A Break

Let me start off by saying how much I love my children. I adore them. Motherhood has been the most amazing, challenging, and rewarding experience of my life. Seeing each one of my children grow up and develop their own (wildly different) personalities is such a joy. Cliche or not, motherhood is the best thing I've done or will ever do in my life.

Having said that, it's exhausting. Being their cook, entertainer, chauffeur, nurse, maid, and confidante is seriously draining. I know everyone warns you how tough parenthood is but you can't grasp the difficulty level until you are surrounded by 4 screaming children who all need different things at the exact same time.


Today, amidst the insanity that is motherhood, I thought of what I would give to have a week to myself. All by myself. Alone. As a woman who got married at the ripe old age of 20, I never really had all that much time to myself. I wouldn't change a thing, but I do dream of having a break from it all. If that break ever comes, here's my to-do list:

*Read a book, guilt-free.

*Go for a long run whenever I want to.

*Sit on a beach. That's all. Just sit on the beach and listen to the waves.

*Sleep.

*Shop. Anywhere. Alone.

*Go to a museum.

*Go to a ballet and/or symphony.

*Go to a club and dance my heart out.

*Walk wherever I want for as long as I want.

*Go to a pool and swim laps and then sit in the jacuzzi 'til I'm pruny.

*Eat at a nice restaurant and order an appetizer, entree, and dessert.

*Take a long, uninterrupted shower.


It's the simple things, I guess. But I think that's part of what this whole parenting thing is about. Teaching you appreciation for life's simple treasures.

Bah Humbug!

Ah, Christmas! The most magical time of the year. I have always been a BIG fan of Christmas. As a child I would beg my parents to let me sleep by the fireplace and listen to Christmas music as I fell asleep...beginning in September. My parents (and now my husband) have had to ban any Christmas music prior to Halloween.



But over the last few years, Christmas has changed for me. I can probably pinpoint the beginning of this change to when we moved to California. Taking away the snow and nip in the air and replacing it with 70 degree weather (although ridiculously nice) just doesn't get me in the holiday spirit as quickly.



The other change has been, well, having a plethora of children. It seems like my shopping list grows larger every year with our own additions to the family, not to mention more nieces, nephews, aunts and uncles to shop for. This year in particular, I have been very overwhelmed and stressed, feeling more like the grinch than my former Cindy-lou Who self. There just seems to be so much to do and not enough time and/or money to do it all.



This last weekend, Randy and I took the kidlets to Universal Studios Grinchmas celebration. With 4 kids, it was seriously exhausting but they had a blast. Seeing the place all decked out in Christmas decor (they even had a snow area for the kids to throw snowballs in) helped me snap out of my Scrooge funk and remember that Christmas isn't about all the stuff that's been stressing me out. It's about enjoying these precious, fun moments with my children and seeing the excitement in their eyes. It's about remembering why we give gifts; to honor our Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave everything for us.

So, from here on out, I am going to keep a better perspective on Christmas. I may not find my way back to the holiday crazed girl of my youth, but I will take a step back and enjoy the magic of the season through my children's eyes and remember my Savior during this holiday season.

"It came without ribbons, it came without tags! It came without packages, boxes, or bags!" And he puzzled three hours, til his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before! "Maybe Christmas ," he thought, "doesn't come from a store. Maybe Christmas...perhaps...means a little bit more!" -How The Grinch Stole Christmas