waiting for you.

I cried myself to sleep last night. My heart was hurting, once again. I feel sad, angry, frustrated, discouraged, tired...

It's been an emotional cycle for the past few months now. 

Getting pregnant with my son wasn't planned - it just happened. You'd think the same would happen when you're actually trying for a second one. 

It's been a routine now - tracking my period, checking my ovulation, making note of how I'm feeling emotionally and physically. I find myself thinking, "Oh, was that pain a pregnancy symptom?" No, it wasn't.

When it doesn't happen, I'm reading blogs about other women who are also trying to conceive. It's funny, I've heard stories about people trying for months or years, but I never thought it would be this hard. I guess we all want to think positive and believe it will happen fast. 

It's pretty discouraging when you feel like you're doing everything you're supposed to do and then when it's that time, it's not the result you were hoping and working so hard for. 

People have said...
"Don't stress or think about it too much." 
"It'll happen when you least expect it."
"Maybe it'll happen when you stop trying." 
"Keep trying every day!"
"Just relax!"

Easier said than done, right?

Last night, I did feel like I wanted to stop trying. But that thought instantly made me sad - Why stop when you want something so bad?

Five Indoor Crafts and Activities to Keep Your Kids Busy

Whether you’re snowed in or it’s simply too hot to play outdoors, you know what cabin fever feels like when you’re home with kids. And while the TV might be able to provide a little entertainment, you don’t want that to be an all-day affair. But what’s a parent to do when the kids are bored and you’re fresh out of ideas? Foster your children’s natural curiosity and creativity with these five crafts and activities for kids.

• Create a racetrack. Grab an old fun noodle from the pool area and cut it in half lengthwise. Prop both pieces up, side by side, so they’re angled downward and make two parallel racetracks. Make sure they both end in a shoebox on the floor. Then, find marbles of all different sizes and your kids can race them. After all, what kid doesn’t love a little competition? Create fun prizes for a variety of things, like fastest marble, slowest marble, silliest marble race name, and more.
• Design a photo book online. This is an especially great activity for older children, who seem to understand technology better than us sometimes! Work with your kids to choose pictures from the past year or a special family vacation. Then, find an online site like Shutterfly where they can create personalized photo books. This should keep them busy for hours! If their attention span is shorter, ask them to help you design fun family photo cards for any upcoming holidays or events.

Build a fort. This traditional activity is one that parents often forget simply because it takes time and can be a bit a messy for the average day at home. But for an extended period of days when you know you’ll be stuck inside, what could be more fun than creating an elaborate maze of sheets in your living room or kids’ rooms? Not only will it tire your kiddos out physically, but it’ll require them to use brainpower and creative juices too!

• Write and illustrate a book. Regardless of age, this is a great activity for kids! First, create blank books for them by folding in half a piece of heavy cardstock and approximately ten to fifteen sheets of printer paper; then, staple along the seam to create a homemade book. Sit your kids down with pens, crayons, and markers, and ask each of them to create a story to share. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy – you can help younger children come up with the words to match their pictures.
• Make playdough. For those kids who love hands-on crafts, this is perfect. First, browse recipes to make homemade playdough for one that works for you. If you think they’re old enough, let your kids help make the dough – then, let them create away!

Rainy days, snow days, and summer days can be tough, especially when your idea well has run dry. Hopefully these ideas have sparked some of your own. Foster and engage your children’s creativity and you may be surprised at the result. Happy crafting!

Author Bio: Heather Hewitt is a seasoned writer and guest author who enjoys connecting people with thoughtful products, services and ideas as they relate to crafting, photography, gift giving and personal expression.

happy friday.

life happens.

It's been quite a while since I've been here...

My last post was written about 10 months ago and a lot has happened since then. I'd been meaning to open up my blog and start writing on a regular basis again, but we all know that it's not as easy as it sounds.

Things happen, right?
Weekends get filled up with social and family events. 
Weeknights are filled with catching up on your loved one's day and cuddling with your child before he goes to bed.
Friendships and relationships become closer...or can drift apart. 
An exciting time comes in your relationship. 
New opportunities and ventures arise. 
Life happens.

I love writing about what goes on in my life and what hilarious thing my son said so it took a while for me to accept the fact that I couldn't always find the time to sit down and write. 

I may not come back tomorrow for another post. 
I may not come back next week. 
And that's ok! 

I would love to share everything that's happened since I last wrote, but I'll leave it with the biggest and most exciting moment of all. I'll leave the story for another post...hopefully. :)

May 7, 2013 <3

fashion forward friday

One of my favorite pairs of shoes growing up was a super cute pair of black bow flats from Sam & Libby {which I am wearing in the picture below}. I was absolutely in LOVE with them and I wore them all the time. Sometimes I wish I had held on to that pair because it reminds me so much of my childhood. I loved the simplicity of it and the fact that they were adorned with adorable bows, which by the way, I am STILL a fan of.

 

You can imagine my excitement when I found out that one of my favorite shoe brands as a child has a collaboration with Target, another favorite of mine! Yes, Sam & Libby and Target have an affordable shoe line launching on May 5th. It's amazing when Target has a collaboration with just about anybody, but this will be simply awesome. And yesss...there will be bows! :)

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

my first hike - check!

If you told me 5 years ago that I'd actually be experiencing a hike, I'd call you crazy. I can't stand the thought of camping so I'm not much of an outdoors person. Over the last several years, my fitness and personal goals have changed a bit. I'd like to be able to say that I did something adventurous at least once in my life. {Maybe turning 30 this past January has something to do with it.} I made a goal to be more active and to participate in more active events.

So yes...I can sit here and tell you that I just went on my very first hike!

Four of my friends and I headed over to Mission Peak in fremont on Sunday and began our hike. I don't think I knew exactly what I was getting into because I was already sweating and huffing and puffing on the first incline. Soon after, we all could feel it in our thighs and calves. Hiking up to to the top would definitely NOT be easy. We finally got to the last stretch and that part was tough! It was a rockier terrain so it was a challenge just getting to the top.

As soon as we made it to the top safe and sound and stepped foot on the very top of the peak...it was exhilirating! Looking down at where we started to where we were standing at that moment felt like an amazing accomplishment.

Of course, I am paying for it today with a sore body. But hey - no pain, no gain!

wordless wednesday



{my first mud run!}

top 10 things you didn't know about iPhone cases

I've used an iPhone for almost five years now and I have to say that I don't think I could use any other phone. I use it every day and for everything you can imagine - taking photos, checking my email, texting, music, Instagram, updating my calendar, running, blogging, you name it! It's become my trusty little sidekick and such a necessity in my daily life. I honestly can't live without it {my boyfriend can attest to this} and because I use it so much, I have to make sure it's protected with a case. 

I wanted to share an infographic from Shutterfly on iPhone cases. Whether you use a case or not, this is something you should check out.

This infographic is provided to you by Shutterfly, a leader provider of photo books, custom iPhone cases & more!

happy easter.

Easter has always been a favorite holiday of mine and every time it rolls around every year, I'm reminded of the fun memories I had when I was younger...

The excitement of shopping for a new Easter basket every year because there was no way you could use the old one from the year before.
The joy of getting together with my family and spending quality time with my cousins.
The smell and taste of the delicious food.
The pastel-colored outfits that our parents made us wear.
The impatient waiting we had to endure while the adults went and hid the eggs...
The even more impatient waiting we had to endure while the adults made us sit together and take pictures...in our pastel-colored outfits.
The rush of excitment when we finally were released to begin our search for eggs.
The chocolates, the treats, the money. The pure fun and joy of it all.

I truly do miss being a kid, especially around Easter time. What makes it even more joyous for me now is creating the same memories for my son. Seeing how much he has come to love the holiday as much as I did as a kid warms my heart more than he'll ever know. Happy Easter, son!

 

 

 

 

late post: the croods

Tuesdays are usually a school night for my son, but we had free tickets to watch a movie screening of The Croods in San Francisco. We couldn't pass it up since both he and my boyfriend wanted to see it. It was a perfect night for some family QT! 

I have to admit, I wasn't as excited as they were to watch the movie, but I was pleasantly surprised at how entertaining and heart-warming the story is. The Croods is definitely one of the best cartoon movies I've seen in a while! Any movie that can make me and my boyfriend laugh and put a smile on my son's face deserves a high recommendation from me! This is an absolute must for any age!

 

Disclaimer: This is my personal blog and the views expressed on this movie are mine alone. I was not influenced nor did I receive any compensation for my opinion.

a clean home makes mommy happy.

Spring time calls for Spring Cleaning!

I've never been much of a "Spring Cleaning" type of gal, but I told myself that it was going to happen this year. Cleaning itself has always been therapeutic for me and that is exactly what my Saturday consisted of.

It's such a cleansing feeling to purge and reorganize everything. I absolutely hate clutter in the home and I refuse to hoarde things that we don't need. The best part of my Spring cleaning day was organizing my son's toys. Did I mention that I hate toys, too? My son has this obsession with trains and cars, specifically Hot Wheels. I didn't know how bad this was until I laid out all his toys on the floor...

It was the attack of the toy cars and my life was taken over by them. Thank goodness my wonderful son was out of the house for a couple of hours. What he won't know won't hurt him...

 

fashion forward friday

My go-to shoes for winter are obviously boots, but I am so over this fashion staple. I'm ready for Spring and longing for some cute flats, strappy sandals, dresses, and a pop of color in my daily wardrobe. I live in the Bay Area so Spring is always lagging behind. Come out, sunshine and warm weather!

my weekend in photos

{Happy} Monday! I can't believe how fast the weekend goes by sometimes. It feels like yesterday was just Friday. My weekend was fun-filled and eventful, which I love. The countdown to Friday begins again...

little man... <3

Tuna Melt, BLT, and two Chai Tea Lattes :)

I LOVE MARSHALL'S!

Happy 30th Birthday, Airiane and Beverly!

the BFF & the BF

getting ready for Spring and Summer!

i heart running

A few years back, I placed "Run a 5K Marathon" on my bucket list. I'm happy to say that I have checked that off my list...twice actually. A couple of weeks ago, I completed my second 5K run in Napa Valley and it was a successful one! Comparing to my first run, I was able to shave 7 minutes off my time. Yay! Of course, it isn't the ultimate goal of mine but I was still very happy with it. 

My goal when I started running was just to get it off my bucket list. But since then, I have found an extreme love for it. Running is now a part of my lifestyle and it's something that I need to do every week. I've tried different work out routines from Yoga to Pilates to TaeBo, but I've fallen in love with running. The feeling I get from it is like no other. 

Last night, I was in a little funk and feeling extremely tired. I had two choices - sleep it off or go for a run. It was past 10pm and I should have gone to bed, but I knew that wouldn't help so I went for a run at the gym. Afterwards, I felt so much better and my mood had changed. Writing has always been my therapy and now running is right there next to it.

do you really need that?

They say kids say the darnest things. And it's true...they really do.

I was lucky enough to have the day off on Monday and of course, I spent it with my little man. He was excited to have some QT time with mommy as was I with him. After spending some time at Chuck E Cheese and having lunch, we decided to head over to the Dollar Store since I needed to pick up some essentials...

My son's new thing is throwing unnecessary items into the basket or cart when we're shopping. So he was up to his usual behavior as soon as we walked into the store.

"Don't just throw things into the basket, Dylan."

He still continues to put random items in the basket so I finally say, "Okay, these are things that we don't need so let's not put things that we don't need into the basket."

This is something that we are trying to teach him when we go shopping - our needs vs. wants.

He puts what he was holding back down, looks at me {with a little smirk on his face} and says, "But Mommy, you put chips in there. Do you NEED chips???"

I swear, this kid is too smart for his own good.

wordless wednesday

:)

the sweetest boy

Over the weekend we moved into a new place so you can imagine how hectic and messy it was. The three of us were so pooped that we were lying in bed at 8pm and my son and boyfriend eventually fell asleep 30 minutes later. I thought, "Yay, I get to sleep early tonight for once, too!" I must have jinxed myself because I didn't sleep early at all. In fact, I laid there in bed for 3 hours trying to get myself to sleep.

I tossed.
I turned.
I went to the bathroom several times.

It was going to be one of those nights and I was already dreading the next day.

I woke up around 6am this morning to make breakfast and was not in a good mood since I ended up falling asleep around 1am. After feeding my son his breakfast, I quickly got dressed and went into the kitchen to eat my food when I heard, "Mommy you look so pretty."

Immediately I looked at him and felt so much better. I walked over to him, gave him a big huge hug and said, "You are the sweetest boy ever. You make sure to always tell girls how pretty they are...they will melt in your hands."

My little man just smiled. I love him to pieces.

wordless wednesday

{someone is ready for Halloween!}

fashion forward friday

Outdoor Comedy Show by lindsay-advincula featuring crossbody handbags

Cross shirt / Madewell jean jacket / Vero Moda hot shorts, $23 / Bamboo braided sandals / Marc by Marc Jacobs crossbody handbag / Carolina Bucci gold earrings, $1,685

I am officially obsessed with Polyvore! I'm very excited because tomorow night I'm going to an outdoor show called The Comedy Jam. As always, I'm stressing about what to wear so I took to Polyvore to get some ideas. I am definitely loving this outfit! It's casual and comfortable, which is what I'm looking for since we have lawn seats. Since it will probably get a little chilly at night, I've added the jean jacket. Super cute!

   

Won't Back Down

When I finished high school ten years ago, about half of my class graduated. Half! My high school was on its way to failing and it was only getting worse. Ten years later, my high school is gone and has been replaced with a middle school. I'm not sure exactly what happened or if anyone tried to do anything about it. But if you ask me about it, it breaks my heart and it's very saddening. If this was happening to a high school in my city, what's to say it won't happen to the rest of the schools?

When I had my son I knew how I wanted to raise him, what foods I wanted to feed him and what not to feed him and what kind of bottles and diapers I was going to use. The one thing I didn't know was where we were going to put him in school. I knew for sure that it wasn't going to be in my hometown and that was one of the main reasons why we moved out of there. My son is almost 4 years old and elementary school is just around the corner and the thought of where to start his educational path scares me.

Where are the best teachers?
Where is the best eduation?
How far will I go to get him the best education he needs??

I had the wonderful opportunity to attend a screening of Won't Back Down the other night in San Francisco thanks to Circle of Moms. Starring Maggie Gyllenhaal, Viola Davis, and Holly Hunter, the movie is about two mothers who decide to drastically change their children's failing inner-city school. The task itself isn't easy and throughout the movie you see how they are tested but continue to strive to make a difference in not only their children's lives, but the whole community.

I hadn't heard of the movie before the screening but I'm so glad I was introduced to it. When I saw the preview I knew it was going to be a powerful movie! And it was. It wasn't only powerful, but it was one of the most touching and heartwarming movies I've seen in a long time. Any movie that can make me cry gets two thumbs up in my book. Seeing the struggle and frustration Maggie Gyllenhaal's character Jamie had with her daughter's school was a reminder that you can't just put your kids in any school and expect them to have the best education.

Being a mother myself, I couldn't help but feel every emotion that the two mothers went through. Their pain, their dedication, their tears, their fight, and their joy. It was all there and it was for their children! I don't think I've ever felt this much admiration for two characters in a movie before. They did what they could and sacrficied everything to give their children the best. And isn't that what motherhood is all about, sacrifice?

Won't Back Down is a reality check that our children only have one life to live and that we shouldn't back down when it comes their future. Maggie Gyllenhall and Viola Davis delivered an outstanding performance. This movie give mothers everywhere hope and it is truly inspiring from beginning to end!

FTC DISCLOSURE: A Mommy's Lifestyle aims to provide unbiased editorials. However, I wish to disclose that from time to time I may receive free products or other compensation from companies for blogger reviews.