Gratitude

Many years ago, when I was still in elementary school, there was an episode of Oprah where she featured a gratitude journal. I can remember so clearly watching that episode with my Mom and very shortly after that episode aired I can remember being in the car with her, on our way to the book store to get the gratitude journal that Oprah had featured on the episode (we are seriously a marketing person's dream...if a celebrity we really like uses some super cool product - we usually go out and get it). Somewhere between being in elementary school and growing up and getting married I forgot about the gratitude journal. It wasn't until I had kids and started struggling to make the time to have the kind of devotional time I really desired to have that the whole concept of the gratitude journal came back into my mind. 

The basic premise of the gratitude journal is that, instead of sitting down to write an entire "Dear Diary" type of entry into your journal, you take the time at the end of the day to think of 3-5 things that you are thankful for that day. They can be big deals or little deals, life changing events or things that might seem trivial - but no matter what you take the time to sit down and reflect on your day and stop and be grateful to God for it. I did really well with this habit for a while and I am trying to get back into the habit because I love looking back on my old entries. Even though there are just 3 or 4 things written down each day I feel like when I read them I am instantly transported back to that day. I can see what was happening, see what we were wearing and it almost feels like I can hear our conversations - and I love that feeling. In a stage of life where it feels like life is flying by so fast, I love any kind of habit, craft of activity that makes you feel like you can freeze time for a little bit. Like I said earlier, I also love that the gratitude journal gives you the chance to capture both the big and little things in life. I love looking back at old entires and seeing things like "a positive pregnancy test" and "a card in the mail from a friend" in the same day. If I had sat down to write a "Dear Diary" kind of entry that day I would of written all about how glad, thankful and excited I was to have gotten a positive pregnancy test - and that's great and that should be celebrated. But I probably wouldn't of mentioned that card that I had gotten in the mail from a friend, it might of been forgotten or overlooked in the excitement of a bigger event. But with a gratitude journal you're looking at your day in more of a bullet point mentality - which is not only great if your very busy, or a mom of little ones, or feel like you don't have a lot of time to stop and journal - but it also allows you the chance to look back at your day, change your perspective (if you need to) and not overlook things that meant a lot to you. 
So, if you're up for the challenge - get yourself a notebook or a diary and take the time at the end of each day to pause and thank God for 3-5 things that you are grateful for. And if you're like me, the more you get into the habit of practicing gratitude at the end of each day - the more things you'll find on your list. 

Pass It On...

There are some things that our kids will just naturally get from us, whether we like it or not....hair color, body shape, habits (good or bad), etc. But I think there are some things that we can choose to pass on to them - not force on them, pass on to them and allow them to see the value in so that they can decide if they want to carry them on for themselves or not. I love that as parents we get the opportunity to teach our kids so much - not just about the world around them, but about ourselves to. We can teach them about things that are important & special to us, and we also can allow them the freedom to see if those things will take root in their hearts as well.


A love of art and creativity is one of the things that I want to pass on to my kids. That was something that was passed on to me by my Mom, which was passed on to her from her irish Grandmother and her irish Aunt. And I am so thankful that she took the time to pass it on to me and that it took root in my life. I love getting involved something creative. There's something that just comes alive inside me when I do. Whether I'm planning one of the kids birthday parties, sewing, knitting, scrapbooking or taking pictures - I just love the feeling of being involved in a creative project. And I hope that my kids do too, and even if they don't become world famous event planners, artists, fashion designers, or photographers - that's ok with me, but I still hope that they can appreciate great art and huge feats of creativity when they see it. You never know how they will take in the things that you share with them. My son heard my Mom and I talking about quilting one day a few years ago and in a matter of minutes, he presented us with this picture....and he asked us to make him a quilt that looked like that. It was such a sweet moment and especially sweet for me to see him taking something creative that I enjoyed and putting his own little twist on it. I will love this little drawing forever....(I took a picture of the drawing and also have saved the original....and someday when I have my own sewing room it will be hanging on the wall!)

In the spirit of passing it on, I thought it would be fun to share some fun, creative ideas I have found that are great for getting the kids involved in. Most of these ideas are things that I have done with my own kids or are on my never ending project to-do list.  


First Day of School Photos // This is a fun idea that has been floating around Pinterest for a little while. It's a cute way to document your kids personalities and favorite things as they start each school year.

Favorite Book // This is a cute project and I'm sure kids would love to help with it too. It's a fun way to display a favorite book or bedtime story of theirs that perhaps has been outgrown. Here are the directions. 


Scrapboxes // Here is a fun idea from good ol' Martha (well, actually from one of her staffers, Darcy, who I actually think has cooler ideas than Martha) This is a great combination of scrapbooking & shadow boxes. It's a perfect way to hold on to some of those extra, extra special mementos that just don't fit into your typical 12x12 scrapbooks. Think about using things like, first ballet shoes, a treasured little blankie or some Legos along with a photo of the first thing they ever built. The possibilities are really endless. This also makes a great gift for Grandparents, friends or other family members! And here is another link to some cute family craft ideas from Darcy - she has great ideas!


Mini Masters Board Books // We have almost every title in this series and each of my kids love to read them. They are a wonderful way to start introducing your kids to art at a very young age. They help them become familiar with famous works of art and the stories help them start interpreting the art from a young age also. "Sunday with Seurat" was one of my son's favorite books when he was a toddler.....I had the whole thing memorized..... and as I type this I am realizing that I think I still do :)


Photography Adventures // Being a photographer, I of course wanted to teach my kids not only the right way to use a camera but also how to express themselves through photography and how much fun it is to be able to freeze time through their pictures. My son and daughter both love their little cameras and when they weather is nice they love to go on little photography walks. They take pictures of pretty much everything they see...hundreds of pictures of the sidewalk, grass, their shoes, cars, flowers, birds....and every time we get back there are always a couple pictures in the batch that turn out really, really well...like "frame-worthy" well :) And here is a cool craft that you can make with all those great photos your kids take.


My point is this - if you have something that is near & dear to you, pass it on to your kids. You never know what could come of it or how much it could mean to them - or how many future generations it will get passed on to.


"Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up." 
-Pablo Picasso

Where's the Pause Button?

Today I imported some pictures into our iPhoto library and I wound up scrolling though some old pictures and movies of our "big kids" (that's what we call our 6 and 4 year old, our two oldest). And maybe it's my pregnancy hormones, or the fact that this is my last pregnancy, or just the fact that I am a full fledged Mommy now and so I cry easily....but I was so choked up the whole time I was looking at our old pictures and home movies of our kids. I had forgotten how their voices sounded when they that small, I had forgotten how much baby fat they had on their little faces, forgotten about little expressions they made or the way they said certain words. It was bittersweet. I was so glad that I had those pictures and movies, but at the same time I was so sad that time had gone by so quickly.


It feels like such a "Mom" thing to say, but every once and while it just hits me all over again - time is flying, it really does go by SO quickly and kids grow up SO fast. It seems like when you're pregnant with your first baby, you spend the majority of those 9 months hearing other Moms tell you just how fast time goes by, and you smile and promise to treasure every minute - but at 3am when you're trying to get you're 2 week old to eat or fall back asleep you wonder if those other Moms were lying to you. And then you blink and your newborn is suddenly six years old....almost done with Kindergarden, sounding like a big kid and missing all that baby fat on his face.  So, what do you do? I have a feeling that sitting around, crying about how fast your babies are growing up isn't an option :)


Maybe that's why I am so drawn to photography, scrapbooking and keeping a journal (or trying to keep a journal). It seems like a way to freeze time and to hold onto all those heartwarming things that we don't want to forget. Tonight instead of feeling discouraged that I am insanely behind on scrapbooking I am trying to be encouraged and motivated. To see that yes, time is flying by quickly so - stop wasting the precious extra time you do have and spend it doing something you love and actually want to do....work on the scrapbooks, make the quilts and dresses and hair bows and little outfits for them that you want to -  before they're too big to wear them.


Looking through all those old memories also felt like I got a big kick in the rear as far as my attitude about parenting goes. Let's be honest, parenting is hard, tiring and stressful. Yes it is totally worth it - it's wonderful and amazing and filled with heartwarming, priceless movements and I am thankful for every last one of them. But it is also filled with moments where you just want to curl up in a ball in the corner and cry. Sometimes you wonder if you have what it takes, and sometimes you fear that you're a total failure and your kids are going to wind up paying a shrink insane amounts of money to try and figure out how you messed them up so bad. However, I think as mothers we have to be so careful not to give in to that stress and that fear. Sure it's healthy to some degree (we worry because we care, it's just in the job description). But sometimes we wind up so freaked out, discouraged, stressed and caught up in all the hard moments of parenting that we miss the good moments and we forget to stop and just enjoy our kids. I know that I need to take more time to just stop and do nothing but enjoy my kids. To laugh with them and be ridiculous and immature with them. To build LEGO spaceships, brush the dollies hair and just sit on the floor and let my baby girl feed me animal crackers. I need to stop freaking out that the house is a mess and the laundry is behind and that my to-do list is growing at an insane rate. Because my kids are growing even faster. It seems like that to-do list is a snail compared to how fast my kids are growing. And I don't want to miss it. I don't want to look back and realize that I had forgotten how they used to be. I don't want to have to jog my memory through home movies. 


I want to be like Mary and treasure all these things in my heart. To enjoy and appreciate my kids for who they are and not give in to stress, fear and the wrong kinds of "mommy guilt". I want to live by the motto of my favorite "famous scrapbooker", Becky Higgins and "cultivate a good life and record it". God has blessed my husband and I with an incredible, blessed life and I don't want to miss out on any part of it. 


So that's my little challenge to myself, and feel free to steal it for yourself if you need it. Thanks for letting me ramble :) 

Legendary

Everyone has that collection of movies or tv shows that they could watch over and over and over, and never tire of. One of the items in my list is a TV Special that aired a few years ago. It was the "Oprah Winfrey Legends Ball". Event planning enthusiasts that we are, my Mom and I made ourselves Oprah's Legendary Lemon Drop Martinis and drank in every sip of Collin Cowie, Oprah and Gayle planning a three day long solute to those whom Oprah considered to be legends among the African American community. It was so much fun. And every once in a while, I still hop on YouTube and watch the special all over again...someone has the whole thing up there in six different little segments, but I don't mind - I still love it. Not just because the event planner in me falls in love with the notion of having a party to honor those you admire, or giving away diamond earrings as a favor - but because I really do agree with the statement that Collin Cowie makes during the show, "love is in the details". It's true. When you love someone you know all the little details about them that make them who they are. If you're like me you love buying all the coordinating plates and napkins and party supplies that go with whatever theme my kid has picked out for their birthday party that year. You love wrapping up party favors or gifts and wondering how excited someone else will be when they open them. You love creating a gift for someone with your own hands because even though it takes a lot of time and effort and attention to detail, the recipient is SO worth it to you. Maybe that's why the Legends Ball and all the details that went in to it resonate with me. 


However, after the last time that I watched it I began to look at it in a different light. Because right around that time I had also gone to a Beth Moore conference where she talked about preparation. She spoke about all that God has prepared for us to do over the course of our life, and all that He has prepared for us in eternity. And as I began to think about all that God has prepared for us, both here on this earth and in Heaven - I was blown away. I thought that little Legends Ball weekend Oprah had thrown was amazing and incredible and then I realized - that weekend doesn't even scratch the surface of all the work and preparation that God has put into our life. In comparison to how much detail and thought and LOVE and sacrifice has gone into God's preparing our life and eternity for us - that Legends Ball looks like nothing. I know that this may not come as a huge shocking revelation to you as it did to me, but sometimes things just fall afresh on you and you cannot get over them. And as I thought about ALL that God has done for me, and all the care and thought and effort he has put into just my life (and don't forget he puts that same amount of effort and love into the lives of all his children) I was humbled, and grateful....and pretty much speechless. 


So I guess the question becomes, what is our response back to him? When we realize all he has done and all he IS doing for us, what do we do in response? Of course the first things most of think of would be to love him, obey and serve him, show his love to those around us - and I agree, absolutely. But I also think that we are called to live more intentionally in response to him. To not just float through life letting our days just be "whatever". I think that we need to recognize how quickly our time here is flying by and to become more purposeful and intentional in the way we live, in the way that we love, obey and serve our God. Life with God is a huge adventure, an amazing adventure and at times a very tough adventure. But if we will focus on HIM and not all the circumstances flying around us, trying to distract us from him, he will guide us and he will take us on the journey of a lifetime. Something far better than any Legends Ball that we (or Collin Cowie) could ever dream up.


Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life? - Mary Oliver


Ephesians 2:10 - For we are God's masterpiece. He created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.


Isaiah 45:18 - For the LORD is God, and he created the heavens and earth and put everything in place. He made the world to be lived in, not to be a place of empty chaos. "I am the LORD," he says, "and there is no other".


1 Corinthians 2:9 - However, as it is written: "What no eyes has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived" - the things God has prepared for those who love him.

Consider Me Inspired // Motherhood & Photography

Hello! I just wanted to take a minute to share two fun, encouraging and totally unrelated things with you! :)


First up is probably one of the best messages on parenting I have ever heard - and it's only 12 minutes long! I've been blessed to have been able to receive wonderful, godly advice from my own Mom, from friends who have kids older than mine, from good books and from wonderful sermons I've heard and this video is right up there at the top of my list of favorites! It is something that I watch over and over again to give myself a good reminder of what really matters in parenting, what's really going to make a difference in my children's life. It's a quick little Mother's Day Video that Beth Moore put on her blog a few years ago. You can watch it here. Enjoy!


The second is a great article I read about photographing your own kids. As a photographer and a Mom I sometimes have such a struggle with photographing my own kids. Most people think that just because you are a photographer and have a nice camera, that automatically means that you will have studio quality pictures of your children all the time. Well, it doesn't. I wish it did but usually one of two things happens in our house: either I don't feel like lugging my nice, big camera along with us or my kids are not into my fun photo-shoot idea as much as I am. Yes, I am sure you are shocked to learn that most photographer's children do not feel like dressing up, sitting perfectly still and smiling or gazing happily into their siblings eyes whenever their photographer mommy wants them to! So a lot of the time I just wind up discouraged and leaving the camera at home or saying we'll try on a different day or just waiting until my good friend and family photographer Robin Lieb is available (you can check our her site here by the way). But when I came across this article, I was so encouraged! It really helped me change my perspective on being a "photographer mom" and it reignited my love for photographing my own kids. So whether your a pro, an amateur or a Mom with a camera that hasn't been used in a while - check out this article and get shooting!

Mommy Dearest

Today is my Mom's birthday! I have been thinking about writing something in honor of her birthday for a while but I have had a hard time forming my thoughts. When I think of all she has done for me and my growing little family I feel like words are not sufficient enough to describe how much she means to us. That's how I feel when it's time to shop for her too....she is both the easiest and the hardest person for me to buy for. On one hand I could easily spend hundreds on her - buying all the french books, interesting novels, Tiffany & Co jewelry, Anthoplogie teasets, knitting accessories, macaroons, quilting supplies, and French themed art that I can find. But on the other hand I feel like none of it is good enough. None of it is special enough. I mean, in all honesty how do you accurately portray your love, appreciation and admiration of someone who...

• Raised you in a loving, Christian home
• Took you to church every week, put you in Christian school
• Switched churches when she saw how much fun you were having & how much you were getting involved at a new youth group so that she could be at the same church as you
• Made all your clothes & halloween costumes and then taught you to sew when you were old enough (and still continues to teach you to sew, knit, quilt, etc....)
• Hand sewed every single Swarovski crystal onto your wedding dress
• Took you to plays, musicals, ballets and art museums from a very young age
• Came to allllll of your basketball, softball (rain or shine), and cheerleading games. And also coached your 8th grade cheer squad so that there could be a team that season
• Chaperoned all your school field trips
• Not only raised you, but also took care of two dogs, three cats and a handful of hamsters and birds in the coarse of your childhood because you were an animal lover :)
• Had one of those hamsters operated on (yes, operated on) because it broke her heart to see you crying over the thought of a hamster dying. (Looking back, this whole story is hilarious and it may just wind up getting a post of it's own one day)
• Took you and your friends to Hawaii for two weeks after High School graduation
• Laughed with you
• Cried with you when you were stressed out
• Listened to you go on and on and on about some guy named Matt you had met at youth group and were completely in love with :)
• Happily planned (and paid for) your wedding and went with you to every fitting, appointment, etc
• Moved you and your hubby into our first house, helped you paint it and decorate it and turn it into a home
• Rejoiced with you (and calmed your nerves) when you learned that a baby was on the way 10 months later
• Joyfully sprang out of bed at 5am when that baby began to arrive one cold wintery morning
• Moved in for a week to cook and clean and care for our new little family when Matt went back to work after our baby was born
• Also, sprang out of bed to be at the hospital when babies number 2 and 3 were on the way and also came to cook and clean and help you adjust after they were born
• Threw you a party every time a baby was on the way because she firmly believed that every baby is worth celebrating
• Babysits for free and usually winds up cleaning the house while she's there also
• Has craft days with you
• Stalks...I mean....attends Beth Moore conferences with you
• Plans and throws birthday parties for your kids with you
• Has your kids over for slumber parties and lovingly spoils them like crazy
• Dove into the brand-new-to-her world of Legos, superheros and video games so she could bond with your son
• Takes your daughter for tea, manis & pedis and shopping dates....just like she did when you were little
• Took your family to Disney World, Legoland and The American Girl store in Chicago

...and this list....is just the tip of the iceberg. I could sit here and type until my fingers began to bleed and fill pages and pages full of all the things she has done for me and my family, and it still would not feel like an accurate description of how great, awesome, fabulous and kind my Mom is. Happy Birthday Mom, I am so thankful for you!!! Love you!

Reading Day

My Mom informed me today that it is World Reading Day and tomorrow is National Reading Day. I've written before about how much I love books and reading but I wanted to do just a little something on the blog today in honor of these great days!


If you are a Mom, I cannot stress enough how important I think it is to take your kids to the library - often! It is such a fun and free activity to do with them. My kids love going to our library, and we love to take them! They proudly have their own library cards and get such a kick out of scanning their books at the self checkout. Even when our oldest was still an infant we would go and push his stroller through the isles of books and as he got older he would waddle around, checking everything out. It's so important to teach our kids - from a young age - to the value of a good book, to enjoy learning and to love getting lost in the pages of an exciting story! And don't forget to get some books for yourself too! Happy Reading Day!!!


There are lots of great resources out there to encouraging reading, here are just a few: 


Oprah's Book Club for Kids // This site has great information and book recommendations for kids of all ages.


Rory's Book Club // Most of you know this about me, but I (and my Mom, my husband and some of my close friends) am a HUGE fan of the TV show Gilmore Girls. One of the main characters on the show, Rory, was a huge book lover, she was pretty much never seen without a book in hand or somewhere nearby. Some other Gilmore Girls Groupies put together a book list filled with the books she read on the show and with recommendations for books that she probably would of read.


And finally, if you're a book lover then you definitely need to get the GoodReads app. It's a great tool that helps your keep track of books you  have read, want to read or are currently reading. And you can see what books your friends are reading also. It's fun and a has quickly become one of my favorite apps. You can get the app here or click here to check out the website.