Megs7827: Mommy Brain Mixer and Super Mom #2! Jen!

Welcome to week 18 of the Mommy-Brain Mixer, ladies!

Last week we had 70 link-ups! Please help spread the word so the Mixer keeps on growing!

Before we get started, I have some awesome news!

The Mommy-Brain Mixer is taking on two more permanent hosts!

Please welcome Cassie from Live.Laugh.L0ve and Julie from From Awkward to Art!

If you haven't noticed, one of our favorite things to do is to share stories about motherhood and our littles. One of our favorite things about sharing these stories is your comments with stories of your own children!

Welcome to...

At the Mommy-Brain Mixer, we will be linking up our writings about anything and everything motherhood!

We want to see funny posts, serious posts, sweet & sappy stories, mommy-brain episodes, memories from when your older children were younger, thoughts & lessons learned, and anything related to motherhood or little people. You know that post you wrote yesterday about your teething baby? Or that hilarious post you wrote about your 2nd grader's school play? Those are perfect, so link 'em up!

The Mommy-Brain Mixer is the perfect place to find some great new blogs to follow, make some wonderful new blog friends, and enjoy some entertaining new reads!

To make things even more fun, our friend Mar, over at Raising Bean, is hosting a sister link-up for you to join, too!

Head on over there after your finished here and link up your recipes, DIY, arts & crafts, and sensory activities!

Let's get to it, friends!

RULES:

1.Follow your hosts

{the first three in the linky}:

Cassie from Two In Diapers

Cassie from Live.Laugh.L0ve

Julie from From Awkward To Art

If you are new to the Mixer, please leave us a comment so we know to follow you back! We try to get around to all the posts but, as the Mixer is growing, there are some weeks that we are not able!

2. Follow your co-hosts

This week's lovely co-hosts {the next 3 on the linky} are:

Meg from Megs 7827

Jennifer from Pushing The Lemons

Ana from Mommy's Bundle

3. Link up your mommy post!

4. Make sure to visit some of the blogs in the link-up and maybe even follow them!

{and comments are always loved}

5. Tweet about the Mommy-Brain Mixer to help spread the word!

6. Grab this adorable button and place it somewhere on your blog!

7. Don't forget to check back throughout the week, as we gain many new links throughout the week!

If you are interested in co-hosting a Mommy-Brain Mixer, send me an email at twoindiapers@gmail.com!

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I am again so excited for Super Mom this week! Our 2nd Super Mom is Jen. I think Jen and I met in a facebook mom group. I have to admit that I have been bad about reading her blog. We mostly chat on twitter. So I feel kind of stupid to realize we have so much in common! Also bummed I never got to meet her when we were living in SD or when we visited. Next time!

Hi! I’m Jen from Leilaland. I’m a thirty-five year old mother, wife, sister, teacher, daughter, and friend. I grew up in the Midwest and have chosen to live my adult life in sunny San Diego.

My daughter, Leila, turned two at the end of September. Just weeks before her birthday we found out we were expecting again (surprise!). This March, Leila’s world will be rocked by the birth of her baby brother.

I was laid off from my teaching job after eleven years in June 2011. (I didn't know that! Stupid California laying off great teachers!) I never planned to be a stay-at-home mom and am slowly finding peace within my new temporary role. Lazy mornings, toddler play-dates, picnics at the park, making new friends, stopping to smell the flowers, and wearing yoga pants never felt so good!

I am far from perfect, and not even close to super. I am learning to live in the moment, enjoy the little things, and laugh at myself along the way.

1. Do you follow a cleaning schedule? We want to know how often you mop the floors, clean appliances, windows, etc.

I use to follow a rigid cleaning schedule, while Leila napped, thinking it would keep me sane. After keeping up with it for about three months, I ditched it all together and now clean way less often than I should. I want to bring the schedule back, but at the same time wonder if I should even bother knowing I’ll have a newborn keeping me busy soon.

I try to do the major chores one time a week (bathroom, dust, vacuum, floors) but sometimes I skip the dusting and floors. Since we are renters, I don’t do windows (neither does anyone else so they are BAD) or clean appliances like the oven. I don’t let the microwave get dirty and clean the fridge when it’s empty before a big shopping trip.

2. When do you do the following chores and where are your kids and what are they doing?:

a.      Dishes- I do dishes daily after each meal. I eat so fast, that most of the dishes are done before Leila and Jeff are even finished eating. I load the dishwasher and have to run and empty it every other day. This is a chore I can do while Leila is playing. (so only 6 more months and Chase won't be trying to climb in the dishwasher? or is this a boy thing?)
b.      Vacuum- I vacuum weekly, if not twice a week. I vacuum while Leila naps and then do her room with her help later in the day. (I can't believe another mom that vacuums when their kid sleeps! Should I dare try it? Nah, I like that he helps me vacuum!)
c.      Dust and clean appliances (what products do you use?)- I hate dusting. I don’t like moving all our things to dust (maybe I should just get rid of some stuff!) I use Endust and an old rag to dust. If I do dust I do it during nap time.
d.      Grocery store- I love saving money so I plan my trips according to the sales. I go either Thursday afternoon or Friday (for the special deals). I take Leila with me most of the time. She loves to play pretend “shopping” and is a good little helper. Because my list is so exact, it doesn’t take us long in the store.
e.      Other errands- Jeff and I share the Target runs. I end up making too many impulse buys when I go, so I prefer him to go. Again, if it’s me doing the shopping, Leila is tagging along,
f.       Exercise- Exercise is a must for me. (I realized this when I was restricted early in this second pregnancy.) I run 3 mornings a week, usually pushing the stroller. I do a strength training DVD during naptime 1x a week and 1x a week I do the same DVD with my sister when she gets home from work. Leila just hangs out when I workout with my sister and tries to do what we do. One afternoon I get together with my friend and we just walk, with Leila, to the local Farmers’ Market. My goal is to workout 6 days a week!
g.      Blog- I blog at naptime. I stopped blogging at night in favor of spending more quality time with my husband. I comment less often than I want to, but do the best I can, when I can.
h.      Relax- Ha! I do relax while watching television in the evening before bed. I do consider naptime my relaxation time, even though I seem to do 100 things in those three hours!

3.      Is your house always visitor ready? If someone rang the doorbell right now and wanted to take a tour of your house would there be any rooms you were embarrassed about? Take a picture and show us! Good or bad we want to see!

It’s visitor ready…enough. Our apartment is so tiny it looks cluttered no matter how clean it is. It always looks like a toddler lives here since we have no playroom. I feel like I am constantly picking up after her (and my husband)!

However, I would not always want the surprise visitor to use the bathroom, and they definitely are not allowed in our bedroom. It’s the dumping ground for everything that doesn’t have a place. So embarrassing! See this corner of our room…craft supplies, Christmas gifts, things to go into the attic, full laundry baskets, and a toddler destroyed the bookshelf. (I could just hug you for sharing this!)

4. Are you always visitor ready? If someone rang the doorbell right now is your hair perfectly styled, make up and pin worthy outfit on? Take a picture and show us! Good or bad we want to see!

Me? Visitor ready? Depends on the day and time. If I am wearing a bra then it’s all good. This is how I typically look…no make-up, ponytail, and wearing basic comfortable clothing. I change into comfortable clothing and take off my jewelry the minute I get home from an outing. (I can't believe you look like this with no make-up on!)

5. What time do you wake up? What time do your kids wake up? What time do you go to bed? I don’t want to know what time your kids go to bed because it takes me forever to get mine to go to sleep by 8:30!

I wake up around 6:45 and Leila gets up between 7:00 and 7:30. I am in bed before 10 (closer to 9:30) most nights. I am DONE by the end of the day…just useless.

6. When do you blog?

I work on my blog at naptime or not at all. I am okay with posting as few as 2 posts a week if necessary but lately I’ve been posting Monday-Friday. I like to be ahead of the schedule so sometimes I work on writing posts on the weekends too.

7. When do you shower?

My showers vary between naptime and after dinner. Depends on what I have going on the next day and what kind of workout I did earlier.

8. How often do you do laundry? Do you always fold and put away right away?

Laundry gets done about 3 days a week. I do one load at a time. My husband does his own laundry which really helps. It’s usually folded and put away the same day because there is just no room for it otherwise.

9. How often do you make dinner? Do you eat together as a family?

I follow a loose meal plan and cook almost every night of the week. We eat dinner together as a family as long as Jeff gets home at a decent hour. Otherwise I ditch the meal plan and Leila and I eat something simple for dinner before Jeff gets home. Those nights Jeff is on his own for dinner. Luckily he is happy with frozen pot pies or leftovers.

10. How often do you have fun with your kids? Park, out of the home activity, in the home activity?

We are busy with out-of-the-house activities every morning before nap. We go to the park, the zoo, the library, a mommy and me preschool, a kid-centered play place, and a play gym. Sometimes we schedule attend scheduled play-dates or just meet up with one friend for a different type of adventure. Our afternoons are mostly used for running errands and playing at home. (So jealous of all your fun morning stuff!)