Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Just a thought...

This is what I want...

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Time to turn this into a journal....

...that is not open to the world. Please email me if you would like an invite. I haven't wanted to do this, but I feel like I should go private. Comment me if you don't have my email.

Thanks for checking in!

Friday, August 07, 2009

Epiphany

This has been a great week for me to reflect. With my dad's birthday on Tuesday, I was reminded of what is most important- doing my best to be a good person and treat others kindly. Then as I was reading Eat, Pray, Love- I felt like I was hit on the head. Here are some snippets:

"To know God, you need only to renounce one thing- your sense of division from God. Otherwise, just stay as you were made, within your natural character."

She goes on to talk about the things that she wants, that she can't have "thick, dark hair" and makes this observation.

"But at some point you have to make peace with what you were given and if God wanted me to be a shy girl with thick, dark hair he would have made me that way, but he didn't. Useful, then, might be to accept how I was made and embody myself fully therein."

I love this!! I feel like I need this reminder over and over again. I hope I will always be striving to be a little better, but within my own capabilities and gifts.

So, my quest to be a more "at home" stay at home mom will continue, but only in the ways that work with my personality.

I would love more suggestions, but I have found my peace.

Saturday, August 01, 2009

Stay at Home Ideas

Alright, everyone teases me about being busy. Here are my reasons for staying so active:
1. I love being outside. I am sure part of that comes from growing up in the mountains and my love for the beach. (passed on from my dad!) Spending time at the park is very soothing to me.
2. I enjoy watching my kids learn from other people and their reactions- story time, music time.
3. I like my kids having a chance to run around without having a mess to clean up after. (mat time at the YMCA)
4. I love the water. (pool time at the YMCA)
5. I love people. (Meeting up with other friends is a great way to get to chat and get to know others.)
6. When I am at home, I feel like all I am doing is cleaning up messes. If I try to clean around them, another area of the house is being destroyed. Haven't quite figured that out.

Here is where I need your help. I honestly don't know what to do inside the house with the kids. Here are the things we do like doing inside the house:

1. Playing board games
2. Reading books
3. Playing Wii/computer
4. Attempting to get cleaning done (I am trying to get the kids more involved with this process thanks to the Parenting Breakthrough!)
5. I am very left brained/math oriented so the crafty/imaginitive stuff doesn't come as easily.

Since I want to limit #3 as much as possible, and I want to encourage my kids to play, what other ideas do you have? How do you spend your time at home with your little ones? I want to learn how to truly be a "stay at home" mom instead of on the go so much. I just don' t know how to do it. Help!