Happy New Year's

Happy New Year. Hopefully this new year will bring
more great news and financal gratefullness. Hope
everyone has a great time and be safe.

Keep your promises

There's an old adage that says "Promises
are made to be broken." I don't believe
that, when I make promises I keep them.
Whether it's the promise of going to the
circus or of being punished for breaking
a family rule, the truth behind your words
will be measured by your follow-through.
Take a moment to think before you speak.
Say what you know to be true, not what
you hope will happen.

Talk about the tough stuff

The tough stuff of life gets tougher
as children get older. Often, so does
talking about it. The best way to keep
the lines of communication open- with
toddlers through the teen years and
beyond- is to be honest and forthright
from the very beginning.

When your children ask questions about
complex topics such as death, drugs,
sex, don't brush them off with a "wait
until you're older" message. Remember
what you were like at their age. Ask
why they're interested. See what they
know already. Correct any inaccuracies
they believe. Then share your heart and
knowledge in a way that appropriately
educates theirs.

Wiggle like a Worm

There is nothing more wiggly than a group
of children. The younger the children, the
more they wiggle. When they sing their faces
will shine like beaming suns. When you want
to get their attention, just ask them to
pretend to be something. "Fly like a butterfly!
Wiggle like a worm!" The children will dance
gleefully around the room, delighting in the
joy of life and imagination.

When you're feeling old and jaded and tired,
become like a child again. Rediscover the sheer
joy of wiggling like a worm and dancing like
a butterfly.

Watch your language

What you say mirrors what you believe. Your
language affects the way you percieve your
life. It's easy to be unaware of the chatter
that runs through your mind when you are doing
other things. By becoming conscious of your
thoughts, you can consciously choose words that
bring you back into the reality.
Substitute faith-filled statements for words
or disbelief.

Listen more than you talk

Remember when your children spoke their first
words? Memorable, wasn't it? Now ask yourself
how much you remember of what your children
said today. Not every word that comes out of
your children's mouth is worth recording for
posterity, of course. But you'll never know
unless you listen.

As much as is possible, look your children in
the eye when they speak. Don't cut them off
or finish their sentences. Rely more on asking
questions then giving lectures, to teach as well
as to discipline. Listen with your eyes and heart,
not just your ears. Remember, your children learn
to listen through your example.

Forget Perfection

Great moms are not perfect moms. They're
women who are ordinary. Great moms don't
try to hide their mistakes or pass the blame
to keep up appearances. They don't expect
their children to be perfect so that their
behavior will reflect well on their own parenting
skills. They still answer the door to unexpected
company, even when the house isn't spotless.
They're women who risk greatness by risking
failure and who are honest with themselves and
others about both their victories and their defeats.
They're women just like you and I, committed
to being exactly who they are.

Make your home child friendly

Get to know your children and their friends
even better by making your house the "place
to be." Set aside a room or corner of your
home where children can congregate with the
amount of privacy that befits their age.

Place a variety of toys, games, and DVD's
on child accessible shelves.(Thrift stores
are a great resource for changing this mix
every so often.) Don't forget to keep a few
quick-to-fix, healthy treats on hand that
children can consume in their special place
with a minimum of mess. Make every guest,
big or small, feel welcome and at home.

Watch the Grass Grow

If you worry to much about productivity, about
being busy and important, you need a time-out
to find a brighter and wider perspective. Go
outdoors and enjoy the freedom of fresh air,
fall, summer and winter. There is room for both
the busy bee and the quiet, cud-chewing cow
in everyones life.

Life gains a certain space and graciousness
when you practice the gentle art of doing
nothing. Go ahead, you have permission to just
"be". Watch the grass grow, or the snow fall.
Feel the wind on your face. Rejoice in creation.
Remember that you are a human being, not a
human doing.

Appreciate the Little Things

The smell of coffee brewing in the morning. A
hug and a kiss before you leave for work. The
perky daisy that sits proudly in a vase on your
desk. A smile and hello from a friend. Taking
your shoes off and relaxing for a few minutes
after a long day. The sound of crickets outside
as you fall asleep on a summer night.

Small things make up the simple life. Big events
are few and far between. But the little things
make life worth living. Appreciate each gift
and acknowledge the thought of that gift.

Simplify your Surroundings

One particularly effective way to make your life
simpler is to clear your living space of clutter
to create an atmosphere of peaceful calm instead
of chaos and disorder. As you clean and clear,
decide what you want to keep and where you want
to keep it. Invest in good storage. There are
clever, inexpensive storage alternatives available.

Simple surroundings take advantage of clean lines
and natural beauty. Instead of welter of small
knickknacks, consider replacing them with an
elegant bonsai plant or a single treasured antique
artistically displayed. Timeless simplicity soothes
the spirit and creates an oasis of calm in a busy
life.

Discover the Delights of Poetry

The simple life is not only about money and things.
It's about how you spend your time and feed your
spirit. One of the great pleasures of the life well
lived is the enjoyment of poetry.

Poetry has its practical side. It expands your
understanding and introduces you to the best thoughts
of some of the greatest writers of all time. A great
poem can lift your spirit, for it is wisdom distilled
in the art of making words play together and ideas
dance in the mind. Whether you enjoy a classic poem
or meditate, poetry will enrich your life.

Select Wisely

When you make wise choices, you don't have to
backtrack or expend energy correcting mistakes.
Life becomes less complicated, because you aren't
taking unnecessary detours or trying to rebuild
bridges you burned.

How do you learn to make better decisions and
select more wisely? Taking time to weigh the
pros and cons of a choice is one way. Another
way is to profit from experience, your own or
others'. Asking for guidance in your decisions
is a powerful way to find wisdom when you need
it. Before you make any important decision,
spend time with your family and listen to their
thoughts and opinions.

Choosing Entertainment

Simplify your life by making different entertainment
choices. Choosing entertainment alternatives that
lift your spirits and encourage you to be a better
person will give you extra energy and enhance your
spiritual life. Your entertainment choices color
your mood and affect your attitude. Inspiring
entertainment makes you feel better about life.

When you want to watch something on TV, look for
programs that inform as well as entertain. Choose
uplifting movies with thin plot lines and violent
special effects. Better yet, get away from passive
entertainment altogether and create your own fun.

Dieting During Pregnancy

Motherhood is a wonderful experience of a woman.
Nature ensures the continuance of living beings
through their progeny's, human beings being no
exception to this universal rule. The development
of human consciousness and scientific advancement
though has put some restrictions or exceptions to
the very purpose and end of a man woman relationship,
it is the nature's design for obtaining progeny and
thereby ensuring the continuance of the human race.

Diet is an important factor to be taken care of during
the pregnancy. One has to bear mind that one has to
eat for two during pregnancy though overeating is not
the remedy for this. One has to take sufficient quantity
of proteins, vitamins and minerals since the mother is
the only source of all these essential items for the baby.

Pre natal diets do not recommend complete non
carbohydrate diet since it may result in production of
ketones in the blood stream in the absence of carbohydrates,
that may result in the risk of brain damage for the baby.
Besides this also may lead to constipation in pregnant
women since they are supplied with additional doses of
iron required for the baby.

Recycle your old Computer

Today the environmental impact of old computers,
computer related parts and other electronic goods
is a serious growing concern. There are so many
computer Organizations who are ready to deal with
old and damaged computers. They are ready to accept
all types of obsolete and working computer equipments
such as CRT monitors, printers, scanners, fax machines,
etc. regardless of their age and condition. They also
help in recycling the printer ink cartridges, laser toners, etc.