1st of many

Mya has been feeling "a wiggly tooth" for over a year now. Ever since her friends in Kindergarten started losing their teeth she's been dying to lose one herself. Poor thing is younger than most of her classmates having a birthday in August.

The other day it finally happened. She said she had a loose tooth and it was actually loose. Like really loose. It was so loose it was kind of sideways in her mouth. We talked about putting it under her pillow when it came out and getting something from the tooth fairy. It was getting very exciting. Dan and I offered to pull it out but she was having none of that. She tried to do it herself with no success.

So we were driving to my mom's house and Mya was eating a granola bar and said, "Hey I don't feel my tooth anymore! It's gone! But I can't find it." She must have swallowed it with her granola bar. Ugh. Hopefully it doesn't cause any problems in her digestive track. 

Dan didn't think I should give her any money for a swallowed tooth but I thought it would be so cruel after all of this waiting and waiting for her first lost tooth and then nothing. I looked in my wallet for a dollar bill or even four quarters but couldn't find any. So, I gave her a five. I got $1 when I lost my teeth. I guess after 30 years teeth should go up in value. Cost of living increase etc... =)

fitness friday - fridgespiration

I am a huge fan of fridgespiration. Yep. It's a made up word. I love to put words or phrases that inspire me on my fridge. I am there so often getting food for me or one of my 4 kids that I am constantly reminded of those things I put on the fridge throughout the day.

I love this pic. It's my new fridgespiration for the month. I love the thought of strong being beautiful. It motivates me to put workout clothes on and go for a run or something... And maybe do a few pushups!

Happy Friday!

it's a mom life

My little A's =)

Sometimes I hold my squishy nearly 11-month-old tight and smell his sweet baby smell as he wraps his chubby arms around me and I think to myself, I can't believe this is my life. I'm so lucky.

But then sometimes when I go to change my two-year-old princess and she lets one rip as soon as I take the diaper off, I think to myself as the smell of rotten eggs hits my nose, is this seriously my life?

Fitness Friday - RUN!

I've always enjoyed running. I love to be outside moving my body. Running just makes the most sense I guess. It's free and it's a great calorie burner. Sometimes I wear a heart rate monitor that tracks the heart rate obviously but also estimates calories I'm burning. Last time I ran about 25 minutes and burned about 400 calories. That's a sandwich! Pretty awesome. I use the term running loosely. It's more of a trot. I'm not a fast runner. In fact I'm probably the slowest runner that has been running off and on as long as I have. But that doesn't stop me. I think in high school my fastest mile run was 8.5 minutes which is not impressive for a fit 16 year old. God just did not design my body to be swift I guess. I have short legs and a long torso... not exactly built like a gazelle.

I've found a few things that have helped me improve my speed and endurance, however. I thought I would share them. Also, if you want to run and don't know how to get started, I can help you with that too.

After having babies, it's pretty much like starting over when it comes to fitness because the body only holds on to that muscle memory for so long. Take a year off and forget about it. So I've learned to build up to running 3 miles a day which is where I like to be. I just don't have the time for more than that. These days I'm up to about 2 miles a day.

Okay so here are some helpful tips:

1. Stretch - Before you start running, you want to make sure you stretch really well. If you don't stretch you will most likely be sore and that will stop you from running again the next day. Also you could injure yourself and that's no fun. Super inconvenient. So stretch. Look up some pre and post running stretches on YouTube. There are tons.

2. Protect your skin - Wear sunscreen and a hat. Skin cancer is no joke. I've known a few young-ish people that have already had skin cancer from being in the sun a lot. Protect yourself.

3. Eat the proper foods before you run - You don't want to eat a big meal before you run. I think that's common sense. You want to eat something relatively small about 20 minutes before you run. Like a banana or a piece of toast with peanut butter on it. A good system is to eat your snack, then get dressed, get a water bottle, put sunscreen on, go pee, hook up your phone and ear buds etc. That will give your body some time to digest.

4. How to start - If you want to start running, here's what I would recommend. Get yourself a good upbeat playlist of your favorite songs that lasts around 20 minutes or so. Begin with a walk for the first song. Then a slow trot for the next song. Alternate between walking and running every other song. Do that for about a month then try upping it to running for two songs and walking for one, then three and so on. You should be able to do a slow run for 20 minutes after a few months. Keep challenging yourself though. Time yourself each time and try to get a faster time. Or try running fast for one song and slow for the next.

5. Stay hydrated with sips of water - Don't chug a bunch of water before or during a run. You'll probably get a cramp. But sipping a water bottle before and during a run can actually prevent cramps.

6. How to prevent cramps - I'm always prone to cramps when I start running after a long break. Not sure why that is but I've learned a couple of things. The water thing and the food thing. Take it easy on liquids and foods before you run. Also, breathe in your nose and out your mouth. Something about taking air in through my nose keeps me from cramping. I read it somewhere years ago and every time I feel a cramp coming on, I start to breathe in through my nose and out my mouth and it goes away. Magic. Not really. Science. But still pretty cool. It is recommended that you breathe through your nose and your mouth, however, taking deep breaths instead of shallow ones to get more oxygen to your body. I usually do the nose thing only if I'm starting to cramp.

7. Work your core to improve endurance. When you start a running program, also start working out your core. Simply doing sit-ups everyday before or after a run will actually improve your endurance. Strengthening your core improves so many things in your body and one of them is endurance. Not many people know that so I thought I would mention it. Give it a whirl and see what happens.

8. If you can't run, power walk. If you have poor knees or you just simply hate running, power walk! I've seen some pretty intense power walkers. One lady actually passed me on a trail while I was pushing the double stroller. I had dogs too mind you. But she passed me. Walking. So yeah, no excuse not to get out there.

9. No excuse. A cool thing about running too is that anyone can do it. Even moms with babies or preschoolers. Put those kiddos in a jogging stroller with some snacks and water and you're good to go. My older girls used to fight in the double stroller after like 20 minutes so there are no guarantees but most likely, they will love getting out in the fresh air and watching the people, cars, dogs and squirrels go by.

10. For me, the right music can make all the difference in the world between a lazy, tired run and an endorphin filled, it's gonna be a great day kind of run. I thought I would share my playlist these days in case you wanted some suggestions. I apologize for my Meghan Trainor obsession. She's just so fun! This playlist is just over 30 minutes long so it's perfect for me right now.

1. Tonight Tonight - Hot Chelle Rae
2. Dear Future Husband - Meghan Trainor
3. Walkashame - Meghan Trainor
4. Bang Dem Sticks - Meghan Trainor
5. Feel Good - Gorillaz
6. Raise Your Glass - Pink 
7. Fight Song - Rachel Platten
8. Hey Mama - Mat Kearney
9. Marvin Gaye - Charlie Puth
10. What I Wouldn't Do - A Fine Frenzy

Now obviously there is more to running and tons of expert advice you can research if you want to learn more. There are articles on the right foods to eat, the right stretches, breathing techniques and the correct running form. Feel free to explore. But frankly, I think it's awesome just to get out there and run the way you know how.

life update

Sorry for the looooooong post. But I feel like I need to update the blog on the status of Wagenbrenner life, family of 6. I think we've reached a BIT of a calm in the storm. The waves are still coming of course but I don't feel like the boat is going to sink.

The major contributing factors to my feeling of peace these days are prayer, Angus crawling (more independant) and Angus sleeping more. So I'm able to sleep more... if I go to bed between 8:30-9:00 like the old lady that I am. It's ridiculous I know. Who goes to bed at 8:30? This mom, that's who. It's the only way I can function the next day.

The Family:

Mya Lynn: First Grader, age 6. If I didn't have Mya, I'm not sure that Angus or Addie would exist. She is so flippin' helpful it's just not fair to other moms that have normal children. These days, when Dan's working, she get's Addie up and dressed and does her hair. She makes her own lunch and get's her water bottle. I don't actually have a lot to do with Mya's physical needs at this point. I do make breakfast so I guess there's that. Well, most of the time I do. Mya's hobbies include playing with Winter or Addie, making parties, making nice letters for Mommy and Daddy, playing sudoku, doing puzzles or riding her bike to neighbor houses where I really have no clue what she's doing. It's okay, they are all better parents than I am =) In Mya's perfect world, Dan and I would play board games with her from morning until night with a little bit of Sudoku in there. But instead she goes to school, comes home and does her homework and helps Mommy a lot. If I need anything at all, I ask Mya for help and I would say about 80% of the time she does it happily. I usually ask her to watch Addie for 10 minutes while I do something outside or upstairs. I am seriously so thankful for that girl. I love her happy bashful demeanor. And I love that she's smart and independant because I don't have too much time to help her with homework or see that it's done correctly. She needs several reminders to focus because she is easily distracted but I think that's because she's still young... and she's my daughter, and I am my mother's daughter. But I think Mya will always be successful at anything she's doing because she is a perfectionist and a rule follower by nature. Anyway, enough about her.

Winter Paige: Pre-Ker, age 5. Oh Winter. She's in her own sassy little Winter world most of the time. She is also very helpful these days. I shouldn't give all the credit to Mya. Winter used to feed the dogs every morning and every night for months, up until about a week ago when she realized Mya never had to do it. Winter also picks up the dog poop if I let her. Sometimes I would just rather do it myself than risk poop everywhere. Winter also makes her own lunch half of the time. Sometimes I feel bad and make her a sandwich like moms are supposed to do. She takes baths by herself and can get ready for school without too much nagging. Winter is always the first one ready. She's good like that. And I love her choices when it comes to clothes. Always a princess look mixed with a little punk rock. Like a sundress with boots or something. Winter always boldly says what she's thinking and it's usually pretty funny. I correct her if it's on the mean side but for the most part, I let her have freedom to express her opinions. She is calm and confident. She is SOOOO affectionate. She would hug everyone all day if it was appropriate. We've had to tame her a lot when it comes to hanging on boys for too long. You will catch Winter saying, "I just love you!" about 100 times a day to Dan and me. Winter loves to play legos and watch TV. She spends a great deal of time at her BFF Grace's house. Pretty much every day, she goes over there for at least a couple of hours after preschool. They usually play legos I think. So Mari is helping me raise her. Winter will do well in life because she has the confidence and the courage most little girls don't have. She will not be taken advantage of or overlooked. I can't imagine what she's going to be like in 10 or 15 years. She still loves animals, bugs and cooking.

Adelyn Marie: Professional 2-year-old. My little Addie spaz. Addie has SOOO much personality. She loves to entertain me. If I'm laughing she is happy. It's amazing how young she was when her little fun side began to show. She loves to dance and be silly. She loves to EAT more than anything I think. And she's so tiny. Where in the world does she put it? Addie is a lot to handle. She definitely fits the bill for a two-year-old, way more than the other two did. She wants things a certain way and if they aren't, watch out. She has high highs and low lows. I can tell that Addie will be easier once she learns how to control her emotions. She's not disobedient or naughty by nature. She's compliant and also a rule follower like Mya. So much so that it really bothers her when rules are not followed. Addie only has one volume at home. She yells everything. Probably because she's the third kid. It works though because we give her what she wants so she'll just make it stop. Addie exhausts me but I laugh at her all day. It's fun to see her forming sentences and thoughts these days. It is a fun stage. Did I mention she's exhausting?

Angus: 10.5 months. Perfect baby. Oh sweet Angus. I love him oh so much. He is the sweeeeetest thing. He's so happy and so calm and so in love with his mama. I think God was like, "Here sweetie, you need a break. Here's an easy one for you." Thank you Lord. I gush all the time about him. Sometimes I can't feel my left arm because he's SOOO heavy but I'm glad he's big. If anyone should be big it's my boy. He is very happy these days, crawling around, exploring. It's so obvious, those differences between boys and girls. Angus isn't really into toys unless it's a ball type toy. When he's crawling, he grabs whatever is in his path and chucks it to the side and keeps goin'. He likes to open and close doors and take things out of cupboards. You know, typical crawler stuff. He wants to stand up but his butt's too big. He'll get there. I'm not worried. He's a picky eater, oddly enough. He likes fruits or fruits mixed with veggies. He likes sweet potatoes and corn too. That's about it. He's not a fan of cereal, peas, carrots, green beans, or any of those pouch mixtures. He's still eating pureed food. He chokes easily so I'm taking my time feeding him anything with texture. I am really enjoying these last few months of having a baby. He will be a toddler soon and that's it. No more baby. Ugh, so sad. When I feel overwhelmed with baby type things like waking up in the middle of the night or carrying him while making dinner when my arms are dead, or changing yet another diaper, I remind myself that this is it. There's no more after this so take it all in. It's funny, the more babies I have, the more I love and appreciate the baby stage. Probably because I know what's next... the crazy spaz toddler stage! haha. But seriously, Angus is pretty awesome.

And my Dan: My other half. I don't know how God designed two people so different but so perfect for each other. I mean in every single way, we balance each other, challenge each other just enough, and just love to spend time together. We still miss each other when he's at work and we love going out to dinner when we can. We are usually home by 8:30 or 9:00 so we don't fall asleep at the restaurant. I feel so incredibly blessed to be married to him. And he feels the same way. Dan keeps busy taking care of Addie when he's home. She is his and Angus is mine. That's how we are able to have four children. We have to divide and conquer. We kind of split the older girls. Dan's to do list is about a mile long and he plugs away at it when he can. I'm not sure what Dan would do in his perfect world but it would probably include woodworking, cooking elaborate meals he has tons of energy for... and eating them. And going out for sushi and going to dodger games.

And me: Mom of 4. How did that happen? I can't believe I've carried, birthed and nursed 4 children. I wonder how many diapers I've changed... That's just insane and overwhelming to even think about. I feel like I'm moving into the next stage. The stage when I finally feel like me again and I can start planning my days and months. I feel like I'm beginning to think clearly and have more energy to tackle my to do lists. Each month, I'm able to do more and more when it comes to cleaning and organizing. I'm also working out and running which helps my mental state immensely. In my perfect world, I would sleep 10 hours a night, go for a run on the beach every morning and play in a beach volleyball league. I would love to cook as well. I don't mind cooking now. I just really can't with the babies crying at my feet. I love being outside. I look forward to being able to take my kids on adventures like hikes and bike rides and beach trips with just a single backpack that simply contains water and snacks. One can dream. But in the meantime, I am enjoying my babies. I know it goes by slow and then fast. I know I'll blink and they'll be in high school. So I do sit back and enjoy them when I can. It's not always easy because they are expert button pushers. But I try. I take lots of pictures and write down stories and post them to this blog so I'll have them when they are older and not as cute and lovable. =) I accept help when offered and I have an awesome mom who is able and willing to watch the baby so I can get away. I have amazing neighbors who make raising children way easier than it should be and a husband who made it easy to say "Sure, we can have one more kid".... 3 times.

All in all, we are doing pretty great these days. When people ask me how I'm doing I usually reply, "Good. Can't complain."

35

35. Yep. It's here. Mid 30's. Last time I checked I was like 28 and now here I am. It just seems like the last 7 years have been a bit of a blur... probably because they were filled with pregnancies, breastfeeding, diaper changes and potty training.

I celebrated yesterday by taking a me day. I love my me days. I'm so thankful for them. They save me from going completely insane. Mom watched Angus and Dan watched the 3 girls.

I went to lunch with my dear Elizabeth at Granville in Glendale. We sat on the patio and watched the people and traffic go by. I didn't mind the jealous looks from poor mamas pushing screaming toddlers down the street in strollers. Nope not at all. If they only knew =)

After lunch, I shopped at H&M and Forever 21. Though I feel increasingly older each time I walk in those stores, I was able to find some cute things for killer prices. Oh and I went to Ross too. LOVE me some Ross. The trouble with that place is that I always have to chose a few items out of like 50 that I like.

I got a pedicure too. That lady nearly put me to sleep with her hot stone magic. I was quite impressed with her. She had her two year old boy sitting in the salon watching an ipad, then eating a snack while she worked. I can't do anything while watching Addie. This lady was giving me a pedicure. Crazy. Maybe she's training him for his future in mani-pedis.

So yeah, I had a really nice day! I was really close to a very embarrassing incident however. I stopped at the fancy hotel at the Americana to use the restroom. After I walked out of the fancy stall, I washed my hands and used a fancy washcloth to dry them. I felt like rolling my eyes at the bathroom attendant because why oh why would anyone need assistance using the bathroom? So unnecessary. That is unless you need someone to point out that your toilet seat cover is hanging out of your pants. Ahh! I was totally that lady. She's all, "Excuse me miss, you have... something coming out of your... in the back." Okay I am thankful for the bathroom attendant. That could have been bad.

Anyway. I just love my birthday. I convinced Dan to let me sleep in until 7:00 while he watched the babies. Yes 7 is actually sleeping in 2 hours! I also got some flowers from Dan and the girls and cute little cards and gifts from friends who made me feel special. I got myself a milkshake because why not and we went out to birthday dinner at a new BBQ place nearby. My bible study group sang me happy birthday so I would say my birthday has been pretty darn awesome.

Now I am not down with the whole self absorbed selfie phenomenon that seems to be sweeping the nation. However it's ma birfday and totally acceptable in my opinion to post a selfie to one's blog on one's day of birth. So here I am at 35 with my hair did and mascara on. Feeling good.

I have to say that I feel more content with my life than any other birthday thus far. Each year I learn more about who I am, and more importantly who I am in Christ. I'm far from perfect but I am confident that He's working on my heart and I feel good about the woman He's shaping me to be. I am so very blessed it is ridiculous. I won't list all the ways but I will say that I am excited about what God has for me at 35. Whatever happens I know that He has a plan and it's better than any plan I've ever had for myself.

Wow. 35. That came fast. I have a feeling it's just gonna get faster.

God and cups first

For the record, I would like to state that I hate doing dishes. I hate putting them away more than anything. Growing up, I didn't have a dishwasher so when I moved in with Dan, it was exciting that something else was doing the dirty work for me. The novelty wore off quickly, however. I am still thankful for my working dishwasher but I do not enjoy this task. It is definitely one of my top 3 most hated chores. (Cleaning bathrooms and endless laundry being the other two. I rarely clean bathrooms though.)

Every night when I load the dishwasher, I have a system in place to make it all fit. As a mom of four I am amazed by all of the dirty little cups that make their way into the sink each day. Seriously, so many cups. And Angus doesn't even use a cup yet. Soon I'm sure there will be blue superhero boy cups to add to the madness.

In order to make this crazy mess of cups, bowls, lids, spatulas and any other plastic thing that cannot be washed on the bottom to avoid melting and deforming fit into one load, the cups must go first. The giant daddy cups followed by the medium mama cups followed by the 52 little kid cups. Then I can throw in everything else on top of them. As long as the cups go in first, I'm good. I can get everything in. That's the only way it works. 

There are days when I try to rebel and throw everything in there throughout the day because I just don't want to wait until the end of the day for all of the cups. On those days, I end up taking everything back out so that I can redo it the right way. Why I do this to myself I don't know. 

Sometimes when I'm loading the dishwasher I am reminded that there is also an order in my life. God first, everything else second. As long as I am looking at His plan for me before my plan, it works. As long as I start the day with Him, it works. For example, if I don't take time to pray at least once a day, usually at 4AM when I feed Angus, I find that I am just an angry lady acting just how I feel without taking into consideration that God has asked me to be kind and loving, especially to my kids. And He has promised to help me with that as long as I ask. 

Recently I started planning all kinds of things that kept me busy every night of the week, leaving little time for my husband and family. It wasn't until I acknowledged the Holy Spirit nagging my heart that I was able to see that I was being selfish. I had to give up some things that were fun and good but were not good for my family. God first.

The other day I was reminded that not everyone has Jesus in their heart. We have a very tough neighbor in our awesome community. This neighbor often stirs up trouble and is very mean and sometimes violent. Something happened the other day with this hard to love neighbor that reminded me that the devil is at work all the time. I started praying that this neighbor would just leave. I decided that I was done showing them Jesus as I had decided to do years ago when it became obvious they needed Him. 

I searched the bible for passages that would support my decision. Passages that would talk about how it's okay to pray for your enemy to not be a part of your life. Surely God understands that sometimes it's better not to have certain individuals around me, setting horrible examples for my children and making my community unsafe. But I couldn't find anything that supported my thought on the subject. All I could find was passages that talked about how I should pray for my enemies and love them and let God take care of everything else.  I figured I would keep looking because I didn't think that these passages applied to this particular neighbor. I actually asked one of my friends who used to be on the association board how we would go about removing someone from the community. I was on a mission. He reminded me that we can't just get rid of all the bad people in our lives. We pray for them and we show them Jesus. I was so annoyed because I knew he was right. God first.

This life thing only works when I let God lead. I have to put Him first. It's funny that I see that when I'm doing dishes every night. I'm thankful for those stupid little dirty cups that serve as my reminder. 

fitness friday - write it down

Happy Friday!

Studies show that you will eat less if you keep a food log or food journal. Basically write down everything that goes into your mouth. There's something about actually seeing it down on paper or entered in your phone. 

There are a bunch of fitness aps out there that do this for you. I like my fitness pal. It counts the calories for me and I can enter in the exercises I do as well. I know a lot of people are not fans of calorie counting mainly because it's tedious but it gives you a good idea of how much food you should take in and what foods are contributing the most calories. Once you are aware of it, it's easier to make better choices. It's a pain in the butt I admit. But if you struggle with self discipline like I do, it really helps. 

Also, I like to write down my plan for the day the night before. It takes just a few minutes to do. I write what exercise I'm planning on doing and what I'm eating for breakfast lunch and dinner and snacks.


Writing things down makes them more true. It takes a thought and turns it something concrete.

This doesn't have to be forever. Just a couple weeks to get into the habit of eating a certain amount and get into the routine of exercising regularly. 

Just an idea that may help you if you are looking for helpful ideas ;)

the black and white polka dot dress

It all started back in August when my sister took Mya shopping for her 6th birthday. Mya came home and showed me what she had picked out. Her new things included some cute PJ's, a purse, some shoes and a black and white polka dot dress. Wendy informed me that she picked the dress out specifically so that she could match mommy because she remembered that I too had a black and white polka dot dress. Wendy thought it was the sweetest thing. It would have been sweet if I still had the dress. I flashed a panicked smile at Mya because she was so very excited that we would be twinsies. She told me to go put it on and she would put hers on. I made up some excuse like it was dirty or something and told her that we would be twinsies very soon. 

What I didn't tell her was that I sold that dress on the very addicting Facebook page, Moms of Glendora Online Yardsale. It was stretched out and old and no longer fit the way it used to, probably because I wore it while pregnant with Addie. So I did what any good mom would do and started looking for a new black and white polka dot dress. I looked on Amazon.com. Nothing. I looked at the thrift store. Nothing. Day after day I scanned the online yard sale Facebook page for a dress that would come close to Mya's so we could be twinsies.

One day, low and behold, I found it. The lady advertised it as a vintage pinup dress. I met up with her, paid her $10 and drove home, excited to show Mya my new and improved black and white polka dot dress. When I got home, I looked at the tag and noticed it was from "Forever 21." Ha! Vintage my butt. Sneaky lady. Oh well, I didn't really care. Mya was soooo excited to see my new dress. It was very similar to hers. Mya immediately put her dress on and instructed me to do the same. "Sure!" I said. I slipped it up and on and went to zip up the back. I checked the mirror and frowned. It didn't zip all the way up. This was a couple months after Angus was born and I was not a size small yet. I had a few pounds to go still.

I told Mya it may be a few months before we could be twinsies since Mommy still had a tiny bit of extra padding on her body. Then the weather became cooler and we didn't really talk about the dress anymore.

I completely forgot about that dress until the other day when it caught my eye in my closet. I smiled because I knew I was ready to rock it. I slipped it on and zipped it right up. Yessss! Mission baby weight loss complete. I took it off and hung it up so I could surprise Mya on Sunday when we could both wear our dresses to church. She smiled so big when I walked down the stairs wearing it. She ran upstairs, put on her dress and squealed in delight. TWINSIES at last. 

Photography by Winter Wagenbrenner =)