Monday, June 22, 2015

Being The Best Mommy I Can Be.

Yesterday Baby J. turned 11 months old!

I know I say this lots but my how time has flown by! My arms are no longer holding a newborn instead they're filling up with an almost toddler! In my heart and mind he will always be my little baby.

So many people love to tell me that it's time for him to get more independent. That I should stop holding/carrying him so much. That there is no need for me to cuddle him as often as I do. That there is no need for me to hug and kiss him as much as I do.

I choose to ignore these people.

Pretty soon my little Baby J. will be squirming from my arms to run around and play with the other children. Not long from now he'll learn to do more and more by himself and will need me less and less to help him. I can see the time coming were my baby boy will no longer feel the need to cuddle with mommy and will ask me to stop embarrassing him so much by kissing him in front of his friends.

That's why I cuddle, kiss, and spend as much time with my baby as I can right now. Because time flies and I want to have as many of these "ordinary" special moments with Baby J. as possible.


ZOOM! Stroller Anyone?


Even though the weather is none to great right now, I am so excited about today!

For the last couple of weeks Hubby and I have been searching for the "perfect" two child stroller. Well, let's be completely honest, I've been doing the searching Hubby has been doing the "I like/I don't like". You wouldn't believe how difficult it is to find a double stroller in GOOD condition and at a REASONABLE price.

Seriously, why would I ever pay 400-500 for a stroller that is described as "material is discolored, the footrest for one seat is broken, and the handle bar has bite marks." REALLY? I wouldn't even pay 100 for that type of stroller. So, as you can tell it's been difficult finding something that we are actually willing to pay for.

But we did end up finding a cute stroller from ABC Design (ZOOM). We're so far very pleased with the pictures we've seen of it and the price range. The seller had it listed for 300 but has agreed to discuss the price with us once we see it tonight and reach a final decision. After all there is no use in haggling over the price if we decide not to buy it. We were happy to hear that he'd be willing to lower the price if necessary and thus made our decision to go see the stroller today.

What I love the most about the Zoom ABC Design double stroller is the fact that there's a variety of ways for sitting the kids in it. If the kids are having a good day, you can seat them facing each other. If they're having a bad day, there's the option of sitting them both facing you, both facing away from you, or back to back. I also loved the fact that this particular stroller comes with the car seat adapters which means I won't have to spend any more money on them. The one downside is that instead of coming with a car seat, this particular stroller comes with two bassinets. Not all that great since I'll only have one child that can lay in the bassinet. I was really hoping for a car seat but I'm thankful for what I can get.

Plus, hubby and I have discussed the option that if need be we can sell our single stroller and use the money we make from that to buy the necessary car seat or we can sell one of the bassinets or even both. Either way, we'll be buying a car seat if need be. Who knows maybe the adapters will work for the one we currently own and we'll save ourselves some money!

Below are some pictures the guy had posted of the stroller. I think the color combinations are cute. They work for both genders which is a big PLUS!

I'm really hoping that we'll like the real thing just as much as we like it in the pictures! And of course that we end up buying it since this is one of the "BIG items" on our "need-to-get" list.










Friday, June 19, 2015

Straight From The Everyday Mommy's Kitchen

So, I thought I'd share a nice and easy recipe with all my dear readers. 
As you've probably noticed the few recipes I have posted are quick to make, easy, and delicious. The following Chili Con Debreziner falls in that category as well. 


Ingredients:
  • 2 debreziners or any other sausages
  • 1 white onion, yellow onion will work as well
  • sunflower oil
  • salt
  • pepper
  • vegeta
  • chunky tomato sauce
  • tomato paste
  • 1 can small white beans, or if you prefer bigger beans go for it!
  • a few chili flakes

Instructions:

  1. Set your beans to boil in a pot filled with hot water. DO NOT add salt to the water.
  2. Peel and chop your white onion, do this while the beans are boiling.
  3. Cut your 2 debreziners or sausages into thin round slices.
  4. Drain your beans once they are done. Set aside
  5. In a large pan, set some sunflower oil to heat.
  6. Once the oil is heated add your onions and sausages. Stir every few minutes until onions are lightly browned.
  7. Add some seasonings to the sausages and onions. Salt, pepper, vegeta. A little of each.
  8. Add your beans to the pan. Mix in well with the sausages and onions. Make sure the heat is on medium. You don't want to burn anything.
  9. Add the chunky tomato sauce,
  10. Add the pinch of chili flakes. Continue to mix everything together.
  11. Add the a bit of tomato sauce to the mix. Stir. 
  12. Taste and if needed add some more seasonings. Season according to your own taste, be brave and try different seasonings.

BON APPETITE!




Memory Compression Stockings Have Arrived!


Remember this...All About Varicose Veins ?

Well, guess what arrived in the mail on Wednesday afternoon? I did say I would let you all know just what I think about them!







I was so excited to open the pretty little package! I love how the box closes magnetically and how easy it is to store the compression stockings ( or pantyhose whichever you prefer) in it. The box came with the easiest instructions EVER! I'm glad to say I haven't had any trouble understanding or following them. It also included a little pamphlet that let me know of other style and color choices that MEMORY Compression Pantyhose have to offer. I'm still not to sure what that white band is for but so far I haven't needed to use it.

The pantyhose are very comfortable. It's absolutely true that they're EXTREMELY tight and the first day I tried them on I had to take them off because I couldn't stand the tight feeling. Today though I took them on first thing in the morning without getting out of bed and have so far been wearing them for the last 6 hours. They haven't bothered me once. Actually, I forgot for a short time that I was even wearing them! Of course the slippery kitchen tiles reminded me right quick.

What I really like the most is that the company gave me the option of getting a "pregnancy" version of the stockings. Which means that I was able to get a larger size on top to accommodate my bump. Which is great since I was worried that my bump was going to be squished to pieces but instead the top of the pantyhose are nice and elastic as well as a little larger so that I can wear these until the end of my pregnancy. 

How neat is that?

Another thing that I didn't know but I'm totally thrilled about is the long lasting material these are made from. The pamphlet said that if the pantyhose are used daily as well as washed every other day their lifetime is of more or less 6 months. If you only need to wear the pantyhose for a short time (like myself) and you still wash them every other day or at the very least once a week (I'm going with twice a week - laundry days) they should last up to 3 years!! Of course it does mention that they need to be stored away during the time that you are not using them in the box that they came in.

I'm thinking that so far these Compression Pantyhose were definitely worth the money I spent on them. And if they do their job of keeping my beginning varicose veins under control, well I'll be very VERY happy.

Can you tell just how thick these pantyhose are?
I also think Baby J.'s play carpet adds a nice
background. LOL


Time Flies So Buy Some Heavy Duty Earplugs.



I cannot believe how fast time flies.

In just two days from today little Baby J. will be 11 months old. How did that happen?
Hubby and I had a rare moment of just the two of us yesterday after Baby J. finally went to sleep and we spent the time just talking about our little bundle of joy - Baby J.
We were both shocked when we cast a look at our cellphone planner and noticed that the 21st was only two days away.That meant that the little sweetheart that has filled our life with so much joy and happiness was once again getting one month closer to his first birthday. One month closer to having been a part of our family for an entire year.

Wow. It left us speechless and we grinned at each other at the realization that we had been parents for almost an entire year! And the baby managed to survive...as did we! That's a big BIG accomplishment in my book. We ended up getting up from the dinner table and stealing quietly into our bedroom were Baby J. sleeps in his own little crib. We stepped into the room together and just watched him sleep peacefully. Throughout these almost eleven months that Baby J. has been a part of our family hubby and I have developed this small habit of just occasionally watching him sleep and saying a quick but heartfelt blessing over him.

It's not creepy, I think it's an adorable habit we've formed. I actually have seen some of the most gorgeous little smiles light up Baby J.'s face while he's been sleeping and we've even caught him laughing in his sleep a few times! Sweet dreams anyone?

After we spent a few minutes just hugging each other and whispering about how gorgeous and sweet he looks as he sleeps we left the room just as quietly as we entered. We quickly finished up our dinner and then it struck both hubby and myself. If Baby J. has a little over a month left to go to turn the big ONE YEAR old ...well that meant that little Baby VP had a little over a month left to join our family!

Que, the panicked look on Hubby's face. It was priceless! I had a good laugh about it but he looked downright worried. So, when I asked him what was wrong , well his answer left me in tears from laughing so hard!

"I'm trying to think of where I can go to buy some heavy duty earplugs, I mean these normal ones are barely doing the job for when Baby J. starts crying and screaming. They'll never be able to block out the noise when there's two kids screaming their lungs out. How will I be able to sleep then?"

I'll be the one waking up to calm down the two little ones when they cry but Hubby's the one worried about losing sleep.

Ah, married life.

Friday, June 12, 2015

All About Varicose Veins During Pregnancy


One of the things I am getting the chance to know about first hand is varicose veins. I never thought I'd have to deal with this, at least not at my "young" age. But here I am and here they are-present and accounted for on my legs.

In case your not familiar with what exactly varicose veins during pregnancy are or what they look like or even how to treat them...well tighten your seat-belt I am taking you on an educational lesson in varicose veins.

What Are Varicose Veins:
  • Varicose veins have a tendency to show up during pregnancy. 
  • During pregnancy varicose veins are cause by the uterus putting pressure on the large vein on the right side of the body (called inferior vena cava). This causes significant pressure in the legs and thus varicose veins are formed.
  • They are blue or purple mostly squiggly like veins.
  • They tend to show up mostly on the legs but will often times also appear elsewhere.
  • Varicose veins are not necessarily painful. They can range from no discomfort at all to itchy, throbbing, burning, or extremely painful. It all depends.
  • Sometimes they cause the legs to feel achy and heavy.
  •  If you've never had varicose veins before your pregnancy there is a good chance that after you give birth in time they will disappear.
How To Prevent Varicose Veins:
  • Exercise DAILY- exercise gets the blood flowing. Which is good!
  • Elevate your feet - avoid sitting with your legs or ankles crossed. When sitting use a stool, box, or anything else that is handy to rest your legs on. If you're lying down then make sure to use a pillow to elevate your legs. This will help keep the blood flowing nicely which is VERY important in varicose veins prevention.
  • Take Breaks- Avoid sitting or standing for prolonged periods of time without moving around.
  • Wear Comfy Clothes- Try to avoid clothing that is tight, make sure your clothing doesn't bind especially around the top of your legs. Go for comfy underwear, pants, skirts, shirts, and shoes!
  • Support Hose/Graduated-Compression Stockings- Either pair of these are very uncomfortable particularly during the summer but they help prevent varicose veins. Uncomfortable beats painful and ugly varicose veins. The compression stockings are twice as thick as normal support hose and can be bought from the pharmacy. They are loose at the top near your bump and get tighter the lower they go, making it easier for your blood to flow back towards your heart.
  • Watch Your Weight- Try to keep your weight gain during pregnancy in the recommended range. This will help avoid putting extra pressure/strain on your circulatory system.
  • Avoid Strain- Get help with heavy lifting or if possible avoid it completely. Also avoid straining when using the toilet, constipation is no fun so use remedies for it to avoid hemorrhoids. After all, hemorrhoids are varicose veins in a very uncomfortable place!
  • Sleep On The Left Side- Use a pillow behind your back to keep you sleeping on your left side. Your inferior vena cava is on the right side and sleeping on your left helps relieve the vein of pressure and extra weight from the uterus.
How To Treat Varicose Veins:
  • Oils- Your Dr. can prescribe certain oils that you can use to rub into your legs and at least temporarily ease the discomfort and pain caused by varicose veins. Always make sure to start at the bottom of your leg and work your way up. This causes the blood to flow towards your heart.
  • Cold/Warm Water- Make sure to either take showers or to use the shower head when taking a bath to switch between cold & warm water on your legs. Bathing/showering your legs in a continuous mix of warm then cold water for a few minutes helps get the blood flowing, helping the veins to relax and return to their normal size.
  • Elevate Your Legs- Elevate your legs when sitting or laying down. This will take pressure of the veins and at least temporarily ease your discomfort.
  • Graduated-Compression Stockings- These are amazing for helping keep varicose veins under control if you already have them. Make sure to take them on in the mornings while your still laying in bed thus avoiding blood pooling in your legs.
I thought I would share some of the recent information I've come across. Maybe it'll help someone just like it has helped me. Ever since I have started developing the first tiny varicose veins on my legs I began researching and talking to my Dr. about what I can do to help avoid aggravating the situation. These were some of the things that my Dr. mentioned and the rest were things I learned while reading about varicose veins online and in pamphlets.

So, now I'm off to go see about my first pair of graduated-compression stockings. Special made for pregnant women, which is great because at least they will come over my belly instead of annoying me by sitting below it. I'll have to let you all know just what my opinion is on these stockings after I receive them next week.


Did you have to deal with varicose veins during your pregnancy? Any tips on how to treat them or prevent them?

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

Wishes Do Come True!

Meet our little blue hippo from Chicco!
Actually he's not all that little but a fairly nice size and he entertains Baby J. during bath time.


We absolutely love him. Especially Baby J. , he finds him so entertaining and loves to splash around in the tub while listening to the three different songs and several different noises that the little blue hippo makes. This little blue hippo was among Baby J.'s first official toys that he received as a gift from some friends and ever since - well - it's been love at first sight!

It has now become an official bath time tradition to set the hippo in the tub as soon as the water starts running. Baby J. loves hanging on to the side and watching the tub fill up while the hippo sings or grumbles away. As soon as the tub is filled with the right amount of water Baby J. joins his hippo and immediately grabs for him so that he can play with him. Hubby loves watching the two of them interact and it's not been just once when he's told me "Dear, during my childhood the coolest toy I owned was a wooden duck on wheels."
I always laughed and asked him if he's jealous. Until now he's never answered but just laughed along with me. All that changed a few days ago at bath time.

Oh yes, I have another bath time story for you, my readers. 


Like I mentioned above we have a new bath routine and it's working great. We all are happy with it and so far I haven't been pooped or peed on. This time around we ( Hubby and I) worked quickly to get Baby J. through bath time because the weather outside was rather nasty and it was slightly cooler in our home than usual. I really wasn't fancying Baby J. catching a cold so we hurried through our routine. I had just finished rinsing off Baby J. when Hubby decided to stand him up in the tub so that I could wrap him in a towel. It was at that moment that Baby J. fulfilled my wish. Oh yes, I had a slightly mean wish...I have been wanting Hubby to experience getting peed on.

And Baby J. finally decided to help me get my wish. At first Hubby didn't even notice but then that wet and warm feeling must have registered because he started squealing (yes he squealed!! Like a girl...but pssshh don't tell him I said that!) and waving his arms around yelling "OH NO!
I'VE BEEN HIT!"

I almost collapsed from laughter. Oh how I wish I could have filmed this particular moment. It was almost too good to be true. Well, after all was said and done with getting Baby J. wrapped up in a towel and out of the bathtub, Hubby decided he wanted to take a bath as well. So, like any normal person I decided to drain the tub and fill it with fresh water...you know a peace offering for laughing so hard at him having been "HIT!". 

As I'm bending over to grab Baby J.'s little blue hippo out of the bath I couldn't believe it when I heard Hubby say,"Step away from the tub and leave the hippo in it."

To which I asked the only thing possible "WHY?".

"Baby J. isn't the only one who likes having someone sing for them during bath time. It makes bath time more fun."

Ladies and gentlemen, I was left speechless. Hubby actually had the little hippo sing all the way through his bath time.

The phrase "I'm a child at heart"....apparently really applies to my Hubby. Looks like Baby J. isn't the only one who loves a fun bath time apparently certain adults at The Everyday Mommy Headquarters do too!



Who Said Pregnancy Was All About The Glow?


This pregnancy has fairly flown by.

I'm not exactly sure how I went from being in the first trimester to nearing the end of the third. It's a little bit baffling. To be completely honest I don't mind at all that the time has gone by so fast. I'm so excited to meet the newest little member of our family that I'm praying the rest of the time goes by just as fast. Even though I know Little VP needs to stay 'in' for as long as possible I'm hoping he'll join us before we reach the due date of August 6th. August seems to be forever away while the end of July seems so much closer. 

Can you fault me for being impatient about meeting my little one? I didn't think so.

One of the things I've noticed with this pregnancy is just how different it is compared to my pregnancy with Baby J. This time around I actually felt pregnant...so to say. With Baby J. I just felt like I was my normal self but with a few "hiccups" along the way. 

Which is what made me think of jotting down a little list of my 
Top Four Not So Nice Ways I Know I'm Pregnant This Time Around. After all there are so many ladies that rave about the perks of pregnancy I thought it would only be fair to share the not so nice parts as well. Don't worry I skipped diarrhea and constipation. Nobody wants the details on those!!

Here we go:

  1. Morning Sickness - Seriously, this time around I totally understood what all the other ladies meant when they said they had to deal with it morning, noon, and at night. I finally got to join the club with Little VP.
  2. Heat Waves- I don't know if that's the right way to describe it but it seems just right to me. I seem to be under attack by the most ferocious heat waves ever. The funny thing is I'm the only one suffering from them. I literally burn up every couple of minutes and have the hardest time cooling off. An indoor pool would be such a blessing right about now!
  3. Varicose Veins- Until now, I didn't even know that pregnancy could cause these. But after spotting the little monsters on my own two legs, well I've become better informed. Their not painful or all that big so far which makes me as happy as anyone with non-painful varicose veins can be. 
  4. Aching Hips & Legs - Recently it doesn't matter if I sleep on my left or right side my hips HURT. Bad. I've actually taken to sleeping sitting up most night because the pain gets so intense if I lie down on my hips for a prolonged period of time. My legs are no better, they seem to cramp up every couple of minutes which means that most of the night is spent walking around trying to get them to relax or if not then trying to get a few winks of sleep before the next bout hits.
These are the things that have made me very aware that I am pregnant with our second child. Baby J.'s pregnancy was so uneventful (well except for two separate scares) that I tended to forget that I was pregnant most of the time. No such luck this time. This just brings home the point that "each pregnancy is different". 

Saturday, June 6, 2015

Time For A Progress Report & Challenge


Today's the day! I decided to do a quick "progress report" on my cleaning. And I am super proud of myself to be able to say that I got everything on my list except for window cleaning done. I didn't get around to the windows because thundershowers were announced and there really is no point in cleaning them only to have the rain mess up my hard work later. 

But I did get everything else done! I even went ahead and re-organized a few cabinets in the kitchen.

I'm very pleased with the results!

Also, since we're on the topic of a clean kitchen I would love to mention a challenge that I've undertaken for the month of June. The Clean Sink Challenge  was thought up by Laura from i Heart Planners. She has some really cool and totally awesome stuff on her blog. Make sure to check it out thoroughly! Anyways, she challenged myself and all of her other followers & subscribers to clean our dishes the night before for an entire month. That way when we (that means every mommy that has undertaken the challenge...you could be included just JOIN!) wakes up the following morning the sink is clean! One less thing we busy moms have to do each day if we can just do it the night before.

So, like I mentioned I too joined the challenge. And I will be completely honest out of the 6 days of June that have passed so far, I managed to clean the dishes 4 nights in a row. The last two nights were busy and I was so exhausted that the thought of loading the dishwasher had me running to bed! No excuse I know, just plain old laziness on my part.

But I firmly believe that the old saying "If At First You Don't Succeed Try,Try Again." became popular for a reason. So, I will keep on trying. And hopefully the other 24 nights will be a success!



Below is my kitchen and the two drawers I got organized. I'm starting to feel more and more inspired to get everything into it's rightful place...must be early nesting.

My Kitchen. Hubby Installed It And Did The
Beautiful Tile Background All By Himself!

I Love How Clean My Sink Is!!

After Taking Everything Out & Wiping It Clean
The Re-Organizing Took Only A Few Minutes.

My Plastic Container Drawer & Other Small Kitchen Items.
All The Containers Missing Their Tops Got Trashed And
The End Result Is Oh So Neat!



Will you be joining the "Clean Sink Challenge" for this month?

Friday, June 5, 2015

[Giveaway] Microsoft Surface 3 Giveaway Contest

Registering With Brands & Welcome Packages.

-image-

One of the things I love most during this time in my pregnancy is the fact that I get to register for some of my favorite baby brands and receive small samples of their products. 

I love seeing the cute little "Welcome" packages in the mail! Recently, I registered both Baby J. and Little VP for the baby brand Hipp. This is a wonderful brand and their products not only look nice but are priced reasonably. 

I also love the fact that every couple of months they send out a sweet little package for the Baby & Toddler. So, Baby J. will soon be receiving his package to celebrate turning one year old (my gosh, does time fly!) in a few months and Little VP has received his first package this week. Even though he's not here yet I loved opening the "Welcome" package! Besides very useful pamphlets about breastfeeding and what to expect when Baby VP arrives there were also some little samples and a toy for the Baby in the box!

Little VP received a
 Baby Bath Shampoo & Baby Rash Cream

There was also a little toy rattle in the box!
There are a few other brands I love as well such as Pampers, MAM, Aptamil, and so on. I love that their websites provide both pregnancy as well as weekly/monthly updates on baby & toddler. And occasionally they send out samples of their product or notify you of a sale that will happen in your area. 

Another thing I love is that a lot of stores in our area allow you to update your store club-card with new family information if there's a need. Which was great because I finally got around to registering both Baby J. and Little VP. This lead to one of our favorite store from which I buy items like diapers, wet wipes, bottles, pacifiers, and so on to notify me that they had a "Welcome" package set aside for Baby J.! I was absolutely thrilled! 

So, on the following trip into town I went and picked up the package. And Baby J. and I loved opening it! There were a few things in the box but Baby J.'s favorite was the little story book. 
We were also told that once Little VP arrives he'd receive his own little "Welcome" package as well. Isn't that just totally neat?

Baby J. received a Book, Bib, Bottle, Wet Wipes,
Hand & Face Wipes, And A Diaper Rash Cream Sample!
Of course, the store also decided to share some "coupon love" with the Mommy as well! Which is great, I get to choose one item of my choice and received 25% off! I can't wait to use it...still trying to decide between a new body lotion, bath set, or perfume. 


Do stores in your area offer great "Welcome" packages as well? Did you receive anything special for your little one after registering for a loved brand? Which brands are some of your favorites?

                                         


Thursday, June 4, 2015

Starting Of Small In The Decorating World.


Recently, I stumbled upon this great blog written by Alex Gladwin and I have loved reading through her older posts as well as the newer ones. 
Reading and seeing the amazing way she decorates her home and makes it not only beautiful but comfortable got me thinking - about decorating my own home.

I love my home very much but I haven't done all that much for it in the way of decorating. I mean we have some random sentimental things placed (tastefully mind you) around the house but mostly...it's bare. 

So, I started searching through some of my favorite stores to see if they had any home decorating items on sale and found some cute stuff. Since I don't want to bankrupt our account all at once I only bought two things. Alright, I bought three things BUT two of them actually go together. So, technically that means I only bought two...right?


I love this notepad and pencil combination. I got them for a few cents! We decided to place it on the fridge since it had magnets on the back. It works out really nicely because Hubby and I both use the kitchen plenty so it's nice to see a note from Hubby or to leave one from him. And the fridge is the perfect place for this since we use it quite often!

I absolutely love seeing
 this notepad & pencil
on my fridge!
These candle holders & candles go together.
The candles have the most delicious vanilla smell ever!

Our bookshelf is starting to look nicer, not just plain books anymore but now it also has something decorating it. I love seeing these candle holders on it. Plus, the word 'HAPPY' and those vanilla scented candles make me calm down and smile every time I pass by them.

I have to say these are definitely some of my favorite things around our home! I cannot wait to add a few other things as well. Just as soon as they go on sale, I'll be snatching them right up!
I absolutely love these. With or without the candles in them.
They've found a nice home on our bookshelf.







Wednesday, June 3, 2015

The Everyday Mommy Is Reporting Back For Duty!



It has been so unbelievably busy around here. All, I want to do is lay down in bed and sleep for a week. No, make that two weeks! Or at least just get to do nothing for two weeks if sleeping that long isn't possible.

Baby J. and I have been gone everyday for the last six days from home. Each morning we would get dressed, get the diaper bag ready, grab the stroller and keys, and head out the door. We spent every day either translating (well by we I mean me), visiting store sales, or keeping appointments at the dr.'s. These six days were probably the most tiresome days we've had in a LONG time. It didn't help that we never made it back before Baby J.'s noon-time nap. All these outings really threw his napping schedule out the window.

But no more. At least for another week. 

We finally get to stay home and try to get back on track with the napping. As well as the cooking. Oh, and let's not forget about the cleaning. Boy, has that last one really been pushed aside! 
Let's just say my home, well it looks like a tornado tore through it. My hands are actually itching to get things cleaned up and put back into their rightful places. I seriously considered taking a few pictures of my kitchen just to get the point across...but it's way to embarrassing!

I'm not exactly a clean freak but I do like seeing my house in a nice tidy order. It allows me to relax knowing that everything is put into its rightful place and that everything is clean.



So here's a list of all that I want to get done today:

  • empty/load dishwasher
  • clean the sink
  • take out trash
  • sweep & mop kitchen floor
  • clean the countertops
  • put shoes away
  • put winter jackets away & bring out the light sweaters
  • put Baby J.'s toys & books away
  • wipe down furniture for dust
  • wipe down dining room table
  • vacuum & mop everywhere
  • change sheets in guest bedroom & master bedroom
  • do ALL the laundry :( 
  • put away clean laundry 
  • clean windows
Alright, now let's be real. I know I probably won't be able to get through my entire list today so I'm allowing myself until tomorrow evening to get everything done. I'll make sure to do a quick "progress" post. I love the fact that my blog is keeping me accountable

But I have to admit most of all I just want to get back to blogging. I am absolutely serious when I say I really and truly missed jotting down my ideas, thoughts, and stories in my blog!!

So, while Baby J. is napping I'm going to go and get the kitchen done. I'll probably leave off the mopping until tomorrow. I like to mop after everything else is done. 

Wish me luck! I feel like I'm going to war against my own house! HA!

Monday, June 1, 2015

Keeping Memories For Your Little One


One of my favorite places to shop at is the "Dollar Store". Now granted, not everything is sold for a dollar but you can still find some really nice stuff there. That's were Baby J. and I spent a small part of our weekend this time around. Of course, he didn't really have much of a choice but still, I think we both got something nice out of our shopping spree. If you can call buying three items a shopping spree.

One of the things I really wanted to get was a nice looking notebook. And I did. Isn't it pretty?




I love the fact that it has a variety of colored paper, then it has some lined paper and even a few pages of checkered paper. My purpose in buying this notebook was to be able to have it on hand in case an idea for my blog would come along and also to be able to jot down the different Blog STATs each month. I do eventually plan to make myself a blog calendar but for now I think this will do. Actually, it works perfectly. I've been enjoying writing down little blurbs of what I plan to write for The Everyday Mommy Blog. (And oh, I've got one or two funny stories up my sleeves!) I've been using the plain white paper to keep track of how many page views I have per day and so on.

It almost made me reconsider going through the trouble of finding the "perfect" blog calendar but after a lot of reading up on the importance of taking your blogging seriously. Well, I plan to do just that. I want my readers to be able to enjoy regular blog posts and most importantly good content. Which the blog calendar will help me keep on track with the posting but I really do believe I will continue to use my notebook. In the space of a few days it's become very important to me.

Baby J. also received a notebook. Actually, he didn't receive it I bought it to write in for him. A while back I read a wonderful blog post about keeping a journal for your baby. The blogger mentioned how she would write a few lines about each day in her baby's journal and how once he was old enough she would share it with him.



I was so inspired by her blog post that I went and searched for a small journal for Baby J. 

I found a few that really struck my fancy but I wanted something that had that "Baby Vibe" to it. That's when I came upon this cute little journal. It's not very big so it fits perfectly into our diaper bag. And in the evenings I can just grab it and write down a few things about the day for him. I want to keep it in the diaper bag because we love to take long walks every other day and just in case I see something that I want to jot down right then and there I want to have the journal on hand. 

Later after we fill up this one, I plan to get a more "big kids" journal and continue this new journaling habit. I think it will be a great way for both Baby J. and I to walk down memory lane together when he's older.

Like I mentioned a little bit earlier, I was very inspired by this young ladies post. So, I'm going to search around and see if I can again find it and provide all of you with the link. That way you read for yourself just what a great idea this is. And who knows, maybe even start journaling for your little one as well. 

It's never to late to start.

 Baby J. is 10 months old already and I'm only just starting. I do plan on going back to my pregnancy journal and taking a few of my favorite (they're all my favorites but I would end up filling my journal) memories from there and transcribing them in here. I also want to write down at least one memory for each month until we reach today's date so that his journal won't just start off straight at 10 months. Instead it will have a few earlier memories as well.

Since I've been never able to figure out just how exactly scrapbooking works I think this is a nice alternative.

How do you keep memories for your little one? Do you journal as well or scrapbook? Let me know in a comment below!