This is the place for moms In The Making, who smile with the messes, embrace the unexpected, and know that every day is a blessing.

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Free Advent eBook!

After a year of work and too many sleepless night. Bible Characters for Advent is officially complete!started talking about our book, in my blog post about Keeping Christ as the Center of Christmas 

Bible Characters for Advent is a one of a kind Catholic children's book that takes you through twenty-five characters, telling the stories of salvation history and showing how they connect to Jesus. This book was carefully crafted to make deep connections in simple ways that children can understand.


Each story is short to accommodate busy schedules and child attention spans. Yet, they connect so well that several can be read at a time.

Bible Characters for Advent is filled with fun and clever illustrations as well and Bible verses so you can go deeper when appropriate.


You can read one story each day starting on December first and ending on Christmas. Or, you can read a few at a time. However you do it, know that your family will be more prepared to celebrate Christmas after enjoying Bible Characters for Advent.


How do you keep Christ as the center of your Christmas celebrations?




Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Pre-Pregnancy Pants!

I am wearing my pre-pregnancy pants!! (imagine the song I feel good erupting from the heavens and playing as I walk)


There is nothing I can’t do. Just watching the pants swish as I walk makes me feel skinny. Not only am I in pre-pregnancy pants, but I've officially hit my pre-pregnancy weight! Two victories in one week…


Sure some of the weight has rearranged itself. A nice inner tube shape around my waist, but hey if I’m ever drowning no need to throw a life ring… I've got one already lol


It does happen. You will reach your pre-pregnancy weight. Just give it time. My little Charlie is 9 months… he’s walking and I’m planning his first birthday! But I am back!


Yes, it was discouraging when I saw my friends leave the hospital in skinny jeans. But I am back and continuing further on the road to skinny.


When did you get your pre-pregnancy clothes back?

Monday, September 30, 2013

A Day without Coffee

We can’t serve you!

I was stumbling and falling asleep… you can’t deny a working mother coffee on a Monday morning with a day packed with meeting. I could see the espresso machine, the ice blending machine was up in running. There was a room full of people with coffee, and as they denied me mine, there were finishing serving another customer. I felt it was a cruel joke to make me suffer.




Sadly, I stumbled back to my office destined for a morning filled with yawns. After a few calls inquiring, I discovered the problem. The cash register crashed, so they couldn't accept credit cards. I am a faithful coffee drinker, I always order the same thing. I always pay cash.

Was it really the best solution to send me packing?

Although I was late going back to work so I could re-go to the coffee house. I was inspired, I need to make my own coffee so I am no longer dependent on the whims of another to start my morning.

Does anyone have any good frozen blended coffee recipes? I've tried and failed a lot, which is why I keep going back. (Please leave some ideas... my mornings depend on it!)

Thursday, September 26, 2013

Fun with Photo Shoots




Nothing is cuter than a little boy in a giant hat!

Early this summer we bought a nice camera! The kind that you hand to someone and they have no idea how to take a picture because it has so many controls and buttons :)

Our goal was to take pictures everyday so we could practice different setting, angles… Although little Charlie was the obvious star, adding props made it a lot of fun!


One of my favorites was in the back yard with a giant sombrero.








How do you make your photo shoots extra cute?

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

The Best Flip flops!

I am on my feet constantly!

Working full time, chasing around my 8 month old, trying to clean the house... and oh yeah taking walks for exercise :) 

I tend to go barefoot... but that doesn't really work on bumpy sidewalks filled with mud, glass, and my favorite... occasionally dog droppings.  

So I wear flip flops... each year I buy about 2-3 pairs of the $2.00 flip flops from Target or Walmart and they sustain me all year. But this year in particular my feet were dying!! I think its just a little bit of extra weight from pregnancy, being on my feet more, and less sleep all around. 

About a month ago while in the store I tried on a pair of flip flops... It was as if I was walking on the clouds. I was in love! There was just one problem... They were $32! That was 16 times more than I was used to paying for flip flops. 

With a tear in my eye, we left the store... someday I would have those shoes, but student loans would have my money for today. 

If you are looking for them at the store they
are called Nike Comfort Thong... weird name
great shoe!


Then I woke up the morning of my anniversary... There they were. The most beautiful, comfortable flip flops on earth. It is like walking around on a cloud. I've only had them a few days, and I can't imagine how I lived without them! 

I think I'll wait for them to go on sale at the end of summer and stock up. 

If your feet hurt and you're running around all the time. I couldn't recommend a better option. 

Do you have a favorite pair of comfy summer shoes?


Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Christ in Christmas

Keeping Christ in Christmas... This has
been an ongoing puzzle that my husband and I have been tackling... especially now that we have our little man, Charlie. How are we going to celebrate Christmas while keeping the focus on Christ?


I absolutely want Charlie to understand that Jesus birth is the most important part!! But I must admit... I love presents! Shopping on Black Friday, stockings filled with fun, and Christmas music during Advent.


So the extreme traditions like only giving 3 gifts on Christmas like the Three Wise Men gave to Jesus scare me...
Baby Charlie as Jesus in Christmas Play


We have made one step of progress in our journey... We are writing a Children’s Advent Book :) There will be short story each day about a different Biblical Character starting with God the Father, Creation, and leading up to Jesus birth.
Unfinished drawing for 5th day of Creation when God creates birds and fish!


I am super excited... the only problem. It’s eating my lunch... and breakfast and dinner... It is all consuming trying to finish the text, complete the drawings, perfect the layout...

6th Day of Creation when God creates all the animals and man 


While I LOVE blogging... I am cutting back to one post a week for awhile. It totally kills me to do that, but I can blog forever. If I don’t finish the book before Advent... It will be a complete wash.


I will be posting updates about the book as we get closer to the launch. We will be looking for some places to review our book etc. If you have any ideas I’d love to hear from you!

Theresa

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Hairdo Transformation


Every hairdo deserves a second chance... 
Especially after you spend so much time on the first one. 

A few months ago I was in a wedding, and I spent hours getting the perfect curls. I was super impressed because normally can’t do hair. I grew up with a mom who was a hairdresser... so why would I learn do my own hair when I could have a professional do it for me!




This time though I had the perfect bouncy curls! The wedding reception ended in early evening just in time for some ice cream. But all the curls just seemed a little much...

I gathered all the curls into a high pony... and pulled a flower from centerpiece. I think I had the best going out to ice cream hair ever!!


Less than a minute transformed me from wedding hair to a casual gorgeous look. Curly ponytails are a great 2nd look after curling your hair.


Do you have tricks for transforming your hair into a second look?

Monday, August 5, 2013

DIY Makeover

I hated my bathroom! I’ve hated it since we moved in... It has I wish I was white walls... and bright blue countertop.

I realized the other day that I never bother to organize the mini closet because I’d rather look at my stuff spilling out than the ugly paint...

In a moment of inspiration I decided today is the day... little Charlie was down for a nap. 


My bathroom was going to receive a DIY makeover!



I grabbed my chalkboard paint, and two cans of spray paint from the basement and went to town...



I could not be happier... in about two hours I transformed my bathroom from ugly drudgery to a cute chalkboard wall to write fun messages and a counter that’s my favorite color.

I’ve decided that two coats is best for chalkboard paint, it helps it cover better. Then I spray painted the bottom shelf. Not a great idea to try to spray paint, under a closet, inside the house... I felt like my throat was burning for a few days.

Ok...so It's not a great pic... Charlie was fussing
and it was the middle of the night :)
My bathroom still isn’t perfect... the floor needs to be replaced, the widow is old with no sill... but when I walk in I see my fun chalkboard and bright pink counter. Instead of wishing for a new house, I have a small moment of joy each time I see it.

And it was free... I used paint from my basement and it only took about two hours!

Being on a tight budget I find that we don’t often put money into making our house cute... However I finally realized even if we can’t redo everything I can still do small things to transform the place.

What is something simple that could help transform your house?

Thursday, August 1, 2013

Why I will never use my husband's debit card again!

We have a joint bank account. The money is all the same. We even make a budget each month so we agree on how we spent the money.


These were the thoughts running through my head as I logged into my husband’s paypal account. It just didn’t seem like it was worth the hassle to create a new account when he already had one.


This is where I was tragically wrong. I was registering for the Ohio Valley Blogger Meet and Greet at Ikea. I’ve been dying to go to a blogging conference... but as a new blogger, and a family passionately working to be debt free... I could never find the money. However this was an opportunity to network with other bloggers, for an evening and it was only $25! And it was being thrown by a blogger, The Busy Budgeting Mama I totally admire... reading her blog is a daily reminder of why I can’t wait to have a girl!


It was an absolutely glorious evening!!


The problem arose when all the emails about the event were going my hubbie’s email...It seemed weird not to get any further info about the event, but I was new to this game. Only after my incredible friend Jodi @ Sewfearless told me about the facebook group did I realize I was missing out on stuff.


It was an evening filled with panic, weeping, and frustration. As I finally found and read the emails...my registration had gone in my husband’s name this was a woman’s blogging event! I missed getting in the program...


but Natalie is amazing... after sending a hurried and weeping email she texted me that I was still registered, would be getting the sweet swag bag! Yippie.


Moral of the story... I will never use my husband’s debit card again... I never understood why couples didn’t just share their accounts... but no one was checking the paypal email... I will not let that happen again?

(I still think having a joint bank account is the right thing...but I do see why we still have our own paypal etc)

Have you ever borrow/used something belonging to your husband and end up in a pickle? I’d love to hear it! and I won’t feel as bad about my story.

Sunday, July 28, 2013

Are you chasing the right dream?

Wooo Who! I caught a fish! 

While swimming in lake Michigan there were lots of minnows swimming around us. Although my first instinct was to scream and run I decided to show my brothers up... they had all caught minnows with their bare hands and I wanted to prove that I could too!



I set my eye on a minno... followed it and ahhhhh!!! No sooner had I caught it in my hand did I drop it screaming! Yes, I was trying to catch a minnow in my hand, but I didn’t think it would actually work.

Lesson learned... don't try to outdo my brothers :)

The second I caught it I realized there was no way I wanted that slimy fish in my hands. After recovering from the shock... I laughed it reminded me of life... It can be so thrilling to go after something... that I never stop and realize that it isn’t what I want.


Have you ever chased a dream only to realize it isn’t something you want?

Thursday, July 25, 2013

10 ways to Lose Baby Weight

It took 9 months to gain it yet we expect it to fall off with a few pushes…
There is nothing more discouraging than looking in the mirror after having a baby and still looking 6 months pregnant. Of course there is always the mom’s who walk out of the delivery room back in their skinny jeans… but that was not me.
I am starting to realize something… It will happen… it just takes time. I had an entire stack of clothes to burn because I would never fit in them again. Yet six months out I am finding I am still shrinking a little each week.


It is exciting! My normal wardrobe is coming back… I can wear heels too… because my sciatic nerve isn’t causing woe.


10 things to remember while losing baby weight...


#1 It took 9 months to gain it... it isn’t coming off overnight.


#2 You need rest after birth... Working out too soon will only make your recovery longer.


#3 Breastfeeding burns a lot of calories! (You may also need to eat often if you are breastfeeding... just look for healthy snacks)




#4 Eat healthy - You are tired after a baby so it is easy to fall into the Coke, coffee, espresso beans, repeat... routine. You won’t feel good doing this... and it doesn’t help with losing weight. I’ve tried :)


#5 Choose the easy option. While rushing around sleep deprived, fast grease (I mean fast food) seems inevitable. Instead try Subway, or a rotisserie chicken with a pre made salad bag. Yes, you could make something cheaper/better... but it you’re burnt out... this is healthier than generic fast food or pizza.


#6 Go for a walk... I’m not  ready for a super work out yet... But my little man is always fussy around 8 pm each night! Instead of trying to wrestle with him in the house. I go out for a 30 minute walk for him each night. This helps me to de-stress before bed, plus it helps with getting skinny.


#7 Find friends to support you - I discovered there is a whole group of moms who go walking at night in my neighborhood. It helps when you have others encouraging you.


#8 Set an achievable goal - Having a goal sets your course. There are so many different options out there... You can set a goal in your mind, write in on the fridge, use an app...



#9 Choose an encouraging workout... For me that is Richard Simons! I never did well with the bikini girl size 0 crazy hard work. Richard Simons is a low impact, achievable workout with dressed people of all shapes and sizes.


#10 Cut yourself some slack... Each pregnancy is unique with its own challenges. Looking back I know I ate too much junk food! I would make different decisions next time. However I was working full time, incredibly sick and I did my best at that moment. Getting depressed over it will only make me eat more junk. 


Appreciate your child and move forward! 
Today is a new day.


How did you lose your baby weight?