Productivity

What is your idea of productivity?

Over time, people's perception of productivity changes. 

As a child, my idea of being productive was getting my homework done on time so that I can go out with friends. I was not worried about laundry, cleaning, or planning meals and grocery store trips. 

Fast forward to college; I was living on my own, working two jobs, had a full time class schedule, and playing tennis. I was lucky to have five minutes to switch over my laundry on the weekends.

Married without children; I had plenty of time to clean the house, do laundry, get a meal plan in order and go to the grocery store. 

Newborn in the house; I was lucky to get a shower in everyday. Yet alone laundry, work, or applying make-up on a daily basis. 

I feel if you make something a priority, it will most likely always get accomplished. I really like organization, and it goes hand in hand with productivity. If you are organized with your weekly schedule, then you are less likely to fall behind in your "chores" or whatever it is that is most important to you. 

My idea of being productive today: First and foremost- playing with my Munchkin, he is so important and I would much rather play with him than fold laundry or unload the dishwasher. Here is my weekly productivity list:

Monday: Dust and Laundry

Tuesday: Sweet and Mop

Wednesday: Bathrooms

Thursday: Mirrors, Glass, and Kitchen

Friday: Laundry- sheets, clothes, towels, steam and iron. 

Saturday and Sunday: Family time

Of course my weekly productivity is mostly house-hold chores since I am a stay at home mom. 

Mom-mom {Attempting} Turkey Trot

I've always "enjoyed" running. In middle school I ran cross country and took 5th in State my 8th grade year. High school I traded my running shoes in for tennis and cheerleading, but still ran. College, continued tennis and every week we had to run so far, and I still ran more on the side.

My main thing that has always been on my "bucket list" was to run some form of a marathon. So when my Sister in Law brought up the Turkey Trot, I was at first hesitant, but later decided it is now or never.

Over the summer I ran 2 miles every morning. But stopped about a month ago as it was just too dark in the mornings and did not feel it to be "safe" for a woman to go running alone in the pitch black.

My SIL sent me the Training Plan for a 10 mile marathon, and I'm a week late on getting on that. But I have started.

The preparation looks like this {I have slightly altered it to fit my schedule}

10 Mile Training Plan:
Week 1: Monday, Wednesday, Friday 3 miles. Saturday 4 miles
Week 2: Monday, Wednesday, Friday 3 miles. Saturday 5 miles
Week 3: Monday, Wednesday, Friday 3 miles. Saturday 6 miles
Week 4: Monday 4m. Wednesday, Friday 3 miles. Saturday 7 miles
Week 5: Monday 4m. Wednesday, Friday 3 miles. Saturday 8 miles
Week 6: Monday 4m. Wednesday, Friday 3 miles. Saturday 9 miles
Week 7: Monday, Wednesday 4 miles. Friday 3m. Satuday 10 miles
Week 8: Monday, Wednesday 4 miles. Tuesday, Friday 3 miles. Saturday 11 miles
Week 9: Monday, Wednesday 4 miles. Tuesday, Friday 3 miles. Saturday 5 miles
Week 10: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday 4 miles. Saturday RACE DAY 10 miles

So there you have it. This will be my schedule till November 19th, RACE DAY!

But since I had been only running 2 miles before, I have to slowly even work my way up to 3 miles, yet alone 4 miles. This morning I ran 4.63 miles, well I should say I ran 4 miles and walked .63 miles. Took me 53 minutes. So, I have a little work to do.

I am not a fan of running mid-day. So this {3 month} Genesis Membership will really come in handy these next couple months that I will be training.

If you will be looking for me between 5:30 and 7am, I'll be there, running, a lot.

Should I even dare say that I am excited?

Munchkin's First Day of School

First day of school jitters. My Munchkin didn't have them. I did. 

Woke up, breakfast eaten. Lunch packed. Backpack ready. Snack included for entire class. Drink, wait, where is the drink? Oh yeah, in the fridge, where else would it be?

I sit back and take a deep breath before picking up from breakfast, and then look at the clock. Shhhhooot. It is 10 minutes till drop off time and little man has still to get dressed and his hairs did. 

Want to know how bad of a mom I am... Well not bad mom, forgetful mom. We rush into the church, back to Munchkin's classroom. The kids are all playing together and us moms are chit-chatting. Before I know it, the class door is open and it's my boy's turn to enter the classroom. A second later he's running into the class to go wash his hands and the teacher is taking his backpack, lunch box, and bag with the snacks. I did not get a kiss goodbye, a hug, or hardly even a wave. Right as I passed the doorway the teacher steps in front of me and says, "No parents in the classroom". Which I totally understand! But it made me sad that there he was, my big 2 year old, running to go start his day with his new friends. However, I was so proud of him, I was a little sad and felt like old news.

No first day of school pictures. I feel awful about it. How could a mom forget something like that? I know I shouldn't beat myself up about it. 

Well I kept my phone on me all morning. Because if they have problems or he has separation anxiety, then they'll call me. No phone call after leaving the church. No phone call after getting home. No phone call after ironing. No call after errands. No phone call heading to lunch. Then my phone rings, at lunch, downtown. Of course they have to call when I'm the furthest away. It took us 20 {of the longest} minutes to get to him. And when I walk into the office to pick him up, he's happy and playing. Sigh of relief. They said he did amazing this morning, he would just sometimes look around for me and cry a little, but then move onto another activity with the class and be fine. 

Game plan for next time: Bring his bunny {that he sleeps with during nap and every night}, pack some of favorite toys, and pick up an hour early since that is his nap time. 

So happy to hear he did so well. I think with this new Game Plan he'll do so well and he {and Mom-mom} are excited for next week.

All in all, PROUD MOM!! :-)

Happy Happenings

Nana came over yesterday (Wednesday) to spend the day with us. We had a great time, as usual. We spent the morning at the grocery store, organizing my closet, and of course playing! We also met the hubbs for lunch at Buffalo Wild Wings {yummmm}. In the afternoon I went shopping, and to get my ring fixed while Nana stayed at home during my Munchkin's nap.

While out shopping I got my little man a pair of Toms. I, personally, LOVE them. The hubbs is not quite sure yet. I am hopefully winning him over :-)

More sidewalk chalk art. I'm still pretty sure that I have more fun doing these than my little Munchkin...

He has always loved cars, trucks, tractors, boats, etc. And we have this book that has probably 50 different kinds of everything with an engine. Well he can name about 85% of them! We are really working on them, he LOVES this!! 

My Munchkin really enjoys tub-time now. He goes back and forth with this. So I'm happy that it's "on" now. He loves to blow bubbles {with his mouth mostly, however he does know how to toot and make bubbles that way too}. Loves to also "drive" his cars in, on, and around the water. His favorite bath toys are: Tonka train, Lightening McQueen car, panda head squirter, Happy Birthday duck, and the sun squirter.

Lounging around this morning watching cartoons. These are my favorite mornings with my Munchkin :-)

My house smells like banana bread. Jealous? ;-)

TO DO LIST for my Thursday:

1. Play with Munchkin

2. Clean bathrooms

3. Pick up ring from jeweler

4. Exchange Mom's Toms wedges

5. Dinner with the in-laws

HAPPY THURSDAY EVERYONE!!

Random Ramblings

I Don't Know How She Does It comes out Friday, September 16th. Cannot wait.

We have really been trying to save our pennies lately, so I haven't been out shopping for {what I feel like to be} a very long time. So today when I ventured out to the East side of town to get my mom and I some Toms wedges, I thought a few items wouldn't hurt. After all I had a Groupon right? Well it definitely made me feel better about spending that money... And a little more at other places. But who's counting?

Did I mention I lost a diamond out of my wedding band today? Well I did. So at lunch the hubbs made a deal with me that if he finds it, he gets to pawn my ring {and get me a fake one}... and if I find it, I can get my ring fixed. Thanks babe. Ha ha ha. There were a few other details, but I don't really remember. We didn't find it, so I took it to our jeweler to get it fixed. By the way, has anyone noticed how much diamonds have gone up? Holy moly.

Up All Night, so freaking funny. I love Christina Applegate. I've been a fan of hers ever since one of my BFFs and I watched The Sweetest Thing in high school. Which is an AMAZING movie if you're wanting a girls night movie and a pain in your side from laughing the entire time. "Too big to go in here" "F&C# Grandma" "It's oozing and it's green"

Whitney, excited to watch that show on Thursdays.

Friday evening we are going to a fund raiser event for the CACSC {Child Advocacy Center of Sedgwick County}. They are opening up a new multimillion dollar spec home in Oak Creek out East. Friday tickets are $100 and you get to walk through the house and there will be food from Chesters. All money goes to CACSC. It's such an amazing organization.

Lately my allergies have really been kicking my ass. Afrin has been my best friend, although I know I'm not really supposed to use that a lot. Therefore I've been trying those NetiPots, where you pour the salt-like water through one side of your nose and it {is supposed to} come out the other side. Let me just say that if I read directions, or see someone doing something I can usually mimic it pretty well, but for some reason I just cannot get this darn NetiPot figured out. Want to know the most frustrating part? I used to do them all the time when I was pregnant and nursing. So why in the world can I not get this?

LOVING THIS WEATHER!!! :-) So looking forward to Fall.

The Weekend Write-up

Friday night we went to dinner to Texas Road House for my brother in law's 15th birthday. So when the server brought the saddle over, my Munchkin jumped on with him since he just turned two.  

When we got home from dinner it was raining and he went in the garage, got his green chair and decided to sit out in the rain. He was not particularly happy when we had to go inside to bathe him. 

Saturday we met the in-laws at the Kansas State Fair {brother in law's actual birthday}. It was a lot of fun!! The weather was close to perfect. 70s, slightly overcast {a few sprinkles}, the sun peaked out a little, and then it started getting warm just as we were heading home. On our way out we picked up a funnel cake, my weakness. I had been doing so well at working out and eating right. But of course when I get sick/allergies I feel like {for some reason} that I can eat whatever I want, whenever I want. Well when we got home the Munchkin went straight to bed, as did I. After being at the Fair, it really stirred up my allergies even worse. So I relaxed from when the little guy went down {at 1:30pm} till I had to wake him up a little after 5pm! That little snoozer, just wish he'd do it more often. 

Well after nap we headed over to the in-laws, had dinner and went out to yet another field so the boys could fly the plane {one of BIL's birthday gifts} where the hubs ended up crashing it. Before dinner we were playing outside and walking along the street I ran into some gnats, well I thought they were gnats. These were a ton smaller, and they bit! They were flesh colors, and I could hardly see them they were so small. The only reason I could see them was because I had a white shirt on. Well after kind of wiping my arms off we headed into the garage where the boys were still working on putting the plane together. That is where I actually noticed these bugs were still on me, ALL OVER my shirt actually. They looks like little itty bitty worms, with wings that wiggled all over and then bite. I probably had 100+ on my shirt, and my under shirt!!! Let's just say that I could NOT wait to get home and get in the shower. And Jack had them on him too. Gross. So now whenever I see a swarm of "gnats" or whatever else they could be, I run in the other direction! 

Sunday, my Munchkin woke up early. Like really early. So I figured I could go ahead and get going on this whole cleaning thing. Tomorrow I am hosting our Junior League committee meeting at our house so of course I'm wanting the house to look good. Whenever I get into my cleaning mode, there is no stopping me after I get started. Thank goodness I got it all finished. The only thing I have left to do is sweep again under our kitchen table, my Munchkin is a messy eater. 

Looking ahead this week. Little guy starts SCHOOL!! He starts Musikgarden and Kids Day Inn this week. I've thought about this a lot lately. And I have decided that I am excited for him to start KDI, it will be so good for both of us!! 

Now I lay me down to sleep. I pray the Lord my soul to keep. Guard me Jesus through the night, and wake me with the morning light. Amen. {We say this prayer every night before bedtime with our little Munchkin, just as I did when I was younger. I'm a sucker for traditions. We also read Goodnight Moon every night.} :-)

Afrin and Tissues

Thank God for Afrin. And Dayquil. And tissues.

Leave it to me to get allergies/cold as soon as we start spending all our waking moments outside.

I've never had allergies, that is until I turned 24. WHY NOW?

We went to the fair this morning for my brother in law's birthday, and I LOADED up on afrin, tissues, and Dayquil. There is just something about those humongous orange pills that I loathe. First of all let me just say that I cannot swallow pills so make them horse tranquilizers and I'm doomed. I usually sit for about a minute swishing the pill back and forth in my mouth and then spit it out because it started to dissolve and I have to open another {pain in my ass} packet that makes my fingers hurt. Add in a stuffy nose and foggy head...

I'm praying my Munchkin can sleep all night tonight because I really need a good night's rest.

Did I mention school starts next week for my little man? Music class and Kids Day Inn. Nervous, excited, anxious, happy, sad {he's growing up so fast}... He'll always be my baby though!

Random Wednesday Update

My Munchkin has really been blowing my mind lately. He LOVES Cars {the movie} and Tinkerbell. Those are probably his favorites at the moment. But just today he was obsessed with Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. He usually doesn't interact with the cartoons {most he watches are educational and ask counting, colors, and shape questions}, well today he was answering the questions and was right most of the time!! Today was colors and counting. He got all of the colors and some of the numbers. So proud of my growing boy!

Last night was our first General Meeting for my first active year in the Junior League of Wichita. We talked about the progress over the summer and how far we have come since last year. We, as a league, are now issued based and our focus is on Child Abuse. I am more than thrilled to be on a committee to help battle this ever saddening issue in our community. Did you know that in just 1 year, in Wichita, there were 2,500 Child Abuse cases? Well that's a fact. And 30% of sexual abuse cases are happening to children under the age of 12. Breaks my heart! I am so proud to be apart of this league and trying my hardest in helping with this issue.

We also talked about Holiday Galleria. Please come and do some shopping and help us raise money to support our mission in building a better community and battling the issue of Child Abuse.

Holiday Galleria:


HolidayGalleria.org


General Admission - $8
   Friday, September 30, 10am - 4:30pm
   Saturday, October 1, 9am - 5pm
   Sunday, October 2, 11am - 4pm
Premier Party - $50
   Thursday, September 29, 7pm - 10pm
Girls Night Out - $12 in advance or $15 at the door
   Friday, September 30, 5pm - 9pm
Brunch & Fashion Show - $40
   Saturday, October 1, 11am

Lately my dear sweet Munchkin has been wanting me to paint his toes, because he always sees me doing mine. Well instead of painting his, I let him pick out my color. This week, green.

For the past year or so I have been coloring my hair myself at home to help save money, or more so that I can spend that money in other areas. Well this week I chose a different brand, Fat Foam. It is probably my favorite so far!! It was so much easier than I had thought. The only thing I did not like, well I do not mind it, but the color I bought was not the color my hair turned. I usually get the dark blonde or very light brown. My hair now you ask? DARK BROWN! Not my natural color, but I do love it nonetheless. I was thinking it was time for change, so maybe this is what I was looking for.

Munchkin's 2nd Birthday was last week and it turned out better than I could have hoped for. Sure, some of the invitations never made it to the people they were intended for, but we still had a good attendance rate. My little man got lots of goodies and everyone left with the miniature red tool boxes I made, a tonka train, and lots and lots of candy.

Cannot believe how big my baby boy is getting!! Almost 3 feet tall and 33.2 pounds.

Everyone please say a prayer for my nephew that was undergoing an endless amount of tests today in Kansas City.