Make Grandma (and Grandpa) Happy this summer

                                                           

Babies and grandmas. They go together like kisses and hugs.

Moms & dads, one simple thing to put on your bucket list:

Take pictures of the nanas or ompahs or grannies or grandmas or grams, with your babies this summer.

In one photo, you can capture the true mark of time and happiness.

Happy summer!

A Dog's Life

Be good...

Dogs are family and we often regard them as people rather than pets. Some myths about having a rescue pet. The biggest myth is that when you adopt you don't know what kind of a dog or cat you're getting.

Nothing could be further from the truth.
Most if not all shelters are obligated by laws to disclose everything they can about a pet's age, health and temprament. While they absolutely want to have a dog or a cat find a forever home, they don't want a pet to be unhappy. And shelters don't want you to be unhappy either.

Misconceptions also center around the reason why a dog or cat ends up in a shelter in the first place. One of the main reasons is because the animal was abandoned and not because it was a bad dog. Many owners, especially in this economy must move or make the difficult decision to surrender the animal so that it might fare better in better circumstances. Animals are also surrendered when an owner must move over long distances and the animal may not be welcomed in the new home.

The good news is that most shelter pets are housebroken. They are also neutered, evaulated for health issues, up to date on their shots and ready for you to love them. Forever.

The Toughest Thing

The Toughest Thing

In life, as in writing, we are subject to criticism, rejection, and plain old mean words that hurt. But the worst thing anyone can do to you or to your work is ignore it.

Part of the human condition is the desire to be accepted, validated, loved. It is no different for the author who writes or the runner who runs. The end goal, whether we want to acknowledge it, is to be noticed. It takes courage to put yourself forward, to do your best to stand out in a crowd. To be competing on any level.

When we take the ultimate step to be noticed by the object of our desire, any type of emotion short of love, feels like a rejection. My advice to writers & lovers: Be not afraid

You will be judged, rejected, scorned and ignored. But you will be loved.

What were the toughest words you ever heard?

live life big...

it's tough to be patient.

Winter will be officially over in 4 weeks. But each day of snow and cold can seem like the longest day of your life.

Life however is not measured (or at least it shouldn’t be), as what we “got through” or “got over.” We have a habit of wanting things to be done, finished, like yesterday, already!

Slow down, be patient. 

Remember your memories are sacred (or should be). Did you hug your kids before they tumbled out into the snow? Did you toss a toy to your dog? Enjoy those moment. 

Life is about loving and learning. Share the love while you’re plowing through your winter. You have so much to enjoy! Life life & live it big (it helps having a big dog)!

Tell your story...

Come to the Days Hotel on March 22, 2014 in Bethlehem, PA.

Your story needs to be told. People want to read what you write.

For more info: http://greaterlehighvalleywritersgroup.wildapricot.org/WriteStuff

Dear Mommies, please don't stress about the potty...

Are your stressing right now over potty training?

<>

It’s one of the milestones of toddler-hood. Teaching your baby correct control of their little bladder is such an important benchmark that some pediatricians consider it an unofficial mark of the end of toddler age.

But you may be wondering why you’ve exhausted yourself to make sure she goes ON the potty instead of whenever she pleases in her diaper. They get it eventually.

Yet, mommies are between a rock and a hard place. It must be done. Some pre-school centers won’t take children until they are potty trained. I’m sure that changing Pull-ups puts a halt to curriculum. I don’t think it should be used as a measure of whether or not a child can learn or should learn. It seems a little extreme. Odd, too, because it’s been shown that when non-potty trained children are around other children who are potty trained, non-potty trained toddlers learn faster.

If there was one piece of advice I could give to mommies at this stage, it is relax. They do learn. They become functional adults who toilet themselves and use the restrooms with independence. Further, there’s no indication that early or late potty training does nothing to affect bed wetting or “accidents” in pre-school or later on in life.

Oh I know, easy for me to say, now that I’m out of the woods. You may be rolling your eyes, “Sure right, I’m down to one Pull-up and there’s a snowstorm and no chance of getting to Target for supplies!” But I would still say relax, you’ve got this. Your ace in the hole—you are the mommy, they are the child. You have gravitas and authority. Much more than you know.

Be calm, don't bribe (too much), and don't threaten. And I'm here to tell you, they will learn!

A new year, a new start

There's something about the sea that draws people. Much like every January, we say goodbye and look forward to the beginning. At the beach we see the end of the land and the beginning of water.

We can go on a journey or we can stay on shore and wait for a return.

Where are you this year?
Are you embarking?
returning?
Awaiting?