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photo credit: vera46

Feel Good Monday!! Today is the McKlinky Blog hop and the theme is to post something that makes you feel good!  For me it’s being by the water or seeing a picture of it!  It always makes me feel happy and at peace.  I went for a walk with my family on the beach yesterday and it was great!  Even on a cool day I love to be on the beach.  The kids love picking rocks and shells to bring home and paint!

I use the beach as an example for my kids as a place they can think of that is peaceful when they are angry or having a hard time.  It’s a good relaxation technique to use visualization.  When I asked my kids where their special place was they both had a water theme to it.  My son said “floating on a raft in the pool or at the beach” my daughter said on the “shore, by the beach”.  It’s good for kids (actually all of us) to have a place to imagine when we need to feel more relaxed.

Where is your special place?  What makes you feel relaxed?

This weeks Mcklinky blog hop is to fill in the blanks for the paragraphs below.  It was tough, because some things might not have fit exactly for me, but interesting to do.

You just found out you have one week to live. The first person you call is _my kids and husband_ and say __I love you_. Immediately after hanging up the phone, you leave the doctors office and before heading home you go to _Get a Journal_ so you can __write letters to my children, husband, mom, step dad, sisters, brother, nephews, niece, in laws, sister in law, Dad___.

You gather your family at home that night and say _I love you and I will always be with you.  I want you to be happy and do things you love, be kind and take care of yourself and eachother, always.__ then all of you together _Go for a walk on the beach__.

You book a three day trip to three different places because you’ve always wanted to _France_, _Italy__ and _St. Martin__. On the way back from your trip you stop off at _Lydias___ to _give her a hug_ because you’ve been meaning to for a long time.

For two more days you spend your time reading _books on helping your kids get through a loss_, writing _letters to my family, and __tell my kids how much they mean to me__. You make sure you _tell my husband where all the important papers are, _finalize the will_ and _figure out what special things I want my kids to have_… three things you know you should have taken care of but have been putting off.

The final day is too personal to write about but you wonder to yourself: why did I have to get a death notice before I finally did all those things this week?

The reason I’ll probably keeping putting off all those things is __that there is not enough time__ but _eventually I’ll have to make the time, although, I frequently force myself to stop and enjoy the moment, I alsotell my children how I feel about them, but I do want to write them letters__.

Special thanks to Shoplet.com-Purell Hand Sanitizers for sponsoring this blog hop.

It’s Monday, and time for the McKlinky blog hop again.  The theme this week is Art Work.  I was really excited to participate in this Blog Hop.  I have so much art work that my children create, and it’s always fun to share it.  I look forward to seeing the other participants Art Work.  The pictures displayed above are of water color paintings my daughter created.  Water Color is a really fun medium to paint with.  It is a great Activity for Kids.

photo credit: 1suisse

The theme for the McKlinky Blog Hop is Remembering 9/11 this week.   I wish it had never happened, but it is important to remember it and remember all those innocent people who were lost that day and since.  I found this pre – 9/11 photo, it is still strange to me that the towers aren’t there anymore.  I grew up in Long Island and went to NYC many times.  I always loved the twin towers and had walked by there so many times.

I was working in a Middle School in Rhode Island on September 11 2001.  I was in my office when the Tech teacher came in and told me that a plane had crashed into the twin towers.  I didn’t believe him, I thought it was some kind of twisted joke.  He said look it up online, but cnn was overloaded.  I went into the school library where teachers were huddled in a closet watching the tv in shock.  I saw the screen and couldn’t believe what I saw, I then saw the that the second plane had hit and had the sudden realization that this was not an accident and what was going to happen next.  The rest of the day was a blur, trying to calm students whose parents were on planes leaving Boston, or were in NY and calling parents so the kids could check in.  Trying to remain calm while feeling panicked myself.

I still can’t believe that any one would want to hurt innocent people like that.  I don’t understand that kind of hatred.  It is so awful that people in this world can be so hateful towards other people.   I am scared when I think of it for our children and the children all around the world.  I wish there was some way to have all people respect eachother, even if we don’t agree.

My heart goes out to all those killed and injured in 9/11 and since then.  To All of our soldiers who risk their lives and witness awfull things to protect us, I thank you.  To all of their families, Thank you and my thoughts are with you as I can just imagine how much you worry about your loved ones.

Let’s hope that more peacful times are ahead.

It’s the McKlinky Blog hop again!  This weeks theme is baby pictures.  I found this one and thought it was so cute I had to share it! Hope you all had a nice weekend!!