Being Present {Motherhood Challenges Series}

If there is anything we do well in our generation is multitasking. I'm a pro at it. I will complete ten tasks on my way from the bedroom to the kitchen. I will check and answer all my Instagram comments while I'm nursing Abbie, and I will answer emails while eating breakfast, 

I am not good at doing one thing at a time. 

By doing multiple things at once, I'm not doing any of them well enough to be considered the best. I'm always thinking if I'm doing enough and wondering what else should be done. Being present in the moment is something I have to consciously remind myself of . As a person I was taught to strive for more, push for high efficiency but that doesn't mean I am using my time wisely. 

Motherhood requires me to be present.

When we are reading books, I have to remind myself to pay attention to Jonathan, put down the phone and listen to him. When I'm playing with Abbie, I make myself stop Snapchatting and look her in the eyes. Even when it seems that all the chores are done there is always something else to do.

There is always more. More stuff  to do. More responsibilities. More people entering my lives. More ministries to fulfill. More social media to engage.

Being present demands my undivided attention and I love how even all throughout the Bible, God calls us to present with Him. He isn't asking us to be active in every ministry in the church. He doesn't require us to fulfill the entire law. He doesn't even want us to be productive every moment of every day - He created the Sabbath. The following scripture speaks volumes and reminds my heart to seek Him.

Be still, and know that I am God (Psalm 46:10)

You can't know God without being still. You can't go through life without being present to actually enjoy it. 

Life is pulling us in every direction while our children need us to to just be. Be there with them in the moment. They don't need more things or stuff, they need us to pay attention and be present in the moment with them. They need us to pay attention and instead of capturing every moment in a photo, just capture it in our hearts.

Thank you for reading and have a blessed day!

Perfect Fall Layers + White Plum GIVEAWAY

dress // leggings c/o White Plum // similar pumps // similar bag // jacket 

bracelets c/o My Arm Charms // glasses c/o Ditto

When it comes to fall layers, the more the merrier! At the same time I like to mix them up with my summer dresses. Putting a pair of leggings under a summer dress is a perfect solution for fall. I love these White Plum leggings - they are stretchy and confy, plus super soft. Today I'm bringing to you a giveaway for any pair of leggings from White Plum. They have so many different prints and options but I was boring and picked the black ones. Still, they match with everything and can be worn entire season.

Plus White Plum is offering 20% OFF your entire purchase to Happy Medley readers with code HM20 until 10/11

Go to my Instagram account to enter the giveaway!
**No purchase is necessary to enter or to win. Odds depend on the number of eligible entries received. Must be US resident, 18 years or older. Must enter by October 10, 2015 at 11:59 PT. All entries will be verified. This post was brought to you by White Plum, who provided me with the  product. All opinions are my own.

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Rustic Fall Candle Jars

If you are anything like me, you do not have the time, energy or the money to invest into difficult projects. I'm all about the simple and cute! This fall I'm still loving the mason jars and burlap for decorating. I decided to add some fall leaves to the DIY and this is what happened. This project is super easy! After doing the first jar with mod podge I decided to try hot glue. Beside burning my fingers a little, hot glue works great. So whatever you choose, give this DIY a try! 

What You Need

Start by removing the plastic backing from the leaves so that you can bend and fold them however you like. (See the picture below)

Take the leaves and arrange them at the bottom of the jar one by one. Don't be too precise - that's where rustic comes in. When you are happy with the results, tie rafia at the top of the jar. 

Next grab fall-looking burlap (or you can do simple burlap too) and wrap it around the jars. I took smaller jars because it covered them perfectly. You can stick with all big ones but having different size jars on a table looks better than all the same size. Now didn't I tell you this was easy? 

Thank you for stopping by and have a great weekend!