I was reading one of my favorite sites for some inspiration and found this. Boy, do I wish I would have read this 10 years ago and followes it. Maybe I would not be in the place I am today. I miss my Gigi so much and think about her always. And if there was a way I could have prepared a little more I would have... So I hope this helps you if you are still in the "younger" years. Or...maybe nothing will help and you will be like me...a balling crybaby!!!

Parents, are you ready for an empty nest when your kids fly the coop to college?

Or will you sob and embarrass them at Freshman orientation? Well, the journey to letting go is filled with little steps between the cradle and college. So here’s some advice we found in Newsweek magazine from the book, “Letting Go: A Parent’s Guide to Understanding the College Years.”

• To start, take a deep breath and one step back. Give your child a chance to work things out on their own. Even a crying infant eventually learns to fall asleep without being held.

• Next, help your child learn to negotiate conflicts. Encouraging your toddler to use words instead of grabbing her toy back from another child is the first lesson in the art of conflict resolution.

• Another step on the road to letting go: Help your child stand up for herself. Don’t go to teachers about bad grades, or coaches about bad calls. If your child wants to change things, let her fight her own battles, solve her own problems, and gain confidence.

• Here’s another piece of wisdom from the book Letting Go: Encourage your child to dream big. But help them set achievable goals. Your middle schooler may want to run a marathon, but help her run a 5k first.

• More advice on letting go for parents: Loosen the reins a little at a time. Increase your child’s responsibilities and freedoms a bit more each year.

• Here’s a biggie: Teach your kid to manage time and money. When teenagers are allowed to make choices about the money they’ve saved, the reality of what life really costs sets in. And the kid who understands the consequences of being late, has a big advantage. So set rules, and if they’re broken, dish out consequences.

And finally – even though you’re letting go, remain an anchor. Encourage your child to turn to you in good times and bad. Stay steady even when your child is shaky. And resist the temptation of giving one last lecture. She’s been listening more than you know.

!HAPPY FRIDAY!!! WAHOO!!! My weekend is here...it is suppose to be a very nice one! I hope so especially after the cold and dreary one we had last weekend. Tonight i am alone...boo is at a concert, gigi is in Oklahoma and hunny bunny is at soccer practice. I have been busy though...i watched a few of my soaps (i need to catch up), went shopping (Lane Bryant, Fashion Bug and Icing). I bought some yummy stuff!!! and i was also able to exercise!! Wahoo!! I am hoping to get some scrapbooking done, fold some clothes, put some the wash and read and enjoy a bubble bath....time will tell. Well...Happy Friday!!!

JOY!!! This Sunday our pastor spoke about having joy at work. Of being able to "rise above" things and be happy. Wow!!! Who knew I would need that this week (hmmmmm...could it be GOD???). Wow, it has been a very interesting week and there has been lots of emotional things going on (on top of the regular stuff). I am trying to rise above it and be "better" but boy is ir hard! I never wanted to be a "leader" and "different". I mean yes I want and in some ways "need" (hey i did not make me an administrator...HE did!!)to be a leader...but in no way did I want to be a "light". Hey, that is for my pastor and the leaders in church...for my daughter and her friends...for my hunny bunny...but NOT me!!! *sigh* So today what happened...a time to "shine"??? Well...i don't know, but I do know I wanted to be "better" so I called hunny bunny and told him what was going on and well...hunny bunny being hunny bunny...he "helped" me to take the "high road". Yes, i feel a little better...but once again...who signed me up for this daily??? Not me. Anyway...i am still hurt and a bit confused but I will survive and all in all I did not destroy anyone so that is good. *sigh* I am sure there will be more on this subject later...i am sure of that!!!
Tonight Gigi is suppose to call so we are excited (especially hunny bunny who was not home when she called on Monday night). We sure miss her!!! *sigh*
Tonight is also the last debate....hmmmmmmmmmmm.... *sigh*
Well...i am off to do some things from my weekly list...clothes!!!! *sigh*

Tonight hunny bunny is out doing some volunteer work for the 2008 election. I can't wait to see how it went (smile).

This week I want to accomplish a few things...

*send Gigi her gift package

* send the girls a card

* go through older mail and sort

* do 3-4 loads of clothes

* fold 3-4 loads of clothes

* work on detangling some jewelry

* work on the living room

* make 3-4 meals this week

* start doing my "sit ups"

Manic Monday #137

What is one thing you admire about each of your parents?

****I admire the fact that my mom chose to have me (even though she was very young) and she worked hard for me to have a better life than her. She worked so I could enjoy life and being young and free!!!
****I admire that my dad allowed me to be me in so many ways! He also worked hard so me and mom could have better lives. I never wanted for anything.
****They were both great models to have and their work ethic was incredible! I am who I am at work because of the example they set for me. You worked hard and you always did your best!!


Which parts of your home do you like best?
****I LOVE our family room. It is where we watch tv, visit, listen to music, play games, celebrate holidays...it is the heart of our home and I LOVE it!!!!


Which would you prefer and why? To have every stoplight turn green upon your arrival for the rest of your life or to have one week of the best sex any person ever had?
****Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.....interesting choice...does a week include the weekend????? teeehehehehe...then hands down the week of toe curling, eyes rolling back sex with my hunny bunny!!!!!

3 weekends ago our lives changed soooo much! We left Gigi in Oklahoma!!! It is amazing because I did not think I would get through the first few days let alone a few weeks! We miss her soooo much and there are times one of us will get real quiet and you know...a "moment" is occurring. Daddy has been having lots of them lately (especially when he comes from soccer practice). So many things have changed with her leaving (whoever said things remain the same is crazy!!!). The house is more quiet, the couch is empty and her laughter is missed! I will look at pictures and get sad (i tried to scrapbook and it has been almost impossible...i start to cry). I did not touch any of it last week...maybe i will try something small this weekend...hmmmmmm.
Other changes include not knowing how much to cook! This week I cooked less but I still had leftovers!!! I am not sure if we are eating less??? Speaking of eating...I started exercising the first week she left and have cut down on sweets...i don't want to say I am on a diet because those are always doomed for destruction on my world! Anyway...with her gone I feel I can have "timeframes" to help me...my goal is to be a little more healthy by the time she comes home for Thanksgiving...we will see. At this point I am not weighing myself...but my jeans are not as tight!!! good sign (i think).
i know i have not been blogging lately...I tend to "veg" when I come home. Soooo...i am going to try to become more "alive". And would you not know it...the weekend I want to try it is gloomy and ugly outside!!! It is a "lazy" day....wow!!! hmmmmm...
work...auuughhhh!!! what a week....it was fun at times and very hectic at other times. and meetings....wow!!! who knew one could have so many meetings in one day let alone one week!!
i have so much to catch up on and i am hoping to do this...soon. In the meantime i am off to see what i can push myself to do today and this weekend (wish me luck!).