Friday, August 16, 2013

She's Three

Somebody had a birthday...



this beautiful girlie is lucky she isn't the baby because I would spoil her rotten. I love her so much! She has such a special little spirit. She is one of the most giving, kindhearted little souls you'll ever meet. SHe also has a lot of spunk which comes in handy when dealing with siblings. 

Singing, painting, drawing,
pretending, barbies, baby dolls,
all things princess,
tutus, ballerinas, Curious George, Corduroy, 
German Pancakes, brownies,
cheetos, chips of any variety,
"spicy crackers"
"calling all Gracies, calling all Gracies"
"My Home's in MT"
zippity ay sippity ay
scrub the dishes 
lives in swimsuit with the purple ruffle


3 sillies

 a little carriage ride...






I've got great kids

Thursday, August 8, 2013

Motherhood: Spinning Plates



You know, lately, I have been feeling like as a mother I have all these plates spinning (one for each child, one for my marriage, one for church, one for housework, etc....) and most of the time I feel like I can keep two, maybe three plates spinning, but the rest keep falling and breaking. And lately, I have been a monster to my children which is unacceptable.
So last night I looked up this video to watch an actual plate spinner work his magic. This is what I have gleaned from watching a master:
1. he has a plan
2. he has practiced and probably continues to practice. He didn't become a master in a day or even in a week.
3. the plates don't all get attention simultaneously
4. the plates don't get spun once, and expected to stay up on their own. they get a little nudge to keep going repeatedly
5. he keeps them spinning by gentle, controlled movements, not by wildy flailing around or being rough.
6. he keeps a smile on his face
7.he expects wobbling and doesn't get frustrated. just addresses the wobbling object and moves on.

So to keep my plates spinning:
1. I need to take more time to plan out my day, my month, my methods
2. I need to be patient with myself, and keep practicing being a good mom, wife, etc.
3. I can't meet everyone's needs at once.
4. I need to expect to help a child over and over again, to revisit finances often, to nurture my marriage regularly, daily effort to strengthen my testimony, etc.
5. I need to be gentle, kind, loving. Being rough, loud, demanding, or angry doesn't not keep plates spinning
6. A smile makes everything go smoother
7. I shouldn't get frustrated by my faults, my kids faults, or even situations. Just expects bumps in the road, address the problem, and move past the issue. focus on what can be done, not what is happening or what happened.


How do you keep your plates spinning?

Sunday, August 4, 2013

Summer Days

Best Friends!

Loves Blueberries 

Good Morning Sunshine

Pioneer Day (Have you ever seen such a cute pioneer in your life?)

First Sippy Cup

Such a happy girl