Category: A Simpler Motherhood

There is no way to be a perfect mom and a million ways to be a good one. -Jill Churchill

We want to be good moms. We want to love, care for, give to, encourage, raise up, and help our babies to flourish. And while we all make mistakes and none of us can claim to be perfect, there are ways every day we are good moms.

Here’s to the Good Moms

Here’s to the mom who has slept 4 hours in the last 3 days. You’re a good mom.

Here’s to the mom who scraped melted fruit snacks off the sides of the car seat. You’re a good mom.

Here’s to the mom who got an extra shot in her drive thru coffee this morning. You’re a good mom.

Here’s to the mom reading one more Bible story. You’re a good mom.

Here’s to the mom being patient when her initial reaction is to respond in frustration. You’re a good mom.

Here’s to the mom playing the Encanto soundtrack again. You’re a good mom.

Here’s to the mom praying over her babies. You’re a good mom.

Here’s to the mom picking up a screaming toddler from the floor of Target, the bathroom, Grandma’s house, Chick-fil-A. You’re a good mom.

Here’s to the mom letting her kids play with play dough. You’re a good mom.

Here’s to the mom counting to three before speaking to her preteen. You’re a good mom.

Here’s to the mom working outside the home and being present with her kids inside the home. You’re a good mom.

Here’s to the mom reading the books, listening to the podcasts, asking the friends about the teen years. You’re a good mom.

Here’s to the mom driving kids to soccer and church and piano and football and all the things. You’re a good mom.

Here’s to the mom on her knees asking for guidance. You’re a good mom.

Here’s to the mom rediscovering something she is passionate about. You’re a good mom.

Here’s to the mom loving her kids through the hard, the ugly, the stuff no one likes to talk about. You’re a good mom.

Here’s to the mom scheduling an appointment for her kid to speak to a therapist. You’re a good mom.

Here’s to the mom going away for a night or a weekend to recharge. You’re a good mom.

Here’s to the mom talking to her kids about love and boyfriends and girlfriends and sex. You’re a good mom.

Here’s to the mom forsaking her skinny jeans for mom jeans because her daughter insisted. You’re a good mom.

Here’s to the mom forcing her eyelids to stay open until her kids get home. You’re a good mom.

Here’s to the mom holding back tears everyday and preparing to let her baby fly the nest and graduate. You’re a good mom.

Here’s to the mom loving her kid from across the state with texts, visits, and care packages. You’re a good mom.

Here’s to the mom rejoicing (and also crying) when a child gets engaged. You’re a good mom.

Here’s to the mom letting her kid struggle and make mistakes and fall. You’re a good mom.

Here’s to the mom surprising her daughter with a visit and a coffee. You’re a good mom.

Here’s to the mom traveling with her kids so they can spend uninterrupted time together. You’re a good mom.

Here’s to the mom loving and showing up for her kid even when he/she has done the unthinkable. You’re a good mom.

Here’s to the mom pouring into her grand babies: teaching them, loving them, showing up for them. You’re a good mom.

Here’s to the mom pointing her kids to Jesus over and over and over again. Even when they don’t listen. And roll their eyes. Even when she feels like giving up. You’re a good mom.

There is no way to be a perfect mom and a million ways to be a good one.

Let’s build each other up. Encourage and love one another. Let’s point each other to truth and to Jesus.

Tell your mom, your grandma, your sister, your friend, your neighbor: You’re a good mom.

More Motherhood encouragement: Moms Matter, Let’s Talk About You

Spring is (finally) starting to make an appearance. It hasn’t been the warmest April ever, but things are still turning green, seeds are getting planted, and the promise of warmer days are close. Here is What I’m Loving in April.

What I’m Loving in April

Color

Color is everywhere. Yellow daffodils, blue skies, green grass, rosy robins, and our not-so-little yellow and black chicks. While every spring I expect the brown and gray to come alive again, my senses are always in awe at the onset of color. In just a few weeks we will plant more of our garden, including loads of zinnia seeds and I am dreaming of the purples, reds, and pinks that will border our yard in the not so distant future.

Pork

I acknowledge pork is a weird thing to be loving in April. However, it’s true. We ordered a pig from one of Kevin’s co-workers and picked it up from the locker this month. Brats, pulled pork, bacon, and pork sausage have been on the grill and in the oven on repeat. (Bacon and cheddar quiche is a favorite.) There is nothing like fresh meat. If you’ve never visited a small town locker or meat shop, I highly recommend it. To take it a step further, find a farmer to purchase the meat from and have it processed locally. You won’t regret it.

Soccer Games

I’m a soccer mom and boy do I love it. I’m not sure why it’s unexpected, but it is – how much I love watching my kids do something they enjoy. My two oldest kids are playing soccer this spring and we have loved every minute of it – win or lose. I never played soccer growing up, but I am finding a lot of joy in watching my kids play this game.

Anticipating May

I love a reason to celebrate and May is a month of celebration. For our family, we will be celebrating the wrapping up of the school year in a few short weeks. My husband and I will be celebrating our 15th wedding anniversary at the end of May. There is a wedding, Mother’s Day, and a few other birthdays and anniversaries in between. I am excited to celebrate next month!

More Reading

Last week I started digging into the book The Enchanted Hour by Meghan Cox Gordon. We have always been readers at our house, but this book is challenging me to read aloud more to my kids as well as enjoy books on my own. I finished reading Yellow Wife and am currently enjoying The Hideaway for my fiction read. The kids and I are reading a plethora of spring themed books from Sarah MacKenzie’s May booklist. What are you reading right this minute?

Color, pork, soccer, and books. That is just about as random as it gets. What are you loving in April?

May is the climax of spring in all her glory. It’s graduations and purple blooms and recitals and weddings and concerts and planting seeds and the wrapping up of allllll the things. May is the month of celebration, but it can be overwhelming if we aren’t intentional with how we walk through it. Let’s talk 5 Ways to Simplify May.

5 Ways to Simplify May

Do a Brain Dump

This is my go to tool when I’m feeling overwhelmed. I grab a notebook and write down every date, to-do, and random thing hanging out in my mind. If you’re more of a digital gal, open your Notes app and make a list. A Brain Dump relieves our minds of holding all the information and gets it in one spot. It helps us successfully achieve tasks before the tasks become emergencies. A Brain Dump is one simple way to relieve stress before May gets here.

Get Alllllll the Things on the Calendar

If you’ve done a Brain Dump, this is a great next step. Sift through the Brain Dump list and put all the things on the calendar. Programs, recitals, birthdays, graduation parties: get all these things in one place on a paper or digital calendar. This will ensure nothing will be forgotten.

Purchase Gifts and Cards Now

If your calendar is up to date, this is an impactful way to simplify May. As we know, there is a lot going on in May and many times there are gifts and cards to purchase for all the celebrating. Make a list of gifts and cards you need to purchase for the next month. End of year teacher gifts. Graduation cards. Wedding and birthday and Mother’s Day presents. Make that list and set aside some time to purchase and prepare those gifts and cards now so you it doesn’t sneak up on you in May.

Monthly Meal Plan

Meal planning. Whether you love it or loathe it, this may be the month to embrace it. I usually do a weekly meal plan, but in May I will do a monthly meal plan to make life simpler. I have 31 days of dinners planned out and while they aren’t specific with the actual date, I will have all the items on hand at the beginning of the month so I don’t need to think about dinner. Yes, I still have to prep and cook, but the brain work is already done.

A monthly meal plan will be a stretch for some of us (it is for me). If that’s the case, think about a meal delivery service like Hello Fresh or Blue Apron or prepping some freezer meals to have on hand for busy nights. We all operate differently when it comes to dinner time. Although a monthly meal plan isn’t the way our family normally does dinner, it helps to simplify this month for us.

Prioritize

We’ve all heard this word and it’s probably extremely overused. However, when it comes to May, this is the name of the game. Prioritize what actually needs to get done and let go of the rest. Each one of us will have different priorities based on our preferences, values, and what is on our calendar this month. A practical way to get clear on priorities: Look at your Brain Dump and circle or highlight things that need to happen this month. This is a good time to do a gut check and reflect if these are the things that are actually important to us. Be okay with letting everything else wait.

For many of us a Mother’s Day card for our mom is a priority. For most of us, doing a basement overhaul won’t be a priority this May. If you’re like me, you might have a fantasy to-do list. Let’s put that aside for this month and pick it back up after our calendars feel a little lighter.

May is the month of celebration. Let’s embrace and be present for all the celebrations both big and small. Let’s simplify, plan, and prepare so we can enjoy this month with the people we love. How will you simplify May?

A book is a gift you can open again and again. -Garrison Keillor

Reading is one of my favorite things to do when I have five minutes to myself. It offers new perspectives, entertains me, stretches me, and makes me happy. While spring and summer around here can be a bit full, I still try and find time to read. Here is my Reading List for Spring & Summer.

Reading List for Spring & Summer

The Yellow Wife by Sadeqa Johnson

I started this one and it’s hard to put down. This book has been a tough one to read because of all the heartbreak and cruelty. The Yellow Wife tells the story of an enslaved woman in 1850s Virginia. Like I said, lots of heartbreak and cruelty. This has been on my TBR list for awhile and I know it won’t take long to finish.

Will by Will Smith

I am currently listening to this on Audible and, if you want to read this one, the audio book is the way to go. Will Smith reads it and it makes me happy hearing the Fresh Prince in my earbuds. It reminds me of Jessica Simpson’s memoir, Open Book. Reader beware that there is quite a bit of language. If that’s not your thing, steer clear. I listen to this often on my daily walks. And for the record, I started listening to it before the Oscars. 😉

The Enchanted Hour by Meghan Cox Gurdon

This has been on my TBR list for awhile. I am planning on this book being my professional development for the summer. Reading aloud to my kids is one of my favorite things, but sometimes I need some renewed inspiration. While we don’t homeschool all year round, we still try and read a lot through the summer months. My hope is this book will get me excited to keep our read aloud time thriving this summer.

The Perfectly Imperfect Home by Deborah Needle and Virginia Johnson

We are been working on a few home projects and I have been wanting to flip through this book for awhile. Now is the perfect time. Interior decorating is not my gifting so I’m hoping this book will be one of my guides as I make our home feel more like us.

M is for Mama by Abbie Halberstadt

There are a million memes on motherhood. The good, the bad, and the ugly. But the truth is: it’s extremely important work, raising the future human race. If you’re a mom, there’s a good chance you have felt overwhelmed, unimportant, and unqualified for the task at hand. You’re not alone, I’m right there with you. But, I want more. I want more for my kids, my family, my friends, myself. I want us to thrive and live in the purpose God has laid out for us. Many women of faith have loved this book and I am excited to read the wisdom this mom of ten has to offer about motherhood. I have a feeling this is going to be a good one.

It always helps to have a list of books to read when I’m ready for a new one. I’m excited about every single book on this list and can’t wait to dive into each one of them. What do you want to read this spring and summer?

March is officially here and so is spring. After the long winter, there is much to love about the beginning of a new sun-shiny season. Here is What I’m Loving in March.

What I’m Loving in March

Researching Chickens

Our oldest son has been saving for chickens since last spring when we went to admire the baby chicks at Tractor Supply. ***Warning: If you don’t want to get asked begged to get chickens, maybe skip visiting the baby chicks.***

My husband and I told our son if he raised enough money and still wanted to do it the following spring, we would. Let this be a lesson, friends. Here we are, one year later: researching chickens and building a chicken coop in our backyard. Jesus, be near.

If I am being transparent, this whole thing has me on both sides of the (poultry) fence. I am nervous about having more living things to care for and excited for the learning opportunities for our family. It has been fun to see my son light up when we learn something new about our future feathered friends. Although I know this is a big commitment, it has been a blessing for our family to learn and plan together.

Focusing on Home

When we returned home from travel, I was inspired to take on some projects that have been on my mind the past few months and years. I was reminded how fresh paint can do wonders for a room when I refreshed our main bathroom with a coat of Repose Gray.

The Nester talks about Quieting the House and I have been doing just that. All the winter decor is tucked away and I am ever so slowly pulling out spring things as I feel inspired. Also, nothing has gone back up on the main bathroom walls or counters. I am going to let it sit for awhile and decide what I really want in that space.

This is my last chance to do some things inside before my focus moves to outside.

Coffee at Home

Okay, loving this could be a bit of a stretch, but it’s been a good experiment for me. A friend who shares the love of coffee like I do, decided to cut back on drive-thru coffee for Lent. When we were chatting about it, I knew I needed to do it, too. While the coffee I make at home is not as good as what I get in the drive-thru, it’s nothing to complain about. I use a Nespresso and a frother for a homemade latte and this cold foam recipe is a game changer. It doesn’t happen often, but when I do grab a shaken espresso with cold foam, it is a decadent treat.

Zucchini Muffins

Last summer I had a plethora of zucchini. The only logical thing to do with it all was shred and freeze what we couldn’t eat. I’m so glad I did. I have been pulling the shredded zucchini out of the freezer to make these yummy muffins and they have been making March a little bit sweeter.

Raising Girls and Boys Podcast

When we were traveling, I listened to a lot of podcasts on my extra long walks. The Raising Girls and Boys Podcast has been recommended to me numerous times from trusted friends, I just never subscribed. I finally did and it’s been uplifting, refreshing, and I’ve learned so much already.

I mentioned it to my husband and we decided we would listen to it separately and then discuss it together. This has been not only life giving for our parenting, but life giving for our marriage as well.

A new season is here. What are you loving in March?

We are in the in-between place. The place between the long days of winter and the promise of spring. There is much to love about being almost done with winter, but also things to savor about these slow, cold days. Here is What I’m Loving in February.

What I’m Loving in February

The Occasional Collective

Shopping local and small is something I try and do when I can. Our neighbor opened a little shop not far from our house and it is THE cutest. The Occasional Collective is full of small shop goods and is a beautiful, can’t-help-but-be-happy place. Some of my favorite goodies I have picked up are my Iowa t-shirt and this parmesan garlic pasta. I know I will be frequenting this little shop when I am on the hunt for the perfect gift.

Getting outside

I’m sure you’re sick of hearing me talk about walking. If you are annoyed by it, skip to the next paragraph. Truth be told, this is the winter I have gotten outside the most in my adult life. I have walked (almost) everyday, below freezing or not. It has been life giving for me and something that resets my perspective. I come away from my walk more calm, more grateful, and less stressed.

Winter Travel

One thing our family prioritizes is travel. We forego other things to make it happen and we usually travel more in the winter because we like to be warm and Iowa isn’t the warmest place in February. Travel allows us ample family time. It connects us and offers us shared experiences. Travel is a piece of our family’s story and it’s something we don’t take for granted.

Sorel Boots

Okay, this is silly, but true. For Christmas I received a pair of the Sorel Out ‘N About boots and they have been my go-to all winter long. I wear them with leggings, jeans, joggers, everything. They keep my toes warm and make me look cooler than I actually am.

Meet Ups

Meet ups have been life giving for me this past month. Impromptu playdates, birthday parties, cooking club, coffee dates. I know things are still weird and hard, but being in the same space with others has been essential to my well being this past month.

In the month of love, what are you loving in February?

The past few years have been weird. Social distancing, communicating and socializing on screens, virtual everything, staying home. The introvert in me has savored parts of it, while the Enneagram 2 wing in me has struggled with how to love others when we are all far apart. While things are still weird, I believe it’s more important than ever to love each other: to love our neighbors, friends, family, even strangers. We see videos and stories and posts about people not loving each other everywhere we look, but that doesn’t have to be the norm or how we live. Loving Our Neighbors doesn’t have to be complicated. Here are a few simples ways we can love the people around us.

Loving Our Neighbors

Snail Mail

I don’t know anyone who doesn’t like getting a letter or package in the mail. It’s a simple, low commitment gesture. Who is someone you have been meaning to connect with? Is there someone you have lost touch with the past two years? Snail mail is a simple way to show someone you are thinking of them in a tangible way.

Text

Maybe sitting down to write a letter isn’t your thing. Send a ‘thinking of you’ text or type a prayer to a friend, neighbor, or someone you want to encourage. It’s a simple, but mighty thing. Instead of commenting or liking a post on social media, send an individual text instead. Our words our powerful, so let’s use them to speak life, even through something as simple as a text.

Dinner invitation

There is something special and sacred about being together around the table. Invite friends or a family down the street to dinner. If making dinner for other people besides your people stresses you out, order pizza and play board games or meet at a local restaurant. Loving each other doesn’t have to be fancy.

Make a call

Telephone calls are not dead. When we can’t be together, an old fashioned call or Facetime session can be life giving. We can let the ones we love know we love them through chatting and listening for 15 minutes. Who can you call today to love on?

Take over soup

Kendra Adachi, aka The Lazy Genius, discussed soup in one of her recent podcasts. When you make soup, she suggested making extra and gifting it to a neighbor or friend. She lives up to her name because this is genius. Many of us are in the dead of winter and making and eating soup is the essence of comfort. We can pass along some of that comfort by gifting soup. It’s easy enough to double a batch, throw it in some mason jars, and take down the street to someone, anyone, on a random Tuesday night.

An unexpected gift

Sometimes we want to make someone feel extra special. There is no birthday, anniversary, or baby to celebrate. Sometimes I think that’s the best time to send a gift, when it’s least expected. The surprise is gift enough. A local candle. A bouquet of fresh flowers. A care package with all the fixings for chocolate chip cookies and hot cocoa. Is there someone in your life who could use a little sunshine with an unexpected gift?

Loving our neighbors doesn’t have to fussy or complicated, but it does require intentionality and effort. And I think it’s safe to say we were put on this earth, together, for the title of this post: Loving Our Neighbors.

Jesus makes it pretty clear in Matthew 22:36-40.

Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

How can you love your neighbor today?