My little darlings only have a few basic needs: food every couple hours or so (nursing baby requires even more sometimes), diaper changes, baths, spill wiping, clothes washing, hand cleansing, more spill wiping, book reading, spelling correcting, horsey-back rides, hair doing, nose wiping (bleh), dish washing, prayer listening, song singing, apple cutting, banana peeling, snuggling, blankie finding, bug catching, okay, okay, so pretty much all my attention while they are awake! I love being a mom, really, and I wish that I could absorb myself completely in my role as mother, but I love those moments that I have to draw, paint, sew, and such. Sadly, these are things that I find difficult to do while my 2 youngest kids are awake. My 7 year old would love to create all day with me if she could, I hope the other 2 grow to be the same.
My creative time: The scale is definitely tipping in this direction lately, thus the desperate need to find balance. Some days it is just a countdown until bedtime so I can work on my newest idea, isn't that terrible. I seriously have 100's of ideas a day, I sure wish I could plug a flash drive into my ear so I could remember them all. I try to focus on other things, but it is so hard, I just want to do "my stuff". I am still waiting for my birthday present, all I asked for was a whole day (except for small nursing breaks) to work on my projects, I hope that day is soon!
Housekeeping - this has got to be my weakest area! It seems that the vacuuming can always wait another day, and what's the point of making a bed when you will just be messing it up in a few more hours? Clean laundry mountains are fun to jump in and make tunnels through, if I folded them too soon, what fun would that be? And there is always the fridge mystery game, how long has that been there, and what do you think it once was? It doesn't help that I am a pack rat with a kagillion hobbies!
My husband - Poor dear, he is very sweet and uncomplaining most of the time. I think he is just grateful that he is not the mom. I really need to work on making him feel more loved and spending more quality time with him.
My spiritual well being - Another area that needs improvement, there are lots of things I know I need to make more time for. How does anyone do it all? Are there people who do it all?
My physical well being - Aackk! I have some very sporty friends who are as fit as fiddles, and they haven't rubbed off on me yet. Since baby #3 I find that my metabolism has slowed down considerably, and my love for all things sweet has not slowed one bit! I am mentally gearing up for some major steps in the physical area of my life, but I lack the motivation and time of course.
Does anyone else find it hard to have balance in their life?
Am I the only one trying to hold my self-esteem together while seeing all the areas that I am lacking in? I hope I am not alone. I think we all have strengths in different areas so that we are forced to be dependant upon each other and help one another.
Please give me ideas on how to find more balance in my life, and feel free to come help me clean my house, I'll trade for artsy fartsy parties!
Well, it took me all day to finish this post working on it a minute here and there, and I still need to set aside some time to list some of my creations in my shop. I have quite the accumulation to list! I am working on some commissioned projects as well, but I will be updating the shop as time allows tonight and tomorrow so check back soon.
I suppose I should post a picture.
We have been obsessed with baby animals lately. Here is my baby giraffe watercolor, and if you look at my recent puppet post, you can see who he is patterned after. I thought he would look so cute is a baby nursery. I have a whole pile of baby animal sketches that I did a couple months ago that I am finally adding color to and getting ready for the shop. Have a happy day! Star
9 comments:
May I take a moment and comment on what I think to be the perfect balance?...it's you. You are already doing it. What do I know - but I love the paragraph about housekeeping - it says it all. Messes are the sign of creativity and I like that you have a kagillion hobbies and hundreds of ideas every day. I really admire that.
Anyway, I know what you mean about balancing "your stuff" and making time for your peeps. Sometimes I get really focused on doing something and people (baby, husby) just "get in the way". And then other days I play with Luke all day and get nothing else done and feel a little lazy and like I became completely unorganized in one day.
So, there is just that in between somewhere - shorten your to-do list but still have one I guess?? Good luck!
"A clean house is a sign of a wasted life."
That's how I often feel at least - yes, I could organize all my piles & vaccum, but then I couldn't play with my pup, make jewelry, get some fresh air...
I seem to be having trouble balancing everything these days too, and I don't even have kids! I'm sure those who seem to have time for everything are faking it, or just not leading exciting lives like us :)
xxo.
it's definitely a huge challenge. when i first started etsy i found myself constantly telling my kids "just a minute, just a minute!" and staying up late alone working on stuff instead of hanging out with caleb etc. i really had to finally decide daytime is family time and it has to be the most important thing to me at this point in my life. with a catch: if i give them my full attention all the rest of the day, i expect them to give me naptime/quiet time just for me and i don't allow non-emergency interruptions. then i get out my list of things i want to get done and prioritize. some days it's housework, many days it's a project. the kids are happier and i feel better about myself. some days the kids are in the mood to help with housework, so we can have fun together cleaning and organizing. most days the house is just messy, but we're happy. i haven't figured out how to fit in the fitness part yet, but for me it's easiest as a family affair, like a bike ride together (we left an old beatup bike buggy in our barn if you want it! it would be great for toting issac and isabelle.) or a workout movie with all of us (even if jane is sitting on my tummy or face as i try to do a crunch.) i also seem to do a little better when i write down what i want to get done that day. we're all struggling to find that balance, but i think you're doing a wonderful job! your kids are happy and talented, you create the most lovely things, and it's easy to see your spirits are shining brightly. i feel so lucky to know such a talented and lovely person as you!
Star, I feel like I could have written the same post. I also have a kagillion hobbies and one day the thought came to me, "your kids are your hobbie." It reminded me that I need to make time for the kids. It seems like on the days I have the most ideas, I have the least time. Then I start to wonder what it would be like if I didn't have kids. I could do so much! Then I remind myself my kids are the inspiration for a lot of my projects. Also, if I didn't have kids I'd be working and I wouldn't have time to do anything anyway. So...I have the same problem- always trying to balance my life.
I guess we'll just keep trying, eh?
I LOVE the giraffe!
Ooh, I really like the quote about a clean house means a wasted life. Hah! I look at you and Kate and wish I were being more creative. My life is out of balance on the reading side. It's all I have the energy to do after all my nights of interrupted sleep. Maybe if my fitness side were existent. . .
On a completely separate topic, have you thought of having a show in the library gallery? I asked them how they get artists and they said, "Give us your phone number and we'll put you on a list. It usually takes a couple of months." I had to disabuse them of the assumption that I have an artistic bone in my body and told them that I was asking for a super talented friend of mine. I'd be happy to let them display your lovely Lucy art, just to make them wish they'd gotten there before me. I'd love to help you gather frames and mats and shadow boxes (for cards and dolls) etc. I think I have several lying around in boxes already. Whatdya think?
Wow Edith,
Thank you for your promotion efforts, I think that would be fun! Do you really think they would display my creations? I'm picturing it all now, everyone might confuse my show with a display from the Jr. High. Tee Hee!
Thanks for stopping by and entering my little contest.
I like the honesty in this post--I hope that you find all the time that you need and don't get wishing this beautiful season of your life away or anything like that--try to celebrate each day and know that different seasons will bring more time and more growth for certain things to resolve and mature themselves.
Best wishes <3
I was just having this conversation! You are definitely NOT alone in this. As soon as you figure out the trick...let the rest of us know!! There do seem to be those few people that can keep it all together--kids perfectly clean and dressed cute with hair done, they work out everyday, house is always perfectly clean no matter what closet you look in, PTA president...that's not reality! I have learned that a lot of times it comes at a huge price--they seem to have it all together & they are crumbling on the inside!
If I tackle one thing each day that is driving me nuts like laundry, or paying bills, or toiets I feel a sense of accomplishment instead of looking at all of the things that I didn't do in the day---it'll all still be there tomorrow! You have happy, smart, well-adjusted childen. And a husband that grew up in a less-than-perfectly clean home that fell in love with YOU--a creative, fun-loving girl!!!
We love you, Star! Don't be hard on yourself..."try a little harder to be a little better" that saying helps me out a lot. He says a little not a lot!!!
ps-LOVE the giraffe and his colors!! Did you see my post with Shea's hula hoop painting in it?? I found the perfect matte and frame...we LOVE it...thank you!!!
Star you are awesome! Don't change a thing about your cute self and I still think you look like a J.Crew model! I bought you some fabric today and I'm dying to get up to your house and show it to you and hopefully see what kinds of creations you might be able to make of it.
Just checkin in and still thinkin your fantabulouso! (it turned a little spanish)
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