Flowers just because he happened to be at the mall and thought of me.
January felt long, and I'm hoping that February feels shorter. I've gotten into a good rhythm lately, and I was thinking about what's been helping me for the past week or two so I'm not stumbling through this season.
1. Getting outside- February is the best time to get outside in Manila. It's the coolest that it ever is, so it's time to do that hike that you've been putting off. Evan's Scout troop went on a hike at the La Mesa Reserve, and I was so dreading it. I was sure that it was going to be hot and buggy, and that I wouldn't have brought enough water. We started out early, and our little group hiked 10 kilometers.... and it was AWESOME! Shade, a slight breeze, and no bugs to be found made the experience. It reminded me that this was the time of year last year that we'd walk over to the American Cemetery late in the afternoons on Sundays to get in a walk under the trees, so that's going on the regular rotation again soon.
2. A little light exercise in the afternoon- I struggle to work out if I feel like it's going to be sweaty and tiring experience, but if I think of it as a way to get some movement and energy into my day after a morning of mostly sitting and homeschooling, that works for me. I have a little time to myself reading, and then put on my workout clothes, plug my headphones into my phone, and bring up a mindless show on Netflix while I spend some time on the elliptical in our building gym and do 3 reps of 10 each on arms and legs on the machines. I spend about 40 minutes on this routine while my boys are having their daily screen time, and I don't work out so hard that I need a shower after. It gives me a little more energy while I'm making dinner.
3. An hour for coffee with a friend- I'm with my boys a lot, and I love homeschooling, but taking an hour a week out of my job to catch up with a friend at my local Starbucks really refreshes me when I'm dragging and need some adult perspective. One of the biggest blessings of living where I do is that it isn't that hard to meet up with friends that live near me if we can both time it right. I also get some time to talk with the other homeschooling moms while our kids are taking classes on Tuesdays, and that time has become precious to us all.
4. Sharing a show with my honey before bed- Right now, it's the Big Bang Theory on Netflix. Neither of us ever saw it when it was on network TV, and it's really nice to laugh together over the creatively nerdy hilarity that the crew in Pasadena are always serving up. David and I talk about whatever the day brings first, and then we watch together before turning in.
5. Making a family favorite dinner at least once a week.- If I make brinner (breakfast for dinner), I always get hugs from multiple boys, and they seem to linger a little longer at the table. I'm tired of the usual grumbling that I get from at least one boy about my meal planning choices, so I have to plan a grand slam out of the ballpark for myself to offset this every once in awhile. :)
What little things are saving your life right now?
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