On This Saturday

...I got up at 6:00am. Why? I guess in part because I am old and set in my routine. I wanted to sleep, but I was awake. I've made coffee and had breakfast and the kids are all still sleeping at just after 8:00am.

I'm sitting here thinking about what I want to do today. Of course, there are "have to do" things such as meals and laundry. Thankfully the grocery shopping is done and bills are paid (Thank you, Lord!). I hate spending my weekend doing those things.

I could also work in the garage. I could clean up the extra room. I could deal with paperwork.

But what I think I want to do is work in the youngest child's bedroom. We've had every imaginable room arrangement over the years. Currently, all the girls have their own rooms. Second born talked us into giving her the front room that has, over the years, been a homeschool room, an office (I believe it's intended purpose), and a play room. It doesn't have a door. We hung some beautiful curtains and she has her own space. It's small, but temporary. One day the oldest will move out and then the remaining girls can each have a proper bedroom. For now, second born is just happy not to be sharing with little sister. So we moved all the toys to little sister's room. She's the only one who still really plays so it makes sense. But when the older two were growing up I never liked having toys in the bedrooms. Bedrooms are hard enough to keep clean without adding toys.

The youngest and I made supper the other night. Hopefully, today's task will involve fewer knives.

So today I believe I will channel my younger mom self and get in there and organize. I used to make picture labels for the girls and put them on the toy containers. Then I would label the shelf where they belonged. There was no reason for them to not know where things went. I believe the youngest doesn't know how to clean her room because so many things do not have a place.

Also, there are many things that need to leave the house.

We watched a few Marie Kondo episodes last week and of her own accord, the youngest brought about 10 things out of her room and told me to get rid of them or sell them. This is huge, people!

But I've got to get her room under control. She has 137 baby dolls (maybe that's just a ballpark figure but it feels true) and they need a home.

A home where there is still room for the real human who lives in the room to sleep, get dressed, and play. Is that asking too much?

And also, I need to take some photos of items to sell in my eBay store. Last month, Steve and I listed a few items and with the money we earned I paid for this semester of co-op and will soon pay for our spring break camp we go to each year.

So, my eBay store needs some more stock and I have lots of it waiting in the garage.

Now that I've made my plan-of-the-day with you, I'll come back later and let you know how it all worked out.

Should be good for a laugh or two.

Signing off,

A Story

Once upon a time there was a family who had a very good holiday season. Thanksgiving was stressful for the Mother as it has been since her father died. Her father had always done so much that his daughter had always considered Thanksgiving a vacation. No more. Thanksgiving is not very much fun when you have to do all the work. And spend that much money.

And of course as soon as that holiday is over, it's time to prepare for the big one: Christmas. And although the Mother enjoyed Christmas and picking out presents for her loved ones, and although she was filled with gratitude and thankfulness the whole month because of all the blessings her family had, it was a bit stressful too.

There had been a houseguest that month and of course shopping and presents and cleaning and cooking--so much cooking. There was upcoming stress of the next year to think about as well.

So that on Christmas afternoon, when all the festivities were quite over, the Mother developed a bit of a headache and said that she thought she would lie down.

And the headache grew and she felt quite bad and the lying down turned into nearly the whole evening and the Mother went to bed at 10:30. When she awoke the next morning at 8:45, she felt better. Can you imagine needing that much sleep?

The mother feels better now. And she is also going to do something she never, ever does. She is going to make today a vacation day.

There will be no self-imposed guilt about her husband working so she should be working too, like usual.
There will be no worries about all the things that need doing about the house.

The Mother is going to sit and watch movies and do nothing responsible all day long.

The End.

In Which We Institute the Winter Wellness Plan

Our youngest's bout with tonsillitis recently made me realize it was time to act like it was fall as far as germs are concerned, even if the weather does not know it's fall.

Today it was actually NOT 90 degrees. The girls and I went on a walk after lunch. It was very nice outside. I felt horrible all day, however. I mean, I went to bed at 10:30 last night, which is a very reasonable time. And still I managed to lay down at lunch time and take a quick nap. All day I just looked longingly at the bed. Finally when school was over, we ran by Sonic and I got a tea. Then we met some folks at the Internet Swap Spot at our local police station and sold some curtains I had listed on FB Marketplace. Then, because I didn't want to go home, we drove around a bit. The whole time I was sipping my tea.

And I felt so much better when we got home. Was it getting out of the house? Or was it the caffeine? I think I know the answer. I've let myself get addicted again. Anyway, we'll see how I feel tomorrow and I won't wait that long to get a drink, if needed. Of tea, mind you.

So about that germ plan. Here it is, in a nutshell:

1. WASH HANDS WASH HANDS WASH HANDS
2. Take probiotics daily
3. Take elderberry syrup daily
4. Use Immune Strength essential oils
5. Drink lots of water

I'm allowing the older two girls to be responsible to do these things on their own. I'm not sure they've remembered today. I also need to make the elderberry syrup. My glass bottles came today. I ordered these.  I use these elderberries (affiliate link). I make the elderberry syrup using this recipe. And I make mine in my off-brand instant pot. I've been very pleased with it--and it's on sale right now! (affiliate link)

Immune Strength is Rocky Mountain Oils (not an affiliate link) version of Thieves or On-Guard (two other popular essential oil companies versions). I've been using their oils since back when the company was still called Native American Nutritionals. I did my research prior, and I've always been pleased. They are much more affordable than others and they work for us very well. Other brands are good too, but they are not possible for us financially.

Also, I am working to be sure the house--particularly the kitchen and bathrooms--stay clean! The youngest daughter will have the job of wiping down all the light switches and doorknobs a few times a week. I am not a germaphobe. But in the cold and flu season, we take some extra precautions. I definitely think you can over-clean your house, but we aren't there. (Not even close!)

We have a lot of fun things planned in the upcoming months and we want to all be able to enjoy them! And that reminds me, I wanted to make a chain so that we could tear off one link a day to count down to some of this fun stuff! Gotta get on that.

How does your family stay healthy?

Signing off,

Interrupted

Our regular weekly blogging was interrupted this week by Tonsillitis. I'm not sure any of my kids have ever had this, although Steve and I remember getting it all the time growing up. Boy her throat looks ugly.

So I'm spending some time taking care of a little girl, which is more important than blogging anyway.

Hope to see you soon!

Signing off,

Driven and Divided

Driven. That's a word I would use to describe my husband. That hasn't always been true. I've known him all our lives. We've been married for 25 years. But the last 6 years...possibly longer but definitely the last 3 or 4, have found my husband being very focused on his dreams.

He is a visionary--the type of man who sees the big picture and sees things for how they can be--not just how they currently are.

This really doesn't describe me, however. I'm not sure how to describe me. Since our oldest child graduated in May, I have felt very different. Our homeschool is obviously very different. Instead of having 3 students, I now only have 2 again. And it isn't anything like it used to be when I had two students. Our life is just very different.

And I'm more tired. I love homeschooling and I have enjoyed it so much. But now when I think about the tasks ahead, they don't seem that challenging. I don't have to expend quite as much energy on things because we are, in some ways, on auto-pilot in the homeschooling life. I'm working myself out of a job here, people.

Also, I have so much more help these days. Two of my children are teens/young adults. Only one of them I would still consider "little" and I'm not the only pair of hands around to help with her. Instead of everyone being little or everyone being big--they are both. I have some of each. We don't have little kid movies on all the time, because the big kids want to watch things.

But I also just don't feel as motivated as I once did. I think it used to seem like I was going to be a Mommy forever and also that they were growing up too fast all at the same time. I remember planning sewing projects for them and delighting in making quilts for them, painting things for them...I was forever coming up with some project for them to enjoy.

But with my youngest daughter it just feels different. Maybe she's not as easily impressed as they were (That is partly true) and so it's not as fun to come up with surprises for her. Maybe it's because she's the only little. Maybe I'm tired and burned out.

Maybe it's that instead of being all-immersed in being a Mom, I'm starting to dream about what I will do "one day." That day seemed forever far away a few years ago. Graduating that first child really made me realize that one day I WILL be through with them. At least in the hands-on, I'm fully responsible for you type way.

I've been working on writing a book. The motivation, when I started, was money, plain and simple. We need income. I started writing. I would very much love to be a published author. It has always been a dream of mine. But now I'm starting to see that it could happen. "One day" doesn't seem as far off.

But this makes me sad as well. I want to spend time making things for my little girl while she's still little. I want to enjoy reading to my girls as long as I can. Do I really want my "spare" time taken up with selfish dreams of my own? I used to be all-Mom-all-the-time. Now I feel like I'm cheating on that. I'm divided.

I don't know if that makes any sense.

Joining in on husband's dreams and plans divides me. Am I being the best Mom I can be? Am I being a good wife?

Am I having a mid-life crisis? 😉

I just feel that I have a lot of things going on at any one time. I don't feel like I'm just raising little girls anymore.

And I kind of miss those old days.

Signing off,