Thursday, April 11, 2013

Jota

(J is one of the stragglers that didn't even get an alternate Greek letter. Jota is Spanish for J, pronounced as an H)

From the messy countertop of the Lazy Housewife...

Joy! Time for another boost of happy! Hey, Single Ladies/Fellas, I don't want to get you down on marriage and kids, but live it up now because once you're tied down, your time is not your own any more. But don't lose heart, the joys of being single are easily replaced by the joys of family! So enJOY!

Here are your joyful TIPS:
  • Kids are hilarious - they always say enjoy them while you can, and I completely agree. Sit back and really watch them sometimes, chores can wait!
  • Save those memories - take pictures, write down what they say, video record! You'll be glad you did!
my silly guys (2006)
  • Prioritize - then the most important things get done first. It's okay if you don't get to it all. Those leftover items can be higher priority next time. Less stress = more happy
  • Always make time for
    • the kids
    • the significant other
    • you!
    • friends
    • family movie night, game night, dinner out, monthly events, whatever - put these times on your calendar if you need to! the more connected the family is, the less stressed and the happier we all are - what are we here for if we're getting all our work done and not enjoying life? 
  • What do you do that makes you happy - I found writing! and blogging! Friends far and near make me happy! And at home, when my kids & hub are happy, I am happy - and there is peace and joy.

Editing Tips

Just - find it and delete it. (unless you just can't)

J compound words:
jawline       joyride       jet-lagged       junkyard

A side note - For the challenge, I am visiting blogs by letter again as I did last year. I'm hoping to visit as many of the almost 2000 participants as I can, at least once. And I'm jotting notes on new followers and comments back, etc - so if I don't get back to you this month, I will go back through my notes and jet over to you as I catch up and settle down in May! I just want to say thank you so much for commenting and following, present and past. I can't believe how big this challenge is!

Find more A to Z posts here.

33 comments:

Megan said...

Cute cute kids! And I loved this happy post!

Fida Islaih said...

Thanks for the joy and just tip!! (:

Madeline Mora-Summonte said...

What a cute pic! :)

I'm trying to enJOY the Challenge more and not get so stressed about visiting and how many comments I get and leave, etc. :)

Julie Flanders said...

Your boys are adorable!! :)

Jackie said...

Awesome post, Tara! :)

Unknown said...

Jota! I like it. poor thing....to be excluded. :)

Donna K. Weaver said...

Joy is a great choice. It can be illusive but when we experience it, it makes the nonsense to get to it worthwhile.

Optimistic Existentialist said...

Thanks for the tips Tara :) they will come in handy someday!

Rena said...

Joy is a hard one, sometimes. This year, we made kites from scratch, and I haven't grinned like such a fool for ages. So yeah, it's always surprising what makes for Joy. Right now, I have my fingers crossed that the weather didn't kill my wisteria blooms (hang in there, wisteria!).

Tyrean Martinson said...

Love those pics, and I totally agree with your priorities! Joy is important!

Go Tara!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Marriage has its own joys! Great frequent and safe... wait, my wife would kill me if she knew I said that.

Jennie Bennett said...

Family does bring so much joy! Love it :)

Elizabeth Seckman said...

Wonderful tips! The kiddos do grow up too fast and I have never regretted spending time with them!

Unknown said...

I, too, have younglings. They provide much joy and much stress, as I'm sure you know. I try to let the stress slide off my back so it doesn't get in the way of enjoying the awesomeness that is my offspring. (I don't have to tell you that keeping a positive attitude isn't always easy)

Mark Means said...

Another great post and you're so right. You still should make time for a 'date night', when possible. It helps keep you sane...from what I hear :)

Left and Write

Maggid said...

You are mega interesting.
you surprised me with compound words - c'mon, how cool can you be???

I've got the Joy, Joy, Joy, Joy down in my heart . . . !

Happy A to Z!
-g-

Dana said...

Aw, your kids are adorable! Thanks for the tips. ☺

Rob-bear said...

Interesting about the Greek alphabet: no "j" but two "o" letters (omicron and omega). Made perfect sense to them, though not to us — with our to "c" letters.

May you continue to find joy!

Blessings and Bear hugs!
Bears Noting

Carol Kilgore said...

So true about family.

Heather M. Gardner said...

Awww! JOYous!!

It's so true about pictures and writing stuff down.

I have forgotten all the little milestones. But, pics...I've got loads of those.

I'm working my way slowly through the list but I'll never hit everyone.

Heather

Ermie said...

Happiness is definitely my number one priority! :-)

Christine Rains said...

Great post! I take so many pictures. My poor kid is sick of seeing the camera. But I never want to forget one minute with him.

Jak said...

Currently single, but I've dated those with children. Even on a dating front it changes the dynamics a lot.

One note of advice I would say if having children and dating, is to wait to introduce the kids until you are certain said individual will be sticking around.

The constant entrance and disappearance of individual's kids may get attached to can do a number on them!

Can't wait to have a family and kids of my own, but then again... I may take my time :)

Jak at The Cryton Chronicles & Dreams in the Shade of Ink

Romance Reader said...

I loved this post and thanks for sharing the happy kid photos!

Nas

Elise Fallson said...

Such a cute pic of your "guys." They grow up so quickly, don't they?

Carrie-Anne said...

Part of me is glad I've been childfree longer than I ever dreamt, since it gives me so much extra writing, school, and personal time, not to mention solid stomach muscles and my already-large chest not getting any bigger. Ultimately, I would like to have at least one kid by the time I'm 40. So long as I eventually have the Samuel I've been dreaming about for so many years.

Dan Miller said...

We've got 12 and 7 year old boys and the world revolves around them. We're on the go constantly with Soccer, Basketball, Lacrosse, Taekwondo and school activities. Sometimes it get difficult and I wish I had more me time but they are growing up so fast. I know when this part of our life is over I'm going to miss it. Right now we're having a blast!

Unknown said...

Excellent advice. I remember growing up in a obsessively clean house. I mean, seriously, a spot of dust would have withered away from sheer loneliness. And I remember my mom being so stressed out by the end of the day that all she wanted to do was pour alcohol down her throat, which never worked out great for me and my sisters. So, yeah...on that note...I definitely think all mom's need to make taking care of themselves and actually enjoying their kids a priority.
~Tamara~Behind These Pages

Nick Wilford said...

My kids are so much fun! And they record themselves on the iPad these days, so I don't even have to worry about doing it. :)

You are organised! Good luck getting to all those blogs!

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Tara .. I've missed seeing my goddaughter and her brother these past 7 years or so since my mother was ill ... but it's lovely to be amongst the family once again ... and 'feel at home' ..

The kids make the difference .. well add to it ...

Cheers Hilary

Girls Play Too said...

You have a boy called Cooper? So do I... small world!

Tara Tyler said...

just getting to comment on my own posts! so appreciate all your jovial comments!

yep, Cooper is becoming popular, I guess!

Bevimus said...

For me the Joy comes when we take our little guy (see: dog) on long walks or to the park, when we watch a new movie that actually ends being really good, and when we get one of those big items on the checklist done!

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