Ingenue Mom

I love the Currently posts on Sometimes Sweet . I also found a good one on Cailyn . I thought it'd be fun to try one! Watching: The main thing I am watching lately is Vampire Diaries because Lewis finally agreed to start at Season 1 with me. We've been doing it since Lux was born & we are almost done with Season 3! I love when we get into a show together! I also just this week started watching Nashville . I caught up on Hulu and then watched this week's episode on DVR! It is really fabulous. I love Connie Britton & I really don't love Hayden Panettiere, but after watching the show, I can totally deal with Hayden & I love all the stories & the scandal & the relationships! I'm also really loving Partners ! It's great to see Sophia Bush from One Tree Hill and Michael Urie from Ugly Betty back on tv! Reading: Lately I've just been reading my Bible Study and then lots of blog posts. I'm doing the Beth Moore study, John the...

Amazing post . Amazing song. Cute new blog for children's books that I found! Thinking about going back to the gym soon & this Post-Baby Bootcamp series seems interesting - and really hard!! 116 things I need to throw away while I'm home on maternity leave. Sometimes Sweet reminds me that it's ok to be an adult now. Looking for more books to read & What She Saw has a great book list !

My husband pays attention to my blog. He bought me one of the necklaces I mentioned ! I love it!!! I hope your Mother's Day is wonderful and that you get time to celebrate your mother and to be celebrated for everything you may do as a mother! In honor of mothers, here are a couple of mother-related posts that I've enjoyed lately: Really, TIME Magazine from The Planet Pink, Breastfeeding is a big deal from The Mommyhood Memos, Cheering on MOMS from Life Wrapped in Pink

(Pic from Adriel's post) I read the book The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky when I was in high school and at the time it really resonated with me because of just where I was and who I was and what was going on in my life at the time. I haven't read it in years, but I doubt it would have the same effect anymore because I'm not the same person anymore. Interesting how perspective changes... That being said, there was a quote in it that I have always remembered and it reminds me of why I read blogs...especially this week. I'll explain. "And all the books you’ve read have been read by other people. And all the songs you’ve loved have been heard by other people. And that girl that’s pretty to you is pretty to other people. And you know that if you looked at these facts when you were happy, you would feel great because you are describing “unity”." I feel like blogging has always been this to me. A place where I read someone else...

Sometimes people share something & it just fits in whatever place you are in your life right now. My friend Queeny at The Planet Pink shared this post by Jen Hatmaker called After the Airport . On the surface, it's about adoption, but beneath the surface, it's about struggling or being broken. It's a long post, but it really is worth it. I've shared the last paragraph below, because it's the part that I haven't been able to get out of my head since I read it. I've reread the post at least 3 times now. If you're interested at all, read the whole post, not just this last paragraph. Jen Hatmaker: After the Airport "Oh let us be a community who loves each other well. Because someone is always struggling through the "after the airport" phase, when the chords of human kindness become a lifeline of salvation. Let us watch for the struggling members of our tribe, faking it through sarcasm or self-deprecation or a cheerfully f...

I'm going to be honest. I've been nervous about posting this because I know a lot of times people post something like this & just lose a bunch of followers because people aren't interested. But I'm at a place in my life right now where I'm just burnt out on blogging & I have been for a while. I think it all began when I started my student teaching last fall and basically went back to work. Then this summer I thought I'd get all back into blogging like I did last year when I was staying home with Isis, but the opposite has happened. I'm even less interested.  I think part of the problem is that I'm hugely intimidated by people like Melissa from Dear Baby , Kelle from Enjoying the Small Things and even Adriel from The Mommyhood Memos (although this will be the first she's heard of it). I just don't have the time to put into my blog to create wonderful posts with great pictures and thoughtful commentary on my life or things I notice in Is...

I read about Pinterest on Queenie's blog the other day and I was so intrigued! I've slowly been checking it out & getting more involved. I must say, I am all about it now!!!! It's such a fun and easy way to save all your favorite internet finds! If you're on Pinterest already, let me know!!! And come follow along ! If you're interested in getting started on Pinterest, let me know & I'll send you an invite!!

Picture Source: Avenue D Photography This Mother's Day I told Lewis I wanted to go on a date. We are going this weekend! But the other thing I asked for was that we would give some money to help Adriel at The Mommyhood Memos make some Birth Kits! Every minute a woman dies of complications related to pregnancy and childbirth.  Ninety-nine percent of these deaths occur in developing nations.  For every woman who dies in childbirth, another 30 women incur injuries and infections, which are often preventable. (Source: World Health Organization .) Adriel lives in Australia and works with YWAM Medical Ships . They provide a variety of medical services to those in need in Papua New Guinea. This year, Adriel has started a campaign called Bloggers for Birth Kits. In rural Papua New Guinea, 1 in 7 women die in childbirth. Birth Kits can really help reduce these risks. Please go to Adriel's blog to read more about this.  As soon as Adriel emailed me about this, I knew...

I don't post about my specific teaching experiences on my blog. I don't believe in doing that. I'm very aware that my blogging is public - any parent, teacher, principal in my life could easily find my blog - and I'm not ashamed of that. They could also look at my Facebook if they wanted to, although some would have a hard time finding it. I live my life out loud. If there's something I'd need to hide, I just don't do it -  not because of my job as much as just because that's who I am. This is why I'm okay with writing this post, knowing full well that it could be read by parents, teachers or principals in my life. I believe I will make a great teacher. One of the reasons I believe this is because I'm a mom. Obviously I don't believe that teachers who aren't moms aren't great teachers, but for me personally, becoming a mom has had a profound impact on what kind of teacher I will be. For one, after reading Kelle's post today ab...

Oh, so many thoughts, and I already know I'm going to fall short of articulating them the way I wish I could. I read blogs like Melissa 's, Adriel 's, Queeny 's & Kelle 's and I am blown away by the way they use words. It's like painting a picture. I don't have that, but I pretend sometimes that I do. I've been teaching about the American Revolution in the 5th grade class where I'm doing my long term sub. This is my first time teaching 5th grade content & it's been interesting to see where their foundations are & how they view some of the concepts we are covering. Before discussing the American Revolution, you have to cover slavery because the colonists and other explorers brought slaves from Africa before the Revolution. When we finally reached the discussion of the Declaration of Independence, it was such a beautiful, but bittersweet moment when several of the students kept asking questions about why the founding fathers would put ...

There are so many pregnant people right now!! It is absolutely crazy!! I'm about to start a long term sub for a teacher who is due on the 18th. My best friend, Diana , is pregnant with her 3rd! Due towards the end of August. My baby guru, Laurel, is pregnant with her 3rd! Due in April. One of my good friends, Ciaara, is pregnant with her 1st! Due end of July. A friend from high school, Allison, is pregnant with her 2nd! Due in August. A friend of mine, Lauren, whose husband works with Lewis is pregnant with her 1st! Due in May. Melissa from Dear Baby is pregnant with her 2nd! Due in May. Adriel from The Mommyhood Memos just announced that she is pregnant with her 2nd! Due in the fall. That is a lot of babies in 2011!! Not to mention all the celebrities! Here's my current list of celebrities due in 2011: Mariah Carey, Pink, Jennifer Connelly, Emma Bunton, Toni Collette, Rachel Zoe, Marion Cotillard, Alicia Silverstone, Natalie Portman, Jewel, Victoria Beckham, Kate Hudson,...

Melissa at Dear Baby posted a link to this blog & the first post when I clicked was this one about " Dressing the Bump ." I have to say, this girl is absolutely beautiful & her style is so great!! I am all about some tunics & cardigans & she just got me so excited about getting pregnant again!! I've bookmarked this link so that when that day comes, I've got some inspiration! Also, preggo moms, there's a 30% off sale in the Old Navy Maternity clothes !! So go check it out!

Today is a hard day for me, for some reason. I know we've all been there. I've struggled with doubt and insecurity for as long as I can remember. I made it through adolescence and high school only by the grace of God and some wonderful friends He placed in my life. I sincerely believe that without them, I wouldn't be here today. I was that kind of teenager. Not the really rebellious one, but the insecure, self-destructive one. I believe in God and I believe in Satan. You may not agree and that's okay. I'm writing this for me,  not for you. But both have been very real in my life. Today is one of those days where I feel under attack. I wanted to just curl up in a ball & have a little pity party for myself this morning while Isis took her nap, but oddly enough, I read a status update by Queenie from The Planet Pink on Facebook and it hit me hard. I'm sure she didn't even realize that her words would be speaking to me. In my life, that's how God has wo...

I found these ideas on this blog & this blog . I decided to do my own version. Dear Cameron at 3 years old, You just became a big sister! Enjoy these next several years because things are going to get crazy one day. Addiction will take a lot of years from your family. Enjoy every moment of simple joys & simple pleasures. Enjoy playing with your brother. Enjoy the birthday hat incident. Love these years. For a lot of reasons, you're going to be looking back at them with nostalgia, wondering where they went. Dear Cameron at 11 years old, You just started your first year in private school. It's going to prove a lot different and in some ways a lot more difficult than public school. Try hard not to lose yourself. And if I could give you one major suggestion, don't use sun-in on your hair. Just leave it alone. Also, boys are not that big of a deal. Just leave them alone, too. Dear Cameron at 14 years old, The boy you are about to spend the whole year obses...

2010 has brought so many wonderful new people into my life - other than Isis, who was obviously the most fabulous! Blogging has been really fun for me, mostly because of the wonderful new friends I have made! Adriel is one of them & I'm totally stealing this post idea from her. She has the BEST ideas for posts! If you haven't read her blog, please do! Here are the friends who just really made a difference to me over this past year! Adriel at The Mommyhood Memos Queenie at The Planet Pink Amy at Somebody's Parents Liz at A Belle, A Bean and a Chicago Dog Vanita at After Bedtime Blog Melissa at Another Lunch Melissa at Confessions of a Dr. Mom Gina at It's How She Rolls Lisa at Korean American Mommy Dawn at Life Unscripted Hanan at Lilac City Momma Mama Hen at Mama's Little Chick Jojo at One Sassy Vixen Lori at Mommyfriend Micheline at Flyrish Foibles Roz at A Little R & R Livy at Making Over Mum Lindsey at Peaceful Island Mother Melissa ...

Where has the time gone??? Seriously Isis is 11 months old today!! I can't believe it!! I'm so excited, but at the same time, I was over at Dear Baby today (as I am everyday) and Melissa totally reminded me that Isis' birthday is in 1 month and I have completely dropped the ball on planning her party!! I know when it is and where it is and who I'm going to invite, but I have yet to purchase invitations or decide on what we're going to do! It'll definitely be pretty low-key because it's really more for us than for her. I don't want her to get too over-stimulated, but I'm also just excited to spend some time with friends and family celebrating our sweet girl!! I love Melissa's idea of using Good Frau for invitations. I love that you can customize them exactly how you want so that your invitations look just like what you want and don't look like anyone else's. I think that's great! (Seriously, she's the master at finding great E...

I normally don't do these things, but Gina tagged me in this one & I love Gina, so I decided to do it! 1. You're wearing a button down blouse and in the middle of a conversation with a man, the top button pops off, bearing your cleavage. What do you do? Just cleavage & no nip or anything? I probably wouldn't do much of anything except fix the button before wearing it again. 2. At a gas station, wearing a really cute skirt, a sudden gust of wind comes up, you're not wearing underpants. You know the men got their eyes full, are you embarrassed or proudly look at them and smile like nothing happened? Now this would probably make me freak out & cry or something. 3. Pretend there is no such thing as bad food, meaning it doesn't contribute to any negative weight gain or health risks. What would you pleasure and delight yourself with the most? Mexican food, pasta, cupcakes, ice cream & Japanese hibachi food! 4. What movie do you remember watching ...

I'm guest posting over at The Mommyhood Memos today! I shared a little about my process of getting ready to go back to work & how to balance everything! It's working pretty well so far! It took a couple weeks to transition, but I'm finally finding the balance! Go to The Mommyhood Memos & check it out!!!

Isis is excited to have new baby friends! There are 5 pregnant ladies in my life right now! And one possibly soon-to-be pregnant one! It is crazy!! That doesn't even include my lovely blog friend Amy , who is also due soon! I absolutely loved being pregnant & while I know that not everyone feels the same - the experience can be so different for all of us - I still think it's just a wonderful thing when I find out friends are expecting! Isis will be so lucky to have more little friends in the world!  I shared my new mom tips last week & then I have 5 blog friends help me out by sharing their new mom tips ! I hope that some of you who are or will soon be new moms found some things helpful! Adriel at The Mommyhood Memos is starting her Moms Who Work series this week! I think it'll be really helpful for any of you who are or will be working moms! I've been staying home the last 8 months, but now am a working mom. It is really hard, but has also been so wonderful...

This is a part of a series of guest posts for first time moms that I have put together from a variety of moms with a variety of perspectives. This one is written by Adriel of The Mommyhood Memos . Please stop by her blog to read more of her posts. You can also follow The Mommyhood Memos on Twitter or in her BlogFrog community ! Dear Adriel, You are becoming a mom. Finally, after 32 long years your dream is coming true! And guess what? It’s going to be even better than you imagined. I know that right now it seems like pregnancy will never end… but enjoy these last days. Soon—when he’s not all tucked up safely inside of you—you will have to share that precious boy with the world. Don’t stress about him coming too early or too late. I know you’re concerned about your parents flying in from overseas and being there for Levi’s big debut… But your clever little one will actually be one of the few babies that decide to come on his due date. Isn’t that fun? {What you couldn’t have known...