How to Meditate in A Minute - Simple Breath Meditation

Meditation is one of the best ways to reduce stress and anxiety, improve your sleep, increase your energy, clear your mind and help you to relax. I've been meditating for over 25 years and even have taught many classes on the subject. 

My favorite meditation is the One Minute Breathing Meditation. Although, once I had kids I renamed it to One Minute Mommy Meditation. It's the only breathing meditation that I can easily squeeze into my crazy mommy working life.

Meditating can be done by anyone and doesn't have to be overly complex. The key with meditating is that you learn to tune into your body, your breath, your rhythms and your mind. Meditation can help you connect with your physical, emotional and mental self. It helps you to become more self-aware and focused.

Where can I do the One Minute Breath Meditation?

Anywhere you can get one minute of non-interrupted time. I've been doing this mediation for so long that I can easily zone, tuning into my breath and do it while sitting in my car at a soccer field with kids running around screaming. Focus, practice and desire are key.

How often should I do the One Minute Breath Exercise?I suggest doing it at least once a day. The more practice you have with meditating, the more in tune you'll become with your physical, emotional and mental self.

How soon will I see results?This is totally up to you. The more you practice, the more you'll begin feeling less stress and more energy. If this is the first time you have ever meditated, it may take you a couple weeks before you notice any change. 

How to Meditate in One Minute - One Minute Breath Exercise
This exercise is all about focusing on your breath. The following are the steps, which need to be repeated consecutively 5 - 6 times in order to reach a minutes time:

1. Inhale oxygen for 4 seconds
2. Hold your breath for 4 more seconds
3. Exhale oxygen for 4 seconds
4. Hold your breath for 4 more seconds

As you are doing the above steps, it's okay if a thought enters your mind or you hear a sound. When that happens, focus once again on your breath, relaxing your mind and body and finishing the One Minute Breath Meditation.

Please feel free to ask any questions or share successes in the comment section.

Ten Fun Plants For Kids To Grow - Kids Gardening

Kids gardening is such a wonderful thing for kids to do. It teaches them responsibility. It allows them to care for a living thing. It teaches them life skills such as learning about how soil, sunlight and water work together to grow a plant. It also allows you to share in your kids joys of accomplishing something.

Over the years my oldest son has had quite a few different types of plants from carnivorous plants to flowers to growing vegetables. Below are his favorites.

Venus Flytrap

Our Venus Flytrap Jaws

This is my son's favorite plant! Venus Flytrap Plants seek out insects to feed on, making it a carnivorous plant. They are native to North America and actually grow wild in a city in our home state-Wilmington North Carolina.

Fun Venus Flytrap Facts:

• Each trap has six trigger hairs. Three hairs on each lobe.
• To trigger a trap you need to stimulate one hair twice. 
• It takes about 10 days for a Venus Flytrap to completely digest an insect and reopen its trap.

Pitcher Plant

American Pitcher Plant

Nepenthes Pitcher Plant

This is my son's second favorite plant. And yes, it's another carnivorous plant. 

Fun Pitcher Plant Facts:

• It's sweet smelling juice lures in insects, including bees and hornets where they are unable to get back out of the Pitcher plant.
• The juice has chemicals in it which dissolves the insect allowing the plant to eat it up.

Sensitive Plant

This plants leaves fold up when touched, making it another fun gardening experiment for kids.

Fun Sensitive Plant Facts:

• Also called the Touch-me-not plant.
• It has slightly prickly, woody stems.
• It closes during darkness and opens up with light.

Cactus

From my perspective, cactus's are the easiest plant to care for. We have the Desert Biodome Terrarium Plant Growing Kit. We also have a potted Barrel Cactus.

Fun Cactus Facts:

• With this kit you only need to water it 2 - 3 times a year! At least that is what the directions say.
• Most cactus's require more watering than that. For more information on caring for a cactus visit Aggie Horticulture.

Cherry Tomatoes

Yummy! Cherry Tomatoes taste amazing and are so easy to grow.

Fun Cherry Tomato Facts:

• In about a month after planting, they will start flowering. Then tiny green fruits will start to bud, eventually turning into sweet juicy Cherry Tomatoes.
• Ripe Cherry Tomatoes easily pop off the plant.

Basil
Basil is one of my families favorite herbs. You can eat it straight from the plant or dice it up for a delicious Italian dish.

Fun Basil Herb Garden Facts:

• Can grow up to 18 inches.
• Grow in complete sunlight.
• Dried basil loses a lot of it's flavor. Freeze to keep it!

Sunflowers

Sunflowers are one of the most beautiful flowers!

Fun Sunflower Facts:

• The flower head is made up of lots of tiny flowers called florets.
• The stem of a flower can grow up to 10 feet.
• Sunflowers are native to the America's.

Marigolds

Marigolds are another easy plant for kids to care for.

Fun Marigolds Facts:

• Grow from mid-spring to first frost.
• Need full sunlight.
• You can start growing them indoors first and then move them outdoors.

Please share what plants do your kids enjoy growing!

25% Off Kiwi Crate Creativity Kits and Free Shipping

For the next week, you can join Kiwi Crate and save 25% on 1st month subscription plus FREE shipping!

This is such a great offer if your kids like doing creative projects and enjoy surprises!

Every month, Kiwi Crate ships a fun hands-on kids' project directly to your home.

It's convenient, especially if you don't have time to go to your local arts and crafts store on a regular basis.

To save 25% plus FREE shipping on your subscription purchase

 go Kiwi Crate and enter code KC25.

Kiwi Crate Family Brand was founded on the vision of inspiring kids’ creativity. The company's mission is to help equip the next generation of innovators with the tools for creative problem solving and exploration. Kiwi Crate offers quality award-winning products across four brands for young makers ranging in age from 3 to 16+. 

*This blog contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links and join, I can get compensated. Thank you for your support!

Little Cosmetics Essential Pretend Makeup Giveaway and Review

I'm excited to be offering this adorable Little Cosmetics Essential Pretend Makeup for preschoolers as a giveaway (USA & Canada)!  

When it arrived, I was hesitant at first, wondering if my 3 1/2 year old would actually like pretend makeup versus the real stuff mommy puts on. And boy does she ever!

She's pretended to put makeup on herself, our dog, her sister, me and also her daddy. When she's finished, she puts all the pretend makeup and brushes into the cute bag that came with it and carries it around like it's her pocketbook. 

The Little Cosmetics Pretend Makeup set comes with!

- One Powder Compact with Shatterproof Mirror
– One Lip Gloss
– One Pink Blush Compact
– One Glitter Pot
– One Eye Shadow Palette
– Makeup Brush Set
– Cosmetic Bag

Here is a video of her playing with it! The funniest part is watching her put on the eye shadow! She's really working hard at it... fast forward in the video to 54 seconds!

ENTER  

Little Cosmetics Essential Pretend Makeup Giveaway!
 Prize: Little Cosmetics Essential Pretend Makeup Set Contest ends: April 27th, 11:59 pm, 2015 Open: USA & Canada How to enter: Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below. Terms and Conditions: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. A winner will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will then have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. This giveaway is sponsored by Little Cosmetics through Tomoson and is hosted and managed by Melissa Perry Moraja of Not Your Ordinary Psychic Mom. If you have any additional questions – feel free to send and email to Melissa(at)MelissaProductions(dot)com.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Vitamin C 20% Serum Skin Care Anti-Aging Review

Amazing results in just a couple weeks!

I've been using Vitamin C 20% Serum by Life Essentials for about two weeks now and it really has been working wonders with helping my fine lines appear less visible!

The product came in a tinted bottle (see picture). The Vitamin C Serum is a foggy color with a thicker texture than water.

Since I've received the Vitamin C Serum, the following has been my skincare routine:

Morning time routine: I wake up, wash my face with a facial cleanser and then put one squirt of Lytera on my fingers and gently rub onto my face. I also apply a sunscreen right after.

Night time routine: I wash my face again with a facial cleanser and remove my eye make-up with an eye make-up remover. I then put 3 - 4 drops of Life Essentials Skin Care Vitamin C 20% Serum on my face and gently rub it in. Once it's absorbed, I apply one squirt of Lytera and then a squirt of Retinol Complex. Lately the Retinol Complex has been peeling my face (Spring time brings more sun), so I've been using it every few nights instead. 

I also apply a moisturizer daily.

Overall, I've noticed a significant difference in my fine lines since using this product! And I'm very pleased with the results so far!

The only con is that I wish the Vitamin C 20% Serum had a stronger orange and tangerine smell. I love aromatherapy and products like this would do very well if it was tied in with aromatherapy.

I received a free sample of the Vitamin C 20% Anti-aging Serum through Tomoson for my honest review. It's available on Amazon!

Kid Riddles and Answers - Funny and Fun!

My family loves telling riddles!

Here are some funny and fun riddles that my kids have told me over the past few weeks. 

I separated the riddle questions from the answers so you can print them out and not giveaway the answers.

I also included two bonus riddles that were told to me when I was a kid! 

Please feel free to share any riddles that your kids have told you!





Riddle Questions:

Q1: How do you make the number one disappear?

Q2: April showers bring May flowers, but what do May flowers bring?

Q3: What has a face and two hands but no arms or legs?

Q4: Everyone has it and no one can lose it, what is it?

Q5: What has a single eye but cannot see?

Q6: What two things can you never eat for breakfast?

Q7: There is a one story house and everything is pink. The walls are pink. The floor is pink. Everything is pink. What color are the stairs?

Q8: There is a circle house and a kid wanted to play with his family. He first asked his mom if she could play. His mom said, "I can't play, I'm gardening." Next he asked his dad. His dad said, "I'm leaving for work so I can't play kiddo." He then went to his sister and his sister said, "I don't have time. I have homework to do." So he went and asked the maid if she could play. The maid said, "I'm busy cleaning the corner." Who was lying?

Q9: Pretend you are a bus driver. 15 people get on. 28 people get off. 26 people get on. 1 person gets off. How old is the bus driver?

Q10: A cowboy rides to town on Friday. He stays in town for two days and leaves on Saturday. How is that possible?

Q11: What do you throw out when you use and pull back in when you don't?

Q12: What starts with "T", ends with "T" and is full of "T"?

Q13: What goes up when the rain goes down?

Q14: Imagine you are in a box and whatever you do you can't get out. How do you get out?

Q15: What is greater than God, the poor have it and the rich need it?

Q16: I'm full of keys, but I can't open any door. What am I? 

Q17: I have 28 days in a month.  Which month am I?

Q18: I never ask questions, but I'm always answered.

Q19: I weigh almost nothing. I'm lighter than air, but even the strongest man on Earth can't pick me up. What am I?

Q20: How many people are buried in a graveyard?

Bonus Riddle Question #1:

A man has to get a fox, a chicken, and a sack of corn across a river. He has a rowboat, and it can only carry him and one other thing. If the fox and the chicken are left together, the fox will eat the chicken. If the chicken and the corn are left together, the chicken will eat the corn. How does the man do it?

Bonus Riddle Question #2:
There is a man in a room with a puddle underneath him who hung himself. The room has no doors and no windows. How did the man hang himself?


Riddle Answers:

A1: Put a "G" infront of it = "G" + "one" = Gone!
A2: Pilgrims
A3: A clock!
A4: A shadow.
A5: A needle
A6: Lunch and dinner
A7: There are no stairs. It is a one story house.
A8: The maid. They live in a circle house. There are no corners.
A9: You are pretending to be the bus driver, so the bus driver's age is your age.
A10: His horse is named Friday.
A11: An anchor for a boat.
A12: A teapot.
A13: An umbrella
A14: Stop imagining
A15: Nothing is greater than God. The poor have nothing. And the rich don't need nothing.
A16: A piano
A17: All months have 28 days.
A18: A doorbell
A19: A bubble
A20: All people are buried

Bonus Riddle Answer #1:

The man and the chicken cross the river, (the fox and corn are safe together), he leaves the chicken on the other side and goes back across. 

The man then takes the fox across the river, and since he can't leave the fox and chicken together, he brings the chicken back. 

Again, since the chicken and corn can't be left together, he leaves the chicken and he takes the corn across and leaves it with the fox. 

He then returns to pick up the chicken and heads across the river one last time.

Bonus Riddle Answer #2:

He stepped on a large block of ice, hung himself and then the ice melted.


Check out these funny jokes for kids!

25 Spring Fun Activities For Kids To Do At Home

Spring is finally here! And Spring Break is next week for us! We were hoping to go away, but just not able to this year. So instead, I put together a Spring Fun Activity Bucket List to keep my kids busy.

1. Create an amazing art piece! You can paint or even make a collage of things you found in nature. Here are some great ideas that I found:



• Easy Kids Egg Carton Art  
• Make a Kite or this DIY Kite!
• Shaving Cream Painting
• Draw and Color an Owl (Really cute!)
• Spring Flower crafts and more! 
2. Plant a flower or vegetable! Here are some kid diy gardening ideas I'm collecting on Pinterest.
3. Create an outdoor obstacle course  
   
4. Jump rope
5. Transform your driveway into an imaginary world with chalk
6. Ride a bike or scooter
7. Face paint 
   
8. Make Homemade Juggle Bubbles 
9. Have a movie day! 
• Color popcorn using food dye
• Make movie tickets
• Blend and shake your favorite fruit smoothie recipe
10. Make some fun food crafts
11. Window art! Paint fun designs on windows using Liquid Chalkers
12. Make a bird house  
    
    
    
13. Have a picnic
14. Build an outdoor or indoor kid fort
15. Design your own outdoor sidewalk games using chalk. Tic Tac Throw, Hop Scotch and
    Checkers!  
    
    
    
16. Read a book 
17. Have a dance competition
18. Create and act out a play
19. Explore nature
20. Paint rocks
21. Sell lemonade 
    
22. Play board games
23. Write cards and mail to friends and family
24. Kid Science Experiments 
    
25. Play a game of kick ball, whiffle ball or four squares

There are so many fun things to do in the Spring! Have fun and enjoy this special time!