Motivation Monday: Every Day Find a Simple Way to Spoil Yourself

It's August 1! Where is the time going? I've already seen countdowns to Christmas and Halloween appear on Facebook and such. Apparently people are REALLLLY excited about those things. I mean, I love Christmas but...it's a bit too early. I'm still soaking in the Pensacola heat over here. And by "soaking in," I should clarify that I am literally soaking wet from the humidity and my personal glistening.

August is an exciting month for our little family. We find out where we go next on our Air Force adventure, and that move may just come way sooner than we even realize. 

Anyways, back to the topic. Motivation Monday. (Links to my past posts in the series.) Today's motivation is as follows:

"Every day find a simple way to spoil yourself."

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This design is inspired by a chalkboard series I designed last month for a church camp; I've been itching to design some other things in the style. Tadaa! Here's the result.

I've been thinking a lot about how I can find joy in my life every day. And I've realized that more often than not, that joy comes in very small, even minuscule things. Recently, I've realized that I love burning candles in my home. I love the ambiance a candle provides; I love the flickering of the tiny flames; and I love my environment smelling awesome!

Now get this—until recently I NEVER bought candles. If you know me, you may know that I kinda hate spending money. I'm a total saver, and when it comes to buying things...well, there has to be a REALLY good deal for me to justify my purchase. Candles just seemed like a frivolous item. (And candles aren't even that expensive!!!) If I DID happen to have a candle, I never burned it. I think I'd get in the mindset of needing a reason to burn the candle, but then I'd never use it, which in turn would make me think I shouldn't ever buy another one. (Anyone else get caught in that cycle??)

Throughout the last few months I've been burning a candle as much as I can. One of my favorite things to do is light a candle in my room while I get Emerson ready for bed. Then, by the time he's asleep and I'm getting ready for bed and settling into my room, there's a great smell and relaxing environment waiting for me. 

A few weeks ago, I was having a really bad day and my upset self went off shopping. I bought myself a new shirt, some Twizzlers, and a candle because I wanted to cheer myself up. I've LOVED that new candle and realized I don't need an excuse (like a bad day) to treat myself with something I really enjoy. 

With that said, I want to emphasize that there are a million ways to "spoil" yourself that don't require much, if any, money. Whether it's actually giving yourself some quiet time to read a book, attending your favorite fitness class, taking a long shower, watching your favorite show, enjoying a special meal, writing in a journal...the list could go on and on!

So, I challenge you. Get out there and spoil yourself! Find something simple you love and see how you can regularly add it to your life. 

Popcorn Games

Last night was one of the nights that highlighted how awesome marriage is. For me, it was one of the evenings that I'd daydream about when my single self imagined everything I hoped my future marriage would be. And because of that, I had to document it. Because when times get tough, mundane, or simply too routine, I want to remember this experience and do whatever I need to do to recreate it, in some way.

For last night, all credit goes to Jake.

Jake stopped home for dinner but then went back to work for a few more hours. This meant I put Emerson to bed and did all my winding down and nighttime stuff alone. By the time Jake returned, I was in bed, with contacts out and glasses on, makeup off and face washed, browsing my phone and thinking about reading for a bit before I fell asleep. (I do have to mention that Jake didn't come home WAY late; we simply usually go to bed really early. :P)

Anyways, I greeted Jake when he walked in and started getting ready for bed. After a little chit chat, he said he was going to get a snack before bed. A few minutes later he walks in with a couple frozen lemonades (one for me!) and a bowl of popcorn. He asks if I want to play a game.

Recently we've been playing a game or two of Rummikub at night so I thought he was talking about that. I said, "Sure!"

But that wasn't what Jake had in mind. His game revolved entirely around the bowl of popcorn. And for the next half hour, maybe forty-five minutes, maybe even an hour, one game evolved into another, another, and then another. First, a popcorn version of pick-up sticks. Then some evolved rules. Then how many pieces can you get to stick on your tongue. Then a series of catch the popcorn in your mouth.

All of these games were extremely silly, and to be honest, slightly gross. (Something about wet popcorn...) But both Jake and I were laughing sooo hard the entire time. I was pretty sure we were going to wake Emerson, but that kid sleeps through anything.

This spontaneous, random game reminded me how much I love Jake and how lucky I am to be married to my best friend. Sometimes we get so focused on our to-do lists and day-to-day activities that we forget to let loose and spend some time simply enjoying being around each other. It reminds me how important it is to continue dating your spouse and to take time to have a little bit of random fun.

Thank you Jake for a memorable evening. And yes, I'm pretty easy to please.

I'm Thankful for...Emerson

Emerson. Ah. Of course he needed to be next in my recent gratitude series.

That little guy is my favorite. I just can't get enough of his cute toothless smile, curious eyes, and of course, those chubby legs. I find myself holding him for much longer than needed after his nighttime feeding when he typically falls asleep in my arms. I just can't get enough of his cuddles and love.

Let me share a moment I had in the hospital room the day after Emerson was born. Now, you may know I didn't have a perfectly smooth pregnancy. Actually I DID have a really smooth first and second trimester but the third trimester wasn't so smooth. (Blood clot, hospital stays, crutches, etc. Find more info here.) With that said, I know people have FAR, FAR worse experiences, and I was blessed to be able to return to activity and finish out my pregnancy.

In the hospital room, with pregnancy and delivery out of the way, Emerson was sleeping in his little crib. I looked over and just had the feeling that he was going to be a healthy, happy baby and that my biggest struggle, i.e. everything from the last part of my pregnancy, was behind me.

I don't think I really knew what that thought meant. But as I've now had six months to think about it, I understand a bit more and am so grateful for the blessing in my life that is my son Emerson.

First, Emerson's health. He has been a very healthy boy from the beginning. He had none of even the common minor newborn issues. He is also a great eater, which may show in his growing chubbiness.

Emerson is also the happiest, most content baby. He smiles all. day. long. He is an observer and is always happy to sit and watch whatever is going on. I can sit him next to me in the bathroom while I get ready, in the kitchen while I do dishes, or on the bed while I fold laundry. He is happy no matter what. I can count on one hand how many times he's cried for apparent "unhappiness." (The only other times he cries is if he's hungry.) I'm so grateful for his demeanor because it's allowed me to return to teaching fitness classes. I'm so grateful I can bring him around town with me and even have him hang out with us during class.

As he gets a little older, he seems to get even more happy. He has a look of joy in his eyes that accompanies his adorable smile. Recently, as I've been playing with him or holding him, I find myself thinking a year or two in the future when Jake is deployed and gone for a while. I know Emerson will be my rock during those times. He will be my little buddy who is a constant reminder to be happy and look for the positive in everything. It's crazy how he's already doing that.

I'm also so grateful that Emerson is a great sleeper, both at night and during naps. Like how did I get so lucky? I've mentioned recently in my "Five Things I Thought BEFORE Having My Baby" that we don't have a regular nap schedule. Emerson is such a flexible dude who goes with the flow, which has proven to be so necessary with my crazy schedule. Before he was even 2 months, he was sleeping 10-12 hours at night. Since then, he's had his ups and downs at night, but eventually returns to his 12 hour routine (7pm-7am ish). And even during his "bad" nights, he would only wake up once, maaaybbee twice, before he quickly falls back to sleep. His naps during the day average 2-3 hours and that's usually with me waking him up either to leave the house or so he has enough awake time before bedtime. He will sleep in the car, in his crib, in his mamaroo, in the bed with us, in the pack 'n play. He is not picky.

All in all, I'm so blessed to even have the opportunity to be a mom, not to mention being a mom to such a perfect-for-me baby. (I don't quite identify as "a mom" yet, but that's a topic for another day.) Emerson has made the transition to motherhood practically seamless and so enjoyable. I feel so lucky to have a happy, content, chubby, and loving baby who loves to eat and loves to sleep. And I'm grateful I get to continue seeing Emerson grow and learn.

Motivation Monday: Live in the Now

Living in the now. It's a concept that seems simple but is a lot harder than one might think.

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As of this morning, Jake officially passed his final flight in his training program for the Air Force. He has a few more weeks of academics, but we will find out his next assignment in less than five weeks, followed by his graduation, and a whirlwind of things that ultimately lead to us moving to wherever the Air Force sends us next.

The point of all that is that here in Pensacola, we are only a few months (weeks maybe?) away from an upcoming PCS (military lingo for "permanent change of station"). This beach town has been the Ortiz home for more than a year now, but in many ways we seem to just starting to settle in. (Story of military life, right?)

Typically at this point prior to big change, I tend to set cruise control on my life and ride out the remaining time until I move/graduate/get married/switch jobs, etc.

A few weeks ago the studio owner where I teach asked if I wanted to put together a barre fitness class. The first thing I thought was, well, I'm moving soon. But I decided to say, why not? Barre has been on my radar as the next class I want to teach, but I've put it off. So she and I proceeded forward in planning and putting a class in the schedule. I officially taught the first class last week and now will be doing two classes a week through... whenever.

Now taking on something new this close to a move is not something I would typically think about doing. But it's been a great exercise for me. Even if I teach this new format less than two months before moving, I have a new skill and class plan to take with me.

As an opposing example, when I was in 10th grade my family was planning a move across the country. My dad moved first while we kids stayed behind with my mom while we sold the house. Well, a couple months turned into eight, nine, ten months. (I'll be honest, I don't remember the exact timeline or plan.) But this is around the same time the olympics were taking place in the state. Because we thought we'd be gone long before that event, I turned down many free tickets and opportunities to attend.

Seasoned military families are probably much more skilled at "living in the now," so I know I've got a lot to learn. There seems to be a fine line in wasting resources and embracing opportunities as they come. But right now I'm focusing on the now, not getting too far ahead of myself, and continuing to live day by day in the best way I can.

I'm Thankful for...Jake!

I mentioned doing a gratitude series a couple months ago in this post, so here I am. Today on this lovely Saturday afternoon, I want to take a minute to talk about my awesome husband and best friend.

As I type, Emerson is taking a nap (and probably waking up soon), I've got two loads of laundry in progress (plus I already folded and put away a couple), I'm half watching, half listening to "How I Met Your Mother," and I've got nail polish drying on my toes. And I'm procrastinating doing the dishes and some kitchen cleaning.

Jake?

Jake is working. Well, flying to be more accurate. He's likely landing soon and will then discuss the flight with his instructor and maybe, just maybe, he'll be home by dinner time. On a Saturday. By the time he makes it home, he will only have one flight left in this year-long training program we've been in Pensacola for.

Seeing Jake complete this training program has shown me so many amazing things about him. For one, Jake is so incredibly hard working. He is often the first to arrive and the last to leave. We discussed schedule stuff multiple times this year and agreed that, even when he has flexibility in his schedule, we'd plan on him doing at least a normal 8-5 work day. Jake likes to be prepared and wants to put in his all every day.

Now one thing about Jake is that he never saw himself being in this particular career at any point. He's the back seater in the plane and kinda randomly found himself in this position. (And that's how things work in the military.) Lots of the people in his program have wanted to be pilots their whole lives or to have any job in a plane. Lots of his fellow trainees are, mmm, better suited to this field than he is. That said, Jake is eager to learn and puts his ALL in everything he does. Nothing in this program comes naturally to him. And to be honest, he has struggled. Last winter, he wasn't sure if he wanted to continue in the program; he wasn't enjoying it and thought that he'd be happier and perform better in a different field.

But Jake continues to amaze me. With all that in mind, Jake has placed in the top third of his class in both sections of his training. (They rank you by top third, middle third, bottom third, and leave the specifics beyond that private.) To me, that says sooo much about Jake. He is willing to let his vulnerabilities show. He's willing to put himself out there and to push himself beyond what he naturally is comfortable with. He struggles at first (because, hey, this is all new to him), but doesn't stop working, studying, practicing, planning. And in the end, he pushes through, improves, and is able to perform well.

And to be honest, he does all that for me and Emerson. I know that like he's shown throughout this training, he will continue to do everything and anything to provide for our family—wherever and however that unfolds in the future. I'm so grateful he does what he does. I'm grateful for his tenaciousness. I'm grateful that he is ALWAYS aware of the big picture, planning for the future and working for his goals.

Serious stuff aside, I have to say how thankful I am for a best friend/husband who I can laugh and be silly with. Almost every night ends with us laughing as we talk and joke before falling asleep. (I'll have to post about our 8 pm bedtime another time...)  He is the one who gets me, and I'm the one who gets to see every serious, goofy, sensitive, loving, sweet, hilarious side of him. (And yes, we both tell jokes that only the other would laugh at.)

Jake is the best dad to Emerson; this I knew would be the case long before we were parents ourselves. He's creative, kind, and loves to spend time with our little guy. I forget that he doesn't get to spend as much time with Emerson as I do (and who knows how future deployments will affect that), but on multiple occasions I've been holding or playing with Emerson, and Jake says something like "Can I hold him? I haven't seen him at all today." Like whaa? Of course, love.

All in all. I love Jake. He's my best friend. He's the only person I want to see each and every day. The one I get to put my cold feet on when the bed is freezing. I'm grateful for his sensitivity and huge heart. I'm grateful that he wants to know everything about anything he does. I'm grateful he wants to provide for our family. I'm thankful he supports me in everything I do. He's my partner, and I'm so proud of him.

This is legitimately the first picture we took together...back when I had dark hair.

How I Earn Target Gift Cards—Free Money!

Who doesn't want Target gift cards? I KNOW I'm not the only one who stops in for a certain item and leaves with a cart full of stuff. I personally love browsing the end caps for clearance items and may have the markdown schedule memorized.

If Target isn't your jam, no worries, you can also earn gift cards to Walmart, Old Navy, Lowes, and more. Check the end of the post for more ways to earn money for things you already do. 

The process is simple. Download the Shopkick app. Go to stores you already go to. Scan some products. That's it.

I had heard about Shopkick loooong before I downloaded the app and tried it out. And I wish I had started earlier. In the short time I've been using it, I've earned about $40.

I've now decided to save up my points to buy a new car seat for Emerson when he outgrows his infant seat.

Use my referral link and we both get a couple hundred bonus points—win, win! Earn this baby a new car seat! :D

Here's how it works!

Step 1: Download Shopkick app.

Step 2: Turn on your phone's location and bluetooth

Step 3: Open the app and see where points await

For example, you'll see below that Target is offering 30 walk-in kicks and 95 kicks for scanning products. Winn Dixie is offering 100 scanning kicks and 450 purchase kicks. (More info about those below.)

Step 4: Earn Walk In Kicks

If your bluetooth and location settings are active, the app will recognize when you are in the store and automatically award your kicks. If not, just open the app and click on the walking man icon to manual get those points. Typically you need to be in the entrance area of the store, but I've actually earned these quite a few times when I'm still in my car by the entrance haha. (But of course, you can't guarantee earning those).

You can get walk-ins each day, but there is a limit per month or something. I've also seen walk-ins worth as high as 300 kicks, especially on holiday weekends. 

Step 5: Scan Products In Store

The app will show pictures of the items available to scan and how many kicks they are worth. I've found that the scans tend to stay the same for a bit, so when I go into a store I typically know exactly where all the products are, and scanning does not add much time to my shopping trip at all. 

Step 5.5. Scan Receipts or Connect Card Purchases

You can also earn kicks for buying certain items or you can connect your card to earn kicks for every dollar you spend in a certain store (like Best Buy or clothing stores.) I have never earned kicks in this way so I can't vouch for how it works. 

Step 6: Redeem Kicks for Gift Cards

After you've acquired some points, you can browse the rewards area and decide how to redeem. The app will show you what you are eligible for and show how many kicks are needed for higher priced rewards. 

 

Step 7: Spend Your Money!!

When you select a reward, the digital gift card is actually stored right in the Shopkick app. Below is an example of a Target card I earned. You simply have the cashier scan that barcode at checkout or the numbers during an online checkout.

This is not an active card! 

Again, feel free to sign up for this app here and earn yourself a new pair of shoes. (I think I got myself two.) I love earning these small amounts of extra spending money while doing things I'd be doing anyways.

I've also earned a few hundred dollars through the Pact app (I wrote about the app when it was still called GymPact.) Of COURSE, I use Ebates for all my online shopping. It's the best and gives you cash back for a percentage of all your purchases! Use my referral link and I believe you get a bonus when you sign up.

And I use Ibotta for grocery shopping. It's like cash back couponing. I'm still exploring how to best use it for me, but this referral link will give you $10 when you sign up and redeem a rebate within 2 weeks. (You can earn for general things like purchasing milk, eggs, bread, and veggies!).

I've also heard people rave about the Walmart Savings Catcher program (via the Walmart app). I have not yet tried this one myself, but I hear great things! 

Do you use any similar programs?

5 Things I Thought BEFORE Having My Baby

We've all heard the lists of things non-parents swear they will never do when they have kids. (Think poo talk, screen time, leaving the house a mess, etc.) This list isn't like that.

Today I'm recounting some of the things I personally planned or thought that have NOT panned out the way I expected.

Nine months pregnant!

1. The baby would sleep in our room for at least six months.

Emerson was born in January. I knew we'd be moving sometime around August or September. I wasn't planning on having a crib before we moved because he'd be sleeping in our room for most of that time anyways. I planned to only have a pack'n play and stretch its use until after we moved.

Just a family nap!

Lucky for us, I found a family giving away a gently used crib, and I snatched it up. I didn't plan on having a crib, but when you get a free one, why not? Well, Emerson has proven to be an awesome sleeper and has been in his own room since 1 month, mostly sleeping through the night with only a few bumps here and there. I remember thinking when he was 3 months that I couldn't imagine him still being in our room. I know some babies do this, but I especially can't imagine him being with us for 9 months!

2. I'd have a skinny/small baby

All through my pregnancy I measured very small. I was always several weeks behind, and people always commented on my smaller-than-expected belly. Granted every pregnancy and body is different, I know. My sibling who I tend to be the most similar too also tends to have small babies, so for some reason I just assumed I'd have a small to normal size baby. 

Emerson and his cousin (who is 1 month older)

Emerson was 7 pounds, 8 ounces when he was born, which put him just above the 50th percentile. But he's been a good eater and steadily gaining weight since. Now at 5 months he's at least a steady 19 pounds tipping towards the 20 pound mark, which puts him right around the 90th percentile for weight. He is already in size 3 diapers, and I may have to try size 4 fairly soon. (I stocked up on diapers beforehand and have had to exchange quite a few size 1 and 2 packs for larger sizes.) He comfortably wears 6-9 month clothes, though I still try to squeeze him into some of the larger 3-6 month outfits.

Love that chunk!

3. I'd hang up baby clothes.

I was pretty good at washing and organizing Emerson's clothes before he was born. I snagged a huge free lot of baby boy clothes and filtered out what I wanted to use and organized everything by size and type. I was gifted several packs of child hangers and liked being able to see everything I had. We did purchase a small dresser to double as a changing table, and I designated certain drawers for sleepers or blankets. I wanted simple solutions for organization and in asking around, several people advised that they never used a dresser and use the closet or bins for all clothes.

Today the huge walk-in closet in Emerson's room operates pretty exclusive as a storage area for clothes he has grown out of, clothes he has yet to grow into, extra diapers and wipes, and other assorted baby items. EVERYTHING Emerson wears resides solely in the small, three-drawer dresser. I can't image hanging anything up and am baffled at the advice people gave me. I try to keep things as simple as possible so organization goes like this. Top drawer: half diapers and burp clothes, half bibs, socks, and hats. Middle drawer: onesies on the left, pants in basket in middle, rompers on the right. Bottom drawer: sleepers on the left, swaddle blankets on the right. That's it.

I also have a small basket right by the dirty clothes basket where we toss any clothes Emerson has grown out of. (I got that system from Do It On a Dime.) My own closet organization is also mostly hung up. I'm liking the idea o

4. I'd try to have a nap schedule

Like most newborns Emerson slept A LOT. After a bit, we did introduce a pretty regular bedtime routine but naps were pretty sporadic. Before I started working, I decided I would first finalize my schedule and find a set nap schedule to work Emerson into as he got a little older.

Nope. We have definitely maintained a go with the flow routine during the day. Bedtime we are very regular about, but it just hasn't worked out to do regular times for naps. (SO FAR...we'll see as he gets older and my schedule changes.) With my work schedule now, Emerson has several longer car rides where he takes short naps. If I'm home all day, we do usually get two longer (at least 1-3 hour) naps in. But other than that, we are out and about. He'll definitely sleep when he needs it though, whether in his carseat, in his carrier, or in the middle of the living room. (In the instance pictured on the right below, he'd been up maybe 1 hour from his morning nap...guess he needed more!)

5. My baby'd have sensitive skin.

My hubby has INSANELY sensitive skin. He practically scars from someone touching him. So add that in with naturally sensitive baby skin, I mentally prepared to have to very careful with our little guy. 

So far we've had no sensitivity issues. We had a diaper rash spray that we used as a preventative measure for the first few weeks but have never actually had a problem. I still wash most of Emerson's stuff with a baby detergent but also throw things in with regular loads and regular detergents and everything's been fine. I am still paranoid about the sun (who wants to deal with a baby sunburn?), but overall we're loving NORMAL baby skin over here so far.

Ready for the pool! No sunburns please.