Recharging My Battery- Winter Version :)
Hi!! Happy Tuesday!!
Hope your week is off to a great start!!
Well...like most of the country...winter has officially made it's appearance and it is NOT joking around :) We got snow on Sunday and the temperatures have been frigid the last few days. Fun Fact about me: I STRONGLY dislike winter. HA! Seriously- nothing puts me in a worst mood than extremely cold weather, icy roads and the inability to get outside. Oh well!
There are no plans for us to move to Hawaii in the near future...so I guess I better buck up! HA!
I had my first of (many) winter "freak-outs" this past weekend. A winter "freak-out" for me is when we have been inside ALLL day, my kids are totally nuts (rightfully so!), there are still several hours left in the day and the walls feel like they are slowly closing in on us. HA!
When it is warm enough- my solution is get everyone in our back yard or go for walk. Fresh air + open spaces = Happy Kids and Mommy :)
When it is 15 degrees and snowing "ice" - that's not an option. OBVIOUSLY.
So anyway- back to my first winter freak out of the season...normally I can stay pretty upbeat and get creative with the kids for the first couple weeks- heck even month of winter weather...BUT...my husband was gone on a work trip from last Thursday and got home right around dinner time on Saturday- then right after we got home from church on Sunday morning- he had to go to the hospital because he was on call. So- by the time he got home from the hospital on Sunday- I was doing my jolly best to be positive, patient, and FUN!!- when all I really wanted to do was crawl into bed and read my library book- HA!
Aaron is really great about giving me a chance to re-charge my batteries- so as soon as he walked in the door....all while the kids were running circles around us and screaming "Chitty Chitty Chat Chat!!!" (Which I just found out is from Kung Foo Panda- HA!) I calmly told him that while our children are the reason my heart is filled with joy EVERY day- at this very moment- they were really annoying me- HA! He said- "Go! Do what you need to do!" I replied with- "I don't want to go out in this awful weather- I just want to bake some cookies by myself!!"
DONE and done. He rounded up our crazy crew, made them clean up the upstairs play room and then played multiple rounds of Charades with them....all while I listened to the Sam Smith station on Pandora and baked our family's favorite cookies.
Here's a weird thing about me- while I am like any other person and need a break from my "reality" every once and awhile...I usually don't want to escape. You know what I mean? I rarely like to actually leave my family- I want to be in the vicinity of them...but far enough away that I am not needed. HA! Does that make ANY sense???
So I am thankful we have a two story house that allows for some familial separation when needed :)
You would not believe how therapeutic it was for me to listen to some good music and make some cookie dough!
I made "cowboy" cookies...some people call them "monster" cookies...whatever you call them- they are DELICIOUS and the dough is CRAZY good.
I have posted the recipe for these cookies a couple of times- if you want- you can check it out here!! My friend Leigh emailed me and told me she made these cookies recently and put in little bits of extra candy like snickers and heath bars in them- UM. YUM. What a great idea!!
So...not sure if there is really a point to all this rambling :) But I guess the takeaway for me is that while sometimes I feel like I need a BREAK, (like in Mexico, on a lounge chair with a fruity drink!) being home with "my people" is always where my heart will reside.
SO thankful I have a husband who sees my winter freak-outs coming from a mile away and gives me a little bit of time to re-charge my batteries- whether that be by having the kitchen to myself to bake, by curling up in bed with a great book or snuggling on the couch (ALONE-HA!) and watching an episode of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.
I would love to know- is winter a more, ahem, challenging time for you?
How do you "re-charge" your batteries??
Hope you have the BEST day!!
I am linking up with these fabulous ladies today for Tuesday Talk!!
As a SAHM, winter is the prime time I need me time! Days can be very long when you're couped up inside! A little Food TV does the trick for me too! :)
ReplyDeleteI LOVE the Food Network!! And HGTV too :) We don't get cable- so I watch shows from my computer or when I am on the treadmill at the gym. I feel like such a dork- but I just LOVE watching cooking shows! HA!
DeleteYou are speaking right to my heart, friend! Winters are long here in WI. Sure we have snow, but as I type this it is only 4 degrees outside. Not really conducive to play in. I crave the me time during the winter especially, however, Luke will say go do something, I choose not to because I want to be with my favorite guys. Strange I know. Let me just go take a shower & I'll be back down. haha!
ReplyDeleteSuch a fun & relateable blog post :) We had 3 babies in 36 months and I feel the same way about liking to stay in the vicinity of my people - but on another floor. My amazing husband will take them upstairs for bath and wrestling and playing which gives me time to clean - my happy place.
ReplyDeleteWinter is so roughhhh. It's grey and ugly and kids just don't quite understand the idea of staying in bed all day and watching movies. I'm going to have to get real creative this year with 2 boys at home!
ReplyDeleteHashtagMomBlog
Okay, first - YUM on the cookies!!! Maybe I need to make some more to get rid of some lingering Christmas chocolate!! Second, I am with you on wanting to be in the vicinity of your family, but taking a break. Generally if I am away from my fam - I want to get home quickly, but it never hurts my feelings to take a break and watch my own shows for a little bit and recharge!! Happy Tuesday friend!!
ReplyDeleteYeah...been there with all the kids milling about, wishing I could just be there without them flocking me for hours - just for a little break! I totally get you on this one. My kids are grown now, but boy, do I remember just needing a BREAK after super long days where hubs left at 4:30 AM and returned at 7:00PM. I usually had them buttoned up ready to go out the door because I knew he didn't want to be away from me any longer than he already was (he's relational like that, although I enjoy alone time)! I'm glad you had some time with your cowboy cookie baking, that sounds wonderful!
ReplyDeleteAnd thanks for joining us for Tuesday Talk this week!
~ from http://www.rearreleaseregroup.com/
Hi Ruthie! Thanks for stopping by and commenting! And so nice to know that you can relate!! My husband frequently has long days like you described your husband having...those can be SO tough!! So thankful winter is not a forever season and spring and summer will be here before we know it!! :)
DeleteFeaturing this on my blog tomorrow at Tuesday Talk, Justine! I loved it and I know other young mamas will relate!
DeleteI like your style!
Oh wow Ruthie! Thanks for featuring me!! I really appreciate your kind words!!! :)
DeleteI know exactly what you are talking about! Winter where I live is so confining too. My fave way to recharge is to just do something alone at home too, like reading or watching a Law and Order. Thank goodness for an awesome husband, right?! Thanks for linking up with us for Tuesday Talk! -Jessica, Sweet Little Ones
ReplyDeleteP.S. We call them Cowboy Cookies too! :)
So fun you call them cowboy cookies too!! And YES- so thankful for husband and the fact that he "gets it!"
DeleteBless you. This is why I will NEVER leave Florida. 50 degrees is too cold for me (50 degrees here is like 35 everywhere else though- seriously. It's the humidity.) Ice and snow would kill me.
ReplyDeleteOh I am SO jealous you live in Florida! HA! I lived in Austin, TX for 3 years and that is exactly how winters were there too- people were in big, puffy coats when it was 55 degrees and I just laughed!
DeleteOur hope is to move to the south in the next couple of years and be done with these yucky midwest winters for GOOD! Fingers Crossed!! :)