Laugh Often

Here is the scene…a mother and toddler at the kitchen sink together, both still in their pajamas at 10:00 in the morning.   Mother is attempting to do the dishes and the toddler is going after every chance to catch the running water, tipping cups while spilling water all over.  To many this would look like a disaster and the scene of someone who is struggling, but it just hit me how amazing it all is.

This is my beautiful disaster, and I wouldn’t change it for anything.

The books maybe prepare you for what to expect physically when you have a child, but nothing can prepare you for the emotional, beautiful disaster that happens when you become a mama.  Turning down the millionth request for cheese, the billionth “lay down and go to sleep” or “please sit down” and too many “out of your mouths” to count.  The constant tornado that comes through your house, the battle of going back inside the house after playing outside, and of course, the loss of any regular sleep schedule can take its toll on you.Beautiful Disaster.jpg

At times you wonder if you will make it, if you are strong enough. And then comes the “couch mama” followed by a pull at your leg and a pat on the couch when he just wants to snuggle, tiny arms and hands that reach up as you hear “hold you.” A toddler rubbing your arm for comfort as he falls asleep and the occasional kiss from those little lips.

While pregnant, you get the warnings from those who have been there.  They say motherhood changes things. And from the moment your child is placed in your arms, you feel it – love like no one could ever explain.  There are absolutely no words to describe how beautiful this love is.  With the right mindset, there are moments every day that will reveal how absolutely blessed you are.  Often times that beauty can be hidden beneath a disaster, if you look at it from the correct angle, suddenly you see that beautiful disaster appear in front you.

Find the patience and creativity to view the mother and toddler at the kitchen sink from a different angle.  Instead of looking at the water on the floor and the soaked PJs they are still wearing at 10:00, listen to the laughs. Watch as that child learns to say “Where are you?” while putting his hands up, frantically looking for the brush that has disappeared under the suds.  These are the moments where you will find the beautiful disaster.

Sweat Daily

What comes to mind when you hear “soulmate”? When someone talks about their soulmate, my first thought would be they are referring to a person.  Until about a year ago, I wouldn’t have thought a soulmate could describe anything else. Now I realize that is just simply not true.

To make sure we are on the same page about what a soulmate is, check out this really “official” definition from Urban Dictionary:

soulmate

A person with whom you have an immediate connection the moment you meet — a connection so strong that you are drawn to them in a way you have never experienced before. As this connection develops over time, you experience a love so deep, strong and complex, that you begin to doubt that you have ever truly loved anyone prior. Your soulmate understands and connects with you in every way and on every level, which brings a sense of peace, calmness and happiness when you are around them. And when you are not around them, you are all that much more aware of the harshness of life, and how bonding with another person in this way is the most significant and satisfying thing you will experience in your lifetime. You are also all that much aware of the beauty in life, because you have been given a great gift and will always be thankful.

If I told you I had a soulmate workout program, would you believe me?  Change the context above from a person to a workout and this describes my feelings aboutWarrior Pose PiYo.  Prior to trying PiYo, I had never stuck to any sort of regular workout routine, was stressed, and aware of the harshness of life.  Enter PiYo into my life and I began to look forward to my daily workout and it connects with me in both mind and body.

Finding a soulmate workout is not that much different than finding your soulmate.  Sometimes it takes meeting multiple people (or in this case trying different workout styles) and the right situation for the relationship to click.  I often wonder if I had met my husband when we were both in high school instead of college if we would have ended up as soulmates.  Maybe there is more truth to this connection than I originally thought. Prior to meeting my husband, boyfriends didn’t last for more than two months. Prior to trying PiYo, workout routines didn’t last for more than a few months. Everyone is different –
some enjoy lots of cardio, others enjoy working out with weights, maybe Yoga is more your style.  I encourage you to keep trying to find your soulmate, don’t give up just because one or two relationships didn’t work out for you.

Laugh Often

Everyone has at least one best friend in their life that helps to complete them.  Terryn, My Honey, is that for me.  After Bo (and maybe sometimes before Bo), she is the first person I go to about anything and it is rare that we don’t chat at least once daily.  She starting her amazing blog Faith Family and Beef 2 years ago and has taken me under her blogging wing as I start my new adventure.

T and I
Terryn, My Honey (on the right) and I

Last week she was invited by a fellow blogger, Baby on the Brehm, to answer these Fifty Nifty Questions and extended the invitation along to me.

I was happy to accept the invitation so here you go, some things you may or may not know about me!

  1. Are you a morning or night person? I am not a morning person or night person but rock 11:30am like nobody’s business!
  2. Do you prefer, sweet or salty foods? Sweets are my weak spot, if they are in the house I will eat them.
  3. Ninjas or pirates? Ninjas.
  4. Ninjas vs pirates, discuss… The pirate life is not for me!
  5. Autobots or Decepticons? What?!?!
  6. What was your favorite childhood television program? Full House, every day after school.
  7. Are you a collector of anything? Nope, but my husband makes up for it with his Jersey and Lego collections.
  8. If you could be any animal, what would you be? Bird, it would be pretty awesome to fly.
  9. If you could have any superpower, what would it be? Super Speed, for sh*ts and giggles sometimes I try to sprint at the track to feel fast, but I am sure it would be pretty comical for someone else to watch!
  10. What is usually your first thought when you wake up? “Back to Bed?!?!” unless for some reason it happens to be 11:30 (which doesn’t happen often), refer to Question #1
  11. What do you usually think about right before falling asleep? First, I thank the Lord for my blessings and then I hope that my kid sleeps all night.
  12. What’s your favorite color? Blue
  13. What’s your favorite animal? Horse, of course.  Someday, Someday!
  14. Do you believe in extraterrestrials or life on other planets? Nope.
  15. Do you believe in ghosts? Yes, but I prefer to call them spirits.
  16. Ever been addicted to a video/computer game? Which one(s)? Growing up we played a lot of Super Mario Bros and in college I played a lot of Guitar Hero while Bo was at work but not sure I would say I was addicted to either one of those.
  17. If you were given 1 million dollars, what do you spend it on? Pay off our mortgage, take a few family trips and donate some.
  18. Have any bad habits? Leaving clothes or items where they get taken off at or set down. See Question #30
  19. Which bad habits, if any, drive you crazy? Drivers that don’t pay attention.
  20. List 3 of your best personality traits: Independence, Logic, and Passion
  21. List 3 of your worst personality traits: Stubborn, Impatient, and an Overthinker
  22. Have any celebrity crushes? Matthew McConaughey, Alright, Alright, Alright!
  23. List 1 thing you wish you could change about yourself? My height, I would like wear long dresses more but they normally are too long.
  24. Any tattoos or piercings? Four piercings: ear lobes, right tragus and left cartilage
  25. What’s the first thing you notice in the opposite sex? Overall appearance
  26. What’s your dream date? Something that includes activity, Putt Putt golf, ice skating, etc.
  27. What personality traits do you look for in a partner? Supportive and Caring but also Humorous
  28. What personality traits do you dislike in other people? The inability to politely agree to disagree.
  29. Do you see yourself getting married in the next 5 years? Nope, already taken!
  30. Are you mostly a clean or messy person? Meh, Not tidy is more what I am.  I generally keep things wiped clean but have a hard time keeping things picked up.  If that makes any sense?!?
  31. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live? “BS Ranch”, right where the heck I am.
  32. If you could visit anywhere in the world, where would you go? Back to Hawaii, the colors are beautiful there.
  33. List 5 goals on your life’s to-do list: Be an Inspiration, enjoy the little things in life, never stop learning, raise polite and responsible children, and stay active.
  34. Name 1 regret you have: No regrets, just situations to learn from.
  35. Name 1 thing you miss about being a kid: Naptime, who doesn’t love a good afternoon nap!
  36. Name 1 thing you love about being an adult: Now it would be setting my own schedule, I get to decide when I want to work and when I want to play (for the most part)
  37. What’s your favorite song of the moment? Tim McGraw, Humble and Kind
  38. What’s your favorite song of all time? Gary Allen The One, everytime I hear it I immediately can feel Bo and I dancing.
  39. What’s your favorite thing to do on a Saturday night? Spend the night at home with the fam.
  40. What’s your favorite thing to do on a Sunday afternoon? Relax with the fam.
  41. Have any hidden talents? During college I learned how to rope a steer, for a city girl I would say that is pretty neat!
  42. You’re about to walk the green mile, what do you have as your last meal? Homemade Chicken Tacos with a softshell, refried beans, and then a hard shell inside and cucumbers instead of lettuce.
  43. What would be your dream job? Help inspire people (which is what I am getting to finally do!)
  44. Which would you rather have, 100 million dollars or true love? Are you kidding me? True Love.
  45. If you could have 3 wishes granted, what would they be? Healthy kids and family, that all children feel loved, and world peace.
  46. Ever wish you were born the opposite sex? The thought has crossed my mind, there would be times that it would be nice to not have to deal with boobs.
  47. Name 1 thing not many people know about you: I am a Clown, although I haven’t dressed up for years.  My Clown name is “Love” and I can do a few tricks on the Diablo.
  48. If you HAD to change your name, what would you change it to? I like that my name is unique but most people spell it wrong.  If I had to change it I would go with Alexis.
  49. Do you believe in the afterlife? You bet I do.
  50. How do you feel about cookies? Yum! (See Question #2)
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Sweat Daily

Believe it or not, an 18 month old can teach you quite a bit about yourself even without being able to communicate using recognizable words.  As I sit back to watch my son play or interact with my husband, I find myself wondering where did he learn that.  A few minutes go by, and I notice my husband doing that very same thing that I was wondering about.  It dawns on me, he gets it from us. We are setting the example whether we are ready or not.

Kids are little sponges that soak up knowledge of boundaries, rules, life skills, how t12631509_10153595847029272_1388023390324944207_no interact, coping skills etc. from those around them. Before becoming a Mama, I didn’t realize how much it would be up to me and those close to set the example. My husband and I find it humorous at times because there are particular traits or habits that when Dexter displays them we will say to each other, “Your Son”.  Meaning that trait is totally a “you” trait, he either learned or inherited that from you. Some of the “Your Son” traits make  you proud… others not so much.

Often times, as I pick him up from “Grandpa Daycare,” I see him with Grandpa and watch how things change when Grandma gets home from work. The phrase we use for this situation is #ThatsWhyGrandpa in reference to that is why he spends most his time with Grandpa instead of Grandma. Grandpa has a general set of guidelines that are understood by both parties. However, when Grandma shows up it is a free for all.

Knowing that you are responsible for setting the example can be scary and overwhelming.  Some days are tougher than others. Shortly after having Dexter, I realized how important it was for me to take time for myself and not forget who I am. Setting an example and taking care of myself became my motivation to push myself to get better, to be better.  Whether it was cleaning up my diet, managing my stress, becoming a better wife, exercising on a routine basis, I owe it to myself and in return am setting that positive example for Dexter.

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Not so patiently waiting to go down to our workout space.
Now I am starting to witness the impact of the positive changes we’ve have made. Whether it is Dexter standing at the fridge with his cracker waiting for me to get the hummus out for him or pushing his stool over so he can help prepare dinner, he enjoys the positive example we have set.

 

In the end this has paid off for me, Dexter now sets the example for me on the days that I am just not quite feeling it. Since our normal routine includes an evening workout, he will stand at the top of the stairs at our baby gate shaking it until we go down to get in that workout.  He is definitely “my son” on those nights!

 

 

 

 

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Hi!  TProfilehank you for stopping by Love, Laugh and Sweat!  I am Sheila and this is my new found view on the world.  For over a year now I have been on a journey to clean up my nutrition, workout on a regular basis, and learn to love all the little things that make up life.  I am a Wife, Mom, Health and Fitness Coach, Business Mentor and CPA.

You can learn more by checking out the About Me page. I hope that you also Love Your Life, Laugh Often and Sweat Daily!

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