| Holiday Mode |
| Written by Jodie McEwen | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tuesday, 18 January 2011 13:26 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 I love this time of year. To me, January has the leisurely feel of a finely brewed tea: throw in a sprinkling of beach swims and ice-cream trips, a dash of cruisy public holidays, some time spent catching up with good friends and then mix generously with plenty of slow mornings. Perfect. My children relish television time when they get up, as it is a forbidden luxury during the school term. And I enjoy the fact that there is no rush to chivvy them through the daily rigmarole of breakfast eating/bag packing/uniform finding/tooth brushing in the hope that they look half presentable before being delivered to school. Maybe January has some kind of magical elasticity to it. We seem to have bigger chunks of free time that we don’t have at other times of the year. It’s not going to last, I know, but there are opportunities to invite people over for a lazy barbie by the pool. Those annoying jobs that taunt me from the ever-growing To-Do list can finally be tackled: the veggie patch gets some attention; that loose tile that we keep tripping on is finally replaced and the deck receives its finishing touches with a lick of paint. Freed from the pressures of the school-run and sporting commitments, there is time for reading books, doing some craft and just chilling out together. All these moments for navel-gazing and contemplating the year ahead have been incredibly valuable for our family this January. We’ve reflected on our exciting experiences and achievements from last year and set some new goals for 2011. If that sounds too Oprah or Anthony Robbins for you in this month of soporific relaxation, I apologise. Let’s just call them aspirational targets. And we’ll make them non-binding. Some of our new year ‘revolutions’ include painting some walls, having visitors for lunch once a month and training up some junior Masterchefs. There are new mountains to climb, new recipes to cook and training wheels to be removed. We’re aiming for stronger core strength - well, I am, anyway - more date nights and an exciting family adventure that involves aeroplane travel. As yet unwritten and still sprawling out for more than eleven full months, the year ahead is full of possibilities. I know that social and recreational activities will feature more regularly during January than any other month. But, as I book up the rest of our calendar, I am being intentional about pencilling in the fun times, along with the dentist appointments and car servicing. I’m not naturally an organised person. It’s just that if I don’t get our lives sorted out on the calendar, life as we know it will fall apart. Not in an ‘end of the world’ way, more like a ’Mum! I can’t believe you forgot to bake muffins for school/ take me to cricket-training/ come to the swimming carnival/ get a gift for Julia’s party/ and by the way I don’t have any clean undies’ kind of way. I find that it’s best to avoid those kinds of melt-downs if at all possible. Personally, I have found that having a family requires some kind of routine (however flexible it may be) and a certain degree of organisation so that we all have food to eat, clean clothes to wear and enough sleep to stop our eyeballs from being scratchy. It’s a necessary evil. While a break from the daily grind - ahem, routine - can make life feel like it’s worth living again, there is something comforting about the school term and being able to plan the hours between 10am and 2:30pm. I never wanted to be a mum who couldn’t wait for the end of the holidays so the kids would go back to school. And I’m not. Mostly. I will admit that there are times when I long to go places without three little chaperones to tag along. Grocery shopping, for instance. Or a quick visit to the gym to get some exercise. Or to drink a flat white in peace or check emails or… You get the picture. There is definitely a role for school to play in our family. But for now, as I luxuriate in morning cuddles with whoever I can grab before they reach the remote control, and, as we lie on the lounge-room floor and I tell the stories of when they were babies, I try to burn these precious, un-rushed moments into my memory. And it’s at this time of year – in the afterglow of Christmas – that I sometimes remember the mother so intrinsic to that story. When Jesus was born, Mary, like all proud mums, was left in awe of the miracle of his birth and the welcome he received. A verse in the Bible says, “Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.” In these relaxed holiday days, these days of memory-making and going slow, I think I know how she felt.
Bookmark
Email this
Comments (9)
fashionable hobo leather bags
said:
|
Subscribe to this comment's feed |
http://www.buybuybag.com fashionable hobo leather bags That is the hobo bag. Do you have any idea about this kind of bag? I think you may not feel alien about this because nowadays hobo bag is quite famous in each age for its several models. The hobo bag is a type of handbag or purse that is commonly large and indicated by a crescent shape, a slouchy position and a long strap used to wear over the shoulder. Designer handbags and purses |
luxury5582
said:
|
Good post!!! Good work! Your post is an excellent example of why I keep comming back to read your excellent quality content that is forever updated. Thank you! In today's busy world, Bell & Ross Replica Watches are the ultimate fashion statement. They are often used to express their individual styles, status, mood, and of course their individuality that makes them stand apart from all other women and men. |
Men Taiga Leather bags
said:
|
replica handbags There is absolutely no will should get a mortgage to shell out for it after we have the most effective of getting a wholesale Hermes Handbags. While doing so, the cheap Gucci replica Handbags likewise looks just like genuine one which becomes quite hard even to help any expert to uncover any change between these individuals. |
Louis Vuitton UK
said:
|
http://www.onlinelouisvuittosale.com http://www.onlinelouisvuittonstore.net louis vuitton online http://www.borselouisvuittonit.org borse louis vuitton |
timberland pas cher
said:
|
timberland pas cher timberland pas cher http://www.chaussures-timberland-paschere.com/ Have an aim in life, or your energies will all be wasted. |
cheap Patek Philippe replica watches sale
said:
|
fake watches When indeed, there's no cost which will be ashamed. If you get replica Louis Vuitton Watches China, you'll have it custom-made with the girl first identify or monograms. replica Rolex Yachtmaster watches will be admired because the best performing of age-aged timepieces. |
schnabe0
said:
|
... If you are like most women, you must love the feel and look of genuine designer Louis Vuitton Replica Pink Graffiti Neverfull. An accessory like a Luis Vuitton is a wonderful addition to your wardrobe. It is an unmistakable sign of sophistication, social status Louis Vuitton Keepall 55 and recognition. |
Write comment
Show/hide comment form