A month later…

Posted on by JC Rizk

Well, clearly still working on that balance component, but not apologizing, because that’s life! Today, while listening to the radio — which I do every morning — the DJs were discussing new year resolutions and asking how people were doing with theirs, since it’s about halfway through the year. This year, I didn’t make an actual resolution list, but every year my list is pretty consistent, generally relating to finding a better balance and feeling healthier: cook/eat healthier food, exercise more frequently, practice yoga, practice meditation, read more often, and recently, to be more present with the babes.

When 2019 started, I was practicing yoga in Utah {which was amazing}, meditating regularly, was cooking more regularly/healthier meals, and was definitely focused on Bird and Lulu. I definitely hit some patches since then where I wasn’t as steadfast with meeting these goals, but I am in the process of revamping my intentions for the remainder of the year. Last post, I just started a new morning routine, which helped me feel more focused and calm at the start of the day — critical for me. Last week was more of a struggle since I was on vacation, visiting my family in New England, which was amazing, but I paused on my morning routine. Plus, I ate like I was a teenager — overeating, snacking on potato chips and waaaaay too much chocolate — my body is currently punishing me by producing a major zit; I guess if I am going to act like a teenager, I get to look like one too. Haha — just being real over here!

Picture on the right: Senior Chief Petty Officer Shannon Kent

However, the weeks before vacation, I continued the morning routine and also ran a 10k — in memory of my friend who was killed back in January. What an honor it was to run and the medal has her name on it; never have I felt more proud to receive a race medal. It currently hangs front and center on my display. She was a badass, thoughtful, and hilarious mama, neighbor, and friend — always pushing her limits and motivating others to do the same. Before I became pregnant with Lulu, we talked about completing a sprint triathlon {I may have mentioned the sprint option because I’m sure she would have completed a full triathlon without fail}; my goal is to get in shape to complete one in her honor by the end of 2020.

This morning I woke up early and finished a short one mile jog in the neighborhood to get myself back on track. I was greeted with this beautiful sunrise and an almost full moon {was two days ago} peeking out from behind the clouds. I was still lethargic when I arrived back at the house, but I didn’t meditate or practice yoga, which I desperately needed. Tomorrow is a new day and I will do better!

As for my other yearly intentions, I’ve certainly kept up reading, feel better about the focus I have when with the babies, and go through spurts with cooking healthier for the family. I am getting back on track with the latter and am seriously considering starting the Whole 30 again. Hubby and I did it several years ago and absolutely loved it! Tonight, I cooked up a beautiful salmon salad inspired by a Pinterest post: shout out to Cafe Delights‘ blog and marinade!

I really enjoyed that the marinade for the salmon was the dressing as well {you split it in half for the two purposes, you don’t use the marinade as the dressing} because it made my life simpler! Such a quick and easy meal and so healthy. For future posts, you can look forward to my book reviews from May, June, and July next week, then a post about our home organization in the next two weeks! It feels like it’s been forever, but we are so close now!

Stay tuned and let me know: how are you doing on your resolutions and/or intentions for 2019?!

Balancing Act

Posted on by JC Rizk
Flowers arranged by me at a Women’s Summit

Why is balance so difficult? There’s a short amount of time where I feel completely balanced, then one seemingly tiny change comes along and I am knocked for a loop. I know that this is a common occurrence, but I will not be deterred. I continue to strive for a balanced life. For me, that looks like a life where I have time with my family, time with friends, and time for myself. I realized about a month ago that I was spending an exorbitant amount of time with my blog and its associated Instagram account. I noticed that I was hardly posting about my family and time with Bird and Lulu. {I realize I am in discussing imbalance in terms of posts and social media, but this external imbalance was present even more so in my personal life.}

Greeting Buddha at the end of Mama’s cool down

After a shift, from one extreme to the other, I now find myself having not written a post in almost a month — yikes! — nor have I posted much about my self care, including fun and important events! For instance, today was the first day that I went for a run, with the kids, since the kids arrived. I used to run for softball in high school, but really started to run faithfully after college, where I ran a couple of half marathons, some 10ks, and a bunch of 5ks. Let me be clear, I may be an avid runner, but I am by no means an excellent runner. I am slow and my gait needs work, but I enjoy it and I adore how it makes me feel afterwards. I am psyched to get back into the practice of running regularly, because it’s only for myself: my health and my enjoyment.

I am also working on being more ‘in-the-moment’ with the babes. I found myself checking social media, emails, and messages from friends and family when with Lulu and Bird, and it was getting to be too much, for my sake and the kids. I finally started a new morning routine that I’ve been thinking about for months: I wake up at 5:30 a.m. to get things done and get in some ‘mama time’, before the kids get up. I started setting my alarm two weeks ago, but, to be transparent, I only started actually waking up early late last week. My goal is to use this time for the following: shower/eat breakfast, practice yoga, meditate, and to journal, including making a list of what needs to be done that day/week. This helps me to wake up my body and mind, so when the babes wake up, I am mentally, emotionally, and physically prepared! Since starting to wake up early, I find myself in a better place as a mama and person, and am able to focus solely on them, as I prefer when I am with them!

Neighborhood beach visit!

Now that the weather feels like summer here already, we have been utilizing our neighborhood beach; I am thrilled that the kids are now to an age that we can enjoy the water and the sand, without the constant shoveling of sand into the mouth. We also play in the front yard and made more trips to the park. I find that this time outside, with nature, not only helps the kids, but also improves my mindset as well. Plus, I get cute pictures like this!

In addition to making more time for me and more time with the kids, Hubby and I have been able to enjoy some couple time and time with friends as well, which is lovely. We recently went on a vineyard tour with our friends and before that, I went to a Women’s Summit with some of my mama tribe, which was just what the doctor ordered! There were drinks, delicious food, interesting vendors, and terrific sessions. I chose the floral arrangement {see the first picture}, mindfulness, and parenting sessions, and they were all amazing! I learned, I relaxed, I laughed, and I felt like an individual again, not just a mama/wife/friend/etc. It was this Women’s Summit that encouraged me to start this new routine and get back into activities which make me happy and for that, I am super grateful!

What are your upcoming goals? Any new routines you want to try?

Mental Health Awareness

Posted on by JC Rizk

This is a topic that is near and dear to my heart and soul. May is Mental Health Awareness month, which fits me perfectly. My Master’s degree is in School Counseling and mental health is something I am truly passionate about; I believe that everyone should speak with a therapist/counselor at some point {yes, even if nothing is ‘wrong’} to gain a better sense of self. I could speak about it forever, but I will hop down from my soap box to discuss self care. If you want to gather more information about mental health awareness or counseling, please comment below or message me — I would be happy to talk privately to anyone interested!

Something I learned from therapy, and understanding mental health better, is that self care is critical to all of us. I cannot be the best mother, wife, friend, human, if I do not take care of myself. For me, as you know, self care comes under the guise of reading, yoga, writing, meditating, organizing, and cooking, to name a few. Recently, my self care really is seen through my reading; I’ve been enjoying so many new books and actually just listened to my first audio book this past week. I’ll review the book more thoroughly in a later post — book club is tomorrow and I wouldn’t want to give anything away — but the whole audio book experience was astounding! I was able to finish laundry, dishes, food prep… all while enjoying a book! Only took me two days to finish it too, listening during the kids’ nap time and in the evenings. This means that I may be able to continue reading, even during my especially busy weeks! I am floored! Now I want to know about all the amazing audio books out there — which audio books do you recommend?

Even though my reading game is strong lately, I’ve let go of meditating and yoga, which I really want to get back into, along with running. I used to run a lot before kids and I would like to get back into it; I am still searching for a decently priced double jogging stroller — wish me luck with that! Lately, I’ve been doing a little calming, self awareness routine with Bird before bed, because she’s started to have meltdowns when we leave the room. We play some zen music and we practice a breathing meditation {only about a minute long since she’s two years old}. I think she gets so excited about her day that it takes her longer to settle into sleep mode, despite her exhaustion. It’s been working well this past week, and it’s encouraging me to do more with her during the day, and maybe it will help the tantrums and meltdowns that come — also, it will help to calm mama down, which will make quite the difference, I think! My goal this week is to meditate more with Bird throughout the day — Lulu too — and to do some yoga in the morning. The other day in her crib, I put on the zen music, which she associates with yoga, and she did a modified tree pose… on her own! We haven’t practiced yoga together since Utah — I was stunned — and then immediately felt guilty that I stopped practicing with her. To rectify that situation, my plan is to start practicing and I’ll put out an extra mat, where she can practice what she wants. Although I love a long practice, I’ll probably start with just a ten or fifteen minute routine first; very exciting!

Today, I also tended to my self care by finally tending to my garden. Still a minimalist container garden this year — I don’t have the time or energy for a full vegetable garden — I chose my favorite herbs, including: lavender, basil, thyme, oregano, parsley, spearmint, and chives. Heading to the farmer’s market in the morning to see if I can find sweet mint and rosemary. The only veggies we are planting this year are two grape tomato plants — I bought two because last year Bird ate all of our cherry tomatoes and I am positive Lulu will enjoy them just as much — and a jalapeño plant. Sometimes I get overzealous with my gardening and plant a ton of herbs and veggies only to waste them and that makes me sad. I think I planted the perfect amount of herbs to cook with and also to dry for cooking, tea, and infusing water. I am excited for the herb garden, yoga, and getting back into a healthy self care routine.

How are you going to care for yourself this month? This week? Today? Take care and enjoy!

Yoga and Emotions

Posted on by JC Rizk

Namaste//


The divine within me honors the divine in you.

I absolutely love this word. I hear it at the end of every yoga class and I think it is profound and moving. Essentially, namaste means that we are all equal — I see, and honor, the light and divinity within you, with all the light and divinity within me. It truly fills me with happiness and a feeling of acceptance, which, let’s be honest, is what yoga is all about – accepting yourself exactly how you are throughout the practice, and life.

Love this yoga mat by Gaiam!

I think I found my favorite yoga classes at Cradle Your Soul and they couldn’t be more different! After trying out a bunch of classes, I am now going to the Sunday Vinyasa Flow class, which is challenging, nonstop, and helps unite breath with movements. In addition, I tried a new class today and plan to go weekly for the rest of the month, called Living Lighter Yoga, which is all about slow movements, taking your time in the discomfort of certain positions, and allowing your body to breathe through the pain to find a natural release. The idea being that when we are upset, instead of hiding our feelings away, we can sit in them and work through them, allowing our body to release them naturally rather than holding emotions hostage.

This really resonated with me this week especially as my hubby and I work with our daughter on her tantrums and meltdowns. For a while we would try and calm her down, but the more I read and the more we discussed, we realized we want her to understand a healthy range of emotions and to work through it, knowing that we are here to support her and comfort her with hugs and kisses when she is ready. Is it loud? Yes. Is it sometimes frustrating because we are trying to do something fun and she freaks out because she’s overwhelmed, confused, or unsure? Definitely. That being said, letting her take some alone time to cry it out, or scream, really seems to help her work through it quicker than us hovering and telling her that she is okay. Big surprise there, right?

I do not have to imagine my response when I am upset and someone tells me to calm down or that I am okay — completely invalidated and even more upset. Also, when I push my emotions down to make others more comfortable, it always leads to a blowup, which is always much bigger than me just working through my feelings then and there. I found the above children’s book called, In My Heart: A Book of Feelings by Jo Witek, which mirrors this thought — it is super sweet and goes through all the emotions that we can feel in a language that speaks to children. Plus, the art is super cute too!

How about you? Any favorite yoga classes or books or anything that is really speaking to you lately? Let me know!

Duality of Parenthood

Posted on by JC Rizk

To all you mamas out there… congratulations! You’re doing terrific! Why do I say this? Simply because I know you are even if I do not know you – first, you’re reading this in the little spare time you have – and because oftentimes we, as mothers (parents), internalize guilt and overthink the choices we make in our children’s lives. This week the duality of motherhood has been in the forefront of my mind.

I am a stay-at-home mama to two children under the age of two. I love having the kids so close in age; however, currently having a 22 month and a 7.5 month old, we are getting into a tricky phase. The baby — we call him Lulucito — needs more attention now that he’s somewhat mobile — I think he will figure out crawling quicker than I expect, but he cannot yet move to keep up and interact fully with his sister. The toddler, we call her Bird, is now realizing that Lulucito needs more attention and that this requires sharing — something that is a work in progress.

If you’re like me, I am always on the lookout to learn something new and being a parent is no exception. I continuously read magazines, articles, and books on parenting, as my husband and I try to figure out what style we like best for our children. I recently found the following quote on social media posted by Raised Good (blog and website), which is a page that really mirrors how I would like to parent.

This quote especially resonates with me, because Bird’s personality is really presenting itself lately – she’s daring, extremely active, and supremely independent. She wants to explore, experience, and devour all that she sees! I absolutely adore this about her and I love that I get a front row seat to watch her enthusiasm for life unfold as she grows.
I let my kids explore life, nature, food, etc. because I think it is vitally important to their growth, physically, mentally, and emotionally. However, sometimes we need to run errands, leave the grocery store, or share with others — here is where the duality comes into play.

I struggle some days to make decisions: do my children have too much freedom or am I holding them back from their potential? Am I scheduling too many activities into their days or should I get them more involved? Am I coddling my children or pushing them to grow too quickly? These, and more, are the daily thoughts I have and I am working to find what comes naturally.

My overall goal is to be a calm parent: to listen to my children and their needs, not worry about the unwashed dishes and clothes, and focus on their growth and development. My goal for this week is much more humble: I want to remind myself that I am human and I encourage you all to do the same. Impatience and voice raising can sometimes win over, so my goal is to continue my self care routine with meditation and yoga. These practices help me to breathe in times where I feel overwhelmed and frustrated; this breath sometimes gives me the time I need to access the situation logically and to be proactive, rather than reactive in situations.

These are my goals for this week, what are yours? I am always searching for additional resources … please share anything that works for you and your family! Look forward to hearing from you!

Books & Meditation: Self Care Week

Posted on by JC Rizk

Last night, for the first time in about two years, I went to the bookstore ON…MY…OWN! I took my time looking at book covers, reading excerpts from the stories, and breathing in the book smells. Yes, that is correct; I am that person in the bookstore and I do not apologize! I did not have to run around after a toddler who wants to explore or rush because it was almost time for the baby’s bottle. I love being a mother, but let’s be honest – we all downtime and time to commit to self care.

You, yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection. – Buddha

These are my picks from last night’s extravaganza and I am super excited to begin! I plan to start with Ruth Ware’s The Lying Game, because I absolutely adored two of her other books: In a Dark, Dark Wood and Woman in Cabin 10. I think I read both for book clubs over the last few years and they were very fast reads – they kept me guessing, and I am hoping The Lying Game does the same.

The genre I read most often would be mystery or suspense novels; I adore becoming a part of the story, as if it is unfolding all around me and disappearing into that world. Mysteries tend to intrigue me and I absolutely treasure when a book ends and leaves me surprised. That being said, you should know I am not the type of person who reads ahead or guesses the ending. As I said, I want to be part of the story as it unfolds, not the one unfolding the story.

Continuing with the theme of self care this week, I took time to start meditating again; I used some trial sessions with the Headspace and Calm apps. Once I finish these free sessions, I will choose which one I like the best. Readers: are there any other meditation apps I should bring into the mix and try out before I make my decision? Leave a comment below and let me know!

This upcoming week I will start a weekly yoga class, as well! I will be so fit mentally, emotionally, and physically – thinking about it makes me feel giddy!

After visiting a book store, starting meditation, and signing up for yoga, I had room for even another source of self care this week: cooking! I tried a new recipe from the first book I read this year, Farm from Home, by Amanda Brooks. I made some changes to her recipe and made the Salmon Stir Fry, which came out really well and will be added to our food repertoire! Check out the recipe for more information about my cooking experience.

This week I hope you all take the time to practice some self care. Please remember to share with me any other meditation apps you may use or any comments in general. I would love to hear from you!

Happy weekend and enjoy your week!