Category Archives: Mom Truth

Car rides with toddlers

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When I told people we were taking Ryder to Lubbock, I swear every one of them got a look of horror on their face. Yeah yeah yeah I know, a 5 hour drive with a 1 year old isn’t ideal. But we wanted to go to the game and knew he’d have a great time

We planned accordingly. I downloaded lots of learning games on my iPad, packed tons of snacks and left an hour before nap time. Ryder is perfectly fine in the car for an hour. So we figured if he took an hour and a half nap, we already killed 2 1/2 hours right there! That left about 2 1/2 hours left to entertain him. If you aren’t familiar with Texas cities, Lubbock is roughly a 5 hour drive West of Dallas (4 1/2 if you go over 70 and don’t stop to go to the bathroom).

Everything worked out perfectly. He actually ended up sleeping a little longer than an hour and a half. When he woke up I crawled in the back seat with him and we played games, read books, ate some snacks and hung out. He didn’t get fussy till about 30 minutes outside of Lubbock. But let’s be honest, we were all getting a bit squirrelly at that point!

Car rides with small kids don’t have to be miserable if you can plan accordingly. I know you can’t always plan your trips to fit your child’s schedule but if you can I promise it’s worth it.

Here is my list of must haves for long car rides with a young toddler:

🔹Snacks

🔹Water

🔹Diapers/wipes

🔹Plastic bag/trash bag to throw trash in

🔹Backup outfit (you never know)

🔹Books, games, toys

🔹IPad loaded with movies and games

🔹Blanket in case they get cold but you are hot and need the air on

🔹Backup bibs if your kid is a drooler like mine

🔹Socks. Ryder’s feet always get cold in the car

If you’re one of those parents who doesn’t want their kid just sitting and watching movies, then download educational games! I found animal games that teach sounds, colors, etc for Ryder that he absolutely loves.

Like I said, car rides don’t have to be miserable. You can make them tolerable if you plan accordingly and bring enough things to entertain!

Adult Time

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My husband and I never go out during the week but Monday was our two year wedding anniversary. My mother comes every Tuesday evening to spend time with Ryder for a few hours so we snuck out for a bit to grab a bite to eat and celebrate. It may have been a day late but we celebrated the night of with Ryder as a family, so this was like an extended celebration! 🎉

Everyone has always said “couple time is important.” I rolled my eyes and said yeah yeah I know. But I understand it more when we are out and it’s just us two. Our conversation is different. Not a full 180 but it doesn’t revolve around every minute of Ryder’s day. We discuss more adult related items.

Being a stay at home Mom I forget how much I need that adult conversation. I’ve gotten so used to talking to Ryder, who only responds with sounds or his hands. Or (don’t think I’m crazy) the dogs. Yes I talk to our dogs. Not full on conversations! I’m not completely nuts. But I say things to them every so often. 😳

It’s very strange going from a job where you talk to roughly 200+ people daily, to one where you talk to beings that can’t talk back! Don’t get me wrong, I don’t regret leaving my job to stay home. I’m surprisingly happier than ever. It’s just been a very big adjustment. One I feel like I’m finally getting used to and getting the hang of. It took a full year! Better late than never I guess. 😂

Remember the importance of couple/adult time OUT of the house. You need it for your own sanity!

The breakfast blame game

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I had a friend tell me she doesn’t have time to make breakfast so she skips it, makes a coffee and heads out the door to work every day. She blames this on why she’s starving before lunch and ends up eating horrible the rest of the day, therefore causing her to gain weight.

So here’s the thing……YOU decide what goes in your belly. We really can’t blame anyone (or anything) but ourselves for the choices we make. That doughnut at your office does not literally call your name every morning. 😡

If you know you battle to eat good during the day and breakfast is something you are clearly struggling with, you have options…..

1. Premake your breakfast the night before to save time! Make a to-go container of Greek yogurt with berries. Or try overnight oats and mix in a few of your favorite items like fruit, chia seeds, almonds, coco powder or almonds!

2. Wake up earlier!!! Seriously there are so many breakfast options that take less than 5 minutes. Things like avocado toast with eggs, peanut butter toast with banana, or even a protein shake with fruit and spinach mixed in. All of these take less than 5 minutes to make. Set your alarm to go off 15 minutes earlier so you have time to make the food and eat it.

You have options! When I was a teacher I had to be to school at 6:30am to be at my morning duty spot at 6:50am, then class started at 7:30am. Not to mention I had a 20 minute drive. Making breakfast at 5:45 in the morning was just not an option for me. Well, it could have been but I’m not the best morning person when it’s THAT early. 😂

I always pre made meals. Sometimes I made these egg muffins that I would just pop in the microwave and eat in the car. I used muffin tins to make them every Sunday (recipe will be on my blog next week). Some days I would just hard boil eggs and leave a bowl of them in the fridge to grab and take to eat while at my duty spot.

Stop making excuses and do something! If you want to eat better and your problem starts with breakfast, then fix it! Small changes make a big difference! 💪🏻

Note: Yes I know there are diets out there that encourage breakfast fasting. But this doesn’t work for everyone. Especially her if she’s repeating the vicious cycle of eating bad daily because she’s hungry from not eating breakfast. Some people lack the self control ability to do a breakfast fast and not destroy the rest of their day after.

That voice in your head

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If you hear a voice within you say “you cannot paint,” then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced. -Vincent Van Gogh

Often times when we are reaching for a new goal or trying something new, fear and insecurities kick in and you tell yourself you can’t rather than you can. Don’t let the “voice” in your head tell you you can’t. Other people may be negative and discouraging, that’s expected (sadly). But don’t let your own “voice” be discouraging to you. Think positive and be your own biggest supporter! You’ll never get anywhere with a negative mindset.

Growing up I was always told “you can do anything you put your mind to.” If you have the drive and focus, you can accomplish so much!

Body Dysmorphia

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I found this picture a few years ago and was shocked at how tiny I looked! My arms were so scrawny! I remember thinking back then I was “fat” and had weight to lose. I would spend almost two hours in the gym some days. I wish I could go back and slap my former self! 😳

When I was a teacher, I always started our mental health chapter by showing this picture and beginning the discussion of body dysmorphia. I would explain that sometimes you can’t see what others see, especially when it comes to your body.

Body dismorphia by definition is the obsessive idea that some aspect of one’s own body part or appearance is severely flawed and warrants exceptional measures to hide or fix their dysmorphic part.

This was a topic I actually spent two days on in both my health and leadership classes. Body dismorphia has become so prevalent, especially with the amount of social media channels now available.

Two days may seem like a long time to discuss a topic like body dismorphia but you’d be amazed at how into the topic they got! Kids will tell you the struggles of social media and how it affects their view of themselves. It’s brutal for kids now days. Its just my opinion, but I’m thankful I grew up in a time with no social media and cellphones that didn’t take pictures!

One of my favorite discussion questions to ask was “if we did away with social media (yes I know we never will but let’s just say hypothetically) would body dismorphia be less prevalent?”

We then followed up with a question like….. “do you think social media makes kids/teens now days tougher or weaker?” This question led to a full day of back and forth discussion (most of the time). In my leadership class we actually used it as a debate question when we did our debate section.

I was so incredibly impressed by the raw honesty of some of the kids in my classes. I was pretty quiet in HS and was always afraid to share my opinion for fear of ridicule. Obviously that’s changed now! 😂

I have my moments where I’m critical of myself, but I think I’m more logical now. Maybe that’s something that comes with age. But I look back at old pictures vs current and I feel like I know what “healthy” looks like now on my body. I also use social media as a tool! I love to read what new recipes people are trying or how other moms are getting through similar struggles. Yes social media has negative aspects and some people use it to vent and complain. But if you ignore all of that there are some really fantastic people out there in the world talking about so many great things. Find those people who encourage you and follow them! Remember, positivity breeds positivity! 💙

Sleep troubles

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On occasion I struggle to fall asleep. My mind races with all the things I need to do that week and the next thing I know it’s 3am and I’m still staring at the ceiling. How I laid there for 4+ hours just thinking without falling asleep is beyond me!

Over the years I’ve tried a few things here and there to help me fall asleep. I’m not really a fan of sleep meds, so anything organic and natural I’m all for. Here’s a few things that work for me:

•Melatonin- Your body produces this naturally, but you can buy melatonin supplements at almost any wellness or grocery store. It is a hormone released by your brain that tells your body it’s night time and time to sleep. It naturally makes you tired

•Drink a glass of milk (doesn’t have to be warm)- Milk contains an amino acid called tryptophan that causes sleepiness

•Earplugs- Sometimes sounds keep me up. I’ll hear something outside and it startled me or makes me think of something which gets my mind racing

•Avoid your phone and the tv- being exposed to blue and white light from your phone, tv, computers, etc at night prevents your brain from producing melatonin

•Take a walk- Taking a walk before bed can help tire your body but also tire your brain. I’ve noticed when I go for a walk at night my mind runs during the walk. I make my mental lists and think about the week. Then when I get into bed I’m physically and mentally tired

As I said, these are things I’ve found that have worked for me. Everyone is different. Some of these things won’t work for some people. But if you’re having sleep problems give one (or more) a try. See if it works for you! Happy sleeping! 💤

Random fact of the day

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For those of you who don’t know, I used to teach high school health. One of my favorite things to do every day was have a random fact written on the board for us to discuss before we started the days lesson. I have a list of my favorite ones still saved. I’m going to start posting a few every so often. So here goes today’s……

When you sneeze your body is getting rid of infected cells and an average sneeze will spread over 100,000 virus cells up to nine meters. On average, adults catch two to three colds each year. School-age children can have 12 or more colds in a year. Yikes!

Cold and flu season is fast approaching! Cover your mouth and nose people! 😳 🤧

Self Care

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Self care….. it’s any necessary human regulatory function which is under individual control. Basically something YOU need to keep yourself feeling sane and like yourself. It’s how you take care of you!

We all have things we do for self care. Me? I consider mine a cup of green tea, face masks, writing, workout and sleep. These are all things that keep me feeling grounded. They help me to relax. They are things that just make me happy and they’re for ME. I don’t have time to do each of them every day, but I try to incorporate each at least once a week. Green tea has become my go to every morning and of course my workouts in the afternoon. Sometimes I can sneak in a writing session and a face mask while Ryder is napping. But that’s only occasionally because his naps are when I get everything around the house done!

Everyone is different. Some people’s version of self care is a massage, facial, taking a bath, eating a treat, talking to a friend, going out to eat, or just having some quiet time. Do whatever works for you! Self care is important. We work so hard to take care of others around us we sometimes forget to stop and take a minute for ourselves. Especially moms!

Whether it’s once a day or once a week. Take some time for a little self care and do what makes you happy. 💙

Building back balance

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“Strength and growth come only through continuous effort and struggle.” -Napoleon Hill

I love this picture. It was taken in 2013 on Lake Lewisville just outside of Dallas. I got this crazy idea to do a handstand on the nose of the boat. I held it for a good three seconds before a wave hit from another boater and knocked me over the side. 😂

I used to love to do handstands anywhere, on anything. I got it from my father. He was a gymnast growing up and whenever he went to a new city he would pick a landmark or a cool location and do a handstand picture.

When I got pregnant with Ryder I had major balance issues. It was a weird feeling. I was a gymnast and a cheerleader so balance was never a problem for me before. While pregnant I was constantly stumbling or running into things. It was almost like being tipsy drunk, just without the alcohol! My doctor said that happens to some people but it eventually goes away. It went away completely about 6 months after I had him. And thank goodness because it’s not a fun feeling to have regularly. I had so many bumps and bruises on my legs from running into things. It was not a pretty sight.

I don’t know that I’ll ever do a handstand on the nose of a boat again but I’d like to think maybe one day I could. I’m still building back my upper body strength and working on my balance. For now I’ll stick with on the ground handstands. But this will forever be my favorite handstand picture. I’ll keep it as my “goal picture.” Balancing on a boat just standing is one thing, but doing it in a handstand position is a whole other level!

Everyone has goals, big and small. It’s your focus and determination that will get you there!

Dressing like a mom

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Beauty has so many forms. The most beautiful thing is confidence and loving yourself 💙

My mother would die if she saw the front of this dress. 😂 She’s so old school traditional and thinks moms should dress like the stereotype of covered up conservative. I think for the most part I’m decently conservative but every once in a while it’s fun to wear something a little “different.” And who am I to argue with a beautiful dress my own husband bought me!

Just because you’re a mom, you shouldn’t be forced to dress a certain way. Be who YOU want to be and dress however you want! You can be a mom and still dress up on occasion in a short dress or low cut top! If you’re confident enough, rock it!

I have a friend who only wears one piece swimsuits because she says it’s “not appropriate for a mother to be too revealing in something like a two piece.” I roll my eyes when she says things like that. Then say “to each their own.” She can dress how she wants and I’ll dress how I want (in my “revealing two piece” 😂). You don’t have to conform to what others do. Be your own person and wear what makes you comfortable and happy. They make different styles of clothes for a reason….so we all don’t have to dress alike! 😉

I’m a mom and I’ll wear what I want! 💃🏼