Diastasis Recti

Happy F-R-I-D-A-Y!!! Today I'm giving an important fitness tip that every mother needs to be aware of!

I remember Tyler kissing me as he took our new born son, Benjamin, to have his very first bath. I had just had him two hours before and we spent those two hours doing skin-to-skin and nursing. I was starving and exhausted.

My sweet nurse was moving me into my recovery room. She cleared her throat and timidly said, "I don't know if you know, but it seems that you have developed a diastasis recti split. Have you heard of that? It's when your stomach muscles separate during pregnancy. You might want to look up exercises on how to fix it." 

I am so thankful to that nurse for telling me. I would have never known if she hadn't said something, and then I would be so confused as to why my "mommy pouch" wasn't going away. 

I know a lot of moms work so hard to lose all the weight and do all the sit-ups, but still have a bulge or pouch on their belly. But most of them don't know that they have diastasis recti, and that doing regular and intense ab work outs like sit-ups actually make it worse.  

**It happens most often in moms who carry twins, moms with large babies, or moms who were on the smaller side pre-pregnancy. I did not have this with my first baby, only my second! 

How do you know if you have Diastasis Recti? 

Lie flat on your back with your knees up. 

Lift your head up as if looking at your belly button, so that your stomach muscles tighten. 

Place a few fingers right above your belly button and gently press down. If you have Diastasis Recti, you will feel a wide gap and be able to stick a few fingers in there. 

(If you're still confused, watch this video here) 

When I first checked my split, it was two and a half fingers wide. (One woman I talked to said she could fit her fist in her gap!) Now, one year postpartum, I am down to one tight finger space. I'll admit, I haven't been as diligent on my exercises as I should have. But finding time or energy after chasing around two kids under two is rare. But this year is my goal to fix it completely. 

The picture above is me today. I never took a "before" picture because I was so embarrassed about my "mommy pouch" that I didn't want to see it. But it used to look way worse than this. Like I said, my split is a lot smaller now. It's still there, and I still have a long way to go. But this is so much 

better than it used to be. 

By the way, you CAN fix it without surgery. (And without expensive magic wraps that only give you temporary results. But that's another story for another post!) How? Simple core workouts that don't put intense strain on your abs. Instead, do work outs that are going to pull those muscles back together.

I found a ton of great and simple work outs that fix Diastasis Recti on Pinterest, and on YouTube. The key is to do them often and DON'T attempt to do sit ups or anything like that until your split has healed. I like to follow this video Here. 

If you have any questions please don't be afraid to ask your doctor!! 

DIY Laundry Detergent

Hey guys,  Megan here.  This week I am sharing my recipe for DIY laundry detergent.

 I made my first batch about 6 months ago and it lasted till about a week ago.  So this is by far way cheaper than store bought laundry detergent.  I was hesitant about washing my boys clothes with it in fear of a reaction.  To ease my mind I washed two outfits in the new detergent and watched for a reaction and they had nothing.  So I went to regular washing and it has done fabulously!

One box of Super Washing Soda. $3.24

1 box of Borax. $3.38

1 4lb box of Pure Baking Soda. $2.12

2 bars of Zote. .99 x 2

1 container of Oxy Clean. 3.86

1 container of Purex Crystals. 4.72
 

I got everything at smiths and I gradually buy them.  I will buy something if I have a coupon or if I have a couple extra dollars in my grocery budget for the week. I will tell you that Oxy clean and Purex crystals have coupons regularly but the Borax and arm and hammer coupons are hard to come by.  I didn't find any for the 9 months I was looking. I spent 19.30 not including tax.  Now if this last 6 months with about 1-2 loads of laundry a day this is by far a way better value.

The first thing you do is grate the Zote bars with a cheese grater.

Then just add everything together and mix.  I pour whatever I can back in the Oxy clean and Purex containers and put the rest in three zip lock bags.  I use 2 tablespoons per load.  However, I figured out that the colored lid on the Purex is about 2 tablespoons so I just use that for each load.

Here is the recipe.  Remember to LIKE us on Facebook and Instagram!

The recipe:

One box of Super Washing Soda.

1 box of Borax. 

1 4lb box of Pure Baking Soda.

2 bars of Zote.

1 container of Oxy Clean.

1 container of Purex Crystals.

Grate the Zote bar with a cheese grater.  Mix all the ingredients and store in container of your choice.  Use 1-2 tablespoons per load.

Update on chalkboard:  Next month is my sons birthday so I will be updating again soon.

Life is short

Just recently my husband's mother passed away.  Her name was Iris and she lived to the ripe old age of 86.  She was a wonderful, spunky lady and I miss her very much. If you had asked me 10 years ago if I would miss her this much, I don't think the answer would have been the same.  We had difficult relationship at the first, because I had married the baby of her 10 children and essentially taken him away from her.  I never understood that reasoning.  Why would I be taking him away?  He was still her son.  I just didn't understand.  I thought she was being selfish not to share him with me and so it began.  Just after we were engaged, my hubby was in a 30 car pile-up crash on the freeway and broke his leg.  This began the struggle between his mother and I of who knew how to comfort him best.  I am ashamed to say that I felt very threatened, as I am sure she did.  We argued over the dumbest things and never were able to find common ground during that time.  One thing I do remember is her always wanting to be near him.  I didn't have any children yet, and just felt frustrated with it. 
I don't know where, but somewhere along the way, I started to understand her.  I had four boys of my own.  I started to realize how when you have a child you will give anything to make sure that child is safe and well and happy.  It doesn't matter how old they get, that never goes away.  I understood how she would want to see him any chance she got.  And it transferred to my children as well.  They were all important to her and she let them know it.  Anytime they were in trouble with me, she was their champion, defending them and explaining away their bad behavior.  She prescribed ice cream for tummy sickness and rootbeer for headaches.  They loved her for it! 
Now, the older my boys get and the closer to moving out they become, the more I get it.  I love my boys so much it hurts.  My heart overflows with it all.  I do not look forward to the day when they leave to make lives of their own.  And NEVER will I ever stop loving them and trying to make sure they are safe and happy.  I always want to be near them whenever possible. And I will probably have just as much of a hard time as she did, when someone marries my babies. 
She and I finally found common ground when I was able to understand her.  I really hate how short life is. I wish I hadn't wasted all that time trying to fight her, when we could have just been friends.  It seems she and I just became friends over the past decade and now she has had to go away.  She was the one I called after a graveyard shift when I was driving home and couldn't stay awake.  She would talk to me and keep me awake so that i could make it home.  I called her in the middle of a blizzard I was driving in one night because I knew she cared about me and would calm me down when I was scared.  She called me every day for the past few years and even now, there are still voice messages on my phone from her.  I have not been able to listen to them yet.  It hurts too much.  I miss her like you would not believe and I hope she is in a happy, calm place.  I know that she is.  It just stinks to be here without her.  Losing someone important to you really brings into perspective how little time we really have here on earth.  It flies by so fast sometimes.  I am a little less than half her age when she passed away, and I find myself wondering where the time went? Honestly, it feels like you blink, and half your life is gone.  How strange that when I was young, I thought I had so much time.  From now on, I am determined to make the best of the time I have left.  That, I believe, is the only true way to be happy.  And I am very thankful to have another angel in heaven who can be my champion when I am not perfect.  I will always love her.  Thanks, Iris.  Till we meet again. 
      

Dear Mom with Hyperemesis Gravidarum

Dear Mom with Hyperemesis Gravidarum,

Congrats! You are going to have a baby! That is exciting! You better hang on to that exciting piece of news, because for most of us with HG it is the only highlight of the pregnancy.

You are about to endure the longest 40 weeks of your life (if you make it that far). You will be tired, malnourished, dizzy, achy, constipated (thanks to the love-hate relationship with Zofran), and sicker than you have ever been or ever will be in your entire life. You will reach a point when you think that you cannot make it any longer. You will reach a point when you want to quit. You will reach a point when you simply cannot be strong anymore.

You will look at other pregnant women with a deep jealousy. I know I would have loved to have just been hot, tired, sore and swollen. 

You will hear survivors say, "Once you hold that baby in your arms, you forget all the pain and suffering of the last nine months!" And they mean it. And you will want to punch them.

You will encounter people who do not understand.

"She is faking it. No one gets THAT sick when you are pregnant." (I don't care who you are, you can't fake being so sick that you need to be hospitalized.)

"Oh it's normal! It will pass!" (Sorry, but there is nothing normal about throwing up blood and Hulk-green stomach acid 20+ times a day.)


"Can't you just TRY to get better? Like, really try. I don't think you are trying hard enough. Just WILL yourself to get better."

"It's all in your head." (My husband said this to me once during my first pregnancy in an attempt to comfort me when we had to pull over so I could puke on a tree because we were all out of barf bags... Let's just say he never said it again.) 

You will encounter one of "those" people. You know the ones.

 "Have you tried crackers? What about ginger? What about those sickness bands? Did you rub the ginger on your belly? Did you rub it on your toes? Did you try eating every two hours?" (I can't tell you how many times I threw up crackers, peppermint, ginger, etc. If it really worked I would not have needed a PICC line. And honestly, the best natural remedy for HG is giving birth!)

You'll meet a lot of people like that. Be kind. They do not understand and they have every intention of trying to help. HG is not something you fully understand until you have been through it yourself. My mom and all five of her sisters suffered mild to near death cases of HG and even though I watched it all I never fully understood what they went through until I was the one in the hospital bed while three different nurses tried to put an IV in me.

You will dream about all the fatty foods you can get your hands on. You will dream about drinking buckets and buckets of water and wake up crying because you're throwing up before you even fully sit up. You'll long to be "normal." You will give anything just to feel well enough to go outside to get the mail. You'll miss your old self.


You will reach a point when you wonder if it is worth it.


I asked for some REAL responses from women who have been in your shoes. These amazing survivors come from all walks of life. They know what it is like to feel alone. They know what it is like to feel so helpless.

They know the stress of dealing with clueless doctors, mean nurses, unsupportive family and friends, worrying about your other children that need you, tracking fluid intake and output, vitamins, ER visits, hospital stays, hospital bills, IVs, PICC lines, feeding tubes, pumps, calorie counting, weight loss, and the impact HG has on your personal relationships.

I asked these moms if there was anything they wish they could go back and tell themselves when they were sick with HG. These are just a few of the amazing responses!

Dear Mom with HG,

"Don't forget your significant other. It's hard on him too. You can't forget that he also has emotional needs.  Sometimes he will need to cry or complain or just vent. And even though you feel like death, you need to show him that he is still important to you. When you feel this sick it is hard to show any sympathy to anyone else. HG is not worth fighting over. It's hard enough as it is. Don't let it ruin your relationships too."

"Don't be afraid to ask for help or to admit you need help. Asking for help is a sign of STRENGTH, not a sign of weakness."

"You are a lot more likely to get help when you remain pleasant and not bitter. Don't wait so long to ask for help that you are already bitter about the situation."

"It DOES end. I know you feel like it never will and that nine months is just too long. But it WILL end. It is worth making it to the end. Wring your heart out. Stay strong. The little person inside you will grow up to become someone amazing and every time you look at him/her you will know true strength."

"These nine months are only a small fraction of your parenting journey. You have many wonderful adventures ahead. It is worth it. Try to look at it from an eternal perspective."

"Try (we know it's hard) to not be so angry when people say ignorant things. They don't know what you are facing. Keep the people who support you close."

"There are a lot of "ups" (example: finally having a bowel movement after two weeks, holding down 1/4 of a milkshake, gaining a pound or two) and there are a lot of "downs" (more downs than anything. I'm sure you don't need an example). But the biggest "up" will come in the form of a precious baby."

"The toughest challenges in life are worth the most."

"Don't worry about vitamins and what you should try to eat. You have HG. Just eat what you can whenever you can."

"Don't be stubborn. Go to the hospital when you need to. Even if you just THINK you might need an IV. It's better to go and get it than to let yourself suffer more." (When I read this one my husband gave me the "I told you so" look.)

"Push for better treatment. Be an advocate for yourself. Switch doctors if you need to. This is your life and your baby's life. You need the best treatment you can get." (For advice or help finding a better doctor in your area, visit helpher.org)

"Don't be afraid to 'fire' bad nurses. If they aren't treating you well or aren't washing their hands or something. You need to remember that YOU are paying THEM to help you. You have every right to ask for a different nurse. Don't let them intimidate you." (This one came from my dear mother, who suffered HG FIVE times. She is my hero.)

"Invest in paper/plastic plates, bowls, cups, etc. It will save your energy from doing dishes and you wont have to deal with a smelly sink."

"It is normal for someone with HG to feel guilty. And I think I felt too much guilt. I don't know if I have any advice for that because I don't think you can prevent it. But know that it is not your fault."

"Don't lie to yourself or to your doctor about how awful you feel."

"You may not be able to feel it or visualize it, but one day you will be happy again. I used to hate hearing people say it will be worth it... But it truly is."

"You will feel guilty asking for help, especially with your other children. You may feel like a bad mother for not being able to do normal mommy things or cook and clean. But as an HG child myself, I watched my mom suffer with HG four times after me and I hardly remember it. I remember bits and pieces but it didn't have such a big impact on my life. It didn't shake our relationship or scar me. I knew she loved me. And I understood that when my sibling came that she would get better again."

(This last one is my favorite.)

"This suffering is terrible, but it will utterly change who you are and how you respond to others' suffering. It will help you understand why Christ carried that cross. Hang in there. You can do this."


No one knows the cause of Hyperemesis Gravidarum. There is no cure (except delivery... and that first meal after delivering is pure heaven!) Please know that you are not alone. There are women and doctors who understand. It WILL end. It is nine months of pure agony for a life time of joy. And I promise you that you will not regret one second that you spend hunched over the toilet seat with a towel at your knees, just in case you puke so hard that you can't control your bladder.  Good luck, Momma!

(If you think you might be suffering from HG, you can visit helpher.org to look up symptoms and get help with treatment.)

Orange Creamsicle cake

This cake is amazing. Seriously it's like a good group at my house. I make it for every occasion and non occasion.
It's super simple too. You know those recipes that taste like it was really hard to make but it wasn't so it makes you look really good yep that's this one.

Super simple

All you do is make a box cake (yellow or orange) and make it according to the directions

When you pull it out of the oven poke holes in it using a fork

Mix the Orange Jello and pour over the cake while it is still warm.

Let it cool and mix the topping, then spread over the top.

So dang easy right? 

You can change it up so easy. I do strawberry with it too. Just replace everything with strawberry cake mix extract and jello. I do use more extract and sometimes even a little less vanilla because the strawberry doesn't seem as strong to me sometimes but it's all up to you.

ENJOY!

Creamsicle cake

---

1 orange or yellow cake mix
1 sm. pkg. orange Jello
1 c. hot water
1/2 c. cold water
1 (8 oz.) container Cool Whip
1 sm. instant vanilla pudding
1 c. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. orange extract

Mix orange cake mix, according to directions. Pour into 9 x 13 inch pan and bake according to directions. After removing cake from oven, poke holes in the cake 1 inch apart with fork. Mix Jello with 1 cup hot water and 1/2 cup cold water. Pour evenly over cooled cake. Mix Cool Whip, instant pudding, milk, vanilla, and orange extract. Beat until thoroughly mixed. Spread evenly over cake.

My Love/Hate relationship with Technology

  It's amazing how far technology has come and changed the world. Cell phones, CDs, DVDs, blueray players, Internet, iPods, I pads, video game systems, medical technology and tons more.  It's crazy to think of a time where we didn't have cell phones and people couldn't reach us 24/7 like we do now. Yet we all somehow survived.

  My kids are never going to know what a pay phone is,or possibly a CD player. when they're older everything will probably be voice command and won't even need to touch buttons! We have everything we could possibly want as far as technology goes. People can hit search and find every question answered, find an address, go into a virtual reality for a bit, play music without putting in anything, it's crazy! Another thing near and dear to my heart literally and figuratively is medical technology.

   

   As I have mentioned many times before my son at 8 days old turned lifeless. After being flown to Primary Children's hospital by life flight. It was amazing to see what they were able to do/see through ultra sound, or what the machines they used to help him breathe and basically keep him alive, can do. When it came time for his two heart surgeries they are able to have a machine pump his organs so his heart could rest while they fixed it.  I can definitely say without the medical technology we have, my son would NOT be here! Even in the years to come when he will go on to his next surgery technologies and procedures will have advanced. More options will be given in just a few years passed. 

  In those instances I love technology! I love that we can answer every question we want, or escape into a reality, or call or even video chat people with in a moment! It's greAt! 

  With these technologies however  have come lots of harm, as we all know, fraud, hacking, pornography, and addiction to video games, facebook, news media infiltrating are homes not just through the tv, and taking away the "socialness" of people.  

  Now instead of phone calls we get texts, or emails that  replace letters in the mail. Internet replaces encyclopedias. The list goes on and on! Are these good things?Yes, it can be for sure!My issues with technology are based on time and use.

  It's crazy to see as I look around at a restaurant how many couples are not talking anymore,but on their phones. At family gatherings we were "forced" to talk to each other or play games to pass the time. Now we live in a world where even when we go out to dinner our eyes are buried in their phones. We don't need to talk to others to pass the time anymore we just hide in a corner with our phones.  Instead of engaging or playing with our kids we bring out apps for them to play on, or get mad at them when they hit the phone out of our hand. Since when did family time or dinner time become play on our phone time? Like most everything else in life. We need to set limits, with our families. I'm seeing too many marriages and family time being hurt by technology. Not just phones, but many more things. 

  Take control and set guidelines for the future. So technology doesn't run our lives!:) 

  



Emily:)

  

Bedtime Routine: What I wish I had done

Happy Furlong Friday!!

When I had my oldest son, as I have mentioned, I had severe PPD. And as a new mom I had no idea how to get my new baby on a schedule, let alone myself. Pumping around the clock made my burst of energy to do anything but sleep few and far between. But I was obsessed with giving my son a bath every day. I had what is known as postpartum OCD. If I didn't give him a bath I would become irrationally angry, have anxiety attacks, and be very moody. I feel so bad for my husband at this point in our lives because I was not myself.

Anyway, I HAD to give Andrew a bath. Even a spounge bath. (And no, he never had any dry skin, cradle cap or eczema as a result of this.) But the problem was that I would give him a bath at 10AM one day, 3PM the next day, 7PM the next day, 1PM the next day... It was all over the place because I just did it whenever I worked up enough energy to get out of bed. And because of that he would sleep during the day and then be up all night. 

It wasn't until I started to recover from PPD that I started to give him a bath at the same time every day before bedtime, and it made all the difference once we got that routine down. 

Bath 

Lavender lotion

Swaddle

Bottle/singing 

Bed

Every. Single. Night. At the exact same time. In that exact order. He started sleeping longer periods at night and was sleeping completely through the night by 6 months (No "crying it out" at all. I'll explain how I did that in another post.) 

So when I had my second son, I started that exact routine with him the very day he came home from the hospital. I did it right along with Andrew's routine. First I'd give Andrew his bath, then let him watch a movie while I washed Benjamin. Then I would swaddle and nurse Ben while reading a book to Drew and singing to them both. Then they both went down to sleep by 8:30PM and that gave me 3-4 hours to clean up the house, spend some time with Tyler or get some seriously needed rest before Benjamin would wake up for his next feeding. 

Benjamin eased right into this routine perfectly and has never had a problem with Bedtime. They are two and one year old now and we still do this routine, only now they bathe together. 

We brush teeth. 

We say family prayer (Drew usually prays and he is SO thankful for firetrucks and footballs). 

We read "Goodnight Moon" together. 

We sing "Billy Boy" while I tuck them in. 

We give kisses and then it is lights out. And they don't wake up until 8AM. I do check on them once or twice before I go to sleep myself. 

(A big thank you to Tyler, for snapping these pictures for me!) 

I know every child is different, and you'll need to adjust your schedule to your own needs. I also know that some kids just don't require a lot of sleep! But thankfully my boys are pretty easy when it comes to that! 

Thanks for reading! Don't forget to follow us on Facebook!! 😘✌️ 

Catching Babies

Hello guys!  This is Megan.  This week I am going to share a podcast that really stuck with me.  Now if you don't listen to podcasts I suggest you start.  This one is on iTunes called "The Moth".  I don't know what it is about hearing someone else's story straight from them that gets me but I love it.  The specific podcast that I am referring was published on March 3 called "Radio Hour: Ski, Poe, Spa and Towers". The specific story is Flight.  There is a little language so be warned.   

Now, if you can imagine me sitting at my job listening to this and tears start to well up in my eyes.  I say to myself  "Well, that's enough of that."  I quickly stop listening and I have to wait till lunch to finish.  So before you listen be sure you can listen to the entire story. 

Here is a link to the podcast.
http://themoth.org/posts/stories/flight

Now before you continue please listen to it or none of this will make sense. 

If you have ever been in a situation where you feel completely out of control of what is going on around you. Your life is being threatened.  You have or had that mantra of "if I where to die right now I would be okay".  That saying can change everything about the situation you are in.  It could even save your life. 

However,  when you have children that mantra is completely gone. Your children change you in ways that cannot be explained.  In ways that you never would have expected.  You can no longer have the feeling that death is approaching and be completely okay with it because your children need you.  Their lives are no longer complete without you in it.  You now are living for someone else and not just for yourselves.

 "Your Life is not just your life anymore."  "As soon as you have a kid your vulnerable and they are so venerable without you. You need each other."    "It feels good, it feels really good".

Be proud

This post is a little late tonight because I have been thinking all week about what I want to write.
Over the last week I have had a lot on my mind one thing imp articular.
I used to struggle with what people thought of me (I still do) I'd get embarrassed easily over something my kids or husband would do because I thought it would make me look bad. I feel horrible for thinking that way but sometimes I just can't help it.
This last week I decided that enough is enough.
I love my life and the people in it and I am going to stop caring (or at least try to) about what people think.
My life might not be going like I thought it would but I'm going to own it and be proud of it.
If my hubby wears something funny looking (shorts,sandals,socks,Hawaiian shirt and cowboy hat)
I'm not going to crawl under a rock like I feel like doing sometimes haha
I'm going to own it! He may be crazy and sometimes funny looking but he is my crazy and funny looking guy.
I don't always like being a T1D mom it's hard and it makes me sad but you know what? It's not going any where so I am going to be the best T1D mom and mom that I can possibly be.
If I'm proud of something I think others will make fun of it I don't care, I'm going to be proud and show it off any way.
I used to be embarrassed of who I am and I am ashamed to admit it but it's time to get over it and be proud of who I am, what I stand for, where I come from and where I'm headed and the life I have now.

Homemade Pizza

Happy Friday!

Today im going to leave you with my favorite homemade pizza recipe while I deep clean my house for my son's birthday party! (Details on that next week!)

Whole Wheat Pizza: 

2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1 cup warm water

1 packet of yeast 

2 tablespoons of olive oil

1 tablespoon sugar 

Dissolve yeast packet into the cup of water in a mixing bowl. Sprinkle in the sugar. Let it rise 5-7 minutes. 

Mix in the flour, salt, and olive oil. Knead dough by hand or with a dough hook for about five minutes. Place in an oiled or buttered bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Put it in a warm spot and let it rise for an hour. 

At this point you should start your homemade pizza sauce. Or you could just buy some. But I like our homemade sauce. 

1 can tomato sauce 

Seasonings

1 tablespoon flour

Pour tomato sauce into a sauce pan and turn the heat on the lowest setting. Next, add in your seasonings. The longer they sit the better it tastes. I throw in some garlic power, salt, parsley and Italian seasoning to taste. Add the flour and give it a good stir.

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.

Once an hour has passed, knead the dough for a minute and then roll it out onto a pizza pan or even a cookie sheet. (Don't forget non-stick cooking spray)  Add your sauce and toppings. We love fresh mozzarella and pepperoni. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until golden brown. 

Enjoy! 

Chalkboard

Hello again!  Megan here.  I am going to do a tutorial on my new chalkboard!  I have been searching for something large to go over my dinning room table for a long time.  When I finally settled on a chalkboard I went hunting...

Now this chalk board is a substitution for an amazing one I saw at an expo.  

 

However, since my decorating is at the bottom of the totam pole for budget.  I decided to make my own.  Remember that basic cheap wood I used to make my arrows a couple weeks ago?  Well, it has been resurrected once again.  

As I said before I am using this for over my dinning room table so I made mine fairly big. It ended up being 4'x 3'. Instead of my usual espresso stain I decided to replicate a grey frame that I already have my living room.  The stain is classic grey by Minwax.  I didn't love the look of the grey so after I stained it I decided that it needed to be lightened up a bit.  So I dry brushed it with white paint and sanded down the spots that had a little to much paint.  

 

This picture shows the dry brush.  The first board is with paint the others are just stain.

 

This picture shows how sanding can light up the brush strokes.  The back two boards are sanded and front two are not.

 

 I wanted it to be magnetic so I used a piece of sheet metal as the backing. For the chalkboard part I used rustollium spray paint chalkboard. I was hesitant to use spray paint but after some research I learned it was the best because you don't get brush or roller marks. I had my hubby and Ty cut the metal to size.  I then sprayed it with two even coats of the spray paint.   

I attached the boards with wood glue and an "L" brackets.  I attached the metal with just basic screws.  Make sure to check the depth of the screw so you don't go through to the other side.

 

 

Now, because I used just a sheet of metal I had very sharp edges.  I did not want them to firstly scratch my walls and secondly cut me. 

 

So my solution... DUCKTAPE!!!  I know super ugly looking but its the back and no one will see it.  Well, except for you.

 

To hang it from the wall I used a Mirror Holder Kit.  This kit is made to hold up to 100 lbs so it is a little excessive.  I think I ended up paying $6 for the kit.

 

And there you have it!  I am going to be changing it at least every month or special occasion.  So in celebration of Easter this weekend I did Easter!  I will try to add a little update at the bottom of my posts of when I change it and post a picture.