Just Do It

     Today I finally wrote a report that I needed to write.  I have known about it for over two weeks, but it was due today.  Honestly, I was freaking out about doing it.  It shouldn't have been a big deal.  But, as I kept putting it off, the idea of it kept getting bigger and bigger and bigger.  And more stressful.  So, I have been a little stressed off and on about this for over two weeks.  How long did it take me to do?  About half an hour.  I am sure that I spent more time thinking about how hard it was going to be, than actually doing it.  I should have just done it sooner.  :-) 
     I read a blog called, "Calm.Healthy.Sexy."  It is great!  She wrote a post last fall about a "Little Annoying Tasks" (LAT) list.  It is a good post.  You go read that.  Trust me.  I will still be here when you get back.  Here is the link: http://calmhealthysexy.com/live-calmer-use-a-little-annoying-tasks-list-to-get-things-done/  Seriously, if you didn't read it, you should.  :-)
     She is right on for me.  I have been trying to think about the things that I need to do, but don't, and try to actually do them.  This report reminded me that I just need to do the things that I need to get done.  I am not saying that you should never have things on your to-do list, just that I have had time that I could have done that report in the last few weeks and didn't.  It would have been better for me to do it sooner.  What about you?  Do you have a LAT list?  Thanks for reading.  :-)

Behind the Scenes

     We did it!  My baby is two and I survived the day of festivities!  When you are the kid having the birthday, you don't realize all of the crazy planning that goes into a day of fun.  :-)  This morning we went to the Children's Theatre.  We went with some friends.  It was really fun.  Watching the kids enjoy the play was awesome.  My baby princess was great for most of it.  She had a couple of little bumps during the play, but it was way better than I thought it might be.  She really is growing up. 
     I also made her cake and wrapped her gifts today.  For dinner, we had friends over.  I made salad, pasta, and garlic bread.  Then the birthday girl unwrapped gifts.  I had balloons with lights in them for the kids, so I blew them up.  Then we did cake and ice cream.  Between all of those activities the kids played and played.  It was fabulous watching them play.  :-)  The house was definitely well played in tonight.  It wasn't bad- within a half an hour my honey and I had it all cleaned up and the kids were in the bath.  Anyway, there was a lot of planning and background stuff that went into today that my kids won't think about until they are older or have their own kids, as it should be.
     Days like today make me so thankful for my parents.  They did so many behind the scenes things that I am just thinking about now that I have kids.  Thanks Daddy and Mommy for loving me well.  Make sure to say thank you to the people in your life who have done and may still be doing behind the scenes work.  Thanks for reading.  :-)

I Do It

     My baby girl turns two tomorrow.  I can't believe it!  I love playing with her, watching her learn, hearing her giggle, seeing her be able to do things that she couldn't before.  She is independent.  I like that.  I am also independent.  But, sometimes that can get both of us in trouble.  Just today, she has tried to do at least three things that were, at least at that moment, giving her a little trouble.  She was trying to take her jammies off, she wanted to unbuckle her car seat, and she wanted to take her socks off.  Most times she can take her PJs off herself, but her arms were stuck funny, I asked if she wanted help and she said, "I do it, I do it."  She wandered around the living room like a dog chasing her tail for a little while.  I asked her a little while later if she wanted me to help her a little.  At that point, she let me give her a little help with one arm, and then she could get it.  Later, she wanted to unclick her car seat (no thank you).  I explained unclicking her was only for Mommies and Daddies, so she couldn't do it.  So it was dropped.  And just this afternoon, she wanted to take off her socks by pulling on the front, which doesn't work as well as she would like.  :-)  I asked if she wanted help, again, "I do it.  I do it."  She tried again and finally asked if her brother would help.  He did.  Not only did he take them off for her, but he showed and explained to her the best way to take off your socks- by the ankle part at the top.
     My baby girl and I are cut from the same cloth.  There are problems in my life that I can't really do sometimes.  It could be because that situation is a little different than other times I have faced that same problem (maybe my arms are stuck a little funny), or because it is a situation that I can't solve (I will not be able to get it, no matter how much I try, I am not strong enough), or I am trying do it the hard way (I need to take my socks off from the top, not the bottom).  Each of these problems had a different solution.  So when I look at my life, I can see how to solve a lot of problems I face.  First, I could let God explain something to me about how He can help.  He can just give me a little nudge.  Secondly, it could be that I shouldn't be trying to solve the problem.  Ouch!  Only God can do it.  It is a problem only for my Heavenly Daddy.  Or thirdly, it could be that someone I care about could help me and teach me a better way. 
     So, while being independent is great, sometimes I need to take a step back and ask if I am just chasing my tail, trying to be God, or doing things a lot harder than I need to be and not listening to those around me.  How about you?  Do you let God and others help or do you just yell back, "I do it!!" and keep not getting anywhere?  I am thankful for my kiddos that they teach me about my Heavenly Father and what He has for me.  Thanks for reading.  :-)  

Love is a Verb

     Tonight my husband and I went out on a double date with some friends.  It was really fun to get out with other grown ups and not be chasing kiddos for a little while.  I am reading the Love Does book by Bob Goff.  I know I have blogged about it before, but it is a great book.  :-)  I talked a little bit about it tonight at dinner.  When we got home, my honey showed me love by taking the babysitter home.  Not that taking the babysitter home is hard, but I like to be able to get in my PJs when I get home.  :-)  He knows that I like that, so he takes the babysitter home.  He demonstrates his love for me by doing something for me.  We need to do that for each other.  Actually SHOW love to people, not just talk the talk.  We need to actually do things. Sometimes we can show love by doing the dishes, or vacuuming, or watching a friend's kids, or by taking the babysitter home.  How can you actively show love to the people around you today?  Thanks for reading.  :-)

Dancing

     I just got home from an Off MOPS meeting.  Our group meets once a month normally, but then sometimes we have a meeting in between our regular meetings.  That is an Off MOPS meeting.  Tonight was a movie night for moms and kids.  We watched Tangled on the big projector screen at the church.  It is such a cute movie (maybe a few scary parts for younger kiddos).  One of my biggest take aways from the movie is that I need more spontaneous dancing in my life.  Also, more singing.  So, today's message is short.  :-)  Take time to dance and to sing today.  Enjoy the moment.  :-)  Thanks for reading.  :-)

Opportunity Cost

     The dictionary defines opportunity cost as "the opportunities forgone in the choice of one expenditure over others."  It means that if you do one thing you can't do another.  If you have $10 and you buy a Kindle book for $10, you cannot use that same $10 to buy two cups of coffee.  So in that example, the opportunity cost of the Kindle book is two cups of coffee.  This was one of the best concepts that I learned in economics.  I also had a professor who helped me all through college and he talked about this idea a lot.
     The idea works for time, not just money.  Earlier today, my baby girl wanted to have a picnic on the living room floor.  If I had a picnic on the floor with her, I could not write my blog then.  So the opportunity cost of that picnic was blogging then.  So I had the picnic then and I am blogging now.  But now, since I am blogging, I cannot read a Kindle book with this same time.  There is an opportunity cost for each choice I make.  Just like you taking the time to read my blog- you are giving up anything else you could be doing with your time.  So, thanks for making my blog a priority for you.
     The opportunity cost of some things could be one's health.  If one eats food that is not good for him all of the time, if he smokes, if he consistently doesn't get enough sleep, if he drinks too much, then the opportunity cost would be his health. 
     When I am trying to make a decision about what I should or what I should buy, I try to think about the opportunity cost.  What am I giving up so that I can have _______?  Is it worth that cost?  Is it worth giving up that opportunity so I can have this?  Sometimes when I ask myself, the answer is "yes, it is."  But sometimes it is "no."  If it isn't worth the cost, I need to figure out what is worth the cost.  Then, I do that.  :-)  What are the opportunity costs of the decisions that you make with your time?  Your money?  Your health?  Thanks for reading.  :-)

Just Down the Hill

     So, we finished the movies!  They really are good.  Better than I remembered.  Long, but good. :-)  In "The Return of the King,"  there is a part where Frodo (the main character) and Sam (his best traveling companion) are seemingly very close to where they need to be.  But when they look, there is a ridiculously huge army of orcs (very bad, bad guys).  Frodo doesn't see how they can get through all of them to get to where they need to go.  He is overwhelmed by what lays ahead. Sam says, "Well right now we just need to get down this hill."  And so that's what they did.
     Life can be like that, overwhelming.  I see- the distance I want to run.  Planning for kindergarten and school for my kids. Saving money in our emergency fund and accomplishing other financial plans.  The weight loss goal I want to achieve.  And the list goes on and on and on...  It seems like it can suffocate me sometimes.  I look out at the long road that is years away.  It's just too much.  I don't know how I can do it and so I freeze.  In those times, I try to remember to look at right now.  When I am running and think I can't keep going, I tell myself, "Just one minute; think about this minute right now and run it.  Don't focus on anything but running this minute.  Not the miles.  Right now."  Then I can usually run the minute.  Then I tell myself to think about the minute right now.  And I keep running.  I reach my goal.  But often it is not by looking at the big overwhelming task I have before me. 
     I want to lose some weight.  But when I think about how long it could take and that it means I shouldn't eat the yummy not so good for me foods that I like all the time (mind you, I do have some  :-) )- I can't do it.  I just want to give up.  I want to sit down and eat a lot of chocolate.  But really, that will not help me.  So I have been trying to think about right now.  For this meal, right now, I am making a healthy choice.  For this movie, right now, I am eating an orange instead of chips.  I, like Frodo, have to take one part of the journey at a time.  Then, when I get to the bottom of the hill, I can think about the next part.  Thanks for reading.  :-)