5 of 21

So I have been doing so good waking up and getting ready before the kids. It's been FIVE days!
Today was tough because the baby woke up early, but I was still able to get ready before the kids thanks to help from the hubs. I seriously have been feeling so much better waking up and getting ready for the day before everyone else. The funny thing is, I've been going to bed late and am still able to wake up! I've been getting about 6 hours of sleep and function just fine on that.

If you have a goal, even one as small as waking up earlier...do it! I'm trying to make this a routine and something that I enjoy. So far, it is working. The days I feel like sleeping in, I just remind myself how bad my day will be if I procrastinate and rush, and how cranky I am to my kids when I feel rushed. That really helps push me. Once this feels like a routine/habit, I'm going to start something new...like working out! It will happen.

Day 2 of 21

Day two was a success! I was able to wake up early and get ready before the kids. It feels great! I was able to get the kids up and ready early too. And now we are about to leave and start our fun Memorial Day. We are going to visit the veterans memorial cemetery, get some breakfast and maybe do some shopping or play at the park. The options are endless now that we aren't spending all morning waiting for me to get ready, haha!

21 Days!

Today was day one of waking up and getting ready before my darling children woke up. And guess what?! I DID IT! I set my alarm 15 minutes earlier than I wanted to get out of bed.  As soon as it went off, I struggled to open my eyes. I grabbed my phone to look at social media thinking that would help, but the light from my phone was blinding! Lol. I wanted so badly to just curl up and go back to sleep, but I thought about my goal and how the day might go if I don't do this. That really helped me stay focused and I got up! I did it. I was out of bed and vertical and I can do this! I went downstairs and opened the curtains and blinds to let the morning light in...because the morning sunshine always makes me feel happy.  Something about a nice lit, quiet house is really calming and rejuvenating in the morning...I think I can get use to this. After making things a little brighter, I went into the bathroom and got ready for my day. I even shaved my legs AND curled my hair! Whoop whoop! I was completely ready when I heard the baby stir and was so proud of myself for doing this. Now I was able to just focus on the morning with the kids instead of trying to figure out how to squeeze my getting ready time in with all the kid stuff.  It was so nice.

So "they" say 21 days makes or breaks a habit. Today is day one.  I'm going to try very, VERY hard to keep this up.  I am also going to keep up with picking up after myself and putting things away after I take them out.  Those two things are not hard but will require some effort on my part if I really want to make this change. It will go so good in the long run to be able to wake up early AND to pick up as you go (instead of creating a huge mess and spending hours cleaning it). Hopefully you can set yourself a small, manageable goal and start at it. 21 days isn't that long. If I can conquer these things, my next goal will be to start some sort of exercise routine! One step at a time. I know I can do this.

I love this saying. I tell it to my kids often and need to tell it to myself more. If I believe I can do something, I CAN!

It's Time...

So in an earlier post I wrote about tackling the route of my cleaning/organizing issue, which is picking up after myself.  Lately I have been reflecting and analyzing many areas in my life.  One is my attitude and stress levels.  I get so overwhelmed and stressed, which then causes me to be really mean and sometimes yell.  It's just not good at all.  So I have been trying to figure out why this happens.  I have always thought that it was because I am not completely organized and my house is always messy, but lately I have been getting things in order and keeping the house clean.  I still have my moments of stress and yelling...so what is it?! I think I have finally figured it out. TIME.  My time management skills are very bad.  I seriously am always late, running behind, rushing, etc. When that stuff happens, I get mad and yell and say mean things and am just not a nice person.  And you know what, I am more mad at myself but I feel like I need to blame it on others.  There's no one to blame but me.  I am the one who pressed snooze 10 times. I am the one who dilly-dallied and didn't get ready fast enough. I am the one who did pack things the night before. Me, me, me!

I don't understand why it's so freaking hard for me to get up and get ready in the morning.  Maybe it's because we have a new(ish) baby and are finally starting to get good night sleeps.  But I was like this before the baby, so I can't pass the buck there. I am just exhausted and tired and I hate when morning comes because I feel like I can never fall asleep at night and morning is when I am finally in my sweet, deep sleep.  But in all seriousness, the days that I actually do wake up early and get ready and things ready before the kids are up, I am a much happier mom and wife and so much more productive.  So it's time for some change.  It's time for to take charge of my time!

From here on out, I am going to get up when I hear my alarm! I know it's not going to be perfect at first, but I need to do this for me and my family.  Yes I am tired, but I am more tired of being mean and on edge and I need to change.

Remember to SMILE

I saw this quote the other day and really needed to read it. Sometimes just reading and hearing about all the things going on in the world and always tearing myself apart after looking at models in magazines, I find myself getting down and just mopey.  Then I saw this and thought, "YEAH! I'm totally going to remember this!"

Even though the world is horrible at times and I do not look like the ladies in the magazines, I'm not going to let that change me.  I am ME! I need to keep my chin up and a smile on my face and love myself and look at the good things. Don't let anyone or anything change you smile! :-)

"Welcome" Spring

Crafting really is soothing for the soul.  Lately I have had a lot of emotional stress and am realizing that crafting/decorating is an outlet and helps me think and feel better about things.  Well a few weeks ago, in the spirit of Spring, I bought some flowers for my pot by the front door.  As I walked by it everyday, I felt like it needed something.  I always have wanted a "welcome" sign around my front door but can never think of a good place to put it...until now! I went to the store and bought a cheap plaque and used a white paint pen and wrote "welcome"on it. Then took a wire hanger and attached it to the plaque so I could stick it in the pot. This is my final product...

I like it! I think it looks cute and pretty and makes me want to come in. :) I encourage you to do something pretty around your place too.

Clean and Crafty

I feel like a child...not really, I've just been getting in touch with my inner child lately.  First, let me start off by saying that another room in my house has been cleaned out and cleaned up! THE KIDS' ROOM!!! My darling husband is the reason this happened...not because he helped, but because he threatened. Haha. He tripped over some toys in the living room a few days ago and fell. He was so frustrated (because our kids have WAY too many toys) and told the kids they need to have everything organized and put away by Sunday or else he's throwing away anything he sees out. So me, being the mother that I am, couldn't bare the thought of my children's precious toys being thrown away. We worked for two days going through everything (downstairs and upstairs).

We started in the living room and pulled out all the bins.  One by one a bin was dumped and we sorted through it...kept what they wanted, threw out what was broken and boxed up for donating anything they didn't play with.  One day two, I first went in there and folded all the clothes that were everywhere, then we did the same thing.  Sorted and organized. I am so proud of my kids for agreeing to fill up TWO big boxes! We even filled up a whole trash bag of junk! Now they have room to grow, the rooms have order AND dad won't be throwing away any beloved toys.  Let's hope they can keep it that way.

(Sorry, no before and after pictures. I'm a dufus again and completely forgot to take any. Hopefully I'll remember when I clean the next room.)

Now on to my craftiness. So for Mother's Day this year, I decided not to get my mom her usual flowers.  I really wanted to get her something special, useful and pretty. I went to the Family Christian Bookstore to look around but didn't see anything I loved...and if I loved it, it was WAY too much money.  For instance, there was this super cute, little red cookie jar that had a Bible verse on it. I just loved the shape of the jar, the size was ok (about 6-8" tall), and the verse was so cute (Psalm 34:8).  I was like, this is it.  I'll get this for her and an apron and make cookies! I turned that sucker over to see how much...$54.99!!!!! UM, NO!

I love my mom, but seriously, $55 for a dinky jar...I don't think so.  So I left and thought about what to get her.  I thought about gardening things, clothes, gift cards, etc.  The cookie jar kept coming back in my head...then it hit me! Why don't I just make my own?! Duh! What a brilliant idea, I'll go find a cute jar, write the same cute verse, and fill it up with goodies!  And that's exactly what I did.

Found this adorable cookie jar (10-12" tall) at Home Goods for $12.99:

Picked up some of her favorite treats for about $8 (I thought about making cookies, but I honestly don't think she'd eat them).

Then, went online to get some inspiration for how to write the verse.  I saw this "Taste & See" and pretty much copied it because I loved how it looked, but then wrote the rest of it myself.  I honestly LOVE the way it turned out and kinda want to make one for me (but I won't because I do not need more jars in my kitchen, haha).

So for around $20, there is my gift for my mom, but worth so much more since I made it and it is one of a kind! So cute, right?! Even if you don't think it is, I don't care...I love it and that's all that matters.  Well not really, my mom needs to love it too. Haha. Hopefully she will.  I forgot how much fun it is to make things for people.  Now I see why my kids get so excited giving me handmade gifts...you just feel so proud of all your hard work and can't wait to give it to them!

There you go...I was clean and crafty this weekend. And it feels good. Crafts and creativity are good for the soul! I need to do more of this!

Focus on the Good

I read this article today and it really spoke to me. I'm going to just attach the link below so you can have the pleasure of reading it instead of me trying to tell about it and not getting it right. Basically, we are in control of our lives. If you want a happy life, make it happy! Choose to see the good!

Wiring Your Brain for Happiness

Enjoy!

The Idea Blog

I should consider renaming my blog to "the idea blog." I feel like I have not been able to accomplish anything! I feel like I am full of ideas but never implement them or follow through with anything. It's so frustrating!  Like, I have a great idea to eat healthier and stop snacking...but that hasn't happened.  I have a great idea to deep clean the bedrooms...but that hasn't happened. I have great ideas to do little things every day/week that'll help  me declutter and feel more organized...but none of those have happened. Ugh! I also have a great idea to be better about reading scriptures and praying...but that hasn't happened either!  I feel like I'm surrounded by chaos and I can't do anything until it's under control. And I can't get it under control because I just don't have the time or help that I need to get it done. All I want is a clean house...decluttered, cleaned out, only own the necessities. Why is this so hard?

It hit me today as I was making my daughter lunch.  This is all my fault!  Everything!  I am a borderline hoarder and have an awful habit of not putting things away after I use them...literally, I don't put anything back! (Sometimes I do, but most of the time I do not.) So, as of right now, my goal is going to be to just fix this bad habit.  They say it takes 21 days to make or break a habit.  For the next 21 days, I am going to put stuff away.  Not to the side, not in a neat pile...AWAY! Change begins with me. Mothers and wives determine the mood of the household...if mom is in a bad mood, generally that tension effects everyone else too. For me to be happier, I need to fix my bad habits that cause me so much stress and frustration.

So for the next 21 days...basically, through May...I will be working on putting things away after I use them. I cannot tell you how many times I have left food out and it has gone bad, or all the clothes that I have folded and just put in front of the dresser instead of in the drawers, or just left all my hair and make-up stuff just sitting all over the counter in the bathroom.  I am a walking mess maker. And do you want to know what the worst part is? I get so upset with my family (husband and children) when they do not pick up after themselves! What a freaking hypocrite!

I am starting with me.  I am going to keep thinking up my great ideas, because right now, they are ideas.  Until I can prove to myself that I am capable of changing a bad habit, I don't think implementing any of them would even be successful.  I will try really hard to document my progress daily.  And I am still planning on doing other things around the house too, but my main focus is fixing this horrible habit!  If I just put things back, I wouldn't have a lot of the clutter or mess that I whine about all the time. Geez! This is not an idea...this is an I DO! I WILL DO THIS!

Healthy Eating Plan

Ok, so I use to go to a 8-5 job.  Every day I would pack myself a lunch and some snacks for the day.  Since becoming a stay at home mom, I have noticed that the extra pounds are not going away...in fact, they may even be inviting more pound friends! Eeek! This needs to stop!  As I was sitting here one night eating a bowl of ice cream and drinking water so I didn't feel like I was being completely unhealthy, it hit me! I know what I need to do to not be such a bad snacker and not eat so much junk.
Here it is...pack my lunch and snacks for the day! I decided that I am going to start packing healthy snacks and food and put it in my lunch box and that is all I get to eat during the day.  Even when I go out with the kids, I will grab my lunch box and take it with me. No excuses!  I remember when I worked, I hated eating my lunch box food all the time. But I felt good at the end of the day because I didn't eat junk or spend extra money (and I even drank way more water). I will be starting this tomorrow...I have snacks set aside today but I didn't actually pack my lunch box...but I'm still trying to eat healthy snacks today.  I'll post an update on what I pack and stuff (with pictures) so you can see what I do.    

Also, I LOVE soda. I can't stop drinking it. I seriously crave it. It's so bad.  But I know myself, and when I completely eliminate something, I want it even more. So what I am going to do is only drink ONE CAN (no more bottles or large sodas) a day.  But here's the catch...and I know this is bad because rewarding yourself with junk when you're trying to "diet" is counterproductive...I am only allowed to have my can of soda IF I stuck to eating only my healthy snacks I packed during the day.  I hope this works!  I need to get the snacking under control.

I don't want to eliminate every single unhealthy thing in my life because my husband enjoys eating some chips and cookies every once in while, as do my kids. But what I am trying to accomplish is eating smaller portions of those things and not craving the bad stuff so much.  I have a ton of healthy snack recipes saved in my Pinterest, but I have never actually made any of them.  Hopefully, I can start that someday too.  But one thing at a time...right now we are working on controlling the snacking by packing a lunchbox for the day. Let's do this thing!

Not Giving Up!

Ok, I know what you're thinking. "Wow, Andrea...it's been a week and you already are not posting!" I assure you that I have not given up on all this.  I think about posting everyday, but when you have sick kiddos and lack of sleep, all the extra time you have goes to either washing sheets or catching some Zzz's yourself! Haha. Don't worry, I'm back and I'm going to make better effort to post daily.  If I don't have any real updates on life, I'll post an inspirational quote, talk, song or video. For instance, I came across this video yesterday and thought it was hilarious...mainly because I had a "no make-up" day last week.



OMG! "Hold up girl, we spoke too soon!" So funny! I know, it's not inspirational or anything, but it sure is funny.  It's funny how we seem to listen to those around us.  Whether it be our peers, friends, social media, etc.  It's so sad but so true sometimes. What I need to work on is not comparing myself to everyone else or caring what other people think so much.  I am me! I am not anyone else, so I need to love me!