I think as mothers we tend to want to do it all, to be amazing women that have the perfect kept house, well-behaved children, participate in all kinds of extra-curricular things with our children, and on and on.
I know that is what I think I need to be sometimes. Over the last year and a half I have struggled with fatigue and it really hampers my goals! I have mile long lists that are maybe 5% accomplished and I get so down on myself. The one day every 100 days that I accomplish everything on my list I feel such satisfaction and think, "if I did it today, why not every day?" Of course this is not realistic and every day holds different challenges. One day Gavin wants me to play with him more than usual, or work calls and I need to go in to take care of business, or I'm just so darn tired I can barely leave the couch.
All of these things lead to a guilt that I hold wishing that I could be more and wondering what it is that is holding me back. I see lots of mothers that seem to have it all together and while I am only peering in from the outside it seems perfect to me.
Its funny, while I am at my worst right now with my all day pregnancy sickness, having cleaners come once a week and literally doing the minimal things in my life, I realize how much I actually
did do before now.
Spencer has suddenly decided we need to downsize because our house is too hard to keep clean! Interestingly enough it was never too big when I did all the cleaning and he just had to mow the lawn on his riding lawnmower...for half the year! I love my husband and he really has probably cleaned more than he ever has our entire married life, but come on!
With all this said I read the
MMB yesterday and there was a really great post about this same thing I've been struggling with. The author lists some great things that Sister Julie Beck told her about it. Read about it
here , it is worth your time.
Spencer & I went to really fun costume party themed "Night of the Living Dead" we were both vampires.
Brooklyn as a vampire (non-scary of course) and Fireman Gavin
Grandma Lolli teasing Gavin with scary hand bowl
Vampires Brooklyn & Mom
Nacho Libre & his "Floozie" Nun aka Chris and Alicia
Alyssa and her ping pong champ team :)
Spencer trying to gross out Gavin with all the pumpkin guts!
Dad carving, while Alyssa poses
Gavin getting down to business to get the rest of the guts out
Aunt Patrice
Mom & Leesh starting their pumpkins.
Cute Brooklyn and Jessica
Stewart, Jessica, and River posing with their ginormous bat pumpkin
Chris & Alicia with their finished products.
Braxton, Shellie, and Mike with Brooklyn trying to get in the picture!
Melissa and I couldn't stop laughing at the warlock who reminded us of Jack Black, he was seriously hilarious!
All the ladies
I loved Brenda and Canesa's witch hats, sooo cute, thanks Brenda for getting all these pics!
Gavin with his pumpkin, I made him pick one that was small enough that he could carry himself.
The slides were his favorite part of the whole thing!
Brooklyn has been asking us all summer to hike the "G." Unfortunately our summer was so busy we never found the time. The weather was definitely getting cooler and Spencer knew it was now or next year and Brooklyn would be really disappointed if they didn't do it this year, so last weekend they bundled up in between conference sessions on Saturday and started up the mountain. It was funny because I asked Brooklyn if it was hard and she said "no, but Dad said we needed to save our energy." I assumed this was for Dad's sake and not for Brooklyn's. She was surprised (as was I the first time I saw the G) what it looked like, all the weaved metal and such, but was still thrilled all the same to be up there.
Brooklyn and a great Dad with knee brace and all hiking the steep terrain
Brooklyn sitting atop the "G."
Can you see the anticipation and excitement in her face?
