Taking the time to say "Thank you"

    I was thinking about this subject the other day. I had come home from church Easter morning and I had a lot to do in the kitchen. I wasn't prepared for food at all, I had waited until that morning to start cooking and ended up not having enough time to clean. When I got home I felt the pressure of having to clean and finish cooking.  I mean, no one likes to wait for food! I had asked my husband to help me, by washing the dishes since we don't have a dishwasher, and being the amazing husband that he is, he quickly came into the kitchen and started washing the dishes. Being a stay-at-home mom I have developed a routine that helps me wash the dishes rather quickly. It took him a little longer and I started to feel agitated. But then I came to realize that its not fair for me to ask someone for help and then complain that they're not washing the dishes the way I would or to become agitated because it took him longer to complete the task. I had to remember that he was helping me because he loves me.
     I also had to realize that not a lot of men would have dropped what they were doing to wash dishes. I have a lot of respect for him. The more I think about how much he does for this family the more I fall in love with him, and it makes me want to tell him how much I appreciate him. When he finished washing the dishes I thanked him, and I knew he could tell that a burden was lifted off my shoulders. Taking the time out of your day to tell someone how much you appreciate them will not only make them feel better but I promise you it will also make you feel better. It'll also make the other person reciprocate that type of behavior. I mean i'm not an expert in relationships, believe me, but I feel like this would make sense in all relationships.
      If your husband or someone you know does something and they do a good job at it, compliment them. Let them know how much you appreciate them. It'll make them want to continue to help! Also keep in mind that everything you do for one another should be out of respect and love. Once, you feel like its becoming a burden, stop and think about why you're doing the task to begin with. If you feel like you're overwhelmed with tasks, ask for help! You are your husbands other half and vice versa. You are a team. Doing things together, no matter how small, will help you guys unite and build a closer relationship. Loving each other and complimenting each other and just saying thank you, will make you both happier and more satisfied in the relationship.  Trust me ;)

Thank you for taking the time out of your day to read this post :) I hope you find it somewhat useful!

-Laura Mineran
   

30 Minute Cleaning

     Man its been too long since my last blog post. I'm sorry I've been so MIA! I really haven't been keeping up with fitness or any of that healthy stuff lately. I've been slacking big time! Every time I log onto Instagram I'm bombarded with all these beautiful, fit and healthy women and I get so encouraged to start exercising again. But once it hits that time to workout, I get so lazy and unmotivated. *sigh* WHY IS IT SO HARD TO STAY MOTIVATED?!?!? Anyways, this post is not about fitness. This post is about what I do to make sure my home stays in order!
     30 Minute Cleaning. What does that mean? It means you set your timer, whether its on your phone or an actual timer, for 30 minutes and you clean as much as you can. Once the thirty minutes are up you are done! I use that time to put things away that I've left out or wash the dishes, or start a load of laundry. Its so simple. It just helps make deep cleaning at the end of the week so much more simple. I've also found that if things are not left out that I have a clearer mind and it makes my day go so smoothly when things are tidy.
     I remember when I would live at home with my parents, my mom would always tell me to put things away after I was done using them. As a typical teenager I would brush it off, knowing that she would put it away for me. What a spoiled one I was. But now, as a mom and as a housewife, I understand how important that really is. I know this may sound corny, but I'm telling you! it makes life so much easier! I've also seen how much happier my husband is coming home to house that's clean. Now lets keep in mind I do have a child, so of course there are going to be toys on the floor. But he is happy to see that the table is cleaned and wiped off, and that there is not a pile of dishes in the sink waiting to be washed, and loads of laundry.. I could go on and on but I wont bore you with the details.
  Its all about balance. If you take the time out of your day to make sure things are in order you will have plenty of time to do the the things you love and you will be able to do it without having everything you need to do in the back of your mind.

Just give it a shot, I promise you wont be disappointed:)