Here and now

There is so much to do, always.  Cleaning, cooking, grocery shopping, working, etc.  And I get so wrapped up in the so much to do, that I forget to enjoy the right now. 

I was in a funk, an awful funk, of monotony where I was in this routine.  An awful routine, of planning, preparing and doing all in an effort to make our house function.  While things were running smoothly - kids were fed, clothed, loved, played with - I was miserable inside.  Life just felt like work, all the time.  So I decided that I needed to have a mental health break from it all.  I went out, for one night, and enjoyed the here and now with great friends and my best girl.

and that night out emphasized to me that I don't want to live this life of planning, preparing, and doing.  I need to cut myself some slack.  That some days I need to plan, prepare and do a little less - and live a little more.  I don't want to miss out on the right now because we are super.mega.busy.  The right now holds precious moments, ones that I'll never get back, and I don't want them to slip through my fingers....because he will only bring me "the most beautiful flower ever found" at 4.5 years old right now...

and so I'll take a moment away from writing a weekly meal plan to accept his flower, and snap a picture of us together, doing his cheesy best smile, because he requested it for his very own photo albulm

 and I'll sit back and watch my giant baby doing big kid things...

or admire the way that she holds her hair as a comfort when she is starting to fall to sleep

This, here and now, is what matters.

I feel a sense of achievement in acknowledging that my "type A" personality is kicking my butt.  I accept that I can't always keep up, and that my home will still function (and I am not a complete failure of a mom/wife) if I make my husband bring home take out (for the second night in a row).



On a different topic...

"daddy outfits" -  I put her clothes away with the top and bottom to each of her outfits paired together in her drawers (type A personality again), so he must really try to mismatch her.  I'm not complaining at all, in fact I love the "daddy outfits."

 Well hello stripes

As compared to "mommy outfits," or just an excuse to post more pictures of my sweet girl in some cute clothes...

as if "hair pretties" weren't enough...I might just put her in ruffled socks every.single.day.  Oh my cuteness!

and to end this totally random post with some funny picture outtakes

Jovie, punching Ryker in the nose.  Proving that at 3 months old, she already has control!

 This picture looks like my boys are all smiles and snuggles...but take a closer look at Kiplin's shirt - Paul and Ryker gave him man-boobs with Kleenex.  Poor middle child.