http://archive.aweber.com/momstuffnewsNewletter /Tip of the WeekMon, 27 Feb 2012 07:28:06 -0500http://archive.aweber.com/momstuffnews/MXhhA/h/Mom_Stuff_News.htm Mom-Stuff News 02-27/12 Tip of the Week On St. Patrick's Day you don't have to be Irish to enjoy the spirit of the day. Every holiday is a good excuse to celebrate. Holidays are a good time to add some fun and enjoyment to your life. Celebrating each holiday is our way of celebrating life. It does help if you look good in green, believe in wee-folk and enjoy a bit of sausage and cabbage. Mom-Stuff Updates St Patrick's Day Decorations May you live as long as you want, and never WANT as long as you live. Irish toast . . . keep reading St Patrick's Day Treat Bag These are fast, easy and inexpensive for when you want to give something special to several people. . . . keep reading St. Patrick's Family Fun Gather your clan and celebrate the spirit of the day with some Irish food because everyone is Irish on St. Patrick's Day. On St. Patrick's Day we can all FEEL IRISH!!! On St. Patrick's Day you don't have to be Irish to enjoy the spirit of the day. Every holiday is a good excuse to celebrate. Holidays are a good time to add some fun and enjoyment to your life. Celebrating each holiday is our way of celebrating life. It does help if you look good in green, believe in wee-folk and enjoy a bit of sausage and cabbage. . . . keep reading St. Patrick's Day Recipes Gather you clan and celebrate with some Irish food because everyone is Irish on St. Patrick's Day! . . . keep reading St. Patrick's Day Kid's Crafts St. Patrick's Kid's Crafts . . . keep reading St Patrick's Day Scrapbooking For this page I wanted to make a St Patrick's page for the mom-stuff web site. I wanted it to use a picture of my grandson who I feel very lucky and blessed to have in my life. . . . keep reading Just For Fun If you have not joined Pinterest, yet come and find out what all everyone is talking about. But I warn you it can be addicting. Thanks for being a part of our mom-stuff circle of friends. DianneMon, 27 Feb 2012 07:28:06 -0500http://archive.aweber.com/momstuffnews/4syfA/h/Mom_Stuff_News_Happy.htm Mom-Stuff News Tip of the Week I hope you all are getting back into your normal routine after the holidays. How are you doing on your New Year's resolutions? I take a different approach than most people. I like to first look at what I have accomplished in the past year before I move on to this year. This reflection is really powerful for me. I find it makes me feel strong and capable of making new goals for the New Year. If you need some motivation mom-stuff.com still has our favorite articles on Resolutions still up on the main page. Mom-Stuff Updates We are all looking forward to Valentine's Day. Here are our Valentine links. I have been having fun on Pinterest. There are some really fun Valentine ideas there. If you are a member let me know so I can follow your pins. You can find me at http://pinterest.com/diannemomstuff/ Rockin Bobbie Pins Make your own Rockin Bobbie Pins to match your clothes. All you need are bobbie pins and your imagination. These are so much fun. You can make some for every holiday or even every outfit. . . . Make Your Own Valentines Make your own Valentine Animals . . . Valentine Flower Ball Valentine Flower Ball, perfect Friend or Teacher gift . . . Valentine Candy Ball This Valentine is as pretty as it is sweet. This project is fun for kids but also pretty enough to be for Mother's Day, a friend's birthday or Valentine's Day gift. . . . Love Bug Sucker These Valentine Suckers are so pretty they can be used as a Valentine decoration. . . . Valentine Recipes Valentine Recipes-Sweets for your sweeties on Valentine's Day. . . . Just for Fun 13 Lessons I Learned (Over 8 Years) as a Mom by Debra of "Home Life Simplified" Just over eight years ago I left work to go on maternity leave. I didn't know then that I'd never return to that, or any, office. Ten months into maternity leave with Alice I was pregnant with Lulu and have stayed home with my girls for eight years--through mother's group, playgroup, pre-prep and the early part of primary school. In the spirit of the New Year I thought I'd look back at what I've learned these last eight years. 1. There is no "right" answer, only "right for now" or "right for you." Whether it is choosing how you settle your child, what you feed them, or any one of the million decisions you make as a parent--there is only one version of your family and what works for you is all that matters. 2. Teach kids independence early on. This is not abandoning your child, it is empowering them. Even at three months old I felt comfortable leaving Alice on the ground to explore her world and little toys while I eased into the day with a coffee. She did not need me to entertain her every second or hold her. The world around her was there to observe and explore and many times over the years I just left my kids 'to it." 3. Listen to the Scouts and "always be prepared." From packing a change of clothes when travelling with kids to packing your diaper bag--this is not the time for minimalism. Life is just easier and less stressful if you have wipes and a few Band-Aids in your bag; some snacks and extra school supplies on hand; and a frozen meal or two at the ready. The day will come when you can run out the door empty handed (just don't forget those kids), but most of the time it pays to think ahead and cover your bases. 4. Children are people too, just not as far along on this journey as adults. I subscribe to a very consultative style of parenting--I discuss most things with my kids, let them negotiate and argue their case, apologize all the time when I mess up. I try to view almost all issues as learning experiences and do not punish my kids. I probably make more mistakes than they do and I am 39 years old--how can I expect more of a young kid than even I can deliver. I raise my voice even though I know not to. I eat too much junk food some days. I am imperfect! 5. Say "yes" unless there is a strong reason for "no" like danger or a true inability to deliver a yes. Permission to explore their way instead of "the right way" is what grows creative thinkers and allows them to develop into their own person. When I find myself saying "no" a lot, I tend to reconsider my answers and come back to my kids with a "Sorry, actually that is a yes. Go ahead!" It is never too late to change your mind. 6. Slow down--try doing less rather than more. Go against trend and single task your way through your day. Focus on one thing at a time and see if your stress levels go down and your enjoyment levels go up. This one I am constantly reminded of how far I still have to go. It is in my nature to go fast and do as much as possible. The years fly by and I wonder why. 7. Modeling good behavior was all the "discipline" I needed--I keep working on my actions and choices and try to set a good example. If you want your kids to be a certain way, then show them. I try never to expect more from my kids than I can deliver myself. 8. Life with children is one long teaching opportunity so we should think about what kind of teacher we want to be and what lessons we want them to learn. Kids always seem to be listening and observing and asking questions. It can be quite daunting the older they get and the trickier the questions get. 9. All that my kids really need from me is time, love and understanding. Over eight years I have had so many days where I felt I was bad at this job, messing up, not doing "enough", not being "enough." Somehow they always forgave me and cuddled me and said "I love you" enough times that I finally accepted that I was being too hard on myself. My kids may not be getting all their required veggies, but I have said "I love you" and "I accept you as you are" countless times and to them I am the best mother there is. 10. You must take care of yourself if you are going to take care of your family. It is not selfish, it is critical to your survival. Over the years my time on my own has increased and I now think nothing of telling my husband to just take the kids on an adventure for the afternoon because more than anything I just need to be alone! I am an introvert and have suffered for the last six years as Lulu is an extrovert who sucks up all my energy. To recharge my batteries I needed down time on my own even if it was just to grocery shop. I have taken to my bedroom by myself many times while my kids were playing or watching TV--this is what I need to keep going. If I did not acknowledge this about myself and accept it I would have burnt out years ago. 11. You cannot really control anything - good or bad - so let life unfold. This is another of my big challenges as a type-A control freak. I hate being out of control and not being able to organize life how I want it. Life with kids is one big out of control mess and the more I try to juggle all those balls and make everything work out the way I want, the more the universe seems to laugh at me. 12. The laundry never ends and someone is always hungry. I just try to stay on top of the clothes situation and keep snacks on hand, but in all areas I acknowledge that there is only so much I can (or want) to do. There is a lot of repetition as a stay-at-home parent. I said to my husband many years ago "I am a stay at home mom not a housewife" I was never going to be someone with an immaculate house--organized yes, but free from dust bunnies--never going to happen. I looked at my "job" as raising my children and put my energies there. 13. Which brings me to my last and most important lesson - let go of the "I should." Do not compare what others are doing and place expectations on yourself. This would be the single most freeing choice you could make as a parent. The grass always seems greener, but really it is just someone else's grass. Make your own choices. Live your own life guided by your own beliefs. If we all trusted our own guts as much as we trust advice and opinions of others, how much happier would we be? What lessons have you learned so far as a parent? If you could go back in time what would you tell your old self about parenting if you could? Deb Dane blogs at Home Life Simplified, a personal development blog about parenting, household management, organizing, and changing your mindset. She encourages everyone to "find your simple" which means to find your own way to what is "right for you." She lives in Australia with her husband and two daughters. Welcome to all of our new members. Come and add your talents, articles and personality to our community. We believe in Moms helping Moms and we are so glad you are a part of our circle. Please send your articles to dianne@mom-stuff.com. I will post them on mom-stuff.com with your links. Besides helping our mom-stuff moms you will get the link back and more traffic to your site. Add your links to our forum and follow other members. Please feel free to share this newsletter with people you think may enjoy it. When doing so, please forward it, in its entirety, including our contact and copyright information. Thanks and enjoy! If this newsletter was forwarded to you and you want to sign up to make sure you do not miss out on the tips, updates or fun, sign up at www.mom-stuff.com Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:37:38 -0500http://archive.aweber.com/momstuffnews/AdJCc/h/Mom_Stuff_News.htm Have a very Merry Christmas to all of the Moms from Mom-Stuff Team. The Night before Christmas for Moms It was the night before Christmas, when all thru the abode Only one creature was stirring, and she was cleaning the commode. The children were finally sleeping, all snug in their beds, While visions of Xbox 360 and Princess, flipped through their heads. The dad was snoring in front of the TV, With a half-constructed bicycle on his knee. So only the mom heard the reindeer hooves clatter, Which made her sigh, Now what's the matter? With toilet bowl brush still clutched in her hand, She descended the stairs, and saw the old man. He was covered with ashes and soot, which fell with a shrug. Oh great, muttered the mom, Now I have to clean the rug. Ho-ho-ho! cried Santa, I'm glad you're awake. Your gift was especially difficult to make. Thanks, Santa, but all I want is some time alone. Exactly! he chuckled, I've made you a clone. A clone? she asked, What good is that? Run along, Santa, I've no time for chit-chat. The mother's twin. Same hair, same eyes, Same double chin. She'll cook, she'll dust, She'll mop every mess. You'll relax, take it easy, watch reality shows. Fantastic! the mom cheered. My dream come true! I'll shop. I'll tweet, I'll sleep a whole night through! From the room above, the youngest began to fret. Mommy?! I scared... and I am wet. The clone replied, I'm coming, sweetheart. Hey, the mom smiled, She knows her part. The clone changed the small one, and hummed a tune, as she bundled the child, in a blanket cocoon. You the best mommy ever. I really love you. The clone smiled and sighed, I love you, too. The mom frowned and said, Sorry, Santa, no deal. That's my child's love, she's trying to steal. Smiling wisely Santa said, To me it is clear, Only one loving mother, is needed here. The mom kissed her child, and tucked her into bed. Thank you, Santa, for clearing my head. I sometimes forget, it won't be very long, When they'll be too old, for my cradle-song. The clock on the mantle began to chime. Santa whispered to the clone, It works every time. With the clone by his side Santa said, Goodnight. Merry Christmas, Mom, You'll be all right. -Author Unknown Sat, 24 Dec 2011 12:21:07 -0500http://archive.aweber.com/momstuffnews/7orc6/h/Mom_Stuff_News.htm I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I have been too busy. But busy in a good way. Lots of changes going on with my other business that is taking all of my time. I am sorry to all of my mom-stuff friends for the absence of posts . It is now time for the Christmas Season. This is my favorite time of the year. I love the music, the lights and the overall feeling of goodwill. I wish it could be Christmas all year. At www.mom-stuff.com we have lots of great Christmas ideas for you. Here are your links for family fun and easy gifts. Family Fun Christmas Recipes Christmas Recipes . . . keep reading Christmas Games Are you having a Christmas Party and need some games to play? We have a few ideas for you. . . . keep reading My Christmas Tradition Christmas Traditions . . . keep reading Simple and Inexpensive Christmas Gift Ideas Simple and Inexpensive Gift Ideas-These have also been nic named neighbor gifts. . . .keep reading Christmas Kids Crafts Snowmen craft, Candy Countdown, Christmas Tree Countdown and Santa's Beard Countdown are fun crafts for you and your children to enjoy this Christmas. . . . keep reading Gift Ideas Christmas FRIEND Gifts #4 Candy Canes, Rudolph's Nose Repair Kit, Lotion( A Friend) Cookie Cutter and What is Christmas Mug. These are great for teachers, neighbors, co-workers, housekeeper, delivery person or anyone you don't know what to get and don't want to spend a lot, but want to show your holiday spirit. . . . keep reading 12 Days of Christmas The 12 Days of Christmas . . . keep reading Christmas FRIEND Gifts #3 Large Candy Bar, Grinch Candy Canes, Santa Kisses and Snowman Kisses. These are great for teachers, neighbors, co-workers, housekeeper, delivery person or anyone you don't know what to get and don't want to spend a lot, but want to show your holiday spirit. . . . keep reading Christmas FRIEND Gifts #2 Snowman Poop, Snownman Soup, and Reindeer Droppings. These are great for teachers, neighbors, co-workers, housekeeper, delivery person or anyone you don't know what to get and don't want to spend a lot, but want to show your holiday spirit. . . .keep reading Christmas Friend Gifts #1 Christmas FRIEND Gifts Christmas Dish towels, Help with the Mess, Candy Cane Seeds and I Ran Out of Time. These would be great to give out at work, to neighbors, for people you don't know what to get and don't want to spend a lot, but want to show your holiday spirit. . . . keep reading It is my wish for all of you to have the best Christmas Season ever with family and friends. DianneThu, 08 Dec 2011 12:24:06 -0500http://archive.aweber.com/momstuffnews/L6LvM/h/Happy_Halloween_Mom_Stuff.htm Mom-Stuff Newsletter 10/10/11 Tip for the Week If you could choose one characteristic that would get you through life, choose a sense of humor. Jennifer Jones Mom-Stuff Updates It is our favorite time of year at www.mom-stuff.com. We love Halloween. Come and visit and get some fun ideas to make this your best Halloween season. We have everything you need: How tp Plan a Halloween Family Party Family is were all the fun begins. Every year our family has an annual Halloween party and we wanted to share with all of you our experiences. This will let you take the ideas and make your own family fun. You can use these ideas and make them your own by adding your families personalities to them. If you do not have extended family around you get together with other moms and plan your Halloween Party together. This is a good way for everyone to make more friends. Our most basic instinct is not for survival but for family. Most of us would give our own life for the survival of a family member, yet we lead our daily life too often as if we take our family for granted. ~Paul Pearshall . . . keep reading Fun Family Halloween Games More Fun Family Halloween Games . . . keep reading Fun Halloween Recipes How to make fun Halloween treats for big and small. Everyone will enjoy this creepy food for Halloween Night! . . . keep reading Skeleton Plates,Cups and Punch Bowl This Halloween Party was all about Skeletons. Make plates, cups, serving bowls, or even a punch bowl to match. We have your instructions and patterns. . . . keep reading Halloween Games Fun Halloween games for team and individual contests. . . . keep reading Halloween Trick or Treat Bag Re-Purposed T Shirt into a Halloween Trick or Treat Bag for this years Halloween fun. . . . keep reading Neighbor Halloween Gifts Neighbor Halloween Gifts . . . keep reading Treasure Hunt for Your Halloween Party To plan your Treasure Hunt get a map of your city or a piece of paper to draw a map. You will want make a trip using these locations in your town: . . . keep reading Halloween Party Skeleton Invitations Halloween Skeleton Invitations . . . keep reading Halloween Party Scrapbook Page For these pages I wanted to use some pictures from our Halloween Party. I choose some tan textured paper that looked like rocks. I love to make tear animals so I tried a cat and a bat. . . . keep reading Halloween Kids Crafts Make our Shrinken Heads, Ghost Lanterns, and Smasked Witches, with your kids this Halloween. They are fun to make and will add to the hounting spirt of the season. . . .keep reading Just for Fun A Halloween Parenting Tip October 4, 2011 on Mamapedia.com by Nancy Davis Kho of Midlife Mixtape The first Halloween we ever spent as parents was when our oldest daughter was eight months old. Eight months is that time of a baby's life when you sometimes fail to overcome the temptation to burrow your nose into your baby's neck and inhale all those soon-to-be-outgrown smells of powder and milk and innocence. Completely bald and with big blue eyes, our girl was chubby in all the ways a baby should be, with dimples on her elbows and crease lines on her mid-thighs. I'd sent away for a little costume for her, a zip-up onesie with a hood that would make her look like a lamb. I probably spent more on that outfit than on all the other Halloween costumes she's worn since. October 31 dawned dry and sunny, and we decided to try the costume on in the morning and take some pictures to send to her grandparents back in New York. We pulled it up over her bulky diaper and plopped her between two fat orange pumpkins on the front lawn. Then I reached over to pull the hood on, so that she had two furry black lamb ears on top of her head. Oh my god, my husband and I said, almost simultaneously. She was the cutest baby that had ever been conceived and produced by anyone, in the history of mankind. My husband said, I'm getting the car. He didn't need to say what I already knew; this child needed to be shown off. The universe demanded it. We stopped at the coffee shop first, two parents with smiles like jack o'lanterns as strangers told us how cute she was and chucked her on her pillowy cheeks. A few laps up and down the main commercial drag in our little section of Oakland proved insufficient to gather all the praise that we felt was our daughter's due; we needed to go further afield. It was back to the car for a meandering drive towards Berkeley. We'd only lived in the East Bay for a year at that point and there were still pockets of neighborhoods we hadn't explored. When, in the distance, we saw an orange balloon floating in the middle of a park, we stowed the car and made a beeline for it, holding Lamb Baby before us like a holy relic. The grass was rutted and muddy, but all we saw was the frolicking dogs that our daughter greeted with squeals of excitement. They weren't selling any food, but we'd just eaten at the coffee shop so it wasn't an inconvenience. Besides the single orange balloon, decorations were sparse, but we were hopped up on Essence of Lamb Baby anyway. I had a passing moment of wonder at why so many of the festival attendees were dressed as hippies or hobos, but that just meant more attention for the one fleecy baby in the crowd. In fact, such was our excitement at the novelty of our situation that it took upwards of twenty minutes to realize that the attendees of the little gathering in Berkeley were drunk, high, homeless, or some combination of the three. Daughter Number Two, I know your older sister can be bossy and officious sometimes, and that she has occasionally used your things without asking you. However, when you are both older and have some perspective, please thank her for breaking in your parents. Because of all the parenting lessons we only had to learn once, Don't Mistake a Homeless Encampment for a Halloween Festival has got to be the most important. Nancy Davis Kho is a freelance writer who lives in Northern California. When not taking her kids to homeless encampments, she blogs at Midlife Mixtape. Please visit Nancy at her blog and say Hi, tell her mom-stuff sent you. Welcome to all of our new members. Come and add your talents, articles and personality to our community. We believe in Moms helping Moms and we are so glad you are a part of our circle. Please send your articles to dianne@mom-stuff.com. I will post them on mom-stuff.com with your links. Besides helping our mom-stuff moms you will get the link back and more traffic to your site. Add your links to our forum and follow other members. Please feel free to share this newsletter with people you think may enjoy it. When doing so, please forward it, in its entirety, including our contact and copyright information. Thanks and enjoy! If this newsletter was forwarded to you and you want to sign up to make sure you do not miss out on the tips, updates or fun, sign up at www.mom-stuff.com Mon, 10 Oct 2011 05:50:25 -0400http://archive.aweber.com/momstuffnews/ILEIo/h/Mom_Stuff_News.htm Mom-Stuff Newsletter 09/12/11 Tip for the Week There is one thing I know, that all pain is the same. Everyone is acting at the level that they know. When you know better you do better. Opera Winfrey Mom-Stuff Updates Your Own Style Yoga Shirt Add Your Own Style to Your Yoga Shirt Fold your shirt in half . . . keep reading Hair Streaks All you need to add a streak of color to any hair style is a Bobbie Pin and some embroidery floss. . . . keep reading Tips for Back-to-School Shopping Tips for Back-to-School Shopping The frenzied back-to-school shopping season is upon us, and more than ever, it's evident that parents want a new and thrif . . . keep reading What Can One Person Do? a donation of $2,000 worth of pet food, and I've helped to forge new friends from other countries who all care about the same things I care about. And it all started with a simple posting on Facebook because I wanted to help a local animal shelter. It's been magical. . . .keep reading Just for Fun 5 Tips for Organizing School Paperwork by Sue Kirchner of Chocolate Cake Moments Isn't it amazing the amount of paperwork that your kids bring home? While some schools are doing a good job of sending newsletters and information home electronically, there is still a mountain of papers on the counter after just one or two days of school. Here are some tips to keep on top of it and not let it overwhelm your house. 1. Designate a place to put your school papers. Do you have a desk or place to set up a few files? If not, claim a place in the kitchen, office or laundry room that is the perfect spot for school papers. 2. Create a folder filing system. You'll need folders for temporary papers, permanent information, and kid's artwork. In the temporary folders, put the paperwork that you need to hang onto for a few days. This can be field trip forms, notices for school parties, Star of the Week paperwork, birthday party invitations, or weekly homework packets. At the end of the week, empty the folder into the recycle bin. In the permanent folder, include school phone numbers, schedules, contact numbers for afterschool activities, etc. Finally, throw your kids artwork in a folder. At the end of the month, go through it and keep the ones you want. Don't forget to date them first! 3. Create folders or a holding area for your kids other educational activities like Religious Education Classes, Tutor schedules, Spanish class, piano, etc. We have magazine racks sitting on the counter because they can hold information and any text books the kids need to grab for their weekly class. 4. Box tops. Collecting Box Tops for school? Have an envelope or small box in a kitchen drawer designated to hold the box tops you collect to send in for school fundraising. When it is collection time, divide them up equally between the kids and send them in. 5. Family Schedules at a Glance. Have a designated Family Calendar in the kitchen. It is essential to have a place where everyone in the family can refer to for activities, appointments, and social fun dates. If someone asks your daughter to babysit, she can easily check and see if she is available. If Dad comes home from work and no one is home, he can check the calendar and see that everyone is at soccer practice. There are several Mom or Family Planning Calendar brands on the market, so see which one works best for you, or create your own. Here's to feeling organized and in control! Welcome to all of our new members. Come and add your talents, articles and personality to our community. We believe in Moms helping Moms and we are so glad you are a part of our circle. Please send your articles to dianne@mom-stuff.com. I will post them on mom-stuff.com with your links. Besides helping our mom-stuff moms you will get the link back and more traffic to your site. Add your links to our forum and follow other members. Please feel free to share this newsletter with people you think may enjoy it. When doing so, please forward it, in its entirety, including our contact and copyright information. Thanks and enjoy! If this newsletter was forwarded to you and you want to sign up to make sure you do not miss out on the tips, updates or fun, sign up at www.mom-stuff.com Mon, 12 Sep 2011 06:16:06 -0400http://archive.aweber.com/momstuffnews/FZV8o/h/Mom_Stuff_News.htm Mom-Stuff Newsletter 08/16/11 Tip of the Week I have long since come to believe that people never mean half of what they say, and that it is best to disregard their talk and judge only their actions. Dorothy Day Mom-stuff Updates Make a Spunky Headband For back to school project. Make a spunky headband they are warm and stylish. . . .keep reading Rockin Bobbie Pins Make your own Rockin Bobbie Pins to match your clothes. All you need are bobbie pins and your imagination. These are so much fun. You can make some for every holiday or even every outfit. . . . keep reading To Sick for School? Parents can use the following symptom-based guidelines to help them decide whether to keep their child home or not: . . . keep reading Canning Recipes This time of year has always been my favorite time of the year. I love the turning of the leaves, the preserving of the harvest, and the cooling weather. . . . keep reading Just for Fun Coaches as Role Models by Jillian Wolf of Blueshelled Down at the little baseball diamond, the parents of little league players sit through most weather conditions on steel bleachers that are excruciatingly hot in the summer, freezing cold on those fall and spring evenings and when it rains? They can collect puddles with the best buckets made. We frequently trade stories of our kids, knowing glances, laughs as we yell something to our child and they turn around and glare at us and comments regarding basic social chitchat such as the weather. We are aware when a stranger is in our midst because we have parent-dar that zones in on the abnormal so that we can protect our children. One morning, during a boiling little league extravaganza that watched us being blown away inning after inning, my stranger-dar went off. An elderly African-American gentleman was sitting and watching the game and he'd make little comments regarding stance and how the children were holding the bat. I smiled to myself as it occurred to me that he was a former coach watching the game and that none of these were his grandchildren. He was there for love of the game. As I listened to his comments, men came up to him, one after another, with looks on their faces such as one might give a celebrity. Slack-jawed, excited, awed and amazed. "Do you remember me?" They addressed him with such reverence and each of them took the time to sit with him, reminisce, and then tell him how much he meant to them and what they were doing now. Some pointed out their own children in their brightly colored uniforms and, with smiles, let him know that their kids didn't make the same baseball mistakes they did. No, sir. What I saw was pure respect for this man. A man who'd coached little league for over 20 years, he'd tell me at another game. Some of his former players are doctors and lawyers and a few played in college. When the game was slow, he'd shake his head and look at me with an impish grin, "Don't they know a hit is as good as a walk? What are they waiting for?" I laughed and agreed. At this stage in little league, there are few pitches worth hitting, but when they are there, I sure wish they'd go after them, too. The games are an hour and a half long and the parents are there diligently. Show us some action! He still comes to the ballpark because he loves the games, he loves the kids and when he's there, people treat him like a celebrity. He made a difference! Not a small difference, a huge difference. For 20 years he was a coach to some special kids who got to have him as a teacher, a role model, a friend, a counselor, a surrogate parent and a cheerleader. He wiped tears, encouraged them, taught them fundamentals and sportsmanship and left a lasting impression on these people that they haven't forgotten. They treat him with awe and they respect him. How many of us have adults that we revered as such when we were growing up? That we treat with such honor when we see them? He has at least 3 come up to him every game and he treats every one of them like they are the only one who has ever done it. He still makes them feel special. I feel special just to be able to watch what he does and how he's affected them. How are you making a positive impact on the lives of children around you? Will they revere and respect you in 20 years? If not, what can you do to change it? Jillian is a 30-something southern mom-blogger who is burning the candle at both ends and loving it. Welcome to all of our new members. Come and add your talents, articles and personality to our community. We believe in Moms helping Moms and we are so glad you are a part of our circle. Please send your articles to dianne@mom-stuff.com. I will post them on mom-stuff.com with your links. Besides helping our mom-stuff moms you will get the link back and more traffic to your site. Add your links to our forum and follow other members. Please feel free to share this newsletter with people you think may enjoy it. When doing so, please forward it, in its entirety, including our contact and copyright information. Thanks and enjoy! If this newsletter was forwarded to you and you want to sign up to make sure you do not miss out on the tips, updates or fun, sign up at www.mom-stuff.comTue, 16 Aug 2011 07:20:32 -0400http://archive.aweber.com/momstuffnews/Hta8o/h/Mom_Stuff_News.htm Mom-Stuff Newsletter 08/02/11 Tip of the Week Enjoy August. August is the pivotal point, the critical juncture between summer and fall. The changes are subtle. We start looking forward to cooler weather even as we glory in the summer heat, and find ourselves thinking quietly about school days and canning peaches as we enjoy the warmth of summer rain. We're to the second harvest of hay and the trees bear fully formed fruit, just waiting for time and sunshine to finish the magic. This is also the season for summer squash, whose yellow blossoms signified fertility and plenty to native tribes. Peace predominates; the quiet contentment of everything filling the measure of its creation. Mom-stuff Updates It's time to get those kids ready for school. Time for Back to School Shopping Here is your mission if you choose to accept it. GET THE MOST FROM YOUR SCHOOL CLOTHES BUDGET. . . . keep reading 8 Great Tips To Organize Kids' Rooms It's the battle cry of millions of parents: Clean your room! As you get ready for back to school it is a great opportunity to organize your child's bedroom. Seasonal events like birthdays, the holidays or a new school year bring fresh impetus to the drive to get kids organized--and nowhere is the battleground more intense than in the children's bedrooms. . . . keep reading Back to School Artwork Books Our Back to School idea this month is focused on saving all of our kid's artwork that comes home from school. When my daughter started in an early education program, every week the school would send home her artwork from her lessons. She was so proud of her work that she wanted to keep it. . . . keep reading Make Your Own Hair Bows Make Hair bows to match your kids back to school clothes. . . . keep reading Just for Fun Written by Tess Hardwick of TessHardwick.com This morning around 10:00am I walked home from the gym with my daughter. She skipped, zigzagging, avoiding the cracks in the sidewalk representing hot lava, happy in her childhood game. I was in the moment, for once, instead of thinking about the plot of my latest novel or worrying about something I had to do when I got home. She looked up at me, light blue eyes, yellow ponytail, lean legs in shorts even though it is still in the 50"s here in western Washington. "I'm hungry," she said. "Should we have brunch when we get home?" She stopped, peering at me with her nose scrunched at the bridge like it does when she's figuring something out for the first time. "What's brunch?" "The meal between breakfast and lunch." "Brunch, what a funny word." Then, a belly laugh, clapping her hands together in delight. She decided she would have pancakes and eggs, after I explained to her that for brunch one could have breakfast or lunch food. Once home, she put on her apron and stirred the pancake batter, fetched the eggs from the fridge. She hummed and chattered, happy about something so simple, making eggs and pancakes with mom. "I love brunch," she said. One of the joys of parenthood? Experiencing something we take for granted, that we've known about longer than we can remember, anew. Watching her enjoy the making and eating of a simple meal, no different from many meals eaten before in her young life, but special because she'd learned a new word to describe it. I wonder how we might relish life if we watched the world through the eyes of the innocent instead of the taint of experience, of world weariness? What would we see? What would amaze us? As she devoured her stack of pancakes and eggs, she said, "Brunch tastes so good, mommy." And, I thought, yes, it does. But nothing compares to you, my love. Tess Hardwick is a novelist, blogger and mommy. Her first novel, Riversong, is available and both Amazon and Barnes and Noble.com in Kindle and Nook. She lives in Snoqualmie, Washington with her husband and two young daughters. She's currently working on her second novel. Welcome to all of our new members. Come and add your talents, articles and personality to our community. We believe in Moms helping Moms and we are so glad you are a part of our circle. Please send your articles to dianne@mom-stuff.com. I will post them on mom-stuff.com with your links. Besides helping our mom-stuff moms you will get the link back and more traffic to your site. Add your links to our forum and follow other members. Please feel free to share this newsletter with people you think may enjoy it. When doing so, please forward it, in its entirety, including our contact and copyright information. Thanks and enjoy! If this newsletter was forwarded to you and you want to sign up to make sure you do not miss out on the tips, updates or fun, sign up at www.mom-stuff.com Tue, 02 Aug 2011 07:18:07 -0400http://archive.aweber.com/momstuffnews/4iQ0E/h/Mom_Stuff_News.htmMom-Stuff Newsletter 07/05/11 Tip of the Week One of the most courageous things you can do is identify yourself, know who you are, what you believe in and where you want to go. Sheila Murray Bethel Mom-stuff Updates Have a wonderful summer with your family and friends Feature Articles Summer Family Fun Schools Out!!! Now What??? . . . keep reading Fancy Flip Flops Fancy Flip Flops . . . keep reading Rockin Bobbie Pins Make your own Rockin Bobbie Pins to match your clothes. All you need are bobbie pins and your imagination. These are so much fun. You can make some for every holiday or even every outfit. . . . keep reading Souvenir Vacation Scrapbooking Vacation Scrapbooking Pages Using Souvenirs . . . keep reading Summer Kids Crafts Summer crafts to make with your kids; funky flip flaps, jewelry, popsicle stick flowers, summer noise makers and cookie flowers. We have also added a craft for moms to make for their kids. It is a back pack blanket for all of their summer activities. . . . . .keep reading Summer Fun Recipes Summer is the time for fast, easy and light food. We have gathered together some of our favorite summer food recipes . . . keep reading Just for Fun July is a testament to the order of the universe. Trees have followed the pattern set for them at the beginning, and are at the peak of their purpose. Fruit is set, needing only time and the continuation of the processes already underway to allow a harvest. Challenges exist, though, in the form of the insect population now coming into its peak. Boundaries and limitations have to be set or the fruit or tree itself may be lost. Even backyard farmers may resort to war in an effort to maintain control and reap the rewards of their labors. It is fitting to celebrate our Independence Day this month. We do well to remind ourselves that justice will prevail. If July is about power, trees are its ensign. The liberty tree was a symbol of the American Revolution, marking the gathering in town centers to organize the effort for home rule. Trees in full splendor rule this month, firm and unmovable against the hazy stillness of a cloudless July sky. Branches of July's trees leave no element of mystery. Every bud has long been open, every leaf unfurled, and there is no question about what kind of fruit will be borne. Through some unknown system of order, every cell has known its duty and developed into what it should be. The branches have distributed the appropriate substances at the right times to allow each part to have its needs met. Plagues and hordes may come, but those are from the outside. Inside everything is stable. We have similar systems in place in our own mind. We have strong and deeply rooted ideas about what is fair and right. Even children can make no stronger protest than that's not fair!. Often they're correct. Unfairness is at the root of many of our social struggles. Most of us, though, live according to an inherent sense of order. We mete out to others what we think they should have; we judge ourselves by some instinctive standard. We organize and distribute our resources according to the needs we perceive in ourselves and others. We seek to establish a clear structure for our lives, setting boundaries that establish our identities and our roles in the world. The heart of the tree is protected by its bark, and we often find that people build a protective layer around their own hearts when they fell they have been judged or treated unfairly. The bark of some trees actually contains substances that will repel certain organisms in order to protect itself. Once damaged, bark often retains the marks of the injury, though it continues in protective mode. Our hearts often resemble the town square trees where every person has carved their initials at some time. Some carve messages we'd rather not see, others may be artistic, but each leaves an indelible mark on our identity. As we become more aware of who we are, we are better able to define the standards for the carvers we permit, and to forgive those whose marks were less welcome. We need to remember, too, that the base pattern for the bark itself is our own. Physically, the roots of a tree identify its actual boundaries. Grass growing within that circle is enough to prevent a backyard tree for yielding it's full measure of fruit. The roots also form a system of defense not yet fully understood in many cases. Many trees are part of synergistic relationships, which allow (or disallow) certain other plants to prosper (or die) within the protective circle defined by the reach of the roots. Chemical and other factors form unique bonds, many still not identified. Our bodies have similar defense mechanisms, many also still not understood. Two decades ago the thymus gland was considered an evolutionary holdover with no apparent purpose; we now recognize it as the heart of the immune system. Constantly and quietly it evaluates everything we take in, physically and emotionally, and responds accordingly. We get sick when the ability of the body to respond is impaired and trees are most susceptible to illness when their root systems have been compromised. Severe physical damage isn't necessary; even too much earth being disturbed or compacted around the roots can weaken them sufficiently that they will succumb within a year or two. July air is hot and still, heavy with the brief life of thousands of insects. While the buzzing of flies and bees confirms the presence of summer, it reminds us of the hundreds of petty annoyances and mundane tasks we allow too clutter our minds. Deciding what is most important and organizing our lives can simplify decisions, although it may not stop the mental chatter.(White chestnut flower essence may help with that effort.) Establishing the relative value of the multiple roles we play and tasks we perform is a great mind exercise for a lazy summer afternoon. Judgment and order don't always have to be painful; just look at how well it works for the trees. The color of July is that of a green apple or the moist, yellow-green flesh of a cucumber or honeydew. Fields are a mixture of yellow and green with daisies and St. John's Wort scattered in the grass. The value of the latter in uplifting moods and stabilizing seratonin levels may stem from its life in the summer sun. This is beach time, vacation time, time to celebrate the sun. We live in a solar system, with all order in our universe revolving around that single star. Our minds also choose a central point of rotation, a base we use as a comparative upon which we base every action and decision. For some it is God, for others themselves, another individual, a career, or a set of established precepts. Asking yourself to honestly identify that source can be a revealing exercise. An average oak tree draws some 150 gallons of water from the warm air of a single July day. It is not an illusion that it feels cooler in the country when the temperature is the same in the nearby cities. Trees cool us twice. The first is by evaporation, the same way that an air conditioner works. The second is when that same waterfalls again as rain, cooling the earth even in the urban sprawl. Forgiveness works the same way. We first lift our own hearts by releasing hurts and offenses that tie us to the past, we then free our hearts to show more tolerance to others. Emotional order is a constant flow, an order of binding and releasing according to the seasons of our heart. Justice and mercy, structure and freedom are mutually dependent realities. Knowing the bad allows us to appreciate the good; there is fairness in sadness if it allows us, comparatively, to know joy. The earth protects the roots of a tree, while at the same time allowing the flow of essential oxygen. Compact the soil too much, and the tree will suffocate. Law and order function the same way. Our freedoms and our laws are intimately connected, but the balance between protecting and stifling is as precarious and challenging for governments as it is for parents. Thomas Jefferson once stated that the constitution was intended for the governing of a moral people, and that it was wholly inadequate for any other. Morality is the personal discipline we accept or create to establish order in our mortal lives. This is a month for marching and cheers. Brush off the pom-poms and do your school cheers in your bedroom. March around the house to Sousa music as you clear the table. Find a military calisthenics routine and do it every single day for the month. Find your power in self-discipline. This is an excerpt from Leaves From the Tree of Life by Kim Welborn and Dianne Murray. If you want to receive the rest of this year's chapters you can sign up to receive them be email at this link. All we ask in return is your comments. http://forms.aweber.com/form/37/36321737.htm Welcome to all of our new members. Come and add your talents, articles and personality to our community. We believe in Moms helping Moms and we are so glad you are a part of our circle. Please send your articles to dianne@mom-stuff.com. I will post them on mom-stuff.com with your links. Besides helping our mom-stuff moms you will get the link back and more traffic to your site. Add your links to our forum and follow other members. Please feel free to share this newsletter with people you think may enjoy it. When doing so, please forward it, in its entirety, including our contact and copyright information. Thanks and enjoy! If this newsletter was forwarded to you and you want to sign up to make sure you do not miss out on the tips, updates or fun, sign up at www.mom-stuff.com Tue, 05 Jul 2011 15:18:34 -0400http://archive.aweber.com/momstuffnews/M7ezU/h/Mom_Stuff_News.htm Mom-Stuff Newsletter 06/27/11 Tip of the Week You may have a fresh start any moment you choose, for this thing we call 'failure' is not the falling down, but the staying down. Mary Pickford Mom-stuff Updates Have a wonderful Fourth of July with your friends and family. If you need some fun ideas to help you celebrate the 4th of July and the summer visit www.mom-stuff.com Feature Articles 12 Types of Blog Post Formats To add variety to your blog and to change the pace, there are twelve types of blog post formats you can use. Depending on what kind of blog you have and who your target audience is try these suggestions or tweak them to suit your blog and reader's needs and see what kind of traffic you'll get. . . . keep reading Simplify Your Summer in 5 Easy Rules Simplify Your Summer in 5 Easy Rules . . . keep reading Got friends or family coming to visit? Don't stress With a little planning you and your home will be ready without much disruption to your regular sc . . . keep reading The Fastest Route to Making Money Online The secret to my success was not in finding a magic formula that some guru was selling in a late night infomercial, or in a Clickbank package. As a matter of fact, my secret is actually no secret at all. The trick to making money online is to sell a service to consumers where there is a supply and demand. . . . keep reading Just for Fun The Big Pancake by Pauline Gaines of The Perils of Divorced Pauline In the seven years since my first marriage exploded, I have lost many things I loved: homes, my dream of an in tact family, my son. Especially my son. But with loss comes transformation and I have also gained things I love: my husband, our blended family, a new career, new friends. Three cats. Still, as grateful as I am for my personal renaissance, I am haunted by the broken life narrative caused by both my adoption and divorce. Family constellations have shifted, tangible and psychic legacies have been diverted, snapped apart like fibers of a frayed rope. My efforts to give my children what I never felt growing up-a cohesive foundation-failed. I ruminate about the impact of this fragmentation on them and often feel desperate to find a constant, something solid they can grasp hold of and carry forward. As I reflect on the choppy last several years, one such constant, blessed in its simplicity, comes to mind: The Big Pancake. A sublime concoction of mostly butter and sugar, The Big Pancake, as it has been named by my children, has become our weekend morning ritual. Although Luca is no longer with us on the weekends, my daughter Francesca, almost nine, and stepson Kevin, almost seven, clamor for it with regularity. I smiled this Saturday morning, comforted by the habitual rhythms the kids and I have fallen into. Our dance steps go something like this: Around 7 a.m. I come downstairs to make coffee. Francesca and Kevin are already awake, sprawled on the cushy family room couch, watching TV. Francesca greets me with, "Mom, can you make The Big Pancake?" I preheat the oven and take out my pink mixing bowl. I gather the seven ingredients: flour, butter, milk, eggs, nutmeg, confectioner's sugar, and lemon. I melt half a stick of butter in my cast-iron skillet, pour the batter on top, and when the edges brown, stick the skillet in the oven. At least once during the 15 minutes required for The Big Pancake to billow to perfection, the kids call out: "Is it ready yet?" When it's done, sprinkled with confectioner's sugar and lemon, the pancake sinks down to a delectable crust: chewy-crunchy, sweet and tart, swimming in butter. The kids jockey for position with their plates, remembering who got to choose the first piece the weekend before, and whose turn it is this weekend. When it's Kevin's turn, Francesca tries to steer him away from the biggest of the four slices. He's onto her now and points to the piece that appears the largest. Francesca cuts Kevin's slice into bite-sized pieces, yet before he's done, she's back for Round 2. When she tiptoes into the kitchen to sneak a third slice, I give her the eye that means you've had quite enough, Missy. She grins like a busted Cheshire cat, then skulks off with a resigned, "ohhh-kay." I discovered Amanda Hesser's recipe (see below) soon after my divorce, while reading the New York Times Sunday Magazine. I didn't know then how powerful these seven simple ingredients would be; that this prosaic offering now known as The Big Pancake would gradually ease into my family's consciousness as if it had always been there. And I hope it always will. Recipe for the Big Pancake 2 eggs 1/2 cup flour 1/2 cup milk Pinch of ground nutmeg 4 tbsp. butter 2 tbsp. confectioner's sugar Juice of half a lemon 1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. In a mixing bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Add the flour, milk and nutmeg until blended but still slightly lumpy. 2. Melt the butter in a 12-inch skillet with a heatproof handle over medium-high heat. When very hot but not brown, pour in the batter. Bake in the oven until the pancake is billowing on the edges and golden brown, about 15 minutes. 3. Working quickly, remove the pan from the oven and sprinkle with the sugar. Return to the oven for 1 to 2 minutes more. Sprinkle with lemon juice. Serves 2 to 4. Pauline Gaines is the pseudonym of a blogger who writes about divorce, remarriage, blended families, and special needs children. Her work has been published on Salon, BlogHer, and Mamapedia. Visit her at The Perils of Divorced Pauline or on Twitter @divorcedpauline. Great post and a good reminder that it's the little things that count the most. Welcome to all of our new members. Come and add your talents, articles and personality to our community. We believe in Moms helping Moms and we are so glad you are a part of our circle. Please send your articles dianne@mom-stuff.com. I will post them on mom-stuff.com with your links. Besides helping our mom-stuff moms you will get the link back and more traffic to your site. Add your links to our forum and follow other members. Please feel free to share this newsletter with people you think may enjoy it. When doing so, please forward it, in its entirety, including our contact and copyright information. Thanks and enjoy! If this newsletter was forwarded to you and you want to sign up to make sure you do not miss out on the tips, updates or fun, sign up at www.mom-stuff.com Mon, 27 Jun 2011 16:11:04 -0400