Morning
The time change rocked our world last week but one small perk of the time change mayhem came in the form of my early morning wake-ups. Somehow waking up at 5 a.m. still feels a little like 6 a.m. and I’m relishing that feeling for as long as it wants to hang around. (On the flip side, I am finding myself ready for bed at 8:30 p.m. every night. Ooph.)
My first order of business for the day on Tuesday was coffee! I brewed myself a cup of coffee in one of my holiday mugs and while I think I should probably be embarrassed to admit just how early we broke out our Christmas decorations this year, I am loving the pops of red and green around our house. I topped my coffee with frothy coconut milk and made my way into our living room to do my morning devotional. (I always use coconut milk from a can in my coffee because the kind in a carton isn’t as creamy and doesn’t froth nearly as well. I just store the leftovers in a mason jar in the fridge to use throughout the week.)
I wasn’t paying attention when I went to sit down on the couch with my coffee and promptly sat on this lovely collection of toys.
Thanks boys!
Once I was done with my devotional, I said goodbye to Ryan as he headed out the door and then whipped up a warm bowl of my pumpkin paleo oatmeal because I’m embracing everything pumpkin right now.
Topped with pumpkin seeds and raw oats for chewy + crunchy texture!
I ate my breakfast as I wrapped up a deadline for an upcoming partnership and then began working on one of my holiday gift guides. My gift guides always take me for-ev-errr to put together and I am hoping that by working on them a little bit every day, they won’t be quite as time consuming in the coming weeks.
Soon Ryder was awake followed shortly by Chase so the morning mayhem began! I got the boys dressed and then we did our usual morning story time followed by breakfast and some playtime before we had to leave for school. Ryder tried to coerce Sadie into the fun but she was not having it.
Ryder’s obsession with Sadie is next-level and so sweet however Sadie is simply not a morning dog. Check back with Sadie around 10 a.m. every morning and she’ll find her joy.
Once Chase was settled at preschool, Ryder and I made our way to Burn Boot Camp. He played in childcare while I got nice and sweaty during a burst training cardio workout with my friend Lauren.
We could not resist snapping a pic in front of the window because the leaves are just on fire right now. (Our attempts to climb up on on that tiny window ledge and balance ourselves for this pic were rather comical.) Fall in North Carolina is seriously bringing the heat.
After my workout, I had a lovely battle with Ryder in the gym lobby because he did not want me to carry him out to the car and yet when I let him walk by himself he thinks it’s really fun to slip out of my hand and sprint toward the parking lot. Mr. Independent, I’m telling you. Eventually we made it home and I fed him breakfast 2.0 (he likes a two-part breakfast like his mama) and then I settled him in his crib for a nap.
I then grabbed a quick shower, threw an acorn squash in the oven to roast for lunch and made myself a cup of Four Sigmatic hot cacao to sip on while I cranked out some work.
Once my acorn squash was done roasting, I mashed it up and added it to a combination of green beans and chopped chicken thighs I prepped over the weekend for easy weekday lunches.
(Side note: The softspun joggers you can barely see in the above photo are heaven. I’ll share more about them on Friday but I cannot stop wearing them!)
I ate my lunch while I tackled a bit more work on the computer and then got Ryder up and ready for preschool pickup.
Afternoon + Evening
Our afternoon kicked off with a dentist appointment for Chase.
We drove straight from preschool pickup to the dentist for what I thought would be a short appointment. Ryder was very interested in driving his car on the bottom of Chase’s chair which actually worked as a nice distraction for Chase while he had his teeth cleaned.
At this point, everything looked good and Chase was moved into a separate room for his first round of dental x-rays. Unfortunately the x-rays revealed a couple of cavities in between Chase’s molars. I went down a spiral of mom guilt (clearly we should’ve been better about flossing in between his teeth) but our dentist told me it’s actually quite common for a child’s first round of x-rays to reveal cavities. We were able to get an appointment for 45 minutes later to deal with his first cavity but will have to return in a week or two to fix the other cavity since our dentist recommended splitting everything up so his mouth isn’t numb for several hours in two different places.
Since I knew keeping Ryder entertained at the dentist for a couple of hours would be next to impossible, I used the 45 minute wait-time to load the boys back into my car and drop Ryder off at a local drop-in childcare place near our house where he could play during Chase’s next appointment. We majorly lucked out because a drop-in childcare facility opened up within two miles of our house a couple of months ago and it’s wonderful. The owner is fabulous (she’s also a police officer in the area) and it absolutely saves me in situations like this where I have something pop up at the last second and need immediate help with the boys. It’s also been great for my own appointments when scheduling a babysitter to come to the house for an hour or two doesn’t really feel “worth it” for such a short amount of time (for the sitter, especially).
Once Ryder was all settled, Chase and I drove back to the dentist for his appointment.
I am so, so happy with our dentist because they handled what could’ve been a really overwhelming experience for Chase in a way that kept him informed in kid-friendly terms but also relaxed. They played The Grinch on a small television above him and he was given laughing gas to keep him calm which worked very well. They instructed me to sit on the bottom of the chair with him so his legs were in my lap and I could see everything. The whole ordeal was actually rather quick and Chase handled it like a champ.
Soon we were out the door and off to pick Ryder up from childcare. We eventually made our way home and everyone seemed tired and ravenous so I scrapped plans for a more involved dinner in favor of pasta with meat sauce, one of my standbys that’s always fast to whip up at the last minute.
Once the Chase and Ryder were fed and I was done with my pasta, we headed upstairs for “brother bath” and our usual nighttime routine. The boys were quite excited when I showed them that their new footie pajamas arrived in the mail earlier that day and Chase immediately asked to wear them to bed that night.
By the end of the day it was in the 30s in Charlotte yesterday so warm, fleece footie jammies were a welcomed treat for the boys! Also, I apologize for the horribly blurry picture. I actually initially snapped that one to text to my friends because all of our kids will be wearing these matching pajamas for our annual holiday party in December and I wanted to show them Chase’s excitement when he heard he’d be matching his BFFs again this year.
Here’s a flashback to last year in their matching pajamas:
It was so cute and the kids loved it so we had to plan to do it again this year!
Ryder ended up in bed by 6:15 p.m. last night (he was just d-o-n-e) so unfortunately he missed Ryan since Ryan didn’t arrive home until close to 7 p.m. Once Ryan was home, he joined me and Chase for a couple of stories before we tucked Chase in for the night.
Ryan and I ended up chatting for a bit before bed and brainstorming Las Vegas-themed outfits for an upcoming Las Vegas-themed holiday party we have on the agenda in early December. We laughed quite a bit about some of our ideas and we’re waffling back and forth between two pretty solid ideas at the moment. One idea I had that got thrown out was to dress up as Ross and Rachel in Vegas (from Friends) with pen all over our faces but we decided that it wouldn’t be enough of a costume for the party. I’m sure I’ll share pictures of our costumes after the party so stay tuned!
And now I’m hearing Ryder making noise on the monitor, so it’s time to get this Wednesday rolling. I’m hoping our Wednesday will be a little less eventful than our Tuesday! Thanks so much for stopping by the blog today and I hope you all have a wonderful rest of the week!
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Do not apologize for the blurry shot! It’s always so hard to get a good shot of my boys, so many are deleted! I hear you about the battle of picking up Ryder. My youngest isn’t really a big fan of holding hands while walking (like his older brother was at this age) and I hold him in busy areas. Can’t wait to buy them matching Christmas pjs and an outfit for the holidays. Have to take advantage of this time before they get older! ?
Sooooo many blurry pics on my phone!! Ha! Have you heard of the app Slidebox? It makes deleting massive amounts of phone pics so much easier!
And yes to constant battles at this age — he wants to do everything himself which I know is a good thing but ooooph it’s a lot of battling all day!
I hear you! No I haven’t heard of that app, thanks!
Real quick, I ran into my fave store TJ Maxx because I had some time before preschool pickup. It was exploding with fun Christmas things and your post inspired me to buy a new holiday coffee mug! I also saw fun holiday bedding for kids. I seriously wanted to buy everything holiday-ish! ??
Aww Julie, don’t feel bad! The first x rays are so scary! We definitely dealt with cavaties with my older son and all the mom guilt. Mouth wash and sealants (I’m not sure of the spelling?) have worked wonders! I’m already stressed about my younger son’s teeth.
I love all of the holiday stuff in your post! I can’t wait to start hearing 24/7 Christmas music on the radio!
What kind of mouth wash do you use for your kiddos? I didn’t even think of that!
I will definitely look at it when I get home and let you know! The dentist recommended a specific kind for my older son…my younger son can’t use it yet because he would swallow it, but I think it definitely helps kids who can spit it out!
https://www.amazon.com/Listerine-Alcohol-Free-Anticavity-Mouthwash-Incredibles/dp/B0794P3TR6/ref=sr_1_16?crid=98J3BRPFARAQ&keywords=listerine+anticavity+mouthwash&qid=1573681349&sprefix=listerine+anti+cav%2Caps%2C496&sr=8-16
thank you, sara!!
I wanted to add a bit of reassurance that the health of one’s teeth is partially genetic. I have taken care of my kids’ teeth in the exact same way. My daughter has had zero cavities, and my son…. poor thing is on his third. It isn’t ONLY genetic, of course: my son has high functioning autism and is a much pickier eater. When I looked at their food choices, he was naturally eating more sugar: He doesn’t like most meat, so peanut butter and yogurt are two of his main sources, and those can be really high in sugar. The jam on his PB&J’s etc. So I am subtly switching everything out to no/lower sugar.
I truly understand the mom guilt. I have struggled with my teeth, and its very motivating for me to continue pushing them towards great dental habits so they don’t have to pay $$ and worry about it as much as an adult.
You are a great Mom, Julie. And I’m a little envious of your dentist. What a neat setup!
Thank you, Jessica!!! <3
Could you share what devotional you read each morning?
Absolutely! I actually jump around a LOT and have three I’m currently cycling through. My go-to is always Trusting God Day by Day by Joyce Meyer: http://bit.ly/33Oshzc It’s a daily devotional and very short/easy to read and understand. It’s not a “deep dive” but really good for beginning the day with a line of scripture and a thought-provoking message. The other one I’m doing is called Planted: https://shop.wellwateredwomen.com/products/planted-study It’s a more in-depth study and I generally use it as a “jumping off point” to direct me to a scripture in the Bible and then think about whatever the topic is for that week (Simplicit, Giving, Joy, etc.). And finally, I’m re-reading a study called In Everything Give Thanks with some of my friends: https://lovegodgreatly.com/lgg/everything-give-thanks/ It’s great for this time of year w/Thanksgiving and the holidays coming up. Hope this helps!! <3
Do you find Ryder going through a fussy phase? My son is right around his age and my sweet, easygoing boy has all of
a sudden become a whiny, fussy little terror lately! I’m not sure if it’s teething or just the age but my gosh he wears. me. out!
YES!! Especially in the car! Yeesh!
Dental work is no fun, but I think it’s great how some dentists go out of their way to make sure it’s at least as tolerable as possible, for kids and adults alike! I had to get a crown last week, and as soon as I sat down in the chair the dentist told me I could keep my phone with me the whole time and offered noise-cancelling headphones so I could (more or less) zone out during the procedure. I was telling my parents about it, and my dad told me his dentist when he was growing up didn’t even use novocaine until my dad was a teenager! That’s awesome that your dentist was so great with Chase – hopefully round two of the fillings goes well, too!
We did a really fun Vegas themed party in college and came up with kind a fun twist on the idea. Me and my girlfriends did a “Waking Up in Vegas” theme. We each wore an eye mask that we wrote “Waking up in Vegas” on (like the sleep ones) and then we were each a stereotype of waking up in Vegas, i.e.: the one that got arrested, the one that got married, the one who lost all their money gambling, the one who got into a fight, the one who stole a tiger (like The Hangover movie lol). It was really fun!
that’s awesome!!! sooo one of our ideas is actually to do The Hangover characters! and yes, this would involve me wearing a faux-beard. haha!!
costume idea: Sigfried & Roy! carry a stuffed tiger !
love that idea!!!
I totally get the mom guilt for cavities! My son had trauma to his front teeth so he has 2 cavities that are super prominent. We’ve been doing fluoride treatments, but with his picky eating of carbs & fruit and the brushing battle, we’re losing. We’re supposed to get them filled with sedation dentistry, so it was really good for me to see the picture you shared of Chase. We do floss his teeth (almost daily). G.U.M. makes grape flavored flosser sticks that he has handled really well.
We’ve already had a snow storm in Western NY, so I just might have to bring out the Christmas decor early!
Thanks for sharing about Chase’s dentist experience. A girlfriend of mine has been beating herself up about her 4 year old son’s cavities (her dad and sister are both dentists!). I sent her this post and told her if it could happen to you (practically a health food blogger!) it could happen to anyone. They really do seem to be commonly found in those first x-rays. I am already dreading my kids’ first x-rays.
oh yes!!! it’s definitely hard not to feel like you did something wrong for your child when this comes up because it feels so preventable! our dentist definitely made me feel better when she explained how common it is following a child’s first x-rays.
No guilt for putting out Christmas decorations!
Come November 1st it is fair game!
Julie-
I read your blog all the time, dedicated follower. I know you have mentioned visiting Jacksonville quite often. We care considering going the week after Christmas. We have a 4 & & year old. How is the weather? Are there things to do with kids? Any places you would suggest staying?
Thank you so much!
Beth
Hi Beth! That time of year is great for a Jacksonville visit! It’s often warm without being too hot — sometimes just a sweatshirt is enough other times we are in shorts at Christmas! As for things to do with kids, we love the Jacksonville Zoo! They may even have their Zoo Lights going on when you are there if you’ll be visiting close to the holidays!
Hi Julie! I’ve been reading your blog for years and love following along! I would love to know more about how you make your frothy milk that you add to your coffee! I know you mention it quite a bit and I’m curious 🙂 Are you still into flavored coffees? Also, do you mix your Four Sigmatics hot cacao with milk or water?
Hi! I make it with my Mixpresso frother! It’s $27 on Amazon and warms/froths coconut milk (from a can) easily! –> http://bit.ly/33Lol2h I also use it for frothing whole milk for tea lattes a lot and love it. And I always mix my hot cacao with milk — either regular milk or almond milk. So good!
Could you possibly do a post on your favorite devotionals? 🙂