Creating A New Focus for 2021

As the sun rose on the new year it felt different. Social media wasn't flooded with resolutions to disappoint us halfway through the year, instead, there was a quiet, more careful approach to the year. We seemed to step into 2021 like a deer into a quiet clearing, our ears listening for danger, our feet ready to run into hiding. 

2020 had stirred up our anxiety, fear, and sense of self-preservation. With all the losses that 2020 brought we may wonder what this year has in store. So we tip-toed in and now are waiting to see what happens. 

At this point, I have made a decision to take it one day at a time. I will fill out my calendar with the important things, still make plans when possible (and as safe as can be), and embrace the year for improving myself and my family even more than we did in 2020. 

I was able to work with my family to have a pretty smooth last year so I feel like we really are in one of the best places to embrace this year with all we have. Knowing that we are still in the midst of the Pandemic and that it isn't safe to be with friends or distant family makes it a little bit glum for planning the year. We know we won't be able to celebrate any of the spring birthdays with anyone but our household, but for us that is okay, it means we will save some money, we will be safe, and we can always use the money later for planning something fun or the holidays at the end of the year. 

Instead of making resolutions this year, I came up with a list of "New Year Practices". This is a list of things that I would really like to work on and hopefully achieve a regularity of accomplishing. A few of these I started working on in the middle of last year. Now I have them written down and I can see them daily when I open up my household binder! 

Here is what I want to work on. 

1. Making meditation a daily habit. 

2. Communicating my feelings so I don't hold them all in. 

3. Getting some plants. (Not only will this be a fun thing for me because I love gardening, but also is good for my mental health and the quality of air in my home if I get the right ones.) 

4. Make healthier choices. (For this particular practice it includes small choices like not snacking on bad foods to larger choices like what workout to do for the best results.) 

5. PURSUE MY PASSIONS! (This includes everything from my photography, blog, vlog, art, and writing.) 

I think that each of these is easy to achieve with a little planning and hard work. 

Another resource I am happy to have found is the email list of 4 Hats and Frugal - Family Finance Expert. If you join the email list and read the blog you can get a free printable on Fridays as well as all kinds of useful information for using to live your best life. As a bonus to being one of her loyal followers, I was able to take advantage of a recent freebie that is the backbone of my year being what I want it to be! 

One of my favorite things to do to keep track of what I have to do is use lists and planners and low and behold....a freebie of a printable PLANNER! 

Now just as the title of the planner says I can be a more "Focused Mom". It has all the parts I need to organize my house for the entire year! 

If you like lists or want something to keep track of how busy life can get I highly suggest you get yourself a planner. Sometimes you can find a printable version online but if all else fails check Amazon or even just google it. There are tons of cute and functional ones out there to motivate you to organize! 

Another tool I tend to utilize is a large whiteboard, I am working on also getting a corkboard to go beside it but right now I use it for writing our menu for the day, decorate for the holidays, school schedules when we are getting used to them, and any other notices we need to be able to see in that day. 

I think to find some balance this year we have to be prepared for whatever we may have come our way. 

For some of us, that means organizing into planners and calendars so there are no surprises. We have to log when our payments of bills are due and try to put something aside in savings for unexpected bills. For the last couple of years by doing this we have been ready for any financial necessities, extra bills we add, and even for the holiday season to splurge a little more on gifts. This year I am going to make sure we stay on top and since the budget is always being checked against what is spent, we are always on top of things. We may not be the richest of families but we live a life that isn't unhappy. 

We do what we CAN with what we HAVE! 

It has worked for the last 4 years since our family changed and it has been great. Life has thrown its fair share (plus some) of lemons at us but all in all, I feel like our family has stuck it out pretty well only improving with time like a good cheese. (yeah I am not a wine drinker but love a good cheese) 

Just take this year and put into practice some ideas you have always dreamt about. Take it one day at a time, one task at a time, and don't forget to breathe and take time to dream! 

Soon Summer Ends

 ...And School Online...BEGINS! 

In just a few short weeks we start a school year of distance learning due to the Covid-19 pandemic that is rocking our world right now. 

To get ready for this "distance learning" as it is being called I am making lists of supplies needed, schedules that can keep us on track, and fun activities to tie our learning into our day to day to keep it fresh in their minds!

It shouldn't be too hard to get them started online since we ended last school year with it, but I know there are some changes and we are ready to tackle whatever comes our way. 

My youngest has started reading chapter books to prep him for second grade and continue on with his reading skills (which are awesome by the way). I have printed out worksheets that work on his ability to follow directions and practice his writing skills (we had also improved these tenfold at the end of the year) and plan to get some special pencil grips for him to help him continue on with his progress!

We plan to enter into this school year with a fresh attitude for success. No matter what the year throws at us we are going to stay positive and find a way to make it work. 

Stay tuned for my school supplies list for online learning and other tips and tricks for making the school year start smoothly if you too are distance learning this year! Coming later this week! 

Short Term Goals toward Big Changes

So here I am at the end of my weekend on Sunday afternoon, the TV playing the Seahawks vs. Eagles, me at my desk while my favorite guy yells and cheers on his team in hopes of them winning this game and making it that much closer to the big one. It's the beginning of the first week back to our normally scheduled life. We will be back to school for the kiddos, back to work for my love, and back to maintaining the household for me! Believe it or not, I am actually looking forward to it and I am super happy to implement some new changes into my daily tasks. Today is actually the third day of doing some new things in my life, I have started planning out when during the week I would like to do certain things, such as meditation, drinking more water, and writing this blogpost!

So tomorrow starts a new week, a new adventure and several new chances for small steps to big things! Since I have so much to be excited about doing I plan to enjoy my night, finish watching a movie with my love and head to bed to get some good rest! I hope you all enjoy or have enjoyed your weekend and have a super week ahead! 

Goodnight and keep reading! 💚

A New Year but not a New Me

Now that we have gotten that out of the way, welcome to 2020 and thanks for reading along. 

I know most of the time when the year starts the internet and real-world are covered in "Resolutions" that we all start promising we are going to stick to. However, you will not find those here. I have decided that this year I am just going to continue doing what I started to do in 2019. There is no reason for me to say "New Year, New Me" I don't want a new me, I kinda like me the way I am, I am loved for me why change that. 

Now don't get me wrong I do not mean that I don't think there are things about myself that could use some tweaking, I would love to go down a pants size (or 4) so I have already started eating better, exercising more, and making all-around healthier choices for myself and my family.

That was something we started before the holiday season tempted our sweet cravings, so I plan to continue that. I also plan to work on my mental health. I have done research, planning and implementing of things into my life that helps with that already (otherwise I probably wouldn't have made it through the holidays quite as easily).  

Something I found that helps with my particular issues 
*(if you would like to know more about mine leave a comment) is staying organized and having my home as in order as possible. ORGANIZING is KEY for me! I have working on finding thrift shop finds and free items from friends and neighbors as often as I can because it makes it WAY easier to organize when you have a place for EVERYTHING!  (There will be a post about some of my finds and what I used them for coming up later this month) Just implementing a few changes here and there in our life has made a huge difference in how my mental health impacts my day to day routine. 

Another change I made last year was trying new things. That extended to making new friends, going to new places, eating new foods, and doing things I would have once hesitated to try. This year will be filled with more of that. I will continue to put myself out there and say yes to opportunities that are presented to me with less fear and more ambition! I will do things I have always wanted to, and I will finally cross off a few more things from my bucket list. 

That also ties into me keeping track of my days and making memories with my family. More photos, more crafting, more reading, more time together because it is so very precious right now in the world we live in. The kids have been growing so much and it so hard sometimes to realize just how independent they are all becoming. I suppose I nurture that by finding ways for them to make decisions in our home, holding them accountable for their actions and chores, and making sure they always know how they feel matters. I want them to grow up knowing they are loved. That is really my only goal in life! I want those I love to be happy and know how much they are loved. That extends to my friends, my family (near and far) and even strangers because with the way the world is we need as much love out there as is possible. 

So now you know what my plan is for this year, I would love to hear what your plan is. If you don't have a plan and that works for you then that is okay too. For me, a plan works best and I wish you all the best! 

Coming up this year here @Making it Work Together, we will visit bucket lists, crafting, organizing, mental health, and what works in my house for our family's particular needs! If there is something you would love to see, please feel free to leave a comment! 

Happy Living! - MomentofMom 

Time Flies, When You're Having FUN!

A full year in fact and I apologize for our absence. If you stuck around and are now seeing us again YAY! 

It is time for us to get back in the groove of things. We are starting back up during the preparations for school starting and the ending of the first two months of living in our new apartment! The past year has had some big changes for us. We moved, my guy now works from home so I see him way more, I now have a better custody arrangement and have gotten a lot more organized in many ways in my life! 

Now it is time for the summer fun to end and that wonderful time of year when the kids do all that great learning is upon us. It is time to send them back to school. (Or homeschool if that is what you do) Some students are already back in the habit and attending classes but I still have a couple weeks of fun with them before mine head back on the 4th of September. This school year I have one going into first grade, one into seventh, and one into tenth. That means all kinds of scheduling and making sure that all paperwork and school supplies are ready to go and that we get back on our school schedule with sleep and waking up. We have also been refreshing our memories with what we learned last year so that there isn't brain mush during the first week of school. 

Now coming up in the weeks ahead I will be giving tips, links, and recommendations for the things that help our life run smooth. Also since the holiday months will be upon us shortly I will be sharing some fun family favorite recipes and traditions that we love! 

We hope you will continue following along and maybe find something that helps you "Make it Work" in your own life! 

Summer is Here

Yep, you heard that right moms and dads out there, Summer is HERE! Which of course means....no school!




I am lucky that I can be home with them while they are out. I am lucky there are with me for a good portion of the summer as they are with Dad most of the year because of school.









HOWEVER, surviving the summer with kids wanting attention the ENTIRE day can run even the most even keeled mother ragged.









My children especially could stump a Pinterest mom with the need for entertainment and attention. Again lucky for me I AM a Pinterest mom and have a plethora of ideas the are spaced out over the summer to help us stay sane in the hot weather. Last week we had our first day out together since school let out and it went about as smoothly as I could have hoped it would.

First we had a smooth morning with a shower and yummy breakfasts for the kiddos. Then we hopped the local bus down to our town's library where I signed the kids up for their own library cards, we did a puppet show and then took out some books and movies to enjoy at home. Spencer spent some time talking and laughing with the fish in the aquarium. Out side they posed with and as statues (it was totally cute).






On the way back we had a little bit of money so we stopped at DQ and got some cheese curds and blizzards before making the short walk home. It was a blast and the kids had so much fun.







I love how much they love books and having them thank me for the "awesome snack" was pretty damn great.

In the weeks coming up we have a few more library trips, a fireworks show on the 4th, probably another BBQ or two and several small activities for the days when the weather doesn't want to cooperate with our plans, such as rock painting, puppet show making, forts, and family games to play.

All in all I think summer will go well and I will miss them when they have to go to theirs Dad's again.

Zee's art page 

Spencer's picture of me and a turtle!

 I even have a blast just making art with them. It makes me smile when Spencer draws our family and when Kenzee comes up with ideas that she does all on her own with no guidance. It really shows how creative she is.





This is going to be a great summer with lots of fun memories. I cannot wait for the next day of fun planned.
I am sure you will all be waiting ever so patiently for my next update on how we are making it all work in today's chaotic world and keeping ourselves happy. Until tomorrow! Ciao!

Learning about Others

This past weekend we attended the Seattle Pride Parade! It was the kids first time really being a part of something that important. It went really well too, I expected a lot of questions and confusion. Turns out KIDS ARE NOT JUDGMENTAL like some ADULTS I know! 











They had a lot of fun celebrating LOVE, PEACE, and UNDERSTANDING! They learned that people are ALL very different but no one is better than anyone else, just different. They learned that LOVE is what is important! They enjoyed the colors, the music and the fun people they got to see marching in the parade. 

It was very fun for me to see them clapping and enjoying it when I expected them to have questions but they seemed to have no problems just accepting the way people were. I think we could all use to take a page out of their book. We should just accept the differences and learn to love everyone the way we want to be loved. 

 We spent the rest of the afternoon with friends having a BBQ and just having fun. It was really just a GREAT day! 


 I can't wait to take them again and maybe next time make sure we are all decked out to show our support for LOVE in all its forms! 

I am a woman who has a family that FULLY SUPPORTS LOVE and PEACE! We believe that you should love whom you love and never for a minute feel like you have to defend your choice! We LOVE YOU! 

From my little family to yours!  

It's Been a While, and So Much Has Changed...

Sometimes things do NOT work out the way we had originally planned. Sometimes you try for a long time hoping something will work better the next time and maybe just maybe it will be okay. That is what has kept me so busy and unable to update this blog for a while. I like to think you all have anxiously awaited my next post but my guess is you kinda forgot about me.
All of that is ok though because now I am back with the Making It Work Together Blog 2.0!



So much has changed but I feel my newest version of my family is the best it can be. I am no longer with the person who I started this journey with but that is alright. We have both moved on to better people for ourselves and couldn't be happier.

Now I live in a new little two bedroom house, with a tiny yard and the best guy a girl could ask for. We even have plans to eventually get a couple of pets, a cat and a dog. We have been through a lot in the last few years and not too long ago celebrated making it two years together. We made it through a major health scare, being on the verge of homelessness, and some crazy people who tested our ability to stand strong together.

 We made it and have come out on the other side stronger and more together in our short time than I ever felt in the years passed than with anyone else. I feel like this is the partner I want to have till the end of my time. We are strong, we make our decisions together and with little to no friction, sure we argue but it is not all that often, sometimes it is over silly things like a tone not meant for us but left over from a long day of stress or such. Together we make it work in ways I didn't think it would for someone coming into a life that included three children that were not his biologically.
He makes me so happy there as well. He is GREAT with the kids and misses them when they have to be at their father's house. (As do I terribly, but co-parenting is tough work) All I know is he is wonderful to have as part of the family!

Speaking of my wonderful little ones, so much growing has happened there! All three of them are moving up to new schools this fall and it makes me both proud and a little sad. My oldest will be starting high school, my daughter middle school and the youngest is starting kindergarten after already making me emotional with him starting preschool LAST fall! It is hard watching them get so independent. I loved being needed so much and now with the youngest doing full days at school the house is empty and quiet. Now while it leaves time for me to organize and unpack more of our stuff (as we really only moved a few weeks ago.) it also makes me sad to not have that little shadow that used to follow me around.
 In the past few years my little ones have learned so much and accomplished many many things. Spencer knows some sign language and knows more colors than I remember knowing at his age. Mckenzee has grown up into a beautiful preteen, who wants to be a chef, but whom I believe would be a great actress (a talent I feel she uses too often). Maybe she can be a BROADWAY CHEF and do a musical all about her journey to become a chef beginning at a young age. (I may have put a LITTLE bit of thought into the story line and song choices) Andrew is doing awesome as well, latest updates have him becoming quite the fisherman and loving spending his time outdoors from early in the morning til evening doing so. I love this because it means he isn't spending all his time planted in front of a video game wasting away a perfectly wonderful day!
I am so proud of all of them they make me smile constantly and I love them so much. They have really made getting through everything that has happened a lot easier knowing I am striving to make a life they can be happy with and that nurtures and helps them grow.

Now while my old dreams didn't pan out because they were just not meant to, I have found a way to dust myself off, redirect myself, and begin the path to a whole new set of dreams that make me happy just thinking about. For some people if this happens you may not have to abandon certain dreams, like me, for me I am still pursuing the writing and hoping that I finally come up with something that will make me proud to share. I think I have some ideas too so who knows that may come sooner than later with the support I have around me now cheering me on.

With all that has gone on I have grown, changed, and learned so much. I wake up each morning more hopeful than I ever have. I have dreams I can't wait to achieve and I KNOW I will! I am grateful for every person I have in my life that is supportive, caring and willing to be an active part of our lives! So while things have changed, I couldn't be happier and this is just the start of a new journey where our family is .... MAKING IT WORK, TOGETHER!

Firsts in hair and life!

There were two new firsts this week. After 7+ years of my little girl having long locks, we have officially cut them all off and given her a cut very much like her favorite celebrity Anne Hathaway. It was a necessary thing that was tough to do but we couldn't be happier with the results! We figure that since it is summer anyway it will be much cooler to have the shorter hair and she won't have to worry about putting it up or brushing out the massive tangles her wavy thick hair has a tendency to get. She looks incredibly adorable with her new Pixie cut, which also works for the other new thing she experiencing this week.

On Monday she left for her first time ever week at St. Albans Girl Scout Camp. She was super excited and nervous to be attending camp with some of her favorite girl scout friends! She had so much fun shopping for and labeling all her supplies for camp. We made sure we had it all packed up and crossed off the list so that she had everything she needed. Her Memere even sent some money to help pick up the sleeping bag and some socks to go with her.

She even wanted Snuggles to go along for the ride which was cute and made me smile.
When she went to camp she was put in the Pixie group at camp (just like her haircut-see perfect) and I thought that was great because one of her favorite Disney characters happens to be a pixie! Tinkerbell! So how totally perfect was that!?!

I wrote her a letter yesterday, I don't know if she will get it before the end of the week but I tried. I meant to do it earlier but it was so stressful thinking about this week coming up and knowing that Andrews leaves in just five days from today.

We can't wait to see her on Friday at the Family Picnic/Pick Up and I am hoping to be able to get her a camping patch since they are not too much to buy. It will be great to add to her vest before she takes it to CT to show her Memere, who is very excited to see all the things she has done and patched she has earned! It is so crazy that she gets home from camp on Friday, Andrew leaves Monday, She leaves again on Wednesday night, and then is gone for ten days! I miss her face! Though I am sure she will be back to drive me nuts before I know it!

That is it for all the first lately. Hope you are having a fantastic Summer!

Family Update, with all its bumps and such.

I realize it has been a while since I have updated and if you lived in my house you would be shocked that I can even find anytime to write anything EVER! 

My kiddos keep me so busy and so stressed lately that I sometimes just wish they had little mute buttons or shut down switches like the little robot girl from Small Wonder (a show I watched in the 80's) so I can have a moment to sit, breathe, maybe enjoy some tea or something. 

There has been some new things happening lately. 
First ANDY IS HERE! He got here on the 22nd of June and it has been an adventure to say the least. He is a lot different than he was last year. I have missed so much and it seems like he is growing up WAY faster than he should be. It makes me a little sad because I remember when he used to be kind and his favorite movie was Meet the Robinsons and he wanted to be an architect. Now I ask him his favorite movie and he shrugs, I ask him what he wants to be and he says "I don't know", now he does things to his siblings just to make them yell or cry and he thinks it is funny. What happened to my little boy?! What do I do now? Can I get him back or is this just the beginning of losing what he used to be to what his father has let him become? It just completely hurts my heart. 

Another tidbit of info, I recently had to have surgery. Nothing really huge just the same thing I had done a few years ago only this time they put in an IUD as well so I won't be having anymore babies any time soon. There does seem to be a little difference in my recovery this time though. This time I am in more pain that last time, this time they gave me a breathing tube and now my throat is killing me. I cannot yell, much to my children's happiness I am sure (probably to DJs as well) and even when I talk my voice will drop out. My bleeding post op was not as heavy but due to me being a stubborn ass I am bleeding more today than I was when I first got out. I am guessing I am not doing to well with the whole "take it easy" advice via the doctors. I am trying to do better. Hopefully tomorrow I can be a little smarter. I just have so much on my mind, there are some things I am working out with my stress and it just seems like there are never enough hours in the day. 

Lately I have been trying to find a connection spiritually as well and some days I don't know if I have found it yet. I have so many years of being turned away from accepting my faith. So many years ago I was involved with my spirituality. I was in the church choir, I was made a youth pastor, I was someone that comforted others in their time of need and celebrated with them as they wed or found their place in the spirit. Now I feel lost, like I maybe waited to long to try to find myself again. I just don't know. I just want to be happy, I want my children to be happy, I want my fiance to be happy. I just don't know how to make everyone happy. Maybe I can't maybe that is the big picture but I am trying everyday to at least get a little closer to making the people in my life proud of me. 

Speaking of proud though, I am of my little girl! She just finished her first year of Girl Scouts last month. At the bridging ceremony she was able to recite her promise and received 27 new badges and 3 pins to add to her Brownie vest! She was so excited and it was a great night. She cannot wait for the next season to start up and she is working on earning some badges over the summer. She is also super excited to be going to camp for the first time ever (and it is overnight) during a week of Harry Potter themes and lots of Girl Scout like activities. I cannot believe how old she is already and how fast she has grown. 

Time seems to fly these days, Andrew turns 11 next month, Mckenzee 8 the following month and before I know it Spencer will be 3!

I am feeling a little emotional right now, and in some pain that I should really try laying down and relaxing now but I felt the need to write this down and let you all in again since it has been so long!

I will write more soon!