Enter to win a dream trip from Life Is Good.

Enter to win a dream trip from Life Is Good.

Here's the details:

Oh my gosh, I'm so excited about this contest. While shopping, I stumbled across this contest they are having and of course I had to enter. They are picking two grand prize winners and it's quite the package. Think about where you would like to go and click here to enter now! 

Good Luck everyone!

Stop comparing yourself to others and live a happy life.

This quote is one of my favorites and one I try to remember each day. It's a hard lesson to learn, but you have to just be yourself. Don't let your perception of another person's reality cloud your happiness.  It's usually not all it's made up to be. We are constantly engaging with our friends and family on social media. It's the first thing we do in the morning and the last thing we do at night. We are inundated with posts about luxurious gifts, on a whim trips and impromptu date nights. This is mostly bologna. If you are married and have children when the hell do you have time to pee alone let alone be whisked off to Mexico for a weekend? You can't just leave in a minutes notice without chaos ensuing. Why would your husband buy you a new beamer when the minivan you're driving is only a year old? 

My Mom was always telling me to think before I speak. I think people nowadays need to think before they post. The lives some people are portraying online is so fake. Most Moms barely get enough sleep to function in the morning. We only dream of a real "Vacation". Not the one that you take with your children. No that's more work than staying home while school is in session during Science project season. I mean a real vacation. The kind of vacation where you get to sleep in and you are only awakened by the sounds of the ocean waves crashing against the sand. The vacation where someone brings you pretty colored drinks with a mini umbrella in it. I don't have time for the social media competition. I'm too busy raising my children to be the best they can be. I sometimes throw on yesterday's pants and a sweater to cover up the cereal my son spilled on me. I don't worry about the little things. I mean they are just that,  the little things. As long as my children are clean, fed and have a roof over their head I'm happy. 

I think it's great if you have time to spend hours on end on Facebook. Just remember, us regular ole Moms who are trying our best are reading your posts. Try and be more realistic and maybe try writing a post about waking up in the middle of the night by being puked on. Or taking your first sip of coffee and realizing your daughter "made it for you" with a concoction of ketchup and milk. How about walking out of the house late of course and once at work you notice you have two different shoes on. Yes, it happens. Being a Mom is a huge challenge. We don't need any more obstacles.  Real life is just as interesting if not more interesting than the fabricated life you're portraying. Feel free to share a real story. You may be surprised at how many people can relate. 
To all the Moms reading this, stop comparing yourself to others. You are doing a great job! Just remember, you are a great Mom and your children are wonderful. No one notices your mismatched shoes and the stain on your shirt. They just see you, a beautiful Mom who loves her kids. Keep up the good work. 

More things you're doing wrong in your marriage (insert eye roll here)

We have all read that article titled "10 things every wife does that will ruin her marriage." One of the top things on every list says "using sex as a bargaining tool". This has never made any sense to me because women need sex just as much as men. How can you hold out on your husband when your mad? That is a disservice for you both. One of the other things it says is to be direct and talk about whatever is bothering you. See women are not wired this way. If something is bothering us we shut down. We do this to think about what is bothering us. Contrary to popular belief, we don't like to argue and we don't think we're good at it either. You have to remember, most of us married our best friend. This isn't just something we say, it's very true. We married you because you are the first person we want to tell our news to. We can't wait to get on the phone and share the news about our raise or new promotion with you. This is important to remember because for men you think we don't care about your day. You aren't as excited to share good news with us because you think we don't want to hear about it. We want to hear all about your day both the good and the bad. This is how best friends interact. If anything awesome happens to me during my day, you are the first person I want to tell. The problem we have with this is when you don't share things about your day with us. I hate to hear things from other people when I should have heard it from you in the first place. It creates an instant disconnect. 

Just as men are very visual, women are deep thinkers. We need that emotional connection just as much as you need nudity. We need you to listen to the words that are coming out of our mouths just as much as you need a blow job. If you start looking at your marriage more simply, it will all make sense.

Here's a surprise...............We are not as complex as you think. You don't have to figure out women. It's really not as hard as everyone makes it. Most of us would rather spend time with you than receive an expensive gift. Now I said "most of us" I can't speak for everybody but I will say that most of us just want some special time alone with you. That expensive gift is great when we are showing it off to our friends but it can't replace snuggling up next to the fire watching a movie in your pajamas with your husband. The familiar jingle "He went to Jared" makes most of us roll our eyes. When you plan something in advance it means a lot to us. It doesn't even matter what you plan but the fact that you planned something means the world to us. It signify's several things to us. First, it shows us that you were thinking of us. Ah that's so sweet. Then, it says that you took the time out of your day to plan something special for us. That's a real big deal considering you are really busy. Lastly, it shows us that we really do mean the world to you. This is very important because we love to be your world. Every women wants to be the center of her mans universe. 

The bottom line is every relationship is different. You have to remember that you get what you put into it. If you want it to be awesome, make it awesome. It's really all up to you. If you do nothing, you will eventually have nothing. 




   

Here's 10 things you need to start doing now to live a full healthy life.

Originally this was a list of about 30 things. Quickly after I started writing this I decided it really should be a lot shorter. I chose to only list 10 things because after all, who wants to read about 30 or 40 things lol. Personally I would get to number five and be done. This list is really a list of things I wish I could tell my younger self. Not that my younger self would listen :)

1. I really wish I had learned this sooner. This is the most important thing you can do for yourself. STOP caring what other people think. At the end of the day, it doesn't matter what other people think. You are in charge of your life, never hand that power over to anyone else. The sooner you realize this, the better off you will be.

2. Drink lots of water. Doctors recommend you drink at least eight ounces right when you wake up. This kick starts your body for the day and helps you wake up. Your brain works best when it's hydrated.

3. Wear sunscreen and sunglasses everyday. Gone are the days of trying to get that perfect tan. You only get one body of skin and two eyes. Take care of them. Find a good sunscreen for your face and apply it before you put your makeup on. Do it everyday and you will prevent wrinkles, dark spots and most importantly skin Cancer. Oh and never leave your house without your sunglasses. 

4. The above quote is one of my favorites. "No matter how slow you go you're still lapping everyone on the couch." It really makes a great point. Get some sort of exercise everyday. Even something as simple as taking a walk after dinner will benefit you. You will notice yourself feeling better within a week.

 

5. Schedule an appointment to see your physician every year. This will ensure you keep up on your health and enable your physician to catch any problems before they escalate into something big.

6. Always wear your seat belt. This doesn't need explanation, right?

7. Meditation is great for so many reasons. A few of my favorites are lower blood pressure, better nights sleep, reduced anxiety, reduced stress, lower cholesterol levels and it helps you become more mindful.

8. Try and add one or two fruits or veggies to every meal. This is a great way to prevent over eating. It will also help you eat better as you will make a concise effort to include something healthy in every meal.

9. Schedule a coffee date with an old friend. It's always good to connect with an old friend but it's also good for your health. Relax and enjoy the conversation.

10. Plant a tree. It's great to get your hands dirty and help the environment. That tree will produce oxygen for you and others to breathe in the future.

I know I said 10 but I really couldn't help myself. So here's 10 1/2 :) Be kind to everyone you meet. Just try it, maybe you will surprise yourself. Being kind is contagious so get ready to spread kindness.

What is the one thing that you have taught your children that you hope they will teach theirs?

From a very young age I've encouraged my children to compliment at least twenty people a day. At first this seemed like a lot but as they each took on the challenge it proved to be really easy. Simply passing someone at the store and telling them you like their purse or telling the clerk that you choose their line because they have the best smile, It was really that easy. What I wasn't expecting was the shock that sometimes came after the compliment. So many people were surprised that a stranger was being kind. They are hesitant to say thank you at first. After they realize that you are being genuine and a smile appears. That moment of kindness then becomes contagious. People see your act of kindness and want to be a part of it. They are now on the same mission to spread kindness.

Just imagine a world where we are quick to compliment! 

I sometimes stare in envy of those Moms.

I'm always amazed when I see those Moms who really seem to have it together. You know the ones with the clean unwrinkled clothes. The ones that look like they were able to look in the mirror before they left in the morning. The ones who look fresh out of yoga with coffee in hand. I wonder if they really have it all together, or if they are just really good at playing it off. It's hard not to stare at them. All in there glory, looking ready for their day. 

I can't wait to be one of those Moms. For now, I will enjoy being the mismatched wrinkled Mom. I think it suits me best. 

Just remember to always be the best version of yourself. That's always good enough. 

Goodwill needs to lookup what the word means. Please share!

The story below was on the news recently. After I watched it I felt that I had to share it everywhere. Why would you pay someone with a disability less for doing ANY job? Don't you think it's harder for them to do that job? Shouldn't they be paid at least minimum wage? The majority of the products they sell are donated so they do have the money to pay fair wages. This is a disgusting trend that needs to stop. 

Please share this with everyone so we can shed a light on Goodwill and their outdated practices. 

#Everyonematters 

Click below to watch the video.

Goodwill underpaying the disabled

Sad knowledge

We attended a funeral last night for a very good friend. He was only 44 years old when he died. It was so sad to see the unfinished life he left behind. Several people spoke about him and shared stories that made them smile. I felt like I should have stood up and shared a story but my body was still. I was in deep thought thinking about my own family. I was wondering how I would manage if anyone close to me ever passed. It’s interesting how much death teaches us. We learn more about the deep love we have for each other. We again understand how much “one life” really means and we try to live it to the fullest. 

Don’t forget to tell all the wonderful people in your life how you feel each day. You never know when it might be your last.