Weekend in Review

This weekend was a bit gloomy and overcast which I loved! Its the perfect grab a book and find a cozy spot type of weather. It was also perfect timing for a gloomy weekend because the last few weeks have been non stop human interactions and activities. As an introvert, this lady needed a quiet break. I received just enough quiet time before the sun came out for the hubby's baseball game. And man oh man did that sun come out! It was hot enough for me to actually let the kiddos get drenched in the drinking fountain for a quick ball park cool down.

Now that the weekend is over, its time for me to get back to business. Apply to a few more jobs, set up the kids' yearly doctor appointments, and finish up some last minute moving details! Busy week coming up! What is your week ahead looking like? 

Act Natural: Steps to Making Friends as a Mom

Earlier this week, I signed my little man up for Kindergarten. While I was busy filling out papers and sorting the proper documents, my hubby took both kiddos into an awesome indoor play area for small children. This area is open during the week for parents to bring their young ones to explore their imaginations, play, socialize, create, and bond. I think it is a brilliant idea for such a safe place for play. Parents must stay with their children and participate as well, which meant while my kiddos played with other children, I was in the same area as other moms with the potential of conversing and making friends. I don't know why but the thought of making new mom friends freaks me out. I get nervous and jittery. I instantly start running all the conversation ice breakers through my head and toss them aside because they are all dorky and awkward. I feel like I am the nerdy girl in high school trying to sit at the “popular” lunch table. The feeling was not enjoyable and I was ready for it to end. So I did what any anxious mom in my situation would do. I kept quiet, and got out of there as soon as my kiddos began to get bored at their current playing station. Later, I decided to figure out how to avoid that nervous awkward feeling so I could make some friends in this new place. I turned to the all knowing oracles, Google and Pinterest. Seriously, those two sites are my go to whenever I have a question or problem. The answers I found break down to one major factor: you have to suck it up and break out of your comfort zone. Doing so multiple times will become easier over time and eventually you will hit it off with someone awesome. There are several ways to go about making new friends as a grown up.

I got lucky with this bestie, she's my sister!

• For starters, you have to leave the house. I know, I know, that means changing out of your pjs and brushing your hair. But hey, if you play your cards right, you might find a girlfriend that won’t mind wearing pjs while hanging out at the house, watching the kids play, and gossiping about a celebrity's new love interest.
• Find a group. When you finally get presentable and then get your kiddos ready to head out the door (so five hours later), try going to mommy and me play groups, playgrounds, or, like in my case, the early learning center. Chances are pretty high other moms will be there! So your odds of making a friend have already increased exponentially! (Or if you want to break out of the mommy groups, try gym classes or craft groups; whatever interests you! There is bound to be a group) 
• Determine who to approach. There are a few ways to go about this. Like high school, people still travel in little cliques. However, in my research, there are still a lot of women struggling to make friends as a mom. If you notice a mom somewhat on her own and your child is playing well with her child, then starting a conversation could be way easier. Plus the kids getting along may make it easier to set up a play date, or mommy get together, in the future.
• Break the ice. Now here come the big scary step. The step that takes you out of your comfort zone. You have to say hello. Starting a conversation may seem daunting but you already have something in common, being a mom. The topics are endless when it comes to motherhood! How many books, magazines, shows, and even blogs make their bread and butter talking about being a mom? A LOT! Just say Hello and follow their lead.

This bestie is going to kill me for this picture!!

Basically, making friends as a mother, is a lot like dating. You pretty yourself up, find a good pick up location, make the awkward first hellos, and then make future plans. Things might not work out well at first, but eventually (hopefully) you will find the perfect fit; The mom with a similar parenting style, same taste is gossip magazines and wine, and will offer trading babysitting services instead of hourly rates.

Where is your favorite spot to make new friends? 

Weekend of Fun in the Sun

This past weekend was surprisingly fun and equally relaxing. It was filled with sunshine, laughter, family, splashing, cheering, and a bit of quiet. Best of all, it was minimal devices and maximum quality time.

The hubby navigating the roads to the lake 

No nose cast equals relaxing in the sun without awkward tan lines!

Betz ladies minus our awesome matriarch!

Lunch before the game. Yup still liquid/soft diet. The kids get jealous of my smoothies.

He got a hit off that pitch!!

Talking baseball after the game

A moment of quiet at the end of the weekend.

A Little Rebel in Us All

I've been feeling very restless with my appearance these last few weeks. I guess a facial injury will do that to you. It's not just my face though. I kind of want a whole makeover. Clothes, hair, makeup. I usually play it safe with my look. Makeup, if any, is neutral, hair never goes more than two shade lighter or darker than the natural color, and my clothes stay fairly preppy but have been bordering the “mom” look for quite some time now. I have this imaginary alter ego with a wild, outgoing personality and the looks to match. I always envy the people that are actually living my alter ego. I would love to let a little more of her shine through. Having just recently moved to a new state, what better time is there to add a bit of personality?

The alter ego did poke through a bit a few years back when I did my one rebellious act with my appearance. I had my nose pierced. I kept it a simple small stud, not too flashy, for over three years.  Well, during surgery and the healing process my piercing had to come out and is long gone (must be all those healing powers up front and central that made it disappear so fast). With that bit of defiance gone, I am starting to get antsy.

To keep my full crazy rebellious alter ego at bay once again, I'm thinking I should just let a small piece shine through again. I really don't want to hurt though. I'm pretty much over pain right about now which means tats and piercings are out. (You’re welcome mom!) I am also too broke to go buy a WHOLE new funky but fun wardrobe unless that wardrobe is for winter clothes (this Florida girl is scared of her first Nebraska winter) so I'm leaning toward new hair. It can't be too out there because I still have to enter the job hunt soon but I would enjoy a little bit of funky and fun. I have been turning to my trusty go to website, Pinterest, for a little inspiration. I would LOVE to go pink or, in the very least, have some peeking through. I had a bit of hot pink in my hair about a year and half ago and while I ADORED it, it faded fairly quickly. I am feeling pretty positive about maintaining it though. So far I am wanting blonde hair on the darker side with the pink just peeking through. I could be hidden if styled correctly but shines through when wanted! 

If I can muster up a few more ounces courage (and more cash) I think I may go for it. After all, you only live once, it won't be permanent, and I am ready for a bit of change!

My current Motto

Seeing Stars

Do you ever make plans and then never get them done because SOMETHING always gets in the way? Whether it's going to the beach but its raining, or you need to pack to move but ran out of tape, or how about celebrate the Fourth of July and fall flat, and I mean flat, on your face breaking, your nose and teeth? Yea. Well that last one happened to me this year. Water balloons and booze and slippery sidewalks should have screamed DANGER!! But we laugh in the face of danger right? "Hahahaha!" Well guess who is laughing now. That's right. Danger is cackling so hard tears are falling, while I got stuck dazed and seeing stars.

After my ER visit

After the fall, all I could see was blood on concrete and I could hear a lot of concern and feet running. I was given an ice compress which quickly became saturated with disgustingness then rushed into my dad's truck with my husband and mom by my side. The ER waiting room gave me the time to calm my breathing, feel my broken teeth, and promptly freak out again. Once I got back to the exam room I actually stayed calm. X-rays were ordered and then we had to schedule a follow up with a specialist.

That appointment on Monday was fun. And by fun, just imagine being told that you need to have your first EVER surgery which includes being put under, which you have never EVER done before to have braces put on your mouth and your broken nose set and packed. Yea, time for this claustrophobic, control freak to panic again. I got through it though. I survived. Thank God and thanks to my awesome hubby who held my hand all the way through. Now I'm traveling to Nebraska from Florida with lovely black eyes and a stylish cast on my nose. 

A week has passed

That's right. All this happened right before the big family road trip half way across country. The good news is I don't have to worry about getting fat while eating gross fast food for the 1400 mile journey. I'm busy eating (or should I say drinking) soup, drinking juices, and sucking down those little baby food pouches (which are actually quite tasty with their random combinations of veggies and fruit). Although, I will admit the doughnuts the kids ate this morning looked WAY more DELICIOUS!!

 I have a new appointment with a new specialist scheduled for the first Tuesday in Nebraska. Hopefully, they can further correct my bite (because FOOD!) and they will say my nose is healing beautifully (because who wants the doctor to say your nose is jacked up!?) I am a teensy bit nervous they will be telling me more work will need to be done. I know my teeth will need some corrective procedures and I am NOT looking forward to those. But, I refuse to be negative (for long). Positivity can take you a LONG way and I will use it to get as far as I can.

So far our family road trip hasn't been too bad. The kiddos 

have been excellent. Can we get a big thank you to the road trip heavens for portable DVD players? And who knows, a post may show up later about tips in traveling with little ones (I discovered some fun ways to pass the time).

As for now, during this brief moment of quiet from the back seat, I will be enjoying a book from my lovely sister's audible account. Who knew audiobooks could actually be enjoyable and sometimes preferred?!

Clean Slate

I think a large part inside of me, the creative ambitious part, really just wants to cut the crap and get back to the basics. 

I watch too much TV (rather Netflix), play too long online (smartphones are evil), and sit around procrastinating way more than I ought.

I am starting to crave and seek out a simpler and much more productive existence. I want less chaos in my head and more calm. Lets face it, social media and television really do create a sizable amount of noise and negativity in our heads. I'm tired of negativity. I even deleted Facebook from my phone so the debating wouldn’t get me down. 

A fresh start is swiftly approaching my family, and I am welcoming it with open arms. We will be in a new place with new opportunities. Yes, it is a smidgen scary but with a dose of bravery and a whole crap load of positivity, I am excited about this new adventure. Honestly, I have never really been so ambitious before. I don’t really have a set path to follow and never really have. So I am putting a smile on my face and just moving forward. I have a list of wants and an idea of how to acquire them. The plan is to cut the noise out while adding more music, to read words that inspire my imagination, and to strengthen my body to see what it is really capable of. Yesterday, the kids and I even joined my sis and her kiddos by turning off the social media and television noise for a bit and exploring a little piece of heaven on Earth; the best used bookstore in the world and the free night at the local museum! A little less noise, a little more beauty, and a whole lot of quality time! It was a perfect day to help wrap up my year in Florida!

Have you ever needed to wipe away negativity and begin again, whether is was just a bad day or maybe a chaotic year? How did it go? Do you have any advice for someone who needs to add a little positivity to their routine? 

Hello Old Friend

Its been a while since I have written anything. There has always been something getting in the way until I just forgot that I loved to write. I love to write about life, politics, exercise, crafts, make believe, and of course, love. 

My Love

I started this blog to motivate me to keep writing but that lasted all of two seconds before I stopped. In my defense, my computer crashed and being financially challenged didn't really allow for my computer to get fixed or replaced very swiftly. In-between my old computer crashing and my current moment of inspiration, life happened. Darn that thing called life, always getting in the way when you are just trying to live it…

My Life

Anyway, life is changing, like it tends to do, and I have been guided back to writing. I even started cleaning out the old cobwebs in the blog. Maybe I will start using it for some motivation again. But I kind of enjoy the idea of not worrying about what my writing looks like but rather what is says. That's the problem with today, well, one of the many. Everything has to look good. And if it doesn’t? What then? Why does it matter what a blog looks like if the content rocks? So, when cleaning up the blog and changing things around, I went from bright and busy to clean, fresh. Its time to focus on the words, on getting back to the things that matter.

Like me. I matter. Well, in my world, I matter. I am a mom, and often times that becomes a defining factor in a woman’s life. Something beautiful happens when you have gone through months of pregnancy, hours of exhausting labor, and painfully give birth to a bowling ball. Something sweeps over you and you switch from being an independent fashionista with a career dream, musical preferences, and good hygiene, to a mom. One word. “Mom.” Your world shifts, along with your priorities and focus. All that matters is your child(ren) is happy and healthy. If that means I choose to sleep instead of shower during my free moment then so be it. I wouldn't trade being a mom for the world. Baby snuggles, middle of the night doctor trips, Tball practices, and snotty kisses; its simply magic. However, as my kiddos get older and my experience grows, I understand that I don’t have to describe myself in one word. I don’t have to be just mom. It can be like my preschool teacher said (or, you know, my son’s teacher), I can be whatever I want to be. Sure I am about six times older than I was then and time is not on my side. But screw you time! I don’t need you to tell me I can't do something just because I”m getting older. Since when does creativity have an age limit? Oh that's right, it doesn’t!

So here I am, taking my son’s teacher’s encouragement (even though she never intended it to apply to me) and I am going to start adding adjectives to my description. Starting from scratch, with a fresh clean template. My story continues growing.