This year my kids are dressing up as Raggedy Anne and Raggedy Andy. They have homemade costumes!! I did not make them, I don’t have a creative bone in my body. A friend from church offered to make them, and I am so happy she did because they are adorable.
While our kids will be enjoying candy today Brian and I decided that we are going to start a new “lifestyle”. We’ve started the Paleo lifestyle. We’re going to transition from “sugar-burners” to “fat burning beasts”. (At least that’s what the book tells us) Mark Sisson has a website: marksdailyapple.com. You should check it out. He has done a ton of research and has a lot of proof to back up his dietary and workout suggestions. We’ve decided to try it first hand and see what we think.
We have already made some changes in our food over the past few months by trying to purchase more organically, but now we are doing a complete overhaul. I just got home from the grocery store and I was quite surprised that my grocery bill wasn’t higher. I only spent about $40 more than I usually do. I had turkey lettuce wraps for lunch. They were pretty good, but I’m already missing my grains! The Paleo challenge lasts for 21 days, which will bring us right up to Thanksgiving. (No we’re not going to give that meal up!!) I’ll keep you updated as we go. If you’ve never looked into it I highly suggest reading about it.
kids
Monday, October 31, 2011
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Traditions
My siblings like to call me the “Tradition Nazi”. Since I was very young I’ve always insisted that we do the same thing on holidays. Whether that be having our sibling slumber party on Christmas eve or eating turkey sandwiches before bed on Thanksgiving, we have to do what we’ve always done. (Just ask the in-laws!)
I didn’t think too much about my family traditions until I became a mom. My mom once told me that it’s important for a mother to set traditions--especially in large families because then everyone knows what’s going on and no one can get their feelings hurt. That doesn’t mean that we don’t have our share of hurt feelings still-- but no one is surprised by what “the family” is doing on any given holiday. This is yet another piece of wonderful advice that my mom has given me over the years!
One tradition that my mom set up was making us each our favorite meal and cake for our birthdays. I always looked forward to bbq ribs and black forest cake. I remember one year I asked for three different main meals and my mom made each one. ( My eyes have always been way bigger than my stomach) I have tried to carry on the same tradition with my own family. My kids aren’t old enough to realize it, but I’ve tried to make birthdays very special and unique for each person.
Today is Brian’s 28th birthday. (HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRIAN!!) Brian is not a huge sweets fan, but he loves cheesecake! As I write this I have a Reese’s peanut butter cheesecake baking in the oven. (Only 1300 calories per slice!!) His pile of gifts is waiting for him on the table. Unfortunately, I have to go play in a soccer game tonight so we wont be having a grand dinner, but we’ll still have something special. The thing that I’ve learned by making birthdays a “big deal” is that it’s as much fun for me as it is for the person that gets spoiled. I have enjoyed every minute of making Brian’s cake and wrapping his presents. It’s not just a task that has to get done. I’ve used the time to pray for Brian and our family. Instead of being stressed out by all the work I have a wonderful kind of peace and calm. I’ve come to realize that the traditions aren’t just about the “doing”, they are about all those things you can’t see.
Even though it takes a lot of work to continue traditions, I plan to do my best to keep them going. It’s one of the reasons I look forward to holidays so much. Hopefully, as my children get older they will look forward to celebrating the traditions as much as I do. J
Today I am thankful for the blessing of my husband, Brian. God sure knew what he was doing when he brought him into my life so many years ago.
Don’t forget to count your blessings today--especially the small ones!!
I didn’t think too much about my family traditions until I became a mom. My mom once told me that it’s important for a mother to set traditions--especially in large families because then everyone knows what’s going on and no one can get their feelings hurt. That doesn’t mean that we don’t have our share of hurt feelings still-- but no one is surprised by what “the family” is doing on any given holiday. This is yet another piece of wonderful advice that my mom has given me over the years!
One tradition that my mom set up was making us each our favorite meal and cake for our birthdays. I always looked forward to bbq ribs and black forest cake. I remember one year I asked for three different main meals and my mom made each one. ( My eyes have always been way bigger than my stomach) I have tried to carry on the same tradition with my own family. My kids aren’t old enough to realize it, but I’ve tried to make birthdays very special and unique for each person.
Today is Brian’s 28th birthday. (HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRIAN!!) Brian is not a huge sweets fan, but he loves cheesecake! As I write this I have a Reese’s peanut butter cheesecake baking in the oven. (Only 1300 calories per slice!!) His pile of gifts is waiting for him on the table. Unfortunately, I have to go play in a soccer game tonight so we wont be having a grand dinner, but we’ll still have something special. The thing that I’ve learned by making birthdays a “big deal” is that it’s as much fun for me as it is for the person that gets spoiled. I have enjoyed every minute of making Brian’s cake and wrapping his presents. It’s not just a task that has to get done. I’ve used the time to pray for Brian and our family. Instead of being stressed out by all the work I have a wonderful kind of peace and calm. I’ve come to realize that the traditions aren’t just about the “doing”, they are about all those things you can’t see.
Even though it takes a lot of work to continue traditions, I plan to do my best to keep them going. It’s one of the reasons I look forward to holidays so much. Hopefully, as my children get older they will look forward to celebrating the traditions as much as I do. J
Today I am thankful for the blessing of my husband, Brian. God sure knew what he was doing when he brought him into my life so many years ago.
Don’t forget to count your blessings today--especially the small ones!!
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Simple Tips for a Healthy Life
Staying fit and healthy is something that most people try to achieve in their day to day life. I’ve always considered myself a very fit and healthy person. I was blessed to be raised in a family that encouraged lots of activity and I had a mom that served delicious healthy food-- most of the time. (She is an amazing cook, so she has to cook those fatty delicious foods every once in a while) Exercise and healthy eating really became a way of life for me at an early age because of all the sports I was involved in. In order to be the best you had to do everything you could to get an edge over your competitors. This mentality helps me to this day. Even though I’m not out training for an upcoming sports season I still strive to be healthy.
This is probably the most important time in my life to be healthy. Going from growing a child in my body to raising that child once he/she is out in the world with me, I strive to make my body as healthy as possible for my kids. I want to give them the best fighting chance, so I figure if I can be the best “vessel” possible I’m doing my part. Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m just as vain as the next woman. It’s a sin that I wrestle with on a daily if not hourly basis. I want to look the best I can too. I realize I wont ever be wearing a skimpy bikini again-- all my beautiful stretch marks made sure of that. However, I want to look the best I can. As you all probably know, this is so much easier said than done. When your body is in constant flux of pre-baby, baby, post-baby, and getting ready for next baby it’s hard to have your OWN body.
Today I’m going to share a few tips that I follow for getting into shape and staying into shape. I am no expert, and it’s a constant battle. However, I have done a lot of research on healthy eating and I am constantly looking for new workout routines to try out. I could probably write my own book full of things that have or haven’t worked for me. So chances are if you are struggling I can probably give you some good advice.
Tip #1: Follow the 80/20 rule.- This goes for eating and working out. This is especially important for moms. Whether you are pregnant, nursing, trying to get that baby weight off, working on getting pregnant again, or done having babies your body needs a break. So workout hard 80% of the time and take it easy 20% of the time. The same is true with eating. 80% of the time eat healthy and 20% of the time enjoy your guilty little pleasures.
Tip #2: Change up your workout routine often.- I have learned this one from experience. Our bodies are very smart and they figure out workout routines very quickly. This is why when you first begin an exercise program you are sore the first few days and gradually your body gets less and less sore. You need to confuse your body. This means you should be doing all sorts of workouts. Weight-lifting and cardio are essential, but how you get those in is up to you. I’m constantly trying new workouts. Especially when I feel like I am at a plateau. I try to do different workouts each day of the week. Usually I’ll take one day off and on the other days I’ll mix in different kinds of cardio and weight routines. (I have tons of ideas, so if you need some let me know)
Tip #3: Eat often and eat enough.
- This is a concept that women really struggle with. A lot of women think that if you eat 3 small meals a day you will lose weight faster. The opposite is actually true. You should never feel hungry. I like to eat 5 to 6 small “meals” a day. Each of those meals is around 300 calories. (300 good calories) Eating this way helps me continue to eat healthy all day and eat enough. When I find myself at a plateau I immediately look at what I’ve been eating. Most of the time it’s that I haven’t been eating enough. Our bodies go into a starvation mode and the scale wont budge.
Tip #4: Get down and play with your kids.- Have you ever tried to follow a 2 year old around during the day? Try it. It will be the best workout you’ve ever done in your life!! Whether you have a 2 year old to chase or not try to get in little workouts throughout your day. Keep your body active. Park a little farther away from the door, wrestle with your kids/dog, carry your own groceries to your car, power walk while shopping, the list could go on and on. When we keep our bodies active we are more likely to make healthy choices. Plus doing all those little workouts will work muscles that don’t get as much work in a normal workout.
Tip #5: Drink lots and lots of water.
- This one is pretty self explanatory. Stay away from the caffeine and soda. You should always have a water bottle by your side and when it gets empty fill it up. Our bodies need water! This one alone will help you feel so much better during the day.
This is probably the most important time in my life to be healthy. Going from growing a child in my body to raising that child once he/she is out in the world with me, I strive to make my body as healthy as possible for my kids. I want to give them the best fighting chance, so I figure if I can be the best “vessel” possible I’m doing my part. Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m just as vain as the next woman. It’s a sin that I wrestle with on a daily if not hourly basis. I want to look the best I can too. I realize I wont ever be wearing a skimpy bikini again-- all my beautiful stretch marks made sure of that. However, I want to look the best I can. As you all probably know, this is so much easier said than done. When your body is in constant flux of pre-baby, baby, post-baby, and getting ready for next baby it’s hard to have your OWN body.
Today I’m going to share a few tips that I follow for getting into shape and staying into shape. I am no expert, and it’s a constant battle. However, I have done a lot of research on healthy eating and I am constantly looking for new workout routines to try out. I could probably write my own book full of things that have or haven’t worked for me. So chances are if you are struggling I can probably give you some good advice.
Tip #1: Follow the 80/20 rule.- This goes for eating and working out. This is especially important for moms. Whether you are pregnant, nursing, trying to get that baby weight off, working on getting pregnant again, or done having babies your body needs a break. So workout hard 80% of the time and take it easy 20% of the time. The same is true with eating. 80% of the time eat healthy and 20% of the time enjoy your guilty little pleasures.
Tip #2: Change up your workout routine often.- I have learned this one from experience. Our bodies are very smart and they figure out workout routines very quickly. This is why when you first begin an exercise program you are sore the first few days and gradually your body gets less and less sore. You need to confuse your body. This means you should be doing all sorts of workouts. Weight-lifting and cardio are essential, but how you get those in is up to you. I’m constantly trying new workouts. Especially when I feel like I am at a plateau. I try to do different workouts each day of the week. Usually I’ll take one day off and on the other days I’ll mix in different kinds of cardio and weight routines. (I have tons of ideas, so if you need some let me know)
Tip #3: Eat often and eat enough.
- This is a concept that women really struggle with. A lot of women think that if you eat 3 small meals a day you will lose weight faster. The opposite is actually true. You should never feel hungry. I like to eat 5 to 6 small “meals” a day. Each of those meals is around 300 calories. (300 good calories) Eating this way helps me continue to eat healthy all day and eat enough. When I find myself at a plateau I immediately look at what I’ve been eating. Most of the time it’s that I haven’t been eating enough. Our bodies go into a starvation mode and the scale wont budge.
Tip #4: Get down and play with your kids.- Have you ever tried to follow a 2 year old around during the day? Try it. It will be the best workout you’ve ever done in your life!! Whether you have a 2 year old to chase or not try to get in little workouts throughout your day. Keep your body active. Park a little farther away from the door, wrestle with your kids/dog, carry your own groceries to your car, power walk while shopping, the list could go on and on. When we keep our bodies active we are more likely to make healthy choices. Plus doing all those little workouts will work muscles that don’t get as much work in a normal workout.
Tip #5: Drink lots and lots of water.
- This one is pretty self explanatory. Stay away from the caffeine and soda. You should always have a water bottle by your side and when it gets empty fill it up. Our bodies need water! This one alone will help you feel so much better during the day.
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
A Little Me Time
I think that as a mother finding me time is the hardest thing to do. There are so many things that we HAVE to do every day. Feed the kids, change the kids, play with the kids, do the laundry, discipline, clean, run errands, pray, take care of our husband, work out, the list could go on and on. Finding that me time is challenging not only because of our lack of time, but because of the guilt that so often comes with that time.
I am blessed to have many wise women in my life. A few months ago some of those women sat down with me and explained to me that I need a break every once in a while. I argued that only the selfish moms need breaks and that I was strong enough to do everything I was supposed to do and not wear down. They helped me see that it is important to have that break. It is not selfish to take some time for yourself, on the contrary--it is better for your children and your spouse.
So over the past few months I have made it a point to take time for ME. Sometimes I’ll go out with a friend other times I’ll go out all by myself. (I swear I still hear my children yelling mommy even when they aren’t with me) I’m slowly getting better about just going and getting away for a while AND not thinking about what’s going on at home while I’m out. I truly cherish that time now. Even if I only get away for 1 hour out of the entire week. I take that hour to breath and to appreciate my life. It seems like I am always ready to come home after my break. ( So far at least--I’m sure I’ll have my day where I’ll want to stay out and not come home;))
Now I look back at the days where I didn’t take a break and I wonder what I was thinking. God puts wise women in our lives for a reason and it’s safe to say that I’ll not question their advice anymore. (Ok I’ll probably still question them a bit)
I LOVE being a mom. There isn’t anything I would rather do with my life. I know how blessed I am to have healthy children and a loving husband to raise a family with. I am only human though, just like you other moms out there. Do yourselves a favor and take some time for YOU each and every week. Don’t feel guilty and don’t stress about it-- just do it!! You’ll thank me later.
Blessings I’m counting today:Fall weather
Yummy recipes
Good friends
Remember to always count your blessings--especially the small ones! J
I am blessed to have many wise women in my life. A few months ago some of those women sat down with me and explained to me that I need a break every once in a while. I argued that only the selfish moms need breaks and that I was strong enough to do everything I was supposed to do and not wear down. They helped me see that it is important to have that break. It is not selfish to take some time for yourself, on the contrary--it is better for your children and your spouse.
So over the past few months I have made it a point to take time for ME. Sometimes I’ll go out with a friend other times I’ll go out all by myself. (I swear I still hear my children yelling mommy even when they aren’t with me) I’m slowly getting better about just going and getting away for a while AND not thinking about what’s going on at home while I’m out. I truly cherish that time now. Even if I only get away for 1 hour out of the entire week. I take that hour to breath and to appreciate my life. It seems like I am always ready to come home after my break. ( So far at least--I’m sure I’ll have my day where I’ll want to stay out and not come home;))
Now I look back at the days where I didn’t take a break and I wonder what I was thinking. God puts wise women in our lives for a reason and it’s safe to say that I’ll not question their advice anymore. (Ok I’ll probably still question them a bit)
I LOVE being a mom. There isn’t anything I would rather do with my life. I know how blessed I am to have healthy children and a loving husband to raise a family with. I am only human though, just like you other moms out there. Do yourselves a favor and take some time for YOU each and every week. Don’t feel guilty and don’t stress about it-- just do it!! You’ll thank me later.
Blessings I’m counting today:Fall weather
Yummy recipes
Good friends
Remember to always count your blessings--especially the small ones! J
Monday, October 24, 2011
Blessings
Monday mornings are always a bit wild around our house. We are always trying to recover from the weekend. Usually the day is spent running errands, catching up on laundry, and cleaning. This also means that Mondays are usually a bit overwhelming. I’m prepared for that though and try to plan accordingly. When I get overwhelmed during the day I do one of two things. I either say a quiet prayer to myself, or I turn on some Christian music. ( I guess I also have the occasional “freak out”)
This morning after listening to a song that my mom posted on facebook I googled the artist, Laura Story, and listened to a few of her songs. I came across her song entitled “Blessings” and was truly touched. The chorus is posted below.
'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise
I think it’s so easy for us to forget that God is with us every second of every day. One of the reasons I titled my blog “Laura’s Little Blessings” is because I truly believe that we are given millions of little blessings throughout each day. When is the last time you thanked God for those little blessings? When is the last time you thanked God for the challenges of your day?
Check out “Blessings” on you tube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nynUqUZ5zX8&NR=1
I hope it gives you some inspiration as you start your week!!
Blessings I am thankful for today:My children
Quiet moments during the day
My brothers and sisters
All the inspirational women in my life, especially my mom
Remember to always count your blessings--especially the little ones! J
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Defiance Defined
“Mommy take me out and spank my bottom!!”
This was just one of the things that Eliza decided to scream during mass this weekend. She also added her favorite songs , Old McDonald, Twinkle Twinkle, and The Itsy Bitsy Spider which added humor for those that sat around us. However, it allowed for Brian and I to become increasingly frustrated as mass wore on.
Eliza is one of those kids that drives you crazy, but also makes it hard to discipline her because she defies so happily. Rarely does she ever “throw a fit”. Usually her defiance consists of continued chatter when I’ve asked for quiet or continued singing when we’re in places like church. We’ve had many people give “suggestions” on how to handle such a child. Anything from take her out and spank her when she misbehaves to just ignore her. So far she has out-smarted us on all fronts. Luckily, she doesn’t misbehave every Sunday to the extent that she did today.
When I became a teacher veteran teachers used to explain to me that they learned new things each year that they taught. Now that I’m a parent I am learning new things each and every day.
I believe that a defiant child is just another one of those wonderful lessons that God throws at parents. Instead of discouraging me has become a challenge for me. I figure that if I can make it through the day dealing with a child like Eliza then I can make it through most anything in life.
My mom once commented about Eliza saying “I wonder how she’s going to focus all that energy when she gets older?” It was her nice way of saying, “What a wild child.” But as we crawl through these defiant days I too look forward to Eliza focusing her energy.
St. Catherine of Siena once said ,“By Humble and faithful prayer, the soul acquires, with time and perseverance, every virtue.” Time and perseverance are very important in parenting. As Eliza grows I hope she continues to be just as spunky as she is now, and I pray that I have the virtue to deal with her spunk.
Blessings I'm thankful for today
Eliza
Remember to always count your blessings--especially the small ones!! :)
This was just one of the things that Eliza decided to scream during mass this weekend. She also added her favorite songs , Old McDonald, Twinkle Twinkle, and The Itsy Bitsy Spider which added humor for those that sat around us. However, it allowed for Brian and I to become increasingly frustrated as mass wore on.
Eliza is one of those kids that drives you crazy, but also makes it hard to discipline her because she defies so happily. Rarely does she ever “throw a fit”. Usually her defiance consists of continued chatter when I’ve asked for quiet or continued singing when we’re in places like church. We’ve had many people give “suggestions” on how to handle such a child. Anything from take her out and spank her when she misbehaves to just ignore her. So far she has out-smarted us on all fronts. Luckily, she doesn’t misbehave every Sunday to the extent that she did today.
When I became a teacher veteran teachers used to explain to me that they learned new things each year that they taught. Now that I’m a parent I am learning new things each and every day.
I believe that a defiant child is just another one of those wonderful lessons that God throws at parents. Instead of discouraging me has become a challenge for me. I figure that if I can make it through the day dealing with a child like Eliza then I can make it through most anything in life.
My mom once commented about Eliza saying “I wonder how she’s going to focus all that energy when she gets older?” It was her nice way of saying, “What a wild child.” But as we crawl through these defiant days I too look forward to Eliza focusing her energy.
St. Catherine of Siena once said ,“By Humble and faithful prayer, the soul acquires, with time and perseverance, every virtue.” Time and perseverance are very important in parenting. As Eliza grows I hope she continues to be just as spunky as she is now, and I pray that I have the virtue to deal with her spunk.
Blessings I'm thankful for today
Eliza
Remember to always count your blessings--especially the small ones!! :)
Friday, October 21, 2011
Back to the Basics
Have you ever listened to a good coach? I mean a coach that can take any kind of talent in any sport and make the players really fun to watch? There's one phrase that you will hear a good coach say over and over-- "practice and master the fundamentals".
I’ve had the opportunity over the past few weeks to return to my “glory days” just a bit by playing some indoor soccer. I’ve learned a couple things while playing. The first, is that I am not 17 years old anymore and the second, is that having 2 knee surgeries and 2 c-sections really takes a toll on a woman’s body. So last night we played against some young men that were not from this country. They were athletic, in their early 20’s, and totally ran circles around us. These guys were running circles around our team while speaking to each other in their foreign tongue. My first thought was, well even if I was still 17 I wouldn’t have a chance. (Don’t tell my 17 year old self that--she would kill me for thinking this way) My second thought was, return to the basics. I was not going to be able to stick with those guys, and I surely couldn’t out-run or out-move them, so I had to get back to the fundamentals. We ended up losing anyway, but I did score the only goal.
I think that our spiritual life is very similar to all those sports we love to play/watch. The players that are GREAT are those that focus on the basics and master them before trying any fancy stuff. Our spiritual life should rely on the basics as well.
Confession, the rosary, adoration, novena’s, and a multitude of written traditional prayers are all basics that as Catholics we should fall back on when our spiritual life may not be very inspired. We’ve all been there. We’ll all probably be there again at some point in our lives. “Going through the motions” isn’t the way that we’re supposed to pray or act in mass. However, the grace of God is still being given to us! It is through His grace that our spiritual life will become inspired again.
When you’ve had a long day, week, or month remember that God’s grace is ever-present. Get back to the basics. Let the basics transition you into the fancy stuff. God doesn’t call us to be perfect. God just wants us to be the best we can be each and every day, so we fall back on the stuff we know by heart and let the rest fall into place.
Always count your blessings--especially the small ones! J
I’ve had the opportunity over the past few weeks to return to my “glory days” just a bit by playing some indoor soccer. I’ve learned a couple things while playing. The first, is that I am not 17 years old anymore and the second, is that having 2 knee surgeries and 2 c-sections really takes a toll on a woman’s body. So last night we played against some young men that were not from this country. They were athletic, in their early 20’s, and totally ran circles around us. These guys were running circles around our team while speaking to each other in their foreign tongue. My first thought was, well even if I was still 17 I wouldn’t have a chance. (Don’t tell my 17 year old self that--she would kill me for thinking this way) My second thought was, return to the basics. I was not going to be able to stick with those guys, and I surely couldn’t out-run or out-move them, so I had to get back to the fundamentals. We ended up losing anyway, but I did score the only goal.
I think that our spiritual life is very similar to all those sports we love to play/watch. The players that are GREAT are those that focus on the basics and master them before trying any fancy stuff. Our spiritual life should rely on the basics as well.
Confession, the rosary, adoration, novena’s, and a multitude of written traditional prayers are all basics that as Catholics we should fall back on when our spiritual life may not be very inspired. We’ve all been there. We’ll all probably be there again at some point in our lives. “Going through the motions” isn’t the way that we’re supposed to pray or act in mass. However, the grace of God is still being given to us! It is through His grace that our spiritual life will become inspired again.
When you’ve had a long day, week, or month remember that God’s grace is ever-present. Get back to the basics. Let the basics transition you into the fancy stuff. God doesn’t call us to be perfect. God just wants us to be the best we can be each and every day, so we fall back on the stuff we know by heart and let the rest fall into place.
Always count your blessings--especially the small ones! J
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Is it morning already?!?
I hate eating breakfast. At least, I used to hate eating breakfast.
When I worked outside the home I would take the extra sleep over breakfast any day. My bed and I have a love-love relationship. I LOVE to sleep in my bed and my bed loves giving me restful nights of sleep. I can’t remember a morning I woke up and really wanted to get out of bed.
So now that I have a two year old running into my room every morning, passing right by Brian and running to my side of the bed screaming or sometimes singing “it’s a beautiful day Mommy, time to wake up!!” I have learned that if I don’t eat a good breakfast the rest of the day is doomed. Sometimes I’ll wake up extra early to go running-- I love those days! Even though it means less sleep, it also means some peace and quiet at the beginning of the day. It’s a tough choice though, having a sweet little girl to wake me up or some peace and quiet.
Breakfast is not a tough choice though. In fact, I’ve made it so that breakfast is a no-brainer. (since my brain usually hasn’t started working yet anyway) Whether I run first or not I eat one of two things. Either a smoothie or some sort of scrambled eggs mixed with veggies. Today I am going to give you a wonderful recipe for a smoothie.
This is a very basic recipe for a smoothie. (Bold) The coolest thing about smoothies is that they can be so nutritious and you can add so many different things to them without changing the taste too much. (I’ve put the extras in italics.) So if you have a hard time fitting in fruits and veggies during the day, add some. If you have high cholesterol or not enough good cholesterol, add some fish oil and flax seed. The smoothie below is about 300 calories and packed with protein!!
Stay tuned, in a later blog I’ll give a great recipe for a make-ahead breakfast burrito that will please everyone in the family-- health nut or not!
Blessings I’m counting today:Story-time at the Library
Sunny Fall mornings
Being able to stay home with my kids (Thanks Brian!!)
Remember to always count your blessings-- especially the small ones! J
When I worked outside the home I would take the extra sleep over breakfast any day. My bed and I have a love-love relationship. I LOVE to sleep in my bed and my bed loves giving me restful nights of sleep. I can’t remember a morning I woke up and really wanted to get out of bed.
So now that I have a two year old running into my room every morning, passing right by Brian and running to my side of the bed screaming or sometimes singing “it’s a beautiful day Mommy, time to wake up!!” I have learned that if I don’t eat a good breakfast the rest of the day is doomed. Sometimes I’ll wake up extra early to go running-- I love those days! Even though it means less sleep, it also means some peace and quiet at the beginning of the day. It’s a tough choice though, having a sweet little girl to wake me up or some peace and quiet.
Breakfast is not a tough choice though. In fact, I’ve made it so that breakfast is a no-brainer. (since my brain usually hasn’t started working yet anyway) Whether I run first or not I eat one of two things. Either a smoothie or some sort of scrambled eggs mixed with veggies. Today I am going to give you a wonderful recipe for a smoothie.
This is a very basic recipe for a smoothie. (Bold) The coolest thing about smoothies is that they can be so nutritious and you can add so many different things to them without changing the taste too much. (I’ve put the extras in italics.) So if you have a hard time fitting in fruits and veggies during the day, add some. If you have high cholesterol or not enough good cholesterol, add some fish oil and flax seed. The smoothie below is about 300 calories and packed with protein!!
¼ cup organic-skim milk
¼ yogurt ( I like to use Greek--but you can use whatever)
1 scoop protein powder ( I love the target vanilla-- 25g protein per serving!!)
4 to 5 frozen strawberries (any berries can work or a mixture)
2 eggs
2 tbls. Flax seed
1 scoop Greens+
Blessings I’m counting today:Story-time at the Library
Sunny Fall mornings
Being able to stay home with my kids (Thanks Brian!!)
Remember to always count your blessings-- especially the small ones! J
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Simply do better...
We’ve had a tough couple days around our house. Both Brian and I have been sick. Taking care of two little kids is very challenging when both mom and dad just want to lay in bed all day! We did our best taking turns, and today Brian is back to work and the kids and I are going to catch up on everything we’ve missed out on the past 2 days. I came across the following quote yesterday and it helped bring everything into perspective. I hope it touches your heart as well.
“Listen to me for one moment and you will see that only the service of God will console us and make us happy in the midst of all the miseries of life. To accomplish it, you do not need to leave either your belongings, or your parents, or even your friends, unless they are leading you to sin. You have no need to go and spend the rest of your lives in the desert to weep there for your sins. If that were necessary for us, indeed, we should be very happy to have such a remedy for our ills. But no, a father and a mother of a family can serve God by living with their children and bringing them up in a Christian way. A servant can very easily serve God and his master, with nothing to stop him. No, my dear bretheren, The way of life means serving God changes nothing in all that we have to do. On the contrary, we simply do better all the things we must do!” ~St. John Vianney
Let us all remember that our most important job is being a parent. Our children are on loan to us from God. One day they will return to him. So even on those most trying of days, lets look at our kids as the wonderful gifts they are.
Some blessings I'm thankful for today:
Sick days
Comfortable beds
Chicken Noodle soup
Kids who snuggle
Remember to always count your blessings-- especially the small ones!
“Listen to me for one moment and you will see that only the service of God will console us and make us happy in the midst of all the miseries of life. To accomplish it, you do not need to leave either your belongings, or your parents, or even your friends, unless they are leading you to sin. You have no need to go and spend the rest of your lives in the desert to weep there for your sins. If that were necessary for us, indeed, we should be very happy to have such a remedy for our ills. But no, a father and a mother of a family can serve God by living with their children and bringing them up in a Christian way. A servant can very easily serve God and his master, with nothing to stop him. No, my dear bretheren, The way of life means serving God changes nothing in all that we have to do. On the contrary, we simply do better all the things we must do!” ~St. John Vianney
Let us all remember that our most important job is being a parent. Our children are on loan to us from God. One day they will return to him. So even on those most trying of days, lets look at our kids as the wonderful gifts they are.
Some blessings I'm thankful for today:
Sick days
Comfortable beds
Chicken Noodle soup
Kids who snuggle
Remember to always count your blessings-- especially the small ones!
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Enjoying Mass...
Will I ever be able to enjoy mass again?
Not too long after Eliza was born I remember asking my dad this exact question. It felt like “getting through” mass was all that I was able to do each week. My dad responded with some comment like “ yeah, it’s been like that for more than 20 years for me”.
I honestly didn’t think too much of it at the time, but as the weeks passed I really began missing the mass. After Jackson was born I even thought about going to mass by myself on Saturdays and then with the family on Sundays. However, it wasn’t just me that was missing the mass. Brian made comments almost every Sunday about not being able to pay attention or only catching one of the readings.
When I sat and really thought about it I began to realize that I MADE time for so many other things in my life. I always find time to fit in a workout during the day, I find time to watch my favorite television shows, and I even find time to mess around online during the day. I say my prayers daily, but that just wasn’t enough. So I decided we needed to do something about this mass problem.
Recently Brian and I have begun reading all the readings for Sunday mass on Saturday evenings. We read through them, sometimes more than once, and then we discuss them together.
It’s amazing what I am able to get from the mass after just doing this little thing.
I encourage all of you with small children to do the same thing. Take some time to not only pray with your spouse, but to go over the Sunday readings, and even the daily readings. Mass is something that sets Catholics apart from all other religions. We are blessed to receive the body and blood of Christ each and every week. The least that we can do is study His word and get the most out of each mass that we can.
Not too long after Eliza was born I remember asking my dad this exact question. It felt like “getting through” mass was all that I was able to do each week. My dad responded with some comment like “ yeah, it’s been like that for more than 20 years for me”.
I honestly didn’t think too much of it at the time, but as the weeks passed I really began missing the mass. After Jackson was born I even thought about going to mass by myself on Saturdays and then with the family on Sundays. However, it wasn’t just me that was missing the mass. Brian made comments almost every Sunday about not being able to pay attention or only catching one of the readings.
When I sat and really thought about it I began to realize that I MADE time for so many other things in my life. I always find time to fit in a workout during the day, I find time to watch my favorite television shows, and I even find time to mess around online during the day. I say my prayers daily, but that just wasn’t enough. So I decided we needed to do something about this mass problem.
Recently Brian and I have begun reading all the readings for Sunday mass on Saturday evenings. We read through them, sometimes more than once, and then we discuss them together.
It’s amazing what I am able to get from the mass after just doing this little thing.
I encourage all of you with small children to do the same thing. Take some time to not only pray with your spouse, but to go over the Sunday readings, and even the daily readings. Mass is something that sets Catholics apart from all other religions. We are blessed to receive the body and blood of Christ each and every week. The least that we can do is study His word and get the most out of each mass that we can.
Saturday, October 15, 2011
What do you see when you look in the mirror?
Have you ever held up a baby to look at themselves in a mirror? Have you ever dressed a two year old and told them to go “check themselves out” in mommy’s mirror?
The way they look at themselves is the way that I think God wants us to look at ourselves each and every day. There are days I look at myself in the mirror and think I don’t look so bad, and then there are those days where I look in the mirror and change my outfit 20 times because nothing looks good. We’ve all done it.
Not little kids though. Little kids LOVE looking at themselves. They try to make the baby in the mirror smile and laugh the entire time they are looking. This is the same way that God looks at us. Each and every day God wants us to be happy and wants us to bring some happiness to those around us.
In college I knew a girl that never looked in a mirror. It seemed so odd to me at the time. However, now I think it was a brilliant idea. Why bother looking in the mirror if all you’re going to do is criticize yourself? For the next week I’m challenging myself to think positively when I look in the mirror. I’m going to try to be just like my kids and make myself smile and laugh as I see that beautiful reflection that God blessed me with. I challenge you to be child-like as you look in your own mirror this week.
"I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” ~Matthew 18:3
Some of the blessings I’m counting today:
Watching my kids dress up and play together in front of the mirror
Sleeping in on the weekends
Working in the yard on beautiful days
Halloween Festivals
Don't forget to count your blessings-- especially the small ones. :)
Friday, October 14, 2011
The beginning...
So, I’m new to this whole blogging thing. I’ve been told that this will be a good way to document this crazy thing I call my life. It seems like at least 3 times a day I’m telling myself “ I should really write this down”. So here’s my small attempt at writing all that “stuff” down.
I don’t have a ton of extra time during the day to make these posts long and eloquent, plus I never was a very good writer, so some will probably only be a few sentences. I hope that along the way you will find some inspiration for your own crazy life.
Some of the blessings I'm counting today:
Going to the park with my kids on a sunny fall day.
Smoothies for breakfast.
Target brand baby supplies saving me money.
Always remember to count your blessings-- especially the little ones. J
I don’t have a ton of extra time during the day to make these posts long and eloquent, plus I never was a very good writer, so some will probably only be a few sentences. I hope that along the way you will find some inspiration for your own crazy life.
Some of the blessings I'm counting today:
Going to the park with my kids on a sunny fall day.
Smoothies for breakfast.
Target brand baby supplies saving me money.
Always remember to count your blessings-- especially the little ones. J
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