I have lost workout motivation. I make every excuse with the biggest one being that I do not want to sweat right now. But I know I need it and love the benefits. So my plan is to create workout motivation.
One-a song playlist that gets me going.
Two-accountability app to check in and set goals.
Three-look at this picture to get these arms.
I blogged earlier about traveling with these friends and ALL our kids. What I forgot to mention was how they each inspired me to see them in their mom role. Often our times together look more like the movie Bad Moms. We drink our parenting problems away as we vent and support each other through life. However on this trip I got a front row seat to how hard they each mom in unique ways.
Two mommed hard in the teenage phase. Dealing with hard conversations and boundaries while also exploring independence.
One was still in the littles phase while rubbing her daughter’s back to sleep and fixing her hair.
One amazed me with her awareness to allergies and health issues. I stared in awe as each meal was planned out.
Another handled a medical condition like a boss checking blood sugars and insulin levels.
Each of us doing the best we can, but having the support of each other. This is what being a mom should be like. Admiring each other as we parent that specific child to meet his or her needs in that specific environment. There is no one way or right way-but oh what a difference it makes when we celebrate and cheer each other on.
Keep momming hard! You are doing it right!
For the mamas with no milk in the fridge..
For the mamas with laundry in the dryer for 2 days…
For the mama that still has gifts in bags from a birthday 2 months ago…
For the mama that could fill a trash bag with the junk in her car..
For the mama that has bills with late fees because you thought you paid it…
For the mama that can’t find two matching shoes or socks…
You are not alone.
I have several solid groups of girl friends. Girls connected in different ways. Moms of kids the same age, baseball moms, teacher friends, church friends, high school friends…women with things in common that get together and breathe.
My husband says this is harder to find in the man world. Maybe it is just him…who knows, but I am grateful. Grateful I can be vulnerable. Grateful we can vent or celebrate together. Just Grateful we can drink, dance, and let loose in our sweatpants and sweatshirts with hair pulled up and no make up.
If you are fortunate to find those friends then keep them and make time for them.
It is worth it.
I have no idea who this mom is and I regret not sharing this pic with her. She was on our plane coming back from Playa.
She was alone with three kids. Two were passed out and that baby fought sleep for a good 30 minutes. Poor mom kept apologizing and promising her sleep meds would kick in soon…everyone around her seemed unbothered. I felt her pain.
When the baby finally crashed, so did mom and I got to take this pic.
She did it. She mommed so hard and won the battle. It was a victory and I was happy for her. I was also in awe of how she traveled with 3 kids. I can barely go to the store with my one.
Whatever season you are in as a mom…do not give up. Stick together with other mothers and encourage them. Mom hard like this mom did last summer with two sleepy kids and a crying baby on a plane.
What is it with fireworks that make people lose their minds? We live out in the country where popping all explosives is legal. Every New Year and July 4th my house sounds like a war zone. This is not how I was raised. We watched them, but never popped them so seeing this excitement for fire is beyond me.
Personally, they are a waste of money. I said it!
However, the smile it brings my son to hold the lighter and watch it go off. The anticipation of what the firecracker will do…how high…how loud….the colors. He loves it all. The joy my husband feels to put on a show and share that explosion together…it is special.
I pace back and forth ready for the injury, the fire, the accident and 911 call. I am not a fireworks girl-but my boys are so we light em up. Truth is that hour of memories is no different then a dinner night out or buying fancy liquor to drink. You consume it and it is gone. You have nothing left but a memory and maybe a picture, but in that moment it was everything and nowhere else you would rather be.
So rather than be a fireworks waste, I will choose to say fireworks win last night. Memories to last a lifetime and maybe share with his family someday. Happy 4th of July!
My son has been obsessed with dinosaurs lately. We can thank Jurassic World and Ryan’s toy reviews for that. When I learned the Jurassic exhibit was in Dallas, but required over 25 dollars a ticket and over an hour drive…I stopped to consider if this event was worth it.
It was.
The experience was worth the cost. The opportunity to be together as a family. The fact my husband took off of work-shock! The chance to laugh when the unexpected occurred. The feeling of awe as the robots came to life. The smiles, the laughs, the conversations on the way home. The way he tells everyone about it.
Was it costly? Yes. Was it only an hour? Yes. Will we remember it for a lifetime? I hope so.
Choose.the.experience.
We did.
Came to my parents to hang out for an hour before my Camp Gladiator workout. They were on their way out the door to get to Luby’s by four (yum)! Was I upset because they left me there all alone?
Ummmm….no!!
It was magical! I was alone! No kid, dog, dishes to do…it was like being at a hotel. Made my day and made me realize I am old when being alone excited me because it never happens.
I count having my first child in my mid-thirties a blessing because I had a lot of time to think about cool things I wanted to do as a parent. One cool thing is dressing a baby up like a man.
That hat was my grandfather’s so that look is extra special to my heart.
Another fave thing was taking the month to month pics the first year. This process was super hard and only got harder each month but love looking at the 12 months all together.
Poor kid endured big dress ups on every holiday! Here are some faves:
But two more cool things that I only do because I had lots of time to think about kids is….1. I have a Dr Seuss book that each of his teachers sign and I will give it to him at graduation. It is a great reminder of all the teachers that poured into him each year. I keep a school picture from each year so we can see how he grows. 2. Keep a frame with those school pictures as art on the wall.
I want this to be a daily reminder the time goes fast so make the memories and track them for the future. Thankfully I started these early so I have the keepsakes needed.
I am sure there are so many other ways to track the memories. Do you have any special ones you do?
No one prepares you to mom in cold weather. Texas women do not get much guidance in handling kids during freezing weather and snow in an area that’s climate is just straight up hot. Exhibit A: Ridiculous Clothing
We don’t ski…enough said. Exhibit B: cooked from the pantry.
Pardon his booger nose…we blew it shortly after the pic was taken. We ate whatever we found in the pantry: tacos, mac and cheese, bootleg dumplings minus the chicken, chili with missing ingredients and lots of breakfast foods and frozen foods.
Who kept that fire going while dad worked all week? This girl!
Who got a workout in while all the whole house watched and tried to wave to the camera? Me again!
Who splurged with some snow ice cream and played outside every day in temps in the single digits? Me.Me.Me!
Hopefully you can agree that moms do what moms do to keep their children happy despite being stuck inside for 6 days straight. We made memories, had fun, learned a little and relaxed a lot! Looking forward to getting out tomorrow, but celebrating we made it today!
intunewithmyautoimmune 