Toddlers, Cleaning Supplies, and Racist Undertones, oh my!

I'm not 100% sure but it seems as though there is a season to buy miniature cleaning supplies and right now we are in the off season. Hubby and I have been searching for a little broom and mop for El and after hitting 6 different retailers, we came up empty. This morning might as well have been Christmas in our home as my husband walked in the door with a fully assembled (yes, batteries and all) and out-of-the-box cleaning trolley for our two year old. 

As she toddled away turning the vaccum cleaner on and off a hundred or so time, I casually looked over hubby's purchase.

My first impression was that it looked like the kind of cart a housekeeper in a hotel would push around. The spray bottle and laundry soap box are labelled, "Just Like Home". To top it off, the child on the box appears to be Hispanic. Uh, yeah, my thoughts exactly! 

Maybe it's a coincidence but the not-so-subtle irony was apparent. It makes me think of the one & only episode of Family Guy I have ever watched (just not my thing) and their housekeeper, Consuela. Ah, but I digress. El happily played with her cart and is getting pretty good with the dust pan. I put a handful of dry noodles on the floor for her to practice her "mommy's helper skills". Can anyone remind me about the toddler labor laws in Ohio? 

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The Mystery of Grace - A Stay at Home Mom's Journey

Motherhood does many things to us both inside and out. The most substantial change in me is the gift of grace. Sure I'm still clumsy, can never figure out which is the salad fork, and am a novice wine drinker. The grace I was given is on the inside. Maybe it was always in me, hiding or waiting for the perfect moment to bloom. But let me back up to the beginning. 

Rewind to my pre-mommy days.

I was not a patient person. Easily annoyed and my angry button was pushed in on the regular. That's not to say that I was unkind or unpleasant, I've always found it easy to make friends. With family and my husband, I could be ungrateful at times (embarrassing and hard to own up to as it is). Looking back, I'm just lucky that none of them kicked me to the curb. My husband says that I am exaggerating on those accounts but I disagree. Maybe it has something to do with reflecting on how I was then, from where I am now. Then I found grace.

April 2012

My story may be unique, though I hope it's not. Becoming a mother changes us all. My daughter's crying never stressed me and the lack of sleep was always worth it. Now with a feisty toddler, the challenges are different but the patience remains unending. You see for me, I had no choice, I loved my daughter from the moment that test showed two lines. Motherhood is challenging but the love that overflows in me is without words. When she's screaming and throwing a fit in my arms, I quietly whisper to her, "I love you in every way". It's not forced, it is the most natural thing I've felt in my life. It saddens me that not everyone has this beautiful connection and gift.

What is a Mother's Grace?

It is a peaceful quiet in your soul. It is endless patience. It is a beautiful bond between a mother and her child. It is a gift. 

Where is my Grace?

In meeting other moms & seeing friends become moms, my eyes have opened to how vastly different people can be as parents. Some become parents out of a feeling of family obligation or because their biological clock is ticking. Others try for years to conceive & some get there by chance. One thing to me is certain, not everyone feels the gushy love for their kids at first (or maybe ever). We are all so different in many ways and this "grace" isn't something you can just reach out and grab. Perhaps it finds us when we need it the most.

What Now?

First, stop being so hard on yourself. You are caring for your child, sadly, that is more than many can say. Remember that being lovey-duvey does not a perfect parent make. Being able to have slightly more guarded emotions may make gentle discipline and rule enforcing an easier task. Lastly, remember that your efforts toward a closer relationship with your child are never a waste. 

If you were lucky enough to feel that love at first sight, there is still work to be done. For me, it meant finding a way to harness that quiet peacefulness and using it to better my relationships with everyone around me. 

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Tomato Basil Quiche Recipe

My mouth is watering just thinking about this quiche. For me, tomato basil quiche is perfect for any meal (ahem, every meal). This is the first pie I've made entirely from scratch. Usually I just buy frozen pie crust but let's just say I was feeling ambitious. So without much yapping from me, here's my favorite adaptation of Tomato Basil Quiche.

Start by making (or buying) your favorite crust recipe. I usually leave out most of the sugar as this is a savory dish.

This year I grew a lot of tomatoes. 3 different varieties and 8 plants. Can we say beta-carotene overload!? Literally I have gone all "bubba" from Forrest Gump on you guys. Tomato sandwiches, tomato capris salad, grilled tomatoes, tomato sauce, okay you get the picture! So grab your tomatoes and here's how to make this quiche (didn't I say I was done yapping? Sorry I lied).

[a small glimpse of our produce from the garden this year]

The What:

Prepared pie crust 

3 eggs

15 halved cherry tomatoes 

1 1/2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese

1 lb of sausage (we use turkey sausage)

1/4 cup chopped basil

1 tsp baking powder

2 tsp italian seasoning

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp onion powder

Salt & Pepper to taste

The How:

Preheat your oven to 350F. 

Brown the sausage and thoroughly drain off any excess fat. 

Combine all ingredients and pour into the pie crust. 

Please be sure to salt this dish prior to cooking. It's better to salt before, than after. 

Bake for 27-32 minutes or until top is set. Allow at least 15 minutes to cool and set up before slicing (don't skip this step).

This recipe has 8 servings and depending upon the pie crust you make, it has about 265 calories per serving.

I hope you love this as much as my whole family does. Yum!

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Ava Anderson Organic Deodorant Review

[I am in no way affiliated with any below mentioned companies. I just like talking about & sharing great products when I find them.]

Alright ladies, let's talk stink! I'm a girl & I sweat. If I'm being perfectly honest, I sweat a lot! This is my story (cue Law & Order dun dun).

My Ava Anderson products arrived recently and I was like a giggly preteen as I came inside to open my package. I have slowly been switching our family to organic and chemical free cleaning & body products. We have been buying organic food (as much as our budget has allowed) for over 2 years now and I make most everything that would be considered "processed food" from scratch at home (if we eat it at all).

One thing I have had a really hard time letting go of, is my sweet smelling body & hair products (& cheesecake). As many of you are aware, these products contain countless chemicals and your skin soaks it all up (but not cheesecake, it is perfect in every way, but I digress). Still, I was hestitant to leave behind my Degree anti-perspiratant for fear of smelling like I lived in a barn. I switched to Toms Deodorant but didn't care for it. Recently, I won a full sized Ava Anderson deodorant at an Ava Party. (Yay!)

Here are my thoughts on this organic deodorant:

Pros: 

-After a 2 mile run in 80% humidity, I did not stink. In fact, my underarms didn't smell like anything. (No I did not eat cheesecake after the run ;-) )

-The fragrance from the essential oils is mild.

-No stains on my clothing.

-Cool sensation upon applying.

Cons:

-The stick is hard and doesn't apply very easily.

-The peppermint & cocoa butter scent mixture isn't my favorite but it's tolerable.

All in all, finding a chemical-free deodorant that does it's job so well is awesome. I'd feel very confident recommending it to any of you sweaty ladies. What kind of organic cleaning & body products do you like most? Share your thoughts below!

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Pushing Beyond 5k - A healthy update ;)

I promise I didn't leave you all. Life happened and I haven't been posting much. We lost a chicken to a neighboring dog and have been outside A LOT this summer.

A month and a half ago I shared with you my 1 mile story. I still can't believe that I run at all. Since then I have done 3 5k runs (one was 3.5 miles) without stopping and have taken 1 minute and 15 seconds off of my pace per mile. Once I get beyond the 2nd mile, my pace is set and everything just seems easier. In 8 weeks I went from jogging 1/4 mile at a time to over 3 miles at a time. To say that running has changed my life would be a bit premature but I will tell you that it is changing my life. 

Instead of tv time or driving around with my husband, we are outside running at least 3 days a week with our 2 year old in the stroller. We make healthier choices and have both lost weight. My hubby has always kept fit through running as he is still in the military. After leaving the Army, I'll be honest- I got lazy. Not just with my exercise but with my eating as well. It's embarrassing to admit but one day it will be my success story. 

Now my goal is 5 miles. I plan to hit that sometime in September. 10 weeks into my "new life" I can tell you that I am a better person inside and out. I've lost 37 lbs, 2 pants sizes, and am working on continuing to better my relationship with food. (Darn that period for mucking me up yesterday!) It's amazing how much happier my life has become and while I have had to sacrifice play date time with my toddler & our friends, it has been worth it. Now we have much more productive family time and our 2 year old is growing up with parents who are regularly active together.

If you are in a similar position to where I was just a few weeks ago, let me say that starting now is never too late. Whether you're 52 or 15 years old, 150 lbs or 300 lbs, one step in the right direction is better than none at all.

I'm sure that I'll continue to update as I go. What are you doing to get outside this summer? xoxo Jenn

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From 1 Minute to 1 Mile - A beginner's guide to running

Dear Friends, I am officially a runner!

Today I hit a huge milestone. I ran my first mile without stopping. Yeah, sure, some may roll their eyes but for me, this was a huge milestone. Hubby and I began running together (regularly) with little miss in the jogging stroller almost a month ago. At that time I was jogging a 1/4 mile and then walking, jogging a 1/4 mile then walking, ect. The thing that has really kept me going so far has been the quickness of improvements. Week 2 I was jogging 1/3 of a mile at a time and week 3, I was jogging 3/4 of a mile at a time. Now on day 1 of week 4 I pushed past the 1 mile mark. Hubby was in the Marine Corps and now is in the Air Force so he is a great running partner for me. He is encouraging and gentle but most of all he is right there with me, every slow stride of the way. :)

On Saturday we rode our bikes 32 miles so I rested Sunday to prepare for my run today. Let me be the first to say, wahooooooo!!!! 

Now that I enjoy running, the fun doesn't stop here. We usually run around our neighborhood but once I can run around our block twice (1.5 miles) we will likely switch it up at head to the metroparks path. I haven't been following a formal plan but rather setting landmark goals and listening to my body. Here's my mini guide for starting out running as a true beginner. 

Beginner's Running Guide

1. Have proper shoes and music ready to go with you. Find a buddy that can run with you (almost) every time. I always chew gum when I run to keep my throat and mouth moist.

2. On day one, run as far as you can push your body to get an idea of you're fitness level. Either track time or physical distance. 

3. Increase your time or distance by small increments every week. When you get to your "stop point" push beyond it. You'll be amazed at what your body is capable of.

4. Every week your body CAN run further, so push yourself. After a month you should be able to run 10 minutes straight or a whole mile. Don't get discouraged if it takes you longer though.

From one beginner to another, you can do it! You'll be so impressed with yourself when you do!

 Are you just starting out? Tell me about your Day 1?

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Summer Makeup Essentials

Summertime tans mean tossing aside almost all of my makeup. Between biking, running, and outdoor toddler play, my face has gained a nice glow. With my tan darkening by the day, I have only been using two products. The first is Bare Bronze by Victoria's Secret and the second is Maybelline volum' express.

After a recent eye infection I had to throw out a newly opened tube of $25 Dior Show mascara, and yes I was fuming! I heard great things about Volum' Express so I thought I'd give it a shot. Man! For only $7 this mascara can definitely compete with my higher end makeup :)

What is your summertime makeup routine? xoxo Jenn

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