The Weekend Edition ~ Winter Tired

March 3, 2012

I got the beans started cooking on the stove before I sat down this morning. I need to make a batch of chili for an early lunch. No baked apples this morning, not enough time to do both apples and chili, all before 11:00am.

The kids are going tubing this afternoon with the Bible club the girls go to every week at a local church, simply called girls club. Our children have never participated in a weekly church club. Though we are very strong in our faith, we are not regular church goers, go figure.

Maybe I'll explain it all one day. Trust me, it's well thought out and isn't by accident that we don't usually "go to church". For now I'll leave it at this - although we don't attend a church we believe in meeting regularly with other Christians to encourage each other and grow in our faith. This can and does happen in a typical church setting for many people so that's great - it's just not for us.

Back to girls club, and the beans. What do beans have to do with this anyway?

The kids, including Laurent, are going tubing with girls club this afternoon. We have to get them to the church building shortly after noon. I have to feed them a hearty meal first. Enter chili.

not chili, broth for my sick family earlier this week

You know what the best part of all of this is? Damien and I have a date this afternoon! Our first, leave the house without kids date in over six months. Sweet. 

We're eating out a place we can't all afford to eat together, running errands (how romantic). We're hanging out, just us. Oh yes, I have been looking forward to this for weeks now.

Let's get on with the show.

Inspiring Internet

• To Be a Woman Such beautiful words from my friend Emily. 
• How To Knit a Washcloth I've always wanted to knit a washcloth. Never have. I have a big project on my knitting needles that is a slow go and so this was a nice diversion! I started earlier this week and I'm nearly halfway done. That feels good. 
• Clear the Clutter: Limit the File Storage One of my winter intentions is to update our filing system, that's a slow go but I am making progress. We have a 2 crate + one small fire safe box file system. But it's not quite as simple as Rachel's - yet. 
• In which these are the tired thirties I might just be a sucker for anyone who reads and quotes Madeline L'Engle but I could really identify with Sarah's words - except they applied to my twenties - which were intense and tiring years for raising small children.
• 3 Benefits of a Mentor (and how to get one) For some months now my mother/wife/homemaker/homeschooler/writer/creative/adventurer heart has been longing for a mentor. I didn't need convincing about the benefits and as for finding one, is it really as simple as Kat says? I guess I won't know till I try.
• A Little Perspective Maybe you're tired with little ones and life (the tired thirties or twenties) - you'll appreciate reading Erika's perspective. So lovely and wise. 
• Education: Separate or Mixed? Celine and I enjoyed this article on Youngzine, written by an 11 year old. 

The Weekend Story

I've already shared part of the weekend story, the part where I go on a date with my love! The rest of the story is that this has been a difficult and tiring week - on several levels.

It started Sunday night with gastroenteritis, and children throwing up through the night and into the next day. This was not as bad as when they were little, when I would hold them in their discomfort and the vomit would run down my back - that only happened a couple times but it does leave a strong memory. 

Now at least they make it to the toilet or bucket reliably but being sick is still no fun.

An unexpected grace on Monday, during the worst of it, was that the kids did not eat - (I didn't have to cook!) and they also slept, a lot.

This bought me a few unexpected extra hours to work on my e-book.

Brienne's doll quilt (she stitched it) next to my grandmother's quilting. Love.

I had no idea how much work it would be writing this e-book. Which is one reason I've avoided it so long. I've been scared for months of the unknowns in this process (and those fears have stopped me from moving forward) and I made a conscious decision to jump anyway. And now... I'm swimming. My arms are getting a bit tired but I see shore and I'm headed there.

The kids being sick also gave me time to clean. I don't schedule things like washing the floors, it happens when it needs to. Well it needed to and a homeschool free morning opened up for me to attend to our home. That felt good.

Day two of gastroenteritis was another slow day in the kitchen (nice) but I did make applesauce. I love loving my family this way.

The kids finished watching The Victorian Farm, an online documentary, during this time. They really enjoyed that, so did I, from the periphery. Some of the food they ate during that time was just gross (pig's head jelly) but I loved learning about the skin salves and ointments they made.

The kids recovered quickly and I worked in some "recovery" self-care time also. Not because I was sick, but just tired. Though I try to take care of myself every week, whether the kids have been sick or not (smile).

I did something monumental this week. I bought a ticket to my first blog conference - Allume Social, this October in Pennsylvania. I'll blog more about this sometime in the future but to say I'm excited is an understatement. I got up at midnight to buy my early bird ticket. Ha, ha. So did every other woman going and before you could say "Allume", they were gone and I missed out. I got a regular priced one though and I'm going!

When I started knitting my dishcloth I re-taught the kids how to knit (we all learned together years ago) and they are having fun with that. The Pocket Pixies need blankets after all. More knitting coming to FIMBY next week.

From the quiet, calm and sick-free spot of a cozy Saturday morning the week doesn't look too bad.

But I was tired this week, and not just because the kids got sick. In fact, the day they were sick I had a long nap in the sun, just like a cat.

That rest was so delicious. We all slept that day, for hours, in the quiet of a winter sunlit afternoon. It was a beautiful couple hours in the middle of a less-than-pleasant experience. Grace. Unexpected.

I wonder why I'm tired this week.

Is winter wearing on me? I'm expecting that to happen this month sometime.

Is it the emotional roller coaster of writing and now publishing this e-book? I thought the big work was over with the writing, I assure you, it is not (smile).

Is it because the kids were sick? Is it that I ate a ridicous amount of over-the-top rich, homemade lemon cream (leftover from Laurent's birthday cake last Sunday) during the week. Thank goodness that's out of the house now.

Is it that I got up at midnight on Wednesday to buy my ticket and then couldn't fall asleep again for 3 hours!?

Is it that I got my period the end of the week?

Wow, writing all that out, it's no wonder I felt tired this week. Hello?!

I'm hoping this weekend - our date and our weekly ski in the mountains - will revive and refresh me.

I hope your weekend (and some time in the outdoors) will bring you refreshment also.

Happy Weekending!

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