Maybe that title should be followed with a big, "Duhhh!!"
Maybe. It seems simple enough. But sometimes that sentence is also very hard for moms to fully comprehend.
I've been doing a lot of thinking lately (Tyler would laugh reading that, because I start a lot of discussions saying that...kind of a joke between us.)....
Being a mom is tough. In short, for me, it's about putting others before myself; taking the time to care for another's physical and mental health and happiness. We also all know that a mother is more than that.
Fill in the blank.... A mother is ________ (basically any occupation). A good mother becomes so much for her children.
A mother is exhausted. Even on good days when your child is being "perfect".... sleeping perfect, eating perfect, pooping perfect, playing perfect. It's exhausting because it all takes time and energy and attention. So, as most days are wonderfully imperfect, they simply wear you out (especially when your kids are young and still need help to do just about everything).
Before you are pregnant, you think about motherhood and understand there will be countless beautiful and sweet moments, but you also try to be realistic and remember how people say there are plenty of hard times. You think it's funny that people suggest someone write a manual for raising children. You think, I know it's going to be tougher than babysitting, but it's not anything I can't handle. While that is true, you don't really realize the magnitude of those statements until you're a parent.
Aside from sleepless nights and sassy 3 year olds, there's a toll it takes on you. What's worse?... the pile of dishes or the mountain of laundry? Plus the toy mess is out of control. Your hobbies get put on the back burner... meant for a day when life is less busy. Making friends is just another thing to clog your busy schedule. You begin to realize that, while being a mother is super duper awesome, being a mother also defines you. (Yes, I think that is super duper awesome too, don't get me wrong.)
Until you focus on how awesome it really is, it can get you down.
I don't believe I'm the only one that has felt that a lot of their "true" self has been pushed under the rug and they're losing their identity...Yeah, you perceive identity theft is the problem here, and Mom is maxing out your "credit cards"
I don't believe I'm the only one that suffers from poor self-esteem and self-doubt. The thought of expressing the toll you feel motherhood is taking on you is confusing and makes you feel horrible (even if you've figured out a way to actually explain yourself).
You wonder, Why am I feeling this way?...Who have I become?... Why is this so hard? Moms are meant to get the job done. Moms throughout time have. Am I doing something wrong?... Today is hard! But it would be silly for me to complain about the little things that went on. No one would really understand.
You are lonely and you feel guilty even thinking these things.
Before you know it, your life feels full and empty at the same time.
My two kids are young and not in school so there's nothing at this point that pulls us out of the house regularly. But in these few short years, watching as they've grown, I've learned new things. I also have had to learn things over (and over) again. Each child has given us hard days (and still does)! I can't really avoid them. But instead of consuming my thoughts in a woe-is-me state, I've learned some tricks to make the tasks easier and my day more fulfilled.
I have noticed when I take care of myself, taking care of my kids becomes so much easier. (Consciously trying to have a fun and positive attitude obviously amplifies the things I do to make my day better...)
When I start my day off with getting ready, I am more apt to get my house work done. I have a little more pep in my step. And honestly, a clean home is a happy home... at least around here.
Also, if I'm ready for the day, we can leave the house (basically) at a moments notice. We can play outside... and that always makes for happy and tired-by-bedtime kids.
When I take the time to pull myself together and feel cute, I think my kids notice the difference in my attitude. I am more confident.
When I decide to paint my nails, I make sure I get the dishes done first so that the painting wont be in vain (for a while anyway). Plus, if I have my dishes done, it is also so much easier for me to get the rest of my house work done. Not sure why, but when I have a sink full of dirty dishes, it is really hard for me to be motivated to clean the rest of the kitchen or anything else.
When I exercise I feel more ambitious.
When I eat healthy I am more energized. We have more dance parties and I can keep up with my daughter's fantastic imagination that much better.
When my kids are happy they are more independent and I can work on a hobby of mine.
I can say "When mom is happy the kids are happy. " When I take care of myself, I spend more time doing quality things.
Making friends is important... obviously for myself, but for my children too. When I have friends over, my daughter can't stop talking to them! She is a chatterbox and has so much confidence. She expresses her love to those friends and cares how they are feeling. She tells me they are her friends too.
It's funny after talking with friends, how much I find they have similar thought processes that I have had about motherhood. It's therapeutic and uplifting as we share the hard and fantastic moments.
Friends (and family) relate and actually understand when I tell them that some days are just plain hard. That I still have days where taking care of myself is a very low priority and that I hope that no one comes to visit and see my terribly messy house and me still in my pajamas. But what makes days like this ok, in my book, is being able to report that my kids are happy, learning, fed, and that I got to spend time with them. Some days I feel like that's all I can do. Some days are just plain harder than others (with no solitary reason why) and I feel like I must decide between getting ready, or cleaning, or playing with my kids.
I've learned I didn't lose my identity when I became mother; I gained another title.
I am still me, now with the title of Mother. I have to admit that about the first year is hard (for various reasons) on me. It's around the year mark that I notice I'm feeling close to my old self again and when I realize I can handle things a lot better. That's me. (That's also to not say I am miserable the whole time.... in fact, I am mostly happy... I just feel different and need to work on that.)
As President James E. Faust said: “There is no greater good in all the
world than motherhood. The influence of a mother in the lives of her
children is beyond calculation” (“Fathers, Mothers, Marriage,” Liahona and Ensign, Aug. 2004, 3).
[A mother] "teaches her 'children to pray, and to walk uprightly before the Lord' (D&C 68:28).
Rather than listening to the voices and partial truths of the world,
she knows that gospel standards are based on eternal, unchangeable
truths. She believes that to be 'primarily responsible for the nurture
of [her] children' is a vital, dignified, and 'sacred responsibilit[y]'
(“The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” Liahona, Oct. 1998, 24; Ensign,
Nov. 1995, 102). To nurture and feed them physically is as much an
honor as to nurture and feed them spiritually. She is 'not weary in
well-doing' and delights to serve her family, because she knows that 'out of small things proceedeth that which is great' (D&C 64:33). (Julie B. Beck, A "Mother Heart")
(This next quote made me tear up.... by Julie B. Beck, A "Mother Heart")
"I was recently at a park where I met a group of women with mother
hearts. They were young, covenant-keeping women. They were bright and
had obtained advanced degrees from respected universities. Now they were
devoting their considerable gifts to planning dinner that evening and
sharing housekeeping ideas. They were teaching two-year-olds to be kind
to one another. They were soothing babies, kissing bruised knees, and
wiping tears. I asked one of those mothers how it came about that she
could transfer her talents so cheerfully into the role of motherhood.
She replied, “I know who I am, and I know what I am supposed to do. The
rest just follows.” That young mother will build faith and character in
the next generation one family prayer at a time, one scripture study
session, one book read aloud, one song, one family meal after another.
She is involved in a great work. She knows that “children are an
heritage of the Lord” and “happy is the [woman] that hath [a] quiver
full of them” (Ps. 127:3, 5).
She knows that the influence of righteous, conscientious, persistent,
daily mothering is far more lasting, far more powerful, far more
influential than any earthly position or institution invented by man.
She has the vision that, if worthy, she has the potential to be blessed
as Rebekah of old to be “the mother of thousands of millions” (Gen. 24:60).
We wish our lives were peaches and cream and came with instruction
manuals (and that we really had eyes in the back of our head and 6 arms) but Tyler and I are realizing, as our kids are getting older...giving us
an opportunity to have something to look back at now...we really love the
crazy moments where we had to learn new and ever-changing schedules, stretch
our patience (it's gotten a pretty good stretch in lately), and grown
into better people...hopefully, along the way, instilling something great into those
growing children we love so much!
I echo the importance of mothers; mothers in all forms. I feel so grateful for our children and that I am their mother. I know that even though I complain about hard days... which, after having a different perspective of my situation, makes me feel bad for even complaining in the first place... I am SO grateful to be a mother and know I made one of the greatest decisions when I was blessed as one.
I have the perspective and knowledge that I have not and will not be given any challenge I cannot handle. That I, through the help of the Lord and others, will figure out solutions and find happiness in all things.
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Saturday, March 9, 2013
Update - Talmage boy
Do you remember that I had second child? Well, it's true!
His name is Talmage and I have done a horrible job updating about him. (especially comparing it to Danica's) (...Let's be honest, I've done a horrible job updating anything on this blog)
He is still alive and kicking (if you were wondering) and he's 15 months old now.
Just a warning... this will be a long post telling you how cool our kid is (we'll get to Danica another time). Talmage has so much personality it's hard to capture him all in a post.
Well...
Talmage can walk now.... no, I take that back... Talmage can run now! He started walking at 10 months and he books it everywhere. Just like Danica, people are always thinking he is older than he is. Talmage has blue eyes, though every once in a while they seem to look a little hazel. He has had 5 haircuts and his hair has lightened up a ton since he was born. I thought I was going to have a dark haired child, but he's got Tyler's hair instead.
Umm, he's got Tyler's everything. He is definitely Tyler's Mini-Me!
Talmages loves.....
to dance. This boy shakes his groove thing to any beat. It is so funny and cute. He loves finding toys that make noise so he can press the buttons and run into the middle of the room to dance.
to play the piano.
to be with Mom. He is my shadow and loves to be held.
to do things on his own. He is actually quite stubborn sometimes... he'll even turn his head away and up, and in a very snobbish British accent thinks, "Oh, I don't think so... I am capable of doing this on my own."
to "read"... A lot of the time when he is really quiet, there is need to fear because he has probably gotten into something he shouldn't (that goes for Dani too), but actually quite often I find him sitting down looking through a bunch of books.
hugs. We've got a huge cuddler over here. I love it too. He loves kisses and needs them when he bonks himself. When he gets hurt he'll come to me with the saddest face (sometimes a cry) says, "bonk" and needs me to kiss him better.
to repeat/copy. He mostly repeats Dani's actions, but he is really good as copying words too. He's not prejudice either, he copies everyone around here. Today, actually, he copied Tyler. If you know Tyler, you know that he talks with his hands a lot. Tyler was telling me a story when we both looked over at Talmage who was standing next to him, staring up, and moving his hands just like Tyler. It was hilarious. You can often find Talmage talking on toy phones. I think he's been learning phone etiquette recently, or at least learning to control his anger, because when he first starting talking on the phone he'd yell into it. I guess he could have been picking that from Tyler or me... cause, ya know, we always yell when we're on the phone too.......
to climb up and down the stairs. He is good at waiting until we say it's ok to go up too.
baths!... and of course splashing in them! If he hears the word bath he drops whatever he is doing and runs to the stairs saying, "bath" If you don't go to the stairs with him, he'll run back to you and to the stairs over and over, saying, "bath," until you come too. At the stairs he'll even run in place because he's so excited.
tickles... what kid doesn't though
pretending to take of his socks while I'm changing his diaper. He thinks it's hilarious when I shake his feet and say, "Hey, whatcha doin?"
to go outside. He is so good about grabbing his shoes and coat and waiting by the door. He does that when he is asked, but also when he happens to hear the word "outside"
the Veggie Tales theme song. We have often sang this song in the car when Talmage just wont stop crying. It calms him down every time.
to hum
to stand at window. If someone is outside he will wait by the window right by our door and watch and wait for them to come inside. It's like he's a loyal dog. Did I just compare my kid to a dog?... I'm comparing the loyal part, fyi.
Talmage goes to sleep really well. It's rarely hard to get him to fall asleep and if he stirs or wakes up he's really good at putting himself back to sleep (all this is true when he's not sick or teething). We have a routine when going to bed and one of the things he loves to do is say, "door," close the door, then he switches off the light.
He thinks he's so hilarious when he fake sneezes. He says, "Ah ah ah choooo!"
Talmage gets so excited when he hears me filling up a cup of water for him. He'll run into the kitchen with a giant smile and basically prances off when I give him his cup.
He is such a big boy. He's already pretty good at making "boy" noises; car noises and explosions. He's loves to climb up on to our couch and onto chairs by himself. He's great at giving high fives and pounding it on command. We'll pound it (fists bumping) then explode it (hands open up and you make an explosion sound) and he makes the explosion sound too.
Our super smiley boy loves to wave and say bye.
On command, he can point to his hair, eyes, nose, ears, tongue, teeth, mouth, belly, hands, and feet.
He is a greatslave helper. When ever I ask him to grab a new diaper, hand me his finished bottle, or clean up his food or toys, he does! He understands a ton and is excited to show it off, I think.
Although he is a boy, I'm sure he would come up and ask me for directions, if he could (jk, jk... no but seriously). He is always holding things up to me to that are hard to open, so I can help him. He is suuuuper curious.
Speaking of, he is always getting into everything. EV . ER . Y . TH . I . N . Gaaaa... Did you catch that? Yep, that's 7 syllables worth. Everything. He keeps us busy. Dude, our place is baby proofed, but he always finds a way to get into things he's not supposed to.
Everyday Talmage is saying and repeating new words, but these are words that he commonly uses:
★hi ★bye ★apple ★up please ★all done (puts hand up) ★hello ★bed ★door ★bath ★boo! ★and me ★hi ya! ★belly belly ★bless you ★duck ★quack ★dog ★ruff (barking noise) ★ball ★ eye ★nose ★bottle ★ shoe ★yeah ★mom ★dad ★Mimi (Tyler's mom) ★Pop Pop (Tyler's dad) ★down ★ feet ★bonk ★fake snoring noises ★ho ho ho ★baby
And he can understand a whole lot more.
Talmage is growing in so many ways. It surprises me everyday the new things he is learning. He's always figuring out how to make things works or which buttons to push... on toys, or suddenly reaching to something I just moved out of reach. Although he's still learning to express himself and ask for things (right now he's a screamer when he wants something.... ahhhhh! ← Oh, that was me screaming just then) we sure do loooooove our Talmage boy!
His name is Talmage and I have done a horrible job updating about him. (especially comparing it to Danica's) (...Let's be honest, I've done a horrible job updating anything on this blog)
He is still alive and kicking (if you were wondering) and he's 15 months old now.
Just a warning... this will be a long post telling you how cool our kid is (we'll get to Danica another time). Talmage has so much personality it's hard to capture him all in a post.
Well...
Talmage can walk now.... no, I take that back... Talmage can run now! He started walking at 10 months and he books it everywhere. Just like Danica, people are always thinking he is older than he is. Talmage has blue eyes, though every once in a while they seem to look a little hazel. He has had 5 haircuts and his hair has lightened up a ton since he was born. I thought I was going to have a dark haired child, but he's got Tyler's hair instead.Umm, he's got Tyler's everything. He is definitely Tyler's Mini-Me!
Talmages loves.....
to dance. This boy shakes his groove thing to any beat. It is so funny and cute. He loves finding toys that make noise so he can press the buttons and run into the middle of the room to dance.
to play the piano.
to be with Mom. He is my shadow and loves to be held.
to do things on his own. He is actually quite stubborn sometimes... he'll even turn his head away and up, and in a very snobbish British accent thinks, "Oh, I don't think so... I am capable of doing this on my own."
to "read"... A lot of the time when he is really quiet, there is need to fear because he has probably gotten into something he shouldn't (that goes for Dani too), but actually quite often I find him sitting down looking through a bunch of books.
hugs. We've got a huge cuddler over here. I love it too. He loves kisses and needs them when he bonks himself. When he gets hurt he'll come to me with the saddest face (sometimes a cry) says, "bonk" and needs me to kiss him better.
to repeat/copy. He mostly repeats Dani's actions, but he is really good as copying words too. He's not prejudice either, he copies everyone around here. Today, actually, he copied Tyler. If you know Tyler, you know that he talks with his hands a lot. Tyler was telling me a story when we both looked over at Talmage who was standing next to him, staring up, and moving his hands just like Tyler. It was hilarious. You can often find Talmage talking on toy phones. I think he's been learning phone etiquette recently, or at least learning to control his anger, because when he first starting talking on the phone he'd yell into it. I guess he could have been picking that from Tyler or me... cause, ya know, we always yell when we're on the phone too.......
to climb up and down the stairs. He is good at waiting until we say it's ok to go up too.
baths!... and of course splashing in them! If he hears the word bath he drops whatever he is doing and runs to the stairs saying, "bath" If you don't go to the stairs with him, he'll run back to you and to the stairs over and over, saying, "bath," until you come too. At the stairs he'll even run in place because he's so excited.
tickles... what kid doesn't though
pretending to take of his socks while I'm changing his diaper. He thinks it's hilarious when I shake his feet and say, "Hey, whatcha doin?"
to go outside. He is so good about grabbing his shoes and coat and waiting by the door. He does that when he is asked, but also when he happens to hear the word "outside"
the Veggie Tales theme song. We have often sang this song in the car when Talmage just wont stop crying. It calms him down every time.
to hum
to stand at window. If someone is outside he will wait by the window right by our door and watch and wait for them to come inside. It's like he's a loyal dog. Did I just compare my kid to a dog?... I'm comparing the loyal part, fyi.
Talmage goes to sleep really well. It's rarely hard to get him to fall asleep and if he stirs or wakes up he's really good at putting himself back to sleep (all this is true when he's not sick or teething). We have a routine when going to bed and one of the things he loves to do is say, "door," close the door, then he switches off the light.
He thinks he's so hilarious when he fake sneezes. He says, "Ah ah ah choooo!"
Talmage gets so excited when he hears me filling up a cup of water for him. He'll run into the kitchen with a giant smile and basically prances off when I give him his cup.
He is such a big boy. He's already pretty good at making "boy" noises; car noises and explosions. He's loves to climb up on to our couch and onto chairs by himself. He's great at giving high fives and pounding it on command. We'll pound it (fists bumping) then explode it (hands open up and you make an explosion sound) and he makes the explosion sound too.
Our super smiley boy loves to wave and say bye.
On command, he can point to his hair, eyes, nose, ears, tongue, teeth, mouth, belly, hands, and feet.
He is a great
Although he is a boy, I'm sure he would come up and ask me for directions, if he could (jk, jk... no but seriously). He is always holding things up to me to that are hard to open, so I can help him. He is suuuuper curious.
Speaking of, he is always getting into everything. EV . ER . Y . TH . I . N . Gaaaa... Did you catch that? Yep, that's 7 syllables worth. Everything. He keeps us busy. Dude, our place is baby proofed, but he always finds a way to get into things he's not supposed to.
Everyday Talmage is saying and repeating new words, but these are words that he commonly uses:
★hi ★bye ★apple ★up please ★all done (puts hand up) ★hello ★bed ★door ★bath ★boo! ★and me ★hi ya! ★belly belly ★bless you ★duck ★quack ★dog ★ruff (barking noise) ★ball ★ eye ★nose ★bottle ★ shoe ★yeah ★mom ★dad ★Mimi (Tyler's mom) ★Pop Pop (Tyler's dad) ★down ★ feet ★bonk ★fake snoring noises ★ho ho ho ★baby
And he can understand a whole lot more.
Talmage is growing in so many ways. It surprises me everyday the new things he is learning. He's always figuring out how to make things works or which buttons to push... on toys, or suddenly reaching to something I just moved out of reach. Although he's still learning to express himself and ask for things (right now he's a screamer when he wants something.... ahhhhh! ← Oh, that was me screaming just then) we sure do loooooove our Talmage boy!
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Shrinky Dink Fun
My wedding ring doesn't fit anymore... not since I was pregnant with
Talmage. We plan to get it sized up half a size, but in the meantime
I've been wearing a fake ring that looks similar... and turns my finger
green! I'm tired of feeling like I'm morphing into a leprechaun, so I
decided to make myself a different ring.
I had so much fun making
some rings. I feel like such a little kid whenever I work with Shrinky
Dinks! Yep, that's right.....Shrinky Dinks!Here's a picture of some the pieces I have made with Shrinky Dinks.
Here are some close ups of each piece...
cute scallop details on this ring (just cut before shrinking) 
mustard chevron with "I need Thee every hour" detail
lovin some leopard
more chevron
This notebook has a love note on it saying "I love you" I'm sentimental so the 4 hearts represent our family of 4 and the 7 metal beads represent the 7 years my husband and I will be married this year. The back page is blank and represents what our future holds. Cheesy?... yes.... :)
a ring I made for my daughter
I added glitter to this one. When it was done shrinky and laying flat still, I pulled it out and sprinkled glitter on it. I put it back in and let it heat through, then I pulled it out and made the mold. Most of the glitter stuck to the ring, but I ended up putting clear nail polish on and it is perfect. Plus that coat of nail polish made it smooth again.
Haha! These two are silly to me... They don't really look like diamonds, just a design more or less. It was fun to mess around and see what they'd look like though
Here's another mushy sentimental necklace... perfect for Valentine's Day coming up
I love the banner look and especially in black and white
I actually wear this one in place of my wedding ring now. Ha!
a blue ikat design with red dot in the middle of the diamonds
This is a bracelet for my daughter... can you tell??
I added that leopard circle to a broken necklace!
These were a LOT of fun to make. I love all the vintage details.
I got this last bracelet idea from this site:
http://www.countryliving.com/crafts/projects/how-to-make-a-shriky-dink-bracelet
They supply all these vintage pictures for you (along with more)
I got this last bracelet idea from this site:
http://www.countryliving.com/crafts/projects/how-to-make-a-shriky-dink-bracelet
They supply all these vintage pictures for you (along with more)
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Thanksgiving
Two posts in one day, whuppah! (That's my Chandler-like whip crack) I'm on a roll.
Anyway....
During the month of November, I usually (...meaning the last 2 years) keep a daily log on either my blog and/or facebook of the things I'm thankful for. I really enjoyed doing that and will probably continue again in the future, but this year I decided to do something different.
Well, a few weeks ago I had an amazing opportunity to go to Time Out For Women with some of my sisters...
(Shout out to my beautiful sisters...
Heeeeyyyy!
And continuing on...)
It was a wonderful, rejuvenating weekend that reminded me how much I love the Spirit in my life.
As I was thinking about that weekend and the (then) upcoming month of November I realized (in a round-about way) that one of the best ways I can show my thankfulness is by drawing nearer to God.
Basically everything I'm thankful for, stems from God, the creator of all things. So, I feel like doing things that help me to feel his Spirit more abundantly in my life would be a great way to show God that I love Him and show my gratitude to Him.
So, my new challenge this month was to do something everyday that is spiritually uplifting.
I have loved this new challenge! There are lots of things I can do including listening to gospel music (right now, my favorite being Jessie Clark Funk, You Know Better Than I), reading scriptures, and reading the Ensign.
Along with that, Danica and I have taken on the challenge to say a prayer together everyday that only gives thanks. We usually say it each morning and I have Danica think of the things she's thankful for, and that's what we say. (I had to explain blessings, and Thanksgiving, and giving thanks before this started and she still gets words mixed up... it's cute)
And let me tell you, the things that she says she's thankful for (or, as she says, blessed for) are so precious and cute!
This is definitely something I'll make a tradition and should continue on doing.
Anyway....
During the month of November, I usually (...meaning the last 2 years) keep a daily log on either my blog and/or facebook of the things I'm thankful for. I really enjoyed doing that and will probably continue again in the future, but this year I decided to do something different.
Well, a few weeks ago I had an amazing opportunity to go to Time Out For Women with some of my sisters...
(Shout out to my beautiful sisters...
Heeeeyyyy!
And continuing on...)
It was a wonderful, rejuvenating weekend that reminded me how much I love the Spirit in my life.
As I was thinking about that weekend and the (then) upcoming month of November I realized (in a round-about way) that one of the best ways I can show my thankfulness is by drawing nearer to God.
Basically everything I'm thankful for, stems from God, the creator of all things. So, I feel like doing things that help me to feel his Spirit more abundantly in my life would be a great way to show God that I love Him and show my gratitude to Him.
So, my new challenge this month was to do something everyday that is spiritually uplifting.
I have loved this new challenge! There are lots of things I can do including listening to gospel music (right now, my favorite being Jessie Clark Funk, You Know Better Than I), reading scriptures, and reading the Ensign.
Along with that, Danica and I have taken on the challenge to say a prayer together everyday that only gives thanks. We usually say it each morning and I have Danica think of the things she's thankful for, and that's what we say. (I had to explain blessings, and Thanksgiving, and giving thanks before this started and she still gets words mixed up... it's cute)
And let me tell you, the things that she says she's thankful for (or, as she says, blessed for) are so precious and cute!
This is definitely something I'll make a tradition and should continue on doing.
Halloween
Halloween.... Halloween.... Lots of fun on Halloween!
(Someone please tell me they know what that's from... I feel like Kelly or Katie should know. I totally hear a creeeepy voice singing it)
We actually had 5 shindigs (I guess I'm counting trick-or-treating as a shindig) to go to this year to celebrate Halloween, but with sick kids we were able to just do two.
First we went to Tyler's work party. They always invite the employees' families to come and go trick-or-treating. They also had a haunted house this year. Tyler helped put that together and scare people walking through. It was pretty sweet. It was too scary for Danica.
Later that night we went trick-or-treating and Danica was much more enthused about going around the neighborhood. We all went (Talmage lounged in the stroller) and had fun together, seeing lots of neighbors out too. When we got back there was a non-stop flow of trick-or-treaters and we ran out of candy.
(Someone please tell me they know what that's from... I feel like Kelly or Katie should know. I totally hear a creeeepy voice singing it)
We actually had 5 shindigs (I guess I'm counting trick-or-treating as a shindig) to go to this year to celebrate Halloween, but with sick kids we were able to just do two.
First we went to Tyler's work party. They always invite the employees' families to come and go trick-or-treating. They also had a haunted house this year. Tyler helped put that together and scare people walking through. It was pretty sweet. It was too scary for Danica.
Later that night we went trick-or-treating and Danica was much more enthused about going around the neighborhood. We all went (Talmage lounged in the stroller) and had fun together, seeing lots of neighbors out too. When we got back there was a non-stop flow of trick-or-treaters and we ran out of candy.
Danica is super cool and wanted me to keep snapping pictures of all her poses.
Talmage, on the other hand, was really hard to capture
He kept walking or crawling away.
He kept walking or crawling away.
It may appear the Tyler does not fit in to our Disney theme, but he's actually dressed as Walt Disney (jk, jk)
Monday, October 29, 2012
Thursday, October 25, 2012
If you care...
I'm not sure if people care, but in case you do, I added a little feed to my Oh Dani Girl blog over to the right. Now you can see when I update that blog. (Or, of course, you can add that blog to your own blog feed)
I've done a little bit with the blog and Etsy shop as of late, so check them both out if you'd like.
I also have some other things in the works right now too. :)
I've done a little bit with the blog and Etsy shop as of late, so check them both out if you'd like.
I also have some other things in the works right now too. :)
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
First Sale
So remember when I mentioned I started a little side business and then didn't do much with it?
That's ok. I figured you didn't.
But, that is what I did (well to say I didn't do much with it isn't entirely true. I probably announced the boutique too early because I then spent a long amount of time doing a bunch of organizing... trying to figure out exactly what I wanted to make, what materials go into making each item, then what exactly it would cost to make each item, and finally putting all that info into a big white binder....after that I slacked off).
Anywho... I was contacted and made our very first sale!
I posted about it HERE
That's ok. I figured you didn't.
But, that is what I did (well to say I didn't do much with it isn't entirely true. I probably announced the boutique too early because I then spent a long amount of time doing a bunch of organizing... trying to figure out exactly what I wanted to make, what materials go into making each item, then what exactly it would cost to make each item, and finally putting all that info into a big white binder....after that I slacked off).
Anywho... I was contacted and made our very first sale!
I posted about it HERE
Monday, October 1, 2012
Calorie Shifting - Here we go again
Happy October everyone! I'm so excited for the upcoming seasons!
Has it really been almost 2 months since I last posted. Is it just me that has been slacking? I feel like everyone Facebooks more...
Anyway, I've been trying for the last little bit to try to find a diet plans that works for me. I'm sure I'm not the only one, but it's actually been a little emotional for me because I'm tired of this post pregnancy body, but I can't seem to stick to any of the "diets" I try. (I say "diets" because I'm trying to find a diet that is actually more of a life change rather than a quick diet)
I'm not sure what my deal is exactly... Though, in a nutshell, I do know that I've been super tired lately and then in-turn lack motivation.
Well, today I started a new diet plan that I'm excited to jump into! One that I think I'll do much better at sticking with.
I am one to do a lot of research and get really organized before I start something (or buy something). And after recently starting a diet and then ending it before you could say... well just about anything, I asked for advice on Facebook. I had a really hard time with the fact that I quit so soon (I had such a hard time eating so much chicken and eggs... which is basically all you eat along with a ton of veggies... I was fine with those) On Facebook, I asked if other people had trouble with the food and what they did. That diet program (which was based from a book) has a separate recipe book that was suggested to me by a friend of a friend. As I was looking into the recipe book online, I randomly came across some info on Calorie Shifting (or calorie zig-zagging).
HOW I UNDERSTAND CALORIE SHIFTING ~
So the idea of calorie shifting is that you don't count calories in a way that every day you stick to 1400 calories (or whatever your limit is). When eating the same amount of calories each day, your body gets used to how many calories it needs to burn and adjusts to burning that many only. If you eat 1000 calories every day your body will get used to burning just 1000 calories and eventually sort of plateaus. I guess it takes your body a few days to recognize adjustments so if you keep changing up your calorie intake, you confuse your body with how many calories it needs to burn and it goes into fat burning mode... so they say. (This is similar to muscle confusion, if you're familiar with that)
HOW TO DO IT~
So, as I can tell, there is no set plan on how to do it. Basically you have a caloric goal (say 1400). So your weekly calorie average is that caloric goal, but your daily caloric intake is different. You can easily make up your own plan by taking what your daily calorie goal is, eating that once a week, and then eating, say 300 higher and 300 lower for 3 days a week each. Just work it out so your average is still the same as if you'd eaten the same number of calories every day. (Some people eat 500 lower and higher)
So eating...
1100 calories on Sunday
1700 calories on Monday
1100 calories on Tuesday
1400 calories on Wednesday
1700 calories on Thursday
1100 calories on Friday
1700 calories on Saturday
Equals 9800 calories for the week
But averages out to 1400 a day
I found out that about 1900 calories is how many calories my body needs to eat and burn in order to keep my current weight. But because I don't want to keep my current weight, I need to consume fewer calories total. Does that make sense?... I don't explain things very well sometimes.
I decided to make my caloric average 1400 calories. 1900 - 1400 = 500. So, I'd be 500 calories fewer a day with taking 1400 calories/day (on average). If I burn another 250 calories a day with exercise, I'll be burning 750 calories a day on average.
Side note: Did you know that 1 pound of fat is equal to 3500? (I always thought it was 2500!) So for every 3500 calories you burn you lose a pound of fat.
So, burning 750 calories a day x 7 days a week = 5250 calories burned in a week.
That is equal to 1 1/2lbs lost a week.
I knew, when picking out a weekly menu, I needed to start slow and easy for me. (Don't judge). I wanted to pick out foods that I already eat or that would be super easy to do. I know as I get more used to this diet plan and routine I'll introduce more recipes and less pre-made meals. I just don't want to overwhelm myself again and quit... I know I'm pathetic. We'll see how this works.
Below are examples of the charts and calendar I made up to help me stay organized. They are going on my refridgerator. (I also downloaded the free app Lose It, and I love it... look it up (Thanks Nicki!))
To help me stay motivated I asked Tyler if I could do a weekly reward system. So, if I stick to my calories and eat right for a week I earn $10, if I burn at least 250 calories a day with exercise I earn $5... so each week I can earn a total of $15 (that's what works for me). I'm going to be putting this money in a container of some sort and hopefully save it for when I need to buy new clothes when I reach my goal weight.. Although, if I desire, I can take out money whenever.
I made this calendar to help me keep track and earn my rewards. I picked a few exercises that I can do daily and I wrote down how many calories it burns in how many minutes... those are listed at the bottom. (I used http://www.healthstatus.com/calculate/cbc to figure them out... there are a ton more options) There is a colored bullet representing an exercise and as I do them, I'll mark them off on the calendar with a coordinating marker (like the example below) I'll put an "x" in the box next to the colors, if I burned at least 250 calories that day and I'll put an "x" in the box next to the calories, if I ate that many calories that day. Depending on whether or not I reach my goal each week, I will write $0, $5, or $15 in the "GOAL" box on the right.
A lot of days I feel like I can't get much done with my two kids around and with them being so young, so this plan is a good stepping stone for me, at this point.. When I feel more comfortable with this minimal routine I'll add more challenging/time consuming exercises and different foods.
Today is the first day, and so far so good, haha. :)
Has it really been almost 2 months since I last posted. Is it just me that has been slacking? I feel like everyone Facebooks more...
Anyway, I've been trying for the last little bit to try to find a diet plans that works for me. I'm sure I'm not the only one, but it's actually been a little emotional for me because I'm tired of this post pregnancy body, but I can't seem to stick to any of the "diets" I try. (I say "diets" because I'm trying to find a diet that is actually more of a life change rather than a quick diet)
I'm not sure what my deal is exactly... Though, in a nutshell, I do know that I've been super tired lately and then in-turn lack motivation.
Well, today I started a new diet plan that I'm excited to jump into! One that I think I'll do much better at sticking with.
I am one to do a lot of research and get really organized before I start something (or buy something). And after recently starting a diet and then ending it before you could say... well just about anything, I asked for advice on Facebook. I had a really hard time with the fact that I quit so soon (I had such a hard time eating so much chicken and eggs... which is basically all you eat along with a ton of veggies... I was fine with those) On Facebook, I asked if other people had trouble with the food and what they did. That diet program (which was based from a book) has a separate recipe book that was suggested to me by a friend of a friend. As I was looking into the recipe book online, I randomly came across some info on Calorie Shifting (or calorie zig-zagging).
HOW I UNDERSTAND CALORIE SHIFTING ~
So the idea of calorie shifting is that you don't count calories in a way that every day you stick to 1400 calories (or whatever your limit is). When eating the same amount of calories each day, your body gets used to how many calories it needs to burn and adjusts to burning that many only. If you eat 1000 calories every day your body will get used to burning just 1000 calories and eventually sort of plateaus. I guess it takes your body a few days to recognize adjustments so if you keep changing up your calorie intake, you confuse your body with how many calories it needs to burn and it goes into fat burning mode... so they say. (This is similar to muscle confusion, if you're familiar with that)
HOW TO DO IT~
So, as I can tell, there is no set plan on how to do it. Basically you have a caloric goal (say 1400). So your weekly calorie average is that caloric goal, but your daily caloric intake is different. You can easily make up your own plan by taking what your daily calorie goal is, eating that once a week, and then eating, say 300 higher and 300 lower for 3 days a week each. Just work it out so your average is still the same as if you'd eaten the same number of calories every day. (Some people eat 500 lower and higher)
So eating...
1100 calories on Sunday
1700 calories on Monday
1100 calories on Tuesday
1400 calories on Wednesday
1700 calories on Thursday
1100 calories on Friday
1700 calories on Saturday
Equals 9800 calories for the week
But averages out to 1400 a day
I found out that about 1900 calories is how many calories my body needs to eat and burn in order to keep my current weight. But because I don't want to keep my current weight, I need to consume fewer calories total. Does that make sense?... I don't explain things very well sometimes.
I decided to make my caloric average 1400 calories. 1900 - 1400 = 500. So, I'd be 500 calories fewer a day with taking 1400 calories/day (on average). If I burn another 250 calories a day with exercise, I'll be burning 750 calories a day on average.
Side note: Did you know that 1 pound of fat is equal to 3500? (I always thought it was 2500!) So for every 3500 calories you burn you lose a pound of fat.
So, burning 750 calories a day x 7 days a week = 5250 calories burned in a week.
That is equal to 1 1/2lbs lost a week.
I knew, when picking out a weekly menu, I needed to start slow and easy for me. (Don't judge). I wanted to pick out foods that I already eat or that would be super easy to do. I know as I get more used to this diet plan and routine I'll introduce more recipes and less pre-made meals. I just don't want to overwhelm myself again and quit... I know I'm pathetic. We'll see how this works.
Below are examples of the charts and calendar I made up to help me stay organized. They are going on my refridgerator. (I also downloaded the free app Lose It, and I love it... look it up (Thanks Nicki!))
To help me stay motivated I asked Tyler if I could do a weekly reward system. So, if I stick to my calories and eat right for a week I earn $10, if I burn at least 250 calories a day with exercise I earn $5... so each week I can earn a total of $15 (that's what works for me). I'm going to be putting this money in a container of some sort and hopefully save it for when I need to buy new clothes when I reach my goal weight.. Although, if I desire, I can take out money whenever.
I made this calendar to help me keep track and earn my rewards. I picked a few exercises that I can do daily and I wrote down how many calories it burns in how many minutes... those are listed at the bottom. (I used http://www.healthstatus.com/calculate/cbc to figure them out... there are a ton more options) There is a colored bullet representing an exercise and as I do them, I'll mark them off on the calendar with a coordinating marker (like the example below) I'll put an "x" in the box next to the colors, if I burned at least 250 calories that day and I'll put an "x" in the box next to the calories, if I ate that many calories that day. Depending on whether or not I reach my goal each week, I will write $0, $5, or $15 in the "GOAL" box on the right.
These are
the menus for each of my 1100, 1400, and 1700 calorie days. I decided to
keep to the same basic menu... all my 1100's are the same and all my
1700's are the same; just to make it easier. I do have different
prepared meals picked out for each day and different yogurts and such,
though.
Today is the first day, and so far so good, haha. :)
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Baby (rain) Shower
A couple weeks ago I was able to throw a baby shower for my good friend Nicki! It's always fun chatting with her and I had fun planning the shower. I can't wait to meet little Hudson!!
Here are pictures from that day
We had fruit pizzas and the "sauce" was a whipped cream - cream cheese mixture!
It was really yummy!
It was really yummy!
It says:
Hudson
Jordan Gilbert
Come on with the rain
I've a smile on my face
Hudson
Jordan Gilbert
Come on with the rain
I've a smile on my face
The favors say:
thanks for
dropping by!
Oh what a rain that will be
(so that is why its lemon drops and gum drops)
thanks for
dropping by!
Oh what a rain that will be
(so that is why its lemon drops and gum drops)
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