Finding the Silver Lining

Last week was a tough week.

I should have known that it was going to be tough when I stayed up an extra hour watching the two hour "Downton Abbey" premiere.  It was so worth it, but it took me until Thursday to get over the lack of sleep.

From there I went into a stressful week filled with emotional stress, work stress, and feelings of being out of control in taking care of the things I needed to do to get through the week.  It all worked out fine, but in getting through the seven days a few things fell to the wayside.

One of them was my motivation in the Pantry Challenge.  I did find my way through, but it was through using a lot of "heat and eat" things out of the freezer.  There was no real creativity involved in what I put on the dinner table, and between that, being tired, and being overwhelmed I didn't document how I did.

My week turned a corner on Friday after work.  With the weekend ahead of me, and knowing I was going to have some time to get some of the house in order, I breathed a sigh of relief.  I was able to enjoy a night out with my bestie, and I started to feel my battery recharge.

Saturday was filled with some much, much needed time with my parents, husband and children.  I know I'm going to be heading into my forties soon, but I really feel like I need my mom a lot.  Not the same way as a child, but as a guide and as an anchor, letting me know that I am o.k. and that I am doing a good job.

Sunday, I started tending to the things around the house that were stressing me out.

(The ever present laundry....)

Sunday morning was filled with cleaning bathrooms, tending to laundry, organizing piles that had become established when mail and paperwork wasn't properly dealt with, vacuuming, putting away odds and ends, and gazing into my pantry, cupboards and freezer looking for this week's inspiration.

Then my family came home!

Loola and Hubby went on a snowshoe hike, and Moo had a birthday party at a friend's house.  Once they were home, the boys parked in front of the television in anticipation of the Patriot's playoff game.

Football has an amazing hold on my two boys!

Loola asked me to "play cook", and of course I said yes.  Unknown to me, it turned out she had an elaborate set up in mind.

Her stuffed lion apparently wasn't feeling well and needed some special culinary intervention.  It involved almost my entire spice rack.  She has such a vivid imagination.  I am always in awe of how much fun she has with it.

(Ah yes, raccoon was on the menu as well.  Luckily it was all imaginary!)

It was a great weekend.  The Pats won (Yay!), I got to have some great time with my family, and I got a lot done around the house so it won't be hanging over my head as I go into another stretch of busy days and nights.

I am looking forward to this upcoming week.  I have a plan in mind and motivation under my feet.  My focus again, as always, is on better management of my resources.  And to reclaim my sense of humor.

No one likes a crabby mama.  Wouldn't you agree?

I will leave you with a photo that I know gives me a sense of calm.  My mom showered me with two new skeins of yarn.  There is something comforting about looking at a pile of yarn, with all the possibilities it brings.

Have a great week.

T