tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6957645290190050162024-03-13T10:15:14.756-05:00Mrs. BookwormJoin me on this adventure called life! Mrs. Bookwormhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03922524781231715152noreply@blogger.comBlogger174125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-695764529019005016.post-22436142321061213602015-10-10T09:03:00.001-05:002015-10-10T09:06:11.250-05:00Day 8: My Take on a WardrobeThere will be a lot of people talking about about capsule wardrobes-- there are a lot of different takes on in and it can be a little bit overwhelming. When I have done the different 7x7 challenges I have found it hard because I don't want to feel limited in my choices.. Though, there is definitely such thing as too much choice when it comes to a wardrobe. I don't know about you, but I know for a fact that there have been times when I have thought that I would love something and wear it all the time only to find out that I don't wear it that often or even worse it is still hanging in the closet with it's tags still on.<br />
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I had a new postpartum body to dress and none of my clothes were fitting in the same way anymore. So, I did a huge closet purge-- it is continually a work in process because obviously I couldn't get rid of all of my clothes at one time. My focus became not necessarily on how many items or what types of items; but rather pieces that I love. These items need to be able to be remixable-- gone are the days of only wearing it in one perfect outfit, they need to fit my lifestyle. I have an almost two year old so these items need to be machine washable and very movable. I demand a lot out of my clothes because I also work outside of the home. I don't have time for high maintenance clothing.<br />
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It has been a process of learning but over the next week I will be talking with you more about how I have simplified my wardrobe. I think my wardrobe and my style will continue to evolve.<br />
<br />Mrs. Bookwormhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03922524781231715152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-695764529019005016.post-24133487191588640342015-10-02T06:00:00.000-05:002015-10-02T06:00:09.160-05:00Day 2: Sweet TreatsI love fall treats, but I don't have a lot of time or patience for baking. It is a problem when you love treats, but don't want to spend the time or money to get them.<br />
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<a href="http://www.skiptomylou.org/easy-snickerdoodle-recipe/">Skip to my Lou</a> has a great Snickerdoodle recipe that comes from a cake mix. It takes me 30 minutes to get all of my cookies made. They are super easy, super delicious and I have yet to meet anyone who doesn't like them. They are a great chocolate or pumpkin alternative this time of year-- especially while the rest of the world has gone pumpkin spice crazy!Mrs. Bookwormhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03922524781231715152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-695764529019005016.post-62501609429318278042015-10-01T06:00:00.000-05:002015-10-01T06:00:04.480-05:00October 1st means Fall is Here!Today is October 1st. That means it is the first day of Write31 originally started by The Nester... I participated last year, but I wasn't 100% successful because Little Man got really sick. So this year I have 5 topics that I am going to write about with the common theme being simplicity. These are not topics that I am an expert at, but rather they are topics that I am interested in learning about. I am taking a journey of finding balance. Week 1 is about Simplicity in the kitchen-- making easy, family friendly recipes or any tricks that I have learned along the way.<br />
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Since it is now very fallish it is time to start eating fall things! I have a huge love affair with 1 pot meals, I find them to be really easy and they don't create a ton of dishes either. I am trying a new lasagna skillet recipe as my base from <a href="http://www.fivehearthome.com/2014/08/17/30-minute-skillet-lasagna/">fivehearthome.com</a>-- I don't have all of the ingredients but I can easily sub them for the same thing in a dried spice form.<br />
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Here is what you will need:<br />
1 (28 oz can) petite diced tomatoes<br />
water<br />
1 (8 oz can) of tomato sauce<br />
1 T olive oil<br />
5 cloves of garlic minced or 1 1/4 teaspoons garlic powder<br />
1/4 teaspoon pepper flakes<br />
1 pound ground beef<br />
8 oz of pasta or 6-8 uncooked lasagna noodles broken up<br />
1 T each of basil, oregano, thyme, and parsley mixed<br />
1/2 cup + 2 T of grated Parmesan<br />
1 cup cottage cheese<br />
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Here are the directions:<br />
Step 1 Pour the can of diced tomatoes into a 4 cup measuring cup--I'm using my very large pyrex measuring cup. Add enough water to measure it to 4 cups.<br />
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Step 2: Heat a large skillet with a lid over medium heat ( I have a deep stainless steel pan that I use), Pour 1 Tablespoon of olive oil into the pan. Swish it around by tilting your pan. Add your garlic, red pepper flakes and stir for 30 seconds. Add ground beef and brown. When done drain. Add in 3 Tablespoons of spice mixture.<br />
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Step 3: Add pasta to the meat. Pour your tomato mixture over the noodles and meat, without stirring. Bring to a simmer and then reduce heat to medium-low heat... Cover and stir every 5 minutes. Add more spices if are necessary. Cook time is 20-25 minutes. After to you get everything on the stove it would be a great time to help the kiddos in your world with homework! I would throw in some buttermilk biscuits or crescent rolls in the oven at this time!<br />
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Step 4: Remove from heat and add your cheese. Adjust any of the necessary spices. Before serving mix your cottage cheese. Allow to rest for five minutes. While your lasagna is resting get everyone to the table, that does take 5 minutes in of itself.<br />
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<br />Mrs. Bookwormhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03922524781231715152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-695764529019005016.post-59923820841778777642015-09-22T01:26:00.002-05:002015-10-10T09:05:49.558-05:0031 Days of Simplicity<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This for Write 31 I will be writing about simplicity, but I am going to take a different approach to it. For each week I am going to have a different topic that I am focusing on-- and I will write everyday about how I have gone about I have simplified my life in that area. Everything will be tested by me and I will let you know the good, the bad, and the ugly about what happened that day. </div>
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As I write for that day I will come back and add the link to this page so we have once spot to follow along with. </div>
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Week 1:Seven Days of Simplicity in Preparing Food. </div>
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<a href="http://missbookworm85.blogspot.com/2015/09/october-1st-means-fall-is-here.html">Day 1:</a> October 1st Means that Fall is Here!</div>
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<a href="http://missbookworm85.blogspot.com/2015/09/day-2-sweet-treats.html">Day 2:</a> Sweet Treats</div>
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Day 3</div>
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Day 4</div>
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Day 5</div>
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Day 6</div>
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Day 7</div>
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Week 2: Seven Days of Simplicity in Fashion</div>
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<a href="http://missbookworm85.blogspot.com/2015/10/day-8-capsule-wardrobes.html">Day 8:</a> My Take on a Capsule Wardrobe</div>
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Day 9</div>
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Day 10</div>
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Day 11</div>
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Day 12</div>
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Day 13</div>
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Day 14</div>
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Week 3: Seven Days of Simplicity in Life with a Toddler</div>
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Day 20 </div>
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Day 21</div>
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Week 4: Seven Days of Simplicity at Home</div>
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Day 22</div>
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Day 25</div>
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Day 26</div>
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Day 27</div>
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Week 5: Seven Days of Simplicity in Fall</div>
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Day 29</div>
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Day 30</div>
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Day 31</div>
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Mrs. Bookwormhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03922524781231715152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-695764529019005016.post-30956460398676569312015-01-23T20:43:00.000-06:002015-01-23T20:43:25.792-06:00More posts coming to the blog near you: SOON!There is a reason why I like to keep things a little bit more loose. He is almost 11 months old, and been sick for the last week. Poor Little Man, he is finally starting to feel better. He is currently sleeping up in his room, and this mama will shortly be sleeping up in hers. I am still going to start taking and posting fashion pictures and I have a couple of different looks that I would like to try and do a review on. We will get back into the swing of things. Thanks for sticking around through this rocky start!Mrs. Bookwormhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03922524781231715152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-695764529019005016.post-33527444619899898862015-01-13T21:01:00.001-06:002015-01-13T21:01:43.517-06:00Those Nights When NOBODY Sleeps!Blogging on Monday turned out to be a terrible idea! Little Man decided that he was not going to sleep hardly at all that night. I got 3 hours of sleep that night, I am not even joking. I am suprised that I was even remotely functional. I wasn't the most chipper, happy-go-lucky person in the world, but at least I was alive and functioning. <div>
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The thought came to me, there has to be other mom who are getting so little sleep and feel like they look like death warmed over. So, I am on the hunt for great ways to look fresh in the morning when you didn't sleep regardless of what the reason is. I have found some promising ideas. I will continue to keep looking and will post the links with commentary soon!</div>
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xoxo,</div>
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Mrs. Bookworm</div>
Mrs. Bookwormhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03922524781231715152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-695764529019005016.post-74515884847364985162015-01-10T22:25:00.000-06:002015-01-10T22:25:14.645-06:00Flaunt it Friday: A Remixable Wardrobe Experiment!Sometimes we just need to put our wardrobes into perspective and look at what we do have and love opposed to what we don't have. I need clothes that are cute and easy to care for. Almost everything I own is machine washable. I only have a few items that are "dry clean only".<br />
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I was reading a blog post entitled <a href="http://auraimageconsulting.com/2014/11/plan-organize-shop-capsule-wardrobe/">How to Plan, Organize, and Shop for Your capsule Wardrobe</a>, which helped me see capsule wardrobes differently. While a lot of capsule wardrobes focus on having these particular clothes-- the emphasis in this particular post was to have appropriate clothes that fit your lifestyle.<br />
Not every wardrobe is going to be the exact same. Example, if you work as a personal trainer you will have way more workout apparel than someone who spends the majority of their time at work in an office.We have huge temperature fluctuation throughout the year and so I will need to have some pieces that are specific to that period of time. Winter coats, hat, scarf, and gloves, shorts etc are all part of a four season wardrobe.<br />
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Following this model, for 5 capsule wardrobes one would need 5 completer pieces (blazers, cardigans, vests, denim jacket etc)<br />
15 tops, 10 bottoms, 5 pairs of shoes, 5 bags, and approximately 15 different accessories.<br />
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Completer pieces: denim jacket, red vest, teal vest, turquoise vest, black blazer, brown blazer, blue and white striped blazer, gold cardigan, teal cardigan, black & white cardigan, teal cardigan, brown sweater, emerald cardigan<br />
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Tops: red wrap top, gray sequin sweater, black T-shirt (2), gray T-shirt, gray Aztec print T-shirt, concert t shirt, white top, leopard print top, graphic sweater, tan polka dot tie blouse, chambray shirt, black long sleeve tee, navy and cream blouse,<br />
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Bottoms: black maxi skirt, black pants (2), gray patterned pants, dark gray pants, dark wash jeans (2), black pencil skirt, khaki colored dress pants<br />
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I also have 3 dresses that are black and white. They are not the same style.<br />
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I will be using these piece to make outfits to provide some encouragement and to give me a reason to practice remixing my wardrobe... Fridays (or Saturdays) depending upon how the days goes will be for Fashion... I will be starting a new series called Fashion Fridays. I will post some pics and talk about what has gone really great and what has gone terribly terribly wrong. I hope that you will join me as I figure out a hot mama wardrobe!<br />
XOXO,<br />
Mrs. BookwormMrs. Bookwormhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03922524781231715152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-695764529019005016.post-7238756557623652102015-01-08T05:00:00.000-06:002015-01-08T05:00:02.583-06:00My Favorite ThingsHere are my favorite things and any one of these things will make for a great day, add all of these together and it is pretty much an amazing day!<br />
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1. Creme de menthe blended mocha in the summer, and hot mochas in the winter.<br />
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2. Carmex chapstick with a pretty lipstick over top. My fave lipstick is by Mary Kay, my color is appleberry. Carmex has been my stand-by chap stick for years!</div>
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3. OPI Nail polish! I love pinks, but I have a dark purple called vampsterdam that I want to try!</div>
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4. Jeans! I spend the majority of my time in dress pants, skirts, and dresses.</div>
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5. Purchasing actual CDs! I jam out in my car with LM. I have listening to Christmas music recently on the radio but will be switching back to alternating between Jason Gray and Taylor Swift</div>
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6. Sleeping in!</div>
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What makes your day that much better?</div>
Mrs. Bookwormhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03922524781231715152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-695764529019005016.post-19864778905754208632015-01-05T05:00:00.000-06:002015-01-05T05:00:08.448-06:00Five Ways to Love on Your Mama Friends!<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I am a new mama, and I will be the first to admit that this is one of the hardest gigs that I have ever had. I have had a lot of jobs over the years... Some days I feel like a rock star, but most days I feel like I am the worst mama in the world. I don't have it together and I have a lot questions about things that other parents magically know. This post is inspired by a conversation that I had with acquaintances that don't have kids or weren't sure how to weather the newest things going on in their friends life... here are some ideas that I had about how to love on your friends who are new/ first time parents. </span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Leaving my house on a Friday night is too much work! After a crazy work week quite honestly it is the last thing that I want to do most weekends. However, I would love it if a friend wanted to come to my house! There are a lot of things that we can do after Little Man goes to bed... TV marathons, watch movies, craft, or even just surf YouTube and Pinterest together. Quite honestly any movie that you want to watch that has come out since 2013-- I probably haven't seen it yet. Bonus points if you bring pizza, a snack, or wine. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">Send your friend a text/ Facebook message, or call them on your lunch break. If their lunch times doesn't align with yours leave a fun message. I am not always great about contacting friends, because I feel like half of my brain is missing most days, but I feel so loved when someone takes the time to connect. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When my son was three weeks old one very brave friend came for the weekend. She was there to meet my son and help me out. She did things really basic things like washing dishes or snuggling my son so I could shower or nap. It was phenomenal! She even volunteered to get up and feed him a bottle one night so that I could have extra rest. This was a huge thing for me, because part of recovering is trying to figure out how you are going to do it all. Ask her specific questions like can I vacuum for you or do you need milk at your house. It makes all of the difference in the world. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Invite your friend and her kid(s) out do something. The reality that a lot of people won't get out of the house without their kid(s) very often... your friend needs adult conversation! IF you invite may family to some sort of gathering, you are providing them with an outlet and that much needed adult time without the guilt.</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Make a conscientious effort to talk about something that has nothing to do with be a parent. It is great to get advice on that stuff but sometimes I just want to talk about anything else. I don’t want to lose sight of who I was before my bundle of joy entered my world.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Nothing lasts forever, and this zombie like state that your friend might be in will eventually disappear. What kinds of things do you do with your friends who are new/ first time mamas?</span></span></div>
Mrs. Bookwormhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03922524781231715152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-695764529019005016.post-42488386896730031572015-01-02T05:00:00.000-06:002015-01-02T05:00:01.534-06:00A New Year means new fashion?The New Year is suppose to be a time of reflection and hope... looking back at the year that is wrapping up and looking forward to a new year. We can big events coming, but we didn't necessarily see all of the details as to how it will play out. An example of this i when Little Man was born this past March. We knew that he was coming, but we were unsure of how it was going to go. There are so many different variables. We have loved being parents, and Little Man is definitely someone to cherish. Parenthood is also an example of constantly evolving. We are not the same parents that we are today as we were hen he was born and we will continue to evolve.<br />
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The same thing could be said for a closet-- my closet will continue to evolve, and not just because I am continually purchasing new clothes. Honestly, I don't have time for that despite what others seem to think.I can remember very clearly what happened while wearing certain pieces from my closet. They will forever be a part of that memory, but there other times when it was nearly as important. I have had some really beautiful and creative outfits that I have loved and have worn repeatedly. I also have those outfits that are not my favorite and probably will never wear again, but at least I tried something new. That is the nice thing about my closet. Things are remixable and can be worn several different ways. Not just in the outfit that it was purchased for. This last year has been a year of learning-- in 2013 I needed to create a remixable wardrobe because I was pregnant and I couldn't wear larger non-maternity clothes anymore. They didn't it right and they were uncomfortable. I translate that knowledge into my 2014 wardrobe, thankfully some of my clothes still fit after I had my son, but unfortunately some did not. I have realized that it is not a race and have been slowly working on building my wardrobe. My plan is to add another pair of jeans, maybe two pairs. I have one pair that fits and that I like, but I spend a lot of my time in work clothes, so I don't need a ton of pairs-- but it would be nice to have more than one pair. I also am lacking sweaters. Which I find interesting. I live in the midwest, but in fact do not own a lot of sweaters. I do not know how that has happened, so I will be adding a couple sweaters to my wardrobe. Especially now, as all winter items are on sale!<br />
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I felt unsatisfied with my closet before. It didn't feel very chic or impressive-- I often feel like I didn't have anything to wear. My clothes need to make sense for what I do everyday! For me feeling chic doesn't necessarily mean sky high heels and little black dresses. My clothes need to reflect that the majority of my time is spent at my job, teaching children... and when I am not at my job I am with my son who is just now figuring out that he likes to "Move it! Move it! Move it!" I spend a lot of my time on the floor, dancing, and all sorts of other things.. so I need movable and flexible clothing. That doesn't mean I can't enjoy a beautifully created ensemble-- even though it might not be easily washable or practical. </div>
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I feel like I have a really solid base, other than my jeans and sweater situation. They are pieces that are easily added in. I will probably have to replace some items and I am on the hunt for some shoes to add to my collection. This year-- my goal for wardrobe is to conscientious about what I am purchasing and making sure that these items are remixable and are easy to care for.<br />
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I hope you join me as I learn how to make my wardrobe work for me! Happy New Year, Friends!</div>
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Mrs. Bookwormhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03922524781231715152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-695764529019005016.post-39076195812866985682014-12-30T10:01:00.000-06:002014-12-30T10:01:15.951-06:00Mrs. Bookworm in 2015!I always mean to blog, and than all of the sudden it is the 29th of December and I haven't blogged in 28 days... because life gets in the way and the thing about being a working mama is that I am super exhausted in the evenings and I just want to hang out with my son and eat supper and be mindless for a couple of hours before I go to bed and start my day all over again.<br />
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I was looking at my blog posts too see what caught every one's interests and what I found out was interesting. You guys are interested in what I have to say about mamahood fashion, my house organization, and my working mama thoughts. These are the topics that I was planning on continuing to write about because being a mama is a pretty constant thing, but how I go about life is constantly evolving. Don't be surprised if throw in some recipes or some our zany adventures in sporadically too. Just like everyone else we got to eat and fairly consistently weird things happen to us-- most commonly Little Man and I, but The Doc has some interesting adventures as well.<br />
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My goal is to post on Mondays and Fridays... and if the blogging bug hits any other time during the week I will wander back and catch you up on our week here. You can find us on Bloglovin' and so head on over and follow us. Also, make sure to comment on any topics you would like for me to cover.<br />
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I have this idea for a monthly series about various things that I have learned as a parent--- the kind of stuff that every one just expects you to know, even though nobody tells you! Man oh man have we had some adventures!<br />
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I hope you all are enjoying the last few days of 2014 and your 2015 starts out rocking!<br />
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XOXO,<br />
Mrs. Bookworm & Little Man (he has been playing with my phone and stylus on my lap as I type this.)<br />
<br />Mrs. Bookwormhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03922524781231715152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-695764529019005016.post-6792100757772869392014-12-01T11:00:00.002-06:002014-12-01T11:00:43.651-06:00Day 31: Closing RemarksIt is the first day of December and I think that this going to be as good as it gets for my 31 days of Real Life, but that is okay. I have learned a lot through this writing experience and I am glad that I chose to complete this project. Even if it did take me two months to complete it. Motherhood is hard, but reflecting on it helped me to see what i was doing right and what areas I still needed to learn from... motherhood is a process and as Little Man continues to get older I will need to continually adapt to do what is beast for our family!<br />
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Today is being spent at home, I am pushing through all of my laundry-- because I wanted to make sure that everyone else was ready for our three day work week and then our long weekend away from home. I have rounded up the majority of my clothes and have them all color sorted! The biggest challenge is always getting them put away. I have so many other things that I feel like I need to focus on that this is the least important.<br />
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If I can get through all of the laundry today it will make this week so much smoother and we will have less laundry that needs to be done next week. December is always a busy month for us with Christmas parties, the Doc's birthday, and other holiday happenings.<br />
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Life continues on, whether we are ready for it or not. Thank you for joining with me on this almost 31 day journey.Mrs. Bookwormhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03922524781231715152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-695764529019005016.post-2258188182445186772014-11-20T17:53:00.002-06:002014-11-20T17:54:25.474-06:00Day 30: Sick Baby!Sometimes life gets in the way of blogging... and that is just how it has to be. Little Man caught a stomach bug from daycare. The last two days have had a lot of snuggles, diapers, and pedialyte.Mrs. Bookwormhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03922524781231715152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-695764529019005016.post-14218867700696618972014-11-11T17:27:00.003-06:002014-11-11T17:27:53.206-06:00Day 27: What's a Family to Eat?We are on day 2 of snow days... so Little Man and I didn't go to work. We stayed home and as of right now we have chicken in the oven. I was going to make baked chicken until I realized that I did have rice crispies or special k at my house... so instead I dipped the chicken in chipotle ranch dressing and backed it for 15 minutes and then checked it and poured a little more dressing and then put some butter in the dish to keep things moist. I am baking it at 350 degrees for approximately 40 minutes. It smells delicious, but that has led me down a path of destruction before. Dinners have about a 50/50 chance of turning out. My philosophy is keeping and open mind and trying new things.<br />
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Feeding my family more than frozen pizzas or cereal and pb sandwhiches is important. Though, it is going to take a little longer to be able to find balance and keep this going... I think we are on the right path.<br />
<br />Mrs. Bookwormhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03922524781231715152noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-695764529019005016.post-83358123077593814972014-11-10T16:01:00.000-06:002014-11-10T16:02:48.182-06:00Day 26: Winter is HereWe are in a region wide (my part of the start) winter weather warning, though it sounds like western Wisconsin is also getting hit by the snow. Little Man and I are in our jammies. We just stirred the chili and will be stirring it again shortly. We took a couple of naps and watched the snow fall outside. The visibility is better now than what it was before... but snow emergencies are being called everywhere and business are closing down. I am so very glad that I got LM some more baby food and picked up a gallon of milk for us.<br />
We are just doing laundry and hanging out... it is way too windy for us to go outside and see if little man even likes the snow. Winter is here to stay I would say, so I imagine we will have a lot of time for that.Mrs. Bookwormhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03922524781231715152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-695764529019005016.post-36516967332662575062014-11-09T21:59:00.001-06:002014-11-09T22:00:19.051-06:00Day 25: One Bite at a TimeLately, I haven't felt like I have had a lot of things to say on the blog, because everything seems to be very ordinary-- Little Man and I do a lot of day to day things like laundry, dishes, playing, and trying to figure out what we can make for supper based off of our very odd pantry staples. Harvest time almost always kills my groove and turns me into a person who is stressed frazzled, and doesn't have enough hours in the day to get anything done. Right now at our house is rush time because we have heard that we are going to get anywhere from 0-16 inches of snow in the next 48 hours... This seems like over kill to me mother nature, but my opinion is irrelevant. Mother Nature is still going to do her thing. So, I am going to turn up the heat a little bit in the house and I am going to try and get a little bit more laundry done. I did pull a lot of unnecessary stuff out of my car this evening when I finally got Little Man settled for the night. This whole teething thing is going to be death of this mama. What I have noticed is that when I am at my whits end with the crying and the teething pain thing... there is a continual urge just for one more snuggle until my frustration subsides.<br />
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Which is kind of how I feel about putting my house back together... Yes, there are a lot of things that need to be done and it is totally overwhelming when I put it in the context of what I need to do everyday. When I work on putting my house back together one task at a time, it does seem way more manageble. So, right now even though I am tired and cold I am going to pick a couple of tasks to do-- so that tomorrow I am able to do a couple more tasks and then eventually my house will be put back together. I have to keep in mind that I have a lot of responsibilities, but if I work at things a little bit at a time they go so much better.<br />
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I do wish that the snow would be in such a rush to greet us, but it was bound to happen... so I guess that it is better just to get it over with and move on to our next thing. Though, snow does complicate what I was going to wear to work tomorrow, because a dress on the first snow of the year is ALWAYS a bad idea!Mrs. Bookwormhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03922524781231715152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-695764529019005016.post-40217933276810543402014-11-06T21:37:00.000-06:002014-11-09T22:02:08.872-06:00Day 24: Wrapping Up the WeekI am in the process of wrapping up the week, I have one more official day of work and then I switch gears to full-time mama for the weekend. What I am looking at entails copious mounts of laundry and dishes.... I am currently drinking cider out of a Christmas mug, because that was the last clean one in the cupboard and now we have no clean mugs/ glasses.... During the week it is sometimes easier to just push things to the side, because when I get home from work I want to spend time with Little Man in addition to things that have to be done like making supper, and preparing ourselves for the next day. The weekend is usually more relaxed, because we don't have concrete deadlines. We can hang out in our jammies and watch a cartoon. Little Man loves The Doozers on hulu. The episodes are 10-12 minutes long... we don't watch a lot of tv, but this show I recommend because it has great morals, bright colors, music, and are fun.<br />
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This weekend will be a lot of work, but it will be worth it in the end. I hope everyone has a fantastic Friday.<br />
<br />Mrs. Bookwormhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03922524781231715152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-695764529019005016.post-83628636463081634742014-11-03T14:32:00.000-06:002014-11-03T16:45:28.305-06:00Day 29: Working Mama, Traveling MamaLittle Man and I are gone a lot between work and other obligations. So, I have become really good at packing a diaper bag for day long adventures. I thought I would share with you what I always keep in my diaper bag today.<br />
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Here is my <a href="http://www.thirtyonegifts.com/catalog/product/320/catid/22/swid/988a/zip-top-organizing-utility-tote-in-black-chevron/">diaper bag</a>, though mine is in the print navy wave (which has been discontinued). I love the outside pockets and the fact that it has a zip top. </div>
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I keep a flannel receiving blanket in there-- it does double duty if we are at restaurants or malls I use it on the changing tables. If we are going to a family members or friends we use it as a burp cloth. It one of those pregnancy brain induced purchases that was well worth the eight dollars a pack that I spent on them.</div>
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I have a pacifier and pacifier clip in my diaper bag. Little Man loves his pacis, they soothe him and they will be easier to take a way than his thumb. Though, some days he has an attitude about the clip and just wants his paci. So, I keep a munchkin paci & bottle wipes in the diaper bag. Eventually the paci ends up on the ground and this is really helpful to have.</div>
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I also have Boogie Wipes. My kid always seems to have a stuffed up nose, and theses seem to help get the boogies out and keep his nose from getting raw.</div>
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I always have a book or two in his diaper bag.</div>
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We have a couple of toys in there. Right now he is loving his cloth bunny rattle, his monkey toy, and his links. I try to switch the toys out every once in awhile. </div>
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I of course have diapers and wipes. With one of cases of diapers we got a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Diapees-Wipees-Brown-Animals-Diaper/dp/B004RBPGKC/ref=sr_1_18?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1414861326&sr=1-18&keywords=diapees+and+wipees">Diapees & Wipees</a> diaper holder with a little plastic case for wipes. I love this thing! I can't fit as much in it now that he is in size 3 diapers, but when he was little I could fit diapers, wipes, Vaseline, and his little bottom lotion. The other nice thing about it is that when we are at grandma's house I can just grab that thing and away we go! This last time that I bought a case of wipes I got this little re-usable wipes travel case... and I love it! It is way better than the individual packs of travel diapers. We use Pampers diapers and Huggies natural care wipes. When it is necessary I throw in diaper cream or other necessaries.<br />
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Of course you will need baby food... as in substance for the little one. Little Man is still drinking formula, though we are introducing pureed baby foods. What I have found that if we are going to be gone for a little while those teeny tiny rubbermaid plastic containers work great (I also use them form spice mixtures)! If I am going to be gone for say a whole day I will throw two of those in my bag and bring the big formula container, but leave it in the car. That sucker gets heavy toting it around the mall. I buy bottled water for Little Man, mainly because there usually isn't a drinking fountain close by when he wants to eat. For as much as we have to be out and about, I prefer to be home during our fruits/ veggie meal Little Man makes quite the mess and a good portion of the time it ends up in my hair. Not because he spits it out, but because he touches my face or hair while he is eating.<br />
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(none of these links are affiliate links, they are more or less to give you an idea of what I am talking about)</div>
Mrs. Bookwormhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03922524781231715152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-695764529019005016.post-55562038027480983172014-10-28T20:04:00.001-05:002014-10-28T20:04:36.609-05:00Day 28: Hectic LifeI am still here, it just got really busy with work, beautiful weekend weather and a sick feeling Little Man. I will be back tomorrow! I have some really great topics coming up and some more clothing posts as soon as I find my camera cord. Yes, it is still missing and now it is making me really annoyed.Mrs. Bookwormhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03922524781231715152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-695764529019005016.post-59758588441435805872014-10-23T21:25:00.000-05:002014-10-23T21:34:20.186-05:00Day 23: What Are You Looking For in a Home, Mama?We are going to try something a little different tonight (yes, it is night time here). One of my favorite blogs is <a href="http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/">Apartment Therapy</a>, there are a lot of styles and different pictures and truly great ideas-- though after watching them I feel really overwhelmed, because my house is not a little bungalow or a studio or anything I would peg as very cool. We live in an old, cold farm house that has more quirks than character. Anyway they are doing a style cure this fall, and so I figured I would post my answer to the "interview questions"<br />
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These questions all came from Apartment Therapy's style Interview, the responses are all of my own.<br />
Favorite Actor: Ryan Reynolds<br />
favorite actress: Reese Witherspon/ Anne Hathaway<br />
favorite artist: Edgar Degas<br />
Favorite writer: I don't have one, but I do read Nora Roberts sometimes<br />
Favorite Music: Jewel, Pistol Annies, Sunflowers by Everclear<br />
Favorite Restaraunt: (Sawatdees)<br />
Favorite automobile: none<br />
Favorite movie/ tv Show: While You Were Sleeping/ Gilmore Girls<br />
Favorite Clothing Stores: The Limited, Francescas, Banana Republic<br />
Favorite Furniture Store: IKEA<br />
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2. Three words to describe your personal style: colorful, comfortable, functional<br />
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3.My favorite rooms have been cozy, really comfortable with furniture that meets the needs of the space, and have fun mementos that are visible.<br />
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Favorite room from a childhood home: My favorite room ha lots of light and a lot of different pictures of loved ones up.<br />
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Favorite room from adulthood home: A room that is comfortable and lived in, but is still pretty and orderly.<br />
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4. Whom do you consider a role model: People who are relaxed and fairly casual along with someone who is kind and understanding along with being very smart.<br />
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Three characteristics that you admire in that person:<br />
organized, intentional, and welcoming<br />
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5. Every home that has spots that are "just right" what three spots in your home do you feel are beautiful and perfect? There are no spots in our house that I am truly in love with 100%. There are different aspects of different places that I like, but nothing feels "just right" a little more tweaking is needed.<br />
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6. A month from now, at the end of Style Cure, how would you like friends to describe your home?<br />
cozy, fun, inviting<br />
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My take away from this is that I want spaces that are cozy and comfortable, are orderly, and have fun mementos and are orderly. These are completely doable, I will just have to come up with more concrete goals as we go along. While this is not directly related to being a working mama, it does have a lot to do with where we are in life. When we are not out at things for work, or doing some of our errands we are most likely found at home. Little Man isn't very mobile independently, I am certain that we will be getting to that point very soon.<br />
<br />Mrs. Bookwormhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03922524781231715152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-695764529019005016.post-76948988077183114302014-10-22T22:41:00.001-05:002014-10-23T21:30:06.500-05:00Day 22: One of those daysToday has been one of those days where there seems to be more work than there is time, and there are more road blocks than what is truly possible to overcome. I only accomplished about less than 1/8th of what I wanted to do today because I wasn't focused, I had too many things that I wanted to do and I lost my keys in Target... like everyone working the floor was looking for them. It was terribly embarassing... my dad came to help me look for them we searched through my entire car, that pretty much holds my life.<br />
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So now on my to do list is: clean out my car again... I don't have the time to clean it out everyday like everyone is suggesting and have a second spare key made so that one can be left at my parent's house in Willmar. Thankfully, tomorrow is a new day. I teach my Intro to Computers class tomorrow. Which means I will be staying later at school tomorrow. The plus of that is the fact that I will then have a reason to stay at work a little bit later and get some of my tasks accomplished.Mrs. Bookwormhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03922524781231715152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-695764529019005016.post-19065149427891173002014-10-21T05:30:00.000-05:002014-10-22T22:34:51.321-05:00Day 21: Time to Remix it Up! 7x7 challengeThe hardest thing on my closet was my pregnancy. I hadn't been fluctuating sizes a lot up until I had my son. I had clothes that I had been wearing off and on for 10 years. Then I found out I was pregnant with my son and literally had nothing to wear. It was during this time that I started doing research to figure out what clothing I wanted to invest my money into... the clothing out there is really expensive and impractical for a first time mama or someone who isn't working as an executive. I couldn't tell you how many times I told The Doc that I was going to become a maternity fashion designer because this was absolutely ridiculous.<br />
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Another hit to my closet was my postpartum self. Things just don't fit like they use to. It was truly emotional having to say good-bye to so many of my favorite pieces from my closet. This might be sound silly to some, but I spent a lot of time cultivating my wardrobe. I had a very clear idea about who I was in terms of my clothing then. At this exact moment in time, I do not feel quite so confident about that, though I do feel extremely optimistic about my current wardrobe. While I am still doing some cultivating I am loving how it is turning out. Let me caution you though, building a wardrobe after giving birth is not a sprint. It is a marathon and all of the research and personal reflection I did helped me build a wardrobe that I am really starting to love!<br />
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It has taken me eight months to get to this point, and there are still items that I would love to have back in my closet, but they can wait. I will wait until I find the right piece that I absolutely can love! While I am still exploring this mommy-wardrobe, I would love to be able to share part of my journey with you.<br />
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One way that we are going to do this is through my own little 7x7 challenge. I am going to pick seven items of clothing that can be worn on the weekend and during my work week. Shoes and accessories are not part of this 7x7. I am also not counting camisoles/ tanks that go under things, but are not visible-- I do have dress code rules that I need to follow. I will be hopefully posting pictures (10/27- 10/28), I have not been successful in finding my camera cord.<br />
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My articles of clothing are: black maxi skirt, jeans, black pants, teal cardigan, chambray shirt, black t-shirt, emerald green long sleeve top.<br />
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Do you want to remix it up with me?<br />
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<br />Mrs. Bookwormhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03922524781231715152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-695764529019005016.post-75396899932846452792014-10-20T08:58:00.001-05:002014-10-20T08:58:54.099-05:00Day 20: Working From HomeI truly do enjoy my job, I feel that it is beneficial to others and that it is time well spent. Even with all of those things in the positive. I feel like I am losing things at Little Man is growing and changing everyday. He is always happy to show us his new tricks, so sometimes we just pretend that he is doing it for the first time. Sometimes I think that it would be nice to work from home in a job that had more flexible hours so that I could be home with him during the day. I haven't found a good idea or a good way of doing it, but I am sure that if it suppose to be, I will come up with an idea eventually. <div>
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That is why I find these news stories, <a href="http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2014/10/18/st-paul-womans-knitting-hobby-becomes-thriving-business/">Hobby Becomes a Thriving Business</a>, so fascinating. It is from our local CBS station. While I don't knit I do find these types of stories encouraging because it can happen.Many people do it everyday, and so it is just a matter of finding something that you love doing and having the patience and perseverance to turn it into a business.</div>
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How do you find balance between work and family?</div>
Mrs. Bookwormhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03922524781231715152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-695764529019005016.post-85168360410945297392014-10-19T17:42:00.001-05:002014-10-19T17:44:13.704-05:00Day 18: Life LessonsAs a parent I want what is best for Little Man, but with that comes a lot of doubt. I find myself to be second guessing a lot of what I do, when that has never been the case before. Parenting is hard and sometimes being a working mama makes that especially hard. This is because I want to make sure that the time we do have together is special. It doesn't always seem special but even when we are up in the middle of the night with him. Somedays we accomplish many things like laundry and dishes and so much more and other days we accomplish snuggles and nobody needing extra clothes. Every moment we have together is special and we are learning, growing and exploring together.So, we will keep doing our thing because teaching him that life isn't always exciting and it is not the world's job to entertain us are also good lessons.<br />
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Here is a message from LIttle Man (he LOVES to "type": jjhgynxh crrr hooo bygerrc dd yerxdhhhggggggggfvMrs. Bookwormhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03922524781231715152noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-695764529019005016.post-90595037092177453582014-10-17T19:56:00.000-05:002014-10-17T19:56:02.893-05:00Day 16: The Good Little ShopperToday (Thursday) we took little man to the Mall of America. This is the second time he has been here in his short little life and overall he is a great little shopper. I don't know of many babies who will survive an 8-9 hour shopping day without any melt downs. Part of it is the fact that he has a very chill littler personality and the other part of it was that we were prepared. My mom came with us on this grand adventure! We had a plan and we kept moving. We stopped and looked when we wanted to, but we didn't dilly dally. We also took breaks so that he could stand up and bounce. Even though he still fits in his baby bucket (infant carseat) I don't put him in it in the stroller for long car trips. He prefers to sit up and look around. He is one of those kids who LOVES to observe everything! When you are at the Mall of America there are a lot of people to observe and languages to hear... and it as fun, because people would stop and talk to him not only in English, but in other languages as well. It made this linguist mama's heart very full. We had a great trip, and he did like IKEA... it is mostly the bright colors, not necessarily a blossoming love of Swedish furniture.Mrs. Bookwormhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03922524781231715152noreply@blogger.com0