I hope you all enjoyed celebrating Mother's Day over the weekend...

My day was filled with...

 Homemade Snickerdoodle Cookies from Clara

Fresh cut roses from around the house...
put in one of my favorite recycled vases and displayed alongside a surprise morning breakfast from Jason...

A lovely giftcard to HomeGoods...*wink*

And a brunch with my family...
including my mom, stepdad, aunt, uncle and cousins...
Followed by an afternoon of pool time...

I feel very blessed.
I hope you felt the same...

KEEPiNG iT REAL

#1: Jason read the blog post apparently...hence the HomeGoods score! *wink*

#2: I made the Bacon, Egg and Toast Cups from this post. (I chose to do a scrambled egg version instead of the sunny- side-up and they didn't look as pretty. They took on a strange look when they ballooned up in the oven. Thankfully as they cooled, they shrunk back down. But I would describe them as "bird-like" since the bacon slices resembled wings. They tasted good. And they were easy to make. It just turned out to be an odd presentation. The best part? My girls actually made them as part of treating me for Mother's Day. 

#3: I ate like a pig and woke up this morning determined to get back into my exercise routine. (That motivation was later followed by my consumption of 5 remaining Snickerdoodle cookies.) *blushing*

#4: That bud vase is a recycled capers jar. LOVE collecting these as bud vases.
#5: That "surprise" breakfast was ruined a bit when I came walking out to the kitchen in a panic that no one was up and we were running late for church. Jason shooed me away and I hopped back in bed until I was told to come out. oops!!

did you know? | I am an overachiever...

Not sure if you've picked up on the fact that...
I tend to be an overachiever.

Sometimes this is a very good quality to have.
And other times I find it quite annoying.

Regardless...
it's part of who I am.
And because of it...
I have come to learn so much about myself.

One of the hardest things I've had to learn over the past few years...
(yes...this particular piece of self-discovery is still sort of new)...
Is this...

Source: jenniferjohner.typepad.com via Jessica on Pinterest

Growing up...
There wasn't anything I didn't think I could conquer, if I put my mind to it.
Not only conquer...
But excel at...
and even, perhaps, be the very best at...
(whatever it was).

No...
I wasn't that person who participated in every extra-curricular activity in school.
And aside from cheerleading for a short period in my life...
I wasn't involved in competitive sports.
I didn't run for class president...
I wasn't a straight-A student either.

I guess you'd call it "selective" over-achieving.
I HAVE to find it interesting...
I HAVE to be passionate about it...
and it HAS to hold my attention....
otherwise, once I've conquered it...
I'm done with it.

I had no fear of whatever challenge was before me.
Whatever I put my mind to...
I could do it.
And I could do it well.

It either stemmed from a very strong sense of self-confidence...
or developed due to a lack of confidence...
and the need to prove myself to others. (and to myself)?
I haven't figured out which one it was yet.
Probably a combination of the two since I think we are born with such innocence...
not yet fully aware of the sting of failure...
or the fear that somehow creeps into our lives as we are exposed to pain...
frustration...
embarrassment...
and all of the other emotions and experiences that continually shape and mold us.

This "overachiever" mindset was carried over into adulthood...
And it became particularly prominent when I became a mother.
I grew up wanting to be the "perfect" Mom.
I'm certain I'm no different than so many of you out there.


I want to be good at everything I do.
And most importantly...
I want to be able to do everything I want to do.
I have dreams...
And I have my heart and mind set on achieving so many different things...
This list includes everything from:
• being that "perfect Mom"
• being the perfect daughter
• the perfect friend
• the perfect neighbor
• the woman who religiously works out for health and fitness
• the girl who's baking everyone loves
• the girl who's cooking everyone craves
• the one who's home feels comfortable to all who enter
• the person who's home is always neat and tidy
• the woman who provides a safe haven for her family by creating warmth and love in her home

Not the girl who necessarily HAS it all...(although that would be nice too.) *wink*
but the girl who can DO it all.
I get extremely frustrated when I feel like I'm having to choose between the things I want to do.

I don't want to have to choose...
I really want to be able to do EVERYTHiNG!!
And sometimes I let my own frustration get the best of me.
I refer to it as "swimming against the current".
I don't want to prioritize...
because EVERYTHiNG is a priority.
I sometimes feel that if I let go of something I sincerely feel is important...
I will somehow end up with a lot of missing pieces to my "life puzzle".

I resist surrendering to the fact that there are only so many hours in the day...
and that there's only so much energy I'm alloted on a daily basis...
and that there is a cut-off point as to the number of irons I have in the fire...

And then...
this arrived via email today from Brave Girls Club...

I DO love to do things in a "beautiful, soulful way".
But if try to do everything...
"sacred things will suffer...especially [me]."

This is something I know I will have to continually remind myself of.
And as much as it pains me...
I DO have to "give myself permission to put some things on a different timetable..."
It's VERY hard for me to accept when I have to leave something "undone".
It's difficult to let go of anything I feel is important...

But I completely agree with this:
"It does not make you weak or powerless...
it shows your strength and commitment to all that is best for your own precious life".

Anyone else out there need that message today?

I genuinely love you guys.
I'm SO grateful for every single one of you who takes the time to read my posts.
I'm grateful for all of you who leave comments...
and share your own personal stories.
I adore each of you.
Thank you for enriching my life...
I especially thank you for listening...*wink*