Guess who is The Best Mom Ever? I am. Don't worry, I haven't developed a huge ego. I think that you are too! YES, YOU!!! Each mom who is working hard to fulfill the needs of her family is the best mom for their family and really that is all that matters. Being a mom isn't a competition. BEING A MOM ISN'T A COMPETITION. Yes, I meant to write that twice and yes, I know writing in all caps can be obnoxious. It needed the emphasis in my opinion. (side note, if you are a dad reading this, go ahead and just throw the word dad in while reading this, because the same really does go for you).
I have been reading the most amazing book for a lifegroup at my church. The book is called Desperate by Sarah Mae and Sally Clarkson. This book has changed my life and the way I look at being a mom. I know the title may seem dramatic to some, but I would recommend that you check out the link and read the information about the book and consider reading the book if you have a chance. This book has reminded me that I am the mom that Maddie and Lexi were meant to have, which makes me the best mom for them. Being the best mom for them is where my focus should be - not on what anyone else is doing. I get to help them develop into exactly what they're meant to be - and how exciting is that?!?!?! The possibilities are endless. I am currently so happy to see how sweet and gentle they are with babies and animals. This is an attribute I help them to cultivate, as I believe it is a key attribute in life. It fills my heart with joy when I see them being gentle with our own or other people's pets.
Being a mom requires me to constantly recommit myself to my girls. It is so easy to become distracted and look at Facebook or Pinterest, rather than play with play dough or legos or read the same kids' books over and over (we must have 100 books but they want to listen to the same 5 every day.) But doing those things, those things that they love that we sometimes find boring, is what this is all about!! This is how they are learning, how they are experiencing life!!
After lifegroup this past week, I really recommitted myself and the following days have been amazing! We built a fort out of a sheet and the dining room chairs, I made homemade play-dough (as modeled in the photo with this post), which we played with for quite a long time. We played with dolls and we "made lunch" in the play kitchen. Now, don't get me wrong, every moment has not been perfect. I still sometimes grow weary of changing "Sydney-doll's" outfit 10 times in an hour. And I allow myself the breaks that I need to get through. But I know that I am committed to fulfilling my role as their mom - a role I was meant to fulfill, so I'm trying to just focus on the fun in it!
I challenge you to do something silly this week, something fun. Think back to when you were a kid - was there something fun your mom or dad did with you? Was there something they didn't do that you wished they would? Our kids want to experience life with us. They learn from us. They want to build fun memories with us!! Go out into the world this week and proudly fill your role as The Best Mom Ever.
Playdough recipe, courtesy of my friend Hannah (I'm including this because I've tried a few recipes and not been happy with the result. I was extremely happy with how this playdough turned out so I wanted to share with you all):
1 cup flour (for gluten free version you can use 1/2 rice flour and 1/2 cup arrow root or corn starch powder)
1/2 cup of salt
2 teaspoons of Cream of tartar
1 table spoon of oil (I used coconut and it worked really well)
1 cup of colored (or not) water
Essential oil for fragrance (optional) (I used lavender because it smells nice and should, in theory, calm and relax us all while we play...)
Mix flour salt and cream of tartar in a medium pot (not your nice pots, a cheap one if you have one, as it can be sticky).
Add oil colored water and stir until well combined.
Place pot on a stove top over low/med heat and cook, stirring a few times, until it pulls off the sides (It gets dark when it is cooked through).
Cool in pot and when it is cool, dump onto a surface (covered because some of the food coloring may stain the counter at first) and kneed until smooth. All done. Store in air tight container.
I have been reading the most amazing book for a lifegroup at my church. The book is called Desperate by Sarah Mae and Sally Clarkson. This book has changed my life and the way I look at being a mom. I know the title may seem dramatic to some, but I would recommend that you check out the link and read the information about the book and consider reading the book if you have a chance. This book has reminded me that I am the mom that Maddie and Lexi were meant to have, which makes me the best mom for them. Being the best mom for them is where my focus should be - not on what anyone else is doing. I get to help them develop into exactly what they're meant to be - and how exciting is that?!?!?! The possibilities are endless. I am currently so happy to see how sweet and gentle they are with babies and animals. This is an attribute I help them to cultivate, as I believe it is a key attribute in life. It fills my heart with joy when I see them being gentle with our own or other people's pets.
Being a mom requires me to constantly recommit myself to my girls. It is so easy to become distracted and look at Facebook or Pinterest, rather than play with play dough or legos or read the same kids' books over and over (we must have 100 books but they want to listen to the same 5 every day.) But doing those things, those things that they love that we sometimes find boring, is what this is all about!! This is how they are learning, how they are experiencing life!!
After lifegroup this past week, I really recommitted myself and the following days have been amazing! We built a fort out of a sheet and the dining room chairs, I made homemade play-dough (as modeled in the photo with this post), which we played with for quite a long time. We played with dolls and we "made lunch" in the play kitchen. Now, don't get me wrong, every moment has not been perfect. I still sometimes grow weary of changing "Sydney-doll's" outfit 10 times in an hour. And I allow myself the breaks that I need to get through. But I know that I am committed to fulfilling my role as their mom - a role I was meant to fulfill, so I'm trying to just focus on the fun in it!
I challenge you to do something silly this week, something fun. Think back to when you were a kid - was there something fun your mom or dad did with you? Was there something they didn't do that you wished they would? Our kids want to experience life with us. They learn from us. They want to build fun memories with us!! Go out into the world this week and proudly fill your role as The Best Mom Ever.
Playdough recipe, courtesy of my friend Hannah (I'm including this because I've tried a few recipes and not been happy with the result. I was extremely happy with how this playdough turned out so I wanted to share with you all):
1 cup flour (for gluten free version you can use 1/2 rice flour and 1/2 cup arrow root or corn starch powder)
1/2 cup of salt
2 teaspoons of Cream of tartar
1 table spoon of oil (I used coconut and it worked really well)
1 cup of colored (or not) water
Essential oil for fragrance (optional) (I used lavender because it smells nice and should, in theory, calm and relax us all while we play...)
Mix flour salt and cream of tartar in a medium pot (not your nice pots, a cheap one if you have one, as it can be sticky).
Add oil colored water and stir until well combined.
Place pot on a stove top over low/med heat and cook, stirring a few times, until it pulls off the sides (It gets dark when it is cooked through).
Cool in pot and when it is cool, dump onto a surface (covered because some of the food coloring may stain the counter at first) and kneed until smooth. All done. Store in air tight container.