So here we are…the last day of the August. I usually start looking forward to fall by now, but honestly, I’m just not ready! I have absolutely loved this summer!
Here’s what we’ve been up to this month…
Currently Watching
Movies have included Aladdin (which you can read about during our Staycation Recap) & Mary Poppins. Actually, I’m only halfway through Marry Poppins, but the rest should be finished tonight.
Mikey has also watched the Pokemon movie.
Currently Reading
Ok, so I haven’t started reading it yet, but Unseen has made it on my to-read list after a friend told me about it. I’m looking forward to this one!
Currently Making/Baking
Tamale Pie!
Ok, so I honestly think this deserves a post all it’s own where I share the recipe…and a picture, ha. The recipe is very versatile and you can serve it different ways. It’s delicious!
Fun fact, the same friend who told me about the book is the same one who shared the recipe with me. Don’t you love friends like these??
Also, because they are just that good, I am keeping these brownies on my list. I have made them so much this summer!
I am sure this has made it on a past Currently post, but Cassie Ho has AMAZING workouts and they are all free on her YouTube channel! She also has a beginner calendar on her website that has a workout plan, including links to the videos for the day. It has been working so well for me!
I took a very, very, veeeeerrrrrrry long break from working out after having a baby. I tried getting back into working out, but for one reason or another my workout routines were just not sticking.
Finally, after 2 1/2 years, I finally have a chunk of time after work that I’m able to fit in a 30 minute workout and stretch. I feel amazing…ok, sore, but amazing!
I know I’m not alone when I say I have a problem focusing. I just finished my second week of work after our vacation and there are still times I feel like I have vacation brain.
Regardless of vacation brain, I’m a daydreamer by nature and I often times have problems focusing and staying on task. Since it’s something I have to work on I’m sharing my go-to tips for clearing my head and improving my focus.
1 – Make a List / Brain Dump
I make two lists each day. One is my task list; everything I need to get done that day, both big and small, goes on that list. This helps me so I don’t forget anything and also helps me see everything all at once so I can prioritize.
The second list is for those thoughts that pop up into my head that are not work related and distract me from what I’m currently working on. For example, “oh, I need to remember ‘fill in the blank’ “, or “I wonder if I can find my dog’s medication on Amazon instead of going to the store”. These thoughts go on a second list so I can take care of them on my break and not have to worry that I’ll forget about it later.
2 – Prioritize & Take One Task at a Time
Time blocking is a great way to prioritize. A lot of people use their calendar and task list on their computer. I actually prefer a notebook. After I make my list I then take each item and I start with the most important first. I Take into account how long I think a task is going to take and I create somewhat of a timeline for my day. It doesn’t have to be set in stone and you can make adjustments as needed.
Here’s an example.
8:00 – 8:45 Task One
8:45 – 9:00 Task Two
9:00 – 10:30 Task Three
Break
and so on
Also, finish one task at a time instead of bouncing back and forth between different items. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve jumped between projects because they were equally important and it took me twice as long to finish them. It’s easier and more efficient just to pick one and see it through until the end.
3 – Clear the Clutter
I don’t mean to go on a cleaning spree, but taking 5 minutes to clear your desk can also help clear your mind.
4 – Drink Cold Water
I actually prefer my water at room temperature (I know, I’m weird), but taking a sip of ice cold water has a way of snapping my senses and zaps my mind back into place.
5 – Sit Up Straight
There are added benefits to sitting up straight. Not only is it good for your back, but you also look more confident and professional. Sitting up straight helps with oxygen flow and increases your circulation, which in turn helps your concentration.
6 – Eat a Snack
I don’t know about you, but If I’m hungry I can’t focus. Plain and simple. Obviously the healthier the snack the better.
7 – Take a break
Sometimes it helps to get up and walk around. Having a small change of scenery and maybe a short conversation with someone in the office (or wherever you are) can do wonders.
8 – Sheer determination
Honestly, this is really what it comes down to. You can go through the whole list, but sometimes you just have to sit down, suck it up, and get it done. I even have to give myself a pep talk sometimes. Then buckle down and just do it. Simple (and sometimes difficult) as that.
We recently took a stayacation vacation and it was soooo good! It was a perfect mix of relaxation, home projects, and fun.
We had previously talked about a road trip to the beach, but when you have a little boy who gets extremely car sick (he will puke on a 10-15 minute drive!) all we could imagine was a nightmare. So stay home we did. We made sure to do a little bit everything though to make the most of it.
Gryffin had come down with a stomach bug the week before, so the first weekend we did mostly normal things – cleaning and laundry and such (not so much fun). Sunday I had a coffee date with one of my best friends and then a birthday party in the afternoon for one of Gryffin’s daycare friends. Once Monday came along though things finally started feeling a little more relaxed – I consider that day 1 of our vacation.
Since we had to pay for it anyway, we did take Gryffin to daycare for part of the week, but we still kept him home a couple days to do some fun things with him too!
Day 1 – Gryffin’s Room Makeover!
Since we had moved into our house 2 years ago, poor Gryffin had a plain and super boring bedroom. We had some fun Sesame street bedding for him, but that was about it. His room has been on our list of things to do and having the week off gave us the perfect time to work on it! As you can see, we went with an outer space theme.
Gryffin’s thoughts on it? He loves it!! I wish I would have recorded his reaction. Seeing the big smile on his face was completely priceless! Every single day since he asks to go down and see his room. Before he would only go in there to sleep, now he loves to play in it too.
We’re not all the way done, so I plan on doing a more in depth post on his room decor when it’s all finished.
Day 2 – Movie and Shopping Date
This day felt super, super lazy. We pretty much lounged around the house and took our time getting ready. I had been wanting to see the movie Aladdin so we went to the 11:40 a.m. showing.
Going into it, I knew I would like it, but I didn’t know just how much. I ended up loving it! When watching the previews I wasn’t sure how I felt about the cast they chose, but after seeing the movie I honestly can’t picture anyone else! Before the movie I was skeptical of Will Smith as the Genie. There’s no replacing Robert Williams, but Will Smith did a fantastic job and truly made it his own. We plan on buying the movie when it comes out, and the sound track.
After the movie we took advantage of the time we had before getting Gryffin from daycare and went to the mall and Barnes & Noble since we were right there. We shared a pretzel and cheese and walked around. It was just nice to spend time together just the two of us.
Day 3 – Family Day!
We had made plans with friends of ours and their two little boys and went Jump and Bounce, an indoor trampoline park. I say trampoline park, but really it was a bunch of giant bounce houses and a huge blow-up slide.
Gryffin is a pretty timid child so he was pretty skeptical of everything at first. I took him on the giant bouncy with a basket ball hoop and threw some balls around for a while, then he went in the small child play area for a while, and then “drove” in a pink car.
I couldn’t get him to go down the giant slide until the very I end. I decided I would suck it up and carry him all the way to the top (I myself am afraid of heights, but I didn’t want him to miss out on something I knew he would have fun with!). I carried him up the first time and went down with him. He was still a little nervous, but willing to go up again – he finally smiled that time! Next thing I know he was happy to climb up the “stairs” all by himself with me behind him. Finally by the end he was going up and down all by himself and having the time of his life!
We went to get some McDonald’s and headed back to our house to hang out for a bit longer. Our friends had to leave mid-afternoon, so after nap time I called up my brother to see if he and the boys (boys being my nephews) wanted to go to the park with us. Yes! So, we went and got Subway on the way and ate at the park. It was a great way to end the day!
This was, by far, the funnest day of the week! It was our first time there and I only wish that we had gone sooner! We had a blast! Unfortunately we didn’t get a single picture, but that just means we were truly in the moment and soaking up our time there together.
**Just a note: since Mikey and I didn’t take a single picture, all photos are from Silverwood and their website.
After walking around a while and trying to figure out what was where (I totally regret not picking up a park map), we rented a locker to put our stuff in and headed straight for the lazy river.
Elkhorn Creek
PC: Silverwood
I mean, what better way to start off, right?! After two rounds we figured it was time to hit up something bigger/better.
Avalanche Mountain
PC: Silverwood
This was a fun one! Since you can fit 4 people in the tube we were actually able to cut in line since there was another couple ahead of us that needed two more people. The more the merrier right?! I liked this one!
Next we decided to explore a little more and went to the other side of the park for the more traditional rides. Next up…
Roaring Creek Log Flume
PC: Silverwood
Obviously with only a 40 foot drop, this was a milder ride, but it was fun! You better believe I screamed my head off going down that little drop right there. Honestly, you would have thought I was on the corkscrew ride…
Lunch – Subs & Spuds
This was the most disappointing part of the day. We were only the 4th/5th people in line and we waited about 30 minutes for a practically pre-made sandwich. The people in front of us were being difficult and changing their mind on what they wanted and, to top it off, the poor kid working the stand was clearly new – not that it was his fault at all, I actually felt bad for him, it just didn’t help.
Next we went and got back into the lazy river. Clearly this was our favorite part. It was so relaxing just floating by. *happy sigh*
Ricochet Rapids
PC: Silverwood
Next we headed to another tube ride. This was a bit more intense than I was expecting. First, it was a really long line (felt like a 45 minute wait, give or take) and I quickly regretted not getting in line earlier that morning right after Avalanche Mountain, but it was fine, lines are inevitable.
When it was my and Mikey’s turn, we climbed in and they pushed us off (just the two of us this time). Unfortunately the tube immediately turned so my back was facing down the slide, so I had absolutely no idea what was coming up. The first was a very small corner but I made sure to scream at the top of my lungs. I wish I could have taken a picture of the girls faces who were next, because their mouths dropped open and had a slight look of doom. Ha!
So down we went, we were up one side and down the other, I couldn’t see a blasted thing except for Mikey’s face. After a minute of literally ricocheting down Mikey yells “Oh no! Watch out!” Then I heard loud gushing water and just in time I close my eyes and held my breath. I couldn’t breath for a split second as my head was under the “waterfall”. I started feeling motion sick but quickly realized I had my eyes still closed. The second I opened them I immediately felt better but it was a challenge keeping them open because I was paranoid we were going to run into another waterfall as I couldn’t see what else was coming. A split second later we shot out of the tunnel and we were done. I was glad that was over.
I might do that ride again…but I also might not lol.
There were more rides we wanted to go on but we were also getting short on time, so we decided just to walk around and explore some more. We ended with a couple Slurpee’s and strolled back to the car.
Our car was a sauna! Our car registered the temperature at 104 degrees, what a great day to spend in the water! We happily drove home and changed before picking our little boy up from daycare.
We wanted to make sure to squeeze in at least one more fun day with Gryffin so we planned a day to go to the new aquarium that opened. In the grand scheme of aquarium’s it’s a pretty small one, however, considering its location in a mall, it’s a decent size.
Gryffin really liked looking at all the colorful fish, especially the clown and angle fishes. My personal favorite part was petting the stingray’s. They also had some lizards and a turtle you could pet. Not to mention a bird exhibit as well.
Gryffin especially liked the fun water tables they had.
He had missed his nap time otherwise I think his reacations to everything would have been a bit more animated, but I could tell he liked it!
Ending the Weekend
Saturday came and I was exhausted, so between doing laundry and napping we didn’t do much else. Sunday was pouring rain pretty much all day so we stayed in and just got ready for the week.
Overall we had a great time. Not quite your typical vacation, but definitely not bad! Can’t wait for our next one!
Since we’re on the last day of the month I figured I should probably post this. This past month has been a fun one! We got to spend some time with friends who came to visit and checked a few items off our summer bucket list, which you can read about *here*. We did end the last weekend of the month with our little guy getting a stomach bug – boo! Definitely not on our list of things we wanted to do this summer, but we survived.
Here’s what else we’ve been up to…
Currently Watching
Isn’t it romantic. Ok, I’m going to be honest, I wasn’t sure I wanted to see this one. I am usually super picky when it comes to movies, especially romantic comedies, but we had friends over and they recommended this one so we decided to go with it.
It was so much better than I thought it would be! The previews looked pretty funny, but I was still expecting crude humor and I just wasn’t sure about it. I was pleasantly surprised by it. Definitely a good one to check out if you haven’t already.
Currently Reading
I fail in this area yet again. Part of the problem is I just don’t know what to read. I would like something fiction, but I’ve been so picky lately. I used to read mysteries all the time, but I’m a wimp these days and can’t handle anything scary or suspenseful. Maybe I’ll look into an autobiography…
They are so so so good! I used this as the base for the Mikey’s cheesecake brownies that I made for his birthday last month (I talked about it in my last Currently post) and we have been hooked on these ever since! They are practically a must when we have friends come over.
Current Obsession
I don’t have anything too exciting in this area except for these pea chips.
We like to get the giant bag from Costco. What I like about these is that they offer some nutritional value as opposed to other chips or even the veggie straws.
So there you have it! I hope you all have had a wonderful July!
Just an FYI – there may not be a post for the next couple weeks as we are taking a vacation, which also might include a break from my posts as well. I will be back soon though!
I just finished the end of my social media break last week and I wanted to do follow up on it. I have never taken a break before for various reasons, but I am so glad I did!!
First of all, I was happy to find that it wasn’t as difficult as I thought it would be. I’m not joking, I was pretty much expecting to have withdrawals. That may sound dramatic, and maybe it is, but it’s the truth.
The first day was probably the hardest. I realized that the draw to my phone is more of a bad habit than a need for it. I’m so glad I took the apps off my phone because my thumb automatically opened the folder and clicked where the little blue Facebook icon always is. When I realized what I was doing I quickly put my phone back down.
While I didn’t feel a need for it, I did have to think about what else I wanted to do instead. Let’s just say my house stayed pretty tidy throughout the week!
Here’s the discovery I’m ashamed about the most – how much I ran from the stress and frustration at work. I’ve never paid attention before to how early I would gravitate towards Facebook and Instagram on a work day. My excuse was always “it’s just for a couple seconds”. Even though that’s the case, I didn’t realize how much it was breaking up my focus. I found that I did just fine without it. In fact, I found that I was better off without it at work. While you might be thinking “duh”, I honestly thought it was helping me.
Here’s what I discovered during my break
My house stayed more clean and tidy…for the most part (I do have a 2 year old after all ;) )
My mind was less cluttered
I had more conversations with others
I was more focused
I didn’t find myself to be as stressed and frustrated while at work
I didn’t hit the afternoon slump at 3:00 every day (this was probably the most surprising)
I still needed to be intentional with my time and set boundaries with my phone
After logging back on to Facebook for the first time after a week, it turns out I did miss some things. There were 2 baby announcements, a few friends had their wedding anniversary, and a friend’s dog passed away. Since only a week had past I was able to easily catch up on everything and it was perfectly acceptable to still comment and react to posts.
I’ve been back to using Facebook and Instagram for a week now and it’s amazing how easy it is to slip back back into some of my old habits. I’m trying to set up boundaries, such as not checking social media first thing in the morning, and limiting my time throughout the day and evening, but I’m finding that to be difficult. It’s all about being intentional.
Simply Blissful 