Rising Above Beauty Standards

Rising Above Beauty Standards

We live in a society based on media and photography touch ups. As a mom of three young girls I am very aware that young minds are sponges and so many things come into effect when determining their self esteem. I watch what I say, what I do and how I act towards my own body. I never make negative remarks about others looks and always make sure they know that beauty is made from within. I try to do my best when it comes to this subject because it is something that I feel is often looked over. As if the media wasn't brainstorming and negative enough for our girls, words coming from our peers dig deeper. I'm still young and ripe to the mom gig but I am constantly bettering myself for the sake of my girls. With all of that being said, it tares me wide open when my girls come to me a couple hours after their dance performance and say that there was a "mean girl" backstage and she told Remy that she "wasn't cute or pretty." It takes every ounce of me to take the high road instead of the lowest of lows. I obviously do my motherly job and instruct her otherwise. Reassure her that she is most certainly beautiful, and her heart is even more so. I'm proud of the fact that she wasn't necessarily bothered by that degrading comment, but more upset that the said "mean girl" made Raygan cry because she told on her for coming to her little sisters defense. I'm proud because that means that I'm doing my job on creating a beautiful little person that is confident and is aware that she is most definitely cute and pretty on the outside as well as the inside. I'm proud that her big sister stood up for her and told the "mean girl" she "shouldn't say things like that, and that wasn't kind" and I'm damn proud that they have each other. As mothers we need to do our best in staying clear of the negative influences that work their way into our ever so busy lives and remember that beauty standards are held way too high. We need to rise above, and lift each other up. Compliment someone rather than bring them down. Promote kindness instead of selfishness, and more importantly work together.

My Soul

For the last year I have been lost, my brain has been scattered and my attention has been elsewhere. Where exactly I don't know. I have used this blog for my writing and thoughts for a very long time, with the exception of the last year of course. It started to become a little more public especially with friends and family, and I started to withhold my normal writing and soon it became a "look what we did over her weekend" blog. Which is never what I wanted. I obviously wanted to showcase my family and promote motherhood, however my goal was to write. From my heart, the highs and lows of motherhood and crazy kid antics. Not post a 100 photos of our weekend. Somewhere in the last couple months I searched my soul and figured out what was wrong with me. My blog, or lack there of. I missed writing and wanted it back. Being ten feet deep in motherhood I need something of my own again. I realized I was not myself and I needed to change that. I have felt scattered A lot stemmed into my break, first our computer broke, then our basement flooded (where our computer was), the duties of motherhood, and later on moving. We have been very busy, and also learned we are expecting our fourth Carlin baby. I miss writing, I miss connecting, and I miss the opportunities that have came from this amazing community. I'm happy and content in our new home and look forward to creating my online space again.

Strawberry pickin' and ballet weekend

Shits goin' good. This week was officially the beginning of summer  A ribbon cutting declaration consisting of a mini road trip to pick strawberries and by Friday we were at the farmers market eating donuts on national donut day. It's things like that that make me feel on point-like this mom slash life gig is going well. I'm embarrassed to admit that my legs are still a little sore from our berry picking adventure, but yeah, they are. 

          

               

              

                



Our weekend consisted of ballet. Lots of ballet, rehearsal Friday evening and Saturday was their grand recital. Being the seasoned ballet mom that I am I knew what to expect out of this end of the season hurrah. Hot.hell. And this year I had two girls to get through. Thankfully they were only two classes performing in between them & they were in the first act-meaning, we were home by 6:30. Score. 

            

             

             

They both did so great. Honest to goodness smiles worked their way across my girls faces and I once again I was a crazy person all day. Fortunately cameron is the only one who is blessed to see it & put up with it. I, the amazing-on-top-of-it mama that I am remembered to charge the video camera perhaps five minutes before us gals needed to leave the house. I told cameron NOT TO FORGET THE VIDEO CAMERA, and then text him to as we pulled out of the driveway to bring the big girl camera. That you guys, is trust. Honest to goodness TRUST. Never in my life did I think I would be able to trust him with not only remembering to bring the video camera, but also my big girl camera when Im not as on top of my shiz as I should be. In case your wonderin' he followed through. And picked up flowers on the way. Good fella he is.

What We've been up to-in photos

I've struggled with how to get back into this. There is so much to write, to tell, and so much that I feel is going to be forgotten or Id like to share. We've been constantly going throughout this absence (go figure) and I wish I could show it all. But here I go, I'm just gonna throw it all out there.


How we've been? We've been well, Rourys a ripening 6 months old, eating, sitting, and totally obsessed with her sisters. And them? The little busy bees. They are swell. Typical big bossy sister and Remy is the annoying little sister that takes & breaks. They both keep me laughing (and screaming) daily. It's amazing how one day can literally be the worst day on earth with them and the next is nothing but sunshine and roses. Raygans developed quite the attitude and I feel like I'm getting in an argument with my -almost- five year old self every single time. Remy is growing super independent and I'm loving it, other days I'm not...like Monday. The day I got a peanut butter and jelly sandwich thrown at me, then later found in the garbage with a kid on the counter, bread spread out with her little hands fist deep in peanut bitter gripping a butter knife. She would have completed her sandwich if she could have only opened the jelly. I went with it and opened the damn jelly. Picking my battles one sandwich at a time.



 

 

 



                                                                      

We've been keeping ourselves busy with T-ball, swimming, and ballet. One of which is already over, and latter two are coming to an end. We're filling our gaps with preschool play dates where I forget all about bossy big sister problems and thrive on how great of a big sister she truly is, tugging Remy around by the arm with all of her big girl friends the entire time.

We're loving having a yard, its really our first yard ever! I knew we'd utilize it and love it, but I never expected so much. We -and by we I mean Cameron- planted a (very) humble garden and I can't wait to see the results. My mans the one with the green thumb, not I. The girls love being out there, and damn near every meal has been ate outside.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We're BBQing and prepping for summer in every aspect possible. Camping trips and Fourth of July celebrations are in the works and I can't wait to fill in the gaps with memory making adventures that can only be filled throughout summer. Strawberry picking anyone? Im having difficulties finding a patch near us.

 

 

 

 

These photos in no particular order.