I just got back from spending an evening out with my oldest daughter. What a nice time of enjoying each other's company. We went to Michael's to browse crafty stuff, which we both enjoy, then we headed to Barnes and Noble so she could spend a gift card. We also both love books and probably could have stayed there for quite some time.
We ate dinner at Pasha's, a mediterranean restaurant, her choice. It's surreal to sit with her and have conversations while sharing a meal. Part of me can't believe that she's almost 9. I was playing back so many memories in my head as I reflected back on her short life.
I'm so glad for these moments together. Quiet, unassuming, shared experiences that I hope she can look back on someday and know how much she was loved. I hope she can feel free to talk with me about anything and that she will value my counsel.
She's the baby who made me a mom and she's the young girl who continues to challenge me and grow me as a parent. I look forward to watching her growth as well. She's full of surprises but one thing is constant - she is a bright, inquisitive, loving girl who is finding her way in life. I love her heart.
Monday, September 30, 2013
Sunday, September 29, 2013
Sunday
A jam-packed day. Not a lot of time for rest and restoration. Hopefully the week ahead will bring some moments (naptime?!?) where I can be still with my thoughts for a bit. I'm grateful to have kids that are active and involved. May all that they do during these childhood years work together to make them into productive adults. As the sermon said today, it is our job to plant the seeds. God will take care of the rest.
Saturday, September 28, 2013
All's well
Yesterday I got two workouts in (including a 2 mile walk with a neighbor) and then picked up the house. Nothing like looking at your surroundings through the eyes of some one else. I had invited her in and realized how disheveled things looked. A quick pick up and things were good.
Today we're headed to soccer games and a quick day trip. Should be fun!
Today we're headed to soccer games and a quick day trip. Should be fun!
Thursday, September 26, 2013
Thursday
Thursday. Long day. Every Thursday. It's our new pizza night so I can cross one thing off my list easily. I teach 2 year olds at my Bible studay from 8:30 - 2 then there's soccer practice and scouts. Not much time for anything else. So I'm looking forward to recharging my batteries tomorrow and making more progress on my to-do list.
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
Progress
Yes, I worked out yesterday and I'm so sore today but I'll be back at it at some point today. I'm going to finish up my Bible studies after this post. I'll probably work out after the kids get home from school so they can keep an eye on the baby.
I also spent some time in my craft room finishing up a current work in progress. I'm making mint tin scrapbooks with leftover photos from a family gathering in 2011. I'm sending them out to members of my husband's family as I get them completed. Only a few more left to go! Then I'll make a list of other projects in progress and finish those up. After that, I give myself permission to start something new :)
My eldest daughter has a birthday coming up soon and we've been brainstorming some party ideas. I think we've got some fun things planned and I hope it goes as well as she's been dreaming of.
Not very exciting but again, slow and steady.
I also spent some time in my craft room finishing up a current work in progress. I'm making mint tin scrapbooks with leftover photos from a family gathering in 2011. I'm sending them out to members of my husband's family as I get them completed. Only a few more left to go! Then I'll make a list of other projects in progress and finish those up. After that, I give myself permission to start something new :)
My eldest daughter has a birthday coming up soon and we've been brainstorming some party ideas. I think we've got some fun things planned and I hope it goes as well as she's been dreaming of.
Not very exciting but again, slow and steady.
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
Becky Nelson shared an Instagram photo with you
Where to start?
The million dollar question - where to start? I spent some time in my craft room yesterday, sorting through shelves of planned projects, half-finished projects, and good intentions that I can't quite remember. I'm usually good about putting projects in Ziploc bags but in several I had all the fabric but no pattern. Or the yarn but no needles (and if the project is almost complete, that's a problem if I want to maintain guage). For the ones I remember, I hunted down patterns which lead to more than a few rabbit trails on the computer. I had already made one circle wrap skirt but I cannot find the pattern anywhere, not in my room, not on the vast internet. There are plenty of others so I can make due but it's befuddling, to say the least.
On a positive note, I found $20 in an envelope inside a magazine. Bonus!!
So many of my projects are so near completion that it's easy to lose focus and want to finish them all right now. I'm not sure that's the best route so I practiced restraint as best I could. My day and mind work better when I have a plan, a framework to work within so I accomplish something. For instance, I usually run all my appliances first thing in the morning to get a jump on chores - I LOVE having the dishwasher, clothes washer and dryer all running at the same time. It's the best! I feel like I've accomplished something and so while they're working, I can move onto other things, like eating breakfast.
True confessions: sometimes I get sidetracked by the computer or reading blogs while all my machines are working. And that's what I need to fight. It happened this morning and I'm frustrated with myself. I have a day free of meetings or obligations until after school and I'm almost paralyzed with all the possibilities. Cue framework. As my kids learn, first things first. Quiet time should be first - I'll have to work on that soon. Next is chores: check. Then I need to be working out. So when I hit publish, I'm putting on my sneakers and getting a workout in. No excuses. And CGN will love the time outside. After that? Find one project I can finish during naptime and knock it out.
Slow and steady, right? Time to go get laced up ...
On a positive note, I found $20 in an envelope inside a magazine. Bonus!!
So many of my projects are so near completion that it's easy to lose focus and want to finish them all right now. I'm not sure that's the best route so I practiced restraint as best I could. My day and mind work better when I have a plan, a framework to work within so I accomplish something. For instance, I usually run all my appliances first thing in the morning to get a jump on chores - I LOVE having the dishwasher, clothes washer and dryer all running at the same time. It's the best! I feel like I've accomplished something and so while they're working, I can move onto other things, like eating breakfast.
True confessions: sometimes I get sidetracked by the computer or reading blogs while all my machines are working. And that's what I need to fight. It happened this morning and I'm frustrated with myself. I have a day free of meetings or obligations until after school and I'm almost paralyzed with all the possibilities. Cue framework. As my kids learn, first things first. Quiet time should be first - I'll have to work on that soon. Next is chores: check. Then I need to be working out. So when I hit publish, I'm putting on my sneakers and getting a workout in. No excuses. And CGN will love the time outside. After that? Find one project I can finish during naptime and knock it out.
Slow and steady, right? Time to go get laced up ...
Monday, September 23, 2013
Exactly
I had a nasty bout of insomnia last night, my brain running down a million different bunny trails. I couldn't find the peace to get to sleep with an endless to-do list mounting and no way to check things off. I finally meditated on a mantra-type phrase that I learned in my Bible study a week or so ago. I drifted off eventually and I'm so thankful I did.
As I mentioned in my last post, I've been reading and consuming lots of encouraging, uplifting, instructional blogs about living a better, more focused life. So often it's so easy to acquire knowledge but the key is to do. And at this point in my life, that will look different than when my kids are all in school or eventually out of the house. I am learning so much about seasons in life and how so many good ideas are ok to put aside until it's more appropriate and better lined up with my priorities. This post today from Simple Mom is exactly my next step.
I'm finding that I love the idea of things. I see the potential in so much and want to dig in, but spread myself thin. I love being creative - sewing, knitting, scrapbooking, etc. - and I've accumulated a lot of supplies but if I'm not producing, then I am likely falling short of the goal. My Bible studies are like that, I think. I'm storing up a lot of knowledge (God willing!) and then the next step is to live out my faith. However, I'm learning that I don't have to be involved in everything to do that. I think doing a few things really well might be better for me and whatever I'm involved in.
So, good intentions abound in my life. Whether crafting, volunteering, parenting, it's all worthwhile but focusing and doing is where I need to be. Not just preparing (like all the craft supplies I have), not just studying up, but now actually doing. In all likelihood, I'm as equipped as I need to be to get going. Now it's time to get on with it. And this blog post will hopefully keep me accountable to just that.
As I mentioned in my last post, I've been reading and consuming lots of encouraging, uplifting, instructional blogs about living a better, more focused life. So often it's so easy to acquire knowledge but the key is to do. And at this point in my life, that will look different than when my kids are all in school or eventually out of the house. I am learning so much about seasons in life and how so many good ideas are ok to put aside until it's more appropriate and better lined up with my priorities. This post today from Simple Mom is exactly my next step.
I'm finding that I love the idea of things. I see the potential in so much and want to dig in, but spread myself thin. I love being creative - sewing, knitting, scrapbooking, etc. - and I've accumulated a lot of supplies but if I'm not producing, then I am likely falling short of the goal. My Bible studies are like that, I think. I'm storing up a lot of knowledge (God willing!) and then the next step is to live out my faith. However, I'm learning that I don't have to be involved in everything to do that. I think doing a few things really well might be better for me and whatever I'm involved in.
So, good intentions abound in my life. Whether crafting, volunteering, parenting, it's all worthwhile but focusing and doing is where I need to be. Not just preparing (like all the craft supplies I have), not just studying up, but now actually doing. In all likelihood, I'm as equipped as I need to be to get going. Now it's time to get on with it. And this blog post will hopefully keep me accountable to just that.
Saturday, September 21, 2013
Overload
I'm suffering from "good idea" overload. The kids are back in school and all summer (as I did in previous summers) I dreamed of all the things I would do during all my free time. Almost comical, because laundry, dishes and tidying up fill up most of those school hours, even after dropping some volunteer commitments.
Never fails. I think "this year will be different". And it is. Usually because the kids are older, I've added a baby, and other various things.
This year has been a bit different. I feel like I've hit my stride a bit earlier. There's a weekly plan for dinner, homework is getting done on time, more lunches are from home than bought and I'm completing my Bible studies before they're due, not the day of. It feels pretty good. And it should - it's hard earned. Why am I not satisfied? I feel like I need more recharge, creative time for myself. So I'm working towards that. One way is to clear out the clutter in my email inbox (I've unsubscribed from many, many emails) and just leaving the good, soul-filling stuff.
It's been refreshing to read emails and blog posts that are uplifting and encouraging. But there is the overload - I'm fighting to maintain balance. I need to keep straight what my priorities are, what feeds those and advances those goals and what is "nice to have" but maybe later.
So, I plan on using this space to help me sort out my thoughts, keep focused on my priorities and recharge a bit. Fight the overload!
Never fails. I think "this year will be different". And it is. Usually because the kids are older, I've added a baby, and other various things.
This year has been a bit different. I feel like I've hit my stride a bit earlier. There's a weekly plan for dinner, homework is getting done on time, more lunches are from home than bought and I'm completing my Bible studies before they're due, not the day of. It feels pretty good. And it should - it's hard earned. Why am I not satisfied? I feel like I need more recharge, creative time for myself. So I'm working towards that. One way is to clear out the clutter in my email inbox (I've unsubscribed from many, many emails) and just leaving the good, soul-filling stuff.
It's been refreshing to read emails and blog posts that are uplifting and encouraging. But there is the overload - I'm fighting to maintain balance. I need to keep straight what my priorities are, what feeds those and advances those goals and what is "nice to have" but maybe later.
So, I plan on using this space to help me sort out my thoughts, keep focused on my priorities and recharge a bit. Fight the overload!
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