Devoted to Parenting

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Work at Home Mom Stress

By Aurelia Williams, author of Balancing Work and Family guide.
The trend of moms working from home to be near their children has grown in the last couple of years. Now that they have found jobs or businesses to run, they’re starting to realize that working from home is not as easy as they thought it would be. The work they do is hard to separate form their personal lives, which makes it hard to schedule time for work responsibilities and home duties.
The workspace these moms use to do their jobs at ends up being a part of their household, so that makes dividing work and home life even more difficult to do - and one of the motivating reasons for creating my Balancing Work and Family guide. Imagine that your office is a part of the dining room, which also happens to be the room where you eat your meals as a family. How easy is it going to be for you to leave your work life to be with your family when the office is 5 feet away from the dinner table?
The realities of dividing work and personal life can get smudged for work at home moms. When that happens, one’s stress level is sure to rise, which could jeopardize one’s sanity. To prevent your sanity from leaving, you should find ways to ensure that separation takes place between your job/business and your family life.
Assess the current situation. Try to find an area, within your home, to have your office so that it won’t interfere with your family life. The home office needs a room with a door where you can be apart from the rest of the house. A den or a garage can be converted into office space that is exclusive to your business. Some people have resorted to placing their office in the laundry room, just because it has a door! When that is not an option, set up shop in your bedroom to keep it away from the family areas.
Organization is the next step. A messy desk can be a huge distraction when trying to work. Everything needs to have its place. If you worked in an office, your boss would not stand for a messy work space. There’s no difference when you’re office is at home and not at the worksite.
Use inexpensive organizing items, such as baskets with separate compartments to help organize the odds and ends on your desk. You can keep rubber stamps, letters, invoices, pens, pencils, and the like in here. Organization makes finding things much easier, which results in a more relaxed work day.
Keep your business phone separate from the family phone line. When using the same line, you run the risk of your children answering business calls or picking up the phone during a conference call. This causes your professionalism to fly right out the window and takes your customers or employers along with it.
The same goes for the computer. It’s best to keep your business computer separate from what the other family members use, but budgets don’t always allow for this. In that case, make sure that the business/job files and documents can’t be easily accessed by anyone but you. This will help prevent some of the stress that could be brought on by family members stumbling on a client’s important document and accidentally deleting them.
Be sure to use calendars or planners as they are very helpful when trying to keep track of business appointments or deadlines and family appointments. This will lessen the stress of setting up family appointments when you’ve forgotten about business deadlines you have.
Consider hiring a sitter on days you have a lot of work to do. Being a work at home mom gives you the benefit of controlling your own schedule. Having a sitter keeps the kids away from your office and gives you quiet time to focus on your work and gives your kids a chance to have fun without you feeling too guilty.
Mixing business with family in the home setting can be a major source of stress. Keeping the business side of your life organized and separate is crucial to success in keeping your stress levels down and your sanity intact.
Get More Help:
Working at home can be extremely rewarding, but it's challenging. Get the help you need with Real Life Guidance to Balancing Work and Family. It's your practical guide to tracking your time, setting priorities, learning to say no and achieving that balance you strive for.

Saturday, September 4, 2010

How to Apply Your Subconscious Mind Power to Easily Increase Your Self Confidence

Author: George Hutton

If you'd like to become more socially confident, more outgoing, or simply just to feel more relaxed when you're out in public, then this article is for you. You'll learn an easy procedure that when practiced regularly, will transform your personality sooner than you think.

There's a lot that goes on in your mind when you consider doing something like that, most of which goes on well below conscious awareness. Your brain is a fantastic, smart organ that is incredibly fast when it comes to sniffing out danger. One thing that has kept humans surviving on this planet is that our brains often over estimate the danger we may encounter when we think about doing something new.

This is about what happens in your brain when you consider walking over and introducing yourself to a group of interesting people. First your brain checks all your memories of every time you've been in a similar situation.
Then it calculates the risk involved, and then it calculates the potential benefit. Then it comes back with a "feeling" that lets you know whether or not it's safe.

If you saw a hundred dollar bill lying on the sidewalk, it would be an easy decision. If you saw a hundred dollar bill lying next to a tiger, it would be completely different. In the first situation, you'd be excited. In the second situation, you'd be scared.

The problem with human interaction is that often times what we think happened isn't what really happened. We often misinterpret events. We really have no idea what people mean when they say and do things, so we assign meaning to them. So when our brains go and access our memories to assess a situation, the memories that it comes back with are not real. They were just memories that we made up on the fly because we thought we knew what was going on.

The happy news is that there's a simple trick around this.
Using some simple self hypnosis and some well crafted statements, you can easily train your brain to feel absolutely confident in any social situation. Here's how.

First, come up with your statement, or affirmation. State it positively, and in the present tense, or in the now.
Also make sure it is filled with appreciation and emotions.
That is key. Without positive emotions, your statements or affirmations will fall flat, and won't do much. Something like this is fine:

I enjoy speaking with people, and I appreciate my ability to walk up and comfortably and confidently start a conversation with anybody. I am a confident, outgoing person, and I really enjoy talking with new people. I have always been confident and outgoing. I enjoy all my experiences with talking to new people.

Write it so it makes sense to you, and describes how you'd really like to be.

When you make this statement, be sure to be in a relaxed, sleepy state of mind. This is the best time to retrain your subconscious. Sit back in a comfortable chair, and count down from ten to one. Breath deeply for each breath, and say, "I am..." on the inhale, and "relaxed," on the exhale.
You'll find that every time you do this it gets easier and easier.

Another great time to do this is just as you are falling asleep, and just as you wake up. It can help to keep a small card next to your bed so to remind you to think of it first thing in the morning. Saying it both before sleep and upon awakening has a powerful transformative effect.

Once you are in that relaxed, sleepy state, begin your statement. Say it quietly, and with as much emotion as you can generate. Feelings of gratitude will help this happen much quicker.

If you keep this up on a daily basis, you'll be the life of the party in no time.

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To tap the power of your subconscious mind, head on over to the free hypnosis site today:
http://www.georgehutton.net/wordpress

Thursday, July 1, 2010

Ask for & Go for What You Want

By Aurelia Williams, Certified Life Coach

Do you think that brand new laptop that you saw at Circuit city will just magically appear in your home, or what about those projects that you know you need to start, do you think they will start themselves? Hey, what about that quiet time that you really need? Do you think your children will magically disappear for a few hours after drawing you a nice hot bubble bath? Heck No!

So, think to yourself. What is on your wish list (this is something I ask all my coaching clients)? Is it starting your own business, have a monthly date night with your significant other, have some quality time to yourself? Also ask yourself, Have I kept this wish list to myself? Please tell me that you are not waiting for your friends, loved ones, coworker or those you network with to read your mind and then hand deliver what you are secretly wishing for.

At times we may keep our mouths closed and not ask for what we want out of fear of rejection or fear of seeming pushy or needy. For most women, just the thought of asking other for help or for a favor is enough to keep their mouths shut and their dreams far a way!

In order to ask for and go after what you want, it is important to get clear about what you want and be able to describe it in detail.. Once you know what you want, be totally willing to ask for it whenever you get the chance. This holds true in your business and personal relationships.

It is important to learn that is okay for someone to say “No”. It is also important to learn that it is ok for any given situation to not turn out the way you hoped it to go. Failure and/or rejections do not have to be the final word, actually it can be the opening for further negotiation. Take time to reflect on what happened. Were you specific about what you wanted? Did you approach the correct person, did you communicate yourself clearly? And most importantly, ‘How can your refine your request for the next time you ask it?

Next, make list of the people who come to mind when you think of what you want. For instance, if you want to start your own Virtual Assistance business, why not search online for forums or websites that specialize in that area. If you find such a forum, acquaint yourself with the members and simply introduce yourself and ask for advice, guidance and help. The only way people can help you is if you let them know that you need help.

You will be amazed at how many people truly enjoy lending a hand to others, and just think, the more you grown and learn, the more hands you can to lend a helping hand to others as well.

Next Steps:

If you need an extra hand getting what you want out of life, contact Certified Life Coach, Aurelia Williams. She'll help you design a life that allows you to reach your business and personal goals; cultivate more fulfilling relationships and that elusive achieve work/life balance you've been striving for.

Click here to learn more about her coaching program.

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

How to Get Pregnant

Have you ever wondered how to get pregnant? This question evokes varying responses from different people. Romance and emotion do play their part in the decision of having a baby. However, it is not uncommon to feel pained and frustrated, especially among the couples who are not able to become parents). Ideas of a kinky nature are bound to come to such couples.
Most newly wed couples take adequate protection against having a baby too quickly. However, in a matter of months, even as the duo is still getting to know each other properly, the eagerness to conceive a kid increases. This is hardly surprising, given the natural instinct of motherhood in ladies. A wife always wants to become a mother, since that gives her a sense of fulfillment. Thus, even in a fiercely competitive world, where the cost of everyday living runs into thousands, the craving for a baby remains high.

However, the females need to know how to get pregnant in a proper, healthy manner. The welfare and healthiness of both the mother and the kid, who would be seeing the light of the world soon, is of paramount importance. Hence, a careful perusal of the following discussion is necessary:
  • Women should start preparing to become a mother, at least 3 to 4 months prior to the actual delivery
  • Holistic measures for the maintenance of good health conditions is necessary for both the mother and child
  • A soon-to-be-mother should completely shun smoking and drinking habits
  • It is of paramount importance that no drugs of intoxication are consumed
  • Healthy, adequate nourishment is extremely necessary for women at these times. This is because both the pre-delivery and post-delivery periods are generally rather stressful for them, and
  • For maintaining the desirable health conditions, minerals, proteins (that are easy to digest) and minerals should be consumed in adequate amounts
It is also crucial to pay heed to some other important factors. Some such factors are:

Thorough knowledge of one’s own body
The period of ovulation in a woman is the ideal time for her to conceive a baby. Thus, she should be aware of the time of ovulation. There are, fortunately, many ways to find out what the time of ovulating would be. The ‘Post Ovulation Time’ (also termed the Luteal Phase) has to be estimated. This period, i.e., the time between ovulating and the date of commencement of the menstrual cycle, generally is fixed at 14 days in most women. The period starts after the length of the Luteal Phase, or 14 days after the occurrence of ovulation. There is an alternative way to find out the period of ovulation, which is based on the Basal Body Temperature method (i.e., the BBT technique). In this method, the temperature of the vagina is recorded by a specially-made BBT thermometer. This is done everyday in the morning. During the period of ovulation, this temperature rises significantly, and such increases can be easily tracked. For higher chances of conceiving a baby, sexual intercourse at these times is ideal.

When does sexual union help in conception the most?
This information is necessary, since it ensures that the sperms of the best quality enter the female body at the time of ovulation. Sperms should have quick reaction time when a woman ovulates. Hence, fresh sperm is required to be present in the body of the female immediately before ovulating. However, there may occur certain problems in the sperm of the males too. In such cases, men should not be releasing sperms, for a minimum of 3 days before the scheduled day of sexual union. These data is extremely important, in case you are wondering how to get pregnant.

The ideal frequency of lovemaking for higher chances of conceiving
 Among other factors, a correct estimate of the ovulation period in women and the overall physique of men determine the ideal frequency of sexual union. There is a school of thought that, sperm count goes down, with a resultant weakening of the male sperm, if intercourse is held everyday. Conversely, others tend to think that the male sperm becomes ineffective, old and stale (with much lower potency) if it remains within the testicles, due to prolonged periods of abstinence. It is generally recommended that, sexual union, during the period of female ovulation, should be held about once in every 2 days.

It is always better to provide holistic solutions to the question of how to get pregnant. Such an approach helps to gain an insight about the inner workings of our body, and the reasons for not conceiving earlier. It also comes up with several usable solutions to this problem, including medicines and herbs of Chinese origin as well as changes in eating habits and overall lifestyle. Suitable exercise methods and, if required, acupuncture is also recommended. Unlike the conventional methods, the holistic approach has no adverse side effects, and has a much higher chance of providing the desired results. Hence, in these cases, holistic approach works much better than conventional ways.

This article is based on the book, "Pregnancy Miracle" by Lisa Olson. Lisa is an author, researcher, nutritionist and health consultant who dedicated her life to creating the ultimate pregnancy solution guaranteed to permanently reverse the root of infertility, help you get pregnant quickly and naturally and dramatically improve the overall quality of your life, without the use prescription medication and without any surgical procedures. Learn more by visiting her website: http://get-pregnant.devotedtoparenting.com

Saturday, May 22, 2010

Is Renewable Energy Technology Really Available to Homeowners?

With the rising energy costs and effects of global warming so prevalent today, many people are wondering if there is truth to the concept of renewable energy technology. There also appears to be confusion between alternative energy technology and renewable energy technology. Alternative energy encompasses all renewable energy sources, but includes things like nuclear power and energy from municipal waste. These are carbonaceous examples. Renewable energy technology focuses on energy that is replaced as it is being used, such as solar energy and wind energy.


With that clear, are there truly benefits on a home or small business level to renewable solar technology? Absolutely. Truthfully, by utilizing renewable energy technology on a home level you can save yourself thousands of dollars each year. Renewable energy technology has gained popularity in recent years and it has become increasingly easy to meet your home’s energy needs with just a little handyman work. With the information available about renewable energy technology, it is possible to build renewable energy products, such as a windmill or solar panel, on your own. Do-it-yourselfers are saving huge amounts of pocket change by building and installing these systems themselves. If you have the money to invest in a commercial professionally installed system, in general these are more efficient, however, savings can still be realized, and at a much faster rate, by researching and building your own renewable energy systems.

Renewable energy technology is advancing with each day. Solar electrical systems have advanced from giant roof panels to thin layers of film that are twice as conductive and work with less sunlight. There are now solar powered charges for cell phones, batteries and other small household items. Windmills have been made more aerodynamic for greater action and electricity generation. Renewable energy technology can even be seen along today’s highways as small solar/wind operation stations powering signs and lights.

The truth is renewable energy technology is working and you can put it to work for you in your home or business. With growing popularity and more consumer use, renewable energy technology could minimize our effects of global warming, help alleviate financial stress and create a world less depend on fossil fuels.

Friday, March 26, 2010

To Much to Do? Too Little Time?

By Aurelia Williams, author of Journey to Joy

Hey - Did someone press the FFW button?

Have you ever felt like someone just pressed the Fast-forward button on your day and before you know it the day is over and you are sitting there wondering what you've accomplished?

I love to organize and with working Part Time outside of the home and FULL-TIME at home with my business, 4 children and Husband I really rely on a schedule and many time management tips to keep my sanity (ok, so some of you think I am already insane, I won't argue with that) but at least I am organized ;)

 Here are a few of my favorite Time management Tips (these are just a few of the tips I share with my Journey to Joy students):

1. Meal Planning: Try planning 1 - 2 weeks worth of meals at a time and write them down on a calendar. Do your shopping accordingly and prep tomorrows dinner today. You will be AMAZED at what a time saver this is.

2. To-Do Lists: I know most people HATE them but they actually do work. Just take a few moments out of your day (either in the morning or in the evening) to make a list for that day or the following day. Be sure to only put down the items that you MUST finish on this list.

3. Delegate: Do you have friends, a husband, children that can pitch in and do a few things for you? If so, be sure to use all of your resources.

4. Morning Rush: Scooting the children out of the door can be a huge time eater! Be sure to prepare lunches, lay out clothes and plan your breakfast the night before. This will make your mornings run a tad smoother.

5. Just say "NO"!: Such a small word that carries a might punch! If you truly can't fit something into your schedule and it is not urgent, just say No!. Keep a list of non-urgent things that you can do on hand for when you do have some down time.

Well, those are just a few of my time management tips. I personally set aside about 15 minutes a night and sit down with my Palm Pilot and make a short TO-DO list for the following day and it is amazing at the time this save.

Also be mindful of your own body. Are you a morning, afternoon or night person? Try to schedule your most time consuming tasks when you have the most energy.

Take Care!

Next Steps:

For more help, instantly access your Journey to Joy tools, for more time a happier and more fulfilled life. This inspiring eBook with accompanying audio recordings, worksheets and easy-to-apply action steps shows you how to squeeze more time and happiness into every single day.

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Overcoming Myths About Men

Have you ever found yourself making the same mistake over and over simply because you didn’t know any better at the time?

We’re all human – from time to time we unintentionally make the occasional blunder due to a bunch of mistaken assumptions running in the back of our mind.

These false beliefs keep us blissfully unaware that our ill-informed decisions will actually lead us to disaster!

And you know what? This isn’t a bad thing in itself because learning from our mistakes adds to our body of knowledge. However, wouldn’t you want to AVOID making these boo-boos if you COULD?

This is why you need to UNLEARN any incorrect notions that could cloud your better judgment.

Sometimes, it just takes another pair of eyes to identify the mindsets that could drive you towards perfectly preventable mistakes. Gain some fresh insight by going here:

Meet Yours Sweet

How many times have you gotten into a situation that yielded bad results because you had the wrong ideas in mind?

Certain perceptions of men can mess up your chances of having a great relationship with them. When we assume given things about the opposite sex, your actions could PREVENT the relationship from going in a healthy direction.

Thus, let’s take a look at a couple of the most common myths about men which you need to steer clear of:

#1: Guys are into "low maintenance" women.

Actually, this wouldn't be a problem if the term "low maintenance" wasn't misconstrued in the first place. Oftentimes, when some misguided women hear this adjective, they equate it to having no opinion of their own and being a complete PUSHOVER.

This attitude reminds me of the 1950's housewife archetype often portrayed in TV sitcoms of the same era.

You know what I'm talking about: Sugary-sweet on the outside, but brimming with unspoken emotions on the inside.

She's the one who's afraid to mess up a perfectly good relationship by speaking up too much. This is the kind of girl who has regrettably shut off her ability to express her feelings in a healthy way.

Sadly, this glaring misconception is unconsciously driving many women to behave in a very NEEDY way. In the back of their minds, they take the idea of being low-maintenance to such an EXTREME that they've become a mere shadow of their former selves.

Being “low maintenance” in the truest sense of the word is defined by REALISTIC qualities.

This is a well-adjusted, reasonable person who doesn’t throw a fit when her partner unwittingly makes the occasional offhand remark.

(And I emphasize “OCCASIONAL”, as opposed to “habitually”, but anyway…)

This is also the kind of girl who can properly manage her feelings MOST of the time and keeps emotional meltdowns to a reasonable minimum. When it comes to mood swings, low maintenance women don’t often have these and only under the most stressful of circumstances.

All in all, this is an ideal picture of what low maintenance is all about.

Therefore, it’s NOT about being so laid-back to the point where you’re frazzled and out of breath from trying to please a guy’s every whim…

…or even TOLERATE selfishness.

And being low maintenance is definitely a far cry from transforming into a disturbingly submissive version of yourself.

Remember, there’s a difference between a cool girl that doesn’t get upset over the little things…

…and the emotional SLAVE who doesn’t have any purpose aside from sacrificing her dignity and independence in the name of “love”.

The mentality you should have is that a relationship is NOT the only thing you have going for you.

If you would make a map of your life right now, would you say it’s dominated by huge chunks of land exclusively reserved for a boyfriend?

Or does this map have equally allocated areas meant for your family, friends, career and hobbies?

Even though we’re always talking about how to get into a good, healthy relationship, you have to understand that this is only ONE PART of your multi-faceted self.

The SUM of your pursuits in life defines who you are.

If you build your universe around whether you’re single or not, your resulting actions will create a very unattractive impression of neediness.

You wouldn’t want anyone to believe that having a boyfriend is the ONLY thing that motivates you in life, right? You know you’re TOO GOOD to act like that.

Don’t get me wrong – it’s WONDERFUL to have a partner who adores and respects you. That crazy rush you feel when you fall in love can greatly inspire you do great things in the other areas of your life.

However, my point is that you should still retain a good sense of PERSPECTIVE when you *do* get into a relationship. What that means is that you’d be just as fine even if you didn’t have a boyfriend at the moment.

Your life was just as fine before you met him, and you can certainly leave if you’re not being treated the way you should be.

Of course, I don’t mean this in an arrogant way nor am I suggesting that our partners should be the pushovers instead!

All I’m saying is that you shouldn’t be scared to leave the comfort zone of your relationship if it isn’t helping your personal growth.

Also, in no way should you cover up your true feelings by waiving your right to SPEAK UP if you need to (i.e. when the terms are unfavorable).

A good relationship is always a TWO-WAY street, so don’t let the low-maintenance myth (or rather, misconception) tell you otherwise.
#2: Falling in Love is Eternal Bliss Guaranteed

The other common trap women fall into is the assumption that those butterfly-in-the-stomach feelings you first get when you meet someone will remain CONSTANT in the relationship.

However, this just isn’t going to happen. Even happily married couples who’ve been together for decades know that their initial infatuation for each other evolved into a deeper and more MATURE sense of loving.

This kind of love goes beyond the initial rush that all new couples go through. This is the love that’s weathered countless emotional storms, power struggles and other CHALLENGES.

The end result is a rock-solid relationship that doesn’t constantly require you to feel the heart-quickening rush found in infatuation.

But there’s no reason to panic over this fact of life. You shouldn’t be afraid of outgrowing this primary stage in your relationship since better things are headed your way.

Over time, the falling in love stage will eventually be replaced by something more powerful in the long run. It’s just that you’re going to go through a series of trials as a couple before you get there.

Don’t buy into the myth that loving your guy as you do now will be enough to get you through the years. Remember that neither of you are perfect; somewhere along the way, your “little” differences are going to catch up to you.

(I’ve heard of couples breaking up over their brand of toothpaste, but hopefully your own relationship won’t go to that extreme!)

I’ll be honest with you here – you’re going to FIGHT tooth and nail over things like this, and you’re going to wake up and smell the coffee sooner or later. But power struggles are NORMAL after the familiarity settles in.

If you can accept the reality that love will inevitably undergo a transformation over time, then you’ll have no reason to worry about the growing pains in your relationship.

Otherwise, insisting that everything will run smoothly or take care of itself will BLIND you to speedbumps in the future.

Of course, I’m not saying you shouldn’t enjoy the moment because being HAPPY is the point of having a relationship, right?

You just have to be aware that things will change eventually. However, you can stay happy as long as you’re cool with having to deal with the reality check phase in due time.

(No need to worry your pretty little self about stuff UNTIL you have to!)

All in all, finding happiness in a man’s arms is best done by keeping a REALISTIC perspective no matter how head over heels you may feel at a given moment.

There are a lot of impractical beliefs and notions that we women are unnecessarily exposed to in these modern times. Like it or not, picking up unrealistic perceptions of love and dating is just a TV show or DVD rental away.

In this confusing sea of misinformation, a sassy girl definitely needs to keep her wits afloat!

For the most part, whatever we read in books or see onscreen are distilled versions of life at best. It doesn’t necessarily reflect what happens in REAL situations!

So we can’t project unrealistic fantasies onto real life and NOT expect to run into problems!

The real world naturally includes the complexities of human behavior. You need to keep this in mind when considering what men want from us and what we should expect from them.

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This article comes to you courtesy of Meet Your Sweet

If you are serious about changing your love life success, the first step on your journey of self discovery needs to be with Meet Your Sweet’s “Get a Guy Guide.”

If you want genuine men, and not just any man, let Mirabelle Summers and the team challenge your beliefs about love and attraction, and show you the way to become a seduction success story.

Meet Your Sweet

No games. No scripted lines. Real life dating advice for real women!

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Monday, March 22, 2010

Living With Allergies - A 5-Step Relief Plan For Allergies

If you suffer from allergies, whether they are seasonal or last all year round, chances are you've tried one or more things that you thought would be effective. But if you're reading this article, chances are you've not found the combination that spells relief for you.

Some avoid the triggers by staying indoors until the worst of the season is over. But what a shame that is since there are an increasing number of things that can be done to help ease symptoms and eliminate the triggers.

Using these 5 tips will spell relief both physically and emotionally. Who knows, you may even start to look forward to the warmer days ahead.

1. Modify Your Diet--Surprisingly many people don't even consider the idea that changing what you eat and drink can make any difference to the symptoms of allergies. But when you stop to think about it - it makes perfect sense. Your body suffers from the symptoms of an allergy because of the way in which it tries to defend itself against the allergens it perceives to be a high threat.

But the food you eat is what your body uses to create its defenses in the first place. The best thing to do is to try to increase the amount of antioxidants which you eat and drink when your symptoms increase.

One of the best ways to achieve this is to drink green tea, which is rich in antioxidants. Almost all teas are good for this, but green tea has the highest quantity, and it has been shown that sipping green tea throughout the day can provide real allergy relief.

Fruits and vegetables provide a huge part of the nutrients the body needs to run effectively. You might also find that pinto beans, pecans, walnuts and cinnamon also provide relief.

2. Use Medication--Today there is a wealth of over the counter medication available to keep your symptoms under control. These cover most of the common allergies such as hay fever and pet allergies, and offer relief from most of the usual symptoms like runny noses, sneezing, watery eyes, and itchy skin. Sever allergies can be life threatening and an allergist should be consulted if your condition worsens.

3. Seek Out Alternatives to Medication--Not everyone likes to take medications, and there are alternatives which have been proven to achieve incredible things for many people. One such example is acupuncture which has proven to be very successful for many people.

As a result many health insurance companies are willing to cover the costs in order to help provide allergy relief. The results from these treatments can last a good deal longer, and may consider it to be much healthier overall.

4. Plan With the Weather Forecast in Mind--Many modern weather forecasts will provide information on pollen levels. Although not everyone who has an allergy suffers when pollen is in the air, a vast proportion do, and with proper planning can be avoided.

If the pollen levels are very high, and you don't need to go outside, staying inside with the doors and windows closed. Otherwise, many people wear a mask during high pollen count days, and restricting outdoor time to the shops to later in the day.

5. Remove Airborne Triggers From Your Air--Allergy relief should start at home, and for many people this means using a HEPA vacuum cleaner to remove dust rather than sending it airborne again.

Also, using a high efficiency particle arresting (abbreviated as HEPA) air purifier to clean the air is recommended by allergists as a proactive, and non-invasive way to eliminate the triggers that cause the problem, thereby reducing the need to medicate once the symptoms have occurred.


Using a HEPA air purifier as part of your allergy management plan is a pro-active and non-invasive step to take. See this allergy air purifier now at http://purerair.com/allergy_machine.html purerair.com/allergy_machine.html

Source: http://www.submityourarticle.com/
Permalink: http://www.submityourarticle.com/a.php?a=90352

Sunday, March 21, 2010

Make Your Own Luck

Have you ever met one of those people that just seem to be lucky? You know, the ones that seem to lead a charmed life, they seem to have it all - happiness, abundance, a good life?

I have a friend named Trish who appears to most to be very lucky. Not only does she have a good life, but just about every time she goes anywhere with slot machines, she hits a jackpot. I been with her several times when this has happened and while on the surface it may appear as if she's just a lucky girl, there's more going on with Trish than just luck. In fact, I have seen her in action - and what I know about Trish is what I believe about the world - we all are responsible for making our own luck.

Trish has a really good thing going with this whole jackpot thing. First of all, it's important to know that she expects to win. She approaches a slot machine and thinks "C'mon, baby. Let's hit a big one," not "Uh oh. I hope I don't lose this money." And while she doesn't hit a big one every time, she does often enough to have activated a belief in her that is unshakeable - she is going to win. She doesn't let a temporary loss get her down. No way, my friend. She just keeps on keeping on until she hits that jackpot - never veering from her vibrational set point of optimism about her chances of winning.

There's a lot to be learned from my friend Trish. So I've created a set of strategies based on what I know is possible for those who wish to make their own luck. It takes some work, diligence and practice. But after a while you'll get yourself into a totally good groove with making your own luck. How do I know? Because I've done it myself. I've heard "Molly has the magic touch. She's so lucky!" from a number of people recently. But it's not good luck that I have; it's good vibes.

I've learned how to manage my energy and consistently send out good vibes. Because the vibrational signal you're sending out into the Universe is what's responsible for what you are experiencing. By now I'm sure you've heard of the Universal Law of Attraction - like attracts like. Makes sense. But the reason that most people struggle to effectively utilize it is because they don't understand the Law of Vibration. This is another Universal Law that explains how everything is energy - including us - and our energy - or vibration or frequency - is responsible for what we're attracting. We're like human radios sending out and receiving signals all of the time.

So, if you're sending out good vibes into the Universe, you'll attract good stuff. So to make your own "luck" you need to learn to work with your own human vibration, and consistently send out a "good" signal. And while all of this might sound very scientific and confusing, it's not. But it does take practice and an understanding of a few core principles.

Here's how to fine-tune your Human Frequency...

Understand how the Universal Laws work. I've give you a "101" definition of both the Law of Attraction and the Law of Vibration. But to really understand them more, I suggest you learn from the best teacher I know of, Abraham-Hicks. Responsible for a multitude of best sellers, this is the definitive source on these topics - and the teacher of many famous students who appeared in such movies as "The Secret." I don't love their books, but I love their teachings through their CDs and tapes. But I have many friends who gobble up their writings, so it might be your cup of tea. Check them out on the net at Abraham-Hicks.com.

Believe that you deserve it. In my experience, the majority of people have unresolved issues of feeling "unworthy." And this alone wreaks havoc on their ability to create a happy, fulfilling, abundant life. This impacts your frequency in a hugely negative way. Left un-healed, it will work against you every day of your life. You'll sabotage and limit yourself in more ways than you can count. This undermines every single goal that you work on. If you don't believe you deserve it - you will not achieve it. So you need to find a way of letting this old pattern go. And the best way I know of is by energetically neutralizing it by using Meridian Tapping. This is an easy to learn and extremely powerful energy healing tool that I personally have used for years. It is the single most powerful resource I have at my disposal, and I love teaching it to people so they can easily drop the limiting beliefs that consistently undermine their success.

Focus on feeling good. Many people spend their days feeling unfulfilled at their jobs, or unsatisfied in their home lives and find it hard to focus on the good in their lives. If you're one of those people, I urge you to try to make peace with where you are - and focus on what you're grateful for in your life. Keeping a daily gratitude journey can help you turn around your patterns of thinking and feeling. It is your absolute birthright to have a happy, good life. And you can do that no matter what is going on around you. There are always good things to focus on. Have you ever heard the story of the "Whistling Trashman?" I heard about him years ago and have never forgotten his story. This trashman was known for his beautiful whistling ability, his warm greetings and friendly smile. People in his area thought of him as the happiest person they knew. They loved trash day when they had an opportunity to interact with this wonderful person. This man was happier, despite what might seem to some as a dreadful job, because he chose to be happy. We can all choose our attitude and outlook. It's ours to choose! So focus yourself on things that are positive and uplifting. This impacts your frequency in incredible ways!

You really can make your own luck in life if you choose to. You really do have the power to create a life that you love. So I hope that you'll take these tips and start to apply them in your life. And pretty soon your friends will be talking about how "lucky" you are.

Molly A. Luffy, MBA an Intuitive Spiritual and Business Advisor for Conscious Women blends practical, spiritual and energy healing resulting in powerful transformations. To download her free Star-Power Success Kit, visit http://www.mollyluffy.com/

Source: http://www.submityourarticle.com/
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Saturday, March 20, 2010

Infertility treatment

Both men and women suffer from infertility caused by various reasons. However, it’s important for both sexes to undergo treatment for this complicated issue. Various known and unknown factors cause infertility in women. These include diseases like endometriosis, diminished ovarian reserve, ovulation disorders, and low progesterone level. Low sperm count and low sperm motility, STD, injury or chronic diseases, sperm blockage and ageing are some of the reasons men for, which suffer.

Scheduled drugs and systematic treatment can cure most of the above mentioned infertility problems except ageing and chronic diseases, although these treatments are quite expensive and may have harmful side effects. Additional treatment may be required to cure the side effects. Treatments conducted through IVF or In Vitro Fertilization and ICSI or Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection is best among the other methods of infertility treatment. In this technique, the egg cells outside the womb are fertilized by the sperm and then transferred inside. This treatment is suggested when other techniques fail to give results. This technique is a hormonally controlled ovulation progression. In this treatment involves, the ova is removed from the female’s ovaries and helps the sperm to fertilize in a fluid medium. But this is not a normal process at all and involves excavation of the eggs from the ovary, fertilizing them in an outside laboratory and putting them back in the uterus. In the normal process, the human decides to pick the healthiest sperm for reproducing the egg but in the artificial process, the embryologist takes this decision. However, when he fails to pick the healthiest sperm and egg, it may cause the ill health of the child during birth and even later in life.

Some alternative techniques with a holistic approach are fast becoming popular in order to cure the problem of secondary infertility. These techniques are all the more preferred by people as these have less or no side effects at all.

The acupuncture method, for example, especially ear acupuncture or Auricular is very effective in cases where female infertility has been caused by some kind of malfunction of the ovary. The hormonal message that is transferred from brain to ovary is the most beneficial result received from this technique. In accordance to the investigative trials, those women who have received acupuncture treatment for about 30 times within a time period of 3 months have shown good results. Those female who underwent hormonal therapy along with it suffered from side effects.

In the alternative treatment techniques, diet and lifestyle changes are given a lot of importance. Regular intake of such things that contain caffeine like coffee, chocolate, cocoa, green tea (containing caffeine), black tea and colored soft drinks which has harmful effects on conception is discouraged. According to a study, one and a half cup of coffee for a woman who is trying for pregnancy is sure to delay her conception. Thus coffee is a strictly a no-no for patients suffering from infertility.

Diets that include fish contaminated with PCB or Polychlorinated Biphenyls are also believed to be a cause for substantial reduction in the ability to become pregnant. According to one study, women who had more than one meal containing fish contaminated with PCBs (procured from Lake Ontario), developed reduced fecundity within a month.

The best result for the treatment of infertility has been reported through the Chinese medicines, acupuncture and of course, the holistic approach. The holistic approach reaches to the depth of the problem and only then delivers physical, spiritual as well as emotional treatment, rather than only investigating the organs. On the other side, the conventional approach to the problem of infertility fails to successfully detect and remove the real causes and moreover, causes side effects. The holistic approach suggests a natural remedy and a way of life that can really solve the problem as soon as the real cause is determined.

This article is based on the book, "Pregnancy Miracle" by Lisa Olson. Lisa is an author, researcher, nutritionist and health consultant who dedicated her life to creating the ultimate pregnancy solution guaranteed to permanently reverse the root of infertility, help you get pregnant quickly and naturally and dramatically improve the overall quality of your life, without the use prescription medication and without any surgical procedures. Learn more by visiting her website:

http://devotedtoparenting.com/pregnancymiracle.html

Friday, March 19, 2010

Not All Salt is Created Equal

If you listen to the experts you're likely believe that salt is public enemy number one on every kitchen table and should be avoided at all costs. But while salt is implicated as the cause for high blood pressure and most of us take far too much of it, that stuff you by at the supermarket hardly qualities as pure sodium chloride.

Like most processed food, the stuff you buy at the store is refined and synthesized in a laboratory before it gets to your table. It is adulterated with other chemicals and has been stripped of the minerals that are present in real salt. Of course taking too much is bound to have some unhealthy consequences.

But there is a difference between table salt and sea salt. Both consist of sodium chloride. Sodium chloride is necessary and required by the body. But sea salt retains healthy minerals like potassium, iodine, magnesium, zinc, copper, iron and other trace minerals. Table salt is much the same as the salt you use to de-ice your driveway.

Sea salt is healthier as it exists in water that gets evaporated from the sea and rivers and is naturally purified. It retains the minerals, all of which help your thyroid, muscles, heart and pancreas function normally.

If you're looking for sea salt, there are two types of sea salts that will make better substitutes for common table salt.

Himalayan salt comes from salt veins in the Himalayan mountains in Pakistan. If mined correctly it possesses the widest variety of minerals with well over 83 minerals. This kind of salt carries a slight pink hue. It's the iron content that gives it its pinkish color.

Celtic salt, also called French Gray Seas salt doesn't have quite as many minerals as Himalayan but it has the highest concentration of minerals.

You're unlikely to get much health benefit from common table salt. If you use "iodized" salt, you won't improve your health much. Iodized salt has iodine added to it. But you'll need to consume a great deal of iodized salt to get any benefit. More than likely the amounts you'd have to consume would kill you. Iodine is a mineral needed by the body, but the addition of the mineral in table salt doesn't do much good when all the other minerals have been stripped away.

You won't find sea salt at your local supermarket. Check your local health food store for it. If it's not available, you can order it online. Both Salt Works and Real Salt provide you the healthier sea salt.

The author is a freelance writer who writes mostly in health, business and self-improvement. He currently has a number of articles published on Suite 101: http://www.suite101/,com/profile.cfm/mrmagica. You can also buy articles for use in your website, ezine or blog here:

http://www.constant-content.com/Author/20444-MrMagica-details-0.htm You may use this article for your use so long as the resource box is left intact.

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Thursday, March 18, 2010

Cheap and Filling Recipes

We all are trying to tighten our budgets without tightening our belts. Buying in bulk and freezing the extras is not always enough, sometimes being frugal has to come with a little imagination. Being successful with frugality is often not measured in dollars and cents but rather in the end product. Here are a couple of recipes to help you do just that.

Baked Chicken in Tomato Basil Sauce

This dish looks like a million bucks, but it certainly won't cost a great deal to whip this one together. Baked chicken is not only healthy and filling, but the tomato and basil sauce will give it just the right kick to make you forget all about the condition of your wallet.

Ingredients:

8 large chicken thighs
12 oz can basil and parmesan tomato sauce
1 small box of button mushrooms
4 tbsp of freshly chopped basil
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 lb small new potatoes
3 tbsp olive oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Brown the chicken in a frying pan with hot oil and then place into a baking dish along with the basil, parmesan and cherry tomato sauce, whole button mushrooms and half of the basil. Add the chicken stock to the mix. Place the dish in the oven and cook for 25 minutes. Boil newborn potatoes until cooked. Drain and serve the potatoes on a plate, placing the chicken on top of them. Top it off by sprinkling the basil and drizzling the olive oil over the top.


Baked Beans with a Twist

Low in fat, high in energy, and soft on the pocket book, this is one meal that is both flavorful and a little on the "different" side. This one is a favorite for college students and young people due to how inexpensive it is to make and how flavorful it can be. Feel free to add little bit of other things to this recipe to make it a little more your own.

Ingredients:

1 tsp oil
1 onion (halved and thinly sliced)
2 strips of streaky bacon (cut into large pieces)
1 tsp sugar (brown, preferably)
14 oz can chopped tomatoes
3/4 cup stock from a cube
14 oz can cannellini beans (or haricot beans in water)
1 tbsp flour
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp dried mixed herb (optional)
2 baking potatoes (cut into 16 wedges)
2 tsp oil

Directions:
Heat oven to 390 degrees F. Mix together the flour, cayenne pepper, and the herbs. Add salt and pepper. Toss the seasoning with the potatoes and oil until the potatoes are well coated. Put onto baking sheet then bake for about 35 minutes until crisp and cooked through. Heat the oil in a non-stick pan, then gently fry the onion and bacon together until the onions are softened. Stir in the sugar, tomatoes, stock and seasoning to taste.Simmer the sauce for five minutes, then add the beans. Simmer for another five minutes until the sauce has thickened. Serve with the wedges.


If you're looking for recipes, take a look at the Platinum Recipes Collection.
The Platinum Recipes Collection is the Internet's Most Comprehensive Recipes Collection.

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Saturday, March 13, 2010

Pennies

Another wonderful email from my dad:

You always hear the usual stories of pennies on the sidewalk being good luck, gifts from angels, etc. This is the first time I've ever heard this twist on the story. Gives you something to think about.

Several years ago, a friend of mine and her husband were invited to spend the weekend at the husband's employer's home. My friend, Arlene, was nervous about the weekend.. The boss was very wealthy, with a fine home on the waterway, and cars costing more than her house.

The first day and evening went well, and Arlene was delighted to have this rare glimpse into how the very wealthy live... The husband's employer was quite generous as a host, and took them to the finest restaurants. Arlene knew she would never have the opportunity to indulge in this kind of extravagance again, so was enjoying herself immensely..

As the three of them were about to enter an exclusive restaurant that evening, the boss was walking slightly ahead of Arlene and her husband.. He stopped suddenly, looking down on the pavement for a long, silent moment..

Arlene wondered if she was supposed to pass him. There was nothing on the ground except a single darkened penny that someone had dropped, and a few cigarette butts Still silent, the man reached down and picked up the penny.

He held it up and smiled, then put it in his pocket as if he had found a great treasure. How absurd! What need did this man have for a single penny? Why would he even take the time to stop and pick it up?

Throughout dinner, the entire scene nagged at her. Finally, she could stand it no longer. She casually mentioned that her daughter once had a coin collection, and asked if the penny he had found had been of some value..

A smile crept across the man's face as he reached into his pocket for the penny and held it out for her to see. She had seen many pennies before! What was the point of this?

"Look at it." He said. "Read what it says.." She read the words " United States of America "
"No, not that; read further.."
"One cent?" "No, keep reading."
"In God we Trust ?" "Yes!" "And?"

"And if I trust in God, the name of God is holy, even on a coin. Whenever I find a coin I see that inscription. It is written on every single United States coin, but we never seem to notice it! God drops a message right in front of me telling me to trust Him? Who am I to pass it by? When I see a coin, I pray, I stop to see if my trust IS in God at that moment.. I pick the coin up as a response to God; that I do trust in Him. For a short time, at least, I cherish it as if it were gold. I think it is God's way of starting a conversation with me. Lucky for me, God is patient and pennies are plentiful!

When I was out shopping today, I found a penny on the sidewalk. I stopped and picked it up, and realized that I had been worrying and fretting in my mind about things I cannot change. I read the words, "In God We Trust ," and had to laugh. Yes, God, I get the message.

It seems that I have been finding an inordinate number of pennies in the last few months, but then, pennies are plentiful! And, God is patient..

Have a wonderful day!

Friday, March 12, 2010

Are parents sentenced to a lifetime of worry?

My father is always sending me wonderful emails with poems, jokes and interesting things he finds on the net and this is one of them.  I think all parents can relate to this one. I know I can. Kudos to the author whoever you are.

WORRY

Is there a magic cutoff period when
Offspring become accountable for their own
Actions? Is there a wonderful moment when
Parents can become detached spectators in
The lives of their children and shrug, "It's
Their life," and feel nothing?

When I was in my twenties, I stood in a hospital
Corridor waiting for doctors to put a few
Stitches in my daughter's head. I asked, "When do
You stop worrying?" The nurse said,
"When they get out of the accident stage." My
Dad just smiled faintly and said nothing.

When I was in my thirties, I sat on a little
Chair in a classroom and heard how one of my
Children talked incessantly, disrupted the class,
And was headed for a career making
License plates. As if to read my mind, a teacher
Said, "Don't worry, they all go through
This stage and then you can sit back, relax and
Enjoy them." My dad just smiled
Faintly and said nothing.

When I was in my forties, I spent a lifetime
Waiting for the phone to ring, the cars to come
Home, the front door to open. A friend said,
"They're trying to find themselves. Don't worry,
In a few years, you can stop worrying. They'll be
Adults." My dad just smiled faintly
And said nothing.

By the time I was 50, I was sick & tired of being
Vulnerable. I was still worrying over my
Children, but there was a new wrinkle. There
Was nothing I could do about it. My
Dad just smiled faintly and said nothing. I
Continued to anguish over their failures, be
Tormented by their frustrations and absorbed in
Their disappointments.

My friends said that when my kids got married I
Could stop worrying and lead my own
Life. I wanted to believe that, but I was
Haunted by my dad's warm smile and his
Occasional, "You look pale. Are you all right?
Call me the minute you get home. Are
You depressed about something?"

Can it be that parents are sentenced to a
Lifetime of worry? Is concern for one another
Handed down like a torch to blaze the trail of
Human frailties and the fears of the
Unknown? Is concern a curse or is it a virtue
That elevates us to the highest form of life?

One of my children became quite irritable
Recently, saying to me, "Where were you? I've been
Calling for 3 days, and no one answered I was worried."
I smiled a warm smile.
The torch has been passed.

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Fun Cookie Recipe for Spring

Black-Eyed Susans

  • 3/4 cup butter or margarine -- softened
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 12 drops yellow food color
  • 1 egg
  • 1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese -- softened
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3 dozen (about) large semisweet chocolate chips

Beat butter, sugar, vanilla, food color, egg and cream cheese in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon. Stir in flour. Cover and refrigerate about 2 hours or until firm.

Heat oven to 375º. Shape dough into 1 1/4-inch balls. Place about 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Make 3 cuts with scissors in top of each ball about three-fourths of the way through to make 6
wedges. Spread wedges apart slightly to form flower petals (cookies will flatten as they bake).

Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until set and edges begin to brown. Immediately press 1 chocolate chip in center of each cookie. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.

Monday, March 8, 2010

Easter Basket Projects For Easter Parties

By Beverly Frank

If you are planning to have an Easter party it can be fun to include an Easter basket project as a fun craft to do during the party. This way you can have the kids occupied with something fun and best of all they have something really great to take home with them at the end of the party. You can also fill these crafts with goodies for a party favor which makes them extra special. Here are some Easter basket projects for Easter parties-

Woven Bunny Basket- This fun craft uses open weave small baskets (available at most craft stores) or you can recycle pint sized strawberry baskets.
What you will need:
  • A small basket with an open weave
  • Ribbon or precut foam pieces that measure the width of the open weave-Easter colors work especially well
  • A satin bow to tie on the handle
  • A tag for personalizing (optional)
Instructions for the project: Give each child a basket and the precut ribbon or foam pieces. They can then begin weaving them through the open weave of the basket. Have them continue weaving until the entire basket is covered. Tie the satin bow onto the handle and add a tag with their name on it if you want to.

Mini Easter egg baskets- These small baskets will charm your party guests with their springtime flair.
What you will need:
  • Mini Easter Baskets
  • Tacky Glue
  • Alphabet Beads
  • Nylon Monofilament
  • Colorful Trim-this can be ribbon, rickrack or even foam pieces
  • Artificial Easter Grass
  • Scissors
Instructions for the project: String on the alphabet beads to spell out the child's name on a piece of nylon monofilament. When you have all the beads on a string you can then push the ends through the basket weaving and tie off on the inside. Trim carefully and then glue on colorful trim. Put some grass in the bottom of the basket and fill with treats.

Cotton ball lamb basket- This charming basket will have your party guests thrilled with the results.
What you will need:
  • Empty Container
  • White Craft Foam
  • Styrofoam Egg
  • Wiggle Eyes-10mm work well
  • Cotton Balls
  • Low Temp Glue Gun
  • Scissors
  • Ribbon
  • White Acrylic Paint and Brush
Instructions for the project: Paint Styrofoam egg white and let dry completely. Cut two ears out of the craft foam. Make a small slit in the sides of the lambs head (the Styrofoam egg). Put a dab of glue on the ears and gently push the ends into the slits. Tear apart some cotton balls and glue to the head of the lamb. Tie the ribbon into a bow and glue to the lambs head. Carefully glue the cotton balls all around your container covering it completely. After the basket is dry you can glue the egg to the side near the top to make a head. Cut a 1" strip of craft foam and glue the ends to the sides to make a handle for your basket.

Easter Treasure Box- Who says that an Easter basket can only be a basket? This clever craft turns a simple box into an Easter treasure box that outshines any basket.
What you will need:
  • Paper Mache or small wooden treasure box (available at most craft stores)
  • Paints in a variety of Easter colors
  • Paint and Foam Brushes
  • Assorted decorating supplies (jewels, stickers, rub-ons, ribbon, markers etc.)
  • Glue Dots
  • Easter Grass
  • Plastic Eggs
Instructions for the project: Have the child paint the entire treasure box and let dry completely. It is important to prop the lid open as it dries. After the treasure box is completely dry have the child decorate the outside as they desire. Add some grass and plastic eggs.

Looking for more Easter activities? visit http://www.easterbunnyfun.net/ for crafts, coloring pages, recipes, poems, and the opportunity to share your best Easter memories.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Beverly_Frank

http://EzineArticles.com/?Easter-Basket-Projects-For-Easter-Parties&id=3869312

Sunday, March 7, 2010

Crabby Old Man

My dad sent me this email today and it really touched my heart:

When an old man died in the geriatric ward of a nursing home in North Platte, Nebraska , it was believed that he had nothing left of any value.

Later, when the nurses were going through his meager possessions, they found this poem. Its quality and content so impressed the staff that copies were made and distributed to every nurse in the hospital. One nurse took her copy to Missouri .

The old man's sole bequest to posterity has since appeared in the Christmas edition of the News Magazine of the St. Louis Association for Mental Health.. A slide presentation has also been made based on his simple, but eloquent, poem.

And this little old man, with nothing left to give to the world, is now the author of this 'anonymous' poem winging across the Internet.


Crabby Old Man
What do you see nurses? . . . .. . What do you see?
What are you thinking . . . . . When you're looking at me?
A crabby old man . . . . . Not very wise,
Uncertain of habit . . . . . With faraway eyes?

Who dribbles his food . . . . . And makes no reply.
When you say in a loud voice . . . . . 'I do wish you'd try!'
Who seems not to notice . . . . . The things that you do.
And forever is losing . . . . . A sock or shoe?

Who, resisting or not . . . . . Lets you do as you will,
With bathing and feeding . . . . . The long day to fill?
Is that what you're thinking? . . . . . Is that what you see?
Then open your eyes, nurse . . . . . You're not looking at me.

I'll tell you who I am. . . . . . As I sit here so still,
As I do at your bidding, . . . . . As I eat at your will.
I'm a small child of Ten . . . . . With a father and mother,
Brothers and sisters . . . . . Who love one another.

A young boy of Sixteen . . . . With wings on his feet.
Dreaming that soon now . . . . . A lover he'll meet.
A groom soon at Twenty . . . . . My heart gives a leap.
Remembering, the vows . . . . . That I promised to keep.

At Twenty-Five, now . . . . . I have young of my own.
Who need me to guide . . . . . And a secure happy home.
A man of Thirty . . . . . My young now grown fast,
Bound to each other . . . . . With ties that should last.

At Forty, my young sons . . . . . Have grown and are gone,
But my woman's beside me . . . . . To see I don't mourn.
At Fifty, once more, babies play 'round my knee,
Again, we know children . . . . . My loved one and me.

Dark days are upon me . . . . . My wife is now dead.
I look at the future . . . . . Shudder with dread.
For my young are all rearing . . . . . Young of their own.
And I think of the years . . . . . And the love that I've known.

I'm now an old man . . . . . And nature is cruel.
Tis jest to make old age . . . . . Look like a fool.
The body, it crumbles . . . . . Grace and vigor, depart.
There is now a stone . . . . Where I once had a heart.

But inside this old carcass . . . . . A young guy still dwells,
And now and again . . . . . My battered heart swells.
I remember the joys . . . . . I remember the pain.
And I'm loving and living . . . . . Life over again.

I think of the years, all too few . . . . . Gone too fast.
And accept the stark fact . . . . That nothing can last.
So open your eyes, people . . . . . Open and see.
Not a crabby old man . . . Look closer . . . See ME!!

Remember this poem when you next meet an older person who you might brush aside without looking at the young soul within. We will all, one day, be there, too!

The best and most beautiful things of this world can't be seen or touched. They must be felt by the heart.

Saturday, March 6, 2010

I am so happy! No more getting up at 5am for the kids' hockey practice. Well at least not for another 7 months. And only one more game and the hockey gear is put away. WhooWho!

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Easy Ways to Help Your Kids Eat Healthy


Do Your Little Ones Act Like Vegetables Are Poison?

Kid's meals should be easy, delicious and healthy. Getting children to eat vegetables is a major negotiation. Finding a way to get vegetables into the mouths of babes is easy when they are part of the fun. Coming up with creative ways to get kids involved in the preparation and the cooking of kids' recipes is part of the fun. Child friendly recipes will allow you the peace of knowing your children are eating healthy and they will enjoy feeling in control of what they are being fed.
Read more... >>


Spicing Up Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Grilled cheese sandwiches are the least cumbersome meal to prepare. Kids can even learn to prepare it themselves. The ones I used to make contained regular cheese and white bread with margarine to cook it. Here are a few ways to make that grilled cheese sandwich healthier for your little ones.
Read more... >>

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Proud to be Canadian

British news paper salutes Canada . . . this is a good read. It is funny how it took someone in England to put it into words... Sunday Telegraph Article From today's UK wires: Salute to a brave and modest nation - Kevin Myers, 'The Sunday Telegraph' LONDON:
Until the deaths of Canadian soldiers killed in Afghanistan , probably almost no one outside their home country had been aware that Canadian troops are deployed in the region.
And as always, Canada will bury its dead, just as the rest of the world, as always will forget its sacrifice, just as it always forgets nearly everything Canada ever does.. It seems that Canada's historic mission is to come to the selfless aid both of its friends and of complete strangers, and then, once the crisis is over, to be well and truly ignored.
Canada is the perpetual wallflower that stands on the edge of the hall, waiting for someone to come and ask her for a dance. A fire breaks out, she risks life and limb to rescue her fellow dance-goers, and suffers serious injuries. But when the hall is repaired and the dancing resumes, there is Canada, the wallflower still, while those she once helped Glamorously cavort across the floor, blithely neglecting her yet again.
That is the price Canada pays for sharing the North American continent with the United States, and for being a selfless friend of Britain in two global conflicts. For much of the 20th century, Canada was torn in two different directions: It seemed to be a part of the old world, yet had an address in the new one, and that divided identity ensured that it never fully got the gratitude it deserved. Yet it's purely voluntary contribution to the cause of freedom in two world wars was perhaps the greatest of any democracy. Almost 10% of Canada 's entire population of seven million people served in the armed forces during the First World War, and nearly 60,000 died. The great Allied victories of 1918 were spearheaded by Canadian troops, perhaps the most capable soldiers in the entire British order of battle. Canada was repaid for its enormous sacrifice by downright neglect, it's unique contribution to victory being absorbed into the popular Memory as somehow or other the work of the 'British.'
The Second World War provided a re-run. The Canadian navy began the war with a half dozen vessels, and ended up policing nearly half of the Atlantic against U-boat attack. More than 120 Canadian warships participated in the Normandy landings, during which 15,000 Canadian soldiers went ashore on D-Day alone.
Canada finished the war with the third-largest navy and the fourth largest air force in the world. The world thanked Canada with the same sublime indifference as it had the previous time. Canadian participation in the war was acknowledged in film only if it was necessary to give an American actor a part in a campaign in which the United States had clearly not participated - a touching scrupulousness which, of course, Hollywood has since abandoned, as it has any notion of a separate Canadian identity.
So it is a general rule that actors and filmmakers arriving in Hollywood keep their nationality - unless, that is, they are Canadian. Thus Mary Pickford, Walter Huston, Donald Sutherland, Michael J. Fox, William Shatner, Norman Jewison, David Cronenberg, Alex Trebek, Art Linkletter and Dan Aykroyd have in the popular perception become American, and Christopher Plummer, British. It is as if, in the very act of becoming famous, a Canadian ceases to be Canadian, unless she is Margaret Atwood, who is as unshakably Canadian as a moose, or Celine Dion, for whom Canada has proved quite unable to find any takers.
Moreover, Canada is every bit as querulously alert to the achievements of its sons and daughters as the rest of the world is completely unaware of them. The Canadians proudly say of themselves - and are unheard by anyone else - that 1% of the world's population has provided 10% of the world's peacekeeping forces.
Canadian soldiers in the past half century have been the greatest peacekeepers on Earth - in 39 missions on UN mandates, and six on non-UN peacekeeping duties, from Vietnam to East Timor, from Sinai to Bosnia.
Yet the only foreign engagement that has entered the popular non-Canadian imagination was the sorry affair in Somalia, in which out-of-control paratroopers murdered two Somali infiltrators. Their regiment was then disbanded in disgrace - a uniquely Canadian act of self-abasement for which, naturally, the Canadians received no international credit.
So who today in the United States knows about the stoic and selfless friendship its northern neighbour has given it in Afghanistan? Rather like Cyrano de Bergerac, Canada repeatedly does honourable things for honourable motives, but instead of being thanked for it, it remains something of a figure of fun. It is the Canadian way, for which Canadians should be proud, yet such honour comes at a high cost. This past year more grieving Canadian families knew that cost all too tragically well.


Lest we forget.



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Friday, September 19, 2008

I am Totally Grossed Out

For days now I have been trying to find out where the awful smell is coming from in my kids room. I had the boys search out their room looking for any dishes or food left in there and of course they said they couldn't find anything.
I just couldn't take the smell any more and I searched throughout their room while they were at school. I stripped all the stuffed animals, comforters and sheets off their beds and lo and behold I found the source of the disgusting smell.
It seems that my 7 year old had an egg wrapped in tissue and hidden in a felt pocket in his bed (ugh). When I confronted my son after school he became teary eyed and was extremely upset that I took his egg. He explained to me that he really, really wants a baby chicken and he was trying hatch the chick in his room. I couldn't help but laugh to myself as he never ceases to surprise me.