Depression Hurts...Blogging Helps

PRODUCTIVE OR NOT? THAT IS THE QUESTION.

2012-03-08T18:30:00.002-07:00

Yesterday I checked everything off my list of things to do and it was no short list. I even gave myself bonus points for a few extra chores completed. It was a highly productive day. Today, on the other hand, was A LOT different. It went a little somethin' like this...

Rush to get the kids ready for school (Fruity pebbles down the hatch...) and on the bus.

Run one essential errand with the Baby Boss and other non essential errands so as to kill time until da boss's nappy nap.

Get drenched in the rain while running errands.

Go home, put Baby Boss down for a nap (hallelujah!) and work out.

While working out, I watched three episodes of Parks and Recreation on Netlix.

After working out, I watched two more episodes and then Baby Boss woke up. I proceeded to watch three more episodes of Parks and Rec. while intermittently saving my dare devil of a toddler from potentially life threatening situations (Examples: Rushing to catch super baby as he flings himself off the couch; running to grab the scissors out of his chubby clutches; pulling him out from under the coat rack...). I really really hate when they can climb on and reach everything.

Basically, I watched a lot of TV, in a very slovenly fashion, while letting the babe run around like a dirty little rug rat.

When the older rug rats came home from school, I let them watch way too much TV and ordered pizza for dinner.

If you compare yesterday's highly productive day and today's...um...not as productive day, it's laughable. It's also easy to rush and judge today as a waste, but to be honest, ~~I was lazy~~ it was awesome!!!!

Baby boss was crazy, but he made me laugh with his chubby cherubic antics. I would build blocks and he would giggle in delight as he tore them down. His laugh was contagious and uplifting.

I watched the stress of the week lift off my kid's shoulders as they ate pizza and watched movies.

As I write this, I'm not obsessing over everything I should have done today. I'm reflecting on how productive today was for my soul. Can I have this kind of day every day? No! Nothing would ever get done. But, it is because of an occasional day like today that things will get done tomorrow.

I think after the kids are in bed I'm going to watch some more Parks and Rec. Good night friends!

MOTHERHOOD IS A CALLING

2012-03-04T12:11:00.000-07:00

My mom has an ability to be in tune with what her children need, even when 100's of miles away. Yesterday, my mom emailed this to my sisters and I...

I was rereading an article in the Nov. 2011 Ensign magazine by Neil L. Andersen about children, and thought of you all and your challenges.

In part of it he quotes a blog by a Christian mother:

"Growing up in this culture, it is very hard to get a biblical perspective on motherhood.

Children rank way below college. Below world travel for sure. Below the ability to go out

at night at your leisure. Below honing your body at the gym. Below any job you may have

or hope to get.....Motherhood is not a hobby, it is a calling. You do not collect children

because you find them cuter than stamps. It is not something to do if you can squeeze in

the time. It is what God gave you time for."

Having young children is not easy. Many days are just difficult. A young mother got on a bus

with seven children. The bus driver asked, "Are these all yours, lady? Or is it a picnic?"

"They're all mine," she replied. "And it's no picnic."

As the world increasingly asks, "Are these all yours?" we thank you for creating a sanctuary

for families...

You girls all deserve praise for the great job you are doing raising your kids in a tough world.

Love you

Mom

From my mom to you...I pass on this great reminder.

(Side note: I know that some women desperately want to be mothers and have not yet experienced that roll. I know that I appreciate the many women in my life who help me parent my children...teachers, family, friends. We all have important purposes in life.).

HEALTHY WIFE, HAPPY LIFE

2012-03-03T12:35:00.000-07:00

Living a healthy lifestyle has such a positive affect on a person. If you eat healthy and exercise, everything seems better, brighter...more hopeful. Whenever I go from eating junk to healthy food, I wonder why I ever fueled my body with such nasty stuff (Actually, I know why...because seemingly innocent little girl scouts with impish smiles peddle crack filled cookies to the masses...I almost caved and snagged some sinful Somoas "for the hubby" today, but I walked away, diverting my eyes from the girl with all the badges on her sash...she looked like a pro.).

I've also found that when I'm eating healthier, I enjoy cooking a lot more. Healthy eating = simple ingredients and cooking techniques so I actually like it.

Tonight I'm going to feed the kids, put them to bed, and then make this for the hubby and I...

From the fit cook blog

Maybe I'll even light some candles and we'll drink water from fancy glasses. That's about as romantic as it gets when your hubby literally has to study night and day:). Good thing he is all I need to have a nice time (All together now...Awwwww).

As for another dreaded component of healthy living...EXERCISE (which I actually enjoy), try this crazy hard 4 minute workout (see diet.com).

So, go take four minutes to work off some stress and fat and eat a lovely meal with someone you love (even if that person you love is yourself...I literally dream of time to myself:).

WRITERS REMORSE AND AN OPPORTUNITY TO HELP

2012-02-28T14:15:00.001-07:00

Sometimes writing a blog as personal as this makes me wake up in the morning and cringe with a bit of remorse. "Why did I write about my loser moments?" I'll think as I slap myself in the forehead. But, the remorse quickly passes as I realize they aren't loser moments, but reality. And there's no shame in the raw moments of life. I refuse to have remorse over the experiences that contribute to who I am and neither should you.

And I certainly won't have remorse over sharing this touching story with you. Click HERE to read about a loving family and an easy way for you to help them. NOOOO!...don't click away from this screen without reading it...or else you'll feel remorse:).

TEARS FOR FEARS

2012-02-27T20:38:00.001-07:00

I used to be a big time crier. If I was upset or overwhelmed or even over joyed...I would cry. But after years of challenges, I've gotten good at not crying. I'm not a robot. My eyes still well up with tears when I watch a touching movie, feel sadness for someone else, or I laugh really hard. But, it's rare now that I all out ball like a baby.

I didn't practice not crying or try really hard to hold it in...It just gradually happened. I guess I'd cried so many tears, it just became more of a hassle than a help (runny noses, swollen eyes, and headaches...), so I subconsciously did it less and less. When you have depression, you can potentially cry quite often, but it got old...for me anyway (I know lots of people find it very therapeutic).

Well, today I've cried a lot. I'm not sure why. It's been a fed up kind of cry. An angry, frustrated, shake my head in dismay kind of cry. To be honest, the tears took me by surprise. I'd posted on Facebook that, "I was in need of a good pep talk," and a friend called after reading my status. Before I knew it, I was trying to choke back tears as I talked to her.

I told her my frustrations with working out so hard and eating so well and not getting the results I wanted. Working extra hard for minimal results seems to be a family theme at the moment. My hubby studies non stop and has recently gotten some disappointing test scores (med school is no joke people!). The fruit of ones labors should be a direct result of effort, right? Well, life hasn't been that way lately and I think it's been taking its toll on me more than I realized. Thus, the tears. And once they started, I had a hard time turning them off.

Later in the day I looked at sweet chubby baby boss with his new hair cut (that makes him look sooo much older) and thought about how he is probably my last baby. More tears...

I read kind words from family and friends...more tears.

My kids came home from school and Sassafras asked me why I looked tired and sad... The tears welled up as I said, "Everything is fine. Mommy's just having a hard day."

The hubby came home from school and tried to comfort me by saying everything would be fine. It was then it hit me...I was afraid everything wasn't going to be fine...or worse...would never be better than fine. I don't work so hard so that my life can be so-so. I know life is hard, but I'd like to have some really good days too.

While the hubby greeted the kids, I snuck upstairs to the kid's room, sat on the Commander's bed, knelt down and cried in prayer. I cried because I never get to see my husband, cried because being a mom is hard (no, duh!), cried because my hubby has to work from dawn to dusk, cried because I didn't feel strong enough, and cried, well, just because I could. I didn't emerge feeling super duper, but I felt better just letting it all go. When I stood from my knees I knew I had to stop fearing and start doing and trusting again. Sometimes you just have to pull yourself up by the boot straps, do all that you can, and know that your best is enough.

So, no more tears for fears. I'll do my best to wake up tomorrow, stand a little taller, and be a little better. And if that doesn't work...I'll try again.

NECKLACE GIVE AWAY WINNER!

2012-02-24T14:44:00.000-07:00

So, it's that time. Time to announce the winner of the personalized, hand stamped, silver plated necklace from my friend Aleesa's shop- Quiet Time Today.

And the winner is Rachael S. (a.k.a.- The Misses:). Rachael, please email me at jodylong82@gmail.com with what dates you would like stamped on your necklace and your shipping information. Congratulations!!! And thanks Aleesa for your generosity and example of service.

And to everyone else...Keep checking back. I'm sure I'll do another give away soon!

DON'T MISS THIS GIVE AWAY!

2012-02-20T07:38:00.001-07:00

Since I've been married, we've moved a lot. This can be difficult, but I've also had the privilege of meeting some amazing people that I now call friends. Every once in a while, one of those friends will pop up and we'll connect again and I remember how blessed I am to have such kind people in my life.

One such friend recently contacted me offering to do a give away on my blog. So, here is a gift from her that can easily be yours.

Keep on reading for details on how you can win (it's easy!).

The item is a personalized, hand stamped, silver plated necklace. As seen above, it is stamped with a new baby's birth information, but your necklace can be stamped with whatever information you want and your choice of bead.

Aleesa has lots of great merchandise in her Etsy shop- Quiet Time Today and she is offering a 10% discount to all of you for the next month. Just enter jody10 at check out.

Her shop isn't just an ordinary shop. Let me give you some history on how it began.

The necklaces started as a project for her daughter's birthday party. She had some left over and decided she might as well sell some. She also thought an Etsy shop would be a good place to raise a little money for a fundraiser her family was working on. Aleesa said, "Almost 3 years ago my nephew was diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). Basically, his muscles will eventually deteriorate, he will be in a wheelchair before he's a teenager and probably not live past 30. He's doing good right now, but we are raising money for the SLC Muscle walk on March 31. Our goal is $5000 (which I honestly NEVER thought we'd come close to...I figured they were dreaming:). But, we are almost to our goal as a team, The organization is still thousands of $$ away from theirs. So if we can raise more then we planned on, great! Anyway, so right now 50% of the profit of each sale goes towards the Muscle Walk, to be donated in Caleb's name for research on MD. I've also got a special Caleb bracelet that he and his mom helped design from which 100% of profits are donated."

It's amazing that she is donating such a huge percentage to such a great cause.

To win this adorable necklace, all you have to do is leave a comment on this post. That's it. I will announce the winner at the end of the week, at which point you will get to personalize your prize. Yay! And while you're on the world wide web, zip on over to her shop and peruse her other items.

TIPS FOR AVOIDING A TOTAL FREAK OUT!!

2012-02-10T18:35:00.003-07:00

This is Baby Boss a few months ago.
He had just slathered Vaseline all over
himself. It was definitely
a freak out day.

It has been quite the week full of freak out moments. You know, those moments when your world starts spinning in slow motion around you only to stop when you scream at the top of your lungs (Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!). These freak out moments usually come when my teething toddler throws a tantrum, my five year old spills glue all over the table (and then proceeds to finger paint with it), and my daughter is trying to get my attention from bill paying by talking very loudly and closely to my face (all simultaneously, of course, in a symphony of chaos).

The above mentioned alone merits a minor meltdown, but isn't quite freak out worthy. What takes a situation from minor meltdown to total freak out would be adding lack of sleep, PMS, and a crazy busy schedule to the mix. Of course, freak outs are the product of any number of overwhelming situations. I will expound no further. I'm sure you are all well versed on freaking out. So, let's move on to what you can do when on the verge of flipping out, going postal, and/or laughing and crying hysterically at the same time...in the fetal position (this is not a good sign by the way).

In a previous post...or two...or three...I may have mentioned the magic of a drive through car wash. Several friends have since mentioned to me that when their kids are driving them crazy, they take them on a trip to the car wash. We mothers are full of unconventional ideas when faced with a nervous breakdown. So, here are some of my own tips inspired by my week of freak outs.

1) DAY OF DRIVE THROUGHS- Strap your kids into their car seats, go to your favorite fast food restaurant, and get a nice, ice cold soda. Next, go to the nearest drive through car wash and purchase the longest, most thorough wash possible (It's worth the money...trust me). Finally, crank up your favorite tunes, suck on that straw like it's your life line, and pretend like you are alone while your kids are hypnotized by the swishing of the rinse cycle. BONUS: Your car is clean.

2) MINI VAN MOVIE- Pop some popcorn, grab everyone's blankies, and once again, load up your rugrats into your vehicle of choice. Strap down the particularly feisty ones and let them munch while watching a flick. If you are not one of the elite (I am not elite...at all) and do not have a DVD player in your car, use an iPad or laptop, or borrow a friend's. BONUS: Your car will now smell like popcorn.

3) NO NAP, THEN STRAP- You may be noticing a "strap down" theme. If your child is being particularly unruly, like at nap time, then bring their car seat inside. Strap them into their car seat in front of a movie (an educational one, if you must) and give them snacks. Sit on the floor next to them (having you near will keep them calm) and work on your laptop, peruse pinterest, or read a gossip magazine. BONUS: You will be thoroughly caught up on Brangelina's ever increasing posterity.

My boys

Chubby buns

4) TUB TIME- I kid you not, my little baby boss has had three, yes three, baths today. He is particularly aquatic by nature and LOOOOVES taking baths. When he is driving me crazy, I put him in the tub and sit down on the bathroom floor to blog, read, make phone calls, or just cry:). Just today, this sanity saving tip has granted me an hour and a half of peace. If you are feeling particularly creative, turn off the bathroom lights and throw glow sticks into the tub. BONUS: You will not want to sit on your nasty bathroom floor, so you will clean it first. Clean floors...score!

Sassafras, my oldest, is my
designated bribe buddy.

5) BRIBE BUDDY- You probably have a friend or family member who has a daughter around the age of twelve or thirteen. This age is perfect for being a bribe buddy. Find a girl who is responsible, but not old enough to make lots of cash babysitting yet. Bribe her with pizza and a movie to watch your kiddos while you get some things done around the house. It will give her experience and you some peace. BONUS: You can slowly mold this buddy into your ideal babysitter (evil laugh).

6) PILE OF PILLOWS- There's something about a pile of pillows and blankets that draws in kids like a magnet. Throw them down and let them roll around. BONUS: Energy exerted = earlier bed time for kids.

7) MUSICAL ROOMS- Sometimes kids need a change of scenery. If they have been spending most of the day in the living room, maybe they'd like to play in their bed room or a sibling's room. When I take baby boss into his room to play (which is upstairs, so doesn't usually happen), I take the time to go through his clothes and bag up what he has out grown. BONUS: Friends and family get hand me downs.

EXTRA TIP: I can't recommend ear plugs enough. All of the above would be enhanced by a set of ear plugs for you. If baby boss is throwing fits, I put in ear plugs. If the kids are watching an annoying movie, but they want me snuggling them while I'm on my lap top...in go the ear plugs. I even sleep with ear plugs in...every, single, night.

And seriously, if your day goes from freak out mode to crisis mode, call a friend, call someone to help you. That's what we are all here for. To help one another.

I, and I'm sure everyone else, would love to hear your tips for crazy days. So, bring it on...let's see what you've got.

THE SKILL OF NOT CARING

2012-02-02T17:17:00.001-07:00

This past summer, while visiting Indiana, we went swimming at a family friend's home. These friends of ours live out in the country on a beautiful farm that over looks the gorgeous rolling hills of southern Indiana. It was about five p.m. when we entered the pool and the air was warm, the water was perfect, and the horizon presented a beautiful display of evening light. I didn't fully take in all of this until a bit later because I was preoccupied by how chubby I felt in the swimsuit I borrowed from my mom.

Actually, it was the top of one ill fitting tankini and the bottom of another and I wore some men's shorts over the bottoms. It was quite the site. Joan Rivers and her style critic minions would have had a field day with me. Anyway, I was complaining of my discomfort over my chubbiness to our family friend when she said to me, "I'm so glad to be at an age and time in my life that I just don't worry about that stuff. It's such a relief." She was perfectly relaxed, arms draped over the edge of the pool, kicking her legs slowly up and down. She is older, chubbier, and wiser than me. She was living in the moment by watching the kids splash and play, listening to the sheep braying in the field, and taking in the beautiful scenic view. I, on the other hand, was missing it all because I was too busy mentally comparing myself to an albino whale.

Thankfully, her comment came at the beginning of our visit, thus I could benefit from her example for the rest of pool time. I played with my kids and hubby, draped my own cushy arms over the edge of the pool, and breathed in the clean country air.

I wonder how many times I've been too preoccupied with mental self-critiquing that I've missed some pretty great moments. Don't get me wrong, critiquing/analyzing ourselves is important to progression, but there's a time and a place for everything. Not to mention, I really think my friend is on to something. The whole not caring thing. Not caring about the right things that is. Such as the real and imagined ill judgments of others or the fact that your caboose is bigger than the twig next to you in line at the grocery store (Seriously, you don't even know her...let...it ...go!). How amazing would it be to not care and just relax?!

I've actually gotten better about not caring than I used to be. Occasionally friends drop by unannounced (Which, by the way, is totally fine with me!) and my house is a total disaster. It used to be that I would scurry around picking things up while they talked to me, never really listening to them. Then, when they left, I felt stressed about what they thought about my home, my appearance, etc. Now, when someone comes, they see reality (maybe feel a little better about their own homes in comparison to mine:), I clear a spot on the couch for each of us, and I sit and visit with them. The mess still bothers me and I still wonder what judgments pass through their heads, but I don't let it get to me too much. If they can't look past the mess to see my better qualities (intelligence, wit, sparkling personality, mad Tetris skills...:) then I've got plenty of good friends who can (At least I imagine I do).

Admittedly, a mother in line at the grocery store who is my same age and half my size, still bugs the crap out of me. But, in my defense, it's not her judgments I give a darn about, it's my own. And here's the clincher, if I care so much about something, why do I keep punishing myself instead of doing something about it? And if it's something I can't do anything about, why don't I just let myself be happy?

I guess if I had to sum up my thoughts from this very convoluted, ill thought out post, I would state the following...

1) We need to spend less time worrying about what others think of us and more time enjoying the present.

2) If someone does actually judge us harshly, their judgments say more about their true character than your own.

3) What really matters is the way we judge ourselves and that these judgments be accurate and productive.

4) If we become hard on ourselves about a certain topic (weight, productivity, parenting, etc.) then we have three choices...
a) Continue to fixate on it and become very unhappy.
b) Do something to change the thing you don't like.
c) Let it go until you are ready to work on it.

5) You shouldn't bother judging me because I'm currently practicing my "not caring" skills.

When I'm laying on my death bed I don't want to feel like I wasted precious time worrying about things that just didn't matter. I want to know I lived a happy, ever present life.

POSTPARTUM UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL

2012-01-31T14:54:00.002-07:00

Kami with her husband Brian and son Brady.

I have a friend who is like the energizer bunny. Just reading her schedule via facebook status wears me out and inspires me all at the same time. She is a special education teacher for young children, a wife, a first time mother of baby Brady, a life and fitness coach, and a fitness fanatic. She is organized, hard working, energetic, loving, and she had postpartum depression.

It can be hard to admit you've struggled with depression, let alone share your story on a friend's blog. But, true to her courageous personality, that's what she's done.

Here is her story and in it you'll see that postpartum depression can be over come.

Depression hurts. FIND help. Get BETTER.

A new mom with a beautiful baby boy is sitting at home trying to take care of her newborn, the house, her husband, and herself. But she can’t. Instead she’s staring at the floor, taking deep breaths, and trying to keep from falling apart. Something is wrong but she doesn’t know what and she doesn’t know how to fix it. She doesn’t feel like herself at all, she feels like she’s going to go crazy and can’t keep her thoughts straight. She can’t even focus long enough to fix herself something to eat. In fact, she can’t eat anything at all. She’s heard of the “baby blues” before and postpartum depression, could this be what is making her feel like she is going insane? She waits to see if it passes, but it does not. She grabs her car keys and the diaper bag, and waits. It still does not pass. She takes a deep breath and does one of the bravest things she’s ever done in her life: drives to the emergency room and asks for help.

Someone right now is going through this very same scenario that I went through this past spring. I am a 29 year old mother of a beautiful baby boy who is now 10 months old. One month after my son was born I was diagnosed with postpartum depression. I am honored to be guest blogging for my good friend Jody, not only because she is an amazing person, but because her blog helped me get through one of the toughest times in my life. I can count on one hand how many people I have shared my story with, so this is a difficult story for me to tell, but one I feel is very important to share. I decided to share my story because I am hoping to help someone in need as I was helped by Jody’s blog last spring. There are so many people out there who have suffered through postpartum depression (PPD) and felt so alone. Well I am here to tell you that you are NOT alone. According to a recent Center for Disease Control (CDC) survey, 11% to 18% of women reported having frequent postpartum depressive symptoms- and that is just what has been reported and diagnosed.

“Postpartum depression isn’t a character flaw or weakness”, states The Mayo Clinic. Their website explains that it is just a complication of giving birth. Don't feel ashamed or guilty if you experience PPD. There are many contributing factors such as changes in your brain chemistry, hormone levels and lifestyle- and none of them are your fault. The way that I look at it is that for 9 months your body and hormones are changing to accommodate your growing bundle of joy. Then after birth your body is trying to get back to “status quo” in a few weeks. It is a lot that we go through, and frankly, our hormones are all out of wack and your body is just trying to get back to normal. I honestly did not feel 100% again until about 7 months after giving birth.

So do you think you might have PPD? You may have PPD if you have some of the following symptoms 1-6 months after giving birth:

· Depressed mood-tearfulness, hopelessness, and feeling empty inside, with or without severe anxiety.

· Loss of pleasure in either all or almost all of your daily activities.

· Appetite and weight change-usually a drop in appetite and weight but sometimes the opposite.

· Noticeable change in how you walk and talk-usually restlessness, but sometimes sluggishness.

· Extreme fatigue or loss of energy.

· Feelings of worthlessness or guilt, with no reasonable cause.

· Difficulty concentrating and making decisions.

· Trouble sleeping when your baby sleeps (more than the lack of sleep new moms usually get).Feeling numb or disconnected from your baby.

· Having scary or negative thoughts about the baby, like thinking someone will take your baby away or hurt your baby.

· Worrying that you will hurt the baby.

· Feeling guilty about not being a good mom, or ashamed that you cannot care for your baby.

For many of us women we have a hard time admitting that we need help or that something is wrong. We wear so many hats and are multi-taskers. We are the glue that holds our families together, so to admit that we need someone to help patch us back together can be difficult. But together, we can do this. YOU can do this. I have put together six ways to help get you back to your old self again.

1) Take a deep breath. GO GET HELP.

2) Tell your loved ones that you need help and educate them on PPD.

3) Shower. Brush your teeth. Get dressed.

4) EXERCISE and EAT HEALTHY.

5) Get out of the house!

6) REST.

Number one: get help. At the ER, my nurse was fabulous. She was encouraging and congratulated me for getting help. When I got home from the ER, I waited for my husband to get home so I could tell him of my diagnosis. I explained at length about PPD and how I was feeling and that I loved him and our son more than anything, but my body and hormones were out of wack and trying to get back to normal. He was absolutely wonderful and supportive and I needed that.

Together we came up with a plan and I needed him to help me and encourage me to do these things each day when I would feel like doing otherwise. I explained to him that it would be very important for me to shower and get dressed each day as if I was going to work or out in public (which means doing my hair, make up, etc.) even if I was just staying home all day. I also explained that I would need to take time for myself to go to the gym. I already had a very strong support system of friends at the gym and I would need not only them, but my exercise regimen to get healthy again. This would mean that we would have to schedule and come up with a plan on the days and times I would work out and have someone watch my son Brady so I could do this, and have a little break of my own. I started going back to Turbo Kick classes during the evenings when my husband Brian could watch Brady. This was a HUGE step and I feel made all the difference in my recovery.

I feel that EXERCISE was the MOST important part of getting back to feeling like ME. I say this because not only does exercise release all those good feeling endorphins but I was also getting back my pre-baby body which helps to increase self image and esteem.

I also needed to make sure we were eating healthy every day, which we would usually do, but with my PPD many days I didn’t feel like eating at all and would have to force food down. I remember one of the first things I had to eat in a few days was a chicken sandwich at the zoo, and I could hardly eat it but felt much better after forcing it down. Eating anything was going to be a struggle, so I would have to make sure that when I did eat that it was something healthy. I started back to drinking protein shakes (Shakeology) each day to ensure I was getting the proper nutrition my body needed.

Another important step is GETTING out of the house. Find other moms, or friends who want to see your new little bundle of joy. I know it’s hard to get the baby ready and out the door, but DO IT. It’s easy to have others come to you, but don’t do it! Go to them! Meet them for lunch, at a park, go to the zoo, to the mall (buy yourself something!) and try to plan to get out each day- if not each day, every other day. You could incorporate the things you love such as reading, writing, cooking, painting, etc.- maybe you could just go to the bookstore and browse through books.

And ofcourse, rest. Go to bed at a decent time, that means, turn OFF the TV, maybe read that book you picked up while you were out and about. Wind down before you go to bed, it will help you fall asleep and get a good night’s rest.

All of this will take some planning, so enlist some help from your significant other, a friend or a family member. You will need support, and if someone is not being supportive, get rid of that person or limit your contact with them. You will need your best troops on your side. You will need to plan your workouts, your meals, your “me” time, your play dates and lunch dates, so invest in a calendar and put it on your refrigerator so everyone can see it and add to it when needed.

With in 2 months after having my son I was weaned off of my medication, and was feeling MUCH more like myself and back to “normal”. I can honestly say I did not feel 100% better until about 7 months after giving birth. I got help, I got support, I made a plan, and I got better. If you think you have PPD, get help, get support, make a plan and you WILL get through this.

Postpartum depression (PPD) resources:

For more information on health, fitness, Turbo Kick & Shakeology:
www.beachbodycoach.com/CoachKami

www.kamiblakeman.wordpress.com

Find me on Facebook:
Kami E. Blakeman OR

Kami Blakeman (FitMomma)

MANICURE MAN

2012-01-27T17:45:00.001-07:00

Yesterday, something was short circuiting in the part of my brain that controls temper. For absolutely no reason, everything was irritating me and I kept snapping at everyone. When hubby got home from school I informed him of this short circuit. He immediately said, "Why don't you go out and get a manicure or pedicure." I know, he's a very good, smart man.

My legs were hairy and I didn't feel like shaving them so I decided to try a shelac manicure. Off I went to the nail salon 30 seconds from my house. I was wordlessly ushered to a seat in front of Manicure Man (This will be his name for the duration of this blog post as I do not know his real name) by a petite smiling Vietnamese woman.

It never ceases to amaze me how much can be communicated without words. I knew where to sit and they knew what to do without any verbal cues. Through a series of hand gestures, smiles, and nods, manicure man and I picked out a nail color and my hands were lathered with lotion.

I must mention at this point that I've never had a manicure from a male before. It's always been a sweet, eager to please woman.

Anyway, manicure man tucked my Saran wrapped hands into two heated oven mitt like contraptions and left me to cook while he tended to another customer. At first I was a little thrown by his inability to communicate and his lack of desire to even try, but I soon found myself liking the silent treatment.

It was admittedly nice to not have to make small talk. I could just enjoy the process in silence. There was no obligatory talk of the weather or where I I was from. No, "How many kids you have?" or other such chit chat. Manicure Man didn't give a darn about my kids or anything about me and I liked him for it. There was no pressure, just sweet silence.

Then the clipping of the cuticles began. I had no idea I even had that much cuticle to spare. Holy mother of dead skin! He just kept clipping away. I started to doubt my initial positive judgements of manicure man, but it never hurt and the results were impressive. He looked up at me and said, "A lot, a lot!" (referring to the amount of cuticle he excavated from my nail beds). For some reason I found this funny and laughed...loudly. Then he started talking in Vietnamese to his co-worker.

I imagine he said something like, "This crazy blond chick with nasty cuticles
just laughed like she thinks I'm some kind of comedian. This loud mouth American has been sipping on some crazy juice."

Realistically he probably said, "Do you have change for a ten? I need change for a customer." Either way, I'd really like to talk about someone in a different language while they are right in front of me. That's power baby! Definitely going on my bucket list.

In the end I learned a few things from the above experience.

One, we can communicate a whole lot without saying a word and often it's better to do so.

Two, on the flip side, you can have a person literally hold your hand for a half an hour and know nothing about them.

Three, silence doesn't have to be awkward and can be quite nice.

Four, I have nasty cuticles.

And lastly, an hour of relaxation is just enough time for me to miss my family again.

P.S. Go pamper yourself!

CRAZY TRAIN!

2012-01-18T10:47:00.003-07:00

(Note: Don't miss the link to the article at the end of this post..fantastic!)

I'm currently lying in the bed of princess Sassafras (whom is at school) while baby boss plays on the floor. I'm also tediously typing this blog post on my iPhone because I do not want to take baby boss down stairs or remove my behind from said comfy mattress.

Da Boss (I'm transitioning him from baby boss to Da Boss...he won't always be a baby after all..) is usually napping by now, but has decided to stay awake when I most need him asleep.

Nap time is always sacred time, but it's extra important this week. I'm in the midst of a medication transition and Shoohee it is definitely a ride on the crazy train. One minute I'm calm, cool, and collected. The next, I'm a raging bull...with rabies...foaming at the mouth.

So, I cannot afford to have Da Boss skip nap time. But, he didn't get the memo and is instead busying himself by dumping out chalk, stopping and starting a Kids Bop CD (as if it isn't annoying enough on its own), unmaking beds, and pushing a lamp onto my head. Toddlers sure know how to get your attention.

On another day, I would probably let him cry in his crib, but I cannot presently handle that abuse to my nerves (I would likely push...no, throw a lamp as well... and the lamps just don't deserve that kind of treatment). So, here I am just waiting for babyzilla to crash so that I can crash.

I'm also currently in the midst of a three day cleanse that leaves me hungry ALL the time. I'm thinking it wasn't the brightest of ideas to do this cleanse dealio right now. I mean...WOW!

I finally went in to get Da Boss and relieve him from his suffering.
This is what I found:(.

So, If da boss is screaming in his crib (I took the plunge and laid him down) and I'm starving, exhausted, and let's face it, a little nutty... What's a girl to do? I can't have a coke or a cookie, I'm too tired to do any chores, and I can't sleep amidst the ear splitting screams.

I guess I'll ride this crazy train a while longer and hope it eventually takes me somewhere spectacular...or at least relaxing...okay, I'll settle for quiet.

PS- Please read this fantastic article on why it's okay for us moms to NOT carpe diem!

TODAY I SHARE TWO PEOPLE WHO CARE...

2012-01-17T18:08:00.002-07:00

Last week's guest posts were so much fun. I love learning from other people and trying new things (I still have a back log of great guest bloggers to use in the future...so check back soon)! But, my absolute favorite part of writing this blog is hearing the heart felt, honest stories of so many readers. The stories of joy, heart break, and triumph truly inspire me.

So, instead of the cranky, complaint infused tangent I was going to post (there's always tomorrow:), I will share just a couple of the stories recently sent to me.

First off, follow THIS LINK to watch an inspiring video blog from my friend Keli, creater/owner of Colette Paperie (The coolest card and stationary biz around yo!). In the vlog, her courage is contagious...so what are you waiting for?...Go catch it!

Secondly, I'd like to share the following writings of my friend Vanessa (visit her blog); A beautiful, feisty, talented mother of three, just trying to do her best and remember her worth while at it. Here's what she shared earlier with me.

I love blogging. It’s a way for me to find my center some days. Many times my blog has gotten me in trouble, has made me laugh, or just given me a chance to vent. I also love reading other moms blogs, however, sometimes I feel inadequate as a mother and woman. Seeing how great other women are makes me take a closer look at my own role in life.

Do you ever read someone’s blog and see that they are just gorgeous in every picture or their house is spotless and beautiful? Some are crafty beyond amazing and others have awesome recipes they made last night for dinner (as if it’s no big deal to cook an amazing meal every night). I read blogs like that all the time and wish I could be that great. My blog mentions messes all over the house, not so sweet poop stories, and unsuccessful family events with a touch of sweet priceless moments.

As I looked in the mirror today, I thought Something’s gotta give. In the blog world and even in real life, we can choose to only put out there a small part of our lives, and the people around us see only what we want them to see. For example…A few weeks ago, on a Saturday night, I was preparing the kids clothes for church the next day. my son wore a tie with hints of pink on it to match my daughter’s dress that matched the babies shoes and bow. It would be the babies first Sunday at church. When my husband saw how stressed I looked about getting things together, he asked me why I was going through all the trouble. I had just had a baby and needed to take it easy. Especially, since I still had to get ready for church myself. Although I knew he was right, my reply was… “Because I have to look like I have it all together”. Notice the look like part. I don’t have it all together and, in fact, some help would be nice! But Shhhh don’t you tell anyone that.

Today as I looked in the mirror, I saw a woman who does not come around enough, a woman that is confident and talented. I do have moments that I look in the mirror and like what I see. I can cook a mean Holiday meal from scratch. I can look at pretty much anything and figure out how to make it. I love a clean house and matchy, matchy children. I am not telling you all this to toot my own horn, but to answer a question I ask myself sometimes, and maybe some of you ask this same question. Why do I only dream of being Super Woman and being that great? Why can’t I have the good pictures and crafts, the well behaved children, and recipes, and have a blog to show for it?

When reflecting upon the subject I receive the following answer. There are days that I choose to be the best mother I can be. Those are the days that the house and me do not look so hot. There are days that for my own self steam I need to look good. So, my children watch a little more TV while I take a hot bath, shave, give myself a facial and manicure, call a sitter, and go on a hot date with my husband (Just to remember that I am a woman, and can look good). Other days I clean the house and light candles and cook a mean dinner, while the kids are locked out on the backyard for a couple hours. (I mean, how else are we supposed to clean anything with them running around? RIGHT??!! Please tell me you do that too.)

We do not need to do it all, all the time. Heavenly Father took 6 days to create the world, so why do we think we can do it all in a day? So… My dear mommy friends, Choose a day, and be the best you can be in one thing. And when you lay your head down on your pillow that night, don’t linger on the things you were not or didn’t do. Simply say to yourself. “My children will remember how great of a time we had today” or “That was a meal to remember…”

All of a sudden achieving your highest potential does not look so overwhelming and when Sunday comes around you can look back and reflect upon what a wonderful woman you were that week. We are amazing daughters of God with a very special gift/obligation on this Earth. That is to bring Heavenly Father’s children to Earth, and guide them back home again. And only through time and His help will we accomplish everything. But for now… “Something’s Gotta Give.”

Guest #3 of the "LOOK WHAT I CAN DO (YOU CAN DO IT TOO)!" series: Lyndsay R. with a super delicious KID FRIENDLY sugar cookie recipe!

2012-01-13T15:16:00.004-07:00

Photo taken by Amanda Donaho (Our first
guest blogger of the series as chance would
have it:) Visit Amanda Donaho Photography.

Today's guest blogger is my talented friend Lyndsay (baker extraordinaire), who was kind enough to write up this detailed recipe for KID FRIENDLY sugar cookies (Yes, super kid friendly). There are two things I am horrible at baking...bread and sugar cookies. So, this weekend the kids and I are going to give this recipe a whirl. The kiddos are beyond excited about this! So much so that Sassafras wrote up a grocery list and at the top was, "home made cookee stuf for moms freind linsee's resepy." LOL!

Lyndsay is a busy mother of two. She has had her share of huge challenges over the past few years (I wanted to give a summary of these challenges, but the summary didn't do her story justice...so, we'll save that for a later post:) and she's taught herself the ins and outs of baking to cope. We're talking more than just a little taste testing...she's studied the chemistry of baking and done the same recipes over and over until perfect. So, let's follow her lead, gather our chicks, get our hands dirty, and make some cookies. Remember...YOU CAN DO IT TOO!

(Please read her notes and commentary following the recipe for further help. Ex: You can use a regular hand mixer).

Kid-Friendly Sugar Cookies

makes 2 to 2-1/2 dozen 3-inch cookIes

Ingredients:

3-1/4 cups (390g) all-purpose flour, plus a little more for rolling out dough

½ teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1-1/2 cups (180g) confectioners sugar

1 egg, at room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla (or almond) extract

How to:

Find a “helper.”

Preheat oven to 400.

Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Measure flour, salt, and baking powder into a medium bowl. Use a fork and stir a few times to combine. Place butter in bowl of mixer fitted with paddle attachment.

Turn mixer to low speed and cream butter for a few minutes until it is lighter and coats the side of the bowl.

Add sugar to butter, and continue to mix on low to medium-low speed until thoroughly combined, scraping down sides of bowl with spatula once or twice if needed. Add egg and vanilla and mix on low speed for about 30 seconds.

Then turn to medium for an additional 30 seconds or until incorporated.

With mixer on lowest speed, add flour mixture to butter mixture in three additions, waiting until flour is just combined before adding each addition. Dough will start to pull away from sides of bowl, and should be soft, but not sticky.

If dough is still a little sticky, add 1/4-cup more flour and mix thoroughly.

Let your “helper” lick the paddle.

Lightly flour rolling surface and rolling pin.

Form dough into a ball and place on rolling surface. Lightly flour dough.

Use floured rolling pin to roll out dough to 1/4-inch thickness.

Use cookie cutters! Place cut-out pieces of dough onto the parchment lined baking sheets.

Re-roll leftover dough as needed until all cookies have been cut.

Bake cookies in preheated oven for 7 to 8 minutes.

Cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack lined with parchment paper.

Let cookies cool completely before decorating.

Check out these darling cookies Lyndsay made and decorated!

Notes & commentary from Lyndsay:

I love sugar cookies.

This is a VERY forgiving recipe. It is forgiving enough that I would let my 3-year-old measure everything but the baking powder. I have included weight measurements in the ingredients because that’s how I usually measure when baking, and these are what I have found to be the “optimal” measures for this recipe for a cookie that turns out great consistently. However, in several test runs of the recipe with the kids by my side, I have found that heaping scoops of sugar, sloppily cracked eggs, and an accidental extra 1/2 cup of flour didn’t destroy the end result—we still got soft and delicious cookies.

I wrote this recipe for use with a stand mixer, but a hand mixer can be used as well. If that’s what you would like to use, just note that when I tried the recipe with my hand mixer, it had a lot of trouble keeping up with the last addition of flour. I ended up ditching the mixer and kneading in the last bit of flour with my hands. And they still turned out great!

Cookies will be finished baking BEFORE the edges turn golden. When the tops of the cookies look dry and not doughy, it is time to take them out.

It is not necessary for the flour, baking powder, and salt to be sifted.

This recipe does NOT need to be refrigerated prior to rolling.

Baked and cooled cookies can be frozen in an airtight container. Just let them come back to room temperature before serving or decorating.

Practice makes perfect.

Isn't her little guy adorable? He looks so happy making those cookies with his mama. Thanks again Lyndsay.
PS- If there is ever a time you have questions for one of my guests, please comment on the post, or email me at jodylong82@gmail.com and I will forward your question on to them.

Guest #2 of the "LOOK WHAT I CAN DO (YOU CAN DO IT TOO)!" series- My sister Katy.

2012-01-12T11:30:00.000-07:00

Today's guest blogger in the "LOOK WHAT I CAN DO (YOU CAN DO IT TOO)!" series is my beautiful sister Katy. She has had a lot of changes in her life over the past year and has inspired me with her strength. Sometimes life gives you challenges you never saw coming, but result in more joy than you could have imagined. My sister's year has been an example of this. So, amidst your challenges remember her story and that YOU CAN DO IT TOO! Here's what she has to say...

When I found out I was pregnant with twins I was in shock. So much so, that when the tech over excitedly said those words “Oh my goodness! You’re having twins!” My response was, “No. I’m not.” I was serious. I wasn’t. I was having one baby, and only one baby. She has to be new. She must have made a mistake. No problem. Everyone makes mistakes, right? She continued to chatter on excitedly to all her colleagues completely oblivious to her giant error. Why was no one correcting her.? Surely, someone in the room had to be capable of accurately reading the screen.

You see, I couldn’t have twins. I was just not capable. The decision to have one baby was huge for me. I wasn’t mature or patient enough. We didn’t have the money. Call it selfish, but I loved my ME time. I wasn’t even particularly maternal. I was going to have to give up all my hobbies, all my time, all my money, and everything I loved. My house was never going to be clean again. I was never going to cook again. I wasn’t going to be able to work out. I was going to have to turn into an overweight dirty Mom who never showered & didn’t have time to dress herself. I was going to lose all of my friends! I was going to completely screw these kids up. I was going to fail at this big time. Oh man, I hate failing! What had I gotten myself into?

They brought my husband (then boyfriend) into the room and told me to tell him the news. I said “No. You tell him.” She looked at me, justifiably, like I had lost my mind. She pointed to the screen and said “Look. Do you see there are 2 eggs? You are having 2 babies.” I watched the same look of shock wash over his face as I imagined him fleeing in horror. I was going to have to raise these eggs by myself. Then, as immediate as the shock came, it went and a look of pure joy came over his face. I knew that everything was going to be ok. More than ok. I knew our little “instant family’ was going to be wonderful.

I wish I could say that my pregnancy went by without incident. In truth, it was by far the worst period of my life. I was sick for the first 4 months. By sick I mean, I couldn’t move at all. I could do absolutely nothing except go to the ER & the doctor. Then I felt okay... for a month...

At 24 weeks we found out some horrible news. Violet was much smaller than Lucy & continuing to grow at a much slower rate. She had a condition known as IUGR. She wasn’t growing and thriving in the womb. It was caused by a faulty umbilical cord and an incorrect blood flow. I won’t give every little detail, that’s a blog in itself. We were told that usually in her specific condition the problem was expected to get worse quickly. When that happened she would no longer be able to survive in the womb, and they would have to be delivered. They estimated it would happen sometime over the next couple of weeks. At this point Violet only weighed 15 oz. They sat us down & gave us the not so reassuring news that my girls had a 50% survival rate. If they were to make it, we were looking at a 3-4 month NICU stay with very high chances of cerebral palsy along with many other conditions. I don’t think I need to explain the devastation I felt when we heard those words. We went in for ultrasounds several times a week. Each time with a bag packed, waiting to hear the worst. But the worst never came. The doctors said they had never seen this happen.

My girls made it all the way to 34 ½ weeks. I went into surgery shaking uncontrollably, more nervous than I had ever been. Lucy was born first at 4lb 4oz and Violet followed 27 seconds later at 2lb 11oz. They both came out screaming, and it was the sweetest sound I had ever heard. They were finally here. Tiny and fighting, but they were here.

We took our babies home from the NICU after a month, and the work began. We started our chaotic yet structured life of baby bottles & diaper changes. I came across this journal entry the other day, written (while sobbing) 2 days before the girls were born. “I am not allowed to say this out loud EVER, but please please PLEASE let my daughters survive. Please let them grow. Let them be developed. Let them continue to beat the odds. Let them have a short NICU stay. Let them not be in any pain. Let them enjoy a normal, healthy life. Physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. And please, let me and Brandon have the strength to get through whatever is thrown at us. I will never take these sweet girls for granted.”

So, my life has changed a whole lot since pre-baby days. I am a SAHM, making the transition to WAHM. I love what I do in both of these areas. I’m overcaffeinated, tired, and busy. I have GoGoGo days and adhere to a schedule. I have an occasional meltdown and the thought “I am not going to make it through this day” crosses my mind at least twice a week. But my life isn’t the nightmare I envisioned when the tech told me the news. In fact, it’s pretty amazing. I shower, get myself and my babies dressed every day. I usually even manage to get makeup on. My yoga mat collects more dust than it used to, but we still stay healthy. Instead of one junk drawer I now have 3, but my house is never embarrassing. I still see my friends. I’m not always in the know about the coolest Indy music anymore and I’m going through some serious shopping withdrawal. My life isn’t perfect, but it’s perfect for me.

When I wake up in the morning & see two gummy faces smiling at me from their cribs I know everything is right in my world. They reach their little arms out for me to pick them up and I know I’m not completely screwing this up. I’m doing a pretty darn good job. I’m not saying motherhood is right for everyone. I’m just saying I had no idea how well it would suit me. Who knew? These little girls, along with my husband have brought an overwhelming amount of love and happiness into my life. I know I never did anything to deserve the joy that

I feel watching them every day. I’m living a dream that wasn’t even mine, and I couldn’t ask for more.

Sometimes our dreams find us folks. Check back tomorrow for more inspiration and the perfect, child friendly sugar cookie recipe.

"LOOK WHAT I CAN DO (YOU CAN DO IT TOO)!" GUEST BLOGGER SERIES

2012-01-11T09:18:00.001-07:00

On the heels of yesterday's blog about courage, I'd like to introduce a new blog series for this week (and into next) entitled "LOOK WHAT I CAN DO (YOU CAN DO IT TOO)!"

I hope you took the cue from yesterday that courage is displayed in many ways. This new year I want each of you to have courage to be better. To do difficult, new, and way over due things (It's about darn time, right?!) That's what this guest blogger series is all about; to read about people who can inspire you and help you to accomplish more. Let's see what they can do...and remember...YOU CAN DO IT TOO!

Okay, let's get started. I'd like to introduce a long time dear friend of mine, Amanda Donaho. She is a very accomplished photographer (Winner of weddingwire bride's choice awards 2012- visit HERE to marvel at her talents), who does lots of work from home. She is a busy mother of three, a loving wife, and a good to the core human being. Here are her suggestions for working from home and balancing life in general.

Working from home. Holding your sweet babies in your lap while you email clients. Sipping on coffee in your PJs at your desk. Eating lunch whenever & having access to whatever you want. Taking breaks, maybe even to nap, as often as you like. Sounds dreamy, right? If only that was actually how it went down.

I’ve been a work-at-home mom for nearly 5 years now and while I do indeed end up working in my PJs a lot, it’s simply because I haven’t had time to shower. I’m a wedding photographer and a mother to three little boys – a 5 year old and twins who just turned 1 year. Needless to say, it’s crazy in my house at ALL times.

I've spent much of the last year especially being frustrated with my time management skills (or lack thereof) and feeling guilty. If I’m spending time with my boys, then I feel guilty that I’m neglecting my work. If I’m working, then I feel guilty that I’m not spending time with my boys. I’m constantly feeling “behind” on something. My to-do list is longer than I care to read. In the last 4 months, I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about how to create that perfect life/work balance. I’m still learning, but thought I would share some tips on what has worked for me so far. This doesn’t only go for mom’s who work from home, but anyone who is trying to maintain a better balance in life, so you can actually ENJOY it.

*Whiteboards – I keep a large whiteboard at my desk that has all of my work “to-do” items in one spot. Everything that needs to be done goes on that board and is erased when completed. I have apps on my iPad as well to help me with these (I recommend the “Things” app if you don’t already have it) but as non-cool as it is, a simple board & marker actually help me even more. It’s in my face constantly so I can’t forget anything. The feeling of erasing an item when it’s done gives me much satisfaction.

*Have a system for everything – This is something I was already learning the importance of, but I attended a conference this fall that really drove the point home. While it’s a daunting task to actually CREATE the systems & find out what works for you, once it’s done you’ll save yourself so much time. For instance, there are few things I hate more than dragging out my double stroller and screaming children to go into the post office to mail out client DVDs. I decided that instead of trying to talk myself into going multiple times a week, I would designate Monday mornings as post office day. It can be as simple as that, or something more in depth like creating a more efficient workflow. Establishing systems is a sure way to start saving yourself some time.

*Create work hours & stick to them! This is something I’m preaching to myself on. It’s hard to do when a kid wakes up from a nap 40 minutes too early and it’s during your “work hours.” So, I’ve yet to nail down how best to establish this, but it’s a work in progress & something I think is key to getting your life back.

*Plan for tomorrow – Every night before I go to bed, I look at my whiteboard & get out my calendar. I think about any events going on that next day, nap times, etc. and plan accordingly. I then schedule specific tasks from the whiteboard to be done at specific times. I know that from 8:30-10:00am the babies will be napping and my oldest will be at pre-school, and I know these two whiteboard items will take about that long to accomplish, so that goes on the calendar, etc. Be very SPECIFIC with the tasks you need to do and the timeframes that you’re scheduling them in, it really helps you stay on task & know what items need to be done during that time.

*ALWAYS break for 10 minutes for a baby that needs to cuddle. ALWAYS.

*Take a day off! It’s SO easy as an entrepreneur to work every day. There are always so many things to be done. It’s crucial that you take at least one day a week to do NONE of those things. Shut the office door, and spend the whole day with your family & friends.

*Schedule time for yourself – Another thing that I’m slowly learning how to do. Find at least one re-charging thing for yourself each week and put it on the calendar. Maybe it’s coffee with a friend, working on a personal art or project, a pedicure… just make sure that you’re getting time away from the house to recharge. It’s one of the best things you can do for your family & your business.

*Schedule social media time – If you’re reading this blog, then chances are you’re reading other blogs. Chances are also high that you spend some time on one of the many social media networks at our fingertips. These are all GOOD things. They help us connect outside our homes (which is fantastic for those of us cooped up inside working all day who rarely get to speak to another adult) and they can be great for our businesses. They can also be a terrible waste of our time if not used with some self control. J Find out what works for you, but I urge you to find a few times a day to check personal email/social media sites & stick to that. One of my “treats” is that if I’m able to complete the task that I’ve scheduled myself during a certain block of time BEFORE that time is up, then I can browse around online for the remainder of that time. It gives me an incentive to get done what I need to do and helps limit my time in the great abyss that is Facebook. J

*Say NO! Learning to say “no” is a great thing. Really spend some time thinking about what your priorities are. If you are asked to do something that doesn’t fall into those priorities, it’s okay to say no to it! I have learned to make changes to the way I run my business and my personal life but, understand that while sometimes I feel like I’m Super Woman, I’m most definitely not and can not do all things. Often the things I am saying NO to are even GOOD things, but at the end of the day if they cause me more stress, then I’m going to pass.

As we start a new year, it’s a great time to make changes like these. I’m determined that 2012 is going to be the most balanced year I’ve had since becoming a mother & business owner and my happiest one, too!

Did you get all that great info. people?! I don't know about you, but I'm itching to go buy a giant white board now so I can write all these useful tips down...lol! Thank you so much Amanda and I know this year will be a great one for you.

Check back tomorrow for another inspiring and helpful guest blogger!

COURAGE AND THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE IT

2012-01-10T10:37:00.003-07:00

Synonyms- Fearlessness, dauntlessness, intrepidity, pluck, spirit.

Do you think you are a courageous person? Have you ever had to have courage? I think the term courage stirs up images of David and Goliath like situations; physically scary situations faced by a hero, if you will. But, if you think about it, these heroes are often ordinary people who had great faith, perseverance, pluck, spirit, or all of the above. And I'd have to disagree slightly with the above definition of courage...the "with out fear" part. I believe courage and bravery are facing difficulty, danger, pain, etc. in spite of fear or by over coming it.

I would bet each of you have been courageous at one time or another. Each of us have had to face difficulty, danger, or pain at some point. Being courageous is over coming the fear or intimidation of these challenges, and tackling them, because you know the result will be worth it.

I absolutely LOVE that the dictionary included the word "dauntlessness" as a synonym to courage. If something is daunting, it seems overwhelming or intimidating. Like a task you feel is too big for your abilities. Dauntlessness infers that you believe in yourself enough to persevere through challenges no matter how intimidating they feel.

I believe we have opportunities to be courageous each day. Sometimes we are thrust into situations where we are forced to show courage, but some of the most courageous opportunities we have are ones we create for ourselves. When we choose to conquer personal battles that we've been avoiding, etc.

It takes great courage to try, try again!

Sometimes it takes courage to not eat those Little Debbie snack cakes (Oooh that's painful), to push yourself to work out harder, to have a long over due conversation with a loved one, to forgive, to stand up for yourself or others, to try a new career, go back to school, give up a bad habit...or two....or ten...

I have so many friends and family members who are amazing examples of courage. This week I want to share a few of their stories (Check back each day for a new guest blogger:). They are mostly mothers who have over come trials and demonstrate great perseverance and talent in the midst of it. They will be great examples for all of us as we start this new year.

I hope you can relate to them, learn from them, be inspired by them and take courage from them...I know I do.

THE STRAW THAT BROKE THE MAMA'S BACK

2011-12-01T10:10:00.000-07:00

DISCLAIMER: This post was written while experiencing sleep deprivation. I insist all grammatical and spelling errors be forgiven. Post may contain extreme whining and honesty minus the sugary coating. All prudish Pats and judgmental Janes: Consider yourself WARNED!

I am sooooooooooooooooo exhausted! Baby boss has decided to rebel against his sleep schedule. Instead of two naps a day, he wants only one, but fusses because he's tired. Instead of sleeping through the night, he wakes up at 4:30 in the morning and then wants to go back to sleep at 6. This fun new phase has been going on for over a week and I've gone from survival mode to flat out crazy. Drag me to the nutty barn kind of crazy. The kind of crazy that makes you lower your standards. Instead of my usually high standards for dress (Yoga pants, T-shirt, and a little make up...glamorous...), I've sunk really low. Let me paint you a picture.

I'm so busy and tired that I haven't washed my go-to yoga pants (five pairs) this week so, I've been wearing hideous comfy shorts...the kind restricted to at home use only...and large men's T-shirts. The lack of sleep has stressed me to the point that I have GINORMOUS zits on my face (so big that people stop and ask me what happened to my face...nice...). The hair on my legs is disgustingly long, my hair hasn't seen a salon in way to long, and let's not even talk about my current eating habits. The word slovenly comes to mind.

Not only does my current coo-coo, zombie like state affect me, but my entire family as well. My normally well groomed children have picked out there own clothes for two mornings in a row (This is typically a big no-no with me...Can you say controlling?). On one of these days they may or may not have chosen dirty pants to wear. My poor husband studies all day every day and I haven't made him dinner in forever! Of course, he doesn't complain at all, but I feel like I haven't done anything just for him in way too long. That's the thing. I can't do anything for anyone because I'm barely functioning.

Once again this morning, baby boss woke up in the wee hours of the morning. The hubby and I tried over and over to get him back to sleep. In one attempt to put his thrashing body back in his crib, he crabbed my boob and pinched it really hard (Yeah, I said it...BOOB...that's reality folks). That was it! The straw that broke the mama's back. I was so angry that I plopped him in his crib to cry. After he finally drifted off, I was wide awake with frustration. I feel like I spend half my life chasing sleep and the other half being unproductive due to lack there of. Eventually I just say "Forget it!" and let the chips fall where they may.

So, after finally dozing for about half an hour, my alarm went off to get the kids off to school. I was grumpy and short with them:(, but they were ready for the bus on time (nothing short of a miracle). Next baby boss woke up, also grumpy, and we had a face off. We both sat in a tired stupor on the floor. I glared at him and he glared at me, as if to say, "Now what?!" I told him I was going to win this battle today.

I proceeded to open his Christmas present early (I pulled out the big guns). It's a pop up tent with a tunnel attached that he can crawl through. He loved it and occupied himself while I laid in a fed-up state on the couch.

Just when I felt like I had the upper hand, I noticed it was eerily quiet. I heard a distant clang and thought, "Oh no! I left the bathroom door open!" I ran to the bathroom and found him splashing happily in the toilet and rubbing his wet hands through his hair. Baby boss-1, Mommy-0.

After cleaning him up, I couldn't think of anything that would make me feel better. But, Coke usually helps in a pinch, so I pulled on my ratty sweatshirt, changed into jeans (man, I was proud of myself for that), put a jacket over baby boss's shirtless chest, and put my hairy legged, zit-faced self in the car. We drove to BK, I got a large Coke, and came home to whine at you.

And just now, baby boss came up to me and started gnawing on my leg. I peered into his little mouth and, sure enough, he has a little tooth poking through. The culprit of all my woes. Some how knowing the source of my challenge helps me. Until I realize that, through all of this sleeplessness, I've forgotten to consider what my sweet little boy was going through. That he has been hurting. Once again, baby boss has taught me something...Baby boss-2, Mommy-0.

I DIED IN MY DREAM AND IT WAS OKAY.

2011-11-29T12:05:00.001-07:00

A few years ago, I had a dream and it was so real. I was in a crowded elevator with a bunch of strangers. The dim lighting provided a warm yellow atmosphere as we smiled politely at one another and waited for the cold metal doors to spit us out.

Suddenly, the elevator lurched, stalled, and fell into a furious descent towards the ground. It wasn't the kind of controlled fall that comes from being attached to a zip line or some kind of guided system. It was a fast free fall. It was the feeling of complete helplessness and time slowed down.

I looked at the stranger's faces. Many were contorted into tortured screams of fear. One man was sobbing like a child and another was clawing at the wall as if to escape.

I felt complete peace fall over me as I sat quietly in the corner. I bowed my head and said a silent prayer, "Heavenly Father, Please be with my family as I leave this Earth. Please comfort them and bring them peace." I was sure death was coming, but I was also sure everything would be okay.

As I raised my head and opened my eyes, I was no longer in the elevator. I was in Heaven. There were dozens of gray haired men and women waiting to greet me and the others (It was as if God had chosen the kindest of grandparents for this job). They wore comfortable white clothing and white name tags. A kind woman approached me and said hello. She took my hand and told me everything would be okay...I believed her. She radiated goodness and comfort. I was led to towards other heavenly workers who were seated at desks where I was to check in and receive instructions. Then....I woke up.

I've reflected on this dream many times. I feel that if this situation were to really happen, I would react very much the way I did in the dream. Though I would be concerned for my sweet family left behind, I would have no fear of what awaited me. I'm positive of where I came from before this earthly life, why I'm here, and where I'm going next.

Lately, I've been pondering how this knowledge shapes my life. I've also been thinking about people who are unsure about the purpose of life and question the after life. Don't get me wrong, this isn't a come to Jesus meeting or anything. I believe what I believe and you believe what you believe. That's our right as human beings. But, what about those who don't believe in anything? My curiosity is peaked by those of you who fall into this category.

I have friends who go through life content with not knowing what life's all about or what happens when we die. I can't imagine what that would feel like...not knowing. If you don't know what your purpose is...What guides your morals? What would you think/feel as your elevator plummeted to the earth? These questions are not in any way formed in an accusatory or judgmental fashion. I sincerely wonder about these things.

A friend posted the following video on facebook.

As I watched this video, I thought about the above dream I had years ago. I felt grateful for the knowledge I have and the peace it brings me.

I also thought about how the beliefs I have bring me peace in any number of circumstances. Like, with my ongoing, sporadic struggle with depression. Why do I keep fighting it with hope? Because, I know that this life is a learning experience. A time to be tested and to grow. Of course we are meant to have many joyous experiences as well. But, when my heart does start to fail because of life's challenges, I take courage in the the truths I know about life and the life to come. And when my elevator does fall, I know that that is when the rest of life begins.

May you each find the answers you search for.

OUR FILTERED REALITY

2011-11-15T17:53:00.001-07:00

On this blog, I try to be honest and open...to keep it real, if you will. But, there are still things I can't write about via this forum. I can't say certain things about certain people and circumstances because it would hurt feelings or cause discomfort. Everything I write has to be edited, filtered. In fact, you and I are constantly filtering our lives. This constant editorializing of life has been on my mind a lot lately.

The other day I was prepping baby boss for a trip to the store. I wrestled him into his car seat where he proceeded to pull his socks off. I put them right back on and he, of course, tugged them off again. I sighed and said, "Fine, have it your way. We'll keep them off until we get to the store." Upon arrival at our destination, the sock war continued. Baby boss really didn't want to wear his socks. I thought to myself, "This is stupid. Why do I even care whether or not he's wearing socks? It's only a little chilly."

I realized I was fighting the sock war because it's socially unacceptable to have a baby out in public, on a chilly day, without socks. Other mothers would look at me with a judgmental eye and little old ladies would say, "It's so chilly out! Where are your baby's socks?!" (Oh yes, they actually feel it's their place to do this).
I personally didn't care whether he had his socks on or not because I knew he was warm enough. I became very annoyed with myself that I would spend so much timing fighting with a baby because of what other people thought.

So, I looked at baby boss, pulled off his socks, held my chin up high and walked into the store with my now cheerful, sockless baby. In that circumstance, it was more important for me to trust my instincts instead of acting according to the judgment of others.

We filter our actions, our words, our clothes, our kids, our pictures, and blogs. We filter EVERYTHING! Filtering is often important and good, but I wonder if we ever take it too far. We've all facebooked our lives!

We go online and see everyone's perfect photos (all edited:) of birthday parties, vacations, and any number of occasions. We then tell ourselves we should be as perfect as they are when they aren't perfect at all. It is okay to put your best foot (or photo) forward, but we all need to remember not to compare our worst to someone else's best.

On the flip side of extreme filtering are those who don't filter their lives at all.

Yesterday I made a quick trip to Target (without the kids...SWEET RELIEF!...yesterday was a super sucky day and Target was definitely the highlight.). I hadn't eaten all day and opened a box of Little Debbie Christmas tree cakes while I shopped (I know, they are so disgusting and good at the same time...if that's possible). I ended up eating three of them (Oh my gosh! I can't believe I admitted that...see, my filter is definitely off at the moment). I also bought a couple packages of sugar cookie mixes because I always like to have them on hand during the holidays (I swear there is a point to all of this).

Upon checking out, my cashier decided to take her filter off completely. This chick should have come with a warning. First, she spied my sugar cookie mixes and exclaimed, "What?! Sugar cookies from a mix!" I jokingly replied, "Yeah, I have three kids and I don't have time for home made. Do you have kids?" "No, but I watch all the neighbor kids all the time," she said defensively. "I always make home made and all the neighbor kids help me," she continued. "I have little "helpers" too," I said sarcastically. She continued to proclaim four year olds as the best helpers (Um, okay...).

As she came upon my already opened box of tree cakes she put on her bull horn voice and said, "Geez! How many of these did you eat?!" I laughed it off and said, "Yeah, that's what happens when you don't eat all day...not good." She dumped out the remaining contents of the box and said/screamed, "Here, let me help you out. I'll just throw these wrappers away. No sense in bagging an almost empty box!" Instead of smacking her I told her to keep the rest of the tree cakes for her lunch break and she said, "Thanks! These are my favorite...the only good thing about Christmas!"

She proceeded to preach to me about the commercialization of Christmas and how no one even celebrates the true meaning any more. I nodded in agreement as I bagged my own goods. She said, "Seriously, the true meaning of Christmas is family. Family is what Christmas is all about!" "Uh huh," I mumbled.

In my head I was thinking, "Actually that's not the true meaning of Christmas you non filtered, tree cake eating, home made cookie baking big mouth." But, because I have a filter, I kept my thoughts to myself and reprimanded myself for such mean thoughts.

As I remembered Who Christmas really is about, I peacefully said, "Thank you so much for your help. Enjoy your lunch break."

I guess, as with so many other things, there needs to be a happy medium. Some people need to get back to reality and some need to filter a lot more of themselves. And remember, don't let someone else's filtered "reality" make you feel bad about your perfectly normal, beautifully flawed reality.

LIKE A PUPPY CHASING IT'S TAIL

2011-11-04T12:49:00.001-06:00

Since having baby boss, I feel like a puppy chasing it's tail. Running around and around like crazy, but feeling unaccomplished at days end. Granted, this is a generalization and I know that I technically accomplish a lot. But, sheesh, you wouldn't know it by my messy house, mountain of laundry, and disheveled appearance.

This past week, I've been chasing my tail (No, not chasing tail...get your mind out of the gutter!:) at a dizzying speed. Baby boss has been very sick, creating many sleepless nights and exhausting days of holding a screaming 23 pound baby. The house is more disgusting than ever and there is no clean laundry to be found.

You think I'm exaggerating, well, I'm not. My exact words to my kids this morning as I rushed to get them ready for school were, "Both of you, go downstairs and look through the dirty laundry for a pair of pants that isn't too dirty." I then proceeded to iron the pants so they would be disguised as cleanish. Later, after washing my hands with a fussy babe in one arm, I dried my hands with toilet paper (There were no clean hand towels to be found). I shook my head in dismay as I picked the white remnants off my still damp hands.

After the above experience, I placed baby boss on the ground to fuss, and plopped down on the couch in dispair. I then said aloud, "Fine! Whatever! Just forget it all! Why do I even try?!!!!!!!!" Of course, there was no one there to hear me except baby boss, who didn't like the tone of my voice and wailed even louder. I picked him up, wanting to wail right along with him, but I was too tired.

I walked (okay, stomped) around the living room, shushing him and patting his back. All along thinking, "I wonder what exact percentage of my life is spent in this frustrating haze of weariness." I don't know the answer, no one but God does, but I would guess it is a pretty large amount of time. My next chain of thoughts were along the lines of, "So, what's the point? Is this how life should be?"

Honestly, I've never ever wondered the answer to that question. Even on the worst of days, I know...Of course this is how life should be! God is not in pursuit of only my happiness, he's in pursuit of my character. He's testing and trying me because he loves me and wants me to learn patience, kindness, and selflessness.

Last night my prayer was a little different. Instead of pleading for a good nights sleep, I prayed that I would have the strength to deal with whatever was to come. You know what? Baby boss was still up all night and it was still difficult, but I felt strength added to mine.

Today, I'm thankful that no matter how hard it gets, I know I'm exactly where I should and want to be. As a mother, I go through some difficult things, things I would never put myself through (And thus never become the person I need to be), but I have the greatest of privileges.

Yesterday, the Commander scribbled furiously in his "private notebook." He then asked for an envelope. I said, "Sure buddy, but what have you got there?" "Pictures and notes I drew for Nicole. I've been working really hard on them," was his reply. Sassafras shouts from the next room, "NICOLE IS HIS CRUSH! HE LOOOOVES HER!" "No I don't, we're just friends," he says confidently.

His pictures of dogs, cats, and monsters are so cute that I can't help but smile. I say a silent prayer that Nicole (spelled "Nickol":) will accept them graciously. I'm sure she has no idea how lucky she is to be at the receiving end of such a sweet boy's affections. But, I know how privileged I am to be his mother and to have countless drawings done at his hand.

Two days ago, as I drove my beautiful daughter home from dance, she looked out the window and said, "I can see a nose on the moon tonight, but I can't tell if it's waxing or waning (Her statement simultaneously displaying her childlike nature and maturity)." This morning, Sassafras again made me smile by asking, "Do you think Santa Claus watches church on TV?" I laughed aloud (picturing Santa watching a televangelist) and said, "Maybe, why don't you write him a letter and ask him." Yup, I'm privileged to her sweet remarks every day.

In the time it's taken me to write this post, baby boss has unrolled the toilet paper, spilled some water, drawn with a crayon on the floor, and tried to climb the stairs...twice (up went the gate). I guess that means he's finally starting to feel better. As hard as his sickness has been on everyone, I've been privileged to nurse him through it.

You'd think someone as privileged as I am could get a nap and a maid to clean up this joint. Sigh...

LIVING THE SWEET LIFE

2011-10-15T11:17:00.000-06:00

There's a reason I used to write on my blog every day. It wasn't because I thought everyone would be interested in my ramblings on such a regular basis (Ha!...far from it:). I just have so many thoughts going through my head each day that if I don't write the important ones down, they never get written at all. This blog is, after all, first and foremost my journal.

Anywho, last week my kids had some random days off school so I drove to Indiana to visit my family. The trip produced many ideal blogging topics. The beautiful weather, memory making experiences with family and friends, and taking on a road trip with kids all by myself (The latter definitely presented some...interesting, adventurous,want to pull out my hair...experiences).

It's Skyline Time

When Baby Boss finally started saying, "Ma ma." I told myself, "Don't forget to blog about how that made you feel." When my diet was curtailed by evil forces (Namely, Skyline, Frisch's, and my mom's treats.), I thought, "You need to write this down." When my kids stopped at their first rest stop ever (we usually stop at restaurants or gas stations for potty breaks), the Commander said (in his best anchorman voice), "This rest stop brought to you by the national peeing foundation." I wanted to blog the heck out of that one.

Cousins

There were many other moments I intended to record in this most public of journals, but the time has past and I can't remember them all. I will say though, hearing baby boss say ma-ma makes my heart swell; Going off my diet for a few days was a set back, but worth it (and I've gone right back to the joy of dieting...killing it!).; The comic relief of the Commander and Sassafras saved my sanity during our road trip.; The gorgeous fall weather we had was awe inspiring.; The time spent with my family and friends was priceless.

I had wanted to visit Indiana the weekend before we did to visit with friends who were in town and to take my kids to the local Farmer's Fair, but I couldn't take them out of school (and the weather was flat out crappy). This weekend, a family friend is getting married and I wanted to be there for that too, but it wasn't in the cards.

For whatever reason, I had the chance to road trip it last weekend, and I took it. I felt almost a physical pull to go. Like, I knew I was supposed to. I can't really explain it, but I know that trips rarely go as smoothly as this one did. The weather is rarely that perfect, children rarely as well behaved, and time with loved ones just plain too rare in general.

Grandpa

There were definitely trying moments. Sassafras and her incessant car sickness and baby boss keeping me up at night, just to name a couple. But, there are times in life where burdens are made light and this trip was one of those times. It was time well spent.

Grandma

Alas, the kids had to return to school and we all missed the Hubby very much (The poor guy had to stay home to study his butt off...as usual). Now, we are back in the groove of our every day life and it has been so sweet to know we have something...well, so sweet...to come back to.

DEPRESSION AWARENESS MONTH

2011-10-10T14:22:00.001-06:00

Hello peeps. I was asked by a nonprofit organization working towards depression awareness to post the following message on my blog. These are not my words, but I agree with what is said. You can read a little about the author following the remarks. Enjoy.

Join the Fight: Depression Awareness Month

It is so hard to take care of the house and the kids when you need a fork lift to get out of bed each morning. That is why it is so important to spread awareness about Depression during October, Depression Awareness Month. I would surely like my husband to have more awareness, although generally, he is patient and sympathetic with me.

What motivates me to write about Depression Awareness Month is my daughter. She called me from her dorm and said, “Mom, I can’t sleep, I can’t eat; I can’t focus on my homework. What’s the point of all this anyway?” I had hoped none of my children would experience depression. I’ll have to revise my hope.

While searching for information on depression in young adults, I learned that 44% of college students have depressive symptoms. As my daughter would say, “OMG.” How is it possible that so many young people, close to half, are depressed when they’re just out of life’s starting gate? I find it outrageous that suicide is the second leading cause of death among college students. It can’t be right to ignore these statistics.

How Bad Does It Have to Get?

Think about it; if 44% of university students had the flu all at once, it likely would be labeled an epidemic. I think if people realized how big this problem is, there would be more concern; or, at least the start of more concern.

The other day my ten-year old said, “Mom, you’re such a crab,” and that was to my face. My husband calls our life boring, and my mother thinks I’m lazy. There is a little truth to the laziness part, but that’s not why the laundry is piled up. I do not want my daughter to be afraid of people finding out she is depressed.

That is why I am thrilled about Depression Awareness Month. It won’t fix the problem, but it is a start. People need to know what the symptoms are, what resources are available, and those that are suffering deserve to feel accepted.

As for myself, I want people to know that I do not expect to be babied, and do not feel sorry for myself. I want people who are suffering unnecessarily to find help. I want to purchase my medication without feeling a tinge of shame.

There Is An Easy Way To Help

There are some people who are doing more to spread depression awareness than just talking, like me. Help for Depression, a depression resource, and a nonprofit called To Write Love On Her Arms, have joined forces this October to raise money for depression awareness.

If you can click with a mouse, you can make a difference. Go to the Help for Depression Facebook page and click the ‘Like’ button. For each new ‘Like’ given between October 1st through the 15th, $1.00 is donated to their $15,000 goal. Please take a few seconds to click and contribute.

About the Author
Jacqueline is a creative writer, published poet, and has an MA in counseling psychology. Her education is backed by 12 years experience as a licensed clinical counselor.

MARY, MARY QUITE CONTRARY...AND BLIND

2011-09-30T13:31:00.001-06:00

Did you watch Little House on the Prairie when you were young? I did (I'm not sure if it's because we only had 3.5 channels or because I genuinely liked the show). Remember when Mary lost her sight? I was beside myself with sadness for her. I thought, "How is she going to survive without being able to see? What's she going to do now? How will she fix her own hair or find the toilet?" I was seriously engrossed in the show, dying to know what would happen next.

Well, happily, Mary married a hot blind man (not that she could see him in all his fineness...oh, the irony) and ran a school for the blind. Go Mary!! Anyway, I do have a point. Mary had to improve her other senses to compensate for her impairment.

We've all heard of this concept. If someone experiences some kind of impairment, their other senses improve. A vision impairment may result in increased hearing. When someone loses a limb, the other body parts adapt. Our bodies are amazing!

Over the past couple of weeks I've drastically changed my diet and have been working out intensely every day. At first, my body went into shock. Every day was a fight just to keep going. But soon, my body came in line with my mind and now the changes almost feel normal (almost...no chocolate will never feel normal:).

As I've made these changes, I've noticed something interesting. Now that I'm not distracted by feeling bad about my body or baking chocolate chip cookies, I'm enjoying the other parts of life more. I can't have the things I used to cope with (junk food) so I have to turn to healthier coping mechanisms.

I exercise and feel proud and amazed, once again, by the capabilities of the human body. I take a walk or go to the park with my kids and instead of obsessing over all the skinny moms there, I watch the joy on my kiddo's faces. I take walks and hikes and notice the beautiful fall colors. I look for activities in the community to take my family too instead of going to McDonald's play land.

"What the heck is your point?" you ask. Well, I'm sure that someone who is blind really misses their vision. They have sorrow for what they no longer see. But, I bet a great many would tell you they "see" things much better because of their impairment. Many find great joy in parts of life they took for granted before. They probably love to hear children laughing and birds singing, cherish music and know each individuals foot steps.

I miss junk food and chocolate. But, I'll tell you what, when I do have a taste of a treat it is SO much better than it was before and the life experiences I enjoy by giving them up is so much better than any cookie. Sacrifice is giving up something good for something better or more worth while. What do you want and what will it take for you to have it?

Being pregnant with baby boss and the stresses of this past year have been a long marathon of survival (we will all have phases like this...it's okay) during which I developed bad habits. I'm starting to shake these habits now and it feels like I'm coming out of a long sleep. Wake up with me people. Wake up!!!

CRAZY IN THE CAR WASH...WAHOO!

2011-09-22T12:48:00.000-06:00

Can I just tell you how much I love hearing from my readers and friends...and friends that are readers! Today I got a message that said the following...

"So, this morning I woke up to 3 full blown screaming children. 1) Because it looked like rain today and today is fair day, and it's "soooooooo not fair." 2) Because, the shirt she has to wear is not pink or PUPLE. 3) Well, let's credit the first two for number three too. What did I do? I threw them all in the Burban, shoved a bottle into #3, and drove grouchy #1 to school. Then I went straight to BK for a super large Coke and some french toast sticks and tater tots. Then I drove through a very noisy car wash so I didn't have to hear anything about the puple shirt. I drank my coke and shared my sticks and tots with #2. Then I drove to 2 garage sales and spent 15 dollars on trash/treasure. I NOW feel ready to take on the day.

I did all of this thinking of you Jody, hoping this is something you would do, and that I'm not the only crazy one out there. Hope your morning was a little smoother than mine."

Let me just say, yes my friend, that is exactly something I would do and yes, I live in crazyville too. The above situation definitely warrants a little treasure/trash and a nice icy Coca Cola. And, I must say I have used the car wash on multiple occasions for entertainment/distraction for my kids. My poor kids think the car wash is some kind of amusement park ride. "Who wants to go to the car wash?" Kids reply, "Wahoooooooooo! Yay, the car wash!!!!" Hahahaha...this strikes me as so funny right now.

I might add that they also think a toy from Goodwill is an awesome prize and a dollar store toy is mega awesome. I keep there expectations low so that Christmas is much easier (Thems just jokes people...sort of:).

Anywho, I would love to hear from you the funny/out of the ordinary coping techniques you use to stay sane as a parent. Come on...tell me a story. Send them to jodylong82@gmail.com and I will post them on this blog with my own stories that I'm sure closely parallel your own.

They can be small techniques you use to get through hard days or just flat out funny experiences. I look forward to hearing from you!