Longing for Simpler Days
Do you ever find yourself at the end of the day Sunday wondering where your weekend went? Or worse? Going into the weekend feeling overwhelmed at all that has to take place during those two prescious days off?
My husband and I both work full time. And sometimes we can find outselves with a lot of stuff that needs doing on the weekends. I admit we don’t get enough chores done during the week. I always have aspirations to do more but my hobbies and pet projects usually get my attention instead – I opt for a workout instead of tidying my kitchen or blogging instead of vaccuuming.
But what happens, is we end up with the lion’s share of chores needing doing on the weekend. It sometimes feels like we don’t have much time for fun.
Now, part of our challenge is that mini-man still naps, so we have a 2 hour chunk during the middle of each day where we can’t plan on being anywhere. But we’re not very good at using that time wisely either. I don’t know… maybe we’re just lazy. I find the running around shopping and errands of a Saturday morning lead me to want to chill out during that coveted noon naptime rather than, say, scrub my toilet bowl.
To keep the quality in our lives, we try and do one fun thing as a family each weekend, if only for a couple of hours. Sometimes we’ll go swimming, or we’ll go to a park, or an indoor play area when the weather’s bad. There’s storytime at the local library, or even just playing a round of Wii Bowling. I think it’s more important to spend time together than it is that your home is just so.
Having my son in daycare every day gets me down sometimes. He’s there 9 hours each day Monday through Friday, and sadly, we couldn’t live in the community we do – where I grew up and grew to love – if I quit my job to stay home with him… or my husband did. But sometimes I long for a simpler life.
Just yesterday I found myself wanting to pack up and move.
In the meantime, however, I remind myself of how blessed I am to have a good job in this current world, to live in a beautiful community in a great city, to be happily married with a beautiful son… to have a loving and helpful extended family. And while I do find myself longing for simpler days, I still hold out hope that one day I’ll find that beautiful place of balance.
I am so with you. I often feel like I want to pack up and move somewhere off the grid, and live a simpler life. I would never really do it, but the day-to-day of life with small children is hectic and crazy, and it can get to you.
Amber’s last blog post..In the Middle Place
Oh to move off the grid, don’t think I could do that. I’d be connected to it anywhere I go.
Though i do find my weekends go too fast.. I need 3 day weekends I think. Wonder if work would a) allow me to continue working from home but b) only work 4d a week at 10hrs a day?
Oh the possibilities!
Tyler’s last blog post..Dine Out Vancouver 2009
LOL See, Tyler, I’d love to work 4 6-hr days haha. Wonder if work would be okay with that?! Maybe I should head out and buy the 4-hour work week book…
In all honesty, my husband and I would love to figure out how to own and manage a dive business in Mexico while maintaining our Canadian residency. Not sure how often or how long we need to stay in Canada, but with our son’s hemophilia, we need the Canadian medical system and I’m SOOO grateful for it. We couldn’t just pick up and go even if we figured it all out
Maybe we could reverse the schedule – a 2 day work week with 5 days off. Yes I understand the dilema and how weekends or time in general can move so fast. Today is one of those fortunate Sunday’s (for me) where there is not a lot to do so it’s time to take advantage and relax, do a little reading and meditate.
Kevin
Kevin Boon’s last blog post..Social Media: Bring your Bike, Training Wheels & Helmet!
Our daughter’s off to college now, but looking back I treasure most the family times when the three of us were together: supper-talking and laughing about what was going on, and bedtime–this we made a ritual of: she’d climb in, my wife would rub her back, and I’d read to her, then lights off and we’d talk about what we’re thankful for…. Better than gold.