The Christmas season can be a challenging time. There are events to attend, meals to host, presents to buy, jobs to tend to, and children to raise. Sometimes it can feel overwhelming.

In the past I have struggled at this time of year. Thankfully, this year has not been as challenging so far despite even more demands. There are still moments of overwhelm or frustration but overall it has been a great start to the season.

Today my husband and I made three batches of meatloaf and (my husband) smoked six game hens. We hosted family lunch. I worked a little. We cleaned. And yet we still had time to sit around and watch the football game and enjoy both lunch and dinner together.

Best of all, both meals were full of laughter and sharing. At dinner my preschooler was singing Christmas songs with adorable mistakes, like "the one-th day of Christmas". The baby, in constant adoration of her big sister, was giggling and "talking" excitedly. And at one point we all had the giggles, including my husband.

I'm so grateful to laugh together. I'm grateful for beautiful family moments like this to cherish. I'm grateful for the love my girls have for each other. I'm grateful for a day of family and great food. I'm grateful to laugh. I'm grateful to be finding ways to take this season in stride. I'm grateful for all the ways my wonderful family helps me find the beauty and support in this season. I'm grateful o hear my girls laugh and to be able to join in.

What brings you joy this season? What makes you laugh? When was the last time you got the giggles?

May today bring light through laughter. May we find the beauty in the season and loving support from the ones we love. Have a beautiful day! 

My husband had today (mostly) off work. Having him home we got so much more done than I could have done alone. We got all the groceries for Thanksgiving and the week with family. We put away three loads of laundry. We vacuumed, dusted, and cleaned while we had both sets of hands at home. And last but certainly not least we got to play with our girls. 

Our preschooler seemed to feed off the energy of both of us home and, while she still tested a couple limits, most of the day she behaved awesome. It was nice to have a day full of praise without a struggle to find something positive. Clearly it uplifted her as well from the cheery disposition we enjoyed most the day. 

The baby got to soak up some baby wearing time and snuggles. We rowed our boats and pat-a-caked ourselves silly. Like her sister, she seemed to eat up the positive energy and was mostly smiles. 

I even got to spend some time just petting the dog! My sweet dog who is so patient and loving finally got some attention. It warmed my heart to see her basking in my love. 

Overall it was a beautiful day! My husband and I are a team every day but we are better together. We don't get as much opportunity to have this time together between working opposite shifts and dividing duties. Perhaps that is what made today extra special. 

I'm grateful to have a great partner in life. I'm grateful to have married my soulmate. I'm grateful for the ways we work together to make each other better. I'm grateful for a productive day. I'm grateful for our amazing girls and I'm so grateful to get to have such a positive, nice day with them. I'm grateful to see how our energy is reflected in our girls. I'm grateful for a great day and a short breather before hopping back into work and then the holiday.

How do you see your energy reflected back to you? Who is your partner in life? How do you work together to bring out the best in each other?

May today remind us no one is an island. May we celebrate the people that are on our team and build positive experiences together. Have a beautiful day!

I am so thankful for teamwork today. From the time we woke up it was apparent it would take both my husband and me being on point today with the girls. One child woke up crabby and the other was just in need with poop filled diaper and hungry cries rang out. 

We also needed to do some cleaning today and took turns keeping the girls occupied while the other cleaned. Then it was off to lunch where our preschooler was a bundle of energy. Luckily the place we were at had an empty bocce ball lane for her to run herself weary and with six adults we were able to tag team running around with her. 

Back home for the afternoon it was back at cleaning while trading off which child was awake. Nap times did not line up but it was nice to get to spend a little one on one time with each daughter. As the day came to a close and I think back on the day I know the only reason I have a bit of energy left is because of the wonderful people on my team.

I'm grateful to have a great team, my family. I'm grateful for all the help I received today. I'm grateful to take turns with my husband so we could be productive and still have time with the girls. I'm grateful for room to run at lunch today so my preschooler could get some energy out. I'm grateful there were enough of us to match her energy. I'm grateful to have had a wonderful weekend full of family friends, and knocking things off the to do list.

How was your weekend? What are you grateful for? Who is on your team?

​May today remind us to appreciate our team. May we recognize the people that are there for us and tkae the time to do the same for them. Have a beautiful day!

It is no secret that I am an introvert. I enjoy spending time with people but prefer low key social activities with close friends. I love to travel and to see family as well. But I can find my energy taxed easier than I would sometimes like and I have to pull back in order to recharge.

This weekend we were fortunate enough to travel to see family and celebrate a special birthday. I am so happy we were able to do this and see family we don't see very often. It was a great celebration. I enjoyed lots of laughter and conversation. I got a wonderful, long evening walk full of Autumn leaves and deer. And I even got to play a couple rounds of a game I love but rarely get to enjoy these days. 

My kids did great with the trip, all things considered. There were a few "ahhhh" moments but mostly it was great. It was reassuring to know we can make more trips like this and get the girls used to travel while having fun family encounters.

The weekend was full of "ups" but with that, for me, comes some subsequent "downs". There were moments the energy and noise seemed to overcome me and even a few "pity party" moments when I wished I could be like "other" people. There was so physical energy depletion as a consequence of cramming a trip into such few hours and being the comfort source of my baby all night after she herself got too overwhelmed by it all. 

Returning home I finally allowed myself to feel the full crash. Hopefully a quiet evening followed by an extended night of sleep will help process and release the excess. But even as I say this the baby stirs on the monitor and I know the night may not be mine at all.

The "ups" and "downs" are nothing new for me. It is a good reminder for self-care and a good reminder to pay close attention to my energy and needs when traveling. It is also insightful to watch my children and be able to see their own reactions and needs in such different energies.

I'm grateful we went on this trip. I'm grateful to see family. I'm grateful for a beautiful evening walk. I'm grateful to recognize comparisons and judgments and work to counterbalance them. I'm grateful to know I am doing my best and that there is nothing "wrong" with me. I'm grateful for the reminder to take care of myself. I'm grateful for my family. I'm grateful to get to give these experiences to my girls and observe their reactions. I'm grateful for the "ups" and yes, even the "downs". 

What affects your energy levels? What things send you out of balance? How do you respond to correct and rebalance?

May today help us be aware of our energy. May we do the things we love while still taking care of ourselves. Hae a beautiful day!

Some weeks life just throws ridiculous curveballs and demands. The picture above is of a game called "I Can Do That!" In the game the player draws one card from each of three stacks and then tries to perform the challenge. Given that this weekend was full of birthday celebrations; I found this set of cards particularly appropriate for the representation of the week. 

I was so excited to get to have dinner with my girlfriends this weekend. The night of I found myself rushing like a mad woman to leave work early enough to come home to feed the baby (who is refusing to take bottles), then peel the three year old off my leg (crying that I was leaving again) to race down the road to meet my friends. During the drive I felt guilty for taking this time to myself and yet I returned a renewed person ready to face the night of two clinging babies with patience and grace.

At a three year old's birthday pool party I found myself walking the lazy river holding a sleeping three month old on my shoulder and my other arm looped around the waist of my three year old so she could pretend she was swimming it. And while there were moments that felt a little overwhelming, mostly I was feeling calm and proud as I navigated my own "river". 

I talk a lot about perspective and finding the good in things. But being overwhelmed is a legitimate feeling and I don't want anyone to think I am recommending ignoring the signs. When my cup runs so low that the demands feel too much, forget the I "should" find the positive in this and instead look for where I can give myself grace and self-care. 

I did not post at the end of last week. It wasn't that I couldn't have found things to be grateful for in the blessings around me; it was the overwhelm of the whole family being frazzled from the baby's screaming wail all week and wanting to be with them in support rather than wonder off to try to make a post. 

All last week there was a pull trying to uproot me. There were definitely tipping moments but overall I was so proud and grateful to stay grounded. I'm so happy I made the choice to be there for my family but also fill my own cup. 

I'm grateful for celebrations with friends. I'm grateful to commit to taking my daughters to enjoy their friend's party. I'm grateful for all the support and love I get from friends and family. I'm grateful for my awesome girlfriends that I couldn't live without. I'm grateful to fill my cup. I'm grateful for all the support my husband provided so I could accomplish that task. I'm grateful for my loving girls who want to be with me all the time. I'm grateful for moments of grace and truth. I'm grateful for perspective but I'm also grateful to be honest and take care of my needs.

What helps you stay grounded against the pull? What aspects of life have you trying to walk with a cake between your legs? (I really do enjoy this game though!) 

May today allow us to take the steps necessary and eat our cake too. (haha) May we find the positive in the situations we can and give ourself grace when we need to just take time to care for ourselves. Have a beautiful day!

Well as I work through the third day of things just being "off" (see my previous two blogs) I can't help but think I must be in retrograde or something. For those who don't know what this is, I don't really either...but I'll explain as best I know. Retrograde is when the planets align in a certain way and then everything goes "wrong". Yeah... you would probably be better off googling it.

Anyway, based on my understanding and the amount of things that are just going sideways I using my excellent skills of deduction to call this a retrograde. My first clue should have been Sunday when (as pictured above) the rainbow appeared to have fallen off the "bow". Okay, I'm just kidding about that one. 

Today started off with everyone waking very early, me needing to change the crib sheets twice in less than an hour, and making cheesy scrambled eggs for my preschooler who was begging for them...only to finish and be told she wasn't hungry and hadn't really wanted them. 

On the bright side, breakfast is ready for tomorrow and both kids are napping well after being up so early. Off in the shadows is a very tired mama who wants a nap but still has work to do. I was lucky enough to make it to storytime at the library today and even get snippets of adult conversation with a grandma that was there. Tiny bits of adult conversation can really make my day!

I don't have any grand themes for this blog today, mostly because my brain is a little foggy. So for today I am putting the retro in retrograde and finding some "old school" gratitude.

I'm grateful for cheesy eggs but also for cheesy dance moves. I'm grateful for the Sprinkler in particular. I'm grateful that flower bellbottoms are not in style right now. I'm grateful for disco lights but even more grateful for simple crystals that cast rainbows on the wall. I'm grateful to find gratitude in random things based loosely off a word that I'm not even sure I understand. I'm grateful my brain doesn't care about these "particulars" right now. I'm grateful my kids are sleeping...this should always be in style. I'm grateful just to be grateful and I'm grateful for those of you who have stuck it out with today's blog and are still reading.

What are your random thoughts today? What is your favorite retro clothing or activity? What does retrograde really mean? 

May today at least bring some dance moves with the funk. May we take time to celebrate the random. Have a beautiful day!

Today started out on bumpy ground. Between frustration at dawdling to the emotions of watching my preschooler once again struggling with goodbyes at school drop off I already felt my energy pulling before it was even 8:30. By 9 a.m. I had picked up what I thought was the wrong lab request and completed the "off" energy by falling down the basement stairs. 

As I sat there feeling out my rolled ankle and rubbing my bruised knee I knew I needed to find a way to shift this energy funk fast. Tis the season for pumpkin symbolism so I decided I needed to decide right there what face I was going to carve into my jack-o-lantern today. I don't mean physically, I haven't even bought the pumpkins yet. I mean symbolically, as in how will I choose for my face to react to this day. 

While I do love the lopsided, jagged-mouth traditional look I decided my own reaction would be best served with a smile, a laugh, or at least a maniacal grin. Shortly after this decision my day turned around. The energy shifted in my favor and things started running more smoothly, or at least my interpretation was more positive. Did my preschooler have several more meltdowns? Yes. But I handled most all of them with grace and patience, I mean I am still human.

I'm grateful to recognize the need to set my intentions for something more positive. I'm grateful to clear the funk that was following me. I'm grateful for being young enough to bounce and to be okay after my tumble. I'm grateful for the ability to laugh. I'm grateful for my girls' smiles that brighten my day. I'm grateful to have patience and respond with love to my preschooler during her struggles. And I'm grateful to give myself grace for being human when I lose some of that ability. I'm grateful to be humble enough to apologize when it happens. And I'm grateful for forgiveness. I'm grateful to have had a good day and had a few chances to remember to slow down and just be in the moment.

How do you set an intention for your day? What symbolism speaks to you? 

May today remind us our intention and our perspective are very important to how our story is written. May we choose to carve happy jack-o-lanterns and write a story of love and gratitude. Have a beautiful day!

Today was one of those days where things just didn't go quite as planned. Ends didn't meet where they were supposed to, transitions didn't flow, and things seemed to be missing or not working at every other turn.

What do you do when your day is going this way? What special resource do you "turn on" to help you get through days like this?

For me, humor is what I need. I need to laugh to release some of the tension because most likely if I don't choose laughter there will be tears instead. My emotions tend to run high and a physical relief like laughter is a great way to keep things positive. 

Now, did I do this at every misstep today? Nope. There was some frustration, a few moments of near tears and lost patience but overall I did well at reminding myself to take deep breaths and even laugh a little. 

I'm grateful for some humor to save the energy of the day. I'm grateful for getting the bumps out early in the week so the rest the week can run more smoothly. I'm grateful to have found my wallet. I'm grateful to learn you can still check out the seventeen books your child picked out at the library even when your wallet is missing. I'm grateful the dishwasher started. I'm grateful for all the things that run and work without a second thought from me. I'm grateful for my husband's patience as we work through some bottle rebellion from our little one. I'm grateful for friends and family that I can count on to be there whether I need to vent, ask advice, or share some humor. I'm grateful to be so loved and so blessed. I'm grateful to crawl into bed at the end of the night and know all is ok.

So what do you do to diffuse a rough day? What coping strategies do you use and who do you reach out to for support?

May today supply humor without the frustration. May we find healthy, fun coping habits to guide us on the bumpier days. Have a beautiful day!

As I watch my daughters growing up so fast and I see the pages of our calendar flying by I cannot help but wish I could put on the breaks. Yet even as I wish that, I know it is in my power to do something about it.

I do not need to have our calendar so packed that we are always in a rush. I don't need to add that extra playdate or make it to library story time every week. We have our school and swim lessons commitments each week and there is nothing wrong with taking a couple days to just stay home. 

Time is not only determined by where we spend it but by our intentions. Today after preschool I told my daughter that her and her sister needed to take baths after lunch, before naps. Normally it would take a full hour to just eat lunch. So it was no surprise when my preschooler asked, "do we have time?" Of course, her hope was that nap would be skipped today but I told her we had time for both. 

The weird thing about setting this intention was not only did lunch go faster but we also made it to the nap-time routine early and got to read an extra book together. I said we had enough time. I didn't look at the clock or rush and prod us through each step. I just said it and moved forward. It was self-fulfilling. 

Now where else can I make this commitment? Where can I give awareness to making my time count? Somehow by giving this time intention I also find myself more present with the time I have. Perhaps that is felt by my girls too and also helps move us along.

I'm grateful for this gift of time. I'm grateful for how fluid the concept of time can be. I'm grateful to not feel rushed today but rather intentioned. I'm grateful to not waste time looking at the clock and instead trust that we had the time we needed. I'm grateful to "stop and smell the roses". I'm grateful to spend time with my girls. I'm grateful to get to watch them grow. And I'm grateful for a weekend coming up to spend with my family.

Where would you like to intentionally commit your time? What parts of your day need to slow down? Where can you use a little reconnection or relaxation?

May today allow us to play with time. May we experiment with how it looks to be more intentional with the time we have and may we spend it doing the things that bring us joy. Have a beautiful day!

Today I would like to share some random things that make me smile. I have often been told I am easily amused. In my eyes, this is a great compliment. I enjoy being amused so the easier the better. 

Monday, while driving my daughter to swim lessons, traffic came to a complete stop. As it turns out some geese had decided to have a parade. And they were in no hurry to move along just for some silly drivers' schedules. I was happily tickled by their little shenanigan. 

The other night my husband and I were having a conversation over dinner. Our three year old, as three year olds do, was interrupting and proclaiming she had a question. We reminded her to use her manners and ask for her turn to talk rather than just interrupting. Then when we asked what her question was she was so excited for it to be her turn she just quickly looked around her to find something to talk about. The result was her looking around frantically just to shout "squirrel!" I laughed so hard I cried and now every night at dinner she says "Hey Mommy, squirrel!" trying to get me to laugh that hard again. 

Today as I drove home from work I pulled up behind three cars at a stoplight. The stoplight turned green and we sat. We stayed there for a good twenty to thirty seconds before the first car realized the light had changed and started going. What made me so happy about this? Not one of us in line behind this car honked, went around or in any way rushed. We all just sat and waited politely. It was beautiful! 

I'm grateful to be easily amused. I'm grateful when I can slow down and see these beautiful moments for what they are. I'm grateful for people who pause for animals. I'm grateful for people who are patient with each others' human-ness. I'm grateful for laughter and for my daughter who frequently provides this gift for me. I'm grateful for a new day and a new smile along the road. I'm grateful for those who smile and laugh with me.

Each day there are opportunities to smile, to laugh, and to enjoy simple things. It is up to us if we choose to recognize these little gifts. When was the last time you were easily amused? What made you smile today?

May today keep us in the moment and allow us to see its beauty. May we smile and laugh easily. Have a beautiful day!