A LOVE LETTER TO ALL THE TIRED MARRIED WORKING MOTHERS EVERYWHERE - CANDILARIA'S VERSION

A friend of mine sent a link to me on Friday, click here to read.  I didn't read it when she sent it because I was driving and by the time I got home I had forgotten all about it.  This morning I remembered the message and opened it up and realized I was meant to read this today. Not Friday, and not Saturday but today.

It was such a great read that it inspired me to write my own Love Letter to all you tired Mamas.  I mean that in a good way! 

Today, I felt tired, just plain 'ole tired and the link lifted my spirits, so I say to you...


Dear Tired Married Working Mothers, 

I love that no matter how much you want a break from your children, the minute you are away from them all you can think about is them and how much you can't wait to see them again.

I love the fact that you feel perfectly fine when you are not around them because you know they are in good hands.

I love how you can wake up early in the morning and get yourself ready so that when the others wake you don't have to worry about yourself.

I love that even though you've made breakfast you still make something different for the child that doesn't eat what you've made.  You make it because you don't want to send them to school hungry.

I love how beautiful you look after a late night of working only to rise early in the morning for another day.

I love that you need to grab a glass of wine to calm down or for absolutely no reason at all.

I love how you can hear your child call you mummy 30 times in a row and it not affect you.

I love how you can hear your child call you mummy 30 times in a row and it drive you nuts.

I love that you try to be the loudest Mamma cheering your child on at Sports day and feeling super ecstatic when your baby wins.

I love that you know just which snacks and flavour juice each child likes and get a bit disappointed when you realize you put them in the wrong lunch bags.

I love that you forgot "wear your own clothes day" was scheduled on a different day than the day you sent your baby girl in her own clothes.  So she ended up having an awesome day spending it at her grandparents house instead.

I love that you can walk through the door at work and look around the office and say "I am not for this today!" and all the women around you understand just what you mean. **tomorrow is Monday!**

I love that you get frustrated by the incessant requests from your children but somehow you try to fulfill them all. I did say try. lol.  Some requests just aren't happening!

I love that you allow your child(ren) in your bed in the middle of the night knowing that it's the end of your good sleeping for the rest of the night.  

I love that you give them a chance to crack the eggs into the bowl for breakfast but more shell fell in the bowl than egg

I love that you break out the big iPad to record their performance at the School Play blocking the view for everyone behind you. But you don't care, your baby is on stage!

I love that you are always changing the decor of your child's room because you're never satisfied with the way it looks.

I love that you go without in order to provide for your babies

I love how excited you get when listening to your son's most outrageous ideas and adventures

I love that you show compassion even during your hard times.

I love that no matter how much you may complain about the daily grind you still do it and not because you have to.

I love that even though you can do things easier and quicker by yourself you let your child(ren) help you and end up having to clean up the messes that they make.

I love that you try to keep your cool when the above happens :)

I love that you are strong and weak at the same time and knowing that it's OK to be both

I love that you hold things down for everyone around you.


Married Working Mothers, continue on this wonderful roller coaster called Motherhood.  You are doing a great job even when you feel like you're not. Don't forget, we are all in this together!


Love, 
Candilaria

HAPPY BIRTHDAY D'ANTE!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to the most beautiful 17 year old I know with an amazing spirit.  

Prabal Gurung said, "a beautiful woman is a beautiful woman, but a beautiful woman with a brain is an absolutely lethal combination."  

This honor roll student decided that even though it is HER day of celebration, instead of going with her original plan of having friends over for a little soiree, she opted out.  She opted out because of her BGCSE Food & Nutrition assessment first thing in the morning (yes on a Saturday!) and she wanted to use tonight to practice for it. Wow! On her birthday?!

Words cannot express how proud we are of D'ante, her achievements and how she is growing into a responsible young woman.  We love you very much!

Signed, 

Mom (Candilaria) and Daddy

THROW BACK THURSDAY!

Tiffany and I on April 22, 2006.  

Doing what we know best! Dancing...

Have a fabulous Thursday!  Dance if you want to! hee hee


Candilaria & Tiffany

GUEST BLOGGER! It's Okay 2014

I

1. It's okay to be a Guest Blogger because you haven't blogged since like 
    ummm....December!
2. It's okay to never feel like you have everything     
   under control.
3. It's okay to have a beautiful pink costume even though you are a Delta!

One Family Boxing Day Parade2013
My Flamingo Costume

4. It's okay to not be physically able to keep a pair of white pants clean no 
    matter how you try.
5. It's okay to spend $15.00 on your lunch for one day and then tell your 
    daughter that "No, she can't have ice-cream because you don't have any         money!"
6. It's okay to want your daughter to remain in the 'Tots Class' at ballet 
    because in her new class they need tap shoes and you hated tap when you
    were a child and you don't have any money to buy tap shoes because you 
    had a $15 meal for lunch.
7. It's okay to realize another woman loves your son.
8. It's okay to cry when that woman has to leave to return home and you 
    know that everyone and everything will miss her including your bathtub!
9. It's okay to hate cleaning bathrooms.... okay kitchens, bedrooms, toy 
    rooms. You get the picture.
10. It's okay to love who are at 41!
11. It's okay to have every intention of having a romantic night with hubby 
     but the kids interrupt and you fall asleep to experience the best sleep 
     ever!
12. It's okay to not be friends with some of your colleagues but tight as 
     thieves with others!
13. It's okay for your daughter to appoint a new Godmother because she 
     can recognize good character in a woman! 
14. It's okay to want an I-Phone, get an I-Phone, think these phones are 
     going to take over the world but still get totally attached to it...Thank 
     you Santa! 

Me showing all of my teeth!

Finally blogging again,
Tiffany

STRONG IS THE NEW SKINNY

Since committing myself to the half marathon, I decided to take it a step further.  No no no, I'm not doing the full marathon! Have absolutely no desire to do that.  Plus my body cannot take that kind of beating!  I like my knees.

However, after months of boxing, strength training, and running, I quite enjoyed the way I was feeling.  I felt healthy.  I felt strong.  

So before I ran the half marathon in January I decided to give myself mini goals through-out 2014.  I will share with them with you and hope that I can inspire some of you to take the challenge of becoming healthier and stronger.

For my second goal (the half marathon was my first), I joined our local Crossfit joint, called Da Box in January with trainer Charles Johnson.

Crossfit is a strength and conditioning program created by Greg Classman in 2000 with the aim of improving, among other things, muscular strength, cardio-respiratory endurance, and flexibility.  It advocates a perpetually changing mix of aerobic exercise, gymnastics (body weight exercises), and Olympic weight lifting.


In my opinion, it's not something you would start straight out of the blocks, especially if you haven't been active in a very long time.  But that's just my opinion.  I have seen many women who started at this level and have hung in there and are doing great!  So if you are feeling like doing it, just do it!  My months of doing other activities, however, prepared me quite nicely to begin Crossfit at a level that the exercises weren't a complete shock to my system. The exercises are hella hard nonetheless but completely rewarding! And can I tell you how great I feel after a session!

Da Box began an 8 week challenge, called The ONE on February 3!  This is my third goal.  The challenge is a combination of clean eating, performance progress and tracking your entire experience over the course of the 8 weeks.

For an example of clean eating, take a look at my breakfast this morning...

2 scrambled eggs (depends on your caloric intake you can have more or less), sweet potatoes with spinach, onions and green peppers with a side of half a grapefruit. It was actually pretty darn good!

This goal then leads into my fourth goal which is to register for the Spartan Race in April.  Yeah I know, I've lost my mind! LOL.  After that goal, it's Summer time and we all know what that means!  Goal #5 is Beach body!  Goal #6 is to run the 10K in November.  And my friends that should take care of my fitness for the year!

Having mini goals throughout the year makes it easier for you to stay consistent.  It's easy to fall off on your fitness regimen but if you are working towards something it gives you a sense of accountability.

So consider giving yourself goals throughout the year and hold yourself accountable.  Grab a partner, it's easier that way.  Stay committed.  Accept the fact that it isn't going to be easy and be comforted in knowing that you are taking active steps towards becoming a stronger you!

What will you do?

Signed, 

A stronger Candilaria