Family Archives | But First, Joy

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30 Ideas for a Family Date Night At Home (Free Challenge Printable)

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Baby Things To Buy Before Birth: A Complete List

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Healthy Family Tips: How small lifestyle changes make a BIG difference!

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100 Children’s Books to Read In a Lifetime

Best Fall Sensory Bins Activities for Toddlers

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5 Simple Reasons You Have an Unhappy Toddler

13 Games & Emotions Activities For Toddlers & Preschoolers

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15 Fun Exercises For Kids Under 5 (to do as a family)

5 Signs That You Have Toxic Family Dynamics

15 Empathy Books for Children to Understand Feelings

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Toddler Proofing: How to Secure Every Room in the Home

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Life-Saving Tips To Keep Children Cool in the Car

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Cheap Summer Outdoor Activities for Preschoolers

How to Teach Children Empathy

15 Thoughtful Ways to Say Thank You to Dads Who Do It All

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10 Nice Things Every Mom Needs to Hear TODAY

My motherhood journey starts here: Protecting baby’s lungs – Join me!

My 2018 Word of the Year: QUALITY

Inspiring ordinary women to find joy in everyday things.

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23 Weeks Pregnant today 💙🤰🏻 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ This little boy is very active! He moves much more than my other son did. I’m finally to the point of not feeling nauseous every day – yay! No weird or unusual cravings but I still can’t drink hot coffee. My glucose test is in a few weeks. Fingers crossed I don’t have gestational diabetes again. 🥺 #23weekspregnant #summerbaby #leobaby

“Advice from a Butterfly. 🦋 Let your true col

“Advice from a Butterfly. 🦋 Let your true colors show. Get out of your cocoon. Take yourself lightly. Look for the sweetness in life. Take time to smell the flowers. Catch a breeze. We can't all be monarchs!” ☀️ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Oh, what I’d give to be as free as a butterfly right now. Enjoying the breeze, traveling, landing on a flower. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ While I’m home, I can still dream of the Disney #FlowerandGardenFestival that I enjoyed with my mom a few years ago. 🌸 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ What are you dreaming of this week as you #StayHome?

An evening of Mr. Bucket with my little family. Do

An evening of Mr. Bucket with my little family. Do you remember this game? We’re playing it our own way by focusing on colors, words, and coordination. 💙 #boredombusters #stayhome

Pregnancy + Deadly, highly contagious virus = FEAR

Pregnancy + Deadly, highly contagious virus = FEAR. 😟 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I can’t say that I’m not afraid, being one with a weaker immune system due to pregnancy. I’m #22weekspregnant now and as my due date inches closer, I fear the unknown. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ When will this end? Will my husband join me in the delivery room? Will my son get to meet his brother at the hospital? What if I catch this crazy virus? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ These things worry me and I’m constantly thinking of the mamas who are experiencing all of these things right now. I’m praying for them, trying to love them from a distance. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ It’s natural to worry but I’m not allowing it to consume me. Granted, I have days that are more stressful than others. I’m taking every precaution I can. But the one thing I can’t prevent is my husband from going to work because he is ESSENTIAL. So, I have to be strong in my faith, keep stress levels low, and try to keep us all from going insane. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Being a mom who is home all the time, even for work, my life is pretty much the same. My toddler and I hang out all day at home. But, I’m beginning to miss the little things: taking him to the playground, planning random family outings, going to the grocery store, eating out for dinner. SIGH. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Tell me how YOU are doing in the comments! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Stay strong, stay clean, and STAY HOME! Please – so we can get this over with already. #unfilteredmotherhood

ENJOYING HOME 🏡 This is social distancing at it

ENJOYING HOME 🏡 This is social distancing at it’s finest. This Florida boy is loving life. ☀️ #socialdistancing #justthetwoofus #stayhome

I’m thankful for this mess. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Right now, there’s so much unknown. We can’t leave our homes without fearing the worst and we don’t really know what the future holds. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ BUT.... ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ We can embrace what we DO know. We have safe homes to protect and comfort us. We get more quality time with our children and the ability to get creative with our time in quarantine. We can teach, read, entertain, and rest. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I’m thankful for today and I’m thankful for this mess. 🌟💙 #unfilteredmotherhood

I NEED time to myself. I need time to work on my b

I NEED time to myself. I need time to work on my business, decompress, and remember who I am outside of motherhood. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Today, I’m thinking of my two little ones – my toddler and unborn child. Today, I decided not to attend a 3 night event that would have given me all of the above. It’s something I’ve had planned since last year. Something that would have given me purpose again. I NEEDED that. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ But, I wouldn’t have peace of mind. Being in a house for a few days with women who have traveled from around the country, I would have been taking the risk of catching the #coronavirus. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ My gut said don’t do it. My mother’s intuition said it’s too risky. We haven’t seen how COVID-19 affects pregnant women, unborn babies, or toddlers. I don’t want my family to find out how dangerous this could be on our already weakened immune systems (from pregnancy and toddlerhood). So, while I’m sad to miss such an incredible event, I had to put my family first. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I hope all of you are taking #covid19 seriously. Please think of those who are more at risk than others: the elderly, the ill, pregnant women, babies, and young children. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Don’t panic. Just be extra cautious with how you handle things (especially your own cleanliness), who you come in contact with, and the places you visit. 🙏😷 #pregnantmoms

This morning we took our little one on an adventur

This morning we took our little one on an adventure! 🌟 We picked fresh strawberries from a local farm here in Florida. I love the simple days with my sweet family. My little one enjoyed picking his favorite fruit!👨‍🌾🍓 #freshfromflorida #supportthefarmers #strawberrypatch