impromtu.

this past weekend, we got away.
it was so needed. life sometimes tends to grab you by the throat and suffocate you until you go a little nuts.
so a vacation was desperately in need. thankfully, my husband who grabs on to the YOLO attitude more than i do. haha.
we packed up and left to the beach. because it's the beach!

it was glorious. while we were there, we were the only ones. it seemed like we were on our own little private beach. and unfortunately as it was such an impromtu vacation, we weren't as prepared and made with what we brought. but nonetheless, it was heavenly.
salty air, warm sand on our toes, the kids playing carefree in the waves. heaven.

 

i'm already planning for the next time we go in a few months!

 

what is your favorite way to spend a vacation?

 

 

 

goals schmoals.

can i tell you something?

i'm overwhelmed. like i feel like i'm drowning and gasping for air overwhelmed.

sorry for the heavy intro on a monday morning. last week i didn't post at all, simply because i had no energy to. i didn't want to sit in front of a computer and type away even though i love blogging.
but it had become another to do on my list. and that sucks the fun out of anything, doesn't it?

see this year i wanted to be reeeeallll intentional with everything. motherhood, being a wife, with my faith, my projects. all of it. this is the year that i wanted to check off everything i intended to do and feel a real sense of accomplishment. i didn't want to end the year feeling like i didn't do anything. like i just mossied my way through it.
 i thought that maybe writing out goals each month would help me stay on top of it, and accomplish things..

but honestly, it's barely two months in and i feel tired and overwhelmed.
as february passed by and nothing on my list was getting checked off, i became anxious and grumpy
because there were not enough hours in the day, because chores were still left undone, because i didn't spend as much time with my kids, because i left my quiet time with God till the end of the week.
something wasn't working. and what i realized was that i always try to make what works for others work for me.

yes, comparison.

i see other mommas having craft time with the kiddos, put that on my list.
i see other women filling up orders for their business, put that on my list.
other moms having their home right out of a pinterest board, yes, put that one on my list too.

and so my list kept building up. my expectations kept increasing, yet since an extra eight hours in the day did not magically appear, unless i wrote off sleep for good, my emotions, my attitude just kept on debunking day by day.

recently i read an article or could have been a post about a suitcase. i'll try to sum it up.
basically we all get a suitcase and at the end of this road when we look into that suitcase, we want to make sure we packed up the things that really, truly mattered. and it breaks my heart as i type this, because i'm a stubborn woman, and even though i know this, the things that really matter lots of times take the backseat.

i don't want to do that anymore. i want the people and things that matter to be always in my suitcase.

so i'm tossing out my itemized monthly goals. don't get me wrong. goal making is a good thing, if it works for you. for me monthly goals are overwhelming me at the moment.

the family photos, business cards, getting the house decorated, etc, etc. will come when they come. at the end of the day it's not all that important. however my God, my family, my kids. that matters.
and that is what i want to focus on. in light of it, i feel like placing time with God and with my family shouldn't even be on a goal list.

we don't put eating or breathing on a goal list, because it's something vital to our life. so is spending time with God and with our family.

 giving myself more of Jesus, showing my kids and husband Jesus, showing my community Jesus.

those three things i want my life song to be about. there, lifesong. that sounds better, don't you think?

letting go of the goal list starting today, grabbing hold of my life song.

what are your thoughts on goal making?

the thinkery.

 

 

 

 

  

  

 

i love free events for families, don't you?

and i love companies that provide such events so that families on a budget can enjoy themselves as well!

 

yesterday night was community night at the thinkery, where admission is based on donations. i went with my daughter last week as a chaperon for her field trip and truly loved the place and love the name of it.

 

although, it technically is a children's museum and you see lots of tots running around, the whole idea of it is perfect for school aged children. there are so many science related exhibits that allows the kiddos to engage their thoughts and creativity.

 

i especially liked the innovator's workshop, where the kids get to build, experience how light works, make animated movies, build their airplane and see how far it goes with a bowling ball falling on top of the launcher.

 

overall, it's a pretty neat place, the staff is wonderful and to top it off, there is a beautiful lake and park across the street to enjoy the rest of the day.

i've already been checking out other activities to do with the kids around town and next wednesday is decorate your own donut at krispy kreme! now you know rain or shine, i'm going to be at that one!

 

 

what are some of your favorite places to visit around your town?

currently.

 

thinking about life// so precious yet taken for granted so much. with our lengthy to do lists, our go - go approaches. everything we've been given can be gone in an instant. and yet we hardly take time to breathe in the air, breathe in the laughter from our loved ones. we hardly take time to hold on a little tighter to hugs. lately i've been trying to slow down as much as possible. cherishing each and every moment.

 

 

reading// the little prince. read this years ago in french class, and it's so good to read it again in english and actually understand it! haha. the kiddos are enjoying it too. also we've been reading max lucado's one God, one plan, one life. they're perfect devotionals for the kids and speak so much truth. i'm so glad we are finally getting on a regular schedule for these.

 

listening to// audio adrenaline. downloaded the entire album accidentally on my son's phone and it's always on replay. even though i have more of a meredith andrews or kari jobe music taste, i really like the songs and love even more he's plugged in to christian music.

 

watching// impractical jokers. have you seen that show? it's hilarious, when it's not inappropriate.

it's mainly these four guys that have to play pranks on unsuspecting customers, who luckily always laugh along. my favorite recently is when they had to clip balloons to unknowing customers at the supermarket without getting caught. it's pretty funny and like i said, the customers always laugh along, although i wouldn't doubt one day they might get punched in the face!

 

thankful for// familia. lately we've been spending a lot of time together. and i'm not complaining. my sister came to visit to celebrate my daughter's birthday and it's always so good seeing her and her family. one thing to never, ever take for granted is family. we only have one and i'm thankful mine's pretty wonderful.

 

what's currently going on in your world?



 

 

 

linking up here:

my people.

 

 

every time the day will begin with the kids excited to get out of the house. i tell you we could be photographed and have our picture land in a magazine or something from how perfectly poised the kids look in the backseat of my husband's suv. how my husband and i are joyful to give our kids opportunities whether big or small, sometimes you might catch us holding hands in the front of the vehicle chatting on our childhood, things we dream of doing, joking with the kids, etc.

however, we are a real family, and that doesn't quite last long.
halfway through the trip someone will look at somebody else and the 'mooooooooom, he's looking at me!' will begin.
when we get down to eat, a little argument will break out on who gets to sit where, and after some bickering, my husband will have to sternly tell them to stop.
we will eat in peace and talk happily. walking out to the car with our bellies full, more arguing will start on who doesn't want to sit in the middle. which will for the thirteenth millionth time stress me out, because this is every.time. and then my husband might say something that doesn't strike the right cord with me which we know what happens then.

yet after some sulking, the kids will be chatting away happily again and my husband and i will just roll our eyes at knowing it's probably some conspiracy thing going on from them trying to drive us crazy.
as i look at them, my husband included. i see my people.
not perfect by any means. crazy, looney, moody and loud. but my people nonetheless who i love tremendously to the moon and back.