Weeks 45, 46 & 47 Happy December

It's been a whirlwind month...lots of fun... lots of planning and lots of thinking...

With the end of the year approaching, I have been thinking about 2011 and about the changes I have gone through.. some big and some small..some have stuck and some have not...some have changed me inside and in ways that I could not verbalize.

I have loved this journey and have realized that I have miscounted some how!! So it looks like I will only have 50 changes this year!! BUT... 2012 will be one of my biggest chnages ever... but you have to wait a few weeks more to find out what...

Week 44- Turkey Day Table for 4

This year for Thanksgiving, we sat down to a small dinner.. just the four of us. No driving...no big dinner... no stress.
Don't get my wrong.. I love my extended family... but this year, we just wanted to just enjoy our new home... and eat our salmon (we have introduced fish back into the diet) and it was perfect!!

Week 43- The No Fuss Birthday Party

It's an oxymoron, right? But this year... I knew that LG wanted to have a party and he wanted it at home...and he wanted a Super Top Secret Spy Party.
I have been known to go over the top... to stress about something to the point of exhaustion but I was determined that THIS would not happen with this party...and I have to say.. it was perfect!! LG had a blast... and I even let him help decorate (which was a BIG change on my part!!)
I learned that it's ok if the vision in my head doesn't actually happen...that what matters are the memories that my family is making in the process!!

Week 42- Marital Bliss

The Hubby and I just celebrated 8 years of marriage... and I'm not going to say it was all smooth sailing. As the song goes "love is not a fight, but is something worth fighting for..." We have had ups...and we have had downs...we have laughed and cried...but we have never gone to bed angry and we have never let an argument last longer than a day.
I think one of the biggest changes that I have made in my marriage is to understand that it is NOT just the 2 of us.. but that our marriage works because we have invited Christ into our lives. It works!!!

Week 41- Bus Pass

I knew it was going to happen...the day that we told LG that we were going to move, he asked about riding the bus to school. I said "Yeah, sure...when we move" knowing that it was in the future... Then the day came for us to ACTUALLY move.. he asked again...I said "Yeah, sure..but I have to change our info at your school first..." We unpacked boxes...and he asked AGAIN...I changed the info at school..and signed him up for the bus... "I said, you'll start next week..." And then "next week" came and he reminded me (many, MANY times) so it happened.. my little boy.. my baby..my first born changed into a bus rider!!

The first few days, he just rode the bus home from school.. I would walk down to his stop (which is ONLY down the street) and would meet him. He looked SO big getting off the bus with the other kids. So happy..so proud!!

The he said to me.."I want to to take the bus TO school.."
Woah!!
The bus picks up at 7:49am.
Our household IS NOT morning people.
This is going to be hard.

But, this morning, we did it.. up, dresses, breakfast eaten, teeth and hair brushed and out the door to the bus stop...
and suddenly, my baby boy is a big kid...a change that I SWEAR happened overnight!!

Week 40- Another Candle on the Cake

It's a change we cannot avoid..a change that happens every year... and change that I L-O-V-E!!!

MY BIRTHDAY!!!!!

Yes, I am one of those people that counts down to their birthday...and I celebrate my half birthday too! I LOVE birthdays..not just my own. I love making that person feel special.. after all, it IS their special day!! It's something that my mom did for me..and that I do for my kids...making their birthdays a BIG DEAL... 'cause that what they are! :)

I don't care what the number is... I don't care that I have closer to 35 than to 25... all I care about is that I have another year to enjoy..to love, to laugh and to spend with my loves ones!!

Bring on the cake!!!

Week 39- Address Change

All the planning and packing and preparing and patience (looks like this post is brought to you by the letter P) have paid off and we finally have moved!!!

I have moved before...and it's not an experience that I love...I dislike it with every part of my being. I stress out...I cry...I freak...I even yell... it's very hard to have your world rocked like that. Especially when you're attempting to keep some everyday order going too... just becuase you're moving, doesn't mean that life stops..you still need to shop for groceries, wash clothes, get the kids to school, shower..brush your teeth...etc. I wish there was a pause button, where I could focus JUST on the move..and then restart life when the last piece of tape seals the last box. But sadly, that cannot be...and for a few weeks, my life is like a snow globe with all my life's bits and pieces swirling around me while I try to shove them into boxes...sigh...

BUT...the happy news is that it's done.. NO, we are not 100% unpacked and I don't think we will be by Thanksgiving, BUT..beds are in places, dishes are unpacked and the laundry have re-piled itself..so, LIFE is back on...just in a new location.

Week 38-A Change on the INSIDE

I have been feeling a change on the "inside" of me... in my heart...in my soul.
I have always considered myself a Christ follower...attending church regularly, doing good, loving others... but recently I have began to feel different... as if I have "grown more" in my Christian life. And this song is what my "heart" sings:

Week 37- Purge..Purge..Purge

Since the house is now ours, we now feel like we're "allowed" to start packing...and packing in my head also meaning "purging." I love it! Throwing it out... giving it away... my favorite saying is "if you haven't used it in 6 months.. you will never use it... so, get rid of IT!"
But it's hard... we become attached to material things.
Emotionally attached.
These items remind us or a person, of a time, of an event...
but, what I began to think about is, 'Why am I attached to this thing, when I can be attached to something more substantial?"
So, this opened my eyes...and gave me the "ok" to get rid of the things...but not the memories.

Week 36- Home Owners!!!

It finally happened... we signed THE papers.. we OWN the house!!!
This is a change that we have been praying about for months... a change that has brought about many other changes in our lives. And it will continue to bring more changes... and I am so excited about what will become!

Week 35- Back to School.. Back to School...

The Hubby and I have enrolled in Marriage Care University (MCU) at our church. We don't look at it as if we're facing any BIG problems or that we're in "need" of counseling... we're just "continuing our education." :) The best quote from the The Hubby is this, "Why would you try to patch up the holes in your roof in the middle of a hurricane when you could be prepared BEFORE the storm?" The "course" we're taking is called "Laugh Your Way to a Better Marriage."

When The Hubby and I were engaged in 2002, we took a pre-martial class called "Saving Your Marriage Before it Starts" and it was amazing. I think that if we hadn't taken that class, we would be facing a different kind of "course" today. I am not saving that we DON'T have our problems, because we do.. we argue and we fight.. but we know how to work them out and we have learned that in the end, we BOTH know that this is a fight worth fighting for.

It saddens me that when we tell friends and family that we're taking this class, their first response is, "Is everything alright?" People automatically go right to the negative.. when in my eyes (and The Hubby's) we're just doing some "fine tuning" of our marriage. Just like you bring your car into the mechanic to get the oil changed and the tires rotated every few months, we're just making sure all our parts are oiled and running smoothly.

Just think that you bought your brand new car, and then never took it to the shop to get it checked out...the check engine lights comes on, the brakes start to squeal and the tires start to get thin... once you do take it in (practically dragging/pushing/pulling it in) you hear ALL that is wrong with it and HOW much its going to cost..and you might just decide that it's not worth it and you don't even know WHERE to start...and it might just be easier to send it to the junk yard.

Marriage is a beautiful journey... it has highs and lows.. it has ups and down... but I am glad that I have been given a wonderful man to take this journey with me and everyday, in the midst of all our messy days and sleepless nights... I look at the man that I have married and thank God that He gave me this gift. And I will keep this marriage "fine tuned" and "running".

Week 34- Friendship, Fellowship & Food

This week marks the beginning of my 2nd year with MOPS and this year I am excited to be on the 2011-12 Steering Committee as the Publicity Chair (i.e. newsletter, emails, social media)
When LG was born in 2005, I found a mom's group that I felt that I fit right into... I found mothers that I could relate to...mothers that were going through the same thing that I was..at the same time. The kids began to grow, they began to walk, began to run, and our lives began to change. Soon our weekly play dates turned into monthly and then into "whenever we can meet up" My life was filled with 4 year old fun... and then I found out that we were expecting LC. All my friends have "BIG KIDS"... who will I have play dates with? Who will this little one grow up with? Last fall, I joined MOPS... and I found a group of mothers that I fit right into... I found mothers that I can relate to...mothers that were going through the same thing that I am!

Week 33-Just Say No

Hi, my name is Katy and I'm a sweet-a-holic! I LOVE cookies, cakes, ice cream, candy...I could go on and on. I have a secret affair with Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and will hide them in the freezer for a mid day treat! I convince myself that I "deserve" it (and many days, I do!) But I am making the choice to go... COLD TURKEY! That mean no more mint chocolate chip cookies, no more double fudge brownies, no more Ben & Jerry's ice cream... and here is the REAL problem... I LOVE TO BAKE!!! So, I will keep my baking... but I will send the yummy confections, right out the door. I will share them with family and friends... even strangers... I will watch THEM enjoy the yummy treats and relish in the happiness that it brings them. And yes..I will treat myself... when I feel like I deserve it!

Week 32-Why do they call it a SHORT sale?

Today was supposed to be our (2nd? 3rd?) closing date... we're still in the "hurry up and wait" mode and I know that this is where my faith is being tested. As my mother has reminded me, "you laid it down at the cross, do not pick it back up when things start to not go the way you want them to..." We have faith in His choice for us. We know that He lead us to this home. I felt the love and the warmth the moment I set foot into the dark wood front door. When LC, The Hubby and I were there, I kept thinking, "All we're missing is LG and then it would be complete." I could see our little family in the walls of the 1950's home.. I could hear the laughter and I could see the parties in the backyard. I still can. I know it will happen... but it will happen in His time.. and I am learning to "let go and let God"

Week 31- It Feels Like Yesterday...

The BIG DAY is finally here.. my little baby... the little one that changed my life forever (and for good!) ...the baby that entered the world with lungs blaring and a little pee on the nurse had his FIRST day of kindergarten today! We have started a new chapter in our book of life... and it's a chapter that I knew was coming, but one that I wasn't fully ready to start. I know that he was in preschool and mommy's day out programs, but we always had our spcail days to hit the zoo, or story-time, or to head out to Sea World just becuase we wanted to see the sharks and play in the water... those days are gone. Starting today, he will be in school 5 days a week, from 8:30am to 3pm. Starting today, he will learn and grow on his own... coming home to share with me all the exciting things. Starting today... I look at my baby and I see a BIG KID!

Week 30-A Happy House

While preparing for LG's start of kindergarten... we have begun to revamp our "House Rules" and I feel that it's been a nice change or everyone... we have seen less yelling, less crying (from mommy especially) and more togetherness... it's a proven fact that kids like structure. We just have to provide them with enough to learn their mistakes from and grown from...

Here are OUR "Rules for a Happy House":

1) R-E-S-P-E-C-T! No Disrespect to Mommy, Daddy or Brother

2) Yakkty-Yak...Don't Talk Back!

3) Be polite! Use “Please,” “Thank You,” “Yes Mam/Sir,” and “No Mam/Sir”

4) Don't be an Octopus! Keep Your Hands and Feet to Yourself

5) No Door Slamming…ever!

6) Thumper said it best...No Name Calling or Disrespectful Faces

7) When told to do something, do it with a SMILE J (no grunting/noises/faces)

8) Dinner is over when Mommy and Daddy are done. It's not an all night diner!

9) Be Polite...If a Door is Closed… Knock First! And then wait...

10) Sharing is caring...ALL toys in the Living Room or Play Room are shared. If you want to play with a toy alone, you must play with it in your bedroom.

Week 29-UnPlugged

I'm not talking about the MTV show from the 90's where artists "unplugged" their instruments and played their songs acoustically... I'm talking about a full 3 days of "unplugged-ness"... no phone, no text messages, no internet, no email, no FaceBook(!!!)... it was one of the HARDEST changed that I did but once it was completed.. it was one of the MOST rewarding changes! I'm shocked as to how obsessed we are with being "connected" when in reality.. we're so "DIS-connected" ... unplugging myself made me aware of my everyday and made me closer to my everyday!

Week 28-Changes all around

This week, LG went to camp at our church, Discovery Church...an awesome camp called U Games. And everyday, when he came home.. I saw changes in HIM that I was amazed at and gave me peace as a parent. Many times, we're not sure if we're doing the right thing when it comes to parenting... its a scary roller coaster... but when you hear your child come home and say to you 'Mommy, I want Jesus in my heart..." You just KNOW that you're doing something right! And amazingly, it brought changes in me that made me want to be stronger in my own faith... how awesome is that?

Week 27-A Week Off

It's been six months of change so far! I cannot belive it... 26 changes in my life and I'm learning so much about myself... it's a beautiful thing!!!

Week 26-Not Your College Road Trip

This week, the boys didn't have camp... and I was antsy... so, we left town and headed to Melbourne (where my in-laws live)...ALONE... no Hubby...just me and my boys... ROAD TRIP!

It was wonderful... and I was actually rested and ready to return home ready to face the daily challenges. Yes, I was still on "duty" but not in my own house... so I was able to focus JUST on my boys and enjoy them without stressing about laundry and cleaning and etc...

I will admit, I was nervous... but now, after the fact... I'm ready for more adventures just me and my boys... this is a change I can see far into the future!

Week 25-VegHead

This is probably the biggest change so far for me AND my family.. we are meat free. No chicken. No turkey. No fish. No pork. No beef. We were pretty much "no" to the last two, but decided to elimniate ALL meats from our family diet. I got some weird loks from people and even the comment from The Hubby, "well, the boys and I WILL want our hot dogs"... but I felt that it was what was best FOR my family and pressed on...

We might do it for a month... we might do it for a week... but I want to try it and see what it can do for our family! You never know what changes will arise from other changes...

***Update*** August 7th, 2010

I am happy to say that we are STILL meat free!! Over one month and we ALL feel great! Even The Hubby has jumped fully on board...even mentioned going VEGAN!! but I cannot give up my cheese and milk... I'm a dairy head! LOL

Week 24-Feed the Soul...Read for the Soul

One way that I have always been able to recharge and "feed my soul" is my reading... I love to read... actually, that is an understatement... I NEED to read. I have always loved reading... starting as a little girl, in my crib with an upside-down book, in the dark... I just had to read! I would create a reading corner in my room, with little signs saying "Shh...." and "Reading in Progress".. yes, I was THAT kid! LOL

Well, things have changed in my life...and I'm no longer able to sit in my reading corner, with my signs...or, can I? I have deidec that YES, I can make time to read...a nd once I did.. I make time for it... like turning off the TV (imagine that!) ans reading instead of turning my brain into mush. It's a change that I hope rubs off onto my kids... reading creates pictures and movies in your mind.. and that is better than any other show you can watch in 30 mins!

Week 23-I wanna quit the gym!

Probably the funniest "Friends" episodes ever was when Ross and Chandler attmept to quit the gym... seriously, that's some funny stuff!
Now, you're probably saying "Uhhh... how are you going to work on this if you aren't going to the gym anymore?" Well, I have a secret and it's called Just Dance!
Yep.. that's right.. the video game is my new work out, along with weekly walking in my "moon shoes" aka Shape-ups and visits from Ms Jillian Micheals. I thought long and hard about it... and it just made sense to save the money and be creative. And I am seeing results too!! So, you can have your gym and their fancy machines... I will "jungle boogie" my booty off!!

Week 22-The Boys Club

I like to be involved... I like to know what is going on... I want to do it all... but, I can't and I have accepted that. I mentioned before that I have acknowledged that The Hubby is capable at raising his own kids... he's responsible and trustworthy. :) And I love watching the boys play "boy like" with their Daddy in the backyard... being tackled and flipped like only a father can do.. and in a way that makes a mother cringe and look away... but you hear the laughter and see them running back for more and you KNOW it's the way that they bond.

My boys snuggle with me and whisper secrets in my ear. They hug me and give me kisses. We enjoying coloring, doing art and dancing...

I'm ok if I'm "left out" of the Boys Club...I know that I have a special membership to a secret society that no one else has.

Week 21-Waiting to Exhale

It was a 1995 blockbuster... my first R rated movie in the theater.. the one with Whitney Houston and the fabulous soundtrack. A story about four friend that are "holding their breath" until the day they can feel comfortable in a committed relationship with a man.

Lost??

I'm not "holding my breath" waiting for the right man... I found him, married him and love him dearly everyday! No, I think I have been "holding my breath" in hopes that I would feel "comfortable" in my role as a mother... and I finally had to exhale and realize that I will never be a perfect mom, but a "fun, learn as I go, laughing" mom. And I'm ok with that! I have stopped comparing myself to other mothers... I have stopped trying to be something that I am not. I want me children to remember ME... and not a version of me that i wanted them to see. I'm happy in my "mommy skin"... it's stretched a bit, maybe a little lose in some spots... but it's me... and it reminds me of the beautiful gifts that God have given me to take care of. If I make any changes in my life, it is for THEM and no one else!!

Week 20- Letting Go...

This has been a hard week for me...

My little baby, my firstborn is graduating PreK... BIG CHANGE... in a few months he will be in kindergarten and soon I will be sending him off to college... I know that it's not THAT close, but June 2023 is only a blink away!

And we received some not some great news on the house that we put an offer in on back in March...it's not bad news, or terrible news... but just "not what we wanted to hear" type of news. The sellers have decided to declare bankruptcy and are filing Chapter 7... BUT... (the sliver lining) they are excluding the house and so we can still buy it... but we just have to wait a little longer while the red tape and lawyers are all sorted out. We knew going into this, that a short sale" is anything but...but the process is becoming longer and the date of our possible closing and moving in is getting pushed further and further back. Which is making me scared in terms of getting my Big PreK Graduate registered for kindergarten in the school that we chose and then found a house in that district... that we're not able to buy (yet)... which led me to this..

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.~ Proverbs 3:5-6

Yeah... that's what I thought too! :) But it wasn't hard to go... I just did it... I laid it back down and said to Him, 'You have the right path for our family and I WILL NOT doubt what you will do for us... I will trust in You and in Your decisions for our family..." And can I tell you, it was the easiest thing I have done. I'm not stressed about it... when people ask me about the house situation or LG's school... I smile and say "It's being taken care of."

Because I know that it is...

Week 19- Cleaning My Plate

I have a problem... I bite off more than I can chew. I'm not talking about food again, but more about my "time diet." I take on tasks, agree to host or chair things or just think that I am supermom/wife/woman... and suddenly, I look at my plate and its so full that I'm not sure where to begin. I try to take "bites" of each thing, one at a time... giving each job a little bit of my time and trying to work around the plate. It goes well for a while... but then someone brings out another delicious dish that I just can't say "no" to... and I put it smack in the middle of my plate! And BAM... I'm already stuffed, but my plate is still full and I have to clean it (like my momma taught me!) So, by the time I'm done, I'm uncomfortable and think to myself "I don't know why I ate all that...I didn't even want all that food and it wasn't even that good."
Sooooo... my change is simple. JUST SAY NO! I have to learn to say "No Thank You" and not take on 101 million tasks. I need to pick a few that I KNOW I can make the time to finish and still enjoy each and every one. This is going to be a difficult change for me, but one that will probably make the most impact on my life. I'm still going to "clean my plate" but just not take too many portions!

Week 18- The Hubby IS Capable

All mothers have it... MOTHER'S GUILT...I'm not sure where it comes from, but the second your first born is set into your arms, you mentally grow 5 more arms and feel that NO ONE can do "your job". You completely ignore that "other person" standing the the delivery room... as if HE had nothing to do with the birth and so then the upbringing of this little person falls singly into your lap... as well as the care of your home/the clothes you wear/the food your eat/etc...

I have talked about the conscience decision that I will make sure to make some ME time... I have talked about this before here and here...but this time around my thought is this:

The house/family/world will NOT fall apart of I let someone else (i.e. The Hubby) take care of things. He is capable of taking care of the kids... He is able to cook dinner... He can wash clothes AND fold them too! If I step out of the house, it will NOT catch on fire.

I had this thought the other night when I went on a 30 minute walk.. alone. I left the house, with the dishes needing to be washed and the boys needing bathes. As I walked, I thought about what I would walk back into... I mentally unloaded the dishwasher, loaded it again, wiped the counters down, fixed the coffee of the next morning, got the boys in the tub...etc...

BUT... I walked into the house and everything was done... PLUS, LC was in bed and LG and The Hubby were working on worksheets at the CLEAN kitchen counter. Was I surprised... YES.. should I have been? NO... My husband is capable of taking care of HIS children and HIS house! Once I let that thought seep in, I could feel a weight lifting off my shoulders.

Of course, I have ALWAYS known he was capable, but I had to accept that it was...and then the change was made!

Week 17- The Scale

Who in the world likes the scale?! I want to meet ONE person to tells me that the LOVE their scale and the information that it provides them... then I want to smack them with said scale!

BUT... the scale can be our frenemy and we can use it to our advantage. It can help us gauge how much damage that milkshake, chocolate cake AND sleeve of Oreos does to our backside...and it can help us celebrate when we do not give into temptation. But, we cannot go at it alone. It's a tough fight, and we need the right weapons and warriors on our side... which is why I decided that the team that I needed in my corner was Weight Watchers.

I have joined WW before... back in college, they helped be loss 25 pounds in a summer and after LG was born, they helped me to get ready for my 10 years high school reunion. After LC was born, I think from chasing a preschooler and taking care of a new born, as well as my daily life.. I was able to reach my pre-baby #2 weight... but it was not my "goal weight" For the past six months, I have hovered around the same weight.. going up or down 1-3 pounds. So, with my half birthday (yes, I celebreate my half birthday!) I thought that if I loss a pound a week, I will reach my goal by my birthday!! What a great gift that will be!!

So, I am on my way... week one is down and I'm down 1.6 pounds... and this week, I LOVED the change I saw!

Weeks 8-16... What can I say?

OK... I have been known to start something and not finish it...I am horrible at that.. BUT, I can admit it... and admitting it is the first step, right? And picking back up, not matter HOW long it is is the next step!

But also, on a serious note... through these six weeks, I have been suffering from a depression that got a BIG hold of me. I have had some "blue" days in the past... some times where I just didn't want to get out of bed. I chalked it up to a bad day and moved on... but this time, it was much more difficult. I felt like I was in a hole and couldn't see the edge... there was no way to get out and the hold kept getting deeper and darker. Several years ago, I went through a time like this and learned from my therapy that one of the only ways to start to help myself was to talk through my thoughts. That's what I did. I sat The Hubby down and we just talked... it was hard; for me and for him. But it helped...and each day got better.

I am happy to say that I am good... not perfect (but who is?!) and I'm happy!
Some changes take us out of our comfort to bring us to a better place.

Week 7-I've got S-P-I-R-I-T!!!

OK..side note, it makes me laugh that every time I type the word "Spirit" I have to do a cheer from high school in my head.. 'S-P-I-R-I-T- SPIRIT!!" I digress...

I have been attending our church for almost 10 years... and I have always wanted to be a part of a small group. (For those of you that are lost, a small group is just that... a small group of people from a church that meet to talk... simple) I would be tempted to join one, and then I would get scared... The Hubby and I did join one when I was pregnant with LC, but we didn't have a connection with the other couples in the group, so once the 5 weeks were up, we didn't do another meet up.
Anyway, I kept having a pull to join a group and then one day I received a call from my cousin who was also wanting to join a group, but couldn't find one, so she wanted to start one up... and she wanted ME to help! Well, this was a great opportunity and I already knew ONE person... so I jumped at the chance.
Funny thing, the study that we were going to do was on "The Power of a Whisper"... about the whispers that God send us... uh, didn't I get a whisper about small groups? I was already super excited!! :)
It's amazing he changes that can happen to you, once you open up your heart!

Week 6-Date Night!

Doesn't the saying go, you don't know what you've got, until it's gone? Well, I think that rings true for The Hubby and I's Date Nights.
BC (Before Children) The Hubby and I never had to schedule date nights... a Date Night could be a random Tuesday night, or a dinner and movie on a Sunday afternoon. We didn't have to plan it... we didn't have to call someone to make sue that THEY are available... we didn't have to budget an extra $50 at the end of the night... and if The Hubby and I wanted to stay the night at a hotel... we could!! But you know what... we didn't take advantage of these FREE evenings or moments like we should have... if my Mommy-self could visit my Pre Mommy-self I could tell her to take every opportunity she could to do Date Nights.
Its not that The Hubby and I have a boring life... we do not. We just have to be more creative when it comes to Date Night. No longer does Date Night mean we have to leave the house and here is where my change comes in... we will have Date Night once a week.. AT HOME! One night a week, I will make the boys mac & cheese, get them bathed and in bed an hour earlier than usual and I will make an easy dinner for The Hubby and myself... we can be creative... it can be take out... whatever!! As long as we're connecting with each-other... just the two of us!!
This is a change that will make our marriage stronger and our family even stronger!!

Week 5- Three's a crowd

We had a problem in our house... a 5 years old, middle of the night problem. LG would climb into our bed at night, and proceed to turn from a sweet little boy into a wiggly octopus... arms and legs moving every which way and ending up in our face/back/stomach/all of the above! We (i.e. the Hubby and I) were not sleeping.. and were waking up grumpy! We tried SO many things to stop these late night visits... bribes, walking him back to his room EVERY TIME, having HIM walked back to his room ALONE, etc... nothing took. Until we figured that it was time for a MAJOR change... one that was right under our nose..and on our door all along... the lock!! Simple enough, but it was very difficult (especially for yours truly!) but I was tired and ready to try.
The first night: LG came to our door, tried to open it, screamed, banged on the door and then ran back to his room... I got up and met him in his room, explained that mommy and daddy need their own bed, and LG needs his own bed.. that we ALL sleep better and then can have better days. Hugged him and told him that I loved him and went back to my room, with a locked door. About an hour later, he returned and repeated the above... I was starting to think that this wasn't going to work. BUT.. the following night was better (only 1 time) and the night after that ZERO times!
Sometimes, changes are not what we think is best, but in the end, they are changes that are needed.

Week 4- It's Cleaning WEEK!

I few years ago, a book found me at a consignment shop titled The Happy Housewife. It was a breath of fresh air for this harried housewife. You could say it became my Housewife Bible!
No one really hands you over a "how to manual" on this line of work... you just get thrown into the water and shouted at to swim! I found the book helpful, eye-opening and my therapist; all rolled into one. One thing that I LOVED about this book, was the simple take on house cleaning... gone were the ONE day of cleaning the house.. and (GASP!) you could clean the house in a week. Every day would be a task or two, and by the end of the week, you'd have a clean house and a happy housewife!

So, this week's change isn't a "new" change but a "revisited" change. As many things do, when one thing in life changes, other things follow. I had to roll with the punches and adjust. My "old" cleaning schedule wasn't working.. so I had to change it; add some things in, take some things out and see what works best.

So here is my NEW and IMPROVED Weekly Cleaning Schedule!! (Tada!)

Monday- Manic Mopping Monday!
*Vacuum & Mopping in Playroom, Dinning Room & Living Room

Tuesday- Toilets & Towels Tuesday!
*Clean bathrooms & wash towels

Wednesday- DUST you forget about me Wednesday
* Dust, dust, dust!

Thursday- Sheets & Shopping Thursday!
*Change & wash sheets. Grocery shopping!

Friday- Finally Floors Friday!
*Vacuum & Mop all bedrooms

I do a load (or 2) or wash everyday to keep up. On the weekends, I don't do much... just some picking up around the house (especially Sunday night) and just enjoy the time with my boys.

Some changes aren't new, but they are improved! :)

Week 3- Securing the Air Mask

I have to say that this has been a tough change, but as many changes go they get easier as days go by. Right?

First, let me explain the title... when you're flying, the flight attendant always tells the parents, in case of emergency, to secure their own air mask first before securing the air mask of their child. As parents, it's a tough thought... you're asking ME to put MYSELF before my child?! But when you think about it, it makes complete sense... what good are you to your child, if you have passed out trying to get their air mask on? Think about it.

So, my "air mask" is making sure that I am up, dressed and 80% ready for the day BEFORE my kids wake up. Yeah, I said BEFORE...

Many of you that have known me "BK" (Before Kids) know that sleep is my favorite thing... ever! I would always sleep until one kid or both kids would wake me up... they were my alarms and our days would go from 0-60 before my feet even hit the floor... not to mention before I had my first cup of coffee. Our house was hectic, me rushing this way, yelling something that way and trying to get 1,000 done before we walked out the door in 15 minutes. It was impossible and not fun. I would say to myself, "I HATE when my days start like this!" And here I had the choice to change it... so I did.

Now, is it hard waking up when it's still dark outside, and the temp is a chilly 32 degrees AND The Hubby is snuggled under the covers... YES!! IT'S VERY HARD! But, I push myself.. and know that the end result (happy mommy, happy kids, happy family) is well worth it.

And of course, I give myself a lazy day... one day to just sleep until I hear 'Mommy, mommy, MOMMY! What are you going to make me for breakfast?" And those are the days that I nudge The Hubby and roll over for 15 more minutes of snooze.

Week 2- Me Time

As mothers of little ones know, the words "me time" are distant memories. Even using the restroom alone is a thing of the past. A little me time is something that we all want.. something we all need. It refreshes us. It gives us a time to take a breath. Time to take a nap! Many mothers have a hard time with this... they feel as if they are abandoning their children, but in reality, they are doing the best for them by giving THEM some "me time" too.
So, this week, LC started "school" one day a week... every Thursday, I will have 4 hours of "me time"... four hours for grocery shop in peace... four hours to clean the house without stopping.. four hours to do whatever I'd like! And when those four hours are up, I will pick up my little man and be a new and refreshed mommy; which is a BIG chamge that will affect our whole household. As the saying goes, ' When Mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy."

Week 1- Volunteer

I like the thought of volunteering. I look at the Sunday paper of the volunteer opportunities and say to myself. "I should do that!" or 'That would be great to take the boys to!" But, after that brief moment, life continues and the thoughts are pushed into the dusty corners and are left there until next Sunday when I walk out to pick up the paper.
But, this week, I took the first step int he right direction to make this change. I joined a Woman's Giving Circle that my cousin and I are co-founding together. Every month, we are going to give our time, our talents or our tithing to help local organizations that we feel pulled towards. We have a great group of diverse ladies that will meet monthly and share in the act of volunteeing. And best yet, we named ourselves the Volunteer Vixens!! How perfect, right? I'm excited to make this change... which will make myself and my community better.

****UPDATE!!****

Thursday, January 20th was our first Volunteer Vixens Project- Feeding the Homeless in Downtown Orlando. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but as we pulled up to the site where the event was taking place, but heart leaped... with joy, with saddness and with hope. I was nervous and I was excited. It was an experience that I will do again. I left filled with God's love... and a happy heart!

My friend Natalee, my cousin Christy & myself after our first Volunteer Vixens project

Welcome 2011

As we said good-bye to 2010 and embraced 2011 like a new friend, I decided that this year would be a year of change for me and my household. I'm not a resolution type of gal; in my opinion, you're setting yourself up for failure and then you spend the rest of the year, upset that you didn't follow through. So, I decide that I am going to pick a word for 2011.. and that word is CHANGE! This can be so many things and it makes me so excited to know that the adventure that I'm going to embark on is going to make myself and my family better people.
Cheers 2011!!