Finding Me

Being a mom is not for the faint of heart. I am sure i've wrote that in previous posts but it really isn't. Somedays i envision being a mom in the same way i do running long distance. I start to feel over whelmed and think why did this sound like a good idea. The further into the day i get its like the longer i have been running, i start to feel numb and just let my body take over. Then when i put the girls to sleep and Leighton says i love you everything seems right in the world and so worth while. Just like finishing that last mile and taking in the runners high. With so many days like this I tend to feel like I am loosing myself. I would sacrifice everything that i am or have for my girls but where do i draw the line? How do i feel alive and not numb until it's time to go to sleep? Lately i have realized a huge problem i have is that i don't allow myself to dream or plan or even live. I hold on to what i have and keep my mouth shut in fear of losing it. The more i open up the more i realize i find myself. When i let people know how i feel, when i plan to enjoy my days with the girls, when i dare to dream of a new job or business. When i crawl out of the hole i have been hiding in i find all of the things that make this life beautiful. I need to do this more often. I constantly say how happy i am, and how perfect things are. They are, life is wonderful. It just sometimes is not my life. It is my life as a mom or my life as  a wife but there are so many more ways i define myself than those. Don't worry they are my top two. I just don't want to lose everything else that makes me, me and I am working on that.

Summer Summer Summertime

There have been few things i have blogged about lately besides summer, summertime, summertime faves, summer go tos, and summer activities. This weeks link up is all about favorite summer activities. So I figured i would just come up with a list. We have put so much time into celebrating this amazing season and try to be outside as much as we can. 

1. Park

Some of my favorite memories from when i was little were at the park. I'm not sure how often we were really there but i remember it like it was everyday. I love giving Leighton the same opportunity to spend time on the play ground. She is a super active little girl with way to much energy so the huge jungle gym at our towns main street park is perfect. Plus they give out free lunches during the week. Emersyn enjoys crawling through the grass and experiencing new surroundings too. 

2. Swimming

I gave birth to the two biggest water babies ever! I love it and they are the happiest when they are playing in a pool, splash pad or even the sprinklers. Leighton is in swim lessons already and so far so good, this girl is on her way to being a future olympian. Maybe not but we can hope right? 

3. Hiking

When it isn't too hot we love to explore the great out doors by hiking them. I pack Emersyn on and Leighton is usually pretty good at walking on her own. This is the best way to get out all of our energy and get an awesome work out. 

Basically we feel very strongly about getting outside, being active and enjoying the summer sun. I read the other day that vitamin d difficiensy is an epidemic. How sad is that? They try to blame it on sunscreen, but i am sure its on the lack of outdoor activities people participate it. So this summer go outside as much as possible. If you are living somewhere hot, then play in the water. Your kids will thank you later (probably not) but you'll love it when they are all sleeping through the night.

What are your favorite summer activities?

Like a Morning Cup of Coffee// From Here to Eternity// The Not Quite Military Wife//

A Cowboy's Life// My Delicious Adventure// Sadie Sky Boutique// Meet the Sullivan's//

Love and Life//  Foxy's Domestic Side// Everyday Love// Life of Faith

July 10:  Keeping your marriage alive with a toddler

July 17:  Favorite summer toddler activities

July 24:  Helping Your Toddler to Communicate (Words, emotions, etc.)

July 31:  Dealing with Separation Anxiety

Aug 7:    Car Trip Necessities

Aug 14:  Deciding when the time is right for baby #2 (and/or how to handle these questions)

Aug 21:  Tricks for eating out with your toddler

Aug 28:  Feeling confident as a mom (How to feel this way, Your struggle with, etc.)

An InLinkz Link-up

Summer Favorites- On the Go Snacks

So i failed and didn't post my Motivate Me Monday yesterday, but i was busy being an awesome mom! Yesterday I took the girls to Saint George to play at the Tabernacle Square splash pad and needless to say, they were in love! So i am just going to skip this week and post an epic MMM next Monday. So stay tuned.

Since i wrote about trying to explore and experience things more with the girls we have spent a good amount of our time outside. It has been great to be out of the house, in the sun and just playing. One thing we do quite a bit is head to the park or pool or even lounge in the back yard all day. I tend to pack our lunches and snack in a cooler bag so we are prepared to be away from the house all day and not eat fast food. It is really important to me that we eat healthy, I go in and out of feeling a need to be organic and all sorts of crunchy. I am back at it now. Our home is stocked with fruits and vegetables (all organic) and lots of other meal ingredients that are actually good for us. So anyways here is what the girls are loving, especially Leighton and they are semi healthy choices for on the go families. 

You can find all of these at Amazon, Target, Smiths and sometimes Costco.

We also eat a lot of apples, mandarin oranges, grapes and steamed carrots and broccoli.

What are your families favorite on the go snacks?

One Year and Beyond- Keeping your marriage alive

This weeks link up is about keeping your marriage alive with a toddler. I have been thinking about this a lot lately. Kaden and I have an awesome relationship but I have wondered what exactly we do to keep it that way. After two babies we seem to still be as lovey as ever. After paying attention to the two of us the past week I have came up with a few of the ways we keep our marriage alive. 

- We take interest in each others dreams. Kaden and I are huge dreamers and we talk about our ideas all the time. Our best talking time is in the car. It seems like we get a little one on one time when we drive. Basically we just tune out the two babies behind us and drift back to the time before they weren't around.

- We flirt. When Kaden walks in the door from work he is almost always greeted with a kiss. When i make dinner Kaden bugs me as he walks through the kitchen. We tease each other, call each other babe and laugh a lot. 

- We share the responsibility of putting Leighton to bed. This takes a lot of stress off of me and helps us to both be in good moods before we go to sleep. 

- We date. This is a big one. We love our children. Leighton and Emersyn are the best part of the our little family but time away is good for all of us. Dating after having the girls didn't come easy for us. We tend to do everything with the girls and we love it so we never even thought we needed more time alone. Then one day I wanted a break, we went to a movie and our lives were changed forever. Dating is the best thing you can do for your marriage. 

When you are chasing crazy stressful children around all day. Making time for one another doesn't always seem realistic. If you want to keep your marriage going strong, stay intimate with one another and have a fulfilling relationship, you have to develop a plan. For most couples i know that a loving relationship doesn't come as naturally as it did before children entered the picture. Being open with each other and deciding how you are going to stay close is the best way to start. When you are on the same page it is so much easier to know what will help you to get past the fact that your world is being rocked by a 2 year old. The four simple things we do help us to continue to grow closer and feel loved. 

One Year and Beyond is back!!  We just couldn't stay away from this awesome toddler series.  We've gotten so much positive response so far.  Motherhood can be difficult especially with a toddler at home.  So we're here to talk toddler issues, mom to mom.  We've got a great group of mamas who are offering their advice on getting through those challenging times with their child.  Be sure to check out their blogs and then link up your own post on the topic with us below!

Like a Morning Cup of Coffee// From Here to Eternity// The Not Quite Military Wife//

A Cowboy's Life// My Delicious Adventure// Sadie Sky Boutique// Meet the Sullivan's//

Love and Life//  Foxy's Domestic Side// Everyday Love// Life of Faith

July 10:  Keeping your marriage alive with a toddler

July 17:  Favorite summer toddler activities

July 24:  Helping Your Toddler to Communicate (Words, emotions, etc.)

July 31:  Dealing with Separation Anxiety

Aug 7:    Car Trip Necessities

Aug 14:  Deciding when the time is right for baby #2 (and/or how to handle these questions)

Aug 21:  Tricks for eating out with your toddler

Aug 28:  Feeling confident as a mom (How to feel this way, Your struggle with, etc.)

An InLinkz Link-up

Summer Favorites- Traveling Must haves

We are heading out of town first thing in the morning for Salt Lake. Anyone else going to bright night on Thursday? I am so excited. But anyways since we travel sooo much I have just a few things that i feel like are must haves right now. 

Backpack- Forever21. Amazingly comfy pants- Anthropologie. Wrap- Solly Wrap. Polaroid camera- Amazon.

Motivate Me Monday- Some Perspective

Last week was kind of a dream. We played so much as a family and it was perfect. Spending time together having fun was exactly what i needed. During our stress free time together i realized that i have been taking advantage of the days i get to spend with my girls. I worry too much about making things be just so and i expect way too much out  of Leighton. Both of my girls are just babies. Even though Leighton is a crazy toddler, she is supposed to be. She is two and I catch myself telling her not to cry that she isn't a baby. Just because Emersyn is a much smaller baby doesn't mean Leighton isn't one. Since i have started treating her more like i should not expecting her to listen to every thing i ask her to do, we have been able to enjoy each other so much more. I only have so long with these two and i plan to see each day with them as blessed. 

"Its not what you look at that matters, its what you see." 

- Thoreau

Sweet Summer Days, Our June Review

I know i talk about summer in basically every post. Clearly our winter/ spring thing we had going on was not good to me. This June summer has been perfect though. I obsessed over getting away and planning a luxurious vacation for the longest time and right now I am glad it never happened. I have been learning to appreciate the simple life and it is oh so sweet. We have spent most of our days at the park or lounging around the house. We have made a couple visits to Logandale but besides that we have been experiencing all that Cedar summers have to offer.

We filled our yard with flowers.

Spent some time in Logandale.

Leighton started swim lessons and Emersyn watched.

Jess and I tried to teach the kids their letters in a fun way.

We braved the heat and spent most of our days at the park.

The girls spent lots of time with Grandma Nancy.

 All four of us enjoyed the summer games ceremony.

I ran the summer games 5k with Courtney.

We got to be VIPs (didnt mean anything) at the Iron County rodeo and Leighton chased the cash cow.

The girls spent an entire week being sick.

Road tripped to the valley again.

Kaden visited the aquatic center for the first time.

We tried out groovefest. Leighton discovered bounce houses and Emersyn chilled like this all night.

We clearly found ways to be busy and enjoyed all of it. I can't wait to see what July has in store for us!