Feeling worn out? 5 quick and caffeine free energizers

With a newborn and a preschooler I'm not getting much sleep these days. I often find myself dragging by mid day, but any additional caffeine would ruin a nap if the planets aligned and both girls napped at the same time, so I've been looking for other alternatives. Here are 5 that have been working for me:

1. Take a quick shower! Start with things warm and relaxing and end with a refreshing cold blast - slowly turn the water colder and colder while you stand directly under the shower head. When the water gets as cold as you can comfortably tolerate, stand under it for an additional 5-10 seconds. The cold water will help increase the shine in your hair as it energizes you.

2. Play some energizing music - choose an upbeat favorite and turn it up, dance around for an instant pick me up.

3. Whip up an energizing snack like the ones in this article from Fitness magazine. Look for food combinations that include fiber, carbs and protein, like bananas or apples and peanut butter or a cereal parfait.

4. Try some aromatherapy - peppermint and citrus scents are especially invigorating.

5. Have a few quiet minutes to yourself? Try visualization. Close your eyes, relax and visualize a countdown from 10 to 1. Then imagine yourself in a location that excites, energizes or relaxes you. Spend a few moments thinking about doing something that makes you feel good and well rested. When you're done, visualize your countdown again and open your eyes!

What works when you find yourself tired out and worn down?

Sweet moments

My days are jam packed with sweet moments, and I'm trying to soak it all in and stay in the moment even though there is so much else to do. I used to post in the early morning before anyone was up and during my lunch hour at work, can you tell? :)

It's been awhile since I've done a Sunday gratitude post, so here's a little taste of what I'm grateful for these past weeks:

Halloween revisit

A big thanks to my friend Heidi for loaning us this adorable flower costume for Sugar Plum - so cute and most importantly warm. We had a cold front move through the night before beggars night, but at least it was dry.

Whatcha lookin' at? Who put me in this? Why is everyone staring?! It must be the way I'm workin' these petals...

Sweetpea with her friend, J. Not the best picture of Sweetpea (she has her eyes closed) but the best I could get with them so excited about trick or treating that they couldn't hold still. When Sweetpea saw this picture, she said, "Sweetpea has her eyes closed - Sweetpea, open your eyes!"


Sweetpea had a hard time deciding between Princess Sweetpea and Super Sweetpea for Halloween this year. She wore this princess costume to her party at daycare, so she got to be both! She loves putting this on and dancing around to Dancing with the stars.

Speaking of Dancing with the Stars, (did you like that random segue? Ha!) what did you think about the judges going with Aaron after the dance off? I don't usually talk about this kind of thing, but I was so disappointed to see the judges go with Aaron after the fans spoke so resoundingly for Mark! Both contestants managed flawless dances in the dance off, so why not go with the fans choice at that point? What do you think?

Gift ideas "for him"

I will be the first to lament that my husband is hard to buy for...he will either buy what he wants or tell me specifically what it is he's wanting, which is nice but not very romantic! His birthday is also 12 days before Christmas, which presents its own challenges.

A few years back we implemented a spending limit on our gifts to one another at Christmas - it forced us to get creative with our choices and allowed us to pool our money instead on one big gift for the family. That said, here are some gifts that always seem to go over well with hubs and the other men in my family:

Photo gifts: whether it's a handmade photo album or scrapbook, a flip book from shutterfly, or a framed photo, photo gifts always seem to go over well.


If you're looking for an affordable framed photo, check out Real Memories. I received a free credit from Real Memories to try out their service and I was absolutely impressed - the frames and mattes are high quality, the printing is top notch and the prices are fantastic.

Destination gifts: For my husband that either means a vacation or a trip to the OSU/Michigan game...I love giving the gift of time together and memories created, rather than something that will take up space and possibly collect dust.

Food: I love making special treats to give as gifts for holidays - this works especially well for kids to give as well because they can help. Whether it's a special meal or a big batch of cookies or cinnamon rolls, food always seems to go over well with the male set!

No spend month in review

Today was a bit hectic, but I wanted to get my menu plan up and reflect a bit on our no spend month...my laptop battery has died, and I can't tell you how hard it is to be newly tethered to a desk again!

Monday: Beef stroganoff, mashed potatoes and peas
Tuesday: Chicken tetrazzini and green salad
Wednesday: General Tso's chicken (modified from this recipe) rice and baked crab rangoon
Thursday: Turkey, mashed potatoes and green beans
Friday: Turkey soup, crusty rolls and milkshakes
Saturday: leftovers
Sunday: Turkey pot pie

We ended no spend month just a few cents over our budget. It was an empowering experience to know we can cut our budget by nearly 40% and still enjoy ourselves. I spent nearly $100 in diapers and wipes for the month, leaving us roughly $50 per week for groceries, gas and miscellaneous spending.

Having little ones in the house makes it both easier and more challenging - on the one hand, there are lots of things that are just too challenging to do with an infant and a preschooler. (shopping comes to mind...) On the other hand, I tend to want to buy everything in one location, or to choose the easiest place to buy things because shopping can be so challenging. I normally buy several things at Sams club, but this month I opted out, even though it would have been a bit cheaper, simply because it was too difficult to fit a trip in without the girls.

I really didn't miss going out and spending money - we found plenty of free and nearly free things to do. While I enjoyed the freedom of not counting every penny when I was shopping yesterday, I think I've retooled my menu planning to a point where I will consistently spend less than I had been. For anyone that has been considering a no spend month or budget challenge, I would highly recommend it. This month's adventures will pay dividends (literally) for months to come!