Long time no talk. Were the Holidays crazy or what?
I was feeling so down because of how different everything was and what we couldn’t do. So I just focused on myself and my family and what we could still do.
It was definitely needed but guess what!? I am back and I thank you for being so patient. I have so much news and so many new ideas I can’t wait to dive into.
The cutest news?
We added to our family in December, we have a fur baby!
His name is Boomer and he’s an adorable Golden Retriever. So now I am officially super outnumbered with all boys in my house.
It’s definitely been an adjustment with an 18 month old and a puppy but it’s been fun! I will definitely talk more on that in another post.
But for now I just wanted to hop on here and say hi and let you know I’m still here!
It’s a new year and I can’t wait to freshen things up and get some new content rolling out.
Also, remember we do Saturday guest blogs and would love to line some up for the new year so email us at quirkyworkinmoms@gmail.com if you are interested please!
Again, thank you so much for being patient and I’m so glad to be back to writing for you all!
I feel like this year I am more thankful than I ever have been before.
2020 has truly opened my eyes to what matters most in life and it’s definitely not any type of material things that matter even one little bit. It’s people. It’s our loved ones. It’s “our” people.
And it’s most definitely health.
I know the holiday’s will be hard for everyone this year. There’s just no way of getting around it. But I still hope you can find joy and happiness in your hearts and I hope you can still enjoy this wonderful season and the memories it will still bring.
I thought today I would share with you all what I’m most thankful for not only this year but every day. Because no matter what, you can always find at least one thing you are thankful for.
My Family.
I can’t even describe to you the love I have for my family. Not only my husband and my son but just all the ones so close to me. They show nothing but support. Nothing but love and a helping hand whenever you need it. The gift of family is the best there is and I am just so thankful for each and every one of them that I get to call mine.
Health.
The health of myself. The health of my family and my friends. Now more than ever I am so so thankful for health and I’m never taking it for granted.
Smiles & Laughs.
Oh how much I miss seeing a kind strangers smile. I am so thankful for the smiles I get to see this year. You never know how much of a good and infectious thing it is until it’s covered up.
Plus, laughs with my hubby and son have just been the best lately. My husband and I will crack up about something (he’s a jokester) and then all of a sudden our little man will start laughing with us. It’s so cute!
Messes.
As much as I love a clean house, I know I am doing great as a mom when my house is filled with toys all over. It reminds me that I’m raising a sweet, playful and adventures little boy and I would take messes over a picked up, vacuum lines showing house any day of the week.
Friendship.
My husband and I are blessed with some amazing friendships. I am so thankful for the friends who are always a call or text away. They will never know how loved they truly are!
There are so many more things I’m thankful for in my life but I just thought I would share the 5 most important to me right now.
I wish you all nothing but a safe, healthy and happy Thanksgiving and holiday season. I hope your hearts fill with joy and magic and that you can spend it the best way you can.
I know we hate to admit it as parents but sometimes you just need a break from being so up tight and being frustrated!
No one needs it.
So I put myself in timeout this past week. I sat down and thought of what I need to do differently to be better. To be more present and more understanding.
My son is at the age where he is bossy and learning so many new things. And along with those new things is temper tantrums. Who knew terrible two’s would start at 15 months!
It’s been exhausting. I’ve been short tempered, I haven’t been sleeping well, I’ve been working longer hours then normal. It’s just been an anxiety filled last couple of weeks.
So I put myself in timeout to figure out what needs to change and I came up with a great list!
Number one on my list was a social media break. It’s been fantastic! The relief of not seeing everyone’s opinions and problems can be refreshing when you need it. I can’t believe how toxic social media can be at times for your mental health.
I started my Christmas planning. I am a firm believer on do what makes you happy! And Christmas makes so many of us happy, so why not start decorating early this year?
I also started on my Christmas gift list. I love planning everything out and I really want to go small and meaningful this year. Especially the DIY gifts.
Taking time to get on my sons level and be more patient on what he is trying to tell me or show me even when he is doing it in a tantrum way.
Putting the phones down around my husband more and create time together even if it’s an hour of tv cuddles on the couch before bed. It’s crazy how much you can miss someone you live with when your schedules are always so opposite!
So do yourself a favor and put yourself in time out for a bit. Think of the changes you want to make as we come up on the holiday season and a new year.
There’s always room for improvement and to detox the bad out of your life! And who knew being in time out could be such a good thing as an adult!?
Wow, it feels good to be back on the blog this week!
I took a much needed break from the blog, and the socials. We have had a lot going on these past few months.
A lot of hard decisions were made regarding school, and work. I don’t necessarily regret decisions That I’ve made, but if I could go back and make those changes I probably would.
However, I am learning things about my expectations aren’t necessarily attainable or something I can make a reality. I’m trying to form this “perfect” life that is an Instagram highlight reel.
Having a clean, perfectly organized house was something that I have always strived for. Now don’t get me wrong here, my house is far from it. However, I do think that having a well organized house, definitely helps with having a happy environment. It is so nice that when we go to do a craft or want to play with our Barbies, that I know exactly where to go to find the stuff we need for the activity.
I’ve recently reminded myself that my daughters are not going to remember how organized, or disorganized at the moment, the house was, they’re going to remember how warm and joyful our home was.
I’m also trying to stop comparing myself to other moms or women in general on social media. Amanda has touched on this subject before, and she said it so well in this blog here. She also wrote a good one about Expectations v. Reality!
Let’s face it, our faces (no pun intended) are in our phones and iPads more now then ever. I find myself constantly scrolling through social media saying to myself how I wish I could have all those clothes she has, or I wish I was as skinny as her, or even asking myself why would someone need that many hand bags?!
The world of social media is a wicked one. People post the good, not the bad. I am trying my hardest to not compare myself. I’m taking more breaks from social media (and our blog apparently). I am enjoying the quality time I have with my family.
Being a mom is rewarding and hard as hell. Every mom will tell you that. There is no “perfect” mom. We all have our spectacular mom days, where you are exhausted because you did all the things your kids wanted to do that day, but we also have our imperfect mom days where you sat on the couch watching The Home Edit while they played (argued) for four hours in their room. It’s called balance, ladies and gents!
So, drop the hard expectations you have for yourselves and be the mom you want to be. Create the childhood you want your kids to remember.
I couldn’t leave the blog without wishing you all a Happy & Safe Halloween! It is hands down our favorite holiday. We are too excited! I will post our costume on our Instagram and Facebook, so make sure to follow us on there, but here’s a pumpkin picture!
I can’t believe it’s already Halloween week! I love this Holiday. It’s just so fun and creative, plus all the activities are my favorite.
I think as the holiday’s keep coming, I am enjoying them more and more now that I am a mom. Even though my son is still little, it’s exciting to watch him learn new things and have fun.
We had our first family pumpkin carving this weekend and I love watching bub get curious about what we were doing and have him help us and do his own thing.
Although, I am probably the worst pumpkin carver. I totally did the stencil wrong and mine was a flop….ooops.
Of course my husband laughs at me, but then he attempted a tough stencil and his fell apart too sooooo…. ha 😉
I am thankful my son is still very little, so this year won’t be any different but my heart goes out to all the parents that have trick-or-treating aged children and are just trying to make the best of it!
For all of you that are trick-or-treating I pray you have great weather and a fun and safe time!
In case you aren’t though, here’s some fun ideas to have a fun but low key Halloween!
Have a movie night!
Put on your costumes or your Halloween pjs and watch some spooky movies. Don’t forget the candy and popcorn!
Game night for the win!
I absolutely love game nights and you can even make it fun by creating your own Halloween games.
Pumpkin carve/ Halloween crafts
It’s always fun to get crafty! Plus save your pumpkin carving for Halloween night.
Visit family
Trick-or-Treat at your family’s houses. That way you feel more comfortable and the kids can still get some candy.
Baking day!
Make some fun spooky cookies. Bake an apple pie or pumpkin bread. Have fun with it!
There’s so many things you can do that will still make this year a memorable and special one!
I hope you all have a fabulous Halloween week!
I hope it’s full of fun and adventures and as always, thanks for reading!
I want to start out by saying you mama’s or dads who have to do it alone… you are pure super hero’s.
This raising kids thing? It takes a village.
What a scary week we had last week.
There is nothing worse when your little is sick and they have no way to tell you what is wrong. My heart was literally breaking last week when my bub got sick. Thankfully we are on the mend but holy cow.
You know what though? I literally have no idea what I would do without my husband, my family and my friends and that is where this village thing I am talking about comes into play.
When I’m feeling overwhelmed and on my last straw, Elle Woods break down throwing chocolates at my TV screen, I am so happy for my husband. My rock. My shoulder.
When I have no clue what I am doing on this new mom life adventure, when I have so many questions and just want a seasoned mom by my side I am so happy for the ladies in my family and in my life (they know who they are!) coming to my rescue.
When I just want to talk about something other than motherhood, when I want to gossip and girl chat and send funny memes and talk about just life in general I am so thankful for my girl friends!
It just really takes a village in this motherhood game.
You need your people. You need those breaks. You need that support. You need a glass of wine or two every once in a while. You need a date night without the kids. You need to take care of yourself.
You need it all to stay sane. To not lose yourself. To keep that little fire that makes you, you.
These littles of ours deserve our unconditional love 24/7. So that’s why I’m telling you, create your own little village to help you be the best you can possibly be! And to help them too.
Pumpkins, apples, Halloween, THANKSGIVING! It’s my favorite time of year.
I love waking up on a chilly morning with coffee in my hand, taking the pups out for a morning run (the dogs, not me!). I go check on the chickens, and Pauly our rooster let’s put his cock-a-doodle-doo!
Fall mornings seems like everything moves a little slower for me.
My youngest had me print out our fall bucket list! I’ll insert it below!
I created my own bucket list for fall. Mine is going to look a bit different.
Slow down
Enjoy the little things. Enjoy the way the leaves turn, and enjoy how the air gets more crisp. Enjoy family time with the hubby and my daughters. They grow so quick, so enjoy the little moments.
Make time for my husband.
We get so lost in taking care of the kids. We do everything we can to make sure they are happy and healthy. We often lose sight of what started it all, our love. Making time to enjoy each other is essential. Wether it’s date night, or just a quiet night on the couch.
Prepare for Winter
Winter is dark and depressing, honestly. It is not my most favorite time of year. I’m going to enjoy and mentally prepare for the dark ahead. Start taking care of my body, and my mental health. Do things for me, to make winter a little more bearable.
Get more organized
I can’t stand clutter! My goal this fall is to get more organized. That should always me my goal, but like I said, I hate winter. Hopefully being more organized will make me enjoy the winter months a little bit more!
Little changes can make a big difference. Hopefully my bucket list for fall will help me enjoy it just a little bit more!
Don’t get me wrong, my youngest girls bucket list sounds fun too!
It’s been tough not surrounding ourselves with the many people we love, but also trying to find things to keep our girls occupied!
I’m gonna share some of the things we’ve enjoyed doing.
Crafts
Painting, modeling clay, slime making, bracelet making! You name it, we’ve done it! We love doing crafts, it’s been something the whole family can enjoy. Our favorite has been the clay, though. The girls love making little sculptures, and painting them. I’ve already gotten a few new jewelry dishes. 😉
Lots of Reading
Who doesn’t love curling up with a good book? I know we have really enjoyed it. A lot of our summer reading is done outside in our hammocks. It’s our favorite spot to chill. My youngest (A) loves the Mercy Watson series, written by Kate DiCamillo. My oldest (C) loves The Never Girls series! I will read anything, but I’m a true die hard Twilight series fan. I know 🙈
Video Games
I know what you’re thinking, video games?! Really?! But we honestly enjoy playing so many video games as a family. Minecraft is one of our all time favorites. We also enjoy all of the Super Mario games: Mario Kart, Super Mario World, Mario Party, etc. I also started getting the girls into Animal Crossing, although that’s not a multi player so we don’t play it often.
Outside Play
Sprinklers and pools were a huge part of our summer fun! Riding bikes, scooters, roller blading, swinging on the tree swing, playing fetch with the pups! So much fun stuff to do outside, and the fun is honestly endless when you’re outside. We also have a wooded area on our property which is fun for nature hikes and scavenger hunts! In September all the mushrooms around the yard pop up, and it’s fun to go around and identify some of them.
It’s definitely been an interesting year for us all. Trying to find things for the whole family to enjoy can be challenging.
Hopefully this gave you some ideas if you needed them! ❤️
Quirky Workin' Mom's 