I'm learning to be tired...and thats ok!

Hi!

Its been a while...so lets chat!! As you can see I basically skipped 2015 - where does the time go?? I've been thinking about you all and even talking to some of you "offline" and everyone seems so great. I'm great too, but just a little bit tired. So there it is. Not sure if it ever goes away and probably takes on different forms throughout our lives, but I took a bit of a "nap" over this past year. All for good reasons!

In my world of one husband, and 8 yr old, 6 yr old, 4 yr old and 6th month old...I'm tired. Period. And yes, you read that correctly, I have a 6th month old baby girl! It's been some time since I've last posted and lots has happened. Good, bad and better 💗. I've missed you!

Ms Taylor Ann was born in October 2015 and completed our family - she's amazing. Weighing in at a whopping 19lbs (at 6 months, not birth) we love every roll and chubby cheek this girl has to offer. She's sleeping like a champ, rolling over, eating food - obviously, and smiles all day long.

So basically I'm learning to embrace being tired instead of trying to fight it. Fight it with that second (or third) cup of coffee, or those dreaded girl scout cookies (and all other sugars in my pantry). My arch enemies. Alcohol still helps... Don't get me wrong. Girls nights and date nights are a necessary and important part of parenting and a cocktail is just what I need sometimes at the end of a hard day. What I would do without them?!? But I wouldn't trade this life for anyone others so why wouldn't I embrace being sleepy every so often. Lie down when I need to (easier said than done) or let the laundry pile up - who cares. My 6 year old wears dirty clothes anyway (thats a whole nother blog post..ugh).

(I wish I could nap like that)

What I'm getting at and why I'm writing this post is that I think sometimes you just have to slow down. It's how we keep ourselves healthy from the inside out. Yoga has done that for me. I've always loved yoga but never been able to implement that much in my life because i've always had a hard time slowing down. I like to run ...that's always my thing. Getting out on a trail and just running to music is something I look forward to each and every day. But with four kids it also can provide me with much unnecessary and unneeded exhaustion. I was waking up at 5/6am at some points to go running before the kids got up. Yoga has been a savior for me. At least once a week now I've been able to take some me time I just slow down and breathe. Its provided me clarity that I don't need to exhaust myself in order to feel better (aka sweat it out). Yoga is my naptime, my downtime, to slow down and take a moment.

Think about what babies do when they're tired..they take a nap. It's their much-needed rest to wake up smiling and happy again. We need to find what takes us to that place in our own self so we can wake up with wide eyed and be happy. So this past year I was able to take my nap, figuratively speaking. Just taking time for myself and enjoying my family trying to embrace my pregnancy, and delivering a beautiful baby girl this past October! I feel so much more whole and complete. Try not to stress about the small stuff and take each day as it comes. It's really helped me. I don't live up to other people's expectations... Only my own. And so should you! If life gets to be too much or you have to much on your plate remember you can always ask for help or just take your "nap". I promise you'll feel like new again very soon 💗

True Confessions: What I've Learned this Summer

...As a Mom...its important to give each child quality time.

...As a Daughter...let your children get spoiled by grandparents.

...As a Sister...spend time together. Find something you both love to do and go for it!

...As a Friend...stay in touch with old friends and create memories with new ones.

...As a Wife...do things as a couple and open your heart.

...As a Family...its important to be silly and create memories together.

Summer can be filled with crazy days and late nights, but throughout there are lessons to be learned and life experiences we need to embrace. Some of the things I have embraced this summer in our travels, home life, and through meeting of new friends are...dare to dream. life is short. take risks. tell people you love them. As for kids - you can't change them. they are who they are. embrace differences. love them unconditionally. 

That's my advice in a nutshell. We've had an amazing summer as a family and I'm excited to begin school days and see what more is to come!

Cheers to a wonderful Summer Everyone!

True Confessions: Mommy Revelations

There definitely is a transition when becoming a mom - even becoming an expectant mom. Your thought process is different, your cares change, your focus switches, and so on. There is a certain light your children bring into your life and they can either drive you crazy or put you at ease (or both). There were definitely revelations for me and I wanted to share them with you...especially all my expectant mother friends who may be anticipating the birth of their first child this year. Congratulations!!!

15 Special Moments About Being A Mom

1. Children will rock your world - for the better. You'll love it!
2. They help you appreciate the little things in life. The sky, the moon, a pretty flower, etc.
3. They giggle, just for fun. Why not?
4. A ball is a game. Period.
5. Little baby fingers and toes. Need I say more?
6. Watching kids grow is amazing. Enjoy it.
7. Playing in the rain is fun. Now, go grab your boots.
8. You're supposed to be chipper in the morning. Remember?
9. The playground is an amusement park to young kids. Keep it simple.
10. They help you do better. Be better. Eat better. Live better.
11. Be kind is what you'll teach them. Be kind is what you should be.
12. If you've never appreciated your own mother...you will now.
13. When life gets hectic take a deep breath..or a mommy time out. Have gratitude for today.
14. You will sleep again, eventually. I promise.
15. Unconditional love is real.

Happy Mother's Day Weekend to all you mommies out there! You deserved to be spoiled! Enjoy!

It Takes a Village

...I've always hated that saying.

I'm not really sure why I've hated it, but probably because it was just cliche and I never put meaning to it. Unfortunately, I'm coming to realize its so true! As you have one kid, after the other, you get to a point where life gets in the way - school, sports, illnesses, doctors appointments, family obligations, birthday parties - and multiply that per child and you already have a busy day. I never felt like I asked for much help...that is, until I had baby #3. Although planned, my baby boy through me for a loop. It probably wasn't planned all that well because we now had 3 kids under 4 years old which meant not one of them was in school full time. Hmmmm...thats alot of quality time with each other - remember, I'm a stay at home mom.

 Anyway, back to my point - the Village it takes to raise children. Once baby #3 was born we had just moved into a new (and spectacular) new neighborhood. So with the addition of new neighbors, I also have met some of my favorite friends a girl could ask for. To be able to have other moms right around each corner, just like me, is priceless. They too, have young children, working husbands, and daily trials and tribulations. We are able to rely on each other at a moments notice. Whether its providing dinners when babies are born, or making homemade soup or Popsicles when one of our kids are sick, these moms are the key to raising my family too - they keep me sane!

Another part of my village is my house cleaner. I fought having a routine cleaner for years. I always thought to myself, "I'm a stay at home mom, how can I not clean my own home?" Well, I can't anymore. Owning up to the fact that you need help isn't a bad thing, its being honest with yourself.

One last, and yet important, part of my personal village is a good babysitter. When we decided I would stay at home we had to adjust our budget having only one income. With that adjustment comes sacrifices and financially its hard to justify cleaners and nannies, but with multiple children it almost becomes a necessity. The demands of nap schedules and school routines leaves little time for running simple errands and even making dinner. It wasn't much, but I decided to get a babysitter every other week for a few hours which is enough time for me to run to the grocery store, pick up last minute birthday gifts, go to the dentist, maybe even get my haircut. Believe me, I have taken my kids to plenty of my dentist and doctors appointments over the years - but I felt it there came a time when it wasn't fair to them to drag them around all the time. The sitter provides me with the flexibility of time and the kids ample time to play and get the attention I believe they deserve. Side Note: A good babysitter will also contact you and let you know when they are available. This, to me, is such a bonus when I get an unexpected night out with my husband!

So there you have it - that's my Village! I'm so very grateful to my wonderful husband, friends, and family who do everything they can to help me raise my family. I hope they would all feel like I would do the same for them!

True Confessions: 25 Things You Didn't Know About Me

25 Things You Didn't Know About Me

1. I brush my teeth 3 times a day, but I hate flossing.
2. I had braces when I was 26 years old. And pregnant.
3. I am always early. Always.
4. I am so terrified of heights that I used to not be able to walk on the 2nd story of a Mall.
5. I haven't been on a roller coaster since I was 6. Which is where #4 comes in.
6. I'm a natural brunette. Duh.
7. I was the point guard of my basketball team.
8. Growing up, I always thought I would become a teacher.
9. I've seen every episode of Friends at least 10 times. I still own all of them on DVD. Even the Series Finale!
10. I have a terrible memory so photos are so precious to me.
11. Bruce Springsteen is my favorite musician of all time.
12. My Father Daughter Dance song at my wedding was Thunder Road.
13. I was 4'11''when I entered high school. When I graduated, I was 5'7''.
14. I can't help but watch Dirty Dancing everytime its on TV.
15. I'm not a big animal lover, but I really want a dog.
16. I've never broken a bone.
17. We have a home speaker system so I listen to Country Music all day long.
18. I'm a compulsive list maker.
19. I used to eat Pepsi & Doritos everyday after school.
20. I love jeans - skinny jeans, jean shorts, jean skirts, jean jackets, etc.
21. I had a melanoma removed about 3 months ago and have a big scar to prove it.
22. I haven't been tanning in years, but I certainly will never go again.
23. I organize my fridge everyday. And my pantry.
24. I used to be slightly obsessed with Britney Spears.
25. My husband calls me Kiki. My niece calls me Uncle Kiki :)

Bonus: My best friend growing up was also names Cristin...but with a "C" ;)

True Confessions: A Day in the Life

So the million dollar question every stay at home mom gets is "What the hell do you do all day?" Thats definitely a loaded question - filled with various creative (and some explicative) answers from different moms. Although I feel like Bill Murray in Groundhog Day each morning, not one day is the same (usually).

 Here is a glimpse of a day in the life of a Stay at Home Mom (aka SAHM):
6am: Wake up.. First things first, make coffee! Empty dishwaser while coffee is brewing.
6:30am: Baby wakes up so I get bottle and breakfast for girls knowing they'll wakeup shortly.
7am: Everyone eats while I attempt and get dressed, put make up on and brush teeth. Done.
7:30am: Get all kids dressed, teeth brushed, go potty, & hair done. Change Diapers.
8am: Clean up and get school gear ready for carpool. Throw in load of laundry.
8:15am: In car to pick up carpool.
8:30am: Drop off girls at school.
9am: Run errands/Grocery store/Dry Cleaners/Gym Class
10:30am: Home. Transfer laundry to drier. Load dishwasher, clean kitchen & unload groceries.
11am: Snack/bottle for baby. Check emails, phone calls, etc.
11:30am: Pick up little girls from school. Drop off carpool.
12pm: Home. Lunch.
12:30pm- 2:30pm: Naptime. Fold Laundry, Prep for dinner, & possible shower.
2:45pm: Big girls school pick up.
3:15pm: Back Home. Snack. Play or off to sports program.
5/5:30pm: Back Home. Prepare dinner.
6pm: Dinner is served.
6:30/7pm: Clean up kitchen. Baths, teeth, potty & wind down.
7:30/7:45pm: Bedtime
8pm: Straighten up the house. Pack lunches for next day and kiss my husband - We have made it through yet, another day! Phew!

Side Note: We had a double peeing accident with my toddler the other night so I spent most of the day doing 4 loads of laundry and replacing bed linens. So fun, huh?

Love this photo: This is what it would look like if I didn't do anything all day, honestly.

I must note, that although I do most everything myself on a daily basis, I have a wonderful group of friends and family who help out when I need them to. I also have a dear friend whom she and myself worked out a carpool for our little girls in two different schools -we'll only make that mistake once. Next year, same school, same schedule. Although this is an average day, its not everyday. Add in doctors appointments, sports, sick days, and travel - the days seem never ending. So the next time you're thinking about asking a SAHM what it is she does all day, think again. We do a ton, don't get paid, get no pat on the back or bonus at the end of the year. We work very hard, inside the home, and try our hardest to maintain a happy home -just like you!

I love my life. I'm an extremely lucky girl. Its by no meas glamorous. Not too exciting. But I love it - and I embrace every day as it comes..Usually with a glass of wine in hand! Cheers!

True Confessions of a Stay at Home Mom: Kids

1. They'll make you laugh every day.
2. They'll bring you to tears (almost) every day.
3. They'll love you unconditionally - on most days.
4. You'll love them unconditionally every single day.
5. They'll cut their own hair with a pair of scissors one day.
6. They'll draw on your newly painted walls with crayons one day.
7. They'll paint your antique furniture with glitter nail polish one day. #truestory
8. They'll bite, pinch, scratch their siblings every day.
9. They'll squeeze, hug, kiss, and love their siblings every day.
10. They'll drive you crazy and turn your hair gray one day.
11. You won't know what you're doing on any given day.
12. You'll question whether you're doing it right on any given day. #thatswhatfriendsarefor
13. You'll battle over what they eat every single day.
14. As soon as you pack up to walk out the door, someone has to pee.
15. As soon as you get to your shopping destination, someone has to pee.
16. As soon as you get far enough away from home on a road trip, someone has to pee.
17. Just buy a potty for the car. It saves alot of headaches - and accidents!
18. You will turn on the tv more than you'd like to every day.
19. # 17 will provide you peace every single day.
20. They'll never realize how much you actually love them - its impossible.
21. Do the best you can on any given day.
22. Tell them you love them every single day. Life is good, Life is sweet, but Life is short.

Kids certainly don't make things any easier, but they certainly make things better. If you have children I stand there with you in saying it is the best thing that has ever happened to me. As much as they can drive me crazy, I love them more and more every single day!

True Confessions of a Stay at Home Mom

1. I sometimes use the kid's bath time as an excuse to breathe. And to contain them.
2. When my husband calls to say he'll be home late, I immediately poor myself a glass of wine (or two!).
3. I wear workout clothes almost everyday just in case I make it to the gym.
4. I pray daily that I'll find my inner peace to never yell again. It hasn't worked yet.
5. As much as I despise fast food I always have chicken nuggets and french fries in my freezer.
6. I'm secretly happy when my kids say "yucky" to #5.
7. Getting my nails done is my getaway these days. It used to be Miami Beach. (sigh)
8. I've been known to eat a cupcake for breakfast - it was a Georgetown Cupcake and it was staring me in the face, I swear :)
9. I'm obsessed with Pottery Barn Kids Bento Boxes and enjoy every moment of packing my kids lunch.
10. I've given up on the "no TV" rule before dinner. Its changed my life!
11. I have realized that when I put the kids in time-out its really for me.
12. Candles make everything better - especially Yankee Candle Pumpkin Buttercream. YUM!
13. I can make a mean grilled cheese and I'm proud of it.
14. I dance with my kids everyday. Its fun...you should try it!
15. I take no better joy then walking into a clean home. #amazingcleaninglady
16. I kind of miss Dora the Explorer.
17. My friends are my therapy...sorry ladies :)
18. Besides my family, Country Music is the love of my life.
19. I kind of don't mind when I wake up with little toes in my face. I know that it won't last forever .
20. I LOVE being a mom. I'm not perfect and that's OK because I'm happy <3