Happy New Year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy New Year Everyone!

Just a thought as we start 2011.......

Let go of the past and reach forward....

there is yet....

more life to live,

more love to give,

more joy to share,

and more happiness to know.

-anonymous

Writing Challenge-DEC

Hello!!  Time for a new writing challenge!  This month's challenge is perfect for Mommies......

Write about 5 Ways Your Life Has Changed Since You've Become a Parent




Remember...if you do publish it online, feel free to leave a link to your article in the comments below so we can all check it out!


As always...here's a list of places that are wonderful for newbie writers to publish their stuff online and get paid!

TRIOND




Associated Content





BUKISA


RedGage






To start things off......here's my article about how my two little girls have changed my life!






Happy Writing!!!! :-)

Writing Wednesday.....New Challenge!!!!!

Hi everyone!!!  Ready to write???  Have writer's block?  Need some ideas to jump start your brain?  Well..Every 2nd Wed of each month, I post a new writing challenge.  I also give a list of sites that pay for submitted articles.  Most of the sites I will include are very welcoming to newbie writers.....so get your computer revved up, start writing and get published!!!! :-)  If you would like to share your work with us and you have submitted it to one of the writing sites please leave a link in the comments below.  Let me know if it's ok to Tweet or Facebook your article...would love to send some traffic your way! 
The Challenge this month is one that I think anyone who is lucky enough to spend time with children will enjoy!  


Write about the funny things that the children in your life have said or done.
  
Have fun!  For some inspiration.....here's a few articles I've written about my kids...they really gave me some great material to work with!!  Seriously....sometimes reality is funnier than anything you can make up!!! :-) 


Funny Things Kids Say


Funny Things Kids Say 2 (I know....creative title..huh?) :-)!


When Children Dress Themselves


Questions Kids Ask



Here's the list of sites that PAY for your writing...they are great for newbie and established writers.  Some are also social networking sites where you not only get paid, but you can meet and communicate with other writers.  Check them out!


TRIOND

ASSOCIATED CONTENT

BUKISA


RedGage

Writing Wednesday! Monthly Writing Challenge!

Hi everyone!  This is the last week for October's challenge!  Next week I will be posting a new challenge...one that I think you parents out there will enjoy!  For a recap...every 2nd Wed of each month, I will be posting a new writing challenge.  I will also give a list of sites that pay for submitted articles.  Most of the sites I will include are very welcoming to newbie writers.....so get your pen and paper out and start writing!!!! :-)  If you would like to share your work with us and you have submitted it to one of the writing sites please leave a link in the comments below.  Let me know if it's ok to Tweet or Facebook your article...would love to send some traffic your way!
The Challenge.....

Write about the most interesting or inspirational place you have ever visited.  
You can write a poem, short story or an informational piece on this subject....it's up to you!  


Have fun!  


Here's the list of sites that PAY for your writing...they are great for newbie and established writers.  Check them out!


TRIOND
ASSOCIATED CONTENT
BUKISA

Writing Wednesday! Monthly Writing Challenge!

Hi everyone!  The second Wednesday of each month I will be posting a new writing challenge and some online sites where you can publish your piece!  Our challenge for this month:  

Write about the most interesting or inspirational place you have ever visited.  
You can write a poem, short story or an informational piece on this subject....it's up to you!  

We are entering our third week for this current challenge!  One more week to go!  If you've taken this challenge and published your work online, please leave a link in the comments below so that we can all check it out!  If you've never published any pieces online, please see the list below for sites that are friendly to new writers. They are easy to join and have a social network type atmosphere....great places to meet and share your work with other writers!  A bonus with the three sites listed below:  they pay!  

TRIOND
ASSOCIATED CONTENT
BUKISA

Have fun!!! :-)

Nature......

I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order.  ~John Burroughs






Feeling harried, rushed?  Busy weekend?  Worried about all that you have to do next week?  Get out of the house....take a walk!  Take a break from your Blackberry, Ipad, Ipod, computer, telephone, and T.V.  Look around at nature and enjoy the silence.  A quiet walk will usually help to clear your head and get you ready for the week ahead.  Make it a Sunday tradition.....


Happy Sunday everyone!!! :-)

THEORY Thursday........

My THEORY of the week:

If we all took the time to truly look at the world around us, we would discover that miracles are still happening.


We usually associate "miracles" with Biblical times.  They require walking on water, healing lepers, etc.   However, everyday miracles are all around us.  News reports of the rescue of the Chilean miners who were trapped underground for two months, cancer patients in remission, troubled teens who grow up to be productive citizens, healthy 100 year olds, newborn babies....these are all miracles too.  Sometimes, we focus so much on the negative stuff that it's hard to see the wonderful aspects of our lives.

So....today....prove my theory!  Take a peek at the good side and discover the wonderful miracles in your life.  I think you'll find a few!  I know that I have at least 2 little miracles to be thankful for...and they both call me "mom"!

Have a great day everyone!!!  :-)

WRITING WEDNESDAY!!! Monthly Writing Challenge!!!!

Anyone out there itching to write???  Not sure how to start? Suffering from writer's block?  Well....Mommy's Coffee Break is here to help you with our first ever writing challenge!  I'll be posting a new challenge every 2nd Wednesday of each month.  Each month I will give a different subject to write about and a list of online sites where you can publish your finished piece...if you are interested in doing so.  Every Wed, I will post the challenge on this blog.  If anyone wants to share their work...please provide a link in the comments below so that we can all check it out! 

Here's this month's Writing Challenge:

Write about the most interesting or inspirational place you have ever visited.  
You can write a poem, short story or an informational piece on this subject....it's up to you!  


If you would like to publish your work online, you can check out the following sites that are friendly to new writers:


TRIOND
ASSOCIATED CONTENT
BUKISA

Have fun!!! :-)

Attention Aspiring Writers!!!! First Monthly Writing Challenge.......

 Anyone out there itching to write???  Not sure how to start? Suffering from writer's block?  Well....Mommy's Coffee Break is here to help you with our first ever writing challenge!  I'll be posting a new challenge every 2nd Wednesday of each month.  Each month I will give a different subject to write about and a list of online sites where you can publish your finished piece...if you are interested in doing so.  Every Wed, I will post on this blog and ask if anyone wants to share their work.  If you do, you can provide a link to your article so that we can all check it out!  

So.....(drum roll please)......

Here's this month's Writing Challenge:

Write about the most interesting or inspirational place you have ever visited.  
You can write a poem, short story or an informational piece on this subject....it's up to you!  


If you would like to publish your work online, you can check out the following sites that are friendly to new writers:


TRIOND
ASSOCIATED CONTENT
BUKISA

Have fun!!! :-)

Kids Want Your Time Not Your Money

I was reading a Wall Street Journal article this morning that featured white collar workers who were moonlighting to make more money.  The moonlighters needed the extra money because the hours/pay had been cut on their day jobs and they wanted to supplement their income.  One particular person worked tons of extra hours out of his home doing freelance work, sacrificing time with his family. The article stated that he would tell his 8 and 11 year old children to not interrupt him when he was working from home because he was earning money to support their activities (soccer, kayaking, etc.).  I can understand if a person has to take on a second job to feed, clothe or house themselves or their family.  However, if they are merely working to keep up with the lifestyle they had before their pay was cut and are only working for what some people may consider luxuries I think they should probably reconsider their priorities.  I understand that sports and other extracurricular activities are important to kids. But, I think missing out on time with a parent because they are stressed out and constantly working to support those activities is worse than missing out on being on a soccer team or going to summer camp.  The reason why the children are interrupting his work time in the first place is probably because they miss him.  Children should come first. They deserve to have parents that are there for them and spend time with them.  I think if we all slowed down a bit, put material priorities in their place and really put our families first, we'd all be a little happier.

Write Now!

Any aspiring writers out there?  It's easier than ever for novice writers to hone their writing skills online.  I know....it's a little scary to put yourself out there.  My first article was a safe one.  I wrote about the steps involved in starting a scrapbook business.  Very impersonal....nothing risky.  I was so excited to see it published!   I've since submitted poems, a short story, more informational articles, articles about my children, and I've started two blogs.

It's not always easy to find the time to write.  Trying to work it in around children, husband, work, housework, sleeping and eating is hard!  It's well worth it though!  I feel a sense of accomplishment when I complete a piece that I don't get from doing anything else.

If you are interested in writing.......start now!  Check out the sites below and challenge yourself to submit your work to at least one site.  You won't regret it!

Triond


Associated Content


Bukisa


Helium 




Happy writing!!!!

Questions Kids Ask

B.C. (Before Children) I thought I was smart.  I graduated Magna Cum Laude with a BBA and was my college's Outstanding General Business Graduate of the Year 1994 for heaven's sake.  I knew about statistics, marketing plans, production operations scheduling....etc.  Then....my children came along....with all of these QUESTIONS.  Questions that have sent me (and still are sending me) scrambling to my computer to ask the sage beings at Google for help!

Now don't get me wrong....some questions have been easy to answer.  For example, I can handle "How many legs does a camel have?".  I can even manage creative answers to questions like "How does the tooth fairy/Santa/Easter Bunny get into our house?" or "Do mermaids talk?".

My children have stumped me, though, with questions about nature.  They ask about things that I never learned in high school or college biology courses (or maybe I learned them and I just don't remember).  One day, at around 3 AM, my youngest daughter Madeleine approached my bed.  I squinted at her, still very much in sleep mode and asked her if she was okay.  She said yes.  She just had a question.  A question I would not have been able to answer even if I was awake..."Do bunnies growl?".  I really had never thought about that.  I didn't know. I promised to do a Google check in the morning.  Well, that morning, I did the search.  Couldn't find even a MENTION of bunnies growling...anywhere.  My husband came home that evening and she posed the question to him.  After an exhaustive search of pretty much the entire internet (we're talking MAJOR dedicated daddy moment) he found a You Tube video of a bunny growling!  Whoda thunk?  Other things I've learned from my girls' nature questions:  why the sky is blue, what thunder really is, why male butterflies are prettier than female butterflies, and the differences between alligators and crocodiles.  Thanks to their wonderful questions, they've helped me discover some really fabulous things about our world that I had neglected to notice before.

The most difficult questions my children have asked are the simple ones that require answers that could fill entire books (and have).  Questions like:  "Who made Us?", "How were we made?", and "Why do people die?".  Questions all humans ponder....we just don't linger too long on them unless we are in church or on our deathbed...or when those little curious faces look up to us for answers to their marvelous questions.

Mad about Mad Men FASHION

Okay, I admit it.  I am a Mad Men-oholic.  Mad Men is, of course, the superb AMC series about the lives of men (and women) who work at an ad agency in the 1960's.  It not only is wonderfully written, the set and costume design are like vintage eye candy! For some fabulous reading on how this stylish show has inspired a retro revolution in fashion, check out these sites........

WSJ Fashion

Mad Men Fashion File (AMC)

Elle's Mad Men Fashion for Women

Marie Claire-Mad Men inspired "Ladylike Look"

Valet-Mad Men Fashion for Men

Esquire Style Blog

Thread New York Blog Mad Men Fashion Gallery

LuLu's Mad Men Fashion

Glamour interview with Mad Men Costume Designer

Mad Men Inspired Home Decor

House Beautiful Mad Men Style

Vintage Shopping:

Etsy Mad Men inspired home decor

Etsy Mad Men inspired fashion

Mod Cloth

C Madeleine's

LAVintage

‎Be Yourself

"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind"  -  Dr. Seuss

What wonderful advice.  Really puts things into perspective.  This quote reminds me of the way my thinking changed after having children.  My life before kids had been wrapped up in work.   Sure I had a wonderful hubby...but work seemed to dominate my daily life (crazy way to live, I know).  My identity was wrapped up in my position and I cared way too much about how my coworkers and clients thought about me.  I was not very happy.  I was in a job I didn't really like, trying to be someone I wasn't.  Then, I had babies.  Starting a family jolted me into rearranging my priorities.  Work was no longer the most important thing in my life.  I negotiated with my very understanding boss to move into a work from home position performing mainly employee training and HR duties (the parts of my former management job that I was really interested in).  I worked an extremely flexible schedule that allowed me to spend time with my children.  I finally was doing what I wanted to do....being a full time mommy and wife who just happened to work part time also.   I am forever indebted to my wonderful children.....they caused me to slow my life down and realize that the people who truly matter will accept me as I am...I don't have to be something I'm not to impress them.

Stinky....But Popular

Normally something called a "Corpse Flower" would not interest me.  Death and horticulture are not really exciting  subjects to me.  :-)  However, for some reason, "Corpse Flower" caught my ear as I was washing dishes and trying to listen to the news over my 4 year old's whining.  I managed to hear that crowds are gathering down in Houston at the Cockrell Butterfly Center to see one of these flowers bloom.  Apparently, it's hard to catch a Corpse Flower in bloom.  They are really finicky....there have been only 28 other "bloomings" of this rare Sumatran species in the U.S.  When they do bloom, they smell like rotting flesh.  The stench is meant to attract the meat fly...their primary pollinator.  The Houston flower was expected to bloom today....but didn't.  They now say it should bloom by Wednesday.  The Center has set up a webcam that streams live video of the plant.  If you'd like to check it out, click here for the Cockrell Butterfly Center's website.  Can't wait till she blooms! Glad I caught this news story.  With all the god awful things going on in the world, it's nice to hear something pleasant....even if it is about a stinky flower!  

Let's Remember.......

What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us; what we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal. - Albert Pike (American writer, lawyer, and military leader)



For those of us who are not in the military, do not have relatives or friends serving in our current wars or have not experienced the loss of a family member or friend in war, Memorial Day can easily be just another holiday. We have our barbecues, visit with friends, and splash around in the newly opened swimming pools. We rarely stop to think about the true meaning of Memorial Day.

Memorial day is a time to remember the sacrifices made by those who have served and given their lives so that we can enjoy our freedom and way of life. It is up to us to keep their memories alive, so that their lives were not lost in vain. It is also a day to remember the families of fallen soldiers....they've made an incredible sacrifice themselves by sharing their beloved with the world.

The following are sites dedicated to explaining the history of Memorial Day and to honoring our fallen heroes:

http://www.usmemorialday.org/
Site promotes the true meaning of Memorial Day.

http://www.remember.gov/
Site created by The White House Commission on Remembrance. According to their mission statement, the commission "encourages Americans to honor the sacrifices of our fallen and their families. The Commission asks each of us to Live Honoring America’s Fallen everyday by giving back to the Nation and to unite in the National Moment of Remembrance at 3 p.m. each Memorial Day". Their site includes statistics of the loss of life in U.S. wars and conflicts and a list of names of fallen soldiers.

http://www.history.com/topics/memorial-day-history
Site explains the history of Memorial Day.

http://www.legacy.com/soldier/home.aspx
This website's goal is to feature tributes for every soldier killed in our current wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. It features moving tributes, virtual slide shows that are created by friends or relatives of the fallen soldier.

http://www.dcn.davis.ca.us/vme/memorial/homepage.html
Directory of sites dedicated to Memorial Day and memories of soldiers from all major wars.

http://www.pbs.org/memorialdayconcert/stories/submit/
This site not only gives information about the Washington D.C. Memorial Day Concert, it also features stories from different conflicts. These are wonderful tributes written by family and friends of soldiers lost in war.

http://www.thehomeschoolmom.com/schoolroom/memorial.php
Gives a directory of sites set up to aide in educating children about the significance of Memorial Day.



Let's truly honor our fallen soldiers this Memorial Day. Browse the above websites, say a prayer, observe a moment of silence, or set flowers on a fallen soldier's grave. It's the least we can do for those who have given so much.

Swimsuit Shopping

It's almost here....swimsuit season!  I always have the worst time finding the right suit for my mommy body! Last summer's "tank and skort" swimsuit really didn't work for me.  So, I've been searching brick and mortar and online shops desperately looking for a swimsuit that will camouflage my belly....without making me look like I'm trying to camouflage my belly!  I found some really cute suits at ModCloth.  Here's a pic of one that I thought might work for me........I like that it has a vintage look ( I LOVE vintage clothing, furniture, junk, etc!).   

Click HERE for size, color, and price info.


Be sure to check out their other swimsuits too. Loads of cute bikinis and one pieces! 


Have fun swimsuit shopping! (Never thought I would utter that little phrase....)

Window Shopping

I LOVE to window shop....preferably online while I'm still in my p.j.'s...and sipping coffee, of course!  I love handmade and vintage items.  One of my favorite sites for these items is Etsy.  I love the look and ease of the site.  If you are looking for unique items for yourself or to give as gifts....this is the place to go!  It's also a great place for crafty or vintage savvy mommies to start their own business.  I opened up a shop on there in the fall of 2008 and have had a lot of fun with it!  Creating the storefront and listing items is so simple.  Etsy also is quite supportive of its' sellers and has created forums and other areas on the site where shop owners can gather advice on how to run their shop, how to market, etc.  GREAT site all around!


For a complete shopping guide/intro/way to navigate the site...click HERE.  (Special note:  the gift guides mentioned in this article are no longer on the site, unfortunately.)

To go directly to the site....click HERE.

To check out my little shop...click HERE.


Have fun!  

World Wide Fashionistas

Calling all fashionistas......take a moment to check out the latest fashions around the world! One of the ladies in a group I belong to on Cafemom.com (Vinty Thrifty Chics) shared these links to Vogue and Style magazines from around the world. I had a great time looking through them! Hope you enjoy them too!

Vogue UK

Vogue France

Vogue Germany

Style Italy

Vogue India

Vogue Japan

Kids Say The Darndest Things

Kids and adults aren't always on the same wavelength when it comes to conversations.

I was talking to my 4 year old the other day about her allergies. She asked me why she felt bad and how she got the allergies. I said something about it being hereditary...it was just in "her genes". She nodded in agreement and then said, "Yes, I know. My old jeans are a little small and they are too tight on my tummy and make me feel bad. I'm not going to wear them anymore". :-) I soooo wish allergies were that easy to cure!

For more kid funnies...click on these........

Funny Things Kids Say

Funny Things Kids Say 2

My First Post

Okay. I admit it. I'm a newbie when it comes to the world of blogging. I'm also a very private person. I love to write, though.....and the blogger folks just made it so darn easy to start this little blog....I couldn't resist! After several DAYS of trying to come up with a catchy title, I settled on Mommy's Coffee Break. As a mommy, I cherish those times when I can belly up to my table and sip some of that life saving caffeine. Those moments where I can sit....uninterrupted....and read the newspaper, or a blog, or a few pages of a book are priceless! Every mommy needs a little time to herself to regroup and just relax before returning to her crazy life!

The plans for my blog are simple. I hope to provide some entertainment to mommies while they sip their mocha cappuccinos!

So....sit back, relax and enjoy your coffee break!