Managing Everyday Life

I feel like I'm relearning this on a daily basis. Some days I feel like I really have a handle on life and keeping things organized, clean, and productive. There are the days/weeks where I feel really pumped and inspired to plan my weekly activities to keep Mason and I happy, the house clean and organized, keep myself clean and happy, but most of all give my husband a nice calm environment to come home to after a day filled with medical things crammed inside his noggin. 

Why is it that it takes time after time after time to learn how to manage our lives? It takes less then a day to be thrown off my groove. Once that happens I'm in a funk and everything goes to craps. The house looks like a tornado struck, there are dishes that have been sitting in the same spot for days, I haven't gotten dressed or combed my hair, and Mason has watched hours of t.v. usually the same episode. I hate days/weeks like this. I turn into a mean moody crazy witch lady. So what is the secret to falling into this trap?   I'm not sure what it is but all I know is I have to figure it out quickly! We have finally hit the point in medical school where I become a single mom. I have been waiting and expecting this moment for a while and was surprised that it didn't hit till the end of the 2nd year. I thought, Isn't my husband supposed to be so ridiculously busy that he is nonexistent? Lance has been amazing at juggling school, family, and fun time. I'm pretty sure he's magic and is able to make more hours in the day because he should not be able to do what he does and do as well as he does in school. I think we have definitely been blessed in the sense that our family unit has not suffered or been neglected in the way you hear about when someone is in some crazy program like his. I'm grateful Heavenly Father has given us that. Lance definitely inspires me to keep my life organized and not waste time because it is precious. I just hate that the lesson isn't sticking! After looking back at all these failed attempts and noticing the pattern of chaotic life and organized chaos(because lets face it life is always chaotic and that's not a bad thing)  it makes me realize how important it is (for me, and Mason) to keep scheduled and organized. 

So as I prepare myself for the next 2 years to be a wife to a medical student that will be coming home at 2:00 am to sleep just to get up at 4:00 am I will try my hardest to keep all my crazy lists taped all over the fridge, calender organized, child fed and alive, myself clean, house cleaned, and family happy. But I think the biggest lesson in all of this is not to beat myself up when things get off track. Get back up, don't look back and think this is a new minute lets start it off right. If you have any ways that help to keep your life better managed please share your secrets!

Hard Decisions

I love doing hair and anything that has to do with making people feel beautiful about themselves. It's on my mind daily. Lately though I have had a power struggle with myself in my mind. There have been so many little signs and things popping up that doing hair has become stressful, frustrating, and eye opening. I'm now understanding a little bit why. One of the biggest things that has crossed my mind many times lately is how much time it's taking me away from Mason. Having the stress of an audit and dealing with the tax part of it along with other nitty gritty details with the hair industry, has been a huge sign of what I need to do.
From now on I will no longer be doing hair in Massachusetts. I will do haircuts for free to keep up on my skills but that's it. I figure if people want to do trade or something, then I will accept that. No monies! It is such a hard choice for me and I've been in tears all night about it but I think that's because I know I have to do it. With thinking about this through the night I'm seeing all the signs my Heavenly Father has been giving me for the last little while. I'm scared about things financially because we really depend on the extra income as little as it may be. But at the same time I feel peace about it and know things will be fine. I'm really grateful for the promptings I have received. I know my family will really benefit from this!


- Dani, Lance, Mason

Chair of Shame

We have tried so many different things as consequences for Mason. I decided to try the time out chair again. We talked about what the chair was for and how if he made a wrong choice he needed to sit there. If the words time out chair are even spoken and not even in a way that means he needs to go there he shamefully walks over to his chair, sits down and hangs his head. This is one of those times. He wasn't even in trouble.




- Dani, Lance, Mason

Big Day

Yesterday was a big day for a lot of people in my family and I couldn't help but share!

I will start with Mason. He's potty trained! I'm sure everybody already knows it from my millions of posts on Facebook but I wanted it documented here. If you like just skip past this part :). We felt like now was a better time then ever to get Mason potty trained. Life is only going to get busier and why wait. I started out searching the web for ideas and was having nothing but terror and anxiety about it all. The thought of MAKING my child sit in the toilet every 20 minutes didn't sit well but I figured hey all these people swear by it so I will give it a try. It all started out great and he was super excited about it. Then by the end of the night he thought that potty was the devil himself! Lance deserves a special reward for heading up that project. We knew we had to go about this a different way. Mason is very stubborn and I knew it was going to backfire if we tried another day like that. I had a few friends rave about this ebook you can find at www.3daypottytraining.com. I brushed it aside until that night and said well I may as well give it a try and if it works as well as they say it did then it won't hurt. I figured it was the cost of a box of diapers and it was the last box! We read it and gave it a shot the next morning. It was night and day how he responded to this new technique. It clicked for Mason half way through the day. Today we had no accidents accept at nap time. Which I don't even mind since he's been doing so well. That part will come soon I'm sure. I didn't know you could be so happy about potty training. It was much easier then I expected and I'm ready to do it again when I have to. We're proud of you Mason!



Next good news of the day is about my awesome Aunt Lisa. She was diagnosed with Breast Cancer. It was in both breasts and had spread a good amount. She went through the battle of Chemo, having a double mastectomy, and radiation. Yesterday she got to ring the bell at the hospital because she completed her last round of radiation!! I'm really excited for her. Knowing its your last one is like a weight being lifted off your shoulders in her case it was 11 pounds lifted off her chest! Love you Aunt Lisa!



Now for my last happy moment of the day I'm still giddy and teary eyed about. My nephew Jace is Autistic. He has never really spoke, forgive me if I'm wrong but he is 4. Sorry Angel! He use to be able to say a few small words but it stopped for a while and hasn't spoke for a very long time. Nothing you could understand anywase. Angel(sister in law) calls it Goblin Talk. He has been attending a very prestigious school in SLC that is very heavily geared to autistic kids. Yesterday Jace clearly started singing, "I like my blue shoes, I like my blue shoes!". I can't even imagine how happy Angel was to hear that. It makes me so happy and melts my heart! I wish I was closer so I could give him a big hug. I always hear about how much mothers of autistic children would love to hear them speak and tell them how they feel. I'm so grateful Angel and James got to experience that. They are amazing parents to him and do an awesome job at raising him! Love you guys!



Good day all around!

- Dani, Lance, Mason

Praise Pinterest

Pinterest has kept me from going insane once again! Granted there was one project where I wanted to pulls my eyes out and never finish I.E. my ruffle curtains. I don't ever want to do some of those at least for a year or 2. But I do now have both my windows in my bedroom covered with curtains. It only took me 6 months. Back to my sanity. Hitting the 2 year old age has brought many new adventures. One thing Mason has enjoyed discovering is opening and closing doors. This makes me crazy! It's not just a soft close of course it has to be slammed. I came across this idea on Pinterest and it has really saved my life. Behold, the noodle! It's great because the door can't be closed either so I don't have to worry about him locked in his room.



- Dani, Lance, Mason