Fact: When I stood on the table to get this overhead shot of our pizza, I burnt my arm on the chandelier. Now I have a huge, fake flame sized burn on my elbow.
Another fact: My kid thinks nothing of the fact that I stand on the table to photograph pizza. Hah.
How are you doing? I’m good! But super busy. We are trying to pull ourselves together for a crazy two weeks. My mom is coming to town, and after a short visit together, the Husband, Henry, and I are leaving on an epic road/air trip while mom stays behind to watch the pets and the house (she’s the best).
We’re hitting up a wedding in Pennsylvania on Saturday, and then I have Operation Beautiful speaking events in New York, Iowa, Maryland, Virginia, and Denver – five events in a week! The Husband and Henry will be with me some of the time; we’ll be apart some days, too. But I’m really looking forward to some quality family time, even if we are all just stuck in a car traveling from event to event!
Fuel for a busy day:
I’ve been using BLACK sea salt and – OMG – it’s so good. Even better than pink Himalayan salt, which was my previous favorite. If you’re still using plain old white table salt… you really must try one of the colored ones. They are so much more flavorful.
Let’s see… What else?
I’ve been making an effort to be really good about exercise. Exercise currently means walking, although I have squeezed in a few swims. But Henry has been kind of boycotting the stroller (I walk so slowly that it’s super boring for him, I think), so I’ve been limited to late-night strolls… or 1-mile toddler torture sessions. Hah.
I read that Little One gained a 0.5 pound in the last week. Crazy. No wonder I’m so tired!
Other things…
I picked up two fun products on my Celestial Seasonings trip. I’ve been doing tea + face mask + night cream every evening for a week or so now – it’s so relaxing. Especially when paired with chocolate. Hah. I have mixed feelings about a lot of beauty products, but I’m all for pampering and relaxation at this stage in the game.
This Deep Sea Facial Mask is super creamy and gentle. It contains kaolin clay, which is supposed to stimulate cell regeneration (I’m always dubious of these claims, but I guess my skin looks nicer than usual…). No animal testing or artificial colors, no parabens, and no SLS. And a few organic ingredients! It does say “hypoallergenic,†but it contains a perfume (?).
I really like this Ultimate Night Cream. The lavender is super soothing, and it leaves my skin feeling really moisturized without being greasy. I typically use coconut oil to moisture my skin, so that’s a nice change!  It’s organic, too!
So while I’m munching on that, I thought it was definitely time to give you all an update on my Put Down the Phone Challenge. Back in August, I wrote about my desire to check my phone less often and included some tips on how I’d actually make that a reality.
Well, I can’t say that I’m ready to downgrade to a ‘dumb phone,’ but my efforts have made a big difference. At first, I removed major social media apps from my phone (namely Twitter and Facebook), but over time, I reinstalled Facebook because I use it throughout the week to make meet-up plans with friends. I kept Twitter off and didn’t reinstall my list of favorite websites. Those actions alone greatly reduced my screen time.
Changing my password every now and then also made a big difference. I theorized that a new password would make me think “Do I REALLY need to check my phone?†and it definitely worked.
Another key was wearing a watch. I’ve read some estimates that out of the 150 times a day the average person checks their smartphone (!!!), about 15 of those instances is to know the time… and then we fall into a wormhole of Facebook and emails.
I’ve gotten pretty consistent about watch-wearing!
I also got a clock for beside my bed – I was checking my phone in the middle of the night for the time. At a minimum, the harsh light of the screen would wake me up further; worst case, I’d see a text from someone and start chatting! Now I have one of those ‘old school’ alarms with red digital numbers – it’s much less startling to wake up and check the time on that.
But probably the thing that made the biggest difference was just acknowledging that I had fallen into a bad habit and wanted to change things.
I don’t want to be constantly attached to my phone. There are some times that I really like browsing it, but I don’t want to be picking it up just because I’m just bored, ya know? Making little tweaks to my behavior – like leaving the phone upstairs through most of the day – really helped me interrupt my habits and change my actions for the better.
On a related note… this year, I also switched to a paper planner!
I got an Erin Condren Life Planner and switched over from my Google Calendar system to a paper-based system. And I have to say – I love it! There were some hiccups as I adjusted – I missed a few calls and appointments – but after a few weeks, I figured out a new way of planning my life.
I really, really love the Erin Condren planner, mostly because of the cute and durable cover. It’s so nice to have family pictures on the front. I still love many of the aspects of the planner’s format (here’s a complete breakdown of the planner), although I don’t really utilize all the sections as I thought I would. I mostly rely on the overall calendar and the weekly calendars to plan my days.
And I went back to just making To Do lists on scraps of paper instead of in my calendar because it got too messy and complicated to put everything in there. I could probably force myself to write neater (my friend Brandi has the same planner and she is so neat in hers!), but scraps of paper work well for me on the day-to-day thing.
The planner is also SUPER durable. It has held up really well over the year. I mostly keep it on my desk, but I do toss it in my purse or suitcase and there are zero tears.
I still use Google Calendar to keep addresses and travel info (so I can easily access it on my phone when out and about), and I use Google Drive to manage my editorial calendars for the blogs and my freelance jobs, but otherwise – it’s paper all the way!
I am thinking about ordering my 2015 planner because I’m starting to have appointments and plans for January (I can hardly believe it). But I’m not 100% sold on getting another Erin Condren planner – I love it, but like I said, I don’t utilize all its options and maybe there is a better fit for me out there. Any planner suggestions?
Are you a electronic calendar or a paper calendar kind of person?
Just poppin’ in on a Sunday to say hello and share some thoughts from my weekend!
The theme of this weekend has been “getting ready.†Countdown to Little One is ON. When I found out I was pregnant in the spring, I thought forward to autumn and the holiday season and felt like it was so, so far away. But as the leaves in my front yard change colors…
…I realize that our second baby will be here before I know it.
More than anything, we are really, really excited. I have asked so many people if they thought going from 0 – 1 children or 1 – 2 children was harder, and opinions are so mixed. I think (and hope) that I am going to find 1 – 2 a lot easier than 0 – 1. The lifestyle shift when we welcomed our first kiddo was so huge, but the arrival of this one just feels like… our family is becoming complete. Does that make sense? But there’s still a lot to do to prepare for the inevitable craziness of two!
On Thursday night, I was flipping through my date book and realized that I was running out of time to complete my “declutter and organize†goals. So I peeled myself off the couch and tackled the attic and the baby’s room.
It doesn’t look much more organized, but trust me – it is! All our baby gear (swing, pillow, infant car seat) has been pulled out of storage.
Newborn to 3 month clothes are in drawers…
And little baby diapers are unpacked! Gaaaaah so tiny.
I also bought Little One his or her first “new†outfit (kiddo is going to mostly live in hand-me-downs regardless of sex!). I can’t believe I made it to 33 weeks without buying anything, but that’s what not knowing the sex gets you! I bought Henry and baby some Christmas jammies. I definitely had an OMG moment at the register.
On Saturday, Kristien and I went to a Bradley Method course refresher. Now THAT was an OMG moment! ;-) The class was actually really helpful. I would highly prefer a shorter push time with this baby, and I think I made some tactical errors that elongated the process with Henry. My goals for Little One’s birth include: actually pushing in different positions (instead of just a variety of back positions) and not being so vocal/scream-y during pushing (I think I wasted a lot of energy).
I’m sure most second-time moms don’t feel the need to drag out all the old birthing/newborn books… but I do! Reading really helps focus my mental energy – so I have a ton of reading to do. Especially the birth books. I really don’t want to ‘wing’ this baby’s birth; I feel like I had an overall positive experience with Henry because I was prepared… I don’t feel prepared (yet!) this time around. But I will!
And last – but not least – I had an epic 1.5 hour prenatal massage. Thank you, Husband! It was an awesome surprise.
So – that was my weekend. Very baby-focused. But fun and exciting, too!
I wake up and consider getting out of bed. I check the monitor. Henry is still sleeping so I promptly decide NO. I used to feel really lazy if I didn’t maximize every waking moment of my life, but I’ve recently realized that being insanely busy isn’t all it’s cracked up to be… So I go back to sleep for a half hour. Then I wake up and make coffee (Pumpkin Spice from Trader Joe’s – good even when the grounds sneak in!) and check my e-mails.
7:30 AM
Henry has been up for about a half hour, playing happily with his trains in his bed. I like to give him some alone time in the morning – he doesn’t like people immediately in his face when he wakes up (me neither, Henry!). Eventually, I go upstairs and get him up and changed. We hang out for a bit and then come downstairs, and he plays with his train tracks while I do chores. I pack his school lunch (toast, cheese, carrots, grapes, an apple), feed the dogs, and unload the dishwasher, all while making breakfast. Supermom!
8:00 AM
Breakfast time. I made the Sour Apple Chia Seed Pudding but with Gala Apples last night. It’s good this way, but Granny Smith apples are better.
8:20 AM
I throw on my standard “taking Henry to school outfit,†which is a maxi dress (messy hair, don’t care!), and the Husband gets Henry ready to go.
8:30 AM
My phone rings – it’s my aunt. I automatically know why she’s calling me so early. She delivers the sad news – my 97 year old grandfather passed away last night. It was not a surprise but it still totally sucks… I know that long-term HTP readers were always rooting for my grandpa through his health ups and downs, so I just wanted to share that he passed peacefully at home, which is all anyone can hope for after a long and full life. And I wanted to say that I will really miss him.
9:00 AM
I drop Henry off at school and then sit in my car for a little bit. I don’t really know what to do with myself so I decide to go shopping. I have some toddler clothes to return, and I have an urge to buy Christmas jammies for the kids (OMG, I said KIDS!). I am super disappointed that Carter’s isn’t open yet because retail therapy would really be nice. Ugh. So I turn around and go home.
9:40 AM
I eat breakfast #2 (eggs and pancakes) and throw myself into work. I mostly do bookkeeping and contracting stuff. I’m doing a slew of Operation Beautiful events in two weeks. There’s a lot to organize when you’re going to five different colleges in five different states. I also write two freelance articles. One of them is about working out on your lunch break, so…
12:20 PM
I leash up James and we go on a 20 minute walk around the neighborhood. It’s super hot out! Where did fall go?! This is my workout for the day – I swam 750 yards yesterday and feel pretty sore from that. Also, I’ve been having what I refer to as “Lightening Crotch;†this baby sits very low and likes to stiff-arm me in the crotch. It’s not very comfortable! Working out is not super appealing at this point in my pregnancy, although I know I should do it! A walk is a perfect compromise.
12:50 PM
I drop James off at the house, jump in the car, and drive back to Henry’s school. He had a great day! We go directly to the grocery store, and I – for some insane reason – decide it’s a good idea to go through self-checkout with a toddler. That is NEVER a wise move. I wrangle him back into the car, and when we get home, he jumps out of his car seat and runs to his train tracks.
Okay, lots of readers have asked for details about his Thomas train tracks, so here is my spiel: Thomas tracks are SUPER expensive, but I think it’s totally worth it because it is BY FAR Henry’s favorite toy of all time. He plays with it every single day for at least an hour or two. We have various different sets of tracks, bridges, tunnels, a station, and about 10 different trains, their coal cars, and other random items. We also have some off-brand wooden tracks that work just as well as the real Thomas ones. We do not have a train table; I have a big white wicker box that the disassembled tracks go in and another box for the trains. Henry sets up the tracks on the rug in our living room; a formation stays there for about 24-48 hours, I tear it down at bedtime, and we redo it in the morning. I like not having a train table because we can make the tracks as big as we want and run it under chairs and the couch, which is fun! I’ve seen some parents glue down the tracks, which I admit would be less messy… But it would also not be as fun or creative for Henry. If you want Thomas stuff, I would recommend checking out Craigslist because plenty of parents sell off their sets when their kids get older… You can get hundreds of dollars worth of stuff for a lot less.
1:40 PM
I take a break from trains to put some veggies in the crockpot. I do potatoes, frozen kale, celery, carrots, and onions with some oil and a cup of water. I also start to clean the kitchen. Then I play trains for another 15 minutes or so.
2:30 PM
I change Henry into pajamas, wash his face and hands, and read him a book. Then he goes down for a nap – he goes down pretty late on school days because he’s too amped up from all the activity. I come downstairs and make myself a lunch/large snack/something. I eat Greek yogurt, oats, a banana, and sunflower seeds. And I do some more work at the computer while I eat.
4:00 PM
I have a grilled cheese and fruit. Have you tried Cabot’s Alpine cheddar?! OMG. So good.
4:10 PM
Work “break.†My floors are overdue for a cleaning, so I vacuum and mop. I have been using this cleaning solution, which I dilute into a squirt bottle. I like it – it cleans well and leaves a nice smell. I also do some laundry.
4:40 PM
I take a shower, get dressed, and wake up Henry. Around 5:15, we head to the park for some quality outdoors time with my friend Brandi and her two kiddos. We swing, go down the slide, and make sandcastle birthday cakes until the sun begins to set.
6:20 PM
We come home and I make some cast iron tofu to go with the veggies I put in the crockpot earlier. I put mustard on top and call it a meal. It’s actually pretty good! Henry and I sit down to eat around 6:40 (the Husband is still at work). After we eat, I clean up the kitchen and unload the dishwasher while Henry puts away the silverware (he’s actually pretty good at it if I supervise the process!).
7:15 PM
Bedtime routine starts for Henry. He takes a bath and plays with bath crayons (which are awesome, by the way). Then we do teeth, pajamas, book, and cuddles. I kind of drag out the routine on purpose… I don’t know how it will change when Baby #2 arrives, but I’m guessing it will be more hectic. Our current one-kid-life is starting to feel luxurious. Actually, I heard someone call one-kid-parenting “spa parenting,†which I think is probably accurate in comparison to how I suspect two will be! Hah. I kiss him goodnight at 8 PM.
8:00 PM
I find a chocolate bar, a jar of peanut butter, and a spoon, and I make myself comfy on the couch to watch TV. The Husband comes home shortly after (yay!), and we catch up while watching Naked and Afraid. I’m in bed by 10:30 – just the way I like it.
I recently took a trip to Boulder to visit the Celestial Seasonings headquarters and factory. I was so excited to go – you guys know that I love tea and love to know more about food production. The trip was right up my alley!
Probably my biggest takeaway from the trip was the reminder that herbal teas are a wonderful addition to a healthy lifestyle. It’s not just the soothing ritual of tea preparation and drinking that is good for you – many quality herbal teas contain special ingredients that naturally support your body’s most important functions. Of course, tea isn’t a replacement for a doctor’s advice and prescribed medication, and it certainly isn’t intended to treat or cure any diseases.
But if you’re interested in simply pursuing a more holistic, proactive approach to health, wellness teas are a great launching point!
