Life As Mom » 31 days

Make 2013 a Time to Stop and Smell the Roses

Jessica Fisher — Sun, 30 Dec 2012 03:58:37 +0000

Last October I made a concentrated effort to stop and smell the roses. I walked through that month with different eyes, looking for ways to slow down and savor those quickly passing moments with my kids.

As the year draws to a close, as I think about people all around me, who for differing reasons, are seeing life so differently now, I’m reminded to SLOW DOWN, to make the most of every day.

In case you missed the series, here are the different things I discovered in October. I’m hoping to revisit each one on a more regular basis in the new year — as well as find some new ways to stop and smell the roses.

What do YOU do to slow down and enjoy the daze?

Just Sit Still

Jessica Fisher — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 04:56:52 +0000

Today wraps up 31 days of stopping to smell the roses. You can read past posts here. I don’t know about you, but I’m encouraged to make sure I know what the big rocks are and to put them in first.

This series has been full of teachable moments for me. I’ve been reminded that it’s okay to just sit. To sit still and not worry about what I should be doing helps me be engaged with my family and friends, helps me to take a step back from the rush of life, helps me to remember what’s important.

Just to sit and soak up the moment is probably the sure-fire best way to stop and smell the roses.

The days are long, but the years are short. I don’t want to miss them! For more short and sweet ideas on how to stop and smell the roses, to enjoy the little things in life, check out my 31 Days to Smell the Roses series.

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Pretend

Jessica Fisher — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 17:57:22 +0000

Back in August, the FishBoys and FishPapa went to see the Spiderman movie. It had almost as big an impact as The Avengers did. I guess I should say moreso, since I have two Spideys in the family. One even sleeps in his super suit!

Shortly after seeing the film, FishBoy8 asked if we could go look at Spiderman costumes. On a coffee date one night, he and I cruised Walmart. I told him we could get him one.

He was absolutely delirious with joy!

It was so sweet to see. What was even sweeter was that he thought he was paying for it. I thought I was paying for it. We went halves. And he just about burst his buttons throughout the rest of our shopping trip.

Afterward we went to pick up Big Brother from Hockey practice. We were waiting in the car and my little man asked if he could try on the mask. When I said he could try on the whole thing, it was like one big joy after another.

It was hilarious to see him sneak into the hockey rink, dressed as Spiderman, and scare his big brother. It was even more hilarious to watch the hockey coach feign fear and surprise.

Oh my! Was my sweet boy just ready to fly over the moon.

Imaginative play is great for kids. It’s even moreso when the adults around them enter into that play and participate. It’s a way for us to be kids again and to remember what was once so very important.

Pretending is a great way to stop and smell the roses.

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Identify Your Stressors & Pray

Jessica Fisher — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 18:56:28 +0000

On any given day, I find that I’m anxious about something. It might be the van breaking down. Or a financial woe. Or just worries that I’m doing it all wrong with my kids.

Often I don’t know exactly what has me mal a l’aise, but I know there is something in my life or circumstances making me ill at ease. I’ve found that half the battle is to identify the thing that is stressing me.

Why am I so riled up?

The next step is to figure out what to do with the situation. Last week I was weighed down with half a dozen things. I started writing in my journal, assessing why those things had my stomach churning. I prayed and gave those to God. One issue resolved within the hour. The others? I had peace, which is just as good.

God doesn’t want you to spend the day churned up over something. Identify that thing and give it to Him. Ask for wisdom. And pray for peace.

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. — 1 Peter 5:6-7

Praying is a great way to stop and smell the roses.

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Go on a Date

Jessica Fisher — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 01:54:09 +0000

Tonight we took the fam on a impromptu dinner out. It wasn’t in the plan. But, my car broke down on an errand at dinner time. Since hubby had to come help me anyway, we made a meal out of it.

I’d like to say that we had deep, meaningful conversation over our rice bowls, but it’s kinda hard to do when you hear:

Why is Wall Street called Wall Street?
Mom, it’s your turn for I-Spy….
So, in this book I was reading….
Now, what’s wrong with the van?

ALL AT ONE TIME! With someone else singing the Iron Man song in the background.

Clearly, this is why we go on a weekly date night.

We didn’t always have the luxury of a date night out. There were babies to nurse and no money for babysitters and meals out.

But, our kids did have early bedtimes. And I don’t think there were always six of them around. Back when we had all littles, it was easy to have one-on-one time after the kids went to bed.

We often had at-home date nights where we made a special meal and watched a movie in bed. Sometimes a neighbor friend offered to take the kids for a few hours, too. It all worked out well.

Today “alone time” is more elusive, especially with older kids that stay up later. But, said older kids are also able to babysit. Score!

So, once a week we go out alone, even if it’s just for a few hours. Sometimes we splurge on this amazing Italian restaurant nearby. Sometimes we use a coupon on fast food.

Either way, it’s great to focus on our own individual meals and to finish our sentences!

We get the chance to catch up, troubleshoot, and dream big dreams together.

Dating your spouse is a great way to stop and smell the roses.

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Do Something Unusual

Jessica Fisher — Sun, 28 Oct 2012 04:46:04 +0000

I just got home from taking three kids to Legoland’s Brick or Treat Party. These guys, aged 8, 10, and 11, are Legoland’s “target audience”. They were thrilled with our evening at the park.

I had a blast being escorted by two Spideys and a Hawkeye. (And I was so glad that folks recognized him as Hawkeye. I was a little worried that my homemade costume would be a fail.

The outing was something totally out of the normal for several reasons:

It was fairly spontaneous. We’d planned to have company this weekend, but those plans got canceled yesterday.
It wasn’t a family outing. I only took half my kids. Funny, I know, since half is larger than some families’ whole. While we usually do things all together, the event really was best geared for these three.
It was a splurge. We had three free tickets from a special summer promotion, but I still had to by my ticket tonight, albeit half-price, pay for parking, and buy apple fries. Because you have to buy apple fries at Legoland.

That said, it was a great time being with my three tweens and seeing an experience through their eyes. We’d never been to Legoland at night, nor had we been to their Brick or Treat. We didn’t get to go on many rides since half the park was closed.

But, doing something unusual was a lot of fun. It was a great opportunity to focus on these guys. I’m a blessed woman.

Doing something unusual is a great way to stop and smell the roses.

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Enjoy a Cuppa Tea

Jessica Fisher — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 18:04:19 +0000

So far this month, I’ve shared 25 ways to stop and smell the roses. If you’ve been reading along, you’ll have caught the theme I’m working under: enjoy my health, enjoy my family, slow down, and make the most of all the good in my life.

I’ve mentioned already several good habits that I’m working to cultivate that are improving my quality of life from a health standpoint:

About a week ago, I was emailing with a friend, troubleshooting some health issues that she’d been having and I remembered this post of Stephanie’s. While I haven’t done a lot of reading on adrenal fatigue, Stephanie’s suggestions for treating it sound like good cures for a lot that ails us. I can’t vouch for the supplements that she mentions, but getting sleep, relaxing more, and eating better are things that we can all benefit from.

I sent the post to my friend, and then set to applying some new strategies to my own life, namely drinking a cup of herbal tea before bed. At first I drank the chamomile and peppermint teas that I already had, but then I found this Yogi Bedtime Tea at Walmart. Oh my!

It tastes great and it’s almost like I’ve found a magic sleeping potion. I drink one cup about an hour before bedtime, and I sleep really soundly! I am no doctor, nor do I play one on TV. I only share anecdotal evidence: this works for me!

Sleeping better makes me happier in the morning and more alert with my kids throughout the day. I’m also nicer to be around which is a good thing, too.

Drinking a cup of relaxing tea is a great way to stop and smell the roses.

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Ask Your Mama What She’d Do Differently

Jessica Fisher — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 04:00:55 +0000

I don’t think I understood my mom so well until I had kids old enough to argue with me. Then I realized that she’d survived a lot!

Our parents, grandparents, and older mentors have already walked in our shoes. They “get” where we are as parents today. If we have ears to hear, we can learn a lot.

They know what they wish they had done differently. Time has given them wisdom and hindsight. And we do well to find out what they’ve learned.

Call up your mom or dad or other older friend and ask what they wish they had done differently. It’ll be a great lesson for stopping and smelling the roses.

Learning from a mentor is a great way to stop and smell the roses.

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Go for Coffee with Someone You Love

Jessica Fisher — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 18:13:07 +0000

We are coffee and cocoa and tea people around here. Hubs leans more toward coffee, half the kids toward cocoa, the other half toward tea. I sway back and forth among all the choices.

The point is we like to be cozy with a hot drink, especially in colder weather.

Lately, I’m getting the chance to “go to coffee” with some or all of my peeps. The above picture was shot on our fall vacation. We left at 4 am and made our first stop at Starbucks. The kids were thrilled with their special drinks!

A couple times a week I get to go on dates, one with my husband and one with one child. Each is a special time to hang with someone I love. We go to Starbucks or Peets and get hot drinks and talk.

We could certainly do the same thing at home, but there’s something special about going to a coffee shop, especially in a house as loud and full as ours. It’s a great break in the week to reconnect and spend time together.

“Going for coffee” is a great way to stop and smell the roses.

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Take a Nap

Jessica Fisher — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 18:07:55 +0000

Take a nap, be refreshed.

This past summer, I started taking naps. Thanks to this post from Michael Hyatt, I decided to give it a try.

What I realized was that I had previously misapplied naptime technique. I only took naps when I had three hours to spare. And then, I usually woke up groggy and wanting to sleep longer. I was usually frustrated rather than refreshed.

Reading the article and then testing it out, I learned that 20 minutes of quiet rest does more for me than those three hour marathon naps.

This video explains how naps work. It’s worth a gander.

Understanding the science of a nap is so helpful.

What I do is set my timer for 25 minutes, shortly after lunchtime. I ask the kids to be somewhat quiet and then I try to snooze. I have found that even if I don’t actually sleep for the full 25 minutes, I am more refreshed than if I had drunk a cup of coffee.

I often lie down somewhere on the main floor. This prevents me from sleeping too deeply and also encourages the kids to be quieter. I also noticed that the more often I do it, the easier it is to fall asleep quickly.

Regular napping has done more to boost my energy levels and help me enjoy the afternoon and evening than anything I’ve ever done. It’s been weeks since naps have been a regular part of my daily routine, but it’s another habit that I’m working this week to reinstitute. You should give it a try.

Taking a nap is a great way to stop and smell the roses.

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