Schooling & Such March 29, 2011

Today was a very fun day! Ana had her very first day of “preschool”!

Now before you go thinkin’ that I put her in an actual preschool let me explain!

 I decided (or have been thinking about for quite some time) that I wanted to “home-preschool” Ana now before she is actually preschool age. Reason being, she is smart. I’m not just saying that because she is my daughter, it’s just true. She can say anything and has a memory that blows my mind! {I know I sound like one of “those” parents, but I really don’t care.}

That being said today we had a couple “lessons”. Math was first…

We used this print out "phone pad" to practice her numbers! She would "push the button" and I would say each number in a different tone. 🙂

…next was Shapes and Colors!

She moved these from this wall to the wall next to the phone pad. Every time she got a new shape I would tell her the shape and color. By the end of the day (this evening) she knew all of the shapes!

She already knows some of her colors (pink especially lol), so I wasn’t pushing that as hard as I could have.

After these first 2 lessons it was snack time, then on to art “class”! 

Supplies: Paper, empty oatmeal canister, broken crayons, finger paint...

After I taped the paper to the inside we put paint onto each piece of crayon and dropped it in! Then it was time to shake, rattle, and roll!

 

This is going on my wall next to her last finger painting art work! 🙂

 

Then it was time to work on position/direction. For this I used cut out hands and feet and taped them to the wall and floor. We used these to give hi-fives (hands) and low-fives (feet) {teaching high and low}. Also, we did a little jumping, showing up and down. 🙂

We had SO much fun in “school” today, and the best part… she napped earlier than usual!!!

I hope you all have had a great day and now I’m off th catch up in my “Tiger Mom” book, I have a book discussion on Friday so I have to finish it!

Be Blessed!

A Mother’s Prayer March 5, 2011

Today my mind was consumed… I can’t really put into words exactly by what. I guess the best way I can describe it was, that today was a deep day for me. Full of deep thought, deep emotions, and deep prayer…

My prayer life isn’t something I really share with anyone, but I hope that this will be a help to you.

Now before you get the wrong picture, I wasn’t kneeled down by my bed all day or laid out on the floor praying for hours. It was more so an, as it came type prayer, constantly being in a “prayer mode”. As I washed dishes, folded laundry, and did the other things I had to do, I prayed…

My heart just felt so heavy.

My prayer was something along these lines…

“Lord please help me. My hearts desire is to be a good wife and mother. I am striving to be a gentle, loving mom, and a gentle, loving wife. I know I fail every day, but I need your help. Please, help me to be the best person that I can be…..”

My prayers always trail off like this. I feel like I can’t get the words out right. Like saying them isn’t enough. For some reason my prayers can’t be finished with a simple “Amen”, instead I almost always go into a song, and the tears are never far behind. It never fails that somehow a song just comes to me and helps me along in my prayer.

Today was no different. I felt stuck like I had no more words and then, there it was. Ringing out in my head, then I heard myself singing it, then the tears began to flow… iI’s as if in the moment of breaking through my prayer into song that I have also broken through to heaven…

Here was my prayer song:

I don’t know if anyone else has this same prayer experience. I’ve actually never really thought much of it until today. I guess this is just the way I am. I love to sing so it really only makes sense that during the sacred practice of prayer, I sing to the one who gave me the ability to do so…

Here are a few verses on gentleness.

• “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.” Ephesians 4:2
• “Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.” Philippians 4:5
• “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” Colossians 3:12
• “As apostles of Christ we could have been a burden to you, but we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children.” 1 Thessalonians 2:7

I love the reference in this last verse… “like a mother caring for her little children”.

Being gentle requires patience, humility, kindness, and compassion. But most of all it requires love. What other type of love should be more gentle than that of a wife and mother?

Do you have the same or similar experience as mine when it comes to prayer? 

Leave a comment below…

Fit for the dogs… March 4, 2011

…that pretty much sums up my night and my breakfast. 😦 Ana hasn’t been feeling well, and if you have kids you know that= no sleep. Thankfully this morning she seems to be feeling a little better. {Just so you know I don’t blog if she is sick, thus no post yesterday.}

As I said my breakfast was pretty much disgusting… I tried a meal idea from my INSANITY nutrition guide and I was SO disappointed! It was power protein oatmeal (plain oatmeal with vanilla whey protein and berries). Maybe I made it wrong, but this is how it turned out…

Does that look disgusting or what!? The texture was like a mixture of grits and oatmeal… Maybe like eating polenta uncooked…? (Polenta is very good… cooked!)

So I went back to my trusty (up until this point) guide, and I decided on an omelet! However I didn’t have everything it called for, so I improvised! Here is was I came up with after a long hard look at my fridge.

L’arte d’arrangiarsi!

The art of making something out of nothing!

This was my power breakfast, and let me tell you it brought me out of my slump!

• 2 eggs
• 2 egg whites
• leftover Grilled Asparagus
• 1 medium tomato diced
• 1 slice whole-wheat toast
• 1 Tbsp all fruit preserves
• 1 large orange

Make the eggs and egg-whites omelet style, saute veggies, top toast with preserves and VIOLA!

My sweet baby-girl (whom I playing tea party with as I type (a mom’s multitasking talent), also had a wonderful breakfast! Over 1/2 of her bowl of oatmeal, a whole egg and some sautéed tomatoes! I was more happy that she ate something than anything! (She pretty much won’t eat when she feels bad.) So when she asked my for a “tookie” I happily handed one over!

Who says you can’t have dessert after breakfast!?

I do have one more thing to share with all of my “bloggies”! A new recipe!!! This is once again inspired by my nutrition guide but tailored to our liking and caloric needs for the day! You can do the same with this recipe…

Pasta Surprise

(lame name, I know, but oh well the taste makes up for it!)

• 1 lb whole wheat penne pasta
• 1 bag frozen bell pepper strips with onions
• garlic (4-5 cloves minced)
• 2 cans tuna
• italian seasoning, S&P (to taste)
• feta and  quatro formaggio cheeses (low-fat)

Cook pasta al dente, in a separate pan saute garlic in olive oil until fragrant, add peppers and onions, saute 3-5 minutes until warmed, add spices and tuna and heat through. When pasta is cooked drain and toss with the vegetable mixture. Serve sprinkled with cheeses.

One good size portion (1 1/2 cups) of this is probably about 450 calories.

This was a huge success! My hubby loved it! 🙂 Which makes me very happy!

 

Much love and happiness to you all!

Understanding… February 24, 2011

I am beginning to try to understand myself, to accept who I am, not as a person. I already know and like the inside me, it’s the outside that I have never gotten along with. When I look in the mirror I see every flaw, every lump or bump or bulge. I always have, even at my smallest I was never happy with my size. And no surprise that after gaining 15 lbs after getting married and 50 lbs during my pregnancy, I hate the outside more than ever… even though I am back down to my pre-pregnancy size my shape has not exactly recovered (I’m prepared that it may not completely). Then again I didn’t like my shape when I was small, so…

This is where the beginning is. Trying to accept that I may not have what it takes genetically to be a “skinny girl”. I once thought this is what mattered, but with having a child this view, along with everything else, has changed. Now I am ready (emotionally) to be more accepting of myself, to take responsibility, and leadership in my own health (health being the key word). I’m sure there will always be some desire to be thinner (what American girl in this messed up generation doesn’t), but now it’s more about being the best me possible. Leading a healthy lifestyle to lay an example for my daughter, so that one day she will be able to look at herself in the mirror and think “I look good”, “I love me”! This honestly brings me to tears… I pray that I can set that example for her. So she will know she is beautiful, valuable and most importantly that she will know that God made her perfectly!

These aren’t just words that we teach our children they are actions that we must live out loud.

Having said all of that, and completely and totally opening myself up to you, this is my plan:

• Eat the healthiest foods possible, and feed my

    family the healthiest food possible.

• Exercise daily, for at least 45 minutes

            (Sundays may be an off day, not sure yet)

• Get my family involved in our meal planning and exercising.

{I also am starting to think about monitoring my calories more closely, I’m not sure that I am hitting the right range having stopped eating meat.}

I know this is going to be tough to do because I am the type of person who becomes obsessive over things (A perfectionist?). I am the most scared about monitoring calories… I have been known to bawl my eyes out if I don’t know how many are in something I want… embarrassing, but true (sadly).

So here is my official call to all of you to do the same. Maybe you’re where you want to be, maybe you just want to tone up or start exercising. Maybe like me you want to lose 15-20 lbs. No matter what your goal is you will never reach it if you don’t try! So I am encouraging you to try! You might just surprise yourself!

 

My scripture verse to keep me centered in this quest will be Psalm 139:14

I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well. (NKJV)

Be Healthy, Be Happy!

Planes… er Rocket Ships, Trains and Automobiles February 22, 2011

Hello Blog world! Sorry I didn’t get to give more detail about my day yesterday, but I have the time and energy to tell you now!

So yesterday was great! Up at 5:30 am to take the hubby to work… Yay 5:30 am! (sarcasm  intended)…

Sleeping Hard!

 

Sweet baby! *muah*

Look at that face! I don't even wanna know what she is thinking...

We had a mom’s breakfast meetup to go to and I really wanted to meet more mommies! So we went, and let me say that Cracker Barrel isn’t exactly vegetarian friendly… but oh well, I had 2 eggs and 1/2 of a biscuit. Ana hardly ate (as the trend continues) 😦 Breakfast was fun, it was nice to have grown up conversation with other moms!

Afterwards we went to our my favorite place The Mall!!! I did have a very specific reason for going… Ana had been asking me for a week for a “feener” (ring) and I had saw a very cute one that I wanted to get her. Of course I couldn’t stick to the plan and ended up buying her the ring that also came with a necklace, and a bracelet… rotten child! 

Ana's Bling Ring!

Ana's new bracelet... She HAD to have this!

 

Wearing her "nessace"

 

Adorable!

I also bought myself a new scarf!!! One I have been looking for since the beginning of fall!

Wow I look tired! Oh well, you get the picture… Leopard!!! …and it’s an eternity scarf!

 

After I decided I didn’t need to spend any more $$$ I let Ana play in the kid area. 🙂 (This is where the Rocket Ships and etc. come from, fyi). 😉 She loved playing, but as usual she took a while to warm up to all of the other kids. When she did, it was not what I expected!… She was BOSSY!!! Not to all of the kids, just the ones trying to slide down the slide while she tried to climb up it, and to the boys! She would say “NO! I wuna swide”, or “Sop it!”. She has no clue how to share yet and it is now apparent that we HAVE to work on that!

Rocket Ship...

 

 

 

"Piddy"!

 

 

She loved jumping off of this!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

During all of this fun I began chit-chatting with a couple next to me… A very odd couple. Muscle man, good looking guy, and a very… earthy/hippie woman. As we talked (the mom and I) I found out our daughters were only 2 days apart! Cool right… Well the dad thought so, and when he verbalized this I almost laughed… He sounded like Mickey Mouse! (Steroids?) …I had a hard time not staring before the conversation because they just didn’t match, but now… I don’t even know how I managed to notice my daughter running out of the play area toward the $4 a pop train ride in the mall. (Hokey I think, but whatev).

 

After all of this playtime she became extra sassy and I had to put her in timeout… When I told her what was happening and why, she said “Otay” and laid on the bench… Whhaaaat!? I almost lost it, she normally throws a FIT! Later after playing more she walked up to me and said “Mommy Ina time out”… Did she just ask for time out?… Yep!… So I let her have another… Why not?! {haha} I decided this was her way of telling me she was done, so we left, and she was fine!

Today

…was almost as fun. We stayed home, but since the weather was SO nice (72*) we spent most of the afternoon outside! Somehow I managed to get a farmers tan only on my right arm… weird? I also raked my front yard, which I will never call small again! There had to be 2 years worth of leaves out there…. This did help me out with my water consumption! 2 Liters in today!

Well you guys have a great day (or night)!

Until Next Time, Toodles 😉

Happy Time! February 19, 2011

I love it when my husband is happy, even more so I love it when my hubby and daughter are happily doing something together! So this is why I usually write so late… It’s happy time, for all of us! You see, night-time (after supper) is about the only time my sweeties get together.

This is usually what happens…

Precious!

Most nights Ana will crawl into daddy’s lap and snuggle down until she falls asleep or he decides to go “night night”… She of course has to go with him!

You may be wondering why I’m blogging about this, and the truth is… I don’t really know. It’s just one of those precious moments that I thought someone else may enjoy. As my husband told me tonight it makes him SO happy that they have this time together… It makes me happy too! It’s special daddy time, and a little girl is supposed to be daddy’s princess! {She so is!}

Completely unrelated…. I realized today that I have terrible road rage. I’ve gotta work on that.

Question

Does it bother you when someone blows their horn at you?… (not if you’re at fault, like running them off the road). I’m talking about light turns green, 1.5 sec later {HONK}. Grrrrr

Well I’m pretty sure there is a snuggle fest going on that I need to join!

Nighty Night Yall!

Sleep and other things… February 17, 2011

Well yesterday was quite uneventful… Probably the most interesting thing that happened yesterday was when I woke up… Not the waking up part (that always happens), but it was when I woke up and realized that I couldn’t roll over! I was aching all over. So I wriggled my way onto my back, half-way hanging off the bed and saw that Ana (my 21 mo. old daughter) was in the bed with us… It was 3 am and I was quite sure that 5 hours earlier I had gone to bed snuggled nice and close to my husband with no Ana… So when had she got into bed with us and more importantly HOW??? No one knows, not me or my husband. I’m sure Ana knows, but I don’t think she’ll be enlightening us any time soon.

This is a recurring problem for me. I have had, we’ll say a history, of talking and walking in my sleep since I was a little girl. Once my mom had to remove yank me up as I was sitting down into one of my dresser drawers (middle of the night), pajama bottoms and undies around my ankles and doing what appeared to be attempting to pee in my dresser! You’ll be relieved to know that she got me up and into the bathroom, but I never did anything, and to this day don’t remember any of it.

I assumed that this would all change when I became a mom, at least that was what I was told. Apparently this wasn’t the case for me… I wonder if this makes me any less of a mom, but then I realize that Ana is happy and healthy and that’s what matters. Not my sleeping habits, right?

Ana sleeping soundly in mommy and daddy's bed.

 

On another note last night I tried a new recipe! (I get excited about food). I made tuna casserole which was surprisingly delish ;). I can’t take credit for this one, it was a recipe I got from another blogger, but I will be adding it to my recipe page {coming soon}!

Well ^^^ that was yesterday. Today holds it very own excitements and frustrations (like trying to get in a double workout because yesterday was a complete FLOP in that department). 😦  Oh well….

My biggest excitement of today is getting ready for tomorrow (sad I know, but true). I joined a “meetup” group for moms and their children and we (Ana and I) will be attending our very first outing tomorrow! We will be going to an indoor play area, and I am really hoping to meet some nice moms, and that Ana will make some little friends too! It has been difficult at times for us since we have moved away from everyone we know (the closest family/friends are about an hour away). So hopefully this will be a great way to grow our circle and form new relationships!

Well I’m off for now to go do my domestic duties! (joy, joy) I’m not quite sure what we will be having for supper tonight,but if it’s anything interesting I will let you know!

Later 😉