Today, I am going to s.l.o.w down and focus on what matters most.

And when I get caught up  in the “frantic activity of  life”, I am going to watch this video again, to help me get the perspective I need

Enjoy! xo

Guess what I have been doing instead of the laundry?!

My creative juices have been flowing lately as I have been creating art using the computer.

I usually start off with a rough idea in my head or a sketch I have done…then I keep on developing it, tweaking it and changing it. It usually morphs into something completely different from what I had in my mind at the beginning.

If I see a colour combination I like while I am surfing the net, or on a greeting card or a piece of fabric, I keep it in mind, then try to incorporate it later in one of my drawings.

The quote I used, is the one I posted a little while ago.

It reminds me of my role as a mother when I read this quote, and the role I have in raising my children. Each day we are planting seeds. At the end of the day, quite often we do not see the harvest. Hopefully the seeds we plant will sprout a happy, healthy and well-balanced “big person” who knows they are loved.

Do you have a favourite quote at the moment?

I’m joining  our creative spaces for the first time! yay!

I just wanted to wish you all a special Happy Mother’s Day!

I am grateful for the people around me, who also values and appreciates the role of a Mother.

Sometimes we may feel that we may not be doing our “very best”. We were never given a manual on how to be a parent, when we had our children. A lot of our parenting comes from instincts. I think if we can base our parenting on love and on helping our children reach their fullest potential, we are doing a pretty good job!!

So, THANK YOU MOTHERS, thank you so much for loving your children. That gift alone, will sustain them throughout their life.

Here are a couple of resources, that I think are pretty fantastic.  Enjoy!

xo Meeks

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I have a stack of notebooks, each filled with jumbled thoughts, diary entries, quotes and learning gleaned from the scriptures.

When I open a notebook from the past, it is like re-visiting an old friend. I smile at the hurried notes, goals to work on, diary entries about triumphs and trials, and words of advice and encouragement .

Writing seems to help me gain clarity on my thoughts. I love that!

Here is something I wrote, that I found in one of my notebooks:

This journey in life is like a hike up a mountain.

You could focus on the others ahead of you…

…or you could take the time to see how far you have come.

You could lament over the wrong path that was taken…

…or you could get on the right path now, and learn from your mistakes.

You could complain about how tired you are and give a run down of all the things that are going wrong…

…or you could look out and take in the view and count your blessings.

You could get discouraged and want to stop – believing you are not cut out for this…

…or you could concentrate on your end goal and press forward,

just one. step. at. a. time.

You may also like the quote on Taking Risks.

Kate from Centsational Girl has this quote up on her boy’s wall.

I love it!

(You can download the quote at her blog)

Here is a video of the scene in Winnie the Pooh…..awwwww…

Shame on you, you sit and say,
Just what did you do today?
I held a baby till she slept,
I held a toddler while he wept.
I played a game of hide and seek,
I squeezed a toy so it would squeak.
I pulled a wagon, sang a song,
Taught a child right from wrong.

What did I do this whole day through?
Not much that shows, I guess that ‘s true.
Unless you think that what I’ve done,
Might be important to someone
With deep green eyes and soft brown hair,
If that is true….I’ve done my share.

AUTHOR UNKNOWN

To all you mothers out there: I don’t think you are told enough how great you are! I love the idea of being your cheerleader along the way to tell you that I know it can be hard some days, but that what you do….matters

If you have any quotes or poems that you come across that gives you warm fuzzies about motherhood, please send them my way

ALDOUS HUXLEY

Have you noticed the expression on children’s faces? They don’t just smile, they have enthusiasm, joy, contentment, happiness, elation all rolled into one and it just beams from their faces.

It doesn’ t even have to be about anything in particular too! Look at babies, they just coo and smile just because you are there

I sometimes catch my reflection in a mirror, or in a car window. I just look…perplexed! (Probably because I’m thinking all the time!)

I think we need to give our cheeks a bit of a work out and really use all the muscles in our face and participate in joyous moments with a huge laugh, or a toothy grin. It may freak your children out, but hey, I bet it will feel great! (I’m smiling just thinking about it…..now I’m practicing my toothy grin that will be on show for my kids tomorrow! haha! If you could see me now!)

NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE

I just love the visual language that is used in this quote!

“Keep your heart in wonder at the daily miracles of your life”

KAHLIL GIBRAN

Earlier this week, the girls told my hubby that there was a beautiful sunset, and that they should tell me. When I saw it, my jaw dropped. It was the most beautiful pink sky I had ever seen! I quickly grabbed my camera and started running (yes running!) down the street to the hill/reserve near our place that overlooks the Wellington harbour. By the time I got there the pink had turned into a deep orange and the edges were a mixture of blue/orange/pink. Nature always surprises me at how beautiful it can be! It takes my breath away.

“Nature never did betray the heart that loved her.”

WILLIAM WORDSWORTH

In his answer he talked about how one Valentine’s day was particularly memorable because he remembered feeling accepted:

“It helps a man feel accepted when he knows that the things he has already done are more important than the things he has not done yet.

A guy likes it when a woman acts like she has everything she wants when she has him.”

Awwww…gush material!!

Feeling accepted is a priceless gift, it is so important not only with our husbands, but with our children as well.

When I was pregnant I actually thought I looked pretty good. It wasn’t until after I had the baby and I would look back on photos of me pregnant that I realise how huge I was! My hubby would make lovely comments all though my pregnancy, that made me feel beautiful….he made me feel accepted.

I know I will be thinking a bit more about how I can show the ones I love that I accept them, and love them for them.

MARIANNE WILLIAMSON

From her book “A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of a Course in Miracles”

At “Marta Writes” I stumbled across her “quote wall“. I JUST LOVE THE IDEA!

(I secretly covet Marta’s quote wall…shhhh!)

Then I realised that I haven’t put a quote up for a while! I love quotes, they make me feeling like pulling my shoulders back and stand a little taller!

I *heart* quotes!

• Harmony – The things that we are trying to do consistency is so that we have more harmony and unity in our family.
• Gratitude – I would like to work on being grateful. I don’t want to be blind to all the beauty and blessings around us. When I feel grateful, I feel happy and humbled.
• Be present – Are my actions consistent with my goals? I want my heart and my mind to be really open to what is happening in front of me. This time with my young children is going to pass quickly and I want to savour it!

Below are a couple of quotes that really stood out to me. When I read them I felt empowered that my actions or change in attitudes have the ability to really make a difference in a situation, even though the circumstances are the same. It doesn’t take money, or a change in location….it just takes a change in our mindset:

“While motherhood is not perfect, we have the opportunity to share many beautiful and perfect moments with our children every day. We just need to be awake to those moments and attuned to them so we can more fully embrace and enjoy them.”

DEBRA SANSING WOODS

(from her book “Mothering with Spiritual Power”)

I love this quote that I came across yesterday, when I was window shopping with my gal pal Shelly.