Daily Mom-ME Moment: September 2011

{Daily Mom-ME Moment}
Do Something Spiritual Today!

Hmmm ... I’m not quite sure how this post is going to turn out ... but I really want to write it ... so here goes ...

Today’s Daily Mom-ME Moment is to do something Spiritual. And this is a different one coming from me.

I’ve never thought of myself as a spiritual person. Yes ... I’m Jewish, and proud of it ... but I’ve always considered myself a ‘traditional’ jew and not a ‘religious’ jew. I feel that it’s important to have something for the kids, to help teach them about family traditions. That’s why we decided to raise our kids as Jews.

Traditional Judaism is really fun! We have lots of holidays, and tons of family dinners & gatherings. We celebrate them all, and we really enjoy it. But it’s never before been about anything bigger, or more spiritual or religious, than that.

I’ve always felt that we are each in control of our own lives. I never really thought about what else is up there ... and a larger power helping us out.

Recently, my kids started asking for more. They expressed an interest in being more a part of the Jewish community. They wanted to make more Jewish friends, and get more involved. Especially William. He really wanted to join a synagogue.

I looked in to it. Thankfully, there’s a really cute, small, friendly synagogue not too far from our home. We’re now the newest members to the family. The kids love it there!

Yesterday was Rosh Hashanah ... our Jewish New Year. We spent the morning in prayer at synagogue. This was something I hadn’t done since I was a child. You know what ... I enjoyed it! There was lots of beautiful music. And there was a feeling of being a part of something bigger. It was very spiritual, and it felt really good to be thinking on a spiritual level.

So no matter what your beliefs are or what religion you practice, I applaud you for your beliefs. Take a few moments today, and do something spiritual. Have a conversation with whatever spiritual being you believe in.

Close your eyes and think about your life. What are you thankful for? Say Thank you for it. What would you like to achevie? Ask for some help. Do you, or know of anyone else that needs healing? Ask for healing help.

For just a few moments today, do something spiritual.

Have a wonderful weekend, and we’ll chat again on Monday!! xoxoxo

{September 29, 2011} Alexa Drop Hop

It's time for this week's Alexa Drop Hop!

Alexa is very important when looking at website popularity. Basically, the lower your Alexa ranking, the more popular your site is. So ... we all want our Alexa rankings to DROP!

{Daily Mom-ME Moment} Bake Fresh Bread!

Today’s Mom-ME Moment is to bake fresh bread. Now ... I wasn’t too sure about posting this today. I can only imagine the comments that I’m going to get. You want us to bake bread??!!

Well I gotta tell you ... that’s how I’m spending my day today. Throughout the day ... while still trying to get my work done ... I’m going to be baking not only one, but five loaves of bread today.

The Jewish New Year begins tonight, and we have a big family dinner to go to. I’m the one who always brings the Challah (a traditional Jewish egg bread). I bake Challah every Friday, and everyone loves it! And I love to do it. And tonight, for Rosh Hashana, I'm bring the 5 Challahs for the family to enjoy.

And I don’t even use a bread machine. No no. I do it the old fashioned way. I knead the dough with my hands!

Oh my goodness does it make my house smell yummy while it’s cooking!!!! And that’s the reason why I want YOU to bake bread today too!!

Just imagine how happy hubby will be when he comes home from work and smells that yummy fresh baked bread smell! Fresh, home-made bread is so yummy!! If you haven’t done it before, you really should try it. Yes ... it takes some work, but it is well worth the effort in the end.

So ... I can’t write too much more now. I’ve got lots of work to do today, and I need to get my first loaf rising. With 35 people coming to dinner, I need to make 5 Challahs!! Crazy I know! But it’s that good! Like always, all 5 loaves will be gone by the end of the night.

Go bake a loaf of bread. Enjoy the beautiful aroma in your house ... and enjoy the expressions on your family’s faces when they see that mom baked fresh bread!! You ROCK!!! xoxoxo

p.s. ... Shana Tova to all my fellow jews!!!

{Daily Mom-ME Moment}
Catch up on your Reading

Morning Mamas! Ready for today’s Mom-ME Moment? I’ve decided that today is catching up on our reading day!

Do you like to read? I like to read ... but I’m not really much of a book person. I prefer magazines instead. My favorite magazine is Town & Country. I also read Style at Home, and Architectural Digest ... and also Martha Stewart Living.

I love looking at the beautiful homes in my magazines! And I love looking at all the jewelry ads!! I look forward to the day when I can live in a beautifully designed and decorated home ... and I have stunning jewelry to match! One day ...

For now I just read about it in the magazines and dream!

Other than magazines, I do a ton of reading on blogs. I’m always hopping around to all of your wonderful blogs and reading what you have to share. I spend a lot of time each day doing that.

But ... I’m a little behind on my reading. I haven’t done any in about a week! Eeeek!!! So today is catching up on our reading day!

What do you like to read? Do you like reading books and novels? Or do you prefer magazines? Maybe you like to read recipes or flyers? (I also LOVE reading the flyers!! I get excited each week on Thursdays for my flyers!) Or perhaps you do your reading blog hopping.

However ever you read, spend some extra time today at it. Enjoy reading for your Mom-ME Moment.

{September 27, 2001}
Twitter Tagalong Tuesday

We're all set for another Twitter Tagalong Tuesday! Yeay!! Let's have some fun and tweet!

Do you want new Twitter followers? Twitter is a fun place to spread the word about your website and business ... and it's also a really fun place to hang out! Come join me for Twitter Tagalong Tuesday. This is a Twitter hop, so it's real quick and easy to follow.

{Daily Mom-ME Moment}
Play Hookie & Go Shopping!

I’m so excited! I’m playing hookie this morning!! But SHHHHH!!! Don’t tell anyone!!

With the Jewish High Holidays being later this week, my whole family could use some new outfits. So ... I’m going shopping!!

I haven’t gone on a shopping spree like this in years. I need a new dress, hubby Martin needs a new shirt and tie, and the kids each could use a few new nicer outfits. This is going to be a fun shopping outing.

I’m so excited!! I wish you were coming with me ... or at least feeling this same excitement. So ... Today I think all moms should go shopping.

Play hookie with me. Take off for just a few hours and go shopping. Could you use a new dress? What about a new sweater or a new pair of jeans?

There’s lots of sales right now. It’s a great time to shop!!

The Mom-ME Moment today is to play hookie and go shopping! Enjoy it and let me know how you did! xoxoxoxo

{Daily Mom-ME Moment} Sleep!

Ahhhhhhh ... I had the most glorious morning! I didn’t open my eyes until 8:29 this morning!

I can’t remember the last time I had a sleep-in like that. I’m thinking it’s been years for sure.

Today is a PA day for the kids. They’ve had 3 weeks of school ... and already a day off! What’s up with that?

But I’m so glad because we could all sleep in this morning. And it was truly wonderful! I feel fantastic now after my extra sleep. I’m rested and ready to go!!

So I decided that for today’s Mom-ME Moment, all moms shall SLEEP! I want all moms to feel wonderfully rested too.

Take a nap ... go to bed early ... or plan to sleep in tomorrow morning. Do whatever you have to do to get some extra sleep today.

Your pillow is calling. Go snuggle up and enjoy some extra sleep. And have a spectacular weekend! Big hugs to you!!

{Daily Mom-ME Moment}
Breathe. Stretch. Balance. Do Yoga!

I’m going to try something new today. Today ... I’m going to try yoga!! It’s hard to believe... but I’ve never actually done yoga before. I’ve got lots of yoga clothes! I wear pretty much live in my LuLu Lemon yoga pants! But ... I’ve never done yoga.

It sounds like fun! So today I’m going to take just a few minutes and do yoga.

But ... unfortunately, I don’t have time to go to a yoga class. So the next best thing is my Wii! I love my Wii! On Wii fit, there’s a whole yoga section.

I’ve got my yoga pants on, my wii’s all set, and I’m ready to go stretch and balance in weird positions. (lol! That’s really all I know about yoga! You breathe, stretch, and balance!) I’m ready for a good laugh!!

Do you do yoga? Join me! Today ... for your Mom-ME Moment, somehow, someway, do yoga! And if you’re a beginner just like me, enjoy a good laugh!!

{September 22, 2011} Alexa Drop Hop

{Daily Mom-Me Moment}
SWEEP! What??!!

So you’ve probably noticed that my Daily Mom-ME Moment is a little later today. Normally ... as soon as I finish my crazy morning dropping my 3 kids off at their various bus stops and schools ... I get straight to work.

But this morning I tried something different. This morning before I sat down at my laptop, I decided to tidy my house. I did all the dishes. I did the laundry. I made the beds. I even swept my floors!! My house is nice and tidy right now!

I have a cleaning lady that comes every other week ... and thank goodness she comes, as it forces me to tidy my house and put away all our ‘stuff’! She comes every other Wednesday. But today is not a Jill Wednesday. No cleaning lady today. Which is too bad because my house really needed it today!!!

So I decided to give the house a quick clean myself. I didn’t vacuum or wash the bathrooms or floors. But I did a quick tidy, clean and sweep. And I feel so much better looking around now and seeing the house somewhat neat.

But do you want to know something else? I actually enjoyed it. I had my music playing. I was dancing and singing around as I was sweeping. My mind was clear of everything. I was relaxed and just mindless-ly sweeping the house.

So ... I decided to make SWEEPING our Mom-ME Moment today.

WHAT?? Sweeping??!!
Mom-ME Moments are supposed to be fun ... and NOT work.

I know you’re thinking that! But when you sweep today ... do what I did. Clear your mind. Turn off your computer. Relax. Put some music on. Enjoy your few moments mindless-ly sweeping.

I enjoyed my Moment sweeping ... and I’m sure you’ll enjoy yours too. So step away from the computer, and go get your broom. Enjoy it! Love ya!!!

{Daily Mom-ME Moment}
Take Out That Ponytail!!

OK moms .. let’s talk about your ponytail. You know I can see you ... right? I can see your hair pulled back in the same old ponytail that you wear every single day!!

How do I know this? Because I do it too. Most moms do!

We don’t normally have time to style our hair. Who’s kidding who ... unfortunately, having kids means we get less and less time to take care of ourselves ... and make us feel pretty.

Today ... all moms are going to remove the scrunchie. We are taking out the ponytail. We are going to take 5 minutes (or more!) and do something pretty with our hair.

{September 20,2011}
Twitter Tagalong Tuesday

{Daily Mom-ME Moment} Bake Something YUMMY!

MMMMM ... the smell of fresh baking!

I love to bake! I was brought up that way. My mom was always baking and cooking super yummy things. And my dad owns a huge chain of restaurants across Canada. I was definitely raised in a food family. I don’t know how I stay in my size 6 jeans!! But thankfully I do!

And now I bake lots for my kids. I proudly make the worlds YUMMIEST chocolate chip cookies. They come out perfectly chewy and full of yummy goodness every time!

Hmmm ... should I tell you my secrets??

{Daily Mom-ME Moment} Dance ... Like No One's Watching!

I love to dance. I’m a dancer ... well ... at least I was before I had kids. I grew up dancing. Tap. Jazz. Ballet. Musical Theater. I did it all. I even taught dance for almost 10 years.

But then I had kids and I stopped dancing. Sometimes I miss it. And now I have my kids in dance class, and it’s wonderful to watch them enjoying it so much! They’ve been dancing for a few years now. However, as Shayna grows ... she’s probably not going to be my little dancer. She’s more into gymnastics and soccer.

But my little Emily! I think she’s going to be my ballerina! Yeay!!

We had our first dance classes of the season last night, and it was wonderful being back at the dance studio. I love the energy in there.

{Daily Mom-ME Moment} Let's Walk!

I just got back from doing my rounds dropping the kids off at various bus stops and school.

My mornings are crazy ... and oodles of fun (sarcasm?? YES!!) It’s 2 hours of running around packing backpacks and lunches ... waking kids up ... ensuring they’re stuffing some food in their mouths ... brushing their teeth ... and doing the final checks ... making sure their hair is brushed, their pants are not tucked into their socks ... and that they have the right back pack.

3 kids + 3 schools = tons of fun!

But at least it’s a really gorgeous day out today. This is definitely my favorite weather. It’s beautifully sunny ... yet it’s getting chilly out. Fall is just around the corner. The leaves have already started to change. The bugs have started to hide. The air is crisp, clean, and cool. It’s really nice out!

So for today’s Mom-ME Moment, I’m going for a walk to enjoy this beautiful day, and I’d love for you to join me!

{September 15, 2011} Alexa Drop Hop

{Daily Mom-ME Moment}
It's Time To Change Your Purse!

Yesterday, the nicest thing happened to me. I was sitting here working away, and my doorbell rang. (No one ever comes to my house ... so that was weird!) I answer the door and it’s a delivery man with a box for me.

Excitedly, I sign the form ... get my box ... and tear in!

What was inside? A gorgeous, brand new, off-white with sparkly gold trim, scented with real leather, Coach purse!!

And honey ... let me tell ya ... this wasn't a fake or knock-off! This was a for real, legit Coach purse!!

My sweet sweet sweet BFF Christina from Moodylicious Children’s Spa sent it to me!!

{Daily Mom-ME Moment}
Drink Your Tea Like a Lady!

OK moms. It’s time to put the kettle on. Today I’ve decided it’s the perfect day to drink tea like a lady!

I love tea. It just makes me feel grown up drinking it.

I don’t drink any coffee. That doesn‘t do it for me. Each morning I have my yummy chocolate milk - that’s my true addiction. And then once it’s nice and quiet in the house, I make myself a cup of tea.

And sometimes ... for special occasions ... I get all dressed up and head downtown to meet my mom at a ritzy hotel for afternoon tea! Now at afternoon tea I feel very sophisticated! I sit up straighter. I keep my napkin neatly placed on my lap ... I talk with a certain “how do you do” accent. I love going for afternoon tea. It’s a different world than my crazy ‘mommy’ world.

{September 13, 2011} Twitter Tagalong Tuesday

I can't believe it's already been a week since our last Twitter Tagalong! Time is sure flying fast with the kiddies in school. So ... let's have some fun and tweet!

Do you want new Twitter followers? Twitter is a fun place to spread the word about your website and business ... and it's also a really fun place to hang out! Come join me for Twitter Tagalong Tuesday. This is a Twitter hop, so it's real quick and easy to follow.

{Daily Mom-ME Moment} Go Grocery Shopping ... ALONE!

You know what the greatest thing about being a mom is? Having kids! Children are so wonderful! They’re so sweet & super cuddly! They’re funny ... They say the cutest things ... at just the right moment. And they’re wonderfully mischievous. They’re always grasping for new knowledge and wanting to know more.

Yes ... kids are wonderful!

Except when it’s time to go grocery shopping!

Then the inquiring minds and grabbing hands can get a little much.

I find that my grocery bill goes up by at least 20% when I take the kids with me. And don’t even ask about my stress level. That goes off the charts.

{Daily Mom-ME Moment} Change Your Underwear!

Let’s talk about underwear. Undies. Panties. Whatever you want to call them. We all wear them ... so how pretty are yours?

My BFF Dayna from Great Beauty Buys made a comment on my blog yesterday ... and she’s so right! Dayna ... this Mom-ME Moment is for you!

Come on moms ... I’m sure Dayna and I are not the only ones who's undies have gotten ... well ... not so pretty. As we get older, they get a little bigger. They get a little plainer. They get a little less fun!

Let's change that! Today’s Mom-ME Moment is to dig through your underwear drawer and find something pretty .. or dare I say sexy ... to wear!

{Daily Mom-ME Moment} Lock the door and Shower!

I just had the most glorious 10 minutes!! I just SHOWERED! In Privacy!!

I love my kids dearly ... but when they’re around, there is no privacy. There is no bathroom door. The kids just come and go as they please ... still calling on me even when I’m in the shower.

And it doesn’t matter how occupied they are when I try to sneak away for a few minutes. As soon as they hear the water start, they always need something! They always have to come barging into what should be my quiet, peaceful time.

{September 8, 2011} Alexa Drop Hop

Yeay! School is back in ... and we're back on our regular schedule. So we've got lots of time to hop & drop! It's time for this week's Alexa Drop Hop!

Alexa is very important when looking at website popularity. Basically, the lower your Alexa ranking, the more popular your site is. So ... we all want our Alexa rankings to DROP!

{Daily Mom-ME Moment} Get both feet off the ground and let's JUMP!

It's such a beautiful day today. I love this weather. It’s not too hot and it’s not too cold. The sun is shining. The air smells so crisp and clean. Everything is still green from summer, but you can tell that fall is around the corner. This is absolutely my favorite time of year! I really want to be outside today!

I’m sitting here typing this at my kitchen table ... and as I look out my back window I see my big ... super bouncy ... trampoline! Ok ok ... it’s not mine. It’s my kids. I hardly ever use it. But I’m so happy to be back in my routine and taking time each day to do something fun for me ... that I want to go jump!

The kids are in school, and no one is here to laugh at me! So I’m heading outside to do something silly.

For just a few minutes ... I’m going to jump and bounce and have fun!

Truth be told ... all I can do on the trampoline is a few minutes!! The trampoline is a really good work out! I don’t understand how my kids can spend all day on there! I spend 3 minutes jumping and I’m out of breath!

Guess I’m a little out of shape. Maybe we should deal with that. I think each day for the next little while the Mom-ME Moments should be something active. As long as they’re super fun too! :)

What are you going to do today for your Mom-ME Moment? Join me and let’s jump! Do you have a trampoline? Go jump for a few minutes if you do. If not ... perhaps you could even jump with a skipping rope ... or just do jumping jacks.

Do whatever you’ve got to do to get those feet up in the air ... and your heart pumping!

Take your Mom-ME Moment today ... and let’s JUMP!

{Daily Mom-ME Moment} Mommies are back! Let's BLOG!

Oh yes! It’s the MOST wonderful time of the year! School is back in! We survived yet anther summer!

Don’t get me wrong ... I adore my kids. I loved having them home with me over the summer. I loved not having to constantly be heading off to school ... and helping with homework ... and schlepping to different activities. We had an amazing, relaxing, super fun summer!

But it’s time to get back to a normal routine. It’s time for the kiddies to be back in school ... and for mommies to get back to blogging!

Oh how I’ve missed blogging! I’ve missed posting my Daily Mom-ME Moments each day. I’ve missed sharing with you what’s been going on in my life. I’ve missed hoping around to all of your blogs. I’ve missed you!

But I’m back now ... and I’m super excited about it!

So let’s all enjoy our Mom-ME Moments again!

{September 6, 2011} Twitter Tagalong Tuesday

It's going to be a great day! For many, kids go back to school! Yeay! We survived summer ... and now we're back on our normal routine. So ... let's tweet!!

Do you want new Twitter followers? Twitter is a fun place to spread the word about your website and business ... and it's also a really fun place to hang out! Come join me for Twitter Tagalong Tuesday. This is a Twitter hop, so it's real quick and easy to follow.

{September 1, 2011} Alexa Drop Hop

Oh my goodness! I can't believe it's finally September!!! School goes back in less than a week ... and I can't wait!! Then I can get back to my regular schedule, and I'll be back posting my daily Mom-ME Moments. It's just been too crazy around here the past few weeks with the kiddies!! I'll be back September 6th ... and I've got some awesome Moments ready for ya!!

But today is Thursday! So you know what that means ... it's Alexa Drop Hop Day!!! YEAY!!

Alexa is very important when looking at website popularity. Basically, the lower your Alexa ranking, the more popular your site is. So ... we all want our Alexa rankings to DROP!