The Mama Bear's Cottage ®

When you become a mother, your children come first, as it should be. They do, always. We love our child (ren) with everything in us. Everything we do for our children, we do it with their best interest at heart. But, when becoming a mother, it can make it very easy to forget that you have to take care of yourself, TOO. Have your best interest in mind TOO. Something I learned when becoming a stay at home mom was that you HAVE to MAKE time for yourself. Even if that means just 10 minutes a day.  I get on the blog and write. That is my "me" time. But your 10 minutes of "me" time doesn't even have to be a hobby! Take a bath, read a book, draw, listen to some music, wear something cute, put on something extra comfy, paint your nails, put on some makeup, meditate, or go sit silently in prayer. I know as mothers, it is so hard to "take time" for yourself. That is why I am here to challenge you ALL to MAKE the time. Ten minutes a day. A 10 minute...

Let's talk about the stigma behind being a stay-at-home mom (SAHM). People think you "do nothing all day," just "sit around" and watch the kids right? Let's ALL laugh. That is not what we do all day. I have not been in the workforce since I was diagnosed with a rare form, of a rare form, of a congenital heart defect. I still wanted to go to school, get my degree, and eventually make it back into the workforce after further procedure, when my health has improved. Luckily, my husband was so supportive of me getting my degree in Human Services that he took on the responsibility of being a full-time supporter, while I took on being a SAHM and full-time college student. I'd be lying if I said it was easy. It can be hard, and not just because I am with my kids all day, everyday. That is the easy part. Taking on chores in a four person household on your own because your husband is working overtime this week, like every week, is hard. Not seeing...

My children were born long before I even met them. Being a bonus mama was something I never imagined or pictured myself being in the future. I always pictured meeting the "one," AND THEN creating a family. When I met my husband, I met his children too and I instantly loved them, just as much as much as I did him. With all of my heart. They were a product of who I loved, they were a part of him, and simultaneously, a part of me too.  I never knew what being a mother was, until I met you. I was not sure I ever wanted to be a mother, until I met you. I did not even know I would be a good mother. Now, I know it is my purpose, a reason for my very being. I never knew I could love so much, sacrifice so much, care so much, until I met you. I never knew I would be so grateful to wake up willingly at the crack of dawn to get breakfast ready, until I met you. I never knew I could care so much for someone's happiness, achievements, and well-being, until I met you. ...

Sundays automatically give me anxiety. I know its the the beginning of the new week, and as the day goes on my mind gets cloudy with my imaginary to-do list for the week. Getting back to the routine, being the first to wake up in the morning, getting the kids ready for school, getting them on the bus, dinner prepping, cleaning house, helping the kids with their homework, doing our nightly reading, doctor appointments, working on my own homework, birthday parties, school events, family events, and anything else going on that week. Sometimes we tend to stress about things before they are even happening, then they happen and we think "What was there to stress about?" Mamas, I think we all are under a lot of pressure to be the perfect mom or parent. We devote ourselves trying to live up to that expectation and it is an impossible expectation, lets just be real. The week may not be perfect. Things may not go as planned. You may burn dinner one night this week. The kids...

I woke up this morning, a kid free Saturday, expecting to wake up energized, motivated and ready to take on the day headstrong, finish chores, do school work, until I looked out the kitchen window to see this sight. An instant daze. I do not know what it is about rainy days that make you just want to crawl into a blanket and do nothing else. The vibe is eerie, the wind, chilly. I started the day like I would any other, doing "our" routine just without the kids. Breakfast, water, vitamins, and began to charge my laptop as I started folding a load of laundry. My thoughts, foggy, begging for sunshine to come through the windows. Then, I started on my degree work for the day. Not even an hour into a project and the power goes out? Really? All I could do was huff and puff, "stupid rainy day." Thinking about all things I couldn't get done like laundry and my degree work, instead of just enjoying the daze of a rainy day. To relax, be comfortable, take a bre...