ASTROLOGY NEWS: Four Major Astrological Events Makes November Unforgettable

Like last year, November will start the momentum for even bigger events to come in December. And I would keep my eyes wide open, paying attention to every sign and every message because that is how positive change can happen and negative events can be prevented, like the shooting in New Town, Connecticut.

We start the month with a Solar Eclipse on November 3rd in the sign of Scorpio. Eclipses are about endings and new beginnings. This solar eclipse will push you in the direction of creating a new you! Changing your image and reinventing yourself are themes for this eclipse. The image and persona you create is how others will then see you. Because the eclipse is in Scorpio, you also have to pay very close attention to your emotional self. Scorpion's are passionate and their passion is expressed through their emotions. Don't be afraid of expressing your love for something. But watch out for that Scorpion temper that can come out of the blue. If you don't feel good about who you are on the outside or inside, then it will be hard for you to feel love and appreciation. Appearance, self-worth, and image are the themes with this eclipse. This is a great time to work on your presentation style, get a new hairdo, go to the dermatologist, and buy a new wardrobe.

Then on November 7th, Jupiter turns retrograde. With the eclipse, you are working on the outer you-your appearance and image. With Jupiter retrograde, its time to work on the inner you. What do you value? What is holding you back? What are you fearing? And are you being true to yourself? Opportunities that present themselves usually are a result of seeds that have been planted in the past. You may be contacted by an old boss for a new job or a long lost friend may appear back in your life. Other events that may result include going back to school to finish your education, reentering the workforce, and volunteering your time. Inner growth and spiritualism is also highlighted.

Mercury gives us some relief when it does direct on November 10th! Mercury affects communication, travel and technology. When it goes direct, you won't experience as many upsets as you had when it was retrograde. The best time to sign contracts and accept a new job is after November 10th. Before that I wouldn't make any rash decisions.

Finally on November 13th, Neptune goes direct. Neptune is the planet where dreams can happen. But with everything, there is an opposite side of Neptune which takes you away from reality, creating a world of illusion. Neptune is the planet of dreams, fantasy, and illusion. Each of us has to take a step back, making sure we're not in denial. Sometimes all you need to do is take a look in the mirror to realize that you are the problem, not the other person. Also be aware of deception. What a sad world we live in that people could deceive us. With Neptune going direct, this could be a possible outcome. As for me, I'm trying to use Neptune and Jupiters energy in my favor. On November 15th, my fourth Wunderkind Family children's chapter book will be released. It's a modern-fantasy children's chapter book that is available for pre-order now! Perfect timing for using Neptune's creative, dreamy energy!

Below are events that can easily occur with the above astrological events:

• Hurricane or unexpected snow storm can be a result of Jupiter and Neptune shifting directions within a week of each other.
• If you are having marrital issues, you really need to take a look in the mirror because you may be the problem. Image, appearance, and denial are themes.
• This is a great time to develop your intuition and tap into alternative methods. Spiritualism, inner growth, and awareness are the focus of Jupiter and Neptune.
• Volunteer your time!
• Let your creative side explode. Draw. Bake. Knit. Act. Anything creative is healthy and a great use of the Jupiter and Neptune energy.
• In November, our government will continue governing our country with goggle eyes. But it won't last forever. And self-ego could backfire mid-December.
• Pay attention to people who are depressed or have created major image changes. They may be more suicidal.
• Watch out for drugs and alcohol abuse.
• The start to the flu season could be rough. And if you develop pneumonia, go see your doctor immediately. Jupiter and Neptune are water planets, making your illness worse.
• Start creating your dreams and realize that it is only you that is holding you back.
• Lastly, stop pointing the finger at everyone else. Accept your mistakes and move on to creating a better you!

Ten Reasons Why I Love The Fall!

Fall is my favorite season for so many reasons. And below are my top ten and one extra!

1. People are more giving! With so many holidays and joyful music filling the stores, people are much more positive and courteous. And I love being with happy people! If only they could be year round.

   

   My son's soccer team supports Breast Cancer Awareness

2. The autumn colors are breathtaking. Orange is one of my favorite colors and in the fall this color is everywhere. You drive by houses and you see pumpkin's. The leaves are burnt orange. Even many treats and goodies are orange. Orange symbolizes parties, creativity, fun, celebration and more! It's a lively color and encourages smiles and giggles.
   
 
3. The coolness of the air entices me to want to snuggle and cuddle. My four kids love to snuggle and cuddle. Especially when watching an entertaining holiday G or PG movie. And in the fall, I'm more eager to make the time. And Because it is getting darker earlier, I'm able to put my two year old to bed earlier, giving me more mommy time!                                   
4. The smell of baked desserts. Tis the season for freshly baked apple, pumpkin, and pecan pies. And of course we can't forget about carmel coated apples and pumpkin cheese bars and chocolate chip cookies and fudge brownies and peanut butter cookies! Checkout my Pinterest for lots of fun recipes pins!

 
1. Family Fall Festivals! Just last weekend we went to Aw Schucks Farm and Corn Maze and took lots of pictures of the kids racing through a corn maze, running on top of haystacks, crawling through pumpkin patches, and petting sheep and cows. I think the best part for them is drinking fresh apple cider and taking a bite out of a juicy carmel apple loaded with crunchy nuts.
    

   

   My son and I are in the barrel, racing my twins. We won!

 
2. Football season. This is the first year one of my son's is playing football. I was petrified at first. Especially when my sister-n-law told me that there is a 100% injury rate. But my son is loving playing and I'm really enjoying watching him. But that's not the only football I enjoy! I love going to a local grill and pub for lunch with the family, ordering a spicey bloody mary and watching NFL football.
    

   

   Josh is Red #88, tackling the other team.

    
    
3. Halloween is my favorite holiday! I love dressing up and my kids do too. For the past two years, I've put together a Kids Haunted Halloween Costume Party, decorating the outside of my house with skeletons and tombstones and then loading my basement with animated halloween electronics. 
    
    
   
 
 
4. Making piles of leaves with my kids and jumping in them. My kids and I rake the leaves into big piles every year, take all the pointy sticks out and jump in them. This makes for great fall pictures!
5. Holiday crafts. My kids and I love making arts and crafts. Here are some wine glasses that I've painted. I've also posted on Pinterest lots of fun craft ideas you can do with your children this fall.
6. Carving pumpkins. Carving pumpkins is a holiday tradition for us. We try to find the largest most cost effective pumpkins we can. This year we purchased two at Harris Teeter grocery store. In the past we've picked them out at pumpkin patches. From the pumpkins, we enjoy roasting the pumpkin seeds and then making scary faces and designs.
   
• I have a real simple roasted pumpkin seed recipe. I preheat the oven to 350. As it's preheating, I scatter the pumpkin seeds on a cookie sheet. Then I lightly salt them, sometimes I even salt them with garlic salt adding a little more of a zing. Once the oven is preheated, I put the cookie sheet in and about ten minutes later the seeds are ready to be eaten. They seeds should be lightly brown. Not dark brown.

And this FALL I have my newest Wunderkind Family modern-fantasy children's chapter book that will be available for sale November 15th! Hope you will check it out!  http://www.thewunderkindfamily.com

Available on Amazon for pre-order

Madison and GA (My Guardian Angel) Tale of the Messed Up Talent Show

 

 

 

 

 

 



Type 1 Diabetes Triggers Anxiety Attacks During Soccer Game

I know every family has their worries and concerns, especially when it comes to their children. But parenting a child with type 1 diabetes is so much more complex then anyone realizes. It was this past weekend that I accepted the fact that Madison's type 1 diabetes disease is also triggering anxiety attacks and causing her difficulty breathing when her blood sugar is too low (below 80) or too high (above 225).

It all became apparent for me on the soccer field. As her soccer coach and mom, I constantly worry that she's not going to be able to play up to her potential because of her disease. And the past three soccer games she hasn't been able to. In fact, for three games in a row, she has taken herself out of the game because she wasn't able breathe. The last game she walked off the field when all the kids were still running around. She didn't even yell to me that she needed to be substituted. Her blood sugar made her feel so bad that she just couldn't even yell. She said, "I thought I was going to pass out and you would have to call 911."  I tried so hard to hide my emotions. But I was angry and frustrated. I have really come to hate this disease.

From the sidelines, parents have mentioned how great she's doing. She scores and she's able to make a few good plays. She even gives them the impression that she's running just as much as the other girls. But as her mom and her soccer coach, she hasn't been herself. And she's walking and standing so much more than she has in the past.

Madison was born to run. If she could run all day long, she would. But lately, for unknown reasons, her blood sugar has stayed above 250 during our soccer games, causing her to have a real difficult time breathing if she runs to much. I've tried moving her to defense and even goalie where she can calm down and not run as much. But she feels even worse when she's just standing around. The reason she feels worse is because her blood sugar is already high and when she stands around, she's not burning it off, making it go higher.

Seeing my daughter take herself out of the game is heartbreaking. Tears filled her eyes last game. And the only words that entered my mind was hers. When she was five years old she said, "Mommy, I want to be an Olympic soccer player." And ever since she was diagnosed (November 4, 2011), I feel as if her dream may not become reality. I'm not giving up and I hope she doesn't too. But boy this disease has really been the greatest challenge she and I have ever had to face.

Many of you may be thinking, Just change her diet. Wish it was that simple. This past Saturday, the morning of her game, she had eggs, bacon and a half of banana. I wanted her to have some carbs (the banana) so her blood sugar wouldn't drop so fast. But it didn't matter that she had a low carb breakfast. Her adrenaline and stress kept her blood sugar above 260 the entire game. After the game it went up to 300. Then within 30 minutes it dropped to 80. I was angry that her blood sugar was outsmarting me. I literally have a competition going with her blood sugar and I'm going to win!

We have two games left in the season and then our tournament starts the weekend of November 9th. This disease isn't going to control us or win! I truly believe there has to be a way to help my daughter do the things she loves to do at her potential.

The following is what I'm going to try this week.
This week I'm going to have her visualize seeing herself running and scoring and playing up to her potential. I'm going to work with her on breathing techniques. And then on Saturday, I'm going to eliminate the banana from her breakfast and have her eat a bowl of cereal (1/2 of a cup of Honey Nut Cheerios) along with eggs and bacon.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the above will work. If you have had any experience with type 1 diabetes and anxiety, I would love to hear how you have been able to manage anxiety and difficult breathing for a type 1 diabetic.

Thanks so much for your support!

Extra 40% off Sale Items Including Halloween at Gymboree

Two Year Old Birthday Party and Present Ideas

Today is my sweet little Isabella 's second birthday, although we celebrated it on Saturday! She's at an age where celebrating a birthday party (or any party) is so much fun. And the best part is it really doesn't have to cost you hundreds of dollars to get those precious little giggles, hugs, and I love you's!

So where do you start? Well...having four kids, I've had a lot of experience planning a two year old birthday and I have learned a lot in the process. I've gone from spending a lot of money and inviting every friend and their child, to just having a simple birthday celebration with immediate family. All worked out well. But from a two year old's perspective, all they wanted was to open up a present, eat some cake and ice cream, play with a balloon or two, and then run around and play.

Below are a few suggestions to start with. Have fun and take lots of pictures!

1. Pick a theme. We did Minnie Mouse this time. It was a toss for Elmo or Minnie and because she's a little girl, I thought the Minnie toys and theme would last longer. In the past, I've done Thomas the Train and Disney Princesses. All still a huge hit in my house! With Thomas the Train, I used blue paint tape to create a train track around my house. Then I turned on the song, Locomotion by Kylie Minogue. The kids had a blast dancing and marching to the song around the track. This time, we sang Happy Birthday a few times, opened up her presents, ate some cake and ice cream, and then headed outside to enjoy the beautiful weather.
    
   
2. A matching themed cake is always fun. But truthfully, it doesn't matter what the cake looks like as long as it has some fun kid colors on it and has a candle on top. I couldn't find a Minnie cake that I liked, so instead, I ordered a Disney princess pink cake from the local grocery store and asked them to hold off on the cake toppers, saving me $8. I put a pink kids ring on it. She loved licking and wearing the ring. You can also use small toys that you find online or at local stores. Once I ordered Mario Bros. small toys online and used them as cake toppers.
3. Location doesn't have to be anywhere, but your home. They truthfully could care less. All they want is to be with you, open a few presents, and eat some cake and ice cream. We celebrated Isabella's birthday party at our house with immediate family. I've had friends who have gone to Chuck E Cheese. In my opinion, why spend hundreds of dollars now. They really are content with having a small party at your home with people they know.
4. Balloons are a must. And all you need is one helium balloon for the birthday boy or girl. But if you have other kids at your house, I always order enough, so each child can take a balloon home with a little treat tied to it as their gift bag.
    
   
5. Entertainment is always a fun thing to add. It can be as simple as music, which is all we did this time. And then we headed outside to ride her first tricycle, which is all she really wanted to do. It was one of the most relaxing and fun birthday parties that I could have planned. You can also hire a clown. But again why invest a lot of money right now. I'd go this route when your two year old is three or four. Instead, buy some some stickers, tatoos and face paint, which isn't that expensive. Then play some fun hip hop music and add an outdoor game. That's all you really need.
    
   
6. The best time for the party is an hour or two before your child's nap or right after they wake up. We had ours at 4:00 pm. She napped from 1:00 pm to 3:45 pm. This gave me time to decorate and get everything ready.
7. You don't have to go overboard with presents. Two year olds are happy with a handful of presents. The fewer the better, so they don't get overwhelmed. This year we got Isabella the following gifts:
1. Minnie Stuffed Toy: I purchased a three foot Minnie at Cosco for $19.99. It was perfect! Minnie is now eating breakfast, lunch and dinner with us. LOL
2. Doctor kit: Isabella loves checking to make sure all of her stuffed toys and dolls are healthy. We purchased a Doc McStuffins doctor bag toy from Target. This is her favorite toy! The stethoscope lights up and talks. It is so darn cute. The only thing is the bag is useless. Top won't stay on.
   
3. Minnie plate, bowl and cup set.  I found one at Target. 
    
   
4. Tricycle and helmet: I found one online at Toys R Us. Toys R Us was having 20% off toys and free shipping. I was able to get her a Disney Princess tricycle with matching helmet.
   
8. Other birthday present ideas:
1. Mega Bloks First Builders Big Building Bag 
    
2. Stroller so they can stroll around their baby
3. Tent or plastic house they can go in and play
4. Table and chair set
5. Art easel  
6. Plastic outdoor folding slide
7. Step2 Up & Down Roller Coaster (this was my three oldest kids favorite toy!)
    
   
 
8.  Picture books like Goodnight Goodnight Goodnight Baby Blue (Splatter and Friends) 

Enjoy this special time, have fun, and remember to take lots of pictures!