On Taking a Holiday

 Toffee art = YUM!

Firstly, this 100 days of art is great!  It's not that easy, but I have done something every day and am so glad about this as it makes me feel that it's actually completely plausible for me to run a house, work and possibly work on small art projects.  Neato!  Nearly two weeks down and time is flying by.

Secondly, it's helped me realise how important it is to take time out for myself and my own personal ventures.  I am very lucky and have a large group of friends and whanau. T his is a double edged sword of fantastic support and help when it's most needed, but also having many people to spend time with.  I wouldn't give it away for anything in the world, but as I've said so many times before, I need to get better at boundary setting for sanity's sake.

So I've decided that next week I'm on holiday.  I will not be flying out to Hawaii or anywhere exotic like that.  In fact, I will not be going anywhere.  I will be at home.  And I am going to keep our week planner completely free.  I am putting a proviso in for a catch up with my best Mum friends (and probably my best friend) and usual time with my Mum on Thursday.  But that's it.  Other than that, I'm a free (and solo) agent.  And I will be keeping it that way.

I guess holiday time really means family time.  Some weeks we spend so much of our time catching up with other people, or preparing to catch up with other people that we barely get proper time to spend with Etta or each other.  I don't want to end up working full time and suddenly realising I didn't use my SAHM time how I should have.  This time is flying by, and I won't be able to stay home with Etta forever - I need to appreciate it, and my time with her, while I can.

I know I totally sound like I'm whinging over nothing, should be thankful for what I have etc.  And I am thankful.  But I need to be better at putting myself, and my family first.  This is what my week entailed last week:

Monday: Cleaning day.  Visit from friend.  Murray out at games so I do all Etta stuff plus cook dinner etc

Tuesday: Visit from Mum after her first day at uni and craft night with girlfriends.

Wednesday: Visit from friend and Etta's friend.  Takeaways (yay)

Thursday: Washing day, visit from friend

Friday: Zoo trip with my cousin.  Went to work, found out I wasn't working.  Came home.  In laws over for dinner (cos were going to be baby sitting)

Saturday: Top up shopping and early dinner with friends (and babies)

Sunday: Work.  Murray cooked

It doesn't look like much on blog, but what it meant is that there wasn't a single day last week that I didn't see people.  Which probably seems lovely to some people, but I kinda need a break from other humans once in a while - even just once a week.  Because this isn't a particularly atypical week.  This is most weeks.

And not included in this list are all the normal things we have to get done: making dinner, cleaning, washing, feeding Etta, changes, nap times, story time, and these days, getting some art done.  And Etta is not some fairytale magic ass baby.  She has days where she cries and tantrums and eats rocks.  She still isn't sleeping through, and some days are days survived on less than 5 hours of broken sleep.

And I miss having time and energy to spend with Murray.  He's a choice guy.   That's why I joined with him in unholy Civil Union.  And cos boardgames.  And I need time alone to do things like shower, and read and garden, and just be with myself.

And to blog!  Come Monday I will (hopefully) have some more time to do this.  Which is good, because I'm so excited about the strange things I've been making, and I want to talk about it, but haven't had time.  But soon I will, so watch this space...

And yay!  Holiday!  I may totally fake a few proper holiday elements to really make it fun.

Potato cut of a giraffe - pretty happy with that                                                           Art pizza - fun and edible!