Get into the Mom Zone

Self-maintenance is a vital component of life. It is essential for success and well-being; we cannot be our “best self” if our batteries are empty. Yet, oftentimes, as busy moms we get so caught up in a whirl of caring for everybody else that we forsake our own interests. After chatting with my mom’s extraordinary posse (a.k.a my cherished girlfriends) I realize that too many modern mammas still view “time for oneself” as indulgent or, worse yet, greedy. The reality, though, is that if moms do not take time for themselves, they will burn out.

When I forsake my “individual self” and the stressors in my life are at their most tense, I am reminded to take a step back and recharge. How am I reminded? Well, there is unyielding tension that rests in my shoulders, fatigue that crushes my whole being and the occasional migraine. That is more than enough motivation to get me up and running to the nearest gym, spa or coffeehouse!

Because relaxation makes us happier, healthier and a whole lot more productive, here are a few simple tactics for even the busiest of moms to unwind:

1. Stay curious and try something new.

Novel activities not only lift the spirit and expand the mind but also lower depression as well. If you are self-conscious about lack of coordination, try a zumba class and get you’re groove on. Call upon a friend with whom you haven’t spoken in some time or simply go to a restaurant or coffee shop alone. Slowly Step out of your comfort zone and you may just experience new pleasures.

2. Sometimes Mamma Needs a Time-out!

It is imperative to fit a little “ home alone” time into your schedule. A friend of mine (mother of 4) sets her alarm for 5am daily so she can relax, have coffee and just “be” before the morning rush unleashes its fury. Do something enjoyable: listen to music, meditate or read a good book. DO NOT use the time to fold laundry, pay bills or perform pesky household chores. Quality over quantity is what’s most important.

3. Schedule a Play date (for yourself)!!!

Human connection is a must. Why is it that the busier we become, the more we neglect our social life? A friend of mine recently called to make sure I was okay after she hadn’t seen me in a while. She then proceeded to tell me she thought I had fallen off the face of the earth. This wake-up call made me realize how out of touch I had become. The point is- STAY CONNECTED: Plan a girl’s night, catch a chick flick, go for a cocktail, grab a mani/pedi, etc. It’s fun and healing to break out of “child mode” every now and then. And the amazing thing is that even when I feel too exhausted to get out of my comfy sweats, let alone leave the house, once I meet up with friends I instantly re-energize.

Hopefully these tips will inspire mother’s everywhere to lead a more balanced and centered lifestyle. When mentally and physically strong, we can appreciate the many blessings we are granted–especially those of our precious children. And that, my friends, is what true pleasure is all about!

Shelly F. Gill is pursuing her Masters of Fine Arts degree from Rosemont College. She is a guest writer for several websites, including The Examiner, focusing on make-up and beauty tips. She loves good poetry, wine and music. Shelly lives in West Chester, Pennsylvania with her husband and young daughter.

Frugal Finds Friday: Planning for Valentine’s Day

Bring on the chocolate: dark, chewy, crunchy, creamy, sugar-free, you name it. Valentine’s Day is almost here and there are many ways to share your affection without breaking the bank.

In my family, this little day of feasting, candy and flowers falls right about the time the budget and diet are just getting back into shape and the cold winter air chills the plans for an evening out. Given these factors, we started a tradition when my girls were little. One snowy Valentine’s Day when going out wasn’t an option, we pulled out all the china, dressed in our finest, cooked and cleaned and waited for Daddy to come home with flowers for the table. The girls enjoyed it so much that now they have the table set before I even decide what to cook.

Why let a day about love fill you with financial dread? From gifts to dinner, there are multiple options to show love creatively this year without spending a fortune.

Starting with cards, communicate your affection through technology for a quick and easy gesture. The launch of online sites like e-cards.com, bluemountain.com, and hallmark.com let you send a free card via e-mail complete with animation. If you are the tactile type and need to send greetings on paper, your computer offers many options to make and print your own customized cards. If you are feeling extra creative, pull out the old ribbons and lace and make an super-special creation for little expense or effort.

For more of this article on money saving ideas for Valentine’s Day, head over to DIYFrugalwhere Sarah is gathering lots of money saving resources just for YOU!

Frugal Finds Friday: MAX YOUR MENU: January 2010 Edition

January is a great time to use up leftovers, clear the pantry, make soup and look for new ways to max your menu. Here are a couple tips to help you make the most of what you already have:

Inventory your pantry. What do you have hiding in the recesses that only need an ingredient or two to spruce up and serve? Perhaps you have more whole meals than you think.

Inventory your freezer. What meat needs to be thrown away and what needs to be pulled out and thawed and cooked? Use it up if it is still good but watch for freezer burnt items.

Inventory your refrigerator. Usually you store things in your refrigerator that can go bad quickly. Make sure to use up everything before it goes bad each week. If you thaw something, make sure to cook it as soon as it is ready. If one of your new year’s resolutions is to eat healthier, don’t forget to pull out those items at snack time and meal time.

Save those sale flyers and make a list of which grocery store is selling what you need.

Make a goal of reducing your trips to the grocery store. The less you go, the less likely you will pick up the vast number of “want” items rather than “need” items. I love all the pre-made stuffed meats I see lined up at the butcher’s counter but they instantly jack up your grocery bill and calorie content.

For more MAX YOUR MENU tips, head over to DIYFrugal for the rest of this article where we are gathering lots of money saving resources just for YOU. Check out our new look!

Start a Plan of Action Right Now!

A New Year is a great time to dream dreams, set goals and make a plan of action. Begin this year knowing what you want to achieve and setting out to make it happen.

Here are a couple of pointers to start you on your way:

1. Evaluate 2009. What were your goals for last year? How far did you get? What steps did you take? What happened good you want to do again? What happened bad you want to never have happen again? What can you do about it, if anything?

2. Make a list of what needs to happen right now. Clean up from the holidays? Throw out the Christmas tree? Reevaluate your budget? Step on the scales? Send thank you cards? What do you need to get done today? What needs to happen this week?

3. Then, make a list of what needs to happen next. Leave room for steps you are going to take in January, steps that had better be done by March-April and then, what you are going to look at in June to see where you are half way through the year. By continually revisiting important goals, you hold yourself accountable and have a much higher likelihood of success.

4. Under each goal, write what tools you are going to invest in to meet your goals.Do you need a book on personal finance? Do you need an appointment with a finance counselor? Do you need weight advice or a session with a personal trainer? Do you need a professional home organizer to get you on the right path?

For the rest of this article, click over to DIYFrugal and check all the money saving resources Sarah is gathering just for YOU!

Get your New Year’s Eve Fash..on! Statement Jewelry can be Everyday Jewelry

Statement Jewelry. It doesn’t always have to be about the clothing. Wearing a great piece of statement jewelry is a fantastic way of sprucing up an everyday outfit or adding a touch more glam to your party outfit!

This is the time of year that sparkle and glitz is allowed all the time – since you know, we’re feeling jolly every minute of the day. But don’t save the jewelry for only those holiday events – you can add a bold piece of jewelry to just a plain tee for some unexpected drama. It’s a fantastic way to be ultra comfy and still look amazing!

Okay.. so has this post made you rethink your New Year’s Eve outfit.. are you thinking of jazzing your night up with some fun, glitzy, chunky jewels? Need a new dress to match? Well.. then, head on over to Nich in West Chester…ALL dresses are 20% off today and tomorrow (12/31)

All of the items seen above can be purchased at Nich Boutique in West Chester.

For more info, visit www.ShopNich.com, call 610-436-8181 or click here to friend Nich on Facebook.

Top row, from left to right – Cochin Sequin Necklace with Melange Cardigan in green, Jelani Necklace with Madison Dress,

Keith Bib Necklace with Sarah Dress

Bottom row, from left to right – Sparkle Necklace with Alison Dress in pink,

Cochin Sequin Necklace with Marissa Dress, Kanoa Cluster Necklace with Melange Cardigan in green

Fabulously Yummy Tip from DIY Frugal…

How do you manage your holiday candy stash? Some people cut up chocolate to make cookies and brownies, some freeze their candy, and others sneak as much as possible to the trashcan before kids start crying foul. I’ve even see one recipe for a Kit Kat candy bar smoothie.

When my kids were really little, we participated in the annual Halloween trek around the neighborhood and ended up with more candy than any of us needed; all under the guise of seeing our friends on a warm Fall night when everyone is out and the mood is festive. We would go early and I would actually put half of the collected candy back into our bowl to give out to older teens who arrived later to clean us out. I didn’t want to be left with the temptation to eat it all myself since my kids could barely chew. In later years, we would take whatever was left to Thanksgiving where a much larger group could help us finish it up.

Now, my kids are the older Trick-or-Treaters themselves and they hide their stash in their rooms and only share sparingly with mom, if the dog doesn’t find it first. I bring this up because picking out the best candy to add to brownies and cookies is impossible if I have to get it from my kids. However, with a little planning, if you are going to participate in giving out Halloween or Christmas candy, it is worth thinking through your purchases and only buying items which can be reinvented and repurposed if any leftovers exist. You can also take advantage of after-holiday sales to supplement your baking needs.

Read the rest of this article (which includes how to make peppermint bark) over at DIY Frugal where Sarah is gathering lots of money saving tips just for you!

Frugal Friday Finds: DIY…Holiday Gift Idea

Do you enjoy making your own gifts to share at Christmas? Ever try woodworking? With a little patience, skill and the right tools, you can make keepsake gifts to share with the whole family. Get the kids in on the fun by letting them sand and paint and pound a nail or two.

In recent years, we enjoyed giving the fruits of my husband’s growing woodworking hobby as his skills (and collection of tools) increased with each holiday season. Inspiration for wood projects have come from a variety of sources. One year, my sister needed a new piano bench for a piano they found for free in the classified ads. For that project, Brian went to a piano store and measured professionally made piano benches before making one himself. Another year, Brian created his own measurements for a dollhouse shelf just like the one in the Pottery Barn catalog. Other years, Brian combined leftover wood with new purchases to create smaller projects like a chess board, various cutting boards, keepsake boxes and even toy helicopters.

For more of this article on DIY Woodworking for holiday gifts, click over to DIY Frugal where Sarah is gathering lots of money saving tips just for you!

Keeping Christmas Magic Alive…

When I was 10, I started to think that the whole Santa thing might be sort of untrue. It started to occur to me that perhaps, just perhaps, there wasn’t a big guy in a red suit sliding down the chimney each year.

But then on Christmas morning there was a boot print (a BOOT PRINT!) of ashes just outside of the fireplace!! And I ran around and told all of my (strangely skeptical) friends that it was TRUE and Santa was, in fact, REAL!!

I may have been a tad bit gullible. And my parents were very clever.

I think my little brother (who is 5 years younger) may have broken the news to me when I was about 15. I am still not sure he knew what he was talking about. I mean – there was a BOOT PRINT!!

This Christmas, my daughter is 10. And a tad bit gullible. And I have many many resources at my disposal to make sure she and her brother stay firmly convinced in the magic of it all. And, in the spirit of holiday giving, I am going to share those resources with you. You should use them too. We all could use a little more magic, even if it is technology-assisted!

Resource #1 The Santa Book –

We purchased this book at Target a couple of years ago (there is a link to Amazon if you click on the picture) and my kids read it like it is the encyclopedia of Santa. It is really well written and gives the scoop on everything from why no one can see Santa’s workshop at the North Pole, to How he delivers everything in one night. Great for slightly older, but still believing kids.

If I wasn’t doing all of the shopping and wrapping I would totally believe that this was non-fiction!

Resource #2 The Santa Video – This one is new, but very cool in a sort-of-creepy way. You go to this website Portablenorthpole.tv and put in information about your kid (nothing scary), your zip code, and maybe a picture of your kid (I didn’t do that part and it was still cool). The site generates a FREE video of Santa talking directly to your child. Very fun.

Resource #3 The Santa Picture – I just found out about this one today, but I am immediately going to go do it. You take a picture of your living room, or the outside of your house. Then go to this site: Capture the Magic where you can paste a picture of Santa right into the picture of your house. Two pictures are $9.95 and then any more are $0.99 each. But that is photographic proof of Santa at your house!! And unless kids know about Photoshop…and many probably do at this point…this is the ultimate proof of realness!

Resource #4 The Official Santa Tracker – My Dad does this every year and the kids love to know where Santa is as we go about our Christmas Eve festivities. The Norad site tracks Santa’s progress around the world, encouraging the kids to get into bed before he hits the East Coast!

Put all of this together and you can created a pretty convincing case for the existence of a real Santa. Even more convincing than a boot print!

Now if I can just keep them from finding the pile of presents in the basement, I am golden for another year!

Kristen is a new contributor at Chester County Moms. She lives in Chester Springs with her husband, daughter, Sprout (10); son, Tater (7); and two dogs. Be sure to read more about Kristen’s exploits as she attempts to keep her kids busy and entertained at http://www.thefunmommies.com/

Discover the magic and memories of Christmas history and traditions at the National Christmas Center

Discover the magic and memories of Christmas history and traditions at the National Christmas Center!

By: Yvonne Klemets Wright

Need a little Christmas Spirit? Directly on business Rt. 30 just shy of the famed outlets in the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch Country sits the National Christmas Center dedicated to preserving and sharing precious memories of Christmases past and present, near and far. Chances are you’ve driven past this little gem. Within minutes of your visit you’ll be sure to get into the Christmas spirit.

The museum boasts 20,000 square feet of galleries complete with wax figures that bring the holiday to life for visitors big and small. You’ll start your tour with a history of Christmases celebrated around the world. I personally found this to be a terrific model of how I celebrated a traditional Swedish Christmas as a child and was happy to share these memories with my own children.

Following along you’ll be greeted by a lively, eclectic collection of vintage store merchandise at a replica of Woolworth’s 5&10 –- America’s first “five and dime” store which opened more than 125 years ago in Lancaster, PA.

Enter Santa’s North Pole Workshop complete with animated characters who surround this winter wonderland. There you’ll meet Kris Kringle and have an opportunity to share with him your Christmas wish list. This Santa is hands-down the most realistic Santa I’ve encountered in my 36 years and took a great deal of patience and time to speak with my children, adding to the realism and eliminating the hustle and bustle of being rushed off of his lap. Prices for photos start at $12.99.

As you leave Santa’s Workshop you’ll step into the pages of a story book as you walk the cobblestone streets of TudorTowne Animated Village and then into Toyland, a mountain of electric trains circling the trunk of a giant Christmas tree.

You’ll end your tour where Christmas began as you view Mary and Joseph in a breathtaking life-sized scene of The First Christmas.

The National Christmas Center is open to the public daily May through the New Year. While I recommend visiting the Center during the holiday season, there is an annual festival held the second Saturday in July that looks equally as fun.

For admission prices and hours of operation, please visit http://www.nationalchristmascenter.com/default.aspx

The Sickly Season…

It starts in late September – right after you’ve settled into the routine of daycare/pre-school. The first signs are a runny nose, maybe a slight cough…nothing to serious – but it seems never ending. The runny nose doesn’t go away in a few days, the cough gets worse. Maybe there is a slight fever – again, nothing serious – just seemingly never ending. I call this the “Sickly Season”. It last from September until March (at least in my house).

I have hopes that as my kids get older, this season will no longer affect us, in the meantime I just hope that we get lucky. You see, my kids are in daycare and pre-school. My little one stays with a wonderful woman in her home a few days a week and with my mother-in-law the others. My older one is in pre-school. My husband and I both work full-time.

This season wears on my husband and I – partially because the kids are sick – and the midnight and 2am wakings just aren’t fun. Partially because never knowing when a fever is going to hit that requires up to 2 days out of school and care is really difficult when you’re trying to build your career.

During the “Sickly Season”, I rely heavily on the flexibility of my job and the kindness of my mother-in-law to help out. Sometimes everything falls into place and the stress is kept to a minimum. Two weeks ago, my baby girl’s both had the flu and the little one had pneumonia – yet everything worked out fine.

However, having relied on everyone to help out during that time period means that I’ve worn out my favors for next week when my daughters school has parent teacher conferences on the same day that my in-laws go on vacation. I have 2 meetings that day that can’t be missed and my husband has to be at work. My best friend can’t watch my baby girl for me due to her schedule, etc. We seem to be out of luck.

In the end it will all work out, but I find myself looking forward to the end of the “Sickly Season”.
I know we’ll figure it out – something will just have to give. How do you manage the struggle between work and home, kids and career? What gives for you when you’re put between a rock and a hard place?

Andrea is a new contributor at Chester County Moms. She lives in Berwyn with her husband and two daughters. Andrea works in Human Resources and is learning how to balance work, family and entrepreneurship. You can see what Andrea’s up to at http://parentise.com where she is working on creating a database of information built from the expertise of parents like you.