Whew! It’s been a while. I feel like I blinked my eyes and 2 weeks pasted. I didn’t mean to stop blogging there for a bit but sometimes it just happens. I posted a picture on instagram last week talking about balance. I’m pretty sure this idea of finding balance is somewhat of a myth. A lie and pressure we put on ourselves (especially as Moms) that we must achieve it. We are told to find time to get it all done. We have to find the “balance” of it all. You NEED to have the time to take care of kids, clean, cook, work, be a good wife, friend, mother and make sure you find time to do things for yourself. Seriously? Who has the time to do all of that and or do it well? I think the thing with balance is that it’s constantly changing as life changes. For me that looks different every week. It’s the ebb and flow of life. Some weeks somethings take more time and energy than others. Sometimes, I can blog or paint every day and some days, weeks, or months, there’s just not so much time. But that’s ok. We don’t need to feel guilty over that. Whatever your hobby or love is doesn’t mean you have to have time to do it everyday or you fail at life. You can still take care of yourself and be happy when other things just take more of your time. It’s a season. Things will change. These tiny girls won’t be tiny for very long. Everyday they are becoming more independent and time is freed up.
For me my top priorities are 1. God 2. Kev 3. the girls 4. others (friends, family, helping others) 5. everything else. I will always make sure these things are in check before I start trying to fit in other things. Am I perfect at keeping my priorities straight? No! Of course not, but I do try. I feel like we have a happier life, family, marriage when they are. Most days that is all I have time for, but that’s ok. We have a lot of fun in our family. I wouldn’t change that. I don’t have a nanny, or daycare or even family in the area. Anyways, I am not really sure where I am going here. I just wanted to encourage you ladies not to feel guilty when you don’t have time to get it all done. Putting more effort into one thing can only mean it will suffer somewhere else. That’s life. It has nothing to do with you not being about to balance everything. We all have a lot on our plates and we are doing the best we can!
High fives for everyone!
Here are a few photos from my phone over the past few weeks- it’s about all I’ve had time for.
^^Training season has started. There is a half and full marathon for us this spring. You can follow along on instagram for running tips and trick with hashtag #runwithjenloveskev
^^Poor Finley. She’s been battling such a terrible cold.
^^Kev and I got to go on a date to see Mates of State play a super intimate show at Berklee in Boston. It was such a fabulous night!
^^I started a silly hashtag for Finley called #funfactsaboutfinley on instagram
^^Hockey games and Mickey LIVE!
^^A weekend away in Rochester. Kev was speaking at a church conference about the importance of design and having a strong brand. We luckily got to tag along and hang out with my sister.
^^Hotel pool all to ourselves.
^^Pretty sure there is nothing cooler for kids than the Strong Museum in Rochester.
Life is good and we are living it!
Love the purple striped polarfleece bundle wandering the trails! Everyone looking at their phones in the mirror (love the imitation work they do) is so sweet. But I must know more about those purple stacking stools in the baking photo! Where? Who? Step stools are never the right height for a littler munchkin and whatever counter they are trying to reach. That looks like the perfect solution. =)
Missed you!
Amen, mama! Balance is absolutely an ebb and flow and then it all balances out in the end. right? Good luck on your training, I am just about to hit my taper for the Maine Coast Marathon on Mother’s Day!
finley in that fluffy onesie winter coat thingy is my favorite thing on the internet.
WHEW! This is the SECOND MoS occurrence in my day….I’m having major flashbacks and almost forgot how much I used to love this sweet little duo. (My first was five minutes ago when I was rifling through my 10-year-old band-pin collection and found a MoS pin. HA!)
It’s decided: Your kids are the cutest!
I’m with you, balance is a myth. I work full time and have a nanny but i don’t feel like i can juggle everything and do everything as well as i want to. I still struggle to ensure i make time for my husband, friends, that i get enough exercise, spend quality time with my 1 year old and do all the household chores including cooking. Its the ebbs and flows of life and i think social media doesn’t help as we all see the highlights of each others lives thinking that everyone else can do it all when in reality we are all struggling with the same things, its just life.
P xo
You are honestly the cutest family I have ever seen!!