Why I’m Taking it Easy this Year

 

So for the past thirty years, I feel like I’ve been working super hard at all my goals.  While it’s great to work hard, I also want to work on playing harder this year.  🙂  And by playing, I mean taking vacations with my family, doing new outings with my kids and husband, and more coffee dates and girls nights out, (or preferably ” girls night’s in” so that I can relax more…unless of course “out” involves PF or Peter Chang’s!)  🙂

For example, today I took my kids to swim lessons this morning, and they asked if we could go to the beach afterwards.  I’m honestly thinking, “what…why would we go to the beach, I want to go home and nap or play on my Tablet in bed …”  But I thought about it more and realized that I need to embrace the spontaneous more, to make fun and new memories, and that hey, the beach might just be nice on a cold day, (and since I live 20 minutes away, I really should enjoy it more than just when friends come to visit in the summer and want me to take them to the oceanfront.)  🙂

When we got to the beach, I was immediately glad we went.  I walked right down to the waves and took a deep breath of fresh air.  The kids and I dug in the sand trying to find water – nope, we didn’t get that deep, but my arms got a workout!lol…we watched a few surfers surf in the cool waters, met two friendly ladies who were walking their dogs – one was a friendly white haired dog named Mozart who tried to eat our food…lol, and we had a Paleo picnic on our blanket.  (Well, Mommy had a Paleo picinic – the kids had sandwiches, and I had Skinny Iaso Tea and a tangerine.)  🙂  And as I snapped a few pictures, I remembered how much I loved photography, and thought about getting a new camera so that I could take better pictures of nature and of family.

Spending time at the beach today was a total breath of fresh air, (not to be cliche.)  🙂  I realized that I need to be more spontaneous.  I need to make sure that I’m having fun every few days, and not just checking off things on my to do list.

As I drove to the salon later to Airbrush some of my clients, I smiled as I opened my back door to put the supplies in, and saw a backseat covered in sand.  That just means, A) I had fun, and B) now I have an excuse to get my car cleaned!lol…

Please don’t forget to take some time out to enjoy today, to enjoy your life, and to enjoy your kids.  Turning 31 this year was huge for me – I worked super hard up until this point, and now it’s time to relax more.

So that’s why this year, I’m slowing down a bit.

How about you??  How do you plan on slowing down and making time for what counts?  What fun things do you want to do with friends and family this year that you haven’t done as much before?

If you get a chance, check out my two favorite minimalism websites when you get a chance – The Minimalists and Becoming Minimalist – they have definitely discovered some great ways to slow down, de-clutter life, and enjoy what really matters.  : )

Lauren is a wife, Paleo-eating mama, Jesus-lover, Blogger, Certified Life Coach and Consultant, Kindergarten Room Mom!, 🙂  the owner of a Spanish Immersion Christian preschool, the Owner of Golden Glow Tanning for Women, an Independent Distributor of all natural and organic nutrition products through Total Life Changes – (try the Skinny tea, it’s awesome!!,) and the owner of Lauren’s Lathers, an organic beauty company, (making her own home-made Soaps, Scrubs, Shea Butters, Organic Skincare Kits, and more!) She is excited to have started her Professional Esthetician Certification Program this past Fall to eventually open a Spa for women that will offer a variety of Treatments for the whole woman – (Organic Facials, Waxing, Makeup, and Airbrush tanning,) along with Life Coaching. She loves Zumba, Pilates, soaking worship, dreaming and goal-setting, the beach, chocolate, berry smoothies, travel, and spending time with her friends, family and children. Her life’s mission is to be happy, to help others, and to spread God’s love, as well as to be an Author, Motivational speaker, Consultant and Coach – her first book will be available soon. : )

 

 

 

Enjoy Holiday Eating Without Gaining Weight

Enjoying the holidays without gaining weight??? Say it ain’t so!! 🙂

Well, I’ve been to quite a few holiday parties so far, and I’m here to tell you that it’s possible.

How?? You may be thinking??

For me, since I started following the Paleo Diet, I’ve pretty much been able to eat what I wanted while still losing weight.

The basis is eating like our Paleo Ancestors – meat, fish, fruit, vegetables, nuts, and all natural oils are allowed, while dairy and grains are not.

Recently at a friend’s baby shower, my friends asked about the Paleo diet, (or “lifestyle” as I prefer to call it,) and I told them the thing I loved about it is that I am not denying myself. On my plate that morning for breakfast was bacon, sausage, eggs, and plenty of fruit. Not on my plate – toast, grits, cereal with milk, etc…(You get the idea.)

And yes, I still do cheat one to two times a week, but that’s b/c I do Paleo 85:15, meaning you can have one or two cheats each week whether it’s Starbucks or a small plate of non-Paleo foods at a Christmas party.

You can totally enjoy yourself while still eating yummy foods, and the best part of the Paleo is that there’s no portion control – of course you don’t want to stuff yourself, but you really can eat these foods without worry of gaining weight. Some foods to avoid if you are trying to lose weight on the Paleo would be oils and avocado.

I’ve also been taking my Iaso Skinny Tea which I looove and that’s helped too – so far I’m down 13 pounds. I love my new Total Life Changes biz and it goes right in line with my beliefs on natural and organic living.

I am excited that my mentor Mr. Jason Scott will be present this Sunday to train my entire team along with anyone interested in healthy living – he has made millions from the TLC Biz, and I’m so excited that he’s stopping by Sunday at four during his trip to VA Beach – if you’re interested in coming, just click send me a message, or comment here, and I’ll add you to the invite!

Remember that the holidays shouldn’t be about denying yourself – remember to still enjoy the season!! 🙂

Blessings,

Lauren

 

Lauren is a wife, mother, Jesus-lover, Blogger, Certified Life Coach, Kindergarten Room Mom!, 🙂  the owner of a Spanish Immersion Christian preschool, the Owner of Golden Glow Tanning for women which will launch in January, and the owner of Lauren’s Lathers, an organic beauty company, (making her own home-made Soaps, Scrubs, Shea Butters, and more!) She is excited to about starting her Professional Esthetics Certification Program this past Fall to eventually open a spa for women that will offer a variety of Spa Treatments for the whole woman – (Facials, waxing, makeup, and spray tans,) along with Life Coaching. She loves Zumba, Pilates, soaking worship, dreaming and goal-setting, the beach, chocolate, berry smoothies, travel, and spending time with her friends, family and children. Her life’s mission is to be happy, to help others, and to spread God’s love, as well as to be an Author, Motivational speaker, Consultant and Coach – her first book will be available soon. : )

 

Why I’m Sticking with My Husband

So I was getting ready to write a post about healthy eating, but I felt the need to go in a different direction. 🙂  I just finished a book for new brides and married women, but I’m waiting till the end of September to release it after I attend a writing conference in a few weeks in case I get any more pointers.

It seems to be wedding season, and I’ve recently gone to lots of beautiful weddings of both friends and family.  My husband and I just made eight years of marriage this year, and at almost ten years, I feel like we finally know each other, and I pretty much know what he’s thinking even if he doesn’t speak.  We’ve been through the newlywed growing pains, kids, job changes, expectations that were and weren’t met, and dealt with both good times and bad times.  I think back to my wedding and how I wanted the day to be just perfect, not realizing that the wedding day would go by so fast, and then I actually had to know how to live with and get along with this new person 24/7.  🙂

So if I could share anything about marriage with married people, whether newlyweds, singles, or those who have been married, it would be this.

1. Your spouse doesn’t complete you.  If you were happy before them, you’ll be happy after them.  If you were sad before marriage, you’ll be sad after marriage. Getting married won’t complete you – you should find wholeness in Christ.  Putting the expectation on your spouse of making you happy isn’t fair.  Marriage will teach you about yourself and refine you, but nowhere in the Bible does it say that your spouse is meant to complete you.
2. Choose your battles wisely.  Some (small) things – you just have to let go.  I kind of look at it the same way that I look at my employees.  If they do something wrong, I try not tell them right then, and micromanage.  If it’s something I need to go over, I’ll make a note of it and tell them the next day.  I don’t want them to feel like I’m a dragon breathing down their necks!  🙂  ….same with my husband.  If there’s something we need to confront, I’ll do my best to ask myself if I’ve added to the problem, if it’s a good time to discuss it with him, if it’s a large issue that needs to be confronted, or if it’s just something small that annoys me that I really don’t need to be upset about at all.
3. The grass isn’t greener on the other side.  With the recent Ashley Madison scandal, it really became obvious to me that a lot of people are looking for satisfaction outside of their marriage – I am not judging them b/c we have all made mistakes, I’m just saying that it made me think.  My thing is, if I’ve already invested eight years into my marriage and have children and home, I’m going to fight to make my marriage work.  I married a wonderful man.  Yes; we have our differing opinions sometimes, but so does every couple – no two people are exactly alike.  Instead of going out and cheating, I would rather try and work things out with my husband, build our marriage, spend time as a family, and work on things that need to be sorted out.  I have no intentions of ever leaving my husband, but just for rhetorical purposes, if I did, the new person might have some qualities that my husband didn’t have, but my husband would still have things the new person didn’t have.  Why start over?  No one person is ever going to meet your needs 100% of the time – stick with the person God gave you, make your marriage better, and enjoy the spouse that God blessed you with! 🙂  (I am not speaking to issues of abuse or cheating – I am speaking to those who have good spouses but are considering wandering..)

I could go on so I think I’ll do a part two and keep going to till the book comes out.  🙂  Stick with the partner of your youth that God blessed you with!  If you are thinking of straying, think of what attracted you to your spouse to begin with.  Light the fire again!  🙂  Get help if need be, get off the blogs that showcase perfect marriages, talk to real people who have good marriages, read marriage books, and try and put yourself in your partner’s shoes.

I wanted to share this Hillsong worship song “I Surrender” with you all – it’s about surrendering to God in every area!

Blessings,

Lauren

Lauren is a wife, mother, Jesus-lover, Blogger, Certified Life Coach, Professor, the owner of a Spanish Immersion Christian preschool, and the owner of Lauren’s Lathers, an organic beauty company, (making her own home-made Soaps, Scrubs, Shea Butters, and more!)  She is excited to soon be starting her Professional/Master Esthetics Certification Program this Fall to eventually open a spa for women that will offer a variety of Spa Treatments for the whole woman – (Microderm, facials, waxing, makeup, massage, spray tans, etc.) along with Life Coaching.  She loves Zumba, Pilates, soaking worship, dreaming and goal-setting, the beach, chocolate, berry smoothies, travel, and spending time with her friends, family and children.  Her life’s mission is to be happy, to help others, and to spread God’s love, as well as to be an Author, Motivational speaker, Consultant and Coach – her first book will be available soon at the end of September.  : )

Are you an example to those around you?

Many days, I wake up ready to take charge and to take action.  : )  But then some days, I just want to sleep in until 11 a.m. and accomplish nothing!lol…  And while I do have the occasional days off when I free up my schedule just to relax, more often than not, there is something to do.  …Little mouths to feed, dinner to cook, employees to train, papers to grade, and babies to bathe.   And while I love being active, sometimes, I’ll jokingly say, “I wish that the Lord didn’t trust me with so much…then life might be a little easier.”

Although I was joking when I said this out loud to a mentor, she picked up on the fact that there was some truth to it, and she gently reminded me in so many words that although it’s nice to dream that we live on a deserted island with nothing to accomplish, (lol,) the reality is that God put us here to accomplish a purpose.  So that means that the people in our lives, the work that we do, and the activities that we are involved in are all a part of God’s plan to touch others around us.

That really put it into perspective for me.  Instead of wishing for less responsibility, (which isn’t going to happen anytime soon with a four and five year old plus all the things that God wants me to do,) 🙂  I should embrace the roles that God has given me and try to be a positive example to those who need me.

So I thought about my life.  Who am I in contact with?  How do they view me?  Am I a positive force in people’s lives?  When someone gets a text from me, do they dread reading it, or do they anticipate that it will be a positive, kind note?  When people speak with me, are they left feeling encouraged and understood, or diminished and negative?  When I interact with all of my little ones, do they feel God’s love, warmth and grace, or do they sense someone who is preoccupied or not focused on their needs? 

Finally I understood.  The answer to having peace isn’t to get rid of all your obligations.  It’s to plug into the ones that God sees as most important in your life, and to make a positive impact on the people in those situations.

Now, each day that I wake up, I ask, “God, what do you want from me today?”  “Who needs a warm touch, a kind word, and a patient, listening ear?”  “What is the one thing today that you want me to accomplish?”  Many days, I’ll just hear a simple “love my children,” or “reach out to your friend who is going through a hard time.” 

I’ll be honest.  This isn’t an easy way to live.  We all have our days when we don’t want to consider others – we just want to think of ourselves.  But God wants us to go to a higher place in Him where each day, to a place where we want to please Him, do good for others, and be an example.  🙂

So I’ll ask you the same question that I often ask myself – are you an example to those around you?  What would your co-workers say about you when you weren’t around?  What would your facebook friends say about the type of comments that you post – do your words leave people better off than when they logged on?  What would the girl who bagged your groceries last night say?  What would the guy who swiped your gym card this morning say?

This is not to leave anyone paranoid, 🙂  but rather just to get us all thinking more about the example that we set to others, and the legacy that we’re leaving.   So one last question – 🙂  When people think of you, what would they say?

Blessings,

Lauren

Lauren is a wife, mother, Jesus-lover, Blogger, certified Life Coach, Professor, the owner of a Spanish Immersion Christian preschool, and the owner of Lauren’s Lathers, an organic beauty company, (making her own home-made Soaps, Scrubs, Shea Butters, and more!)  She is excited to soon be starting her Professional/Master Esthetics Certification Program this Fall to eventually open a spa for women that will offer a variety of Spa Treatments for the whole woman – (Microderm, facials, waxing, makeup, massage, spray tans, etc.) along with Life Coaching.  She loves Zumba, Pilates, soaking worship, dreaming and goal-setting, the beach, chocolate, berry smoothies, travel, and spending time with her friends, family and children.  Her life’s mission is to be happy, to help others, and to spread God’s love, as well as to be an Author, Motivational speaker, Consultant and Coach – her first book will be available soon, and she just re-launched her Coaching Business, specializing in Business Start up Coaching and Parenting Coaching.  : )

Can God Trust you with More?

(Image courtesy of freedigitalimages.net)

For years I prayed for God to give me more influence, money, and to expand my businesses and ministries, but I truly believe that He knew not to do it because I wasn’t entirely ready yet.  It’s kind of like the “small-town girl goes to the city” scenario that we hear all the time of the farm girl who goes to Hollywood to make it as a star, only to get caught up in all kinds of crazy things because she didn’t have the experience and grounding yet to withstand all the negatives.

Throughout my life, I would sometimes grow frustrated because it felt like things weren’t happening fast enough or on my desired time table.  Now I realize two things: I should have been happy in the moment instead of waiting for “future success” to be happy, and maybe I wasn’t ready for the increase, kind of like the small town girl.  Maybe God knew that I had some more areas to grow in before releasing me into my full purpose.

When I would ask God for more, and not just more money, but for more influence, a greater reach, a greater ministry, more success in business, He would often talk back!  🙂  Not in a loud, audible voice, but moreso in just like a small thought that would cross my mind after I asked for these things.  Here are some things that God would ask me when I asked for more:

You want to have more influence?  Why?  Just for fame, money, and recognition, or do you want more “influence” to be an example, to point others back to God, to help change lives, and to give some of the money back to help those in need?  (For me, I’ve learned that money is just a tool – a tool to accomplish what God wants.  If God gives me $1000, and then puts it on my heart to give someone $600 who needs it, then I need to do it, and to trust that God will still provide for my needs and then some.  When we get too tight with money and forget that it’s just a tool, then I believe that it cuts God off from giving us more.)    And it doesn’t have to just be money – it could be our time.  Before I worked full time from home and had more time in the days, there would be days that I was tired, but I knew that God wanted me to volunteer, to visit someone who needed a friend, to invite people over for dinner who needed someone to talk to, or to do something that required emotional energy from me.  I won’t lie and say that I was always obedient, 🙂  but over time I realized that even I didn’t have a lot of money, there were still plenty of ways that I could give back.  I truly believe that when God sees that we give in whatever way He asks without hesitation, then He knows that He can trust us with more.

A while back, a mentor from an online group that I’m in said that “God will only make our name great if He knows that we will make His name great.”  So many of us wish for greatness.  But if we get it, what are our plans for it?  To move out to the suburbs in a mansion with just our family to enjoy the wealth and forget the rest of the world?  Or, will we use our influence to show others God’s love, to be a visible example of someone who lives a holy lifestyle and does their best to always do the right thing, and to champion the needs of the poor, widows, and those who can’t speak out for themselves?

(Image courtesy of freedigitalimages.net)

Sometimes, I believe that God gives us a a bit of influence just to test us and see if we’re ready for more.  Let’s say that we get a promotion at work, or a position at church.  Do we treat those that we are over well, or do we micromanage, act arrogant, and stop listening to others because we start to feel that the promotion means we are better than others?

(Image courtesy of freedigitalimages.net)

Or, do we accept the position with grace, demonstrate that we can still be a servant to those who are working under us, and avoid bragging about it?

For what seems like most of my life, every time I have wanted “more,” it seems like God has always asked me why.  Because of my faith, I believe that nothing happens by chance.  Everything happens for a reason, even if I don’t understand it.  So if I receive a promotion, success, or a new title, I believe that with that increase comes a greater level of accountability.  How have I used the increase to better the lives of others and to make God’s name great?  (I am not against enjoying what God has given me, but I do believe that I also need to consider the purpose that God has for the increase as well.)

How about you?  When you receive an increase, promotion, or success in a certain area, how have you used that influence for the good of others, or to bring the glory back to God?

Blessings,

Lauren

Lauren is a wife, mother, Jesus-lover, Blogger, certified Life Coach, Professor, the owner of a Spanish Immersion Christian preschool, and the owner of Lauren’s Lathers, an organic beauty company, (making her own home-made Soaps, Scrubs, Shea Butters, and more!)  She is excited to soon be starting her Professional/Master Esthetics Certification Program this Fall to eventually open a spa for women that will offer a variety of Spa Treatments for the whole woman – (Microderm, facials, waxing, makeup, massage, spray tans, etc.) along with Life Coaching.  She loves Zumba, Pilates, soaking worship, dreaming and manifesting, the beach, chocolate, berry smoothies, travel, and spending time with her friends, family and children.  Her life’s mission  is to be happy, to help others, and to spread God’s love, as well as to be an Author, Motivational speaker, Consultant and Coach – her first book will be available soon, and she will soon be re-launching her Coaching Business, specializing in Business Start up Coaching and Parenting Coaching, so keep an eye out!  : )

Can Mommies Have fun Too?? – Part Two

If you missed the first post here about whether or not Mommies can have fun, (or if we should just resign ourselves to a stressed out and chaotic life b/c we have kids,) read here!  : )  Basically, I talked about how since having kids, through trial and error, I’ve finally struck a nice balance between devoted mommy as well as an individual who has fun, friends, travels, romance, and her own life.  It didn’t come easily though – for the first few years of my kids life, I was super busy.  I worked from home for the most part so I was still with them a lot, but I do feel as though the quality aspect of the time spent with them could have been better and more focused.  For example, if I’m loading the dishwasher while watching youtube videos, my kids may be in the room, but I don’t really consider it spending quality time with them.  Now, I try to spend quality time with my kids doing fun things or just hanging out, while also allowing myself on the other hand to have free time apart from them, time with friends, and time with my sweetie to rejuvenate.

So in this post, I really wanted to share a few ways that I make sure to have fun as an individual/mom/friend/wife/working-woman while still being an involved, hands on and devoted parent who is invested in my children.  Some tips are basic, some are funny, and some are more serious, but they have all worked for me.  So here they are:

1. Check out minimalism – my favorite sites on this are The Minimalists, Becoming Minimalist, and Courtney Carver’s site.  About a year ago, I got rid of everything that I didn’t use or love – that included all clothes I hadn’t worn in a year or didn’t love, house figurines and decorations that needed dusting, all toys that didn’t fit into the few toy boxes that my kids have, and even plates, and silverware – everything literally was on the chopping block to be given away. I literally took like 20 – 30 bags to the Salvation Army, (which also serves as a tax break.)  🙂  I wanted clear counters and uncluttered walls – I wanted to be able to think straight without having a bunch of junk laying around that was stealing my peace and taking up my time to keep up.  The less stuff you have, the less you have to clean and upkeep.  The less dishes you have, the less you have to wash them.  The less clothes you have, the less laundry you have to do.  (I also got rid of most of my kids clothes too except for maybe six of each type of clothes – shorts, jeans, pants, dresses, short sleeves, and long sleeves.)  Basically, if you complain about having to clean it, upkeep it, etc., then get rid of it – problem solved.  : )

(I sold or donated these toys that my children had outgrown – this was probably less than one percent of what I got rid of.)

2.  Turn the TV off.  I stopped watching TV a while back, and while every now and then I turn it on, for the most part, I never watch it, (except for when friends come over and I have it on then.)  Since I made a choice to stop watching TV two years ago, I started three businesses, decluttered my house, increased my income, have had more time for family and friends, have done lots of interesting and fun outings that I wouldn’t have done if I’d been sitting on the couch, and have been more satisfied overall because I’m not comparing my home to HGTV homes and my life to rich reality TV women.  🙂  Dont’ get me wrong – I LOVE youtube documentaries and shows that actually teach me something like CNBC business shows, and I’ll watch them sometimes after the kids to go sleep for fun.  But apart from that, my TV stays off.  I challenge you to turn the TV off for a month and see how much your life changes for the better, and how much more time you have to devote to friends and family.

3. If you have young kids, keep all toys in organized boxes and bins.  I say this not because I want my home to look like Pinterest, (I could honestly care less about home decorations and have no decorating skills whatsoever, lol,) but because by limiting the amount of toys my kids have, it eliminates clutter and allows me to think straight.  Also, because everything has its own box, ex: lego box, puppet box, crayon bag, dress up bin, they know how to clean up even from around age three.  I say “clean up,” and I have trained them to put everything back in the proper place, so they can do it themselves.  Don’t get me wrong – I am not a dictator, sometimes I help them clean. 🙂  But the important thing is that they can do it without my help if I’m tired or simply don’t feel like helping on any given day!lol…

4. Nap time or room time.  My kids have to sleep or play quietly for three hours each day.  When friends ask me how I “get my kids to nap,” I simply smile and reply, “it’s not a choice.”  🙂  My kids have to stay in their rooms for three hours and play quietly or nap.

During that time, I catch up on my 60-150 online college students emails/questions/grading; I blog, answer and write emails, update my facebook/instagram, make my to-do list, get some cleaning done, organize, relax and eat lunch, watch interesting youtube videos, or take a nap myself if its the weekend.  (I don’t do all of these at once; I choose which I want to do.)  🙂

5. Always allow yourself to do things “tomorrow” instead of “yesterday.”  Sometimes I’ll hear the generalization that here on the East Coast, we tend to rush and feel guilty that we should have done things “yesterday,” whereas on the West Coast they relax and do it tomorrow, and don’t feel the least bit guilty.  I’m not sure if that’s true since I’ve never been to the West Coast, but it really brings up an idea that changed my life.  I used to push through to get all ten things done on my to do list in one day, even if it meant having no lunch break, staying up till midnight, forgoing a nap, and ending up stressed.  Recently, I’ve learned that if it doesn’t have to be done, it’s OK to push it back till tomorrow, (or the next day or the next day,) and be totally happy with that decision.  🙂  So long as it’s not something that turns into procrastination or never getting around to, I’ll allow myself a few days of grace.

6. Schedule lots of me time.  I find pockets during the day and week to have free and fun time.  I find teenage homeschool girls who work in the church nursery, Sunday school teacher friends, certified teacher friends who have free nights and weekends, or other mommy friends that I know and trust to babysit the kids, and get them to babysit.  Or, I’ll swap sitting with friends for free, or have one of my babysitters watch my kids in exchange for food or home-made beauty products.  (Come on mamas – we have to get creative!!)  🙂  I always keep a running list four to ten sitters that I know and trust at all times, so anytime that I need a break, I can make sure that my children are well taken care of while I go to the bookstore and read over coffee, get lunch with friends, spend the day with my sweetie, take a long nap, or take the weekend off to visit a college friend.  I personally believe that time alone or away with friends or my spouse energizes, renews, and makes me a better mom.  I’m not sure where moms got the idea that devoting every second to our kids, never doing anything for ourselves, and being a “mommy martyr” to our own demise somehow makes us better moms.

In my own life, it’s been the opposite.  Taking time away to refresh has allowed me to come back rejuvenated and ready to be a better and more involved mom and wife.  I’ll also try and schedule a beauty treatment every two weeks – even if its just a $5 polish change at the nail salon or a warm bath at 9 p.m. after the kids are in bed, treat yourself.  If mom is tired, stressed, stretched thin, and lethargic, it will eventually take a toll.  Moms – we deserve fun time, to be well rested, and to look good!  Do some Zumba at night to stay in shape, paint your nails, send your kids to bed early so Mommy and Daddy can have a romantic night alone – do whatever it takes to invest in yourself.  🙂

I’ll stop for now, and maybe I’ll even do a Part Three!  (After six points, I think people get tired and want to be done reading, so this seems like a good place to stop.)  🙂  I’ll end by saying that my kids mean everything to me – this is why I believe that it’s important for me to develop myself as a whole person instead of dedicating my entire existence to them.  And please don’t get me wrong – I spend lots of time with my children taking them to lessons, reading to them, taking them on trips, to classes, museums, activities, etc, but I also believe that I’m happier when I too likewise have alone time, or time with my sweetie and friends.  I want my daughter to know that when she’s married with kids, she should also take time for herself.  I want both of my kids to know that Mommy and Daddy deserve alone time and fun, (just like they get to have fun, take classes, see their preschool friends, take trips, etc.)  I want my kiddos to know that it’s important for everyone in the family to be well-rested and fulfilled, not just the children.  I want them to think of the well-being of others, and not just their own – I started teaching my kiddos empathy and to think about their situation as compared to those people who have less than them since they were pretty much babies.  Anytime they seem to take on a tone that the world revolves around them, I remind them of children who don’t have toys, who don’t have food, whose parents abuse them, who are child slaves, or who  have to work instead of go to preschool and swim lessons.  I want them to be conscious even from toddlers that everyone in the family matters and should be fulfilled.  Some may wonder if kids can even understand those concepts, but I believe they can – my own kids often remind me to be kinder with my words so that I don’t hurt those around me.  Kids are only limited in understanding if we allow them to be.  🙂  Also, if you are still reading even after all my ramblings, lol, one book that resonated with me when it comes to parenting is the somewhat controversial (at least among American mommy circles) book called “Bringing up Bebe” – while I don’t agree with all the parts, (namely some of the sections on early childhood education,) I found upon reading the book that I have the almost exact same parenting style as the author, and am likewise a (for the most part)  🙂  happy, calm, and relaxed mom like she found herself becoming.

All that to say that Mommies can have fun.  It is totally, 100 % possible.  It may just involve a mindset shift, careful planning, and implementing a few more things into your life that you weren’t previously doing.  How about you?  How will you be a great mom while still having fun and growing as an individual?  🙂

Blessings,

Lauren

Lauren is a wife, mother, Jesus-lover, Blogger, certified Life Coach, Professor, the owner of a Spanish Immersion Christian preschool, and the owner of Lauren’s Lathers, an organic beauty company, (making her own home-made Soaps, Scrubs, Shea Butters, and more!)  She is excited to soon be starting her Master Esthetics Program to eventually open a spa for women that will offer a variety of Spa Treatments for the whole woman – (Microderm, facials, waxing, makeup, massage, spray tans, etc.) along with Life Coaching.  She loves Zumba, Pilates, soaking worship, dreaming and manifesting, the beach, chocolate, berry smoothies, travel, and spending time with her friends, family and children.  Her life’s mission  is to be happy, to help others, and to spread God’s love, as well as to be an Author, Motivational speaker, Consultant and Coach – her first book will be available soon, and she will soon be re-launching her Coaching Business, specializing in Business Start up Coaching and Parenting Coaching, so keep an eye out!  : )

Can Mommies have Fun Too?? – Part One

As my sweet babies sleep soundly, I began to think about something that I often think about – how so often, us Mommies believe that giving up everything for our children, making them our entire existence, and stopping our lives all together to devote all of our time to them somehow makes us better Moms/martyr’s.  But my personal feeling is that this theory doesn’t hold true.  🙂

Yes; I love my babies dearly.  I want them to be happy, involved, well-behaved, God-fearing, cultured little citizens – I want all that good stuff for them and more!

But they aren’t the center of my universe.  Mommy has a life too.  Mommy goes out with her friends, takes girls weekends away, has date nights with Daddy, has lunch with friends, gets mani’s/pedis/massages every now and then, and takes time to eat right and work out.

Mommy also takes the kids to a few weekly lessons, reads to them, spends time with them, makes sure their needs are met, and loves them.  I love being a Mom, and I love my kids.  They know that. 🙂

But I truly believe that part of what’s made me a happy Mom is that I never gave up my personal life and dreams just b/c my kiddos arrived.  After all, one day our children will leave the roost.  Will we have friends and activities of our own?  Will we have spent time with our spouse and grown to love them more?  Will we have devoted time to our own personal growth, and not just devoted every second to our children?  Where does it say that being a good Mother means that the fun and growth has to end?

While my children are so important to me, I want them to realize that balance is healthy, and that they are not the center of the universe.  While I love them, I was not put here to devote my entire existence to them.  We both have lives.  I want them to know that others matter too.  Mommy having her time is important too.  Often, some evenings, they will play quietly while I have “Mommy time” to read or enjoy a long bath or decaf coffee.  While they don’t always like it, 🙂  they know that they are still loved, (as many days, they spend time with me from the time their eyes open till around 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. when Daddy takes over some nights.)  They get plenty of quality time with me, but they also understand that it’s not all about them 24/7.

I recently watched the movie “Moms Night Out,” and while I found it super cute and funny, it made me think.  …Not all moms are stressed out, struggling to balance their times, and overwhelmed.  It is possible to be a calm, relaxed Mom, and still live a fun, balanced life of your own – the stereotype of a frazzled Mom with a dirty home and poorly behaved toddlers screaming and running around breaking things doesn’t have to be a reality.  It provides a good laugh in movies, but it doesn’t mean that it has to be true.  Now please don’t get me wrong – if you don’t enjoy alone time and want to be with your kids doing ‘kid things’ 24/7 and that makes you feel fulfilled, then more power to ya, and no judgement here – we were all created differently – do what God has called YOU to do, and do it for His glory!  🙂   But if you find yourself like I used to be, (wishing that I had more of a balance,) please know that it can be done.

This is something that I struggled with when I first became a Mommy.  I thought that because I was a Mom, that my life would automatically be chaotic, out of order, and stressful, and that I would have no time for myself.  This couldn’t be further from the truth.  It takes some work and intention, but it is possible to have a rich and fulfilling life of your own while still being a Mom and Wife, but I’ll share more about this in Part Two.  (I see that this blog is getting way longer than I’d originally intended, so I’ll share some time management tips and general fun Mommy living tips in the next one.)  🙂  Just know that it can be done – it’s possible to have a balanced life even after the kids come – often, believing that something is possible is the first step, so be encouraged!  🙂

How about you?  I’d love to hear some tips of you how you parent your children well, but still find time for balance, for your spouse, and for fun.  I’d love to include some ideas of your ideas in the next post.  🙂

Blessings,

Lauren

Lauren is a wife, mother, Jesus-lover, Blogger, certified Life Coach, the owner of a Spanish Immersion Christian preschool, and the owner of Lauren’s Lathers, an organic beauty company, (making her own home-made Soaps, Scrubs, Shea Butters, and more!)  She is excited to soon be starting her Master Esthetics Program to eventually open a spa for women that will offer a variety of Spa Treatments along with Life Coaching.  She loves Zumba, Pilates, soaking worship, dreaming and manifesting, the beach, chocolate, berry smoothies, travel, and spending time with her friends, family and children.  Her life’s mission  is to be happy, to help others, and to spread God’s love, as well as to be an Author, Motivational speaker, Consultant and Coach – her first book will be available soon, and she will soon be re-launching her Coaching Business, specializing in Business Start up Coaching and Parenting Coaching, so keep an eye out!  : )

Have you Forgotten to Have Fun?

Lately, I’ve had a few friends come to me and ask me how to balance their time better.  They want to be good parents, have time for themselves, and have fun, but they feel like currently, they’re just going through the motions.

What really helped me was something that I read at one of my favorite blogs called “Simple Homeschool.”  Basically, the author that said that she only does what is “hers,” and nothing else.  So I decided to do the same.  I made a list of everything that was mine: my Lauren’s Lathers business, running my preschool, my husband and family, writing, and teaching online.

That was my list.  Everything else that came my way, I had to say “no” to in order to keep my sanity.  🙂  This also frees up lots of extra time for spontaneous outings with friends, mini stay-cations or vacations, and more time to do things in the community or with my family.

Just the other week, my mom also asked how I did it all.  I told her the same thing – “I don’t.”  If it’s not on my list, I don’t do it.

Ever since I’ve cleared out my schedule more, there’s lots more time for laughing and fun.  I’ll end up having a free afternoon or evening to go on a date night with my sweetie, to go out for ice cream with the family, or to spend the day with an old friend.

Just because we become adults doesn’t mean that the fun should end!  🙂  I always try to schedule at least two things a week that make me smile, or that I look forward to.  Don’t just live your life going through the motions – ex: eat, work, make dinner, clean the house, put the kids to bed, and pass out in bed yourself…

Figure out a way to live a life that allows you to explore your passions and be happy.  You only have one life to live, and God wants us to enjoy our lives – He created the world so that we could enjoy it!  : )  Today, figure out a way to bring some joy and fun back into your life.

Blessings,

Lauren

Lauren is a wife, mother, Jesus-lover, the owner of a Spanish Immersion Christian preschool, and the owner of Lauren’s Lathers, an organic beauty company, (making her own home-made Soaps, Scrubs, Shea Butters, and more!)  She loves Zumba, Pilates, the beach, chocolate, berry smoothies, travel, and spending time with her friends, family and children.  Her life’s mission is to be happy, to help others, and to spread God’s love, as well as to be an Author, Motivational speaker, Consultant and Coach – her first book will be available soon!

What I’ve Been up To…

I just realized that I hadn’t blogged in four months, so I wanted to check in about what I’ve been up to.  🙂

This morning someone picked up a Lauren’s Lathers gift for a speaking engagement – I hope that the speaker enjoys their Lavender Shea Butter.

Then the kiddos and I headed to swim lessons, and they did really well.  They are both now swimming the length of the pool with a noodle wrapped around them – I am so proud of them!

Then we came home, went to the park, and walked a mile around the neighborhood in the stroller.  Today was the neighborhood yard sale, so it was nice to see everyone outside and chatting, and to get to say “hi” to some of the neighbors.  We got to catch up with our next door neighbor and her grandchildren.

I also am glad that it’s hot outside now, so I am trying to convince my husband to open the pool a week early!lol..

So what’s new with me?  The preschool has grown and we are now switching to full time only in the fall – that is so exciting since we just opened a year ago.  🙂  The Lauren’s Lathers organic beauty business is growing too, and I’ll be doing lots of vendor shows this summer.  We’ll also be taking a few vacations this summer too, which I’m super excited about.

That’s it – I hope everyone has a good weekend!

Blessings,

Lauren

Lauren is a wife, mother, Jesus-lover, the owner of a Spanish Immersion Christian preschool, and the owner of Lauren’s Lathers, an organic beauty company, (making her own home-made Soaps, Scrubs, Shea Butters, and more!)  She loves Zumba, Pilates, the beach, chocolate, berry smoothies, travel, and spending time with her friends, family and children.  Her life’s mission is to be happy, to help others, and to spread God’s love, as well as to be an Author, Motivational speaker, Consultant and Coach – her first book will be available soon!

Weight Loss Zumba Workout, Yummy Smoothie Recipe, and Chocolate Soap Giveaway

Hey everyone!  I just had a great workout this morning, and wanted to share some fitness tips with you that I’ve recently started up again.  : )  As you probably know, I started two businesses a year ago, (an organic beauty company and a Preschool) and got super busy – so busy that I didn’t always have time for my daily Zumba workouts anymore.  😦  When I had my first baby, I lost 80 pounds doing 1 to 2 hours of Zumba a day, so I’m back at it again!  🙂  (…Not trying to lose 80 pounds, just getting back to my beloved Zumba.)  🙂

So here is the recipe for the breakfast that I have most mornings: one boiled egg with salt and pepper, and a Yummy Berry Smoothie: (blueberries, strawberries, half a banana, pineapple, apples, and tangerines.)  (A quick tip to preserve fruits is that anytime my kids or I don’t eat all of our fruit, or if fruit is starting to get too ripe, I throw it in a tupperware in the freezer.  That way, fruit NEVER goes to waste, and you get your full money’s worth.  🙂

For my favorite Zumba workouts, I started a Fitness youtube channel – feel free to subscribe to it, as I’ll be adding more fitness videos, smoothie and Nutra Bullet recipes, and natural health videos.  I have started doing this workout playlist every day – usually around 9 p.m. to relax after a long day, and sometimes my kids even do some of the workouts with me – their favorite workout is “Animals” b/c they recognize the song from when Daddy watches football.  🙂

I hope that helps!  If you have any fitness or health tips or videos, please share in the comments below! 🙂 I will also choose one lucky winner to receive a FREE chocolate organic soap from my Lauren’s Lathers Organic Beauty line – just comment on the facebook blog post or in the comments below telling why you’d like to win!

Blessings,

Lauren

Lauren is a wife, mother, Jesus-lover, the owner of a Spanish Immersion Christian preschool, and the owner of an organic beauty company, (making her own home-made Soaps, Scrubs, Shea Butters, and more!)  She loves Zumba, Pilates, the beach, chocolate, berry smoothies, travel, and spending time with her friends, family and children.  Her life’s mission is to be happy, to help others, and to spread God’s love, as well as to be an Author, Motivational speaker, Consultant and Coach – her first book will be available soon!  She also blogs at Inspire New Life, a motivational and daily devotional blog for women.