Motivation (or lack thereof)

Getting to stay home with my son these last 2 months has been great. I don't have to wake up before 6am anymore, I can stay in my pajamas and play with Oliver all day, I have unlimited snacks (this one is dangerous, just ask my scale!), I don't have to go out in the cold/rainy weather, etc.

BUT... I think it's starting to take it's toll on me. I thrive on structure and routine and there isn't much of that these days. My life revolves around Oliver and what he needs at any given time. Everyday is a little bit different, nap times are hit and miss these days, Oliver likes a food one day and hates it the next, Derek's work schedule is always changing. It's diving me a little crazy, to be honest. I kinda miss going to work at a set time, knowing my tasks for the day, taking a lunch break at the same time, chatting with real life adults and going home at a certain time. Don't get me wrong, being home with Oliver is absolutely the best thing for both of us right now, I just feel like I need to re-evaluate our daily routine and tweak some things. All my energy goes towards raising Oliver and keeping the house together that there's not much left at the end of the day. When Oliver goes to sleep at 7:30pm, I'm ready to crash too.

I don't like how lazy and unmotivated I've become. Eating candy all day and sitting around is fun for a few days, but it shouldn't be a long-term plan. lol! I need to start over and get things back on track or I will lose my mind. My eating habits are quite embarrassing right now and I can't remember the last time I exercised. I think this is a big part of why I'm exhausted and dragging most of the day. It's a good place to start and I'm hoping by making those little changes, I'll keep it going with everything else in my daily life (if I had a dollar for every time I said that...)

I'm still not sure when's the right time to go back to work (that's a whole other blog post), but I don't want to look back at this time and regret how I spent it. Oliver deserves more fun adventures around town and more play dates, not just staying at home with boring mom all day :) He'll never be this young again and I may never get the chance to stay home with him again, so I want to do as many fun things with him as possible.

Project Refresh: Month 2

So month 1 of my project is coming to an end and I'd give myself a 'C+' for accomplishing my goals. I am definitely taking more photos (at least one a day) so that was a success. Sticking to a schedule has been tough since every day is different, but I have been more productive whenever Oliver is sleeping, so that one's a mixed bag.

Clearing the clutter was the one I was most excited to dive into, but I just haven't had any time. We've been really busy with photo shoots, which means I spent most of my free time in September with my BFF Photoshop. Being a perfectionist means our clients get beautiful looking photos, but it also means I spend way too much time editing to make each photo amazing.

So onto October. I thought it would be better to break my goals into more specific tasks instead of all-encompassing objectives.

Project Refresh: Month 2

• Find the perfect gift for my sister's 18th birthday
• Book and shoot 2 senior sessions
• Lose 3 pounds (I hate random numbers like that, but I don't think anything above 3 is realistic. lol) by eating less carbs/more veggies & working out 3 times a week
• Get the guest bed cleared off by selling or donating everything on it (I cleared out our office closet and stuck all the random stuff on the bed to deal with later. It's been there over a month now)
• Pick out a cute Halloween costume for Oliver (bonus points if Derek & I dress up this year too!)
• Go through my bedroom closet & dresser to organize and purge clothes I don't wear or like
• Take Oliver to get his first haircut (I know, I love the curls too! But I think it's time to lighten the load on his head. haha)

I like that these goals are simplified and measurable, instead of a vague 'organize the house' which could take a year to complete and is never really done. So better luck for month 2, eh? :)

Project Refresh: Month 1

September 1st is a significant date for a few reasons. It signals the start of a brand new month. It means I become unemployed in 3 days. Also, it's the date that my husband and I started dating way back in 2002 :)

Much like New Years Day, I see today as a time to start over and start tackling all the projects I've put off & goals I've given up on. Working full-time while being a new mom is exhausting and doesn't leave time for much else. I'm feeling inspired & excited by all the extra time I will soon have and have been making lists of all the things I want to accomplish or work on these next few months at home.

I don't know how long I'll get to stay home with my son, or what distractions will come up, so I've prioritized my list and will start with the most important things first. I give you...

Project Refresh: Month 1

• Stick to a schedule: I work best when I have specific tasks to get done and makes lists of those items. If I go by memory, I'll only remember a few things and spend the rest of the day reading celebrity gossip. So planning out my day ahead of time is key to making sure I don't waste my time.
• Take more photos: I took many, many photos of Oliver his first year and have really been slacking on that since his birthday. So I'm starting up my 365 project again (starting today!) to make sure I capture not just Oliver as he grows, but our house, friends/family, events, trips we take, the beauty of Oregon, etc. I miss photography and am ready to get back into it!
• Clear the clutter: I am beyond ready to start organizing closets and getting our house cleared out. We keep adding more and more stuff and it's just become overwhelming. It's hard to find things and all the stuff everywhere just drives me crazy! So I'm going room by room and getting rid of as many things as I can, so we can appreciate (and find) the stuff we really like and use.

I have dozens of other tasks on my list, but will start with these ones for the month of September. I'll check back at the end of the month to give an update on how I did, but I'm motivated and ready to dive in!

xo

June update

I really suck at this blogging thing, my apologies! I only think about updating when I'm at work or out & about, never when I'm actually on my computer with some free time. So here's the latest:

Oliver
He's turning 13 months tomorrow and walks around by himself like a champ. He's really good about sitting down if he feels off balance, instead of falling over. He loves to eat and will try anything we put before him. We haven't found anything that he hates yet, knock on wood! He still has rice cereal everyday, but is mostly eating whatever we are and loving it. He is very independent and has no problem playing with his toys by himself for long stretches of time. He is still such a great sleeper and for that we are so grateful! He's usually down by 8pm and wakes up around 8am, unless he has to go to grandma's for the day. We are having so much fun with this little guy :)

Work

I've worked at a local bank for the past 2.5 years and will be losing my job in September. I'm really sad about leaving my co-workers since they have become like family, but I am excited to stay home with Oliver for at least a few months :) I'm also looking forward to getting back into accounting and hopefully making more money than I currently make. I see this as a positive opportunity and am hoping for the best.

Health

I'm still walking on a regular basis (usually 30-40 minutes a day) and am trying to squeeze in some exercise after I get home from work, but it's tough. By the time Oliver's in bed, it's about 8 and I just want to relax a little (aka waste time on Pinterest. haha) and go to bed. So that's definitely something I need to work on. My diet's about the same, but I've been eating more veggies & cooking at home more. I planned our meals ahead of time this week and it really made a big difference. Doing the prep work the night before meant I could just throw everything together when I got home from work and dinner would be done in 20 minutes. I also want to use my crock pot more often, I love that thing!

House

Our tentative goal is to put our house up for sale spring 2015. The housing market hasn't been kind to us and we owe much more than our house is worth right now, so we're going to spruce things up and keep our fingers crossed that we break even in 2 years. I have a huge list of little projects I want to do around the house and am eager to get started on it once my job ends in September. I have no idea what I'm doing, but plan on documenting it to provide some entertainment for my 2 blog readers (lol)

Etc.

There's not much else going on around here. We're just keeping busy with work and Oliver and photography stuff from time to time. I'm looking forward to taking more family walks and trips as the weather gets nicer. We're hoping to add another kid to our family in the very near future, but we'll see if that works out :)

I'll do my best to update a little more often, I just don't have any ideas on what to write about or much time to post. Come September, though, I won't have much of an excuse anymore :)

I'm still here :)

I'm not a good blogger, if you haven't figured that one out yet :) I have good intentions but always forget to update.

I've been busy planning our son's 1st birthday, among other things. I have been regularly exercising and eating healthier stuff, I just haven't been on here bragging about it. lol. I usually walk 3 times a day during my breaks & lunch for about an hour total. It helps that Oregon has been having gorgeous weather lately so it's not such a chore to get my exercise in.

I think I've lost a pound or so, but not much of a difference to post updated photos or stats or anything.

Maybe someday I'll get better at posting more, but at the moment I'm just busy with other things, like this cute little guy :)

I heart Ikea

(Excuse my lack of fitness updates. I was really sick for a week and am finally starting to get my energy back, so the exercising can commence!)

Derek & I spent President's Day up in Portland at one of our favorite places: Ikea. Just walking up to the building makes me giddy and I always get so many great ideas there. The last time we were there, I was big & pregnant and mainly looking for organizing stuff. This time, we went a little crazy in the kid section and wanted to buy every single thing for Oliver. We really had to show some restraint, let me tell you!

We're big into to bright, colorful stuff if you didn't pick up on that already. I love everything, but my favorite item of the day had to be the art cards (2nd from last photo). How fun and playful are those?! I can't wait to frame them and get them up, once we find the perfect spot for them.

Hot pink

I've found my motivation to exercise! How adorable is this bikini?! It will be mine once I'm in shape enough to wear it out in public. haha.

And with that, I'm off to put on my yoga pants and get to work :)

Post-baby body update

I've been putting this post off for months, but it's time to get motivated and get to work! I'm just about back down to my pre-pregnancy weight, which doesn't mean all that much since things have kinda shifted around. lol. Gaining 35+ pounds and having a baby messes with your body; who knew?! ;)

This is me, May 2011, a few months before getting pregnant.

Stats:
Weight - 113
Chest - 34"
Waist - 25.5"
Hips - 35.5"

This is me now, January 2013, 8 months after having a baby.

Stats:

Weight - 115

Chest - 35.5"

Waist - 27.5"

Hips - 35.5"

I don't look all that much different, but I'm still holding onto extra junk in the middle that is driving me crazy and causing a not-so-awesome muffin top. So my main focus is going to be working on my mid-section in hopes I don't have to buy all new loose-fitting shirts :)

I really don't have a plan of attack this time around. I KNOW what I need to do, it's just hard to get the energy and motivation to do it. Working full-time and being a mom to a very energetic little boy is exhausting. The last thing I want to do when I put Oliver down to bed is work out, but I know it has to be done. I also need to tweak my diet to include a lot more fruits/veggies and a lot less carbs/sugar, but just the thought of all that menu planning/grocery shopping/cooking makes me tired.

Exercising outside is pretty much out of the question since I hate the cold/wet weather and I will just find excuses to not do it. I'm thinking it's time to dust off the old xBox Kinect and at least get moving a little more each day. Once I get a routine going and start eating healthier, I'll check in again in a month or so and see if there's been any progress. Or to fess up if I quit after 2 days and went back to eating donuts. lol.

So there you have it. Embarrassing bikini photos AND a vow to put down the chocolate & get my body moving. How much worse can this day get?! :)

Wish me luck! 

10 before 30 list

Last May, I posted a '30 before 30' list - a list of 30 goals I wanted to accomplish before my 30th birthday (December 2012). I went back and re-read my goals and they were all pretty unlikely to happen before the end of this year. lol. So I'm paring down to 10 realistic goals/resolutions that I hope to really make happen before December 20th, 2012.

1. Volunteer at a homeless shelter.

2. Save enough money (at least $1,500) to extend my maternity leave 4 weeks. (I'll have 2 weeks of paid vacation and hopefully 2 weeks of paid sick time, but that's it. The longer I can stay home, the better!)

3. Photograph 2 weddings.

4. Make one new lifelong friend.

5. Take our dog Maggie for more walks; at least 3 a week. I'm a bad dog mom, I know :(

6. Plan one last weekend trip for my husband & I before the baby comes. Somewhere cheap (but fun) and within driving distance is the goal.

7. Trade in our queen for a king size bed.

8. Continue with my 365 project, taking a photo every single day until the end of the year.

9. Take an overnight trip out of town with our baby boy later this year.

10. Sell my current car and get a 4-door without spending much money.

We'll see where this year takes us and how close I'll get to reaching these goals :)

Thanks sista!

My sister-in-law Amber mentioned me in her blog entry about getting into shape. Now I feel guilty for being lazy and not following through on the fitness goals I've set for myself. So now that I've been called out, it's time to get back on track and tone up!

I leave for California on August 14th and am determined to work out every. single. day until that date. I worked out last night for the first time in weeks, so that's a start. I figure if I can make it until August 14th, I will be motivated to continue when I come back from vacation.

Since we all need a little visual stimulation, how about a few photos from (you guessed it!) pinterest. If these won't make you get off your lazy ass, I'm not sure what will :)

Planning for our dream house

My husband & I were talking about the future today and the fact that our 10 year wedding anniversary is coming up in 3 years. I really want to have a big (but casual) vow renewal/anniversary party with all our close friends & family. We got married so young that we really had no clue what we wanted, nor did we have much money to spend. I'd love to have a "re-do" so to speak, but much less formal and much more fun :)

The more I thought about it, the more I'm convinced we should hold off until our 15 year anniversary. Why? That would give our current house time to increase in value and give us a chance to save up for our dream house. Then we could have an amazing party right at our own house. We would love to buy a piece of land and design a house the exact way we want it. We've talked about this for years and only intended to stay in this house for 5 or so years, but our house value tanked and there's no way we can sell anytime soon. So instead we wait and save money and get ideas for our future house.

Enter my newest obsession: Pinterest

Please tell me I'm not the only one that spends hours each week browsing and lusting after the gorgeous ideas/photos/inspiration! I can't get enough of that site and have already gotten some great ideas to incorporate in our future house. Below are some of my favorites that may not be feasible for us, but it's still fun to dream, right? :)

A huge deck is a must!

Love this bold door.

How cute is this front entrance??

I'm digging all the white for this living room.

Or maybe something fun & colorful like this?

Gorgeous dining room.

AMAZING pantry!

Nice & bright (& huge!) kitchen.

I've always wanted a little reading nook. This is adorable!

I want our office to be bold & fun like this one. Perfect for meeting photography clients.

If we ever have kids, I would LOVE to have their book displayed like that.

Cute nursery idea.

ADORE this guest bathroom!!

I kind of like this clean, simple master bedroom. It would need to be bigger though :)

Master bathroom: yes, please!!

Or this one.

Best closet ever, am I right?! :)

Gorgeous loft space.

Lots of space for gardening :) Or...

I freaking wish!!

Now we only need to win the lottery within the next 8 years and we'll be all set ;) It's always good to have lofty goals, isn't it?

Closets

I have a love/hate relationship with closets. I love them because you can fit so much in them and they keep clutter out of sight. Yet I hate them because we cram them with stuff we really don't need/want, but either don't want to part with or don't know what to do with.

My husband is the worst offender with this. Example: It took me over 6 years of nagging until he finally got rid of his FLOPPY DISCS!! hahah! We don't have a computer with a floppy drive, nor have we ever had one, but he was saving them for a rainy day I guess. He was so sure that he would need them someday that he was reluctant to part with them. What were on these all-important discs? I think they were filled with car photos and old programs. Do you see what I'm up against here? :)

So while husband was off fishing all weekend, I decided to tackle our office closet. We store a random assortment of junk in there: mailing supplies, wrapping paper, CDs, wires & cords, books, etc. Basically a lot of stuff that we could get rid of, but we're not at that point yet. So at least I can organize our junk and make it look a little nicer, right? :)

Behold the before photo:

Classy, right? A big problem is the ridiculous shelving in the closet. It was there when we moved in over 3 years ago and we never replaced it. It is awkward, doesn't hold much and is crooked! Yes, the genius that put it up couldn't (or didn't) measure and the shelves slant to one side. One of the shelves is off by a whole inch. (That seems to be a reoccurring theme in our house. We've noticed several things are crooked or were half-assed.)

I took everything out of the closet, got rid of a few things and put all the junk back in. The after photo is as dramatic as I hoped (I did spend most of the day on this project after all), but at least it looks a bit better:

We will be getting rid of the stuff on the middle shelf, so that will further clean it up a bit. Don't you love how I put most things back in the exact same spot? lol. I have the worst habit of doing that. I don't deal well with change. At least I can find things now and have a better idea of what to get rid of next when I build up the courage to purge.

So what are my plans for this little closet? First and foremost, that awful shelving has to come down pronto! It's a total waste of space and doesn't utilize the closet the way it should. I want to paint the closet walls a light grey to give it some interest and character. Then I want to put a new shelving system (from Closet Maid) that will better hold our stuff and will have potential to hold clothes in the future if our office ever becomes a bedroom. (Or for when we sell the house) I want it clean, gorgeous and fun.

Amazing, no? Closets are meant for storage, but I also think they should be beautiful and well organized and filled with great stuff. Are my closets any of those things? Not yet, but they will be. I'm working on it :)