Feature Friday FREE-FOR-ALL {#26} + a change of plans…

I just read a friend’s FB status update yesterday that went a little something like: “Yes! Finally, it’s warm enough to wear a skirt without freezing to death!”

And I have to admit that I kind of wanted to thump her ear (good thing she doesn’t live near me, huh?).

And then I saw this on another friend’s feed…

And I thought, ‘Now that’s what I’m talking about.”

(Incidentally, I happened upon yet another friend’s status about disliking the phrase, “Now that’s what I’m talking about.” Sorry, Christin).

Aside from the fact that apparently I had a completely random FB session yesterday (is there any other kind?), my point is this:

If you live in a place where it’s possible to strap your toddler into her car seat without holding the little metal clips at strategic angles so they don’t burn her soft skin, I’m totally jealous right now.

Supposedly, we’re getting a “cool front” this weekend, which means that the high should only reach 94 instead of 101, but as measly as that sounds, I’ll take it!

Especially since we’ve gotten enough rain to stave off the kind of fires that were rampaging through our area around this time last year and which are threatening the neighborhoods of many (including our former pastor and his family) in Colorado right now.

This is a shot from outside his in-laws’ house, who were evacuated safely and whose house is, amazingly, still standing.

Not to be a downer to the start of your Friday, but it’s such a sobering reminder of just how fleeting life is and how little things matter.

Don’t get me wrong. If a fire consumed my house, I’d be devastated.

At first.

But I’d love to think that, eventually, the reality of one of my favorite verses—Psalm 27:13, which says, “I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD”—would sink in and hopefully very quickly as I looked around at the faces of my sweet husband and precious kiddos.

Speaking of which, I just found out last night that a friend is having trouble having a baby.

And here I am listing the 5 {silly} things I can’t wait to do once I’ve had my 4th and 5th babies.

Wow.

That’s a serious kick in the head.

So…to come full circle…today, I’m not saying TGIF.

Today, I’m saying TGHS: Thank God He’s Sovereign.

Because if a little heat and physical discomfort are the greatest of my worries, and I’m still able to focus on them, then it’s a good thing I’m not Ruler of the Universe and that instead that my heavenly Father is because, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” (James 1:17).

I know many of you have things in your life that don’t feel “good and perfect,’ but I hope I can encourage you today with this reminder:

²⁹ Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care.^{[a] 30} And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. ³¹ So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. (Matthew 10:29-31).

So don’t be afraid.

He sees you. He loves you. He cares about what you’re going through.

If any of you need prayer for something that that isn’t “good and perfect” right now, I’d be honored to provide it.

You don’t even have to tell me the details.

Just shoot me an email @ blogabbie{at}gmail{dot}com or use the button on the sidebar.

P.S. I wasn’t planning on writing any of this today. But it sure does seem like I was supposed to anyway.

P.P.S. I know many of you are here to party. And I’m providing the link below and hope you’ll still participate with gusto because, as we know, no matter what our circumstances, life goes on. But if you think to pray for/encourage/reach out to someone who’s hurting today, that would be awesome. I’ll be giving it my best shot too.

P.P.P.S. I’ll be featuring my favorites from last week’s party on our FB page today. Be sure to stop by inspiration if the mood strikes you.

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5 Things Thursday: Almost {not} there…

The twins and I had an appointment with our midwife yesterday, and I am happy to report that everybody’s doing great (yesterday was actually one of the easiest for me—in terms of physical comfort—in quite a while, so that “great” includes me too, I suppose).

Strong heartbeats. Growth. Lots of movement.

Every indication that I have two healthy little girl-babies growing inside of me.

And I couldn’t be more thrilled.

Except…

At 29 cm., I’m only 1 cm away from how big I ever got before I had Della—a fact that has tricked my brain into thinking that I somehow have less time left in this pregnancy than I do.

Just as a point of reference..

{I know you guys don’t get very many side shots of me, and this one might have to last you for a while}.

Don’t get me wrong. I know the weeks will whoosh past, and before I know it, I’ll be a sleep-deprived, dairy dispenser wistfully dreaming (with my eyes open, of course) of the days when E and M (yes, we’re pretty sure we’ve settled on names; no, we’re not ready to share quite yet…feel free to let your imaginations run wild…and share in the comments!) were still doing the Conga on my belly-button.

But still, there’s just something a bit mentally unsettling about thinking you’re almost there, and then hearing phrases like “13 more weeks.”

So, to make things worse commemorate this odd, limbo-ish state I’m in, I’m listing 5 trivial things I can’t wait to do once the angelic little kick-boxers (they seem to be taking notes in BODYCOMBAT) are actually out in the oxygen-breathing world.

1.

Lie on my belly.

I don’t usually sleep on my stomach. But now that I can’t, nothing sounds better. Ain’t that always the way?

Plus, I can’t play “sandwich” with my kids anymore, and that was one of my favorite games (I’m always the “bread” on the bottom, and I love the solid feeling of their little bodies piled on top of me).

2.

Do full-toe pushups.

Okay, so I know that sounds a bit loony, and the truth is I actually can still crank out a few, but for the most part, I have officially reached the point where I must modify unless I want to continually have the sound of ripping fabric playing through my mind as I exercise (makes me shudder even now).

After you’ve experienced the satisfaction and pure endorphin rush of levering your entire body weight down and up, multiple times, it’s hard to be satisfied with a knee pushup (and, yes, I saw that collective eye-roll).

Incidentally, in a brief search for “pregnant woman doing pushups,” Google returned only one picture that even remotely qualified, and it was watermarked/copyrighted, so I couldn’t use it.

I did, however, stumble across this rather disturbing shot:

via

I’m just hoping that weight isn’t as heavy as it looks???

3.

Get on the scale and watch the number either go down or, at the very least, stay the same.

I know I’m gaining weight for a good cause, here, people.

But I’m pretty sure it’s written in Section C, Sub article 1.5 of the Code of Womanhood that dramatically jumping numbers on a scale are a bad, bad thing.

So, it’s a bit of a mental beat-down every time I have to weigh for a midwife appointment (they, on other hand, practically have a parade with balloons and a big band every time I report just how much I’ve gone up since two weeks before; maybe next time, I should bring lemonade).

4.

Jump on the trampoline.

This is another favorite pastime for me and the little critters.

And I miss it, darn it.

But not only is it potentially dangerous to the girlies (it could cause the placenta to detach, the thought of which gives me even more heeby-jeebies than the whole fabric ripping sound), but it’s also not too fun to bounce into the air and then watch your belly follow you on your way down.

5.

Wear a dress with an actual waistline.

(I don’t think this one needs an explanation).

So…what about you guys?

Any of you mamas care to share the things you were jonesing to do by end of your pregnancies?

(Not that I’m at the end of my pregnancy or anything. 13 more weeks. 13 more weeks. 13. more. weeks.)

(No fair saying, “Hold my precious babe in my arms,” either. No sense making me feel completely shallow here : )).

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Wardrobe Wednesday: Mazatlan Style {Part 2}

Ready for another parade of shorts and tank tops (with a few dresses thrown in for good measure)?  They really were the only acceptable options for the scorching temps in Mazatlan, but I’m never going to claim these are my most stylish looks.

Those Steve Madden (I think?) sandals are probably the most comfortable I’ve ever owned. Shaun’s always teasing my about my tendency to wear impractical footwear when we do lots of walking, but I don’t think it’s possible to walk enough to get blisters from these puppies (although my bag stayed stocked with Band-Aids just in case).

I don’t even remember where I got the peasant top, and the jean shorts were a cupcake money splurge from A Pea in a Pod (even at over 50% off plus an extra 30%, they still cost $50—way more than I would normally pay for even designer jeans—but I can’t deny how much more comfortable they are than the ones with buttons I still manage to squeeeeeze into).

I started out most days with my hair down, but before long, it was swept up off my neck to avoid heatstroke.

{Not a bad lunch setting, eh?}

I bought this maxi from Amazon because it was on major clearance, and even though pink dresses aren’t usually my thing, I was so happy with the fit and softness of the fabric that I decided to keep it.

Looking at this picture, I’m not sure the cut is doing me any favors, but there’s not much I can do about it now.

My hair hasn’t been this long in at least 5 years, so I’m having fun experimenting with different versions of half up-dos (my husband’s favorite look on me).

Is it a good idea to have a bump in your belly and your hair?

Maybe not, but it was worth a try.

(Top: Abercrombie clearance, $10, Shorts: Delia’s/Goodwill, $4, Sandals: Plato’s Closet, $6, Earrings: Walmart, $5, Bag: Target, from a while back}

This was literally our “road” to dinner several times. Turns out that some of the best food we ate on the whole trip was a mere stroll down the beach from our condo at a Palapas (beach-hut) restaurant.

Amazing guacamole, fresh ingredients, ridiculously yummy desserts (which is saying something because, over all, I was not a fan of Mexican pastries or ice cream), and by far the best service we received during the whole trip.

On our trip to Stone Island, we made a charming (and very prickly) new friend.

(I’m calling her Charlize).

I know this pic would be way more blog-worthy (and impressive to my children) if he were sitting on my shoulder, but I just couldn’t, y’all.

Too many claws and scaly skin…not enough fabric on my arms.

Plus, seriously? She was HUGE!

{Top: Motherhood, $10, Shorts: GAP/Goodwill, $3}

Remember how last week I showed you the “I swallowed a watermelon” look?

Well, apparently, I decided that I needed to actually dress like one too.

Oh! And speaking of watermelon, if you remember, I wrote an entire post about that nice neighbor of ours who was going to let us grab a watermelon from his harvest whenever we wanted. Well, we had phone messages waiting for us when we got back that the melons were ready, so we stopped by on Monday (in the 101 degree heat) and grabbed ourselves a couple.

Maybe you’ll believe just how obsessed I am with the things when I admit that I didn’t even get a bite until Monday night, and, as of last night, one of them was already 80% gone, mostly thanks to me.

I foresee many more trips across the field in our future.

(He also let us pick some of the peaches from his orchard, so if you have any fantastic recipes to share, I’m all ears; we’ve got a lot!)

Dinner at Il Mosto in the historic district our last night there. A delicious and absolutely gorgeous end to our trip.

I really want some of those chartreuse trees with the droopy blossoms for our front yard. They looked fantastic against practically every backdrop.

And finally, the going-home outfit.

{Top: Goodwill, $3, Shorts: A Pea in a Pod, Sandals: Marshall’s, $20}

We were pretty excited to see the kiddos, and Della’s reaction, especially, was priceless. We didn’t get to my mom’s house until too late to see them Sunday night, so we slept there, and when I came down the next morning, she was sitting in a high chair eating cereal, but as soon as she saw me, she grinned like only Della can, ripped off her bib, and jumped into my arms.

I tell you what, having that little girl’s head buried against your shoulder is one of the most incredibly sweet things ever.

She’s so precious, it kind of makes my heart hurt.

.(Here, she’s enjoying one of the Cookies and Cream Oreos we brought back from the trip).

And, of course, what would life be without the return of my crazy boys? It was so much fun to have someone to make silly faces in the rearview mirror with at stop lights again.

Over all, a fantastic trip, but nothing beats coming home.

(Now, if I only could get the unpacking fairies to get busy, I’d be golden).

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Try-it Tuesday: How to “do it all"

{Warning: this post is long, and that title is supposed to be tongue-in-cheek, just in case the quotations didn’t clue you in}

I would be willing to bet that every single semi-successful blogger has been asked the following question by at least one of her readers:

HOW DO YOU DO IT ALL?

(although, I’m not sure it was screamed at them like those capital letters would seem to imply…not ruling it out, though).

And if the blogger happens to have children (especially of the youngish variety), then I’m no longer betting they’ve been asked this. I’m sure of it.

To which that blogger must reply, if she possesses even one iota of truthfulness (and most of us do):

I DON’T DO IT IT ALL!

(that one might be yelled, perhaps with a crazed expression in her eyes and frantic tugging at her hair).

And then she’ll go on to describe the various ways she copes with her hectic schedule and still pays attention to her family, hopefully including the areas that fall by the wayside because, as we all know, no one is truly good at every facet of life, and we tend to fail the most where we are the weakest.

Take me, for example.

In the household chores arena…

I’m good at: washing and folding laundry, picking up, doing the dishes, cleaning the kitchen and bathrooms, sweeping floors, and having dinner on the table.

I’m bad at: putting laundry away, decluttering piles, deep cleaning (dusting, baseboards, window-cleaning, reorganizing cupboards etc.), and gardening.

I kid you not when I say that I envy people who enjoy throwing stuff out and seem to get some sort of therapeutic buzz from alphabetizing their DVD collection.

It sounds lovely in some ways to be so organized that you like to do such things.

But that’s not me.

And if you read my “coping with the never-ending to-do list” post from a while back, then you know that, even though my only work outside the home is as a fitness instructor, I still manage to stay relatively busy all day, what with the homeschooling and the house projects and the…what was it?…oh yeah, 3 kids 6-years-old and under (soon to be 5—Oh Father, give me strength).

So…what’s my point?

Just this: that one woman cannot do “it all.”

To say that she can is a lie straight from the pit of hell (did you all just gasp?).

And if the devil gets you to believe it, then you will spend your life in a constant state of self-loathing and/or envy at the perceived accomplishments of others.

Source: howjoyful.com via Abbie on Pinterest

 

How do I know this?

Because I’ve been there.

I was there not very long ago, when, after a particularly long day during which I felt like I’d failed at practically everything a mother is supposed to be good at, and I looked around my living room to discover that it was an absolute pigsty of toys, laundry, various electronic remotes, crumbs, and—oh my goodness, is that a half-eaten apple I see under the couch??—I poured out my angst-riddled heart to my husband (who was gone on a work-trip), ending with this plaintive cry: “I need help.”

And because Shaun is the incredible husband, father, and man of God he is, he didn’t argue with me.

He didn’t say, “Oh, babe, you’re doing fine. You’re just tired. Go to sleep, and I’m sure you’ll feel better in the morning” (all of which would have been more or less true).

He just said: “Okay. We’ll get you some help.”

Well, you know those moods you get in where you don’t really want a solution, you just want to gripe?

I was so there that night, so I shot back, “Great, that’s just fabulous. But I’m fine with the everyday cleaning stuff. What I want to know is how in the world is the rest ever going to get done? Even if we hire somebody to help with the housework, how will that help me declutter my drawers, finish my house projects, and work outside in the yard? Besides, I can’t have anyone come help me until I get all of that other stuff under control.”

And that is another lie Satan wants us to believe—that we don’t deserve help until we can master all the weak areas that plague us.

(A bit of a paradox when you realize that the whole reason you need help in the first place is because you’re not good at everything).

That kind of thinking keeps us mired in the slough of despair and self-pity.

And you know what else?

It feeds our pride.

Because that’s really what it’s about.

I don’t actually want anyone to think I’m Super Woman. It’s too laughable for words.

But telling you about my un-put-away laundry and cluttered cabinets is very different than letting you see them in person.

Because if I just tell you, then if you’re like me, your automatic reaction is to think, “Oh, she’s just exaggerating. I’ll bet it’s not nearly as bad as she’s saying it is.”

Depends on the day, but sometimes, it’s 5 times worse

So, there’s that.

So…what?

Am I just saying that that little voice in your head saying, “You could be doing better than this. There are better uses of your time right now. It’s your responsibility to make sure that gets done, and you’re slacking,” is just a liar, liar, pants on fire?

Nope.

Mommy guilt gets a bad rap—and for good reason—but I would like to posit that conviction and mommy-guilt are two very different things.

Conviction is the deep-down knowledge that—either from laziness, fear, or some other factor—you are shirking a God-given responsibility, which can be something as obvious as dish-duty or as subtle as building your children up with encouraging words.

But mommy-guilt is the nasty little voice that whispers, “No matter how hard you try, no matter what you accomplish, you will never measure up to ‘real mother/woman’ standards.”

Conviction says, “You can do better, by God’s grace, and you know it. Now get out there and face the day because you are a child of the Almighty God with whom all things are possible!”

Mommy-guilt says: “You can’t win. Because there’s always someone who’s better than you are. And you’re a failure every time you don’t get everything done that you should.”

That little word should is so insidious.

According to my own (and no one else’s) expectations, on any given day, I should:

• spend time with God
• feed my family three square meals
• pick up my entire house
• clean at least one room that’s not a kitchen or a bathroom
• homeschool my children
• blog
• read to my children
• connect with my husband
• teach my exercise classes
• finish a project
• answer emails
• snuggle with my children
• snuggle with my husband
• connect with friends
• run errands

After all, even if I devoted 1 whole hour each day to each pursuit on that list, then that’s only 15 hours, and I’m awake for at least 1 hour more than that each day.

So what’s the big deal?

Life.

That’s what.

We all know that, even with 16 hours of wakefulness, the reality is that I’ll probably only get to 5 of the things on that list in one day.

Which means that I score a whopping 33% on the test of Life.

That’s an F.

And I’m a straight A kind of girl.

Now, I would love to tell you that this is the part where I share my eureka moment—the part where everything just clicked, and I figured out how to get it all done, keep my sanity, and be nice to my husband and children.

How I figured out how to do it all…alone.

But I didn’t.

Instead, I got help (and I’m not referring to the “happy pills” variety).

And the truth is that I wasn’t even the one who got it.

I mentioned when I was doing my dinner party recaps that my husband had found a neighbor lady named Teresa to help me with the party prep and how she pretty much saved my life that week.

Well, ever since that party, Teresa has been coming to my house 3 days a week 4 hours a day.

That’s 12 hours a week, people.

That’s a lot.

Do you know how hard it is for me to admit that to you?

If you’re a Christian, then like I, you’ve probably grown up with the concept of the Proverbs 31 woman as the ideal example of godly femininity.

I’ve heard talks on practically every aspect of her accomplishments:

• her diligence
• her discipline
• her business acumen
• her strength
• her creativity
• her love for her family
• her servant girls

Um, what?

Truth is, I’ve never heard a talk on that last one.

Probably because “servants” are not exactly a PC topic these days, but that’s not really the point, is it?

Because it’s right there in Proverbs 31:15, which says:

“She gets up while it is still dark; she provides food for her family and portions for her servant girls.”

I glean 3 main points from this verse:

1) Mrs. Biblical Super Woman had servant girls. Ergo, she needed help. Ergo, it must have meant that even she couldn’t “do it all” alone.

2) Just because she had help doesn’t mean that Mrs. BSW sat around eating bon-bons and reading the latest issue of People Magazine: the Zion Edition while her servant girls did all the cooking, cleaning, and washing like Old Testament Cinderellas (see that “provides food” part?).

and…

3) Mrs. BSW gets up way too early for my taste.

All jokes aside, reminding myself of the Proverbs 31 Woman’s need for help dispels at least a bit of the #1 fear that I have when it comes to getting help of my own:

That I will become the kind of lady of leisure who doesn’t care for her own home and uses that “extra time” she would have spent scrubbing toilets to instead pamper herself and ignore her family.

Maybe even more so, I fear that, regardless of whether I’m doing that, others will think I am.

But here’s the honest truth so far: having Teresa around makes me work harder.

When she’s here, I feel energized, motivated—heck, maybe even duty-bound—to be just as productive as she is, even if it’s in a different arena of my household (she cleans counters while I homeschool; she mops floors while I sort summer clothes, etc.).

When we prepped for the party, we both worked non-stop for 4 hours one day and then 7 straight hours on the day of the actual party. We literally didn’t sit down once.

If I’d done it all myself (ha! as if), there’s no way I would have lasted that long without a nap or a break.

And right then and there, covered in flour and sweat and hot glue, I was reminded of two more truths: 

Proverbs 27:17 

¹⁷ As iron sharpens iron,
so one person sharpens another.

And also:

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

“Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.”

After all:

Now, I know what some of you are thinking right now:

“Good for you, Abbie. So glad you have the resources to get help. That would be super-nice and all, but I don’t have that kind of money.”

And I get that.

But here’s how it works around here

I teach exercise classes, right?

So, the money I make from those classes now goes to pay for Teresa’s hours here.

Which means I get to do something I love, which raises my energy levels, helps me blow off some steam, and provides socialization for my children. And it then pays for the help that I need.

Now, we are blessed in that that money I make is extra and can therefore be channeled in this direction, but I know not everybody has that luxury.

So, I have a couple of thoughts for ways to lighten your load that may not cost you a penny:

1) If you live near girlfriends in a similar state/stage of life, consider forming a “cleaning co-op.”

Go out to lunch and figure out who’s good at what, then come up with a schedule for trading cleaning services on set days of the week.

I don’t like organizing drawers, but vacuuming doesn’t bother me a bit, which may mean that you come to my house and clean out/organize my neglected refrigerator while I clean the downstairs floors in your house.

Yes, it’s still time spent cleaning, but I find that I work fastest/best when I’m focusing on my strengths AND that cleaning other people’s houses is way more fun than cleaning my own.

2) Similarly, you could establish a rotating “cleaning day,” where different Saturdays of the month are dedicated to different girls’ houses, and you all get together to deep-clean, knowing full-well that your turn is coming.

3) Also, something as simple as making twice as much of a meal every Monday and then swapping your dishes with a friend is a fun way of livening up your menu while motivating yourself to have a freezer meal or two handy for those nights when cooking sounds about as much fun as chewing on crushed glass.

4) If you’re feeling a little crazy, you can also enlist a friend for once-a-month cooking days, which I’ve done several times with my good friend, Jolinda. It’s an all-day, bone-tiring experience of mass cooking insanity, but at the end of it all, you each get to take home at least a month’s worth of meals to stock your freezer. (Once a Month Mom is a fantastic resource for recipes, ingredient lists, and instructions for your big cooking day).

I’m sure there are tons of other great ideas out there for getting/giving help without paying for it (and I’d love to hear them), but I just wanted to say one more thing:

It’s not all about you.

I was so focused on my own prideful shame at not getting everything I wanted/needed to done and how it would only benefit me to have help, that it never occurred to me that I could be a blessing to someone else in the process.

But it’s totally true.

Now, again, my situation is a little unique because I truly feel like God dropped Teresa in my lap.

How so?

Well, for one, she lives next door, which is awfully convenient for her (she loves not spending money on gas).

Also, she only speaks Spanish (I’ve been praying for the longest time for a friend with whom I could use my Spanish, but I wasn’t expecting this as the answer), but she wants to learn English, and I’ll be helping her with that.

She needs/wants the work/money (after the initial first couple of weeks of her helping me catch up on cleaning projects, I mentioned lowering her hours since I felt like just cleaning the house didn’t warrant 12 hours, and she looked a little crushed…so I told her that if she was willing to help me with miscellaneous house projects, then I could definitely find that many hours for her to fill, and she said she’d be willing to try anything that I had in mind).

She gets a different perspective on life. I know this may sound snooty—like I have some great wisdom to offer her—but I don’t mean it in that way at all. Still, even though I don’t know that much about her yet, I get the impression that she comes from a bit of a rough background—one that does not involve the best interaction with men, specifically.

She’s already commented on how impressed she is that my husband is loving with our children and—gasp—changes Della’s diapers and has even asked my opinion on how to discipline children (hers are grown, but she lives with relatives who have small children) because she thinks my kids are well-behaved. 

(And she sees them for 4 hours at a time in their “native environment!” I need to remember this when I’m feeling like I birthed 3 little hooligans! : )).

In return, I get to benefit from her organizational expertise (whereas I’m a “nostalgic organizer” who tends to think, “Hmmm….I might use that one day,” she’s an objective machine), use my Spanish, learn from her life experience, practice showing her Jesus, and as mentioned before, get an extra jolt of motivation on those days when I’m so tired that I want to sit around pretending like the laundry isn’t eating the couch alive.

(Oh, and I’m pretty sure she may be the #1 person I have to thank if I manage not to go stark raving mad when the twins come).

It’s a pretty big win-win, if you ask me.

So, what’s the point of this mile-long dissertation?

3 main ones, really:

1) There is no shame in asking for help (I need to write this backwards on my forehead and recite it out loud every time I look in the mirror).

The talented and impressively organized Cassie from Hi Sugarplum recently wrote her version of the “I don’t do it all” post in which she admitted that she has a twice-monthly deep-cleaning service and furthermore admitted that she’d never even told her mother that (I hear you, girl; I didn’t want to tell my mama either).

Apparently, it’s pretty deeply ingrained in our psyche as women that weshould (there’s that word again) be one-woman dynamos.

And I can pretty much guarantee you that Cassie and I aren’t the only ones having trouble owning up to our shortcomings.

In fact, I promise you that there are other bloggers, authors, speakers, etc. (and maybe even close, “real-life” friends) whom you admire who have outside help in some form or another but just haven’t told you either because they want you to believe that they do it all themselves, they are embarrassed to admit that they do not, or they just don’t think it’s any of your business. : )

2) If you feel like you are working to the best of your ability and still drowning a little at the end of the day, you could probably use some help and should, therefore, pounce like a duck on a June-bug on any reasonable opportunity for it that comes by.

3) If outside help—paid or not—just isn’t feasible, do the best you can and then cut yourself a huge piece of slack and go hug your babies. Chances are you’re the only one who cares whether the floor gets mopped every day (I guarantee your kiddos don’t give a rip!).

Believe me when I say that your family will thank you and that you will be ‘sharpened” and energized (either by the help, the hugs, or both).

And that, my friends, is a true win-win.

P.S. Anybody else want to testify to ways that they have/wish they had help? Come on now. Don’t leave me hanging here, folks!

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Move-it Monday: We’re baaaaaaack

Well, here’s the only exercise outfit you’re going to see from last week’s Mexico vacation because it’s the only one I wore (I actually did exercise while wearing it though, so it’s legit).

That’s right.

I only worked out once…

Mostly because I was too busy hanging out in the infinity pool, singing underwater songs to my hubby while he tried to decipher them. (Turns out “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” is pretty easy to identify. Elvis’s “Hound Dog”…not so much).

Or beating him in 4 straight games of air hockey (sorry, baby, I couldn’t resist), which, when played as vigorously as our games were in a non-air-conditioned room sure felt like a workout. (P.S. We also played foosball for maybe 5 minutes, and he scored on me at least 5 times).

Or people-watching while eating good food in the centro historico…

…which we only discovered on our last night there (we were kind of bummed because we just might have gone there every night if we’d known where it was, but it was an absolutely enchanting way to end the trip).

Or taking naps on the condo’s comfy leather couches.

Or playing Words with Friends…with my husband…while sitting next to him on a beach chair.

Or…

Well, you get the idea.

We made a concentrated effort to relax and recharge, knowing full-well that the next several months will be jam-packed with work trips for him, a bit more travel for us both, house projects, and prepping for the twins’ delivery (so weird that if they come at “full-term” for twins—36 weeks—I only have two months left).

The good news is that our goal was to come back rejuvenated, and we succeeded pretty much 100%.

Our vacations are infrequent enough that they’re usually stuffed with activities—lots of walking, tours, shows, museums, movies, shopping, etc.

But, honestly, other than beautiful ocean views and plenty of restaurants, Mazatlan doesn’t have too many other distractions (part of the reason we chose it).

We did do a couple of tours—including one to a little island called Isla de la Piedra, which was so. much. fun (think wave-surfing, kayaking, lunch by the beach, cool breezes, and picture-perfect weather providing the perfect backdrop for a super-cute island setting).

{The water was a little colder than I expected}

So, we didn’t feel like we were culturally depriving ourselves if we just lounged around the condo for hours (which we did several times) or read by the pool.

I don’t think I’ve been this relaxed in weeks (months?).

Of course, then there always the after-vacation-effect—the return to real life, which can be a bit jarring, if not downright overwhelming.

But it feels so darn good to have my kiddos piled on the couch with me and to get to sleep in my own bed that I don’t even mind the extra laundry (plus our condo had a full washer/dryer, so we mostly brought back clean clothes).

Plus, I have a secret to tell you about why I’m pretty sure I’ll be able to get back into the swing of things without losing my vacation cool.

But you’ll have to wait until tomorrow to hear it.

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Feature Friday FREE-FOR-ALL {#25} + a guest!

Hey guys! Taryn, from Design, Dining + Diapers—a super-talented blogging friend and a frequent feature here at 5D5W—has graciously allowed me to continue to be a bum relax this Friday while she shows off some of her favorites from last week’s FREE-FOR-ALL.

Thanks SO much, girl. Take it away!

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Hello Five Days Five Ways readers! I am so happy to be filling in for Abbie today while she is laying on a sandy beach, basking in the sunshine and relaxing! I must admit I am extremely jealous, but Abbie totally deserves it! How excited are you to meet those cute little girls in a few months?

In case we've never met, I'm Taryn from Design, Dining + Diapers! I live in the Pacific Northwest with my hubby, 15 month old baby girl and our spunky Golden Retriever. I love coffee, getting my hands dirty and taking on a new challenge... daily.

So grab a cup of coffee, come on over for a visit and stay a while (but after you read the features and link up)! You can also find me on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and Instagram (@TarynAtDDD)!

Ok now on to the fun stuff... FEATURES! I had a blast going through all of the links from last week. You all are crazy talented. I had NO idea how hard it would be to pick features, it was a struggle to narrow it down! Here we go.

 

Last week I linked up these Hole-In-One Cupcake Cones and these Chocolate Granola Peanut Butter Truffles.

 

I am loving these stunning DIY Bookshelves from Worthing Court.

How cool is this DIY Headboard? You can get the tutorial from My Fantastic Journey!

Would not NOT believe what this chic basket is made out of! You have to hop over to Southern Flair Crafts to find out!

 

I love these flowers made from vintage patterns from Creative Passage.

Ohhh these look good! Mini Raspberry Cheesecake Cups from Cookin' Up Good Times.

Super cool Mixed Metal Bracelet from Jewelry Making Journal.

These look yumm! Ham and Cheese Mini Quiches from Scattered Thoughts of a Crafty Mom. And in honor of Abbie's little ones on the way, I just had to feature this sweet twin photo shoot from Linda At Thompson :) Thanks for letting me hang out with you today! Now let's party!

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5 Things Thursday: Mazatlan Surprises

I’d visited Mexico twice before this trip, but both of those instances were over 10 years ago, and I hardly ever left the little border towns we were staying in.

So, even though we’d done plenty of research on Mazatlan before we came, I still found myself surprised by a few things.

1.

That things here aren’t much cheaper than the States. In fact, sometimes, they’re more expensive. Especially groceries.

Ice cream, particularly, is sky-high, with a quart of Haggen Dazs costing about $8 (even though we’re on vacation, we couldn’t quite bring ourselves to pay that one).

2.

That none of the taxis have meters.

Instead, you negotiate the price ahead of time.

They start high. You bid low. Then you reach an arrangement somewhere in the middle.

It’s kind of fun…except when there’s a guy literally yanking your shopping basket toward his taxi while insisting that you pay a fare that you don’t think is, well, fair.

This is a pulmonia, or open-air taxi. The word pulmonia literally means pneumonia, but we’re not too worried about catching that here.

3.

That lots of people wear JEANS.

When it’s 95 with a heat index of 100+ outside, the last thing I want touching my legs is denim. But, even though I’ve seen plenty of shorts and some skirts, I’ve also seen an inordinate amount of full-length jeans while we’ve been here. Makes my legs itchy just thinking about it!

4.

That I really like fish.

Okay, so the kind with the eyeballs still in (or even simulated) isn’t my favorite, and I had already started being friendlier to fish (if you can call eating them “friendlier”) a while back, but a simple lunch of grilled fish and veggies, in particular, convinced me that my lifelong aversion has largely been a result of eating the wrong kind of fish for my taste-buds.

Of course, then last night’s swordfish reminded me of exactly the kind of fish I don’t like at all. Bleh.

Ah well. Can’t win them all.

5.

That everything is so dry.

Everything except the air, that is, which is practically sagging with the weight of all the moisture in the atmosphere.

I live in East Texas, which is nowhere near the ocean, but other than that, the climates of Mazatlan and where I live are extremely similar for this time of year.

And where I live is GREEN.

Green grass, green trees, green vegetation everywhere you look (at least until summer REEEEEALLY kicks in at which point, it gets a bit brown).

Here, it’s a bit more desertish, with pops of red and yellow from trees like this tabachin:

It’s pretty but not what I was expecting at all.

Apparently, their rainy season is from July to November (or so), and I would be very interested in seeing what happens to the vegetation then.

Oh!

And a few bonus discoveries (don’t know if they count as “surprises” or not):

Mandarin Gatorade (so much better than orange)

Mango tart with ice cream (YUM)

&

Cookies and Cream Oreos (okay, so I haven’t tried those yet, but we bought a sleeve of them last night, and I’m intrigued)

{And, yes, I realize those are all food-related…we’re on vacation!}

 

 

 

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Wardrobe Wednesday: Mazatlan Style (Part 1)

So…

I over-packed (again).

But even though I still have 10 more outfits I could wear and only 5 more days here, I kind of like having the option to change twice a day if I feel so inclined (I haven’t yet, unless you count switching from a swimsuit to “real clothes”).

So, what kind of real clothes have I been wearing?

The easy kind.

(I’m afraid you’re going to be seeing a lot more of that rather uncertain, fake-ish smile on this trip. We brought along a different camera from our usual, and I can’t hear when it actually shoots the pic, so I’m pretty much in a constant state of, “Um, did you already take it?”).

This was my airport outfit—the dress is Billabong from Goodwill ($5) and is so comfortable it’s pretty much like getting to wear a nightgown in public. The flip-flips are $10-ish from GAP a couple of years back, and the flower necklace is from Vintage Wanna Bee.

I’ve been having a blast playing with Picasa’s new photo effects.

(Can you tell?)

It’s the kind of thing I always put off doing at home but feels like a huge treat to have time to fiddle with here.

Many more cheesy, altered shots to come, I’m sure.

I wore this easy-breezy combo on Monday (Pink shorts: GAP, $7, White shirt: Goodwill, $3, Sandals: Plato’s Closet, $6) when we toured a resort, grocery-shopped at Mega (basically a paired down Walmart…which they have one of here too), lounged around reading and watching movies, and ended the day with dinner right on the beach

By the way, I’ve pretty much officially hit that point in pregnancy where I’m starving one minute and then about 4 small bites later, I’m so full I can’t even imagine swallowing another mouthful.

I really don’t enjoy feeling overly full, but I really like to eat, so it’s actually bumming me out that I can’t even finish 1/4 of my meal without feeling like I’ve swallowed a brick.

Speaking of swallowing things, since you can’t even tell I’m pregnant in the pink shorts shot (although in real life, I assure you, it’s quite evident), here’s the, “I swallowed a watermelon” outfit.

In fact, apparently, I looked so pregnant in it that a waiter told me that I could use the downstairs men’s room if I couldn’t manage the flight of stairs to the women’s bathroom.

Strangely enough, I declined.

(Dress: Mossimo/Goodwill, $5, Wedges: Goodwill, $3)

I managed to wrestle the camera out of my bag and snap this shot as Shaun and I were riding a pulmonia (open-air taxi) back from dinner last night, and I really like how it captured the wind-whipping-my-hair experience. I just wish I could remember to look at the actual lens instead of the darn display screen.

What a goof.

Oh!

And one more thing.

You may have noticed one common element in all of my outfits: a neutral-colored “tube top.”

I scored the one I’m wearing in outfits 1 and 3 at Goodwill for maybe $1, and the one in outfit 2 is actually a belly-band pulled all the way up.

I wear them with practically anything I own that’s either strapless, halter-topped, or just generally lower cut than I’d like since I’m not a fan of showing cleavage (to anybody but my husband, anyway : )), and with the changes in my body that pregnancy brings, that’s gotten harder to do with some of even my higher-hitting strappy tops.

I sure do love not feeling smothered by fabric when it’s 90+ degrees and 90+ percent humidity, but I still want to maintain modesty, so I thought I’d pass along the tip to any of you who, like me, sometimes see really cute tops with plunging or otherwise problematic necklines and can’t figure out how to make them work without showing the world “what you got.”

Just a thought.

My next thought is slightly less helpful to you guys, though I think I like it better since it involves the fact that my five bites of dinner have finally made it past rib-cage level, which means…ICE CREAM!

Man, I love vacation.

Hasta mañana!

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Try-it Tuesday: How to rock your living room

Buenos Dias!

Today, while I lounge on a beach chair trying not to burn my uber-pale skin, I’ve got a fun bloggy friend stopping by to show you how to do several things that I love:

• Decorate on a budget
• Mix fun colors and patterns
• Personalize a space
• And MUCH MORE (for the low, low price of $19.95 if you order within the…ahem, sorry…got carried away)

Anyhow, Cassie is a veteran blogger and world-class encourager who also happens to be the master of the painted furniture makeover (as in, people pay her to do it for them, imagine that!), and a super-talented curator of beautiful things in her own home.

I absolutely love what she’s done with her living room, and, since my water bottle ran out, and I no longer have any snack mix to munch, I’m gonna stop chattering, let you hear all about it from her, and go replenish my bowl!

ENJOY!

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Hello 5 Days 5 Ways readers! I am Cassie from Primitive and Proper and I am SO excited to be here today on Abbie's awesome blog.  I love Abbie- she is so adorable and fit, and I love her eclectic and colorful style.  I love both Della's room as well as Abbie's living room. 

So, I thought I would share with you my living room today.  We just moved into our home last fall so it is not totally "done" (is it ever?) but it's close enough to share.

Like Abbie, I like a fun mix with vintage and modern touches.

My living room has aquas, grays, oranges, corals.... both cool and warm colors.  One of my favorite areas is the desk nook I created.  I painted the desk, and also created the chalkboard above with an old frame.  I found the cute little gold toned hummingbirds at the Salvation Army for 10 cents each!

Right now, the chalkboard features our summer fun list.  We have since crossed about 6 or so off our list! :)

One of my all time favorite features of this room, besides the amazing view of the mountains, is the fireplace.  When we moved into the home, the first thing I did was paint it gray.  Our last home did not have a fireplace, so I thoroughly enjoy decorating this one, and sitting by a cozy fire in the winter months.  Here is an instagram picture I took of my summer mantle.

We hope to one day create built ins on either side of the fireplace.  There are windows on either side, so it will have to be low built ins, but we hope one day!

We also added a gallery wall filled with family photos and fun prints.

And finally, we have added some bookcases as well.  I found these rather inexpensively on craigslist and gave them a makeover in gray and orange.  This photo is from last fall, but you get the idea. ;)  But as you can see we have since gotten a new rug.  One of our dogs decided to grace the zebra rug, so it was moved to the playroom.  But I think it all worked out well, because I love the new one much more!

Thank you so much, Abbie, for having me here today to share my living room with your readers!  I hope you will hop over and say hi! 

PS- I am away this week (at the Haven conference!), so if you do pop over to say hi, I may not be able to get back to you to soon.  Just know that I am not ignoring you! :)

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See what I mean? Talented! And, as I can attest from personal experience, super-nice too!

It’s hard to choose, but I think my faves are her fabulous shelves and that rug (for which I yearned many, many moons on Overstock but never had any real spot for…so glad to see it in use in someone else’s home!).

Thanks for showing off your wonderful space, girl!

Don’t forget to head on over and see all the other great projects Cassie gets up to! The rest of her house is just as fun!

{Mmmmm….cashews}

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