running on empty

The last few weeks have been a bit crazy for me.

They're always crazy, but its been more than usual. ha ha

I've started a handful of new violin students, 

and have been working on a new website thing

(more info on that in a while...) 

So I've been feeling spread a little thin

and I have been taking it out on my girls and Trevor.

I've been making an extra effort over the last little bit to find some ways 

to stay extra positive and keep my energy up.

Here are a few things that have worked for me when I've felt like I don't 

have anything left to give...

1. Dance. 

We turn on the music loud and we dance. 

It always gives me a little burst of energy 

and brings some fun in! 

My girls love to dance and it always helps me 

re-focus and perk up a bit. 

2. Sleep.

 I'm not always the best at this... 

but I've really been trying extra hard to get more sleep.

My girls are usually up around 7, so if I'm in bed around 

10:30 the night before, that's usually good for me. 

I tend to need lots of sleep, and when I get the rest 

I need, everything seems better.

3. Reading. 

I love to read, but I often go through phases

when I don't pick up a book for weeks.

But then, I'll pick up a bunch and stay up too late reading. haha

I've changed my reading habits a little, and I try to spend 20-30 minutes

a day reading something just for me. 

Its really helped me de-stress and enjoy being part of a different world for a bit.

4. Exercise. 

Because of my chronic cough, this is tricky for me to do. 

But now I'm starting to feel a little better again, 

so I've been putting it back in my routine. 

Even a little walk, or dancing with my girls goes a long way!

5. Prayer.

My personal prayers help a lot. 

I feel the Lord strengthening me and helping me 

through the harder parts of my day.

Whenever I'm having an extra hard day, 

I try to find a few minutes to go pray again. 

It helps. 

It reminds me that my children are the most important. 

6. Create. 

I need to be creative almost every day. 

It isn't always something big for me, but I love to crochet, 

and doing a few rows or squares is usually enough for me. 

But after all the feeding, cleaning, and kid-related things I do all day,

I need to find a few minutes to do something creative!

7. Simple Service.

When I am at the very end of my rope with my kids and all the chaos I have going on, 

I make an effort to do something for someone else. 

Because my schedule is already really thin, 

I can't do too much, but I do what I can.

Sometimes, I just send off a text or email to someone

or a quick phone call. 

I have found that spending a few minutes focusing on 

someone who isn't in my family can really help me re-group! 

I have found, in the almost 4 years of being a mom, that it is the most

draining, exhausting, and demanding job ever.

Moms are on-call 24-7 and I get really drained physically 

and emotionally. 

These things really help me feel invigorated and build up 

my energy and help my attitude!

It doesn't hurt that they are SUPER cute!!!!

I'd love to know what other moms or dads do when they are running on empty.

So, what do you do? 

my little survival guide for new moms

So... now that I've been a mom for 18 months, I feel like I'm experienced enough to offer some of my own

"new mom" advice.

Everyone always posts great tips and advice for new moms. 

But here's my list:

1. Invest in a good dry shampoo. There are so many days that I just don't have time to even think about washing my hair. What a difference it has made for me to be able to just spray in some dry shampoo and do my usual styling. That way, I'm not washing and drying my hair every day. It helps me a lot on those days when we have early morning activities. Or just before noon. 

2. Join a babysitting co-op. Or start one yourself. (Or at least find someone to trade babysitting with)We have one in the ward that we moved into. It is the greatest. Almost every day there is someone that is available to babysit. We pay with tickets, so that in order to use the co-op you also have to be able to host. Its the best free babysitting and Piper loves having buddies. 

3. Go to the grocery store at night or whenever you don't have to worry about taking your kid. This one is new to me. I'm just barely realizing that taking Piper to the store with me is always the WORST and I don't know why I keep doing it. I know that the extra time alone would be nice, but it would be tons easier to just leave her at home or with someone else. 

4. Sleep when the baby sleeps. Seriously. It will save your life sometimes. I've learned that sometimes its better for me to sleep instead of having a clean house. Piper is a busy little girl, as most kids are at 18 months, and some days I can barely keep up. Usually I just lay down for 20-30 minutes during her nap and it saves my entire day and most of the time resets my mood. 

5. Exercise and drink plenty of water. Duh. Any mom is going to need the extra energy and getting your body moving and keeping it well hydrated is the best way. I know that when I'm not active I am not even kind of able to keep up with Piper and all her chaos. 

6. Find your own creative outlet. This has been a big one for me. I make sure to make some time for myself every week. It can be hard with everything that I'm doing (teaching violin, working, school, etc.) but I try to make time to do something creative. Just playing my violin for a few minutes every day or going to paint something at Color Me Mine, or sewing a simple skirt can make all the difference on those tough days. 

7. Don't be afraid to ask for help. And don't feel guilty when you do. This has also been an important one for me. A few weeks ago, Piper was giving me a lot of trouble and my mom came to the rescue. She took Piper for a few days and I was able to relax a little and catch up on some of the things that I needed or wanted to do. It really saved me! At the time, I felt a little guilty watching them drive away. I felt like I was giving up or giving in, like I tend to do when things get hard. But ever since that time, I have been so grateful that I asked for the help that I needed. 

8. Be patient with yourself. Everything is not going to be perfect. Its hard to be a mom. It is wonderful and most days are a lot of fun. But it is easily the most challenging thing you may ever do. I know that the more patient that I am with myself, the easier it is for me to enjoy each day. 

9. Find a good "top-coat" of nail polish. I love having my nails painted, but I found that it is so hard to keep up when you are constantly washing your hands, changing diapers, and using hand-sanitizer. So, I found a good "no-chip" top coat that I like to use (I love the Sally Hansen brand). It might be one of the least important things, but its something simple that I enjoy. 

Well, that's my little list. Just a few things that I have found help me with my day-to-day life as a mom. 

I love being a mom and am so grateful that I get to spend every day with my sweet little Piper.

And, since no post is complete without a cute photo of my kid eating yogurt:

The best!

Being Piper's mom is the best!

I love being able to spend every day with her!

She is in the greatest stage right now and I just wish it would last longer!

Love my little baby who is changing to fast.