Weight Loss - Update

I've been really good about dieting and exercise since the last time I wrote to you.. And I'm proud to say that I'VE LOST 2-3 POUNDS!

So exciting. Just wanted to give you the update.

Thanks for the support!

-Ashley

Find Time For "YOU"

Parents:

I look at this title, and I just laugh... ME time.. What a crock.. Every time I'm alone, I'm thinking about my child any way, so what's the point??

I think that is the point.. Being able to be fond of your child... Or children. For me, I only have one... I don't work... I go to school, but it's online... So I don't leave the house much, unless it's grocery shopping.

Before September 2012, I lived completely away from family and friends... from the time my son was three months old until September 2012... (one entire year) I was away from my child for a total of 4.5 days.. To put that into perspective, three of those days were a whole weekend for a wedding in Las Vegas for my niece, (Friday, Saturday, Sunday) and he spent the night at my niece's house a few times totaling up to a day and a half or so..... I'm not putting this on here to play pity party... I'm writing this to tell you that I UNDERSTAND and you can trust what I'm saying because I get it.. I know people have got to have it even worse than I do. But right now, we're focusing on me... ;)

Finding time for yourself doesn't necessarily mean that you have to be completely away from your child... I liked to re energize during my son's naps....  Or even during bath time.. Although I'm still in the bathroom with him, I'm usually cleaning something... Or like this moment in time.. Blogging.

You might not consider that "you" time.. But think about it... They are contained  playing, and happy... Aside from the occasional speckles of water that you have to wipe away from your computer screen, they aren't harming anything, themselves, or others.. That's a vacation.. That's a rest for your mind. You obviously cannot completely zone out during bath time because there are dangers... But for those 15-20 minutes you don't have to get up and chase them, make sure that they aren't in the trash can, getting your small dog out of harms way.. It's just... Nice.

I have started leaving my child behind for big shopping trips, as he's now two and has tantrums.. A lot.. So, for everyone's best interest in mind, I leave him with my sister for an hour and take care of business. That is also what I consider "me" time. When I get back, I'm not frustrated.. I'm calm.. And I miss him which is good for both of us. (He's also forgotten at this point that I wouldn't let him have a cookie earlier, and thus, has forgiven me.. ;] )

I'm convinced that "me" time isn't about it just being you but more about de-stressing and relaxing..

I've become fond of an Apple app called Hay Day... I play that multiple times throughout the day... It gives me something for me rather than watching Jake and the Neverland Pirates or Mickey Mouse Clubhouse all day long and playing cars... (That is most of my day... Plus the occasional kitchen time to feed the monster...)

Even something like knitting can be very stress relieving.. Find something easy that you like to do, and do it. Even if you're child plays by themselves for five minutes, it's ok. They will live, I promise.. =)


-Ashley

A Change is Coming.. (weight loss.. BLECK)

Losing weight.

Just the sound of it is awful... When I had my son, the night I went in to have him, I had at that point gained 87 pounds since before I was pregnant.. Yes. 87. That's like an entire 6th grader.. Since I have had my son, I've lost 63 pounds.. I haven't really done much to lose that weight, and honestly, I lost about 45 pounds within the first two weeks after having my son.. (water weight...)

When I got pregnant I was about 15 pound overweight... To get to where I want to be, at this point in time I need to lose 33 pounds. I'm 33 pounds from being perfectly content with my body. My doctors want to see me at that weight, and I would like to see myself at that weight... I know that being 155 at 5'4" doesn't seem like a healthy weight, but it really is. I look skinny at that weight.. But not unhealthy. So that is my goal. 33 lbs to go. Since our Valentine's Day was yesterday because of my husband's work, today is going to be the start of this new adventure.. And you're going to go on that journey with me.

From here on out, I am going to start adding random updates to my journey on here. I know you probably don't care about this journey.. But this is holding me accountable, and motivating me, in some strange way.. Ugh, I'm so awkward.

No sweets for me any more, and also no regular soda. Eventually, I will give up soda completely, but right now I need to take baby steps if I'm going to be at all successful.. I'm also going to start exercising again.. For the first time since pre-baby. We are going to see how this goes, but I feel really confident that I will be successful with this if I take it one step at a time. Also, I bought myself a new exercising outfit, and who doesn't love showing off a new outfit??? ;)

So there you out in cyber world go... 33 pounds.

Not only that, but I plan to lose this by Thanksgiving.

I'm determined. I want to feel good about myself again. It will happen, and I will prove myself to everyone, and myself.

I will update you in a week and we will see how it goes! =)

-Ashley

Baby Products That I LOVE

Babies.

They are awfully small, awfully cute creatures.. But, no matter how small they are, babies come with A LOT of stuff... Some stuff isn't necessary, I realize.. But sometimes convenience is the goal and mess-prevention the finish line.. For me, I CANNOT handle being sticky. At all.. I know it's an inconvenience to most people, but I will literally cry, and I have, on several occasions from being sticky.. Some of the most recent bouts of stickiness stem from the fact that I do, indeed, have a child. A toddler, to be exact. They LOVE being sticky. Love it. They live for it. They crave it. (Maybe not, but that's what it seems.) I believe that my OCD for being sticky-free has rubbed off on my child.. He doesn't like to be sticky either, and also doesn't like food on his clothes, or stains, or hair... Etc. A child after my own heart. =]

I have found that if you're a severely OCD person, having a child may help to combat that issue and help you to overcome it. However, it may also drive you completely mad to a point where you just lock yourself in the bedroom because at that moment in time, it is the only room in your home that is clean..

I want to share with you some of my favorite products that I've found to be the most useful in the "sticky and icky war".

1) Playtex Twist 'N Click Products (Found Here)
       

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Truly, the most leak-proof products as far as liquid goes.. And trust me, I've tried TONS of them.. Almost every product out there I've tried for my Quest Against Stickiness.. If you take care of the products, like hand washing everything by the cup part itself, they last a long time and keep working properly. I've successfully put all of their products into the dishwasher with no problem, but I don't think that they recommend it... And a plus is that they have every product for drinking - from sippies, all the way up to insulated toddler cups.

2) Playtex Twist 'N Click Snacker Cup (Found Here)
       

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I know, I've already mentioned the Twist 'N Click line above... BUT these are amazing.. They have an airtight lid, and that's awesome because you can just screw on the lid and stick it in your bag. I was using the Munchkin brand of the snack cups.. But then my son decided that he needed to have the lid off ALL THE TIME. Messes ensued . Mommy cleaned.. A lot.. It wasn't pretty. Until I found these. And I STILL use them. They are amazing.. I love them..

3) BabyGanics Products (Found Here)

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This company really knows what they are doing. Their products are completely organic, and baby/animal/plant friendly. If you don't have the time (or energy!) to make your own organic cleaners, this is a good alternative to that. They have a whole line of products from cleaning, to laundry, dish soap, hand sanitizer, even baby body wash. They all smell great, or you can get everything unscented, as well. And the best part? They work. No joke.

4) Disposable Changing Pads (Found Here)

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These were awesome.. I used a changing table religiously.. So using these really cut down on the amount of times I needed to wash the changing table pad cover. These were also nice to take with you for your travel changing escapades, as well..

5) Diaper Genie - DUH! (Found Here)

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This is a great idea. A great tool. Just.. Awesome. All the stink. All the diapers.. In one place.. And easy to use! (This was obviously going to be on the list..)

6) Pacifier Wipes (Found Here)

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These things are a God sent. They are nice for when your newborn drops their pacifier and you're somewhere that is somewhat clean.. You can just wipe the germs away with these wipes. They have the cleaning power of baking soda, making it the perfect choice for your little ones. They also have apple flavored ones. =)

7) Baby Food Pouches (Found Here)

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These things are awesome. I started feeding with spoons up until the time where  my son wanted to feed himself... Which he couldn't physically do yet.. And then meal time because the most messy thing ever. I lived in a very small apartment... Pretty much all carpet.. So I hated meal time... This helped to alleviate the problem... I would use these for his lunch time, right before his nap so that he wouldn't be all messy when he needed to go to sleep. At night and in the morning I still used a spoon because he'd get rice cereal in the morning, and then at night I could deal with the messy and just give him a bath right after. These are also great for going out during a meal time for baby, because they can just suck out the food that they want. It's an awesome concept, and you don't have to worry about a glass jar breaking in your bag. Genius. (Only get them on sale though..)

8) Munchkin Dishwasher Baskets (Found Here)

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These are great little tools you can get for all the little things that need to be cleaned in your life... Pacifiers, nipples, bottle pieces, etc.. I even used these for the Dr. Browns bottles.

9) Munchkin Spoons (Found anywhere)

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These were my favorite spoons. They also have soft ones that change color depending on the temperature of the food so you know it's not too hot for baby. These were my favorite because they were easy to clean and durable.

10) Cup Straps (Found Here)

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These are great... For obvious reasons. And you can attach them to ANYTHING and EVERYTHING. You can put them on the stroller, high chair, even the shopping cart.

11) Munchkin Bottle Brush (Found Here)

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I've tried many different bottle brushes to use for both my Dr. Brown's bottles and all of the sippy cups that I had.. This was the best choice and worked the best, while also not breaking the bank. Best choice, in my opinion.

This is my list for now. As I think of other fantastic products, I will be sure to do a second version of this list. Thanks for reading!!

Any questions or comments, please comment, and I will get back to you ASAP!

~ Ashley

You Use That For What?! - Toilet Wands

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Cleaning.

I like to be cleaning... But I don't necessarily enjoy cleaning because I'm a rather "lazy" person in general... My body is usually in pain... So, the thought of getting on the floor, down on my knees, and cleaning is not, in my opinion, the best use of my time..

I, as most of you know, have a 2 year old son. He likes baths.. Baths, full of bubbles... Which cause soap scum.. Which builds up over time and causes ickiness... Toilets also build up ickiness over time.. And they have these wonderful products to clean them..

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Toilets are icky.... Bath tubs are icky.... This gets rid of ickiness in the toilet.. Why not the bath tub? So, one day I tried it out, and it worked... WONDERFULLY. It was great to not have to kneel beside the bathtub forever to clean it, but only to rinse away the debris when it was finished and make sure there was no residue left behind..

I know this probably sounds gross... But it really does work. (I don't use the same pad on the toilet then the tub... Separate one for each lol.)

Use it the same way you would in the toilet, and then use the wand to scrub off the gunk once it's done doing its job cleaning.

It works. And I love it.. Makes the cleaning much easier in the bathroom, let me tell you. Just remember to clean off the wand between uses on anything... Keep germs where they belong - down the drain!

Recipe Storage

Recipes..

We all have them. We all have tons of them. In every shape and form.. I know I had a ton already, and when my mother passed away, I wanted hers as well... Even though I'm not sure which version of "meatloaf" out of which cookbook she actually used... But I'd like to find out one day..

For my recipes, it's all about organization....

I want to know where they all are... And, I want you to know where all yours are, too.

Let's be honest.. We all like to go online and find awesome recipes. Well, at least I do.. (Pinterest!!!) When I find a recipe, I try it, and if it turns out well I will print it out.. But, what to do with it then?? Also, I find small recipes and full page recipes in my magazines all the time... Whether it be Women's Day, or Everyday with Rachel Ray, they all usually include some type of recipe I just HAVE to try. All these flying papers and piles of sliced trees... Where do they go.

A binder. A RECIPE binder. 

I searched high and low for the perfect recipe binder.. It took me about 2 weeks before I looked hard enough and decided to go to Office Max to look.. And then there it was.. The perfect recipe binder. Here it is:

I made the cover myself. I love it. It's a trifold, so there is plenty of room in there for other things and additional books/magazines as well. 

I used the trifold area to hold all the random stuff.. I have a slow cooker magazine, and a couple of small recipe pamphlets, and some other singular recipes..

In the plastic covers (I use plastic covers because they are easy to wipe clean!) I put random recipes I find online, as well as recipes I find in magazines. This way, I'm not flipping through a billion magazines, because they are on in this binder already. =)

-Ashley

Any questions, comments, or concerns, leave me a comment and I will get back to you ASAP. Thank you for your support!!

Hospital Bag - My Personal Choices

Hospitals.

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I was very familiar with them already, prior to having a child. However, I never planned to be at a hospital months before it happened, it was usually a spur of the moment thing, and I was only there over night, or a couple of nights.

When I had my son, I guessed on what I needed. Boy, was I wrong. I had my poor husband going back and forth from the house to the hospital multiple times because of things I had forgotten or didn't realize I needed.

(NOTE: In all fairness, we didn't go to the hospital that night to have a baby.. We went because my eyes were blurry and I was light headed.. Preeclampsia.. So, I was ill prepared and preparing my bag that day as a matter of fact, because my due date was about 4 days away. So... Yes, excuses lol)

So, here is a list of things that I had/wished I had while I was at the hospital... By the way, there were complications with my delivery.. Well the recovery from it... So I was there for four days I believe.

FOR YOU: (please keep in mind you may be getting blood all over)

1) Insurance papers! - Usually, they have you come in ahead of time, and fill out everything so there's no stress about it later.. But sometimes that isn't the case.

2) Chapstick - I had the worst chapped lips in the hospital.

3) Your favorite lotion - Again, it was very dry...

4) Hair ties - (LOTS!)

5) Make up - Just the very basic ones.. Mascara, blush, foundation... Many hospitals offer new born photos, and having these there will make the experience a little better for you, even if you decide not to use them.

6) Dry shampoo - They give you the option to shower... But I didn't because I was scared it would hurt, and I didn't have anyone with me usually to help with the baby.

7) Camera & Cell phone - AND THEIR CHARGERS!

8) Snacks - Meals seem very scarce in the hospital, especially if you're not used to being awake most of the day and night.. with only a few hours of sleep at a time.

9) Water Bottles - The hospital give you water, but if you were like me, you were drinking a lot, and sometimes they take a while to refill the jug.. Especially with all the screaming women in labor.. Better safe than sorry!

10) Toiletries - Deodorant  preferred soaps, shampoo, conditioner.. Tooth brush, tooth paste.. Hair spray or mousse to keep your hair controlled.. Floss, lotion, etc.

11) Socks or Slippers - non skid.

12) Big shirts and sweats - Remember, they will probably get gross. I bought new ones in packages before hand, and just took the whole pack. Couple of sweats and a package of XL tshirts.

NOTE: I didn't really wear any pants.. My uterus wouldn't contract, so I bled blood clots for almost two days before they REINDUCED me.. This time with no meds... >< Felt like labor all over again to try and get my uterus to react correctly.

13) Pen and Paper - You'll want to write down some thoughts and journal in the hospital. It's a very surreal time.

FOR BABY:

1) A couple receiving blankets - You'll get one from the hospital (which I still have my son's..) but you'll want a couple more. You'll find reasons for them. Trust me.

2) Onesies - I WISH I had these.. I didn't have any clothes for my son, besides the outfit to go home in.. And he would spit up on the ones the hospital provided, and they would take FOREVER to get a clean one... So, use the hospital ones, and bring your own for back up.

3) A going home outfit.

4) A cute outfit for pictures.

5) For little girls: Cute head bands, if you choose.

6) Little Hats - For the hospital and the ride home.

7) A heavier blanket - for the car ride home to help protect from the sun and possible cold.

8) Your carseat - For obvious reason, the hospital won't let you leave without one. Make sure you put it together ahead of time, and it's approved!

That's it! If there's anything else you can think of, please let me know in the comments so I can add it to the list! Thanks for reading!

-Ashley

DIY Mickey Mouse Centerpieces

Kids.

NOTE: Don't mind my bandaged hand.. Burned myself that day... Because, I'm awesome..

They like cartoons. And, they often find themselves infatuated with a certain favorite character during any point in their life.... For my son right now, he is in love with Mickey Mouse. It only seemed fitting that when his second birthday came around, a Mickey Mouse Clubhouse party was in order.

These are the centerpieces that I created for the special occasion. I bought a case of those mini half-sized Pringles at Sam's Club before the planning began, and I decided there just MUST be something I could do with the empty cans. 

I started with the Styrofoam balls.. I found them at Joann's, and they came in a package 6 and a package of 12. PERFECT. I also picked up some cheap spray paint at Walmart.... But, it didn't work out so well..

The Styrofoam melted. Yes, that's right... MELTED. So, I was automatically down to 5 center pieces.

Near the Styrofoam, there should be some type of painting options for it. Make sure it's craft paint, and read the back to make sure you can use it on Styrofoam. I used Simply Spray black project paint. It was about $5, but it covers very well, and I still have half a can left for other projects.

I used toothpicks to hold the ears on, and that was it. I put them on only half way until I sprayed them and let them dry. That way there were no white spots left.

I went to the store and bought some pinto beans to use as filler... "We're splitting the scene, we're full of beans..." (From the Hot Dog song..)

Well, my center pieces are ALSO full of beans!

To cover the can, I just bought one large piece of red card stock. I marked it and cut them to fit, then I hot glued them on the Pringles cans. They looked a little boring, so I put the Mickey Mouse swirls on it, and did a little design along the bottom of the can, as well as finding these super cute holographic Mickey Mouse Clubhouse stickers at the Dollar Tree... Stuck them on there, too!

I created these stars by stamping out the craft foam sheets with fondant cutters. They stamped the shape I needed perfectly enough to see the lines I needed to cut without having to draw all the stars out by hand. (I'm lazy..) There were three small stars and three large stars per each centerpiece. I used three different sized colors. The large stars were red and yellow, and the smaller ones were blue and white. The blue stars and the red stars are the same size. I just out all the pieces and then hot glued them together. 

For the wire, I picked it up at Home Depot for about $3. I only used one roll. The larger stars have longer swirls (about 10in) and the smaller stars had shorter wires.. (about 8in)

Then I wrapped them around a whisk to curl them. But, you could just use anything you have that is round and long and cylindrical. Broom stick, mop, dowel.. Anything you've got.

I used a metal skewer to poke holes in the Pringles can lid to ensure that the beans stayed put if it fell over, as well as making sure that the stars stayed where I wanted them to.

Then I twisted the stars into the base. And voila! Mickey Mouse Centerpieces. They were a big hit at the party. I was very proud of them.

I have other Mickey Mouse Party decorations that I did for the party that I will post a little later.

Thanks for reading! Any tips, tricks, comments or concerns, leave me a comment and I can get back to you. =)

-Ashley