Mommy Time Monday: Attempts to Get Out of the House

I'll be the first to admit it - I don't exactly like being outside. I never really have. When I was little, I had a few scary (for me) outdoor experiences. We lived in South Carolina and the dragonflies there were (they might still be - haven't been back yet) HUGE! And they didn't really care where they flew. They would fly right in front of my face and scare the crap out of me! I lived in South Carolina from the time was 3 until I was about 10. So for a child that young, you can imagine how scary that was. Also, when I was about 6 or 7, I was playing on our screened-in porch (it was somewhat protected by our carport) by myself, and this bird flew through the carport and slammed into the screen around the porch. It made this horrible noise that I'll never forget and scared me so bad that I cried for like an hour. Oh, I was also attacked by ants when I was about 8 and I was chased by a mean goose when I was about 6.

I also, just in general, dislike bugs and being dirty. I can feel when my hands start getting dirty and I just can't stand it. Might be a little OCD, but oh well. And I don't consider myself a girly girl, except in that area. I also can't stand being too hot (I get really bad migraines) or too cold. And in Utah, there's only about 2 months out of the year that aren't too hot or cold.

So I know my son needs to experience the outdoors. I know I shouldn't let my experiences keep my son from creating his own opinion of the outdoors. But it's hard for me actually enjoy myself when I'm outside. I don't ever just go outside to enjoy being out there.

That said, I do make attempts to get outside and play. My son LOVES being outside and walking around, jumping on our neighbors trampoline, or playing at the park. He would spend all day out there if I let him. I know in a world where most kids spend the day in front of video games, that I should foster that love of the outdoors and let him learn to love it.

Up until recently, I used the snow and cold as an excuse to stay inside, but it's finally starting to warm up and Spring is springing. I haven't yet met my goal of going outside EVERY day, but I've been better about it. We've gone outside to jump and walk around just because! We also went to the zoo (just a little one) and to a little fair/park activity with lots of animals and other activities. My son LOVED every minute of it all.

One problem that I run into though, is that my son doesn't ever want to come inside. No matter how long we're outside, whenever I say that it's time to go in, he starts screaming and crying to stay outside. I hate dealing with that part - it makes me feel like some horrible person for having other things to do besides let him play outside all day.

So, please tell me I'm not the only person out there who doesn't love being outside? If you're like me, what do you do to make yourself get out of the house? If you love being outside, what do you like to do? I need some ideas to help us get out of the house more often!

Mommy Time Monday: My Mommy Goals

I love being a mommy. I absolutely LOVE it. I have all of these ideals and dreams about being a good mom. I'm not saying I'm a bad mom. But I could be better. I see other moms and wish I could be more like them. Although a lot of my listed goals will help me be a better mom, these are specifically about helping myself to be a better mother.

Plan More Activities Out of the House

I'll admit it, I'm not a huge fan of the outdoors. I don't like bugs or dirt. I don't like being hot or cold. I prefer to stay inside where the temperature is even and I can squash every single bug and vacuum up the dirt. I know my son needs to be exposed to the world outside - and he LOVES it. He loves to just go walk around. So I need to start now, by taking advantage of the SPRING and get used to being outside.

1. Take Andrew outside at least once every day when the weather permits. (This is Utah, we just had snow this last week and it just melted).
2. Get some toys for playing outside.

Plan More Creative Activities at Home

I'm not a person that plans "structured activities" for my 19-month-old. Nothing goes as planned, and he often has meltdowns because he can't do everything himself. The most art that we do is coloring with crayons or Tadoodles. I haven't been brave enough to attempt doing many bigger art projects.

1. I have a set of books that have ideas for activities for toddlers and preschoolers. I need to go through these books and find activities we can actually do.
2. Use the Internet to find appropriate activities
3. Do two bigger creative projects each week.

Research Learning and "Preschool" Type Activities and Do Them

I feel very strongly that much of my child's learning and development should take place in the home, with his parents. This is one reason I want (and am) staying home with him. I want to be the one to teach him! I've even considered homeschooling, depending on our situation. But I shouldn't wait until he's "school age" to start the learning process. I know there are activities and things we can do to help foster a love of learning and help put him on the right track for the rest of his life. This is pretty self-explanatory. I just need to do the research and implement the activities I find.

Set Up Play Dates Once a Month to Create a More Social Environment

I'm definitely an introvert. I dearly love my friends, but it's hard for me to step out of my comfort zone and make new friends. It's even hard for me to try to do activities with my current friends. I guess I don't want to be presumptuous and think that they want to spend time with me. I don't want to be a bother by asking them to do things. Does that make sense. It sounds so silly when I say it that way, but that's how I feel. It's not that I think they should be the one to initiate and maintain the friendship. I just don't want them to feel pressured to see me/us. I know that I don't feel that way when it comes to other people asking to see me, so I should remember that when I think about asking to see other people. If they don't want to see me they'll say no. So what do I have to lose?

1. Start by making play dates with moms I already know that have kids about the same age as my son.
2. Start with one a month, then gradually increase the frequency.
3. Find local mommy groups and join them. If there aren't any, look into starting one.

Do you have any tips for stepping out of your comfort zone? And ideas for finding other mommy groups? Email them to mylifemakover@gmail.com and I might feature them in the future.

My List of Goals

I've been mulling all of these goals over for some time now, and I think one thing that I need to do is make a list of all my goals. I've also been doing some reading on goal making. I want to be able to make realistic, attainable goals. But one thing I've come across is that my goals need to be written out, and they need to be posted where I can see them daily. Posting them on my blog won't help me to see them, but I plan to print them out and post them so I can see them.

So, folks. Here we go. I know this isn't a full fledged, detailed list with dates and numbers and everything. I'm listing the goals, and I'll go through and flesh out exact details in other, smaller posts. I've even categorized them for you (and for me)!



Spritual Goals:

1. Study the Book of Mormon Daily
2. Pray more regularly
3. Bear my testimony at least once this year during Fast & Testimony Meeting at church
4. Attend the temple at least once a month
5. Attend church every week, unless we're sick
6. Have consistent, weekly Family Home Evenings
7. Have a daily family prayer

Homemaking Goals:

1. Plan and prepare a weekly menu that will include healthier meals
2. Plan at least 2 new meals per month
3. Create a home cleaning schedule to create a cleaner, more pleasant home
4. Focus on a new fruit or vegetable each month

Mommy Goals:

1. Plan more activities out of the house, even during the winter
2. Plan more creative activities at home, especially during the winter
3. Research learning activities and "preschool" type activities to do with Monkey Man. Implement them!
4. Set up playdates at least once a month to create a more social environment for Monkey Man

Weight-Loss Goals:

1. Find excercise videos and other workout methods that can be used at home during the winter. Research local gyms and consider justifying the expense.
2. Put an exercise plan into place.
3. Buy a scale so that I can see an actual number and results other than the loosening (or tightening) of my clothing
4. Keep a food journal for 1 month and use it to adjust my eating habits to aid in weight loss
5. After I get a scale, I can have a better idea of exactly what I need to lose. Right now, I know I need to lose at least 100lbs, possibly more like 150lbs. Eeek!

Social Goals:

1. Invite 1 family over for dinner each month
2. Plan, prepare, and carry out at least 2 parties in 2010
3. (Same as a "Mommy Goal") Set up a playdate at least once a month to visit with friends

Financial Goals:

1. Continue budget shopping, using coupons, clearance sales, etc AND cut grocery budget by another $10 each week this year
2. Save for a new carseat for Monkey Man
3. Save for new tires for our car
4. Cut out all unnecessary expenses from our budget

I think that's it, folks. I think each of these are realistic. Some are longer term goals (I won't be losing 100 lbs in a month) and some are things that I just need to make into habits. But, I'm happy with my list and that's what really matters. My plan is not to start every single one of these goals right now and overwhelm myself. Instead, after I get them all written out in more detail, I'll be picking out a couple to tackle at a time. After I've got those down, I'll continue with them, and move on to focusing on a few more.
If you have any suggestions for making these things easier, please feel free to comment or share them with me through email. I'd love to hear from you!