Amazing homemade Roman Shades!

http://365days2simplicity.blogspot.ca/2011/04/easy-no-sew-roman-shades.html?m=1

When life throws you a "curve ball"...

...you can swing with all your might.... or you can stop. Pick up a flower among the weeds and admire it's beauty.  Have a look at your toddler and let his giggles warm your heart.  Take a drive to the driving range and watch your golf ball sore through the air. Take a deep breath. And think of something else for the moment.

Because while you may be caught up in the heat of the "curve ball", and want to give it all you got to throw it back, making split decisions in the heat of the moment.... sometimes end up with regrets.

Meanwhile, if you just stop for a moment, focus on something else, anything, something positive, something that brings a smile to your face, tell yourself this, "Self, I'm not my happy self right now and I can't make an emotional decision that I may regret.  Take care of this subconsciously while I busy myself with something more positive and productive. " and come back to it later.

You'll come back to it with a refreshed perspective, calm and more level headed. At this time you can calmly decide to just let it go, or come up with a sensible solution. Pick your battles.  Don't waste your time with things that don't bring value to your life. Life is too short.  Your subconscious can do wonderful things if you use it more often.  It does a lot of background work, even when you're not actively thinking about it.

So next time you have a question, situation, feelings, issue, challenge, problem or whatever else that makes you worry or think too much, tell your subconscious to take care of it while you do something else.  You'll be amazed at the ideas that you wake up with the next day.  You may have coffee with a friend some day and have an unrelated conversation with them and all of a sudden it gives you the answer to what you were looking for.  You may read a book, and find your answer written in black and white, as if it was written specifically to address that lingering thought in the back of your mind.

It can be such a powerful tool!  Use it. Try it.  It's worked wonders for me..... whenever I've remembered to use it.  Of course some things take more time to figure out.  Somethings are right in front of you and you see it everyday.... until one day you realize it has a purpose or meaning.

I hope this doesn't come out as a ramble.  I challenge myself everyday to find the good in things, even the hard ones,  and it's made me a much happier person. This one has worked for me many times.

I would encourage you to find sources of positive energy to plug into everyday.  Be it a motivational cd from a favorite speaker, read regularly from books that offer positive information and allow you to grow in different areas, associate with positive people, attend intellectually stimulating events held by people with the intention to enrich your life (contact me if you wish to obtain some amazing sources).

If you put good/positive in, good/positive will come out.
Be happy and god bless,

Single moms, you are heroes!

About a year ago we found out that my husband would have to go away on course for an extended period of time. We had the luxury of options, which doesn't happen too often in the military. He could go on course in the middle of winter or early spring.

After some careful consideration, I certainly wasn't interested in taking up the responsibility of plowing/shoveling/blowing snow while acting single mom. So early spring we decided. We never gave much thought after that.

All of a sudden it was upon us. I was going to take on the role of single mom for an extended period of time..... and I was terrified.

Some will say "well you should have known better marrying a military Captain if you didn't want to have your husband away all the time!" Yes, sure, you're right.... But here's the thing. We have been so blessed that my husband hasn't had to be away for any length of time till now. We were blessed to have him home with our new born for almost 9 months. We were blessed that he hadn't been deployed. But my husband never wanted to be away from the family either. He's seen too many families and relationships struggle with that. He didn't want that for his life.

As I digress from the meaning of this blog.... I realized over time how strong women are and how very little credit they give themselves. They always criticize themselves saying they could have done this or that better. They pull their hair as their little one is screaming with pain teething, refusing to nap or sleep, throwing tantrums left and right, throwing all the clean laundry all over the place while you're taking 5 min to write this blog....They could have done some many things.... Yet they have accomplished so much!

When I gave birth to our son. I was swarmed and overwhelmed with love, passion, dreams .... Paralyzed with fear, anxiety and no idea how to take care of a new born! I had such fear and anxiety that I forgot to enjoy the love and amazing miracle I had in my arms.  Fast forward 12 months almost to the day.... And not only am I a mom, a wife a dog owner and a friend, daughter, sister, I can also take on the single mom act, clean a house, cook 3 meals a day plus 2 snacks plus 6 bottles, function with less than a couple hour sleep, weed the yard, now the lawn, do the dishes 3 time a day, change 6 to 8 diapers a day.... And still have time to play with my son and hear his giggles, recount my day over the phone with my husband during his 10 min study break, catch up with friends, relax, and go out and build a business.

Ladies, single moms in particular.... Please reflect on your day, your role, as a mom and wife and all the other hats you wear. The best part of being a mom is being selfless.... The toughest part of being a mom is being selfless. So think about all the achievements you've conquered over the last couple days, months or years. Enjoy the giggles and cuddles and snotty and wet kisses. Now reward yourself with a little something for yourself. You deserve it.

Do yourself a favor, stop focusing on the negative in your life and start being grateful for everything you've been blessed with.

With love and so much respect,
Sincerely,
Temporarily acting single mom
Danielle

From the book: Bringing out the best in people - by Alan Loy McGinnis

"You are a manipulator when you try to persuade people to do something that is not in their best interests but is in yours. You are a motivator when you find goals that will be good for both sides, then wells together a high-shriving, high-morale partnership to active them."