Every day history is made in one way or another, some days we move forward while some days feel like perhaps we are going back. Not every moment of history is momentous but it writes history and paves the future either way.

Today I was hit by an unexpected wave of emotion as I watched Kamala Harris being sworn in as the first woman to hold the Vice-Presidency. I sat there with my two daughters watching as Sonia Sotomayor voiced the oath for VP Harris to vow. 

While I tend to be an emotional person, I am not usually emotionally moved by important moments like these. I am grateful and pleased most definitely, but rarely emotional. 

I watched Christina Koch and Jessica Meir perform the first all female spacewalk in 2019. At the time my daughter asked why hadn't girls done that before and that resonated with how I generally feel about such events. It is great that it is happening but why has it taken so long and why is it still so rare for these special events for women that we have to make note that it is a woman? 

Something about watching these two amazing and powerful women today though, made me well up a little. These are the barriers I want to watch crumble. I want my girls to grow up in a world where truly any dream is possible. I want them to shoot for the stars, for whatever their hearts desire and not be held back by something so simple-minded as being born a woman. 

I'm grateful for the emotion I experienced today. I'm grateful to get to witness so many amazing women in my lifetime. I'm grateful for my girls, young as they are, watching this process with me. I'm grateful to see them enthralled by the beautiful young poet Amanda Gorman and I'm grateful for her powerful words. I'm grateful for a peaceful process today. I'm grateful for the sun shining. I'm grateful to feel like a new leaf is being turned over and while there will always be some days forward and potentially some back I am grateful to feel a new hope for love and unity. 

What moves you? What mark are you making in history today, even if it is seemingly that in "just" your own story? How do you imagine your life and your story impacting the world around you? How can you make a beautiful mark in history?

May today remind us we all have the power to inspire and bring change. May we use our powers to bring positive, loving change. May we take the time to consciously choose how we will make our mark in history. Have a beautiful day!

During the typical busy Monday morning I do not usually have time to sit and reflect. In fact that is what this quiet period of time during my kids' nap times is for. 

Today we had a fun surprise video call from my girls' grandma. As she attempted to speak to them while they crawled all over me and the sofa telling her their own thought bubbles all at once and hyped up on excitement she said something I could not even imagine. She said that even though she knew she lived through a similar busy-ness she really doesn't remember it that way.

I hear that a lot as a mom of young kids. People say, "oh, I forgot about the being up all night." I have heard, "I'm sure my kids went through that stage but I really don't remember those details." I have even heard, "I don't remember if my kids had trouble potty training." 

I'm in what people refer to as "the thick of it". There are days I completely feel that expression and other days that it doesn't feel that way at all. Yet it does make me wonder what I will remember as my kids grow up. Will I remember how my now 18 month old loves to meditate and do a very dramatic breath in and out? I hope so and yet as I try to think back to when my four year old was that age there are only little snippets of memories. Honestly, most of the memories from her being that age are from the quote book and journal I kept of her that I have not been as diligent with for my younger daughter. 

The moments fade. The days fade. Time passes. The things that drove me crazy once are forgotten. I try to think back to my pre-child days and I think, "how did I pass the time each day?" Obviously a good portion of it was that I worked a lot more hours, but on my days off? What did I do? It doesn't seem half as important as soaking up these fun, chaotic, and even the frustrating moments of my girls growing up. 

I'm so grateful for these beautiful blessings. I'm grateful for my mother-in-laws comment that made me pause and remember to cherish these moments, no matter how chaotic. I'm grateful for a walk this morning even if we barely made it a few houses away. I'm grateful to watch as my toddler tried to participate in her big sister's homeschooling today. I'm grateful to see their kind souls and hope that I am doing a good job nourishing them. I'm grateful to know I am doing my best and how that looks is ever evolving as I grow too. I'm grateful to take a moment and reflect back. I'm grateful for the realization of the many moments I have forgotten to I can make sure I am focusing on what is most important in each moment. I'm grateful to release the little frustrations as I realize those will not be the moments I choose to remember anyway. I'm grateful. I'm grateful for this beautiful gift and all the change and excitement it has brought to my life.

Which memories have you chosen to keep? What do you remember about five years ago? Ten years ago? What about 20 or 30 years ago? If there were one thing from today that you would want to remember, what would it be? For me it would be the love of a grandma that calls for a special surprise and her grandkids being so excited they can't even sit still. 

May today provide us with an overall feeling a love to remember. May we choose to carry the best memories forward and let the rest blend to a fuzzy message of deep love. Have a beautiful day!

This year I have challenged myself to read at least ten minutes each day. It seemed like an achievable goal that would bring me some joy and so far it is working. To add to the pleasure I have chosen a book called A Complaint Free World by Will Bowen. 

I will admit this book has been on my "want to read" list for a couple years now. The Complaint Free World movement started not too far from my hometown which makes it even more special!

The choice to start with this book came from a feeling of not really feeling like a gratitude "coach" anymore. I am great at digging gratitude out of regular days or even rough days but it was feeling like a lot of my words were negative. Even here in this blog I have noticed it goes something like "this went wrong and this went wrong and this went wrong but I am still grateful". While this ability is an important practical step of any gratitude practice, it is better if we focus on what is going RIGHT to begin with; as you may imagine this makes gratitude even easier to find too.

So I am taking the beautiful challenge to make it 21 days without complaining! According to the book this takes people, on average, four to eight months to be able to go 21 consecutive days without complaining. A reminder bracelet is worn and each time a complaint is voiced, the bracelet is moved to the other hand. It trains us to recognize when we are complaining. I imagine this also does a good job of making us mindful of the triggers or situations where we complain most.

Today I have moved my bracelet no less that six times. The eye opening part for me is that a lot of my complaining is actually to my preschooler. I am certain we will both benefit from my commitment to this challenge. I'm excited to bring more positive messages back into my conversations!

I'm grateful for this book. I'm grateful for Will Bowen that started this hoping to impact his community. I'm grateful to hear that so many people worldwide have now taken the challenge. I'm grateful to be learning about my communication. I'm grateful to be gaining mindfulness about my triggers. I'm grateful to see how it plays out within different relationships. I'm grateful to be taking simple steps to be changing my life, holding my power, and voicing my beauty. 

​What goals have you set for yourself lately? Are you interested in raising the vibration of your life? Are you ready to find more beauty, more joy, and more gratitude in 2021? 

​No matter what this year brings, I believe, there is beauty to be found. May we choose to view and voice our story in a positive light. Have a beautiful day!

Today has been a beautiful day! It has been full of some of my favorite "s" words.

It started off with SLEEPing in! This is rare in my family, especially on a day when my husband has to get up for work. 

Then my daughters and I sat on my preschooler's bed and had some SUNRISE SNUGGLES! I love those two words individually anyway but when they are together it makes for a pretty perfect start to the day.

Now that my little one isn't taking a morning nap most days we have had to get a little creative with schooling my preschooler. Luckily the SISTERS were happy to help each other learn today. Overall it went really smoothly!

While we were playing playdoh a deer came walking through our backyard. I think I was even more excited than the kids. We used to have lots of deer come through but it has been a while since we've seen one. I sat there SMILING and gazing out the window. I couldn't help thinking to myself, "it really is the SIMPLE pleasures in life that mean the most." 

When I am in the moment and focusing on the beautiful moments of life, it is easy to SOAR. It makes any little bumps so much easier to just float passed. 

I'm grateful for these wonderful "S" words that help describe my joy. I'm grateful to have enjoyed so many simple pleasures in one day! I'm grateful for the new book I have started reading to help me be more mindful of my words and focus on the positive. I'm grateful to feel my SPIRIT lifting. I'm grateful to witness the sweet bond that is forming between my girls. I'm grateful to have this time with them.

What are your favorite simple pleasures? What "S" words are your favorite? What letter is helping you describe the best parts of your day?

May we give credit to the little things that bring us joy. May we express our gratitude in whatever way fills our cup. Have a beautiful day!

If 2020 taught us anything (besides the reminder to wash our hands) it would be to notice all the things we usually take for granted. It reminded us to prioritize and to enjoy the beauty of nature. 

The pandemic definitely dealt a few curveballs and some hardships. Some people were affected much more than others. There were jobs lost, loved ones ill, and changes made to nearly every aspect of life. 

It was a politically turbulent year with elections. It was a year that opened so many of our eyes to the racial injustice that is still ingrained in every aspect of our society. 

Hopefully these hardships, challenges, and opened eyes have made us better humans. Hopefully built our strength and resilience. Hopefully it opened new doorways to progress and dreams. Hopefully each person can find some glimpses of gratitude as we look back over the year.

In honor of 2020, I would like to challenge myself to find twenty moments of this year that inspired gratitude. It is always nice to reflect back on the year and see what good came from it. One great way to do this is to jot down the best thing that happened each day or at least each week on your calendar. At the end of the year just flip back through and let the good memories close the year on a joyful note. 

Here are twenty of my noteworthy and gratitude inspiring moments.

1. I'm grateful to have started off the year with a trip to visit family in Texas. It allowed me to get to know them better and it truly was a positive experience.
2. I'm grateful my husband let me throw him a theme birthday party for his 42nd. I'm grateful to all his friends that came. I'm grateful to go a little over the top. (And I'm grateful it happened before the pandemic hit.)
3. I'm grateful to for a trip to the zoo. My littlest is just getting to the age to appreciate and be interested in the animals (7 months old at the time-March). My oldest was a blast and very helpful with showing her sister the animals. I'm grateful to get to spend a long time watching the penguins together. (About 2 weeks before the pandemic closed things)
4. I'm grateful to just hold and snuggle my girls as they fight off a bug.
5. I'm grateful for clear guidance from the national massage board (and later from the city) as I navigate this unprecedented time. I'm grateful to get some (mandated) time off.
6. I'm grateful for Zoom and all the ways there are to stay in touch with family when we can't be together in person. I'm grateful to start regular calls with my mother-in-law and help foster a stronger bond between her and my girls.
7. I'm grateful to get to be home to see my baby crawl for the first time! I'm grateful we were all home together so my husband could witness this milestone too.
8. I'm grateful for all the family time this shelter-in-place order has given us. I'm grateful to get to see my husband at every meal and to eat as a family. I'm grateful for the extra time to watch my girls growing (too fast).
9. I'm grateful to get creative. I'm grateful to start doing Wacky Wednesdays and to take the time to make the house wacky overnight for a fun delight for my girls in the morning. I'm grateful for these silly, fun times together.
10. I'm grateful for a trip to see my mother-in-law. We haven't been out of the house in a long time (May) and it is nice to have a safe place to travel to and to get some in-person family time. 
11. I'm grateful for all the resources available in this area. I'm grateful there are still some schools with openings as we learn of my daughter's school being closed permanently. 
12. I'm grateful to venture back to work cautiously and with lots of safety protocols. I'm grateful to know that in time these new protocols will feel normal and not so overwhelming. I'm grateful for a way to do my job and still keep my clients and my family safe. 
13. I'm grateful for all my boss does to keep us safe and provide. It isn't easy being a small business right now but I'm grateful he is smart and doing what is necessary to ensure our jobs and our health.
14. I'm grateful to get to celebrate fourth of July with my parents. It is one small bit of normalcy in a year that has been anything but normal. I'm grateful to watch my girls enjoying playing outside and being with their grandparents.
15. I'm grateful to celebrate my baby's first birthday! Well...ok, mixed emotions on that if I'm being honest. It definitely wasn't the big party we imagined but it turned out the small party honored her shy personality better anyway. I'm grateful to get to have just a couple people be a part of this important day. I'm grateful she enjoyed the blueberry pie!
16. I'm grateful to be able to give my daughter a small, outdoor birthday party with friends. I'm grateful to celebrate her turning four and to share that with her few besties. I'm grateful for how well she has coped with her whole world being changed practically overnight. I'm grateful to get creative to give her a happy birthday.
17. I'm so grateful to be the happy new owner of a camper. I'm grateful the build was done in time to still carry out our vacation plans. I'm grateful for my parents' help and support in traveling with us to get it. I'm grateful to see the pure joy as my girls get to splash in a river for the first time.
18. I'm grateful for the renewal of spirit a camping trip gave to my sweet dog. She is getting older and had been really struggling. I'm grateful to see her playing in the river like a pup again.
19. I'm so grateful to have my mother-in-law visit each month. I'm so grateful we can be a safe place for her to get out and visit. I'm grateful for how it has strengthened the bond between her and my girls. I hope this is one thing that continues even after the pandemic is over.
20. I'm grateful for a year of being creative. I'm grateful to homeschool so we can get to see grandparents. I'm grateful to find fun ways to celebrate the holidays in new ways. I'm grateful for family halloween costumes. I'm grateful for candy hunt "trick-or-treating" and carnival games at home. I'm grateful for small, low-key Thanksgiving and Christmas that allowed us to be safe and enjoy the days. 

There are so many more glimpses of 2020 that were gratitude inspiring but I will limit it to these. I invite you to think back over your year and find some of the beautiful moments that you experienced. What were your 2020 highlights? What inspired your gratitude?

May 2020 leave us with some fond memories. May we move into 2021 with appreciation for all the things we used to take for granted. May we stay healthy and full of gratitude. Have a beautiful day!

I return from the holiday break with my light shining a little brighter. I can't say I caught up on any sleep or got much accomplished but it sure was nice to focus on family and just relax.

We all have things that help our light shine a little brighter, help us feel our best, and let us know we're loved. The possibilities are endless for what those things are for each individual. Sure we can break it down into basic categories like the Love Languages, just like we can break down a rainbow into basic colors; yet there is a blending, blurring, mixing too.

There are things that block our light. There are things that cast shadows or dim it. Sometimes these things are things we allow to be done, sometimes they are things we do to ourselves, and sometimes it is completely out of our hands. 

So how do we find a good place of balance? What is the balance for you to let your light shine its brightest? How often do you do the things that brighten your light and how often are you around the shadows?

I think it is an important question to ask, especially this time of year when the sun's light still hasn't returned to its full length. Perhaps this question can set the groundwork for what goals we need to set for the year to come. Perhaps it can help us reevaluate relationships that need to shift. Perhaps it can remind us to make that extra effort to increase our positive self-talk. 

I'm grateful to take a couple minutes to myself to paint my toenails. I'm grateful for the time normally spent doing such things with my preschooler and yet I was surprisingly grateful to have a moment to do this for myself, by myself, for the first time in over a year. I'm grateful to have had an extra set of hands around with my mother-in-law staying for the holidays. I'm grateful for all her insights and to continue to grow our relationship as she is truly an inspiring woman. I'm grateful for my husband reminding me to just sit. I'm grateful for wine and chocolates. I'm grateful for the abundance of good foods. I'm grateful for the true spoiling that my family received this year. I'm grateful to turn my sights to the year ahead and start planning how to make next year support this shining light.

May today give us plenty of opportunity to do something kind for ourselves. May we nurture ourselves and let our lights shine. Have a beautiful day!

Just two days until the festivities kick off! I don't know if it is having less commitments this year, being with my family more, or simply the fact that everything this year has been so thrown out of routine; whatever the reason I am feeling more Christmas spirit and joy this year than any I can remember.

I love looking at the tree every single day through my daughter's eyes. When those lights kick on it is as if the toddler is seeing their magical beauty for the first time! It is so fun to see her drop whatever toy she was playing with and hurry over saying "lights! lights!" My preschooler enjoys indulging her in this joy as well but is more excited herself about those wrapped boxes with her name on them. 

The anticipation is so fun for me too. I can't wait to see their expressions as they open their gifts. I'm sure there will be some commentary by our four-year-old that will make us chuckle as always. And we get the added blessing this year of getting to take our time and just enjoy the day at home with the girls playing with their presents. 

I'm grateful to feel anticipation this year. I'm grateful to feel giddy just planning the menu for the next several days. I'm grateful for the joy of this season and to get to experience it as I have heard so many people describing it for so many years. I'm grateful to have a beautiful family to celebrate with, not just on Christmas, but every day. I'm grateful to get caught up in my children's excitement. I'm grateful for the joy I feel and the gift of celebrating.

What parts of the season are you eager to celebrate? What makes you feel giddy and excited? And if for you the answer is "it being over", know you are not alone in that. Many, many people (myself included most years) feel that way this time of year. There is nothing wrong with that, just allow yourself the excitement of whatever moment you are anticipating. 

May today fill us with anticipation. May we find joy in this season. May we celebrate the things that bring us excitement. Have a beautiful day!

This weekend was filled with moments of heartfelt connection. It started with a beautiful card from my wonderful mother-in-law. It was such a kind note and it really made my heart overflow!

Then Saturday evening I got to have an (online) girls' night. It was nice being able to snuggle up, laugh and chat with girlfriends that I don't get to see these days. It filled a part of my heart that I didn't even realize had been desperately in need.

Today I got to watch football with my family and chase my little ones around. It may not sound like a big deal, and it is true we do this pretty much every week; none-the-less it is one of my favorite times. I love being with my family. I love that connection. I love watching the beautiful roles and balance of everyone together.

I'm grateful for a beautiful weekend. I'm grateful for all the ways my heart soared this weekend. I'm grateful for my mother-in-laws thoughtfulness. I'm grateful she took the time to write such kind words. I'm grateful for the reminder how nice it is to receive a handwritten note in the mail and make a mental note to send some out as well. I'm grateful for ways to connect with friends at a distance. I'm grateful to find ways to "get together" online in meaningful ways. I'm grateful for time with family.

What makes your heart fly high? What makes your cup runneth over? What makes you feel loved? How are you finding ways to connect and fill these needs?

May today give us the meaningful connections we need. May we allow our hearts to soar and find ways to gift the same to others. Have a beautiful day!

Often in the past I really struggled with the holiday season. The added stress of the holiday season combined with less sunlight and cold temperatures tended to put me in a funk. As I mark the last day of November I can't help but feel a little different this year.

I'm not saying these same things definitely won't happen as the season progresses, but this year feels different. It HAS been different in just about every area of life. As I look at what needs done this year, it doesn't feel so overwhelming. 

The day after Thanksgiving we set up our tree and put out decorations. We decided to keep the decorating pretty simple this year with a toddler around. At the same time I was eager to decorate this year and even open to listening to Christmas music. Since we are all home more this year there is more family time to enjoy the activities of the season. In fact, some things like making sugar cookies can even be planned into our homeschool lessons. 

The list of activities and social functions we need to attend is much smaller...as in nearly non-existent. I don't need to make six cheeseballs and four dozen cookies to divide up between parties, neighbors, and friends. I can still gift to those nearby but mostly I just need to worry about us which is no different than every other day of the year. The craziest part, my kids might actually get to just hang out in their pajamas on Christmas and enjoy their gifts instead of being rushed off to see family. 

I LOVE our family traditions. I love seeing all the aunts, uncles, and cousins from both sides of my parents' large families. I love catching up with everyone and celebrating being together. The thought of all these special moments being canceled made me sad at first. But as I let the reality set in and come to terms with this year...I have to admit the slower pace and just being with my immediate family sounds kind of nice. 

We have the opportunity to build something new. We have the opportunity to make some new traditions. How do we want to spend our time? What activities do we want to make time for even once things go back to normal? This year offers us a blank slate and endless possibilities. I am excited to see what we will build and which things will be continued as we move through the years.

I'm grateful to be forced to shake things up this year. I'm grateful to see the other extreme of what's possible for the holiday season. I'm grateful to know that this knowledge will serve me well as I pick and choose which activities we give our energy to in the future. I'm grateful for a large close family. I'm grateful for my wonderful little family too. I'm grateful for traditions and for the opportunity to create some new traditions. I'm grateful to build this season in a new way that may just be the answer to really enjoying the season. I'm grateful to decorate with my family. I'm grateful to cherish this time with my girls and relish in their excitement and joy.

How will you build this season? What are your favorite traditions? 

May this year be a gift in its own way. May we reconnect with the true meaning of the season and cherish the traditions that remain. Have a beautiful day!

Today was the perfect day to just go to the park and let the stress of the world blow away. We got to meet up with a couple friends, play on a secluded playground that we had to ourselves and have a picnic lunch. It really cleared the anxious energy I have been feeling lately between the pandemic and the election and brought me back to the present moment.

Watching the girls laugh and play was music to my ears. Even with the occasional skirmish that happens amongst preschoolers, it was a very pleasant morning. It was so healing for my older daughter to see her friends, the baby to see people at all, and me to see my amazing mom friends. It really helped us all come back into balance.

I'm grateful for the beautiful weather. I'm grateful for the fun times with friends. I'm grateful for a nice walk around the pond. I'm grateful to find a playground that was secluded and perfect for our small playdate. I'm grateful for this area having so many parks to allow for new places to go. I'm grateful for a delicious, healthy lunch. I'm grateful for the ringing of laughter and to watch my little one begin to warm up and play too. I'm grateful for how the bigger girls look out for the little girls. I'm grateful for all the sharing and kindness. I'm grateful for a reprieve and to just be in the moment. 

What is your perfect day "off"? How do you bring yourself back to being in the moment? What is your favorite way to play?

May today bring us balance in whatever way it is needed. May we find the gust of fresh air we need to move forward with optimism. May we give gratitude for the people in our lives that bring us joy. Have a beautiful day!