Keeping fit

I have a confession ...

I have not been as diligent with working out during this pregnancy as I have been with the others (or when I am not preggers for that matter!) I don't sleep well at night. I wake up terribly exhausted. It's been way too hot to take the double jogger out for a light jog or speed walk. I get too busy during the day with the kiddos or work that I don't make it to the gym. All excuses!

Yesterday as I was dressing to run a few morning errands, I put on my favorite pair of jeans. No, they are not maternity jeans. I have been able to continue wearing them because they are low rise in the front (and higher in the back so as to not show off any unsightly flesh). I wore them throughout my second pregnancy until the last few weeks. I love these jeans! So my point is this ... I put them on yesterday and they were so stink'in tight! I don't remember them ever being this tight. But I am pregnant - so it's OK they don't have to fit, right? Yeah - not exactly my thought process at the time. I found myself laying down on my bed sucking in trying to zip up just a little bit ... blah - blah - blah! I took those jeans off. Yes, I am ridiculous.

Where am I going with all this .... I NEED to get in a workout several times a week - not so that I can fit into those jeans, but because I know that continual exercise will make labor easier and the recovery of having a baby quicker. I only have 8 weeks to go, so I better get started. I found my solution.

SWIMMING LAPS.

I am swimming almost daily with the boys so I might as well get in a good workout while in the pool. I started my laps on Wednesday and continued with it yesterday. My husband is thrilled about this. He was/is a swimmer. He swam competitively throughout high school and routinely continues swimming for fun. He has been telling me all along that it is the best entire body workout and easy on the joints too.

I'm off to grab my swim suit & goggles and get the kiddos ready for another fun day at the pool.

More on Outdoor Spaces

After much work (mostly from the hubs!) the kids have their very own playground in the backyard.

I hope my neighbor doesn't mind that we put this colossal sized structure next to our shared fence...

Freshness from the garden: herbs

I love the freshness that my garden has delivered.

I think I'll make pesto and try my hand at making the Chicken Pomodori panini in from here. I think this will be on the menu tonight for dinner.

Cilantro is quite possibly my favorite herb. I use it whenever I can, which is way I decided to plant it - so I could!

My new favorite recipe with cilantro is Wheat Salad. My friend, Maria introduced this dish to me - she make is much better than I do, although it is a very simple recipe. I can't tell if this is a pregnancy craving or just the fact that I love it! Here's the recipe so you can love it too!:

Wheat Salad

2 Cups of wheat
3 diced tomatoes
1 bunch of chopped cilantro
1/4 cup diced red onion
1 teaspoon of salt
1 avocado
1/2 cup of "Kraft" Zesty Italian Fat Free Dressing
1 squeeze of lime juice

Boil wheat in water for about 20-30 minutes. Wheat needs to be soft.
Using a strainer, rinse wheat with cold water.
Place in medium bowl, add tomatoes, onion, and cilantro. Mix with a fork, add lime juice, dressing and salt. Keep mixing and add avocado on top.
Serve with chips or tostadas.

*The last time I made this I did not have a lime (note to self: plant a lime tree), instead I used a lemon - and it tasted just as good.

Mmmm! typing that recipe has me wanting this wheat salad for lunch.

construction theme party

Clockwise from top left corner:
1. Dump Truck pinata
2. Chocolate rocks
3. Keeping cool with a water slide
4. Goody-Bags
5. Dirt Cups
6. Birthday boy taking a swing at the pinata



The Birthday boy had so much fun! We were all wiped out after the party. It may have been a lot of work to plan and organize, it was certainly worth it. Parties make for great memories!



Whew! All the birthdays are done for the year ... well almost, we will have one more soon.

Party Time

This weekend my lil' boy is turning 4! Having never had a party for him, hubs and I thought it would be fun to throw one ... As much fun as I anticipate we will have, planning a party is much more work than I ever thought (and expensive!).

When I asked our lil' boy what theme he wanted for his party all he said was TRUCKS! So after thinking about what type of "truck" theme to go with we decided on a Construction / Dump Truck party.

Come back on Monday for a party pictures.

Have a great weekend!

{construction theme party invitation by me}

Finding the Balance

I have often struggled with trying to balance working at home and putting my family first. Being able to set up my studio at home has always seemed perfect. But when the kids come in while I am designing for a client or processing orders, this will often put me in a stressful frame of mind. Typically I end up stopping what I am doing in order to make sure they don't make a mess of things. This usually adds more stress because there is always a deadline to meet. BUT - I love what I do - so how do I balance it all? Sometimes I think I have it down and everything is harmonious. Other days - not so much.

Traci Bisson of The Mom Entrepreneur blogged last week about how she has found the balance (after many years!) She pointed out several tips on how to put family first while maintaining a successful business.

Regardless of whether you are a mom with a business, or not - because let's face the truth - ALL MOMS ARE WORKING MOMS! It is an insightful post and worth reading.

Happy Birthday to my lil' guy

My little babe is 2 today!

To celebrate we are having a little party for him. His current obsession is cars and trains - such a boy! So, naturally I had to create an invitation using one of the two ... the train was easier to make so I went with that!

We are off to have a fun day! Hope you have a great day too!!