The Importance of You Time ~ Tori

Sorry for posting so late, it's been one busy day. Which makes this week's topic all the more important.

The Importance of Taking Time To Yourself

I have 2 boys as you all know, and let me just say that things always can get a bit...

CRAZY

So it's more important than ever to schedule yourself some personal time. Otherwise you will find yourself one stressed out mama.

Of course you can't always get personal time because, well...kids get sick, schedules get hectic, etc. But even some time to yourself a little each week will do wonders.

Now you may be thinking to yourself: "She has to be kidding if she even thinks I can get some time to myself, there's no time for that"

The thing is, there is time. We usually just don't realize it. Either we can get up a bit early (I know it sounds hard, but it is sometimes well worth it), or we can stay up a little later to get our "me" time. There is also nap time, and you can compromise with your partner sometimes as well and switch.

And your "you" time doesn't have to be anything crazy expensive, or at a special place. Just some time to yourself to do something you enjoy. Maybe go to the library by yourself, take a couple hours to read, play some computer games, take a walk, ride your bike, work in the garden, go get your hair done, crochet, watch a TV show, etc. You can take an hour, two hours, or even 30 minutes. Just take some time to breathe for yourself. 

There are many ways to give yourself a little break now and again. Most importantly just know that it's okay to do that.

When I had my first son I felt guilty about taking time to myself. For the longest time I didn't even want to, and that's okay too. But as time went on, he grew, schedules started getting even more crazy, our family expanded, and things got even more hectic with all our lives. I wouldn't change any of it for the world of course, I am so thankful for my husband, family, and children. But you can't lose yourself in the process. Just because you are a mother, wife, etc., doesn't mean you are not still you. You are still your own person with your own interests, hobbies, etc.

If you find yourself getting stressed out take some time. Schedule it in for yourself, and you will be thankful you did. It really helps your mood, patience, and just your whole parenting spirit in general.

Motherhood is the most rewarding job in the entire world if you ask me. The love I feel for my children is by far the most wonderfully indescribable feeling in the world. I could go on and on about all the joys, but motherhood can also be hard. I'm not going to sugar-coat it here. It isn't always easy, no matter what people say. Whether you are a working mom or a stay at home mom we all have a hard job even as rewarding as it is. We are literally everything rolled into one. Oftentimes we are thrust into these new lives with little or no training, and nobody is going to give you the lowdown nitty gritty details of motherhood. You'll hear of all the good because they want you to be happy, but the hard stuff is learned as it comes. And we deserve a little time to ourselves every now and again so we don't get overwhelmed. It doesn't mean that you aren't a good mother, it doesn't mean you aren't taking good care of your children, so don't even let any of that make you feel guilty. Everyone deserves to do something for themselves every now and then. Moms are no different.

So take some time out for yourself this week, and enjoy it. Whether it's 1 hour, 30 minutes, or even 20 minutes just take a breather and relax. Ask your husband or partner to play with the kids for an hour or so, they will get some bonding time, and you will get a little break. Wait till your kiddos go to sleep and just relax and get caught up on that book you never get time to read. You'll feel better once you did. 

Come back on Thursday to see priddymomma's input on The Importance of You Time, and come back Saturday for Leslie's input.
And again feel free to email us at thecaseofthemissingcheerios(at)gmail.com if you would like us to cover a certain topic, or answer any questions. And feel free to comment below as we would love to hear from you. :)

How do you usually spend your "me" time?

Favorite Books - Leslie

Sharing my favorite books is easy.  I LOVE to read.  However, there are so many that I like that it may be hard to stop me.  I apologize in advance if this is extremely long.  I'll condense as best as I can.  The links will take you to Goodreads for more information on the books/series.  You may want to use the bathroom and get a snack first...




Series:

Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling
(From Goodreads)
Harry Potter has never played a sport while flying on a broomstick. He's never worn a Cloak of Invisibility, befriended a giant, or helped hatch a dragon. All Harry knows is a miserable life with the Dursleys, his horrible aunt and uncle, and their abominable son, Dudley. Harry's room is a tiny cupboard under the stairs, and he hasn't had a birthday party in ten years.

But all that is about to change when a mysterious letter arrives by owl messenger: a letter with an invitation to a wonderful place he never dreamed existed. There he finds not only friends, aerial sports, and magic around every corner, but a great destiny that's been waiting for him... if Harry can survive the encounter.

(Related to HP series)

  


Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
(From Goodreads) 
Could you survive on your own, in the wild, with everyone out to make sure you don't live to see the morning?

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.

Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister’s place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before—and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender.

If she is to win, she will have to start making choices that will weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

Delirium by Lauren Oliver
(From Goodreads)
They say that the cure for Love will make me happy and safe forever.

And I've always believed them.

Until now.

Now everything has changed.

Now, I'd rather be infected with love for the tiniest sliver of a second than live a hundred years smothered by a lie.

Lena looks forward to receiving the government-mandated cure that prevents the delirium of love and leads to a safe, predictable, and happy life, until ninety-five days before her eighteenth birthday and her treatment, when she falls in love.

Authors:
Stephen King

A few titles I enjoy:

 Chuck Palahniuk

A few titles I enjoy:  

John Green

A few titles I enjoy:

Standalone Books:

White Oleander by Janet Fitch

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

  
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

   
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

  
Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides

A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess

  
Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux

Poetry special mention - The Flash of Lightning Behind the Mountain by Charles Bukowski

   
Children's special mention - Willoughby & the Moon by Greg E. Foley

What are some of your favorites?  Feel free to send any recommendations my way.  I'm always looking for something new!  Also, look me up on Goodreads!  Lesaphine 
 

Favorite Books~priddymomma

Welcome back!  I can not put into words how absolutely ecstatic I am about this week’s topic.  I love books, and I am not shy about recommending them.

Favorite Series

Okay, so obviously I’ve already mentioned I’m a Harry Potter fan.  Fanatic?  Say what you will, I suppose.  I could sit here and write all day about Harry Potter.  I think that highly of it.  Instead, I’ll leave it as its own entity and list my other favorite series(es?).

• The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
• The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
• Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan
• Heroes of Olympus (sequel series to above mentioned) by Rick Riordan
• Dresden Files by Jim Butcher

These aren’t facetious recommendations.  I have read these at least three times each and plan to continue to read them yearly until I turn to dust.  The exception is Dresden Files.  I’ve just recently discovered the series.  Jim isn’t finished yet, and it has fourteen books, so it’ll be a bit before I read it that many times.  And with Harry Potter…well.  I’m not even sure how many times I’ve read it.  I lost count around seven. 

 

Cheerios Champ’s Current Fav

Tacky and the Winter Games by Helen Lester

Tacky the penguin is quirky and fun.  He’s a fav for my son (four years old).  He stars in several books and teaches kids that it’s okay to be different.  At times, being different is preferable to being just like everyone else.

Princess Cheerio’s Current Fav

Peek-a Who? by Nina Laden

My daughter (10 months) LOVES this book!  Its simple, repetitive rhythm engages tykes.  There’s a little window in the book that allows you to peek at the next page, which my daughter finds endlessly fascinating.  The colors and patterns are bold and appealing, and the last page is mirrored.  You can never go wrong with a mirror when it comes to babes.

 

 

I read just about anything that catches my eye and as a result, I end up reading a lot of preteen books too.

Favorite Tweeny Series

(outside of Percy Jackson, I mean)

39 Clues by Scholastic.  Misc. Authors

 This series is educational and full of action, and it’s written by amazing children's writers such as Rick Riordan and Gordon Korman.  Ages ten and up for violence factor.  An underdog brother and sister struggle to find family clues before the other branches of the family can do so, traveling throughout the world and having adventures and breaking codes and such.  The sister is bookish, so she’s constantly revealing facts about wherever they are. 

 I also end up reading a lot of young adult novels.  I can’t pick just one, so here are some of my favs.

• Uglies series by Scott Westerfeld
• The Morganville Vampires series by Rachel Caine
• Gemma Doyle series by Libba Bray

 

Favorite Parenting Book

Have a New Kid by Friday:  How to Change Your Child’s Attitude, Behavior & Character in 5 Days by Dr. Kevin Leman

This book changed the way I parent for the better.  Hubby and I were at the end of our rope with the way our son was behaving.  We realized that many of the issues we were having were power struggles and that our son was using certain tactics to control us.  It was really eye-opening.  It feels nice to hold the cards again.  I don’t recommend this for the faint-hearted, though.  It requires you to take a deep look at your own hang-ups and childhood feelings.  If you aren’t ready to change too, don’t try this method.  If you do as he suggests, it works.  Now five days…you can rearrange your thinking and parenting style in that time, but it's best to keep in mind that parenting is an ongoing thing and consistency is key.  I recommend the book if you have kids or grand kids from the ages of three to thirty-three!

Favorite Stand-Alone Novel

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

Miller draws inspiration from "The Iliad" and "The Odyssey" to bring classic Greek mythological heroes to life. The story is told by Patroclus, exiled prince and closest companion to Achilles. This is the story behind the big names of the Trojan War.  If you are interested in Greek mythology at all, this is for you.  I absolutely flew through this book.  It is also Miller’s first novel, so I’m excited to see what she comes up with next. 

Favorite Mystery Series

(outside of Dresden Files)

Jocelyn Shore series by Janice Hamrick (Death on Tour, Death Makes the Cut, to be cont.)

The thing I love most about this mystery series is that it’s hilarious.  A school teacher finds herself on the bad side of a murderer.  In the first book, she’s vacationing in Egypt.  In the second, she’s back home and a fellow teacher is murdered.  I have no idea how believable it’ll be for the next novel, but you know.  You really read this series for the dialogue. 

 

Favorite Horror

The Stand by Stephen King

I won’t even give you a description here.  King is the master and he needs no introduction from me.

 

Favorite Book for a Broken Heart

Stay by Allie Larkin

I didn’t actually read this book when I had a broken heart.  It would be good after a break-up or divorce though.  Hilarious at times and heart-warming at others, it’s the kind of book that will fill you with hope for the future and stoke the fires of your belief in true love.  It also is a grand example of how everything happens for a reason.  Essentially, this woman has to watch the man she loves marry her best friend.  Then, drunk out of her mind and watching Rin Tin Tin reruns, she orders a dog off the internet.  Things don’t go the way she plans and cue shenanigans.  This is my favorite stand-alone feel-good book.

Well!  I think I’ve dragged this on long enough.  You are probably more than ready to get on with your life…and maybe even set aside some time for a good read.  What are some of your favs?

If you have any special requests for topics, you can email us (thecaseofthemissingcheerios@gmail.com), or leave a comment and let us know.  :)

Favorite Books from Different Genres ~ Tori

Oh my I cannot believe it's time for another post already! Is it just me or are the weeks flying by? I hope you have all been enjoying our blog so far, and we have another great post for you this week. All about books!

I'm gonna talk about a few different genres today and a few of my favorite books. First off let me just start by saying that I love, love, LOVE, to read! I read just about every genre that is out there. In a world full of good books I just can't bear to limit myself! I read cookbooks, historical, romance, christian, fiction, non-fiction, true crime, biography, memoirs, science fiction, young adult, mystery, etc. I just can't bog myself down to one, it's impossible.

Here is my absolute, all time, favorite book:

::From the back of the book::
From New York Times bestselling author Kathryn Harvey comes an arousing, passionate story of three women’s hidden desires and the place called Butterfly, where dreams are kept and where fantasies come to life.

Above an exclusive men’s store on Rodeo Drive there is a private club called Butterfly, where women are free to act out their secret erotic fantasies. Only the most beautiful and powerful women in Beverly Hills are invited to join: Jessica, a lawyer who longs for the days when men were men, and women dressed to please them; Trudie, a builder who wants a man who will challenge her—all of her—with no holds barred; and Linda, a surgeon, who uses masks to unmask the desires she hides even from herself.
But the most mysterious of them all is the woman who created Butterfly. She has changed her name, her accent, even her face to hide her true identity. And now she is about to reveal everything to realize the dream that has driven her since childhood—the secret obsession that will carry her beyond ecstasy, or destroy her and everyone around her.

While this book has nothing to do with being a mom or anything I do feel that this is a book that is too often overlooked. I fell in love with this book when I first read it. It can get a little explicit so if your uncomfortable reading about that then this isn't the book for you. This is not a 50 Shades of Grey type of book. This book has a plot, intrigue, desire, sadness, horror, revenge, mystery, etc. It isn't just an erotica book. It mainly focuses on women and their lives. They work through their own personal demons in various ways, and it takes so many twists and turns you won't be able to tell in what direction it is headed. I myself became immersed in the novel after just a few chapters and couldn't put it down. I re-read it at least once a year, as it has become one of my favorites.


Here is a good book on parenting that I love::

::From the back of the book::

One Small Change in How You Love One Big Change in your Kids

Having problems with your kids? What if you are the problem and you just can’t see it? How We Love Our Kids offers a unique approach, to help you as a parent transform your kids by making specific changes in how you love. It’s the only book specifically for parents that reveals the unseen forces that shape every interaction with your kids.

• Identify which of the five love styles you have. 
• Discover the surprising dynamics that shape your parenting. 
• Get rid of your “buttons” so your kids can’t push them. 
• Create a close connection with your kids that will last a lifetime. 
• Learn the seven gifts every child needs. 

Based on years of research in the area of attachment and bonding, How We Love Our Kids shows parents how to overcome the predictable challenges that arise out of the five love styles and helps parents cultivate a secure, deep connection with a child of any age. Retool your reactions and refocus on how you love. Start today. Watch your kids flourish and thrive as they receive what was missing in your love.
With four self-assessments and powerful application tools to use with children of all ages.

I am always intrigued by parenting books because there really are so many different parenting styles out there. I have tried many and found a few that works for us. What works for one may not work for another, but it's always nice to at least try a few different styles just to see how they fit.

One thing we don't really think about is the fact that sometimes our children's behavior may not be due to them but rather due to us. Not to say that we are dysfunctional or bad parents, but just pointing out that sometimes we need to not only evaluate our children but ourselves. 

One thing I have instituted into our household that I got from the book is a list of emotions Towards the beginning of the book Milan's son is upset due to a school incident so Milan has him go to the refrigerator where there is a list of emotions and choose what emotions he is feeling so they can talk about it. We have been doing this since our oldest was 4, we have a list of "emotion faces", which are drawings of various happy, mad, sad, frustrated, silly, etc., faces with the words underneath. When he starts acting out or throws tantrums we will take him to the fridge and have him explain to us how he feels so we can talk about why he is acting the way he is. It doesn't always work right away, but it does have a positive effect for him. It helps him realize that he can talk to us about anything, and how it's a good idea to talk through emotions rather than act out more rashly.

I also loved the fact that the book doesn't really seem as if it is lecturing you but rather speaking to you. Those are always the best kind of parenting books to read. Who wants to sit down and be lectured when your already trying your hardest? LOL

Favorite children's books::

I must admit I am over the moon about Dr. Seuss books. I grew up reading them, and my children are growing up loving them as well. But there's another series of books that I would like to draw some attention too. Many people don't know about them, and they are wonderful teaching tools. That is the Howard B. Wigglebottom series.

Howard B. Wigglebottom books are entertaining educational books. They teach important life lessons to children while helping them learn good from bad, and helping them feel good about themselves. Characters are colorful, and there are many books to choose from, including:
Howard B. Wigglebottom Learns to Listen
Howard B. Wigglebottom Listens to His Heart
Howard B. Wigglebottom Learns About Bullies
Howard B. Wigglebottom Learns About Mud and Rainbows
Howard B. Wigglebottom Learns It's OK to Back Away
Howard B. Wigglebottom and The Monkey on his Back
Howard B. Wigglebottom and the Power of Giving (a Christmas Story)
Howard B. Wigglebottom Learns Too Much of a Good Thing is Bad
Howard B. Wigglebottom Blends in Like Chameleons
Howard B. Wigglebottom Learns About Sportsmanship
Howard B. Wigglebottom Learns About Courage

They help kids learn important lessons about lying, telling the truth, doing what is right, handling bullies, having courage, playing fair, giving, making friends, behaving, etc. They also have a wonderful website with fun games, coloring page print-outs, etc. You can visit it at wedolisten.org

Feel free to share your favorite books. We are all always up for recommendations and hearing what all the other parents are reading out there. There are just too many good books to even possibly get to them all in one post so that's it for me today. Come back on Thursday to see Heather's post, and Saturday for Leslie's. 

Name brand vs. store brand - Leslie

As you know, the topic for the week is store brand versus name brand products.  Honestly guys, my contribution is going to be fairly short and sweet this week.

For me, it's less about store brand versus name brand and more about how I can get the best quality product for the cheapest price.  I'm not necessarily for or against either side.  In fact, a lot of the time the name brand product is the exact same as store brand.  Go ahead.  Check the ingredients.  I can wait...

I think the key is to just keep an open mind about it.  Some people swear by every single name brand and think that every store brand is lower quality.  Sometimes that is absolutely true, but not always.  Sometimes you are just wasting money on a name when the store brand is just as good, or in some cases better.  On the other hand, there are people who won't touch name brands in the name of frugality.  (Perhaps your spaghetti would have tasted less like pasta with water sauce at dinner tonight.)  What is the point of buying a product if it doesn't work or tastes horrible just because it is cheaper?

There are, of course, some things I will only buy name brand.  For example: 

  

 
Over

Coffee is one of those things that people get very opinionated about.  I prefer to drink Folger's over just about any other coffee.  Store brand will do in a pinch, but there is a huge difference in taste, and really?  Just ech. 


More and more I find myself wanting to just make things myself, however.  Breads, pastas, sauces, butter, some cheeses, cereals, laundry detergent, toothpaste, etc.  All can be made yourself.  Perhaps that's too 'crunchy' for some, or just too much work, but I think it can be a great way to save some money and know for sure what your family is using and eating is safe.

Don't be afraid to try something new.  Just because you use something, and always have (always will?), doesn't mean there isn't a product out there that you will like better or that will WORK better for you.