Paris and Madrid- High School trip with the French and Spanish Classes

My girls have an opportunity to go to Paris and Madrid with their High School Spanish and French classes.  It is an amazing trip with wonderful opportunities for them to learn many new things they could not experience here at home.  The downside is the cost of this trip! With the economy the way it is we aren't able to just pay and go and it is good for them to work hard towards something they want.   They are raising money by doing bake sales, car washes, selling candy, babysitting, doing chores... Anything they can think of!!  

 Me and my rugrat daughters!  They are growing up and I'm getting old! Ha Ha  I LOVE THEM!

Hard to believe she is my BABY!!

Big sister.... They are growing way too fast!

Hard to believe they are the only two left living at home.  In the blink of an eye it feels like I went from a full house with four little rugrats running around to BLAM... An adult married son and a son off at college!  Two left at home and no more babies!  Time goes by so quickly!

Ciao Bellas~
Momma

Figuring out who you are?

HELLO! 

Don't faint.  I know it's a long overdo post!  

I saw a great sign today and had to share.  It stopped me in my tracks.  It said "Don't try to figure out who you are CHOOSE who you want to become".  That hit me.  From time to time I say WHO AM I ANYMORE?  Where did Stephanie go?  I'm a mom, a wife, but who AM I?  So I guess the answer is I'm whoever I choose to be.  We can make changes at any age!  If I want to be giving, loving, a mother my kids look up to and admire, a wife my husband is proud of, a person who works out, a person who is always on time, a person who is organized..... the list goes on and on.  Bottom line is if I CHOOSE to be that person I can become that.  If it is important to me and that is the person I want to be I can be that.  So I don't need to sit and try to think about WHO I am..  I am whoever I choose to be.  (within limits obviously)  I mean......  I'd love to be a singer like Faith Hill!  But ya know, God didn't bless me with those vocals!  I COULD go work on my singing and become a better singer...  But you all know what I mean.

So who do you CHOOSE to be?

Ciao Bellas

~Momma~

"OVER" WHELMED......IS AN "UNDER" STATEMENT

Don't ya just hate it when you feel overwhelmed??......  Which way is up?  How will I get it all done?

It gives a whole knew meaning to "my cup runneth over"....  My plate runneth over maybe?

College applications- Where to apply, where else to visit, what to write on the essay, what scholarships to apply for, how much is each college going to cost, letters of recommendations.... SAT testing, SAT subject testing, ACT testing........  now add wrestling practice started.....hydration testing on the same day as the SAT, University Day 5 hours away the next two days......

AND (because I have other children)

Dance practice 3 to 7 Monday thru Thursday this week, Dance performance during the day Friday (until 2:30), guitar 3:00 to 3:30, return for 2nd performance at 5:00, show at 7:00pm.

Did I mention I will miss Bible Study AGAIN this Friday.  Now OF COURSE I am excited to see my daughter and her b-e-a-utiful friends dance, it's just that every Friday I've been sick or we have had something going on......  I miss my friends at bible study......I miss studying the bible with my friends..... 

I know this is a very busy season in my life.  I also know I will miss this later.  I KNOW this because I also have an older son who has already moved into his own home and is engaged to be married next year.  I miss taking him to soccer or football practice.  I miss watching his school performances.  I picking him up from the bus stop and hearing all the school stories......or taking him to guitar lessons.

I have to keep reminding myself of this when I feel like "it's all too much".....

And honestly if I just had THESE THINGS to do, It would be much easier... but I also am running an office..... AND on top of that Hunk has been gone for the last 1.5 weeks which puts more on my plate when it comes to customers, employee's, etc.  Thank the Lord our foreman is back!  He has been soooooooooooo much help!  Wow, have me missed him. (many of you may remember our awful auto accident he was in.....makes me so sad)....  We are such a small company that it really becomes like family and we care and love our employees.  Anyway, sooooo glad he is back and doing well!

Wow, I feel so much better just getting that out!  Love you guys!

I better get a move on, need to get these Rugrats on task AND ME.

Today:
Take my youngest to the bus stop.
Take my other daughter to Orthodontist appt at 7:30 to meet my future daughter in law.....so she can wait with her there until 7:50 (appt. time) so I can leave and head to a Cal Osha business training seminar....  that ends at noon.
Hit AAA DMV Department for some tags and if any way possible get my oil changed and in a perfect world also do the banking (I have about 1 hour to do this in)
Head up the hill to pick up kids for early release, get them and go directly to dance practice.
Come back and get youngest started on homework and me on all the office stuff I missed while gone.
Pick up my other daughter at 7pm......
(as I'm typing my son brought me a wad of paper to fill out for wrestling and a physical I need to schedule either 2nd period or 5th period)

Ya know.....all this is go go go go go.......and I get overwhelmed but I wouldn't trade my life.  I can't imagine not having 4 children.  I can't imagine not being involved so heavily in all the things that they do. 

I miss my "friend time", I miss my "free time" and I don't get it all done.  My plate does runneth over....... BUT make my mistake, though sometimes it's hard to see,  my cup definitely runneth over.

Hug a mom today.....(just watch out for the peanut butter and jelly that is probably on the back of her shirt (left there from the hands of the little rugrat of hers that hugged her before you).....

Enjoy your days......now stop reading and get out your lists.......you know the one you made so you would stay on task and not forget to do anything that needs to be done.....If I could only find mine on this desk. (smile)

Ciao Bellas~
~Momma~

30 DAYS OF INTIMACY: THE CHALLENGE

I'm joining Pamela at Road to Joy and Nan at LBDDiaries and some other fellow bloggers in a 30 day Intimacy Challenge.  I accepted the challenge and then my oldest rugrat got very sick, then I hit the road to tour colleges, visit Mickey Mouse and return to an empty home because Hunk had left to go hunting in Idaho.  That worked out well for me. HA HA

On a serious note I actually have been paying more attention to our phone conversations.  I have been being sure to let him know I miss him and I am thinking about him.  Funny thing is I say I've been thinking about you and he's like "OH YA",  (you know the tone, the I'm getting lucky tone) why do they always go there? Even when they are hundreds of miles away..LOL......  Normally I would have said "uh.....ya right." and laughed but instead I went with it......I said "Yep dreaming about you hunny".....  He said "Were you sleeping?"  I said "Nope..... I was day dreaming".....So then when I was talking him the next day he said he can't get that song "I been daydreaming about night things, in the middle of the afternoon" out of his mind........then he said "so I've been thinking about you allot"..... 

I'm trying to keep up on the challenge the best I can, until he comes home.  I'm also going to put this neat writing on the wall that I found at Michaels craft store....(as soon as I decide which one to get)....  They were neat sayings for the bedroom wall and they look like they are hand painted once up on the wall.

Any romantic or fun lovin' intimacy ideas???  Send them my way......

Want to join the challenge, leave a comment letting us know you are joining in and if you have a blog leave your link.

OH BY THE WAY...... CSN HAS CONTACTED ME TO DO ANOTHER GIVEAWAY SO I WILL HAVE THAT UP IN THE NEXT COUPLE DAYS!

Don't forget to kiss your sweethearts goodnight and tell them how much you love them!

Ciao Bellas~
~Momma~

LETTING GO...PUTTING ON MY BIG GIRL PANTIES..{Not always easy to do}

~LETTING GO~

Letting go is something we have to do so often, yet it's so difficult to do. 

From the time our children are little we are teaching them so that later we can "let them go".  They can't wait for that independence and yet we dread it.

Not just because we want to control them though I admit I struggle with this,because gosh darnit I KNOW BEST.  But because of the fear we have.  Will they get hurt?  How will the decisions they are making today affect them down the road? 

From the time we send them off to Kindergarten it starts.  Are they going to be able to find their classroom?  Is another someones little brat child going to pick on them?  Are they going to understand the work?  Will they make friends quickly?

Then as it moves on they enter high school and you have a whole new bag of worries.  Will they start hanging with the wrong crowd?  Will they start drinking or trying drugs?  Will they get into fights with someones big brat child.  Will they do their work and get good grades for college?  Will they want to attend college?  Will they be respectful to others?  WILL THEY MAKE ME LOOK LIKE A BAD PARENT?

AND then......then it happens.....  They get a drivers license.  The rest now seems like a cake walk.  You are putting your child  in God's hands.  We do this daily but NOW.......now I pray more often, now I pray even harder.  "Please God, just wrap your arms around him and get him to school safely"...... 

I already went through this my my oldest rugrat but now I'm doing round two.  I'm a spaz when it comes to cars.  I've lost two of my very good friends to car accidents.  I know it doesn't JUST HAPPEN TO OTHER PEOPLE...  This spins my head up a bit and makes me be a major freako about my rugats driving.  So my son has only been allowed to drive to the bus stop and back each day, and around our town here.  He has driven other places but always with Hunk or myself (usually Hunk, because as I expressed I'm a freako in the car) and he's done a great job.  BUT ehemmmmmmm  I'm a freako in the car and I want him to have more practice before he takes off up the hill and over that curvy pass and drops back down into town to his school.  (I feel sick just typing this).... Why?  Because my son called and the bus was pulling out as he was pulling in and he is now on his way driving to the high school.  He is going up that hill and over that curvy pass and dropping down into that town where his high school is.  I've already stopped and prayed.  I already shot a text out to my dear friend Sharon and she has already prayed.  Won't you join us?!  Ok, deep breaths and back to my post....

We have to let go.  We let go when they graduate high school and move on to college. 

We let go when they announce that they are getting married and some girl is taking my little boy from me and you are happy for them but it gives a little pain in the heart knowing things will be changing.  Knowing they need you less each year.  This is what we work towards from the time they are born, but why is it so hard to do when the time comes?

Aside from children there are other areas we have to let go of.  OUR YOUTH.  We keep dropping those pennies in the fountain of youth but one day it becomes obvious can't believe I'm going to admit this I will never have my 18 year old body back again.  DANGIT!  But if it came with the price tag of having my 18 year old mind back along with it, I think I would have to pass.  OH I thought I knew it all, just like my oldest rugrats think they do, but oh how I sooooooooooooo knew nothing.

We have to let go of loved ones who pass away.  We miss them, we grieve for them and then we have to learn to let that go.

Our lives are always changing.  New great things happening and the processing of letting go.  It's bitter sweet.

When I'm sitting on my front porch with Hunk, holding hands and  looking out over the lake drinking our morning coffee in peace I may like change.  When I don't have to rush around getting everyone ready for school or taking them to dance, guitar, wrestling or volleyball practice I may be grateful for that change.

Who am I kidding?  I'll have grand-rats running around in place of my rugrats and I'll be smiling every single step of the way.

In with the old and out with the new....A change is a-comin' like it or not.

So I'm going to try to  put on my big girl panties and deal with  look forward to it.

Spillin' it one coffee cup at a time,

~Momma~

PS..... I just called my son WHO WAS SUPPOSED TO CALL ME AS SOON AS HE GOT TO SCHOOL and he is there safe and sound..... my heart was pounding out my chest with each ring of the phone.....

I think I need therapy.

 "Where are those big girl panties when I need them"???

PROCRASTINATION [Why am I so good at it?}

This is part of an on-going series LBDDiaries and I are doing on keeping our Inner Aloha/Peaceful Life. To see Tuesday's Aloha- Cleaning out Clutter-Yard Sale post go here.


Procrastination are we born doing it or is it something we learn along the way?  Some people do something the minute it needs to be done and others put it off until the last second.


I'm somewhere in the middle but lean towards the last minute..  WHY?  WHY? WHY??


I come up with my own reasons.......

1. There isn't enough time in the day
2. I NEED to sit and take a beak for a minute
3. See reason #1 and #2

But there are others who have just as much to do as I do and seem to find time to be organized and NOT procrastinate.  Getting organized has been a lifelong goal of mine and so why not add STOP PROCRASTINATING to the list?


Sure I do the things that HAVE to be done.  But other things, that are important to me, I sometimes drop the ball on.  Like I have great intentions....but then awful follow thru.


For instance:

1. I buy birthday cards and forget to mail them
2. I buy birthday gifts and forget to give them out
3. I have errands to run in town and then I forget to bring the items on my list.
4. I buy the jars, etc. to do my canning and then I drop the ball on getting the fresh fruit/vegis.
5. I buy stuff for a party and don't end up having time to properly plan for it and execute the party.

I'm sure I could go on and on.....


Then you have my daughter.  7th grade and she organizes me.  She does a book report when it is assigned and will have it sitting there for a month waiting for the due date.  She makes lists for me, she plans parties for me, she is my little helper.


Where did she get this from?  NO CLUE....  But I admire it in her.


Another thing I don't understand about procrastinating is that when I do something WITHOUT procrastinating it feels so good.  When I remember things and take my list to town with me and get things crossed off and done it feels great! 


I know I do need to say "no" and take a little off of my plate but owning our own business and being responsible for the office part of it, having 3 children living at home, one whom we are planning college for and one child who bought a home about 10 minutes away from us (which we are redoing a roof on, etc. helping him) AND he is engaged to be married this next year......it's a bit hard to have much of a life.  I MISS MY FRIENDS.  I miss some free time...  But my #1 duty is being a wife, mommy and our office work has to be next in line.......so we have somewhere to live as a wife and mommy and food to feed our family (dang work thing).....And my friends and family are on that list......I just wish I had more time to spend with them.


When I decide I'm just DOING IT.... It's good at first and then I pay for it later.  I get behind in the office (which stresses me), my housework gets behind (which is an ongoing problem. Can I hear an Amen? PLEASE...tell me I'm not alone)....And then those roll over into the time the kids and Hunk is home in the afternoon and it takes time away from them....


There has to be a happy medium and I'm in search for it...  And while on my search and on my journey of thinning out the JUNK and CLUTTER from my life and getting myself organized, I'm going to work on NOT procrastinating.


I love my life.  I don't take one single breath for granted, just need to get back to some basics and be a better "manager" of my time.


Living my Aloha........Just had to sell the grass skirt.......it was cluttering up the place. (smile)


OH OH OH..... AND I'm canning my Salsa today...... Check it off the list baby........Ahhhhhhhh.....I'll let you know how good that feels when I'm done!

Ciao Bellas~
~Momma~

YARD SALE- CLEAN OUT THE CLUTTER {while getting a sunburn and earning .25 cents}

This is part of an on-going series LBDDiaries and I are doing on keeping our Inner Aloha/Peaceful Life. To see Thursday's post go here.Kindness! Kindness! Kindness! I’m practicing my KINDNESS!

I wanted to change it up just a bit today and talk about "clutter" in our lives.

Is it hoarding?  Is it collecting?  Is it all the money we spent on "stuff" that we feel we can't get rid of it?

I had a yard sale this weekend.  Talk about working hard for little pay.  I never worked so hard for .25 cents!  A brand new jacket I asked .50 cents for it and without skipping a beat he says TWENTY-FIVE.  I said she openeth her mouth with wisdom and on her tongue is the law of kindness "Nooooooooo, .50 cents"  He bought it.  But oh my gosh!  Seriously.  I think if it had been $1 he would have shouted out FIFTY CENTS.. 

By the time the sun had burnt me up on the 2nd day and I knew I was going to have to pack all the crap stuff up that we didn't sell the Yard Sale sign now had "Sale" crossed out and "FREE" written over it. 

Bottom line Sunday was over 100 degrees outside and not many people were shopping.  Plus many people think a Saturday-Sunday yard sale will be picked over junk "left overs" on Sunday.  The truth was our Sunday yard sale was FULL of new stuff.  Hunk and my dad went to our barn and got another huge trailer load of "stuff" to go through on Saturday night.  In fact I had "better" items on Sunday than I did on Saturday.

We bagged up all the clothes and bedding (about 15 boxes and bags worth) and donated them to a woman/child shelter in town.  All the books we donated to the local library.  The rest Hunk loaded up in the trailer to go either trash or Amvets or Salvation Army.

So in the end after a day of  sun burning, irritation, yard sale grime meeting new people, seeing the excitement on little kids faces when I tell them something is .10 cents, .25 cents or FREE I made about $160.00 and I have a barn that has allot more room in it.  That is a great feeling.

I'm not "done" getting the clutter out.  I have lots more things I want to really go through and finish getting rid of (Just to set the record straight, I will not be getting rid of it via a yard sale, I will be GIVING it all away).

When our lives are cluttered, when our homes are cluttered, when we can't find things or don't have room to properly store things or allow everything to have a place it can call home (besides the kitchen counter top) then it's time to do some thinning out.

I strongly believe when we live with clutter our mind is cluttered.  At least in my case.  I think that is why getting rid of the extra stuff feels so freeing to me.

I do have to admit while I sat there on Saturday and Sunday and unloaded boxes getting totally side tracked when I opened boxes of old photos  and I layed it all out on tables and tarps the filled a good portion of the yard I felt a tinge of guilt and remorse.  Why?  WASTE.  So much WASTE.  So many items with tags still on them.  So many un-used expensive items. 

I found myself thinking "If I could have all the money back from these purchases my bank account would be looking pretty good right now!"

I won't dwell on it though.  It was an eye opener and I will use that "eye opener" every time I think I need something new.  Am I 100% sure I will use the heck out of it?  Do I have a place to store it?  Will I still want to use it next year and the year after?  How gut wrenching is it going to be to sell it for TWENTY FIVE CENTS??  Am I THAT sure I NEED it.

Clear the clutter!  It is so freeing!

Momma.....stepping off her box.

Ciao Bellas~

KINDNESS {DON'T MISTAKE BEING KIND FOR BEING WEAK}

This is part of an on-going series LBDDiaries and I are doing on keeping our Inner Aloha/Peaceful Life. To see Tuesday's post go here.Kindness! Kindness! Kindness! I’m practicing my KINDNESS!






Beth made 8 “points” about Kindness. Today I want to share the first point.

1. Kindness is NOT weakness.


Being kind doesn’t mean we have to be “weak”. It doesn’t mean because we are CHOOSING to be kind that we are now a doormat. We just need to keep a kindness about us as we stand firm in whatever it may be that we need to stand up about.


In other words we can be aware of wickedness whether it be in someone’s actions or in their words to us but we can make a choice to be kind.


This is not to say that occasionally someone won't try to “steam roll you” because they feel you are “kind” and they think they can get away with it. Those people will always be out there BUT how you respond is to them up to you.

You can say “Don’t confuse my kindness with weakness” and then repeat your answer. Now, you don’t have to do this with your hands on your hips and your finger waggin’ in their face. (When you feel the need to do this just repeat to yourself “She opens her mouth with wisdom, and on her tongue is the law of kindness)


This brings me to “confession time”. Ughhhhhh You know I have to spill it and keep it real here on my Soapbox.


So here it is:


Yesterday morning......I was cranky.  YES, it happens from time to time. I had not had enough sleep, I have a lot of work to get done and the girls have minimum days each day this week because of teacher conferences. Hunk thought he was being his normal silly self. OKAY he WAS being his normally silly self (I just apparently wasn't in the mood) and he was teasing about a raccoon that had gotten into the garbage, saying “Good thing we don’t have a dog to get into the trash”. (Many of you know we lost our sweet Nestlie (chocolate lab) which broke all of our hearts….and I’m not ready to have another dog just yet.)  I must admit I’m enjoying not having things torn up and dug up….. now Nestlie was too old to do this but I am well aware that a puppy will……(I’m sure I’ll give in soon)……. So anywho…….Hunk made this comment. He was teasing……. Did I mention I was tired? So I guess the look on my face and my walking to the living room gave away that a bit of irritation was brewing in me. imagine it? in me? what next, ocean front property in Arizona? He told me he was only kidding not to get upset. I said “I’m not” (HA…..whatever)…… Then he says that I’m upset that he said to not get upset…… and again, if you know Hunk you know he is trying to poke fun and he wasn’t upset with me (not yet anyway…… I knew I needed to get out of my funk before he did get upset)….. So I walked into the kitchen and started getting my cup of coffee (more caffeine that is what I needed, then I’d be good. LOL) So, as I’m waiting for my coffee to finish brewing I am repeating OVER AND OVER “She opens her mouth with wisdom and on her tongue is the law of kindness”. SERIOUSLY over and over and over…. I THOUGHT (key word) I was only saying it in my head but apparently..ummmmm NO….. my mouth was moving because from the kitchen table Hunks says “Steph, who are you talking to?” It was a deer in the headlights moment… I said “ummmmm myself” He looked at me like he now realized I really did need to go back to bed, I was losing it. He said “Whatcha saying to yourself?” and chuckled. I said “She opens her mouth with wisdom, and on her tongue is the law of kindness” He said “I told you I was kidding” I said “I know that I’m not mad” He said “If you know that and you are not mad then why do you feel the need to keep repeating that to yourself”? “hmmmmmmmm, good question. “Ok, so I am tired and I knew I was about to overreact “ and we both started laughing…..


It worked! Even on a cranky butt!



Sometimes we need to be reminded to be kind to the kind and other times to be kind to the wicked, ungrateful poops that cross your path. Don’t get sucked into their (or your) negative ways and responses. Rise above it. If not, it will stick with you……LONG after the conversation is over. Be proud of yourself…..


Be aware of the wickedness but make a choice TO BE KIND. Often times kindness toward someone who is being ..ehemmm…..a jerk to you can soften them. I try to keep in mind that when someone is reacting (or OVER reacting) in a “less than kind” way about something, there usually is something else behind it. Something else that has happened in their day, something else on their mind that has them on edge and they were at a breaking point. Now, I know this isn’t always the case, some people are just negative, grumpy poops…..but we don’t have to join them.


KINDNESS- It’s not weakness……It’s much easier to snap back at someone….. No, being kind isn’t being weak, in fact it’s the opposite. It can take a lot of strength and self control to react in “kindness” when someone is being rude to us.


So don’t let people “walk all over you”…. Stand up for yourself. BUT do it with integrity. Do it with class. Be the person you can look in the mirror and be proud of at the end of the day. Be the person your spouse can be proud to have at their side.


Let’s strive to do this together. Let's "kill em with kindness"


A kind hearted woman gains respect.

I'm all about wantin' some r-e-s-p-e-c-t.. (sorry you can't hear my accent or tone, haven't figure out how to type that yet).


Ciao Bellas~


~Momma~

SPEAKER: BETH MOORE {ON HER TOUNGUE IS THE LAW OF KINDNESS}

This is part of an on-going series LBDDiaries and I are doing on keeping our Inner Aloha/Peaceful Life. 

Is this what you look like when you openeth your mouth?

"She opens her mouth with wisdom and on her tongue is the law of kindness." Proverbs 31:26

This was what the topic was based on when listening to Beth Moore on Saturday.  She gave a couple reasons why she felt like this would be a good topic for all of us women.

• A.  Because we live in a mean world.

She made it clear that she meant mean not hard.  Pointing out if we haven't come across mean people in the last two weeks that we just plain aren't getting out enough.  Hand gestures are given while driving, people cutting in line.  It's everywhere..
Another reason.

• B.  Because "She openeth her mouth"

This we know.  But this also made me laugh.  I felt like a spot light was shining on me in the crowd when she said this.  She might as well have said I'm speaking on this topic "Because STEPHANIE  openeth her mouth"

This doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that us women will open our mouths.  Maybe some of us just need to work on not putting our foot in it as often. 

I definitely got the gift of gab.  I love to visit with friends, I love to laugh and I love to talk.  Not that there is anything wrong with this.  Oddly enough when there are a lot of people around, even people I know well, I tend to feel a bit shy, but one on one in line at the store with a total stranger and I can tell you what color panties they are wearing by the time I leave the store.

Ok, maybe not the color but at least where they go to buy them. You get the idea.... I openeth my mouth....a lot.

Beth went on to talk about how men use approx. 7,000 words a day while women use approx. 20,000 words a day.  I don't know if these numbers are correct but it wouldn't shock me if they were.  Sometimes while Hunk and I are talking I am also carrying on a conversation in my head that usually is along the lines of "He's just sitting there looking at me, I wish he would open up more, it's like I'm doing most of the talking...Ok, it's not like I'm doing most of the talking..I AM doing most of the talking....SHUT YOUR MOUTH STEPHANIE so he can open up and do some talking"  Seriously, sometimes I hardly come up for air.  I'm so excited about something it's like I'm talking in warp speed.

Again this isn't always a bad thing but if we are doing a lot of talking and it isn't kindness rolling off of our tongue it's definitely not a good thing.

Beth then began to talk about how Jesus was raised from the grave.  She asked, WHO did Jesus show himself to first?  The answer:  THE WOMEN.....  Why?  Because he wanted to get the word out!

She had many one liners and really was a hoot.

She spoke about how us women (mothers, aunts, sisters) are all teachers.  We are teachers by examples.  This is so true.  How many times have you heard "Children learn what they live?" 

Do I really want my child to live "A chatty Cathy doll for a mom?"  Pull the string over and over and sometimes it's like I'm talking to just to make noise.  They have stopped listening after the 3rd time of me telling them WHY I'm telling them what I'm telling them.

Shoot..I talk to myself when nobody is home!  I talk to myself when people ARE home.  Not like I'm a nut job but when I'm working on something I have a habit of talking OUT LOUD to myself about my next step.  If I counted how many times I say "Okay" to myself during the day I may have used up my 20,000 words on that word alone.

She also spoke about being careful with our words. That we have a responsibility with our voice.  There are things we can say or may have already said to our children that they won't forget.  Ten years from now they will be writing in to the Dr. Phil show about us.

But I do agree that we have a responsibility with our voice not only with our children but when we are making our voice published.  Not as in an Author of a best seller but as in text messages, emails and blogs.  Things that can be forwarded and seen by so many people. 

My goal is to publish things that lift people up.  Publish things that help others.  Publish things that cause other to stop and think.  If I write a post that can touch just one person and make a positive difference in their lives I will have a smile so wide the white from my teeth would shine brighter than the moon.

I am taking to heart what I learned this weekend.  What is great is whether you are a Christian or not wouldn't the world be a better place if everyone "Opened their mouths with wisdom and on their tongues was the law of kindness?"

I decided I'm going to do at least one act of kindness each day this week and see how much better I feel.

Saturday after leaving "Living Proof Live" I went to Costco and bought groceries.  I bought extra for my son and I also purchased him a microwave and took it over to his home.

Sunday I let my daughter go shopping with a couple friends and I gave her money to buy a new dress for the upcoming dance and for a pair of boots she has been wanting.

Today my act of kindness started out being a gift (TV stand) for my son (his roommate just moved out and he is in need of some items) but on my way home someone rear-ended me and it only left a small dent in my bumper (their headlight was completely busted out) they didn't appear to be very financially set from what I could tell and were very nice.  I told them not to worry about it, that it was a small dent and I would take care of it.

Every act doesn't have to be an expense to the checking account and in fact I think some of the best gifts don't cost anything. 

Just try to think of something each day, try to think of a kind word you can say to someone.  You never know how much your kindness will touch them.

Be sure to let me know what act you chose to do today.

Together we can make a difference.

Ciao Bellas~
~Momma~

BETH MOORE {LIVING PROOF}- What an awsome speaker!

Saturday I went to the "Beth Moore Living Proof Live (Simulcast)"  Wow!  It was so wonderful.  I had heard she was a good speaker and I just loved her!

She spoke on "Kindness."  She gave some really good points.  It was perfect timing for me.  Part of what I have been working on already with my Aloha posts.  This is definitely part of being able to live  my Aloha.  I can't wait to share with you!

My Aloha posts are every Tuesday and Thursday's together with Nan over at Lbddiaries .  This week I will be posting about what I learned from Beth Moore. 

If you are a woman and you "open your mouth".  You will want to hear what Beth had to say.

Ciao Bellas~

~Momma~

ENCOURAGE YOUR CHILDREN TO HAVE GATHERINGS AT YOUR HOME {Parenting Advise}

Our youngest son had his monthly "Pow Wow" this weekend.  He has a few friends who come over and they camp out in our Meadow. 

Because it was hot outside, because Hunk LOVES doing it and because teenage boys are stinky and must be dipped in water.... Hunk took them all out knee boarding, wake boarding and his all time favorite.......THE TUBE.... 

Which FYI is no longer usable after the boys AND Hunk were done with it.

Once they were finished using up all their energy and destroying things they were STARVED...  Then they come to Momma.

And Momma said EASY PEASY PLEASE....  BBQ hot dogs, chips and watermelon.

BAM.  Dinner is served.

Which most of them stood in our little kitchen and ate......and made another.....and ate...........and made another......and ate..

Why did I buy paper plates again?

Ahhhhh.... That's why......someone actually used a plate......

Then the boys went outside where we had an outdoor movie set up...  Only they brought out the video games to play on the outdoor screen instead.

P.S.  Those are ROOT beer bottles NOT beer...  Momma don't roll like that

It was really funny.......

Maybe not so much to him......  But the hot sauce (Rooster sauce) on his hot dog was funny to all the other boys.  Including Hunk.  Maybe even ESPECIALLY to Hunk.

And actually it really was funny to him too.

AFTER his mouth calmed down.

And even before his mouth cooled off... He loves pulling pranks and he was a great sport about having one pulled on him.

I stopped snapping photos at this point and they took off to the Meadow to begin their camp out. 

I of course didn't get much sleep because (thank you Mr. Cell Phone) I couldn't sleep until I knew they were done going on their "hike" around the property and were "at camp" for the night.

Boys....

Oh, and while they were gone on thier hike my oldest (7th grade) daughter and Hunk headed up to their "campsite" and put their tent up on top of their camper.. 

They usually sneak up and scare them, but since the boys were gone, they had to do SOMETHING.

Morning came quickly.....

I woke up and started making this...........

And this.......

teenage boys are hungry after Pow Wow's

or before them

or during them

or

anytime

and

all times

 I heard them come down and went to see what they were doing....

ummmmmmm.....OK

Ah.  They are seeing if the projector works on my sons stomach.

It's a Rugrat Screen

sorry....silly things crack me up

Hello there teenage friend......

His reply.... "I smell bacon...... you so love us don't you?"

To which I responded "Yes, I do, now keep your paws off until it's ready or I will have to hurt you......after I have more coffee."

Did I mention all these Rugrats are on the wrestling team?  So they could pretty much make me look like a pretzel (all be it a very plump one) if they felt like it...... 

Instead....

They mind.

They love me.

They are good boys.

But I still needed more of this.....

To have the energy to finish more of this......

After going to bed at 2:30 am

Think they are hungry? (and tired)

Breakfast is ready boys...  Come and eat...

Then clean up your mess, pack your crap and go home....

Kidding!

In fact most of the boys stayed until after dinner...

Did I mind?

Nope......We want our home to be "the hang out" place for the kids.

We can keep track of them and their friends without them realizing we are watching

AND

they think we are cool and fun parents

(we so have them fooled)

It's a WIN WIN SITUATION.

I'm all about that

and

I'm all about cheese

(sorry, I'm in a mood)

Moral of the post.... Encourage your kids to have their friends come over.  Try to make a fun environment that will encourage them to WANT to come over. 

This allows you to get to know their friends, see how they behave, influence them in the proper ways to behave and we have really been blessed by many of the children who come and go through our home.

I have a list of kids that I'm honored enough to have call me "Momma"

I wouldn't have it any other way.

Ciao Bellas~

~Momma~

P.S.  Another easy peasy dinner to make for a group is "crockpot chili verdi" or for breakfast if you don't want to do bacon and pancakes do "breakfast burritos"  Whatever you do make it easy on yourself.  Teenagers will eat anything.

FACEBOOK FOR KIDS?? {IS IT OKAY?} ADVISE NEEDED

My daughter has been BEGGING..... yep, I said BEGGING for a facebook account for about a year now.  Many of her friends have one (to which she OF COURSE hears the reply "If your friends jumped off a bridge, would you do it to?"  OR "Good for them, I'm not Susie's mom"  and many other smart butt remarks but the truth is I'm on the fence.

I wasn't on the fence......now I'm on the fence.  She is in 7th grade, many of her friends have it and are always sending me emails asking me to please let my daughter get an account.

The predator thing is, of course, in my mind BUT the computer is on the desk next to my desk in the middle of our home and they youngsters aren't allowed to take it to their rooms.  If you are going to type it, it better be okay for Momma to read it.  I don't read every email or get way up in their business but I know WHO they are emailing and if I feel the need to get up in their business I have no issue doing it..  It's my job as their Momma.

BUT my biggest concern is.........

DRAMA...... DRAMA.........DRAMA......  Anyone with daughters has to know about the DRAMA.....

Can you believe how mean girls can be??? It's crazy.  What's even more crazy is the Mommas that tend to join in and make things worse.  Fortunately I haven't had too much of that YET but I don't want it.  And this concerns me.....

I remember when my oldest was on MySpace.  OMYGOSH....  so and so says this about so and so and then everyone is telling everyone and then they are arguing and then there is a fight at school.  Or one kid says another kid is ugly or who knows....and I'm afraid of that.

Even 40 year olds are going on there with their drama.  Saying something "without SAYING it".....so someone else will read it and figure out it is about them.  GROW UP PEOPLE as bad as you might wish you were WE ARE NOT IN HIGH SCHOOL. 

If 40 +year olds can't help themselves can I expect it to be different for 12 and 13 year olds?

My daughter argues that she won't get sucked into the drama and she will only be friends with her good friends on there.....  I'm just thinking it's 7th grade, granted at a little K-8th mountain school but still......

Sooooooooo ....... Am I being over protective?  Am I over thinking it? I tend to do this allot.... Do I let her get a CLOSELY MONITORED facebook page and if the drama starts to go on and close her page?

OR

Do I just stick to my initial thought of Nooooooo.....

I NEED your opinions please......What do you all think and why?

Ciao Bellas~

Momma

P.S.  It's only right that in a post about Facebook I ask you to click the link on my blog join me on my facebook page.  No drama on my page... promise.... (smile)

HELPFUL HOMEWORK ADVISE {stop the homework hassle}

This is part of an on-going series LBDDiaries and I are doing on keeping our Inner Aloha/Peaceful Life.  See my previous post at Organize with a Calendar {for the CEO of your houshold} for some more great tips!

HOMEWORK HASSLE STRESSIN' YOU OUT?


Raising four Rugrats (aka. Children) I have learned that homework can be the cause of a lot of stress in a home.  I have also learned that EACH CHILD IS DIFFERENT. 

I have/have had Rugrats who come in the door from school and don't even have to have a word mentioned to them and boom they are doing their HOMEWORK WITHOUT ANY ISSUES.  I have also had Rugrats who I have to watch like a hawk and CONSISTENTLY REMIND THEM TO DO THEIR HOMEWORK... (and constantly check to make sure it is actually being done and/or check what homework they actually have.  This causes so much STRESS.

Because of this I am constantly looking for pointers and tips and ideas of new things to try.

I'm assuming I'm not the only one with this issue so I thought I'd share what I have learned and what seems to be working.........this week.

HOW MUCH TIME SHOULD THEY SPEND DOING HOMEWORK ?~


Typically younger children, for obvious reasons, can only do sooooo much time at the homework table.  A general rule of thumb is that children do 10 minutes of homework for each grade level. In other words, first graders should be expected to do about 10 minutes of homework, second graders 20 minutes, third graders 30 minutes, fourth graders 40 minutes, etc. If your child is spending more than 10 minutes per grade level on their homework each night, then you may want to talk with your child's teacher.

My 6th grade daughter Math teacher recommends that after any child in his class has worked 60 minutes on math that the parent sign the paper and the child can turn it in for full math credit.  They, of course, will be reviewing it in class to get a better grasp and hopefully become able to complete the entire assignment in the 60 minute time frame.



TRYING TO NOT PULL YOUR HAIR OUT DURING HOMEWORK TIME~

Something that has helped me a lot over the years is to have a time frame that homework is done.  Example: Come home from school, have a snack and start homework.  Also having a specific area of the home where homework is completed.

If your child doesn't feel seeing the good grades on his/her report card is a good enough reason to study and do homework you may want to consider a rewards program for them.

A DAILY HOMEWORK PLANNER..... REPEAT.... A DAILY HOMEWORK PLANNER

SET UP YOUR HOMEWORK ROUTINES~

Just like with us adults and getting our housework done or our job out of the home routines help greatly.

The first thing you need to do is figure out where your child should do their homework each day.  Is it the a desk in their bedroom?  This location may be better for the child who doesn't need as much help with their homework AND who you can trust to do their homework without constant supervision.  OR maybe a desk in the main area of your home OR your kitchen table.  I find for my youngest Rugrat that she needs to be where I can see her at all times.  This is important to keep her on track.  My older Rugrat daughter and son do great in their rooms.  It really depends on the personality of your child.
One you have established where you want your child to do their homework each day make sure you have everything they will need in that location.  We have a desk in our home that is loaded with all the supplies they will need. It is located right next to my home/office desk.  If you need your child to work from your dining room table obviously having all the supplies located on your table isn't doable.  I would suggest getting a plastic tub or a large basket that you can keep all the items in and pull it out at homework time.  This way everything is still together and easy to grab at homework time but it will allow for easy clean up when it comes time to set the table and eat..

Even on a post about homework hassles it's still all about the food!  HA HA

Sorry, it's how I roll....

Ya, I could easily keep going with the "roll" comment but I'll get back to the post....



WHAT IS THE BEST TIME TO DO HOMEWORK?~

 Is it directly after school?  Is it after they come home and have a snack?  Directly after dinner?  What works best for YOUR schedule as well as your child's?  In our home our children come home, have a snack and start their homework.  This is what works best for us.  OBVIOUSLY once sports start this changes.

Be flexible with the new seasons and having to change your routine occasionally BUT try to stay as consistent as possible.  Learning a good homework habit early on will help them when they begin college and you aren't there to remind them.  You may need to play with it a bit with the schedule at first to see what works best for you, but then try to stick to it the best you can.



KEEP TRACK OF ASSIGNMENTS~

A daily homework planner is a good good good thing!  Your child should write down homework for each class/subject in their planner each day.  On occasion you will find that your child will not write down all of their assignments, as to get out of doing homework.  SHOCK AND AWE MOMENT I KNOW!  I have had this happen on numerous occasions.  Sooooooooooo if you too have a Rugrat who is a homework hassle King/Queen may I suggest requiring your child write their homework assignments IN INK in their planner AND have their teacher initial next to the homework list THAT IS WRITTEN IN INK (so they can't erase any assignments AFTER the teacher initials it......Not that they would ever dream of doing something like this).....  I only have on child who has to do the INK written assignments with signature but it is proving to be most helpful.  (smile)

*Be sure to check with your child's school for online resources.  Many teachers use "Schoolnotes(dot)com" OR they use another online grading/homework system that parents can go on to view both grades and homework assignments.

REWARDS~

I have started giving out "Good Time Tickets" to my Rugrats.  I don't JUST use them for homework I also use them for other things I catch them doing right in our home.  (For instance yesterday they unloaded some items I had purchased out of the back of my car WITHOUT my asking them to do it......)  If the planner comes home with the assignments written in it, they earn a ticket.  When they complete their homework if it is done NEATLY and they didn't dilly dally around making me repeatedly tell them to get back on task they earn a ticket.  These tickets can be redeemed for several "Good Times"  from picking what we are having for dinner to a trip to the coast for a weekend.  It all depends on how many tickets they save up.  There are also things that can get your tickets taken away.  Lying about what homework you have.  Picking any answer on multiple choice questions just to be done with the homework page "IMAGINE IT"...I don't have to imagine it..... I've lived it.....

You have to adjust here and there and I'm still learning, even after 20 years of these Rugrats.  You will find one thing works well with one child and something entirely different will work well for another.

Hope these tips were helpful!

What do you in your home that has been helpful?

Please share...we must stick together or these Rugrats will eat us alive....besides....together we can lower the stress level in many homes....

Or just open a bottle of wine...... KIDDING....

sort of...... tee hee

Ciao Bellas~
Momma

ORGANIZE WITH A CALENDAR {FOR THE CEO OF YOUR HOUSEHOLD}

This is part of an on-going series LBDDiaries and I are doing on keeping our Inner Aloha/Peaceful Life


Now that school is back in for most of us our lives have started getting busier again.  Gone are the kicked back summer days.  This doesn't mean we have to lose our "Aloha".  I refuse for it to mean this so I have been putting a lot of time into researching how to control the chaos.

One thing I have found VERY helpful is my calendar.  LOVE LOVE LOVE my calendar.  It is called "Mom's Family Desk Planner and it's by Sandra Boynton.  You can purchase them at several locations and online but I recently found them at Costco.  It's a 17 month school year planner so there is room to write things for the following school year during the current school year.  This has proven to be WONDERFUL.

Of course there is always your calender on your phone which works well and you can set alerts. I use this as well.  I like it because I almost always have my phone with me but I still love my desk planner.  I put it in my purse and that way I always have it with me.

At the beginning of the school year all the junk mail IMPORTANT papers come home and while I'm filling out what I need to fill out and send back to school I grab my calendar and I write down all the events that are on the school calendar.  "No school days", "Early release days", etc.  Then each week when the "Bulletin" comes home I again grab my calendar and write down all the dates/times of upcoming events they are announcing.

What is great about the Mom's Family Desk Planner is there is one column for MOM and one for the RUGRATS.  So I can see at a glance which column it is written in and know if it is something for me or something the rugrats are doing. 

I don't know if it is because I have my own special space and with rugrats that is hard to come by so I just get so excited (even if it is only a column on a calendar) but it's mine....all mine..... ahhhhhhhhhhh.......MINE!  Ok, sorry..

AND for the family to have an easy look they also make it in a big wall calendar.  Now this one has more columns.......everyone gets their very own column (unless you have more than a family of five, which I do but now one of my Rugrats is out on his own so I don't have to split a column between two of the children anymore) so you can record their activity in their own column and you can see at a glance who has something that day. 

At the top of the calendar there is a blank space that you can fill in your Rugrat's name and the very first column is for MOM... that's because we are the CEO of our households and we must always come first. HA....It was worth a try.....

Now remember if you do not take the time to write the appointments and events down in your calendar IT WON'T WORK.  Or if you do what I have been guilty of and you don't look at the calendar to see what you have coming up IT WON'T WORK.

I look at my calendar every night after dinner.  Why do this instead of just looking at it in the morning?  Because when I wake up and see that my calendar says "Bring 2 dozen cookies to Rugrat's class" I don't want to have CHAOS sirens going off that morning.  I want them going off the night before. 

But what I do to TRY (key word) to avoid the CHAOS even more is.......

Example:

Susie needs 2 dozen cookies taken to class on Tuesday.  On Monday's date my calendar will say "Susie needs cookies taken to class tomorrow"  AND when I find out I need to do this, along with writing on my calendar, it gets written on my grocery list (future post coming on menu planning/grocery list/budget) so when I need to make the cookies on Monday it doesn't become "A WHOLE THING" as I like to say because i don't have the ingredients to make them and now I have to make a special trip to the store, etc.  .  

Calendars are so important.  Businesses use them all the time.  Why?  Because they have to keep track off all the appointments and jobs they have going on.  Who would expect them to remember all of this information without a calendar?  Nobody would.

Well as the CEO's of our household we have a lot to keep track of and who would expect us to remember it all without a calendar?  Nobody would, EXCEPT ourselves.....

Let's give up trying to fly by the seat of our pants and then beat ourselves up when we "forget" things.  Let's take the 10 minutes to sit down and put things on our calendar's as they come in.  It will save a lot more than 10 minutes in the long run. 

***I have found a great time to fill out my calendar is when I'm sitting and waiting for my rugrats to finish guitar lessons or soccer practice or wrestling practice.  Instead of sitting and thinking I have so much to do it's a great idea to fill in your calendar or start making that to do list.

To see the previous Aloha post click here "organize & reduce stress".......For more information on our Aloha journey be sure to go visit LBDDiaries and drink up a cup of her wisdom.

Ciao Bellas~

MOMMA