...So proud of and thankful for the heroes in Massachusetts tonight.
May all the victims rest in peace and their families remain in our hearts and prayers.
Now please, be kind to one another...
Friday, April 19, 2013
Monday, April 15, 2013
.Boston.
Today, my heart goes out to Boston.
I don't consider myself a runner. I work out. I walk on my treadmill daily and run when I'm feeling motivated.
People who run the Boston Marathon are more than motivated. They train... for a long time... and they train hard. They train their body... and their mind. They run for many reasons. They dedicate their run to people they love, to people who are fighting illnesses, and to people they don't even know. They run to complete a life goal... to check a huge accomplishment off their bucket list. They don't complain... they run.
They run in celebration, they run in dedication, but they don't expect to run from an explosion. An explosion that today, changed many lives.
And who does this person/these people responsible think they are, intruding and destroying so many dreams, so many bodies, so many lives? And why? Will we ever know the answer? More importantly, will we ever be able to comprehend it?
No. The answer is no. We will never understand why people destroy others. Religion, politics, race... it's all the same these days. Just another reason for someone to hate someone else. Hate. Pure hate. Why must we be so ignorant that we can't understand that people will never agree on certain aspects of life? There has to come a point where we must stop trying to make others think/feel/see/believe what we do. It will never work. I have been a believer (dreamer, I guess) of Peace my entire life... but as life goes on and the world continues to go down the path it currently is... it's getting harder and harder to believe.
Growing up, we are taught not to run from our fears. We are told to face them head on and not let them control our lives. I fear we've hit a point in our society where that's becoming less and less possible. People say, "Don't let it change the way you live, that's what they want"... but let's be honest, that's just not possible anymore. We live in a world so filled with hatred and recklessness that these senseless events are occurring more often and will continue to. I don't know what will stop them anymore. The United States is being murdered by terrorists just as often as it is being murdered by our own citizens. And for many different reasons. How the hell do you make it stop?!
Becoming a Mom changed my outlook on fear. I no longer feared things for myself, but for my children. All of a sudden, everything seemed so much scarier than it ever had before. As a parent, it is my job to protect my children. How am I suppose to do that when I can't even protect myself? Protection is no longer in our hands. Our safety now lies in the hands of the strangers who surround us. People are being killed at work, killed on airplanes, killed at school, killed at the movies, killed at church, killed at the mall, and now, killed while attending a marathon. It makes me sick to my stomach. How am I suppose to feel safe taking my children anywhere? Everywhere I go, I am skeptical of those around me. What are their motives? Face it, we are living in a society we can not trust.
My only hope to begin fixing such a major problem is that people will start pulling together and learning to trust one another. In today's world, it is NOT going to be easy. We need to learn from the heroes... the Police Officers, the Firefighters, the Military, the Doctors, the Nurses, and the every day people who are running IN to the chaos. We need more people running in, if not to have one another's back in assisting those who are wounded and in need, then to at least hold one another's hand in prayer. I'm not sure what God is thinking when events like this happen... but I like to think He is present in the hearts of the helpers.
When my children ask me what is happening when they witness these heartbreaks on the news, I try to let them feel the sadness of the moment, but also allow them to learn from it. We want so badly to shield our kids from the evils of the world, but it is sadly the society they are growing up in. They have been robbed of the innocence of growing up in a world where you could trust your neighbor. We need to explain these situations so they are aware. The last thing we want is for our kids to be ill-prepared to face what is out there. We must teach them that it's OK to feel the sorrow in such situations, but that it's also important to act in them. We must act not just for ourselves, but for each other.
My thoughts and prayers are with Boston today... for those who were robbed of their life, their health, their family, and their dreams. Please, be a person who lives their life through love... not hate.
I don't consider myself a runner. I work out. I walk on my treadmill daily and run when I'm feeling motivated.
People who run the Boston Marathon are more than motivated. They train... for a long time... and they train hard. They train their body... and their mind. They run for many reasons. They dedicate their run to people they love, to people who are fighting illnesses, and to people they don't even know. They run to complete a life goal... to check a huge accomplishment off their bucket list. They don't complain... they run.
They run in celebration, they run in dedication, but they don't expect to run from an explosion. An explosion that today, changed many lives.
And who does this person/these people responsible think they are, intruding and destroying so many dreams, so many bodies, so many lives? And why? Will we ever know the answer? More importantly, will we ever be able to comprehend it?
No. The answer is no. We will never understand why people destroy others. Religion, politics, race... it's all the same these days. Just another reason for someone to hate someone else. Hate. Pure hate. Why must we be so ignorant that we can't understand that people will never agree on certain aspects of life? There has to come a point where we must stop trying to make others think/feel/see/believe what we do. It will never work. I have been a believer (dreamer, I guess) of Peace my entire life... but as life goes on and the world continues to go down the path it currently is... it's getting harder and harder to believe.
Growing up, we are taught not to run from our fears. We are told to face them head on and not let them control our lives. I fear we've hit a point in our society where that's becoming less and less possible. People say, "Don't let it change the way you live, that's what they want"... but let's be honest, that's just not possible anymore. We live in a world so filled with hatred and recklessness that these senseless events are occurring more often and will continue to. I don't know what will stop them anymore. The United States is being murdered by terrorists just as often as it is being murdered by our own citizens. And for many different reasons. How the hell do you make it stop?!
Becoming a Mom changed my outlook on fear. I no longer feared things for myself, but for my children. All of a sudden, everything seemed so much scarier than it ever had before. As a parent, it is my job to protect my children. How am I suppose to do that when I can't even protect myself? Protection is no longer in our hands. Our safety now lies in the hands of the strangers who surround us. People are being killed at work, killed on airplanes, killed at school, killed at the movies, killed at church, killed at the mall, and now, killed while attending a marathon. It makes me sick to my stomach. How am I suppose to feel safe taking my children anywhere? Everywhere I go, I am skeptical of those around me. What are their motives? Face it, we are living in a society we can not trust.
My only hope to begin fixing such a major problem is that people will start pulling together and learning to trust one another. In today's world, it is NOT going to be easy. We need to learn from the heroes... the Police Officers, the Firefighters, the Military, the Doctors, the Nurses, and the every day people who are running IN to the chaos. We need more people running in, if not to have one another's back in assisting those who are wounded and in need, then to at least hold one another's hand in prayer. I'm not sure what God is thinking when events like this happen... but I like to think He is present in the hearts of the helpers.
When my children ask me what is happening when they witness these heartbreaks on the news, I try to let them feel the sadness of the moment, but also allow them to learn from it. We want so badly to shield our kids from the evils of the world, but it is sadly the society they are growing up in. They have been robbed of the innocence of growing up in a world where you could trust your neighbor. We need to explain these situations so they are aware. The last thing we want is for our kids to be ill-prepared to face what is out there. We must teach them that it's OK to feel the sorrow in such situations, but that it's also important to act in them. We must act not just for ourselves, but for each other.
My thoughts and prayers are with Boston today... for those who were robbed of their life, their health, their family, and their dreams. Please, be a person who lives their life through love... not hate.
Monday, April 8, 2013
You Own Your Stories
"You own everything that happened to you. Tell your stories. If people wanted you to write warmly about them, they should've behaved better."
Brilliant.
Brilliant.
Friday, March 22, 2013
Truth
..."God says we need to love our enemies. It's hard to do. But it can start by telling the truth. No one had ever asked me what it felt like to be me. Once I told the truth about that, I felt free..." -The Help
Sunday, March 10, 2013
...Dream
Here's one of the projects I did today. It's one of my Great Grandma's old end tables... the before and after. I made it for the girls' bedroom. And, that's one of my Great Grandma's crochet doilies on top of it. I love how it turned out and love that there's a piece of my Great Grandma living on in my daughters' room!
Monday, March 4, 2013
Rise & Shine
The girls were SO excited to see the moon this morning. I then explained to them that it's WAY more exciting to see the sun in the morning... ;)
Sunday, March 3, 2013
Rise With The Sun
Another pretty sunrise today! I guess that's one good thing about your kids getting up super early every day... you always get to see the sunrise. :)
Baby Animal Teeth
This morning, Nenni ran to the bookshelf, grabbed the Muppet Babies book, and ran back to me and Buddy. Then she opened it to a specific page, pointed to Animal, and said, "Buddy, see?! You need to grow teeth like this!" ...He'll work on that... ;)
Saturday, March 2, 2013
The "R" Word
A couple weeks ago I started watching the show "Parenthood". I had never seen an episode of it, but I always heard people talking about how awesome it was. So, I figured I'd check it out.
I'm so glad I did.
Turns out, it's a great show, and I'm only halfway through Season 2. I actually watch it while I walk/run on my treadmill. The time flies by and I feel like I learn stuff about my own life through it.
Anyways, today one of the episodes I watched dealt with the "R" word. (retard/retarded) It leaves a bad taste in my mouth just from typing it.
I've always had a very strong opinion about this word. I find it to be worse than the "F" word, the "S" word, and equal with the "N" word... all the curse words that I was never allowed to say growing up. My entire life, I have never used this word. I don't find a reason to, and I get offended when I hear someone use it. It's almost always used in a negative and/or hurtful way. Throughout my childhood, any time someone used it towards someone else, basically to call them stupid, I would cringe. And to this day, when I hear someone call someone else that word, I immediately think less of them. I do. It makes people look completely disrespectful, unprofessional, and uneducated.
The word retard is defined as "a slowing down, to be delayed", so why do people so often use it to call people dumb? And to make fun of people? Slow does not mean dumb. It has become a negative word simply because people have used it in the wrong sense.
The "R" word is just another word for disabled or handicapped. Sadly, I understand how it has been turned into a meaning that is not its truth.
Someone who is disabled is not stupid. They are not dumb. And they definitely aren't retarded in the sense that the world now uses that word.
A mentally disabled person has a mental handicap. A physically disabled person has a physical handicap. But... don't we all?! We are all disabled in different ways, and on different levels. We are all good at things, and we are all bad at things... and we all face different challenges in life because of it. We are no different from one another in the sense that, not one of us is perfect. (I, for instance, have no sense of smell!)
I wanted to make a post about this because it has always been a very large part of my own life.
I have an uncle who is physically and mentally disabled. He was born very premature and wasn't supposed to live past birth. Well, he did, and he's now in his mid 40's, and he is amazing. He has lived with my grandparents his whole life, and they too are amazing. So when I hear people get called the "R" word simply because of the way they look, the way they talk, or the way they act, it cuts me deep. Being disabled is not a negative thing. Yes, it makes life harder in many ways, but it doesn't mean the person is bad or contagious (some people seriously think that). They are a human being. They are someone's family. In fact, my uncle is one of the most amazing people I have met in my entire life. He has taught me more about my life than most people I've met or schooling I've had. There are so many things I admire about him. His smile is contagious. He's hilarious. He's witty. He loves everything about music. He loves going for rides on his tractor. He loves to give high-fives. And he loves the Brewers more than anything in the world. He is nothing short of amazing... and his life alone is a complete miracle. A disabled person sees life through a different perspective... and in ways... I think the world truly needs that. It's actually quite refreshing to see the simplicity of their thoughts. I'll never forget one day when my siblings and I were at my grandparents house, a long, long time ago... we were eating cheese puffs at the kitchen table with my uncle. We were trying to teach him a math problem (he has the mentality of a toddler), and one of us asked him, "If you have 5 bananas and you eat 4 of them, what do you get?" As we were all thinking "1", he laughed and answered, "A stomach ache!" Brilliant, right?! We were all thinking in mathematical terms, and he gave the best answer I ever could have imagined. And he was right! To this day, I think of that moment, and I am reminded of the brilliance of his brain. He may be disabled, but all that means is his brain works in a different way than my own. And who's to say who is smarter?! We are both smart in different ways, and to be honest, I admire the way he thinks. That moment made me realize that though someone may be physically and mentally disabled, they are still a brilliant human being who can remind the world of the simplicity of life.
There is nothing wrong with a person who has a disability of any level. They were put here on this earth for a reason, and instead of criticizing one another, I hope someday this world will be able to look to one another for knowledge. We can learn from every person we meet. I hope people will stop associating the "R" word with such negative feelings and expressions. We all need to start embracing each others differences and stop being so negative and cruel towards those who are different from us. Stop being so judgmental and start being more accepting. And please, just stop using the "R" word to put others down. It's not OK.
My Uncle :)
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Friendship On Fire
Someone once said, "Love is friendship on fire."
That fire is what got me here in the first place. Don't get me wrong, this is the only fire I have ever heard of that ends with a positive result. And for me, I saw that positive result when I took my first pregnancy test.
I fell in love when I was 22 years old, with the man I hoped to marry someday. Love came into our relationship pretty quickly. I fell hard and fast. What can I say, the feeling of finding someone to love, who loves you back, doesn't always come about as easily as we dream that it will.
I accidentally got pregnant when I was 23 years old. Little did I know, my definition of love would be completely redefined the day I would give birth to my first child.
Growing up you always hear people talking about not knowing how much love we are capable of having in our lives until we become a parent. That phrase honestly always annoyed me. I'd think, whatever, I know what love is...
I was wrong. I knew what falling in love with a stranger meant. The love I didn't know yet, was so much more. Having a child changes you. Completely. The moment that child comes out of you, they are not a stranger, they are someone you are wholeheartedly in love with, someone you feel like you have known forever, someone you don't know how you lived life without, and someone you are completely responsible for raising, protecting, supporting, and loving. That child comes out, and it is automatically the most beautiful thing you have ever seen, and that you will ever see for the rest of your life. And in that moment of love, all you can think about is the fact that that tiny human came from you... from love. Love creates beauty. Love creates miracles. And love, it creates a home in your heart where that child will live forever.
I once heard a quote that said, "Making the decision to have a child - it's momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking outside your body."
I honestly could not phrase it better myself. My children, they are all a piece of me. A piece of my heart. A piece of my soul. They complete me. No matter what I go through in life, I know my babies will always be with me. When times are hard, all it takes is a single hug, kiss, or "Mommy, I love you" to remind me that life is good and I am ok. I feel so blessed to have the love of 3 children in my life. I love being surrounded by them... their humor, their honest voices, their natural beauty, and yes, even their snotty noses. I love everything about them. Everything.
So today, on Valentine's Day, I want to thank my husband, for giving me 3 beautiful children to love. I'm forever grateful for being blessed to know the true depth of love.
That fire is what got me here in the first place. Don't get me wrong, this is the only fire I have ever heard of that ends with a positive result. And for me, I saw that positive result when I took my first pregnancy test.
I fell in love when I was 22 years old, with the man I hoped to marry someday. Love came into our relationship pretty quickly. I fell hard and fast. What can I say, the feeling of finding someone to love, who loves you back, doesn't always come about as easily as we dream that it will.
I accidentally got pregnant when I was 23 years old. Little did I know, my definition of love would be completely redefined the day I would give birth to my first child.
Growing up you always hear people talking about not knowing how much love we are capable of having in our lives until we become a parent. That phrase honestly always annoyed me. I'd think, whatever, I know what love is...
I was wrong. I knew what falling in love with a stranger meant. The love I didn't know yet, was so much more. Having a child changes you. Completely. The moment that child comes out of you, they are not a stranger, they are someone you are wholeheartedly in love with, someone you feel like you have known forever, someone you don't know how you lived life without, and someone you are completely responsible for raising, protecting, supporting, and loving. That child comes out, and it is automatically the most beautiful thing you have ever seen, and that you will ever see for the rest of your life. And in that moment of love, all you can think about is the fact that that tiny human came from you... from love. Love creates beauty. Love creates miracles. And love, it creates a home in your heart where that child will live forever.
I once heard a quote that said, "Making the decision to have a child - it's momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking outside your body."
I honestly could not phrase it better myself. My children, they are all a piece of me. A piece of my heart. A piece of my soul. They complete me. No matter what I go through in life, I know my babies will always be with me. When times are hard, all it takes is a single hug, kiss, or "Mommy, I love you" to remind me that life is good and I am ok. I feel so blessed to have the love of 3 children in my life. I love being surrounded by them... their humor, their honest voices, their natural beauty, and yes, even their snotty noses. I love everything about them. Everything.
So today, on Valentine's Day, I want to thank my husband, for giving me 3 beautiful children to love. I'm forever grateful for being blessed to know the true depth of love.
My silly Valentines:
Sunday, February 10, 2013
6 Months
6 months ago today, I gave birth.
6 months already?! That is insanely hard to believe. My little Buddy is growing up waaay too fast... as all the kids seem to be. As a mom, I have very mixed emotions about my babies growing up. On one hand, it's wonderful, because I absolutely love seeing the little people they are becoming. But on the other hand, I want them to stay little forever, because I just adore them as they are today.
But, time passes no matter how hard we try to make it slow down.
I'm so in love with my Buddy... and so proud to say I'm his Mom. And while he may be growing up faster than I'd like... he (thankfully!) still loves his Mommy snuggles. :)
6 months already?! That is insanely hard to believe. My little Buddy is growing up waaay too fast... as all the kids seem to be. As a mom, I have very mixed emotions about my babies growing up. On one hand, it's wonderful, because I absolutely love seeing the little people they are becoming. But on the other hand, I want them to stay little forever, because I just adore them as they are today.
But, time passes no matter how hard we try to make it slow down.
I'm so in love with my Buddy... and so proud to say I'm his Mom. And while he may be growing up faster than I'd like... he (thankfully!) still loves his Mommy snuggles. :)
Oops...
Soooo this happened today.
Girl (who is potty trained) was so tired she forgot to pull her pants down before she went potty. (And didn't realize it until Mommy came in and asked what she was doing!) lol... ooh the surprises of being Mommy. :)
Girl (who is potty trained) was so tired she forgot to pull her pants down before she went potty. (And didn't realize it until Mommy came in and asked what she was doing!) lol... ooh the surprises of being Mommy. :)
Saturday, February 9, 2013
Mommy Degree
I just want to make something clear.
Someone made a comment today (not to me, but in front of me), and I took offense to it.
Usually I let mindless comments pass by... but I feel like this one needed to be addressed. (And this post is not meant to make this person feel bad, but instead, to educate them.)
I am a Stay-at-home Mom for a few reasons:
1. It was my number 1 goal in life, to have kids, and be able to raise them myself.
2. Day Care costs a fortune, and putting 3 kids in it would cost more than I'd be making at a full-time job.
3. Because I am smart with money, and my husband makes enough for us to survive on 1 income. (And no, cops don't make a lot of money!)
Now, being a Stay-at-home Mom does NOT mean that I am wasting my college degree.
The choice to stay home and raise my children is mine. I have chosen to put my kids first and to put my career on hold until I feel it's time to pursue it. My kids are my life... my heart, my soul, my breath. They are my job. And they are only young once. Staying home with them does not mean I wasted 5.5 years of my life in college.
Let me tell you what it does mean. Making a choice to stay home means that I AM fulfilling my dream job. Just because I have a degree does not mean that what I majored in in college is what I want to do for the rest of my life. My choice is to be a mom. I will be a mom for the rest of my life. That is my job. That is my career. That is my life. My choice.
Yes, I have a college degree. Will I use it someday? Maybe, maybe not. Who's to say you need a degree to be successful anyways?! I know plenty of people who never went to college who are successful... and happy. If I don't use my degree, does it mean it was pointless to get it? A waste of time? A waste of money? No. Not at all. My college experience was a journey. Without going through the process of college, I would not be where I am today. I would not be the person I am today. And I probably would not have the family I have today. College isn't always just about the degree, that piece of paper at the end of a long road. For me, it was about the experiences. The people. The memories... and the challenges.
I am proud of my degree. I am proud that someday I can tell my kids (some of) my stories from my journey through college. I have a degree in Broadcast Journalism. My goal in that field was to be a TV Host. Most people will think I'm crazy, but hey, someone has to fill the shoes of the host, right?! Why not me? Well, life decided to change my dreams, and gave me a child. Then another child. Annnnd yes, another. Now my dream is to raise children... happy, good-hearted, well-mannered, loving, children. To do so, I have to be present in their life. I am a mom. THAT is my job.
Now, I'm not knocking working moms, as I believe the best mom is one that does what they feel is best for their family. I support all mothers, whether they choose to work or not, because we all have to do what is right for us. I just couldn't help but feel like I needed to stand up for moms who stay home, but also have college degrees. Kids are only young for a very short period of time... they will be in school full-time before you know it, and then, if we choose, stay-at-home moms can go back to work full-time.
I guess it just left a bad taste in my mouth when someone said that a stay-at-home mom's degree was a waste.
Afterall, a mom (a parent, really) is the only occupation that doesn't require a degree, but should. ;)
Someone made a comment today (not to me, but in front of me), and I took offense to it.
Usually I let mindless comments pass by... but I feel like this one needed to be addressed. (And this post is not meant to make this person feel bad, but instead, to educate them.)
I am a Stay-at-home Mom for a few reasons:
1. It was my number 1 goal in life, to have kids, and be able to raise them myself.
2. Day Care costs a fortune, and putting 3 kids in it would cost more than I'd be making at a full-time job.
3. Because I am smart with money, and my husband makes enough for us to survive on 1 income. (And no, cops don't make a lot of money!)
Now, being a Stay-at-home Mom does NOT mean that I am wasting my college degree.
The choice to stay home and raise my children is mine. I have chosen to put my kids first and to put my career on hold until I feel it's time to pursue it. My kids are my life... my heart, my soul, my breath. They are my job. And they are only young once. Staying home with them does not mean I wasted 5.5 years of my life in college.
Let me tell you what it does mean. Making a choice to stay home means that I AM fulfilling my dream job. Just because I have a degree does not mean that what I majored in in college is what I want to do for the rest of my life. My choice is to be a mom. I will be a mom for the rest of my life. That is my job. That is my career. That is my life. My choice.
Yes, I have a college degree. Will I use it someday? Maybe, maybe not. Who's to say you need a degree to be successful anyways?! I know plenty of people who never went to college who are successful... and happy. If I don't use my degree, does it mean it was pointless to get it? A waste of time? A waste of money? No. Not at all. My college experience was a journey. Without going through the process of college, I would not be where I am today. I would not be the person I am today. And I probably would not have the family I have today. College isn't always just about the degree, that piece of paper at the end of a long road. For me, it was about the experiences. The people. The memories... and the challenges.
I am proud of my degree. I am proud that someday I can tell my kids (some of) my stories from my journey through college. I have a degree in Broadcast Journalism. My goal in that field was to be a TV Host. Most people will think I'm crazy, but hey, someone has to fill the shoes of the host, right?! Why not me? Well, life decided to change my dreams, and gave me a child. Then another child. Annnnd yes, another. Now my dream is to raise children... happy, good-hearted, well-mannered, loving, children. To do so, I have to be present in their life. I am a mom. THAT is my job.
Now, I'm not knocking working moms, as I believe the best mom is one that does what they feel is best for their family. I support all mothers, whether they choose to work or not, because we all have to do what is right for us. I just couldn't help but feel like I needed to stand up for moms who stay home, but also have college degrees. Kids are only young for a very short period of time... they will be in school full-time before you know it, and then, if we choose, stay-at-home moms can go back to work full-time.
I guess it just left a bad taste in my mouth when someone said that a stay-at-home mom's degree was a waste.
Afterall, a mom (a parent, really) is the only occupation that doesn't require a degree, but should. ;)
Weightloss
Ooh, the dreaded word... Weightloss.
Losing weight is hard. Seriously.
Ok, but let's be honest here, if losing weight were easy, everyone would be thin. My goal is to be fit.
After being pregnant for the majority of the past 4 years of my life, I'm now in the battle of trying to lose ALL of the baby weight. Annnnd thensome. I'm really proud of myself, as I managed to lose 12 pounds last month. Someone asked me what my secret was... and the honest answer, persistence.
I spent a lot of time over the past few months doing research. I am not a fan of any type of diet. They don't work for me, because I don't believe in eliminating everything I love to eat from my daily life. And I'm not gonna lie, I LOVE food. Pretty much all food. I'm really not picky. So the word "diet" doesn't sit well with me. Diet, to me, makes me think I'm withholding something from myself, and that really messes with my head! And a lot of weightloss, is mental, getting our head in the right state of mind. Plus, we all know once we get off the diet, some of the weight comes back. If not more. I also don't believe in only drinking "magical" juices that will make you lose tons of weight. Again, once you stop, won't the weight come back?! We've all heard it before, but it's the honest truth, it's a lifestyle change. It's about eating things in moderation. And it's about knowing what is good for your body, and what isn't.
So, I decided to educate myself. My husband suggested going to the website bodybuilding.com. At first I was hesitant, because I obviously didn't want to look like a bodybuilder. But, after checking it out, I realized it was focused on being healthy, not being hugely built. It has become a type of fitness bible for me. I visit it almost daily. Seriously. The day I discovered that website was the day my mind finally had its "Aha!" moment, and everything just clicked. There is SO much information, and so I began to read. All of it. Seriously, you can spend a lot of time just reading and reading... and not know how you even got onto a topic you are now reading so much about. I told myself that if I am going to lose this weight, I'm going to do it the right way. I'm going to clean up my diet, and I'm going to find workouts that work for me.
So, that's what I did. I read a lot about what foods are the best for your body, as fuel. Chicken, sweet potatoes, and broccoli, quickly became my best friends. I honestly didn't believe that just by changing my diet, I would lose weight. I didn't eat bad before, I don't crave sweets, but I wasn't giving my body what it needed for fuel. So I did a one week test. I switched my eating habits... I started eating more often, more food, but the RIGHT foods. I didn't start working out or anything, I kept everything the same, except my eating. Guess what? I ended up losing 7 pounds that week. No joke. I couldn't believe it myself. I'm thankful that I put myself to that test, because it really got my mind focused, and it was like my body was telling me, yes, THIS is the way to do it! It turned out to be fantastic motivation to keep me going.
I also started drinking more water. When you're pregnant, you drink tons of water. When I'm not pregnant, I really have to force myself to drink water. So, I went to the store, bought a gallon pitcher, and fill it up every night. That way, the next day, I know exactly how much water I still need to drink that day. It helps me keep track, because honestly, I have 3 little kids to keep schedules for, so keeping track of how many glasses of water I've had during the day, would be nuts. So, I have my own gallon pitcher that I know I have to drink completely by the end of the day. It actually isn't hard to do anymore... and I usually end up drinking a few extra glasses per day. Crazy, right?! But totally do-able!
That next week I figured out a workout plan. I've never lifted weights before, besides a few times when I lived with my parents. I'd use my dad's weights from time to time, but nothing religiously. I knew in order to keep going with my weightloss, I needed to hold myself accountable for every single day. I needed to take things one day at a time. Now, every day I know what I need to do to fullfill my workout for that day, and it's completely up to me to make it happen. I made a chart so that every day I worked out, I would mark down what I did, and the days I didn't workout, I would put a huge X through the day. It didn't take long for me to realize that I did NOT like seeing X's on my chart. I hated it. Now, it's motivation enough to make sure I see as few X's as possible. It's weird the things that help us stay motivated, isn't it?!
Truth is, I finally got sick of feeling fat. I feel disgusting every day, hate looking in the mirror, and long to wear my old clothes again. I got to the point where I told myself, this is MY choice. Yes, I have 3 kids (3 and under), I'm a full-time stay-at-home mom, and I have a husband who is rarely home because of work, and when he is, he has to sleep, so no, I don't have a lot of spare time. I don't have a lot of time for me. And honestly, the past 5 years of my life, I haven't spent ANY time on myself. So I told myself it was time to MAKE some time for myself. If we try to FIND time in our days, we never will. We have to MAKE it.
So, make time is what I did. Now, after I put my 3 kids to bed, and make sure everyone falls asleep, I head to my workout room. I spend at least 1 hour on my treadmill and also lift weights. And honestly, I've really started to LIKE working out! Crazy, right?! ha! But really, I'm finding it to be a nice new challenge. It feels good to be putting energy into something for ME. And now that I'm beginning to see results and feel changes, it's just more encouragement to keep going. I don't want to quit this time. I don't want to have to start the process over again. I want to push myself to lose the last of my baby weight (10 more pounds!!!), and then I want to challenge myself to keep going and see what my body is capable of looking like! Why not, right?!
I gained 46 pounds with my first baby (given she was 9lbs 3oz herself), 19 pounds with my 2nd baby (which I lost completely the week after I gave birth!), and 37lbs with my 3rd baby. Now, I lost weight between all the pregnancies, and only carried 10 pounds of baby weight from my 1st baby through my 3rd pregnancy... if that makes sense?! So, now I'm back down to that size and have only those last 10 pounds to lose. Thank the Lord! ha! So, my next goal is to lose those 10 pounds. After that, I want to focus more on toning my body, and in that effort, lose more fat and gain more muscle. My ultimate goal is to be able to wear a bikini again, and feel good doing so! I guess the only thing to figure out once that time comes... is how to get rid of stretch marks! Then again, those stretch marks represent the miracle that life is, and I'm pretty ok with them. :) Although, the whole "they're hereditary" story about why we get them... is crap. My mom, who is tiny, had 4 kids and never got a single stretch mark! Oh well, I'm a woman, I've made 3 perfect little kids, and I'm damn thankful for every challenge my body experienced and overcame in the process.
Life itself is a miracle, and I want to be sure I live it to the absolute fullest. Losing weight and becoming fit is one of the best ways to ensure I will do just that.
As someone once said, "It comes down to a simple question... What do you want out of life, and what are you willing to do to get it?"
Losing weight is hard. Seriously.
Ok, but let's be honest here, if losing weight were easy, everyone would be thin. My goal is to be fit.
After being pregnant for the majority of the past 4 years of my life, I'm now in the battle of trying to lose ALL of the baby weight. Annnnd thensome. I'm really proud of myself, as I managed to lose 12 pounds last month. Someone asked me what my secret was... and the honest answer, persistence.
I spent a lot of time over the past few months doing research. I am not a fan of any type of diet. They don't work for me, because I don't believe in eliminating everything I love to eat from my daily life. And I'm not gonna lie, I LOVE food. Pretty much all food. I'm really not picky. So the word "diet" doesn't sit well with me. Diet, to me, makes me think I'm withholding something from myself, and that really messes with my head! And a lot of weightloss, is mental, getting our head in the right state of mind. Plus, we all know once we get off the diet, some of the weight comes back. If not more. I also don't believe in only drinking "magical" juices that will make you lose tons of weight. Again, once you stop, won't the weight come back?! We've all heard it before, but it's the honest truth, it's a lifestyle change. It's about eating things in moderation. And it's about knowing what is good for your body, and what isn't.
So, I decided to educate myself. My husband suggested going to the website bodybuilding.com. At first I was hesitant, because I obviously didn't want to look like a bodybuilder. But, after checking it out, I realized it was focused on being healthy, not being hugely built. It has become a type of fitness bible for me. I visit it almost daily. Seriously. The day I discovered that website was the day my mind finally had its "Aha!" moment, and everything just clicked. There is SO much information, and so I began to read. All of it. Seriously, you can spend a lot of time just reading and reading... and not know how you even got onto a topic you are now reading so much about. I told myself that if I am going to lose this weight, I'm going to do it the right way. I'm going to clean up my diet, and I'm going to find workouts that work for me.
So, that's what I did. I read a lot about what foods are the best for your body, as fuel. Chicken, sweet potatoes, and broccoli, quickly became my best friends. I honestly didn't believe that just by changing my diet, I would lose weight. I didn't eat bad before, I don't crave sweets, but I wasn't giving my body what it needed for fuel. So I did a one week test. I switched my eating habits... I started eating more often, more food, but the RIGHT foods. I didn't start working out or anything, I kept everything the same, except my eating. Guess what? I ended up losing 7 pounds that week. No joke. I couldn't believe it myself. I'm thankful that I put myself to that test, because it really got my mind focused, and it was like my body was telling me, yes, THIS is the way to do it! It turned out to be fantastic motivation to keep me going.
I also started drinking more water. When you're pregnant, you drink tons of water. When I'm not pregnant, I really have to force myself to drink water. So, I went to the store, bought a gallon pitcher, and fill it up every night. That way, the next day, I know exactly how much water I still need to drink that day. It helps me keep track, because honestly, I have 3 little kids to keep schedules for, so keeping track of how many glasses of water I've had during the day, would be nuts. So, I have my own gallon pitcher that I know I have to drink completely by the end of the day. It actually isn't hard to do anymore... and I usually end up drinking a few extra glasses per day. Crazy, right?! But totally do-able!
That next week I figured out a workout plan. I've never lifted weights before, besides a few times when I lived with my parents. I'd use my dad's weights from time to time, but nothing religiously. I knew in order to keep going with my weightloss, I needed to hold myself accountable for every single day. I needed to take things one day at a time. Now, every day I know what I need to do to fullfill my workout for that day, and it's completely up to me to make it happen. I made a chart so that every day I worked out, I would mark down what I did, and the days I didn't workout, I would put a huge X through the day. It didn't take long for me to realize that I did NOT like seeing X's on my chart. I hated it. Now, it's motivation enough to make sure I see as few X's as possible. It's weird the things that help us stay motivated, isn't it?!
Truth is, I finally got sick of feeling fat. I feel disgusting every day, hate looking in the mirror, and long to wear my old clothes again. I got to the point where I told myself, this is MY choice. Yes, I have 3 kids (3 and under), I'm a full-time stay-at-home mom, and I have a husband who is rarely home because of work, and when he is, he has to sleep, so no, I don't have a lot of spare time. I don't have a lot of time for me. And honestly, the past 5 years of my life, I haven't spent ANY time on myself. So I told myself it was time to MAKE some time for myself. If we try to FIND time in our days, we never will. We have to MAKE it.
So, make time is what I did. Now, after I put my 3 kids to bed, and make sure everyone falls asleep, I head to my workout room. I spend at least 1 hour on my treadmill and also lift weights. And honestly, I've really started to LIKE working out! Crazy, right?! ha! But really, I'm finding it to be a nice new challenge. It feels good to be putting energy into something for ME. And now that I'm beginning to see results and feel changes, it's just more encouragement to keep going. I don't want to quit this time. I don't want to have to start the process over again. I want to push myself to lose the last of my baby weight (10 more pounds!!!), and then I want to challenge myself to keep going and see what my body is capable of looking like! Why not, right?!
I gained 46 pounds with my first baby (given she was 9lbs 3oz herself), 19 pounds with my 2nd baby (which I lost completely the week after I gave birth!), and 37lbs with my 3rd baby. Now, I lost weight between all the pregnancies, and only carried 10 pounds of baby weight from my 1st baby through my 3rd pregnancy... if that makes sense?! So, now I'm back down to that size and have only those last 10 pounds to lose. Thank the Lord! ha! So, my next goal is to lose those 10 pounds. After that, I want to focus more on toning my body, and in that effort, lose more fat and gain more muscle. My ultimate goal is to be able to wear a bikini again, and feel good doing so! I guess the only thing to figure out once that time comes... is how to get rid of stretch marks! Then again, those stretch marks represent the miracle that life is, and I'm pretty ok with them. :) Although, the whole "they're hereditary" story about why we get them... is crap. My mom, who is tiny, had 4 kids and never got a single stretch mark! Oh well, I'm a woman, I've made 3 perfect little kids, and I'm damn thankful for every challenge my body experienced and overcame in the process.
Life itself is a miracle, and I want to be sure I live it to the absolute fullest. Losing weight and becoming fit is one of the best ways to ensure I will do just that.
As someone once said, "It comes down to a simple question... What do you want out of life, and what are you willing to do to get it?"
Saturday, February 2, 2013
.If You Give A Mommy Some Free Time.
...If you give a Mommy some free time (sleeping kids), she might decide to work out. If she decides to work out, she will start running on a treadmill. If she starts running on a treadmill, she will become sweaty. As soon as she becomes sweaty, she will see on her monitor that one of her kids is now awake. When she sees child crying and running out of their room, Mommy will jump off her treadmill, run up her basement stairs and accidentally scare the crap out of crying child. After crying child gets over her initial fear of sweaty Mommy, she will continue to cry... louder. When she continues to cry, Mommy will ask her what is wrong. When asked what is wrong, child will tell Mommy she is sad and wants to snuggle with Mommy's shoulder. (lol) If child wants to snuggle with Mommy's shoulder, Mommy will never refuse. When the sweaty shoulder snuggles begin, child will ask for Mommy to sing to her. When Mommy starts to sing, child will request 3 different songs. Child will also suggest Mommy sings each song 7 times. After Mommy talks child down in the number of songs requested, child asks for her head to be rubbed. When Mommy thinks child finally fell back asleep, the snuggles, singing, and head rubbing will stop, and Mommy will sneak out of child's bedroom. While sneaking out of child's bedroom, the door will decide to squeak loudly and wake sad child back up. Mommy will re-enter screaming child's room, and repeat the process over again. Child will then look at Mommy and ask if Mommy's hair is sweaty. Child will then notice Mommy's workout headband and ask if she can wear one too. Mommy will tell her she can tomorrow, if she goes to sleep NOW. When child falls asleep, Mommy will again, try to escape from child's room. When Mommy tries to escape, her shoe will loudly, on accident, hit the door on the way out. When Mommy's shoe hits the door, she will remember she has shoes on. When she remembers she has shoes on, she will be reminded that she was working out. And when a Mommy starts to work out, she just might start running on her treadmill...
Monday, January 14, 2013
You Are My Sunshine
"The worst feature of a new baby, is its mother's singing."
haha! In my household... this could not be more true! :) I have a horrible singing voice... I know and willingly admit it. I've sang to my babies since the day my 1st one was born. I've always sang the song, "You Are My Sunshine", and to this day, it can calm any one of my children down if sang. It has become their comfort go-to song. Even though I'm pretty sure every mom sings it to her children, I feel like it is our special song. So when it came time to start decorating my kids' bedrooms, I wanted to somehow incorporate the song into the decor. So, I decided to make signs to hang above their beds, with the lyrics on them. Here's a little preview of them (still have A LOT of decorating to do!):
Girl Room:
haha! In my household... this could not be more true! :) I have a horrible singing voice... I know and willingly admit it. I've sang to my babies since the day my 1st one was born. I've always sang the song, "You Are My Sunshine", and to this day, it can calm any one of my children down if sang. It has become their comfort go-to song. Even though I'm pretty sure every mom sings it to her children, I feel like it is our special song. So when it came time to start decorating my kids' bedrooms, I wanted to somehow incorporate the song into the decor. So, I decided to make signs to hang above their beds, with the lyrics on them. Here's a little preview of them (still have A LOT of decorating to do!):
Girl Room:
Boy Room:
..."You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy, when skies are gray. You'll never know dear, how much I love you... Please don't take my sunshine away."...
Sunday, January 13, 2013
Play-Doh
Today, we made Play-Doh.
I really have a love/hate relationship with Play-Doh. It's so fun and yes, my kids LOVE it, but why does it have to be so messy?! The stuff you buy at the store is horrible. It crumbles and leaves tiny pieces stuck to everything. And it's not fun trying to pick off the tiny pieces that have embedded themselves on your 2 year old's pants, in an attempt to prevent a freak-out over dirty pants...
The key is to make your own. It's WAY less crumbly and you can make it any color. Now, there are at least 923743997 million different recipes for homemade Play-Doh on the internet. They are all basically the same, with just a few changes. I've figured out what works best for me, and so I will post the recipe, with picture directions, below. Whip up a couple batches (or double batches), and your kids will love it. Kids get bored so easily in the winter that this is a great way to help pass some time. :)
What you will need:
1 cup Flour
1 cup Water
2 teaspoons Cream of Tartar (found by the spices)
1/3 cup Salt (A lot of recipes call for 1/2 cup, but 1/3 leaves the Play-Doh feeling smoother.)
1 tablespoon Vegetable Oil (Some recipes say to use Baby Oil... DO NOT! Horribly greasy!)
Food Coloring!
Start by mixing all the ingredients (except food coloring), in a saucepan (or whatever works best for you...). Below is what it will look like before you start mixing it all together. Pretty simple.
Next, start cooking over low heat, making sure to keep stirring it. Should look like this:
Once it begins to thicken, add the food coloring. (You can also do this after the Play-Doh is done cooking, just makes a bigger mess.) I like to use the Neon food coloring... makes for some really fun colors for the kids. Plus, it's bright and cheery! :)
After adding the food coloring, continue stirring until the mixture is much thicker and begins to gather around the spoon. At this point, it will look like the picture below, and you will think you (somehow) screwed up. You did not. It just looks like a nasty, sticky mess. Do not worry. Do not give up. Every time I make it, I always think I did something wrong, only to discover perfect Play-Doh has been made!
The cooking is done. (Yay!) Remove the Play-Doh and let it cool. I suggest putting it on Wax Paper to let it cool and to finish squishing it together to mix the color in better and get the right consistency. Now, tell the kids you're still making it (shhh!), and go ahead, play with it. Play-Doh is amazing and even as adults, it's STILL pretty darn fun!
We ended up making all 4 colors today, because, why not?! :) I like to store it in Zip Lock Bags... it keeps REALLY well!
The girls approved! :)
Oh yea, I can't forget that halfway through our Play-Doh making extravaganza, Aussie (my 2 year old) had a potty accident on the family room carpet. Never fails. She hasn't had any accidents in months, completely potty trained, and then as soon as Mommy has something on the stove, Tadaaaaa! Seriously.
So, I figured I'd let you all know about a handy machine I use to clean up such accidents. My genius mother gave my sis and I these "Green Machines" when we started having kids. It's perfect. When you have kids, you know that half of your day is spent cleaning up or wiping off many types of bodily fluids, and this wonderful invention sure does help! :) Every parent needs one!
With that said, it was a successful Play-Doh making day! :)
Worm Cupcakes anyone?! (Made by Aussie!)
I really have a love/hate relationship with Play-Doh. It's so fun and yes, my kids LOVE it, but why does it have to be so messy?! The stuff you buy at the store is horrible. It crumbles and leaves tiny pieces stuck to everything. And it's not fun trying to pick off the tiny pieces that have embedded themselves on your 2 year old's pants, in an attempt to prevent a freak-out over dirty pants...
The key is to make your own. It's WAY less crumbly and you can make it any color. Now, there are at least 923743997 million different recipes for homemade Play-Doh on the internet. They are all basically the same, with just a few changes. I've figured out what works best for me, and so I will post the recipe, with picture directions, below. Whip up a couple batches (or double batches), and your kids will love it. Kids get bored so easily in the winter that this is a great way to help pass some time. :)
What you will need:
1 cup Flour
1 cup Water
2 teaspoons Cream of Tartar (found by the spices)
1/3 cup Salt (A lot of recipes call for 1/2 cup, but 1/3 leaves the Play-Doh feeling smoother.)
1 tablespoon Vegetable Oil (Some recipes say to use Baby Oil... DO NOT! Horribly greasy!)
Food Coloring!
Start by mixing all the ingredients (except food coloring), in a saucepan (or whatever works best for you...). Below is what it will look like before you start mixing it all together. Pretty simple.
Next, start cooking over low heat, making sure to keep stirring it. Should look like this:
Once it begins to thicken, add the food coloring. (You can also do this after the Play-Doh is done cooking, just makes a bigger mess.) I like to use the Neon food coloring... makes for some really fun colors for the kids. Plus, it's bright and cheery! :)
After adding the food coloring, continue stirring until the mixture is much thicker and begins to gather around the spoon. At this point, it will look like the picture below, and you will think you (somehow) screwed up. You did not. It just looks like a nasty, sticky mess. Do not worry. Do not give up. Every time I make it, I always think I did something wrong, only to discover perfect Play-Doh has been made!
The cooking is done. (Yay!) Remove the Play-Doh and let it cool. I suggest putting it on Wax Paper to let it cool and to finish squishing it together to mix the color in better and get the right consistency. Now, tell the kids you're still making it (shhh!), and go ahead, play with it. Play-Doh is amazing and even as adults, it's STILL pretty darn fun!
We ended up making all 4 colors today, because, why not?! :) I like to store it in Zip Lock Bags... it keeps REALLY well!
The girls approved! :)
Oh yea, I can't forget that halfway through our Play-Doh making extravaganza, Aussie (my 2 year old) had a potty accident on the family room carpet. Never fails. She hasn't had any accidents in months, completely potty trained, and then as soon as Mommy has something on the stove, Tadaaaaa! Seriously.
So, I figured I'd let you all know about a handy machine I use to clean up such accidents. My genius mother gave my sis and I these "Green Machines" when we started having kids. It's perfect. When you have kids, you know that half of your day is spent cleaning up or wiping off many types of bodily fluids, and this wonderful invention sure does help! :) Every parent needs one!
With that said, it was a successful Play-Doh making day! :)
Worm Cupcakes anyone?! (Made by Aussie!)
Quote Of The Day
...Last night after dinner I was telling the girls that while I was pregnant with them I craved coleslaw, watermelon, and egg rolls. Nenni laughed and said to me, "When YOU were in MY tummy, guess what I always wanted?" So I asked her what it was and she yelled, "BEER!!!" ...lol...Oh boy...
Friday, January 11, 2013
Kids Are Hilarious
Seriously though, kids ARE hilarious.
These are my daughters. The one playing the guitar on the right is Nenni (nickname). She's 3. The one on the left is Aussie (nickname). She's 2. They are hilarious.
Nenni is playing her guitar... while Aussie is pretending hers is a giant Juice Box. lol... Kids have the best imaginations... :)
These are my daughters. The one playing the guitar on the right is Nenni (nickname). She's 3. The one on the left is Aussie (nickname). She's 2. They are hilarious.
Nenni is playing her guitar... while Aussie is pretending hers is a giant Juice Box. lol... Kids have the best imaginations... :)
Arms
...You know you had a good arm workout when you're showering afterward and washing your hair seems like an almost impossible task.....
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