First of all, holy winter! These were taken last Thursday when the lake effect snows blew in and kicked my behind. The funny thing about snow here is, it comes in fast and furious and in bands of blizzard like snowfall. It can be bright and sunny one second (when I set up my tripod for this shoot), and crazy snowing the next (see above!) I’ll choose to just laugh over it when editing my photos, and roll with the punches;)
On to my favorite “me time” indulgences!
For a long time after having my kids back to back I had very little me time. It could be something small, like reading a magazine while I nursed, or a couple of minutes of watching tv with my husband between feedings. The time I have to myself has increased as my children have gotten older, and I find it is so important to have moments where I get to do whatever I want to do (cue the angels singing!) Here are my top choices for “me time” when I get a pocket of time to myself:
1) I have always been, and will always be, a reader. I snuck books under my desk in elementary school (and got caught, often), and have always made time for reading no matter what. When my babies were still babies, I used little pockets of time to read. Sometimes it was a couple of pages while I waited for the pasta to boil, or late at night after they went to bed. Reading has always been a priority for me. It is important for me to show my kids my love for reading, and that they see me read a lot. It is a love and a passion I hope to pass down to them. I also do it purely selfishly and for me, too, because I love it that much.
2) I never knew I would have said this ten years ago, but working out is a great indulgence of mine. At first it was because the gym had free daycare. Now I find it lets me get my aggression out and be fit and healthy for myself and my family. I enjoy pushing myself and being the best I can be. Also, I like cute workout clothes;)
3) This may shock you, but shopping makes me happy. I like wandering in stores alone, browsing and trying things on, with no thought of entertaining my children or worrying about keeping up with anyone. I like to see what is new and trendy, touch everything in sight, and take a long time to contemplate what is coming home with me. My favorite stores to browse are Target and Ulta, (surprise!)
4) I realize this may make me sound old, but I LOVE watching QVC. 99% of the time if I am home alone, I am watching it. It is often just background noise for me, but I really enjoy watching the presentations and seeing what is new! I don’t buy from them all the time, but I DO get a lot of my favorite beauty and clothing items from there in super sizes (I also love easy pay and auto delivery.) These Logo tanks are the best, and my Fresh Cream lotion, Argan oil, and Wen cleansing conditioner all come from QVC.
5) Lastly, I know that this doesn’t qualify as pure me time, but I really adore getting to get dressed up and go on dates with my husband. Maybe it’s because we don’t get to get out that often, but having that time to eat really good food and have uninterrupted conversation? It is priceless to me. Not only do I love being married to him, but I truly enjoy him as a person, so having quality time with just him really recharges me.
Oh, we also bought a hot tub last year, so ending the evening in that is pretty awesome too;)
Tell me, what is your favorite “me time” indulgence?
