You CAN Feel Pretty As A Mom (A-Z)

• Are you knee deep in diapers and wipes?
• Washing your hands, over and over, trying to get that nasty Desitin cream smell off?
• Getting breakfast for little monsters darling angels before their heads start spinning in all directions?
• Teaching and training?  Homeschooling has its joys, but also its trials and tribulations.
• Picking up toys. . . only to have a new fresh trail right behind you?
• Pouring that extra cup of coffee.  You can’t seem to wipe the sleepiness off your face?
• Longing for some peace and quiet?
• Missing your husband.  How many hours till he gets home again?
• Running around with puke buckets.  But who takes care of Mommy?
• Sweeping.  Mopping.
• Dishes.  More dishes.
• Mending boo-boos.  You didn’t know you were going to be a nurse.
• Wiping tears.
• Breaking up spats.
• Grabbing the chunk full of hair out of your child’s hand.
• Trying to convince your other child that her hair will grow back.  You won’t be bald forever, honey.
• Teaching God’s Word.  Trying to live it out in your own life, first?
• Trying to be a good example (but the old flesh gets the best of you, here and there)?
• Reading books.  Lots of them.  Over and over.  Trying to act enthusiastic when you are hurting or sleepy?

On most days, being a Mom is a JOY. But lets face it ladies, we are busy!  Who has time to work on being pretty?  Should we?  Isn’t that vain?  I say no (with a catch).

Guess what, you can do some very simple things to make yourself look pretty!  Sounds selfish?  It’s not.  When you have the right motives.  When we feel healthy and put together as a mom, we will be a better mom and better wife!  (Now, don’t get me wrong. . . the baggy sweatpants and footy – pajamas are nice.  But only once in awhile).

Always check your inner beauty FIRST.  Without being beautiful on the inside, we can’t fool anyone (at least not for too long) on our outward appearance.  Psalm 139:23-24 says to examine ourselves before the Lord.  Check in with Him daily.  Read His Word.  Memorize scripture.  Pray.  Confess your sin (1 John 1:9) Meditate on His truths.  A guaranteed beauty tip!

Be careful!  Watch your sugar and salt intake.  Sugar can age you and salt can make you feel bloated and swollen.  Do you want to look like a wrinkled old lady or a blown up balloon?  Avoid these 2 enemies!

Cry.  Sometimes we need to just have a good cry!  Ever just seem so frustrated, so stressed, so overwhelmed that led to crying?  You felt better after, huh!  See Link and snippet from article : In other words, we cry-and need to cry-in order to rid our body of hormones that can be toxic to our emotional and physical well-being. Excess stress hormones take a toll on immunity, weight gain, and mood.  Crying is just one of the parasympathetic nervous system’s methods of reducing the arousal levels in our sympathetic nervous system’s management of our reactions to pain, crises, flight or fight and even intense joy.

Don’t compare and have realistic expectations.  We have a tendency as women, to compare ourselves with others.  How do THEY keep their house so clean?  They always seem so put together, so spiritual?  Why can’t I be like that?  The Lord has us in the place and situations we are in for a time.  Do your very best, with the resources you have, to glorify Him.  We will all travel at different paces, have different life experiences, and lead different walks of life.  Embrace your life, and be content where He has you now.
 
Exercise.  There are so many wonderful benefits to exercise.  It makes you healthy, gives you that rosey-cheeked glow, and strengthens your heart.  Don’t have time?  Make time.  Go for a walk with your kids.  Play games with them indoors, like “Let’s see who can jump up and down the longest” or “how many jumping jacks can you do, Susie?”  What about having them do an exercise DVD with you?  My daughter loves doing that.  If you have the energy, wake up and do it first thing in the morning.  You will find you have so much energy for the day!  Exercise also raises those wonderful things called endorphins.  Suffer from depression?  Seasonal blues?  Just by exercising 20 minutes a day, can help you feel a little better.  Endorphins are the body’s natural mood medicine!  Cool, huh!

Friendship.  Cultivate your friendships with other women.  Go out for that cup of coffee.  But choose your time wisely and never “at the expense” of another person.  Only edify and encourage.  Have fun! 

Go on regular dates.  Date your husband every week!  No, it’s not just for teenagers or young-courting couples, ready to get married.  It’s for married people, ESPECIALLY!  Think of creative ways to “date” without spending a lot of money.  See some ideas:  HERE.

Hygiene. Brush your teeth, shower, and cloth yourself first thing in the morning!  I know, we just had that discussion above about not having enough time.  NOW you are telling me to do all that first thing.  Yes.  It will make you feel better for the day.  It also shows your children a good example, of how their mom takes care of herself (by being a good steward of her body) and also, shows your Husband, that you take your homemaking job seriously.  That you just don’t sit around in your pajamas all day, watching TV, and doing nothing.

Intimacy.  Make love to your Husband.  (GASP).  It’s okay.  That is one of the benefits of marriage!  Pick a day (in your head and don’t tell him).  Plan all day.  Think about ways you can surprise him after the kids go to bed.  Write ideas down on paper.  Send him flirty texts.  Check out my friend Monica’s, Pillow Talk, when you are done reading this post, for some great ideas.

Jeans (the SKINNY kind).  Do you have a weight-loss goal in mind?  Stick to you goal.  Hang a pair of your skinny jeans in your closet “front and center” to remind you of your goal.

Keep tabs on your HEALTH.  Get regular check ups.  Has it been awhile since you had a full-blood-work-up done?  Have you ever?  You might suggest having them check your thyroid levels, sugar levels, Vitamin D levels (they found that my friend was VERY deficient)!

Laugh, smile, hugs & kisses.  There is a cute, older lady at church, that hugs and kisses EVERYONE she sees.  She just puts a smile on my face every time I see her.  She leaves a lipstick stain on my cheek, but I don’t care.  She sure knows how to put a smile on my face and warm my heart!  She even said that receiving a kiss raises your hemoglobin levels!  Who knew.  BUT, when I say hugs and kisses… lets just focus on our family, shall we?  After all, the ones closest to us are sometimes the hardest to love.  Laughing and smiling raises your endorphins too!
  
Make a new purchase.  With your husband’s approval, of course.  Don’t go crazy.  Pick a time when you have a little extra cash.  Be frugal, but buy something you really enjoy.  Maybe go to a local thrift store.  Purchase your favorite perfume?  By a new pair of high heels?  Whatever makes YOU, feel pretty.  Maybe some new lingerie?

Never let yourself get too H.A.L.T.  I read a post once that said, never let yourself get too HUNGRY, ANGRY, LONELY, or TIRED.  So true!  We have the ability to turn into a monster when we are any of those things!

Open your curtains.  The winter can give us SERIOUS BLUES!  When there is a sunny day, open up all of your curtains.  Let some sunshine in.  Soak up some Vitamin D!  It’s good for you (in moderate amounts)!

Pamper day.  HAVE ONE!  Pick a day during the week to pamper yourself.  It doesn’t have to be the same day each week.  Do things throughout the day, as you have time.  Maybe do some extra shaving, plucking, tweezing and clipping.  Lotion your legs, arms, face.  Clip your toe nails.  Scrub your feet.  Lotion them and paint your nails.  After the kids go to bed, put on a nice, warm facial mask.  Maybe take a bubble bath?  It will rejuvenate you!  Sometimes, I like to take a second shower at night, just so I can stay in there as long as I want, without being interrupted.  I turn the water up really really WARM and stand under it, letting it run down my face.  Haaaaaaaaaa!

Quiet time.  Find some time, whether it is 2 minutes, or 2 hours, to have some quiet time in your home.  Turn off all electrical devices that make any noise.  Sit quietly.  Read books.  Lower all voices.

Relax.  Don’t be so uptight!  Have fun.  Learn to be more laid back.  Stress can add YEARS to our life!  It also has the ability to cause major health problems.  SOOOOOO, learn to let things go, and roll off your back.

Sleep. Get a good night sleep!  So important for health and even weight loss!

Tone and tighten up.  Add some strength training exercises into your day.  Lifts some weights.  Do a short video.  Lay on the floor and raise your baby up and down.  (Just watch out for that DROOL!)  hehe.

Understand and be flexible.  Understand, that no matter how we plan our day, or our agenda… it usually gets shaken up.  Kids wake up early from naps.  People get sick.  Unforeseen trials hit families.  Learn to be flexible and trust God.

Vacation.  Has it been awhile since you and your hubby went on a vacation without the kids.  It is okay to do!  It will be good for your marriage, and good for the kids.  Do YOU need some time away?  Even just an overnight somewhere is great!

Wear some flirty clothes.  For your HUSBAND only.  AFTER the kids go to bed.  Put on a flirty top.  Where something he really LOVES on you.  Spray that perfume or lotion he adores.

X-press yourself. Do something YOU enjoy every day.  Whatever it is.  Write a post.  Read a book.  Listen to some of YOUR music.  Send an encouraging note to a friend.  Whatever makes you feel alive, and does not interfere with your family, go ahead and do it!  It’s okay.

You need to check your fiber.  Not getting enough fiber in our system, has a way of “backing up the plumbing”!  This can leave us feeling bloated, tired, and irritable. 

Zip up your mouth.  A GOSSIP is very unbecoming.  She is also known to be crude and cruel.  Have your conversation honest among men and God!  You will make yourself more beautiful for it!