Wonderfully Chaotic

Lesson Pathways Deals & Steals (Again!)

2010-07-29T17:02:00.000-04:00

Just wanted to remind you all that there's another Deals & Steals post up at the Lesson Pathways blog, where I am a writer! It's going to be a feature every Thursday so you should definitely bookmark or follow their blog so you can check it out (and their other great articles) each week! To read this week's post, please go here.

An Open Letter to Betty Draper

2010-07-29T08:00:00.000-04:00

Note: After the jump, this does have spoilers in it up to the most current Mad Men episode.

Betty Draper, you confuse me beyond belief. You ~~are~~ were my favorite character. You're a young mother of some very cute kids. (Like me!) You're married to a incredibly handsome man. (Also like me!) You're intelligent and poised, sophisticated, beautiful. (Uhhh....maybe like me...sort of?) From day one I have felt for you and your struggles. But upon entering Season Four, I have as yet to draw my line in the sand. I want to like you, I really do. But you make it so hard, darling...

I want to tell my husband that he's wrong - that you're not a frigid cow. But in the most recent episode, every time you were on screen, I just wanted to scream "ICE QUEEN!!!!!!!" When Don came over to pick up the kids for his visitation and asked about the baby, you just shrugged your shoulders at him. You could care less. I cringed. Yes, I know...he's put you through a lot. I understand that. But it doesn't give you the right to become Angry Baby Momma. You've become so flippant with him. With the kids too. To be honest, my adoration of you has been crumbling for some time. As the seasons of Mad Men have went on, we've seen you become less involved with your kids. You seem like you don't even want to be a parent anymore - you'd rather throw those duties to the housekeeper/nanny.

Example One:

Now, I will grant that the video only highlights your bad characteristics and that it was a different time period then...but you've kind of become someone who is grumpy with her kids most of the time. In the most recent episode, you forced food down your daughter's throat to try and please your new mother-in-law, yanked said daughter away from the trouble when she spit the food out and then were apparently pinching her in the other room. You threatened her at home later when she tried to call her father. Sally clearly is troubled and you respond only with anger. I see therapy in her future.
When you went with Don on his business trip overseas last season, I cheered for you! What a lovely break for you two - a chance to really reconnect and you both had a great time. But you came back and were completely sullen. Don gave you a present to remember your trip by and you were downright rude to him. Why Bets? When you confronted Don about "the drawer" and got everything out into the open, I cheered for you! I couldn't wait to see what would happen. But naively I assumed you'd fight, work out your differences and everything would get better. NOT GET DIVORCED. Divorce solves nothing! (Disclaimer: That is definitely not true in all cases. I am just speaking specifically of this instance.) Even when the other person is gone, they're not truly gone. You have children together. He's probably always going to be in your life somehow because they are in your life and he's their father. I understand your reluctance to move out but come on, that was the house you shared with your ex-husband. And now you're not even looking for some place else....could it be because somewhere deep down inside you, you miss him somewhat? He's been conniving and deceitful but he's also a good provider and I think he honestly just wants the best for you. He does love you. You know he does or he wouldn't have said "I won't fight you" and let you have your way. That is true love, my dear...when the husband lets you have your way without an argument!
And speaking of husbands, I think you're thinking that Henry Francis is a fixer. Maybe that he'll solve all your problems? Honey, as every woman knows when you have a problem with a man you don't get ANOTHER man. Especially one that is old. And who to me seems rather fake. But that's just my opinion. I think you're going to find that things aren't that much better. "The grass is always greener" and all that jazz.

In closing, Betty dearest...I also just want the best for you. I adore you and Don together. Your kids need you. I know he's put you through some rough things but you're no perfect princess yourself. I think you both need to own up to your faults and talk things through. Marriage counseling, perhaps? Although, that would be a bit tricky since one of you has an assumed identity. And you definitely shouldn't go to the shrink you were seeing before.

Sigh. All I'm trying to say is...remember all the good times. Do they outweigh the bad?

Much Love, Mrs. Addison

Yes, I do realize this is just a character on a show. :)

Wordless Wednesday: Sandbox Fun

2010-07-28T01:36:00.000-04:00

Sometimes it's incredibly hard to get them both to look at the camera at the same time so I just give up and live with the weird face or sideline glance pictures. :)

Mamavation Monday: Week Five

2010-07-26T23:01:00.000-04:00

Last week my weight was 228.0 and this week I unfortunately gained. :( Current weight is 231.0 which is a gain of three pounds. It really upsets me since I had been doing so well but such is life I guess. My kids have had colds this past week and consequently haven't been sleeping the best - well, the baby hasn't anyway - and I've had a touch of it myself. So I haven't been exercising as much and I've overdone it on food. I did eat more vegetables this week though which is goal of mine because I hate them. I also have to give a little shout-out to the Mamavation Veggie Contessa who has been giving great tips and facts on veggies! One of the days last week she talked about carrots, I just happened to be going to the store so I picked up carrots while I was there! :) I ended up making a chicken casserole and added shredded carrots and celery to it. The kids and I (well, me and Ellie...Zeke still isn't brave enough) also snacked on celery throughout the week with a little peanut butter. I'm working on Zeke - he's quite the opinionated 4 (almost 5) year old but I have been getting him to try new foods, little by little.

Goals for this Week: Continue eating veggies, eat less, exercise more and get back on track.
Reminder: My goal for December 5th is to lose 20 pounds.
Sista of the Week: Rita (@lovelyritaann) is this week's SOTW! Congratulations - you deserve it girlfriend!
Joining Mamavation: If you are interested in pledging to the Mamavation Sistahood, Monday is the time to do it. (Sorry my post is belated - keep it in mind for next week though if you're interested!) Go here for instructions - invitations are done on Wednesdays over Twitter. (Or later if Leah gets swamped.)
Blogging Carnival: This week's blogging carnival at Mamavation was sponsored by Katy Bowman and her Aligned and Well series.

Why You Should Watch Mad Men

2010-07-26T00:14:00.000-04:00

I debated about whether to write this post after the season premiere tonight or if I should write it beforehand. I ended up writing it after because time got away from me today. If you haven't heard of my love for Mad Men, you obviously don't follow me on Twitter. I'm joking...but I do talk about it a lot on there - and I follow lots of cool MM peeps on there as well! Anyway, it's an awesome (and critically acclaimed) show. My hubby and I heard about it from one of his former co-workers, rented a DVD and got hooked. According to the all knowing Wikipedia:
Mad Men is set in the 1960's at the fictional Sterling Cooper advertising agency on Madison Avenue in New York City. The show centers on Don Draper (played by Jon Hamm), creative director at Sterling Cooper, as well as those in his life in and out of the office. It also depicts the changing social mores of 1960's America.
The show is currently on it's fourth season (it premiered tonight) but seasons one through three are available in stores, on Netflix, etc. And to sway you some more, I present my reasons why you should be watching Mad Men:

The style and design of the show is beautiful. The costume designer Jamie Bryant is amazing. The women's dresses are drop dead gorgeous down to the last minute detail. Watching the show makes me want to wear dresses, aprons and heels daily. If only I had enough money to buy a fabulous vintage wardrobe. And patience to put on all that clothing every morning. And smaller feet that would fit into cute heels... Ahem, I DIGRESS.
The cast is incredibly talented and each is suited just right for his or her role. The development of the characters and story lines are constantly evolving. It's intriguing seeing how things have changed since the 1960's not only with women's rights but with marriage, child-rearing, race, careers, pregnancy and family. The events and products that were popular and happening then - Kennedy vs. Nixon, the Playtex Jackie or Marilyn campaign, the Civil Rights Movement, etc. - are really interesting to see when we know from history what's going to happen, but maybe not exactly how.

And if that's not enough...I'll tempt you with pictures:

The ladies:
(January Jones, Christina Hendricks and Elizabeth Moss)

There's more than just these three but they're my favorites. They're incredibly beautiful, sophisticated and stylish. I also love that they're not twigs.

They're real women - we see them in their daily activities, with their children, husbands, families - struggling to find their place in the world.

DON DRAPER:

Don embodies a lot of qualities that every man would like to see in himself. He's a family man but he's also a ladies man. He's handsome, rugged and mysterious. He's an incredible ad man - a smooth talker, quick thinker and incredibly confident. The only thing that seems to conflict him is his past and the secrets he's hidden. I won't reveal too much in case you haven't seen it! I'll write a post later on with more spoilers on recent episodes. :)

Homeschooling and Self-Doubt

2010-07-23T16:04:00.000-04:00

As our first year of homeschooling draws nearer, I've been thinking about a lot of things. My son is going to be starting kindergarten and we're choosing to homeschool...and I've begun to have doubts. Not in my child or his socialization or anything to do with him really...I have self-doubt. Every time I sit down to lesson plan or think about the year ahead, the questions immediately start popping into my mind: Am I smart enough to homeschool? What if I get stressed out? How will I handle homeschooling my son and taking care of the baby? Will I be able to teach Math? (I really suck at Math.) What if I have more kids? Will I homeschool them all? What if he doesn't like homeschooling?
Of course, some of these questions I won't have to worry about for many more years and some will probably never happen...but they still come to me regardless. While sorting through some things in my bedroom the other day, I happened upon one of my old pen and paper journals. In it, I found an entry from not too long after I found out I was pregnant with my son. I was excited but also incredibly nervous. I was having an episode of self-doubt, similar to what I'm experiencing now. I had written questions like: Will I be a good Mom? How will I know what to do with the baby? Will the baby cry a lot? What if the baby doesn't like me? How will I know what it needs?
I was incredibly nervous about becoming a parent and I obviously didn't just transform into Mrs. Magical Mom that could solve any problem with a potato. I've messed up, made mistakes and just plain did things that were stupid. But I've also learned a lot too...and I think I've done a pretty good job so far. I obviously thought being a Mom was okay because I had another kid! :) And of course, God has helped me along the journey - blessing us with great kids that (generally) like to sleep, helping me and my husband to know what's right and wrong for our family, giving me a helping hand in the form of family members, etc.
Parenting has it's ups and downs, it's mysteries and miracles but through it all you find something that works for you - and that's all that really matters. And I think the same can be said about our homeschooling journey. Yes, I'm a little nervous now but once we get started and figure out what's right for us, I think we'll do just fine. Also, this gives me a chance to quash that self-doubt that likes to sneak up on me when I'm trying something new or embarking on a journey. Prayer is always helpful to calm my fear and soothe my troubled mind - my prayer today is to put more faith in myself, my abilities and most importantly, God.

image source

Lesson Pathways Deals & Steals

2010-07-22T11:18:00.000-04:00

I just wanted to mention that on the Lesson Pathways blog (where I am a contributor) there's a feature on Thursdays called Deals & Steals where we compile the best freebies and low-priced products on the web for homeschoolers and parents. Christina S. and I wrote this week's feature. You should definitely check it out - here!

Wordless Wednesday: My Babies

2010-07-21T11:12:00.000-04:00

Can you tell which baby is which?
(Zeke is now four but their baby pictures look very similar in some ways!)

My Life and Kids

2010-07-20T08:00:00.002-04:00

I have a cousin who's really into music right now - he's the lead singer in a band that's headlining a lot of local places and gathering a devoted following. While visiting family this past week, we went to our local mall and I just happened to see him there. We chatted for only a few seconds before his phone started going crazy. He'd finish one call and it would start ringing again - meanwhile, text and Facebook notifications were chiming away. He had a show that evening and lots of people wanted to talk to him. One band was possibly going to back out and they were concerned. Others were just checking in, making sure of the time he was playing, etc. He apologized profusely and said, "Yeah, this is my life now." At that moment my son and daughter came flying by, chasing each other and giggling maniacally. I replied, "There goes mine!"

The kids are almost always featured on my Wordless Wednesday posts but I feel like I haven't done a real entry on them for awhile. Ellie is practically running now. It seems like not that long ago, she was just learning to walk. She's incredibly independent but also very much a Momma's Girl - she doesn't want to hold my hand when we walk but she always wants to into what everyone else is doing...and don't you dare think about leaving her out! She has incredible lung power for someone so small.

Zeke got a haircut this past weekend and it was much needed - I told him he was starting to grow a mullet! He is my cheesy man, as evidenced in the picture above. He's very excited about next month since he's going to be turning five and starting kindergarten. I don't think he completely understands but he's still very excited. He has been such a sweet boy recently. He's discovered he can pick Baby Ellie up (carefully) so he's been taking every opportunity to help her climb onto the couch or up steps. I am very fortunate that they get along so well.

Mamavation Monday: Week Four

2010-07-19T12:06:00.000-04:00

Well this week has been interesting. It has been somewhat stressful like last week BUT unlike last week I've managed to eat less and keep up with my water drinking. I was visiting family some this week and I ended up playing their Wii quite a bit. What a workout some of those games will give you! My cousin and I did Just Dance and it sure got me sweating. I also tried out Wii Fit and really enjoyed the runs and different exercises it had on it. On an somewhat unrelated note, my four year old son's favorite was bowling and he totally rocked at it. Anyway, last week I weighed 229.8 and this week my weight is 228.0, which is a loss of 1.8 pounds. Woooo! I'm always excited to see a loss, no matter how big or small.
Awhile back, Leah did a post about setting a goal day of December 5. She said, and I quote: "No matter where you are in your fitness life, there is always something you can work to reach." I am making my goal for December to lose 20 pounds. It's not a huge goal but I think it's something attainable and that I can definitely manage.
I forgot to mention last week that I'm now an official part of the Mamavation Sistahood! You can see the badge in my sidebar. I'm very thankful to have met so many wonderful and encouraging "sistas" through this! They've really helped me be accountable. If you're interested in pledging to the Mamavation Sistahood, check out this page. You can also watch and join in on Mamavation TV tonight at 7pm PST/10pm EST on Mingle Media TV. I'll be there, assuming my kids don't have a crazy night! :)
I also wanted to give a shout-out to Lori (@gutimom) for being the Sista of the Week this week and to Shannon (@Trulove821) for being last week's Sista! Congrats gals!
Lastly, I wanted to mention that this week's Mamavation blogging carnival is sponsored by Chiquita Banana. My household is definitely a big fan - bananas are one thing I know that I can probably get the kids to eat without any fuss!

(Belated) Mamavation Week Three

2010-07-15T07:34:00.000-04:00

My Mamavation post this week is obviously NOT being posted on Monday. I've been slacking off greatly, due to being busy and really just because I've been lazy. Hubby said he'll start being a drill sergeant for me if I need him to and since I don't want to be starving in the Third Reich, I'm making my post and trying to get back on track. Last week I weighed 228.8 and this week I weigh 229.8 which is suprisingly only a gain of one pound. I figured it would be much, much more. I haven't stuck to my calorie counting and I've drank a little pop/soda. Exercise has been pretty much non-existent. I don't have any excuses other than some moderate stress and that I've been lazy. I've been struggling with finding an exercise "groove" and keeping up with things but I'm not trying to make excuses. It's time to move on and to look forward, to try and do better. I'm watching my calories and food intake again and I'm going to focus on getting a better exercise routine going.
I would also like to congratulate the Mamavation Moms - Jennifer Gniadecki of Beyond Mom and Jessica Bolin of All About the Savings. It's been exciting reading about their journeys - they're both doing great so far and I can't wait to see what the future holds for them! :)

Wordless Wednesday: Summer Kids

2010-07-14T08:15:00.001-04:00

Babywearing Safety and Education

2010-07-13T20:57:00.001-04:00

My article "Babywearing Safety and Education" has been published in the International Journal of Childbirth Education, the official publication of the International Childbirth Education Association, a.k.a. the ICEA. I'm so excited! I'd love for you to go and check it out - there's tons of good articles and information in it. Go HERE to read it!

We Apologize For the Interruption

2010-07-12T00:14:00.000-04:00

I'm sorry for the lack of blog posts recently - it's been a busy last week or two and I've kind of been taking some time away from the computer. I will be back to posting normally very soon though!

Thankful Tuesday

2010-07-06T23:16:00.000-04:00

I have a friend who does a "Thankful Thursday" post. I've always thought this was a neat idea but I've never really got around to doing it. Today I was blessed greatly and wanted to share my "Thankful Tuesday."
Today I am thankful for:

For a step-daughter who shares and plays well with her siblings. We are blessed to have her staying with us for several days.
For my preschool Vacation Bible School class picking me a bouquet of "flowers." They were really weeds, but it was adorable. One child brought me a "flower" and then they all started picking them for me.
For online friends who are the sweetest and kindest. They always encourage me when I'm feeling down.
For the promise of a "job" for me for the school year - babysitting two (sometimes three) rough and tumble boys that I babysat this past spring. I say "job" because my son and I both consider it great fun! My son always has a fun time playing with them and their mother is someone I can talk to and share things with.
Knowing that God works everything out in his time and that he loves me even in my imperfection. I am struggling with several situations in my life and I can't say that I've handled them in the absolute best way. But it's good to know that "I'm pressed but not crushed, persecuted - not abandoned, struck down but not destroyed. I'm blessed beyond the curse for his promise will endure - and his joy's gonna be my strength. Though the sorrow may last for the night, his joy comes with the morning!"

image credit

"Trading My Sorrows" lyrics credit

Mamavation Monday: Week Two

2010-07-05T11:59:00.000-04:00

Leah announced the Mamavation Mom finalists this morning and sadly I'm not one of them. But I am super excited for the women who are - they totally deserve it and I know they're going to do a great job. They're all incredibly driven and I can't wait to see what happens in the campaign. Anyone can vote for them by going here - no signing up, just check out the voting widget in the sidebar.

Mamavation Week One went very well for me. My weight this week is 228.8. Last week I weighed 232.4 so I lost 3.6 pounds which I am incredibly excited about - especially after the holiday weekend! My goal for this month (July) is to lose at least 1 pound a week, if not more.

I did okay with food this week. I tried to eat smaller portions and not eat for no reason - which I have been known to do a time or two, or seven or ten. When I go to grab something to eat, I'm trying to think am I really hungry or am I just wanting to eat because (fill in with whatever reason)? I had a party Friday night and did very well - I only ate a few cookies and some cheeseball. This week I'm going to focus on counting calories in the things I eat and aiming for 1200 - 1300 a day. This week also continues my no pop/soda kick! Week One went okay - I had a mild headache here and there but nothing a lot of water didn't fix.
My Aunt gave me a cookbook this weekend which I actually had been wanting since I read a blurb about it in a magazine - Deceptively Delicious by Jessica Seinfeld. It's chock full of ideas and recipes to make healthy food appealing to kids. I especially like it because you pretty much just sneak the veggies in wherever you can - which will be good not only for the kids but ME! I'm a not a great veggie eater but if they're snuck in there and good for me I think that will work out great. :)

Exercise for this week varied. I swam with the kids a day or two and even ran in the pool which lemme tell ya, that is a workout and a half! The kids and I also went for several long walks in the evening - we walked around our block and up this long stretch of road by our house. I had a party on Friday evening so I did a ton of cleaning. It's surprising how much exercise you can get from cleaning - especially if you do bending and stretching while you're vacuuming, picking things up, etc.

In a recent Mamavation post, Leah talked about us needing a Fit Friend.

This is the job of your Fit Friend:
1. To check in with you every other day to see how you are doing.
2. To hold your feet to the fire and ask you about your nutrition and exercise.
3. To encourage you and help you find solutions to the challenges you face.
4. To establish a mentor or friend relationship with you.
5. To continue this relationship for about 8 months. (7 week boot camp plus 6 months afterward.)

Leah also mentioned that even if you're not chosen for Mamavation, this is still a good thing to have and that they should NOT be from your family. I totally understand that because family is always going to love you and I think can sometimes be easier on you than what you really need. I thought of a few people when I read this but before I go ask anyone, I thought I would go ahead and put it out there to see if anyone thought they fit that description and would like to help me out! If so feel free to leave a comment or shoot me an email!

Independence Day

2010-07-04T12:27:00.000-04:00

The Fourth of July

It's time for the Barbecue

And the Fireworks galore!

And the Beer and the Friends

And the Burgers for sure!

But most important

And I really must say

Is that America got

It's Independence today!

Yes in 1776

The famous politician

Senator John Hancock

Had signed the petition

That stated that our country

Was free from all others!

And that we would only be governed

By our American brothers!

So while we are celebrating

This great day of fun

Let us always remember

What our forefathers had done!

- Billy Nardozzi

Too Much TV?

2010-07-01T07:45:00.000-04:00

While browsing the internet the other night, a statistic from an Elle magazine article about television caught my attention:

Watching TV is the world’s most popular pastime, and the latest Nielsen data shows that as of December 2009, Americans were watching more than ever before in history: 35 hours a week, to be precise. And, despite the economic downturn, we haven’t stopped buying televisions. In fact, we reached a record high in January, with an average of 2.93 TVs per household.

That's about five hours a day! I was very surprised...but then I got to thinking about it. Do I watch that much? It depends on the week, I guess. And it's kind of sad when I think about those weeks when I said "I don't have enough time" but yet I found enough time to watch 35 hours of television! ;)
I'm not against the television, I don't want you to think that. I do like it - I think it can entertaining, a useful educational tool and a way to spend time together. But I also think there's a lot of bad stuff on it, it can distract us from other things and can enable us to be more lazy. I've seen both sides of the fence on this issue - I know some people that don't watch television at all and others that are obsessed. I myself am a person who has a few favorite shows but I don't watch very much "live" TV. DVR is my near and dear friend. Having kids, it's not always convenient (or sometimes appropriate) to watch television with them. So I set up the DVR to record my favorite shows and then watch them later, usually after the kids go to bed. I almost never watch television during the day, unless it's a kid's show.
And speaking of kids - according to researchers, a 3 year old who watches two hours of TV per day is 20% more likely to have attention problems at age 7 than a child who watches no television. If my son (who is four, soon to be five) watches too much TV it makes him incredibly hyper and it seems like it's harder for him to pay attention. But wait before you chuck your television out the window...because other studies show preschoolers who watch high-quality educational television programs tend to score better on reading and math tests. I know that to be true - I've seen my son spelling and sounding out words along with the kids on Word World. There are a lot of good shows for kids on PBS (and other stations, I'm sure - we mainly just watch Boomerang and PBS) that teach kids about words, math, reading, science, etc.
I think it's all about finding your happy medium. If you're okay with the time you spend watching TV and it's something that you enjoy, then it's probably okay. But if it's getting in the way of your relationships, taking care of your house, self or kids...then it's probably time to retire the TV for awhile or at least put some more limits on it. As far as kids go, I think if they don't watch too much and they do well watching it, then it's okay.

So dear readers, I ask you - what's your policy on the television, for yourself and your children?

TV picture by my wonderful friend Keshia

Wordless Wednesday: My Silly Girl

2010-06-30T07:45:00.000-04:00

Mamavation Monday: Week One

2010-06-28T02:43:00.000-04:00

Since discovering Mamavation, I've committed myself to living a better and healthier life. Even if I don't become the next Mamavation Mom, the support I've found, the friends I've made and the changes I'm making in my life are worth it! (But I really do want to win!!) This is my first Mamavation Monday post - click "read more" to hear about my week and my goals! :)

This week was hot, hot, HOT! Luckily, my son is loving the pool so we've been outside enjoying it a lot. Well, when I say enjoying I mean he wants me to run around in circles to create a current he can ride around on! :) This is incredibly good exercise for me, especially since I'm just starting to exercise again. You don't want to go overboard when you're just starting out - I've learned that the hard way in the past! I'm attempting to cut out pop/soda but I'm finding it very hard! I didn't do well on that this past week. :( But I did do a lot better on eating - I've been eating less and better. I've been eating salads for lunch and smaller portions at my other meals.

My goals for this coming week are to drink more (water, that is!) and to move around & sleep more. Sounds like a oxymoron, doesn't it? It makes sense, believe me...
I'm committing to drink at least six - eight glasses of water a day. If I want something sweet, I'm going to drink lemonade. I'm also committing to exercise and stay active every day. This past week in addition to the pool time, I've tried to be more active and to not stay sitting for too long. I'm easily distracted by the computer, TV, etc. so this week I'm going to focus on trying to not mess with them until my housework and exercise are done. I also need to commit to get more sleep. My schedule has been funky ever since I had my daughter and having a regular, normal sleeping schedule would help me to be healthier and happier.

My goals for the future are to be healthier and to (eventually) weigh 160 pounds. The weight seems like such a far off goal but I know with time I can accomplish it. Losing weight will not only make me feel better and help me live longer but it will be beneficial to the health problems I have or have had. I have mitral valve prolapse (which you can read more about here) and any weight I lose helps my heart. I also want to have more children in the future and if I lost weight, it would help me to be healthier for future pregnancies.

As for my stats, I'm 5'7 and I weigh 232.4. My BMI is 36.3 and it makes me cringe. I bought a scale this past week (since the one we had was cruddy) so I can keep track of my weight changes. I know we have a pedometer somewhere around here but I've been unable to find it so far.

I would appreciate it greatly if you kept tweeting and supporting me to be the next Mamavation Mom. Thank you SO much for all your tweets so far! It is incredibly encouraging for me to see all that support on a daily basis - it helps me stick to my goals! :) Here's the schedule for Mamavation, if you're interested:

Applications will be accepted from June 21st to 30th. 5 Finalists appear on July 5th. Voting for the top two Mamavation Moms will be from July 5th to 12th. The winners will be announced during the Twitter Launch Party on July 12th from 5 - 7pm PST / 8 - 10pm EST. Mamavation Campaign #5 will be from July 12th to August 27th.

If you'd like to support me, you can comment on/like my YouTube application video or by tweeting this on Twitter however many times you want:

Hey @bookieboo! I want @mrsaddison to be the next #Mamavation Mom. She has my support! http://bit.ly/zqUxa

Also, some other notes & fun things:

MAMAVATION TV: Join us Monday night at 7pm PST/10pm EST on Mingle Media TV. I'm planning on being there to answer any questions you may have about me! :)
SISTA OF THE WEEK: Congratulations to Jessica Bolin, @all_about_savin for being the Sista of the Week! You deserve it! :)
MORE ABOUT MAMAVATION: To see my application to Mamavation, go here. I also wrote another post talking about why I want to be a Mamavation Mom, which you can read here.
And lastly, even if I am not chosen to be a Mamavation Mom, I just wanted to note that I'm still going to be making Mamavation Monday posts and that I'm going to be in Earth Footwear's Move It and Lose It Challenge.

Friday Photo Flashback: Cousins

2010-06-25T14:21:00.001-04:00

Today I'm participating in Friday Photo Flashback - you can click on the button at the bottom of the post to see more flashbacks from other bloggers! Today's photo is from circa...I'm not sure what year! I'm guessing I was between 11 - 13, so it was probably around 1998. I'm in the light blue shirt and my cousin is in the dark blue shirt. This was taken at our local skating rink's photo booth. And to think, we're both grown up and married now with two babies each! :)

More Mamavation

2010-06-24T01:00:00.000-04:00

When talking with someone yesterday about Mamavation and my desire to be in the contest, they said

"Well you're not that fat."

I didn't say anything at the time but now that I've mulled it over in my brain, I have a pretty decent response. Isn't that the way it always happens - you think of your great comeback hours after the person is gone? Oh yeah, and I'm going to give them the benefit of the doubt and ASSUME they meant that statement in a nice way...

No, I suppose I'm not that fat. (Whatever that fat is, anyway.) I am overweight, though and actually obese (GASP!) according to the National Institute of Health's BMI Calculator. But this isn't about my weight...well, that's not true - it's just one part of it. It's about being healthy. When I was in High School, I was part of our cross country team. Granted I was never very good considering in our last championship race, I took pride in the fact that I wasn't last like I usually was. The whole point of it though was that it was something I was participating in, finishing and feeling good about doing. No, I never won first place - but I did accomplish the super long races and in not a bad amount of time for somebody who's not athletically talented. I'd love to run again, maybe even run in some K races like a couple of my friends on Facebook do. I can't even fathom doing it now, though - I'd probably pass out and have to sleep for seven days to recover. I want to be active again. I don't want to wake up everyday feeling tired and worn out. I don't want to eat because I'm bored, sad or just "because." I want to get on a exercise schedule. I have goals and I want to meet them. I think Mamavation will be able to help me stick to those goals and make lasting changes. I already joined BookieBoo, the online fitness hangout for moms which is the home of the Mamavation campaign, and have added several of my fellow Mamavation moms as friends on Twitter. I'm already feeling welcomed and encouraged.

And speaking of encouragement....as I mentioned on my video application, I also want to become a Mamavation Mom for my kids. They deserve to have a momma that will be able to keep up with them and who takes care of herself. I want to teach them good habits so they'll take care of themselves too and stay healthy and active for years to come. My kids are my little cheerleaders (Zeke is fond of telling me "Mommy! You're beautiful!" when I enter a room and Ellie has just recently learned how to clap!) and I know they'll encourage me along the way. I also have family members and a group of online friends who are my adult cheerleaders. Well, adult cheerleaders sounds kind of wrong...you know what I mean! Anyway, I will keep you all updated over the next couple weeks on how things go with the campaign! Thanks guys! :)

If you'd like to support me please retweet this on Twitter:
Hey @bookieboo! I want @mrsaddison to be the next #Mamavation Mom. She has my support! http://bit.ly/zqUxa

Wordless Wednesday: Zeke at the Fair

2010-06-23T08:00:00.001-04:00

In Need of Mamavation!

2010-06-22T19:06:00.000-04:00

I took a leap of faith today and sent my application in to the Mamavation contest. What is Mamavation? I'm so glad you asked! :)

Mamavation™ is a social experiment and weight loss campaign in social media with the goals of teaching moms healthy living lifestyle choices so they can share with their family. Mamavation™ is a two part campaign: (1) a virtual healthy living boot camp for two moms and (2) the home of the first virtual healthy living sorority in social media, the Sistahood™.

As a healthy living bootcamp, Mamavation™ is an opportunity for two moms (Mamavation™ Moms) to change their lives together by entering into a 7 week healthy living boot camp created to give them the tools they need to succeed. The will receive a professional nutritional plan created by a physician that specializes in nutrition, Dr. Renna, and a fitness program created by Tracey Mallett. They will also receive a treadmill from Smooth Fitness, Earth Footwear, an EA SPORTS Active, Tracey Mallett and Tae Bo DVDs. The program was created and is managed by @bookieboo, with the goal of teaching moms how to live life better. The Mamavation™ campaign plans to give them the tools they need to succeed, in hopes that they will create a healthy lifestyle for themselves and their families.

As the Mamavation™ Moms complete their 7 week crash course in healthy living, they will be supported by an army of moms. The Mamavation™ Cheerleader squad and Mamavation™ Sistahood™ will be behind them every step of the way. They will receive a Mamavation™ Mentor, which is a mom that completed the program and has stuck around to mentor another. And they will also be required to have a "fit friend," or someone who they know that already lives a healthy lifestyle.

The campaign will unfold on Bookieboo where the Mamavation™ moms will keep a daily food/exercise journal. They will appear on Mingle Media TV Network every Monday at 7pm PST/10pm EST as well. The Mamavation™ Moms will also be expected to post about their Mamavation experience and be available on twitter to talk about their experiences and inspire everyone. In addition, they will do a vlog every week chronicling their journey losing weight. The purpose behind all this "work" is to INSPIRE others. The Mamavation™ Moms are challenged with losing weight and learning healthy living and inspiring other moms to do the same--a hefty challenge but admirable one.

It sounds like a great opportunity, right? I'm really excited to be involved! You can read more about the contest OR apply yourself by clicking the button below!

And here is my video application! I was fiddling with the camera in the beginning so it took me a second to get started! :)

I would love it if you all would support me in this endeavor! If you're on Twitter it would help me out bunches if you could retweet this: "Hey @bookieboo! I want @mrsaddison to be the next #Mamavation Mom. She has my support! http://bit.ly/zqUxa"

Thank you all soooooo much! I'll keep you updated on how things are going! :)

2010 Indiana State Republican Convention

2010-06-21T17:53:00.001-04:00

This past weekend hubby and I had the opportunity to attend the Indiana State Republican Convention. It was really interesting and eye-opening for me. It seems like in movies and in the media that Republicans are often portrayed as crotchety old white men who just want to complain about everything - that's SO not the case. Yes, there are some of those in the Grand 'Ol Party, I won't lie. But this weekend I saw many young families not unlike my own. I saw strong mothers and fathers who were running for office or participating in campaigns with their children. I also saw people of all kinds bonding with one another - older people, college kids, handicapped people and people from different backgrounds and educations.

The "theme" of this year - as seen on the giant banner in the convention center and on the front of the materials we were given - was "The Party of Purpose." I think everyone who gave a speech on Saturday touched on it at least once or twice. The message was clear and even said specifically by one or two people - "Keep moving forward." I was reminded of several things upon hearing that...

One of my son's favorite movies is Disney's Meet the Robinson's. Here's the trailer for it:

It's a very cute movie but also poignant at the same time. The story and the soundtrack are both great but the positive note the movie ends on and the message it sends is even better. Right before the screen fades to black, this quote is displayed on the screen:

"Around here, however, we don't look backwards for very long. We keep moving forward, opening up new doors and doing new things...and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths." - Walt Disney

If we continue to focus on the past and the things behind us, we'll never be able to move forward and embrace the future. I think the Republican Party in Indiana has definitely realized this. The candidates who's nominations were formalized at the convention this year - State Auditor Tim Berry, Treasurer Richard Mourdock and Secretary of State Charlie White - were all vibrant and energetic. They realize that the battle isn't won and that we'll have to fight but they're motivated and ready for a good race. As the Chairman said, "We all know that our position heading into this fall is one of strength. We are poised for sweeping victories but we have not won anything yet. I challenge each of you today to work as if we are behind."

I was also reminded this weekend of John McCain's concession speech in the 2008 election:

"And I call on all Americans, as I have often in this campaign, to not despair of our present difficulties, but to believe, always, in the promise and greatness of America, because nothing is inevitable here. Americans never quit. We never surrender. We never hide from history. We make history."

Regardless of political affiliation, we're all Americans and we decide on the people we want running our country. In the coming election years look at the candidates and what they believe in - vote for the ones you feel will help further what you want for our country. Of course, I'm plugging the Republican party because that's the party that shares my beliefs and that I identify with. If you're interested in the Republican party, please check this out - it's the Indiana Republican Party Platform. Granted it is specific to Indiana Republicans, but it details our beliefs and stances. Oh and just so you know, it's a PDF file.
Anyway, if you're interested in politics try to find a senator, congressperson or political party to get involved with that shares your beliefs. Ask them how you can help. Money is obviously a plus for any campaign but I think helping and volunteering is more important. Or maybe you should run for office yourself - you don't have to start off running for Congress, you can start smaller with your local politics and parties. I plan on helping out with several people's campaigns in Indiana and getting even more involved with our local Republican party.

So as I said, hubby and I thoroughly enjoyed ourselves at the convention. I loved listening to Lt. Gov. Becky Skillman - this is the third time I've heard her speak and I hope she continues to run for political office for many years to come. Governor Mitch was also very interesting to listen to. I read a few articles that decried Mitch's speech, saying that he mentioned the good things but failed to talk about how he'd cut our state budget by almost $800 million. To that I can only say, that to get everything done is impossible. In the process of doing some things, other things are going to get the shaft. I think that's just the way the world works. I would fully support Mitch if he ran for President. He said on Saturday that Indiana was his "sole focus right now" but I wouldn't count him out just yet - it's still very early to be announcing a run for presidency.

So now I'd love to hear from you. Are you interested in politics or does it bore you to tears? Do you consider yourself Republican, Democrat or something else?