ARE YOU A SOLO MOM?

Are you a solo mom?  A mom, who, whether by choice, divorce, widow or perhaps or perhaps military deployment, is raising her kids alone?  Whatever the reason, if you are currently a solo mom, I'd like to share a wonderful resource with you called, ESME, which stands for Empowering Solo Moms Everywhere.  ESME, is a social media platform that is dedicated to Solo Moms who face the challenge of  parenting alone in a society that provides little help or guidance. "Mothers on their own, whether by choice or circumstance, parent approximately 22 million American children. Moving beyond stereotypes, ESME offers Solo Moms inspiration, resources, allies, opportunities for creative expression, and some laughs along the way. ESME empowers a broad demographic of women who, despite differences in age, race, culture, and route to single motherhood, are bound together in a conscious coalition that is strong, proud and dedicated to their children."

ESME is a project of love that was founded by, Marika Lindholm. 15 years ago Lindholm was newly divorced with two young children. While she was fortunate to have a stable job as a college professor, she realized many other Solo Moms were working for minimum wage and trying desperately to make a good life for their families. She also knew that while finances were a primary issue for many Solo Moms, there were other realities and challenges that bind Solo Moms such as dating, co-parenting with an ex, feelings of isolation, and finding time for self-care and fun. Flash forward to 2014: Lindholm was happily remarried, and raising five children, but her husband’s work required him to be away for stretches of 6-8 weeks, spurring her into creating something that would improve the lives of Solo Moms. ESME was born.

We are all "Mommy Warriors" but even those of us who are married, or live with a significant other, know that when your partner is not around whether it is because of a business trip  or whatever the case may be, you know full-well, just how difficult it is to deal with the kids when you are alone.  I know how I felt when my husband was away on business for weeks at a time when he had an international job. I was overwhelmed at home with my baby, (and at the time, it was only one child.)  Now, imagine having to do that all the time, every single day of every year and sometimes with two, three, sometimes four kids. It is not only extremely difficult financially, but emotionally, it can take a toll on your mental and emotional well-being.  This is why ESME is such an amazing concept, it is a support group basically for moms in a similar situation that can reach out and empower each other.

I am all for the empowerment of women and I believe that if you are a Solo Mom, you should check out EMSE and take full advantage of the amazing resources available, as well as the friendships that can be cultivated through ESME's.   ESME Resources contains an expanding list of over 5,000 resources for Solo Moms. Within each of their 20 categories, you will find an overview by a knowledgable Guide who cares deeply about that particular topic.You can go online to their website and  choose from a category of articles, FAQ's, interviews, Do's and Don'ts, videos etc. about your particular situation.  As their motto states:  "Independent Together."  You do not have to give up your independence or privacy to use ESME, it is simply a great tool to empower moms who are raising their kids alone.

Listen first-hand what Solo Moms are saying about ESME

Ref. http://beta.esme.com/resources 
http://beta.esme.com/

MYREGISTRY.COM - CHOOSING ANY GIFT YOU WANT FROM ANY WHERE IN THE WORLD YOU WANT!

A little girl's dream...to grow up, meet "prince or princess charming," get married and life happily ever after, right? Well, if you are in the process of that "dream come true" right now, you are in luck because I have just discovered the "registry of all registries" and I am here to share it with you!  And oh, how I wish I had this option when I was getting married.  MyRegistry.com is a free universal gift registry for any occasion and there are 10 amazing reasons why you are going to love it!

TEN REASONS TO LOVE MYREGISTRY.COM

1.  Add gifts from any store on the Internet 
2.  Sync the store registries you already have
3.  Register for Cash gifts 
4.  Discover great gifts & ideas on our inspiration boards 
5.  Find items for your registry & favors for your event 
6.  Easily announce & share your registry 
7.  Add gifts on-the-go from your smartphone 
8.  Add gifts from stores that don't have a website 
9.  Call or chat with us online for personalized service 
10. We're even great for Non Profits!

If you have been married before or you've been to your friend's wedding , you've seen the countless useless gifts that the bride and groom receive.  Well, now with MyRegistry.com, if you are getting married and want to create a gift registry, you have the opportunity to choose gifts from any store in the world. That's right, anywhere in the world! How amazing is that? 

Imagine, whatever your favorite store is, whether it is Target, Amazon, Williams & Sonoma, Etsy, Macy's, Nordstrom's, World Market, Crate & Barrel, you name it, you can choose anywhere! You can sync your store registries from places like: Anthropologie, Best Buy, Bloomingdale's, CB2, Diapers.com, JCPenney, Dillard's, Giggle, Kohl's, The Land of Nod, Macy's, Michael C. Fina, Pottery Barn, REI, Sears, Sur la table, Target, Walmart, and West Elmjust to name a few.

Mommy Warrior is big on fundraising and working with non-profits so we were very happy to hear that MyRegistry.com has contributed $300 BILLION to charitable organizations annually.  That is pretty outstanding, in our opinion.  So, not only can you create an amazing gift list for your wedding, you can also create a wish list for your organization for free!


The best part of MyRegistry.com is, it does not only have to be used for weddings, you can sign up for gifts for graduations, baby showers, holidays, you name it. If there’s a gift involved, MyRegistry will take care of it. And their FREE iPhone and Android applications let you use your phone as a barcode scanner to find the best price before buying or adding any item to your gift list - even when you're away from the computer. The world becomes your virtual department store as you can add everything from anywhere.

HOW IT WORKS:





Basically, MyRegistry.com is the "king of kings" of registries.  Any future bride, groom, graduate, or whoever, is in the market for gifts, is sure to have a great time with the "Add to MyRegistry" button on their web browsers bookmarks bar. It is as simple as finding an item you want online, and clicking the button to add the gift to your registry! 

Find out why MyRegistry.com is the fastest growing in-store/online integrated gift registry solution in America.

ADD GIFTS FROM ANY STORE IN THE WORLD & SYNC THE STORE REGISTRIES YOU ALREADY HAVE INCLUDING:

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FIESTA RANCH CHICKEN (CROCK POT RECIPE)

This simple meal can be easily made in a crock pot and your family will be sure to love it.  The smell as it is cooking, is amazing!

INGREDIENTS:

-4 skinless chicken breast, 
-1 packet Fiesta Ranch mix (by the salad dressing), (or Spicy Fiesta Ranch)
-1 can black beans, 
-1 can Rotel, 
-1 can corn not drained, 
-1 block cream cheese. 

Place all ingredients on high in the slow cooker - here's a great one ---> http://amzn.to/1BF3GwX) for 4 hours to 6 on Low. 

Serve over rice or with tortillas!  Enjoy!


Buy your ingredients here to make this meal for a bigger group or party:


FIESTA RANCH DRESSING & CROCK POT

Pack of 6

MINECRAFT BOOK FOR KIDS (MUST READS)

Do you have a child who is a fan of Minecraft?  Well, now there is whole new series of books, by Christopher Craft, that will get your kids even more excited about the ever-popular game:  First, we have, Minecraft: Diary of A Enderman's Apprentice Vol.1: (An Unofficial Minecraft Book) (Minecraft Books, Minecraft Handbook, Minecraft Comics, Minecraft Books for Kids, Minecraft Diary.)  It’s about an Enderslayer, called Ronan and the Enderslayers are like peaceful endermen  that help humans.

This is the real diary of an actual Enderman's Apprentice. The book allows you to take a peek at what is really going on when no one is watching.  Not only does Christopher Craft, manage to keep die-hard fans entertained, the amount of illustrations in this book (as well as the others) will please all Minecraft fans.     

 Minecraft: Diary of A Enderman's Apprentice Vol.1 has many positive messages, like the storyline that destruction does not solve anything, and the path to peace is working together, protect the weak and help others when you are called upon.  All these great (positive) messages are a great incentive to buy the book.

Another of Craft's books, which is totally entertaining is Minecraft :: Diary of a Minecraft Iron Golem And His Pig Vol.1: (An Unofficial Minecraft Book) (Minecraft Books, Minecraft Handbook, Minecraft Comics, ... Diary) (Diary of a Iron Golem & His Pig)  {Kindle Edition}

Christopher Craft has taken the characters from the Minecraft game and made a fun and unique story to tell. In this particular book, you get to travel along with a Real Iron Golem and his Pet Pig! Kids will find this book hilarious.  These adventure will have your kids laughing so hard, they will want to read the whole series, of Craft's books.

The author does a great job of bringing an online game to life through these adventures, keeping young readers engaged with the story line and plenty of pictures. And he also makes a conscious effort through his writings to incorporate life lessons and tough decisions into the books. 

Any kid that loves Minecraft will love these books!

Check out more books from author, Christopher Craft!

Christopher Craft

MAMA BEAR

I thought I would share this design with my blog audience also, since my Pinterest audience seems to love this particular "Mama Bear" maternity shirt so much.  It has been re-pinned over 100 times!

If you or someone you know is pregnant, go online right here to purchase your very own "Mama Bear" Maternity shirt.  Other versions are also available.  If you are interested in a specific design, feel free to email: MommyWarriorLady@gmail.com

PEANUT BUTTER CUP S'MORES DIP RECIPE

Bring on the Peanut Butter Cup S'mores Dip!

Here is a quick, easy and delicious way to make a tasty S'mores Dip:


1. Preheat the oven to 450°F.

2. Unwrap 1 (12-oz.) bag of Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Miniatures, 40 Ounce Packageinto a 9-inch cake pan. Top with 1 (10-oz.) bag marshmallows.

3. Bake for about 8 minutes until marshmallows are toasted then serve warm with Nabisco Honey Maid, Honey Graham Crackers, 14.4 oz
for dipping.

After you view the easy to make video, you can shopping for your ingredients below. JUst click on the pictures for one stop shopping!  Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Cup S'mores Dip
Bring on the Peanut Butter Cup S'mores Dip!1. Preheat the oven to 450°F.2. Unwrap 1 (12-oz.) bag of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups into a 9-inch cake pan. Top with 1 (10-oz.) bag marshmallows.3. Bake for about 8 minutes until marshmallows are toasted then serve warm with graham crackers for dipping.

Ref. Just a Taste 

BUY YOUR INGREDIENTS HERE:

 

MALALA - A TRUE WARRIOR

Malala Yousafzai​ - is a TRUE warrior!  As a child, she became an advocate for girls' education, which resulted in the Taliban issuing a death threat against her. On October 9, 2012, on her way home from school in Pakistan, a man boarded the bus Malala was riding in and demanded to know which girl was Malala. When her friends looked toward Malala, her location was given away. The gunman fired at her, hitting Malala in the left side of her head; the bullet then traveled down her neck. Two other girls were also injured in the attack. She survived, and has continued to speak out on the importance of education.

Here is a movie trailer of the upcoming documentary, "He Named Me Malala," a true story of a courageous young girl, and an excellent example, of what bravery truly is.   Malala is a Nobel Peace Prize winner, who shares her personal story of tragedy and triumph. ! We should all teach our daughters, (our children) to "stand up for what is right, even if they are standing alone."

Malala exemplifies what the word courage is.

I look forward to seeing the entire documentary with my 12-year old daughter.

(Ref. Malala Fund & Biography.com)

He Named Me Malala - Trailer (OFFICIAL)
It's here! Take a first look at He Named Me Malala, a documentary about Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai's life, story and personal journey as an education activist. Pledge to see the film only in theaters this October at http://bit.ly/1IlDIMgDirected by acclaimed documentary filmmaker, Davis Guggenheim (An Inconvenient Truth, Waiting for "Superman"), the film shows us how Malala, her father, Zia and her family are committed to fighting for education worldwide.

WHY I HATE RELIGION

In 1998, even before becoming pregnant was ever a thought in my mind, my husband and I had a discussion about raising our "hypothetical future children" as Jews.  He had (has) three older children from a previous marriage and in the event that we ever had kids together, we did not want them to be raised any differently.  And given the fact, that I always loved Judaism and its teachings, principles and way of life, I had absolutely NO problem giving up my Catholic upbringing.  I was excited at the thought. 

My mother, G-d rest her soul, made a lot of sacrifices to send me to private Catholic schools, for which I will forever be grateful for (her sacrifice, not the religious part.) I never liked, believed or agreed with some of the outlandish beliefs and teachings of the Catholic church, but that was okay because I was always taught to love and respect others, no matter what.  And she, my mom, exemplified love and compassion. So, it was not money wasted ( I think!) My choice was quietly accepted by my Cuban, Catholic family, only raising eyebrows during Christmas-time, not so much because of religious reasons but because it was tradition, which reminds me of one of my favorite movies, Fiddler on the Roof.

Fast-forward to the year 2015, where my 12-year old is currently in summer camp.  This week they have a holiday dress-up day, where they can choose absolutely any holiday they want, religious or otherwise, and my daughter wanted to choose "Hanukkah," her favorite holiday.  Instead of it being a fun experience, it has become a religious argument among her friends, well, mainly one friend, who apparently has not been taught tolerance and acceptance of others.  She is being told that she is only 50% , that she is not really "Jewish." (Note: A Jew is any person whose mother was a Jew or any person who has gone through the formal process of conversion to Judaism.”)  My daughter, quickly defended herself and proceed to explain how she has never celebrated a Christian holiday and how our family has always celebrated Hanukkah, Passover etc...

Now, I am not an ignorant person, I am aware of the Jewish law, that if a mother is not Jewish by birth, then the child is not recognized as such.  However, with that being said, I made a conscious decision 13 years ago to become "Jewish-by-choice," and raise my children as "Jews," send them to Hebrew School and celebrate every Hanukkah, Passover, Rosh Hashanah, Sukkot, and observe Yom Kippur, having namings, Brit Millah (bris,) conversions etc... Not just because I married a Jewish man, but because I whole-heartedly believe in the Jewish way of life. Hell, I know more about Judaism, its holidays and traditions than most "real" Jews.

 I read somewhere that "Jewishness is passed down by the mother because being Jewish is a spiritual identity, it defines our very being. And our very being we get from our mother, both in body and in soul."  Now you tell me, if I identify, respect and practice Judaism with my very soul, what do you think I am teaching my children?

Regardless of the fact, that I am making a conscious effort to raise my kids with a Judaic education, personally, I also believe, like Albert Einstein, in a Universal Intelligence, along with a little bit of theories from different religions.  I always tell my kids, that the reality is, religion was made up my man!  If people really practiced their religion, practiced what they preach,they would know that it is suppose to teach us love, compassion and tolerance for others. It does not matter what religion you practice (unless of course, you are a damn terrorists!) they all believe in one Universal Being, they just choose to have different names and different versions of "their truths (G-d, Lord, Allah, Buddah, Tao etc...)

One of the many reasons I hated my religious upbringing was the perfect example of the "Sunday church-goer," who would praise the Lord, preach love for all and then get to the parking lot and cut you off with his/her car or  the individual who would "sin" like crazy, meaning, acting like A-hole all week, then go into confession with some random guy wearing a white collar and then all would be mysteriously forgiven.  Really?  This is what life is about?

No! In my opinion, it is not.  Life should be about living to the fullest, learning and growing, showing compassion, love and empathy towards people, making a difference for the better in the world. This is what I am trying to teach my children.

It doesn't matter what religion you practice, but do NOT come tell me or my children that we are not real, that we are only 50%. I rather have half of us than 100% of the hypocritical religious fanatics out there who wouldn't give you a helping hand if you needed one.

So that brings me to the origins of my rant. Why would my child's "friend" make her feel any less of a person, because of her upbringing, religious background or otherwise?  What has that child been taught?  Certainly not tolerance or acceptance!  This is why I "hate" religion, because people are not true to what they preach or claim to believe. And I also must say, I try to teach my kids to not use the words "hate," and I debated whether to use it here or not.  Do not misinterpret this as a hate for anybody, or anything, it is just my way of expressing my absolute dislike for an institution/theory that is complete bulls*%**, in my eyes! I do believe that it is a positive thing to give your children some kind of religious or spiritual background, but you have to teach them, what it truly means. You have to teach them to love and be kind to people, no matter what.

Despite, my ranting on the reasons why I "hate" religion, at the conclusion of my writing, my daughter ended up dressing up for St. Patrick's Day.  Go figure.

READY FOR YOGA

Everywhere I read, it says how good Yoga is for you. Well, this is the year that I am going to start!  The benefits are many. Despite the fact that I am so out of shape, I am going to start little by little, perhaps with "chair yoga."

Chair Yoga
Chair Yoga is a gentle form of yoga that is practiced sitting on a chair, or standing using a chair for support. It is in the process of being recognized formally as a type of yoga distinct from other types, such as Iyengar Yoga or Ashtanga yoga. Often the poses, or Asanas, are often adaptations of Hatha yoga poses.

"In Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism the word yoga means "spiritual discipline". People often associate yoga with the postures and stances that make up the physical activity of the exercise, but after closer inspection it becomes clear that there are many more aspects of yoga. It is an activity that has been practiced for thousands of years, and it is something that has evolved and changed overtime. Different factions of yoga have developed since its conception."

"The traditional purpose of Yoga, however, has always been to bring about a profound transformation in the person through the transcendence of the ego," (Feuerstein 3)

Modern Yoga

Modern yoga is based on five basic principles that were created by Swami Sivananda.

• Proper relaxation
• Proper exercise
• Proper breathing
• Proper diet
• Positive thinking and meditation 

Recently, I read an article in the Huffington Post about how Yoga can make you happier!  Here is the article:

By Monique Minahan
When I first started practicing yoga, I was still digging my way out of a deep cavern of grief. Something about this unusual method of twists, turns, and upside downs kept calling me back. I didn't know what it was initially, but as I began to settle into my body, things began to shift in my life.
I think of it as going from a paralyzed life to a walking life. If you are already able to walk and then begin to run, that's liberating. If you are paralyzed and then begin to walk, that's a miracle.
This was my experience with the power and patience of yoga. Learning how to walk into my life, transition from grief to peace, and eventually to happiness.
The peace and happiness we access on our mats is no accident. Although many write it off as just another exercise-induced dopamine high, yoga goes deeper than that. The mind-body connection created in yoga facilitates change at a cellular level. Cellular memory is the idea that our bodies hold our histories.

Before you brush this off as far-fetched, consider that scientists and physicians have found compelling evidence that the brain and body send messages to each other through neuropeptides and receptors. Neurocardiology is a discipline that studies the communicative relationship between the brain and the heart.

Our nervous systems are what we're tapping into in yoga. Retraining how psychological or emotional triggers set off our flight-or-fight response allows us the opportunity to rewire our sympathetic nervous system. The deep breathing practiced in yoga activates the parasympathetic nervous system, producing a calming, relaxed effect.

The relationship between head and heart has been described as a "dynamic, ongoing, two-way dialogue with each organ continuously influencing the other's function."

When we weave positive intention into our movements, we are imprinting these thoughts, not only into our minds, but into our bodies. We are effecting change on our mat that will allow for change off our mat.

Much of our unhappiness as humans comes from our thoughts or feelings. We judge our experiences in terms of good or bad. We experience feelings of inadequacy, powerlessness, embarrassment, humiliation, and we often keep track of what we don't have more than what we do have.
A full practice of yoga, including meditation, gently removes these weights from our minds and our bodies. Not only does it remove them, but with time it can begin to reshape our attitudes, views, and thoughts.

The physical postures take us into our bodies in a non-judgmental way. From this neutral viewpoint, we can see huge possibility. Without being blocked by preconceived ideas of what we can or cannot do, we are free to try, to fall, to play, and to grow.

Physically, yoga asks one simple thing of us: Show up. Show up in mind, body, and spirit. These are things we can skimp on in other areas of life. Perhaps we show up in body to work or a conversation, but our minds are somewhere else. At times we show up mentally to a project, while our bodies slouch for hours, forgotten. The integration in yoga of all these parts creates the prerequisite unity and connection required for happiness to bloom.

Once we feel unified and connected, we will access a deep well of joy that does not diminish when shared. Yoga doesn't just lift our spirits. It lifts our lives. It opens our eyes to the essence of who we are, and therein lies peace. Therein lies the happiness.


(ref.  Feuerstein, Georg. The Deeper Dimension of Yoga: Theory and Practice. Boston: Shambhala, 2003 & The Huffington Post 2015)