FASHION FRIDAY!

FRIDAY FUN!

GOTTA LOVE THIS THROWBACK!!

Amazing how I can still remember every word to this song and yet I can't remember my child's birthday when I go to the drugstore!!!

WHAT THE HECK!?

Imagine...

  

Sisters Rock!

All you need is gumption

How do you define success?

Do you feel successful in your life?

If not, maybe you need a little

GUMPTION

Gumption is the ability to find resources you need and having the courage to make things happen.

Our life is based on a certain amount of days....what you do every day creates the life you want.

Will you join me in making a vision board?  It doesn't have to be this fancy! Simply google things that you want in your life and click on IMAGES. Next save these images onto your computer.  Finally, go to www.picmonkey.com and start adding images to your picture.  

HERE'S MINE....

I would love to hear your stories and feedback! Please comment below!!

Happy Memorial Day!

Have you counted your blessings today?

Casual Looks for the 30 something mama

4 Clever Ways to Tell Daddy You Love Him

Do you want to do something special for the man in your life this Father's day without spending any money? Let me tell you a secret....men can be just as sappy as women and really LOVE homemade gifts!  So, here are some gift ideas that they can use to brag to friends and also cherish for many, many years!

1.  Make a special sign.

2.  Make a song devoted to Dad.

3.  Make a skit.

Have your kids tell their Dad how much they love him by re enacting some of the great things he does (funny jokes or how he laughs really loud for instance!) They can even dress up in some of his clothes!  Then, make a video of the skit!  This will be a blast to create and also fun to share with friends and family!

4.  Make coupons.

What could be more thoughtful and fun than making coupons for Dad! Encourage your children think of all the things that Dad likes (massages, playing caatch, help with cleaning, or even cooking his favorite meal!) and let him cash them in whenever he wants. 

If you're feeling really inspired, you can even create coupons with your child's picture!

You know what they say...

Why women need to talk less and listen more

Women are constantly telling men what they should be doing, how to clean the plates better, or how they could be raising their children.  We think that we are helping by providing information but the truth is that we need to ZIP IT!

The problem with talking too much is that it can be perceived as condescending or controlling.  Listen to my video clip to hear about some of my experiences with this subject.

Clever ways to tell husband you're pregnant

Well, hello there MAMA!  Congrats on you're new addition!  This is such an exciting and special time in your life that you will ALWAYS remember!  When we find out that we are expecting, it's beyond thrilling so we want to make our announcement special for ourselves (and our husbands), right?!

Here are a few AWESOME ideas I found.

Also check out ..

CLEVER WAYS TO TELL YOUR FAMILY YOU'RE PREGNANT

GET CREATIVE

MAKE A VIDEO...

THIS IS SO CUTE!

BUY A GIFT...

THIS ONE IS BEST FOR THE SPORTS LOVING HUBBIES...
CLICK HERE

PHOTO SHOOT....

THIS IS JUST ADORABLE....

(from Adrian Booker)

and this VIDEO made me cry...

By the way, how freakin' cute is this?

from The Spaghetti Westerner

Something he will love...

<CLICK HERE TO BUY> 

If you LOVE this post, click here for 

Clever ways to tell FAMILY you're pregnant?

Please note: 
This and other Tickles And Time Outs articles may include sponsored advertisements, 
reviewed products and services, affiliate links and other forms of sponsorship.
 

10 things every parent should know about their child

1.  What makes them happy

2.  What do they want to be when they grow up

3.  What's their favorite book

4.  Where are they when they are happiest

5.  What makes them sad

6.  What makes them laugh

7.  What's their favorite color

8.  Do they dream

9.  What makes them feel loved

10.  What's their favorite ice cream

.

Perfecting the art of saying no!

How to say no more and yes less in order to create the life you want

I'm a "yes girl".
I admit it.
I want to be a team player.  I want to help other people. I want to be the girl that people can depend on.

But HERE's the problem....

If I say yes to something ("Toni, will host the family Thanksgiving dinner" for example) then I need to think about the big picture and ask myself if that makes sense for my IMMEDIATE family.  The question becomes, am I able to devote the time and money to that commitment? Will this be beneficial to myself and my children OR will I be losing time AND can I realistically afford it?  Will I be resentful?

EVERY time you say YES to something you are saying NO to something else (even if it's working out, quality time with the kids, or just sleep!) 

Michael Hyatt does an amazing podcast called This is your life (if you haven't heard him speak before you should REALLY check him out!)  During one of his recent podcasts he talked about how many people approach him asking him to read their book and how often he says no.  This really stood out to me because this guy is an AMAZING speaker and author that helps so many people.  What I realized is that when he says no to helping the little people he's actually saying YES to the time he needs to make his podcasts even better (which actually helps MORE people!)  What I'm saying is that Michael Hyatt is extremely successful because he's perfected the art of saying no!

No matter what you do in your life...weather you are a stay at home mom, CEO, teacher...the question becomes, "If you never say no, what's your yes worth?"Are you protecting the things that matter to you most?

Finding Gumption...how blogging saved my life

Here's how I found Gumption and how blogging saved my life.

2 years ago...in the blink of an eye, my whole life changed.
My marriage was ending and as I looked into the eyes of these 2 beautiful little girls...

I was filled with FEAR...
Fear of ruining their lives.
Fear of raising my children in a broken home.
Fear of not being able to provide a home for them with one income.
Fear of not being able to wake up every day and face these challenges while giving them love and teaching them about life and the amazing things life offers.

I knew one day they would ask me, "Mommy, what happened? Why did you and Daddy divorce?" How could I look into their eyes and face the fact that the 2 people they love most in this whole world weren't able to save their marriage? How do I face the fact that they are now a statistic and are going to be bounced around from house to house?

I had been a stay at home mom with them for 3 years and I had no idea if I'd be able to continue this life for them (staying home with me) and I had no idea how I would be able to make it on my own. There were times when my life was so dark, I didn't want to get out of bed.  I couldn't find the energy to face my daily chores and I didn't have the ability to see more than 2 feet in front of me.  It was all I could do to make it through the day...at times I literally lived one hour at a time just to make it through.   
  
When Sienna was first born in 2009, I started a blog (at the time it was Simply Sienna).  This blog was my outlet to the isolated world I was living in at the time.  I was home with a newborn day and night.  I started writing and uncovered a passion and talent that I never knew I had. I soon started connecting with local bloggers and experts and making a community of friendships online.  But what I learned most was that my blog was a platform for me to express my creativity and develop my self worth.

Fast forward to 2012 (after the separation) I began writing like crazy. Through my blog, I began evolving. Not as a mom.  Not as a wife.  But for the first time as a PERSON.

What I uncovered deep in my soul was GUMPTION-the ability to use my resources effectively and the courage to make things happen.  Without my blog, my readers, and my blogging community I have no idea where I would be today!

9 Facts about Lyme disease

*please note that I am NOT a doctor and am only sharing my experience and information that I have gathered.  

Last year I was feeling really sick, dizzy, and having a lot of anxiety.  I started making appointments with every doctor to try to figure out what was wrong and finally found out that it was Lyme disease.  Lyme disease is a very serious condition but the good news is that it is preventable. Make sure you pay attention to your body. In the summer, if you're outside a lot, inspect your body and your children and make sure you pay attention to any signs or symptoms.  Here are a few facts for you from the Lymelight Foundation. 

1. Lyme disease is a world-wide infectious disease and has been reported in all 50 states, 25% of the reported cases are children. Lyme disease had been found on every continent but Antarctica.
2. Typically Lyme disease is transmitted through a bite from an infected deer tick. These ticks, often the size of a poppy seed, can leave an undetectable bite.
3. Fewer than 50% of people infected get the bull’s eye rash. Some develop flu-like symptoms a week or so after becoming infected, however, many people are asymptomatic but can develop Lyme symptoms months, years or decades later.
4. Common Symptoms include: fatigue, neck stiffness or pain, jaw discomfort, muscle pain, joint aches like arthritis- typically in the knees, swollen glands, memory loss, cognitive confusion, vision problems, digestive issues, headaches and fainting.
5. The Lyme spirochete bacteria is hard to detect and hard to kill. Lyme disease is growing at epidemic proportions in the United States.
6. It is called the great imitator; looking like many other health problems (Fibromyalgia, Arthritis, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Bells Palsy, ADD, MS and Lupus).
7. The medical community is divided over the diagnosis and treatment guidelines. Health insurance often doesn’t cover the treatment for Chronic Lyme disease.
8. The standard and most commonly prescribed for diagnosing Lyme test is the ELISA test. This test, often not sensitive enough to detect Lyme, can produce a false negative. The more sensitive test is called the IgG and IgM Western Blots test. The preferred testing labis IGeneX Lab in Palo Alto. www.igenex.com.
9. If you suspect you have Lyme, contact a LLMD, (Lyme Literate Medical Doctor). Informative websites on the disease: www.ilads.org, www.lymedisease.org, www.lymediseaseassociation.org, www.igenex.com,www.underourskin.com.

Single mom gratitude list

Being a single mom can be really tough.

Being a married mom can be tough.

Being a Mom is tough.

No matter who we are or where we come from, life can hand us problems that are very difficult to resolve.

Sometimes a gratitude list can really help keep you in reality when you feel like your life is out of control...

Here's mine...

What's on your gratitude list today?

#attitudeofgratitude

10 reasons dads are better than moms

Is it just me or do moms (myself included) make our jobs so much harder than they need to be? Here are a few ways that I think Dads are smarter than Moms...

1.  Dads throw a child's outgrown clothes in a garbage bag and drop them off at Goodwill....
instead of spending 10 hours taking pictures of clothes, uploading them, finding a buyer, and meeting someone for $5,

2.  Dads give their children freedom to make mistakes on their own...
instead of asking a million questions and micromanaging everything their kid does.

3.  Dads TRUST the baby sitter to take care of the children while they are focused on their work...
instead of worrying and stressing about their safety and happiness.

4.  Dads feed the kids soup and macaroni while watching a football game on a Sunday.....
instead of stressing about coupons and vegetables.

5.  Dads play baseball and enjoy quality time with the kids....
instead of jamming 15 family adventures into a 5 day family vacation.

6.  Dads give their children freedom to make mistakes on their own...
instead of asking a million questions and micromanaging everything.

7.  Dads rest when they are sick....
instead of spreading their germs and being angry at the world.

8.  Dads make time for themselves....
instead of complaining how they never have time for themselves.

9.  Dads say no (and mean it) and don't try to turn every experience into a opportunity to learn a lesson.

10.  Last (but not least) Dads don't feel like a bad parent when they make a mis*take.


Don't worry moms, my next post is about how Moms are better than Dads!!