couldn't be so bad. I go to several places around town and their were flimsy cages for $3 and more sturdy ones for $5. SERIOUSLY?! Even though I am not very good at math........ I can do simple equations like this. YOUGODDABEFREAKINCRAZY! Let me spell this out for you just in case. $20x$5=$100. Another item to also be considered is that we had already forked out $35 a piece. We have spent now alitte more than $35. I think we are to $45. Even though we purchased another rental of the tiller and fertilizer. That would bump our total up. If I was going to add even half of $100, that is $50. Now we would have spent $95 on our garden. I should say that would NOT be too cost effective. That is one of the several reasons we wanted to do a garden in the first place. Good quality food for less! :-) Now let me tell you what we did..............................

We took the tomato cages that we had. We put them in the ground after every 2 tomato plants. We then took twine and tied them to the cages. We didn't think we had scissors but we managed to use the small shovel as a saw of sorts and cut the twine. All in all this is the frugal part of this whole thing. We were given tomato cages for free, the twine was free and the mini shovel was at Target for $1. Way to be resourceful and creative.

Now let's pray it all holds up!!!!!

(P.S My tomatoes in containers are doing fabulous! I can't wait to try more fruits and veggies in containers too! :-) I am TRYING to learn to be a green thumb! :-) )

We are planning on planting some more beans since the last batch didn't come up, were adding more brocolli, cauliflower and spinach. Le'ts hope alot of it survives!

Then I will be woeing about canning!!! :-) Good times!!

Emotional Health: Great talk: I Can Do All Things through Christ Which Strengtheneth Me: Facing Challenges in the Strength of the Lord

2009-06-30T22:36:00.000-07:00

Here is the linkie! Enjoy!

Emotional Health: Serving Others Heals Our Hearts and brings remission to our souls

2009-06-30T18:09:00.000-07:00

Was I Living the Gospel Fully?

By Carolynn R. Spencer

Carolynn R. Spencer, “Was I Living the Gospel Fully?,” Liahona, July 2009, 45

My scripture study would have to wait. All three of our sons had awakened—and much earlier than usual. The youngest, Caden, then 18 months old, was screaming in his crib. I went into his room and saw instantly that he was sick.

Thus began a Monday of one challenge after another. At one point, shortly after I had changed Caden’s clothes and tried to feed him, he flung a large jar onto the floor, spilling applesauce everywhere and sending shattered glass across the kitchen. As I was cleaning up the mess, I thought about all the things I wasn’t getting done: family history, service, home storage, missionary work.

“How in the world can I do everything I know I should be doing when I am barely managing the basic tasks of my day?” I wondered. By early evening I was exhausted, but I set aside discouraging thoughts during dinner, family home evening, and the boys’ bath and bedtime routine.

Finally, with the children in bed, I sat down to do what I had not had time for earlier. I picked up the May 2006 Ensign, which was open to a talk by President Henry B. Eyring titled “As a Child.” My eyes fell on a passage I had previously marked: “To keep the blessing of [changed natures] in our hearts will require determination, effort, and faith. King Benjamin taught at least some of what that will require. He said that to retain a remission of our sins from day to day we must feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the sick, and help people spiritually and temporally” (Liahona and Ensign, May 2006, 17).

Immediately, I again felt that I wasn’t living the gospel fully. I wondered, “How can I feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the sick, and help people spiritually and temporally when I can scarcely take care of my own family?”

That’s when I experienced an overwhelming feeling of divine approval. It was so clear, precise, and tangible that I knew I had to write it down so I wouldn’t forget. I could see my day replay in my mind—full of feeding the hungry, doing laundry to clothe the naked (I changed Caden’s outfit multiple times), gently caring for our sick baby, helping our five-year-old prepare a family home evening lesson on missionary work, and then discussing the power of example with my family—in other words, helping people spiritually and temporally.

The impression flowed with such an overpowering feeling of peace that I knew the Lord was telling me He had accepted my offering. In caring for my family, I was fulfilling the admonitions of King Benjamin and President Eyring.

Nutrition and Weight Loss Management: Staying Motivated

2009-06-29T22:56:00.000-07:00

Losing weight really isn't rocket science. You eat less, move your body more and the pounds will come off. Easy, Right? Yeah, but...

Unfortunately, it takes a long time for most people to get the results they want from their diets and fitness plans. As time goes on, it gets more difficult to say no to the rasperry white chocolate scones and the double chocolate muffins. The desire to fill the stomach, needing to do something else that we deem more important and the need for immediate gratification usually take over and even the best-planned diets can fail.

If this sounds all too familiar, what you need is a boost of motivation to keep going. And I've got some great ideas for you:

Choose Action Goals

People frequently choose their weight loss goals based upon the number of pounds they want to lose. That doesn't work too well, because the time to reach that weight loss is too far away, and that type of goal doesn't give you any tools to get there.

Action goals give you something you can control today and this week and this month. For example, instead of saying "I am going to lose 10 pounds in three months," you can choose this, "I am going to replace my sugary soda with diet soda, water or vegetable juice three days this week." With this type of goal, you make it or break it in just a few days. When you make the goal, congratulate yourself and make it just a little harder (replace that soda five or six days each week). If you don't make the goal, don't beat yourself up over it, just make it a little easier. "I'm going to replace my sugary soda with something healthier two days this week."

Other possible goals might include a certain number of days at the gym, or maybe eating whole grains a certain number of times or increasing your fruits and vegetables. Work on these goals for a few weeks and you'll see the number on the scale drop to where you want it to be.

Keep a Food Diary

I know it's a pain, but it'll keep you on track. People who keep food diaries lose more weight and keep it off longer. Eating too much high calorie food is a habit and habits are hard to break. The food diary will remind you that you need to make healthier choices. Eventually, eating healthy will become your habit -- but not overnight. I suggest you keep a food diary for at least six months.

Make Room for a Treat

You may carefully plan your meals every day with lots of fruits and vegetables, whole grains and lean protein sources, all of which are good. But do you leave a little room for a treat? The USDA Food Pyramid allows you to have about 100 - 200 calories per day to be "discretionary calories." This is where you fit in the fun stuff like dark chocolate or a small glass of red wine.

If you allow yourself to enjoy a few calories as discretionary calories, you'll have an easier time fighting the cravings the kill a lot of diets. Just remember your portion sizes -- 100 to 200 calories isn't much, but it's enough to keep your taste buds happy.

So let's share! Tell me what you do to keep motivated.

Food Storage, Gardening and Self Reliance: Gardening

2009-06-23T23:57:00.000-07:00

(This is NOT my garden. This is what the Florida Weave looks like. Read below)

Ok, so I have SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO wanted to throw in the towel. (Literally because it is either drenched because our never-ending rain or it is drenched with perspiration from humidity from ****! Sometimes me has thought.....hmmmmm is this a sign that we should not be gardening this year. Last years garden seemed so easy. We threw some seeds down, weeded some and then threw a few layers of grass clippings and voila we had a great harvest. Now, we didn't understand how MANY cucumbers and zuchinnis we would get by planting 5 or more plants of each. WOWZA! I have pickles for years now! LOL

This year, I don't really know what has been the biggest culprit.

Well, this is our last try. We have about 35 tomato plants. I hope that we haven't done ourselves in and we will be drowning in tomatoes trying to stay on top of the canning process. We have about 20 or so onions. We have about 15 broccoli plants that we have already harvested some from and about 10 cauliflower which are almost ready as well. We tried beans and peas and I don't know WHAT happened. I know that we let the weeds get alittle out of hand but not very many of the seeds took. Soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo..........................................................

We are planning on TRYING beans again. We tilled that area again and threw down some fertilizer. We are going to go pull the weeds by the older tomato plants, onions, broccoli and cauliflower and then throw down grass clippings.

Back to our tomatoes. Another thing we didn't really think out is how much tomato cages are! WOWZA! $5 a pop. Read about and calculate that again for me! OUCH! We CAN'T afford that LITERALLY! Last year we got some for $2 which was much more doable. I set off tonight to find some other alternatives. A gentlemen at a local nursery told me about the Florida Weave method. I think this is the best alternative for us on many levels. Alot of people suggest using the steal posts. That is almost as expensive. I have read that you can still do this with wooden posts. I am hoping that we might be able to find some FREE wood that we could use and even FREE twine. Now that would rock! I would gladly pay it forward and share some tomatoes, tomato sauce or salsa etc.

Here is a blog post about several different tomato cage alternatives.

I will let you know how it turns out or even better yet, take a photo!!

Emotional Health 101: Emotional wellness directly affects our physical wellness

2009-06-23T23:20:00.000-07:00

I found this article at BYU Wellness page here.

I find this to be so true. It make sense. Our bodies are designed to work with one another to sustain us and give us the ability to function. If one part is having stress put upon it in any way it is sure to affect the other parts in some way as well. It is our responsibility to take care of the body that we were blessed with. Our body is a temple and we should treat it with great respect.

This article links our emotional health directly relating and having an affect on our physical body. It can go both ways. If we do our part to take care of our mental, spiritual and emotional health we can have a great deal of impact on how our physical body responds. There are things that are beyond our control. Belive me, I realize this!! No amount of positive thinking has helped my pain subside. For an example though, we can cause our heart to work harder and be under stressful conditions that have a negative effect on it's ability to fight back. We can turn that around by taking time to take care of ourselves emotionally etc.

Enjoy!!

The ability to recognize, accept, and manage our feelings play an integral role in our emotional development. How we manage our feelings may affect our health. In the book To Your Health: Gospel Perspectives on Nurturing the Mind, Body, and Spirit, by Brent Q. Hafen et al, it is said "the mind and the spirit . . . contribute to physical fitness, but can also play a part in illness . . . a large percentage of all physical problems have emotional roots. Some researchers believe that as many as half of all patients who visit physicians have physical symptoms that are directly caused by emotions; others think the figure is as high as 90 to 95 percent. Mounting scientific evidence indicates that virtually every illness may be influenced for good or bad by our emotions and attitudes that include factors such as faith and hope."

It continues "emotional stress doesn't cause disease . . . (it's an) important factor that can make us more susceptible to disease. And there is a physiological reason why: the brain controls both specific emotions and specific hormone patterns, and our hormones affect our health."

Our emotions can be divided into two types: negative and positive emotions. Our negative emotions, such as anger and frustration, increase heart rate and constrict the arteries, putting extra strain on the cardiovascular system. Our positive emotions, such as happiness and hope, stimulate the nervous system which protects the heart and reduces blood pressure.

If we are in touch with our emotions, we reduce any health risks we may face in our lives.

Nutrition and Weight Loss/Maintenance: Emotional, Exercise and Food Journals

2009-06-22T21:23:00.001-07:00

Well, today I didn't start the week off right. I have a weight challenge. I am overweight and have a strong desire to overcome this challenge in my life for many reasons MANLY for my health. I find myself finding an excuse around every corner and trust me they are good and MANY of us have similar issues ie, too busy, kids, work and life in general. Right now is a PERFECT time for me to do this! I want to do this!! I feel I owe myself and my family this but first off ME!! Starting tomorrow (lol famous last words especially for people with weight challenges), I am going to get on track. I will map out time to exercise and I will challenge myself to eat appropriate amounts and try to do the best I can in providing me and my family with healthy food.
To start off, I am going to start journaling my weight loss goals, challenges, ways to overcome those challenges etc. Here and here are some food journal links. I will also be trying to follow more of a weight watchers plan. Here and Here are some food journal for weight watchers. Here is a online calculator of how many Weight Watcher points your food are using.

Feel free to join the club! Literally here in Normal, we are starting a Normally Fit Club. I will post details soon on when this will start. But for now, feel free to join in the challenge. We could ALL be even somewhat more FIT!!

Emotional Health: 35 Creative Ways to Cope with Stress

2009-06-16T08:35:00.000-07:00

Creative Ways to Cope With Stress

Dealing with stress is never fun. Unexpected expenses that strain the bank account, sudden tragedies, or just the normal, inconveniences can drive normally sane people off the deep end. Here are some tips for keeping it calm.

1. Take a walk by the ocean (or lake or river). The sound of running water is great for the nerves.

2. Listen to a favorite song at high volume. (It helps even more if you sing and dance). Losing yourself in the lyrics, the rhythm and the motion will help you lose the stress.

3. Drink a hot cup of tea. Keep the tea herbal and caffeine free. The warm liquid if soothing for your body.

4. Find a quiet place (closet, bathroom, or even under the bed) to get away for a few minutes. Think of this as your quiet place where no cares (or children or spouse) are allowed to follow.

5. Go on a drive through the country. Taking time out to enjoy the scenery and the seasons will make it easier to return and face reality. Don’t limit your time, just go where the road leads you.

6. Write a friend a note or letter. Talk about the good things going on in your life. Share some of the fun and adventures you are having. Ask about what is going on with them. Talking with a friend, even if it is in print, always makes life a little better.

7. Go see a fun, uplifting movie. Being around positive influences will rub off on your own attitude.

8. Go visit with a favorite relative. Visiting with someone special helps to take the focus off of your own situation or life and allows things to fall into better perspective.

9. Read a good book – or at least a good magazine if time doesn’t allow for a whole book. Let your mind wander into the life and adventures of other people.

10. Get a massage. A trained masseur will be able to help release the stress from muscles you didn’t even know you have.

11. Jump on a trampoline (or just go play on the playground). Acting like a kid again gets you feeling like a kid again. Kids have no stress.

12. Take a thirty minute nap. Every thing needs to be recharged now and again. A quick, power nap can often be the key to releasing all your stress.

13. Take a LONG, hot bath (complete with candles and soft music). Taking time to pamper you is essential to dealing with stress.

14. Volunteer some time for a good cause. This not only puts your focus on another person, it often makes you appreciate the life you are living. Besides, helping others is always a good thing.

15. Go for a boat ride. There is just something about the sound of the water lapping against the boat and the silence of electronics and motors that comes when the boat is under sail that will make you breath a little easier.

16. Get your hair cut and styled. This isn’t as good as a massage, but you will be pampered and come out looking great and feeling better.

17. Visit the local zoo or botanical gardens. Taking time to enjoy the simple things in life keeps you from getting too caught up in the stressful issues that come at you from all directions.

18. Have a game night with family or friends. Friends and family, coupled with games and laughter, are certain stress relievers.

19. Eat a picnic outside. Taking time for a picnic means taking time to slow down. You get to experience your environment instead of just passing through.

20. Do some bird watching. Birds can be fascinating to watch, and it can be exhilarating to see a hawk take some prey or watch a momma feed her young.

21. Take a walk in the rain. Use an umbrella if you must, but just walk in the rain if the temperature allows (and there is no lighting). Let the warm drops wash away all the stress. It helps if you stomp in a few puddles along the way.

22. Learn to play a musical instrument. It is true that music soothes the savage beast. You also have the added benefit of learning something new.

23. Go horseback riding. If you have never had the chance to go, it’s like sailing on land. The power of the horse, the wind in your hair, the beauty of the trails will not only take away the stress but it is likely to take your breath away as well.

24. Get a pet. There is nothing more soothing than a cat purring in your lap or a dog curled up by your side.
25. Build a bonfire, watch the flames, and roast a few marshmallows. The flickering flames almost hypnotize away the stress.

26. Take an art class or draw/paint something. Art gives you a new way to express yourself and time away from the issues that may be causing you stress.

27. Go to a hands on craft store. Make a couple of ceramic pots. Cut out a few scrape book pages. Letting your creativity out for a little while is a great way to run stress out of your life.

28. Find some time and a place to just be alone. Take some time to breathe in the fresh air or listen to the quiet.
29. Crochet or knit a scarf. Another creative way to let your mind escape the stress. Plus you will have some great gifts for the winter.

30. Write in a journal. Let your problems and cares spill out on paper and they almost seem to evaporate from your mind. If nothing else, writing out a problem will help you work through it – which will help the stress factor in your life.

31. Bake some bread or some cookies or cook some stew. Home cooked food warms the soul long before it is consumed. If you are worried about adding pounds on to your figure, then give your creations to friends, family, or neighbors.

32. Have a good, long laugh. Laughing every day is great exercise and had been proven to make you live longer. Besides, it’s hard to be stressed when you are laughing.

33. Take time off from work. The world will not end if you take a day off now and then. Use your vacation time and personal leave time to recharge and refocus. You will not only be less stressed, but you will be a better employee.

34. Keep your finances in order. Money issues are the number one cause of stress in most people’s lives. Avoid problems by managing your finances.

35. Start a savings account. Having a safety net is the number one way to reduce stress in your life.

Avoiding stress is probably possible in a perfect world, but most of us have to deal with it now and then. By using some creativity, and thinking outside the box, you can deal with what ever stress life might throw your way.

Here is some other basic helps:

Coping With Stress

The following suggestions have helped many people reduce the anxiety in their lives and improve their ability to function in stressful situations:

Take stock of your physical health. Some symptoms of stress can also be indications of physical illness. See your physician for a physical examination.
Practice good nutrition. Limit caffiene, nicotine and sugar because they are central nervous system stimulants that can aggravate anxiety. Avoid excess alcohol and food intake, especially during demanding times.
Exercise moderately. Appropriate exercise (e.g., even 30 minute walks daily) facilitates the exit of the body's stress hormones and stimulates well-being. Highly competitive exercise adds more strain.
Learn a formalized relaxation method. Meditation, breathing techniques, progressive muscle relaxation and self-hypnosis can positively affect blood pressure, metabolic rate and immune function when practiced over time.
Eliminate stressors from your physical environment. Noise, pollution, uncomfortable room temperature and poor lighting are subtle stressors and can affect your ability to concentrate.
Manage your time. Establish priorities based on your primary goals and schedule time for those pursuits as well as time for relaxation. Job loss can suddenly leave you with time on your hands. Try joining an organized activity through a church or community center. You may find great satisfaction volunteering for a charitable organization.
Set realistic expectations. Are you putting unrealistic demands on yourself? Don't expect to be able to do everything and please everybody. Learn to speak up and set necessary limits.
Know when you need to ask others for help. Accept the fact that you are not responsible for everything and everyone.
Recognize anxiety messages. Don't burden yourself with messages like "Always be strong...," "Be perfect...," and "Everyone else seems to be coping better."
Accept the full spectrum of feelings. Be aware of pressure to feel only joy and happiness without acknowledging the complexities of human experience. Sadness, anger and disappointment may be present alongside hope and other positive feelings.
Learn new ways to express feelings. Talk honestly with friends. Begin a journal of thoughts, ideas and feelings to give yourself an open forum. Learn to use art or music to express yourself.
Allow recollections. Recent or even old losses may emerge more poignantly during times of stress. Permit memories to co-exist with the present.
Return to basic values. Quiet time with friends or family, showing appreciation through thoughtful gestures rather than material tokens can help you focus on the meaningful aspects of your life and enjoy the warmth and caring of human relationships.
Enjoy simple pleasures. We all need to refuel regularly with some pleasure and relaxation. It might be as simple as taking a walk or a hot bath, calling a friend, or turning on some music.
Seek self-help materials. Many useful books and tapes are available such as The Relaxation and Stress Reduction Workbook by Davis, McKay, and Eshelman.

Parenting: The Value of Playful Parenting

2009-06-13T10:53:00.000-07:00

This is a long article on Playful Parenting. I think to myself that really I am a pretty good parent. While that may be pretty true, it sadly isn't true enough. I could sit around and think about all the things I have done wrong as a parent and become really depressed or I could choose to do things differently. I can choose to say sorry when I have done something wrong to my child. I can choose to be a playful parent. It is hard to do this all the time. It is hard to be respectful. We are adults and at many times subconciously think that our children are mini adults and should be obedient, should tell the truth and should not do this or that. The fact of the matter is, they aren't. They are kids. The fact of the matter is we adults could benefit greatly from being more childlike with our children or even if we don't have children. Hope this article helps you as it did me in reminding me to be more of a playful parent.

The Value of Playful Parenting

Have you ever stepped back to watch what really goes on when your children play? As psychologist Lawrence J. Cohen points out, play is children's way of exploring the world, communicating deep feelings, getting close to those they care about, working through stressful situations, and simply blowing off steam. That's why "playful parenting" is so important and so successful in building strong, close bonds between parents and children. Through play we join our kids in their world-and help them to

• Express and understand complex emotions
• Break through shyness, anger, and fear
• Empower themselves and respect diversity
• Play their way through sibling rivalry
• Cooperate without power struggles

From eliciting a giggle during baby's first game of peekaboo to cracking jokes with a teenager while hanging out at the mall, Playful Parenting is a complete guide to using play to raise confident children. Written with love and humor, brimming with good advice and revealing anecdotes, and grounded in the latest research, this book will make you laugh even as it makes you wise in the ways of being an effective, enthusiastic parent.

Play is the essence of life.

Think about the loving gaze of an infant, the no-holds-barred embrace of a toddler, the intimacy of a shared bedtime story, or a silent hand-in-hand walk. These moments of heartfelt connection with our children are part of the great payoff for the hard work of parenting. Yet this connection all too often eludes us. We find ourselves locked in battle instead of joined in partnership. We all know the rest: the inconsolable baby, the toddler in the throes of a tantrum, the third-grader in a huff over bedtimes, the twelve-year-old sulking in her room.

Children's natural exuberance and exploration often gives way to what I call "fighting and biting." Or they hide themselves behind a Gameboy or a locked door. Meanwhile, our profound feeling of parental love is replaced by resentment and aggravation, even rage. We nag or punish, or we say, "Fine, stay in your room." We yell when we reach the end of our rope, or just out of habit. All because we feel helpless, rejected, and cut off. We want to reconnect, as much as our children do, but we don't know how. We still love them, but we barely remember those melting eye gazes of babyhood. If we do remember, it is a bittersweet memory, as if that closeness were lost forever.

Play-together with what I call Playful Parenting-can be the long-sought bridge back to that deep emotional bond between parent and child. Play, with all its exuberance and delighted togetherness, can ease the stress of parenting. Playful Parenting is a way to enter a child's world, on the child's terms, in order to foster closeness, confidence, and connection. When all is well in their world, play is an expansive vista where children are joyful, engaged, cooperative, and creative. Play is also the way that children make the world their own, exploring, making sense of all their new experiences, and recovering from life's upsets. But play is not always easy for adults, because we have forgotten so much. Indeed, children and adults often seem to reside in radically different worlds, even within the same household. We find each other's favorite activities boring or strange: How can she spend all afternoon dressing up Barbies? How can they sit around all evening just talking?

Parenting and playfulness can seem like contradictions, but sometimes we just need a little push to find one another and have fun together. I was at an outdoor concert, dancing off on the side with my nine-year-old daughter, when a mother and son came over to the dance area. She started dancing a little, but he just stood with his arms folded, a little too shy to dance now that he was there. He was about six or seven. His mother said, starting to get angry, "You dragged me up here, and now you're not going to dance?" He folded his arms tighter and literally dug his heels in. I thought, We can all see where this is going. I said, "Oh no, he's doing a new dance," and I folded my arms just like his and gave him a big smile. He smiled back and moved his hands to a different position, which I copied. His mom caught on right away and started copying him, too. We all laughed. He started moving his shoulders up and down to the music, and his mother said, "You're dancing!" Then he started to dance, and he had a great time. We all did (including my daughter, who waited patiently while I did "the Playful Parenting thing," and then wanted my complete attention again). A little playfulness turned the tide.

This small episode demonstrates that Playful Parenting can happen anywhere and anytime, not just during designated playtimes. Playful Parenting begins with play, but it includes much more-from comforting a crying baby to hanging out at the mall; from waging pillow fights to taking the training wheels off the bicycle; from negotiating rules to dealing with the emotional fallout of a playground injury; from getting ready for school to listening to a child's fears and dreams before bed. Sadly, these simple interactions can seem out of reach sometimes, or full of complications and hard feelings.

The fact is, we adults don't have much room in our lives for fun and games. Our days are filled with stress, obligations, and hard work. We may be stiff, tired, and easily bored when we try to get on the floor and play with children-especially when it means switching gears from a stressful day of work or household chores. We might be willing to do what they want-like the mom at the outdoor concert, above-but then we get annoyed when they don't play the way we expect or when they demand too much from us.

Others of us may be unable to put aside our competitiveness or our need to be in control. We get bored, cranky, and frustrated; we're sore losers; we worry about teaching how to throw the ball correctly when our child just wants to play catch. We complain about children's short attention spans, but how long can we sit and play marbles or Barbies or Monopoly or fantasy games before we get bored and distracted, or pulled away by the feeling that getting work done or cooking dinner is more important?

When my daughter was in preschool, she made up a great game that helped me be playful instead of shouting at her to hurry up and get ready. One morning she came downstairs, hid behind the doorway, and whispered to me, "Pretend that I'm still upstairs and that we're really gonna be late and you're really mad." So I shouted upstairs, "We're late, and I am really mad!" and I started storming around and stamping my foot. Meanwhile, she was behind the door giggling, her hand over her mouth. I said, "You better get down here, or I'm leaving without you. I'm going to go by myself to Big Oak Preschool!" She started laughing out loud, so I pretended I couldn't hear her. While letting her sneak out ahead of me, I made a big show of leaving the house without her, supposedly not noticing she was there. She got in the car and I pretended I was talking to myself out loud, saying, "I am so mad. The teachers are going to say, 'Where is Emma?' And I'm going to say, 'She wasn't ready, so I just left with- out her.' " She was giggling and giggling and trying not to let on that she was really there. She was making getting ready for preschool fun for me! Pretending to be mad helped me not to be really mad, and playing instead of shouting helped her get ready faster!

— WHY CHILDREN PLAY —

Some children are leaders and some are followers; some prefer fantasy dress up while others are drawn to ball games. But virtually every child has an instinct for play that buds immediately after birth and is in full bloom by the age of two or three. Play is possible anywhere and anytime, a parallel universe of fantasy and imagination that children enter at will. For adults, play means leisure, but for children, play is more like their job. Unlike many of us adults, they usually love their work and seldom want a day off. Play is also children's main way of communicating, of experimenting, and of learning.

A child who won't or can't play is instantly recognizable as being in significant emotional distress, like an adult who can't work or won't talk. Severely abused and neglected children often have to be taught how to play before they can benefit from play therapy. Why do we consider child labor such an abomination? Because it means children grow up without having a childhood, without play. It's even worse when their labor is exploited so that adults can have more leisure, as depicted in this nineteenth-century poem by Sarah Norcliffe Cleghorn:

The Golf Links Lie So Near the Mill

The golf links lie so near the mill
That almost every day
The laboring children can look out
And watch the men at play.

Many experts describe play as a place-a place of magic and imagination, a place where a child can be fully one's self. As psychologist Virginia Axline wrote about children in preschool: "They can build themselves a mountain and climb safely to the top and cry out for all the world to hear, 'I can build me a mountain, or I can flatten it out. In here, I am big!' "2 I had a great reminder of the basic nature of play at my daughter's third birthday party. I had organized all kinds of games to play in the park across the street from our house, and, of course, being a psychologist, I explained all of these complicated games to the children, who stood around looking at me as if I were from outer space. I wasn't sure what to do. The children were too revved up to go back inside, but they weren't going for my games. My wife interrupted and said, "Okay, everybody, run to the other side of the park and back!" They all ran happily across the park, shrieking and laughing, then ran back and flopped on the ground, giggling and panting for breath. They looked at me, and one boy asked, "That was fun, can we do that again?" I got the point.

Nevertheless, I can't quite stop talking about the serious side of play. Play is fun, but it is also meaningful and complex. The more intelligent the animal, the more it plays. Unlike slugs or trees, every human learns new things about the world, and themselves, through discovery and practice. Some of this learning just happens automatically, by virtue of being alive, but much of it happens through play. Human childhood has gotten longer and longer, which means an increasing amount of time available for play. Play is important, not just because children do so much of it, but because there are layers and layers of meaning to even the most casual play.

Take an apparently simple game like catch-a child and a parent tossing a baseball back and forth. Much like observing pond water under a microscope, close observation of a game of catch reveals a great deal going on right under our noses. The child is developing hand-eye coordination and gross motor skills; the pair are enjoying their special time together; the child practices a new skill until it is mastered, and then joyfully shows it off; the rhythm of the ball flying back and forth is a bridge, reestablishing a deep connection between adult and child; and comments like "good try" and "nice catch" build confidence and trust.

But this straightforward game can also contain strong undercurrents of feeling. A father I was seeing in therapy described a game of catch during which his son threw him one zinger after another. He could see how angry and frustrated his son was by how hard he was throwing the ball. Together we figured out that perhaps his son was really asking him, "Can you catch what I throw at you? Are my feelings too much for you? Am I safe from my own impulses, my own anger?" Another father's son loved to play catch, but whenever he missed the ball, the boy would dissolve into tears and tantrums and say, "I told you to throw it lower-you never listen to me!" In this case, the child seemed to be using the game as a way to release a pile of hurt feelings that had nothing to do with baseball.

Not every game of catch, or every playtime with a child, contains all of these multiple levels of meaning. But all play is more profoundly meaningful than we usually think. First, play is a way to try on adult roles and skills, just as lion cubs do when they wrestle with one another. Human children roughhouse, and they play house. As children discover the world, and discover what they are able to do in the world, they develop confidence and mastery.

Play is also a way to be close and, even more important, a way to reconnect after closeness has been severed. Chimpanzees like to tickle one another's palms, especially after they have had a fight. Thus, the second purpose of play serves our incredible-almost bottomless-need for attachment and affection and closeness.

The third purpose of play for children, and perhaps the one that is most uniquely human, is to recover from emotional distress. Imagine children who have had a hard day at school. They come home and one way or another show you that they're hurting. They talk about it, or they are irritable and obnoxious. They lock themselves in their room, or they insist on extra attention. But most often, they spontaneously use play to feel better. Perhaps they play school, only this time they are the teacher. Maybe they play a video game and blow up alien enemies for a while. Or they call a friend and talk about it, which is what older children and adults often do instead of play. By pretending, or by retelling the story, the scene can be re-created. This time, the child is in charge. Through playing it out, emotional healing takes place. Escaping into a book or playing a hard game of tennis can also be helpful after a bad day.

One child I knew, who had lots of reading difficulties, would always come home from school and do something she was really good at, which was drawing. Before dinner she would show her parents what she had drawn. In one sweet moment, she was reconnecting with them, restoring her sense of competence, and recovering from the frustration and humiliation of feeling like a failure at school.

Before going into greater detail about these deep meanings of play, let me repeat that play is fun. Spending time with children is supposed to be joyful. My daughter's preschool teacher told me that preschoolers laugh an average of three hundred times a day. What would happen if we all did that? Let's have more fun: sing goofy songs, fall over, exaggerate, have pillow fights, tell jokes. If you are frustrated because you have to remind your child for the twelfth time to pack her lunch or take out the garbage, next time try singing the request in a fake-opera voice instead of using the usual nagging tones. At the very least it will get her attention.

As we shall see, however, Playful Parenting is more than just play. We can interact playfully, or on a deep emotional level, no matter what we are doing: working on chores, playing sports, completing homework, hanging out, watching television, cuddling, even imposing discipline.

Fit Friday: You Tube Fitness

2009-06-12T23:25:00.000-07:00

I found this post on another fitness blog.

While getting a personal trainer will get you the best, individualized workout, it is not a possibility for everyone. Personal training can be expensive and time consuming. There are some fabulous alternatives, however, like online personal training, workout videos and self-training (if you are already pretty knowledgeable about health and fitness). Another awesome, but often overlooked resource is YouTube. Stock piling workout videos, while less expensive than personal training, can get expensive overtime. YouTube is free! Try it out. Just visit the site and type "exercise" or "workout" into the search engine box. You'll find countless video demonstrations, routines and ideas. The videos may not be long, but when you sign up for an account (for free) you can create "quicklists" and "playlists." Just select a series of videos whose times add up to 30 to 60 minutes and you have a fun, varied video workout.

I LOVE Zumba! Click here to learn more about it. Below is a video I found when I was searching. Like I said above, you can put several of these together and get a fun and different work out. This was one out of the series of Ritmix 10 Hip Hop Ulises Puiggros (who knows what that is but I found it LOL!)

P.S

I really hope the weather is good and we can start this tomorrow night! Sorry out of town folks, this is just local. Look and see if you can find something similar in your area or be the one to start it! :-)

2009 Kids Run for Fun
Friday, May 29 thru Friday, August 7
(There will be no run on Friday, July 3)

Pre-Registration will be held on Saturday, May 16 from 10 am - 2 pm at Often Running (206 South Linden St. Normal).

Contact Dawn Dieckgraf at 661-4610 or vbrunner131@hotmail.com if you have questions.

Enjoy! The first one is 5 minutes. GET OFF YOUR BUTT AND MOVE WITH ME!!! Bwahaa (sorta)!

Frugal Living: Frugal Challenge #1

2009-06-10T18:12:00.000-07:00

In keeping with the idea of practicing thrift and frugality, I have decided to issue a new frugality challenge each week. I hope my readers will respond by sharing their ideas. Please comment!

Instead of spending money for entertainment, find inexpensive or free entertainment. (See here for my local ideas this week and next) I found LOTS of my ideas just using the local newspapers calendar of events. My three favorite free things to do are to:

Go to the library and borrow books and movies.
Explore local parks.
Go on a "nature walk."

Food Storage, Gardening and Self Reliance

2009-05-21T06:30:00.000-07:00

Here is a great 52 week Food storage Planner

Here is another link to a helpful planner. Here is another helpful food storage calculator.

Emotional Health 101: Positive Affirmations

2009-05-19T06:05:00.000-07:00

For those die hard Saturday Night Live people, you might remember this saying:

" I'm good enough, I'm smart enough and gosh darn it..........people like me! " Stuart Smalley

Positive Affirmations are AMAZING! The power of the mind is real!

Affirmations are a great tool to have in your positive thinking arsenal and aid in this process of “acting as if.”

Mindset is so vitally important in this process and it’s something I speak of often. It is key to our success in anything we do. It doesn’t matter whether it’s relational, spiritual, physical, or professional.

Changing your mindset is the single most powerful and important step you can take to change your life. The power of positive thinking has been studied by the psychiatric medical, scientific and spiritual community and they’ve all determined the same thing - positive thinking has power. Of course, changing the way you think is easier said than done. While many thoughts are positive, some of them can create undesirable limitations in terms of your ability to evolve, progress and reach significant personal goals in your life – you could call them “success blockers”. They simply prevent you from progressing in areas where you'd like to succeed. The first step in eliminating automatic thoughts that prevent you from being successful is to determine negative thought patterns that trigger success limiting thoughts, attitudes and behaviors.

The second step is to actively change these thought patterns. That’s where positive affirmations become a very useful tool.

A positive affirmation is a statement you can use to replace a commonly held negative statement. For example, if you’re always saying, “I feel fat,” then a good positive affirmation to replace this sentiment might be, “I am comfortable with my body and am the perfect weight for me.”

If your goal is to lose weight, for instance just think about how much more successful you will be and feel when you utilize positive affirmations. The law of attraction tells us that “like attracts like.” If you are saying these negative statements to yourself, you are only attracting more of that to you.

Positive affirmations help you change your thinking by giving you something to lean on. They help you stay aware of your thoughts, which is the first step to changing them.

Finding the Right Affirmations for You

The next step is to determine what your negative thoughts are and to replace them. Here is a great list of positive affirmations:

• My body heals quickly and easily
• I am the picture of good health
• The more grateful I am, the more reasons I find to be grateful
• I know that I deserve to be loved
• I give out love and it is returned to me tenfold
• I have a wonderful partner and we are both happy and at peace
• I am the perfect weight for me
• I make positive healthy choices for myself
• I express my needs and feelings
• I am my own unique self - special, creative and wonderful
• Everything comes to me easily and effortlessly
• I love and appreciate myself just as I am
• I accept all my feelings as part of myself
• I love doing my job
• I always communicate clearly and effectively
• It’s okay for me to have everything I want
• I am getting wealthier each day
• I have an abundance of energy
• My mind is calm
• My thoughts are under my control
• I am successful in whatever I do

As you look through the list of potential positive affirmations, are any compelling? Do any of these affirmations resonate with you? The affirmations that speak to you are good ones to start with. For example, if you’ve been struggling with your weight, spend some time thinking about the negative self-talk you have around that issue and find a few positive affirmations which give you the strength and motivation to move through this challenge.

Affirmations are the first step towards changing your thoughts, however with any process; it takes time, practice, patience and a love and acceptance for yourself. Negative thoughts will slip in from time to time, as we are all human, but as you practice, it will get easier.

Trust yourself and the positive affirmation process. It will help to change your life.

Nutrition and Weight Loss Management:

2009-05-18T21:16:00.000-07:00

I must admit, I am not the poster child for eating healthy still hence my desire to look for things and post them. It inspires me to post them and be an example. Although given our financial state we are limited to the variety of things we can make, I am set on still making our menu healthy and it would be great if I was better about limiting my portions any way to save more food! :-)

Awhile back I posted a link to an online Weight Watchers Point Calculator and a website that also has a database to select foods from and it will tell you how many WW points it would be or is. Here is another website that has some fairly simple and tasty WW recipes. I am going to try several of the recipes and let you know.

On her blog she also posted this tip:

Weight Watchers Tips to Lose Weight

Helpful Weight Watcher Tips to Lose Weight

1. Keep a Food Journal - Record everything you eat and drink immediately including the sugar in your coffee. You will start noticing where your bad eating habits are and how to change them. Write down the points next to everything you eat so you can monitor how many points you have consumed.

2. Drink 6 Cups of Water a Day - I find it helpful to always have a glass of water near me at all times.

3. Eat More Greens - There are so many nutrients in leafy greens like carotenoids, folate, calcium, and fatty acids. Put them in salads, soups, dips, or eat them as a side dish. They are delicious cooked or raw and they are zero points.

4. Cook With Fat Free Broth - I like to keep chicken broth stocked in my pantry. I can make a quick soup by adding vegetables, or I use it in place of oil when I cook vegetables or rice, to give food extra flavor without the added points.

5. Eat Whole Grains - Switch to brown rice, oatmeal, whole wheat bread, whole grain pasta whenever possible. These foods are loaded with nutrients and fiber.

6. Measure Everything - Know your measurements or you will be consuming more points than you think. The only way to get an accurate point count is by measuring everything.

7. Use Skim Milk - You should have 2 servings of milk a day. Using skim milk instead of whole will save you half the points.

8. Take Your Time Eating - Cut your food in small portions and enjoy each bite. It takes 20 minutes before the stomach can tell the brain it is full. You will eat less if you take your time.

9. Use Smaller Plates - This tricks your brain into thinking you are eating more food.

10. Exercise - Exercise doesn't have to be boring! Take a Zumba class or if you aren't comfortable with lifting weights take a weight lifting class. You'll burn lots of calories, build muscle and feel great! The more you exercise, the easier it becomes and the more calories you burn, which means you can deduct points for food you can eat! Make sure to eat the amount of points recommended. If you burn 5 - 7 points during an exercise session, make sure you eat.

11. Eat More Seafood - I was so happy to learn that shrimp and scallops are low in points. Get the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids when eating fatty fish such as salmon.

12. Use Meat as a Condiment - You don't have to give up meat to lose weight. Use lean meat as a flavoring instead of the main ingredient. Make stir-fries with lots of vegetables.

13. Eat More Fiber - Eating fiber is key for weight control because it fills you up with fewer calories. Foods like beans, plant foods, whole grains are all high in fiber. The higher the fiber, the lower the points.

14. Eat More Vegetarian Meals - Plant foods are rich in phytochemicals, fiber and protein. They are low in calories and saturated fats. I like to make vegetable soups, stir-fries, pasta primavera, and salads.

15. Eat Healthy Snacks - The best way to make your metabolism work faster is by eating smaller meals, so in between your regular meals, snack on zero to very low point foods so you will not feel hungry throughout the day. Snack on crudites, fruit, fat free popcorn, salsa with baked chips, whole grain crackers, bruschetta. I like to buy Weight Watchers Smart Ones desserts and Weight Watchers ice cream bars. They taste great and are low in points. Also, Skinny Cow, Philly Swirl Sugar Free Swirl Stix, Jello Sugar Free Chocolate Pudding Cups are all low in points. I have a link at the top right of my blog, 1 POINT SNACKS, that I like to get ideas from.

Parenting: Childhood is Now

2009-05-16T22:23:00.001-07:00

For those of you that know me, I have a strong desire to be a gentle parent. It doesn't always happen that way but I really try. I could spend my WHOLE time trying to figure out what is the best parenting method or the newest latest and greatest trend in parenting. Before I entered my role as parent, I knew that bottom line was I hoped that I could help my children understand how deep my love for them ran and that I respected them as people too. My personal parenting style I would say is more of what I call RESPECTFUL parenting. I have read LOTS of parenting books and have implemented the things I feel really drawn too or feel that would work very well with the personalities of my children.

One thing though that I don't always do is sit down and just have fun in all this and forget about the HUGE to-do list. I have to remind myself that this won't last forever and I have this time to engage, to embrace, to LOVE this time I have with them as little children.

In searching for something to share, I came across this article. ENJOY!

Childhood is Now
by Pam Leo

"Let us put our minds together and see what
kind of life we can make for our children."
- Chief Sitting Bull

I often hear people say, "Kids today are different, I would never have behaved that way as a child." Are kids today different or is it kid's lives today that are different? In her book The Continuum Concept, Jean Leidloff points out that, "Natural logic forbids belief in the evolution of a species with the characteristic of driving its parents to distraction by the millions." As new parents we are all told, "Enjoy your children now while they are little." Yet how much of the day do we spend enjoying our children? Many parents spend more of their day struggling with their children than enjoying them. How has this come to be? What is making parenting today more often a struggle than a joy?

Parenting never used to be, and was never meant to be, a one or two person job. Parents used to have a village, a tribe, or at least an extended family to help care for and spend time with their children. Few families today have the resource of a live-in grandparent, aunt, uncle or nanny. Even when there are two parents in the home at least one of them is gone much of the time. Whenever there is only one adult to care for children, for extended periods of time, there often isn't the time, attention or energy to fully meet everyone's needs. Whether a family consists of a single parent and one child; a mom, a dad and three children; two partners and two children or a blended family with multiple moms, dads and stepsiblings, most families need more adult resources.

My experience with children is that when their needs are met and nothing is hurting them, they are a joy to be with. I've learned that children do not always have the language to tell us what is hurting them or what they need so they communicate their needs through "needy" behavior. When children are not a joy to be with, their behavior is usually an expression of unmet need. Just as a baby's cry is a communication designed to bother us and move us to action to meet the baby's needs, the needy behaviors of children are designed to bother us and move us to action to meet the child's needs.

Ironically, when children communicate their unmet needs through needy behavior, the action adults often take is to try to change the child's behavior. As long as we keep trying to change the behavior instead of meeting the need, those needy behaviors persist. If we look at our own behavior when our children's needy behavior is driving us crazy, we usually find we haven't spent much time with them and we've been too busy and stressed to connect with them. If we look at our behavior when we are enjoying our children, we find that we are spending time with them and not rushing them from one place to another.

There are many reasons why children have unmet needs. Sometimes we can't hear our children's needs because our own needs are screaming so loudly. Sometimes we lack information about their needs. Sometimes we have so little trust in our own internal voice that we listen to advice that goes against meeting our children's needs. Most often, however, the reason children aren't getting what they need is that our lives are too busy and we don't have enough time to be with them and enough time to just let them be. One of the reasons parents are too busy is that there is not enough adult resource to do all that needs to be done. The loss of the extended family has been devastating to parenting and to childhood.

Childhood today is very different than it has ever been. . Parents are busier and children are expected to keep the same pace. There are so many more things to do and places to go. Children have to get to day care, preschool, school, games, lessons, and appointments. They often spend as much time (or more) in the car, getting to and from these activities, as they do at the activity. Children are frequently in transition from one place to another. Children need time with their parents and time for unstructured play, time to just be. Kids today don't get much of that. Most children today spend less time in their home, with their family, than children ever have.

Most parents tell me that transition times are the times of greatest conflict with their children. Getting out the door in the morning and bedtime are often a struggle. It seems the very thing we enjoy about children is also the very thing that drives us crazy about them. Children live in the now. Their attention is completely on what they need, feel or are doing right now. When we are rushing to "get out the door" or trying to get them to bed we are not in the now. We are usually thinking about where we are going and what we have to do next. When transition means children have to leave what they are happy doing to go and do something they may not even want to do, children naturally resist.

The only real conflict that exists between parents and children is conflict of needs. Getting out the door is our need. Getting the kids to bed is our need. When a child's need to have time with us or time to just be is unmet they know that going out the door or going to bed means those needs won't get met . When children express their unmet needs through their behavior and that behavior conflicts with parents' needs the conflict of needs often turns into a power struggle.

This summer many parents told me how much they enjoyed their children when they were on vacation and/or when family or friends were visiting. When I asked why they enjoyed their children so much at those times the answer was always the same. "We had more time and there were more adults to do what needed to be done, so we all had more time for ourselves and more energy and attention for the children." How can we have more of this for our family in everyday life?

We may have to begin to create more adult resource in small ways. Parents could ask family members and friends to spend more time with our family on a regular basis. We can invite other families to do things with our family and invite single friends to be part of our family. We create an "extended family of choice." When there are more adults to meet the needs of children there is less conflict of needs and fewer power struggles. Even one hour a week of more adult resource would make a positive difference.

Creating more resource will mean having to ask for support. Most parents find it difficult to ask. We may feel like we are imposing or that we are supposed to be able to do it all alone. None of us can do it well, alone. Time has shown us that. We all have to work together to make it work for everyone. The children who depend on us now to get their needs met will one day be the adults we depend on to meet our needs. They will only be able to give what they have received.

We won't get a second chance to "enjoy them while they are little." Meeting the needs of children takes time, energy and human resource. If we don't create the resource to give us the time and energy to meet children's needs now when they are little, we will spend the time dealing with their unmet need behaviors when they are big. Childhood is now. The more resource we create, the more everyone's needs will be met. The more everyone's needs are met, the more we will all enjoy the children, when they are little AND when they are big.

Fit Friday: Run for Fun!

2009-05-15T13:36:00.000-07:00

My fit tip today is look for ways to be active. I am NOT a good runner, although I used to be great! Can you believe that I was in cross country and did well too. I get down at times because of that. I get down because I used to be so "fit". Rather than be down, I am doing something about it. Sometimes and some periods of time I do better at keeping fit than others. I am trying to keep my motivation up and keep it going. I also want to be a good example for my children as well.

What I have done is, I found these local races. Finishing is the most important thing. Even if I come in last, I will feel accomplished because I DID IT! WE DID IT!!

If you would like to join us feel free and let us know! We can root each other on! If you are not a local reader or lurker of my blog, you can search online and find run/walks, triathalons, walks etc where you live. Just look it up, mark your calendar and make a comittment to JUST DO IT! WE are!!

So, GET UP and GET FIT!!

2009 Kids Run for Fun
Friday, May 29 thru Friday, August 7
(There will be no run on Friday, July 3)

Light The Road 5K Run/Walk (Benefit OSF Hospice)

Click here for more information on Light the Road Run/Walk

Frugal Tip: Living withing your means-Living on a BUDGET!

2009-05-14T06:21:00.001-07:00

I have heard of this system on more than one occasion. We are actually in a deficeit so we are just not spending any extra. We pay the mortgage, utilities, gas, food. We have "budgeted" money before but it is on the computer. I like the idea of the envelope because it is more visual and once the money is gone, it is gone. We can borrow from other areas for instance, but unless it is a TRUE emergency, there is no taking trips to the ATM to get more.

Here are a few simple basics for starting a cash envelope system
by Dave Ramsey:

Budget each paycheck. Budget is a dirty word to most people, but you must budget down to the last dime if you're going to successfully implement the envelope system.
Divide and conquer. Of course, there will be budget items that you cannot include in your envelope system, like bills paid by check or automatic withdraw. However, you can create categories like food, gas, clothing and entertainment.
Fill 'er Up. After you've categorized your cash expenses, fill each envelope with the money allotted for it in your budget. For example, if you allow $100 for clothing, put $100 in cash in your clothing envelope for the month.
When it's gone, it's gone. Once you've spent all the money in a given envelope, you're done spending for that category. If you go on a shopping spree and spend the $100 in your clothing envelope, you can't spend any more on clothes until you budget for that category again. That means no visits to the ATM to withdraw more money!
Don't be tempted. While debit cards can't get you directly into debt, if used carelessly, they can cause you to over-spend. There's something psychological about spending cash that hurts more than swiping a piece of plastic. If spending cash whenever possible can become a habit, you'll be less likely to over-spend or buy on impulse.
Give it time. It will take a few months to perfect your envelope system. Don’t give up after a month or two if it's not clicking. You'll get the hang of it and see how beneficial the envelope system is as you dump debt, build wealth, and achieve financial peace! See....simple!

Certainly, some bills may come in at different times of the month, so you'll need to adjust your written game plan to take it one step further. You need to plan the budget based upon your pay periods.

Say that you get paid twice a month. If you can write down which bills you plan on paying from each paycheck, you will not be left with a surprise bill. Spend each month's income and each individual paycheck on paper BEFORE it comes in.

Have Some Fun

I also have no problem with you adding an envelope with money just to have fun with! As long as you and your spouse have agreed on it, you are fine. There should be no lying. Agree on your budget, agree on your fun money, and be open. Fun money can be anything you want it to be. There are no rules on that envelope, unlike money in the "entertainment" envelope that is used specifically for entertainment.

Gardening Tips for Illinois gardeners: Container Gardens

2009-05-13T21:11:00.000-07:00

We are going to attempt to try some container gardening. We are wanting just a few more tomato plants. We already have a full plot over at our church. We were going to just go ahead and tear up some of our backyard that will eventually be our garden plot anyway. I still didn't want the hassle this late in the season. (Even though it isn't that late really for lots of vegetables) We are more like right on time. We decided that since we have some containers, that we will just plant tomatoes, peppers and strawberries in them.

So far, this is the list of all the fruits and vegetables we are doing this year in both gardens.

Tomatoes
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Onions
Peas
Beans
Zucchini
Butternut Squash
Peppers
Lettuce

I don't know anything about container gardening so I went looking around the internet. Here is some simple information that tells you what kind of container is good for what fruit or vegetable and what variety to plant.

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

Many people who live in an apartment, condominium, or mobile home do not grow a vegetable garden because space is not available for a garden plot. Lack of yard space is no excuse for not gardening, since many kinds of vegetables can be readily grown in containers. In addition to providing five hours or more of full sun, attention must be given to choosing the proper container, using a good soil mix, planting and spacing requirements, fertilizing, watering, and variety selection.

Containers are available in many different sizes, shapes, and materials. All containers, whether clay, wood, plastic, or ceramic, should have an adequate number of holes in the bottom for proper drainage. Additional holes should be drilled or punched in containers that do not drain quickly after each watering. Drainage is reduced when the container is set on a solid surface such as a cement or patio floor. Raising the container one or two inches off the floor by setting it on blocks of wood will solve this drainage problem.

The size of the container will be determined by the vegetable grown. Generally, most vegetables grown in the soil can be grown in containers as long as ample space is provided for root development. Shallow rooted crops like lettuce, peppers, radishes, and herbs need a container at least 6 inches in diameter with an eight inch soil depth. Bushel baskets, half barrels, wooden tubs, or large pressed paper containers are ideal for growing tomatoes, squash, pole beans, and cucumbers.

The ideal planting medium for containers should provide rapid drainage with sufficient water retention to keep the root zone uniformly moist. Most container gardeners have found that a "soilless" potting mix works best. In addition to draining quickly, "soilless" mixes are lightweight and free from soil-borne diseases and weed seeds. These mixes can be purchased from garden centers in various sizes under many different brand names.

The do-it-yourself individual can make a planting medium by mixing equal parts of sand, loamy garden soil, and peat moss. The mix should be heated in an oven for 1 hour at 210^oF to kill any bacteria, fungi, insects,or weed seeds.

Planting and spacing requirements for most vegetables can be found on the seed packet or plant tag. A container can sustain only a certain number of plants, therefore, it is important to limit the number of plants based on the container size and the eventual size of the plant at maturity. Always plant more seed than needed in each container, because there is seldom 100% germination and emergence. After the seeds have sprouted and foliage of seedlings is touching, thin plants to the desired number.

Regular fertilization applications using a complete analysis should be followed closely since soilless mixes contain little if any nutrients. There are many kinds of specially formulated fertilizers available. The most common N-P-K formulations are 5-10-10 and 10-10-10. Time-release fertilizer (Osmocote 14-14-14) that releases nutrients over a period of time can also be used. Since many gardeners are heavy-handed when it comes to applying fertilizer, it might be to the plant's advantage to apply fertilizer at half the label's recommendation twice as often.

Watering is one of the most important jobs a container gardener will perform. Some vegetables need watering every day, depending on container size and weather conditions. The best way to water is with a watering can or sprayer attachment on a garden hose. Be sure the water is cool before applying it to the vegetables, particularily if the hose sits in the sun. Hot water does not stimulate root development.

Plant breeders have helped to make container vegetable gardening more practical by breeding plants with compact growth habits and relatively high crop yield. Almost any vegetable can be adapted to container culture. The following is a listing of some of the common container-grown vegetables, container sizes, and recommended varieties:

Vegetable	Type of Container	Recommended Varieties
Beans, Snap	5 gal window box	Bush Romano, Bush Blue Lake, Tender Crop
Beans, Lima	5 gal window box	Henderson Bush, Jackson, Wonder Bush
Beets	5 gal window box	Little Egypt, Early Red Ball
Broccoli	1 plant/5 gal pot; 3 plants/15 gal tub	Green Comet, DeCicco
Brussels Sprouts	1 plant/5 gal pot; 2 plants/15 gal tub	Jade Cross
Cabbage	1 plant/5 gal pot; 3 plants/15 gal tub	Dwarf Morden, Red Ace, Early Jersey Wakefield
Chinese Cabbage	1 plant/5 gal pot; 3 plants/15 gal tub	Michihili, Burpee Hybrid
Carrot	5 gal window box at least 12 inches deep	Short & Sweet, Danvers Half Long, Tiny Sweet
Cucumber	1 plant/gal pot	Patio Pik, Spacemaster, Pot Luck
Eggplant	5 gal pot	Slim Jim, Ichiban, Black Beauty
Lettuce	5 gal window box	Salad Bowl, Ruby
Onion	5 gal window box	White Sweet Spanish, Yellow Sweet Spanish
Pepper	1 plant/2 gal pot; 5 plants/15 gal tub	Sweet Banana, Yolo Wonder, Long Red Cayenne
Radish	5 gal window box	Cherry Belle, Icicle
Spinache	5 gal window box	Dark Green Bloomsdale
Squash	2 gal pot	Scallopini
Tomatoes	Bushel baskets; 5 gal pots	Tiny Tim, Small Fry, Sweet 100 Patio, Burpee's Pixie, Toy Boy, Early Girl, Better Boy VFN

Emotional Health 101: Emotional Stregth Training

2009-05-12T06:18:00.000-07:00

Emotional Strength Training

By Audrey Marlene

Emotional Strength:

When we hear of strength training we immediately think of lifting weights or something to do with physical strength. It seems as if more focus is given to physical fitness and to a lesser degree on one's emotional fitness. Emotional fitness must receive more attention because without it we can become emotionally, mentally and physically paralyzed, unable to achieve the kind of success we deserve in these areas.

Some of us are emotionally stronger than others. Some of us even have an inherent resilience. The emotionally strong person can handle enormous challenges. Even though the pressures of life may be enormous and they may become fragmented, they are resilient, gaining knowledge from their struggles and more emotional ammunition to recover. The emotionally fit person will constantly find solutions for whatever comes their way and maintain a forward struggle. The not so emotionally strong person will also become fragmented when faced with the pressures and challenges of life but they are not as resilient. Some may become depressed, others may give in to drugs and alcohol to cope, while others may become overwhelmed and give up.

Many people invest in self-help books, searching for answers while others meet frequently with a therapist to find solutions. Some attend seminars or purchase offers of feeling better, longing to feel something inside they know they lack. What many don't realize is that the "use it or lose it rule" that applies to physical strength training also applies to emotional strength training.

Let's examine further a workout training schedule to develop emotional strength. There is no one magic formula for achieving emotional strength, however we will examine why it is important and the different ways in which we can improve our emotional strength.

The first step to emotional strength training is defining your boundaries. By setting emotional boundaries you are identifying how you want to feel and what it would take to feel that way. For example, if you want to be treated with respect, you must know how much you are willing to tolerate and accept from others. When your boundaries are defined, you are teaching others how to treat you. By defining your emotional boundaries you are protecting yourself and building emotional muscle at the same time.

By knowing your emotional boundaries, the subconscious take over and helps to alert you when the boundaries have been crossed. For example, if you have your boundaries set and you are in an unhealthy relationship where you despise the way you are treated, your subconscious will keep reminding you of your boundaries and will instigate action for creating change. It will assist you in taking the necessary steps to protect yourself. In the meantime you are strengthening your emotions and building self-respect.

Setting emotional boundaries helps you to stay motivated in achieving what you want to feel. Remember it's all about the way you feel and as you realize new boundaries each day you establish a new set of rules for yourself. As you live by these rules the feelings you want to feel will emerge. The emotional muscles will just keep growing and before long you will have the stamina to handle more challenges that arise in your life.

Determine how you want to feel, Know what you are willing to accept. Know what you are willing to do to begin to feel emotionally strong. Remember this is how you set your emotional boundaries.

"Let's not forget that the little emotions are the great captains of our lives and we obey them without realizing it." - Vincent Van Gogh

Weight training helps to reduce the risk of injury and allows the body to withstand stress. So it is when strength training emotionally - you are more equipped to handle the crises in your life and are less vulnerable. An important step towards emotional strength training is letting go of the emotional baggage that you've been hauling around for years.

It's amazing how emotional baggage can take up permanent residence in our lives because letting them go at first feels too uncomfortable. You may have had to endure severe trauma as a child or adult, feeling guilty or shameful over some past event, or festering with anger or resentment. You may have difficulty forgiving someone who hurt you and have developed an emotional wall, impossible for love to penetrate. Emotional strength training can only take place when you can free yourself of unnecessary weight and allow yourself the freedom to emotionally breathe.

In order to let go of the emotional baggage you must never allow events of the past to define who you are. The past is the past and must be used as lessons for the future but never to block our emotional pathway. It can become easy to allow others or certain experiences to define you - now it's time to put an end to the old way and get ready for emotional liberation.

Get to know the true you by defining your value system, what you believe in, what gets you excited, and who you want to be perceived as. Be ready and willing to let go of old perceptions to feel the ferocity within to become emotionally strong.

So how do you know if you need some emotional strength training?

Are you easily angered or irritated?

How do you value yourself?

Do you carry a lot of self-doubt?

Are you consumed by pessimistic thoughts?

When difficulties arise can you meet them head on or do you cave under the pressure unable to get back up?

Are you often sad, not knowing why?

There is no magical formula for building emotional strength. It requires a combination of self-control, discipline, ferocity, determination, courage, and faith to stick with the workout schedule. Here are some important components of emotional strength training:

Mental conditioning. Make a conscious decision to strengthen your emotions. Spend some time in solitude to reflect on what's important and to define your boundaries. Know what you want to do and how you want to feel.

Begin some cardiovascular activity. This improves your mood through the release of endorphins, releases stress, and energizes you.

Find someone to express your emotions to. This can help to relieve anxiety, anger or stress. It gives you an opportunity to work through and process your feelings.

Expect little from other people until they have earned your respect and trust.

Learn to appreciate what you have and quit focusing on what you don't have. Stop comparing yourself to others.

Recognize your uniqueness.

Open your mind and be ready for new input. Even though it may feel uncomfortable when stepping outside your comfort zone, push yourself to do it. It will build lots of emotional muscle.

Give up the need to be revengeful. Learn to forgive and allow peace in your life.

Allow more positive thoughts in to replace a any negativity.

Filter out the toxic people in your life. If they have nothing positive to offer there should be no room in your life for them.

Educate yourself in whatever your field is to remove any doubt and build self-confidence.

If you stick to this workout schedule in time you will become stronger emotionally. Remember, repetition is the key to building stronger emotional muscle. Begin your emotional strength training today.

"Let's not forget that the little emotions are the great captains of our lives and we obey them without realizing it." — Vincent Van Gogh

"Just as your car runs more smoothly and requires less energy to go faster and farther when the wheels are in perfect alignment, you perform better when your thoughts, feelings, emotions, goals, and values are in balance." — Brian Tracy

"Take control of your consistent emotions and begin to consciously and deliberately reshape your daily experience of life." — Anthony Robbins

"The walls we build around us to keep sadness out also keeps out the joy." — Jim Rohn

"Emotion always has its roots in the unconscious and manifests itself in the body." — Irene Claremont de Castillejo

"Think about any attachments that are depleting your emotional reserves. Consider letting them go." — Oprah Winfrey

"The sign of an intelligent people is their ability to control emotions by the application of reason." — Marya Manne

"All emotions are pure which gather you and lift you up; that emotion is impure which seizes only one side of your being and so distorts you." — Rainer Maria Rilke

"Painful as it may be, a significant emotional event can be the catalyst for choosing a direction that serves us-and those around us - more effectively. Look for the learning." — Louisa May Alcott

"When we direct our thoughts properly, we can control our emotions." — W. Clement Stone

Frugal Living: Coupons

2009-05-07T21:15:00.000-07:00

There are a VARIETY of websites that you can download coupons- DO IT!! Did you know that you can use a manufacture's coupon AND a store coupon together? BIG SAVINGS!! I know that I may be slow on the coupon bandwagon somewhat by force but I am taking the leap into the coupon world!

There is a site here that you can print local coupons. I have found LOTS of helpful links. Maybe next Frugal Living tip, I will try and list them for you. Another idea is to search online for freebies and samples. I have LOTS of things coming in the mail that was free or sample.

Happy Coupon'ing and Happy Savings!!!

Preparedness Challenge

2009-05-06T13:16:00.000-07:00

Preparedness Challenge

Garden work:
Preserve something:
Work on food storage
Other preparedness tasks:
Try a new recipe or a new variation
Financial preparedness:
Work on local food systems:

This a challenge that a friend of mine started. I used to be good about blogging about what I did. Try and think at least every week what you have done each week in each of these areas and you will surely get more prepared!