Things I Want My Daughter To Remember

Be nice in high school. No one will remember accomplishments; they will remember how you made them feel.

Do what makes you happy, just make sure it also pays the bills.

Follow your gut. Intuition is usually right.

Grudges are a waste of time. Forgive. Move on.

Be the bigger person even when it’s hard.

Everyone changes their major in college. It’s fine.

Love takes many forms. Just because you express it one way, doesn’t mean another person’s love language is the same.

If you’ve got the cash, then buy the shoes.

Be gentle with yourself. There’s only one of you. Please remember that.

Cheer for everyone. They deserve it.

Boundaries are good. They are healthy. They are necessary. They are also very hard.

Read the rest over at Knoxville Moms.

Simple Yoga: Reduce Your Stress With These 10 Poses

It’s no secret that the past two years have been stressful. There are numerous factors within each of our lives that have us all walking on eggshells, our minds overwhelmed, and our anxiety piqued. Do you have your jaw clenched right now? Is your tongue at the roof of your mouth? Are your shoulders tense and hiked up toward your ears? Then you need to relax. 

Enter: Yoga

Whatever fancy yoga fitness photo you’ve seen on the internet that has someone looking like Elastagirl from The Incredibles — I want you to forget it for now. Sure, a well practiced yogi can pop into these poses quickly and properly (and those poses and photos have their places within yoga!), but that’s not where I want to take you today.

The poses below will focus less on the “fitness” aspect of yoga and more on the meditative and simple stretching side of things. All yoga poses play a specific role, and they are all wonderful in their own ways, but these are just a few you can turn to when you find yourself feeling stressed, defeated, overwhelmed, or anxious. The goal with these 10 poses are for you to find a stretch and to focus on breathing.

Breath is the most important part of yoga (if you ask me).

Deep, intentional, and focused breathing can calm your busy mind. Add in a simple muscle stretch and you can also find relief in your tense muscles.

Head over to Knoxville Moms to find the list of 10 poses.

Here's What Few People Tell You About Three:

Here’s what few people tell you about three:

It’s hard. It’s way worse than two.

It’s saying no and pushing boundaries. It’s meltdowns of epic proportions. It’s assertiveness, wanting more independence, and fighting bedtime. If two is terrible then three is a tornado.

Three doesn’t care. Three makes me want to lose my mind.

And here’s the but - - - three is wonder.

It’s asking why 567 times a day. It’s finding obsessions on the tiniest scales. It’s learning routines and what to expect. It’s finding joy in things I’d normally overlook. It’s having zero concept of time or money yet asking for more and less of each consistently.

Three is joy, passion, and fun. Three is something we all need a bit more of inside ourselves.

One day this boy won’t ask as many questions. He won’t drag out bedtime just for more snuggles. He won’t have meltdowns over what song is on the radio that I can’t control. My hugs may not fix problems at four, 11, or 27.

Three is about to leave our house and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t partially looking forward to it. I know I’ll always miss parts of three, of who he used to be.

But, y’all.

I can’t wait to see what three turns into.

This was originally published on Facebook.

We're All Out Here Winging It

I bribe my kids, usually with screen time. I don’t like to cook, so we eat a lot of Chick-fil-A. Only a few of our snacks are healthy. I yell. Usually too much. I feel like I spend most of my day enforcing rules. I want them to grow up and be good humans…. So it’s necessary. Right?

I tried breastfeeding and hated it. My second baby went straight to formula. I sleep trained my kids for my sanity. I’m strict about bedtime. I let the dishes pile up even though we use paper plates. I don’t iron anything. Ever. My entire day revolves around nap time.

I love my kids more than life itself, but I will sit in my car alone for a peaceful break. From the thinking, the touching, and the never ending planning. Most days I feel like I’m getting everything wrong.

When I go to bed at night, the only thing I know for sure is that I tried. I tried to love, to encourage, to teach, and to listen. I gave hugs and kisses at bedtime even if we forgot to brush teeth. I fall short every day. But I know my kids know they’re loved.

No mama has it all figured out. And if they say they do, they’re lying

We’re all out here winging it.

This post was originally published on Facebook.

Strong Moms Cry, Too

This post was originally published on Her View From Home.

Being strong doesn’t mean you never cry. It means you find the courage to continue within the tears you shed.

Setting boundaries is a facet of strength that is often overlooked. You cannot be the mama, wife, friend, sister, aunt (and more) you are called to be if there is nothing left of you at the end of each day. There is strength in setting limits, both for yourself and other people, that can’t be found anywhere else.

Some of the strongest people I’ve met know how to ask for help. They set aside their pride, ask for what they need, and accept whatever comes their way graciously. Leaning on your husband might be looked down on by some of the world, but I know it makes the Lord smile. We are not meant to drag our way through life alone.

Seeking the comfort you need from those who help hold you up is the definition of strength. 

Asking Heaven the questions on your heart and having faith that an answer will eventually come even though you don’t know how it will get to you is strength. Reaching out to Heaven, especially when you don’t want to, is a token of strength that is unparalleled.

Sometimes being strong means looking at your massive to-do list and in the midst of being overwhelmed, picking one thing to do. Just one. No one can do it all at once, mama, so don’t try to. Stepping back and doing the puzzle one piece at a time is being self-aware.

Saying no is strength. I know you want to be the best neighbor, church member, and friend you can be, but no one can say yes to everything. Completing acts of service is work of the Lord, no doubt. But if your plate is so loaded it’s starting to crack and you are losing pieces of yourself in the process, then saying no to some things is necessary. It makes you stronger, not weak.

Sometimes being strong just means showing up.

To work, to school, to town—it just means being there. Your head may not be there, but the fact that you trudged through the roughest day and showed up anyway is strength in its purest form.

Knowing when to take a break is strength. Knowing your limits is invaluable. Seeking help does not make you less than. Holding your head up at the end of each day when it feels like you absolutely can’t is being strong. Learning and living through each day makes you stronger.

Heaven is always on your side. There are angels here on Earth, and even more on the other side, cheering you on and holding you up when it feels as if you can’t muster the strength to go on.

Mama, you are strong. You are bold. You are beloved by many. Each day is better because you are here. Don’t ever forget that.