My friend, Luci, who leaves me entertaining and encouraging comments, asked how it is that I carve out time to write when there is so much busy. I made this February goal to keep my mind off the crawly feeling that winter is getting into my innards. Something creative, something I have to think about and work on, that is what I need. Last year I overreached and tried to do a scrapbook, a diet, and a daily post. It was a little too much. But this month has been a humdinger so far, and I have enjoyed the outlet of writing and hearing from many of you.
Granted, I could be very creative and clean my floors and wash the toilets and iron the wrinkly accumulation down in my laundry room, but it wouldn’t be nearly as much fun. The floors I have always with me. 🙂 That is how I carve out time for the things I love. I just let some other thing go for another hour or day. I stifle a little hysterical giggle any time someone asks me how I do everything. Because I don’t. I am perfectly happy that way until something falls onto my head from a closet or until I can’t find the rain boots. Then it will suddenly be clearing out time.
My children have been learning to do embroidery. I thread needles and tie a lot of knots and adjust hoops quite often on those days when they get on a roll. I don’t enjoy embroidery much myself, but they discovered a tin of brightly colored floss and there we were. Something to do. 🙂 Did you ever try to read a book in between sessions of fixing lumpy thread? I recommend it.
A few times this month we did extra big meals so that we don’t have to cook every day. That helps with leisure time, too. And when everybody was feeling gross, all they ate was jello with milk to drink. I have also heard a comment or two along the lines of “not soup again!”.
The main other thing I wanted to do this month was to celebrate my mom, which we did accomplish. Of course, there was Valentine’s Day, too. But now, I am about ready to move on.
Do you have creative things that keep you from going nutsy?
wocket in my pocket 
“is winter almost over” is a question I hear almost daily, and it echoes inside me. I have decided this winter I will not stress the dusty corners, the naps I take, the lackluster way that I sink into the couch and knit or read while the children snibble mountains of paper and gallons of glue gets spread over thin paper. I often hear that too, how do you get time to knit or sew. Knitting and sewing keeps me sane, which is kind of important. 🙂 I love people who take time to be happy, instead of perfect. I think your children will appreciate it so much someday when they think back. And someday when your girls are in your shoes, they will remember with relief that Mom relaxed too, and it will help them. Plus, doesn’t reading, writing and knitting make you into a smarter more interesting person for your husband? I know it does me. I like to be able to hold intelligent conversations with my husband and he always glows when my fingers churn out another wool knitty for him or one of the children.
P.S. I dreamed last night that we all got together, the Freeman and Pauls children….shouldn’t we do a reunion somewhere, wouldn’t that be some kind of ridiculously much fun?
El, if you plan it, we will come!!!
And how!!! We could talk Brownie memories and entertain our children with assurances that we were once young and slightly foolhardy ourselves.
Reading and stitching sounds so cozy. For some reason I can’t get enough of winter… I’m on the side if ” more snow and blowing please!!” While I bury myself in the basement, sewing while the littles are deep into “house” and “church” and imaginative play. Otherwise I am loving learning about minimalism, balancing that and finding freedom with cleaning out and accumulating a big yard sale pile. Fun fun:)
I know that I don’t comment very often but please, please keep writing. Maybe not EVERY day once march comes but don’t stop! I love your posts that show up in my email and its been nice to see them appear every day this month. Thank you! 🙂