New Home, New TRADITION, and Lots of LOVE

The sunshine is coming through my windows.  My music is playing.  I have several hours to myself while my youngest is in preschool.  We are finally in our new home!  Life. Feels. Good.  Everything seems to be falling into place so perfectly.  And with that comes peace and a feeling of normal.  As much as I love adventure, I also love routine.  I love feeling settled and in control.  Being in our home and having this space to make my own is so exciting.  We still have so much organizing, unpacking and cleaning to do but this is all part of the FUN in making a new home OURS.  I'm just trying to remind myself that I don't have to do it all at once.

One room down.  The rest of the house to go.  But I can see the FLOOR!

Every day here brings with it a feeling of gratitude and happiness. The more that things come together and fall into place, the more the fear and worries fade away. Everywhere I look I see beauty... the mountains, trees, our neighborhood, my view from my office, the lake where I run, my kids running around and loving their new home... just feels RIGHT.  It could be that this is just something new and that it will all wear off but right now, this place just feels so perfect.  Feels like the place we've been dreaming about all along.  The only thing missing is our family and close friends back in Oregon.

With a new home and the craving of routine, comes starting some new traditions with my family.  As I unpacked box after box, I found all sorts of things that sparked inspiration.  I would pull out a favorite book and remember the feelings that the story evoked in me.  An old journal that reminded me of that time in my life.  Books about things to do with kids. Colorful paintings that put a smile on my heart.  And then I found a Gratitude Journal that my mom had given me back in 1998.  I've always loved this book but I never really did use it much.  I tried but it never really worked for me.  I've just tucked it away knowing that I'd use it someday.  Seems as if I must have known all along that it wasn't meant to be used until now.

I'm big on creating family traditions to help instil values and make memories.  There are many healthy habits and traits I want to help my kids learn and one of the most important things to me as a mother is to raise GRATEFUL kids.  I'm excited to make our new family tradition in our new home to keep a family gratitude journal.  Simple.  Quick.  Meaningful.  Every morning at breakfast we will have a new page with the date at the top and we will each take a moment to write down one or two specific things that we are thankful for. Or more.  We are only on day three but it seems to be a tradition that will so easily stick!  And what a treasure to have this book to look back on as the years go by.  It is already fun to see the things the kids come up with that are significant to their present moment.  The thing I love about it the most is that it doesn't take much time at all.  In fact, I wrote my quick bullets down as I was putting breakfast on the table and my husband wrote his after I called him back in the house before letting him leave for work. The ease of this routine is important in a busy house with three kids going all different directions.  I especially love that the kids see us doing this too.

This journal will sometimes be left out for when we pass through the dining room to the kitchen.  When I see a pen and an open journal, I will surely stop for a moment to write something.  Maybe the rest of the family will pick up on this too.  

In the process of creating new space, family traditions, and a happy new lifestyle here in North Carolina, I hope that above all, it draws us closer together and brings with it LOADS of LOVE.

Front Porch Kisses

What are some of your favorite family traditions in your family?  

Amanda