Currently... Appreciating The Change of Seasons

It's May already! I know, it seems every month we're in wonder that oh-my-gosh, another month has gone by.  I'm excited in knowing that the winter is really really over now. Maybe there could be chance of a cold wind or late late snow in April, but May we're clearly moving on to open shoes and sun hats.  As I'm embracing this meteorological change of seasons, I'm looking forward to more sunny days in other ways, too.

Watching Baltimore.  Last week, Baltimore erupted into protests, looting, and rioting. The match that sparked the unrest was the death of a young man named Freddie Gray as a result of a spinal injury he suffered when arrested.  However, I believe that the protests are about more than the death of one person and any sociologist or politician would examine the events further. In a deeper sense, it’s the manifestation of years and years of frustration that are difficult to put into words. If we look at the socio-economics of Baltimore in general, but particularly, as highlighted this week, the conditions in the blocks of the city called Sandtown, where Gray was from, we notice an alarming rate of unemployment, high school dropouts, and imprisonment.  The unrest may have been quite surprising to those who have never ventured beyond the Inner Harbor, M&T Stadium and Cambden Yards.  But perhaps, this past week has shed a spotlight on the Baltimore blocks beyond the tourist area and will bring some kind of resolve to this great city.

Raising my son to be chivalrous. Yesterday at my daughter's tennis match, there were no seats for the spectators so my son and I dragged seats from the nearby outdoor tables, about the length of 4 tennis courts. When my son got up and wandered off, a lady made a move to sit in his seat and I let her know, that he'd be back. So question moms -in rules of chivalry, a guy should give up his seat for a lady. But does that count when the guy dragged the seat to that spot for his specific use?

Being appreciative of supportive voices. Every now and then, we need someone to say “good job” and “I’ve got your back.”  Someone outside of your family and small circle of friends who are supposed to say that anyway. When that voice comes from someone outside of that normal circle, it’s comforting, inspiring and refreshing.

Making no plans for Mother’s Day.  I’m perplexed by the get ready for Mother’s Day hoopla in women-oriented venues. For instance, mom blogs, women’s publications, and Michael’s storefront are filled with ideas of what to get mom for Mother’s Day.  Other than tearing out the article or buying the supplies for a hand-painted #1 Mom flower pot and slipping it to my husband and kids, I’m not so sure why this is being directed at me.  (And I admit, I might’ve left a Pandora ad on my husband’s desk at some time.)  I take no ownership in the planning of Mother’s Day festivities. Each year, my sister-in-law will try to get me to weigh in on family plans or make a reservation somewhere. Nope. For one day, I don’t want to make any decision other than which hat am I wearing.  Everything else is on those folks who define my motherhood.

Hats I decorated to welcome spring (and a day at the races)!

Enjoying the sunshine. On the lighter side, today I’m soaking in a little bit of the sun, writing this blogpost sitting outside in our little town square. Often in the spring and summer, I will take my computer and sweet tea outside. It’s so much more pleasant getting work done while feeling the warmth of the sun on your face.

Any changes coming your way this month?

Happy May!

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Mom-Me Celebration: What My Mother Taught Me

My mother was the first to hold me and bathe me and brush my hair. So much of who I am comes from all that she taught me, either by intention or by example.  She taught me how to cook and take care of my house. My mother taught me how to run a business and manage my money. She taught me how to let my husband be the head of my household and hold my tongue (though my husband may suggest that I'm still learning). My mother taught me how to play jacks and ride a bike. And she stood back and let me figure out how to fix a broken chain or a flat tire on that bike.  She taught me how to draw and color and crochet. She's trying to teach me how to knit.  She took me to piano lessons, every week, for years.  She taught me to show respect for my elders.  She taught me how to walk and how to swim. She took me around the world and always made a home to return to.  She taught me how to braid my hair and paint my nails.  Because of my mother, I tell my kids "good night and I love you."  Because of my mother, I count rice as a major food group and as a bona fide meal. She taught me to write and tried to teach me how to hold a pencil correctly. She checked my math homework and let me go to the library. My mother has never closed the door.  She's always let me dream.  She said "no" plenty of times, as a mother should.  My mother was not my friend, she always was and is, my mother.  She kept me safe.  My mother taught me to love. My mother taught me to be a mom.

Happy Mother's Day

Mom-Me Celebration - Day 28: Go windsurfing!

When was the last time you did something you liked to do or something just for you?  I've given you a few hints of Mom-ME stuff to do over the past month, but then I thought "what if I didn't include the something that someone wanted to do?" What if someone loves windsurfing and they have not been windsurfing in forever because no-one else in their family likes to windsurf or all the family vacations are in the mountains far away from the wind and the surf and they just need someone to say "hey, take a day to go windsurfing."  So there, I said it.  Go windsurfing.

In addition to all the other mothering duties - laundry, dishes, dinner, blah blah blah - we also are responsible for entertaining the family.  Though, one may argue that this duty has taken on quite an extraordinary level of work since we (I) was a kid. It used to mean buying my brother and I a jumprope and a ball and then going back in the house to watch The Young & The Restless. Now, it means buying a jumprope for each kid and a ball and an airpump and some bases, actually going outside and setting up the bases somewhere safe, being sure to put up the orange "kids playing" sign on the street if the end of the cul de sac is the ballfield, and putting elbow and knee pads and a helmet on the kids and getting any neighbor kids' parents to sign a waiver in case they somehow skin their knee and and playing with the kids.  Yeah, and then you never get to go windsurfing.

And you walk around pouting that instead of windsurfing, you are playing kickball or cooking dinner. And you remember how much you liked windsurfing and how good you were at it.  And you lament that you will now be way too old when you don't have to play kickball anymore to dare getting on a windsurfer board.  Yes, I hear you, momma!

Determine, or should I say - remember, what it is that you like to do. Not what you like to do with your kids, or with your hubby. Or  not even what you like to do with your mom-friends.

You by yourself, complete this sentence: "Wow, I sure love to [windsurf]."

And now go do that thing. If you can't do it today, for instance, if you happen  to be in your living room or waiting in your car rather than sitting somewhere in your bathing suit, then make a concrete plan to do it tomorrow or sometime soon.  And by "concrete" I do mean written in stone (as much as motherhood plans can be).  Make a vacation reservation near wind and surf, call the local community college or specialty school and sign up for a class to refresh your skills, pull out all your stuff you need and blow the dust off of it.  Make a plan to do something that you really enjoy doing.

Enjoy windsurfing!

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Mom-Me Celebration - Day 26: Ignore those happy Facebook posts

Enjoying a delicious dinner with plenty of veggies I prepared with my kids. I love using my good china for every day meals.
Now that all the laundry's done and shelves are dusted, I can snuggle and read with my favorite teen.

Wistfully counting the minutes until my sweet cherubs return home from school.

You know those moms with Facebook posts like that?  Don’t they make you cringe and look around at your piles of laundry, pizza boxes, and tumbling in the living room floor children and wonder where you went wrong?  Here’s the solution to that: de-friend those people. Or at least, scroll on past their posts.

Recent research is revealing that reading Facebook posts makes some people (i.e. mostly women) feel sad and more depressed by way of comparison to their own lives.  (You can google “facebook envy” for more details.)  What?  I thought we were all on Facebook for fun? We surely don’t need another thing in our lives to make us all moody and reaching for a glass of wine to quell our feelings of inadequacy. We’ve got our kids’ report cards and dentist visits for that.

I laughed at a friend’s post the other day that essentially read, “came home from work and my baby threw up on me.” I wasn’t laughing at her – I can’t stand any type of projectile bodily fluid – but relieved that someone actually posted a real mommy moment. Motherhood is wonderful and beautiful and fulfilling.  But it’s also tough – it’s tiring, it’s dirty, it’s messy. And we don’t help anyone – not each other, not ourselves – in pretending that it’s all sweet milk breath and lullabies.

One of the reasons I like hanging out with my friends in real-life is because we can honestly say, “my house is a mess and I’m too tired to clean it up.” Or “I don’t know what to do about my kid’s science teacher.” Or, “Am I supposed to feel like this during pregnancy/after delivery/when they go off to college?” And someone will give you an honest answer. That’s helpful. That’s reassuring. That’s a friend.

Mom-Me Celebration: Something didn’t go right today but you’re still a good mom. Post it to Facebook (if you dare breaking that perfect vision of you as mom) and tag “Just Piddlin with Frances” so we can all feel better.  Now pass the M&M's and the remote, the kids will be home soon.

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Mom-Me Celebration - Day 22: Relax and do something for yourself!

Who doesn't love a Friday?  Working moms, stay-at-home moms, a little-bit-of-both moms.  It's Friday!  No school tomorrow, maybe the kids don't have to get up in the morning and maybe you don't either.  Let the big yellow bus drop off the little folks, then kick back and relax.

I asked a couple blog-ger friends how they relax and what little thing can moms do for themselves, just in case you are stuck for ideas.

Robyn Bourne owner of Sydney Austin Designs (hip handcrafted jewelry) and chief blogger for www.sydneyaustindesigns.blogspot.com

What I do to enjoy a moment for myself: I take the dog for a walk to reflect on my day and enjoy nature, being outside. Plus it gives me 30 minutes of exercise. 

All moms should have a girlfriend to vent to, cute workout clothes ( toss the ugly sweats and oversize tees), a good sunscreen, a day at the spa at least once a year, a reasonable cute pair of flats, a hot outrageous pair of heels, and a statement necklace that can be worn day or night.

From CandidBelle

To enjoy a moment for myself I take a hot shower and then I enjoy a cup of ginger peach white tea (avoiding wine while I'm breastfeeding) and some dark chocolate. 

I think moms should get a new outfit or new accessories when they can. Once you have children you always put them first, so focusing on your own sense of style can make you feel fabulous. 

Notice how the "relaxing" stuff emphasizes natural elements - walks outside, exercise, white tea.  It doesn't have to be manufactured to calm you.

And I agree that cute accessories and your own personal style are a must! Blah blah blah about feeling good about the inside of you and all that (that's important, too) but truth be told - we all feel better when we look good, right?

What about you - what you are you doing to relax?

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Follow along here on my blog or on Facebook - JustPiddlin with Frances for our 30-Day Mom-Me Celebration all the way until Mother's Day.

Mom-Me Celebration - Day 21: Go on Vacation!

How often do we daydream, arms elbow deep in a sink full of dishwater or carrying a load of laundry, of being on a tropic isle sipping mai tais?  Wouldn't that be great if we could just pack our bikini and jump on a plane?  Or perhaps you're more the type to pull on your khaki's and go on a safari.  Any vacation spot would be better than home cleaning the bathroom and taking out the recycling, right?  So,  go!  Maybe it's not realistic to call your travel agent (do people use a travel agent anymore?) and book your family on a 10-day cruise around the Mediterranean leaving tomorrow.  But what's stopping you from heading to the nearby Greek restaurant for dinner?

Venture out and take the family to an international restaurant for dinner.

If you want to keep it simple or you know the kids aren't that adventurous, go somewhere with food they are used to but take it up a notch.  Take a mini-trip to Italy and get good pizza from a good Italian spot.  Nothing against the chain delivery options, but stretch a little bit; at least find somewhere that you can get a glass of wine with your dinner.  Pass by Taco Bell and find a Mexican restaurant where margaritas, housemade chips and salsa are an option.  My kids and I have "discovered" a delicious little Chinese restaurant that we've passed by for years.  Rice and some kind of chicken are a staple, but then we also peruse the menu for something new. Steamed bread is one of our new favorites; whatever seafood dish of the day is my go-to choice.

Korean hot pot soup - kimchees, seafood - all boiling & hot!

If you can push your kids a bit, or heck, if its just what you want to eat - try somewhere new and different than what you're used to.  A few weeks ago, we joined family friends for dinner at an Ethiopian restaurant. Although my kids have friends who are from Ethiopia and have tasted the culture's food, I wasn't sure how they would like a full dinner in the cuisine. And I don't know why I was worried that perhaps they wouldn't like eating with their hands!  We actually had to order additional food!  It doesn't have to be fancy; even going to a casual spot can be different.  I like hummus and falafel, so taking the kids out for that is an adventure. A Girl Scout mom told me about the cuisine of West Africa.... hmm, I need to find a restaurant.

Our Ethiopian platter "before" the kids decided they do like Ethiopian... pass the injera please!

And if you aren't crazy about going out to eat - I get it, eating out with kids is not always the wonderful experience you imagine in your head as you pile in the car - make another plan. Either leave them home or bring the food to your home.  Order in, try out a new international recipe.  Whatever you do, don't feel like you're confined to steak and potatoes and your kitchen.

Go on vacation!  Where you going?

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Follow along here on my blog or on Facebook - JustPiddlin with Frances for our 30-Day Mom-Me Celebration all the way until Mother's Day.

Mom-Me Celebration - Day 20: Enjoy a Treat Only You Like

I know moms who don't eat seafood because one of their kids has a seafood allergy. There's others who don't eat cake because they are trying to watch the sugar intake of their little people. I even know of moms who determined that they would stop drinking alcoholic beverages because it was a bad example for the kids.  (Yeah, I'm not sure how they're making it.)  So what's this all get down to?  Yep - you guessed it - more mom sacrifices.  You don't think about it, do you, how much you give up for those little folks.

Today - Enjoy a treat that only you like or that you've denied yourself because the kids don't like it/can't eat it.

Sometimes, we do this for our spouse, too. Maybe he hates Mexican food so you have given up your beloved enchiladas so you can eat every meal together. Perhaps he's all organic and vegan so you just pass by the juicy, meaty bacon cheeseburgers.  You pride yourself on respecting your loved one's diet and keeping the household pleasant.  And you should be proud of that, you're keeping your loved one healthy and happy.

Now, it's your turn. Whether it's a burger at lunch or a separate seafood platter at dinner or a late night cake and ice cream.  Take a moment, indulge yourself.

I think I'm picking up some nut-filled oatmeal chocolate chip cookies - which are totally off my diet and my kids won't eat them. Perfect!

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Follow along here on my blog or on Facebook - JustPiddlin with Frances for our 30-Day Mom-Me Celebration all the way until Mother's Day.

Mom-Me Celebration - Day 19: What do you really want for Mother's Day?

You know the kids are busy at school making tissue-paper flowers and finger-painted happy faces and popcorn-studded jewelry to be delivered to you on Mother's Day morning.  And soon, maybe a week or so from now, Dad will take them to the store to select something for you, perhaps a new apron or scented bubble bath you'll never have time to use or a new iron. Maybe a big bouquet of flowers will appear on your kitchen table on that Sunday morning.  But what do you really want for Mother's Day?

As moms, we don't want to hurt anybody's feelings - or gracious, we don't dare damage our children's self-esteem - by saying, "Another painted macaroni necklace? No thanks." We smile and ooh and ahh over the beautiful molded clay vase/mug/volcano/dog that our child has so lovingly sculpted in art class, although we'd really love a gift card to a spa or a new pair of sexy shoes or a quiet morning to ourselves to wander the farmer's market and enjoy brunch. Then we complain to each other about how we don't ever really get to enjoy the things we really want to enjoy.

It comes down to how you view Mother's Day. Is it a day for the kids to express to you how much they love and appreciate you?  If that's the case, then, yeah, you probably do sit back and let them have a good time in giving you what they want you to have.

Is it a day that you get to enjoy yourself, celebrate your motherhood, and take a break from all your "mother-work"? Then, you are probably the type that would like to make her own plans, with or without the family, according to your own desires.

Then, there's the hybrid in which you can mix the two. A few years ago, the Sheep & Wool Festival - which is usually the 1st weekend of May - fell on the Sunday we were celebrating Mother's Day (family schedule, blah blah blah). Hmmm.... was I to miss all things sheep-y and wool-y to have dinner with the same people I see every single day of the year and my in-laws who I see pretty frequently, too?  Tough decision. Okay, no it really wasn't. I went to Sheep & Wool and met them for dinner afterwards.  Everybody was happy.  Some of my family was confused as to where I was going, but still, all hearts were happy.  The past couple of years, I've run a 5K on Mother's Day morning. First thing, before anybody else gets up and starts fussing about what they want for breakfast, I'm out the door. I run my 3 miles, get my coconut juice and sit still for a minute before heading back to whatever festivities lie before me. Last year, my friend's husband and kids actually came along - what?  Yeah, I left mine home. I have another friend who plans a big brunch with her sister and girlfriends - she doesn't even see her husband and kid until the day is over.

It's Mother's Day.  It's for you. Make it your own. What do you really want to do on that day and what do you want your family to do for/with/without you? Start dropping hints now - only 11 more days to go.

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Mom-Me Celebration - Day 18: Have your coffee "Here"

Caffeine is a staple in my life, that's not even a question.  I have a cup of coffee 365 mornings of the year and it goes into either of two types of cups - a mug or a travel cup.

If I will be in the house, it goes into my Animal Kingdom cheetah mug or San Diego Zoo monkey mug.  On the days I'm running out the door, it goes into my Madrid mug from Starbucks. This is not an ad for Starbucks (though I will gladly accept gift cards) but these are the best travel mugs.  The little top flap clips down and is totally spill-proof. I will actually throw this in my tote bag with my iPad and phone with no worries. This is a great feature when you need both hands as you're running around.  However, today, we're focusing on having our coffee "here".

My "to go" cup and my "here" mug - one, or sometimes both, get filled every morning

The cheetah and monkey mug days are the at home days. Those days can still be busy, but in a different way than running around. There is a certain calmness in not driving all over the place, not sitting in traffic and parking and driving some more, even if the day at home is filled with laundry and housework interspersed with episodes of writing.

But I'm suggesting taking it even a step further and enjoy that coffee "here" while being relatively still, because I know its impossible for a busy mom to totally be unmoving.  Whether your "here" cup is on your office desk or kitchen counter, enjoy your coffee while taking a moment to collect your thoughts, calmly write out your to-do list (keeping it to a reasonable length), and breathe a good full, deep breath.

Enjoy.

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Follow along here on my blog or on Facebook - JustPiddlin with Frances for our 30-Day Mom-Me Celebration all the way until Mother's Day.

Mom-Me Celebration - Day 16: Go Buy Yourself Something Pretty

I'm out today enjoying my sorority chapter's fashion show.  It's a big to-do. As well as it being our scholarship fundraiser, it's a fun day to get dressed up and hang out with girlfriends and ooh and aah over pretty dresses that you can't imagine where you will wear them to in your current lifestyle of chaperoning field trips and hanging out at sports games. But it definitely gets you in the mood for today's challenge - go buy yourself something pretty.

Don't you deserve something pretty?

You may have noticed that several of my challenges thus far (and coming up) are to go out and buy something for yourself - lipstick, nail polish, a new bra - and now "something pretty". Why? When was  the last time you bought yourself a pair of shoes? Or a new dress? Or whatever it is that makes you feel special or ladylike or attractive or whatever positive way you want to feel about yourself? I recently saw an online survey (not very scientific, I don't guess) asking moms how long ago it was that they did buy something for themselves and if a long time, why? You can imagine, or maybe you are one of the moms who could answer "I haven't bought anything in 6 months because the kids needed XYZ."  It points to the sacrifice that moms make for their kids. How often have you thought, "oh, I'd like a new dress, but Johhnie needs new cleats." "I'd love to have those new shoes, but Suzy needs a new tutu." Or maybe it's not even financial; perhaps by the time you get off of work, run the kids all over town, throw together dinner, and get the little folks in p.j.s, the mall is closed and you're too tired to even point & click to a new pair of shoes. Moms - you give up a lot for your kids. Take a moment, a few dollars, for yourself.

Now, I realize that there are families in financial hardship and I'm not suggesting that you put your family's shelter and food in jeopardy for your own frivolous spending. You'll notice that there's no dollar value attached to "go buy..."  I bought a flower hairclip at H&M for about $2 the other day; maybe that'll be enough for you, too. Or maybe, a new $500 pair of shoes fits into your budget, I don't know. But the point is - be selfish for just long enough to make yourself feel good.

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Follow along here on my blog or on Facebook - JustPiddlin with Frances for our 30-Day Mom-Me Celebration all the way until Mother's Day.

The Book I'm Carrying Around: Life in Spades by Frances Frost

Yes, we are still in the Mom-Me Celebration. The assignment for today, Day 15 is to Take steps toward your destination.

Ever since I was a kid, walking across the field and then the big 4-lane road to the library, I've wanted to be a writer. I dabbled with poems (what teen-age girl didn't?) and the Christmas play. And in the back of my mind, behind the finance degree, my hands still ached to crank out a novel. And so I have.

My debut novel, Life in Spades.

Life in Spades is my debut novel. It is about four women who depend on each other as partners to win at the game of spades and lean on each other as friends as they face their insecurities, negotiate love, define happiness.  Gina, Sherry, Cookie and Laura deal with inter-racial dating, the desire for motherhood, overcoming loss and starting again, and in all that, determining what they really want.  I'm sure that you will find them to be the girlfriends you'd like to hang out with - or maybe the ones you already do.  (The number 1 question from my friends so far is "you didn't write anything about me, did you?"  Ha ha - no comment!)

At 370 pages, I can assure you that this novel did not come together last month. It's been months, yes, years, in the making. Between shuffling kids, after cooking dinner, while waiting in the car, after everybody has gone to bed, I've been writing. While driving around, swimming laps, and folding clothes, I've been thinking.  Like a mad woman, I've seen people out in public and thought, "hey, there goes Laura and Michael. I like his suit. I like what she's done with her hair."

It's been a long journey and it's almost surreal now that there are 100 copies sitting in my dining room, some ready for shipping, most for my first book event tomorrow. But it didn't just happen. I finally made the decision that I did not want to keep these pages on my laptop forever. And as my husband kept nagging telling me: you aren't really an author until someone reads your stuff. Good point. I determined that I really did want to be an author with readers who read my stuff.

• I made a plan of writing each day.
• I challenged myself with NaNoWriMo; if you are a wanna-be novelist - try it out: write 50,000 words in the month of November. But realize that this is less than half your first, rough draft.
• I thought about my characters and what was natural for them.
• I took writing classes and formed a writing critique group with other like-minded women. The support of the writing group is incredible because you know what you meant when you wrote something and you think it's a great idea. In our writing group, we've developed enough rapport and trust among each other to say "this works, tweak it to make it better", "this doesn't work, throw it out or fix it a lot." Even, "I don't think she would say/do/think that."
• I've determined my strengths and weaknesses in this process, and worked towards my strengths, hired folks for my weaknesses.
• And I am now, with anticipation, excitement, nervousness seeing it all come together.

I challenge you to do the same. What are you wanting to do? What is your big dream? What can you do today, this week, this month towards that dream?

A few months ago, I ran into a friend who was carrying around a "How to Fly Helicopters" book. I thought she had it for some kind of school project for one of her friends. I was wrong. She was reading it because she wanted to fly helicopters! She said she always wanted to, realized she'd be too old when her kids grew up, and was pursuing it now. I've never been in a helicopter, but I want to go with her once she's got it all figured out.  Because I want to fly, too.

Read more about Life in Spades and my debut as an author at www.francesfrost.com.  The book is available in paperback and e-book; currently through the website and Amazon.com.

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Follow along here on my blog or on Facebook - JustPiddlin with Frances for our 30-Day Mom-Me Celebration all the way until Mother's Day.

Mom-Me Celebration - Day 14: Buy A New Bra for Yourself

The last few days, we've relaxed, cleaned our car.  Now, time for a little shopping because like the advise on the shopping bag, every woman wants to FEEL BEAUTIFUL.

Weight gain - weight loss, pregnancy related or not. Breast-feeding. Age. Our bodies have gone through a lot of changes. Our undergarments need to keep up.  According to Soma Intimates, 80% of us are walking around with the wrong size bra.

If you've ever watched "What Not to Wear" or Oprah you know you've got to measure yourself and have properly fitting bras. You've got to check the inch measurement - the circumference of your ribcage/torso - as well as the cup size, the measurement around your breasts.  Both sizes fluctuate with all your body changes, so don't guess.  Someone at the lingerie stores or department stores can help you; and if you are shy, you can do it yourself - just use a real tape measure.

Now that you've got your measurements - has what you want the bra to DO also changed?  Support. Lift. Push-up. Accentuate. What are you trying to do with your figure?  That probably changes on different days. Do you need the push-up padded red lace trim peeking out the top of your blouse for your volunteer-at-school day?  (The correct answer, if you are wondering, would be "no".)  Maybe you want more than the basic beige support for date night. And do you have one of those clear-strap or strapless bras so that when you wear that cute sundress you don't have ugly bra straps hanging out (even if they are a matching or coordinating color, bra straps aren't supposed to be visible).  Or maybe, you need something totally functional - a sports bra so your work-out is more comfortable.  What do you want your bra to do?

Think about how you want your bra to LOOK. Do you feel any particular way depending on what you wear? Sexier? Older? Straight-laced? Do you want to feel a different way?  You can do more than white and black and beige.  Consider a new color, a fun pattern - it'll be your own little secret of what's under your basic mom button-down shirt (well, unless/until you want to share your secret with someone).

And don't whine about COST.  Whether you are shopping at Target or LaPerla or buying that VS diamond encrusted bra - your bra should still FIT.

Even if you don't have time to go shopping for a new bra today - at least go through your current inventory. I bet there's at least 1 that doesn't need to be in there anymore. Too big, too small. Broken strap, pokey wire. Ugly (definitely get rid of the ugly ones). All your breasts are spilling over the top not in a cute and sexy way.  The cups are only half-full - or half-empty, depending on how you look at things. You don't even need a good reason other than "I don't like it." Get rid of it.

Today's summary: Toss an old bra, measure yourself, buy a new bra.  Simple.  Enjoy!

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Check out other ideas for your 30-Day Mom-Me Celebration!