Day 39 - Game Day - precious time together

So yesterday was a great day of fun games at my brother's house. Dan and I went with the kids and John and Glo and the girls were there as was Grandma and Jill's boyfriend. It was amazing to see that here were were two families with teenagers and college students enjoying each other's company all day and evening. We played lots of new (to us) board games, had a lovely dinner, and played some more. It was great!

My brother has loved board games as far back as I can remember and he's got quite the collection now. I'm not talking about Monopoly or Life, but games of intrigue, strategy, and thoughtful plotting against your opponents! It's really quite fun! My family has become hooked on several of these and it really nice to have something that brings us together that is not electronic! I've even found some of these games online so I can try to get better at them before the next beating; I mean gathering!

On another note, today is officially the last day of vacation and that makes me very sad. A friend of mine joked about my week of cooking, knitting and baking and said "the women's movement wants a word with me." (or something to that effect!) The truth of the matter is, of all the jobs I have had, I love this one the most! I get the most fulfillment out of doing and caring for my family. Does that make me weird? Does it make me some kind of sub-par female? I don't believe it does. There are plenty of us out there who prefer that role to those we've had to take to make ends meet or to try to secure our future financial status, or even our children's' futures.

I was lucky enough to find a career that allows me to explore and submerse myself in something I'm passionate about (music), but truthfully, I get more out of being a good mom and wife. (and no, Tim, I am not a Stepford or my house would be clean and tidy!)

So although tomorrow I will go back to work and try to teach and inspire my students, and my family life will become confused and chaotic with skating, soccer and a number of other things interfering with the day, today I will embrace this last day of precious time and cook a comforting meal, bake and awesome bread, make some rich and decadent dessert and find time to knit and snuggle my family!

Small steps for the formerly disorganized!

Today starts another day that does not completely belong to me.  Does any day when you're a Mom?  ;)  Of course I wouldn't have it any other way, but sometimes I dream of a day or two when I can just get done what's on the list without interruptions, finish early and feel no guilt about sitting down and relaxing a bit!

Yesterday, I was able to get a good deal of purging, sorting and organizing in the new office/music room.  I had to rearrange the furniture to make it work which in return caused the room to lose that extravagant feel it had about it.  This arrangement is decidedly more efficient, but leaves me a bit saddened.  Perhaps when I finish hanging the pictures and the diploma on the wall I'll feel differently.  We shall see.

Anyway, this room has multiple purposes which makes it so challenging to organize.  I don't want to spend anymore money than I have to and thus need to get creative!  It will be used for work and so it needs to be really beautiful so that after a long day working with teenagers, I actually WANT to go in there!  It will also house my private lessons when that gets going so needs to stay professional-looking.  Finally, it is the place I'd like to kick my feet up and knit in, work on finally finishing those quilts I started years ago and do some scrap booking!

No wonder it seems crazy-hard to organize in a user-friendly way!  Oh well, I will not be daunted by this.  Today, I will hang up the wall items and remove the pictures that will eventually be hung in the hallway.  I will finish emptying the two boxes that have been sitting under the piano bench since we brought them over from the other house and I will get it all done before Sean and I leave for the AC Milan/Inter Milan game today!  Lots to do today!