I was offered a rare opportunity today to play solely with my baby. My preschooler gets at least one stretch if not two each day of having my sole attention while her sister naps. The baby unfortunately only gets my attention in the brief time we are doing her bedtime routine, no real play time together without her big sister.

While I am still trying to figure out how to find more of this special connection time with my baby; today I will simply celebrate and cherish the time. My preschooler was off with her dad and at first I wasn't even sure what to do with my little one. She was playing with some toys and I sat next to her and sung a couple songs but still didn't feel like we were connecting. 

Her favorite "toy" right now is the ball pit. We put a little foam stairs and slide over the wall so she could crawl in and out herself. So I called her name and then crawled over to the ball pit. She watched me with a big grin and then gave chase. I crawled up the little steps and let myself dive face-first down the slide like she does into the ball pit. She thought that was great and came tumbling in after me.

Between me and the slide most of the ball pit was taken up but she didn't mind. She was perfectly content to crawl all over me, showing me balls. We threw them and "clapped" them and sung about them. I even squeezed myself through the tunnel as I followed her around playing. It was a beautiful connection and reminded me more than ever how important these moments are and encourage me to find more time for this. 

I'm so grateful to just dive in and be silly. I'm grateful to have this beautiful time with my little one. I'm so grateful for how well she plays by herself but I'm grateful she was willing to let me play too. I'm grateful for the joy she gets from the ball pit. I'm grateful to not mind having to clean up 200 balls for the joy it brings. I'm grateful to also have a preschooler that will help clean up those balls. I'm grateful for special dad-daughter time for my older daughter just as much as I am grateful for the special time with each of my girls. I'm grateful to be blessed to get to be home most of each day so I can have these moments to cherish.

What moments do you cherish? When do you "dive-in" and connect with people?

May today remind us the beauty of the simple moments together. May we make time for those who are most important to us. Have a beautiful day!

There are so many things in my everyday life that get taken for granted. I try to make a conscious effort to recognize my blessings in my family and in certain events or celebrations. I even try to find the gratitude in events that go awry or disappoint. Yet there are still so many things each day that I take for granted. Today I would like to pay tribute to a fraction of them (because if I truly listed everything it would be never ending).

I'm grateful for the sofa where I can sit comfortably to type this blog. (I'm grateful to have found new cushions to go in them to renew their firmness myself.) I'm grateful for my computer and wireless internet. I'm grateful for services like Weebly that help non-tech people like me succeed at having a website and blog. And I'm grateful for search engines that help people find it when they are needing something positive in their lives.

I'm grateful for lights that can click on at my command. I'm grateful for electricity that powers so much in my home. I'm grateful to be able to afford this luxury even through the shelter-in-place. 

I'm grateful for a kindle to give me access to more books than my shelves can hold. I'm grateful for a wonderful library system that supplies free books I may otherwise not see. I'm grateful for all my paper books that feel so great in my hand. I'm grateful for an abundance of children's books to read with my girls.

I'm grateful for carseats for my kids to keep them safe. I'm grateful to be blessed enough to have carseats in both cars so I don't have to struggle with trying to install them right each time. I'm grateful to get new "big girl" carseats for my baby as she approaches her first birthday. I'm also grateful for two reliable vehicles in our family. 

I'm grateful for a whole closet of arts and craft supplies. I'm grateful my oldest daughter loves arts and crafts almost as much as I do. I'm grateful to find fun activities on Pinterest. I'm grateful to have a place to look to see everyone's ideas from food to home decor to kids activities all in one place.

I'm grateful for a refrigerator and freezer that keeps our food fresh and allows us to not have to go to the store every day. I'm grateful for bulk garlic...seriously. I'm grateful my girls seem to be pretty good eaters so we can try new things. I'm grateful for all the restaurants around this area to give us lots of options if we want a special treat. 

I'm grateful for clothing, especially the pieces that look nice and make me feel good. I'm grateful to spend a lot of time during this shelter-in-place weeding through my closet and finding lots of great clothes that I can give to someone who needs them more than I do. I'm grateful to find things all over the house to give from extra curtains and placemats to books.

I'm grateful for cameras to let me capture the sweet moments and the hilarious ones. I'm grateful to get to document my girls growing up. 

I'm grateful for coffee tables that hold everything from drinks to books to diaper changing supplies. I'm grateful for cabinets and pantries that allow things to be put away. I'm grateful for blankets to snuggle under and pillows to help me sleep. 

I'm grateful for an amazing shower. I'm grateful for hand soap and shampoo and all the things that make getting clean easier. I'm grateful for supplies like a vacuum and mop to keep the house clean too. I'm grateful for a washer and dryer here at home to make cleaning our clothes more convenient.

I'm grateful to have cloth diapers to help our trash volume. I'm grateful to have a sprayer and everything I need to make cloth diapers easier to use. I'm grateful for all the resources out there to help me in raising my kids the best I can. 

I could keep going but for now I will stop. The point is there is so much around me to be grateful for each day that I take for granted. When I stop to focus on all that I can't help but feel gratitude surging through me. 

What are you grateful for today? What is around you that you are taking for granted? How many gratitudes can you come up with in ten minutes?

May today remind us our bountiful blessings. May we remember to give thanks for what we have and focus on gratitude. Have a beautiful day!

My oldest daughter and I were reading a new library book today. It is called "The Rabbit Listened." (by Cori Doerrfeld). It was one of those beautiful books that is relatable to kids on so many levels and yet is almost more for the parents. 

The story is about all the different responses different people may have to something going wrong. They may try to fix it for the person or talk it through with them. Yet often times what people need is just to be listened to, truly heard.

It made me realize how often I do this with my daughter. How I try to fix the problem or navigate her around the feelings or through them faster. But these take away her own power and ability to learn how to move through them herself. Children, just like everybody, need someone to just listen.

From the child sad about their blocks falling down to the people protesting in the streets and everything in between; people want to be heard. People need more "rabbits" willing to listen. We need more people willing to let us sort it out to an unbiased, listening ear. And we need to remember as much as we need to be heard, so do the other people talking. 

I'm grateful to lend an ear. I'm grateful for this beautiful book. I'm grateful to see how I can do better. I'm grateful to take this as a beautiful message and not hold any guilt for yesterday as I grow toward tomorrow. I'm grateful to let go of what I did wrong when I didn't know better. I'm grateful for all the "rabbits" in my life. I'm grateful for all the times I was able to be a "rabbit". I'm grateful to make a commitment to do more listening.

Who is needing an ear today? Who is reaching out to you, not for advice, but to be heard? Can you give them this gift? Who can you talk to that will give you this gift?

May today open our ears and our hearts. May we encourage our children to claim their power as we listen to them. May we make this world a better place by listening first. Have a beautiful day!

There was a lot of renewal in this weekend. From getting to go drop off a present to a friend in her driveway to getting to have a cautious lunch with another friend, it was good to start feeling some reconnection. It was good to get a little slice of normalcy added back into my life.

I was able to place a grocery order and actually receive the things I requested. It felt good to not feel a sense of scarcity. We were privileged in that the lack of some items early on did not strongly effect our ability to make our normal meals; but it was nice to see things back in stock all the same.

We also got to witness history, with our very excited preschooler, as we watched the Falcon 9 and its Dragon capsule's blast off. It was fun to get swept up in the excitement and the countdown. It was fun to see astronauts getting sent up to the space station. Even though this is not so uncommon, it was good to bear witness and to feel a sense of connectedness with the other people across the country tuning in for the event.

I'm so grateful for all that happened this weekend to restore my spirit. I'm grateful for the boost seeing friends gave me, even if the situations and interactions were different. I'm grateful to get to watch history being made. I'm grateful to see progress and forward movement even as things have felt a little stuck this Spring. I'm grateful to have built more confidence in returning to work fully this week. I'm grateful for all the small reminders of normalcy and abundance all around me when I choose to look. 

What bits of normalcy are you needing? What reminders can you find in your daily life to remind you this pandemic is temporary? What can you celebrate with gratitude today?

May today bring ways to reconnect safely with each other. May we find abundance in what we seek and support in all we do. Have a beautiful day!

Today may be Sunday, but it is the Sunday before Memorial Day. Without work tomorrow, today feels more like a Saturday. For that matter, the last four days have felt like Saturday.

My husband took off work last Wednesday through Friday for our anniversary. The plan was to do a little family camping but that plan fell through. Instead we did things around home with our girls and knocked out a few projects as well. But each day felt like Saturday with no one working and the schedule open. 

Have you seen the movie Groundhog's Day? Bill Murray keeps reliving the same day over and over again. The last five days have been our groundhog's day but in the very best of ways.

We had a picnic and played outside a lot with the drone and bubbles. We filled the water table then watched as the girls splashed it empty again. We played games with the girls and knocked out projects during their nap times. My husband and I got to watch shows and even a movie together! It is amazing how much can fit in a day when both parents are home and tuned in!

Tomorrow is Memorial Day. It is a day of remembrance. It is also the last day for us to knock out our projects before I head back to work. Most of all it is a day to remember what is truly important and spend time with family. 

It has been a truly beautiful stay-cation week. I'm so grateful to cross some things off our list. I'm grateful to get to spend time together as a family. I'm grateful for a fun impromptu picnic. I'm grateful to do several carry-out food orders as we have not eaten out much during this shelter-in-place. I'm grateful for the joy on my girls' faces as we spend time with them. I'm grateful to watch my husband try to play Barbies with our eldest. I'm grateful for the quality time my husband and I got together. I'm grateful our dog is back on her meds and feeling good. I'm grateful to have gotten this opportunity.

What day would you like to repeat for several days? What would you do with the time? Who would you share the time?

May today remind us what is important. May we take time to reflect tomorrow and remember those whom we have lost. May we also focus on who is important to us here and now and let them know. Have a beautiful day! 

Today we needed a Wacky Wednesday. I say we because while I say I do it for my preschooler, and she does love it, I needed the silliness just as much today. I needed to dust off the funk of some added stress that I let collect over the past week. 

It takes a bit of time the night before to set things up. I drag out a few random Halloween and Christmas decorations to tuck around the house. This time I hung up the Happy Birthday sign, backwards. I took a page out of Dr. Seuss' Wacky Wednesday book and put some shoes up on top of windows or in the bookshelf. I turned some photos upside down. 

It was well worth it seeing my daughter's excitement. It was worth it to connect to my creative craziness. It was worth it to reconnect to my inner child and dress up some of my daughter's toys in costumes. And even with this prep and set up my daughter encouraged me to take it a step further. 

So breakfast I hid her cereal in a different container so it looked like I was giving her something else for breakfast. I gave her a milk popsicle with breakfast instead of a cup of milk. And lunch was a wacky face grinning back at her. 

I'm grateful for a fun day. I'm grateful to let my crazy side shine. I'm grateful for the look on my daughter's face. I'm grateful to have as much fun as my preschooler does making Wacky Wednesday special. I'm grateful for the way my daughter can encourage me to take it even further and think bigger. I'm grateful for laughs and fun. I'm grateful to dust off the funk. I'm grateful for food faces. I'm grateful for this time to connect with my kids.

What is the wackiest thing in your day? How do you use your creativity to make the day better?

May today remind us to just laugh. May we always keep in touch with our inner preschooler and encourage ourselves to let loose. Have a beautiful day!

Last night brought the little sleep but lots of cuddles that motherhood frequently brings. I will admit the lack of sleep had me a bit impatient this morning and yes, a little grumpy. While I love the snuggles and those precious moments with my girls it takes its toll.

Thankfully I am "armed" with a whole bag full of resources. Usually after the baby's morning nap we either do a dance party or an obstacle course to get some energy out before lunch. Today I was more in the mood for yoga as my energy was dragging. 

My preschooler recently re-discovered my Laughter Yoga Big Book of Exercises. She really likes taking my big book of kids yoga exercises and flipping through to create her own flow. So I offered her the same option with my Laughter Yoga book today. 

In just five minutes of hearty laughter exercises I was feeling refreshed and re-energized. Of course, we didn't stop after only five minutes; we worked our way through a third of that big book! After lunch and getting both girls down for nap, doing my course work, doing some photo editing as well as assisting my husband with some things I can feel my energy starting to sag again. But I still have time for a quick breather and I know I can bring my energy back up with a little silliness and help from my girls.

I'm grateful for laughter. I'm grateful to just be silly. I'm grateful for the ways my girls keep me young. I'm grateful for all the resources I have picked up on my unusual journey. I'm grateful for all the trails I have explored. I'm grateful for Laughter Yoga and the great community it brought me. I'm grateful to pass on this tool to my girls. I'm grateful for their laughter and even for their looks of "she's lost her mind" that spur my own laughter. I'm grateful for this beautiful life.

When was the last time you had a good, long, loud laugh? Who could you call and share a laugh with today?

May today remind us laughter is the best medicine. May we keep taking those deep breaths and deep laughs that keep our body, mind, spirit, and lungs healthy. Have a beautiful day!

Today I am drawing on something I learned several years ago. I read a positive psychology article about the power of planning a vacation. The article said feelings of happiness increased just by planning a trip and that happiness was actually higher in the planning a trip than actually taking it. Basically taking the trip added the stress element of hiccups in the plan and the stress that travel can bring. 

Well I am sitting in a great place then! We all are. We have plenty of time to dream and plan that trip we want to take. So today, I dream! I plan big! I imagine that month long trip with my family in our new tent or, hey, maybe that camper we have been dreaming about will be added. 

At the same time I am looking back through old pictures. For Christmas I got a picture frame, one of those huge picture frames that holds like 24 pictures. I decided it would be fun to add some of my first born's baby pictures into the frame as well as the recent photos. It is always fun seeing how similar the girls looked at different stages. 

I'm grateful to use some creativity to boost the mood. It may be raining outside but on my vacation it will be sunshine and cool breezes! I'm grateful for something to help my mind wander. I'm grateful for my girls that keep the days so busy. I'm grateful for all the beautiful pictures we have of our girls. I'm grateful for strong genes that make it fun to see the stages of each girl. I'm grateful for their differences too. I'm grateful for time to think and space to dream.

Where would you go if you could go anywhere? What pictures bring you joy? Do you have them up where you can easily see them?

May today remind us to keep dreaming and imagining our best life. May we dream bigger and love deeper as we re-emerge in the world. Have a beautiful day!

I love traditions. I love doing the same things for holidays year after year. I love spending holidays with the people I love, laughing and eating good food. 

Given the statements above you may be thinking that this Easter was a bust. Surprisingly, it had most of the elements I cherish most. I spent last night setting up the elements of Easter. There was an indoor egg hunt (due to weather) and Easter baskets filled and set out on the table.

Today we woke, showered, and dressed in our fancy Easter outfits. The girls had their excitement finding their Easter baskets and I got to go around with my eldest as she enjoyed the indoor egg hunt. We had bunny shaped pancakes and eggs for breakfast followed by a little taste of some Easter basket goodies.

My husband cooked a twelve pound ham as if the whole family were coming over and I prepared the green beans and roasted butternut squash.

We ate our feast during a video chat with my parents and siblings. I wish we could have sent some food over to them but it was still nice to get to eat and chat like a "normal" family lunch. Most importantly we shared laughter. In fact we shared an hour and a half of conversation, even moving from the table to allow the girls to play after our meal. 

Nap time was late and short as is typical for a Sunday or holiday. The afternoon allowed us some play time followed by getting to have another video chat with my mother-in-law. It wasn't the same as having her here in person but it was nice to hear her voice and laugh. Another nearly hour flew by and we found ourselves saying goodbye as it hit dinner time. Thank goodness for leftovers and kids that are good eaters!

Today wasn't exactly what I would have chosen if I had full options of how to spend our holiday, but it ticked the boxes as best we could of the elements that were important to us.

I'm grateful for lots of family "togetherness". I'm grateful to play with my kids. I'm grateful for egg hunts and dyed Easter eggs. I'm grateful for goodies from the Easter bunny. I'm grateful for laughter and good food. I'm grateful for my husband's ability to prepare food for an army, whether or not anyone is actually coming over. I'm also grateful for his knack for making delicious recipes, glazes, and spice combinations that always seem to encourage me being way too full at the end of a meal. I'm grateful for this Easter that was the best it could be. I'm grateful for the reminder of what is important during the holidays and cherish all the ones to come that will bring us back together.

What is most important to you at the holidays? What elements fill your heart and soul?

May today remind us what is important. May we strive to make the best of every situation and fill our souls with the elements that are most important to us. Have a beautiful day! 

April Fools Day usually brings at least a couple pranks throughout the day. Perhaps more so for me because I work with my brother and some things don't change as you grow up. It is always good for a laugh. 

This year we are still under a shelter-at-home restriction. We didn't play pranks on each other but we still shared plenty of laughs. My three year old and I even did some Laughter Yoga together to get the laughs really flowing. The baby even joined in with some pretty good belly laughs. 

We enjoyed a fun evening together and reaped the benefit of lots of morning baking. Between blueberry muffins and quiche, pizza and brownies we were well fed. The sun was shining. We enjoyed books, obstacle course, and cheering for each of the girls as they showed off their skills. 

I'm grateful for these moments together. I'm grateful for a fun day of cooking together with my preschooler. I'm grateful for some sweet treats. I'm grateful to get to be here to watch as the baby is SO close to crawling. I'm grateful for what good, sweet sisters they are together. I'm grateful to see their love and adoration of each other. I'm grateful to get to chat with family on the phone today to help (especially) me and my three year old feel connected to our loved ones. I'm grateful to be making the best of the different circumstances this year and find ways to add laughter to our day.

What makes you laugh? How can you find some comic relief in your week? 

​May today remind us the healing power of laughter. May we choose to incorporate the things that bring us joy and balance into each day. Have a beautiful day!