For icy steps in freezing temperatures get a bucket of warm water and add a squirt of Dawn dish washing liquid. Pour the mixture all over the steps. They won't refreeze!
20 Healthy Snacks For a Healthy New Year
8 months ago
Works for Me Wednesday #9
Thought of the Day - 9/22/08
In everyone's life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit.
~~ Albert Schweitzer ~~
The Elegant Gathering of White Snows
The Elegant Gathering of White Snows by Kris Radish
"For eight women, friendship is the first step of the most remarkable journey of all . . .
Just after midnight in a small town in Wisconsin, eight woman begin walking together down a rural highway. Career women, housewives, mothers, divorcees, and one ex-prom queen, they are close friends who have been meeting every Thursday night for years, sharing food, whine, and their deepest secrets. But on this particular Thursday, Susan, Alice, Chris, Sandy, Gail, Mary, Joanne, and Janice decided to disappear from their own lives.
Their spontaneous pilgrimage attracts national attention and inspires other women from all across the country. As the miles fall away and the women forge ahead on their backroads odyssey -- leaving small miracles in their wake -- each of their histories unfolds, tales of shattered dreams and unexpected renewal, of thwarted love affairs and precious second chances.
In luminous, heartwarming prose, Kris Radish deftly interweaves the women's intimate confessions into the story of their brave history-making walk."
A rallying cry for the empowerment of women and a celebration of the strong bond that exists between female friends.
Rating (1, lowest; 5 highest): 5
Make Me Laugh Monday - CDC Alert
Sorry for being MIA this past week for Make Me Laugh Monday. We lost electric due to 80 mph wind. The biggest surprise was that we were not expecting a storm in this area.
Subject: CDC Alert
The Center for Disease Control has issued a medical alert about a highly contagious, potentially dangerous virus that is transmitted orally, by hand, and even electronically. This virus is called Weary Overload Recreational Killer (WORK). If you receive WORK from anyone, or any of your colleagues, or anyone else via any means whatsoever DO NOT TOUCH IT. This virus will wipe out your private life completely. If you should come into contact with WORK you should immediately leave the premises.
Take two good friends to the nearest grocery store and purchase one or both of the antidotes - Work Isolating Neutralizer Extract (WINE) and Bothersome Employer Elimination Rebooter (BEER). Take these antidotes repeatedly until WORK has been completely eliminated from your system.
Join me in helping others get through the manic Mondays by sharing in the laughter of funny posts. Share your link to your Make Me Laugh Monday post (and not to the front page of your blog).
Around the 'Net - Going Green
Going Green
At their 74-year-old home in Los Angeles, the founders of the eco-awareness website Low Impact Living have been practicing what they preach, making energy-saving improvements and incorporating sustainable and organic materials. The results? Lower bills, a healtheir house, and proof that you can live green without sacrificing style or comfort.
Family Minute #46
K-I-N-D
When you can’t be anything else, you can still be kind. No matter how you’re feeling, or what you want to communicate to your friends or spouse, there is always the option to say things kindly and treat them kindly.
Here’s a simple tool for remembering what kindness is all about.
K – Keep a soft heart. If your heart is hardening toward your friend, examine the way you’re choosing to think about their faults and weaknesses.
I – Indulge your friend or spouse every once in a while. Let them have their way.
N – Notice what’s going on in their life. Be attentive and supportive.
D – Decide to be kind, even when you don’t feel like it.
Kindness is like a spa treatment for your friendship, it soothes and calms. It can also improve your friendship.
Family Minute #45
Where were you on September 11th, 2001?
Today is Patriot day, seven years after the horrific terrorist atta
ck on our nation. What will you remember most about September 11th? Thousands of people perished in the attacks and in the rescue efforts. It’s important that we remember them... who they were, and how suddenly they were lost. And it’s important to remember that on that day, in a matter of minutes, our world – and the lives of thousands of families – changed forever.
ck on our nation. What will you remember most about September 11th? Thousands of people perished in the attacks and in the rescue efforts. It’s important that we remember them... who they were, and how suddenly they were lost. And it’s important to remember that on that day, in a matter of minutes, our world – and the lives of thousands of families – changed forever. Remembering can sometimes be painful, but it helps us to realize what’s really important – our faith... our family... our friends.
Remember your family first.
The Price for Freedom
Thousands of Americans died in the terrorist attacks of September 11,2001. The lives of the ones they left behind were changed forever. Because the events of that day, many military families’ lives are still being changed; mothers and fathers, sons and daughters, away from home for months and years on active duty.
Today is Patriot Day. To honor those who lost their lives on September 11th, talk to your kids about the price of our continuing freedom and safety.
Make Me Laugh Monday - Prayer For Girls
Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray the Lord my shape to keep.
Please no wrinkles, please no bags,
And please lift my butt before it sags.
Please no age spots, please no gray,
And as for my belly, please take it away.
Please keep me healthy, please keep me young,
And thank you dear Lord for all that you've done.
Please join me in showing others that laughter is indeed the best medicine. Add your link to your Make Me Laugh Monday post (and not to the front page of your blog).
How To Be A Great Mom – 12 Awesome Tips
I’m a mom.
I am also a woman, a wife, a daughter, and a friend.
Recently I started blogging. As it turns out, I am a writer too.
I am wearing many hats and doing so is not always easy. I was grateful to discover a fun article by Leo, where he shares useful tips on how to be a great dad. When I read Leo’s article, I was curious: do these tips apply to moms? Can I incorporate his advice into my own life?
Obviously, a great mom loves her kids, takes care of their basic physical and emotional needs, and spends quality time with them. But what are the subtler, less obvious ways to become a great mom?
1. Stay true to yourself. You don’t have to give up your own passions and interests once you become a mom. It’s important that you find time for what YOU love to do. Reading, writing, exercising – make these a priority and find a way to incorporate those into your routine. Easier said than done, I know, but you should at least aim to keep doing what you love, even if you don’t get to do it as often as before. If you take care of your own needs, you will be happier and will function better as a mom.
2. Don’t be a martyr. The kids didn’t ask for it, they don’t need it, and they certainly don’t need to pay the price that comes with being mothered by a martyr. Need some time alone? Let the kids watch TV for an hour and go read a book. Getting to the point where you are utterly exhausted is not good for you or for your kids.
3. Don’t try to be perfect. This is true for life in general, and is a major personal goal of mine, regardless of motherhood. Striving for perfection is always a bad idea, because life is messy and unpredictable and full of surprises. Trying to create perfection, or to maintain complete control, is simply impossible and should never be your goal. Once you become a mom, life is messier and crazier than ever before, so it’s more important than ever to let go of that perfectionism. You need to accept that the house will sometimes be untidy, that once in a while dinner will be takeout, and that the kids will sometimes have to entertain themselves while you recharge and regroup.
4. Ditch the guilt. Guilt seems to be one of the most common side effects of motherhood. A friend once told me that she feels guilt every single day. I too am often guilty of feeling guilty. But I am working on it: guilt is unhelpful and a terrible waste of time and energy. Once you make a decision, whether a major one like staying at home vs. going back to work, or a small one like allowing the kids to play a computer game while you have some time for yourself, try to avoid second-guessing yourself. You are doing the best that you can. No one is perfect, and you are not expected to be a perfect mom or to never make mistakes. As long as you love them and provide their basic needs, your kids will turn out fine. Really!
5. Be Patient. Raising kids is hard work. Kids are noisy, messy, and incredibly demanding. Yes, you will lose your patience once in a while. I do. But for the most part, try to take a deep breath and see them for the small, helpless people that they are. I am not a patient person by nature, but motherhood has taught me to be more patient than I ever thought I could possibly be.
6. Listen to your children. REALLY listen. This is a tough one for me, but I keep trying. We tend to assume that we know more than our kids do, which is true to some extent of course, so we don’t really bother to listen. In addition, we often act as problem-solvers, dishing immediate advice, when all they need is for us to listen to them. A couple of months ago, my then 9-year old told me about problems he was having with friends at school. I immediately offered a solution, and it was obvious he was disappointed. He wasn’t looking for a solution. He simply wanted me to listen.
7. Be their mom, not their friend. Set limits. In a way, it was easy for previous generations. Parents were parents. Kids were kids. Families were patriarchal. Everyone listened and obeyed to the father. Now, families are democratic. We negotiate, talk things over, and listen to each other. We make important decisions together. This is great, but kids still need us to be their parents and set clear limits. We should listen to them and respect them – but we are not their peers. When I was a pre-teen, I used to snap at my mom, “I’m not going to be your friend anymore!” She would look at me calmly and respond, “Well, you are NOT my friend. You are my daughter”. It used to drive me crazy, but she was right. Our job is to be our kids’ mothers – not their friends.
8. Teach them simplicity. You will do them a big – a HUGE – favor, if you teach them at a young age to avoid associating happiness with the accumulation of material possessions. The younger they are, the more likely they are to listen to you, so start early. My kids are 7 and 10, and I often feel that now is the time to instill my values in them, before they are teens (or pre-teens) and peer pressure takes over. When it’s time to declutter, I allow my children to be part of the process, and we talk about how we don’t need all that STUFF. We never go shopping as a fun outing. They know that shopping is a necessary evil, something that you do when you really NEED something. Instead of buying books, we borrow books at the library. We reuse as much as we can. Together, we take pride in living in a clean, airy, uncluttered home.
9. Don’t push them too hard. I do want my kids to be successful. I want them to reach their full potential and to be financially secure. But I am trying not to push them too hard and to maintain a relatively relaxed approach to success at school and to after-school enrichment activities.
10. Teach them self-esteem. I am borrowing this one from Leo’s list, because it is so important. In fact, I agree with Leo that high self-esteem is the single most important gift that a parent can give their kids. A person with a high self-esteem values herself and will not get into, or stay in, an abusive relationship. A person with high self-esteem is more likely to be happy and to reach her full potential. How do you teach your kids self-esteem? Exactly the way Leo said: by showing them that you value them, by spending time with them, and by talking with them and listening to them.
11. Teach them to be self-reliant. Another one that I struggle with every day. It’s very tempting to help your children in a way that robs them of the opportunity to help themselves. At every developmental stage your child reaches, she can do things by herself. If you do them for her, you are not really helping her, but rather holding her back. Gently teach her independence and let her do what she can do, and what is appropriate for her to do, by herself. The sense of accomplishment that comes with being independent is immensely important for a child. As much as I like to feel needed, I try to let my kids be as independent and self-sufficient as they possibly can. Ever so slowly, I am working myself out of the picture.
12. Laugh and have fun! When you’re a mom, it’s easy to become so absorbed in the logistics of taking care of your kids – what Leo refers to as the “mom stuff” - that you forget to relax and have fun. But kids are fun. They give you a wonderful opportunity to be a child all over again, and to do things that you never thought you would do as an adult (jumping in puddles is so much fun!) and see the world through their innocent, curious eyes. Haven’t noticed interesting insects and colorful butterflies in several years? You are going to start noticing them again once you have kids.
While both lists emphasize being good to your kids and to yourself, my list places more emphasis on the “be good to yourself” part. I think that the biggest mistake dads make is that they become so absorbed in their careers that they do not spend enough time with their families. The biggest mistake moms make, in my opinion, is that they become so absorbed in their families that they do not spend enough time on their own passions. Leo’s list helps dads find their balance. My list, hopefully, helps moms find theirs.
Whether you’re a parent or not, how many hats are YOU wearing? Do you have any tips for doing it all and keeping your sanity? Do you ever feel guilty because you are not giving 100% to any single aspect of your life?
Family Minute #44
Are you ready to celebrate Grandparents Day?
Grandparents Day is this Sunday. Grandparents play a vital role in our families – in fact, one in 10 kids is raised by grandparents, and that figure has risen over recent years. Help your kids honor their grandparents. Structure the day around their grandparents’ pleasures – cook their favorite meal, take part in their favorite activities, and ask them to share pictures and stories from their lives.
Show grandparents how much you appreciate them.
Remember your family first.
Thought of the Day - 9/5/08
When a child goes to school, he takes his parents with him in the form of their discipline, their expectations, and their values. Regardless of how often you visit your child's school, you are there every day.
Clutter For a Cause
Donating to charity is a win-win situation. You'll turn a chore into a feel-good mission (and possibly get a tax break). While Goodwill, the Salvation Army, and the American Red Cross are great places to donate most items, consider these outside-the-donation- box ways to get rid of space-hoggers.
Winter Coats - One Warm Coat
Donate them to One Warm Coat which sponsors coat drives around the country.
Musical Instruments - Operation Happy Note
From piccolos to guitars, Operation Happy Note sends secondhand instruments to soldiers deployed overseas.
Computer Equipment - The On It Foundation
Computers with at least a Pentium III Processor can be donated to the On It Foundation, which provides computers and Internet access to low-income families.
Books - International Book Project
The International Book Project will ship your old books for use in schools, orphanages, and libraries all around the world.
Sneakers - Let Me Play
Old sneakers (the rubber part) is used to create play surfaces for kids around the world.
Furniture - Help 1 Up
The NFBA (National Furniture Bank Association) will give your couch and other furniture to anyone who needs it including domestic violence victims.
Cell Phones - Collective Good
At Collective Good, you choose the charity, such as the Center for Domestic Violence Prevention, that your donation of a used phone will support.
Random Knickknacks - Excess Access
Got something you don't know what to do with, but you're sure someone would want? Excess Access matches your items with local nonprofit wish lists.
Thought of the Day - 9/4/08
It Takes Time
It take a full season for fruit to mature and ripen...
Although God could instantly transform us...
He prefers to work in incremental steps in our lives.
God began doing a good work in you. He will continue it until it is finished. Philippians 1:6
Thought of the Day - 9/3/08
Live as if you were to die tomorrow.
Learn as if you were to live forever.
~~ Mahatma Gandhi ~~
Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen.
~~ Michael Jordan ~~
I've learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow.
~~ Maya Angelou ~~
I never regret anything. Because every little detail of your life is what made you into who you are in the end.
~~ Drew Barrymore ~~
If you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain.
~~ Dolly Parton ~~
How wrong it is for a woman to expect the man to build the world she wants, rather than to create it herself.
~~ Anasis Nin ~~
Reprint from Womansday.com
Thought of the Day - 9/2/08
Motivation comes from doing, not thinking.
Today is your day to stop thinking and start doing!
When you start doing something, positive energy flows and you become more motivated. Don't think about how you're going to exercise; just put on your running shoes and run. Don't think about how you'll learn a new skill some day; go out and sign up for a course, right now.
Stop procrastinating! Start doing! You'll find a motivation that can change your life!
What are you going to do today?
Family Minute #43
Do you know the real meaning behind Labor Day?
We all enjoy a day off, but many people overlook the meaning of the holiday. Labor Day celebrates the contributions workers have made to the strength and well-being of our country. Use Labor Day to reward your kids with a special family outing to celebrate their efforts and accomplishments at home, in school, in extracurricular activities, and at work.
Emphasize working hard, taking pride in what they do, and working well with others.
Remember your family first.
Make Me Laugh Monday - No Sex Tonight
I never quite figured out why the sexual urge of men and women differ so much. I never have figured out the whole Venus and Mars thing. I have never figured out why men think with their head and women with their heart.
One evening last week, my girlfriend and I were getting into bed. Well, the passion starts to heat up, and she eventually says "I don't feel like it, I just want you to hold me."
I said "What?! What was that?!"
She says the words that every boyfriend on the planet dreads to hear... "You're just not in touch with my emotional needs as a woman enough for me to satisfy your physical needs as a man." She responded to my puzzled look by saying, "Can't you just love me for who I am and not what I do for you in the bedroom?"
Realizing that nothing was going to happen that night, I went to sleep.
The next day I opted to take the day off of work to spend time with her. We went out to a nice lunch and then went shopping at a big unnamed department store. I walked around with her while she tried on several different very expensive outfits. She couldn't decide which one to take so I told her we'd just buy them all. She wanted new shoes to compliment her new clothes, so I said lets get a pair for each outfit. We went onto the jewelry department where she picked out a pair of diamond earrings. Let me tell you...she was so excited. She was almost nearing sexual satisfaction from all of the excitement.
Smiling with excited anticipation she finally said, "I think this is all, dear, let's go to the cashier."
I could hardly contain myself when I blurted out, "No honey, I don't feel like it." Her face just went completely blank as her jaw dropped with a baffled look.
I then said, "Honey! I just want you to hold this stuff for a while. You're just not in touch with my financial needs as a man enough for me to satisfy your shopping needs as a woman."
And just when she had this look like she was going to kill me, I added, "Why can't you just love me for who I am and not for the things I buy you?"
Apparently, I'm not having sex tonight either.
Please join the fun and share the laughter by posting a link to today's individual Make Me Laugh Monday post (and not to the front page of your blog).
Life is Short
Joseph loved, honored, and respected his father, so he introduced his father to Pharaoh. This most powerful man in the world, Pharaoh, asked Jacob a common question, "How old are you?" Jacob was an old man who lived a hard life. It was right for Pharaoh to admire him.
Jacob counted the length of his life in days. But a day is short, it ends quickly. Yet, we can live only one day at a time. All our days add up to a lifetime. Even though Jacob had lived for 130 years, he said his days were few. This means that life just doesn't last long enough.
Jacob told Pharaoh that his life was a pilgrimage (a journey or trip to someplace very special). He saw himself as a stranger in this world. He was traveling to his real home in God. This earth was like a hotel to Jacob. It was not his home. This is true of all people who have come to know God as Jacob did. We are sojourners. That means we are not here to stay. We will only live a short time and then spend forever with God in Heaven!
Next time, you hear yourself complaining about how short life is remember that life here on earth is temporary. This life is just the beginning. We are here a short time -- a very short time -- but to balance our short life on earth we have a long life waiting for us in God, in Heaven if we just believe!
Based on the scripture Genesis 47.
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