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Take Time to Process

Our culture doesn’t encourage taking time to process, well, anything really. It’s a culture of instant gratification and quickly moving on to the next thing. But this is one topic that needs intention. It requires our time, attention, and focus. Take some time today to process.

Check in with yourself: how are you feeling at this point? Are you comfortable with your choices in your will/trust? Can you see that your answers aren’t set in stone and can change over time as needed? Really try to get some perspective today by writing about how you’re feeling up to this point.

Have the Hard Discussion

You know which one I mean. The one where you have to talk about who your kids would live with if you die. It sucks. It’s a moment where we have to face our own mortality and it’s enough to make many of us start to panic. It’s talking about worse case scenario stuff and it frightens us. Deep breaths, mama. It’s part of the process.

For those of us who have partners, this discussion can bring up all the truths. We might not want our kids to go with say our sister-in-law’s family, but our SIL might be on our partner’s list of people they trust. Then comes all the “whys.” “Why don’t you want to choose her, why do you want to choose that person, why don’t you like my list, why don’t you like my family…”And it’s really hard to hear the truth behind hesitations and reasoning when it comes to our kids and “last wishes.” Here is where I would lovingly recommend having a third party involved (like a therapist). It can help some couples prepare for the conversation by talking about it before hand a little at a time. Remember to acknowledge over and over that this is hard, that there are some of our most extreme emotions involved, and that there are going to be disagreements and differences that will need to be worked through.

Write down your thoughts before going into the conversation. Come up with a timeline/plan for when the discussion is going to happen and then make the heart and head space for it.

Will/Trust Hang-ups

Let’s take a moment today to write about why this is difficult for us. Acknowledging our mortality is hard enough in our culture…talking about our wishes at the time of our death is even harder. Write about the hard today. Acknowledge it. Get it out. Write about how your heart has changed since becoming a mom. Write about our connection and deep love for our children that makes this hard. Get it on paper. The simple act of writing about it and acknowledging it will help us get to a better spot so we can move forward and take action (i.e. finish our will/trust). It’s a very sensitive subject so talk it out if you need to, too. Process it in a way that works best for you.

Will/Trust: When

Today is a practical day. Look at your calendar and map out a timeline for when you want to complete your will/trust. List research days, deadlines, etc. Mapping it out can help make it come to life.

If you’re following along with the Guided Journal timeline for this, my personal deadline is going to be by the end of May 2019, specifically May 28th. That is the day I have marked down to turn in our will/trust to our lawyer. Come up with a deadline that works for you, write it down, and make it happen.

Will/Trust: Who

I only recently found out that when deciding who we want our children to go to if we pass that it is encouraged for us to have a list of 4 different people/families (with our first choice as #1). This was a shocker for me. It’s hard enough coming up with one let alone 4.

Spend some time today thinking about those 4 people/families in your own heart and mind. It doesn’t have to be an outside discussion, just one that you feel comfortable with inside your own being. Write down your thoughts, feelings, and ideas about this. Write down your list of potential people. There might be some emotions to work through today, and that’s okay. Nothing is happening today other than us thinking about it in our own hearts and minds. Talk about it with a neutral party if that helps you. This is just the first step in the process. There’s nothing final about a brainstorm. It’s the beginning not the end.

Will/Trust: Why

This week is going to be uncomfortable for some of us. Talking about our will and who we want to take our children if we pass is super hard for many of us. I’m just going to come out and say it: this sucks.

But it has to be done. It’s part of our responsibilities as a parent. And discomfort is a call to grow and change. We can see this week as our chance to finally get this obligation off our to-do list. So let’s start out at the beginning and look at our “whys.”

Why have you been hesitant to complete your will/trust? Take a few moments to figure out your why.

Now ask yourself why you are going to move forward with it now. Take a minute to write about it.

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I wouldn’t trade all of these extra moments with I wouldn’t trade all of these extra moments with my children for anything in the world. Homeschool has allowed us to learn and grow together. Right now we have the joy of traveling together on our own schedule. This time with these beautiful children is the greatest gift. 💙 

This audio is perfect for this memory. Staying at campgrounds you run into a lot of retired people. They light up around babies and children. You can see memories of their own children and grandchildren twinkle in their eyes. They “get it” in ways those of us in the thick of young seasons can’t sometimes. 🥰

We stayed at the KOA in Billings, Montana (the very first KOA ever, 10/10 recommend). There was an older couple playing mini golf behind us. The older woman said, “Your children are wonderful. You obviously spend a lot of time with them…it shows.” (Oh, my heart 🥰) I told her we homeschool. “Good for you,” she said. “A lot of people are taking that route…I think it’s good.”

For all the naysayers out there, there are others who are cheering for you, Mama. 💙 I’m cheering you on, too. We are allowed to enjoy our children without pressure and criticism. If you find yourself feeling pressured or discouraged today (from the outside or inside), do something to release that pressure valve and return to just enjoying being a mother to your beautiful children. Look in their eyes. Give them a hug. Tell them something you admire about them. Tell them you love being their mom. Maybe do something fun together just because. 💗
I found my laminator & binding machine after almos I found my laminator & binding machine after almost 2 years of being packed away in boxes. 🤩 I’m ready to laminate everything! 😂

We are on an RV trip…part homeschool, part work, part fun 🥰 I found a whole bunch of free road trip printables for kids, printed them, laminated them, and now we are enjoying them in our RV! 🥳

There are soooooooooo many free homeschool resources on Pinterest 🥰 The trick is to search for exactly what you are looking for. For this I searched “road trip printables for kids.” You can type in “learning the A printables,” “Little House on the Prairie curriculum,” etc. Be specific (or general). Play around with it. 🙂 You’ll either find what you need or be inspired to create what you need.
First Grade is one of my FAVORITE grades to teach! First Grade is one of my FAVORITE grades to teach! 🤩 Most 1st graders are going through “the 7 year change”…so between their maturing notions of life and the pleasant topics of first grade lessons and stories, it is just so, so fun! 🥰

@oakmeadowschool first grade curriculum is lovely. I lean into it for first grade and beyond. 🙂 Their curriculum comes to you already bound and organized. It’s pretty easy to follow & easy to either follow as is or pick and choose what works for your family. 🙂
Reasons Why We Homeschool: Things worth observing Reasons Why We Homeschool: Things worth observing are found outside the classroom. They are found in beautiful books. And in daydreams. And in our backyard. And in observing others in our hometown. And in our travels. For us, they are not found in an environment where “learning” is dictated and judged against what others believe. It’s not found in grading our performance. We’re not here to perform. We’re not here to be judged. We’re here to learn—for our whole life! Learning never stops…but the passion for learning can. 

Homeschool is amazing in that way…it gives you the space to provide your children with the opportunity to be put in the way of things worth observing. 🌺 Want to homeschool? I can help.
I read once that mothers promise to love our kids I read once that mothers promise to love our kids when they are babies. How we treat our children then becomes their personal definition of love. This notion really gave me pause. What am I communicating to my children? What is their definition of love based on my words and actions? What am I bringing to the table as a mom and keeper of our home? Am I falling for the cultural messaging of “cool” moms who make fun of their kids constantly? Am I acting like they are in my way? That they annoy me? Am I giving in to the victim and martyrdom messages about modern motherhood? Or are my values and actions aligned…? 

It starts with figuring out what I value and what I believe:

I love my kids. 
They are not in my way.
Convenience is not important.
I am not a martyr.
I can be brave and honest about how I’m showing up as a mom.
I can apologize.
I can do better.
I can be gracious with them…and me.

Opt out of the messages about motherhood that divide you from the deep connection you have with your children. 😘
Pour into yourself, too, mama. 💙 Add books that Pour into yourself, too, mama. 💙 Add books that bring hope to your heart and light to your life. @ruthchousimons new book Pilgrim is phenomenal! It’s gorgeous, it’s thoughtful, & filled with biblical wisdom. 10/10 recommend this stunning book!

Bonus: Ruth is going to be on the podcast! 🥳 One of the next episodes of Elevating Motherhood will feature Ruth talking about this book! 🥰
My bestie published a children’s book! 🎃 My k My bestie published a children’s book! 🎃 My kids have been reading it and singing the words all day 😄 It’s a cute book for Fall & Halloween! Available on Amazon! 

Way to go @afconsultingteam 🥳
Take first day of school photos. Include yourself, Take first day of school photos. Include yourself, mama. 🍎 This marks the beginning of a year of growth for you, too. 😘

#homeschool #homeschoolmomsbelike #homeschoolmom #homeschoolmama #homeschoolexplained #homeschoolfun #firstdayofschool #homeschool2023 #homeschooling #homeschoolidaho
You guys, I fought this book. I fought this method You guys, I fought this book. I fought this method of teaching my kid to read. 🙈 I scoffed at the layout. I talked myself out of using it because I knew there were ”more beautiful” ways to teach reading. (Ugh…how embarrassing…)

I almost missed out on this helpful tool that helped my oldest daughter learn how to read and style that she understood well. And that’s just what it is…a tool. It is not the only way I teach my children how to read. It is one piece to a big, beautiful puzzle. 

Using this book + waiting until they are developmentally old enough to learn + exposure to great literature + reading to them daily since they were babies + a million others things is how I teach my kids to read 🥰

#homeschool #homeschoolmomsbelike #homeschoolcurriculum #homeschoolexplained #homeschoolfun #learntoread #teachyourchildtoreadin100easylessons #teachyourchildtoread #homeschoolidaho #homeschoollife

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