Can I Stay Home?

I am very blessed to be able to stay at home and school my son. It has been such a wonderful opportunity and he has progressed so much that it's almost mind boggling. But with schooling at home, comes a downside.

This morning my son says "Mom, I don't feel good. Can I stay home from school?" I had a little laugh, gave him some hot tea and his Literature book to read. He groaned. What he had meant to ask was, "Mom can I take a day off from school?"

It's just a little head cold for him. Give him some hot tea and he's usually okay. But he's certainly not sick enough to miss his lessons. Two hours later and he's finished 3/4 of his lessons for the day and he's begging to play on his PlayStation!

Sure you can stay home... haha!

Guilty Pleasures

We all have little things we like to do that make us feel a little guilty doing. For some it's listening to music and shutting everything and everyone out. For some it's running. Eating chocolate. What's yours?

I guess I have many little things that I like to do, but to be honest, I don't really feel guilty about doing any of it. haha! I don't know why. Maybe it's because I try to balance things out. Maybe I feel like I actually deserve what I do because I really don't do very much for myself. And with that, I come to the point of my blog.

To those of you, and I know there are a lot of you out there, that do a lot for other people, take some time to indulge yourself in some guilty pleasure. You work hard, you do things for others, now it's time to sit back and do something for yourself. Whether it's taking a weekend to go to the spa or simply reading a book in a hammock in the sun - treat yourself to some pleasure.

And DON'T feel guilty about it. :D

Grumpy

When I hear the word Grumpy, I always think of the dwarf in Snow White. Or the movie Grumpy Old Men. Or the Grumpy little Care Bear...I used to like Care Bears while I was little. hehe

There are sometimes people in our lives that always seem "grumpy" or "depressed". I can certainly understand that things get tough and it gets overwhelming, but it really bothers me when those people are constantly grumpy or depressed. They end up making you feel...well...grumpy and depressed. I tend to just not talk to those people until I feel like it.

Then there are the kind of person who, and I have no way to put this nicely, intentionally go out of their way to make you feel bad so that they feel elevated. I have one thing to say to those people...

You CANNOT make me feel any way. Your petty games to make me feel bad DO NOT work, so go away and never come back.

Okay, I know I got a little off topic with that last bit, but I think this article should apply to those too. People cannot make you feel something unless you let them.

Enjoy the article!

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Shining through the Clouds
Grumps

Grumpy people can only affect your mood if you allow it. The sun and stars can still shine in their presence.

When we're in a good mood, we shine like the sun. But if we find ourselves in the presence of a person, or people, in a grumpy mood, it can feel like a dark cloud approaching to dim our radiance and block our positive way of seeing the world. We can remind ourselves that clouds pass, while the sun and stars continue to shine above. Then it's easier to think of these "grumps" affectionately, knowing that they only have the power to affect our mood if we allow it. With the power of change firmly in our hands, we can choose how to respond to a grumpy person, or a grumbling group of people, with confidence and understanding.

Like a lighthouse, we can continue to shine through the darkness, offering our light to help others find their way back to their own. We can send them a silent prayer of peace or a sympathetic smile. We may sense that reaching out to offer a comforting touch or hug can ease their frustrations and cause the clouds to dissipate. If they need understanding, we can sympathize without reinforcing the negativity they may be experiencing by directing their attention someplace more positive. Helping them find the humor in their situation might be appropriate and is a great way to lift spirits, or a logical approach may help them see all the good in the situation, in their lives and in the world.

We might find that someone we encounter often seems to be in a perpetual state of gloom. Our tendency in such cases may be to try to avoid them, but instead we can make the choice to offer support that comes from the heart. We may be inspired to ask if they would like some help or to offer suggestions that have helped us in the past. We can include thoughts of their health and happiness in our times of prayer and meditation. When we lend our energy to uplift another in any way, we improve our own lives while making the world a better place for all of us.

http://www.dailyom.com/articles/2010/25341.html

We're Moving!

I found our new house! And it is BEAUTIFUL!! Just look...wouldn't it be gorgeous decorated at Christmas time?? :D


And to get to our new house, since it is nestled deep in the snowy mountains of Montana, we are getting this...



All family and friends are welcome to visit anytime, there's plenty of room! :D

Obligations

We all have obligations and sometimes it can be overwhelming. I was thinking about some of the difficult, but more pleasant obligations in my life and I realized that I have a lot of them! Teaching my son is the biggest obligation for me, and although it seems difficult, it's the most rewarding.  The others, like hauling water and heating with firewood, are things we *have* to do to survive, but they yield pleasant outcomes- like a nice hot roaring fire and clean clothes. ;)

Well, as I was thinking of our obligations I came across this article this afternoon and thought it was a good one. It's about obligations and balancing them out. I thought it was rather ironic that I read the article while I was thinking of our obligations.

Enjoy!

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Obligations
To Others and To Ourselves

Obligations can tend to feel heavy and overwhelming, there is nothing wrong with an occasional "no".

We all encounter obligations in life, from spending time with family and friends to being present at important functions in the lives of the people who form our community. Many times, the obligations are actually fun and fulfilling, and we want to be there. At the same time, we all sometimes experience resistance to meeting these obligations, especially when they pile up all at once and we begin to feel exhausted, longing for nothing so much as a quiet evening at home. At times like these, we may want to say no but feel too guilty at the idea of not being there. Still, our primary obligation is to take care of ourselves, and if saying no to someone else is what we have to do, then we do not need to feel bad about it.

There is a skill to balancing our obligations, and it starts with simply becoming aware of our schedule. We may notice that three invitations have arisen in one weekend, and we know that we will pay energetically if we attempt to fulfill all three. At this point, we can take the time to weigh the repercussions of not going to each event, considering how we will feel if we miss it and how our absence might affect other people. Most of the time, it will be clear which obligation we can most easily let go and which one we simply can’t miss. Sometimes we have to miss something really important to us, and that can be painful for everyone concerned. At times like this, reaching out with a phone call, a thoughtful card, or a gift lets people know that you are there in spirit and that your absence is by no means a result of you not caring.

Meeting our obligations to others is an important part of being human and not one to take lightly. At the same time, we cannot meet every obligation without neglecting our primary duty to take care of ourselves. We can navigate this quandary by being conscious of what we choose to do and not do and by finding concrete ways to extend our caring when we are not able to be there in person.

http://www.dailyom.com/articles/2010/25340.html

ABC's of Friendship

The A-Z of friendship A Friend....

(A)ccepts you as you are

(B)elieves in "you"

(c)alls you just to say "HI"

(D)oesn't give up on you

(E)nvisions the whole of you (even the unfinished = parts)

(F)orgives your mistakes

(G)ives unconditionally

(H)elps you

(I)nvites you over

(J)ust "be" with you

(K)eeps you close at heart

(L)oves you for who you are

(M)akes a difference in your life

(N)ever judges

(O)ffers support

(P)icks you up

(Q)uiets your fears

(r)aises your spirits

(S)ays nice things about you

(T)ells you the truth when you need to hear it

(U)nderstands you

(V)alues you

(W)alks beside you

(X)-plains things you don't understand

(Y)ells when you won't listen and..

(Z)aps you back to reality

A friend is someone we turn to when our spirits need a lift, A friend is someone we treasure, For our friendship is a gift, A friend is someone who fills our lives, With Beauty, Joy, and Grace And makes the world we live in a Better and Happier place.

Update

Wow, here I go again neglecting my blog. I have good reason though! Really I do.
I've been busy...still writing. I started my second novel and it's been going slower than I had imagined though.

I've been a little stressed out - our last paycheck was only $44. Yeah, you're reading that correctly, $44. That's supposed to last us 2 weeks for bills, food, and gas. HA!

Today was the first official day of school, although my son has been working hard through the summer. The middle school program is a lot different than what he is used to and I think it will take a little time to get used to it and get a routine going. He has to attend live classes three times a week - mandatory to pass to the next grade. His teachers assign him homework and he has to have them turned in by a certain time. I know, it's all normal for you people that attend a regular school, but it's different for us. It's new and exciting, but scary at the same time.

Let's not forget all the wonderful things we have to fix around the house. And I've been working on this laptop I inherited from a friend. It's been frustrating, but I think once I get the laptop running like it should, it should be a pretty screaming machine.

Summer is officially over... it's been cold lately. Our highs have been in the low 60's. I've got to get some more firewood split before it gets too rainy.

Well, there's not much else going on...just busy surviving and schooling. Hope you're all well!!
Have a fantastic weekend!