Valentine Gift Ideas

Until I met my husband, I had never been in a 'real' relationship on Valentine's Day and had therefor never celebrated. Our first Valentine's together was about a year after we started dating. He bought me a beautiful necklace that I still wear today and treated me to a steak dinner. Since then, our 'celebrations' have varied greatly. One year, before the baby, we took a weekend trip, but most years we just go to dinner if we do anything. Other than that first year, we don't exchange gifts and we don't go over-the-top with Alexis. However, I know that most of you probably do celebrate in some form so I rounded up some budget-friendly gift ideas for everyone.

Valentine's Gifts for Her
1. Heartbeat Necklace
What better way to show your sweetheart how much you love her than by giving her a piece of your heart? This pretty necklace comes in rose gold or silver, is under $20, and has fantastic reviews.

2. Fujifilm Instax Mini Camera
With this mini camera, your lady can instantly print out memories. At under $50, it's a steal.

3. Nine West Wristwatch
This watch is so feminine but the square face gives it a little more uniqueness. It comes in taupe/rose gold, pink/silver, and brown/gold.

4. Cozy Sweater
Amazon is a treasure trove of sweaters. I've currently got this pretty pink, blue and gray sweater in my cart.

Valentine's Gifts for Him
1. Wireless Charger Pad
This is something my husband actually wants, except for an iPhone.

2. Swiss Army Pocket Knife
Personally, I believe every man should have a pocket knife, and you can't go wrong with this classic.

3. Car-chargable Flashlight
My husband, dad, and brother are all addicted to flashlights, and this is one I don't believe they have! It's perfect to keep in the car and doesn't need batteries.

4. LED Fan Clock
Ok, so this is just cool, and I know my tech-obsessed husband would love it if he worked a desk job.

Valentine's Gifts for Kids
1. Valentine's Book
There are a lot of Valentine's themed books out there. We love 'Happy Valentine's Day, Mouse!'

2. Heart Jewelry
You can't go wrong with heart-shaped jewelry, and these studs would be perfect for a pre-teen or even teenager (or me ha!).

3. Crayola Color Bath Drops
I love gifts that let Alexis be creative, and I know she would love these Crayola bath drops.

4. Scissor Skills Activity Book
I also love a gift that helps develop a skill, like this scissor skills activity book.

5. Board Games
Teenagers probably prefer video games, but for younger kids traditional board games are a fun way to keep them entertained quietly. Also, they're cheap! Alexis is very into Candy Land and Chutes and Ladders these days.

This post contains affiliate links. If you click on one and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission. Thanks for supporting Mommy the Journalist!

My 14 Favorite Movies About Love

I love movies about love. They can be corny (like those Hallmark movies that suck you in without warning), dramatic, or funny. I don't need a reason to watch a lovey-dovey movie, but with Valentine's Day just around the corner, it seemed like a grand idea to share my current 14 favorite movies about amor, in no particular order.

The Holiday
I know this is technically a Christmas movie, but it's not so overdone with a Christmas theme that I can't watch it all year long. Two women trade homes for two weeks to escape their love lives and rediscover themselves. My favorite little subplot in this movie is the friendship Iris strikes up with a legendary Hollywood director.

To All the Boys I've Loved Before
Netflix knocked it out of the park with this one. When it was first released, I watched it three times in one week. A teen girl's secret letters to the boys she's liked over the years get mailed. In an effort to control the damage, she and one of the recipients pretend to date. You can guess what happens next. It's so innocently sweet and well done. And no, I have not read the books.

Dirty Dancing
Is it a cliche that I love this movie? I will literally watch this every time it's on TV. A girl and her family spend the entire summer at a lodge where she meets and falls in love with the head dancer. Of course her family doesn't approve but everything works out in the end with a big dance number, of course.

You've Got Mail
Back when Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks ruled the rom-coms together. A local bookstore owner and mega-bookstore chain owner become email friends, neither knowing who the other is. Eventually, the big bookstore puts the smaller out of business, and one of them learns the other's identity.

10 Things I Hate About You
The moment in cinematic history when teenagers and young women fell in love with Heath Ledger.  Boy takes 'job' of dating girl so girl's sister can go to prom with school jerk. Boy and girl genuinely fall for each other and the sister ends up with someone else entirely. The cast of this movie is so great. Julia Stiles' character was such a badass, and I always respected that she refused to do what everyone thought she should.

Titanic
This may be the one movie I regret not seeing in theaters. We all know the story, and we all have opinions on 'the door.' And even though I've lost count of how many times I've watched this movie, I will still watch it from beginning to end when it comes on.

Original Sin
This movie is not safe for kids (and possibly teenagers), but man is it good. Antonio Banderas and Angelina  Jolie are a husband and mail-order bride, except she's not who she says she is. Will  the truth destroy their relationship?

The Notebook
Who can say no to this Nicholas Sparks classic? Summer love turns into a lifelong romance, but not without some bumps along the way.

Captain America or Thor
Ok, so these maybe aren't what you'd classify as romance movies, but of the Avengers movies, these two have my favorite couples - Steve Rogers and Peggy Carter vs Thor and Jane Foster. I grouped them together because I only wanted to list one of this particular genre but then couldn't decide between them.

The Princess Bride
No movie list would be complete without a cult favorite. For me, it's gotta be The Princess Bride. Wesley goes through some serious stuff to get Buttercup back. This movie is funny in a clever way and has so many good one liners. If you've never seen it, this B-Day is the perfect time.

Pretty Woman
Who doesn't love a story about a knight riding in on his great steed to rescue the damsel? True fans will appreciate my little joke. A wealthy businessman hires a hooker to accompany him to events during his business trip. They fall for each other but go their separate ways, temporarily.

On the Town
This is my favorite Gene Kelly movie. Three sailors get 24 hours shore leave in NYC and make the most of it. They meet three girls, but one disappears so they spend a good but of the movie searching for and then 'rescuing 'her.

Some Like It Hot
Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon play out-of-work musicians who, after witnessing a gang assassination, masquerade as women in an all-time band with Marilyn Monroe. Curtis goes back and forth between disguises to try to win Monroe, while Lemmon is courted by a wealthy mama's boy. And let's not forget the gangsters who show back up. This black-and-white rom-com will have you in stitches.

Girl Happy
Elvis made a lot of movies movies about love. This is my favorite. He plays a musician who's hired to chaperone a teenager on Spring Break. He fails miserably and all the girls end up in jail, so he tunnels his way into the cell. This movie is so silly, and in my opinion at least is probably Elvis's best.

Ways I'm Cutting Down on My Screen Time

One of my goals for this year is to get a better handle on how much time I spend staring at a screen. It's no easy task considering my job is almost 100% computer based. To make matters a little more complicated, I just bought a new tablet because my other one was seven years old and moving too slow to be useful. But I'm still determined to cut back on my screen time and have a plan...sort of.

Last year, I talked about how we do screen time for Alexis, which caused me to take a hard look at my own habits, and they weren't good. I touched on it in last week's post about three habits I've kicked since changing jobs, specifically obsessively checking email and always having my phone in my hand. In this post, I'll talk about some specific ways I'm limiting my time in front of a screen.

One of the best things about changing career paths was the flexibility of the job. Now I don't have to rush through a lunch. In fact, I'm committed to taking an hour-long lunch break (or longer depending on the day). During that break, I have my phone with me but unless I'm waiting on someone to contact me, it stays in my bag.

Speaking of meals, I've instituted a phone-free policy for myself. Used to, my phone would be on the table or within reach on the bar. Now, instead of constantly glancing down or over to see if I have any notifications, I converse with my husband and daughter or whoever else I'm eating with.

Another perk of being my own boss (mostly) is that I make my own hours. On a typical day, I get up from my computer and go downstairs to do a little housework around 3:00 p.m. I do still check my email from my phone through 5:00 p.m., or a little later if it's the day before press and I'm waiting on last-minute stuff to come in from advertisers. I can't even begin to tell you the difference this has made in my life.

I've had an e-reader tablet since 2012. Recently it started having problems connecting to any charger and had gotten so slow the only thing it was good for was reading, although it could take anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes to download a book. I just replaced it with a new Amazon Fire HD 8 tablet (I needed something to take with me on days I'm out of the office that would be easier to do email with than my phone). All my previously downloaded e-books transferred over and because I'm a Prime member I get to take advantage of Prime Reading (which I highly recommend). With that being said, I am trying to incorporate more real books into my routine. Part of the reason behind this is that Alexis doesn't distinguish playing on my tablet from reading on my tablet. To her, it's all the same thing. So we've started making more frequent trips to the library - Alexis loves to go pick out new books. I'm particularly loving the Isaac Bell detective books by Clive Cussler and Justin Scott.

That brings me to the final thing I'm doing to cut down on screen time. At least 30 minutes before bed, I put my phone away, turn off my tablet, and/or shut down my computer. Instead of playing a mindless game or scrolling aimlessly through social media, I read or catch up on the shows I didn't get to watch last week. Since I've started doing this, I fall asleep more easily and am generally in a better mood.

How do you keep your screen time under control?

Weekend Recap + Instagram Roundup

Happy Tuesday! It's crunch week for the magazine, as we go to press this Friday, although things don't feel as hectic as previous months. It's been a good last few weeks for Wiregrass Parents, and I really hope we'll be able to keep the momentum going.

Over the weekend, we rode down to see my grandparents' new trailer. Their home was destroyed by Hurricane Michael back in October, and they're excited to finally be able to get back into their own space. As I was driving down all the familiar roads to where they live, I was amazed by how much debris there was still to be cleaned up. Literally every place I passed had some type of damage still, and we're hundreds of miles inland! I know the big national news has stopped giving attention to the aftermath of Michael, but there are still a lot of people along the Gulf Coast who need help.

So, now that I've gotten that off my chest, on to the crux of today's post. I've shared lots of outfits on Instagram over the last few weeks, and with lots of sales this week due to the holiday, I thought it was an appropriate time to do a roundup!

This entire outfit is from Old Navy.
Shirt (under $20!) | Jeans (only $25) | Shoes (under $20)

Sweatshirt: Old Navy (under $15) | Jeans: Aeropostale (20% off) | Boots: old - similar

These are my new favorite boots. They go with literally anything and are so so so so comfortable! They're not on sale right now but trust me when I say they're worth it!

Shirt: Aeropostale (only $8)| Jeans: Kohl's | Boots: Target

Dress: Old Navy (only $10!)| Boots: old - similar

Sweater: sold out - similar| Jeans: Kohl's (bogo 1/2 off) | Boots: Target

Sweater: old - similar | Joggers: Amazon (under $20) | Socks: Old Navy

Vest: old - similar | Dress: old - similar

This post contains affiliate links. If you click one and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission. Thank you for supporting Mommy the Journalist!

The Bubble Gum Saga

Alexis loves lollipops. It doesn't really matter what kind - cheap old Dum Dums or Tootsie Roll Pops. Our grocery store of choice conveniently has their candy section right next to the taco supplies. When we were there to pick up ingredients for enchiladas last week, Alexis grabbed a bag of lollipops and asked if we could get them. I said yes without really looking at them. Turns out they were the bubble gum filled Blow Pops. Later that night, after supper, we let her have one with instructions not to eat the pink stuff in the middle.

I was waiting on her to finish the sucker so she could have a bath and kept checking in on her progress. When I started to be able to see the gum through the shell, I committed one of my biggest parenting fails to date.

Me: Don't eat the pink stuff in the middle. If you swallow it, it'll get stuck in your tummy. (I may have said the word forever.)

Alexis: *face falls, tears form*

Me: *mentally kicking myself* Did you already eat some?

Alexis: *nods*

What followed next can only be described as a full-on meltdown that lasted off and on for the next two hours, until bedtime. I later learned that she had not slept during naptime at school, so that explains some of it, but ever since my grievous error Alexis has been randomly saying things like "I don't like bubblegum," although thankfully we haven't had another meltdown over bubble gum being stuck in her tummy. Now I've got a dozen or so lollipops to eat myself.

Things I Stopped Doing When I Changed Jobs

Six and a half months ago I made the decision to leave my job as the executive producer at the top television station in town to launch a local parenting magazine. I went from a traditional working mom to a work-at-home mom in the span of a weekend, and I haven't looked back.

The past six months have been a learning experience for sure as I've adjusted from a structured, deadline driven day working with a dozen other people in an office. Now, I'm essentially my own boss, making my own hours and setting my own deadlines. The change has been profound not only for me personally but for my family as well, and it has as much to do with the things I've stopped doing as with the new things I'm getting to do. This post will be focusing on the latter and how these simple changes have improved my quality of life.

Shirt: Old Navy | Skirt: Cato (similar) | Boots: ShoeDazzle (similar)

3 Things I Stopped Doing When I Changed Jobs

1. Obsessively Checking my Email. When I was working in news, I was a slave to my work email. It was the first and last thing I looked at every day. I checked it literally every few minutes all day long. At meal times my phone would be on the table so I could keep tabs on my inbox. The weekends and holidays offered no breaks. Now, I only check my email on my phone if I'm expecting something or am away from my desk on a work day for most of the day. And the only way I look at email on a weekend or holiday, is if I turn on my computer and the notification box pops up in the bottom corner.

2. Rushing Through Lunch. I used to joke that I could put desk dining on my resume. Most days, I would grab something quick and eat it at my desk so I didn't get behind. Even if I did leave for lunch, I rarely took more than thirty minutes. As a result, most of my lunches were unhealthy and rushed, not a good combination. Now, I eat when I get hungry and take as long as I'd like.

3. Always Having my Phone. This is a big one. I didn't feel like I go anywhere, even vacation, without having my phone. The ringer was always turned on and I was always reachable. I never truly disconnected from work. Now, I frequently leave my phone in the bedroom or car. At night, it's on do not disturb mode. I no longer feel like my phone is an extension of my job, and because I'm putting it down more frequently I find myself being more present and enjoying life just a little more.

I worked in television news for nearly a decade. My decision to leave the business was not made lightly, and this post is not intended to encourage anyone to follow in my footsteps. To learn more about why I got out of broadcast, read this post.

Speaking My Truth: One Child is Enough

As the mother of an only child, I get a lot of unsolicited questions and comments about our family's choice to not have another baby. It always starts with a question along the lines of "When can we expect baby number two? or When are you going to give Alexis a little brother/sister?" What follows is always incredibly awkward and uncomfortable. I say we're not having another baby, which usually elicits an incredulous look followed by a knowing laugh or smile and something along the lines of "You'll change your mind one day."

I know mine isn't the only single-child family that deals with the never-ending questioning of when we'll be adding another name to our family tree. That's why I'm sharing my story - in the hopes that it will help open the eyes of those who can't resist the urge to ask the question we dread hearing.

I'm not ashamed of my story, but at the same time I don't feel the need to explain our decision to only have one child to every single person who asks. And on the few occasions where I have shared, it hasn't made much of a difference. I still feel the judgment, the shame, as if somehow our choice is selfish and wrong, or that we didn't think things through. Except we did.

Most people don't know about my difficult pregnancy, birth and post-partum experience. I don't tell them about the dangerously high blood pressure or how my water broke three weeks before my due date but yet I never went into labor. We don't talk about my emergency c-section or the week I spent in the hospital trying to get well. I don't say the words Preeclampsia or vasectomy.

Now, nearly four years later, our daughter is thriving. She may not have siblings, but she has cousins and friends at school. We don't struggle to provide for her as we might if we had more children. She's not growing up spoiled or lonely.

We didn't start our parenting journey with the intention of having only child, but that's the hand we were dealt, and at the end of the day we'd rather be a happy family of three than risk my health and that of an unborn child.

The truth is it's none of your business if a couple wants to have one kid or ten. There's no one-size-fits-all formula for creating a family. What's right for your family won't necessarily work for mine or anyone else's for that matter. And no, your opinion really doesn't matter.

My First Amazon Fashion Order: Khaki Turtleneck Sweater

I've been an Amazon shopper for years, but up until this past week I've never bought any clothing. After Audrey over at Putting Me Together talked about this sweater multiple times, I decided to take the plunge.

This is the Asvivid turtleneck in khaki, although in person the color looks a little more gold to me. It also comes in blue, black, two shades of green, and gray. The material is soft and pretty warm. However, the knit isn't super tight so if it's windy you might get chilly. That's easily fixed with an undershirt though. I like that the neck isn't super tight around my throat like a traditional turtleneck.

For me, the length was a little awkward, probably because I'm so short. I'm wearing a size small and it's honestly like a short sweater dress. Because of where it hit in the front, I felt like I was constantly adjusting to make the hem lay flat, so the next time I wear it I'll definitely be half-tucking it like in these pictures.

The sweater also has drop shoulders, making it slouchier, which I like. Also, the sleeves are a mite long, but I don't think I would have liked it in the XS.

I wore this for a day of magazine deliveries, and I had a couple of instances where the corners of the books caused pulls in the knit. They were all easily fixed, thankfully.

Overall, I give the sweater a 4.5 out of 5 stars, and I only deducted half a star because of the length. I'm 5'2" and think if I had a couple more inches it would be perfect.

Details:
Sweater: Amazon
Jeans: Old Navy
Boots: Target

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, meaning if you shop by clicking on one of the links embedded in this post, I will earn a small commission.

Ham Pie Recipe

One of my goals for 2019 is to try new recipes. Last year I was successful at cooking more dinners at home instead of eating out, but I've honestly felt like we've been in a meal planning rut for the past several months only eating the same four or five meals each week. I cooked for both our families on New Year's Day, meaning we had leftovers galore! I don't know about the rest of you, but I am not a fan of leftovers. I swear my refrigerator is where leftovers go to die. I really didn't want to throw away so much ham, but the reality was that we just wouldn't be able to eat it all before it spoiled. Then I remembered one of my mom's tricks to use up leftover ham -- ham pie! Now, this is something that I've eaten many times but never made myself. I very loosely followed this recipe.

Ingredients
2 cups (approx.) Ham (fully cooked, cubed)
1 cup Frozen peas/carrots (or whatever veggie you like)
1/4 cup Flour
1 cup Milk
2-3 Hardboiled Eggs (chopped)

Directions
Grease the bottom of your pan. I used a 13x9 glass baking dish. Line the bottom with your ham.

Mix flour, milk, boiled eggs and veggies together in bowl. I started with 1/4 cup of flour and a cup of milk but then increased both to cover a full bag of frozen peas and carrots. Pour over ham.

Bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes, or until everything has firmed up and is starting to brown.

This was a hit with both my husband, who had two helpings, and my daughter, although we all agreed there were too many peas. I think the next time I make this I'll use green beans instead and maybe even add in diced potatoes.

What I Read Over Christmas Break

Gardens Aglow at Dothan Area Botanical Gardens

For the past nine years, other than a day or two, I've worked through the holidays. So it was pretty amazing to be able to take a guilt-free, week-long break from everything this year. I didn't read as much as I would have liked in 2018, but between Christmas and New Year's Day I read five new books and wanted to share them with you.

I started with my latest obsession, an Isaac Bell detective adventure. I've been a fan of Clive Cussler's for years. I read his Dirk Pitt adventures through high school and college, so it's really no surprise that I love Isaac Bell. The Race is the fourth Isaac Bell Adventure I've read, and definitely will not be the last. What I love about these books is that is doesn't matter whether Cussler tells you from the get-go who the bad guy is or if you're figuring out who done it as you go. His writing is so compelling, his characters so well-written, that I can't put these books down.

In The Race, Bell is tasked with protecting a female pilot from her murderous husband while she competes in a cross-country airplane race. The husband is a mobster who made his fortune in the early days of newspaper distribution. As the plot unwinds, you learn that the woman Bell is protecting maybe isn't quite so innocent and the husband, although he's certainly a bad guy, may not be quite so crazy.

I've also read The Cutthroat, The Chase, and The Striker, and highly recommend them all.

I'll admit, I picked Wicked Appetite off the library shelf because of its cover. Then I read the inside flap and decided to check it out. I've read Janet Evanovich before and always liked her humorous way of telling a story. Wicked Appetite did not disappoint. I read it in a matter of hours, while I was in a doctor's waiting room actually, trying not to laugh out loud too much and disturb other people. Then when I got home, I downloaded Wicked Business and Wicked Charms on my Kindle and read both of them that night. I honestly liked them so much, that I reread all three of them the next day to make sure I hadn't missed any details.

It's easier for me to sum up the series than each individual book, so here you go. Lizzy is a baker who has enhanced abilities, except she doesn't know it until Diesel and his evil cousin, Wolf, show up out of the blue. Each wants Lizzy to help them find the SALIGIA stones, stones that hold the powers of the seven deadly sins. Lizzy is one of two people who can locate enchanted objects. In books one, two, and three, she and Diesel work together to find the Gluttony stone, Lust stone, and Avarice stone respectively.

Now all I need is for Janet Evanovich to release book four. It's been four years...

I ended my holiday vacation with The Plastic Magician. It's part of The Paper Magician world but with a new main character, Alvie. Alvie is apprenticing under a renowned magician in the newest branch of magic, plastic. Student and teacher come up with a new idea that would advance polymaking (plastic magic) and medicine, but someone's out to steal it. Much like The Paper Magician books, there's mystery, adventure, and romance. If you're into Harry Potter, you should definitely give this series a try.

This post contains embedded links to each book. If you click on the link and download or buy the title, I may earn a small commission at no extra charge to you.

Pretty in Pink Floral

The first week of 2019 is coming to an end, and I must say this year is starting on a good note! I tried a new recipe and was successful; magazine business is getting off to a promising start; and I'm feeling a little less dependent on Mountain Dew these days. We're getting back into a routine and things are slowing back down to a normal pace.

I picked up this pretty blouse for under $10 before Christmas. Sadly, it's not quite that discounted anymore, but you can snag it for under $30 right now. Typically I avoid crepe in tops because they tend to wrinkle easily, but I didn't find that to be the case with this top. I obviously dressed it down (although I'm not 100% on my shoe choice -- I think I would've liked it better with red flats), but you could easily make this work appropriate with red slacks or a skirt. It would also be perfect for a casual Valentine's date! I'm a solid medium at Old Navy and wearing this in medium.

Details:
Shirt: Old Navy
Jeans: Old Navy
Boots: Old Navy (similar)

Product Review: Blue Light Blocking Glasses

 

As a work-from-home mom, I spend at least four days a week at my computer. During the time I worked in television news, I spent eight-plus hours a day five days a week either at a computer or in a control room full of screens. Not counting the time I've spent working on this blog, that's nearly 2,500 days spent staring at a screen. So needless to say, my eyes are tired, especially at the end of the day. Some afternoons it's so bad I can't focus my eyes enough to read the guide on the TV. So last month I decided to try a pair of blue light blocking glasses.

There are lot of blue light blocking glasses on the market, so I spent a lot of time reading reviews and comparing prices. I wanted something that worked but wasn't expensive. I ultimately decided on the LifeArt Blue Light Blocking Glasses. They have more than 300 reviews on Amazon, most of which are positive, have an overall 4.5 star rating, and only cost about $20.

I'm a Prime member, so I got my glasses in two days. They came with a hard protective case, cleaning cloth, blue light blocking card and light that I couldn't figure out how to use), and a screwdriver that I probably will never use.

LifeArt claims their computer reading glasses relieve symptoms of eye fatigue, reduce headache symptoms, and improve sleep. They're also supposed to be scratch and smudge resistant.

I've been using these glasses for about a month now and can definitely tell a difference. Usually after a couple of hours working my eyes start to burn and I start to feel a little headachey (thank goodness for my daith piercings). Since I started wearing my LifeArt Blue Light Blocking Glasses, my eye strain has been drastically reduced. I no longer experience burning or tension when I spend all day on my computer. They reduce glare, are lightweight, and cute to boot! I've actually forgotten I was wearing them and left the house more than once with them still on. I haven't noticed any change in my sleep, but I try not to be on my computer right before bed anyway.

As for the claims of being anti-scratch and anti-smudge, I haven't had any scratches, but they do get smudges, especially from fingerprints. The little cloth that came with them gets rid of any smudges with a little dedication.

In conclusion, if you spend hours a day in front of a computer and have tired eyes at the end of the day, you should seriously try a pair of blue light blocking glasses.

This post is not sponsored but does contain affiliate links, meaning if you shop by clicking on one of the links embedded in this post, I will earn a small commission.

Instagram Roundup (Last of December)

It's the second day of the new year. Yesterday I cooked for almost our entire family, ten people in all. Our fridge is full of leftovers, and I'm wondering how long it's going to take me to get tired of ham and black eyed peas. Anyway, I'm finally getting around to doing another Instagram outfit round-up. It's the last OOTD posts I did in December, and a lot of these pieces are on sale right now. So if you're still stuffed from yesterday, treat yourself to a little online browsing!

This post contains affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission if you purchase something through them at no additional cost to you.

Shirt: Target (similar) | Vest: Old Navy | Jeans: Old Navy | Boots: ShoeDazzle

Sweater: Goody's (old - similar) | Skirt: Walmart (old - similar) | Boots: ShoeDazzle

Sweater: Kohl's | Skirt: Cato (old - similar) | Boots: ShoeDazzle (old - similar)

Sweater: StitchFix (similar) | Dress: Kohl's (old - similar) | Boots: Belk (old - similar)

Shirt: Old Navy | Jeans: Aeropostale | Boots: ShoeDazzle

Shirt: Old Navy | Jeans: Kohl's | Boots: ShoeDazzle

Welcome to 2019

Welcome to 2019! I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and New Year's Eve. I like to start off every year by picking a few things I'd like to focus on throughout the year. (Read how I did with last year's goals.) We'll get to that in a moment. First, I want to introduce myself to any newcomers.

Hi! I'm Ashton. First and foremost, I am a wife and mother, but I'm also a journalist. I spent nearly a decade working in local television news and now publish a local parenting magazine. I first started blogging in 2009, with no real direction and mostly as a hobby. Now, Mommy the Journalist has turned into a place where you can find fashion, an insider look at the world of journalism, and recommendations on anything relating to families, all with a touch of journalistic style. (You can read more about the story behind my blog by clicking on the ABOUT tab at the top of this page.)

I'm excited for what 2019 will bring for this blog, as I'm finally starting to find a good rhythm in my new career and can better balance all the things I love doing.

Now on to my goals for the year. I make a lot of goals. Every Sunday, I sit down with my planner and list out my daily goals for the upcoming week, and every January I write down my goals for the coming year. I've found that putting my goals in writing, as well as having a plan of action, makes me much more likely to achieve my goals, both big and small. This year my list of year-long goals is a little longer, but two are simply building on 2018.

1. Try a new recipe each month. This was the goal that I felt like I truly smashed. We went from eating out 3-4 days a week to eating out mostly on weekends (December does not count). However, I feel a little stuck in a recipe rut and would like to branch out. One of my Christmas gifts was an Instant Pot so I'm excited to try out some new dishes with it! To hold myself accountable, I'll be sharing recipe posts here on the blog each month!

2. Another carry-over from last year, schedule daily technology-free time. I made a conscious effort to not be so attached to my phone. Having this new job really helped, especially since I'm not on call ever. I also felt freer to go to lunch or dinner or an event and leave my phone in my purse or even my car. This year I would like to have dedicated technology-free time every day to focus on really connecting with my daughter or husband.

3. Cut back on soda intake (again). It's no secret that I'm fond of Mountain Dew. Typically I limit myself to just one a day, but as the end of the year got busier I found myself drinking as many as three Mountain Dews or sodas each day. I also got a single-serve coffee maker for Christmas, so I hope this will help curb my soda habit by jump-starting my day.

4. Attend at least one kid/family event a month. This one should be pretty easy. A big part of what I do for my magazine is put together a calendar full of local events that are perfect for families. We've published five issues (counting January), and I can count on one hand the number of those activities my family has actually participated in.

5. Last but certainly not least, have date night twice a month. It's so important for couples to have time outside of their kids. We do a pretty good job of getting that alone time but when it comes to going on an actual date, not so much. I would love to be able to do weekly dates, but with the way my husband's schedule works it's not really possible.

I would love to know what goals you have for 2019. Share them in the comments section! Happy New Year!