Just saw a pic of Kim Kardashian and wondered how on earth she's able to carry a toddler while wearing 6inch stilettos!? The kind that are held together strings or whatever (I'm not well versed in fashion). Many say she doesn't have a talent but that's talent right there! Or a well practiced skill which I'll probably never possess.
Here I am considering ditching high heels after nearly falling twice at church this passed Sunday. Both instances included a baby on my hip. So now imagine adding paparazzi, intensely tight fitting clothing and the mental stress of having to look elegant and cool while strutting down the street. Ugh! No thank you! I'm braking out in sweat at the thought. Poor Kim;)
On a serious note though, we really need to appreciate our own life experiences a little more. It's so easy to compare ourselves to our wants instead of really focusing on the actual blessings. The need for more, the want for more...it takes you out of the present. It's easy to think that having what others have will instantly fix your current situation. Or that your dreams will be realised if only you had___________(fill in the blank).
So here's a question: To have what Kim Kardashian has, would you be willing to do what she had to do to be who she is today?
I phrase this question to myself whenever I feel like I'm playing the comparison game. And of course the name is never the same. So replace it with something more realistic to you. This can also be done in the positive because there's nothing wrong with hope and desire, as long as it doesn't negate the blessings that already surround you.
Side note: I have nothing against Kim Kardashian - she's a social figure and her life experience (as we know it) is simply used as an example.
Tuesday 30 August 2016
Wednesday 24 August 2016
A school decision
The decision has been made.
Since Urijah's birth, I've been thinking about whether or not we should homeschool. Even though at the time I didn't have much knowledge about the American public school system, I knew enough to know that we would need to explore alternative ideas for our children. And so the research and conversations about homeschooling began. I spoke to those who supported the idea and also to those who were on the opposition end. For a long time I was undecided. I wasn't sure whether or not I wanted to pursue a career out of the home once the kids were of school going age. My mind wasn't yet made up as to what kind of family we wanted to be or what kind of parent I wanted to be.
And now my mind is made up and I'm so glad that dear husband is 100% supportive of the decision. We are now a homeschooling family. Yep. Our children will be educated at home where they are free to learn at their own pace. Where the education will be tailored for their individual needs and interests. Where family life will be the focus of our attention.
This decision was not easy to come by but it was necessary. We would like our kids to grow up being well rounded individuals who live with intention. I want them to be inspired to love education instead of just being taught to pass tests. We want them to be exposed to travel, nature, proper nutrition, business, budgeting, public speaking and a host of other opportunities available to the homeschooling community. Of course some of these things can be learned at school. But to us, life experience goes further then cramming what's in a textbook.
And that experience began today as we visited the firestation for a little tour. Urijah has expressed in numerous occasions that he'd like to be a firefighter when he grows up. Of course thisight change but what I've learned about homeschooling is to give your child the freedom to explore their interests. He is starting his first year of schooling and instead of focusing on learning to write early, we're focusing on allowing him to be himself. Just like any soon to be 4yrs old boy, Urijah is active. He's always on the move, running, skipping, jumping, kicking, even when sitting down he's moving. And you might already know that these days, kids like my little boy are quick to be diagnosed with ADD or other labels that place them in a box of being disruptive. Yet what I've realised from being his mom is that he learns by doing not by being taught. He's an adventure seeker, a creative mind. He once told me that he likes to take things apart and put them back together again. Now that could be translated as being destructive when instead we can see it as being inventive.
Anyway, after much rambling,you point here is not to say that every child needs to be home schooled. But rather that every parent needs to know that they have options. You have the right to choose what is best for your family. And you also have the right to not explain that decision.*unless you're in Sweden or Germany - I hear that home schooling is illegal there but I stand to be corrected*
And if you're a home schooler or thinking about it, please drop me an email so we can connect further.
Pictures:
1) Paying close attention to info about firefighter equipment
2) Playing with friends outside the firestation (also home schooled kiddos)
3) Hanging out at the firefighter TV room
4) Getting some firsthand experience at being an engineer (that's what they call the driver as he/she is the one who handles everything to do with the truck once arriving at the location)
5) a happy Urijah and a tired Zuri (it had been a long tour)
Since Urijah's birth, I've been thinking about whether or not we should homeschool. Even though at the time I didn't have much knowledge about the American public school system, I knew enough to know that we would need to explore alternative ideas for our children. And so the research and conversations about homeschooling began. I spoke to those who supported the idea and also to those who were on the opposition end. For a long time I was undecided. I wasn't sure whether or not I wanted to pursue a career out of the home once the kids were of school going age. My mind wasn't yet made up as to what kind of family we wanted to be or what kind of parent I wanted to be.
And now my mind is made up and I'm so glad that dear husband is 100% supportive of the decision. We are now a homeschooling family. Yep. Our children will be educated at home where they are free to learn at their own pace. Where the education will be tailored for their individual needs and interests. Where family life will be the focus of our attention.
This decision was not easy to come by but it was necessary. We would like our kids to grow up being well rounded individuals who live with intention. I want them to be inspired to love education instead of just being taught to pass tests. We want them to be exposed to travel, nature, proper nutrition, business, budgeting, public speaking and a host of other opportunities available to the homeschooling community. Of course some of these things can be learned at school. But to us, life experience goes further then cramming what's in a textbook.
And that experience began today as we visited the firestation for a little tour. Urijah has expressed in numerous occasions that he'd like to be a firefighter when he grows up. Of course thisight change but what I've learned about homeschooling is to give your child the freedom to explore their interests. He is starting his first year of schooling and instead of focusing on learning to write early, we're focusing on allowing him to be himself. Just like any soon to be 4yrs old boy, Urijah is active. He's always on the move, running, skipping, jumping, kicking, even when sitting down he's moving. And you might already know that these days, kids like my little boy are quick to be diagnosed with ADD or other labels that place them in a box of being disruptive. Yet what I've realised from being his mom is that he learns by doing not by being taught. He's an adventure seeker, a creative mind. He once told me that he likes to take things apart and put them back together again. Now that could be translated as being destructive when instead we can see it as being inventive.
Anyway, after much rambling,you point here is not to say that every child needs to be home schooled. But rather that every parent needs to know that they have options. You have the right to choose what is best for your family. And you also have the right to not explain that decision.*unless you're in Sweden or Germany - I hear that home schooling is illegal there but I stand to be corrected*
And if you're a home schooler or thinking about it, please drop me an email so we can connect further.
Pictures:
1) Paying close attention to info about firefighter equipment
2) Playing with friends outside the firestation (also home schooled kiddos)
3) Hanging out at the firefighter TV room
4) Getting some firsthand experience at being an engineer (that's what they call the driver as he/she is the one who handles everything to do with the truck once arriving at the location)
5) a happy Urijah and a tired Zuri (it had been a long tour)
Saturday 20 August 2016
Gardening
I'm obsessed with the taste of food straight from the garden.
It's just incomparable to grocery store produce. This experience with fresh fruit and vegetables makes me want to be as self sufficient as possible. Imagine never needing the grocery store. What a joy that would be! I do realise that some of my life aspirations are pretty detrimental to the economy (well that's if more people wanted the same thing which is the beauty of life, we don't all want the same thing so the economy is safe).
Back to fruits and veggies. I can't tell you how good it feels to walk out into the garden and snack on snack on freshly picked strawberries. Urijah even snacks on the tomatoes. And this is a big deal considering his dislike of vegetables...but then again, isn't a tomato a fruit? Oh well. The point is. Gardens are awesome and I'm grateful to have this time with my inlaws so that I can learn as much from them as possible!
Less can be more
Minimalism
You know how there's something you've always wanted to do. Or maybe let me say there's someway you've always wanted to live but have never followed through. Yet because it's in your subconscious, situations come and opportunities arise that will allow you to do that thing.
OK so. I've always wanted to be a minimilist. I've been interested in embracing a more simple life. But let me note here that those minimilist desires only extend to consumption of things not people. So in other words, I'm not interested in the idea of having less kids for the sake of the planet. I truly believe that I am here on earth to birth and raise our children and that is my life's calling. Now, back to minimizing on "things".
When I was younger I followed the conventional ideas about what a successful life should look like. I day dreamed over the perfect big house, nice cars and a of course clothes clothes clothes and more clothes. I thought I needed more shoes than I already had. And when I moved to the USA, the want and need for more only increased. I found out that you could have so many things and even hire or buy a storage unit to keep your stuff. Everybody had more stuff and therefore I followed by accumulating stuff. Stuff that I later realised I did not need. Because seriously, do you wear every piece of clothing in your closet? Do you use every utensil in your kitchen? I know I didn't. I think I bought most things just to fill my space, because conventional wisdom says that a home is filled with things.
So here I am. Turning 30 pretty soon. And thinking that it's about darn time to be and do what feels most natural to me. And by natural I just really mean what brings me joy. I now know what I don't want. I don't want to be so busy taking care of my "things" and not have enough time to just live. I don't want to live for the idea that life will be great when we have a big house and more cars. I don't want my children to fall into the trap of believing that having a certain toy will make them happy. I don't want to go through life buying things. I just want to live with what I need. And when figuring out what I do truly need, I realized that majority of what I owned was ego driven consumerism. So we got rid of it.
Now our space looks bare and I love it. It's so bare that the kids have no choice but become more creative when playing. With less things to take care of I've found that I spend far less time on organizing and cleaning. And that time is being spent in areas that matter more, being present with my family. Instead of collecting things, my hope is that our family will concentrate on one another and collect memories.
You know how there's something you've always wanted to do. Or maybe let me say there's someway you've always wanted to live but have never followed through. Yet because it's in your subconscious, situations come and opportunities arise that will allow you to do that thing.
OK so. I've always wanted to be a minimilist. I've been interested in embracing a more simple life. But let me note here that those minimilist desires only extend to consumption of things not people. So in other words, I'm not interested in the idea of having less kids for the sake of the planet. I truly believe that I am here on earth to birth and raise our children and that is my life's calling. Now, back to minimizing on "things".
When I was younger I followed the conventional ideas about what a successful life should look like. I day dreamed over the perfect big house, nice cars and a of course clothes clothes clothes and more clothes. I thought I needed more shoes than I already had. And when I moved to the USA, the want and need for more only increased. I found out that you could have so many things and even hire or buy a storage unit to keep your stuff. Everybody had more stuff and therefore I followed by accumulating stuff. Stuff that I later realised I did not need. Because seriously, do you wear every piece of clothing in your closet? Do you use every utensil in your kitchen? I know I didn't. I think I bought most things just to fill my space, because conventional wisdom says that a home is filled with things.
So here I am. Turning 30 pretty soon. And thinking that it's about darn time to be and do what feels most natural to me. And by natural I just really mean what brings me joy. I now know what I don't want. I don't want to be so busy taking care of my "things" and not have enough time to just live. I don't want to live for the idea that life will be great when we have a big house and more cars. I don't want my children to fall into the trap of believing that having a certain toy will make them happy. I don't want to go through life buying things. I just want to live with what I need. And when figuring out what I do truly need, I realized that majority of what I owned was ego driven consumerism. So we got rid of it.
Now our space looks bare and I love it. It's so bare that the kids have no choice but become more creative when playing. With less things to take care of I've found that I spend far less time on organizing and cleaning. And that time is being spent in areas that matter more, being present with my family. Instead of collecting things, my hope is that our family will concentrate on one another and collect memories.
The power of prayer
This post is my testimony of the power of prayer.
A few days ago I started noticing a significant change in Urijah's general attitude. He had started to adopt behavior that would make any parent a little worried. It was a gradual increase in shouting instead of talking. Throwing tantrums - serious tantrums! He would kick, scream, punch and even spit. This was definitely not the Urijah I know. The more frequent the tantrums, the more confused and worried I became.
I wondered whether I was to blame. Was I too soft on him? Maybe too strict for his age? What had I done to make him this way? It was only once speaking to my father in law that I realized what the real issue was. Urijah was dealing with his father's absence. He's still 3yrs old and therefore not able to express his emotions entirely. I'm guessing that confusion and frustration had build up and the tantrums were a release. Albeit an unhealthy one but nonetheless a release.
With this newfound knowledge I started questioning how I could help him cope. My exact question was: what can I do to handle this?
The answer I received from my mom and my father in law was to pray. This allowed me to see that even at 3yrs old, I cannot control Urijah. He is his own person. I can be a good example and guide him the best that I can but ultimately the only real influence I will ever have on him is through the power of prayer. And so I prayed. Harder than I've prayed in a long time. I prayed that he may feel the Savior's love. That he may know that his dad lives him dearly. That, even though he doesn't quite understand the concept of time, he may know that we will see his dad soon. And I prayed that I would be more attuned to his emotional needs.
And the very next day, my little boy was back to his normal kindhearted, thoughtful and generous self.
And a here's a story of what happened that next day. I write it here so that I can always remember my testimony of the power of prayer.
Urijah was downstairs watching a show while Zuri played upstairs in her crib. I took the free moment to have a shower. When jumping out I heard some movement in the kitchen so I called out to Urijah to see what he was up to. And here's our conversation:
Me: Urijah. What are you busy with buddy?
Urijah: Nothing. Just making a sandwich for me and you.
Me: (alarmed but acting cool) Oh ok that sounds great. (so I grabbed Zuri and headed downstairs only to find my little boy whistling to himself and indeed making a sandwich - he had pulled a chair from the dining room, taken out a cutting board, a butter knife, bread, peanut butter and jam)
So naturally I took a picture.
As I continue to pray for him, I am comforted by the Heavenly help over our lives. It brings me so much joy to know that we have a Father in Heaven who not only loves us the parents but who is continously watching over our children.
And this is my testimony. Amen.
A few days ago I started noticing a significant change in Urijah's general attitude. He had started to adopt behavior that would make any parent a little worried. It was a gradual increase in shouting instead of talking. Throwing tantrums - serious tantrums! He would kick, scream, punch and even spit. This was definitely not the Urijah I know. The more frequent the tantrums, the more confused and worried I became.
I wondered whether I was to blame. Was I too soft on him? Maybe too strict for his age? What had I done to make him this way? It was only once speaking to my father in law that I realized what the real issue was. Urijah was dealing with his father's absence. He's still 3yrs old and therefore not able to express his emotions entirely. I'm guessing that confusion and frustration had build up and the tantrums were a release. Albeit an unhealthy one but nonetheless a release.
With this newfound knowledge I started questioning how I could help him cope. My exact question was: what can I do to handle this?
The answer I received from my mom and my father in law was to pray. This allowed me to see that even at 3yrs old, I cannot control Urijah. He is his own person. I can be a good example and guide him the best that I can but ultimately the only real influence I will ever have on him is through the power of prayer. And so I prayed. Harder than I've prayed in a long time. I prayed that he may feel the Savior's love. That he may know that his dad lives him dearly. That, even though he doesn't quite understand the concept of time, he may know that we will see his dad soon. And I prayed that I would be more attuned to his emotional needs.
And the very next day, my little boy was back to his normal kindhearted, thoughtful and generous self.
And a here's a story of what happened that next day. I write it here so that I can always remember my testimony of the power of prayer.
Urijah was downstairs watching a show while Zuri played upstairs in her crib. I took the free moment to have a shower. When jumping out I heard some movement in the kitchen so I called out to Urijah to see what he was up to. And here's our conversation:
Me: Urijah. What are you busy with buddy?
Urijah: Nothing. Just making a sandwich for me and you.
Me: (alarmed but acting cool) Oh ok that sounds great. (so I grabbed Zuri and headed downstairs only to find my little boy whistling to himself and indeed making a sandwich - he had pulled a chair from the dining room, taken out a cutting board, a butter knife, bread, peanut butter and jam)
So naturally I took a picture.
As I continue to pray for him, I am comforted by the Heavenly help over our lives. It brings me so much joy to know that we have a Father in Heaven who not only loves us the parents but who is continously watching over our children.
And this is my testimony. Amen.
Tuesday 16 August 2016
Zuri and Urijah
A quick children update.
The little ones are growing and changing daily. This morning I started noticing that Urijah is forcing his voice to appear deeper. Especially when he's doing something that's important to him such as using blankets and chairs to build a stage for a magic show or just stacking up tons of books to make a house for his cars. Whenever any type of "manual labor" is involved, he becomes a little man.
Every morning he wakes up between 6:30 and 6:45am. It really doesn't matter what time he sleeps so now I've changed bedtime to 6:30pm. Yep, it's still pretty bright outside but they both go to bed. Zuri pretty much does whatever her brother does. She used to wake up at around 8am but if Urijah's awake, then she jumps up ready to play.
And once she's up its go go go until naptime. And the girl can nap! She sleeps for about 3 1/2hrs which I think might be her making up for the lost sleep in the morning. Besides sleeping, she loves giving people high fives. She's also very fond of doing dishes, something which I hope she'll continue to enjoy right into her teen years. She's also fiercely independent and surprises everyone with how fast she's growing. I can't forget to mention the most important thing: she climbs EVERYTHING! The higher the better. I guess I should be celebrating the fact that challenges don't faze her.
And that's it for the update on the babies:) these pictures are from this afternoon. Urijah was very keen on taking Zuri down the slide. They entertained one another while I sat and watched. The blessings of having 2 kids! I remember having to be Urijah's constant play mate (which I enjoyed but it can get exhausting). Now his energy is matched by his little sister:)
The little ones are growing and changing daily. This morning I started noticing that Urijah is forcing his voice to appear deeper. Especially when he's doing something that's important to him such as using blankets and chairs to build a stage for a magic show or just stacking up tons of books to make a house for his cars. Whenever any type of "manual labor" is involved, he becomes a little man.
Every morning he wakes up between 6:30 and 6:45am. It really doesn't matter what time he sleeps so now I've changed bedtime to 6:30pm. Yep, it's still pretty bright outside but they both go to bed. Zuri pretty much does whatever her brother does. She used to wake up at around 8am but if Urijah's awake, then she jumps up ready to play.
And once she's up its go go go until naptime. And the girl can nap! She sleeps for about 3 1/2hrs which I think might be her making up for the lost sleep in the morning. Besides sleeping, she loves giving people high fives. She's also very fond of doing dishes, something which I hope she'll continue to enjoy right into her teen years. She's also fiercely independent and surprises everyone with how fast she's growing. I can't forget to mention the most important thing: she climbs EVERYTHING! The higher the better. I guess I should be celebrating the fact that challenges don't faze her.
And that's it for the update on the babies:) these pictures are from this afternoon. Urijah was very keen on taking Zuri down the slide. They entertained one another while I sat and watched. The blessings of having 2 kids! I remember having to be Urijah's constant play mate (which I enjoyed but it can get exhausting). Now his energy is matched by his little sister:)
Monday 15 August 2016
Single parenthood
So for about 2wks I've been a single parent.
Dear husband is at an academy and the place is 17hrs away, which means that we can only see him after graduation. These weeks of single parenthood have been interesting. Tougher than I imagined. Taking care of the kids is not hard, what's hard is not having their dad to share the responsibility. It's hard to be their emotional support all day long. I do appreciate these moments though because they remind me of how much I need my husband. I'm grateful to have chosen a man who is hands on with our kids. I also comfortably recognize that I am terribly spoilt! And I can't even apologize for it. Our partnership takes nurturing, it takes prayer, kindness, selflessness and a whole lot of communication. So I've worked hard to be this spoilt wife;) with that said, I hope the days go faster so that we can be an active unit again.
Dear husband is at an academy and the place is 17hrs away, which means that we can only see him after graduation. These weeks of single parenthood have been interesting. Tougher than I imagined. Taking care of the kids is not hard, what's hard is not having their dad to share the responsibility. It's hard to be their emotional support all day long. I do appreciate these moments though because they remind me of how much I need my husband. I'm grateful to have chosen a man who is hands on with our kids. I also comfortably recognize that I am terribly spoilt! And I can't even apologize for it. Our partnership takes nurturing, it takes prayer, kindness, selflessness and a whole lot of communication. So I've worked hard to be this spoilt wife;) with that said, I hope the days go faster so that we can be an active unit again.
Sunday 14 August 2016
Things I now know
I feel like 2016 has been a year of growth and learning.
Something that has made a significant difference in the way I approach my every day life. This is not some new found knowledge. It's something I've known for a long time but have never really put to use.
So what's this mysterious peace of info? Ready? Life is not a frantic race to the finish line.
Now let me explain. I can confidently say that I've been living in a rush since I was child. Some of my earliest memories was daydreaming about being grown up and creating my own life. I then went on to start working at an early age. That experience brought on a desire to succeed in the work place. I was in a rush to finish high school. I rushed moving out of home. Rushed in and out of relationships. Rushed into taking and quiting jobs. Never being satisfied with what I had, just always looking for the next thing. And often thinking that the next thing will be better. Sometimes it was and sometimes it wasn't.
A high school friend once pointed out that I lived so much into the future that I'll one day regret not allowing myself to have a normal childhood. Even though I don't regret any of my decisions then (as they led me to now), I do see his point. Living for tomorrow leaves you with an inability to truly experience today. Because as much as we can plan (and Oh boy am I a planner), it is important to humble ourselves to the knowledge that we have no idea what tomorrow will bring. We can hope. We can pray. But ultimately, only Heavenly Father knows what will happen next.
So yes, life is not a frantic race to the finish line. To me this means that I can breathe a little deeper. I can let go of the need to control. I can pray for great experiences and live happily knowing that whatever comes my way, I have the Lord on my side. And He will never give me a life assignment I cannot handle. Whether trial or blessing, it's all the same to me now because if you look really closely, even the worst of trials can become the greatest blessings. It's all about perspective.
These are things I now know!
Something that has made a significant difference in the way I approach my every day life. This is not some new found knowledge. It's something I've known for a long time but have never really put to use.
So what's this mysterious peace of info? Ready? Life is not a frantic race to the finish line.
Now let me explain. I can confidently say that I've been living in a rush since I was child. Some of my earliest memories was daydreaming about being grown up and creating my own life. I then went on to start working at an early age. That experience brought on a desire to succeed in the work place. I was in a rush to finish high school. I rushed moving out of home. Rushed in and out of relationships. Rushed into taking and quiting jobs. Never being satisfied with what I had, just always looking for the next thing. And often thinking that the next thing will be better. Sometimes it was and sometimes it wasn't.
A high school friend once pointed out that I lived so much into the future that I'll one day regret not allowing myself to have a normal childhood. Even though I don't regret any of my decisions then (as they led me to now), I do see his point. Living for tomorrow leaves you with an inability to truly experience today. Because as much as we can plan (and Oh boy am I a planner), it is important to humble ourselves to the knowledge that we have no idea what tomorrow will bring. We can hope. We can pray. But ultimately, only Heavenly Father knows what will happen next.
So yes, life is not a frantic race to the finish line. To me this means that I can breathe a little deeper. I can let go of the need to control. I can pray for great experiences and live happily knowing that whatever comes my way, I have the Lord on my side. And He will never give me a life assignment I cannot handle. Whether trial or blessing, it's all the same to me now because if you look really closely, even the worst of trials can become the greatest blessings. It's all about perspective.
These are things I now know!
Saturday 13 August 2016
What happened in July
Sooooo, Zuri is now 1. Her birthday was back in July and we made it a month of celebrating.
It started with a camping trip on her actual birthday. She's such an incredible baby, so aware of everything around, in ways that I feel are beyond her age. She smiled, giggled and latched on to her daddy in joy as we sang happy birthday.
We followed that experience by spending a few days in Arizona with aunt Andrea (my mother in law's older sister) and uncle Stan. What an incredible time! There's nothing like spending time with older folks. There's so much to gain! I walked away feeling less anxious about life as aunt Andrea reminded me that when you do as the Lord commands, He will bless you, therefore there is no reason to ever worry about life in general.
There was also some amazing conversations with Maren (Robert's cousin) about parenting. She mentioned that children come to this earth with pre existing spirit. Therefore our job as parents is to smooth the edges because they already know who they are. So profound. So true. So freeing.
Aunt Cleora who is about to turn 90, came over to spend an afternoon with our little family. She has been such an inspiration to me since meeting her at our wedding. She is humble, self accepting and has aged so beautifully.
There was also a quick trip down to Phoenix, where the weather is worth mentioning. It was so hot it felt dangerous to step outside! The trip was to meet up with a friend from South Africa (we met on Instagram and clicked instantly). Isn't technology quite a thing! Never did I imagine that I would make such a wonderful friendship with someone I had never met.
The kids just blossomed in July. They got to spend time with cousins and new friends. Every day had a new activity and I now know that both Urijah and Zuri are into traveling. I also think that being around kind, loving family and friends allowed the kids to quickly adapt and feel at home in every new space.
And the month ended with a family birthday party for little Zuri. Her grandparents wanted to share in the fun of celebrating this sweet little girl!
It started with a camping trip on her actual birthday. She's such an incredible baby, so aware of everything around, in ways that I feel are beyond her age. She smiled, giggled and latched on to her daddy in joy as we sang happy birthday.
We followed that experience by spending a few days in Arizona with aunt Andrea (my mother in law's older sister) and uncle Stan. What an incredible time! There's nothing like spending time with older folks. There's so much to gain! I walked away feeling less anxious about life as aunt Andrea reminded me that when you do as the Lord commands, He will bless you, therefore there is no reason to ever worry about life in general.
There was also some amazing conversations with Maren (Robert's cousin) about parenting. She mentioned that children come to this earth with pre existing spirit. Therefore our job as parents is to smooth the edges because they already know who they are. So profound. So true. So freeing.
Aunt Cleora who is about to turn 90, came over to spend an afternoon with our little family. She has been such an inspiration to me since meeting her at our wedding. She is humble, self accepting and has aged so beautifully.
There was also a quick trip down to Phoenix, where the weather is worth mentioning. It was so hot it felt dangerous to step outside! The trip was to meet up with a friend from South Africa (we met on Instagram and clicked instantly). Isn't technology quite a thing! Never did I imagine that I would make such a wonderful friendship with someone I had never met.
The kids just blossomed in July. They got to spend time with cousins and new friends. Every day had a new activity and I now know that both Urijah and Zuri are into traveling. I also think that being around kind, loving family and friends allowed the kids to quickly adapt and feel at home in every new space.
And the month ended with a family birthday party for little Zuri. Her grandparents wanted to share in the fun of celebrating this sweet little girl!
Wednesday 10 August 2016
Food and family
A food update!
A little while ago I mentioned the movie Fed Up and how we would try to be more intentional about what we eat as a family. Since then there's been some hits and misses.
Firstly, dear husband is still weaning himself off fast food. At first it frustrated me that he didn't just let it go and transition to eating real food, especially after knowing the damage it can cause to the body. But then I had to remember that in a marriage one has to be patient and non judgemental. You have to be selfless enough to let go of your personal agenda and truly try to understand the other person's life journey. So I'm working on being a good partner:)
Myself and the kids have completely transformed our food choices. Instead of cereal we choose fruit or green smoothies for breakfast. Lunch is normally fruit and dinner left overs. And the dinners consist of home cooked meals using mostly organic products (which can be costly, I'm still trying to figure out how to make organic options fit into our budget). And we snack on fruit. This is transition was much needed as we were slowly starting to depend on the standard American diet of processed meals.
The major win is with Urijah. For about 2yrs he's been experiencing stomach pains which lead to vomiting. This happens maybe every 3 months or so. He's had tests done and we just couldn't figure out what the issue was. At one point there was a cancer scare, once tests were done it turned out to be a ball of poop 💩 that was taking too long to pass. So being a mom and feeling a deep sense of responsibility for my little ones, I started doing some research of my own. Not at all insinuating that I know better than doctors. Yet I do know my son better than anyone professional;) I began to keep a mental food diary and paid more attention to his daily nutrition. Doing this helped us figure out what was making him sick. Too much meat/poultry. Our diet consisted of a lot of chicken, beef and turkey...when I say a lot, I mean almost every day! And since this realization we've scaled back drastically and Urijah's health is thriving.
The moral of the story? What we eat is more important than we think it is. Not just for our own health but for the well being of our kids.
And on a different note, have you read the Child whisperer? If yes, let's chat on email, if not, go get it! It will completely revolutionize your journey as a parent. I'm just a few chapters in and boy Oh boy what a joy!!! I'll post about it once I'm done.
Cheers! (translation: see ya later)
A little while ago I mentioned the movie Fed Up and how we would try to be more intentional about what we eat as a family. Since then there's been some hits and misses.
Firstly, dear husband is still weaning himself off fast food. At first it frustrated me that he didn't just let it go and transition to eating real food, especially after knowing the damage it can cause to the body. But then I had to remember that in a marriage one has to be patient and non judgemental. You have to be selfless enough to let go of your personal agenda and truly try to understand the other person's life journey. So I'm working on being a good partner:)
Myself and the kids have completely transformed our food choices. Instead of cereal we choose fruit or green smoothies for breakfast. Lunch is normally fruit and dinner left overs. And the dinners consist of home cooked meals using mostly organic products (which can be costly, I'm still trying to figure out how to make organic options fit into our budget). And we snack on fruit. This is transition was much needed as we were slowly starting to depend on the standard American diet of processed meals.
The major win is with Urijah. For about 2yrs he's been experiencing stomach pains which lead to vomiting. This happens maybe every 3 months or so. He's had tests done and we just couldn't figure out what the issue was. At one point there was a cancer scare, once tests were done it turned out to be a ball of poop 💩 that was taking too long to pass. So being a mom and feeling a deep sense of responsibility for my little ones, I started doing some research of my own. Not at all insinuating that I know better than doctors. Yet I do know my son better than anyone professional;) I began to keep a mental food diary and paid more attention to his daily nutrition. Doing this helped us figure out what was making him sick. Too much meat/poultry. Our diet consisted of a lot of chicken, beef and turkey...when I say a lot, I mean almost every day! And since this realization we've scaled back drastically and Urijah's health is thriving.
The moral of the story? What we eat is more important than we think it is. Not just for our own health but for the well being of our kids.
And on a different note, have you read the Child whisperer? If yes, let's chat on email, if not, go get it! It will completely revolutionize your journey as a parent. I'm just a few chapters in and boy Oh boy what a joy!!! I'll post about it once I'm done.
Cheers! (translation: see ya later)
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