Everyday is a Gift
There are a lot of things I am not doing right now. It’s a conscious choice. When I get overwhelmed I start to shut down, and the only real way for me to prevent that is to shut down the things in my life that aren’t contributing to my overall happiness. I am still making stuff. I am done with facebook. I have been sewing everyday. I don’t always clear off the dining room table for dinner. I shower. I don’t blow dry my hair.
I’ve realized my favorite way to document the things I am eating is with a round plate/bowl. In a straight shot from above. Thank you Instagram for teaching me my favorite way to show you I ate a chocolate muffin for breakfast one day, and cake four days in a row.
I am eating a lot of good things. When I am stressed I like to make stuff. Particularly bake stuff. It happens, whatever. I am not eating enough vegetables (that one is not really conscious, it just happens sometimes). I am trying new things. I am spending time with my family. I am clearly not blogging about all those wonderful things I am doing or making. I am not reading many blogs either. I don’t watch the news. Or TV in general. I avoid politics and any place politics might be discussed like the plague. I am opening my windows because fall is awesome. I am suffering horribly from allergies. Which makes fall much less awesome and winter SO much more appealing.
I tried this PB+Honey+Banana milkshake today. It was amazing. I had two. I don’t feel bad about it. I am making lists and writing down goals and plans and projects. I am not sleeping well. I started to watercolor. I love it. I stopped worrying about my house being clean. I still do the laundry. I am not washing the tub. But I do clean the toilets. I am trying to appreciate the everyday. Because everyday is a gift. I’ll be back soon.
pinksuedeshoe 
I could have written this post myself. Except I don’t take photos of my breakfasts. 🙂
We must be related. Another twin perhaps?
Great post. 🙂
Just hang in there. You are doing just great. I don’t always clean either.
it was like a poem.
♥
Love you E!
Hey, this is Christine Gibb. I don’t know if you even remember me at all, but I used to live in your ward at Cambria. I found your blog in a round-about way (I don’t remember how) that wasn’t even connected to anyone from that ward, but I recognized you and have followed your blog ever since. I just want to say that I absolutely love what you do – I love the projects and tutorials and pictures and everything on your blog, but more than that, I just love your style of writing. I totally love and admire your attitude about everything and the way you illustrate that on your blog. Anyway – I don’t comment very often (far too lazy – sorry) but I do read your blog and love it. I especially loved the idea today of consciously NOT doing things. I need to do that and freak out a little less. Thanks!
I love your honesty. I needed this. I’ll try to get over to make my bag … sometime. My schedule is crazy lately. I’m thinking I need to do what you’re doing and eliminate the things that aren’t helping my happiness. I’m pretty sure I need to eat more cake. 🙂
Remember E that to everything there is a season….you must just enjoy the day 🙂
When I’m trying to avoid work (I’m a freelance writer) or when I’m just taking a break, I check in on you to read your blog. I’m older than you – will be 42 in a couple of weeks. I don’t feel 42,but I can see that I am – because my oldest son will be 17 in December. Last week, I found a paper he had written when he was about six. I homeschool so most of all the clutter from school work goes in the trash (now I regret that) Anyway, I found a random paper Noah had written – The title was in my handwriting. It read: The Most Imortant Person in The World: Noah penned his answers in his own creative spelling – which is what I like about homeschooling – he learned on his own time how to spell – ANYWAY – he said: “The most importent person is the world is mr monkey. me and hem like to work pussles and coler and on hallowwwweeeen we dres up as each othar. Then we eat all the candy and get a stomuch ache. in summer we open a lemodnande stan. I guess mr monkey is most imortant person because he is a frand.” This brought tears to my eyes – okay, actually I wept – I realized my oldest son had grown up – he will be 17 soon. How did that happen???? And even as a child, he knew the most important person in the world to him was a “friend” – pretty smart for a kid who couldn’t even spell “friend” – isn’t it???
From this 42 year old mother who has a son who no longer plays with the sock monkey he and I sewed together to you – a young, beautiful mother – be affirmed that you are right-on when you say each day is a gift. I have four other children – ages 14 (but he will be 15 oct. 10th) and 12, 10, and 7 – and I’m realizing more and more everyday that I’ve wasted many hours attemting to make the house perfect – and squandered my time on meaningless tasks. I love looking at your blog. I love pink in every shape, form and fashion! I love to make things – and I’m learning – maybe almost too late – that the best thing we can make is memories with our family!) I’m learning the only thing we can take with us when we leave this world is the investments we have made in the lives of other people.
God’s grace and gifts put man’s greatest dreams to shame! I’m learning these things at 40 something…..Love that you are young and already “get it”
See, I just wrote all that without giving a hoot if it was grammatically correct or not – which is – well, hard for me to do – I am tempted to go back and fix it all – but you know what? My time is limited! I have children who need me!
Know you are wonderful. Those of us like me who drop in on your page every now and then pray for you and your little family. I’m proud of you.
Carla Harper, thank YOU. This made me cry because it is so true. And I don’t cry, almost ever. I needed to hear what you said about squandering your time on things like housework, which, at the time, seemed important. I need to spend more time with my littles who are growing up too fast.
Oh, and I meant to say – the time we spent making that sock monkey all those years ago? Priceless. It’s not perfect – stitching is huge and the button eyes are uneven. But even an imperfect sock monkey sewn by imperfect mom turned out to be the perfect friend for my son! We dragged mr. monkey out last night, and my youngest daughter asked her older brother (Noah) if she could have his monkey. So, the joy continues…..
Ah, Pink . . . if you are feeding your soul that’s all that’s important . . .
Tubs are totally overrated. As are hard floors that have to be swept *and* mopped.
I’m glad you’re creating still. I hope we get to see some of it soon. 🙂
And one more thing. I feel I should confess that I just sent my kids outside eating apples, and then helped myself to a slice of cheesecake… and I’m thinking about eating another. That’s all.
Thank you. Simple as that
Where have you gone? I miss you!
I just found your blog, and read this. THANK YOU. I just journaled about this myself. I want to workout 5 days a week to lose weight. Everyone says be committed, make it happen. I see people jogging and feel guilty- I used to do that, as soon as my husband got home from work. But I got tired of exercising instead of sewing. Exercising instead of eating dinner with my family. Exercising instead of knitting. Exercising instead of lying in my husband’s arms. There aren’t enough hours in my day, not with four kids, and there are so many other things I’d rather be doing. So I am doing those things, and as few of the hated ones (toilets and dirty floors) as I can get away with.