This woman deserves some kind of medal of honor: Twin girls and Triplet Boys.... oh my!
The Full House
The Full House
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Happy Eater
I was searching online for information about feeding a toddler. Sara has always been a pretty good eater, but she is not interested in trying new things and asks for noodles or rice at every meal. I don't want to make something different than what I'm already cooking every night, so I wanted to find out good ways to manage a situation without her developing a negative relationship with food.
I found this website by Ellyn Satter, She answers a lot of questions about feeding children of all ages. I loved her suggestions of allowing your child to set their own boundaries when it comes to how much they want to eat and not cooking only the things she wants.
Check it out and see if it helps you with your picky eater.
I found this website by Ellyn Satter, She answers a lot of questions about feeding children of all ages. I loved her suggestions of allowing your child to set their own boundaries when it comes to how much they want to eat and not cooking only the things she wants.
Check it out and see if it helps you with your picky eater.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
The Mom Cut
So you've all heard the expression "the mom cut" and "mom jeans". I know mom jeans were pretty big in the 90s and have since tapered off (literally). But why can't we be stylish and hip moms? I'm not talking about spending hundreds of dollars on designer jeans, make-up only from the MAC counter, and bedazzled t-shirts. I'm talking about wearing jeans that actually fit and don't make your butt look like it hangs down to your knees, even though it feels that way some times. And plenty of moms I know have beautiful long hair. I personally am not one to torture myself with it, but for those of you that do - it looks great!
I've always been a big fan of short hair. In fact, I don't think my hair has ever been more than an inch past my shoulders and when it was that long - I wore in a pony tail 9 days out of 10. I've had hair as short as an inch or 2 and I loved it. My husband told me never to cut it like that again, but I thought it was really cute. I'll have to find a picture of myself and scan it in for you guys. This being said, although long hair requires the daily maintenance that short hair does not, you do have to get short hair cut more often in order to maintain a style. You can always tell when you get a really good cut, because it grows out nicely.
My fabulous and beautiful cousin, Melissa, has been cutting my hair since we lived in AZ. She decided it was absolutely necessary for her to move because her husband got a job up North, or whatever. I don't really care because now I have to either drive 3 hours to get my haircut (with a 2 year old, that's not really much of an option considering what happened last time we were up there) or find an alternative method. So, here I am at a crossroads. I need a haircut. Not a mom haircut, although I am a mom. I want a cute, stylish, easy to do hair do. Here are a few pictures of things I am considering... you may think they all look the same, but trust me - they're not. Anyone with short hair can tell you. What do you think??
I've always been a big fan of short hair. In fact, I don't think my hair has ever been more than an inch past my shoulders and when it was that long - I wore in a pony tail 9 days out of 10. I've had hair as short as an inch or 2 and I loved it. My husband told me never to cut it like that again, but I thought it was really cute. I'll have to find a picture of myself and scan it in for you guys. This being said, although long hair requires the daily maintenance that short hair does not, you do have to get short hair cut more often in order to maintain a style. You can always tell when you get a really good cut, because it grows out nicely.
My fabulous and beautiful cousin, Melissa, has been cutting my hair since we lived in AZ. She decided it was absolutely necessary for her to move because her husband got a job up North, or whatever. I don't really care because now I have to either drive 3 hours to get my haircut (with a 2 year old, that's not really much of an option considering what happened last time we were up there) or find an alternative method. So, here I am at a crossroads. I need a haircut. Not a mom haircut, although I am a mom. I want a cute, stylish, easy to do hair do. Here are a few pictures of things I am considering... you may think they all look the same, but trust me - they're not. Anyone with short hair can tell you. What do you think??
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
True Friends - No Gossip
I have been reminded lately of the importance of good friends. I feel so lucky to have made some really great friends since moving to Mesa. But, I have also seen the unfortunate side of the wrong kinds of friends. One of the things I have personally experienced is the danger of gossip. I am not perfect and have been guilty of gossiping more than my fair share. But this year, I really want to make developing good friendships a priority and by doing so, gossip must be eliminated.
I found an article with a few key principles to help eliminate gossip:
1) Think about how you would feel if someone were saying things about you
2) Change the subject when friends begin to gossip
3) Avoid any negative comments
4) Look for the good in others
5) Have courage
6) Pray for help
President David O. McKay says, "Let us avoid evil speaking; let us avoid slander and gossip. These are poisons to the soul to those who indulge. Evil speaking injures the reviler more than the reviled.”
How have you been blessed by great friends that have inspired you to make good changes in your life?
I found an article with a few key principles to help eliminate gossip:
1) Think about how you would feel if someone were saying things about you
2) Change the subject when friends begin to gossip
3) Avoid any negative comments
4) Look for the good in others
5) Have courage
6) Pray for help
President David O. McKay says, "Let us avoid evil speaking; let us avoid slander and gossip. These are poisons to the soul to those who indulge. Evil speaking injures the reviler more than the reviled.”
How have you been blessed by great friends that have inspired you to make good changes in your life?
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Sensitive Little Soul
It's just amazing to me how much of a personality little people can have. To think babies are born with their own identity, spirit and personality is just incredible. Lately I've noticed what a sensitive little girl Sara is. The other day in the car, she was pulling her pony tail out and I said, "No Sara, please don't take your hair out." And she looked at me with the saddest face, her chin started quivering and tears started coming down her face. I hurt her feelings.
A few days later, she was playing with Cameron and patted his cheeks. He said, "Ouch Sara, that hurts. Please don't." And again, her little chin started to quiver and she was crying. I didn't expect to have such a sensitive little girl, but it makes me think twice before I say something to her. I want her to know the difference between right and wrong, but I certainly don't want to hurt her feelings in the process. I can tell this is going to be something we'll have to work on.
What are some personality challenges you've had with your kids and how have you learned to manage them?
A few days later, she was playing with Cameron and patted his cheeks. He said, "Ouch Sara, that hurts. Please don't." And again, her little chin started to quiver and she was crying. I didn't expect to have such a sensitive little girl, but it makes me think twice before I say something to her. I want her to know the difference between right and wrong, but I certainly don't want to hurt her feelings in the process. I can tell this is going to be something we'll have to work on.
What are some personality challenges you've had with your kids and how have you learned to manage them?
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Simplify
I took my sweet Jacob to his 2 month check up, and he weighed in at 14 lbs 8.5 oz. He is a wonderful big boy. While there, I asked his doctor if I should start rice cereal early because of how much formula he is trying to consume on one day. She is wonderful and explained it to me like this: We could sit and eat 6 bowls of tortilla chips but we wouldn't get any daily nutrition from doing that. Same with starting rice cereal early; it does not give the baby any nutrients when they are this young. It is unnecessary.
It really made me think what else in life is unnecessary. We often talk about all the things we need to do, all we need to accomplish in a day, our responsibilities that might overwhelm us, etc. But today I ask:
WHAT DO YOU TO SIMPLIFY AND TO TAKE OUT THE UNNECESSARY?
( isn't this a funny question because you have to do something in order to simplify???)
One simple thing we do at our house is not using a baby bathtub. Many find it necessary, but we found it to be more impractical for us, since the kitchen sink didn't require you to bend quite as much to wash the baby.
Another thing I do is let my husband know ahead of time all that was accomplished during the day by each of our kids and by me, so that he can be the proud Daddy and Husband. It takes away the unnecessary hurt feelings if things went unnoticed. It also allows our kids to know how much their busy Daddy cares.
Trying to simplify
Tuesdays in Tucson,
Brandi
It really made me think what else in life is unnecessary. We often talk about all the things we need to do, all we need to accomplish in a day, our responsibilities that might overwhelm us, etc. But today I ask:
WHAT DO YOU TO SIMPLIFY AND TO TAKE OUT THE UNNECESSARY?
( isn't this a funny question because you have to do something in order to simplify???)
One simple thing we do at our house is not using a baby bathtub. Many find it necessary, but we found it to be more impractical for us, since the kitchen sink didn't require you to bend quite as much to wash the baby.
Another thing I do is let my husband know ahead of time all that was accomplished during the day by each of our kids and by me, so that he can be the proud Daddy and Husband. It takes away the unnecessary hurt feelings if things went unnoticed. It also allows our kids to know how much their busy Daddy cares.
Trying to simplify
Tuesdays in Tucson,
Brandi
Monday, January 10, 2011
Skin Deep
I have pretty sensitive skin, but I noticed being a mom has really taken it's toll. I started to get acne really bad in my mid-twenties. I must admit, it says weird to say mid-twenties like it was a long time ago. I guess so, since I'm 30 now! My skin has really been on a roller coaster for the last 10 years.
I had really clear skin in High School and didn't start to experience breakouts until I went to college. I think a lot of it had to do with the humidity change and the stress of school. I found some medicine that helped get it under control and continued taking antibiotics (not recommended) for my skin for the next 6 years. I took a break for a while hoping to be able to stop taking the antibiotics all together only to experience the worst acne I ever had. I took pictures to track the progress of various treatments. I tried Proactiv, Murad, Neutrogena, Clearasil, and a few others with no success. I finally turned back to antibiotics.
When I got pregnant with Sara, the doctor said taking the medicine for my skin was okay, but I really didn't want to take it. My skin actually did pretty well during my pregnancy, must have been the regulation of my hormones. After Sara was born, my skin started to break out and I was determined to find something. My sister suggested a web-site acne.org. I started using a Benzoyl Peroxide based product on their web-site and it has been amazing! Aside from the occasional break-out, my skin has been remarkably clear.
People used to tell me that I looked at least 4 or 5 years younger than I actually was. Since I became a mother, I feel like my skin has made up for those 4 or 5 years. But I feel like taking care of my skin now is more important than ever! Here is an example of what I use during a typical day:
Morning: Wash with Oil of Olay Sensitive Skin face wash
Coat skin with Acne.org product
Moisturize face with Eucerin lotion with spf 15
Eye cream (usually just samples from Sephora)
Night: Wash with Oil of Olay Sensitive Skin face wash
Coat skin with Acne.org product
Moisturize with Oil of Olay Night Time Firming Cream
Eye Cream - more samples from Sephora
2 times a week I was my face with St. Ives Apricot Scrub with exfoliating seeds. I love the way it smells and makes my skin feel so smooth. I've recently tried the Oil of Olay Regenerating Serum, but I didn't like it. I have tried just about every product for your skin out there, so if you're wondering about something - let me know and I'll tell you what I thought of it.
Take time for your skin. It's yours forever!
I had really clear skin in High School and didn't start to experience breakouts until I went to college. I think a lot of it had to do with the humidity change and the stress of school. I found some medicine that helped get it under control and continued taking antibiotics (not recommended) for my skin for the next 6 years. I took a break for a while hoping to be able to stop taking the antibiotics all together only to experience the worst acne I ever had. I took pictures to track the progress of various treatments. I tried Proactiv, Murad, Neutrogena, Clearasil, and a few others with no success. I finally turned back to antibiotics.
When I got pregnant with Sara, the doctor said taking the medicine for my skin was okay, but I really didn't want to take it. My skin actually did pretty well during my pregnancy, must have been the regulation of my hormones. After Sara was born, my skin started to break out and I was determined to find something. My sister suggested a web-site acne.org. I started using a Benzoyl Peroxide based product on their web-site and it has been amazing! Aside from the occasional break-out, my skin has been remarkably clear.
People used to tell me that I looked at least 4 or 5 years younger than I actually was. Since I became a mother, I feel like my skin has made up for those 4 or 5 years. But I feel like taking care of my skin now is more important than ever! Here is an example of what I use during a typical day:
Morning: Wash with Oil of Olay Sensitive Skin face wash
Coat skin with Acne.org product
Moisturize face with Eucerin lotion with spf 15
Eye cream (usually just samples from Sephora)
Night: Wash with Oil of Olay Sensitive Skin face wash
Coat skin with Acne.org product
Moisturize with Oil of Olay Night Time Firming Cream
Eye Cream - more samples from Sephora
2 times a week I was my face with St. Ives Apricot Scrub with exfoliating seeds. I love the way it smells and makes my skin feel so smooth. I've recently tried the Oil of Olay Regenerating Serum, but I didn't like it. I have tried just about every product for your skin out there, so if you're wondering about something - let me know and I'll tell you what I thought of it.
Take time for your skin. It's yours forever!
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Shopping with a Toddler
So anyone that knows me well, knows that I like to go shopping on a regular basis. Whether it's browsing the aisles at Target, looking for a bargain at TJ Maxx, shopping for shoes at Dillards, or sampling everything at Sephora... I like to shop. I don't always buy things, but it gives me a good excuse to get out of the house and something to do in the day. However, shopping with a toddler is opening my eyes to a whole new experience.
I needed to pick up some fabric a few weeks ago at JoAnn's and while the lady was cutting my fabric, Sara ripped opened a bag of candy (those disgusting pink powdery disk things) near the register. They were everywhere! I feel like I've talked about this before, so if I have... I'm sorry. Anyway, I cleaned up the mess, paid for the candy and went home. I didn't allow Sara to eat any of the candy and they are still sitting in my drawer.
Yesterday, I needed to take some shoes back to Dillards and Sara followed behind me saying, "Cute shoes, Momma" and "Sara size shoes?" to almost every pair. Needless to say, what would have been a 5 minute errand by myself turned in to a 45 minute one. Of course since we were at the mall, we had to go to the puppy store.
A couple of weeks ago, I was purchasing some lotion at Ulta. I could see Sara standing next to me and then she said, "Look Momma!". As I looked down, she was covered in red lipstick. Not the kind that just rubs off with a baby wipe, it totally stained her face. I wiped off what I could and had to use make-up remover when we got home.
I should say that all these adventures have made me go shopping less, but in fact, probably the opposite is true. It is a lot more work to drag a toddler around the aisles of TJ Maxx and trying on clothes in the dressing room is just a joke, but it certainly makes for a fun afternoon for at least 1 of us.
I needed to pick up some fabric a few weeks ago at JoAnn's and while the lady was cutting my fabric, Sara ripped opened a bag of candy (those disgusting pink powdery disk things) near the register. They were everywhere! I feel like I've talked about this before, so if I have... I'm sorry. Anyway, I cleaned up the mess, paid for the candy and went home. I didn't allow Sara to eat any of the candy and they are still sitting in my drawer.
Yesterday, I needed to take some shoes back to Dillards and Sara followed behind me saying, "Cute shoes, Momma" and "Sara size shoes?" to almost every pair. Needless to say, what would have been a 5 minute errand by myself turned in to a 45 minute one. Of course since we were at the mall, we had to go to the puppy store.A couple of weeks ago, I was purchasing some lotion at Ulta. I could see Sara standing next to me and then she said, "Look Momma!". As I looked down, she was covered in red lipstick. Not the kind that just rubs off with a baby wipe, it totally stained her face. I wiped off what I could and had to use make-up remover when we got home.
I should say that all these adventures have made me go shopping less, but in fact, probably the opposite is true. It is a lot more work to drag a toddler around the aisles of TJ Maxx and trying on clothes in the dressing room is just a joke, but it certainly makes for a fun afternoon for at least 1 of us.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Why My Life is Beautiful...
My life is full of fun. Per Karen's Request, I wanted to share some of the reasons I enjoy playing with play-do, washing laundry, loving with logic, changing diapers, and making dinners.
This is Lincoln. He is almost five. One of my favorite things about Lincoln is that he loves to look at himself in the mirror. I hope we can instill in him how awesome he is so that when we is sixteen he suffers more from an inflated self-image that than someone who can't stand to look at their self. Lincoln is why I love my life.
Even though they are not looking at the camera, they are the most beautiful blessings the Lord has given David and me. They are why I love my life.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Happy 2011
I hope everyone had a happy and safe New Years. I pretty much think New Years is kind of lame, but it's a good excuse to get a baby-sitter and go do something until 9 o'clock. As I was laying in bed last night, I was thinking of things to work on this year and one of them is going to be this blog. As I contemplated ways to make it better, I thought... instead of answering questions about motherhood, maybe it should be a place where we can just talk about the funny things that happen in our lives.
I look at the women and mothers around me and some of them just seem like they've got it all together. I know it's not true, and I need to remind myself of that. But... what is it like to be in their shoes for a day? It's impossible to really know, but maybe if we start to share the things in our day that make us 'normal', we will feel better about where and who we are.
Now I'm not saying we should be settling for mediocre; we can always do better. But sometimes it's nice to know that you're not the only mom who cleans the boogers out of your little girls nose before she takes a nap, so she can breath or that you too bribe your child with chocolate chips just to get her to take a bite of your yummy homemade potato soup. See what I am saying? Is this making sense? Also, I want to start including some pictures, not necessarily the booger picking moments, but of the moments in general that remind us of who we are and why being a mom is so darn important. You all on board??
And just to start it off right... here is a picture of me torturing my daughter by making her sit on Santa's lap. Just so we could capture this moment and put it in her wedding video someday:
I look at the women and mothers around me and some of them just seem like they've got it all together. I know it's not true, and I need to remind myself of that. But... what is it like to be in their shoes for a day? It's impossible to really know, but maybe if we start to share the things in our day that make us 'normal', we will feel better about where and who we are.
Now I'm not saying we should be settling for mediocre; we can always do better. But sometimes it's nice to know that you're not the only mom who cleans the boogers out of your little girls nose before she takes a nap, so she can breath or that you too bribe your child with chocolate chips just to get her to take a bite of your yummy homemade potato soup. See what I am saying? Is this making sense? Also, I want to start including some pictures, not necessarily the booger picking moments, but of the moments in general that remind us of who we are and why being a mom is so darn important. You all on board??
And just to start it off right... here is a picture of me torturing my daughter by making her sit on Santa's lap. Just so we could capture this moment and put it in her wedding video someday:
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