Okay so the title has nothing to do with my post, really. I know I mentioned a few weeks back about desginating certain days for certain topics....bump that. I can't keep up with it and I am most certainly not creative enough to come up with new and cute things every week. So it's back to me. Just me. If something strikes my fancy, I'll let you know. Otherwise, it's the excitement, complains, joys, headaches of being a mom of 2, the wife of a servicemember, and anything else going on.
And of course, at this exact moment, I have absolutely nothing to say ;)
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Oh the Choices We Make
Welcome back to Weight Loss Wednesday. Big hooray in my house...actually within my wardrobe. I am still wearing (*gulp...I can't believe I am admitting this) maternity jeans. Picture me hanging my head in shame, because that is pretty much what I am doing right now. HOWEVER, there is a light at the end of the pregnancy nightmare tunnel- I am starting to get "diaper butt" in my maternity jeans!!! Only mommas who have worn maternity jeans know what I am talking about. When the maternity jeans start getting too big in the waist and hips and thus the butt starts getting super loose and a little on the baggy side. I am not quite into my non-maternity pants yet, but am oh so close!!!! YAY! Just in time for the holidays....
Which is kind of what my post is about today...the choices we make. I typically like to follow the rules. I follow the rules of the road (except for the slight tendency for lead foot on the gas), I don't cheat or lie on anything. What I am really, really bad at sometimes, is making good personal choices. I don't mean the choices that get me into all kinds of trouble and I end up arrested, but the choices to decide between one piece of pie or two on Thanksgiving. The choices about sampling every goodie I am baking this holiday season. In the past I have used excuses like, "It's been a tough day, I am going to treat myself to a kit kat," "Oh my goodness, Connor has been a challenge, I need some ice cream," "I only enjoy the holidays once a year...I owe it to myself to enjoy them." Excuses that put my immediate needs in front of my long term wants. This holiday season my challenge to myself is to enjoy the holidays without overly enjoying them. What I mean is trying really hard to put my long term goals of personal health and fitness in front of the instant gratification all those extra sugary sweets create. Now, please don't misunderstand, I will be scooping up yummy cookies, buckeyes (my personal favorite) and desserts along the way, but in moderation. I will make the choice this holiday season to remember I have a far-reaching longer term goal than just the few weeks we celebrate Christmas.
Which is kind of what my post is about today...the choices we make. I typically like to follow the rules. I follow the rules of the road (except for the slight tendency for lead foot on the gas), I don't cheat or lie on anything. What I am really, really bad at sometimes, is making good personal choices. I don't mean the choices that get me into all kinds of trouble and I end up arrested, but the choices to decide between one piece of pie or two on Thanksgiving. The choices about sampling every goodie I am baking this holiday season. In the past I have used excuses like, "It's been a tough day, I am going to treat myself to a kit kat," "Oh my goodness, Connor has been a challenge, I need some ice cream," "I only enjoy the holidays once a year...I owe it to myself to enjoy them." Excuses that put my immediate needs in front of my long term wants. This holiday season my challenge to myself is to enjoy the holidays without overly enjoying them. What I mean is trying really hard to put my long term goals of personal health and fitness in front of the instant gratification all those extra sugary sweets create. Now, please don't misunderstand, I will be scooping up yummy cookies, buckeyes (my personal favorite) and desserts along the way, but in moderation. I will make the choice this holiday season to remember I have a far-reaching longer term goal than just the few weeks we celebrate Christmas.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Beginning To Look a Lot Like Christmas
It's that time of year....again. Christmas is such a mixed bag of emotions. The excitement and anticipation of the holidays but the overwhelming-ness of the holidays. It feels like from the week before Halloween until after New Years (and this year until February because of A.'s birthday) we are non-stop. Baking, decorating, shopping, wrapping, activities....
As I started thinking about and planning Christmas for this year, I had a huge change of heart in terms of how I parent during the holidays. A. and C. will never remember what gifts they got for their 4th and 1st Christmas', even though they may eventually. What I can give them in memories will be better than any other purchased gift I could ever think of buying. I was really dead set on an Advent calendar this year. The ones I really wanted were too expensive and the ones in my "price range" weren't what I was looking for but I knew I could make one that fit what I needed.
So here it is...
Now, don't ask me to hang pictures in your house. I can hang neither straight nor level, but with a little creativity and time, I made the Countdown to Christmas I am really excited about. So these are six 12 x 12 pieces of scrapbook paper and on each piece of paper are 4 envelopes. The envelopes came from a very nice employee at Target who gave me 24 of their gift card envelopes. I bought a package of 5 x 7 Christmas paper so all the 24 envelopes are a little different but coordinating. Attached Christmas stickers and hung them together with gren ribbon. All in all, I think the entire project cost me less than $20. Here is a close up of the envelopes.
My most favorite part of all....the cards inside!! It took planning and some thinking, but here is our Countdown to Christmas 2011:
-set up Nativity and read the story of the birth of Jesus
-make and hang snowflakes
-decorate the Christmas tree and drink eggnog
-enjoy a special treat and watch a Christmas movie together
-prepare hot cocoa jars
-St. Nicholas Day
-write letters to Santa
-Fantasy in Lights at Callaway Gardens
-baking with Mommy
-family game night
-visit Santa Claus
-special treat
-deliver cards to neighbors
-wrap Christmas gifts
-school Christmas party
-Polar Express movie night with hot cocoa
-drive around to see Christmas lights
-ice skating
-pick a special treat
-Imagine Art Studio
-edible gift for the birds outside
-baking cookies for Santa
-read Twas the Night Before Christmas
As I started thinking about and planning Christmas for this year, I had a huge change of heart in terms of how I parent during the holidays. A. and C. will never remember what gifts they got for their 4th and 1st Christmas', even though they may eventually. What I can give them in memories will be better than any other purchased gift I could ever think of buying. I was really dead set on an Advent calendar this year. The ones I really wanted were too expensive and the ones in my "price range" weren't what I was looking for but I knew I could make one that fit what I needed.
So here it is...
-set up Nativity and read the story of the birth of Jesus
-make and hang snowflakes
-decorate the Christmas tree and drink eggnog
-enjoy a special treat and watch a Christmas movie together
-prepare hot cocoa jars
-St. Nicholas Day
-write letters to Santa
-Fantasy in Lights at Callaway Gardens
-baking with Mommy
-family game night
-visit Santa Claus
-special treat
-deliver cards to neighbors
-wrap Christmas gifts
-school Christmas party
-Polar Express movie night with hot cocoa
-drive around to see Christmas lights
-ice skating
-pick a special treat
-Imagine Art Studio
-edible gift for the birds outside
-baking cookies for Santa
-read Twas the Night Before Christmas
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Thankful Feast
I don't know why, but Connor refuses to call Thanksgiving "Thanksgiving." Instead, he is continually referring to it as the "Thankful Feast." So, in honor of Thankful Feast tomorrow, here are some updates and a fun idea to keep kids out of out your hair while you are trying to cook.
First, I wanted to show you the "Fall" sign I made yesterday. I wrote a couple weeks ago about the one for Halloween that said "Boo." The one I mad yesterday was so easy! It cost me a total of $7 at Hobby Lobby and I finished it up in less than 30 minutes. Connor even helped a little!
I also wanted to show you how our Grateful Tree has grown!! Other friends are adding their 'grateful' leaves when they are coming to the house and I can't believe how excited Connor is to add things and there is never a shortage of what he can come up with to be thankful for....examples recently include monster trucks, cars, heliocopters, cookies and crocodiles. ;)
And last but not least on my belated Martha Monday, is an idea to keep busy and "helpful" kids at bay while you are finishing up cooking or baking tomorrow. Placemats! Tomorrow morning, the kids that will be at my house and responsible for making the placemats for our table. So easy and they really can make anything you can think of....turkeys, cornucopias or the example I have below of the Mayflower. Whatever you do or however you chose to spend your holiday, I hope it is blessed and surrounded by the ones you love and you are constantly reminded of leaves you can add to your thankful tree.
First, I wanted to show you the "Fall" sign I made yesterday. I wrote a couple weeks ago about the one for Halloween that said "Boo." The one I mad yesterday was so easy! It cost me a total of $7 at Hobby Lobby and I finished it up in less than 30 minutes. Connor even helped a little!
I also wanted to show you how our Grateful Tree has grown!! Other friends are adding their 'grateful' leaves when they are coming to the house and I can't believe how excited Connor is to add things and there is never a shortage of what he can come up with to be thankful for....examples recently include monster trucks, cars, heliocopters, cookies and crocodiles. ;)
And last but not least on my belated Martha Monday, is an idea to keep busy and "helpful" kids at bay while you are finishing up cooking or baking tomorrow. Placemats! Tomorrow morning, the kids that will be at my house and responsible for making the placemats for our table. So easy and they really can make anything you can think of....turkeys, cornucopias or the example I have below of the Mayflower. Whatever you do or however you chose to spend your holiday, I hope it is blessed and surrounded by the ones you love and you are constantly reminded of leaves you can add to your thankful tree.
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