Anxiously Awaiting Warmer Weather….Spring.

The other day I found myself cruising weather websites and browsing the ones that had the best temp averages for the month of March. What I found out is that by the end of March we should have temps in the 40's. The one thing I am dying to do is tear the plastic off the windows and open them wide. I am so antsy to purge and sping clean everything!  This winter was/is challenging for me and the family (I know I keep saying this). We are in such life transition right now it is hard to find that solid ground to stand firmly on. Like I've said before, I feel like I am living life on hold….."one day this, one day that". I need to find the will to live each day for what it is, a day living a precious human life. I have to stop feeling so down about things, and start to see the slight beauty of everything around me. After all, some don’t even get the privilege to live life, to breathe the sweet air, to see the beautiful blue sky…….but I do, and it is a great privilege. I mustn't wish it away.

It's hard not to feel secluded in such a distant place in which we reside. Someone recently told me that seasonal depression is so prevalent in an area like this because for six months out of the year, we don’t really get sunlight because we don’t go outside. It's hard to go out when the fringed air sweeps the warm air right out of your lungs, and freezes little tiny fingers so fast. The  other day we broke. You know it's bad when the (almost) two year old gets up from a nap, because the sun came out and started shining in her little face, and says '"side" (outside). How do you say no when she leads you over to her boots and says "on"? I couldn't get around it, I couldn't tell her no…..so outside we went. It was wonderful to see Amar'e jumping in the puddles and splashing and playing about. It made me so hungry for outside weather. At this point it won't take much for me to consider it outside weather….no precipitation, and it should be warmer than 38 degrees. That's it, that's all I ask.  I have pictures of Andrew and I last April racking leaves and prepping our garden. March is Friday (also my birthday), and that means it will not be much longer! We can't wait and I am counting down the days. So many things to look forward to this coming spring, summer, and fall. So many wonderful things to do during that time.

I wonder what the effects being stuck inside have on an eleven year old. I know he has perfected the art of annoying his mother and sister. If there is an award for this, he should, without a doubt, win it! I know he feels pent up too. I try to encourage him to go outside, but he shows no interest and obviously I don’t blame him.  I don’t know if this is my fault because I don’t go out when it's cold and/snowy? This is how I was raised. I did indeed go out with the kids to go sledding when I was a kid but for no reason other than that…but I don’t think there is a place for the kids to do that where we live. I never see anyone out when I am coming and going.  

 We must do more then exist, we must live....

P.S.One thing I am looking forward to participating in is the Mama Earth Project for the month of March . This will consist of a daily photo prompt for the month of March. This will take care of two goals of mine...working on my photography and blog more. I truly look forward to it.

Communicating More And More Each Day

Some time ago I wrote about Amar'e and talking, and how she wasn't much for words and how she used sign language along with grunts and whines to get her point across. It seems like overnight, not only is she using a ton of words to communicate, she is using compound words! "Mama's shoes" was something that Amar'e said that rooted a phone call at work. Andrew called me at work to tell me that Amar'e was putting word together! The night before was the first time she did this. Her first compound word (that I know of) was "apple juice".

Another fantastic advancement in the world of communications is now Amar'e is saying yes, or yup, or ya in response to questions and she knows what this means compared to "no". Everything was no. "Amar'e do yo want soup?" "No" "Amar'e, do you want juice?" "No", "Amar'e do you want to color?" "No!". At some point I thought back to when one of my friends had a little one, who was about Amar'e age at the time, who answered every question you would ask her with a big "no". And my friend's response was, "no means yes". This "no means yes" became the golden rule in this house. But now, this is no longer the golden rule around these parts because Amar'e can finally use yes and no with full knowledge of what each one means. How wonderful is that?!

I would of loved to add a few pictures of our horrible not so pleasant weekend, but my computer crashed on me for the 5th time causing me to lose a lot of my pictures I've taken recently. So now I am deathly afraid of uploading any of my pictures onto my computer in fear it'll crashed again. Luckily my new laptop is on its way. This is long overdue. This computer is on it's last leg. Living in the electronic world we live in, it is virtually impossible to get by with out some type of computing device. I do pay most of our bills online.  I've never felt to disconnected as I did over the weekend trying to get my laptop running again, trying to avoid doing a restore on it. Eventually it was inevitable that a restore had to be done. Bye bye pictures, bye bye music, bye bye mostly everything. Not fun. When they say that bad things come in threes, I have to believe them because the day my computer crashed I found out that the person I work for was having a (hopefully) temporary moment of insanity that caused me to question if I was putting my energy in the right place, and before the weekend was over our Chihuahua eat a bag of chocolate chips and almost died. He had to be rushed to an emergency vet center 40 minutes away. He pulled through and is doing good now. I can't imagine losing a member of the family.  That made three. There, we are done with bad. Hopefully better days to come!

A Counting Video + Babylegs Giveaway Winner

I found out the other day that Amar'e can count to five, sometimes to ten, but she counts to five really good. Wanna see?

 And the winner of the Babylegs giveaway is Lace! Congrats my friend. I will be emailing you shortly! 

Happy weekend everyone! 

♥

♥A second is all it takes ♥

Staying Present

Recently, I've noticed that I am having a hard time staying present. Actually, this has always been a problem for me as far back as I can remember. I find myself either living in the future or thinking about the past. Sometimes it's a song that brings me back to a place where things weren't so good. Sometimes it's a scent that throws me into the future, and dreaming about what it will be like, look like, or taste like. I rarely ever am present. Rarely ever here in the moment. I have read many things about living in the now, how it enhances your quality of life, but I just can't make this happen for myself. Once I realize I am drifting away from the now, I try and pull myself right back. Sometimes I get so caught up in making plans for our future, so caught up in the blissful dream of what life will be like once we can stop living life on hold. On the other end of things, I find myself drifting back to the past with all of my what if this, and what if that. If I would have done this differently I would be here or there. All of the choices I have made I start to question, to regret.

I know I am wasting a lot of energy not living in the now. I know that doing this is not helping me or my situation, but I don't really know how to stop it. Sometimes I am just wanting the warm weather to come and I am planning how our spring, summer and fall will be spent. I am planning what to make for dinner, or what I will be doing this weekend. . Sometimes I am angry at where I am in life, thinking if I just would have done things differently I would be in a different situation. Once again, I am not helping my here and now. I am doing nothing that can change my reality. I have to stay present. I know it is natural to look ahead and be excited for what is to come, but stressing about it takes the excitement away. I am trying to live by these words (on my pinterest board):

"Do what you can, where you are, with what you have"
-Unknown

"Let your past make you better, not bitter"
-Unknown

" Worrying is stupid. It's like walking around with an umbrella waiting for it to rain"
-Wiz Khalifa

"The past cannot be changed, forgotten, edited or erased. It can only be accepted"
-Unknown

"Never regret anything that has happened in your life, it cannot be changed, undone, or forgotten. So take it as a lesson learned and move on"
-Uknown

"The what ifs and the should haves will eat your brain"
-John O'Callaghan

 If I could just do this, I would be able to have more energy to put towards the things that really matter, like starting to plan Amare's home school curriculum or helping Damien purge his room of unnecessary clutter.  Being the victim of cabin fever isn't helping either. These walls are starting to close in on me.

Everything happens for a reason, figuring out that reason is my challenge. For now, I will work on not worrying about much more then the here and now. I will try to stay present.

If you enjoy reading this little blog of mine, you can vote by clicking the link below. We truly appreciate it!

I Can't Keep This Greatness To Myself....I Must Share! {Babylegs Giveaway} [CLOSED]

 Liberte Love Handle. Those three words have made my life so much easier. It all started when I was preparing for my trip to Florida. I had my Boba ready to go. My Aunt had arranged for us to use a stroller and car-seat while we were visiting. I had every type of restraint/safety device I could ask for. But did I?
Something inside kept telling me that getting Amar'e a backpack harness leash would be a great idea, so the search was on. I Googled many different images of options and finally I saw something that caught my eye. The Liberte Love Handle. What made this stand out from the others I had looked at was that it didn't have buckles,clips or straps. It was exactly my style. I ordered it and had it rushed so I would get it before departing for Florida. The first time I used it was while we were at Disney's Animal Kingdom. Amar'e was insisting to walk on her own, but being 22 months, she doesn't understand  the concept of crowded places and staying close. With so much going on around us, I thought it would be a good time to give the Love Handle a try. I put it on her, and in less than 30 seconds another women came over to me asking about it. She loved it for the same reasons I did. She insisted she as going to buy one for her daughter. Sweet! I have to tell you, the Love Handle was everything I was expecting and more! Quality material, clever design, amazing pattern! I highly recommend this to every mother on the planet!

And it gets better. I found out that it was designed and created by a mother, who was in the same situation I was in, looking for a functional and fun way to keep her toddler within arms reach. She is selling these, among other lovely products, through Mom 4 life. A mom owned, mom made, hand picked product kind of place. Owner Heather's primary goal is to offer unique products at great prices with exceptional customer service! Who could ask for more? I am beyond happy with my Love Handle and want to spread the word to others about this awesome product and place to buy it.

 In celebration of this great product, Mom 4 life is offering one Perfection Imperfections reader a pair of Babylegs!!!

 

 Source

This is another mom-created fun and functional products that offers warmth and style to exposed little baby legs and arms! I know I can think of 100 cute outfits that I could create for Amar'e with Babylegs. I personally love Ivy League and Orange/Aqua...how about you?

***To Enter***

Go to Mom 4 Life and check out the Babylegs. Come back here and leave me a comment telling me you did and which style you would like if you  are the winner (include your email) .

That's it!


***This giveaway will end February 13th at midnight EST***.
 **I will use a random picker to select the winner**

*Shipping is limited to the US for this giveaway*


Good Luck!!!

**Extra Extra~Read all about it**
Moms 4 Life is have in a special sale beginning February 7th through the 13th for every order of $50 or more will  get a free pair of BabyLegs!!!



And a vote, if you dont mind....

Calling All Artsy~Creative People...This Ones For You!

Hello friends! That upset child you see above is tired of the same old "Baby On Board" sign that hangs in our car's window. Don't cry Amar'e becaue I have some exciting news!

Now, I know I can't be the only parent who put a "Baby On Board" sign on their gift registry when they were pregnant. Once I got one I stuck it on the car window before heading to the hospital. I really like this sign for many, many reasons, but I do think is needs a makeover (and so does she↑). Well, we're not the only ones....21st Century is hosting a fun contest to re-design the "Baby On Board" sign! Grand Prize  is a $10,000 baby room makeover!!! This contest is being launched to promote car safety awareness. So don't just sit there, get over to 21st Century and enter this awesome contest!!


This is how its works:
Email a photo to contest@21st.com, of your Baby on Board sign with 50 words or less describing how you created it. All entries must be received by March 15, 2013 11:59PM EST.

Every week, starting January 25, 2012 and ending March 15, 2013, 21st Century will be giving away a car seat for your infant or toddler - winners can choose their preference. The winner will be selected based on their most creative Baby On Board sign. Additionally, all entries will be entered into a grand prize drawing for a $10,000 baby room makeover.

 As soon as Amar'e got word of this contest she hurried to get her colored pencils and started working. 

She's the creative type.

Good luck everyone!

A tiny vote is always greatly appreciated!

{Guest Post} Preventing Diabetes Among Children

Hello friends! Today I have something special for you. Here I have a guest post about Childhood Diabetes by Carolyn. Carolyn is a 20-something year old with a passion for life, fitness and overall well-being. She is an avid cycler, golfer and has been known to bust some serious moves on the dance floor. Check out Carolyn’s blog at http://fullonfit.blogspot.com/!

Without further ado, Carolyn take it away.....

Preventing Diabetes Among Children

Not too long ago, my family learned that one of my little cousins was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes.  This was a complete shock to us all – I knew that she had been struggling with her weight, but I never realized someone her age (she’s only 13!) could develop Type 2. However, after talking to her doctors and doing some research, I learned that we were not alone in this issue. According to information from St. Joseph’s Cardiac Hospital of Syracuse, 215,000 children under the age of 20 have been diagnosed (yes, the total number of people – who have it but haven’t been diagnosed – is much larger) with Type 2, and this number continues to grow exponentially. 

Knowing how common this disease has become among children encouraged our family to learn as much as we can on how to manage it, and prevent it for my other little cousins.  Given how common diabetes is, and how fast it is growing within the global population, and especially among children, it is up to families to take the active steps necessary to help children avoid Type 2. Due to the fact that Type 2 is largely connected with obesity, the best ways to prevent it is through proper nutrition, regular exercise, and getting enough sleep.  Here are some tips to consider:

A Healthy Diet
The first thing to do when trying to eat healthier is to get rid of the junk food. Yes – get rid of it! If you don’t have it in the house you can’t eat it, and if you stock up the house with healthy foods you are more likely to eat it when you’re hungry. You know the foods I am talking about, too – the ones that are full of salt, sugar, and artificial preservatives. Also, ditch the sodas and sugary juices, the fatty meats, and the processed foods – you know, the things that tend to be the quickest to make because they are microwaveable!

Although they may not be excited at first, continue to encourage children to eat healthy foods, such as fruits, vegetables, protein, and whole grains every day.  Finding ways to make these foods appealing can call for a little bit of creativity, but the long-term benefits are worth totally worth it!

One healthy breakfast snack your kids will be sure to enjoy is a yogurt, fruit, and granola parfait.  You can put it in a pretty glass so that your kids believe it is dessert.

You can make it with the following ingredients:

1/4 cup of granola
1 cup of plain yogurt

Chopped fruits of your choice – banana, apple, strawberry, blueberry…
1 teaspoon of pure maple syrup or honey

Half of the granola is placed into the glass first, then half the yogurt is added, followed by half the cut-up fruit. Repeat the first step again, and top if off with the syrup or honey! Here’s another great site that we like to use as inspiration for healthy meals!

Exercise
Your children should be encouraged to exercise regularly to prevent obesity and diabetes.  Activities that will help them remain healthy are activities such as bike-riding, jumping rope, swimming, soccer, basketball or other sports that may interesting to them.  They can also mow the lawn or walk the dog to be physically active – the key here is to get them moving and get their hearts pumping every day!

Sleep
Recent academic studies have found a link between inadequate sleep among children and obesity later in life.  Your children should average at least eight hours of sleep per night, with nine or ten being optimal.  Kids who average less than eight hours of sleep per night, or whose sleep patterns are irregular, may develop lifelong metabolic problems leading to obesity, and possibly, Type 2 Diabetes.