Welcome to the last week of April, if you can believe it! I hope your weekend treated you well; we spent most of Saturday playing outside but it rained all day yesterday and it’s forecasted to continue most of the week.* The rain presents a special challenge because it’s school vacation week, so I’m thinking about this month’s word of the year update a little differently. This post is less of a reflection on the month and more of an opportunity to get my head on straight for the week. Thank you to Carolyn for hosting this linkup! Please be sure visit her and the other bloggers participating this month.
Lately I’ve enjoyed filling my notebook with all of the little tasks of the day, watching the small moments add up into something much larger. This week’s spread will contain more blank spaces as I spend most of the week in the kitchen directing foot traffic, ensuring a steady flow of snacks, and keeping the peace. I will be “completing” less each day but somehow I anticipate being busier than ever. I’m not sure how the laws of physics can accommodate such a juxtaposition, but that’s how these weeks always seem to go.
It’s a strange in-between space for me. It will be a type of vacation considering that I don’t have to facilitate school sessions or get anyone where they need to be at a certain time, but I don’t anticipate having an opportunity to do anything that will recharge my own batteries. I’m sure I will find spare moments here and there to open a book or pick up my stitching, but nothing that I can count on and not more than a minute or two at a time. Just like all moms who survive school vacations across the world!
So this week I will embrace the idea of Less in yet another way. This week I will remember that there will simply be times when I have to get by on less for myself. Instead, I will focus on all of the little snuggles, silly games, and endless bowls of goldfish. I will remind myself that I am thrilled that we are on a little break and that our day won’t be as predictable as usual. And every moment that I spend with a book or a needle in my hand will be a glorious bonus that I will savor.
Okay – I am feeling much more optimistic about the week ahead! I hope that your week starts off smoothly. I plan to be back on Wednesday with a reading update. Until then – take good care!
*I used to love rainy vacations and saw them as an opportunity to settle in with toast, tea, and a good book. Those were the days!
The Cozy Burrow 
It IS tough to have a rainy indoor break, for sure! I’m flashing back to your One Word ’22 here…
I hope you find ‘more’ in this different kind of Less… (and I’m also hoping you might find a rec center pool with lifeguards so you can maybe, just maybe pick up a book and know kids are happy and safe and getting their energy out…?!)
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Thanks, Carolyn! It was nice to allow myself to let a lot of things go this week. So I guess it sort of felt like a break for me too! And it would be wonderful to spend time at a pool! Unfortunately, I don’t think there are any in the area that would be suitable for our particular needs. We are sort of high maintenance!! 😉
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I think getting your head (and heart) in a good place before the week starts matters so much! Embracing where you are is a way to be satisfied with Less (and maybe even find More in it, as Carolyn suggests). Enjoy the break!
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Thanks, Mary! It was exactly what I needed to do this week. It really helped to give myself permission to accomplish less around the house and to not sweat the (not so) small stuff!
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I hope that by setting your expectations a little lower you are surprised with more time for yourself than you were planning on. I remember the school vacations/days off when my daughter was younger and how I had to take time off from work but didn’t think of it as vacation. But you are smart to change your perspective and think of it as time to enjoy special moments with your kiddos!
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Have a blessed week with the children. I hope you are able to find a few moments to yourself, even if it’s only taking a longer shower when your husband is around to supervise the children.
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Thank you, Gretchen! It was a busy week but we all managed to survive! 😀
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Oy, I remember those days well! I remember one year of a very rainy/snowy spring break… my three were all at each other throats and I felt the “crazy lady” knocking at my door. I built a huge “blanket fort” for the kids in the family room… and left it up for the entire week. They LOVED it! They had books, and blankets, and pillows, and games, and I even “slept” with them one night. It was not a usual thing for me… as my daily task was to “clean up” the kid mess at the end of the day to have a fresh start for the morning. That relaxation of my inner rules paved the way for a week they still talk about today!
I hope your week is FULL of good things and has just the right balance of less! XO
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What a fun idea! And I love that it’s stuck with them for so long. A “relaxation of inner rules” really fit the bill this week!
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Sending you sunshine from FL even though it is a rainy day here too!
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Ha! Thanks Linda!!
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I hope you have a fun week and that you get a few pockets of time to yourself. It’s great how you’ve lowered expectations ahead of time – very wise!
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Thanks, Laila! It made such a difference!
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Hope your week is going well Katie. I still love a good rainy day (and we are expecting that later this week and into the weekend.
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Thanks Vera — we have all survived! (so far?) I hope you’ve gotten to enjoy a good bit of rain??
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Your way of thinking about the week ahead is a good way to prepare. I hope the rain lets up so you can have a smidge of outdoor time. You are a wonderful Mom.
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Thank you for such kind words, Jane. It helps to hear them. We had pockets of sunshine and tried to take full advantage of them. We’re facing down another rainy week, but there will be structure in our day and that definitely helps!
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