Life Through Mama's Lens

Growing up, our family typically spent the weekend following Thanksgiving preparing the house for Christmas.  We would pull all of the decorations and ornaments out of storage - and place them exactly where Mom instructed. This is a tradition that I always looked forward to and have incorporated into my own home as an adult. In fact, the day (or two) after Thanksgiving has come to be probably one of my favorite days of the entire year. It is a day that I spend getting tote after tote out of the attic, pulling all of the treasures out and spreading them across the living room floor to see what is all there. Wall by wall, shelf by shelf, snowmen, reindeer and signs reflecting on the holiday season slowly find their homes for the next six weeks or so.  By the end of the weekend, serenaded by Trans-Siberian Orchestra, our home has been transformed into a cozy Christmas haven. This year has been a challenge for so many - and as I saw others begin preparing for the holidays even earlier than

This morning I woke up with the intention of going for a walk.  As the morning went on, though, I decided there wasn't going to be time. I had to pick up my daughter from her grandparent's, the house needed cleaned, laundry washed, and then there's the constant cycle of feeding>changing>napping that comes with an infant. As a stay-at-home/full-time working mom, there seems to be a never-ending list of things to do, people to take care of, and appointments to be at. I think a lot of moms would agree that any time you deviat from taking care of everyone else, that it is easy for that mom guilt to creep in.  But how are you supposed to take care of your family if you can't take care of yourself? On my way to pick up my daughter I drove past the lake, along the route I had planned to walk. There was no missing the beautiful canvas of reds, oranges and yellows above the road and spilling onto the ground. I noticed all of the people out enjoying the beautiful day and ju