Perfect Life & Social Media

I had a conversation with a friend the other day about another girl from high school we both know.  HS girl is always posting pictures of her two kids playing nicely, or reading to each other, or otherwise occupying themselves on a cold winter day.  Her life seems very low-key and not stressful.  But HS girl remarked to someone the other day how her life is chaos and everyone else on social media seems to have it together.


Social media is a funny thing, people sharing snap shots of the best moment of their lives.  Its not really realistic and if you pay too much attention, can cause a serious case of life/wardrobe/kid/vacation envy.


I personally think social media is interesting, I enjoy keeping up with friends, seeing what people are into, and generally spying.  I like it for the same reasons I like watching My Five Wives or any show on Bravo, I find people and their choices and lifestyles to be fascinating.


Every once in awhile someone will comment to me how my blog makes my kid seem perfect.  That we eat organic food, and she never gets in trouble.  While H is pretty well behaved and a fairly good eater, I can assure you she is not perfect.  And my intention is never to make it seem like we are perfect.  Did she sit through the entire showing of Annie at the theater the other day with minimal snacks and no potty break?  Yes.  Did she slap me across the face after I gave her a small spanking the other week?  Yes.  My girl is very mature for her age, but she sure is strong-willed.  Which works well most of the time, and will server her well later in life.  But it presents a challenge when she is told "no."


Does she eat kale and quinoa and brussel sprouts all the time?  No.  There are plenty of nights when The Husband and I are having something she doesn't like or thinks is too spicy and I don't feel like dumbing down the recipe for her, so she has chicken nuggets. 

organic nuggets, low sugar ketchup and peaches in water.  healthy crap food.

I guess my point is, not everything is as it appears on social media.  That friend with an amazing new house and the wardrobe?  You might be surprised to know about her credit card debt.  And I personally sleep much better at night knowing I am saving for my kid's college, not splurging on shoes.  So if you aren't already, make it a point in 2015 to be on social media less, and be in the moment more.  The people in your life will notice, and I bet you will feel better about your own life.

Our Holiday in Pictures

Our holiday in pictures - in reverse order because that is how they uploaded!

making bead necklaces with Dad in Mimi's kitchen

photobooth fun at Clint & Ashley's wedding

relaxing with Dad on the couch

side-by-side of B & H's Santa pictures

at the zoo with Mimi & Poppy

surprise face at the Sophia show

Me and H at the Sophia show, a Christmas gift from Mimi & Poppy

Round Up of Forward Facing Bookshelves

My favorite corner of H's room is her book nook.  I loved reading as a kid, and still do when I have time.  So fostering a love of reading in her was important to me.  We read at least three books every night in our glider, and thanks to her former-english-teacher grandma, we have a ton of books.

When we were designing her room, I knew I wanted forward facing shelves.  But most of the ones I found were a little too expensive, or not the right size for our small corner.  I found a tutorial online and my Dad built her three shelves that we hung them at a height she could reach.

We've had ours for several years, and as it goes with most things in my life, there are a lot more choice on the market now than when I was looking for them.  That always seems to happen to me, I want something, can't find it, so I settle.  Then poof, a year later it is everywhere!

Here is a round up of some of my favorite options for forward facing book displays:

via Land of Nod

 from my nursery, made using tutorial from Centsational Girl

via here and shelves from ClearDisplays.com

ikea spice rack display

Snack Time

from left to right: Trader Joes cereal bars, Trader Joe's dried snap peas, Costco peaches packed in water, Costco Fig Bars, GoGo Sqeeze pouches, dried fruit in individual bags

This is a peek at my snack stash in the laundry room.  Over the weekend I made my first ever trip to Costco, where my Mom recently got a membership.  I stocked up on snacks (and ate my way through the samples).  We are big snackers at our house, but I try to keep them pretty healthy.  The pantry has a few bins full of snacks that H can choose from, and the fridge is always stocked with fresh fruit, cheese and yogurt.  Here is a list of the snack options at our house:

Fridge

roasted red pepper hummus with carrots or pretzels

string cheese

mini Baby Bel cheese

Chobani yogurt

strawberries, grapes or blackberries

Pantry

GoGo sqeeze applesauce pouches

Earth's Best or Gerber fruit and veggie mixed baby food pouches

unsweetened applesauce

peaches in water

baked Goldfish

Trader Joe's cereal bars

Cliff Kidz bar

dried fruit

whole wheat fig bags

dried snap peas

raisins

dried cranberries

Travel

We are on the go a lot, so I like to keep snack options in my purse, or make a little snack pack when we are on road trips.  I will keep a cereal bar, pouch or "trail mix" that I make with gold fish, raisins, cranberries and cereal.  For longer trips I use my 3 compartment Ziploc container to keep a PB&J sandwich, grapes and goldfish handy.  For me, I will throw in a Kind bar or Cliff Kidz bar.  Hey, Mama gets hungry, too!

Have a Very Merry Christmas

From our family to yours, hope your holiday is filled with the wonder and magic of the holiday season!  We didn't get professional pictures taken at all the year, so I included my favorite shot of H from Disneyland this year, and a quick photo my SIL took in the backyard.  Hoping to get some better pictures taken for next year!

Breakfast & Dinners

Someone asked the other day what I give H for breakfast.  She arrives at school at 7 am, so her breakfast is eaten when she gets there.  I try to keep it balanced but also simple and portable.  Here is our list of go-to items.  I usually ask her what she wants and give her a choice of 2 different options, depending on what we have available.

toast with jelly
toast with peanut butter
toast with peanut butter + sliced fruit on top (strawberries or banana)
individual oatmeal cup + raisins
blueberry nutrigrain waffle
trader joe's cereal bar
cereal with milk
sliced fruit
drinkable yogurt smoothie
bagel thin with butter or jelly
and sometimes regular PB&J

 her favorite is banana toast with peanut butter

I try to give her some type of carb + a fruit or yogurt to keep it a little balanced.  I use low sugar jelly and the drinkable yogurts with the lowest sugar grams I can find.  (which is actually not that easy, you would be shocked at the amount of sugar that is in the versions marketed to toddlers, way more than the adult)


I usually have the same thing as her, its just easier to make 2 of whatever.  I eat mine in the car on the way to work.  Sometimes I have a Shakeology drink instead of solid breakfast when I am feeling like a fatty.

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For dinner, she eats what we eat about half the time.  I don't really feel like dumbing down my food to make it toddler friendly, so if we are having something she won't eat I will either a) put it on her plate anyway and see if she will try it, or b) whip her up something I know she will like.  That usually consists of a pizza made on a whole wheat sandwich round, nuggets, meat/cheese/crackers, etc.

These are both examples of her eating what we eat, with a few modifications.  I just realized we eat a lot of Mexican type food.

Thoughts on a Friday

-Can I send myself a box of Harry and David pears?  Is that acceptable?



-I laughed out loud at a list I saw on Facebook about having an outgoing personality but actually being an introvert.  One of them said "you are accused of being a flirt, which is hilarious b/c in reality you can only stand like 4 people" and that is totally me.



-Most of my problems are really #whitepeopleproblems.  Boo hoo, what should I put on my Christmas list?  I can't think of anything, I need NOTHING!



-We are not doing Elf on the Shelf and I don't feel the least bit bad about it.


-Today my outfit consist of thrifted Dolce Vita booties, thrifted grey skinny jeans and a black top from JCP.  Along with a LV Neverfull.  Walking contradiction of cheap + love of handbags


-Speaking of Christmas, The Husband and I don't do Christmas gifts.  We just don't need anything and are picky so no need to try to figure out what to get each other.


-This weekend is just me and my girl and we plan on decorating for Christmas, eating pizza and watching Annie.  Sounds like a perfect weekend to me.


-H often tells me I'm her best friend, and I secretly hope I always am


Hope everyone has a great weekend filled with Christmas shopping, decorating and snuggles!