Brussel Sprouts, Tofu, and Kale, Oh My!



Cooked Brussels sprouts

A few months ago, I stepped out of my food {pasta} box when a friend pointed out the Brussels sprouts with olive oil and garlic at Trader Joe's. I instantly turned my nose up to the idea, I could practically smell the dirty gym socks I associated these mini cabbages with. Then I decided to step out of my pasta box and give them a try. Wow. No, I mean wow! In an instant they became a favorite. I eat them weekly, sometimes more and often as a meal. I pan fry them instead of steaming them {can you smell the gym socks?} and that sealed the deal.

Ugh, tofu. I won't lie, I'm not a fan of the Big T. For me it's a texture thing and honestly it makes me gag. I know, being a vegetarian I'm supposed to love it, but it's a hard one to love. It gets mushy in your mouth when you expect it to be firm and maybe a bit of a crunch to it. Nope. Nada.  Gag.  Well, that is not until I discovered baked tofu. Thank you to whoever came up with that brilliant idea! I've tried baking tofu before but it's a lot of work and honestly it's just annoying. Enter, the goodness of someone else baking your tofu. It's smaller in size than your normal packed in water tofu, probably because there isn't any water in it. I don't pretend to know what it's about, I just cube it, pop it on a frying pan with a little olive or coconut oil and poof, I've got a delicious salad topper, snack, or the protein of a meal. I honestly crave this. And Bug enjoys it too so I really can't complain.

Sesame Kale

Kale. That nasty, bitter green that's so good for you but tastes horrible. You know it, the super food that's been all over the news. The one that's packed with all those amazing vitamins and nutrients and blah blah blah. I tried doing kale chips, those were good but you have to eat them in one sitting or they get soggy and that's no good. I tried blending it in a smoothie, I couldn't choke it down and there was no fooling Bug. But then a few weeks ago I came across sesame kale at the co-op. It was amazing. Seriously! It didn't even taste like kale and the ingredients were simple enough I decided to give it a go at home. Seriously, I ate 3 huge bowls of it {in one sitting} and I can't wait to eat more tomorrow. 



Ice water with a cucumber slice. Refreshing on a hot day!

These are three things I've thought we're less than palatable but have come to my vegetarian senses and now love them. Have you found yourself doing the same thing? Have you previously turned your nose up to something only to realize you really love it? I raise my fork to stepping out of the box and trying something new. 

-Jess



Deliciousness cooking



Brussels Sprouts

Olive oil

Fresh garlic, minced

salt and pepper

Parmesan cheese

Wash the Brussels sprouts, remove the bottom part and cut in half.  Add olive oil in a pan and heat over med heat.  Add garlic, Brussels sprouts and salt and pepper and cook until tender-crunchy and browned on some sides.  Add some Parmesan cheese just before serving.  

Sesame Kale

Bunch of Kale

sesame oil

soy sauce

garlic

pepper

sesame seeds, toasted slightly

Wash and dry the kale, tear it into bite sized pieces.  Mix equal parts sesame oil and soy sauce together in a bowl.  Add garlic and pepper and blend together.  Toss over kale.  Add sesame seeds and get ready for something you totally wouldn't expect!

A broken dryer, a week with no iPhone and sun = my bliss!

A few weeks ago our dryer started making this awful squealing sound. Come to find out it's the belt that needs to be replaced. Babe tried to fix it and I got a couple of loads washed and dried but for the most part I've been relying on the good old clothesline to do the job! I have to admit that I absolutely love it. Each morning I wash a load and hang one on the line to dry. The morning sun beaming down as I clip each article of clothing to the line and the sound of the kids playing in the background makes me smile. I love the smell as I hang the freshly washed clothes. So for now, our dryer has yet to be replaced and as long as the sun keeps shining I could get used to this!

It's been a whole week with no iPhone. Yes, I have survived! It's been a tough week but also a very refreshing week. I made the switch last Tuesday and I walked out feeling a sense of freedom. That followed by a feeling of panic; what if I miss an email or miss a good "deal" because I didn't get the alert or what if I need the map to help direct me. It's been a week of mixed emotions but I am starting to really enjoy this new found freedom. I don't feel as though I need to have it with me at all moments of the day, attached to me like another limb. I have now put down my basic phone and have begun to enjoy the simple pleasures that surround me. The sound of my children laughing, the smell of clothes drying on the line, birds chirping and the beautiful glowing sun. I have started running and am training for a half marathon in August (with my sister and a good friend!) and I look forward to my runs each day. I used to look forward to Instagram or Pinterest or Facebook but now I'm finding other things that make me happy. Perhaps it's the season and all the sun or perhaps it's the fact that I've been running more or maybe it really is because I've given up something that I was once so reliant on. Whatever it is, I'm feeling happy and have more energy. The bored moments within the day, because yes being with children all day solo can get a bit boring at times, I'm not reaching for a device. Instead, I'm sitting back being bored watching them play or puttering around planting my gardens, washing dishes, cooking, or reading a few pages in a magazine or book.


It's amazing what a broken dryer and a disconnect from the smartphone world can do for a mama! I am happy and I think I really am on to something by putting the do it all phone away and going back to the basics. I am enjoying my kids and I am certain that they are enjoying having me fully present. They are relishing in reading books with mama or playing hockey/baseball in the driveway with me or cooking. My hubby too is enjoying me not having my nose in a phone when he's home!{For the record, there are times that I make calls when my kids are awake and there are times that I check something on the internet; I am not completely disconnected, just disconnected from a carry with me all the time iPhone!!} It's a change, a huge change when you get used to having one, but in the end I've learned that nothing is as important as watching my kids grow and creating memories with them.

So here's to another three weeks sans iPhone and hopefully longer after that.. I think I've realized now that I can do it!

-Megs

The First Last Day of School

Hello Friends,  it has been a while.  It's amazing how fast time slips by, isn't it?

Today was our last day at Waldorf School and it was bitter sweet saying goodbye.  We've made some amazing friends along the way and it was hard saying goodbye.  But summer is upon us and that means sunshine, travel, spending lots of time outside and hopefully a lot of camping.  

What we've learned at the Waldorf School will certainly follow us this summer.  It's taught me to slow down and enjoy life but especially my daughter.  I've learned that the things I thought were a big deal really aren't and the little things that didn't seem to matter really do.  Like looking for bugs, and how beautiful flowers really truly are, but mostly to slow down and enjoy the adventure, that it's about the journey not the destination.

Bug doesn't do well with goodbye's so she pretty much hung back and hugged Bia (her blanket).  We all promised we'd keep in touch and have plans to get together already.  There is also going to be an informal gathering at a local park each week for the kids to play and the parents to talk, which I'm looking forward to (anyone who's in the Madison area who's interested, contact me here and I can send you the information).  The idea is to build community so everyone is invited, Waldorf or not.

I'm grateful for all I've learned and for the friends I've made.  Bug and I will miss our Monday Waldorf days, but we've come away with something beautiful.  New friends.

Each class we end with circle time.  There's one song that the kids love to sing and I think it's perfect to end with it. 

"Make new friends, but keep the old.

 One is silver and the others gold.

 The circle grows, it has not end.

 That's how long I want to be your friend." 

~Jess

These are the felt projects we've been working on each week. 

The names we trust...

When J was a baby I was showered with all sorts of "name brand" products. Johnson and Johnson lotion and soap, Desitin, Pampers and Huggies, Dreft laundry soap, Banana Boat sunscreen for kids... The list goes on. My decision to cloth diaper him at five months jump started a transformation in me that has since become a bit of an obsession! The big kicker for me came when J was a year and a half and we were told to watch the movie 'Food Inc'. Wow, I think that's all I can muster. It was a life changing movie for both Z and me and we have since completely changed the way we live.

I research anything and everything I put on or in my kids bodies. I was amazed to find that many of these "name brand" products are actually filled with soo many chemicals. Some of which are cancer causing agents. What a scary thought to think I am putting these things on my brand new little baby.

At first I felt angry. How can these companies willingly put these chemicals in to our children's soap, detergents, sunblocks, our food. We trust these companies to supply us with safe products for our families. My anger quickly turned to "how can I change this in my house". I slowly started to integrate different products in to our homes. I weeded out the bad, fairly quickly, and brought in some safer alternatives. I admit, it was very overwhelming at first. Food was the slowest change. We started with meat. We had always trusted Gold 'n' Plump as our source of chicken; they're "all natural" right? What a crock! I learned so much about these mass produced companies and I'm fairly certain neither Z nor I will ever buy it again. Beef has been out of our diet (with an occasional grass fed splurge here and there) for the past two years; mostly because neither of us really care too much for it. It was definitely a hard change for both of us, Z especially though. We went from eating meat with almost every dinner meal to eating organic meat a couple of times a week. Our palates have changed drastically over the past two years and we are exploring many other foods.

After we made the meat change we started to buy our fruits and vegetables organic off of the "dirty dozen" list. J loves apples and they were one of the highest in pesticides so we always buy them organic. Peppers are also one of the top in pesticides so we either buy organic (which is super expensive) or from the farmers market or we just don't buy them very often!

Our most recent change came when we joined a co-op this past fall. We try and buy all of our food either organic or locally from the co-op. Cheese is really expensive organic but if you buy it locally from a co-op it's really not too bad. Instead of buying all organic meat we buy a lot of it from local farms around here and same goes with eggs. I trust the co-op and I trust that they research/visit the farms where the food is produced from. We have started buying fruits and vegetables in season and we love the farmers markets!!

The same goes for our products. We buy our Castile soap in bulk from the co-op, for all of us. We use a laundry soap called Ecos that is sold for a really good price at Costco! The sunblocks we choose to use are Badger, CA Baby, and Alba. These have very few chemicals in them- you can research all sunblocks and what is in them on the EWG sunblock guide page. My sister and I both make our own homemade deodorant (it's crazy cheap and you'll find it works amazingly well!). I use Booty Balm on my kids bottoms or coconut oil if I am out. We try and use essential oils, vitamins and homeopaths to fight off infections and keep our immune systems up.

What I have learned over the past three years since starting this transformation is that name brand isn't always best. My intentions behind writing this blog are not to preach or to scare you but to inform you on what is out there. I wish I had known more prior to having children. I felt very frustrated that I thought I was doing right for my baby but really the products I was using weren't safe for his little skin. The foods that we were feeding him, while they were mostly "healthy" (fruits, meats, vegetables, cheese, etc), were filled with additives, pesticides, hormones, dyes, etc.

I feel as though our job as parents is to be each others support system. To not judge but to inform each other because a lot of times we just didn't know. At the end of the day we are all trying to do best for our little ones and we want to provide them with a healthy life. I am still learning. This transformation is still brewing and I think I will forever be making modifications. After all that old saying "knowledge is power" might actually hold true in this case!

Are there any changes you have made to your life since having kids? Anything you read on here that you were surprised about?

Happy Monday to you all, hope your week is starting off with sun and smiles!

-Megs

Unplugged...for a month.

I read this blog post today and it almost brought me to tears. What has happened to us. 10 years ago we all had a cool flip phone and texting was a new phenomenon. Now, we have everything we need right at our fingertips. We are connected at all moments of the day. Our children watch us tap the keys on our smart phones, send emails at all hours of the day, do our social media check ins, and shop with a device in our hand.

I am guilty. I have the iPhone 4s. I desperately needed an iPhone, clearly, I am a stay at home mom! I started off with the 3GS and as soon as the 4s came out I knew I needed to have it for the wonderful camera capabilities. It's true, it takes some wonderful photos and I have captured great moments with my children. I love the iPhone, but that's the problem, I have begun to love it too much. I spend far too much time on instagram sharing pictures of my kids, pinning things on pinterest, and facebook stalking what my friends are doing (when really I should just call to check in). If I have a free moment of silence I grab my phone and retreat to my own mommy iPhone world.

After reading this blog today I've decided to go "unplugged" for a month. I need to put down this wonderfully horrible, addictive device that I have become so dependent on and go back to the basics. After all isn't that what I have been striving for, simplicity?! I want to enjoy my kids and I want them to know that when I am with them, I am there with them., listening to them and not just half listening as I send a quick email out. Jabes is going to be 4 this fall and I seriously can not for the life of me grasp where the time has gone. Eme is no longer a baby and she has quickly morphed in to this energetic, independent, vibrant almost 1.5 year old. I don't want to miss things with them. I am so lucky to stay at home with my kids, what a blessing to be with them every step of the way. The memories I want them to have are of us laughing and playing, exploring, being silly, arts and crafts, reading books, and sitting around together enjoying each others company. We are losing sight of these moments within our days. Quiet moments are spent making a quick call or perusing the internet. I need to pull myself back in and enjoy the quiet moments.

I figure I can do this for a month and who knows, maybe after the month has passed I'll feel liberated and happier, more simplified and connected to my children rather than the outside world. Some of you may be reading this thinking that you like being connected at all times and some of you may be reading this finding inspiration in my words. To each their own and I have no judgments. For those of you interested here is the link to the blog I read today.. click here.

Happy weekend to you all and I hope you all have a bit of sunshine this weekend!
xo,
Meghan

A Bad Day

Today was a bad day.

It all started last night. After a particularly difficult day yesterday at home and at work, a close friend and I decided a drink to chill out after work was in order.  Given the nature of the business we work in {local tv news}, we didn't even leave until after 11.  We had a wonderful time chatting about everything, winding down, and left after less than 1 beer.  When I got home I mistakenly got sucked into a real estate app and was up until 130.

Bug woke up at 2.  I mean wide awake.  She had to go potty and wanted something to drink.  Did them both and crawled into bed with her hoping she'd fall asleep after a few minutes.  2 hours later I had it.  She wanted me to sing to her, eat something, play with her toys, go into the living room, wondered where dad was {sleeping}, where the dog was {sleeping}, what they were doing {sleeping!}, play, talk, and whatever else a 2 year old could think of.  All of this in addition to the flip flopping that was going on in the twin size bed, to include elbows to the face and head butts to the nose {all accidental but painful nonetheless}.

I got up and asked Husband to come in a relieve me for a bit, hoping he'd have better luck.  Nope.  She pitched seriously the biggest fit, much too loud for an apartment at 4 in the morning, so I went back in and she calmed down.  Score.  Now she'll fall asleep.  Why do I even allow myself to think like that?  I only tease myself and it makes the bite sting that much worse.  She was up for at least another hour.  I finally fell asleep on  what was feeling like an itty bitty twin bed at 5, I have no idea when she fell asleep.  Of course she was up at 815.

The morning progressed nicely, she was in good spirits {really? how?} and I was in a fog.  I was mildly irritated when I took a sip of coffee only to instantly grow hair on my chest.  Husband later told me the coffee pot broke this morning {gasp!} and only brewed a half pot of the strongest coffee I've ever had.  I instantly regretted giving the 6 diet Pepsi's to a friend yesterday in my attempt to kick that habit {4 weeks and I'm still craving it}.  But I pulled up my big girl panties and decided to get out of my funk and try to enjoy the beautiful day.  We went to the park and met a sweet little boy and his dad there, and the kids played for a long time.

We came home for lunch and that's when it turned ugly.  And I mean ugly.  She only at the grapes I had on her plate, started throwing food and banging her fork on the glass plate.  I was done.  She was done.  Into bed we went.  Read our stories, lit the candle and sang songs.  She wasn't having it.  It was 2 am all over again.  Talking, flip flopping more than a politician, and then the sassiness came out.  Game breaker.  I tried everything for an hour to get her to sleep and she tried everything for an hour to not fall asleep.  It wasn't pretty at times, I yelled and she cried, she yelled and I cried, and I found myself stepping away for a moment or two a few times.  I was over it.  I was tired of the whining, kicking, being touched, sassiness, and just lack of sleep.    

Exhausted, hardly having any caffeine, and no food {I forgot to eat breakfast-a major no-no for me} is a bad combo.  I finally surrendered and decided it wasn't worth the battle. I apologized to her for yelling {and probably scaring her}, and told her she needed to spend her quite time in her room.  In that time I was able to eat something, get a load of laundry done, pick up a few things, calm myself down and write this.  I'm feeling a little bit more refreshed and my heart smiled when I heard her singing the song I made up for her when she was a baby.

Have you had these day?  What did you do to make it through them?

~Jess

Our stories

A few posts back I had mentioned my new found love for photography. As days pass I find myself enjoying this new passion more and more. When I look back at photos I think my love for it was always there but I lacked the confidence in myself that I was anything other than a mom behind the camera. I'm beginning to trust myself more, read more about photography, my husband has been teaching me how to edit in adobe photo shop, listen to advice from others (particularly my lovely sister whose speciality is just this) and take more risks.

Beauty is all around us.. if we look around we see all the beauty the world has to offer. 

One thing I've learned in this process is that photography is a lot like writing. It speaks to us and we all interpret it differently. For me, like writing, photography is a way of getting more personal with others. A way of learning more about a person and seeing the beauty that lies within. This past week was the first time I went completely out of my comfort zone and photographed a friend's little ones. I was extremely nervous, I have no experience whatsoever other than snapping pictures of my own children. In the end what I learned was so much more than photography 101. What I learned was that each family, each child, each person has their own story and it speaks to you when you are the one behind the lens. I may not be a professional and who knows if I will ever go anywhere with this new passion but if I can capture the story that each person carries with them then I've done good. My goal as an aspiring photographer is to make you feel something when you look at a photo. I don't want it to be just another photo, I want their to be an emotion behind it. Here is a glimpse in to my own world as well as some photos of the sweet little girls I was able to be a part of.

Megs

This photo captures my J soo well. He is a mover and a shaker and jumping gives him so much excitement!

Their relationship is growing each and every day. 

Our Eme Lu! She has so much spunk and zest about her. She knows what she wants and is determined to get it. In that same breath, she has her dad's easy going nature. Not sure how they go hand and hand but she makes it work!

A classic parenting moment I captured!

Baby love!!

This sweet little one is just a month over a year. She has such a calm and easy going disposition about her.

I love this photo for so many reasons but mostly because it captures childhood so well. The simple pleasures that make our kids happy. This sweet girl is just that, soo sweet and caring. xo

Even though it was nap time you wouldn't know it. Sweet smiles from this little beauty.

Sisters. Enough said.

Free spirits our little ones are.

First Dates



Last weekend Husband and I went on our first date since Bug was born.  For those who are doing the math, yup, it's been 2 1/2 years since we've been out, just the two of us. 



My dad came down from Minnesota to watch Bug for us.  We had a wedding on a Friday night, which meant he had to take Friday off to make it here in time for us to leave.  It was quite an ordeal just to get her.  I was afraid it was a sign for how the rest of the night was going to go.  He had to stop by my sister's house to pick up some new bedding for Bug (firetrucks!!!) and then when he was only a half hour away, he blew a tire.  But he had that tire changed and back on the road in 10 minutes!  All day Bug was asking where Boppy (her sweet name for him) was and would stare out the window watching for him.  When he pulled up, she was screeching in pure excitement and wanted absolutely nothing to do with either me or her dad. 

Bear hugs and jumping up and down, laughing and yelling, she was giddy.  Her Boppy was here to spend the night with her.  I had prepped her by telling  her mommy and daddy were going to go on a date and Boppy was going to come stay with her.  She looked at me and said, "me and Boppy go on a date."  Seriously sweet.  Then she asked if she and Boppy could have pizza on their date.  Ah-dorable.  She had the night planned out and first thing on the list, go to the park.  Both Husband and I had to beg her for hugs and kisses as she ran out the door.  I thought it was going to be tears and prying her out of my arms, promising her we'll be back in only a few hours and expecting to call it an early night.  As it turns out, it was the exact opposite.  It was I who was in near tears, they had to pry her out of MY arms, and I wanted to call it an early night because I wanted to see her.  The irony. 



This was the picture I got from Boppy giving me the status update.

Hubby and I left for our date and Bug was on hers.  After the ceremony, I called my dad to check in and they were eating dinner (pizza of course).  Then it was off to bed.  I got a text at 7:30, she was in bed and asleep.  No problems, she snuggled up next to Boppy and fell asleep with out a single peep.  Seriously.  How in the world?  I was totally shocked, yet not at all.  She loves her Boppy so much, there is a special bond between them that you can see but there are no words to describe it.  So it didn't surprise me at all to hear she did so well with him. 



Bug went on her first date and we went on ours.  We had a great time together and can't wait for Boppy to come visit again.  Bug has been talking about him all week, wondering when the next date will be.  We are so lucky to have family who are apart of our lives, I don't know what we'd do without them (which makes living in different states that much harder).  

Have you gone on a date since having children?  Where did you go and who stayed with the kid(s)?  How did they do?  How did you do?

  
~Jess

Stop judging and start supporting

It's been a while since we've written on here. Life seems to be moving at an insanely rapid pace these past few weeks. After a recent phone call with a dear friend of mine I was inspired to tap these keys once again.

I received an early morning text from one of my closest girlfriends that read this, " my mother in law is giving me grief about not letting "baby" cry it out. Argh!". I of course picked up the phone and immediately called her and gave her encouraging mama words, over her voicemail. She was feeling judged and as though she needed to defend her reasons for not wanting to let her son scream in his crib. She later went on to tell me that during their conversation she told her mother in law, "I just don't want him to feel abandoned by me". Her mother in law's response was this, "{laugh} they get over it real quick". 

I left our conversation feeling a mix of emotions. I was so happy that she called me and that I was able to give her the support she needed. I was also frustrated for her. I felt so sad that she had to be put in this position of defending herself and possibly questioning whether or not she was doing something wrong. I have never been one to let my kids cry it out. I have gotten much flack because of this and I one time let Jabes scream in his pack 'n' play until his little body finally fell asleep with exhaustion, all because another mom stood behind me and made me feel the pressure that I was spoiling him by answering his cries. Never again have I done it. Yes, there have been many moments in time where I have wanted to let Jabes and/or Eme scream because I am exhausted and sick of rocking, nursing, swaying them. There have been countless times where I have gotten up and left the room so I can take a deep breath, but I always return to their side and I am there to help them fall asleep. There are also many moments where I think life would be easier if I could put them both in their respected beds for naps/bedtime and they would fall asleep, but in the end this is how we choose to parent. 

During our conversation my girlfriend "confessed" that sometimes she doesn't even put him down when he's sleeping. {gasp}! I'm only kidding, but sometimes that's how I feel. It's like we have to whisper this piece of information because God forbid we hold our babies once they reach a certain age! I have a terrible time understanding why people are so intrigued by parents that hold their 6, 9, 12 month olds while they sleep, or that sleep with us, or mom's that nurse past a year. I can't tell you how many times people have said to me, "I don't get how you can all sleep in one bed". I never turn around and look at them and say, "I don't get how you don't". Part of being a parent is doing what works for you and for you family, that's the beauty of parenting. This friend of mine is juggling being a part time working mama (3 days) and an at home mama the other two. She feels like most of us do, life moves so fast, and her little one is almost 7 months. When she's home with him she wants to hold him, snuggle him, take in his sweet baby smell, stare at his eyes as they flutter while he dreams, and cradle him next to her. Because one day, he will be too big to snuggle like that and one day he won't want to be in his mama's arms like a baby. One day, she will have another baby and life will move amazingly fast and she will have to juggle her time between her two. This friend of mine, what an inspiration she is. She is trusting her mama intuition and what it's telling her is that for now, her baby needs her. He needs her to hold him, answer his cries and be there for him. I only wish I trusted myself as much the first time around as she is and that I didn't succumb to the pressures of those around me.  Life is full of critics and everyone else has the answers. But as we all know deep down, no one knows our children as well as we do. It's hard to put those judgments behind us and to stand strong, it's something I battle everyday, but if we don't stand up for our kids who will? We are their advocates and each child has different needs. As I've written in posts prior to this one, there is no right way. We live in a world of different perspectives, different morals and values, different passions, different personalities; so many differences, yet somehow we need to learn to get along and support one another. We don't have to agree with everything but we do need to learn to stop judging. To my dear friend, thank you for you phone call. Thank you for the reminder that even though you and I parent differently in many areas, we can still be each other's support system. To those of you reading, let us try and stop judging those around us. Instead, let us offer support and encouraging words, even though maybe we don't agree 100%.

~Megs

My sweeties enjoying a nap together

Give Up

At first glance at this post title many of you may be wondering what I plan to give up or if I mean it in a negative connotation by giving up. I stumbled across this post on a facebook page I follow and I was intrigued. The second I started reading I had to write about it. The title of this post was '15 Things You Should Give Up To Be Happy'.  Before I clicked I thought to myself, how can someone else know what I need to be happy or rather what I need to give up to be happy. This article is spot on. It isn't telling you to give up a specific thing, it's telling what we need to let go of and accepting ourselves. On my pathway of living a simpler life this was a wonderful article. I'm not going to write the entire post out, but I am going to give the 15 things you should give up on.


1) Give up your need to always be right. 
We've all been there. I hate when my husband is right and I am wrong, I'm not sure why that is! The competitive nature inside of us for someone reason at one time or another strikes and we have the desire to be right.

2) Give up your need for control.
I need to post it note this throughout my entire house, car, my person! I see it in J, his need to control the things around him. At 3.5 (even younger) we start seeing our children's need to control things. Yes, this is a very important thing for them to learn and I want him to learn to control certain things around him but controlling too much leaves you unhappy and filled with anxiety.

3) Give up on blame. 
Yes, we all could do this from time to time. Stop pointing fingers. In the end is it worth it? Is it worth ruining a friendship or a relationship over? Forgive, forget and move on. Life is too short.

4) Give up your self-defeating self-talk.
Stay positive. Stay positive!!

5) Give up your limiting beliefs. 
I'm working on this. I lack the self confidence from time to time and I often times don't believe in myself. I'm a believer in, "if you fall you pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and try again". I just need to remind myself of that more often!

6) Give up complaining. 
Yes. I will try.

7) Give up the luxury of criticism.
Pre-children I was a judger. I was one that thought I had the answers for everyone's parenting woes. Two children later and I have not a clue! I am more than willing to give some suggestions but I no longer judge what parents are doing. As I've posted before, I am constantly feeling a bit judged by people because J is a bit harder than other children. It seems as though people around us are so critical of our parenting rather commending us and telling us we are doing a great job. What parents need to hear is not what we should be doing but that what we are doing is a great job. It has been a goal for me to work on this. Stop judging, stop criticizing and understand.

8) Give up your need to impress others. 
Again, something I've learned since having children. I have found friends that accept me for my messy house, who still want to hang out with me even though I haven't showered in days and who don't care what kind of car we drive or the size of our house or if my kids clothes have stains on them. They accept me, us, for who we are. It's a pretty amazing feeling to get to this point!

9) Give up your resistance to change.
I like change but it can be scary. It can also be good.

10) Give up labels.
This is something I so badly want to teach my children. Don't label people. Learn about a person before you label them, there is always a bit of back history that we don't know about.

11) Give up on your fears.
Someday I will go back to school and become a lactation consultant. I will pass the boards and I will do what I know I'm meant to do. I will put my fears behind me and I will do this.

12) Give up your excuses. 
Raise of hands.. how many excuses have you come up with to not go to the gym? But once you're there you're glad you went and you start a routine in your life.

13) Give up the past.
Ohh this is hard. The past can haunt us at times. But they're right. Let it go and move forward. You can't change was has happened but you can change what lies ahead.

14) Give up attachment.
Let go of "things". This can be a difficult thing to overcome but once you do you feel a weight lifted off your shoulders. The things don't create your happiness, it's the memories that do. By letting go of whatever item it is, you can still hold on to the memory. Go slow but try it. Slowly start purging things from your home or your life. You'll feel the weight slowly lift.

15) Give up living your life to other people's expectations.
Stop worrying so much about what others think and what others viewpoints are. It is your life, your happiness. Live your life for yourself.

I have found that as I slowly stop worrying so much about what other people think and start living my life for me, I am happy. Life moves fast. My children are growing so fast and I can't turn back the clock. I live for me, for my children, my family. I have this inherent trait where I worry about hurting others feelings. I often times put others before myself and I end up getting burned. I am a people pleaser, I feel bad if I hurt someone's feelings or if they are mad at me and I internalize what I've done wrong. I am trying to stop this. I am trying to accept that I can't change how people feel and I can't make someone like me. What I can do though, is live each day. Really live each day and count my blessings at the end. There are no certainties, no promises in life but there is plenty to be grateful for. Here I stand with so much love and happiness surrounding me. It's time to give up those things in our lives that bring us down. Give up the anxieties and stressors. Find your happiness in each day. Take a risk, a leap of faith and wherever it leads you, you will find your happiness. Here is mine.

Play ideas

I'm sure we have all been there. Days when it's rainy or it's the winter months or the kids are just bored and you are scrambling to try and figure out something to do. If your kids are anything like mine then they are completely content being outside but the second we step inside the whining starts and they follow me around. Why is that?!! I wanted to offer up some suggestions on things you can do with your little ones during those days! We get so in to our routine that sometimes I need to remind myself that what they need is a little change in their day. So here are some rainy day ideas!

*Water. Anything to do with water is sure to give them a half hour to an hour of enjoyment! Take a bath, fill the sink, fill a sensory bin with bubbles and water, or add food coloring. Kids love water!

*Sensory bins. Kids are so tactile. They learn through their senses. Full a bin with rice, beans, corn, sand along with a few cups and spoons and it's sure to bring some fun!

*Paint. Days when J is just really having a hard time and I can't get anything done I break out the paint. He will sit in the basement at his art table and paint with his cars. He loves it. For some reason this activity has always been very soothing for him.

*Build a fort. Kids LOVE forts! It becomes their special little hideout and they think they are so awesome! The bigger the better but even putting a sheet over the kitchen table becomes an instant fort!

*Bake. Scooping, mixing, tasting. It's sure to bring them some smiles!

*If you don't mind the messes we explore with whatever we can find in the cupboard. One of J's favorite activities is going to back to the good old baking soda and vinegar. Often times we will add food coloring to this as well. (Note: when I do this I always put a cookie sheet underneath. It catches the mess and doesn't end up all over the table). Sometimes we add cornstarch or flour and mixing food coloring in to a spray bottle is the best!

*Dance. Turn on the tunes and get your little ones, and yourself, moving. It amazes me how all of us start smiling when the music comes on and we let our guards down for a bit!

*Go out! If can that is. Even if it's raining a little bit try and put the rain boots on and a jacket and let them puddle jump. If it's cold out, bundle them up and let them spend 15 minutes in the fresh air. It's amazing how much a little fresh air can lighten everyone's spirit a bit.

I hope this list helps some and that on a day when you're having cabin fever you can pull an idea off this least and everyone will feel a bit more content. I know for me, when I'm in the moment it's hard to think of something to do! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend and your Monday starts off nicely!

xo
Megs

My Happiness

Last year was a rough year. We had a lot of unexpected deaths that seemed to happen more frequently than anyone should experience. I felt as though each day I was living in fear of a phone call or something happening to my loved ones. We made it through 2011 but it was a tough year. Three months in to 2012 and this year has been happiness.

My children are thriving, the sun has started shining again and it's warming up. Laughter and smiles seem to surround us. The funk that we were in during the cold winter months have passed and we are spending all day outside. It feels so amazing. I have found a passion for photography that I never knew existed. As I snap photos of my kids it brings me such happiness capturing their pure innocence throughout the days. What a gift to be able to capture the smiles, the accomplishments, the new phases that they are in.

My sister and niece came for a weekend visit and the hustle and bustle that at times can be overwhelming has been a nice noise this weekend. The kids have been running around playing together, there has been such harmony and peacefulness in all of us this weekend. I have a feeling of inner peace and complete happiness. I am letting go of my anxiety and trying to embrace the happy moments that are around us. Instead of waiting for the bad to come, which is what I have done, I am relishing in the good that is. There are moments within my days that are challenging, tiring, owies that I need to kiss. But when I look back at these photos I realize how much happiness has filled our days. It's easy to focus on the hard moments and to go to bed feeling exhausted. I am exhausted but I am choosing to focus on the good, the laughter and smiles, the positives within our days. I can't control what "could" happen and there is no good worrying, but what I can control is my own happiness. My children, my husband, my family, the sun; all of these things bring me eternal happiness. Take a moment within your days and reflect back on your happiness. Let go of the things you can not control and open your arms to the things you can. Happy Sunday to all of you!
-Megs

{My niece and her gorgeous eyes, taking in the sounds of the great outdoors}

{J and Ad enjoying some time together}

{My sweet baby girl, looking just that.. sweet!}

{Eme is digging for bugs!}

{J figured out how to climb the fence and get on top of his play house. Look at how proud he is!!}

{My sister and I having a moment together. She is teaching me about photography. I snapped this photo of her and absolutely love how she looks holding the camera}

 {Z and J were cutting the grass together, Eme was playing in the sandbox, and I caught my sister  in action.  I had that calm peaceful feeling in this moment!}

{A warm embrace between cousins}