Wednesday, March 6, 2013

A Moment

I have a confession:
 I have a weak stomach, in a sense...

When it come to CSI, Bones, and NCIS, I can handle it! These are some of my favorite murder-mystery shows that may display some bloody, bone-exposed, and scarred body parts. But they don't bother me so much.

However, someone starts vomiting profusely and I begin dry-heaving!

So when my sweet children began showing signs of the stomach bug, my usually rock solid stomach became queasy.

I've been cleaning sheets, changing clothes, wiping butts, filling cups and snuggling sickies. They have each taken a turn being sick, but luckily, mom and dad have sidestepped this ugly bug. 

There is even more of a silver lining I have found. Lately, we have been very busy. Trying to get ready for a kitchen remodel (more to come on that soon), many appointments, play dates, gym time, and more laundry. So busy that we really haven't been spending much quality time together. 

This household stomach bug has forced the hubby and me to slow down and take care of our family. 

For the past couple of days, we have had to "enjoy the moment." Even though it hasn't been a glorious moment, we have still enjoyed the snuggles, the Dora reruns, and some extra storytime. 

Sorry, no pictures today ... we were just enjoying our time together!

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

The Bad Word

I have a confession ... 
I said a bad word!

But let me defend myself -
I'm making a cake for an activity for the ladies at church. It, of course, is a very chocolatey cake. Maecie was in the kitchen with me, eyeing every piece of chocolate goodness I was putting in the recipe. I gave her a few chocolate chips in hopes that it would pacify her until I could get lunch going. Unfortunately, those chocolate chips just made her want more and more.

After she asked for more chocolate, I told her we would have lunch in just a bit and she needed to wait. She proceeded to ask for more chocolate and say that she didn't want lunch, just chocolate. 

My sweet little girl was asking over and over and over for more candy, more chocolate. I was going as fast as I could to get this cake in the oven and baking and was starting to get a little frustrated. Finally, I looked at Maecie and told her that my answer was "No. No, she could not have more chocolate and she would have to wait until after lunch." And I was firm in my delivery.

She lowered her head and ran to her room. A few minutes later I heard her singing and went to check on her.

She had lined up her dolls on her bed and she was singing this song {don't forget to sing this in the most pitiful 2 year old voice you can muster}, "I want some chocolate. But Mommy won't give me some. Mommy said a bad word!"

"What bad word did I say, Maecie?", I asked. Continuing to sing, Maecie responded, "Mommy told me no. Mommy said a bad word!"

Yes, ladies and gents, this mommy said, "No"! How could I have done such a thing? How could I have said such a bad word in front of my daughter? Well, honestly, it's because I'm a mean mommy. Any time my children want to spoil their appetites with junk food, I tell them no. If they want to watch TV before doing homework, or refuse to do their chores because they want to go play, I tell them "No". I don't give in to their every plea. This may make me a mean mommy, but it's who I am and how I parent.

In my opinion, parents need to say this bad word from time to time. We can't always give our children what they want because then they will grow up expecting to get what they have always gotten. Instead, we need to show them that there are boundaries in life. It might not seem like that would be the lesson learned, but it is a start. 

I love my kiddos and their ability to call me out when I've said a "bad word"! 
**Don't worry, I hugged my sweet girl, told her I loved her. Then we ate lunch and played princess tea party.**


Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Steps and Steps

Holy Hiatus, Batman! 

I have been so incredibly busy that typing information into my computer has been pretty low on the totem pole. BUT, I would really like to change that.

Confession #1 of the 2013 year {in February, no less}:
I like to count my steps! 

No, I do not sit there and physically count my steps all day long. I wear a pedometer. The brand I use is called a fitbit and it is on my person 24 hours a day!

The nifty little contraption can fit just about anywhere from your pants pocket to your bra strap. 


This little pedometer not only tells me how many steps I take a day, but how many calories I burn, how many flights of stairs I climb, how many miles I walk, and the time. At night, it can track how many times I wake up during my sleep. {So interesting to compare nights you feel more rested than others!} And best of all, I can track my daily, weekly, and even monthly progress online.

A big plus, while I'm still battling with this baby weight, is that I can also track my calorie intake ON MY iPHONE!!! How awesome is that?! 

My daily goal is to have 7,000-10,000 steps a day ... 7,000 is fairly easy to get if you are moving constantly throughout the day. But 10,000 usually only comes on days I go to the gym. {I have stepped as many as 12,000 steps in a day, but my feet were sore by the end of the day!!}

And of course, it's almost like a game. What is the highest percentage of my goal that I can attain in a day/week? If I'm close to meeting another 500-1,000 steps, you could see me walking/jogging/dancing in my room before bed. I may be extremely exhausted, but my desire achieve my goal supersedes my desire for sleep. I. MUST. HAVE. MORE. STEPS! 

Honestly, I feel more energized and active because of my need to count steps! 

**These are my own opinions. I was not compensated for this post, just wanted to share my love for this product and how it has helped me in my life!**