It is Official: I have Mommy Burnout

After reading this article last week: 10 Ways to Achieve Mommy Burnout, from the website THE POWER OF MOMS, I realized my recent mood and frustration was validated.  I cannot deny it, I have Mommy Burnout - plain and simple.  Here are the 10 ways, as listed in the article.  I have decided to comment on them - to share why I have connected so deeply with the article.

1. Neglect Your Body
Oh how I hate to admit it, but it is very true.  My body is a sloppy, floppy mess.  Sure, I'm still working on perfecting my skin regime and testing out a supplement (Biotin blog to follow) to stop my recent hair loss, but my body is still a blimp.  And, the thing is: it is depressing.  VERY depressing.

2. Starve Your Spirit
How saddened I was to read this.  However, it only reaffirms the fact that my desire to participate in HelloMornings could not be more appropriate.  I need to regain my motivation for early wake-ups, and time to myself away from the fighting and bickering of two dramatic and opinionated Ladybugs.

3. Forget Fun
To be perfectly honest, I am currently suffering from anxieties that make me very reluctant to spend time with people.  I tend to fall prey to social anxiety - which is always fun when it acts up.  I was at a graduation party on Saturday evening.  My dear friend, Jill, was celebrating her prestigious achievement of a doctorate.  I knew very few people at the party, and began to chat with another guest who came alone.  She was not friends with anyone else at the party, so we seemed to be each other's company for awhile.  I told her about how I had read an article about Mommy Burnout, and that a light bulb came on above my head as I was reading it.  She made the point of suggesting that I am probably starved for adult conversation this summer.  She is correct.  However, as a teacher of young students I don't usually have a lot of adult conversation throughout the school year either.  I suppose it has more to do with the "fun" factor and my lack of desire to have any.

4. Keep to Yourself
I think I already addressed this in the last number.

5. Practice Negative Self Talk
I have a very difficult time with this.  I always have.  Logically I am well aware that it takes 7 positive statements to combat 1 negative.  I am an interesting person I suppose.  To others I can appear VERY positive, but I have an inner dialogue that can be quite dark and quirky.  For instance, when I pass homes I always look in the yards (front and back).  If there is a lot of stuff sitting out (toys, junk, etc.) I start projecting what the inside looks like.  Or how disorganized things must be, if THAT is the external representation.  Or when we are watching an old movie, I tell Jim who is dead and who is still alive (if any).

6. Expect Perfection
I don't necessarily expect perfection when it comes to my children or husband.  However, I do like to have a clean, organized and orderly home.  I do put pressure on myself to keep the house in order, and I suppose you could say that it is unnecessary.  No one else puts this kind of pressure on me...just me.  I think it has more to do with my upbringing.  Please know that I do not BLAME my parents nor my grandparents for instilling these virtues into my life.  It is simply that my mother did it all - she kept a clean house, she made our clothing, she worked outside the home...etc.  I hold myself to those same ideals.

7. Say Yes to Everything
This is the one number on the list I can clearly say I do not do.  Okay, I might agree to a few things that I don't necessarily WANT to, but in all truthfulness I do not say yes to everything.  I was asked to be a part of the school board, I declined.  I was asked to chair a few events at our school (after I did too good of a job chairing the fall fund raiser/dinner), and I said no.  So at least I'm not victim to all of the list.  :)

8. Shun All Outside Help
I cannot say it any more clearly then Ms. Reynolds, the author of the article, "Only wimpy whiners ask for help, and no one can do it as well as you anyway."  Yeah, I have a very difficult time asking for help. I don't want to rely on others to do what I SHOULD be able to do myself.  I do find weakness in having to ask...I really do.

9. Avoid Being the Moment
I have to admit that I am trying to live in the moment.  The last two times I put the Ladybugs to bed we had deep laughter over silly stories these are wonderful moments that I will cherish forever.  Having that time with them is wonderful.  However, I don't ALWAYS live in the moment...but at least admitting I'm a control freak is a step in the right direction.

10. Miss the Big Picture Entirely
I have definitely been neglectful this summer.  Very neglectful.  I have spent more time putting out fires (fighting children) than missing the big picture of the fact that I am blessed to get to stay home EVERY day with my Ladybugs.  Not many women can say they can watch their children grow.  My oldest Ladybug has grown in her reading skills this summer - it has been amazing.  And my youngest has developed her music skills beyond what I had imagined.  So yes, there is a bigger picture here...I just have to see it.

Thanks for stopping by!  Please "like" my facebook page - the link is above.

Redecorating My Abode

...or how new curtains inspired me to spruce things up

I realize that it is only a day after my week of Pinterest Projects, however, I thought I would bring you up to speed on some of the other fun homey stuff I am accomplishing around here.  I am so busy during the school year with teaching (and this year I might have an additional gig) I have to take full advantage of the time off.

The Ladybugs were having issues going to sleep with the sunlight still shining in their bedroom windows.  So I purchased new shades that were specifically designed to block out the sun.  Of course, as with any project in this 1923 home, the window still let light shine through the sides of the shades.  So, I came up with Plan B: begging my Mom to create and sew new "side" curtains for the windows - thus eliminating the rest of the light.  And here is the finished project:

It is amazing how when something is new, everything else looks OLD.  Not just a little old either - ancient.  The whole rest of my house looked like a dilapidated mess.  My Mom also wanted to get a new quilt for the Ladybugs' bed.  After looking through countless websites, here are the results:

I also found this awesome little thing on Etsy.  It is called a Latchy Catchy, and it is intended to stop the latch from...well...latching.  It is so COOL!  When we are sneaking in or out of the room at night, we are very quite.  AND there are no smashed fingers!

Once the Ladybugs' bedroom was complete, I realized how much I hated our bathroom and my attempt to pretend the tile was not grey.  Yeah, I really tried.  But then I decided to accept the fact that we cannot afford to redo the bathroom (i.e. new tile, new floor, new positioning of the tub and toilet, etc.).  I got a new shower curtain, cabinet curtain and window curtain and then found adorable prints on esty. 

Print is from Paper Llamas: Etsy Store

Print is from Paper Llamas: Etsy Store

Print from Paper Llamas: Etsy Store

With the bathroom looking all perky - I noticed the two maps in the upstairs hallway were just not working.  For the last few years we have had maps with little feet stickers to show where Uncle Joe is in our world.  The Ladybugs LOVE this.  So instead of ripping the entire thing down and throwing it away, I simply changed the location: The Ladybug Playroom! 

Where in the World is Our Uncle Joe?

Where in the U.S. is Our Uncle Joe?

Notice the strings pointing to the cute post cards he has sent the Ladybugs?  So fun, right?  And you can kind of see a peak at the Day #1 Pinterest Project in this last pic.

Two of my other favorite things are the vinyl words I put up on a wall in our dinning room:

Vinyl decal by CountryCraftandVinyl

And a catch-all basket that is intended to have items that need to be returned to the library, or tasks that still need my attention.  It keeps everything in one spot, so that if I am looking for a task to complete I can go to the basket and look.

I am still waiting on the ladybug vinyls for the washer and dryer.  However, I will be certain to share them with you once I have applied the fun!

Thank you for reading my blog.  If you are not a friend of mine on Facebook - click on the link above!

Day #5 - Pinterest Projects

The week is almost complete, and I have had a lot of fun working on the "pins" I've been pinning on Pinterest. It was a great opportunity to see if pins work, or if they are just "pinned" by everyone because they look like a cool idea. I think that is my biggest complaint with Pinterest - a lot of pinning and not a lot of doing.

If you are interested in seeing the first 4 Pinterest Projects, you can click here: Pinterest Projects

Today I had two pins on my plate. The first one was to create a skirt for my laundry tub, and the other was to decorate my washer and dryer. Unfortunately the vinyl decals I ordered from Etsy are not here yet, so I am unable to complete that washer/dryer portion of the project. However, I did feel quite successful with the laundry tub skirt.

So lets get started. Here is the link to the original pin: Laundry Tub Skirt

Photo from Momstastic

First things first - why don't you see the way my laundry tub looked this morning:

Did you noticed the nasty floors?  Yeah, we are getting those done this summer!*

I measured the tub, and made note of the fact that the pipes on the right hand side were definitely going to make my job a bit more creative. Anyway, I found adorable fabric and trim and cut it to the indicated measurements. The bolt was on sale, so I was not able to get three-times the measurements to make the original pin's ruffles. However, that was okay with me. I cut it, pinned it up and off I went a-sewing.  You didn't know I knew how, did you?  I do!

My grandmother's sewing machine - pretty retro, right?

Close up view!

Adding the trim

Adding the velcro for extra sticking power!

voila!  ALL COMPLETE!

*I mentioned above that we are getting our floor redone.  We have lived in this home for almost 10 years, and the basement laundry/bathroom is the biggest eyesore we have here.  Truthfully it is the only space that bothers me.  I decided that this summer was plenty long enough to wait for Jim to do it  - so we now are working with Home Depot to get a day for install.  I'm really looking forward to this!  Small things can completely change the way a room looks.  

So...did you enjoy my Pinterest Projects this week?  Let me know, by commenting below!

Day #4 - Pinterest Projects

Before I get into my Pinterest Project for today, I want to make a slight suggestion on the GAK recipe: less is more when it comes to the food dye. My ladybugs both had purple stained hands after playing with it Tuesday and yesterday. They were totally cool about it - but as a mom I thought you'd like to know.

Today I decided to tackle one of the more popular pins: Holder for Charging Cell Phone. You know the one I'm talking about:

from www.makeit-loveit.com

She suggests using a bottle from baby shampoo. However, I wanted to have room for more than one cell phone to charge. Therefore, I used a orange juice bottle.

Then I cleaned it, and cut it to my desired shape.

A little sanding, and then it was time for a little Modge Podge and fabric. *hint hint* The Ladybug fabric will be used for the laundry tub skirt.

So the Modge Podge was something I had done before (simple glue and water mixture) but with tissue paper.  So the fabric thing was new to me, AND it took forever!

Then my creation was ready to try out.  I must admit I was really excited at this point!

So I stuck it on the outlet and plugged stuff in.

Do you see the problem?  There is a fire hazard here!  Big time!!!

So then I looked more closely at the original:

And I realized that her invention touched the plug too!  It is a different design, but it STILL is a fire hazard.  But that's okay, because like any good crafter I must have a plan B.  And here it is, reader:

I take pictures with my cell phone, but you can picture two cell phones charging happily...can't you?!

Day #3 - Pinterest Projects

I have fallen in love with this salad, which I re-pinned awhile back on Pinterest.  I love to bake, so this recipe was one for my husband, Jim, to accomplish.  

Photo from Eat Yourself Skinny -  http://www.eat-yourself-skinny.com/

The recipe is found here: Pita Bread Salad with Mint & Feta

We made two changes: 

1. Instead of cooking up the pita, we purchased pita chips (total time saver)

2. Instead of watercress we used arugula (watercress is super hard to find)

And here is a picture of our test results:

I love this salad - I really cannot get enough!  Which, of course, would defeat the purpose of eating yourself skinny.  However, this is why I am not skinny.  HAHA!

Want to see my other Pinterest projects I'm working on this week?  Click here: PINTEREST PROJECTS

Day #2 - Pinterest Projects

So, due to the fact that Zoe was in bad spirits earlier this afternoon, I decided to change the order of the Pinterest Projects.  So we all decided to make GAK!  For those that have never made GAK, it reminds me of Slime that was in vending machines when I was a kid.

Here is the original post that was linked on Pinterest: GAK

First we dumped 2 4oz bottles of Elmers Glue into a disposable dish (the store brand was in 5oz bottles, or I would have gone for the cheap version).

Next, we filled the bottles with warm water, and shook the bottles hard to release the excess glue.

Then we dumped the water from the bottles into the gluey bowl. I added food coloring to the glue and water mixture and stirred until the food coloring was incorporated into the mixture.  I cannot tell you how much food coloring, but lets just say I added until we all liked the color (kind of like making icing for a cake).  I have a bunch of food color, so this was a very cheap craft for me all together.

In a separate disposable cup I added 1/2 cup of warm water.  Then I added 1 tsp of Borax to the warm water and mixed until incorporated.

Then I added the Borax mixture to the glue mixture and began stirring.  Zoe and I couldn't believe all the water that was being added throughout the process, however, voila! it was done.

Here are the ladybugs playing with their GAK.

So two days of Pinterest project success! I am doing much better than Pintester, who is a woman that tests items pinned to Pinterest and then blogs about her successes and disasters.

Day #1 - Pinterest Projects

Today is the first day for my Pinterest projects, and I decided to start with a reading nook that I created for the ladybugs' play room.  The idea came from these two pictures:

From Family Fun magazine - August 2012 issue

From a Pinterest "pin"

And here is the nook we created - bought a prepackaged tulle/circular frame thing, but added purple trim we all picked out at JoAnn Fabrics.  I hung it over the day bed in the play room, and the girls decorated the bed with their pillow pets.  Here ya go!

Picking Pinterest Projects

As most of you, I too enjoy going to Pinterest and pinning items for the home and crafy ideas for future projects.  However, this week I have decided to actually do 5 of the items I have pinned on Pinterest.  I figure if I am going to spend the time to pin, I should spend a bit of time actually doing the projects.

Here is the list and links to this week's projects:


1. Monday = Reading Nook

2. Tuesday = Cell Phone Holder

3. Wednesday = Cucumber Mint Salad

4. Thursday = GAK

5. Friday = Washer/Dryer Redo and skirt for laundry tub

What have you pinned on Pinterest that you'll try to do this week?

Bats in My Belfry

Yesterday, Jim and I went to A Twilight Celebration put on by the Organization for Bat Conservation.  It was an evening with appetizers, exotic animals, and awesome art.

The array of bat houses by famous and local artists.

This was the first charity event we have ever attended.  The closest I've ever been to anything like this (i.e. silent auction) has been the Promise Tree Dinner at our school.  The OBC provided a lovely evening for their guests.  It was so fun to be so close to some of the animals who live at the Bat Zone.  Volunteers paraded animals around the tables, and a gentleman played piano*.

*Which I must take a few moments to describe.  I have played for aesthetic purposes many times in my life, and in many different venues.  But there were points that I laughed out loud at the choices the pianist played. A half-hour of ragtime classics truly set me off in a hysterical laughter fit.  I realize this is disrespectful, but I couldn't understand why he would choose some of the material he played.  Until the end of the evening.

Jim and I had noticed a man's name on almost all of the bid sheets for the bat houses.  We spent the evening searching the room, desperately trying to figure out who this man could be.  We had settled on a man who seemed very inconspicuous, and rather odd.  Our theory was that he had a lot of money, but dressed like an average man.  We were VERY wrong.  The mystery man was the pianist!  He took home 3 of the houses!  His last name was Hanson - which we figured was part of the Hanson Windows empire.

However, lets get back to the evening at hand.  There was a photo booth, and Jim and I got silly pictures taken with a Malaysian Flying Fox and a Barn Owl.  It was so awesome!

We also bid on a couple of the bat houses.  Unlike the pianist, we do not have an unending pocketbook.  We were lucky, and had the winning bid this beautiful one:

Dean Rogers is a local artist, and I feel in love with his rendering of a flying fox.  Those eyes!

And this afternoon, Jim hung it in our kitchen.  This is so I can see it multiple times during the day!

We now have one hanging on our house (which has been there for over a year), and one hanging inside our house.

No Bucket List for Me

Yesterday my father and I took a hot air balloon ride with The Wicker Basket Balloon Center, and it was such an exhilarating experience.  It was a birthday present for both of us, even though my dad's birthday was in February and mine was in March.

My dad has wanted to fly in a balloon since watching Around the World in 80 Days when he was a kid.  However, watching The Bucket List recently inspired my father to fulfill that dream.  Yesterday he asked me if I had a bucket list, and I told him no, that I never want to have to HAVE a bucket list.  Going up in a hot air balloon seemed like a wonderful idea, so I tagged along.

I was completely fascinated by the entire process - especially the inflation of the balloon:

The pilot is behind a fan.  This FAN blows the balloon up!

I suppose I just thought the crew would turn on the heat and voila!  But it was just an amazing process to view.  As you can see from the above picture, there were other balloons launching from the same open field (which was behind a restaurant).  What a incredible sight!

The balloon design was the author/illustrator, Sandra Boyton Critters, and was the company's small balloon.  My father and I were its only passengers besides the pilot.  I love Boyton and I felt it was very appropriate choice considering I am a true lover of children's literature.

Then came the heat:

Then we got on board - which was quite hilarious.  We each had to straddle the side of the wicker basket - very tricky.  Once we were on, the fire would get "opened" every so often, and it was SUPER hot.  The basket was also quite small.  If you threw up or smelled bad, it would be right there for all to see/smell/experience.  I am happy to report that neither my father, nor I, threw up (nor did we smell bad).

This is the view from inside the balloon looking up

Here is a picture of what our balloon may have looked like from the ground.  This is a photo from the company:

It was a perfectly clear evening.  The pilot shared with us that the horizon is hardly EVER clear 360 degrees.  However, we were lucky enough to view this, as shared in pictures below:

Then it was time for the customary photos to prove you actually went up in the balloon:

My father and I  - I was pretty comfortable at this point.

Time for a "selfie" - I was a bit scared my phone would fall (the basket was super small)

The rest of the flight - which lasted an hour - was just beautiful.  I enjoyed watching people wave at us, and there was one guy who asked if we could drag him along!  

My father took more pictures of the landing and deflation process.  However, the landing was a bit more than I had anticipated.  My left knee (the one that was operated on last February) banged against the basket twice.  It was a little scary - and my knee today is very tender and badly bruised.  However, I will state the truth - I told my mom last night that if I couldn't walk today I didn't care.  It was ALL worth it!

The one thing I could not stop was the song playing in my head the entire time!  Of course, reader, you probably guessed: