Ah, the craziness of Christmas, in all its glory. This year, I refused to get stressed out by the holiday season. Although I was still shopping for gifts on Christmas Eve, I feel like I did an okay job of keeping that promise to myself. I will admit that I had some help from some of my favorite essential oils to keep me cool, calm, and collected. I put this one on my wrist, this one on my shoulders (which is where I carry most of my stress and tension), and this one on my feet for relaxation. Oh, and by the way, if you would like to order any essential oils from Young Living, let me know. I became a distributor last month...I may even give you a discount!
Back to Christmas. Our Christmas was awesome! We ate a lot of good food, saw a lot of family, and managed to not spend our whole time traveling. But this year felt a little different than most years. I usually have an idea of what I want to buy everyone by the time Thanksgiving rolls around. And although I wait until the last minute to find those gifts, I'm at least prepared with a list. Maybe it was because football season was so long this year, maybe it's because Knox kept us more preoccupied this year, but I found myself a week and a half from Christmas with absolutely no presents bought, and absolutely no idea of what to get ANYONE!
To all the moms and dads out there...are you also finding yourself with an overload of toys in your home and dreading the thought of your child receiving anymore as gifts?!?! That was me this year. I settled on a place to put all the toys and decided to get Knox a toy box. But being 10 days from Christmas, it was a little difficult to find the one I had in mind. We took advantage of Knox's age this year and ended up getting Knox some essentials--socks...books...a toothbrush. Of course, at this age, you can convince them that anything is exciting. "Knox! Look! It's socks!!" Knox responded with, "oooooooo." Which, by the way, is his response anytime he sees Christmas lights.
As Christmas crept closer and closer, I tried to think of Christmas traditions. Growing up, we always went to candlelight service on Christmas Eve. I liked having something we did the same every year. I started asking friends and looking on Pinterest for special ideas. I found this blog, Happy Home Fairy, with a list of awesome traditions to start. Going along with the "too many toys" issue, my favorite idea was to get a Santa bag for each child. On Christmas Eve, have each child fill their bag with toys they no longer use or want. When Santa comes, he takes the old toys and replaces it with his gift to the child. Then he takes those old toys and donates them to children in need. I love the idea because it is a yearly reminder that the season is not all about receiving, and it would create a great teachable moment, showing your children there are some people who do not have a lot. I'm hoping to start this tradition next year, when Knox is a little older and can choose a couple of toys he doesn't want anymore.
I hope you all had an awesome Christmas! I'll post at a later time about our surprise holiday guests who decided to make an appearance...
Sunday, December 29, 2013
Saturday, December 21, 2013
First Day of Christmas Break
School's out! School's out! And a much-needed break it is. I'm looking forward to some quality time with family, a couple of good meals, and some cleaning and organizing at home.
He had transferred all the 'paint' to the smaller container...what?!? He's so weird sometimes but those little quirks are what makes me love him more.
He then shaved all but a soul patch for his 6th graders. Last night he went to the store for something. When he was brushing his teeth before bed, he saw it in the mirror. I guess he had forgotten about it. This morning it hit him that he had gone in public like that. So funny!
With day 1 of our break came an ice storm. I took some time to organize the pantry and put away some clutter that has magically appeared on our counters.
Goal for the break: begin potty training Knox and get his sleep figured out. He has never liked to sleep. You know how you carry the baby for 9 months and the entire time people are telling you, 'Don't worry. At first all they do is sleep.'? Well we were in for a huge surprise when Knox was wide awake the first week home. Yes, he nodded off throughout the day, but never slept for long periods of time.
And so it's been ever since. He has always stayed up later than the norm, but lately it's been ridiculous. The last couple weeks, we have been happy when he's asleep by 11. So I got the brilliant idea to take away his nap.
Today is day one of no nap. For obvious reasons, I wanted to wait until our break to try this out. No need to make my mother-in-law suffer through the crankiness. How's it going today, you ask? Well...last night, Knox went to sleep at an early (for him) time of 10:00. He slept until around 8:00. It is now 5:45 and we have only had a couple bouts of tantrums. He started to get tired around 3:30 but I knew it would be detrimental for us to let him sleep that late. I kept him busy with some toddler-friendly painting. He found an empty container somewhere and I came to the kitchen to find this...
Speaking of loving people, I love my husband because he does crazy stuff for me! He wanted to shave his beard a month ago but let the first grade teachers use it as bribery for our food drive. The senior football players did this to him during the assembly yesterday...
Sunday, December 15, 2013
Christmas Shopping & Gemstone Jewelry
Yesterday, Cody and I decided to finally start our Christmas shopping. It seems like each year we procrastinate more and more. I'm assuming within the next couple of years we will be scrambling on Christmas Eve to find gifts for everyone. Anywho, we were all motivated to wake up early and make the hour and a half trip to Springfield. I woke up and it was 10:15!! I don't remember the last time I got to sleep in that late. Cody had taken Knox to the living room to cuddle in the recliner while I slept in, which, let's face it, may as well be my Christmas present.
So we dropped Knox off at his Aunt Anna's apartment in Bolivar on our way, only a few hours later than we had planned. We were prepared with a list, but quickly realized we missed some items and had to rack our brains for some ideas. Which brings me to this...Inspired by Finn. (Click on it, buy something, and be amazed. Seriously.) I decided that I would just order something from this website for the rest of the people left on my list. And here's why....
I first heard of Amber jewelry when my mother-in-law saw a small baby wearing a necklace and asked the mother about it. She then explained that it was an amber necklace that was supposed to help with teething. And so began the googling. Baltic amber jewelry helps with many aches and pains. Now, I am no expert on this subject, so click here for a link to a great explanation of what Baltic Amber is and how it can help.
After researching it for a while, I kept it in the back of my mind because Knox already had most of his teeth by the time I heard of this. In the meantime, I joined several co-ops on Facebook (which is another reason I haven't deleted my fb account...I get some great deals through those co-ops!). If you aren't familiar with what this is, it is a group created specifically to help people save money. One person hosts a buy, for example, Little People toys. Then they go to the company and figure out the minimum amount of product they need to order to get a wholesale price. And then everyone in that Facebook group can go in together to get the wholesale price.
Now back to Amber...I kept seeing Amber buys through the co-op, but never caught them in time before they closed. I finally saw one that wasn't necessarily a 'buy' but just a discount code. This was for the website Inspired by Finn. I visited the page, curious about the different types of jewelry. You see, a few months ago, I started to develop signs of carpal tunnel. I have been to the chiropractor several times with no relief. I noticed they sold Baltic amber bracelets for carpal tunnel and arthritis. I ordered two with my discount code, but was very skeptical.
Example of Baltic Amber Bracelet
Right away, I loved the company. I ordered the bracelets on a Monday, and I received an email stating they had shipped the same day. I received them in the mail by Thursday. I've NEVER had something shipped that fast. I put them on around 7:00 pm that Thursday. I wore them to bed, as directed, and woke up in the morning WITH NO PAIN!
I was convinced.
I told my mother-in-law, who immediately wanted to order some for herself. I was going to put in another order for her, but wondered if there was something that would benefit Knox. I searched the website a little more and found the website had more to offer than just Baltic Amber. Knox has been breaking out with rashes and we can't find the cause of them. He uses all-natural soaps and detergents, coconut oil for his skin rather than lotion, and we have eliminated wheat, corn, and milk from his diet. Nothing has helped. I found a necklace on Inspired by Finn that was supposed to be great for skin conditions. It was made with aquamarine and Beaked Hazel. For more information on Beaked Hazel, click here.
Knox's Aquamarine & Beaked Hazel Necklace
I ordered two Amber bracelets for my mother-in-law and a Beaked Hazel necklace for Knox. Again, it shipped the same day I ordered it, and arrived within three or four days. Knox has been wearing the necklace for not even a week, and his skin is almost completely cleared up. I am hoping this is the answer for his skin problems!
To sum it up, I recommend Inspired by Finn for three reasons:
1. Their customer service. It's hard to find these days, but they answered my questions in a timely manner and shipped the products quickly.
2. They sell quality products. And it actually looks good too!
3. IT WORKS! I spent $30 on my two bracelets, which is the price I pay for one visit to the chiropractor, and I have been pain-free ever since.
Check it out...they could probably still get to you by Christmas!
So we dropped Knox off at his Aunt Anna's apartment in Bolivar on our way, only a few hours later than we had planned. We were prepared with a list, but quickly realized we missed some items and had to rack our brains for some ideas. Which brings me to this...Inspired by Finn. (Click on it, buy something, and be amazed. Seriously.) I decided that I would just order something from this website for the rest of the people left on my list. And here's why....
I first heard of Amber jewelry when my mother-in-law saw a small baby wearing a necklace and asked the mother about it. She then explained that it was an amber necklace that was supposed to help with teething. And so began the googling. Baltic amber jewelry helps with many aches and pains. Now, I am no expert on this subject, so click here for a link to a great explanation of what Baltic Amber is and how it can help.
After researching it for a while, I kept it in the back of my mind because Knox already had most of his teeth by the time I heard of this. In the meantime, I joined several co-ops on Facebook (which is another reason I haven't deleted my fb account...I get some great deals through those co-ops!). If you aren't familiar with what this is, it is a group created specifically to help people save money. One person hosts a buy, for example, Little People toys. Then they go to the company and figure out the minimum amount of product they need to order to get a wholesale price. And then everyone in that Facebook group can go in together to get the wholesale price.
Now back to Amber...I kept seeing Amber buys through the co-op, but never caught them in time before they closed. I finally saw one that wasn't necessarily a 'buy' but just a discount code. This was for the website Inspired by Finn. I visited the page, curious about the different types of jewelry. You see, a few months ago, I started to develop signs of carpal tunnel. I have been to the chiropractor several times with no relief. I noticed they sold Baltic amber bracelets for carpal tunnel and arthritis. I ordered two with my discount code, but was very skeptical.
Right away, I loved the company. I ordered the bracelets on a Monday, and I received an email stating they had shipped the same day. I received them in the mail by Thursday. I've NEVER had something shipped that fast. I put them on around 7:00 pm that Thursday. I wore them to bed, as directed, and woke up in the morning WITH NO PAIN!
I was convinced.
I told my mother-in-law, who immediately wanted to order some for herself. I was going to put in another order for her, but wondered if there was something that would benefit Knox. I searched the website a little more and found the website had more to offer than just Baltic Amber. Knox has been breaking out with rashes and we can't find the cause of them. He uses all-natural soaps and detergents, coconut oil for his skin rather than lotion, and we have eliminated wheat, corn, and milk from his diet. Nothing has helped. I found a necklace on Inspired by Finn that was supposed to be great for skin conditions. It was made with aquamarine and Beaked Hazel. For more information on Beaked Hazel, click here.
I ordered two Amber bracelets for my mother-in-law and a Beaked Hazel necklace for Knox. Again, it shipped the same day I ordered it, and arrived within three or four days. Knox has been wearing the necklace for not even a week, and his skin is almost completely cleared up. I am hoping this is the answer for his skin problems!
To sum it up, I recommend Inspired by Finn for three reasons:
1. Their customer service. It's hard to find these days, but they answered my questions in a timely manner and shipped the products quickly.
2. They sell quality products. And it actually looks good too!
3. IT WORKS! I spent $30 on my two bracelets, which is the price I pay for one visit to the chiropractor, and I have been pain-free ever since.
Check it out...they could probably still get to you by Christmas!
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
The Abandonment of Facebook
I am the original Facebook generation. I had Facebook when there were two Facebooks! Some of you probably didn't even know about that awkward time in social media. So what has come over me? There have been several things leading up to this 'abandonment'. Ok, so not really a complete abandonment. I have eliminated (yikes! that sounds so harsh!) a lot of 'friends' from Facebook and deleted the app from my phone. Why you ask? For several reasons...bare with me:
1. First and foremost, I have found myself being preoccupied with Facebook and not present in the everyday, little things...like watching Knox play. While it may seem like the perfect time to catch up on the goings-on in the community of Facebook as Knox is entertaining himself, I realize these moments are precious. He will never be as little as he is right this minute. I don't want to look back someday and regret not watching him play. Plus, I could always be doing something more productive...say, cleaning perhaps??
2. The comparisons. Should we have bought a new tv too? Do I need to be taking Knox on play dates too? Why can't I afford to go on that vacation? Why wont Cody ever buy me flowers? Should Knox be talking more? How many times have you asked yourself similar questions after seeing posts on Facebook? I don't know about you but I'm tired of feeling crappy about my life (which is perfectly awesome by the way) because I compare it to the highlighted, sugar-coated version of others' lives. How often have you seen a post that says, 'Today I went to work, came home, ate dinner, and went to bed'? Never? It's because that wouldn't get any 'likes'. And obviously to make an impact in this world and feel like a good and productive citizen, you must have the most likes on Facebook. Let's face it: the posts you see are simply the best snippets out of someone else's day. Compare them to your best snippets and I bet you will feel a heck of a lot better about yourself.
3. The ads and the ridiculous amounts of recipes, news articles, jokes, forwards, and how-many-likes-can-this-girl-get posts. Period. No further explanation needed.
4. The judgments. There are too many people out there who have been given permission to post whatever crap comes to their mind. Although I have typed and re-typed this post many times, not everyone has the common sense to type their thoughts, let it sit for a while, and then come back to edit and revise. They post hurtful comments, say negative thoughts, or speak their one-sided opinion without thinking about how it may affect someone else. Right up there with overtaking my time, lately I have felt judged and ridiculed. Not blatantly, but in a more passive aggressive way. Do I vaccinate? No. Am I open about it? Yes. Would you like to know my reasoning? Ask me. But don't post a thousand articles about why I'm killing everyone around me because of my choices. Don't assume I have not researched every possible article, book, and website (both sides of the argument, by the way). I know the statistics. I know them both ways. I have weighed the risk/benefit and I made the choice I felt most comfortable with for MY child. (Yes, MY child. Not yours. You have no say in it. If you don't like it, you have the right to keep your child away from mine. I won't judge you. Not like you've judged me.) And I don't need anyone on Facebook to try to convince me that I am a bad mother for the choices I've made. I am a good mom. And while you are laboring over the computer trying to figure out how to point out all the flaws in choices I make, I'm busy spending quality time with my HEALTHY, happy, funny, sweet, cuddly, ornery, active, smart, loving little boy...who just so happens to be unvaccinated.
There you have it. The 4 reasons I am limiting my Facebook. If you are a close friend, family member, or community member, you are still on my friends list. I will periodically check it, mainly for upcoming events, professional reasons, and in case I need to get ahold of someone. If you would like to stay updated on our family, this blog will be where you can find us. I'll eventually put up pictures or a photo share site. So keep coming back!
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