Happy January :)! Can you believe a new year  decade has finally arrived? It still feels surreal. One minute we are feeling old because we realized it's been a decade since we graduated high school.. then the next minute you realize your kids are in middle school and you are starting to think about college!

Last year, I shared some simple and fun mother daughter bonding ideas. You can check them out  HERE!Y'all seemed to love it as it gained a lot of page views and shares. Thank you so much for that! I love spending time with my girls and I loved that I was able to share some of those ideas with you.

This time, I wanted to share something similar but for moms of boys! My son and I probably have the most affectionate relationship out of all my kids. He loves to shower me with hugs and cuddles which I love! But he is about to turn 9 and while I love his hugs and cuddles, he is about to grow out of that phase. So, in order to keep that special bond that we have, I started thinking long and hard about some awesome mother son date night ideas that we could start implementing this year!

Mother Son Date Night Ideas:

1. Dinner- The most obvious mother son date night idea is to actually go on a "date". Taking your son on a dinner date really gives y'all some wiggle room when it comes to where/how much/ how fancy. Plus, it will give him the chance to freshen up those chivalrous skills like opening doors, pulling out chairs etc. A mother son date night dinner is a great starting point.

2. Museum- A lot of museums are free and open all year round. The paintings, sculptures and special exhibits are tools to start new conversations. A mother son date to the museum will give you both the chance to talk and learn more about each other through prompting questions. 

3. Hiking- My son loves to be outside (as long as it's not too hot lol). Going on a hike is a great mother son date because you can bot explore the world around you. It will also give you both the opportunity to encourage one another to face a new fear or challenge.

4. Trampoline Parks- Trampoline parks are basically the safest way to bounce on a trampoline lol. Places like Sky Zone, Jump Street and Urban Air have deals, events and multiple locations.  Having a mother son date night at a trampoline park is a great idea because you can both burn off some energy, spend time playing together show off those hidden talents. I had no idea my son could flip until he showed me at Sky Zone. I was so proud of him!

5. Bike Riding- Bike riding is another mother son date idea that gives you some wiggle room. If you own your own, it costs nothing. If you don't have one, many cities offer public ones to rent for a small hourly price. You can ride around the lake, downtown, the woods, your neighborhood... anywhere! The possibilities are endless. 

6. Have a Movie Night- Have dad or another relative take the girls (if you have them) out for their own bonding moment and stay in with your son. Gather a few movies, popcorn, snacks, and drinks to create your own movie theater experience indoors! Some people feel like movies are opportunities to ignore each other, I think they are moments you get to experience with your child. 

7. Catch a Game- My son loves football, especially the Cowboys and Raven (his name is Baltimore). I have always wanted to have a mother son date night at game. Tickets are super expensive ( at least for the Cowboys) so this will probably take some planning and budgeting if you don't have to extra funds to drop on a dime. 

8. Mini Golf- Playing mini golf is another fun mother son date night idea. This is also another fairly cheap option but it can be so much fun!

9. Build a Fort- Who doesn't love building a fort?! This isn't really a date but it is a great mother son bonding opportunity. Get lost in an imaginative world when you build a fort, plus it doesn't cost anything and you don't even have to get dressed up! 

10. Laser Tag- Head over to your local arcade and game center for a fun game of laser tag! This mother son date night idea is great for you and your son, no matter the age.

11.Go Bowling- Bowling is another fun mother son date night idea that is great for your son no matter what age they are. 

12. A Visit to the Library- Spend some time reading and browsing for new books that you can read together and discuss or to start a new bed time routine.

13. Have a Picnic- Grab all your favorite foods and enjoy a nice picnic in your local park! Want to spend time together before? Pick out a menu and shop for all the goodies you both want to have on your picnic!

14. Play Video Games- If your son is like mine then this would probably be the best date ever lol. Plug up the console and start gaming! You could play against each other, others, create challenges and of course see who will be number one! Another thing you could do to make your gaming date special is to buy him a first place trophy/medal and make it a monthly competition to see who gets it.

15. Cook a Special Meal- If your child is older or if you feel comfortable letting him in the kitchen with you, plan and make a special dinner just for you two( or more). Cooking brings people together and this date night idea is sure to teach him a new skill and create memories that will last a lifetime.

Mother son date nights are something that I will be implementing regularly this year and the options are not limited to this list! 

Did I miss any? What are some fun mother son date night ideas that you have or have done? Let me know in the comments below!

Hey y'all!

Let me dust the cobwebs off the blog really quick... brb. lol

Seriously... I have been lacking on writing posts for far too long so I apologize if this post is kinda all over the place. I'm kinda rusty with organizing my thoughts like this. Anyway, it's great to be back (hopefully).

 A lot has been going on recently and I honestly don't want to bore you with the details. So to make a dreadfully long story short, here goes!

I'm doing well. That's it, end of story. :)

Now onto the reason you clicked this post.. you want to know how to find the joy of homemaking! Recently, I was headed to visit one of my dear friends so we could do some planning for the kids room at our church when it hit me... the thought of just being thankful! Do you ever have those moments when you just look around at your life or when your in a place of peace and you just go "wow, I am so thankful"?  Well that short 25 minute drive to her house was plenty of time for it to just hit me like a ton of bricks. Not only was I thankful, but I was just happy. 

Being a homemaker can be rough. There are moments when I just can't get my body to function, moments where I write down everything but I still have NO CLUE what is going on, and moments where I just want to scream and cry because absolutely nothing is going my way ( yes, I'm a control freak). Even though those moments are normal and experienced by just about every woman, I always end up feeling awful because I let myself lose sight of the joy. I take moments that could be positive and I turn them into a complaint. Now, I'm not saying that you can't have a moment where you just need to vent, you should! But it is important to try and find the joy in those moments as a home maker.

As always, I have to state my disclaimer lol. I am not an expert nor am I trying to be. I just want to share my thoughts and experiences with y'all with the hopes of being helpful, even if it's just a tad.

As a homemaker, being happy and hopeful is a vital piece of the puzzle that will make being a homemaker easier. 

So exactly how does one find the joy of homemaking? Well, the first thing that comes to mind is asking God for help. We can't do it all alone even if we feel like we can. Most of the time, at least for me, I need God's strength to assist me with tasks that I know I struggle with. Instead of trying to carry the weight of the world, asking God to help you will not only lighten the load, but it will also allow you to take advantage of opportunities to grow through it.

Next, you can find the joy in homemaking by changing your perspective. There are moments when I feel like I am going to lose it, but seeing my friends with young children, multiple children, quiet children and spirited children always helps to change my perspective. One of my friends has 4 children under the age of 6... every time I see her with them, I am inspired by her strength and ability to continue to serve others and still lend an ear or give advice when it's needed the most. Another friend of mine has 3 boys, and seeing how patient she is with them is reassuring to me that I can be patient as well. I am blessed to have many friends that inspire me and allow me to see my life from a different perspective. Being able to see your life from a different perspective, will give you so much hope!

Another way to remain happy and hopeful is to see the plus side when doing daily chores. For me, I struggled A LOT in the beginning. The thought of constantly doing laundry (even if they wear it for 5 minutes and then toss it with the dirty ones) was something that I dreaded. It was a vicious cycle. It wasn't until I moved into a hotel and didn't have an in house laundry room that I started to appreciate it more and find the plus side. I still don't care for folding and putting away because come on.. who does lol. But I found the plus side to it. When I fold the clean clothes, I take a sniff of them and I revel in the cleanliness of them. Smelling the Tide and Downy fragrances give me so much joy because I know that my hard work is giving my family clean clothes to wear.

Another way to remain happy and hopeful is to take pride in what you accomplish as a homemaker. For years, I would look at my life as a giant "To Do List" and put myself down if I didn't check every box. Now, even though I still make to do lists, I don't rate my day on how many I marked off but how well I executed each one I completed. Taking a step back and giving yourself props to a job well done may seem a little self centered to some, but when that's your job and you are killing it... take pride in it! Taking pride in what you do and accomplish will only boost your mood and increase your joy in homemaking.

Lastly, another way to find joy in homemaking is by surrounding yourself with other positive, happy homemakers! Y'all know the scripture lol.. "iron sharpens iron", its TRUE! Being around people you love that are happy, positive, encouraging, truthful and willing to listen, not only bring you peace, they bring you joy, happiness and hope! 

To some, being a homemaker means sitting around, drinking wine and eating chocolate (if only).... but in reality, it's much, much more. It's a job that at times go unappreciated, disregarded and flat out ignored. But, if you can ask God for strength, look at things from a different perspective, find the plus side, take pride in what you accomplish and surround yourself with other happy homemakers, you will be able to find the joy of homemaking and be able to remain happy and hopeful.

Are you a homemaker? What gives you joy or hope when taking care of your family? Let me know in the comments below!