Sometimes being a "Stay at home Mom" is hard for me. Don't get me wrong, I love spending my days with Abbigail. I love watching her grow and discover new things! It makes my heart very happy! But sometimes (more often lately) I don't feel very accomplished. I feel like all I do is stay home with Abbi, clean house (sometimes), cook meals and run errands. My days have been very repetitive and discouraging. Am I the only one that feels like this?!?
The other day, I read my good friend Kelsey's post about her 25 things she wants to do before she turns 25. I LOVED it! Seriously, I found it so inspirational! I've decided to change my attitude! Being a stay at home mom is hard work! I should feel happy and proud of what I'm doing. I should feel grateful for the opportunity I have to stay at home and raise my sweet baby girl. I am doing important work! This is where God wants me to be - in the home.
"You are doing God’s work. You are doing it wonderfully well. He is blessing you and He will bless you, even—no, especially—when your days and your nights may be the most challenging.Rely on Him. Rely on Him heavily. Rely on Him forever. And press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope.”
- Jeffrey R. Holland
If I want my attitude to change, I have to do something about it. I need to "press forward" with a "perfect brightness of hope." I feel like having a bucket list will help me feel more accomplished about what I am doing and will help me appreciate my job as a stay at home mom more fully. So here it is...
25 things I want to accomplish before I turn 25:
25 things I want to accomplish before I turn 25:
1. Read the Book of Mormon (again)
2. Teach someone a new skill.
3. Have another baby (VBAC)
4. Learn how to take pictures in Manual mode and edit my pictures using Photoshop.
5. Go on a weekend getaway with Drew!
6. Complete the "insanity" challenge.
7. Buy a piece of furniture from DI or Goodwill, refinish it, and put it in my home.
8. Take Abbigail to Disneyland.
9. Plant and harvest a garden.
10. Learn 10 new songs on the piano.
11. Go to a concert (with Drew)
12. Visit 10 different temples.
13. Family trip to Jackson Hole.
14. Take Abbi to a local fair/carnival.
15. Pay for the person behind me in a fast food drive thru.
16. Be more social! Make 30 new friends!
17. Put my degree in Child Development to use (somehow).
18. Keep my brain active by making an effort to read more books.
19. Learn to sew, then create something.
20. Run a half marathon. (13.1 miles)
21. Travel to 5 states I haven't been to before.
22. Learn how to ski.
23. Go to New York with Drew and see a show on Broadway!
24. Attend the Temple with Drew twice a month.
25. Start and Organize my food storage.
(Thanks to Kelsey for the challenge to make this list)
Do you guys have any goals and ambitions?
How are you working towards them?
I love it Ashley you are awesome! I was feeling the same recently and had this same self challenge. But here is how I did mine. I made a list of this/goals I really want to accomplish for myself. Because it truly is so hard to find time to get things done especially with cute little distractions. Within those goals I listed many like you do do with Cameron. The next list consisted of goal I want to accomplish with Ellie BEFORE she turns one and BEFORE she turn three and five. etc. Like read to her each night, bath time, parks,forts, movie nights, adventure days(I have 100 if you are interested, and broken down to ages) Then on both lists i highlighted in different colors of the things I know I can accomplish this week with Ellie or this month or this year.(depending on the goal) Then big task...I made a chart! This way I can layout things on different days to set to accomplish. That way I don't feel like it is just the same thing each day as a stay at home mommy. So far it has been awesome and keeps us busy with chores and our games and my crafts! Sorry this is the longest post ever but i thought you would enjoy it! Everyone feels that way so why not make it fun to be home and enjoy every stage of our kids lives, WHILE doingthe things WE love to! Love you
ReplyDeleteTahnee! You are the best! I would love to see that list you made! Seriously, you are the best mom ever! Sweet Ellie is so lucky! P.S. I've yet to meet her! This needs to change!
DeleteI think I might need make a list like this! It's great!
ReplyDeleteYes you should Meg! I'd love to see what you come up with!
DeleteTotally feel ya on the "I don't feel very accomplished" part. I think feeling accomplished as a parent just takes longer, there's not much 'instant gratification' in parenting. It all just takes time. Thanks for the post, I should do it too!
ReplyDelete