New Year - New You

New Year - New You: How to Stay Motivated and Focused as WAHM

The new year is a great time for work at home moms (WAHM) to reaffirm their goals and boost their motivation. It's a great time to review the last year and to plan for the new year.
In fact, the new year can be the perfect time to reinvent yourself, your schedule and your business's systems. It's the perfect time to start anew.

Here's how to stay motivated and focused as a work at home mom this new year's.

==> Review the Past Year: Passion & Results

There are two things about the past year that need reviewing.
First of all, take a look at your results. Did you meet the goals you set for yourself over the last year?
How much did you earn? How are the other metrics in your business doing - things like traffic, number of paying clients, number of subscribers and so on.
Celebrate the successes and look for lessons in the places where you fell short.
The other area to review is your own personal passions. Over the last year, chances are you've experimented with a number of different things in your online business.
What did you find you particularly enjoyed? Were there things you did that you didn't particularly enjoy? What would increase your quality of life if you did it all the time; and what would you rather not have to do this new year?
Business isn't just about profit; it's about doing what you love as well.

==> Starting the New Year with a Burst of Motivation

Start this new year by writing out a number of goals that are both exciting and within reach. Make it a stretch, but make it also a reasonable goal.
Write out most of your goals in a tangible, measurable manner. For example, you want to be earning X dollars a month by the end of the year or you want to have Y amount of traffic.
However, you'll also want to have a few goals that aren't metrics-based. For example, you might want to get healthier and more energetic by doing yoga and changing your diet. You might want to spend more time with your kids.
Once you've written all your goals down, put your paper down and take a moment to visualize yourself one year from now. Imagine this person having achieved all their goals. Feel what it's like to be that person. Step into that person.
Take that feeling and bring it back to today. Are you ready to create that life for yourself? If so, reaffirm to yourself that you're going to hit all the goals you laid out for the year. Use this motivation to move forward as your launching pad into the new yea

New Year's Eve Party Ideas

 New Year's Eve Party Ideas for the Whole Family

It’s not unusual for adults to celebrate New Year’s Eve by staying up to welcome in the New Year.  This year, however, why not try one of these New Year’s Eve party ideas for the whole family to celebrate together? 

Invite some friends with children to join you for a New Year’s Eve party the entire family can enjoy.  Start early enough so that the youngest children will be able to have fun before they get too sleepy.  You may want to plan on having a big slumber party since everyone will want to stay up to welcome in the New Year.  This way, if someone isn’t able to remain awake, they don’t have to worry about falling asleep on the trip home.

Stock up on plenty of snacks for the evening or ask each family to chip in by bringing something to share.  If you’re having a themed party, try to have food that will work well with your theme.  Since there will be children present, you may want to serve only non-alcoholic drinks.

You may want to have games planned for children, teens, and adults if there will guests from each age group.  Of course, the teenagers may decide to play the adult games if the adults agree.  For those people that aren’t interested in playing games, have several family-friendly movies available.

When you send out invitations to the party, why not include a request that everyone bring along an item to put into a time capsule.  The items should be small but meaningful to the person bringing them.  (Provide labels and a pen so everyone can identify their own items when the time capsule is opened at some point in the future.)  Bury or hide the time capsule so that it will remain untouched until a designated time, possibly in one or two years on New Year’s Eve.

Be sure to have several disposable cameras handy or ask your friends to bring their own cameras.  With all the fun that’s sure to be had you’ll want to get pictures of the festivities.  After the New Year has started, you may want to get together and create scrapbooks of the evening. 

Since the parents are going to be at the party with their children, see if they would be willing to allow the children to try to stay up and welcome in the New Year.  It’s not often that children stay up until midnight, and they probably won’t be able to stay awake that long, but let them try.

It’s a great idea to use these New Year’s party ideas for the whole family to enjoy.  Invite friends with children and you’ll double or triple the amount of fun your family would have on their own.  Remember that New Year’s Eve only comes around once a year, so be sure to enjoy yourselves and create precious memories for one and all.

Green Christmas Presents Also Mean Green Wrapping and Green Cards

Green Christmas Presents

Also Mean Green Wrapping and Green Cards

 

Green Christmas presents aren't just about what you choose to give as a gift - it's also important to think about wrapping paper and even the greetings cards you're sending out. Christmas cards are a fantastic way to get in touch with people who you may not have spoken to for a while, and are perfect for sending good wishes to family and friends. However, the numbers quickly add up, and most of us will end up using huge amounts of card for these yearly greetings. There are ways in which you can minimize the environmental impact of the cards you send.

Make Your Own Cards

If you're really feeling creative then why not try making your own cards from recycled materials? You can use parts of old greetings cards, or scraps of card, to put together cards that are personal and fun. This is an especially good idea if you've got kids who enjoy arts and crafts!

 You can also go digital and design your own cards on the computer. This can be another fun project for you or the kids and is an easy way to send out cards without wasting any paper at all! Save the paper cards for only your closest friends and family and you'll be helping to save a lot of trees this Christmas.

Wrapping Gifts

A lot of gift wrap is difficult to recycle, especially since it gets torn up and thrown out with other trash! Try not to add to this waste by using recycled materials to wrap your green Christmas presents, such as old newspapers, magazines, old brown paper bags, or wrapping that you've salvaged from previous years. Most people won't mind you wrapping in this way - in fact, you can usually make it look unique and creative with a little effort! If you still want to buy wrapping paper, many stores now sell recycled options.

After Christmas

Once Christmas is over you'll likely be left with a huge number of Christmas cards that no longer have any use. It's important that you recycle cards as much as possible - whether this means re-using them for your kids' craft projects, or dropping them off at local stores who include a Christmas card recycling point.

Although these are easier to recycle, you should also try to save as many envelopes as you can when receiving cards. When it comes time to send cards again, you can reuse the better quality envelopes by using special “reuse labels” to cover up old details. This is a habit you can continue throughout the year, too!

 You can also recycle holiday gift wrap. When unwrapping gifts, try to do it carefully rather than tearing it all and you can use it as is. This is the perfect way to turn the presents you receive into more green Christmas presents!

Snowmen Treats

These are too cute for words!! Nutterbutter Snowmen Treats!! I'm guessing it's just white chocolate coating, but I am sure you can use any white candy coating or yogurt coating ;)

Avoid the Stressful Christmas Shopping Rush

How to Avoid the Stressful Christmas Shopping Rush.

The Christmas rush happens when you are so busy creating shopping lists, organizing Christmas dinner, and preparing Christmas cards, in addition to your normal busy schedule, that time slips by too quickly. You are soon left with one week left before Christmas, and your list of things to do is nowhere near complete. Not to mention the fact that you don't have time to enjoy what the season is really about!

You can avoid the Christmas rush and reap its benefits with some simple tips.

Plan Your Christmas List Early
Start planning your Christmas list as early as spring, if possible. With a planned list, you will know well in advance who you want to purchase gifts for and can add to this list as you remember more names. This also helps to stop you from overspending, as so many of us do each year.

Each year, if you keep track of your gift-giving list, you can just readjust the list if you need to, and have a sure direction of your purchasing plans. There are many applications available on smartphones that can keep track of these lists for you, and remind you of what you bought a particular person last year so you don’t end up buying them the same gift each year.

Shop Early

Once you have your planned Christmas list, the shopping becomes much easier. When you start your list early, your shopping can start early as well. You'll avoid the Christmas crowds and help to reduce stress as you get everything you need. You'll also be in a better position to shop around for bargains. And, the closer to Christmas it gets, the more you can sit back and enjoy it, knowing you've already gotten the shopping out of the way.

Purchase Meaningful Gifts

When you plan and shop early, you will most likely be able to purchase gifts that have special meaning for your family and friends. You won't be purchasing gifts for the sake of it just because you're in a rush. Putting thought into the gifts you buy in this way makes them more meaningful, and brings you closer to the true spirit of the season, rather than just spending money thoughtlessly.

Spend Less
When you take the time to plan, you can adjust your Christmas list according to a budget. With a clear idea of who you will be purchasing gifts for, you can always take advantage of special sales. Many department stores hold sales during other holidays, such as Labor Day, giving you more opportunities to save money.

Many of the sales held during the Christmas season are on the same items, which many have already marked up. The chances of getting a unique gift decreases as more Christmas shoppers are also looking for the sales.

Taking the time to plan and anticipate the season of Christmas before it arrives will allow you more time to spend with family and friends, viewing Christmas lights, and maybe even taking the children to see Santa Clause at the Mall. Why waste time rushing to buy gifts, when you can relax and enjoy this special season and all it has to offer?

Tips for a Deep, Rejuvenating Sleep

Want deep rejuvenating sleep? We have 6 Tips for a deep rejuvenating sleep night.

Over the years, we’ve seen a change in the recommended minimum number of sleep hours a body needs. Where once it was suggested a full 8 hours was necessary, we now recognize that every person is different and our needs may change from time to time.
Regardless of the actual number, there is strong evidence that shows that a shortened or disturbed sleep process can compromise one’s mood, alertness and performance. If you’re having problems sleeping, try these six tips for a deep, rejuvenating sleep.

1. Schedule your day to allow for “downtime” before bedtime. In other words, don’t stay busy right up until it’s time for lights out. Give yourself a chance to relax for at least an hour before you go to bed. This means turning off the television and listening to soothing music instead. It may include taking a luxurious warm bath to ease the tension in your muscles, reading a book or simply doing some deep breathing exercises.

2. Eat earlier in the evening. Some people are so busy they don’t get to eat until right before bed. When you eat so late, it makes it difficult for the body to begin digesting the food before its time to sleep. If possible, try to avoid eating anything at least three hours before you plan to go to bed. Avoiding caffeine, chocolate, pork, potatoes, tomatoes and cheese is also a good idea since these foods inhibit the production of the chemicals which help you sleep.

3. Make sure your sleeping environment is peaceful, quiet and dark. Even if you feel that you’re tired enough you could fall asleep standing in a corner, it is a good idea to make your bedroom someplace that is relaxing and quiet. Lower your shade and pull your curtains to so no outside light keeps you awake. Playing soft music or nature sounds can also be helpful in reaching deep, restful sleep.

4. Add sleep-inducing herbs to your nightly routine. Passion flower, chamomile, lemon balm and valerian are common herbs that will calm and relax you so you can fall asleep. These can be enjoyed as a hot cup of tea each night before you go to bed or you can take them as capsules, whichever you prefer.

5. Plan to exercise each day.  Being active each day really does help you sleep at night. Of course, it’s important not to exercise too close to bedtime, but exercising earlier in the day can do wonders for healthy sleep. 

6. Go to bed and get up at the same time each day, even on the weekends. Your body has its own rhythm – circadian rhythm or internal clock – so having a set time to go to bed and get up each day will help set this internal clock.
It is possible to get deep, rejuvenating sleep each night. You can use any or all of these tips to help you achieve peaceful sleep. However, if you work with your body to give it the rest you need, and you’ll find sleep problems are soon a thing of the past.

Handmade Christmas Gifts

Get Creative with Handmade Christmas Gifts

Don’t let your budget deter you from having an enjoyable Christmas season. This is a time to remember, and it's not all about the expense of a gift, but the thought that you put into the gift. Yes, there are those who may feel different, but for the people who are close to you in your life, they are more likely to be appreciative of the time and care you put into the gift than how much money you spent on it. People love being recognized and thought of, and managing your budget with handmade Christmas gifts is a wonderful opportunity to show how much you care.

Here are some ideas to get you going:

Dessert Baking Jar

 

This is a cute idea to share one of your favorite dessert recipes, such as cookies or a special bread (like banana bread or cranberry bread). First, use your creativity and computer skills and type up your recipe on fancy Christmas stationary. You can either glue it to a medium sized jar or tie it with a ribbon to the top of the jar.

Your recipe should state what needs to be added to the dry ingredients. Also include what type of baking pan to use, oven heat, cooking time, and any other specifics to make this recipe special.

Fill the jar with all the dry ingredients for the recipe. Be sure to add the ingredients one at a time to the jar, so it creates a nice pattern. Decorate the lid in Christmas paper and tie ribbon around the top of the jar to give it that original Christmas look.

Recipe Gift Basket
Creating a gift basket of your favorite dinner recipe, or a favorite of the recipient, makes a unique and special Christmas gift. If you collect baskets during the year from gifts you received, you can save time and money by recycling one of those.

First, fill the basket with all the non-perishable ingredients needed for the dinner meal. For example, if the recipient of your gift loves pasta, you can purchase two different types of pasta, pasta sauce, special spices, and maybe even a bottle of wine that goes with the dish. Decorate the basket with Christmas ribbon and don’t forget to include a recipe if it requires special preparation.

Mini Scrap Book

 

Grandparents and those relatives that live far away from you will enjoy and cherish this gift idea. Gather pictures of your children, or you and your significant other, or even just of you doing different things during the year.

Purchase an inexpensive plain drawing journal with no lines so you can paste your pictures and write a little blurb about the significance of the picture. If you have children, you can also include milestones in their life, which will be heartwarming to grandparents who adore their grandchildren. Wrap it with some fancy ribbon and you got a special gift that mainly only cost your time.

Personalized Notecards
  Everyone loves blank notecards that they can use for any occasion. If you know what your friend or family member loves, you can create personalized notecards at a minimal cost. Purchase blank envelopes and cardstock white paper. Cut the cardstock paper in half along its width, then fold in half to create a notecard. Now decorate with ribbon, stationary, material, stickers, etc., that represent the recipient.

5 Tips for Buying Christmas Gifts at the Last Minute

Christmas Gifts at the Last Minute

No matter how much you may try to avoid it, there may be times when you need to find a gift at the last minute. No one is perfect, and you may have forgotten someone on your shopping list, or maybe you just couldn’t find the right gift anywhere no matter how hard you looked.

Last minute Christmas shopping may be a dreaded task, but it can still be thoughtful and creative. Here are 5 ideas for finding the right gift.

1) Purchase Gift Certificates
Although this isn't the most creative gift, there are gift certificates available for any taste. You can purchase a gift certificate for a pedicure and/or manicure, gym membership, spa day, massage, yoga class, or a dinner at a nice local restaurant. Think about what the recipient of your gift loves to do the most, but doesn’t have the time or even the money, and give him or her a special treat.

2) Purchase Gift Cards
There are so many available gift cards from places like your local grocery store, where you can purchase a gift card perfect for that special someone. Local stores now carry gift cards from many different vendors, from home improvement to clothing stores, either locally or online.

3) Shop Local
You can avoid the crowds of last minute shoppers and empty store racks in department stores by visiting your local small businesses. These stores are more likely less crowded, and will offer you more choices in unique gifts. It is also a great way to support your local economy.

4) Be Practical but Creative
Think of what your friend or family member really loves to drink, whether it is wine, energy drinks, or diet drink mixes. Purchase one or several varieties, and include the type of glass commonly used for that beverage. For example, for wine, you can purchase a pair or set of wine glasses. Or for diet drink mixes, you can purchase an eco-friendly drinking container.

5) Purchase a Special Christmas Decoration
This idea is great for the person who loves all types of Christmas decorations, or who loves to collect original pieces. As Christmas approaches, many of the decorations are on sale or clearance, still giving you a reasonable price for the uniqueness of a gift. For example, you can purchase an ornament where you can add your own family picture, making this gift very special.

Just because you're shopping last minute for a Christmas gift for a friend or family member, it doesn’t mean that it has to be without thought. It may take some creativity, but don’t settle for purchasing an item just because you need a gift. He or she will know it was a last minute thought when you buy them a pair of mittens and they live in Florida!

You can still make the gift special, although it may take some thinking, but there are always gifts out there that you can purchase at the last minute to make someone’s Christmas special. After all, it is the thought that counts!

6 Top Work at Home Business Ideas

6 Top Work at Home Business Ideas

It’s incredibly easy for anyone to work at home, and since you can get started without any money down, you can start earning profits fast. There are many great ways to generate an income from home - but certain work at home efforts show up repeatedly as having the top income potential.

The first business you can work from home is to blog for AdSense Cash. AdSense Cash consists of ads that are put on your blog or site. These ads are tied in to your site content (think apples to apples) so you might write a blog about health products and get ads that promote health products.
But if you’re new to this, then how do you know what kind of blog to set up? Would a blog on some obscure topic earn you as much income? No. How to make sure your blog is a money maker (besides providing relevant and fresh content) is to set up a blog based on what’s trending.

If you go the home page of Yahoo, it’ll even tell you what’s trending. What you do is choose a category based on what’s trending. For example, celebrities is a good one. Sports is another good blog, and making money is another one.

You can also make money from home by promoting Amazon items and this is second in the top work at home ideas. You get started on this by signing up to become an Amazon associate. You then promote those products on your website with links back to the product on Amazon using your affiliate ID.

Another avenue and also in the top ways to make money, is to sign up as an affiliate at ClickBank and start promoting their digital products. You’ll want to test out the products that you promote so that you’ll better understand how the product works and you’ll be able to tell your customers what’s good (or not so good) about the product.

You earn a commission (some of them quite high) based on what you promote. If you don’t like the idea of promoting, but you enjoy writing and feel that you have some information that could benefit others, then write an eBook.

An eBook can sell countless times (giving you residual income). You can write an eBook on any topic under the sun – but it’s best to choose a topic that people will pay money for, which usually solves a problem.

Working from home as a virtual assistant is also in the top 6 work at home ideas. It’s a fast growing field and is relatively easy to set up and start. You can network and build clients online, through word of mouth and by positioning your site at the top of search engine results.

Finally, you can break into freelance writing or graphics. It’s easy to turn your writing skills into a way to make money by writing for others. You can become a ghostwriter and write everything from blogs to essays to articles to eBooks and reports.

Love

Love is patient... Love is Kind...

it always protects,

always trusts, always helps,

always perseveres,

Love never fails.

Unused Gears

October 19, 2012 — My first bike had one gear. Whether I was going fast or slow, uphill or downhill, that gear did everything. My next bike had three gears: one for level surfaces, one for going uphill, and one for going downhill. My third bike had ten gears, allowing me an even broader range of choices. Even though my last bike had several gears to choose from, I didn’t use all of them every time I rode. Some were best suited for starting and climbing, others were reserved for gaining speed, and others were best for a leisurely pace. But the thing about gears is this: Even though I wasn’t using all of them at the time, it didn’t mean I would never need them.

The same can be true in regard to our spiritual gifts and abilities. During times when I feel I am not being used to do certain things I once did, instead of feeling useless and unappreciated I thank God for the “gear” I’m currently able to use. Just because a skill is not needed right now doesn’t mean it never will be. Our spiritual gifts are needed in different ways at different times. Needs and circumstances change in unforeseeable and unpredictable ways. The apostle Paul reminded Titus, “Be ready for every good work” (Titus 3:1). May that be true of us as well. Heavenly Father, I need to remember that what I do is up to You, but how I do it is up to me. Whether I am busy or still, may I be peaceable, gentle, humble, kind, and loving. Keep your tools ready—God will find work for you. by Julie Ackerman Our Daily Bread Read: Titus 3:1-8 Be ready for every good work. —Titus 3:1 Bible in a Year: Matthew 23-25

Christian Quote

Christian Quote of the Day Friday, October 19th, 2012 As well could you expect a plant to grow without air and water as to expect your heart to grow without prayer and faith.

Christian Quote of the Day

Thursday, October 18th, 2012 There are three kinds of people in the world; those who have sought God and found Him and now serve Him, those who are seeking Him, but have not yet found Him, and those who neither seek Him nor find Him. The first are reasonable and happy, the second reasonable and unhappy, and the third unreasonable and unhappy.

Halloween Costumes - Girls

Halloween Costumes for Little Girls - The Ladybug Girl Fancy Dress Costume .

A great way to decide on a fancy dress costume for your little girl is to take a look at the books that she enjoys. One particular book that has become very popular with little girls is the series called The Ladybug Girl. Now your child can dress up just like the heroine of these stories and enjoy herself while out trick or treating.

The Ladybug Girl – Get the Costume

The ladybug girl costume is a really fun option. It consists of lots of red and black. You can decide to either purchase this outfit or your can create your own if you are handy with a needle and thread. As the name would suggest, the aim of this costume is to look like a little ladybug so the most important feature is the wings. You can get them in all different sizes so you want to be sure to pick the right one for your child. These wings are usually made with straps that your child will need to put her arms through. This is a lightweight structure so will not cause any discomfort at all.

The other essential part of this costume is the bright red tutu skirt. Again, this is something that you can purchase ready made or you can buy some red netting or chiffon tulle and create your own by sewing a loose running stitch through the top and pulling slowly on the thread in order to gather the whole thing together to create the tutu effect. Add a ribbon tie to the back so that it sits securely on the waist.

A Ladybug costume would not be complete without a set of antenna. This can be made from a simple headband in red or in black. All you need is to add a couple of fuzzy little baubles on the top.

In The Ladybug Girl books, our little heroine runs around in a pair of bright red rain boots. You could also add this to this costume or simply get your little one to wear a pair of plain black shoes and attach the same type of fuzzy little baubles that you used for the headband antenna.

Don’t Know About The Ladybug Girl Books?

The little girl in these series of books is called Lulu. Just like all children, she has a vivid imagination and so she has created a heroic alter ego known as Ladybug Girl. There are currently 10 books in the series which was created by husband and wife team Jacky Davis, the writer of the books and David Soman, the illustrator. The stories were actually inspired by their own children.

By using your daughter’s reading books as a source of inspiration, you could create a wonderful Fancy dress costume suitable for any Halloween party or birthday bash.

Lighter not my granddaughter was a lady bug when she was one and half. Adorabble  red buntting with black dots and head band. The memories of that halloween time of many years ago. A great place to find Halloween Costomes online is Birthday In A Box for all your holiday and party needs.

Christian Quote For The Day

Live so that when your children think of fairness, caring and integrity, they think of you. - H. Jackson Brown Jr

Inspiration Quote

 

Christian Quote For The Day

Anger is never without a reason, but seldom a good one. -Benjamin Franklin

Inspiration Quote

 

Christian Quote of the Day

We can never live in the past as if it were our true home…. And it is a good thing that God draws this veil over the past even without our asking. In so doing, He allows us to live today for tomorrow with just the few memories we need of what was. - Karl Barth

Christian Quote of the Day

Do not ask the Lord to guide your footsteps, if you are not willing to move your feet.

Inspiration Quote

 

 

Empty Nest Syndrome

Empty nest syndrome it happens.. They often have feelings of loneliness and sadness. It is to be expected once the children are gone. But at the same time you have to realize that it will just be the two of you again - freedom and free time, with just you and your spouse. This will give you a chance to reconnect as a couple and spend more time together.

You are going to have an emotional rollercoaster for a while, but please realize that your child is having the same problem. You and your child should be strong together. What will help you with this transition? Will this also help your child? These questions being answered could make it easier for the both of you. Maybe talking on the phone each day and sharing how things are going will make you still feel connected. I am sure there will be tears and there will also be some happiness when you all realize the freedom that you have gained. Your child has gained their independence and you have your life back.

Now that you have the time to live life as you've always wanted, do it! Travel and explore the country. Sleep in or do nothing all day! Just be careful not to add any more big changes to your life. This could cause an emotional rollercoaster.

Now that it is just you and your partner at home, you are going to be cooking less at each meal. This will most definitely be an adjustment. It might also help you quite a bit to just 'run out' and grab something to eat. Think about this before you do it. The more that you start eating out, the less money you will have, and your waistline will increase. You could still cook the same amount of food. It would give you leftovers to eat when there is a night you do not feel like cooking. Cooking for the freezer is a great option, allowing you convenience without the extra calories fast food often adds.
Now that it is just you and your partner at home, you can start having more conversations together. This will be important to enjoying a fulfilling relationship. You can find things to do together all the time. Maybe you can find things to do together that you never knew you wanted to try! Get out and live life to get fullest! If you and your partner want to be doing different things, see if there isn't a way that you can combine them. Example would be if you wanted to work on a knitting pattern and he wants to watch a basketball game, sit in the same room, or go to a live game and bring along your knitting. You can connect just by spending the time together.

The last step of dealing with empty nest syndrome is not to worry about redoing the room that your child moved out of. Redoing the room doesn't mean that the child is gone forever. Feel free to go a little wild when redoing the room. You can paint almost any room for about $30. Just make sure that the room or another room in the house has somewhere for the child to stay when they come home for the summer or a weekend vacation. Imagine, you could have the craft room, sewing room, or home office you've been longing for - in the color scheme you've always dreamed of!

Researching empty nest syndrome might help you prepare more than people who do not read up on empty nest syndrome - allowing you to understand that the feelings you're going through are normal. Just remember that this is a great time for you to express yourself and have fun. Get out and live life to the fullest.
 

Marcia Ripperger  is a work at home mom and grandmother in Minnesota. She is the owner of a Christian Work From Home Moms and Grandparents web site at http://www.faithfulgrannies.com Bringing generations of Christian Work From Home Moms, Grandmothers, Parents, Boomers and Families together while providing resources, inspiration and affordable advertising while balancing the work at home experience.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/867541

Disappointments

Disappointments are just God's way of saying: "I have got something better in store for you!" Be Patient! Live Life! Love one another and Keep the Faith!

Just For Today

It's easy to surprise your friends today by doing something totally off the wall and out of character. . What's most unusual is that you are ready to take a chance and express what you want, in spite of potential disapproval from others. Ironically, it doesn't matter if you reach satisfaction, but it's imperative that you're willing to try.

Just For Today

Fun Facts About Halloween

5 Fun Facts About Halloween

Halloween is the second most popular holiday celebrated around the world after Christmas. It is now a huge commercial event with many companies making their best sales during this period.

Every year we celebrate Halloween on 31st October by getting dressed up in fancy dress costumes, sending the children out trick or treating and holding a whole host of fantastically themed parties featuring ghosts, ghouls and witches. Some people may have forgotten the true story behind Halloween. Here are some fun facts about the origins of this particular event and why we celebrate it.

What Does Halloween Mean?

Halloween is actually short for Hallows Eve or Hallows Evening. It was a Celtic event which actually celebrated the end of the Pagan year. Even though it was a time of celebration, there was a fear and belief that the spirits of the dead would rise on this evening and cause widespread panic and mayhem.

Why Do We Wear Costumes?

This is also linked with the traditions of the Pagan holidays. It was believed that the prosperity of the new season could be affected due to the appearance of the evil spirits.

People were scared so they would disguise themselves in different types of costumes in order to prevent any evil spirits from being able to recognise them as being human.

What Is the Importance of Bobbing For Apples?

During this period of time, apples were considered very sacred and it was a tradition to honour Pomona, who is the Goddess of fruitful abundance. The origin of the game of bobbing for apples dates from this time. This is where apples are placed in a container of water and people have to try and pick one up without using their hands. It is a very messy but hilarious activity that can be enjoyed by children as well as adults.

What Is the Significance of the Colours Orange and Black?

You may have noticed that the colours used in the majority of Halloween decorations and clothing tend to be predominately orange and black. This is because way back in history orange represented harvest while the colour black represented death and darkness.

Why Do We Carve Pumpkins?

During the Hallows Eve, candles would be placed in hollowed out turnips and used to ward off evil spirits that were thought to have risen from the dead. These were called Jack o’ Lanterns. When Immigrants arrived in America they continued to celebrate this date and pumpkins became the vegetable of choice. This was because they were more readily available and as they were larger than the average turnip, they were also easier to carve.

These days’ people create amazing designs using pumpkins, gourds and other types of vegetables. Candles are still used but many people prefer the safety of LED lights especially if they have small children.

Making Ghoulish Halloween Treats

If you want to add something extra to your families Halloween this year, why not cook up some spooky Halloween treats? Making treats for Halloween is a lot simpler than you might think and it can turn the night into a soaring success. Treats for Halloween come in a range of different sizes and shapes. You can easily whip up a batch of cupcakes and decorate with spiders or turn a dip into a slimy looking punch.
If you have a creative streak then you can really excel at Halloween baking. You could take on a huge project like baking a Haunted Halloween House or even a Fairy Tale Castle cake. Why not take the concept of the gingerbread house and turn it into something totally different?

Cupcakes are easy to make and decorate. You can turn cupcakes into ghosts, witches and spiders or scary looking rats. By looking in your kitchen cupboards you can turn everyday items into spooky Halloween creations.

If you want to make faces then use items such as licorice for the hair, use popcorn to create a nose and ice cream cones can be cut and used for spooky hat ideas. All kids just love cookies and they are another item which is easy to bake. Use plain cookie dough and mold into bones, fingers, cats and other Halloween objects and characters. Mixing up a batch of meringue is easy and it can then be piped into bone shapes and baked.

Use bulk candies for decorating treats too. Candies such as gummy worms come in different colors and can be added to puddings to create a lumpy and ghoulish texture. You can make a chocolate cake and cover it with brown icing and broken up chocolate cookies. Add the gummy worms to make them look as though they are actually coming out of the cake.

Bake up cookies, cupcakes and brownies and then decorate in the Halloween colors of orange and black. Or you can pick up a Halloween stencil set and decorate these items with bats, cats, witches and ghosts.
If you are having a Halloween get together and want to serve up a refreshment then make a batch of Halloween Punch. Use an orange colored drink mix and serve in a large bowl. Place orange slices, melon balls and blueberries in the juice to make it look ghoulish. If you are having an adult party then you might want to add vodka into the punch bowl.

How about mixing up a batch of green soup for dinner on Halloween night? This would really set the tone for the night and get everyone in the Halloween mood.

Another great item that you can pick up from the grocery store is pumpkin pie filling. It has a wonderful orange color and pumpkin is very healthy for you too. Turn the filling into pies and tarts with store bought pie shells if you wish.

By putting on your creative thinking cap you can easily whip up some fun and colorful Halloween treats. If you have never baked on Halloween then maybe this year you could start what might become a new family tradition.

Making Halloween Treats Ghoulish

Halloween Customers - Kids

Simple Halloween Costumes for Your Child

If you have small children it can be hard to find a simple Halloween costume that doesn’t have tons of buttons or zippers. You want to have a costume that is easy to put on, looks great and one that can be taken off quickly when necessary.

Quite often a simple Halloween costume is usually more comfortable and easy to wear. You don’t want a costume that restricts your child’s movements. Remember they will be running around a lot and are sure to get quite warm regardless of the weather.

One of the added benefits of buying a simple Halloween costume is that they are normally less expensive. Plus you can still add Halloween accessories to dress the costume up a bit more. If you have a few children to buy for looking for simple costumes can really help keep you on budget.

If you like to sew or do crafts then you can make a homemade Halloween costume for your kids too. Some great examples would be making a ghost, fairy or pirate costume. Fairy wings can be constructed from still felt and attached with two homemade elastic straps.

Robots can be made with cardboard and a can of silver spray paint. If you do make any type of costume from cardboard, be sure to leave lots of room so your child can move their arms and legs freely.

One color outfits are a great idea, easy to make and more affordable. A simple bumble bee costume can be made by adding yellow stripes to a black sweatshirt and pants. Turn your small child into a ladybug by dressing them in red and adding large black dots or circles to their outfit. In the same theme you can make a Christmas Tree of Elf outfit and attach miniature Christmas Ornaments to their outfits.

A really neat idea that I wanted to share with you was making a Fried Egg Halloween costume! Dress your child in black. Get a white poncho type cape and sew a yellow, felt, egg yolk on to it.

Costumes that are simple and different also make it much easier for you to keep track of your child. They will most likely be out with a crowd of other children, and children dressed similarly can be harder to identify. Wouldn’t you prefer to know exactly where your child is at all times?

Another way to keep the cost of a Halloween costume down is to look for sale or bargain costumes. Many local stores and even those online will have a discount section. Quite often with prices at under $20 per costume which can be a huge help.

If you are looking for simple but great Halloween costumes this year try to think outside the box a little. If you are creative then try to make your own costumes. If not you can become a savvy shopper and look for specials and bargain racks to help save you money and time.

Halloween Costumes - Disney

Disney's Halloween Costumes

Who doesn’t love the World of Walt Disney and with Halloween right around the corner, Disney Halloween costumes are becoming increasingly popular. You may find it surprising that adults as well as kids love this type of costume. Plus this is a good reason why it is never too soon to start shopping for this year’s Disney Halloween costume. They are sure to sell out fast!

There is an entire range of Disney costumes for you to choose from. The classic costumes such as Cinderella and Snow White are still popular. Then you have other Disney costumes including Toy Story characters and Cars 2 which highlight more recent Disney movies.

Pirates are another favorite for both adults and kids and who wouldn’t be happy dressing up in the Pirates of the Caribbean costumes? Plus don’t forget about good old Captain Hook!

For toddlers there are some wonderful costumes that include Tinkerbell, Fairies and Minnie Mouse. These particular costumes are always popular and look cute on younger children. For boys you can choose from Mickey Mouse costumes and Woody. For infants one of the cutest Disney costumes just has to be Winnie the Pooh and this costume is perfect for girls as well as boys.

As your children get older they start to want those more popular costumes from all the latest movies. Ideas for older kids include a Jack Sparrow costume or Jasmine from Aladdin. Another very popular choice for girls is the Hannah Montana costume as well as dressing up as Jesse from Toy Story.

A highly popular costume this year is Jake and The Neverland Pirates. This is one costume that you should definitely buy early as lots of kids are asking for this particular costume.

It can get expensive buying new Halloween costumes every year. If you have more than one child hopefully you can pass costumes down to younger children. Or dress up an older costume with a new mask or accessories.

One way to save on your budget when buying Halloween costumes is to start saving up earlier in the year for the costumes. You can even get your kids to start saving a little each week or month during the summer months. This can be really helpful if your kids want a new costume each year. Why not get them to help pay for it.

Another budget saving idea is to simply put a limit on what each child can spend on a costume. This way they can then choose something within your guidelines. You save money and they still get the costume they want. Older kids could add to this budget with money saved up from a paper route or grass cutting job.

Disney’s Halloween costumes are not likely to go out of style. New movies are being released and older movies are made into DVD’s, creating renewed interest in the classics. Buying a Disney Halloween costume can be a wise investment and even if you can’t hand it down you can still end up selling it in a yard sale.

Setting Homework Schedules

Homework Help - Setting Homework Schedules

One of the biggest mistakes a parent can make is in doing their child’s homework for them. Helping and doing are two different things. You may think that you are helping your child by completing a homework assignment But they will never truly learn and grasp the concept of the subject if you continually do their homework for them.

Instead you are much better off to help your child find ways to do their homework successfully. Together you can find homework solutions and one way to do this is by setting a homework schedule.

You need to sit down with your child and determine approximately how much homework they have on a regular basis. Then look at when their assignments are due. This way you can see how much homework has to be done each night.

Your next step in setting a homework schedule is to see when your child likes to do their homework. Do they prefer to do it as soon as they get home and do they want to spend an hour or so relaxing?

Once you have decided what time works best you can then start making a schedule up. This can be done by using an online calendar or by making a written timetable up.

Now that you both know when the homework will be done be sure that your child has a quiet place to get their work done. This could be in the dining room, at the kitchen table or in their bedroom. You just want to be certain that they have no distractions.

If your child is going to be studying for a couple of hours encourage them to get up and walk around. They can get a drink or a snack or to make a fast phone call to their friend and then get back to work. It is difficult for anyone to concentrate on one thing for too long so taking breaks should be encouraged.

It may be hard at first for your child to accept the routine of homework, but if you instil this at an early age it will be second nature for them. Their homework schedule will become acceptable to them and automatic.

It is important for a child to learn how to study correctly. Their brains are at their peak learning level and studying will help to teach them core values. Always be understanding if your child doesn’t want to study. Maybe they have had a bad day or aren’t feeling well. Then make a decision on if the homework can wait or not. It won’t hurt to miss a day but don’t let this become a habit either!

Tips for Busy Moms Assistance With Homework

Homework Assistance Tips for Busy Moms

It can be tough trying to help your kids with their homework, especially if you are a busy mom. You have probably worked all day and are tired too and the last thing you feel like doing is helping out with homework. But providing homework assistance to your children is very important and should not be overlooked.

Some busy moms choose to hire a tutor to help their children with their homework. But this is not always a viable solution. By helping your children yourself you are forming a bond and developing a relationship of trust.

Parents who put in time with their children are normally much closer to them. Your child will view you as a dependable person and someone they can turn too when things go wrong.

Teachers set homework for a variety of reasons. First it teaches a child that they must work and that they have a responsibility to complete their assignments. By doing homework a child will learn that it is just a part of life and they must put their best effort out each day.

Busy moms often make the mistake of finishing their child’s homework for them. This is not going to help them in the long run. All you are doing is showing your children that it is acceptable to pass their chores and tasks onto someone else.

It is okay to give your child a reward for finishing their homework but don’t go overboard. They need to learn that they must always put their best effort into everything they do. This way they are learning to value the results that they earn for themselves.

The best homework assistance a busy mom can give to her child is to train them to be independent. Right from the beginning you need to let them know that you are available to give homework assistance but you are not doing the homework for them.

Another great tip is to set a homework schedule that works for both of you. This might be after dinner when you have both had time to relax from your busy day. This way when you sit down together to work you are both refreshed and eager to get the homework finished.

As your child becomes accustomed to their schedule and in taking responsibility for their own work you will find that they don’t actually require as much homework assistance as you thought. Your main job as a mom or parent is to just be there in case they need you!

Help Children do Homework

Easy Ways for Parents to Help Their Children do Homework

Children today are finding that they have so much homework to get through each night. Many subjects are becoming harder and they take more time to understand properly. Kids are so busy that they find it hard to concentrate at night to get their homework done.

Parents and even siblings can help when it comes to doing homework. In fact experts recommend that they get help from those around them. This is very important as it teaches children that they can lean on people for help and that it is acceptable to do so.

The best person to help any child do homework is of course their parents. They are the ones who know the child the best and the ones that the child trusts the most.

Most parents try to watch their child to see if they are having a hard time in school or not. Unfortunately many times they just can’t tell if their child is going through a rough time or not. If you want to help your children then offering to help them with their homework is a good start. Even if you just sit close by and are available to answer questions, you are showing an active interest in what your child is doing.

One easy tip to help your child keep on top of their homework is to simply talk to them about school. Ask them how their day was and how much homework they have. If they seem overwhelmed by the amount you can help them prioritize what should be done first.

If your child had a bad day and is upset by school then give them time to relax before bringing up the subject of homework. Maybe watching a little TV or going outside is all they need to feel more relaxed. Once they are feeling refreshed they will be more open to suggestions about you helping them with their homework.

All children learn at different rates. So if your child seems to be a slower learner then try to find ways to help them learn in a different manner. It might help for you to read the assignment out loud to them or offer to help them write down notes. Whatever you do never tell your child that they cannot learn something. If they hear these types of remarks constantly then they will lose the effort to try harder.

Many times all a child needs is help in putting a homework plan together. As a parent you can help them by keeping up to date with what homework they have. Just helping them determine what homework should be done first can be a great help. You can make a list of the homework in the order that it is due. As your child finishes an assignment it can be crossed off the list. This one step alone will make your child feel as though they are getting somewhere.

You should never do the homework for your child but help them take steps to get the homework done on time. By communicating with your child you are also building a lasting and trusting relationship with them.

Author:

A native of the Midwest farm country in Iowa, Marcia Ripperger has lived in a number of locations. She has resided in Chicago, Illinois; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and Minneapolis, Minnesota., Living in rural and metropolitan areas taught Marcia to always look for the best opportunities each community could offer. She now lives in a rural area of Minnesota that has a small city flare and closeness to the land. . Marcia has work in the corporate world outside of her home and has various home based businesses over the years. She holds a degree in business management and is CMOM certified. Marcia is the owner of a Work At Home Choices LLC along with being the founder founder and publisher of " Christian Work From Moms and Grandparents" and Stay At Home Moms, and Work At Home Moms Choices She is a well known published and featured author through out the internet.

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Family We Grow In Different Directions

 

Family, like branches on a tree, we all grow in different directions yet our roots remain as one.

 

 

 

Christian Quote of the Day

Christian Quote of the Day

There will be little else we shall want of heaven besides Jesus Christ. He will be our bread, our food, our beauty, and our glorious dress. The atmosphere of heaven will be Christ, everything in heaven will be Christ-like; yes, Christ is the heaven of His people

Christian Quote of the Day

The objective of our daily lives must be to make an impression on others that is favorable to Jesus. When you look at the branch, you see at once the likeness to the Vine. We must live so that something of the holiness and the gentleness of Jesus may shine out in us. We must live to represent Him.

- Andrew Murray

Christian Quote of the Day

Christian Quote of the Day

Thursday, August 23rd, 2012

This is the true obedience, whether to God or man, when we look not so much to the letter of the law, as to the mind of the law-maker.

- John Trapp