Five on Friday

I know you'll think I'm a little bonkers, but with my being on maternity leave, I actually miss that glorious feeling you get on Friday when you've completed a long week of work. "Ahh, it's Friday!" "What a week! I'm going out for a cocktail because it's Friday!" Do you agree with me? 

Well darlings, YOU don't have to miss that feeling because IT'S FRIDAY!! 

Grab a cup of java and read below as I link up with some of my fav bloggers for...

FIVE ON FRIDAY! 

Let's roll!

1. Baked Oatmeal (& Saturday Brunch)

I pinned this recipe onto my recipes/breakfast board on Pinterest (I'm evangelinesview on there, by the way) some time ago as one of my fav bloggers Christina had blogged about it. I just hadn't gotten around to actually making it. Two weekends ago I made it for the first time and it was so delicious that my husband and I finished the entire pan. Oops! 

2. White Noise Machine

I have an amazing iPhone app (called "Sound Sleeper") with various white noise sounds including fun ones like "car ride" that helps put and keep our little guy to sleep. However, I would often find my phone was not charged enough to run the app for a long time or I didn't want to fumble around with putting the phone in the charger and making extra noise in that one moment he was drifting off (afterwards, I make tons of noise because I don't want a baby that can't sleep through people living life around him). So, I found this little gem as an extra white noise machine to have around. I keep it in his nursery and it is AMAZING. It's reasonably priced, has great sound options to choose from and can be used for both baby and any adult who wants to be lulled into a deep, relaxing sleep.

I'm not saying this machine is necessarily the cause of it, but after weeks of 3 hour blocks of sleep from the baby at a time (many times less), we have experienced 5 hour blocks of sleep or more FOUR nights in the last week. Two nights ago he slept NINE hours straight. There is a God! 

3. Godparents for Jackson

I was going to do an entire blog entry on this with every detail of the day, but some things I thinks should remain a little private and special for those experiencing it and not be overly shared (save for a simple mention). With that said, my husband and I had my sister-in-law, brother and three nieces over last weekend for a brunch, mimosas and merriment. We gave them a very special poem "written by Jackson" that asked them to be his godparents. THEY SAID YES! Jackson is such a lucky little guy to have them as godparents. They are the most amazing parents I know and all-around wonderful people. 

 4. Getting Back Into Shape

I started a fitness challenge for my readers this week. We are starting out slow and building to the plan each week! And the best news about getting back into shape for me? I had my 6 week postpartum checkup this week and the doc OK'ed me to start incorporating weights slowly. Yahoo!

5. Getting Back Into the Swing of School

I groaned this month when school was getting ready to start back up (especially because I'm in another online class this time around), but now that I'm off and running, it's not too awful. :) This class is just one week away from being halfway overwith. After that, only five classes and one thesis to go until I'm finished and have my masters degree in my hand. (December graduation, here I come!)

I.Can't.Wait.

What are you loving this week??

Cheers,

Samara 

Getting Started Is The Hardest Part

Why are some things just so difficult to get started? I find that most things like gearing up for work, heading to the gym and starting homework are never nearly as bad once you're there or started in on the work (and oftentimes you actually feel great once you're engaged in doing whatever activity you previously dreaded), but starting can be the most impossible thing to do!

Well, getting back to eating healthy and getting active after the holidays is one of those things. This frigid Michigan weather that keeps us holed up in the house or in the office day after day doesn't help, either!

I also know that these lofty new year's goals we all make year after year typically fade or die altogether by late winter (if we make it that long). Going too hard at a goal, all at once, is sure to lead to burn out;it's just not sustainable. I mean, if you were learning math for the first time would you shout "give me Calculus!" or would you start by learning how to add and subtract and build from there? 

With that said, I'm almost 6 weeks postpartum and have been slooooowly trying to get back into the workout world. I've decided to start with a base of physical and healthy activity and build from there. 

My hope is that by putting this pledge out into blogosphere, I will actually honor it! Here's my plan for week one. (And I mean, it is like, reallllly basic to start out with. Sustainable. Remember??)

Week 1: 

Get in at least 30 minutes of cardio per day (no weights yet for me until the doctor's OK)

Drink 64 ounces of water per day

 

Two tiny goals for week one. That's it! By slowly adding to the foundation of health and physical fitness, I think I can get back to that healthy and fit place!! 

Who's with me? Would you like to join my challenge? I'd love to hear about anyone willing to join in and would love to hear your updates! Spring is but a few calendar pages away, darlings!

Cheers,

Samara

Five On Friday

We started participating in this last week, let's keep it rolling! Grab a cup of java and read on. Happy Friday, darlings!

1.    Conair Mirror Upgrade

Am I one of the few left who actually uses a makeup mirror? Well, I love it. What I don't love is my old makeup mirror finally biting the dust. So, I went online and found this beauty with multiple lighting settings and both a regular mirror and magnified mirror (great for eyebrow plucking!) . To top it off, there are little side mirrors so you can check to make sure your eyeliner is "winged" on the sides correctly. ;-) I absolutely love it! 

2.    Lake Street Dive

So apparently this band  has been around for quite some time and I'm just late to the party. This band goes all the way back to their college days at Boston's New England Conservatory. I happened upon them through a Facebook post and am totally obsessed with their cover of "I Want You Back", which you can listen to here. (Just scroll down until you see the video.) Their sound is amazing and the lead singer's voice will surprise you. (A.Ma.Zing.)

I don't have an obsessive/addictive personality except when it comes to music. So naturally, I have worn this cover out by listening to it at home and in my car. 

3.    Baby Feet

 I noticed I have taken quite a few pictures of my son's feet. Perhaps it's because adult feet are not cute. (You can say you have "pretty feet" all you want, but anything made for walking on the ground is not going to be all that cute. You can paint them up, do what you want, but they are still feet!) However, babies have a my-feet-are-still-cute-because-they-are-little-and-precious-and-haven't-walked-the-earth-yet card!

Hospital feet

Tummy Time feet

Breakfast feet :) 

4.    My Cousin Mahin—Another Award Won!

So, my cousin Mahin is pretty amazing. She has been designing purses and accessories for some time now. She participated in Pakistan's Fashion Week, now sits on the Pakistan Fashion Council Board and has won tons of awards. Well, add this to the plethora of awards, loves. She just picked up an Accessory Designer of the Year award. 

In case you've never heard me talk about her or haven't Googled her, here is a sample of her work (all hand-stitched leather, soft, special and beyond amazing):

To check out more of her stuff:

Mahin Hussain Accessories (Website)

Mahin Hussain Accessories (Facebook page)

5.    Maternity Photos

So, it's not that we just received our maternity photos for the first time ever since taking them, but we were a little behind in placing our actual order after the previews. (I think wrapping up a school semester, work, holiday prep and preparing to deliver a life had a little bit to do with the delay.) 

I like to keep some pictures private and for just me and my little family, but here are a few I am willing to share. :) (Each picture came with a black n white twin.) :) 

 

 

For the record, we are NOT shaping our hands into a heart here (no offense to anyone that does this, but people who know me personally know I try to stay away from the extra cheeeeese. ;-) ) It was just supposed to be a belly pic and Thomas' hands kind of look like they are formed in the shape of a heart.

  

 Cheers, 

Samara