Thoughts on Mommyhood and Stress

{hence the size of my hips}

My husband knows that our two young boys can be hard on me.  

Even if I'm at eye-level with, and looking at my just-shy-of-3-year-old son, if I don't respond to his "Mommy" with "What?" or "Yes?" he won't go on to tell me what he wants to tell me...  

I must say the word "what" 50+ times a day.

My 5-month-old is also quite vocal---and grabbing at my keyboard right now.

And from his bedroom my just-shy-of-3-year-old is asking for his third "last drink" of water for the night. 

They consume me---my time, energy, and sanity.  It's somewhat often that I go alone to Barnes & Noble or Target after 9 p.m. just to hear my own thoughts, and I am grateful that my husband is supportive.  

I would also like to thank Barnes & Noble and Target for being among the three retail stores, that I'm aware of, that are open after 9 p.m.  


I would love to make it possible for every mother to take time for herself, and to recharge---daily, on-demand, and at any hour---without any worry at all for her babies.  Not everyone can easily call on someone to step in and care for their babies so that they can enjoy a much-needed, and much-deserved break.

Wouldn't a hybrid day-care/childrens museum/day spa/movie theater/restaurant be 

 fantastic?

Our two young boys also make me so happy.  Especially now that my husband will be pursuing additional Business education, I am considering ways to relieve stress on long days.  

see that post here  

Looking Forward To More Love

Unique decor ideas make me happy, and Love is so inspiring that February draws out hundreds of incredible ideas too many incredible ideas to count.

These are the first two I stumbled upon that started me thinking about my first Valentine's Day with my handsome husband, and my two little men-in-training:

{Fresh Home Ideas}
Wouldn't this arrangement be great
in an entry way, or over a fireplace?

Your nearest thrift store, dollar store, or IKEA could make this *36-photo frame arrangement affordable.

*If I've counted correctly

If the blue walls aren't a dead giveaway, 
{also Fresh Home Ideas}

I like this second idea even more now, having learned that my hubby has to attend a work-related convention in NYC over Valentine's Day, immediately following his return from a Boy Scout camp-out.

With Daddy's face on a pillow, the three of us can snuggle up to him even when he's traveling.

*****
How are you planning on celebrating Valentine's Day?
*****

Here It Is...My New Year's Resolution

In the last year it feels like I've spent a lot of time at home alone with my boys, and indoors.  Little Brother arrived in August, and I felt like I was starting from scratch in managing our home, working part-time from home, and parenting now TWO boys.  Within the two months that followed each of them underwent one surgery, and after being hurled into three holidays these last three months have been a blur.  Although I miss my husband, who has returned to work, I welcome the return to normalcy and it would feel wonderful to act more towards, and with others this year.  


In my opinion, the key to any New Year's resolution is realizing that your resolution is likely on this year's list because you didn't do it, have it, or succeed at it last year.  If it didn't come easily for you last year, it likely won't come easily for you this year.  This means change.  This means "new," "different," "extra..."  A new routine, a different choice, an extra effort...


If the perfect me lived the perfect life last year, my New Year's resolution would be "do what I did last year."  I'm not perfect---and yet I demand perfection of myself the moment the clock strikes 12:01 A.m. on New Year's day?  It's because the beginning of a new year feels like this,  

{beautiful}

and then a failure reminds me I've brought all of my imperfections into the new year with me, and that feels like this,

{Rural Ramblings}

But of course we're going to fail, in the beginning---which is difficult to accept because when we fail I'll confess that I feel like I'm just not meant to succeed at this, because I don't have what it takes, and I may never have it.  However, failure plays an important role in our perfection, and change takes practice.  

Be kind to yourself, and when you fail imagine a fresh snow and begin again.

Now that I have a new direction in mind for the new year, it's time to chunk it down and gather a few ideas and helps for making it happen.  Which of your New Year's resolutions bubbled to the top of your list for this month?


A.

Polar Bear Prep 101

{buy this print}

Cold nights, combined with the 1st season of The Colony, has left me thinking about how well Papa and I would do here at home with our two cubs if we lost power for more than the typical 2-3 hours.  A house-fire or an earthquake could force us out of our home altogether and into low temperatures, made worse by wind and nightfall.  This is Polar Bear Prep 101, to keep the mood light in a potentially frightening situation.  Polar bears are superbly insulated and dressed to survive extremely low temperatures.


Even though you can't prepare for every potential disaster, there IS value in preparing for the disasters that are probable for your area.  If you survive, you will then be able to protect and rehabilitate others.  If the worst should happen and you do not survive, your neighbors and family members may still benefit from the items you acquired in preparation.


Our freeze-free period lasts an average of 167 days of the year, and on average January is our coldest month.  This month, especially after night fall, a power outage---generally a minor and short-lived inconvenience---could create a real need for warmth.


Here is a basic list of items you'll want for warmth: 
*No cotton.  When it's wet cotton is worthless as an insulator and heavy.
}  knit hat, if possible one that covers your ears---most heat is lost through your head
}  scarf---if possible, use it to cover your ears and neck
}  ear warmers
}  thermal socks
}  winter shoes
}  gloves
}  hand warmers
}  thermal underwear
}  dry clothes---"wick, warmth, and weather"
}  blankets---newspaper is a better cover than no cover
}  sleeping bag
}  a method for drying wet clothes
}  a method for heating/boiling water, for warm drinks
}  hugs and snuggling---to create warmth


For the most comfort you may also want to research:
}  alternative sources of electricity
}  battery-powered and other sources of heat
}  other forms of shelter


                                                                              ***
Fortunately, your body has two built-in mechanisms to protect you from the cold:
1}  In an effort to insulate itself and limit the amount of heat you lose to the environment, it'll move blood away from your skin and outer extremities---ears, fingers, toes---and toward its core.
2}  You will shiver. 

***

ULTIMATELY, the cold-weather illnesses you're trying to prevent are Hypothermia and Frostbite. 


Hypothermia---Your body has lost more heat than it's producing and your core body temperature has dropped---mild hypothermia sets in at about 95 degrees F (Fahrenheit).  Your body loses heat about 25 times faster in water than air---if you're forced to choose between being wet or going naked, go naked.  In terms of symptoms, hypothermia will affect your body's core---the brain, heart, lungs, and other vital organs.


Frostbite---Your skin has fallen below the freezing point (32 degrees F, or zero degrees Celsius/Centigrade) and ice crystals are forming within your skin cells, killing them.  Your ears, fingers, toes and other areas prone to reduced blood flow in cold temperatures are also more prone to frostbite.

***

There are millions of results for key words such as "frostbite," "hypothermia," and "cold weather survival"---please feel welcome to post a helpful link!

A.

Perspective and Perfection in 2012, and The Difference

"...with an eternal perspective...all will be well."

"...be patient with yourself.  Perfection comes, not in this life but in the next life.  Don't demand things that are unreasonable, but demand of yourself improvement.  As you let the Lord help you through that, He will make the difference."

Be kind to yourself, and enjoy the beginnings of a new year.
Love,
A.

Five Breakfast Ideas To Warm Your Belly

This next week, before you set in cold weather to work and make your final Christmas preparations, we wish you

five warm and delicious breakfasts

to enjoy.  

They've been tried and given our belch of approval. 

Dress warm,

travel patiently,

be kind,

give generously,

and have

a very Merry Christmas.

 5} 

Pumpkin Spice Egg Nog French Toast

You can substitute the Pumpkin Spice egg nog for regular egg nog, if you prefer.

4} 

Apple Cider Pancakes

I prefer to use either the 1/4 C. applesauce (in place of oil) or the finely chopped apple, and not both.

 3} 

Crepes

A word of caution:  I routinely make a second batch, and eat my crepes standing near a hot pan because it's a challenge to keep any on the table.

 2}   

The Perfect Oatmeal

This one cooks itself.  I substitute the cinnamon for an equal amount of Homemade Apple Pie Spice, and it's great without any toppings if you don't have them.

 1} 

Cinnamon Swirl Pancakes

In our opinion perfectly 'gooey' and crunchy (crunchy on account of the caramelized cinnamon swirl), and so yummy we may have to make them our traditional Christmas morning breakfast.

Two Tips For Black Friday 2012

I enjoyed the month of November, and I was happy to look at the calendar this morning and see "Thursday, December 1."  There are a few things that are just better in December, and in memory of November I wanted to share 

Two Tips Born Of BLACK FRIDAY 2011.

I think everyone should experience all that is BLACK FRIDAY at least once.  I'm often encouraging Little Man [Big Brother] to "try it once"...

You do not like it?  

So you say.  

Try it!  Try it!  And you may.  

Try it and you may I say.

---Green Eggs And Ham

Black Friday is trending earlier, and next November this November, you may find yourself cramming a turkey leg into a dinner roll as you race off to the nearest supercenter to pitch your camping chair, before noon Thanksgiving Day.  

But, you may find among the deals that the one item you've been saving for all year has been deeply discounted (!), and a few hours of your time will have been worth the money you saved.

TIP #1:

{Get your hands on a physical copy of the Black Friday ads for your area. 

They will come bundled in what will be THE thickest edition of the newspaper you have EV_ER seen.  You can attempt to navigate one or two store websites for sale hours and Doorbuster reveals or you can have all of Black Friday for your area laid out before you to thumb through, mark with black Sharpie, roll up, and take with you.

TIP #2:

{Shop EARLY, and clear your schedule.

The aisles get narrow and the checkout lines get long, into the afternoon.  So long that you'll find yourself giving all of your coupons away, because 50% off of a few inexpensive items will still only amount to a few dollars, which you'd gladly pay to avoid standing in a line for 1+ hours...

which leads me to

Why hasn't anyone thought of
Shrinking that Black Friday checkout line?

The last time I bought something from an arts and crafts expo I had my credit card swiped through a card reader attached to a computer tablet, and my receipt emailed to me.

Imagine a dozen employees working their way through the backed up checkout line with a device that could ring up your purchases where you stood, if you were paying with a card.  That would be nice...you might just stay and shop a while, knowing that you could make it through the line before dinner time...

What is your top Black Friday tip?