01 Friday May 2015
Posted in Life
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“No act of kindness, however small, is ever wasted.” -Aesop
“Be kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.” J.M. Barrie
Kindness Challenge ♥ Young Wifey’s Blog
XOXO,
Young Wifey
14 Wednesday Jan 2015
Unfortunately, infertility is often a taboo subject. Time to break my silence…
I first drafted this post over 4 years ago. It’s been revised at least a dozen times and set aside. It was almost deleted just as often. It’s personal. It’s not my usual blog topic. As if infertility isn’t hard enough, I didn’t feel like I could share my thoughts and feelings. While I’m not ready to share the complete details of our infertility story on the blogosphere, I wanted to share what thoughtless words people sometimes say. I know people don’t think they’re being hurtful, but that’s the problem. They don’t think before they speak. This is for my friends and all the women who unfortunately have a similar story to mine.
Things We Need to Stop Saying to Women Experiencing Infertility
THINGS WE NEED TO STOP SAYING TO WOMEN EXPERIENCING INFERTILITY:
When are you going to have a baby? Six years ago if it were up to me!
Have you tried… Yes, we’ve tried it all and more than you could ever imagine.
What’s the matter with you? Ew! I know what’s the matter with you! You’re just rude!
Why don’t you do IVF? Do you have $20,000 to give me? It doesn’t always work and some woman are morally opposed to it. Besides, I’m sick of feeling like a lab rat.
It took us forever, too! It’s supposed to make me feel better that it took you 7 months?! It’s been almost 7 years for us.
If it’s meant to be, it’ll happen. Oh, hush it!
Relax and it’ll happen. Are you a fertility specialist? Infertility causes stress, not the other way around.
Have faith! Why do you think that I don’t? Faith has nothing to do with my body’s abilities.
Don’t worry, it happens to everyone. No, it doesn’t and everyone’s journey is different.
It must be you since he already had a kid. Nope. There are so many more factors than that…
It’ll happen. It may not. It probably will not…
Why don’t you just adopt? Once again, do you have $20,000 to give me? It doesn’t always work, adoption fall through. Trust me.
You’ll get pregnant after you adopt. See above…
You’ll get pregnant after you stop trying. Tried that too…
I’ll be your surrogate. Unless you’re my sister or BFF, this is just a creepy offer. Besides, if I had the extra $20,000 it would go to my IVF or adoption fund.
If he can’t get you knocked up, I’ll give it a shot. Just. Don’t. Ever. Say. That. Again. I’ve heard this over 20 times… Ew!
You don’t really want kids, think of all things you’ll have to give up. I would glady. I’m sorry that you feel like you’ve missed out on life.
If you really want kids, you can just have mine. Let’s run to the lawyer now to make that official.
Shouldn’t this be easier for you to deal with by now? No, some months are easier than others. We all heal and hurt differently. I’ve talked to older woman who experienced infertility. Once their friends started to become grandparents, the pain returned double-fold.
I didn’t tell you that I was pregnant because I thought the news might upset you. Please, revel in your blessing. I understand what a miracle it truly is. Finding out from someone else would hurt more.
THINGS WE NEED TO STOP SAYING TO WOMEN EXPERIENCING SECONDARY INFERTILITY:
At least you already have a kid. Stop. Yes, they know how special that blessing is, but it doesn’t mean the loss hurts any less.
WHAT WE NEED TO SAY TO WOMEN EXPERIENCING INFERTILITY:
I’m sorry that it’s been so difficult for you.
I’m here to listen.
What can I do to help?
Please stop judging, stop offering unsolicited advice, and think before you speak.
XOXO,
Young Wifey
09 Friday Jan 2015
Posted in Life
Winterize Your Workout
During the frigid winter months, most of our exercise takes place indoors. I wanted to force myself outside more so I scheduled Sundays as outdoor cardio day and Thursdays as brisk walk day. Tuesdays can be either indoor or outdoor cardio. Extreme temperatures, wind chills, icy roads, and lack of daylight all factor in, so be flexible! Cold air triggers my asthma. If I know there is a mild day in the forecast, I’ll swap a yoga day to be outside. Of course, if I’m pushing the snowblower through 8 inches of snow, I might just count that as my outdoor cardio for the week!
Cardio – Winter Workout Tips
Outdoor Cardio in the Winter:
Shovel Snow
Sledding
Cross-Country Skiing
Play in the Snow
Walk/Jog/Run
Bike
Snowshoeing
Ice Skating
Make a Snowman, Igloo, and Snow Angels
Before you workout outdoors in winter, make sure you are only doing outdoor cardio during the warmest part of the day. Before you get dressed, protect yourself by applying a heavy moisturizer to all of your skin with SPF on your face and use lip balm. Wear proper winter workout apparel (think warm and dry). Don’t forget to protect your ears, nose, and fingers! Do your warm-up indoors. Keep yourself hydrated. After your workout session, immediately remove sweaty layers and shower. Drink hot tea or broth.
Indoor Cardio:
When confined inside, the key is to mix up the workouts…
Cardio DVDs, Insanity, P90X, T25
Just Dance Games or Zumba Workouts on the Wii
Stationary bike
Elliptical
Treadmill
Run up & down the stairs
What other tips do you have for outdoor winter cardio?
XOXO,
Young Wifey
02 Friday Jan 2015
Posted in Life
On Mondays, I go to a yoga class. On Wednesdays and Fridays, I try to make time for yoga at home (which can be tricky when three furbabies join) . You don’t need to be a yogi or even know about all the types of yoga. The most important thing is just to get started.
YOGA BASICS:
Don’t eat a heavy meal before yoga. Wear stretchy comfortable clothing and be barefoot (although my tootsies may stay covered during cold months). Use a good quality non-slip mat to make your yoga poses more comfortable. Listen to relaxing music and focus on breathing.
Unplug to Recharge Challenge: Yoga Resources
Here are some resources to you started…
ONLINE VIDEOS:
DoYogaWithMe.com – The web’s best selection of high-quality, high-definition, 100% free, streaming yoga videos.
20 Minutes Morning Yoga Routine by SarahBethYoga
Full Yoga 30 minutes Routine by eFit30
30 Minute De-Stressing, Refreshing Yoga Workout for Beginners by GymRa
Total Body Yoga Workout With Tim Senesi by Fightmaster Yoga
AK73 Energizing Morning Intermediate Yoga “Coffee Cup” Core FULL BODY by Ali Kamenova
Yoga for Weight Loss – 40 Minute Fat Burning Yoga Workout! by Yoga with Adriene
Yoga for Flexibility, Kino Yoga on Miami TV Life: Episode Two by KinoYoga
BOOKS & CARDS:
“Yoga Girl” by Rachel Brathen
“Yoga, Mind, Body & Spirit: A Return to Wholeness” by Donna Farhi
“The Women’s Health Big Book of Yoga” by Kathyrn Budig
“Hatha Yoga Illustrated” by Martin Kirk, Brooke Boon, and Daniel DiTuro
“The Yoga Bible” Christina Brown
“Yoga for Dummies” by Larry Payne and Georg Fuerstein
Yoga Cards
Yoga Pretzels Cards
APPS:
Yoga 101 by myyogaminute.com
iYoga+ by Breitschmid Productions
Pocket Yoga by Rainfrog, LLC
Yogify by Electronic Arts
Hatha Yoga by bendyware, inc.
Yoga Studio by Modern Lotus
YOGAmazing by Wizzard Media
Do you have any yoga resources you’d like to share?
Namaste
XOXO,
Young Wifey
01 Thursday Jan 2015
Posted in Life
HAPPY NEW YEAR! May you all have a blessed, happy, and healthy 2015!
Most teachers are guilty and taking home too much work. I am no exception. I teach writing to approx. 120 students, that’s a lot of essays to read, revise, and grade. Throw in a busy family life and forget about personal time. As soon as I start to remember this and rebalance my life, family and work responsibilities shift and balance tips again.
Young Wifey’s Unplug to Recharge Challenge (January 2015)
My Unplug to Recharge Challenge for 2015 includes all the things that I normally incorporate in life, but start to get neglected as grownup responsibilities increase. I attached my January calendar, but can be used as a monthly calendar as well. The goal is to spend a minimum of 30 minutes per activity. Wake up 30 minutes early to squeeze in a little me time and keep another block open in the evening.
Yoga
Cardio
Detox Baths
Detox Tea
Pampering
Reading
Writing
Unplugging
Who is ready to take the challenge with me?
XOXO,
Young Wifey
29 Monday Dec 2014
Posted in Life
We moved into our home 3 1/2 years ago, and a short-haired muted calico kitty sat on our back deck and looked in through our back door. She would often sit under the oak tree behind our house and watch for signs of our family. As I weeded my garden beds, she would lie down on the mulch and keep me company. I would pet her and scratch her chin. Outdoor kitty loved Hubster, she would even stay near him when we was using the loud weedwhacker. Since she slept under our back deck and kept the mice and chipmunks at bay, we kept fresh water available for her. On some rainy and cold days, she would sneak into our garage.
For years, outdoor kitty tugged at our heart-strings. We considered bringing her inside the house, but thought that Rory (our over-protective guard maine coon) would never get along with another feline furbaby.
The week of Halloween, we heard a tiny cry. precariously perched, on a high tree limb hanging over the steep back, was our outdoor kitty. She looked at Hubster and me and cried for help. After a few hours, she climbed down the tree, ran up over the bank, and jumped into Hubster’s arms.
It was finalized. She had adopted us! Her name is Opal. ❤
We kept her in the basement until we could get her checked out by the vet and vaccinated. Then we moved her upstairs to her own room and slowly introduced her to Belle & Rory (our other furbabies).
Meet Opal Furbaby 3
Two months later…
Opal’s meows and chirps are so demur compared to Rory’s howls. She taught Rory what to do with cat nip. Rory and Opal aren’t fighting, but they’re not cuddling with one another. They are definitely curious about one another and have started to play. Opal is sweet and cuddly. She loves to lick my fingertips. She sleeps between my feet. She is no longer a skinny stray cat. ❤
XOXO,
Young Wifey
26 Sunday Oct 2014
Posted in Life
Hubster is a passionate hunter. Have I mentioned before that I don’t eat red meat? 
Yesterday, he tried out the new climbing tree stand my parents got him. He loves it. He didn’t get his deer yesterday, but my FIL did. Hubster helped his dad dress and process it. It was dark when Hubster realized that he lost his car keys somewhere in the woods. They went out to search his path with flashlights. No luck! He had to spend an unplanned night at the cabin. This morning, he went searching for the keys again. There were lost amidst the leaf litter, not wanting to be found.
I was getting ready to drive two hours to the cabin to bring him the spare set. UGH!! Hubster’s grandfather dug out his metal detector, and Hubster and our nephew went out “treasure hunting”. One last attempt to find his keys. This time, they were in luck! Now my Sunday is not wasted with 4 unplanned hours in the car, and Hubster is finally on his way home.
Now, if only deer season and football season didn’t coincide…
XOXO,
Young Wifey
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