Dear kids

Dear kids,

Sometimes I wake up in the morning and I see that you’ve grown over night. Your face is more defined, your eyes look older. A part of me is excited and in awe; I know you have so much ahead of you. Another part is scared because time is racing and I can’t slow it down. I’m afraid that I haven’t always been awake and noticing, and that somehow I have slept through the magic of your growing. I wonder, have I enjoyed you enough? Have I given you what you needed? Is your heart still whole? Is your spirit unbroken?

I’m not always good at this. I’m not always as good as I want to be at being your mom. I want to be great; and sometimes I am, but sometimes I’m not.

Sometimes I get it, and sometimes I don’t.

Sometimes I do it right, and sometimes I completely miss it.

Everyday I make mistakes.

Sometimes I snap when I should be sensitive. Sometimes I lecture and give chores when what you needed was a hug. Sometimes I completely and utterly miss it. I know that I do. I mistake your pain for complaining or your sad heart for a bad attitude. I watch myself miss it, and later I grieve that I didn’t respond differently.

I miss it when I am tired, and you get my leftovers at the end of a long day. I wish that you didn’t, but sometimes you do.

I miss it when I am scared. I am scared of big things and little things. I really thought adults had it all figured out, but I am one now, and it turns out we don’t. Sometimes fear snatches my heart and I can’t seem to think of anything else. I forget to relax and to enjoy you. I forget to smile and to laugh. I’m working on that.

I miss it when I am lost. I’m struggling with my own demons and it has nothing to do with you. Sometimes it’s anxiety or it’s depression, but it’s never, ever your fault. I will keep striving for wholeness so that when you reach those obstacles I can help you do the same.

I know that it is easy to hang on to the negative things and forget all the positive, but I want to set the record straight. When I look at you I am SO. PROUD. When I look at you I see good. I see someone who is mighty. I wonder how I have been trusted with such a treasure. Your heart is pure and soft. You are gentle and kind, you are vivacious and fierce.

I am forever your biggest cheerleader and your greatest fan.

Please keep helping me to see you and to know you. Keep telling me when I hurt your feelings. Keep sharing with me your fears and your insecurities and we will figure it out together.

I’m okay with making mistakes, but I’m never okay with losing your heart. Your heart is what matters to me.

I hope that my weakness teaches you something. I hope that when you come upon your own brokenness, tiredness, fear, and confusion, that you will be okay with it. I pray that your imperfections won’t scare you as they have me. I pray that you won’t run from them, but that you’ll wrestle with them and you will keep showing up, saying sorry, and trying again.

We don’t always get it right and that’s okay.

We are all professional mistake makers, and you will make lots and lots of mistakes. You will make countless amounts of mistakes, just like I have, but not one could darken the light I see when I look at you. You are my treasure, you are my reason.

Even though life is racing by, sometimes we have a moment. Sometimes we can reach out, grab time, and hold it. The world stops, all is quiet, and we really see each other. In this moment when I glimpse the person you are and who you’re becoming, all I can think is…

Wow.

On this morning, where it seems you’ve grown overnight, I want to tell you that you are wonderful. You amaze me everyday – and as I watch you, you inspire me. You inspire me to pull out the greatness that’s inside me. In this family we will make mistakes, but we will keep doing it together and we will keep holding each other other tight.

It turns out I’m never, ever, going to be perfect, but I am always and forever yours, and I’m always and forever on your team. That I can promise you.

I love you.

Love,

Mom

39 Totally Free Ways to Treat Yo Self

http://www.thepennyhoarder.com/totally-free-ways-to-treat-yo-self/

A 7-Day, 1200-Calorie Meal Plan

Day 1

Breakfast

• 3/4 cup bran flakes, 1 banana, 1 cup fat-free milk

Lunch

• Sandwich: 1 mini whole wheat pita, 3 ounces turkey breast, 1/2 roasted pepper, 1 teaspoon light mayonnaise, mustard, lettuce

• 1 stick part-skim mozzarella string cheese

• 2 kiwifruits

Dinner

• 4 ounces broiled flounder or sole

• 2 sliced plum tomatoes sprinkled with 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, broiled until just golden

• 1 cup cooked couscous

• 1 cup steamed broccoli

• 1 fat-free pudding cup

Day 2

Breakfast

• Smoothie: Blend 1 cup frozen berries, 1/2 banana, and 8 ounces fat-free milk.

• 1/2 English muffin spread with 1 teaspoon light margarine

Lunch

• 1 cup vegetarian vegetable soup

• 1 veggie burger in a mini whole wheat pita with lettuce and salsa

• 6 ounces light yogurt

• 15 grapes

Dinner

• BBQ chicken: Brush 4 ounces boneless, skinless breast with barbecue sauce and grill.

• 1/2 cup vegetarian baked beans

• 3 small boiled red potatoes topped with 1 teaspoon light margarine and a pinch of dill

Day 3

Breakfast

• Oatmeal: In the microwave, cook 1/2 cup quick-cooking oats with 3/4 cup fat-free milk; 1/2 apple, chopped; 1 teaspoon honey; and a pinch of cinnamon

Lunch

• Chicken salad: Toss 4 ounces shredded skinless roast chicken breast with 1/4 cup sliced red grapes, 1 tablespoon slivered almonds, 1 tablespoon light mayonnaise, and 1 tablespoon fat-free sour cream. Serve over lettuce.

• 1 banana

Dinner

• 4 ounces steamed shrimp

• 1 baked potato topped with 3 tablespoons salsa and 1 tablespoon fat-free sour cream

• 3 cups spinach, steamed

• 1 low-fat frozen fudge bar

Day 4

Breakfast

• 1/2 toasted English muffin topped with 1/2 small apple, sliced, and 1 ounce shredded reduced-fat cheese, any type. Microwave 30 seconds on High.

• 6 ounces light yogurt sprinkled with 1 tablespoon slivered almonds

Lunch

• 1 cup tomato soup

• Sandwich: 1 mini whole wheat pita, 3 ounces thinly sliced roast beef, 1 teaspoon horseradish, mustard, tomato slices, lettuce

• 1 cup raw veggies

• 1 pear

Dinner

• 3 ounces poached salmon

• Slaw: Toss 1 1/4 cups coleslaw mix and 2 sliced green onions with 2 tablespoons fat-free dressing (no more than 30 calories per 2 tablespoons)

• 3/4 cup cooked brown rice

• 1/2 cup pineapple chunks in juice

Day 5

Breakfast

• 1 cup Cheerios, 1/2 cup berries, 1 tablespoon slivered almonds, 8 ounces fat-free milk

Lunch

• Quesadilla: Spread 1/4 cup fat-free refried beans over 1 small whole wheat tortilla. Sprinkle on 1 ounce shredded reduced-fat cheese. Top with salsa and another tortilla; microwave 45 seconds on High.

• 1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese topped with 1/2 cup mandarin orange sections

• Cucumber spears

Dinner

• 3 ounces roasted pork tenderloin

• 1 cup baked acorn squash, mashed with a pinch of cinnamon

• 2 to 3 cups salad greens with 2 tablespoons fat-free dressing

• 1/2 cup vanilla fat-free frozen yogurt topped with 1 cup berries

Day 6

Breakfast

• 1 toasted frozen waffle, spread with 1 tablespoon peanut butter and topped with 1/2 sliced banana

• 8 ounces fat-free milk

Lunch

• Tuna pita: 1 mini whole wheat pita, 2 ounces water-packed light tuna, 1 tablespoon light mayonnaise, mustard, and cucumber and onion slices

• 10 baby carrots

• 6 ounces light yogurt mixed with 1/2 banana

Dinner

• Jambalaya: Combine 3/4 cup cooked brown rice; 1/2 cup corn; 2 ounces cooked turkey sausage, sliced; 1/3 cup salsa; and 1/4 cup canned kidney beans. Heat through.

• 3 cups spinach, steamed

• 1 medium apple

Day 7

Breakfast

• 1/2 toasted English muffin layered with 1 ounce reduced-fat cheese, sliced; 1 tomato slice; 1/2 cup steamed spinach, drained; and 1 poached egg

• 1 grapefruit

Lunch

• Black bean salad: Toss 1/2 cup canned black beans, 1/2 cup mandarin orange sections, and chopped red bell peppers, red onion, and scallions with 1 teaspoon vinegar. Serve over salad greens.

• 1 mini whole wheat pita

• 1 pear

Dinner

• 3 ounces broiled or grilled flank steak

• 1 baked sweet potato with 1 teaspoon light margarine

• 1 cup steamed zucchini

• 1/2 cup pineapple chunks in juice

28 simple and natural ways to detox your body

http://bembu.com/natural-ways-to-detox-your-body

5 THINGS WE GIVE OTHERS THAT WE SHOULDN’T EXPECT IN RETURN

5 THINGS WE GIVE OTHERS THAT WE SHOULDN’T EXPECT IN RETURN
http://iheartintelligence.com/2015/11/23/shouldnt-expect-return/

CONSIDERATION

I see a very basic example of this every single day at least once: opening doors. I cannot count how many times I have opened a door for someone and they just walk by like it’s my job to open that door for them. Not even so much as a head nod of recognition. Yet, if someone is ever kind enough to open the door for me, I make damn sure that they know that I am appreciative of such a small gesture of kindness. I know that seems like a somewhat petty example, but consideration is one of those things that we almost expect from other human beings that we rarely get in return. If you’ve ever had a roommate you know exactly what I am talking about. Some people are so self-absorbed that even acknowledging the people around them is a stretch.

LOYALTY

I have struggled with this one a lot in my life. It’s not that loyalty is necessarily hard to find, but the level of loyalty rarely matches up. In your career, you can go out on a limb for someone who would throw you under the bus for a happy meal. People don’t seem to understand that loyalty is not a one-size-fits-all condition. Loyalty is a concept. If someone has your back when it comes to something minor but disappears when things get serious, that’s not loyalty – that’s convenience.
Read: Are You a Competent Adult?

FORGIVENESS

I gave up on expecting forgiveness YEARS ago. I give of it so freely, and it used to drive me crazy when I didn’t get it from others. The problem here is that people are so quick to point out your mistakes, but it is impossible for them to see their own. Therefore, your forgiveness holds no weight with them because in their minds they weren’t wrong. When you accept that you were wrong, and seek forgiveness, it becomes important to you. Again, just because it matters to you doesn’t mean that it matters to the person you are seeking forgiveness from.

ACCEPTANCE

Every level of acceptance comes with a level of judgement. There are going to be people in our lives that are so focused on the judgement that they might appear to accept you for who you are, but basically just want something to look down on. What makes this frustrating for people like me is that there is a certain level of acceptance that I think we all strive for, that some people are just never going to give. It’s usually people like family or coworkers, who you can’t just tell to go away.
Read: 6 Signs of REAL Maturity

SUPPORT

Again, this goes back to the convenience thing that I talked about with loyalty. I’d crawl on broken glass for people that wouldn’t even help me walk across the street. The difference these days is that I just don’t expect them to do the same for me in return.

Surprising uses for Listerine

http://www.littlethings.com/surprising-uses-of-listerine/?utm_source=m24&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=hacks

Underrated Wines

Barefoot Moscato, $6.99 in-store, $12.99 online.

Yellow Tail Shiraz, $7.99

Winking Owl Moscato, $3 at Aldi U.S.

Aldi and Lidl wines in general, $4.50

Gallo Family Merlot, $4.99

Cupcake Vineyards Red Velvet, $10.99

Liberty Creek Sweet Red, $6.99

FlipFlop Pinot Grigio, $4.99

Fish Eye Wines, $4.99

Bodacious Smooth Red, $10.25

Lucky Duck wines, $3.99 at Walmart

Sweet Bitch wines, $9.99

Franzia, $13.99 box

Oliver Soft Red, $6.99
Arbor Mist Blackberry