Monday Musings & Baby Cold Remedy Recommendations

Happy Monday, y'all!

I'm starting my 3rd week of work and I'm finally starting to feel like we're getting a schedule down...and my internal clock is now waking me up naturally around 4:30am {even on weekends, but I hit my internal snooze button when that happens}. The first couple weeks were rough, getting the kids on a new schedule as well as myself, and it didn't help that my little Farrah has been sick. She was a lot more needy for me because of it, so it didn't help that it was right at the time she was starting to go to daycare and wouldn't see me all day anymore. She stayed home last Monday and Thursday, so I had to work from home on Thursday {so thankful my job can be done from home when necessary!} This weekend, she finally was showing signs of life again {a.k.a. being back to her cheerful, sweet little self}...even though she's still a little congested, she was much happier and playful.

I hit up Target this weekend for anything and everything that will help her through the last of this cold. I found a few things that I didn't even know they had for infants...they are homeopathic and so far, work pretty great. If you have kids, you might already know about Hyland's Teething Tablets. Farrah LOVES those so much more than the Orajel. So when I found in the cold section that they also make Tiny Cold Tablets, I knew they would be something she would happily take. {She likes to use her good ol' gag reflex when I give her liquid medicine sometimes, and it's caused her to lose her meal more than once :-( }

Another thing I got is Zarbee's Cough Syrup + Mucus Reducer. This actually seemed to dry her up for a while! Her nose had been running non-stop for like two weeks!

And of course, she's been getting her nose wiped so much lately that the poor thing has some irritated skin around her nose and mouth...and she cries every time we go to wipe her. So I went and picked up something I used to use with Breckin that I loved - Boogie Wipes. She actually lets me clean her up now without crying. They are saline wipes, so they aren't as harsh on her skin.

For good measure, I also purchased her a cool mist humidifier a few days ago and I can tell it has made a huge difference for her congestion at night. I got this one at Wal-Mart. I love it because it is quiet and works great. I've had no leakage issues with it.

So if all of this doesn't knock this cold completely out, or at least keep her comfortable while she fights off the rest of it, I don't know what will! I just desperately wanted my baby girl to feel better and be back to her old self again. Now that she's at daycare, I have a feeling we'll be seeing a lot more illness come home with her, so it's good that I'm stocked up and prepared. I should also be getting my Young Living essential oils kit soon and plan to diffuse some Thieves for her to see if it helps.

Since Sunday was such a beautiful day {high 60's/low 70s!} I decided to take advantage of it by getting a run in...I had mentioned before that I wanted to start adding this back into my routine as more of a regular thing. It was a little rough and definitely nowhere near my best, but I'm glad I pulled through. I've got some 5Ks and a 10K coming up soon, so I've really needed to get back into it.

Other than that, the weekend was full of laundry, grocery shopping and meal prep for the week. Glamorous, I know. Have a great week!

Linking Up With: Life Of Meg // Still Being Molly // Lipgloss & Crayons // B Loved Boston

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Workout Wednesday

As spring draws closer, I am starting to examine my workout routine, where I am in my journey and what changes need to be made to get where I want to be {and that is in a bikini, my friends}. As much as I love Body Beast and Insanity, I feel like I could be doing more {call it workout ADD, I always have to switch it up!} I have always felt that at times I have been running regularly {I have a love/hate relationship with running, but it certainly does wonders}, I feel like I definitely slim down a lot quicker {and it hits my trouble areas more so than most activities} and I feel energized. I do also love being outdoors and getting that happy dose of Vitamin D. Plus, in warmer weather and daytime hours {aka weekends}, I can take my kids in the jogger.

It's been a bit cold here lately and I haven't motivated myself to get up and get moving. I get up most mornings to do Body Beast or Insanity before work, but on days I miss, I could definitely put more effort in to go on a run after the kids are all fed and in bed. Daylight Savings needs to come quick! But I don't want to wait until then. I've got about 7 lbs left to shed {plus a little more to get where I really want to be} and I think adding in a fair amount of running each week will certainly make a difference.{Plus, I haven't been actively running in a long while and I have the Cooper River Bridge 10K Run in March!}

Now, with it still being pretty cold and all, especially at the times of day I am able to fit running in, it is crucial to have some good cold-weather running gear. Here are some items I'm coveting lately and may add to my arsenal of fitness gear.

C9 by Champion® Women's Cold Weather Run Pullover

I love love love the C9 by Champion brand at Target. The items are all usually pretty dang good quality and you can't beat the price. This pullover is great...and I'm definitely making the purchase. I really love the Raspberry Shock color too, however, I do tend to swing toward pink on most things, so maybe I'll switch it up because this blue is really nice too.

C9 by Champion® Women's Capri Legging

Well, since I love C9 so much, why not also pick out some leggings to go with the pullover? I'm a big fan of fitted capri leggings when I work out, whether it's cold outside or not {all the more reason to work harder and get warm, right?} I do wear full length pants sometimes, but much prefer my calves and ankles be free...I think it's the dancer in me? Anyway, these look like they'd be a great fit.

Zella 'Live In' Blur Print Leggings

OK, so I know I just got done saying I prefer capris, but I'm not opposed to full-lengths, especially when they are as fun as this! Great for running and barre class too! Love the print!

Zella 'My Run Layer' Half Zip Top

This top comes in a couple of other colors, but I love this yellow. Let's face it, you've got to watch out for some crazy drivers these days and the color is also perfect for early AM runs when the sun isn't up yet...nighttime too.

What is your current workout routine like? Do you love running? Would love to hear your suggestions for gear and clothing!

Linking Up With:  Pampers & Pearls // Fitness Blondie 

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Become a Fashion Designer

Well Hot Damn...

I just up and left you after last Monday, didn't I? I knew my first work week would be a bit overwhelming with the schedule adjustment, but WOW...I did not even touch this blog at all. Let me tell you though, this job is an AMAZING opportunity...I am so happy I bit the bullet and just said yes even though it was so random and unexpected. I had been bummed I didn't land anything permanent in my organization when I left Boeing two years ago, but sometimes when you allow yourself to look back at times that were disappointing and you see all that happened between then and now, you realize that maybe the entire time, God did have His hand in it all, and what I had thought was best for me then, wasn't even close to what He had in store...and His best is ultimately BETTER.

 

I may not have gotten pregnant with Farrah 8 months after leaving Boeing had I never left. I mean, would that right place and time have happened? I was working so much and doing so much overtime. I just don't know. I certainly wouldn't have been blessed with the opportunity to stay home with her for 9 months. And as far as the job I had then and the job I have now...I mean, WOAH, soooooo much bigger of an opportunity to be a part of something really great. Going into a contract position, you don't know what organization you'll be in or who you'll be working for until you show up on day one ready to work. I am supporting an Executive Vice President in the Boeing Research and Technology organization. He manages 1100-ish people. I am working next to genius-level engineers and rocket scientists. We are so much more than just the 787...we support Boeing Defense and Space...and so many way in the future projects. It is awesome. Being where I am, if I can make a permanent position out of it, I am in an amazing role and I am so excited about it. And my boss {the VP} is soooooo nice. Just a pretty laid-back guy that always makes the time to say hi and ask me how I'm doing. For a guy at his level to take that time, it just says a lot about him. But he's already complimented me so much for just "taking the bull by the horns and running with it" and my direct report manager has labeled me a "God-send" when asked by the VP how she thought I was doing. I have only been there a week and feel more appreciated than I ever did in the year and a half I worked there before. However, I am thankful for my past position there because ultimately, it has made going into this position so much easier because I am familiar with the lingo, the processes and the "Boeing way" as they like to call it. I'm not just completely overwhelmed and confused. I sure have liked running into old coworkers and surprising the heck out of them.

Of course, I miss my babies like crazy. Farrah did pretty well in her first ever week of daycare. I definitely love seeing her face light up at the end of the day when I pick her up. Our time is limited these days, so I'm doing everything I can to make the most of it. I am waking up at 4:30am now to squeeze in my 45-min Body Beast workout, just so I don't have to worry about it at the end of the day because that is my time with my kids. It was a bit of an adjustment getting up so early, but I think my body will be fully adjusted in another week or so. I definitely felt tired by 7:00pm every day, but powered through!

On Friday night, I went to an essential oil class {party} and I got coerced into buying the whole startup kit. I have actually been curious about this sort of homeopathic care, so it will be interesting to see how it goes. Anyone else use essential oils? Got any good testimonials or recipes to try? I am using the Young Living brand, so I guess since I bought the starter kit, I am automatically turned into a distributor. Let me know if you need anything, haha. 

Anyway, that's it for the major updates of the week/weekend. I plan to get back organized on this blog soon...hoping to throw some outfit posts your way very soon. Thanks for sticking with me during my adjustment phase. Have a great week!

Linking Up With: Life Of Meg // Still Being Molly // Lipgloss & Crayons // B Loved Boston

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Become a Fashion Designer

Monday Musings / Weekending

Crazy-busy weekend...I tell ya. I'm starting at Boeing today and praying this new schedule works out well for my family and me. Though, I'll tell you this was me this morning when the 4:30 alarm went off and I had to get up to get my Body Beast workout in:

It's going to take a bit of motivation, for sure, but once my body get used to it {it will, right???} I should be fine.

Friday night, we went to our friends' house and we all ate a lovely meal, let the kids run around and celebrated Jake's birthday. There was also a little karaoke, which I'm all about. They were kind enough to offer to have Tanner stay the night with his friend, so the next morning, I was able to relax a little bit with Breckin and Farrah, and also get some chores out of the way. I needed to get ahead on a lot of things before starting back to work.

Saturday night, Jake's parents took the kids and we went out for a nice dinner, some drinks and then to see American Sniper. I really liked the movie a lot and highly recommend you see it. It's quite an eye-opener for what goes on over there. And Bradley Cooper is hot...so.......but anyway, I got to sport my leopard jacket for the first time and I. Love. It.

Coat {in stock again!} / Boots

Sunday, we picked up the kids, went to church and then came home. I had to get the grocery shopping done...did a lot of meal prepping - mostly veggies hard-boiled eggs and sweet potatoes - for Jake's and my lunches this week. Then of course, more chores...for some reason, I'm one of those that has to start the work week with a clean and organized house and all the kids' bags packed for where they need to be...especially now since it's been a while since I've worked...I just don't want to feel overwhelmed daily.

Anyway, sorry this Monday Musings is a little short/boring...but I hope to get on a good track with working in blogging with working again! Have a great week!

Linking Up With: Life Of Meg // Still Being Molly // Lipgloss & Crayons // B Loved Boston

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Friday Five

Happy Friday everyone! This week has been quite a whirlwind...an unexpected thing happened and it turned everything upside-down.

{one}

I was offered a contract {to hopefully hire} position at Boeing on Tuesday and they need me to start Monday. I worked for Boeing from 2011-2013 {also as a contractor}. I had randomly found a woman on Facebook in our local mommy exchange group that had commented on someone's post that she recruited for aerospace industry jobs. I messaged her and asked her if she recruited for Boeing and she said she did. I gave her a little background info and my history there and she said she'd keep me in mind if anything ever came up. I really didn't expect much. Plus, I hadn't planned on going back to work, if not at least until the fall when Breckin started Kindergarten. However, if I was going to go back, it would only be for a good company like Boeing. So I just put it out there to see what happened. So when she called me on Tuesday, our conversation went like this:

Recruiter: "So, I don't know how good of a job you did when you were there before, but all I did was mention your name and they told me you didn't even need an interview and get her in here ASAP!" {She said in all her years of recruiting, this has never happened.}

Me: "Whaaaa? Oh my God, really? Wow, OK." {I know, so professional, right?}

Recruiter: "So are you interested and can you start Monday?" {Then more about position...yada yada yada.}

I was floored...and had so many mixed emotions. Leaving Breckin and Farrah way earlier than expected...a crazy new life schedule {work starts at 7am, so I have to get up at 4:30am now just to get my workout in and get kids ready for school/daycare}. I had to quickly get childcare and after school care lined up...I had to find time to go get the required drug test and my badge...it has just been a CRAZY week. But it's a good job, and if I am able to land a permanent position, the benefits are so great for our family. I am sad to say goodbye to my SAHM status...I have loved my schedule with the kids...and of course getting to enjoy all the baby months with Farrah. Now I'm praying I won't miss her big first-time milestones - crawling, walking...I will be a blubbering mess driving to work on Monday. At least I get off work at 3:30pm. This picture will for sure be plastered on my work laptop.

{two}

Breckin, Farrah and I made it out to the beach this week for a stroll and some play. It was so nice this week compared to what it has been. The mornings have still been a tad chilly, but it got up to high 60s most days.

{three}

I got my orders from Ali Express yesterday and they are both perfect! If you remember from this post last week, I told you about the Isabel Marant sweater I scored as well as the J. Crew herringbone vest. Here I am today sporting the sweater:

{four}

Tomorrow is my husband's 37th birthday! We are getting a date night, so we are taking him to get a nice steak and then watch American Sniper. I've heard it's really good. Have you seen it yet?

{five}

I feel like I've got so much on my plate this weekend...starting a new job on Monday after being out of work for 9 months is quite busy. Everyone is going to be on a new schedule, going to new places...even my husband will now have to wake up a little earlier since he will be the one driving the kids to daycare {it's opposite direction of my work, and I go in so early, so the less time they have to be at daycare, the better}. I will be packing a lunch every day for myself, so this is prime time to get back on a good meal prep schedule. On Sundays, I will be prepping veggies, chicken and sweet potatoes, etc. for the week {for both Jake and I to take to work for lunch}. If I don't pack a lunch and snacks at Boeing, it's just bad news. I know this from working there before. Their cafeteria has too many fatty options and then fast food gets expensive and of course is bad as well. I also got contacted by an old California college friend that is in town this week on business and we plan to meet up tomorrow to catch up after 10 or so years!

Have a great weekend!

Linking Up With: Hello, Happiness! // The Good Life // A. Liz Adventures // Carolina Charm // Lauren Elizabeth // Meet @ The Barre // September Farm // The Farmer’s Wife // All The Joys // Momfessionals

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Become a Fashion Designer