Going to the library is a weekly routine and I always love to search the used book section. This past week I felt like I struck gold–it was buy one get one free! The library sells it’s overstock paperback at .25 each and the hard cover books at .50. This time we came out with 3 books for the girls and one very cool book (Meditations for Women Who Do Too Much) for me. I have always been a bookworm and usually cheap and free are at the top of my list. I would rather buy a used book before I buy a new book. That’s just how I’ve been since I could read. My first memory of buying my own books was at the book swap we had every year in elementary school. I think it worked this way; you bring your old books you want to swap and you can pick the same number from the books collected. This is where I get my rush from shopping. It’s all about the bargain.

Reneca believes in getting used books as well.  She just got a huge box of preschool books from her neighbor.  In her opinion it always better to reuse things rather than buy new.  Finding books for free coincides with her mission in life: Bargains. 

 In this day and age it’s about the bargain but also about living green. You hear that slogan everywhere but how do you live green? Where do you learn to do that? How can you be more ‘green’ when it comes to books? There is a new family owned online ebook store, EcoBrain,  that provides ‘quality material that is fairly priced, respects the earth and helps to educate customers about living a greener life’. 

EcoBrain provides many ebooks covering different subjects, but all with the environment in mind. Some of the categories that caught my eye where cooking, ecobrain kids, and gardening. The prices also seemed reasonable ranging from $1 to $20 and above. Downloading an ebook gives you the option of reading from your computer, hand-held device or printing off the pages you want on recycled paper. EcoBrain also provides the opportunity for new publishers to produce their material more quickly, cheaply, and profitably.
What EcoBrain has come up with is amazing and I’ve come up with the top three reasons that you should go check it out for yourself;

EcoBrain is very dedicated to spreading the word about their efforts to support sustainability and green living. They are allowing us the chance to GIVEAWAY a very cool ebook to one lucky blogger!

This is our first giveaway! Yipee! The prize is an ebook from EcoBrain, Radical Simplicity, by Jim Merkel . I know that I get confused trying to figure out what’s recyclable or not. And this book is the first book that guides the reader to a personal sustainability goal. You should click the link and check it out!

How to enter:

Leave a comment with your email address.

It’a been one week since I have been making a change in my attitude and life. I have been sticking to my schedule and trying to be more positive, think more positive and be in the moment (stop worrying).

This whole past week hasn’t been perfect though. There have been moments when I have been down on myself and worrying too much, but I have had help to keep up my positive attitude and lots of encouragement (Thank You; Brett, Reneca, Desiree, and Judy!)

I have been working on being more proactive and not procrastinating. Procrastinating has always been my biggest fault. I have learned that almost all things do not benefit from procrastination. So, I have been more proactive in my stainfighting, more proactive in keeping dishes out of my sink by washing them right away, and also by training myself to put things back where they belong right away. I’m notorious for walking over a block on the floor a million times before I pick it up or have Journey pick it up. When did I get so far from the floor!? Now I understand why my Mom would pick up things with her feet! lol (I hope she didn’t mind sharing that!)

Now I really want to work on noticing the extraordinariness of the ordinary.

“We are standing on a hill of diamonds and we are looking for the gold mine beyond the next ridge.”

Anne Wilson Schaff

I would like to take a lesson from my two year old who sees beauty and importance in things I pass over everyday. She finds a rock and holds it tight in her tiny fist like it is a rare jewel. She bravely runs into the ocean wanting to go further past each wave so fearless.

I will take the lesson from Journey to just live. To be alive to experience the extraordinariness of the ordinary so that I can be open to the miracles of everyday life. Yesterday I wrote down some ordinary things that are miracles that I’m thankful for;

1. The cool breeze I feel through my kitchen window while I wash the dishes.
2. Eating big, sweet, juicy, crunchy green grapes.
3. Listening to my erykah badu cd…my favorite song is “I’m an Orange Moon” (I think that is the title–that is what I call it anyway).
4. Watching Journey and Faith show each other affection and sweetness.

I’m glad that I wrote them down and ultimately became more aware of them. Miracles are around us and we have to be present to each moment to see them. Try to see the extraordinariness of the ordinary for yourself this week (and try to say that five time fast!). I feel that this is something that I can do. I can be thankful for the simple things I have and keep pushing forward to achieve my dreams.

Thank Goodness I have walked in circles long enough to wear the soles of my shoes so thin that the diamonds on which I stand can now get my attention. –Anne Wilson Shcaff

Take Care and to see more tackles head over to 5minformom!

Kalisha

We all have those days when our kids won’t eat anything. During those day a smoothie might be the only thing that they’ll try. Here are a few smoothie recipe to try.

Banana Smoothies or Pops

10 ounces of milk
1 (8-ounce) container vanilla yogurt
2 ripe bananas
1/2 cup orange juice

1. In a blender combine all ingredients; blend until smooth.  Stop occasionally to scrape down sides.
2. Serve immediately.  Store leftovers covered in refrigerator.

                                                                                                                          Makes 4 cups

Banana Smoothie Pops: Spoon banana mixture into 8 (5-ounce) paper cups.  Freeze 30 minutes.  Insert wooden craft sticks into the center of each cup; freeze until firm.  Makes 8 pops.

Fruit Smoothies: Substitute 1 cup of your favorite fruit and 1/2 cup any fruit juice for bananas and orange juice.

Peanut Butter & Jelly Shakes

1 1/2 cups vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt
1/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
2 graham crackers, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup strawberry preserves (I like fruit only no sugar added) or 1/4 cup fresh fruit

1. Place ice cream, milk ad peanut butter in blender. Blend on medium speed 1 to 2 minutes or until smooth and well blended.  Add chopped graham crackers and blend 10 seconds on low speed.  Pour into 2 serving glasses.
2. Place preserves and 1 to 2 teaspoons water in small bowl; stir until smooth.  Stir 2 tablespoons preserve mixture into each shake.  Serve immediately.

Make it fun:  For a change try different types of fruits/preserves.

Note:  you can add a small amount of flax seed meal to any of these recipes for omega 3. Also you can add pureed carrots.

Serve all of these smoothies in a nice glass and a fun straw.  Presentation is everything!

Have a wonderful day!

Reneca and Kalisha

Journey showing me a silly dance while we were visiting Venice Beach…and Faith ‘waiting’ for the bus.

Today’s Lounge Tip is to kiss more! We found some interesting information and advice on kissing…

Here’s some straight from the heart advice from a Romance Agent: Wake up and shape up! I’ll assume you’ve all heard the saying, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” Here’s another one: “A kiss a day keeps others away.” Sadly, loneliness is often the underlying reason for having a love affair. Plain and simple, relationships require work. Anyone who says otherwise hasn’t much experience in living a real relationship. Just like you don’t sit idly by on your job (let’s hope you don’t), the same is required in your relationship with that special someone in your life. You made the effort at the beginning of your relationship, why not now? Kissing is a fun place to start.

Think back to those first few kisses with your sweetheart. Remember the passion the two of you felt each time your lips met. Surely that brought back some wonderful feelings! So, why is it that we wouldn’t want to keep that same feeling with us today and everyday? Kissing creates and maintains intimacy. It enables you to bond with your partner. Kissing also makes you feel good about yourself, not to mention the many health benefits it awards you:

 

1. Kissing is very good for the teeth. Those of you who aren’t overly fond of dentists will be encouraged to know that research has found kissing to help prevent plaque build-up. Hopefully this means fewer visits to the dentist for some of us.
2. Kissing is good for the heart, as it creates an adrenaline which causes your heart to pump more blood around your body. Kissing Aerobics, anyone?
3. Studies have indicated that those who kiss their partner goodbye each morning live five years longer than those who don’t.
4. Kissing is great for the self-esteem. It makes you feel appreciated.
5. Kissing can aid in slowing the ageing process. For example, a fairly passionate kiss exercises as much as 29 muscles in the cheek and jaw, not to mention the esthetic benefits it brings to the colour and fullness of your lips. Move over Angelina Jolie and Mick Jagger … you’ve got competition!
6. Kissing burns calories, from 6-12 calories in a gentle kiss to as much as 300 in a lovemaking session! Forget Atkins™; try the kissing diet!

More Benefits of Kissing!…

Matthew Messina, DDS, a dentist and consumer advisor for the American Dental Association, says the extra saliva produced during kissing washes bacteria off your teeth, which can help break down oral plaque. Bryant Stamford, PhD, director of the health promotion center at the University of Louisville notes kissing can help you lose calories. “During a really, really passionate kiss,” he says, “you might lose two calories a minute - double your metabolic rate.” Others claim that kissing exercises the facial muscles.

Stress relief is another health benefit of kissing. Psychologist Joy Davidson, PhD, likens kissing to meditation. “It stops the buzz in your mind, it quells anxiety, and it heightens the experience of being present in the moment. It actually produces a lot of the physiological changes that meditation produces,” she says. The fact that kissing leads to touching is also a good thing. Touching and massaging release oxytocin, a hormone known to have a calming effect on the body.

Source: Sound Medicine

Why do we humans kiss?…

I know we kiss to show affection, but there are also four theories on why humans kiss.

1. Kissing is a learned behavior; dating back to the days of our early human ancestors. Back then, mothers may have chewed food and passed it from their mouths into those of their toothless infants. Even after babies cut their teeth, mothers would continue to press their lips against their toddlers’ cheeks to comfort them. Also, certaing tribes around the world do not kiss. Supporting the theory that kissing is learned rather than instinctual.
2. Kissing is an instinctive behavior; While most animals rub noses with each other as a gesture of affection, others like to pucker up just like humans. Bonobos, for example, make up tons of excuses to swap some spit. They do it to make up after fights, to comfort each other, to develop social bonds, and sometimes for no clear reason at all – just like us.
3. Kissing helps humans pick out a mate; When our faces are close together, our pheromones “talk” – exchanging biological information about whether or not two people will make strong offspring. Women, for example, subconsciously prefer the scent of men whose genes for certain immune system proteins are different from their own. This kind of match could yield offspring with stronger immune systems, and better chances for survival.
4. Kissing just feels good; Our lips and tongues are packed with nerve endings, which help intensify all those dizzying sensations of being in love when we press our mouths to someone else’s. Experiencing such feelings doesn’t usually make us think too hard about why we kiss – instead, it drives us to find ways to do it more often.

See you tomorrow for Speechless Sunday!

Remember to Learn, Laugh and Lounge and most of all KISS!

Kalisha and Reneca

Phone conversation between Reneca and Kalisha….

Kalisha: “I’m about to make some chi-li.”

Reneca: “Mmm, I’m gonna make some burrrritos!”

lol

Kalisha: “Looks like I’m going country and your’re going mexican!”

Reneca: “And we’re both going cheap!”

more lol

These days cheap is the way to go! Happy Friday! Glad we all made it through another week. Have a great weekend and remember to come back for Lounge Tip Saturday.

Kalisha and Reneca

Today is picture day! But why is it so hard to figure out what Kaleah should wear?  Its like that one moment frozen in time is essential to her school memories or something.  When in reality we have tons of pictures of her. 

Well, beauty is the last quality in Suze Orman’s book “Women & Money”. I hope over the past eight or so weeks you have looked inwards at yourself; not to criticize what you haven’t been doing, but to truly acknowledge aspects that you can improve on.  As women we have so much strength that is left untapped.  Ultimately its all about being the best you, you can be!

Quality 8: Beauty

Beauty is the quality or aggregate of qualities in a person that gives pleasure to the senses or pleasurably exalts the mind or spirit.

Beauty is what you create when you incorporate the other seven qualities into your life. When you take the steps to have harmony, balance, courage, generosity, happiness, wisdom, cleanliness, and beauty in your life, you will exude confidence in who you are. And there is nothing more beautiful than a confident woman. Remember, when you are confident you feel secure, and when you feel secure you have no fear. And when you have no fear, you have the courage to say what you think and feel in a calm and wise way. And when you are calm, you make wise decisions with your money, which then allows you to be truly generous to others as well as yourself, which, in turn, makes you a happy, powerful, and beautiful woman. Do you see how all of these qualities work together to help you arrive at the goal of being a woman in control of her destiny?

So live in the moment, acknowledge the past, look towards the future, but understand that the actions you do right now are whats really important.   We have the opportunity to recreate our self at any moment.  Today you can decide you want to be the most outgoing mom at the playground.  All you have to do is want it and don’t let your head  (negative, critical thoughts) get in the way.

Have a wonderful day and strive to be the best woman you can be at the moment.  If your sick, be the best mom you can be inspite of that.  If your frustrated at your situation, still be the best wife for your husband.  Life is to precious to not take full advantage of every moment!

Much Love, Reneca

Kaleah is so excited this week’s letter is H.  Her favorite thing in the whole world (right now anyways) are horses.

Here are some fun ways to incorperate H into your day.

• Sing letter H Songs.
• Eat hot foods such as hot dogs, ham and cheese, hamburgers, ham, hot chocolate, hot cakes. Enjoy  honey, hazelnut, hoagie,  or a  
  House Snack

  Give each child a graham cracker for the a house base. Next give them a half a piece of cheese (made to form a triangle) for the roof. Finally, you can provide various other items (licorice, candy pieces, raisins, dried fruits or nuts etc) to form doors, windows, et

• Have a science day: measure their Height, discuss the concept of things being hot.

Directions:

• Print out the template of choice. 
    
• Color and cut out the template pieces. 
    
• Glue the large rectangular piece on first to cover the tube.  Toilet paper rolls come in different sizes, so if you find the rectangle is a bit too big, just trim it down.  If you find it’s a bit too small, just cut out another small piece to fill in the gap.
    
• Glue on the head and “arms”
    
• Fold the tabs on the feet and the tail and glue them onto to the tp roll to give it a 3 dimensional effect
• Spend some time talking about horses!

_______________________________________________

Now for our Letter H page…Letter H Shape Puzzle

This is a good activity to let your 2-5 year old do to build confidence in shape recognition!

What you need:

• scissors
• white paper, and colored construction paper
• pen, ruler
• glue

What to do:

• Using your ruler (or straight edge) trace a block letter H onto your colored paper.
• Cut out the letter H and using your ruler again trace triangles, squares and rectangles to form the shape puzzle.
• Now place your letter H onto the white paper and trace the letter H onto it, then trace the same shape outlines onto the white paper letter H outline. (did that make sense?)
• Now you can cut out the shapes from your colored paper and allow your child to use the shape outlines on the white paper as a guide to glue the cutout shapes onto the paper to form the letter H.

There you have it! Your letter H page. We will see you again next week to continue on with our alphabet book!

Have a Happy Day!

Reneca and Kalisha

Being kid-free this weekend really helped me to get a jump start and a change in attitude. I was talking to a long time friend of mine and she helped me to realize that I am the Mother, the back bone of the family. If I want to see change then I have to be the one leading it. For too long I have just been ok with the way things have gone. I have not been myself. For whatever reason I had become kind of stuck. Not setting my goals anymore, not being the go-getter person that I used to be (before kids). I don’t want things to stay the same anymore. I have devoted my whole life to my two girls, nurturing them and caring for them 24/7 for the past 2 1/2 years. But I haven’t given them all of me. I know you’re thinking how much more could you give your child. I feel like I was short-changing myself and so from that–not giving them all I really have.

I gave myself a new attitude this weekend. I promised Brett that I would help him and be even more patient so that he can focus on himself and his goals. I have to take control of my family, no one else will. We have to move forward together towards the life that we want for us and our girls. I have made a daily schedule for myself that includes time for me (yoga in the morning), for my girls (always they get all the time!), for Brett (nightly foot rub because he says my hands are magic and make his pain go away whenever I touch him) and for Sterling because he has gotten a little lost in all of this too. So far, two days into it I’ve done very well. My house is clean (yea!) and I feel like I am making progress. 

I really got a lift from hearing this Alicia Keys song, Superwoman. I actually started crying because it just touched me so deeply. As a woman, mother, lover, daughter, everything–I am ultimately Superwoman. Not saying I can do everything without the help of a man or loved ones, but that I am a strong woman. Made from a long line of very strong women; my mother, grandmother and all the mothers before her.

I always prided myself in being a self-reliant woman before I had kids. I played football in college, I wasn’t a prissy-I-need-a-man-to-change-my-tire-kind-of-girl. I could do things for myself. Even though I was a strong woman before now I believe the only way to become a Superwoman is to give more and think less of yourself. When I became a mother that is exactly what happened. This song touched me because the pressure can be so great, but no matter what we can persevere and survive.

I have been telling Reneca lately that sometimes we get stuck in such a rut that we don’t give ourselves enough credit for the talents we have. We joke around with the phrase, “I am woman. Hear me roar!” It’s funny, but has a lot of truth. We need to have that confidence and the attitude that we are strong. I have begun to find my confidence in myself and my talents. I have to adjust my attitude and be the Kalisha that I have known for so long, but has seemed to have gotten lost.

My goal is to only look forward, be confident, be aggressive for the things that I want, continue to give motherhood 100%, give Brett 100% and to just be the Superwoman that I know I am.

We all have to embrace that. Mothers need more support from each other because we are all dealing with the same situations. We all want the best for our families and ourselves. We are woman! Hear us roar!

Below is the video, Superwoman. Listen to it this morning and I hope that you have a great week! Let me know your thoughts on being a Superwoman and a Mother!

__________________

Also! I’m entering in the “Sleeping Angel” Photo Contest

Here is a pic of Journey and Faith “sleeping” outside on our patio one late afternoon…They look so cute! But they would look cuter if they were sleeping in the Lily Rose Bedroom set that 5minformom is giving away!

Well, I’m feeling a nice fresh start from the great weekend that I had. Journey and Faith came back from their weekend with Brett’s family on Sunday late afternoon. I had two mornings to sleep in (until 9am) and two nights to stay up and party late (I crashed around 10pm)! I got a lot of cleaning done and I did sit down from time to time and watch TV and relax. I missed my girls very much, but this weekend also gave Brett and I a chance to reconnect, talk and hang out. We actually went to the movie theater and saw a movie on Saturday night. The movie, Lakeview Terrace, was alright…not as good as the previews. The movie theater much like I remembered it…, expensive, and dang-it if only those chairs reclined!

All day Sunday we relaxed around the house; I got up early because I wanted to clean and get the house in order before the girls came back. While I was cleaning out my cookbooks I realized that some of them I haven’t even looked through! Mostly because most of the cookbooks in our cabinet are Brett’s. There was one that has always caught my attention but this time I pulled it out. It is called, “Where’s Mom Now That I Need Her?” It is a surviving away from home book with lots of simple recipes and advice on how to stock your pantry, store food and even a first aid section. Well, I decided to try one of the recipes and I chose the breakfast cookie recipe. It seemed a little weird to me in writing but I decided to try it. I thought it would be a fun treat for the girls to have in the morning because they are “cookies”, but made with oatmeal, cheese and bacon! I baked them and they were really goo! I couldn’t believe it. Everyone else loved them too. I have to admit that the recipe sounds a little strange, but try it and let us know what you think!

So, I will share the recipe with you:

Breakfast Cookies

• 1/3 c. butter or margarine
• 1/2 c. granulated sugar
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 t. vanilla
• 1/2 c. flour
• 1/4 t. baking soda
• 1/4 t. salt
• 1 1/2 c. quick cooking oatmeal
• 1/2 c. cheese, grated
• 5 slices of bacon crumbled

Cream butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla. Sift together flour, baking soda, salt; stir into creamed mixture. Beat in oatmeal, cheese, and crumbled bacon. Bake on greased cookie sheet at 350 degrees F for 7-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Enjoy!