2017 New Years Resolutions

Happy New Years, fellow readers! Bringing in this 2017 new year was the first time I felt a bit of sadness saying goodbye to a year. 2016 was seriously the best year of my life bringing me a new baby, a new house, a new business, and new challenges. But with all the challenges it brought, it has taught me so much. It's taught me not to be so hard on myself, to let things go, and to push myself just a bit further than I thought possible. As I laid Oliver down one last time in the year he was born, I got a little bit emotional and held him just a little bit longer. 

Then I started thinking about all the great things that are to come in 2017. I will get to watch Ollie grow into a little toddler, grow our business even more, and strive to make 2017 better than 2016. So in an effort to kick off the new year on the right foot, I am starting with a blog post of my top 10 new years goals. I say goals and not resolutions because, in my mind, resolutions are intentions with no accountability, no laid out plan, and nothing to really check off. I like the term "goals" because it feels more tangible to me. I know I can write down a stretch goal (bigger goals) for the day and the year along with smaller goals to get there. So here we go. Top ten goals:

1. Blog more.

I have seriously been slacking with my blog. This blog has brought me so much joy this year and I need to take more advantage of it. I need to post as many personal blogs as I do "how-to" blogs and keep it as a sort of journal. My goal is to blog at least once a week with an additional two through out the month on family updates.

2. Read more.

When I was younger I used to read a ton. But for some reason I haven't been able to get into my reading groove again. Then I discovered audiobooks and I think that I can change the way I read. I have an hour commute to and from work each day and at that rate I could bust out books so quickly. I set my goal at 20 books for this year. That doesn't seem like a lot to most people, but its a lot for me. And if I can meet my goal of 20 books this year, next year I will double it. Finding time to read is so dang hard sometimes, right?! But lets all set reading goals together here at Good Reads! Add me and lets keep each other accountable! -- and also, share your favorite books with me! 

3. Stress less.

I stress. A lot. I stress about my house not being clean all at once (like that will ever happen again) and I stress about work. I am learning to not get so worked up and to not let the things I can't control get to me. Breathing more before reacting is something I have always struggled with and I need to step back and realize somethings are out of my control. Stress causes frustration. And frustration ruins relationships and causes everyone around you extra stress. I've gotta stop and appreciate what is good. Always. 

4. Learn Spanish. 

I started this goal last year but stopped. This is a goal that everyone in the house needs to do at the same time otherwise it's ridiculously hard, and Andrew and I were never doing it at the same time. So this year, we are all doing this together. Oliver, Andrew, and myself will finish all of Spanish Michel Thomas  (which I highly recommend) and then start Rosetta Stone. 

5. Count Macros.

I am generally pretty good at eating healthy, but sometimes I lose track of what my body needs. Counting macros helps me reach weight and health goals by remembering for me. This is something I highly recommend to anyone who is interested in eating better. :)

6. Exercise. 

I don't exercise. Like, at all. I have a huge space in my home for work out equipment, yoga, and free weights. But once it turned into sweater weather, I didn't seem to care more. And somehow sweater weather happened the same week as Thanksgiving ;). But this year I am setting the goal to work out 4 times a week including yoga twice a week. I need yoga for my mind and body, who doesn't?

7. Meditate. 

As stated above, I stress a lot. I also need a space to work on myself without disruptions. Your mind is a muscle and needs exercising, too! Mediation can be used for calming, setting goals, sleep aid, you name it. All you need is 10 minutes a day. The best place to get started is an app called Headspace. Thanks, Tanner, for the recommendation. I love this app! 

8. Play more games.

I love games. For those of you who follow me on Instagram and ever watch my stories will know that me and my family are avid gamers. Everything from Magic the Gathering to Resistance. The best thing about games is that it brings me closer with the people I play them with. Andrew and I bond so much when we play Magic together, it's the best game I have ever played, and I want Ollie to grow up playing. I need to prioritize spending time with my family in this manner instead of doing meaningless tasks around the house. I should really add "clean less" to my new years goals.. :/

9. Grow our business.

For those of you who don't know, Andrew and I started a social media company. That is part of the reason I haven't blogged much or posted on my insta too much. All of that effort is going to a few companies we are helping grow and it is taking up so much of our time. Its so fun and rewarding, though. But most importantly, it gives us the ability to keep Ollie at home and not in a daycare. We want to double or triple our business this year and become a stay-at-home family. We love everything about our business and what we are able to do for other companies. But it's time we step up our game to the next level. 

10. Cook with new ingredients.

If you remember correctly, this time last year I didn't really know how to cook. I was learning and learning slowly. So I decided to set a goal for 2016 to learn to cook. And guess what? I knocked this one out of the park. I am now getting compliments along the level of, "You could be on Master Chef." That is amazing, right? So this year, along with working on becoming an even better cook, I am going to really step out of my comfort zone and cook with a new ingredient every month. Now, I may cook with more than one new one a month, but at least one is what I am shooting for. I will document my adventure here (I need to post my recipes more on my blog) and maybe you all can help by recommending new fruits and veggies! 

I hope these new years goals gave you ideas for a couple new ones for yourself. Tell me what your goals are and lets help each other in 2017! 

Happy Goaling! 

Becoming a New Mom - 5 Ways to Prepare

If you're reading this, there is a good chance you're having a babaay! So let me first say congratulations! You're preparing mentally and physically for your life to change. You're making lists and checking things off (I did that, check here for one of my many lists). But I am not sure much can actually prepare you for having a baby. You'll bob, your baby will weave and no matter what, it's going to take a couple weeks to really get into a groove. The baby groove, if you will. #babygroove? I'm making it a thing.

Here are a few things I have learned in the first 4 months of motherhood. And if this advice helps just one person, that's good enough for me.

1. It's okay to ask for help. 
You'll think you can do everything by yourself. I know I did. I would ask for help from my husband, but feel bad because he was also working. What you don't realize in all your mommy haze is that other people are just as capable as you. And not only that, other people want to also bond with your new baby. Let them. Its good for your brain to take a break every now and then. I also asked for help from unlikely people for unlikely reasons. Don't be ashamed or feel like your a bad parent if you do the same. Regardless of what you need and from whom, you're a rockstar mom. Don't forget that.

2. You will use a fraction of the things you buy.
No joke. You need about 1/4 of the junk you buy. At least right away. Wanna know how many times Ollie has slept in his crib? Less than ten times. I am going to make a list of things I feel I need, but the short version is: clothes (not many at all), receiving blankets, feeding stuff, diapers & wipes, small space for him to sleep, burp clothes and soap. Thats it. Maybe you'll need medicine and such, but buy it as you need it. Don't over do it.

3. Don't spend a lot of money on clothes.
I made this mistake. I bought so many cute outfits. Some more expensive than clothes I would buy for myself. But guess what PJ's were my favorite for him? Ones my mother-in-law got at Walmart for $1.00. One. Dollar. Also, if you could see how many clothes he didn't wear in the first two sizes you'd be sick. I made the mistake of taking the tags off everything or I would take them back for sizes he wears now. Buy what you need. Not seasonal (you don't know how fast or slow they will grow) clothes. Just plain, basic shirts, pants, and socks. Sooner than later you'll have your own opinion on what you prefer (buttons v zippers, etc.) and be able to pick out clothes faster than you'd imagine. You'll thank me.
I feel so strongly about this that I wrote a whole blog post on this specifically. Check it out here.

4. All the things people say about becoming a parent is true. 
"It's different when it's your own kid" "You'll just know" & "You wont be able to remember a time without them" are all things that made me cringe when people would say this. I once had a conversation with a couple of mom's who told me life was gray before kids and I don't know love yet. It's all true. It's so hard to explain (another thing people say that drove me nuts). But I am now one of those moms. And its amazing. And the biggest thing? It really does come naturally. So relax and enjoy yourself. This time is so special.

5. Don't take your pre baby plans too seriously.
You've read books, got advice, saw other parents and decided the do's and don'ts. So much of that goes out the window when you have your baby. I said I wouldn't feed Ollie a bottle. Guess what? He ate more than I could make, so now we are primarily on a bottle and there isn't much I can do about it at this point. He falls asleep in bed with me.. also something I swore I would never do. Anything you can do to make your life easier and to keep everyone happy, do it. Sure, read your books at take advice. But don't take it too seriously and stay flexible. Find what works for you and your baby. It's going to be different for everyone.

What other advice would you give a new mom? Comment down below!

41 Weeks && Counting

Dudes, 41 weeks already? It's blowing my mind I've made it this far.  I was really hoping to not have made it this far, but that's okay. Apparently, babe needed a little extra time. We were scheduled to go in this Tuesday (4/26) and have him Wednesday, but I got a phone call Monday that we won't be going in until Thursday (4/28). I know it's only a couple more days, but those extra days really threw me for a loop. Every day feels like 10, and the longer we go without him here the more stuff I feel like I need to get done. I'm so thankful to have Andrew, great family, and friends to help distract me from time. Andrew is so patient with my feelings and emotions about the whole thing and always makes me feel sane... that's a nice feeling. <3

Here is a quick breakdown of my feelings and what's going on. Mostly for our little family to remember, but thought it might be interesting for some of you to read. Enjoy!

Baby size: 

• The size of a winter melon. And it feels like it. Although, my doctor told me that he was a smaller baby and probably will only weigh about 7lbs when he is born. We shall see.

Craving: 

• ALL THE SUGAR! Milk, pasta, and more milk. But honestly, just food. I just wish I could keep it down. I feel like it's the first trimester all over again.

The best thing about pregnancy:

• Seeing and feeling his feet and hands poke out of my stomach, but more exciting than that is Andrew seeing and feeling him. I can't wait to see him hold his little babe. 
• My hair looks awesome and is growing like crazy.
• I can protect and take care of him in my stomach... I am nervous for that to change.

What I've been doing: 

• I am reading Baby Wise again for extra preparation.
• Trying things to put myself into labor. Spoiler: Nothing is working.
• Trying to teach myself Adobe Premier but it's hard when you take 4 naps a day. Hopefully the next couple days will be better.
• Nesting. Lots of nesting.
• I got my eyelashes done so I can look halfway decent without doing any work... really excited about that.
• Packed my suitcase with mine and Ollie's things so we're ready to go any day now.
• Finishing up odds and ends that I have been putting off or did weeks ago (like cleaning my car. Not clean anymore).
• Trying to distract myself and stay positive. :)

Belly status:

• Belly button is mostly just flat, but when I have a contraction or he stretches, it pokes out a bit. I am happy it's not out all the time, because not only does it look weird, but it feels weird.
• I have plenty of stretch marks. I didn't have them for the longest time but now it looks like my stomach got attacked by a tiger. It's strange but also beautiful. I am happy that I am lucky enough to get to wear these marks the rest of my life.
• It's hard as a rock. He doesn't have much room to move around, so when he does you can see everything. Its incredible. 

I'm feeling: 

• Tired, excited, restless, emotional but mostly REALLY happy.
• Trying to soak up the last few moments of being a duo with Angie.
• I have low iron so I am extra exhausted and my legs always hurt when I walk.
• I cannot wait to have my family around and to celebrate a new life in our family.

I'm thinking: 

• I am feeling ready some days and that everything is chaos the next. I'm all over the place.
• Can we clean everything and then just hold our breath and not move so its still just as clean when baby comes? Wishful thinking.
• When in the world will he be here? Now? .. Maybe now?
• How is my birth going to go?
• Is everything going to be okay? So many thoughts and so many questions!
• I need to fill out his baby book with the pre-birth information before he gets here. #procrastination
• &&& I cannot wait!

What I've learned: 

• That pregnancy and labor is different for everyone. I haven't heard one baby/labor story that is the same as another.
• "Get sleep before baby comes" is a joke.
• Pregnant women snore SO much.
• AND DROOL. So weird. Why did no one tell me?
• Going over 40 weeks is so much harder than I thought it would be. Not physically harder (well, I am more tired, but thats manageable), but emotionally harder.

An update within an update... bumpception? I think so.

I am checking into the hospital tonight at 9pm. They are finally allowed to give me the proper medication necessary to get this ball rolling. I'm taking bets but I am expecting to be in labor most of tomorrow and won't have him until late tomorrow night or Saturday (4/30) morning. There is no prize, but give me your guesses! Plus, it gives me something to do while we wait. And wait. And wait some more. 

30 Weeks & Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day, folks. I hope your day was full of love and happiness!

And also, we have arrived. We did it. 30 weeks down. Only 10 to go (actually, 9 weeks and 3 days.. but who's counting). I am sleeping terribly and my hips are starting to hurt reeaaalll bad. But on the bright side, he is getting big enough that I can see where he is at almost all times and I can feel almost every movement. It's seriously amazing. Baths are my favorite pass time, and spending time with other moms talking about baby things is something I now look forward to. Give me all that advice, mamas. I will only want it for so much longer. ;) We have gotten a TON of stuff checked off our To Do list and I am getting more and more comfortable with the fact I am going to own a person in the next few short months.

We got to celebrate the big three zero this weekend, but also Valentine's day. What did you do? We spent Saturday at the dinosaur museum, went to dinner and Andrew got me the most amazing tulips and chocolates (my top five favorite food right now). Then today we went shopping for adult things like groceries, but also got to spend some time getting a few baby things we needed and exploring the neighborhood we live in. Can I just tell you how much I love Herriman/South Jordan area? Why did no one tell me how amazing it is here?

Not only is it Valentine's, but it is also the day Andrew proposed to be 2 years ago. I don't know where I would be without him and am SO lucky to have him in my life. My life will always be better for making the choice to marry him. He is the best dude I know and is going to be thee BEST father to our children. He's always making me laugh and there is never a dull moment around him. I love you, Ang. <3

Anyway, here are a few more photos of our weekend:

Also, did I meantion that I can.not.wait. to bring Ollie here? Ohhhhhmaaagooossshh. They have the cutest things for little kids to do. If you haven't been here, you gotta go. Click HERE for the deets. Alright, I hope you enjoyed my last second blog post. Happy Valentine's! 

How to Enjoy Your Baby Shower

Hey, good lookin'. We had a big weekend, but the biggest thing that happened was we had our baby shower! And instead of just posting photos of the shower, I am going to give some tips. Baby showers, bridal showers, all the showers, are so awkward. Have you ever been to a shower that isn't uncomfortable? Let me know, because I am very interested. You want to please everyone, talk to everyone all at once, and being the center of attention is always out of my comfort zone. But, they help so much and sometimes are more than necessary. I have the best friends and family because my baby shower filled almost all my "To Get" list. So how do we make them a little easier to get through? Here are my 5 steps:

Invite everyone.
And I mean everyone. Men, children, people you work with, everyone. Excluding people can cause a bigger headache than its worth. Mixing different groups of people is hard for some people, but if you mix enough, no one notices that no one knows anyone. And men. Yes. Invite men. The baby is Andrew's baby, too. He should get to celebrate as much as I do. Plus, he is going to be a stay at home dad. So the gifts will effect him more than me, honestly. And having him there was like having two of me there. He got to help entertain our friends, too. It was really nice. Kids are also a good distraction when things seem boring. The more kids, the less boring.

Let the party planners plan.
Do you have someone in your life offering to throw you a shower? Let them. Don't try to micro manage. If they ask for your advice or suggestions, go easy on them. Always try to put yourself in their shoes. This is something they want to do for you. Not something they have to do. Added bonus? If you're less involved, you won't know what things are "supposed" to look/be like. So it makes you more willing to go with the flow which always keeps the mood light.

Relax.
Just do it, okay? Remember that you can't be everywhere at once. And you can't make everyone happy. So just be you. And know that most likely everyone there has been to another shower so this isn't there first rodeo. Everyone will still love you at the end if it isn't exactly how you thought it would be. Remember, you're the only one who thinks about how it should be. Everyone is just happy to see you.

Don't make it a big deal.
This kind of plays into the other ones on the list, but it's important. It's not the sink or swim moment of your life. No one is going to remember the bad things and everyone is there to celebrate the birth of a new baby, or a new marriage. It should be care free. And the more care free you are, the more your guests can be themselves.

Thank them.
This is the most important. My baby shower was in the middle of a snow storm. I honestly didn't know if anyone would show up. So for those people who did, or for the people who sent gifts, don't let that go unnoticed. The friends and family who helped start Oliver's life with the things he needed will forever melt my heart. I love each and every one of them. And a thank you card is the least I could do to show my gratitude. Pro Tip: take notepad and have someone write names and gifts given to make sure you don't forget anyone.

So, this all being said, I want to take a second to thank my family for putting my shower together. My mom, Samantha, my sisters, Tristan and Ashton, and my sister-in-law, Kambri: Thank you. You all worked so hard to put together this beautiful memory for Andrew and I to have for the rest of our lives. I don't think I have been to a better shower and I owe that all to you. You're the best and I love you.

Enjoy the few photos we took:

Best cupcakes ever: Randall's Sweetcakes

Christmas 2015

I didn't take many photos of our Christmas, but we did make a video. Which, how much better is that? So much better.

Baby Name

Ladies and gentleman, we have a name!

We are in. LOVE. with this name. Oliver is a name we had landed on long before we knew we were having a boy. It doesn't come from anywhere or anyone, it just has something about it that we can't get enough of. Doesn't it just roll off the tongue? Little Ollie. Awe, my heart is already melting.

Roosevelt is a name that Andrew decided he loved while watching a documentary about the Roosevelt family. They stand for a lot of the same things our family stands for. We wanted to give him someone in history he could relate to and look up to. And all the Roosevelts are dope, so.. he has a lot to look up to. Maybe Andrew can give a better explanation of this later.. we shall see.

The name is set in stone, though, because Ang bought me an Alex and Ani bracelet with an A and an O on it for Christmas. There is no going back now.

My bump, my lovely lady bump

Here are a few more photos of the bump for good measure:

12/04/2015 - 20 weeks & 1 day

12/25/2015 - 23 weeks & 1 day

12/30/2015 - 23 weeks & 6 days

01/7/2015 - 25 weeks

Boy or Girl?

The day we have been waiting for is finally here! We FINALLY get to know if we are having a baby boy or girl!

We had our friend, Randi, make us the cutest cake pops with either pink or blue inside. We went to my mom's house and all our family was there to put in their best bets! Andrew found out what we were having at the ultrasound, but I wanted it to be a surprise. However, that didn't go as planned. Andrew was so excited he told me the second we walked out of the hospital. 

My whole family (other than a few exceptions) thought we were having a girl since there were already 3 boys. Chances were we would have a girl and break the cycle... we were wrong. 

11/05/2015

He's a he! 

Here is a photo of the cutest cake pops evaaa:

Surprise! April, 2016

Guess who is having a baby?!

8/22/2015 - 6ish weeks along

In many ways, this little bun in my oven is the reason we are starting the blog. To remember small, but enormous moments in our lives like this. 

Since I haven't posted many bump photos anywhere, here are the first few we have taken:

10/10/2015 - 12 weeks & 2 days

10/27/2015 - 14 weeks & 5 days

I wasn't super sick until I was about 12/13 weeks along. By then, Andrew had to fend for himself at dinner time. All I wanted was limes and smoothies. Oh, and lots of milk. So much milk that we should have bought a milk cow to save money. I could not get enough. 

Also, the first 16 weeks of the pregnancy went by the slowest. I could. not. wait. to find out what we were having and to give him/her a name. I wanted IT to finally be a person I could refer to as he or she.