How Do You Spend Your Days?

January 17, 2017

Humph.

It's a New Year and I've decided to try and write more often. I haven't been writing much and I've missed the daily practice. (Plus, I miss having the blog "current" so our kids can look through photos and remember parts of our lives.)

So here I am.

(Psst: I've also decided to change the URL and name of the blog. It just seemed like time for a change. The Deseret Housewife name was fun, but I like change too much to keep it the same. Especially since I'm not a company, just a regular person blogging/journaling.)

So here goes . . .

Lately I've been thinking about "the best way" to spend my time each day.

I know every day is different and every person's situation is different, but by the grace of God (truly), I am able to take a leave from teaching this semester, and I find myself with a few more hours each day to DO or BE.

And then there's the fact that this is a transition phase in my (and Dave's) life. Our oldest is now 22 and our youngest is 13. We have two high school graduates and two more graduating this May. We have 4 drivers. The older four have jobs and lives in addition to ours. And even the 8th graders are busy with school and church. I guess this means our "kids" are growing up.

(It's crazy how quickly the early part of parenting passes. Can I get an Amen?)

So here I am in my 40s realizing that my day-to-day life is changing -- and THAT has left me with this nagging question: How should I be spending my days?

--Do I create a routine for myself while everyone is in school or working?

--How much time should I spent doing chores or household things?

--Should I volunteer? Find a hobby? Read more?

Ahhhhh!

I'm telling you, this is kinda a big challenge for me right now. It's like creating a home budget. I just have to decide what is the best way to use the resources I have (time, talents, responsibilities) -- and it's not that clear to me.

Yet.

But I'm working on it.

Wish me luck. OR tell me how you manage your time?

***

Oh, and now, for some photos from the last few months: Halloween parties, Birthdays, Christmas celebrations, learning to ski, spending time in Park City, and lots of time together (Winter in Utah keeps us inside a little more than if we lived in the tropics!

Gma and Gpa sent us an "egg cooker."
(See how EGGcited we are? Actually, it's a crack-up: poach, soft or hard boil. All perfect!)

Zu and her new cat: Franklin.

Bam and Papaya on Halloween.

Zu is insanely creative. She did this for Halloween. BOO!

Bam is starting make-up artistry school. So fun.

Zu's choir performance.

Halloween Zu and Lu--and friends.

Decorating Christmas cookies.

J and his gf.

Harriet the Dog and our BFF, Baby J.

Jr. getting braces. A SECOND TIME.

The craziest 8th graders ever. (How grateful I am that Zu and Lu have each other--and are in the same grade! That's the awesome part about adoption: both girls are the same grade, but 6 mos. apart.)