Guest Post: By Susan Bodack of InStyleSwimwear.com

Today's Guest Post comes from Susan Bodack of InStyleSwimear.com. Thanks Susan for the great post on Modest Swimwear.

Stylish and Modest Swimwear DOES Exist!

With the slew of skimpy bikinis that surrounds us on the beaches, pools and in magazines, sometimes it’s hard to believe that stylish and modest swimwear does exist. Despite what mass media may lead us to believe, there’s actually more variety than you think! Real moms know that real women have some curves, and as we grow older, the need for really great coverage and support increases. If you know what swimwear styles to look for, you’ll be stylish as can be this season!

One-piece swimsuits are a no-brainer if you’re looking for a style that flatters and supports. But finding one-piece swimwear that’s actually stylish can be a whole different ball game. Look for styles in your favorite fun colors, such as orange, which is the hottest color for 2012. Also you can find one-piece swimwear in fun prints and patterns like crocodile prints, floral motifs and color-blocking. In terms of silhouette, try a trendy retro-inspired swimwear style that has a chic vintage vibe. Or look for strapless and one-shoulder styles for a high fashion look. Keep in mind that anything with underwire will offer the most bust support and styles with ruching are extra flattering for the torso.

Although one-piece swimsuits are great for coverage and support, you don’t have to limit yourself to them. Tankinis are great one-piece alternatives and they’re really great for longer torsos, especially when they’re paired with mid or high-rise bottoms. Tankini swimwear comes in a wide variety of styles to complement any personality. Many feature longer tops that meet the bottom, so they resemble a classic one-piece swimwear silhouette. Others have flattering a-line shapes and blouson-style tops which are great for hiding your tummy. Some of the hottest tankini styles right now are paired with skirted bottoms that have great bottom coverage.

Although swimwear goes hand-in-hand with the beach or pool, not all of us feel comfortable lounging around in a swimsuit. A swimwear cover-up can be your best friend. For more bottom coverage, try a sarong or pareo that helps cover your bottom and upper thighs. For allover coverage, try swimwear cover-ups like chic kaftans, drapey tunics and long maxi dresses. You can’t go wrong!

This season feel cool and confident at the beach or pool by choosing stylish and modest swimwear styles. Happy spring!

This post was written by Susan Bodack, a blogger at InStyleSwimwear.com. For more swimwear related tips, check out their blog Beauty and the Beach today.

Guest Post: By Heather a Mesothelioma Survivor

Today my guest post comes from Heather a Mesothelioma Survivor. I was so happy when she contacted me about wanting to do something for my blog. I always love to hear stories from any person who has survived any type of cancer. She is a fighter and a wonderful person. Thanks so much Heather for your post. I hope this helps to give hope with anyone that is going through the same or similar trial.

Hope in a Time of Fear: A Mother's Journey with Cancer

I’ve always been accused of seeing the glass as half full. Yes,
I am a chronic optimist, and that ability served me very well in
my life, particularly when I was diagnosed with a deadly form of
cancer at the young age of 36 only a few short months after the
birth of my daughter.

In November of 2005, I was diagnosed with malignant pleural
mesothelioma. There I was, a new mother with a 3-month-old baby, hearing those three dreadful words: "You Have Cancer."

I had two choices: I could give up and wallow in self pity while
cursing God, or I could face this diagnosis head on with the
optimism and determination I have put forth throughout my life.

I put on my rose colored glasses and decided to fight for my
daughter and see her grow up, learn, and experience her life for
myself.

Cancer is arguably the worst experience anyone can endure in
his or her lifetime. However, my life was changed for the
better because of my diagnosis. I didn't choose to be a victim.
Instead, I chose to make light of a horrifying experience to
erase the fear and give others like me the hope to carry on. It
also may be because I had the good fortune to be referred to one
of the world's leading mesothelioma doctors.

Whatever the reason, I chose to find the good, and it served
me well. My surgery to remove the tumor was scheduled for
Groundhogs Day in 2006. It was for this reason that I nicknamed
my tumor "Punxsutawney Phil" and, from that point forward,
celebrate Groundhogs Day as "Lungleavin' Day," the day my tumor
was removed, as a reminder that focusing on the good that comes
from an otherwise bad situation helped me conquer my fear to
further live and celebrate life.

An additional blessing from having cancer is all the amazing
people, other mesothelioma survivors, and people who are
committed to bringing about awareness to this disease along the
way. They are now my dearest friends.

My life has much more purpose to it now, and I want to continue
to give hope to those who are touched by this life-altering
disease. There is hope, if you choose to pursue it.

Guest Post: By Livin the Fit Life

Today's guest post comes from Rachelle from Livin the Fit Life. Thanks so much Rachelle for the wonderful post on being fit.

Being fit and healthy is a passion for me, especially now that I am in my 30's and have to work harder and smarter. I have always been a cardio girl. I love to run and this is my true passion. However, as I got older I knew that weights needed to enter my life and I wasn't too happy about it.

You see, after you turn 30, your body starts to lose muscle. What does that mean? That in order for your body to burn the same number of calories as it did in your twenties, you need to start building your muscles back up. The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn.

Most women look at me funny when I tell them to lift weights. They have the wrong idea that if you lift weights you will look like a bodybuilder with massive muscles. Of course this won't happen. Lifting weights will tone your body and increase your calorie burn to make your workouts more effective.

3 great starter exercises with weights are squats, bicep curls and tricep extensions. I don't know about you, but triceps are an issue for many women as we don't typically use those muscles in everyday life.

Start out with smaller weights (3-5 lbs.) and do 3 sets of 10 reps each, alternating exercises as you go. As you move forward you can change your routine by increasing your weight and your reps. You can then start to add more exercises to your routine to change your overall body.

I am also a huge proponent for using your own body weight for resistance. I like this method because you can work out at home with just yourself and nothing else. Examples of these type of exercises would be push-ups, crunches, tricep dips, etc. This way you can build your muscles without having to spend money on weights or the gym. Also, for moms with young children at home, you can stay at home and still get your sweat on:)

I hope you will all add some weight training to your workout regimen. Your body will thank you!

Thank you Terri, for allowing me to write this post for your blog. Now everyone get your sweat on and start Livin The Fit Life!

Guest Post: By Chrissy

My Guest Post today comes from a dear friend of mine named Chrissy. She and I have been online friends since we were pregnant with our now 5 year olds. I can't wait to meet her one day. You can visit Chrissy's over at her family blog.

Thank you so much Chrissy for this wonderful post.

Don’t you hate it when your kids get sick? I know when my girls get sick, I just want to fix it, to take it away, take on the sickness myself. But what if you can’t fix it? What if you can’t take it away? Ever. What a nightmare!

This is my nightmare. Every day.

Nearly two years ago my little girl was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. It started out with her being hungry all the time. I mean STARVING! She’d eat a meal and not even thirty minutes later she would want more to eat. I figured it was a growth spurt or maybe she was bored.

Then, she became thirsty. We have one of those in-the-door water dispensers on our fridge and she’d constantly fill her cup up with water and drink like she was dying of thirst.

She began to go to the bathroom a lot, too. And wet the bed at night. We attributed this to all the water she was drinking. So we tried limiting her on her water intake. A couple of times I found her sneaking water at night. She was SO thirsty.

A tiny light bulb dimly blinked on in my mind… “Diabetes? Nah.” My father has Type 1 Diabetes, so I was aware of the signs, but I didn’t want to believe that my child had it. I started doing internet searches on diabetes and its signs.

• Frequent urination check
• Increased thirst check
• Increased fluid intake check
• Feelings of extreme hunger check, and double check

Uh-oh… These things were starting to freak me out. But wait:

• Severe fatigue nope

Quite the opposite. Emily always has energy, right up to the moment she is forced to close her eyes and give up the fight to stay awake.

• Unexpected weight loss (type 1 diabetes) didn’t find this out until her diagnosis
• Skin irritation in the legs and genital area check
• Slower healing of superficial wounds not really

Emily did have some irritation on her bum, but when we had taken her to the doctor a couple of months earlier for it, the doctor thought it was because of the pull-ups Emily was wearing at night since she was wetting the bed so much. (Keep in mind, at that time she was still three, newly potty-trained.)

I still wasn’t convinced (I was in denial). I called a friend of mine whose little girl had been diagnosed a several months earlier with Type 1 Diabetes and I went over my concerns and Emily’s symptoms and she said, “Go to the doctor!” Dang it.

We arrived at the doctor’s office and when they weighed Emily, she had lost three pounds since her visit a couple of months before. I didn’t really notice. She had gotten taller, but she wasn’t gaining weight. I had noticed that her underwear looked a little saggy in the bum, but I just didn’t think anything of it. The doctor had Emily pee in a cup and they took the urine to the lab to do some tests.

The doctor was asking me questions about Emily and her symptoms and putting all this info in her laptop. All these things were coming together and I was starting to feel some dread. Then all of a sudden the doctor stopped talking and looked at her laptop. She said, “We’ve got the results of her urine tests, but I need to check something...” Then she got up and left the room. I knew it wasn’t good. I knew right then that Emily had diabetes.

I looked over at Emily; she was playing with the toys in the exam room, oblivious to what was happening, not even aware that in a few moments her life would change. FOREVER.

The doctor came back into the room and said that Emily had diabetes and to go straight to the hospital to check her in and expect to be there for three to four days. Okay, so now we knew and all I could do was look at her, my sweet, innocent Emily, and just feel sadness. I was sad for her…sad for me. I knew she was going to be fine and live a normal, healthy life. I was just sad that this was going to be a part of her in every aspect of her life. I was sad that I couldn’t fix it.

She can lead a normal life while living with Type 1 Diabetes. She can do everything anybody else does. She can eat anything anybody else does. She can eat that cupcake at her friend’s birthday party. It’s okay! Really! The only difference is she has to get an injection of insulin. See, someone without diabetes has a pancreas that produces insulin, the hormone that regulates carbohydrate and fat metabolism in the body. A person living with Type 1 Diabetes has a pancreas, but it doesn’t produce insulin. So instead of her pancreas taking care of that cupcake’s carbohydrates, an injection of insulin will.

There is no cure for Type 1 Diabetes. There is no diet that will reverse Type 1 Diabetes. What we do have is insulin. And HOPE. Hope for a cure.

Guest Post: Changing Diapers and Taking Names

First Guest Post of the New Year comes from Brittany. Brittany is a single mom and full time Certified Nursing Assistant living in South Carolina. She loves the men in her life, her three year old son and 80 year old patient. She blogs over at Changing Diapers and Taking Names about finding herself between toddlers and elders.

I am so grateful that Terri asked me to do a guest post for her! But as I sit here and struggle with what to write about, I keep going back to the conversation I had last night over dinner with a dear friend. She and I were discussing parenting (as I am a mom and she is not) and how she does not feel she has the patience for children yet.

I said to her, “You never will have the patience,” because honestly, you can never be prepared in any way for raising a child; not emotionally, mentally or financially. Am I right? Since my pregnancy started off a little on the unexpected side, I don’t really know for sure if there is ever a moment that you wake up and say, “You know what, I’m ready, let’s do this!” People try to prepare you by saying “your life will change forever!” Well, thank you captain obvious for your valuable input! Truthfully, there is nothing anyone can say to prepare you for parenthood.

Raising a child is different for everyone, every situation is different and every child is different. This is my situation; I am a single mother to a three year old boy. My three year old has the energy of four three year old boys put together. He never stops talking, running or destroying. I am not a patient person (understatement of the year) so parenting an overactive child proves to be quite the dilemma.

I think the best thing anyone could have done for me while I was pregnant is say "Congratulations, you will now feel inexplicably guilty and like a failure consistently for the rest of your life. Good luck!” That way I would not have been so disappointed with my parenting skills from the very beginning. Some may say that I am being overly dramatic (now you know where my son gets it) but I say, show me a mom who does not feel disappointed in her parenting abilities at least once a day and I will gladly listen to what she has to say (and over zealously take notes).

Do not get me wrong, I love being a mom! Having Brody has taught me so much on a variety of subjects. All I’m saying is that no amount “pep talks” or classes could have prepared me for the reality that is parenting. I know there is no such thing as the “perfect” mom, even though most of us strive to be one, but sometimes doing the best I can does not always feel like enough. Am I alone in this? Does anyone else constantly feel inadequate (if no one raises their hands, I know you’re lying)? I think the best thing we can do for ourselves is keep it real. We moms need to stick together. Cut the cookie cutter stuff and be honest about your successes and failures, so maybe we can figure this out together!

Brittany and her son

Thank you Brittany for the great post!

Guest Post: 4Eighteen

Today my guest is Stephanie from 4Eighteen. Please be sure to check out her blog :) Thanks Stephanie for the wonderful post. I will have to do these with my kids!

Hello I'm Stephanie, 1/2 of the sister team over at 4Eighteen. I'm so excited to be a guest here today! Let me tell you a little about 4Eighteen and what we're about. Kristi and I are two sisters who love to love. When we love something, we put everything into it, that is why we started our blog. We LOVE projects, decorating, cooking fun new meals, being Mommy's (to humans and doggies = ), and using our imaginations. While most of the time we seem to have the same sense of style, we also each have a little something that sets us apart from one another.

Today I would like to share with you some hand and foot print art that you can do with your child.

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Hand and Foot Print Art

I just love hand and foot print art so I wanted to share a few ideas of my own, as well as a group of ideas that I found on Pinterest. These are quick, fun projects that you can keep your toddler engaged long enough for and they are so much fun to display!

My Girl's Art:

This is supposed to be a snowflake, next time we will do something

similar but make it a sun because that's really what it looks like. Oh well, still cute.

Ideas Found on Pinterest:

Do you have some cute ideas on your blog for hand and foot print art? If so, please leave a comment with a link so we can all check them out and get more ideas!

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We would love for you to come visit us over at 4Eighteen. Not sure where to start? You could start by checking out Toddler Tuesday where we have a new post every week about things to do with your toddler. Maybe you would prefer to see how Kristi has used an extra room as her closet, or how I have transformed our master closet into my new craft room. We also have some great crafts and DIY projects for you to check out like crayon art, a bookshelf makeover, shutter made key holder, or Kristi's buffet makeover. We have so much more, I'm sure there's something for just about everyone to enjoy.

Thank you so much for having me here at Mom's Point of View today Terri!

Guest Post: Salvage Savvy

Today's Guest Post is from Connie from Salvage Savvy. Thanks so much Connie I love the DIY projects you posted about!

I'm so glad to be here at Mom's point of view today! My name is Connie and I have a blog called Salvage Savvy. I am a mom of three beautiful and amazing kids: a 9 year old, 7 year old and our newest addition who is already 10 months [babies just have a way of making you realize how fast time flies by, don't they?!].

I am a momma who loves to decorate... but everything I do [whether decorating, buying school "stuff," shopping for clothes or going to the grocery] has to be on a budget because we [like most families] just don't have a lot of extra cash to spend. At Salvage Savvy I get to share all kinds of thrifty DIY projects and design tips to help my readers create unique decor for their home without breaking the bank!

Here are a few of my favorite projects [so far]:

I love this artwork because it looks so expensive, but it's super easy and only cost about $15 to make. In fact, my 7 year old helped me do this one, so you can even get the kiddos involved!

Create your own UNBELIEVABLE Artwork!

I also turned an old, plain pillow into this for $0 dollars [see... I told ya' I'm thrifty!]. Check it out to see how you can use items from around your house to do the same!

Pillow Talk (DIY Style)

And for this project I took an old lamp [it looked "fine," but I needed fabulous!] and for only $8 I was able to transform into a really eye-catching piece.

$8 Lamp Makeover

Do you have cheap glass vases sitting around your home [of course you do... we all do, right?!]? I used spray paint to turn a few of mine into two-toned mirrored vases... and all of the paint is on the outside, so you can still put water in them!

Painted Glass Vases

And lastly, I also offer decorating advice at Salvage Savvy. Have you ever loved, loved [loved] a paint-chip-sample-thingy [yes, I use all kinds of "technical" terms!] at the store, only to paint that same color onto your walls and discover it's the completely wrong color? [Yea... me too.] Well, I have learned the best way to select the perfect color every time, and share it with you in this post!

Advice

Well, those are a few of my favorite things, I hope you've been inspired to create more for less!! I'd love it if you would come and visit me at Salvage Savvy, and thanks so much to Terri for letting me join you today :)

Guest Post: Be Your Best Mom

Today's Guest Post Comes from Milena from Be Your Best Mom. Thank you so much Milena for such a great post!


For Better or Worse….


In sickness and in health, right? That’s what you vow to on your wedding day, that no matter what you will be together through it all. Well, I’ve learned it’s much harder to actually live it then say it.

When a single friend of mine asked me about marriage I said, “Marriage is hard work.” She then asked me, “Why?” Well, I’ll tell you. Marriage is like a living organism. One limb doesn’t function without the other, you need to be a whole unit working together. It takes some time to achieve that and then maintain that function. Well, what happens when part of that unit fails to function? This can happen in many ways, but today I’m going to focus on the “in sickness” part of the breach.

You don’t see it coming, it’s not something that you can control, but when one partner falls ill it’s as if the entire unit has taken a hit. For the last 2 years it has been one disaster after another at my house. Okay, so maybe I’m being a bit dramatic, but my husband was injured at work and I believe that injury led to the next injury he incurred. We have 2 small children, one with special needs, and my husband is the sole provider for our family. You cannot even begin to imagine the stress. I felt the weight of the world on my shoulders.

I began looking for work, caring for my husband and my children. I spent the nights trying to figure out how we were going to pay bills, when I was going to have to pull my child out of preschool because of the tuition, and how would I be able to care for them all. I spent my time in denial and tried to make the best of things. It eventually all worked out for us. My son finished preschool and I didn’t have to find a job, but there was more.

It was the everyday stuff that I needed help with and help was no where to be found. All the driving, the garbage, the lawn, the kids, the bills everything fell on my shoulders. The irritation of everyone saying ,”Oh your poor husband” I wanted to shout, “What about poor me!?” Then it seemed that as soon as we made it through another injury ensued.

Here is what I learned: People can’ t possibly know what you are going through unless you tell them. Ask for help, even for small things. Talk to your partner and let them know how you are feeling. Don’t worry about what other people think, they don’t live in your home. Sometimes you just have to let things go in order to move forward.

My husband and I learned a lot about each other during this time. It has made us a stronger couple. It’s changed the way we communicate with each other and with other people. I wouldn’t call it a blessing, but it was definitely a valuable lesson.

Guest Post: Hand Prints on the Wall

Today my guest is Gina from Handprints on the Wall. Gina is a working mom and has provided Mom's Point of View with a great post on working moms. Don't forget to check out her blog.

Thanks for a wonderful post Gina!

Just this past week, while watching GSN reruns of Power of 10, the question given was “what percentage of women feel guilty leaving their children to go to work?” I can’t remember what the answer was, but I know it was high. What mom doesn’t feel guilty about having to work instead of raising their child? I know I did, and all summer I crunched numbers trying to figure out how I could stay at home and not send our little girl to day care. (Lucky for us she is in a Mother’s Day Out and she loves them, as much as they love her.) Unfortunately, there was just no possible way (and given the circumstances we are experiencing now, it is a good thing it wasn’t possible, but that story is for another day). As a teacher, I knew going back to work meant stress and a lot of work to be brought home. Since I started teaching 5 years ago, I have always tried to find a balance between work and home life. But I could just never do it. Last year when finding out I was pregnant I knew something had to be done. I had to find the balance and I had one year to do it…. I never did it. Bring us to this school year. Something changes in you when you know you have a little one at home waiting for your attention. I have figured out ways to get my work done at work and I bring minimal amounts home, if any at all.

Every job is stressful at times, but you need to leave it at work. My very first job was at a grocery store and in training the one thing they emphasized was “leave your home life outside the doors, and leave your work life inside these doors.” At 15 years old, I had no idea how smart that statement really is. You can’t let your personal life affect the way you do your job. So when you walk through those work doors, give 110%. But when the day ends, whatever time that is, you also can’t let your work life affect your time with your family (what little bit we get with family). So when you go home, you are 110% about your family. Keep them separate to keep a happy balance. Of course, hanging pics up at work of your family will definitely help the days go by faster and help remind you why you are working. (For me, I look at pictures and remind myself I am working to give our little girl the best life we can possibly give her.)

Another smart statement that sticks with me (and has since I was a teenager) was stated by Mary Kay Ash (you know, the makeup fortune Mary Kay?). She said, “God first, Family second, Career third.” Again, as a teenager, that didn’t mean much. As I have grown up and made a family of my own, I realize how important it is to put your family first. Nothing comes before my family. For 7 hours a day I have 22 kids that get my full attention. But when I leave, I have only one at home that matters most. She deserves my undivided attention and I have learned how to make that possible. And for those times when you just have absolutely no choice but to bring work home with you, find a way to do it while including the little ones. Of course this is a lot easier when you have an infant (as I do), since she is happy to listen to music while in her jumperoo. But even if your child has a favorite cartoon or video or something, let them enjoy it in the room while you work right next to them. Don’t ignore whatever it is they are saying. While you may be splitting your attention between work and the child, at least acknowledge them. I see far too many children who just want attention… and the desire for attention can cause children to give behavior problems, because bad attention is better than no attention at all in their minds. Trust me. And if you aren’t like me (because I value my sleep too much) you can do your work after the kids are in bed. But once Payton is in bed, that is time for my husband and I to spend together and/or do whatever we want to do, not something that will bring us down, like work. Because honestly, who really WANTS to do work on their own free time?

The last thing I want to add that I have found helps me out (well two things), is to plan fun things to do on the weekends and to take part in a hobby that I enjoy. We try to plan something to do on the weekends, even if it is just taking the baby for a walk, going to the zoo, or going to Target and Hobby Lobby. It is something we all do as a family. I also want to make sure I have time for me (everyone needs it) so I try to read a little each night (I love to read) and I have a lot of crafting projects I want to get done, so I try to complete one a weekend. It is nice to have me time.

So to give you the cliff’s notes version of that novel I just wrote, here are my tips to stay sane for us working moms that have to bring stuff home every now and again:

· Keep your work and home life separate as much as possible

· do anything and everything NOT to bring it home

· if you absolutely must bring work home, do it while the kids are enjoying your company or while they are in bed

· plan family outings to make sure you spend quality time together

· make time for yourself

Guest Post: It's all about me Jen

Today my guest post comes from It's all about me Jen. I found Jen's blog through a blog hop not too long ago. Jen's blog is great I love reading it and this post she wrote for me is just wonderful! If you ever wanted to know what it is like to be an empty nester then this is a great read. Also please make sure to stop by her blog and follower her if you like :)

I as a mother was never in a rush to see my kids grow up. I am aware of many women who want to dash from one milestone to get to another. I say to them “please slow down and enjoy every single minute of your children’s lives because you’ll never get those moments back.”

I was twenty-one when I laid eyes on my first of my three children, with their big brown eyes and wispy bangs, my heart just melted and I was done! I have always had a strong maternal instinct, been a nurturer, so becoming a stepmother was a no brainer for me. My husband and I had two boys together expanding our family making it two girls and three boys.

My years like most mothers were filled with the bustle of school volunteering, homework, sports, and having major bleacher butt, driving carpool, PTO and baking whatever whenever the school called. Time just seemed to fly by however and before I knew it the kids were driving, dating and working part time during the summer or on weekends and then poof they were preparing for college.

There is ten years difference between our oldest daughter and our youngest son so the transition from a house full of kids to an empty nest was a slow one and not quite as difficult as I had heard it would be. Our girls commuted to a local college and lived home for a time before leaving the nest.

Our oldest daughter was the first to move out, she’s bright and independent and it came as no shock when she came to us with the idea. Then our oldest son enlisted in the military that made him number two to leave. That was followed by our other daughter who moved out soon after finishing college. Then last but not least it was college and jobs for the younger sons.

It was an interesting transition for me as a mother with my nest empty; I had in fact never spent a single day of my married life not being a mother with kids at home. I had never worked so my whole married life had been dedicated to the children, starting on the day I married my husband; I was a full time mom. I, like many women tended to think of myself as mother first before woman or wife, so adjustments needed to be made for me emotionally.

You see I did a lot of things for my children because they were children and they needed me. What I learned after they left was that I needed to let go of the idea that they were still children. That they didn’t need me quite the way they did when they lived at home. So when I wanted to jump in and do something for them I’d ask myself this question “am I doing this for them or am I doing it for me?” That need I was feeling ‘to mother’ them never quite goes away but I needed to transition into treating my kids like the adults they were and not like the children they used to be.

When the last of our children finally moved out and my husband and I were finally free to be alone for the first time in twenty five years and to say the least, it was a bit of a shock to our systems. O.K I admit we had a bit of a honeymoon (we’re all adults here right?) We enjoyed our new found privacy very much, which included no worries about open doors, closed doors or ears that resemble ours hearing our conversations. Now we could come and go as we pleased any time of the day or night. Weekend trips are normal for us now; spur of the moment is not a problem.

We made a promise to take a yearly vacation just the two of us just to be “together” and we’ve done that all but one year. We’re going to Barbados this November for this year’s trip to a lovely all inclusive resort. Yeah!

One funny little adjustment I continue to have difficulty with is cooking for less than seven people; frankly I’ve never gotten that down!

We took on some overdue projects around the house that we never had time for, or the money for. A bathroom remodel was my favorite, I loved doing that bathroom and planned it all myself. What fun it was working with the contractor planning and shopping for all the fixtures and picking paint.

Other mothers have asked me if it was difficult seeing the kids move out and I’d be a big fat liar if I said it wasn’t. It takes time to get used to not seeing them every day, and I worry. But part of my job as a parent was to prepare them for adulthood so that they’d be able to leave with confidence and the fact that they did, made me feel kinda good, like maybe I was OK at this mother gig.

I’d like to thank Terri for asking me to guest post today on her blog Mom’s Point of View. I was so excited when she asked that I started to write it the minute we decided on a topic. This is my first guest post ever so I hope you all enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Terri has been a generous and gracious host and I hope that if you’re visiting from my blog you'll show her some love, say hello, leave a comment or follow her blog.

I’d like to conclude with a few examples of what I call “the language of the empty nest”. Now that my children are out of the house, responsible for their finances and realize that our lives don’t revolve around them 24/7 and that we actually have a life, their communication skills have taken on some fun traits.

Phone rings -“Hi Mom I was thinking of coming home for dinner what’s cooking, oh meatloaf great see you later."

(What he’s really saying is)" Hi Mom I’m coming home for dinner and bring my ironing- you’re the greatest iron-er in the world, your meatloaf is the best, I hope there’s Heineken in the fridge because all I can afford is PBR with my paycheck, make up the guest room because I’m bringing my jammies!"

Phone rings-" Hi Mom I was just talking to the boys and they miss you and Dad soooo much." In the background I then hear my three grandsons saying, "we looove you grandmaaa!"

(What she’s really saying is) "Hi Mom we are so tired from working and taking care of the boys that we’d love if you’d offer to take the boys for the weekend so we can have some grown-up time….pppplease!"

My empty nest has afforded me the ability to read minds, isn't that great?! Why couldn’t I have that ability when they were home!?