Give Yourself Grace

Hey there!  How are you doing?  Are you giving yourself grace as you deal with the many challenges that our world is facing?  Did you take time for yourself today? How are you mentally?

I can tell you that I have gone through so many emotions as we all face these challenges.  I have had days where I am at my highest high and my lowest low and now that I am in week three of these new challenges I have had to come to grips with the fact that it is okay!  It is okay to wake up some mornings and be scared or sad and it is also okay to wake up some mornings and feel so happy, content and grateful for your life. And it is okay to go through all of those emotions in one day.  The challenge is that you have to take time to realize what YOU need to help YOU through all of those emotions. You can not take care of your kids or the house tasks if YOU are not in a good place. Some would disagree with me, but here is how I know that.  When I am not in a good place with myself, I become so short with those around me, especially my family. And guess what, my family is stuck with me all day, every day, so I need to figure out how to manage all of this.  

As a family we have decided that we need to be 100% raw and real with each other and share our emotions in order to get through all of this without ripping our hair out or saying things that we don’t truly mean to each other.  Are we perfect (you know how I feel about that word), no we are not. Sure I snap at the kids when I am at my wits end and sure they are still fighting about simple things, like cleaning the same lightswitch and getting mad about it.  Each day is going to have its challenges, but if we all work through it together, we seem to have a much more seamless day.

So, what I am saying is find something that works for you and makes you feel more content in these hard moments.  Sitting and watching the news all day long is only going to stress you out, so turn the TV off! Checking your phone every hour for updates on the virus isn’t going to help either, set your phone in another room, turn it off; find a way to shut off the negative and let your mind be at peace.

Here are some things that you can do each day that will help you and those around you:

• Take some time to say what you are thankful for.  Believe it or not, when you take the time to think about the good you have in your life, you find yourself feeling more content with yourself and what is going on.  If you start your day with this, I promise you that your day WILL go better than if you turn the news on instantly and hear all of the negativity going on.
• Say your prayers.  God has blessed us with the time to give to those we love the most, so thank Him for this uninterrupted time.  Take a step back and watch as He works His wonders on us and our world.
• Find time in your day to exercise in some way: go for a walk, meditate, yoga, etc.  Find some time to get your body moving because it will make you feel so much better about yourself.
• GET OUTSIDE!!!  This experience is not “stay inside,” it is stay home and keep your distance.  Believe it or not, sunny or no sunny day, fresh air and vitamin D WILL make you feel better.
• Talk to your family and share your emotions because getting out whatever is inside will help you and it will also let them know where you are at.  There is no shame in asking for help from others and because they are your family, they will be there for you and to support you. 
• Call/Videocall the family members and friends that you cannot see right now.  It sure can brighten your day and theirs just to hear your voice or to see your face.  
• Read a book!  This is something that I never thought I had time to do and throughout this past year I have made it a goal to read at least one book a month.  I did it in 2019 and I felt so much better about myself, because I wasn’t taking that time to sit and watch tv, I was taking that time to better myself or emerse in another world.  It is so good for your brain and your body to read. It is also so great for your children to see you reading as well.
• Find a new recipe to try out and have your children help you!
• Play card games/board games with your family.
• Color
• Dance:  we love having dance parites at our house
• Give:  share the gift of being able to give to other in some sort of way…it is amazing how being able to give to others makes you feel

There are so many things that you can do to keep yourself entertained and to make yourself FEEL better. Try some and little by little you will find yourself and your family wanting to do more and enjoying this strange time together.

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In Minnesota this was our first week of our “Stay Home Order,” and let me tell you that it has brought so many challenges to the way that we go about our day, but I also think that it has brought a sense of calm to our family.   

Our schools have been closed since March 18th, so I have been homeschooling my children (Landen 8 and Taylor 4) every day, while also trying to figure out how to manage my own work commitments.  The first two weeks of homeschooling and the work balance was hard, but I finally felt like we had a great grove going on. Then we got the “Stay Home Order,” and my husband’s company had to close as well.  Let me tell you something, my husband is a busy body and goes crazy when he has to stay in one place, so I knew that this week was going to be another learning curve for all of us. Friday is here and we are all doing great! 

I am a person who likes plans and has high expectations for all things…this can be great and also extremely bad at the same time.  I told myself and my husband on Sunday that I was going to go into this week with the only expectation being that I continue the homeschooling schedule that we have and that we see how to manage the rest day by day, minute by minute.  Do we actually have an idea or a plan of how we are going to go about each day…absolutely not, but we at least have a plan of what our childrens schedule will be and it is definitely driving how we both manage our work and our play.

———-Here is our schedule:———-

7:30-8:00         Kids wake up, get dressed, make beds, and clean up all the towels from the                            previous day

8:00-9:00          Breakfast and clean up (I actually bought a step stool so our little lady                                    could clean up her own dishes every meal…and it has been marvelous)

9:00-9:30         Outside Time (it is extremely important to get your body flowing before                                  you sit down and do work for the day…especially the kiddos)

9:30-10:30       Math→ we do the school work that has been sent to us as well as some                                   technology based math learning and we try to also do a game.  If you can                               make the learning fun it is so much easier for the kids.

10:30-11:30    Art/Science/Social Studies → I do a lot of hands on activities at this time, so                                               it is like play time, but we are all together, having fun and                                                         learning at the same time

11:30-12:30    Lunch (the kids play outside while I make lunch at this time usually)

12:30-1:00      Clean up lunch and chores→ I make the kids wipe down all the                                                 kitchen surfaces, door handles, railings, light switches, bathroom counters,                           and remotes each day.  They literally fight over who is doing what                                           space…don’t ask me why, but they actually enjoy it and they are learning                               how to be responsible.  Plus, I am not not the only one cleaning each day                               too!!!

1:00-3:00        Nap time/Quiet Time and Mom/Dad work time→ we actually set up a table                            where we work and the kids know that when we are in this space, that our                          work time.  Today was the first day that this was in place and so far it is                                working.

3:00-4:00       Reading and Writing time→ this is similar to our math time

4:00-5:00       Outside time as a family/Free time

5:00                Dinner time (this is more for me to make sure I get inside and get dinner                                started)

7:30-8:00       Bed time (keep your routine during this time to make sure that the kids                                 some sleep and you get some much needed adult time)

This is the schedule that has worked for us.  I am not saying it will work for you, but if you are lost with how to manage your time, try this and see if it works for you.  The biggest thing that kids need right now is consistency and for them to know that you love them. This is a weird experience for all of us, so remember to just do the very best that you can and give yourself some grace.

Each week I am going to share a/some recipe(s) that we have been using in our house.  I usually go to the store weekly and have a menu set up for the entire week. Needless to say, this has been challenging for me to say the least and our menu literally say; whatever mom can come up with…lol.

This week I want to share a quick and simple recipe that you ALL have right at your fingertips.  I love sweets and I have one cookie recipe that seems to be a constant crowd pleaser…drum roll….

BUTTERSCOTCH OATMEAL COOKIES!!!

Seriously these are our families favorite cookies and they are my go to cookies to bring to all outings or just to give to someone to brighten their day.  Best part is that your littles (or not so littles) can help out.  We also like to eat some of the chips before we add them into the batter.

 

All you have to do is buy some butterscotch chips and the recipe is on the back.  The only difference that I make to these amazing cookies is that I add 1 Tablespoon of cinnamon, instead of the recommended teaspoon from the recipe.

Make these amazing cookies with your family and make sure to have some right out of the oven.  You won’t be disappointed, I promise!

Oh and last tip…when you store the cookies, make sure to put a slice of bread in the container with it.  This will help keep your cookies fresh and soft.

So remember to give yourself grace as you walk through this difficult journey.  Enjoy the beauty of your life and the gifts that you have been given. Be thankful for the moments that you have each and every day, because this is going to be a time to remember.  Give to others because making someone else smile sure makes you smile too. Most of all, just love; love yourself, and love those around you.

As always, I leave you with a prayer:  I pray that you give yourself grace through this challenging time.  I pray that God helps to give you strength through the uncertainty and extra love to spread to you and to those around you.

Remember, you’ve got this!

-Bobbi