Method 8: The Courage to be Faithful

Stepping out of your fears and into your greatness requires great courage.  Sometimes we are so busy with the work of life that we don’t sit still and take the time to listen to our heart. Being courageous means not allowing life to steal, kill, or destroy your dreams, hopes, aspirations, and plans but living in the now, the moment, the presence of your power to receive life, and the fullness of all life has to offer and even more abundantly.  It takes courage to be honest with yourself, acknowledge your personal truth, and be present in your quest to live that truth.  The easiest thing for high achievers to do is be successful.  But living in the fullness of who they are – and want to be – while also maintaining their success takes true grit.

Method 9: – Exponential Living

Exponential Living is achieved through excellence in your Personal, Spiritual, and Emotional health, and balance in all aspects of your life – with yourself and others.  It is achieved by building and maintaining spirituality; loving and caring for yourself (hobbies, exercise, “me” time); spending quality time with and appreciating yourself and your family; recognizing your success; and living in your own truth.   When living exponentially you are comfortable with who you are, separate from what you do.  It’s when you live in a state of true contentment, being present with yourself and others while also pursuing and maintaining excellence in all aspects of your life.

Often, high achievers are limited by their success because they are only living in the accomplishments in one area of their lives.  They have achieved or have the drive to achieve high levels of professional success but are not truly fulfilled with their lives overall.  Or, they have reached their career goals but now know there are other facets of life they want to pursue but don’t know what/how/why/when.  Exponential Living gives such high achievers the power of being true to themselves and achieving a balance between work, family, friends, healthy living, and spiritual commitment to manifest a life that is genuinely complete and content.

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It means so much to our kids when we display their artwork in our home. It can boost their morale, help them feel appreciated and contribute to their confidence in succeeding. But sometimes, we look at our cluttered walls and wonder, “what would this look like if it weren’t covered in scribbles?!” Well, one of our subscribers, Meggin, found a wonderful fun compromise!…

She started with your basic set of fingerpaints, large paper and of course, her two toddlers! She let the kids go nuts outside with the various colors of fingerpaint. Along with their crazy splashing across the page, each toddler thought it fun to make their own handprints on different pieces of paper as well. Once it was dry, she noticed some really fun coloring combinations along with some interesting lines in her little ones artwork. She had some extra frames and decided to see what they looked like. Then she found the pages with the handprints on them and had one of those “lightbulb” moments! She cut out the handprints, framed the large pages and placed the handprint on top of the matted artwork. She finished it off with each childs name and date and voilá! She had a beautiful piece of memorable artwork to perch on her wall that not only looked nice, but was a great positive reminder to her and her little ones of the days fun and the creative powers of those little minds!  Thanks for sharing, Meggin!

If you or someone you know has a great craft or creative activity for young children, please submit them to us at info@mytimecalendars.com with subject line of “creative fun”.

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By Dr. Cara Natterson for Sniffle Solutions

Headache pain in the neck and forehead can be attributed to a variety of factors. A common trigger is allergies, which are usually accompanied by itchy, watery eyes and a runny nose with clear mucus. When you have an allergic reaction, your body releases histamines, which kick up mucus production. That’s why your nose runs and your eyes get watery. It’s also why fluid collects in places it wouldn’t normally, like your sinuses, causing pressure, which can lead to a headache. Antihistamines and nasal irrigation systems like neti pots are generally the go-to treatments for headaches related to allergies.

Your son’s headache pain might also indicate a sinus infection, which could be caused by a cold as well as allergies. Sinus infection symptoms often include a runny nose with greenish mucus, pain with a tap on the cheek or forehead, and sometimes fever. Once you get a sinus infection, you typically have to treat it with antibiotics in addition to treating whatever caused it, though nasal irrigation systems can sometimes clear up an infection without medication.

Headaches can be caused by a host of other things as well, like a toothache or even poor vision. Parents often don’t think to ask whether their child can make out details on the chalkboard or movie screen, because they don’t realize that kids who need glasses often complain of headache pain due to eye fatigue.

Without an examination, it’s
difficult to say for sure what’s causing your son’s headache pain. See his
primary health care provider, who can figure out exactly what’s wrong and treat
it accordingly.

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By Julie Smart for Ideas That Spark

What can we say, when you get kids motivated to clean, if nothing else...they're FAST!

Here are my top four tips on getting — and keeping — your house super-clean without much effort.

1. Have a basket contest.
Are you playrooms and bedrooms messy and completely disorganized? Give each of your children a basket and have a contest to see who can get the most items in the basket in two minutes. Reward the winning child with a small prize.

2. Sing, dance and clean.
Put on a sing-along, and have everyone sing and dance while cleaning. For young children, try the Barney cleanup song: It’s fun and short enough for a young child to learn.

3. Reward donations.
When children clean out a toy box or room, it may be hard to get them to depart with things they don’t really need. Set a number of items for them to get rid of, and reward them for donating a certain amount. It teaches them to depart with items they don’t really use, and it cuts down on clutter.

4. Give a child a spray bottle.
This tip worked great for my own kids, since every child wanted to help and not feel left out: For children that are too young to help with cleaning, give them each a clean paper towel and small spray bottle filled with water. Ask them to help you by cleaning the refrigerator door or something in the area that you are currently in.

I recommend buying a new, empty bottle that didn’t previously have cleaner in it in case your children spray it in their eyes or mouth. When you’re done, children can put away their “special” spray bottle of cleaner until next time.

Julie Smart is the mother of five wonderful children and a blogger at
couponsavingfamily.com

Copyright © 2010 Studio One Networks. All rights reserved.

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Sniffle Solutions: Expert Q+A

How much sleep should my kids get each night? They often seem overtired, and I worry they are more vulnerable to illness.

By Renee Martin for Sniffle Solutions

Sleep deprivation takes a toll on the immune system.

You’re right to be worried, because sleep deprivation does take a toll on the immune system. Getting adequate rest is important all the time, but it’s especially crucial during cold and flu season.

You may be surprised at just how much sleep your little ones need per night, because it’s often much more than adults typically get. The American Academy of Pediatrics makes the following recommendations for sleep requirements by age:

• Newborns: 10.5 to 18 hours per day
• Infants: 9 to 12 hours at night, plus one to four naps (30 minutes or more each)
• Toddlers: 12 to 14 hours per day
• Preschoolers: 11 to 13 hours per day
• School-aged children: 10 to 11 hours per day
• Tweens and teens: 8.5 to 9.25 hours per day

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My daughter almost always gets sick after we return home from a trip on an airplane. Is there anything I can do to keep her healthy?

By Dr. Roy Benaroch for Sniffle Solutions

Many cold and flu viruses are transmitted when you touch surfaces. And when you’re on an airplane, you’re touching armrests and tray tables that may not be very clean. Since so many people are touching the same surfaces, it’s all too easy to pick up germs on your hands.

So always have your child wash hands thoroughly before and after using the bathroom on a plane. And when you can’t get access to a sink and soap, use a hand sanitizer that has at least 60 percent alcohol. If you’re worried about the drying effects of alcohol, use a hand sanitizer that has added moisturizers, like aloe.

And since the air on planes is so dry and uncomfortable, you might also want to bring along some saline nasal spray, which you can use to help keep both yours and your daughter’s nasal passages well moisturized.

It’s also important to stay hydrated by drinking lots of water — that goes for you and your daughter.

Finally, try to avoid sick people when possible. If you’re sitting next to someone who’s coughing and sniffling and the flight is not full, speak up and politely ask a flight attendant if you can move to different seats.

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Ideas That Spark: Mom2Mom Get Clean on a Budget By Renae Chiovaro for Ideas That Spark By Renae Chiovaro Cleaning products are a necessity in any home, but for tough jobs in big houses, costs can add up. It is possible to spend less on cleaning products without cutting your cleaning power. Whether you have $5 to spend on cleaning products or $50, these simple tips will help you clean house on a very limited budget. 1. Use old-fashioned soap and water. Dish soap is a mild cleanser that can be used on multiple surfaces. To clean countertops, use hot soapy water. 2. Clean a little every day. Put some effort into cleaning at least one thing every day. Cleaning will be less daunting and require gentler cleaning products if it occurs regularly. 3. Clean the dryer vents and refrigerator coils regularly. Appliances run more efficiently when they are properly maintained. Plus, you will extend the life of your machine. 4. Less is more when it comes to dishwasher and laundry soap. Using too much soap can lead to appliance damage — plus, it’s a waste of costly detergent. Follow the instructions on the package to use the appropriate amount of soap. If you have soft water, you can use even less soap than the manufacturers recommend. 5. Implement a “no shoes rule” in your house. This will cut down on the amount of dirt and debris tracked in the home. Place a basket at the door to serve as shoe storage. 6. Reuse used items. If you’ve just used a paper towel to dry off washed fruit, use the now-wet paper towel to quickly swipe over stains or spills on kitchen counters. A sponge that was once used to clean dishes can now be used to get small spills of the floor. Renae Chiovaro is a mother of two boys who blogs at madamedeals.com on how to save money in all aspects of life.

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Children’s Orchard is looking for the “Greenest Mom in America” with the winner will receive a $500 Children’s Orchard gift-card. Times are tough right now and it can be a challenge to come up with the extra means to spend on your kids, especially as they are quickly growing out of their clothes or wanting to follow the latest trends. Children’s Orchard is an upscale resale retail store that sells gently used designer clothes in an upscale retail environment—they pride themselves on being green by reducing waste, recycling old clothes and selling them to moms to reuse!

To enter the contest, just follow these simple guidelines…

1. Get Creative! Show what you do to live a green lifestyle
2. Post your entry on Children’s Orchard Facebook Fan Page starting 01.15.10
3. Comment to Share your entry & get more ‘Like’ votes
4. The entry with the most votes by 4.5.10 wins $500 to Children’s Orchard!

Good luck everyone and may the “greenest mom” win!

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We’ve got a yummy dessert idea, courtesy of Plush Puffs Gourmet Marshmallows, that could be a fun alternative to a traditional birthday cake…your kids can even have fun helping to make it! It’s called a Brownie S’mores Dessert Pizza (can you really go wrong with a name like this?? I don’t think so!).

Here’s the recipe which serves 8…

Ingredients:

One box brownie mix
1/2 cup marzipan
1/2 cup cream cheese

1 cup Vanilla Bean Plush Puffs (cut into 1/4″ pieces)
1 cup Caramel Swirl Plush Puffs (cut into 1/4″ pieces)
1 cup Chocolate Chipetta Plush Puffs (cut into 1/4″ pieces)

1/2 caramel sauce
1/2 chocolate sauce

Directions:

Generously grease a 12″ springform round pan.  Prepare the brownie using the directions for the cake like brownies.  Pour brownie batter into the greased pan.  Combine the cream and marzipan cheeses – using table spoon, drop dollops of cheese mixture randomly on top of brownie batter – using a knife swirl cheese dollops in a paisly like shape.  Bake brownies according to box instructions.

Cool brownie round and release from the spring form pan.  Mix the Plush Puff pieces and spread equally over the brownie round.  Using a kitchen torch – toast the mallows until golden brown and gooey – drizzle caramel and chocolate sauce over the marshmallows -and sprinkle with toasted pecan pieces if desired. Cut into pizza slices and serve!

Give it a try for your next birthday party! Could be a fun activity for a girls party!

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