Finding Joy

How do you find Joy on the hard days?  What small things rekindle it in your heart?  I feel like this is something many of my friends and myself have been dealing with this winter.  So I thought I would write out small ways I have been doing this, to remind myself now and sometime in the future when I have yet again forgotten.

First I fill my diffuser with happy oils

I research ideas for my preschool class and try them out with the kiddos or I have quiet time with God and ask him to show me the Joy in my life

 Which I then journal about, or list things to be grateful for or even instagram a picture (little things like hummingbirds at my feeder, sunshine through the window, dreams of my summer garden....)

If that doesn't work its time to join the kids in play.

Phone calls with JoJo

New stretching poses and exercise with O

Building planes from trash with Ferd

And everyone's favorite, ridiculous snap chat faces!

 And last but not least, photo shots with these adorable faces!

What are your go to Joy seekers? Exercise, stretching, chatting with friends a good book? 

Missing

This time of year I always find myself looking through our pictures trying to find that perfect one.  I realized last night I am looking for one that doesn't exist.  There will never be a picture of my mom, me and all three of my babies smiling at the camera. There are many, many great pictures of my life over the last 5 years.  Adventures, babies, moves, heart ache, family, growth, gardens but I don't think I will ever stop wishing that my mom were a part of them.

Ladies, give your moms an extra hug this week, let them spoil their grand babies with the things you don't think your kids should have.   Grandmas, love those grand babies you are blessed with and take your daughters, who drive you nuts with all their crazy rules, out for a lunch.  

Take a picture and put it in your bedside drawer.

Chateafeest

Last night was my last Chateafee(st) or Chatting, Tea, Coffee (and dessert) with the moms.  We tried a new place downtown and as usual had a great time.  It will be so hard not to have this break from toddler, husband, life during the week once we move.  These ladies have been my life line, my support, my constant companions through the difficult and amazing first two years of becoming a mom of first an infant and then a toddler. We talk about pooping, peeing, birthing, sleeping, eating, husbands, hitting, biting and even sometimes everything else in life, constantly and loudly (probably to the embarrassment of those around us). I will be so sad to miss the births of round number two (by weeks in some cases) and even sadder that they won't be near for the birth of our second.  The man at the restaurant told us to come back when the babies are all one, I think I should start planning that trip :) 

Anyway we had a blast last night, the pictures mostly speak for themselves.