Friends!

Today for my Special 15 moment I spent a few extra minutes visiting with good friends -- Lydia, Michelle, Jen, Allison, Anna.  It was so fun to have girl time, a few minutes at a time, spread throughout the day as I ran from task to task on my "to-do list" and tried to still add a touch of "special" to the mundane.  Topics were varied, but each short conversation was memorable for me (relief society lessons, un-met expectations, feeling the Spirit, self-reliance, toddlers, whole wheat tortillas, breastfeeding, baby showers, like/dislike for running, rollerblading down rocky slopes, sacrifice, surgery recovery, relying on other people, crazy hair-dos, magnetic menu boards, organization, etc.)!

Of all the things I have been blessed with, I count the MOST treasured in my dear friends!

Nighty-Night

Today I had INTENDED to make a garnet and pearl necklace and bracelet from the left-over pearl's my husband brought me from Mexico and some garnets I bought with a 40% off coupon at JoAnn's.  HOWEVER, my body got the best of me.  Instead of using my first break to finish up a special "me" project I've been wanting to get to . . . I took a nice . . . . long . . . . nap.  And judging from the screams from my little girl as she and her brother constantly fight over who gets to pull all the tupperware from the cupboard -- it's a DANG good thing I did!

January's "Special" Events

I know I haven't done very well at posting updates.  Maybe I need to include 15 minutes for blog posts in every day. :-)

Some of my "special" 15 minutes for January have included:

• Making a necklace (finally) out of the pearls my husband bought me in Mexico when we were still dating.
• Finishing the "I Am A Child of God" pictures for my babies (and messing one up because I didn't get the mod podge just right - so I already know what I'll dedicate another few sets of minutes to re-creating!).
• Finishing a surprise thank you gift for my sisters for helping me out with my babies so much lately!
• Daily story time with my babies -- including sites, sounds, actions, etc.  We all LOVE this one!
• Writing cards or special e-mails or notes to family and friends.
• Enjoying the beauty of SITTING and drinking hot chocolate at the end of a busy day.
• Finishing my husband's photo book that I made him for his 31st birthday.
• Journaling some of my babies' firsts.
• Taking my babies on walks.
• Going on a walk by myself -- at night, just me and the star-lit sky and my thoughts.
• Re-organizing my husband's drawers so that he can actually FIT his clothes in them! (Does anyone else have to do this?) :-)
• Creating calendars of ideas for what will make the year special - day by day, week by week, month by month.
• Surfing the web for ideas on how to create a little more organization, homeyness, love, and laughter inside my four walls.
• Sing songs with and dance with my babies.
• Take my friend's engagement pictures with my husband.
• Research and make yummy, healthy recipes.
• Put my hair in curlers for a day when I need to feel a little bit "special."
• Help a friend brainstorm ideas for activities she can do with her 11-year-old church youth group.
• Make a surprise visit to a friend who has been on my mind a lot.
• Organize a weekly playdate for moms like me (and to get more than a short break from entertaining my kids).
• Take my kids to the in-door playground at our local Market Mall.
• Put a puzzle together with my husband -- just because.
• Do 15 minutes of sit-ups and crunches, my kids serving as added weight as they crawl on me and sit on my stomach.

It's been GREAT so far -- the BEST New Year's Resolution I have EVER made.

What things do YOU do to give yourself (or someone else) a special day . . . even if it is just for 15 minutes at a time?

Chocolate Brownies -- Lydia Style!

Wanting to cheat but not too much?  My friend published this recipe for low-calorie, fat-free brownies.  Now to just do something about that sugar content . . . . :-)

New Year, New Me!

First of all, a return and report for last year.  My resolution last year was - yes, to lose weight - but more importantly to hit a point where weight loss was NOT my resolution in 2010!  And, friends, I have to say that I succeeded!  I didn't lose the weight I hoped. I didn't even hit my goal weight. In fact, I am still one pound up from my pregnancy weight. I lost 22 pounds last year, though, and after a year of focusing on weight loss, I feel like I succeeded enough to start this year withOUT a resolution to lose weight.

Which brings me to this blog.  One of my resolutions this year is to make every day special.  So I would like to dedicate this blog to just that -- the Mommy 15 Special Minutes!  I figure that I can dedicate 15 minutes every day to making that day special in some way - for me, for my kids, for my husband, for a friend, for a stranger, whatever!  And I want to share that with YOU and invite you to share your special "Mommy 15" minutes.

How about it, friends?  I look forward to a great year and a change WITHIN myself that I have been needing for a very long time!

Happy New Year!