A peek into Mother's Day

It is no secret... I do not like Mother's Day. 

I am not a perfect mom. 

I have laundry piles stacked up, dishes from last night in the sink, dust layers on the TV stand and bathroom toilets that have dried pee on them from little boys that can't aim. 

I am not a perfect mom. 

But each day I try my best and some days I don't. 

And that is OK. 

I am not a perfect mom. 

My husband still loves me the same if dishes are done or if they are still in the sink. 

My kids still love me the same if laundry is on the table or in their room. 

I am not a perfect mom. 

And I do not like Mother's Day. 

I want my husband to love me and tell me I am an "OK" mother throughout the year not just one day. 

I want my kids to grow up respecting me and knowing what it takes to keep "us" going daily not on a Hallmark holiday. 

Don't get me wrong, I love being spoiled. And I love getting fun gifts from the kids. 

But what I really need... 

Lift me up.  Pray for me. Tell me I did an "ok" job at parenting today. 

Not every day. But not just one day of the year. 

(Qman's daycare gift)  

Our weird daycare  Mother's Day card. It was supposed to look like a cupcake. 

It doesn't. 

Oh well. #daycarefail 

It's the thought that counts, right?!?! 

Kenni's gift from school... On the last day of their 1St grade school store, Kendal spent her tickets on something for me. She said it was for Mother's Day. But I couldn't wait, so she gave it to me early. It sits on my night stand, by my pictures and window. 

Happy Mother's Day to all my, "not perfect, OK" moms! 

We rock! 

All things Friday...

You made it, I made it, we all made it. 

It is Friday. 

I really love all things about Friday. 

Today...

The sun is shinning.

My workout is done.

Preschool lessons are complete.

Windows are open.

Lunch is cooking.

My diffusers are going. 

Daycare friends are getting along. 

Bills are paid.

Fun weekend is coming.

I really love all things Friday. 

Friday at 4:45pm is my kick off to the weekend.

It means we get two entire days coming up to refresh and regroup.

Spend time doing what we love to do with those we love. 

Bring on Friday!  

This morning Mia is ready to participate in 3rd grade Kansas Kid Day. 

They have 5 stations they rotate to and have fitness/care activities to participate in. 

Dustin sent me this picture... I know she is having a blast. And it is a beautiful day to be outside. Ahhhh. Friday. I am bummed I can't be there to watch but Dustin is there and that is just as good as me being there. 

Another big milestone is happening to this kid of mine... my momma heart can't stand much more but it happens if I am ready for it or not so I better embrace it. Kadyn and all the 6th graders are loading up and going to tour SH middle school. It means school is almost out and middle school is getting closer! I am excited for her but sad for me. Another child of ours is growing up. 

Next year we will have a child in all three schools... I'm a little nervous. lol I can do all things through God's strength, right??!! 

We had cookies this am for our morning snack. Because really, why not? It's Friday after all. 

They were yummy and made the house smell wonderful. 

I am pretty sure I have mentioned we are ready for summer. Late nights playing and extremely late dinners have already started. Dustin got home late yesterday. He was hungry, I wanted his attention and neither of us wanted to cook. So, take out dinner it was. We are limiting our "eating out" but it was nice to have it all ready to eat within minutes. The kids each have their main dish they love and it made for a nice dinner. 

Kenni was super excited to show us her fortune. "Keep up the good work. You soon will be rewarded financially" Surprisingly, she knew what "financially" meant. Color me shocked.  

My husband makes my heart skip beats even after 17 years of marriage. There are days I just watch him and think to myself, "I do not deserve him". Last night was one of those nights.  After a long day in Kansas City for work, he came home tired and still gave his attention to our kids and to me. He kinda rocks. Saturn needed to be walked, which is normally Gaby's job however she had lots of homework. I really didn't want Kadyn taking the dog without an adult since Kadyn tends let her loose and that is not fun.  So that meant Dustin took the dog for a walk. Then the kids wanted to come. And that meant Quentin too. 

It didn't last too long. Qman sucks at walks and sucks at listening. Within minutes Dustin was bringing them back saying, "I can't do the dog and Q". I laughed. It was a huge undertaking in the first place. I was happy to take Quentin so he could continue with Saturn and the older kids. 

One thing I admire most about my husband is that he never complains. When he was tired last night and our kids wanted to play, he never complained. When he was hungry and I wanted to talk his ear off, he listened and no complaining. I married up. I certainly know that. 

Small moments like this is what my family is about. Even if it is only for a few minutes. 

Happy Friday! 

Oily Talk: What oils I use Morning, Noon, Night

I love all things essential oils(I know, shocker) ... I have a routine for my day that I thought I would share with you. Even though I have been using oils for 2.5 years, it's only been the last 6-8 months that I have explored Young Living's supplements.  They are amazing. Just like their oils. Who knew?!?! Lemme show you how I use some of my favorites daily! 

Morning!!! 

I start my morning out with Progressence Plus on the inside of my arms. This serum is amazing. Not only will it support healthy skin, it will help those girly hormones changes that happen when you get old, I mean age gracefully. A couple of months ago I started using PP because I was feeling a little up and down when it came to emotions. Adding this to my morning has really changed my roller-coaster ride. 

My next combo is Cel-Lite massage oil and Cypress. I don't know about you but I have some unwanted lumps and bumps on my body. So, I use these on my legs. I use the massage oil all over my legs then Cypress behind my knee. I have some bumpy veins and when I workout they become painful. Cypress is amazing and supports healthy blood flow which makes my bumpy veins not painful. Yay. 

When I head to the bathroom, I brush my teeth with Thieves toothpaste along with a drop of Orange. I will never use any other toothpaste again. My mouth feels so clean and the orange helps whiten them. Love me some Orange! 

I wash my face and use my buddy Frankincense when I use my face moisturizer. I drop every morning will support my healthy young looking face/skin. Plus, it wakes me up. After I rub it on my face, I cup my hands together and inhale. I am so not a morning person and this gets me up and moving. 

Afternoon!! 

After I fix lunch for daycare and nap time is about to start, I drink a cup of cold water ( or tea) in a glass cup/jar. I add one/two drops of Lemon essential oil in my glass of water or tea. It has a fresh taste and does great things for cleansing my digestive system. It also allowed me to ditch Dr. Pepper. Ok, I still have one can every 2-4weeks. But that is a huge change from one to two cans a day. Lemon is also fun to use when cleaning, or have a tricky sticker goo to remove from a surface. 

I also take YL Super B supplement. Wow wow! Most people take this first thing in the morning. I save it for mid-morning/lunch time. My energy level tanks about noon, so I drink my water or tea and take Super B pills. Then for the extra boost, I put a drop of En-R-Gee on my wrists and I am ready to tackle laundry, daycare paperwork, church job tasks, and house stuff. I love that I can get a natural "kick" of energy when I need it the most. 

Night time!! 

I have several oils that I just keep on my shelf in our bedroom; Peppermint, Peace and Calming, Cedarwood, Cypress, Surrender, Lavender, Ylang Ylang, and Pan Away. Depending how I am feeling, I pick a couple and start to diffuse it. My favorite night time combo is Cedarwood and Lavender. 

Again, a couple of months ago, I was feeling unbalanced and emotional. I added Thyromin to my nightly routine. It has some awesome oils in it like Myrrh and Spearmint that support a healthy thyroid. Amazing.

This past year I started having trouble sleeping. Stress Sucks. I would diffuse oils and sleep til 3-4am then wake up worrying about the world. I added Tranquil roll on to my night time shelf. Can we say soundly sleeping??? I don't use this magic roller very night. I use it when I am stressed, feeling emotional, PMSing, or if I wake up at 3am, I roll it on and I am back to sleep within minutes. Love, love, LOVE this roll on. 

I also have a couple of oils for frisky time... ahem, you know what I mean. I stated earlier Cypress helps with blood flow. Well, add 1-2 drops along your inner thigh and watch out. Ylang Ylang is amazing too. I like to diffuse this gem and put it along my inner thigh as well. For more info,  check out, "Lucy Libido, there is an oil for that. This book is a game changer for oils to use under the sheets. I made her edible lube , Happy Mrs. oil blend, Mr. Happy oil blend and Mr. Perky pills. I had to test them all out, right??? I love how we had added oils into our bedroom. Ok, yes, I went there... I have 5 children, I didn't get them by myself, y'all. TRY THEM. You are thinking, "Oh, I don't need any help in that department, we are good". I thought that too. Just do some research, buy some oils, and take your lovin' to the next level. You will thank me. 

This week I am sending out oily samples. If you are interested in trying an oil I mentioned or just  what to try a favorite of mine, let me know. Young Living is the only brand of oils I trust for me and my family!

Happy Wednesday! 

A little bit of everything...

It is gloomy outside. Again. My backyard is a swimming pool and the daycare and I haven't been able to get outside and move this am. And I can tell. We had a fun morning playing dolls, trucks, and kitchen. But after awhile the tattling starts and they are ready to move. The Peanuts and I got our JAM on and wiggled to some music then went on the deck to get some fresh air. 

May is just a busy month. Isn't it for everyone? 

Our family has end of the season dinners, soccer  away games, dance recitals, graduation parties, last day of school, 6th grade promotion, and our last dance competition. All things I am looking forward to. It is fun to look back and see how much my kids have grown in just a year. I love that each kiddo is so involved in their own activity. And I am looking forward to having a small break from their activities. Summer for me is a time to re-group, relax, and enjoy all things family. I can not wait for school to be over. Well, maybe I can since Kadyn will promote to middle school. 

Oil Talk: I have a cool scanning tool called, iTovi. You hold it in your hand while it plays a short informational video. When it is done, it will tell you what essential oils your body is needing to help become more balanced. This morning I scanned myself and my three oils were: Surrender, Egyptian Gold, and Gathering. 

Surrender promotes emotional release and balance. It will also help work through inhibitions that are holding me back from my potential. (I am excited, I have this on hand as it also works great for 3 year old meltdowns!) 

Egyptian Gold is said to increase spiritual awareness and Gathering will create a relaxing aroma that helps tension and achieving my goals. 

This is just crazy to me... all three elements (release, balance, goals) have been on my mind this week. How do I continue to grow my oil business?  SHOULD I grow my business? How to keep up with schedules and housework? 

It is amazing that my body is needing balance. 

Last month I took a huge step and cancelled my Jazzercise membership.  That was hard for me, I love Jazzercise. It was over 50.00 a month and I was the only one getting excerise in. Plus with Gaby in soccer it was hit and miss if I could go to class. I loved getting out, getting my heart rate up, and seeing my friends. It is just a fun workout. 

In April I started BeachBody workouts. They are on my computer and anyone in my household can do them. Most of them are 30 minutes long and super challenging. I am so not where I need to be weight wise and I hate home work outs. But I like being healthy better. So I have to suck it up and get it done. Home workouts do allow for flexibility. I can workout during nap time and it doesn't take from my sleep, kids' activities, or family time. I have set my May goal for 5 workouts a week. 

Monday and Tuesday night was parent watch night at dance. I love coming back early and watching Kadyn and Kendal dance. Dance takes up a good portion of our monthly budget. Some months it is hard to come up with our extra fees and monthly tuition. But it is important to us. 

Dance is important to Kadyn and Kendal. 

I love watching them be active, make new friends, and build self confidence. They learn lessons in dance that I can not teach them. They are challenged and pushed past their limits. 

Watching these two girls perform is inspiring. 

I am reading a booked called, "Oola: Find Balance in an Unbalanced World".  It is a great read so far. I love the concept of "Oola". It is a state of awesomeness. It seems simple, right? This book focuses on the 7 "F's"(Fitness, Finance, Family, Field, Faith, Friends, Fun) to balance life. It digs deeper and explores Oola Blockers like fear, guilt, anger, laziness and more. It also talks about Oola Accelerators as well such as Gratitude, Love, Discipline, and Passion. 

I am about half way through the book. It is hard for me to sit and read so I am also using the audio book for when I have dishes, laundry and kids to chase after. Check this book out, it really puts things into perspective. Dr. Troy and Dr. Dave also released on May 2nd, Oola for Woman. It is in my hot little hands for when I finish this book! Let me know if you read either of these books, and we can get coffee and chat! 

Hope you are having a great week. Find joy in rainy day, do something for someone else and maybe pick up the phone and actually call to talk to a friend! 

New Product just came in...

I love getting Young Living shipments. Oh Happy Day! 

Last Saturday the company introduced several new products and announced the comeback of one of my favorite oils, Valor. 

Shortly after joining YL and learning how many chemicals were in my lotions, I ditched them. 

I will not lie, I miss my perfumes and lotions sometimes but I know my health is worth more then the toxins I was placing on my skin. 

The past two years I have made my own body butter and it has done the job well... however when this gem came out, I ordered it the first day. I love this scent. It is the scent I used to wear from the store at the mall. #beforeIknewbetter

It arrived at my home today and I can not wait to give it a try. Cheers to new yummy products that are good for my skin. Young Living does it again! 

Two hours ago...

 I had our SUV packed with four children all under the age of four years. I was excited that I was low on daycare numbers so we packed up and went to Barns and Noble to purchase birthday gifts. (We have 4 birthday parties to attend this weekend, YIKES) I thought the kids would like going and hanging out in the kids section and play at the train table. Quentin loves B&N.... normally. 

Today he was running away, talking back, and so not listening. Pair that with his night before behaviors at church pictures and my patience with him was shot. Every time I ask him to go potty he talks back. Every time I ask him to pick up toys he talks back. When I tell him to be nice to others HE TALKS BACK. 

Two hours ago I was fighting him to listen so we could leave Chick-fli-la and take lunch to Dustin.

Two hours ago I was telling my husband how much his back talk is wearing me out.

Two hours ago he was throwing a fit because I made him rest. 

Then he fell asleep.  

Two hours ago I was reminded that he is only three years old. 

Two hours ago I told myself he is learning new limits and new buttons to push. 

Two hours ago I thought to myself, this season of life will pass. 

And when it does it will be my last. 

Be still, My heart...

This is my very first group of preschool kids.... Let me tell you how young that makes me feel.

We did their preschool graduation celebration in May 2010. 

This May Faith, Kadyn, Parker, and Josh will promote from the 6th grade to middle school. 

These girls still attend the same grade school. 

Josh moved away to Minnesota, but I still see his family when they visit KS. 

This group of kids holds a very special place in my heart.  

 We made tee shirts and they all signed them.

 They dressed up for their preschool graduation pictures. 

(My little Kk May 2010) 

My little Kk is now in 6th grade. She will be leaving the only school she has ever known to attend middle school in the fall.

 What a cutie pie. 

I miss her chunky cheeks. 

My little Kk (2017)

Be Still, My Heart!