In August, we bought our nearly 100 year old home and made the move from Virginia (good riddance!) to my home state of Ohio. While we love our new home, it definitely needs a lot of work and updating. We would like to completely remodel our full bathroom, get new kitchen flooring, and there is some horrendous wallpaper in our formal living room that absolutely has to go. But since our home is paid for and we have all the time in the world to worry about big home improvement projects, we decided that our best game plan is to start small, making changes that allow our new house to truly feel like a home. Our first focus, naturally, has been the kids' rooms. We want them to feel like their rooms are a reflection of their personalities. Xander has a huge Monkey and tree wall mural, but Kyle and Sophie's rooms were rather plain. So I went hunting for some fun, removable options for the kids' walls. Why a temporary design? Well, as any parents know all too well, kids' tastes change, and I want the option to be able to easily change their room decor when the time comes with very little hassle. That's when I discovered RoomMates! This awesome company specializes in decorative wall decals, murals, and even wallpaper that is sure to fit any age, phase, or style. They have tons of amazing products that are suitable for the kids' rooms, but also for any area of the home you want to add a little character and pizzazz to! The best part? These decals are simple to move and reposition, and never leave any sticky, gunky residue behind. They're also suitable for application on any color wall! We started with Sophie's room. My little diva is 3 years old, and is currently obsessed with anything fairies. She loves Tinker Bell especially, and even has fairy costumes of her own! Well, I was thrilled to see that RoomMates have an awesome selection of Disney wall decals that fit the bill perfectly. Before I show you Sophie's room, I would love to show a few of my favorite designs from the Disney RoomMates collection:
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Potty training has its definite ups and downs...Here is a photo of Sophie, who moments before was making her "Poop Face", and then began protesting going on her "Big Girl Princess Potty". Sometimes during potty training, it's just hit or miss. Often, she happily does her business on her potty, and cheers when she leaves a little something behind. Other times, especially when she's tired or cranky, going potty becomes a real chore. (For Sophie and for her weary, exhausted parents!) However difficult this process may be, we remain patient and encouraging, since we realize that going potty is something Sophie should not only be excited about, but also be completely comfortable with. You cannot force a child before they're developmentally and emotionally ready. Well, it's 2013 and we've all survived the Mayan Apocalypse. Since we're all still here, that means it's time to think about new goals for the New Year! I have been thinking pretty hard about how I can get off to a good start, and ways to make sure that 2013 is a great year for me, both physically as well as in my personal life. There's always room for improvement, right?
Here are 5 things I am committing to do this year:
1. Try and get 8 hours of sleep every night. Now that my youngest kids are toddlers, I really have no excuse for these 20 hour days. No one is getting up every few hours to eat anymore. So it's high time that Mama actually catches up on some much needed sleep. It's so important to be well-rested, and actually helps keep a person healthy! So this year, I will be sure to really make it a point to go to bed at a decent hour. (Sorry, Facebook!)
2. Exercise more....Okay, at all. I am not going to lie...I don't like exercise. I never really have. Anything that makes me sore and sweaty definitely isn't my cup of tea. However, if I ever want to get fit and tone my body that has been altered due to back to back pregnancies, I will have to get more active. So this year, I plan to go for walks, do some Belly Dancing DVD's that are collecting dust on my shelf, and maybe even learn to ice skate. Hey, if I can make exercise fun, perhaps I can stick with it!
3. Have regular date nights with my husband. With 2 toddlers and a teen in the house, it's not always easy to have alone time with my husband. Let's face it: It's hard to enjoy time as a couple when you're parents to small children. There always seem to be little people wanting to snuggle or use as a human jungle-gyms. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but usually by the time the kids are all tuckered out, so are we. So this year, I am setting a goal of 2 date nights per month. Just Dan and I. Alone. With no kids.
4. Work on my extreme shyness. I am horribly, awkwardly, almost painfully shy. Meeting new people puts me into a state of panic, and I am always very self-conscious. Last year, I got to go on 3 blogging-related trips, and while it sure was fun, I was a nervous wreck. I need to really start reaching out more socially, and allow myself to make new friends. The more often I do so, the less difficult it will be in the long-run! I have another trip in April, so we shall see how it goes! Just hope no one bites, haha
5. Make more sensible snack choices. Okay, so while I do tend to eat healthily for the most part, I do have my vices. (Cheese, cheese, and more cheese.) We don't really eat out much, and I do cook just about everything from scratch. But I do like having some low calorie, low fat snacks available for when the munchies strike. One snack I am loving right now are Quaker Popped snacks. These delicious, nutritious snacks come in 14 mouthwatering flavors like Cheddar Cheese, Apple Cinnamon, and Vanilla Creme Brulee, just to name a few. So whether I am craving something sweet, salty, cheesy or savory, these popped rice snacks really hit the spot, and my waistline doesn't have to suffer.
What 5 small steps are you taking toward a healthier lifestyle in the new year? Are you planning to drink more water? Perhaps you want to focus on more fruits and vegetables versus meats and carbs. Tell us how you are planning a healthier lifestyle in 2013, Focusing in being mindful and stressing less; exercising more? Does changing up your snacking habits fit it? Quaker Popped Rice Snacks are a great way to do this! Quaker® Quakes® are now Quaker® PoppedTM – a new name for the snack made with the delicious goodness of whole grain brown rice and corn and a great snacking solution. This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Quaker. I received product in conjunction with this post. The opinions and text are all mine. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. See Official Sweepstakes Rules It’s a New Year, and what better way to help you stick out those resolutions than with a little giveaway to keep you motivated? I love Amazon, since you can get all those goodies you need to stay on track...Whether it be a scale, a pedometer, some workout apparel or even some new running shoes, Amazon has got you covered. |
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I'm Brandy, a happily married, proud Mom of 3 amazing kids. If you're interested in building a working relationship, please feel free to e-mail me at: NewlyCrunchyMamaOf3@gmail.com Links We Love :Archives
June 2023
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