Self Comparison- the Ugly Truth

So I was at the dentist the other day, getting some fillings - feeling assumed and guilty for putting myself and the dentist people in the position to have to fix my teeth. I hate the dentist! They never tell you you're doing a good job, unless you're part of the 5% of people that have great teeth and actually take care of them properly. I brush once a day, floss every other day - so by NO means am I perfect and yes I could get better! That's not the point of this blog. As I was getting ready to leave and I was paying for my fillings - another woman was talking to the front desk lady about all the fillings she needs. She needed a lot more than I do plus she required extra sedation because of her extreme fear of needles. Why was I so embarrassed?!

Or when I get a pedicure, I'm always ashamed of my rough heels and my ingrown big toe nail (sorry, SUPER GROSS AND TOO PERSONAL!). I always have a fear that when the ladies talk in another language to each other that they are gossiping about my nasty feet. I use lotion regularly, I use a pumice stone weekly and trim as needed so my feet aren't completely disgusting. They have seen, touched, and worked on worse feet than mine. So why am I worried that they are talking about me? 

Or at the doctor, I'm always embarrassed about my weight (I'm nearly 6 foot tall and weight between 168 and 178). Or when they ask about any issues I'm having with my body. The worst is the female doctor and the exams at that office.... that's by far so embarrassing for every woman alive!! But I'm not the worst body they've seen. I'm not the best either - but not the worst. 

Why do we do this?! As women, we are always so self conscious about everything;but on the other end of that scale we are always comparing ourselves (negatively and positively) to other women! Where does it end? When do we become comfortable enough in the world to just be ourselves? The saying goes, "Never compare yourself to others, you'll always lose." - Unknown

So how do you do that? How do you quiet all the negative thoughts inside your head? How do you stop over thinking, stop being so worried about rejection and show the world the real you? The truth is, I have no idea... it's a personal thing we all have to deal with daily - heck hourly for some of us! If each of us, on a daily basis, stop over thinking and stop worrying about how the world sees us and simply focus on being happy and positive members of society then things will change for the better. As for me, I'm going to stop feeling ashamed when I go to places like the dentist and doctor because that is their jobs! That's is what we pay them for - helping us take care of our teeth. I'm going to take better care of myself and be proud of who I am as a person, as a mommy and as a wife. I love my life! All I can tell you is that you, as a person, are perfect the way you are! Flaws and all! 

Happy Mommy-ing!

Making A Guest Room from Your Spare Room

When family visits a few times a year, we make up our spare room into a semi-functionally guest room. We do not have an extra bed nor a sleeper sofa (bed that pops out of a couch). We simply have a section of our old couch upstairs.

I normally clean up the extra junk, like baby items and bigger toys, out a few days prior to family coming out. Then I take a Cal-King bedspread we had in our master before we downsized to a Queen mattress, and I cover the couch cushions and the back of the couch (and tuck it in so it doesn't fall off). I take a Twin bedspread from my oldest and a flat sheet for the covers. Then I place a guest pillow and an over sized couch pillow on top with their rolled guest towels. I leave out an extra blanket in case they need it and an extension cord for their phone chargers.

A few homey touches like a chair to place their suitcase on or hang a jacket on, a hook on the wall for their purse or jacket or towels, an over sized ottoman they can use as a seat or side table or suitcase stand, and a pop-up laundry hamper for their dirty clothes to keep the room clean.

I also add a small caddy basket (from Thirty One) with all kinds of travel toiletries they might have forgotten: body wash, shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, mouthwash, toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, earplugs, face wipes, lotion, fingernail clippers, nail file, sewing kit, body spray, Ferebreze spray, etc.

 I also framed our Wi-Fi code so our guests didn't have to come downstairs for it, added some tissues and an air-freshener so the room would smell inviting. Our spare room also has our old Xbox 360 and a smaller TV in so our guests can watch Hulu, Netficks or use it for DVDs.

Simple transformation for maximum guest comfort in our home! We don't see family often and we love that they decide to stay with us in our house instead of at a hotel! Our sons love waking up and having a family member eat breakfast with them and be there all day and tucking them in at night. The fun never stops because the family member doesn't have to leave for the night! I am very fortunate to have the extra room for our family to stay in!

Happy Mommy-ing!

In-Flight Bag / No Stroller Flying

I recently flew home with my youngest for a family emergency and decided to travel light since it
was just him and me. Yes, No Stroller! I took a 2 and a half year old, by myself, on a 6+ hour flight. As per my norm, I over packed my bag! I purchased this wonderful Deluxe Organizing Utility Tote from Thirty One [link here] and it made for the perfect In-Flight bag / diaper bag while I was in California.

This bag is huge! There are 2 side mesh pockets that are big enough to hold 2 bottles of whatever in each. I packed an empty sippy cup to get us through security and then once we were thru - purchased a soda for myself and some juice for my youngest.

There are 2 outside pockets - a zipper pocket on one side and a Velcro pocket on the other. They were perfect size for our boarding passes (so I could find them easier) and my toddler leash [review here].

Inside the bag I packed everything I thought I would possibly need to keep my youngest happy.
Comfort Items for him like his blanket, a pacifier attached to a stuffed animal called a Wuby (because if it fell, it was easier to find than a simple pacifier), a stuffed animal for him to cuddle with and my shawl (for me or to cover him, lay him on, change him on, as a pillow for either of us. This thing was a huge help!).

Food Items are always a must when going ANYWHERE with children, I think! All of his favorites like fruit snacks, mini cookies, crackers, pretzels, cereal bars, puree pouches, etc. An array of foods helps keep kids happy and calm, and no one on the plane wants to hear them upset!

Toys are always a great idea when traveling with kids, especially non-electronic toys because even though kids' tablets are amazing and compact - they do eventually need to be charged and in the middle of a 4 hour flight is not the ideal time for it to die and then your kid to have a meltdown because of it! I packed just a few things like stickers, a giant pad of paper he could place the stickers on or draw, a cardboard book with his favorite character on it, a toy car that's bigger than normal (again in case it fell, it was easier to find than a hotwheel), a McDonald's toy that is like Hungry Hungry Hippo game, a PEZ dispenser without the candy in it, and a dollar photo album I put animal flash cards in.

The tablet we have is a Kindle Fire and we did purchase the Amazon Freetime Unlimited for it (great value! $4 dollars a month for thousands of apps, videos, books and games my kids just love! We have a storage issue because my kids love it so much!). I also brought with us a portable charger, 2 charging cords, a tablet stand, my Ipod charger (which I had my Ipod in my purse), a jack splitter and his headband phones. Everything fit perfectly in a Thirty One Zipper Pouch!

And finally the normal diaper bag necessities: diapers, wipes, sanitizing spray, sanitizing wipes, boogie wipes, medications, toy/pacifier/cup leashes, band-aids, lotion, sungalsses for my youngest, etc.

This bag was huge and heavy but it was prefect for flying alone with my youngest without a stroller! I had all my stuff in my purse and all his stuff (plus a few things of mine) in this amazing bag, with room to spare!

Happy Mommy-ing!