I saw a look of resignation on my friend’s face as she said, “I don’t think I’m cut out to be a step mother.” There was a combination of sadness, frustration and resignation. She’d been married to her new husband for almost two years. The struggles started before their marriage, as it usually does when two people, with children from previous marriages decide to “blend families.” After all this time she saw no end in sight.

My friend has two daughters from her previous marriage. Her new husband has two daughters from his previous marriage…and a former wife who appeared to be determined to make things difficult. My friend has a former husband who lives out of state with his new family.

The four girls were all close in age and could possibly have been friends if they met at school, weren’t step siblings and didn’t have parents pulling at them.

Often, we the parents just need to get out of the way. Blended family issues can be resolved sooner and without causing added pain to the children if we allow space and time to work things out. I know from my own first hand meddling. I’ve detailed in my book, “You Used To Live In My House.”

My kids…back when they were kids, when my wife Louisa and I were newlyweds, didn’t need a new mom. Their mother was alive and well. Louisa didn’t want to be their mom. She knew her role and would have been happy to be a step mother. We all moved from Virginia to Colorado together so I thought she should be their new mom. All this while my kids really hadn’t given up hope that their mother and I might some how reconcile. We’d been apart for four years by then and each of the adults knew that wasn’t going to happen.

While I was living in Colorado my kids return to Virginia and to their mother,

I didn’t know what she was saying to them, about me. I didn’t learn that until three years later when they moved to Colorado. By then new roles weren’t so new and were accepted pretty easily. All the while, I knew that Louisa never criticized her sons’ father, even though he’d been virtually absent from their lives for several years.

Eleven years later Louisa received a Happy Step Mom Day card from Kelly on Mother’s Day. All of the ‘kids’ openly express their love for each of us these days, and have for some time. They all get along well with each other.

I can speak for myself and I believe it applies to many step parents, we are so determined that everyone will get a long and like each other immediately, that we make things more difficult than they need to be. Affection and assimilation cannot be forced upon our children. They have to find their own way and all we have to do is get out of the way.

Kids are resilient. I’ll over simplify it with an example of how they overcome the tales of an Easter Bunny and Santa Claus at very impressionable ages. If and when they see the new step parents showing affection and compromise it will be easier for them to move forward with their own feelings.

A friend of ours, Donna Lopez, provided the following testimonial to my book:

“After reading the book, “You Used To Live In My House” I began to think differently of blended families. I realized that it took much more love and faith and work that I ever imagined to sustain one household. I began to appreciate all those families around me that I once took for granted. This book allows us to see this family with such truth and pain and laughter! A recommended read!”

Obviously that’s flattering and I appreciate Donna’s comments. Her comments remain timely.

Don’t look now, but there are increasing numbers of blended families on the horizon. As more couples split and often after a child or two, the newly freed up mom or dad hooks up with that new ‘soul mate.’ Bingo, there’s a new family and the new spouse may even have children of their own from a previous relationship.

How do I know? I’m reminded of a question I was asked when I spoke to a Rotary Club not long ago. “What prepared you to write your book?” My answer: “I lived it.”

Back in the day, circa 1981, I met Louisa H. Harrison. She’s been Louisa H. Coons since June 18, 1983 and on that day, my three children and her two children, blended into this new family. Oh, by the way…on the fateful day, they were ages 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12.

We’re all the better for it now. And if you read through what I call ‘Tales of the dark side’ (AKA “You Used To Live In My House”) you’ll eventually get to the happiness we enjoy today. Being in a blended family doesn’t have to make any or all of the participants crazy. I’ve only scratched the surface of how I, and sometimes we, went about it the wrong way. If you get to know us we should give you hope.

R. Perry Coons
http://www.youusedtoliveinmyhouse.com

R. Perry Coons has thrown the door wide open with his narrative of the first 25 years of his relationship journey with his wife and family. He says, “If you get to know us, we should give you hope.”

His background is varied, as witnessed by the many personal and professional experiences he shares with his readers…husband, father, grandfather, runner and former radio dj, award winning shopping center marketing director, special events coordinator, entertainment manager, Realtor and self-described coffee achiever. He holds a copyright on a manuscript titled “Surrel Estate” and is working on a novel about a radio dj in the late 60′s. His working title is “Record Player.” Perry lives in Denver, Colorado with his wife Lousia and their Australian Cattle Dog.

One of the leading names in international fashion, Dolce&Gabbana was started in 1985 in Milan by Italian designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana.

Specializing in high-end fashion, they maintain two main lines of clothing and accessories, which appeal to fundamentally different tastes – the stylish and fashionable Dolce&Gabbana and the more casual and informal D&G.

Their collection ranges from classy suits and dresses, underwear and lingerie to beachwear, sunglasses, leather and footwear to fragrances, jewelry and timepieces. They even carry corrective eyewear. The fashion house distributes its wide range of products in over 80 countries worldwide.

With fashion collections that have frequently garnered raves from fashion critics such as “devastatingly sexy” or “fetishistic and provocative”, they want to make blatant fashion statements.

Still and all, the aesthetic is remains characteristically Italian, which has drawn the loyal patronage of such big celebrities as Madonna, Julia Roberts, Sarah Jessica Parker, Isabella Rossellini, Kate Hudson and Eva Mendes, among others.

The two designers met in Milan in 1980, while working in a fashion design enterprise. Dolce, who grew up in Sicily, had studied fashion design and had worked in their family’s modest clothing factory.

Gabbana grew up in Milan and was trained as a graphic designer. They combined their unique creativity and started their own business in two years.

Now the huge fashion empire that they created employs over 2000 people and has 261 stores worldwide. Sales in 2006 topped $1 billion, establishing them in the same league as Giorgio Armani, Max Mara and Prada Group.

Notwithstanding this remarkable success story, they have not been free of controversy. In January 2007, the fashion house was roundly criticized Britain’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) for featuring models wielding knives in one of its advertising campaigns.

In February 2007, it was forced to withdraw advertisements in Paris and Madrid after consumers’ groups complained to authorities that one of its ads was illegal and humiliating to women.

Nonetheless, owing to its secure niche in the international fashion world, especially as it apparently gains strong acceptance among the young professionals in China, they will continue to make waves – and get raves – in the industry.

If you enjoy Dolce & Gabbana, visit http://sumostrawberry.com for discount Dolce & Gabbana Perfume and Dolce & Gabbana Sunglasses at great prices.

Have you committed a fashion crime or two with your business clothing? Who hasn’t? From overcoming the dreaded muffin top bulge to covering up peek-a-boo lingerie, these expert tips will help you overcome common wardrobe blunders.

1. Revealing too much, as in baring your midriff: Blame it on Britney Spears, but low-rise pants are amongst the biggest business no no’s in a professional environment. To prevent the world from getting a view of your midriff, add a tank or close-fitting shirt under your top layer. You’ll stay warmer while adding visual interest to an outfit.

2. Over-the-pants bulge: Otherwise known as the muffin top, this is the spillover effect from pants that are too tight at the waist. What to do? Go one size up. We all like to think we are a size smaller than we really are, but when it comes to pants, you always look slimmer when they fit well and don’t create any bulges.

3. Visible lingerie: Good lingerie should be invisible. Wear nude, not white undergarments with white pants or a white shirt. To get rid of panty lines, check out some of the newer styles of seamless underwear.

4. Gaping blouse: If your favorite blouse is gaping at the seams, here’s a quick fix: a small piece of double-sided tape placed between each button will keep gaps closed and prevent any embarrassing peek-a-boo moments.

5. Too tight clothing: Painted-on pants, and too tight tops are not for the workplace. Wear clothing that fits, but is not overly revealing

6. Frumpy and forgettable: Ditch the dowdy pants and sweaters that are functional but boring, like the turtleneck paired with Mom Jeans. These items don’t flatter you, and project the message that you have no style.

7. Still in high school: A miniskirt, cartoon t-shirt and big hair make you look like you never left high school. They lessen your authority and professionalism in the workplace.

8. Senior citizen pastels, cheesy fabrics, and shapeless cuts make it seem like you’re too old to care – not a good sign for the office.

Do you know the biggest business image mistakes? Find out with these free reports:

7 Business Casual Crimes and How to Solve Them, and 13 Foods that Can Sabotage a Business Meal, when you sign up for my Communication Capsules Ezine at: http://www.Impressforsuccess.com/signup.html

From Lynda Goldman, author of 30 books including How to Make a Million Dollar First Impression

Can anybody learn to be a hypnotherapist?

Complementary therapy is very much on the rise these days, probably because it is viewed by many as more ‘natural’ than the man-made intervention of medication. One of the most natural of all is hypnotherapy; it does not rely on any substances and uses simply the power of the client’s/patient’s own mind to effect an alleviation of symptoms which can be astonishingly profound.

Currently, hypnotherapy is an unregulated profession (though some would call it an ‘art’) which means that literally anybody could just start up a practice, whether or not they had carried out any formal study. The fact is, though, that they would be unlikely to survive for very long in practice without the proper resources to do the job – in order to be successful, recommendation from satisfied ‘customers’ is an essential facet of the hypnotherapist’s survival.

So, how do you set about hypnotherapy training, how do you know you’ve got good training, and what should that course teach you?

Well, obviously, how to take people in and out of hypnosis with total safety and confidence. That part of the job is so easy that anybody can learn how to do it – as long as they can have a sensible conversation with another, they can learn to be a hypnotist. But a hypnotist is not a hypnotherapist. And that’s where the quality of training is so important. In addition to hypnosis, a good course should:

- Teach you about the promotional side of the business

- Give you an understanding of the way the human psyche ‘works’

- Show you how to decide on what style of therapy is needed

- Teach you what do to if something unexpected happens

- Confer the ability for registration with a reputable professional association

- Offer total post-graduate support

As you might imagine, there’s rather more to it than that but any course worth its salt will be based around those criteria and because of this it should already be obvious that the ‘do it in a weekend’ course is going to fall far short of requirements.

A good course will comprise around 120 hours of practical and theory in the classroom (often spread over 10 months or so) and a further 450 hours of home study and assignments. Once this is completed and you have your hypnotherapy training diploma in your hand, there are ample opportunities for further study to take you to the very top of a totally fascinating tree.

Good luck!

Terence Watts makes hypnotherapy training easy with his own classrooms, consulting rooms and administrative offices at his hypnotherapy training school.

A designer that makes swimwear strives to bring something fresh and new to each season. This in turn makes it difficult for buyers to find the perfect swimwear for particular seasons. When you plan to go for a swim, ultimately you would like to go for something that is comfortable and should not be too tight that stops your blood circulation. But it is not good to choose a very loose fit either because you may risk loosing it in the water. Professional swimmers normally opt for brand men’s swimwear such as Calvin Klein and c-In2, which specially generates maximum conform.

You can choose Men’s swimwear, which covers all the top part of your body or just some slips or trunks. However, if you are going to do some hard swimming you must not really go for trunks as it may not be really comfortable. A woman generally desires to look excellent all the time, so they would always decide swimwear, which benefits their figure. The two pieces swimwear is a fine and often choice but it is not suggested for women who are a little flabby. If you don’t look great, try a one piece swimwear, not only you would feel extremely relaxed but you would also be happy that you do not have to bury your belly with the towel.

If you desire your feet to look longer and slimmer chose a Baywatch style swimwear and your waistline would look ideal. In contrast, if you desire to look a little athletic and hide that cellulite, boxers’ swimwears are the most excellent solutions but purchase other colors than black. Do not go for a black swimwear if your skin is white, it would look very bad, but then again a white swimwear would make you look less pale.

Designer men’s swimwear could be effortlessly found online and you might wish to choose this way to purchase it if you know your precise measures. It’s easy to purchase swimwear but the hard part is wearing it, so take in thought reassure, appearance and flexibility because you wouldn’t like to drown just as you wore something trendy but tight.

Mejo is a Copywriter of speedo swim wear He had written various articles in different topics on Mens Underwear. For more information visit: jocko jockstraps Contact him at internationaljock1@gmail.com

Think about people’s shirts. You are probably picturing white dress shirts, golf shirts, t-shirts, sports shirts such as basketball and football jerseys, women’s blouses, maybe even branching out into sweaters but what is the one shirt that almost everyone can recognize and identify with a particular profession? If you are in the medical profession then you know the answer because you are wearing one. That’s right it is scrub tops and people all over the world can recognize them as something doctors, nurses, dentists, technologists, surgeons, and other healthcare professionals wear while working.

If you figure just about everyone goes to see a doctor for one reason or another and just about everywhere in the world people wear scrubs, then it stands as reason to believe the most recognized shirt in the world would be a scrubs shirt. Of course, not all scrubs shirts look alike anymore. It used to be a standard white and then green, now you can get metro scrubs in different colors and patterns. There are designer scrubs, scrubs with school logos that come in school colors, custom made scrubs, form fitting scrubs, and plus size scrubs. Even though you can get all of these different scrubs, they all still look similar enough that you can almost always recognize scrubs on medical professionals even when they are not in the office, hospital or clinic.

One of the benefits about buying scrubs today is that you can buy them online which means anyone from anywhere in the world can buy the same scrubs. If you live in Africa and you were a graduate of Notre Dame you can get your school colors and logo on your next set of scrubs. If you want custom logos for your office or hospital, you can order that from anywhere in the world. You are not limited much due to your location any longer; the internet is an equalizer for fashion.

Along with scrub shirts you can order other accessories that mix and match with the shirts including of course the scrubs pants. Along with the pants you can get jackets, hats and shoes. All of these are also available on the internet.

Without any market surveys to back up this claim it is still suggested that scrub tops are the most recognized shirts in the world. Now that they come in metro scrubs and plus size scrubs your choices are endless when it comes to mixing and matching colorful scrubs, even though they might not be as recognizable as the old standard green scrubs.

It’s the time when the temperature starts to rise and there will be a thirst for the coolest summer wears. It’s hot and it’s the time to take a break from all professional and personal deals and go for a vacation. So, make your summer vacation a cool one by pairing your feet with a stunning pair of slide sandals. Slides are the backless shoes with open toes that highly comfort your tired feet. This article gives you a detailed introduction of the comfortable slides for this summer.

They are easy wear shoes that every one aspires to add to their wardrobe. Slide sandals are perfect for all types of outfits from the office to the beach attire. They are cool and sassy for every day wear and especially for summer wear. Sleeves with caprices paired with a flawless pair of casual slides will highly comfort your body in this hot summer.

Slides are available in different models and types according to your interest and activities. And among all a cool pair will be the sporty slide sandals. To give a sporty look to your appearance you can slide in to super cool sporty slides. They are casual wear shoes engineered with well equipped technologies for beach games. This footwear are as similar as athletic shoes with latest technologies and model that will well suit your sports attire assuring ultimate comfort and relief to your feet. The technologies featured in this footwear make it multi-sport shoes suitable for beach games.

Apart from the sporty, there are well designed and stunning slide sandals that can be used for formal as well as informal wear. You can walk on them any where from the beach to office to parties. They will be comfortable enough for easily sliding your feet and are yet fashionable. Go ahead with an elegant pair of slide sandals to climb the ladder of fashion in this summer. Flip-flops, thongs and slide sandals are this summer’s hot picks. And of all slides are the hot favorite and sassy shoes that most women like to prefer. So why don’t you own an excellent pair of these shoes to stay comfy in summer without compromising style. Hurry up! And get go to fetch a descent pair of slide sandals.

Clara Havisham pens fashion articles for Shoecapital on all about shoes from the wide variety of models to the latest trends. Read more on Slide Sandals at http://www.Shoecapital.com

However it may seem from past experiences, it is not really that much more difficult to shop for jeans just because you are limited to the large sizes. The frustrating reality is that locating flattering, comfortable dungarees is a daunting proposition for any woman of any size, even the skinniest one. A pair of jeans might look all right in the dressing room of the department store, but they can make you feel like you’re trapped in a denim straitjacket when you’re wearing them for hours. But finding just the right large size jeans for you doesn’t necessarily have to entail a miserable shopping experience. Keep the following pointers in mind on your next shopping trip for jeans.

Don’t assume that you must wear baggy jeans just because you are a plus sized woman. Always keep in mind that plus sized and oversized are not synonymous terms. Learn to love your body instead of constantly trying to hide it. While you body may not be perfect, whose really is? Trying to hide your hips and legs behind baggy jeans only makes you look frumpy, and make you look bigger, too. There are different jean types for different bodies, and you should find jeans that fit your body. Talk to a professional, or even consider having your jeans professionally tailored for the perfect fit.

We’ve all heard the old wives’ tale that wearing black makes us look slimmer. This adage may hold true for people who aren’t over weight, but it does little for a plus size figure trying to wear a pair of black jeans. There are certain colors that you should definitely wear because they go well with your skin tones and flatter your face, but to look slimmer, you need to concentrate on tailoring, cut and style instead of color. As hard as it may be to break with the popular notion of always buying black, it really isn’t always the best choice. It’s only one choice out of many colors of plus size jeans on the market.

As with everything else, each individual has specific items that are better suited to their frame. This aphorism also applies to denim pants and skirts. Look at yourself in the mirror, or even better, go to a tailor. Take note of where your mass rests, and what sort of plus sized jeans will compliment your frame. Think about what pieces you can reveal, and which should be covered.

Some always find it hard to find plus size jeans. But, it can be made easier with a little effort put into searching for the most flattering plus size jeans for your body. Be very careful in your search and never hesitate to try out new designers. It will pay off well at the end of the day.

Andrea writes about Plus Size Clothing. Visit us for plus size deals on Plus Size Maternity Clothes at http://plus-size.discountsonline.com

Giorgio Armani is a popular menswear brand of clothing all over collection world. The fashion house is also a source of superior and signature apparel. Through the years, the label has been making Italy proud because the designer and founder of the company is a pure Italian by heart and by legacy.

Like many other fashion designers, Armani had humble beginnings. While young, he was confused and tried entering a few other professions. He got into medicine before shifting gears to pursue a career in photography, which did not work out. From there, he worked as a window dresser in an Italian department store before finally getting into fashion designing.

With his skills and sheer talent for styling and designing clothes, Armani was able to establish his own design house in 1974. Together with venture partner and friend Sergio Galeotti, he put up a company called Giorgio Armani SpA. Initially, the company carried all men’s wear. A year after, lines for women were also unveiled.

Taking the lead from other fashion designers, Armani developed and launched his own perfume line in 1982. As usual and typical of the brand, perfumes were originally targeted for the male population. Fragrances for women followed afterwards. Among the most famous of the brands perfumes are the Emporio, Acqua di Gio, Remix, and Attitude, all for men, while for women there are striking names like Sensi, Beyonce Knowles’ and Armani Le Perfum.

Such perfumes are well known around the world. Demand for the products has also been very high since the company has actively distributed them. After perfumes, many other personal products came from the Armani brand like sunglasses, shoes and even several business accessories.

It might be because of competition, but another characteristics that separates and distinguishes Giorgio Armani from the rest is his unusual dislike for fellow Italian designers Valentino and Gianni Versace. As much as possible, he has always been emphasizing that he do not want anything to do with the two designers.

Giorgio Armani is one of the most admirable designers of the current generation. People around the world should be proud and satisfied that they could still get the chance to wear designs and clothing from this wonderful brand.

Find Giorgio Armani perfumes and colognes at Perfume Center. Read more about Giorgio Armani perfumes

Having a panic attack can be a frightening experience. I’ve had panic attacks myself for years. There are some tips though that helped me overcome my attacks most of the time. While panic attacks are certainly frightening, they are physically harmless. All that happens during an attack is triggered by your thoughts, mostly subconsciously.

The following tips will help you during a panic attack. Please remember though that these tips won’t help you overcome the underlying disorder; they will only help you regain control when having a panic attack. You should still consult a psychotherapist or buy a professional self-help course to work on the causes – the triggers that cause your panic attacks.

Tips for Panic Attacks:

• Distract yourself: Count down from 1000 or solve math problems to occupy your mind. Don’t focus on the panic attack and don’t try to fight your way out of it. This will only make it last longer due to an increased level of adrenaline.
• Splash your face with cool water.
• Listen to relaxing music while telling yourself that those attacks have never hurt you in the past and won’t hurt you this time either. Tell yourself those symptoms you feel are just caused by your thoughts and that they are not medically harmful.
• Watch TV to distract yourself.
• If you are breathing rapidly, breathe slowly in and out of a paper bag. You are probably over-breathing and taking in too much oxygen, which can make you feel dizzy.
• Talk to someone (or phone someone). If the other person knows about your panic attacks tell them you are just having one and tell them what you are feeling right now.
• Don’t sit down, do something physical.

These simple tips for panic attacks helped me many times, and I hope they will help you, too. Always remember those symptoms you feel are just caused by your brain and are not medically harmful or dangerous.

Panic attacks are more common than you might think. Fortunately, there are several professional self-help courses that can help you overcome your panic attacks. Click here for more information on treating panic attacks at home.