thank you July

Thank you July for....

• the soul recharge that comes with over 140 hours of outdoor time logged this month alone!
• a weekend of tent camping with cousins that filled up our souls with fresh air, campfire scents, laughter, and memories. 
• our nation's birthday and sparklers
• the sunrise coming over the mountains and the fog lifting off the water on my two sunrise kayak trips on the Que and again on my early morning run with Loni
• fresh picked blueberries straight from the bush and baked into blueberry muffin bread, sprinkled on top of yogurt as an afternoon snack, or right into our mouths! 
• the two day sleepover at our house with my goddaughter Mallory
• Gemma's confidence that shined out of her as she spent the week rehearsing, dancing, and singing with new friends at her theater camp
• the way Violet smiled and beamed when Gemma taught her the dances and songs from her musical
• the magic of a drive-in movie on a summer night
• the ambition to register for two races this fall; the Que Classic 5K with Greyson and the End of the Road half marathon with Loni
• the 18 miles run on my own two feet this month for half marathon training
• our new hammock and the giggles and snuggles as the kids all take turns laying in with me as I read
• many trips to local spots with the kids, having mini adventures and coming home with sun-tanned cheeks and dirty feet
• friends and family who participated in writing secret emails to help celebrate the 40th wedding anniversary of Gigi and Pappy. How fun it was to surprise them after spending a lazy day at their house with them. (thank you all so much.) 
• the bittersweet ending to our volleyball season with these teammates we love so much. 
• the closing of all-star baseball for Grey; he learned so much and grew a lot in the sport, but it is also a blessing to finish up baseball season that lasted February (pre-season) to the end of July. I love you baseball, but #byefelicia 
• Miss Hannah, our very own Mary Poppins who our children adore and who is always so gracious about coming last minute and helping however we need her (we love you!)
• two family reunions where our kids got to spend the day playing with and talking to extended family who share the bone structure and mannerisms of my grandparents
• two weeks of pet-sitting Violet's bestie Hemelia the hamster and seeing how much joy that little creature brings to Va-vi
• watching Greyson's big brother instincts kicking in as he alternated riding both little kids on his bike spokes on the hiking trail when they were too tired
• visiting my classroom and the start of the back-to-school sensation in my veins that has me excited and inspired like only post-its, sharpies, and a new planner can give me

July, 

you were so bright

with your sun shining and blue sky days

you were also calm and awe-inspiring

with your star shining and ink black sky nights

You stretched out and allowed us to make memories

and bask in the freedom of little responsibilities

My quote to live like the seasons for summer is from John Mayer's' song Wildfire

"Cause a little bit of summer's what the whole year is about" 

and that was you, July. 

thank you for the memories

i love you

tab

Keto: Month 2

Another month of Keto (our 2nd) and we are still going strong. We had intended to do intermittent fasting for the whole month, but we have discovered that most nights we don't get to eat dinner until well after 8p - so it's been hit or miss. We are still tracking our food using the Carb Manager app, but in the last part of the month, I was operating more on Lazy Keto because I have a better understanding of what and how much fits within my keto macro windows.

Truly, (I know this probably sounds like a huge lie if you haven't experienced the incredible feeling of freedom from dropping sugar and processed foods from your life --yet!), but the weightloss is just an added bonus to eating Keto for me. We began Keto because we wanted to lose some weight and I'll share these before & during pictures because, honestly, it's the easiest way to track what's happening to my body.

But it is so much more about the energy and the clear mind and the space for creativity and motivation. I don't feel clouded by all that tiredness and hunger. I can just be me and that is so liberating. The thought of putting all that garbage of sugars and carbs into my body on a consistent basis makes me so scared. I don't want to feel like that again (sluggish, constantly hungry).

We are coming to understand that it doesn't have to be an all or nothing lifestyle either though. We've had plenty of 'cheats' throughout the month but it was with the conscious and intentional decision that "I'm going to put this food into my body for fuel" instead of just mindlessly snacking and eating all the things that are happen to be in front of us. It is a purposeful choice that we are making each time we eat something because of how it makes our body feel afterwards. Sure, I'll have a piece of dessert to celebrate at a party, but I am also acknowledging what it is made of and how it will make me feel.

That idea alone is so drastically different than how I was eating before which was basically 'Eat all the things because they taste good', with no thought at all to how it would help (or hinder) the way my body feels.

Although there's not a ton of change between July and August - I feel like the inner joy and confidence sure shines out the most in the August picture. I am feeling stronger and more motivated, especially as I'm currently training for a half marathon in October. In the last part of July, I have put in 18 miles of training - and that's definitely 18 more miles on my own two feet than I would have without having the energy before keto (thank you Loni for peer pressuring me into registering for the race! hahha - positive peer pressure is the best kind!)

I track my goals in my planner monthly pages (one of my favorite self-reflection activities for the past two years!) and this month I wrote 12 blogposts (the most for any month this year) AND I wrote my first ever short story (!)...is that because I have more space in my brain for creativity and ideas?

The kids and I have visited many local spots this month (Jim Mayer trail, blueberry picking, Quemahoming dam, Ebensburg Pool, Library, Staple Bend Tunnel Trail0...is it because I have more energy to say Yes to adventures with them?

We had so much fun camping with the kids over the fourth of July, that B and I went and rented a campsite again before the end of summer -even though tent camping with four kids under 10 is a lot of work - it feels doable and -dare I say - fun now...is that because we have the energy to be ambitious and silly?

I don't know for sure if Keto and eating less sugar and processed food is in part to blame, but it definitely feels easier to be my full self and maybe that's because my body is getting the fuel it needed so desperately. 

In terms of weightloss (again, secondary), I didn't lose any (!) weight this month - still holding strong at 8lbs down total; yet my body continues to feel different and lots of people are giving me positive feedback/comments when I see them in person. (thank you!) It can feel pretty frustrating to not see the numbers going down on the scale, but I'm stay focused on the Non-Scale victories that are happening - like clothes feeling too loose, wearing my engagement ring again, wearing a bunch of summer dresses that haven't been worn in a realllly long time, wearing shorts again confidently.

I've also been doing photo comparisons any time I'm feeling discouraged about the scale number. If I start to get distracted by that number- I flip through my phone and find an old picture to side-by-side it to a current one and it gives me that immediate reminder that I'm going in the right direction - maybe not as fast as I would like (hahhaa, story of everyone's life) but at least it's one step forward at a time.

In February, my students did a Valentines day bulletin board and took pictures of couples, including teachers (hah). They snapped this first picture of me and B and as soon as I saw it I hated it -so so much. The person in the picture didn't look like me (the me I feel inside), I didn't recognize her as someone I know and care about. Ugh, I hated it (I still do). She is someone who was so tired and worn out and not taking care of herself. I would come home from school, famished - like a maniac reaching for anything to eat because I was star.ving.

Everything felt like a huge undertaking - I honestly remember thinking this exact line of thought, "I don't want to be so tired anymore, but how do I do that? I should start exercising, but I'm so tired. I should eat better, but I'm also so tired. If I ate better, exercise would be easier - but how do I even start when I'm so tired all the time." I had failed blood donation twice for low iron and even started taking iron pills to try to combat the exhaustion.

And now, I recognize the girl in the second picture. She looks like how my 'soul ball of Tabitha' feels. She is not controlled by food and eats real food that is good fuel for her body systems. She has more energy to play with the kids and get chores done and knocks things off her to do list like a champ - because everything is not so sluggish and exhausting and hunger-inducing. She donated blood again - no low iron - without any pills! She's still tired (mom of 4 over here!) but it's the end-of-a-fun-hard day tired that you fall into a bed and sleep soundly and when the morning comes, you're ready to get out and go for it again! It's not a tired that makes every single thing in the day feel like a chore.

I am most proud of that transformation. Of knowing and recognizing that I didn't like the way I was feeling and then I did something about it! Imagine that! hahaha, what a novel idea.

The girl in the second picture finds time to read and write and play and say yes! She has space in her brain to plan and daydream and brainstorm.  She's someone I LIKE spending time with - which is so comforting because I spend time with her 24 hours a day every single day of my whole life!! She is the only person who will be walking through this whole entire life with me, I want to take care of her; and I finally feel like I am starting to understand that.

Family Yearbooks

One of the true joys in my motherhood is creating our family yearbook. I understand this is incredibly nerdy, but it offers me a huge outlet for creativity and the preservation of our yearly memories gives me so much peace.

We live in an odd time for childhood (hah, that's the understatement of the century!) but particularly when it comes to capturing memories. People are taking pictures of ev.ery.thing.all.the.time. and then snapping or 'gramming or tweeting them - but where do they all go? How often are we going back to look at these moments, or having them printed somewhere for the kids to enjoy?

Our family yearbooks are some of my most prized possessions (truly! I say that if our house was burning down besides living things - our yearbooks is what I would save). The kids love looking back at them, especially the ones from the years they were born and spend the whole time calling out, "Oh! Remember this?" to each other. It is such a treasure of all the smiles and moments that make us this blur of a life; we pack so much into the year that often times Brandon and I can't recall a single thing we actually did. And then we all look back through the yearbooks and snuggle up a little closer because we can see it right there - in the smile laughs of those we love most - we really made the year count. We keep them all easily accessible in the living room and they are a favorite choice for screen free indoor time.

I have a family yearbook from 2010 (the year we had Grey) up until 2017-18 (last school year) and this is the first summer in the history of my project that I am up to date on the current yearbook! By the start of the new school year, I will finish last year's yearbook (Sept2018-Aug2019) and be able to start the new one!

So how does one start a family yearbook project, you ask? I have written about it before here and here  and here- but I would suggest you start where you are; in this year! When I started, it was 2012 (we actually have 2 yearbooks that year because I was just learning how and really included way more than necessary). Then I went back and worked on previous years which was a lot harder because my photos were all over and unorganized. Speaking of photos - that's the first step...

Photos: this past year was the first year that every picture in the yearbook is from a phone - I did not pull out my 'real' camera once (!!) I have a google pixel that takes beautiful pictures and then automatically backs them up to my google drive, which is also linked to my shutterfly. The ease of not having to upload pictures is nothing short of miraculous.

I take photos all year long of big events and normal every day things. It helps that I write a weekly Around Here post for my blog because that holds me accountable to capturing even the 'boring' things we do that really make the yearbook meaningful in later years when it highlights all the tiny things that made our life full during the year that our kids were exactly that age.

And then really, once you have the photos - the rest can be as easy or challenging as you want. There are some awesome companies out there that will do ALL the work for you. You just dump all your photos in and they take care of the organization and layout, then you print that sucker! Do a search, read some reviews, and you'll have an idea in no time.

Me? I like to go the challenging route of choosing each border, sticker, and layout design for each page. Thanks former life as a high school yearbook staff member (Hi, Mrs. McBreen!) I love the creativity and design that goes into each page - so I pour my heart into all the little details and re-sizing of photos. It is major geek town, but it brings me joy.

Read on for more info on how I put our yearbooks together (all photos are from our current yearbook that is in progress, so some pages having missing photos yet!).

You definitely do not have to put the time and meticulous effort that I do, but I think a family yearbook is a worthwhile investment no matter how much time you put into it. It is meaningful for the whole family, and I can promise that remembering those moments with your kiddos while looking through the photos will bring you a lot of gratitude and happiness.

The skinny on Team Studer family yearbooks:
Company used: Shutterfly photo books
Size: 12x12 flat lay pages
Timeframe: September-August (school year)
Photos: 1000 (or close to it)
Pages: 90-95

Layout: most of my yearbooks use the format below which makes it easy to follow for creation purposes but also for using the max amount of pictures in the least amount of pages. (when I first started creating our yearbooks when our kids were younger than school age, I organized by moths of the year).

Introduction Pages 

• Dad & Mom - including questions that we answer each year (what meals were our family favorites, what #parentingfail happened, our favorite memory from the year, etc)
• Kid photo page (12 photos each of just their faces from the whole year)
• Pets page 

The rest of the book is then organized by category based off of the same seven questions. After years of looking through our photos and figuring out a way that I can get as many photos in the book in an organized way in the least amount of pages, working through these categories/questions helped me so much. Each question has it's own "title page" that includes some photos that also fit into that category.

What was it like to live in our home this year? 
photos on title page: random little moments from normal life (sunrise/sunset from our porch, kid doing homework at the kitchen table, kids in the bathtub, snacks, etc)

• Big 'ole Snugs (hugs and no personal space couches)
• Indoor & Outdoor playtime
• Kids who are growing up (responsibilities, chores, cooking, etc)
• Kids who are silly (silly photos)
• Bumps & Bruises (literal, and life challenges)
• Upgrades (home reno, new vehicles, new haircuts, home projects, etc)

With whom did we spend our days?
photos on title page: any picture with anyone!

• Siblings 
• Just Us
• Family
• Friends

What milestones did we accomplish?
photos on title page: first time events (a kid at the dentist), a kid with a trophy/ribbon, a good test score, a piece of artwork, etc

• Parent work accomplishment/Teaching year
• Kids in their grade levels (including a preschool page)
• Races
• Competitive/All Star sports/Shows (not regular season stuff)
• Volunteer group pages
• Religious events (baptism/holy communion)
• First time/year events (raising chickens in 2018)

What gave us cause to celebrate?
photos on title page: parties, new baby visits, graduations

• Birthdays (for friends/family)
• Our kids' birthdays (dbl page spread for each)
• Family Reunions
• Bridal/Baby showers
• Weddings

What seasonal traditions did we enjoy? 
pictures on title page: screen free week, ice cream stands, adult leagues

• 12 Months of Kindness
• County Fair
• Sport seasons (football, cheer, basketball, soccer, baseball, volleyball)
• Hunting Season
• Winter fun (sled-riding page)
• Summer fun (swimming page)
• Fishing Season
• Camping

Where did we go to visit?
photos on title page: local favorites (playgrounds, pools, parks, libraries)

• Pumpkin patches/berry picking farms
• Hiking trails
• Ski/Snowboarding lodge
• Amusement Parks
• Zoos
• Vacation
• travel (trains, planes, boats)

What do the holidays feel like? 
photos on title page: mini holidays we celebrate (st. patricks day, mardi gras, juneteenth, valentines day, etc)

• Halloween
• Thanksgiving
• Marco & his antics (our Elf on the Shelf)
• Christmas season
• New Years eve
• Easter
• Mothers & Fathers days
• Fourth of July
• (The title page includes mini holidays we celebrate - Valentines day, Juneteenth, Mardi Gras, Day of the Dead, St. Patricks, etc)

One of the hardest parts of family yearbooking is that you feel like you have to include every single photo from every single thing. I'm here to remind you, you don't. Choose the best ones and move on. Honestly, the best part about the photos/pages is that they are going to jog you and your kids memories about things that happened that day/trip that you never even got a picture of!

Good luck and happy reminiscing!