Back to the Basics

As much as I love doing what I do (eg- refinishing furniture, creating, sewing and making things for my retail space) I have found lately that I'm just so overwhelmed so much of the time. I have thought often about quiting my Shelstring blog, and have been told time and again that I shouldn't. 

As I've been experiencing so many challenges in completing things, meeting deadlines, and trying to run my home and enjoy my children, 

I've found it impossible to do. Especially the enjoying party. I haven't been enjoying much of anything lately. I have been really troubled by this and doing a lot of praying and soul searching. I've known for quite some time that I need to simplify my life more. 

That it is okay to enjoy doing things I love, 

but having all the deadlines of contributor posts and product commitments is too much for me right now. So with all of this I have decided to get back to the basics. 

To focus on what matters most to me. 

My family. Writing to think through things is also therapudic for me. 

I tend to really sort things through when I share how I feel and what I'm thinking. 

This is the first blog I ever started. The most important one for me as well. Now I'm going to try to get back to the basics 

and have decided to start enjoying things day to day like I used to...

before it all got so crazy and out of control. 

My now daily life. There is so much I've missed sharing about. 

It will be good to catch up. 

 It feels good to be back!

 

Can't catch me, I'm the gingerbread-Mom

The Christmas season is one that hits most moms on the head with quite a pressure she didn't expect. I learned a few years ago to make things a lot simpler (as I recently shared) by eliminating things that cause unnecessary stress....

things like decorating gingerbread houses. Yes, I was pretty satisfied with myself until one day when Alyssa came home from a friends house and asked me to buy graham crackers and m&ms the next time I went to the store. When I forgot, she tearfully reminded me that she had asked and was expecting the items to be purchased so that she could build a gingerbread house like the ones (they apparently) made in school. I was rather impressed, so the next time I went to the grocery store, I took her with me so she could pick out what she wanted on her house.

*Nice little tid-bit: The wonderful thing about the stress free holiday mentality is that this was after Christmas, so the candy was 50% off. Next year I'll have to hold out another week for the 75% off sale. ;) 

I must say that even though I thought I had barely grazed by Christmas without doing the dreaded gingerbread senario, I'm glad I didn't get away with it. 

  This turned out to be a wonderfully fun activity from shopping for supplies, to making and finishing the houses and  it helped me to pull away from all my other "to-do's" and enjoy my littles...

                               
                                   ...while they're still little. Something I need to do more often.

What they say Wednesday

Plopping himself into a kitchen chair after playing in the flour while making sugar cookie cutouts, Justin said with realization:

"Making a mess can actually be fun."

Mommy tip Tuesday and: It's Not too Late to Give

A couple years ago Steve and I decided that we needed to do whatever we could to ease the stress that inevitably accompanies the Christmas season. We omitted some unnecessary traditions and tweaked some, and planned to go on a family trip just before Christmas Eve (details later). These simple, yet significant, changes have really helped me to enjoy things a lot more, and as a consequence, helped my family as well. One of those "traditions" is the treat plates. Steve loves to give them to his home teaching families, and I to my close friends, not to mention how much I love to bake. But this year needed to have things ready a lot sooner so that I could have the children packed and ready for a longer trip to Utah to see one of our Nephews get married. I knew I couldn't get stressed and that there wouldn't be time to fit everything in, so we decided to make goodies AFTER Christmas. I started to rationalize that people would probably appreciate this more since they could take their goodies to a party they were attending if they didn't want to eat all of it themselves. 

So our Sunday activity was making Grammy Buxton's sugar cookies (recipe HERE) and for family home evening we frosted some for treat. {I'm all for efficiency.} ;)

  These particular cookies are loaded with fond memories for me and my siblings, doesn't need to be chilled before handling, and turn out perfect every time. I've also found a very valuable solutions over the years when making them. So for mommy tip Tuesday, that's what I'm sharing today! Ready for the big, yet simple, secret? Here goes:

*drum roll please*

*MOMMY TIP

 When rolling out the dough and you find you (or some little helpers) added too much flour, put the dough back into the mixing bowl, add softened butter, and remix. I was thrilled when I tried this and it worked! What do you have to lose? Crumbly dough is no good to you, is it? In the end, this will save your efforts. Win-win!

 Meanwhile, we are going to deliver the rest of our goodies.

 Happy New year!

Another Lost Tooth

Early in her kindergarten year, Alyssa was playing on the monkey bars at recess when she slipped and cut her lower lip with her teeth. As a result her upper tooth was loose and turned a grey color from the damage of the impact. Her adult tooth has long since grown in and she has been bumping one tooth at a time since.

As her adult teeth grow in I'm getting increasingly concerned that she will keep falling and knocking her teeth loose. It has become a constant prayer that she can keep them to a ripe old age. 

A Clown at Family Scripture Study

Every night we get together as a family and read scriptures together. I'd like to say that it is always full of spirituality and great inspirational focus, but the truth of the matter is, it's not. There are always things going on. The sad truth is, while it should be a great time of focus and serious reflection on important eternal principles, one could be quite amused...even amused. Such was the case this one evening when I found it quite difficult to keep a straight face.

 Our sweet and subtle 7 year old, Justin, innocently walks in. Sits down. And starts to read when it is his turn.

 All while wearing this silly wig from our Halloween costume box. 

Perfectly true to his adorable personality!

What they Say Wednesday

Alyssa, guess what my name is.

Alyssa: Huh?

Amy: Princess Luna

Justin: oh, that's a good name!

Alyssa: laughing continually.

Mom: Laughing at Alyssa laughing

Alyssa: Luna-tic?! (continuing to laugh)

I didn't know she knew that word!(?)