Sorry I have been MIA for a bit, we had family in town for a few weeks. Whenever you have visitors or go to visit someone routines change. It's pretty inevitable. You eat differently (more eating out, or maybe less eating out), you are out and about sightseeing, shopping, and doing other things.
My family left earlier this week and we are trying to get back into our normal routines. We were out and about so much that the kids rarely napped during those 2 weeks. I also didn't go to the gym once while my family was here (though we did do a lot of walking). We ate out way more often than normal, and the kids ate way more junk food than normal. I wasn't cleaning as much because we were always gone.
Now we are struggling to get back into the routine we had, and it has not been as easy as I thought it would be. My husband went back to work today (which I am sure was rough, since he was on night shift before leave and now he is working during the day in much hotter weather). The kids started somewhat taking naps again, and I got back into the gym yesterday bright and early at 5 am. Today I have been getting the daily cleaning done, and I am realizing that it is going to take time to adjust back to our normal routine.
In attempt to help with this I have been planning more than usual. I have the entire month August meal plan done, I have my workout plan done and written down, along with my cleaning plan. I have set some short term and long term goals for myself to help stay motivated. My long term fitness goals are to lose inches and 20 lbs by Jan 1. My August goals are to cut as much sugar from my diet as possible and to go to the gym at least 5 days week. While I was pretty good about going to the gym before family came, I was slacking on the eating healthy and now I am revamping my workout/eating plan to take care of that problem.
Thursday, July 30, 2015
Friday, July 10, 2015
Things you need and don't need for a baby.
Having a baby is overwhelming in general, and if it's your first it's even more so. You can walk into a baby store and you are bombarded with all these things that companies tell you that you MUST have when having a baby. If we got everything that these companies say we need, there would be no room in the house for us to live. When we got pregnant with our second, there were things we learned were a waste of money, things we learned we maybe should have had to begin with, and ways to save money on the things that we needed. I'm going to share that with you now.
1. You don't need that many newborn outfits. If you are having a baby shower ask people to get you bigger sizes. With our first she had at least 30 newborn outfits and maybe wore 10 of them before they were too small. It would have been much more helpful if those 30 outfits had been a range of sizes. **Tip for saving money, don't buy outfits brand new. Shop garage sales or thrift shops and just wash them really well.
2. If you are planning on using disposable diapers stock up way in advance using coupons. Build a stock pile, only buying when they are on sale. This helps in 2 ways, you save money, and you won't have to make a middle of the night diaper run when you randomly run out. This mom gives a good idea of how many of each diaper you will need in the first year (rough estimate, but still good info for stockpiling) diapers.
3. Buying expensive bedding is waste of money. I paid about $65-70 on that "cutesie" bedding for our first. She maybe used it one time. They aren't supposed to have pillows, or lose blankets, or crib bumpers (anymore), so what's the point in spending all that money? Just buy some sheets at target and buy some swaddle blankets. The expensive bedding isn't worth it.
4. A swing (or bouncer) is a must. We would have never survived either baby without a swing. Sophie slept in the swing for the first 2 months, Bret slept in the swing for 9 months (severe acid reflux). I would have lost my mind without one, that being said, you do NOT need to buy one of those ridiculously expensive ones. We had one of the much cheaper fisher price models and it perfectly for us (very similar model on amazon for about $120). I was just told the other day by a mom that she bought the expensive mommaroo swing and it was horrible (average about $200).
5. A pak-n-play is a great investment. We used ours when traveling, we used it when we were busy and weren't able to keep a constant eye on the baby (put baby in pak-n-play nearby with a few toys). They also come with a bassinet, we had ours set up in our room with our daughter sleeping in the bassinet for the first few weeks (until Mommy realized she wasn't getting any sleep with a baby in the room). You can bring it outside when doing yard work (put a sheet over the top to protect baby from sun). When they get older you can use it for a time out spot too.
Things we never used with 2 babies:
1. Infant bathtub, we used the kitchen sink until they were old enough to use the regular tub. I know some people swear by them, but to us it seemed like a waste of $30. The kitchen sink worked just fine for us.
2. Wipes warmers seemed like a waste of money as well. We never bought one, and we never will. The wipe touches their butt for maybe 1 minute, so I don't see the difference if it's cold or warm. I have heard about people using wipes warmers and then having nightmare diaper changes when out and about. Our kids got used to cold wipes and we had no big issues.
3. Bottle warmers went into the same category as wipes warmers. We never used one. We warmed bottles on the stove at home, when out we used warm water to mix bottles when it was available. If warm water wasn't available we used cold. Our kids never really seemed to notice the difference, so lugging a bottle warmer around with us would have been for nothing.
5, Bassinet, if you have a pak-n-play, they usually have a bassinet. Adding a bassinet is just an extra expense.
1. You don't need that many newborn outfits. If you are having a baby shower ask people to get you bigger sizes. With our first she had at least 30 newborn outfits and maybe wore 10 of them before they were too small. It would have been much more helpful if those 30 outfits had been a range of sizes. **Tip for saving money, don't buy outfits brand new. Shop garage sales or thrift shops and just wash them really well.
2. If you are planning on using disposable diapers stock up way in advance using coupons. Build a stock pile, only buying when they are on sale. This helps in 2 ways, you save money, and you won't have to make a middle of the night diaper run when you randomly run out. This mom gives a good idea of how many of each diaper you will need in the first year (rough estimate, but still good info for stockpiling) diapers.
3. Buying expensive bedding is waste of money. I paid about $65-70 on that "cutesie" bedding for our first. She maybe used it one time. They aren't supposed to have pillows, or lose blankets, or crib bumpers (anymore), so what's the point in spending all that money? Just buy some sheets at target and buy some swaddle blankets. The expensive bedding isn't worth it.
4. A swing (or bouncer) is a must. We would have never survived either baby without a swing. Sophie slept in the swing for the first 2 months, Bret slept in the swing for 9 months (severe acid reflux). I would have lost my mind without one, that being said, you do NOT need to buy one of those ridiculously expensive ones. We had one of the much cheaper fisher price models and it perfectly for us (very similar model on amazon for about $120). I was just told the other day by a mom that she bought the expensive mommaroo swing and it was horrible (average about $200).
5. A pak-n-play is a great investment. We used ours when traveling, we used it when we were busy and weren't able to keep a constant eye on the baby (put baby in pak-n-play nearby with a few toys). They also come with a bassinet, we had ours set up in our room with our daughter sleeping in the bassinet for the first few weeks (until Mommy realized she wasn't getting any sleep with a baby in the room). You can bring it outside when doing yard work (put a sheet over the top to protect baby from sun). When they get older you can use it for a time out spot too.
Things we never used with 2 babies:
1. Infant bathtub, we used the kitchen sink until they were old enough to use the regular tub. I know some people swear by them, but to us it seemed like a waste of $30. The kitchen sink worked just fine for us.
2. Wipes warmers seemed like a waste of money as well. We never bought one, and we never will. The wipe touches their butt for maybe 1 minute, so I don't see the difference if it's cold or warm. I have heard about people using wipes warmers and then having nightmare diaper changes when out and about. Our kids got used to cold wipes and we had no big issues.
3. Bottle warmers went into the same category as wipes warmers. We never used one. We warmed bottles on the stove at home, when out we used warm water to mix bottles when it was available. If warm water wasn't available we used cold. Our kids never really seemed to notice the difference, so lugging a bottle warmer around with us would have been for nothing.
5, Bassinet, if you have a pak-n-play, they usually have a bassinet. Adding a bassinet is just an extra expense.
Thursday, July 9, 2015
New recipe wins
If your family is like mine, trying new recipes is really hit or miss. My son and my husband can be very picky eaters and aren't really big on trying to new things. My husband especially doesn't like when I just change up the way I make a specific thing.
I have been hesitant on trying to new recipes, but I felt like we were eating the same 4-5 meals over and over and over again. To be honest I was getting really sick of it, and knew it was time to change some things up. In my meal planning I still incorporate the favorites (lasagna, tacos, jambalaya), but I have been making a lot of new things, or changing up old things (Tex Mex bowls, instead of plain old tacos like usual). Most of been immediate hits in this house (which is a pretty big deal for us), and only a few have not been loved.
So, I figured I would share some of the biggest hits that we have found recently. Most of these recipes are simple, and most take less than an hour to make. This is a big thing for me, since I am usually multitasking while cooking dinner and we usually have a lot going on, so taking over an hour (unless it's in a crock pot) is just not feasible.
First is the change up for tacos: Tex Mex bowls. I use minute brown rice to make this quick and painless. Kids loved it, I loved it, hubby even liked it (even though it changed his normal meat and cheese only tacos). Tex Mex Bowls That is the link to the recipe. Easy and quick (if you use minute rice).
Next is Chicken Parmesan Bake. Delicious, this is definitely being put in the recipe rotation and the family cookbook (a little project I am working on). Everyone loved this one and it's fairly simple and straight forward. Chicken Parmesan Bake
Filipino Pancit: AMAZING!!! We are fairly diverse in our food choices, we eat pretty much all types of food. We had this at a friend's going away party a few months ago and LOVED it. I searched for a recipe, and decided to try my hand at making it myself and we were NOT disappointed. Bret ate all of his dinner for the first time in a while, and asked for seconds and devoured that too. Filipino Pancit
Smothered meatballs and marina: OMG!!! I made this and served it over whole grain spaghetti, and it was like heaven. The only problem is that there didn't seem to be much sauce, so I would definitely add more of that next time, but it was amaze balls. Best way to eat Italian style meatballs, hands down. Smothered Meatballs and Marina
The last recipe I will share with you for today is Cajun chicken alfredo. This was easy, quick, and a delicious variation of alfredo pasta. It is creamy with just the right amount of kick. An added plus to this meal is that it's all done in one pot. Less dishes anyone? Cajun Chicken Alfredo
I have been hesitant on trying to new recipes, but I felt like we were eating the same 4-5 meals over and over and over again. To be honest I was getting really sick of it, and knew it was time to change some things up. In my meal planning I still incorporate the favorites (lasagna, tacos, jambalaya), but I have been making a lot of new things, or changing up old things (Tex Mex bowls, instead of plain old tacos like usual). Most of been immediate hits in this house (which is a pretty big deal for us), and only a few have not been loved.
So, I figured I would share some of the biggest hits that we have found recently. Most of these recipes are simple, and most take less than an hour to make. This is a big thing for me, since I am usually multitasking while cooking dinner and we usually have a lot going on, so taking over an hour (unless it's in a crock pot) is just not feasible.
First is the change up for tacos: Tex Mex bowls. I use minute brown rice to make this quick and painless. Kids loved it, I loved it, hubby even liked it (even though it changed his normal meat and cheese only tacos). Tex Mex Bowls That is the link to the recipe. Easy and quick (if you use minute rice).
Next is Chicken Parmesan Bake. Delicious, this is definitely being put in the recipe rotation and the family cookbook (a little project I am working on). Everyone loved this one and it's fairly simple and straight forward. Chicken Parmesan Bake
Filipino Pancit: AMAZING!!! We are fairly diverse in our food choices, we eat pretty much all types of food. We had this at a friend's going away party a few months ago and LOVED it. I searched for a recipe, and decided to try my hand at making it myself and we were NOT disappointed. Bret ate all of his dinner for the first time in a while, and asked for seconds and devoured that too. Filipino Pancit
Smothered meatballs and marina: OMG!!! I made this and served it over whole grain spaghetti, and it was like heaven. The only problem is that there didn't seem to be much sauce, so I would definitely add more of that next time, but it was amaze balls. Best way to eat Italian style meatballs, hands down. Smothered Meatballs and Marina
The last recipe I will share with you for today is Cajun chicken alfredo. This was easy, quick, and a delicious variation of alfredo pasta. It is creamy with just the right amount of kick. An added plus to this meal is that it's all done in one pot. Less dishes anyone? Cajun Chicken Alfredo
Sunday, July 5, 2015
Things I never thought I would say before kids came along
Before actually becoming a parent there are somethings a person says they will never do (be warned, you usually end up doing those things anyways). Unfortunately there are only so many "why?" questions a mom can handle before the automatic response becomes "because I said so, that's why" (even though you swore that you would never say that because it annoyed you so much when your mom did it). Then there are just the things that you never even thought you would ever say. Today I am sharing a list of things I never thought I would ever say before having kids (and unfortunately I have had to say every one of these).
1. Don't lick that stick/rock/bug/slide/prettymuchanythingtheycangettheirtongueon. Seriously, this kid is almost 4 and still licks things! Just the other day I had to tell him to stop licking the car.
2. Please stop scratching your butt in public. "But MOOMMM, it itches!"
3. You can't play with that while you are on the potty, do you want to get pee on your hand!?!? (His answer was "yes".)
4. No, you can't eat the bug... You can't put it in your water and drink it either!
5. Eat your pizza or no treat for you!
6. Get your head out of the toilet!! (But mommy, I was just washing my hair.)
7. We don't greet people in our underwear, or naked, please go put some clothes on.
8. No, this store does NOT sell boobs, they sell BRAS.
9. Can we PLEASE listen to something other than Kansas? (My child ruined it for me.)
10. Crap, I can't find High School Musical, make the crying the stop. (They will pick the one movie that you never had any intention to watch as the only movie that will make the crying stop.)
Things I said I would never do (before having kids):
1. Say "because I said so" in response to questions.
2. Bribe my kids with treats (hahaha, little did I know).
3. Let my kids eat junk food (goldfish are a healthy snack right?).
4. Let my kids walk around looking crazy. (I learned it was so no worth the fight, they look crazy on a regular basis).
5. Let my kids watch too much TV (I'm sorry but sometimes Mommy needs her sanity).
What did you never think you would say, or say that you would never do?
1. Don't lick that stick/rock/bug/slide/prettymuchanythingtheycangettheirtongueon. Seriously, this kid is almost 4 and still licks things! Just the other day I had to tell him to stop licking the car.
2. Please stop scratching your butt in public. "But MOOMMM, it itches!"
3. You can't play with that while you are on the potty, do you want to get pee on your hand!?!? (His answer was "yes".)
4. No, you can't eat the bug... You can't put it in your water and drink it either!
5. Eat your pizza or no treat for you!
6. Get your head out of the toilet!! (But mommy, I was just washing my hair.)
7. We don't greet people in our underwear, or naked, please go put some clothes on.
8. No, this store does NOT sell boobs, they sell BRAS.
9. Can we PLEASE listen to something other than Kansas? (My child ruined it for me.)
10. Crap, I can't find High School Musical, make the crying the stop. (They will pick the one movie that you never had any intention to watch as the only movie that will make the crying stop.)
Things I said I would never do (before having kids):
1. Say "because I said so" in response to questions.
2. Bribe my kids with treats (hahaha, little did I know).
3. Let my kids eat junk food (goldfish are a healthy snack right?).
4. Let my kids walk around looking crazy. (I learned it was so no worth the fight, they look crazy on a regular basis).
5. Let my kids watch too much TV (I'm sorry but sometimes Mommy needs her sanity).
What did you never think you would say, or say that you would never do?
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