Absolute Mommy: December 2013

NYE 2014 {not your mama's resolutions}


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Two Thousand Thirteen. You were good to me. Even when you were bad, you were good. I cannot believe another years has passed. It's a total cliche thing to say, but time flies, it always wins, it can be a son of a bitch. But not always. Time can be good, it can be a blessing. Time means more days and more hours to spend with those you love doing what you love. For all the days I wish time would stop, that it would freeze my kids in the moment, I'm so glad that it doesn't. You can't grow if you are frozen. You can't live if you are stuck. You can't love if you can't move forward. Two thousand fourteen will be my thirty sixth year. It will be another year to start fresh. Another year to plan and set goals. Another year to live, each moment, to it's fullest. And it will be another year where I write all about it.

Alli at simply alli, is hosting a link up today. Here is the prompt that she has provided to get a jump start on some goals. Perhaps you can call them resolutions. I think I'm going to call them ideas. I'd like to think that if I call them goals or really great ideas for 2014, I can complete each and every one.

A bad habit I’m going to break:

Procrastination. And not washing my face before bed. I know, right?

A new skill I’d like to learn:

Last year I was totally game to learn to knit. Still haven't so I think I'll stick with knitting. Any good tutorials out there?

A person I hope to be more like:

Honey in faith, Diana in motivation, Jill in kindness, Becca business skills and Alissa in blogging social media skills, and Ashley for blog and word inspiration.

A good deed I’m going to do:

More random acts of kindness. They really turn your whole day around.

A place I’d like to visit:

Somewhere with the Hubbs. Somewhere with the kids. Somewhere with my bestie. It doesn't have to be exotic or far from home, just a little get away.

A book I’d like to read:

Pride and Prejudice. I have never read it. I know. How can I love books and have never even cracked this one open.

A letter I’m going to write:

To an old friend. To say hello when they would least expect it.

A new food I’d like to try:

Kale. I know I'm paleo and all but I have yet to conquer my fear of kale.

I’m going to do better at:
Minding my temper. Patience. Using my words. Asking for help. Taking a breath. Being me.

I really liked those prompts by Alli. They bring a different meaning to "resolution". Last year I participated in "Seven Things". I've decided to review them and then pick seven new things for 2014. Here is how I fared last year.

Seven things: 2013/2014

Learn: How to knit. Everyone is doing it, and I love scarves way too much not to try. Nope. Didn't do it. Learn for 2014: same. I still want to learn to knit
Start: Running. Again. I stopped and have regretted it every day. Time to lace up my trainers. Nope. Tried and tried, but just couldn't get back to it. Maybe this year. Start for 2014: working out in general. Moving. And maybe some running too. Stop: putting off my freelance/book dream. Seriously what am I waiting for. The worst they can do is say no! Nope again. I did send off some work for contests and submissions but they were all rejected. Still trying to work on that book dream though. Stop for 2014: Procrastinating on this writing thing. Well to stop procrastinating on most things. Take a vacation to: a blogging conference, writing conference or both. Also Disneyland with the kids would also be awesome. Elevate. It was amazing! Take a vacation for 2014: Anywhere, but mostly Vegas again! Find: and make the perfect roasted chicken Did it for the Resolutions Challenge. But haven't made it again! Find for 2014: The perfect flats for work. It sounds very boring but I'm going to need them. And also a fancy handbag. Try: to put my laundry away when it's washed. I know, but seriously these things are made to be broken. You don't even have to ask. Try for 2014: to be more patient with my oldest. To not lose my temper and my mind so easily with her. To show my love more than my temper. Be (more): Inspired. I was very inspired in 2012, and I think it made all the difference. I want to keep that spirit and be inspired by words, art, crafts, people, music, everything. Now this I did. I was inspired by so much and so many people in 2013! Be for 2014: Be inspired. Be happy. Be in the moment.

Happy New Year dear readers and friends. I look forward to spending 2014 with you. Let the ball drop, let the bottles pop, and embrace 2014!

link up with us here!

Big Changes for me in 2014

I was that crazy person who went shopping the day after Christmas. I have been known to go to Target on the day after, just for fun, just to buy a few ornaments or rolls of wrapping paper, but it's rare that I actually go out with an agenda. This year, I went out with a huge agenda.

See that picture above, it was taken not only to show that I indulged in some "sales of the year", but to send to my new boss for approval. That's right I said new "boss", and I'm not talking about the two I gave birth to.

Are you ready for this people?

I got a job. One that requires me to leave the house. One that will require me to wear pants that button, and things like mascara and blush. A job that will pay me for my time. A job that will take away some of my free time that I have enjoyed over the last six years.

Now that said, I'm excited about this new endeavor. This job will put me back on a team with one of my favorite people. She was my boss when I worked at Victoria's Secret before either of us were married or had kids. It's no surprise that she became a friend, a really good friend. It just so happened that she is now employed with Pier 1, and looking for a part time sales leader. That part time sales leader would now be me! I'm working for Pier 1! It's a job that allows me to use my retailing degree (did you know that I have one of those?), but on a part time basis. When she called me about this job in the beginning of December it sounded too good to be true. How could I refuse?

I didn't refuse, and that is how I ended up at the mall on the day after Christmas. I'd like to say I had the time of my life, enjoying some kid free shopping for new clothes, but it was super stressful. The stores were packed (obviously), the pickings were slim, and I was breaking into a sweat trying on pants. Why are pants the hardest thing to get to fit? Boot cut, flare, modern fit, high rise, straight leg, straight skinny, jegging... I mean I just need some pants that button that aren't jeans! Help me!

I found some, and some tops (like the one above), and some sensible shoes (translation: flat and hopefully really comfortable). I'm still looking for a new handbag, because my canvas cross body bags scream "Stay at Home Mother", and I need one to say "I can do this job, no really I can, because I have a professional looking handbag!!". Kidding, but only a little.

Now for the biggest change. This blog. No I'm not shutting it down! Are you crazy? I need this blog, it's my therapy, my happy place, my after work drink, and my cuppa whatever on a tough day. I have no intentions of closing up shop. I do however have intentions of slowing down. My goal is that I will have a new post for your viewing pleasure Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. If I have extra time over the weekend, I may plan a post or two to run that week. Some weeks may have more content than others, but I'm not going to push it. Because when you push writing, it's crap. I don't want the time I actually spend here to be crap. That's why a three day a week commitment to you and this blog seems doable while I get the hang of having a job outside of the home. I will be checking my emails daily, so if you need me I will respond as soon as I can, hopefully in twenty four hours. Also a new year's resolution of mine is to interact more with my readers and commenter. This means that I will now be responding to comments directly on my blog. I will still respond to some via email, but I think interacting on my blog would be better since I get a ton of comments that are "no reply". What do you think? How do you feel about it? Go ahead and leave a comment I can respond to.

Don't worry, you will still see me plenty on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter (another goal is to utilize Twitter a lot more). Of course you will mostly see me on Instagram posting pictures of my outfits for work. Because I have no idea when it comes to looking "professional". Professional mom maybe, professional person with a job? Only time will tell.

Wore {December 2013}

This is probably my most obnoxious post of 2013, but I feel like I deserve a post dedicated to all the times I actually got dressed this month. I'm not going to lie to you, most days I would live in yoga pants and sweatshirts. But December begs for fancy dress, it just puts you in a festive mood. I'm excited about the new pieces that made it into my wardrobe this season, thanks to a nice giveaway win from KikiLaRue. I'm also happy that many of the things I wore were shopped right out of my own closet. If you follow on Instagram then a lot of these are repeats, but if you were looking for details, here they are. Also it seems that the buzz word for 2013 was #selfie. I'm pretty sure it's going to continue to be a buzz word in 2014. The selfie, the outfit of the day, the what I wore, they shall live on, as long as bloggers have their phones, their Starbucks and enough filters to hide the flaws. What did you wear this month?

Maroon skinnies from Target, scarf from H&M, Boots from Kohl's, Grey sweater from JC Penny, all from my closet, just sitting there all sad that I never bother to get dressed. Then I added my favorite cardi from KikiLaRue. Magic happened here. It's amazing what a new piece can do for some old standbys.

Me and my best gal in matching shirts. I'll be honest, these are from the girls department. Have I ever mentioned that I'm 5'1"? Well I am, so there. It was fun to dress alike for a day. She was so happy she couldn't stop smiling! Also can you spy the soccer mom vest? Sometimes I moonlight as a vest wearer. I'm only half sorry about that.

I wore Diva Skinnies from Old Navy and my KLR Essentials top to Mac's school Christmas program. The cardi is as old as Caitlin, and that scarf was bought for family pictures last year and then left for dead. I think it made this outfit go together quite nicely. Later I swapped out the Diva Skinnies for leggings and it was way more comfy. That essentials top is to die for. It's the softest thing you will ever put on your body!!

Two years ago if you would have suggested that I wear patterned denim I would have laughed at you. Straight up in your face. Then I started following real fashion bloggers on Instagram that made patterned denim look good. Polka Dot skinnies are a conservative choice in bloggy land, but they are the right choice for me. These ones were scored at Target for 12 BUCKS. That was in August, so sorry if you want a pair for yourself. Which you may not since I think they are now on the "out" list. Proving to you the kind of fashion blogger I am. The magical and amazing Christmas scarf is from She Does Justice who I found on Instagram. I snagged this the day it went on sale. It's an infinity and I got so many compliments I can't wait to start wearing it again the day after Halloween 2014... For serious people. Also let's talk about that red sweater I'm wearing. It's maternity from when I was preggo with Caitlin. I'm wearing it anyway. Mostly because it's so darn soft and cozy, and also because it cost $65.00 in 2006 at Motherhood. Getting my money's worth.

Patterned Aztec Leggings from Kohl's and an over sized Sweatshirt thing from Target. The uniform if I can so call it. It's comfy and functional and it doesn't look like pajamas. Although I did get the idea from Redbook's spread on pajamas. Sweater boots from Old Navy that are knock off Uggs. Those are also a few years old. Still wearing this in January, so don't be surprised if you see it on Instagram.

I wore this the day after Thanksgiving with dirty hair and yoga pants. I will confess that I will never wear this combo again as the Bulldogs lost to San Jose and crushed out Fiesta Bowl Dreams. If I would have work my jeans, 2013 Bulldog shirt and my rally Toms, that would have never happened. Sorry expensive Nike shirt, it's curtains for you.

This is my Lenore infinity scarf from KikiLaRue. Here is what you need to know about it: it's incredibly soft, you can wear it so many ways including like a shawl, it's the happiest color around. Paired with Sunglasses you can't tell that I didn't wash my face or comb my hair. It's a magic scarf I tell you, and since it's not a "Christmas color" I can totally wear it well into February. I say February because Fresno heats up about then!

I bought that Christmas sweater from Aeropostale two years ago January. It was six bucks. I swear I wouldn't make that up! It's my favorite. Since I only wear it once or twice during the year, it's like new every time I put it on. The black buffalo check is from Old Navy this year and my new favorite. Jeggings courtesy of Aeropostale this year, and listen up shorties like me they have them in short. Boots from Kohl's last year. Can it be Christmas every day so I can wear this every day?

Friar Tuck curls that finally look amazing at eight o'clock at night.

My Instapeeps know this to be my bullshit hair.

I love this scarf that I bought at Old Navy two years ago. It's huge and can wrap around my neck three times. And that's the only way I wear it because I can't seem to follow any other scarf tying tutorial on Pinterest.

This is operation wear all of the things before Christmas. Gold sweater 2 years old from Target. Red Polka dot scarf from Old Navy (see above photo), Leopard Flats from Kohl's forever ago, and Aeropostale skinnies. It's mild in Fresno in December so I could wear this without boots or a jacket for a few hours in the afternoon. I know, I know, most of you are covered in snow. Sorry.

This is going to be a new favorite outfit of mine. Buffalo check shirt from Old Navy again, Aero skinnies again, Rally Toms, Polka Scarf again. Also there is my Christmas handbag from the Gap collection 2008, I don't feel bad about that. Here I am looking into the dirtiest mirror in America (finally not mine), browsing while The Hubbs takes the kids around Target to buy me Christmas gifts. The first thing I did was find a mirror to click a selfie (self obsessed much?). Then I saw the beatlejuice dress and got intimidated, and also an overwhelming urge to twerk.

Here is the truth about me. I will happily post the outfit of the day, but reality is I'm usually in sweats and leggings. This was the perfect example of what Absolute Mommy looks like on a day to day basis. Sometimes I'm only "dressed" for a few hours. Then I come home and relax. So don't think I'm a fashion blogger at any point in time. Well, you probably have already figured this out with my dirty mirrors and horrible lighting.

For the record, I'm pretty excited about playing fashionista all month. Dirty mirrors, Aztec cardi, bullshit hair, and all. Thanks December for making me get "dressed".

The Hangover {Christmas 2013}

We made it friends. Another Christmas for the record books. After all the time spent shopping and cooking and planning and crafting, here we are the day after and what do we have to show for it. Memories. All the memories. The good, the bad, and even a little ugly. But we made it.
My kids were sick this year on Christmas. There is nothing shittier than being sick on Christmas. I know this to be fact. I have been sick on Christmas myself. We spent Christmas Eve morning in the doctor's office. Diagnosis: Sinus Infections for both girls. Merry Christmas. Then we spent some time in Walgreen's getting our antibiotics. Fun. Then we went home and rested, until Grandma came with our presents from her, and after we opened our spoils The Hubbs baked cookies for Santa with the kids while I showered. Because everybody knows Santa will not come if you don't take a bath (or so we tell the kids who refused baths for two straight days, and we were way too lazy to make them).

Christmas Eve was very different for us this year. We spent a lot of time at home. Most Christmas Eve's are spent at my grandma's with my huge, loud, overwhelming family. They were all there this year, but the celebration started early and ended early. With family only there for just the day, I blinked and all the presents were opened. Since my girls weren't feeling that great they wanted to go home early. Even dozing on the short ride home in the car. I was kind of sad that we left Grandma's early. Last year we stayed there until well after nine o'clock. When I was a kid we would always be the last to leave. In college, before my grandparents moved to Fresno, my folks and I would stay over on Christmas Eve. I can remember staying up late helping my Grandma prep for the next day. Eating candy and talking to my aunt well after midnight. That was the year Grams insisted that my mom put an orange in my stocking. Yup, nineteen year old me, with an orange in the stocking my mom still filled.
This year the Hubbs and I spent Christmas Eve playing Santa until the early morning hours. That was new for us too. This was the first year that Christmas required assembly. Since Mac fell asleep in the car around 7, she got up at 9 and stayed up until 10:30, leaving Santa little time to make his delivery.

This was us at about 11:30. I'm pretty sure we saw A Christmas Story at least four times that night. Two of those time were between 12 and 2 am. We were exhausted. But we are parents and this is a memory that we will share as the first Christmas Santa almost quit.

One bike, one pink kitchen, lots of wrapping paper, even a Coors Light:

Santa had left the building.

But the 2 am bedtime was totally worth it to wake up to this on Christmas morning.

Smiles in Christmas pjs.

Big girl bike for our big girl who must have grown overnight.

A very happy little girl who has been talking about this pink kitchen since September.

Santa bought it in September too.

Santa also brought me and The Hubbs a nap. This is a Christmas Miracle if you know us at all. Our kids never let me sleep. I think I got more sleep than him since he was corralling kids while I snoozed. And by snoozed I mean totally passed out since I heard nothing for almost 2 straight hours. It was blissful and wonderful and a very welcomed Christmas gift.
It's December 26th at 10:04 pm and I'm still exhausted from Christmas. It was a whirlwind. It came and went at the speed of light. As a friend of mine always says, "Time always wins". Christmas felt overwhelming and bittersweet. I think it's because as the years pass, my babies get older, and there are more days spent outside the home that in. We were so busy with school and dance and Girl Scouts, that it seems like December was just a matter of days rather than weeks. Christmas felt really different for me this year. There was something very final about it. Like the years have passed where we can play Santa in plain sight. Gone are the days of using the same wrapping paper as Santa. The girls are old enough to notice that stuff. I felt like I was crossing into new territory, making new traditions while honoring old. Maybe we didn't do every single Christmas craft. Maybe we didn't bake every cookie we wanted to try. Maybe we forgot to watch a few Christmas movies. But thankfully Christmas isn't about what we didn't do. Christmas is always about what we did. Christmas is about making memories out of what we have, right here, right now. So this year, we really did try to squeeze the life out of those last few days before Santa came. We shopped and wrapped presents well into the night. We baked at a moments notice and crafted on the fly. All to make the most out of a season about to close.
As my usual I threw a fit a few days before Christmas. I'm know for them. It's usually because I feel like I'm the only one playing Santa in the days leading up to Christmas. I do all the shopping. I do all the wrapping, and the cooking, and the baking. I feel like I do all of the things. So I get really bitchy and yell at the Hubbs. Then at 2am on Christmas Eve I realize that I do all of those things so he can put together Pink Kitchens that are necessary to bring joy to a certain little girl. Sometimes December can really shit on you. It can make you feel like you are falling behind, because you aren't doing a magical advent with your kids, or making sugar cookies from scratch (for the record no one can tell the difference, promise). I feel like December is my yearly test at being a good enough mother. Like no matter how many times I volunteer for things or help or cook or bake it's not enough. But then something happens to make you see that all your efforts don't go unnoticed. This year, my something was a little girl (Mac) looking at me while I put her to bed, and in her softest, sweetest voice she said, "Merry Christmas Mommy". Thanks Santa, I needed that.
I'm sad that Christmas is over, that here are 365 days until the next one. But I'm so happy and grateful and blessed that we made the most out of every minute of this one. Here's to being Hungover and Happy friends. Merry Day after Christmas.

Elf on Film {Buddy the Elf 2013}

If you have followed this blog for some time, then you are well aquainted with my Elf On the Shelf, Buddy Fiddlesticks McChristmaspants. What started out as a fun activity with my kids, soon turned into pure adult entertainment. The Hubbs and I have broken every rule when it comes to bringing you Buddy and his adventures. And by every rule I mean every Facebook rule as we got reported last year. Apparently my Elf needs some rehab. I was nervous this year though, how do you top what you feel was your Olympic Gold last year...

I mean how does one top this situation?

Oh, right. That's how.
Send your rehab emails now.

I was just about to give up on Buddy and trying to create crazy shenannigans until I was listening to the radio a few days after Thanksgiving and had an idea. Why not bring Buddy to life? Why not have him start in remakes of some of the most popular songs and videos of the last year. So that's what we did, and when I say we, I mean me and my Hubbs who is part of the Buddy Staging Team.

Getting all these videos to come to life was fun and challenging and I hope brought some holiday cheer to those of you sick of seeing elves bring hot chocolate and homemade cookies to children everywhere. I think Buddy brought the kids some candy and some hot chocolate three weeks ago, then he quit because he is obviously an Instagram star now.

These short 15 second videos for Instagram were all made via Flipgram. All music used was purchased via iTunes. With the exception of the last video, where I staged that in my living room, using my tree and my iPad, and YouTube.

Popping Tags...

Step one: cut a hole in the box...

He can't stop, and he won't stop...

He lives for the applause...

His name is...

You're the hottest elf in this place...

He's gonna show you a good time...

He just wanted to break your walls...

What was your favorite video this year? I think mine is Suit and Tie...

Merry Christmas from me, the Buddy Staging Team, and Buddy himself.