Why Pinterest Rock My Socks Off...

Like most of you, I got sucked into Pinterest a few months ago because someone cool that I know posted something cool from their board on Facebook and I clicked on it. And then angels started to sing, and there were rainbows and kittens with yarn. Whatev, it was pretty much a magical moment and it really has changed my life for the better...so I'd thought I would share with you my thoughts on the whole "Pin it" extravaganza.

I genuinly feel more creative as I look through hundreds of pictures that other people have found and posted. I know this sounds borderline dumb ass, but really. I find one amazing pic that has this great idea about turning your Ikea bookshelves into what looks like built-ins. Hell-er! I never would have thought of that. But I have accepted the fact that other people are much more creative than me, and I'm fine with that. Don't know what to do this weekend with your boy-toy for date night? Never fear bitches! There's a pin for that!  

I like to tear up at sappy pictures. It makes me feel good. Moving on. 

 There is some seriously funny shit on Pinterest. I don't know where half this stuff comes from (even though there's a website attached to each pic, but you know what I mean), but it will make snot fly out of your nose. If you ever need a good laugh, or feel like your not the only mom that does some weird stuff...just type in "funny" to the search engine and you'll be blowin snot for hours.
p.s. if you don't find the below pic funny...there's something wrong with you. 

You will have every holiday covered for decorating and gift ideas from now through eternity. Seriously. Don't ever let me go to your house for Presidents Day and not have some paper mache` George Washington as a centerpiece. You will find it on Pinterest.

I'm really into vision boards and now I get to create as many as I want. I like vision boards..and they work for me. I got some really good stuff that I wanted doing vision boards. Money, clothes, purses...you know the really good spiritual stuff. But now I can create any board I want: new clothes, money, vacations...I guess some things don't change.


I like to pin things that I am for sure I will go back, look at and actually implement. But I never do. Well I take that back, I've found some really good recipes on there that I have tried. But that's really it. But I pin it damn it! And I have every intention to go and spend more time I don't have on looking at the things I want to do. Yeah right like this cake will ever happen:

I have found some really cool blogs that I follow now. I never did the whole blog thing until recently, and I didn't have a clue as to who did what or who to follow. You can find everything on pinterest...blogs, websites about blogs, blogs about websites. See what I mean below:

www.mamalaughlin.com

 I can't remember shit any more, so this helps me organize my super terrific thoughts and ideas into one place. For the time that I will eventually have to do all this super terrific stuff. It's pretty super terrific.


I'm kind of a fashion "mom jeans" kind of person. As in, I don't have a great sense of fashion, so I stick on one style because I think it looks good on me. I need others to tell me what to wear.  Pinterest helps me stay on top of my game with the rest of the cool girls.

Anyway, so as you can plainly see-this is the coolest shit you'll ever stumble upon. Tell your girlfriends. Tell your mom. And follow me on Pinterest so you can see all the cool crap I will stumble upon and share with all of you! Happy Pinning!

Bring it on Target!!

As you may have guessed, I was blessed yesterday with an opportunity to go to Target sans toddler. This is a rare experience for me, as it is for most of you.  I knew I had to write about it because I know I'm not the only one that skips down the aisles twirling my basket around me with my hands in the air when this opportunity arises. At least I hope I'm not. I'm pretty sure that other woman down the bath aisle was doing the same thing.


 Top Reasons why going to Target alone = a mini vacation

1. You get to see all the new stuff that new designer guy has out for summer.

2. You realize you have no idea who that new designer guy is so you're inspired to make time to get on the computer.

3. You can look at a piece of clothing for more than 10 seconds without saying, "What? What do you want? I just gave you your snack."

4. You can actually try on that piece of clothing. In a normal sized dressing room.

5. You realize half way through your trip you can actually walk the entire store this time. And you don't have to go down the toy aisle.

6. There is no small person grabbing every bottle of shampoo off the shelf and throwing it in your cart because you accidently parked them too close to the shelves.

7. What? I can try on shoes? By myself!

8. You can read labels. On anything. Anything you want.

9. You laugh at the mothers with the screaming children. Because for once it isn't you.

10. You feel like yourself again...just for a brief moment.

$30

There's typically not a lot $30 can get you nowadays. It barely gets you a decent pedicure. It may get you a nice lunch with a girlfriend, maybe an amazing deal on a new pair of jeans (if you shop where I shop)... or it could be just enough to start your whole life.

In one part of the world, $30 provides a woman with an education on women's rights, business skills, and technical skills that will enable her to build a life she once had only dreamed of. She is probably living in a war zone, and has no running water or electricity. She works from the moment the sun rises until the long after the sun sets. She has children, typically more than 5, and is the primary caregiver.  Sometimes she is married, other times she has already lost her spouse, and is caring for everyone on her own. She dreams of being able to just feed her family. She wants to learn how to read and write, and develop skills so she can support her children and make a life for herself.

$30 isn't much to me. I provide that small amount, just once a month, to a woman in Rwanda. Her name is Constance. She has 8 children, a husband, and has feared several times in the last several months that she will be unable to feed her family. There is a life for her that is meant for more. I am humbled by the fact that I am able to help her achieve that life with just $30.

I made a commitment almost two years ago that I would support another woman in this world because I have been blessed with the opportunities that allow me to have a life I am comfortable with. I never have to worry about feeding my family, finding running water, or living with out electricity. I can't put myself in her shoes, but I pray that by helping her with this education, she could perhaps start to envision herself in my shoes.

For a woman to recognize her own worth is like shooting a canon ball from a canon...once you start, there is no stopping it. Constance has the opportunity to find herself and what she is truly capable of. She is my Rwandan sister, and I am so proud to be a part of her life. I encourage you to visit Women for Women International, and be connected with a woman in this world that needs your help. Thousands line up to have access to the education they provide. Most are on a waiting list for months, praying that a sponsor will come into their life.

Because while $30 doesn't seem like much to most of us, it is everything to Constance. Go find out what your $30 is worth.

 

Click here for more information on how to sponsor 

Lessons from my 2 year old:

1. Always wake up in a good mood. It sets the tone for the rest of your day. 

2. Give hugs whenever you can. It makes the other person feel so much better. 

3. Get excited about anything new. It opens up your whole world to new possibilities. 

4. Throw a tantrum and then get over it. It's probably not worth it anyway. 

5. Go to bed early. 

6. Take naps. You wake up in a much better mood. 

7. Dance in the car. It makes for a really fun ride to where ever you're going. 

8. Just dance. Whenever. Wherever. 

9. Laugh at the silliest thing. Over and over again. Laughing never really gets old anyway. 

10. Learn a new word every week. Surprise your friends with your new vocabulary. 

11. Find something you are passionate about and stick to it. Make it your new routine. 

12. Say no. And don't feel guilty about it. 

13. Cuddle in bed. 

14. Make new friends where ever you go. It's amazing what just saying "hi" can do. 

15. Love. Unconditionally.

Love you J-

Mom

Finding the Time...

Since I've had three days off in a row now, and forced to do nothing (thank you wisdom teeth), its made me think of all the stuff I could be doing right now that I'm not. And how I have to be totally fine with that. Here's my current to do list:

1. Do my taxes
2. Drop off bags of clothes/shoes, etc to Goodwill
3. Make a dr.'s appointment for Jacob
4. Buy a dress for my brother's wedding
5. Menu plan and grocery shop
6. Clean the bathrooms
7. Empty the litterbox
8. Do my laundry
9. Clean my room
10. Sleep at some point

Like most, well all, of you..I have a lot to do. Everyday. Everyday I look at the ever growing list of things I need to do so I can just go to work in clean clothes, my son can go to daycare in pants that are crusted over with spaghetti sauce, and my electricity stays on. There's nothing earth shattering on that list. I'm not performing brain surgery or saving a dying kitten. But why is it that it all seems like too much-that time seems to be speeding up and I'm on this treadmill of crap and all I can do is hold on to the rails so I don't slip off the back and go hurdling towards the wall?

Did you notice there's not one thing on that list that puts myself as a "to do"? Yeah I didn't think so. Probably because you don't make time for yourself either. And you can't count going to the bathroom alone as time for yourself. I have to start making time for me. At this point I crash around 8:30-9pm after going non stop since 5 am. I'm desperately trying to fit in a yoga routine at home...this is currently what I look like:

Crap everywhere...maybe grab the yoga mat, maybe not. I'm fine with cat hair in my mouth.  Why is it that we as mothers don't list ourselves anywhere? Because everything else seems far more important than taking time for ourselves. Well I call bullshit.

Every week when I make my to do list..I'm putting myself on there. I may even put myself as number one. (GASP!) And I suggest you do the same.

Don't roll your eyes at me. It's totally possible. Just put on there that you're reading a book for 15 minutes before bed. Or your going to take a hot shower for as long as you want. What ever it is that recharges your batteries...just do it. And no feeling guilty allowed. Because we all know when mom is happy...everyone is happy. It might be hard as balls, but who cares. So is trying to figure out when you're going to fit everything else in. But you do it. Because you're the mom and you're awesome.

There isn't a  Mom Police that will show up at your house the next morning if the dishes don't get done because you decided to read instead. YOU ARE WORTH IT. Just repeat it. Over and over until you believe it. It's time we start putting ourselves first. Whether it is on a list or in your head. 

And as I've been writing this I've thought of twenty five other things I need to be doing right now. But I'm not going to worry about that right now. I'm going to be fine with the dishes in the sink, the clothes on my dresser, and the litter box smell that's taking over my hallway. Okay maybe not that one. That one I'll do cause that's just gross.

But the others can wait.

Wisdom Teeth Removal=v.a.c.a.t.i.o.n.

So I'm 31 and just now having my wisdom teeth removed. Don't judge. I'm also a huge procrastinator. If you didn't get that by the first sentence I wrote.

Anyway, here I am...about six hours post op and feeling pretty good. But here's why I'm so damn excited about having my gums split open: three days of no housework (cause it says I can't), soft foods (which means ice cream and pudding without feeling guilty), and three days off work. And don't forget about the hydrocodone. Cause that stuff rocks my socks off. And my wonderful boyfriend is taking care of me and the baby...which he does already...so that's not anything new. He's so damn good.

So yeah peeps...three days of relaxation because the post op paperwork says I have to. Hell yeah.

Let's talk about poop

Okay my poop. Well really yours too, so don't get too grossed out. Geez. See that's the problem...we women (well, there's some that are WAY too comfortable talking about their shit), we women for the most part don't discuss what we do, or don't do-do...hahahaha..sorry. But really, its an issue for most of us, and that's why we need to talk about it. So for those of you that never have any stomach issues...this isn't for you. Lucky bitch.

So for as long as I can remember I've had the worst stomach. I wouldn't go to the bathroom for days, or I would be in the middle of Target and have to hurdle babies in strollers and stay at home moms in tennis outfits just to get to the bathroom in the nick of time. It was painful, and nauseating and uncomfortable. And I got tired of it. I hated not knowing when one of those episodes would come, or if please God Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints just let me poop! But of course I never saw a doctor, and never really changed my diet. So go figure.

Fast forward 3 years later, and post baby-and here I am still fighting my stomach issues. So after a very painful Christmas/New Years week just a few months ago, I got on the web to see if what I had was in fact IBS. And, yes, if I was a self diagnosing expert, I would say that's exactly what I have. Fan-friggin-tastic. But when I traveled home to Dallas to see my family, my mom dropped this book in my hot little hands and my world changed forever. Thank you sweet baby Jesus.

 Great Taste No Pain website

So what I learned ladies is this....its all about how you combine your foods together when you eat. Some foods are highly acidic and cause more acid in your stomach, and others decrease the acid. So when you have a healthy balance happening in your stomach, the acids work together properly to make sure digestion is happening the way it should....NOT PAINFUL. Food combining is not anything new, but its new to me and its new to most of the women I bring this up to, which is why its so important to get the word out.

This isn't about you eliminating anything from your diet (well, I eliminated fast food and anything else greasy and fattening...I was a real bitch for a good week or so). Its just about what you put together. The minute I got home from being away I tried this for a week and everything well really well. If you get my drift. And then the second week came and the same thing. And then I ate brisket, with potato salad and macaroni and cheese...and at 1:30 in the morning I woke up with the worst gas pains ever. Damn. Check the book the next morning, and sure as hell...don't combine protein with carbs. Its been almost 8 weeks and things have been working swimmingly! Hell yeah bitches this thing works and its saved my life! I've told so many other women about this and I have others trying it out as well.

Let me give you some examples:

1. No protein with carb/starches (no steak and potatoes)
          -Instead do your protein with veggies (chicken and sauteed spinach,etc)
2. Eat fruit by itself. And give yourself an hour or two to digest before eating another food.
3. Cut out caffeine and DON'T drink it with food (as much as you can)
4. If you need to eat dessert, wait at least two hours after your meal to eat it. It doesn't digest properly mixed with other foods (especially protein) so it creates uncomfortable gas pains
5. Drink lots of water!! And no tea doesn't count. duh.

Here's a chart for further explanation:

Food Combo Chart 

TRY IT. Try it and just see..what do you have to lose? You may even drop a few pounds and that's a-mah-zing just by itself.  Increase your fiber to 30 grams a day, and drink lots of water. Follow the steps and watch how your body reacts. Its pretty friggin incredible, I'm not gonna lie. The hardest part is waiting a few hours after dinner to have dessert. But if that means that I'm not on the toilet while having a romantic night with my boyfriend, well then the dessert can kick it!

All of my IBS symptoms have been eliminated since starting this new way of eating. And if I don't follow it, my body reacts almost instantly. So I know its working. I can't tell you the stress that's been eliminated now that I know my body is functioning normally. 

Email me with any and all questions please!! You can find the food manual on abebooks.com for around $30, and she has a great recipe book for super cheap on abe books as well. I hope this helps...!