10 Weeks of Quarantine

May 22, 2020May 22, 2020 ~ ambarelie ~ Leave a comment

Hi friends!

Here we are – a full 10 weeks into quarantine life. Can you even believe it’s been this long? As we start to settle into this wacky way of life, I figured it was time to get real about what’s working for us as a family, and what’s not, so I decided to make a list.

What’s working:

Laughing instead of crying
Family walks
My morning yoga/meditation routine
Having a daily rhythm for June’s schoolwork
Tagging in and out with Angelo so we each have time to get work done

What’s not working:

Fighting with Angelo because we feel like neither of us ever gets a break
Too many snacks…and I’m not just talking about June 😂 ha!
Slacking on quality family time together
Nothing that even resembles a date night

I made this list at the beginning of last week, and it was so helpful in getting me to focus on doing more of the things that are working, and taking steps to fix the ones that aren’t.

I started off with tackling my snacking habits and told June that I wasn’t going to eat any extra snacks in between meals this week, so that if she saw me having some, she should call me out on it (nothing like having your 4 year old keep you accountable! Lol!). I was surprised that when I got her involved, she decided that she wasn’t going to have any extra snacks either because she wanted to do what I was doing. She typically asks for snacks all day long and ended up making it a day and a half without any snacks, but it helped me be more aware of how we’re feeding ourselves as a family.

We also kept up with all of the things that were already working for us, and this week we’re going to work on creating more quality time together outside as the weather warms up and summer unofficially begins.

Making these lists of what’s working and what’s not is such an easy and practical way to make sure that we make the most of this extra time together at home, without driving each other crazy in the process.

Where are you at on your stay at home journey? What’s working and what’s not?

Have a beautiful week and stay healthy and happy!

Be well,
Ambar

An Awesome Father’s Day Gift Idea featuring JORD Watches

June 3, 2017 ~ ambarelie ~ Leave a comment

Happy June, friends! June is a busy month for my family. My husband, Angelo and I will be celebrating our 5th wedding anniversary this week, followed by our daughter’s 2nd birthday, and then Father’s Day.

After being with my husband for so long, I am always struggling with what to gift him for special occasions, because I feel like I’ve already gotten him everything he could possibly want or need. Sometimes I just feel stuck; like I’m all out of ideas. That’s why I was super excited when JORD watches contacted me about their beautiful wood watches! These beautiful and unique timepieces are the perfect gift for any occasion.

JORD Conway series watch

I decided to gift Angelo the JORD Conway series watch in Zebrawood & Dark Sandalwood as an early anniversary present and he absolutely loved it! Angelo and I have similar taste in clothing and accessories, and we both like things that are classic with a twist. JORD watches fit this description perfectly. They are classic and timeless, sourced from all natural materials (which you know I am all about!), and they are just different enough to feel truly special.

JORD Conway series watch

From the moment he opened the package, he knew he was in for a treat. These one of a kind watches come in a wood keepsake box which makes the whole gift feel even more special.

awesome gift for dad JORD watches are handcrafted from natural wood and are made in the USA. They can be ordered to size so that they perfectly fit your wrist, and can be easily engraved to mark a special date or phrase. I love what this company stands for and after seeing how awesome Angelo’s watch is, I am thinking of ordering a matching one for myself! As you can see from the photos, our daughter loved it too! 🙂

awesome gift for dad

With Father’s Day coming up, I figured this is the perfect time to share about these watches for anyone else who might be struggling to come up with a different and unique gift idea for the dads in their lives.

an awesome gift idea for father's day

A Giveaway for Mama Bird Well Nest Readers!

I’m super excited to share that I’ve partnered up with JORD watches to give one of my lucky readers $100 towards the watch of their choice! Head on over to the link below to enter the contest. The best news is, everyone get $25 just for entering! The contest closes on 6/18 at 11:59pm so go enter now! I hope you love these awesome and unique watches as much as I do!

–>> CLICK HERE TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY<<–

Wishing you an awesome + stylish week!

Be well,
Ambar

*This post is sponsored by JORD wood watches but all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Luxury Wooden Watch

The One Conversation that can Help your Relationship Last Forever

May 25, 2017 ~ ambarelie ~ 2 Comments

The One Conversation to Make your Relationship Last Forever

My husband Angelo and I will be celebrating our 5 year wedding anniversary next week. One of my favorite thing about our connection, is that we are always striving to make our relationship stronger and better than before.

Angelo and I are very different people, but we have similar values. We both truly appreciate and honor our family life, and we also have various other interests that we are involved in separately. I believe that in ordered to be a fulfilled person, it’s both healthy and necessary to have our own interests outside of our relationships, but if we are not careful, these outside interests can easily start to cause a rift in our partnership. The good news is that this is something that can be easily addressed.

As we go through different life stages as individuals, it is common to go through periods of time where we feel disconnected, or like we are drifting apart in our relationships. It is normal for this to happen, but the important thing is to take notice of it, and know what you need to do to bring yourself and your partner back together.

Remember that being in a marriage or long term relationship is a decision that you make over and over again to be life partners and go through life together. With communication, honesty, and love, it is possible to remain committed to one another and fall even deeper in love as you navigate your individual paths.

I believe that the best way to do this is to hold periodic “State of Our Union” meetings with your partner! This is simply time dedicated to having a conversation that addresses where you each are on your individual life paths and in your joint life together. Here are my tips for getting the most out of these meetings and having a positive interaction.

1) Get your partner on board.
A serious conversation is not something that you should spring on your partner casually while you are making dinner and your kids are screaming in the next room. Let your partner know that you have been feeling a little distant, and would like to set aside time to discuss what is and isn’t working for each of you in your relationship. Ask your partner to take some time to think about what they think is going well, and also the areas that need some work. Remember that relationships are a two way street, so it important to have both of your points of view heard.

2) Make it fun!
Plan a date night, light some candles, have a few drinks, or go on a day date to the beach. Just because your conversation is serious doesn’t mean that it has to be boring or heavy. In fact, you will both feel more comfortable opening up if you are enjoying each other and having fun together.

3) Start with the positive.
Start with discussing the things that you LOVE about one another and that you think are going GREAT in your relationship. This will set the tone for the rest of the conversation, and remind you why you are choosing to be together in the first place.

4) Discuss your challenges.
Ask your partner what they see as the challenges in your relationship, or what you could be doing better. Then tell them what you see as areas of improvement. Chances are you will have some similarities here, but keep in mind that perspective is everything in relationships, so you each may be looking at situations differently. Be open to feedback and receptive to your partner’s suggestions.

5) Create a game plan.
Now that you know what’s going well and what needs improvement, it’s time to create a game plan for how you will make your relationship better. Start with deciding to keep doing the things that are working, and then implement a plan for what you will do to change the things that aren’t. Get creative, but also be realistic. You don’t have to change things drastically overnight. Small steps in the right direction are the perfect place to start in order to move towards your goal of a loving, lasting relationship.

And that’s it! I recommend doing this exercise at least once per season, or during times of transition or major life stressors. Open communication and receptivity are the number one way to remain connected to your partner and keep your connection strong.

Wishing you a week of love + connection.

Be well,
Ambar

Don’t Make things happen, Let them happen

April 30, 2017April 30, 2017 ~ ambarelie ~ Leave a comment

Don't Make things Happen, Let them Happen

During the last couple of weeks, as I launched my program for new moms, I was reminded of a really valuable lesson that I’m now applying to all areas of my life. It is a total game-changer, so I wanted to share it with you!

I had never publicly launched a program in this way before. Sure, I have been leading groups like this, but I have worked mainly by referrals and direct connections. This was my first time really advertising my program and putting myself out there publicly.

Launching a program in this way is kind of a crazy thing. It requires you to keep talking about your services over and over again without really knowing if anyone is listening, or if it will resonate with the people who need you. I went into my launch with an idea of a certain number of new moms that I wanted to join my program. The first few days, I was really anxious wondering if what I was sharing would attract the right people into my program. As the week progressed, I knew that I had to let go of my anxiety. I realized that all I could do was continue to share about my program and trust that the right women would be led to it at the right time for them. As soon as I was able to let go of my need to control the outcome, I felt peaceful. I was able to enjoy interacting with the women reading my posts, and feel the encouragement of the many friends and acquaintances who supported me throughout this process. It felt good! And, I now have a wonderful group of women in this program! It all worked out, in the right way, at the right time.

This got me realizing, that this wasn’t the first time in my life that I experienced the power of surrendering. When I got pregnant with my daughter, at first I was really anxious. I worried as to whether my body would be able to sustain a healthy pregnancy and I really stressed myself out about it. As my pregnancy progressed, I slowly started to trust in the process more. I started meditating and journaling daily, and focused on formed a connection with the baby that was growing inside me. I let go of my need to know that everything would work out a certain way, and instead surrendered to the process. As a result, I was able to experience a really peaceful and joyful pregnancy, and I know that I will always remember that sacred time when I learned to trust in the process.

I can continue applying this to every area of my life today.

We are currently in the beginning stages of potty training our daughter. I know that there is no way that I can make her potty train. All that I can do is continue offering the opportunity and trust that she will figure it out when the time is right for her. I can’t force it, I have to let it happen.

This also applies to my marriage. I am fortunate to have a really great husband, and we have a really solid connection…. most of the time. At times, we get caught up in the daily routine and there are days where I feel a little disconnected. But again, I know that there is no way that I can make my husband act a certain way towards me. All that I can do is treat him in the way that I want to be treated, let go of the outcome, and let him respond accordingly.

I am also using this concept with my health. I would really like to lose 10lbs in order to be at the weight where I feel my best. But, I know that I cannot force my body to lose 10lbs. All I can do is nourish myself with healthy food and make time each day to be more active. Then, I have to trust the process and let the weight come off on its own.

As you can see, the idea of letting things happen, rather than making them happen, applies in all areas of life: from motherhood, to marriage, to health and career. All that we can do is put forth some effort, and do our part in reaching our goals. We can keep showing up day after day taking small steps in the direction that we want to go, and towards feeling the ways that we want to feel. But, there comes a point where we have to just let go, trust, and allow.

What have you been trying to force in your own life? How can you start to let it happen, instead of making it happen? Let me know in the comments below!

Wishing you a week of trust + surrender.

Be well,
Ambar

8 Great Stay-at-Home Date Night Ideas

March 2, 2017March 7, 2017 ~ ambarelie ~ 2 Comments

Stay at Home Date Night Ideas

I’ve recently been feeling a need to put a little more time and effort into my relationship with my husband. We’ve fallen into a pretty uneventful evening routine. Between getting dinner ready and having a family meal, giving our daughter a bath, and getting her ready for bed, we find ourselves exhausted and oftentimes bored at the end of the night. It’s so easy to get used to the daily grind, and before you know it you can find yourselves in a slump. Although my husband and I have made an effort to go out at least once a month for a date night, I think that the best way to sustain a long term relationship lies in the everyday moments. So, I’ve decided to shake up our nightly routine by introducing some at home date nights. I thought I’d share my ideas in case some of you are looking to switch things up a little bit too.

1) Indoor picnic – Put a blanket down on the floor, make your favorite sandwiches, snacks, and drinks, light some candles, and have a picnic right in your living room. If the weather is warm enough, you can also move the picnic outside to your backyard!

2) The newlywed game – Ask each other questions to test your knowledge on how well you know each other! You can do a quick google search to help come up with the questions, or just make them up yourself. Here are a few to get you started: Where was our second date? What do I think is your most annoying habit? What’s my favorite thing about you? What is my dream destination? What was our best vacation together? What makes me happiest? Take turns asking each other these questions and see who knows each other better!

3) Video game night – Have a video game tournament playing your or your partner’s favorite games, or try some old school games like Super Mario Brothers or Sonic.

4) Beer tasting – Set up a few seasonal beers, make some homemade pretzels, and set up your own private beer tasting. Try something different and see if you can find some new favorites.

5) Puzzle night – Buy a jigsaw puzzle and spend time with each other while you work on it. This might sound a little boring, but my husband and I did this when we first started dating, and some of my favorite memories from that time are working on a puzzle of the NYC skyline while watching the show The Office.

6) Strip Scrabble (or other board game) – This one is a little risqué lol, but can be a fun way to liven things up. Play the board game the same way you normally would, except with the twist that whenever one person is ahead, the other needs to take off an article of clothing.

7) Dance party – Start a dance party right in your living room. Dim the lights, put on your dancing shoes, and dance to your favorite songs. It’s also fun to make a playlist of songs from when you first started dating. Think of the songs that immediately remind you of the start of your relationship. My relationship started when the “Apple Bottom Jeans” song was super popular, and whenever I hear it, it always reminds me of our first date, so that would be #1 on my playlist. Ha!

8) Spa night – Light some candles, play some relaxing music, use face masks, get some massage oils, and give each other massages.

What do you think of these date night ideas? Do they sound silly to you? I know some of them might sound a little cheesy, but they can be a good way to break you out of your routine and have some fun new experiences together! Do you have other ideas for great at home date nights? Let me know in the comments below!

Wishing you a week of fun + love.

Be well,
Ambar