Guest Blog Post on My Kind of Simple

 Last week Kimberly Smith, from My Kind of Simple, asked me to write a guest blog post for her blog. I know Kim from back in high school and she has the cutest blog. I have loved reading from a fellow wife and mother about her day to day life experiences.  She asked me to write about what my kind of simple looks like and about my transition into motherhood. I thought I would share what I wrote: 

I absolutely love Kim’s blog moto, “ Remember that the simple things in life are often the most treasured.” Life is anything but simple and I don’t think anyone would argue that. Life is so complex and all of us are truly just trying to get through it. But what if we only focused on that complexity all of the time? We’d all have chronic headaches. So there must be balance. There must be simplicity. Those simple, quiet and lovely moments are what create that balance. Those “simple things” are what make life worth living.

My new life as a mother is the BEST and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. But I have had to learn how to take a step back and simplify. I can’t do everything that I was doing before. Sometimes I get discouraged when I don’t complete everything on my list for that day. At times the house doesn’t get cleaned, or the laundry and dishes are neglected but in the end I have to look at what I have done. Being a mother in and of itself is a lot of hard work. I didn’t know that until I became one 11 weeks ago. The question I often have to ask myself is, what am I going to remember?  Will I remember that the house was vacuumed or that I got to cuddle with my baby boy and read him a story as he fell asleep in my arms? I can tell you that moments such as this make all my troubles wash away.

I have learned that you can’t plan for these moments, they come when they come. But if you are to overwhelmed or stressed, then they can be overlooked and forgotten. Here are some things that have helped me balance my life as a new mom and that have allowed me to enjoy these precious moments:

1. Cleaning the house- Cleaning is always discouraging especially when there is a lot to do. Housework can add up quick! One thing that I have loved doing is baby wearing. I put Everett in my wrap and he comes right along for the fun. One day he’ll be a little more help (wink, wink) but for now he pretty much sleeps through the cleaning. This has allowed me to still be with him and get things done!
2. Working out- Of course before the baby I just had to worry about Taylor and I. Now, with another person to care for there is less and less time to take care of myself. I think that every mom can relate to that. So working out or even showering gets put on the back burner. I have found the best times to work out are when Everett is sleeping. Although I can’t go to the gym or go on a run I can watch YouTube. Yes, you heard me. YouTube. You can find everything from yoga to kickboxing videos on there. It’s the BEST! This has been so helpful for me because I have little or no time when it comes to working out.
3. Cooking- Cooking can be an overwhelming thing for me. So instead of thinking I have to make an entire full course meal. I just focus on making one item within the meal. Say I’ve mastered lasagna (main course), then I get a premade creaser salad (side), then I focus my efforts to making something new and broadening my skills. So I try something like garlic bread twists (second side). Let’s say I want to try making chicken cordon blue (main course), I then pair it with a pan of roasted potatoes (side). The idea is that I’m not trying to overwork myself. I’m not trying to make a whole complex meal. I’m focusing my efforts towards one item within the meal and then simplifying the other items. 

You’ve got to start simple. You can’t be a mom, work, shower, have a spotless house, go to cross fit everyday, and eat like a king…if you can do all of that, props to you! Doing the simple things that I talked about above have allowed me to be present and a part of these precious simple moments in my life. Some of my favorite yet simple moments are made up of cuddles, pillow talk, family dance parties, and walks. It truly is these simple things that I treasure most.