Thankful Thursday - only late - but with a doctor's note!

So I was all un-me and making lists of things I am thankful for as they come up in preparation (not procrastination) for these posts.  And then I got strep and spent a couple of days thinking that rest and fluids will magically fix me (didn't happen)  So I caved and called my wonderful Doctor at Skyline Family Practice and today I am thankful for the one remaining antibiotic I am not deathly allergic to as I am almost back to functioning normally.  

I am also thankful for my friends - there are so many people in my life who surprise and amaze me every day.  Just being sick brought friends offering help and food and asking what I need from the store.  My friend Martha took Kyle to Cub Scouts last night so I could veg out and half watch E News and not infect our pack.  Especially since my doctor's son is in our pack and he would call me out.  

Even when there are letdowns - which are so common as a Mom - why do we plan anything? - I try and remember that things are still pretty awesome.  I had plans to go hiking with my friends last week.  I was bringing Liam and Charlie to Andy Guest Shenandoah River State Park and we would hike and be merry!  And I thoroughly enjoyed the drive there and refrained from stopping along 340 to take pictures every 500 feet.  But only because the inside of my windshield is remarkably dirty.  And I only once said: "Yeah - we get it. It's pretty.  Speed limit people!" 

We get to the park and this is what we see:

 

 And these were my guys I was going to hike with:

But the cute one in the stripes?  He decided to sit down in a muddy puddle.  And soak his shoes, socks, pants, and sleeves.  Because it was a foggy, cool fall day and what better to be than wet?  So after searching the car and realizing I could redress him several times - if  he just wasn't concerned with pants and shoes - we headed back out of the park to go home.  Liam and Charlie both cried on the way home but I kept playing the It Could Be Worse game.  We got home and had lunch and went for a walk downtown and all was well.  The mountains will still be there next week if I wish to tackle them again.  Hiking with a 2 year old isn't really all that great - but I enjoy the challenge.  And the park is only 20 minutes away. And Skyline Drive is 5 minutes away.  So I really can't complain.  I can - instead - be thankful.

And I hate to say it but I am so thankful for social media and my smart phone.  If I wasn't on Twitter - I wouldn't have known that Virginia State Parks has an app that has lots of great features for people who can pay attention to their phone without a child sinking into a mud puddle.  Or for people who are traveling and want to stop and visit a State Park.  Or for people planning a trip and want to camp or kayak or hike.  Or who know how to use a GPS.  Its probably all over my head right now but someday I might figure it out.  

And if I hadn't been searching for that app - I might never have found the Virginia Tech Tree ID App which can help me answer "what is that thing Liam is squishing in his fat little palms?" (Answer: Persimmon).  And if I remember to bring my phone on a walk at a friend's house I could identify the thing I found on the ground instead of sending it out on Instagram.  

And because I am getting my appetite back - I am thankful for food porn.  People share these incredible things they cook or eat and post them online and even though my food never looks like that - it gives me (an incredibly indecisive person) an idea about what to cook for dinner.  And I can make it vegan and leave out ingredients and I don't get stressed out by too many steps or specific measurements.  So tonight I will be making black bean salsa to toss into fajitias with vegetarian refried beans and sauteed peppers and mushrooms.  And whatever else might sound like a good addition.  All because someone had a picture of something similar somewhere in my scrolling today and its sounds like what I want.

So I am off to make salsa and be thankful and not at all paranoid about Hurricane Sandy.  Have a safe weekend!

Thankfulness

Thanksgiving is approaching!  I am so excited because I get to watch the Macy's Day Parade and football.  We make something gooey and terrible for breakfast and enjoy being together on a crisp fall day.  I have visions of games of football in the yard when my kids are a little bigger and love when family comes down.  My kids were never big eaters on Thanksgiving and this will be my second Thanksgiving where I am not eating meat.  Luckily Vegetarian Times has some amazing recipes so I won't be stuck with Tofurky (I always thought that was just a joke).  But Thanksgiving is still 6 weeks away and my intentions of posting about it today are to start on my Thankfulness journey.  

I have been reading books on decluttering and streamlining my home (The Joy of Less by Francine Jay) and books on finances to curb our spending and get a handle on living beneath our means (The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey).  I am also constantly trying to get a handle on eating right, drinking minimally and exercising.  All the concepts are pretty easy:  

• Do you really need to keep that huge box of Dean Koontz books when you can get them all from the library and you have read them all at least twice?  Do you really need 22 saucer plates?  Do you need to hold onto 75+ DVDs when the only time you watch them are when they come on cable?  How many extra sets of sheets can one queen sized bed use?
• Stop spending money you don't have and then wondering why you don't have money.  Write a budget and stick to it.  Don't use credit cards.  Use cash.  Cut back on extra expenses (like eating out - there aren't any vegan options around here anyways!).
• Eat mostly vegetables and whole foods.  Go for a walk.  Pick up your weights - and use them!  Take the kids outside to play.  Beer is a treat - not a thirst-quencher.  Drink water.  

I know what to do and how to do it but find myself turning to other sources to hear someone say it in a way that will make it click.  Plus there could be some secret magic formula that I don't know about (right?  There could be!)

So after turning 30 last week and thinking self-improvement thoughts - I know I need to balance out making changes with self-appreciation.  While I was heading out for a meeting on a cold day - I decided to treat myself to my free birthday soy latte from Starbucks.  I enjoyed every sip and sat in my car with my warm boots, my oversized cardigan, and my heated seats and I thought - I am so lucky.  And then Wild Thing came on the radio and Liam was dancing and singing in his car seat and I thought - I am really really lucky! 

I have always been a "look on the bright side" kind of girl. I want to save the lobsters from the fish tank at Red Lobster and comfort the crying baby at the grocery store.  I want to take any animal home with me who could possibly need it.  I give the crazy lady who cut me off in my quiet neighborhood the benefit of the doubt - she could be heading to the hospital with a sick kid.  When everything is falling apart and I can't get the kids to leave the playground - I think - it could be worse!  They had a great time and I got to enjoy it with them.  Now we get to go home and finish reading the Spiderwick Chronicles.  The problem is keeping those thought from being drowned out by negative thoughts.

I am going to do Thankful Thursdays up to Thanksgiving as a way to remind myself that I am lucky - each and every day.  I have 3 beautiful boys who love me and love each other.  I have a husband whose adores me and who I look forward to seeing when he gets home from work.  I got to spend the day at the pumpkin patch with just my Zac (and pet baby cows!!!).  I get to go hiking tomorrow with my friends and Liam and Charlie.  I get to experience the Shenandoah Valley in the fall just walking out my door!  I can spend the morning drawing on a chalkboard with Liam and listening to his stories of crocodiles and Peter Pan.  I get to build Star Wars Legos with Kyle and listen to his dream of Storm Troopers taking my car without asking!  I have the best dog in the entire world and a fish who dances for his dinner. 

Isn't is amazing that this is my life?  Losing weight and making a budget doesn't seem like such a downer when I have so much already.

Oh the guilt!

I started this blog as a way of holding myself accountable to make sure I was doing good - for myself - for my family - for my community.  And I definitely got off track (last post was in June!). And like anything else - instead of jumping right back into it, I procrastinated my way into a deep hole.  I am a terrible procrastinator!  Instead of facing things head on, I ignore them and hope they don't go away.  I actually did that with my bills when I was 19.  My mailman left a note me for to check my mail because it was getting too full.  Once I stopped fearing the task:  I sat down with all the bills, a calendar, and started planning.  I figured out when I could pay each bill (or a portion of each) and had an end date in sight.  And then I felt awesome!  Invincible!  Throw it at me - I can take it!  Too bad that feeling doesn't ever last.  Its like that saying that motivation doesn't last and neither does bathing - that's why we do it every day?

Luckily I am surrounded by awesome people who inspire and amaze me each day.  I have friends who tackle a workout that is daunting (Michelle blogs about it here), who plan meals and grocery shop with total efficiency, who start to minimize (check out my inspiration Kristin), who decide to tackle their finances and don't let little things get in their way.  Now obviously these people aren't perfect (and most of them don't blog so I can't link them) - but I see them as total inspirations and feel ready to try again.  You would think the overwhelming guilt I experience when I procrastinate would be enough motivation . . .

Credit

I will be 30 on October 10th.  I do not fear 30. I keep saying I am ready to take on a new decade.  I started my 20s working at a law firm, dating my darling guy, living with my sweet puppy, in my own apartment and still totally unsure of myself and what I should be doing.  Since then, I have had 3 kids, gotten married, bought a house, adopted a new home town, and tackled things that I would not have been able to imagine years earlier.

And while I don't expect my 30s to suddenly make things make sense - I am determined to take them on with a new mindset.  Yes, it is probably hard.  No, this first step won't be the only step.  Yes, there will be setbacks.  No, giving up is not easier.  I don't have a big plan.  As with anything - it is steps.  And I will applaud myself for each step and give myself full credit even if I only get 15 minutes done.  It will be sporadic right now - and that's just how I do it!

So here is what I am looking at:
 

Today I got up and worked out at 5:30am.  I didn't complete the workout before Liam came out coughing and asking to snuggle.  But I got most of it done.  Worked up a great sweat.  And didn't drag myself to the coffee pot.

Yesterday I planned meals and grocery shopped.  With a list.  For a lot of healthy foods to make healthy meals.  Tonight it is Country French Barley Vegetable Potage from The Plant Powered Diet.


 I also started going through the living room for items to donate to Front Royal Women's Resource Center's Yard Sale on October 13th (more on that later).  That day is also the Festival of Leaves downtown.  My oldest will be marching in the parade with his Cub Scouts troop. (Sooooo excited!)

On a more positive note:  check out my cute kids and the adorable moments when I wasn't blogging! 

Zac at a Front Royal Baseball Game

Liam at the fountains in the Inner Harbor, Baltimore

Apple Picking

Selling Cub Scout Popcorn

Tree Huggers at the Park

Tropical Smoothie Fundraiser!

Come and join us for a fundraiser with Tropical Smoothie Cafe!  15% of your sales will go to MOMS Club of Front Royal and our Clean Birth Kits service project (be sure to mention this fundraiser!).  Tropical Smoothie Cafe has great variety of menu items for breakfast, lunch, dinner and a post-workout refuel.  I am very excited to indulge with the Hummus Veggie toasted wrap (minus the pepperjack cheese - of course!) which I would enjoy with the Lean Machine smoothie (dairy free!).  You can view their menu online and then check the nutritional calculator to see what items you want to add or change to customize your order to your liking!  

I love that the fundraiser goes all day so that I can bring my guys in for an early lunch before the pool or a summery dinner after a day at the park.  The kids menu options allow you to pick a fruit, chips or cookie to go along with their meal (and your sanity level).  I hope to see you all there!   

 

Did you know that every minute a woman dies of complications related to pregnancy and childbirth?  99% of these deaths occur in developing nations.  For every woman who dies in childbirth, another 30 women incur injuries and infections which are often preventable.  (Source: World Health Organization.)

The MOMS Club of Front Royal, VA is excited to announce that we are working on a service project to help reduce maternal and infant mortality in developing nations.  We found a program that provides Clean Birth Kits to very poor areas around the world.  The Clean Birth Kits include eight simple items in a plastic bag including a piece of soap, plastic gloves, squares of gauze, cotton string, a utility blade, plastic sheeting, a clean cloth to wrap the baby, and a pictorial diagram.

As stay at home moms, this project is very dear to our hearts.  As Americans we have access to state of the art medical services.  These small bags of supplies could help ensure that moms in developing nations will survive the birth of their child to raise them into adulthood.

Please consider donating supplies, gift cards, and/or money to help the MOMS Club achieve the initial goal of 250 Clean Birth Kits by the end of July 2012.  The MOMS Club of Front Royal, VA is a 501(c)(3) publicly-supported charity registered with the IRS.  As such, your donations may be tax deductible, check with your tax advisor.

Thank you in advance for your support with a life saving project!

Sincerely,

The Clean Birth Kit Project Committee

The MOMS Club of Front Royal, VA

Teacher Gifts - Round 1

Teacher Gifts for Zac's three main teachers:  A book made out of 4 pages with pictures from his very first days of school (Sept. 2010) to recent days.  With his cute little one-letter-on-top-of-the-other signature. 

Zac plugged his ears when overwhelmed

Top:  Open House    Bottom:  2011 Graduation ceremony

And my little guy hamming it up.  I have a hard time really expressing how much it means to me to have him say "Cheese" and smile for the camera.  It's amazing!  And I have some teachers to thank! 

The 2 bus drivers (he has a morning and an afternoon bus driver) and 2 aides also get little cards:

And of course everyone got some homemade chocolate chip cookies.  I know today will be emotional!  I can't believe that this is the end of preschool for Zac.  I anticipate lots of tears from me as well as his teachers!  But I know my little guy is going to shine in kindergarten.  And we will have a busy summer to keep me from getting too worried.

Next week I will be pulling together gifts for Kyle's teachers - and I will probably be doing it last minute - because that's me!

Second Summer of Giving: Planning Teacher Gifts

I have been asked whether we will be doing Summer of Giving again (yes!) and I am excited to do it - then I realized that all my boys will be home in one week.  Zac's school wraps tomorrow and Kyle's last day is next Tuesday.  So summer starts soon!  I am definitely a procrastinator but I think our Summer of Giving will start today with teacher gifts.  

Photo Source

I have a hard time with teacher's gifts.  We have been so lucky to have such amazing teachers for the boys.  I wish I had millions of dollars to pay off their mortgages, or increase their salaries to the numbers they really should be getting (definitely 6 figures).  I wish I could send them on vacation or even afford to send them to a spa for the day.  But what I really want them to know is how incredible they are.  These women (they have all been women so far) have a huge place in our hearts and our lives.  They literally take my children each day and help them grow and learn.  I get all weepy just trying to think of what to say to them to express how much I appreciate them.  Between Zac with his autism and his intelligence that is a little hard to pull out, and Kyle who is also so smart but is a 6 year old boy who likes to play with his friends (at inopportune times), these teachers have helped us overcome obstacles and found new ways to approach problems.  They have taught my guys reading and math and social skills.  They have braved field trips and dealt with accidents and meltdowns.  They have the kids walk in lines, take turns, use iPads and Smart boards.  They somehow manage to do all this with a class full of children and then they go home to their own families.  They worry about an entire room full of children in addition to their own children.  I lose sleep and stress-eat just dealing with my three!  

So I want to thank my children's teachers - and all the teachers out there.  You get up each day and make a difference in the lives of your students and their families.  You will be the ones that are remembered long into life.  You aren't just teaching them from a book - you are taking them and helping them develop into their future selves.  You are making a huge impact and you are some of the most important people that will ever enter into our children's lives.  Thank you!

I will try and post pictures as we make the gifts today - the boys love doing it and I am excited too!

Brainstorming for the Summer and Bloggers for Birth Kits UPDATED

Oh things have been so busy!  I am so glad to finally have an empty day on my calendar today.  Which of course isn’t really empty – I am using today to catch up on blogging and planning meals and de-cluttering.  Lucky for me, I was spoiled for Mother’s Day.  I actually had 2 nights out at Vino e Formaggio last week – one night with friends from our MOMS Club of Front Royal and another night out with my darling sister, Suzie Robb, of Twitter and BBB fame.  And my Mom got me the Skinny Bitch Ultimate Everyday Cookbook so I can refresh our meals and get ready for summer vacation.

We recently had Zac’s IEP which went very well.  I am excited for him to start kindergarten in the SCCIP program and I am putting off any anxieties until school starts.  No use worrying about them now!  He has been playing on Zac Browser so much lately that he has started repeating French, Italian and Spanish words around the house.  I am having a hard time thinking of anything cuter!

We just had our Board Elections yesterday for MOMS Club of Front Royal and I am President for another year.  Most of the board stayed on and we have one new Board Member who I absolutely adore and I am excited for a new year with some amazing ladies.  We already have a really big, exciting service project – Clean Birth Kits which I learned of through Rants from Mommyland and Bloggers for Birth Kits.  A few of our MOMS will be meeting in the next week to start brainstorming fundraising and donations.

Photo Credit Adriel Booker, The Mommyland Memos

Here is a list of the items needed for the Clean Birth Kits:


1. Soap (for the birth attendant to wash her hands). Use a hotel-size soap or cut a regular bar of soap into 1/8-sized pieces. (Microwave the bar of soap for 30 seconds to soften it for cutting).
2. One pair of plastic gloves (for the birth attendant to wear).
3. Five squares of gauze (to wipe the mom’s perineum and baby’s eyes). Gauze pieces should be about  3×3 inches.  These need to be sterile and kept away from the soap. 
4. One blade (to cut the cord). You can buy individually wrapped sterile blades at the pharmacist or buy utility blades (much cheaper) at the hardware store. We teach the women to boil the blades for sterilization, so utility blades work just fine.
5. Three pieces of strong string (2 for tying the cord, 1 for “just in case”). String should be about 10 inches long.
6. One plastic sheet (for a clean birthing surface). Sheet should be approximately 1×1 yard and can be purchased at your hardware or paint store.
7. One sandwich-size ziplock bag (to pack the contents).

Thanks to Adriel Booker of The Mommyhood Memos for all this amazing information and receiving the birth kits.  

Local Giving:

I am ready to brainstorm for this Summer of Giving which is approaching quickly!  I obviously want to continue helping out C-CAP as they give back so much to our community.  We have tons of clothes ready to donate and I plan on another food drive.

Liam and I will be working at the 4H Vegetable Garden next week and I am really excited.  Mostly because my plants have come back this year so I feel a little more comfortable and don't think I can destroy their earth and any chance of things growing.

I will be contacting the hospital to see what kinds of things we can donate to patients (books, magazines, homemade cards or sun-catchers).  I also wanted to get in touch with some of the retirement homes.  Kyle's school collected donations for seniors and we donated some new blankets.  Their wish lists included other items such as toiletries and large print books.

I was excited to join the Front Royal Women's Resource Center and someday I will make a meeting.  They are so amazing and I was disappointed to miss out on their Annual Dare to Dream Breakfast this year.  They awarded over $8500.00 in grants!   I look forward to contributing to this group as much as possible. 

Save a Life: 

I almost forgot that I was on the Bone Marrow donor registry until I received a letter from them asking about further tissue typing.  I called to authorize the tissue typing and was actually a little disappointed that they did not have a potential match!  Bone marrow donation tends to have a lot of people worried about donations (ever see Dr. House take a bone marrow sample without anesthetizing?).  But in reality - the donor is in a hospital and under general anesthesia and most report lower back soreness after donation.  Another, more common method of donation is called peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) donation.  This is done at a blood center or hospital and is also outpatient.  These donors receive injections for 5 days to increase blood forming cells.  The blood is taken from one arm, passed through a machine to separate our the blood forming cells, and then returned to the patient through their other arm.  All in all - a little discomfort to save a life.  According to Be The Match, about 70% of patients in need of a bone marrow transplant will not have a match in their families.  The Be the Match registry could be the patients only hope.  BeTheMatch.org has lots of information on how to get on the registry, donate, or spread the word. 


Another way to easily help save a life is to donate blood.   Our area regularly has blood drives through the Red Cross and I try to arrange child care so I can donate.  I don't eat animal products so I try to pay attention to my iron intake during the 24 hours before donating, but as long as I remember to eat my levels are usually fine.  I am O- so my blood type is universal.  Its amazing to know that something so simple can help 3 lives!  Check out redcross.org for blood drives near you. 

Touch a Life:

The World Needs More Love Letters is one of the cutest ideas ever.  I love the idea of leaving a random note somewhere for someone to find and help brighten your day.  (Kind of like our Rock project last summer).  You can also nominate someone to receive a batch of love letters and sign up to be a letter writer where you will get an assignment sent to you to help touch a life.  I have received assignments for a Mother whose son was in the Middle East and a nomination from a girl whose stepmom was in the hospital with cancer, after having cancer several others times.  I have a hard time writing these notes - but I hope to find one that flows easily onto paper so I can help.

Milkshake is a great site that finds products and events that give back globally.  It was through Milkshake that I learned of The World Needs More Love Letters and Pure Vida (adorable bracelets) and a number of other causes.  If you are like me and want your shopping to do a little more, definitely subscribe to this site as well as Milkshake Kids.

Liberia Orphan Education Project is an amazing program, run locally, that helps provide education support and development to teachers and school supplies and books to orphans and vulnerable children in Liberia, West Africa.  It is a strict not-for-profit and has no overhead cost.  To learn more about this incredible organization, and how you can help, check out their website here.  

I am hoping to include more organizations that I adore - but my cluttered brain only let 3 squeak out.  Do you have any organizations you would like to share - globally or locally?