The kids have been out of school for a week now, but so far summer has been no vacation! On the heels of the craziest last-week-of-school to date, the past seven days have been an extension of that frenzy, that race against the clock to get everything done that needs accomplishing. I'm exhausted, and I'm not enjoying it!
Thankfully, after my husband's minor big-toe procedure today, my calendar looks clearer. Actual whole days are ahead of me when I'm not forced to slice the day into two hour chunks. Breathe. I'll get there.
However, I will have to get us ready for our trip to France. With only three weeks to go, now's the time to start appraising the kids' wardrobe and shopping for needed shorts, tee shirts and dresses suitable for public exposure. We haven't thought about shoes yet, either. The kids kicked off their ratty sneakers on the last day of school and have only slipped on plastic flip-flops if faced with entering a store with a no shoes, no shirt policy. Trips to Target and the mall are definitely in our near future.
I'd also like to get some blog posts scheduled to post while I'm away. It won't be the same as interacting with all you awesome bloggers and reading what you have to say, but I'll have the peace of mind there's more than dead air coming from my corner of the blogosphere.
So, in an effort to slow down this crazy ride I'm on, and enjoy life a little more -- and write a little more! -- I've decided to reduce my daily posts down to three a week, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. I'm making Tuesdays and Thursdays my WiP days. On writing breaks, I'll also read and comment on as many blogs as I can.
Life should be peaceful. I know there are times it can't be, but overall, shouldn't we be able to live gracefully, finishing projects with enough time to sit back and share a laugh with our kids or friends? Wake in the morning and face the day with a smile of gratitude that adventures, not anguish, are about to unfold? I don't like the feeling I'm drowning in my life, a feeling I haven't been able to shake for weeks. It's time to be proactive, to re-organize, and to enjoy each precious day.
How about you? What do you do when a hectic schedule squeezes the fun out of life? And, what's your favorite way to recharge?
36 comments:
I'm still working on it. I hear you on the kids out of school. We slept late today and have a playdate scheduled. Other than that, no plans until 4th of July. (We get to go back to RI for 5 days YAY!)
I wonder how much work I'll actually get done over the summer. Think I can finish G&T? Or Richard's story?
phew! I'm feeling for you! sounds like the right thing to do. I have to walk away for awhile when I'm feeling crazy myself...
I still have another month before the kids are off school. They only get two months off in Canada for summer (unless they're in university).
My blogging schedule will be pretty much the same as yours, but I imagine that's true for most bloggers who want to work on their wip while the kids are off school.
Enjoy France. One warning. In Paris, you have to pay to use the public washrooms. The poor don't have the money to pay for public washrooms. Add to that the heat during the summmer, and you can imagine the smell. But don't worry, that's nothing compared to the crazy woman in the train station who had a dead dog in her bag.
Yep, the city of romance wasn't as romantic as I thought it would be, even though I was on my honeymoon. ;)
Forsyth county doesn't end until today, so summer has not yet quite begun for us. But I have had a very hectic week as well. Car died, bought a replacement, slammed at work, sick kid, other kid bridged from cadets to seniors in girl scouts ...
Envious of your trip to France that sounds like an awesome thing to look forward to, thanks for sharing Nicole!
Today's guest blogger is THE Elana Johnson!
Nicole, I've been feeling very much like you lately and I don't even have kids. I can only imagine how difficult time management can get for you.
Well I need to stay away from my computer to recharge. do something physical in the fresh air. I know it sounds weird doing something physical, but it works. It's the change of pace, scenery that allows me hit my personal refresh button.
Good luck fitting everything in, and have an AWESOME holiday. We won't be too far from each other, you know that? Any chance of popping over to Athens for a coffee? ;)
Oh, I'm so jealous you're going to France!! Enjoy.
And I love your description "drowning in my life" . . . that's how I feel lately. I need to step back and enjoy a little more. :)
Thanks for the post!
I'm getting there. Life has been crazy and with my daughter out of school it's getting crazier.
Have a great weekend.
France! How lovely. Everything is so much closer when you don't live on a continent surrounded by sea ... that's in our national anthem too ... "our land is girt by sea" ... girt ... love it.
Anyhoo... well when I am drowing in my life I generally find a big bucket to stick my head into and be in total denial... but that was pre-2010 ... I'm all kinds of proactive this year.
How long do the kids get off school over your summer? Our summer break varies (depending on schools) from 6 to 8 weeks over the Christmas period.
Have yourself a great time and I hope you can manage to tread water for a little longer .. at least until France :)
Another month here before the kids are out of school for summer. I agree that you do need to take some time to recharge - were not meant to go that hard without any down-time.
Good luck with the new schedule - and remember, just breathe :)
My daughter's last day of school is next Tuesday. She's really looking forward to summer. Me? Not so much....it's filled with horse craziness and not a lot of writing time.
I haven't figured out how to balance it all yet. I'm not quite supermom ;-)
~JD
With two grown kids and a third who is pretty much self-sufficient, I no longer face the challenges you do...running around to take care of your family. And I don't miss it either! My hats off to any writer with small children...attempting to balance the two universes.
Don't worry about being forgotten while your away frolicking in France (did that sound jealous...good, because it was meant to!), just drop us a note every now and again to let us know you're alright and we'll be fine.
I, for one, am not going anywhere!
Anne~ I hope summer allows both of us amble writing time. I want my WiP finished before the Georgia writer's conference in November, but if I could get a chunk finished this summer I'd be ecstatic! Fingers crossed for us both :)
Christina~ Yes, me too. Walk away...through the woods or along the beach, preferably! LOL
Stina~ A dead dog?? Good lord! Thanks for the reminder of the pay potties. At least they self-sanitize after each patron leaves!
Matthew~ Hang in there, breathe. And I'm working my way over to your blog -- can't wait to read Elana's query!
Jessica~ Hanging out with you for the afternoon and chatting vis-á-vis over coffee sounds like a dream vacation to me!
Janet~ Thanks for helping me feel less alone as I drown! Hoping peace makes it way into your life this week too. ((hugs))
Christine~ Remember summer break when we were kids? I have carefree memories -- and my mom didn't seem so frazzled. What am I doing wrong?? LOL
Clutterbug~ Down here in Georgia, USA my kids have two and a half months at summer break. They get out mid-May and go back the first week of August. Which is too darn early, IMHO.
Jaydee~ Enjoy your last couple weeks of quiet!!
Justine~ LOL! I'm not supermom, either! And there are no indicators on the horizon I ever will be :D
DL~ I don't wish a moment away of my time with the kids, but it will be nice to have some parenting responsibilities off my shoulders. You know, when you can say -- if you're hungry, make yourself something to eat -- and not go into the kitchen twenty minutes later and see every cupboard open, a loaf of bread getting stale on the counter, lunch meat and mayo warming in the patch of sunlight from the window, spilled drink on the floor, etc., etc. *sigh*
Did you really just post about this on the same day I did? Ha! *amusement*
I hear you, good lady. Hecticity is most definitely part of life this time of year. Good luck finding the balance and getting back to mellow!
Oh, and if you could pick up a couple bottles of cheap Cotes-du-Rhone for me while you're in France, I'd appreciate it. Thanks! ;)
enjoy your trip!
and don't forget to relax and unwind.
i'm sure traveling as a family has its stresses, but make sure to get some nicole time in!
Haha uhhhh I'm still figuring out how to not feel so buried by my life.
Makes you wonder why the cavepeople ever decided to go out and build things.
Until the last semester of my senior year of college, I'd always handled stress pretty well. I work well under pressure, and by that time, I could churn out a 15 page term paper in a day or so.
And then my last semester of college, I developed stress-related tachycardia, and the blood pressure meds the doctor gave me lowered my blood pressure so much that I couldn't get out of bed in the mornings, which led me to missing tons of my Poli Sci and 4th semester Japanese class; was also still working 20 hours a week, and I was engaged and planning my wedding.
I pulled through, passed those 2 classes (and still managed to graduate cum laude), got married, found a job, and my heart problem went away.
I haven't been stressed like that since.
Exercise has always been my favorite stress reliever, that and having a routine and sticking to it. And petting kittens.
Good luck finding some time and some peace! (Which conference are you going to in November?)
Aww Nicole, I hope you're able to relax and get some writing done. I hear you, it's a really crazy time of year. Hope you have an amazing time on your trip! I'll be thinking of you! :)
I've also decreased my blogging time and it has helped immensly. When I'm stressed I do yoga, read, watch movies, window shop with the Man. Anything to take the mind off of the schedule...its worked so far.
Wow! Have fun in France! That sounds like a BEAST trip.
Hmm I usually watch a tv show to chill me out or schedule some time with friends. Other times, writing gets me excited, but sometimes i need a break from that too, so I only write during weekdays over summer and winter breaks.
Good luck with your schedule! Just think...BEACH! or FRANCE, mines beach lol ;)
A lot of folks out in the blogosphere are feeling the same way you are right now...it's a good idea to take charge of life instead of letting it take charge of you.
Have fun!
I don't blog everyday for the same reason, although I usually comment.
For your trip to France, don't make a lot of plans, or you'll run yourself ragged. Just take some time to enjoy.
I feel you, sistah. I can't seem to keep my head above water either.
My kid has dress rehearsals, dance recitals etc. in June, and we leave on the 23rd for the entire summer...which I have to pack for. I haven't had time to even think about that.
I only blog 2-3 days/week and try to only read/comment on those days. It's hard to do everything we NEED to do, let alone what we want to get done.
I hope you can relax this weekend, and have some fun.
Love,
Lola
I need more than one day where I don't go anywhere! That rarely happens, but it's refreshing when it does.
Enjoy France - take your time and absorb!
Wow, have a great time in France!
I'm still working out the kinks to making everything balance. It's not easy!
Wow - you sound BUSY! I can imagine it would be hard to breathe. Take care of yourself!
Have a great time in France. I'm sure you will!
I do what you're doing, find ways to cut back and make sure I have some fun.
So try to find some joi de vivre in France!
I'm still working on the balance.
Have a wonderful time in France. Crepes with chocolate are amazing. Okay, any sort of pastry is amazing over there. :)
I was about to feel sorry for you, because being ran ragged is no fun, and then you said France and my sympathy disappeared.
Have an amazing time and buy good shoes, you do a lot of walking.
Living peacefully and enjoying what I have is definitely something I aspire to. I am definitely failing, though -- but I'm trying to find the balance.
I hope the new blogging schedule works better for you!
Enjoy your trip to France! Sometimes I cut things out when it gets too hectic. Looks like you're making a plan. Hope it works for you.
My life is always crazy busy. I like it that way - but it would be nice to slow down once in a while :)
Enjoy France - one of these days I'm going to drag my hubby there!
If I feel like things are getting a little crazy, I usually go out for a walk, near the sea. It calms me right down!
I take some time for myself. Even if it's just five minutes.
Easy, I recharge by taking piccies or by writing.
Good luck with everything, Nicole, and I hope you and your family have a fabulous time in France!!! What an exciting vacation!
France is awesome! You'll love it. And the food- yum! So romantic too.
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