Taking care of Mama - day 1

On day one of Taking Care of Mama, made sure to get a full night's rest and went straight to bed after the last little one was asleep. So I slept from 10pm to 7pm and woke up well rested. Why oh why do I let myself stay up late and not get adequate rest??? Is watching some mindless show on tv really needed at night - I don't think so. I never sit down to watch tv during the day, so after the kiddos are asleep, that is my time. But I'm wasting it on the couch when I could be resting in my bed. So, no more tv for me.

I went to the chiropractor and had an adjustment with a wonderful bonus. They did a full therapy session on my upper back and neck which included an ultrasound massage and an intense (but good) massage by their massage therapist. I always thought massage would be relaxing, and while I left there feeling so much better, the massage really hurt. I'm tense.... but working on it! The therapist gave me some really good tips and so I wanted to share those.

First, our head weighs about 10 lbs and our shoulders/neck muscles need to rest occassionally. Think about this - if you ever lifted weights - you know how you will do several reps of lifting one weight then put it down when your muscles just can't take anymore? Then you can pick it back up again in a few minutes right? Our head is that weight and our neck/shoulders need to rest so that it can continue to carry our big ol' heads around all day long. As women, we sit behind computers or drive children around town and while we wish our strength was in our upper body, it's really in the hip area. So she suggested this - take several 3-4 min breaks throughout the day and lay down on the floor with your knees bent. Put a rolled up towel under your neck for support. If you can, also put a few ice cubes on the towel so that they target your neck muscles. Why ice instead of heat? She said that when muscles swell (think sprained ankle here), we ice them. It's the same for when your neck starts to ache. I'm going to try this today!

When I entered the chiro office, my body felt like it was spinning without direction like a person lost in the woods without a compass. As I left, I felt lighter and more grounded like I had found my direction. Now to just keep it on track.

Eating today was better too. I am trying to eliminate white sugars/sweets and eat more fiber and protein. Drinking lots of water is so important and something I never do enough of. So I have designated a 18 oz Klean Kanteen as my water bottle each day and I fill it up at least 4 times a day. Yesterday I accomplished this - check!

Stress - I need to eliminated as much stress as possible. Yes, my plate is very full and I have recently let a wonderful volunteer position go to lighten my load. It wasn't enough though and I am looking for ways this week to help reduce stress in my life. One idea is to hire a housekeeper to help me keep up with the bigger cleaning - kichen floor, bathrooms, etc. When these do not get cleaned it adds to my stress. I have gotten better at "letting things go", but sometimes I feel buried the housework and paperwork that surrounds me. I have no idea where to start on the housekeeper idea or how much it costs. I do know that I need help and while my girls are great at helping with general cleaning, I think we need more. I hope to have more accomplished on the stress reduction very soon!

~Lisa

This will be the week

I have been feeling very fatigued, jittery and generally unwell the past few months so it is now time to do something about it! The plan is to take it easy for the next two weeks and rest as much as possible ( wish me luck on this please - or even better, pray for me). Scheduled this week is an appointment to see my family doctor to discuss a detox, an appointment with the chiropractor and an overindulgent appointment for a neck & shoulder relief massage. I'm really only looking forward to that last one... The knot in my neck has got-to-go! So I will be laying low for the next two weeks and sleeping as much as possible. This means no more late night movies or wasteful time on the computer. Momma needs to take care of herself! To bed I shall go when the last little one starts sawing logs. This post is just my reminder to myself really, that I need to do this for my well being and I need to stick to it.

After the first week of rest, I plan a week long fasting/detox (as long as it's okay with my dr). I have no reason to believe it won't be, in fact, I think my body is craving it. I'll post my list of foodies here each day so anyone can follow along and I can keep tabs on myself.

After the two week rest and week of detox, then I will start to exercise regularly once again. Gentle yoga is okay for the detox week though and something that I will look forward to. So this is the week to get started. It's kind of like my own New Year's - just a little late!

~Lisa

Dreaming

I had a dream once for a family that was all my own - my own flesh and blood. Relatives who knew me, loved me and never left me. Giving thanks today for the family that is all mine and to my wonderful husband who made all my dreams come true.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKfDwChOoHI

I'm loving this song - go listen.

As a little one runs into my lap singing "My Mama!" I'll leave this space for today. Lots going on here and very little time to write about it. I hope to get caught up soon and will share pictures of our strawberry picking outing (see new Spring banner!). Don't you just love Springtime?

~Lisa

Big Birthday Weekend and a Giveaway!

A sweet baby girl was born 13 years ago and made me a Mom for the first time. As we held her, (and studied her ten tiny toes) we tried to imagine our lives together as she grew into a young lady. She's exceeding all our expectations and dreams. A beautiful young lady now graces our home with a kind, giving heart, is an eager helper, has a determined mind and is a sister to be looked up to. We often tell her how she hangs the moon for the younger ones.  Happy 13th Birthday Melissa!! We love you!!!

On another note, be sure to check out the blog, Sew Liberated, by the fabulous Meg this weekend. We'll be giving away a Moby Wrap from our Full Circle Baby store to one lucky reader!

Happy Weekend!

~Lisa

Perfectly ready

Having five children in tow with me almost constantly, I am often approached by others wondering if we will have more children. Many ask if we will try for a boy (being we have all girls). My typical, polite response is that "I don't know - maybe" to the first question. About the boy question, "I don't think so...we only make girls it seems".

I realized lately that my typical responses are just apathetic and robot responses. I haven't tried to delve into the whys or hows or ifs as I've just been too busy living and enjoying the children we have been blessed with. I haven't tried to analyze and soul search if I truly was open to having more children. I knew that I would be fine with adding another child to our family, but did I really want more was a question that I have not wanted to answer until now. Waffling on the issue is an understatement. Indecisive - yes, absolutely true.

With the talk in the media about the woman who just had octuplets (making her total 14 children), there has been speculation about her irresponsibility. Not being one to judge her, I am not going to go there but instead I brought it to my own self to ask if it is irresponsible for us to have more children. I read this lovely post today and she put into words all the thoughts I've had on the Octomom and having a large family of our own.

I forced myself to answer that question of "do I want more children?" and I found the answer to be - yes. Before now, my indecision left me feeling uneasy and hollow. Answering that question for myself and not for others who ask me in passing, now leaves me feeling happy and certain.

Will we have more children? There's One who knows for sure, but I do know that I will happily welcome and want any child that may come to us. I love little babies and they bring true joy to my life. Pure joy! Adding to our family in the form of little people couldn't be more wonderful. They are only with us for a little time to nurture into bigger people after all and then the most wonderful thing happens as our family loves and cares for each other. So instead of having babies, maybe we should think of it as having family instead. Could there be anything more wonderful than having a family of your own to love and care for?

I also found through my soul searching that I am more ready now than ever before in my life to welcome a new baby into my life. I am more confident as a mother, wiser and at ease with the care a new baby brings. I have found my way to being the mother I want to be and I truly love motherhood. It's not always easy and at times I lose my patience, but I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. I am perfectly ready. I am ready for whatever the future holds for us and it's a great place to be.

Peace and love,

~Lisa

Want to know a secret?

I get asked every so often how I manage everything - from homeschooling, having five children to keeping my house clean. Let's get one thing straight first, I don't do it all. I have five little helpers and one big one. But, the one thing that I do every single morning is to clean the kitchen sink. If I don't do it, then I'm in big trouble. My day will be a disaster and nothing will run right. So to keep things real, here's the before picture of my kitchen. This was probably after a weekend of cooking (my guy likes to cook which I am so very thankful for, but I'm his designated cleaner upper). On weekday nights, I like to have the kitchen all cleaned up before I head to bed, but sometimes I let it slide too. 

What a mess!!! Almost every square inch of this counter is covered in dirty dishes. I love my dishwasher, it's pretty new and so very quiet. BUT, I need two....seriously.

Here's the after picture. I had it all cleaned up in about 10 minutes - really! When I get to work, it doesn't take long at all.

I thought I'd share a few of my favorite cleaning aids. First is this fantastic scrubber - Bon Ami. This stuff has been around for ages and I can remember as a child seeing my Grandmother use it to clean her kitchen. The great thing about Bon Ami is that it is safe and doesn't contain bleach. Plus, it makes my kitchen sink and stove shine!  Did I mention it's cheap too???

This is my second favorite kitchen cleaner. Mrs. Meyers cleaners smell so good! Especially this one I got right after Christmas when they were all on sale. It's peppermint scented and every time I spray it, a cooling sensation comes over me. Ahh.....

See how shiny my sink is now?! 

So, that's my secret for making my household run smoothly - start with the kitchen sink. Once it's clean, the whole day runs smoothly.

~Lisa

My house is quiet

Truly, my house is quiet and the only sound I can hear is the tippy-tapping of my fingers on the keyboard as I write this post. Even the dog is quiet outside - and that is saying something. So before it ends, and oh, will it end, I want to squeeze in one more thing...a nap. A quiet, Saturday afternoon nap. Sounds lovely doesn't it?

Before I head off to my just out of the dryer clean sheets, I want to pop in here to mention our January Sale at Full Circle Baby! There is just one more week left of a HUGE Baby Wearing Event and Get Yourself Organized SALE. That's what you get when the Owner can't decide which type of sale to have - one really long sale title. I've put all the baby carriers we stock on sale - Becos, Mobys, Maya Wraps and Zolowear. Plus, all those great organizational items like cute little wet bags and the eco-friendly diaper bags by Fleurville (these are made out of recycled water bottles - so cool!) are on sale too. So get yourself on over to Full Circle Baby while the gettin' is good and before the sale ends too!

Happy Weekend!

~Lisa