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I’ve been struggling with something lately that has kept me from my regular routine. I’ve been thinking about ignoring it and posting about healthy recipes and how to be motivated to workout but honestly, right now, I’d feel like a hypocrite if I did any of those things. I think it’s easy to think I have it all figured out. I rarely do let my walls down as I believe in positivity and sharing all that is good and bright with the world. The dark things, well I keep those to myself, as I do not think they will benefit anyone or make anyone’s day better, and really that’s part of the reason I share so much of me. I want to help, I want others to be well, I want to make you think about something mundane in a new light. It’s something that fills my heart.

When I struggle, and I fall, and I have trouble following my own advice I just go silent. I stop posting for a few days and barely look at social media. And it happens. I often go through waves and I’m working constantly on balance. I like to try things. Everyone knows that one thing about me. They may also know I tend to try hard, and intensely and sometimes I wear myself out in the midst of it all. I need a break I retreat from everything and cocoon myself until I feel recharged and ready to go again. It’s something I’ve done most of my adult life and it has got to stop.

I love how lost I get in the excitement of something new. I love how much of myself I give to people and situations and things I’m interested in. I love all of it. I don’t love the moments I feel down, depressed, crippled with an inability to get up and do anything productive. When focusing on simple tasks at work seem like they will use up all of my remaining gasps of energy and when the idea of making food is so tiring I’d rather sleep for hours on end. Therefore, change has to happen. I write this, still unsure if I will publish it but I’m a writer, and this is how I heal, this is my therapy, this is how I make sense of things and see them for the first time very clearly. It’s like speaking with myself in an uncluttered environment because the page is blank when I start speaking and you can only write one word at a time. The countless things in my mind have to get in line and only one thought can come out at a time. A peaceful reflexion when the haze of everything threatens to take over. I love writing.

Unable to write anything else, I think this will do. I’ve sat down to blog about countless other things this last month, but nothing would come. Sitting here minutes after pouring this out I am sure this is what I needed to do in order to break the wall of my creativity and motivation.

I am doing well and I have an amazing support system in my family and friends. I hope if you’ve been struggling with motivation, getting started on your plans or projects, or simply struggling with getting through the day and still smiling, then know it happens to all of us. We’re always switching from one end of the spectrum to the other. Sometimes you’re up while other times you’re down. No matter the reason, know you’re not alone. And sometimes this cloud leaves as quickly as it came while other times some work has to be done in order to keep it moving right along.

Yay to breaking the wall. Up next, a recap of all the great things June brought with it.

Much love always,

Mariangelica

Photo by Dean Johns on Unsplash

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New Year Resolutions

New years came and went and with it came the usual list of New Year resolutions that tend to circle my head around that time of year. There is much I want to accomplish this year but as long as number twelve happens I’ll be a happy girl! I figured I would post these as a list and when they get done I will post about how it went down and challenges I may have faced along the way! Hopefully by the end of the year all of these resolutions will be clickable and they will all take you to individual posts about how success was achieved!

Some on the list really are a little vague and kind of hard to track but I’ve learnt I have to make these resolutions/goals measurable so that I can really know when they have been completed! I have found in the past wishy washy things like ‘Do better, Don’t procrastinate and Workout More” tend to not do much for me because they can’t be tracked or measured against a target! So here’s to this New Year and to all that it may bring with it!!

New Year Resolutions

  • 1. Become a 1star diamond Beachbody coach.
  • 2. Work out daily on any  Beachbody workouts.
  • 3. Have a date with the hubs once every 2 weeks.
  • 4. Eat 80% clean.
  • 5. Get more quality sleep and 7 hours of it!
  • 6. Learn to cook 20 recipes off the top of my head.
  • 7. Stop being late all the time.
  • 8. Finish that novel.
  • 9. Become tidier.
  • 10. Read the life-changing magic of tidying up.
  • 11. Declutter my life.
  • 12. Get Knocked Up.
  • 13. Perform a solo at a Pole Showcase.
  • 14. Brush Congo’s teeth at least 5 times a week.
  • 15. Read 10 pregnancy and baby books.
  • 16. Read the first Lord of The Rings book.
  • 17. Volunteer at a shelter.
  • 18. Have 10 photoshoots this year and post them on the photography site.
  • 19. Write down how much I value someone once a month.
  • 20. Get to 15,000 subscribers on my knitting YouTube channel!

 

 

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NMM9-2
This post is part of the New Mom Monday series! A series about moms and their advice to new moms! Books and videos can only teach us so much, but there’s something special about hearing from real life moms. Honest, true, and always beautifully inspiring!!
Your name:
Kelly

Tell us a little about yourself:
I’m a Jesus loving wife and mama from Georgia on a mission to find and create joy in every day.  I love the SAHM life but I’m also a dance teacher three nights a week so I like to think I get the best of both worlds.  I am currently pregnant with my second little boy and am due at the end of September.  On my blog you’ll find a little bit of my journey through motherhood/second pregnancy and a good helping of DIY!
 
How many kids do you have? What are their names and ages?

I guess I technically have 2! Gavin (aka Mr. G on the blog) is 3.5 and Roman (aka RC) is currently in utero and due September 25th.

How do you find your “me time”?

Most of my me time is found after Mr. G goes to bed.  I’m a bit of a night owl with morning person tendencies so I’ll stay up a little later at night to browse a few more Bloglovin’ posts or catch up on a project even if it means less sleep when the little man wakes up.

What is the best baby related book you’ve ever read?

The only book I ever really went all in with was the classic “What to Expect When You’re Expecting”.  I read that thing religiously when I was pregnant with Mr. G.  The only other book that I read in regards to parenting was “1-2-3 Magic” once we started preschool and wanted to use the same discipline method as they do.  If you’re looking for a great discipline system, I highly recommend it!

What’s the most useful baby product you have? Why do you love it?
Since I couldn’t breastfeed my first due to the medication I had to take, I relied on bottles for feeding.  The Avent microwave bottle sterilizer was the best thing that ever happened to us!  Forget to clean those bottles for yesterday? No problem! Rise, pop them in the sterilizer, and just a few minutes later you have clean, sterile bottles ready to go!
If you could say something to yourself when you first brought home your first baby, what would you say?
He’s ok, you’re ok, you can do this!
How much planning did you do before your baby was born, and how do you think that it helped or didn’t help?
Not too much to tell you the truth.  I didn’t take any classes, not even birthing classes, and I don’t feel like I really missed out too bad.  I  mainly read materials about the pregnancy, visited the pediatrician (very helpful and necessary!), and did a hospital tour.
What do you believe are the top three pieces of advice a new mom or someone trying to conceive should know?
Trust YOUR instincts.  Nobody is right or wrong when it comes to raising their own child, unless they are harming them of course.  So whatever you choose to do is what works for YOU and YOUR baby.
What is your best memory so far of being a mom?
It’s seriously hard to pick just one but I have to say it was the first moment they laid my son on me, seconds after delivering him.  I have never experienced such a flood of joy in my life.  It as a feeling of “You’re finally here!” and “Oh my gosh, I’m a mom!“. 
Give us the short form version of your birth story.
I remember walking around the mall, it was the middle of January, the day before he as born to try to coax Mr. G into coming out.  I just didn’t “feel good”.  That was the only way to describe it and sure enough, 3 AM came around and my labor had started.  I had no birth plan other than I wanted an epidural and whatever the doctor thought as best for the health of my son and me.  I was not dead set on having a natural delivery, if I suddenly needed a C-section, than so be it.  But that as not the case, he just took his sweet time, 20 hours to be exact, and was delivered naturally.  For the full story, you can check out my birth story post.
Lastly, for fun, define motherhood:
It is joy, it is frustration, it is terrifying (at times), it is the epitome of the phrase “all the feels”.  You can have so many emotions, sometimes all of them, all at the same time!  But above all, it is joy.

To hear more from Kelly be sure to visit her blog The Little Things and follow her on Instagram.

NMM9

If you would like to participate in New Mom Mondays please feel free to message me by using my contact form! I would love to not only feature you on my blog but learn from your answers, as I’m sure many readers would too! 
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NMM8
This post is part of the New Mom Monday series! A series about moms and their advice to new moms! Books and videos can only teach us so much, but there’s something special about hearing from real life moms. Honest, true, and always beautifully inspiring!!
What’s your Name?

Alisha Parker

Tell us a little about yourself!

I’m a former elementary school teacher turned stay at home mom! I’ve been married to my wonderful husband Adrian for almost 5 years and we have two wonderful children.  I was born and raised in Fort Worth, Texas and I love it here! I love the Lord and hope that the life I live will be a testament to His grace and mercy and an encouragement to others.

How many kids do you have? What are their names and ages?

Caleb 2 years,  Chloe  7 months

How do you find your “me time”?

I get up at 5am every morning during the week to work out and have quiet time while I do my devotional. I also have my husband watch the kids from time to time so I can go get a pedicure or get my hair done.

What’s the most useful baby product you have? Why do you love it?

My Ergo 360! It makes it so easy to grocery shop & chase around my two year when we’re out and do other things all while having my hands free.

If you could say something to yourself when you first brought home your first baby, what would you say?

Let go of all of your expectations and just enjoy the ride. Parenthood is a journey with lots of bumps in the road but it will all be worth it!

How much planning did you do before your baby was born, and how do you think that it helped or didn’t help?

I’m a type A personality so I did a lot of planning before. I had in my head how I thought everything would go and how I would do his nighttime routine and naps, etc. NONE of it went according to plan! It was good to think through the process but it stressed me out that none of my planning “worked.”

 

What do you believe are the top three pieces of advice a new mom or someone trying to conceive should know?
  1. Every baby is different! Don’t play the comparison game or you will drive yourself crazy.
  2. Do what works for you! Forget what the books say, or what your mom says (gasp) or what your best friend says and trust your instincts and do what works for you. If you need to co-sleep for your sanity, then do it! If you don’t want to breast feed, then don’t!
  3. “This too shall pass.” In those difficult moments remember it’s just a phase and it will pass! They grow so fast and you’ll look back and wish you hadn’t let the little things frustrate you!

 

What is your best memory so far of being a mom?

Holding my baby for the first time. You wait 9 months and wonder what he or she will look like and then you finally meet them for the first time. It’s the best!

Give us the short form version of your birth story.
I went to the doctor’s office for my regularly scheduled weekly appointment. I was less than a week from my due date. My blood pressure was up so they admitted me for observation and blood work. My liver enzyme was elevated and my doctor was worried about eclampsia sitting in over the weekend. So she decided to induce me the next morning. I spent the night in the hospital and the next morning the Pitocin began. My son would never drop down and engage so I never dilated on my own. They used a balloon catheter to try to open my cervix. That got me to a 4 and then they broke my water thinking it might help things progress. It didn’t! I got an epidural and continued to labor for another couple of hours but I made zero progress. I had been in labor for about 10 hours. My son started to go into distress during contractions so they decided a c-section was the best route to go. I had my son via c-section at 6:21 pm on May 31st!
Because of this, my daughter was born via a planned c-section 19 1/2 months later. 🙂
Lastly, for fun, define motherhood!

Motherhood is a journey! You carry, nurture and protect this little being for 9 months in your womb and then you spend the rest of your life trying to find the balance between raising them and letting them grow into their own little person.

To hear more from Alisha be sure to visit her blog My Mommy Stuff and follow her on Instagram

NMM8-2

If you would like to participate in New Mom Mondays please feel free to message me by using my contact form! I would love to not only feature you on my blog but learn from your answers, as I’m sure many readers would too! 

 

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NMM5
This post is part of the New Mom Monday series! A series about moms and their advice to new moms! Books and videos can only teach us so much, but there’s something special about hearing from real life moms. Honest, true, and always beautifully inspiring!!
What’s your Name?

Kristen

Tell us a little about yourself!

I am a stay at home mom, stationed in Germany with my husband and daughter. Just traveling Europe and enjoying life in a new country while we can!

How many kids do you have? What are their names and ages?

1 daughter named Mila. She just turned two this summer.

How do you find your “me time”?

Nap time is no longer a thing in our house thanks to my daughter who hates sleep. Luckily, bedtime is super early in this house so I get 2 hours every night alone with my husband to just relax and do things for myself.

What is the best baby related book you’ve ever read?

Toddlers Are A**holes: It’s Not Your Fault

What’s the most useful baby product you have? Why do you love it?

I loved our Boppy Lounger.  We used it from day one until about 18 months. It was the perfect place to lay our baby down comfortably with a little support, then once it came time to learn to sit it helped out with that, and finally when she was completely mobile it was her favorite place to lay down and drink some milk.

If you could say something to yourself when you first brought home your first baby, what would you say?

The house does not have to be perfect. Let the messes go. It is not worth stressing out everyday!

How much planning did you do before your baby was born, and how do you think that it helped or didn’t help?

I planned like crazy. I am a huge believer in to do lists and planning every step of my life out but it did not help with a baby. It was the opposite. You have to go with the flow and do what is best for you at that moment.

What do you believe are the top three pieces of advice a new mom or someone trying to conceive should know?

Relax. Do what works for you. Dont worry about any other moms or the way they do things. In the end, you will do what you need to do to get by and what is best for your family.

What is your best memory so far of being a mom?

I was putting my daughter to bed a few weeks ago and she grabbed my face and said “Mommy, I am so happy. And you are SO pretty. I love you.” I could cry just thinking about it.

Give us the short form version of your birth story.

I gave birth in Germany and was SO scared that no one would speak english and that it would just be so backwards from American hospitals. It turned out to be an amazing delivery, although they dont have AC over here so I was SO hot the entire time. Midwives are amazing. And it was just so stress free. No IV, no being hooked up to monitors, just doing what my body knew how to do! Now I feel like I wouldn’t want to give birth in an American hospital.

Lastly, for fun, define motherhood!

This quote defines it all perfectly to me: “Motherhood is a choice you make everyday, to put someone else’s happiness and well-being ahead of your own, to teach the hard lessons, to do the right thing even when you’re not sure what the right thing is… and to forgive yourself, over and over again, for doing everything wrong.”

To hear more from Kristen be sure to visit her blog Whiskey Tango Foxtrot and follow her on Instagram.

NMM5-2

 

If you would like to participate in New Mom Mondays please feel free to message me by using my contact form! I would love to not only feature you on my blog but learn from your answers, as I’m sure many readers would too! 

 

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