I did a post last weeks expressing my frustrations and depression. This is the worst time of year for me, the cold and smoggy weather just beats into me. On top of the craziness that filled my world at the beginning of the year I was just not handling life very well.

I took everybody’s suggestions to heart and I really appreciate the advice. When it comes to the weather, there is nothing I can to do change that, so I will just have to wait that out. In the mean time I am going to start planning my spring garden and order seeds, that will give me something to look forward to.

As for the other things that were bothering me I realised that I just needed to take responsibility and stop waiting until I felt like it. Monday I sat down and figured out a master schedule, that way everybody in the house knows what is expected of them ahead of time, I find that makes for less complaining (I didn’t say no complaining, just less of it!) and I scheduled time for Family Prayer and Scripture study. There are no excuses now. It is also helping that the girls are back doing their stewardship’s, the house is picked-up most of the time and that leaves me less stressed and more able to focus my energy in other places.

I also decided that I needed to be slower and more deliberate. Instead of leaving something until the last minute and rushing through it like a stress crazed mad woman I needed to plan better, take things slower and enjoy the moment and do less. This is hard, but when I do it I feel so much better.

I also decided to give myself some time in the evening to relax and unwind. If the kitchen isn’t cleaned spotless at 9:30 that is just how it is going to be, I am going to stop and rest. So far that really hasn’t happened, because of my girls help the kitchen had been cleaned and the house picked up by 9 so I have had time to just relax.

I was able this last week to finish this blanket

It is for my sister who is having a baby right now, as I am typing she is in labor with her 4th baby. I am glad I got this blanket finished, I was worried that I might not. It was my first big crochet project and while it isn’t perfect (it is kind of crooked and the rows aren’t even) I am proud of it.

I have moved on to the next blanket, it is a little easier and I am having fun with this one.

I know about 10 gals (family and friends) who are going to have babies in June and July, I am going to try to make blankets for all of them, so I just might be doing a lot of crochet posts in the next few months! Crocheting is so relaxing for me, I feel productive, creative and the repetitiveness (word??) is soothing to me.

I have also been tackling some medical issues lately, and it is looking like they will be resolved, my energy is up and I am sleeping better. I might be able to start exercising soon. I haven’t exercised for a while, and I am sure some people think it is laziness but I promise it isn’t. I like the feeling of a good workout but for several months I have just been too tired. It isn’t the sleepy “I need to get to bed earlier” kind of tired. It is the bone weary my muscles are hurting kind of tired and in all honesty I just couldn’t exercise. I haven’t really told anyone about it, I am afraid of being labeled as lazy or having people think it is all in my head. Anyway, that is being resolved and when I know more for sure I will share.

So for now things are up, the sun is shinning, I am smiling, the bed is made and today is going to be a GREAT DAY!