OOOOOH.....Didn't realize it had been as long as it had.....funny how life goes faster as we get older....just a few days ago I was stating how LOOOOOONG January always is....ha...it is almost March! I can't wait though....even if spring brings the dreaded allergies! I love watching the birds come in, hopping around trying to find the worm! The buds popping out on all the trees...the first 'mow' of the year....who doesn't love that fresh grass mow spell???? Now that E is walking...YES.....wow.....he is 2 yrs. old now....I'm telling ya, this Nana stuff is truly splendid! Being a Mom was what I wanted to be so much...never knew being a grandma would be so wonderful too.....only problem...I didn't have the 'joint pain' I grunt around now with....tent building with the quilts takes more time, and ugh...having to get down there....haha....well...to hear that giggle, see his eyes laugh with me getting down to play too....what else is there??? But......not going to let this get by with saying...TERRIBLE 2'S!!!!!! OH LORD.....he has a temper!!! And, he sure knows how to use it. Did his daddy act that way? haha.... Ok...gonna get back into blogging, sharing the great idea's I find, and hoping to get this out there more for others to use the posts, and share a smile or two in the process. Make a memory today!!! Have fun doing so! Ain't he the prettiest????!!!! Little stinker!

MISSED CHANCES

As soon as I read the first sentence of the caregiver’s email, I knew this message was different than any I had ever received. The hairs on my arms stood up as I absorbed each word that came uncomfortably close to home. It was a voice of heartache, wisdom, and urgency speaking directly to the parents of the 21st century: “I can recall a time when you were out with your children you were really with them. You engaged in a back and forth dialog even if they were pre-verbal. You said, ‘Look at the bus, see the doggie, etc.’ Now I see you on the phone, pushing your kids on the swings while distracted by your devices. You think you are spending time with them but you are not present really. When I see you pick up your kids at day care while you’re on the phone, it breaks my heart. They hear your adult conversations. What do they overhear? What is the message they receive? I am not important; I am not important.” In a 100-word paragraph this concerned woman who has cared for babies since 1977 revealed a disturbing recipe … How to Miss a Childhood. And because I possess hundreds of distraction confessions, including stories from my own former highly distracted life, I have all the damaging ingredients. All it takes is one child and one phone and this tragic recipe can be yours. How to Miss a Childhood *Keep your phone turned on at all times of the day. Allow the rings, beeps, and buzzes to interrupt your child midsentence; always let the caller take priority. *Carry your phone around so much that when you happen to leave it in one room your child will come running with it proudly in hand—treating it more like a much needed breathing apparatus than a communication device. *Decide the app you’re playing is more important than throwing the ball in the yard with your kids. Even better, yell at them to leave you alone while you play your game. *Take your children to the zoo and spend so much time on your phone that your child looks longingly at the mother who is engaged with her children and wishes she was with her instead. *While you wait for the server to bring your food or the movie to start, get out your phone and stare at it despite the fact your child sits inches away longing for you talk to him. *Go to your child’s sporting event and look up periodically from your phone thinking she won’t notice that you are not fully focused on her game. *Check your phone first thing in the morning … even before you kiss, hug, or greet the people in your family. *Neglect daily rituals like tucking your child into bed or nightly dinner conversation because you are too busy with your online activity. *Don’t look up from your phone when your child speaks to you or just reply with an “uh huh” so she thinks you were listening. *Lose your temper with your child when he “bothers” you while you are interacting with your hand-held electronic device. *Give an exasperated sigh when your child asks you to push her on the swing. Can’t she see you’re busy? *Use drive time to call other people regardless of the fact you could be talking to your kids about their day—or about their worries, their fears, or their dreams. *Read email and text messages at stoplights. Then tell yourself that when your kids are old enough to drive they won’t remember you did this all the time. *Have the phone to your ear when she gets in or out of the car. Convince yourself a loving hello or goodbye is highly overrated. Follow this recipe and you will have: • Missed opportunities for human connection • Fewer chances to create beautiful memories • Lack of connection to the people most precious to you • Inability to really know your children and them unable to know you • Overwhelming regret If you find this recipe difficult to read—if you find that you have tears in your eyes, I thank you, and your child thanks you. Here’s the thing: You don’t have to follow the above recipe. Yes, it is the 21st century. Yes, the whole world is online. Yes, the communications for your job are important. Yes, at times you must be readily available. But despite all those factors, you do not have to sacrifice your child’s childhood; nor do you have to sacrifice your life. It is not easy to consider the possibility that the distractions of the modern age have taken an undeserved priority over the people who matter in your life May I recommend this recipe instead? How to Grasp a Childhood: Look into her eyes when she speaks to you … Your uninterrupted gaze is love to your child.

Take time to be with him—really be with him by giving your full attention … The gift of your total presence is love to your child.

Hold her hand, rub his back, listen to her heart beat, and smooth his hair … Your gentle touch is love to your child.

Greet her like you missed her when she was not in your presence … Seeing your face light up when you see her is love to your child.

Play with him … Your involvement in his activities is love to your child.

Set an example of being distraction-free while driving … Positive role modeling behind the wheel is love (and safety) to your child.

Create a distraction-free daily ritual … Consistently making him a priority each day is love to your child.

Focus and smile at her from the stands, sidelines, or the audience … Seeing the joy on your face as you watch is love to your child.

The recipe for “How to Grasp a Childhood” requires only one thing: You must put down your phone. Whether it is for ten minutes, two hours, or an entire Saturday, beautiful human connection, memory making, and parent-child bonding can occur every single time you let go of distraction to grasp what really matters. The beautiful, life-changing results of your “Hands Free” action can start today … right now … the moment you put down the phone.

************************************************************ My life changed the day I stopped justifying my highly distracted life and admitted I was missing precious moments that I would never retrieve. I imagined my daughter standing on the stage of her high school graduation and asked myself: When she is 18 years old, will I wish I had spent more time on my phone/work/social life? Or will I wish I had spent more time investing in her? The answer was simple.

My hope is that this post inspires one person to become aware of how often he or she uses the phone (or computer) in the presence of a child. Please help spread this critical message by clicking “share.” By falling into the right hands, it could be the best gift ever received.

WaterMelon Salad...ummmmm..

Was at a friends house over the 4th and this is something that was brought. I had to share it also, as it was soooo delish...and easy enough to make. A great idea she said she got out of a Mom's blog, so enjoy and let me know if you liked it as well. Vicki Cool and crisp, this is the perfect salad to serve when it heats up outside. The sweet watermelon is balanced with tangy feta and the clean flavors of mint and lime. The vinaigrette is a delicious alternative to traditional lemon versions and would be delicious with grilled shrimp or chicken as well. Serves 6-8

Ingredients 3 tbsp lime juice, freshly squeezed 1 tbsp shallot, finely minced kosher salt and freshly ground pepper 1 tbsp honey 2 tbsp olive oil 1 large fennel bulb, thinly sliced 3 cups diced watermelon 1 cup feta, crumbled 1/4 cup mint leaves, chopped Preparation To make the vinaigrette, in a small bowl combine the lime juice, shallots, 1/2 tsp. salt, and a few grindings of pepper. Allow to sit for 5 minutes, then whisk in the honey. Whisk in the olive oil to combine. Slice the fennel bulb in half through the core and use a paring knife to remove the core. Using a mandoline or slicing knife, slice the fennel into very thin pieces. In a large bowl, combine the fennel, watermelon, feta, and mint. Add the dressing and toss to combine. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if necessary. Serve immediately.

The Reasons

Daily, I get people coming to me that either know me personally, or know me through something they have seen on the internet. They ask me how I am doing so well earning money from home, and I tell them this. Working from home is not as easy as some may think...after all, the farmer does it, and he is up from sunrise to sunset. The Avon lady does it, the Tupperware lady does it, etc...Other than the farmer, we are all network marketers. We have either chose to stay home, work from it, or circumstances has lead to it.Personally, it was the latter for me when I was pink-slipped. Sudden, and devastating to us. When approached to this side of the working spectrum, I was like all average people, thinking no way I could supplement my income I just lost with something like this. WELL, I WAS WRONG! Not only have I been able to do so, but have exceeded the income I was making. Nope, not been easy, but sure has not been hard. Some trial and errors, yes...and not knowing how to do such as this was hard at first. What has been a blessing though, is I joined a wonderful company first, that although was completely new to the market, has been OUTRAGEOUSLY SUCCESSFUL. It also was being run by folks just as small town as I, who were in different fields, and they were learning the marketing business as much as I was. That hard work paid off, and it is now a multi-million dollar business. Although I no longer distribute it(market it) I will tell anyone about it, and share it. I went on to look for something that would be more 'me' in terms that I am a 'help others' person. It took a couple of tries, but FINALLY I have found 'them'....lol...I didn't just find one, but two businesses that will allow me to help folks in ways that really is close to them. It is like couponing, you search for what you need, then find the best price and get it in some ways. Let me tell you though, the road I have chose here is not for everyone. I had to learn that. But what I have can be used by all, and they don't have to come aboard as marketers like myself to benefit from what I do. They can be free customers for their personal benefits. It is still helping them, and allows me the satisfaction knowing I am still doing what I love by helping. I hope to just share this ability with you today. I want to ask you to just look at my 2 wonderful reasons below that allow me to be here when Larry comes in for lunch. Allows me to keep my awesome grandson 2 days a week, getting to know him, play with him, bond with him. I love what I do, and the freedoms it has given. I thank God daily for the truth here as everyone told me nearly 4 yrs. ago....'When one door closes, another one opens.' "Have faith, for God will show you something new." He did...and I am loving it. Thank you to all who gave me back my faith then, and now. Thank you for taking the time to read this far. I hope you will take the time to see what has given me my income, my free time now with my family, and my sanity back! God Bless to you all! Vicki. http://ultimatepowerprofits.com/GreatDailyDeals http://greatdailydeals.igoshopping.info/ (both are with Global One Companies above) http://ilivingapp.com/vickicurry Mobile apps are a modern phenomenon. In a short period of time they have changed the way we do business, communicate with people, search for information, entertain ourselves and more. They are exciting and people naturally share or recommend a good app to others just because they like it. iLA. iLivingApp is a company that wants to do all of this and more. I want to encourage people with hope, a hope that they can reach new levels of success in their life — a hope to improve relationships, achieve goals, be motivated, increase finances and break free from debt while working with an exciting, cutting edge technology. If these things excite you and give you hope than welcome to iLA!

FLYLADY?

A friend of mine, Vinessa, posted on FB about needing organization help. Well, I can tell you that for the past (+) years....I have cried, begged, prayed for these skills, and help!!! lol.... A friend of hers sent her a post site to check out....and I got to tell you, this was WRITTEN ABOUT ME!!!!! Well, part of it...as you see....I am 'Mom'-'Wife'-'Gran', so NOT ALL of these things put down WERE OR ARE MINE!!! But...I get the point...if only I could 'teach it also'.....had to share this from the very special FLYLADY ........ ENJOY ALL, HAVE A WONDERFUL, MEMORABLE WEEK-END! ......... VICKI ......................... Suffering Alone ............... Dear Friends, .............. Our homes have always been a source of shame for us. This is why we locked ourselves behind those doors and refused to let anyone into our homes and our lives. We were fearful that someone would find out our dirty little secret. We felt that we were the only ones in the whole wide world that lived this way. I wrote Sink Reflections for you. This book is dedicated to YOU, who have suffered in silence, thinking that you were the only one in the world who lived in CHAOS! We no longer have to suffer with our shame. FLYing gives you the tools to deal with your home and yourself. You see you never dreamed that the state of your home was a symptom of your problem and not the problem itself. You have said it thousands of times, “If only I could get the house clean; everything would be OK.” That is not how it works. We have read every self help book ever printed because we were looking for that special tip that would be the saving grace. There is no special tip for house cleaning. It just has to be done. The problem has always been our perfectionism. As children we were taught by our parents that if you can’t do it right don’t do it all. It was a lesson we took to heart. We were also taught by example that cleaning took a huge block of time. I don’t know many people that have hours to devote to their homes. We all have busy schedules and just want our homes to magically clean themselves. Well that does not happen unless you have your routines firmly grounded. Even small routines will change your home. When you sandwich your new attitudes along with your routines, and toss in some love; you have the recipe for a wonderful comfort zone that you can call home. In all those self-help books we were given tips for doing things. We all know how to clean; after all we are perfectionist; our biggest problem is moving when we have the chance. For years in our stinking thinking we cleaned for company. We didn’t have time to do a little every day, because we didn’t think it would do any good at all. We felt that we needed a whole day to clean and then we would be so proud of ourselves when we stood back and looked at what we had accomplished. That would only last a few hours because the clean would start to disintegrate around us: All because we didn’t have routines to help us keep it up. Routines are not the straight jackets that we thought they were. With them we can be even more spontaneous than before because now we can open our doors and not hide. Before in our CHAOS; we had to have lots of notice to get ready for company. It would take day or weeks to get it together and an all night cramming session the day before the company arrived. We looked and felt awful because we were not taking care of ourselves. We were such a joy to be around! NOT!!! Did you know that your family deserves to be treated like company and you do too? Since it has always taken so long to get ready for company then we just didn’t think we were worth it. Well we are and now you know how to do it without being overwhelmed by the process. The secret to keeping your home in this comfort zone is to pick up after yourself. I asked my clerk one time about this. I had crisis cleaned to get ready for Thanksgiving and I was afraid that it would all fall apart before Thursday and I would be up half the night to get ready for our guest. Since she is Born Organized I interviewed her about how to keep it together. She kind of chuckled at me and said it is really quite simple, Marla. All you have to do is pick up after yourself. That was a light bulb moment for me. If I get it out, I put it away. Wow it is that simple after all. That was the day that I started to practice picking up after myself. I would be on watch for those tell-tell words, “I can do that later, I’ll just put it here for a minute till…..” That was my warning sign that I was getting ready to build a hot spot. It is just amazing when one of your flat surfaces is clean; how much that piece of paper stands out. Kind of like a sore thumb. Half the battle of having a home ready for company all the time is to have your favorite dumping grounds(hot spots) clear. Your house can have dust every where and floors that need doing, but if your hot spots are extinguished, then your home looks clean because the clutter isn’t in your face. Kelly and I don’t let our home get more 15 minutes worth of cluttered. We could have a party tonight if we wanted. Fling open our doors and let our friends into our lives. Could you do this without a panic? It is so peaceful to know that your home is ready and your bathroom is presentable. I want for you what I have and this peace came from building my routines one habit at a time and changing my attitude toward my home. Are you ready to FLY by eliminating the CHAOS in your life? FlyLady

Tooth Fairy - Santa - Loss of Magic?

I have to share this....because I don't think Larry nor I will EVER forget the day that we had to lose the magic of Santa at our house. It was a heartbreaking, tearful day. Wish I had seen this before. Maybe it will help others. I sure hope so...as to lose this magic is tragic..(sorry, w/tears still on memory, I had to do that to bring me out of funk!) :)~ Keep for these days ahead or share to those who have them coming. I still remember 'losing my magic' as a child...and that is a long time ago!!! So, from a friends blog: A few months back, the Tooth Fairy got busted. She left a note for Alice up on her computer, and Lucy figured the whole business out. The Tooth Fairy cursed her need to write notes in elaborate fonts and tried to come up with a cover story, but it didn’t fool Lucy. To her credit, Lucy has kept the secret from her little sister, who still hasn’t lost a tooth and deserves to wake up with money under her pillow. But the Tooth Fairy knew it couldn’t be too long before Santa was similarly unmasked. She didn’t know when or how, but she knew the days of magic in her house, at least magic of a certain sort, were coming to an end. And the Tooth Fairy—by which I mean myself—was pretty darned sad about the inevitable, which finally arrived last week. Lucy and I have been exchanging notes since the school year started. We’ve talked about all sorts of things—sports, books we’d like to read, adventures we’d like to have, even stories from when I was in third grade. For the most part, though, it’s been light, casual stuff. Until last week. I NEED TO KNOW, she wrote, using capital letters for emphasis. ARE YOU SANTA? TELL ME THE TRUTH. What do you do when your kid asks for the truth? You tell it, of course, doing your best to figure out a way that keeps at least some of the magic intact. Here’s what I wrote: --------------------------------------------------------------------- Dear Lucy, Thank you for your letter. You asked a very good question: “Are you Santa?” I know you’ve wanted the answer to this question for a long time, and I’ve had to give it careful thought to know just what to say. The answer is no. I am not Santa. There is no one Santa. I am the person who fills your stockings with presents, though. I also choose and wrap the presents under the tree, the same way my mom did for me, and the same way her mom did for her. (And yes, Daddy helps, too.) I imagine you will someday do this for your children, and I know you will love seeing them run down the stairs on Christmas morning. You will love seeing them sit under the tree, their small faces lit with Christmas lights. This won’t make you Santa, though. Santa is bigger than any person, and his work has gone on longer than any of us have lived. What he does is simple, but it is powerful. He teaches children how to have belief in something they can’t see or touch. It’s a big job, and it’s an important one. Throughout your life, you will need this capacity to believe: in yourself, in your friends, in your talents and in your family. You’ll also need to believe in things you can’t measure or even hold in your hand. Here, I am talking about love, that great power that will light your life from the inside out, even during its darkest, coldest moments. Santa is a teacher, and I have been his student, and now you know the secret of how he gets down all those chimneys on Christmas Eve: he has help from all the people whose hearts he’s filled with joy. With full hearts, people like Daddy and me take our turns helping Santa do a job that would otherwise be impossible. So, no. I am not Santa. Santa is love and magic and hope and happiness. I’m on his team, and now you are, too. I love you and I always will. Mama

10 BRAIN TEASERS to TEST UR MENTAL CLARITY

ok...NO CHEATING......How is your MENTAL CLARITY today?

1. Johnny’s mother had three children. The first child was named April. The second child was named May. What was the third child’s name? 2. A clerk at a butcher shop stands five feet ten inches tall and wears size 13 sneakers. What does he weigh? 3. Before Mt. Everest was discovered, what was the highest mountain in the world? 4. How much dirt is there in a hole that measures two feet by three feet by four feet? 5. What word in the English language is always spelled incorrectly? 6. Billie was born on December 28th, yet her birthday always falls in the summer. How is this possible? 7. In British Columbia you cannot take a picture of a man with a wooden leg. Why not? 8. If you were running a race and you passed the person in 2nd place, what place would you be in now? 9. Which is correct to say, “The yolk of the egg is white” or “The yolk of the egg are white?” 10. A farmer has five haystacks in one field and four haystacks in another. How many haystacks would he have if he combined them all in one field? ============================================================================================== Answers 1. Johnny. 2. Meat. 3. Mt. Everest. It just wasn’t discovered yet. 4. There is no dirt in a hole. 5. Incorrectly (except when it is spelled incorrecktly). 6. Billie lives in the southern hemisphere. 7. You can’t take a picture with a wooden leg. You need a camera (or iPad or cell phone) to take a picture. 8. You would be in 2nd place. You passed the person in second place, not first. 9. Neither. Egg yolks are yellow. 10. One. If he combines all his haystacks, they all become one big stack. Okay, some of these are a bit corny. But they all illustrate several brain idiosyncrasies that affect how we make decisions in the world. Thanks to the way our brain works, we have a very strong tendency to see what we want to see and what we expect to see. This has huge implications when studying our customers, markets, competitors, and other data that influences key business decisions. When we only see what we want or expect to see, we miss competitive threats because our brain tells us a threat couldn’t possibly come from that direction. We miss opportunities because we only see what has worked in the past rather than what could be. And we miss major market shifts and changes in customer needs that seem obvious in hindsight but are easily overlooked when focusing on what we already know. Our brain doesn’t like information gaps, so we tend to jump at the first answer/solution that looks good rather than take the time to examine all the data. This is especially true in a world where we receive more information every day than we have time to assimilate. Finally, our brains love to see patterns and make connections. This trait serves us well in many ways as we move through the world. But the brain doesn’t always get it right. For example, how did you answer question #1 (be honest)? For most people, the first word that pops into their head is “June,” because the brain quickly spots the April/May/June pattern. Upon re-reading the question and analyzing the data, the answer “Johnny” becomes obvious. And what about the man with the wooden leg? Your answer depends on how you interpret “with.” Does it refer to the man with the wooden leg or to the camera? A bit of a trick question, but it clearly illustrates how the language we use shapes the way we look at the world. Perhaps the best example of how we miss things is the egg yolk question. Everybody knows egg yolks are yellow. But the question’s phrasing puts our attention on selecting the correct verb, so we overlook an obvious piece of data and an even more obvious answer. We can’t change how the brain works – at least not yet. Give science another 50 years and who knows what our brains will be doing! For now, we can become more aware of how our brain works, then pause from time to time to consider what we’re missing. This includes the data we’re unconsciously screening out as well as different sources of data to counterbalance what we expect to see. Get in the habit of teasing your brain. You’ll be amazed at what you end up seeing that you didn’t see before. Retweet this blog to find out how clever your friends and business associates are.