Everyday Baby Steps

I've been feeling pretty stressed out lately. The kids have been sick with the flu, and any mother worries when her babies are ill.. The baby has hit the "18 month old I don't wanna sleep at night phase", and if Brady ain't sleepin', ain't NOBODY sleepin'. So needless to say, I've been super tired these days. All of this has led to the pile up of both a mess in my house and of blog posts in my brain. So this weekend, I decided to try to do something to get my life in order. Baby steps is my philosophy, right?

What I decided to do was to rearrange the furniture in our main living space. Sure, it may have been my attempt at procrastinating all the REAL work I should have been doing, but I'm glad I did it. It's really made a difference in the way I look at things and how I feel. Here's our living room before:

The play pen is still a permanent fixture in our living room. I use it to keep Brady safe on days when it becomes absolutely necessary for me to get a shower, and, lately, it's become his bed at night. Removing it is not an option at this time, so rearranging was kind of tricky. I realized I wanted to get that TV from out of the corner. When I last reorganized, it seemed like a good place, but I was getting tired of having it there. So here's what I ended up doing:

It feels so much more open now. The kids and I think the TV looks bigger, too. We like that. I can't even begin to tell you the difference this has made on my outlook. Being a work-at-home mom, my home can become absolutely stifling sometimes. This simple step made a world of difference. I feel refreshed and ready for change in all areas of my life. I highly recommended making just a small change like this if you're feeling stuck or in a rut. It's easy, and it's free.

On a side note, I recently read a post by Sandy, from Organize With Sandy, about how she rearranged her office. She mentioned using furniture sliders. I used those things this weekend, and I was able to do the whole job myself. No need for help from Bill, which may just have saved our marriage. Okay, not really, but it's probably safe to say that it was better to do it myself. Sandy and I both recommend these, so be sure to ask us if you're not sure what they are.

Good luck with your small change toward a whole new perspective. What will it be? Leave a comment!

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I've been devouring the fashion magazines lately! It's been easy to do with all the free magazines I've gotten recently. (Take a look at how I've done this in a post I wrote over at my freelancing blog, Adventures In Freelancing.) I am just loving Harper's Bazaar and Lucky magazines. And all the magazines have great layouts and features on fall fashion. Here are some trends I think we moms can incorporate into our lifestyles.

Plaid

More Victoria's Secret...

Plaid is everywhere this fall. It reminds me a bit of the 80's. Remember when large buffalo plaid was the in thing? Well, its actually back, too. I also like plaid because it's comfortable and reminds me of a man's fashion item. I love wearing big, comfy men's clothes. But this fall's trends are tailored, so they don't look frumpy. And plaid comes in pants, hats, and scarves too. I've always loved plaid; hence my obsession to someday own a genuine Burberry bag!

More Charlotte Russe...

Ankle Boots

Another trend that's come back is ankle boots. I always liked them. I remember those suede, slouchy boots. They're back, along with a slew of other styles. Boots are so versatile. You can wear them with jeans, dress them up with trousers or leggings, wear them for running around town or to a professional event. Such fun. I asked around on Twitter for stores I could find ankle boots at reasonable prices, and I received all kinds of suggestions. People said to check out Burlington Coat Factory, Target, TJ Maxx, and Ross. Well, I headed to Ross, where I had my eye on a beautiful pair of black leather ankle boots with a decent sized heel. They were so nice, and they were only $18! But I resisted, as I'm trying to save money for the upcoming Type-A Mom Conference in Asheville, NC next week. Here are some ankle boots I like.

More UGG...

More American Retro...

More Sofft...

Brights and Neons

More Free People...

If done tastefully and in moderation, I think neons and bright colors can really work for moms. My eight-year old daughter has a really bright pink tunic with black and silver skulls on it. It's comfy and fun; she loves it. Do I think most moms would choose to add it to their wardrobes? No way! But one bright piece like the tank top above added to our wardrobes could really help to make us feel more energized, which is something any mom would love. Consider adding a bright bangle or two. Maybe a neon scarf paired with your black barn jacket would be a nice touch.

More Elizabeth and James...

Of course, I'll be looking to add some of these pieces to my wardrobe at extreme budget prices. We could all add one or two to our closet. Remember to treat yourself once in a while. I had to write this post now because New York's Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week is going on. Check out my pal Audrey's blog for her fashion week video coverage. You'll feel like you were there!

What do you think? Do you like these fall trends or do you hate them? Are there any I didn't mention that you're dying to add to your fall wardrobe? I'll be doing an upcoming post on fall fashion trends I hate. I'm sure you'll want to weigh in on that one.

I saw a link on Twitter yesterday from Guy Kawasaki of Alltop fame. When Guy tweets, I pay attention. This particular tweet caught my eye because it talked about a homeless blogger scoring a gig at a prestigious women's magazine. As a blogger and Mommy Bloggers Editor at Type-A Mom, I'm always interested in reading anything about bloggers. And you know my passion for magazines, but it was the human interest angle to the story that intrigued me most.

Down, But Not Out

I headed over to read the story and soon realized I was already familiar with the events. A woman down on her luck wrote to E. Jean Carroll, the Elle magazine advice columnist, asking for advice on how to move on from a missed opportunity. She explained in her letter that she was homeless, but that she was trying to get back on her feet. Well, E. Jean was so impressed with this woman's attitude and spirit, that she offered her an internship. I remembered reading this in Elle and being so incredibly impressed and inspired. It took courage for the woman, Brianna Karp, to reach out this way and to ask for advice. She demonstrated that she wasn't giving up and that she was determined to get her life back on track. I guess E. Jean saw that, too! You can read more of the story at Alltop's Associated Press article.

Inspiriation For Us All

What really struck me about the story is how by putting herself out there, Brianna was able to secure amazing things for herself. Life doesn't just hand us opportunities. We can have all the talent, ideas, and skills to succeed, but we won't make it unless we put ourselves out there by taking a risk and showing what we can do. Bravo, Brianna! And thank you, E. Jean. I'd love to see more influential folks give a helping hand to those in whom they see potential and talent.

By the way, not only has Brianna scored the intership with E. Jean, she also now blogs for Elle. See? You never know what could happen if you take a risk, put yourself out there, ask for help, etc. What do you think? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Things have been so busy lately that I completely forgot to blog about my newest endeavor. I've started doing a show on MomTV called Everyday Answers. It's a show about personal development for moms, and it's on every Tuesday morning at 11:00 am EST. So far I've done two shows and am having a great time.

I decided to take the leap and do this internet TV show because I really miss the face-to-face dialogue I had with my students as an academic counselor. I had been considering incorporating some kind of advice component into the blog here at Everyday Baby Steps when I saw that MomTV was looking for hosts.

I'm so glad I decided to do it because it's been a lot of fun so far. We've covered the topics of getting yourself out of a rut and overcoming fears. I've found that the show is such a great way to have lots of great conversation. You can join in too by visiting MomTV every Tuesday morning at 11:00 EST. It's easy to participate. You can type your questions and comments or you can join in the video discussion. The choice is yours. So please join me for Everyday Answers this Tuesday. We'll be talking about what to do when you're looking for something more in your life. Can't wait to talk to you!

Not long ago, I saw a tweet on Twitter from Kathryn Finney, better known as The Budget Fashionista, about proper fitting underwear. I followed that tweet because I love Kathryn's blog and had just finished reading her book,How to Be a Budget Fashionista: The Ultimate Guide to Looking Fabulous for Less. This book is full of a wealth of information on everything from finding bargains to finding extra money to spend on those bargains.

Kathryn's advice on underwear is absolutely right. In an attempt to save money, I'd been purchasing bras that weren't of high quality and didn't fit correctly. I was getting so frustrated every time I found myself adjusting, tugging, and pulling my underthings that I finally decided that enough was enough. I went back and read the section on undergarments in How to Be a Budget Fashionista: The Ultimate Guide to Looking Fabulous for Less, and I broke down and bought a brand I had always been happy with in the past - Victoria's Secret.

What a lucky break it was that the time I decided to buy new bras just so happened to be during Victoria's Secret's Semi-Annual Sale, so I decided to get new underwear, too. I'm so glad I decided to splurge. I followed Kathryn's advice from her book and bought a nude bra and a black bra, the basics. I was also sure to measure correctly. I chose the wireless bra, and I love it. Even though it's cotton and doesn't have an underwire, it still has enough shape to be kind of sexy. I picked the cotton boyshort as my panty of choice because it offers some support around the middle but isn't as high-waisted as granny panties. It's also pretty cute! By the way, looks like the sale is still going on - bras are 2 for $40, and panties are 5 for $25.

So do yourself a favor and take a look at your underwear inventory. If what you've got is old or doesn't fit properly, you owe it to yourself to get an underwear update. You'll be surprised what a difference it makes!

I wanted to take some time to blog about my newest household helpers. No, I'm not talking about my kids. Unfortunately, they make my housework a lot harder, rather than helping, but we'll try to work on that this summer! What I'm talking about are two small appliances I recently acquired that are making my life so much easier.

My first new helper is the Cook's 12 speed, 5 quart stand mixer. This baby is a gift from my mom. Thank you so much, Mom! This is not something that I'd usually buy for myself, but I'm telling you that if you can fit it in your budget, I highly recommend looking into one. I made mashed potatoes last night, and it was a breeze. I NEVER make mashed potatoes, except for on holidays, because it's such a pain. I used to end up with more potatoes out of the bowl than in it when I used my hand mixer. By the way, mine is red, and it's beautiful!

I used a KitchenAid stand mixer at my job as a houseparent at a residential treatment center for youth offenders. I used that sucker every day and loved it. It was pretty helpful when cooking for twelve teenage boys! I made the mistake of buying a cheap stand mixer when I left that job. What a piece of garbage it was. It was lightweight and the motor wasn't strong enough for even the easiest mixing jobs. That is not the case with the Cook's. This mixer is substantial with a powerful motor. If you look around, you can probably find it on sale for about $100.

This is my newest home helper. It's the Electrolux Intensity. It's also very beautiful, but it's more than that. I decided, after visiting my mom and using her very nice Dyson, that I could no longer push around my crappy vacuum that didn't pick anything up any longer. There's no way I could afford a Dyson, even on eBay like my mom purchased hers, but Bill and I went to the mall to look at some Hoover vacuums I saw on sale. Then we saw the Electrolux and knew we'd found our new vacuum.

This is a $300 machine, and it was on sale for $120. That was a pretty important selling point. We also liked the size. We live in a mobile home, and some of our spaces are kind of small. The Intensity is just the right size for getting between furniture and tables. It works well for us. Did you notice there are no attachments? That would be a negative for many people, but I don't mind. We picked up a handheld Dirt Devil that was on sale to do the jobs that require attachments. Having no attachments allows the Intensity to have more suction power, which is what I love. The bags are small and require frequent changing, but it's so easy to do and the cost of these bags is not outrageous.

The point of this post is to let you know that I've learned a lesson recently. Although we might not want a vacuum for an anniversary gift, we may want to consider splurging on items that will help to make our lives easier. I never would have considered spending money on anything beyond the absolute necessities when it comes to small appliances, but now I see that this way of thinking was very limiting. If you have the resources, I totally advise you to think about making a splurge like this that would make your life eaiser. What would you buy? Is there anything that's been on your wish list for a long time?

So remember when I told you I was featured at The BlogRollers? Do you remember the awesome contest I told you about that they're sponsoring for a ticket to BlogHer '09? Did you enter? Well, I did, and I want to show you my video entry. I want to go to BlogHer so bad that I even sang for my shot at a ticket and a chance to be the BlogRollers' fourth wheel! Here's my entry and my explanation of why I really want to win this contest. I hope you enjoy my video, but mostly, I hope you learn from me not to sell yourself short and to not let fear stop you from taking a chance on going for something that's important to you.

Thanks so much, BlogRollers, for sponsoring this contest and for allowing me to have a second chance at reaching for my dreams!

I forgot to tell you all that I was recently featured on The Blogrollers! It happened right before we went on vacation, so I wasn't able to post about it right away. But I'm telling you now, and I'm so excited to be their first featured blogger! I was also a guest on The Chatterbox radio show. The Blogrollers are Christie and Lorraine. They chronicle their experience in the blogosphere and work hard to highlight the accomplishments of other women bloggers. How cool is that?

The Blogrollers will be rolling into BlogHer '09 in a brand new car sponsored by General Motors, and they're having a contest right now to see who will go with them. Check it out. Video entries are due May 24th. I think I'm gonna enter because I'd love a chance to go to BlogHer, and it would be especially fun with these ladies!

I've blogged before about my wheat and dairy free diet, and it's been a while since I've given you an update. The weight's not coming off as fast as I had hoped. In the past, I had more success when I had changed my eating habits, eliminating wheat and milk from my diet. In the past, however, it had been a number of years since having my last baby and  I was a lot more active!

Fast forward to today. I'm a work-at-home mom of three. I spend my days inside using the computer and caring for a one-year old. A year really isn't all that long for the postpartum body to bounce back. I've made efforts to be a bit more active by taking Brady for a walk each day now that the weather's been getting warmer. We love our walks together, but I know that in order to blast fat, more aerobic exercise would be helpful.

That's where Mom Bloggers Club and Game Crazy come in. They've partnered up to deliver an amazing fitness prize for one lucky winner.They're giving away a prize package consisting of a Wii, the not-yet-released EA Sports Active fitness program, and a $50 gift certificate to Game Crazy. This prize package is a $359 value!

Jennifer James, Mom Blogger's Club founder, is one of twelve challengers involved in testing the new EA Sports Active program that's due to be released May 19th. The EA Sports Active program allows you to get fit with interactive games in the comfort of your own home. I love that, and I know the kids would love it, too.

Actually, I need that. Just to prove it to you, I'm willing to put pictures of my trouble spots on the internet for all to see. Here's exhibit A - my big behind.

Sorry, but it had to be done. Maybe public humiliation will motivate me to get moving? Anyway, next is exhibit B, my stomach. See how I can't button my pants? I'm dreading the day the weather gets too warm for jeans, because I don't really have any capris or shorts that fit.

So frustrating because I have a closet full of clothes to wear if only I could get them zipped! I truly cannot afford to buy new clothing right now, so I have to fit into the nice clothes I bought for myself when I worked full-time. Here's my closet of clothes that's been hanging there for well over a year.

The kids will be out of school in less than a month. I want to have the energy to keep up with them every day. Getting active is what I have to do. I'm pleased with myself for starting out by taking regular walks, but I know I need to do more. If I were to win the EA Sports Active package from Mom Bloggers Club, I would have a weapon in my fat fighting arsenal that would surely help me on my fitness journey. And did I mention that the kids  would love to do it with me?