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New Year’s Reflection: Your Soul and Ritual
Image courtesy of Flickr The year that I spent living on the coast of Oregon has come back to me in the last several days, and seems an appropriate reflection for the start of 2014. It was fall when I moved there, and near Christmastime when I met a wise woman at church whom I befriended simply because she happened to be there each time I went, seeking solace because I was so far away from home. She was twice my age, literally, and in January that year invited me to join her and a group of other women who fellowshipped together once a month. I was clearly a…
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Recipes :: Fabulous Birthday Party Treats
It seems like birthdays come in bunches. Over the summer we had a ton of birthday parties to attend and over the next two weeks we have no less than five (including my own, which will forever be my 28th – even when I am 80). There must be something in the water to get all these summer and winter babies! We joke in our neighborhood because all the kids are either July or August babies! There are so many fun ways to decorate your child’s birthday party and you can find a ton of ideas on Pinterest! I highly recommend you check Pinterest out after finding out what theme they want. …
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Safety and Self Defense Tips for Kids
Image courtesy of Flickr This September I sent my first born off to school. As I watched him begin his educational career on the color-blocked carpet of his kindergarten class, I couldn’t help but think of all the what-ifs. What if there’s an earthquake? What if there’s a school shooting? What if someone tries to take him? No one likes to think about these things, but moms have to think about them. We think about them and we find ways to best prepare our children for bad situations. And we have to be creative by teaching them these tools without instilling fear. As a natural worrier, I began searching…
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Wellness :: The Many Benefits of Alkaline Water
I’m a French Native who grew up in France in a very “organic” lifestyle: Vegetables and fruits from our garden, meat from the local farms, etc…. My Mom never used any cleaning chemicals, she’s been using biodegradable products since the 60’s. In brief, I grew up in a very healthy environment, and my goal in life is to raise my 3 boys the same way. I have to say I encountered challenges when I arrive in the US in the early 90’s, but there are many options here if we really look for them. California in particular, is a state where organic options are abundant, but my best discovery…
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Reflections :: Shine on Pip – Shine On
My Sweet Pip, I’ve been reflecting the last few weeks about all that has happened in 365 days and trust me, you will hear about it your entire life…Your first year here baby girl, was one hell of a ride…And you have the scars to show for it – Literally… At least once a day, I run my finger over the scar that saved your life and fixed your heart…You endured so much, too much & because of it I know you can & will get through anything…I promise I will always tell you how strong you are & how proud I am of your spirited fighter determination… …
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A Time of Reflection and Planning for the New Year
It seems like this year has gone by in a blur. There were so many wonderful things that we celebrated together as a family – like my daughter starting first grade, learning how to read, finishing her first YMCA triathlon for kids and has the medal hanging in her room that she likes to show anyone who comes to visit, to getting a new family dog. We are attempting to teach him that he is a dog and not a human as he so thinks. When I look back at the photo’s I took on my iPhone over the past year, I realize we really did have a great time…
