Put it down and take a step away..... part 2 simplify life

I decided that I needed to make some changes and disconnect with the world. I need to simplify this part of my life.   I needed to put down my phone and give more undivided attention to our kids.  I looked back to how I grew up, there were no cell phones. It was awesome we played all day long, well, besides when we were doing our chores.  I don't want my kids to remember me as the mom that was always "busy" on her phone. I'm just on more than I would like and most of it is just browsing a lot and it's mindless stuff a lot of the time.  When I could be spending quality time with our kids this makes me sad that I sometimes choose that over them because I am "stressed"  Even looking back 3-5 years ago when I didn't have the internet on my phone it was so much better.  I only relied on my phone for calls and texts.  I want to go back to that.

I knew it was going to be hard and it has been hard.  I am just doing little by little.  I am realizing that my kids are growing up fast and soon they won't want to play barbies, or cars with me.  So I need to take advantage of that now.  Some days I really am terrible and I look back and think did I really play with my kids today between all of the household things I did?   

Lexi and Max have always been really good to play together well.  They have so much fun pretending.  It used to be Lexi telling Max what to do but the other day I heard Max telling her what to do and she did it.  I guess they have reached that point where they both listen to each other.  It makes my heart happy to see them play together.  They are best friends.  We were going somewhere and Lexi wasn't listening and getting ready and we said ok we are going to go.  Max said No we can't leave Lexi, She has to come she is my best friend.  It made both me and Jared smile.
  

It has been hard to leave the phone alone some days.  I am realizing I am a lot more attached or addicted to it then I thought.  Just the last few days my phone has been having issues and not working right.  I tried rebooting and uninstalling things and finally I uninstalled facebook and instagram.  My phone works fine now....... Is that a sign or what?  I am going to take it as one.  I installed instagram again but I am not going to do facebook because I waste a lot of time on there and I don't want to do that anymore.  I want to not be reaching for my phone all day long.  I am tired of being a slave to it.
I have found when I leave my phone in another room then it seems easier to not see it there and glace at it, then I get sucked in.  So if it takes me longer to respond to something you know why.
  

  Yes I love the convenience of it and all of the good things I can do with it. I do a lot of my church calling on it, researching ideas for cub scouts.  I get a lot of emails from my daughters school with important things. I listen to conference talks and the scriptures sometimes.  I love that there is so much good stuff available so quick.  There are so many groups to have and share support but I really believe the best support is going to come from my husband and Heavenly Father.  They know me best and that is where I should be looking the most for answers and help.   So I need to spend more time getting closer to them.

I have been doing this for a few weeks now and I have noticed a difference in my attitude and I love it.  It takes a conscious effort some days to keep the phone away and not be on it.  I love the time it has freed up though.  I am not only spending more quality time with my kids. I don't feel like I have to be up to date on everything in the online world.  Its a nice change.  I look forward to continuing to change this and simplify my life even more.  

Why my kids are going to play night games....

We went on a walk recently for our "date night" and saw some kids playing night games.  Emotions rushed over me of my childhood.  I told Jared the last time I played night games I was 20 and I had broken my arm and gotten hit in the nose with a pitch fork.  Not the best memories that night but all of the previous ones were fun filled.  We live in a semi country place and we have some fields around us and I love it.  I want my kids to grow up getting dirty and running around hiding in trees and making huts in the "woods"  I want my kids to be carefree as long as they can be.  Kids should be able to be kids and enjoy just being kids and having fun.

  I realized just watching these little kids play night games that I need to let go of so much anxiety.  I know all of the terrible things that could happen and I seem to worry that will happen. This is one of the reasons I love reading the power of positive thinking so much, its really helping me to stop worrying so much.  I need to just have faith that things will work out.  I think its just natural once you have children you have that worry about your children.  That is mainly what I worry about.  I have very real dreams that they are in trouble, I should say nightmares.   They are so real and then I can't go back to sleep because the dream just continues.  I have to get out of bed and go see them to make sure they haven't drowned or been abducted.   Its terrifying.
As I learn and read more about the church and the ensign talks I realize I need to let this go.  This is not how one should live.... in fear.    I know the world is getting worse and its not going to get any better.   I am scared for my children but I need to look for the good. There are way more good people out in the world then there are bad I believe.  Especially that live close to me.  I need to not read the news that just upsets me even more.  I need to be prayerful and I will be warned if things are to happen.  I have felt such peace about this but its hard to stop my mind.

One of the chapters in Power of positive thinking talks a lot about this and letting that worry go.  It talks about thinking positive and not thinking about the things that can go wrong.  When we think about those things then it gets us worked up and we can't function right.  We need to stay positive and trust in God.  That doesn't mean bad things wont ever happen but we will be able to deal with them better if we have that faith in God and his plan.  Are we willing to accept that plan?  Live life to its fullest and things will work out as long as we are trying our best and doing what is right.
I think as long as I am doing what is right, God will watch out for me.  He loves me and wants me to be happy. I need to have that trust in him and do my best to raise smart kids.

Getting rid of that stack of pants

I have three beautiful children and I love it.  I love being a mom, It's got its ups and downs but its all worth it. As a mom we experience a whole new life once we have kids.  Our bodies are able to grow a tiny baby and then we are able to trust our body to birth it.  Our bodies go through so many changes to have a baby.  Our hormones get out of wack.   I am so grateful for the ability I have to be able to carry my children and birth them.   It truly is a blessing.  

I am amazed at my body and how it has been fairly easy to recover and adjust from being pregnant and having babies.  In this post I wrote a while ago, I talk a little bit about how all three of my babies births and breastfeeding journeys were different.   This also played a part on how my body recovered. As long as I nurse my baby I actually hold onto 5-10 extra pounds then when my baby completely weans I seem to lose that weight.  Not the norm I hear.  

After my second I lost all the weight from his pregnancy and then more from the first.  haha.  I was less than before I had kids.  Stinking gallbladder.   

My third has been a little bit rougher journey.  I haven't been as dedicated to working out or running. I used to run quite a bit and loved it.  I find with three kids its just not happening.  I don't make it a priority I guess.   After 19 months I am back to the range of weight that I am comfortable with and yet still my pants don't fit without being uncomfortable or that muffin top look.  I think that after three kids my hips have widened.  Is that a real thing?   

Or am I just making it up to make me feel better about my old pants not fitting anymore?!?  I don't know but either way that is fine.  I went out and bought a few pair of pants that do fit and make me feel great.  They are comfortable and that is what its all about.  

So here is my stack of pants that I am going to go sell to a consignment shop and get some money out of them so I can fund those jeans that I finally purchased that fit and make me feel wonderful.  

Some things about being a mom aren't fun but its still all worth it... even this stack of pants.

1 year of blogging

I started this blog 1 year ago today and I have loved it.  I have learned a lot from trying new things or just writing my thoughts down.  I have learned a lot about myself too in this journey so far.
Some of the new things I learned I still use and some have faded away and are replaced with new things.  We are always changing and trying to improve.

For example I kind of fell off the green smoothie habit when I tried the 3 day detox.... I am gagging here just thinking about it.  I made it until lunch and I couldn't gag down another drink.  It was so gross to me.  So I guess my mind related that back to my smoothies.  So for a few months I struggled to make them daily.   I had to start back with more fruits than veggies and absolutely no protein powder stuff.  I actually can't have that powder in it at all anymore.  I gag every time I think or smell it.  I have found other ways to adjust my smoothies.   I am back to having a smoothie almost every
day or every other day.  They are getting more and more veggies and less fruits.  Its all about steps and getting back to where we want to be.

I have tried more things because of my blog.  I am a pretty picky eater and this has helped me go out of my comfort zone.  Pintrest also helps a lot with that, what would I do without pintrest?!?  I am better at looking for new things to try and being willing to make those changes.

I have loved reading the power of positive thinking.  This book is so helpful and I have loved adapting and learning different ways to try to be more positive in my life.   A lot of this is helping my spiritual self.  I love it.  I need to make more time for this area in my life. Every time I read this book I feel great and positive.  This book really inspires me to be a better person.

I also just love thinking things through and writing it down.  I have always been a journal writer and this has been a part of that for me. I love reading back through my old journals and I also enjoy scrolling back and looking at the posts I have made.

I love getting feedback and comments too.  Its fun to hear what you have tried and what works for you.  Its fun to meet like minded moms and people, that I wouldn't otherwise meet.
I really can't  believe its been a year.  Time is going by so fast. I have enjoyed it all and hope to continue on.

I have posted every Monday and Thursday for the whole year and I think this next year I might have to slow it down to once a week because I am really trying to spend more quality time with my kids and husband.  I am putting my phone in "time out"  so I am not so easily distracted.  It has already helped tremendously to not be so caught up in the facebook/social media world.    I realized I don't need to be so informed about everything.  Its more important to spend time with my kids that are growing up too fast.  I know I will miss this stage of their lives, so I don't want to let it fly by me.
So I want to switch some things up this coming year.  I might do some vlogs because I love watching them and think they are so fun.  Well have to see what next year brings but it will be  a little different.

One year down and hopefully a lot more to come,  and look how much this kid has grown!!!

  




(http://www.thememorist.com/2013/03/28/happy-blogiversary) for the cupcake picture

Trying to minimalize in our home

During the course of a normal day I clean up about 1000 toys.  Every year between the start of school and Christmas I like to go through all of our toys and purge.  I know that they will most likely get some new toys and so I like to make room for them by cleaning out.  I love that I can sell most of them and then use that money to buy Christmas for the kids.  I love getting rid of all of the little broken toys that have gotten pushed to the bottom of the toy box or under the couch.  It just feels good to clean out..   I love the idea of the kids picking one toy to donate to a toy drive or sub for santa type thing.  That way they can learn and participate in the Christmas Spirit.
Along with going through toys I have been getting out the new season of clothes and putting the summer stuff away.  I went down to the storage room where I keep the kids clothes.  I can't believe that we take up a whole wall just in kids clothes.  I KNOW I had too many baby girl clothes so I went through all of them and got rid of a whole big black garbage bag.


  I had my brother that has a baby girl come take what they wanted and then I'll let my sister that has a 1 year old come look.  Then I will take what is left and sell it at a local consignment sale.  I went through my boys clothes too but I didn't seem to have as many.   I have gotten rid of a lot of clothes that they hadn't worn because I don't want to store all of that. I also haven't bought or acquired as many boys clothes as I did girls.  They still have plenty and if they need a shirt or two that is fine, I'll find some cheap at the consignment sale.

I used to store the clothes in the vacuum seal bags at our old house because that was the only way we had room to store them all.   I ordered some more and started using them again.  I can fit two sizes  in a big tub when they are vacuumed out.  That is progress for sure.  I just finished the other day finally organizing it all again.  It feels great.

Now I just need to go through the boxes of kitchen stuff I haven't opened since we moved over a year ago.  I'm sure there is stuff in there I can get rid of since I haven't used it in a year.  I really want to keep everything at a minimum and try to not let it get cluttered up again.  A lot of it is the corelle and glass stuff that I don't want to use when we have little kids.  I know exactly what will happen to it.  So that will probably stay in a box for at least a few more years.

I also went through my clothes and have a separate post about that and the process I used,  it was hard.  It feels so good though to have a cleaner closet.

I love cleaning out and getting things organized.  When we moved I loved finding new places for things and organizing everything into a new to us house.  It was so fun for me, because I enjoy cleaning things out and organizing.  I know call me crazy.  Its funny how when you have a space you make it work and then when you get a bigger space you seem to fill it up.  We didn't have a garage at our old house and so we had to fit everything outdoors in our little shed.  When we closed it up for winter it was too the brim by the 6th year we lived there.  Now we fill a shed here with some extra room and our garage.  Granted we have bought some bigger yard stuff since we have a much larger yard now.

I really just want to simplify my life and one of the first steps is to get rid of stuff we don't need so here is to de junking and getting rid of all of the stuff we don't "need".

The power of positive thinking: How to create your own happiness

Abraham Lincoln said that "People were just about  as happy as they made up their minds to be."  You can decide if your happy or not.  You don't always get to decide what happens to you but you can always choose how you react and that is where most of us think we are "made" to be happy or unhappy.   It is a conscious choice we make everyday and even within that day if we will be happy. We can develop that habit of being happy by practicing happy thoughts. If an unhappy thought comes immediately stop and eject it out and replace it with a happy thought.  It takes a lot of work to be able to have that mindset but who doesn't want to be happy?

 "One of the most simple and basic of such principles is that of human love and goodwill.  It is amazing what happiness a sincere expression of compassion and tenderness will induce. "

  How many times have you been having a not so good day and someone compliments you or does something nice for you?  It totally changes your day and your attitude.  Just think if we could be that positive happy influence in other peoples lives and even our own.  I have found when I dwell on my own "problems or struggles"  I get sad and depressed.  On the other hand when I am trying to find ways to give service to others, things seem to look brighter and I also feel better.    A great way to create happiness in our lives is to practice love, pure love of Christ.

 "The way to happiness is to keep your heart free from hate, your mind from worry.  Live simply, expect little, give much.  Fill your life with love.  Scatter sunshine. Forget self, think of others. Do as you would like to be done by.  Try this for a week and you will be surprised."

   Just reading that I thought  ..... I have a lot of work to do to overcome this natural man and be able to increase my giving and scattering sunshine.  Its hard to overcome the expect little and give much.  We think I have been giving so much and I should get something out of it right?   Also as I was reading this I thought this is a perfect description of Christ.  He was all of this, he was always serving and giving everything never expecting anything but for us to follow him, and love everyone.

Matthew 22:39 Thou shalt love thy neighbor as they self.   This is the second greatest commandment.  We need to love everyone.... This is no easy task for most of us.  This takes a lot of charity and love to see people as our Heavenly Father would.  It will totally change our perspective of people when we can look at them through our Heavenly Fathers eyes.   Something I read somewhere is that we shouldn't be judged or judge someone on their worst moments or mistakes.  We should always look for the best.  We get new chances everyday to repent and become a better person.  We want others to look at us that way so why can't we look at others that way?   If we can stop comparing ourselves to those around us our lives would be a lot easier.  I know I suffer from this, I see what other moms are doing and I think I'm good if my kids get dressed and eat some days.

This all boils down to making our own happiness.  How much do we want it?  What are we willing to do to get it?  We need to humble ourselves and get out there and do service for others and get those happy thoughts running through our minds.  We make or break our day everyday.  We choose how to react to things that come our way.  Lets be the happy people that spread that sunshine to others.