Munchkin Meals

My mom friend Brittany at A Healthy Slice of Life started doing an amazing link up last week called Munchkin Meals. It is a must read and pin post with lots of ideas for solid feeding. I'm always looking for meal ideas for Chasers.

I wanted to link up last week and took pictures of what he ate but unfortunately he took forever to go to bed and I had to wait until this week to post. So here is what Chase eats :) Oh, he's almost 14 months and probably 25 or 26 pounds.

Breakfast: Kashi 7 grain waffle, banana, and orange from our neighbor's orange tree. On the weekends we do potatoes, peppers, and onions. Our doctor told us to avoid eggs but I might be ignoring that soon. Also going to try some new recipes.

I wanted to keep things realistic around here so I took after pictures so you could see what he actually ate. He pretty much ate the banana and one slice of the orange.

Snack: graham crackers

Lunch: cheese tortellini with red sauce, tomatoes, and spinach, mixed veggies, and watermelon. We do a lot of grilled cheese, quesedillas, and sometimes canadian bacon. I want to get some Chobani yogurt.

He was sick and tired this day so he pretty much ate the watermelon and some tortellini.

Snack: After he wakes up from his nap we usually run errands or do something fun. I loaded up his little snack thing with peach puffs and mixed berries yogurt melts and we went to the library.

I was getting hungry for a snack when we were at the library so I came home and had some cheese. Whenever I have cheese someone else wants some too.

Dinner: We have been trying to have meals that Chase can eat too but we haven't given up our Thursday night chicken tacos yet. I had saved his leftovers from lunch that I didn't put on his tray. I added some prunes and some beans, rice, chicken, and cheese from the tacos.

Chase usually eats the most at dinner. This was like 7:40 and I just decided he was done because it was late.

Keeping it old school

I have been blogging since May 2009.
Recently, my friend, Mrs. Monologues, wrote a post about blogging then and now.
She wrote, "...sometimes I miss the old days of blogging...
1. Where blog designs didn't cost as much as a mortgage payment
2. Where community mattered
3. Where blogger cliques were unheard of
4. Where sponsors didn't exist unless you were a super blogger
5. Where to host a giveaway you had to buy the gifts
6. Where twitter was a place to chat not just to promote
7. Where blogging wasn't a competition"

As I read through this list, I thought, me too!

I know I have a gorgeous blog design. Some of you may not know that I won this blog design in a giveaway. I want my readers to know, I'm keeping it old school!

There are blogger cliques? Am I in one?

I'm not going to lie. I've considered trying to get sponsors for my blog. I worked like 3 half days in the last year and a half. But I doubt anyone would want to sponsor my blog and I wouldn't know how to put their stuff on my lovely free blog design.

I've done two giveaways. One was a giveaway of my friend Brittany's designs. She asked if anyone would want to do a giveaway and I told her I would. The other was a company that contacted me about doing a giveaway. I don't do giveaways to gain followers.

Twitter is a place for me to chat. I hope you are following along and chatting with me :) I'll post a link to my blog like once a day because I like when you all post your links. I don't use google reader any more.

I'm not very competitive. I write this blog for me. If someone else reads it, great!

What about you? Are you keeping it old school or trying to be the most famous blogger ever?

300 ab challenge update

Day 1 on left Day 23 (technically 19 because I skipped 4 days) on right.

I'm not seeing the results I had hoped to see so it is time to get real here and refocus.

I have been eating crap.

Technically, I haven't ever done all 300 abdominal exercises. Today I focused on trying to do 25 reps and made note of what I was able to do in hopes that this would be a new motivator. So here is what I did today:

244? Did I add that up right? 249? 249.

The roll up v ups are my nemisis! I don't know if I will ever be able to do 25 of them!

So, I'm going to try to eat better. I'm also not going to focus on the 30 days. I am going to focus on doing 300. I may start with the roll up v ups and see if I can get to 25. I will keep track and not let myself be lazy and just do 30 kayakers when I know I can do 50.

Anyone doing the 300 ab challenge? How are you doing?

Pinterest

Oh pinterest! I love you so much, but...
I know, are you shocked there is a but?
But...
you make me wish...

I was 21 again.

That I knew how to sew.

That I had made my husband saw off a piece of our first Christmas tree.

That I had somewhere in my house to display my wedding dress like this.

That I could redo my wedding.

What does pinterest make you wish?

DIY I heart photo collage

1. Pick and print pictures. I printed 7 pictures at walmart.com and picked them up an hour later in the store. 7 for I heart daddy. When selecting pictures try to get ones that are farther away or smaller. Remember you have to fit them into the letter I. (As I'm doing the project I realized it would be smarter to print all pictures that are landscape and make the letters 4" since the pictures are 4x6. So do that!)

2. I wanted to get the I and the heart the right size and then do the daddy part. I opened up a blank word document. Changed the layout to landscape. Then I inserted the shape heart and made it almost the size of the page. Then I inserted a word art. The straight outline one of the letter I at the biggest size it would let me in Rockwell extra bold font. I think like 96 and then you can drag it and make it bigger.

3. Print and cut middle out of heart and see if your picture works. Adjust accordingly.

4. I had to change the text wrapping to in front of text for some reason. Then I deleted the heart and inserted the letter D. I wanted to make it the same size as the I.

5. Then I deleted the I and copy and pasted two more Ds.

6. Then I added an A and printed.

7. I deleted the Ds and added a Y to make the same size as the A.

8. Cut the middle of the letters out. Make sure you don't leave black outline.

9. Then I spread the letters out to decide which pictures I would put in them.

10. I taped the pictures to the letters and cut the excess paper off.

11. I measured the letters to see how big of a canvas or frame I would need.

12. I printed my 40% off coupon for Hobby Lobby and headed over. It was cheaper to buy a 14x18 frame than a canvas and modge podge.

13. I taped the letters to the back of the picture in the frame and voila!

DIY I heart Daddy photo collage for $11.07! Sorry about the glare!

Mom suits

Ah the mom suit.

As you all know Chase was born May 1st, 2011. I went in the pool once last summer. With a newborn that couldn't go in direct sunlight and wasn't napping for very long it just wasn't worth it.

This summer, we have a little fish! He LOVES the water! The pool is getting a lot of use. I tried on all of my bathing suits and only felt comfortable in one of them so the search for the mom suit was on.

I went to old navy and the only mom suit options there were one pieces. A one piece doesn't work unless you are propotionate and who is? Plus I'm working on my abs and by the grace of God some how avoided stretch marks with a 8lb 14oz (I just had to look up and make sure that was right, I'm such a bad mom!) baby. Maybe that's the trade off for being a horrible sleeper!

Anyways, I felt like I can still rock a two piece but just wanted some boob and butt coverage. I grabbed like 30 swimsuits at Target and found a suit that was perfect! It has gold threading that you can't really see in this picture.

Have you bought a mom suit? Where did you buy it? I still might need to get another one for taking him to swim lessons.

Eleven

My pal Erika tagged me in a post! I never get tagged! So I'm excited!

Eleven things you may not know about me:

1. We want to have 3 children.
2. Twins run in both our families.
3. I'm convinced we will end up with 4 kids because the third pregnancy will be twins.
4. If you had asked me a few months ago I would have told you I would lose my mind if I had twins.
5. Momnesia has set in majorly and I now think I could handle twins.
6. I don't ever want to have to baby proof another house so we are not moving until all our kids are out of that stage.
7. Chase is such an attention whore some days I feel bad about having more kids.
8. We want our children to be close in age. 
9. I am an only child.
10. Chase has 1 real Aunt and Uncle (Hubby's brother and wife).
11. Chase has a TON of "Aunts" and "Uncles" my cousins and good friends and I love it and wouldn't have it any other way!

11 Questions from Jenn

1. What is your profession?

Let's say part-time substitute teacher and full time wife and mom :)

2. How would you describe your style?

Plain? I just wear t-shirts or tank tops and shorts, jeans, or capris. I don't have time, energy or a child that won't try to take off my accessories.

3. What one make-up product can you not live without?

Mascara. Some days I convince myself my bags under my eyes and zits aren't that bad and only wear mascara. 

4. If you could be besties with one celebrity, who would it be?

Bethenny? or maybe Gretchen Rossi? I feel like they would be fun.

5. What is your dream vacation?

After watching RHOC last night I have to say Four Seasons Bora Bora! 

6. What magazines do you subscribe to?

None. I used to get Cosmo and Glamour but who has time or money to read magazines these days?

7. If you could have any special talent {that you don't currently have}, what would it be?

Ha! I feel like I don't have any talents! I would love to be a neat freak and keep my house super clean and organized. I would also love to have a talent and sell stuff on Etsy. 

8. What is your favorite breakfast food?

I have peanut butter toast every week day morning for breakfast. 

9. If you could do anything, what is your dream job?

My dream job is/was teaching. I really can't imagine spending that much time away from Chase now.

10. What is your guilty pleasure?

Trashy television. Teen Mom, all the housewives, etc.

11. What is the best piece of advice you've ever received, and who gave it to you?

At some point someone must have told me to follow my heart and do what makes me happy. Hubby and Chase are the best things that have ever happened to me. I gave up my dream of 10 years to follow my heart and be with Hubby and have Chase and I don't regret it for one second!

Now I get to pass this along to 11 of you! If you'd like to participate feel free to do so. Answer the 11 questions above. Have fun!

1. Ashley at Kiwis and Cocktails
2. Annie at Chapters of our life
3. Neely at A complete waste of makeup
4. Lindsey at Let the light shine
5. Allie at Table for more
6. Brittany at bg
7. Melissa at Love, marriage, and a baby carriage
8. Bekah at Life with the Edwards
9. Mrs. Monologues
10. Erin at Mutterings of Eringirl
11. Shannon at Life after I dew

Sunday Social

I think I have time to link up with Neely and Ashley before I make dinner.

How did you come up with your blog name? The only other blog I had read was my Uncle's and I didn't really know what I was doing when I created my blog. I just put what my email address was.

What is your favofrite thing about blogging? I love that I can ask a mom question and get so much advice! I also love that I've "met" and met people that live close to me. Plus sometimes just typing out my thoughts help so much!

What is one thing you have discovered because of blogging and now cant live without? Pinterest for sure. Probably the one mom group I am in on facebook. Instagram! Twitter.

Facebook or Twitter? and why? I use both. I like that I "know" more people on facebook and there are pictures.

If one celeb read your blog who would you want it to be? I can't believe Suze Orman didn't comment on my post about her! Um any of the guys on my list! I don't know!

What is something you want people to know about your blog? I try to blog for myself. Sometimes I post and pin stuff because I want to remember it later. I legit get hurt feelings when I find out someone is pregnant and hasn't asked me for advice. I just really love helping people. My love language is acts of service.

That's all the time I have. Chase just spilled water all over the floor!

30 day/ 300 ab challenge link up

If you follow me on facebook or twitter, you have probably read my ramblings about the 300 ab challenge workout. One of all time blog faves, Shannon, posted her results and after trying on bathing suits I decided I needed to do something!

I've only been doing it for seven days and I think I can see results. I definitely feel stronger! Did 50 kayakers today and can do the roll up v ups which look impossible!

Shannon is hosting a link up party to get everyone motivated to join in. That is why I'm posting after only 7 days. I'll keep you all updated on here and twitter! Let me know if you are going to join in!!!

top pictures are before pics. bottom pictures are after completing day 7. 

Prepare for the worst. Hope for the best.

I think I've talked about Suze Orman on here, a long time ago. I'm not sure how we got started watching her show, probably Oprah. Today, we asked my bil and sil to be Chase's guardians if anything were to happen to us. We are working on our will and living revocable trust and that's the step we are on. If we didn't watch Suze weekly, we probably would not be working on a will or living revocable trust. While I was reflecting on our day in the shower tonight I started thinking about how much Suze has impacted our life. Hubby has always and will always be a saver. But she has helped me to control my spending. Who knows when we would have bought a house if we didn't watch Suze. Because we watch Suze we saved up so we had enough to put 20% down and still had an emergency fund. If we didn't watch Suze we would probably have smart phones. Today when we were hanging out with the bil and sil they asked us if we would ever get them. I said probably not. To me, it is a waste of money. I used to dye my hair every 6 wees and get manis and pedis. I haven't done any of those since right before our wedding. We have never belonged to a gym. We don't have a nook or kindle. I get books from the library. Because of Suze we would never lease a car or co sign a loan. Because of Suze our son has a 529 college savings plan. A lot of good can come from watching a tv show! I highly recommend watching it. We love Suze!

HAPPY DANCE!

Someone I love dearly is PREGNANT! I'm so excited! I LOVE babies!

Tonight as I was cleaning up from dinner I was thinking about what advice I could give her. Things I wish I had from my pregnancy.

I'm so glad we had our friend take maternity pictures for us toward the end of my pregnancy. I love the picture we have of Hubby kissing my belly. I didn't do weekly belly pictures or pregnancy posts. I'm ok with not having those.

I do wish I had taken more pictures toward the end of my pregnancy. Most of you know that at 38 weeks I was dilated and having contractions and we all thought he would be here before my due date. Those last 2 weeks and 5 days were really hard for me and I didn't take pictures like I had throughout my pregnancy.

I also wish we took more pictures in the hospital. Erin at Ridin' with the Robertsons had a photographer in her room taking pictures of everything and I love them! We don't have a picture of the three of us from the hospital and I wish we did. I looked awful because we got to the hospital at 4am but a picture of me sitting up or holding my baby would have been nice. Oh, and a belly picture in the hospital would have been good too. I got there and was 6-7 cm and said epidural now please. Didn't think about posing for pictures.

I'm sexy and I know it! I look like this in every picture. My dad really knows my good side ;) I'm going to have to take some glamour shots and post them next time!

I am a by-the-book parent. If something isn't going well I searched wildly for a solution in books. This also means I have read EVERY fuhreaking book. When we first had Chase we swore by the book/video Happiest Baby on the Block and credited it for helping us get through the first two nights in the hospital. The only issue I have with that book is it encourages the jiggle. My toddler would still like to be jiggled to sleep. My FAVORITE book for all things parenting now, is The Baby Whisperer Solves All Your Problems by Tracy Hogg. My issue with her is night feedings. We just got Chase putting himself to sleep again which also resulted in him going from 4-5 night wakings to 1-3 (usually 1!). I still nurse him when he wakes at night. Some may disagree with that.

When I talked to her today I told her to get everything done now. I thought I would get the nursery decorated and our house organized after the baby arrived. Uh, yeah, no. You have no time for anything once the baby comes! So get it done now!

You may also come up with a birth plan or plans for how things will go. Probably none of them will go according to plan! So you might as well get prepared for that now :)

Oh, and start a blog! I'm so glad I have this and my secret blog to look back at!

We kept Chase's name a secret. I loved doing it that way because we didn't hear any negative opinions about his name. Once he was born everyone told us how much they loved his name. So my advice is to keep your name choices a secret .