diy mama

lifestyle blog sharing diy, family, travel, organization & disney tips

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Keys to Motivation

Keys to Motivation- The past month I have been extremely motivated and I owe it to these practices, books, people and apps. In the past I have relied heavily on the ‘monkey see, monkey do’ approach in regards to motivation. If the people around me were behaving a certain way, I was sure to fall in line. Realizing the benefits of being my own motivator has been life changing.

This post contains an affiliate link for At Home in the World and Minimalism but all opinions and achievements are my own.

Alison’s Gratitude Practice

Alison Faulkner of The Alison Show has been a favorite blog for several years. I have her cookie decorating course (obviously have not tried), follow her dance party photos and have been loving her podcast. She recently shared how using a gratitude practice can help you stay focused on what matters most in your life. It helps keep the blues away and keeps you energized for the day ahead. As she quotes, episode 24 is ‘a gratitude practice that you can implement every day to see real, amazing changes in your life and well-being.’

Have a listen and let me know if it was a helpful practice!

Mel Robbin’s 5 Second Rule

Shout out to Mel for being a genuine BA. I had the great pleasure of meeting her this week at a workshop for entrepreneurial women in business. If you have no idea who Mel Robbins is, go to Audible or your library to get her most recent book The 5 Second Rule: Transform your Life, Work, and Confidence with Everyday Courage.  After listening to her tell her story and how to implement the 5 second rule in my life, I signed up for her 31 Days of Mentoring which furthered my implementation of her practice. Honestly, it was life changing. I have now gotten up 30 minutes early without hitting the snooze and it has started my day off with excitement. I used the rule in several scenarios that I otherwise would have dismissed and have been a better person for it.

Mel Robbins 5 second rule

At Home in the World

I’m usually reading two books at once; one fiction and one non-fiction (often a memoir or self help book.) I am so happy Tsh wrote At Home in the World chronicling her family’s travels across the globe over 9 months. Knowing that it isn’t always picture perfect when traveling with your family but the end result is always worth the trip.

As Tsh Oxenreider, author of Notes From a Blue Bike, chronicles her family’s adventure around the world—seeing, smelling, and tasting the widely varying cultures along the way—she discovers what it truly means to be at home. -Google Books

At Home in the World

Mentors

Having good mentors in your corner to help you stay focused and be able to turn to for guidance is essential. Two of my biggest mentors are Misty Nelson of Frosted Moms and Michael Bauman of Thrive Culture. These two people are masters of their field. Misty is a brand influencer that has devoted countless hours to staying current with the ever changing algorithms of social media and Google. She somehow manages to squeeze 30 hours of work into her 24 hour days while being a great wife, Mom and friend. I think everyone needs a Misty by their side. Michael is helping entrepreneurs have the health they need to perform at their peak in business and in life. He is knowledgeable in both health and fitness and has been a great asset to my journey to becoming ‘fit mommy.’ The combination of Michael’s daily Precision Nutrition emails, one on one follow ups, work out plan and free guide has been vital towards my progress. Health should always come first in our lives but sometimes it’s hard making it priority. Michael helps keep it a priority.

Misty Nelson and Michael Bauman

Habatica

Habatica is an app for mobile or desktop that gamifies your habits, helping them to become your normal routine. You add habits, dailies and to-dos and record them throughout the day. This is a great tool if you’re a gamer and like leveling up. For me I like the process of checking something off my list. I add simple habits I want to improve upon (flossing twice/day) up to time consuming to-dos (organizing a closet). It’s fun because I’m teamed up with my husband to ‘fight bad guys’ so we’re both motivated to complete our tasks so we’re able to win!

habatica

The Minimalists Podcast

You may have seen The Minimalists documentary Minimalism: a Documentary About the Important Things that came out on Netflix a while back or you may have no idea what the idea of minimalism means. If you are new to the concept, you can start here. I’ve understood the concept since when I started my first blog ‘Materialistic Minimalist’ back in 2010 but never quite grasped the life changing impact until this past year. I’m discovering my purpose for ‘why’ rather than ‘what’ in regards to material things and how I want my life to look moving forward.

 

I’d love to know what podcasts, books, documentaries or people are motivating you to be your best self! Please, let me know what has helped you increase your progress.

You might also like:

Healthy Habits to Feeling Better

3 Ways to Keep Habits

Health + Minimal

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Disney Without Kids: 10 Tips for a Magical Grown-Up Vacation

There are a lot of people that think Disney World is just for families with kids. That statement couldn’t be less true. I’ve been extremely fortunate in taking eight Disney vacations without kids and had an amazing experience each time. Disney has done a fantastic job of incorporating attractions, shows and cuisine for all ages. Here are my top ten tips for making your adult Disney vacation magical!

kid free disney vacation

Disney Without Kids: 10 Tips for a Magical Grown-Up Vacation

Disney Photo: castmembersPhoto by Disney

Talk to the Cast Members

I may be biased, but Disney cast members are some of the greatest people on earth. They have a huge passion for making people happy. The cast members also have great insights to the best dining, rides and firework viewing locations. They know where you can find those silver sequin Minnie ears, what time the 3:00 parade starts (yes, I’d been asked that) and where the restrooms are. Cast members may also be able to get  you on rides before they’re open, trade you a ‘hidden Mickey’ pin, get you to the front of the line on your favorite ride or bump up your room type because you’re celebrating an Anniversary (all of which has happened to us).

see the fireworks at Disney on your kid-free vacation

See the Fireworks

You have got to see them all. Magic Kingdom (Happily Ever After), EPCOT (IllumiNations), Animal Kingdom (Rivers of Light) and Hollywood Studios (Star Wars) each has a nightly firework show (not every night of the year). Every one of these shows is spectacular for different reasons. I watched the fireworks from Wishes shooting over my head every night while closing down the rides as a CP. The new firework show that replaced Wishes is called Happily Ever After. It is also fun to watch from California Grill (top of the Contemporary Resort) or the beaches at Polynesian or Grand Floridian. You can stroll around the world with a drink in hand watching the awesome fire and lazer firework show that is IllumiNations in EPCOT or watch while having dinner (which is super romantic). At Hollywood Studios you can get VIP treatment with a dessert party at Launch Bay while getting quality time with your favorite Star Wars characters. Check Magic Kingdom and Epcot for more dessert party fun.

Tips for kid-free vacation at Disney World

Night Rides

If you’re not big on fireworks, enjoy no lines on the rides! It’s possible to run through the lines of Tower of Terror and Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster so many times that you feel you’ll never need to ride them again (although you totally will). Outdoor rides like Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, Astro Orbiter and Test Track become much scarier. Dumbo and Prince Charming’s Carrousel are absolutely stunning at night. It’s a little bit like you have something better than FastPass+ for every ride because everyone’s watching the fireworks or trying to beat the crowd home.

shopping at disney springs

Go Shopping

Disney Springs is the new hot spot for Disney shopping. The biggest Disney Store on property is at this location as well as the Disney Christmas store and Disney Art store. Former ‘Downtown Disney’ is full of high end shopping as well. Anthropology, Coca-Cola, Johnny Was, Kate Spade, Lilly Pulitzer and MAC are just a few of the big names that attract shoppers from around the world. My favorite part about shopping at any WDW Resort location is having your merchandise magically shipped back to your room on property so you can shop hands free!

flying fish

Nice Meal

It’s so tricky to eat anything but quick service and counter service when you have little kids. My three year old only wants to eat fruit, burgers and chicken fingers so we never spend much money on food. I have been fortunate enough to have some nice meals on my last media trip to WDW. The ambiance is second to the amazing cuisine. There is only one place in Disney World that requires a suit anymore (Victoria and Albert’s) but it is kind of fun to get dressed up for a nice long meal in Disney. My favorite meals have been at the Flying Fish at Boardwalk, Jiko at Animal Kingdom Lodge and California Grill at the Contemporary. If you’re interested in restaurant reviews you can check out WDW Radio podcast where Lou Mongello frequents restaurants all over Disney property and takes his friends and family to try a large portion of the menu.

disney with out kids

Take a Break

It’s so much easier to take things slow and really soak Disney in when you’re not worrying about whiny kids or trying to hold your lunch down after riding Tea Cups four times in a row. Finding those quite spots throughout the resorts and parks is one of my favorite things to do when visiting WDW. The zen gardens in Epcot is my favorite spot to sit and relax. You can also find a bench, anywhere, and people watch while having a snack. Most days we take a ‘nap’ break back at the resort even without kids so we’re able to go from rope drop through the fireworks without burning out. I might do laundry or lay by the pool but we always have that chance to take a breath and escape the stimuli of the parks.

pool-side at disney

Hang Pool-Side

Speaking of taking a break during the day for the pools, I just love hanging out at the pool on a busy Disney trip. We like to visit various resorts to try out different pools. Most resorts have ‘quiet’ pools that are smaller and have less chaos. Our favorite pool locations are the cabanas at Grand Floridian, the Wilderness Lodge and Art of Animation.

Visit Resorts

As a hospitality major, visiting hotels and resorts brings me great joy. While working at a college program student for a semester I took my time visiting every Disney property and seeing the rooms. If you are staying on property it is very easy to take the free transportation to resort hop and visit the various properties. Ask the front desk to see a suite if possible and while you’re on your tour ask about the added amenities the resort offers. I wrote about a few of the amenities in my Why Staying at a Disney Property is the Best Decision post. You can find family bikes to rent, sprite boats, massages, yoga classes, the newest technology in arcade games, street performing acts, night vision glasses for watching savanna animals and much more!

disney lanyards

Disney Bound, Wear Buttons and Lanyards

Even though you don’t have kids with you, there’s no reason to bring out the ‘kid’ in you when visiting Disney World. Disney bounding is dressing similar to a favorite character by wearing clothes you already have in your wardrobe. It is very popular at Disneyland but has become more popular at WDW in the past few years. Each resort and park has free buttons at the concierge desk or guest relations to announce what you’re celebrating (anniversary, birthday, first visit etc.) It’s a great conversation starter with other guests as you’re waiting in line. We’re big pin traders so we’re always sure to wear our lanyards to the parks to trade with guests and cast members. Again, another great way to start up a conversation with people in the parks.

Unplug

Ditch the camera/phone for a night and just enjoy being together. If you need photos to document your evening there are Disney Photopass photographers all over the parks that can snap photos as you go. Keeping your phone out of your hand helps to really connect with your partner. With your MagicBand  you have access to your dining reservations, FastPass+, room key and Photopass account. If you want a backup you can always print out reservation information (like the old days) to have on hand in case of emergency. It’s really quite nice to step away from the electronics an fully experience the magic of Disney.

Let me know what you do to enjoy your adult-only vacation at Disney World. I’d love to know ways to make it even more magical on my next kid-free vacation.

For more Disney related posts:

Pandora – World of Avatar at Disney World

Disney Park Tips

 

Disney College Program

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10 Tips for a Kid Free Grown-Up Disney Vacation

10 Tips for a Kid Free Grown-Up Disney Vacation

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Simplifying Summer Meals

Simplifying summer meals is key. As summer zooms by I look back and see all the BBQs, festivals, farmer’s markets and parties that we’ve been going to and think about all the fun we’ve been having. I also see delicious tasty treats when I picture those events which hasn’t been helping me achieve my goal of 1 lb per week until Sophie’s Birthday.

To catch you up, I wrote about how I want to lose 1 lb per week until Sophie’s Birthday October 5th (because it is an attainable amount of time) before I am comfortable to start trying to have another baby. My last pregnancy was painful because of the weight I’d put on and am trying to make it easier on myself for my next pregnancy. To lose 1 lb. per week I have been following my health coach Michael’s program through Thrive Culture. He helps me implement small goals that build throughout the year to slowly help me adjust to being healthier (correct portion sizes, eating slowly, getting good sleep etc.)

simplifying summer meals
Photo by Dominik Lowyears on Unsplash

Since summer started it has been a whirlwind of fun, knowing that once August and pre-school hit, we will be back to our normal routine. As such I have been making the most out of it with fun activities which does not always result in conscious meal planning. Sitting down to figure out what meals we want, ordering it on ClickList and following through to make them after a full day of fun is exhausting. I decided to give myself a break and simplify summer meals.

Simplifying Summer Meals

To simplify our family’s summer meals I’ve chosen staples that I know the family loves and we rotate between them. I have broken my meals down into two parts: Breakfast Foods and Main Meals. We make enough food for dinner that we’re able to take the leftovers for lunch the next day (which is why I lumped both meal times into Main Meals). I wanted to choose meals that had these three criteria:

  1. Fast & Easy
  2. Something Sophie will eat (she’s picky)
  3. Mostly Healthy

Here is how I’ve broken them down, including recipes to the ones that need a recipe:

Breakfast (choose 1)

  • Oatmeal with Chia Seeds, Nuts (almonds, pecans or walnuts), honey and berries (blueberries, strawberries or blackberries). On special occasions I’ll do honey, chia seeds and peanut butter.
  • Protein Shake with fruit, (I keep a mix of frozen fruit in the freezer or use fruit that is about to go bad- strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, bananas) chia seeds, spinach, protein powder and greek yogurt. I’ll add in local honey if it’s especially tart.
  • Eggs with veggies (whatever I have laying around like spinach, onions, tomatoes, mushrooms). I usually make sausage links on Sundays for the week so sometimes I’ll have that with my eggs as well as a side of berries or an apple.

simplifying summer mealsPhoto by Jennifer Pallian on Unsplash

Main Meals

I know these meals don’t sound ‘summery’ but we still get our share of grilled goods on the weekends when visiting friends and family. If we’re ever feeling like something specific we can just add that one thing and know that we’ll have a meal that we won’t be able to cook on autopilot and schedule that for a day we’ll have plenty of time.

simplify mealsPhoto by rawpixel.com on Unsplash

It has worked out nicely since we’ve implemented this rotation of staple meals that we’re comfortable throwing together. It makes meal planning, ordering and prep way easier when we just choose from the list. We don’t have that feeling of ‘will everyone like it’ or ‘is it really only going to take 45 min to bake or will it end up being 1.5 hrs?’

What are some summer hacks you have for simplifying the chaos during these fun months? Pool time instead of baths? Yea, we do that too. 😉 Be sure to check out my friend Michael’s program. Right now he’s running a special where he’s giving away his Nutrition & Fitness for Busy Professionals for free (including my number one helper: the power of sleep)!

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Pandora – World of Avatar at Disney World

I was invited by Walt Disney Special Events to attend a private preview of Pandora – World of Avatar at Animal Kingdom, but all opinions and photos are my own.

Pandora – World of Avatar at Disney World is a wonder to behold. I had my skepticism towards the new expansion in Animal Kingdom. ‘How are they going to make it feel as huge as the World of Avatar?’ ‘Is there going to be anything to do over there?’ ‘Is it just an addition to keep people in Animal Kingdom full day?’ See, even hard core Disney lovers are skeptical about change. I could not have been more pleasantly surprised and wowed by the additions Disney World has made in Animal Kingdom with Pandora.

Pandora World of Avatar

Pandora World of Avatar

Must Sees in Pandora – World of Avatar at Disney World

I was fortunate enough to get a sneak peek of Pandora a few weeks before it will open May 27th, 2017. It was a bit of a whirlwind trip through the land and I definitely did not get enough time to explore. I would say that, currently, Pandora is a half-day experience, even without being completely finished. On May 27th Pandora will include Satu’li Canteen, and Pongu Pongu (refreshments), Na’vi River Journey, and Avatar – Flight of Passage (attractions).

My Top Choice

If you only have a short time in Pandora, I suggest making Avatar – Flight of Passage your only stop. After riding that attraction I had a hard time describing it to my friends and family. The best way to describe that ride is ’emotional’. The ride simulates a thrilling ride on the back of a banshee with technology that hasn’t been used anywhere. I felt a little silly when I caught myself tearing up during the ride and was worried someone would have seen. After leaving the ride, many of my fellow bloggers had the exact same experience!

TIP: Stay at a Disney World Resort to earn an extra hour in the park before it opens to the public! I hadn’t planned on visiting Disney World again until Toy Story Land and Star Wars Land had both opened in 2019 but I’m afraid I can not wait that long to go on Flight of Passage again.

map of pandora world of avatar

Pandora World of Avatar

Pandora World of Avatar

My skepticism regarding Disney not being able to make the park feel like Pandora – World of Avatar was silly. I should have known the Imagineers would blow us all out of the water. We were there during the day and was able to see all the beautiful colors of the flora and mountains. During the night the land becomes bio luminescent like the Na’vi River Journey.

The attraction is similar to Small World in that you sit in a boat and float through the ride viewing the night time world of Pandora. There’s so much to look at as you glide through the mysterious land but the highlight is the Shaman of Songs sending her positive energy out into the forest through the power of her music. They used the CGI animation technology they used on Seven Dwarfs Mine Train but perfected it on a giant Avatar. It’s hard to believe she’s not real!

Pandora World of Avatar

Pandora World of Avatar

Pandora World of Avatar

The photos don’t even do it justice. You’ll need to go check it out for yourself! Check out my friend Misty’s thoughts on our trip to Pandora. If you’d like to see more about my favorite attractions in Disney World, go here.

 

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Pandora - World of Avatar Must See Attraction at Disney World

 

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Healthy Habits to Feeling Better

There are lots of healthy habits to feeling better. I’ve realized it takes time to build habits and that I need to be patient with myself. I’ve now been working with my health coach Michael from Thrive Culture for 6 months. The biggest thing I’ve learned is:

consistency is KEY.

From the very beginning of this program I’ve known it will be a slow process with the goal to build healthy habits one at a time leading up to a year worth of healthy habits. Some habits came easy to me, like, not drinking calories. Other habits were very difficult, like, eating slowly and getting the correct mix of protein, fruits, veggies and good carbs.

healthy habits to feeling better

Over the past 6 months I’ve paid attention to when I fall off my habits and how that affects my progress and how my body feels. For example, I had been eating clean for 2 weeks while working out consistently and felt great. One Sunday, driving home from Chicago, I saw at least 5 Dairy Queen billboards on the highway. Ice cream was calling my name and I gave in. My thought process: ‘If I’m going to break my healthy eating, I might as well have a full meal of bad choices.’ I got a burger, fries and ice cream. My body HATED me afterwards. I felt dizzy and my heart was pounding out of it’s chest. My body wasn’t used to that much sugar and carbs all at once and it told me. The entire next day I felt bloated and lethargic and I knew I didn’t want to eat that way anymore.

Everyone is different in regards to how their bodies react to food and exercise. The huge secret is finding out how YOUR body reacts and how to keep the good habits consistent in your life.

heathy habits to feeling better

My most important healthy habits to feeling better:

Meal planning and prep:

I’ve mentioned this before but the most impactful habit is to meal plan and prep food for the week over the weekend. I am most successful when I meal plan and order our groceries with ClickList on Saturday. Sunday I will pick up the groceries first thing in the morning and prep. For us, because we do not like cooking, I chop all the veggies and brown all the meat during prep. I write everything on the calendar in our kitchen and make reminders on my phone if I need to put something in the crock-pot before work. Having all these reminders and doing this prep on the weekend allows our family to enjoy a full 1.5 hours together in the evenings every single week night.

Scheduling time each day for me:

If I am able to have time to myself each week for working out, walking outside, meditating and stretching, I am a happier person. Right now, my body is happy doing an hour workout 3 times per week with outside activities on the other 4 days. If I throw in meditation even a few times per week and stretching outside of what I do for my workout, I’m golden. It’s such an easy thing to make sure I am able to do these things. On Saturday, after I meal plan and put it on my calendar, I look ahead to the week and schedule out Me TIME. Physically adding it to my calendar makes it 90% more likely to happen than if I hadn’t put it on the calendar.

Having a sleep routine:

This seems a bit extreme to some. Sleep routines are for children who need consistency to thrive. Adults also need consistency to thrive. Just like exercise and food, everyone reacts differently to sleep. For me, I require 7-8 hours of sleep to be on my game the next day. To make sure I’m able to hit the 7-8 hours regularly I have an alarm on my phone that tells me when to settle down. Plugging in my cell phone for the night, turning off the TV, turning off the computer and changing the music are requirements. I make sure to leave time to change into my PJs, wash my face and brush my teeth before I get too sleepy. I may put on my diffuser or light a candle to help me calm down if I’ve had a rough day. Think about the things that you used to do for your bedtime routine and what made you calm. It’s likely the same thing that will make you calm now.

healthy habits to feel better

After working on these habits for 6 months I’m still not perfect at achieving them every week. There are always parties and travels that stop me from being able to do these habits but the parties and travels are why I’m doing these habits. I want to be healthier and happier so I can have more parties and travels during my life.

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Healthy habits to feeling better.

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