My Everyday Magic

ANNOUNCEMENT: The winner of this weekend’s $50 giveaway is L.J.! Our very own Sunshine Faerie!!! Congrats, Dear Sister!!!

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Spicy Fairy

Hey everyone! I figure since December is almost here, we should purge ourselves and confess so we can have a fresh start.

My Confessions;

~ I was doing so well with my workout plan, until Thanksgiving rolled around. Not to point the finger or anything, but I legit couldn’t put on jeans for Black Friday shopping. But it’s alright; “No-Pants Mondays” are what I live for. Thank goddess for leggings & sweaters!

~ I have the hardest time letting nature run its course. I’m still trying to understand how to do it, but in reality I just need to stop analyzing it and let life happen. I can’t say “I’m trying,” because letting go shouldn’t involve intentional actions… Long story short, I’m a living, breathing contradiction.

~ I’m extremely vain. Every time I see a mirror, I have to check and analyze myself. I wonder if it’s just because I’m 17 or if being an only child has any correlation.. Regardless, I need to care less about what people think of me, because it holds me back from a lot.

~ I’m always positive, except with relationships. If you’re a regular here, you probably know that I’ve never had a boyfriend, and this makes me really skeptical about “love.” I know I love my mom, dad, and friends, but I’ve never known the love of a significant other. I know I’m young, but when I see kids my age in the halls holding hands, kissing, etc, it makes me feel like something is wrong with me. I’ve been told that I’m “a 10,” that I’m gorgeous and nice and all the compliments, but it makes me feel superficial and temporarily fulfilled. Because all I’ve known is the love for looks, it’s made me more vain. It’s kind of a vicious cycle, but it makes me open my eyes; I walk away if something isn’t genuine. I just have to believe that some day I’ll meet someone that loves me for me, not what I look like.

~ I’m “creative,” but I can’t always see it. I dance all the time, I’ve impressed my drawing teacher, and I’ve been told I’m a good writer, but my ego doesn’t always let me appreciate my capabilities.

~ I’m much better at advising and listening to others than I am at advising or listening to myself.

~ I’m 99% indecisive in all of my decisions, even if it’s simply picking an entree at a restaurant!

Sometimes we need to confess our downfalls in order to see our true beauty; after spilling my sappy life to you, I now see that I have plenty of good traits as well. I plan on starting December in a productive & positive way, not letting these truths get in the way of my goals. How about you?

Fun n' Flirty!

It’s been a while since we aired our dirty secrets, so I thought in the spirit of Spring Cleaning, we should get a few Confessions out! So c’mon, SPILL!

My True Confessions?

~I eat fast food – usually McDonald’s – at least once a week. I eat snacks for meals ALL THE TIME and the number of times in a week I actually sit down to a home-cooked meal is approaching zero. I am just too busy to eat well, and I’ve made my peace with that.

~I am a total work-a-holic. I will say yes to work even when I don’t need it – I worked THIRTY HOURS IN A ROW between Thursday and Friday last week, just because it was there. I also hate disappointing anyone, so I say yes to everything.

~My Sweetie does way too much for me and I’m always afraid I’m taking advantage!! But I’m also secretly thrilled every time I need something done and I know I can just ask him…

What are you confessing this week?

My Everyday Magic:

~Spending the day with my Mommy for Mother’s Day! We went out for drinks and then went home and helped her with some jobs outside in the yard…. continuing the family tradition of Mother’s Day manual labor!

~Going to a super fun Kentucky Derby party!

~Starting with a new client this week – the very first one I got from my website!!

~Hanging with my new bestie and doing some fun tutoring… learning lots about the business!

Have a magical, flirty week, everyone!

The Sparkle Fairy Coming Clean!

“True Confessions” Magic

In the spirit of being truly authentic, I’ve decided to face my inner-most demon…and post it on the internet. It scares the hell out of me AND exhilarates me ~ which are the feelings I get when I know I’m onto something (kind of like dressing as a Fairy in public!). So here we go!

* For the past 23 years of my life I’ve had body-image issues and it’s tainted my life in many ways and consumed an enormous amount of energy. In light of truly FREEING myself from this demon, I’m taking the parts of my body I’ve been most ashamed of and hidden for over 2 decades into the light of day for all to see. I wrote this (rather lengthy) missive about my body image, shared it with my parents and my cyber-sisters ~ and now it’s sparked a new blog. If you have some time please read the following link..and get to REALLY know me!

How A Pizza Changed My Past

My Everyday Magic

* Taking my boys outside yesterday for the first time in 4 days even though it was rainy and cold…and coming in feeling refreshed!

* Our kitty who always accompanies us on our outside treks and then comes inside when we do ~ such a great cat!

* Getting on my mini-trampoline for the first time in 5 days and running to an episode of Glee. It was the fastest 40 minutes ever!

* Having friends coming over today. Thank Goddess!

Spill your secrets and then share your magic! I love you!!

The Sparkle Fairy spilling secrets!

“True Confessions” Magic!

It’s been awhile since we done some True Confessions and I’m wondering if I’ve already spilled all my dirty little secrets. I’m sure I’ll think some up as I go! Join in the fun ~ it’s incredibly FREEING!

* I told my children yesterday they had to pick their toys up off the floor because I needed room for something they’ve never seen me do before….fold laundry. The fact that I don’t fold laundry has already been a True Confession, but the funny part is my 5 year old said “Fold laundry?” like he’d never heard of the concept before. And my 3 year old clearly didn’t understand what was going on as he took a pile of 10 freshly folded T-shirts and threw them up in the air saying “Cannonball!” I actually folded 3 loads of my husbands clothes….and clearly remembered why I never do it.

* I implemented “Unplugged mornings” during the weekdays a couple of months ago and while the day inevitably goes better without the TV on first thing and without me on the computer, I really look forward to the weekends when I let them watch “Phineas and Ferb” and I can get caught up on some computer time….although it still usually makes me grumpy in the end. Go figure.

* I give my children a bath almost every morning during the week, not because they’re dirty but because I can think of nothing else to do with them!

* I ate 2 donuts yesterday ~ one after breakfast and one after dinner ~ and enjoyed every single bite!

* My husband is always doing nice things for me ~ going out and getting me things I need or want from the store, cooking for me, buying me flowers but I can’t really name many nice things I do for him. Which is why I folded 3 loads of his laundry yesterday! (I’m actually going to do at least one nice thing for him each day this week, ’cause he really, really deserves it.)

* I have this one stray wiry hair that grows just below my belly button and I have to shave it every couple of weeks! Heh-heh (I love the body-hair True Confessions!)

My Everyday Magic

* Homemade chicken and rice soup.

* A good night’s sleep with healing dreams.

* Sending love to the human race…’cause we sure can use it!

Oh, I just LOVE True Confessions! It’s one of my most favorite days! Spill your secrets and share your magic! I love you more than you know!

The Sparkle Fairy spilling her secrets!

“True Confessions” Magic!

It’s that time again ~ the time that is quickly becoming my favorite post of the month: True Confessions! If you missed Part One or Part Two, treat yourself to a read and you’ll see how much neuroses we have in common!

My True Confessions:

* I throw waaaaay many more tantrums than my 2 year old! In fact both my children take things in stride FAR easier than I do and I’m often looking to them for the most appropriate reaction! Ah, my wonderful teachers.

* I have cold, clammy hands and feet. My hands sweat so much that I’m often anxious about shaking people’s hands. My piano teacher told me when I was a child that I had the sweatiest hands she’s ever seen.

* I intervene waaaaay too much in my husband’s relationship with my children. One of my hardest habits to break is to keep my mouth shut when he says or does things differently than me ~ or truthfully it’s actually when he does things THE SAME as me but those things are the things I dislike most about my parenting ~ like being impatient or yelling. I get mad at him for the same things I get mad at myself for. (Did you follow all that?) In any case, those are ALL patterns I’m constantly working on changing!

* I have a chocolate stash that I keep all to myself and hidden away from my family. I’ve had this for YEARS (even as a kid!). I don’t eat it every day, in fact I just threw away some chocolate from last Valentine’s Day and Easter ~ but I like having it there when I want it. I’m a savorer and my boys are scarfers ~ so to have some when I want it I have to hide it. The one time my husband found it years ago we got in a big fight! Now he knows not to look. Tee-hee!

* I’m a really good burper and I don’t try to hide it!

* My children don’t sleep with stuffed animals, but I do! I sleep with a stuffed turtle every single night and it travels with me too!

Whew! That is so fun! And it really is addicting!

My Everyday Magic

* Doing this post at night so I can continue our unplugged mornings ~ it makes me such a better mother!

* All the butterflies and bumblebees that came out of hiding for this glorious summery weather!

* Feeling like I’m doing some MAJOR clearing out!

* Talking to friends who understand ~ love you, Sabrina!

* Reading everyone’s Magic. It’s really and truly my favorite past-time!

So, spill your secrets and share your magic! I’ll always love you ANYWAY!

The Sparkle Fairy Sharing Secrets!

True Confessions Magic!

Last month’s “Love, Trust, and True Confessions” was (in my opinion) one of the most important days in My Everyday Magic history! It helped show everyone how the things we hide from others are also the things they’re hiding from us. It made us realize how we’re more alike than we thought. And I, for one, found it incredibly freeing (not to mention humorous!).

Since then I’ve been fully committed to being my AUTHENTIC SELF, flaws and all. And I’ve found that it’s easier to love myself and others when we share those parts of ourselves that we usually hide. So join me and share some of your dirty little secrets ~ it’s become my most healthy addiction! (For some added “true confessions” inspiration, check out this refreshing and illuminating blog post from Project Happily Ever After. I’m ashamed to say that number 3 on her list really makes me giggle uncontrollably!)

My Confessions

* I take a nap EVERY DAY with my 2 year old while my 5 year old is plugged into PBS. I used to hide this (don’t know why?) but now I embrace the fact that I’m a champion napper ~ I always have been and hopefully always will be. After I wake up, I read in bed until my 2 year old wakes up. Part of me feels guilty that I’m not spending one-on-one time with my 5 year old instead of sleeping and reading, but every fiber of my being enjoys this “quiet time” and it makes me a more patient, loving mother. My 5 year old is definitely not complaining about getting the TV to himself for 90 minutes a day. And on that note…

* We have children’s TV on for an average of 5 hours a day ~ sometimes less, sometimes more. There’s about 2 hours in the morning as I exercise, clean, make breakfast, and post my Magic. Then there’s the 90 minute nap-tv-time. And then there’s about 90 minutes before bed. This is something I still feel a little guilty about since I always had this ideal of being a no-TV family. But I’m starting to appreciate TV as being part of my “tribe” allowing me to get certain things done easier and also to get the downtime I so desperately need. And if I figure that my 5 year old is awake for 14 hours of the day and with me the WHOLE TIME, then 5 little hours doesn’t seem so bad. Right? Right! (I’m still working on getting it down, though…Ack!….this is a tough one for me!)

* I don’t fold laundry….EVER! I either take the clean laundry out of the dryer and stuff it into drawers or I let it stay in the dryer until my cleaning lady comes to fold it…every two weeks! HA-HA-HA!!! I don’t even feel badly about this one! And on that note…

* I only wash clothes when they’re stained or smell ~ other than that I’m all for the whole family getting multiple wears out of their clothes. I don’t feel badly about this one either ~ it’s better for the environment!

* I only wash our sheets about every month or two! Which is why having crisp, clean sheets makes my MAGIC list every time I have them!

Okay, I think that’s it for me today! Though I may come and post more as they come to me! It’s just so much fun!

My Everyday Magic

* My friend, Melanie, for pointing me in the direction of Project Happily Ever After! Thanks, Mel!

* A wonderful playground group yesterday!

* Tomato-basil salad and mushroom pizza for dinner last night.

* A GREAT night’s sleep!

* True Confessions!

Join me in my newest addiction and post a dirty little secret ~ it only makes us love you MORE!!!

The Sparkle Fairy's Beer and Secrets!

Love, Trust, and True Confession!

One of my goals lately is to be TRULY AUTHENTIC in every interaction. I admit that in the past I censored myself out of fear that I wouldn’t be accepted because I had different ideas, thoughts, or opinions. But in light of Sparkle Mission #4, I’m committing myself to taking off the mask and being who I REALLY am ~ even the other parts that I usually hide out of fear!

So today I’m sharing some things with you that you may not know about me ~ things that I wouldn’t have normally shared in the past. I’m LOVING myself enough to be transparent and I’m TRUSTING that you’ll love me ANYWAY! Here are some of my TRUE CONFESSIONS!

* I’m VERY stubborn, pig-headed, and unwilling to compromise ~ and I don’t plan on changing that anytime soon!

* I yell or use an impatient tone with my beloved, wonderful children more than I’d like ~ and though I’ve made A LOT of progress in this area, it’s still a constant effort on my part to be the gentle mother I envision.

* I’ve shaved my arms since I was 10 years old!! (gasp!)

* I REALLY like good, dark beer and usually have some 4 days a week!

* I’ve occasionally been known to be in alignment with McDonald’s. (That one is for you, Sabrina.)

WOW!! That was INCREDIBLY freeing!!!! (And I can’t stop giggling at myself!) Give it a try and share ONE thing with us that you usually hide!

My Everyday Magic

* A FABULOUS time at Viney Hill Brook Park with FABULOUS mamas and children!!!

* Talking about Children’s Circles and Belly-dancing!

* A FANTASTIC yoga class last night with my friend Kimberly! It felt sacred and healing and was JUST what I needed!

* My WONDERFUL husband being sooooooo supportive!

* My little children who love me all the time no matter what tone I use!

* My wonderful husband being on a role with work and so enjoying his new ideas!

* It’s Field Trip day for Papa and the boys and I plan on RESTING!!!

* Feeling like a TRUE, AUTHENTIC Fairy!

Share a TRUE CONFESSION (it’s actually addicting!) and your MAGIC today! You can TRUST that I’ll LOVE you ANYWAY (and perhaps even more!)