Motherhood

My 2019 Must-Read Book List

New year, new habits! I’m starting the year off my improving mind, body, and soul. I don’t have a lot of quiet time to sit and read, but I do have access to tons of books on my phone! And did you know that a fantastic way to trick yourself into liking exercising is by working out to audiobooks? No matter how tired I am of going nowhere while climbing stairs, I’ll keep climbing until I’m at the end of the chapter of a good book. At the end of this post I’ll share with you how I get audiobooks for free, but first here is my 2019 must-read book list:

2019 Must-Read Book List

When I say “read”, I really mean listen. This mama doesn’t have time to enjoy a book, I listen while on the go! Or washing dishes, or vacuuming, or running errands… You get it.

These books were recommended to me by other moms, so I haven’t actually read any of them yet. Horror and Sci-Fi aren’t really my jam, so you won’t see a lot of those on my list, but feel free to add your favorites from any genre in the comments in case another reader shares your interests!

The Art of Racing in the Rain This looks like a totally heartwarming story. The synopsis describes it as “A heart-wrenching but deeply funny and ultimately uplifting story of family, love, loyalty, and hope–a captivating look at the wonders and absurdities of human life . . . as only a dog could tell it.” This one is at the top of my 2019 must-read book list!

The Kitchen House I’m a little nervous about this one because I heard it will make me cry like a baby. But it sounds like a good read just the same!

Girl, Wash Your Face This is one of the highest-recommended books of 2018. I love Rachel Hollis’s podcast, Rise, so I’m pretty sure I’ll love her book too.

The Nightingale A historical fiction, this one comes highly recommended by several of my mom friends. “When a German captain requisitions Vianne’s home, she and her daughter must live with the enemy or lose everything. Without food or money or hope, as danger escalates all around them, she is forced to make one impossible choice after another to keep her family alive.”

Uninvited Not gonna lie, I need to read this one. A friend went through this with a book club, and she has great things to say about this book. I can’t wait for this one!

The Woman in Cabin 10 This mystery novel is “reminiscent of Agatha Christie’s works”. I’m sure you haven’t heard of Dame Agatha Christie before, but she is one of my all-time favorite authors. I love a good mystery thriller, as long as it doesn’t leave me too afraid to be home alone!

What Alice Forgot I like the way Marie Claire UK summarizes this novel-”The gripping story of a woman who wakes up with a bump on her head and no knowledge of the past ten years…an acutely observed romantic comedy that is both thought-provoking and funny.”—Marie Claire (UK)”

Tuesdays with Morrie This almost 40-year-old bestseller is something I’ve heard about but never read.

Artemis Fowl I definitely want to read this book before the Disney movie comes out in August!

The Year of Magical Thinking I don’t know much about this book except that it comes highly recommended. Amazon describes it as “a portrait of a marriage–and a life, in good times and bad–that will speak to anyone who has ever loved a husband or wife or child.” Sounds good to me!

My husband and I use Audible to listen to audio books, and it’s definitely the best option. It can get pricey though, so thankfully there is a free alternative. Many local libraries, like ours in San Diego, offer audiobooks! All I had to do was download the app, type in my library card number, and start borrowing my favorite books. The downside is, unlike Audible, you can’t keep the books forever. They have to be returned in 2 weeks, just like any other library loan. So I guess I better start working on my book list, right?

Please leave your favorite books in the comments so I can keep my audio library stocked, and thank you!

Happiness is a House Full of Kids

Many of the kids in the neighborhood have been flocking to our house the last few weeks. I’m not sure what’s attracting everyone, but I’m glad they’re here! I enjoy the noisy games and kids racing through the halls. It’s also nice to know where my kids are, who they’re playing with and what they’re doing.

We don’t have a very big outdoor area. Our patio has a barbecue, a small concrete space, and a playhouse. The kids don’t go in the playhouse very often because they’re afraid it has spiders and I don’t blame them! They prefer to sit on the roof and play imaginary games, like being on a boat in the middle of a lava explosion. They also like to play thunderstorm, but they haven’t quite connected with the fact that you don’t climb on the roof in a storm.

We get all ages of kids over here, and I feed as many of them as I can. Maybe that’s why they keep coming over? It can get expensive providing snacks for the neighborhood, so I’ve found some cheap ways to keep their little bellies full: popcorn, pretzels, and pink lemonade made from a tub of powder. The oldest kid who comes over is about 13, and he has autism. He’s high-functioning and loves playing pretend with the kids. He’s a gentle boy and being around the little ones makes him feel important, like he’s helping us out. The youngest neighbor is his 2-year-old brother, who often tags along. I don’t mind the little guy being there, but I do make sure to keep a close eye on him. Sorry, buddy. No popcorn or roof-climbing for you!

It rained a little bit, and the dirt made thick mud that was perfect for making pies. The girls realized that you could make colorful pies by adding ground-up sidewalk chalk, and they spent a good part of the afternoon baking things for all the boys. It’s funny to hear them mimic things they hear their parents say, like, “you better eat all your chicken or you won’t get any dessert!”

In the midst of busy schedules and juggling a stressful work load, it helps to be around kids who are fully entertained by mud and playhouses. I love listening to their stories spin out and their innocent chatter as I’m elbow-deep in dishwater. I get caught up in their excitement, and forget about my worries. When all the kids are here, my mind doesn’t have to think about any of the big, grown-up problems that so often hold my thoughts hostage. For a while, I get to live with them in the carefree land of imagination. It’s a mental and emotional state that I think we all need to find ourselves in more often, don’t you?

How Not to be a Stressed Out Mom

This post was sponsored by Neutrogena as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.

As a working mom with 3 small children, I know how important it is to take some time for yourself! But, like many moms, I don’t always do what I know I should. Today I want to give you some tips to slow down, relax, and focus some attention on yourself.

How not to be a stressed out mom

Limit Screen Time

One of the biggest things you can do to lower feelings of anxiety and tension is to put down the phone down. Have you ever tracked how much screen time you use on a daily basis? Some smart phone apps can monitor your screen time, and you’d be surprised at how many hours a day are spent on the phone! Focusing on your phone causes your muscles to tense and your heart to race. Help your body relax by taking a break from the phone and focusing on something more soothing.

Get Moving!

Exercise is known to boost endorphins, lower stress, and increase energy levels. If making it to the gym is too time consuming, find a 15-minute activity you can do like walking in the neighborhood. I look forward to the walks I take and with my kids. They help me see the beautiful things around us, like these flowers! I think they are gardenias? Johnny and I stopped to smell these dewy buds early in the morning, and he said they made his nose wet. Isn’t nature funny like that?

Soak the Stress Away

I know, everyone says you should take a bath to lower stress. But it’s so true! I’ve noticed that my kids are so much calmer when they have a bath before bed instead of a shower. The same goes for us moms. A dip in warm suds is just the thing to soothe those tense muscles. Turn a bath into a spa-like experience with Neutrogena Rainbath! It makes my skin feel clean and conditioned without leaving behind a filmy residue. This bath and shower gel comes in 5 lovely scents: Renewing Pear & Green Tea, Rejuvenating Pomegranate, Replenishing Ocean Mist, and Restoring Fresh Plum.

Breathe in Calm, Breathe Out Stress

I love how a nice smell can totally change how I feel inside. I use this Neutrogena Rainbath both in the shower as a shower gel and in the bath. Some days it seems like a shower is my only time alone. These are the times when I need to be pampering myself with some Neutrogena Rainbath on my loofah. My favorite scent is the plum. When I use it, I think of fresh ripe fruit and strolls through the orchard. And even though it’s winter, the weather here in San Diego is still in the upper 80’s. Which means wearing shorts. Which also means shaving legs. Thankfully, my Neutrogena Rainbath can also be used as shaving gel! So I only have to buy one product for plenty of skin-smoothing bathing. Neutrogena Rainbath Restoring Fresh Plum

Grab your Neutrogena Rainbath at Walgreens or walgreens.com. Between now and November 4th, enter to win one of ten Neutrogena Rainbath bundles, which include one of each of the 5 Neutrogena Rainbath scents.

Neutrogena Rainbath Sweepstakes

I-C will randomly select winners from all program entries and RPR will facilitate fulfillment of the winning prizes of 10 winners.

Finishing Strong When You Are Weak

Today I ran the race I didn’t want to run. I signed up for a 10K months ago, and then race day came upon me quicker than I wanted.

7 weeks ago I had abdominal surgery that really set me back in my training. Even until the moment I stepped in front of the starting line, I had no faith in myself that I could finish the run. But I did. Although I felt weak and unprepared, my girls gave me the motivation to finish strong.

If you follow my Facebook page, then you may have seen this already 😉

I think that’s the key to being strong when you are feeling weak: The right motivation.

I’m not a trainer, so maybe it was unwise for me to run that far when I hadn’t finished training for it. I felt great for the first half of the run. Thanks to my the helpful advice from my community, I knew to set a steady pace and was sticking with it pretty well. After rounding the U-Turn at the halfway point, I started getting bogged down with discouragement. The “you can’t do it” monster began telling me lies: I used up all my energy and I was only half way done. It was going to take me forever to get to the finish line. Everyone will be packing up and going home by the time I come through. I didn’t even want to do this dumb run in the first place. I hadn’t had enough time to train after my surgery. Everyone was passing me except for walkers and women pushing strollers.

I had earbuds in, playing upbeat music from a playlist on my phone. Thankfully, the next song that came on totally changed my mindset and gave me a much bigger perspective on not just the run, but my role as a mom.

It feels kind of silly to say it now. The song was Titanium by Rihanna. The lyrics are, “I’m bulletproof // Nothing to lose // Fire away, fire away… You shoot me down // But I won’t fall // I am titanium.

All of a sudden the run didn’t feel like it was about me anymore. I thought to myself, how could I face my daughters if I throw in the towel and quit this thing? How can I expect them to do hard things and surpass others’ expectations of them, when I couldn’t even finish running a silly 6 miles?

And that was all the motivation I needed. Fueled by a second wind, I set my pace again and pressed on for the finish. I saw the runners around me as comrades in the struggle to beat the odds and prove everyone wrong. I had to keep moving, for my daughters, and for girls everywhere who are ready to give up. Thank you to Rihanna, Beyonce, Ke$ha, and Ms. Minaj for getting me through this!

Now I know what it feels like to want to quit, when quitting is an easy thing to do. I know the temptation to say forget this, I’m done. If I hadn’t had that experience I wouldn’t know what to say when my girls are ready to give up.

Yesterday I was trying to come up with excuses to get out of running this race. How fortunate I am that I didn’t back down from a challenge. May my girls find the same gumption inside them when they need it most.

Counting Every Blessing

Waking up. Good health. Happy kids.

These are the simple things in life that I so often take for granted.

Clothes We Needed But Hadn’t Thought to Ask For

This week the girls start kindergarten. Due to our current circumstances, we weren’t able to buy them new outfits for school. They got the basics – backpacks, lunch boxes, a pair of shoes and a picture day outfit. They have a dresser full of clothes that still have a few more months of wear before needing to be replaced. Since my stepping back from working full-time, there are just some expenses we have to say no to. A new wardrobe to compliment the start of school is one of them.We keep to our well-planned budget, but this was the best we could do under the circumstances.I was a little sad that I couldn’t give my girls a slew of new clothes this fall. But they were totally oblivious, and in fact were thrilled with their new things.

By God’s goodness and the generosity of friends and neighbors, this weekend I unpacked not one, not two, but THREE bags of adorable hand-me-down clothes in great condition and just in time for the start of school. It was exactly what we needed. I had been worried about how we would manage to replace a whole wardrobe of clothes with our current income (and been dreading the hours of thrift store and garage sale sifting that would entail). Yet somehow it never crossed my mind to ask for clothes.

As I was hanging up the many dresses and putting away the girls’ old ones that are now way too small, I realized what a tremendous blessing this was and how incredibly thankful we all are for those hand-me-downs. And it’s not the only blessing we’ve had lately.

Surgery

I haven’t said a word about this on any of my public spaces, so you’re the lucky first to know that I recently had surgery. Don’t worry, it’s all very routine and nothing to make a big deal about.

The process began back in May when I went to my doctor about a weird lump on my belly. I was literally prepared for the worst. I had upped my life insurance, Googled symptoms of stomach cancer (I have them all! Or is it polio?), and talked to my family about who would take our kids in the event that John and I both passed.

But I didn’t have cancer. I had a hernia.

The doc said they’d probably be able to repair it in 3-4 months, and in the meanwhile not to lift anything or do any ab exercises. This is all very well and good, except my employer was fighting to keep the doors open and I didn’t even know if I’d even have a job in 3-4 months!

Once again, everything worked out so that I had no reason to stress. There was a cancellation for my surgeon and they were able to get me in within several weeks of my doctor’s visit. And in spite of the fact that there was no guarantee we would have any students to teach in the fall, my wonderful employer refused to terminate the staff members. The leadership was holding down the fort and fighting back dissenters like they were defending the Alamo, which meant I had health insurance to cover my surgery.

There’s a song by Rend Collective, “Counting Every Blessing”:

I am counting every blessing, counting every blessing
Letting go and trusting when I cannot see
I am counting every blessing, counting every blessing
Surely every season you are good to me

Sometimes I don’t see right away that the gifts I’m being handed are from God. People try to say it’s just luck, good fortune, or things just working out the way I want them to. But I know that every good thing is from heaven above. I’m so humbled and thankful that God sees me in the tiny part of earth that I occupy. That He knows what I need and He’s providing it before I had the sense to ask.

I can think of so many more examples of how the important thing we needed was made available just when we needed it, but I don’t want this to be all about me. Good things come to those who seek them. If you’re not on the lookout for blessings to come your way, they probably won’t.

Be thankful.

Be positive.

Share your joy with others.

Friends, people need to hear your story of unexpected blessings. In this world where tragedies and injustice are rampant, we crave good news. You can share yours in the comments below, or with someone you encounter today. But please don’t let your blessings go unappreciated. I told you my story. Now go tell yours.

Getting Ready for my First 10K

Can I be super honest for a minute? All last year I totally lost track of taking care of myself. I started going to the gym in January, but there wasn’t anything motivating me to stick with a fitness routine. Between working 2 jobs and trying to hold down the fort while John was working and going to school (and doing his share of fort-holding-down, too!), taking care of me just… stopped happening.

A few weeks ago a friend asked if I wanted to sign up for a local run with her. Finally, the motivation I’ve been needing! With an enthusiastic “yes”, I jumped on to the website to register for the Aloha Run this upcoming September.

The Aloha Run has 2 options: a 5K run/walk or a 10K run. I’ve run a few 5Ks in the past. In fact, Logan and I finished a 5K when I was pregnant with twins. I didn’t run at all, and probably didn’t even jog very much. It was totally manageable event for this expectant mother of multiples! Chances are I could do pretty well jog/walking 3.1 miles right now even with little to no training. The 10K suits me better because it’s more of a challenge. Plus now that I’ve told all of you that I’m going to run it, I have to finish!

How I’m Training for a 10K

It’s a little intimidating to me to think about running 6 miles. So far I can ~~run~~ jog approximately 8 blocks. Give or take an acre. 😉 I’ve always heard good reviews about the “Couch to 5K” program so I downloaded the free app for the 10K trainer. It sets you on a running/walking interval plan that has you ready for a 10K in 14 weeks. It keeps track of the time and gives you an alert when it’s time to switch from running and walking. Since I’m starting from practically the activity level of a sloth, I’ve got some work ahead of me! using the Couch to 10K app for training for a 10K

Before the twins, I was in really good shape. John and I used to swim, hike, rock climb, snow board… We sure were cool people before we had a bunch of kids! Even after the twins were born I was still active and wayyyy under my current weight. This is my mom and I hiking in Torrey Pines State Park with 3-month-old twin babies.

The last few years I’ve been slowly putting on weight and getting more and more out of shape. It’s time to start making changes and stop making excuses. Hopefully this 10K will help me get my rear in gear. If I blow it, you have my permission to call me out for being a quitter. I run at 5:30 a.m. so I can be back before the kids are up, and some days I just don’t wanna get up at the crack of dawn. I’m sure you understand. 🙂 If you’re on Instagram, I usually post my training updates in the stories. Feel free to share your best 10K training advice below!

The Glamorous Side of Working Motherhood

No matter what your situation, the working mom vs. the stay at home mom debates can get pretty heated. We all feel strongly about our role and want to feel valued for what we do, so the working mom debate is not an area I want to dive into today. Moms of every variety are giving it their all on a daily basis. Selflessly they nurture little ones and support the family, often sacrificing of themselves to do so. But for a moment, I want to lift up the working moms. Especially the moms who would much prefer to be home with their babies because this is the group where I find myself. As much as I love my job, and try to remind myself that working is a privilege that not all women can enjoy, I’d still rather be home with my kids. So if those feelings resonate with you, then read on.

You Have to Look Presentable

Don’t laugh, it’s true! When you have to step out of the house every day and take your place in the world, you typically do it with makeup on and your hair done, right? Be honest, would you really spruce up so nicely (and so early in the morning!) if you didn’t have to go to work? I’m a teacher, so I’m off during the summer. On those days you’re more likely to find me in yoga pants and flip flops – and no makeup!

Via

You Have Extra Income

The real blessing of working, even part-time, is that you do have a little more wiggle room in the budget. Even with my husband and I working three jobs between the two of us, we’ve got enough in the bank to cover the bills and and have some left over for fun stuff. I’m really careful with the budget, and always make sure that we allow for some “no excuses” spending money for each of us.

You Get to Talk to Adults!!

Follow me on Instagram @Simply_Sweet_Days!

Every time I start feeling crabby about having to work full-time when I really don’t want to, I remind myself of the fact that for at least 8 hours I get to talk to adults. People who don’t use words like “potty” and (hopefully) won’t erupt into a fit of giggles if someone says “poop”. Yes, coworkers can be dramatic and difficult to deal with at times, but you know what? I can avoid these people if I want to because I’m not their mom. Of course I miss my kids terribly and would always prefer to “watch this” one more time than sit through a staff meeting. But it’s pretty nice having a balance of adult time and kid time in my daily life.

I know there are a lot of women out there who are proud of their independence and prefer to work than to stay at home, and I applaud them. I am thankful that my job of being a teacher combines all my favorite things: learning, creating, and helping kids. There are still many days when I’d rather be home with my own children, but on these days I reflect on the impact I’m having on young learners and how much I love teaching. That, and the blissful lunch with adults when nobody’s trying to poke anyone with a fork and I get to for-real laugh at adult humor.

You are doing a great job, Mama. Hang in there!

The Key to Helping your Child Stay in Bed at Night

I never learn my lesson. We’ve had this issue with 4 children so far, and I make the same mistake with all of them. In the middle of the night, the youngest one stumbles out of his room and into my bed. Part of me is too sleepy to bother with getting up and tucking him back into his own little bed. But the other part of me, the part that regrets letting him sleep in my bed every single time, thinks it would be sweet and cozy to snuggle up next to him the rest of the night.

Have you ever tried to “snuggle” a toddler? They are not snuggly. At least none of mine have been. They’re all feet and elbows and smushing into you and stealing your pillow. I fully support any mamas who can handle cosleeping, but it’s just not for me. I get up at 4:30 for work and my beauty sleep is priceless!

Lately we’ve been trying to get Johnny back into the habit of staying in his bed all night. In all fairness, we’re totally to blame for his nightly bed-switching. We just got lazy and started letting him fall back asleep in Mommy’s and Daddy’s bed instead of sending him back to his room with his sisters. He’s definitely old enough to sleep in his bed, so now it’s up to us to help him start a new habit.

The key to helping your child stay in bed at night is consistency.

You have to stick to your plan. They say it can take 30 days to form a new habit, so you have to give your plan plenty of time to work. Whatever you decide to do for a reward system (and experts do recommend a reward system and not consequences for toddlers), do your best to stay with it. Children thrive on routines and predictable activities. After a week or so, your toddler will probably be reminding you about it anyway!

Bedtime routines can be fun!

Our bedtime routine starts shortly after dinner. The kids know that after dinner they have a bath, then a snack of fruit or a cracker, then teeth brushing, and into bed they go. You could also add a favorite song or story to your child’s routine. We recently started using this cute bedtime reward system from SleepBuddy™. It’s a complete sleep system that also comes with a colorful book, incentive chart and even stickers!

The customizable clock lets you set your child’s preferred bedtime and the time he should be waking up. The little light turns a soft blue or amber when it’s time for him to go to bed. The light turns off to let him know that it’s ok to get out of bed at the scheduled “wake time” in the morning .

Johnny loves his SleepBuddy. The light is soft enough so that it doesn’t bother his sisters, who he shares a room with. But it’s nice to look at and I honestly think it helps him calm down a little. He’s already started adding stickers to his chart to get a reward. The way things are going, I think he’ll be earning a trip to the frozen yogurt shop very soon!

The parents guide included with the SleepBuddy system has reward ideas, parenting tips, and a manual on how to customize the clock on your SleepBuddy.

Add SleepBuddy to your cart the next time you’re shopping on Amazon. This sleep system has been a great help in our family, and I know your little one would love having his own SleepBuddy. It also makes a great gift!

I tried using a reward system with Emily to help her learn to stay in her bed all night. It was just a simple sticker chart, but it worked pretty well for what we needed. Now, with Johnny, he’s got his own personalized sleep system. He gets excited to go to bed and watch the blue “bedtime” light turn on. And the best part is that I’ve had a blissful night’s sleep ever since our SleepBuddy came in the mail! Check out our unboxing video below.

Visit the SleepBuddy website and Facebook page for more information.

Do you know a toddler or preschooler who needs a SleepBuddy?

Overcoming Challenges to Self-Care

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #NewYearNewWater #CollectiveBias

I’ll be honest. Rest is not in my vocabulary. As a mom of 4, I’ve always just figured that people with this many kids just don’t get rest. That the busy, on-the-go lifestyle is embedded in you once you leave the hospital with baby #2 (or 3 or 4…). But that couldn’t be further from the truth. The key to finding balance in your life is to overcome your challenges to getting rest and practicing self-care. Here are some thoughts on how to do that.

Overcoming Challenges to Self-Care

Don’t let your excuses stop you

I have a goal this year to go to the gym once a week. Shortly into the new year I started missing gym day because it was too hard to find time to work out. To me, time spent at the gym was taking away from the time I had to spend with my kids. A friend recommended I try exercising in the living room with my kiddos instead. It’s not my ideal workout, but I do get my heart rate going and burn some calories. Plus, my kids love doing workout DVDs with me. And I love anything that helps them burn off some of their energy!

Take baby steps by making healthy choices

Good nutrition is beneficial for your mind, body, and spirit. It’s so simple, but eating 5 fruits and vegetables a day can do a lot to improve your physical and mental health. While I was stocking up on groceries, I saw that our local Vons had a special on wanu water. It’s this fruit-flavored water drink that’s packed with essential vitamins like vitamin E, vitamin K, and vitamins B1, B3, B5, B6, and B12. The B vitamins are a natural source of energy, and I could always use more energy! wanu also comes loaded with Folic Acid, Biotin and Fiber. You can get 24% of your daily recommended intake of fiber from one serving of wanu. Because fiber supports a healthy weight by making you feel fuller longer, it’s one of the main reasons I drink wanu. It’s at Vons, Safeway, Albertsons, and Pavillions. Use this coupon and get $1.00 off the purchase of any two (2) 16 oz. bottles of wanu. 3 wanu water flavors

Schedule some “me” time

Self-care doesn’t have to be a day spent at the spa. You can simply set aside some time to read a book, go for a walk, or get a manicure. Put it on the calendar and make yourself a promise that you’re going to do it. And, just as you would keep a doctor’s appointment, make sure to keep your appointments for self-care.

Celebrate small wins

When you DO make and keep an appointment with yourself, give yourself a pat on the back. You had to be intentional and put in effort to make that self-care activity happen. Reflect on how it feels to have done something nice for yourself. Remember that good feeling the next time you don’t think you have time to spend on yourself. Last week I took a walk on the beach by myself. It was only for about 30 minutes but I savored every moment of it, just enjoying the sound of the waves and the fresh ocean air.

Find your passion

What is it that you love doing? If you’re not sure, try out new things and you will find something that you can’t get enough of. It’s funny, I always thought I was a terrible artist. Then one day a friend invited me to a painting and vino class, and it turns out I’m not too bad at painting! So don’t be afraid of trying something outside of your comfort zone.

Be thankful

Even if I can only squeeze in 30 minutes a week for myself, at least I got some time to take care of my personal needs. Taking better care of my body is becoming more important to me. I’m thankful for low-calorie drinks like wanu water. It’s refreshingly sweetened with monk fruit, so it has 0 grams of sugar. It may seem silly to be thankful for something as simple as a drink, but you’d be surprised how much better it feels to always be in a gratitude state of mind. I’m thankful for anything that tastes good and only has 10 calories, like wanu water does. I’m also thankful for each glorious sunrise, getting to work on time, the opportunity to help a friend… Everything! Living out thankfulness truly gives me a sense of peace.

Valentine Gift for your Mom Friends

During this holiday of love and giving, let’s not forget about our gal pals. Being a mom is a big job, and we’re often left feeling under-appreciated for all that we do. If you need an idea for a Valentine gift for your moms friends, or maybe a just because gift for your bestie, I have an idea for a super easy and thoughtful way to show these women that they are valuable and loved.

I’m sure we can all think of a friend who could some acknowledgement for how hard she’s working as a mom. Why not give her a little pat on the back by gifting her with a little trinket of encouragement?

So what is it? It’s really just a cute little jar of marbles. But there is a lot of meaning behind it. The marbles represent all the balls we juggle as women: wife, mother, coworker, friend, team mom, room mom, chauffeur, chef, nurse, therapist, shoulder to lean on… Sometimes we’ve got so much going on that we drop the ball. And that’s ok!

Materials for the Valentine Gift for your Mom Friends

This works best with little bitty containers. I got these turquoise lidded ones at Michaels but there is a similar kind on Amazon that are half as much as the Michael’s ones. As for the marbles, I just happen to have a zillion of them because, teacher. But you can probably find them at the dollar store. I got a bunch of these marbles on Amazon years ago for a classroom marble jar reward system (I think they’re cheaper now!). The stickers came from my classroom stash as well, but I think they were a Target find that are supposed to be an envelope seal similar to these. Cute little red heart stickers can be found just about anywhere as a good substitute.

To be honest, I can’t take full credit for this idea. It was inspired by a devotional I’ve been reading with some friends, Living a Life of Balance. It’s a Christian book about meeting your needs for physical and mental health as well as spiritual balance. Perfect for the new year, right? Each chapter ends with a little idea for a trinket that’s themed around finding balance.

Gift-Giving can be “Just Because”

I ended up having more little boxes than I needed for the women in my study group. I gave the extras to some of my friends who aren’t in the group. Everyone thought they were really cute. I like that it’s a small token of acknowledgement to other hard-working moms. Plus, it doesn’t take up a lot of space. It’s nice if you can pair it with a little note or card explaining why you’re giving the person a tiny jar of marbles. 🙂 Also, chocolate is always appropriate!

If you don’t end up giving this gift, I hope you’re inspired to encourage another mom in some way. It doesn’t have to be at Valentines Day, either. It’s always a good time to lift another mom up by showing her your appreciation for her!

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