Good morning!
Hope everyone is having a lovely week thus far. I’m a bit more disheveled than usual (I know, I also didn’t think it could get any worse) due to the fact that my house is in constant disarray because WE’RE MOVING.
YES, the Mister, Bean and I are in the process of packing up all of our stuff and moving just a few miles into a new home. Needless to say, I’ve been spending far too much time on Pinterest (If only I were a millionaire, Bean would have the best playroom in the world) and not enough time with my packing tape. We are so excited and I can’t wait to share pieces of our new space with you.
In the meantime, I have a few art projects up my sleeve, which I’ll be sharing as soon as I complete — IF I complete. No one said trying to replicate $300 worth of art was easy. Stay tuned. If you need me, I’ll be covered in glue and paint, wishing I never had the confidence to go through with this 
$100 SHOPBOP giveaway announcement!
And the winner of the shopbop giveaway is lucky random number 19…
Congrats, Tracy! – shoot me an email at thedailybalance[at]gmail[dot]com and I’ll put you in touch with the folks at shopbop! And to the rest of you, don’t worry – I have more fun giveaways up my sleeve
p.s. if you or anyone you know of is looking for an adorable home to rent on the east side, please contact me!
Hope you all had a wonderful Mother’s Day weekend. Thanks to the two men in my life, mine couldn’t have been more perfect.
As a (relatively) new mommy (when am I no longer “new?”) I enjoy looking at “mommy blogs” — for the most part. They give me inspiration for activities with bean, tips on saving time and usually feature easy, healthy recipes without a lot of “fuss.” But there are some days when I’ve seen one adorable kids party, perfect meal, or hand-embellished apron too many. As I look at these blogs featuring amazing moms and their seemingly endless ideas (and the energy to see them through!), I feel like I’ll never be good enough.
Sound familiar?
STOP IT.
We are all enough.
At the end of the day, your kids don’t want a perfect playroom, exquisite party or complicated toilet paper roll craft. They want YOU. More importantly, they want a happy, non-stressed you.
Suggested reading: stop trying to be a better mom and be a happy one
My Mother’s Day wish for all of you mamas out there is that you stop being so hard on yourself.
Looking back on my own childhood, it wasn’t the crafts, cute clothes or fancy parties that I fondly remember. It was the summer days spent outside running through the sprinkler. It was finding my moms face in a crowd at my dance recitals and school plays. It was knowing that if I needed her, she would drop everything — immediately — and be there – no questions asked. It was buttered cinnamon toast every-single-morning — and stopping for DQ ice cream cones (with the eyes!) on the way home from daycare. It was being tucked in every night and assured that “all the nos were no” for the 1000th time. It was knowing that I was a priority — not an afterthought and not a silly distraction from work, email or a phone call. My brother and I were #1.
Thanks, Mom, for being such an incredible woman, mother and friend. I would not be where I am today without you. Thanks for showing me first-hand that it’s not about being perfect, it’s about being present. I love you.
For fun: Reflection on last year’s Mother’s Day – my first!
To my mother-in-law, thank you for raising a son who has grown into an incredible husband, father and friend. I can never thank you enough for giving me my soul mate.
And thank you, Sawyer, for giving me the greatest gift of all — being your mommy. I may not be perfect, but I’m all yours – forever and always.
Happy Mother’s Day, everyone.