i'm getting to the point of overload with the easter craft projects now, they just keep coming and coming....but i just couldn't resist these little guys. they would be fun and not to mention addicting to make for the little ones for their easter baskets or to hide around the house with the eggs as well. you can find the how to for these little, lovable bunny nuggets over at the fabulously talented and sweet rebecca's blog "rebecca danger". don't you just wanna gobble em' up?
p.s. if you have a chance, go check out rebecca's etsy shop - dangercrafts here (we will be doing a post on it at a later date) or you can view her on ravelry as well here, you won't regret it. if you think the bunny nuggets are cute, wait till you see what else she's got going on!
i seem to have a thing the last week or two with patchwork oven mitts, but i just can't stop. they are so quirky and a great way to use small bits of fabric. bonus is that i can practice my sewing and quilting skills while making them. i am a bad cutter. i can't cut straight when it comes to fabric. you would think that after being a hairdresser for years and years, i could cut a straight line, but nope, fabric feels a heck of a lot different then hair does.
this potholder tute by "lindamade" caught my eye. i adore the color palette she used and the fact that she incorporated a vintage cocktail napkins into it just adds the icing to the cake. you can find the tutorial to make a set for yourself here.
have any of you been making potholders?what's your favorite potholder pattern?
i have a thing for wraps. wrap sweaters, wrap shirts, wrap dresses, wrap scarves and just plain wraps. i spotted this free pattern today on ravlery and it instantly caught my eye. berroco is offering this pattern as a free pdf download. you can find the pattern here. they made the wrap shown here in their berroco ultra alpaca light. i think i am definitely going to have to wrap some part of my body up in this beauty. happy knitting.
i love this idea. etsy seller montessoribyhand has a great pattern for sale to make one of these handy pillows of your own. nevermind using this to assist kids with reading, i want one for myself! great idea! you can find the pattern here.
"the reading pillow is perfect for encouraging a child to read or providing relief for grandma’s arthritic hands. This pattern features straps to hold the book securely on the pillow and page holders to keep the book open, so your hands are completely free while reading. also included are some funky and useful twists, such as handmade piping, a built-in bookmark, and pockets for reading glasses and pencils.
the reading pillow pattern includes easy-to-follow photo tutorial instructions and full-sized pattern pieces."
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doesn't she look like a little diva? don't ask me why she has her lips like that, i think she was chewing.
mackenzie got a new sun hat and bathing suit last weekend and refuses to take it off. i finally had to hide the hat from her in the closet. any of you had to do this or am i just mean mommy?
swim lessons have started back up in our house, and no, there is no freakin' way you are gonna see my scary butt in the water - jer takes her in. i prefer the seating area for all the other folks who don't go in the pool. i sit there wrapped up in my clothes, holding on to my cup of coffee like a security blanket. the idea of walking past all those parents, like on a runway, in my bathing suit, praying that i won't get gub or my boob pops out, is more than i can handle. now don't get me wrong, i do go swimming, just not when there is a huge crowd to walk by. why the designers of this pool decided to make the parents section literally within arms reach of the change rooms and the walkway to the pool is beyond me. they must have been men.
i am in charge of the swim bag. i have to be ready for jer and mack when they get out of the pool, towels in hand, ready to dry off. so when i spotted this cute little beach towel poncho i thought it was a great idea to keep little ones warm at the pool or at the beach. you can find out how to make one of your own over at "4 crazy kings". click here for the tutorial.
happy swimming! do any of you have any tips for braving the swimming pool?
i don't have time in my life to go to the gym. it sucks, but i try to be creative and get my workout in others way throughout my day. we currently don't own a vehicle, so i get in a lot of walking, and i mean a lot. we also bike, but i am finding that just isn't enough for me anymore.
before i had mackenzie, running was a regular part of my workout. i loved doing 10km marathons and was training for a half-marathon. since her birth, running has lost it's allure for me. i think it had to do with breastfeeding my daughter. my huge boobs attracted attention as i jogged with my daughter in the stroller and it was unattractive, uncomfortable and no matter how many sports bras and running tanks i put on, my girls still soared for the sky and dove for the ground. all you ladies out there with big boobs, know just what i am talking about. now that i have stopped the breastfeeding, my boobs have started to return to their normal size and i may start running again, but it's not on the top of my workout list.
what i am enjoying is workout videos at home. i don't have to do my hair, get all dolled up, find a sitter, it's free, and i can fit it in whenever i get a spare 20 minutes in my day. so i decided it would be great to share a list of what i have found to be the best workout videos out there right now.
workout videos are not a new phenomenon. i remember doing cher's aerobic workout with my mom way back in the day - now that was a classic. who else but cher could get a way with doing a workout in a g-string? seriously now. we also owned the complete abs & buns of steel collection and some of the elle mcpherson videos - torture, but they did the trick. when we couldn't get to the gym we turned to the vcr. yes, vcr's were all the rage back then.
sometimes it's a good thing to go back to what worked for you in the first place and with what works with your schedule. if going to a gym or a class has helped you in the past with motivation and peer support, try going online instead. spark people is my personal favorite. the information, peer support and workout videos/exercise plans/diets on here are endless and there are a lot of groups to join in your own community. with the economy the way it is right now, we all can't afford the luxury of an expensive monthly/yearly gym membership. these services are free and if you have the determination, will help you succeed at home.
after doing a bit of research a few months ago on the newest videos out there, i decided to try turbo jam with chalene johnson. out of all the workout videos below, this one is by far my favorite. i am sure some of you have seen the infomercial in the middle of the night, i have probably watched it like 10 times at least. those things are evil, but the videos are great! jer and i had a good laugh when we first watched the 20 minute workout. we thought it was a spoof, but once i got going i was hooked. i was having fun, the host is a great motivator and the music is catchy in a non-annoying way. plus - it works! there are a lot to choose from but i still find the 20 minute workout my fave for time sake.
the 30 day shredis not for the faint of heart. if you can handle jillian michael's somewhat, abrasive training manners, you may see some definite results from this one. she is a killer but i found myself more angry at her during the workout then enjoying myself and getting motivated. she will push you hard though, if that's the style of video you are looking for. any videos from gaiam are recommended by me. i have been a fan of them for a long time and have yet to be disappointed. there are a lot of yoga and pilates videos out there, but i always go back to the gaiam line. i used their prenatal yoga all through my pregnancy and truly enjoyed my workout. it was one of the few i could find that covered what i wanted and showed moves for all three trimesters. i also have many of their yoga series and pilates from a few years ago and still use them today.
chalean extreme is the newest series from the trainer of turbo jam - chalene johnson. i haven't tried this one out yet but i am excited to see what she is offering. from what i hear on forums and websites it's supposed to be a great workout promising some good muscle definition while still allowing you to have fun. chalean uses what she calls "lean phasing" which is a "circuit training method that shifts your fat-burning focus from cardio to resistance training." she promises to "have you lifting heavy weights in 3 phases to ignite your metabolism and help you burn fat long after your workout—even while you sleep." sounds good to me. hell, if my butt can do something while i sleep, (when i can get sleep that is) i'm in :)
p90x freaks me out. i think of men when i see this series. i won't lie and say i have tried this, because i haven't, but when searching for good workouts, this came up highly recommended in all my searches. people seem to love it and not just men. it looks like a serious collection including diet, exercise and some serious workout plans. "P90X is a revolutionary system of 12 sweat-inducing, muscle-pumping workouts, designed to transform your body from regular to ripped in just 90 days." in the package you will "also receive a comprehensive 3-phase nutrition plan, specially designed supplement options, a detailed fitness guide, a calendar to track your progress, online peer support, and much more. your personal trainer, tony horton, will keep you engaged every step of the way, and you won't believe your results!" sounds great - but still freaks me out. any of you tried it?
besides the videos shown above, the tried and trued were also seen all over the blogosphere. billy blanks tae bo and slimy, sweaty and way too shiny for my taste richard simmons. personally, i'll take my bubbly, bouncy chalean johnson over richard simmons anyday. i just can't get over the slick and the shorts, sorry, but if that's the kind of thing you are in for, check out carmen electra's aerobic striptease. yes, she really does have a workout on stripping. there are many, from vegas strip, in the bedroom, fit to strip and back to just plain old aerobic strip. now i have seen some of these. they seemed to me like soft porn and something for our hubbies to watch when we are conveniently out of town with the kids, but hey, it may work.
i have yet to watch the whole tape because when i did have it on, i found myself laughing at how uncomfortable this must have been to film as the camera guys were probably just dying watching this. i mean, really - three hot women gyrating in little outfits teaching us to strip? i would much rather go to one of the popular stripper pole classes then do this workout at home. it would be fun to whip on the next time i have some girlfriends over, some drinks and we need a good laugh. but wait, who's kidding who, when's the last time i have had time to do that? 2 years ago???
so let's put on our legwarmers, our cute yoga outfits or hell, pull a cher, richard simmons and carmen electra all in one and whip out your g-string and get moving! remember - you're worth it and you deserve it. what are some of your favorite workout videos?
oh how i wish i had a backyard when i see projects like this. i guess i could make these and hang them from my balcony, but it just isn't the same vibe. don't get me wrong though, i am happy to even have a balcony, but i won't deny the fact that i long for my own yard to sit in at night and lounge with my hubby with a nice glass of wine on a summer evening, c'mon now.
we are on the hunt right now for the perfect deck furniture and i have my heart set on a comfy two seater so mack and i can have lunches and snuggle out there. i picked up some rowdy, loud, bright pink, retro flower fabric, for like a dollar at the local flea market, and i am dying to make some pillows for out there. gotta add some color to the neighbourhood, not that many will see it as we are on the top floor.
you can find the tutorial for this gorgeous photo lantern by livi kanaley of "a field journal" over on the fabulous decor8 blog. click here for the how to. if any of you decide to make these, let me know, i would love to at least bask in a photo of your summer backyard glory even if i can't have mine - yet :)
my daughter has been watching me sew lately and asking all sorts of questions. i had been trying to think of ways to introduce her to sewing without her getting hurt or poked. she has really loved watching me work on her quilt and just beams when she sees me pull it out, so when i spotted this tutorial i thought there must be other moms looking for the same thing.
heather mann from croq zine and dollar store crafts shares this super easy and quick tutorial that is a great way to introduce your toddler to sewing without bandaids and injuries. heck, i still need a band-aid here and there. maybe i need to practice on a few of these as well :) click here for the tutorial.
i started this blog when my daughter was born and it has followed our little family from 2007 until now. only recently did luvinthemommyhood truly start on it's path of what i had envisioned for it when i started a few years ago in my jammies with a baby on the boob, chores piled up and a significant lack of sleep. i have a lot of exciting things that i would like to feature on here, so new things will be popping up every few weeks. i am sincerely hoping you are all enjoying all the new changes and will continue to stay with the mommyhood as we grow and learn, just like we do as parents.
there are a lot of things that us mom's do along our path of parenthood and starting a business is one of them. mompreneurs are a huge part of the business world and a force to be reckoned with. i have always been fascinated by the behind the scenes of these incredible women's lives who are pursuing their passions and dreams and i have longed to read what normal press releases or simple interviews don't ask. so i decided to see if i could get a sneak peek myself. i pictured myself sitting with the mom featured today, having a coffee, as we have in the past, and what questions i would ask her if i had the chance today. i have been blessed to meet a lot of great moms since mackenzie's birth and this post is written about one of them.
jordan thomson is a beautiful, kind, funny, loving, and talented mother and wife and she is also a business woman. she runs brightstars, a dance school for children aged 1 - 13, in vancouver, bc. besides running the regular classes at brightstars she is also one of canada's newest producers/choreogrpahers working on her musical extravaganza for "tweens". she brings 28 years of dance education , music and performace experience and qualifications to the brightstars program.
brightstars offers parents who are looking for a fun dance, music and movement class instead of the scary, big dance school a place to enroll their child. they are the perfect "little" dance school made just for "little" kids. jordan's newest feature at brightstars is the unaccompanied 2 years and up dance class, something that i have yet to see anywhere in our province. the chance for mom's to get a rest while their young ones boogie is a welcome relief and a sign that jordan herself truly understands what a parent/child are looking for from a great dance class.
when did you start brightstars & what prompted you to start your own performing arts school?
brightstars started in vancouver in october 2007 but was born out of "dance america, school of performing arts", the business i created in sydney, australia in 1999. i started brightstars specifically because it filled a gap in the market here in vancouver and i absolutely adore dancing and working with children! i think i met you when hennessey was about 5 months old and you definitely did not look like you had just had a baby. how did you get back into shape after the birth of your daughter? and did you continue to dance while pregnant?
i continued to teach dancing into my 41st week!!!! in fact, i was the lead choreographer/judge on a reality dance tv show at 6 mths pregnant! i went back to an exercise routine shortly after the birth of my daughter hennessey which included walking 10 days after birth and jogging from 6 weeks or so.
what's an example of your normal exercise routine?
i dance 6 days a week for at least one hour, run 3-4 times per week (mostly with hennessey in the stroller) and do weight training 2-3 times a week. i also really like doing pilates and yoga and love squash and tennis. being a mother and a wife while running a business is sure to be stressful. how do you manage the balancing act of all three?
for me, balancing the 3 things is about prioritizing, constant planning and great organizational skills! i consistently evaluate what is important to me and what makes me and my family happy, and then go with that. i follow my heart more than my head sometimes and make sure to take some time for myself to regroup. for me, all of these roles are as important as the other so i must make sure to work on each one.
most of us only dream of having our own business, never mind starting one while you are a new mom. do you have any tips for new mom's thinking of starting their own business?
identify your skill set and do what you love. if you can combine these things, the money should follow. however, it is essential to do your research and make sure there is a market for your product service. keep educating yourself about your industry, new skills, products etc and network with other mompreneurs/business owners who are where you want to be! finally, take a look at franchises as they have done the hard work for you in the start up and are normally cheaper to start. there are a lot of dance school's out there all offering different things and it can be overwhelming to pick the right fit for your child. what should parent's look for in a dance school and what should they avoid?
for the young ones, say 2-5 parents should look for a fun, nurturing and age appropriate environment that encourages these values over competition. in the beginning, it is better to provide littlies with a broad curriculum to identify what the child likes/is good at. often, it can be "mommy" who wants the child to be the budding ballerina rather than the child!! avoid a very strict structure, really large classes and an impersonal approach by the teacher/director.
as children get older and they have identified that they enjoy dancing, look for a school that offers qualified instructors/classes, a nurturing environment and a wide range of dance styles. this really is dependent on how far your child would like to take his/her dancing. what it will come down to though is: is your child enjoying him/herself and are they being provided with quality tuition.
a lot of us never truly figure out what we are meant to do with our careers, when did you know you wanted to be a dancer? i didn't know...i just am. it became evident though at 6 yrs old that i had a true talent and from that point on it has been how i identify myself.
does hennessey like to dance?
she loves music and instruments and is just starting to really move to the beat. it's not really evident though yet, but fingers crossed.
what's the one piece of dance clothing you couldn't live without?
my tap shoes! i would feel like i'd lost a limb if i didn't have them!
you must listen to a lot of kid's music throughout the day, does it ever get to you? what is your most loved/hated song?
more than anyone i know, i love kid's music!!! no, it doesn't get to me which is why i can stand listening to it all the time. i love australian hi-5 the most!! i don't know of any song i really hate though.
i'm curious to see how you fit this all in your normal day. what's an average day in your life?
7:30-8am: up with hennessy and snuggle time (i breastfed until she was 21mths, she's now just 24mths but i have kept this routine). 8:30-9:30am: breakfast, lunch packing, emails and preparing paperwork for that day's classes. 10am: hennessy off to daycare and mom off to teach. 12:30-5pm: home for a quick lunch and off to my daytime classes or lunch then brightstars administration work in the office. 5:15pm: pick up hennessy. 6pm: dinner. 7pm: hennessy snuggle and bedtime routine then off to bed. 8pm: finish up day's office work, then clean the house and do laundry etc. 10:30pm: bed with a book.
what prompted you to offer dance classed for toddlers unaccompanied?
at 2 yrs plus, children can start working on their own and can use brightstars as an opportunity to start developing this sense of self and personal exploration. toddlers are amazing and are such sponges that they can learn so much so quickly. as a teacher, i am willing to "go there" in terms of movement which most mom's feel silly doing or just can't due to physical restrictions or having another child present. i'm also finding that mom's want this time for their child to learn being on their own and following another authority figure so that they can transition into daycare/preschool better. finally, it provided an alternate to the mommy and me classes offered by most other children's programs! working with toddlers and children should add up to a day that is never boring and definitely not the same. what's the most memorable/funny moment you have had working with brightstars students so far?
well, you've hit the nail on the head. i absolutely love working with toddlers as they are so joyous, loving, warm and can often say and do the funniest things. i am never sad or stressed at a brightstars class but often in awe of my students. a "memorable" moment shall we call it, was when i was having a great chat with one mom who was being pulled at the sleeve by her daughter. they were speaking in spanish so i was not fully aware of what was being said. as it turns out, the little girl was obviously desperate to get to the washroom which became apparent when she peed all over the floor right through her lovely pink leotard! poor thing!
do you feel that you are doing what you truly love?
i do, but i miss working with professional performers so that is why i'm producing a teen musical group call the jump kids. it combines my love of professional performance and children. check out the website www.jumpkidsmusical.com
what has been the hardest part of owning your own business? the most rewarding?
the hardest part of owning my own business has been the need to always be the person in command and at this point, having to do and be everything within the business. i must always be on top of everything and constantly working toward improving and growing the business. i am not satisfied unless i am doing this. the most rewarding is definitely doing what i love and being able to earn a living following my passion! it also affords me the ability to work around my family life so that i am constantly in harmony with these things that are most important to me.
a big thank you to jordan for doing the interview - you're the best! you can read more about jordan and brightstars at www.brightstars.ca and you can get a peek of them in action at the yaletown baby and toddler fair on april 14th at 11:30 am and again at 12:00 in the please mum fashion show in vancouver, bc.
look for more interviews of moms in the mommyhood to come! are you a mom with an interesting story to tell? we would love to hear about it :)
here's a clip of jordan and some of her brightstars on breakfast television.
you all know how i love a good repurposing project. here's a fun one. head on over to amazing mae to find out how to turn a napkin into a great skirt for your toddler. click here for this great tutorial.
hi everyone, late yesterday morning i got hit by some kind of nasty little sickness, bah - so i may not be posting as much as normal. please stay tuned though, i have a great interview coming that is a new feature on the mommyhood and i'm super excited about it.
here's a tutorial that i think is fabulous to tide you over. i've been in the mood for springtime scarfs, with unique patterns and a fresh, breezy feel about them. this pattern is sure to fit the bill. click here for the purl bee's flirty checkerboard lace scarf. wouldn't this look fab with a cute pair of jeans, and a crisp white shirt?
i'm trying to get organized around our house, or more organized is a better way to put it. with jer's crazy hours and him working 7 days a week things need to run like a ship around here in order for me to stay sane.
we had slowly been letting that scary old pile of mail build up and up on our kitchen counter and i had finally had enough. during mack's nap yesterday, when i should have been writing on here, i decided to whip out some of my amy butler goodies and throw together this wall organizer. it's not perfect (i say this a lot about my projects) but it does what i need it to do. i couldn't get out to get more supplies and didn't have any interfacing or stiff fabric, so i had to make due with what i had. push pins work wonders and i can hang my keys on it. nothing heavy is intended to go in the pockets so i figured a little sway here and there won't make a big deal to our family as long as the mail get's put in it.
it's out of the way of mackenzie's grips, which the ominous pile wasn't before. she almost tore up my tax papers...couldn't she have gone for a bill instead? geez. i didn't follow a pattern for this either, i just went by my memory of some wall organizers i have seen in the past. it was fun to sew and quick to make. my favorite part is the twig. gotta luv a good twig. i use them for tons of stuff around the house, they are sturdy and free! can't beat that.
the strangest thing happened on the weekend. i posted atutorial for making a great little pet bed and dedicated it to my folks who are on the hunt for a new dog. they have been looking for a while, but hadn't found the right puppy for themselves. i woke up monday morning and my mom had posted a sneaky little comment on that particular post and low and behold, after phoning her asking who the heck sydney was, my mom said they had found a dog! i think i may have powers i wasn't aware of. i almost signed in and wrote a post saying i had won a million dollars...but then stopped, shook my head and decided it was just one of those weird moments that happens in life. fate that little sydney was lost in the small town my folks live in and the owners no longer want her.
prepare to be spoiled beyond recognition little sydney, we are a loving and boisterous family just ready to snuggle you to bits. mom - get those sweaters cut up, syndey needs a bed fit for a queen!
i have something to admit...you ready....i am a prince fan. i heart prince and used to have a life size poster of him above my bed. i have never been able to see him in concert and to this day that bothers me. i am not sure what i find so attractive about a small man who wears high heels and makeup, but damn, he makes good music and he can move. i can still vividly remember the first time i watched purple rain and since then prince has played a huge role in the soundtrack of my teenage years, ok and my adult ones, so i was super excited to see he has a new collection coming out - under the name prince (not the symbol) and not just 1 cd, but 3!
rumour is that the new collection lotus flower is only being sold at target. i haven't been able to get a sneak listen to it yet, but i am crossing my fingers and my heels that it's a good one. i am alone or are any of you out there prince fans as well?
patchwork style is coming! the book is set to be released on april 14th - yippee! this year has been such a great year for craft books and it's only march! i am already drooling over all that is set to come during spring and summer. my wallet and my library card are going to be well used.
i have always loved books ever since i was a child. i've worked in the book industry and have a soft spot for all things books. i love the smell of an old used bookstore, curling up in the corner and the pleasure of finding a new treasure and wondering where that book has been, who has held it before and what story it may have to tell besides what is written on it's pages. since moving to victoria i haven't been involved in a book club. i just haven't had the time. i can't even make it to the knitting club i so fondly wish i was attending, but it's on my list of things to do once things settle down a bit. oh the things we lose time for when we have kids.
you may have time to whip this up though. the esty blog - storque has a sneak peek in patchwork style and has a great little tute for making handmade potholders. here's the link.
if i had a kitchen big enough to do this, i would in a heartbeat. sometimes renting is the pits. i would love to deck out mack's room with this idea, magnets, felt, chalk - she would be over the moon. easy, peasy and it would keep her busy & quiet for at least half an hour (i hope).
check out the happy home for this mom's how to of her activity wall. what a great idea! while you are there she also has a great tutorial on customizing one of those wooden letters we all seem to hang in our kid's rooms.
have any of you done something similar in your home?
before i had my daughter i worked in office administration. being a creative type working in an office environment had me finding unique and quirky ways to use my imagination to let's just say - liven things up. sometimes you can find art in the weirdest places - i still get a thrill from doing an excel spreadsheet, sick, i know.
when i spotted this great little tutorial from swirly thoughts, i instantly thought of my old job. i would have come trotting in with this and sent out all of our mail the next day in funky little envelopes. what a fun idea! i am definitely going to try this at home. i think it would make a mailman's day to see one of these suckers, and what mailman doesn't need cheering up in this weather - yuck!
we stopped and watched one of those moments today. the sky was dark and ominous and then out of nowhere, the sunshine warmed the sky and peeked out from the corner just as the wind blew those gorgeous branches across the thundery sky.
we decided to capture a pic of the tree and of us watching it. a few minutes later it started raining and then a few minutes after that it stopped and the sun came out again - that's island weather for you.
i seem to have a thing the last week or two with patchwork oven mitts, but i just can't stop. they are so quirky and a great way to use small bits of fabric. bonus is that i can practice my sewing and quilting skills while making them. i am a bad cutter. i can't cut straight when it comes to fabric. you would think that after being a hairdresser for years and years, i could cut a straight line, but nope, fabric feels a heck of a lot different then hair does.
(via craftgossip)
i have a thing for wraps. wrap sweaters, wrap shirts, wrap dresses, wrap scarves and just plain wraps. i spotted this free pattern today on ravlery and it instantly caught my eye. berroco is offering this pattern as a free pdf download. you can find the pattern here. they made the wrap shown here in their berroco ultra alpaca light. i think i am definitely going to have to wrap some part of my body up in this beauty. happy knitting.
doesn't she look like a little diva? don't ask me why she has her lips like that, i think she was chewing.
swim lessons have started back up in our house, and no, there is no freakin' way you are gonna see my scary butt in the water - jer takes her in. i prefer the seating area for all the other folks who don't go in the pool. i sit there wrapped up in my clothes, holding on to my cup of coffee like a security blanket. the idea of walking past all those parents, like on a runway, in my bathing suit, praying that i won't get gub or my boob pops out, is more than i can handle. now don't get me wrong, i do go swimming, just not when there is a huge crowd to walk by. why the designers of this pool decided to make the parents section literally within arms reach of the change rooms and the walkway to the pool is beyond me. they must have been men.
i don't have time in my life to go to the gym. it sucks, but i try to be creative and get my workout in others way throughout my day. we currently don't own a vehicle, so i get in a lot of walking, and i mean a lot. we also bike, but i am finding that just isn't enough for me anymore.
workout videos are not a new phenomenon. i remember doing cher's aerobic workout with my mom way back in the day - now that was a classic. who else but cher could get a way with doing a workout in a g-string? seriously now. we also owned the complete abs & buns of steel collection and some of the elle mcpherson videos - torture, but they did the trick. when we couldn't get to the gym we turned to the vcr. yes, vcr's were all the rage back then.
sometimes it's a good thing to go back to what worked for you in the first place and with what works with your schedule. if going to a gym or a class has helped you in the past with motivation and peer support, try going online instead. spark people is my personal favorite. the information, peer support and workout videos/exercise plans/diets on here are endless and there are a lot of groups to join in your own community. with the economy the way it is right now, we all can't afford the luxury of an expensive monthly/yearly gym membership. these services are free and if you have the determination, will help you succeed at home.
after doing a bit of research a few months ago on the newest videos out there, i decided to try turbo jam with chalene johnson. out of all the workout videos below, this one is by far my favorite. i am sure some of you have seen the infomercial in the middle of the night, i have probably watched it like 10 times at least. those things are evil, but the videos are great! jer and i had a good laugh when we first watched the 20 minute workout. we thought it was a spoof, but once i got going i was hooked. i was having fun, the host is a great motivator and the music is catchy in a non-annoying way. plus - it works! there are a lot to choose from but i still find the 20 minute workout my fave for time sake.
the 30 day shred is not for the faint of heart. if you can handle jillian michael's somewhat, abrasive training manners, you may see some definite results from this one. she is a killer but i found myself more angry at her during the workout then enjoying myself and getting motivated. she will push you hard though, if that's the style of video you are looking for.
any videos from gaiam are recommended by me. i have been a fan of them for a long time and have yet to be disappointed. there are a lot of yoga and pilates videos out there, but i always go back to the gaiam line. i used their prenatal yoga all through my pregnancy and truly enjoyed my workout. it was one of the few i could find that covered what i wanted and showed moves for all three trimesters. i also have many of their yoga series and pilates from a few years ago and still use them today.
chalean extreme is the newest series from the trainer of turbo jam - chalene johnson. i haven't tried this one out yet but i am excited to see what she is offering. from what i hear on forums and websites it's supposed to be a great workout promising some good muscle definition while still allowing you to have fun. chalean uses what she calls "lean phasing" which is a "circuit training method that shifts your fat-burning focus from cardio to resistance training." she promises to "have you lifting heavy weights in 3 phases to ignite your metabolism and help you burn fat long after your workout—even while you sleep." sounds good to me. hell, if my butt can do something while i sleep, (when i can get sleep that is) i'm in :)
p90x freaks me out. i think of men when i see this series. i won't lie and say i have tried this, because i haven't, but when searching for good workouts, this came up highly recommended in all my searches. people seem to love it and not just men. it looks like a serious collection including diet, exercise and some serious workout plans. "P90X is a revolutionary system of 12 sweat-inducing, muscle-pumping workouts, designed to transform your body from regular to ripped in just 90 days." in the package you will "also receive a comprehensive 3-phase nutrition plan, specially designed supplement options, a detailed fitness guide, a calendar to track your progress, online peer support, and much more. your personal trainer, tony horton, will keep you engaged every step of the way, and you won't believe your results!" sounds great - but still freaks me out. any of you tried it?
besides the videos shown above, the tried and trued were also seen all over the blogosphere. billy blanks tae bo and slimy, sweaty and way too shiny for my taste richard simmons. personally, i'll take my bubbly, bouncy chalean johnson over richard simmons anyday. i just can't get over the slick and the shorts, sorry, but if that's the kind of thing you are in for, check out carmen electra's aerobic striptease. yes, she really does have a workout on stripping. there are many, from vegas strip, in the bedroom, fit to strip and back to just plain old aerobic strip. now i have seen some of these. they seemed to me like soft porn and something for our hubbies to watch when we are conveniently out of town with the kids, but hey, it may work.
so let's put on our legwarmers, our cute yoga outfits or hell, pull a cher, richard simmons and carmen electra all in one and whip out your g-string and get moving! remember - you're worth it and you deserve it.
oh how i wish i had a backyard when i see projects like this. i guess i could make these and hang them from my balcony, but it just isn't the same vibe. don't get me wrong though, i am happy to even have a balcony, but i won't deny the fact that i long for my own yard to sit in at night and lounge with my hubby with a nice glass of wine on a summer evening, c'mon now.
my daughter has been watching me sew lately and asking all sorts of questions. i had been trying to think of ways to introduce her to sewing without her getting hurt or poked. she has really loved watching me work on her quilt and just beams when she sees me pull it out, so when i spotted this tutorial i thought there must be other moms looking for the same thing.
i started this blog when my daughter was born and it has followed our little family from 2007 until now. only recently did luvinthemommyhood truly start on it's path of what i had envisioned for it when i started a few years ago in my jammies with a baby on the boob, chores piled up and a significant lack of sleep. i have a lot of exciting things that i would like to feature on here, so new things will be popping up every few weeks. i am sincerely hoping you are all enjoying all the new changes and will continue to stay with the mommyhood as we grow and learn, just like we do as parents.
you all know how i love a good repurposing project. here's a fun one. head on over to amazing mae to find out how to turn a napkin into a great skirt for your toddler. click here for this great tutorial.
(images amazing mae)
hi everyone, late yesterday morning i got hit by some kind of nasty little sickness, bah - so i may not be posting as much as normal. please stay tuned though, i have a great interview coming that is a new feature on the mommyhood and i'm super excited about it.
(images the purl bee)
i'm trying to get organized around our house, or more organized is a better way to put it. with jer's crazy hours and him working 7 days a week things need to run like a ship around here in order for me to stay sane.
it's out of the way of mackenzie's grips, which the ominous pile wasn't before. she almost tore up my tax papers...couldn't she have gone for a bill instead? geez. i didn't follow a pattern for this either, i just went by my memory of some wall organizers i have seen in the past. it was fun to sew and quick to make. my favorite part is the twig. gotta luv a good twig. i use them for tons of stuff around the house, they are sturdy and free! can't beat that.
sydney - the newest member of our clan
i have something to admit...you ready....i am a prince fan. i heart prince and used to have a life size poster of him above my bed. i have never been able to see him in concert and to this day that bothers me. i am not sure what i find so attractive about a small man who wears high heels and makeup, but damn, he makes good music and he can move. i can still vividly remember the first time i watched purple rain and since then prince has played a huge role in the soundtrack of my teenage years, ok and my adult ones, so i was super excited to see he has a new collection coming out - under the name prince (not the symbol) and not just 1 cd, but 3!
rumour is that the new collection lotus flower is only being sold at target. i haven't been able to get a sneak listen to it yet, but i am crossing my fingers and my heels that it's a good one. i am alone or are any of you out there prince fans as well?
you may have time to whip this up though. the esty blog - storque has a sneak peek in patchwork style and has a great little tute for making handmade potholders. here's the link.
if i had a kitchen big enough to do this, i would in a heartbeat. sometimes renting is the pits. i would love to deck out mack's room with this idea, magnets, felt, chalk - she would be over the moon. easy, peasy and it would keep her busy & quiet for at least half an hour (i hope).
have any of you done something similar in your home?
before i had my daughter i worked in office administration. being a creative type working in an office environment had me finding unique and quirky ways to use my imagination to let's just say - liven things up. sometimes you can find art in the weirdest places - i still get a thrill from doing an excel spreadsheet, sick, i know.
we stopped and watched one of those moments today. the sky was dark and ominous and then out of nowhere, the sunshine warmed the sky and peeked out from the corner just as the wind blew those gorgeous branches across the thundery sky. 
