Aries Mommy

2009-09-14T19:41:00.000-05:00

We are currently getting ready for a PCS move. I will unfortunately be out of contact until after the move, as there is a lot to do in very little time:)

Thank you,

Shannon

Laugh Out Loud Wednesday

2009-09-02T08:00:00.000-05:00

You can turn painful situations around through laughter. If you can find humor in anything, even poverty, you can survive it. -Bill Cosby

Photo Credit: Dave Morris

You have to love nature. Almost reminds me of feeling out of place as the tallest until freshman year in high school. Ah, junior high dances where not much fun the boys were too short.

Okay, today I am going to pick your brain and ask you to *gasp* share a funny story. Life is always much funnier than the funniest joke. So, what memory makes you laugh every time you talk about it? Is it from when you were a kid? Is it about your kids? Please, share your stories in the comments:)

My oldest daughter DeeAnne was born an actress and drama queen. Great combination, I know, she is so full of life and emotion. Because of that little acting gene she is a great liar, always has been. At 18 months old, she faked being really upset when her grandfather was watching her. She stood knees bent crying, he tried to talk to her, sing to her, give her candy, and finally after an hour she looked at him and laughed. She must have been thinking mommy wouldn't have fallen for it. Well, over time she perfected her acting. One day, when she was five, I came home from work and she said, "Mommy you aren't going to be happy." My first thought was, we took down the bunk beds so there is no way she colored on the ceiling again, is there? Well, after my husband left for work she sat me down at the table all serious. I had to ask her, "DeeAnne, what is wrong?" She replied, "Nothing mommy, but daddy bought an expensive paintball gun today. We went to the painball store and he found a paintball gun he really liked." Of course I had to ask, "How do you know he bought it?" DeeAnne looked up with her sweet eyes and said, "Mommy, dad told the guy he would pay him two hundred dollars every week for the next two months." (Now I knew that my husband had wanted a paintball gun that cost about $1600.) I asked her, "Are you sure that is what you heard? Maybe daddy was just talking to him about it." She replied, "NO! He bought it, hid it, and said to not tell you about it." Well, after having a talk with my husband, and searching the house DeeAnne came up to me and said, "Mommy, I want to be on TV. Even you believe me when I lie." She turns ten on Sunday, I can't wait for the teenage years.

Kitchen Time Saver

2009-09-01T16:00:00.003-05:00

Photo Credit: Robert Van Der Steeg

Whether or not you enjoy cooking meal preparation can take up a huge amount of your time. However, it does not have to; and I am not talking about eating out;) However ever tempting it might be.

The biggest time saver is meal planning. Okay calm down, you must be thinking it is painful and takes up way to much time. Seriously, it does not take a lot of time, especially if you regularly eat certain meals. So, grab a pen and paper, or cheat like me and open up Google Calender or Cozi:) First you have to decide how far out you wan to plan. I personally plan for one week, mainly because the produce around here isn't that great. Just do what works for you, no, you cannot just plan for one night, that defeats the point in saving time.

I start with breakfast; you may start with dinner, what ever works for you. Then I do lunches (planning for dinner leftovers to be used up). Finally for dinners, I like them to do double duty, not just left over lunches. Example: On Sunday I will make a chicken in the crockpot, we will have that with potatoes and green beans on the first night. The second night I will shred the left over chicken and make fried rice. Now, you can stretch that poor chicken to a third night by making a stock of the bones. The point is, make your job easier, after all I only had to fully cook that chicken the first day (actually the crockpot cooks it so hands free!).

After you have decided on your meals, check the pantry and the fridge, then make a shopping list because you are only shopping once for your chosen time frame. This one shopping trip saves so much time, because each day you have to drive to the store and wait in line is waisted time. You can of course get creative by labeling what goes with what meal (if it takes more time then it saves then don't). At this point, I post the meals for the week on the fridge. Sometimes, I get lucky and my husband has a light bulb go off and says, "I can make dinner tonight, I know how to make pasta!" Oh, how I love those days:)

The crockpot and pressure cooker are also my go to time savers. The crockpot is the stand by, especially when it is going to be a busy day. It is so simple to use, just add your ingredients set it to time and temp. While it does the cooking, you can do what needs to be done. The pressure cooker on the other hand cooks incredibly fast and tender meats. If I want to shred a roast for sandwiches then into the pressure cooker it goes. I am lucky enough to have an electirc pressure cooker with a locking lid. This translates into put the meat and liquid in, lock the lid, set the pressure and time, then walk away. Needless to say, the tools we have in our kitchen can save us quite a bit of time if we use them instead of letting them collect dust.

What are your kitchen time saving tips? Do you have any great time saving recipes? If you do please share them:)

What are you passionate about?

2009-09-01T08:00:00.000-05:00

“Find something you're passionate about and keep tremendously interested in it." - Julia Child

Photo Credit: Recubejim

Finding out what you are passionate about can be the hardest step. For others, it is as easy as breathing. If you aren't sure what you are passionate about, then do a little soul searching today. What is it that you enjoy doing? What do other people notice that you are great at? What activity gets your brain spinning with ideas? Now, of course, you may just draw a total blank and wonder where you go from there. If you do, then try something that you have never done before. Take a class that sounds like fun, be it dance, photography, cooking, etc. etc. You never know you may find that you are passionate about something that you have never even tried before.

Staying interested is an entire other ball game. This may mean that you have to do what you are passionate about daily. Now if gardening is your thing, then you may want to keep house plants or read up on different kinds of gardens in the winter. Some people may actually get bored with their passion, well then they need to grow that passion. If you are passionate about cooking but getting bored, then take a culinary class. Just don't let that passion die, you may find that you really want it back one day:)

Wisdom of the Moon

2009-08-24T16:00:00.005-05:00

Wendy over at Wisdom of the Moon makes these gorgeous Aromatherapy Lotus Necklaces. She sells them for $32 plus shipping on Etsy. The beads are made from white stoneware, the glazes are non toxic and lead free. The glaze is not just for looks, it is also used to protect your skin and clothing from the essential oils (which are not included). Wendy also includes a leather cord with clasp so you have a complete necklace not just a bead!

Once you have picked out your essential oils, which you can get at most health food stores (I think Bath and Body works even carries some now), you apply a drop or two of the essential oil to the white unglazed portion of the bead. Then you have your scent with you no matter where you are. The real question is, will you pick out a scent that you relate with being calm, happy, or one that you find energizing? Hmm...to bad there isn't an ocean essential oil.

Of course, Wendy doesn't just make beads. She actually has a quite a few tutorials on her blog Wisdom of the Moon. In fact, Cheap and Easy Fabric Grocery Bags came up in a Google search for me one night, and I have been reading her blog ever since! Once you are there, look around at some of her sister Jenny's photos, she is a great photographer. And don't forget to chime in every now and then, all bloggers, like some feed back it lets us know that people are reading what we have to say:)

The Scent of Memories

2009-08-24T08:00:00.003-05:00

Photo Credit: Audreyjm

Nothing is more memorable than a smell. One scent can be unexpected, momentary and fleeting, yet conjure up a childhood summer beside a lake in the mountains.
- Diane Ackerman

Oh, our wonderful sense of smell. It lets us know when the baby's diaper is dirty or when our husbands ate something they shouldn't. Then there are the pleasant sides as well, the smell of spring flowers, the ocean, even freshly cut grass.

Now, sit down, close you eyes and think for a minute. What smells make you really happy? What smells relax you? If you can't think of anything, I suggest the next time you are happy you stop and literally try to find a scent that is pleasing.

My favorite scent is the smell of the ocean, it is soothing and has a really emotional attachment. You see, the first time I ever visited the ocean was the day my husband graduated from boot camp (Marine Corps). This was also the first day, that I ever remember spending with my father. He had left when I was just a baby and I "met" him for the first time the day before, which was a crazy day! My husband, father, step mom, two daughters, and myself drove out to Coronado Island and went to the beach on the Navy Base there. We were the only people out that day, the water was a little cold, but we had a blast playing. For the first time in months, I was able to just be. No longer did I question if I was worth it to any one. I was happy, in fact, my dad even noted that since he picked me and the girls up from the airport, that was the first time I smiled. If I could just bottle that scent up and use it when ever my day is bad I would.

What is your trigger scent? Hopefully, yours is something that is easily bottled and available to you. Then again, I hope that the scent brings happy memories for you. You may want to find many scents that make you happy, so that you always have them around:)

Dark Fever Book Review

2009-08-23T16:00:00.002-05:00

Photo Credit: Lepiaf Geo

Dark Fever is the first in Karen Marie Moning's Fever series. Now, this particular series is not for the faint of heart, or those who are impatient. I for one love the series, it is quite dark and complicated. After reading the book, you will understand; for the book will leave you with many questions and begging for more! As a matter of fact, I am currently rereading the book to look for clues that I may have missed the first time around:)

Is Karen's name familiar to you? Well, if it is, you may be thinking of her Highlander series, from what I have been told they are romance novels (I have not read them yet). The fever series is not that kind of romance, although it is building up to end with a great romance (fingers crossed) when her final book in the series is released.

Dark Fever is the story of MacKayla Lane, a twenty two year old girl from Ashford, Georgia. She is the youngest of two siblings, lives at home, and doesn't really have a care in the world. That is until her world turns upside down when she finds out about her sister's death. Mac ends up heading to Dublin (where her sister was murdered) to get answers from the Garda. While in Dublin, she discovers that she has the ability to see Fae (fairies, not the Tinker Bell kind), an ability that could get her killed. As if finding the "person" responsible for her sister's death wasn't enough on her plate?!?

Along her way, Mac meets Barrons, a very yummy book store owner; and V'lane a Seelie Fae Prince. Both are fighting for her alliance, and of course they are on opposite sides (as far as we know). V'lane likes to use his Fae ability to get to her (I am so not spoiling that ability, you need to read that one to appriciate it). Barrons, on the other hand, shows Mac that he will not let her die and that he loves to be impossible.

Is Dark Fever worth a read? Personally, I think it is. If you used to be a Buffy fan, or you are a True Blood/Southern Vampire series fan, than this will be a great read. Unlike other dark/vampire romance series, this one keeps you guessing not only as to what each character is, but who they really are. It is almost a coming of age series, as we get to see Mac go from Mac 1.0 to Mac 4.0 as she puts it.

Dark Fever retails for around $7.99. If you happen to own the Amazon Kindle it is available at the Kindle store for free! Don't worry, even if you don't like this book, it will not bother me. I just have found that I like my romance novel men a little dark and dangerous (my hubby doesn't need to know that though).

Amazon.com Widgets

Make Friends

2009-08-14T08:00:00.002-05:00

Photo Credit: Sir Mervs

You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you. -Dale Carnegie

Being interested in other people is important. Not only to make friends, but to grow as a person. If you are only interested in yourself, then the bar of who you are can not change. You will run out of ideas for your life.

If you want life to be interesting then surround yourself with interesting people. Just one friend that is different from your normal group, may bring out a side of you that you didn't know existed. When you show that person that you are generally interested in who they are, you may find that you have more in common, then you do with your friends that are "just like you".

How do you show interest in other people? To put it bluntly, shut your mouth and listen to what they have to say. Being a great listener is one of the best traits of a great friend. No one wants a friend that does all the talking, nor do they want one that does not hear what they have to say.

Next time you are in a crowd of strangers really listen to what they have to say. Then start up a conversation, based off of what you learned from listening to them. They will take notice that you cared enough to listen. You never know where or when you will make a new friend. It could be on a crowded city bus, or maybe in a chat room. Where ever the place, just listen and show interest; it can come back two fold:)

Are You a Rainbow?

2009-08-13T08:00:00.003-05:00

Photo Credit: Torley

"Last night you said you wanted to know what to expect so you could better select your attire. I told you we were going to visit a vampire in a Goth-den tonight. Why, then, Ms. Lane, do you look like a perky rainbow?" -Barrons (from Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning)

Are you a rainbow, do you like to be bright even when the world is raining down on you? Every one needs a little happiness in their life. If you are a rainbow, fight that rain and shine. If however, you find it hard to be bright and happy when life gets you down; look for a rainbow person. You may make a new friend, because rainbows like to spread the joy.

Maybe you have a rainbow activity that you turn to. It could be turning on your favorite song and dancing it out. Maybe you look through an old scrapbook, to remember that you to, were once a rainbow. My personally favorite, is the hug of a child; nothing warms the soul like knowing you are loved.

For all of you rainbows out there, I challenge you to brighten someone's day. Just look around, there are many people out there who feel as though the darkness is closing in on them. Just a little bit of bright colors can go a long way.

For all of those who need a rainbow, I challenge you to find a rainbow friend. It could be someone you know, or maybe that stranger you see every day. Just connect with a rainbow, and one day you may be the rainbow too.

Keeping a Journal

2009-08-12T16:00:00.003-05:00

Photo Credit: Lisa Yarost

Do you keep a journal? If you don't, I would highly recommend starting one. There are many benefits to keeping a journal. The most obvious is that when you are old and having recollection issues, you can pick up your old journal and remember:) Seriously though, writing in a journal is like opening up a part of yourself you do not realize is there.

A journal can be a place to clear your head. Maybe you are trying to work through a problem, or you just don't have anyone to talk to. Pick up a pen and write in a journal, it does not need to be a fancy one, even just a piece of paper will do. Then start to write all of the things you are thinking. Simple, quick and to the point. You may find yourself reading what you wrote and actually organizing those thoughts, or you may find the answer to your problem.

A journal can be where you get creative. If you are feeling in a rut creatively, a journal can help you out of it. At first you may sit there holding the pen and thinking there is nothing I have to say. Well, that is the reason I post a quote of the day! Sometimes, I find myself in a writing rut and need a little inspiration. Once, that little push is there, my creative juices start flowing again.

A journal can be a record of your life. We are not all famous, we will not all have a biography written about us. That does not mean that our lives are not just as important. One day, our children, grandchildren, even great grandchildren may want to know who we were inside. They may really enjoy the fact that you are able to share your inner most thoughts and experiences with them. You never know, you may inspire them to be something more:)

What ever reason you choose to keep a journal, make time to write in it. You might be using all three reasons at different points in time, or all at once. Making the time to sit down daily to write in a journal will not hurt you, in fact, you may find that it is a favorite part of your day. Children love to write in journals too. If you find that with children it is hard to make the time, buy them their own notebook, even if they can't write yet (they can always color).

Poems Are Not Just For Poets

2009-08-12T08:00:00.004-05:00

Photo Credit: John Althouse Cohen

We all write poems; it is simply that poets are the ones who write in words
-John Fowles

So we can not all be poets, who cares! Do you remember writing silly poems when you were in school, because you had to? Only to bring them home as prized possessions because you created them.

If you had to sum up your life in a poem, what would it say? Would it rhyme and keep a beat? Or would it be soft like the wind on a sunny day? Maybe, just maybe it would be full of passion and heat.

It is the little things in life that bring us joy. As you enjoy your cup of coffee this morning, put pen to paper and see what you can creatively create. I am sure that there is something that your mind is can not wait to say.

Cold Brewed Coffee

2009-08-11T16:00:00.002-05:00

Photo Credit: Galant

I will be the first to admit that I am not a big coffee drinker. Of course, I love the smell, and the extra energy. But the stomach ache, not so much. Well, cold brewed coffee, seems to be what I needed. It comes with the great taste, but not the acids that upset my tummy! Now, be sure to make it ahead of time, so you can sit down and have a five minute break to relax and energize before the kids are up!

Cold Brewed Iced Coffee
Recipe from NY Times

1/3 cup medium coarse ground coffee
1 1/2 cup water

Combine in jar and let sit out overnight (they say at room temperature).
Strain twice into second jar (either through coffee filter or a mesh sieve)
This is a concentrate, for black coffee combine with equal parts of water

I happen to double the recipe and place it in the fridge overnight instead of on the counter. This way it is cold and ready for iced coffee, yum! Once you have strained the coffee, the sky is the limit as to what you can do with it. If you like your coffee hot, add an equal part of hot water to the concentrate. Or, maybe you are like me and want a little chocolate to start your day. Then add an equal part of milk to the concentrate, a good squeeze of chocolate syrup and a little extra sugar. You could even try it Thai style with sweetened condensed milk. However you like your coffee or tea, take a little time to enjoy it as you drink it:)

Have you laughed today?

2009-08-11T08:00:00.002-05:00

Photo Credit: Untitled Blue

Mosquitoes remind us that we are not as high up on the food chain as we think -Tom Wilson

Okay, so today's Quote of the Day made me laugh out loud. Not to mention, where I live those little mosquitoes are very annoying! They make it really hard to do anything outside at night. For that matter, nature walks are out of the question this time of year, unless you want to get eaten alive.

Have you ever noticed that laughter is contagious? It feels good to laugh, so laugh a little today, and maybe life will laugh with you.

Deep Breathing

2009-08-10T16:00:00.003-05:00

Photo Credit: Kristin Bradley

Life is hectic, between taking care of our family and homes there is little time to relax. One method of relaxation that I find helps is deep breathing. It is a quick little break that allows me to clear my head. By quick, I mean thirty seconds to one minute of my time! This means that even super mom can relax, just a little:)

Deep Breathing can be accomplished when you are sitting, standing, or lying down. The process itself is relatively simple. You slowly breath in through your nose, "pushing" it down to your abdomen. Then you slowly exhale through your mouth, again "pushing" the breath out starting from your abdomen.

If you are not sure if you are breathing correctly put one hand on your abdomen (near your naval) and the other on your chest. The hand on you abdomen should rise significantly when you inhale, where as the hand on your chest should hardly move. Then when you exhale, the hand on your stomach should feel your muscles contract slightly as it pushes the air back out. I have found that it helps me to visualize the air filling my lungs all the way down, then the air being pushed out starting at the bottom (I learned this from a yoga instructor years ago).

Focus only on the breathing, otherwise, your mind will not relax. Now, go ahead and try it, take thirty seconds for yourself today. No one will even noticed that you "zoned out" for a little bit:)

Related articles:

Women to Women: Deep Breathing
Dr. Weil Three Breathing Exercises

Just Let Go

2009-08-10T08:00:00.002-05:00

Let us read and let us dance - two amusements that will never do any harm to the world. -Voltaire

Photo Credit: Lauren Manning

Do you like to get lost in a good book? Or, do you prefer to dance it out? It depends on my mood as to which method I choose. For example, if it has been a long tough day, a good book and a glass of wine is the way to go. This I consider complete and total me time. Dancing on the other hand is my method of choice when I need to release some steam (especially when the kids are whiny and argumentative).

Which ever method you choose, just remember to let loose every now and then:)

Do you Kindle?

2009-07-31T12:00:00.002-05:00

I am not afraid to say that I am addicted to my Amazon Kindle 2. It is no secret that I love to read, so much in fact that usually once I start a book, I do not stop until I have finished it. That would be why I mainly read at night once the kids are sleeping. My husband does not understand my reading habits (it can take him as long as a month just to finish one book!). To me, a book is 1000 times better than a movie, but like a movie, I want to know how it ends!

My addiction began one day in May when my mom (who has a golden horse shoe up her you know what) called to inform me that she won a prize package from her local radio station. Then she proceeded to ask me if I could look up what an Amazon Kindle was, because she won one. Without hesitation I said, "I don't need to look it up it is on the top of my to buy some day when there is money for mom list!" Then of course I had to explain that the Kindle is an E-book reader, how the screen is e-ink and reads like a book not a computer! Well, my wonderful mother sent my little sister up here with the Kindle for me!! So, she is to blame for my little addiction, not that I want to do anything about it!!

My absolute favorite thing about my Kindle is that every single book I have read on it has been free! Most I have downloaded free from Amazon, the others I purchased using Amazon gift cards from Swagbucks. Okay, I bet right now you are sitting there wondering if this is an ad for Amazon. It is not, it is forewarning that most book reviews that I will do on here will have been read on the Kindle. Therefore, I will be of no help with page numbers; if someone has a question on something.

Here is a little hint about the first book I am reviewing, I have caught the Fever!

Slow Down, Life is Waiting

2009-07-31T08:00:00.001-05:00

Photo Credit: Viernest

There is more to life than increasing its speed. -Mahatma Ghandi

I know we have all heard that we should stop and smell the roses, but we talk ourselves out of it because there is just to much that needs to get done. The only problem for us moms is that the same things need to be done day in and day out, and there just isn't time to stop.

There is no perfect solution to all the household chores and demands. What if you don't "stop" to smell the roses? You just simply walked slow enough to enjoy their beauty and catch a hint of their fragrance. Sometimes, when we slow down just a little, we realize that we have a little time to stop and just be.

Enjoy your day and feel free to reflect and respond to what the quote means to you!

Shannon

When Was The Last Time You Dared to Dream?

2009-07-30T08:00:00.000-05:00

Dreams are illustrations... from the book your soul is writing about you.-Marsha Norman

What is your soul writing about you? Not about your kids, or your husband, but you. Often as moms we think so much of everyone else that we forget about ourselves. We stop dreaming about us. Sure we dream about the great future our kids will have, how they will grow up and have babies of their own. But that is them not you; what are your dreams?

I have had to reteach myself to dream. Sort of dig down deep and remember, oh yeah I always wanted to do that. Like writing a novel, or returning to school just for the joy of learning. You know those things that we tell ourselves we will get to when the kids are grown. Having children is no reason for me, or any other mother to give up on her dreams.

So, tell me when was the last time you dared to dream?

7 Signs That You Need a Break

2009-07-30T00:26:00.002-05:00

You are tired, and you just can't figure out why. (I bet being chef, manager, referee, and maid has nothing to do with it;)
You can not remember the last time you used the bathroom in peace. (It was probably before the kids were born.)
You thought that you put make up on today, only to realize that no, you did that yesterday. (Wait, you don't have any make up, because the kids decided to paint with it!)
You start to say those annoying phrases that your mom used, and realized you still don't like them. (Then you realize that your mom, probably hated them too.)
You make excuses to get out of the house, even if it is to get the mail. (Now, if only your mailman was eye candy.)
You have every Dr. Seuss book memorized, but you can't remember the last novel you read. (A novel, you would be happy being able to read the advice column.)
You can't wait for the new Sponge Bob episode, because you have all the other ones memorized. (Then you stop and realize that every kid's show plays the same episodes over and over again.)

Now that we all know the signs that we moms need a break. I hope that you will join me as I start to carve out some break time for myself!

About Me

2009-07-29T23:57:00.000-05:00

Hello,

Thank you for visiting Aries Mommy. My name is Shannon, I am a mother of four great kids. Caring for my kids and husband takes up most of my time. However, I have learned that even mommy needs a little alone time. Especially if I want to be the best mom and wife that I can be. So, I started writing this blog to remind myself to do just that, spend time on me!

You will find the quote of the day to assist in keeping a journal. Crafting and cooking ideas to get those creative juices flowing. And of course book and movie reviews, because they make for wonderful mommy time outs. Please feel free to chime in and discuss what is going on in your day, the things you do to relax. Feel free to pull up a chair, pour yourself a glass of wine, and enjoy mommy only time:)

Happy Relaxing,

Shannon