Keep Calm and Don't Freak Out: 5 Ways to Cope with Nerves #NaBloPoMo

Nervousness comes in waves sometimes. You aren't expecting it and then it hits. Turns your stomach inside out. Makes you second guess yourself. Leaves sweat dripping from your brow.

Ok, sometimes it isn't as bad as that but being nervous can suck sometimes! Here are 5 ways I cope when I'm nervous:

1. Take a deep breath, or five - 
I don't know why, maybe it's the extra oxygen I'm sending to my brain, but as soon as I take a few deep breaths I immediately feel better! And this doesn't have to sto at when you're nervous. This can also work for when you're scared, stressed, or upset.

2. Close my eyes and envision a serene scene - 
Now unless I'm being chased by a bear or am nervous that someone's following me (hello paranoia!) I find this very helpful. And it works perfectly with taking deep breaths. I simply close my eyes and go to my happy place. Similar to at the end of yoga where you breathe in and send the breath to different parts of your body to relax and calm them, I do this while imagining ocean waves, birds chirping, and the sun shining.

3. Talk it out -
Usually I'm nervous because I build up whatever the situation is inside of me. Whether its being paranoid about what's going on around me, getting up to speak in front of a crowd, or meeting a new group of people for the first time. If I talk out the situation in advance either out loud to myself or with my husband or a friend. This allows me to prepare, calm my nerves, and really come to grips with why I'm nervous.

4. Imagine what will happen when the nervous situation is over - 
Have a job interview? Think about the moment when you're on your way home, not the time you're in the interview. Speaking to a group of people? Imagine being done with the speech and enjoying the event or occasion. Have a tough test to take? See yourself being completely done with the test and back enjoying the freedom of not studying!

5. And when all of that doesn't work - grab a glass of wine!
Ok, ok. It might not be socially acceptable to drink before certain situations but if all else fails relax a bit with some alcohol can really make you feel a heck of a lot better. Shoot... it works for me when I'm not nervous! And if you can't drink... maybe some chocolate to release some endorphins?

What do you do to cope when you're nervous?

Nerves Never Cease #NaBloPoMo

I'm not a very nervous person. For the most part.

But I cannot get over the fact that there are some things I cannot control. And for the most part the only thing that makes me feel jumpy and nervous is when I worry about what can happen to my children.

Is something going to happen? Is someone going to break into our home, run into our car, snatch my kid up when I'm grabbing the other. The worst is when I'm home alone at night. With or without the kids.

I've never been very comfortable being alone. Having people around me makes me feel less edgy.

I think it's gotten worse since I've had kids. I'm constantly looking over my shoulder when we go for walks, observing everything going on around us when we're out and about. I don't think it's paranoia, though because I've been told by other mothers that they feel the same way.

When my children were younger I would sometimes get so worked up thinking about all of the bad things that could happen to them. I would have tears running down my face thinking about SIDS or drowning or febrile seziures. Then I realized that there are somethings I just cannot control.

So I tried to let go a bit. Not stay as nervous when we were out. I still watch around me, am aware of my surroundings, and try not to get distracted when caring for my children.

But I still can't feel 100% safe when I'm alone at night.

Have you recently felt jumpy and nervous?

Jeepers Creapers! #NaBloPoMo

There are hardly any animals out there that truly make me nervous.

One of those would have to be large spiders. It's not that I don't like them, I do. I just don't like them in my house, on my person, or around my kids. They can stay camped up on our hill and eat our bugs and other small creatures.

I love that they keep the pest population down. But they just give me the heeby jeebies!

I think that this may have stemmed from watching Arachnophobia at too young of an age. I was in daycare and had to be in the first or second grade when my first crush, Michael S., introduced me to the many bugs and arachnids he loved.

And since he loved them I had to!

After that I was cool with all of the things girls my age were supposed to be squeamish about. I had no problem chasing and catching lizards, crickets, worms, and snails. I'd even give the morning snails outside my apartment a kiss or two before I left. And I'd dare my sister to do the same.

Then, and I have no recollection of where or why, I watched Arachnophobia the movie. And I was scarred for life. Now every time I see a large spider I feel my skin crawl, my heart beat faster, and my mind immediately goes to an image of a whole town covered in spider webs. Because, you know, that one spider I may run into more than likely has friends. And they're coming to get me...

Which animals make you jumpy and nervous?

Keeping it Positive #NaBloPoMo

 For the most part I'm a pretty positive, outgoing person. I make sure to see the brighter side of situations and always try to bring positivity into my kids lives. I think that by encouraging a positive attitude I'll help my kids see just how great the world can be. I also think that by creating a positive home and environment for our children they will feel safer sharing and learning with us.

I try and use tools and examples from various sites and books. I participate every day in writing in my son's I Like Book and keep up with the happenings of Captain Positive and Positively Kids. I build up my children's strengths and work with them on their weaknesses to try and prepare them for what they'll need to know as they get older and grow closer to going to school.

But sometimes I just want to say screw all of the positivity. Why can't I just stick with 'sometimes the world sucks' and go from there? Maybe I'll get there. When the kids are older and understand that the world can suck. But for now, when my kids are young, I want to try my best to create that childhood bliss for as long as possible.

When they start school, start talking with their peers, and receive more influence from the outside world I'm sure I'll have more than enough opportunity to talk with them about the hardships of the world and why sometimes the glass is half empty.

Being able to keep a positive attitude and show a happy persona can sometimes take a lot of energy. Sometimes it doesn't just come naturally. I have to work at it, push down the depression, anger, negativity, and put a smile on my face. Because I am afraid that if I let it up it will consume me. And that just isn't good for anyone. Especially my kids.

So for now the glass is simply half empty and half full at the same time. There's good and positivity in the world and then the world sucks. Sometimes people just need to be real. And sometimes people need to slap a smile on their face and go on.

So what do you think? 

Is the proverbial glass half empty or half full?

@SDFair Fare Bringing Intense Joy #NaBloPoMo

 I'm a total foodie. I'll probably try just about anything you ask me to with limit to anything slimy. I love different foods and how food brings people together. So when I have to think about what food brings me intense joy to eat I have to pause for a bit and think. Because there's quite a lot of food that brings me joy depending on the time of day, the time of year, and who I'm with.

Since it's summer and we just got back from the San Diego County Fair the only food I"m thinking about right now is fair food. You know... the greasier the better! From corn dogs to fried zucchini to funnel cakes, just about any food that's bad for you and good for you at the same time can be found here. And each little bite I take in brings me intense joy.

Every year we try and make it to the fair on a Tuesday. You see, our fair has a $2 Taste of the Fair every Tuesday where many of the food vendors offer a sample of something from their menu for $2. And I can bring $20 with me just for food to enjoy a bite or two from every corner of the fair. How awesome does that sound?

So to kick off the summer and the fair we set out to do just that!

We started our afternoon off with half-sized corn dogs. One for each of the kids and a bite for me. In order to fully enjoy the fair fare we took it slow and walked around the animals a bit before trying anything else.

Then came the corn on the cob and garlic fries. If I were you I'd skip the garlic fries and go straight for the chili cheese fries. Totally the wrong decision. But the corn on the cob did not disapoint and the kids devoured theirs within 10 minutes.

Since I didn't have much of the corn I wanted a little something to keep me tied over until we went for the tasty sweets. So I picked up a mini meat ball slider and dressed it up with some parmesan. Best. meatball. ever! So so good. And in two bites it was gone.

We walked around a bit inside the demo/shopping area to burn off the fries, corn, and slider when we came upon one of our favorites... mini donuts! Instead of getting just a taste ($2 for 3) we went ahead and got a full dozen to share amongst the 5 of us (did I mention my good friend Kari met us there?). Two donuts was my limit but the kids enjoyed quite a few more.

Molly made us all laugh when she proceeded to eat the donuts up until the part shew as holding and than gave it to me to finish. Guess if she didn't have something to hold onto she didn't want to eat it.

Because we met up with our friend we also got to sample a few yummy treats she and her sister consumed as well including some delicious fried zucchini and a bloomin onion. Oh my word! The zucchini was so good. Fried goodness perfected. And I was so glad to have had the opportunity to have only a little nibble then to be forced to eat the whole thing by myself. 

We needed a break after that and enjoyed walking around to the infield for a show. There's a show we must see every year because my son absolutely loves the chihuahuas that perform. And, of course, all donations go to the local shelter so we can't help but be generous. He was so proud to hold one of the dogs for a photo opp.

After making sure we completely walked off all of the calories we consumed it was time to head home. After a great day at the fair filled with delicious food and fun friends we were pooped. But not pooped enough to end the afternoon with ice cream! We spent exactly $20 on food, $10 on parking and $4 on a ticket for me (since the kids are still free). $34 and an afternoon of fun, what can beat that?

I've already begun planning my menu for the next visit in a few weeks with my husband. I might not be getting small tastes since he isn't available on Tuesdays so I have to make wise decisions in what I choose to eat. I'm sure it will definitely bring me joy though!

What food brings you intense joy to eat? 

Mini Breakdowns A Plenty #NaBloPoMo

The past week or so I've been going through a change. I've started re-decorating my kids room and am changing things up a bit. That includes a few fresh coats of paint on the walls. Covering up the nursery stripes we added shortly before we had our first child.

I recently received forest friends wall decals from My Wonderful Walls and wanted to make sure I made the most of them in creating a great landscape for the decals to go on. I started painting a blue sky and rolling green hills so that the forest creatures would feel right at home.

As I finished up the last coat of green paint on the hills I put the lid on the paint can, closed the bedroom door, and went to check the decals website for any tips and tricks to putting them up.

The kids were happily playing in the playroom together so I didn't think anything of the silence that interrupted my time perusing the site. Until it became deafening. Then I started to worry...

I knew the kids were no longer in the playroom and had no idea where they had gone.

So I went off to find them. I walked down the hall, past the empty playroom to my son's bedroom door. And what I saw inside made my heart leap.

Paint. Green paint. Everywhere!

Click on photo to enlarge and REALLY see the damage

Oh.my.word. If ever there was a time for me to lose it, this was it. I quickly rushed into action commanding the kids to stop what they were doing and put down the brushes (my daughter found hte sponge brush I had on my son's bed for touch ups later). After the brushes were down I had to make sure they knew they were NOT to put their hands back in the gallon of paint.

From there I whisked both kids in my arms as carefully as I could and raced to the bathroom. I started the water, stripped off their clothes, and plopped them in. I didn't waste time and hurried to grab baby wipes, towels, and warm soapy water. From there I grabbed the phone, called the husband to tell him to drop everything and come home, and got to work.

For the most part the only real damage is the paint on the carpets and blinds and my mini breakdown.  And we needed to replace the carpet and blinds soon anyway.

The kids were cleaned up, although my daughter still has a little paint on her scalp, and it could have been a LOT worse than it was. I even added another set of hills in a different shade of green we had in the garage without the kids help this time. And the walls are just about ready for those decals!

I'm sure that more of these fun adventures are in our future. With kids as crazy fun as mine, it's bound to happen. I can laugh about it now and appreciate their creative genius and excitement to help me paint.  They really were, and still are, proud of their artwork.

What makes your heart leap?

Living and Loving in San Diego #NaBloPoMo

My absolute favorite place to be is here in San Diego.

How could I not love the city I was born and raised in? The weather, the water, the people. It really is an amazing place. What I love best is the amount of activities available for both kids and adults alike. Experiencing San Diego with kids is a heck of a lot different than experiencing San Diego without kids. It opens new doors and new ways to see old favorites.

We just got back from a busy yet fun day at the San Diego County Fair. $4 Tuesday and $2 Taste of the Fair. How could we miss out? And not only did I get to go with the kids, I also got to go with our great friends Kari and Elodie. These girls know how to have fun!

With friends and family close by we've definitely chosen the perfect place to raise our children. We are able to explore our city and try to reach every corner in our weekly adventures. We test out beaches, parks, indoor playgrounds and more! And each seems to be more fun than the next.

I hope to show you over these next few months just how fun San Diego can be! Hopefully you can make our beautiful city your next vacation destination. And if you live here, maybe you'll find a new place to visit and explore. If you have any suggestions on where we should go or what we should check out please feel free to pass them along!

Where is your favorite place to be?

Jumping for Joy with @Chobani and @KidsFestSD #NaBloPoMo

Watching the joy in my children's faces as they enjoy awesome activities makes me jump for joy. Being able to take them to a place that's filled with discovery, adventure, and fun is one of the best parts about being a parent. 

And being in San Diego we're quite blessed to have many opportunities to experience joy with our kids. The weather, the activities, and the events we have around town just can't be beat. This past weekend we had the pleasure of attending KidFest San Diego and boy did we have some fun!

Thanks to Chobani and the Chobani Champions bus I was able to pass on tickets to KidsFest to the families of my playgroup. Since we had already won a family 4-pack of tickets from Stacey of San Diego Bargain Mama we didn't need a set, but we wanted our friends to join in on the fun with us!

The first stop we hit when we got to the event was the Chobani Champions bus to endulge in full size samples of the new Chobani Champions. My daughter chose the banana honey, I had some chocolate and vanilla, my husband enjoyed the orangecicle and my son devoured the very berry. Our friends also enjoyed their samples as well. My friend Kari, from Mommy To Elodie, and her family were there to enjoy most of the event with us. And we were so glad they did!

We hula hooped courtesy of SitterCity. Kari showed the kids how to do it and got quite into it. She even had to take off her sweater to get more speed. My son absolutely loved trying it out and Elodie got quite into the action as well.

We built castles with The Village Blocksmith.These blocks were absolutely stunning! Each set builds a small castle that would make any kid excited. I'm definitely putting this on my wish list for Christmas this year. If your kids love building I highly suggest taking a look at his website.

We made awesome strawberry mice courtesy of Muffin Tin Mom. We took a strawberry, some chocolate chips, almond slivers and twizlers and created these adorable little forest creatures. I don't know what it was but as soon as my daughter saw the little mice she decided she wanted to devour every single one. I had to keep a few set aside for my husband and son to enjoy as well. We'll definitely be making these again! We love all of the wonderful ideas we get from Muffin Tin Mom.

We ate yummy food from the food trucks! I got a burger and tater tots from Recess to share. The kids had never tasted tater tots before (except for the sweet potato ones we attempted to make in the oven... not good!) and love them. Lucky for me and my diet they ate all but one. I enjoyed my delicious cheeseburger with grilled onions. 

Kari got lucky and scored big with the breakfast burrito she ordered from Delicioso. This bad boy was only $5 and was on the kids menu! Can you believe it? She thought she was going to get something half the size and was pleasantly surprised.

And we got messy and made mud pies and pinatas! The kids were given sand, water, and all the tools needed to make mud pies. They had a blast doing what they know best... making messes! They also were able to decorate a pinata filled with fun goodies from CircleBuzz. These were quite the hit and the kids used all of their creative juices to make theirs unique.

All of this fun and more lead to a very joyful family day. We enjoyed family, friends, food, and fun! How could we not want to jump for joy after all of that? I definitely will be making my way to KidsFest San Diego next year and will hopefully be bringing along more friends!

Did you make it down this year? What was your favorite part of the event?

What makes you jump for joy? 

 

Meeting New People #NaBloPoMo

How do you feel about new people jumping into your life?

I for one absolutely LOVE meeting and interacting with new people. I've found that over the past few months I've been more social than I've been in a long time and the results have been wonderful. I've not only made new friends but great contacts as well.

Through my blogging I've come to meet wonderful and amazing companies and people behind those companies. I've also been able to meet and "meet" other bloggers as well. And I have to tell you, I'm excited about what's to come! The relationships I've been creating and cultivating have lead to some pretty awesome things.

For one, I am now part of a group of female bloggers called the Noise Girls. We work together to bring awesome events together for our readers. And we help promote the brands we love while doing it. Throughout creating and building these first few events we've come together to be more than just another blogging group. I really think that we are becoming good friends. Friends who can support and help one another grow and become better at what we're doing.

The second area I meet and find new people are the social events I go to. Namely SD Mom's Night Out events. I not only get to enjoy yummy food and drink wine with friends, I also get to 'network in disguise' with other moms who are looking to build relationships. This can be as simple as finding a great playgroup or even lead to business relationships. Interested? Check out the latest SD Mom's Night Out Fitness Event here.

And, of course, I cannot forget my playgroup! The ladies I've come to know, and those I'm still getting to know, have become somewhat of a constant in my life. People I can depend on and turn to. And I love how easy it's been to fall into these great symbiotic friendships. Not only do we get together for the kids, but we get together for each other too! And the talk isn't just about our kids (which usually happens), its about our lives and our personalities as well.

New people seem to jump into my life all time time. For the most part it's been a great thing. I find myself growing, learning, and enjoying things that I might not have had experience with had I not met these wonderful people.

How do you feel about new people jumping into your life?

Keeping the Blindfold On #NaBloPoMo

Have you ever just trusted your instincts and jumped into something without really looking first? Had full faith that whatever was to come was for the best and you'd be ok?

I think that instincts play a large roll in our lives whether we know it or not and I tend to lean on the side of following them rather than needing all the details up front. So I guess you could say I don't have to look before I leap if what's inside of me is screaming "do it!"

I've found that when I quiet myself and really listen from within there's always a little voice trying to be heard telling me what to do. Whether it's about the kids, daily life, or something major in our life that little voice seems to know what she's talking about!

But sometimes there's so much noise in my head that she gets washed out. I think I'm following my instincts when really... I'm just following what sounds good at the time. From the internet, to the radio, to the tv, to the people around me, the noise that follows can be deafening. Do you ever notice that?

This past weekend I attended a Nordstrom Cosmetics Trend show (which was a blast by the way! You must check it out the next time it comes to town) and Dr. Lancer came out onto the runway and one of the first things he commented on was the music.

"Isn't this loud music distracting you all from what I'm saying." he said.

And for a moment I thought about it. I hadn't even noticed how loud the music was and considered it adding to what was being presented in front of us. I heard the words coming out of the presenters mouths, was enjoying the music being played "in the background," and really didn't consider either interfering with one another.

But it was so true! Our culture and society today has so much external noise playing that no wonder the difficulty it takes to hear what's inside. I have to stop and really have a moment with myself (get your mind out of the gutter) in order to really hear the advice or reason being shared. Makes it hard to just take that step and leap off without looking, right?

Do you need to look before you leap?

Dreams and Wishes #NaBloPoMo

I've never had much in the way of disposable income. Even right out of high school I was working full time to put myself through college. So thinking about what I'd like to jump into if I had more time and money is hard. Because I feel as if I start thinking about it I'll get my hopes up.

Thoughts of remodeling the home and adding a second story, traveling around the US, purchasing the reading material needed to become a doula.

If I had to choose though, I'd jump into a plane and fly over to Switzerland to be with my BFF while she completes the end of her pregnancy. She'll be welcoming her little boy into the world in just a few short months and I miss her horribly. Just being close to her, offering support and back massages, and giving her a little taste of what her life will be like with children. You know... cause I couldn't leave the kids at home!

Grand visions of walking to the market, eating yummy foods, and maybe doing a bit of traveling pop into my head. Enjoying our time together and chatting it up into the wee hours of the night.  I miss that. I know she probably does too.

We currently have the internet to connect. Totally different than our prior relationship and something that takes some getting used to.

What sucks about not being able to be there for her is the fact that she was there for my son's birth. She was my doula and helped work me through everything into the wee hours of the night. She showed me strength and continued her support of me even after he was born.

Last time I was in Switzerland I was pregnant with my son. My husband and I enjoyed the sights of Switzerland and Italy and were kindly welcomed into my best friend's home. We wouldn't have been able to make that trip if it hadn't been for her hospitality. And I loved being able to catch a glimpse into her new world. So different than here.

I also had the chance to meet her now-husband at the beginning of their relationship. I think it worked out quite nicely! And I'm so glad we were able to get to know him even for a brief period of time.

So while I know we probably won't be able to jump into this dream adventure I've concocted, I will be here supporting my friend in this amazing time in her life. Sending her positive vibes, thinking good thoughts, and praying that labor comes easily and naturally with no complications. I love you Miranda!

What is something you'd like to jump into if you had more time/money?

Starting Fresh #NaBloPoMo

How do you feel about starting new projects?

For me I see new projects as a challenge. Something I need to take the time to prepare for and than tackle head on. Right now I have a few projects going on. I'm working on converting my son's room into a room both he and my daughter can share. I'm finally finishing up the master bedroom and have since added nightstands that actually match the rest of my furniture (this somehow makes me feel all grown up!). And we gutted our master bathroom.

Lots of projects, not a lot of time or money.

But each new project brings on a little bit of change. And a little bit of change can be good. By making room in my son's room for my daughter I might be close to having my side of the bed to myself. Ok, well, at least for half of the night.

And when we redo our master bathroom I get to decide what tile to use and what color scheme to go with. All choices that I helped my husband with when he purchased and re-did the house but it's different this time. We're married now and I get a bit more say than, "Oh, your choices look nice!"

The start of these new projects also means that I need to put my focus on actually finishing. That seems to be a problem in this household and I'm trying to work on it. I have plenty of ideas in my head so new projects are never ending. I just need to choose projects I'm willing to see to the end before I start.

So stay tuned for a few updates to these projects and more! I can't wait to show off what I've been doing in the kids room. It's sure to be awesome when it's done. 

What new projects have you started recently?