Monday, January 31, 2011
Toes, sun, self tanner,a shower and your butt...all things to get out of winter blues!
The Holidays, aka "the most wonderful time of the year" are over, spring break is still months away, and the prospect of wearing something other than a jacket, boots and scarf feel like light years away. I feel like a caged lion pacing my floor peering out my windows, praying for a glimpse of sunlight, or a spot of color from a spring flower peaking its little head from beneath the snow (ok so that part is just a little bit of drama, but you get the point)....
Iv'e had to get creative recently to get my mind and body to a more summer kind of a feeling, and get out of this winter blues trap. So here it goes...none of this require much time, much money or much creativity, but doing any or all of them may just brighten all of our days!
1) Polish your toenails. During the winter, this part of me is severely neglected. Because of the fact that no one sees them unless they are in the shower with me...so that would limit it to my 2 year old. Although he could care less about the condition of my toenails, I am amazed at what a bright cheery color can do for me. Note: I did not say "get a pedicure". If you have the time and money for this, by all means go for it! If you don't, pick up some Sally Hansen quick dry in a bright color (no dark colors). It dries in minutes (for real!) and makes you feel like you should be on a beach in Hawaii!....um, I guess thats a good thing?
2) Get outside! I don't care if its crazy cold. Bundle yourself and the kids up and go run around for 15 minutes. If you are lucky enough to have glimpses of the sun, make up a picnic, sit in the backyard and pretend like its 80 degrees! My kids love this! And I have to admit that it brightens my day too. It makes me slow down, chill (sometimes literally) and just "be" with my kids. And just a side note, what is up with our crazy fear of the sun??? (stick with me here). I get it, wrinkles, cancer, burns. It's all scary! But do you know that sun is essential to our health???? Small amounts at a time (15 min a day) is very beneficial...if you don't believe me, do a bit of research! Save the sunscreen for a full day at the lake, but especially this time a year, it is completely necessary for us...why do you think so many are people are sick this time a year? Bring on the Vit. D!!! AKA...sunlight!3) Get off your butt and move! If you can, go for a walk, ride a bike, or just a stroll to the mailbox, you and your kids need to move around. A day stuck inside, watching tv, is enough to put anyone into a depression! The other night, I pulled up some dance music on the computer and we went crazy. I'm sure the neighbors thought that I was having some sort of a weird seizure, but we had a hilariously good time and got our heart-rates up in the process!! Movement and laughter...perfect "medicine"!!
4) I love to do a simple face mask once in a while that makes my skin feel so yummy, and takes away that dead dry feel...here it is, made from stuff from the pantry...
1T. Oatmeal (grind it up very fine)5 Aspirin (yep, the stuff for your heart) ground up totally
1T. Honey
I sometimes throw in a bit of avocado, blueberries, or yogurt...whatever I have around!
Put it on your clean skin for 20 min then "scrub" it off gently with a bit of water and your fingertips. Your face will feel like your babies butt! Minus the poop smell!
5) Take a shower. A real one. Minus the child. Lock the door. Shave. Condition.
Finish with coconut oil! The smell will make you feel like your in the tropics...maybe at this point you should just go to bed. Ya. Don't look out of the bedroom door. Just pretend like there is not a huge disaster waiting on the other side....
6) My last "tip"...don't be afraid of a little self tanner. The gradual stuff is fool proof, and even the hard core kind is hard to mess up. I like to do my neck, forehead, cheeks and arms at night, and in the morning, I wake up to a nice glow. Oh how it makes me feel sooooo much better. If you are too nervous for it, get a good bronzer and just put a little on the spots that the sun would normally hit! Your kids will wonder why you are walking around singing like Snow White!
I would love to know what you do to brighten up the dull days of winter..."comment" below and give us some more tips!
And as always, share us with those you love!!
Facebook Login Labels: attitude, encouragement, enjoying kids, working out
Saturday, January 29, 2011
SUPER STAR SATURDAY!!! ITS ALL ABOUT YOU!!
Its here once again...Super Star Saturday!!!
Post away!!!
Friday, January 28, 2011
I am the most beautiful woman in the world
Shauna... is a stay at home mom of two girls, she's the author of the "Waypoint" book series, and her personal blog "Breathe, Smile, Pray...Repeat." Her girls keep her on her toes, and have been the inspiration for many blog posts, here and on BSPR. She's just an ordinary mom trying to master the most natural job in the world.
I am the most beautiful woman in the world.Don’t believe me? Ask my kids, they’ll tell you.To them, their mommy is gorgeous. They don’t see my flaws, they don’t see my wrinkles or pimples (so not fair by the way) they just see the woman whom they adore.
I like to think that our children see us the way God does, I mean really He wouldn’t waste his time creating someone or something He didn’t see as beautiful, right? So why do I constantly question and criticize God’s work? Who am I to tell the man upstairs that his artwork needs a little help?
There is a story that I think about often, not sure what brilliant mind came up with it, but it goes something like this;
A little boy loses his mom at a shopping mall, he knows if he is ever lost to find a police officer to help him. He sees an officer and runs over to him,
“Help, I’ve lost my mom!” he wails.
“It’s okay, little buddy, we’ll find her” the officer scoops up the young boy and takes him to the security office. “Okay son, I’m gonna need you to tell me what your mom looks like” he requests.
“Oh that’s easy” says the boy. “She is the most beautifullest lady in the world.”
The boy then continues to tell the officer about how amazingly beautiful his mother is.
After hearing this description the officer imagines this gorgeous woman and radios all the other officers at the mall her description, of course they all believe she is some sort of cross between Angelina Jolie and Jennifer Aniston, and so this is the type of woman they look for, pretty much ignoring every other woman who cross their paths.
After a few minutes a woman approaches the security office. She is wearing jeans and a t-shirt, tennis shoes and has a baseball cap covering her frizzy hair, which is pulled back into a “mommy tail.”
“I can’t find my son!” she wails to the security officer at the front desk.
The officer who is still thinking about Angelina Jolie doesn’t even connect the dots that this woman, exhausted and sweaty, could possibly be the mother of the boy in the next room. And so he takes her information and has her wait. It isn’t until the door to the side room is opened that the boy screams with delight and runs over to the frazzled woman.
All of the officers are dumbfounded- this woman is not beautiful, sure with some makeup and the proper attire she’s okay, but in no way close to the most beautiful woman in the world.
But to her son, she is…
So when do our kids stop thinking we are beautiful? When we tell them to, that’s when.
Every time we look in the mirror and sigh with disappointment, we tell them just how ugly we are. Every time we complain about our wrinkles, or our weight we tell them. It happens over and over again until one day we just aren’t that pretty to them. For some kids this is highly confusing, here is a woman they find to be the most beautifullest in the whole wide world and then we tell them they are wrong over and over again. Pretty soon they start to believe us.
I remember this with my mom, she would look in the mirror and complain about how fat she was, and she weighed 120 pounds. I instantly decided I was fat, and have battled that instinct for decades now. I heard her tell me over and over how ugly she is, only to cringe now when people tell me how much I look like her. She never said I was ugly, she never said I was fat, but she said it about herself, and because she is my mom, I believed her.
As a grown up though, I now know how beautiful my mother is, and I tell her often. I still have to call her on it though, when she says mean things about my daughter’s grandmother. Which is why now I don’t allow two words in my house, the “U” word (ugly) and the “F” word, and by that I mean FAT, (the other F word isn’t allowed either, although I would be far more forgiving if one of my kids said that word than calling themselves fat).
So today and every day I vow to myself to not confuse my kids. I refuse to continue this trend of self hating woman in my family. It’s almost an addiction and I’m done with it. Think that it’s just moms with girls that need to worry? Think again! If you have boys you are raising the next generation of husbands who will judge their wives based on what YOU tell them. So proceed with caution.
I don’t look like I did when I was 18, I shouldn’t! I’ve had two kids and gone through some stress. I’m proud of my laugh lines, and I know I have seriously earned every single one of these gray hairs. I don’t have to like them, but I guess I’m to a point of appreciation, yes I appreciate the fact that gray hairs are some of my biggest concerns right now, and I appreciate that I live in a time when covering those gray hairs takes only 25 minutes!
So next time you look in the mirror and see something you don’t like, remember there are little people watching. They are taking notes on how to do life, so keep your judgments about how horrible you look to yourself; nobody wants to hear them anyways. If you feel better beating yourself up, write those hateful thoughts in a journal, one day when you’re 80 you’ll look at that journal and sigh about all the time you wasted hating yourself.
I’m not gonna be that 80 year old. I’m gonna be the great grandma, with my cellulite and chin hairs lounging on a beach with my great grandkids building sand castles. That’s how I am choosing to do life.
One other thing, my girls are constantly being told how much they look like their momma, and guess what…my girls are GORGEOUS!
I remember this with my mom, she would look in the mirror and complain about how fat she was, and she weighed 120 pounds. I instantly decided I was fat, and have battled that instinct for decades now. I heard her tell me over and over how ugly she is, only to cringe now when people tell me how much I look like her. She never said I was ugly, she never said I was fat, but she said it about herself, and because she is my mom, I believed her.
As a grown up though, I now know how beautiful my mother is, and I tell her often. I still have to call her on it though, when she says mean things about my daughter’s grandmother. Which is why now I don’t allow two words in my house, the “U” word (ugly) and the “F” word, and by that I mean FAT, (the other F word isn’t allowed either, although I would be far more forgiving if one of my kids said that word than calling themselves fat).
So today and every day I vow to myself to not confuse my kids. I refuse to continue this trend of self hating woman in my family. It’s almost an addiction and I’m done with it. Think that it’s just moms with girls that need to worry? Think again! If you have boys you are raising the next generation of husbands who will judge their wives based on what YOU tell them. So proceed with caution.
I don’t look like I did when I was 18, I shouldn’t! I’ve had two kids and gone through some stress. I’m proud of my laugh lines, and I know I have seriously earned every single one of these gray hairs. I don’t have to like them, but I guess I’m to a point of appreciation, yes I appreciate the fact that gray hairs are some of my biggest concerns right now, and I appreciate that I live in a time when covering those gray hairs takes only 25 minutes!
So next time you look in the mirror and see something you don’t like, remember there are little people watching. They are taking notes on how to do life, so keep your judgments about how horrible you look to yourself; nobody wants to hear them anyways. If you feel better beating yourself up, write those hateful thoughts in a journal, one day when you’re 80 you’ll look at that journal and sigh about all the time you wasted hating yourself.
I’m not gonna be that 80 year old. I’m gonna be the great grandma, with my cellulite and chin hairs lounging on a beach with my great grandkids building sand castles. That’s how I am choosing to do life.
One other thing, my girls are constantly being told how much they look like their momma, and guess what…my girls are GORGEOUS!
We are crazy excited and totally proud of Shauna that Barnes and Noble
is now caring her book, Cache Quest Oregon!!! You and your kids will love it!!!
Once again...share away! We appreciate it...oh and we loooove to hear from you!!
Facebook Login Labels: Beauty, kids, life, motherhood
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Tater Tots in the Cupboard and 7 other red flags that your life needs less "Crazy"
My head just isn't in the game. I've talked to like four other moms in the last week who agree that balancing work, family, love and life is a HUGE challenge. So how do we balance it all??? How do we pursue our passions (wether it's work, volunteering or projects around the house) and not completely ignore entire sections of our lives??? It seems like someone or something is continually neglected. Husbands get whiney, kids start acting even crazier than normal and the laundry .... ohhh the laundry...
I don't know what the answer is, but I know that something has to be done to counteract the crazy around here... the saying that women can have it all (family, career, and a great marriage) seems like a big old fatty lie to me... While I don't have the answer, here are seven RED FLAGS that your life might be just as out of balance as mine...
2) When your three year old says everyday for a week, "Dis house id messy, when you gunna to cwean it?"
3) When your laundry pile is taller than your oldest child. Not exaggerating mine is pushing about 4' tall right now...
4) When your children have worn their pajamas for three days in a row. Don't judge me, like it's never happened to you!
5) When you've had to take off the lower quarter of your bathroom sink to remove the toothbrush, tweezers and giant wads of TP your children shoved down the drain while entertaining themselves for 5 minutes.
6) When you've worn the same make-up for two days and instead of washing your face you just wipe the raccoon eyes off with lotion and apply more where needed... Don't gasp at me! I can name at least 5 of you right now who have done the exact same thing... If I have to I'll name names:)
7) When one of your children colors the bottom half of your NEW fridge with a bright blue Sharpie... Still no words... at least none that I can share here.
I don't really know how I get myself into these completely overwhelming, stupid, crazy situations... All I know is that it's time to clean up the aftermath of hurricane "I bit off more than I can chew" and figure out how in the heck I'm going to work, cook, clean (bwahahaha), wipe butts, pay bills, be a mommy and "keep my husband happy"... So starting riiiiight nnnnnnow mama's jumping off the crazy train and and saying no to what doesn't actually have to be done in order for my family to survive.... that doesn't mean we'll be getting out of our jammies anytime soon though:)
Facebook Login Labels: balancing life, family, funny, life, motherhood, work
Monday, January 24, 2011
Mini vans, knee driving and sex appeal...HU??
I heard a statistic some time back that mini vans are the automobile most involved in accidents. Not the kid in the red sports car, or the mercedes driven by a business man talking on his phone...but a "mom" in a mini van. The part I like about this statistic, is that I will NEVER, I repeat NEVER be a mom caught dead in one of those...unless of course I die
while riding with Lindsay in hers as she races around texting and making the kids lunch while driving!!! (oh and thats not far from the truth!!) And just a side note; to everyone out there already planning what you are going to write in the comment box below about the benefits of a mini van...save your keyboard, I can't be convinced. I already know the doors close on their own...I don't care! ;) A friend of mine said it best...If you want to have any ounce of sex appeal left, you can never drive a mini van!!! Although I personally am not very concerned with "sex appeal" anymore (except to my man at home) I would like to have a little dignity in tact at the end of the day. Even if that does mean bruises on my forehead from trying to cram my kids into the side door of my super cool Subaru suv!!! (um ya) anyway...This post is not about mini vans, but it's about the fact that when I look in my rear view mirror, all I see are two heads. Albeit the two most adorable heads in the universe, that hardly justifies the fact that I can't see out of my rear window. As I was speeding down the freeway today, "knee driving", I unwrapped and handed each one of my kids their favorite "rice bars" and wondered if maybe, just maybe, I was working on broadening the category of "the car involved in the most accidents" to be "any car driven by a mother"! In my defense, I'm a pretty good knee driver! I suppose that holding the steering wheel in the 2 and 10 o'clock positions might be the smarter way to go, but really? I would then get to spend the entire drive explaining how far away we are from food, or water, or gum or blankets or things that they have dropped on the floor and can't possibly be lived without for 5 minutes!! And I begin to wonder what might be more dangerous... me loosing my grip with the steering wheel, or me loosing my entire grip on sanity??? For goodness sakes people...I am already listening to kids music and kids books on cd (Linz says this makes me the "nice mom") so I'm already half way to crazy land as it is! (these cd's are NOT made for mothers!!!) Oh and speaking of that...dancing, clapping, head nodding and fist pumps, might be best saved for home as well. I said their music is not made for moms, but I left out the part that as much as I hate it, I too get sucked into "clap, clap, clap your hands...."! My kids think I'm totally awesome that I dance and drive! And you with teenagers, know how important it is that I suck every ounce of admiration out of my kids now, because soon enough they will see me for the dork that I am and treat me as such!!
So to all of you mothers out there driving while handing back bottles and pacifiers, wiping snot, fixing meals, refereeing fights, dancing, yelling, picking up toys or simply staring at your angels in the rear view mirror...(the obvious thing to say here would be "stop it before you kill us all") do your best to survive...with your sanity, and your life!!!
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| Click here to check out Earth Monkey store!! |
(and just another side note...I am fully aware of the importance of driving safely and paying full attention to the road...this is just a little exaggerated fun...but no too far from reality!!!)
Facebook Login Labels: complaining, funny
Saturday, January 22, 2011
The coolest baby and toddler accessories are here and earthmonkeys.com is up and running!!! (and did we mention free shipping??)
THE WAIT IS OVER!!
After months of hard work, dedication,
and countless times yelling at our kids...
"can I Puuulleeezzz get just one more minute here!!!"
We finally get to say.....
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| "Princess" Bib |
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| "the Destroyer" Bib folded to be a "keychain" |
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| "Simeon" Paci-Pac |
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| "Dude" Bib |
where you can get the latest must have eco friendly baby and toddler accessories!!!!!!!
Don't wait to contain the kids...
The first 25 orders
The first 25 orders
receive FREE SHIPPING!!!
enter coupon code Monkey0121 at checkout...
enter coupon code Monkey0121 at checkout...
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| "Angel" Porta-Pad |
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| "Pumpkin" Porta-Pad folded to be a "key chain" |
Friday, January 21, 2011
In the land of Katie…I am queen (and you are too!!)
I am a queen. I rule a space. It’s a small space, but in it I am powerful. There are three others in my space. They are the three most wonderful people in my world. One of them is strong, one of the strongest men I have ever met. He is passionate for justice and defends the ones he loves. He woos me with his eyes, heals my heart with a touch. He is king of this space. The smaller ones are beautiful. They are impressionable, teachable, and admire me. Some days they get angry with me, but even in their anger they call my name. They will do great things. They are my little ones. And these three people, strong and powerful and beautiful and impressionable are under my control. My facial expressions and actions warn them of my attitude. And my attitude controls the day they will have. How they will interact with everyone else for the rest of the day.
My words are powerful. Whether in anger or in peace, I speak over them each day. I have the power to speak blessing, or to speak a curse. I have the power over how they see themselves. Over how they treat themselves. Over how they see yesterday, today, and tomorrow. I can make the king question himself, doubt himself, and lose hope. I can make the little ones angry, fearful, hopeless. Or I can give breath to their hopes and dreams and visions.
With one word. ONE. WORD. I can undo all I have built in them. Destruction can come at the slip of my tongue.
Or with many words I can breathe life into my space. I can heal the wounds inflicted by the outside word. I can mend the brokenness, chase away the fear, scare away the shadows and doubts. I can wield the weapon I have been given in defense of these ones, my family, my space. I can bless them when the world curses them. I can speak anointing over their todays and tomorrows, blessing even their futures, protecting what the world will try to steal from them. Hope.
For the king, I help him repair the breaks in his foundation. Pulling the arrows out of his back, binding his wounds, and blessing him again and again so he can go back out and do what God has called him to do. For these little ones, I am building their foundation, ever day, brick after brick, writing my words on each part. Speaking the blessing of our God over their minds and hearts so that those words, hidden away now, will come back later when needed most.
There are witnesses from afar of what I do, but only these three know my personal touch, the sound of my voice, the sweat and tears of my work. No one else really knows. Some days I work without being seen, some days I toil weaving the strands of eternity into all of their hearts when even they do not notice. My prayers ward off the enemy and cleanse the dirt from them when they come through my door. When I wipe away the little tears or soothe away the sickness in the middle of night, no one but God sees.
I am the queen of this space. Doing what no one else can do here. Fulfilling my destiny within these walls, actions going unseen by the world, but not by God, and not by these three. These three will touch hundreds of others. These three will and are doing great things for my God, the lover of my soul. I am grateful to God for mercy and grace and second chances. To start anew each day. For forgiveness. For time. For each second. My goal is hope, life, giving my best, learning to love, learning to forgive, lives testifying to the truth of Jesus. This is where I want them to look, and so that is where I
set my eyes on. Not on my imperfections and not
on my failings, but on hope and joy and the responsibility of this task I have been given. Love lived out every day. The love of the Father above manifested in my space.
We are the queens of our spaces. Our rules and decrees affect these wonderful people in our sphere of influence. Our tongues have the power of life and death. With our word and actions we bring blessing and curses. What are we putting into the hearts of the ones we love the most?
Please check out more of Katies inspiring and insightful words at: http://ristowswife.wordpress.com/
Please check out more of Katies inspiring and insightful words at: http://ristowswife.wordpress.com/
Facebook Login Labels: advice, attitude, family, guest contributor, marraige, parenting
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Eat. Pray. Love... EMM Style
The night I met my husband C.J., I knew he was "The One." I was supposed to go buy a plane ticket for Buenos Aires the very next day and had to tell the friend I was moving there with that I couldn't because I had met my husband. Mind you I had barely talked to the man... seriously I think I may have muttered one sentence... but I knew. So, after stalking him (but still not talking to him) for three months he finally asked me out. We dated for three months before he proposed and we got married three months after that. We were so incredibly in love.
That was 10 years ago... We were married for 5 years before we had kids. We camped and hiked, we volunteered and traveled. One time we drove to Baja on a whim, just because we could. It's weird though because I don't really remember life before kids... it's kind of like a dream that only seems vaguely familiar. Now our idea of crazy is staying awake through an entire episode of Parenthood on Tuesday nights.
C.J. and I have just come through the biggest test of our marriage... kids being diagnosed with autism, changing cities, changing jobs... losing our life savings to the housing crash... a second miscarriage... I would like to say we've made it through without any cuts or bruises... I would like to say that lovin' feelin' has never wavered... but it wouldn't be the truth. We did make it and our love is solid, there's no doubt about that, it's just been a long time since it's been light and fun and exciting like it used to be. I know we're not alone in this... I know we're not the only couple who has been taken over by life, and chaos and drama and forgotten how to put each other first along the way.
Right before the new year we sat down and decided to map out our marriage with goals and timelines and plans... yes, we are the biggest dorks alive. We knew it was important to decide what we wanted our relationship to look like, instead of continuing to just survive ... letting life dictate the state of things. We started praying together again, we reinstated date night (thanks to my precious mama for watching the monkeys) and agreed to give each other the G-word (no it's not a dirty sex thing, get your mind out of the gutter)... I'm talking about GRACE... which can, consequently, lead to a dirty sex thing because when you spend less time fighting there is a lot more time to do "other" things:) ahahahaha!
I don't know if things will ever be as easy and light hearted as they were when we first got married... and I don't know if I want them to be. We've been though so much, and our love runs so deep. We've seen God do miraculous things and we've been through heart breaking season's together... I think the best we can do for each other is keep trying, and never give up on making each other a priority... even when the dog pukes on the carpet, and the kids are crying and crawling up my legs... when the phone won't stop ringing and one of the boys has squirted out an entire tube of toothpaste...when we can't even finish a sentence without being interrupted by "excuse me, I just burped three times and it was really funny." We need to let each other know that we are valued and important... I think that's enough for me. Too many marriages end when the light hearted good times end... and even though it's different now, I know what's still to come will only make our love better and richer and stronger.
What does this have to do with Eat. Pray. Love??? I have no clue... I just like the title:) I never saw the movie or read the book... but I like to eat and a good marriage takes lots of prayer and love right?:)
Today, in the midst of working, wiping butts and doing the dishes I'm going to remember that in the beginning there was just us... I chose him and he chose me... Today I am going to do one thing... even if it's small to let him know that he's my priority... like he used to be.
Facebook Login Labels: autism, challenges, Eat Pray Love, family, kids, life, love, marriage, miscarriage
Monday, January 17, 2011
From fashion victim, to Figuring it out...a funny journey to finding myself!
Fashion should be a four letter word...oh I've fallen for it, or better said, "fallen victim to it"! I have, as shameful as it is to admit, followed a good portion of the trends in the last 38 years. As ugly as it was, I think it started with that second grade picture in the green velvet dress with flower lacy thing over it. I thought I looked great! The bangs though, were growing out and why my mom thought they should be parted down the middle and curled is still one of my biggest life mysteries!!!I have fallen victim to florescent pink socks, with the matching earrings, bracelets,belt and eyeshadow! I wore my jeans pegged so tight I could barely get into them, and thought I was pretty cool topping them off with a lacy type shirt and jean vest...OHHH do not laugh at ME, because if you were at your peak in the 80's, you know exactly what I am talking about! Lets do a little journey through time shall we? Starting with the sweet look of corduroy bell bottoms and clogs, leather fringe, fur vests, rinestones, studs and bleach spots, leather pants (yep I had 2 colors!) huge baggy jeans, jeans so tight it made it hard to breath, and more recently, those awe-full seriously pointy toed shoes! Please, if anyone out there is still wearing those, for god sakes STOP!!! Maybe it's just me, but personally want to be able to stand on normally shaped feet and toes when I am 63!
Prom pictures could be my all around favorite. Oh how we all think we look like beauty queens at the time! But that dream is shattered a few years later when you look back at pictures and realize that 15 yards of shiny blue silk covered in black lace (with the matching blue shoes) was maybe not the best look. Ya, I did that one. I designed it for my Sr. prom...nuff said.
Now that I am pushing 40 ( I just threw up a little bit in my mouth) I think I finally figured it all out....ok well maybe not ALL...but I know what looks good. I know what feels good. I know what fits and what works. I no longer follow trends, unless of course they fit into my simple style. This is how I can best describe my style (not that I am compairing myself to this person by the way...) you know how Jennifer Aniston always looks the same...same colors, same shapes, same styles...even if its on the red carpet. Her hair is even almost always the same. Well that's me, minus the red carpet! (and gorgeous hair, hot body and loads of money) I like Jeans that are basically the same fit, I like black, white, and grey t shirts. simple ones. I like to put on a scarf for color, or when I'm feeling really sassy, a blazer or vest. And thank goodness for Bohemian jones Jewelry to keep me from looking stale!!! My shoes are limited to brown, black, tan, grey and I love them all. I no longer force myself to wear things that are uncomfortable or scratchy...or for that matter, colorful!!! Stacy and Clinton would "gasp" at my lack of creativity and I no longer care!!! So here is my great advice for today...put a bag into your closet and if you put something on and don't LOVE it, toss it! Stop worrying about if you are totally on trend and just be you! Be the best version of you that you can be...like making sure you have the right cut of jean and the right size of tops and jackets! I have a friend who is a personal shopper and she says that most people buy the wrong size clothing (including me I guess!) Figure out your own personal style then rock it like a cowboy (k, that made no sense but I can't think of what rocks???)
We would loooooooove to see your worst fashion moments! Post a picture on our Earth Monkeys facebook wall if you are feeling brave enough to show the world! We will pick our biggest fashion victim and give you a big prize (like our undying love and
And once again, my plea to share us! We want the world to know how
Facebook Login Labels: accessories, appearance, Bohemian Jones, fashion
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Super Star Saturday Recap... Here are the links you loved!
Made To Crave Book and Blog:
www.madetocrave.org
Curbly's DIY Play Kitchen:
"Curbly is a Web community for people who love where they live. Curbly is the best place to share pictures of your home, find design ideas, and get expert home-improvement advice.Find the DIY article on Curbly's Facebook Page HERE!
THE REST OF THE LINKS YOU LOVED:
A Mother's love for her child can move mountains, and in our case also recover him from Autism through CEASE therapy.Parenting can be a bumpy ride with a house full of teenagers who finally believe what we said many years ago…”as you get older, mom and dad will appear to get dumber”! With one child on the autism spectrum with Asperger’s Syndrome, it makes things even more interesting…which is a nice way to say “exausting, frustrating, and high blood pressure inducing”. [Editor's Note: Jamie is a mom of teenage quadruplets... wowsa... this lady is amazing! For some reason her link got deleted off of our FB page... probably do to my fat clumsy fingers... sorry Jamie:(]
Tonya Poitevint Photography offers boutique, lifestyle photography, specializing in on-location, natural light portraiture; children, family, newborns and seniors welcome~
A resource of activities for young children that promote play, discovery and learning. This link is to their best posts of 2010... VER AWESOME!
I am a working mother of 3 boys, ages 10, 8, and 5. I saw my first Thirty-One catalog in August of 2010, and it was love at first sight! :) I can't wait to share my love of Thirty-One with you. Contact me today!Recruits new maid service and house cleaning companies to join our program and become Partners with a heart and soul to offer free house cleaning for women undergoing cancer treatment.
A little crafty blog to document my projects and creations. Custom clothes and accessories for your little one.
The ability to express her vision though the lens has been both enlightening and satisfying. With no extra time to take photography classes, she had to learn everything on her own. Balancing this with her role as mother and wife was difficult , but the hard work resulted in the evolution of her own unique style.
An Up and Coming boutique bakery in the Rogue Valley! Check out our Signature Designer Cupcake line.. [Editor's Note: Only visit this page if you are ready to drool... I have about 7 more weeks of a biggest loser contest and then mama's gunna hop on the Britt's Bake train... then I'll need someone to find me another Biggest loser contest:)]
"Design*Sponge is a daily website dedicated to home and product design run by Brooklyn-based writer, Grace Bonney. Launched in August of 2004, Design*Sponge was declared a “Martha Stewart Living for the Millennials” (NY Times, 2008)"
The European Touch Day Spa:
This is the she she Salon your EMM Gena will be working at one day a week... it's super schmancy and amazing! My hubby got me a massage there for my b-day and it was Heaven!!
Friday, January 14, 2011
Let's Talk Trash...or Not
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| Advice from guest contributor, CindyConner...AKA our EMG-Ma |
It’s our mouths. My mouth, your mouth, our kids mouths. I feel like a prudish ole fuddy duddy when I say this but so be it, it needs to be said. Are we really so illiterate and vocabulary challenged that we must revert to the base line expletives of a drunken sailor? [Editors Note: No Cindy...our brains just don't work fast enough to come up with anything intelligent due to lack of sleep...hehehehe]
My daughters will think this message is aimed at them and before the rest of you get defensive and go all judgmental on me, it is truly not YOUR tongues of which I speak. But if your hackles were rising as you read that last sentence, perhaps you too have room for some self-improvement. Just sayin'. It is my own short-comings that provoked this writing. I use the words 'your' and 'our' in the strictly hypothetical sense of those words. Honest.
I could be wrong here but I think I was a high-school senior before that mother of all bad words ever escaped across my lips. I was no Polly-pure-bred for sure and many other powerhouse obscenities were in my well-used arsenal but I don’t think even I was comfortable with the power packed F-word. Now as a 56-year-old grandmother I shamefully admit, even my oldest grandchildren have witnessed a foul example from granny’s mouth. When did this become ok?
I hear trash-talk from all walks of life. It seeps from the stereo of that miniature low riding car with the tinted windows who is waiting on a red light next to me at the intersection, I hear it at playgrounds, grocery stores, even a maintenance scheduler at a Nissan dealership in Billings Montana whispered it loudly at me when he became frustrated with his own mistake in the computer. Some times it’s considered funny when it shoots out of a toddler’s mouth. I personally am guilty of using it, simply for the humor and shock value. But on a personal level, I’m over it. It is low class at it’s finest and I’m raising the bar.
It becomes so routine and natural to just let it fly, there is no way to realize how many times on a given day we allow it, ever so casually to slide out of our mouths, until, inevitably….. out of the mouths of babes, our babes, it gets used loudly and appropriately. And yes, it is a reflection on us, on our example, on our very limited vocabulary, and on the low standards we have set for ourselves and our children in the privacy of our homes.
Our mouths are our most deadly and damaging weapons. Whether we use it to express ourselves profanely to blow off steam, or to hurt our spouse with cutting sarcasm, or assassinate another person's character with gossip, we are showing our kids what character is or isn't. I had a friend many years ago who had gone on and on to her husband one night about the ugly shoes his sister had bought that day when they shopped together. When her sister-in-law dropped in the next morning wearing said shoes, my friend gushed over them. When she finally took a breath, my friend's 4 year old son said, "No mom remember, you told daddy those were the ugliest shoes you had ever seen!" Awkward doesn't begin to describe this scene. Worst of all my friend's sister-in-law was genuinely crushed. We laugh at stories like this all the time but the reality of it is: "Sticks and stones can break my bones but your words can break my heart."
When my next door little grand boys have a sleep-over with me, they sometimes say "Gramma will you pray to Jesus?" when I tuck them in. I've had days when my answer should be, not with this mouth we can't. Seriously do you kiss your kids with that mouth?
I could be wrong here but I think I was a high-school senior before that mother of all bad words ever escaped across my lips. I was no Polly-pure-bred for sure and many other powerhouse obscenities were in my well-used arsenal but I don’t think even I was comfortable with the power packed F-word. Now as a 56-year-old grandmother I shamefully admit, even my oldest grandchildren have witnessed a foul example from granny’s mouth. When did this become ok?
I hear trash-talk from all walks of life. It seeps from the stereo of that miniature low riding car with the tinted windows who is waiting on a red light next to me at the intersection, I hear it at playgrounds, grocery stores, even a maintenance scheduler at a Nissan dealership in Billings Montana whispered it loudly at me when he became frustrated with his own mistake in the computer. Some times it’s considered funny when it shoots out of a toddler’s mouth. I personally am guilty of using it, simply for the humor and shock value. But on a personal level, I’m over it. It is low class at it’s finest and I’m raising the bar.
It becomes so routine and natural to just let it fly, there is no way to realize how many times on a given day we allow it, ever so casually to slide out of our mouths, until, inevitably….. out of the mouths of babes, our babes, it gets used loudly and appropriately. And yes, it is a reflection on us, on our example, on our very limited vocabulary, and on the low standards we have set for ourselves and our children in the privacy of our homes.
Our mouths are our most deadly and damaging weapons. Whether we use it to express ourselves profanely to blow off steam, or to hurt our spouse with cutting sarcasm, or assassinate another person's character with gossip, we are showing our kids what character is or isn't. I had a friend many years ago who had gone on and on to her husband one night about the ugly shoes his sister had bought that day when they shopped together. When her sister-in-law dropped in the next morning wearing said shoes, my friend gushed over them. When she finally took a breath, my friend's 4 year old son said, "No mom remember, you told daddy those were the ugliest shoes you had ever seen!" Awkward doesn't begin to describe this scene. Worst of all my friend's sister-in-law was genuinely crushed. We laugh at stories like this all the time but the reality of it is: "Sticks and stones can break my bones but your words can break my heart."
When my next door little grand boys have a sleep-over with me, they sometimes say "Gramma will you pray to Jesus?" when I tuck them in. I've had days when my answer should be, not with this mouth we can't. Seriously do you kiss your kids with that mouth?
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Super Star Saturdays... and my mentor Mary Katherine Gallagher
My life is probably the exact opposite of that of a superstar. 98% of my days are spent cleaning up "accidents" (of both the bodily fluid and broken lamp variety), wiping bottoms, cooking and then cleaning up more accidents. In between the mayhem I try to work, but only with the brain power and engery that's left after my boys suck me dry. I love what I do... every most mornings I thank God that I can sit down and work in my jammies with my nappy bedhead. Sometimes I do envy friends who get in their cars showered and dressed, with hot coffee and drive away to a quiet office where they can think and go to the bathroom by themselves.... but I know that would bring it's own bag of troubles and worries and like my friend Katie says "The grass is always greener over the septic tank."
Being a mom is hard, whether you're a stay at home mom, a working mom, a special needs mom, a single mom or even a step mom... I look at so many of my friends (who are super star mommies) and have absolutely no idea how they do it. With this in mind we decided we want to start something call "Super Star Saturdays" Although our name was inspired my hero and mentor, Marry Katherine Gallagher, Super Star Saturdays have nothing to do with making out with trees or smelling your fingers after they've been in your armpits...
Starting THIS SATURDAY, we are encouraging you... our EM friends... to post links on the Earth Monkeys Facebook page to the coolest products/blogs/companies you have come across this past week... you can self promote, promote a friend or just add a link of somthing YOU think is awesome... everything directly related to serving moms and/or kids of course. Our hearts are to create a place where moms can come to check out the newest and coolest of everything every weekend:) We want to promote hardworking moms who blog or own businesses (because we know how hard it is) and mostly we want to help make YOUR life easier ... I can't tell you how many times I see friends with cool gadgets, cute clothes and amazing activities/kids stuff who say they found it all online... so why not pull our resources and list all the goods in one place?? It will help everyone!
Here's the second part... whichever link gets the highest percentage of feedback will get the thrilling, glamorous, highly saught after(ahahahaha) prize of free advertising on our blog for the following week. Hey it's not much, but it's what we got:)
Here's the catch... it can't be anything spammy or we will remove it (no hard feelings... that's just not what we're going for) Also pleaseno viagra, porn links to anything skanky... let's keep it PG-13 ish:)... Yup that's it... no spam no skankishness ... anything else goes!!
More than anything we just want this to be another way for us all to connect and help eachother out, Lord knows mamas can use all of the help we can get! Can I get an Amen??:) See you Saturday:)
Being a mom is hard, whether you're a stay at home mom, a working mom, a special needs mom, a single mom or even a step mom... I look at so many of my friends (who are super star mommies) and have absolutely no idea how they do it. With this in mind we decided we want to start something call "Super Star Saturdays" Although our name was inspired my hero and mentor, Marry Katherine Gallagher, Super Star Saturdays have nothing to do with making out with trees or smelling your fingers after they've been in your armpits...Starting THIS SATURDAY, we are encouraging you... our EM friends... to post links on the Earth Monkeys Facebook page to the coolest products/blogs/companies you have come across this past week... you can self promote, promote a friend or just add a link of somthing YOU think is awesome... everything directly related to serving moms and/or kids of course. Our hearts are to create a place where moms can come to check out the newest and coolest of everything every weekend:) We want to promote hardworking moms who blog or own businesses (because we know how hard it is) and mostly we want to help make YOUR life easier ... I can't tell you how many times I see friends with cool gadgets, cute clothes and amazing activities/kids stuff who say they found it all online... so why not pull our resources and list all the goods in one place?? It will help everyone!
Here's the second part... whichever link gets the highest percentage of feedback will get the thrilling, glamorous, highly saught after
Here's the catch... it can't be anything spammy or we will remove it (no hard feelings... that's just not what we're going for) Also please
More than anything we just want this to be another way for us all to connect and help eachother out, Lord knows mamas can use all of the help we can get! Can I get an Amen??:) See you Saturday:)
Monday, January 10, 2011
From zits to wrinkles, freckles to fungus...REALLY?????
I had the joy of experiencing my first zit at the age of 19. Now those of you that struggled through high school with a face full of them are probably thinking "lucky!!!" But for me, it has taken 20 years, a truckload of antibiotics, bathtubs of benzoil peroxide, washes, scrubs, lotions, ointments, homeopathic remedies and special diets, it's finally gone. Basically I got to experience my 2 weddings, my 2 children's births, beauty school, 2 careers, my 21st., 25th, 30th and 35th birthdays, covered in zits! Fun...The great part is, they are gone, the bad part is, now I'm fighting the wrinkle battle! So not fair!!! At this point in my life, my bathroom cabinet resembles that of a 65 year old wrinkled, puberty struck, "cousin Eddies son", freckled freak of nature. I have RetinA for the acne (yes that is what FINALLY got rid of it!), Tri-luma to fade the freckles (sounds much better than "age spots!"), arnica cream for the aching arthritis in my knuckles, and this is the shudder part...an anti-fungal used on jock itch and athletes foot! There I said it! I had to use something men used on their
Funny what a little vanity does...Ya I'm not afraid to admit to being just a little bit vain...We are bombarded by skinny, plastic looking 16 year olds on tv and magazines selling us "old girls" living in the real world, foundation that makes us look 13.6 years younger, and eye creams that will for sure make us look like we actually have slept for more than 3 hours in a row, and cream to rub on our butts to that will make them look like my 5 year olds! But the reality? That type of magic doesn't really exist! We can fill our drawers with 15 different creams and still scare ourselves when we look in the mirror in the morning! We will have lines when we smile, (I'm ok with a lot from that!) furrows when we yell at our kids (not that I ever do that! right...) and no amount of sunscreen with ward off those pesky
I want to know what is in your bathroom drawer...make me feel better now...
and remember to share us with your friends! Us moms need each other!!
Facebook Login Labels: appearance, complaining, embarrassment, humor
Friday, January 7, 2011
Mommy Chic: How to glam up any boring outfit with simple accessories...
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| Clearly she needs Jamie's help! |
From Frumpy Geek To Mommy Chic...
Tips On Accessorizing From Jamie at Bohemian Jones
Tips On Accessorizing From Jamie at Bohemian Jones
Here’s how it works...Edit for Impact: If you have an eye catching piece
such as a bold necklace, a cuff, or big earrings,
let it be the focus and keep everything else to a minimum.
Mix it Up:
Toss out the matchy-matchy theory… head to toe of any scheme is never fun! Instead try simple unexpected pairings such as mixing metals, a single pop of color from a cocktail ring or pendant! Another great contrast is mixing feminine and masculine textiles, but again “edit for impact” on this one!
Know Spatial Relations:
You want your accessories to be a focal point, but don’t clutter yourself in them. Keep your distance between pieces. If you’re wearing a cocktail ring, don’t wear other smaller rings (except your wedding ring of course), or if you’re wearing a multi-strand necklace, don’t wear long earrings.
You get the idea!
Go-to’s:
Trends are always fun to keep up with, but for us busy moms putting on a fun chunky necklace is the farthest thing from our minds when we’re headed to the grocery store! This is where staple pieces are great, usually in forms of metals & sparkly diamonds or crystals! Hoops are a personal favorite “go-to” when I’m running out the door! I refer to it as “faking effort”, while others may call it “effortless chic”! Throw on a pair of hoops with a cute hat or scarf and “wha-la” you make “mommy-hood” look chic with a little sparkle! (editors note: this works unless you are at the grocery store with Linz and I, people run from our chaos too quickly to notice anything but blurrrr!)
Here’s how to nab them:
Write a Facebook post on your wall that includes tags to both Bohemian Jones and Earth Monkey’s The crazy lucky winner will be chosen at random today!
(***Here’s how to tag someone on FB: While typing your post hit the “@” key and start typing the name of the person and your contact list will appear… click the name and you’re done!**)
To check out more of Jamie's amazing designs at Bohemian Jones... You can check out there website at: www.bohemianjones.com or on facebook
(***Here’s how to tag someone on FB: While typing your post hit the “@” key and start typing the name of the person and your contact list will appear… click the name and you’re done!**)
To check out more of Jamie's amazing designs at Bohemian Jones... You can check out there website at: www.bohemianjones.com or on facebook
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