Letting It All Go

I have been thinking a lot lately about the word all.  More specifically…

Doing it all.

Having it all.

Keeping track of it all.

Controlling it all.

We live in a society that is constantly shoving in our faces that we need to have the best, biggest, newest and that we need to be going, doing, experiencing, not missing a thing. We are told that being comfortable and content is lazy and negative. We should always be pursuing people, places, and things and looking for ways to better ourselves and our lives. And it’s easy to get lost in all the noise.

I for one have definitely gotten lost. I get overwhelmed and exhausted from trying to stay busy, productive, and active. I go through stages where I can’t sit still and want to be out of the house, spending time with friends and family, and just filling my day with one activity after another until I am so burnt out and unhappy. Then I swing to the other side where I never want to leave the house, I want to turn off my phone and never fill my car up with gas so I can avoid everyone, and I just sit at home watching tv and wallowing about how I can’t do/have/keep track/control it all.

And you know what — I’m sick of it. Looking back on this past year, I believe there is a happy medium. Busy, productive days are good and needed, but so are slow, chill days. One thing I’m learning is to listen to myself, so that I don’t reach either of the above extremes. Understanding and accepting that I am an introvert, a homebody, a dreamer, and a night owl can help me be fruitful in my roles as wife, mother, daughter, and friend.

I didn’t make resolutions this year, because I decided I didn’t need a list of goals that determine if I was successful or not. Instead, I am just going with the flow.

It has taken me awhile, but I have finally realized that I need to start looking at my life through different lenses. It has been just me for so long that I had to do a lot of trial and error to figure out how to stop thinking of my time, energy, wants, and needs as just mine and instead look at them as how they fit in with my new and growing family. With that being said, it is an exciting time for me, as momma Grey, to figure out how our little family is going to flourish and thrive, but I am eager to see how I, and my family, grow in time!

December Recap

I’m always worn out by the end of the year. Last week I lost my beloved Nana, so Christmas this year was bittersweet being Hazel’s first Christmas, but also the first Christmas without my Nana. It’s been a very busy and emotionally charged month and I am ready for some calm. Even though December was a difficult month, but was also very fun with the lights and celebration!

Goals

Rebuild My Faith

Still not making much progress here. I’m kind of a stand still.

Birth Our Baby Naturally

Save More, Budget Better

Yes! The budget wasn’t stuck to, but we saved a lot!

Exercise

Ha!

Meal Plan & Cook At Home More

A little bit. November was better, but there was meal planning, but with a minimal follow through.

Monthly Family Meetings

Nope.

Read More

Don’t think I read at all. 😦

Buy A House

Love My Husband Better

I think so!

Write Often

I am going to count this as a win for this month – I posted five times and that is the most I have done in a few months. The passion just isn’t there right now, but I am proud to at least get one post a week!

Monthly Planned Date Night

Yes! Jeremiah took me to downtown Grapevine to watch It’s a Wonderful Life in an old timey movie theater.

Books Read

• A Spark of Light by Jodi Picoult

Shows Watched

• Friends
• Blue Bloods

Movies Watched

• Home Alone
• It’s a Wonderful Life
• Let It Snow
• The Knight Before Christmas
• Jack Frost
• Same Time Next Christmas
• Little Black Book
• Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

Places Traveled

• Grapevine, TX

I am so ready to start a new year and a new decade. I love new beginnings and second chances, so let’s do this!

Merry Christmas to All

… and to all a good night!

I hope every single one of you has a very happy Christmas filled with family, fun, and love! And I want to remind you that on this day Jesus was born to die and save us all… he is the first and most amazing gift we could ever receive! ❤ ❤ ❤

New Every Morning // Great Cacapon, WV

For our epic road trip this year, we decided to go to West Virginia. Typically, we choose a place we have never been before, but with Hazel being born, we thought it was more important to see family. So we embarked on a 24 hour drive with four people and a baby… and it was a success! Hazel was actually the best behaved on the trip out of all of us!!

We chose West Virginia, because Jeremiah’s aunt and uncle own a bed and breakfast up in the mountains – New Every Morning. His uncle builds all the buildings himself and they even cut down their own lumber. He’s a really cool guys and it’s a really cool place! This was my second visit.

His aunt is so kind and creative. She decorates all the rooms and makes them so unique and welcoming. On every visit, she writes a sweet note to us and provides plenty of snacks, blankets, games, and any extra toiletries we might have forgotten. It’s always a wonderful, warming experience!

The view doesn’t hurt either! I specifically chose October for our trip in hopes of seeing beautiful and colorful foliage. Although it wasn’t in full peak – it’s hard to pinpoint – it was more colorful than what we had in Texas. I enjoyed multiple walks around the ground and just lounging around looking out the window.

The best part of the trip was getting so much quality time with our incredible family! We laughed, smiled, told jokes, cooked, ate… and so much more together! Our family up there are some of my favorites and I’m so grateful for the family I married into. I am already ready to plan another trip to visit them! ❤

 

Baby Butt Cream Brag

We all have those moments where we say or think something that we never thought we would… Seven months ago, I definitely didn’t imagine myself excited to share my favorite diaper rash cream, but here I am.

A few days before Thanksgiving, Hazel had real bad diarrhea and developed a small diaper rash that slowly got worse and worse. I had received Burt’s Bees Diaper Rash Cream as a gift, so that is what we used in the beginning of stages, but it wasn’t doing anything to help. After a few days, we started using A+D Diaper Rash Ointment. The rash was still getting worse and more painful for Hazel. I feel like we used more than that, but I can’t remember at the moment.

In a bit of desperation to help my sweet kiddo, we went to the store to find a different cream to hopefully heal Hazel’s bum. I stood on the diaper rash aisle for quite awhile reading all the options and trying to figure out which one would work the best in the least amount of time. In the end, I chose Boudreaux’s Butt Paste; and Hazel and her little booty are thanking me for it!

Now for the bragging! Within a few days of using Boudreaux’s, we saw a major difference! After the week, Hazel’s rash had shrunk and was much less sensitive to the touch. Now about a week and a half later, I am back to using Burt’s Bees as to not waste this incredible stuff!

My Process for Clearing Up Diaper Rash

1. Change baby’s diaper about every thirty minutes or as soon as I notice it has been soiled.
2. Use diapers that are a size up – she was wearing a size two, but I went ahead and bought a size three, so that the mess would not be as up close and personal.
3. Instead of wiping baby’s bottom, gently dab at the mess using a wet sensitive wipe (no alcohol or fragrance) or a wet washcloth.
4. Pat baby’s bottom dry and let air out if you can.
5. Apply diaper rash cream liberally – I recommend Boudreaux’s Butt Paste!
6. Let baby go without a diaper as much as possible – this can get a bit messy, so be prepared.

Boudreaux’s comes in three different types: original, maximum strength, and natural. We purchased it in maximum strength, because Hazel’s rash was so bad. I plan to buy all three and keep them around the house and the diaper bag, so that we always have some on hand. It also comes in three different sizes: 2oz, 4oz, 16oz. The maximum strength option is so thick and really coats your baby’s skin to protect the rash from future messes. Hazel had a poopy diaper just about every diaper for the past two weeks; it blew my mind how when I would be wiping her bottom, the cream was still there! I can’t recommend it enough. Also, these opinions are solely my own and I am receiving absolutely no compensation for this review – I am just that impressed with this product!