February 28, 2012

  • Less Of You To Love, Please.

    Husband and I have great car conversations. Really, they’re the best. And this past weekend, we were treated with hours of talk time. We could probably solve the world’s problems if we were in there long enough.
     
    Alas, we only focused on ourselves. Our brilliant idea? Lose weight and become more healthy! We’d both like to lose 10-20 pounds before we go on our cruise in April, which can be done in the next 8 weeks.
    I got a text from husband yesterday that completely reinforced the need to do this: “I love you so much, we just need a little less of each other to love.”
    Now, husband is a very direct man. He hit the nail on the head, for both of us. Not to mention, it incorporates my previous weight loss blog (less is more to love), so I could hardly be offended by it.
    Look, if I decide to do something, there are photos and blog posts to prove it. Not so much so for my husband. He supports my blogging life, but doesn’t care so much to be in it (aside from an occasional mention).
    I begged to be able to blog about THIS, and he finally agreed. (you’re welcome)
    As most of you know, I can’t do anything half-assed.
    I created a weight loss structure, complete with rules, weigh in dates and prizes. 
    I also created our weight loss tracker, and figured out the best way to calculate weight loss percentages (husband isn’t comfortable putting his weight out there, so we’re doing percentage lost instead. This also helps keep our weight loss “battle” fair)
    Today was our first weigh in. I cringed a bit, and he wasn’t happy with his number, but we’ve got our starting point. Now, let’s see what we can do to make the numbers climb back down.
    Who are you rooting for?
    Team Supermom
    This 5’6”, almost 30-year-old mama has been successful at weight loss, losing 35 pounds on Weight Watchers last year. She knows the rules, but insists on breaking them. Supermom is a night snacker, which gets her in serious trouble on the scale. (She’s since gained 15 pounds back) And exercise? What’s that?! Unless she’s chasing a toddler around, or traipsing through corporate headquarters, she’s pretty stationary.
    Team Superdad
    Say hello to Superdad, the 6’3”, mid-twenties dude that has always been able to eat what he wants, until recently. This daddy works odd hours, so meal time varies. Eating at night is an issue, as well as skipping meals altogether sometimes. There’s no set exercise routine yet, but he gets his steps in by walking the floor at work, and running around with love bug.
    Both teams plan on formulating a weight loss plan that works for them. No sodas, no beer, plenty of water, good protein and fruits and veggies. Fast food will be sparing, and slim fast will most likely be consumed.
    Now, wish us luck, and cheer us on. We’ll need all the support we can get!
    Anyone interested in getting in on the action? Of course you wouldn’t be eligible for the prize, but it could be fun to lose weight as a group! 
    like the post? share it with your friends. and don’t forget: I’m on facebook, and twitter! check me out!

February 27, 2012

  • Show Me The MONEY!

    Hello lovelies! I’m back from my vacation! Did you miss me? (Probably not) Now… on to today’s blog post:

    I wanted to do something nice for my mom during our visit this past weekend. We hardly get to see each other, so I wanted to choose something that was infused with “togetherness”.
    Mani/pedis, it is!

    I called all over town to get an appointment. Most places were booked, thanks to the annual daddy/daughter dance. I finally got us an evening appointment—at 6pm, we were off!
    My mom’s only had her nails done a handful of times, so it was a real treat for her. We were able to catch up in the small town salon; just her, me, and Miss Nail Lady.     


    After almost 4 hours, our fingers and toes were perfectly manicured.
    “How much do I owe you?” I asked, handing over my debit card. Miss Nail Lady looked at me for a second, then quietly said “Sorry… I don’t take debit cards.”

    WHAT?! NO DEBIT CARDS?! AM I IN THE TWILIGHT ZONE?!

    For over 10 years, I’ve rarely carried cash on me. Unless I was going on a toll road, or a vacation, the paper money stayed right where it needed to: the bank. I’ve never had an issue. My little blue card has always been run through and processed, sending me on my way, with newly-purchased goods in hand.

    Granted, I live in heavily-populated Texas, so vendors don’t really have a choice. But in small town Kansas, I guess that’s the way things are done. You better believe I’ll ask next time.

    But, back to the issue at hand: how would I pay this lovely woman, at 10pm on a Saturday?!

    Luckily for me, my mom sensed this may be the case (both that it was a cash-only establishment, and that this “big city girl” wasn’t prepared), so she ducked out while I was getting my nails done, ran to the bank and pulled out some money.

    Yes, mother does know best. Looks like she did something nice for ME, too.

    Thanks, mom. :)

    Do you carry cash, or rely on your debit card?  
     

February 22, 2012

  • BEEEEEEEEEEP! (I Heart Curse Words)

    I love a good curse word. Hell, I love a BAD one, too.

    I didn’t grow up that way. While my parents occasionally cursed around my brother and I, it was very understood that those words were not to be uttered by the under-18 set. So we didn’t.

    I think I was 16 and working at my first job before I picked up the “uh-oh” lingo. Whoops.

    It has been said that resorting to profanity to get your point across display a lack of education; you fall back on “easy words” to get your point across, instead of “acceptable” ones. I’m a college graduate, and know plenty of “big words”, thankyouverymuch. I’m an educated curser—is that better, or worse?

    Research has shown that curse words “perform social and psychological functions, and utilize particular linguistic and neurological mechanisms. Further, swearing is a widespread but perhaps under appreciated anger management technique.”

    Big words said by people whom I’m sure use profanity. Sweet.

    Apparently, most people use about 80-90 “swears” each day. Sounds about accurate for me.

    Oh, I found this particularly intriguing: “men generally curse more than women, unless said women are in a sorority.” I wonder how they concluded that?! Were they recording my sorority sisters’ late-night chats?

    Now, my husband and I have long enjoyed a good curse word. When we found out that love bug was on the way a few years ago, we knew our days with profanity were numbered. Husband and I made a pact to stop once he was born.

    That was three years ago, and we haven’t f**king stopped. We just can’t. We’ve tried!

    We recently revised the pact (thanks to love bug actually talking): foul speech would be reserved for spaces that little ears aren’t in. That’s great, until someone gets hurt.

    You know the drill: kid leaves toys out, mom steps on toys, kid laughs, mom curses and does the ouch-ouch dance. You don’t even think about it, but it just HAPPENS. Emotions took over (in this case, “MAN THAT F**KING HURT!), and a resounding *BEEEEEEEEEEEP* came out.

    Maybe he didn’t hear it?

    No such luck. Love bug treated me to a *beep* or two of his own that afternoon.

    S**T.

    like the post? recommend it to your friends. and don’t forget: I’m on facebook, and twitter! check me out!

February 14, 2012

  • It Was Seusstastical!

    After three months of planning, Noah’s Seusstastical Second Birthday has come and gone. My baby is two, and he had an awesome party to show for it! I enjoyed every second of planning this for him, even when it was down right frustrating to turn my vision into reality.

    Some may say that I went overboard, and that’s alright. Planning this party came at a time when I felt my creative juices were drying up, so I really needed the challenge to keep my sanity.

    Now, for the party details: I did most everything myself. I found inspiration in Dr. Seuss’ books, as well as from Pinterest. If you haven’t checked out Pinterest, I suggest you go. NOW. I decided to hire a photographer for the day. That was my one splurge for the party, considering I was able to make things myself, and find everything pretty cheap. I’m SO glad I did; we are getting some amazing shots from Everlasting Moments Photography, and I didn’t need to worry about taking pictures AND enjoying the party. Kelsey’s photos are watermarked with her company’s logo; the rest of the pictures we took before the party.

    the food

    Since this was an afternoon affair, I decided snack-type foods were the way to go. From Roast Beast sandwiches (ham and cheese sliders), to Pink Ink Yink Drink (pink lemonade), we kept the choices light and fun. 

    candy was a huge part of getting the color theme across. I found the lollipops, rock candy, twizzlers and swedish fish at either Wal-Mart or the party store. The pinwheels were from a DIY kit at Michael’s, and the paper straws were ordered from Amazon.com. I painted the Seuss hat.
    love bug LOVES fruit, so we incorporated some of his favorite snacks into the theme.
    my MIL had this beautiful drink dispenser from Longaberger—the color was perfect! Inside? good ol’ fashioned pink lemonade (Pink Ink Yink Drink).  
    there’s just something fun and whimsical about paper straws.
    colored deviled eggs with ham pieces were the hit of the party!
    colored candy melts tops off this tasty treat.
    MORE CANDY!
    people really seemed to love the rock candy… it brought them back to their youth!
    my mother-in-law did such a GREAT job on the cupcakes. funfetti with cream cheese icing, in the “One Fish, Two Fish” theme.
    this was MY favorite. I love Swedish Fish.
    one fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish crackers…

    the presents

    If I have a theme, I carry it the whole way through. His presents were no exception. 

    the décor
    It was a Seuss-tastic wonderland! I had so much fun putting everything together. I may even leave it up for a few weeks, to get the most out of it. 

    our mantle. I painted the picture (it will eventually make its way to love bug’s room) based on a spread in “The Lorax”, and decked out the space with books, feather boas and paper poms.
    the entry table. Each year, I set out a “time capsule” for guests to leave notes for Noah. One day, he will be able to look back at all of his birthdays, with notes from along the way.
    Dr. Seuss. Yes, he’s taller than me.
    The ceiling decorations have to be my favorite part. It took the most time to do, painstakingly attaching each bit to the ceiling (and I’m afraid of heights!), but it came out just as I imagined.
    We’ve got quite a collection of Dr. Seuss books, so I put them to use.
    balloons, balloons EVERYWHERE!
    quote cards.

    the favors
    I did a set for the grown ups (chocolate popcorn) and bags for the younger guests. See my “how to” post here.

    yummy popcorn is the perfect parting gift.
    the younger ones enjoyed bubbles, pinwheels and an activity sheet!
    love bug’s doorway. he’s the birthday boy!

    the games
    We had two games: “pin the hat on the cat” (magnetic) and “guess the fish”.

    We used love bug’s play magnetic board to house the game. Great fun for the younger ones!
    I tend to have a “guess the number” game at every party, so why not here?!

    the kid 
    Love bug had such a great day. He enjoyed the people, the cake, and especially the presents. Thanks to everyone that helped make his day Seuss-tacular!

    “I’m gonna eat this cake…”
    my baby is two!

    I’m pretty proud of myself and this party, I’m not gonna lie. It just shows that I can do anything I put my mind to, especially while being a working mom! You all can do it, too! And if you can’t, I’m here to help! Don’t forget, I’m giving away a set of custom-designed invitations for your next party, so check it out here.

    —Supermom OUT
    like the post? share it with your friends. and don’t forget: I’m on facebook, and twitter! check me out!

February 3, 2012

  • He’s Almost TWO?! WHA?!

    photo by Kelsey Richardson of Everlasting Moment Photography

    I’ve got 9 days to go before my son turns two. TWO! That’s such a bizarre thought. People say it all the time, but it really does feel like yesterday that I was pregnant. Mere hours seemed to have passed since giving birth. And yet, the past two years have been a blur.

    Sure, I can look back at pictures, and snap back to that moment. I’ve taken thousands of pictures of my baby in the 721 days I’ve had him. But if I just sit here and think back to two weeks, four weeks, five months… It’s all jumbled together.

    I can’t believe that I am a person with a two year old. Where did my baby go? The little 5 pound, 13 ounce bundle that fit in the crook of my arm? Now, he’s half as tall as me, and runs, jumps and screams around.

    I am—WE are—unbelievably lucky. My husband and I hit the baby jackpot with our son. He couldn’t have been more perfect. Ten fingers and toes, a beautiful face, personality and good health. I continue to wonder what I had ever done so right to deserve him.

    Maybe that’s why I’m going overboard on his second birthday party. I just want to give him a beautiful day that is worthy of his awesomeness. I’ve got a long way to go in the next week to get ready. Invitations have long been sent out, party favors have been designed, and supplies have mostly been gathered. I’m not looking forward to blowing up all the balloons, but can’t wait to see everything assembled. It’s going to be an amazing time, for an even more amazing little boy.

    I love you, my baby, to the moon and back. 

    like the post? share it with your friends. and don’t forget: I’m on facebook, and now on twitter! check me out! 

January 30, 2012

  • 24 Months Of Our Lovebug.

    It seems like just yesterday that my son came into the world. Here we are, almost two years later, and I just don’t know where the time went! I decided to put together a video that shows him growing up before our eyes. Enjoy the look back at the past two years. I am so blessed to be his mommy! See the video here.

    like the post? recommend it to your friends. and don’t forget: I’m on facebook, and now on twitter! check me out!

     

January 26, 2012

  • 10 Things To Do With Your Toddler

    I LOVE hanging out with my little love bug. My husband works most weekends, but I’ve come to look forward to my days alone with my son. I do, however, struggle coming up with new, entertaining activities for us to do. I can’t be the only one, though, right? I racked my brain and realized that WE REALLY DO A LOT OF FUN STUFF! Here’s our top 10 list: 

     

    pretend play  messy factor: *

    As a kid, I really enjoyed dress-up. The frilly clothes, the shoes and hats… I would pretend to be a princess, or president, or nurse, or teacher (or a princess president that moonlighted as a nurse teacher). It looks like I’ve passed that love for pretend play on to my son. He’s game for wearing silly hats, glasses and even an outfit or two! 

    finger painting  messy factor: *****

    I know what you’re thinking: this is a disaster waiting to happen. But, there’s no greater joy than seeing the smile on your kid’s face as they squish the paint between their fingers, then smear it across the paper. I take an old fitted sheet and put it on the top of our kitchen table, and let him have at it! Be sure to have the bathtub ready when they’re done, though.

    reading  messy factor: N/A

    A good book can leave a lasting impression on a child. In fact, it was my love of books that inspired me to become a writer. Set aside time each day to read to your child. Don’t be embarrassed to read in different voices, or have them interact with what’s on the pages. Their brains are thirsty sponges; help fill them up.

    bubbles messy factor: **

    Who knew a little dish soap and a plastic wand would be a child’s obsession?! These floating orbs of air have a way of stopping a running toddler in their tracks, only to have them stare up, up, up. While this activity is best done outside, throw a few beach towels down in the living room and send the bubbles flying! Even better than watching bubbles soar? POPPING THEM!

    playing outside  messy factor: *-***    

    Got some energy to burn? Best take it outside! Love bug loves taking wagon or bike rides to the park, then running up and down the jungle gym. A. million. times. Point out things you see along the way (“see the bird?” “what color is the sky?”), and teach them about their outside surroundings. It’s okay if they get dirty—it’s what kids do!

    housework (play)  messy factor: N/A

    Teach children about housework early. I’m not saying give them actual chores, but let them “help” when you’re working around the house. My son loves to dust, vacuum and “cook” for us with his play kitchen. He’s also a fantastic sweeper and lawn man. We make clean up a game, and try to teach him that it’s okay to play and be messy, but we need to all help clean up when we’re done.

    swimming  messy factor: **        

    Unless you have access to an indoor pool, this activity may need to be earmarked for summer. Love bug enjoys filling containers with water, then dumping them back out; a baby pool served us well last summer. It was enough to get wet, but kept him safe and contained. He also loves jumping into the big pool (into our arms, which still makes me very nervous), and swimming with daddy.  Remember, ALWAYS supervise your child around water.

    play doh  messy factor: ***

    We have entered the “play doh” phase, and there’s no end in sight. Play doh exposes your child to colors, shapes and textures. They can build towers, or simply smoosh it between their fingers. We have a “pizza making” set, and he will sit for 10 minutes at a time, pressing the “doh” into the molds. Perfect for rainy days or car trips. Be warned that it flakes apart fairly easily, and requires a good deal of clean-up afterward.

    toddler gym  messy factor: N/A

    We enrolled our son in Gymboree last October. My initial thinking was more about the social aspect (to meet other parents), but it became a great way to burn off some weekend energy. We decided on the open age class, which exposes him to kids from 6 months to 5 years. For one hour each weekend, the class reads stories, pretend plays, sings, dances and have a ball. Yes, it can be a bit pricy, but for us—with only one kid—it’s worth it.

    blocks   messy factor: ***

    Our house is FILLED to the brim with blocks. I’m finding them in just about everything, from couch cushions to cabinets and even in the dark spots of the carpet! My son is quite the architect, however. Tall towers are erected in the playroom, only to be demolished seconds later. Did I mention he is quite the demo dude, too? It’s par for the course with this activity. They’ll love building it, then watching it crash to the ground. Definitely a winner at home.     

    What activities does YOUR toddler enjoy? Add to my list!

    like the post? recommend it to your friends. and don’t forget: I’m on facebook, and now on twitter! check me out!

January 19, 2012

January 17, 2012

  • We’ve Been Framed!

    In addition to planning Noah’s birthday party, we are also decorating his room. (Not redecorating… you have to have décor up to re-do for that!)
    What’s the theme? You guessed it: Dr. Seuss! You’d think we’d be sick of it by now (I’m seeing poodles with noodles in my sleep, I assure you), but it’s so fun and whimsical!
    To dress up Noah’s walls, I initially had the idea to frame mini-book jackets and hang them. With toddlers, the jackets are the first thing to go, so why not re-purpose them? I found cute, colorful frames at IKEA, and even found a coordinating ribbon to hang the frame from. If you consider the cost of the book, the frame and the ribbon, each one cost me almost $8 to make. YIKES!
    I pinned a few up on Noah’s wall the other night, and the result was decidedly overwhelming.
    “They should be bigger,” husband said as he walked by.
    Damn. I hate when he’s right.
    I remembered finding some great deals at the Dollar Tree last week, including an untreated wood document frame. 
    It would be easy enough to paint them, but where would I find book covers large enough? Hellllllo, internets!
    Confession: I didn’t pay attention to the size of the frame at first (document frames are 8.5×11”). I had printed each cover and cut it down to an 8×10” size. I could have just skipped the cutting step altogether. This is why it’s so important to know what you’re working with. Just sayin’.
    It only took one coat of acrylic paint—which I had in my craft closet—to cover the frames, and before I knew it, the project was done!
    I couldn’t wait to show Noah the result… I felt like a contestant on “Project Runway” or something.
    He seemed very pleased with the result (and so am I!) Looks like I’ll live to be his interior decorator for another day!
    Originally posted on Barelyjen’s other blogging venture, confessionsofanoverworkedsupermom.blogspot.com. I’m also on Facebook! Oooooh, I know, right? 
  • The Truth About Bloggers

    First, a note to my fellow bloggers: Yes, I’m ratting us out. But much like you do each day, I’m writing down the random words that pop into my brain, and sharing with the masses.
    I’ve been a blogger for almost eight years. My first foray into the blogosphere was on Xanga (shout out!). I found that people enjoyed my daily musings about almost nothing. In time, I had amassed a few thousand followers (at its peak), was a continually featured blogger and found myself craving the blogging spotlight.
    That brings me to my first truth about bloggers: we’re attention whores.
    If you had told my 15-year-old self that I SEEKED attention from others, I would have thought you were crazy. In “real life”, I’ve always been a shy, hide-in-the-corner-so-they-don’t-talk-to-me person. But there’s something about a forum where you aren’t seen, but heard, that really appealed to me.
    I found myself documenting EVERYTHING—from the food I ate to the places I went—and writing about it. That brings me to my second truth about bloggers: family and friends dread becoming blogging fodder.
    My husband would roll his eyes when the camera came out. Most date nights he’d preface with “this better not show up on a blog.” …well, it usually did.
    But I had valid points to make! My life is important! Hello, third truth about bloggers: we’re egotistical, and show-offs to boot.
    Our blogs are our soapbox. We have a voice, and we’re screaming to be heard! We’re awesome, and amazing, and gosh darn it, we’re not going to stop blogging until everyone knows about us.
    When I found out I was pregnant three years ago, I made the decision to put my blogging life on hold. It was surprisingly easy, considering how ingrained blogging had become in my daily routine. While I journaled for myself (and my unborn son), I took a blogging break.
    Then, after having my son, I decided the only way to lose the weight was by blogging (about my diet and exercise, of course). I documented my weight loss—35 pounds—on blogspot for the world to see. This time, though, while my desire to be heard was still there, the “attention whore” seemed to have been tempered. I wasn’t planning my day around how many blog posts I could squeeze out of it. Of course, the blog was all about me, and it was my place to tout my personal success. But it was also a place to share the success of others, and inspire them to lose weight as well. It was a magical time.
    Two months ago, I decided to start a new blogging venture. Since it’s still getting off the ground, I’m back to milking my day for post ideas, but I’m turning to my crafts and recipes to bulk up the blog. Yes, I’m still craving attention, but I want to see if I can make this hobby of mine into something bigger than a small blogging forum.
    Every blogger can identify with the truths I shared, but to what degree is on them. We write to be heard, so of course there’s an amount of attention-seeking that comes with it. And yes, our life is the foundation of our musings, but what else would you continue to enjoy writing about? People love to read about other people’s lives, and more often than not, ego comes off as confidence. I hope that’s the case with me.
    Yes, I want you to read me, and “like” me, and follow me… but I’m not going to go to desperate measures to get you (except for my giveaway. HAH!). Keep reading me or don’t, I’m just glad you’re here now.