Since Friday, I’ve been visiting my mom.  It’s not necessarily been a leisurely visit, although it has been great to spend time with her.  You see, she had foot surgery- actually it’s the second foot.  Not just any foot surgery, but they basically had to take her foot apart and reconstruct it.  I can’t even imagine having that done!  But she had to, no getting around it.

I live about 3 hours away from my mom, and the rest of the family, and last spring (for the first surgery), I just couldn’t come down.  I had a 4 year old at home every day, and we were in the throes of end-of-the-school-year concerts, recitals, and tons of other commitments.  I really couldn’t bring Little Pea to stay at my moms with me- we didn’t know what it would be like for her, recovering from the surgery and not being able to bear weight for eight weeks.  But thankfully, my Aunt Joan came down for that first week.

I really felt horrible to not just be able to stop by and take out the trash, or take my mom grocery shopping, since she couldn’t drive.  It was the first time I had real regrets about living where we do.

So this time, with Little Pea in school and no recitals or concerts- Labor Day weekend, which would be slower anyway, I decided to come stay for the week after the surgery.  I decided that while it was possible, coming to help my mom would be my first priority, and my husband agreed.

So here I am.  It’s been a lot smoother than I imagined, although she had a few hiccups in the first few days.  Admittedly, I haven’t been working as much as I thought I would… because of time and my computer being feisty with the network.

But you know, it will all work out.  I’m learning to keep first things first, in work and in life.  As my dear friend Fiona said today. “stop chasing the shiny shiny …. focus.”  The shiny is very enticing to me, but I think this will be my new Motto!

So what about you? What’s going on in your life?

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Since Friday, I’ve been visiting my mom.  It’s not necessarily been a leisurely visit, although it has been great to spend time with her.  You see, she had foot surgery- actually it’s the second foot.  Not just any foot surgery, but they basically had to take her foot apart and reconstruct it.  I can’t even imagine having that done!  But she had to, no getting around it.

I live about 3 hours away from my mom, and the rest of the family, and last spring (for the first surgery), I just couldn’t come down.  I had a 4 year old at home every day, and we were in the throes of end-of-the-school-year concerts, recitals, and tons of other commitments.  I really couldn’t bring Little Pea to stay at my moms with me- we didn’t know what it would be like for her, recovering from the surgery and not being able to bear weight for eight weeks.  But thankfully, my Aunt Joan came down for that first week.

I really felt horrible to not just be able to stop by and take out the trash, or take my mom grocery shopping, since she couldn’t drive.  It was the first time I had real regrets about living where we do.

So this time, with Little Pea in school and no recitals or concerts- Labor Day weekend, which would be slower anyway, I decided to come stay for the week after the surgery.  I decided that while it was possible, coming to help my mom would be my first priority, and my husband agreed.

So here I am.  It’s been a lot smoother than I imagined, although she had a few hiccups in the first few days.  Admittedly, I haven’t been working as much as I thought I would… because of time and my computer being feisty with the network.

But you know, it will all work out.  I’m learning to keep first things first, in work and in life.  As my dear friend Fiona said today. “stop chasing the shiny shiny …. focus.”  The shiny is very enticing to me, but I think this will be my new Motto!

So what about you? What’s going on in your life?

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I first heard about Earth Footwear at the Type A Mom Conference last year, where they were sponsors. This was the first time I had heard of a shoe making a difference in posture, calorie burn, and toning.  It intrigued me to think that a shoe could have such a positive impact, although we DO know how poor shoes can have a negative affect on posture, back pain and the like.

So I was thrilled when I got the chance to try out the brand new Swank Boots from Earth Footwear!  First of all, these boots look cool, which is the most important thing, right?  I have been wading gently into the world of boots in the last few years, and I have a couple pairs of high heel boots I got for $10 each on sale. But sometimes, I want to wear boots and still be casual and comfortable, so the look of the Swank Boots is right up my alley.

I picked up my very first pair of Jeggings (Jeans + Leggings) in NY last month, so I am so excited to wear them with my Earth Footwear Swanks, and a longer shirt/sweater! I can also see me going to and from dance class in these boots, to cover my ankles and foot muscles in the winter.  Can you picture it?  Tights, skirt, sweatshirt, and slouchy suede boots!

So I’ve been wearing my boots with my jean skirt this week to see how they felt, despite my 7 year old saying, “Why are you wearing boots in the summer?”  By the way, I think they’d look awesome with a flowing, Bohemian-ish dress, you know, how the celebrities do?

So here’s what Leah Segedie, the official “spokesmom” for Earthwear shoes says about them:

Earth Footwear is a healthy shoe. Not only do they help you burn more calories while you are walking, but they are also very good for your posture and alignment. So if you have any back problems, you should notice some relief as you are wearing them. And you will also notice a slight lift in your butt and thighs as you wear them around. They force you to use muscles in that area that aren’t normally used when walking. You should also notice your calves getting tighter as well. The technology behind the shoes are simple, but ingenious. You are walking on a slight 3.7 degree incline where your toes will be slightly elevated from your heels. So it will be like walking up a small ramp all day long.

From the Earth Footwear website, the 10 Second Rule when you first try them on

* While wearing the footwear on both of your feet, stand up slowly and stay stationary for ten seconds (you’ll feel an initial sensation of leaning back)
* Take an additional ten seconds and allow your body to make natural adjustments (you’ll feel your weight shift over the center of your feet toward your arches)
* During these ten seconds, you’ll also feel your head straighten, your shoulders roll back, your core muscles activate (as your spine and pelvis aligns), and your hamstring, quad, and calf muscles engage

I DID feel all these things! As I wore the boots, (if I paid attention) I could really fee my thighs and glutes tightening, engaging!  But the greatest thing was that after a while, it didn’t feel any different than walking in my regular shoes.  My body really did make all the adjustments, and there was no discomfort!

One of my stubborn areas of fitness is the thigh/glute area, so I am excited to see howthe addition of the Swank boots will affect my fitness regimen. I  am dancing twice a week: ballet, jazz, hip hop, so I need my legs to be strong and toned! But in my opinion, the best thing about all the Earth Footwear styles is that they are great looking! Some of the freak-a-zoid styles of “fitness shoes” these days do not make me want to wear them!  Earth Footwear is different.

Here are some places you can find more information about Earth Footwear:

• Watch a Video
• Learn about the research that goes into the shoes

And now you can WIN a pair!

• Leave a comment saying why you want to win these boots!  (And what you would wear them with, if you want)

Leave a separate comment for an extra chance if you:

• are a Real Life RSS Subscriber (Subscribe by reader) (Subscribe by email)
• follow @EarthFootWear on Twitter
• follow @RealLifeSarah on Twitter

• Post this Giveaway on Twitter (must include @reallifesarah and @EarthFootwear) Here is an example Tweet:

I entered to #win @earthfootwear “Swank” boots #giveaway($149) from @reallifesarah! http://www.reallifeblog.net/?p=4438

(I do this to thank subscribers/followers with an extra chance to win!)

And remember, Real Life is on Facebook now! I’d love to connect with you there! Remember to share with your Facebook Friends! Use the Facebook share button at the top, or “Like” this article below!

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This contest will be open to Continental US Residents 18 or older, through September 10, 2010. One winner will be chosen by random number generator, and notified by email. Winner will be responsible for claiming the prize by email.

Disclosure: Earth Footwear provided me these boots to try out, and provide my honest opinion. (And one for a reader!) All opinions are my own.  No other compensation was provided for this review/giveaway.

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Coupon Geek
Couponing for 4
A Blog of Goodies
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Thrifty and Chic Mom
Resourceful Mommy

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You might not be tolerant if you…

…Express a view that is contrary to the “tolerant” ones.

I usually do not to write these types of posts.  Mainly because I am not perfect, and I try not to judge others for what they do.  But lately, I have been so discouraged and feel almost like the world is turning upside down. People who are celebrated for their “tolerance” seem to be in favor of silencing or demonizing, even hating anyone who doesn’t agree with them.  And people who ask tough questions and want to open up the dialogue, you know… like those “Question Authority” bumper stickers from the 60′s… are seen as hateful and intolerant.  Those talking about the individual’s power to succeed and the beauty of faith, the content of one’s character, are maligned and lied about. And it seems the freedom to dissent is only celebrated when that dissent is of a particular ideology.

I had a conversation on Twitter a few days ago that blew my mind.  A well-known social media personality, who is celebrated for being inspirational, bringing people together, linked to an article that she said made her feel better.  I clicked over, curious to see what it was, and read the most hateful words directed at a popular media figure.  Not disagreeing with his positions or sharing quotes and refuting them factually.  I welcome that from anyone.  But smearing them personally in a vile way.

I asked if she had actually listened to the speech/event that was being maligned, and she said, “No, we don’t watch much TV.”  OK, so have you ever watched his TV Show? No.  She had seen a few clips of video, and read extensively about how vile this person was. Didn’t need to know more. (By the way, if I believed the lies that were written about this person, and sound bytes taken out of context, I might hate him too.) Then she proceeded to tell me how she hated this person ( and by default those who agree with him) with a “white hot passion” (in private messages, of course).

And I was stunned.

I think about the person that I disagree with the most, even one that I believe is mean, vindictive, or undermining our society.  I don’t hate them.  But if I did hate them, it would have to come from an intimate knowledge of their words, actions, and soul.  I would have to really know who they were first, before I MIGHT be able to claim the right to hate them.  Even still, my faith tells me I don’t have the right to hate another human being, especially while preaching tolerance and inspiration.

I am routinely stunned by the contemptuous view that the “tolerant” ones hold toward those who don’t agree with them on issues.  And I am tired of being called intolerant, closed-minded, ignorant, idiotic, hateful (not directly, but in association with my beliefs) because I chose to question authority and champion the beauty of the individual and his/her relationship with God.

Despite my personal and religious beliefs, I celebrate my relationships with those who are different.  I have friends who are Christians, atheists, Jews, black, white, Asian, male, female, straight, gay, conservative, liberal, home schoolers, public schoolers, poor, rich, and every other description you can think of.  I like it that way.  They don;t all have to live the way I think I should live. And I like it when people share the way they believe, even challenging my beliefs in a respectful way.   I celebrate it when others make me question my belief system, and some have had a profound affect on the way I see the world.

I believe my views are the truth, otherwise why would I believe them? But I also LOVE those who don’t ascribe to these views, and recognize their right to believe what they wish. I might try to convince them, yes, but I love them dearly all the while.

As Thomas Jefferson said, “”Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason, than that of blind-folded fear.”

You might not be tolerant if you…

• Hate those who view the world differently than you.  It’s OK to disagree vehemently, but not to hate.
• Object to something being said, just because of the color of the skin of the person saying it.
• Think that a particular interest group should have special access to “justice.” (or other people’s money)
• View someone who disagrees with you as beneath your intellect, stupid, dumb. (wrong, maybe, but not stupid)
• Think society would be better off if someone in particular were not allowed to speak.  Less speech is not better for society.  Allow open debate and let the ideas be hashed out.  The ones that don’t work will be defeated.
• Preach tolerance while demonizing those who disagree, even to the point of wishing sickness or violence on them.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. Matt 5:43-45

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It was a glorious day at the beach, on the first day of our family vacation.  My in-laws were there, as well as sister- and brother-in-law, nephews, niece.  Our three daughters were in heaven as they played in the sand and surf with their beloved cousins, their collective ages between 4 and 10.

All was well with the world.  The kids were playing in the sand right down in front of us, and walking back and forth to the water to fill up their buckets.  They were all together, and directly in front of us, right?  So we didn’t worry. We thought we were watching closely enough.

I can’t remember who said it, but the next sentence stopped us all in our tracks and set off three minutes of pure panic, that felt like an hour.

“Where’s Little Pea?”

And there was at least 3 hours of silence as we looked.  OK, 3 seconds, but it sure felt like hours! And then the panic set in.  The adults and older kids spread out on the beach looking for her, and it took every ounce of strength inside me to keep breathing.

Little Pea with her "Seaweed Collection"

So many things went through my mind in those long minutes.  I saw her face that morning as she climbed into bed with me to snuggle, as we usually do.  I heard her sweet voice, with the slightly mispronounced Rs.  I saw her joyful eyes, and remembered her tiny baby-frame in my arms 4 years ago.  Her whole life was flashing before my eyes. “Is this what happens when you lose someone?” I thought.

Then I saw the future without her.  I really did.  In my heart, I was pondering how I would live without her… if she was gone.

I looked at the water, and asked God if she was under there.  I looked at the others on the beach, and thought that maybe one of them had snatched her.   And all I could do was pray.

Actually, I couldn’t even pray.  All I could say was, “My God!” over and over again.  No, not saying His name in vain, but crying out to Him.  I tried to keep myself under control as I asked fellow beach goers if they had seen her- glad I had payed attention to which bathing suit she wore that day.

The beach seemed like it was a million miles long at that point, how could we cover it all?

And then, I saw her.  She was about 25 feet away, crying, looking for us.  Among the many tan beach tents out there, she had gone to the wrong one. I wished I could just teleport over to her and not have to make the walk, I wanted her in my arms NOW!

My heart was pounding and tears were streaming as I gathered Little Pea up in my arms and smelled her.  Yes, I breathed in every bit of her that I could at that moment.  I thought I would never put her down.  I went through a range of emotions:

Guilt at not keeping more vigilant watch.

Anger at the older kids for not staying closer to her. (Really, how could I expect them to? They’re kids.)

Gratitude to God for keeping her safe, when I couldn’t.

Deep, profound sadness for parents whose stories don’t end like mine. Even now, as I write this, I am weeping for them.

But now, I try to remember this moment when they wake me up at 3AM, when they fight with each other, when they want to help cook dinner and spew flour all over the kitchen.  I realize now, that I am not fully in control of my life, or theirs.  I want to drink in every moment that the Lord allows me with these beautiful girls and loving husband.

And trust Him… which is hard sometimes.

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My kids often say things to me, that upon later pondering, I have to say, “Wait, what’s that s’pposed to mean!?”  Here’s a good one:

Hip Chick (9yo): “Mom, what are you doing tomorrow?”

Me: “Well, I’m going to write a little in the morning, then I have a meeting before I pick you up from school.”

Hip Chick: “So, does that mean you’ll be dressed up?”

Me: “Um… not ‘dressed UP’, but… ya know… dressed.”

… a few hours later…

Hey!  What’s THAT s’pposed to mean?

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This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Mission Foods. All opinions are 100% mine.

This time of year, one of the biggest questions I hear moms asking each other is “What are some ideas for healthy lunches to send with my kids to school?”

I admit, we have occasionally fallen into the rut of packing peanut butter sandwiches every day, but hopefully we can be more creative this year!  Mission Tortillas are pretty standard in our house for things like quesadillas, tacos, burritos, and enchiladas, but they can be SO much more!  This year, I’m trying to think “out of the box” when it comes to lunches, and of course, EVERYTHING is better wrapped in a tortilla!

So for Mission – Back To School, I’m going to share some ways to use leftovers from last night’s dinner to create a, EASY,  healthy lunch for your kids to take to school!

DINNER: Garden Veggie and Herb Skillet : This dinner is rich with whatever veggies come out of your garden (or the farm stand).  I used zucchini, yellow squash, tomatoes, onions, basil, rosemary, and thyme.  I added Shrimp, but you could add chicken or steak and it would be just as good!

Lunch: Wrap it in a Mission Tortilla! How easy is that?! If you’re at home, you could add some cheese and melt it in the taster oven- YUM!

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Dinner: Easy Chicken Parmesan This dish is an old standard of mine, and it easily lends itself to doubling/freezing.  When chicken breasts are on sale, I stock up and make a huge batch!

Lunch: Wrap it in a Mission tortilla! Cut up the chicken, with the sauce and cheese, and wrap away!  Sometimes I want to send a dish like this to school in a container, but this is even better because you don’t need a fork, and there are no dirty containers to wash grow mold in the back of the mini-van.

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Now here’s an extra something for entertaining and snacking!

Easy Appetizer: Cream Cheese Rolls

Ingredients:

• Mission Tortillas
• Cream Cheese
• Green Onions

Directions:

1.  Slightly soften the cream cheese, and mix it with sliced green onions to taste.

2.  Spread the cream cheese mixture onto the tortillas, and roll tightly.

3.  Slice the tortilla rolls about 1/2 inch thick, and serve on a pretty plate!

Mission Flour Tortillas contain 0 grams Trans fat per serving and are cholesterol free. Mission’s flour tortillas are available in small (6″), medium (8″) and large (10”) sizes.

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I usually pair a scripture with my Wordless Wednesday, and while this photo is not the most serious of photos, I thought this Scripture went with it perfectly!  I took a little rest on the Downy Couch at BlogHer 2010 in New York! I sure did want to stay there after running around all day!

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Matthew 11:28-29

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I have had the privilege of interviewing some pretty cool people since I’ve been blogging and hosting MomTV. There was Carl at High Country Honda, my dynamic six year old, Scott Stratten, of UnMarketing, and many more.

But I think you will agree that I have reached the pinnacle of my career with this interview with the illusive Pillsbury DoughBoy.  In this ground breaking interview, you will find out…. well, you’ll just have to watch it yourself.

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Today is the first day that all three of my children are in school full-time. It’s a dichotomy between excitement and missing them, but it is definitely a good thing.  Working at home has been a huge blessing to me while the kids were still young.  If I had gone back to work outside the home, most of my salary would have gone for day-care, so I have, in some ways, had the best of both worlds.

Along with the blessings come the challenges, though, and setting boundaries between the family life and professional life has proven to be a challenge.  During the day, I juggle trying to engage my four year old, and get spurts of work done in 30-minute segments. Not the picture of efficiency.  The other kids come home, and I try to spend time with them and cook dinner, before sitting down at night to work until I drop off asleep.

Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t have changed ANYTHING. It has been a great opportunity. I know that working outside the home would have presented it’s own challenges as well!  But I think it’s interesting how little other moms understand about “Work at Home Moms”

When telling people that all my kids will be in school this year, it’s amazing how many people say, “What will you do with all that extra time?!” There are a few who have commented that I’ll be able to focus on my business, but not many.

So here are 10 things I’ll be doing with my “extra” time this year!

10. Write Better Blog Posts! Do you have any idea how many weeks I’ve wanted to write a Top Ten Tuesday post, and in fact written in my head? Alas, my fingers never got the time to actually peck it out.  I also hope to write more thoughtful posts involving parenting, faith, and more.

9. Read More Blogs! Everyone agrees that to be a better blogger, you need to be a better reader! So I’ve emptiedout my Google Reader, and started refilling it with blogs I want to read regularly!

8. Return Comments. I am SO thankful for people who leave comments here at Real Life, and I’m excited about being able to build community by commenting more!

7. Plan awesome content for my live streaming show, GET REAL on MomTV.com. I am excited about welcoming more guests, viewers, content and GIVEAWAYS.  If you would like email reminders each week for the show, fill out the form here, and you’ll stay in the know!

6. Start selling merchandise for my local e-zine, High Country Mom Squad, and give all the proceeds to charity! I think I’m going to use Cafe Press, do you have any other ideas?

5. Write some e-books! Establishing Your Local Social Media, Consulting Presence, and The Blogger’s Guide to Live Streaming Shows are a couple of titles I’m thinking about.

4. Build and Launch my NC Blog Buzz Network! I’m really excited about connecting NC Blogger with businesses, and bring opportunities to NC Bloggers! We’re in Alpha right now, with some amazing, trail-blazing bloggers, and we’ll be fully launching in the fall! Find out more here.

3. Have meetings and teach more classes! Yay! I love teaching, so while the kids are away, I hope to teach more local New Media Marketing Classes, AND teach online classes for Bloggers who want to branch out into teaching and consulting!

2. Volunteer at school. Since I’ll have no younger sibling at home, I’ll be more free to volunteer in my older children’s classes, proctor for tests, etc.!

1. Eat Bon Bons. Just kidding… Well, maybe just one after lunch.

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