Freebies - Meditation Journals

Download Log HERE

As I try to expand my daily meditation practice, I have found that having a place to record my thoughts and times very helpful. It is nice to have a log to review at the end of the week, so that I can make adjustments or continue with new found insights.

Download Journal HERE

 

In an effort to share my new found knowledge and hopefully help out my fellow blogger;  I have put together two versions you may find helpful.  

Enjoy!  

SnapShot of Joy

Happy Halloween!

Happy Little Pumpkins

Life Lessons: Change of Perspective





Perspective is defined as the capacity to view things in their true relations or relative importance.

The other day, I had a most amazing conversation with my husband:

Me: I like doing my yoga in the bedroom. I can shut the door and the dog doesn’t lick my face every time I’m in down dog; but I hate having to go downstairs and lugging the laptop up and down each time.

Hubs: That’s a pain, but you could just think of it as an extension of your work out.

Me: Huh… Awesomeness! Thanks!

He smiled and gave me his “whatever babe” look.  Then went back to his day.



By finding a new perspective, I found new joy in my yoga practice. By being able to accept that going downstairs is just part of the deal (and not really that big of an issue), I have been able to let go of the negative.

Pinterest

If you find yourself struggling with an issue that just seems too much, remember to try looking at it from a new angle. Better yet, reach out and ask a loved one what they think. Sometimes the most amazing perspectives are found in the most surprising spots.

Too Much Candy... Give it Away!

Halloween is two days away; but thanks to a visit from Grandpa, a day care party, and a small trunk or treat with friends, we already have enough candy to last us a month in this house!

My son is only three, he wants to eat candy all day.  As his mother I try to limit this.  I am a firm believer in everything in moderation.  The problem is convincing a three year old of that.  Not to mention the fact that everytime I give him a piece I take a piece... and don't even ask about the chocolate that I hoard for after he goes to bed. 

Ok, so I'm working on the moderation thing... but one of my mothering goals is to teach my son better so it's not an issue for him as an adult.  We are both learning and growing.

Last year I sent the left over candy to work with the hubs.  He told me that his office mates cursed at him for a week as they all over indulged.  To save my husband the grief, this year I thought we would try something different. 

There are many great charities that would gladly take your extra or left over candy.  After a bit of reserch, here are a few ideas to check out.

Operation Gratitude - Send your candy to our troops!  You can find a particpating dentist in your area, or mail the candy directly to them.  They have to recieve your candy no later than Dec 1.

Ronald McDonald House - Check with your local chapter and see what they accept.  You could also check the local Children's Hospital or Pediatric Ward.

Meals on Wheels - Help give a little extra treat with each meal deliverred.  Check your local chapter for their needs.  Another option would be an area nursing home.

Finally, don't forget your local food bank!

Meditation Monday



Pinterest Pin

Welcome back to Meditation Monday!


My intetion for the week to is close my eyes more to better let my heart feel.  To quiet my organized, list making, over-analyzing brain; and to let my often over looked heart take the lead.

This week, I welcome with open arms all of the beautiful things in my life!

Mom's Monday Mingle!

Hello all and welcome to a new week!  I hope you all have a happy, productive, and content one.

It's time again for Mom's Monday Mingle.  I always meet the most fascinating people with this link party, I hope you enjoy it as well.

Friday's Letters

Hello Friends!  We made it to another weekend.  I am linking up again with Friday's Letters over @ Adventures of Newlyweds.  Let the letter writing begin:
 


Dear Work - I'm going to be taking a little three day break starting today.  It's not that I don't enjoy work, I just enjoy not working better.  

Dear Day Care - Thank you for having your Halloween party today.  I had one very happy and excited Batman to drop off this morning.

Dear Little Girl in my Son's Class - You rock the Spiderman look.  Thank you for showing my son that girls can TOO like super heros! 

Dear Me - Happy Birthday! Don't worry about how many years have passed, or how quickly that new decade is approaching. Just enjoy the here and now!

Happy Friday!
Holly

Friday's Fab Finds

Local Sugar: this fight....

Nicole @ Local Sugar has not only a neat little giveaway, but also a great campaign to help out women with cancer.  Two fab finds in one post!  The giveaway ends today.

My Beautiful, Crazy Life Funtober Giveaway

Hurry this Giveaway ends 10/27!

Breanna @ My Beautiful, Crazy Life has quite the giveaway going on.  Prize grand total is $116.

Naptime Review Giveaway

Julie @ Naptime Review has a $75 Target Gift Card up for grabs!













GivingNSharing: Fall Giveaway Event




Tina @ GivingNSharing has a great givaway going on until Nov 14th!

Introducing the Not Done Growing HONOR ROLL!

Take a look over at my sidebar today and you will see a new feature - the Not Done Growing Honor Roll!


Pinterest: Inspirations


One of my goals for this blog is to bring awareness to the joy and fulfillment charitable actions can bring.  I am a firm believer that our actions speak louder than our words.  We can talk about living a kind life, but actually doing acts of kindness will reverberate through your life so much more.  

As such, I have decided to start a couple fund raising campaigns.  The first being this Honor Roll. 

Any time a follower donates to a charity on the Lend A Helping Hand page, I will add your blog to the Honor Roll for thirty days.  In addition, I will also make a matching contribution to the same charity.  See Lend A Helping Hand for more details.

Pinterest: Inspirations

That's basically getting free advertising for helping out people in need.   I consider that a win/win.

It is important to note, that no money will actually be sent to me.  All donations should  be made directly to the charity you choose.  

Together I know we can make a difference!

Thank you!
Holly

SnapShot of Joy



Pinterestdresses.com



Liebster Blog Award!

I have been nominated for my first ever blog award!

Many, many thanks go out to Pamela @ Mrs Cute and Crafty for the nomination.

The Liebster award is given by fellow bloggers to up and coming bloggers who have less than 200 followers.





So, what is a Liebster anyway?

The meaning: Liebster is German and means sweetest, kindest, nicest, dearest, beloved, lovely, kind, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing, and welcome.


And now for the rules:

Each person must post 11 things about themselves

Answer the questions that the nominator set for you plus create 11 questions for the people you’ve nominated to answer.

Choose 11 people and link them in your post.

Go to their page and tell them.

No tag backs!






11 Things About Me

I have a three year old son.

My son and I dance along to the Blues Brothers every night before bed.

My major in college was mathematics.

I read trashy romance novels.

My husband truely is the love of my life, even if everyone thinks I am crazy for it.

I would take a ramdom trip through time with a certain time lord, but only if he promisses to get me home 5 minutes later.

I work from home and have to listen to my dog snoring on the bed behind me all day!

My craft room is twice as big as my son's room.

I have worked at the same complany for 12+ years.

I am five minutes older than my twin sister - when we were younger that was a bonus, but now she uses it against me.

My favorite meal of all time is stuffed cabbage with lumpy mashed potatos... and we call them golabki in my family. 



Pamela's 11 Questions

lf you could be anything in the world what would it be?
I would own a Bed & Breakfast on Lake Michigan.

Toilet paper - over or under?  Over

You have one super power - what is it? To be able to manipulate time - slow down the good times and fast forward the bad ones.

What is your favorite TV show? Doctor Who

Do you have a celebrity crush? Not at the moment.

Do you cry during movies? Movies, books, TV shows.. I cry at everything.

Are you a good dancer? Not at all, but it does not stop me!

Would you rather be rich or healthy? Healthy

What was your favorite game to play as a child? Battleships

Do you have any hidden talents? No, let those talents shine!

What would you do if you had a million dollars? Quit my job and travel more.



My Nominations

Angela @ Living Pretty

Liz @ Seeing the Trees for the Forest

Heidi @ Taking the Plunge 

Rachel @ The Tao of Poop 

Melissa @ My Watermelon Moon 

Liz @ Try On Life 

Ashley @ This Unscripted Life 

Danielle @ My Indecisive Life 

Brandy Jane @ Jane Mabel 

Cate @ A Little Bit of Spunk 

Kristy @ Shona Skye Creations




My Questions

What is your favorite ice cream flavor?

What is the best book your have read in the last year?

You have just won an all-expense-paid vacation to the destination of your choice, where do you want to go?

What song always makes you happier when you listen to it?

Are you a going to have a scary or funny jack-o-lantern for Halloween?

When the alarm goes off in the morning, do you jump up ready to face the day or hit the snooze button as many times as possible?

Do you have any siblings?

Is your bed made right now?

How would you spend your time if all of a sudden you have the afternoon free and all to yourself?

Who is your favorite super hero?

Which is more you:  sneakers or high heels?



Have fun and enjoy!

Holly

 

 

Empowerred Living Blog Hop

Check out the Empowered Living Blog Hop to find other healthy living and inspirational bloggers!

 

Enjoy,

Holly

 

 

 



Life Lessons – Getting What you Want

One of my son’s favorite song lately is “You Can’t Always Get What you Want” sung by the Yo Dazzlers on Yo Gabba Gabba. He’s three; you have to give him some leeway here.

It is basically an upbeat song about learning to deal with the many disappointments a pre-schooler faces all day. Telling us that “it won’t help if you whine, keep on asking, or complain”, sometimes you just can’t get what you want. This is a very good lesson for a three year old.

Seriously, when my son throws himself on the ground and is gearing up for a fit because I won’t let him have ice cream for dinner; I start singing “No No No No No” to him. Of course now that he is used to this reaction, he has started singing back “Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes”. The kid is really too clever for me sometimes. The good news is it makes us both laugh and the fit is avoided. I have to admit, this is one of my favorite songs lately as well.

The life lesson here is easily applied to all stages of life. Sure as an adult I have a better handle over my emotions and I tend not to throw myself on the ground crying when I do not get what I want… but that does not mean that a fit is completely avoided. It is just a more controlled and grown up fit. There are times when I know I should be reacting better, but I just cannot manage it at the moment.

Meditation Monday

Welcome back to Meditation Monday! 

Here is this week's meditation inspiration:



From shrimpsaladcircus.blogspot.com

Continuing in the same vein, my intention for this week is to be more aware. 

So many times in life we tend to get over whelmed by all the activities and items on our to-do list, that we forget to take the time to look around. 

Rushing through the store and missing that sweet smile from the Grandma that says "hang on, one day you will miss it."


Getting upset because one thing in your day was not a success, when ten other things were.

Yes, dinner needs to be made; but is starting it 10 minutes later so that you can play that game with your child really that awful? 

By practicing awareness this week, by committing to being all there; I hope to have a happier and more fulfilling week.  One that is judged on my level of contentment, and not on how many tasks I completed.

How about you?  What sort of things do you miss when you are not all there in your activities?

Mom's Monday Mingle!

Hi Friends!  Welcome to Mom's Monday Mingle blog hop.  Visit some blogs, make new friends, and have fun!




Holly

Friday's Letters

Dear Hubs - I will gladly follow you around the world, or across town in rush hour traffic to get the transmission on your old Bronco rebuilt; just to see that little kid in a candy store smile of yours!

Dear Little Bear - Do not fear, I am and always will be your best friend.  Please feel free to keep asking me if you need to!

Dear Me - Have fun this weekend and do not worry if all that you do is play.  The To-Do list will still be there on Monday!

Dear Tigers - You guys rock!  World Serues here we come! 

Friday's Fabulous Finds

Happy Friday!  Here are this week's cool links:



Savvy Suburan: Operation Christmas Child





Kelly over at Savvy Suburan has a great Volunteer/Donation idea on her blog this week.  Check it out!

The Simple Dietitian: Falling into Hummus



Yummy sounding Hummus recipe, along with some beautiful fall pictures.









Tidy Mom: Banana Nutella Milkshake AND Blendtec Give Away



Not only does Cheryl @ Tidy Mom have a great give away, but you also get a pretty taste milkshake recipe to try too!







Yoga Freedom: Five Steps to Finding Sustainable Happiness

Yogo Freedom has an interesting perspective on the ever present quest for happiness.
















Hands Free Mama: Notice the Good




Rachel @ Hands Free Mama always writes beautiful and thoughtful posts.  This week's post is about enjoying the good and not getting bogged down in the bad.  It it is a good companion article to the book I reviewed this week - Raising Motivated Kids by Cheri Fuller.









 

 Finally, Jessica at @ Home Take 2 has an informative post about generating income online:  Ways To Earn Money Online

Book Review - Raising Motivated Kids by Cheri Fuller

Title:	Raising Motivated Kids: Inspiring Enthusiasm for a Great Start in Life (School Savvy Kids)
Author:	Cheri Fuller
Publisher:	Pinon Press (June 11, 2004)
Genre:	Parenting, Child Development
ISBN:	1-57683-601-0

Cheri Fuller is a former teacher and mother. She attempts to help parents acquire both an understanding of how motivation works, as well as illustrate techniques we can use to keep our kids motivated about learning both in school and in life. Her goal is not to create an A+ honor roll student; but rather to instill curiosity, a love of learning, and an “I can do anything” attitude in children. Mrs. Fuller believes that with these skills, any child can then live up to their potential and lead fulfilling lives as adults.

Amazon Book Info

This book is a fairly easy read. The author uses both scientific study and real world examples to clarify points and reinforce ideas. While some of her suggestions seem basic (i.e. open communication and a strong parent bond is key), her real world anecdotes are helpful. It is one thing to know what to do, but another to know how to do it.

The book is geared more for elementary school kids, although the beginning does have good building blocks to implement with pre-school kids. If you have a child who is struggling with motivation and school, then this book does provide an interesting perspective and perhaps one that is not always looked at.

The first half of the book was the best half. The second half tends to drag a bit and is more tailored to specific issues that may not apply to all readers.

In all honesty, I read the Kindle version of this book, and downloaded it for free. I do think it is a thought provoking book with good tips and advice. If I had to pay full price, however, I probably would have been a bit disappointed.

SnapShot of Joy

Pinterest Link

1-800-PetMeds Coupon Code

Good Morning!


I received a 10% off coupon code this morning for placing an order with 1-800-PetMeds. 




10% Coupon Code




Does my breath smell?



I am always ordering their Be Fresh Dental Care Solution.  I love my dog, but I do not love her stinky dog breath!  I have found that this solution added daily to her drinking water really does help with her breath.  Plus the last time we took her to the vet for her check up, they said her teeth looked great with no plaque build up.  Using this solution with a combo of teeth cleaning treats works much better than trying to actually brush her teeth.

The coupon is good for this week only (10/16/12 - 10/20/12).

  

My princess, lounging at a hotel!

I could not resist one more picture of my dog.  Could she be more spoiled?  Although, in my defense, she does not sleep in our bed with us.  She sleeps in the guest bed! 



Finding Fulfillement continued

I stumbled across a thought provoking blog post today, just doing a random search.  Here is the original post:

Flaming Pen: Finding Fulfillment How

The author, Scott Appleton, asks a pretty basic question:  How did you find fulfillment today?

He's not asking a huge, life changing question.  Just what did you do today that made you happy.  It got me thinking that perhaps I am tackling this "Finding Fulfillment" thing all wrong.  It's not about making huge life altering changes.  All I need to do is focus on today, and find something that makes me happy now.



http://pinterest.com/pin/239676011390481533/



Sort of like the old adage: if you want to live a good life, then act accordingly.  If I focus on the little things that give me fulfillment and do them more often, then perhaps this elusive fulfillment will find me!

Like Scott says in his post, my three year old finds fulfillment in the simplest things.  He learned how to put his socks on by him self this weekend, and he's still savoring the feeling of accomplishment.  I think perhaps I have a wise teacher in my house, that I have not been paying enough attention to.  He laughs freely.  No matter what he is doing at the time, if his favorite song comes on then he jumps up and dances.  Then he asks if we can play the song again.  He instinctively knows to savor his happiness and replay it as many times as possible. 

The next time you find yourself wanting to throw your head back and laugh like a three year old, give yourself permission to do it!  Laugh and dance with out fear or limits.  Then smile and ask to do it all over again.

So, now it's your turn... what fulfilled your day today?

Meditation Mondays

Welcome to Meditation Mondays.  The plan is to make this an on going post where we can take a moment to set an intention for the week, as well as offer a new perspective to meditate on.

I think this week's image is a good place to start, and really one of the reasons why I like to meditate... even if it is only for 10 minutes a day.  

Etsy Store - Allicoate Print

If you are new to meditating, then I suggest reading Everybody's Meditating written by Andrew Tilin for Yoga Journal.  The second page has good "how to" instructions.  It basically boils down to finding what works best for you, so just remember to keep trying if the first few attempts do not click.

This week I am going to set my intention as living more honestly.  I like to think that I am a pretty honest person.  I do, however, think that living more honestly also includes sharing more of my thoughts with others.  I tend to keep to myself and do not share all that I am thinking, even with loved ones.  I think part of being honest is also having the courage to express yourself.  This week I will focus my meditations on creating a more honest and open environment internally as well as externally.


Feel free to share any thoughts or intentions you'd like to focus on this week!  


Good luck with your weekly practice and have a wonderful week.

Weekend Blog Walk

 Welcome to my first Weekend Blog Walk.  Blog Hops are a great way to find new blogs as well as connect with fellow bloggers.  I hope you enjoy!

Here are the new blogs I am following this week:







  
   

Friday's Fabulous Finds

Happy Friday!  

Here are a few cool links I have found this week.  Hope you enjoy them too. 

Cookies and Cups: IPad 3 Giveaway

@ Home Take 2: How to Create a Drop Down Menu

     

 

Cookies and Cups: Pecan Pie Brownies

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fab N' Free

Have a great weekend!