You know that feeling you get when you get it all right? Sunday, we got it all right.
(Can you look closely at Saint in this pic? That one little arm up is killing me!)
It was 50 degrees and beautiful this past weekend. Sunny had a friend over, we took a giant family walk to the bakery where we promptly ordered up delicious doughnuts and cookies. Matt and I sat on our front porch and spoke to our neighbors- who we haven’t seen since fall. I had a facial and pedicure at a fancy spa, then made some BBQ soaked ribs, went to my friends home, and later to my brothers. It was one of those days that I may not get back for months to come, but will reference often as, that awesome day in early February.
Today it’s snowing, schools are closed, and I’m here alone with the monsters. I have piles of work to edit, business to attend too, and no real hope that any of it will get done. I’m starring out of the window wondering which child will actually be the one to put me over the edge and I’m secretly jealous of my friends who work outside the home because they will leave their houses today. BUT I’m not complaining- nope, not today. Because today my happy place is in my memory of Sunday.
Adding to the fun of this snowy/wintery/we’reneverleavingthishouseagain season I’ve come up with a short list of immediate happy place go-to’s. Maybe this can help you when you start to feel the cabin fever taking over.
1. Call my friend Nora. This is good for me because I get to complain ( a. lot.) and she comforts me by telling me funny stories or just listening. I would print her phone number here, but she’s my personal therapist and I really can’t loan her out right now.
2. Play Bob Marley. I do this everyday at 4pm now. I find a little Bob while making dinner and grooving around my kitchen is really therapeutic. I sometimes couple this music time with a glass of wine or lemonade.
3. Start an impossibly ridiculous project. Currently Matt refuses to help me remodel our half bath so I now look up ways to do it myself. I’m also cleaning out our family bookcase and basically making a bigger mess than it was- BUT I feel very cleansed with a new project.
4. Move nap time up by one hour. If you can push yourself to just 30 minutes earlier- then good for you. But I have gone as far as making the babies room very dark and offering an 8 ounce bottle vs a 6 ounce. WARNING: They will wake up earlier!
5. Online shop. This one can be dangerous but I like to make a cart that I never purchase. Except earlier last month I hit purchase and all these new clothes came and I’m still getting stuff! That’s not recommended. My fav. kids sites are H&M, Crewcuts, & Miniboden
6. Purchase an on demand movie. My baby doesn’t watch tv or movies (BOO!) but I buy one for Sunny once she does some workbook pages- this makes her really happy and helps me get some work done while she’s busy.
7. Set up a photo shoot. I dress them up and click away.
8. Have a dance party. This will only buy you about 10 min- but it’s fun 10 min. Bonus: My baby dances in a diaper. It’s cute, sort of odd, but super cute!
9. Make something completely amazingly difficult, like bread or in my case cookies. I love to cook but I can not bake well. These snow days have forced me into baking time- and my kids LOVE to help and eat raw cookie dough.
10. Skype every single person you know. It makes Grandparents and friends ridiculously happy.
There you have it my top 10 find the happy list. Oh and when all else fails- I google our fun family summer vacation and or allow your baby to play with soapy water on your coffee table, because it’s 10 am and we’ve exhausted all other options.
