Want to get a jump start on stuffing your kid’s Easter basket without leaving home?

Malley’s Chocolates, a company producing quality chocolates since 1935, makes it easy – and affordable. 

Scrumptious favorites include:

• The fluffy Marshmallow Eggs in creamy milk or dark chocolate
• The popular Nut Mallow, fresh marshmallow and crispy fresh walnuts sealed inside a thick layer of milk chocolate
• Gourmet Jelly Beans loaded with flavor in fruit, spice and licorice
• Traditional favorites like fresh, crunchy and lightly salted mini Pretzels drenched in pure milk chocolate or creamy white chocolate
• The basket bunnies, rabbits, ducks and crosses in various sizes, all melt-in-your-mouth creamy chocolate novelties in your choice of milk, dark, or creamy white chocolate
• Malley’s Ark, playful animal cookies smothered in delicious milk chocolate topped with colorful sprinkles.   
• NEW THIS YEAR:  Chocolate covered Peeps!!

Malley’s Chocolates – making Easter baskets easy.  Don’t  delay! Order today!  Internet orders must be placed by March 29.

It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way one of the kids will walk into the room while I’m on the phone and ask to be taken to the store. Inside I’m thinking, ‘Can’t you see I’m on the phone?’

 Obviously, not.

No one can see that I’m on the phone, or cooking, or vacuuming the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me at all.

I’m invisible. The Invisible Mom. Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more: Can you fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this? Some days I’m not a pair of hands; I’m not even a human being. I’m a clock to ask, ‘What time is it?’ I’m a satellite guide to answer, ‘What number is the Disney Channel?’ I’m a car to order, ‘Can you pick me up at 5:30?’

One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a friend from England. Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself. I was feeling pretty pathetic when Janice turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, ‘I brought you this.’

It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe.   I wasn’t exactly sure why she’d given it to me until I read her inscription: ‘To Charlotte, with admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees.’  In the days ahead I would read – no, devour – the book. And I would discover what would become for me, 4 life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work:

1. No one can say who built the great cathedrals – we have no record of their names.
2. These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished.
3. They made great sacrifices and expected no credit.
4. The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything .

A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the  cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, ‘Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be  covered by the roof? No one will ever see it.’ And the workman replied, ‘Because God sees.’

I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place. It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, ‘I see you, Charlotte. I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does. No act of kindness you’ve done, no sequin you’ve sewn on, no cupcake you’ve baked, is too small for me to notice and smile about. You are building a great cathedral, but you can’t see right now what it will become.’
At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a disease that is erasing my life.

It is the cure for the disease of my own self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride. I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be on. The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree.

When I really think about it, I don’t want my daughter to tell the friend she’s bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, ‘My Mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for three hours and presses all the linens for the table.’ That would mean I’d built a shrine or a monument to myself. I just want her to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to her friend, to add, ‘You’re gonna love it there.’

As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot see if we’re doing it right. And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.

Great Job, MOM!

Hope this encourages you when the going gets tough as it sometimes does. We never know what our finished products will turn out to be because of our perseverance.

~~ Author Unknown

Do you appreciate the contributions your spouse makes to your life and your family’s life?  Do you tell your spouse how grateful you are for what he or she does?  Or, do you feel taken for granted and perhaps not as appreciated as you would like to feel? 

My husband, Les, and I were about to embark on a day that would change our lives forever.  He came up with an idea to swap roles for a day.  Les is a self-employed Marketing Consultant who works from our home.  I am full-time Mommy to three amazing children; Charlie is 6, Mary is 4 and Lucy is 2.  My husband works endlessly and we sacrifice mutually so we can send our children to Catholic school and I can stay at home and raise our children. 

I agreed to this role reversal, readily.  We set up some perimeters, for instance he would only give me tasks inside the realm of my skill set and comfort level – so no fancy web coding that looks like a foreign language to me – and I would assist with putting the ponytail in our daughter’s hair before sending her off to school.  Truly scary stuff for both of us. 

On the day of the swap, I woke up feeling nervous.  Way nervous. Could we really pull this off?  I mean, my husband is a very capable father and has watched our kids countless times alone.  But a full day of taking care of them including their school schedules?  I am a self-proclaimed control freak (which is a term most family members and close friends would also use to describe me, affectionately, of course) and very much into my daily routines and I knew this was going to be a challenge for me.  Was my husband going to remember to pack our son’s morning snack in the right compartment of his book bag – along with the ice pack I send daily to keep his yogurt cold?  Was he going to pick the children up from school on time?  Would he make sure to change the baby’s diaper? It’s not the end of the world if a client doesn’t get a call back in the same day or an email goes unanswered until the next morning, but you cannot take a day off from taking care of your kids and their needs.  I felt nauseas. 

Nausea aside, I admit I was a little excited to put the “Super Mommy” role aside and be “Career Mommy” that day.  I used to work in sales jobs, publishing, and the non-profit sector in my “other life” (a.k.a. life without children).  I loved interacting with my co-workers and clients.  Now, my life is dictated by my family’s constant needs, the endless (but almost always amusing) questions, diaper changes, the back and forth from school and activities, preparing snacks and meals, the never-ending cycle of laundry, homework, paying bills, grocery shopping, housework, etc.  This all would be replaced for the day with sending invoices, proofreading, making sales calls, checking email, copyrighting, topped off with a hot cup of coffee.  After all, I wouldn’t be interrupted mid-sip, would not have to put my coffee cup down to deal with whatever crisis came up (like “Mom!  I can’t find my –insert name of toy here-“) only to find my coffee cup an hour later, and microwaving it to scalding, only to have to let it sit because it is too hot to drink, then forgetting about it, then warming it up all over again, now would I?

The first hour of any given weekday is spent making sure my son is dressed and groomed correctly for school, book bag properly packed and containing all pertinent items like homework and snack and lunch; that my daughters are up and eating their breakfast and all needs are under control.  Not today, though. 

I was able to take my time in the shower and getting ready – not the usual 5 minutes start-to-finish regimen.  I traded my usual t-shirt and comfy pants attire today to a more business casual.  As I was applying makeup (which is usually reserved for Church, the rare night out with my husband, or my monthly book club dinner with the girls), I heard my son say, “Papa, I don’t understand.  There’s not enough sugar in here.”  I smiled.  Charlie likes lots of sugar in his morning hot cereal.  Something only Mommy knows, I guess.

Time to take my son to school.  “He’s ready to go!” my husband yelled from upstairs.   My boy came downstairs with shirt untucked and hair uncombed.  I sent him back upstairs for my husband to fix things.  My son came downstairs again with only his hair fixed.  I smiled, sighed, and as I was helping my son tuck in his shirt, I discovered his underwear was on backwards.  “Your underwear is on backwards,” I said, calmly.  Upon hearing this and knowing that there is very little time to spare on school days, my husband frantically exclaimed, “Charlie!  Get over here!  We need to fix your underwear!” 

Out the door and off to school we go.  Taking our son to school is my husband’s weekday ritual.  On most days after dropping Charlie off at school, Les walks over to our Church and attends the Liturgy of the Hours.  This day, I would take his place.  Les always says starting his day off in prayer really helps.  I agree.  It was peaceful and it centered me in a way I don’t usually feel in the morning.  I usually feel rushed in the morning.  And pretty much throughout the day. 

As I sat down at the computer, I took a sip of the coffee that I just poured from the fresh pot my husband had brewed only minutes earlier (like I do for him in the mornings) – and was pleasantly surprised by the hot liquid.  What a nice change, I thought and smiled. 
As I was getting organized at my husband’s desk, I couldn’t help but keep looking at the picture of our kids my husband keeps by his client folders.  I had a lump in my throat.  I felt incomplete, like something was missing inside me.  I was missing kissing my kids.  I wonder if this is how he feels during his work day. 

I left my husband a very detailed, hour by hour breakdown of what needed to be done.  I got a bare-bones list that included email invoice to this client for this amount, proofread brochures, Google these companies and make introductory calls on behalf of Les Proctor Direct.  So, of course I had questions.  I went downstairs to get some explanation and answers, and I laughed aloud as I found clothes that had fallen out of the laundry basket my husband lugged down the two flights of stairs to the laundry room. 

I was happily busy with my to-do list.  Crossing things off in a fury.  “Wow, this is easy!” I thought, as I reached for my coffee cup, only to take a lukewarm sip.  No bother, I can pop downstairs and grab a fresh cup – just wanted to finish a couple more things first. 

I was in the middle of proofreading brochures from a client who has given my husband’s company lots of business and paid lots of money over the years, when the Live Chat screen popped up on my husband’s computer saying “incoming call” with a deafening simulated telephone ring. I was so startled; I literally jumped out of my chair.  He didn’t tell me about this!  What do I do? I quick and typed, “Hi. This is Les. How may I help you?” And in return, a few seconds later, while I barely had time to recover from the shock, read, “Hi, this is Eric.  I need information on the different classifications you have on leads.  Do you have SOHO leads?”  Huh?  I frantically ran downstairs to get instructions from my husband on how to help this potential client.  My husband came upstairs and took over.  I watched in amazement as he switched from “Mommy Mode” to Business Owner, as his fingers danced over the keyboard, quickly typing responses.  Later that day, he would tell me he closed that sale. 

I decided to break for a quick sandwich.  My girls were excited to see their Mommy.  “Hi Mommy!” they yelled in unison.  I kissed them countless times each, much to their delight.  I miss them. 

I make it a point to let the kids visit with my husband in his home office during the day – just a quick kiss and hug – and if someone wants a book read, my husband will stop what he’s doing and read that book.   I was hoping he’d do the same during my work day at the desk.  And much to my delight, I heard the pitter patter of feet outside the office door, hushed voices – and the doorknob turned and in ran my children into my open arms.   My heart was bursting with pure love, and as the tears ran down my cheeks, I thought, my husband gets to experience his children’s embraces and presence – during the day.  What a blessing.

My husband loves his family.  Works many hours to support our family, to make sure all our needs are met, financial and emotionally.   Willingly.  Lovingly.  But owning your own business has its trials, too.  We don’t have the comfort of knowing a paycheck will be directly deposited in our checking account every week.  My husband might be able to break away during the day to get his hair cut or take a yoga class, but many nights after the kids are in bed, he’s back in his office – sometimes until the wee hours of the next morning.  Most weekends my husband needs to work a few hours, or more.

After my quick lunch (and microwave-back-to-warm coffee) I went back in the office, closed the door, turned on the space heater to drown out any sound other than the clicks on my computer keyboard, and continued the tedious job of proofreading brochures.  The rest of the afternoon went by rather quickly.  Before I knew it, my husband was calling me for dinner.  Oops.  I didn’t get everything done on my list.  Where did the time go?

I didn’t do one-third of what my husband does each day – I didn’t speak to the client who needed a job rushed by the end of the day, I didn’t answer questions about which marketing program would best suit a potential client, I didn’t answer any of the gobs of daily emails that each come with its own set of problems and solutions, or the countless other items he completes each day that remain unknown to me. My husband didn’t finish the laundry or do homework with our son or pay the bills or tidy up the house.   

Throughout the day, my husband told me;

“This isn’t easy.  I had no idea what I was in store for. I really appreciate you.”
“Wow, this is a lot of work.” 
“I don’t know how you do it.” 
“Honey, my job is easy compared to yours.”

It doesn’t matter that some of the tasks on the To-Do lists weren’t completed.  What matters is that my husband and I work well together as a team.  We each have our roles – and we are capable and trust that the other person is taking care of their daily responsibilities without fail. 

My husband wrote a note to me the night before our role reversal, which I wasn’t allowed to read until the morning of the switch:

Thursday, October 6, 2009

My dearest wife,

I adore you. I marvel at what a great Mother you are to our beautiful children, and sometimes I pinch myself in awe.

I am truly sorry for the times that you do not feel appreciated, or you feel underappreciated, or the times when I’ve not done everything I can to make your life easier.

I am so grateful to you and for you. You are truly God’s greatest gift to me, and I know that living with you is all I ever want to do.

Your most humble and devoted husband and servant,
Les

He knew even before the day started.  He knew. 

I know my husband and I have a unique arrangement which makes us able to complete this experiment.  But you can try this, too.  Switch chores for a weekend day or even an evening after work.  The purpose is to appreciate each other’s daily contributions and be more aware of your spouse’s responsibilities – and be grateful for each other.

In the end, my coffee still needs to be warmed up.  But I get to kiss and hug my kids as many times as I want to during the day.  And for this, and for my remarkable husband, I am most grateful.

My wife and I love each other very much. And we’re absolutely devoted to one another and to our three children.

But there are times when she lets me know that she doesn’t feel that I appreciate everything that she does in her role as Super Mom. And to be honest, there are times when I feel the same way, in my role as Papa and Marketing Consultant… it takes a lot to run a small marketing practice to support our family.

So… next week, on Thursday, October 6, 2009, my wife and I are going to switch roles for a day. I’m going to be Mr. Mom, and she’s going to be Papa and do my job for a day.

We’re both putting together our “to-do” lists to take best advantage of this day. She’s a great writer, communicator, sales person, etc., and I’m just going to give her several objectives, and let her ’do her thing’. I’m really looking forward to it because I know she’ll be great.

I for my part, am looking forward to spending time with my girls Mary (4) and Lucy (2). It’s something out of the ordinary, and I’m sure as a result will be a day to remember…

The greatest part of this exercise is that my wife and I are already starting to understand and appreciate each other more, and to work together better as a team. There’s really something sacred about truly appreciating and being grateful for your spouse, and about working with each other to make your shared life even better.

Who knows what might happen as a result of this exercise? Stay tuned…

Looking for a gum that is all-natural, and made without artificial flavors, colors, sweeteners, or preservatives?  Grab a pack of  Glee Gum.  Available in six sweet flavors, the secret ingredient of this yummy gum is chicle, a swell, sticky tree sap harvested from the rainforests of Central America. Using chicle is a sustainable way to keep the trees of the rainforest standing, and to help the folks who work there to make a living.  Packaged in recycled cardboard, Glee Gum provides a great, green alternative to artificial gums.  Glee Gum is available in specialty grocers like Whole Foods and Cost Plus.

Glee is a word often heard these days, thanks to the most highly anticipated television show of the season. In celebration of the Glee series on TV, Glee Gum is delighted to join FOX in offering ELEVEN winning tickets inside select packs of gum this fall.

Beginning September 23, 2009, the “Your Ticket to Glee” sweepstakes offers gum-chewers aged 18 years and older a chance to win one of eleven fabulous prize packages. Ten Glee Gum packs contain vouchers for big prizes of yummy gum and Glee show merchandise from hats and tees to autographed cast pictures. The eleventh Glee Gum pack holds the ticket to the super grand prize: a trip for two to Hollywood! The grand prize includes roundtrip air transportation, two nights hotel accommodation, and a $250 American Express gift card.

Glee, the genre-defying new musical comedy series, follows an optimistic teacher who against all odds and a malicious cheerleading coach  attempts to save McKinley High’s Glee Club from obscurity while helping a group of aspiring underdogs realize their true star potential. Embraced by critics and viewers alike, the uplifting show with biting humor features a soundtrack of hit music from past to present. Tune in to Glee Wednesdays (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX.

For more details on Glee Gum and the “Your Ticket to Glee” sweepstakes, including complete Official Rules, please visit the Glee Gum website. 

Verve, Inc. is an independent, certified woman-owned business, dedicated to linking world communities and creating environmentally and socially responsible products. In addition to Glee Gum, Verve produces a line of all natural, educational Make Your Own Candy Kits for kids. Verve is a dedicated member of 1% for the Planet and Green America. Chew with Glee, naturally!

Our garden is finally producing vegetables and herbs from the plants we lovingly set in soil back in June.  All at once I have tomatoes, zucchini and basil a plenty. 

Are you also looking for a way to make good use of late summer veggies like tomatoes and zucchini?  I have just the recipe for you.  Quick, easy and healthy. I just made this delicious soup for my kids for lunch.  Two thumbs up from all. 

Cook’s suggestion:  Try to use fresh corn, if you can.  It really gives this soup a nice crunch and texture. Tried and true.  Enjoy!

Corn, Tomato and Zucchini Soup with Basil

Makes 4 servings
Time:  About 30 minutes

A fresh-tasting late-summer veggie soup.

4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
4 ears fresh corn
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, minced
2 cups cored, peeled and chopped tomatoes (to quickly peel tomatoes, submerge in boiling water until skin softens)
2 small (or 1 medium) zucchini, about 1/2 pound, diced
1 tablespoon minced garlic
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 cup minced fresh basil leaves
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

(1) Heat stock in a large, deep saucepan.  Strip kernels from corn.  Add the corn cobs to the saucepan (break in half if they don’t fit whole).  Simmer while preparing other vegetables. 
(2) Place the oil in a large, deep saucepot and turn the heat to medium.  One minute later, add the onion and cook , stirring, until onion begins to soften, about 5 minutes.  Add the tomatoes, zucchini, garlic, salt and pepper.  Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
(3)  Remove the corn cobs from the stock and add stock to the veggies.  Cook for about 5 more minutes.  Stir in corn kernels and basil.  Add the vinegar.  Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary.

Adapted recipe from How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman.

Aahhhh.  Summer.  My family and I enjoy spending lots of time outside in summer, whether it be by the pool, at the park, riding our bikes or just enjoying our backyard.  I make sure to apply sunblock no matter what outdoor activity we are engaged in.   Do you make sure to protect your family’s skin with sunblock?  You should.  Even if it’s cloudy.  Apply that sunblock.  Skin cancer kills.  

Do you get an annual cancer sceening?  Check out the Road to Healthy Skin Tour presented by Aveeno and Rite Aid.  You can get a FREE skin cancer screening by a local board-certified dermatologist courtesy of the Road to Healthy Skin Tour.  Their customized tour bus will be making stops at over 80 locations across the country through September 2009. Look for it in your area! 

Since May, the Road to Healthy Skin 2008 Tour has traveled 17,650 miles and made 81 stops all around the U.S. Over 3,000 visitors have been screened and 3,200 suspected Skin Cancers and 39 suspected Melanoma have been detected. Melanoma is the most serious form of skin cancer, but early detection can help save these visitors’ lives. 

Slather on that sunblock and enjoy your summer.  Be well.

It’s inevitable.  I have two school-aged children, and when they get sick, it seems like everyone in our house gets sick.   That is, until I found the Healthy Fan by Haledyne.   I was truly skeptical at first.  How can a ceiling fan prevent illness?  Well, it’s as simple as turning on your ceiling fan.  You truly can keep your family healthy all year long. If your kids suffer from upper respiratory illnesses like asthma or allergies — or if they’re just prone to catching the common cold — they’ll benefit from a home environment that has a reduced amount of germs.  Since my Healthy Fan was installed, I have noticed a significant decrease in colds, flu-like symptoms and those pesky sneezes and runny noses from allergies.

Healthy Fan works.  Here’s how:  Healthy Fan kills 99% of airborne bacteria and viruses present in the air it filters by tapping into the power of UV-C light.   The Healthy Fan system works by properly circulating air in a room.  The Dust Grabber Filter™ electrostatically traps allergens and dust particles – just like a magnet. UV-C light – a technology used for over 50 years in hospitals and research settings – has been used for everything from killing influenza viruses, to attacking strains of tuberculosis.  Healthy Fan’s intense level of UV-C energy emits energy in the proven spectrum that alters the DNA of germs and kills them. 

Prices for the Healthy Fan system start at $229.  Love your existing ceiling fan and don’t want it replaced?  Healthy Fan offers an Air Purifying Medallion for $149 that will mount to your existing fan (some restrictions apply, however).  As a bonus, Healthy Fan is offering FREE shipping when you order products on-line.  Tried and true.  Keep your family healthy – order your Healthy Fan today and rid your house of germs!

BLOGGERS WANTED:  Healthy Fan by Haledyne wants to spread the word about their amazing product.  Talk about and link my review on your site, email me the link to your site, and I’ll send you a special Mommy Fuel discount code from Healthy Fan for $50 towards the purchase of your own Healthy Fan system.  But hurry!  This offer ends June 30, 2009.

If you have pre-schoolers, you have crayons.  Lots of them.  What do you do with all the left-over bits and pieces of crayons without throwing them out?  Repurpose those crayons by making your own.  Super easy and a fun activity do to with your kids.  Just take the crayon scraps in a variety of colors and remove all the labels.  Grab a muffin pan and place a handful of crayon bits in each cup.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and place the pan inside the oven for about 4 to 5 minutes until the crayon scraps are mostly liquid but still have a few chunks in the center (helps prevent burning).  Remove from oven, cool for about 30 minutes then place in the freezer for another 30 minutes to cool completely.  Pop out of the pan and you are ready to doodle again!

Do you crave salt and spice in your snacks? Well, if you don’t mind a little heat, I have just the snack for you. Target carries an organic line called Wild Harvest. This wide selection of products was created to offer simply natural and delicious food. One of their offerings is the Spicy Blue Corn Tortilla Chips. And spicy they are. Made with organic stone ground corn and no genetically engineered or artificial ingredients, these healthy treats have heat. Now, I don’t mind a little heat (although I am by no means on the Wall of Fame at the local wing joint for consuming any atomic wings). However, these chips have heat all right. Fun to eat right out of the bag or with your favorite salsa and sour cream. Tried and true. Spice up your snacks.