It will be a very simple Christmas this year. Mainly shopping for the kids, not really the adults. I plan to do simple gifts and handcrafted gifts this year for most people, it's the teenagers in the group that I am nervous about making things for. I told my husband that I want us each to make something for the kids for Christmas. I want him to make the kids a wooden car each and I want to make Eva Rose a doll, Michael will get an Elmo blanket, and I'm not sure what Thomas will get. I would love to start a tradition that every year the kids get something handmade and in time get them to make things for others.
I am looking forward to continuing my steps to being healthier. My goal is to eat less meat and more fruits and veggies. I got a comment on my vegetarianism post that really has me thinking. I will never go 100% vegetarianism or worse vegan, but I will decrease the amount of meat, especially red meat and maybe even go for more organic, better treated animals. I would also like to start eating more beans and ethnic foods. I want to eat healthy, but also have some really good flavors and I think that eating ethnically helps with flavors. Getting ready for the holidays, means that eating healthy to be even more important and more difficult.
For Thanksgiving, I made spiced nuts and candy bark. It was so good and so much fun to bring something different to people's houses. I loved that people actually asked me where I got the nuts and were surprised when I said that I made them. It's always so much fun to make something and have people not realize that it is homemade, yet be really happy that it is.
We need to decorate for Christmas. This year should be interesting, since we have 3 kids under 2. I am looking forward to decorating and celebrating Christmas now that we have ids, but I also need to ensure that the kids are safe!
Amy
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Wishcasting Wednesday
This week, Jamie Ridler at http://jamieridlerstudios.ca/wishcasting-wednesday-november-25, asks "What steps do you wish to take?"
After reading a couple of other people's wishes, I realized that I have recently started taking steps to become a healthier me and hopefully a healthier family. So far they have really only been small steps, but baby steps get you to where you want to be. I have started cooking more at home instead of getting take out. Don't get me wrong, we still get take out and we still have way too much junk food, but like last night we had salmon, broccoli rabe, and roasted yukon gold dreamer potatoes. I am so not a fish eater, but I know salmon is much healthier than the red meat that I love to eat and I know that my husband really likes salmon and wants to start eating it more often and my 20 1/2 month old really ate great at dinner last night. I think I may be cooking Indian Dal (lentils) for dinner tonight. This is another dish that my husband really likes and it's a great dinner for the whole family to be able to eat including my 10 month old twins. I also want to eat at our kitchen table, not in front of the TV. This means keeping the kitchen clean so that I can cook and we can eat at the table!
Along with eating healthier, we really need to start exercising more. My husband plans to set up his bike in the basement once his brother leaves Friday. I plan to walk more often. Even though it is getting cold, and I unfortunately didn't take advantage of the mild fall we have had here in MA, I plan to get out with the kids and just keep them bundled. It won;t hurt them to be out in the cold weather as long as I have them bundled warm enough, plus it will be good for them to be outside.
Another way for me to be healthier is to make sure that I try to be creative every day. I get on a roll, but then I tend to stop. I think it is better for me to do small projects rather than large ones because with 3 kids completing large projects takes so much out of me. I also need to be better at time management. I can't not wait to the last minute to complete things, like I have done in the past! This just ends up causing more stress and I don't enjoy being creative.
The last way that I want to be healthier is by journaling. I love my blogs and Jamie has given me lots to think about. I love blogging at thiscrazylife-amy.blogspot.com, since it is about my life with my family. I do want to continue to journal in a paper journal though, because I believe that, at least for me, hand writing my thoughts and feelings on paper feels much better sometimes than blogging and it is much more personal.
What steps do you wish to take?
Amy
After reading a couple of other people's wishes, I realized that I have recently started taking steps to become a healthier me and hopefully a healthier family. So far they have really only been small steps, but baby steps get you to where you want to be. I have started cooking more at home instead of getting take out. Don't get me wrong, we still get take out and we still have way too much junk food, but like last night we had salmon, broccoli rabe, and roasted yukon gold dreamer potatoes. I am so not a fish eater, but I know salmon is much healthier than the red meat that I love to eat and I know that my husband really likes salmon and wants to start eating it more often and my 20 1/2 month old really ate great at dinner last night. I think I may be cooking Indian Dal (lentils) for dinner tonight. This is another dish that my husband really likes and it's a great dinner for the whole family to be able to eat including my 10 month old twins. I also want to eat at our kitchen table, not in front of the TV. This means keeping the kitchen clean so that I can cook and we can eat at the table!
Along with eating healthier, we really need to start exercising more. My husband plans to set up his bike in the basement once his brother leaves Friday. I plan to walk more often. Even though it is getting cold, and I unfortunately didn't take advantage of the mild fall we have had here in MA, I plan to get out with the kids and just keep them bundled. It won;t hurt them to be out in the cold weather as long as I have them bundled warm enough, plus it will be good for them to be outside.
Another way for me to be healthier is to make sure that I try to be creative every day. I get on a roll, but then I tend to stop. I think it is better for me to do small projects rather than large ones because with 3 kids completing large projects takes so much out of me. I also need to be better at time management. I can't not wait to the last minute to complete things, like I have done in the past! This just ends up causing more stress and I don't enjoy being creative.
The last way that I want to be healthier is by journaling. I love my blogs and Jamie has given me lots to think about. I love blogging at thiscrazylife-amy.blogspot.com, since it is about my life with my family. I do want to continue to journal in a paper journal though, because I believe that, at least for me, hand writing my thoughts and feelings on paper feels much better sometimes than blogging and it is much more personal.
What steps do you wish to take?
Amy
Monday, November 23, 2009
Cooking for Thanksgiving
This year, Thanksgiving will be a little different. We will only be going to 1 of our family's house this year. Usually, we do brunch with my family then we have dinner with my husband's family. For the last few years that has meant Mass and either Conn or Maine. I have also had the benefit of cooking the main course for brunch. This year all I have to do is make an appetizer. There will be other appetizers that sound yummy and I don't want to take away from them, but I want to make sure that what I make tastes good and is also seasonally related. I went on-line and found a huge amount of recipes that all sound so good. I think I decided on spiced nuts and candied bark. I am really looking forward to making these new recipes. They seem easy enough and maybe even can be made ahead of time so that I am not rushed Thanksgiving Day. This year, even though we only have to go to one house, we have 3 small kids to get ready. I am so looking forward to the holidays now that we have 3 kids. With Christmas coming, I am looking forward to taking them to see lights and maybe even sing Christmas carols, never mind Santa. I know that they are still way to small to even know what is happening this holiday and maybe even next year, but I know that Tom and I will have the memories of this first Christmas with our complete family.
Now I have to figure out what container to use!
Amy
Now I have to figure out what container to use!
Amy
Friday, November 20, 2009
The Joy Diet: Connections
What a well needed topic for me to write about. Given that we are going into Thanksgiving week, I am thankful for the connections that I do have. I have a wonderful husband who I feel extremely connected to and 3 beautiful children who I know I'm connected to. I have a wonderful loving husband who loves me for who I am and all my faults that go along with me. My 3 beautiful children are only 20 1/2 months and 10 months (twins), but I can feel the connection when they look at me and when I hold them. I can only hope that this connection continues as they grow.
As a stay at home mom (which I love and am so thankful to be able to do), I sometimes feel disconnected with other adults. I belong to a twin group, but for some reason, every time I think there is a connection, it ends up that I am wrong. At this point in my life, I haven't been able to find many connections with other adults. I need to look at myself and try to figure out what I may be doing to have a disconnect in my life. I'd like to find a connection with other moms and with others in the creative community.
So as I finish writing about connections, I give thanks for the connections that I have and I plan to work on finding connections with others
I am thankful for the topics that have been brought up on wishcasting wednesday and also for the topics from The Joy Diet.
Amy
As a stay at home mom (which I love and am so thankful to be able to do), I sometimes feel disconnected with other adults. I belong to a twin group, but for some reason, every time I think there is a connection, it ends up that I am wrong. At this point in my life, I haven't been able to find many connections with other adults. I need to look at myself and try to figure out what I may be doing to have a disconnect in my life. I'd like to find a connection with other moms and with others in the creative community.
So as I finish writing about connections, I give thanks for the connections that I have and I plan to work on finding connections with others
I am thankful for the topics that have been brought up on wishcasting wednesday and also for the topics from The Joy Diet.
Amy
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Wishcasting Wednesday
This week, Jamie Ridler asks what do you wish to embrace? http://jamieridlerstudios.ca/wishcasting-wednesday-november-18
I wish to embrace my confident self. For what ever reason, I tend to lack confidence in many areas of my life. From my creative expression to my relationship with my husband to my work as a mother. Many times, I tell myself that what I create is good enough, but I'm not sure that I truly believe it. I know that I often wonder why my husband has been with me for so many years. I have to stress that this is my own issue. He has never done anything to make me think that he doesn't want to be with me or thinks less of me. If anything, he is probably one of the few people that truly loves me unconditionally. I often wonder why he loves me like he does. He is a wonderful man and is amazing as a person, husband, and a father. I just lack the confidence to believe that someone like him could love someone like me. I am the mother of 3 kids 20 1/2 months and 10 month old twins. They are the best kids, I just hope that I am doing all that I should be to make them grow and develop as they should.
I know that some where deep inside of me there has to be a confident person. I wish to find that person and truly embrace her and embrace that confidence every day of my life!
Wishcasting Wednesday has truly allowed me to think about things in my life and is probably one area where I truly write my feelings down with only a little censoring!
Amy
I wish to embrace my confident self. For what ever reason, I tend to lack confidence in many areas of my life. From my creative expression to my relationship with my husband to my work as a mother. Many times, I tell myself that what I create is good enough, but I'm not sure that I truly believe it. I know that I often wonder why my husband has been with me for so many years. I have to stress that this is my own issue. He has never done anything to make me think that he doesn't want to be with me or thinks less of me. If anything, he is probably one of the few people that truly loves me unconditionally. I often wonder why he loves me like he does. He is a wonderful man and is amazing as a person, husband, and a father. I just lack the confidence to believe that someone like him could love someone like me. I am the mother of 3 kids 20 1/2 months and 10 month old twins. They are the best kids, I just hope that I am doing all that I should be to make them grow and develop as they should.
I know that some where deep inside of me there has to be a confident person. I wish to find that person and truly embrace her and embrace that confidence every day of my life!
Wishcasting Wednesday has truly allowed me to think about things in my life and is probably one area where I truly write my feelings down with only a little censoring!
Amy
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Wishcasting Wednesday
Jamie Ridler from http://jamieridlerstudios.ca/wishcasting-wednesday-november-11-2009 asks what do you wish to dare.
I wish to dare trusting myself. Mainly this has to do with being a mom. I have 3 kids, a 20 month old boy and 9 1/2 month old girl/boy twins. It's amazing how things change when you go from 1 child to 3 in under a year. With my older son. I pretty much did what I felt was right. I did succumb to trying out others suggestions, even though I knew that it wouldn't work for me and my situation. But, ultimately I did what I thought was best. Now with 3, I seem to be looking everywhere but within me for the answers to caring for my kids. I belong to a twins group and as helpful as they have been, they are not the be all and end all to taking care of children. Sometimes I remember to trust myself, but not always and unfortunately more often than not I tend not to trust my instincts. Fortunately when it matters, I do trust my instincts, like when my 2 weeks old premature son was sick I knew something was wrong and he ended up in the NICU at Children's Hospital Boston, then a week later my daughter started to experience the same symptoms, my husband and I knew that she needed to be admitted also. Both were extremely sick and all the nurses and doctors praised us for trusting to know when our children were sick. As crazy as it sounds, sometimes it's tough to know these things. So I wish to trust my maternal instincts, listen to others advice, but only take what I need and not accept that everything everyone tells me is gospel.
On the same vein, I also wish to dare trusting my judgement when it comes to choosing my career path. 2 years ago, I got my MSW and now I am thinking of doing something different. Something more creative. I have thought about going back to school for a certificate in art therapy, but with 3 kids that may not be so doable.
I really wish to dare to trust myself in all aspects of my life!
Amy
I wish to dare trusting myself. Mainly this has to do with being a mom. I have 3 kids, a 20 month old boy and 9 1/2 month old girl/boy twins. It's amazing how things change when you go from 1 child to 3 in under a year. With my older son. I pretty much did what I felt was right. I did succumb to trying out others suggestions, even though I knew that it wouldn't work for me and my situation. But, ultimately I did what I thought was best. Now with 3, I seem to be looking everywhere but within me for the answers to caring for my kids. I belong to a twins group and as helpful as they have been, they are not the be all and end all to taking care of children. Sometimes I remember to trust myself, but not always and unfortunately more often than not I tend not to trust my instincts. Fortunately when it matters, I do trust my instincts, like when my 2 weeks old premature son was sick I knew something was wrong and he ended up in the NICU at Children's Hospital Boston, then a week later my daughter started to experience the same symptoms, my husband and I knew that she needed to be admitted also. Both were extremely sick and all the nurses and doctors praised us for trusting to know when our children were sick. As crazy as it sounds, sometimes it's tough to know these things. So I wish to trust my maternal instincts, listen to others advice, but only take what I need and not accept that everything everyone tells me is gospel.
On the same vein, I also wish to dare trusting my judgement when it comes to choosing my career path. 2 years ago, I got my MSW and now I am thinking of doing something different. Something more creative. I have thought about going back to school for a certificate in art therapy, but with 3 kids that may not be so doable.
I really wish to dare to trust myself in all aspects of my life!
Amy
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Going Vegetarian
I am considering going vegetarian. Maybe I'm crazy, but I really need to start eating better. First of all I eat way too much junk food. I realize that becoming a vegetarian is not the answer, but I think I eat way too much meat especially red meat. I am not a major animal rights person with regards to being a vegetarian, but eating less eat would be a great way to start doing better with regards to animal rights. I really need to start eating more veggies. Becoming vegetarian or at least a semi-vegetarian would definitely help with that. The other thing is that I don't deal well with too much fat in my diet. Don't get me wrong, I love fatty food, it just makes me sooooooo sick! Red meat is so high in fat and calories, plus if you believe the blood type diet, I should be eating more vegetarian anyway. Plus, I really should look at the Body Ecology diet since that is a really healthy way to eat. I really should at least do the food combining. That may make things better for me health wise. I think becoming a vegetarian will help with my belief that we need to start thinking about our impact on our planet. I think the best way for me to do this is to start by cutting red meat out of my diet. Then I can cut out poultry and fish. I don't think that i am against eggs and dairy, but I definitely think that I want to cut down on those too. Maybe I'll look into a vegetarian book. I should never have gotten rid of my Moosewood cookbook.
My goal is to be the healthiest I can be, for me, my wonderful husband and my 3 beautiful kids!
Wish me luck!
Amy
My goal is to be the healthiest I can be, for me, my wonderful husband and my 3 beautiful kids!
Wish me luck!
Amy
Saturday, November 7, 2009
handmade body products
I have slowly started to add handmade products to what I use on a daily basis. It started with handmade pomade, then moved on to some simple household cleansers. My biggest love is my deodorant. I found a recipe for coconut oil, baking soda, and corn starch along with essential oils. I hated using the store bought kind that would leave me feeling dirty and filmy no matter how much I washed. I even tried natural store bought deodorants, but they either didn't work or still had stuff I didn't want in them. I have been loving what I have been using. I am at the point where I think I have cleaned out my system enough that if I forget deodorant, it doesn't really matter. I will still be using my handmade deodorant every day, but feel better knowing that I will not stink if I run out with out. My husband was just saying the same thing and he just started using it. I have just started, within the last couple of days, using castile soap watered down with jojoba and essential oils for a facial cleanser and so far I love it! I don't have that greasy feeling after a couple of hours, yet I feel really clean. The other thing I am trying is a tiny bit of castile soap, avocado oil, water and a drop of german chamomile and lavender essential oil used with flannel cloths for diaper changes as well as corn starch and the same oils for powder. So far I love it. I also tried just water and german chamomile and lavender and flannel cloth and may stick with that for home but the other for when we are out as it is more portable. One day, I 'll try my owns soap.
Attempting to live a more natural life, but not always doing the best!
Amy
Attempting to live a more natural life, but not always doing the best!
Amy
Friday, November 6, 2009
The Joy Diet: Play
Jamie Ridler of http://tnc-thejoydiet.blogspot.com/ talks about play in Martha beck's book The Joy Diet.
I think this is a great topic to write about and I have really enjoyed reading other people posts on this chapter. I think as adults we don't play any where near enough. We are taught from too young of an age, especially lately that play in not good. We should be more focused. More focused on our career, getting good grades, keeping a clean house, being a good parent (having well behaved, smart focused kids), and many more things that take away our creativity and play. I have read fairly recently in our town's newspaper that they have taken away recess from elementary age ids so that they can have more classroom time. Isn't play just as important in learning as literal school work? I think so. Could this be why there is so much ADHD? We are expected to be so focused and we can't dream or have many different ideas and desires at once. I know from my own past that I stopped art classes after 67th grade because I should focus more on school work. I wish that I had kept up my creativity instead of waiting til I was in my 20's (thankfully it was only my 20's and not later) I am the mom of 3 beautiful kids and I hope that I can encourage them to play what ever that means for them. I hope that I can continue to play with them and on my own. I so want to look back on my life and be happy with the way I lived. Not to look back and think everything was perfect, but that I lived the best I could at the time, loved as much as I could, and enjoyed life to it's fullest.
"Dance like no one is watching. Sing like no one is listening. Love like you've never been hurt and live like it's heaven on Earth."
— Mark Twain
Amy
I think this is a great topic to write about and I have really enjoyed reading other people posts on this chapter. I think as adults we don't play any where near enough. We are taught from too young of an age, especially lately that play in not good. We should be more focused. More focused on our career, getting good grades, keeping a clean house, being a good parent (having well behaved, smart focused kids), and many more things that take away our creativity and play. I have read fairly recently in our town's newspaper that they have taken away recess from elementary age ids so that they can have more classroom time. Isn't play just as important in learning as literal school work? I think so. Could this be why there is so much ADHD? We are expected to be so focused and we can't dream or have many different ideas and desires at once. I know from my own past that I stopped art classes after 67th grade because I should focus more on school work. I wish that I had kept up my creativity instead of waiting til I was in my 20's (thankfully it was only my 20's and not later) I am the mom of 3 beautiful kids and I hope that I can encourage them to play what ever that means for them. I hope that I can continue to play with them and on my own. I so want to look back on my life and be happy with the way I lived. Not to look back and think everything was perfect, but that I lived the best I could at the time, loved as much as I could, and enjoyed life to it's fullest.
"Dance like no one is watching. Sing like no one is listening. Love like you've never been hurt and live like it's heaven on Earth."
— Mark Twain
Amy
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Wishcasting Wednesday
Jamie at www.jamieridlerstudios.ca/experiencewish asks what you wish to experience.
I wish to experience my dreams. I dream of traveling around the United States with my husband and children. 6 years ago, my husband, who was then my boyfriend, and I traveled cross country all the way to Oregon. It was the best trip of my life. I wish I had been able to spend more time in many of the places we stopped and even to get to travel to places that we didn't on that trip. With in this wish I wish to experience the beauty, peace, and wonderment of our beautiful country!
The other dream I have is to use my creativity as a way to provide for my family. Right now, I just don't have time with having 3 kids 19 1/2 months and 9 month old twins. I have ideas on how to do this. Maybe go back to school to be an expressive arts therapist, maybe just sell things that I create, maybe learn ore about aromatherapy and create a line of natural body and cleansing products. So many ideas, so much fear of failure and so much procrastination.
Thanks to Jamie for helping all of us think about things for ourselves!
Amy
I wish to experience my dreams. I dream of traveling around the United States with my husband and children. 6 years ago, my husband, who was then my boyfriend, and I traveled cross country all the way to Oregon. It was the best trip of my life. I wish I had been able to spend more time in many of the places we stopped and even to get to travel to places that we didn't on that trip. With in this wish I wish to experience the beauty, peace, and wonderment of our beautiful country!
The other dream I have is to use my creativity as a way to provide for my family. Right now, I just don't have time with having 3 kids 19 1/2 months and 9 month old twins. I have ideas on how to do this. Maybe go back to school to be an expressive arts therapist, maybe just sell things that I create, maybe learn ore about aromatherapy and create a line of natural body and cleansing products. So many ideas, so much fear of failure and so much procrastination.
Thanks to Jamie for helping all of us think about things for ourselves!
Amy
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