Cruise Control Override

Do you ever feel like your life is on cruise control?  I have for about the past 6 weeks {since Aven was born}...and I was okay with that.  I believe we all go through seasons of life and in some seasons it is actually healthy to set yourself on cruise control.  That is why I intentionally ALLOWED myself to be in survival mode for 6 weeks. I am a doer by nature; an 'achiever' according to my profile from Strengthfinder. Because that is my personality, I had to actually give myself permission to just 'get through the day' without feeling obligated to accomplish anything tangible or quantifiable. 

I will admit there were days when I failed miserably; going to the gym or running, taking Emrie to the park/children's museum/zoo/library/pool, volunteering for MOPS, etc.  But those are things that help me to feel fulfilled, so as long as they didn't stress me out or weren't an obligation, I permitted myself to do them:)

But now that time is over!!! It is time to override my cruise control!  Most moms only get a 6 week maternity leave before going back to work full time and since my full time job is being a homemaker, it is time to put some intentionality behind it!

Ever since I changed 'careers' to being a stay-at-home mom, I have wanted to be more intentional with my time, but I never really created a 'gameplan' {game plans are crucial for me to actually following through and they need to be measurable in order for me to find them worth while..again another character trait of mine}.

So over the course of this week I will be sharing my 'gameplan' for being more intentional in the following areas of my life: physical health, spiritual health, motherhood, homemaking.  While all these areas overlap, I have specific goals I want to accomplish in each area.

I can't wait to share some of my goals with you and share my growth during my journey!

Psalm 57:2

"I cry out to God Most High, to God who will fulfill his purpose for me."

One Month Comparison

It has been fun to compare the girls in looks and personality.  So far, despite their physical resemblance, they are proving to be quite different!

Emrie was a pistol in the womb and had a slightly more stubborn delivery, where Aven hardly ever moved in utero and compliantly came out when we asked her to.

Emrie slept some during the day and was up all night {she had her days and nights confused for a couple of months}. Aven sleeps during the day AND all night {She literally sleeps for a 6 to 7 hour stretch at night, eats and goes right back to sleep}.

Emrie needed to eat every 2.5 to three hours and Aven needs to be woken up every 4 hours to eat.

Emrie cried a LOT for various reasons but Aven only cries when she is needs to poop, burp or eat.

From day one, Emrie was curious and always wanted to pull her head up to look around. Aven is content just laying there.

I adore both of my girls and their different personalities!

My Prayer

Last night I was praying over Aven before I put her to bed and my prayer went something like this,

"Dear Lord, Please enable me to be the best example I can be for Aven.  Let me show her what it means to be a woman."

As soon as the words were out of my mouth, I felt a tugging on my heart that this was not the prayer God wanted me saying for her OR for myself.  While I think He does want me to teach her to be a woman, He was shouting something more at me.

He was saying, "Teach her to be like ME.  Show her how to have MY heart. If you show her MY love and lead with MY example, she will not only learn how to be a woman, but she will learn to be a CHRIST FOLLOWER."

What a huge pill to swallow.  How I live my life will impact hers greatly.  How I guide and act toward her will give her a perception of who Christ is, whether correct or incorrect, based on my actions.

I took a deep breath before I finished my prayer, "Lord, help me to be more like you so that I can be an example to my girls of what it means to be a Christian."

Parenting is certainly NOT for the faint of heart!

10 years

Where has the time gone?  2002 was already 10 years ago.  Back at a time when Letterman's jackets and class rings were cool and everyone cried in their cap and gown as Vitamin C's Friends Forever graduation song played in the background.

Times have changed, people have changed, friendships have changed, but it is fun to reminisce about what it was like during those simpler times of high school.

Last Friday was Phil's South Adams High School Reunion, Class of 2002.  And although I didn't go to high school with him, it was fun for me to catch a glimpse of his high school days!

Farmer's Market

I'm not super crunchy, but I LOVE the farmer's market.  Not only does it give us something fun to do on Saturday mornings {Emrie wakes up at 6:00 am, so we need some way to kill time}, but it's also fun to see what little treasures we can find and support local businesses as well.

Recently, our favorite little treats have been the flavored honey sticks and fresh peaches.  These flowers made our day too!!!

Bite the Bullet

Remember when you were in Jr. High and on your walk home from school you would stop in CVS and buy a candy bar, a soda and a .99 cent Wet 'n Wild nail polish {okay maybe you didn't do that, but I did}!

Well, back then Wet 'n Wild nail polish chipped off in about 5 hours after application.  So naturally I stopped buying it and {much to my husband's dismay} began buying slightly nicer nail polish like OPI or essie.  Unfortunately, like most things, the nicer it is, the more expensive it is.

So the other day I was at CVS and decided to give Wet 'n Wild a shot again...and you know what...I LOVE IT!!!

Okay, it doesn't have the same topcoat shine quality as a more expensive nail polish, but for $2.99 this stuff is great AND it held up to the test of time.  I have been wearing it for 7 days now, and NO CHIPS...even my 'expensive' nail polish chips after 7 days usually.

To prove my point here is a picture of my nails seven days after application.  Maybe I was on to something back in Jr. High!

The color is aptly named Bite the Bullet!

Spoiled

We have been spoiled by friends in the past three weeks.  So many people have brought us wonderful dinners to the point that I haven't had to make a single meal, not lunch or dinner, since we brought Aven home {and for those of you who know me, you know I HATE cooking, especially lunch, so this is WONDERFUL}.

I can't begin to describe how blessed and loved I have felt every time someone brings a meal. To know the time spent shopping for and making the food, then delivering it to my house is a huge commitment and one I deeply appreciate.  And a huge thank you to my girlfriend Kasie for setting up the meal schedule.  I look forward to being able to return the favor one day.

One of my favorite meals was brought by a sweet friend and combined my love for Italian and Mexican food in one meal.  She got it off Pinterest, I snagged it from her, and now my family will be having it when they come to visit!

The recipe is called Chicken Enchilada Pasta  and you can get it from Pearls, Handcuffs and Happy Hour.

ENJOY!!!