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!

Sometimes I forget just how easy it is to travel without a care. Luckily I have a four year old to help remind me. In a few hours time we managed to visit a bear cave, have a snowball fight indoors, and go camping with about twelve animals ranging from hedgehog to unicorn. 

I have wrote in the past about the studies that show planning a trip can elevate your mood. In the studies it was found that while planning a trip increases happiness, sometimes actually taking the trip decreased that same happiness due to stress and logistics. It is sometimes more fun to plan the perfect vacation that actually take it.

This study suits me well as I do absolutely love planning trips. I enjoy researching what the best off-the-beaten-path activities are and imagining how fun it would be. Yet it is also true that I do tend to stress and overpack in the days or hours before the actual trip. It is always still well worth the getaway but skipping the stressing part is definitely a fine goal for me. 

My four year old has the solution. Even if we are camping on the moon and we forget something, we just grab it. It is like we never forgot it at all. Plus when I camp with her the s'mores are always perfect looking and I never end up sticky. It is no problem to climb a mountain and cuddle in with some hibernating bears. And if something better comes along, you just change the scenery of your mind. 

I'm grateful for a day of play. I'm grateful for our fun snowball fight that didn't even require a jacket. I'm grateful to get to go camping and even get to hold the special lantern. I'm grateful for the delicious s'mores that left no mess. I'm grateful to watch my daughter's mind at work as she spins the story for me and navigates me to which role I am supposed to play. I'm grateful to get to be the "kid" and let her handle all the cooking and camp set up. I'm especially grateful for sweet laughs and hugs shared. 

Where would you go if you were planning a trip in real life? Where would you go if just in your imagination? What wild activities would you dare to do in your fantasies? Which of those things would you be willing to push your comfort zone and try in real life?

May today open up our possibilities if even just in our imaginations. May we remember how important the mind is in creating our life and world. Have a beautiful day!

Today nature was calling. It is rare to get a day in the fifties in January. Even though it hadn't neared its peak temperature and the clouds were heavily in place, we decided to get outside and go to the park today.

My little one woke early so she was pretty tired and mostly observed from the stroller. My oldest cruised the whole time on her bike. Some places were still a bit icy where the shadow of trees hadn't melted it away but really that just added to the adventure. My preschooler really enjoyed trying to ride on the ice. And we all got to take in the beauty of Canadian Geese, Mallard Ducks, assorted other small wildlife, and even saw two trains up close! 

It was a so refreshing to be outside. Usually in the winter I am snuggled up in layers avoiding going out. I'm still not a fan of being cold but I made a mental commitment this year to see if getting outside more in the winter would also help the seasonal affective disorder. It really does seem to make a big difference! There is always a nice warm home to come back to, thankfully, to thaw in later. 

What elevates your mood? What invigorates you? What motivates you to try something new or do something you normally wouldn't? 

I'm grateful to get outside today. I'm grateful to be keeping my commitment to get outdoors this winter. I'm grateful my girls love being outside and the cold doesn't seem to bother them. I'm grateful for warm hats and coats. I'm grateful for a cute knitted hat. I'm grateful for a warm fuzzy blanket now that I am back inside. I'm grateful for strollers that allow tired little ones to cruise along and keep up. I'm equally grateful to slow down a bit when they want to walk and participate more fully. I'm grateful and proud for how well my preschooler is doing with her bike. I'm grateful for the multitude of questions she can come up with that make me slow down and really see things I otherwise would have missed. I'm grateful for so many beautiful parks to choose from in our area. I'm grateful for some that even have some flatter trails for beginner bikers. I'm grateful for the fresh air and feeling the coolness as it went into my lungs. I'm grateful to watch my breath as it curled and floated back out into the world. I'm grateful for these beautiful little moments.

May today be the breath of fresh air we needed. May we choose to push ourselves to grow and love each minute of the process. 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!

This weekend was a great weekend. It was complete with some quality time with my husband, getting some yard work done, a bonfire, seeing family, and skeeball.

Hands down the best moments were when my four year old beat me at skeeball (my favorite game) not once, but twice! She also won against her aunt! I mean how does that even happen?! We laughed so hard!

Another beautiful moment this weekend was my 18 month old repeatedly asking to play with my Barbie. Yes, yes, I have my own Barbie doll. It is Breathe with Me Barbie and she has been a great tool in mindfulness to use with my four year old during our homeschool time. My four year old is okay with it but the baby LOVES it. She will say "Mommy, Barbie please?" Then she will take a deep breath in and let it out saying "ahhh", just like Barbie. It is adorable and such a good practice to start. 

There was plenty of external stressors that I'm sure were going on but for the most part we just tuned them out this weekend and found our center again. It was much needed and so very gratifying. 

Sometimes we just need a reset. While there may not be a physical button we can push to gain that reset; there are plenty of opportunities to achieve it. 

I'm grateful for lots of deep breaths in. I'm grateful for all the "ahhh"s we breathed out. I'm grateful to laugh some breaths out as well. I'm grateful for such a fun weekend. I'm grateful to take time and commit to resetting. I'm grateful for my kind, caring, and adorable children. I'm grateful to get to connect with my husband. I'm grateful for the smell of bonfire smoke and to get the yard cleared a little too. I'm grateful for Joseph Fourestier Simpson for inventing such a fun, family-friendly game and to my brother for his extensive and awesome game room.

How do you prefer to exhale? What is your favorite way to reset? When was the last time you took time to let it all "ahhh"t?

​May today remind us to take time to re-center. May we find bliss and gratitude waiting as we reset. 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!

We all know we have some choice in how we spend our money. Yes, there are bills that have to be paid and sometimes that eats up a good portion of the income. We always have a say though in which bills are important and what we will do with any extra money. 

Time is the same way. We have a choice in how we spend it. Yes, there is work that needs done so we can have money but there are plenty of other hours in the day too. 

It is said that we show our priorities by what we actually make time for in the day. Sure we can talk about what is important but if we don't actually commit any time to it, then is it really a priority? 

We can all agree 2020 has been a weird year. It hasn't all been bad by any means. It has pushed the comfort levels and opened our eyes to different opportunities and different means of getting things done. 

Tomorrow is the last day of 2020. How will you choose to spend it? Will you choose to spend it reflecting on the beautiful moments of this past year? Will you look forward to what beauty you want to create in the year to come? Will you perhaps choose to take some of the changes this year brought and voluntarily continue them in the coming year? Will you celebrate with gratitude or relief?

I'm so grateful for all this year has taught me. I'm grateful for all the moments of beauty and connection this year blessed me and my family. I'm grateful for a year of truly mixing things up. I'm grateful to see how my family plays a big role in my ability to stay grounded and roll with change. I'm grateful to maintain contact with the grandparents. I'm grateful for health. I'm grateful for joy. I'm grateful for togetherness. I'm grateful to know true love. I'm grateful for the year ahead and the blending of the old normal with a new normal. I'm grateful to keep the aspects of this year that warmed my heart while looking forward to the return of some other things, hopefully, before the next year passes. 

May today remind us to look back with gratitude and ahead with hope. May we find blessings no matter which way we look. 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!

As I busied myself making the final arrangements and tidying up for the holiday, it occurred to me that it is time for a well earned break. Everything that really needs done is done.

Sure there are a few details that still could be taken care. These tiny details are not important. The cob web in the upstairs hall will be just fine until next week. There is no reason to try and cram a weeks worth of cleaning into one or two days, especially at the holidays. 

It is larger than just cleaning. We have been doing homeschooling since the beginning of September and, aside from a sick day, have not taken any breaks. Part of the reason is my daughter loves the time together so much that she can hardly wait for Monday to roll back around again. But I think we have both earned a Christmas break and we can find some other fun way to spend time together like playing games and reading books. 

I have also gifted myself a week off work. Between the rising covid cases and the number of clients who will be celebrating the holidays with family it just makes sense to take a little break. It will be well worth the peace of mind and a good time for me to rebalance and return refreshed. 

I'm grateful to be reminded it is good to slow down and even stop sometimes. It is good to find the balance. I'm grateful to gift myself time off from work, teaching, and cleaning. I'm grateful for my husband's help in getting ready for the holidays this year. I'm grateful for the festivities that will begin tomorrow. I'm grateful to take a deep breath and just enjoy this moment. I'm grateful for the excitement of the season and to find a balance with rest and peace as well.

What are you giving yourself for Christmas? Does what you are receiving bring you joy and peace? How do you find balance during the holiday season?

May today remind us to be generous with others and ourselves. May we find balance in letting things go. And may we find beauty in the celebrations of the season. 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!