Moms' Night Out

So my mom's group had a game night scheduled for tonight. I had it on the calendar but since I was out-of-town last week, I hadn't really thought about it until last night. When I mentioned it to Paul he said he was probably going to have to work late. He says that often, then comes home at a normal time. So I went through the day thinking I might get to go. I spoke to Paul this afternoon and he said he would be working late, so now I'm not going. At 6:30 he calls from the road on his way home. I have time to make it to the game night. I get dressed, pull some chips and salsa from the pantry, write down directions, and get dinner started. By the time he gets home, I just don't feel like making the trek out there. It just far enough to not be a quick trip and it's not an area I'm familiar with so it will seem even further. I got a lot done while Sophie took her nap but there are a couple of things I planned on doing after sh e went to bed. So I asked Paul if I could just go up to Starbucks and read for a bit (all by myself). He agreed, so we ate dinner, then he played with Sophie and put her to bed while I had an Extra Coffee Caramel Frappucino and read a couple of chapters.

I know I would have had a good time if I'd met up with the other girls, but I think the alone time was just as rewarding. Thank you, Paul, for the night out!

EMM: Eat Healthy

This one is pretty self-explanatory. We all know what it means to eat healthy (or at least healthier). The website did have a link for a menu planner that might be helpful for some. Because I don't struggle with my weight, it actually makes it more difficult to motivate myself to eat better. But now that I have Sophie watching everything I put in my mouth and wanting the same thing in hers, I have really started to be more intentional. So here are some things I'm working on specifically:

• Eat more veggies.


• Potatoes are not a vegetable.


• Eat fresh fruit everyday.


• Desserts are a special treat. (This will be the toughest one.)


• Drink more water.

They have some tips that I don't agree with, such as, limiting snacking. I think eating smaller portions more often is better. They also suggest developing a routine and eating at similar times each day. That's usually good, but I think a lot of people end up eating just because it's mealtime even if they aren't really hungry. They also have specific ideas as to what should be included in a meal, i.e. dinner has to be a meat, 2 veggies, a salad, and dessert. Maybe not, maybe you have a meatless dinner, as long as you are getting your nutritional requirements.

They have a tip that I almost always follow: eat smaller portions. I also try to leave something on my plate. I know, for some of you that completely goes against your mom-given guilt (I know starving children in Africa and where's the happy plate). Even if it's just the last bite, over time that's a lot of food that isn't going in. Obviously, if you are eating 100% healthy then it wouldn't matter, but who's doing that all the time anyway!

EMM: Prepare for an Emergency

No one wants to think we will be involved in some sort of natural (or unnatural) disaster, but you just have to turn on the news and know that it really could happen to you. The EMM website has links for several of these to help you. Check out the site to make sure you're prepared, too.

1. Family communication plan


2. Emergency contact phone number


3. Designate meeting locations


4. Create emergency supply kit


5. Don't forget about the pets

Date Night Dancing

After a week of VBS, I knew I was going to need some fun adult-time. I set it up for Sophie to spend some time with Grandma and Grandad, and told Paul to figure out a fun night out. He found our newest favorite band The Space Rockers was playing at a club downtown. We met some friends for dinner then headed over. We had a great time. Of course, we aren't as young as we used to be. I was done by midnight! Thanks so much to my great husband for planning everything.

Accomplishment for July

I've been wanting to get something on the wall to put Sophie's artwork and stuff. I've seen some really cool, but really expensive corkboard systems. So instead I found these small, unframed cork panels (4 to a package for about $12). They are put on the wall with little foamy sticker things. Then I used coordinating scrapbook paper on each panel, using tacks and pushpins. The paper I used came with some diecuts that I used as labels for the art and too frame a picture of Sophie at the art table.

EMM: AMBER Alerts

Today's action includes signing up to receive AMBER Alerts on your cell phone and also downloading the ticker to your computer. Of course the real action is to pay attention to those alerts when you see or hear them.

So I have the alerts on my cell phone now. I you should also see the ticker on the blog, too. I hope everyone takes a few minutes to do this as well. See you next Monday!

EMM: Turn Off Your TV

So this week's Every Monday Matters is actually going to be Every Wednesday Matters. Honestly, with Monday being a holiday and Paul being home, I didn't even think about it, and yesterday we were stuck in the house all day waiting on a delivery so I knew I wouldn't get far with the whole turning the TV off thing. So, here we are on Wednesday with the TV turned off. Of course, I can't completely control this since Paul lives here too. But I can certainly try to limit it as much as possible. I have been trying to be more selective about what is on when Sophie is around. I've also tried to multi-task as I'm watching television. I see TV as a form of entertainment. It's also how I "decompress" at the end of the day. I'm sure there is research out there that would contradict the benefits I see in watching TV but I'm going with what I think for now.



We do have a TV in the bedroom because I like to watch movies in bed, and we needed 2 locations for watching stuff. (It also nice if you are sick and staying in bed all day.) But I don't plan on letting Sophie have a television in her room. There will always be at least 2 televisions so if she wants to watch something different she will have that option, it will just be in our control. I've also tried to turn the TV off during meal times. I've actually been attempting this for years.



One of the other things the book suggests is making a list of things to do instead of watching television and then do them. Their website even had a link to sign-up for tips to be sent to you. Today's tip is to go to a coffee shop with your family or even by yourself. We didn't end up at Starbucks tonight, but we did drive around the neighborhood trying to get Sophie to sleep.

I didn't watch any television today, but that was helped by the fact that I went into the office for 3 hours, then took Sophie out for dinner before meeting a couple of the childcare workers for training. I also had some more work to do once I got home. So although I didn't watch TV, I did spend more time on the computer than normal. Paul also didn't get to watch much. He worked late, then did everything he could to get Sophie to bed

I think I need to try this one on a day when I don't have a bazillion other things already scheduled and see how I do.

65 in 365 Month 6 Update

This will be a list of 65 things I want to accomplish in the next 365 days. (No, I didn't come up with this idea myself, I borrowed it from this Foster Mama, along with some of her items.) I'll update the list once a month (that's the first thing on the list). Completed items are in italics.

1. Update the 65 in 365 once a month (6/12)
2. Come up with 65 goals for the year (65/65)
3. Complete Sophie's baby album
4. Complete 2009 annual album
5. Attend average of 5 StrollerStrides classes a month (22/60)
6. Girls Night Out (or Mom's Night Out) at least 4 times (4/4)
7. Go to the movies at least 6 times (4/6)
8. Finish reading 2 non-fiction books (1/2)
9. Read 4 fiction books (1/4)
10. Payoff law school loan
11. Try 26 new recipes (5/26)
12. Make our wills
13. Participate in a fun run with Paul and Sophie
14. Get at least 8 hours of sleep each night; complete after 30 days (0/30)
15. Have at least one fresh fruit each day; complete after 30 days (3/30)
16. Take at least one picture of Sophie every other day; complete after 60 days (0/30)
17. Get back to pre-pregnancy weight
18. Come up with a system for backing up digital photos
19. Cooking lessons
20. Make bed everyday; complete after 30 days (30/30)
21. Have date night once a month (4/12)
22. Build a snowman
23. Join a moms group
24. Set up a cleaning schedule and follow it; complete after 3 months (0/3)
25. Have lawn guys come on a regular basis
26. Take Wrangler to Kady the groomer 4 times (2/4)
27. Purchase a jogging stroller for Paul to use
28. Put items in JBF Consignment sales, 2 sales each sales season (2/4)
29. Make and stick to a weekly menu and grocery list; complete after 5 weeks (1/5)
30. Decorate the tabletop tree for each holiday or season (snowflakes, hearts, green and gold beads, eggs, flowers, red and blue stars, apples, Halloween, fall leaves, Christmas)
31. Update a blog everyday or at least average one new post each day (165/365)
32. Go on a scrapbooking retreat
33. Attend a scrapbooking crop every other month (4/6)
34. Complete 150 scrapbook pages (66/150)
35. Sign Sophie up for swim lessons
36. Attend one playgroup event each month (10/12)
37. Take Sophie to a library storytime/event each month (5/12)
38. Attend a local Chinese New Year event
39. Have teeth cleaned twice a year (1/2)
40. Have Sophie’s picture taken with the Easter Bunny
41. Take Sophie to see a fireworks display
42. Update the framed photos of extended family members
43. Attend Living Last Supper at church
44. Plan Sophie’s first birthday party
45. Take Sophie to visit another state
46. Take Sophie trick-or-treating in the neighborhood
47. Decorate outside for Christmas
48. Create our own family Thanksgiving tradition
49. Take Sophie to the zoo
50. Establish Family Night/Day twice a month (not including MIC Meals); complete after 4 months (4/4)
51. Frame and hang Sophie’s first year photos
52. Furniture for China child
53. Update Sophie’s wedding dress photo
54. Get a family portrait done
55. Daily devotional, complete after 30 days (0/30)
56. Create a list of happy things, one for each day (over 1000) we’ve been waiting for MIC
57. Complete new adoption visa paperwork
58. Open a savings account for Sophie
59. Clean out and organize pantry
60. Attend at least 3 plays and/or musicals (2/3)
61. Purchase fire extinguishers for the house
62. Get personalized tags for the pets (3/6)
63. Clean out flowerbed in backyard
64. Buy new couches
65. Make a new list of 65