Archives for November 2014

Turn It Up Tuesday – Week 60

November 11, 2014 by Rhonda Gales

Can you believe it’s the 60th week of Turn It Up Tuesdays??!! Welcome to Mother 2 Mother! We’re so happy to have you here this week – and thanks for the amazing posts last week! There were so many great posts to choose from! And we had a record-breaking week – thanks!!!

Turn It Up Tuesdays is all about being happy, excited, energetic…and having fun! Link up your favorite posts (old or new) and meet some awesome bloggers in return! Link up your funny stories, DIY posts, recipes, mommy moments — anything at all, as long as it is family-friendly. We want to laugh, be entertained, be inspired, and have a good time!

Thanks so much to everyone that joins us each week and makes this blog hop the best that it could be!

SPONSOR OF THE MONTH

Silvie from My Silly Little Gang

Through Silvie’s posts, she shares the details of raising my silly little gang of boys and the different things she encounters in her life as a mommy. Including crafts, recipes, and reviews, she enjoys blogging and all the work it entails. It definitely keeps her on her toes, but it’s rewarding for her when she receives a comment from a reader letting her know they enjoy her post. Her goal is to grow her blog into all it can be. As a mommy blogger, she has had the opportunity to work with several brands to review their products or places.

Stop by and check out her blog…it’s definitely a great read!

Are you interested in having your blog or website featured in this spot? Then, sponsor Turn It Up Tuesday for a month! Click here! It’s only $5 for an entire month!
We’re accepting sponsors for 2015!

Welcome the lovely ladies of Turn It Up Tuesday!

(from the top – left to right)

And welcome our awesome guest hosts for November!

(from the top – left to right)

Interested in being a guest host for the month or becoming a permanent co-host?

Complete the form here! Monthly co-hosts will be chosen on a first come first-serve basis. We’re now accepting guest hosts for December, January, and February.

Here are the Featured posts from last week!

Tiffany chose When Cellphone Numbers Collide from Maple Brown Sugar. “I wanted to yell out AMEN as I read this! I have had my number for 5 years and I am STILL receiving texts and calls for the previous user. It’s funny getting a peek at someone’s else life through texts and random photos. Well kinda…LOL”

Keri chose 20 Busy Bag Ideas for Busy Little People | Part 1 from The Way He Plays. “I have been looking for creative busy bags and these are so great and useful!”

Cathy chose Pumpkin Orange Chocolate Wrapped Cake from All That’s Jas. “Such a BEAUTIFUL cake! An elegant dessert worthy of the center of any Thanksgiving feast! Her post makes it looks so easy to make I just might attempt to make it for my families Thanksgiving!”

Angie chose Clothespin Manger Nativity Scene Christmas Craft from Christianity Cove. “The first of Advent is on Nov 30th & nativity scenes have always been precious to me – I have a small collection & I’ll have to add this one to my collection.”

Serena chose 18 Reasons Why The 80’s Were Awesome #StumbleIntoTheWeekend from Barbie Bieber and Beyond. “It was great to reminisce about the 80’s and brought back so many happy & fun memories. It also put me in awe of the many advancements that have been made since then like with video gaming systems, fashion, and music.”

Stacey also chose this post. “Oh man the 80’s! The birth of MTV, big hair bands, and men in makeup and spandex! Oh the music! I have raised my kids on it…a new generation! The Sweet Valley High books were amazing, I remember having a shelf full! LOL! The TV and heaven forbid if there was something political or world newsworthy…there went 3, if not all of those channels! LOL! Thank you so much for the trip down memory lane!”

Damjana chose Cornucopia Snack from Three Kids and a Fish. “Why this one? This treat has what it takes to make a perfect recipe for me: so colorful and inventively looking, yet so simple to make! And, I have a soft spot for the mix of sweet&salty taste…I just HAVE to try it out.”

Kimberly chose Healthy Apple Almond Butter Muffins from Luv a Bargain. “I chose this recipe as it has healthy substitutes for baking – making muffins a little bit healthier. And it looks yummy!”

Yolanda chose I wish I would have known how hard it would be to parent someone else’s child from Ripped Jeans & Bifocals. “As an African American woman who has worked with children at various stages in the system, I found this story of domestic transracial adoption beautiful. How I wish the world was full of more people with hearts as big and loving as this mother. It’s well written, and very touching.”

Mari chose French Toast Breakfast Muffins Recipe from Sweep Tight. “I love all things French Toast.Yummy!!!”

Meghan chose 2 Ingredient Edible DIY Kids Paint Recipe from Domestic Mommyhood. “I’ve been collecting lists of things to do with Savanna at home now that she is truly at an age to grasp learning. I love this idea of edible paint. I can let her do her own thing or we can learn the alphabet and numbers without me having to worry about her accidentally putting this in her mouth…and such a simple recipe!”

Jillian chose 25 Indoor Activities from Life’s Little Projects. “It’s starting to get chilly where I live and with it dark when I get out of work, it’s tough to keep my child entertained indoors. This list has some great ideas on keeping him occupied and having fun!”

Rhonda chose Holiday Craft | How to Make a Sock Snowman from About A Mom. “The holidays are around the corner, so I’m looking for crafts to do with my grandchildren. This sock snowman is adorable and made from items that I have an abundance of. I could find a place around my house for these little fellows. Adorable.”

Kelly chose Scottish Tea Cookies with Apple Butter + Musselman’s Apple Butter Giveaway from Platter Talk. “Our family loves apple butter. I’m sure this would be delicious.”

Jessica chose Financially Fit & Physically Fit You from Women with Intention. “I love the idea of combining both being financially and physically fit together. As I was going through the post, both aspects are the same in nature. It’s basically doing a “2 for 1″ when accomplishing the goals. Thanks for sharing!”

white-chocolate-pumpkin-pie-spice-covered-apple

Tina chose Homemade Chocolate Covered Pumpkin Pie Spice Apples from A Cultivated Nest. “Looks stunning, easy to make, yummy and it can be customised for any season , like Christmas. I’m definitely going to play with this recipe!!Thanks for sharing.”

Chelsea also chose this post. “I don’t even like chocolate, but these apple treats look delish!! I love that the pumpkin spice was included, so it’s a little different than the average ‘covered apple’!! Yummm!”

Amy chose A Little Thanksgiving Home Tour from Little Brags. “Christine did a fantastic job decorating her porch and home for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday. Her spaces are warm and welcoming, just what you want when having guests over! I love that she made some of the decorative items herself, including the creative little side table. I wish I was on her holiday guest list!”

The post with the most clicks is Death by Chocolate Slow Cooker Dump Cake from Homemaking Hacks with Dawn Lopez.

Stop by and show some love to our featured bloggers this week! I’m sure they’d all appreciate it!

If you were featured above, feel free to share the badge below with pride on your blog or website!

<div align="center"><a href="http://epicmommyadventures.com" title="Epic Mommy Adventures" target="_blank"><img src="http://epicmommyadventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/200pxturnitupbuttonfeature1_zps09bd5c75.png" alt="Epic Mommy Adventures" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

And the Best of the Best is…

I wish I would have known how hard it would be to parent someone else’s child from Ripped Jeans & Bifocals

French Toast Breakfast Muffins Recipe from Sweep Tight

Show some love to our Best of the Best bloggers this week!!!!

As the Best of the Best, you win free ad space on Epic Mommy Adventures for 30 days! Please showcase the badge below with pride on your blog!

Please send an e-mail to Natasha at 1EpicMommy@gmail.com and she will provide you with all the details!

<div align="center"><a href="http://epicmommyadventures.com" title="Epic Mommy Adventures" target="_blank"><img src="http://epicmommyadventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/200pxturnitupbuttonbest_zps00692ef1.png" alt="Epic Mommy Adventures" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

So now that you’ve met our sponsor of the month, our hosts and co-hosts, the Featured and the Best of the Best, and the winners of our anniversary giveaway…

let’s get started!

*Show some love to your hosts and co-hosts simply by following them on social media and leaving a comment so they can follow you back. *Link up as many posts as you’d like! The more, the merrier! *Check out some of the other posts and make some new friends! *Grab the button below and showcase on your sidebar! Invite your fellow bloggers to join the fun!

<div align="center"><a href="http://epicmommyadventures.com" title="Epic Mommy Adventures" target="_blank"><img src="http://epicmommyadventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/200pxturnitup1_zps05216d89.png" alt="Epic Mommy Adventures" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

Link up your posts, make some friends, and earn the chance to be featured or become the Best of the Best on Turn It Up Tuesday! We will feature the favorite posts each week!

An InLinkz Link-up

Never miss another Turn It Up Tuesday! Sign up for reminder e-mails!

Interested in reading all of the Featured Posts on Turn It Up Tuesdays – past or present? Or do want to know if your post was featured before we go live next week? Follow Natasha Peter’s board Featured on Turn It Up Tuesdays! on Pinterest.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: social media, social networking, Turn It Up Tuesday

Dealing With Toxic People In Your Life

November 8, 2014 by Rhonda Gales

Today, I’m sharing empowerment tips on dealing with toxic people. For the past few months, I’ve felt a little down. I’ve felt heavy, fatigued and at times ready to just throw my hands up in dismay. Why, a toxic relationship. I have learned over the course of the years to pay attention to my body and how I’m feeling. Once I get in touch with how I’m feeling, I step away and assess why.

I ask myself, what’s new in my life? How do I feel after an encounter with a family member or friend? Is there something going on at work that’s bothering me? I ask these questions so I can pinpoint what’s happening. At times I feel this way because of a stressful situation at work, but the majority of time it’s a toxic person who’s spawning poison my way. Toxic people will affect your health and pull you down.

Over the years, I have learned that I stayed in relationships or friendships way too long. I never liked giving up on people or things without giving 100% of myself. But, I’ve learned that the other party must be willing to give 100% of themselves too. If not the relationship is one sided and I must walk away. Walking away has gotten easier for me. I realized that no relationship is worth suffering over or not getting my needs meet.

I come from a toxic family. My mother is as toxic as you can get. So, I am quite familiar with toxic people. Toxic people usually come from a dysfunctional background. They’re usually harboring deep envy, anger or jealousy. If they don’t get their emotions in check, they manifest in a harmful way.

Dealing with toxic people

Dishonesty – Dishonest people are people who hid the truth or don’t tell the truth. In my opinion, one is as bad as the other. When you’re not honest about who you are, what you’re doing or what’s happening in your life you’re depriving the other people of the ability to make judgments that are beneficial to them.
Ignoring You – When a person doesn’t return your calls, respond to your text messages or make time for you it can affect your self-esteem. My motto is if I’m not a priority, you wont’ be one either. Nobody is so busy that they can’t find the time to respond in some way.
Blaming Other People -Toxic people always blame others for their issues and problem. They create drama, but try to turn things around and they become the victim. They project themselves on you. What is true about them, they say about you.
Sabotage – They underhandedly and sometimes overtly try to sabotage your happiness and goals. Deep down they really don’t want you to be happy or succeed. And, they always find something wrong with what you’re trying to achieve.
Toxic People Will Pull You Down – They can and will eventually affect your health and your emotional well being. Their behavior causes drama and/or conflict and whatever the situation is the outcome will be negative.

Finally, I learned to run in the opposite direction from toxic people or limit their presence in my life. I see absolutely no benefit to having them around. They’re like quick sand, they will pull you down little by little and eventually you find yourself up to your neck in crap. Who needs it. Learn to recognize and deal with toxic people before they grab hold of you and pull you down.

You may also like: Toxic People Quotes

Filed Under: Confidence, Empowerment Tagged With: empowerment, relationships, self-esteem, toxic people

Inspirational Quote – BlamingOthers

November 6, 2014 by Rhonda Gales

Filed Under: inspirational quotes, Uncategorized Tagged With: Printables

Cool Gel N Cap Giveaway – Perfect For Kids With Fevers

November 5, 2014 by Rhonda Gales

Welcome to the Cool Gel N Cap Giveaway

Hosted by: SaraLee’s Deals Steals & Giveaways

and

Mother 2 Mother Blog

Handling Loneliness As a Single Parent

November 4, 2014 by Rhonda Gales

Today, I’m sharing empowerment advice on handling loneliness as a single parent. Being a single parent can lead to feeling lonely and unloved? As a single parent, we rarely talk about our struggles, but we need to be loved too. However, I found that sharing your feelings helps eliminate shame and guilt. We don’t want anyone to know that part of us, but loneliness is felt by many. You are not alone.

It’s time for us to let the cat out the bag. None of us had a immaculate conception. At some point we had sex that’s how we became mothers and father, right. Hell some of us had great sex! No matter how strong we become as single parents, deep down we still want to have someone wrap their arms around us. What’s wrong with being told that we’re beautiful, that we’re loved and that they want to make passion love to us. It’s a healthy desire.

As single parents, we exert a huge amount of energy into raising our children. Most of the responsibility of raising children falls onto the parent who has legal custody. Because it takes so much energy to raise our children alone, we place ourselves on the back burner. As a result, we bury our need to be loved because loving our children becomes the priority. But, at some point our feelings come roaring to the surface.

So, I’m encouraging all of you to say, I feel lonely at times. Admit that you want someone to love. If you’re alone while reading this post, scream it! Now I can’t guarantee that a handsome man will appear when you finish, but at least you’re acknowledging those deep down feelings. Talk about it with a friend. You’re freeing yourself from the guilt of wanting to be with someone. And, you’re freeing yourself from the pain of not being able to achieve it because of your status.

Furthermore, I worried about dating and having a strange man around my daughter when I was raising her. The thought of someone molesting her that I was dating or another failed relationship haunted me. I had made mental notes of women who had placed a man before her children. Or, trusted them around her children and the man ended up abusing them. Being a single mother is hard enough, I simply couldn’t add that burden to my list of life’s troubles. I realized that I treasured my daughter more than I wanted a relationship. When she got older, I would consider getting involved again.

How to Deal with Feeling Loneliness as a Single Parent:

Accept that you deserve to have a little fun and need adult interaction. Open yourself up to dating and or making new friends.
Take a few college courses to better yourself. First, attending class and doing homework will keep you busy to a point where you don’t have time to focus on being lonely. Also, I also met great people in my classes and would meet them for a drink or burger after class.
Reconnect with old friends, male and female. Next, they may be receptive to spending time with you and your children.
Compile a list of books that you want to read. So, this can include self-improvement, romance, true crimes and anything else that catches your eye.
Learn to cross-stitch, crochet, or scrapbook. – Finding a hobby that you can do the week-end will help tremendously. I started scrapbooking and crocheting. I made scrapbooks for friends and Christmas gifts.
Treat yourself on Saturday nights that you don’t have a date. Burn a candles, put on some soothing music and soak in a hot tub.
Check out on-line groups who can relate to your situation. They are great source of inspiration, a great way to make friends and social networking for business endeavors.
Take a sewing class or teach yourself to sew. – Last, learning to sew will help with the expense of purchasing new curtains, throw pillow, kid’s Halloween costumes and more.
Have a spa day – Give yourself facials, paint your nails or soak in a hot, bubble bath. It all helps to reduce stress.

Finally, know that you are not alone and you will eventually find love again. Good things come to things who wait, but be sure to treat yourself well while you’re waiting. I hope you implement a few of my tips on dealing with loneliness as a single parent. You may also like7 Ways Single Moms Cope With Loneliness.

Filed Under: Divorce, Empowerment Tagged With: parenting advice, single parenting, succeeding as a single parent

Turn It Up Tuesday – Week 59

November 4, 2014 by Rhonda Gales

Welcome to Mother 2 Mother and the 59th week of Turn It Up Tuesdays!!! We’re so happy to have you here this week – and thanks for the amazing Halloween posts last week! There were so many great posts to choose from!

Let’s continue with some more Halloween and Fall posts this week! I’m sure you have tons more to share!

Thanks so much to everyone that joins us each week and makes this blog hop the best that it could be!

SPONSOR OF THE MONTH

Silvie from My Silly Little Gang

Stop by and check out her blog…it’s definitely a great read!

Welcome the lovely ladies of Turn It Up Tuesday!

(from the top – left to right)

And welcome our awesome guest hosts for November!

(from the top – left to right)

Interested in being a guest host for the month or becoming a permanent co-host?

Complete the form here! Monthly co-hosts will be chosen on a first come first-serve basis. We’re now accepting guest hosts for December, January, and February.

Here are the Featured posts from last week!

Cathy chose Easy Recipe for Pumpkin Cream Cheese Truffles from A Mitten Full of Savings. “Cream cheese and pumpkin…need I say more!? I can’t wait to make these for the holidays!”

Jillian chose How to Make an Infinity Scarf from Little House Living. “I chose this post because I have been seriously obsessed with scarves this Fall season and they can get pricey. This is a much more affordable option to fulfill my need for many many scarves. haha”

Cathy chose Book Page Paper Pumpkin {How to Decorate for Fall on a Budget} from The Domestic Heart. “Shelly has created an amazing paper pumpkin and you can to with her awesome step by step tutorial! Create these amazing paper pumpkins to decorate your home this harvest season!”

Kelly chose Paper Plate Candy Corn Bunting from Typically Simple. “I love easy craft projects and my kids thought this was really fun.”

Jessica chose If I Had A Halloween Party from The Crafty Side of Sarcasm. “How cute! Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. I have yet to throw a Halloween party so when I do, I will definitely check in for some of these awesome ideas, especially the take on food!”

Bernadyn chose How Zombies and Screams Gave Me a Mom Moment from Life in a House of Testosterone. “I chose this post because Kim shares how she had a “Mom moment” with her son in an unexpected time and place. I think that for parents, those special moments are important to cherish especially as your children grow older and it sometimes, it becomes harder to find ways to stay close and connected.”

Stacey chose Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Bars from Platter Talk. “Oh my these look absolutely wonderful! My kids would definitely be asking for more because these are three of their favorite ingredients! LOL! I will be giving this one a try and soon! Thank you so much for sharing!”

Meghan chose 52 Ways You Can Save Money Each Month from Amber Kristine. “As a stay at home mom, we are constantly looking for ways to save money. This post was great as it gave me a few additional ideas that we had not thought of yet.”

easy-recipe-for-Apple-cranberry-chia-jam

Sonya chose Easy Apple Cranberry Chia Seed Jam from A Worthey Read. “This looks like a great healthy jam recipe that is perfect for fall. Apples and cranberries are both in season so this is a great way to use them.”

Elina chose Coffee Filter Crafts | Coffee Filter Wreath from Happy Deal – Happy Day! “The finished project is stunning and she takes you step by step on how to create this unique wreath. I love the flowers she added to it, it gives the wreath a nice pop of color.”

Tina chose All Natural Car Air Freshener from Robyn’s View. “What a wonderful idea, it looks so elegant! A natural air freshner without any chemicals,safe for all the family. Looks great and the car smells great for less!”

Natasha chose 10 Practical Tips For New Bloggers (From A New Blogger) from Tabler Party of Two. “This is such a great post! These are tips that even us semi-newbie and long-time bloggers can take advantage of!”

The post with the most clicks is How To Put A Dresser Back Together from Anastasia Vintage.

Stop by and show some love to our featured bloggers this week! I’m sure they’d all appreciate it!

If you were featured above, feel free to share the badge below with pride on your blog or website!

<div align="center"><a href="http://epicmommyadventures.com" title="Epic Mommy Adventures" target="_blank"><img src="http://epicmommyadventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/200pxturnitupbuttonfeature1_zps09bd5c75.png" alt="Epic Mommy Adventures" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

And the Best of the Best is…

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Bars from Platter Talk

How Zombies and Screams Gave Me a Mom Moment from Life in a House of Testosterone

Show some love to our Best of the Best bloggers this week!!!!

As the Best of the Best, you win free ad space on Epic Mommy Adventures for 30 days! Please showcase the badge below with pride on your blog!

Please send an e-mail to Natasha at 1EpicMommy@gmail.com and she will provide you with all the details!

<div align="center"><a href="http://epicmommyadventures.com" title="Epic Mommy Adventures" target="_blank"><img src="http://epicmommyadventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/200pxturnitupbuttonbest_zps00692ef1.png" alt="Epic Mommy Adventures" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

So now that you’ve met our sponsor of the month, our hosts and co-hosts, and the Featured and the Best of the Best,

let’s get started!

<div align="center"><a href="http://epicmommyadventures.com" title="Epic Mommy Adventures" target="_blank"><img src="http://epicmommyadventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/200pxturnitup1_zps05216d89.png" alt="Epic Mommy Adventures" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

Link up your posts, make some friends, and earn the chance to be featured or become the Best of the Best on Turn It Up Tuesday! We will feature the favorite posts each week!

An InLinkz Link-up

Never miss another Turn It Up Tuesday! Sign up for reminder e-mails!