It’s hard to believe, but this is our last Share Our Lives post of 2025. We’ve had a lot of fun sharing these posts and reading blogs of those who’ve linked up with us!
This month’s topic is…staying connected with spouse/kids.
This is a timely topic just given the fact that I think we’re in a busy season of life and December is one of the busiest months of the year!
Travis and I both work full time, and we have two active kids with schedules that keep us busy in the evenings.
One rule that I have overall is that we need to eat dinner together more nights a week than not. Sometimes, that means we are eating at 8:00, but at least we’re eating together. Without issue, we tend to always have dinner together on Sundays, so it’s nice to wrap up the weekend/start the week together. We typically go over the upcoming week’s schedule and start the week on the right foot.
You know I like my quiet mornings, and I get up before everyone else. That being said, Trav usually gets up early too…after me, but before the kids, so we have time in the morning to chat. It’s happened more recently that we have more and more time when the kids aren’t home, so we’ll watch a show or game together. We’ll go out to get a drink or dinner when we can.
We’re in that weird transitional phase when we have been spending more time with the kids as they’ve been wanting to drive more and more in order to practice for their driving tests…but now that Hadley has her license, she’s been more independent…driving herself to practices…still so weird to me. Anyway, I make time to chat with Hadley in the morning as she gets ready for school, and she and I end up running errands together quite a bit. Also, she’ll watch a movie with me, and during the holidays, we have a few we will watch.
With Hayden, he rides with me every morning, so it’s nice to have that time. Also, he loves watching sports, and I do too. I try to make myself available to watch games when they are on tv…like the Chiefs games and UK games. He’s not a Mizzou fan, so I watch those games on my own. haha
Also, with both kids, I see them quite a bit at school which is really special. We have block scheduling, and depending on the day, Hadley stops by after lunch, and Hayden does too.
I always enjoy when my family can do things together, and I look forward to this holiday season when we can carry on a few traditions, and have some downtime to do some activities like bake cookies, go to a movie or go out to eat.
Thinking ahead to 2026…we’re continuing the Share Our Lives fun the second Monday of every month, and we hope you’ll save our new graphics, and link up with us when you can (or read the blog posts!)
We’ll kick off January sharing ways to stay warm in the winter.
This month’s topic is…habits to make time for reading.
Well, whether you’ve read my blog once or one hundred times, you probably know that one of my favorite things to do is read a good book…
I grew up with parents who read and trips to the library often, and, to me, reading is such a gift!
Some of my favorite memories as a parent are the times I took my kids to the library for story time and to check out books in the summer, on a Saturday or a snow day from school.
My kids aren’t big readers now, but I hope one day they circle back and find the joy in books again.
Anyway, on to our topic for today…here are a few tips I have for making time for reading.
1. Routine
Making reading a part of your routine. There is hardly a day that goes by that I don’t read for even a few minutes. Most of the time, it’s at bedtime, so I end up drifting off, but just having a book or my Kindle on my bedside table or coffee table makes it easy for me to read for a few minutes.
2. Lists
I love when others share what they’ve been reading, and then I add book titles to my TBR (to be read) list. For years, I had a note on my phone with a running list of what I wanted to read and what I read, but three or four years ago, I started using the Goodreads app to track my lists and my reading. It’s fun to follow friends and see what they’re reading and how they rate books.
I also think it helps to read a variety. For years, I love chick lit, but now my favorite genre is historical fiction. That being said, I still love a good mystery as well as a memoir/bio/autobio. I think reading a mix of genres keeps reading interesting.
3. Reading Goals
I’m a pretty goal oriented person, and I’m somewhat motivated to see how many books I can read in a year. So, I’ve done the Goodreads challenge the past few years. There are a variety of challenges, but I just set a goal for the number of books I hope to read, and track that way. My goal is typically 40 books, and I come close to achieving the goal most years.
4. Maximize time
I used to exclusively read books, but now I’ve owned a Kindle for probably seven years. Now, I mostly read on my Kindle, but I still love to hold a book in my hands. The Kindle is just more convenient for me. I keep it in my purse to read when I’m waiting on my kids to finish a practice, and it’s easier to download a few books before a vacation than to lug books in my carry on.
Also, I’m still somewhat new to audio books, but they are another way that I maximize my time. Now, I can listen to a book when I workout, go for a walk, or while I’m in the car. I’m really starting to like listening to books, but I do find it hard to finish one in the two week library check out window…sometimes I have to listen to them on 1.75x speed! (Of course, some books can be renewed if they aren’t on a wait list, giving me more time)
5. Reduce distractions
It’s easy to get distracted, but when I’m reading, I do put my phone away or turn the television off. It’s just good for me to have a few moments of quiet to read for a bit to unwind. Reading is definitely a stress reliever for me and something I truly enjoy doing.
What good reading habits do you have?
Next month, we’ll have our last topic of 2025…staying connected with kids/spouse/significant other. As always, we hope you’ll join us.
How was your weekend? Ours was pretty action packed with Homecoming festivities, and yesterday I needed the day to recuperate and get my life together.
Slow down, October! How is it already the second Monday of the month? That means I’m co-hosting the Share Our Lives link up with some of my favorite bloggers.
I love a snack! I always pack some kind of snack for school or stock up on a few items to have on hand at school.
My whole family loves Core Power protein drinks, and the chocolate one is my fave. I leave some in my classroom fridge, so I have one a few days a week at school.
Protein bars are another easy snack idea that obviously are a good source of protein. The Barebells bars are my go to, and I get them at Trader Joe’s. I will say that I usually just eat half a bar one day and then the other half another day. They just seem to be kind of filling for me.
If I really have my act together on a Sunday, I try to wash some grapes and put them in little baggies. The snack size baggies are perfect for this.
Another fave snack is apple and peanut butter. These individual Jif peanut butters are so easy and convenient.
I love Grab the Gold bars. Kroger doesn’t always have them, but when they do, I buy quite a few. Sometimes, I’ve seen them in gas stations, but not locally.
I’m sure these aren’t the healthiest, but I typically have a granola bar in my purse just to have on hand in a pinch.
Other snacks I love are carrots and Ranch dressing, so I will buy the individual Ranch packs to take to school. I also love chips and salsa, Balanced Breaks – cheese, cashews, and craisins, as well as Babybel cheese.
What’s your “go to” snack?
If you have a blog, we hope you’ll link up with us today. I’d love to expand my snack options; sometimes I feel like I’m just eating the same things every day.
Next month, our topic is…habits to make time for reading.
This month’s topic is…5 things we like to do winter/spring/summer/fall.
To start, I’ve always lived somewhere that has four seasons, and I don’t know that I could live somewhere that doesn’t. I’m an oddball who likes the winter, so even seeing snow is important to me. That being said, I’m sure living somewhere that’s sunny and 75 year round can’t be bad either. haha!
Here’s some things I like to do per season:
Winter:
1. Enjoy all the holiday fun in December
December is quite the month, but it’s filled with traditions and holiday fun!
2. Fresh start in January
January is one of my favorite months. It’s the start of a new year and January is always far less hectic than December. I feel like I breathe a big sigh of relief once the calendar turns to January. Plus…
3. Celebrate my birthday
January is my birthday month! I don’t need all the attention, but I appreciate a card, cake, and dinner.
4. Snow days!
Also, in January, we really start having a chance of snow…which means snow days! Remember last January when we didn’t go back to school until mid-January?! …and then we still had some snow days after that!
5. Read by the fire!
I feel like I have more time to read in January, and I’m ready to start a new year with a reading goal thanks to Good Reads. Even better is when I can read my Kindle with the fire keeping me warm.
Spring:
1. Walk outside
Once February hits, I’m ready for spring and spending time outside. When the weather allows in March, I love a spring time walk where every day gets lighter!
2. Spring break
I always look forward to spring break. By that time, we all need a break from school. We typically don’t go too far from home or for two long, but four days away is typically perfect. We have taken some “bigger” spring break trips the past couple of years, going to Washington, D.C. and Isle of Palms.
3. Go to Keeneland/Oaks
Keeneland in April and the Oaks/Derby in May both are special times in the Bluegrass State.
4. Freshen up the front porch
It’s always nice to freshen up the front porch in the spring. For Mother’s Day, my present is always two hanging ferns, and then we also plant flowers in the front porch planters. I also change out the door mat and door hanger. I’m ready for more color in the spring time months!
5. Wrap up the school year
Of course, the end of spring means wrapping up the school year. Honestly, the years seem to go faster and faster…especially now that the kids are in high school too.
Summer:
1. Unwind/sleep in
The best part about summer is not having a schedule which means I can stay up a bit later and also sleep in a bit too. Honestly, most summers are still busier than I think they will be, but at least there’s downtime in between the busy.
2. Pool time
I always appreciate pool time in the summer.
3. Vacation
It’s always nice when we can go on a longer vacation in the summer. This past summer, Trav and I went to the Lake Michigan area which was perfect.
Summer 2024, we took the epic trip to the Pacific Northwest for the Olympic Track Trials and to check out Washington and Oregon.
4. Time for exercise classes
In the summer, I appreciate having a bit more time for fitness…and having a few more choices. During the year, I usually go for a walk or go down to my basement to complete a Bodi workout. In the summer, I can go to the gym to use the elliptical or take a Pilates class.
5. To do lists
I also appreciate having time in the summer to cross things off my to do list. In the summer months, I typically purge closets, clean out kitchen cabinets, complete tasks that I put off during the school months like getting the rugs cleaned or finishing a project.
Fall:
My favorite season of all:
1. Decorate
I always love decorating in the fall. I feel like it doesn’t take too long, and we can appreciate the decor for a couple of months. Plus, I love making the front porch festive in the fall.
2. Watch the leaves change color
We have a neighborhood filled with wonderful trees, and it’s so fun to see the leaves change.
3. Keeneland, Pumpkin patch
Just like in the spring, Keeneland is one of my favorite places to be in the fall.
The pumpkin patch is one of my favorite traditions. I love the apple cider donuts, seeing all the pumpkins, letting the kids get their carving pumpkins, and just spending a bit of time outside.
4. Fall break
Fall break is always a great time! We used to have a couple of days off, and we’d typically go to Asheville, NC. Then, the calendar shifted, and we have gotten a week off the past few years. While, to me, fall break isn’t as “needed” as spring break is, I still appreciate it. We’ve had lots of fun with friends the past few years.
5. Celebrate kids’ birthday and Thanksgiving:
November is a marathon of a month, but two of my favorite days take place: the kids’ birthday and Thanksgiving. What’s not to love?
I’m very ready for fall; we had awesome temps last week, but we’re back in the upper 80’s soon.
Next month’s topic is go to snacks. We’d love to have you link up with us.
While this is a Monday I’ve been “dreading” for a bit, last week was nice easing into back to school, and at this point, I’m ready to see students on Wednesday.
It’s the second Monday of the month, so I’m co-hosting the Share Our Lives link up with some of my favorite bloggers.
Well, this topic is perfect timing considering my summer “break” is wrapping up. Before I share a few ways I take a break, I’ve always said one of the things I love about being a teacher is having built in breaks. Going into the school year, I know I will have a fall, winter, spring and summer break. Those pockets of time have been great for re-charging at home, scheduling appointments, visiting family, celebrating holidays and traveling. Also, those breaks have provided me with the opportunity to be a “stay at home mom” for pockets of time. So, I really appreciate having these breaks throughout the year.
In a more everyday setting, I take breaks by…
Sipping my coffee…
…closing my eyes for a few minutes…
…reading…
…floating in the pool…
…going for a walk…(as well as other forms of exercise)…
….and the best way to take a break is with my toes in the sand. It seems all my worries go away when I have a view of the water…
How was your weekend? We got home from our trip on Saturday night, yesterday we picked Hayden up from running camp, and then spent the rest of the day trying to get our lives in order. I was somewhat successful in that endeavor, but I also have quite the “to do” list today and tomorrow.
Anyway, it’s the second Monday of the month, so I’m co-hosting the Share Our Lives link up with some of my favorite bloggers.
I was excited to write this post today as some of my favorite posts to write are the ones where I look back on certain times in life.
When I thought about this topic, the first thing that popped in my mind was the first time we took the kids to the beach in 2011. I blogged about it last summer in a Throwback Thursday post.
Travis and I had gone to Folly Beach near Charleston the summer before to celebrate our five year wedding anniversary. It was a great getaway, but one of the first times we “planned ahead” and thought about bringing the kids the next year.
When we went back to Folly in 2016, the kids would have been twenty months old or so…as soon as we got out of the car, we headed to the beach. Hadley pointed at the ocean and didn’t want anything to do with it. Hayden ran around, getting sandy and even got his shorts wet.
To know them, you would have expected the opposite based on their personalities. We had a great week, but we did leave a day early because it was a rainy day, and we needed to get the kids home and back into a routine. That was the first of many beach trips.
In 2013, we again went to the Charleston area, but stayed in Isle of Palms, SC for the first time. This pic is just the sweetest memory…
…so sweet that I keep it framed in their bathroom.
We’ve also spent many wonderful summers in Siesta Key, and it’s another great place that the kids are familiar with and love visiting. We love going to the beach after dinner…especially when the kids were little. I love this pic of them frolicking in the water.
When the kids were five, we planned a day at Disney World during our stay in Siesta Key. We drove up to Orlando for the day, and the kids were so excited when we surprised them. I will save the video forever…of them squealing and hopping up and down.
Another favorite memory is our trip to the Grand Canyon. This trip all came about because Hayden had read about the Grand Canyon and wanted to go. Neither Trav nor I had been, so we planned a trip to Arizona…followed by California and Nevada.
We’ve made tons of beach memories with friends the past few years. We’ve enjoyed going to the 30A area of Florida for fall break. The weather is so nice, and the kids have plenty to do. It’s rare to find friends you can travel with, and now, with three years under our belt, I feel like it’s such a blessing to have these memories with such great friends.
Going to Mexico a couple of years ago was such a highlight because the kids had never been out of the country, and Trav and I hadn’t been to Mexico since our honeymoon. The resort was so nice, we relaxed, we went to Isla Mujeres, and just had a really great time.
Last summer, our trip to Oregon and Washington really takes the cake. It took a lot of planning by Trav, and what made it so memorable was that the kids were so excited to go. It’s not often you can go to the Olympic Track Trials, and that was only part of our trip, but we had such a great time in Portland,Eugene, the Oregon coast,Olympic National Park, Seattle and more.
Since Trav and I just got back from Michigan, it had me thinking about some of our trips. I always love when I tag along with him when he goes to Del Mar, California for work. Del Mar is truly one of my favorite places.
Of course, we’ve traveled other places, but since we just got back from Michigan to celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary, I got to thinking about some of the other anniversary trips we’ve gone on.
For our 1st wedding anniversary, we went to Siesta Key, and it was my first time going there.
Like I mentioned above, we went to Charleston/Folly Beach for our 5th wedding anniversary.
For our 10th anniversary, we went to Lake Tahoe. That was another fabulous trip; we loved that area.
For our 15th, it was 2020 and Covid, so we didn’t plan a trip away. We did go to Siesta Key that summer with the kids once we felt it was safe to do so.
This week, I hope to recap our trip to Michigan. The towns were so cute, and the weather was great!
I know this post topic was about a favorite “memory” and not “memories,” but this was a fun look back.
How was your weekend? Ours was busy with a capital B! We were in Louisville for our niece’s wedding. It was great to see family and celebrate the lovely couple, but we are worn out!
Ok, June…slow on down! It’s the second Monday of the month, so I’m co-hosting the Share Our Lives link up with some of my favorite bloggers.
This month’s topic is unique things about where you live.
I really love where we live. I’ve shared before that growing up, I never thought I’d live anywhere besides KC, but now I’ve been in Lexington for over twenty years! That’s definitely hard to believe.
It’s been a few years, but I wrote this Lexington Top 5post, and the reasons/unique things about where I live still hold true.
I’ll take the time to update some of the pics for each category, but that post shares lots of great reasons why I love where I live.
1. Keeneland/Oaks/Derby
The Keeneland meets are in April and October. Oaks and Derby are the first week of May in Louisville.
2. Restaurants
There are still so many restaurants that we love and go to often or even new ones that we’ve tried and now go to regularly. In the past couple of years we’ve broadened our horizons, eating at Jeff Ruby’s, Frank and Dino’s, Italx, and Lost Palm.
3. Sports
We still go to UK games — football, basketball, volleyball, and baseball. Especially now that my kids are older, they tend to go with friends or with their school teams. I think it’s so wonderful to have a college team to cheer for even if I still don’t “bleed blue.”
4. Parks
There are still many parks and outdoor activities that we like to visit throughout the year.
One I didn’t mention last time is that the Red River Gorge isn’t too far away and a good spot for hiking…
…followed by pizza a Miguel’s.
5. Activities
I don’t have many changes/updates for activities as I think I shared a pretty broad list last time. There’s so much to do in and around Lex from season to season.
One activity that wasn’t in that post that we’ve now done a couple of times is canoe Elkhorn Creek which is a fun activity that will also wear your kids out. haha!
This was a fun post to (re)visit and update. Oh how the kids have grown in the past few years! We love where we live.
What’s one of the most unique things about where you live?
How was your weekend? Ours was good but non-stop! Right after school, Hadley and I left for Gatlinburg, TN for her last volleyball tournament of club season.
Crazy story! On Saturday, after her first game, I went back to the hotel for a bit. While I was sitting there, I felt the floor move/tremor…but wondered if I was crazy…and then it moved again. Well, once I went back to the convention center, I heard people talking about the earthquake in Knoxville! I guess there’s a first time for everything! Now, I can say that I’ve experienced an earthquake.
Hadley’s team played well, and we got home yesterday, late afternoon. Just in time for a nap! Trav cooked dinner, and the kids gave me a card and flowers for Mother’s Day. We made the most of the evening before preparing for the week ahead.
Anyway, it’s already the second Monday of the month, so I’m co-hosting the Share Our Lives link up with some of my favorite bloggers.
This month’s topic is…how do you spend your birthday?
Well, I joke that my birthday is “my favorite holiday,” and my family is quick to humble me that my birthday isn’t a holiday. haha
Well, it should be!
Before I share about how I spend my birthday, I just wanted to start with that I really do love celebrating other people’s birthdays too. What a blessing it is to get older!
I hope my kids look back and appreciate all the effort from the birthday parties, balloons, presents, birthday streamers, cakes and more. I hope they always feel the love on their birthdays.
As I’m assuming it is with most, my birthday is just another day. That being said, I do feel the love.
I always appreciate a card for any special occasion.
Dinner out at some point is always special too. Some years, that doesn’t happen on my actual birthday due to the kids’ activities, but give or take a day is fine.
Jeff Ruby went all out for my birthday this year! haha
It was a delicious dinner…
…followed by cake! There must always be cake –whether it’s a cookie cake or a Bundt cake…I love cake.
One thing that made this past birthday “special” was that we had a snow day on my birthday! You’d think with a January birthday that would have happened at some point but in all my years teaching, I’ve never had a snow day on my actual birthday.
So, I took the time to start my day off with a Pilates workout followed by cashing in my birthday coffee coupon at Starbucks.
I really appreciate Facebook for holding on to many memories, but I especially appreciate it when everyone shares birthday wishes.
I always receive cards from family members, and I look forward to checking the mail that week!
January has always been one of my favorite months, and one of the reasons why is because of my birthday, of course.
Next month we’re talking about unique things about where you live. That will be a fun topic!
I hope you have a great week! The countdown is officially on…This is our last five day week of school!
How was your weekend? Ours was just what we needed. We didn’t really have anything scheduled; the kids had some time with friends, I did some chores around the house, ran some errands, and we just had time to get some things done.
A walk in the sunshine last night to cap off the weekend was just what I needed.
Today, I’m co-hosting with some of my favorite bloggers for our monthly Share Our Lives link up.
This month’s topic is…day in the life, an average day.
So truth be told, I hadn’t looked at what this month’s topic was until Thursday when I was writing my Friday Favorites post….so I was running out of days to document, and went ahead and documented last Friday.
Friday morning, I was up and at ’em at 5:50.
I had about 45 minutes of quiet in the morning…I lit a candle! I just got an Antique Candle Co. order recently, and “almond vanilla” was one of the ones that I ordered. It smells so good.
I had some coffee and watched the news. I don’t usually eat breakfast, but the week before when we had so many bananas on hand, I started most mornings with a banana and a bit of Nutella. I was hungry Friday morning, so I went ahead and had a light breakfast.
I took some time to read some of my favorite blogs…I finished reading some other faves after school.
Of course, I played Bejeweled Blitz. It’s how I always start my day.
Around 6:45, it was time to get moving…including waking the kids up. Hadley wasn’t having it! haha
I packed my lunch and filled up my tumbler. I’m still loving my new lunch tote, and I’ve had this tumbler for over a year and a half. I’m thinking about ordering another one just to throw in the rotation.
I still use Seint make-up. Sometimes, before I blend it in, I’m walking around the house…and my family looks at me like I’m crazy.
…that’s better!
After that, I did my hair and then it was perfume time. Recently, I’ve been wearing this one…
I got dressed and headed to gather all my stuff to go to school.
I was running a bit behind but left around 7:40.
Once I got to school, I got organized because I’d been out the day before for Hadley’s race at the indoor state track meet.
I was so lucky to have a veteran teacher as my sub. He just retired last year, and he’s so great! I appreciated everything being organized for my return…with very few notes! haha
Then, I prepped for the day. I put my agenda on the smart board…
…and on the white board.
I forgot to take a picture, but I headed to another teacher’s room for Advisory. We split a sophomore Advisory, and it’s nice to have a co-teacher for that.
1st hour is my co-teach English 1 class. We are almost finished with Romeo and Juliet. On Friday, we read the “bridge text” of Act 4. It’s the shorter text the online textbook provides. I print the text, so we can read it, and they don’t need their computers.
During 2nd hour, I made some copies….
…as well as an answer key…
…before helping a few students from another class who were reading Act 5.
3rd hour, I covered an AP Lang class because the sub didn’t show for the English teacher. They were doing a practice ACT, and they were such a great group of kids.
I had a meeting during 4th and brought my lunch.
5th hour is my Adv. English 1, and we were also reading Act 4, but I read the No Fear text with them.
My last hour is the same as my first hour…co-teach English 1, so we did the same work. I feel like I move faster with students in my 1st than my 6th, so we actually will finish the comprehension questions today.
If you’re a middle or high school teacher, you know it’s rare when you have a good 6th hour. Even the best kids are ready to go home by 6th. This group is such a sweet class, and I’ve enjoyed ending my day with them this year. They are so great that they are the class I scheduled for my observation a few weeks ago. They did a great job, and I appreciated their effort during my observation.
After school, Hadley and her friend came into my room before track practice. They get a snack, and it’s nice to see them before they head off to practice.
I like to stay on Fridays and get caught up on grading and make sure I’m ready for the following week. I know some like to dart out the door on Fridays, but that’s always been my day to stay for 30-45 minutes to get caught up if needed.
It’s a great feeling leaving the week knowing I’m ready for the week ahead.
I had some grading to get caught up on…
Then, I had a Target pick up.
I went home for about 45 minutes before I had to go back and pick up the kids from practice. I used my time wisely and watched two episodes of Younger. haha
Then, I went to pick up the kids…and got some protein in on the drive back to school.
On Fridays after practice, I usually take the kids to a smoothie place…but right when I pulled in to park, I realized that I didn’t have a way to pay for the smoothies. I’ve done this a couple of times recently. Whoops.
We headed home, and Trav wanted something from there, so he and Hadley went back to order.
I did my daily word search…
…and they got home with smoothies, and I had requested a salad for dinner.
Dinner time!
Then, I read for a bit…
After that, I showered, and did my PM skincare routine. My PM Dime serum ran out before my new order arrived, so I subbed in this Vitamin C serum that I use sometimes.
Then, it was around 8:30, and Travis and I watched two episodes of Night Agent. We love this show…and only have two episodes left for this season.
Then, it was bedtime…I was so tired after a long week.
So, there’s a pretty average day…Friday nights usually have a little more freedom than weeknights…which is what we all need after a busy week.
How was your weekend? After a few busy weekends, we were back to a split weekend of a busy Saturday and slower Sunday. That being said, yesterday was all about getting my house back in order, picking up groceries and running errands. Travis was sick all last week, so it was just me getting the kids where they needed to be and dealing with school, so the house wasn’t as tidy as we like and the fridge was pretty bare.
Anyway, hopefully, we’ll have a more “normal” week.
It’s the second Monday of the month, so I’m co-hosting Share Our Lives with some of my favorite bloggers.
Well, I’m certainly in the stage of life where working full time and the kids’ schedules combined makes it pretty easy for me to fall asleep. Your girl stays tired! That being said, of course there are some some standard suggestions, but I have a few “musts” as well.
It’s actually kind of crazy to think back about sleeping. As a parent, I guess I probably haven’t been fully rested in over fifteen years. Will I ever be fully rested again? You tell me!
I don’t think I’ve ever really been one to sleep in, but in high school and college, I’m sure I wasn’t up early unless I had to be.
I’ve always been an excellent napper…Travis and I have that in common. I think my napping started in college. There’s nothing better to me than knowing I get a nap on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon.
When we had that stretch of winter weather recently with some extra days off school, I loved the luxury of a weekday nap. The difference in Travis and myself is that he can nap literally anywhere. The running joke at family functions is “where’s Travis?” especially after a good meal. He’s most definitely somewhere squeezing in a twenty minute nap somewhere.
I’ve always been grateful that the kids have been great sleepers…and I attribute that to having them on a great schedule from day one…and even once they were old enough to sit/stand in their crib, if it was before 7 am, I’d go in their room and lay them back down until at least seven…and then they eventually slept even longer and took great naps. Both babies slept through the night by 10-12 weeks.
The only issues we had with sleep were the first night anywhere…whether we were at Trav’s mom’s house, KC, a hotel or on vacay…it seemed we were up, off and on, all night the first night for probably the first couple years of their lives.
Anyway, now, of course, if she has nothing going on, I have to wake Hadley at noon most weekends. Hayden has never slept in as long as Hadley, but he’ll sleep when given the chance. He often sets an alarm for 9 on the weekends to get up and moving and then get his run in.
Anyway, back to me! Can you tell I’m proud that my kids are good sleepers? haha! Sleep is very important to me.
It’s probably been about seven years ago, I wasn’t having trouble falling asleep, but I would wake up around 3 or 4 and not be able to fall back to sleep. It’s like I couldn’t shut my brain off. So, my doctor prescribed me some medicine for sleep. I was wary about it and would only take half a pill a few nights a week. I don’t like taking medicine unless I have to, and have heard about dependency with sleep medication.
Eventually, I decided I didn’t want to take the medicine anymore. Then, I can’t remember who shared it on Instagram, but they suggested Olly Sleep gummies. (Of course, talk with a medical professional if needed…I’m not a doctor!), but I’ve been taking this Olly gummy before bed a few nights a week for about five years, and I’ve never slept better! Now, the dosage is two gummies. I’ve only ever taken one…and sometimes I take half of one just to ensure I will go to sleep easily. I only take them a few nights a week as of course, I want to know I can still fall asleep on my own. I’m guessing I’d be knocked out if I took two!
I get these at Target, and oddly enough, I’ve purchased a small travel pack a few times at Old Navy…in the area by the cash register.
I was just in Old Navy yesterday and saw them there again.
For probably just as long, I’ve used a weighted blanket. When I got mine five or six years ago (maybe longer?), BlanQuil was a popular brand that was shared often on social media. I believe mine is twelve pounds, and there were a variety of color options. I just chose a tan color, but eventually, I took the weighted blanket out of the cover, and now it just goes under my comforter. It’s twin size, and when I make the bed, you can’t even tell it’s there. The twin size is great because Travis doesn’t want a weighted blanket, so it’s on my side only.
When I searched for this brand, I see their Instagram page, but nothing has been posted in a couple of years. The brand seems to be in store like Walmart, but the lightest blanket is fifteen pounds.
My twelve pound one (out of the cover), seems similar to this one.
Anyway, when I’m not sleeping in my own bed, I truly miss it. I don’t get hot with it on, and it’s just the perfect weight for me to feel secure.
Lastly, I’ve been sleeping with a sound machine since the kids were born. That might sound backwards as of course, I needed to hear the kids at night…but they’ve slept with a sound machine since day one, so I would hear their sound machine through the monitor in our room. Once we didn’t need the monitor anymore, I missed that sound, so we got one for our room.
Once the kids got their own rooms around three years ago, we bought a second sound machine, so they could each have one. Those aren’t anything fancy…just a light weight sound machine with a variety of sounds and a little nob to turn them off and on. Anyway, we still have one of those, and I keep it in my travel bag, so we always have one when away from home.
A couple of years ago, when I decided the kids needed to start setting alarms in the morning to at least begin the wake up process, I got them each one of these clock/sound machine combo, and they’ve been perfect. They are small, come in a variety of colors, and have lots of sound options. They are easy to pack and if we’re going somewhere and sleeping in two rooms, Hadley will pack hers.
Hadley turns hers up so loud that it sounds like she’s sleeping under the sea!
The rest of us prefer white noise.
I remember my dad always had a SleepMate sound machine when I was a kid. I worked nights for years, so the white noise would help him sleep during the day…and drown out any noise my brother and I would make on the weekends. I still sleeps with a sound machine and packs his when he comes to visit us.
Of course, limiting caffeine and screen time before bed are suggestions that I’m pretty good at adhering to…but a girl needs to read her Kindle before bed most nights, ok?
If I can’t sleep, I try to control my breathing and take little (or deep) breaths, depending on the the situation. I sleep on my side, but if I need to a minute to relax, I lay on my back and breath. I also think of the abc’s with a word for each letter…and sometimes if I need to think harder to wear my brain out, the abc’s have categories (food, cities, etc)…and then hopefully I eventually fall asleep.
So, my trifecta of melatonin, weighted blanket, and a sound machine help me great a pretty good night’s sleep at this stage of life!
What sleeping tips do you have?
The Super Bowl was quite the bummer for us Chiefs fans. No matter who is playing, I always wish we had Monday off after Super Bowl Sunday.
showmeandsweettea.com 