How do we do it?

How do we do what? I hear you say.

Well, how do we handle being a full time mother, wife, have a hubby going through a full time master's program, which he has to work part time, as well as study too, be sister from thousands of miles away, a friend, be a grandma, trying to be healthy, exercise,  keep our kids healthy, up to date with the latest fashion trends, ( I'm a tad behind in this lol) whats the new thing in parenting, do a blog, social media, etc.?

There are those who are all that and work too, and I say to you, I admire you, I don't know how you do that!!

For those ladies, who have yet been blessed to be a mother, you will,  but for now enjoy your long baths, without the little ones yelling, I need a pee!! Or help, or throwing toys into your bubble bath !! Lol

Even having a full night's sleep, your so lucky,  enjoy your time, because as soon as the pitter patter of tiny feet arrives,  be prepared to have your life turned upside down.... Or in other words.....

ARGH!!!

I am all of those listed above and added to it, and over the year's, I've had many church callings over the years, helped put on two Pantomime's as well as star in them. Go through a divorce, start over, get remarried, have two more kids, and how to not get lost in between the cracks, especially when we're PMS'ing? 

How do we do it?

One word: CHOCOLATE!

I know, I hear you; chocolate doesn't go to well with health and exercise, but for a woman, 'Chocolate is a Must.' and it has to be Cadburys from Britain, the brand I grew up loving, Without it I would crack like Humpty Dumpty! Lol

Since moving to Madison, my life has been higgldy piggldy, and my routine has opened the window and said goodbye. So with a better frame of mind, I have chosen to do better. This past couple of weeks, I have started taking the girls on walks in the stroller, which helps me get my exercise as well enjoy the beautiful woodland walks and views of Lake Mendota. There is something wonderful and uplifting about nature. The peacefulness, creaks and snaps of the wood and branches as squirrels, chipmunks jump and climb, also listening to the birds sing and chirp makes me feel so much better when I go on walks. 

I have also been writing more! YEAH, I know bout time right. I think walking has got my writing juices flowing. I am still finding it an adjustment getting used to Jason being so busy with his masters, work and studying, which leaves me with me being the parent who, does most things at home with our girls! Which at times has me frustrated and reaching for the chocolate! Ugh lol. So that got me thinking...I need to be better!! So I started doing a bedtime routine with Seren & Carys.

We now have bath time, playtime, and some TV time, then bed! I must say I am enjoying this time. We have been doing singing time in bed. Seren and Carys love this. 

We start by turning on their star night lights and Carys begin with, upa, upa sky, tinkle tinkle star!! In English - twinkle twinkle little star lol. Seren sings beautifully and then we sing nursery rhymes together. Once we finish, I start singing some songs from home and it gives me some sweet memories of Welsh songs, which I haven't sung in years, to re-remember them and sing them for my girls. It also helps my girls hear my native Welsh language. I'm grateful I can carry a tune :) And I'm grateful for my mam encouraging me to enter into many church Eisteddfods many years ago. Now one of the songs I love to sing to the girls is a favorite of mine and it evokes happy and sad memories of Wales. 

The song is called, 'We'll Keep a Welcome.' Back in Wales, when we had visitors come to our church, there was a friend of mine, Sian Jenkins, she'd go up to the stand and from the pulpit start to sing, Far Away a voice is calling,.... Then the congregation would stand and join in with her to finish singing the song, everytime I sang it, I would get goosebumps and I still do. That is the happiest memory associated with that song, the sadder one is, Many years ago when I'd not long moved to USA, I had to give a presentation about Wales, so I chose to sing 'We'll keep a welcome', and I had to call my mam back in Llanelli, Wales and ask her for the sheet music, to which she sent it to me, and she also sang it to me, down the phone :) I can hear her singing it now. I will always hold that memory close to my heart of her singing to me, it fills me with tears as I write this now. When I do go home to visit, my mother is no longer there, but in heaven and I pray she still sings the song x Love you mam, I miss you.

Wales, is a singing nation and I am going to continue to sing my girls to sleep and enjoy this time with them, because before I know it, they won't want me to indulge my whims on them lol. I have also learned to re-focus my time. There will always be another day to do other stuff, like read, blog, crafts etc, but time with my girls I can't take back. I can always do my interests when the girls are sleeping.

So back to the question, How do we do it?

CHOCOLATE! Oh and some BIG sighs, and cries and then we just gotta do it,  right, because a mother's/woman's job is never done.

Take a listen to the songs, I of course am not signing them, but I found the next best :)

We'll keep a Welcome. 

Calon Lan  (A Pure Heart)  (This is how we Welsh people sound, I love that these young boys have found a wonderful hobby and keeping our traditions alive, gives me goosebump hearing them sing)

Ar Hyd Y Nos. ( All through the night)


Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau - ( Bread of Heaven ) our Welsh National Anthem sang as it should be, before a Rugby match !! Go Wales!