Pamper yourself

Do you pamper yourself?? How do you pamper yourself?? Why is it that I always put myself at the bottom of the list and there never is any time, energy, or money for me??  How do I change it??

Well as I look back on this year, if I don't do it no one else will so let the pampering begin!!
I just got all kinds of nice smelling lotions and potions for Christmas so that would be a great place to start- just taking an extra 5 minutes to slather on some lotion and smell good.
*Get outside and enjoy the day- feeling the sun on your face and fresh air can give me a boost and reenergize me
*Yoga- I always have good intentions of doing it and just never getting to it- I love how I feel after so I am not sure why I don't commit and do it.  That would be a very positive thing to do and would pamper my body and mind

I am going to go on a pampering quest and discover all kinds of ways to put myself first!

Happy Earth Day

Well today is Earth Day. We are going to celebrate by going to the movies and watching African Cats!! We are also going to stop at the nursery and buy a tree to plant as well (but my kids do not know about that!) I must admit that I have been trying to make small changes to the way we live to be respectful to Mother Earth.

Here are some of the changes that we have made:

We recycle more than we throw away

We have a vegetable garden that I can not wait to plant!

We compost... We are building an indoor composter this weekend!

We use fabric napkins not paper

I use recycleable bags for food shopping

I hang the clothes on the clothes line

I use glass pyrex to transport my lunch to work/in a lunchbox

I do not use chemicals on my lawn

I follow several green blogs that have given me some ideas on how I can become more green

Now that the weather is nice I will be riding my bike more and my children will also be riding their bikes so I do not have to go and pick them up in the car!!

I do think making small changes is the way for me to "Go Green" I think if everyone just does a little more it can really add up. My moto with my children is leave a room or place better than you found it.... I guess that is my philosophy for Earth Day as well.... leave it better than you found it!!

Happy Earth Day and go plant a tree!

Extreme Couponing

As I sit here getting ready for my trip to the supermarket, checking my list and cutting my coupons, I got to thinking of a show I watched this week called Extreme Couponing. Curiousity got me to watch.... I mean I would like to get out of the store paying practically nothing and feed my family for the week! If I could learn a few tricks and save some money, I am in! But as I watched I soon realized that extreme couponing is not going to be in my near future!

Organization is not my strong point..... That is putting it mildly.....The people on the show were so organized.... I think OCD organized. A level of organization that would be next to impossible with my ADHD brain. They spent hours and sometimes days preparing for the shopping trip..... One woman actually did a walk through the day before..... Now maybe it is because I am a single parent and I have a full time job....... However I just do not have that kind of time to dedicate to a shopping trip.

I was impressed with one woman having 9 shopping carts her total over $1200 and her paying only $50. BUT...... It took over 2 hours to check out..... The computer crashed...... I thought she was going to hyperventilate..... They had to call for a truck because they could not fit everything in their cars..... Now I understand the theory about buying in bulk and stocking up, but if you already have a 2 year supply of paper towels do you really need to buy 100 more rolls?? Even if it is a great price??? What about 100 Butterfingers????? What you saved at the register you are going to pay the dentist or the gym!

When they show you their stockpiles.... and how organized and alphabatized and color coded (ok I was a little jealous of their organization skills) :) they were, I just kept thinking this is organized hoarding. These family could go to the store once a week to buy their fresh food needs and live very comfortably for years on what they have stored.

Extreme Couponing as a hobby and way of life is just not for me!!

Let it Be!

How many times have I heard that Beatles song? How many times have I sung along? But did I ever stop and really listen? The other day while driving in the car the song came on and as I went to change the station I stopped and listened...

When I find myself in times of trouble

Mother Mary comes to me

Speaking words of wisdom

Let it be

In my hour of darkness

She is standing right in front of me

Speaking words of wisdom

Let it be

Three simple words... Let it be

Make peace and give hope but.... Let it be!

Just because I want something or someone to change does not mean that is what they want or what is best for them...

My siblings are making a choice not to speak to each other or be in each others lives... I can not change or control it.... Let it be!

My ex husband is not the father I want him to be.... But that is my interpretation... How much time and energy have I exhausted being angry and resentful toward him for that? Way to much... I can not move forward if I am shackled to the past.... I can not change or control it...

Let it be!

I need to let go of things that clutter my mind with things that I can not change or control..

Let it be and let it go!

Guilt over past decisions and poor choices... My past does not equal my future...

Let it be and let it go... Like a soft breeze I hear these words in my ear... I think I am finally ready to listen to the words of my new theme song!

There will be an answer.....Whisper words of wisdom.... Let it be!

Spring....

It is the first day of Spring and it is a time for rebirth.... not just for the plants but for me as well! The dark and endless winter is over and life begins! It is time for me to spread my wings and fly!

Okay that sounds great but how?? How do you create a life that honors who you are now.... Not who you were before?? I guess you have to start by figuring out who you are now or more importanly who do you want to be? That is a loaded question...... The only thing that is standing in my way of having the exact life I want is me..... Well now that kind of makes all of the excuses or the mantras I tell myself.... I will do it later... I do not have enough money.... It is not time yet...go to hell !! I guess I can no longer hold off taking responsibility!!

Alrighty then.... What do I want for my life.... Dah dah dah dah.....

First let me tell you where I am and maybe that will help me put me on the right road...

I am in my early 40's.... soon to be mid forties!! Single..... divorced for 6 years.... Mother of 3 girls..... 18,13,& 9. Teacher.... love my job! I bought the house I grew up in and am trying to claim it as mine. Easier said than done.

I hope this blog will be a way for me to claim my new life while making me accountable. If I put it out there in cyber space and there is a chance someone might read it, then I had better be prepared to follow through!

Today's goal..... Well to be honest it was to revisit this blog and start the journey.... I will enjoy this first day of spring and let my mind dream of all of the possibilities!