I Believe...

-dating your husband on a regular basis keeps a marriage refreshed.

-in the power of a good song playing on your headphones during a run.

-in dancing alone with music playing throughout your house.

-handwritten thank-you notes go a long way.

-it's important to be both affectionate toward your husband and have heated discussions with him in front of your children.

-Pinterest is 40% good and 60% evil.

-in the power of prayer.

-a playroom should be messy, most of the time.  I refuse to clean it up every single day.

-mother's instinct is a real thing.

-life's too short not to enjoy food/dessert/another bite.

-a smile goes a long way, especially when it feels impossible to smile.

-there's nothing like good, real girlfriends.  Girlfriends who know you - really know you - and love you just the way you are.

-you should spend time outside every single day.

-you should always do little things to surprise the people you love.

-eating dinner altogether as a family is so important.  Though two nights a week T and I feed the kids separately, put them to bed early, and eat takeout in front of our DVR'd shows.

-good workout clothes making working out more enjoyable.

-in always wearing a hat in the sun.

-there are some things you just have to buy name-brand... especially laundry detergent and mustard.

-a nice pillow is worth the extra money.

-in eating breakfast every morning.

-to-do lists keep me both organized and sane.

-that sometimes you just need a really good nap.

-in getting down on the floor and actually playing with your children.

-in also letting your kids play independently so they know how to entertain themselves.

-the only way I can prepare for the day is to spend some time with Jesus.

-logging my workouts via my daily checklists and my Runkeeper app holds me accountable and keeps me motivated.

-in needing coffee and deserving wine.

And I really, really believe in being the kind of parent YOU want to be.  Give your kid juice, or not. Let your kid watch a movie, or not.  Make your kid cry it out at night, or not.  Let your kid sleep in your bed, or not.  Spend a lot of time away from your kid, or not.  Let your kid have a pet, or not.  Make your kid say yes ma'am, or not.  Breastfeed, or not.  Put your kid in fancy clothes, or not.  Feed your kid organic, or not.

Within the realm of what's practical, common sense, and safe, I believe you should always do what works for you, your child, your family.  Every parent, every child, every family, every situation is different.  And I believe in today's world, there is such a stigma about what we, as mamas, should/shouldn't do.  But I think we're all just trying to survive until the next moment, we're all just trying to do our best.  And that, mamas, is always enough.

I also believe in celebrating making it halfway through the week - so Happy Hump Day!