Things That Are Working
And me trying to be brave
I am brazenly copying my friend Geneva, who posted small things that are working a while back. I loved her perspective and realized that it’s most needed when things are not feeling especially successful. Which is why you are getting this post today, which is already full of mistakes made by yours truly. This is me trying to be brave.
Here is what is working right now:
1)Yogurt parfaits. We picked many blueberries and raspberries this summer, thanks to a generous neighbor, a nearby blueberry farm, and good growing conditions. I’ve discovered a rhythm that works for yogurt making, so we can dine on high quality Greek yogurt whenever we please, guilt-free. A little Hope’s Table granola on top makes it a feast fit for a queen.
2)Job charts. I entertained a brief fantasy at the beginning of the school term that we have reached the stage where kitchen cleanup could happen on school mornings without much direction from Mother. This theory was debunked in short order, but it took Mother a long time to recalibrate and produce a job chart. But it is hanging on the fridge now and the nagging and frustration have lessened (which is not the same thing as disappearing, in case you were curious).
3)Getting up with the alarm so that I have a couple of minutes to read my Bible and drink my coffee before the morning rush. I know. How obvious.
4)Embracing the darkness. We live fairly far north and on the eastern side of our time zone, so the sun sets at 4:00 pm right now. This year I am trying to focus on the fact that we have our long, cozy evenings back. We are working on making them worth staying home for, which doesn’t just happen automatically for some reason. Some fails, some wins in this camp, but today we are talking about wins.
5)Tea in the evenings. Sometimes by the end of the day I am tired of dishes and messes and I just want everyone to go to bed already. But a pot of tea is soothing and makes everyone happy, so why not? The dirty mugs and the spilled tea leaves are so very minor.
6)We are using the library again. This summer was full, and I didn’t read much. But I am so happy to be ordering in books again and discovering the wealth of volumes that I have not yet read.
I feel braver already. Thank you for reading here. Tell me win of your own if you would be so kind.
What an happy inspiring list!
A little list of my own from lately
-Steaming bowls of brown sugar oatmeal sprinkled with cinnamon for breakfast .These are so cozy on these cold mornings and quick to make for busy mom.
-sipping your hot tea or coffee from a dainty tea cup. Whether handed down from Grandma or discovered at the thrift store for a quarter, these bring a warm joy to the hot cup!
-a candle always burning..well a good bit of the time! As the days turn colder, it's so cozy to see a glimmering candle, whether your scrubbing the dishes or curled under a blanket.
-Starting with beans and rice. I've discovered when I don't know what to cook for dinner, starting up a pot of beans and rice (Hopes Table has a delicious recipe) usually inspires me to an easy main dish, ranging from grabbing out fried burger, tortillas, and toppings, unearthing the frozen meatballs from the bottom of the freezer, or simply popping open canned chicken and mixing it with the beans and rice.
Happy day to you and thanks for inspiring me to think on little joys!
Wonderful list Emily. Yes, to tea and books. Working on a puzzle while listening to music.