No, I Have Not Been Kidnapped!

I had to laugh when I checked my voice mail (I hardly ever check my voice mail...) and three of the five messages started with the phrase "Are you alive"! Carson and Lacey even asked if I had been kidnapped... Yes, I am a live and no I have not been kidnapped!

So, It may seem that I may have been kidnapped or a little absent lately... But, I just took a little time off to enjoy the Holidays with my family. AND a FaBuLoUs Christmas we did have!

It is on my To-Do list today to track down my computer cord to download all of my Christmas pictures.... So, be prepared for a major picture overload coming over the next few days!

I follow Ali Edwards blog. And every year she always chooses a new word to live by that year. This year I have decided to do the same thing. I put a lot of thought into it and kept coming up with two words.... and I couldn't decided between the two. They kind of go hand in hand I guess - my words for 2010 are: TIME & NURTURE.

TIME: I feel at times that I spend my day running around and don't get to spend the quality TIME with my children as I think I should and feel that I need to give them. I will admit that i am a little OCD (just a little!)... But, it really is more important for me to spend the TIME to play a game with Carter, to rock Cannon and look at books or to do a art project with McKay... They will truly remember that soooo much more than how organized their closets were! So, I am going to set aside TIME each day for each of them individually and to work better at stopping whatever I am doing in the little moments that they need me and give them my TIME. I am a Mother and a Wife - I have a lot of things that I do need to get done - But, I am going to take a better approach at involving my children in that TIME - encouraging them to help me cook dinner, put the groceries away... I want them to know that I want them with me no matter what my TIME might be spent doing.

NURTURE: I was cuddling with Carter the other day when it hit me that James and I are the most Important influence to our boys... We are the ones when they are at such a young age that truly determine how they feel about themselves. I remember being young and cuddling with my Mom - and I still remember the warm feelings that I felt in those moments. It hit me so hard at that moment to realize that that is how my children probably feel when I cuddle with them... that I am that person to them - that I am their safe place, their place for comfort, their place for cheer and happiness... I am going to take a more aware approach at how I NURTURE my children. That when I speak to them they feel the love that I have for them, when I look at them and hold them and cuddle them that they feel that love. I tell them several times a day that I love them - But, when I say it I want them to feel it. I have noticed that as I have taken this little extra step to NURTURE my boys that the way they have started to treat each other has been a little sweeter too!

I think a lot of times we as Mothers always have the best of intentions... But, we get caught up in the rat race... I have never been big on New Years Resolutions... If I need to change something I just do it - I don't need a new year to come around to do it! But, this year I did for the first time make one - just one. Simply to slow down... to slow down and in by doing so it truly will allow me to have all the time to do those things that I need to do. By going like crazy I think that I am accomplishing so much more - But, in all reality I am truly missing out on so much more. So, here is to slowing down and appreciating the moment.