enjoy the juggling act

Being a mom comes with many responsibilities and/or "duties" so for me having a well executed plan laid out in front of me, is the best way to see what I need to get done for the day and remember to do it.  In my perfect world, my to do list would include painting pretty pictures, sewing something crafty, playing legos, eating popcorn while watching a movie with all my boys snuggled around me.  But sadly I have a household to run and somewhere in the midst of my day I have to squeeze in mop the kitchen floor, fold laundry, pack school lunches and do a load of dishes.  So, I came up with a plan to help me juggle my "to-dos" and still enjoy the lovely bliss of motherhood and hopefully spend more quality time with my family doing what I really want do.

My plan goes something like this....

Kids- Honey- Mom- Family- Household- Church ... in no particular order!!!

Its a relatively simple concept. Most days I  juggle all 5 things and give them the time they need or deserve on my schedule but some days are what they are and I fail at balancing the chaos.
So I start with a list.  I am a list kinda gal. I even put "make a list" on my to-do list... I just love to have a list and even more so, I love crossing stuff off my lists!!!  So I always start the night before with a list of to-dos.
*First, I start with what I need to get done for each of my kids- a Drs appointment, science experiment or eat lunch with one of the boys at school. Then I move on to what I need to get done for my family- grocery shop, make dinner etc. Then on to household to-dos- clean, laundry, pay bills and fix it projects.  Next its what I need to help my hubby with- usually running an errand or business related matters.  On to church duties- planning a lesson, attending a meeting.  And last but not least what I need to get done for myself- gym, craft something, blog and even shower... dead serious that taking a shower goes on my list because some days it is rare that my hygiene is a priority!
*Second,  I take into consideration what "needs" to be done and what I "want" to get done.  I highlight the needs and prioritize away!! {a later post to come on sorting out the needs vs the wants in our lives.}  The needs are then ranked in order of priority and /or the time they are scheduled for.  The wants are then put on a stand-by list just incase I have extra time in my day.  Its important to remember that time is the one thing we can't back so once you use it... its gone.
*Third, I look at the things on my list and determine what I do not want to involve my kids in and schedule them throughout the day when they are at school.  Take note... getting your oil changed with a rowdy 5 year old is not highly recommended!!


That may seem pretty darn complicated and even very time consuming but for me, investing a little bit of time to lay everything out on paper actually saves me more time in long run and some days even my sanity!  Investing a quick 5-10 minutes every night, helps me to see what my following day will look like and helps me juggle my schedule. It has also helped me realize that making time for each of those 6 categories above, is very important.  If I visually look at my list and see that my whole darn day will be spent doing things only for the household then something is wrong and its time to reprioritize!!  Its time to go back to the basics and focus on the needs vs the wants in my life.  Life should not be spent regretting the time we lost to "getting things done".  Life should be spent bettering our family, our children, ourselves.  Life should be spent enjoying those around you, enjoying the life you live!!!  Create a life filled with things you love doing, with the people you love the most!

a year in review

At the start of every new year, my family pulls out our past years new years resolutions and writes down our new ones. As we read through all of the past years, the boys get quite a kick out of how much they have grown and matured. We usually end up laughing till our sides hurt over the fact that someone wanted to "learn their ABC's" or "stop using sippie cups".  But the fact of the matter is, this tradition has become one the boys anticipate for weeks to come.  It is such a fun night of reminiscing and looking forward to what we hope the future will hold.  And now that my boys are getting older, it seems to be that our resolutions are really starting to develop into some great goals and expectations. If it is not a tradition of yours, to make resolutions with your family, I urge you to start this year... I promise you wont regret it!!! So as I promised, here is the layout that we use to review the past year and look forward to the one ahead.

Was I missing something?

To me, being a mother has been the best "job" I could ever have.  It has defiantly been the hardest job but it has also been my most rewarding.  Granted it is a 24-7 kinda job with no holiday or vacation pay and I rarely ever get a sick day or get to have a full hour lunch break. But then again the benefit package is pretty awesome... and I do like to flirt with my hot boss (the hubby)!!
But then I had an epiphany that led me to this conclusion--- that although being a mom was my job, it really shouldn't be this much work!! Why did I feel like I had to work so darn hard to enjoy being a mom? Why did I have to work so hard to get everything done? Don't they say "if you do what you love than it's not really work at all?"  THEN WHY DOES BEING A MOM FEEL LIKE WORK?  Was I missing something!!!???
Then it hit me.... I was working way to hard on all the wrong things!! I was working hard at making sure the house was clean and the laundry was done.  I was working hard at planning parties and volunteering my time at church and school.  I was working hard at running errands and organizing the chaos of our schedules.  I was working hard on all the "fluff" of what people perceive a good mom to look like but in reality I was missing out on all the substance of what a good mom should be. I was missing out on just being with my family and missing out on watching them grow up.  I was often finding myself hustling around,  making sure everything was neat and orderly, everyone was happy and taken care of.  And in doing so I was missing out on all the good stuff.
So time for a plan... time to start working hard on what truly matters and stop working so hard on what doesn't. Then maybe, just maybe, my job as a mommy wouldn't feel like work.  Yes, I still needed to clean the house, pay the bills and make sure everyone is fed, but I certainly needed to refocus on where my energy was spent and realize the hard work needed to be turned to the nurturing of my boys hearts, minds and spirits.  I certainly DO NOT have this plan all figured out... I don't think I ever truly will, but as long as I try each and every day to put my energy and time where it is needed most, than hopefully each day will be a good, successful day.

well worth the trade

You know when they tell you kids are expensive? Believe them! And when they tell you kids are messy! Believe them! And when they tell you kids loud! Believe them! And when they tell you kids are exhausting! Believe them!
But even more importantly, BELIEVE THEM  when they tell you kids are worth it!! Having kids has been a life altering journey, a journey with ups and downs, ins and outs, do-overs and never do agains, but its all been so worth it! My kids are my world. I cant even image what our world was  like before our gaggle of kids were born.  I can hardly remember what it was like walk across the kitchen floor barefoot without stepping on something crunchy, wet or sticky. And who can remember a time driving the car without flailing my arm aimless in the air behind me as I try to connect with just one kid, as they fight with one another and I "try" to get us all safely to football practice.  And the last time I used the bathroom without someone nearly breaking the door off the hinges to get in.... yep those days are long gone. I traded in the carefree days for the "careful" days... careful not to go completely insane or careful not to fly off the deep end kind of days. But you know what, I wouldn't go back for anything in the world- not even on the worst day!
I never look at my life and feel like I gave anything up to have a family. I may have traded in a few perks from the childless life for some not so favorable ones from time to time but the trade has been so well worth it!!  When you have children, you obtain a little piece of heaven on earth.  You finally can put in to perspective what life is all about.  For me, motherhood is what life is all about.  Its about raising 5 young human beings into 5 well rounded, wonderful, loving, successful, happy, thoughtful men.  Its about preparing my boys to be the best husbands, fathers, students, missionaries, friends, neighbors that I possibly can.  Its no longer just about me or the life I can create for myself.  Its about the life I can create for my family- for my children. With parenthood come more responsibility than I ever could have imagined... some days when I really grasp the duties that have been bestowed upon me as a mother... I am blow away.  Yes, my boys all have very different and unique personalities and each have characteristics all their own, but its baffles me to think that I have been entrusted with job of modeling and shaping and creating how these boys may turn out.  So, at the end of the day, I ask myself.... "How have I bettered my children? Has my influences on them been positive or negative? Have I done all I can to nurture, care and show love to my boys?  Have I lived up to my expectations as a mother?"

Flowrider!

Every year at the end of summer break, we try to take the boys on a quick weekend stay-cation somewhere close to home, usually Park City, before the kids head back to school.  But this year, with Braxtons knee surgery and football schedule it was hard to find the time.  So instead we opted for a fun filled family vacay at home.  We decided to devote the whole weekend to just family time and being with each other, just like we would do if we where staying at a hotel... minus room service!  We spent the majority of the weekend in Ogden at The Junction enjoying Fat Cats, bowling, dinner and going to the movie.  On Saturday we headed back to The Junction and rented out the Flowrider for a couple of hours.  With a family of 7, it was nearly the same price to rent the whole place out for 2 hours as it was to pay for each of us individually... Plus we had the place to ourselves!!! Poor little Walker was so flippen excited to jump on the board and surf but on his first time out, he biffed it hard and was upset the rest of the afternoon- we couldn't convince him to give it another try.  All in all, we learned it doesn't matter where we are... at home in our town or on vacation in some hotel, being together as a family is all that really matters!!! 

 

 

Making something out of something

Lately, I have been trying my hardest to be a more "pro active" mom- a mom that plays with my kids instead of merely just instructing them to "go play"!!  I have noticed that as the years pass and they grow up and older, they are not only becoming more self sufficient with every day tasks but also with their "play time".  It use to be that we could/would sit for hours building forts, playing puzzles, constructing lego sets and coloring picture but sadly no one needs my help anymore... My babies are no longer babies and are capable of doing it all on their own.  But I won't take them growing up without a fight... And I'm one tough cookie!!!!! So today I decided we were going to have some mommy-son play time/art time. We opted to make some beautiful and very colorful canvases using melted crayons.  Being the hoarder that I am, I found these blank canvases in my craft stash and then we scoured the house in search of old crayons. 

 

We began by laying out an old plastic table cloth and gathered our supplies

       * crayons

         * canvases

           * hair dryer

              * paper plates

The kids peeled off the paper labels on the crayons and placed them in a big bowl... its wise to keep them out of the sun if you are outside or you'll create a whole different piece of art!

 

 

Then the magic began.... It wasn't long until their stark white boards were splattered with all the colors of the rainbow.  We found that  by changing the direction on the hot air and the distance points, it gave us different effects with the crayon splatters. *Note of caution* be careful not to burn your little fingers with the hot air coming out of the hair dryer.... it can get very very hot!!   

 

 



 

Although this is a rather safe project for the kiddos, we did end up with one battle wound!!

 





 And one "melt" down.... see how I tied my child's pouting into the art project itself?

 (I'm cleaver like that!!)

 



 

But in no time he was back to creating his master piece.

And wa-la!!! Our very own custom art work. 
 



Now we are just trying to figure out the perfect wall to display these beauties. The kids each want to hang them in their own rooms but I would like to keep them together as a series so everyone can enjoy there awesomeness!!

At the end of the day, I realized that although my children may be capable of playing all on their own, it is a million times more rewarding to play with them... to interact with them.... to be apart of their creating experiences.  Not only do we have beautiful artwork, we now have beautiful memories of the day we made that artwork together!

find your joy!

Nothing makes me more relaxed, peaceful and happy than a house that is clean and tidy. But if there is one thing I have learned with having a family of 7, clean and tidy does not always come so easy... or often!!! Yesterday, as I sat on my couch and basked in the warm rays of the sun, I watched my kids doing their homework {or lack there of} at the kitchen table and listen to them laugh, joke, sing, argue, complain, quarrel and call names. Voices were raised from time to time and there may have even be some physical lashing out. Dishes were piled in the sink, junk scattered on the counters, the floor was dotted with toys, pjs and odds and ends. I could see little dust bunnies speckled on the hardwood floors and a sticky little finger prints on the windows. And amidst all the noise, chaos and clutter I didn't seem to care. In that very moment, I loved my kids, I loved my home, I loved my family, I loved my life. They may have been a little naughty and it may have been a little messy but it was mine, all mine. My house, my kids, my family... my life and I love it!! If there is another thing I have learned with having a family of 7, is that the joy is endless. It may not always come with well behaved kids or a clean and orderly house but it is defiantly there. Just being together, just having each other, just being a family... that is joy!! As I count my blessings, I am reminded that they are endless and that they can be found every where. Joy in my life is every where and it can be found in every situation... I just have to look for it. WHAT IS YOUR JOY?

superhero overdrive

Nothing beats a cape wearen, high flyen, superhero little boy!!! I may have fueled the fire by bringing home new Spider Man pjs for Walker because he will not take them off now. Whats even worse is that they are about 3 sizes to small and instead of exchanging them for bigger ones he was determined to make them fit so we opted to cut out the feet and overlook the wedgie!! The funny thing is that when I picked him up from school friday, while still in the car, he immediately ripped off his school uniform only to expose the Spider Man pjs underneath.... yes, he wore these lovely pajamas under his khakis and button down polo all day long at school! We cant help but love our little Spider Boy!!

meet my family

Well, this is us... the Hale family. Yes, you counted right, we have 5 amazing boys- which makes me a little out numbered... but I wouldn't have it any other way!!! Recently, we purchased a new home that we completely gutted/tore apart and are putting back together... piece by piece. So join us as we journey through our crazy "HALE HOUSE RE-DO" and make our house a HOME!!