Please Excuse My Social Absence

            It’s not you, it’s me. No, really, it’s me. My famous last words, or more like my personal motto for the past several years – one that I was not always proud of, but one that I have learned to accept. As a mother of four children, my schedule has changed quite drastically since the birth of baby #1. With the first two children, life was relatively carefree. "Carefree" in a loose definition of the word. Yes, there were struggles; I learned how to breastfeed my babies, while also adjusting to the lack of sleep, but for the most part, life was simple. There was still plenty of time to meet friends for morning coffee, lunch, and even pedicures. It was relatively easy to find a babysitter for two kids, or even bring them along. But as each beautiful new baby joined our family, adjustments were made and it became difficult for me with four little ones to accept social invitations.

            Everyday tasks that had once been easy, now needed much more planning and occupied double the time with four children at my heels. I wanted desperately to visit with friends and have non-interrupted moments while discussing a book in a mom’s group, but this was not my world any longer and I needed to accept it. I dreamed of a night out with my friends, sans kids. It wasn’t easy to put myself first anymore, actually there was no time for myself, especially with an on-demand nursing baby. I always had good intentions, but when the clock started ticking and it was only an hour or two before meeting friends, I was just too exhausted. It sounded more enticing to get these little ones to bed and enjoy a quiet evening home with my husband. It’s not you, it’s me.

There reaches a point in every mom’s life when it is no longer easy to leave the house with those little bundles of joy. For some moms, the magic number might be one, for others it might be three, but for me it was four. I am still in awe of those supermoms who take all five children out for dinner. I salute, YOU! I just wasn’t one of those supermoms and the thought of bringing my four children, three of them rambunctious boys, out to a girls' lunch felt like a daunting task. So I decided it was best not to risk the potential failure.

It wasn’t easy for me to pass on these social invitations. Those “good times” with my friends had at one time been memorable, now I just couldn’t get myself out the front door. Caring for my wonderful children all day long was exhausting and there was very little energy to muster up for myself. I was upset at myself that I couldn’t juggle it all. Why didn’t my little ones want to spend a quiet morning at the coffee shop nibbling on a pastry? Then I had an awakening – I wanted to stay home with my little family. I preferred to stay home and make breakfast with those little happy faces rather than getting everyone packed up and to the coffee shop by 8:00 a.m.

            So for all of those frustrated women that rarely see their “mom friends". It really, truly isn’t you, it’s just the way of motherhood. Don’t stop the invitations, because one day, that mom will be able to find the energy after a long day and sleepless night to spend much needed time with her close friends. She will finally find a night to have a little bit of “me time.”

Friendship may be a two-way street, but my children bring an entirely different perspective. There will be one day when I can fulfill each one of those social obligations that I once loved, but for now I am quite content spending these fleeting moments with my children while they are still young. I don't want to miss these carefree days of childhood.

    

The Beauty in Friendship

What is a world without friendship? It's a world of sadness, disbelief, and loneliness. As social beings we clamor for friends. Not the type of friends who bring us down or create drama, but the friends we can laugh with (laugh so hard we are crying), the friends who can enjoy sitting together in silence, and the friends who will never divulge our deepest secrets. As a teenager, I was quite naive. Friends were everywhere. High school and college was one big party. Those were the good old days when life was much simpler and the responsibilities of adulthood were unknown. Now my definition of friendship has changed quite drastically. 

Many of us reach a point in our lives when we really truly deeply need a close friend. The type of friend that can be trusted with our secrets, but who also won't judge us for those failings. If only it was easy to find that person. A good everlasting friendship will bring out the very best in ourselves.

This friendship can be found in a close friend, a sibling, a parent, a spouse, a neighbor, but whoever it is, everlasting friendship will never be fake, exhausting, or one-sided. True friendship involves a give and take from both people. This is the beauty of friendship - it is a perfect scenario for peace and personal growth. You may have many friends or only a few close friends, but when the times get tough your real friends will surface. During those moments of self-destruction or daily tribulations, only the people who truly desire you the best will remain. 

We live in a world full of selfishness, materialism, with a lack of generosity and charity. A good friend will never be found among those vices. If we want to find that beautiful friend, we must work to become beautiful people first. I'm not saying we have to become Mr. Wonderful in a week, but our goal should always be towards self-improvement. 

Adulthood brings unexpected paths, winding roads that don't make any sense and cause us to question the reasoning. Knowing that there is a reason for everything in life and having a best friend to hold your hand during it all is one of the most comforting things in this world of uncertainty.

It is almost impossible to find a good friend, but I have been blessed with one who has my best interests at heart and I want nothing short of the best for her. It doesn't matter what or who may separate us, because no matter where life takes us, we will always have this everlasting bond.

Grateful Beyond Belief

Written By: Danielle Silva Heckenkamp

Thank you! Thank you to everyone who has touched my life, even in a small way. Too often we go through life wishing for the next best thing. That's a tendency of human nature; the grass is always greener. It's unfortunate, because we forget to examine our current situations and the amazing gifts we have been given. With the start of summer vacation and three months of wonderful one-on-one time with the kiddos, I thought it was perfect timing to contemplate my life and those who have made an impact on me.

This morning I was in an area of the city that isn't the best, but I saw the most beautiful thing that almost made me cry. A father was holding his child (about 4-5 months old) and wrapped in a blanket with only his face showing, because it was chilly and rainy, while the dad was carrying a large bag, it might have contained the only items they owned. I didn't know where he was going, but he looked like he was on a mission. The father was very lovingly watching the child to make sure he was o.k., while also trying to not step in puddles and slip. This might not sound like much, but it was such a beautiful sign of love between a parent and child. A love that is missing in this world or hidden. We are so used to a love that only shows itself when it is self-serving. It didn't matter the economic or social conditions of this child and father, because they showed enough love and trust between the two of them.

Credit: Mother Letters

It made me think on the drive home, through the dreary weather, that the old cliche saying is true. "All you need is love". I know, I know, me of all people who doesn't care for the corny quotes. But I think we all have those moments in life when everything is going wrong, we aren't able to control or solve the problems, and have to wait for slow fixes. Then suddenly, something happens to show how each of our lives are intertwined with one another. We don't understand it all now and won't probably until after we die. It leaves us in a state of pure confusion, but also relief, knowing that everything has a reason and purpose. It truly does, because if it didn't, there would be no point to any of this.


Little does this father know that by walking down the street at that exact moment would create such a profound affect on another person. With that thought in mind, our every action is an example of good or hurt. How do we want to be perceived in the world?

After these deep reflections, in a quiet car before picking up the kids from school and the start of spring break... I knew that it was time to think more of others, and less of myself, which of course is hard with our natural self tendencies. To do more for others in small ways, ways that we won't see the effects, or be able to promote on social media, but ways that will create a better world for all. Then maybe someday, those actions will be shown to us like a puzzle, many little jumbled pieces put together to create a wonderful masterpiece.

I am grateful for a lot of things in life, but I am most grateful for my life and those near to me. The life that has been given to me with all the happiness, sorrows, thrills, adventures, friendships, family, and unsolvable problems. Because without each and everyone of these bits and pieces, it would not be my life. It might not make sense when I am going through the heartache or the celebrations, but no matter the event, each and every one of them have a sincere and utterly beautiful effect on my life and I am grateful that they have helped me develop a love and trust for myself, friends, family, and my children. Because what else matters in life than love?

When Times Get Tough, It's Time For Summer!

Written By: Danielle Silva Heckenkamp

It’s time for summer love, summer vacation, and summer adventures - to let loose without looking back. Who doesn’t want to have fun in the sun? We long for those brief summer months here in Wisconsin, no matter how brief they may last. As cold weather Midwesterners, we crave the sun and heat after several long months of winter, and of course, we are ridiculously jealous of our Southern friends. But for some reason, we keep coming back for more - how have we not learned yet? It’s about time to move to a warmer climate, right? Take me to Charleston! Maybe Midwesterners prefer this self-inflicted torture. 

After months of intense dreariness, dark clouds, and dry winter temperatures dipping below zero, the thought of warm sun, beach sand, and not having to bundle up lifts our moodiness and brings a smile. Those foreboding winter months force many Wisconsinites to retreat into a warm house, sip hot chocolate, and read the latest issue of Vogue sitting before a roaring fire. This may sound enticing, but after several months, the monotony begins. Yes, those Instagram pictures are a bit overrated. Honestly, how much hot chocolate can one person drink?

Sometimes it’s difficult to believe we have four seasons in Wisconsin. Spring is only a slightly warmer version of winter. So we anxiously await those days of sun, when it doesn’t take an additional twenty minutes to leave the house because a mitten is lost, again. Those warm carefree days when we can spend any extra moment with friends, family, and working on our slightly embarrassing Northern tan. Yes, we aren’t as austere as some may claim, we can laugh at ourselves. It’s that one time of year, no matter where we live in this beautiful country of ours, that we can have fun and enjoy life. Summer gives us an excuse for a vacation, for making family memories, a time when we no longer focus solely on working, but on enjoying the simple pleasures of life.

Summer is that amazing time when the beach welcomes us no matter how cool the water may feel, a blended strawberry daiquiri tastes much better while lounging next to a pool, and a pair of sandals become a wardrobe staple. It’s the heat, the sweat, and the sunshine that somehow have us wanting more, the months are just too short. Maybe it’s because living in Wisconsin brings too many months of winter and not enough months of summer love. Everyone loves the freshness of spring and the anticipation of warm weather to come, but summer brings something extra special. Summer brings a place for new beginnings, a time for creating lasting memories, unlike any we have previously experienced. The summer months have provided some amazing, out of this world exploits. The type of memories that mold us into the people we are or who are about to become - similar to a true friend. Summer is a good lasting friendship. It forces us to take a step out of the norm, and enjoy this unknown world.

Friendship and summer have much more in common than anyone could imagine. The type of friendship we search for our entire lives, but oftentimes never find. We may have plenty of acquaintances, and even a few people we feel confident enough to share some of our deepest secrets. But finding that true everlasting friend, is like finding a needle in the haystack. Summer is full of confidence, unforgettable moments, adventures, and with an intense desire to indulge. It doesn’t matter how long one is parted from a true friend, the strong bond will return. Summer gives us promises of acceptance and forgiveness - those overwhelming hot days are cooled off by an intense evening thunderstorm.

There have been many great summers in my life, ones that involved goofy high school friends, others that included many late night college parties, but one of the best was shared with a good friend, actually a “best friend”. I have always felt a bit silly saying “best friend” since the term was used so freely in grade school, but maybe it’s also a bit odd because once we reach adulthood, a “best friend” is almost impossible to find. Luckily, I have been blessed with such a gift!

This “best friend” knows when to give a hug, when to make me laugh so hard I’m crying, and even though she may know my flaws, for some reason, she still chooses to overlook them. But friendship isn’t a one-way street. It involves a commitment, a lack of self-interest, with the desire to be a part of this person’s life through thick and thin. Just like the season of summer. After months of struggling through the doldrums of winter, the summer sun shines through those gloomy clouds, and all is well.  But if we don’t take a moment to enjoy the sun and venture outside, it is only another day. Everyone needs a best friend, especially women. We go through life judging ourselves, looking at every minute detail in the hopes of reaching ridiculous expectations. We are often the hardest on ourselves and this is where a best friend steps in, she knows when it is just too much and calms the storm. 

The season of summer may bring the expectations of swimsuit weather and all that comes with it, but it also gives us a reprieve from the storm - the winter storm. Somehow, just when we think it’s too much to live through another cloudy day, the summer sun finds its way through the clouds to lift our spirits. As my “best friend” often says, “When tough times come, you will find your true friends.” 

Mommy Meltdown

The Mommy Meltdown.

Are we allowed to have a meltdown?

If so, when?

How to have a Mommy Meltdown?

...and Why?

Oh the joys of a Mommy Meltdown....Do you have them, because I most certainly do not ever have them.............in public that is. Wink wink.....

Ok, so you are mom, we are living the dream or least trying to to live it. We get up each day, make lunches for school, clean the house, raise the kids, go to work etc.... We do a lot. So every once in awhile it catches up with us. No..... it literally hits you in the face like the frying pan hit Flynn Ryder in Tangled. Right?

Life can be tough at times and occasionally we are going to loose it...Mommy Meltdown! But do any of you have those perfect friends that you are positively sure never meltdown? I thought I did, actually I have even been accused of never having a meltdowns........Blahahaha! News Flash!!! Every mom has had them! Some just "hide" it better! 

Social media has been awesome but it has it's downfalls...the venting status... I have completely been guilty of the venting status or hashtag. The ones where you are needing to vent and an adult human is not nearby so you vent online. Well mamas not the best idea. That venting is just a scream to let people judge you. How many of you are nodding your head right now agreeing with me. Yup, I thought so!

I have learn from my very wise mom, that if you have a meltdown, vent quickly. Vent quickly? Wait I should not have a giant pity, cry your eyes until you are puffy, in need of chocolate, where is the wine meltdown? Well what is the fun in that? Hahaha!!!! Vent quickly for me means, calling mom or my best friend and venting for two minutes and then it is their turn to vent for two minutes. Yes only two minutes! Does it help, you betcha. Why? Because half the time when you are having a mommy meltdown you just need a listening board, no comments,  just someone that you can trust to listen!

Seriously, the two minute venting thing is great, try it and you will see. 

Why only two minutes....well because if you vent for any more time, you will allow yourself to feel sorry for yourself and who has time for that. Wink!

So while I think is completely human to have a mommy meltdown and sometimes even on a regular basis, we gotta keep it together. Why? Because we are moms and if we do not keep it together who will!

Have a lovely meltdown-free day!

Katy

Being a mother of daughters..... raising Feminists..the right kind!

So I have two beautiful daughters, Rosie and Ava. Some mothers are gifted with children that have the same temperaments or similar personalities, which is lovely. My two girlies could not be more different from one another, which is a complete blessing and curse all in one. But guess what peeps.....I am raising feminists...oh no...you are thinking to yourself....she is actually admitting she is raising feminists!

The Merriam-Webster dictionary states

Full Definition of FEMINISM

1

:  the theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes 

2

:  organized activity on behalf of women's rights and interests

So YES I am raising feminists....strong females that will be leaders and role models in a society that so badly needs real feminists!!!

Females that do not want to be like men...but are proud of being females and their feminine qualities. After all ladies, we make babies and men will never be able to do that! Boom!

As of right now my Rosie wants to be a nurse like her Aunt and/or Joan of Arc...well since Joan of Arc died at the old age of 19 and was burden at the stake, I am hoping that the nurse thing works out. But I am proud that she has pick role models/real feminists that are strong females. Females that wanted to make a difference in the world, leaders that had many failings but kept going and made a difference in society. Someone once said. "Society is as good as its women." Well ladies, time to woman up! 

Future Goofballs, Strongs Leaders and always my Daughters.

My Ava's role models/real feminists are Nana (my mom), Coco Chanel, (we watched a movie about her), and her piano teacher Mary Kate. If you only knew my mom, you would understand, she is the greatest leader I know. She leads with love...never anything else.  Coco Chanel, well born leader of fashion, enough said. As for Mary Kate the piano teacher, she is teaching Ava to be a leader through their love of music.

They are my heart.

So thanks a lot feminists of the 60s... you took off your bras, made femininity about having sex with the pill....which if you haven't realized yet...it is letting men have sex with you with no consequences... not just a baby, but no true connection, no anything of substances.... and feminists of the 60s you wanted to get equal wages to men...well I agree that it should be that way! However over 50 years later we are still fighting that battle.

Where are the Real Feminists that fight for women rights, their children, their families!!!!

On a final note, I am trying to be a Real Feminist, an example to my daughters and my son of what a true woman is. 

• I wear heels, dresses, jeans, and even "mom uniform- black yoga pants with the solid top"
• I can shoot a duck, clean it, and cook it in an amazing orange sauce
• I love dancing in the kitchen with my kids, drinking wine, and reading anything about the WWII
• I love to have parties and socialize for fun or for a passionate charities.
• I love being a mother, it is and will be my greatest accomplishment!
• I will be a leader to my children and help them achieve their goals.

My role models are Mary Magdalene- she made mistakes but got it right in the end, Rose Seitz- a woman that taught me to find love in everything, and another lovely woman named Mary- she is graceful leader, who taught me to always keep trying and the past is the past. 

So come on ladies, will you be a real feminists or keep letting other women determine your fate. 

This blog is dedicated the my role models and the Real feminists, past, present and future! Will you choose to make a difference while owning your femininity! Time to woman up!

Have a lovely day,

Katy

...and it begins

.....My whole lIfe I have wanted to be a mom…seriously my whole life! From the age of four I was mothering (well maybe bossing) all my friends and planning how many kids I was going to have. At the age of seven I decided that ten was the number. I was going to have ten children. I did not care how many boys or girls, I just wanted a love filled crazy big family. Then by the age of eighteen I decided I want ten and then I would adopt at least five more….. but wait why stop there? By the age of twenty I knew I wanted to start an orphanage. Then I could love a ton of kids. During this whole time I was praying like crazy for many children….never once did I think or pray for a husband. I just thought I would get married and my husband would want as many kids as me and we would live happily ever after. Blahahahaha!!!!! and a few more hahas!

 Well thanks Disney for making me believe all my dreams can come true…. My Prince Charming/husband came along when I was twenty-one and guess what? He DID want a load of children, he was loving, caring and masculine, (because I can not stand wimpy men) but he had a big secret…..no he was not a woman…..no he did not cheat one me……the big secret was he had a drug addiction. Yep, call me dumb, stupid or whatever, but I married a full blown drug addict. Did I know he was when a drug addict when we got married?….nope.. I had some red flags when dating but nothing huge.

Sooooo to make a super extreme sad story short….I divorced him. Mainly to keep our three beautiful children safe. By no means is this a post to bash drug addicts…it is a horrible sickness that consumes the person and everyone around that person.

Rosie, Ava and Cliff

Well now what… I am a single mom….this was not the plan.

So after a pity feast, a few screaming in pillow moments and an intense pep talk in the mirror, I decided...I got this. I am a single mom and I am going to be proud of it. I will be both mom and dad to my awesome kids and you know what.. we are all doing great!

My kids are my everything, I am a mom first but I am an entrepreneur too. I love business, starting them, selling them, watching them grow. I have been a professional event planner, author of Provocative Manners, owner of the Aircut and now a co-owner to Elm Grove Art. My children are my purpose in life, business is my escape, and people are my hobby. Life is to short not to have fun! So we live it up each day!

Rosie singing, Cliff reading out loud and Ava tapping dancing!

I was brought up with the mentality, God first, family second, and friends third… and that is how I live happily.

On a final note, I am writing this blog with my best friend…yes I am 31 years old and I sound like a 5 yr old…”best friend." But that is what she is… Danielle and I have know each other for over ten years but she became my best friend through my divorce…she kept me sane, no actually she slapped me out of my pity feast. Someone once said, “hard times reveal true friends.” Well she is the truest friend I have ever had. 

Selfie time...notice I do not know were to look, blahaha!

I am writing this blog in hopes that other single moms can realize…we can do it all! We can raise our children wonderfully, have happy homes and have careers that we love too. It is a challenge but I am all in!!!

Have the loveliest of days.

Kate

Today is the Day!

Everyday is a day for new beginnings. A day to start a new adventure. Well, today is the day that Katy and I are beginning another new adventure, and that new wild ride is the start of our blog, Kate and Danielle! This year has definitely been a year for new beginnings, the start of phases in life for both of us together as friends, business partners, and on our own personal levels. This mix of ups and downs, sideways hurdles, and top over bottom turn-overs has warranted the start of this blog. A place where we can write not only as business owners and partners, but a place where we can come mostly as friends, mothers and women to express our concerns, our love for life, our passion for business, and our children!

@MeganRammingerPhotography

@MichelleCascioPhotography

For those of you who don't know me, my sweet husband and I are expecting baby #4 in the next couple weeks. Yes, our lives are a bit crazy right now, but in the best way possible. I have been extremely blessed with a man who is manly in every sense of the word, knows how to care for our family, patiently loves our children, and adores me though all my faults (and yes, I have a lot of them). Our dear daughter, the oldest, is such a huge help and loves to be right in the middle of planning, organizing, and sometimes bossing the other boys around. The boys, well they are boys. They are full of life, energy, with the desire to explore, climb, play in the dirt, and just be boys, which is such a joy to watch them approach life much differently than their sister. 

#1 and #3

After working a full-time legal job, my husband and I decided it was best for our family that I stay home after the birth of our first child. This was one of the best decisions I have ever made, after marrying dear hubby, of course! :) Being a stay-at-home mom isn't an easy job, nor is it the toughest one either, just like many others, it has challenges, but I have found throughout the years that these challenges are extremely rewarding, more than I could've ever imagined. I find new hurdles and yet new rewards each day from my vocation and I wouldn't ask for anything different!

Katy (best friend and business partner) and I have always loved a new challenge and have definitely had our fair share, even sometimes seeking them out ourselves...don't ask! We have accomplished a lot over the years, including writing a book, and having it published in 2013 (Provocative Manners: The Sauce of Life), planning events together (she's the event planner and I have owned a specialty floral company for 9 years), organizing moms groups, and this year opening an art studio in the Milwaukee Metro area, but most importantly we have become the dearest of friends. I view her as the sister I never had and I have been most fortunate that our paths crossed just at the right time. We compliment each other extremely well, to the point where most people don't understand it. Katy has become a friend who I can count on through thick or thin, not only in the everyday happiness and struggles of life, but someone who has every bit of my best interest at heart. 

I apologize, this post has become much longer than I anticipated, but at least I filled it with fun pictures, right? I truly hope you follow us as Katy and I pave the way through our busy lives as mothers and business women. I hope to keep it light-hearted, but also touch on topics close to many of us as wives, mothers, friends, career women, and how to get through this beautiful world as gifted human beings. Follow us, as we juggle and love our lives each week, just like all women dreaming, searching, and living through those everyday adventures!

Facts About Me!

Favorite Things:

My husband and children (the loves of my life), bedtime for the little ones and spending quality time with my husband (sans kids), warm cups of coffee (yes, I may have an addiction), old movies (especially musicals, I can't get enough of Easter Parade or Singing in the Rain), sushi, spicy Portuguese dishes, all sweets (well, I guess I am a food lover!), and the ability to help others in need.

Pet Peeves:

Having to stop for gas (I know, I know, this can't be helped), looking for lost soccer gear and dance shoes (I give up!), re-folding the same basket of clothes for a 2nd or 3rd time in a day), chewing with one's mouth open (I sound like a broken record at the dinner table with the kids), chipped nail polish, and lack of common-sense.

First Celebrity Crush:

Fred Astaire, Cary Grant, and Gregory Peck! What can I say, I have a thing for the oldies but the goodies?

Go-To Drink:

Red wine (specifically a fabulous Pinot Noir) or Tequila Sunrise for cocktails.

Favorite Books:

Hands-down Pride & Prejudice, I'm a huge Jane Austen fan in every sense of the word. After that, I have a long list, way too long to list now. A short list would include anything written by Wilkie Collins, Charles Dickens, Margaret Atwood, Cecila Ahern, Willa Cather, and Agatha Christie.

Welcome to the Kate and Danielle Blog

Love, Friendships, and Appreciation

Written By: Danielle Silva Heckenkamp

ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE!

Good friends are hard to find and an everlasting love is even harder to find! But what makes a good friend?  Did it ever occur to you that a good friend needs to start with yourself and maybe, just maybe, you will then find that amazing person who will be there with you through thick and thin. Because isn't it true that people with similar characteristics are drawn to each other? So, are you a good friend? Are people drawn to you?

cupcake diaries blog

• A good friend is never in the relationship for their own personal gain. Yes, we all want someone to talk with, to laugh with and to just be ourselves with, but I don't consider that personal gain as long as you desire the same for the other person. 

• Friends put their friends first! It's called devotion, dedication, compromise. We all have to learn these behaviors as adults, whether it's in the workplace, at home with our spouse, or with our family, but why do people think that this shouldn't exist within a friendship? It shouldn't matter where or how you and your friends spend time together, it just matters that you are together!

etsy

• Take it easy. If you remember that it isn't all about you, it will make the relationship that much smoother. Friendships should never be exhausting, dramatic, or hurtful. We aren't in high school anymore, so it's time to weed out those bad, toxic friends.

• Love your friends. Appreciate their virtues and their vices. You should want to do everything in your power to be there for the people near and dear to you. Everyone desires a happy life, so why not work each day to make the lives of those you love a little bit happier, easier, and above all filled with LOVE! Because all we need is love, right?

living on love and cents

The Ripple Effect of True Friendship

Credit: Blog

The word "friendship" has many different meanings in today's society.  It almost seems that a true friend is hard to find.  Our world has become so consumed with a "giv'me giv'me" attitude, where we no longer focus on anyone or anything but ourselves.  It's about, what are we going to get out of it, because if we don't get anything than it's not worth it....THIS IS THE WRONG WAY OF THINKING!

You all know that saying, "what goes around comes around", well this is very much true.  Maybe not in a week or a month or even a year, but it does all catch up with you, whether good or bad.  Friendship is about being there for someone, whether through a difficult time or just showing up with a few flowers on a rainy day.  The small gestures truly make a friendship, offering to watch another person's children, making lunch for a friend or just being there to listen.  The best quality of true friendships is the ability to be yourself, no matter what the price because good friends don't come out with false judgments  or criticisms.

Find a good friend, but more importantly, be a good friend!  Be the type of friend you would like to have and surprisingly enough, the perfect friend will come your way!  It all takes time, charity and a true sincerity for another person's well-being.  Let's face it, life is not all about you, but how society works as a whole.  Can you be the ripple effect of true friendship?

Step Down!

Written By: Ooh La La (Danielle Marie)

Have you ever been in those situations where it takes all your strength not to roll your eyes, say a harsh remark or even worse, reach across and slap that person?  Maybe it was their nasty comments, or the tone of their voice.  Maybe it's their rude facial expressions, or a horrid attempt to prove superiority and status?  Who hasn't dealt with these types of people?  Oh you haven't? Just wait, they come along right when you least expect it!  So, be prepared ahead of time.  How will you handle these confrontational situations?

www.webdiary.com

Pick Your Battles

It's sad to say, but these people who feel they need to "prove" something with their rudeness are not worth your time and should be shown some charity and pity for their classless courtesies.  It may not be the best time to put that person in their place, don't humiliate someone in front of a group of people.  Give them a little leeway, it might just be an off day for them!

The start of a beautiful friendship!

Don't Be A Pushover

Kindness and charity is possible without being a pushover!  Charity does not mean you are forced to let people walk all over you!  Charity is wishing what is well and good for every human being.  If this means a correction is due, think it over before creating a scene and maybe regretting your actions!  It might have a fruitless outcome if you are too emotional and unprepared!

A Short Sharp Statement

Confront the issue head on.  Sometimes a short, sharp statement is necessary.  This may help the nasty/rude comments to end!  Don't make everything into a dramatic scene, remain firm and calm!  Hopefully they will get the hint and maybe even walk away!

Word to the Wise...pick your battles!  You don't always have to embarrass someone, or make a big scene by their immature behaviors.  Correct them in private, if necessary, but try to show compassion, even when it's difficult to do!

If you can't fight it out, dance it out!