Hi there. New here? It’s nice to meet you!

I’m Allison and I write about parenting and life in the Twin Cities with my husband and our two (very) little boys on O My Family. We touch on a little bit of everything around here… postpartum depression and kitchen remodels, running half marathons and wearing my babies (but not at the same time).

{Please appreciate how willing my 2-almost-3-year-old is to do anything to make people laugh, including but not limited to gooftastic smiles in otherwise idillic family pictures. Sigh.}

You might have caught a glimpse of me today on the Twin Cities’ Kare11 Today show (at about 11 am if it hasn’t happened yet) talking about how I prepare for a day trip with our young family. I have included all of the information here that I talked about in my interview, and then some. I hope you’ll find what you’re looking for and please – if you don’t, ask! You’ll find that readers who stop by my little corner of the interwebs here are, to me, friends I just haven’t met yet.

:: a day out with the family – must-haves for a day trip with small children ::

Planning ahead for your day trip is so important. I like to play the day out in my head, picturing different scenarios we might encounter – what and when we will eat, how the weather will impact us, etc. I then choose how I want to prepare for the day based on those situations – e.g. extra bug spray for if we stay out until dusk, extra water if we won’t have access to refills. Each trip will be unique in this regard, so be sure to tak the time to think through the day’s events.

• Hand sanitizer – Pretty self-explanatory.
• Camelback Kids Bottle – Want to keep healthy? Keep hydrated. I love these bottles for my kids because they have a lot more volume to them than a usual non-spill cup and are easy enough for even my one year old to know how to use.
• BabyGanics Cleansing Washcloths – These are disposable washcloths that you only need water to use. Great for extra dirty hands before meals or for an end of the day clean up of a (happy) messy little kiddo.
• BabySilk Sunscreen – I would like to personally hug the inventor of sunscreen wipes. Sure, we left the goop stuff in the dust a while ago when someone came up with a spray bottle application, but have you ever asked a one year old toddler to “sit still while I spray this all over you?” Clever, clever people those sunscreen wipe inventors.
• NurtureMe Dried Organic Baby Food – I especially love this for longer hikes with littles or situations where carrying minimum weight is ideal. These are pouches of dried baby food that you add water to and reconstitute. Much lighter than food jars and fantastic ingredients (this one contains “organic apples”).
• Medifast Medibites – Remembering to keep Mom and Dad well nourished is paramount to a good family day trip. Medifast has a whole line of high-protein snacks that give me enough energy to make it though long days with the boys. And a large (…or ‘small’?) bonus, on the Medifast nursing mother’s program I have currently lost 30lbs!

For littles with allergies (my oldest has seasonal allergies that can be the pits) I can’t stress enough the importance of planning ahead. For food allergies, pack enough snacks to supplement for any questionable options that might be available, and talk to your child about what the day may hold as it relates to their food allergies. A MedicalID Bracelet may be something to look into if your child has severe reactions.

In the case of seasonal allergies, make sure your child or children are current on any doses of allergy medication they may take. If you have a go-to over the counter treatment, be sure to bring it along with you. One product that may help too is Maty’s All-Natural Cough Syrup which, although labeled as a cough syrup, can help with many respiratory issues. It is essentially buckwheat honey and treats throat and breathing problems for children over one.

I hope you are able to plan a memorable day trip with your little ones and that these tips help keep everyone happy and healthy!

You better believe I have pictures.

But here’s the thing. None of that is coming off my fingers into a blog post (no matter how hard I try) because my head is swirling and whirling about this:

Tomorrow I will be on TV.

The program is Kare 11 Today (on NBC) and I will be talking with the hosts about how to prepare for a day trip this summer with littles kiddos. The interview will be live and should air some time around 11am here in the twin cities. I am so very excited and so very nervous.

I know what I’ll be talking about and am comfortable with my talking points, but you guys.

WHAT DO I WEAR?

::discuss::

5 years now we have been married. I could start out by listing all the crazy things we have accomplished together in those 5 years – the children we’ve created, the house projects we’ve tackled, the places we’ve traveled – but you know all of those things (you were there, too). Instead, I want to tell you what’s in my heart when I think about our life.

I’ll describe it like this: last Wednesday night we laid on the bare wood floor of our kitchen, looking up at the ceiling and talking through our crazy plans to accomplish All The Things this weekend. We would do a coat of varnish at this time, and then do this that and the other thing, then we’d come back and do the final coat then.

But then it dawned on us. Saturday was our anniversary and we had a babysitter coming.

Babe, we nearly adventured our way past our anniversary, unawares… and I love it. I love being up to my eyeballs in life with you, so focused on our family and our dreams that the world around us blurs in the background. I love being spontaneous and thinking more about what we will talk about on our dates than where we will go. I love being by your side, conquering the world (or at least our smallish corner of it).

Our 5th anniversary date was perfect, and perfectly us. We wore jeans, we used a Groupon, we played it by ear. We didn’t exchange gifts or even cards, but we talked about the deep things, the changes these 5 years, our dreams for the future and for our family. We were honest and brave and open. That was our gift to each other.

Thank you so much for sharing this life with me. Thank you for what you provide for our family. Thank you for the love you show to our boys.

At the end of the fairytale book you wrote me when you proposed, the knight and the princess ride off in the sunset on their way to “many exciting and magical quests”. Babe, you could not have been more right. I love going on magical quests with you. May there be many, many more.

My whole heart,

Allison

Thursday May 3rd, 2012: 158lbs – 29lbs lost*!

I have no idea how this is possible, but even when most of my family’s meals are prepared in the microwave or are hotdogs/burgers off the grill, I am still losing weight.

Please do the math on that with me.

Kitchen – stove and oven + life upheaval + meal choices^quick and easy = weight loss

That equation doesn’t add up, but it’s also incomplete. This is more accurate:

(Kitchen – stove and oven + life upheaval + meal choices^quick and easy ) x medifast = weight loss

Boom. Just like that my family can sit down to a meal of chicken nuggets or beans and rice from the crock pot while I have a Medifast meal (usually a bar or shake) and yea, I have been known to nibble on a nugget or two, but I am still on a downward trajectory. If I were not following the Medifast Nursing Mother’s program right now, y’all KNOW I’d be headed in the wrong direction one poptart at a time. (Because, yes. We now have poptarts in the house. I do not have a stove.)

* One day last week the scale jumped down to 157, but I’m not counting it because I haven’t seen it since and also because it was not my usual weigh in time (if I tried to compare throughout the day I would go crazy – keep in mind I’m nursing). Although, I’m not going to lie: it felt so good to see that number and do the math. I started this journey at 187lbs. 157 will mean 30lbs lost. That blows my ever loving mind, friends and readers (who are friends I just haven’t met yet). BLOWS MY MIND.

Anyway, I don’t want to celebrate prematurely, but I wanted to share how excited I am that 30lbs is right around the corner. ::fist bump::

My Journey to Health:

May 3, 2012: 158lbs

April 28, 2012: 160lbs

March 31, 2012: 163lbs

February 29, 2012: 166lbs

January 30, 2012: 174lbs

December 30, 2011, 187 lbs

29 lbs lost!

“O thank God.” I sigh-speak.

“Hi! It’s me!” (he says now).

In his hand he holds a skinny brown cylinder, an aluminum can I have come to love more than I thought possible. My heart leaps.

**Interruption to remind you:

This, week 8 of our kitchen remodel, is also week 5 of not having a stove. That is to say: I cannot boil water (except maybe in the microwave? Does that work?). As my friend Abby said, “Wishing you a speedy return to this century. Wait, they boiled water in ALL THE CENTURIES!!!!” Since we do not own a coffee maker and making french press coffee (my usual) requires pre-boiled water, I am proverbially up coffee creek without a latte.

Until DanO comes unannounced through the front door brandishing an aluminum can like the knight in shining armor that he is.

I may not have the ability to boil water, but I can sure tell you what modern chivalry looks like.

Brothers, let us come together
Walking in the Spirit there’s much to be done
We will come reaching out from our comforts
And they will know us by our love

Nervous, excited, shy, anxious, giddy, we filled the kitchen and our conversations spilled into the entryway and living room. We cuddled up in the den with blankets, the fireplace lit and videos of Jesus women projected on the wall and into our hearts. They showed us how God has been using these silly little websites we write to bring women together, protect unborn life, break the chains of slavery, heal hearts.

Sisters, we were made for kindness
We can pierce the darkness as He shines through us
We will come reaching with a song of healing
And they will know us by our love

The Spirit wove its way through that room, 32 women we sat, hearing how we can use our words to bring light, to create, to heal. We passed kleenex. We were filled to the measure with courage. We were reminded what a gift these words are that we’ve been given. May we wield our words to His Glory.

The time is now
Come church arise
Love with His hands
See with His eyes
Bind it around you
Let it never leave you
And they will know us by our love

{A mere fraction of our group because I totally forgot to take a group picture while everyone was still there.}

{Song Lyrics from By Our Love, Christy Nockles}

:: :: :: :: :: ::

I loved being a part of (in)RL here in Minnesota, but did you know that sisters met up all over the world?!

Friends and readers (who are friends I just haven’t met yet), Nicci of Changing the Universe. Nicci of Changing the Universe, friends and readers.

{Exchange pleasantries. It’s cool. I’ll wait.}

Nicci is the talent behind Changing The Universe – The Shop, O My Family’s current featured sponsor! She is a local Minnesotan who is following through on a dream of hers: opening a handmade shop.

“I started Changing the Universe – The Shop in February after I’d spent my Christmas vacation teaching myself how sew these coasters and pillow covers and tweaking their design to make them fit me. Since I started, I’ve become a fabric-a-holic! “

{I love the colors in this set, and I’m a sucker for fabrics with text on them.}

Isn’t that so great? I can totally get behind a work-at-home-mom pursuing her passions and honing her skills. This kind of thing makes me all excited and goose-fleshy. Yay for dream-following!

Nicci shared with me a little more about  Changing the Universe – The Shop.  “You’ll find fun and funky fabric coasters and throw pillow covers in a variety of patterns and colors, sure to add a punch of style to any room of your home! Everything you see listed in the CtU storefront is pre-made and ready to ship. When your order is placed, it will be out the door in 1-3 days!”

I love that the coasters are soft and kid friendly (unlike those heavy glass or chewy cork ones). We have bid adieu to more than a couple of coaster sets in this home. (O, look, Mommy! A sharp-cornered metal and glass thing to throw!) Sturdy but soft felt-lined cloth coasters are a much better option.

I know what you’re thinking. You want to ask Nicci: So you make vibrant pillow cases and coasters, huh? Awesome! Tell me a little more about yourself.

To which, Nicci says, “Sure!…I’m a wife of 4 years to Tim and a mom of 2 1/2 years to Aric. I work full time out of the home in the social services field, which I adore. Oh, and I’m a full time grad student, studying to be a Special Education teacher! When I have coveted free time, I’m either melted into the couch watching trashy reality TV, or I’m hunched over my sewing machine or laptop … with trashy reality TV on in the background.”

You can find her blog here, her tweets here, and her facebook page here.

{Now, Real Housewives of Atlanta, anyone?}

Ok, you’re right. This is neither the time nor the place for trashy TV talk. Instead, how about this:

I am thrilled to announce that O My Family is giving away a $30 shop credit to Changing the Universe – The Shop to one friend or reader (who is a friend I just haven’t met yet)! The shop credit works on anything, including shipping, up to $30.

Leaving a comment on this post is all you have to do to enter! Of course, for those over achievers, you can gain one extra entry by tweeting this:

O how I love @sticky41284! Check out their $30 shop credit giveaway by @OMyFamily here: http://omyfamilyblog.com/?p=11928

Just tweet it and come back here to leave ONE ADDITIONAL comment on this post letting me know that you tweeted and what your twitter name is. Any comments that don’t follow these rules will be deleted. (Play fair, friends!)

This giveaway closes at 9:00pm CST Monday April 30th. The winner will be announced the next day.

A little shop keeping for Changing the Universe: May 6th is the last day to order for guaranteed delivery by Mother’s Day. Also, OMF readers can use the code OMYFAMILY to save 10% on their orders!

Good luck!

Disclosure: Changing the Universe – The Shop is a paid sponsor of O My Family and has provided the spoils of this giveaway today. The shop credit is good for one transaction only; any remaining credit balance will be surrendered after purchase.

The boys wrestling with their daddy on the rug.

The “hold my hand, Mommy” as we go down stairs every morning.

The way my oldest whispers to his baby brother as they fall asleep at night.

The “Mamamamama” jabber as the baby reaches for my face.

The laughter at the dinner table.

I know I will miss these things when they are grown because I feel the swelling these moments make in my heart. When these moments are gone, I will feel the space they will have left.

But the $4 of spilled blackberries.

The whining and pulling at my pants.

The learning (and learning, and learning, and learning…) to share.

The semi-comedic circus to get everyone out the door.

The constant questions. (O, sweet mercy! The questions!)

I want to miss these moments, too. I want to treasure them for what they are – fleeting. But with my current perspective, these moments aren’t expanding my heart. They are annoyances to me. Isn’t that the strangest thing? How does it happen that my children learning and needing me has become, in my eyes, a burden?

O, let it not be so.

I want God-eyes to see the preciousness in my near-three-year-old’s efforts to put away the berries himself. The connection OBrother and I have formed that makes him so long to be close to me. The foundation for the future of my boys’ friendship which we are laying now, on the floor of the playroom as they learn to share. The excitement that awaits us on the other side of that front door. The curiosity and learning spirit of  OBoy.

I want to see those beautiful sides of these imperfect moments. I want my heart to expand at the blessings, not shrink and harden at the burden. I want these moments to grow and stretch me so that when they’re over – even the messy ones – my heart feels their absence and remembers them with fondness.

May I see the God-breathed beauty in every moment and may I miss them when they’re gone.

I’ve lost my routine. Maybe it has something to do with the current state of my kitchen (you think?) and the amount of time DanO and I spend dedicated to this remodel. I have only worked out 3 times week these last two weeks. (Whoops.)

It’s not just a time and exercise thing, either. Many meals for us lately are microwaved. I’ll admit we’re eating a lot of processed food that I can throw on the table (3 cheers for chicken nuggets!). And I’m eating it too.

The good news (REALLY good news) is that even though my life is absolute chaos, when I put in some effort and eat most of my Medifast meals, I still lose weight. Slowly? Yes. Could be doing better? Yes. But undoing my progress? Nope! Making more progress (slowly)? YES!

My Journey to Health:

April 20: 160lbs

April 6, 2012: 161lbs

March 31, 2012: 163lbs

February 29, 2012: 166lbs

January 30, 2012: 174lbs

December 30, 2011, 187 lbs

27 lbs lost!

Remember that?

{what we wore}

-oboy and obrother: white oxfords – thrifted (gap). khaki pants – thrifted (polo and gap). ties – handmade by whimsical pudding. obrother’s shoes – old navy. oboy’s shoes – crocs.

-danO: coral and blue oxford – costco (represent!). khaki pants – target. belt – gap. shoes – (and I quote: ‘I have no idea’).

-me: dress – h&m. cardigan – target. yellow shoes – dsw, (steve madden). flower headband – handmade by the petal collection.