Something To Look Forward To

Two years ago, I discovered the beauty of having something to look forward to.

The story goes like this: that summer my kids were in a week-long day camp - the first time both had been in a full-day camp at the same time in 9 years. I used the hours from 9am - 4pm to run errands, visit with friends, date my husband, schedule beauty appoints and other awesome things like sleep in! I filled the week with several events that filled me with excited anticipation. I used the hours to recharge, connect with other adult people and and fill up my own joy tank!

We all know life as a mom can be a bit...well, exhausting. Beautiful and precious and wonderful but exhausting nonetheless. Am I right?! Scheduling these special soul-filling times allowed me to desperately miss my kids more than ever. I was able to enjoy the time I spent with them! Carving out special time for myself - making things all about me - made me feel like a whole person again. Truthfully, I sort of woke up. And I realized that I need more things in my life to look FORWARD to.

I'm not only talking about time for just myself. I started opening our house to guests more. Seeking opportunities to create memories with my kids individually and as a family. Creating special time for just Kevin and I. Scheduling more family trips. And documenting everything. My theory has always been to document all the good times so that the horrible times are less memorable!

When I created this blog over 9 years ago I named it No Regrets. The theme was all about how my past was not going to impact my future. No looking back (which is all I did) and deciding once and for all to not dwell on my failures (which is all I did). After my second child was born, I changed the name to My Life Today. My desire was to focus on the blessings of today everyday. To not look back, to not look too far ahead but to remain in the present and be grateful for the here and now.

So basically, I've titled my blog about the past, present and now the future :) I'd like to see all moms schedule more things in their lives to look forward. With their families and apart from them. In an effort to lessen all of our mental stress, let's look at what we love...and do more of it! Let's take more time to examine what brings us all joy and schedule more of THAT in our lives! There's always going to be the things we have to do that we hate doing - for me it's putting away laundry & unloading the dishwasher. But scheduling 1-2 things/week that give me something to look forward to in life...I think it'll make the other stuff less miserable.

It's true that saying: if mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy. Maybe you're like me and have had those desperate moments of feeling useless in the big scheme of things. Well, I say it's high time for a pedicure. Or creating a book club. Or volunteering at the nursing home. Or reading a book on the beach during lunchtime. Or a hot bath. These are the everyday sort of things we can look forward to.

It may also be time to start putting away money for that Hawaiian vacation. Or getting a health club membership. Or going to night school to get that degree you've always wanted. The long-term desires of our hearts.

To me, having Something To Look Forward To is more than a calendar event. It's more of a mentality. I want to actively schedule events in my life and for my family that create both memories and strengthen our bonds with one another.

Wether its a trip to Costco or Aruba. Starting planning your Something(s) To Look Forward To today! I'd love to know what you are looking forward to how this outlook has effected you personally. Please, email me at splendidlivingsb@gmail.com and use #stlft2014 for any IG or Twitter posts.

Pintrest

Needed to get this on pintrest....

I Heart Faces: Best Face in Feb.

Presenting, Mianna. On this sunny afternoon we were playing "Show Me {Emotion}". I said, "Show me 'Happy'" and this is the face I got. I know it made this momma pretty happy!

I heart Faces

My entry for this week's Anything But Faces challenge.

I love this picture. I actually took this a few weeks ago during in impromptu 'Show Me' session. I'd say, "Show me 'happy'" and she'd make this adorable happy face. Or sad or excited, etc. etc. Suddenly I saw her dirty finger nails and was horrified! So I made her pose them for me.

I just love the dirty nails and the skin tag thingies that turn up around the cuticles (name?). She's 100% girl. But this girl can get DIRTY! My lovely, dirty angel.

I love you, Mimi.

HCG.1 Day 16

Well...it's been a few days since I've posted and to tell the truth: I've had some HIGHS and I've had some LOWS. Literally.

I've lost 12 pounds since I've started (but 14 pounds if you count the 2 lbs I gained from the gorge days). I'm pleased with that. 12 pounds in 16 days - that aint bad.

But today I felt depressed.

* I realized my husband was going out of town for 3 days instead of only 2, like I thought.

* We took down our Christmas tree {not depressed because of the lack of Christmas but the fact that it's super hard work and frankly, manual labor makes me depressed}.

* Little Mr. Man decided to literally cry every waking moment today.

* And it's Saturday and I knew that I did NOT have my beloved noodles from Saigon In & Out to look forward to this evening.

* I actually gained .6 pounds from yesterday

All in all, I felt pretty lousy. And feeling lousy made me feel like eating.

I actually didn't take my injection today (again). I forget in the morning - or wake up late, like today - and by the time I think I have time to do it it's already 11AM. I'm not sure if I should still take it but it just feels too late. Plus I've been on my period this week and the protocol says to skip injections on your period. I have zero likelihood of being pregnant (thanks to my tubal) so I'm not sure I really have to skip but I ended up skipping twice this week just in case.

Let's see...

HIGHS

* I lost almost 2 lbs on day 13
* I didn't cheat at all on day 12 and lost a pound!
* My head hunger seems to be decreasing
* Realizing that I've been weighing the food WRONG this whole time...to my detriment. Such good news going forward!
* Realizing I'm at day 16! Only...10 to go if I decide to do the 26 day version!

LOWS

* Sneaking bites of Betzhi's amazing chicken, onion, mashed potato casserole yumminess. Even ice cold it was delicious!
* This caused me to only loose .4 pounds
* I've stayed in the same pound (only gaining and loosing oz) for the past 3 days

The biggest disappointment of all is knowing that if I'd stop 'tasting' foods I actually drop into a new set of ten's {for example, say I weigh 130....losing 1 pound would put me in the 120's!!}. I'm literally tasting too. No big forkfuls....just a tiny taste. Maybe 1/night for the past 3 nights.

I know. I know. Stop cheating!!

Tomorrow. I promise.

HCG.1 Day 15

Today I created a veritable HCG Masterpiece! It was divine!

3.5 oz baked chicken
handful of cherry tomatoes
crushed garlic
seasoned with salt & pepper

Heated in a skillet for a few minutes...with only water

ON TOP of the Melba Toast

It was freaking gourmet, people!

HCG.1 Day....I don't know

I'm having a super weak moment. There is this amazing casserole in the fridge (down stairs fridge so it's not so easily accessible) and my mind keeps wandering to it. Just a bite. Just another bite, I should say. Oh, Lordy. I need to go to bed.

More tomorrow...