New journeys in life...

Well .. here is another day gone by.. and I think things seem to be coming together more.. I am trying to work on a new discipline and blog more.. I really do like this blogging thing ... actually the definition is as follows.. "and online diary, a personal chronological log of thoughts published on a web page." Sounds impressive!! I guess I can be called a "bloggerist?" Is this a word?? I think so .. now..

Today was a day full of interesting learning events.. s

ome great, some not so great. I would like to talk about a wonderful new company that I'm involv

ed in .. a "w

ellness" company. My new business.. "Moms helping Moms to create a healthier brighter future!" Artfulmama's Wellness... I really love the

products and there are so many. All of them healthy and environmentally safe for you and your family.. you may go to the website.. http://www.internetceomoms.com/Artfulmama and explore your possiblities to save money, get healthier, and develop your own personal business.. just by helping others.. do the same.!!

My greatest passion.. besides writing is my artwork.. I so completely enjoy being creative.. and sharing with the world. I have discovered a wonderful website offering a wonderful retreat, getaway.. whatever you m

ay call it.. enjoying nature and indulging yourself in art!!! The web

site http://www.hawaiianartjourney.com offers a truly wonderful authentic Hawaiian experience.. of art, culture and nature compiled with relaxation and restfulness. Please feel free to explore the website and contact me if you have any questions etc.

This weekend I took a beautiful walk through a small town near my home, Holualoa, Hawaii .. browsing and enjoying art and sipping and tasting Kona coffee from many different coffee

farms!! Who could beat it.. coffee and art all in one experience.. at the

Kona Coffee Art Stroll. I visited many quaint little art galleries.. and met lots of beautifully talented peo

ple. I really love these unique galleries!!

I also had the pleasure of being introduced to another excellent organization .. Arts of Kona... who involves artists of all different types and mediums.. to promote the presence of art in our community he

re and Hawaii. The organize various showings of all talents from concerts to art shows and the like. Check out and visit their website.. http://www.artsofkona.org

I hate to end on a real but negative note.. but this morning I was watching my favorite news and everything show.. Good Morning America. I think I've been watching this program for at least 25 years... every morning while getting dressed for work.. or the day, having a cup of coffee or herbal tea.. I try to at least get in an hour of Good Morning America.. today was different.. I was truly disturbed by a story I heard about yet another little girl .. missing then found murdered.. her body found destroyed just a few days after her disappearance. I truly don't know whats going on in this world

! More and more of these terribly awful stories.. are popping up all over.. !! I listened to the mother of this little girl.. and watched her cry for her lost daughter.. she mentioned and it stuck with me, about being too busy .. taking the little things and times for granted.. sometimes its just that we are "just too busy in our heads.." Wow..!! that really hit me.. then she said .. you never know as each day goes by that we could be sitting here.. maybe with our own tragic story. If you have a moment take time to visit the website... http://www.rememb

eringsomer.com and take the time to read the story and send a message of hope and prayers.

So, with this in mind.. please lets all think.. take time with our children and families.. even just the little times.. talking in bed when its dark.. cuddling all together in one bed .. watching a silly tv show.. these times are making most memorable events in our minds.. Try not to get "too busy in your head." Take time for the little things.. love and enjoy your families and children..!! With Warm Aloha.. Good Night... Artfulmama

How to Make Just Like a S'more Desert | eHow.com

How to Make Just Like a S'more Desert | eHow.com

Its a New Month .. A New Day... New Beginnings!!

Aloha to all !!! I know its been a little bit since I've blogged in.. trying to get started on a new schedule this month!!! More discipline.. and more details to cover.. !!

I hope to "blog in" every day with a new message .. or news or whatever.. I have been kind of slack on this .. and really get back with my followers.. !! and hope I get more NEW followers.. !!

I've been busy with so many things.. and have really enjoyed getting back to my writing.. I never realized there were so many online writing content websites!!! I have really enjoyed writing for ehow.com and met so many new wonderful friends.. You would

be surprised on how much you can learn from this website.. interesting information covering health, wealth, excellent recipe ideas.. you name it .. I would so enjoy you checking out my articles and rating them.. Lets face it we ALL have something to "give back!"

I have also joined another wonderful "Mom's" group.. (but you really don't have to be a Mom) to reap the benefits of a super company offering excellent environmentally safe and healthy products .. literally from soup to nuts.. and THE BIG THING IS .. you can create a great LEGITIMATE BUSINESS RIGHT FROM YOUR OWN HOME!!! Please feel free to check out my website.. and contact me with ANY questions.. etc.. Love to hear from all of you!!! Aloha .. we'll talk again tomorrow.!!! Artfulmama

http://www.internetceomoms.com/Artfulmama

"I'm Sooooo Hungry!!!"

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OMG!!!! I'm soooo hungry!!! This seems to be what my daughter says almost everyday coming home from school!!!! I understand they have growing bodies... and alot more energy than I have.. but ... I surely do miss MY SNACKS going to the RIGHT PLACE!!! It is sooooo frustrating.. and sometimes I have to say... I'm a bit jealous.. in ways.. !! I remember those days after school.. and even after classes in college...!! I would drive through and get a large french fry... and a large milk shake... and wolf it all down.. do some homework... studying, even go to a part time job, work late.. go out and party with friends.. and still NO WEIGHT GAIN!!! Now I watch my own daughter .. devour the same things.. and the same result.. NO WEIGHT GAIN... now I look at a french frie ... and gain at least five pounds!! There are so many fun ways to make more he
althy food more attractive to kids... especially through holiday time.. now with Halloween coming up.. you can get scarily creative.. I was checking a Family Fun Magazine..and found some really great creative recipes..like English Mummies, English muffins with swirled mozarella cheese on top and olives for eyes!! You can cut bread out in ghost shapes, covered them with cream cheese and use raisins for eyes!! How about cutting up apples like scary faces and using cut up almonds for jagged teeth!! There is also an excellent website with great ideas as well.. · http://budurl.com/BLBL1
This website has lots of wonderful ways to "Give Back!!' with a Halloween theme!!! I like the creative idea to send emails to each other using your o wn photo downloaded in a scary character sending a spooky Halloween message!!! Each email makes a donation to the WWF!! I would give my left arm to be able to have that metabolism and even half the energy that I used to have then. But like they say that was then and this is now!!! I love my little "Carb Cueen" .. and wouldn't change her for the world.. I watch her everyday .. growing up. It seems like yesterday I was buying diapers and baby formula and now .. I know it will be any day and she'll be asking for the keys to the car!! Life is truly like a roller coaster ride.. some times up, some times down, some times fast, some times slow... you just have to hold on .. and enjoy the ride whether we like it or not!!

So with all this "healthy" food in mind.. and school almost being out... for the day, I better go try to russle something "good to eat" for the after school snack and then the inevitable... MOM... WHAT'S FOR DINNER???? Oh well.. its all in a day "The Art of Being a Mom!!!" able to create interesting things to eat in a single bound!!! Aloha till next time!!!

Here comes Halloween!!!

Well here comes Halloween... can you believe it!!! Seems just like yesterday.. it was the end of the school year!!! These days, weeks and months.. seem to be moving soooooo fast... !! Our children seem to be growing so quickly and adopting new habits and hobbies. I think this teenage age is much more difficult than the toddler stage.. There are sooooo many things that they are exposed to and can quickly get involved in. It is up to us as parents... to try to do our best to keep them on the straight and narrow.. especially here on the internet.

I found this really super website.. www.trickortreatme.com. Its a very informative website but fun too!! There are all kinds of tips for healthy eating for our children, opportunity for blogging and creative, healthy and yummy recipes from Robin Miller .. the writer for the Food Network. The really cute fun thing is that you can create your own "monster card" to send to friends and family! All you have to do is choose a Halloween character, upload one of your own photos!! and and send a spooky Halloween email message !!! Each email sent makes a donation to the WWF Fund! Kids spend lots of time on the internet these days.. and this a great way to get in a spppppookky fun mood for Halloween!!

http://budurl.com/BLBL1

"Mission in Chaos"

A "Mission in Chaos!!" sometimes thats what my life seems to be.. never knowing what the next second, minute or hour will hold.. I believe the only real thing I can hold on to is my Faith... Faith in God .. and that I know that He is always there for me... to keep me going... keep me positive.. that and a Venti Ice Coffee with soy!!! I really do feel like this piece on the left... everything jumbled up into one big bunch of ideas..

I believe a lot of times, I am on a "mission".... a mission to be the best Wife, Mother, Frugalista and artist I can be. I have truly been inspired by my visions and ideas of color and my new pieces along with more and more ideas seem to "be on a roll" these days... For some reason my creativity has been locked up with the stress of these harsh economic times.. and after just simply letting go.. and letting God.. take over.. my ideas are really popping!!! I am finding and maybe finally fitting into my lifetime career as a full time Mom on the Run like I say...

I think one of my most difficult tasks is "What's for dinner???" ... I just get completed blocked when it comes to figuring out new ideas to make for dinner.. Frankly, I w

ould be happy with pancakes.. and so would my daughter.. but I may get a little bit of an odd look from the "King of the Castle" haha!!! Seriously though, they all usually eat what I make without toooo many odd looks or running to the ph

one to call for pizza!!! Dont get me wrong, I really do love to cook, bake and create... but the idea thing...AHHHH!!! I just hate it!!! Just tell me what to make and your wish is my command!! Just trying to add more healthy things to the menu is a task in itself... I think the only thing green they get really excited over is Skittles or M&M's!!! Believe me I like them both as well, but a steady diet.. welll... everything in moderation comes to mind.. maybe I should start another blog... !!! thats it !! Another blog for people to comment and send in suggestions.. and we can all share and swap healthy and creative ideas

for meals... not just limited to dinner but everything breakfast, lunch and dinner !!! The Works!!! Creative ideas and crafty, healthy receipes.. that EVERYONE WILL LIKE!!

So, now with Halloween loooming ahead..

and tons of candy and goodies.. to be made and offered, what better time would there be to be able to come up with and share great creative ideas.. and we don't have to stop there.. lets get going NOW.. instead of doing things the last minute for our costumes as well... soo stayed tuned for my up and coming new blog.. "Look What's for Dinner" (under construction at this time) and lets start thinking and sharing our thought and ideas.. Hope to see your comments soon!!!... don't forget to check out the following website in your Haunting Halloween Spirit!!!

): http://budurl.com/BLBL1

So Aloha for now.. !!! Have a good ONE!! Artfulmama

Confessions of a now "Frugalista"

I was just thinking ... about "Money, what is it good for?" The long and short of it is that the more money you have ... the more you want... it just doesn't matter how much we think we need ... and then obtain, there always seems like.. the plain simple truth ... we always need more!! Its a terrible vicious cycle. These stressful economic times have put us all on notice. We are all learning and have been forced to realize the value of the all mighty dollar and the part that it plays in our lives whether we like it or not. We all need money to live and survive but the key is not to get caught up in the deep dark addiction of "spending". I myself am a recovering "Shopaholic". It took me a long time to really admit and the big word and accept this fact of being a Shopaholic but ... its true, "I am a Shopaholic." Definition and or meaning "A person who shops compulsively and or frequently." This like many other addictions, will always be a part of my life and a constant temptation. Fortunately, I live in a place where the nearest mall is three hours away... but believe me if I let myself, I can do preeettty serious damage at the local Walmart. Believe me its not a fun experience. I wished it would have been different but in the long run, but, I have really learned from this situation. The movie "Confessions of a Shopaholic" was absolutely totally me.. maybe not to the supreme extent.. but it was me. The statement "I wish I knew then what I know now.. " is really evident with me on this one. Just watching the movie with my daughter.. was, I must admit a little embarrassing.. just because I could totally relate... I was her..".. the rush of hearing the credit card being swiped.." that was a goose bump thing for me.

Believe me I tried to quit.. several times.. I have also cut up all my credit c

ards just to make my statement clear to myself. I used to say like all the other addicts.. "I can quit anytime I want.." But, I would end up going straight to a

store and making a payment .. but then making a purchase immediately after right off the statement.. pretty sick I know.. but it was the nature of the beast. It was a new thing.. something new in my life.

I even remember having a bad day at the office.. and heading straight for the mall on my lunch hour and spending ridiculous

amounts on even just a small tube of lipstick for a quick fix to make me feel better for the rest of the day. Wow, how stupid was I to get caught up in such an "addiction." I never knew how

much trouble this small innocent act would get me into......

So, now as I sit here as a recovering "shopaholic" and randomly dig through old boxes, bags and various other containers.. I sit in wonderment

of all the things that I have spent money on that at the time I really didn't need. I think of all the money I could have saved and used for more sensible things..

but then I think too, that was a different time then and we weren't in such awful economic times. Maybe its just the way I justify it in my mind .. but I literally thought I could use the things that I bought..They say these economic times are turning around.. I'm not sure on that one though.. but I'm hoping for the best. Now, I've adopted a new name instead of the shopaholic .. I am now a thriving and healthy "Frugalista!" My new mantra is " Do I really need this??? or do I just really want it.." I find all kinds of

ways .. to stretch, save, recycle, reuse, re-everything. I find all kinds of ways of refinishing and/or revamping all kinds of things. The new saying at our house now is "Don't throw that away... you never know, it will come back to you in a different form."

As I sit here watching the beautiful ocean.. or blazing sunset, instead of planning yet another trip to the mall, I just go down in the garage or closet and sift through some boxes and find lots of new to me items. P

robably, because I was in such a delirious mode when I purchased them.

In conclusion to this revelation .. that I've come to realize is truly think before you spend. Don't buy just because you want. Don't get a shopping cart, basket or bag if you don't have the cash cause you know you're just gonna fill it up! But, like even dieters say, you don't have to deprive yourself because if you do you'll just end up on a binge that you may never recover from.. EVERYTING IN MODERATION. Now, thinking back, I should have known that Loreal makeup is probably just the same thing as the Dior stuff in different packaging..I used to spend tons of cash on (just my opinion of course) but you would definitely be

surprised on how much you can save when you're in your own mind.

But there is one good thing about being a former shopaholic....is now I have the convenience of my own shopping mall in my own home!