21 Day No Complaint Challenge!

Reblogged from My Everyday Power Blog:

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I just heard about and ordered Will Bowen's book, "A Complaint Free World". When I heard about Bowen's dare for us to take a 21 Day Challenge where we cannot complain, criticize or belittle - I was hooked. And why not? What a great goal to set. A tangible, personal development goal that defends against the daily demands of life, work and elevating our health.

Read more… 115 more words

Oooooh, this will be QUITE a challenge for this house. I, especially while hormonal, have a BAD tendency to complain about everything. Going to have to add this book to my Amazon wishlist and I think this would be a GREAT way to encourage the kids and I to be more thankful!

Monday’s Majestic Mommy Mistakes

It’s Monday. And even though the word means less and less as we settle into our own schedule, the “Monday” stigma still lurks its ugly head.

Today, I want to start celebrating Mondays again. I had started Majestic Mommy Mondays, a few years ago and let it die. Time for a reprise! But I’m tweaking it a bit. I want to also celebrate my mistakes more. So I’m calling our new series Monday’s Majestic Mommy Mistakes!

Why celebrate mistakes? Why not??? Everything is a learning opportunity! If I am going to fall in love with myself again, which is my current goal, then I need celebrations. They are essential to my happiness. I don’t know about you, but celebrations, no matter how small, energize and revise me.

My Monday Mistake: taking a shower BEFORE cleaning the house. I’m going to celebrate this by allotting myself a second shower (gasp!) after I’m done cleaning. Sounds simple, but it’s easier said then done with 5 kids and 1 shower! Lol!

So, tell me, how do you celebrate your successes. How can you celebrate your mistakes? What’s your Monday’s Majestic Mommy Mistake?

I was Made for Motherhood

It started when I felt my cousin Lisa’s stomach move. I fell in love. When her daughter, Ashley, was born, I witnessed, fully, what motherhood was. I was old enough to take notice of the exhaustion and Lisa was very forthcoming about the pain of childbirth, lol, but it was the love that took me back. I spent as much time as I could at her apartment, playing with Ashley and learning about babies.

A few years later, my sister, Amy, gave birth to my niece, Ali. My heart was so amazingly full! I got to spend the entire summer with my infant niece and knew for sure then, that motherhood was my dream. When my nephew Zackary, was born, my mother permitted me to not only stay with her in the hospital, but also spend the first two weeks helping Amy heal and helping care for both her precious babies.

I remember the most somber and relaxing peace when I witnessed my sister in law, Renda, nurse my niece, Maranda. It was the first time that I remember, seeing the natural amazement that is breast feeding .

These early experiences with the undying love that comes with motherhood, lead me to pursue a life devoted to children. When I wasn’t volunteering with my grandmother with Girl Scouts or helping her with the children she cared for, I was volunteering to read to you younger children at my school or working in our church nursery. As a teenager, I started my professional career at The Boys and Girls Club before landing my first lead preschool teacher job at 19 years old.

Our children came earlier in life than I had planned and we never could have imagined we would be so blessed with such a large and amazing family today. But, with every child we bring into this world, I feel more assured in my place.

With that said, Mark and I are so, so very excited to announce that our beautiful family will be expanding, again. Our newest edition is due November 21, 2013 and we are planning a calm, natural home, water birth with the assistance of an awesome and supportive midwife.

I wish every mother the happiest of Mother’s Day and wish to thank all my early influences for showing me the beautiful tranquility that is so unique to children. We are truly blessed!

All You Need is Love

Today, the same sex discussion seems to be pressing on my mind. From a mothers perspective, especially. I have been feeling an overwhelming amount of sadness for those who just can’t open their mind and are thusly missing out on amazing relationships with their sons or daughters, nieces or nephews, brothers or sisters, grandsons and granddaughters … life is too short, beautiful and inspiring to waste a single moment without enjoying the people you love.

K… That’s all. For now anyway. Up to my nose in kiddos!

How NOT to be Productive (with What Little Time You Don’t Have)

I felt the urge to write and it’s the first time in a week that I’ve had more than ten minutes (awake) without a spawn attached, so what did I do?  I got lost in Pinterest.  For the past hour.  Seriously.  Don’t search “Homeschool” on Pinterest.  Or “Batman”.  Or “Tattoo”.

Awww hell… here, I’ll make you a list

~HOW NOT TO BE PRODUCTIVE (WITH WHAT LITTLE TIME YOU DON’T HAVE~

1. Google “homeschool organization” or “pre-kindergarten crafts” or anything at all…

My quick search for dog diarrhea stain remover turned into quite the adventure yesterday.  I ended up browsing cloth diapers on Etsy.  Seriously.  Don’t google anything, ever, if you have shit to do.

2. Stay in the room while husband writes music

It’s a special kind of distraction.  One that I feel blessed and cursed with at the same time.  My addiction to music will always be my downfall.  I tried to evaluate Ryan’s writing yesterday while Mark was writing a song and gave up after it took me 20 minutes to comprehend a paragraph.  There’s something about a new song.  You can’t just listen, you have to experience it.

3.  Leave Ancient Aliens on after your pause expires.

Do I really need to explain this one?  It’s like crack…  nerd crack.

4. Look at pictures on your phone… or worse, old pictures on Facebook on your phone.

I only had to pee, but was in there for almost a half hour because I decided to take a stroll down baby Lyirk lane.  His little nose has always been so kissable!

5.  Check on the laundry. 

I know what you’re thinking… laundry is ALWAYS productive, right?  No.  Laundry is a distraction!!!  I have finally come to the conclusion that my mother’s over-organized and business like way of dealing with family endeavors may actually benefit my crazy unorganized and free spirited family.   Laundry is not a goal that needs to be completed.  With five kids, two adults and cloth diapers; laundry is just another daily occurrence. Just another chore to be checked off the list.   And, apparently,  the easiest way for me to forget what I was doing.  TWICE, today, I got distracted by the laundry monster… still don’t remember why I went downstairs in the first place, the second time…

6. Get the Pinterest ap.

As if it wasn’t hard enough, keeping my creative brain from wandering Pinterest’s endless wonderland of ideas and amazingly inspirational quotes, every time I open my laptop. Now I have to resist the temptation of that pretty little “P” chilling on my phone.

Now, go follow me on Pinterest… http://pinterest.com/lishagisha/boards/ 

Technology Addicts?

My kids literally, do their homework on their phones.  My 6 year old plays me Words with Friends.  My 3 year old can kick your ass at Pitfall. 

Hi, my name is Alisha and I got my family addicted to technology.  

For years, I allowed myself to feel guilty that J knew all the player stats in Madden05 or that Ry knew how to turn on the desktop, log in and navigate to Snood when he was 3. 

But then I decided to enroll the boys in an online homeschool (K12).    

Suddenly, my kids sat in front of a computer for hours a day.  They were taking quizzes online and communicating with other students and teachers.  Almost every lesson was done completely online.  And they excelled.  Johnathan did two years worth of work in one year.  Ryan learned his phonics and basic math concepts at lightning speed and both still read high above grade level. 

Now that I’m attempting to turn our school into a completely virtual learning experience, I’m thankful to the younger me for being a nerd.  And I’m thankful that my nerd gene mixed with Mark’s and created 5 Super Nerds. And I’m thankful for technology! 

 

It’s not a habit, it’s cool
I feel alive
If you don’t have it your on
the other side
I’m not an addict (maybe that’s a lie)

-K’s Choice

 

Gotta Love It

I got this feeling deep inside my gut
Overwhelming feeling of I know not what
One thing’s for sure I ain’t got time for those who can’t relate

You gotta learn to love the midnight madness
You gotta revel in the good and badness
If ying ‘n yang is your thing

-Aerosmith

This world we live in is ever evolving.  We are always forced to adapt to the changes that surround us.  As a homeschooling family of 7 people, we’ve come to embrace the chaos and cherish the craziness.  

And today, we did just that.  Last night my family broke when my sister left.  Today we healed.  We spent the day in bed, laughing, talking and watching movies.  We didn’t do any formal lessons and there was no pencils or writing utensils of any kind.  (Not that there really are any “formal” lessons, we have always leaned toward the ‘unschooling’ approach) 

As I lay here, I have to say that each one learned something very special today.  Individually and as a group.  

There are lessons in every move you make.  And most of the time you don’t realize you’re smack dab in the center of one until it’s done. What’s important is what you do with the knowledge that the lesson yield you.

My lesson.  Gotta love it.  Love the good, the bad, the ugly.  Love it all.  Because life is short.  And I don’t have time for those that can’t relate!