Joy in the Journey

It is the last day of 2019. Does that seem crazy to you? Seems kind of crazy to me. I always like to take the last day of the year to reflect on the year. I think about the good things and the bad, the challenges and the growth, I probably think too much about my mistakes and how I would like to change them, but that is what I think about. What about you? Undoubtedly the best thing that happened to me in 2019 is the birth of my fifth child. A second to that is that this year has had less pain for me than previous years. However, my pain has been creeping back up the last few months and I’m planning to have surgery at the end of January. I’m very hopeful that 2020 will be the year that I am able to swim more with my kids and hike and just be really active again. I miss that. Once I am recovered from my surgery I would like to start a walking group with some other moms. I've already started working on cutting sugar out of my diet; really the diet of my w...

In two days we hit New Year's Day! Now, I'm a mom... obviously... That's my preficiate to tell you we don't stay up to midnight. I'm tired! I honestly don't want my kids up to midnight either. I've nearly let them stay up a few years but I always got too tired myself to stay up. I think I sound kind of pathetic right now, but hey, it's a season. In this season of motherhood (with little ones), sleep is a precious  gift that I'm not willing to give up intentionally right now. Even though I don't rigorously celebrate New Year's Eve, I still find it an important time of year. It marks another year passing, which means my kids are all a year older and new year is about to come full of unknown adventures, challenges, and sweet times. As I look forward to the New Year, I like to make goals, not resolutions but goals. Each year I like to evaluate what I would like to accomplish in the new year and what I need to do to attain that goal. The...

How are you doing today, dear Mama? I would absolutely LOVE IT if you would share a little bit about your Christmas was with me in the comments below! Mine was pretty good! It all went smoothly and was pleasant. I did feel strange a bit. I felt like Christmas wasn't really coming and at the same time I felt exhausted and just wanted it over with... Anyone else? It was a special time and really sweet to get to see family and exchange gifts and hang out. It was such a blessing to be able to get some things we needed/wanted for Christmas and it was even nice weather, we had SUN Christmas day here in Oregon! Weird, right? Now, it's after Christmas and I'm seriously feeling the after Christmas CRASH! I'm TIRED!! I'm EXHAUSTED! I could nap for HOURS if only my kid would nap that long as well. My kids are tired, excited and happy, but tired as well. My hubby is tired. It's just been a lot of busy and doing and getting ready and now, BOOM, it's after Chr...

Christmas is over… How are you feeling, mama? My mom asked me that question about two weeks ago and, with tears in my eyes, I responded, “The Christmas season is hard on women.” And it is. I’m not sure how things go in your household, but in mine I’m the one who makes or buys most of the Christmas presents (we have a big extended family, and that is a lot of work!). I organize all our seasonal activities. I usually do all the baking and most of the cooking (my hubby does help some). I’m not trying to complain, my husband does what he can and he bares the financial burden of Christmas, but I feel like women just carry a lot of extra during the holiday season, on top of our normal household duties (which I am currently way, way behind on). I'm a Star Wars fan and I couldn't resist this one because it is so true! At least in my household, haha! But you know what? I feel like we also get more of the joy of Christmas. We get to plan all t...

Hello dear Mama, MERRY CHRISTMAS! I truly hope your day is going well, that your kids are happily playing with presents, and that your not feeling too exhausted and worn out.  It's probably afternoon or evening (or even days after Christmas) as your reading this. So I just want to say Merry Christmas! You are a great mom, your doing a great job, and everything that you did this holiday season was more than enough.  It's not about the gifts that are all opened now. It's not about the food that's probably all good and eaten by now. It's not about the lights and the tree and the decorating though those all are nice.  Whatever you did or didn't get done, take a breath. You did it! :) You celebrated another Christmas. You made the holidays special for your kids. You got to do some family holiday traditions and that's enough. Time to relax, enjoy, and take a breath. You are an amazing mom and women! Merry Christmas, Lots of love from  Joy and L...

  It’s Christmas Eve! I love this time of year, don’t you? Maybe you do maybe you don’t. For some people this is a really hard time of year. It’s a time when you especially miss those who have passed on. The ones who, in the past, made this time of year really special for you. Mrs. Joy and I were recently talking about how holidays change. I think we all have this picture in our head of what holidays were like as a child. If that was a good picture we try to re-create it. If it was a bad picture we try to change it. Sometimes it is hard to let go when things are changing. I have a friend whose father passed away four years ago and the holidays just aren’t the same since. I can see how that would be so difficult. I think ahead to when my parents and grandparents passed away and how different that will make everything. It’s a hard thought to handle and my heart goes out to those who are already dealing with that. I think that no matter how your holidays ...