Monday, May 2, 2011

Girls Weekend - Let the Countdown Begin!

My dear friend Lisa is getting married in June and in honor of this great celebration 10 of us girls are going to the beach for her bachelorette weekend!

Ten girls, one beach house and unlimited laughs, sun, ocean water, sand and girl-time. Throw in a few cocktails and we've got a great weekend!

This will mark the first overnight trip away from my sweet girl, though. I can't believe she is 18 months and I haven't been away from her for even one night. A year ago I didn't think the time would ever come when I'd be ready to leave her over night.

I have to admit, I'm really glad I didn't leave her before I felt ready to do it. It would have been too much for me to handle a year ago. And now, now I am ready.

Ready to leave her in very capable, loving hands. Ready to relax. Ready to go enjoy some time away with some of my closest girl-friends, sleeping in late, sitting still for more than 5 minutes at a time, drinking a cold beer, maybe a cat nap ON THE BEACH! With no sippy cups, snack cups, nap schedules or diapers! No cleaning, laundry, cooking or yard work.

Three days of just me time. With 10 of the best girls ever. Almost unbelievable.

A little excited? Ya, think?

Thursday, April 28, 2011

I call her Monkey

I've called her Monkey from early on. My sweet, precious baby girl. My Monkey.
Maybe because she swings from the furniture, or is always hanging on something. Maybe just because she's silly and fun and I like it.

My sweet monkey girl.

Playing with a toy, she pointed to the animals and I named each one. Lion, giraffe, panda, elephant, monkey. As soon as I said it she looked at me wide-eyed then back to the monkey and back at me again. I said it again. Monkey.




She leaned down and kissed that sweet monkey. Looked back at me and handed that monkey to me so I could kiss him too.

She knew of all the animals, that the monkey was special. Because I call her Monkey. And she kissed that monkey because she knows Momma kisses her Monkey.

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

My" If Nothing Else List"

I am a list maker.

I love lists. I LOVE LISTS.

I love crossing things off the list. Sometimes I'll even write things on my list that I've already done just for the satisfaction of crossing it off! It feels good to have a list with something already crossed off.

I know lists stress some people out. I get it. For me though, the list represents all the things that need to be done, that will get done (at some point) that I know will make me feel satisfied when they are completed. It is a place where I can gather all my thoughts of things that need (or should) be done in ONE place.

If I don't write these thoughts down then they are just rolling around in my head. Which is what I consider stress. Even if I dont get to everything on the list, at least it is written down and I know about it. It didn't get lost, just might not have gotten done. On time.

I have lists all over the place. But, my most important list is written daily in my planner. I call it the "If Nothing Else List". Meaning that I will be completely satisfied if I complete these couple items AND NOTHING ELSE for the day. Its icing on the cake if I complete other (less) important items on the list. But, if nothing else than the line items on the "If Nothing Else List" get done, no sweat.

My If Nothing Else list has simplified my life.

Saturday, March 19, 2011

Just a few thoughts...


Hello there!

I don't have much to say (I don't think!), but just looking for a place to call my own where I can jot down thoughts, ideas, memories, plans, dreams, projects... All the clutter that floats around in my mind!

I've been thinking a lot about ME lately. Not in a selfish, look at me kind of way. More in a "remember that girl you use to be" kind of way. A "who do you want to be" kind of way. A "look at how blessed I am!" kind of way. And a "look how far I still have to go!" kind of way.

Now that Baby Girl is a year and a half, I feel like I finally have time (and energy!) to think beyond dirty diapers, nursing, and baby food. Time to think about the world outside of strickly baby needs.

Not to say that I'm not still in the throws of baby raising ~ just that I finally feel like I have my head above water! That I'm swimming (treading water?) instead of drowing. When you realize you aren't drowing anymore, it leaves time for having fun, dancing in the kitchen, singing in the shower, being creative.

I feel like I have time and desire to focus on other things that make me who I am. Time to read books (and I'm not talking about Parenting Magazine!), clean/organize the house, start projects, get creative in the kitchen, paint the bathroom, plan a baby shower for a friend, write, play outside with my Baby Girl. Energy to focus on my marriage, meet my husbands needs as well as my own. Deepen, strengthen and focus on my relationship withthe Lord!

Life! I love ya