Month: April 2014

Hours of Fun with Kids- Kinetic Sand

On By JillIn Uncategorized, What's Going On?3 Comments

sand

I can’t tell you the amount of times I’ve left a store with some toy or trinket the girls begged for, or just because I was in a bribing kind of mood.

Cheap blinking rings and bracelets from the dollar store that stop working the minute you get home, light up bouncy balls that become light- less, and end up hiding underneath the couch collecting dust.

Barking puppies, neighing unicorns, and cheeping chicks that only serve to annoy the hell out of me – most presents serving as the root of a “That’s mine” fight.  Stickers, crayons, dot paint, chalk, and pencils have added color and interest to my freshly painted walls.

This wall was lacking a little pizazz
This wall was lacking a little pizazz

Yesterday, upon strolling into Michaels to pick up crafting supplies for Easter decorations, I saw these boxes of Kinetic Sand.  I usually don’t look twice at gimmicky type of products, purchase anything from an infomercial, or have a burning desire to buy anything different.  I am an old fashioned, hard to change, do not like to try anything new kind of person (got my Dad’s genes).

I was in an unusually relaxed mood…it was gorgeous out, we hadn’t had any morning activities to rush off to (love a free morning without the stress of getting the little one dressed on a time constraint) and we were headed to the park after.

I decided to buy this product.  It looked so cool, exactly like sand.  The package said “Your hands stay clean, clean-up is a breeze, and it never dries out.” I was sold.   When we got home, we tried it and it was awesome.

Gia says, “I’m so glad we got this, it feels so weird.”

Arianna played with this Kinetic Sand for a little more than an hour- which is a record for her snappy attention span.  She put her feet in it, happy as a pig in mud….Yup- I just compared my daughter to a pig…

So relaxing...
So relaxing…

I feel like I am writing a product review but I really liked this.  I think I will be more open to trying new things in the future.

Yoga Pants aka Denial Pants

On By JillIn Uncategorized2 Comments

yoga

Yoga Pants

I think these should be called denial pants… oh boy, do I love my black yoga pants.  They are the perfect mommy pant- they are comfy, don’t show the dirt, and stretch with me as I run and play with the girls.  I don’t find jeans all that comfortable due to my muscular thigh (not sure if it’s as much muscle as it once was these days)!  When I sit down or bend with jeans I feel like the denim is a strong damn holding back the gushing water, only it’s not water, its flubber!

But, the denial pants come with a price.  You put them on every day and never realize that you have put on a few pounds, not to mention they are black (slimming) and the ones I buy are called Shape wear (oh yea, I peek at my rear in these puppies and think to myself, who needs the Stairmaster?…does that even exist anymore, I haven’t been to a gym in 15 years.)

The other thing about these denial pants is that wearing them while spending the day with children makes you forget you’re a real person (like you once were a sexy lady). Putting on the denial pants is like the uniform of the referee, activity planner, waitress, maid, and chauffer.  Your mind is constantly on your children and what they need; it’s hard to find the extra energy to make a wellness plan for yourself.

I am not one to weigh myself so a reading on the scale wouldn’t have warned me to sprint towards salad street.  I mean, it’s not like I’m completely oblivious to the fact that not running/walking and indulging in pretty much everything lately is going to catch up with me…in fact last night we had a BBQ and I didn’t think twice about the burger slathered in mayonnaise and ketchup with a healthy serving of fries and the wine…yum! And pizza, wine, snackies, and cookies with friends Saturday night…and this has been like every weekend since January…it’s like my New Year’s Resolution was to let go, eat, drink and be merry…Damn, why does pleasure come with a price?

Needless to say, I put on jeans today …and can we say muffin top and boulder but!

Yikes!

Not Coping and Society’s Role

On By JillIn Uncategorized5 Comments

Last night I looked at comments on my post and one family member mentioned the word coping.  Hmmm, coping, I know what that is- I cope, I guess, well, actually, maybe not so much, not really sure, so I looked it up. After reading the definition, I don’t think I cope at all.

The definition of coping is to face and deal with responsibilities, problems, or difficulties, especially successfully or in a calm or adequate manner.

I’ve never been a good coper (is that a word?) I’ve been a good faker though, always smiling.  My mind is usually in constant turmoil, coming up with endless ideas of how I can feel better or what I can I figure out to make situations better.  I google topics, write in my journal, and have read tons of those dang self-help books!

Perhaps starting this blog has been a learning lesson for me, I have been writing for three months straight and realize that I do have a bit of a problem, and so do all 300 + readers.  My problem is obsessive thinking and planning and then never starting. If something small throws me, I quit. That darn all or nothing thinking again.  I lack coping skills in the regular hiccups of life.  I have an advanced degree in motivation (rah, rah, ree ree…let’s make everything from scratch and be happy!) But I fail in the execution.

Why am I like this? 

Perhaps this is society’s fault!

Before you call Dr. Phil and have me cast on the show entitled – ‘Woman blames the World-Needs to Accept Responsibility for Herself,’ let me explain.

I am not throwing in the towel, going to jump in front of a train, and let my husband deal with it all…I just realized that everywhere, we are bombarded with messages that are cure all’s- rules and prescriptions for success. Just google happy parent and see what you get.

Find Your Happy Parent Place If you follow these six simple mantras, you’ll have a lot more fun…SOUNDS ALLURING DOESN’T IT? AREN’T YOU JUST ITCHING TO FIND OUT.

How to Be a Happy Parent – A Parenting Plan for Happiness – OH MY GOODNESS- I NEED TO READ THIS NOW!

Happy Parents, Happy Kids: Tips to Strengthen Your Marriage– AWESOME! I CANNOT WAIT TO READ THIS ONE AND FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE US THE HAPPEST COUPLE EVER.

5 Secrets of Super-Happy Parents With Well-Behaved Kids– UM, THIS ONE SOUNDS LIKE EXACTLY WHAT I NEED!!! CALL THE BABYSITTER, TOM AND I ARE GOING TO HUNKER DOWN, EAT SOME HAMBURGER HELPER, DRINK SOME STRAWBERRY BOONES, AND MEMORIZE THESE SECRETS!

Ten Tips for Raising Happy Parents– RING, RING, HELLO MOM AND DAD, I AM COMING OVER, TAKE OUT THE JELLO MOLD, WE HAVE TO GO OVER ALL OF THESE TIPS THAT YOU DID NOT DO CORRECTLY WHEN YOU RAISED ME!

14 Things You Should Stop Doing to be a Happy Mom– STOP EVERYTHING, KIDS, HERE WATCH SOME TV, PLAY VIDEO GAMES FOR A WHILE BECAUSE I REALLY, REALLY NEED TO READ THIS ARTICLE SO I CAN STOP DOING WHAT I AM DOING, EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY. THEN I CAN FINALLY BE HAPPY.

The articles and the lists go on and on – tips and advice for every problem we are experiencing…Every article, every web site, every book offers a specific set of guidelines to fix yourself, better yourself, or improve yourself…ever glance at the headlines on magazine covers while standing in line at the grocery store? Five ways to feel confident, all the advice you need to look your best, beauty self-acceptance at last, ten ways to feel happy and fulfill your dreams, etc..

Even the very popular book, What to Expect When Your Expecting, sends a message that all you need is this book.  Remember the movie, Knocked Up, and the scene where Katherine Heigl’s baby daddy comes rushing in and says something about the bloody show, and she looks at him and everything changes, she gushes, “You read the baby books.” Even she thought all of the answers were in a book!

I have been sucked in to this world of happy tips, alluring, cheery lessons, and happy faces and success stories for so long that I haven’t worked on my own personal “coping. ”

I just need to get out of bed and just try something every day.  What I do know is that some days are just going to suck balls and you just have to get through it. No googling required.