Boogyin' with my Woogie

One of my favorite things to do with Z-man is dance. Somehow we started playing this game that we call "Boogie Woogie". I start singing "Boogie Woogie..." in a sing-song voice and then I ask Z-man a question like "what's your favorite animal?" He then answers in a speed- round fashion. "Giraffe." The more dance filled and blues-esque my performance, the more excitement I get back.
I ask another one: "Boogie Woogie, what color are your socks?" "Blue." There are some trivia questions "Boogie Woogie, who are your grandmothers?" He has five, so this is quite a test of memory recall. "Boogie Woogie, what's Mama's real name?" We go on and on. Sometimes, Z-man accompanies us on the piano and often we have microphones, either imaginary or like these fabulous light up ones.

Why is this goofy game share worthy? Well, its super fun. And the more fun times we have together, the more cooperation I gett. Also, boogying with my woogie gets us talking--and learning new things about each other. I love the chance for him to learn important information in a fun way, like my real name or where we live. And lastly, this jingle has saved us those few minutes before dinner is ready when he is hungry and tired and just done. Those minutes are sometimes super rough but when we boogie our way through them, we are both happy. 

My Discoveries of 2014

2014 was an amazing year.  It was a year with so many more ups than downs, so much family time,  and settling down (somewhat) confidently into my job as a teacher and role as a mama! 2014 was a year of trying different things, working on myself, and making new discoveries.
I'll share five of the best things I discovered this year:
1. Coconut oil is for everything. I've used it to remove spray paint from my hands, get permanent marker off the wall, condition my hair, whiten my teeth, and treat Z-man's diaper rash. I credit coconut oil with my clearer skin (I use it as face wash, make-up remover, and moisturizer) and Z's still-baby-soft skin. I'm obsessed!
2. Consciously saving cash changed my spending. I started saving every $5 dollar bill I got as change. No matter what I wanted to spend it on, I refused to and instead put it in an envelope. I did this for about six months of the year and amassed a pretty decent amount. When I stopped intentionally saving cash, my spending in general increased. I'm going back to this in 2015.
3. Running is therapeutic. This has been my greatest self-discovery this year. I've always hated running and said I just couldn't do it. I ran for 13 minutes one day in May to see if I could and struggled through it. The other I day, I ran five miles! I find that when I run, I'm much more relaxed and less irritable (and healthier!). Life changing for sure.
4. I don't need rigid rules.  Z-man has to brush his teeth twice a day, but he doesn't have to do it right after breakfast.. Some mornings he can finish getting ready at school--we get there early to get my room set--or before we go upstairs for breakfast. There are definitely some exceptions to this discovery, but realizing that rules can be much more fluid has led to greater cooperation and given Z more autonomy.
5. Inside jokes are my magic with Z. We have been cultivating all these little jokes and games since he was born. When I want to reconnect with him, zone out for a second, hear his awesome laugh, or get him onboard with something, whipping out one of these jokes is magic! Also, its really fun!

My guy trying to keep his eyes open three hours after bedtime!

Here's to a 2015 filled with soft skin, saving, long runs, flexibility, and laughing--and more discoveries!

Date Night To Go!

Pinterest really helped me out this Christmas (and every other day of my life! What did I do before I discovered Pinterest?!) 

For my couple friends, I found this great date night bag idea on Pinterest and decided to tweak it a little. A trip to the dollar store and some magic marker fun later and viola! Merry Christmas to my favorite couples!

 

Bath salts, candles, playing cards, measuring cups, plastic champagne glasses, and popcorn make for some awesome dates! Enjoy, my friends!