hygge and the 5 senses

Do remember the post I wrote last winter about Hygge? I just read it again and it's really good stuff. I love this concept so much and have been thinking about it a lot this winter. Mostly in trying to be proactive in keeping my happy attitude strong during these cold months.

So far, I'm really enjoying this winter. Probably because it's only been really cold for about two weeks. Also because it hasn't been icy. The last two winters were icy which meant walks outside just weren't worth it. Remember how angry I was when I fell flat in the Walgreens parking lot? I was so mad! But this winter lends itself to safe trips from the car right in to Target.

The other thing is that I am taking notice of my five senses and making sure they're all satisfied. I basically channel my inner second-grader and try to make sure every sense is covered.

Sound: I like to have pandora playing. And usually on some sort of calming station like piano or orchestra, my Pride and Prejudice soundtrack station, Bethel music station or low-key folk. Music makes everything better.
Smell: I try to have a candle burning at all times. I got a big evergreen candle at Menards at the end of the season and I love that one,even thought it's no longer Christmas. I know many who love their essential oil diffusers for this purpose too.
Taste: Hot Tea. All the time. Or a hot coffee. But this is key. To always have a mug of something warm nearby. I am constantly putting my drink back in the microwave for a quick reheat, but having something warm to drink really helps. And I'm also on a muffin kick lately. Muffins are easy, smell good and make for a quick breakfast for the kids. I may start to look like a muffin, but at least I'm happy. Muffins for the win!
Touch: This has more to do with what I'm wearing. I keep it cozy. I'm a stay-at-home mom, afterall. And I just told you I'm eating a lot of muffins...
See: This one is important for me. I need light. So I want my house to have the sunshine pouring in, if it's shining. The fire will do too. And I took instagram off of my phone and logged off of facebook for a while..because seeing what other people are up to never seems to lead to contentment. So more sunshine, less screen time. Less screen time opens up more time reading and doing puzzles, as well.

These things are helping me really love and enjoy this winter. And I am grateful. But we all know the real test is come the end of February and into March and April when the winter starts to drag on. So I'm arming myself with these practical Hygge strategies and have high hopes I'll make it through with a positive attitude.

1000 pieces with a 3 and 5 year old

It's still sub-zero here in Minnesota and our family is basically living within ten feet of the cozy hot fire at all times. So I decided it was time to whip out a puzzle. My sister-in-law Sara raved about this puzzle at Christmas. She called it "a joy" and said it was so fun because even though it is 1,000 pieces, it is easy to find where a piece goes. Now that's my kind of puzzle. So yesterday I bought it for $11 at Target and brought it home to Ivar and Elsie.

Surprisingly, it is going really, really well. Ivar is proving to be quite the faithful, patient, puzzler. Elsie mostly likes to eat pretzel sticks and watch us. But their attitude is great. And we've only knocked a cookie sheet off the card table two times. (Rory and I are taking bets as to how many pieces will be missing once the puzzle is complete.)

Anyway, I recommend this puzzle too. Ivar is able to find where pieces go, and the design lends itself to easy sorting.  It's like four or five mini puzzles inside of a bigger one. We're loving it and I think you would too.

snow day on the island of sodor

My friend Faye posted a picture of her son pushing cotton balls around with his little bulldozer and loading them into the dump truck for snow removal. So awesome. So yesterday Ivar and I bought a bag of jumbo cotton balls for a buck and suddenly the train table became the favorite activity again. Lots of snowy storylines came to life, and lots of need for Byron the bulldozer to clear the rails to keep Sodor safe and the trains running on time.

Parenting Little Kids is like a trip to Panera

So we've been home a lot these past two weeks. Everyone has taken a turn getting sick and even though it's miserable to be sick, it's also shed some light on what is actually possible in my life with a 5 year old, 3 year old and 3 month old.

And I've come to realize something. At this season of time: YOU PICK TWO. Just like Panera gives you two items in an entree, any given day gives you two tasks to accomplish.

Each day it seems, between feeding the baby every three hours, feeding the family three times, and leaving room for all the surprises that are sure to surface, there is margin for just two more tasks:
YOU PICK TWO:
-Fun Mom: This option includes a mom that makes play dough, helps build lego helicopters, puts her snow pants on, makes hopscotch out of masking tape on the carpet and bakes muffins with her children.
-Scratch Cook: Come dinnertime, this option ensures that there will be more than frozen pizza or fish sticks on the table. If not chosen, those items are completely acceptable.
-Play date Pal: A play date is good for everyone. But you can't do anything house-related when you're at another friend's house.
-Housekeeping: This option ensures the house looks generally tidy at the end of the day. Maybe even vacuumed...
-Laundry Lady: Washed, dried, put in the general right place (may still live in laundry baskets...) your husband will be glad he has clean socks and underwear again.
-Shower for the Mama: In the case that a mom is not actually able to rise before her children, this shower has to happen at another point during the day, and a shower takes time.
-Grocery Getter/Target Trip: This option has to happen at some point during the week. If it is not factored in there likely will be waffles for dinner with a side of fruit cocktail and canned corn.

So there it is. In this season of life, I can accomplish two of those tasks in any given day. And then it's up to me to assess my day accordingly. If I went grocery shopping and made a good meal in a day, then the fact that the house has gone to pot and the laundry is still strewn all around the house is okay. Maybe tomorrow will be their day.

I recently started reading Jen Hatmaker's For the Love on the recommendation of every living soul on planet earth. I'm not super far into it, but if I could xerox chapter one and hand it out on the street corner, I would. Next time you're in Target, take it off the shelf, stand by your cart and read that first chapter. And then you'll likely place the book in your cart to purchase making this perfectly legal. But man that first chapter is something special. All about how ridiculous our expectations are for being a woman and running a household with ridiculously high standards.

It got me thinking along these lines and then I decided my own measure would be the Panera Plan. I will evaluate myself on the two tasks I picked for the day and give myself all the grace in the world for the other tasks that were not picked and therefore exposing the reality that I cannot do it all. But I can pick two.

little becca

Rory is starting to call Harriet, "Little Becca" because she seems to have a few of my personality traits. 

Last night we had her laying under her play gym happily and the rest of us went into the kitchen to eat. Soon she was crying in the living room and Rory went to put her in her bouncy chair and bring her in the kitchen. When she arrived she lit up and started chatting and we imagined her to be saying, "oh hey. I think you forgot about me. I was just in the living room, but then you were all together and I wasn't here but now I am. with you guys. where I think you probably meant for me to be." I've got some serious FOMO (fear of missing out) and it seems Harriet does too.

She's quite sensitive. If I don't go to her right away (usually during tummy time) when she is crying she will let me know her feelings have been very hurt when I finally do. She can stick her lower lip out (something I did until I was like seventeen...) and dig her face into my shoulder and just wants me to know she's a little sad and tender that I wasn't coming when she called for me.

And finally, she's chatty. All day long she narrates her day. We hear her jib jab and sing out and coo and it seems she already is hitting her 20,000 words a day as a female. And that's no surprise. I definitely hit mine every day. And Elsie for sure uses hers.