Lattes and Life

Jacksonville International Car & Truck Show (GIVEAWAY!)

noreply@blogger.com (Tiffany @ Lattes And Life) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:49:00 +0000

I'm not really into cars. I don't know anything about them, as far as engines and whatnot. And I don't really have an appreciation for vintage cars. Yet I married into a family that owns several old cars, enters into every single car show within driving distance, and started a local car club. So...I've had to learn to at least pretend to appreciate cars over the years, since I inevitably end up at car events.

My husband and I went to the Jacksonville International Car & Truck Show at the Prime Osborn Convention Center shortly after we found out I was pregnant with our son. It was an odd visit where we were torn between the hot race cars and the realization that we wouldn't be able to fit a car seat in the back of said cars. We haven't made it back to the show since that year (2006), but we're going this year! With two kids in tow! How times change....

So what's at the Jacksonville International Car & Truck Show? Well...cars and trucks. I know I know....There will be more than 25 vehicle lines represented with factory dealer reps on hand to tell you all you need to know about each vehicle. And, the best part, you can sit in all those sweet cars and trucks and pretend for a minute that they're yours!

Also this year you'll find Comic Bot. He's an eight-foot-tall robot that appeared on America's Got Talent. He will either delight my children or terrify them. It remains to be seen... I'm pretty sure they'll like Gordy the Fire Engine from Gordon Chevrolet. They'll get to climb aboard and check it all out.

On Saturday and Sunday you'll want to see the Classic Car Showcases. Saturday you'll find Corvettes and Sunday there will be Mustangs.

If celeb spotting is your thing you'll get to meet the Jacksonville Roller Girls AND the cast of CW's Local Haunts.

Finally...you can actually DRIVE at the Ride and Drive area, featuring vehicles from Chevrolet, GMC, and Buick.

Ready to go? Show hours are Friday from noon-9 p.m.; Saturday from 10 a.m.-9 p.m.; and Sunday from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Admission is $10 for adults; $8 for seniors; $5 for military personnel; $5 for children ages 6-12; and free for children under 6. Discount coupons for $2 off admission are available at participating area Gate gas stations. Parking during the show is free courtesy of VyStar Credit Union.

Want to go for FREE??? Leave a comment letting me know what you're planning to check out at the show and you'll be entered to win one of THREE family FOUR-PACKS of tickets to the Jacksonville International Car & Truck Show.

Comments will be open until midnight EST February 10, 2012. Winners will be notified via e-mail on/about February 11 and will have 48-hours to claim their prize. If not claimed within 48-hours, prize will be forfeited and a new winner will be drawn. Tickets will be available at Will Call at the Prime Osborn Convention Center.

The Jacksonville International Car and Truck Show is sponsored by the Jacksonville Automobile Dealers Association. For more information, please call toll free 800-261-6498 or visit www.jaxautoshow.com.

Keeping it real: I was not compensated in any way for this post. My family has purchased our own tickets for the Jacksonville International Car & Truck Show.

You Know Them....Or Do You?

noreply@blogger.com (Tiffany @ Lattes And Life) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 01:46:00 +0000

You think you know somebody.

Maybe you grew up with them.

Maybe you married them.

Maybe they're your mom.

But the truth is, we only know what that person wants us to know.

Every one of us decides what parts of ourselves should be seen, and by whom. Some of us may even have parts of ourselves that we show to nobody.

I used to investigate child abuse and sex crimes. I can't tell you how many times I heard, "I never would have imagined he would do this!" or "She is the last person I would ever think would do that!". And sometimes that person had a record a mile long. They just didn't choose to share that part of themselves with anyone.

It can be a little scary if you think about it. I'm reminded of when I was a single girl, making the rounds of the dating scene. Guys always put so much work into good first impressions, don't they? Then the more time you spend with them, the more they start letting their guard down. And sometimes, the guy you're looking at is nothing like the guy you first met. Imagine going on a date with Ted Bundy. Right?!

But what about long-term relationships? Once you say "I do" that's it, right? You know that person inside and out....or do you? The truth of the matter is that you can only know what a person wants you to know. You could be married seventy years and still not know everything about that person. You only know what they want you to know.

I've seen some people...admittedly, with control issues...try to force someone to tell all. Constantly asking leading questions, or not letting little issues drop, or trying to catch the person in a slip up. It's like they're convinced the person is hiding something from them on purpose...and they have to force it out of them.

I don't think that tactic works. Let's face it...if that person wanted you to know, they would have let you know. If they're keeping something about themselves hidden, there's probably a good reason for it. Unless of course, they have a secret meth addiction or a penchant for serial murder. But I don't think that's as common as Lifetime has us believe.

My husband and I know quite a bit about each other's past. But there are many things we don't know. And the odd thing is, we've never really asked each other about some of those things. We both knew we had pasts when we got together. What's the point of airing every piece of dirty laundry? I mean, do we really need to know how many people the other has slept with? Why? What purpose would that serve? We're here now, with each other, and a score card from the past isn't going to change anything about the present. It's just better left unsaid.

Besides, the girl I used to be is not the girl I am today. I have grown...matured....lived and loved. We all have. And I think that's the main reason why people keep parts of themselves from others in their life. We don't want to be judged for who we used to be. We don't want to constantly be measured by a yardstick that no longer applies. We are who we are today.

We are who we are today.

And that's really what matters, after all.

Keeping it real: This post was inspired by the From Left to Write book club pick, The Art of Hearing Heartbeats by Jan-Philip Sendker. When Julia travels to Burma to search for her missing lawyer father, she discovers much more than she expected. Join From Left to Write on February 1 as we discuss The Art of Hearing Heartbeats by Jan-Philipp Sendker. As a member of From Left to Write, I received a complementary copy of the book. All opinions are my own.

Ringling Brothers Presents DRAGONS!

noreply@blogger.com (Tiffany @ Lattes And Life) — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 23:59:00 +0000

I remember going to see the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus when I was little. It was a big deal. The venue seemed like the biggest place on Earth to me, and I was captivated into observant silence as the show unfolded. I got one of those spinny light things at some point, and I remember playing with that contraption for months afterwards. Good times....

I'm hoping to recreate that magic for my kids next week. We've been invited to see the newest Ringling Brothers show, Dragons, at the Jacksonville Veteran's Memorial Arena. Doesn't the name just sound like it's going to be a cool show?! It's a once in a millennium event, honoring the Year of the Dragon. I can't wait, you guys!!!

You can find the Dragons touring schedule on the Ringling Brother's website. If you go to the show, be sure to get there early. An hour before show time there's an all access pre-show for all ticket holders! Aaaaand if you're a Jacksonville area local, you'll want to head to The Landing on January 18 from 5-7 p.m. to celebrate Barrack the elephant's third birthday. It's not every day you get invited to an elephant's party! And it's FREE!

I'll be sure to report back after we see Dragons and let you know how the show was. You can find out more on the Ringling Brother's Facebook page.

Have you ever seen the Ringling Brothers Circus?

SUBSCRIBERS: Click through to view two Behind the Scenes videos embedded in this post!
Keeping it real: My family will be receiving a behind the scenes tour of DRAGONS and complementary seats to the show. All opinions are my own.

The Eval; Part One

noreply@blogger.com (Tiffany @ Lattes And Life) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 18:10:00 +0000

I made the call.

Surprisingly, we were able to get in really quickly. Other places I'd called over the last few years had waiting lists over a year long...which I personally think is shameful. These kids and families shouldn't have to wait that long.

As the big day drew closer, I wasn't worried. I didn't feel any anxiety. I actually felt...dare I say...excited? I was so eager to know what a professional thought about the situation. I've spent so many years diagnosing my son by myself and with Dr. Google, that I was very very ready for a professional opinion. For someone to tell me that either I'm just making a mountain out of a mole hill...or that there really may be something going on with my boy.

When we arrived at the office I knew we had chosen the right place. I spent some time checking out different websites...looking for the one I felt would give us the "best" eval. And by "best" I mean thorough. I didn't want to march in to a local shrink and walk out with a rubber stamped autism diagnosis. I wanted someone to take their time getting to know my son, really analyzing him and his quirks, and making a sound decision about any potential diagnosis. I wanted someone who had worked with autistic and special needs kids for awhile...someone who knew what these "disorders" look like in real life (not just what the DSM says). I wanted a cross-disciplinary team to back up any evaluations, just to cover all bases.

And I found all that in the office we chose. Granted, it's over an hour away. And out of network for our insurance. But that's the way it always goes, isn't it?

As we sat in the waiting room I noticed a handful of families come and go for various types of therapy appointments. I saw speech therapists signing to their clients. I saw a family present their OT with a Frappucino as they arrived. I saw professionals who seemed to have genuine relationships with their clients, and families who seemed to be fully comfortable with the staff. Bingo. I was on the right track.

Our Psychologist was just as friendly and interacted fabulously with the kids. My son, who doesn't always take well to new people, was soon playing right next to her and talking to her, which was a very good sign. We spent a few hours answering a ton of questions about Aiden. Questions about my pregnancy, questions about his birth, questions about his toddler years and diet and potty training and play habits. A million questions, that when looked at as a whole made me realize there really is a lot going on with this little man. I knew we had a lot going on.....but when I spent two hours discussing every single thing in minute detail...well....it was quite a picture.

Thankfully, Aiden demonstrated some of his troubling behaviors in front of the Psychologist. I swear, that was the first time I was happy to see him get all spun up or be oblivious to his sister's emotions. But I wanted to be sure she saw the things I was talking about...because some of this stuff can be difficult to describe in words.

At the end of our visit, the Psychologist said she did see several red flags for the Autism Spectrum.

This is when I think I was supposed to feel horrible. Hopeless. Devastated.

But instead I felt validated. I felt like finally, someone said, "I see it too."

From here we move on to testing.

And then at the end of all that we'll have an answer.

And regardless of what that answer is, I'll be relieved. I can stop worrying about the what ifs and start focusing on the what IS.

Making The Call. Again.

noreply@blogger.com (Tiffany @ Lattes And Life) — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 01:09:00 +0000

This boy.

This boy of mine is my heart...has my heart....

I'm anxious. Worried. A little mmmmm not really scared; more like concerned. Concerned with a huge massive oversized helping of guilt.

Guilt because I should have done something about this by now. Guilt because I've let it go for far too long. Guilt over what help we could have been receiving all this time.

Guilt guilt guilt.

I was going to do something about it a year ago. And I did, actually. I made the call, I filled out the volume upon volume of intake paperwork. And I waited. And waited. Christmas came and went. And I waited. Long story short, they lost our paperwork and had no record of us wanting an evaluation but would be glad to resend us the paperwork and start over.

Sigh

To be perfectly honest, things were so drastically better after Christmas last year that I was trying hard to remember why I so desperately wanted the evaluation in the first place. Things were calm, things were...dare I say...normal?! So I went with that.

And here we are, a year later, and I'm in the same damn place I started in. The quirks may have changed but they're still there.

And what's really hard now is that this boy...my boy...is a whole year older. And he's at an age where people start to have certain expectations about his behavior and social skills. And over and over he doesn't meet those expectations. I see him through their eyes and the guilt slams me hard. "Why have you waited so long?" screams through my brain as I watch him make the most bizarre facial expressions at the woman who just asked him, "How are you?". As he tells everyone he comes in contact with, "I'm five years old" but then makes sounds like a monkey when they make any sort of reply. Oh the guilt.

Then I found #youmightbeanautismparentif on twitter and holy hell. Tears, people. Tears and belly laughs alternating so fast it's like I'm on bad drugs. All the tweets....all things we have lived with for the last five years. Things I thought were just Aiden being Aiden. Things I explained away as quirks. But it turns out other kids are doing these things too. And these other kids are on the spectrum. The Spectrum. Just like I've suspected Aiden is for far far too long.

I need to make that call. Again. I mean it this time.

We've Been Busy

noreply@blogger.com (Tiffany @ Lattes And Life) — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 00:03:00 +0000

I haven't been writing much on this blog lately. It's not that I don't have anything to share, because I do. I just can't tell you about it yet. And seriously, who wants to read post after post after how stressed out I am over something I can't tell you about yet?! That's right...nobody. But this stuff...the stuff which can not be named...is equal parts terrifying and thrilling. And it's heavy. Heavy heavy stuff that's taken awhile to wrap my head around.

But. Since I can't tell you.....

Let me share some other non-super-secret stuff, shall I?

The end of July was amazing. My teen came to visit and we spent a small fortune (by our standards, anyway) to see Britney Spears. It was my daughter's first concert and I was so excited to share that with her! And man, talk about setting the bar high...Britney puts on a show that won't soon be forgotten.

Britney...flying through the air....with wings!

My BFF from 5th grade also came to visit and see Britney with us. It had been...oh...about ten years since we'd seen each other, and about seventeen years since she'd seen my daughter...so it was an awesome reunion.

In August we had what I've come to affectionately call the "big ass tree" fall in our yard. It was huge, ya'll. That blasted thing literally took months to get rid of. I'll spare you the boring details, but basically every weekend from August through October was devoted to that damn tree.

In September we had a little staycation on Jekyll Island over Labor Day weekend. If you're ever in the area, you HAVE to check out Jekyll. It's a gorgeous place, with so many great places to explore.

Adorable Sea Turtle

Gorgeous Drift Wood Beach

Down in The South we make "sand angels"

Don't worry, Jekyll has a regular sandy beach too!

Also in September my baby girl started dance classes. A two-year-old in ballet shoes is just about the cutest thing in the world.

Still in September....we won tickets to see Sesame Street Live. I was so excited I actually got a little misty eyed during the opening act. I can remember being a little girl and wanting so badly to see Sesame Street Live, but we always lived too far away from the bigger cities. It was, in a silly way, a dream come true to see the show. The kids seemed to like it too. Ha!

Moving into October, we went to a local car show and met Mater. I think that was easily the highlight of the kid's year!

Also in October we went to an Open House at the PBS station in Jacksonville, where we saw a Sid the Science Kid show and met Clifford and Curious George. The kids met them last year, so the celebrity meet and greet is old hat for them. (I kid!)

In October we also welcomed our first family pet. I introduce you to Herbie the fish.

And finally, the kids donned their costumes and we went to Spooktacular at the Jacksonville Zoo.

I started November off by taking a truffle making class at Sweet Pete's, an all-natural candy shop in Jacksonville. If you're ever in the area you have to stop by. And if you're local, go there NOW! They have a snow blower set up over their front door. It's simply magical.

And finally, we celebrated my little man turning five years old.

I told you we've been busy.

Now we're getting ready to head back to Callaway Gardens for Fantasy in Lights. I am super excited for that, as you probably can guess (since we tend to go a bit overboard with Christmas lights ourselves). We even put lights up for Halloween.

So, tell me..what have you been up to?

The Education I Never Had

noreply@blogger.com (Tiffany @ Lattes And Life) — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 00:14:00 +0000

We have many reasons for choosing to homeschool our kids. But if I can be candid here....one of my reasons is purely selfish. By homeschooling my kids I get to read all the books I always wanted to, learn all the things I never got around to, and do all the experiments I never had a chance to try. It's a win-win situation, really.

I'm a fairly educated person if I do say so. I have a couple of fancy degrees and went to some pretty good schools. Yet my education is sorely lacking in the basics. I could discuss criminological theory all day long. But please don't ask me what year a major war was fought. Or who the 12th president of The United States was. Or what 392 times 6 is. Or what happens in Moby Dick. Because I haven't a clue.

I'm not sure how I got through so many years of schooling without obtaining a solid education in the basics, but there you have it. I was in gifted programs and honors classes too, but it didn't really do me any good. From what I remember, my gifted and honors classes had a heavy focus on creative writing and not much else. And math? Ha! I was placed in higher level math courses which means I can work the heck out of an Algebra equation but can't figure out what to do with fractions to save my life.

As a child I didn't really care about all this. But as an adult there are a million things I wish I knew more about. I want to read the classics. I want to understand history and really be able to see how the past has shaped the present. I want to be able to read a biography and not feel totally lost the entire time because I haven't a clue about the historical facts the author alludes to.

So homeschooling serves dual purposes for me. I can get the education I wish I had received, and I can make sure my kids get it the first time. Learning is fun! And unfortunately, a lot about our school systems saps the fun out of learning. Not always. But in many cases it's true. Since we decided to homeschool, it's amazing how our whole family has became enamored with learning. Just this afternoon we were driving around and found ourselves admiring the clouds in the sky. Which led to a discussion about how clouds are formed and what they're all about, and questions about how come clouds don't fall to the ground if they're full of water....which led to some googling and research when we got home. I love it! We're always learning and discovering..as a family.

Keeping it real: This post was inspired by the September From Left to Write book club pick Cleopatra: A Life. In this book, Stacy Schiff digs into the history books to share with us who the true Cleopatra was. As a member of From Left to Write book club, I received a copy of this book for review. You can read other members posts inspired by Cleopatra: A Life on book club day, September 27 at From Left to Write.

A Good Imagination Is a Sad Thing To Waste

noreply@blogger.com (Tiffany @ Lattes And Life) — Sun, 21 Aug 2011 16:52:00 +0000

As an only child, my imagination was my best friend. I didn't have siblings to entertain me, and I grew up without cable TV, video game systems, or the Internet. The horror, right?! I also lived deep in the woods and didn't have neighbors. And we lived on the edge of my school district, so all of my school friends lived too far away to come over and play.

So my imagination was quite developed.

I had a wooden swing tied to an old tree where I spent hours upon hours singing, reading, or talking to the trees. I had a swingset with a basket seat swing where I'd pile my baby dolls next to me and rock back and forth while reading to them. We had a hilly section of our driveway where I'd race my bike, pretending to be in a big race and narrowly taking the lead!

My overactive imagination provided enough entertainment that I was rarely without something to do.

I want my children to have that same experience. I want them to learn to use their imaginations and lose themselves to flights of fancy. I don't want them to need to be plugged in to an electronic screen for entertainment. Watching TV and playing video games is such a passive experience. I want them actively engaged in their play!

For the last few years I've been collecting costumes. I scour post-Halloween sales, buy discarded costumes at thrift stores, and repurpose items as needed. Daddy's old Karate uniform? It makes a great Doctor's coat! Our costume collection has grown so large that I have to store it in a suitcase...and it's becoming difficult to zip closed! We have pirate costumes, bat costumes, fairy costumes, Doctor costumes, knight costumes, bumblebee costumes.....my kids can spend hours in make believe play. Sure, some of our costumes are inspired by movies/TV...we have a Lightening McQueen costume, and a Woody costume (although they don't know it's from Toy Story...they just think it's a cowboy!). But when they're in these costumes, they're engaging their imaginations, not plugged in to the TV.

A well developed imagination is such an important part of childhood. How do you encourage imaginative play with your kids?

Keeping it real: This post was inspired by the July From Left to Write Book Club Selection The Costume Trunk. Be sure to stop by the book club and see what other members had to say!

The Kid Wash That Gets The Kids Dirty, Not Clean

noreply@blogger.com (Tiffany @ Lattes And Life) — Sat, 09 Jul 2011 01:54:00 +0000

Awhile back, I was flipping through Family Fun magazine and saw something that looked like a lot of fun. Okay, seriously, that entire magazine is chock full of fun things. It's one of my absolute favorites! But this particular fun thing looked like something my husband would enjoy building for the kids. Family Fun called it a Kid Wash and it was built from PVC pipe. It was designed to look like a car wash that the kids could run through, and it was connected to a hose so they would get soaked.

I didn't really expect my husband to actually build it. Goodness knows I've shown him so many project ideas over the years that have never materialized. But something about this one spoke to him. I'm guessing it was the PVC piping...I mean, the entire project looks like an erector set for grown ups.

So the other day he went to the hardware store and got the supplies. The original Kid Wash in Family Fun had sponges and whatnot hanging from it, to look more like a car wash. We decided to forgo all that since our kids are pretty young...and because we don't have a garage to store this contraption in. I imagine sponges left outside in the swampy weather would get pretty gross after awhile.

A few hours of ~~hard work~~ fun, and we had this in our front yard:

I was impressed. It's pretty darn cool! And the kids were so excited!

Since we have more dirt than grass in our yard, we soon had this to deal with:

...which led to lots of this:

This is what Summer memories are made of......

It's A Mini-Graco-GOGO! (CLOSED)

noreply@blogger.com (Tiffany @ Lattes And Life) — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 23:28:00 +0000

I've been very fortunate to have generous souls around me when I was having babies. People (some I barely knew) have given my children clothing and all manner of baby "stuff". My favorite memory is when I was pregnant with Aiden, and had my heart set on a specific baby swing. It was over $100, and so far out of our budget it was not going to happen. A coworker of my husband's invited us over one evening to give us a bunch of clothes his son had outgrown, and he said he may have a few other things too. When we got there, his wife told me we could take the baby swing because her son never used it...and it was the exact same one I had fallen in love with but couldn't afford!

Things have a way of falling into place sometimes.

Because others have been so generous to us, we make a point of returning the favor. Every item of clothing or "stuff" my kids have outgrown has been given to someone else. Clothes, swings, carriers, toys...it's all gone to friends and family, or those in need. For many, babies don't always come when we're ready for them. So I like to do what I can to help, since baby gear and clothes can be so expensive!

I'm proud to represent Graco as a Graco Ambassador for this very reason. Graco hosts a GOGO giveaway on their corporate blog every so often; GOGO stands for Get One Give One. They giveaway all sorts of great Graco products (the most recent GOGO included carseats and baby monitors), and the best part is that they give the items to people/organizations that their readers suggest! Readers enter on the Graco blog, saying who they would give the prize to and why that person or organization deserves it. If their comment is randomly selected to win, Graco not only sends them the prize, but also sends a second prize to whoever they mentioned in their comment!

I'm super excited to tell you that Graco is hosting a mini-GOGO right here at Lattes and Life! They have offered up their Direct Connect Digital Monitor as the GOGO prize.

You want reassurance that baby is resting safe and sound. Fortunately, our Direct Connect Digital Monitor operates on a 900 MHz frequency, so you can clearly hear even the quietest whimper, without fear of interference from your phone, wireless network or home electronics. What’s more, our exclusive Graco vibration notification technology allows you to feel baby’s call, should you be unable to hear it for whatever reason. With its extended 2,000 ft range, you’ll have plenty of room to roam. And if baby needs some reassuring words, the talk back feature allows you to offer them from wherever you may be.

~~Here is how the mini-GOGO will work:~~
Winner has been notified. Thanks to all who entered!

1. Leave a comment letting me know who you would give the Direct Connect Monitor to if you won, and why they deserve it. You can choose an individual or an organization...totally up to you!

2. If your comment is randomly selected as the winner, you'll receive a Direct Connect Monitor for yourself, and Graco will ship a second Monitor to whoever you mentioned in your comment! (So be sure you have mailing information for whoever you decide to "give one" to!)

Comments will close at midnight EST, July 17, 2011. A winner will be randomly selected on July 18, 2011 and notified via e-mail. Winner will have 48-hours to claim their prize. If not claimed within 48-hours, prize will be forfeited and another winner will be randomly selected. Graco can only ship products to US addresses for this promotion, so contest is open to US addresses only, please.

Keeping it real: I was not compensated in any way for this post or for hosting this giveaway. I have no personal experience using the Graco Direct Connect Monitor.

Fear. Conquered.

noreply@blogger.com (Tiffany @ Lattes And Life) — Sat, 25 Jun 2011 17:44:00 +0000

I'm not afraid of heights.

Not really.

Unless they're unstable. Then I feel a little nervous. Things like suspension bridges. Or really high observation decks.

This is the face of fear.

A few weeks ago I was invited to a TweetUp at Callaway Gardens. Our group was going to do Callaway's new TreeTop Adventure, which sounded pretty fun. The TreeTop Adventure is a set of aerial challenges and ziplines, both things I had never done before. I saw a few pictures, and didn't give it much more thought. I knew I was going to be a little nervous, so I didn't want to get myself completely freaked out before the TweetUp.

Once we all arrived and got settled and suited up, we were briefed on how to use our harnesses and ride the ziplines. The practice zipline was so low...I mean, only a few steps up a ladder.

But once I climbed on that platform I was ready to get down. That was high enough for me. And I still had to climb another 30 feet or so to reach the actual course!

I shoved that anxiety down and told myself that I came here to do the darn thing, and I was going to do the darn thing! So up I climbed.

I won't lie. It was hard ya'll. Each aerial challenge was different, and they got more difficult as you advanced through the course. After I walked across the first one I was seriously ready to get down. I could feel myself starting to head in the direction of panic. But a glance around me showed no exit ladders. None. Not a single way down except to move forward. There were four or five more aerial challenges ahead of me, and a zipline, and I couldn't see beyond that. I was stuck.

So, I shoved that anxiety down again and told myself, "You don't have a choice here. You have to move forward and keep going. There is no other option. You will move forward, you will get through this, and you will be okay. Because there is no other choice.". And I did. I completed all the challenges ahead of me, and when I reached the zipline I secured myself to the line and didn't hesitate at all. My husband actually had to yell at me to slow down so he could get a picture, but man...I didn't want to give myself a second to get scared. So off I went.

I loved the zipline. LOVED it. If the entire course had been ziplines I think I would have been okay! It was those darn shaky aerial challenges that got to me.

After the zipline, my husband shouted up to me that there was a ladder just two challenges away. I psyched myself up to do two more trips among the trees and I'd get down. I had had enough, and I was more than ready to climb down from the trees. But the first thing I had to do was this...

This made my heart stop. The other challenges had been crazy, but this one? This took the prize. This one moved way too much for my comfort and I was terrified.

My son must have sensed my fear because he yelled up at me, "Be careful mommy!", so I tried to send him a smile to let him know I was okay. But really, I was not! I was whimpering and gripping those wires so hard that I had bruises for days afterwards. It took everything I had inside myself to get across that challenge.

But I did it!

One more zipline and I climbed down onto solid ground, completely exhausted yet completely exhilarated at what I'd accomplished. I didn't cry. I didn't give up. I didn't need to be rescued or given a pep talk. I did it. I talked myself through it, I kept moving forward, and I conquered that fear.

That day and that experience will be with me forever. It really showed me that no matter what, no matter how scared I am or how uneasy I feel, I can get through it if I just put my mind to it. If I swipe away the doubts and fears and worries and just keep moving forward, I can get to the other side. I can do it by myself, all on my own strength. And most important, amid the chaos of worry and fear and uncertainty, I can take the time to enjoy the view.

Check out my Facebook album for more photos from the TweetUp.

Keeping it real: My family and I received complementary accommodations and activities at Callaway Gardens for review purposes. Please stay tuned to my review blog for a full discussion of all that Callaway Gardens has to offer.

When High Schools Ends, The Real World Awaits

noreply@blogger.com (Tiffany @ Lattes And Life) — Sun, 22 May 2011 23:19:00 +0000

Today my youngest turned two years old. I remember when my oldest turned two. I got her a teeny tiny play kitchen and some balloons. It seems forever ago. Time marches by...

My oldest is graduating high school in a matter of days. She's 18 years old and headed into the real world. So much has happened in the sixteen years since her second birthday.

It's been far too long since she and I had some serious one on one time. Since her brother and sister were born we've managed a few hours here and there together, maybe an afternoon spent shopping or catching a movie. Although we're super close, I still really missed that alone time with her.

But thanks to a fabulous opportunity from the High Hampton Inn in Cashiers, NC, we finally had our chance to grab some much needed girl time. We spent an entire weekend, just the two of us, at High Hampton Inn. We stayed in a historic log cabin, with the most perfectly private front porch equipped with rocking chairs and a swing. We shared meals together, and spent a Saturday morning hiking and playing tetherball. In the evenings we made good use of that porch and spent hours talking with each other.

It was perfection. We really needed that time.

This Fall she'll start College, and who knows where her life will head. She just started working too, so already her free time is becoming less and less. Real life commitments and responsibility are entering her life now, which means weekends like the one spent at High Hampton may be few and far between. This truly was perfect timing for us.

Watching her blossom into an adult presents me with such conflicting emotions. I am so proud of her, and all she's accomplished. And I'm so excited to see where life takes her. Yet I'm a little sad to say goodbye to the carefree days of her youth. I'm a little sad to watch her take that big step from high school into the real world. Thankfully I have our weekend to look back on. The wonderful memories we made and the intimate conversations we shared gave me confidence that I have nothing to worry about. Wherever life takes her, this girl is going to be just fine.

Keeping it real: We received complementary accommodations at High Hampton Inn for review purposes. Stay tuned to my review blog, Like it a Latte, for a full review of all that High Hampton Inn has to offer.

No One Is Safe Until Everyone Is Safe

noreply@blogger.com (Tiffany @ Lattes And Life) — Sun, 22 May 2011 02:06:00 +0000

Sometimes I'm reminded just how good we have it, compared to so many others on this planet. Yes, I get frustrated with our teeny tiny house....but we do have a house. A house with exterior walls, a solid roof, insulation, interior plumbing, and electricity. We each have our own bedrooms, and our kitchen is safe and sanitary. We don't go hungry, and can afford more food than we need. Our drinking water is safe and we generally don't have to worry about things like malaria.

Our town isn't overrun with militia. We don't have young men running around with machine guns, and women can move around freely without fear of attack or rape. Nobody rations our food or demands bribes when we go to another city. If we need help we can call on the police without fear that they may do more harm to us than good.

Our children are eligible for a free education, and their attendance is, in fact, compulsory. We don't have to worry that they won't receive an education if we can't afford school fees, or will be turned away if they're female. Our daughters can attend college if they so desire, free to study any field they choose.

Sometimes...many times...we get so caught up in the trivialities of this lifestyle we lead. We take our comfort for granted, and start to complain about things that would be considered luxuries in other parts of the world. We want more more more instead of seeking contentment with what we have. We fail to realize that, for most of us, what we have is already more than enough.

So many of our neighbors on this Earth can't even fathom the abundance we take for granted. They don't have a week's worth of groceries in their homes; they probably don't even have their next meal. They operate under a constant fear of illness from bad food or bug bites or dirty water. Their towns aren't safe, and they live under a constant threat of violence. Education is either nonexistent or so far out of reach it may as well be.

Reaching out to offer assistance to these impoverished areas is a step in the right direction. Yet it should always be done with a sense of respect. Respect for cultural norms and values that often times are vastly different than our own. Some people are more comfortable in their hand-fashioned huts than they would be in majestic homes. Some people would prefer their very "simple" lives to our hectic over-committed fast-paced ones. And that's okay. We don't have to turn every community into a "Little America".

But we do have a basic human responsibility to spread peace and safety. Ensuring basic survival needs, such as an adequate food supply and clean water, are steps in the right direction. But we must also work towards peace if those basic survival needs are to mean anything. I'm reminded of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs; if one's safety is threatened, one can not worry about much else in life.

Every human deserves to be safe.

To learn more and get involved in protecting the rights of women, especially African women and girls, please visit FORWARD. Their primary focus is on ending female genital mutilation (which is as high as 98% in some parts of Africa) and child marriage (42% of girls are married before the age of 18 in Africa, with that number jumping to 76% in Niger).

Keeping it real: This post was inspired by the book Tiny Sunbirds, Far Away by Christie Watson. It's a From Left to Write book club selection. For more inspired posts, visit the club and join the discussion. I received a complementary copy of the book for review purposes.

Staying In The Now

noreply@blogger.com (Tiffany @ Lattes And Life) — Wed, 11 May 2011 01:02:00 +0000

I've spent so much time waiting for whatever is next. While I was in College I was waiting and planning for Grad School. While I was in Grad School I was waiting and planning for my career. Heck, even on vacations I've spent the days leading up to it waiting for it, and then spent the vacation waiting for it to be over. I never enjoyed the actual moment. I never stopped to fully appreciate where I was, without worrying about where I was going.

I've really started focusing on this lately. I've come to realize that all we have is this moment. Right here, right now. It's the only time we truly have within our grasp. The past is gone. And the future isn't here yet (and no amount of worrying or planning can guarantee what the future will look like, either). So why spend the now...this true, real moment within our grasp...why spend it looking back or worrying about what's ahead?

I know why. Because it's hard to stay centered and focused on this moment right now. It's hard to shut the mind down, when the mind is so used to being on all the time. It's really difficult to still your thoughts and just be.

But I'm working on it. When I was at an outdoor shopping mall the other day, I worked hard not to let my mind wander. It was a gorgeous day, and I focused my attention on the warm breeze as it blew my hair. I enjoyed the warmth of the sun's rays on my skin, and inhaled the fragrant jasmine as it tickled my nose. It was a truly serene moment. And it could have been missed had I allowed my mind to focus on my shopping list, or wonder what my husband and kids were doing at home, or plan our dinner menu as I strolled along.

When we slow down and still our minds and really focus on what's in front of us, we notice the little things that really matter. Like the butterfly sipping nectar on a flowering bush. Like our children's intense gaze as they color in a new coloring book. Like the beautiful song of birds as they fly overhead. These things nurture us in ways no electronic screen can.

Shutting down my mind has become one of my favorite past times. I love to sit down and really focus on what's going on right now. What do I hear? What do I smell? What do I see? It's amazing all the little things I've overlooked throughout the years while I analyzed the past and worried about the future. Focusing on the now is so much more productive and enjoyable.

Keeping it real: This post was inspired by the book The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating, a From Left To Write book club selection. Stay tuned for the club's discussion, and other member's inspired posts. I received a complementary copy of the book as a From Left to Write member.

Calling Something Retarded Is....Well....A Pretty Big Deal, After All

noreply@blogger.com (Tiffany @ Lattes And Life) — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 23:19:00 +0000

I'll be perfectly honest with you. I never understood why people got all worked up when others used the word retarded to describe something. It's not like the people meant it that way, right? And besides, I kind of thought retarded was a derogatory term for people with special needs....so why get all riled up and try to claim the word? If you don't want that word to be used to describe special needs individuals, then why do you care if others are using it in other ways? I just never really saw what the big deal was.

But then something happened.

I was strolling around the mall, and I got stuck behind two young couples. One girl was walking backwards so she could see her friends as she talked. She was going on and on about something, and right when she said (rather loudly), "It was so retarded!" she spun around and came face to face with an older father and his adult special needs son.

The girl spun back around with her hand covering her mouth, obviously freaked out by her faux pas. I found myself feeling immense sadness and humiliation. I didn't say it, but until that moment, I didn't get it either.

The father and his son didn't say a word. They never made eye contact or in any way sent the message that they even heard what was said. And maybe they didn't. But I can only imagine what that must have felt like. What it must feel like any time someone says that word. When they hear it on TV. When they hear it on the radio. When jokes are tossed around, when kids use it to hurt each other, when teens use it to describe something that's lame and terribly uncool.

As a parent I wanted to shake that girl silly and tell her I hope she thinks twice the next time she wants to call something retarded. I wanted to make sure she realized how hurtful that was, and how unnecessary it was to cause that boy and his father any pain. There are a million words she could have used to describe whatever it was she was talking about. A million! Words that have no other connotations. Words that won't embarrass or cause pain. Words that won't make her look like an uncaring jackass (sorry to all the donkeys out there).

I get it now.

My Passport Didn't Lead Me To Love

noreply@blogger.com (Tiffany @ Lattes And Life) — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 01:33:00 +0000

A few months ago I came across my passport. It expired. And it has not a single stamp in it. Ten years came and went, and I never left the country. Not for lack of desire; I had plenty of that. Maybe too much.

I got my passport just over ten years ago because I was going to Japan. This guy I barely knew was stationed there, and I was going to go visit him. I went shopping for my "Japan clothes" and made all manner of mental itineraries. I've never in my life had any desire to visit Japan....but the boy was another story...

There was an adorable, smart, sexy, and accomplished man I dated for a very short while. There was a definite spark ignited between us, but he was scheduled to leave the country for a year. We opened our figurative closets and hurled skeletons at each other, trying to scare each other away. But it didn't happen. I had my passport, and was ready to move to Russia to give our relationship a chance.

I dated a guy from Australia. It didn't matter what he said to me, it was beautiful. I felt so...posh? sophisticated? dating him. Pictures of international in-laws danced in my head, along with yearly voyages to Australia. Until the day I realized I was attracted primarily to the accent, and not so much the man.

Years ago I knew a girl from Bahrain. She met a Marine who was stationed there and they fell in love. No, it wasn't that girl from Bahrain.....but nevertheless, they had plenty of obstacles to overcome in their relationship. I remember watching their story unfold and I was just mesmerized. It was so captivating...so over the top...so dramatic...so romantic. I wanted my own dramatic international romance. And with each guy mentioned above I clung to the fairy dust and tried to force it to happen.

As you know, my passport expired having never been used. So I never made it to Japan. Never made it to Russia. Never made it to Australia. But I did find love. In a good old Georgia boy whose idea of foreign is any place other than The South. And I didn't even need to use my passport to find him.

Keeping it real: This post was inspired by the book Lunch in Paris by Elizabeth Bard. She actually did find love using her passport, and found herself moving to Paris. We can't all have the luck, can we? Click over to From Left to Write to contribute to the discussion!

I received a complementary copy of Lunch in Paris for review purposes.

What Will Fill Your Void?

noreply@blogger.com (Tiffany @ Lattes And Life) — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 01:24:00 +0000

There was a scene in the movie Eat, Pray, Love where this really cool Texan tells the main character that if she would just stop holding on to negative emotions and fear and anxiety and guilt and blah blah blah.....she would open this huge space in her mind and heart...and the universe would slam it full of more love than she could even imagine. I'm paraphrasing, of course...but that was the basic message. Toss the negative and create a vacuum in your life, and the universe will fill it with good.

Yanno what? It's true.

How many times have you anxiously awaited the end of something....the end of soccer season...the end of a super busy time at work...the end of the holidays.....the end of school. You envision all this free time where you'll while away the day in total bliss and relaxation, right? And what ends up happening? That free time gets filled with other stuff. Most of it just more busy stuff; nowhere near the bliss-inducing relaxation you had in mind.

I've been there.

But recently I took a different route. I took something that was a huge time suck in my life, and I just STOPPED doing it. I just quit. Then I took a magnifying glass to all aspects of my life, looking for more time sucks and busy, nonproductive "work". Slowly, I stopped doing many of those too.

I also started really focusing on what I wanted my time to be spent on. What I wanted my days to look like. What my priorities are.

As my time started freeing up, I guarded it like a precious jewel. I didn't allow more busy mindless tasks to fill the void. Instead, I called to the things my heart desired and allowed my time void to be filled with them. Suddenly I found myself just as "busy" as before.....but this was a pleasure. This busy felt joyful and peaceful and RIGHT.

Periodically throughout the day I check in with myself to make sure I haven't slipped into old patterns. Sometimes I have (I can always tell because I start getting agitated and grumpy). If I find myself back in my time suck I just walk away and redirect myself to what's important.

And now....I honestly don't know how I had time for all those time sucks....

Signs of a Southern Spring; Reposted from Deep South Moms

noreply@blogger.com (Tiffany @ Lattes And Life) — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 01:22:00 +0000

Last week I noticed our Easter Lillies popping through the soil. I was reminded of this post I wrote for Deep South Moms almost a year ago today.......

Today was a beautiful day. The sun was shining bright, the temperature was hovering just under seventy degrees, and the humidity was a comfortable 59%. Wanting to take advantage of the balmy day I grabbed the double stroller and we set out for a family walk. Passing a marshy area I noticed something that made my spirits fall.

Gnats.

Here in The South we have certain signs that our weather is about to change for the worse, and gnats are a big one. Also called no-see-ums, the little buggers love the same temperatures we do. If it feels like a great day to head outdoors, the gnats have probably beat you to it. They swarm in clouds larger than your head, and every Southerner* has become accustomed to finding gnats floating in their sweet tea or baked beans at a cookout. And Heaven help you if you talk a walk or ride your bike during gnat season, because you'll be picking gnats out of your teeth for days.

When I saw the gnats my spirits fell because I know our heat and humidity are about to rise. Other parts of the country may still be digging out from Snowmageddon 2010, but I can see summer on the horizon down here. In the blink of an eye we'll be sweating in 100 degree, 100% humidity days. The rest of the country looks forward to spring and summer as a time to play outdoors, but we'll be heading back inside. Nobody wants to play in 100+ heat indexes when there's cool AC blowing in the house.

As we returned home from our walk I happened to notice my Easter Lily is popping through the dirt. Just another reminder; Spring has almost sprung. Pardon me as I escape outdoors while I still can.

*Maybe not every Southerner. There's something called a "Gnat Line" that divides the coastal areas of certain Southern states from inland locales. Gnats like the salty swampy marsh lands, so here on this side of the Gnat Line we're quite used to picking them out of our teeth.

When shes not dodging gnats, Tiffany can be found at Lattes And Life. This is an original post to the Deep South Moms Blog.

I'm on a quest for Spiritual Enlightenment

noreply@blogger.com (Tiffany @ Lattes And Life) — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 04:45:00 +0000

It sounds so cliche, right? Like you expect me to tell you I'm heading to California to find myself. Except I already did that in 2000. And ended up married to one heckuva loser, in a career that made me cry at the thought of Monday mornings, and seventy pounds overweight. I never did find myself in California. But I sure looked in a lot of taco shops and burrito stands.

I've been in a state of spiritual unease for a few years now. I've always been Christian.Varying degrees over the years, but I've always pretty much held to the basic tenets and beliefs of the Christian faith. But. BUT. I absolutely do not identify with what I see in modern Christianity. It's a very odd position to be in, because I don't want much at all to do with what I see going on with people in my faith. And that leads me to question my faith. It basically goes something like, "See Jane. Jane is a Christian. I am nothing like Jane. I don't want to be anything like Jane. How can Jane and I believe the same things? Maybe I don't believe what Jane believes after all".

Did I say spiritual unease? Maybe spiritual confusion is a better term.

Anyway. Something needs to change. And whenever I need to figure things out I turn to books. Just like SuperWhy.

I've been doing a lot of reading lately. Something that really jumped out at me (I don't remember which book it was....I'm trying not to get too attached to any single author or book) was the idea that the universe is like a spiritual buffet. There are a million and one spiritual practices that I can choose from, or pass by. If something feels comfortable to me I can bring it into my life. If it doesn't seem like it would fit, I can discard it. I can even change its name if I don't like what it's called. (For example, the term "channelling" doesn't resonate well with me. It sounds hokey and trippy and it's not a comfortable word in my mind. But being "filled with the spirit"? "Prophecy"? These terms I'm more comfortable with. And yanno what? If you break them all down to their most basic definitions...they're pretty much the same thing.).

I never ever realized I could pick and choose like this. I always thought certain practices were, like, the intellectual property of certain faiths. Since I'm Christian, I thought that made things like meditation off limits. I never learned about Eastern practices because I thought you had to be Buddhist or something to use them.

What an amazing eye opener it has been to realize I can pretty much do any spiritual practice in support of my personal belief system. I can pick and choose the activities that feel right to me, and use them in the confines of my own Christian faith. This may be such basic stuff to you, I know. But this is Earth shattering to me. Truly. I feel like a child who has been let loose in a massive toy store and told I can have anything I want! I'm free to pick up any toy that seems interesting, play with it a bit, and if I like it I can keep it! If I don't, I can just put it back on the shelf...no harm.

I'm so eager to explore and learn about all aspects of spirituality right now that I don't even know where to begin. Did you know there's like, a gazillion types of yoga? And I don't mean the exercise yoga that makes you get all limber and loose. Although I could use some of that too....

The Crazy In All of Us

noreply@blogger.com (Tiffany @ Lattes And Life) — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 01:30:00 +0000

I've always been fascinated with the mentally ill. I think the human brain and the delicate interconnectedness of biology and behavior is truly amazing stuff. One of the highlights of my Undergrad years was touring a State Mental Hospital. Since I was a Criminal Justice major, our tour focused primarily on the Criminally Insane and Incompetent (receiving care until deemed competent to stand trial) wards. I remember walking through the wards, looking at the bunks and desks, peeking into the rubber rooms, watching the patients watch me. I wanted to know more. I wanted to know what they thought about...what traveled the hills and valleys of their minds. I wanted to understand their thought processes and I, quite simply, wanted to know THEM.

Years later, while investigating child abuse cases, I came across a few mentally ill parents on my caseload. The school systems in the area I worked didn't see mentally ill parents in a very favorable light, so they were frequently making child abuse reports on those families. And since nobody wants to be the one who drops the ball on a case like that, we had to investigate every single allegation involving these families.

One such case involved two middle school kids who lived with their Schizophrenic single mom. When I arrived at her home in the middle of the day, she had dark blankets hanging over all her windows. She told me the satellite dishes in her yard were radio transmitters, which the local gangs used to spy on her. The watch on her wrist? A gift from her boyfriend (a Hollywood celebrity, of course). Interviewing her was quite an experience. In the middle of a string of "normal" responses, she'd utter something so fantastical, so unreal, I almost thought she was pulling my leg. But she wasn't. So I smiled and nodded and asked questions about the delusions in her head.

One thing that has always stood out to me regarding mental illness is how transient the definition can sometimes be. Some people have chronic debilitating mental illness, like the Schizophrenic mother above. Yet others seem to be afflicted only temporarily. Ever heard of Temporary Insanity? I think it's more than just a Criminal Defense. I think most, if not all, of us experience temporary insanity over the course of our lives. If you subscribe to the idea that the delicate balance of our physical bodies affects our mental stability, this makes perfect sense. No body can be in perfect physical balance one hundred percent of the time. So many things can happen to throw a body into chaos, and most of those things can lead to behavioral changes. Sometimes the body rights itself over time. Sometimes medication is needed. Who knows....but I really do believe there is a little crazy in all of us.

Keeping it real: This post was inspired by the book The Swan Thieves (by Elizabeth Kostova), a January selection of the From Left to Write Book Club. The club discussion was held last week (I'm a tad bit late!) so be sure to see what everyone else was inspired to write about! And for an AMAZING read, full of love and obsession and art and history and mental illness, pick up a copy of The Swan Thieves.

My Holiday Baking Favorites

noreply@blogger.com (Tiffany @ Lattes And Life) — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 02:40:00 +0000

One of my absolute favorite things about this time of year is the food. I KNOW! It starts in the Fall...and builds and builds and by the time Christmas is here I've almost certainly gained a few pounds. When I was a child, my family saved all the baking for the few days before Christmas. We spent days crammed in Grama's kitchen, making cookies, pies, coffee cakes, and candy. Then we'd set everything out on Christmas Day and snack until dinner....and after.

As an adult I don't really understand why we waited so long. Now I bake throughout the season, when the mood strikes. I try to bake on Sundays so my husband can take the leftovers to work on Monday. (That helps keep me from eating every single cookie or brownie or truffle...)

My son is getting to be old enough to help in the kitchen. It's been fun to bring him into our holiday baking traditions. He's helped cut out gingerbread men and decorate sugar cookies. And of course, he loves to help eat the things we make! There's something so special about working in the kitchen with children. The simplest things we take for granted really excite them! My friend, Tara of Feels Like Home, is on bedrest this Christmas. She missed out on cookie baking with her preschooler, but her husband stepped in nicely. I hope you'll hop over there and read her post.

Since I suspect many of you are planning on some baking of your own this week I thought I'd compile a list of some of my favorite recipes. Please let me know if you try anything!!

Pumpkin scones are usually the first thing I bake when our weather turns cold. I didn't make them this year, because we didn't really start getting cool weather until late November and I was ready to start on Christmas goodies! These are so yummy and quite similar to the pumpkin scones at Starbucks.

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies are a family favorite. They don't really transport very well (I've tried many times and it's just a huge mess) so plan to make these where you'll eat them.

If you've never made marshmallows, please do! They're so easy and so delicious I promise you'll never look at store-bought marshmallows the same! And they make great gifts!

I'm not usually a fan of sugar cookies. Most versions are plain and dry and crumbly. But I found the PERFECT recipe years ago and have stuck with it. I roll the dough out pretty thick to get a nice sturdy cookie. The frosting hardens up on the cookies so you can stack them for storage. They are delicious!!!! I make these for every single holiday, using seasonal cookie cutters. (I've done shamrocks for my birthday and pumpkins for Halloween. And of course, Christmas cookies!).

Gingerbread men are always a favorite. I've yet to find *the* recipe, but I did find *the* cookie cutter. So I'm half way there! I also have 3D gingerbread cookie cutters that are SO MUCH FUN! I totally forgot about them this year though.

My husband waits all year for me to make peppermint bark. The stuff that costs an arm and a leg in the stores this time of year? SO easy and cheap to make at home! Honestly...two bags of chocolate chips, a box of candy canes, and few drops of peppermint extract. And it's ready to eat in about 15 minutes! This also makes a great gift!

This year I made chocolate-topped sea salt caramels. I thought they were amazing. My husband spit them into the trash. So. If you're a fan of caramel and sea salt and chocolate...I bet you'd like them. They held up nicely too, so they'd probably gift well.

I had some dried cranberries left over from something I made, so I found a recipe for white chocolate cranberry cookies. The recipe made a small batch, and they were really quite good. They aren't something I would normally make so I was surprised at how much I liked them!

If you like chocolate and peppermint, you'll probably love chocolate peppermint crinkles. I found a link to the recipe on Twitter and I don't remember who tweeted it...sorry! They were really yummy and super easy to make. And the recipe made a TON so they'd be a nice cookie to have at a party or get together.

A few years ago I found a recipe for real gingerbread, and I've had it every Christmas morning since. It's phenomenal. Not at all like any gingerbread I've ever tasted. This has a pretty strong flavor profile, and it only gets better the longer it sits around. This is the goodie I wait all year for!

I made the best ever pecan pie a couple years ago. I've tried twice to make it again and haven't been successful. (I think my Grama's old oven is to blame). I'm giving it another shot this year, because it truly was the best pecan pie I've ever eaten.

I made chocolate peppermint fudge this year to give to some friends. Then we ended up not seeing those friends and I ate half the darn pan. It was pretty good, but didn't really have that classic fudge texture. Surprisingly, I made Rachel Ray's super easy fudge last year and it was pretty good! Just don't give it to a diabetic like I did. (oops). If chocolate isn't your thing, try some pumpkin pie fudge. Even people who aren't pumpkin fans thought it was really good!

If you're looking for a nice seasonal brownie, look no further than peppermint cookies and cream brownies. I took them to a party a few years back and they were a huge hit! They're made with mint Oreos. You really can't go wrong!

If you don't mind doing a little deep frying on Christmas Eve or morning, I found an amazing recipe for pumpkin spice doughnuts. If I had a deep fryer I would make these far more often than I probably should.

If you like eggnog you'll want to check out eggnog latte cookies by my friend (and amazing author!) Cleo Coyle.

If you have a post about holiday baking or a favorite recipe, or even a treasured holiday baking memory, I'd love for you to share in the comments section!! Happy baking!!

Learning How To Nurture My Children's Spirituality

noreply@blogger.com (Tiffany @ Lattes And Life) — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 06:19:00 +0000

It's been a rough few years for me, spiritually. I know what I know, and believe what I believe, but others who claim to share my beliefs leave me rattled. Based on their words and actions, it's difficult for me to agree that we share the same beliefs. Yet they proclaim their adherence and devotion to the same belief system as I. It's caused me to have a lot of questions, and to ultimately question my own faith. It's been an uncomfortable position to say the least.

I want to raise spiritual children. But here again, the advice I get from others in my faith leaves me with more questions and uncertainties. I'm not big on rote memorization of words children don't have the ability to truly comprehend. I don't particularly care if my child can recite line after line from sacred texts. What I care about is that they know who they are, feel safe and comfortable in that knowledge, and treat others with compassion and kindness. The nuts and bolts of our faith will come with time and maturity. But none of it will mean a thing if I haven't laid a good foundation first.

That's where I've been stuck. How do I build that foundation? Obviously I can serve as a model for them. But I want something more...I want something deeper than that. I want something that guides me, nudging me along this path. And I think I've found it in the book Soul to Soul Parenting by Annie Burnside, M.Ed.

At first glance I almost didn't bother with this book. Annie and I have different beliefs, and I was initially turned off by some of the terminology she uses. She's very "New Age" as my mother would say. But I was curious so I gave her book a chance. I found myself setting aside our differences and mentally skimming past some of her terminology. And when I did that I was left with a wonderful resource for nurturing my children's growing spiritually.

Annie discusses Parenting Vehicles and Parenting Spiritual Themes. Basically, Themes are the concepts you want to nurture in your children (forgiveness, gratitude, and joy). Parenting Vehicles are what you use to incorporate the themes into your family's daily life (family discussions, music, art, or role play). There are 22 Vehicles and 15 Themes in the book, and to be perfectly honest, I haven't read them all. I read so far and things really started resonating with me, so I want to sit on them for awhile and let them marinate in my mind.

Parenting vehicle #4 really stood out to me. It's called Sacred Spaces & Places. Annie discusses how her family has an altar in their home, but that's not really my style. What really spoke to me was when Annie wrote about how certain places and spaces effect her, physically and emotionally. I thought I was the only one who felt that! I've always picked up on "vibes" when I enter new places, but this goes deeper than that.

My mood is a direct reflection of my physical space. If my home is chaotic and cluttered and messy I guarantee you I'm feeling grouchy, agitated, and overwhelmed. I started thinking about my son and his behavioral issues, and I thought, "if the state of our home affects me so much, maybe it affects him as well." It only makes sense, right? So I spent a week ~~killing myself~~ keeping the house straightened up all day long. Instead of doing one massive pick-up at the end of the day, I picked up all day long. I know I felt calmer, and it seemed like my son was benefiting as well. Over the weekend I let the housework slide, as I usually do. I felt my agitation growing and my patience fading. When I started yelling and getting flustered I made myself stop and look around, and realized the house was a disaster. I realized my son had been acting up as well. So I cleaned. I put away the clutter and cleaned up the kitchen and vacuumed the floors.

I immediately felt better. And call it crazy, but my son calmed down too.

How does this relate to spirituality? For starters, how can we focus on anything spiritual when we're so distracted by clutter? Clearing your physical space helps to clear your mind and gives you more time to devote to things that truly matter. But for me, clearing my space helps acknowledge my needs. It helps me focus on my feelings and my inner self, and is a way to show self-love.

This ties in well with the Theme of Connectedness and Boundaries. Annie talks about how it's important to establish boundaries to protect your spiritual energy. Have you ever met someone who just exuded negativity, even when they weren't speaking a word? That negative energy can sap your own energy, according to Annie. Avoiding negative energy by erecting boundaries is imperative for self-preservation. Annie writes a lot about how we're all connected, soul to soul. Because of that connection, we're very susceptible to each others' energy, and that's why boundaries are so important. This is very difficult for me, as a blogger. Because blogging is social by nature, I find myself using social networking all the time. Yet those social networks often send a ton of negative energy into my life. I've yet to find the solution, but it's something I've been pondering for quite some time.

I may not agree with everything Annie believes, but that's okay. Soul to Soul Parenting isn't designed for just one subsect of believers. The concepts Annie introduces and her Vehicles and Themes are applicable to every family, no matter their belief system. The book has been a great resource so far, and I intend to take my time with it, applying things as they fit our family.

Click through below to watch the book trailer for Soul to Soul Parenting, where Annie describes in her own words what her book is all about.

You can learn more about Annie and Soul to Soul Parenting on her website, Facebook, or Twitter.

Keeping it real: I received a complementary copy of Soul to Soul Parenting for review purposes.

Customer Service from a Customer Perspective

noreply@blogger.com (Tiffany @ Lattes And Life) — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 02:32:00 +0000

I spent many years working in retail while in college. I worked behind a jewelry counter around Valentine's Day and a Starbucks barista bar around Christmas. I've had my fair share of customer interactions, both pleasant and not. I'd like to think I handled them all with grace and respect. I'd like to think I made the customer feel appreciated and acknowledged and heard. After all, that's what any of us wants, isn't it? To be heard. To be acknowledged. Even if our complaint can't be "fixed", it makes us feel better to know that we were at least heard and someone seemed to care that we were upset. A little understanding goes a long way.

As a customer, I'm very sensitive to how I'm treated by representatives of a company. Whether they stand at a cash register to ring up my purchase, answer the company's 1-800 number, or send me an e-mail through my blog, they represent the company they work for. They have the opportunity to keep my business or lose it forever.
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Earlier this year I was asked to be a Mom Ambassador for a popular children's cartoon series. I was over the moon thrilled! It was a show we already watched and loved, and the opportunity was through a PR firm I had a pleasant working relationship with. I was super excited at the possibilities! The first "responsibility" I had was to host an in-home viewing party. Well, we live in a super small town and I truly don't know a soul here. Not a single person. Even the local-ish people I know with kids in the target age range wouldn't drive way out here just to watch a cartoon. That's a big reason why I'm so connected online; all my friends and family are scattered around the country! The PR rep and I corresponded back and forth about this dilemma. She was quite adamant that I needed to host this party and I kept explaining that I honestly didn't have a single person to invite.

She had an opportunity at that moment. An opportunity to acknowledge me and end our interaction on a respectful note. But she didn't. She chose to wait a few days, then sent me an e-mail saying they had reached out to more moms than they had spaces for and she was sorry, but all spaces were filled.

Really?

I felt lied to. I felt disrespected. I felt like I was completely disposable in her eyes. If she had told me that since hosting the party was a requirement of the Ambassador position I wouldn't be able to serve as one, I would have completely understood. That's what I expected to hear, actually. I would have understood and acknowledged that I couldn't fulfill that duty, and we would have parted ways amicably.

Instead, I found myself changing the channel when that cartoon came on. Maybe that's silly, but that cartoon is now associated in my mind with some pretty negative feelings. Who wants to watch something that stirs up yucky feelings every morning?
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My son received a cute toy from his grandparents for his birthday last month. He had a BLAST with it during his party and that evening. It was hands down the star of the day. Unfortunately, it didn't even last 24-hours. The toy wasn't a big brand name. It was made by a company I had never heard of, and I don't even know where my in-laws purchased it. My husband tried to fix it, to no avail. It was sitting by the garbage when I decided to check the customer reviews on Amazon. Maybe someone else has had this problem and discovered a solution.

Sure enough, every comment was the same. This toy just wasn't well made. Buried deep in the comments someone had left an e-mail address for the company, so I decided to take a chance and wrote them. I honestly didn't expect to get a response.

They e-mailed me within a matter of hours.

They asked for my mailing info so they could send the "fix", no questions asked.

I was shocked. Truly. Shocked. They didn't harass me for proof of purchase or ownership. They didn't ask twenty questions about the toy and what happened or how we used it. They simply told me this was a known problem, and they would be happy to send me the fix.

Then I was CC'd on all company correspondence about my order.

Then I was e-mailed by the person who ultimately received my info, and he told me he was mailing it that day.

Will the "fix" work? I don't know. We haven't received it yet. But even if it doesn't, I will still look favorably upon this company. They acknowledged my concern. They took action to rectify the problem. They were fast and courteous. They kept me informed. So they make cheap toys. Somebody has to, right?!

They could have ignored my e-mail. They could have harassed me and tried to lay the blame on my son for "breaking" the toy. But they didn't. And the next time I see their brand on a toy, I won't automatically dismiss it. I'll remember the individuals who took the time to hear my concerns and did what they could to make it right.
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I know it's easy to see customers as just another number. I know how easy it is to forget the humanness of each customer. But if customer retention is important to a business, which it always is, it's essential that each customer be treated as a unique individual with unique concerns and feelings. One negative interaction is enough to turn someone off to a company forever.

Brands don't make mistakes; people do. That's true. But people represent brands. And people purchase brands. Human interaction is the bottom line. Compassion, respect, and a good listening ear go a long way.

A Christmas Couch Potato

noreply@blogger.com (Tiffany @ Lattes And Life) — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 02:34:00 +0000

I'm a total sucker for Christmas TV shows and movies. The rest of the year I'm not a big TV person. But when the Christmas shows start airing I have my TV on all.the.time. There's just something magical about Christmas shows! They're so festive and really help get me in the Christmas spirit. For years I've scoured TV listings, making grids of when all my favorite shows were going to air. This year I even had the ABC Family 25 Days of Christmas schedule downloaded and saved early in November, when they did their Countdown to 25 Days of Christmas.

I do so love Christmas TV!

My absolute favorite Christmas movie is The Polar Express (airing this Friday!). But I also love the kitschy older movies like Rudolph...or even the new made-for-TV Christmas romantic comedies. They're all the perfect backdrop to a night of addressing Christmas cards, baking cookies, wrapping presents.....you get the idea.

This year, with all that's been going on, I'm struggling to get in the Christmas spirit. The house is decorated...most of the presents have been purchased...and we've done a few Christmas crafts with the kids (apparently I am not capable of making anything even remotely resembling a paper snowflake). But I'm just not feeling it. And it's really bothering me! I'm usually a super Christmassy person. I'm usually ready to start decorating for Christmas in September. But this year I'm just....not.

So I'm using all this Christmas TV to my advantage. I'm getting my housework and blog work done early in the day. When the Christmas shows start, I'm on the couch with a cup of cocoa or tea, soaking in all the holly jolly. Tonight I'm watching The Grinch and his magical Christmas transformation. Tomorrow I'll watch Tim Allen become Santa Claus. And Friday I'll watch my favorite Christmas train as it heads to The North Pole. Somewhere along the way I'm sure I'll find my Christmas spirit. And if not, I'll start over again on Monday with Rudolph...and Tuesday with Frosty...and Wednesday on 32nd street....

Keeping it real: Apparently I'm going to get a thank-you gift for letting you know about the ABC Family 25 Days of Christmas Schedule, which is super cool. But I would have told you anyway. I really have had the schedule saved on my computer since November 3 (yes, I just checked the file date). And I really have been watching ABC Family every night to see all the Christmas shows. And I really really do love Christmas shows. Really.

In-Between Clothes

noreply@blogger.com (Tiffany @ Lattes And Life) — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 18:38:00 +0000

I swore this was going to be the year I lost all the baby weight.

It's not going to be.

I can be hard on myself. I beat myself up for not meeting my goal, forgetting that I actually did accomplish quite a bit on my weight loss journey this year. I may not have reached the finish line but I got pretty darn far. So far that none of my clothes fit. Everything I own is either too big or too small. Nothing is just right. Except my undergarments...a girl can not tolerate saggy drawers for very long thankyouverymuch.

The other day my mother-in-law was visiting. I was on the floor crawling around with the kids, having a grand time. But crawling around in pants that don't fit is a recipe for disaster. After mooning my mother-in-law one too many times, I decided I probably ought to buy some clothes that fit.

I didn't want to buy clothes. Part of it was based on a desire to be frugal. Why buy clothes I don't intend to wear very long, as I continue to lose weight? But if I'm being really honest here...a lot of it was punishment. Punishment because I didn't meet my goal. So since I obviously didn't do good enough I don't deserve pretty new clothes. Sometimes my inner me is a real mean girl.

But after the mooning incident, and almost losing my britches one too many times while bending over in the grocery store, I figured I really should buy, at the very least, a pair of pants. Since Black Friday happened upon us there were some really good deals out there, and I managed to snag a few complete outfits for a price I could live with.

And you know what? It was awesome.

I bought a size smaller than I thought I was. And when I looked at myself in the dressing room mirror, I smiled. I was encouraged. I felt thin and healthy! My pants no longer droop and sag at the butt, I don't have to borrow my husband's belt to keep them from falling down in the grocery store, and my shirts no longer balloon out around my belly.

I actually like what I see.

And that has motivated me to work out a little harder the last few days...to not eat all the cookies I baked in one evening...to feel a little sexier.

I may not meet my goal this year. But I'm not giving up. I'm going to focus on how far I have come, and stay motivated as we approach the New Year. I can do this!