My friends Rabia and Lisa have started a great new list link up called Tuesday Ten. Each week the provide a prompt and encourage you to link up your words. Looks like fun, doesn’t it? This weeks’ prompt is 10 things I should say more often in my house.
Also, in other news… look who’s given herself a rebrand?!? I’ve been hard at work here behind the scenes, which is why I haven’t been posting as frequently. I am so proud to say that my husband and I have figured out how to do this all on our own! More good things are to come!
1. I should say yes. Especially as it relates to playing with Malone. Getting on the floor and playing is SO HARD for me. I’m not a player, I’m more of a do-er. It is so much easier for me to do an activity, bake, read, play a game, or go on an adventure with Malone than it is for me to get on the floor and play. But I can tell how much it means to Malone when I get on the floor and really play cars with him, so it needs to happen more. Luckily, Michael is awesome at playing, so I guess we balance each other out.
2. I should say I’ll tackle the laundry this week. My husband works full time, but King of the Laundry on the weekend. He wins the prize. He also cleans the bathroom, takes out the trash, and helps with the after dinner clean up from time to time. Usually, I do the dishes because I want him to spend time with the kids before they go to bed.
3. I should say Malone, can you please help me do xzy? At 4.5, Malone loves to help and be included in just about any household task I’m working on. I need to invite him to work along side me more often. But too often I don’t, because it time it will take to do the task triples when there is a preschooler involved.
4. I should say no. This one relates more to blog land and church. I love to help. Giving my talent and time makes my soul sing, so I’m very generous with it. Sometimes, too generous. I end up over extended and stressed out. And then NOBODY wins.
5. I should say would you like to come over for dinner? This one is really hard for me. I would love to invite my friends into my home more often, but the size of our house + house guests often intimidates me. We hosted a small gathering in the past and had 4-5 other families here and it went just fine. I need to do that again!
6. I should say I love you, you make me so happy. No explanation really needed for this one.
7. I should say remember the Golden Rule. Treat others the same way you want to be treated. Aka- Do unto others as you would have them do unto you, which is based on Matthew 7:12. We’ve started saying this more with Malone as we really begin to be strategic in building his character. I have heard him use it a few times when a friend isn’t being kind to him. I need to remember that the more I can equip him with ideas around kindness, the more likely he is to be kind.
8. I should say let’s go talk a walk. I love our neighborhood and our neighbors. I need to get out there with the kids more (as soon a the weather warms up)!
9. I should say let’s write a letter! Our families live far away from us and I know they would enjoy getting a little snail mail from us. Maybe they’d even write back!
10. I should say I need help. Michael isn’t a mind reader. Enough said.
What about you? What should you say more often? I want to hear about it in the comments below!
Join the newsletter
Living in MA rocks! Subscribe to hear about awesome events and places to explore with your family.
Great list…I have several of the same on mine!
Teresa Kander recently posted..Tuesday Ten: Things I Should Say More Often
Awesome! Thanks for stopping by today!
I really should invite people over for dinner more often too! It would be fun! So often I get hung up on the fact that my house is not as nice as other people’s, but I really shouldn’t think that way. Great list!
Ginny Marie recently posted..Ten Things I Should Say More Often
I feel the same way Ginny Marie! Our space is cozy and inviting, but for some reason I get hung up on the fact that we rent instead of own!
I rent also and sometimes I have the same hang up. I think it’s because it’s harder to make a rental feel like your own, especially since if this were my house, so many things would be different so I feel like it’s not a true reflection of who I am as a person and I hate that!
Nancy recently posted..Slice of Life #4
I totally get that, Nancy. For me, my biggest hang up is that there just isn’t a lot of space to hang out. It would be different if I had a yard we could chill in or a basement playroom we could send the kids to!
I love “Let’s write a letter!” I always have this thought that we could write letters to family and friends on Saturdays, but then we never do it. I’m going to keep that thought in my mind, though. And one of these days we’ll get it started!!
Rabia @TheLiebers recently posted..#TuesdayTen: Things I Should Say More Often in My House {LinkUp}
I am a sucker for adorable stationary. I’ve got an entire basket full of cute note cards. I think I even have one that says {Not sent from my iPhone} which is pretty rad!
I love all of these! So so true. (Except the laundry, I already do all of it and would gladly relinquish any part of that job.) Great topic.
Sarah @ Beauty School Dropout recently posted..Sam at 6 months
He’s a good egg, that husband of mine. I know it is out of the ordinary and I’m so thankful for him!
Excellent list! I love your #9. Writing letters is something I really need to do more often. I have an elderly aunt in PA who loves both writing and receiving letters. I love keeping up with her via letters, but I don’t take the time to write to her as often as I should. Thank you for reminding me of this. It’s definitely something I need to make the time to do!
Marcia Shaw Wyatt recently posted..Tuesday Ten – Things I Should Say More Often
It really is a lost art, letter writing. I am terrible at it. Which is 100% why we need to do it more often!
What a great list! I am not a player either! My kids are a little older now, so it’s not quite as big an issue for me, but there was a time when I thought if I had to play one more game of Candyland I might just lose my mind! Also #5 – or just “let’s go out!” My hubby is really my best friend and some of my other best friends are blogger I have never even met IRL. I need to work on fostering friendships and one way to do that would be just getting together and hanging out! So glad you linked up and hope you will again!
Lisa @ The Golden spoons recently posted..Tuesday Ten Linkup – Things I Should Say More Often
One of my very best friends in all of the land is a blogger that I’ve yet to meet in real life.
Candyland drives me insane. I’m much more of a Chutes and Ladders kind of girl.
I love reading all of y’all’s 10 things to say more often.
I should do better about inviting friends over – I love to have people over but lately I’ve done horrible about planning – I’m more a spur-of-the moment kind!!
Kim recently posted..500 Days of Activity!!!
You should play along with us next week! I think Rabia and Lisa have the next prompt up!
I need to just have people over, period.
Eeek! I love ALL of these! One of the 1st (of many!) things that drew me to your blog was that you were a “yes mom”. I loved that notion, and the rest is history. Oh, and #4 and #10 are on my own list as well. And I love the house graphic!
Thank you! The house graphic came from Etsy. I really love it. We are using it in our (in)courage group FB header too.
I’m glad we’ve found each other. You make my life happy. xo
I’m with you on “yes” and I’m with you on “no.” And #5? It’s funny but I have kids here all the time but rarely invite *my* friends here for dinner. I need to do that. And writing letters? I love writing letters!
Ilene recently posted..You Gotta Be: Ask Away Friday with Tamara Camera Blog
Malone isn’t at the age yet where a playdate doesn’t involve just another little friend coming over. It is a family affair. My house intimidates me. AND having to have it clean enough (for my standards) for company to come over. That is STRESSFUL. But here is the kicker, my friends wouldn’t care one bit if they came to my half way clean house. It would be just fine for them, I’m sure.
I really need to practice the art of saying no when I need to. I’m trying to get back into letter writing and signed up for a Month of Letters challenge on http://lettermo.com/
Chrystal @YUMeating recently posted..Make Bulgogi at Home
What a fun challenge! I don’t know that I have it in my bones to send something EVERYDAY for a month, but I have a stack of things that I need to mail (including thank you cards from when Lola was born 5 months ago). I don’t know why, but sending mail the old fashioned way is so hard. Probably because I can type much much faster than I can write with pen and paper.
Let’s go take a walk! I am trying desperately to get out of the house more. I live in CA so there is no reason for me to be outside soaking up vitamin D with my littles. We had a lot of the same thoughts on this. It’s nice to know someone else thinks along the same lines.
Krissy P recently posted..Living Beyond the Scale
It is FRIGID here right now in New England. I haven’t seen the sun in days. I think the high tomorrow is going to be right around 11 degrees!
I would love to take a walk with you in CA. Let me just catch the red eye first !
I need to do more of #4! I have a hard time saying no when people ask me to do things…
Rachel recently posted..Why I Am Glad We Are Nearing the End of This Month…
You can do it! I promise, it is so freeing to say no to the things you really don’t want to do !
Writing more letters is on my list this year, too! Now I just have to do it… LOL.
Nancy recently posted..Slice of Life #4
Same! In fact, I am going to try to send out three today just because! Now, to go find stamps. I hope I’ve got some.
This was fun to read! Try not to put too many “shoulds” on yourself that can become a bit overwhelming! Saying no would be a big one for me too. I hope you do get down on the floor and play with your son more when you can. There is no tomorrow remember. Sorry for the horrible weather back there…all winter long for you folks! Good post to read, NJ and thank you for sharing
Mike recently posted..Phoenix’s Trip To The Dog Grooomer, A Flashback
My life and how I live it always has room to improve. So I promise not to get too overwhelmed while I keep working on them okay?
I’m beefing up my playtime skills, too. My toddler has a big imagination. We go from baking in her toy kitchen to driving to the store (actually I’m pushing her over to her toy box on a tiny plastic scooter). Then of course we have to build with blocks, only to tear it down and rebuild. It’s exhausting, but kids love it when mommy plays.
Nicole Robinson @TheBookWormMama recently posted..How to Raise a College Scholarship Winner
Could you come play with Malone too then?
For me, playing with him is the hardest (but most important) thing for me. I know he enjoys it so I’ll muster my way through it too!
Nodding along so hard my neck hurts! Yes, times a million to ALL of these. Especially saying yes. And number 10.-Ashley
thedoseofreality recently posted..Kids Are Exhausting And Make My Head Hurt
Ha! I hope you don’t get a neck cramp!
I’m glad this resonated with you (and everyone else) so much today. And thanks to Rabia and Lisa for the writing prompt! I wouldn’t have probably ever thought to write something like this on my own, so big kudos to them!
For me, it’s not what I should say more often, it’s what I should wait to say until I think about it. I tend to speak before thinking, especially with my family. Then I have to backpedal and take things back. I should be required to pause for 10 seconds before I open my mouth.
Dana recently posted..There’s a dude on my blog! (guest post)
Oh, how I know it Dana. It happens to me sometimes too. I’m an ENFP extrovert so I think I know everything about everything all of the time. I have learned over the years to really pause and listen before jumping in. It seems to be working for the most part.
Ok, we both rebranded… and this is what our newest video is about (it’s in the works and only has a list of 5, but will be on the site soon-ish)!! How odd – we are on the exact wavelength!! Anyway, love your list and your site – great work!!! And I’m so with you on #5 – it just stresses me out to just have to cook for my family though! I know, excuses, excuses.
xo ~kim & chloe
popcosmo recently posted..Comment on New Year, New Blog Design by Michelle Nahom
Thanks guys! Great minds think alike! It was time for a rebrand on my end- I had been using a version of the canned header that came with my theme!
I can’t wait to see your post. I’m sure we’ve got a lot of the same ideas!
I love 1, 5, and 9! And we should all take time to tell our loved ones more often how much they mean to us. LOVE this, NJ!!
Nicole @ Work in Sweats Mama recently posted..Wanderlust: Guest Post at Tamara (Like) Camera
Thanks Nicole! I have been working on saying yes to play this week. It has been challenging, and rewarding!
These are great! I should say, “Let’s have a phone chat” more often. Many of my friends are scattered all over the country, and lately we’ve been losing touch. I need to make more of an effort to reconnect, even if that just means a 10 minute chat on the phone.
Katie @ Pick Any Two recently posted..The 5-Minute Story That Changed My Whole Perspective on Giving
I would love to be able to talk on the phone, but it is so hard. As soon as I start, Malone needs one million things and MUST TALK to me immediately. I think he has a radar or something.
What a fabulous list and a great reminder! I know that i should say those things more often, too! Thank you!
You are welcome! I’m glad you enjoyed it!
LOVE this idea! I will definitely need to make a note (somewhere) to come by next week! I need to work on #1 a bit more too …
Tiffany recently posted..#AskAwayFriday FLASHBACK W/ Lanaya From Raising Reagan
I’ve got notes strewn all around my house! #1 is so so hard for me!
I think these are great. We only have people over in the summer, because quite honestly, I am overwhelmed by entertaining. And your website looks great! I think you’ve done a fabulous job!
Michelle recently posted..Mixing and Matching for Valentine’s Day
Thanks Michelle! I am in love with it!
Entertaining is super stressful for me too. If we had a great outdoor space, I might feel differently!
I’m working on #4 as well. And now that I know you are, I’m very proud of you for saying “no” to my offer to guest post this morning. It’s so hard to do sometimes!
Heather recently posted..January Monthly Review Link-up
Ha! Thank you! I will do one for you sometime soon!
I’m the same way about inviting people for dinner. I can only make so many things well so I don’t want to keep inviting them over for spaghetti over and over. We do invite people over when it’s warm and my husband can BBQ.
Amber recently posted..National Girl Scout Cookie Weekend #cookieboss
I think it can be super stressful to host others in our homes, but I think it is worth it! Next time, maybe you could do a potluck?
Let’s play a game of chess or checkers – that’s what I need to say more often!
bluecottonmemory recently posted..When Talking Suffocates: Communicating with a Compassion Spiritual Gift
Thanks for linking up to the Bloggers Brags Pinterest Party. I have pinned your post to the Bloggers Brags Pinterest Board.
Rachel recently posted..Breastfeeding Twins?
I need to remember to compliment my children and their new spouses more…I’m realizing that grown children (in their 20’s) need to build confidence and probably still look to their parents for affirmation that they’re doing a good job. Do you think that’s true?
I enjoyed reading your blog today, via SITS Comment Love…happy blogging!
Just realized I put the wrong website address…arghh…where did that come from?…sigh
Mimi @MimiAvocado recently posted..Mimi Avocado’s Chicken Quinoa Soup with Broccoli