Changing Something That IS Me

Yesterday, I talked about changing the look of my kitchen by removing the lace valance I didn't feel was 'me.' --And I posted updated pictures of the new look.  (I have yet to update my My Kitchen page, but I will.)

Today it's time to update another pic...and that pic is of me!  

Over 50% gray by the time Prince CuddleBunny came along

I got the first silver strand in my hair when I was 18.  I pulled those first ones out, and hoped they'd stay away.  They didn't.  I never really believed in dying hair, but I started with temporary 'rinses' and got to full, permanent coloring.  I couldn't afford to visit a salon every month, so I bought the boxes at the grocery or drug store, and did it myself, trying to keep it as close to my natural medium-dark color as possible.  This had varying results...Some good and some not so.

Yikes! Out in public with inches of grow-out

I fought the idea of having gray hair.  I had been used to appearing younger than my age, and I sure didn't look it whenever I let the gray creep back.

Short-short hair, always a favorite of mine anyway,
made it easier to keep colored without getting
the over-dyed look.

I didn't feel very good about myself whenever I caught my reflection if I had gray hair.  But it got to be SO MUCH WORK...and expense.  And pretty impossible to keep doing at home and have it look nice for more than a couple of weeks.  When gray roots came in, besides being unsightly, it looked like I was going bald.  That's not a better look than all gray!

Couldn't be gray for the weddings!

Besides, the Bible tells me gray is good.  

"Gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained in the way of righteousness." Proverbs 16:31

"The glory of young men is their strength, gray hair the splendor of the old."  Proverbs 20:29

I gave up the hair dye within a year after the weddings.
I've given you a few glimpses of the change in the last few years.

If God says it's good, should I argue?  It was still hard to accept. 

Still fighting the older look, I've resorted to having my hair cut at a salon.. I've been trying to find the right style that will make the silver look like a fashion decision, rather than resignation.  ;-)  My own world of delusion.  

This one probably doesn't really
remember me with brown hair.

I think, though, about my grandma, who had white hair as far back as I remember.  I've seen photos of her with darker hair, and I never thought she was as pretty.  I thought she looked more severe, and not as loving and fun as I knew her to be.  

And this one has never seen me
any other way.  

I remember how soft she was to hug.  She wasn't overweight, but probably thought she had some extra pounds, and maybe she also resented the wrinkly skin that was also played a part in her softness.  Maybe she was in shock at her reflection as I have been in mine.  But I think maybe she was just too busy teasing, loving, and baking to be that self-absorbed!  I hope so, because she was the best, just as she was. 








So, here I go.  The old brunette photo on the blog...









will be replaced with a more recent shot.

Write31days.com

Taking a Right Turn

Writing about apples has been a little fun, and a little challenging.  Making sure I have a blog post ready every day is an accomplishment, but also, a distraction from life.  There are things I want or need to do that remain undone while I blog.  And to write about apples?  It isn't even particularly helpful, or probably interesting, to you, the readers.  If I'm going to blog, I want it to be informational, insightful, or uplifting.  After all, if I can find recipes that use applesauce on the internet, so can you. (Although, maybe you were as surprised as I to find out just how many apple quotes there are!  And there are more I didn't use.)

"Right" turn. This time as in
correct...better for me and for you

So I've decided to take this another direction.  I began this 31 Day journey with a post entitled An Apple A Day.  That, of course, was from the idiom, "An apple a day keeps the doctor away."  So, from here out, I'm going to concentrate on the idea of health and well-being.  I plan to write one thing that I do in each day to improve my mental, emotional, or physical health.   It won't be a lot to read, I don't think.  Maybe just a sentence or two with a picture or two.  I may be kidding myself, since I can't write just a sentence or two for "(Almost) Wordless Wednesday"s, but we'll see!

So this is what I'm doing for myself today... Releasing myself from apple bondage!  Not that I'll never mention them again, but I won't HAVE to.

Another great thing is that I can still stay committed to the 31 Day project prompted by the Nester at The Nesting Place, and still, even, remain true to the category I in which I signed up there, "Health, Wellness, & Food."

So, do something nice for yourself today!  That's what I'm hoping for.  --I share something nice or healthy I do for my life, and whether or not it's what 'floats your boat,' it should motivate you to do something that enriches your life and contributes to your health in some way, too.  Win-win.

31 Days at The Nesting Place

I Didn't Know my Rope was Elastic

I guess it's a good thing, but I wish it didn't have to be...

You may have noticed that I've been running quite behind on posting to my blog. It's been the usual busy here lately with work on the garage addition, the baby's arrival, visitors from afar, and the kids' sports and work activities... and then some.  

When the baby was just a couple of weeks old (he's already a month!), he had his 2-week check up (at which he was already a full pound over his birth weight).  Also, his mama needed to check in with the surgeon and her midwife, which resulted in my accompanying them to 3 different appointments that week.  The last of those was on the Friday morning before Princess Eager's first ever soccer tournament game.  The timing was just right to come home from the doctor appointment and get the mommy settled, before zooming off to the tourny in mid-afternoon.

I'd been looking forward to that particular weekend for months, as there was a special celebration for my aunt and uncle's golden wedding anniversary.  But things had gotten complicated! 

Princess Eager's tournament (1 game on Friday and 2 on Saturday) was the first addition to the schedule, followed by a tournament planned as a special treat by Prince Go-for-It's school baseball coach for the 9th graders who'd played together in the spring (2 games on Saturday and 1 on Sunday).  Both tournaments were an hour's drive away... In different directions, of course.   

Thankfully, Princess Artiste had a day off work that Saturday, and volunteered to miss the anniversary party to chauffeur Eager to her games, and to be her cheering section.  Prince Inventive, Prince CuddleBunny, and I took Go-for-It to his Saturday morning game, and Inventive stayed to watch the end before leaving for work, while Hubby, the youngest prince, and I drove out to enjoy the special anniversary.  After the party, Hubby, CuddleBunny, and I watched the end of Go-for-It's 2nd game of the day, before all 4 of us headed for home.  

Are you following?  I told you it got complicated, and I had been somewhat stressed during the week, making the calculations to be sure everyone got where they needed to safely and on time, with rides to and from, and family fans to support the athletes.

The weekend appeared to be nicely under control, and in the home stretch, when Hubby was overtaken by sickness on our way home.  Soon after we arrived, he fell into bed with nausea, body aches, chills, and a fever.  I tried to tend to him while also keeping him isolated, hoping the sickness wouldn't spread, and, exhausted, felt that I was at the end of my rope.  

By morning, I felt very achy, too, and also nauseous, so the end of my rope had extended.  --But Prince Go-for-It had more baseball to play, and none of our younger drivers in the family were available to transport him.  We split duties.  I drove him to his game and back, and crashed into bed while Hubby got up to take him to a baseball team try-out that evening.

Sickness was not exactly the cherry on the cake of our weekend... and also not where my rope quit stretching.  Sunday night I got an email from my sister that my mom had experienced some confusion during the day, and even though it seemed to have resolved, she was taking her to the ER.  It was best to have her checked out for stroke or infection.  We thought it likely that even though she thoroughly enjoyed both, she was maybe just tired from attending the anniversary party the day before, and from hosting my brother and sister-in-law who had stayed with them while visiting from out of state.  

We were not prepared for the doctor's discovery ... a large brain tumor.

Life can change in an instant.  Things like keeping up with blogs take a position even lower than before.  Time with the people in our lives is so precious.  

I am happy to say our 82-year-old mom came through brain surgery like a champ holding onto her determination to "live 'til 100!"  Because it was in her right frontal lobe, the left frontal lobe took right over so she didn't lose any function.  Medical science and the human brain are amazing things, as is the power of so many prayers sent up on her behalf.  

I can't give in to the feeling that my rope's end is met.  Among lots of emotions, I'm torn.  When I'm home, I feel I should drop everything to be with my parents and join my overstressed sister in helping them, but when I'm away for hours or days, things and people suffer at home.  -It's certainly not all about me. 

The surgery was one big hurdle leapt, but we don't yet have enough information on the cancer to know what lies ahead.  God knows, and we rest in that assurance... and welcome prayers for our parents during this challenging and frightening new journey upon which they've suddenly found themselves.

A New Appreciation for Early

I am a late bloomer... or a slow study.  My mom always extolled the value of early morning hours while we were growing up.  She did things like threw open the curtains, and chirped about lovely mornings being wasted away in bed...  I didn't buy it, and did my best to roll over and try to go back to sleep.  I was a night owl, and decidedly not a morning person.  Although, I believed, and still do, actually, that it wasn't a decision, but a genetic inheritance for night-owl-ism from my dad.

I just knew my mom, who had spent her life 'rising early to lay out my dad's clothes, cook his breakfast, and pack his and all of our lunches, would be, at the least, disappointed to know Hubby spent most of my stay-at-home-mom years arising early by himself, making his own breakfast, and grabbing whatever he could find to take for lunch.  When the older kids got to the point of taking a few classes at the high school, they did the same for themselves.  The younger, homeschooled kids and I got up and going later.   Pregnancies, and, more recently, perimenopause, made getting up early very difficult for me.  

I didn't realize how much I had been struggling until I started taking bio-identical hormone replacement, and got my sleep back, and with it, some ability to face mornings.

I haven't adjusted my nighttime routines well enough to get me a full night's sleep, but this year, I've been getting up to make sure all those leaving the house have breakfast, and a full lunch to take with them.  Often I think I'll fall back in bed after they leave.  But I never do.  Although tired, I'm pretty awake by that time, and I know it would probably make me feel worse, rather than better, to sleep more.  Plus, I no longer want to waste those mornings away in bed!


I admit that for several months, I mostly still wasted that time by sitting in a sleepy fog at the computer.  As soon as I sat down, it seemed to be over.  If there weren't any more emails to read, I'd find something to research or blogs to read.

Taste of Home Coconut Bread Recipe
The description said everyone would be begging
for the recipe, so how could I NOT make it?!
It certainly was a hit.  Since I didn't have
coconut extract, I used vanilla, and subbed
coconut oil for the vegetable oil.  I also used
unsweetened coconut.  

But last Tuesday, I got a new lease on mornings.  We were scheduled to host our church small group that night, and I wanted to bake for that.  We had bananas that were definitely ready to become banana bread.  As I searched out a recipe in our Taste of Home Baking Cookbook, my eyes landed on a recipe for Coconut Bread, so I made that, too.  As 3 loaves of banana bread, and 2 loaves of coconut baked away in the oven, I boiled a pot of eggs, and also cooked some chicken breast pieces to use in dinner, with enough for the next couple days of lunch salads and sandwiches.  I started laundry and studied our chapter for that night's discussion. By noon, I had a lot to show for my day, and was on a roll to accomplish more.  I was amazed at what starting early could mean.

Most days, I think that since I'm home all day, I have all day to get things done, so there's 'no hurry.'  But that rarely works.  I get busy, distracted... usually, both... and often things I'd intended move to the next day's to-do list.  I'm going to admit here that sometimes those things include basics, like taking a shower and getting dinner started!  Not that we don't eat dinner some nights, but I have often had to 'punt' at the last minute, instead of preparing what I'd planned, but didn't start early enough.

Yesterday, I got up out of this computer chair early, read my chapter for tonight, then with the rest of the morning dedicated to cutting, and the afternoon to sewing, I made a robe for my mom that I'd been

meaning to make for her birthday... In September.  It was supposed to be her cozy, winter robe...   I think it'll still be chilly enough here to make it useful for a couple of months, but I could've had it to her earlier, if I'd learned earlier to make use of my earlier hours in the day!

Many of you are probably shaking your head, having known this for years and years.  I confess, I've suffered the sins of selfishness, laziness, and indiscipline.  But I'm growing, and hope I'm coming out of it.  Over half my life is behind me, and I want to do as much as I can with what's left.  Today, I've cleaned our stove while my coffee brewed, and now I've written out this post.  Usually, I would commiserate, correct, and tailor, then play with photos until it was to a certain level of perfection I expect to present of myself to you.  

Today, though, I have another goal, so I'm done sitting here.  After I shift laundry, come up with a dinner plan, and probably start some bread, I want to see if I can get the wisp of an idea that's been floating in my head for an art-tile inspired quilt I might want to make for our living room wall to take form on paper... So I'm off to do so.  Have a great day!

Ship Shape? Not.

Photo Source

I may not look like this yet... All dried up, rusty and deteriorated, and unable to move.

Photo Source

But I'm afraid I'm starting to look like this... Listing to the side of what's healthy, with my cargo shifting precariously and unattractively, and pushing my inner contents out of balance.




While we were building our house, I pretty suddenly put on 10 pounds and had to trade my size 6s for 10s.  I figured it was hormones or something, and felt like it would never drop back off.  But a couple years ago, whoosh! it went, and I was barely, but definitely, back into 6s... Which was particularly nice for the weddings.

Then during April 2012, the 10 lost pounds were found again...mostly around my middle.  I think it was due to imbalances in my system due to stress over my mom's difficult heart surgery, because my dietary and activity habits didn't change.  The sad thing is, it hasn't dropped back off after the stressful period passed.

The other all-too-'interesting' thing that happened recently is my usually low cholesterol numbers jumped up.  My total increased by 40 points, which confounded my doctor a bit.  He said weight and cholesterol levels are linked, but he wouldn't have expected 40 points with 10 pounds. 

Image courtesy of Suat Eman/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Truth be told, that in the last few months, because of being frustrated with the extra weight that wouldn't go away, I let my habits slide, and was eating more carbs than normal.  I'm not normally into breads, but had been enjoying the occasional bagel or pastry that I usually eschewed.  I also haven't found a way to get more sleep, which probably isn't helping my overall health, and perhaps affects those numbers?

I have cut back on the carbs, so I hope the cholesterol situation is better, but the weight sure isn't.  Like with budgeting, I don't have any major calorie vice I can cut, like alcohol, soda, or milkshakes, and I am a fairly healthy eater, so I'm not sure how to better my diet.  My gynecologist said she won't discuss any other solutions to weight with me until I have a regular exercise routine.  Claiming to be an active mom of many with stairs in my house, places to go and things to do, and promising that I do get up and move more than I used to, just doesn't do it for her.  She wants to know how many minutes of what focused physical activity/activities, how many times a week.

From My Weight Makeover

On a recent trip to the Big City, Princess Artiste and I had to run for the ferry... about 250 yards, at the end of which I fell into the nearest chair with my heart pounding.  The next day, I biked about 1 3/4 miles (y'know, partly uphill, mostly flattish, and including a good bit of coasting, so that's not much), then walked for 15 minutes on the treadmill at "warm up" speed (2.5 mph).  My legs felt like jelly after.

So I thought if I posted the truth of things here, it would force some accountability in keeping regularly active...gaining strength and stamina.  Hopefully, my metabolism will wake up, the weight will drop, and that tummy fat will disappear.

Current Stats:

Weight: 142 pounds (goal: 127) 

Blood pressure:  OK at 110/68 to 120/70 

Cholesterol: 214 (goal: back down to under 175 with favorable HDL to LDL ratio) 

Weekly exercise: Little to none  (goal: 30 minutes or more, 5 days per week) 

Sleep per night:  5 - 5 1/2 hours (goal: 8 hours+)

I suppose I should post a "Before" photo... But maybe when I have a great "After" to post with it!

An Alternative Fitness Routine

I've said many times here that I need to add exercise to my routine.  I've said almost as many times that I don't like to exercise for exercise sake, but to accomplish something, like a competitive game or a task requiring physical strength... Like I used to move full tables or haul around multiple bolts of fabric when rearranging the fabric stores I used to manage.  I felt tired, but good, after a day of such physically demanding work... A much better kind of tired than that from a day of dealing with people problems and bookwork.


In that vein, I've decided just to try to keep moving and be more active in my regular life.  After all, there is plenty to get up and do around here.  I thought I'd share my last week's 'fitness routine.'


First, I decided to try running in place while folding clothes and watching TV.  The folding and TV distraction helped me not notice that I 'jogged' for 20 minutes.  I was surprised I didn't run out of energy and breath long before.  It sounds a little nuts, but why not move a little when I have the chance?  I felt so good, I followed that up with some core work on my new mat.

Heading more toward the real-work type of exercise on another day, I got down on hands and knees to scrub the kitchen floor.  The kids are supposed to steam the floor twice a week, but it often happens only once. With the speed of impatient youngsters, a lot of the dirt gets swished over, rather than scrubbed away... So I thought I'd take the opportunity to start back at a clean Square 1.  
Stretching and crawling, I honestly hadn't considered that it might work out my body, as well as cleaning the floor.  I was surprised to feel the next day just how many muscles that chore used!

A couple days later, I spent about an hour weed-whacking the perimeter of the yard (using the string trimmer), trying to keep the woods from overtaking the lawn areas.  It definitely required physical strength (my arms felt like jelly), and my chiropractor suggested I do it in shorter time increments.  


It was good for my mental well-being, also, as it was nice to see the yard improvement...which has lasted a little longer than the floor-cleaning. 

Saturday's exercise was much more fun that all of those previous 'workouts.'  As a belated Mother's Day gift, the newlyweds took me (and Hubby) to the Big City to kayak on Lake Union.  
We have wanted to try kayaking for our whole married lives, but have awaited Hubby's intention to build the kayaks.  ;-)   



Princess Sassy and Prince Steadfast bought their own single kayaks this week, so it was a good tryout for those, and they rented Hubby and I a double-hulled craft.

We enjoyed paddling around the lake for about an hour and a half, looking at the amazing houseboats along the shore (way more house than boat), and also the bigger boats and yachts.  


It was a beautiful day and we also viewed the skyline of the Big City, the take-offs and landings of several float planes, and parks and other scenes along the lake. My shoulders and upper back did the most work, and I'm sure whatever muscles utilized will let me know in the next couple days.  


















I look forward to more local jaunts, since Princess Sassy has let me know she wants to take me out in their boats on her days off while her prince is busy with his college work.  It's wonderful to live within a couple miles of Puget Sound, and now be able to take advantage of it in this way.

It's Complicated

Thankfully, not the same type of complicated like the scandalous goings-on in the movie of the same title (one of my faves).  But, as in buying groceries, and fixing meals and snacks to meet the needs of each person living in our house at once.

Hubby:  52, high cholesterol, sometimes high triglycerides, wants/needs to lose about 20 pounds.  He's not exercising, but because of work and projects, is certainly not sedentary either.  He's a snacker, and likes 2nd helpings.  He gets busy during the day and puts off eating sometimes, and 'makes up for it' later.

Me: 52, good blood test numbers, battles occasional low blood sugar issues and adrenal fatigue, recently gained about 7 pounds that needs to go away again.   Exercise for exercise-sake only is hard for me.   I tend to forget to eat during the day, or finding no pleasing options, I choose nothing.

Newlyweds: Former high school athletes, slightly struggling to adjust to the busier adult lifestyle without the regular schedule of sports that used to keep them fit.  They are trying to stay active, and set up good habits and diet.  Princess Sassy's chosen healthy foods get 'boring' after awhile, and feeling deprived, her sweet tooth returns.

5 Kids: 8 to 18, healthy, varying activities and sports involvement, but all very active.  All have good metabolism, so have no issues with too much weight.  Growth and getting enough calories is the focus.  They tend to fix themselves meals and snacks without enough protein.                                                                                                                                  

For Hubby and Princess Sassy it'd be a good idea to rid the house of their temptation foods.  But with our recent problems getting Prince Go-for-It to take in enough calories to meet his activity and growth needs, I cannot feel good about cutting things, like mayonnaise, tortilla chips, granola bars, and cookie baking.  We don't have a lot of processed foods or ingredients, and don't eat a lot of sweets.  I don't think the cookies, made with whole grain flour, and often with reduced sugar amounts, will damage the overall health of the active, growing members of the family.  It's tough for the rest of us that we don't have the same options, but that's apparently how life works!

The newlyweds gave me a water bottle & exercise
mat for my birthday.  The water bottle really has
helped me remember to drink enough water
during the day. The mat has not seen
as much action as it should!

Enough water and the right kinds of foods at the right times of day is a challenge for everyone.


I have noted, over time, that certain things considered healthy eating choices for most don't work for me, highlighting the fact that an individual's body may have a say in their specific dietary needs.


One answer would be to make a variety of foods available from which everyone can choose, but that doesn't work for family meals, which I'm not willing to give up in this endeavor.  I also don't want to get in the position of providing a grocery store or restaurant for the family, which wouldn't be a good thing for our budget.  So... Individual health needs (and preferences), family priorities, and finances all factor in.


Research to do.  Questions to ask.  Thinking to do.  More to report later.

Coaxing the Flavor out of those Beans!

Coffee beans.  --I have always loved the smell of coffee... rich, warm, comforting.  But never the taste.  It seemed so watered down and bitter whenever I tried black coffee, so I long ago decided it wasn't for me.

My favorite drinks came
from Tully's Coffee Shops.
My niece used to manage
some of their stores, and
she let me know this was
 the blend used in all their
drinks.  So I thought it a
great place to start.

With the birth and growth of our locally-grown Starbucks and then Tully's, however, I was introduced to "coffee drinks," starting with blended delights topped with whipped cream.  I was still leery of hot coffee of any kind until Princess Bossy talked me into trying an Eggnog Latte.  I wasn't sure of it, but was struck with the flu a few months later and when I had to be out running kids around, it seemed just the right thing to soothe the savage throat.  After that, I was hooked.  Plus, I had occasional hormone-induced migraines, and the amount of caffeine in those fluffy drinks was just enough to contract my blood vessels, apparently, and reduce the misery.  It became quite a good reason to indulge.  :-)


The price and the sugar load were daunting, though, so I started trying to make the treats at home, hot and cold.  I could get 'sort of' close to the taste of the coffee shop drinks, and was fairly satisfied.  But one day I walked by the grocery store coffee aisle and the great smell wafted over me, making me suspect I just wasn't getting the richness out of the coffee beans I thought they could give.  


I knew that some of the coffee shops did better, but also knew they used expensive and probably complex espresso machines that I wouldn't be able to have.  I searched the internet, trying to find other options.

Bodum Chambord 8 cup French Press
One of many highly rated
French Press coffee makers

I found lesser expensive, but still pricey, espresso makers with not so great reviews.  I found French presses and AeroPresses, that seemed they might be an answer.  Those had some rave reviews, but which one, and will they do what I wanted, which was to add the rich coffee goodness to a drink consisting mostly of soy milk and a bit of flavoring and/or sweetener?  

Aerobie AeroPress Coffee
and Espresso Maker

Most of the people reviewing were straight coffee drinkers.  I felt at am impasse, unwilling to spend money for something, or maybe multiple things, that wouldn't do what I needed, especially when coffee confections aren't exactly a necessity of life.


Thankfully, I remembered my friend who roasts her own beans.  Maybe she would know...  Stay tuned.

One Hurdle Down

What is it about getting on the phone and actually committing to things like a mammogram and the dreaded colonoscopy?  I finally ignored my pounding heart, and made an appointment this morning to have a mammogram next week.

Original Image Source

It's been 2 years since my last one.  Why?  Because almost every time I have one, I am 'invited' back for mysterious 'further views' and sometimes an ultrasound.  How much radiation from mammograms before they start causing problems instead of finding?


And I've had 4 separate biopsies.  Some of those biopsies, I'm pretty certain, resulted in some of those extra views to look more closely at 'troublesome spots' and also the cyst I had 2 years ago that created a very scary lump.   A lot of anxiety and adrenalin stirred up for what turned out to be nothing... So many times!!  While I'm aggravated about the false alarms, I'm certainly thankful they were false.


Time to put that all behind me and face the test again.  No use risking my life because I'm tired of being aggravated.


Now for the colonoscopy.  That's so much tougher, as I have to plan to give 2 days to it (neither sounding too fun), and will have to rely on another person of driving age to give up one of those days with me, so scheduling that is challenging in addition to nerve-wracking.  


I'm sharing all these jitters and blather to possibly let someone know they're not alone in their fears, and to encourage anyone in a similar situation to join me in catching up with those tests that may have been put off...

Playtime?

In Accidental insight... I mentioned that a lab test showed me low in cortisol, indicating adrenal exhaustion.   Since returning to the natural hormones, so sleeping again, and with a course of treatment with licorice supplement recommended by both my OB-Gyn and naturopath, my cortisol levels have come up from 9 to 21 ("normal" is 10 to 100).


Last week my OB-Gyn did a blood test to check my DHEA levels, which are another indication of adrenal health. According to Women to Women, a women's health care site specializing in hormone and adrenal problems, the best way to encourage my own body's creation of DHEA is to "Cultivate Joy."  
To do this, they suggest connection with friends, mild to moderate exercise, pursuit of spiritual connection and growth, ... and "play time!"

I remember having "Mandatory Dance Moments" to get me through the doldrums after my miscarriages... When a fun song would come on the radio, I'd turn it up and all the kids and I would dance and laugh for a couple of minutes.  They're mostly too old to want to do that any more, darn it... With the exception, I guess, of Princess Sassy, who just suggested it herself this morning.  :-)


Lately I feel the need to getaway from noise and clutter.  My parents used to own a cabin about a 45-minute drive away... I really miss it.  Even in the dreary months, it was a quiet, fun break from routine.  


Our whole house almost constantly rings out with voices and activity of our big family, which is a tremendous blessing, but also means that I have no space that's my own, and very little amounts of scattered alone-time.  Even a night's sleep or a warm shower for Mom aren't guaranteed to go un-interrupted.  


I love to paint and to sew, but if it created a mess in the midst of my dining room, which is the only space large enough right now, it would only increase my stress...  Cooking/baking can be fun, but I'm not sure anyone would let me claim bread-baking as play time, and meal times usually aren't too relaxing.


So if not in the house... Out?  

Prince CuddleBunny and the dogs checking out
this weeks snow

I have to say (whine) that outside to walk or garden isn't appealing right now, or probably for months yet, in the cold, rain (often including or replaced by snow these days), and wind.  


I often feel like time out of the house alone (by car) is 

1. Work.  When I get a day to stay put, I like to do just that.
2. Time when I could be making the trip multi-task for me/the family.
3. A little lonely with no one along to share whatever it is I'm doing.

After my doctor appointment the other day, I went to Costco to pick up just a few necessities, but also wandered through the book section... Taking my time, reading the excerpts, and thinking my own thoughts for a few minutes.  Although just a tad, I found it to be surprisingly refreshing.  Is it sad that my 'luxurious me time' was 5 or 6 minutes in the middle of Costco?  

ROAD TRIP!!!!!

Some fun is coming.  Prince CuddleBunny, Princess Eager, and I will accompany Hubby on a 2-day trip to a conference out of town.  Since the hotel room is paid for and is the same cost for 1 or 4, we get to go along and laze about, watching cable TV, using the hotel gym equipment, and strolling the town while he is in meetings.  We'll, of course, also let someone else cook breakfasts and dinners. This isn't the kind of thing I can regularly insert into my routine, and not a total vacation from momming, but at least a break from looking at the things that need doing around the house for a couple of days and nights.


I'm not trying to complain, or even make excuses... Only to get a vision in my mind of what my playtime would look like and how to get it into my days.  I can't be the only stay-at-home mom with these challenges. 

What do you do for fun?   

What does your "playtime" look like?