Getting Back on Track

My surgery has been a lot harder to recover from. As usual, I underestimated how hard it would be and how well I would handle it. Sometimes this over confidence (ignorance?) is a good thing. This time, not so much. So I am complete off track now & need to get my life back in order. It's frustrating, because I had worked so hard to get where I was. Now I'm back to zero. Thought you'd enjoy the process. Maybe we can help each other out.

Hard Days

Well, I just had major surgery Friday and I'm trying to get back in the swing of things. Amazing how often I just want to lay on the couch and watch TV and then how fast I get sick of it when I can!! A few more days and I should be much better. Each day gets a little easier. Funny, I had 2 lumpectomies last years and hardly took anything stronger than advil. Not this time sister! I'm fully doped up and thankful for it!

The good news is that business is pretty steady and I am itching to find ways to do and create more. The stamping remains my bread and butter but there is SO much more out there that I want to try. Don't even get me started on Kellie Rae Roberts book Taking Flight: Inspiration And Techniques To Give Your Creative Spirit Wings!!! Amazing, inspiring creative stuff.

Teacher Gifts

It's that time of year again. I've been burning the midnight oil making teacher & graduation gifts. Here are some that have been keeping me up at night! I particularly like the two sided flower/keep calm necklace. Wear it either way, depending on your mood.

Lakeside Night

These pictures are from a historic amusement park outside of Denver. My kids' school district has a Lakeside Night every year. It is such a cool place I couldn't resist taking some pictures. Sort of the land that time forgot. Here's a link to some of it's history: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lakeside_Amusement_Park

Garage Sales

In our part of Colorado, Friday & Saturday mornings in late spring are prime garage sale days. I don't do as much garage sale-ing as I used to. I'm kind of anti-stuff these days. Also, very short on free time. But every once in a while I see a deal I just can't pass up. When I dropped my oldest off at school this morning, I spotted a Little Tykes playhouse at a sale right across the street. My neighbor has been looking for one of these, so I HAD to ask. $40!! A real deal. (You just can't kill Little Tykes stuff. I always say that when the world ends, all that will be left is cockroaches & Little Tykes furniture!)So I bought the house for her and started looking around for myself. Here's what I got:

Desk chair: $10
Kids cash register (perfect condition w/ all the parts!): $5
Dora castle: .50
Diego house: .50
2 storage bins that I'll use for kids art supplies: .50

Not bad for $16.50! I know the cash register will get lots of use this summer. Small price to pay for entertained kids.

Time

Early today I was listening to the Morning Coach on my Ipod. I try to listen to this podcast almost everyday. It's really motivational & a great way to start the day. Anyway, this episode (pod-sode?) was about the relativity of time. He talked about the importance of living each day 100%. It got me thinking to how quickly time passes, especially when you're a parent.

I usually start the day with big goals. I have a to-do list. It has priorities & stars & sometimes even color coding. I'm ready to go! Then, one of my kids wakes up with the stomach flu, & the laundry calls my name, & someone needs a ride to swim practice. Then it's time to make dinner, help with homework, & get 3 kids to bed. Before I know it the day is over, the list is untouched & I just want to lay down & watch Gossip Girl on Tivo. That's OK for a day or two - but sometimes it goes on like this for weeks, dare I admit?, months even.

In my former life, I was a full time marketing manager. I lived & died by calendars & schedules. Deadlines were everything. When I left full-time corporate work to take care of my first child, one of the hardest adjustments was the lack of control of your time. Being home with small children is a lot liking being in a foreign country. You have to adapt to a new way of living - even a new flow of time.

I recently had the revelation that everyone in my house is a lot happier when their priorites are my priorites. Not maliciously, of course, but their lives are just easier when I'm taking care of them. It can feel selfish to put my goals ahead of their immediate demands. I struggle with this everyday. I think most women do. We demand a lot of ourselves & want to appear to have it all under control - even when we don't. Do I have an answer? Not today. I'll keep you posted if I figure out the secret.

I made 3 new necklaces yesterday that are really cool! Lots of bendy twirly wire. I'll try to get a quick shot of them today and post them later.