Here is some sweet goodness for your Mother's Day weekend...
Spring cleaning is getting to me....that itch to ditch everything in the house, open the windows and just clean like a freak! I needed to clean my floors the other day and realized I was out of mopping solution...so PINTEREST to the rescue and I found a natural homemade solution and let me tell you...I WILL NEVER GO BACK!!!!
The recipe is 1 gallon of water, 1 cup vinegar and 10 drops peppermint. Of course I add more because I like to be "inventive"...so I added lemon slices and 10 drops of rosemary! You can also add a few drops of dish soap or pure liquid castile soap.
My bathroom that is occupied by boys 24/7 has never smelled better! This is CHEAP! This is EASY! The kids can HELP (because it's without chemicals) and it SMELLS SO GOOD!
This is basically my counter top cleaner as well except I use orange essential oil, rosemary and bay leaves and let it "steep" 24/7...just keep refilling!!!!
So yesterday we 80 degrees outside....right??? I purposefully made my table "happy" yesterday because that is where we as a family spend a lot of our time.
and nothing goes better with an 80 degree day than homemade southern sweet tea!
Try this out....
6 cups of water
5 tea bags
1 cup of sugar
Bring this mixture to a slight boil and then remove from heat. Cover and let sit overnight! In the morning pour it in a gallon size jar and fill to the brim with water....it really is the best!
With Mother's Day approaching I've been very intentional to focus on what mother's day really is about...I found two blogs that said my feelings perfectly.
Ann Voskamp's blog talks about how Mother's Day is really for the birds. My favorite quote from her blog yesterday was this...
"REAL womanhood isn't a function of becoming a great mother, but of being loved by your Great Father. Someone write that on a bouquet of flowers. We all need that."
Then there is Lisa-Jo Baker's blog talking about how NOT to be disappointed in Mother's Day. She talks about hearing all about it last year...how our expectations as a mom weren't met on Mother's Day...this hit home moms...I STRONGLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO READ THIS. My favorite portion of her blog is this...
"We expect and the expecting is high and impossible until it blooms into full blown entitlement. And entitlement? Entitlement is a very slippery thing.
Entitlement believes that we know best, deserve the best, and resents the rest who don’t deliver. Entitlement takes the sacrifice of motherhood and spins it in dizzying, disorienting circles.
Motherhood bends. Entitlement demands.
Motherhood serves. Entitlement stomps its foot.
Motherhood delights. Entitlement keeps lists.
Motherhood laughs. Entitlement whines.
Motherhood celebrates. Entitlement sulks.
Entitlement tastes bitterness in every bit of a day that doesn't go as planned.
So how do we as moms have a good mother's day? BE A MOM! Because honestly nothing is more rewarding than bending a knee low and serving. Because we set the example and if we sulk because we didn't get a card at least...then we show our kids the attitude that they can have when it's "their day".
Here's my idea of the perfect Mother's Day...are you ready? I'm making sure I don't have too many expectations here ...
How to have the perfect Mother's Day...
1. Put away the "to-do" list. Like literally take it down off your fridge or wall or ceiling and put it away...just for the day...hide it.
2. Stay up late and do all of the dishes and laundry so on Mother's Day...being overwhelmed isn't an option (don't expect other's to do it)
3. count it all joy...motherhood and just soak in it...
4. Put your big girl boots on and go on an adventure...take a long walk, let the kids climb trees or climb one for yourself. Stop for 2 minutes (count if you need to) and just be still and stand in awe of God's creation.
5. LAUGH! Try and laugh 5 times on Mother's Day and not just at nothing but I guarantee if you have small children...just get them talking and you will laugh.
6. Call a mom who might have lost a baby this year or the year before or the year before and really talk to them about how their strength in motherhood cannot compare to yours.
7. Serve a single mom...or a mom in your life...or your best friend who is a mom.
8. DON'T COUNT THE CALORIES for one day...just count the memories and remember to take pictures (says the pathological picture taker)
9. Make a point to kiss your husband long and good and tell him why you are grateful you are the mother of his children
10. Hug your family close and tell them all why you love being their mom
Make messes with ice cream and mud, make splashing with the bath, snuggle in close and turn off the computer, the phone and life for just ONE day and be full in your role as mom that day...put away perfection and the false expectations of being a mom in this world and just remember that God gave you a ministry and that is right where you are...home!
Happy Mother's Day!
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