Ordinary Days: Encouraging Words Link-Up With Giveaway

Ordinary Days: Encouraging Words Link-Up With Giveaway

Check out Ordinary Sarah's Encouraging Words. While you're there - cruise around her nifty blog about kids and family and all sorts of great stuff!

Encouraging Words for the Week

Laughter is an instant vacation. - Milton Berle
Let's laugh as much as we can this week sillies!

Turned My Frown Upside-Down

I woke up grumpy today and unsure of how I wanted my Saturday to go. I laid around most of the morning, sinking into the entirely depressing book I'm reading at the moment. Needless to say, that did not help my mood or make me optimistic about the day in any way. It is a beautiful, breezy day here in southern Indiana and I eventually talked myself out of wasting most of it.

Here's what I did to boost my mood:

1) Turned off all of the TVs in the house - no disheartening news shows, no completely annoying Ni Hao, Kai-Lan, no movie I've seen a hundred times and really don't need to watch again.

2) Opened the curtains and let more light in the house.

3) Put my iPod on my "Mellow" (but groovy) playlist and cranked it.

4) Laughed and chatted to the kids in the kitchen while I made lunch and cupcakes for tomorrow's birthday party.

5) Started a project I've been meaning to start all week - painting a fancy-framed chalkboard on a small wall in our kitchen. (Still in progress, will post pics when done)

After forcing myself to change the direction of my day, I have turned my mood around entirely and am looking forward to a wonderful evening. What have you done for yourself lately to boost your mood?

Drawing vs. Writing

I have always been good at drawing. And I like to draw, for the most part, I guess. I mostly enjoy drawing people. I challenge myself to really capture their true self in a drawing. And a lot of times I feel like I succeed.


My drawing of my too cute kiddos,
Jude and Gabby



I feel very accomplished and proud most of the time when I finish a drawing. It's the process of completing and sometimes even starting that I struggle with. I push myself to want to work on drawings or paintings. I have argued with myself for many years. Should I pursue art further? Should I have studied more specialized art in college? Why am I even asking myself these questions when the talent is there? 

Feelings In Dreams

I had the weirdest dream last night. (I say that almost every time I have a dream I remember.) Anyway, the dream took place at our old house, our first house. It was a turn-of-the-century, two-story house with lots of woodwork and skeleton keys. It had a creaky basement door that I swear opened and shut by itself one day when I was home alone.

In the dream I was sitting in the living room, minding my own business, when a family member burst through the door and demanded that we either let this person - she had by the arm, whom I didn't know - stay with us or she was going to move in with us with her kid that day. We just HAD to let her live with us NOW she demanded.

Random Thought Number 4

A little thing I've learned over the years and especially since I've had kids - Don't get in a hurry. About anything. Being in a big hurry isn't good for anyone. Rushing kids around makes them grumpy and you irritated. Making snap decisions about buying things often gets you into trouble later. Feeling anxiety about getting things done just makes for a tense, worrisome day. Plan ahead as much as possible and take a deep breath. And remind yourself: it'll be okay.

Knitting and Clearing my Head

The majority of my job as wife, mother and keeper of the house is in my head. Which is okay with me because I love to be in my head. I have to think about the grocery list, events on the calendar, what needs to be done next around the house, how to keep the kids entertained, clever ways to distract the kids from fighting, the list goes on and on. I am good at my job and thoroughly enjoy my job, but I always have a lot on my mind. I like to keep my thoughts as organized as possible, although I struggle with this at times. To keep my head clear I have taken up knitting, and it has changed my life.

Me as Writer

So far I have been writing from the view of the sentimental mother. Not today. Today is better than yesterday however. Thank goodness. I was easily irritated and especially hard on myself yesterday. Unfortunately some of the frustration I felt yesterday is spilling over to today.

So I want to be a writer. I always have in one way or another, whether I've recognized it or not. And I am finally doing something about it. That's good. I am trying to keep my thoughts organized and my goals simple and managable. That's good. I have not been overwhelmed at all. That's good. Until yesterday. That's bad. There is so much information out there about writing and becoming a writer. At the same time it is challenging to know in what direction to go exactly. This is where positive Me would jump in and say, "It's just part of the journey." But easily irritated Me is saying, "What the hell! Will somebody just tell me what to do next?"

Enjoying Preschool Life in the Fall

I love back to school time in the fall. I always have. I look forward to everything about it. I love getting supplies, new clothes and class schedules, just everything. My almost 3 year-old, Jude, started preschool yesterday. He has been waiting to go to "Sissy's school" for almost a year now. We would drop Sissy off last year and he would run right into the gym with the other kids and pick up a ball. Come time to leave, he would trail behind me to the car, heavy-footed and sad-faced. "Next year I get to go to Sissy's school," he would say; as if he even knew what "next year" really meant.

Random Thought Number 3

I'm working on my resume for writing jobs. Mommy-mush-brain kicking in again. Having a hard time remembering things that I did back in the day. We've moved and had kids and on and on. Going back in work history ten years? Hmmm...that was many moons ago.

Random Thought Number 2

Ace

Lucy

Sometimes I look at my Boston Terriers and wonder what they must think of all this madness. They are silent observers, taking it all in, when the're not sleeping of course. The only time they react to anything is when they are visibly irritated at the kids for waking them up to play. If they're already awake, they may be subjected to being dragged along by the collar or getting dressed up in doll clothes, occasionally looking over at me with their big, pitiful eyes.

Taking Risks

So I've started this blog and I'm putting myself out there, wholeheartedly. And it's a little scary. It's a risk, but it's what I want to do. It is something I feel like I need to do. But it's not the first time I've pushed myself to go out on a  limb. My mommy-mush-brain is trying to recall some times when I've been brave and taken some risks. As I remember some of the interesting and impressive things I have done in the past I think, "Oh yeah, I've done that and that. Wow. Go me." But I have also noticed this pattern. I go from being super brave and confident to "oh, I could never do that" and back and forth. What is that about? Is that how it is for everyone? Now I feel as if I've been so wrapped up in mommy-mode that it's even harder to pull myself over to the point of confidence. I guess I get settled in a routine for a while then start to have periods of restlessness.

Random Thought Number 1

A fellow mother of two called me a warrior the other day for choosing to have a third child. My first thought was, "Thank you!" and then second, "Somebody noticed!" Not as in no one can tell that I am pregnant, because that's definitely not the case. But it was quite a complement to have someone recognize what a big deal it is to add to a family.

Intro to the Many Facets of Me (and the purpose of this blog)

I have many different sides, different facets. For the most part, at this time in my life I jump from the mother facet, to the wife one, back to the mother, to the housekeeper (okay not really that one as much as I should) and then occasionally I put a toe or two on the artist facet. I like the artist facet. It just requires so much concentration and effort. So I keep the artist, my creative side, quietly waiting in the background. Waiting for more time or maybe just a better outlet. I've been trying to come up with an outlet that is all-encompassing, right, one that I can spend small amounts of broken time on, that I enjoy and look forward to doing. But also one that has some earning potential. Everyone wants to do that thing that they love, and now that I am a mother, I have the need to find that thing and also balance family life. I have done the away-from-home job. It was okay for a while. I felt like I was wasting a lot of great moments I could be spending with my kids and running the household. But I can't just hang out at home all the time either. I need projects and goals and new ideas. So in comes the idea for this blog, well, after a year of thinking and planning and changing my mind anyway. My bucket list has always included writing a book. In high school I was on the yearbook staff and took creative writing classes. I majored in public relations in college, plenty of writing there. So this writing bug has always been there. Even now, I have pages and pages of ideas for books and articles. I could write all day. But in reality, I only have small amounts of time throughout the day when I am uninterrupted. Although, if I was not interrupted with precious and priceless moments with my family, I may not have as much to write about. As I write, naptime is coming to an end. It will once again be time to laugh hysterically in the pool with my 2 year-old son or watch my 4 year-old daughter follow a butterfly around the yard in hopes of catching it. I am blessed to be able to be here for these moments. I am excited to share these moments in my writing. I believe this might be the way I can bring everything together and be able to jump over to the artist facet a little more often. And feel a little more complete in the process.