Vacuuming

I have a question: How Often Do You Vacuum Your Home?

I have been asking myself how often I should be vacuuming my floors for at least the past three years and I'm still not sure! Some people say once a week, some say everyday. I once heard from someone that you should vacuum once a day per person that lives in the house. Lately I find myself vacuuming at LEAST every other day just because my kids like to dump the bowl of dry cereal on the floor and pretend they are on a treasure hunt for O's. It's cute, but messy.

I dont really mind vacuuming and my husband is nice enough to do it for me if I dont want to. However, my second and third floors tend to only get vacuumed once every two months. There isn't a lot of foot traffic up there or activity so I can usually get away with it.

But this begs the question: How Often Should You Clean Your Bathrooms? How Often Should You Clean Your Oven? Your Refrigerator? Your Laundry room?
Most of the time I just do it when I cant stand the filth. But I'm wondering..... Should I be cleaning more?

2004 R6

I had my first ride on my husband's sport bike today and boy, oh boy. The first ride is definitely something to get used to but the second? The second ride was awesome.

The wind, the speed, the energy is all electrifying! It's like something was sparked inside of me. I feel again.

It's crazy I know. How could just two rides on the back of my man's bike electrify me back to life? I have no idea. Frankly-I don't care.

All I know is, I want more.

Retreat

I've been going back and forth abbot a lot of my lifestyle choices lately and who I want to be in the end. The road I am on, is not leading me to a great end result. I need to change Some things back and other things altogether.

But is it hypocritical to be flip-flopping like this? Or is it just experimentation? Gees, I don't really sound all the confident. Honestly lately I've been pretty pathetic.

I need to snap out of this but I really don't know how. All my energy is going into the negative and I've forgotten how to sit back relax and focus on the positive. Any tips out there on how to fix this funk?

My First Mama Cloth

As you know I've recently switched my chldren to cloth diapers. That journey has actually been a awesome one. My daughter doesn't cry during diaper changes anymore and my sons skin in great. Through this journey though we have snowballed into a bigger one. Changing the house hold cleaners, paying closer attention to what we digest and making sure the every day things we use can contribute to the environment instead of harm it.

In this journey I've also learned a lot about serveral different things. Milks, The Dirty Dozen and Clean 15, how to make my own laundry detergant, and about Mama Cloth.

"Oooooo, what is that?" you ask? It's pretty much the same concept for cloth diapers but adapted to moms. It's a reusable pad. "WHAT?!? OMG THAT'S SO GROSS!!!!" you say? Yes, yes the concept startled me too at first, but then I started to think. It's not that much more gross that a poopy diaper, you can find ways to make them more sanitary after use, and they come in awesome prints.

Partypantspad.com offers a Free liner to try. All you pay is S&H. You dont get to pick your print, but to me, that's kind of fun. I received my first pad today and wanted to take you all with me when opening the package. So, here we go...

See! Not that scary looking at all! This is their Demi Linner with an extra snap. I LOVE that they put the guitars on there. It's like a sign! Haha, cuz I play Guitar. You didn't know? Oh yeah, I do haha. But anyways. I hope you enjoyed our little journey together. :-)

Till Next Time!

Bad Information

Sometimes the information you are given is not information you want. Your husband has a business trip, a test has a bad result, something you bake burns. These things happen. No big deal. Not for me.
In my head my world crumbles. It's difficult for me to react correctly to bad outcomes. Any tips? I've really got nothing right now.

Out-A-Town

For the past few months I've been coming to my patents house for a few days to help with my siblings while my mom recovers from monthly hip injections.
This month I opted to stay a few extra days and because of that there's more days I don't get to see my already absent husband. Normally it wouldn't be an issue except that the day after I come home, my husband will be leaving on Missions for about 2 1/2 weeks.
It sucks. I had two days notice. Those two days sucked because of the petty fights we tend to get into to make the separation easier. We barely made up in time to get I'm a brief date before I left as well.
We went to see Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 2. I highly recommend it. It was amazing.
Dates like that are nice, but we tend to do nothing else after or before a movie. I was hoping for more intimacy I suppose.
I know I'm not the only Military wife that gets the short notice she has to care for the home children on her own for upwards of a month. I know there are others. But in my circle, I am the only one. And it sucks. And I just want to be able to rely on my husband for more than a month at a time for once...

Lifestyle Changes

My husband is having a hard time moving from mainstream living to Green Living. He gets upset that I've changed the milk or only want the kids to be chewing on eco-friendly toys. I think it's funny. He will get used to it.

The lifestyle change is more than just ecological awareness. I believe myself, my children, my home, my husband, are all worth the best and only the best. We came from earth so why not use the things that naturally come from the earth? None of us were engineered in a science lab. At least, no one that I know reading this. It kind of seems wrong to be putting science lab engineered formulas into/onto my body.

I am enjoying the change. It occupies so much time. The kids and I get out of the house so often. It's great. I'm having a very positive experience.

Finishing This Chapter

This weekend is my last drilling weekend for the United States Navy. It's a bittersweet event in my life.

I met my husband in the Navy, made great friends, and learned quite a bit. Most of my Reserve time was spent with child and all I could think about was how much I didn't want to have to attend these long weekends of sitting around listening to people who also didn't know what was going on.

I think back on my time where I was actually serving and gaining an Active Duty paycheck. Boot camp was something I will never forget and I am very grateful for my experience there. It's the whole reason I wanted to join the military. My "A" School was a different story. I had levels of freedom I hadn't had before. Single, free, aware of my youth. And I met my fantasy of a man there and engaged in a shotgun marriage shortly after getting my next set of Orders.

Before all of this though, I read a book. Starship Troopers. Recommended by someone who had a great influence on my life at the time. The author wrote of True Citizenship by serving in the military and that had a profound impact on my life. I wanted to serve my country and gain what I believed true citizenship.

I also thought that by joining the military I would have a way to get myself out of my parents' home and out on my own. Gain some life experience and see things I never thought possible. I thought I'd have a few tours under my belt by the time I got out. I never set foot on a plane again for the military after returning home. I've never done anything but GTMs on the Navy's schooling system acronymed NKO.

I'm not going to lie and say I'm fine with this. I'm not. I'm disappointed in how my career ended up. Truly heart broken to be frank. But on the other hand, I know that it will give me more opportunity to spend with my family. My kids need me as their constant considering my husband has his own Active Duty Military Career to focus on. So now, I'll take on the role of Navy Wife completely. I'm happy to do so, but I am very sad this part of my life is over.

Sweet Times

My husband and I are enjoying a light "Sugar Facial" right now, courtesy of About.com. It's supposed to be the White Sugar Scrub but mostly it just feels extremely silky. It said it was supposed to exfoliate. I didn't feel the grains because (even in the recipe) the sugar melted. I dont know. The drying period is going well. Tight skin right now. I think it will come out nicely.

I think stuff like this is great bonding with my spouse. We dont have many hobbies in common, but if there's one thing I can count on, it him wanting to take care of each other in little ways like this.

gDiapers - Eco-friendly diapers that are colorful, cute and easy.

gDiapers - Eco-friendly diapers that are colorful, cute and easy.

I could really get into these..

Knott's Berry Farm!

This weekend Knott's Berry Farm was haivng deal for Active Duty and dependents so our family decided to take advantage. We had a great time with our friends enjoying the sun, the rides, the food and overall the park! It had been 10 years since went to Knott's Berry Farm and I was excited!! Well, the first thing that happened that morning was my daughter losing her lovey!! It's blanket she's had since birth! I was so upset for her and she didn't even realize it was gone. She still doesn't realize it is gone. She's replaced it with a camouflage blanket my husband has had since he was in 'A' School. I was upset for nothing. Any way, I did take pictures so please enjoy them!

DINNER (Eps. 2)

SOOOOOO, a great friend of mine came over today and let me cook lunch for her. I enjoy cooking so much. While I was cooking, she used her photography skills to help me with this blog. We are going to make:

Salmon Patties

Supplies:

Large Mixing Bowl

A Plate

Fry Pan

Tongs/Spatula

Ingredients:

1 Egg

2 cans(5oz) of boneless/skinless salmon

Bread Crumbs

Celery Salt

Pepper

Onion

Garlic

Olive Oil

Drain your cans and drop them into the mixing bowl with your whipped egg. Add a good handful of

bread crumbs, half a handful of onions, two

teaspoons of minced garlic, eyeball the

pepper and celery salt. Mix it all up with your

hands and make sure it is blended well.

*Oh my goodness, SIDE NOTE, I'm watching a very old episode of Charmed and their mom showed up out of no where and it got me all teary-eyed.*

Anyways! As the photos show, you want to make salmon balls and

then flatten them into patties. Now, this part is VERY important to remember. If you want actually patties you need put a dimple in the middle of the patty. Otherwise, when you are cooking the

patty it will expand and wont sit right on the bun.

No we are going to heat the oil in the fry pan, drop the patties in there and let them cook.

I didn't get a picture of the finished product, but I put mayo and lettuce on the sandwich and the bread is Whole Wheat burger buns. In the end it tasted great and the kids even

enjoyed it. Sophie ate it nicely, quarter by quarter, and Skyler ate it verrrrrry mess-ily just like a little boy will do. :-) All in all, it was a wonderful lunch. I hope you enjoy as much as we did. Bon Apatite!

Vintage Lucy's

So I was browsing on Facebook this evening and I found this super cute site that specializes in baby clothes and accessories. They are so cute!!! I'd love to see my babies in these things.

Vintage Lucy's

Pictures!

LE Photography contacted me today and asked to photograph my kids today. We obliged and met her at Breakers Beach on NAS North Island this morning. It was great to get out of the house on a whim and spend time with a good friend. She got some great captures and posted them here. If you are apart of Facebook, please like her page and maybe I'll get more free photos of my lovely children.

Aside from that adventure, I've been having a perpetual dizzy spell. Standing, sitting, laying down, walking - doesn't matter - I'm always dizzy. I've ended all my medications and only take multivitamins and a flax oil pill a day. I'm drinking plenty of water and eating enough. My workouts are not that intense. I just don't understand why I am so dizzy all of the time these days. It's starting to worry me. I need to find a new doctor.

Workouts

So, yoga is proving to be enjoyable for me. I've been spending so much time trying to find the right fit when it comes to my workouts and I believe I have found it.

Also, I'm not a fan of counting calories but at the same time I got an app for my phone called NOOM that tracks my workouts, weight and caloric intake. All I have to do is load them into my phone. Woop Woop.

Meditation

In my second adventure of meditation, I met Ahmanna. Ahmanna is my spirit guide. I am not sure if my spirit guide is a man or a woman. All I know is a name.

During our conversation I asked Ahmanna what I needed to understand about my life at present. Ahmanna answered with "Contentment is life."

Contentment. Wanting nothing. Nothing more, nothing less. How does one achieve wanting nothing?

Every time I meditate I do feel better. Calm, warm, soft, grounded, open minded. I feel these things. I am working to make these things a permanent fixture in my personality. This is who I wish to be.

Yesterday, I also learned about the different chakras that reside in our bodies. Very interesting and focusing on all of them before I slept really put me into a deep sleep. I did have strange dreams though. That was odd. But we will see where that leads...

http://www.sevenchakrasmeditation.com/

Floss & Jump

There's a reason I haven't updated lately. I NEED BATTERIES FOR MY CAMERA!

Blogging without pictures makes me feel like I'm not giving you what you deserve!!! So much has been going on that I wanted to show y'all.

My little girl, Sophia, had her first dentist appointment last Friday and totally ROCKED it. She sat in my lap while I (painfully) got my teeth cleaned. The hygienist and dentist were so personable and didn't mind helping me with my babies at all. They kept my baby boy, Asher, company the whole time. Such a wonderful experience. And when it was Sophia's turn she laid back nicely and opened her mouth so they could look and polish her cute little teeth. She's amazing. They are both amazing. I am blessed.

This weekend we got Asher Zane a bouncer and he's been going nuts in it. He sits in it playing with all the toys and spinning around and jumping and making this crazy noise. Haha. He's insane!

Sunday's food grab was a blessing. They offered diapers, mac n' cheese, books, peaches, and almond Nature's Own bars. Those really save me when I'm hungry but don't really feel like eating.

Well, I am going to conclude with this. My little kids are wanting Mommy to pay attention to them. Maybe today I can get one of them to actually say "Mommy"! Ciao, Bella!!

DINNER (Eps. 1)

I cook a lot. Almost every night. As my Bio says, I am studying Gourmet Cooking. So these "episodes" will consist of photos from the nights meal and at times, the recipe for it.

TERIYAKI CHICKEN STIR-FRY

This yummy and quick meal consists of 3 chicken breasts, teriyaki sauce, 2 bags frozen stir-fry vegetables, enough olive oil to get everything wet and Uncle Ben's Instant Rice.

I start with the chicken, thawing it completely. Then I cut into bite size chunks and let it sit in teriyaki sauce while the wok and olive oil heats up. I then drop the chicken in once the wok it hot and cook the chicken. When it is about half way through I add 1 bag of the vegetables and start my water for the rice.

I stir the chicken and veggies about every 5 minutes making sure the heat hit everything and after about 7 minutes I add the second

bag and a little bit more olive oil just to make sure it just something on it while cooking.

At about this time my baby girl starts to smell everything and her tummy rumbles and then she starts to yell at me and beg me to hurry up with her food. I swear, sometimes it's too darn cute, and others I just want to strangle the little girl. But, the past two days I've been giving her milk before dinner and she's been more patient and forgiving towards me. Hehe. Oh the little tricks that save our sanity. ;-)

Plus, I mean, look at that face. How could I not love that face?? She's too cute.

Alright, so now we taste test!

Mmm. Nice and tender and full of flavor. We're going to take the stir-fry off of the heat for now and cover it while our rice finishes.

Now since I am into Gourmet Cooking I tend to plate in a fancy form. I'm still VERY amateur but practice makes perfect. So after you finish the rice and it's the consistency you prefer grab a bowl and an ice cream scoop. I use one with the trigger so I can get a nice looking scoop. Plop it down in the bottom of the bowl. Then select some chicken to surround it out of your wok and 1 of each kind of vegetable you have in the stir-fry and place then to showcase your meal. Then, on the scoop of rice drizzle soy or teriyaki sauce on the top. Which ever will work just nicely. Then you serve. I hope you enjoy the meal we had tonight.

Corn & Sweet Potatoes

My children..... Oh, my children. *shakes head*

My babies are at the age when they eat food. I have a 20 month old little girl and an 8 month old baby boy.

My baby boy is mostly on baby food and recently has shown an interest in what his sister, my husband and I have been eating.

My little girl eats like a garbage disposal. If there's something to eat, she wants it. Crackers, cereal, meat, veggies, fruit, etc. All of it. She eats and eats and eats and eats and eats! I have to monitor her intake. I have to tell her no. "No, baby girl, you may not have ANOTHER serving of this." And then she cries!!!! Ugh.

My baby boy is a big little guy. He's about 3 pounds smaller then his sister. Usually he's pretty good about eating. In the past couple days though, he's been mimicking his older sister's behavior!

So not only is my 20 month old yelling at me for more when we finish a meal but my son is breaking into tears as well! Oy vey! What is my world coming to? They act as if I starve them every day they are with me! And it's only ever me. If they are with Daddy, they're fine. If they are alone with their grandmother, they're fine!

Why oh why is it just Mommy??? Lucky me.

(More to follow in later posts.)