Holiday Survival: 5 Tips on Maintaining Peace and Joy Through the Holidays

This kid LOVES holidays

I love that he loves it.

His enthusiasm is refreshing and has really caused me to embrace the craziness that this time can bring. 

Here are a few tips that I have found helpful:

1. GET FESTIVE- Crank up those holiday tunes and dance around the house decorating with the kids. Fill the home with holiday aromas such as cinnamon, gingerbread, and sugar cookies. MMMMM....I can smell it already! Sit down and wrap gifts in a mindful and loving way! (my love for wrapping gifts here)

2. AVOID OVER-SCHEDULING- It can be impossible to make it to each and every holiday party you are invited to. Pick and choose and map out the events for the next few weeks on your calendar. Cut out things that are unnecessary stressors- We opt not to do Christmas Cards and send Valentine's Cards instead. Best idea we ever had! (Last Year's Valentine card here)

3. MAKE TIME TO ENGAGE IN TRADITIONS- I can't stress enough the importance of personal and family traditions. Don't forget to make time to do those things you enjoy doing each and every year with loved ones. It has a positive everlasting affect on your children. (One of our traditions here)

4. SERVE SOMEONE IN NEED- Take advantage of opportunities to serve those who may need additional love and help this holiday season. It take the focus away from receiving gifts and create a heart of gratitude and bring joy into your life and the life of your family. (Last year's project here)

5. DON'T FORGET TO BREATHE- Take time to just have a breather. Get a pedicure, massage, or have some alone time to recharge. Remember that this time of the year should be filled with peace, joy, and excitement. Don't forget to breathe and ENJOY the moment! (What I like to do to Relax here)

Happy Holidays everyone!

besitos!

xo

Finding Center...

Today I heard the doorbell ring. It was Little Man looking up at me with two dandelion seeds in his hands. "Make a wish mom," he whispered as he handed me mine. I smiled. I love that my son loves blowing dandelions just as much as I do. So, that is just what we did. I watched the seeds float away and I treasured that moment. It's moment like these that brings me back to center. Hence the reason I titled this blog, "Weeds to Wishes." 

Life for me is finding those little beautiful moments that come to me ever day and making them outshine those not so beautiful moments that also make it's appearance on a daily basis. 

I truly believe in the importance of taking time out (whatever that looks like for each individual) to get back to center.  I am just not my best mom when I haven't had sufficent sleep, food, family time, alone time or time to just be...in fact if too much distraction and busyness creeps back into my life...I am grouchy. Ask my family. 

It's the reason that I made the decision this summer to stop counseling individual clients. I needed some time out to just focus on being a mom. Not to mention- I just couldn't stand the thought of missing out on moments like this one and it wasn't worth being a grouchy mom over. Is that how I want my little ones to remember me by...a stress case? One day I will get back to work when my kids are older... But for now I have dandelions to blow with my little ones.

Hope your day is full of little moments like this one.

Besitos, XO

Stopping to Smell the Roses...Literally

The sun is waking up and I hold a warm bowl of oatmeal in between my hands. I love the way it feels. Little Man is sleeping in which gives me extra time to reflect and think about my challenge this month.

I feel like it's been a busy week -but who doesn't have busy weeks? There were several times I was consumed with the business of my day when the little bells on my phone came on to tell me to take a few minutes and become present. (October's Challenge)

How often do we get stuck in the daily tasks of our "to dos" to really enjoy each moment to the fullest?

The other day Little Man and I were at our weekly library stop... he loves to take his SWEET time to and from the car. I am usually on a mission to get home and get dinner ready and practically drag him to the car.

Not this time.

This time I pushed aside that need to rush on to the the next thing and entered his world and explored with him for a moment. Stomping and crunching through piles of leaves, I followed and observed.

I stopped and noticed the things he was interested in.

We took time to smell the roses. Literally.

Then he ran to a patch of grass and just laid there curiously observing the things in the sky. Feeling quite hungry, I resisted the need to get back home... I went over to him and laid beside him. The sky was bright. We watched an airplane in the sky.

And then I saw this.

Right in front of me was this beautiful tree...the very same one we pass every time I rush to the car. But from down there- it just really struck me. In a few weeks this tree will be bare. I would have missed it's beauty because I was too busy focusing on the next thing to really observe what is in front of me all along.

Reminder: take in the beauties of fall...soon they will be gone.

It was a good day.
besitos,
xo 

Channeling Lucille Ball...

I'll be over at How Does She right here talking about my:

It's where I use Reflection Boards or Soul Collages to process how I feel.

Here is more on one I did over the weekend.

I started with an initial large kitchen timer image. It looks like the one I have in my kitchen that helps me manage my time (more on that later) and I started by gluing it on the page. 

To me this timer represents lack of time and the desire to either stop time completely or find a way to get more of it.

I haven't figured out how to do that quite yet. ;)

I then added books in the corner and it reminded me of how I feel so much like a student still in my field and as a mom. You think you are going to get out of graduate school just knowing everything there is to know about the human psyche but life experiences continue to be my teacher. I feel like I learn new things each and every day from being a mom and a counselor.

Then, I added my girl Lucille Ball (or at least a look a like) and was drawn to her because of who she embodied as her character on "I Love Lucy"- I mean how can you not love her? Plus, I love that era and sometimes feel like I should have lived in the 1950s! I came across an article about Lucille and did you know that she didn't have her baby until one month before her fortieth birthday after several miscarriages? I knew she was my girl- there is always hope.

Then of course amongst her fabulous outfit I had to include her wearing a large "Mom bag" with  little toy robot sticking out of it. It represents to me the reality that motherhood brings but also the possibility of feeling feminine still and being able to laugh and have fun especially at those "Mom moments" like sporting around a ridiculous huge "Mom bag." You know what I am talking about.

I continued to add images and words until it felt complete. 

As I ponder on what I created in my reflection period- here are a few that come to my mind on what they could represent.

Anyhow- you will be seeing a lot more of this as I am beginning to get ready to launch my new website. Stay tuned.

Besitos, 

xo

Grandma's Peaches.

Today Little Man and I went for a walk outside and he felt a slight breeze on his face and he said, "It's wind mom."

 Then a few moments later he followed it up with, "It's good."

Yes, it is good I thought. I would have never even noticed it if he hadn't pointed out to me.

I love how children live so much in the moment and really experience life aroud them like it is their first time.

One thing that gets me excited every time as if it were the first time I ever had them are these:

I love peaches... but not just any grocery peach...I love fresh juicy peaches from my grandmother's tree.

 And I just read 5 ways to use them here on how does she.

besitos,
xo

SEVEN days of summer.



El Salvador trip Summer 2011

Oh how I love summer... You will have to excuse my excessive use of beach photos but I have been editing my El Salvador trip so this week I have been totally on a beach kick...but did you know that there are only SEVEN days left until the official day of Fall??? Despite my excitement for Fall (my favorite season) I still feel that Summer deserves attention... it's like skipping Thanksgiving and going right to Christmas...no fair.

So, I checked  SUMMER LIST... I still have a few things I need to do in one week. So, I think it is time to get cracking on crossing off the rest of the list. So, for the next SEVEN days...SEVEN days (why am I getting the creeps saying that...I feel like it's from a scary movie...help me out what movie) I am going to make it a point to live each and every day of the summer to the fullest. Starting now...better hop off.

Happy Friday!!

xoxo, besitos

Mindful Toast

Mindful Toast

Being present with our children can be difficult in this world full of distractions. Speaking as a recovering multi-tasker and busy body myself... I must say it definitely takes practice. So how does one become mindful?
I say start with something small... just with something you do every day like eating. Start by sitting down for a meal in utter silence and just observing and taking the time to use all your senses as you partake of your meal.

 Today I decided to experience mindfully eating toast with the yummy peach, mango, and orange jam I got from Costco... mmmmm.... you gotta go try it!

Here was my description of my mindful toast.
 I take the two slices of bread and put it up to my nose to smell and then observe the texture and feeling of the bread.

I plop the bread in the toaster and listen to it whoosh down as the red hot metal thingies begin to warm it up. The room slowly begins to fill up with the scent of warm baking bread and before I know it- the toaster POPS up with energy and enthusiasm. Then, I dip my knife into butter and spread a liberal amount all over (not neglecting the corners) as I watch it melt and seep into the bread. MMMM then I scoop up  a glob of Peach Mango Orange Jam and slowly spread it over every square inch of the bread. I smell the bread and then listen to the slow and loud crunch as I sink my teeth into the soft buttery jam. I make sure I chew as slowly as I possibly can and really taste as I savor all the flavors  before swallowing.

MMMMM... you hungry yet? Now go and sit down for a mindful meal to see what it is like!  Let me know how it goes for you!

The Dandelion Wish

This is the actual dandelion I picked.

I am sitting with my laptop typing softly  (my son is still asleep) as I ponder the month of May and the celebration of mothers… It has been just under a year and a half since I became a Mother. And needless to say, the definition of that word has humbled me far more than any other titles I have or will ever have.

I feel as my life began the day my son was born. Unfortunately,  my love for this little boy doesn’t always guarantee days of blissful moments. Some days I have superhero mom powers and I have a fabulous fun day with my son- no distractions or time constraints... I love those days. But sadly other days...well let’s just say I feel more like the villain then the superhero. Usually these days are filled with house chores, meals to cook, task list to check off, church callings to attend, work to do, and other random mundane things I fill the day with. *Sigh*

Today, after spending the entire morning yesterday cleaning the kitchen and realizing the day was passing us by, I decided we needed to go for a walk. So we did. As we approached a patch of dandelions, I was unable to resist-  I picked one and I took a deep breath and blew. Watching the little dandelion seeds float across the sky, I decided to make a dandelion wish.

My wish is to be able to look back on each day and be able to say, "We had a lot of fun today."

So, I begin this blog today as a way to share my journey of The Dandelion Wish I made. I hope to inspire other moms, dads, grandparents, sister, brothers, aunts, and uncles to take the time and to wish one a dandelion and bring fun and play back into parenting and adulthood while savoring each and every moment along the way.

So, enjoy.

xx- Cristi

Share with us your dandelion wish