Tree is up!

The. Tree. Is. Up. Folks! I'm obsessed with Christmas. Our decorations always go up the day after Thanksgiving, minus last year because I gave myself the year off with a toddler and 2-month-old. It's so magical. Here's Barrett (29 months or almost 2.5 years) & Vivienne (13 months) in some Christmas jammies seeing the tree for the first time. John and I set up the tree while they were sleeping and they came down and were amazed. Vivienne kept saying "Woooow, woooow"

Here's a very normal site in our house. Barrett wrestling his poor baby sister. She's a tough cookie, but don't cross her or she'll scream in a sharp high pitch that won't go unnoticed by the dog next door.

Vivienne is starting to copy Barrett with their morning cartoons (side note, I so don't get the obsession with Curious George. That monkey really bugs me.) Bear always stands right up next to the TV, and I've started to catch Vivienne doing the same. Monkey see, monkey do. Dang you Curious George, I know this is YOUR fault.

A shot from me and my honey on his 33rd birthday. A simple, sweet song and cake always does the trick. Thanks to my mom or making the cake this year. And, kuddos to John's awesome sister for inviting us to the Circus with box seats. While I didn't do much for John on his birthday, I know he felt loved and special. And when there's cake, all is well, all is bright.

33

Tomorrow is John's 33 birthday. This is a monumental occasion in our house. John and I are obsessed with the number 3. Growing up, I always loved 3. So did he. When we met, we figured out that his football number was #33 and my basketball number was #33. Destiny. Right?

So, now that he's turning 33 tomorrow (oddly, also the age Jesus lived until) I'm almost frozen with ideas. I've got nothing planned or ready! I used to throw huge theme parties for his birthday every year--Ugly Christmas Sweater, Poker Night, White Elephant Gifts, etc. we stopped the parties when we moved to the suburbs and John's was adamit against a party (maybe it was because my 30th birthday party was Sept, Vivienne's was Oct, his would be Nov and Christmas in Dec.....I must admit that IS a lot of celebration, planning and money) . Although, I'm dying to throw another adult theme party and think I'll do so next year!

John's sister invited us to take our kids to the circus tomorrow, so we'll do that after church. He isn't feeling great, so we're going to bed early tonight and he's not up for much.

John is a spectacular dad. I was pretty confident I had met a great husband when we fell in love, but I didn't realize I hit the jackpot when it came to picking a father for my children. He's strong, firm and tender. He plays better with the kids than I do. He loves to sit with them, patiently, get interested in what interests them, ask them questions. John is absolutely smitten with Barrett. Hook, line and sinker. Vivienne has a different special place in his heart. He and her have a little connection that is so sweet, she scrunches her nose and then bashfully buries her head in my chest when they're playing. She calls anything she likes "dada", like Christmas lights, or books and pictures that amuse her. John lets me sleep in, takes the kids joyfully to do fun stuff and "give mom a break."

Don't get me wrong, no one is perfect. I know this is a little mushy, but I can't help it. I'm crazy about John. I adore him and cherish him and it's his birthday so I'm going to shout it from the roof tops, even if it's a little obnoxious.

My point is......if anyone has any ideas for how to make my marvelous man feel special on his day, I'd love some ideas!

Thanks for Thanksgiving

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I'd like to take a moment to acknowledge God for all the good things in my life.

1.) I'd be remiss if I didn't start with my family. John, Barrett, Vivienne. There should be a different word for it, family, just doesn't describe the way I feel about you. You have changed my life. Your have made me cry, laugh, listen, learn and most of all you've made me grow. You transformed me into a wife and a mother, a dream I've held close to my heart as long as I can remember. Thank you God for the beautiful people you've crafted to fit just perfectly in my life to teach and stretch me.

2.) Without my mom, dad and brother, my grandma Samuelson, grandma Blue, I wouldn't be the woman I am today, literally, I wouldn't exist. Especially to my parents, you're love and patience seems endless. At times, I'm sure I've seemed lost and gone, but I've made my way back home and I've felt your love and acceptance along the way. It's easy to spread your wings when you know you're flying with a wide, sturdy safety net. Thank you God for a sturdy, loving, safe family.

3.) My amazing in-laws. Since the moment I met John's family, I was bedazzled. They were a big family, beautiful, well kempt, hilarious. The cool "it" family. I used to dream of being part of a fun, big family like them and I have not been disappointed. They are even more amazing on the inside and I feel lucky to be part of the circuit.

4.) Health. There was a bit of a worry this year about health within our unit. There's nothing like the threat of losing it, to make you appreciate health. Our bodies only last so long and I'm glad every body is okay.

5.) Friends. My amazing ladies, you know who you are. Or as my girl Jen likes to say my "sister from another mister." I feel so blessed to have made so many new mommy friends. I'm amazed that I still have so much to learn about friendship, love, trust, the power of telling the truth, celebrating and supporting one another. There was a time when I thought I wouldn't really ever let anyone in, and I am seeing how wonderful it is to have friends close to my heart.

6.) Bible Study Fellowship (BSF) and Beth Moore thank you for pulverizing my tough heart. I am learning the Bible and getting to know God in such a new way. I used to worry if I got close to God, I'd lose myself. Turn into someone else and become a freak. What I've seen is that God is more like butter. He makes everything taste better, but still taste the way it should. Bread still tastes like bread, just more savory. Can you taste butter in a beautiful cake? Not really, you taste the gorgeous sweet flavors, but none of which would be as good without the butter holding it all together and making the flavors pop. I could go on, almost anything tastes better with butter.

7.) Finding my life purpose (at least I think!). It took a lot of hard work, but I'm satisfied I got my MA, and now newly secured LPC, NCC, so I can follow my dreams of helping others. I'm finding Life Coaching to be extremely rewarding, supporting people, seeing their lives change. It feels like it was what I was designed to do, what I was created to do and it's so nice to have a glimpse at the path I'm supposed to follow.

8.) You reading this! I am incredibly humbled that people want to share my journey and read along with me as I figure things out. I  love it and feel so lucky to have you as part of my life.

There's more of course, but I think most of all this year as I've turned 30 I've been working on finding myself. Redefining who I want to be and what kind of mark I want to make on my short visit here.

Thanks God for Thanksgiving. It's a beautiful opportunity to stop and see just how much we have. My cup runneth over.

The Cleanse

Last week I started a pretty intense cleanse. I belly-flopped over the weekend, but decided to get back in the saddle Monday. It's a way to detoxify and reestablish the body's ability to regulate and protect itself. It's a 16-week program (gulp), I'm honestly hoping to make it 4-8 weeks.

The cleanse is pretty simple actually:

1.) Food: You can eat all meats (except pork), fresh veggies & fruit, eggs, brown rice, seasonings like salt & pepper, tea and coffee.
2.) Water: Drink 1 quart of purified water for every 50lbs (I'm not going to share my weight here, but we can rest assured I'll be drinking plenty of water)
3.) Sweating: One of the major detoxification organs of the body is the skin. You must sweat 6x a week and it needs be a 20-30 minute hot bath or 10-20 minute sauna (not just exercise)
4.) Detox essentials: capsules the doctor provided to help the detoxification of the body

I'm on week 2 (minus the weekend, whoops!) and so far, so good. I'm craving a few of the no-no foods (um, hello, almost all food is a no-no), but it feels good to do something healthy for my body. And, hey it might be nice to lose a few pounds along the way, although that's not the purpose of the cleanse.

The most surprising thing? The baths. I love them. I light a scented candle, turn off the lights and play some beautiful ancient flute music. And I kid you not, that bathroom (which 30 minutes prior was a splish-splashing, toy-filled, explosion for the kids) is transformed into an oasis spa-like experience. I just swim in the ME time!!

Why do the cleanse? Basically, I've decided I want to make my 30s a time where I figure things out. Figure out how to take care of my body, do my hair, wear clothes that are my taste, not just the trends, and pursue my spiritual connection to God. I'm also deciding to ditch insecurity and focus on being the best me I can be. C'm along if you like!

**Note, don't try the cleanse just based on this post. If you're seriously interested, email me and I can put you in touch with my doctor to get the detox assistance or just tell you more about my experience. I'm no doctor! I wish. :)

I PASSED!!!!

I passed my National Counselor Exam (NCE) on Friday!!! It was 200 questions, 4-hours and a lot of nerves as I was pretty nervous my mommy-brain could hold all the information from my studying.

Here's my pop-quiz story:

1. True of False? Barrett was up every 2 hours sick with a cold the night before? True. 
2. True of False? Barrett slept in our bed. True. 
3. True of False? It isn't very disruptive having Barrett sleep in our bed. False. 
4. True of False? I was able to get in a little quiet time in the morning before the exam? False. 
5. True of False? I fell asleep in the exam?  TRUE. TRUE. TRUE.Guys, I seriously fell asleep. 
6. True of False? I went into the bathroom and did jumping jacks to stay awake? True. 
7. True or False? I didn't know I'd find out the same day...seriously...where's the fun in that? True.

I'm now (as soon as the state mails me the actual certificates) a Licensed Professional Counselor LPC and a National Certified Counselor NCC.

I feel so official. At the very least, I don't have to study anymore! Or worse, feel like I should be studying. I'm completely d-o-n-e. Now, I need to focus on growing my practice and business.

I just love this stuff, in fact, John and I just volunteered to lead a Marriage Builders weekly group with our church. I'm so excited. I love building connections with people, supporting and seeing lives change. Plus, I feel like it's a fun weeknight date night for John and I -- how fun is that. We are going to have to read, prepare and spend time leading the group together. We're pumped!

I'm a nerd for counseling, but I don't mind. I feel like I've found my calling, my God-given purpose, now I just need to follow the path.

Big Steps!

Vivienne Mae took her first steps this week! Thursday, November 17, 2011--just 11 days before her 13 month birthday. I love watching her grow and change and learn. I fall more deeply in love as I get to know her sparkly little personality.

The only thing that stung was that her first steps were not toward me. Vivienne walked to the woman, Ilona, who cleans our home. It's not like she's here all that much (I wish!), it's just that she's so good with kids, she has two of her own and loves on the kids whenever she comes.

So when Vivienne reached for her, called her "mama" and spread her little arms wide with a big grin and took her first steps .... I was a little jealous. 

In my head I was yelling, "No, no, no! Vivienne don't you dare! Don't take your first steps to someone else!" Possessive, selfish mama. Guilty. I just want to gobble up all the special-ness, hold it dear and never let go. And we're just talking about first steps here, people.

Maybe it was a good thing. Vivienne is a mommy's girl, so maybe she's teaching me healthy mother-daughter-boundaries.

Good job, Vivienne.

Putting healthy boundaries aside, know this: Your mama loves you. Forever and ever. I will love you in this life and the next. And nothing, not life, death, sickness, mistakes, bad choices, or even hating me, will change my love for you.

Study Hall ......

Hey all. In case you miss me, I thought I'd let you know that I probably won't be posting much this week. I'm cramming for my State License Exam on Friday. It's a whopping 4-hour test that you're supposed to study at least 2 months in advance. I'm a mom, so that has not happened. Okay, that's just an excuse. I simply have NOT made it a priority to study properly, so I'm giving it some major attention this week!

Crunch mode is actually REALLY fun!!! Feels like I'm preparing for a race. I love the finish line, the adrenaline, the coffee.....late trips to the library and Starbucks. I'm having a blast.

If I pass this exam, I'll be a Licensed Professional Counselor and a National Certified Counselor. My title will be Lauren Schifferdecker, MA, LPC, NCC.

Do I need it? Well, no. Not really. To practice Life Coaching you don't need all these counseling licenses and certifications. However,  I've worked so hard, I can't stop now. To get here, I took many of my graduate courses on the weekends while working full-time 40-65 hours a week. Then I started my internship (which is unpaid work for 1 year or 750 hours) while my son was an infant and ran around pumping in different offices, scrambling to find babysitters, and majorly stressing out about being a new mom and a new intern. Thankfully my mom watched Barrett on my 12-hour shift days during the week, but I also had to write papers, attend classes, etc. Let's not even mention the thousands of dollars we've invested.

So, do I need it? I guess I do. For myself. While I'll be legally qualified to practice counseling (under supervision), I am going to continue focusing on Life Coaching. I'm having so much fun and my clients lives are changing! It's exciting to watch and completely satisfying to see people growing, changing and improving. I'm hooked for life! 

P.S. In other news Blue Life Coaching just signed a lease for a satellite office in Northfield Illinois, it's actually part of a  hair salon called Teddie Kossof (which I have gone to myself as a client for nearly 10 years). More to come on that......

If you're out there wondering if you would like your own Life Coach, shoot me an email and I can tell you more. I love newbies and always have time for more clients! lauren@bluelifecoaching.com

My Red Carpet Night with Celebs

Last night my mom-friends and I were invited to the premier of Mom.com which is a  new spin on groupon. What I like about Mom.com is it's locally based, supports local shops and businesses and offers deals that moms will actually like. Genius.

The brains behind the operation? Andrew Shue (aka Billy Campbell from Melrose Place)also married to Amy Robach the Today Show Weekend anchor, who couldn't be there because she's touring with Matt Lauer on "Where in the World is Matt Lauer" -- love.)

For their launch party, they invited select moms from the area to a gorgeous multi-million-dollar mansion in Lake Forrest to enjoy some mom-time, wine, and hear about the new site. It was over-the-top from the moment the valet, the paparazzi-style photographers, red-carpet set-up and gorgeous women decked out.

Most of all, it was so fun having an excuse to dress up, do make-up, hair and just kick back with my lady friends without the kids! Pretending to be gazillionaires, snatching up glasses of red wine as the waiters walked by with trays.

Jen Schefft from "The Bachelorette"  was a true sweetheart. She seemingly didn't mind my friends and I cornering her to talk for 20 minutes and was very gracious when I dorkily asked if we could take a pic with my iPhone. She seemed very natural and genuine, I was glad to meet her!

Of course the night wouldn't be complete without the silly-junior-high "lets take a picture of ourselves in the bathroom mirror" shot. It was fun to feel young again. Carefree, dreamy and even if I don't live in a home like this, I realize I feel rich with friendships and fun opportunities.

There are a few mom.com areas, I'd recommend getting on their list, they send one email a day and have good stuff! I've already bought my first "reflexology" (aka foot massage) session. Fun stuff!

A Good Cry

You know what I'm talking about. Sometimes it hits me in the car, or a sad commercial, or movie. But we all need it sometimes.....a good hearty cry.

Mine hit me this weekend. I was watching "Water For Elephants." It was a good movie, not earth shattering or anything. I read the book but didn't remember much from it was a surprise to me. At the end, for whatever reason, I was bawling.

Not the kind of sniffle that gets a glistening beautiful tear in the corner of your eye. No, no. I was making sobbing noises, stuffy can hardly blow my nose honks, eyes stinging blood shot red, crying. I don't know if it was the sweet-hearted animals, the babies, the love story or what, but something got me.  And got me good!

At one point, John reached over and asked, "Laur, are you okay?" In a serious, I'm-not-sure-what-to-do-right-now, kind of voice. Of course, it made me laugh. I'm convinced John was designed fiber by fiber just for me. So different from me and yet such a perfect fit.

I must confess, lately I've been thinking about how fast life goes by. I think the movie just underlined the point. I'm  sad thinking of how quickly everything goes by. I just want to hit the pause button and say S-T-O-P!!!! And, at the same time, I'm so looking forward to seeing what comes next. I'm so in love with John, Barrett and Vivienne, at times I feel like I almost have too much. Like I'm too happy and it might all be taken away (which I know is a limiting belief). The fact is that I have so much to lose and at times it scares me. In the end, it's all worth the risk. Every single second.

Anyway, what gets you? Any one else have a good cry lately? If not, I highly recommend it. There are studies that show it's physically beneficial for you to cry at least 1x a month.

Tissue anyone?

Baby's 1st Birthday Party

Vivienne's 1st Birthday party last weekend was really fun.

We did a fall, Halloween theme, but not too over the top!

Here's the little birthday girl.

Hot apple cidar, pumpkin bread, pizza, beer, water, candy corn, cake and that was it!

So simple and easy.

I was on the fence about a bouncy house, but I am completely happy we got one. It was really helpful for the toddlers. They loved it and got out all their energy out before playing inside and eating cake. I actually bought this one on Amazon, but you can rent them too. I'd reco them if you're having a kid party!

Here's our token family shot. A real frame-r! ha ha

The money shot. Mmmm....caaaaaaaake.

(I'd love to say this was her first bite of sugar, but considering she has an older brother, I cannot. True story: the third day we were home from the hospital I caught Barrett waterboarding Vivienne with his whole-cow-milk bottle. Trying to share. Nice....that was juuuust the beginning of her inappropriate tastes)

Me, my mom, my daughter...3 generations of girls!

This party was different for me. I absolutely love throwing parties. But, I tend to get uptight about hosting, even something seemingly easy like a kids party. I want everything to be perfect, polished and most of all I want people to be comfortable. I take pride in thinking things through, having plenty of everything and creating a flow and mood for quality conversations and connections. Since I take hosting so seriously, I can lose sight of the reason I'm throwing any given party: to celebrate and connect with people!

I decided to make a shift for Vivienne's birthday. I made a committment to not be crabby or overly anxious prior to, during or after the party. 

I'm pleased to say, this life lesson was a good one. Overall, the party was great (at least for me!). I was relaxed, enjoyed my guests, partnered well with John, and other than a few snafu's (dog poop right by the bouncy house and spilling on my outfit 10 seconds before guests arrived), it flowed seemlessly.

I hope my baby girl looks at these pictures some day and sees how much her mama loves her, and how much I want to give her the best life possible, surrouned with love, friends, family and.....let's not forget .... presents!!!!! Hey. A kid is a kid. We'll learn that life lesson another time.