Life Lessons

Here are a couple life lessons I would like to share:

1.) Not everyone is going to like you and you know what, that is OK.  You weren't wired for it! Everyone is entitled to their own feelings and just like you're not going to change those individuals they aren't going to change you either.

2.) Judging is such a waste of time.  Why do we spend so much time judging one-another for their career-choices, life choices, men choices, how they handled a situation? We're all doing the best we can.  Leave them alone and concentrate on yourself.

3.) Surround yourself with good positive people! Life is way to short to invest any of your precious time with people who are toxic and don't have your best interest at heart.

4.) Read anything and everything.  An article, a poem, a book series, the Bible.  Read something everyday and learn something new.

5.) If you can't afford a therapist, listen to an insane amount of music.

6.) Comparing yourself to others feels gross.  Love the season, the path, the boat you are in at that moment.  God has a path for you - trust!

7.) It's OK to have ice cream for breakfast.

8.) After getting married, just be together for some time.  We've heard it all before, but having children changes the dynamic of your relationship, your life, your home - everything.  Even though it's the next step in life, don't worry so much about getting there in such a hurry.  Be together, travel, stay up late, go out often.  Build the foundation of your marriage.

9.)We teach people how to treat us.  Don't allow others to bring you down, stick up for yourself, you are your biggest fan - dont give up on yourself and think you deserve to be treated poorly.  No one does.

10.) Treat your body and your mind better.  Your body is your vessel to get around in this one life so if you are struggling to get around because of bad eating choices and lack of exercise, DO SOMETHING about it.  Don't just wish and hope and complain.  Literally get up and do something.  Also, be kinder to yourself.  If anyone talked to you the way you talked to yourself you'd probably kick that persons ass.  Say nice things to yourself, you're kind of amazing.

11.) Smile more.

12.) Do something creative everyday.

13.) Pray everyday.  For yourself, your family, your friends, for peace, for clarity, for help.  Just pray.

14.) Practice self care.  Always.  It's so easy to get caught up in life.  Work, family, children, home, laundry, bills, dinner prep, blogging, obligations take hold and 3 days later you realize you haven't taken a shower or even put deodorant on.  Take care of you and you will be a better wife, mother, friend, daughter, sibling etc.  Do something that puts a huge smile on your face at least once a day whether it's giving yourself a mini home facial or grabbing coffee and people watching or catching a solo movie or grabbing some fresh cut flowers, love you.  Do you.

15.) When all else fails... DANCE. 

Weekend Recap

This last weekend was the first weekend, in a while, that was actually fun, full of activities and was generally busy.  Friday, Mike and I had a dinner date night.  We are making more of a conscience effort to get out together more - even if it's just for dinner.  So after work we headed up to Bonefish and had a couple appetizers, their famous bang bang shrimp and their decadent calamari.  I was so full from all their bread and pesto and apps that I could barely finish my soup.  After dinner, my sister in law asked if I was available to get out for a little for the heck of it.  After we picked up Vincent from my aunts and dropped him off at home with Mike, we headed to Bar Louie for girl talk and more food lol.  We tried to catch a late movie, but they ended up cancelling the flick we were planning on seeing. 

Saturday morning, Mike and I were on a mission to get our cars in shape.  It was a beautiful day out and while we cleaned, Vincent played in the back.  It felt so good to take everything out of the car, wipe down the inside, disinfect, vacuum and get a car wash.  My car seriously looks brand new - it hadnt been that clean since I first got it 5 years ago! I tend to get in the habit of living out of my car because we are always so busy! I ran some errands at Target, did some laundry, and we cooked dinner.  It was such a productive day and it felt great to knock off that item on my to-do list.

Sunday we went and saw Rio 2 with Vincent.  He did OK, but probably could afford to wait a little longer before we try again.  After the movie, we met up with my mom and dad for brunch at Leo's.  After brunch we headed back to their house and hung out.  Vincent decided to forgo his one and only nap - ugh! We went for some froyo and sat outside.  It was glorious.  After froyo, we headed over to Mike's parents and hung out there, sat outside on their glorious porch, let Vincent run around and ended up staying for dinner.

By the time we got home, Vincent was SO over it.  He was overtired, cranky, dirty from playing in the mud, hated having to take a bath even though we have to usually pry him out of the bath, kicked, screamed and overall lost his ever loving mind.  He was in bed by 745. 

I had all the best intentions to do some more laundry and be productive since we were not in the house at all - but I was pooped.  So I was in bed by 830 and out by 835.

I have a busy week ahead of me with a ton of housework, I have a company coming in to get our air ducts cleaned and I need to get some bills paid.  I cant find my planner so that is quite obnoxious - but alas, need to get my ass organized.

Hope you all have a great week!

April Goals 2014 and Other Thoughts

I am optimistic that this month will be better than the first three months we had this year.  From death, bitter cold, sickness, germs, chaos, worry, anxious - lots of negative emotions that make me feeling super yucky at the end of the day and frankly...I. AM. SO. OVER. IT! What I really really want and need to do this month is self care.  The past three months I have put everyone and everything in the forefront, which isnt a bad thing - it had to be done.  Husband and immediate family needed me, my son needed me, my work needed me - shit just had to get done.  Did I do it well? Nope.  Not at all, there were days where by 7PM I was in bed.  Tired.  Weary.  Drained.

I'm not happy with how I handled some of the days.  Days where both my son and I would sit in front of the TV for the majority of the day.  Didn't have enough energy to cook anything for my poor husband when he came home from work.  Piles and piles of laundry both clean and dirty sat in their respective baskets.  I'd be short with both Mike and Vincent.  I remember one day I sat across the table from Vincent as he was eating away his breakfast and just burst out into tears because I wasn't being a good mother.  Vincent and I have a good routine, we can communicate well with one another, we'll engage in conversation, I ask questions he responds the best way he can.  But that wasn't happening.  I wasnt talking.  I wasnt engaging.  I was somewhere else.  Not present.  And I just felt this wave of guilt come over me.

What keeps me going is nothing bad (or good) lasts forever and this particularly trying season will end.  I am hopeful it will end sooner than later, but either way I trust God and his plan for me and my family.  Here are my goals for April

- Get a new rug for the living room 4/8/2014
- Get air ducts cleaned 4/22/2014
- Clean out car inside outside completely including trunk 4/12/2014
- Get a manicure/pedicure
- Get haircut and colored 4/22/2014
- Bust out my big camera and take more pictures.  More memories.
- Interview and hire a weekend babysitter
- Go on two dates with Mike (even if it's just dinner) (1 of 2 on 4/11 - Bonefish Grill)
- Catch up on all laundry
- Get eyebrows threaded 4/21/2014
- Start homeschool program with Vincent (finally)
- Get to the zoo
- Get to Greenfield Village 4/19/2014
- Go on a special Vincent + Mommy Date
- Go see a movie by myself.

Hope April is a great month for you all - stay healthy!

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