Where I find joy

There have been many days over the last four years when I have been unable to find joy on my own...
Don't get me wrong. I love my family witha all of my heart and soul. Yet for 14 long years I have been mama and a mama at that who answers to everyone but herself.
Finally I was able to look inside myself and was thrilled to discover I'm still in there, lol.


The darkest days when I was so ill....those were the days when I finally told myself I needed to look outside of my own life....look for hope, inspiration, a happiness that would perhaps be contagious.


Would you believe I found it rather quickly....so I would like to share with you what or rather whom I found.

She is a lovely lady who has been breathing life into me for years now without the knowledge of doing so.
Often there were days when she inspired me to get out of bed or out of the house...to put on a pretty frock or buy some shiny red shoes....yes I think I've quite fallen in love with her...I want to be just like her when I grow up....oh yes....too late for that isn't it...well either way I adore her so very much.
I would like to point you in her direction...perhaps you need her as I once did...to give you back your joie de vivre :)

Graygoosie

graygoosie on youtube

She reminds me that I am alive now...I am able to bring pretty things into my life and enjoy things I love.....yes there are rough days for us all, but I have learned to treasure the good days, the great days, the absolutely best days ever :)
Yes indeed..those days are what I live for.

I share her love of thrifting and bright loveliness.
This morning I told my hubby, "I look forward to the days when it is just you and I...when the kids have families of their own and we are able to do as we please."
DO you know what he said? "What for? Then you would have only me to tell what to do and yell at"......hahahahahahahaha, lol. Am I such a shrew then? Perhaps I am.
Is that not proof I need more me time? Yes, a new goal of mine. Me time.



I'm still here in bed. Sleep eludes me as I listen to the symphony of coughing coming from the childrens' rooms. We will get better soon. If nothing else it has been a good week of love and togetherness.

Later today I will post some of my favorite links.

genius

The dreaded flu

It's here....three of my five little ones has the flu.
Fun for sure. I will be offline for a bit...trying to be the best mama I'm able to be. I'm fighting something, but no fever and no cough so I'm hoping it's just a cold.

Perhaps all this down time will help me to finish my embroidery project for the hand stitched swap.

I'm sorry to be so boring lately. I'd lke to skip fall, winter and spring and head right back into summer.....and I'm a fall lover....but I digress....I will be sewing several projects soon....all coming along rather slowly :)

I will be thinking of all my blogging friends as I lay here in bed watching becoming jane, pride and prejudice, sense and sensibility, jane eyre,
miss austen regrets...... and whatever more I can manage to find time for :)


ETA....well today I found time for Lost in Austen and Wives and Daughters..... :)

Ready for the weekend

What a week.

I'm exhausted

Here is my week in photos

Snuggling on the couch

This is where I am. Snuggled up with my little guy on the couch under a fluffy blanket of down......wishing I had finished his quilt.

The oral surgery went well. Several hours later and he is almost himself again....save for the pain and a little bit of the evil eye pointed in my direction every now and then :)
As if I'm the bad guy...I was crying like a big baby when they held that mask on his little face. He has bruising from the anestesia mask, he was fighting good.
A bundle of nerves is what I was until they placed him in my arms....then all was well.

Hope everyone is holding tight to someone they love tonight.

Getting to know me

That is precisely what I have been doing as of late.
I'm getting to know myself....my likes, dislikes...little quirks(or big ones)*giggle*
Time to myself with no little children tagging along .....it's so very odd, feels a bit off.
The first day was heavenly. Although first thing in the morning I was bouncing off the walls with excitement...it then led to trepidation and then to the realization that I had absolutely no idea what to do with myself, but toward the end of the day I could breathe and felt confident in the fact that I will have more days alone to do as I please.

I do love my children with all of my heart. Being without them was indeed a new experience and I was uncertain at first, but now I am confident that this time to myself...to live my life and have personal time.... is exactly what this mama needs.

Future days to myself will be filled with.............
adventures with Jane Austen, thrifting, sewing for myself, movies, trips to the library, perhaps a foray into town to visit the little vintage shops....knitting, tall glasses of rice milk decaf caramel mochas ;)
I'm not spending all of this time alone, but rather free from my lovely little ones.
Mama time :)
Who knew that time to think and room to breathe was so very crucial for a healthy life. I thought showering and yelling at children through the door at the same time was the norm. *wink wink*

The next step....finding time for my love. Alone time to be a lovey and smoochee.

I'm working on several projects, and might I say I bit off more than I can probably chew :p
First is the handstitched embroidery swap over at flickr as well as the pillow swap.....a few crochet this and that as christmas gifts...a bit of knitting...a cradle with home sewn mattress and linens...some nightgowns with matching dollie gowns...etc......like I said...more than I should have taken on.

A movie is in our foreseeable future...
The kiddos and hubby are going to see G.I. Joe......(eyeball roll)
Myself I would rather see Bright Star







I do believe I was born in the wrong era. I have felt this since I was a girl.
The dependence on technology worries me, as it grows more so each day and the truth of the damage already done causes me great guilt. I long for a simpler time.....but here I am and here I will remain for the time being.

.... on a high note...I met a new friend...someone more like myself than I would ever have wished for.....she's simply perfect and I adore her already.

Yes, I am finding that I rather like myself.

P.S.
Myself that I am rather liking(but should perhaps be kicking in the derrière) took the liberty of buying for her special birthday girl (15 in one month)
a teeny tiny white freckled trembly teacup chihuahua :)