Susiej

Is bedtime the highlight of your day? Or do you wish it were? If it’s stressful, this page can help – a lot. It’s full of relaxation CDs – someone else, someone “calm” talks your children to sleep. Donice knew I had this list, but I’ve never formally created it, until she suggested it to a friend. So thanks to her, it’s here.

These may not always send your kids to lullaby land instantly, but for some, they do the trick. But, if they can work in a house full of 4 boys (not always sleep, but calmer) — I don’t know what more recommendation you need.

Even if sleep isn’t the instant result, these tapes send powerful messages of comfort, peace, and love, while giving positive affirmations. The subconscious mind picks up the messages and internalizes them. And an added benefit — the mind is much more receptive to suggestions right before it falls asleep. If they do fall asleep, keep the CD on, as the messages will still seep into their subconscious.

For stressful days, I play these during the day, while we’re eating, driving in the car, or screaming — they help. You might be able to find many of these at your LIBRARY!!!! That way you can try them out first.

Audio CDs:

Indigo Dreams: Relaxation and Stress Management Bedtime Stories for ChildrenA very, very slow, calm, yet strong female voice commands your attention. Soothing music, barely audible. She talks about a boy and a bear, a caterpillar — strong messages of positive affirmations. Uses stories to teach kids how to breath deep, relax, and see the beauty in their own abilities.

Indigo Ocean Dreams: 4 Children’s Stories Designed to Decrease Stress, while Increasing Self-EsteemThis series uses animals in the water to teach kids the message of letting go of anger.

Indigo Dreams: Garden of Wellness Stories And Techniques Designed to Decrease Bullying, Anger, Anxiety & ObesityThe bubble blowing technique teaches kids how to blow away anger. The perfect club presents solutions for bullying, and the caterpillar teaches kids how to make healthy food choices. These complex messages still come through in a soothing way, and my 8-year-old falls asleep during the CD.

Good Night No picture available. Jim Weiss is a master story-teller, and a genius at tricking kids into falling asleep. His soothing voice draws your child into the beautiful story, full of lush imagery that really stretches the imagination. Wonderful.

Sweet Dreams: Enchanting Story Visualizations With Sleepytime Music Again, by the same author, Jim Weiss, more stories, just like the one above.

The Velveteen Rabbit Book and CD Imagine Meryl Streep’s pristine voice, and George Winston’s soft and lovely piano music, combined, to lull your child to sleep.

For harmony. Follow the grumbling bear as he withdraws into his cave and hibernates into a deep sleep, and lets go of all the needs of the day.The Way of the Bear

From a Grain of SandFor happiness. Listeners learn how to identify emotions, and learn how to create peace.

Good NightTo help them fall asleep and relax. Breathing exercises and how to let tense spots in the body release.

Energy & MeTo help overactive kids calm down.

The Healing HeartExtra comfort for tough times.

Wanka, The Caring ElephantCaring. More guided imagery that shows kids how caring for others is truly a gift to themselves.

These are books that I highly recommend that accomplish the same purpose:
Moonbeam: A Book of Meditations for Children Maureen has written some fascinating meditations for kids. These guided imagery journeys are whimiscal, and take you inside a wolrd of animals, people and places.

Starbright–Meditations for ChildrenMore meditations for children — you can read these during the day to help kids get centered. This was the first guided imagery book I bought for my children. As I started to read the exercises aloud, my boys were instantly drawn in, as these “stories’ are not told in the typical way they are accustomed. That instantly got their attention. As they were drawn in, they learned very quickly how to absorb these stories, and many of the themes began to be integrated into their play.

Baby Buddhas: A Guide for Teaching Meditation to ChildrenLisa Desmond has copyrighted this method of teaching meditation to children 18 months to three years old. Very simple, straight forward techniques that are easy for busy parents to try with their children.

Inspired by Wife Mom Maniac

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In 3 hours, I bought one cocktail dress, one pair of matching shoes, a wrap, and two pairs of jeans – that fit.  My fashion consultant, (let’s just call her Georgie), saved me money, time and taught me a few lessons. And I’m ready for the black-tie event this Saturday.

She gave quick comments about each of the 18 dresses I tried on, and she quickly had me down to two finalists, and ultimately led me to the one that will stand the test of time: Here’s the dress, but my version is black.from BCBG. What you can’t see in this picture is that there is a little champagne color peeking through the sheerness of the dress. We’re playing that up with the shoes – I would have missed that entirely, and just went for black.

Here’s how she saved me some money: The dress needs a wrap. The clerks at BCBG brought out very luxurious, gorgeous black wool wrap. I melted in it; it’s warm, soft, and you can wear it with jeans, a skirt, pants, or an evening dress. (By the way, if you’re nursing a baby – get this and snuggle you and the baby 24×7.)

But what I couldn’t see, and my fashion consultant could, was that it crushed the dress in the back, and the dress looked frumpy. So, this $188 investment was not for me. Georgie found a champagne-colored one at Macy’s for $15. And she found it fast – we didn’t spend 45 minutes going from store to store looking for one that did the job.

Jeans:  There’s a reason to go to those jam-packed, overstuffed jeans stores.  That 29th pair of jeans you try on will not make you look fat, even if the first pair does.  When you’re looking for that one perfect pair, you need to try on lots, and lots of jeans. After trying on 30 pairs of jeans, I scored two that make me look taller and 5 pounds lighter. In the two stores we visited, Lucky and Buckle, Georgie used the sales clerks to her advantage. She gave them information about my measurements, and where my curves are. They fetched, (there were very knowledgeable about their product) and she stayed with me, analyzing every one of the 30 pairs I tried on. Each pair carried its own problems: waistband gaps in the back, too long in the inseam, too short, not wide enough in the hips. Sometimes, I didn’t even open the door; nobody’s gonna see these jeans on me! We finally settled on these two from Buckle, 100% cotton, (no lycra, real jeans)Buckle also carries free alternations, and one pair is currently getting the tricky hem. Don’t forget to ask for this if you love a pair of jeans, and they’re too long. It’s usually free.

Now, I found this great website, Between my Peers, and Rachel runs articles, with pictures, like “Should I Keep It,” and you can even send her pictures of your stuff to get her opinion. She also has pages of information, such as “The Basics,” “What to Wear to Church,” and “Frugal.” Great place to go for answers. She also lets you know when and where the sales are.

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Remember the You Tube video of my cute boy getting dressed in the Tuxedo? Here’s part II. Click here to watch the You Tube Video. Did you see that — his older brother, at the end, who just couldn’t keep his hands off him? I deal with it all the time.
Speaking of getting dressed — things are much better in the What Not to Wear area. I had a VERY productive day with my fashion consultant, complete with Boob Tape and will report back to you soon — with pictures!

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I know, two posts in one day. First, to those of you who need to laugh at me and couldn’t find my My What Not to Wear Post, it’s still there. A post on Troll Baby asked us to find/share a new blog. I’m here to introduce you to Confessions of a Pioneer Woman. Why do I like her? I don’t live in the West, nor on a farm. But, as I write this, I’m seeing a connection — beside my desk sits a Western Saddle, circa 1950. It was my Mom’s, and her horse’s name was Spring Design. My entire life, this saddle sat in our attic, as we made several trips to the attic through the years to pull out Christmas decorations, store winter coats, or pull out suitcases. The saddle stayed there, untouched. My Mom did tell me stories about the races she was in (she had some fire), and how Spring Design threw her once, and she had two broken arms– at the same time. Western movies were her favorite, and they were the ones I saw as a child. She did get back in the saddle — but not long enough. Once I was born, the saddle was put away, and she was too busy to ever ride again.

I can’t put it in my attic and let it sit again. So it sits in my office, and I don’t have any idea where to put it. (Ree, do you have any ideas?) But I keep it as a reminder to live — in spite of being a Mother. Ree, (my Mom would have loved you), lives voraciously in the moment. I guess that’s why I love visiting her blog so much. So go find out about Marlboro Man, and see what I’m talking about.

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“I don’t want anyone touching your hair. Just wear it curly until I get back.”
This, I hear from my hair stylist, when I learn he will be in Vegas for a hair show — before the black tie event on Saturday. My hair looks good – when the wind is blowing just right. Except for the crush he has on my husband, Lanny is vital: he has for ten years consistently NOT given me that “just had a haircut look.”

I just don’t have time for all this “fashion” stuff. Not interested. The other day – the day of my 12 things I don’t like about Motherhood day, (I guess I won’t be getting that Mother of the Year Award afterall), I looked for a shirt for 10 minutes before giving up. I found it later, when I was THANKFULLY, putting on my PJs. I had been wearing it the entire day.

Nothing fit my in-between size 6-8 petite frame at Banana Republic. If my fashion consultant hadn’t been there to tell me No, I would have bought those jeans that were too short, just so I didn’t feel as if I’d wasted a trip to the mall. See, she’s already saving me money.

My own What Not To Wear saga continues on Wednesday, when I meet my fashion consultant again to find that perfect suit. And now, we have to add the problem of finding this cocktail dress, and shoes — before the black tie event on Saturday. (I don’t think any of my maternity gowns will cut it this time.) My friend Jen gave me a gorgeous, flattering halter dress to borrow – but it’s too big. Too bad, it would have been fun to wear it and remember her at the same time.

I don’t know, the deeper I get into this, I think wearing yoga pantsall day is the way for me. They’re not just for yoga – they’re black, they hide all the dirt from the 4 boys, and they stretch when I’m chasing them around the house. Suits me.

But I’m running out of clothes. But I do like the idea of having fewer clothes – paring down to just a few that fit me well – if only I could find them at the mall.
Instylesays most designers swear by this underwear? Cosabella Low Rider Thong?They say it builds a solid foundation for a flattering fit. Hmmmm.

Lucky for me, there are blogs to help guide me. Here’s an article that sounds intriguing: Looking great and feeling great at 40+. Don’t you just love the sound of that? I’m reading that. And I do like the way the Urban Socialite mixes the latest fashion with current events and art.

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1) Putting a mitten back on a toddler after it’s fallen in the snow. And Ohh, the whinning.
2) One toddler wants to go back inside, while the other wants to play in the snow on the street. (You figure it out, I’m too tired.)
3) Snowsuits
4) How do you make hot chocolate while you’re pulling off boots and fixing broken snaps with safety pins?
5) The whole bag of marshmallows was eaten in secret while you were busy folding their laundry.
6) Breakfast dishes are still on the table because of distraction that occurred when 4 children opened the closet and tried to figure out which snowsuits fit which legs.
7) It’s been 3 hours since you all came back in, and you’re still wearing you coat and hat. Not a minute to spare.
I’m hungry, and I just want to eat that roast – - but I have to make it, and I’m still working on the hot chocolate.
9) I forgot to buy onions for the roast when I was at the grocery store.
10) Buying groceries.
11) Being in charge.
12) Those handfuls of cereal they’re always grabbing, and the leftover parts that are left on the floor.

Because once you’ve landed in Mommy Kingdom, you suddenly become able to “create your day.” Create the family meal; create the family memories, and the family scrapbook, and the family movies, and the hot chocolate. Even that gorgeous catch of a husband you found, that used to cook his own meals in college, becomes a helpless child once you become “the Mommy.” What do you hate?

It might be obvious to you now, that my husband has been gone all weekend, and I, worn from being outnumbered with 4 boys, would like to have someone else be in charge. I need to be more like Redneck Mommy, and let the kid come out sometimes. I guess the joy is in the creating – and letting go of the outcome. Enjoy the process, not the result?

It’s a good thing they’re so gosh-darned cute.
Does make being a Mommy easier, even if it’s is the hardest job you’ll ever love.

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