Welcome to the "JustForMom" newsletter.
“Sweet Child of Mine”
When parents face their child’s life threatening illness and the kindness of strangers become a source of hope.
Philanthropy has always been very important to the work I do on a daily basis. It is more important for me to make a difference in the life of another person, than it is to receive something for myself. That is the driving force behind the Just For Mom foundation, but more importantly the fundraiser that we will sponsor next year.
One of the core objectives of the foundation is to support the causes that are near and dear to a mom’s heart by supporting efforts that directly impact the lives of children and their family. The most important and treasured role in life is being a mother and one that brings with it an abundance of blessings every day. Along with that role also comes the responsibility of being the type of person whom you hope that your children aspire to be like.
Every day of our lives we make deposits in the memory banks of our children.” –Charles R. Swindoll.
When one of our Board members approached me with the idea for a fundraiser to raise money for children with cancer, the decision to participate was answered without hesitation. When she came to me with even a more personal plea, to assist a family whose 6 year old daughter was diagnosed with an advanced stage of leukemia, the maternal tug was kicked into overdrive. From the time my oldest son was a baby, I have felt very blessed to have children who were born healthy and have strongly supported children’s hospitals in an effort to show my gratitude. Next March, we will raise money for a family who struggles daily to improve the life of their child.
We are given but one opportunity to make a difference in this life and together we can impact the world around us. It is our goal to make a difference in the life of this child and offer her family inspiration and hope for the future they hold for their daughter.
Event date: March 24, 2005
Location: Dylan’s Candy Bar, NYC, NY
Time: 7 pm.
Contact: Tara Paterson, ContactUs@thejustformomfoundation.org for more information.
If you would like to volunteer to help with this fundraiser, please contact Lydia_Eftimoski@ML.COM.
This Moment
"I will concentrate on the beauty of one blue hill in the distance, and for me, that moment will be eternity."
-Alice Walker
This moment is all we have, I think to myself, as I am guided up the stairs by my little Angel. His joy is so pure and unadulterated, and I envision what it used to be like- to discover excitement in small wonders. The warmth of his little hand wrapped around my own brings a rush of love that is unrivaled by anything else.
To watch a child giggle over bugs, animals, and finding that lost toy. You would think they won the lottery, and in their mind, they did. The crocodile tears when a toy is misplaced or broken, breaks even the mature heart of a parent.
"Look at everything as though you were seeing it either for the first or last time."
-Betty Smith
Do you ever spend a moment wondering what is going on in the mind of your child when that little mischievous grin curls up the sides of his mouth? I could stare at the quizzical look that appears on my child's face at any given moment, all day. We will never witness innocence in a more pure state than when our child ventures on another new journey.
As we've grown, we've begun to take for granted the joy that can be found in such small things. For ten minutes, forget about those things that keep you up at night, and enjoy the wonder of a butterfly's beauty, the shapes clouds make, or the sights and smells that define Fall.
Most of all remember the sweet actions of a child. It may open up your heart!
© Tara Paterson 2004
For additional JustForMom articles, click here!
For the Soul
All the Best, of All You Need.
By Pamela Johnson
October 20, 2004
"Prosperity is a great teacher, adversity a greater."~ William Hazlitt
My lottery ticket didn't win…again. Rats. What drives us to wish for the moon thinking, if I only had...is going to make life easier? Would it? I've known many a soul who, outwardly, seems to have "it all." The house, the vacation home, the unplanned trips, clothes, cars, more jewelry than a human can wear and yet, more often than not, their lives are lacking any genuine happiness.
Oh right, you're sitting there saying to me, "Like you wouldn’t wish for all your bills to be paid and to be able to secure the future of your children and their children's children." I can't say that I haven't "wished" for an easier time on occasion. But at what expense?
Maybe I'm just one of those "half-glass full" kind of person. If you have all the riches and success in the world but no one to share it with, no one who pats you on the back and says, "Job well done," nay, a single soul who really cares about your achievement. Then what's the point?
Not one to habitually toss out Bible quotes, one in particular comes to mind in this instance, and I am inspired to share it. I believe it was the Apostle Paul who said, "I have learned to be content in all things (circumstances.)" Now, I'm sure Paul may have been using it to explain something else entirely, but it speaks to me in the context similar to William Hazlitt. It says to me, sure go ahead, make your wish list, buy that occasional lottery ticket, (my passion is a rare trip to a nickel slot machine. Yeah, I'm a big spender, aren't I?), but temper those wishes with wisdom. Don't let your wishes turn into obsession and blind you to the gifts you already have.
Be grateful. Give thanks for the little things, and be content — not placid perhaps, for hard work is necessary for every good thing that is worth the effort, but pause long enough on your road to success to realize that much of your prosperity lies in the journey itself, and in the friendship and family of those who have walked it with you. Indeed with a second glance, we often see how very "rich" we are.
There is a multitude of things that need to be fixed, children who have needs, and we haven’t taken a vacation in literally years. Some days it seems that we may never see the light at the end of the tunnel. Help me today to see the many blessings in my life, to be patient and hard-working, to give thanks when I feel the least thankful. And help me to understand that the adversity in life is what gives us opportunity to experience hope and grace.
Pamela Johnson is an award-winning author, proud of her Midwest roots. A stay-at-home mom, she writes both fiction and non-fiction and believes that with each dawn comes a new day of potential and possibility. Learn more about Pamela at www.pamelajohnson.net.
Recipe of the Week
Spiderweb Munch
 This crispy snack is topped with a layer of chocolate and then decorated with a thin piping of peanut butter. A candy spider on top
would complete the image for a creepy Halloween treat! Click here for more great Halloween recipe ideas.
1 (12-ounce) package NESTLÉ TOLL HOUSE Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
1 cup creamy peanut butter, divided use
1/3 cup powdered sugar
3 cups toasted rice cereal
- HEAT morsels and 3/4 cup peanut butter in small, heavy-duty saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly until smooth; remove
from heat. Add sugar; stir vigorously until smooth.
- PLACE cereal in large bowl. Add 1 cup melted chocolate mixture; stir until well coated. Place on ungreased baking sheet.
Using small metal spatula, shape into 10-inch circle with slightly raised 1-inch-wide border. Pour remaining chocolate mixture
in center of circle; spread to border.
- FOR SPIDERWEB: PLACE remaining peanut butter in small, heavy-duty plastic bag. Cut tiny corner from bag; squeeze to
pipe concentric circles on top of chocolate. Using wooden pick or tip of sharp knife, pull tip through peanut butter from center to
border. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until firm. Cut into wedges.
Makes 16 servings.
Recipe and photograph are the property of Nestlé®, used with permission. Find this recipe and over 14,000 other delicious recipes at CooksRecipes.com - Recipes for Every Cook!
Recipe II
Frosted Jack-O'-Lanterns
 Serve ice cream in these special Halloween orange jack-o-lanterns. Click here for more great Halloween recipe ideas.
4 large oranges
2 to 3 cups chocolate ice cream
4 green gumdrops
- 1. Cut slice off top of each orange; reserve slices. Cut around top edge of each orange and membrane, keeping shell intact. Remove orange sections (save and use for juice).
- 2. Cut out eyes, nose and mouth from each orange shell starting 1/4 inch below top cut edge. Fill each orange shell with chocolate ice cream, mounding slightly. Replace tops of oranges. Use green gumdrop for stems. Freeze until serving time (at least 2 hours).
Makes 4 servings.
TIP: Cut off thin slice of peel from bottom of oranges, if necessary.
Recipe and photograph provided courtesy of Land O Lakes, Inc., used with permission. Find this recipe and over 14,000 other delicious recipes at CooksRecipes.com - Recipes for Every Cook!
Word Of The Week
Prosperity
"Money is better than poverty if only for financial reasons."
-Woody Allen
Webster's Definition:
The state of being prosperous; attainment of the object desired; success.
Our thought:
If you could do one thing that would bring you joy and prosperity, what would it be-
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Table of Contents
> Welcome
> Feature Article
> For the Soul
> Recipes x's 2
> Word of the Week
> Moms Corner
> Site Review
> Inspired Parenting Tip
> New Features in the Article's Section
> Children´s Corner
> Coming in the Next Issue
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"A successful person is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks that others throw at him."
-David Brink
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Contact Us
JFM Enterprises, LLC
"Touching Each Mom’s Life, One Mom at a Time!"
www.justformom.com
35696 Williams Gap
Round Hill, VA 20141
Founder:
Tara Paterson:
tara@justformom.com
~MOMs~~~
~CORNER~
This is the place where we like to thank the contributors of this newsletter. Without all of the moms out there who work hard to make a difference, we wouldn’t have this opportunity!
JFM Highlights
by Alana Morales
Website Name: Blackdog's Halloween Party
Website URL: http://www.blackdog.net
Ages: K and up
Halloween is right around the corner, and in case your kids aren't already excited enough, here is a sight where kids can play various Halloween games. While not the most sophisticated site out there, it has plenty of choices for kids of different ages.
This site has online games, downloadable games, printables (including party games, crossword puzzles and word searches), screen savers, and even postcards that kids can send to friends and family. What makes this site even more fun is the googly eyes and other props that follow the cursor around the page!
Don’t Miss:
Halloween Hangman, Tic Tac Toe, and Puzzles are all fun games that make kids think. There are also plenty of coloring pages and other printable games that are great to print out for a party or rainy day.
Watch Out:
Some of the images can be scary for younger kids, so I recommend previewing the games yourself so you can judge which ones are appropriate for your child.
Inspired Parenting Tip
by Dr. Caron Goode
Develop habits of supportive self-talk with your children.
As children develop that "inner parent voice" through their growing years, model it as a supportive one. Speak with kindness. Use encouraging words. Provide thoughtful and thought- provoking responses. The more positively your children think about themselves, the more aware they'll be of their dreams unfolding. Supportive self- talk (rather than self-criticism) leads to reliance on their inherent abilities over time.
To learn more about becoming an Inspired Parent, visit InspiredParenting.net.
We have added two new categories to the article's section this week:
"Time Out for Parents" is a place where unpublished moms and dads can finally be published! There are no theme lists to adhere to, and we will accept any piece (fiction, nonfiction, or poetry) as long as it abides by our writing guidelines. So, if you are a mom or a dad dreaming of that first publication, send your submission to timeout@justformom.com. Your dream will soon be reality!
"Put Down Your Book and Pick Up Your Grandchild" is a new section in HOME & FAMILY just for grandparents. Being a grandparent can be pretty scary. Experts have written grandparent primers, but your best teacher is your grandchild. Here grandparents can share what they’ve learned from their grandchildren. If you have a story to share send your submission to Grandma.
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Note- We will begin adding a children's calendar to the newsletter monthly, along with a children's CD or DVD review.
Week of October 17-24 is:
Teen Read Week
National Character Counts Week **
National School Bus Safety Week
23rd: Make a difference day
27th: Cranky co-worker day
Navy Day
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Itsy Bitsy Spider
by Iza Trapani
To read a review of this book, click here!
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For Ghostly Snacks, click here!
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Ghost Greeters
Greet your trick-or-treaters or Halloween party guests with a group of ghastly ghosts, poised with pumpkins for an eerie entrance.
- Word of the Week- Prosperity
- Inspired Parnenting Tip
- Product Review - Francie Kelley's "Wake Up & Go To Sleep!"
- Site Review
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