Mother’s Day Picnic

Each year leading up to Mother’s Day I start scrambling for gift ideas for for my mother. I try to remind myself that it’s not her birthday or Christmas, so I don’t go overboard. But then what am I supposed to do for a woman who doesn’t need anything? What can I buy for a woman who has what she wants? NOTHING. That’s right, nothing. That’s when I finally realized that what any mom really wants on Mother’s Day is quality time with her children. Rather than buy her something she doesn’t need, I’ve started taking my mom on a Mother’s Day Picnic.

The first time I did this for my mom it was years and years ago, and then I forgot about doing it. Why you may wonder? Honestly I’m not so sure, but I think it’s because my brother and I found other ways to spend quality time with our mom on Mother’s Day. But then I got married, which left my husband and I in predicament…

We both wanted to celebrate Mother’s Day with each of our moms. So what’s a grown child to do? Coordinate one giant Mother’s Day Picnic! We invited all the moms (my mom, my mother-in-law, AND my sister-in-law’s mother-in-law) for a beautiful picnic on Mother’s Day. We all had the opportunity to spend Mother’s Day with our own mothers. But to top it off we also had the chance to spend time with the mother’s we gained by marriage and are so delighted to call our other mom.

Then came time for me to celebrate Mother’s Day as a mother myself. How do I prepare to celebrate the mothers in my life and allow my family to celebrate my own motherhood? More picnics! It’s an easy thing to prepare, and we all get the quality time we want most. It’s simple, yet thoughtful. It’s quality over quantity. It’s a Mother’s Day well spent.

How will you celebrate Mother’s Day this year? Anyone picnicking?

When Did You Get So Big?

On separate occasions over the weekend my husband and I picked up our daughter and were shocked by how big she felt in our arms. At one point we asked her, “When did you get so big?”

I don’t think she really knew how to answer that question because VHP’s response was a very contemplative “um, um, um..” while trying to figure out an answer. I’m not so sure that my husband or I knew exactly when either, but by the end of the weekend that we had a better idea.

During church it was time for the children’s moment and we asked VHP, “would you like to go up there by yourself or with mama?” Her response was an emphatic, “MYSELF!” So off she went to the front of the sanctuary. My heart had a little pang of longing to go with her, but I stayed put and watched to see what she would do. She sat for the children’s time and listened to the pastor. She folded her hands, bowed her head, and prayed during the prayer. When all was said and done, she sat for a few minutes after the other children got up, and eventually made her way back to sit with us.

So when did my little girl get so big? Was it Sunday morning? Was it when she no longer wanted to nurse? Will it be when she goes to kindergarten? Was it when she slept through the night as a newborn? Will it be when she goes to high school? For now, it’s when she didn’t need me on Sunday morning.

Even though I may not want to think about my daughter growing up so much, her going off to kindergarten, or eventually being in high school, she’s growing and will continue getting SO big. We might not always recognize these moments of growth when they happen, but these moments pull at our heartstrings nonetheless.

Despite our hopes that our children will remain our babies forever, they grow and progressively need us less. It’s nice to feel needed, but it’s also encouraging to see our babies become their own little person.

Favorites of the Moment

On any given day of the week there are a few things that will always be my favorite: coffee, chocolate, red wine, Grey’s Anatomy, Friends, gummy bears, Florence + the Machine, and Carla Bruni. One of these things can help turn a less than stellar day right around to happy town.

Then the day you comes when you discover new favorites. You wonder if they could ever replace your previous true loves. May be they can’t, may be they can, or at least they can come pretty darn close. I’ve recently discovered some new favorites working their way to my always a favorite list.

My recent discoveries:
Have you heard Jess Glynne’s album I Cry When I Laugh? If not, it’s a must! I’ve had this album on repeat ALLLLL week! I. Am. In. Love.

Do you love ice cream? I do, and I was DEVASTED to realize I had a dairy allergy a few years ago. I’ve been on the hunt for a good dairy free alternative, but nothing matched up to what I was missing. I could find nothing with interesting flavor combos until I discovered Ben & Jerry’s dairy-free ice cream. I had high hopes for this being delicious, and oh is it scrumptious. If you haven’t given it a try, go do it now!

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Blog writing, watching @greysabc and enjoying @benandjerrys dairy free ice cream make this the perfect way to end my Thursday.

A post shared by The91Rewind (@the91rewind) on Apr 21, 2016 at 6:34pm PDT

There’s been lots of talk here on HebrewDawn about caring of ourselves physically… drinking enough water or getting healthy through exercise. Something we haven’t talked about yet is taking care of our skin. My favorite way to take care of my skin is using Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment. We all know we need to use sunscreen to protect our skin, but we often forget our lips. I am in LOVE with this stuff. It’s worth every penny and I’m on my second tube of this stuff!

Do you have any favorite things making your days a little bit happier?

Happy weekend!

I Have Something to Tell You

Hello Beautiful,

I’m not sure how you’re doing today or how your week is going, but I have something I want to tell you.

Take moment to open your heart and listen…

No matter what you think or may try to tell yourself,

you are enough.

You are beautiful enough to be loved.

You are strong enough to do what feels impossible.

You are mom enough to work and leave your child in the hands of another caregiver.

You are woman enough to work alongside all men.

You are mom enough to stay home and put your career on hold.

You are woman enough to do what brings you the most joy.

You are enough when you’re tired.

You are enough with or without makeup.

Forget the naysayers.

Forget the the doubters.

Forget the ones just playing devil’s advocate.

Don’t let anything hold you back from doing what’s on your heart, your mind, or your wish list.

More than anything, I hope you know that you are enough even when your cup feels dry.

Plain and simple, you are enough.

Strong Women

With Tuesday being Equal Pay Day, helping women be strong has been on my mind a lot. Getting us to a point of equality in our pay checks still requires much work, but I believe there are a few things that can help us get there.

1. Support one another. No matter how old we may be, we always need encouragement to be the strongest we can be, AND we have a role in encouraging the women around us. If you’re a woman or know a woman that could benefit from a group of women encouraging you or them through ups and downs, I have the Facebook group for you. It’s a small but mighty group of women, who share words of encouragement are there to support one another.

2. Look out for one another. I’m slightly sad that it took a man to create a safer alternative to Uber and other taxis services, but glad that he did. No matter who we are, or what gender we may be, looking out for each other is what we should do. I’m excited to see if Chariot for Women is as good and safe as it sounds.

3. Don’t stop speaking up for one another. Some of us be unable to speak out about their situation, and it’s up to those of us that can to do it. A great is example, is our First Lady is speaking up on the importance of education for girls. How else are we going to get equal pay here in the U.S.A and internationally if we are not equally educated?

4. Give up competiting with one another. Far too often we want to show how we are bigger, better, or stronger than the person next to us. We are each trying to do the best we can, the last thing we need is to belittle one another.

http://youtu.be/Me9yrREXOj4

Hitting the Road by Foot

I’ll never forget going to my first podiatrist when my foot problems started years ago and he insisted that the cause of my problems was that I was a runner. I insisted that I was anything but a runner, and he failed to believe me. At that point in my life, you couldn’t get me to run unless a bear was chasing me. But maybe the one good thing about this doctor was that he had a sense for something that I didn’t yet know. That one day I would be hitting the road by foot.

Once my left foot was better, I decided to give running a shot again. I wasn’t quite sure where to begin. I had tried some of the couch to 5K plans before, and didn’t have much luck. I even tried running on the treadmill without success too. Determined that I’d get my butt in shape, I decided I should reach out to Erica who had been running pretty seriously for awhile. I was a little intimidated to ask for her advice, because she was running miles at a time. I hadn’t run a mile since high school and here I was asking this athlete for running advice. What if she tried to get me to run miles too?

Turns out I had nothing to fear. Her running advice was really simple and completely approachable.

Run as far as you possibly can, and then walk back.

What?! That’s it??? Run as far as I can and walk back? What if I only make it a few blocks?

Yes, that will be great! Run as far as you can, then walk back. Each time you go for a run you’ll make it farther, because you’ll want to beat what you did before.

This advice was so simple, but so true. Each time I hit the road I made it a little bit farther. I would even break into a run on the way back home. I focused on my breathing and would have 30 to 60 minutes of peace with myself and nature. It was bliss by foot that I had never experienced before. While I can’t say that I’m a lover running, I have found renewed confidence in my ability to run and an appreciation for spending time outdoors.
I’m working on getting myself back out on the road by foot or bike because I need to get healthy. Want to join me? How will you get fit?

A Day in the Life: Working Woman

As a working woman the days of the work week can get a little crazy and feel like a lot to juggle. I’ve learned that a good routine helps things go a lot smoother from the wee hours of the day and onward. Since adding a kid into the mix, I’ve found that my mornings might be a little busier, but I’m actually more efficient than I was before having my daughter. Each day isn’t perfect in the Parker household, but I figured I’d share a little glimpse into a day in the life of this working woman.

Rather than start with a weekday morning, I’m beginning with a Sunday evening. I’ve learned after many chaotic mornings, that my evening prep is crucial for a successful morning and rest of my day.

7:30 PM: Start for my daughter’s bedtime routine – bath, lotion, allergy medicine, brush teeth, read a story, say prayers, sing a song.
8:00 PM: Say goodnight and turn out the lights.

8:01 PM: Pick out my daughter’s clothes for the next day, then pack her bags for preschool. Double check she has all she needs for naptime, spare clothes for accidents, diapers, and wet bag for diapers and dirty clothes.

8:10 PM: Switch over any in process laundry.

8:15 PM: Finish cleaning up the kitchen from dinner. Then get my lunch packed, which is normally some vegetables, hummus, crackers, fruit, and water on Mondays. Mondays, Wedesndays and Friday are usually a day of running all over for work, so a healthy and easy to eat meal is crucial.

8:45 PM: Sit down to finish edits or writing my blog post for Monday. Work on images for upcoming blog posts and review content schedule.

9:45 PM: Relax with my husband by watching a show or reading on the couch.

10:30 PM: Call it a night and head to bed.

6:20 AM: Alarm goes off. If I’m being really good, I’ll jump right up out of bed.

6:30 AM: Who am I kidding, I hit the snooze button! Time to dash out of bed, silence the alarm clock and jump in the shower before my husband glares about the alarm going off. AGAIN.

6:45 AM: Finished in the shower and now it’s time to do my hair and make-up. I try to keep my beauty routine simple and without too much fuss. Typically for my skin, I only using moisturizer, BB cream (for SPF coverage and evening out my complexion), concealer (to cover the dark circles), face powered (not always), eye liner (most of the time), mascara (always if I want my eyelashes to be visible), and blush (always, as I need a little color to my cheeks). My hair is either allowed to dry curly, put up in a bun, or I’ll dry it straight if time permits. Since I hit the snooze button, there’s not time for straightening the hair today.

7:10 AM: Rushing to get my daughter up while my husband gets ready. Like usual, she just wants to snuggle, and it’s hard to resist.

7:15 AM: My daughter is semi-convinced to get up, go potty, and start the day.

7:20 AM: Finally done convincing the two year old to use the potty and get dressed.

7:25 AM: At last, the allergy medicine is consumed AND the teeth are brushed. For some reason the two year old doesn’t believe that these tasks should be done without protest, despite the fact that we do this every morning and evening.

7:30 AM: We have all made it downstairs for breakfast. I rush to make my tea or coffee, scramble around the kitchen with my husband to get breakfast on the table.

7:45 AM: Realize it’s time for me to hit the road and wonder where the last 15 minutes have gone. Scoop up my breakfast, lunch, and coffee/tea. Kiss everyone good-bye and sprint out the door.

Rest of the morning: It’s now up to my husband to persuade the shortest member of the house to eat breakfast as quickly as possible and get out the door for school. Some days this goes off without a hitch, but sometimes it ends as expected with a two year old, which includes a refusal to go potty, put on shoes, or wear jackets.

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Wednesday is apparently really difficult. She doesn't want to go potty, or wear a jacket, or keep her socks and shoes on. She also wanted her mama (who was already at work and she kissed bye bye). To top it off she didn't want to ride truck (hat she usually prefers), or go school, and rode to school with bare feet.

A post shared by The91Rewind (@the91rewind) on Apr 6, 2016 at 8:06am PDT

8:00 AM – 5:00ish PM: Work my tail off so I can get back to my family as soon as I can. Most days it’s not uncommon to work through my lunch break so that I can get home sooner rather than later.

5:15ish PM: Arrive to pick up my daughter from school.

5:30 PM: Finally make it to the car to head home.

5:45 PM: Take a deep breath and savor being home.

5:50 PM: Getting everything put away from school and work so dinner preparations can be made.

6:00 PM: Tag team dinner and toddler wrangling with the husband. Thankfully he takes the lead on most dinner preparations.

6:30/6:45 PM: Dinner time!

7:30 PM: start the whole routine over again.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this little snapshot into how a typical day goes for me and my family. This is a mix of the ideal and the reality of things not being exactly as I’d hope. This plan helps each day go better than it would without some structure.

Do you have any tips on how to make your days run smoothly? Any questions about how we do things in my house?

This post is part of a Blog Hop from Blogs and Business: Moms Who Do it All Facebook Group.

Check out some of the other awesome blog posts below:

Daily Momtivity, Blue Eyed Babies, The Triplet Farm, Tot Tot Goose, Sweet Discord, Southern Mommas Reviews, Organized Home School, A Cotton Kandi Life, Novice Mommy, Misty Shaheen, Tid Bits of Experience, From Engineer to SAHM, Be Fed Again

Meet Erica!

The time has finally come for you to meet the new member of the HebrewDawn writing team…

She has a lifelong passion for fitness that began with gymnastics, swimming, diving, and has only grown with age. Erica loves to run, dance, and practice yoga. She is an artist in the kitchen creating meals that are good for you, but still make your mouth water long after the meal is done. To top it all off, she has a passion for teaching, which means she wants to help each of us become the healthiest version of ourselves that’s hiding and waiting to come out. I hope you enjoy getting to know Erica through her writing and learning from her along the way. Enjoy today’s food for thought from our health conscious friend…

Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness: there is a reason LIFE is first!

It’s easy to lower our standards by falling prey to “the best we can get.” Often times, it’s not until we find parallels in the greatness of those around us that we are willing to expect more of ourselves.

Many people are using emergency room services as a means for basic healthcare, subsisting on low cost, highly processed foods, and/or eschewing exercise regimes due to financial limitations. What a shame this is! Not only are we discouraging routine and preventive care, but we are also propagating the idea of health as an exclusive member’s only club. What’s more-this is a total lie. Prioritizing one’s health should and will save money!

What if we change the game? What if we empower EVERYBODY to take ownership of his or her health? Maybe we offer free gym memberships, fitness activities, nutrition counseling, and subsidized local produce for those who can’t afford it?

Do you think this would help people become more proactive? Make them more receptive to change?

I think it starts with making the tools of a positive healthy lifestyle available to all people. Sharing is caring right?

It’s Not a Problem

After sharing last week about reducing the use of sorry and just, I’ve been having many conversations with people about the things we say. Turns out many women are struggling with the use of sorry, just, and other phrases. Before we go back to physical wellness next week, we’re going to stay with the internal thoughts that become external conversations that are a reflection of ourselves. Today I want you to know why it’s not a problem that you’re welcome.

How often do you respond to someone’s “thank you” with “not aproblem” or “no problem “? If I was a betting women, I would say your answer is fairly regularly. Have no fear, you’re not the only one! I’ve heard countless people do it and I am guilty of it too. BUT have you ever thought about what that response means?

Each time someone says thank you to you and you respond with “not a problem” or “no problem,” you are giving the idea that what they just thanked you for saying or doing was in fact a problem. But was it really? I don’t think we normally think about what people thank us for as being a problem.

So the next time you’re ready to say “no problem,” switch it up and say

and everyone will feel much better about what’ been done.

Have a beautiful day and make the world a better place by being you!

Real Moms: Heather Wiederholt

I am so excited to introduce another mom to you in this new motherhood series here on HebrewDawn. Please allow me to introduce, Heather Widerholt. She and I became fast friends over tacos, margaritas, laughter, and a fun trip to MommyCon this past summer. Heather is the beautiful voice behind Sleepy Brother, and owner of Turtle and Hare Photography. This woman is full of so much talent, joy, AND she’s a wonderful mom. I hope you enjoy getting to know Heather and hearing about her life as a mom with her beautiful little girl.

How many children do you have and how old are they? I have one daughter who is four months old.

What is your greatest joy in being a mom? It’s hard to pinpoint a single joy for me at this point. Maybe it’s just because my daughter is so young, but right now all of the emotions are so vibrant, that it’s all joy. I’m joyfully amazed at her existence. I’m joyful that I get to love and teach her. I pray that I do a good job at that. I’m joyful to have the privilege to watch her grow and learn.

What has been your greatest struggle as a mom? I think that balancing myself has been, and will continue to be, a struggle. When I say balance I don’t just mean time. Being a mom makes all of the stakes in life feel higher. Decisions are harder because there is another person to consider. Time management is obviously harder. Prioritizing myself, or others, over my child is also part of this delicate balance. Every action is a series of choices in which I must prioritize people and activities. I’m still getting the hang of this.

What’s something you wish you knew before you became a mom? I wish I knew that I would experience emotion to a wider degree. It’s not necessarily a negative, but I just feel things much deeper. I doubt there would have been a way to prepare myself for that though.

How has your relationship with your significant other changed since having kids? It’s been so comforting to have someone to go through this transition with who is experiencing, questioning, and learning from all of the same things. We are learning how to be parents side by side, and it’s brought us closer together. I’m sure it won’t all be sunshine and flowers, but the thought of this very special shared life event is very exciting right now.

My hope for motherhood… I’ve only been a mom for about five minutes, but they’ve been a very full five minutes. I hope I can be a wise mother who humbly shows her daughter the grace, mercy, and love of God.

Thank You Heather for being a part of the real moms series! I hope you have enjoyed hearing from this beautiful and kindhearted woman who is full of so much love and grace. I hope that no matter where you are on this motherhood journey, that you have so much to offer the world around you and other women you encounter.

If you are interested in checking out Heather’s music with Sleepy Brother, I highly recommend giving their latest album Let in the Light a listen and a buy. Lastly, if you’re in the Richmond, Virginia area and need a photographer or videographer for the special moments in your life run and check out Turtle & Hare Photography as you will not be disappointed.

Would you like to be featured in the Real Moms Series or have someone you’d like to see? We are always looking for moms with kids of all ages, faiths, and backgrounds to share their story. Make sure to send me a message to be featured or nominate someone!