Mama Said, V.8

I can't believe this is the 8th week of Mama Said posts! It feels like I just started doing these. I have another month of advice to share with all of you, and then it's on to something new! But this week is really something special. Two of my favorite blogging ladies are here to share bits of wisdom from their everyday life. The first fabulous mama is one of the very first blogging friends I made, Jamie! Jamie is beautiful, has a heart of gold, and always leaves me feeling happy and inspired. Definitely hop over to her blog and say hello when you get a moment. The second is one of my dear friends, Erin. Erin is someone really special to me and she's been there for me through a lot, including my emergency c-section, a procedure that we both ended up having after planning for a natural birth. She'll talk more about that below. Erin is a beautiful free-spirit, a dream-follower, and one of the kindest souls you could meet in this big, old internet world. I feel lucky to call her my friend.

So, have a great Wednesday, and enjoy this 8th installment of Mama Said!

Hi, Sometimes Sweet Readers! I'm Jamie and I blog over at Inspired Mess (http://inspiredmess.blogspot.com). I'm honored to visit Sometimes Sweet and give my "wisdom" to other mamas out there. I've been married to my husband Brian for 8 years (we met online) and when we met, we each had a son that was 2 years old. Now we have a "his", "hers" and "ours".  Zachary is my stepson and he's 11 (almost 12). Brennon is my son from a previous relationship and he will be 11 next month. (They're 9 months apart.) Then we had Grayson together and he just turned 6 years old. Needless to say, when they're all home, our house is all sorts of crazy. Life with all boys has turned out to be quite an adventure but I wouldn't have it any other way!

I was thinking of what three things I would tell my close friend about becoming a mother and after thinking about it, my only question was "only 3???". There's so much I could share but I narrowed it down to my top three things I would tell her (and you!)...

1. It will change your life forever. I know people say that all the time. So much, that it's become somewhat a flippant remark but it's so true. The quote about "Having a child is forever having your heart walking outside your body." is fact. Your heart experiences this different kind of love that is so enormous you feel that your heart will explode. It never goes away - it only grows. You will always worry about everything from whether the baby is growing properly to what kind of juice, if any, you should give your child to whether or not you're making the right life choices. Do not go in to having a child thinking everything will stay the same and you'll just this extra little person with you. You must take your child into consideration with every decision you make from that point forward. But it will all be totally worth it.

2. You can never love too much. Never too many hugs, kisses, "I love you's". Do not get so caught up in your life that you forget to cherish the little moments. I don't say this lightly: Even though I am sure you'll hear it a bazillion times... Time flies by so fast. These moments will be gone before you know it. Take the time....to read bedtime stories, to play games, to go for a walk and look at the birds and trees, to teach, to have fun and laugh. I'm telling you this with all my heart. Cherish these moments. It is these little acts that will shape and mold your child and his or her character. This is what they will remember. Make sure your children know they can do anything and be anything they set their mind to. Help them learn to dream big and then teach them how to do it.

I have a sign hanging in our living room that I made that says, "Pardon the mess. Our boys are busy making memories." Sometimes you just have to let it go. Leave the laundry, dishes and mess and focus on your children. It's always worth it.

3. Now I want to talk to my friends who are dating/engaged to somebody who already has children. Becoming a stepmother...When you have a child and your husband has a child (or one or the other), remember that you each have your way of parenting and that has already been established with the child. Talk! Communication is so important before any problems start. Discuss how you will discipline and raise your children. Don't assume that you both agree. I know, it seems obvious that you would talk about something like that but it doesn't always happen. I will tell you this, mom to mom...it will be difficult. You may even cry at times. You will feel like you don't know what to do. You're not alone. Be patient and always try your best. It will get easier....and it will be worth it.

Since I've used up my 3, I need to add a *bonus*. As somebody who has lived with the a**hole known as depression, be aware of your body and your feelings after you have your baby. I lived with undiagnosed postpartum that progressed for nearly 3 years without treatment. My marriage was almost destroyed. I almost lost everything that was important to me. Know the signs and don't be ashamed to ask for help. Did you read that? Do not be ashamed to ask for help. You're not alone and it is nothing to be ashamed about. There's a long list of symptoms but if you have difficulty bonding with your baby, caring for your baby or thoughts of harming yourself or your baby, please, please, please tell somebody.

I'm sure there's many more things I would share but those are the top ones that came to mind. It's the most rewarding and important thing I have ever done. It's not always easy, but it's always worth it.

 Hi there, my name is Erin of Happy Owl! I am a 32 year old first grade teacher and lifetime CA girl. But almost 4 years ago my husband Mike and I decided to live our dreams in Juneau, Alaska! We have a wonderful life that we celebrate daily with our two sons Noah, 5 and Logan 2. Being a working, wild, busy mom I was so excited to give some advice and read about tons more!!!

I found this tip to be really helpful, especially with having a blog and friends in the blog world. When you have a bad day, feel overwhelmed, exhausted, etc. Share your day with a close friend, blog friend,  or family member who is also a parent. They will for sure have a worse day, funny story or something that will make you feel like you are not alone in the world.

Yes, your laundry is never done, legos or barbies shoes or baby rattles HAVE taken over every square inch of your home, and every once in awhile you count down the minutes until it's bedtime. But nevertheless, cherish every moment you have with your wee ones. In the chaos of the day you forget how really blessed you are to be a parent. Especially when others around you are not so lucky.

And last...don't feel bad if your plan for perfect baby didn't go into fruition. we wanted cloth diapers, we wanted to stop breast feeding earlier, we were unsure about co-sleeping, we wanted to make all my own baby food, not let my kids watch t.v.,  I wanted a more natural birth and I had an emergency c-section, etc. Life happens and sometimes EVEN if it works perfectly for someone else and they make it sound so easy, it simply might not be right for you. And the bottom line is that's ok! The most important thing is you have a beautiful child (or children) to raise and love and cherish!

Now go play with your kiddos :)

xo- erin

Old chairs/new chairs

Hank and I have had these dining room chairs for a long, long time. We originally purchased the entire dining set (table and four chairs) from a woman via Craigslist about four years ago for a total of $50 or so, and she had gotten the set from her mother, and dated the Drexler pieces to the 1940s. Now, I am clueless when it comes to old furniture, but they are such quality and I've always loved them so I knew we should hold on to them. The details are really gorgeous- check out the flowers engraved on the top- and they are really sturdy pieces. Originally I wanted to get a new dining set for our new home, but recently I've become inspired to try redoing the things I already had, and I thought I would try my hand at the simple task of reupholstering the chairs. And it really was simple! Before this year I was almost an anti-DIY kind of girl. My attitude: why make anything when I could easily buy it? (sad but true). Once I took Home Ec though something in me changed, and now I LOVE making things. Sewing, crafting, creating...I can't get enough. 

I'm really proud of the way these chairs turned out, and I think they definitely add a lot to our dining room. Once I finish the room (slowly but surely- on the hunt for the perfect sideboard now) I will post photos of the entire thing. Below though I'll share the steps I took in restyling our chairs. Enjoy!

What you'll need:

fabric
scissors
screwdriver
staple gun
short staples (5/16 inch)
iron
ironing board

First, find fabric that you love. I saw this fabric at Joann's, and immediately fell in love! I initially wanted to use it to make curtains for the front sitting room/library, but the print was really too small for such a big window- perfect for our chairs though! I purchased four yards but used a total of about 3 and a 1/2 yards for the four chairs.

To get started, turn your chair over and unscrew the cushion. If you have to replace the actual cushion I can't help you there, but luckily the previous owner had redone the chairs before we got our hands on them so they were in good condition. I chose to staple my fabric right over the fabric that was already in place to save time and a lot of work. Plus, extra padding can't hurt!

Once you have the cushion off, lay it on top of your fabric and cut around it, enough to fold over onto the cushion.

Iron the fabric.

Next, staple the fabric to your cushion base. Make sure the fabric is pulled tight and the corner are folded and tucked neatly.

When you are done, trim the excess fabric and be sure that the holes are clear so you can reattach the cushion to the chair.  An optional step here would be to apply stain guard, which I didn't do.

Finally, screw the cushion back onto the chair and wa-la! You have a beautiful "new" chair!  Or in our case, four!

Tattoo Tuesday V.62

 Name/blog name: Amber – www.bebebirdbeck.blogspot.com

Age: 23

Occupation: Police Dispatcher/ Student

Age of first tattoo: 18

Favorite tattoo: I’m the worst at picking favorites. If I was forced to pick I’d say the word lovely on the inside of my right bicep. It makes my heart swell every time I see it. It’s the first tattoo I got that really meant something big to me. In short, I got it because my God has called me lovely. There was a point in my life that I definitely didn't love myself or even really like anything about myself. I wasn't in a good place at all. I figured there was no way that I could be pleasing to God. Through several people that I looked up to most in my church, my Bible, and quiet times with Him He called me lovely. I felt a peace deep down and knew that my God delighted in me, He has called me lovely (which is actually my right sleeve theme is). My heart was flooded. I never felt as beautiful or as sure about life. It's such a sweet reminder every time I see it, especially on those days when I tend to be too hard on myself. I'm lovely. 

 

Featured tattoo/location:  Initials AB on my left rib panel.

Artist/shop/location of featured tattoo: Mike Tweed at Inkfluence Tattoo in Lubbock, TX.

 

1) Tell us about your featured tattoo- is there a background story or special meaning? Why did you choose this particular piece of art?  

I’ve wanted to get my husband’s initials since the day we met got married. We ended up getting ring finger tattoos of a favorite scripture instead. I decided to get the tattoo without him knowing as a present. I wanted it to be as girly and fancy as possible. It was the hardest secret I’ve ever had to keep.  I showed it to him on Valentine’s Day (corny… but cute nonetheless ;] )  He was completely shocked, but he adores it too! 

2) Do you have any other tattoos?  If so, what do you have and where? 

I have most of my right arm done. It contains script that reads, “I delight in you my treasure my bride,” an owl, the word “lovely”, a little birdie, daisies,  floral/girly designs, an Indian girl, 2 more owls, a fox, and the word “beloved” in Hebrew. My left arm has a cherry blossom tree and Japanese waves. I have 1 Cor 13:4 and a bow tattooed on my ring fingers, a diamond on my left upper chest/shoulder area, and a fleur-de-lis on my left hip.

 

3) Do you plan on getting more?  

Definitely. I’m not sure what my stopping point will be. I do believe I’m done with the cherry blossom/wave arm. I like the way it looks with my upper arm blank. I will definitely complete my right arm. I go back and forth between wanting a chest piece, so far I can’t dream up anything substantial enough to get there. I want my thighs done and feet also. I’d like to think someday I’ll be mostly covered. Strangely enough, I even love being tattooed. So to answer the question that everyone and their mom (literally) asks, No it doesn't really hurt that bad. I kinda like it. ;]

 

 

4) How do your family and friends feel about your tattoo(s)?  Have you run into any adversity or negativity because of them? Do you have a significant other? Does he/she have tattoos?

My family wasn’t super stoked on my tattoos at first, but I think they have all mostly come around and accepted that they are part of me and that I will continue getting them. My mom took the longest. She just couldn’t figure out why I wanted to have something so permanent on my “beautiful skin.” She cried when I got my first tattoo (and probably 2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th and so on) Granted I got my first against her wishes when I still lived at home and hid it from her as long as possible. I would have done that differently for sure and waited till I was on my own.  She has come around and even thinks some of them are pretty now.  She never treated me any differently because of them, just couldn’t understand why I wanted them. She loves me all the same though, which is awesome. :]

I actually don’t have any heavily tattooed friends, but they all love them.

As for random strangers, I live in a highly conservative town, so I’ve come across plenty of negativity. A woman recently told me, “You might have been pretty if you didn’t completely ruin your skin.”  I guess being visibly tattooed makes strangers think they have a right to approach you with their opinion. I just smile and walk away, usually. Sometimes I accidentally let out a sharp sentence or two and then smile as I walk away. However, I try to just respond kindly no matter the situation; it makes me happy and them just feel like a bigger jerk.  With that being said, I am approached by plenty of strangers who love my “ink, tatz, sleeves, or work.”  My favorite is when old little women tell me how pretty they are.

My husband has a quarter sleeve, loves tattoos, and adores all of mine. He loves dreaming up new tattoos with me. He's about to get another one this week actually. Yay!

  

5) Any advice for those interested in getting tattooed but haven't gotten one yet?

It’s been said plenty of times before, but really, find an amazing tattoo artist. I’ve had my fair share of bad tattoos, luckily easily fixed by my tattoo artist. I got one out of town, on my honeymoon, from a random tattoo shop. His portfolio looked pretty rad, but his work was not up to par. I don’t know if it was a stolen portfolio or what, but the tattoo was horribly HORRIBLY done. The lines weren’t straight or connected and the shading was ridiculous. I made him fix a few things but then just realized every time he went back to work, he made it worse.  I didn’t think it would be fixable, but luckily it was! It’s the diamond on my shoulder. It always sounds like such a brilliant idea to get a tattoo as a souvenir, but I definitely won't be doing that anymore unless I already know the tattoo artist is amazing beforehand.  I also accepted a tattoo as a gift once. Never a good idea, unless it’s from the shop/artist you already know and love. 

Also, be prepared to have random strangers approach you EVERY day about your tattoos. I’m probably asked a minimum of eight times a day if my tattoos hurt.  A lot of people just really are intrigued by them. It used to bug me pretty bad when strangers would grab my arms and rub them, but I’m pretty accustomed to it now. I try to take it as a compliment and move on.  An older lady even told me once, “I’ve found that people who are tattooed are very affectionate and loved to be touched.” Apparently she has done her fair share of touching tattooed folk.

I usually wear a cardigan if I'm not feeling extra friendly that day. Can't a girl go grab some milk in peace?!  And don’t get me started about being a tattooed lady in a gym.

Lastly, tattoos are lifelong commitments, duh, but get something that you really want. Whether it's because it means something super important, or because it's just too dang pretty not to have on your body; make sure you love it. Don't accept whatever the tattoo artist draws up IF you don't like it. I've had my tattoo artist change things after he has it completely drawn it up if I just don't feel right about something. He doesn't ever care and gladly changes it. If he did care, I would have found someone else. The art is going to be on you forever. Now, I completely trust my tattooist's artistic vision and how well he knows me. He knows what I like and can tell what sort of style I want my tattoo to be. I think that's super important.

OH, and tip. :] 

Arizona Blogger Meetup (3/26)...more details!

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With the meetup FIVE days away, I thought I would share some of the amazing raffle prizes that will be given away during the dinner on Saturday night.

And remember, if you want to attend dinner, check out this post, and/or send $17 to sometimessweetblog@gmail.com via paypal by WEDNESDAY. Hank and I can only come to the dinner portion, so I really, really hope most of you can make it to La Bocca. I am just so excited to meet all of you!

I'll post a list of all the dinner attendees on Friday along with some additional information about the daytime activities, but for now here are the prizes that have been graciously donated by all of these wonderful shops!

gift basket of sweets and treats from Miette Pastry Shop in San Francisco
prize package from Frances Vintage and Smeeks
prize package from the Grow-Op, Butter Toast, and Mercantile Boutique
gift basket from Funk Off! Vegan products
print from Livy Love Designs
necklace from Dolly and Boy
$25 gift card to Stella Grace Boutique
$25 gift card to Monkey and Squirrel
$30 gift card to Up Country Vintage
$40 gift card from The Blue Balloon

...and even more still in the works!

So, come on out and enjoy DELICIOUS food, meet fellow bloggers/future friends, and treat yourself to a nice night out in Tempe at La Bocca. And don't forget, there's also going to be a photographer there to capture it all. Chelsea, Kelsey and I can't wait to see you there!

March Giveaway winner!

Congratulations to Korina Biemesderfer! And thank you to everyone who participated. Sponsors, I emailed you Korina's contact information earlier today.

Thank you to everyone who participated! :)

a small reminder on being in the moment and blogging.

 

Being in the moment and blogging seem to go hand in hand...right? Documenting events, taking photos of loved ones, happy thoughts. So many bits of life written down, photographed, condensed and shared. But really, could there be anything less "in the moment" than trying to capture the moment? It's a fine line to walk- there you are at a great event, and instead of just being, just focusing on the people and beautiful surroundings, you're thinking about taking photos, thinking about how you can "blog this" later. Over the past year or so I've managed to strike a great balance with my blog world and my real world. And not that the two are entirely separate anymore, but because blogging is such a huge part of my life, it's imperative that I take a step back and become selective with what I share. I don't blog everything I do, and for special occasions (like my sister's wedding), I make taking photos secondary to creating memories. I think it's important for serious and/or full-time bloggers to keep this in mind- you're documenting your life, but the LIFE part is what's important, and if the documenting/sharing part works naturally with this, great. But focus first and foremost on having fun and not thinking too much about how this will translate into the best possible blog post.

I think it's great to remind myself to be more present in my everyday life, and that sometimes, it's far more fun to actually be in the moment, than to try and capture it.

One week to a better me!

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Happy Monday, and happy first day of the rest of you life! Okay. Really cheesy thing to say, I know...but isn't it true? Every single moment is a new start, but Mondays are so wonderfully symbolic of a true fresh beginning. I'm sure that's why I love them so much- no matter what we did the previous week, we can start anew today.

So, in the spirit of this new week, this new start, and this new day, I thought it would be fun to write five "better myself" goals that I will work on ALL week. The aim of all of these goals is to broaden my horizons, expand my mind, and spend the time I have wisely. These will be small things in five different categories: nutrition, exercise, relationships, creativity, and me-time. The last one is especially a good one for new mamas!


Nutrition: this week I am focusing on branching out and trying some veggies I don't eat on a regular basis. Maybe I'll experiment with radishes or sautee some kale. Mix it up a bit!


Exercise: push ups, wall squats and abs every other night before before bed in addition to my regular workout schedule. Summer's coming!


Relationships: I'm going to plan little morning surprises for Hank everyday this week- waking up early and cooking breakfast, little notes in his lunch, etc. He doesn't always read my blog so I think (I hope!) my secrets are safe!


Creativity: This week I am going to try a fabric/felt flower DIY for our bedroom to put in the white vases on our dresser.

Me-time: I'm FINALLY going to finish the wonderful book "Never Let Me Go."

If you decide to write five small "better yourself" goals for the week, link me below so I can see what you're up to! Have a wonderful week.