Summer of Sucess lesson plans-week 2

June 1
Last week we talked about the light. Look up the light of Christ and Holy Ghost
Devotional-I am a key player
writing- Find an insect. Write a story about where it is coming from and where they going.

Finish insect theme and start ecosystems
Activity: Make whirly twirly lady bugs
 

 June 2

Devotional-The opponent

writing &Activity -Help kids understand the self-contained aspect of ecosystem.What supplies would you need to survive in their rooms for a day? What about if the whole family or 16?

• calculate the amount of food, water, paper, oxygen, etc. to live in the classroom for a day.
• you can't refrigerate or cook any food and that electricity would be limited. Encourage students to think of any resource problems that truly exist in the world today and to list ways to solve and remedy such problems

June 3
Devotional-My choices-Part 1

97983_My choices have consequences

 

writing-What would you do if you were the last man/woman on earth? What fun things would you do?
Activity: Make a worm ecosystem

June4
Devotional-My choices-Part 2
activity-Learn about where you live .A Biome is. a distinct ecological community of plants and animals living together in a particular climate is called a "biome."
http://www.windows2universe.org/earth/ecosystems.html
http://www.utahecosystems.org/mountains/
Utah Biomes

Writing- What do you think you will find in your dirt sample? Follow steps of lesson. For younger kids they can draw pictures and just play with the sample and look under a microscope.

June 5th
Devotional-Making an effort
Art and friend Friday

Day 30 & 31 for 31 days of May-keovers- How to give your May-keover a check up

Today is the last day of May-keovers! I am not sure where I mentioned it but I spell makeovers differently through this series because it is makeovers in May= May-keovers. Just in case some of you were doubting my spelling abilities. Lol! It is a lot easier to get a haircut and change a room in your home than to face your inner demon. What is most important is how you feel on the inside.That is why we need a annual May-keover check up. I hope that my posts this month have challenged you to look deeper. Feel free to go back and take more time on each of them. I know I will!

Like any good check up you should make an appointment. In this case I suggest making an appointment with yourself so that you have time to ask yourselves these questions. You get to be the "physician" and the patient. Only you really know what is going on! Start with different areas of your life.

How are you feeling? What changes have you made that have helped? What do you still need to work on?
Where does it hurt? Your "head" or how you think? Your "heart" or feelings? Stress?
Are you doing anything  to help? This would be like the taking medication part of a doctors exam. What I want to know is what you are doing to help with where it hurts. Is there any tender feelings or signs of diseases in relationships or how you treat yourself?

What is your biggest complaint so that you can find a diagnosis?

What are your symptoms? Are you depressed, tired, overwhelmed, negative to yourself, not trusting, too manipulative....etc?

Final step is coming up with a treatment plan by setting goals to help with your symptoms. You are going to create your own "medical record" but it will be of your hopes, fears, dreams and a plan of action. What makes you happy? What about your attitude and expectations? Are you motivated to make changes? What is that motivation? Where is your energy being used? How much is for yourself, family, friends, husband, house, spirituality, and job.Your symptoms are your biggest clues.

 I told you there were a lot of questions! Take your time and don't rush. Be truthful about your strengths and weaknesses.

Today's assignment:
Get inspired! Don't try to change too much either. Answer the questions above to help you get started. The first step is always the hardest!

Other great reads:
Give yourself a parenting check up

How to give yourself a makeover within a month

Here is my pinterest board to check out too!

 

may-keover

52

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P.S. I am not suggesting you skip going to the doctor. I am just using terms we are all familiar with. You still need your check ups and a true diagnosis.

Day 27-29 for 31 days of May-keovers- What to do when you are at the end of your rope.

I am sorry that I haven't written in a few days. My stomach pain has been so bad I have just been taking pain meds and going to sleep. I can't believe it is almost June! This has definitely been a roller coaster this month. I feel like I have made some strides with my type A personality. I am  a worry wart and my health has got me very worried. I feel like each day is a May-keover. I eat and have pain and then I make adjustments and try again! My diet has been getting an overhaul! People keep telling me to hang in there and that is about all I have control over.

When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on.  ~Franklin D. Roosevelt

I am learning to focus on what is happening in the very moment I am in. Right now I am happy and relaxed because I am writing. I think I have wrapped the rope of hope around me right now!

I got a new haircut. I am trying to change the way that I think. I have tried to relax and stress less. Change after change after change. I am not just siting around waiting for something to happen. The one person I need to rely on more is God. How do I take that next step? When I stop to think about it he suffered for all the sins and afflictions of all mankind. Yet it is one of the hardest things to put my trust fully in him when I do not know when the end will come. When will I wake up pain free? He is at the end of the rope, willing to help, so I know that I am in good hands. I just wish I knew when this pain and suffering will be gone.

I am not sure what I want to say really but I feel like I should write something. Maybe in the process something will make sense. Maybe I am doing this to help just one person feel some hope. All I know is a May-keover doesn't seem like enough right now. Are you stuck in your mind, lost in thoughts and fears of the future? My advice is get out of your mind and seek enlightenment and peace instead. Stop the negative talk and thinking there is no end. I find myself saying " I can't do it anymore". Instead I need to keep fighting! I can change my attitude and I can fight and that is exactly what I am doing! He won't let me fall. I know this to be true. Despair would have me believe I am out of options. I just need to look for more options. It may mean I need to be more creative in how I find these new options. I need to be more prayerful and continue to work with my diet. My first place to go is the scriptures. The next is the internet. I read and ponder new information.

There are so many out there in your shoes. Thanks to the blogging world I can find many sympathetic and helpful to my plight. You can also find it here.


See all my May-keovers so far:
Day 1- 20 facts about me
Day 2- How to worry less and get control of your thoughts
Day 3- How to stop the snowball effect of stress at home
Day 4- How to tell if your family is a warm or ice cold bath
Day 5-How to learn more about yourself.See my personality revealed.
Day 6-Dig in deeper
Day 7- Taking care of my mind garden
Day 8- Enjoy your personaliTEA
Day 9- Happy Mothers Day
Day 10&11-3 ways to focus on progress not perfection
Day 12- Elimination becomes illumination
Day 13-When in it feels like all is lost reach for a lifesaver
Day 14- To eat it or not to eat it? That is the question.
Day 15- We are halfway there!
Day 16-17- How to let life make you over, but in a good way!
Day 18- How to pace yourself, not race yourself
Day 19&20-5 ways to May-keover your summer
Day 21- How to find your true calling and voice
Day 22- 3 ways to reconnect with a friend this weekend
Day 23- 7 ways to start your day on the right foot
Day 24 and 25-5 ways to thinkk differently
Day 26- How do I change my ideas about Motherhood?

Summer of success weeek 1 day 4

May29th
devotional-The light
Spiritual light we can always feel. It is up to us to reveal it. It is up to us to live up to the divine light within us.
"There is something of divinity within each of you. You have such tremendous potential with that quality as a part of your inherited nature. Every one of you was endowed by your Father in Heaven with a tremendous capacity to do good in the world. Train your minds and your hands that you may be equipped to serve well in the society of which you are a part. Cultivate the art of being kind, of being thoughtful, of being helpful. Refine within you the quality of mercy which comes as a part of the divine attributes you have inherited." Pres. Gordon B. Hinckley

(Moroni 7:16, 18). And now, my brethren, seeing that ye know the light by which ye may judge, which light is the light of Christ, see that ye do not judge wrongfully; for with that same judgment which ye judge ye shall also be judged”

writing-What would life be like without insects?

Insect Body parts<lesson plans from the link on the left

How many of you have ever gone outside and seen an insect? What is an insect? Can you tell me what it looks like? I have a large piece of paper here and I need help drawing my insect.

Children input ideas as to what the insect looks like. Does it have a head…. Is it square, circle, rectangle, oval? What does the body look like? Does it have a tail? Is it long or short? What does its mouth look like? Does it have any legs? How many? What color should we color it? Does it have eyes? How many? What about a nose? Does it have ears?

After the drawing of the insect, we step back and look at it. Wow! Does that look like an insect you have seen before? What name would we give this insect?

show pictures of lady bugs

Song: Head, thorax ,abdomen(See link insect body parts)
Sung to tune Head, shoulders, knees and toes

 We found some lady bugs in our daisy's. According to a myth lady bugs can predict the weather. If they fly away there is good weather ahead. If they fall off your hand then bad weather is coming! 3 out of the four lady bugs we found flew away! Hopefully that means good weather! We didn't get into ecosystems so we will do that next week! We also saw an ant hill! We watched Magic school bus episode to learn  more about ants. Lots of learning going on here!
 

Food elimination and fighting the fibro-Diets,diet and more diets to try

I had a contrast iv scan last week and it was discovered that my walls of my colon  were thickened. So it could be colitis. I won't know until I do more tests. I am going to try the colitis diet. I also need to be careful of refined grains and sugar because I might be pre-diabetic. My body has never responded to sugar well either.

As I was looking at both diets. I noticed how they were practically opposite from each other. They are like 2 sumo wrestlers fighting one another. I am squished in the middle! Help me!  Now I am thinking how I will ever eat again. So picture if you ate and your stomach hurt after a while you wouldn't want to eat anymore. Then you get nauseated, feel like you have the flu and get migraines. You would be desperate right? I am trying to paint a picture of just how I feel. Then I come across part of the article where it says you have to bring your own food and if someone asks and you tell them they should understand. Then it mentions if they give you a hard time you could always tell them colitis comes with(I will spare you the graphics) a host of stomach issues. After I read this I started laughing uncontrollably. My kids came from all areas of the house to see what was going on. My laughs turn into hysterics and crying. I am still laughing though. I HAVE LOST IT! Yes, I think I have reached a breaking point. I was unlike this lady at Breakfast at Tiffanie's weird party. You have to watch the whole bizarre scene.

 





My pain is still a 5. I am like a pain diamond. There are so many facets to my pain.I am an auto-immune rock star! I think I should get a t-shirt that says so don't you?

Summer of Sucess week 1-Day 3

May 27th-Bugs Theme
Devotion-Life is like a game
Book of Mormon is like a book of rules that  make you happier. Rules in life make you happy. Why all the rules?
“The gospel is counsel from a living Father who says to His children: “This is what you can become if you take my advice—and this is what will happen if you don’t. The choice is yours.” Elder Richard L. Evans
Elder Evans starts with a simple question."Don’t you think the commandments should be rewritten?” The answer was, “No, they should be reread.” The commandments are there and have been through the ages. Ignoring them has only proved to bring unhappiness and frustration.

He gives some good advice.

Some Good Advice

Love and respect your parents. They’ve given you life. They’d die for you. Confide in them.

Respect yourselves. Respect God and the knowledge He has given.

Don’t gamble with life. It is all we have.

Don’t tempt temptation. Don’t foolishly see how close you can come to danger or evil, how close you can come to a precipice. Stay away from what you shouldn’t do or where you shouldn’t go or what you shouldn’t partake of.

And if you’ve turned toward some dead end or down some wrong road, turn back as quickly as you can—not later than right now—and thank God for the principle of repentance.

 

Talk about for the Faith in God pamphlet

Skill: Talk about setting goals. Have the kids set personal goals. My kids decided to memorize 1 articles of faith a day and to work on religious knot for scouts. My oldest wants to work on one requirement per week. There are 7!

 

I am also working on my oldest turning in his homework. To start  I am focusing on what it means to be ready for the day and be ready to be successful. This means:

1. What do they think it means to be successful at school?
2. Set up a spot for all their papers and have them be responsible for them. One of the rules is homework is not done until it is put away!
3. organize not just shove things in back pack-I want to have some sort of homework due. Even thought they are not going to school. I want them to have their back packs, hang them up and turn in a small assignment I give them on Monday. Then they turn it inn on Friday and get a sticker. 10 stickers and they get a prize!
4. Teach them to use a planner and break big tasks into small.
5. Sticky notes are your friend! Write and post that it is due and put it in a place you won't forget.

Writing-word scrambles

Day 26 for 31 days of May-keovers-How do I change my ideas about Motherhood

I may be writing this too late at night, when my emotions are raw and my eyelids heavy. My eyes are not the only thing that is heavy. My heart is a little heavy too! I am one of those girls who wanted to be a Mom more than anything. I couldn't really figure out what I wanted as a career, too indecisive I guess! When I became pregnant with my first I had only been married for less than a year. We didn't want to wait and honestly I would do it that way again. I am adopted, you see, and I had all kind of fears that I would not be able to have kids like my biological Mom. It was a worry every time I got pregnant. In addition to receiving my beautiful baby boy I came home with postpartum. My family was with me for a while, but when they went home, that is when it became serious. He was colicky and would scream and cry. Not what I pictured. I LOVE MY KIDS!

I also didn't picture that my kids would not sleep through the night until they were 5. Bed time is my least favorite time of day. If I could just make bed time easier maybe? I also didn't picture I would have health issues and my last baby would have food allergies that make it so hard to feed him. Thank goodness for his formula! He is always itchy! Maybe motherhood is finding joy in it, wherever it may be? I enjoy their first laugh and words. I congratulate their first steps. I want to see them be independent and make good choices. I also see them make bad ones.

After my kids get past the baby stage and they start to become defiant, I start to lose the joy and spark of mother hood. I had to work hard in school to keep up and I have to work hard in Motherhood to keep up too! I keep looking for that perfect balance and the only equation that works is to put the things of God first and everything last! Why do I let what people think bother me? Why do I compare myself to other Mom's. What is missing? I love my children so much! I would do anything for them! Could I be losing the "motherly" side of me? I am strict, but maybe I am too strict? Do any of you feel like you are just getting by? I am tired of it! I am tired of feeling guilty and alone in these feelings.I am just plain exhausted too!

The way I see things, is the CONSTANT need to be available. It is great to feel needed at the same time. I can't fully relax because there are constant needs from my kids and outside kid activities.They need food, attention, to be cleaned and nagged to do things. I am always interrupted when doing something. This is especially true in the restroom!So here is my battle and I think where I need to change my thinking. How do I change this constant need for me and also see and remember how much they need me, even when they don't act like it.

Here is my plan

1. Lose the high expectation I set for myself. I am a good Mom and if I need a break or 2 or 3......its okay. I can send them to play in their rooms for a few minutes, say a prayer and re-motivate myself!
2. Take things I have had on the back burner and do them. I went to my Sister in laws house with my whole family. I was the only one who planned to paint but every one did some painting and it now, one of my favorite memories
3. Don't always be just the parent, just listen! Listen to your kids. Listen to nature. Listen to what your heart is telling you. If you are not happy listen and don't feel the guilt that comes along with it. Come back to the issue or whatever is making you feel impatient. Always make sure that everyone is safe.Listen listen listen and you might and will learn lots of things!
4. Say yes more. I have seen this in so many posts I am not sure who thought it up. It is a hard one. I think it might help though with my very strong willed children. That leads me to my next step...
5. Really try to understand your children. Your relationship with them and your husband is the most important.
6. Learn to accept the loss. The loss of identity, loss of time, money, friends and eventually the loss of your children as they move out and you are, left alone.
7. Put your phone down when your children enter the room. Look them in the eyes, hug them and enjoy when they adore you. Hold on tight to that feeling you get when they come to you. That is a feeling no one can take away from you! No one but you!

Today's assignment:
Let go of any guilt you feel and pick one thing to do differently as a parent. Believe me I know what a gift it is to have a baby. I wish that many woman, including my Mom did not know the pain of miscarriages or not getting pregnant at all. I do not wish to offend anyone. I could not handle those trials. I am amazed at how strong they are! To them I say find other ways to be a mother and serve and may it temporarily feel the void until all wounds are healed or when they are blessed with a beautiful baby. My Mother held me and my siblings and loved rocking us. She appreciated the gift. I do too! I just want to enjoy it more when I am trying so hard to do so. That is all we can do right? Try!

Summer of success Week 1-Day 1 and 2

May 25th Intro to Summer of success and what I expect them to do each day.
Devotional-teaching kids to be teachable

May 26th-Bugs Theme
Devotional-John 14:15 “If ye love me,” said our Savior, “keep my commandments”
spirituality 4 kids
Heavenly Father will always be there to help
Skill- Went over morning routine and the kids all pretended to do each thing. We decided it would be good to write down what they need to do each morning. I think I will have one of the kids do it! ;)

Writing- What would you like to do this summer? This week?
Activity- Flip beetle math

Safety lesson: Stranger danger
I want my kids to feel safe but to be prepared if something happens. Plus I have had threats of running away. I know they are just like " I hate you" threats but I want them to know how serious it is. I got a little emotional over this one! Where are the face book stickers to show my emotion?

The kids kept a tally of how many times the beetle landed on its feet or back. We added the total and found thee mean, median and mode.

    

Later my son had a 7 up can and said "Only kids 7 or up can have this right mom?"
He wanted to know why it was called 7 up. There is no known reason. It was called  .The theory is that it contained 7 ingredients:


My son got this book for his birthday so I guess that sparked an interest in what was in 7 up. Back in the day it actually had lithium in it! We looked it up in this book

His curiosity continued as we looked up what happens to magnesium when it reacts  with oxygen. It is too bad we couldn't do this experiment today. We just kept looking up experiments.

 

My oldest kids have both read 3 hours. I made a reward chart for 2hrs, 4,8, and 10! So far so good!

For my youngest 2 we are working on ABC's and numbers. Below is what we are using mainly!

 

 Tomorrow: We will be doing more with bugs and going to the library.Let Summer begin!!!

Day 24 and 25 for 31 days of May-keovers-5 ways to think differently

I feel like lately I have opened Pandora's box of change. Maybe I am in some sort of funk. I just feel that I need something different. I figure my way of thinking has really led to over thinking and analyzing. This leads to worry. Maybe I can't really give up the past or I am tired of doing the same things from day to day. I know I am tired of feeling cruddy all the time and having no energy! Can you teach a dog new tricks? Can I learn to think differently?

1.What if I told you to pick a time of day to make yourself more aware of you. What do you think? Could you do it? Think of your emotions and your deepest thoughts. It is almost like you are buying yourself a new outfit. When you put it  on, in that moment, you feel different. You may feel prettier or more confident. Making yourself more aware of you has the same effect I think.

2.Give positive affirmations a try. "I will be more positive." I have heard a lot of hype of positive affirmations. I have tried them but I can't seem to do it for more than a couple of days and then I loose interest. You have more power than you think to change bad thoughts or behaviors and turn them around. You wouldn't walk out on the tracks when a train is  coming. Don't allow negative thoughts or dwelling in the past to derail you!

3. Train your mind to make a small change. For me it is to let things go because I am a type A control freak! Just a little change can start to rewire your thinking. It is like this. Imagine you have the same routines everyday. You wake up and get ready, then do your to do list and take a walk the same way everyday. What if you went a different way completely or walked a little longer. Could you drop one thing on your to do list and try a new hobby instead or just do nothing at all?

4. There is more to explore. There are new places to go and new people to meet. Do something that scares you or you feel you might fail at if you try.

5. Put an end to destructive and negative thinking. Recognize where the problem is and replace it with the good.

These 5 steps may take years or even less, months. It will take time. You may have to close a few doors and put caution tape up so you never go back, but new doors will open. Your inner and outer reflection will change too!

Todays assignment
Pick one of the above steps and give it a try. Start small and be kind to yourself!

Summer of sucess lesson plan for week 1

Me and my little ones have been studying bugs. Now my big kids are home so they get to join the fun.

1.Intro to schedule and how to study the scriptures. I really want to focus on that this week

• Give each a notebook to write on
• daily devotional and virtue
• Daily writing
• reading log and Minutes=TV time
• help them set persona; goals

I like  to use summer as a time to fine tune and oil the machine of family cooperation. Goals we make are morning routines, re-teaching cleaning, organizing, behavioral issues, manners, and many other life skills. I have more time with them since they are not in school.

Household contributions: The kids also get morning, afternoon and night chores. I am still deciding what I want to do there. I want to teach them the art of picking up. Clothes that are taken off do not belong on the floor, food dishes get rinsed and put in dish washer and table gets wiped down, those kind of things. It will take a lot of diligence to catch them in their bad habits. First I will go over their routine and write out exactly what must happen and make sure everything has a home. Second, I will re-teach them how to clean up their rooms and bathrooms and how often I expect it! We will practice for a week and then the consequences will be added the next week. There will be confiscation and loss of privileges. I will write it out so that everyone understands. There will also be awards to go on an outing, mom and Dad time etc......Each week as we progress into more independence I will be less likely to compromise. The 3 week we will work on being cheerful. I think you get the idea. I might even make it a contest that the cleanest room gets a reward or something. Week 4 there will be no more reminders, just praise and more time to play. Hopefully?

May 25th Intro to Summer of success and what I expect.
Devotional-teaching kids to be teachable

May 26th-Bugs Theme
Devotional-spirituality 4 kids
Heavenly Father will always be there to help
Writing- What would you like to do this summer? This week?
Activity- Flip beetle math

May 27th-Bugs Theme
Devotion-Life is like a game
Writing-word scrambles


May28th-Bugs Theme
Devotional-Fulfillment
What we really want out of life, not just the physical
 writing-Find a insect. Describe it. Write a story of where they are coming from or going.
Trip to Library
Chemistry party

May29th-Art day
devotional-The light
Spiritual light we can always feel. It is up to us to reveal what is inside.
writing-What would life be like without insects?

Elimination diet and fighting the fibro update!

These last few days have been brutal. I can hardly move and my stomach's pain has been unrelenting! I had to actually take some pain killers yesterday. It is always worse when it rains. We have gotten rain for weeks now! As I type this I am actually sitting in front of my happy light. It is supposed to help decrease melatonin and give the user more energy. I found out on Friday that my liver is malfunctioning and I am pre-diabetic. My cortisol levels are also too high in the morning and gone in the afternoon. Still no answers on the excruciating pain in my stomach.

Due to all of this news and my doctors recommendation. I cannot continue the elimination diet as it is intended because I am starving! I am still going to stay away from sugar and things that break down into sugar. I am also going to avoid red meat and try some salmon this week! Obviously if it hurts my stomach I will make not of it and wait another week and try again.

I am still eating soup and drinking my opticleanse Ghi shakes so I will quit repeating that one. I have had spaghetti squash with chicken a lot. Last night I made a broccoli potato soup but I didn't use the milk for me and some ham. The ham and potatoes wasn't my first choice but I was sooooo hungry!

I was also put on several nutritional supplements.

• One of them is N-acetyl cysteine (NAC)- it is a powerful antioxidant to helps my liver protect me against toxicity. I read up on liver dysfunction. It is hard to detect because blood tests show it functioning normally. Hopefully since we caught it before it is diseased I can repair it. I know very little on what I need to do at this point. It does scare me though!

I found this article on liver dysfunction diet. I have already cut out fats and added omega 3 and fish oil. I plan on finding ways to add more turmeric into my diet too. I also found this list of refined carbohydrate and other foods to stay away from. Still lots of tweaking to do.

I am more active lately and notice more energy spurts and my husband and I have been alternating massaging. It seems to be helping me to sleep better at night. I have had 2 nights where I don't remember waking up until morning. Each step I take seems to be taking me in a positive direction. Yay for progress!

Day 23 for 31 days of May-keovers- 7 ways to begin your day on the right foot

What do you do when wake up? Is it a rush out of bed and searching for clothes. Is it deciding what to have for breakfast? I want you to be able to go through your morning with purpose and aware of what you are doing. I suggest 7 ways to begin your day right

1.Drink water and greet the day. By greeting the day I mean the following:

• create a wake up routine for yourself- stretching, getting dressed or showering.
• read scriptures, meditate or pray. You can also try writing morning pages to clear your mind.
• walk outside or open the curtains, depending on the weather. The reason to do this is to take notice that a new day has begun.  Think of all the wonderful things you will do.
• Greet each member of your family with a smile and hug. Pay attention to their body language. Are they tired, nervous, excited. Learn to notice your kids when they are fresh and rested....or sometimes not. You can guess if you are in for a rough day behavior wise or not.
• gather together as a family and hug each other. Next have a devotional and an activity to promote family unity. We need to slow down in the morning and notice our loved ones. Skills like attentiveness, listening and sharing re strengthened. They can learn to greet and give eye contact as well.
• Talk about what to expect for the day and what the children expect. Make this time with your family as routine as you can so they expect it.

2.The night before set breakfast the table and the tasks for the next day.

3. Open the windows up half way so that the lights greet you. This has been working well for me!

4.Save time and money on breakfast by:

• making muffins in batches
• preparing overnight oatmeal
• make your own breakfast sandwiches

5.Do things ahead so there is less prep work during the day

• fill left side of sink with soapy water too wash breakfast dishes
• make a breakfast menu
• cut all snacks ahead of time for the day

6. Teach and practice your child's morning routine so that they do not depend on you. Practice and practice some more so in the end their is no battle in the morning. A good start to the day or a bad one seems to carry through the day. They should get dressed, brush their teeth, make their beds etc....If they don't do it in a timely way they lose screen time or have to practice it over and over for one minute.

7.Even if you are rushing around find a moment to take some deep breaths. Each hour of the day is a chance to start over. Don't give up and keep trying to make it better! Your thoughts are powerful good or bad!

Day 22 fpr 31 days of May-keovers- 3 ways to connect with a freind this weekend

When was the last time you had a good old fashioned girls night out? I am guessing over half of you can't remember the last time, right? I am guilty as charged. It feels like we all have to lock ourselves up and throw away the key to get all the girls together. Did you know that spending time with friends is great for your health? Plus it gives you a much needed break!

Where to start?

According to Jill Martin and Dana Ravich's e-book The weekend makeover-Get a brand new life by Monday morning ,you can do a friendship makeover in a weekend! They suggest that when something is out of control you should make a list on Friday. Interesting? I love lists but I never thought of that. Grab you contact list and write down names of those you would like to reconnect with. It is okay to include your loved ones too! I have to schedule date night with my kids and husband otherwise it gets lost in the chaos of life.

These authors suggest going through you call logs, texts and emails and see who you haven't responded to. Stop making excuses on why you are too busy and just plan something. Throw it out there on Face book and see who takes the bait. Don't neglect your friends anymore. It may not be like it "used to" but you can grow together if you put a little effort into it.

I have also seen the phrase "toxic friends" tossed around on the Internet. These are people who bring you down or who just don't fit in your life no matter how hard you try. A circle isn't going to fit in a hole shaped like a square. It is okay to let people leave your life naturally, without any hurt feelings. We all have friends that for some reason or another drifted away. This is your list so do it however you want! You can do this every year. A great time to do this de-clutering is when you do your Christmas cards?

On Saturday get your phone or tablet ready! It is exciting to think of re-connecting with friends. Start calling, texting or emailing people back. For a while I was calling this kind of reconnection Friend Friday. But per this book I like doing this the day after. Then take a rest. I don't know about you but being excited and social wears me out!

Next, make a plan to get together and put it on the calendar! It doesn't matter if you get together next week or several months from now. Just make a plan! I like to write all their birthdays down and make sure I call or send them something to let them know I am thinking of them.

Sunday these wonderful weekend warriors recommend having an outing that you planned Saturday or be spontaneous and call someone. You can do that step, but Sunday is usually spent with family for me. Maybe someone in your family made it onto the list and you can dedicate time with them. This should be a lot of fun and maybe get you out of funk.

Today's assignment:
As mentioned above, write a list, establish contact through various social media and make a date! Don't forget to read this great e-book!

I challenge you to a friend May-keover!

Day 21 for 31 more days of May-keovers- How to find your true calling and voice

I came across 4 steps to finding your voice by Steven R. Covey. I thought it was very interesting. Maybe to jump start any real change we need to have a little chat with our soul.  Our soul is more than what you think others expect of you. It is much deeper. Perhaps you have been afraid to really dig down deep. I know this month I have found out how manipulative I can be, even when what  I want is a good thing. The post by Steven is a Q and A.

Q: How do you define "voice" ?
A: Voice is the overlapping of the four parts of our nature: our body, our mind, our heart, and our spirit. These also represent the four intelligences: our IQ for the mind, our EQ for the heart, our SQ for the spirit, and our PQ for the body.

To help you find this, answer these 4 question.

1. What are you good at? That’s your mind.

2. What do you love doing? That’s your heart.

3. What need can you serve? That’s the body.

4. And finally, what is life asking of you? What gives your life meaning and purpose? What do you feel like you should be doing? In short, what is your conscience directing you to do? That is your spirit.

Today's assignment:
I want you to answer these questions. It may take some thinking but I really think it will help May-keover your inner beauty and calling in life. Yes, most of my readers are or were Mothers. That is a divine calling to be sure! Maybe some of you have a career in mind or that is on the back burner.

Here are my results?
1.What am I good at?

 I thought about when I feel the most energized and happy. To answer that is when I write, create, visit with friends and play with my kids. Also what is effortless to me is helping when I am needed. When it gets too close to home then it is stressful and a lot more work for me. Look at someone you want to be like and ask yourself why? Try to mirror what you admire. If you are not sure what you are good at; try lots of different things.

2. What do you like doing?

 It is not only what you are good at but what you like to do. I am a big people person! I still interact with people in my neighborhood and on my blog. I never would have thought that I would be good at blogging. A few years ago I thought a blog was pictures on the web, like a scrap book for my family and friends. Nope! It is a calling. I feel incomplete if I don't write my thoughts ,and feel like maybe I could help someone in the process.

A month ago I stared at a blank canvas with acrylic paint and a picture of what I wanted. I wasn't sure how to start or what it would look like. It all came together and it is something I am very proud of. Finding what your good at is like painting. First you get a picture in your head of what you want. You pick the colors and stroke some colors on a blank canvas. Viola! Your masterpiece emerges as you blend and define your subject.

3.What need can you serve?
This was a tough one for me. I have never really felt needed. I moved from home to my husband who has all his family near by. Friends seem to come and go when all I wish for is loyalty. I know I am needed as a Mom and a wife, but these things do not come effortlessly to me. However, loving them is easy and unconditional. But feeling alone and having challenges are hard. I feel like I am in a battle zone with a severely allergy sensitive kid. I have another that is very anxious. All of them are very strong willed and so am I. There are battle wounds at the end of the day. Constant battles and busy schedules make it harder to see the light and just relax and enjoy myself.

4. What gives your life meaning and purpose?
I know that I am a daughter of God. I am here to be tested and bring and teach my children. Being a mother gives me meaning. Most of all just remembering that God loves me and will help me. Being a wife also gives me an opportunity to really use my skills. If I could just let go of what is holding me back from feeling that I am a good Mom, wife and friend. It is a balancing act and a reminder to myself of why I am here every day!

Finding my voice in the chaos that is motherhood!

Letter H and the click beetle who never gave up!

 

Devotional: Perseverance-Keep going even if things are tough and you feel like you are out of options. Never give up!

 

D&C 98: 12 For he will give unto the faithful line upon line, precept upon precept; and I will try you and prove you herewith.

 

Story: The very clumsy click beetle

 

Check out what click beetles do!

 

 

Words to know: Beetle, Sun, garden, moon, turtle, snail, mouse, feet, flip

Speaking of flip. There is a cute book called Flip and flop by Dawn Apperley. It is not a book about bugs. However,you can have your child find all the F's and introduce the letter H. It is about 2 penguins named Flip and Flop who are brothers. Flip is 5 and Flop is 2. Sometimes Flip thinks his little brother is a pest. It reminds me of my 2 little boys. It is a good way to remind siblings to play nice and be careful of others feelings.

Look at these 2 cute boys!
  

Brotherly love!

Make your own flip beetle. <Click on link for instructions and credit!
      

Day 19-20 for 31 days of May-keovers -5 ways to May-keover you summer

For this month, nothing has really gone as planned. I was in the ER last night with the worst migraine I have ever had! They gave me a 2 shots and after me and my husband got home I was completely out of it. That is why I didn't write last night.

Summer isn't that far away! If we do a few May-keovers now you will have a more organized and productive summer. I always look forward to Summer time. Hint: It is not because of the heat! Blah I do not like it when it gets too hot or too cold. It does both, where I live. {sigh}

Here are some ways I try to May-keover my summer each year.

1. Have a plan

• bag of picnic stuff
• diaper bag packed each night
• lesson plan for each of my kids to keep them working
• Fight plan- when the kids fight, and they will, I want to have a plan of what to do. Hopefully I can keep them busy so they won't. That is just wishful thinking!
• create a daily or weekly schedule to keep structure and routine. You can follow me as I post my Summer of success.
• help my kids learn skills like being organized and staying confident
• plan food for those hot nights and impromptu parties
• list of chores

2. Get in shape

• exercise
• eat healthy-lots of fruits and veggies in zip lock bags

3. Let the light in your house-natural light

• brighten your space with flowers and bright and cheerful colors. I like to take a whole bouquet of flowers and  split them up all over the house.

4. Update clothing and donate the old.

5.Are you ready to entertain? Freshen up your deck and get ready to get your grill on!


If you do all or just some of these you can have a much more fun and care-free summer!

Love these 13 things for preparing kids and us Mom's for summer! My favorite is how ever much you read is how much T.V. you can watch! Brilliant!

Day 7 adn 8 of elimination diet and fighting the fibro

I think my body is in a hostile takeover of itself! Yesterday everything was going well. I was able to get up and clean the table and take a shower. Then I would sit and rest. As I was sitting writing to all you fine people I got a sudden headache that was the worst headache I have ever had! My face felt tight and tingly. I went tot the Dr. where she did a routine check and I opened my mouth and felt sharp pain in my jaw and head. She sent me to the ER. A CT scan of my head and 2 shots later I was home and zonked out for the rest of the night.

Breakfast
Shake with berries and quinoa

Lunch- leftover soup. It is almost gone!
@ ER
Dinner-
Chicken
roasted cauliflower with quinoa

Today
Breakfast-
shake with berries
egg( I haven't had them since I started diet)

snack-
apples
sunflower seeds

lunch-
shake

snack-
finish apple and sunflower seeds

dinner-
chicken and green beans


Today I actually got outside today! I walked to my neighbors and back. My pain is a little less but still about a 4 or 5.
I also found a great blog my foggy brain and the fibroguide

Letter F - What to do with those that bug you- Pre-K and toddler lesson

Devotional:
Genesis 1:30- And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein [there is] life, [I have given] every green herb for meat: and it was so.

Romans 12:14 Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.

Bugs are fascinating. Some bugs are pests and I shudder just thinking about them. My kids love finding them. We are talking about bugs and also about how to have more patience and not be bothered so quickly. To be like bugs you:

• Be like a praying mantis and pray for those that bug you
• find solutions to things that bug you
• wait to clam down or receive an ANTswer to your prayer
• Bee calm and an example
• Be a lady and don't give an attitude
• fly away until you can play nicely
• go outside when you get ANTsy

I haven't been feeling well for months and so I have been trying to find things my younger kids can do online on those days so they are still learning.

Activity: F is for Find. We looked at Tinker Bell's Look and find. We counted how many of different things were in there and wrote the numbers down. I tried to get my Pre-K to practice them but he wasn't in the mood.
Story: It was an online story called Henry and the sugar bugs.

• talk about the importance of brushing your teeth

 Numbers: Played a game Fuzz bugs . This is great for counting, sorting and comparing. It is really quite fun and addictive.

Here are more ideas for those creepy crawly bugs! We will keep studying bugs for a few more weeks!

Here are some other bug units I have done

• http://momshappinessblueprint.blogspot.com/2012/04/review-letter-e-and-squash-bugs.html

• http://momshappinessblueprint.blogspot.com/2013/08/preschool-and-baby-lesson-about-bugs.html

• http://momshappinessblueprint.blogspot.com/2013/08/ug-bug-and-letter-u.html

Day 18 for 31 days of May-keovers-How to pace yourself, not race yourself

I am a little emotional today and I hope that it doesn't leak out too much in my writing. I have to take a step back today. Where is Mama? my 2 year old is asking. I can hear it in the background as I write this post. Where am I? Ironically this whole month my plan was to do all sorts of fun May-keovers. Instead, the words pouring from my mind are that of survival and wanting to work through my feelings. The funny thing about living in survival is that eventually you run out of supplies. My most important supply right now is hope. I can't run out of hope!

Again I ask the question where am I? I feel like I am looking in every direction right now. I want to have the energy to finish the toy room. The toy room and several other projects were on my list to do this month. I can feel the stress building up in my home. My husband is picking up my slack and even the simplest task hurts and drains my energy. I feel like the fog has rolled in and I cannot see anything clearly. Luckily I have wonderful friends and family who have been watching my kids while I rest. I wish this pain would give it a rest too!!

I have had more alone time last week than I have in a long time. This alone time has given me a lot of time to think and decide what I want. I want to be healthy, but that is out of my  control. I want to have time with my family and get my house clear of the clutter. I want to have adventures and be creative. Most importantly, I want my children to grow up happy and strong. I want friends and to make them happy. I want to make my spouse happy. I hope some day to be a life coach. I want these things but I wear a mask right now, to hide my pain. I receive help and I am grateful but I feel alone in my feelings. There are many things I want to change but the question is where do I start? Can I start all over? My present day and future are so foggy right now. My journey is to feel well again and not loose my family and friends. I have taken the first step by letting friends know, but most of these woman are power woman. I feel they cannot fully understand.

I am sure most of you reading this blog do not have an invisible illness, but most, have an endless to do list. Each day we race the clock to fit it all in. Pacing yourself can be limiting your list to 3 important tasks and then you do something you enjoy. When faced with an overwhelming task set a timer, You decide what is best. I find 15 minutes is usually a good pace. Also, tackle the hard things first.When we rush through our day, who are we competing against? What for? Yes the mundane tasks must get done, but if there is no time for anything else; some revising may need to happen.

Today's assignment:
Make your to do list for tomorrow. Pick 3 most important tasks or goals. Break those 3 tasks/goals into smaller ones. Then break those in half again. Errands count as a task too! I will show you what I mean below.Schedule time to do something you love and don't make any excuses why you can't do it!
Of course you know yourself the best. You are either the tortoise or the hare when it comes to your day. Are you slow but steady or fast and furious? I know that the hare is lazy and takes a nap, but that part is not my emphasis.. I am looking at it more from the speed point of view and trying to keep up with our busy schedules. We tend to not have tine for ourselves. If you are more like the hare, try not too keep up with your neighbors and friends. We can learn a lot from both spectrum.

Example:
1. Clean kitchen

• clear table
• clear counters of dishes and load dishes

2. Laundry

• one load washed and folded

3.vacuum

• clean floor of objects
• vacuum upstairs
• vacuum stairs

Start laundry and do kitchen. Take a 10-15 minute break. Move laundry through and vacuum. Take a 10-15 min break. Fold laundry and put away. Then relax, read a book, go outside etc..... Whatever you enjoy! Then decide what you want to do next. I like to choose at night but whatever is best for you. I need to pace myself with my writing too! It usually takes 4-5 hours to write, edit and publish a post.

My goals
1.Help my family understand Fibromyalgia and my pain

• write down what I want to talk about and have my family do the same
• talk without getting emotional. If I do; I should stop.

2.learn to pace myself- set a timer for 5-10 minutes and do my 3 MIT's
3.find a support group for Fibromyalgia
4.stay active

• Get up every hour and move for 10 minutes. Then rest.

Day 5 & 6 days on elimination diet and fighting the fibro

Pretty soon I might sound like a broken record but my day is what it is. Sigh. I am still trying to move around every hour and that has been helping. Yesterday and today's meals were the same. Today I battled with nausea and a migraine. I had to rest most of the day. This will probably set me back tomorrow but my hope was to try a 5 minute yoga since I have been stretching last week. I think the hardest thing for me is feeling distant from my kids and feeling a loss of control. This is really hard for my Type A personality! I feel stressed every time I walk out and see a huge mess and the kids not really willing to clean up or listen to me. It is hard not to feel like I am lazy.My choice......... There is always tomorrow! I will TRY again tomorrow!

breakfast-
chicken soup
quinoa

snack-
shake with berries

lunch-
chicken soup
quinoa

snack
shake with berries

I am getting a little sick of soup. bleh

Day 16 and 17 for 31 days of May-keovers-How to let life Make you over, but in a good way!

Nothing is impossible

the word

itself says I'm Possible
 

Audrey Hepburn

 

 

 Inspiring words to live by. I am a big Audrey Hepburn fan for her fashion, her eyes, and her attitude. She was a wonderful example of making the best of what she had. She was very comfortable in who she was.. She "just did her thing". She was too tall to fulfill her dream of becoming a dancer. I was often told I was too small to achieve mine. Audrey played many characters that all seemed to go through some sort of transformation inside and out. That didn't change her or who she was. Most of all she chose hope over sorrow and remained kind and true to who she was. I don't know about you, but she is someone I would have liked to known personally.

"Nothing is impossible with God" Luke 1:37

What makes life so impossible? Some people crumble under the pressures of life, while others let it roll off their back. When the tides roll in, the rocks are shaped and worn down by the waves that crash against them. When the tides of life come in some of us are worn down more than others. I think it all boils down to what we believe. If we allow our minds to believe that something is impossible it is like crumbling and giving up. Audrey didn't let ANYTHING change who she was. She was a rock who stood strong against that which could tear her down. How do we become like a rock to withstand life's attempts to crumble our will and who we are?

It is hard to delve in my past, but that is exactly what shaped me into who I am. I was teased K-12 about my height and I struggled academically. Any guy I was interested in wasn't interested in me. My college dating was a train wreck of several guys who broke my heart without ever giving me closure. I was crumbling and fast.

My life changed when I served a mission at Temple square and married the man of my dreams. I still held some of these insecurities without realizing it. Life was good too but I couldn't get rid of all the negative feelings. I guess you can say I was making a mountain out of a mole hill.

Sure, if you start climbing a mountain and you see how far you really have to go; you might stop before you even start. I am personally afraid of heights so I wouldn't even attempt it. Hahaha

5 steps to a life May-keover

1.Bucket list- Find out who you are if you don't already! Look at your beliefs, values and your attitude. Does it need a little changing? To really change it must be more than on the outside, but on the inside. I started this process by taking a personality test. It was like putting myself under a magnifying glass. It was a little scary honestly, but I have learned a lot! Figure out what is really important.

2.Build your foundation-Take what you figured out in step #1 and you have your individual beliefs. My foundation is God, He is my rock.

3.Face your fears when they face you- What makes you anxious or stressed? What about yourself do you not like or worry you can't change? Are you stuck in the same pattern, repeating it over and over again.

4.Accept and expect the unexpected- Tough times will come your way. You can try to keep your head above water or crumble and drown.

5. Learn all you can! There is so much information out there. There is always room to grow.

Day3-4 of Elimination diet and fighting the Fibro

Day 3 of elimination diet
Today was a tough day overall. I can barely move. I think this has been a long time coming since the beginning of May I have mostly been in my bed with abdominal pain. So I forced myself to move every hour. I set the timer for 2 minutes and walked around my house slowly and up and down my stairs. In would go outside but it is raining.:(

I  also had to drag out the Epsom salts in a bath. I did a forward stretch and some bridges. I am the equivalent to the slow tortoise with achy muscles. Haha

Breakfast-
chicken
green beans
quinoa
strawberries
sunflower seeds
snack-
I drink this shale with coconut milk sometimes for my digestive health. I had that with strawberries and blueberries
Lunch-
Had another shake
Dinner-
Finished leftover soup
apple

Pain level still a whopping 5.

Day 4-
I am still trying to move despite the agony I feel everywhere. I vacuumed my room and cleared a surface off. Each day is progress as long as I keep moving. I also tried some new recipes!
Breakfast-
quinoa with coconut milk
strawberries
sunflower seeds
I also started my whole chicken in crock pot so I can have stock and dinner. See recipe below.This was okay but pretty bland so I will keep experimenting.
snack
shake with strawberries
lunch-
chicken
green beans
quinoa
snack-
another shake
dinner-
immune boosting chicken soup
kale chips, yummy and crunchy!

Day 15 for 31 days of May-keovers- We are halfway there!

"I learned that if we embrace what's happening, we are also embracing what is possible - and a road opens up for God to meet us halfway."

Suzan-Lori Parks

 

We are halfway through May already! It has definitely been a busy month. I feel like this month has been all about trying to embrace what is happening. I am definitely one of those people on a road trip, that keeps track of when we get halfway. I celebrate it. I feel like I am almost there! Whether it is halfway through your day, week, year, and school.  Celebrate the milestones. Realize how you have changed from the starting point.You can look back at what you have done to get to this point. It evokes several emotions. You may feel sad that the end is near or really happy. Every time I was pregnant I would count the months, halfway point and then the weeks up to the birth. It gave me something to look forward to.

We don't know how long we will be here on this earth. We can sit and count the days until our time is up or we can make the best of it. If we do all that we can do then God makes up the difference. The trouble is we don't know when we are halfway there. Everyday I fight whether I give in to my pain and thoughts or whether I push through. At 12 p.m. I try to look at my day and see if I am happy with what I have done. I meditate and try to relax because I am halfway through my day. Some of us manage our time and energy well, while others of us struggle to get through everyday. I feel so guilty laying in bed some days with really nothing to show for my efforts. A chronic illness can be controlled but not cured sadly. We can get in the car, turn the key, steer the wheel, push the gas peddle or brakes. We start the journey but we cannot see the bumps in the road. I can choose if I get up(get in car), commit to my energy to things(turn the key ), choose my to do list(steer the wheel). But just like a car I can only go so long before I am on empty. I need to know when I am on half a tank. I should refuel and rest, not wait until I am empty. The road ahead is my possibilities. I can only hope when I get in to drive that I am halfway to God's helping hands.

Today's assignment:
Choose something to celebrate today. It could be as simple as making it through the day. Maybe you are on a diet? Cancer treatment? Celebrate and embrace what is possible. I am handing you the keys to explore your road of possibilities!

Letter A-F Review and Obedience

Devotional: Obedience
1 Nephi 3:7
I will go and do the things the Lord commands. I am having him memorize this verse too!
Watch Nephi and the brass plates:

How can you be obedient in your life? Discuss the ways.
Letter Review: A-F
Numbers: Can count to 13

I have ABC flash cards that we use weekly. He matched uppercase with lower case and put the cards in ABC order.


We also played memory with pictures of fish that my Pre-K cut out. His little brother pretended with Barbie play scissors. We counted the cards to 20. We will need to work our way up to counting that without mixing the teens up.
At the end he dictated a story to me. I am really trying to get him comfortable with his writing. He is getting really good with his name.

Day 14 for 31 days of May-keovers-To eat it or not to eat it. That is the question!

I have been talking so much about the pain in my stomach lately. I am sorry about that. However, it has led me to the conclusion to try the elimination diet since my body has already been cleansed. Not fun by the way! Often it is not our diet but moving more or exercising that can help. So much of our day is spent sitting at a desk and/or our cars. I cannot control much about the pain I am feeling, but I can try to move more. I have been thinking I really need a workout buddy too. I need someone to push me because it hurts so bad to try to move most days.But for now I can see if food is the problem. I will share what I eat and rate my pain for that day. I am not sure how many posts I will devote to this, but this is something affecting my daily life. It is hard not to think about it. I chose this picture because I feel like I am looking at food very closely these days.I can't just wait until I receive a diagnosis so here I go on another food adventure!

Our food is our fuel. There are so many diets out there. Paleo, Vegan and gluten diets cost more to me in the long run. I have kind of dabbled in a little of each of the diet worlds.  It is also a social nightmare. I always have to say I can't eat that or there is nothing on the menu so I end up with an expensive salad or rice plate. There is no such thing as fast food for those with food allergies. It is all about planning ahead and it takes a lot of work.

5/13/15
Post scope-2 pieces of Udis gf bread
Dinner: Made a batch of soup with cut up carrots, mushrooms, celery, and onions. I also added 3-4 cloves of garlic from our garden, I might add, and onions. I had a bowl of that with quinoa and more toast. I also ate a little bit of chicken.
I then had another bowl before bed because I am starving!
pain on scale of 1-5. 1 being the least amount of pain. I am on a 5.

5/14/15
breakfast-leftover soup
sun flower seeds
coconut milk
strawberries
snack-apple

sunflower seeds
bowl of soup

Lunch-Chicken, sun flower seeds
green beans with quinoa

Dinner-Leftover soup, apple and sunflower seeds
Pain level is still a 5.

I also went to the doctor today and they did blood work and I am scheduled for a CT scan.

Today's assignment:
Choose to change or give up something in your diet. You could give up sugar for a week or try to eat less processed foods. Maybe you need to eat more fruits and vegetables? Another option is to cut back on portion sizes. Unless directed by your doctor, don't go on any fad diets. I just want you to make a little change so that you can be healthier. Besides the diet change, I am trying to eat slower and be mindful while I am eating. I am hoping this will lead to better conversation and digestion. We should not be human vacuums consuming all in our path! LOL

P.s. I have heard about fitness pal. It helps you count your calories https://www.myfitnesspal.com/

Day 13 for 31 day of May-keovers-When it feels like all is lost reach for a lifesaver

When I started doing my May-keovers this month I was not expecting it be so in depth. Ideas keep flowing to me like a river flows to the ocean. I guess when you hit a road block and you feel like everything is out of control, you ask for a life preserver to stay afloat. That is what I feel like lately. I am treading water and barely staying afloat. This feeling of limbo has me feeling all kinds of emotions. We don't always know why we feel the way we do. Our feelings can be like a fog rolling in. What we see or used to see is blurred or not even visible.

  "You are making me stressed." I said. After I said that I retracted my comment like I was in the court of law. No one can make me stressed or mad. They can provoke it but ultimately it is my attitude and response to the situation that makes me feel things. Individuals handle things and see things differently. For example, what if you fell into the ocean. Some people would panic and scream for help. Others may not even surface, but drown. I even bet a few people would actually be strong enough to tread water until they are rescued. We don't always know how we will react in a given situation until we are in it. Maybe you were pushed in. MAN OVER BOARD!

Let me throw you a lifesaver! If you are lucky someone will notice that you need help. If you went overboard the waves and the boat moving away from you make it hard to keep a good visual. According to protocol those on the boat should throw anything that floats to make a trail. A friend or a family member may not know how to get the lifesaver too you.  Here are four things that will float to make a trail to find you.

1. Know what is happening. Look up your symptoms, go to the doctor or talk to people who are going through something similar. That way when you do hit rough waters you have someone who is watching and keeping an eye on you!
2. What works for one person doesn't always work for you. Once you have gathered your information and done everything to figure out why you or your body feels this way; take it slow and try to not worry about the big picture. The focus should be about you and techniques to keep you afloat.
3. It will get better it just takes time. This is a hard one to hear but over time you will adjust to whatever your circumstances may be. This is your life line and if you follow it you will be pulled back to where you feel safe.
4. Stay in control of you. Don't flail around or you will waste your energy. Your attitude is the one thing that you and only you have control of.

 If you went over board in real life the water would be freezing cold so your job would be to survive! As I read more about what to do when you fall overboard I realized that I really didn't know so this has been enlightening! At some point you might want to educate yourself on what to do if you see someone fall in or if you fall in. see more details here

Today's assignment:
Do you feel like you are just trying to survive? I know we all do sometimes. Take a step towards making things better. It could be accepting something you have been hoping will go away. You may need to ask for extra help. It could be just doing something a little differently. You can make little changes in habits, diets, routines, relationships, health and our attitudes. You are not alone and there is no reason why you should keep being a victim. All you need to do is grab that lifesaver and you are almost there!

Day 12 for 31 days of May-keovers-Elimination becomes illumination

Three years ago I was so sick I never thought that I would ever feel better. I had so much fatigue, pain and depression. I went to a GI who did an endoscopy. It cleared me out financially along with the blood work I had to do too. I called and they told me I had Mono but said nothing else. My friend, who happens to be my best friend now, kept telling me I should see her doctor. Finally, after she practically made the appointment and dragged me there, I had this general Physician look at my blood work. What happened next I will never forget! It took 1 or 2 minutes to look at my labs, and he asked how long I had had Celiac?

I said "What?" in disbelief. Tears ran down my shocked face as I received confirmation from several other doctors he showed it to. Celiac. Well, it made sense but I knew little about it, except that I would have to eliminate Gluten. Little did I know how difficult it would be. Gluten is in EVERYTHING! Yet, three years later I have been Gluten Free and a label reading expert. When I eliminated the problem I found relief. I had to give up a lot of things I loved. Oh bread how I miss you! I eat the GF bread but it is like cardboard in comparison. It is  good though for what ingredients are available to work with..

Several months ago my back started hurting. Not just like I had a bad knot in it or something but really hurting. I was diagnosed with FIBROMYALGIA. My stomach had been hurting and I figured out it was soy. I suspected dairy might be hurting my stomach also. Eliminated. I started to feel better and then almond milk and nuts hurt.  On May 1rst I was in so much pain maybe my body went into shock. I was so sick! Day after day since then ALL foods seem to hurt my stomach. Tomorrow I get a scope done to see what is up. I can only eat clear liquids right now and even the broth and fruit juice hurts! I could use some illumination right about now!

Who likes being kept in the dark? Not me! I hate the unknown.Illumination to me is not just light but a bright light of insight or being brought to an awareness. It is improvement and edification. What in your life is hindering you in some way? Are you too busy to enjoy anything? Do you have people in your life that bring you down? Clutter in your house or mind? Do you have debt weighing you down? When you ELIMINATE what is holding you back you should over time start to feel this illumination. It will radiate and spread through your life. It should feel like a heavy weight has been lifted off your shoulders.

Eliminating gluten from my diet made me feel stronger and happier. I stopped getting colds that would last and turn into Bronchitis. At one point I was on 3 different antibiotic/steroids pre-diagnosis. I miss food I can't eat but I would never go back! The pain is not worth it!

Today's assignment:
Choose something in your life to eliminate or change. Pay attention to how you feel. You could journal about it too. You know that is what I would do! :) For me I am going to try the elimination diet. I will be eliminating most common foods that cause allergies over a period of time and adding them back in slowly. I am hoping for some ILLUMINATION here soon.

P.S.-Thank you to all who have helped me or showed they care. I am thankful for your thoughts and prayers.

Day 10-11 for 31 days of May-keovers- 3 ways to focus on progress not perfection

I have to confess that I am a big movie and T.V. show watcher! This has especially been the case since for the last month I have not been able to eat anything without extreme pain in my stomach. Yesterday I was watching Switched at Birth. I don't want to get into to big  synopsis of the show . Just to explain so it isn't so random, this show is about how 2 families lives change when they find out that someone else raised their child and they raised theirs. The Kennishe's discover their baby was raised by Regina Vasquez, and that she is deaf. Mr. Kennish was talking to one of his deaf pitchers who was struggling in English. He had someone else write his paper for him. Coach Kennish told him to focus on progress and not perfection. I have been thinking about that since yesterday.

FOCUS is like a game of darts......

1.Focus is defined as the center of interest or activity. I want you to think of a target. In the middle of this target is a big red circle. This can be anything that we are looking to achieve. The odds of us throwing a dart and hitting that bulls eye are pretty slim. It takes many throws and missing that target to achieve that bulls eye and the feeling of success that comes with it. You could just hold the dart and run up and put it in the middle, but you would be cheating yourself out of the process. It may be frustrating especially if you don't have very good aim. Hopefully with time you will get better at it and enjoy the game as well! Aim high!

like a CAT.........

2.Don't just wait, go after it! You have to POUNCE! To a cat something will catch its eye and they will crouch down and focus on it and only that. When the moment is right then they pounce. They are quite the hunters. Go on a hunt. Figure out what you want and list your targets.

Like a CAMERA....

3.Just because something is blurry or unclear doesn't mean you move on. You need to stop, look, and reposition like you would do on a cameras lens. FOCUS on what you can change. Some subjects move too fast and you miss it! That is okay, then you can either wait or find a new subject. Other subjects are still and you have time to catch them in just the right light. Sometimes we miss opportunities or they don't go like we planned. other times our opportunities are right in front of us but we walk right by.


These 3 ways of focusing all have something in common. They all require aim. We all want to aim for perfection but get discouraged when we miss the target or it is too blurry to see. When we focus on what we want we start the progression. You can't skip the progression of knowledge you gain from going through K-6. Each year you add upon what you learn and you practice and refine your skills. Each year it gets harder. The progress is what shapes us, our character. It is like if we look at the darts we threw that missed, and pull them from their landing spot, we are left with holes. You can see where you have been and still see the bulls eye. We focus on our wonderful journey and watch ourselves learn and grow. When we focus on perfection we miss all the steps we took to get there. I feel like perfection is an optical illusion. It can blur our progress and our goals.

Today's assignment:
What is success to you? Where do your heart and dreams lie? What have you been putting on the back burner of procrastination, because you thought you would fail? Just start to write and find your targets and where you want your focus to be. I always wanted to paint but I didn't think I could. Well, I just finished my very first painting and I can't wait to do another one! Just make one small change and take a step forward towards your ideal life and goals. That is it! One step....or two. The point is not to miss the process and joy of reaching your ultimate goal. Aim high and life meets you somewhere in the middle.