Live, Laugh, Love, Learn

With spring time comes new life, a new season, and with this new season this mom aspires to be a supermom by remembering the four pillars of life that she has carried through good and bad with her, to live, laugh, love and learn.  Unfortunately one of two of them have had their share of ups and downs, especially recently. But I have done some "spring cleaning" emotionally and mentally and I am ready to feature all of them equally in my life now.

Live for every moment and all the moments to come.  Enjoy the moment that you daughter puts her hand into yours while walking into school because she may not do it for very much longer.  Prepare for the worst, but always live for and expect the best of every tomorrow.

Laugh at the bad, and the sad.  Laughter can make the tears go away.  But it's more than laughter, it's happiness at your place in life and how you are living it. It's the smile on your face as you go to sleep every night.

Learn from your mistakes.  Learn from your experiences.  Learning brings about change, and no matter how painful the change may be it often brings with it the hope for a better tomorrow as well as the ability to deal with whatever life may "throw" your way.  Look at each day, experience and opportunity as a chance to learn about the people and the world that surrounds you. 

Love.  That one is pretty simple.  But more important than simply loving is to let those around you know that they are loved, unconditionally and that they are important to you.  Take an opportunity to say it and show it because after it's all said and done, actions speak louder than words.

So, L is not only my "Letter for the Day for the A to Z Blogging Challenge"  but it's actually a letter that I hope to live by a little more consistently.

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Judge not to be a supermom: J is for Judging

Maybe the full moon lasted longer then it normally does.  Maybe women are just sharing with me even more about the things that bother them, and mom's right now "judging" is a big thing that is bothering a lot of moms.  It doesn't seem to matter whether you are a SAHM, WAHM or a WOHM (working outside the home mom) there are just so many judgments about and between mothers.  Over the course of the past month I have heard mother's judging other mother's because they don't breast feed - or because they do.  I have heard mother's judging other mothers because some work outside the home and some do not.  I hear mother's judging everything from discipline to diapering, feeding and doctoring and in the end all that happens is that in the end one mother is telling another mother with her judgments that she is falling "short" in her quest to be a supermom. 

Why do we feel the need to "judge" other mother's decisions?  To offer our advice - when it hasn't been asked for?  Does it make us feel better about our choices?  Maybe that's it, but oh what a price to pay to feel like a supermom. 

Today, I leave you with these reminders;
"judge not lest you be judged"
 for every one finger you point at someone else there are three pointing back at you;
"people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones." 
And, if you can't say "nuthin' nice then don't say nuthin' at all" (Bambi)

There is your secret to being a super mom today.  Be "super" to someone else who may really be needing a little encouragement or a pat on the back.  The next time you feel tempted to judge another mother bite your tongue or maybe you could just let her know that we have all "been there and done that" as a parenting.

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H is for Happy Day

Today was a very happy day.  I had a wonderful time visiting with a friend who had moved away, and while we always made time to connect online, since the move every attempt to make the hour long drive to her house or our house always encountered a "snag."  Now, in the Houston area, an hour drive is basically what some people drive in order to get to work, but an hour in the car with two small children who every 8 minutes say, "When are we going to get there?" can try the patience of even the strongest of supermoms. 

But today everything worked together and we were able to share the joy and happiness of her engagement, as well as reconnect with several other friends I hadn't seen in a long time.  I think what brought even more happiness to our day was the chance to once again sit together outside and watch our daughters play together in a bounce house, the back yard and in the pool.  Even though they hadn't seen each other in so long, as soon as we arrived, it was the three musketeers all over again.

Today, as the girls hugged and supermoms did too, I realized that yes, today was a very happy day.  It doesn't get better than sharing in the joy of new love and new life with a friend and having the happiness of watching your beautiful children at play together.   I can't wait to get the pictures to share!

What makes your day a happy one? 


This post bought to you by our sponsor. 

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F is for Friends: Superfriends help make supermoms

I can't tell you how often I hear, "I don't know how you get it all done!"  Well, I don't not really, but I fake it really well.  It is tough being a mom, writer and all the other things that go along with all that.  But to be honest, I probably couldn't get by without "a little help from my friends."  And, I think it's important that they know that. 

So here is a super big thank you to the friends who:

Watches my children so I could meet deadlines or while I was sick.
Encourages me when I am feeling overwhelmed.
Bounces ideas around with me, no matter how wild and crazy they may appear to be- some of them I even find a way to do or write about.
Supports those ideas, thoughts, and plans for the future.
Has my "back!"
Helps me with my "tech support."

And who help me make it through the each and every day with love, encouragement and occasionally a kick in the pants when I need it.

Do you have super friends? Take a minute and tell them so. I leave you with this thought for the day and a little bit of music to get your started.
“A friend is someone who understands your past, believes in your future, and accepts you just the way you are.” - Author Unknown

 This post is sponsored by:

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E is for Exhausted

Superman had his krptonite.  I have exhaustion.  It can grab all my efforts at being a supermom right out of me.  Earlier this week my foot got caught in a garden hose (last time I got hurt outside it was a basketball hoop I'm starting to think I should stay in my house or car - but I ramble) and tripped me up.  I went flying down on hands and knees, not just rock pathway, but twisting my leg at a very unnatural angle.  Limping inside my four year old helps me with ice packs and elevating my leg - but nothing elevates my mood.  Extreme pain sets in. Every movement of my leg brings cries of pain.  Treatment - alternating ice packs and heating pads, Motrin, a version of Ben Gay and rest.  I can't go to the doctor because it's not 9 pm at night. 

Tossing and turning, no rest for the weary. Tuesday goes a little better thanks to another supermom who handled the school runs for me. Temper tantrums as we miss gymnastics and dance classes. The inability to stand up long enough to cook a meal.  And, Tuesday night more tossing and turning, only  now I am working on dealing with muscle spasms and trying to stretch and massage it to avoid stiffness. 

I should explain that I have fibromyalgia, and for many people a sprain is no big deal. Uncomfortable yes, a pain, yes, and even expensive. But for someone with fibromyalgia every pain, every strain, and ever sore muscle is amplified. The best way to describe it as what feels like someone tugging your hair to you, feels like someone grabbing my hair by the roots and ripping it out to me.

Now, I am approaching day 3 and while things are looking up there is no sleep in sight.  There is a house, and children, and work to do and a field trip on Thrusday. There is an Easter Egg Hunt that I organized and one of my best friend 'sbirthday party. What do I need more than anything?  Sleep. . . sweet, peaceful, more than 45 minutes at a time sleep.

I knew having children would mean a lot of sleepless nights. I knew it would mean exhaustion, but for this supermom lack of sleep means exhaustion.  So, what do I do next?  Try my best to get a good night's sleep. Maybe if I do, I can overcome the weakness that this particular type of kryptonite brings about in super moms. 

Moral to the story, watch out for the garden hose. It can really trip you up.

Anyone have a lullaby to share?

This post is sponsored by my home remedy kit:
Elastic Bandage Ace Type W/clips 3'' Each
Sunbeam Health at Home Easy To Use King Size Moist/Dry Heating Pad, Blue
Motrin IB-Ibuprofen Pain Reliever Tablets 200 mg - 300 Coated Caplets
Max-freeze Gel, 4-Ounce

(Photo: Wikiepedia Creative Commons available for Public Use)

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D-Day: A Day to Donate

My children and I recently cleaned out our closets and toy box looking for those clothing, shoes, toys and books that we had outgrown.  I had thought that I would be hosting a "garage" sale this month in keeping with my thoughts that there is a new purpose for just about everything there.  We were using this opportunity to celebrate Earth Day awareness by recycling and repurposing these items.  But a recent posting at a neighborhood church reminded me that not only was "A Day without Shoes" on April 5, but that there were plenty of people out there that needed shoes that coudn't afford them.  They were hosting a "soles for souls" shoe collection this month and then the shoes would be provided to those in Haiti. 

Each month my husband and I make a charitable contribution to local and national non profit organizations, those that are important to us.  Seeing my large stack of items that we no longer need I looked to my husband.  "Honey do we really need the few dollars that this garage sale will bring us or can I donate them?"  "Sure, go ahead if that is what you want to do, we can do that instead of writing a check."  To be honest there were 7 bags full of clothing, girl children's shoes, children's books, and toys like LeapFrog and V-Tech and they were pretty heavy, but that day I loaded them up to take to a local charity. 

So, today I sit here without my shoes on, and remember that D is for Donate; whether it is money, your time, your talents or your goods.  All of these things can be used to help others, the environment, yourself and keep your family solidly grounded on what is really important in this world and that is not the things we have, but the things we can use to give away and help others.

From Butterflies to Books: Earth Day Activities that Keep on Giving and GrowingAre you looking for some fun activities to do with your children, class or playgroup for Earth Day? Try creating a Butterfly Garden or find a new use for those old used books in your home.

Three Earth Day Activities for the Family, Class or Community Looking for activities you can do to get your family, school or community involved in for Earth Day? These activities keep giving and growing and don't just last one day.

Charity Begins at Home: Charity Party Ideas

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C is for Creativity

Whether you are a work outside the home or a SAHM creativity has to be one of your many talents.  Mom's need to be creative with the household finances, menu planning, discipline technique, bath times, providing a balance and finding ways to get your child to do their homework or chores.   Creativity is (according to the dictionary) "the ability to transcend traditional ideas, rules, patterns, relationships, or the like, and to create meaningful new ideas, forms, methods, interpretations, etc.; originality, progressiveness, or imagination"  What does that mean for mom's or dad's? It means getting down on the floor and playing with your children.  It means entering their world for just a little while. It means finding new ways to relate to your children and the world around you.  And sometimes being a creative parent means doing something as small as finding a new new for "grilled cheese" because your children say they don't like it and it's what you have already made for lunch. 


5 other ways to be creative when parenting

Trying a new discipline method that you think "will never work."

Finding something new and interesting to motive your child.

Sneaking vegetables in their favorite dishes to make sure they get the nutrition they need.

Finding a new acctivity, event, or place to go with the whole family at least once a month.

Read a book - but act it out.

In what ways are you creative when you parent and what really works for you?

Creativity represents a miraculous coming together of the uninhibited energy of the child with its apparent opposite and enemy, the sense of order imposed on the disciplined adult intelligence.

Norman Podhoretz

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