momonthegoinholytoledo

Have Christmas morning minus the sleep deprivation, debit, and guilt!

February 20, 2015February 20, 2015momonthegoinholytoledo

The doorbell rang and my initial reaction was one of panic. I thought for sure I had forgotten about a playdate or about a friend dropping by. I quickly grabbed the nearest laundry basket and frantically starting throwing stuff in it ASAP! Violently rubbed baby powder around my oily hasn’t been washed in 4 days hair. Tried my best to hold my eyebrows up for a more refreshed, I actually slept last night look, which I am fairly certain is also my surprised expression, but it is what I have to work with. Pinched my cheeks for a little color and hoped for the best! So you can imagine my splendid surprise when I opened the door and was greeted by that adorable, inspiring, (non-judgmental) orange box! It was like Christmas morning minus the sleep deprivation, debit, & guilt! Eeee!!

It arrived!! Such a glorious surprise! And let’s be honest as a mother & wife/parent & spouse there are very few and far between surprises in life. Sure there are the occasional: “Oops, I pooped my pants”. “Oops I threw up all the way to the bathroom but felt great once I arrived”. “Oops, did I forget to tell you I invited clients over for dinner this evening? They will be there in 2 hours. Is that a problem?” And classic in our house, “Oops, I did have homework Friday” says the young man 10 minutes before we leave for school on Monday!! So it is so nice to have a pleasant surprise…one that doesn’t require clean up!! One that makes me feel special. One that makes me feel young & trendy! One that makes me feel like a star! Yep, I get all that from that one orange box…or rather, from all the goodies in the box. Look at all the goodies in this month’s box… (BTW- I am eating the Balance bare right now and it is AMAZING!). I love trying new things!!

So maybe I can’t travel around the world, go rock climbing, or attend the Oscars but I can take a mini adventure in a box called Bulu!! Now, if you will excuse me I am off to try Sant, the organically grown dried superfruit that transform into a fresh beverage…sounds like a tropical vacation to me (or at least for my taste buds….-17 outside but a tropical vacation in my mouth…didn’t think that one out to well but you know what I me). Make today a magnificent one! Be ambitious! Be extraordinary! Be bold! Be outrageous! Be the best you that you can be!! And rock the Bulu!! Click here to learn more and get promo code.

Peace & Love

-Kat-

Preparing for the Lenten Journey: Lenten Acts of Kindness & Sacrificial Alms Jar and Love Dare

February 18, 2015February 18, 2015momonthegoinholytoledo

As we begin with Ash Wednesday and its reminder of repentance, let us resolve to do our best each day, knowing that it is not the destination, but the journey that will ultimately transform us. -Father Barron-

So, on our Lenten journey this year we are trying something a little different for Lent. We are merging two traditions, the Lenten Alms Jar & the Kindness Jar (Jelly bean Jar). I still feel strongly about the need for children to have these traditions during Lent. It is in childhood that we learn what Lent is and these activities are the perfect way for a child to comprehend the Lenten journey.

We have a jar that is filled with 40 acts of kindness. Each day during Lent the children will take turns pulling an act from the jar. I really liked the acts that Family at the Foot of the Cross shared. They included, draw a picture of Jesus with your family and hang it on the fridge, help set the table without being asked, read a story with a sibling, say a prayer for the Pope, learn a new bible verse, etc. They all seemed appropriate for the age range of my children (4-9). Click here for a full list of the acts of kindness. However we will not be adding any beans to the jar. Instead we will be adding money to the jar in order to enter into the spirit of saving for alms.

The children have decided to give up pizza that we usually have on pizza & movie nights. I know how much they look forward to it and I know how much I look forward to not cooking. Haha! But that’s okay; maybe they will pull the “help mom cook dinner” act of kindness on movie night.

The older two have also decided to give up the chocolate milk they buy once a week at school in addition to any Tooth Fairy money they might be receiving. And our youngest, our 4 year old has declared that she will be giving up her Valentine’s candy, which just so happens to be down to 1 sucker…a small sacrifices, but a sacrifice no less. And I have decided to give up Starbuck’s. It will be interesting to see how much we save as a result of self-denial. The next step is deciding where we would like to send the alms fund. The children have tossed around a few ideas…Apraxia Support, American Heart Foundation, Church, a student from school whose family lost an infant.

And for our marriage we will be taking up a wholesome activity as a couple and doing the Love Dare, 40 days love journey! My husband’s new job has him traveling a lot. And I am suddenly in a new position myself as the solo parent when he is away. Both our jobs are very demanding, stressful, and draining at time. So it is no surprise that when we do finally see each other we have little left to give the other, if anything at all. Hopefully the Love Dare will help get us back on track.

I am also looking forward to Matthew Kelly’s Best Lent Ever!! BTW, in his first message he say’s don’t give up chocolate and to not do ANYTHING you have done before for Lent, which is precisely what we are doing!! Click here to sign up for your best Lent Ever.

Here is to a magnificent Lenten journey!! God Bless

What are you doing for Lent? What have you done in the past that worked our well? Have you ever done the Love Dare?

Giveaway: LEGO Justice League Vs Bizarro League Blu-ray/DVD

February 17, 2015February 17, 2015momonthegoinholytoledo

My son was beyond excited when I shared this post with him! And if your child is anything like mine, or perhaps you are a huge LEGO fan or someone you know (in which case you will want to share it with them! They will thank you) then this is for you!

Lego fans wait no more! LEGO: DC Comics Super Heroes: Justice League vs. Bizarro League is here along with an awesome Bizarro name-generator app and exclusive Digital Trading Cards.

Batman has joined the newly formed Justice League in order to keep tabs on Superman, a mistrust that is complicated by Superman’s clumsy – but well-meaning – clone, Bizarro. Bizarro’s creation of the Bizarro League has caused confusion amongst the world’s greatest Super Heroes, but an even greater and mysterious threat may force the Justice League and Bizarro League to band together to defeat evil.

Now here comes the fun part! The LEGO Bizarro Name Generator App:

How it works….

Simply click on the image above then type in your name to reveal your Bizarro alter-ego – Mine is Kat-Mega-Zarro-Blaster!! Hehe! FYI-If you don’t like your name, press the refresh button or try again!
Share the fun! Share your name from the app on Twitter & Facebook have your friends try it out and see what name they got! Who do you share an alter-ego with?

When I presented this next feature to my son he let out a lot of ooh & ahhs…exclusive digital trading card package!! Simply click on the image below to download your package now!

Giveaway time…..

To enter the giveaway:

1-Follow Mom on the go in Holy Toledo on Facebook

2-Follow @mamaof3onthego on Twitter

3-Reply with a comment expressing what your alter-ego name is

Winner will be randomly selected Feb. 28th @ 11:59pm

Each household is only eligible to win LEGO: DC Comics Super Heroes: Justice League vs. Bizarro League (Blu-ray+DVD+Digital HD UltraViolet Combo Pack) Blu-ray via blog reviews and giveaways. Only one entrant per mailing address per giveaway. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you will not be eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.

Secret to Happiness

February 12, 2015February 12, 2015momonthegoinholytoledo

While reading through a couple blogs the other day I noticed a reoccurring topic, or rather, assumption. They were basically expressing that people a.k.a. strangers (can I just say how much I detest the word stranger. I always associate it with danger. Too bad we can’t come up with another term) are judgmental, unfriendly, and negative. I found myself suddenly feeling really sorry for these bloggers because I have to be honest; my experiences have very much been the opposite. I have had such wonderful, friendly, positive encounters with other. And I so badly wanted them to experience the same, to experience the happiness that comes from the simple exchange of smiles between strangers. Which had me wondering, how is it that my experiences differ so much from these bloggers’ experiences? Then it dawned on me that maybe it is me. Maybe it has something to do with what I put out into the world?

You get back what you put out into the world. Thus if you want to see more friendly and kind strangers than be a friendly and kind stranger. Like Gandhi said, “Be the change”. If you want the world to be better you need to be better. You need to look for the good. The next time a stranger is staring at you let your mind wander to a place of good, think…perhaps the person likes your outfit, or maybe they are simply in a daze, but do not allow your thoughts to go somewhere bad and assume the stare is one of judgment. For if your mind assumes others are judging you chances are, you guessed it, you are judging others!! Knock it off! You will NEVER find happiness that way.

So here it is the million dollar question, what is the secret to happiness? It has nothing to do with money, status, or career. The answer is rather simple; the power lies in the state of your mind! You decide how you want to interpret situations. How you want to portray yourself. How you want to react. How you want to see the world.

Here is a fun little experiment to try. The next time you go out smile the entire time. Smile at strangers and watch how many smile back. I think you will be surprised.

And thank you to all you amazing strangers out there who smile back at me, who open the door for me, engage in light conversation, and help others out, you are amazing! You make our community a better place. Please don’t stop. And please understand if one day I am exhausted or running behind and simply get caught up in my own thoughts and don’t look up and smile. Please find it in your heart to forgive me and understand. I will gladly do the same for you.

What are your thoughts? Do you tend to encounter unfriendly or friendly strangers? Would you classify yourself as friendly?

The Empty Crib Syndrome

February 4, 2015February 4, 2015momonthegoinholytoledo

I have really been in a funk lately. My mind has been a whirlwind of emotions & thoughts. Ever since my youngest, my baby, turned 4years old I have been giving myself a hard time. I feel this pressure, entirely from myself, but pressure no less, to work. Not that I don’t work now, in fact I feel like this is the hardest I have ever worked in my life! My husband and I are a bit old school. He works outside the home. I do all the household chores, all things clothes and food related, and run the kiddos lives…school, homework, religious ed, sports, Scouts, clubs, B-day parties, etc. & lately I have been at the beckon call of our newest four-legged family member, Wyatt our Labrador puppy. So, you see, my life is extremely full. So what the heck is my problem? I think it all started 11 years ago when I received my Masters in Sustainable & Green Design. Incidentally, I received it in-between becoming a wife and a mother…talk about an emotional rollercoaster.

My intention was to get my Bachelors and Master’s degrees before children, in hopes of being able to rock the Interior Design world once they were in school. I envisioned a couple kids, big house, fancy cars, and a lifestyle that would require two incomes. Then I had my first bundle of joy, second, and third, which only left me longing for more. Oh how I long for more! I absolutely love motherhood, I love children, I honestly had no idea how much I loved children until I had my own. There is nothing I would love more in this world than to have a couple more adorable additions. I would gladly do the whole diaper, nursing, potty training, etc. all over again. I realize some may think I am crazy and that’s okay, ten years ago I would have thought I was crazy too. But it is what I yearn for, what my heart desires. I would gladly stay in this house forever, gone is the notion that a big house or fancy cars are of any importance. I have grown, I realize what is important in life, and it is the people, the relationships, those are the true treasures that should be worshiped. And I realize money is always a factor but it should be noted that children only need be as expensive as parents allow them to be…cloth diapers, nursing, secondhand clothes, public schools/homeschooling, limit extracurricular (when you have a lot of brother and sisters you can start your own Chess club, Scouts, etc.) potluck parties…you’d be surprised what children don’t actually need (i.e. iPad, iPhone, designer anything, their own cars). Unfortunately it doesn’t look like any more bundles of joy are in my future. It breaks my heart. And this has been the most difficult dream I have ever had to bury. But bury I must, until of course I see a pregnant woman, another mom asking if we are “done”, or advertisement for fostering/adopting, and then the feelings start stirring up again. Why must the thought of a new soul entering our family be so magnificent??? Ugh! I suppose I have true love to blame, oh true love…doing something for someone else without thinking about the pain it may cause you. Thus, I am at a crossroad in life. I am standing at the intersection of stay at home mom & working mom and screaming for directions!! My heart says stay at home but my mind says work!

I no longer have a baby or toddler in a crib, logic says I should move on and venture outside the home. Shoot, “old me” before children (BC) me says go be that amazing Interior Designer you dreamt you would be and worked hard for your education to become. After all women didn’t work so hard to overcome everything just so I would be a SAHM with professional degrees. But maybe they had it all wrong, maybe it was about options, being able to choose to stay home and be the most amazing person in 3 little children’s lives or maybe go to work fulltime, or part-time, my choice. Maybe for once I agree, when it comes to mom with a career vs. motherhood as a career it should be the woman’s choice.

I don’t know what my choice will be next year or even next month but for now I choose SAHM.

For now I am enjoying the company of my 4 year old and nursing a wounded heart going through the grieving process of an empty crib. Can you relate? How do you know when it is time? Time to be done with having babies? Time to go back to work?

$150 of parenting materials for FREE (promo code included)

January 31, 2015January 31, 2015momonthegoinholytoledo

Eeeee! I am super excited to receive my copy of Motivate Your Child! I have to be honest parenthood is amazing but hard. It can be smooth sailing one day and hurricane winds the next which is why I am looking forward to reading about the following topics:

Learn What Internal Motivation is
and How to Develop it in Your Child

You will learn:
• How to build a strong conscience to strengthen internal motivation
• How faith changes kids in practical, down-to-earth ways
• Ways to help self-focused kids think of others
• A strategy to help kids who tend to blame, rationalize, or defend
• Ways to use consequences for heart change
• Specific heart-based strategies to develop responsibility and initiative

Now for the information you came here for….to get your free $150 of parenting materials.

Pre-order or purchase a copy of Motivate Your Child from any retailer. Once you’ve made your purchase, follow the instructions below. Click here for some common retail options.

INSTRUCTIONS: Purchase the book. Send an email with MYC150 Promo in the subject line with a receipt of purchase to gift@biblicalparenting.org. Biblical Parenting will send you the link and a special code to access these downloadable video, audio and written products.

I can’t wait to delve into all this amazing material!! Order yours today and we can read and discuss the book together!

Homegating: Mocktails, Fazoli’s Snacks, Coupons & More!!

January 28, 2015January 28, 2015momonthegoinholytoledo

The Super Bowl is coming up and I don’t care if you are a Seahawks fan or Patriots fan, any football game is a great reason to get together with friends & family for fabulous food & fun!! It’s Homegating time baby!! And in order to do up your homegating party right be sure to include these 3 steps:

1-Team colors are a must! Use table décor, foods, & drinks that are the same color as the teams.

2-Have fun with it! Use foods as serving dishes…I am such a sucker for food that doubles as a serving dish for more food! Haha! Melons, peppers, and bread are my go to foods for serving dips/sauces/other food.

3-Keep it simple! Don’t stress-out! There is nothing that kills a party faster than a crazy stressed-out host. Don’t over work yourself. Repeat after me, “the frozen food section is your friend” visit your locale Wal-Mart’s frozen food section for some yummy Fazoli’s snacks to complete your snack table spread.

Team Colors….

Mocktails are a fun way to show team colors and enjoy a flavorful drink. It is fun to include the kiddos in Homegating parties when possible. (If you are having an adult only party feel free to add vodka or flavored vodka to your drink and make it a cocktail).

So how did we get the colors to separate? The liquid with the highest sugar content goes on the bottom and ice is a must! We used Cran-Apple juice, Watermelon juice drink, and various flavors of Gatorade but you can hit up the juice and flavored drink isle to make any colors you wish.

Foods as serving dishes…..

Spinach Dip in Pumpernickel bread bowl

Pepper Pot Dip Dishes

Watermelon Football Helmet

Keep it simple….

Click here to get Fazoli’s Snack coupon

Lastly, here is a video clip from our segment on WTOL in case you missed it…..…

Who will you be rooting for Sunday? Are you hosting a Super Bowl party? Have any suggestions for additional simple, go-to recipes that should be added to our Homegating menu?

Bulu Box Review: Try before you buy! Genius!! (Promo code included)

January 27, 2015momonthegoinholytoledo

So one of my New Year’s resolutions this year is to get healthy & fit! So naturally my first stop along my journey to a new healthy and fit lifestyle was to a health store, where I quickly became overwhelmed by all the health supplements, weight loss items, nutritional snacks, etc. I stood in the isle mouth wide open in awe of all the options and wished I could open up a few packages and simply sample before I committed to a 3 months supply!! Better yet, while I am wishing, what if they could send those samples right to my front door? Guess what, Bulu Box does just that!! No more getting stuck with a month supply of snacks/supplements I can’t stand.

So what is Bulu box exactly?

The perfect partner in the pursuit of a healthier you, Bulu Box is like having a personal trainer and a nutritionist as a best friend. Get this, each month, a box of healthy discoveries is shipped right to your door (it doesn’t get more convenient than that!) for just $10. You learn about that month’s 4-5 premium samples try each one and see what fits into your individual healthy lifestyle. For sharing your opinions on each month’s samples through a quick survey, you will be given 50 Rewards Points (that’s $5!) to use in the shop to get more of your favorites. Join me in this clever endeavor…get a 3 Month Subscription for just $10 (regularly $30)! at Bulu Box – Use code WOWZA

http://usfamilycoupons.com/coupon.php?regionid=75&bid=11865&dealid=1825 @usfg @bulubox

And why do I adore it so?

I received my first box last week and I have enjoyed trying out all the goodies inside! I must admit I am most fond of the inspirational magnets that were included…it helps to read something healthy and uplifting before I open the refrigerator. And the FlyJoy, after the first bite I realized why it was called FlyJoy…it was literally like a bite of joyfulness while on the fly. And thank goodness that delicious bar was in the box, it made the perfect breakfast on the fly…perfect for moms on the go! (FYI- they have a new flavor, Cashew Cookie Dough, YUM!!) And truthfully there were a couple items that I will not purchase and I am so thankful for the opportunity to try them before I bought them. Now I won’t delve too far into all the items because they change each time but what I can tell you is that this mom is 100% on board with this genius box!! I would much rather spend $10 to sample a variety of health & fitness lifestyle items then purchase a 3 months supply of one that doesn’t meet my preferences. Sign up today, you will be glad you did! Side note-it is also kind of cool chatting with the gals about the latest and greatest health & nutrition items that I just so happened to also sampled already…sometimes as a mom it is hard to be in ‘the know’ about trending nutritional & health items but now it can come right to your doorstep!!

Disclosure: I received a Bulu Box to review, no other compensation was received, all thoughts & opinions are my own.

30+ Acts of Kindness in 1 day! (Cool Video)

January 21, 2015January 21, 2015momonthegoinholytoledo

This is how I spent my birthday……it was amazing!!!!

What I absolutely adore most about this experience is how many people said they were going to pay it forward. And the fact that when I logged onto Facebook that night a friend had said that someone paid for her coffee and she paid it forward with the customer behind her…I can’t help but wonder if she wasn’t somewhere in that same drive-thru line as us.

Want to see change in the world? You can! It all starts with you! I challenge you to do an act of kindness each day and see how your world changes, see how many people you can touch…who knows, maybe that simple smile and a quick hello was all a person needed in order to rethink something drastic they had planned on doing…sometimes we never know the extent of our actions which is why it is so important that we make them positive, good, kind!

So, are you up for the challenge? If so please feel free to share your acts of kindness…or perhaps a way someone else’s act greatly impacted you.

What is your Wisdom Worth?

January 12, 2015January 12, 2015momonthegoinholytoledo

We just got home after having lunch with a friend, where my preschooler had a mini-pout-down…not so much a meltdown…there was definitely more pouting than melting. Haha! We met at Chick-fil-a in hopes of her playing in the play area while we chatted. Well, it seemed like a great plan. But there were no other children there and she didn’t want to play by herself. Being the youngest of 3 I would think she would love to finally have an entire play area to herself, no sister or brother, no other kids, awesome, right!? Wrong. Instead of playing she sat on my lap, she whined a little went in the kids’ area and pouted, and then she really laid it on thick and repetitively asked for ice cream then for a dessert over and over again. She was being a typical preschooler who wasn’t getting her mother’s undivided attention. I totally understood! But what really surprised me was my response now, today, compared to my reaction when I was a first time mom.

My first time around raising a 4 year old resulted in much more reaction than response. I very rarely thought things through when out in public… in terms of what was best for my 4 year old in the short/long run and rather reacted quickly so others wouldn’t judge me. I would feel myself getting warm and uncomfortable as if all eyes were on me whenever she raised her voice or basically did anything. I was overwhelmed with the way others would judge me as a mom. So much so that I really wasn’t being the mom, or at least the mom my daughter needed, at least not in public. If she threw a tantrum in the grocery store I would practically have a nervous breakdown trying to react the way others would think was most acceptable…do I give in and give her the sugary treat so she is quiet and others aren’t disturbed or do I not for fear other will think I am a bad mom…but what if she yells throughout the entire store? I used to overcomplicate and overanalyze everything. My mind was in a state of disarray. Thankfully knowledge, experience, trial & error, and learning from mistakes have led me to where I am now, and would I trade it? What is this motherhood wisdom worth?

I have to be honest; there is nothing I would trade, not even a fit, flat, stretchmark-free pre-baby stomach, for the confidence, peace of mind, and wisdom that comes from the experiences, especially with regard to motherhood. The wisdom I have gained is priceless.

Now I can sit at Chick-fil-a and finish my lunch while my preschooler repetitively inquires about dessert and I can tell her no 60 times and I am cool as a cucumber…I am not worried about what the lady behind me thinks. I know that giving in to her and rewarding bad behavior is the worst thing I can do for her and she is what matters most. Ahh…the clarity that comes with experience!!

So, do tell, would you trade any of your wisdom for youth? Would you trade your mommy know-how for pre-baby boobs? What is your wisdom worth?