Back to School

Whew. It’s been a year. Challenging to say the least. Between Covid, Virtual schooling and all of the other responsibilities that we had to keep up with, I’ve let my priorities go to the wayside. I let my emotional eating get out of control and what I was left with was anxiety and depression and extra pounds.

Today my kids went back on their rotation since our snowstorm we had last week. Next week they start back 4 days a week and this mamma is happy! Don’t get me wrong we had some good times while they were home but I’m by no means a teacher and my oldest and I butted heads like young goats. I’m thankful they will be getting the help and instruction they need!!

I’ve been out of practice with my blog, but now that we’re back to routine I will get and keep you updated as well!! Hope you have a wonderful weekend this weekend. It had warmed up quite a bit here and I’m sooooooo ready for Spring!

Cyber Week and Black Friday Sales!!

I have been an Origami Owl Designer for about 4 years now. If you don’t know what that is, it is a customizable jewelry company and we help people create their own stories within a living locket. It has been fun helping connect people to the moments in their life that matter the most.

If you’ve never experienced our cyber week deals or Black Friday specials, you are missing out!!! We have stuff on our website up to 80% off!! Charms to place inside your locket, locket sets and earrings! Today only, we have 15% off our entire website except our licensed products.

On Black Friday we will have complete lockets sets for as low as $19! And these go like hot cakes!!! I am usually up with coffee in hand waiting for these deals to go live so I can help my customers out so they don’t have to! If you’d like, check out my website at LesliePetit.origamiowl.com use code CYBER15 to get the discount!

Life Is A Gift

I woke up this morning thinking how much precious time we waste on stuff that isn’t important. In light of recent events, has shown me how precious our way of life and freedom really is. I want to fully embrace it. Spend more quality time with my kids who are getting older. Spend less time on trivial things and things that don’t matter.

I struggle with depression a lot. And I think it’s because I tend to dwell on things that I can’t fix or things that overwhelm me. Wonder if on my good days I spent more time doing things that fulfilled rather than drained I’d have more good days?

• Reading
• Exercizing
• Qaulity time with family
• Burning candles
• Eating foods that nourish

This is my goal. I can’t change the past but I can change the future.

And now we have chickens!

I wanted to introduce to you our new homestead! Last March I got the urge to raise chickens. So, my lovely husband indulged me and fixed up the coop that wasn’t already standing on our farm.

They are now fully grown birds and have started laying eggs now!! It’s really exciting to go out in the morning and gather them. The kids really get a kick out of it! We have some Easter eggers that lay colored eggs and it’s like you’re searching for Easter eggs every morning.

It’s a slow start but I hope to add more animals next year. It’s been fun learning how to care for the chickens and find new ways to make them happy!

New App!!

So I just have to share with you a new App I’ve discovered. It’s an excellent time saver for busy moms! It’s called the Zip List. Now you may or may not have heard of it, but let me assure you it is great!!

http://get.ziplist.com This is an article that tells all about it. It’s basically a to do list, a menu planner, a recipe finder and more!

There’s a spot where you can save all of your recipes that you like the best. The recipes on it alone is worth it for me. And best of all? It’s free!! We all love free!

So please if you get a chance check it out. Let me know in the comments what you think of it and how it has helped you.

Random

So sorry I’ve been MIA for so long. I’m still trying to figure out how to maintain balance and priorities. My family is number one priority so blogging got swept to the wayside for a bit.

We’ve been having struggles with our eldest in school, so I’ve been focusing with him. We have also cone to the important decision to give homeschooling a try next year. Our goal is to hopefully get our son excited about school and learning again, as he didn’t have a good experience this year.

In the past I did homeschool him for preschool and kindergarten, so I’m not a total stranger to it. However I have two grades to homeschool this year, kindergarten and 3rd grade.

I have an overwhelming peace about our decision, yet I’m terrified. Is that possible? LOL. I’m not going in with blinders on, I know it will be difficult, the days long, but I feel as if this is the right choice for this next year.

Now the next big decision is choosing our curriculum. I know God who is ever faithful will lead us in this as well. What about you, do you homeschool your children, if so do you have any tips or advice to share?

Finding True Fulfillment

Have you ever felt stuck? Like no matter how many times you spin your wheels you can’t move? You pray, you study, you read but can’t get the ball rolling? I have. In fact, most of my life I have been there. What’s the definition of insanity? Doing the same thing over and over expecting a different result? Well it just dawned on me what on earth is happening.

For years I’ve been caught in a cycle of defeat. Oh I had lofty ambitions. Keep my house perfectly spotless at all times, have perfect, happy kids who obeyed at the drop of a hat. And a beautiful marriage where we never had an argument and all was bliss.

Fast forward to the present: I almost never can keep my house clean. I’m a perfectionist so while things are falling apart I’m cleaning out my linen closet so every towel roll can face the same way. My kids almost never have what they need in their drawers clean but I’m always washing, always washing clothes to the point I detest laundry. I make an immaculate menu for our weekly meals….but don’t actually get to the store to by the said ingredients for the meals.

Can you see a cycle here? It just occurred to me…..I want it all done perfectly all the time every day all day. When it can’t be that way, I give up. I never follow through with all my lofty ambitions because I would never have time to do if the way I want it!!! Now I’ve been a follower of flylady for years, so don’t ask me why this concept is just sinking in!!! I run myself ragged all day over things that don’t matter, and the things that stress me out the most don’t get done, therefore causing more stress. So basically I’ve had enough. I wrote out my priorities, the things that I let slide when I’m getting all perfectionist you know and gave myself a plan. Want to see it? Here are the 5 F’s of my priorities:

1. Family
2. Faith
3. Fitness
4. Friends
5. Finances

These are all areas I’m lacking in, yet they are the most important! I broke them down into manageable goals and plan to work toward them therefore giving me a sense of accomplishment. So at the end of the day, even if my house isn’t perfect, if I’ve focused on my 5 priorities, I have succeeded! What a relief and joy knowing that I don’t have to be caught in the awful cycle of defeat anymore!!

Care to join me? What are some of the areas you struggle in that you need to make changes? Share them below!!

Beyond Beautiful

I know it’s been a few days since I last updated my blog. I’ve been gone on a weekend retreat with ladies from my church. It was an awesome weekend. We attended Women of Joy conference in Louisville, Ky.

We heard some great speakers, experienced awesome worship, and enjoyed a concert by Chris Tomlin on Saturday evening. It was by far one of the best ones that we have attended. The theme was Beyond Beautiful, talking about how important inner beauty is.

It really struck a nerve deep down in my heart because I am so hyper focused on what others like it don’t like about me and super sensitive. One of the greatest statements I heard was by Sheri Rose Shepherd on Friday night and she said: “Other people don’t think about you as much as you think about you.” So true!! The theme pretty much revolved around being authentic.

I was so very much thankful for the opportunity to go because it changed my outlook on life. No matter who you are, young or old, rich or poor, smart, or lacking in wisdom, be yourself. Don’t try to impress people with things you do not have a clue about! Live a life if purpose that God created for you, not the life others want you to be! I do appreciate this wonderful truth and hope to somehow live out this concept in real life.

1 Cor. 13 For Moms

I love this poem by Moneysavingmom . She said that I may share it with you! I hope it inspires you as much as it did me!! So many times I get caught up in getting my ‘house’ cleaned, I forget about keeping my home! Does this resonate with you? If so please take time to read this poem based on 1 Cor. 13.

1 Corinthians 13 for Moms

If I live in a house of spotless beauty with everything in its place,
but have not love,
I am a housekeeper not a homemaker.

If I have time for waxing, polishing, and decorative achievements,
but have not love,
my children learn cleanliness not godliness.

If I scream at my children when they don’t follow instructions,
get frustrated and fault them for every mess in our house,
and have no grace and love
my children learn that Mom cares more about having things done exactly her way
than about listening to the needs and hearts of her children.

Love leaves the dust in search of a child’s laugh.
Love smiles at the tiny fingerprints on a newly cleaned window.
Love wipes away the tears before it wipes up the spilled milk.
Love picks up the child before it picks up the toys.

Love accepts the fact that I am the ever-present “mommy,”
the taxi-driver to every childhood event,
the counselor when my children fail or are hurt.

Love crawls with the baby, walks with the toddler, and runs with the child,
then stands aside to let the youth walk into adulthood.

Before I became a mother I took glory in having it altogether.
Now I glory in knowing that God’s in control and His grace is sufficient for each day.

All the projections I had for my house and my children
have faded away into insignificance,
And what remain are the memories of my kids.

Now there abides in my home scratches on most of the furniture,
dishes with missing place settings,
and bedroom walls full of stickers, posters, and markings,
But the greatest of all is the Love
that permeates my relationships with my children.

-adapted from 1 Corinthians 13 by Jim Fowler