Super Mom!?...No Way!

Well it has been just about forever since I have updated this mommy blog. I was so excited about in the beginning, but quickly fell behind with its up keep. What’s new? PROCRASTINATION is a  word that defines way too much of my life. Whether it’s blogging, cleaning, decorating, or doing the laundry, you will find that I dreadfully fall behind in many areas. I wish I was super mom. It would be a miracle if all my ducks were in a row, if the laundry was clean AND put away (that’s the hardest part for me). The house was vacuumed every 5-8 days. The bathroom was spotless, my bedroom was picked up, and I was dressed and ready for the day by 9am J. Maybe all of these things come naturally to you. But goodness gracious they don’t for me!It’s hard to be so open and honest,but it’s the truth. I usually have about 3-5 loads of laundry sitting around my house just waiting to be put away. I frequently find cheerios or other things the baby has dropped or dumped on the floor. I almost never get my shower in before 12pm, and there are always dishes around that haven’t made it to the sink yet. 

You might be thinking wow, do you get anything done during the day? Lol. I promise I do J. However, having a very curious 11 month old to chase around and take care of definitely hinders my ability. That is in no way an excuse to not get things done though. There is almost always time in the day to tidy up J. I often look forward to Eden’s nap time so that I can sit down, grab a snack, catch up on Facebook, and usually get a load of laundry in or pick up a bit. This time I know can be managed better.  But how is the question. So I ask you moms. What is your secret? How do you keep your house tidy, your children happy, and put dinner on the table every evening?

At the end of the day, if I’m still in my sweats, never got my shower in or put make up on, but my family was loved and well taken care of…it was worth it. I think that having occasional days like that is probably fine and common in many of our lives. However, I know there is a way to feel ready for the day, get much accomplished, and love my family too. So in all of our quests to be “well rounded and efficient moms” I ask you to share your 2 cents. Not just for me, but for us all!

Just 1 More Thing...

I have been thinking a lot lately about house cleaning. I have never been super great at it. I often fall very behind on cleaning, and picking up after myself and my little one. There are just some chores that never seem  to get done. Sure laundry gets done pretty much everyday around here, and I am constantly changing diapers, picking up toys, and putting dishes by the sink (eventually they will get washed!). However, things like scrubbing the bathroom, vacuuming, sweeping, moping..etc seldom get done. I am embarrassed to share that, but it is the honest truth. So when do you fit in the chores that you don't want to do, or that you feel always get left until they are just GROSS!?
I am taking a new approach to cleaning. Sure at the end of my life, I'll be more thankful for the people I have built relationships with, than if my house was neat and tidy all the time. But, a clean and de-cluttered house is also a very welcoming place for others! So there needs to be a balance. I can't let all chores go for the sake of relaxing and spending time with others. 
So in my house things pile up rather quickly ( how does this happen!? :)...So by the time I get around to cleaning things I am completely overwhelmed. So my idea is NOT to tackle all the chores in one crazy day, and then wait a month to do them all over again. It is simply this: "I can always do 1 more thing" (OR I can always add just 1 more thing to my To-do list today)...Whether it's spending 2 minutes to wipe the dirty bathroom sink that I keep looking at and thinking "man, I need to clean that", or taking 5 minutes to vacuum one room in the house. The BIG list of chores can easily be obliterated If I decide to NOT let it get so big. Sure it all sounds good it theory, but it will take daily discipline to make it happen. 

We all have our lists. There are little to-do's and big to-do's....So how do you tackle your list?

Faithful Father

Moms, do you find yourself overwhelmed a lot? There is always too many dishes to wash, and loads of laundry to do. When will we ever catch a break? Then of course we have our kids. Many of us have children that rely 100% on us to get through the day! We are responsible to love them, feed them, change them, watch over them...and the list goes on! I am sure I am not the only one that gets caught up in the day-to-day. Or some times chooses to ignore the daily list of to-do's! Well whether you tackle each day with confidence and vigor, or just try to get through it.
Whether your day is complete CHAOS or as peaceful as could be. Remember that your heavenly Father sees it all! He is there ALWAYS. When your frustrated, angry, defeated, happy, or filled with joy. He is there! Cling to Him when the tears are streaming down your face,and when you're at your wits end! His faithfulness surpasses that of anything or ANYONE else in this world. Sure we have families for support and encouragement. God gave us others to walk this journey with us. But at the end of the day remember who your FATHER is!

Lamentations 3:22-23

Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, 

for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning,

Great is your faithfulness.

Mark is a wonderful father to our darling Eden, but nothing compares to the love and care our Heavenly Father shows us.

We're All in This Together!

Is it just me, or does motherhood sometimes seem like a competition? We all want to do what is best for our child(ren). But somehow in the middle of it all, we wonder what all the other Mamas out there are doing. Maybe that is the farthest thing from the truth for you, and I would consider that a very good thing. However, for me it is a constant battle. I always think other moms have it more together than I do. They have their child on the "perfect" schedule, in the nicest clothes, in the #1 rated car seat...and the list goes on and on!
Who said that was what was most important? NO ONE (just the voices in my head). Maybe you use formula, or maybe you breastfeed. Maybe you're a "type A" Mama who has all your ducks in a row, or maybe you're the Mom who likes a flexible and some what unpredictable schedule. Maybe your child goes to bed at 8pm on the dot, or you still don't know what time they'll go to bed tonight. Maybe your child eats only organic food, or your child tastes every little thing you eat.
The point I am trying to make is it's not about all the details. It comes down to loving and nurturing our children, and raising them to love and serve the LORD. Sure we all have our preferences, but they shouldn't divide us. We need each other on this journey of motherhood. We all need encouragement, advice, love, acceptance and NOT judgement. So embrace your parenting style. Don't compare! Love and care for your children the way YOU think is best. Remember you have friends and family to lean on. After all We're all in this together! :)

The Little Things are Really the BIG Things!

Thank you Rachel for writing this great post!
.http://www.feminagirls.com/2012/04/10/the-littleness-of-motherhood/#more-4170  .What a great reminder to us all! This goes together beautifully with the song by Steven Curtis Chapman called "Do Everything". I encourage you to take time to click the link, and read the post Rachel has written. Then look up the song by Steven Curtis Chapman. May these both be an encouragement to you today!

*These are the lyrics to the Steven Curtis Chapman song if you are unfamiliar with it.

"Do Everything"
your picking up toys on the living room floor for the 15th time today

Matching up socks
Sweeping up lost cheerios that got away

You put a baby on your hip
Color on your lips and head out the door

While I may not know you,
I bet I know you
Wonder sometimes, does it matter at all?

Well let me remind you, it all matters just as long
As you do everything you do to the glory of the One who made you,
Cause he made you,
To do
Every little thing that you do
To bring a smile to His face
Tell the story of grace
With every move that you make
And every little thing you do

Maybe your that guy with the suit and tie
Maybe your shirt says your name

You may be hooking up mergers
Cooking up burgers
But at the end of the day

Little stuff
Big stuff
In between stuff
God sees it all the same

While I may not know you
I bet I know you
Wonder sometimes, does it matter at all?
[ Lyrics from: /www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/s

Well let me remind you, it all matters just as long
As you do everything you do to the glory of the One who made you,
Cause he made you
To do
Every little thing that you do
To bring a smile to His face
Tell the story of grace
With every move that you make
And every thing you do

Maybe your sitting in math class
Or maybe on a mission in the Congo
Or maybe your working at the office
Singing along with the radio

Maybe your dining at a 5-star
Or feeding orphans in the Myanmar
Anywhere and everywhere that you are

Whatever you do
It all matters
So do what you do
Don't ever forget

To do everything you do to the glory of the One who made you,
Cause He made you
To do
Every little thing that you do
To bring a smile to His face
And tell the story of grace

As you do everything you do to the glory of the One who made you,
Cause he made you
To do
Every little thing that you do
To bring a smile to His face
And tell the story of grace
With every move that you make
And every little thing you do

In every little thing you do
In every little thing you do

More lyrics: http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/s/steven_curtis_chapman/#share

 *Every little thing I do for this little girl does not go unnoticed by my Savior and King! So thankful He has entrusted me with one of His children.

A Child and Their Playtime

So Mama's what is your take on child play? My daughter is only 7 months old, and she can already play alone. It is certainly fun to see her discover new things and interact with her toys. A welcome relief as well, knowing that I can make lunch,  put laundry in, or just relax without having to entertain her at the same time. However, I want to make sure I am giving her "face time" each day. Lately I have been spending time with her outside in the mornings. I'll read on the porch why she bounces away in her ExerSaucer. I try and read with her at least once a day, and make a daily effort to sit and interact/play with her.
I have heard many moms simply include their child in their daily activities. Example: If folding laundry, have the baby on the floor and involve them in the task. Throw a shirt over them and play peek-a-boo. Sing. Talk..etc.Some moms I'm sure spend time playing,dancing, singing, coloring, painting, swimming,running....with their kids. Other moms have a great balance. They involve their children in productive activities, and also spend time playing with them each day.What is your method?
Keeping in mind that some independent playtime is a GREAT thing for children. It allows them to create, discover, and entertain themselves. So how do you balance your time with your kids?

*Eden loves spending time with her Daddy!

Comparison:Does it steal your joy?

Alright Mamas, I've been a little out of touch this week. This past week just flew by, and my husband and I were in a wedding on Saturday.The wedding was wonderful, if any of you were wondering! I'm so glad to have these 2 people in my life, and now as fellow young married friends :).
However, weddings can bring out one of the worst things in me. Others don't really see it, for the battle is in my heart. This word is ugly. It should not be in my vocabulary because it frequently steals my joy. That word is COMPARISON! I have recently read this popular quote "Comparison is the thief of joy". I 100%  agree with this. Comparing doesn't just apply to weddings. Sure I think about my wedding flowers ( Should I have had more?), my pictures ( Did I have enough poses?) my centerpieces ( Why did I do them that way?). Seriously, it has been almost 2 years since my wedding day, and these questions still float around in my mind. Don't get me wrong. My wedding day was a lot of fun. From the sweet ceremony, to fun pictures in the field with lots of friends, to good food and dancing, and cake smashing! I had a great day! God was honored, and we enjoyed ourselves, what more do you need?
However, comparison isn't just tied to my wedding. I guess that would make it a lot easier to deal with if it was!
Comparison creeps into my life on daily basis. Whether it's comparing my clothes, my parenting techniques, my babies abilities, the clothes I have her in, the house I live in...and the list goes on and on! Exhausting right? How many of you struggle with this? Am I alone?Now maybe you are not like me, in that you are constantly comparing in almost every situation, and that's a good thing :).
However, if you do find yourself struggling with comparison. What do you do?

Well this is something simple you could do when you are tempted to compare. It comes from a children's song.
"Count your blessings, name them one by one, count your blessings and see what God has done"
REALLY. If you stop when you are tempted to compare, and think of 5 things the Lord has already blessed you with, I wonder if it would change your perspective. I need to do this more often. How about you?

*As I count my blessings...She is one of them! :)