Mother's Day Challenge - Day 26 & 27

I'm not really doing so well this week keeping up with my blogs.  I'm not stressing it though, this last month, doing this challenge, has been extremely rewarding.  I've really done a good job of keeping focus on what is important.

The last few days have been vacation focus...and I could not be more excited.  Two more sleeps until Jersey.  I'm looking forward to seeing my family and having some down time.

So last night, there was no blog - and it was probably a good thing.  I went out for some Happy Hour fun with some girlfriends.  Well, happy hour was very happy...hubby had to bring me this morning to pick up my car.  Yup...you would think I would know better, but not so much.

Today I wrapped up everything at work and feel like I left everything in a good place.  I have everything I need for myself and The Mayor, and all I have to do is pack tomorrow.  Nice!  Today's "me" time involved one of my favorite past times - wandering around Target!  However, I was wandering with a purpose, but no sense of urgency for a change.  Sometimes, it's really nice to just be able to go with the flow.

For now, I'm going to enjoy the rest of the evening by getting some laundry done and cleaning up from dinner.  It's going to be a good weekend and lead to a good week!

Cheers!

Previous posts on My Mother's Day Challenge:

My Mother's Day Challenge

Day 1 - Pick out a new Lipstick!

Day 2 - Give hydration a chance

Day 3 - Take a walk

Day 4 - Mid-week movie night

Day 5 - Properly washing your face 

Day 6 - Head to bed early 

Day 7 - Designate a Chore

Day 8 - Alone Time

Day 9 - A total bust! 
Day 10 - Crafting on a Tuesday

Day 11 - A Good Read  

Day 12 - Healing and Recovery Break

Day 13 - Much Needed Rest

Day 14 - Impromptu Jeans Shopping 

Day 15 - Try Something New 

Day 16 - Strengths Finder Quiz

Day 17 - The 4am Pedicure!

Day 18 - A Pass

Day 19 - Ice Cream for Dinner

Day 20 - Quiet work time before the weekend

Day 21 - Just a Quiet Evening

Day 22 - Massage and Shopping
Day 23 - Oops
Day 24 - A Long Lunch
Day 25 -  *Ahem* Grooming Time

Mother's Day Challenge - Day 25

Happy Hump Day! And, only four more sleeps until Vacation. There is so much to be excited about. Since this week has been about getting ready for vaca, it was only fitting that my time was well spent today focused on this very endeavor.

Thanks to C volunteering to take The Mayor to swim lessons, I found a few extra hours that were well used. I stayed at the office an extra hour and finished up a work related blog post that I had been working on. It was great to send that on for review!

On my way home I decided that I needed to spend some "me" time taking care of some *ahem* personal grooming. Not my favorite thing to do, but it's really nice having things 'taken care of' when I know next week will include lots of bathing suit time. I'm sure by now you have figured out what got groomed!

So, in the spirit of over-sharing (hey, why not?!?), I saw a new person tonight. I half expected this since I didn't have an appointment, so it was not a big deal. I go in, lay down and she starts with a little eyebrow shape, and I was pleased with the result. So then it's time to move south, and I'm prepared for the inevitable...or so I thought.

Ok, so to back track, I'm pretty conservative in matters of 'personal grooming' - so my normal MO is a little off the sides and the rest is just fine.

So, back to the moment. In sure you can appreciate my surprise when I suddenly felt warm wax...well, where I had not ever felt warm wax before. After being quite startled at this revelation, I quickly realized there was only one way that wax was coming off. Oh No!! Oh No!! Oh-my-wax!

I'm going to stop there, and focus on the fact that my "me" time tonight got one more item off my to do list, and put me one step closer to vacation! 'nuff said.

Good night.

Mother's Day Challenge - Day 23 & 24

Oops...so there was no day 23 post!  Well, guess what?  I had one of those days where you come home from work, you don't feel like cooking (so we had Chinese food, yummy!), and once we got home I crashed onto the couch and watched The Bachelorette.  To be honest...if felt kind of good.

Tonight, I came home from work and made some dinner.  And I have to be honest, I am really getting into that zone of going home to NJ, because I made Chicken and Rice for dinner.  Doesn't sound special, but it's one of those things that my Mom always made - and I always loved it!  It was good, but I have tried to make it a few times, and it never seems to come out like Mom's.

After dinner, my Men cleaned up the kitchen (man style, which if you don't know what that means...you are probably lucky!), and then we sat and talked about politics, the country and our respective days.

So speaking of my day, I was having one of those weird kind of days where my focus was off, my attention span was incredibly short and it was a good thing that I had a lot of little things to finish up prior to my vacation.  Then, I had an awkward run-in with a homeless man downtown (bless his heart!); and almost twisted my ankle (on my own shoes) when I was trying to end the little run-in.  Well, in order to salvage anything left from the day, my "me" time was simply taking an extra 1/2 hour at lunch to spend it with a friend.  It was good to see her, even better to chat and catch up and I felt much better when I got back to work.  Ahhh, the power of girl time.

I'm feeling really good about being ready for my trip to NJ.  Plans are made, my packing list is coming together in my mind and I got one last swim suit for The Mayor.  If I can keep up with work and finish out this week as planned...this might just be a super fun vacation!

Cheers!

Previous posts on My Mother's Day Challenge:

My Mother's Day Challenge

Day 1 - Pick out a new Lipstick!

Day 2 - Give hydration a chance

Day 3 - Take a walk

Day 4 - Mid-week movie night

Day 5 - Properly washing your face 

Day 6 - Head to bed early 

Day 7 - Designate a Chore

Day 8 - Alone Time

Day 9 - A total bust! 
Day 10 - Crafting on a Tuesday

Day 11 - A Good Read  

Day 12 - Healing and Recovery Break

Day 13 - Much Needed Rest

Day 14 - Impromptu Jeans Shopping 

Day 15 - Try Something New 

Day 16 - Strengths Finder Quiz

Day 17 - The 4am Pedicure!

Day 18 - A Pass

Day 19 - Ice Cream for Dinner

Day 20 - Quiet work time before the weekend

Day 21 - Just a Quiet Evening

Day 22 - Massage and Shopping

Mother's Day Challenge - Day 21

Happy Saturday!  Ahhh, Saturday...the day to clean, organize, and decompress from the week.  It seems like every Saturday goes about the same.  It also seems like Saturday's are the hardest days to get in any "me" time.  The day just goes by so fast.  Today was no different.

Right now is that "me" time.  I have just spent most of the evening playing Lego's with The Mayor - and I loved every minute of it.  I honestly think that playing Lego's is one of my favorite things to do with my son.  Tonight's creation...the people!  We found almost all of the hands, heads and helmets (we were missing two hands, one head and one helmet - not bad!) - and after we lined them all up, I had two new ones for him...and he was thrilled!

The Mayor's Lego Army - All 32 Little Guys!

Now, it's 10:00, and I'm going to finish up some blogging, and watch a bit of something on the DVR and then head off to bed.  Quiet time is quiet time, so I guess I can't complain.  The best part of the day is that my tomorrow "me" time is already on the calendar; and I couldn't be more excited.

G'nite!

Previous posts on My Mother's Day Challenge:

My Mother's Day Challenge

Day 1 - Pick out a new Lipstick!

Day 2 - Give hydration a chance

Day 3 - Take a walk

Day 4 - Mid-week movie night

Day 5 - Properly washing your face 

Day 6 - Head to bed early 

Day 7 - Designate a Chore

Day 8 - Alone Time

Day 9 - A total bust! 
Day 10 - Crafting on a Tuesday

Day 11 - A Good Read  

Day 12 - Healing and Recovery Break

Day 13 - Much Needed Rest
Day 14 - Impromptu Jeans Shopping 
Day 15 - Try Something New 
Day 16 - Strengths Finder Quiz
Day 17 - The 4am Pedicure!
Day 18 - A Pass
Day 19 - Ice Cream for Dinner
Day 20 - Quiet work time before the weekend

Mother's Day Challenge - Day 20

The last few days I've been out of sorts for the most part.  You see, I try really hard to balance, juggle and keep things together - and for the most part I feel pretty good about the results.  Sometimes though it all just feels like a jumbled mess - even though, it's not really as bad as I make it out in my own mind.  I guess that's just the way I am.

I'm sure every mom out there knows that you can only keep going for so long before you hit a wall!  Let's face it, we all get tired and just need to crash sometimes.  Sometimes though, my body has a different idea of how things are supposed to work - and the wall hits me first.  This past Wednesday was just one of those times.  After starting work as a very normal morning, I suddenly could not see.  Everything didn't go black (thank God!), but everything in front of me turned into a foggy haze.  I went from sending/responding to emails, to not being able to make out a single image or word in front of me - even with my glasses on.  No matter how much I squinted, blinked or stared...there was absolutely no clarity.

Needless to say, that set into motion a series of events that now have me waiting for the results of yesterday's MRI.  Scary, a little...but I've had MRI's before and have always been fortunate enough to get good results.  I'm hoping for the same results this time - and calling this one an unexplained neurological incident.  Right now the worst thing that's going to come out of this will be some family members being a bit annoyed that I didn't immediately call them.  But hey, it would just feel weird to call someone and say, "Hey, I went to the ER, but I'm fine, and we don't know anything. So how are you?"  I did tell my Mom though.

So today's "me" time is extremely non-monumental! Our work day officially ended a few hours ago, but I have stuck around to prioritize my inbox; make my to-do list for Monday and get to a good stopping place for today.  I have set a mind-frame for the weekend that includes spending time with my family, non-stress time and rest.  A little quiet work time sometimes goes a long way.

One thing is for sure - 20 days into this challenge I have learned a lot about the importance of balance and priorities.  It's really easy to get caught up in life...and really, sometimes we are so caught up that we actually miss out.  I hope that maybe one person who has read this has taken away the same.  Please, let me know, I would love to hear!

For today though, TGIF!  Time for Happy Hour!

Previous posts on My Mother's Day Challenge:

My Mother's Day Challenge

Day 1 - Pick out a new Lipstick!

Day 2 - Give hydration a chance

Day 3 - Take a walk

Day 4 - Mid-week movie night

Day 5 - Properly washing your face 

Day 6 - Head to bed early 

Day 7 - Designate a Chore

Day 8 - Alone Time

Day 9 - A total bust! 
Day 10 - Crafting on a Tuesday

Day 11 - A Good Read  

Day 12 - Healing and Recovery Break

Day 13 - Much Needed Rest
Day 14 - Impromptu Jeans Shopping 
Day 15 - Try Something New 
Day 16 - Strengths Finder Quiz
Day 17 - The 4am Pedicure!
Day 18 - A Pass
Day 19 - Ice Cream for Dinner

Mother's Day Challenge - Day 16

What a great Memorial Day weekend!  If this is an indication of how the summer is going to be, then I'm thinking this could be a great summer.

Hopefully, you had an opportunity to enjoy the weekend with your family and friends!  Before I go any further though, I want to say a huge thank you, thank you, thank you to the soldiers who fought, are fighting and those who gave their lives to protect our freedom.  Thank you also to the families of all the brave soldiers who do what they do everyday.  The support of your family is such a great gift - and the families of our troops truly deserve our gratitude as well.

Today was about getting ready for the week ahead...like any normal Sunday...only it was Monday, so it's exhilarating to know that the weened will be here much quicker thank normal.  After some coupon clipping, a car wash, grocery shopping and making a batch of amazing cupcakes, I was thoroughly tired. 

We enjoyed a great evening with some friends this evening, and it was nice to sit and relax and have some great conversation.  The kiddo's were running around like crazies, and really showed us what summer means when you are carefree and young.  

Once we were home, I settled into bed and enjoyed a little "me" time in the form of an online quiz.  Wow, it was much more interesting than that just sounded.  I recently purchased Strengths Finder 2.0 and have been fascinated with it.  In a nutshell, it's a tool to help identify your natural talents and help to develop them in order to help you do, and be, your best every day.  When you purchase the book, you get a code to go online and take the assessment.  It was pretty cool!

Now that I have identified my top five strengths (Discipline, Consistency, Belief, Responsibility and Analytical); I can read on to learn more about them, and then create an action plan to help utilize these learning's in my every day life.  I am really looking forward to moving on and checking out what's next.  This was some pretty neat, and very productive "me" time.

Happy Memorial Day!

Previous posts on My Mother's Day Challenge:

My Mother's Day Challenge

Day 1 - Pick out a new Lipstick!

Day 2 - Give hydration a chance

Day 3 - Take a walk

Day 4 - Mid-week movie night

Day 5 - Properly washing your face 

Day 6 - Head to bed early 

Day 7 - Designate a Chore

Day 8 - Alone Time

Day 9 - A total bust! 
Day 10 - Crafting on a Tuesday

Day 11 - A Good Read  

Day 12 - Healing and Recovery Break

Day 13 - Much Needed Rest
Day 14 - Impromptu Jeans Shopping 
Day 15 - Try Something New

Mother's Day Challenge - Day 15

Initially, when I set out to do my Mother's Day Challenge, I made a list of things to do each day to get a little "me" time.  My thought was that if I had a list of inspiration, then I would be able to ensure the success of my challenge.  It's still a pretty good list, but I have not accomplished quite a few of the things on list.  There is still time, so we'll see how it goes.

Today was a day to go to the list.  Being as it is a Sunday on a long weekend, I had a lot more time than usual, so the "me" time was not a huge challenge.  I got to sleep in today, C took the Mayor swimming which gave me some DVR time, I caught up on some internet games (Words with Friends!) and I even had a phone/electronic free evening.  Well, today's Challenge was to try a new wine.  Ohhh, tough challenge said the wine lover!  Ok, all kidding aside.  I do sometimes get caught in the rut of drinking the same things.

Off to the liquor store I went where I grabbed something new.  I decided to not go with a wine, per se, but bought a Skinny Girl Sangria.  I have really enjoyed the Skinny Girl Margarita's, so this seemed like a good try.  All I can say is that I've tried it...and I've tried it.  It wasn't my speed and frankly it wasn't very Sangria-y.  Will I buy it again?  Probably not.  But hey, it was something new and something different.

While trying something new may not seem like a big deal to most, I'm a creature of habit...sometimes to a fault.  Going with the flow, the familiar, is my thing.  Of course, this started me thinking, and I had to give it a quick Google.  I actually found an article talking about trying new things.  It was on Psychology Today's website (you can check it out here); and it actually lists four benefits to trying something new...

1. It takes courage.  Now, this may not be the case with a new wine...but there are bigger things to try that do take courage.

2. It opens the possibility of enjoying something new.  Cool!

3. It keeps you from becoming bored.  I think most of us know the pitfalls of boredom.

4. It forces you to grow. 

I didn't exactly think that the simple act of trying a new adult beverage would have such a huge effect, but those benefits really seem to be some great advice...and a great reason to put this to the test for yourself.  I challenge you to try something new.  Let me know how that works out for you.

Cheers!

Previous posts on My Mother's Day Challenge:

My Mother's Day Challenge

Day 1 - Pick out a new Lipstick!

Day 2 - Give hydration a chance

Day 3 - Take a walk

Day 4 - Mid-week movie night

Day 5 - Properly washing your face 

Day 6 - Head to bed early 

Day 7 - Designate a Chore

Day 8 - Alone Time

Day 9 - A total bust! 
Day 10 - Crafting on a Tuesday

Day 11 - A Good Read  

Day 12 - Healing and Recovery Break

Day 13 - Much Needed Rest
Day 14 - Impromptu Jeans Shopping

Mother's Day Challenge - Day 14

Two weeks down!  Nice.  It's been a good two weeks - busy, but good.  Today was a great Saturday, and the family is really making the most of this long holiday weekend.  Please remember as you and your family enjoy this weekend, we celebrate our freedom thanks to the brave men and women who have fought and died to preserve it.  Thank you!!

We started our day with a trip to the Denver Zoo to see the new Elephant Passage.  The Mayor was particularly excited because he has been waiting to see Mimi & Dolly's (the Zoo's veteran elephant inhabitants) new home ever since they moved them a few months ago.   It did not disappoint, and the new Asian Tropics display is absolutely beautiful.  We are looking forward to enjoying it much more in the future.

Groucho, one of Denver Zoo's newest elephant friends.

After the zoo, we headed to C's favorite burger place and enjoyed a quick lunch, followed by a quick trip to the mall to get my engagement ring checked out and cleaned (gotta do that every so often!).  While we were at the mall I decided it was time for a little "me" adventure.  I say adventure, because it wasn't necessarily "me" time, but it was something for me.  Well, I did a little impromptu jean shopping.  Normally, that would be a great big - ARGH!  This however, was different...and not so bad.

Since I was not planning to purchase jeans today, I didn't have time to psych myself out, talk myself down and do that whole negative talk thing that most women do when it's time for jeans.  But here's the thing, I have been wanting a pair of "skinny" jeans.  Walking past the Levi's story was all the inspiration I needed - and in I went.  The tall, thin, tattooed sales associate (Lauren) was amazing and really made it super easy.  She gave me a measure with this random torturous looking device that she wrapped around me, after groping me to find my hip bone.  Whatever the measuring device did - I have no clue - but she came up with the style of skinny's that I should try.  She then started bringing me pairs and within 15-20 minutes I was hooked.  Happily, I now have a new pair of jeans that I feel really good about. Yeah!!  Oh, and also left with a chambray shirt that was on my summer wardrobe to-do list.

We finished out the day with some fun time with friends at Casa Bonita - a Denver institution which I had never had the opportunity to visit.  If you've never heard of Casa Bonita, give it a quick Google, or check out the South Park Episode (not kid friendly, FYI).

Casa Bonita from the famed South Park Episode.

All in all it was a great day, and I could not be more excited to have a new pair of jeans without the stress of buying them.

Previous posts on My Mother's Day Challenge:

My Mother's Day Challenge

Day 1 - Pick out a new Lipstick!

Day 2 - Give hydration a chance

Day 3 - Take a walk

Day 4 - Mid-week movie night

Day 5 - Properly washing your face 

Day 6 - Head to bed early 

Day 7 - Designate a Chore

Day 8 - Alone Time

Day 9 - A total bust! 
Day 10 - Crafting on a Tuesday

Day 11 - A Good Read  

Day 12 - Healing and Recovery Break

Day 13 - Much Needed Rest

Mother's Day Challenge - Day 13

Happy Friday, and Happy Memorial Day weekend! Yeah, the unofficial start to summer. Being from New Jersey (Jersey Shore to be exact) this is the be all, end all weekend of the year. It's funny, but I still feel that way even though I am so far from the beach.

Well, the only thing to do for me today is to get some rest! We have a busy weekend ahead of us and lots to do around the house. It's 8:40 and I am in bed and it's pretty great. The Mayor and C are still down stairs watching Hockey (Go Jersey!!) and I'm enjoying some quiet time. Sometime, that's all you need to make for a good day.

So I'm going to say cheers to the weekend, and good night to all.

Mother's Day Challenge - Day 12

Today, I'm down for the count! Blogging is going to have to wait until tomorrow.

I spent quite a bit of time working on a bog post for work, so that was quite gratifying. However, the rest of the day has been in bed. Thanks to some minor surgery to remove two little things from my eye area (a mole and a teeny tiny cyst) my day ended a while ago and I have been in my jammie's all afternoon.

I got a little freaked, so a little Valium type med was sent my way to calm the Jenn storm. So this groggy Mom is hitting the sack. I'm feeling good, and after a little healing you'll never know anything was there. Yeah!

I guess this could constitute me time, but it's really not the fun or productive kind. See ya tomorrow!

Mother's Day Challenge - Day 11

Back at the beginning of the year, a friend introduced me to Goodreads.com.  It came at just the right time, because I had wanted to get back into the groove of reading more.  Before I gave birth to The Mayor I had an appetite for reading - and always found it easy to get lost in a good book.  OMG, and vacations where I could take in 2 or 3 books were so amazingly the norm.  Fast forward five years, and I can barely get in a chapter, at night, in bed, before dozing off to sleep.  Needless to say it takes forever to get through a book.

The other day at work I was talking with my friend KK about those 50-Shades of Grey books that everyone (OMG, even my mom!) are reading.  It must have registered to her that I had been reading the book for a while now, so she stated the obvious - that it's taking me a long time to read a book that others have told her they can't put down.  Argh...yes, it takes me forever to read a book...but honestly I'm trying.  You see, back at the beginning of the year I made a challenge on goodreads.com to read 24 books in 2012.  Now, since I have not read 24 books in the five years AC (After Child), I knew I was in for it.  Oh, and Goodreads promptly let me know that I am 5 books behind reaching my goal.

Today, a little me time was in order in the form of reading.  Not laying in bed, I set off to read a chapter during the day.  Carved out some time to do it...and got it done.  Now, if I can keep my eyes open once I climb into bed I'll read a little more and hopefully get through this book sooner, rather than later.

If you are looking for a great new site to poke around on, check out www.goodreads.com.  And if you are a reader, I promise it will be worth your time.  You can create an account, and then create virtual book shelves to keep track of what you're reading, what you want to read, and what you have finished.  The site will generate suggestions based on your ratings of books you have read, and you can connect with fellow reader friends to see what they are reading.

Cheers!

Previous posts on My Mother's Day Challenge:

My Mother's Day Challenge

Day 1 - Pick out a new Lipstick!

Day 2 - Give hydration a chance

Day 3 - Take a walk

Day 4 - Mid-week movie night

Day 5 - Properly washing your face 

Day 6 - Head to bed early 

Day 7 - Designate a Chore

Day 8 - Alone Time

Day 9 - A total bust! 
Day 10 - Crafting on a Tuesday

Mother's Day Challenge - Day 10

Today was a departure from my normal Tuesday nights.  Normally Tuesday's are what we affectionately call "mom's dinner" nights.  This is the night that three mom friends and I get together for dinner, some wine, some kiddo playtime and some conversation.  This week, however, 50% of the mom's are getting ready for big moves, and I have a busy week that I'm trying to stay ahead of, so it was a good night to take off.

My original plan was to work a little later, have some dinner with my men and then relax and watch Dancing with the Stars season finale.  However, as the day went on I was running out of steam...and was truthfully feeling like I needed a little redemption from my challenge failure of yesterday.  So, I finished up at work and headed to Target.  I half wanted to wander around (who does not love wandering around Target!?!) and I was looking for some supplies to make a little craft project.  Crafting on a Tuesday...brilliant idea!  Relaxing idea!

A couple of months ago I found a really cute perpetual memory calendar of sorts on Pinterest.  I fell in love with the idea, and knew it would be something that I could give my own twist and have some fun with it.  Here is the original idea:

You can also check it out at www.designsponge.com.

I was looking for something to hold the index cards that was a little modern; and had nice clean lines.  Behold, the cutest little "crate" that holds the full size index card perfectly!  For my dividers, I wanted to use photos.  Once it is complete, each day I will have an opportunity to write something that happened, something I did, or any other event.  What a great way to record memories.

The start of my perpetual memory calendar!

I dug through an old box of pictures, and found twelve that were a good representation of old photos, new photos and family members.  I trimmed photos to the index cared width, but slightly taller.  I then covered the photos using clear contact paper to give them some stability.  There is some more work to do, but for now I know that I have had some "me" time tonight and that feels great!  I'm looking forward to taking the time to finish it up so I can start adding memories.  I will post more pics when it's done.

Happy memory making!

Previous posts on My Mother's Day Challenge:

My Mother's Day Challenge

Day 1 - Pick out a new Lipstick!

Day 2 - Give hydration a chance

Day 3 - Take a walk

Day 4 - Mid-week movie night

Day 5 - Properly washing your face 

Day 6 - Head to bed early 

Day 7 - Designate a Chore

Day 8 - Alone Time

Day 9 - A total bust!

Mother's Day Challenge - Day 8

Sunday is coming to a close and I have that old Sunday feeling. It's that feeling that gets me reflective about the weekend with my family, and makes me think about the work week ahead. Work and home sometimes feel like two separate lives, but Sunday really brings that separation to light.

So here it is, the start of the second week of my self imposed Mother's Day Challenge. I'm pleased with the results so far. One week of having to ensure that each day I take some time to collect my thoughts and do something that focuses on my emotional needs has really had an effect on me. Definitely a positive effect so far. I'm pretty excited to continue this and see how I feel as it progresses further.

So today my "me" time was simply some alone time. I know that doesn't sound like much of a "me" time, but it really was nice. You see, I'm one of those people who needs some quiet time to recharge - and let's face it as a mom to a 5-year old I often can't even pee alone!  On Sunday, C goes to his swimming class at our fitness club, so this morning I asked him to take The Mayor to the child play center there. It was nice because that means over two hours of me time. Nice!

And the me time today was not super monumental. I washed the kitchen floor (woo hoo!), and caught up on some DVR (huge woo hoo!!). It was really good though.  My DVR lately has been so neglected, basically I would need a lot more "me" time to get even remotely caught up. Besides, some of that DVR evidence needs to be purged; if anyone ever leaked the contents of my DVR I would be a little mortified!! Yes, I like my reality TV smut...but I'm not leaving that evidence just laying around.

I'm looking forward to a busy, productive week...and some valuable "me" time to come.I have high hopes for this week, and the coming long Memorial Day Weekend.

Cheers!

Previous posts on My Mother's Day Challenge:

My Mother's Day Challenge

Day 1 - Pick out a new Lipstick!

Day 2 - Give hydration a chance

Day 3 - Take a walk

Day 4 - Mid-week movie night

Day 5 - Properly washing your face 

Day 6 - Head to bed early 
Day 7 - Designate a Chore

Mother's Day Challenge - Day 6 - Fill in the Blank Friday Edition

So I'm killing two birds with one stone tonight!  I'm enjoying a little Fill in the Blank Friday fun mixed in with my Mother's Day Challenge!  I have really enjoyed the Fill in the Blank Friday lately; it's like Mad Libs for Bloggers!  Plus, after the up and down week I've had...these blanks are cheerful and fun.

1.  Something that is very near and dear to my heart is, my husband.  He's personally gone through a lot this past year with his career.  He continues to be strong and has been amazingly helpful and supportive and that means a lot to me.

2.  Friday is a good cause to celebrate!

3.  The most fun I ever had was at our wedding!  Hands down still the best 5-day party ever.  I will never forget one minute of it and still love when others remind me how much fun they had at it.

4.  True friends are people who let you be yourself.  The love you the way you are...no matter what!

5.  Something that makes me terribly happy is my little boy.  I never thought I could love someone so much.  When he hugs me I just melt.

6.  A good way to spend a sunny day is outside in the yard with a cold drink.

7.  My favorite celebratory food is cake!  Cliche yes, but a party or celebration without cake is just not the same.  And think about it, a cake can actually define the mood of the celebration.

And now off to bed I go!  I know, I know...that doesn't sound like much of a me time ending to today's challenge, but tonight it's the best I can do!

Ahh, to sleep like a child!

It's a Friday night, the week has been long and busy, and the weekend is looking to be just as crazy...and I haven't had one minute to stop and collect my thoughts all day.  So, I was trying to think of what the best thing I can do for me right now, the only thing that really sounded appealing was jammies, my book and my bed.

With the benefits of sleep being everything from better memory to clearer thinking - I think this is a great idea.  Plus, the added bonus is that I will be able to enjoy some time reading (which, by the way, reading more was another resolution of mine this year).

My hope is to wake up tomorrow morning refreshed and ready to take on the busy weekend.

Hi ho, hi ho, it's off to sleep I go!

Previous posts on My Mother's Day Challenge:

My Mother's Day Challenge

Day 1 - Pick out a new Lipstick!

Day 2 - Give hydration a chance

Day 3 - Take a walk
Day 4 - Mid-week movie night
Day 5 - Properly washing your face 

And if you do your own Fill in the Blank, don't forget to stop by The Little Things We Do to add your link and check out her wonderful blog!

Mother's Day Challenge - Day 5

Ok, confession time.  Up until the beginning of this year I was absolutely horrible about the simple task of washing my face at night.  I would literally crawl into bed each night; tired from the day, eager to hit the pillow and go to sleep.  Each morning I would then wander into the bathroom, look at the smudged mess in the mirror and think that I really should have washed my face the night before.

When I made my New Year's resolutions this year, as part of my resolve to take better care of me I decided that I was no longer going to skip the sink and climb straight into bed.  Happily, there have only been one or two times that I have not sent the days' make-up swirling (and one of them can be blamed on being a tad bit over-wined!).

New habits form easily.  At least in this case they did; and now it's not even something I think about.  But, here's the thing...I am now a little obsessed with taking better care of my skin.  So today, as part of my challenge I took a little time, did a little internet research and looked for the proper way to cleanse your face at night...and have put it to the test.

What you need:

• Makeup remover of your choice
• Cleanser of your choice
• Soft towel
• Toner of your choice (optional)
• Moisturizer of your choice

1.  Remove eye makeup using makeup remover on a cotton product of your choice (ball, pad, whatever).  Pay special attention to waterproof makeups.
2.  Use lukewarm water to wet your entire face and neck area.  Apply your cleanser being careful to not scrub too hard - and being sure to get all the way to your ears and all the way down your jawline and neck. Use lukewarm water to rinse.  Nearly every article/website I read said to make sure to rinse well to remove excess residue and cleanser.
3.  Repeat if necessary - but don't over cleanse (you shouldn't feel squeaky clean).
4.  Pat dry with a soft towel - but don't rub.
5.  Apply a toner if you prefer.

Note: The jury is still out for me on the toner.  I Googled it every way to Friday and found plenty of pro-toner references and plenty of anti-toner references.  So like with any other decision - go with whatever works for you.  Personally, I have oily skin and like how my face feels after using toner.

6.   Apply a light moisturizer of your choice.

I'm going to work with this routine for a while and see how it works out.

Until tomorrow...may your cares be washed away!

Previous posts on My Mother's Day Challenge:

My Mother's Day Challenge

Day 1 - Pick out a new Lipstick!

Day 2 - Give hydration a chance

Day 3 - Take a walk
Day 4 - Mid-week movie night

Mother's Day Challenge - Day 4

Made it over the hump and now it's time to coast into the weekend. It's funny, but each week I look forward to the weekend, but then it gets here and there is just so much to do...that some weekends I wonder what it was I was waiting for. I'm sure this weekend is going to be not different since we are seriously booked. Oh well!

Good news is that I was able to carve out some serious mom time today...and it was the best kind! So, when was the last time you went to the movies on a weeknight? Well, I did tonight and it was so nice. No lines, no crowds, just me and another working Mom friend who made the time to make it happen.

The Mayors swim lessons were handled by C, they were on their own for dinner and the movie pass was purchased at Costco for a discount (woo hoo, fun and budget friendly!).

The movie was wonderful. We saw The Lucky One, the company was great, and the evening was relaxing.

Until tomorrow, that's a wrap!

Previous posts on My Mother's Day Challenge:

My Mother's Day Challenge

Day 1 - Pick out a new Lipstick!

Day 2 - Give hydration a chance

Day 3 - Take a walk

Mother's Day Challenge - Day 3

Tonight I have my first glimpse into how much self discipline this challenge is going to take.  I set out to do this challenge for pure personal reasons; one of which was to dedicate a few minutes each day to doing something that would let me go to sleep at night knowing that I'm taking care of my own well being (something I know a lot of mom's struggle with).  Well today was just a day!  There were downs and ups and more downs...and then more downs...argh.  But you know what...that's life.  There will always be ups and downs.  There will be busy days and lazy days - happy days and sad days.

Even though the urge was overwhelming to fall into bed and leave the blogging for another time, I knew that I was not going to give up.  I especially didn't want to give up because I love today's me time that I spent...I took a walk.  Not a long one, just about 15 minutes.

This morning I threw my flip-flops into my work bag before leaving the house.  By taking my flip-flops rather than my sneakers meant that my walk was going to be relaxing, stress relieving - and not stress inducing like I was trying to get a work-out in during the middle of a busy day (I've tried that and it stresses me out!).  Around 3:00 this afternoon I took a break from my desk, changed into my flops and set out simply taking a lap and a half around my work complex.  A little exercise, some fresh air and a little vitamin D from the sun.

My relaxing thought!

An afternoon walk will be a regular thing for me, and here are some things to enhance your walk:

• Take a work friend with you on the walk - but try to focus conversation on non-work, non-stressful things (this is about relaxing!)
• Put on your iPod and enjoy some positive, up-beat music
• Focus on deep breathing techniques...in and out...in and out...in and out
• Think relaxing thoughts
• Don't stress yourself by setting goals on distance or speed - this is just a little me time, after all!

Oh, and as I get to the conclusion of this blog I have realized something else.  Today I accomplished two me-time's...because taking the time to write this really was a good idea.

Taking it in stride!  'Til tomorrow...

Previous posts on My Mother's Day Challenge:
My Mother's Day Challenge

 Day 1 - Pick out a new Lipstick!
Day 2 - Give hydration a chance

My Mother's Day Challenge...

I could not be happier that tomorrow I am celebrating my 5th Mother's Day!

A long time ago, ok, not that long ago...but 12 years ago, when C and I were first dating he wished me Happy Mother's Day.  It surprised me, and my immediate reaction was to say, "but I am not a mother."  He replied, "no, but you will be someday."  Every year on Mother's Day I think about that and it makes me smile - and it makes me so grateful for the four wonderful Mother's Days that I have had so far...and the many more in front of me for the rest of my life.

I also take time to think about the other Mom's in my life that have impacted me; and of course impacted the mother I am, the mother I am striving to be and the mother that I will become.  My own mom (of course!), My Mother-in-law who is no longer with us, her sister Carolyn, who I love dearly, and her best friend Carole who reminds us of how happy my MIL would be.  Happy Mother's Day to all of them!

30 Blogs in 30 Days 

For the past few months I have been working on a New Year's Resolution that I made (you can read about it here) to practice more self-preservation habits.  I can say with honesty that I have been doing pretty good - but could definitely do better.  One of the things that I wanted to do more of is blog...it gives me an outlet, I enjoy the simple act of writing and it just makes me feel like I have accomplished something.  So, this past week I came up with an idea.  I am going to write 30 (or more!) blogs in 30 days.  I'm going to hold myself accountable to it, I'm going to focus on it..I am going to do the best that I can.  The best part...I'm going to bring some other Mom's along with me for the ride.

Back to those self-preservation habits...

Find me a mom out there who gives 100% to her kids, to her family, to her house, to her job - even to the family dog and then still has the time, and has the energy to do enough for herself.  Do for herself? Do for ourselves?  There are so many moms that I know who overlook something that is so important...and something that (I think!) could make us so much better at everything else.

For the next 30 days I am going to do something each day for me.  It may be something small, something that takes 5 minutes, something that takes an hour or even something that costs a few dollars (but not a lot...I am on a budget).  But each night when I go to sleep I will have the satisfaction of knowing that I took care of EVERYTHING I could...and still made a little time for me.

So, how do you come along for the ride?  Easy, each day I'm going to write about what that little thing was and then challenge you to do the same thing.  Then tell me about it, or tell a friend about it, post it on Facebook, Tweet it, or even smile to yourself in the mirror like you have a great big secret...but one thing a day will be all about you!  Up to the challenge?  Then I'll see you back here tomorrow!