Curvy Girl Fashion Friday - Link Up

Hello and Happy Friday! I am looking forward to seeing your posts and would love it if you all took time to leave a comment on each other's posts.

This week I only have work looks to share, because my weekend wear is well.... uninspiring. My goal for next week if to have at least 1 weekend or casual look for y'all.It's definitely a weakness for me. I really just wanna live in jeans, hoodies, and pajama pants when I am not at work.Ya feel me??

Also... I try other poses and just always feel fat and awkward, so hand on hip it is... always. Oh and Cardigans and I are in love, but we might n3eed to start seeing other people too. Seeing a cardi everyday this week was enlightening. See, this is exactly what this is good for!

Please add the button to your posts so folks can come link up!

To enter your link you are required to have a back link to my site (http://www.theelsewhereblog.com) somewhere in your post.

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Summer

Can I get a "hells yeah" for Memorial Day weekend?? It's definitely the unofficial start to summer, even if Oregon doesn't get the memo until 7/5. Mark my words, everyone will be bitching about the weather and forget that but summer in OR is 7/5 - 10/15. Every. Damn.Year.

The problem is weeks like we just finished. Faux Summer. 80+ degrees in April/May is NOT REAL folks! We are getting a break in the torrential rain this week for sun and 60's all weekend, proof that Mother Nature doesn't totally hate the PNW.

We're really looking forward to summer around our house. We signed Ozzie up for gymnastics Jun - Aug which should be super fun. It will be his first class that the parent's are not involved. We drop him at the door. Should be interesting. I think he'll do great but that first class may be a mess. He's a day care kid so it's not like he's not used to being dropped off right??

I hope that a structured non-parent class will get him ready for full time pre-school in the fall. We're 99% sure we have chosen his school,  a great montessori school that we toured last fall actually.Classes are a little big, but that's part of the montessori way, the bigs help teach the littles. Class ages range from 3-6, they have a program that runs through Kindergarten. But I digress... back to summer.

Our summer doesn't have any big plans or trips, just lots of fountains, backyard pools, and staying up later than normal for the kiddo I am sure.

What does your summer look like??

Big boy

You guys. I am dying over here.

It really had to be done. I wanted to keep it long forever, but he has my hair. We refer to it as Barbie Hair. It's super fine, curly, and becomes a rats nest if you don't stay on top of brushing, conditioning, and such. He's too young to keep up on it enough so he ends up looking homeless most of the time. That and the daily battle to keep the tangles out was just too much.

He looks like someone else's kid. I am still adjusting 4 days later. ::sob::

214 Days

Y'all, I want another baby. There, I said it. I also want to not have another baby at this weight, which even though I am at my exact pre-pregnancy weight is not ok. I am also 4 years older and next year would be considered the dreaded "advanced maternal age" as I will turn 35 next October. Oh and we all know that this body is NOT the same as it was at this weight 4 years ago. Hubs is on board and we have decided to talk about it in January and decide if we wanna go for it or not. My weight is not the only deciding factor of course there's finances and such to think about.

 I am giving myself a challenge, an ultimatum if you will.

 

7 months to get my shit in gear and prepare for the next phase in my life. Maybe that means I decide to not have any more kids and enjoy my new fit body and lifestyle. Maybe it means a pregnancy and I'll feel so much better about packing on some pounds and staying active through it.

So prepare yourself if you are a regular reader of this blog. There's gonna be lots of food and activity talk for the rest of the year. I don't plan on any kind of structured posting or weigh ins, just a contact stream of how I am feeling, what I am eating, and pics I am sure. I am not setting a goal size or goal weight for Dec 31 either. I am doing my best to make a lifestyle change and not set myself up for failure by making specific goals. I also know each and every day of this will not be perfect, and I vow to be honest about those days too. I mean who wants to read about someone who does this easily?!? Not me.

I'd love it if you know of any greats blogs of folks in the midst of a transformation that I could follow. I always seem to find folks who have reached their goals. While that is inspiring, I want to be able to follow along as they go. Please leave any links you have in the comments section of this post. 

 I am totally using this as a motivational photo. SO unflattering and I do not wanna be "that" pregnant lady again. Urgh.

Making a living room fort (easier)

This whole "growing up" thing Ozzie has going on has it's perks. While I am sad to see my baby slipping away, there is a world of big kid play that's opening up and I love it.

Yesterday we made our first fort. It wasn't anything special and I am totally inspired to make a bigger and better one, but for first timer's we enjoyed ourselves.

I raided my photography stash for the clamps from my portable studio after trying to tie the sheet to things (fail). I highly recommend picking some of these up if you wanna get good study forts! Very reasonably priced and created more options for where we could make it, how high, etc. You can also grab some at Home Depot or Lowe's as well for a couple bucks a piece. My friend Stephanie says she has a "fort making kit" she keeps stocked and she's got them too.

He dragged the memory foam topper out of the guest room. He also ate dinner and watched a movie in there. Rough life huh?

What are your fort making tips??

Curvy Girl Fashion Friday is BACK!!

Hey there!

A long time (2011) ago I had a link up called "Curvy Girl Fashion Friday". It was a chance for us curvy gals to get a post up with 1 look... or many for the week. Inspiring each other, motivating us to try new things, and a great networking opportunity as well. Well... it's back!

Beginning next Friday (5/24) I'll be hosting the link up for your Curvy Girl looks! I am looking forward to seeing your looks! Feel free to spread the word by linking back to this post this week on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram... etc. The more the merrier!

Out to Eat with babies/kids - Mama Memoirs

Before I was a mother I heard a friend once say "Oh man, we are in that time period where you just cannot go out to eat with your kid". For some reason that always stuck with me. While we do not go out to eat every night, and rarely anywhere even remotely fancy... I didn't want to be limited.

My game plan was to take him out ALL THE TIME, from the very beginning and be consistent about what expectations were for behavior. Maybe this would work?? Well for us it has... so far. Almost 3.5 years in. Yes I am fully aware that for some it won't and kids are all different, but here's some tips, ideas, and first hand experiences from a momma to a 3 year old on taking your kid out to eat.

• You have to take your kids out regularly. Just like anything else, if it's new for them, then behavior is all over the place. If they are accustomed to it then generally you can know what to expect. We've taken Ozzie out to eat once a week or so since he was days old.
• Mark this under the "duh" category. Don't take your kids to eat someplace that isn't kid friendly, or if you do then expect to keep them entertained and not be able to enjoy that expensive meal. Better yet... babysitter.
• We almost always request a booth now that he's not in a highchair or booster. That way we can trap him in.
• Our rule is "knees or bottom", no standing.
• We try and not resort to handing him a phone and letting him zone out in order to go out. Yes, sometimes it's necessary, but I think it defeats the purpose of teaching them how to behave.
• Ask the waiter to bring something for them to munch on while you are waiting (or bring a snack). Red Robin is fantastic about that, we always ask for fries when ordering our drinks!
• Our rule of trying at least a bite or 2 kind of goes out the window at a resturant. We tend to order what we know he will like. For us this is not a time to push it with him.
• Don't be "that" parent who leaves a HUGE ass mess and a crap tip. If you don't plan to pick up a bit before you go, then please be conscious and leave an extra tip. Yes it's their job, but we all know the massive mess than can be left after a kid meal, and these people are not your slaves.
• Be prepared to leave. Crap behavior happens and I am totally fine asking for my food "to go" if he decides to be a jerk.

That's about it. I am crossing all my fingers and toes that we can continue to eat out with him! Now if he would only stop being so dang picky.

What is your game plan when taking your kiddos out to eat??