Slow Weekend

 

No makeup.  Hair pulled up in messy bun.  Wearing my very comfortable yellow sweater jacket my parents gifted me many years ago.  Still in the same black sweatpants I slept in last night and it's almost 5:00pm.  Haven't left the house since taking my daughter to dance last night.  

I enjoy these days.  A lot of people would go crazy but as the homebody I am I just love it.  The month of January is usually pretty slow for us.  Not much going on during the weekends.  Soon we'll be running back and forth to baseball games and dance competitions and recital rehearsals.  So, I'll take these days of doing absolutely nothing.  

Well, that's not true.  I took advantage of this day to do some cleaning and organizing.  I have goals this year to get through the messes of this house.  

I'm also fighting some depression.  I always am.  I'd just rather keep that to myself.  

My husband and son were supposed to go camping with the scouts this weekend but the boy got sick so they stayed home.  I'm glad they are home.  I would have worried about them in this cold weather.  

The forecast is calling for a lot of snow Sunday night into Monday.  Monday is already a scheduled day off from school and work, thank you Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  More time for housework and family snuggles.  

Well, that's it.  Hope you all are staying warm and cozy on this bitter, cold January weekend.  

First Snow of 2022

 Yesterday before we even saw one flurry fall from the sky the school announced a FID (flexible instructional day) for Friday.  As anticipated the snow fell through the night leaving about 6 inches by morning.   

My kids love the snow.  Watching them play brings back my own memories.  Today they took a break from schooling to enjoy the snow.  They covered each other with snow, made snow angels and even made icies with mango syrup.  I took the dog out just long enough to snap a few pictures.   This pug isn't a fan of being in the cold but he likes eating the puffy white stuff.  

The rest of the day has been spent helping with school work and putting Christmas decorations away.  

First Day of 2022

 "Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me." - Psalm 51:10

    HAPPY NEW YEAR!

What I love about the new year is a chance to start over.  A clean slate.  The old is gone and we welcome the new.  We use this time to reflect on the past year and the things that brought us joy and maybe even the things that brought us regret.  Now is the time to reevaluate everything, and some people set some resolutions that don't usually last by the middle of the year (I'm guilty of that).  

The last few years were rough and we have now entered the second year of the '20s with uncertainty and unexpectedness.  What will happen in 2022?  Will things get better?  Will they get worse?  Who, other than God, knows?  No one.  My only resolution for this year is to take it one day at a time as I give all my cares, all my worries, my doubts, my regrets, and all the joys to the only One who knows tomorrow's outcome.  I will live in peace.  

Of course, now that we have ourselves a new exercise machine I'm excited to put it to use.  It's time to work out and shed these extra pounds that I've gained and build some muscle.  I was doing great for awhile and then slipped.  My approach at fitness is not for vanity but for health.  Purely, health.  I also need to work on my spiritual walk.  The time I invest in my family.  And so much more.  

Last night we did something different.  We joined our new church for their service and afterwards set off some lanterns.  It was a pretty cool experience and might become a new tradition.  Then we all stayed up until midnight as we welcomed the new year with sparkling grape juice in wine glasses and the promise that no matter what happens in 2022 we'll go through it together.  

And today, the first day of 2022 I dropped my kids off at the movie theater where they met their grandparents to see the new Spiderman movie, I did some grocery shopping and now I'm at home typing this up.  I might do some writing, maybe take a nap, and wait for the kids to get home.  Maybe tonight we'll snuggle up and watch a movie while playing a game and enjoy each other's company.  In a few days the whirlwind of life starts up again (work, school, etc.)  

My wish is that 2022 brings you peace, joy, comfort, happiness, and strength!

Oh, and I'm going to add, the most miserable way to end 2021 was the death of Betty White.  I'm having a hard time believing it's true.  No, no, no!  It has to be a joke, right?  Tell me it's a joke.  Just a few weeks away from her 100th birthday.  True or not, I'm thankful for the entertainment and laughter she gave me!  

 

Christmas and New Year

The Christmas season is winding down and we are preparing for a new year.  Christmas was a special time spent with loved ones and watching the joy in my children's faces as they opened each and every gift with appreciation.  It's such an amazing time of year.  

Then, I got sick!  I had cold symptoms, a fever, and a body rash.  I spent the first few days in my room and away from the family, trying my best not to pass it along.  It was difficult and made me feel like a bad mom.  I should be there with my family, spending this precious time with them and keeping up with the cleaning.  My husband did the cooking and I appreciate it, but I feel it was an inconvenience for him.  This cold definitely knocked me down, I'm still feeling it, but I'm trying not to let it control me anymore.  I'm still congested and still have that crazy rash but I'm getting through it.  

My husband and I like to make a big purchase together every year and this year we bought a new exercise machine.  It's awesome.  I used it today for a little bit and plan on making it part of a daily routine.  I've made a lot of unhealthy choices this year and my body is showing it.  I need to do better.  I will do better.  

My husband and kids went out of town today to do a ton of shopping.  I was going to join them but having to deal with all this itchiness all I wanted to do was stay at home covered in cream.  I'm also working on some housecleaning.  Cleaning the house that's never clean.  I really have to accept this reality but it's hard to.  I want a clean house.  I hate when my husband points out something that isn't clean.  I want to say, "Okay, shut up and clean it.  Help me out." But I just want to be the one that can get it all done.  I try to get my kids more involved in chores but then I just end up redoing what they did because they didn't do it correctly.  I'm teaching myself to know that everything that needs to get done will get done eventually.  

That's it for now.  Catching up on This is Us, getting housework done and waiting to start some new and old New Years Eve traditions with the family tonight.